Diagnosis Murder (1993–2001): Season 2, Episode 17 - Playing for Keeps - full transcript

My ball!

(players chattering)

Norman, I'm getting
a crick in my neck.

Exciting, isn't it?

If you call a neck
brace exciting.

This is probably the
fastest-growing sport

in America, Mark.

The growth
potential is enormous.

Pretty good for a
chiropractor, too.

ANNOUNCER:
Rockets 14, Dynamos 13.

Side out Rockets.



Suzy Balfour to serve.

Jump it!

(players grunting
and chattering)

Quick!

The sport of tomorrow, amigo.

Women's Professional
Volleyball...

The new four-player league...

Fast-paced, exciting,
with fine athletes.

Who just happen to look
great in spandex shorts.

I've arranged for
Community General

to be a sponsor of the Rockets.

They're going to
put the hospital name

on their team uniform.

Do you think there's room?



(crowd cheers)

ANNOUNCER: Janson
with spike, Rockets win,

15-13, and take advantage
two games to one.

Did you see that?
That's Rita Janson.

She's the star of the Rockets.

Hey, are you okay?

Yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine.

You bitch!

I had that point!

You had it, but I scored it!

Yeah, after you knocked me down.

So next time get out of the way!

She may be the star,

but she doesn't look too
popular with her teammates.

(laughing) Have a sandwich.

Kids, popcorn?

I've made arrangements
for us to meet the team.

How did you get in so
tight with the management?

My second cousin, Harrison
Powell, owns the team.

Normie!

(woman screams)

Rita! Rita! What happened?

Some guy in a warmup suit

was waiting for me.
He tried to grab me.

He went off that way.

Let me see that. What? What?

Harrison, he's a doctor.
I told you after Miami

we needed more security!

What's it going
to take, Harrison?!

You want this
nutball to kill me?!

HARRISON:
Sherry, call the police.

No one is trying
to kill you, Rita.

What does that look
like to you, a valentine?

(heart monitor beeping)

(heart monitor flatlining)

(theme song playing)

♪ ♪

The officer in charge tells me

his men checked
out the locker area,

the corridor to the parking lot,

and every door and
window in the building.

No sign of a break-in?

No. Nothing.

You've got rounds
in five minutes.

You going to wear your socks

or you want to wear
your shoes this time?

Oh, come on, Delores.

Forget my shoes one time,

you treat me like Jed Clampett.

Rita Janson had bruises
on her arm, Steve,

and that slashed photo
on her locker room door.

And both could have been
faked by Janson herself.

Our guys talked
to the teammates,

and there is no love lost there.

They say Rita's been the target

of similar stalking incidents

in the past few months Uh-huh.

Uh-huh. The teammates
think that Rita may have staged

the attacks herself to generate
publicity and fan sympathy.

She certainly has
gotten the publicity.

They also pointed out
that nobody has seen

or heard from the stalker
except for Janson herself.

You know, I talked to
that young lady, Steve.

She was genuinely terrified.

Well, real or not, my guys
will stake out the beach

looking for any
suspicious characters.

Well, I guess that's
all you can do now.

See you tonight.

All right. I'll
bring the goodies.

Bye-bye.

(clears throat) Mr. Clampett?

You got to do something
about that cold.

Amigo! Hi, Norman!

♪ Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da. ♪

I've cleared it with the Board.

On a strict trial basis,
Community General

is going to be co-sponsor
of the Malibu Rockets.

Norman, I'm glad you
finally got what you want.

The Rockets? What
the hell is that, Norman,

a little league team?
Women's professional

volleyball, Dr. Stewart.

It's the Roller
Derby of the '90s,

and we have a place at the net.

Mark, I'd like you to do

the physicals. BOTH: Physicals?!

In return for the Rockets

placing the hospital logo
on their team uniform,

we agreed to provide
complete physicals

and drug testing to the team

before the regional
championships.

They're all waiting in
examination room 12.

I'll call Delores.

Norman? Norman...

I have rounds to do.

I do not have time
to do physicals

on four perfectly healthy
female athletes. I'll do it.

Fine. Thank you.

Dr. Stewart will take
your place on rounds.

You do this, Mark,

and I'll arrange that
community health

intervention clinic you
always wanted to start.

Don't get carried away,
Norman. I'll fit them in.

Whoa, whoa, Norman,

why don't you want
me to do the physicals?

Because women's
volleyball is trying

to maintain a professional
image, and Dr. Sloan

is mature enough to
be beyond accusations

of prurient interest in younger
members of the opposite sex.

Mature?

Thank you, amigo.

I'm counting on you, my friend.

Thank you, Dr. Stewart.

The Rockets. I'd like
to give him a noogie.

Mark, finally!

This is Gregory Talbot.

He's on a fellowship
studying immunology.

I may have mentioned him to you.

Oh, only 200 or
300 times is all.

Dr. Bentley speaks very
highly of you, and your research.

Well, the admiration is mutual.

Dr. Bentley is quite a woman.

Jack Stewart.

Oh, Dr. Stewart.
Amanda's talked about you.

Yeah. Well, listen, um...

Greg, right?

(clears throat)

Listen, Amanda is
a very good friend

of mine and she doesn't
have a lot of family

out here, so...

you know, I'm kind of like

a big brother to her, you
know what I'm saying?

No, not really. Jack.

You guys have been
dating a while and, uh...

it's none of my
business, but it seems like

it's getting pretty
serious here,

so I'm telling you
now there, Greg,

if you hurt her...

you've got to answer to me.

Jack! Oh.

I'll see you for lunch? Yes.

It was nice meeting you, Doctor.

Nice to meet you.

You, too, bro. Yeah.

(elevator bell dings)

Oh, hey. What,
are you mad at me?

Oh, of course not.

You know, Jack,
it's very simple.

I finally meet
somebody that I like.

Uh-huh. A gentleman.

And you're trying to
show me the differences

between somebody like Dr. Talbot

and an immature,
bullying... Bullying?

Rude... Bullying, really?

Well, Amanda, if looking
out for your well-being,

and making sure that
you're okay is immature,

well, then I guess
I'm just a kid.

You know, Jack, just save it.

I know, in your own
sick, demented way,

you think that
you're helping me.

I'd like to think that.

If that's your feeble
attempt at a thank you,

you're welcome.

All right.

If you're so concerned,

let's see you do
something constructive.

Okay. All right.

You've got it.

(dialing phone)

Hey, Mario. It's Jack.

Yeah, how are you
doin'? Listen, I want you

to make a reservation
for me, okay?

It's for a Dr. Amanda Bentley.

This is Ravello's. What
time and when? Ravello's?

Yes, Ravello's. Uh...
Wednesday at 8:00.

Wednesday, 8:00. Now, listen,

these are very
good friends of mine.

I want you to take extra special
care of them for me, okay?

And put their bill on my tab.

All right. I'll-I'll
catch you later. Bye.

Jack, you're paying? All right.

You're wonderful! Don't...

don't... it's nothing. Just
don't get home too late.

Okay.

(dialing phone)

Mario, it's Jack.

Listen, uh, the Bentley party.

You're going to put them

at table number
seven for me, okay?

Is that table still rigged?

Ooh, it is? Good.

'Cause I don't want to
miss a word they're saying.

So, wheat germ, fruit
and a two-mile walk

every day.

I'll try it, Miss Balfour. Good.

Oh, don't forget,

stay away from that
processed cheese.

No dairy, no cheese.

And breathe. Remember
to drag the air up from deep

in your diaphragm...
Let it out slowly.

Do all that and
you'll be feeling better

in no time, Dr. Sloan.

You know, I usually give
out the health tips here,

but then good
advice is good advice.

Thanks. (chuckles)

Well...

I can't wait to hear
what you have to say.

Oh, Rita?

She's probably got a
terrific cure for a snake bite.

Blood pressure, 120/70.

Heart rate, 72.

Good health.
Excellent muscle tone.

And no adverse family

or personal
medical history here.

You know, people like you

put people like
me out of business.

I'll drop these off at
the lab for a workup.

Oh, thank you, Delores.

Let's see this. Ah!

That's still sore
from yesterday?

You know, my loving teammates

told the police
I faked all that?

Slashed the picture
and bruised myself?

I don't think so.

A whack on the elbow that hard,

anyone trying to
do it to themselves

would hold back. See, they're

just jealous because I've
got more talent than them

and I try harder.

Well, as long as
you're trying harder,

maybe you should try harder

to get along. I won't be less

than I am and that's
what they want.

I come from

a big family with no money

and I found out early,
if I want something,

I have to go out
and get it myself.

Nobody's going to give it to me.

If that means I don't
have friends, that's fine.

I don't think you mean that.

They want me dead.

Rita...

You know what I think?

I think the
stalker's their idea.

I mean, why does he only go
after me and not any of them?

Maybe they hired
him to freak me out.

Maybe Suzy set me up.

Or Ellen or even Peggy.

Look, here's my card.

If you ever feel

like talking, call me anytime.

Excuse me, um, where's the
lab where they do blood work?

Thanks.

TV ANNOUNCER: This is
the final stop on the first third

of the professional bowling
team season here in Nashville...

Hmm... This is a real sport.

The worst thing that
ever happened to you

is when they cancelled
the baseball season.

Well, ten bucks says
Stubner doesn't break 150.

You're on.

(phone ringing)

Dr. Sloan. Dr. Sloan, it's Rita.

I found another slashed
up picture on my front door.

This time I know who put
it there. Rita, slow down.

I told you it was

one of them... I saw
her when I pulled up.

By the time I parked,
she was gone. Who?

Did you see who it was?

(glass breaking)

Wait a second.

There's someone in my apartment.

Rita, hang up and call 911.

(muffled yell)

Rita?

Rita? Rita?!

We found her in a park three
blocks from her apartment.

It looks like she was
killed someplace else

because she lost a lot of blood
and the ground around her was dry.

What are all these
cuts on her arms?

Well, the M.E. isn't sure.

That's why he wants you
to take a look at the file

as the department
medical advisor.

It could be defensive cuts

from trying to fight
off her attacker.

No, I don't think so.

They're too smooth and regular.

Yeah. Probably ritualistic.

Stalkers who act up
violently sometimes do that.

Good morning. Hi.

(yawns): Hi.

Hey, Steve, you can
use this more than me.

There you go. Thanks.

Steve's been up all night

working on the Janson case.

You know, Rita thought

one of her teammates was
behind those stalker attacks.

She saw one of them
outside her apartment

before she was killed.

Rita was too hyped up to
know what she saw, Dad.

Rita Janson was on drugs?

Her autopsy report showed
she was high on coke

when she died.

We're going to stick
with the stalker angle.

For now, it's the
best lead we've got.

Oh, Mark, You've got
that look in your eye again.

Well, the last think she
did was call me for help.

I want to find
out who killed her

and I think maybe her teammates
may have the answer to that.

(giggling)

Hi, Jack.

Hi, Mark.

I was, uh...

looking for a tongue depressor.

Since when does a pathologist
need a tongue depressor?

Well...

Excuse me.

Dr. Sloan.

Dr. Stewart.

Dr. Talbot.

Uh... um...

thank you for that... helping
me with that situation, Doctor.

Anytime.

Gentlemen.

Did Dr. Talbot need

a tongue depressor, too?

Mark, Mark, we have a problem.

That blood work you did on the
Malibu Rockets was compromised.

Compromised how?

Someone tampered
with the labels.

No one touched those
samples while I had them.

You know, Rita Janson's autopsy
showed she was using cocaine.

She could have slipped into
the lab after she left my office.

NORMAN: I told the
Rocket's management

you'll be out this morning
to take some new samples.

Norman, I am supervising
surgery in 20 minutes.

I'll do it. Oh, no.

And I'll look into
that other stuff

while I'm at it for you, Mark.

Oh, no, you won't. Why not?

All you want to do is ogle those fine
athletes. Do you hate me, Norman?

And this hospital will
not sanction ogling.

AMANDA: I'm off-duty

and I'd be happy to be
Jack's big sister chaperone.

Yeah, right. The Closet Woman is

going to chaperone
me? Sounds good to me.

Besides I know one of the
team... Peggy McKenna.

And I'd be happy
to see her again.

Good. Excellent.
Then it's settled.

Norman... Enough.

Mark, could I have a word
with you in private, please?

I'll be in my car.

See ya.

(laughing)

So, you and Dr. Talbot?

Delores, if anyone told
me that I could spend

hours on end listening to a
man talk about DNA research

and immunology without
getting the slightest bit bored,

I would have told
them they were crazy.

Honey, men like it when you
listen to them talk about work.

And Gregory's worked so
hard to get to where he is.

Of course, I've always had
my family to fall back on.

But he's been on his own
ever since he was a child.

And when he kisses me...

oh, I'm on cloud nine.

Uh-oh... the man's doomed.

My second cousin
Harrison is offering me

a terrific opportunity to buy
equity in the Malibu Rockets

before it goes public.

I could get you
in, too, if you want.

But what should I do?

Norman, you're not
talking to a money man.

I buy high and sell low.

Maybe this is my chance
to swing open the door

to financial independence.

If I cash in my life
insurance policy,

I could get five
percent of the team.

But if I take a loan
out on my house,

maybe I could raise
enough to get 15%.

But then there's always
my pension fund, Mark.

Norman, I wouldn't
spend anything

you can't afford to lose.

You're right.

I'll keep my pension fund.

I'll mortgage my house.

I can always find
another place to live.

Thank you, amigo.

Norman, I didn't tell you
to mortgage your house.

(door closes)

AMANDA: Jack, I
don't want to hear it.

Well, just let me
ask you one question.

Now, what do you really
know about this Talbot guy?

And what if he's like a...

like a pedophile or
some kind of psycho?

Look, I knew this woman
once... Jack, see you later.

Where are you going?

It doesn't take two people to
draw blood and I have the bag.

Good-bye.

Freeze.

Turn around real slow
with your hands in the air.

Wait a minute.

I'd know that voice anywhere.

Steve.

How many rounds does
that mop hold, Jack?

You're lucky I didn't pop you

with this thing, you know?

I mean, the way you
were skulking around here.

I should have known my
dad wouldn't let this one go.

Here, give me that.

Next time, Jack, try a broom.

They just... they
handle better, you know?

So, what do you know?

Hey, what are you
doing here anyway?

Amanda! Peggy.

Girl, look at you.

Look at you.

The last I heard, you were
going to medical school.

And I heard you
were on the fast track

to the U.S. Women's
Olympic Volleyball team.

Oh, golden days, Amanda.

So, what's up?

I need to draw some
blood for a drug test.

Well, they already took
some at the hospital.

Yes, but we need more.

Draw away.

All right.

I'm undercover, Jack.

The girls think I'm
the new team trainer.

I'm supposed to be
looking out for the stalker,

not playing hide-and-seek

with gung-ho doctors.

Go home, Jack.

I can't do that, Steve.

Look, I promised your
father that I would check out...

that I would talk to
these ladies, all right?

Now, I consider
it my sacred duty.

COACH: Come on,
you're having a tea party.

(whistle blows)

Ellen, I'm sorry.

Are you okay?

Oh, boy. My fault.

I uh... I was off
balance. I'm a doctor.

Oh, boy. I can't
believe I did that.

JACK: Well, I think you
just strained your muscle

here a little bit.

She needs heat

and a shoulder massage
right away. Right.

Steve, you're the trainer.

Yes, I am.

Uh... shall we? No,
we were just practicing

and I really think...
Never mind. If you're hurt...

I can hit the ball back
and forth with her.

It's no big deal.

Besides, I can use the exercise.

Come on.

Go take care of that.

You sure? Oh, absolutely.

But don't let my belly fool you.

I'm in pretty good
shape. All right?

PLAYER: Okay. I'll
set it up for you, Suzy.

Hey.

Wow.

What? Jack, see...

it's called volleyball because
you're supposed to volley it back.

Yes, I'm aware of that, Steve.
Thank you. Relax. Have fun.

PLAYER: Set...

All right. Now, that's twice.

Let's go.

Still seeing Tom?

Uh... no.

We broke up senior
year after you left.

Um, Peggy, you know, I never
felt right about what happened.

Mom warned me.

When it's a choice
between brains and brawn,

the really great guys
always choose brains.

It's ancient history.

All forgotten.

Didn't I read in
Sport's Illustrated

that you're engaged
to that announcer

on ESPN?

Yeah, we were engaged.

Rita stole him away

and then dumped him.

First, you took Tom
and then she took Ed.

It's the story of my life.

Then I guess it
would be safe to say

that you're not broken
up that she's dead?

She took Ed away
just to hurt me.

I would dance on
that girl's grave.

Peggy, I called you last night.

You weren't home.

Oh, well.

I didn't hear the phone ring.

I was home last
night asleep... all night.

All right.

Are you all right?

I will be... if my...

heart doesn't come
breaking through my rib cage.

Oh, God.

Oh God, are you in shape.

What do you do for fun?

Like lift Volkswagens or
small houses or something?

Actually, I manage
a small mutual fund

investment portfolio.

Here, come on.

Are you kidding?

The way you were
playing, I thought that...

I thought that for
sure you were...

Just a jock?

Yeah.

I am a jock.

But I'm also a broker.

I invest the other
player's money

and Harrison Powell
lets me pool the funds

into his own portfolio.

Did you ever invest
for Rita Janson?

I wish I'd never touched
her lousy ten grand.

Why's that?

A couple of days ago,
she called the SEC

and said that she had
some sort of evidence

that I was embezzling
the player's investments.

So now they're
going to investigate

whether to pull my license.

Well, you must be...

pretty glad that
she's dead, right?

I've got to take a shower.

You know... it's funny,
when I first came in here...

I thought you
looked familiar to me.

Did I see you last
night at Geno's bar?

Was that you?

No. I was home... all night.

Oh.

It's my mistake.

Ow.

Oh, man, I'm getting
old. I got... I gotta get...

STEVE: Say, I didn't realize

you were the girl in
all those beer ads...

That "Have a ball with Barlows."

Yeah.

Well, I was.

Until our darling Miss
Rita grabbed my contract.

Oh, yeah? When was that?

A couple days ago.

My agent calls me
up out of the blue

and says she's
dropping me for Rita.

She says I'm yesterday's look.

Rita's the look of tomorrow.

So not only did I lose my agent,

but Rita got the contract
as the Barlow Babe.

It must have cost you
a lot of money, huh?

A hundred thou.

You know, you've
got pretty good hands.

So, I guess you're glad

she's dead, huh?

Oh, yeah.

Deeper.

You know, I stopped
by here last night.

Wasn't that your car

I saw in the parking lot?

I was home last night...

All night...

asleep.

Thanks for the massage.

Hey, how's that shoulder doing?

Suzy Balfour had
reason to kill Rita Janson

and she had no alibi.

The same with Ellen Kingston.

You know, I have
a feeling that...

Amanda is going to say the
same thing about Peggy McKenna.

Well, maybe Rita Janson wasn't
killed by an anonymous stalker.

Even if one exists...

AMANDA: Hey,
what are you doing...?

(Amanda screams)

Amanda, what
happened? Oh, Steve...

A man in a sweat suit
just pushed me down.

Which way did he go?

Down the stairs.

Stay with her, Jack.

All right.

Are you okay? Yeah...

(tires squeal)

(grunts)

(tires squeal in distance)

AMANDA: The stalker was not

after me.

MARK: You said he grabbed you.

Well, maybe I surprised him.

See, I was coming out of the
locker room and there he was.

Yeah, waiting for you.

Why would he want me?

Do I look like a
volleyball player?

He was after one of the Rockets

and I just happened
to get in the way.

Or he's gotten
bored with volleyball

and decided to move on.

I want to put a police guard
on you until we catch this guy.

I don't want one of your
men following me around.

Amanda, you won't even
know my people are there.

What? Are you afraid

a couple of boys
in blue will screw up

your love life with Dr. Gregory?

Amanda, why don't
you go check the lab

and see if the
bloodwork on the Rockets

is back.

Sure, Mark.

Jack, you're not really
her big brother, you know?

I've been checking around.

Before this guy came
to Community General

and got involved

with Amanda, this Gregory
Talbot dated doctors

in two other hospitals.

He had three girlfriends

in the past two years.

How many have you had, Jack?

Come on, Steve.

You can't compare me...

Look, no, the thing is,

I'm-I'm worried
about her, that's all.

Jack,

Amanda is a big girl.

She can take care of herself.

Anything new on
the stalker's identity?

He was driving a rental.

I saw the sticker.

We're checking all
the local agencies

looking for anybody
who rented a car

of that description

using a Florida
driver's license.

Why Florida?

The first time the
stalker showed up,

the Rockets were
playing in Miami.

So each one of the Rockets
had a motive to want Rita dead,

yet not one of
them has an alibi.

You don't still think

one of them hired
a guy to kill her?

After the way the stalker
came after Amanda?

Well, that's the point.

He went after her, not them.

Why did he leave them alone?

Well, when I catch
him, I'll ask him.

See you later.

BOTH: All right.

You know, Jack, it
could be the Rockets

aren't the only ones who
wanted to see Rita dead.

Dr. Sloan, have you seen Amanda?

Uh, Amanda's in the lab.

Okay.

Tell me again
about Suzy Balfour,

what she said about
investing money

with Harrison Powell.

Yeah, I'll do that. Thank you.

Hi! Hi.

Mm...

That's by way of an apology.

Apology accepted.

Now what did you do?

It's what I'm going to do.

I've got to cancel dinner.

I'm analyzing

a DNA cross-section
and I'll be at it all night.

Really? Mm.

Well, I have
reservations at Ravello's;

soft music, fine wine,

shrimp scampi.

Wait a minute. Tiramisu...

You're killing me.

Mm-hmm.

I'll make it up to you tomorrow.

You can start right now.

(clearing throat)

Oh, don't go blushing
on my account.

I've seen people kiss before.

Listen, your friend
Peggy McKenna called

to see if you're
free for dinner.

Well, well, well.

It looks like I'm going to
get to use those reservations

at Ravello's after all.

See ya.

Mm, bye.

Girl, I see what you mean.

He's cute! (laughs)

Oh! Hi!

Dr. Sloan, hi!

Um, this is Rachel Moody.

She just came from back East.

Hi, Rachel. Hi.

She's replacing Rita.

Hey, are you going
to give her a physical?

Only if she'll let me pass out

the health advice this time.

Call my office for an
appointment, Rachel.

Okay. Come on.

Nice to meet you.

Thank you, Doctor.

MARK: Norman?

You decided to invest.

You're a Wall Street wizard.

A wise man, amigo.

Opportunities like this
come once in a lifetime.

I'm glad I took your advice.

My advice...

You don't know how hard it is

to take out a second mortgage
overnight in today's market.

Norman, I didn't tell you
to mortgage your house.

Normie, I got those
papers ready for you to...

Oh, Dr. Sloan!

A pleasure to see you again.

Dr. Sloan is going
to invest, too.

Really? Incredible!

Well, I had a few questions

I wanted to ask first.

Sure! Come on in. Come on in.

How's Iris?

Oh, please! How could she be?

She woke up this morning,

no feeling in her elbow.

No! You live with her.

So, uh, Dr. Sloan, I
guess Normie told you

that the audience for
women's professional volleyball

has increased 30% over
the past year alone. 30%.

The league is in
negotiations with two

of the networks to carry
the games on television.

It's, uh, it couldn't be
a better time to invest.

Here's my check.

You said there
were papers to sign?

Yes. Mr. Powell,

I wanted to talk to you

about some of your
other investments.

My other investments?

Yes, the one you
handled with Suzy Balfour.

The two of you invested
some of the teammates' funds.

Yes, um...

I did help Suzy
with the accounts.

Unfortunately,

the funds lost

a considerable amount of money.

Suzy misplanned the investments.

You know, Rita thought
that Suzy embezzled it.

Th-that's, that's ridiculous.

Mr. Powell, I checked
with the investment bank

that handled the account.

Now, you and Suzy
cosigned all of the deposits.

But the last three withdrawals

were signed only by you.

It's a simple cash-flow problem.

Uh-uh, strategic
collateralization.

Oh, it was cash flow, all right.

You didn't have any.

Your team was
practically bankrupt.

Rita discovered that the
money was disappearing,

but she didn't know who took it.

Then when she began
asking embarrassing questions,

that gave you a pretty
good motive to kill her.

I did not kill her!

I was with my
banker when she died!

I mortgaged my house!

You could have hired the killer.

You know, maybe the
stalker didn't go after

the other players

because you needed them
to keep your team alive.

I sold my life insurance policy.

Rita was the problem.

She's the one you wanted dead.

Give me that check!

Give it to me now! Mr. Powell,

I would advise
you to see a lawyer.

AMANDA: Doug Tilton.

I was only 14 years old and he
was on my brother's track team.

Did we spin the bottle in
the pool house or what?

Oh, my God!

The first boy who ever kissed me

was Stewart Flemming.

Oh, my, he was a counselor
at summer camp when I was 15

and he had the cutest smile
of any man I've ever met

except for Tommy Hobart.

Yeah, I really loved
Tommy Hobart, Amanda.

You had a lot of guys.

So why did you
have to take mine?

Peggy, darling, can I
share a little secret with you?

What?

Men don't like smart women.

Oh...! I'm living proof of it.

Do you know how many

boyfriends I had before
Gregory Talbot came into my life?

How many?

Not many!

As a matter of fact,
Gregory's the first

in a very, very long time.

But I love listening
to him talk.

He's not boring! Matter of fact,

I can have a
conversation with the man.

He's not boring, he's not
boring, he's not boring!

Well, here is to men
who aren't boring.

Cheers!

Hi!

Mm! Gregory, you're here! Yes.

I finished the DNA
cross-section early.

Actually, I hope I'm not making

myself a fifth wheel.

Oh, no, no, no! You sit right
down, have a glass of wine.

Right.

Peggy McKenna,
this is Gregory Talbot.

How do you do?

Amanda's mentioned you.

You're her friend on
the volleyball team.

Oh, that's me.

I'm a Rocket. Zoom, baby!

And I am definitely not boring.

You know, I find
women's sports enthralling.

You do?

Yes, I do.

What is it that
you do, Dr. Talbot?

Oh, well, uh...

I'm on fellowship to study the
impact of genetics on immunity.

Please, tell me more.

Sure.

A strong immune system
protects us from disease.

A weak immune system
makes us vulnerable

to all kinds of illness.

(indistinct radio
transmissionion)

STEVE: That's our stalker's
car and that's his room.

Police!

Open up!

We have a warrant!

(sighs): Nobody
here and no luggage.

All right, let's
search this place.

He must have dropped the
car figuring we'd track him

after what happened
yesterday and then split.

Steve, take a look at this.

What have you got?

See, my research focuses
on genetic-based immunity;

why some people are always sick

and other people are
never sick a day in their life.

Because some people

inherit weak immunity systems

while others
inherit strong ones.

Amanda's heard
this a thousand times.

Yes, and after tonight, I shall
lose my amateur standing.

Well, it's all new
and fresh to me.

Please, please, go on.

TALBOT: Well, did you
know there's a family in Italy

that is totally free
of heart disease?

They have a gene that all
of us lack that protects them.

Now just think, if we
could clone that gene,

we could clone perfect
health for everyone. We...

Are you sure I'm not boring you?

Oh, no, not at all.

Do you realize that
you have been talking

for one hour about genetics this

and immunity that while
she's been looking up at you

with these longing,
puppy-dog eyes

and you've been eating
it all up, haven't you?

Amanda, what's wrong?

What's wrong? Men!
That's what's wrong.

You don't care who's listening

as long as you have an audience.

Excuse me!

Uh...

I really want to hear more

about this immunity
thing, Gregory.

This is so very fascinating.

Yes, it is.

(screams) Freeze! Police!

(screams)

Don't move.

Steve!

You followed me here?

I told you you wouldn't
see my people.

Read him his rights.

Are you all right?

Well!

That was a pretty nice move.

Where'd you learn that?

Fending off Jack.

Well, congratulations, son.

You caught the stalker.

As it turned out,
nobody hired him.

This guy was a
freelance nutcase.

Once I nailed him,
I got his record.

Richard Morris.

Native of Miami.

Picked up in the last five years

on a half a dozen indecent
exposure charges...

misdemeanor harassment charges.

This guy was all over the map.

But he wasn't a sports fan.

That's why he didn't go
after Rita's teammates.

Apparently, he saw Rita

outside of her
hotel room in Miami

and became obsessed with her

and started following
her from city to city.

Finally, he caught
up with her here.

Are you certain he killed her?

(sighs heavily): Well, I was.

He's definitely the stalker,

but murder doesn't
really fit his profile.

And he denies it?

Well, Richard claims

that he lost interest in Rita as
soon as he saw Amanda outside

the hospital.

And he swears he was
nowhere near Rita's apartment

the night she was killed.

Got these pictures he
left for her on her door,

slashed just like on her locker.

And we have these...

pictures of Amanda we
found in his motel room.

Would you do me a favor?

Let me go over that case file.

Why, you think somebody
else killed Rita Janson?

Like one of her teammates maybe?

Or that owner Harrison Powell?

Well, let's just say I'm
keeping an open mind.

You know, Jack, I cannot believe

the way he came on to Peggy. Oh!

Was I right about this guy?

Is he a creep or what?

At least now you know it.

And what was all that
boring talk about immunology?

It's got to be a joke.

How did you know he said that?

Are you kidding me?

How predictable is this guy?

Yeah! Do you know
how mad I am right now?

Do you have any idea how
mad I am? I don't blame you.

And I want you to be mad.

I told you I'll take care of it.

I will take care of it.

I don't want you
to take care of it.

I got a better idea.

I got a better idea.

I can have his legs broken.

I've got... my
cousins can do that.

Absolutely not. It might
cost you a few dollars.

Absolutely not Excuse me.

Would you mind filling me in?

Amanda and Dr. Gregory
had a bad date.

And I'm going to play

peacemaker. You mean
and take a piece of him?

Mm-hmm. It was not a date.

I had dinner with an old
friend, Peggy McKenna.

Yeah, the girl who blamed
her for stealing her boyfriend

years ago. If I
stole her boyfriend,

it was petty larceny.

You should have seen her.

She was lapping up
everything that Gregory said

about rare genes,
immunity research

as if it were pure honey.

Sounds like she grabbed a
chance to get even with you.

Well, of course she did.

But I don't blame her.

I blame him
because he fell for it.

Do you know where
he is right now?

With Peggy McKenna
and her teammates

giving them vitamin shots

for this afternoon's regional
championship. What did I tell you?

Didn't I tell you
that if he hurt you,

he'd have to answer to me?

Hitting is not the answer, Jack.

That depends on the question.

You know, I have
a better suggestion.

Let's go to a ballgame.

(applause)

Out! (whistle blows)

Side out Rockets.

Hey, Norman, who's winning?

The Rockets.

Hilton with the
block. Side out...

I see they're wearing the
hospital logos like you wanted.

Harrison Powell
called me this morning.

He thought I'd like to know

he sold the team to a speculator

for two and a
half million dollars.

If I owned 15 percent...

Side out, Rockets.

(applause)

my share would have
been for $375,000.

So much for financial
independence.

Norman, I told you I was
no good at investments.

Uh, have you seen
Dr. Talbot around?

Not in the last hour.

He was with the
team before the game.

(whistle blows)

Game!

Cougars 15, Rockets 13.

The match is tied
at one game a piece.

I'll be right back.

Are you okay?

Yeah, I'm okay. I'm
just a little woozy.

Sit down.

Next time don't stay out
late partying before a game.

Ladies, may I have
you for a minute?

I'd like to show you something.

What?

Well, supposedly these photos
were made by the slasher.

These two of Rita

and the one of Amanda Bentley.

So?

But if you look carefully,
you'll see that the handwriting

on these two matches perfectly.

The handwriting on this one,

the one that Rita found on her
door the night she was murdered,

completely different writing.

The stalker didn't write that.

He didn't slash this
photo and he did

not put it on her door.

The three of you did.

All of you.

That's why you
didn't have an alibi

for the night she was murdered.

You were all at Rita's
apartment leaving her this.

You can't prove that.

I think if we get
some handwriting

samples, we can prove it.

What if we did leave that photo?

Maybe we just wanted

to push Rita off the team.

And when that didn't work,

one of you tried to push
a little harder, hmm?

You all right, Peggy?

Teams take the
floor. (buzzer sounds)

I'm just a little hot.

Come on, let's play.

(cheering)

She's burning up.

Norman, call an ambulance.

Peggy, don't worry.

We'll take care of you.
Everything's going to be okay.

NORMAN: Malaria?

That's a tropical
disease. Mm-hmm.

Where could she get malaria?

Well, in some rare cases,

drug users give it to one
another sharing needles.

Or, at times, it's
been the result

of a contaminated
blood transfusion.

Yeah, but neither one of
those apply in Peggy's case.

Yeah, she wasn't a drug user

and she hasn't had
a blood transfusion.

Mark just said that.

Norman, I'm just trying

to keep you on
board here, all right?

Amanda's giving her
a transfusion right now.

That disease hit her so hard,
that a complete blood exchange

may be her only
chance of survival.

I'll drop this off at the lab.

All right, Delores.
How's she doing?

Oh, Mark, it is so
hard to see her like this.

You know, all the
time Peggy and I

spent together in school,

she was the one
that never got sick.

I don't understand.

You gave that poor girl a
physical just five days ago.

How could you miss malaria?

Well, before the onset
it's asymptomatic.

Still, we should have caught
something in the blood test.

Either the first one
or the second one.

You said she never
got sick in school?

Not even a cold.

Look at this.

In the first blood
test, Peggy is

O-positive, but
in the second test,

she's AB negative.

What?

How could she have
two different blood types?

Rita Janson must have switched
the labels on the blood samples

to hide her drug use.

So she put her label
on Peggy's blood.

Rita's killer saw Peggy's

first blood test and
thought it was Rita's.

That's why he went after Rita.

He thought she
had Peggy's blood.

Mark, you getting
enough sleep lately?

Yeah, maybe you should sit down.

It's the last thing
I need right now.

Look, Steve's in my office.

Tell him I want to
see him right away.

I'm gone.

I have no idea what he's saying.

Blood samples, Doctor.

Thank you.

Dr. Sloan.

This is about the
little misunderstanding

Amanda and I had, isn't it?

No, this is about murder.

Get away from him,
Delores. He's dangerous.

What?

How much is that
blood worth, Gregory,

a million?

Five maybe?

But then how can you put a price

on genetic immunity.

You find the right
buyer, that's how.

I've got people at a
Swiss longevity clinic

that will pay ten
million francs for this.

It's a lot more than a
lifetime research fellowship.

Mark, what is going on? Amanda.

Amanda, nice of you to drop by.

Let her go.

Not till we're out of here.

How far do you think
you're going to get?

That depends on how
much you care for Amanda.

You killed Rita Janson.

For her blood.

Correction.

For her DNA.

While you were testing
DNA samples in the lab,

you discovered
that Rita Janson's

DNA results matched a
nearly perfect immune system.

And you had a buyer.

So you killed her.

But then you realized
you chose the wrong donor.

And you gave Peggy a dose
of malaria in a vitamin shot.

Knowing damn well she needed
a full transfusion to survive.

I was even going to let
you do my work for me.

Yeah, but what good is tainted
blood with malaria anyway?

Oh, Amanda, you keep
missing the point, my darling.

I didn't want Peggy's blood.

I wanted her DNA.

Well, congratulations.

You've just bagged
yourself a murderer.

I told you what I'd
do if he hurt you.

That's why he was
romancing Peggy McKenna,

for her blood?

Feel better now?

Much.