Diagnosis Murder (1993–2001): Season 6, Episode 12 - Trapped in Paradise - full transcript

We've got a man down.

I'll radio for help.

Nothing surprising to report.

He died of gunshot wounds
inflicted from behind.

He had an enlarged
thyroid and a little
arteriosclerosis,

and his last meal of
fried oysters and cake

probably didn't help matters.

It's the second Hill Ridge
Estate resident this month.

First one was identified
as a Bill Donnelly.

Kind of puts a new spin
on their motto...

"security is our priority."



Those gated communities
are pretty strict.

Maybe he put too much
of that tan bark mulch

on his lawn.

Well, it was stuck
to the bottom of his sneakers.

You're saying the shot came from
inside
the community?

Yeah, looks like it,
but their lawyers

are so good, they've stonewalled
us out of getting anything.

Is there any connection

between victim one
and victim two?

None so far,
except for the high probability

that it's the same killer.

I'm sorry, ma'am.

This area is restricted.

Oh, not again.



You two know each other?

Hi. I'm Shelby Turner.
I'm a reporter.

For Comet magazine.

Is that the, uh...

"the zombies ate
my babies"
Comet?

Yeah. The scum-
of-the-earth
Comet.

We do hard-hitting
investigative journalism.

Perhaps you read a piece
of mine a few months back

about the Biggerstaff
crime family,

Doctor...?

Sloan.

Sloan. You two are related.

See how fast you made
that connection?

Boy, those zombie children
didn't stand a chance.

Who's this?

Uh... excuse me.

Paul Foster... the guy
you were bugging me about

this morning.

She barged into the station
and demanded to see

the investigator in charge.

Yeah, well,
I finished the autopsy.

Well, don't volunteer anything.

So what leads have
you developed?

Nothing I'm going
to share with
you.

Well, there's more to this story
than you realize.

Foster called
me. He told me

that there were alien replicants
living in that community.

You're missing
the bust of a lifetime.

Mm-hmm.

Undercover?

In a gated community
of million-dollar homes?

Look, Captain, we're
getting nowhere.

We can't get past their lawyers,

much less the front gate.

Well, I'm not questioning
the need for an investigation.

It's the undercover part.

What are you going to go in as,
a bug inspector?

No, as a resident
at the victim's
house... Paul Foster.

As far as we can
tell, he has no known
relatives... until now.

Well, what about
places of business,

known enemies, the usual?

No. Dead ends. The
guy just moved here.

He lives off his investments.

We can't come up with any reason

why someone would shoot the guy.

What about, uh, witnesses?

None.

Well, what's your
cover going to be?

A physician.

Oh, come on, now,
think about it.

It's perfect... my father's
on staff at Community General.

I can set up a practice there
in two minutes.

Yeah. You can also perform
a couple of surgeries,

pick up a little extra
cash on the side.

Ear, nose and throat guy.

No scalpels,
just popsicle sticks.

You know, your cover is
supposed to be convincing.

How are you going to
pull off being a doctor?

Come on, Captain,
I've been around hospitals

and doctors all my life.

For example...
take that mole on your cheek.

What about it?

It's a congenital nevus.

There's one chance in fifty

that it'll turn into
a full-blown melanoma.

Well, thanks for the warning.

I'll cut it out later
with an ice pick.

Slightly misshapen...

flat to the skin,
no hair follicles.

Yeah. It's a problem
waiting to happen.

Especially if you have
a history of severe sunburn.

That, uh...

hasn't changed shape
recently, has it?

You know, why don't we
lay off the mole, okay?

It's part of my personality.

Mm-hmm. So, I have your
permission to go undercover?

Yeah.

Just remember...

No malpractice suits, okay?

Oh, and, uh...
I'm serious about that mole.

Out, out. The door's waiting.

Yeah.

Name?

Dr. Steve Foster.

You, uh, protecting
us from killer bees?

The gun... it was a joke.

Welcome
to Hill Ridge Estates, sir.

Have a pleasant stay.

Right.

Hi. You must
be Dr. Foster.

I'm Cliff Moloney,
head of the homeowners
association here.

I'm terribly sorry
about what happened
to your brother.

Me, too. It was a real shock.

I don't know how long

you and Mrs. Foster
plan on staying,

but for whatever
that period of time,

I'd like to welcome
you to the community.

Uh, M Foster?

Hello, honey.

I didn't think
I'd see you till...

tonight.

I, uh, didn't think
I'd see you at all.

I decided to come early.

Wish you'd warned me.

I didn't have time.

I had to get groceries
for the dinner party.

Thanks very much
for the invitation.

I think this is a great
way of remembering Paul.

It was a pleasure to
meet the both of you.

Let me know if I
can do anything,

and always feel free
to call security.

They're extremely efficient.

They have that reputation.

Excuse me.

Do you realize the position
you've put me in?

The best possible one.

We have to talk.

Of course.
Suitcases, darling.

Wouldn't want to forget
my suitcases,
darling.

After the trip I've had.

Where are you going?
We need to talk.

Not until we unpack your bags.

The master bedroom's up here.

You're going to love it.

I better.

And wait till you see
the master bathroom.

It's gigantic.

From now on, whenever
you hear the shower running,

it means I want
to talk to you in here.

Better acoustics.

No, it's the only place
that we can talk safely.

Why? Alien replicants
don't like water?

The place is bugged
top to bottom.

You've been reading too
many of your own magazines.

Paul Foster told me.

He used to always call me
from the bathroom

with the water running.

He said it was the only place
that he felt safe.

Well, maybe he felt
safe here, but I don't.

What are you doing?

I'm leaving.

The steam is bad for my jacket.

Didn't you hear what I said?

Paul Foster was scared.

Well, he may have been scared,

but he wasn't very smart.

Cell phone conversations

can very easily be intercepted.

Well, I think he feels worse
than anybody about that...

now that he's dead.

That's a condition
I'd like to avoid.

Well, the way I feel,
it's a condition

I might consider
helping you achieve.

Ah... you need me.

Oh, I can hardly wait
to hear how.

I already told them all
that I was your wife.

If you kick me out,
you'll blow your cover.

And how did you find out
about my cover?

I have my sources.

Mm-hmm.

Well, when this is over,
you're going to jail

for interfering
with a police investigation.

When this is
over, you'll be
happy I was here.

Now, clean up.

We have guests coming over.

And remember, in case Foster
was right about all the bugs...

And he was...

We are husband and
wife... even when

we're completely alone together.

Mm-hmm. Unless we're
taking a shower.

You'll feel so much better.

That's an interesting
technique...

Picking up a fork like that.

Protects the monograms
on the handles.

Too many hands will
just rub it right off.

Well, these aren't monogrammed.

They should be.

It's an old habit
you fall back into

when you're trying
to keep yourself

busy after your
brother-in-law dies.

You know, it's funny,

he never mentioned
either of you.

There was a strain
between Paul and Steve.

It's just a tragedy
they never patched things up.

Yeah.

She's very efficient.

Obsessed.

Pretty.

Annoying.

How do you mean?

Well, for instance,

she thinks the whole
house is bugged.

Is it?

Doubtful.

But you're not sure.

No.

I think I'd give her
the benefit of the doubt.

She's been two steps
ahead so far.

Excuse me,
Dr. Foster.

I've got some folks here
I'd like you to meet.

This is Charles
and Frederica Harris.

They're your
next-door neighbors.

And Frank
and Kathleen Wolverton,

they live down the block.

Frank.

Dr. Steve Foster.

This is Dr. Mark Sloan.

He's my boss at
Community General.

Nice to meet you.

Quite a neighborhood
you've got here.

Yeah, it sure is nicer
than our old place.

It's certainly more efficient.

But dull. Every
property is

just like every other property...

Fescue lawns, shag carpets.

There's blonde wood
and marble everywhere.

But it did put you into
redecorating overdrive.

You should see her
wield those credit cards.

Frank complains, but I've made

the house feel
just like we're
back in Miami.

You know, somebody did
a nice job with this house.

Yes, but

it's not warm.

I told Paul he really should
have used more color.

We are so sorry
about your brother.

It was a terrible tragedy.

Thank you very much.

Did you know Paul, Dr. Sloan?

Uh, well, you know,

I don't think anybody
really knew Paul.

Truer words

were never spoken.

Thanks for having us, Doctor.

We're going to take off.

Thank you all for coming.

I think I'll go freshen my soda.

Good night.

That's, uh...
one long-suffering man,

but I'm not.

I know what you are.

I know what you're doing here.

Stay, and I'll tear
your heart out

and eat it with

some berries and cream
for breakfast.

Ah, Shelby, great dinner party.

Thanks so much for having us.

Thank you for coming.

Absolutely.

Wouldn't have
missed it for the world.

Uh, darling, I need your help
with the shower.

I don't see anything wrong
with the shower.

Here.

Wouldn't it be easier

just to stick those
in the dishwasher?

That would wash the
fingerprints off.

Oh, along with the, uh, gravy
and those little bits of ham.

Just run these.

We need to find out who
these people really are.

You set up this party
just to get fingerprints?

There is a conspiracy going on
in this community.

I can feel it.

Look, there is no conspiracy.

There is one bad guy,
and I've got a pretty
good idea who he is.

Who?

Charles Harris.

He, uh, threatened to kill me...

like you're trying to do
with this steam.

Well, that's wonderful.

Well, thank you
for your concern.

Did he say anything
about the mother ship...

signals from Mutara nebula?

No, but he did mention
the Trilateral Commission

and the earthquake machine
the Russians have been using.

Okay, fine. Don't
take me seriously,

but don't come crying to me
when replicants take over.

No. You were right
about one thing.

The, uh, house is bugged.

I found a transmitter
in the intercom.

And?

And I found a transmitter
in the intercom.

Would it kill you to say,
"Thanks for the warning"?

Yes.

Now, uh...
how far are we going to go

with this little, uh,
marriage deception?

'Cause the people who are
listening are not going to stop

just because the sun went down.

Don't worry.

I've got it all figured out.

How can you be so insensitive?

You pig!

You can sleep
on the couch, again, tonight

until I change my mind.

Men!

No, no, no.

Oh, come on, Amanda.
You don't even know
what I'm going to ask.

I don't do windows.

I do not do dishes,
so forget about it.

Look, this is
the dirty silverware

from last night's party.

I got to get the fingerprints
off of it.

I can't go
anywhere near the station

as long as I'm posing

as Dr. Steven Foster,
otolaryn...

Otolaryngologist.

Whatever.

All right. I'm going
to work with you.

I'll squeeze this in
between the stroke victim

and the guy that
got hit by a train.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Hey!

I hear congratulations
are in order.

What are you talking about?

A wife and a medical
degree all in one day?

And I'm counting the hours
until I don't have either.

All right, I have the chart

on Donnelly here, the
first Hill Ridge victim.

The circumstances
were almost identical

to Foster's killing.

They both were shot twice...

Once through the
base of the skull

and the second time
through the heart...

And they both were
shot from behind
at long distances.

Mm-hmm. We're looking for
a professional sharpshooter.

Sounds like a
warm and welcoming
community you live in.

Amanda Bentley, pathology.

Yes. He'll be
right down.

Steve, you're not
going to believe this.

You have a patient waiting

for you downstairs.

Right.

I'm not joking.

They want you down there stat.

That means "fast."

I know.

Well...

Huh?

What am I going to do?

What are you going to do?

You treat him,
examine him,
comfort him,

most importantly,
don't hurt him.

It's part of the
Hippocratic Oath.

I never took
the Hippocratic Oath.

Are you kidding me?

In that cool jacket,
that fancy name tag,

you could've fooled me.

You're enjoying this,
aren't you?

Yes, I am.
All those times

you dragged me into
doing police work,

all those times I stood
face-to-face with death...

You never stood face-to-face
with death.

All right, well, all the
times I mistakenly thought

I was standing face-to-face

with death... this
is payback time.

There's some rubber gloves

in that dispenser on the wall

in case you need them.

In case I need them for what?

Probing.

You're coming with me.

I got rounds.

I need a consult.

Here's his chart.

Thanks.

Doctor.

Well, hiya, Doc.

I hope you don't mind,
but I remember you saying

you were an ear,
nose and throat guy,

and, uh, well, I've
been putting off getting

this sinus thing checked
out for the longest time.

Who better to check me
than Paul's brother?

Yes. Who better?

Uh, Mr. Moloney,
this is Dr. Travis.

He's a promising
young physician here.

Learning at the
feet of the master.

Wow. Guess I picked
the right doctor.

So, where did you transfer from?

Uh...

private practice.

So, uh...
Dr. Travis,

what would your first
diagnostic move be?

Well, I think I would begin

by examining the patient.

Good answer.

Oh, you're right.
He's a smart one.

Mm-hmm.

You know, Paul never
spoke too much about
his family.

Which of you takes
after your dad?

Our sister.

Now, then, uh...

let's see here.

Which end of the
depressor do you use?

Uh... this one.

Now, open wide.

Shouldn't you be
examining the patient?

Well, I need a baseline
for the, uh, purposes

of comparison.

Say, "Ah."

Ah.

Whoop.

Ah.

Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Well, it's a good thing
I decided to take a look.

This tonsil back here
is pretty inflamed.

This one back here.

We'll, uh, discuss
that tonsil later, Doctor,

but I'm afraid I may have
to take it out.

Whatever you say, Doc.

You know, it's a terrible
shame about Paul.

I just can't imagine
why anyone would want

to harm a man like your brother.

Neither can I.

All righty, then.

Let's, uh, just have a look,
shall we?

Uh-huh. Uh...

don't I get a new one of those?

That one's kind of wet.

Oh, you know what?

We won't even use a tongue
depressor.

That's how good he is.

Here we go.

Ah...

Uh-huh.

You know, I think I'll refer you

to one of our allergists.

We only have one allergist.

That's the one
that I'm going
to refer you to.

Oh, good, 'cause I'd like to get

to the bottom of this.

Mm-hmm. See to it,
will you, Dr. Travis?

And, uh, make it snappy.
We're late for rounds.

He's the best.

Hi.

I'm Paul Foster's sister-in-law.

The house around the corner?

The stucco one?

With the tile roof?

They're all stucco,

and they all have tile, ma'am.

4-5-0.

The TV's broken.

I think the cable's out.

I'll come have a look.

Sorry we're late.

Dr. Travis invited me
to go on rounds with him.

Oh, please,
stop encouraging him.

The doctor

invited himself.

Yeah, I got
to maintain my cover.

Someone's already come
to check on it.

With my luck,
the whole community

will show up for an exam.

Well, while you guys were
were on your rounds,

we were busy getting the
fingerprint analysis done.

That was fast work.

"Deceased...
deceased...

deceased"?

What's going on?

All the guests at the party
were already dead.

Oh, that's impossible.

They didn't look dead.

I mean, they ate,
they breathed...

they didn't even smell bad.

And he says he isn't a doctor.

Now, come on, you guys
cooked this up, didn't you?

This is a joke.

No joke and no mistake.

Honey, I'm home.

Why did you knock?

Married couples don't knock...
They barge in.

At least that's
what my ex-husband did.

That's one of the
reasons I divorced him.

And where have you been all day?

I would expect to be abandoned

by my ex-husband like
that, but you're a cop.

You're supposed to be a
more responsible spouse.

Aren't you getting
into this marriage role

just a little too much?

For your information,

while you were out
playing doctor all day,

I was busy investigating.

There were people
walking their dogs.

Hmm.

The dogs looked drugged.

So did the people,
for that matter.

Really?

There were workmen.

There were supposed
to be workmen.

They weren't working.

They were watching me.

Well, why wouldn't
they watch you?

You're new here.
You're pretty.

You really think I'm pretty?

Just get to the point, will you?

There were milkmen
delivering milk.

Now, who delivers milk
these days?

Uh... milkmen?

Okay. How about
this one?

I asked the cable repairman
to come check my reception.

He came

without an appointment.

Now, that is strange.

Did you run those prints?

Yeah. We ran the prints.

Well, are you going
to tell me about
it willingly

and get it over with,
or am I going

to have to pester it out of you?

Well, we don't have
the whole story yet,

and I'm sure
there's a perfectly
good explanation,

but the fingerprints

of every resident
at that party last night

belonged to someone who was,
uh...

already deceased.

Dead people?!

Let's not rush to judgment.

Let's just get the facts.

This is better
than alien replicants.

I-I've got to call my editor.

No. You are not
calling
anyone.

This story's too big to sit on.

You don't have a story, unless
you're going to make one up.

We're talking dead people.

Look, I'm not

letting you out of this
room until you promise
me you're not going

to call anyone.

I just don't want
to get scooped.

You won't.

Whatever this place is hiding,

they've been doing
it for a long time,

and they'll do
anything to protect it.

We have to be careful.

Now, promise me.

Okay. I promise...

but I'm just a Comet
reporter, remember...

scum of the earth?

Mm-hmm.

I trust you.

Call an ambulance!

Oh, somebody, help me!

Now!

He fell changing a lightbulb.

He's dead.

Give 'em some room.

Cause of death looks accidental.

Mr. Harris broke his neck
the moment he fell.

There's nothing anybody
could have done for him.

I wonder.

You think
the alien replicants got him?

I think your wife needs you.

Are you okay?

I'm tired.

My stomach's upset.

I've seen enough death
for one lifetime.

Take me home.

Where are you going?

To, uh, sleep
on the couch
again, remember?

Oh, don't. Please.

I... after everything
that happened today,

I really don't want to be alone.

Would you
mind staying
up here tonight?

Not at all...

honey.

But I'm not ready
to have you back in my bed yet.

That's all right.

I'll, uh, sleep on the recliner.

Let's just, uh,
try to get some sleep, okay?

I've always loved recliners.

Good night... honey.

Good night... darling.

Thanks.

Listen. I got to go, but,
uh, do me a favor, will you?

Stay out of trouble.

No more walks around
the neighborhood.

Well, it's a new day.

Something terrible is going on
in this neighborhood,

and I intend to find out what.

This is a murder investigation.

I don't want to come
back here and find out

you're the latest victim.

I won't be.

I promise.

I mean it, Shelby.

I know you do.

Charles Harris
had a contusion
on his forehead,

undoubtedly caused
by the fall from the ladder.

He also had a
badly twisted ankle
from the same fall,

but what killed him
was a broken neck,
plain and simple.

I couldn't find anything else.

I looked. Trust me.

You know, I just
don't buy this
as an accident.

The guy that threatened me
at the party

just happens to
die in his own house
changing a lightbulb?

You found traces of Synthroid

in Harris's system.

Nothing significant.

Just a therapeutic dosage.

What's Synthroid?

It's a thyroid replacement drug.

Well, didn't you say Paul Foster
had an enlarged thyroid?

Yes, but he died
from gunshot wounds,
not thyroid disease.

Yeah, but I still think
we ought to do a few more tests

to find out what else
our two bodies have in common.

All right. This
is a partial gene
sequence on both men,

but the number
of correlations
is no fluke.

What's the percentage?

You tell me.

I'll highlight them.

Three out of four.

What's it mean?

Well, uh, if Amanda were
to run a test on you and me,

we'd match up about
50% of the time.

Because I'm your father,

I contributed 50%
of your genetic material.

Your mother contributed
the other half.

See, there's only one way
that two people can match up

75% of the time.

They were brothers.

And they kept that a secret

even though they lived across
the street from each other?

Why? What the hell
is going on?

I don't know.

Certainly puts a different spin
on Harris's threat.

You know, he knew you
were an impostor.

He probably thought you had

something to do
with Paul's death.

He was terrified of you.

Did Shelby ever explain

why Paul Foster
contacted her,
of all people?

Well, I assume
it's because she was

the only person
that would listen

to a story about
alien replicants.

I wonder.

Hi.

Hi.

Am I looking
at the same guy
that gave me

the gift subscription
to Smithsonian magazine?

Yes, you are, but I'll
tell you something:

I think I'm going to subscribe
to
Comet magazine.

This stuff is great!

Did you know

that there's an entire
civilization of trolls

living 11 miles
under Mt. Etna?

No. I must have missed
that chapter in social studies.

Well, by God,
Shelby knew about it

'cause she wrote an article,

and she did a
three-parter in here

on spontaneous human combustion.

You know that just
one extra Burger
Boy with cheese

causes your body to
pass critical mass,

you go up in flames?

Why are you doing this?

Because I wanted to find out

what the connection

between Paul Foster
and Shelby was.

Well, she said he called her
from Hill Ridge Estates.

I think she knew him long before
he ever arrived in Hill Ridge.

You're kidding.

Look at this.

Just after the article

on the rat people

living in the
sewers of New York,

there's a genuine
piece of journalism
right there

about the, uh, Biggerstaff
crime family in, uh, Miami.

She mentioned it the other day.

This was written
seven months ago.

Mm-hmm. Four days before a big
bust took that family down.

Now, the godfather of the family

goes on trial this week
in Miami.

So you think Foster
was the unnamed source

that she mentions
in the article?

I think when he
found himself
in trouble

he called the one
person he thought
he could trust.

But what kind of trouble?

And don't say alien replicants.

Look at this... Miami newspaper.

The four principal witnesses
in the Biggerstaff case

have been put under
protective custody.

And all the residents
at the Hill Ridge Estates

have assumed names,
and all the fingerprints

match up with dead people.

Our tax dollars at work.

Except out of the four protected
witnesses, three are dead.

Well, our tax dollars
don't work that well.

Well, at least we know how
the three victims are connected

and why they were killed.

But we don't know who
the fourth witness is

and we don't know who's
trying to kill him.

Headed back to Hill Ridge?

Yeah.

I think it's time to find out
what's really going on.

Hello, Dr. Foster.

Hey, Phil. Want to
get the gate for me?

Hands where we can see them.

Oh, it was the
geraniums, wasn't it?

I was supposed to
plant narcissus.

Lieutenant Steve
Sloan, L.A.P.D.

I want to talk to
the man in charge.

That's good,
'cause he wants to talk to you.

We already know
who you are, Lieutenant,

but thanks for
your willingness to share.

Oh, and thanks for the soda.

It's a well-stocked kitchen
you've got here.

Thank you.

Now it's your
turn for the I.D.

And not the one that
says Clifton Moloney.

Your real I.D.

Your F.B.I. badge.

Who said anything
about F.B.I.?

Unless you guys have
turned the Witness
Protection Program

over to the Forest
Service, you're F.B.I.

I assume you've
increased security
on the fourth witness

in the Biggerstaff trial.

Oh, that's very good,
Lieutenant,

but since
you're fishing for his name,

I'll just cross you off the list

of potential assassins.

I appreciate that.

What I don't appreciate

is you keeping this secret
from the local authorities.

Specifically, me.

It's federal jurisdiction.

Yeah, but dead bodies

keep turning up
in my jurisdiction.

Oh, and I suppose

that justifies
you coming in here undercover

and potentially blowing
the entire thing.

Oh, no. You guys are doing

a great job of that
all by yourselves.

Three dead
witnesses
out of four.

You ever consider
it might be an inside job?

Now, wait a minute, Sloan.

It seems to me

you could use some help

from someone objective
like the L.A.P.D.

Okay.

You want in? You find out what
your lady friend was doing here

the night Paul Foster
was killed.

See, our perimeter
surveillance cameras
caught her on film.

She lured him
to the north fence.

He was shot on his way there.

Those shots came from behind.

She couldn't have done it.

No, but she's
obviously involved,

or she wouldn't have
been there at all.

She's probably
involved in two
other murders as well.

We just can't get her
to tell us how.

Where is she?

She's here.

She's fine.

She better be.

Get her.

You know, you really should have
brought me in on this earlier.

Oh, took us a while
to check you out, Lieutenant,

and then we were hoping
she was going to slip up

and tell you something.

And all you got
was the sound of running water.

She's a very attractive woman.

You got enough to charge her?

Not yet,

but we will.

Steve... thank God.

You all right?

Yeah.

Good.

Shelby Turner,
I'm placing you
under arrest.

You have the right
to remain silent.

What?!

What do you think
you're doing, Lieutenant?

I'm arresting her
for interfering with
a police investigation.

You can't do that.

You prefer I take her in

as a material witness
in a homicide?

I'd prefer you leave her here.

I've got legitimate charges

I can bring against her.
You don't.

As soon as you do, let me know...
I'll return her to your custody.

In the meantime,
she's my prisoner

and she's going to my jail.

You're interfering with
a federal investigation,
Lieutenant Sloan.

Under the circumstances,

it's my sworn duty to interfere.

You can't even
keep your own
witnesses alive.

This isn't over.

You got that right.

As soon as he uncuffs me,
I'm going to strangle him.

Keys.

Give him the keys.

If you take me to jail,
I'll kill you.

I swear it.

Tell me you don't believe him.

You make it kind of hard

when you keep
threatening to kill me.

- All right, look.
- You've been playing

the sullen cop for 45 minutes.

Are you going to uncuff me

and we can talk
about this or not?

I really should
arrest you, you know.

I didn't kill Paul Foster.

I know.

Well, then why are you pulling

this "it's my sworn duty"
thing on Moloney?

Because I can't leave you

with someone who might have
already killed three people.

Now, tell me about Paul Foster,

and this time
tell me everything.

He was my source

inside the Biggerstaff
crime family.

Seven months later,
he calls me up

and he tells me he's got
this even bigger story...

His life is in danger

and he needs me
to help him survive.

So he arranged for you
to meet him

outside the Hill Ridge Estates
that night.

I didn't lure him to his death.

I didn't have anything
to do with any of it.

You believe me, don't you?

You make it difficult.

I know.

I mean, really difficult.

I know.

I can't believe this.

What? That you're falling
for the scum of the earth?

Well...

I can't believe I'm
falling for someone

who would call me
the scum of the earth.

I never said that.

Are you sure?

Absolutely.

Well... then...

You, uh... really believe
in spontaneous human combustion?

Let me show you how it works.

Ah, I see you're still on
the Hill Ridge

Estate case.

You know,
he's not really a doctor.

He just likes to pretend.

So, then, I opened up
the back of the phone truck,

and I see
all this equipment inside...

Miniature cameras, parabolic
microphones, even ammunition.

All of a sudden,
a couple guys grab me

and they toss me inside.

The truck was parked in front of
the Wolverton house, wasn't it?

How'd you know?

Just a guess,
because at your dinner party

Kathleen Wolverton
said their home was Miami.

Where the Biggerstaffs operated.

Nice guess.
Want a job at the
Comet?

No, thanks.

So we know that Frank Wolverton
was the fourth witness,

but we're still no closer
to finding the killer.

I think the F.B.I.
is behind it all.

I think this is a conspiracy

that reaches
to the highest levels

of our federal government.

Sorry. Sometimes I can't
help myself.

Did you see Frank Wolverton
at all today?

No. I did see his wife, though.

She said he was hiding
while the workmen

buffed her new hardwood floors.

She's obsessed.

She's more than that.

You noticed more
than you thought you noticed.

Amanda, I'd like you to do

a recheck on an autopsy for me.

I'm giving her back.

I already called Moloney.

He knows we're coming.

Boy, the Wolvertons

really have a nice place.

She's not in handcuffs.

Well, no, I changed my mind
about arresting her.

I decided to start
dating her instead.

Well, Mrs. Wolverton,

you were absolutely right
to redecorate.

The place is lovely.

Thank you, Dr. Sloan.

Tiffany lamps, I just love them.

And a Persian rug.

Oh, much more attractive
than shag.

You stop by
for the home and garden tour?

I agree. Shag sheds,

and it's hard to vacuum.

Mm-hmm.

Although, you know,
Persian rugs will shed, too,

especially if they're hand-tied

like this one.

Oh.

I had the medical examiner

recheck the autopsy report
on that first murder victim.

Mm-hmm.

Sure enough... the same kind

of carpet fibers
on his pants leg.

Really? He must have been
visiting the Uttleys.

I believe
they have new rugs as well.

And hardwood floors...

They sure can make
a house a home,

can't they?
That is...

when the varnish dries.

They do tend to stay tacky
for a while.

You know, even when
varnish sets,

it still can be really sticky
on your shoes.

Yes, I guess.

Mm-hmm.

That's why we found
tan bark from your lawn

on the bottom
of Paul Foster's shoes

the night he was murdered.

It stuck to the varnish
that he had picked up

from your new floors.

Foster wasn't here
the other night.

At least I didn't see him.

Your wife did.

He probably told her
he was leaving here.

He was scared to death he was
going to be the next victim.

And your wife made sure he was.

And forensics also found
some varnish flecks

on the entryway
to Charles Harris's home.

You tracked it in
when you went there to kill him.

I'm being set up.

Frank, don't listen to them,
please.

Kathleen, what have you done?

She used her designer touch

on all three of the other
witnesses is what she did,

and you were next.

I don't understand.

Of course you don't.

I wanted my life back.

I couldn't stand
to live here for
another day.

When I found out about the
amount of money the Biggerstaffs

were offering for witnesses,

I couldn't pass it up.

And since you're a crack shot...

Skeet...

off the back of Daddy's yacht.

I thought you loved me.

I loved you in Miami.

I didn't love you in California.

This isn't home, Frank.

No matter how much redecorating
I did, it would never be home.

You would trade my life
for a house in Miami?

The right house.

Put her in handcuffs.

How'd you figure this one out?

Good forensics,
logical deductions...

And one very big guess.

It's going to make
a great story.

You know what's
so cool about it?

What's that?

There aren't any mutants in it.

I thought you loved mutants.

Isn't that a job requirement
for working at the
Comet?

I think I might sit on this
story for a week or two.

What do you think about that?

Why would you do that?

Give the F.B.I. a chance

to relocate
some of its witnesses.

Well, how about that?

A reporter with integrity.

Well, how about that?
A cop with attitude.

I left my makeup
in the bathroom.

I'll be right back,

and then we can stop playing
Dr. and Mrs. Foster.

Yeah. I guess we can.

There's, uh, no one listening
anymore, you know.

I know.