Matlock (1986–1995): Season 1, Episode 14 - The Author - full transcript

Who's in here?

Hey!

Stop right there!

Bill, we're having a lot of guests today,
so move the monitors back.

Give them plenty of room.

Steve, how you doing?

- Damn.
- Problem?

- Someone broke in here last night.
- Really? Why would anyone break in?

Well, it's probably some viewer

desperately seeking my recipe
for blanquette de veau.

Listen,
about the guest I scheduled today.



That darling little chef
from the Brittany?

If you tell me he had to cancel,
you're gonna break my heart.

He didn't cancel.
He'll be on next week.

So who's gonna be on today?

Well, I'm sure you've heard
that Michael's in town

promoting his new cookbook.

- You're not serious.
- He'll be here in 30 minutes.

Now, I know it'll be a little awkward
for you, but--

Awkward? Awkward?

Victoria, like it or not,
right now Michael Edwards is hot.

His book is going to be a bestseller.

Everything that is in that book
I taught him

in the 1 2 years we were married.

Victoria, you are the last word
on cooking in Atlanta,



but we're having a hard time
selling the show in syndication.

We need guests like Michael Edwards
or there won't be any show.

Michael is on the show.

You'll notice that as I cook the sauce
over high heat, I stir it constantly.

The point is you want this sauce
to thicken and not burn.

Right you are again, Michael.
That was very well put.

How's your book doing?
I hear it's just flying off the stands.

As a matter of fact, I hear it's selling
extremely well coast to coast.

I hear it's the result of 1 2 years
of research.

It seemed like 1 2 centuries.

Had we more time,
I would pour this heated sauce

over the meat and vegetables,
stir gently,

and then simmer until the veal
is thoroughly heated.

But because we are almost out of time,
I'll just show you the results.

- There it is.
- May I taste it?

Sure.

This is remarkably good,

and remarkably similar
to a recipe you'll find in my book.

What a coincidence.

Dave, we have a problem.
Stop the tape.

Oh, Leslie. Please, do something.

Too late. He's dead.

Wait, wait, wait. Now get it.
Go get it. What a fine dog.

What a good dog. Come on.
Come on, Max.

Come on, now. You wait outside.
Wait right here. Wait right here.

Wait right here.

Hello, ladies. Fine day, isn't it?

All right. One county heard from.
Now somebody else.

What do I need to do? Talk to me.

You got a problem,
I need to know about it.

Well, Daddy, just tell them how good
they'll go with dumplings.

I don't know, Charlene.

One day they will,
one day they won't.

- Life's a mystery.
- So I hear.

Watch your step.

Years of training.

You hear that Victoria Edwards
was arrested?

Yeah. I saw it on the news.

They say her ex-husband
died of eating her cooking.

Frank Daniels had an anonymous tip
to run an autopsy,

and there was poison
found in her ex-husband's system

and there was a bottle of it
found in Victoria's house.

Now, Daddy,
if I seem to know a lot about it,

it's because we represented Victoria
at her bail hearing yesterday.

- We represented her?
- Well, I represented her for us.

- Are you cooking something?
- No.

- You making corn bread?
- No.

Somebody's making corn bread.

- Daddy, this is Victoria Edwards.
- How do you do?

- How do you do?
- You can take the corn bread out.

Everything is ready. Nice and hot.

Victoria and I got to talking
about her case

and, well, one thing led to another.

And then we got to talking about you
and again one thing led to another.

And then finally it came out that
your favourite meal was corn bread,

country-fried steak, creamed corn,
and sliced tomatoes.

Taking your case might need
a little persuasion.

So I thought I'd prepare
a little country repast.

Well, Miss Victoria, two things:

One, I'm working on
some very difficult cases right now.

And, yes,
this is one of my favourite meals,

and you know who used to make it.

Your mother.

So why don't you sit down
and try some while it's still hot.

That smells so good, I don't think
I can even watch you eat it.

My nutritionist has me on
a food-group diet.

Today, it's fruit.

I have to make a call,
cancel a luncheon date.

Excuse me.

What do you think?

Tell me about your ex-husband.

Well, when I married Michael,

he was very attractive,
very charming.

So I got him cooking,
and the next thing I know,

not only is he divorcing me,

but he's taking over the gourmet show
I started in New York.

I wound up with a cooking school
in Atlanta.

- You don't use much sugar, do you?
- No.

- Did you dip the steak in batter?
- No, no. Just a little flour.

- It's not fried in bacon grease, is it?
- No. A very light vegetable oil.

You know,
my mother used to make this,

and I'd eat it while I listened to
The Lone Ranger on the radio.

Mama wasn't a very good cook.

Now that I look back,
I don't know whether it was the meal

I enjoyed so much
or The Lone Ranger.

- So you gonna take the case?
- Lord, Charlene. I'm in love.

- Good morning, people.
- Morning, Tyler. How goes it?

Must be going pretty well, from
the look of that self-satisfied smile.

I just won the Junior Chamber
of Commerce Chilli Cook-off.

- Two thousand dollars.
- Two thousand dollars?

That must be some chilli.

A Victoria Edwards recipe:

Chilli made with chicken
with a peanut butter sauce,

with a few secret ingredients
of my own on the side.

Sounds awful.

Tyler, meet Victoria Edwards.
This is Tyler Hudson, our investigator.

My dear lady,
it is a pleasure to meet you.

- I rarely miss your show.
- Well, thank you.

What'd you find out
down at the police lab?

- Sodium cyanide.
- Sodium cyanide.

Will kill you in between heartbeats.

Who do you know
that wants to kill you?

Kill me? Why do you think
it was meant for me?

Because you taste the things
you cook on your show.

Of course.

And since Michael was on,

I was instructed to feature him
as much as possible.

I let him do all the tasting.

And this is Atlanta.

Michael Edwards didn't have
any enemies here, did he?

No. I wouldn't think so.

Well, I'll bet whoever broke in here
that night planted the poison.

The security guard told the police

that he saw a light come on
in here momentarily.

And I'll bet that's the light
that comes on

when you open the refrigerator door.

All the ingredients
were kept in there.

That's how someone
planted the poison.

I'd like to go to your house
and check out

where the police found that bottle
of sodium cyanide, but I'll need a key.

Oh, no.
My housekeeper will let you in.

Oh, great. Thanks. Later.

You got any enemies?

Well, naturally, anybody in my position
makes enemies, you know?

People in my world take their food
pretty seriously.

I mean, do you know anybody
that really has it in for you?

Well, Christopher Hoyt, I suppose,
and Peter Leone, perhaps.

Possibly Stephen Lichtman,

but I can't imagine
they'd go so far as to--

They were here.

They were all here as guests
when Michael was poisoned.

Tyler, I want you to stick close
to Miss Edwards for the time being.

I'm here.

Could you get that pan down
for me, please?

I have a slight problem with heights.

My dear lady, retrieving your pan
is my pleasure.

Thank you.

Lieutenant Daniels.

Frank? Ben. You free for lunch?

All right, I'm here.

Are you wired?

Yes, I am wired, but the question is
''why am I wired?''

- I need you to help me.
- Do what?

Find the person who killed
Michael Edwards.

Is everything all right, Mr. Hoyt?

The p?t? is dry, the wine warm,
the vinaigrette too oily,

the butter rock-hard, and there is
enough sand in these oysters

to declare this beachfront property.

You know, it seems to me
I've read your column

in the Atlanta Examiner for years.

Six.

How do you feel about
Victoria Edwards?

Well, actually, I am surprised

that she hasn't poisoned more people
one way or another.

Woman doesn't cook,
she folds, spindles and mutilates.

I really do wish I could be of more help,
but you see, unfortunately,

I am dedicated to telling the truth.

Good, good, good.

You know, I've heard that you
publicly stated

that she damaged your reputation.

Didn't several newspapers
drop your syndicated column?

I believe your book deal fell through.

Oh, well, it's true she did ridicule me
on her pathetic cooking show, but...

Well, actually, see, really, that could
only enhance my reputation.

You didn't try to get her
off the show?

Well, you know,
I was rather annoyed at the time.

Yeah, perhaps l-- I mentioned it
to the station manager.

You know, inexplicably--
You know, I have lost my appetite.

Cheque, please.

Why were you at the taping
of her last show?

Oh, well, I wanted to interview
Michael Edwards afterwards.

You know, for my column.

Where were you the night before
around 1 1 :00?

You know, you really do
ask an awful lot of questions.

Actually, I was having dinner
with some friends of mine.

Mr. Matlock, if there is another time,
I beg you:

Please let me choose the restaurant.

Yeah. Well,
this does look about right.

Thank you. Bye-bye.

Good thing he stopped when he did.

- How'd you like it?
- Good.

I didn't think that p?t? was too dry,
did you?

How about some Italian
for the main course?

- How is it? Al dente?
- Very al dente, but good.

How is the new place you opened,
Mr. Leone?

- I never got down there.
- It's much better than here.

I suppose you know your
Victoria Edwards

put me out of business.

She didn't say that.

She did say that you
solicited her opinion,

and when she gave you a bad review,
you got very upset.

Upset? I'm a modern chef.

She's so old school, I doubt she even
knows how to spell ''nouvelle cuisine.''

If my restaurant had time
to catch on,

she and her heavy sauce-laden
recipes would be out in the cold.

That's why she put me under.

- Big loss?
- Just a million dollars.

You must understand, Mr. Matlock,
people like us,

food isn't an occupation,
it's a passion.

Do you make it a habit of attending
the tapings of Victoria's shows?

I wanted Michael Edwards
to come here for dinner.

- Anything else? Some zabaglione?
- No, thanks.

Where were you the night
before the murder, around 1 1 :00?

- Why do you ask?
- Just say more than curiosity.

I can always subpoena you,
if you'd prefer.

Well, that's not necessary.

I was here going over my receipts,
as I do every night.

- Alone?
- Yeah.

- Anything else?
- Maybe the cheque.

Lunch is on the house.

Thank you. Well, that's more like it.

Wanna go someplace for dessert?

My bakery has sponsored
her cooking show

since the day it went on the air,
Mr. Matlock.

It must have been very distressing
to you

when she threatened to drop you.

I cannot tell you how hurt I was.
It would be a terrible injustice.

According to her,
your quality's gone downhill.

I know what she's been saying,

that we are slipping preservatives
into our pies.

- Using nonfat milk, carob powder.
- Margarine in the pastries.

Not a word of truth in it.

Maybe she caught you on a day when
you were temporarily out of things.

This isn't just a business, Mr. Matlock.
This is my life.

I'm guaranteeing my public,
my special sweet-tooth public,

that my pastries will be
of the consistent high quality

they expect of Stephen Lichtman.

Tell me this, Mr. Lichtman:

Where were you the night before
Michael Edwards was poisoned,

around 1 1 ?

I was here alone
working on the wedding cake.

Well, thank you, Mr. Lichtman.

- May I give you something else?
- Oh, no. Not for me, thanks.

?clair? Cream puff?

Well...

Give him one for his cat.

Yeah, hi. I'm Charlene Matlock,
one of Victoria's attorneys.

- May I come in?
- Oh, certainly, certainly. Come in.

Oh, dear, I've got a casserole
in the oven.

Will you excuse me for a minute?

Where'd they find the poison?

Oh, that shelf to the left of the sink
over there.

May I?

Sure. You're gonna need a footstool,
though. It's on the top shelf.

Thanks.

I don't know how that poison
got up there.

I can tell you one thing for sure:
It wasn't there last week.

Did either of you have guests
that could have brought it

and planted it up here?

No. Nobody's been in the house
besides us for ages.

I hated telling the police that,
but it's the truth.

Well,

what about the man
who just left here?

What are you talking about?
What man?

The man I saw running out the back.

- Oh, you're mistaken.
- I don't think so.

- I could track him down and ask him.
- All right, all right, all right.

He's a friend. A good friend.

A married friend.

Well, how often did you see him
last week?

Every day. He's a neighbour.
I mean, we go out to lunch

or to the movies or--

Somebody could have come in
while you were out with your friend

and planted the poison?

Yes, but I'm not gonna say that
on the stand.

If this got out, it could ruin him.
I'm not gonna do that to him.

Boy, that took all afternoon,
but it was worth it.

Here you go, Chuck.

And when you take a guy to lunch,
you take a guy to lunch.

You know what the old folks
used to say?

- What's that?
- Them good eats.

Now, Frank, on this tape,
see if there's anything in the voice,

the tone, a phrase,
anything from these three men

that sounds like the anonymous tip
you got on the phone.

Go ahead, Chuck.
And Chuck, put a phone filter on it.

The vinaigrette too oily,
the butter rock-hard,

and there is enough sand
in these oysters

to declare this beachfront property.

- No.
- Next one.

I'm a modern chef.

She's so old school, I doubt she even
knows how to spell ''nouvelle cuisine. ''

Go to the baker, Chuck.

It's not true.
I know what she's been saying,

that we are slipping preservatives
into our pies.

Let me hear Leone again.

I'm a modern chef.

She's so old school, I doubt she even
knows how to spell ''nouvelle cuisine. ''

- That could be him.
- Thanks, Chuck.

Now, wait a minute, Ben.

I said that could be him,
not was him.

That's not a positive ID.

It's a start.

It's a start.

Mr. Leone?

All right. He's here. Let's eat.

Come on. Max, Max, Max.
Stay. Stay, stay, stay.

That's a boy. That's a boy.

I made roast pork, mashed potatoes,
greens, gravy, just for you.

Oh, thanks. I'm still trying to
get over yesterday.

- You're not gonna eat anything?
- I don't think so.

- You said you didn't eat much.
- I didn't. I got full watching Frank eat.

Well, that's your loss. Victoria,
set that platter down right over here.

- Charlene, mashed potatoes?
- No. Food groups: whole grain.

Yeah? Well, I'm into groups too,
and I'll have a group of those potatoes.

- What did you find out downtown?
- Not much.

Police don't have a line
on Leone's killer?

Not yet.

All I know is I went over there
last night to have a talk with him,

and when I arrived, he was sitting
with his face in a plate of spaghetti.

Tyler, pass that pork.
I believe I will have a little taste.

All right.

Anyway, I think it was Leone
that tipped Lieutenant Daniels

where the poison was in your house,

and I think he had a partner
in the murder of your ex.

- Well, who's the partner?
- I don't know.

We'll have to see if Stephen Lichtman
and Christopher Hoyt

can account for their time last night.

I'll talk to Hoyt in the morning.

Tyler, why don't you snoop around
Lichtman's bakery?

Pass the greens.

You know what the old folks
used to say?

Them some eats.

The autopsy was performed on
Mr. Edwards the ninth of this month.

According to the medical examiner,
what was the cause of death?

- A toxic dose of sodium cyanide.
- In other words, he was poisoned.

Yes, he was.

After receiving these findings,

did you then search the
Victoria Edwards School of Cooking?

- Yes, we did.
- Did you find any sodium cyanide?

Yes, we did.
The police lab technicians

found a substantial amount
of sodium cyanide

in the remnants
of the blanquette de veau

that Mrs. Edwards
had cooked on her show

and served to the decedent,
which is how he ingested the poison.

Did you then search
Miss Edwards' home?

Yes, we did.

I show you People's Exhibit 3
and ask if you recognise it.

Yes, I do.
It has my mark on it and my initials.

- Then you know what's in it.
- Sodium cyanide.

Where was it found?

In the kitchen
of Mrs. Edwards' home.

- No further questions.
- Cross-examine?

No questions, Your Honour.

You may step down.

Why didn't you ask him
about Peter Leone's murder?

Well, it-- It's not relevant yet.

What are you doing back here?

- You see, I'm--
- You're supposed to report in up front.

- I didn't know that.
- You're not supposed to be back here

without wearing one of these.
Now, put it on, I'll get you started.

You're here about the job,
aren't you?

Yeah, yeah, you know, of course.

But look, I just don't have
that much experience, and l--

- Have you eaten pastry before?
- Yes.

Then you're experienced.

Okay, your work area's over here.

You taste one from each tray,

then you work your way
through all these racks.

As we bake them,
we bring them to you.

Okay, sit here.

This is for discards.

Now, eat.

Eat?

You are Miss Edwards'
live-in housekeeper.

Yes. Yes, I am.

Now, we've heard testimony that
shortly after Michael Edwards' death,

this vial of sodium cyanide
was found in the kitchen.

Prosecution contends that it was
put there by Victoria Edwards.

- I don't suppose you put it there.
- No, I didn't.

Now, I understand
that for some time,

you've been involved
in some community-service work.

Kind of on the side,
in your spare time.

Yes. Yes, that's right, I have.

And you were doing this

prior to and just after
Michael Edwards' murder.

Yes.

Do these activities
cause you to go out of the house?

- Yes.
- How often?

Practically every day.

Were you in the habit
of locking Miss Edwards' house

when you were out?

No, I'm afraid I wasn't.

So someone could have
slipped in and out of the house

without your knowing it.

Yes.

Now, I understand
that you were present

when the police found this vial.

- Is that-- Is that correct?
- Yes, yes, that's correct. I was.

Would you explain to the court exactly
where the vial was found, please?

Oh, it was in the top shelf of the
cabinet just to the left of the sink.

Isn't that an inconvenient place?

You have to use a footstool
to get up there.

So whenever Miss Edwards

wanted to get something
from that shelf, she used a footstool?

Well, actually,
she'd get me to do it for her.

Miss Edwards has a fear of heights,
doesn't she?

Oh, yes.

So you're saying that this vial

was on a shelf that you have to
use a footstool to get to,

in a place where Miss Edwards
would never have put it herself.

- Yes, that's right.
- Objection.

- Calls for conclusion.
- Sustained.

I'm sorry, Your Honour.
No further questions.

- Mr. Burgess?
- May I have a moment, Your Honour?

- I spoke with Hoyt.
- Was he cooperative?

He was surly, as a matter of fact.

But he did say
he was at home last night, alone.

Could he have killed Peter Leone?

Maybe.

Okay, buddy, the fun's over.
Time to go home.

Oh, man.

Still hungry, buddy?

- What's happening in there?
- Just a few of Mr. Lichtman's friends.

Coffee and cakes.

With their own keys?

What do you want?

- What's happening?
- You are.

- Good morning.
- Morning.

Where's Charlene?

At her nutritionist.
Now he thinks she's allergic to eggs.

Pretty soon, she'll be down
to ice water and crackers.

- What's the news?
- Have I got news.

The bakery, right?

There I am, snooping around
the bakery, and I get caught.

But the guy that caught me thinks
that I'm there for a job as a taster.

So I taste and I taste

until my blood-sugar level is reaching
dangerously high levels, okay?

Undaunted, at the closing bell,
I begin to snoop some more,

and I get caught again, right?

So I go outside and I'm going
to do some exterior snooping,

and I get caught again.

Now, was Tyler Hudson
daunted by this, you ask yourself?

No.

Now I get thrown
back inside the bakery

and surrounded
by some very lethal-Iooking men.

- And then I see it.
- What?

A card table.

- These men were there to play poker.
- Pok--?

And that's how I got the news.

I convince them
that I am a compulsive gambler

and an easy mark.

I show them my $2,000
from the chilli cook-off

and am immediately dealt in.

This brings me
to the three salient points.

One, Stephen Lichtman had an alibi

for the night Peter Leone
was murdered: poker game.

Two, Stephen Lichtman
had two partners

that he was gonna open up
a new restaurant with.

Peter Leone and Christopher Hoyt.

- What's point number three?
- I don't know.

Point number three
is they're not very good poker players,

because my $2,000 is now $20,000.

Twenty thousand dollars?

Twenty thousand.

So Christopher Hoyt has an alibi
for the night of the break-in,

no alibi for the night
of Peter Leone's murder.

Stephen Lichtman,
no alibi for the night of the break-in,

has one for the night of the murder.

They're in business together,
all right.

So, what do we do now?

If we can just figure out
how the poison got in the stew.

Charlene.

- Charlene?
- Eggs.

Eggs?

Eggs.

See? Two eggs.

I ordered six the day before
to be delivered along with the veal.

- I only used four.
- Why's that?

The recipe requires two eggs.

And I initially intended
to make it in three stages,

which would require six eggs.

But of course the producer
came and told me

that Michael was gonna
be on the show

and that I would have to give him
all this extra time.

So I decided to make the blanquette
in two stages instead,

and I only used four eggs.

Are you sure these are the eggs

that were in the refrigerator
the night before the show?

Oh, they have to be.

I mean, the school has been closed
since the day Michael died.

We're the only ones that have
been in here except for the police.

Your Honour, as discussed earlier
in chambers and now for the record,

I maintain my objection
to Mr. Matlock's latest piece

of courtroom histrionics.

Your Honour, prosecution
has masterfully established

that Michael Edwards was killed
by the poison in the veal stew

prepared by my client.

It's essential to our case

that we establish
exactly how the poison got there.

Objection overruled.

I do trust, however, this won't take
too much of the court's time.

No, Your Honour.

As soon as Miss Edwards
gets organised,

I'll call my next witness,
Mr. Christopher Hoyt.

I understand you're a food critic,
Mr. Hoyt.

Yes, for the Atlanta Examiner.

Given the particulars,
I bet you followed this case

with a great deal of interest.

Yeah, I find it interesting, yes.

It's not every day that French cuisine
is used as a murder weapon.

Of course, you're aware

it wasn't the veal stew
that killed Michael Edwards.

It was something
that was put into the stew.

Well, of course.

And so far, nobody has been able to
figure out how it was put into the stew.

Well, I'm aware of that too.

I mean, Miss Edwards couldn't just
have dumped sodium cyanide in there

in full view of an audience
any more than she could do it

in this courtroom. Right, Mr. Hoyt?

Well, I suppose.

So the poison had to be in
one of the ingredients she was using.

Objection. Calls for conclusion.

Sustained.

I think I know.

But once again, to try to discover
what ingredient the poison was in,

I've asked Miss Edwards
to make another...

- Blanquette de veau.
- Yeah, or veal stew.

Now, the veal and the cream
are fresh.

All the other ingredients
came from cooking school

and have been examined
by the police.

Might even let you taste it.

Give us a critique.

As a food expert, can you tell us
what Miss Edwards is doing now?

Of course.

She is preparing the cream sauce
that goes atop the veal.

Yeah, yeah.

Oh, as a food critic,
do you know Miss Edwards?

Of course.

Do you like Miss Edwards?

I am indifferent to Miss Edwards.

Oh, excuse me, Mr. Hoyt.
The stew looks about ready.

Looks delicious.

Go ahead.

Oh, no, thank you. I don't want any.

Why not? Something wrong with it?

I just said l-- I don't want to eat any.

Why not, Mr. Hoyt?

Why won't you taste it?

You think it's poison?

As I told you before,
the veal and the cream are fresh.

All the other ingredients
are from the cooking school.

Won't you taste it?

Well, can I have another volunteer?
Somebody from the audience?

Mr. Lichtman.

Anybody?

All right.

I'll try it myself.

Don't.

Thank you.

What's wrong with the stew?

The eggs.

The eggs have been injected
with poison.

Say again, please.

The eggs have been injected
with poison.

The eggs.

The only ingredient
the police couldn't examine.

Because once an egg
has been used,

and the shell thrown into the disposal,
there's nothing to examine.

But only whoever
broke into the cooking school

the night before the murder

and planted the doctored eggs
could've known that.

I didn't do it. I was with some friends.

I know someone who will swear to it.

I know.

Isn't it true that Peter Leone
was an accomplice?

And didn't he make the anonymous
phone call to the police?

Yes.

And after Lieutenant Daniels and I
had lunch with him,

he was very frightened,

and you were afraid
he had talked to us.

- So you killed him.
- No.

And wasn't the other accomplice
that man, Stephen Lichtman?

Isn't it true that he's the one
who broke into the cooking school

and substituted the injected eggs?

And isn't it true the three of you
were going to open a new restaurant,

but you didn't have enough faith
in each other's talent,

and you were afraid
that Victoria Edwards could ruin you?

So you, Leone, Lichtman
conspired to poison the stew

in hopes of killing Victoria Edwards.

You can't prove that.

I don't have to prove it.

You see,

these are the two eggs
from the cooking school

that were not used in the veal stew.

You see those tiny holes?

That's where the poison
was injected.

So you see,
I don't have to prove anything.

All I have to do
is show reasonable doubt

that Victoria Edwards
killed her ex-husband.

I leave in the capable hands
of the prosecuting attorney

the stock, the eggs, the onions,

and whoever.

Lloyd, I wouldn't make an omelette
with those.

No further questions.

We find the defendant not guilty.

This court is adjourned.

- We did it.
- I, for one, enjoyed it.

Make that two.

Let's get out of here.

You know, it's nearly lunch.

Well, how about some corn bread,
country-fried steak,

sliced tomatoes and creamed corn?

You got any old tapes
of The Lone Ranger?