Matlock (1986–1995): Season 1, Episode 4 - The Affair - full transcript
Who is it?
Well, can you see who it is?
I'm working on it, Ben.
She's a stripper.
Anything you care to tell me about?
Cover's 5 bucks, buddy.
She takes off everything
except her shoes.
All right, all right. Come on.
What you waiting for, baby?
- Take off your feather, baby.
- Yeah.
All right.
Come on, hurt me. Hurt me.
- Oh, yeah, baby.
- Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
The lovely Yolanda,
ladies and gentlemen.
Let's hear it for Yolanda.
He's fine. He's reading a book.
He's gonna be tired. Hi, mister.
- Are you finished dancing, Mom?
- No, I have one more number.
But Gracie and I are gonna
take you home first.
Oh, let me stay.
Please, I'll read my book.
- It's past your bedtime.
- I'll go to sleep here on the couch.
Please, Mom. Please?
Yeah?
There's somebody here
to see you, Carla.
Just a second.
You get ready to go home.
I'll be right back.
Hello, Carla.
What are you doing here?
You should've known I'd find you
sooner or later.
I came by to give you a little token
of my affection.
The process server usually does this,
but I wanted to be here in person
- so I could see the look in your eyes.
- Another hearing. Why?
Why can't you just let this be over?
Well, you know why, darling.
Because I still care.
You're not gonna get away with it.
That's up to the courts to decide.
But when they see the surroundings
you're exposing my son to,
as opposed to the advantages
Allison and I can give him--
You know you don't give a damn
about Jimmy.
You just want to keep punishing me.
You know,
you seem disturbed, Carla.
Really psychotic.
I'm not gonna stand still for this.
I'm warning you.
Really?
- What are you going to do?
- Anything I have to.
You haven't changed, have you?
Neither have you.
Well, I've got to run, darling.
I'll see you in court.
Who is it?
It was a boy. It was great.
Saw the whole thing.
Eight pounds, 7 ounces.
Born with the fullest head of hair.
So were you.
Hey, say, guys.
Well, congratulations.
You guys are a bit of all right.
Wanna make sure
the kid dresses better than you.
Best to the missus.
- Thanks, Ben.
- See you around.
You gonna open it?
While we're here,
we should stop by Property
and check out the evidence
on the Morton case--
What's the matter?
I'll be right back.
- Don't be shy. Take two or three.
- Sure, no problem.
- Hey, Bob.
- That was quick.
Cigar?
There's a lady out there,
Carla Hardiman, used to be.
Calls herself Evans now.
She's the ex-wife
of Jason Hardiman,
who, in case you hadn't heard,
was shot last night.
He's hanging by a thread
over at County General.
They were divorced five years ago.
What's that have to do with Carla?
All I know is
she threatened him publicly
just a few hours before the shooting,
so we brought her in for questioning.
I gotta tell you something,
if I was gonna shoot somebody,
I'd keep it a secret.
I wouldn't yell it out
in front of a bunch of witnesses.
Are you her lawyer?
I'm thinking about it.
Miss Evans,
Ben Matlock.
It's been a long time.
I don't know if you remember.
I remember.
I was just presenting
your husband's proposal.
I was just going on what he told me.
That I was a slut who got pregnant
so I could pry money out of him?
Isn't that why you tried to bribe me
into giving up my baby?
It wasn't a bribe. It was a proposal.
It was a bribe, and you know it.
No. And I'm sorry it appeared to be.
Ever since I won custody of Jimmy
he's been hounding me,
getting me fired from
one job after another.
I finally had to change my name
and get work in a strip joint.
Now he's found me again.
He wants to take me to court
and have me declared an unfit mother.
Are you going to represent him?
No. I stopped representing
your ex-husband
when I found out what a liar he is.
And I've always felt bad that I had
anything to do with that divorce.
I just wanted to tell you
that if you need representation,
I'd be happy to oblige, on the house.
My way of apologizing.
Can you get me out of here?
If I'm your lawyer, yes.
Okay.
I'll arrange for your release.
Ben. I got the fax from O'Hanian
after I read the sister's statement.
It's very suspicious.
- Where did you disappear to?
- I was hunting us up a new client.
A new c--? The woman in the hall?
- Who is she?
- An old acquaintance.
Anything you care to tell me about?
Oh, no, no.
She was involved
in a custody case I was handling.
A former client.
Actually, I was representing
the husband.
It was a very unusual case.
- How so?
- I lost.
- That's unusual.
- I was glad I lost.
She's a suspect in a shooting.
You wanna get some background?
I'll go see Bob.
- My very thought.
- She's still a little upset with me.
Charlene,
she's a stripper.
Code blue. Code blue.
ICU 7.
Wait a second. Stop.
This woman first attempted to kill her
ex-husband with a handgun.
Then, as he lay helpless in
a hospital bed, barely clinging to life,
she entered his room
and coldly completed the job
of snuffing out his life.
The evidence is substantial
and compelling
and the state strongly suspects
that this defendant will attempt
to flee this jurisdiction
regardless of the amount of bail set.
We urge the court to deny bail.
Thank you, Your Honour.
Your Honour, to deny my client bail
would evoke a terrible hardship.
She's the devoted mother
of a 5-year-old son
who needs the care and attention
only a mother can give.
There are no other relatives
in the whole Atlanta area.
To separate these two
and place the boy in a foster home
would be disastrous.
I earnestly beg the court to consider
the boy in rendering its decision.
I think a reasonable bail
is appropriate.
Thank you for your eloquent advice,
Mr. Matlock, but I'm going to deny bail.
I'm sorry.
Tell Jimmy...
...I had to take a trip.
Gracie knows how to take care of him.
You sure you don't
wanna see him first?
Not like this.
Yeah, it looks like
she came in this way.
High-heel marks
in the grass over there.
Yeah.
- She went in through that door.
- Yeah. Forced it.
- Pretty strong woman.
- Yeah. Apparently.
- Excuse me a minute, Bob.
- Sure.
I want you to check
the lower windows
as well as the door
for prints, all right?
Morning, Tyler.
What's this?
Ben, there are several kinds
of whizzes in this world.
Now, the kind of whiz that I am
is a stock-market whiz.
- What's he talking about?
- He says he's gonna retire next week.
Red, turbo-charged,
2.8 multi-faceted,
fuel-injected convertible car
with cellular phone
is the results of profits
from one day's playing
- the open stock market.
- One day?
One day.
So when you see me coming--
- Here comes the whiz?
- Here comes the whiz.
And my stock is
at 73 and still climbing.
No more surveillance.
No more subpoenas.
No more stakeouts.
Well, Tyler, I'm gonna miss you.
Picking over the peaches,
are you, Ben?
Morning, Allison.
What is it?
I just wanted to convey
my condolences.
Thank you.
Allison, I have to ask you
some questions.
I know this is a difficult time for you,
- but it's my job.
- What do you wanna know, Ben?
How did Jason find out where
Carla Evans was working?
I think somebody told him.
Oh, yes. I remember.
He got a telephone call
from someone
who worked at her...
...club.
He really wanted that boy, didn't he?
Once he owned something,
he never liked to part with it.
Anything else?
Oh, I don't know, Allison.
I'm embarrassed to ask.
Never stopped you before.
According to the police records,
you weren't at home
when your husband was shot.
I drove up to our cabin
at Lake Lenier.
- Alone?
- Yes, alone.
All by yourself
in the middle of the night?
Yes.
Wayne can confirm that.
Wayne is the caretaker
at our place on the lake.
Mr. Matlock wants to know
if I was at the lake
all night Wednesday.
She was.
Bye, Ben.
Bye, Allison.
Tyler, I want you to keep a sharp eye
on Allison Hardiman.
What's the matter?
I don't know.
It just seems kind of sad.
What?
My last stakeout.
- So, what do you think?
- About Tyler?
No, I mean about this.
I don't know, Charlene.
I've known Allison Hardiman
a long time.
It's hard to imagine she went through
all this rigmarole to shoot Jason.
Well, I think I'll go over to the hospital
and nose around.
Good idea.
- Nurse Jackson?
- Yes.
Are you the nurse
who identified Carla Evans?
Yes. Are you from the newspaper?
No. I'm sorry, I'm Charlene Matlock.
I'm an attorney
representing Carla Evans.
Then I have nothing to say.
Well, you had a great deal
to say to the police.
That's right.
For someone to come in here,
to endanger the lives of all of
our patients, murder one of them.
How could you defend
someone like that?
Sometimes it isn't easy.
Your case hangs on this videotape
of a hospital security camera
and the nurse
who saw the killer leave.
Anybody you know?
Someone I know?
Yeah, somebody you know
who doesn't like you very much.
Somebody told Jason Hardiman
where you were.
I'm sorry.
I don't recognize her.
Well, if it's not you,
it's somebody made up to look like you.
What about Jason's wife, Allison?
We're checking her out.
- Anybody else?
- I don't know.
Maybe Helen.
Who's Helen?
Helen Shelly.
She was a friend of Doug Templitt,
the emcee at the club
where I worked.
She got it into her head
that I was after Doug,
which was ridiculous because there
was nothing going on between us.
But anyway, she would call me up
every night for about a week.
She'd threaten me.
I told her I'd call the cops
if she didn't stop, so she stopped.
- I'll check her out.
- I didn't take her seriously.
Besides, this was a month ago or so.
I haven't seen or heard of her since.
Doug Templitt?
Yeah.
Cover's 5 bucks, buddy.
She takes off everything
except her shoes.
She doesn't take off her shoes?
The lovely Sabrina,
ladies and gentlemen.
Let's hear it for Sabrina.
A little while ago,
I was over at the bar
and a woman walked in
with a duck under her arm.
Harry, our bartender,
he walks over to her and he says,
''What are you doing with the pig?''
The woman says, ''It's a duck.''
Harry says,
''I was talking to the duck.''
I'm gonna call Forest Lawn for you.
How about a big hand for
our wonderful orchestra over there.
Don't they sound terrific tonight?
Don't they?
She was spitting bullets the night
that Hardiman came by to see her.
You heard the conversation?
Yes, and I will testify. I'm her friend.
She needs all the friends she can get.
Right now, it's her enemies
I'm interested in.
And I think
somebody who knew Jason Hardiman
was looking for her
and was willing to tell him
where she was.
Well, who would do anything like that?
That's what I'd sure like to find out.
- Who are you?
- I'm her lawyer, Ben Matlock.
I'm on Carla's side, so if there's
anything at all that I can do to help--
You can tell me how Jason Hardiman
knew she was working here.
Well, nobody here would do that.
We're all friends here.
Carla said you have a friend
named Helen Shelly.
She couldn't have had
anything to do with it.
How can you be sure?
I haven't seen her in months.
I need to find her.
I don't know.
Well, I have to find her.
There's an easy way and a hard way.
Either way, I have to find her.
Here's my card.
In case she contacts you,
have her give me a call.
Thank you both for your help.
No, no, no, I'm not worried.
I was worried two hours ago.
Now I'm frantic.
Just get me out of it, okay?
Just sell it. Yeah, sell.
Hold on, hold on.
I got somebody on the other line.
Hello?
Tyler, I've been trying to reach you.
Your line's always busy.
Ben, let me get
right back to you, okay?
Now, look, Irv. I gotta go.
Just sell everything, okay?
No, I don't care.
Just get what you can.
And call me back. I'll be in my car.
All right.
All right.
Yes, Ben?
Tyler, what's going on
with Allison Hardiman?
I followed her to the Red Embers.
I figured she was gonna
meet somebody.
She's been acting suspicious,
I think she's trying to lose me.
How is that for timing?
- There she goes.
- Well, follow her.
All right.
Tyler?
Tyler?
Tyler, what's happening?
- I'm still following her, Ben.
- Well, don't lose her.
Do you tell Julia Child
how to fry an egg?
Is she with somebody?
Can you see?
- Not yet.
- Get closer.
- I'm trying.
- Can you see who it is?
I'm working on it, Ben.
I'm gonna take this shortcut through
the alley, try to get in front in her.
Tyler?
Tyler?
Tyler?
Tyler?
Tyler.
- Tyler, are you all right?
- Yeah, I'm fine,
but I think I lost them momentarily.
- Did you check that plate number?
- Yeah.
The car is registered
to Mrs. Hardiman.
You better get up to their lake house,
have a talk with Wayne Cornell.
He's the caretaker.
- What's the matter?
- No car.
Take mine.
Ben, I've been thinking.
Allison Hardiman could be the one.
She's close in height
and build to Carla.
Put a red wig on her
and she matches the description.
- Yeah.
- Well, what are the alternatives?
There's Allison Hardiman,
there's Carla's friend, Gracie,
there's this mystery woman, Helen.
There's Carla herself.
Is that what you're thinking?
Hello?
It's Helen.
Yes? This is Ben Matlock.
Yeah.
Yes, I'll be there.
- Miss Shelly?
- Yes.
Ben Matlock.
- Hello.
- Thank you for seeing me.
Of course.
- Would you care for a drink?
- No, thank you.
I must tell you, Mr. Matlock,
Doug really didn't want me
to speak to you.
- You're still friends?
- Oh, yes.
Doug said you hadn't seen
one another in quite a while.
But we're still friends.
Then you must know Carla Evans.
No, not really.
She said you called her. Often.
Says you threatened her.
Threatened her?
I've never even spoken to her.
- You know Jason Hardiman?
- Who?
Carla's ex-husband.
She's been accused of murdering him.
Mr. Matlock, what has all this
got to do with me?
I don't know that it has
anything to do with you.
I have a strong suspicion
that another woman impersonating
Carla committed the murder.
Somebody who had reason to hate her
and maybe wanted to get even.
You're not suggesting
I had to do with it.
- Oh, no. I'm not suggesting anything.
- Good.
Then don't.
I'll tell you what Carla is,
Mr. Matlock.
Carla is a liar.
Excuse me.
- Are you all right?
- I'm fine.
Let me get something for that.
- No, no, no, really.
- Be right back.
Excuse me, do you have--? The lady
cut her hand. Something for her...
Miss Jackson, is this the same person
you saw leaving Mr. Hardiman's room
moments after
his life-support monitors went flat?
Yes, sir. It is.
Would you look around
the courtroom
and tell us if that person
is present today?
That person right there.
May the record show the witness
has identified the defendant.
The records will so indicate.
I have no further questions.
Cross-examine?
It's nice to see you again,
Miss Jackson.
- Why do you wear glasses?
- I'm nearsighted.
So you wear them so that
you can see things in the distance.
Yes, and I see perfectly with them.
Good.
Miss Jackson,
were you wearing your glasses
when you identified Carla Evans
just now?
- Yes.
- Were you also wearing them
when you viewed
the security videotape?
Yes.
So you were wearing them when
you saw the woman in the hospital.
Yes, I was.
Let's look at the videotape again.
I call your attention to the part
after the woman has run away.
Miss Jackson, that's you, isn't it,
when you observed
the woman running away?
Yes, it is.
Miss Jackson,
you're not wearing your glasses.
Well, in the confusion,
I suppose I might--
I can understand how you might have
thought you had your glasses on,
just as you thought the woman
in the hallway was Carla Evans.
But you couldn't really see her,
could you?
I don't know. I'm not sure.
No further questions, Your Honour.
Redirect?
No, Your Honour. The people rest.
Miss Jackson, you may step down.
You nailed that one, didn't you?
Your Honour, if it pleases the court,
the defence would like to call as
its first witness Mr. Wayne Cornell.
Mr. Cornell, how long
have you been caretaker
of the Hardimans' lake house?
Two years.
Did anybody visit the lake house
the night Jason Hardiman was shot?
- Mrs. Hardiman came up that night.
- She did?
- Was anybody with her?
- No, she was by herself.
Well, were you there?
Did you see her arrive?
I saw her arrive.
I saw her leave the next morning.
Irrelevant, Your Honour.
Mrs. Hardiman is not on trial here.
Mr. Matlock,
just where is this going?
A few more questions, Your Honour,
and it'll become evident.
Very well, but kindly get to the point
as quickly as you can.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Cornell, how do you know
that Mrs. Hardiman
was there all night that night?
Well, for one thing,
her car was parked outside.
But did you see her in the house?
No, but I saw the light go on
in her bedroom window.
Did you see the light go off
- in her bedroom window?
- Yeah.
- That's how you knew she was there.
- Right.
Good, good, good.
Now we're getting somewhere.
Were you there September 2nd?
Oh, I'm there all year round.
Do you recall
having a visitor that day?
No, I don't remember.
Gee, it hadn't been that long ago.
Let me see if I can help.
It was the Tuesday after Labor Day
and the Hardimans
had closed up the house,
and the man
from the power company
came up there like he does
every year after Labor Day.
Now, does that help you
with your recollection?
Yes.
So the man from the power company
was there that day.
Yeah.
What did he do?
- Shut off the electricity.
- Say again?
He shut off the electricity.
I see.
Mr. Cornell, you've testified
that Mrs. Hardiman
was at the lake house
the night of the shooting
and that you saw the lights
go on and off in her bedroom.
That's not quite true, is it?
No.
Mrs. Hardiman was not
at the lake house that night, was she?
No.
Mrs. Hardiman told you to say she was
at the lake house that night, didn't she?
Yes.
No further questions.
- Mr. Hawkins?
- I have no questions, Your Honour.
You can step down, Mr. Cornell.
Your Honour,
I call Allison Hardiman to the stand.
Mrs. Hardiman,
you are the chief beneficiary
of your husband's will,
- is that correct?
- Yes, I am.
And as a result of his death,
you've inherited several million dollars,
- is that correct?
- I believe so.
Mrs. Hardiman, do you know
what ''subornation of perjury'' means?
No.
It means getting someone to lie
for you under oath,
and it's a very serious offence.
Now, your caretaker has testified
that you asked him
to lie for you about the night
your husband was shot.
We're trying the charge
of murder here.
My client's life is at stake,
and I refuse to allow her
to be convicted unjustly
as a result of perjured testimony.
I want you to tell this court
about that night,
what you did and where you went.
And I serve notice that this time
only the truth will do.
I was--
I was with another man.
- Another man?
- Yes.
- What man?
- James O'Donnell.
That's your late husband's
- business partner, isn't it?
- Yes.
Where were you
and Mr. O'Donnell?
At the Turner Arms.
I registered in my name.
I was afraid it might come to this.
Here's the hotel bill.
I see.
So the reason you lied under oath
and encouraged others
to do the same,
the reason you jeopardized
my client's life and liberty
was to conceal the fact
that you were having an affair.
- Is that correct?
- Yes.
But that doesn't mean I killed
my husband,
because I didn't.
No further questions.
Well, we had one halfway decent
suspect, Allison Hardiman.
Now we don't have her.
Well, someone had to be made up
to look like me on that tape.
Something's gnawing at me.
I don't know what it is,
but it's driving me crazy.
Is there more to this? Is there
something you haven't told me?
You never did believe me, did you?
Well, then just get out.
Come on, get out.
I'm not gonna walk out on you.
Is there anything or anybody
we've overlooked?
I don't know.
I don't either.
I'll see you in the morning.
Irv, I don't care. I want you to sell
everything at the opening bell.
Right, tomorrow.
I don't believe it.
The biggest bull market
of my lifetime and I'm ruined.
Why don't you go home
and get some sleep?
Yeah, might as well get used to doing
things that don't cost money.
See you tomorrow.
If you're not gonna get some sleep,
then at least stay awake in style.
- Thanks.
- It's my own private blend.
I've been trying to track down
Helen Shelly,
but so far nothing.
Well, I think I'm gonna
get some sleep.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Charlene?
Unbutton your jacket.
Now button it.
Something wrong?
I don't know.
- See you tomorrow.
- Yeah.
Hello?
Hello?
Anybody here?
Mr. Matlock?
What do you want?
- I need to see Helen.
- Well, what are you asking me for?
- I don't know where she is.
- I have to find her.
Well, that's your problem.
Then I'll have the marshals
find her, Doug.
What? What do you mean?
The court has issued a subpoena
for Helen to appear at trial tomorrow.
If she doesn't show up,
we'll find her no matter where she is.
If you're a friend of hers,
you'll get word to her right away. Fast.
I'll try and find her.
I don't know that she'll listen to me.
I'll try.
You do that.
Look around out there and see
if you can see her, will you? Quick.
Miss Fielder, how long
have you known Carla Evans?
About a year.
And were you present
when the victim appeared
at the Tassels nightclub
on the 1 8th of this month?
Yes.
Do you recall what was said between
Carla Evans and the decedent?
Yes, I do.
And did Miss Evans at any time
threaten the decedent?
No. No.
Thank you, Miss Fielder.
I have no further questions
for this witness, Your Honour.
Mrs. Fielder, you may step down.
Your Honour,
at this time, defence would like to call
Miss Helen Shelly.
Miss Shelly,
do you know the defendant,
Carla Evans?
I know her slightly.
Have you ever met her?
I've seen her before.
Did you ever talk with her
on the telephone?
- I told you no, I did not.
- That's right.
You told me that time we met.
You don't care for her, do you?
No, I don't.
- You know Doug Templitt?
- Yes, I do.
He's a pretty funny guy.
- How do you like his act?
- I've never seen it.
- You haven't?
- No.
Well, you're friends, aren't you?
- More or less.
- What do you mean, more or less?
He has his life and I have mine.
Oh, how's your hand?
It's fine, thank you.
Where were you the night
Jason Hardiman was shot?
I was with Doug.
Well, let me ask you this:
Where were you last Friday evening
when someone dressed
in a nurse's uniform
went in that hospital room
and killed Jason Hardiman?
Where were you then?
I was with Doug.
- So you were with Doug both times?
- Yes.
Objection.
Relevancy.
Your Honour, it is entirely possible
that someone other than my client
committed this murder.
I have a right to pursue
that possibility.
Overruled.
Answer the question, please.
- So you were with Doug both times.
- Yes.
So you and Doug have been
spending quite a little time together.
I suppose so.
- Are you still back sharing now?
- Sometimes.
Let me ask you this, Helen.
If you were leaving this place
that you and Doug sometimes share
and you were, say, in a hurry,
do you think it would ever be possible
you might put on Doug's trench coat
instead of yours by mistake?
I suppose it's possible.
You know, Helen,
I've been looking at the tape
of that woman in that hospital,
and it took a while
for the penny to drop,
but I finally realized.
You know, a man buttons
his coat left over right.
A woman just the opposite.
Now, the woman in that tape
buttoned her coat just like a man.
And you know something else?
You know that time when
we saw one another?
You cut your hand.
When I saw Doug yesterday,
he had a bandage
on the exact same spot on his hand.
Now, isn't it odd
that you and Doug would've cut
your hand in exactly the same place?
Isn't that odd, Helen?
I honestly don't know.
You know what I think?
I think that you and Doug are closer
than even you can admit.
I do.
I think you're together all the time.
I think that you're
somehow connected.
I think we have a case
of confused identity.
Let me illustrate my point
by telling a little story.
One time a woman went in a barroom
with a duck under her arm.
The bartender walks over and he says,
''Where did you get the pig?''
The woman says, ''It's a duck.''
And the bartender says,
''I was talking to the pig.''
Duck. I was talking to the duck.
What's this?
You blew the joke. The bartender says,
''I was talking to the duck.''
Doug?
Is that you?
Is that you?
Doug?
Helen said she was with you
the night Jason Hardiman
was murdered. Is that true?
No.
Helen wasn't with you the night
Jason Hardiman was murdered?
No.
Doug...
...who killed Jason Hardiman?
She did.
- She did.
- Helen?
Yeah.
I don't know a lot about this.
I did speak with a doctor
friend of mine.
I know that Helen is a part of you,
and I'm very sorry to put you
both through this.
One more question.
Why did Helen kill Jason Hardiman?
Why didn't she kill Carla?
She wanted to.
Carla was everything
Helen wanted to be, but couldn't.
She wanted to humiliate her,
to degrade her,
to take her son away from her.
How did you feel?
I wouldn't let Helen kill Carla.
I love Carla.
No further questions.
Come on.
Thank you.
- Maybe it made up for the last time.
- It did.
- Good luck.
- You too.
Your father's not so bad after all.
That's what he tells me.
Remember, it's all in the shoulder.
- What's in the shoulders?
- Professional secret.
It's nice to know I have a trade
to fall back on.
Charlene.
Well, can you see who it is?
I'm working on it, Ben.
She's a stripper.
Anything you care to tell me about?
Cover's 5 bucks, buddy.
She takes off everything
except her shoes.
All right, all right. Come on.
What you waiting for, baby?
- Take off your feather, baby.
- Yeah.
All right.
Come on, hurt me. Hurt me.
- Oh, yeah, baby.
- Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
The lovely Yolanda,
ladies and gentlemen.
Let's hear it for Yolanda.
He's fine. He's reading a book.
He's gonna be tired. Hi, mister.
- Are you finished dancing, Mom?
- No, I have one more number.
But Gracie and I are gonna
take you home first.
Oh, let me stay.
Please, I'll read my book.
- It's past your bedtime.
- I'll go to sleep here on the couch.
Please, Mom. Please?
Yeah?
There's somebody here
to see you, Carla.
Just a second.
You get ready to go home.
I'll be right back.
Hello, Carla.
What are you doing here?
You should've known I'd find you
sooner or later.
I came by to give you a little token
of my affection.
The process server usually does this,
but I wanted to be here in person
- so I could see the look in your eyes.
- Another hearing. Why?
Why can't you just let this be over?
Well, you know why, darling.
Because I still care.
You're not gonna get away with it.
That's up to the courts to decide.
But when they see the surroundings
you're exposing my son to,
as opposed to the advantages
Allison and I can give him--
You know you don't give a damn
about Jimmy.
You just want to keep punishing me.
You know,
you seem disturbed, Carla.
Really psychotic.
I'm not gonna stand still for this.
I'm warning you.
Really?
- What are you going to do?
- Anything I have to.
You haven't changed, have you?
Neither have you.
Well, I've got to run, darling.
I'll see you in court.
Who is it?
It was a boy. It was great.
Saw the whole thing.
Eight pounds, 7 ounces.
Born with the fullest head of hair.
So were you.
Hey, say, guys.
Well, congratulations.
You guys are a bit of all right.
Wanna make sure
the kid dresses better than you.
Best to the missus.
- Thanks, Ben.
- See you around.
You gonna open it?
While we're here,
we should stop by Property
and check out the evidence
on the Morton case--
What's the matter?
I'll be right back.
- Don't be shy. Take two or three.
- Sure, no problem.
- Hey, Bob.
- That was quick.
Cigar?
There's a lady out there,
Carla Hardiman, used to be.
Calls herself Evans now.
She's the ex-wife
of Jason Hardiman,
who, in case you hadn't heard,
was shot last night.
He's hanging by a thread
over at County General.
They were divorced five years ago.
What's that have to do with Carla?
All I know is
she threatened him publicly
just a few hours before the shooting,
so we brought her in for questioning.
I gotta tell you something,
if I was gonna shoot somebody,
I'd keep it a secret.
I wouldn't yell it out
in front of a bunch of witnesses.
Are you her lawyer?
I'm thinking about it.
Miss Evans,
Ben Matlock.
It's been a long time.
I don't know if you remember.
I remember.
I was just presenting
your husband's proposal.
I was just going on what he told me.
That I was a slut who got pregnant
so I could pry money out of him?
Isn't that why you tried to bribe me
into giving up my baby?
It wasn't a bribe. It was a proposal.
It was a bribe, and you know it.
No. And I'm sorry it appeared to be.
Ever since I won custody of Jimmy
he's been hounding me,
getting me fired from
one job after another.
I finally had to change my name
and get work in a strip joint.
Now he's found me again.
He wants to take me to court
and have me declared an unfit mother.
Are you going to represent him?
No. I stopped representing
your ex-husband
when I found out what a liar he is.
And I've always felt bad that I had
anything to do with that divorce.
I just wanted to tell you
that if you need representation,
I'd be happy to oblige, on the house.
My way of apologizing.
Can you get me out of here?
If I'm your lawyer, yes.
Okay.
I'll arrange for your release.
Ben. I got the fax from O'Hanian
after I read the sister's statement.
It's very suspicious.
- Where did you disappear to?
- I was hunting us up a new client.
A new c--? The woman in the hall?
- Who is she?
- An old acquaintance.
Anything you care to tell me about?
Oh, no, no.
She was involved
in a custody case I was handling.
A former client.
Actually, I was representing
the husband.
It was a very unusual case.
- How so?
- I lost.
- That's unusual.
- I was glad I lost.
She's a suspect in a shooting.
You wanna get some background?
I'll go see Bob.
- My very thought.
- She's still a little upset with me.
Charlene,
she's a stripper.
Code blue. Code blue.
ICU 7.
Wait a second. Stop.
This woman first attempted to kill her
ex-husband with a handgun.
Then, as he lay helpless in
a hospital bed, barely clinging to life,
she entered his room
and coldly completed the job
of snuffing out his life.
The evidence is substantial
and compelling
and the state strongly suspects
that this defendant will attempt
to flee this jurisdiction
regardless of the amount of bail set.
We urge the court to deny bail.
Thank you, Your Honour.
Your Honour, to deny my client bail
would evoke a terrible hardship.
She's the devoted mother
of a 5-year-old son
who needs the care and attention
only a mother can give.
There are no other relatives
in the whole Atlanta area.
To separate these two
and place the boy in a foster home
would be disastrous.
I earnestly beg the court to consider
the boy in rendering its decision.
I think a reasonable bail
is appropriate.
Thank you for your eloquent advice,
Mr. Matlock, but I'm going to deny bail.
I'm sorry.
Tell Jimmy...
...I had to take a trip.
Gracie knows how to take care of him.
You sure you don't
wanna see him first?
Not like this.
Yeah, it looks like
she came in this way.
High-heel marks
in the grass over there.
Yeah.
- She went in through that door.
- Yeah. Forced it.
- Pretty strong woman.
- Yeah. Apparently.
- Excuse me a minute, Bob.
- Sure.
I want you to check
the lower windows
as well as the door
for prints, all right?
Morning, Tyler.
What's this?
Ben, there are several kinds
of whizzes in this world.
Now, the kind of whiz that I am
is a stock-market whiz.
- What's he talking about?
- He says he's gonna retire next week.
Red, turbo-charged,
2.8 multi-faceted,
fuel-injected convertible car
with cellular phone
is the results of profits
from one day's playing
- the open stock market.
- One day?
One day.
So when you see me coming--
- Here comes the whiz?
- Here comes the whiz.
And my stock is
at 73 and still climbing.
No more surveillance.
No more subpoenas.
No more stakeouts.
Well, Tyler, I'm gonna miss you.
Picking over the peaches,
are you, Ben?
Morning, Allison.
What is it?
I just wanted to convey
my condolences.
Thank you.
Allison, I have to ask you
some questions.
I know this is a difficult time for you,
- but it's my job.
- What do you wanna know, Ben?
How did Jason find out where
Carla Evans was working?
I think somebody told him.
Oh, yes. I remember.
He got a telephone call
from someone
who worked at her...
...club.
He really wanted that boy, didn't he?
Once he owned something,
he never liked to part with it.
Anything else?
Oh, I don't know, Allison.
I'm embarrassed to ask.
Never stopped you before.
According to the police records,
you weren't at home
when your husband was shot.
I drove up to our cabin
at Lake Lenier.
- Alone?
- Yes, alone.
All by yourself
in the middle of the night?
Yes.
Wayne can confirm that.
Wayne is the caretaker
at our place on the lake.
Mr. Matlock wants to know
if I was at the lake
all night Wednesday.
She was.
Bye, Ben.
Bye, Allison.
Tyler, I want you to keep a sharp eye
on Allison Hardiman.
What's the matter?
I don't know.
It just seems kind of sad.
What?
My last stakeout.
- So, what do you think?
- About Tyler?
No, I mean about this.
I don't know, Charlene.
I've known Allison Hardiman
a long time.
It's hard to imagine she went through
all this rigmarole to shoot Jason.
Well, I think I'll go over to the hospital
and nose around.
Good idea.
- Nurse Jackson?
- Yes.
Are you the nurse
who identified Carla Evans?
Yes. Are you from the newspaper?
No. I'm sorry, I'm Charlene Matlock.
I'm an attorney
representing Carla Evans.
Then I have nothing to say.
Well, you had a great deal
to say to the police.
That's right.
For someone to come in here,
to endanger the lives of all of
our patients, murder one of them.
How could you defend
someone like that?
Sometimes it isn't easy.
Your case hangs on this videotape
of a hospital security camera
and the nurse
who saw the killer leave.
Anybody you know?
Someone I know?
Yeah, somebody you know
who doesn't like you very much.
Somebody told Jason Hardiman
where you were.
I'm sorry.
I don't recognize her.
Well, if it's not you,
it's somebody made up to look like you.
What about Jason's wife, Allison?
We're checking her out.
- Anybody else?
- I don't know.
Maybe Helen.
Who's Helen?
Helen Shelly.
She was a friend of Doug Templitt,
the emcee at the club
where I worked.
She got it into her head
that I was after Doug,
which was ridiculous because there
was nothing going on between us.
But anyway, she would call me up
every night for about a week.
She'd threaten me.
I told her I'd call the cops
if she didn't stop, so she stopped.
- I'll check her out.
- I didn't take her seriously.
Besides, this was a month ago or so.
I haven't seen or heard of her since.
Doug Templitt?
Yeah.
Cover's 5 bucks, buddy.
She takes off everything
except her shoes.
She doesn't take off her shoes?
The lovely Sabrina,
ladies and gentlemen.
Let's hear it for Sabrina.
A little while ago,
I was over at the bar
and a woman walked in
with a duck under her arm.
Harry, our bartender,
he walks over to her and he says,
''What are you doing with the pig?''
The woman says, ''It's a duck.''
Harry says,
''I was talking to the duck.''
I'm gonna call Forest Lawn for you.
How about a big hand for
our wonderful orchestra over there.
Don't they sound terrific tonight?
Don't they?
She was spitting bullets the night
that Hardiman came by to see her.
You heard the conversation?
Yes, and I will testify. I'm her friend.
She needs all the friends she can get.
Right now, it's her enemies
I'm interested in.
And I think
somebody who knew Jason Hardiman
was looking for her
and was willing to tell him
where she was.
Well, who would do anything like that?
That's what I'd sure like to find out.
- Who are you?
- I'm her lawyer, Ben Matlock.
I'm on Carla's side, so if there's
anything at all that I can do to help--
You can tell me how Jason Hardiman
knew she was working here.
Well, nobody here would do that.
We're all friends here.
Carla said you have a friend
named Helen Shelly.
She couldn't have had
anything to do with it.
How can you be sure?
I haven't seen her in months.
I need to find her.
I don't know.
Well, I have to find her.
There's an easy way and a hard way.
Either way, I have to find her.
Here's my card.
In case she contacts you,
have her give me a call.
Thank you both for your help.
No, no, no, I'm not worried.
I was worried two hours ago.
Now I'm frantic.
Just get me out of it, okay?
Just sell it. Yeah, sell.
Hold on, hold on.
I got somebody on the other line.
Hello?
Tyler, I've been trying to reach you.
Your line's always busy.
Ben, let me get
right back to you, okay?
Now, look, Irv. I gotta go.
Just sell everything, okay?
No, I don't care.
Just get what you can.
And call me back. I'll be in my car.
All right.
All right.
Yes, Ben?
Tyler, what's going on
with Allison Hardiman?
I followed her to the Red Embers.
I figured she was gonna
meet somebody.
She's been acting suspicious,
I think she's trying to lose me.
How is that for timing?
- There she goes.
- Well, follow her.
All right.
Tyler?
Tyler?
Tyler, what's happening?
- I'm still following her, Ben.
- Well, don't lose her.
Do you tell Julia Child
how to fry an egg?
Is she with somebody?
Can you see?
- Not yet.
- Get closer.
- I'm trying.
- Can you see who it is?
I'm working on it, Ben.
I'm gonna take this shortcut through
the alley, try to get in front in her.
Tyler?
Tyler?
Tyler?
Tyler?
Tyler.
- Tyler, are you all right?
- Yeah, I'm fine,
but I think I lost them momentarily.
- Did you check that plate number?
- Yeah.
The car is registered
to Mrs. Hardiman.
You better get up to their lake house,
have a talk with Wayne Cornell.
He's the caretaker.
- What's the matter?
- No car.
Take mine.
Ben, I've been thinking.
Allison Hardiman could be the one.
She's close in height
and build to Carla.
Put a red wig on her
and she matches the description.
- Yeah.
- Well, what are the alternatives?
There's Allison Hardiman,
there's Carla's friend, Gracie,
there's this mystery woman, Helen.
There's Carla herself.
Is that what you're thinking?
Hello?
It's Helen.
Yes? This is Ben Matlock.
Yeah.
Yes, I'll be there.
- Miss Shelly?
- Yes.
Ben Matlock.
- Hello.
- Thank you for seeing me.
Of course.
- Would you care for a drink?
- No, thank you.
I must tell you, Mr. Matlock,
Doug really didn't want me
to speak to you.
- You're still friends?
- Oh, yes.
Doug said you hadn't seen
one another in quite a while.
But we're still friends.
Then you must know Carla Evans.
No, not really.
She said you called her. Often.
Says you threatened her.
Threatened her?
I've never even spoken to her.
- You know Jason Hardiman?
- Who?
Carla's ex-husband.
She's been accused of murdering him.
Mr. Matlock, what has all this
got to do with me?
I don't know that it has
anything to do with you.
I have a strong suspicion
that another woman impersonating
Carla committed the murder.
Somebody who had reason to hate her
and maybe wanted to get even.
You're not suggesting
I had to do with it.
- Oh, no. I'm not suggesting anything.
- Good.
Then don't.
I'll tell you what Carla is,
Mr. Matlock.
Carla is a liar.
Excuse me.
- Are you all right?
- I'm fine.
Let me get something for that.
- No, no, no, really.
- Be right back.
Excuse me, do you have--? The lady
cut her hand. Something for her...
Miss Jackson, is this the same person
you saw leaving Mr. Hardiman's room
moments after
his life-support monitors went flat?
Yes, sir. It is.
Would you look around
the courtroom
and tell us if that person
is present today?
That person right there.
May the record show the witness
has identified the defendant.
The records will so indicate.
I have no further questions.
Cross-examine?
It's nice to see you again,
Miss Jackson.
- Why do you wear glasses?
- I'm nearsighted.
So you wear them so that
you can see things in the distance.
Yes, and I see perfectly with them.
Good.
Miss Jackson,
were you wearing your glasses
when you identified Carla Evans
just now?
- Yes.
- Were you also wearing them
when you viewed
the security videotape?
Yes.
So you were wearing them when
you saw the woman in the hospital.
Yes, I was.
Let's look at the videotape again.
I call your attention to the part
after the woman has run away.
Miss Jackson, that's you, isn't it,
when you observed
the woman running away?
Yes, it is.
Miss Jackson,
you're not wearing your glasses.
Well, in the confusion,
I suppose I might--
I can understand how you might have
thought you had your glasses on,
just as you thought the woman
in the hallway was Carla Evans.
But you couldn't really see her,
could you?
I don't know. I'm not sure.
No further questions, Your Honour.
Redirect?
No, Your Honour. The people rest.
Miss Jackson, you may step down.
You nailed that one, didn't you?
Your Honour, if it pleases the court,
the defence would like to call as
its first witness Mr. Wayne Cornell.
Mr. Cornell, how long
have you been caretaker
of the Hardimans' lake house?
Two years.
Did anybody visit the lake house
the night Jason Hardiman was shot?
- Mrs. Hardiman came up that night.
- She did?
- Was anybody with her?
- No, she was by herself.
Well, were you there?
Did you see her arrive?
I saw her arrive.
I saw her leave the next morning.
Irrelevant, Your Honour.
Mrs. Hardiman is not on trial here.
Mr. Matlock,
just where is this going?
A few more questions, Your Honour,
and it'll become evident.
Very well, but kindly get to the point
as quickly as you can.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Cornell, how do you know
that Mrs. Hardiman
was there all night that night?
Well, for one thing,
her car was parked outside.
But did you see her in the house?
No, but I saw the light go on
in her bedroom window.
Did you see the light go off
- in her bedroom window?
- Yeah.
- That's how you knew she was there.
- Right.
Good, good, good.
Now we're getting somewhere.
Were you there September 2nd?
Oh, I'm there all year round.
Do you recall
having a visitor that day?
No, I don't remember.
Gee, it hadn't been that long ago.
Let me see if I can help.
It was the Tuesday after Labor Day
and the Hardimans
had closed up the house,
and the man
from the power company
came up there like he does
every year after Labor Day.
Now, does that help you
with your recollection?
Yes.
So the man from the power company
was there that day.
Yeah.
What did he do?
- Shut off the electricity.
- Say again?
He shut off the electricity.
I see.
Mr. Cornell, you've testified
that Mrs. Hardiman
was at the lake house
the night of the shooting
and that you saw the lights
go on and off in her bedroom.
That's not quite true, is it?
No.
Mrs. Hardiman was not
at the lake house that night, was she?
No.
Mrs. Hardiman told you to say she was
at the lake house that night, didn't she?
Yes.
No further questions.
- Mr. Hawkins?
- I have no questions, Your Honour.
You can step down, Mr. Cornell.
Your Honour,
I call Allison Hardiman to the stand.
Mrs. Hardiman,
you are the chief beneficiary
of your husband's will,
- is that correct?
- Yes, I am.
And as a result of his death,
you've inherited several million dollars,
- is that correct?
- I believe so.
Mrs. Hardiman, do you know
what ''subornation of perjury'' means?
No.
It means getting someone to lie
for you under oath,
and it's a very serious offence.
Now, your caretaker has testified
that you asked him
to lie for you about the night
your husband was shot.
We're trying the charge
of murder here.
My client's life is at stake,
and I refuse to allow her
to be convicted unjustly
as a result of perjured testimony.
I want you to tell this court
about that night,
what you did and where you went.
And I serve notice that this time
only the truth will do.
I was--
I was with another man.
- Another man?
- Yes.
- What man?
- James O'Donnell.
That's your late husband's
- business partner, isn't it?
- Yes.
Where were you
and Mr. O'Donnell?
At the Turner Arms.
I registered in my name.
I was afraid it might come to this.
Here's the hotel bill.
I see.
So the reason you lied under oath
and encouraged others
to do the same,
the reason you jeopardized
my client's life and liberty
was to conceal the fact
that you were having an affair.
- Is that correct?
- Yes.
But that doesn't mean I killed
my husband,
because I didn't.
No further questions.
Well, we had one halfway decent
suspect, Allison Hardiman.
Now we don't have her.
Well, someone had to be made up
to look like me on that tape.
Something's gnawing at me.
I don't know what it is,
but it's driving me crazy.
Is there more to this? Is there
something you haven't told me?
You never did believe me, did you?
Well, then just get out.
Come on, get out.
I'm not gonna walk out on you.
Is there anything or anybody
we've overlooked?
I don't know.
I don't either.
I'll see you in the morning.
Irv, I don't care. I want you to sell
everything at the opening bell.
Right, tomorrow.
I don't believe it.
The biggest bull market
of my lifetime and I'm ruined.
Why don't you go home
and get some sleep?
Yeah, might as well get used to doing
things that don't cost money.
See you tomorrow.
If you're not gonna get some sleep,
then at least stay awake in style.
- Thanks.
- It's my own private blend.
I've been trying to track down
Helen Shelly,
but so far nothing.
Well, I think I'm gonna
get some sleep.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Charlene?
Unbutton your jacket.
Now button it.
Something wrong?
I don't know.
- See you tomorrow.
- Yeah.
Hello?
Hello?
Anybody here?
Mr. Matlock?
What do you want?
- I need to see Helen.
- Well, what are you asking me for?
- I don't know where she is.
- I have to find her.
Well, that's your problem.
Then I'll have the marshals
find her, Doug.
What? What do you mean?
The court has issued a subpoena
for Helen to appear at trial tomorrow.
If she doesn't show up,
we'll find her no matter where she is.
If you're a friend of hers,
you'll get word to her right away. Fast.
I'll try and find her.
I don't know that she'll listen to me.
I'll try.
You do that.
Look around out there and see
if you can see her, will you? Quick.
Miss Fielder, how long
have you known Carla Evans?
About a year.
And were you present
when the victim appeared
at the Tassels nightclub
on the 1 8th of this month?
Yes.
Do you recall what was said between
Carla Evans and the decedent?
Yes, I do.
And did Miss Evans at any time
threaten the decedent?
No. No.
Thank you, Miss Fielder.
I have no further questions
for this witness, Your Honour.
Mrs. Fielder, you may step down.
Your Honour,
at this time, defence would like to call
Miss Helen Shelly.
Miss Shelly,
do you know the defendant,
Carla Evans?
I know her slightly.
Have you ever met her?
I've seen her before.
Did you ever talk with her
on the telephone?
- I told you no, I did not.
- That's right.
You told me that time we met.
You don't care for her, do you?
No, I don't.
- You know Doug Templitt?
- Yes, I do.
He's a pretty funny guy.
- How do you like his act?
- I've never seen it.
- You haven't?
- No.
Well, you're friends, aren't you?
- More or less.
- What do you mean, more or less?
He has his life and I have mine.
Oh, how's your hand?
It's fine, thank you.
Where were you the night
Jason Hardiman was shot?
I was with Doug.
Well, let me ask you this:
Where were you last Friday evening
when someone dressed
in a nurse's uniform
went in that hospital room
and killed Jason Hardiman?
Where were you then?
I was with Doug.
- So you were with Doug both times?
- Yes.
Objection.
Relevancy.
Your Honour, it is entirely possible
that someone other than my client
committed this murder.
I have a right to pursue
that possibility.
Overruled.
Answer the question, please.
- So you were with Doug both times.
- Yes.
So you and Doug have been
spending quite a little time together.
I suppose so.
- Are you still back sharing now?
- Sometimes.
Let me ask you this, Helen.
If you were leaving this place
that you and Doug sometimes share
and you were, say, in a hurry,
do you think it would ever be possible
you might put on Doug's trench coat
instead of yours by mistake?
I suppose it's possible.
You know, Helen,
I've been looking at the tape
of that woman in that hospital,
and it took a while
for the penny to drop,
but I finally realized.
You know, a man buttons
his coat left over right.
A woman just the opposite.
Now, the woman in that tape
buttoned her coat just like a man.
And you know something else?
You know that time when
we saw one another?
You cut your hand.
When I saw Doug yesterday,
he had a bandage
on the exact same spot on his hand.
Now, isn't it odd
that you and Doug would've cut
your hand in exactly the same place?
Isn't that odd, Helen?
I honestly don't know.
You know what I think?
I think that you and Doug are closer
than even you can admit.
I do.
I think you're together all the time.
I think that you're
somehow connected.
I think we have a case
of confused identity.
Let me illustrate my point
by telling a little story.
One time a woman went in a barroom
with a duck under her arm.
The bartender walks over and he says,
''Where did you get the pig?''
The woman says, ''It's a duck.''
And the bartender says,
''I was talking to the pig.''
Duck. I was talking to the duck.
What's this?
You blew the joke. The bartender says,
''I was talking to the duck.''
Doug?
Is that you?
Is that you?
Doug?
Helen said she was with you
the night Jason Hardiman
was murdered. Is that true?
No.
Helen wasn't with you the night
Jason Hardiman was murdered?
No.
Doug...
...who killed Jason Hardiman?
She did.
- She did.
- Helen?
Yeah.
I don't know a lot about this.
I did speak with a doctor
friend of mine.
I know that Helen is a part of you,
and I'm very sorry to put you
both through this.
One more question.
Why did Helen kill Jason Hardiman?
Why didn't she kill Carla?
She wanted to.
Carla was everything
Helen wanted to be, but couldn't.
She wanted to humiliate her,
to degrade her,
to take her son away from her.
How did you feel?
I wouldn't let Helen kill Carla.
I love Carla.
No further questions.
Come on.
Thank you.
- Maybe it made up for the last time.
- It did.
- Good luck.
- You too.
Your father's not so bad after all.
That's what he tells me.
Remember, it's all in the shoulder.
- What's in the shoulders?
- Professional secret.
It's nice to know I have a trade
to fall back on.
Charlene.