Matlock (1986–1995): Season 2, Episode 15 - The Umpire - full transcript

( upbeat jazz theme playing)

(indistinct shouting)

( bat hits ball, crowd cheering)

( mysterious theme playing)

Oh, yeah. Here we
are. Here's a little beauty.

Thirty-five hundred square
feet, split-level, all electric.

How much?

Two hundred and
seventy-five thousand.

The owner will carry a second.

It, uh, seems expensive.

Heh. Mr. Nelson,
you gotta realize



that Oakdale is the
hottest suburb in Atlanta.

Home for young, upwardly mobile
Atlantans like yourself and me.

Heh. It's the place to be.

I need to see you.

Oh, hi, Walt. I was, uh, just
showing the Nelsons here

the Friedlander place.

Now.

Must be some sort of
an emergency, I guess.

Would you excuse
me? I'll be right back.

Sure. Just a second.

Walt.

Walt. What are you doing, Walt?

Acting like that in
front of my clients?

My clients, Charlie.



Last time I looked, the firm

still belonged to Roger and me.

You were just an employee.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. What
is your problem, Walt?

My problem?

Look. Spray paint
on my car. Well...

For mine, I would have
settled just for the pinstripe.

I think the
writing's a bit busy.

It's not funny!

I know who did that.

It was you and your team.

What? Me and my team?

You've been egging them on

ever since I umped
that last game,

when you came running out
of the dugout like a madman.

It's just a game, Walt.

Then why did you
go to the commission

to keep me from umping
the championship, huh?

You told them I
couldn't be impartial.

Fellas, please.

Can we take this somewhere else?

You know something, Rog?

Walt is not very
beautiful when he's angry.

To you, everything
is a joke, isn't it?

Everything's funny.

No, as a matter of fact,

poking me in the
chest is not funny.

I'm warning you, you
take this out on my team,

you're gonna hear
about it, all right?

( slow, dramatic theme playing)

That's it.

You are history.

(car engine starting)

(indistinct conversation)

Celia, could we have some
more wine coolers here?

Anybody for sushi?

(people chattering) No, no!

All right, look. Look, look.
We've got a problem with Walt.

You mean, you got a
problem. He's your partner.

You're getting an
attitude, Barney.

No, no, you know
what he means, Barney.

Walt is gonna ump tonight.

(all chattering)
Oh, no. Not again.

Yeah, that's right.
He could bury us.

FREDDIE: Now, it's the
biggest game of the year.

We're not gonna
let him blow it for us.

Well, just what do you
suggest we do, Freddie?

Well, uh, somebody's
gotta talk to him.

MAN: Yeah.

No, no, no, no, no.

Best thing to do is
not say a word to him.

Don't even blink.

Let's just pray there are
no close calls, all right?

(crowd talking, cheering)

Come on, Marshall.
It just takes one...

(speaking indistinctly)

Come on, Marshall.

(man speaking indistinctly)

Oh.

Charlie, you're the
manager of the team.

Why don't you
pinch-hit for the guy?

With who? Freddie and
Barney have been in,

Roger hasn't shown up.

Look, I don't like the
championship game

in the hands of a dentist
either. What can I do?

Come on, Marshall!
Hit it out there, babe.

Come on.

Here we go. Big swing, baby.

Attaboy!

(crowd cheering, chatter)

All right, he's in
there! He's in there!

You're out!

Walter, what are
you talking about?

He never touched me.

Walter, where are you going?

Walter!

(cheering, indistinct chatter)

Walter!

Walter, you crazy?
He never touched me!

( mysterious theme playing)

Walter!

Where are you, damn it!

( dramatic theme playing)

Ahem. I've gone all over
Charlie's disposable assets.

His bank and savings account.

And all I can tell you

is he's gonna come up
short on his legal fees.

So, what's your point, Freddie?

Well, we're all
Charlie's friends.

We all believe in him.

I mean, that makes
us the sole members

of the Charlie
Bonham Defense Fund.

You mean we should all kick in.

That's the idea, Barney.

Actually, we're
gonna apportion it

according to
one's ability to pay.

(soft jazz playing on speakers)

(scoffs)

Count me out.

Before we go any further,
anybody else want out?

Nope.

No. No.

All right, then. Where's
our big-time lawyer?

Celia. Mr. Matlock come in here?

Do you mean him?

Excuse me, Doc.

Mr. Matlock?

Yes?

I'm Roger Cullen. We
spoke on the phone.

Oh, yes.

Like to join us
over here, please?

Okay. (coughs)

Got here a little early,

and I thought I'd...

spend the time catching
up on my newspaper.

Gentlemen, Mr. Matlock.

How you doing? Good afternoon.

Hello, gentlemen. I
didn't expect such a crowd.

Heh. Well, we're all
Charlie's friends here.

Um, some lunch?

Oh, no thanks.

(clears throat)

Are you at all
familiar with the case?

Well, um, I've read
about it in the newspaper,

and I've seen it on television.

I haven't spoken with anybody
down at the jailhouse yet,

if that's what
you're referring to.

I'm not that familiar with
your work, Mr. Matlock.

Have you handled many
of these types of cases?

Uh, well, to tell you the truth,

I've never heard of a
murdered umpire case before.

(chuckling)

Well, I'm sure at this
point in his career,

Mr. Matlock has tried
a lot of murder cases.

A-are you still in
active practice?

Well, uh... yeah.

Most days, I can, uh...

still remember where
the courthouse is.

What would you say
is your success rate?

Let me stop it right here.

Uh, I know you're all
concerned about your friend,

and I know you want to
get your money's worth.

And, uh, I don't
blame you for that.

Uh, let me make it easy for you.

It's gonna cost
somebody $100,000

as a retainer for
me to take this case.

Now, there are lawyers
who work cheaper

and are just as good.

But like I say, I
go for 100,000.

Now, I'm gonna go up here

and pay my check
and go out that door,

and if you want me to
consider taking this case,

you'd better make up your
mind before I get to my car.

And I enjoyed
meeting all of you.

Yeah.

All right. Is that all
you had, just coffee?

Just coffee.

That'll be $1.70.

Okay. (beeps)

Uh, that's 70.

All right.

Would you like a toothpick?

Yeah.

(men chatting indistinctly)

Mr. Matlock?

(phone ringing)

Here's the physical
evidence, counselor.

Thank you, lieutenant.

This is everything
found on the victim?

Yes.

Mask, uh, chest protector,
car keys, cigarettes,

a lighter, a wallet,

and a ball-strike counter.

Ball-strike counter. No kidding.

Yeah, that's how
the ump keeps track

of strikes, balls,
outs. Like that.

Yeah, I know.

Used to play a little
ball yourself, huh?

Yeah.

Yeah, in high school.
That was a long time ago.

Hit a state
championship, though.

It was my last game.

It was the bottom of the ninth

and bases were
loaded, and I was up.

Crowd was yelling,
"Matlock! Matlock!"

Pitcher throws a fast
ball out over the plate.

Your client's ready.

Okay.

( mellow jazz theme playing)

(thunder rumbling)

Okay, Charlie.

I understand there were...

several arguments

between you and
Walter during that game,

and one real big one.

Yeah.

Top of the eighth.
We had a real rhubarb.

Well, let's hear about it.

Well, score was tied.

A fog was rolling
in and out all night.

Bases were loaded, two outs,

and Mike Golbie,
who we call Dr. K,

was on the mound for my team.

You manage the team?

Yeah, and I play second base.

Uh, this, uh, Mike Golbie.

Is that Dr. Golbie,

the psychiatrist
with the radio show?

The one who wrote that
book, uh, Reality on $5 a day?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

He's... He's the one.

Made millions off that book.

But he takes his
softball very seriously.

Hm. Pretty upscale
team you got there.

Yeah, I guess.

I used to play a little ball.

Did you?

Yeah, in high school.

I remember this one game...

So Doc was on the mound, huh?

Yeah, and he's our ace.

But Walter was squeezing
his strike zone all night.

(crowd chatting indistinctly)

Take your base.

(shouts indistinctly)

The run was forced in.
Monroe took the lead.

I don't know. I just...
I blew my stack.

Oh, come on.

What are you
talking about, Walter?

It was right in the strike zone!

You've been doing this
all game, man. Come on!

Let's play ball, Charlie.

Come on, Charlie.
(all chattering)

Come on, Charlie!

It was a strike, Walter.

It was a damn strike,
and you know it.

It... It was a pitch a
batter could not take.

An umpire could not call a ball

unless he had some
sort of personal vendetta

or something.

All right, so finally,
they pulled us apart.

And now it's the
bottom of the eighth,

and Mike is up at bat.

He goes to a 3 and 2 count.

(crowd cheering,
shouting indistinctly)

He grounds out.
The inning is over.

Walter goes under the stands.

Went under the stands?

Yeah, for a cigarette.

His usual
end-of-the-inning routine.

Uh, then what?

Well... then it's the
bottom of the ninth.

And that's when
the trouble began.

I was the first batter up.

I doubled to right and, uh,

Sam bunts me over to third.

And then Marshall
Turner flied to center field.

I tag up.

Walter calls me out.

I am telling you,
Mr. Matlock, I was safe.

I mean, my foot was
so far across home plate.

I-I spiked Walter before
he even made the call.

So you ran after
him just to protest?

Yeah. That's all.

You didn't go after
Walter to harm him?

No.

(scoffs)

I don't know what
I would've done

if I'd caught him.

But I didn't.

Look... (sighs)

I had a lot of reasons
to dislike Walter.

And I wasn't alone.

That's the heart
of it, isn't it?

Yeah.

Kill the umpire.

A lot of fellas disliked Walter.

We just have to find that one

that disliked him
more than you did.

( crowd cheering faintly)

ANNOUNCER (over PA):
And now batting cleanup

for the Willow Spring Tigers,

the pitcher, Ben Matlock.

( sports anthem playing)

You'll never hit the ball
with that hitch in your swing.

Oh, hello here.

You startled me. I didn't
know anybody was about.

Hitch, huh?

I'll have you know I hit
a home run one time.

You did?

Yeah. High school. Ninth inning.

So did I.

No kidding. Yep.

Bases loaded, one out. You?

Two outs.

First liar never has
a chance. (chuckles)

I did hit a home run one time.

Yeah? Mine was only a triple.

I didn't know you
liked baseball.

I don't.

If I did, I'd have
hit a homer too.

Ah, ha.

P.E. requirement,
St. Claire's Prep.

Oh. Oh. I was just,
uh, checking. Uh...

Look at this, uh... This
list that Charlie gave me.

There's Fred
Hatton, Roger Cullen,

Barney Sutler.

That's three people
besides Charlie

who were missing
when Walter was killed.

One of them could have done it.

Yeah.

Well, let's see.

I'll call Tyler and
get him in on this.

Saw a beauty salon
on my way over here.

Beauty salon?

Yeah. Think I'll
get a little trim

and find out what's going on.

Oh. Yeah.

(chuckles)

( sports anthem playing)

You see, I was in the
game, Miss Thomas.

It is miss, isn't it?

Yes.

Then remind me later to show
you some excellent policies

we have for single women.

Well, I may not have the time.

So you were playing?

Uh, yes, up until the fifth
inning when I put my back out.

I got this disk in my
third cervical vertebrae.

It's uh... Well, anyway.

So he put in Howard
Kaufman, the accountant.

That's him with a
pocket calculator.

Oh, yeah.

There's your firm's name.

Yes, I'm also a sponsor.

Well, then I'm curious.

Why weren't you there
when the game ended?

Weren't you concerned
how it turned out?

Can I get you a cup of
coffee or a soft drink?

Coffee would be fine.

Uh, have a seat, won't you?

Thank you.

Patti, would you get Miss
Thomas a cup of coffee, please?

You see, this was
no ordinary game.

This was part of the
regional championship.

I mean, there were games
all over the state affecting us.

So I went out to my car to
call up some people downstate

to get the scores
of those games,

and that's where I was
when the game ended here.

Thank you, Miss...?

Uh, Patti.

Patti, close the door
after you, would you?

Thank you.

(chuckles)

(chuckles)

In other words, then,

you didn't find out what
happened to Walter until...

Until I heard the police
sirens coming into the ball field.

Why are you asking
these questions?

It's just a routine
investigation.

But I did hear
about the big fight

you had with Walter last week.

You heard?

Yeah, in the mall.

Heard it almost came to blows.

Oh, yes.

Russell. Hairdos
Are Russ, wasn't it?

He told you. (clears throat)

I have my hair done there too.

Not by Russell. By Belinda.

What do you think?

Well, it's very nice, but...

Eh, right, Walter.

Miss Thomas, I
loved that big lug.

We grew up together.

I mean, that fight
was just business.

In what way?

I underwrite all
of the insurance

on properties Cullen
Judd has in escrow.

The rates went up.
Walter took it personally.

He was like that, Walter
was. A very excitable guy.

He was like that when he umped.

I mean, he took the
slightest thing personally.

I see.

By the way, how
is your business?

Oh, it's dynamite.

Yeah?

I heard you drove your
competitors out of town.

Since when is that a crime?

Now, what about that
policy for the single gal?

Well, thank you,
but I do have to go.

But don't take that personally.

(both chuckle)

PATTI: Freddie! Freddie.

(whispering): Listen. How
could you treat me like that?

(whispering): Wait
a minute, all right?

Would you just wait a minute?

( mysterious theme playing)

BARNEY: That's right.

Whoever told
you, told you right.

I wasn't around at
the end of the game.

Well, where were you?

Well, Charlie doesn't
always put me in the game.

I'm usually first or second sub.

But Roger hadn't shown up,

so Charlie started
me in right field.

It can get real
boring out there...

so I had a pint with me,

and I took a couple of
pulls in between pitches.

I was feeling no pain.

Wasn't catching
no fly balls either.

Course, with all that fog,

I couldn't have
caught a fly ball

if I was sober.

Anyway, Charlie pulled
me out of the game

and put in Marshall Turner.

Imagine being
replaced by a dentist.

Oh, yeah, okay.

And when you got back to
the dugout, what happened?

Well, I didn't want to
embarrass old Charlie

by drinking in the dugout,

so I figured I'd
take a little walk.

I mean, why stay around if
I'm out of the game anyway?

And while you were
away from the game,

did anybody see you?

Well, how would I know?

Well, as I understand it,

you have Walter
and Roger's company

to thank for your business
not being so good.

Who told you that?

Was it Russell, that
creep hairdresser?

Seems a couple years ago,

you had quite a
few lots for sale

that were lying fallow.

Nothing was happening.

Then Walter came to you

and offered to help
you unload 'em,

find a good buyer.

And he did.

Found a good buyer. Himself.

You see, Walter
had inside information

that that was going to
be a major development.

Information that
you didn't have.

The way I hear it,

Walter talked you into
giving up $2 million?

Russell knows a lot.

But does he know
who killed Walter?

No.

But do you?

Yeah.

( mysterious theme playing)

Charlie.

MATLOCK: I... I
understand that you had a...

break-in here the other night.

Yeah. Huh.

That was the same night

that Walter Judd
was killed, wasn't it?

You think there's some
connection to the murder?

I don't know.

Just seems strange breaking
into a real estate office.

I mean, an appliance
store, they could steal, uh,

I don't know, a toaster,

a television set, but
a real estate office,

you can't steal a house.

(both laughing)

I really wish I could help you.

I mean, who knows why
people do what they do?

Who knows why somebody
went out and killed Walter?

Uh, you weren't there for the
end of that game, were you?

I wasn't there for
the game at all.

There was a bad
accident on the interstate.

Tied up traffic for miles.

It wasn't until I drove
into the parking lot,

saw the crowd standing
around and the police.

That was the first I knew
my partner was dead.

You probably heard about
the loud and bitter arguments

between Walter
and myself recently.

Mm.

You would've soon enough...

especially if you
talked to Russell.

Big-mouth hairdresser
down at the mall?

Look, like any
partners, we argued,

but it was just business.

I see.

Walter and I were like brothers.

I would've given him
the shirt off my back.

I often did.

But you have to
understand about Walter.

He moves slower than evolution.

I wanted to expand.
Walter didn't.

That's all there was to it.

Yeah?

I guess now you'll
have things your way.

That's a thought, isn't it?

(Asian music
playing on speakers)

Mmm!

Boy, this is really
tremendous! Great.

Why don't you have some, Ben?

No, thank you.

Try some.

I'm not eating raw fish.

What'd you find out?

A cut and shape
at Hairdos Are Russ

here in Yuppieville

is twice as expensive
as it is in Atlanta. Mm.

I also found out that
not only was Fred Hatton

missing at game's end,

but he had a public
fight with Walter recently.

Mmm. As with Barney Sutler.

Roger Cullen did too.

I got a job for you.

I want you to stake out the
Cullen Judd offices tonight.

Who?

You.

Somebody wants
something from in there,

and it might have something
to do with this murder.

And what if it doesn't?

Then you would have spent

a night in a parking
lot for nothing.

Ben, I'm glad to see
that you and I think alike.

Help yourself.

(radio playing rock music)

Mm.

(humming)

(car approaching)

(tires screech)

(muttering)

(car door opens)

(horn honks)

(car engine starts, door closes)

(tires screeching)

Hi. Hi. I'm Freddie Hatton.

Uh, lucky I'm the
one you almost hit.

Uh, you got any damage
at all, I got great coverage.

( blues theme playing)

(slow pop music
playing over speakers)

(people chattering)

So this intruder was trying

to break into
Walter Judd's office,

and you surprised him?

Yeah.

I thought these places

went out of business
30 years ago.

The '50s are back in.

Old is new.

Okay, let's see then.

We've got Roger Cullen,
Barney Sutler and Fred Hatton.

Three suspects who should've
been at the game and weren't.

And all three have
uncorroborated alibis

for the time of the murder.

In my book, Freddie stands out.

I wanna know what he was
doing driving around last night

having an accident with me.

Maybe it wasn't an accident.

Hm.

I think I'll get a facial.

Oh?

You know, so I can
check all this stuff out.

At the beauty salon?

Oh, yeah.

Where are you gonna be?

What?

Where you gonna be?

Oh. At the courthouse.

What did our man Russell say?

A lot.

All right. Where to now?

Freddie's office.

It seems our friend was
more than just a sponsor

for the team.

He founded the
league. And through it,

became the single biggest
insurance agent in the county.

Softball? Insurance? I
don't see the connection.

Well, figure it out.

Everyone bought
insurance from him

just to get on the team.

Did you hear what I said?

Not only did I
hear what you said,

I see what I see.

What's that?

That's the car I was
chasing last night

before I was so
rudely interrupted

by one Freddie Hatton.

Hm.

Um... excuse me, miss.

But you're blocking me in,

and I can't get my car
out of my parking space.

(scoffs) What are
you talking about?

My car is in my
space in the lot.

The yellow Camaro?

That's right.

The one I was chasing last night

that your boss managed
to keep me from catching?

I really don't know
what you're talking about.

You're Patti Judd, aren't you?

Yes.

As in Walter Judd's daughter?

Oh, in other words,

you were breaking
into your father's office.

Uh, I'm afraid you must
be confused, Mr. Hudson.

Patti was here
working late last night.

Now, if you'll excuse us,

we're on our way to the trial.

Unless of course you'd like to

look at some insurance
policies we have,

in case you're
slapped with a lawsuit

for libel or slander,

which I understand
comes up often

in your line of work.

I never make accusations
that I can't back up.

Good day.

Now we go to
Walter Judd's office.

You think whatever
Patti was after

last night's still there?

I'm positive of it.

And now that I know she
was involved with Freddie,

I've got a good idea what it is.

( dramatic theme playing)

Mr. Cullen, when
you saw Walter Judd

and the defendant together,

did they appear to be having
a... A gentlemanly conversation?

No. They were obviously arguing.

PROSECUTOR: And could you
determine what they were arguing about?

That was obvious too.

Someone had
painted "kill the umpire"

on Walter's car, and
he was accusing Charlie

and his team of doing it.

How would you characterize

the defendant's
relationship to your partner?

Things had been rough
between them all season.

So there was friction about
some of the softball games, hm?

Yes. Mm-hm.

Charlie accused Walter of
purposely making bad calls

against our team
every game he umped.

Would you say he
was mad enough to kill?

MATLOCK: Objection.

Calls for speculation.

Sustained.

Who are you looking for?

Michelle.

I hope she's found something.

That's why she's late.

So this friction between
Charlie and Walter,

do you know if... If it...

Did it exist only during
the baseball season?

No. It went back several years.

To when?

We all worked for a
large firm together:

myself, Charlie, Walter.

We were good friends.

And we decided we wanted
to open our own agency.

Only problem, Charlie had
blown his dough on other things.

So Good-Time Charlie here

couldn't go into business
with you and Walter.

Your Honor, counsel
is leading the witness.

I strenuously object

to his characterization
of my client.

Sustained.

All right.

So... Mr. Bonham

did not go into
business with you.

But why?

Why was he so angry with Walter?

Because he asked Walter
to lend him the money

so he could go in for a
third, and Walter refused.

Charlie became very bitter.

But didn't Walter turn
around and give him

a high-paying
position in the firm?

Yes.

Walt may have seemed
cold, but he had a good heart.

And that's how
Charlie repaid him.

With the blunt
end of a lead bat.

Objection.
Argumentative. Prejudicial.

Sustained.

No further questions.

Uh, no cross, Your Honor.

COOKSEY: You may step down.

PROSECUTOR: That concludes
the case for the state, Your Honor.

Prosecution rests.

Will there be a
defense at this time?

Uh, yes, Your Honor.

Defense calls Freddie
Hatton to the stand.

MATLOCK: You handled the
escrow insurance for Cullen Judd?

Uh, that's right.

And Walter Judd's
personal insurance?

Uh, well, yes, I did.

Oh, you used the past tense.

Did he replace you as an agent?

I handled it at first,
and, uh, for a while.

And then he let it lapse.

When was that? Recently?

I guess.

You guess.

I suppose... ten years is recent

to a mountain or
a redwood tree...

PROSECUTOR: Objection.

Your Honor.
Counsel is testifying.

Mr. Matlock, I fail to
see where this is going.

Uh, Your Honor, with
the court's indulgence,

I intend to make
this abundantly clear.

Objection sustained.

Please ask
questions, Mr. Matlock.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Hatton, isn't it true that
Walter Judd's life insurance

lapsed ten years ago?

I have the termination
notice right here.

Would you like to
refresh your memory?

Uh, it lapsed ten years ago.

Only Walter didn't
know that, did he?

He'd been paying the
premiums right along

until a few weeks ago,

when he tried to borrow
against his life insurance

and found out that you had been
shortstopping those payments

for the past ten years.

Isn't that right?

Uh, I'm not on trial here.

But you might be.

You see, I think Walter Judd

had evidence that you had been

pocketing those premiums,

and he threatened to
go to the state authorities

unless you came
up with the money.

So you got Patti Judd

to break into her
father's office,

get the evidence, so
you could destroy it.

But she was thwarted.

So you had to go to your
more deadly Plan B, correct?

No. That's not true.

Oh, sure it is.

Sure it is. But now
with... With Walter dead,

those files were
potential evidence

for murder as well as fraud,

so you sent Patti back in again.

I didn't kill Walter.

What I don't understand
is how you got Patti Judd

to help with the cover-up

when she must've known
you killed her father.

Patti knows I didn't
murder her father...

because... I was with
her in a parked car

when it was happening.

We were, uh... You know?

(crowd murmuring)

How long were you "you
knowing" in the parked car?

Well, from the
bottom of the third

till the end of the game.

Six innings? You're kidding.

Mr. Matlock.

Why didn't you say
anything about this before?

I was worried about
Patti's reputation.

Oh, come on! Mr. Matlock.

Oh, Your Honor, come on!

Mr. Matlock! Oh, Your Honor!

(bangs gavel)

You wanted to protect your
insurance company, didn't you?

Well, yeah, that too...

No further questions.

What do we do now?

( slow, dramatic theme playing)

It's the bottom of
the ninth, Charlie.

What we need's a home run.

So Charlie slid into home plate.

Walter called him
out and took off.

Start the clock.

Charlie got up...
started to follow Walter.

But by then, the
fans and friends

were coming out of
the stands onto the field.

That slowed Charlie down.

He first went to
the parking lot...

through this tunnel.

Okay. So he found Walter's car

out here under
the third light, here,

gave it a kick, and
started to go back.

And then something
attracted his attention

under the stands,
and went to investigate.

And then he found Walter's body.

How long?

Sixty-four seconds.

Sixty-four seconds.

Now, let's assume
that Walter got here

thirty seconds before Charlie.

Now that leaves 34
seconds for whoever it was

to kill Walter and get away.

Why didn't Charlie see anybody?

He should've seen
somebody, Michelle.

Don't you think he
should've seen somebody?

No. No, there was nobody there.

I'm telling you there
was nobody there.

I was all alone under the
stands with Walter's body

for just a couple of seconds
before anybody showed up.

Charlie... think back
to that last inning.

Just... Just go
through that again.

Okay.

It's the bottom of the
ninth. One out, right?

Marshall Turner comes up.

First pitch is low and away.
He swings and misses.

Strike one. All right.

Marshall settles
into the batter's box,

pitcher winds up,
throws the 0-1 pitch.

Marshall hits this towering
fly to dead center, right?

I get ready to tag.
Outfielder goes back.

He makes the catch. I go. He...

Now, wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

The count was
O-and-1 and one away,

when Marshall Turner

hit into the
game-ending double play.

Yeah. Yeah, that's right.

There was a ball-strike counter

found in Walter's pocket,

and it doesn't have that count.

It says... three balls,

two strikes... two out.

( mysterious theme playing)

COOKSEY: I'll remind
you, you're still under oath.

Okay.

(clears throat)

Mr. Cullen. When, uh...
When we first spoke,

you said that you
and, uh, Walter Judd

had had several loud arguments.

That's correct.

And that they
were over business.

You wanted to
expand, and he didn't.

Is that right?

Yes, it is.

Well, how is business?

Excellent.

That's what I thought.

And tha... That's why I wanted
to recall you to the stand.

Uh, it just seems odd.

If business was
doing well enough

that you wanted to expand,

why did Walter
Judd find it necessary

to try to borrow
from his insurance?

I don't know.

Well, you've borrowed from
the company, haven't you?

Yes.

And Walter too? Yes.

So if the company had enough
money that it could expand,

then I have to
assume that if Walter

needed to borrow money
from the company, he could.

Of course.

Uh... do you,
uh... (clears throat)

Do you recognize, uh, these?

What are you doing with those?

(chuckling)

I... I suppose that's
recognition enough.

These are Cullen
Judd Associate books.

Uh, I subpoenaed 'em from
your accountant this morning.

Now, a superficial
look at these books

would show that Cullen Judd

is inches from bankruptcy.

And a closer look at these books

would show some rather
interesting bookkeeping

that is, uh, more commonly
known as embezzlement.

I don't know what
you're talking about.

Well, you are
familiar with a property

at 327 Fieldston Drive?

I'd have to consult my books.

Well, let me refresh
your memory.

Cullen Judd bought the
property at 327 Fieldston Drive

for $177,000 three months ago.

I vaguely remember that.

You remember selling it?

No.

Your company sold
that property for $223,000

two weeks before
Walter Judd died,

and not one penny went
back into the company.

Now, that's what you and Walter

were arguing about, wasn't it?

He had found out you
had embezzled that money.

You're imagining
things, Mr. Matlock.

And when you couldn't
stop your partner...

from going to the police,

your only recourse
was to kill him, wasn't it?

I wasn't at the game.

I didn't get there
until after Walter died.

I think that's what
you'd like us to believe.

How tall was Walter?

About 6'1".

In fact, you and Walter
were about the same size,

weren't you?

Yes.

And you've seen Walter

umpire lots of ball
games, haven't you?

Sure.

So you're aware that at
the end of each inning,

he would go under the
stands for a cigarette.

I don't know.

Oh, yes, you do.

Yes, you do.

Because you were waiting for him

under those stands

at the bottom of
the eighth inning,

weren't you?

It's absurd.

I'll tell you how I think
it could've happened.

You could've had
a chest protector,

mask, cap, jacket,
killed Walter,

put on the chest protector,

mask, cap, jacket.

Gone out, umpired
the ninth inning.

And since you and Walter

were approximately the
same size and shape,

no one would've noticed.

PROSECUTOR:
Your Honor, objection.

This is pure speculation.

No, it's not.

It better not be.

Proceed.

Yes.

You recognize this?

It's a ball-strike
counter an umpire uses.

More specifically,

it is the ball-strike counter
used by Walter Judd.

And the police
have already testified

that it was found in his
pocket after his death.

What does it read?

Three balls, two
strikes, two outs.

Three balls, two
strikes, two outs.

That was the exact count

at the bottom of
the eighth inning

when the last
batter grounded out

and Walter Judd
went for a smoke.

I really don't keep
track of such things.

The game statistician does.

I think this indicates

that Walter Judd
stopped umpiring

at the end of the eighth inning,

and someone... probably you

killed him, put on
the chest protector,

mask, cap, jacket,

and umpired the ninth inning.

I told you I wasn't there.

I was tied up in
traffic for two hours.

Come on, Mr. Cullen.

The moment of truth is here.

An accident did tie up traffic

on the highway for two hours...

but not on your
side of the road.

You zipped right
along, didn't you.

Of course, slowed down
for a moment for looky-loos.

But you zipped right
along, and you know it.

Course...

this would all be
circumstantial and inconclusive,

if it were not for one fact.

Charles Bonham...

was wearing steel spikes
on his shoes that night.

And we know that
he slid into home plate

with such force that he
spiked the umpire on the leg.

The autopsy report shows
no spike marks on the victim.

Now, that game took
place just 12 days ago.

Just 12.

That's not long enough
for good-sized cuts

made by spikes to
have healed completely.

So whoever umpired
the ninth inning

must still have some
spike marks on his leg.

( slow, dramatic theme playing)

Mr. Cullen...

want to just show us your leg?

No, I don't.

I don't have to do that.

But if you didn't
umpire the ninth inning,

your leg should be
clean as a whistle.

This can all be over right now.

Want to just show me your leg?

Mr. Matlock... I'd
like to see my lawyer.

Good move.

No further questions.

No questions, Your Honor.

Mr. Cullen, you may step down.

And you're ordered not
to leave this courtroom.

After further investigation,

the people move to dismiss,
in the interest of justice.

COOKSEY: On the people's
motion, this case is dismissed.

This court is adjourned.

(gavel bangs)

All right!

Mr. Matlock, I can't
thank you enough.

Charlie.

Congratulations,
Charlie. All right.

Hey, you know,
uh, you're not bad.

For an old guy?

Hey, we didn't say that.

(both laughing)

( jazzy theme playing)

( upbeat jazz theme playing)