Matlock (1986–1995): Season 3, Episode 2 - The Ambassador: Part 1 - full transcript

Matlock travels to New York City to help Alex Winthrop represent a British Ambassador accused of murdering his lover's husband. The ambassador could invoke diplomatic immunity, but would lose his diplomatic career. The trail leads to a mysterious pharmaceutical company, and a murky conspiracy.

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We'll make time stand still.

I wish I could.

It's past 5:00.

Oh, no, no, Michael's
never home before 7:00.

Now, what should we
do to pass the time?

Hmm.



Oh, my gosh.

Shelby.

It's Michael.

Shelby?

Michael, you're home early.

Ladies and gentlemen,

may I introduce your
host for this evening?

A man whose concern
for underprivileged children

worldwide has brought
this fundraiser about...

Great Britain's ambassador
to the United Nations,

your friend, and my
colleague, Mr. Anthony Stewart.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Because of your generosity,



children you'll never see
in countries you'll never visit

are going to have
something to eat.

It is you, ladies and gentlemen,
who deserve the applause.

Thank you for
coming, and now enjoy.

Good evening, Mrs. Russell.

Hello, Mr. Stewart.

I didn't want to
come here tonight.

I left my watch in your bedroom.

I know.

You brought it with
you? No, I couldn't.

Michael... MICHAEL:
10:00 and all's well!

That's what you Brits say
back in jolly old England, isn't it?

Only when we're quite drunk.

Actually, I just wanted
to show off my new watch.

See?

I found it right next to
my bed, of all places.

Would you like to hear
what's inscribed on the back?

Michael, please.

I know what it says.

Just give it to me.

Give it to you?

Hello.

Anthony, you've
got to come over.

Shelby?

Michael's still drinking,
and he's acting crazy.

Please, come right
away, Anthony.

I'm scared.

Please.

Good evening,
Mr. Stewart. Good evening.

Shelby?

Shelby?

Is anybody here?

I've set up a barricade here.

Up and down here, people.

Stay back.

Hey, John, get me a
cup of coffee, will you?

Hello?

Uh, I'm Alexander Winthrop.

I'm an attorney with Benson,
Reese, Klein & Dunhill.

I understand Lieutenant Rosetti

is questioning
one of our clients...

Uh, Mr. Anthony Stewart.

This way, sir.

Fleeing the scene when
those police cars arrived

was terribly
foolish, I realize that.

The truth is, I panicked.

Could be you were just at a loss

to explain those
bruises on your face.

I got them during the
struggle with the killer.

Not with Michael Russell.

Excuse me, gentlemen.

Uh, I'm Alexander Winthrop.

I'm-I'm with
Benson, Reese, Kline

and Dunhill. Uh, we represent

the British consulate
in legal matters.

Sir, perhaps you
shouldn't say any more.

The ambassador isn't under
arrest, is he, Lieutenant?

No, he has diplomatic immunity.

I don't need immunity.

- I haven't done anything!
- We have

an eyewitness says you
committed first-degree murder.

That's impossible.

Victim's wife, Shelby Russell.

According to her
sworn statement,

you came bursting
into the apartment

demanding that gold watch

of yours. When Mr. Russell

refused to give it to
you, a fight ensued

which ended when you
bludgeoned him to death

with a silver
candlestick holder.

She's lying.

She was not there.

There was no one
in that apartment!

You just said
somebody attacked you.

Well, somebody did attack me!

When, when may the
ambassador leave?

State Department's
confirmed his identity.

You can go now.

Wait, waits, wait. Sir.

They think I'm
guilty. Sir. Please.

Oh, hey!

There's an egg roll left.

Oh, I couldn't eat another bite.

I'm just absolutely stuffed.

Go ahead, kill it.

Oh, all right.

You know, for a skinny fella,

you can really pack it away.

Well...

I'll get this.

Hello?

Oh, hello, Alex.

No, kid... no kidding!

Benson, Reese, Kline & Dunhill?

Oh, that's big-time stuff.

I always thought you
would end up in New York.

Yeah.

Oh, well... That all depends.

Some-Sometimes
higher, sometimes lower.

I usually charge whatever
the traffic will allow.

And this guy doesn't
sound like he's hurting.

Uh-huh. Oh!

Yeah, well,
let's... Yeah, well...

Well, we'll have
to think about that.

Now, listen. Listen, if
you talk to the family,

say hello to your mother.

Okay.

Going to New York?

Well, I might.

Hit the "in" places.

The "in" places?

Restaurants, Benj.

You know, where you
slip the doorman four bits,

and get the best
table in the house.

50 cents?

Well, it's the big time.

You got to spread
it around a little.

Yeah.

Oh. Here's some
shrimp chow mein.

Oh, no. Please, please.

Don't even suggest it.

Looks good. Still warm.

I... Uh... Oh, all right.

Mr. Stewart is now home?

That's correct.

That's excellent.

Well, you've done
yeoman-like work on this, Alex.

Now, London would like
to close the book on this

as quickly as possible,
so when can we expect

Mr. Stewart to
leave the country?

Uh, well, there's...

There's a... a small problem.

Problem, Alex?

Yes, sir.

Mr. Stewart believes

that invoking
diplomatic immunity

is-is tantamount to
a-a confession of guilt.

Just what does
Mr. Stewart plan to do?

Well, sir, uh,
Mr. Stewart is determined

to defend himself.

Well, we can't
get involved in this.

Well, now,

we-we could find
him a criminal lawyer.

Well, I was thinking...

If I... if I could
make a suggestion...

That we-we find
him a criminal lawyer.

A... A murder one specialist.

Uh, say, like
maybe... Ben Matlock.

It's just an idea.

I think I've heard
of Benjamin Matlock

from... from Atlanta?

That's right.

He's supposed to be good.

Supposed to be good?

He's the best.

Yeah, I thought
maybe he could come in

and do a preliminary
investigation, you know,

and if-if he could
find enough evidence

to prove that Mr. Stewart
is innocent to a jury,

then, well, we... we let him.

So, we make Anthony Stewart
Ben Matlock's problem, not ours?

We distance
ourselves from the case,

so that if it doesn't
work... I like it.

You'll arrange it?

Yes, sir. I'll sure try.

Good.

Gentlemen.

♪ ♪

Excuse me.

Well, there you are.

Yeah.

Oh! Hot dog!

How many?

One!

All beef?

Ketchup?

Yeah. And mustard.

Buck 75.

Buck 75?

Buck 75.

For one hot dog?

Buck 75.

At home, I get a hot dog

with mustard and
ketchup for 75 cents.

And onions and chili and cheese

and relish and a pickle.

That'll cost you
two and a quarter.

Well, hell fire!

If hot dogs are going
for that much up here,

I'll buy the whole damn stand!

My wallet's gone.

Somebody stole my...

That guy in the plaid
coat picked my wallet!

Hey, that... That guy...

That guy took my wallet!

That...

He just took...
just took my wallet!

Yeah.

I got a dollar 14.

Buck 75.

Ben! Hi.

Hi!

Oh, hi.

Oh, hi, Alex!

Hi, Ben. How are you?

Hey, good to see you.

Good to see you. Wow!

My mom says hi. Oh, good.

Yeah. Thank you.
Oh, you've grown up.

Yeah, I've grown out.

Oh. I-I got a little...

What-What's it been,
ten years, something?

Ten years, yeah. Oh, wow.

I'm so glad that you came.

I want to give you something
before we go any further. Oh.

There you go. Oh.

"Benson, Reese, Cline, Dunhill.

Alex Winthrop, Attorney at Law."

Oh, actually, I'm just a
numbers cruncher. I'm...

What's that? I
work in the office.

I do taxes and books and... Oh.

I'm just so excited that you
came and took this case,

and I've always enjoyed
telling people that I know you,

and now they've assigned me
to you, so if you need any help,

if I can get you anything,
if you need anything,

just tell me, anything.

I need 61 cents.

61 cents?

For my hot dog, Alex.

Well,

I think we can say
one thing for certain.

You have a definite
problem with women.

Having an affair
with Shelby Russell

was not exactly an exercise
in good judgment, I admit.

Throwing her husband head first

into the hors d'oeuvres
wasn't real smart either.

Well, I didn't throw him.

He fell.

More or less.

He wouldn't give
me my watch back.

The Prime Minister
herself gave me that watch.

You must've been
desperate to get it back.

Not that desperate, Mr. Matlock.

Ambassador,
picture, please, sir!

Sir, look this way, please.

Gentlemen, can you
please move away?!

Go straight to your
apartment; stay there.

Don't talk to the press,
don't answer the phone.

Don't mess with anybody's wife.

Ambassador Stewart!

Ambassador Stewart, please!

Lieutenant Rosetti?
Alexander Winter.

Yes, I remember who you are you.

Uh, this is Benjamin Matlock.

He's representing
Anthony Stewart.

Nice to meet you,
Lieutenant. How are you?

I was just mugged.

No kidding.

Yeah, uh, two
blocks from my hotel.

Took my cash, my credit cards,

everything; took my wallet
right out of my pocket.

That right? Yeah.

I got a good look
at him, though.

Had on a plaid coat, appeared
to be, oh... in his mid-30s.

Why don't you go
down to the precinct

and file a complaint, hmm?

Well, I thought
while you were here...

Complaints are not my job.

You think this candlestick is
a mate to the murder weapon?

Who knows.

Lieutenant Rosetti,
we'd like to examine

the murder weapon,
if you don't mind.

Well, according to Mrs. Russell,

Anthony Stewart took it
with him and dumped it.

Uh, Lieutenant, a
man killed somebody,

in front of an eyewitness,

yet goes to the trouble of
disposing of the murder weapon.

Makes you wonder
whatever happened

to common sense, doesn't it?

What can I tell
you? Come on, guys,

we're out of here.

Hmm...

What is this...? I don't know.

You talk to this
Shelby Russell yet?

No, I haven't.

She gave her statement to the
D.A. and she just disappeared.

Hmm.

A lot of D.A.'s like to play

hide and seek with
their star witnesses.

How did Anthony and
Mrs. Russell get together?

Michael Russell owned a
pharmaceutical company.

They did a lot of business
with third world countries.

Anthony met him
and his wife, Shelby,

at some embassy function. Hmm.

You know, I-I've
heard that women just

throw themselves
at the Ambassador.

Oh, yeah?

Must be the accent.

Does this pharmaceutical
company have an address?

Yeah.

Mm.

Hmm.

Where'd you get those keys?

Back at the penthouse.

They were in a desk drawer.

Hi.

Hold it!

Hey, wait a minute!

Ben!

Fella, get out of the street!

What are you doing?!

Hey!

I know who that guy is!

Who?

That's Robert
Unger; he's a lawyer.

He works for Thomas Baldwin.

We did a business deal for them.

Who's Thomas Baldwin?

He's a real estate developer.

He's worth millions; a
very prominent citizen.

Yeah?

What's the deal here? There's no

secretaries, no filing cabinets,

no coffee machines, no copiers,

no personalized pens.

Well, big mail drop.

Right. Yeah.

Right.

Uh, try one of those keys here.

Oh...

Somebody paid
somebody a lot of money!

Yeah.

No indication where it came from

or who it went to.

Just... A, B and C.

What do you want to bet that
one of them is Thomas Baldwin?

Huh.

They argued...

and Michael hit him in the face.

Hard.

And Anthony, well,
he just went berserk.

So, he grabbed a
candlestick from the mantle.

And he hit Michael in the head.

Once, maybe twice, I don't know.

I... I closed my eyes.

It was horrible!

Take your time, Mrs. Russell.

When I opened them,

he'd stopped
and-and he was just...

just standing
there looking at me.

So, I ran into the bedroom
and I locked the door.

And I called the police.

And I-I didn't open
it until they got there

and by that time he'd gone.

I know this wasn't easy
for you, Mrs. Russell.

Thank you.

Mr. Matlock, do you have
any questions for this witness?

You betcha!

That is, with your permission.

Go ahead.

Hello.

Mrs. Russell, this is the first
time I've actually seen you,

but I can certainly understand

why Mr. Stewart was
so attracted to you.

Thank you.

You're a very difficult person
to get ahold of, Mrs. Russell.

Well, I didn't want him
to know where I was.

He'd already gotten
away with one murder,

and I was afraid
he'd try to make it two.

Move to strike!

You opened the door, Mr.Matlock.

She's entitled to
respond to your comment.

Um...

How long were you and,
um, Mr. Russell married?

We married a year
ago on the Cape.

Nantucket.

And how much did you know

about the pharmaceutical company

- that he owned?
- Objection!

This is a preliminary hearing.

The only issue here
is whether or not

a crime has been committed.

Or whether or not
Anthony Stewart should be

bound over for trial.

My question goes to motive.

I believe that's been...
I'm trying to show

that someone else
could've had a motive.

You're fishing! You're fishing!

I have a right to pursue
motive! Objection!

Mr. Matlock! Objection!

I'm just trying to
question this witness

before she once again
disappears into the unknown...

- Your Honor?! Objection!
- Mr. Matlock!

Perhaps never to be seen
again! Mr. Matlock! Mr. Matlock!

I am sustaining the objection.

That's impossible.

Mr. Matlock, I'm warning you.

I have a right to
ask the question.

I am sustaining the objection.

You may step down.

I have a right to
ask the question!

Objection!

I will cite you for contempt!

The court finds reason to
believe that the crime of murder

in the first degree
has been committed.

Considering the special
circumstances in this case,

the defendant, Anthony Stewart,
shall be bound over for trial

in this court on
October 19 at 10:00 a.m.

Court is adjourned.

Shelby!

Shelby!

Ambassador! Ambassador!

Please, please.

No comment!

Okay, come on, fellas!

That's enough! That's
enough! Give the lady a break.

Come on, guys,
she gave you plenty.

Huh? Get on out of here!

Just give us a statement here!

Are you all right?

Yes, I didn't know
what I was going to do.

Whoever you are,
thank you very much.

That's no problem.

Need a cab?

Yes, please.

Taxi, come on, come on.

Come on, guys, leave her alone.

Where are you going?

Gramercy Park Hotel.

Come on, back up,
guys, give her a break.

Gramercy Park... step on it.

Come on, guys, back it up.

Geez.

Aw, go on, get out of here.

She's at the
Gramercy Park Hotel.

You got it.

Good morning, Helen.

Good morning, Mr. Baldwin.

Ben Matlock is waiting

inside for you. He said
you were expecting him?

Thank you.

No, no, my name is not Murdock.

It's Matlock, Matlock.

I came in town yesterday.

Never mind, I'll call you back.

Somebody stole my wallet.

Had to cancel my credit cards,

send for a new driver's license,
have my bank wire me money,

and the police are still trying

to figure out how to spell
my name. I hope you have

a very good reason for
being in here, Mister...

Matlock, Matlock.

Ben Matlock... I'm an attorney.

Uh, I represent Anthony Stewart.

Uh, your associate...

Your secretary... was kind
enough to tell me his name is

Robert Unger.

I assume he told
you that we kind of

ran into each other yesterday
at Michael Russell's offices.

He didn't?

Oh, Michael Russell is

the man that my client is
supposed to have murdered,

and he rented office spaces
at 470 Madison Avenue.

That's one of your
buildings, isn't it?

It's one of my buildings, yes,

but I don't involve
myself in rentals.

I have people who do that.

Uh, like Robert Unger.

To tell you the truth,

it looked to me like he
was ransacking the place.

Uh, Robert supervises the people

who manage my buildings.

I'm sure he was...
I don't know...

Looking for a key?

Ask him and let
me know, will you?

I wonder if he
was looking for this.

What is that?

It's a ledger.

It's a ledger for
Michael Russell's

pharmaceutical company,

and there's something very
odd about that company.

All that office space
he rented from you...

Empty, like it's one big front.

And, and all these
profits disbursed

to companies or persons
only listed as "A," "B," and "C."

What would be interesting

is to find if somebody
has bank deposits

that correspond
to these figures.

I know what.

I could leave the ledger with
you, you show it to Robert,

see what he knows about it,

then you get it back to me.

Yeah, that would...
no, I'd better keep it.

I know, uh,

you're busy and I'll
get out of your way.

I hope I didn't
come at a bad time.

That's quite all right.

Something has gone very wrong.

Oh, and, and thank you.

For the use of the phone.

Oh.

So I, I guess I'll, uh,

I'll see you at the trial.

I doubt that I'd have anything
to contribute, Mr. Matlock.

Well, you never know.

Things change.

And, uh, thank
you again for the...

We have to meet tonight.

Taxi!

Yo, taxi!

Wait for me.

I'll be right at the
block, Mr. Kramer.

I almost got my hand
on it, almost got it.

Hey.

Now, that's what I
call real power dining.

Thomas Baldwin
and Edward Kramer,

but I don't recognize
the gentleman on the left.

Do you know his name?

Mr. Kramer, company.

Get him.

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Alex. Oh!

Sorry.

You all right? Yeah.

Uh, yeah, the coffee
shop's open all night,

and they, they sell this stuff
that settles your stomach.

How's the stakeout?

Shelby Russell's in 1402.

All right, let's go.

Well, you missed a
busy night last night.

Yeah, what happened?

A couple of your average hoods
tried to make a move on me.

Had to throw a little
karate on 'em, you know,

a little flying crane, a
little spinning dervish.

I mean, both hands, both
feet going at the same time.

Yeah?

It knocked 'em out, man.

So, we just have
to find out the name

of the third guy at the table.

No, we already
know the third guy.

That was Dr. Douglas Clark.

He had MD plates on his car.

I had him checked out.

All right, so...

Thomas Baldwin, Edward Kramer

and Dr. Douglas Clark
are Misters A, B and C.

Right... it's Kramer
that interests me.

He's into big-time crime.

Right.

Oh, I spoke to Mr. Reese today.

What did he want?

Well, he wanted to
express the strong opinion

of Benson, Reese,
Kline & Dunhill

that Anthony Stewart
return to London.

But I told him that
we had the case

completely under control.

Mrs. Russell?

She's gone, Alex.

She's gone?

Couldn't be gone long.

♪ ♪

This is a high-price town.

So?

Well, she couldn't
have gone far.

She left here on foot.

You take uptown.

I'll go downtown.

All right, great, okay.

Okay... how much I owe you?

$11.50.

$11.50... There's 12 bucks.

Keep the change.

Keep the change?

Keep the change.

See what it's like
to keep my change.

Hey! Hey, Plaid Coat!

Hey, Plaid Coat!

Give me my wallet back!

Hey, my wallet!

Jackass.

Uh... Mr. Kramer?

Uh, my name is Ben Matlock.

Uh, I'm, uh, Anthony
Stewart's attorney.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, I saw your name
in the paper last night.

I wonder if I could ask
you a few questions

about Michael Russell.

I understand you knew him.

Show Mr. Matlock
where he can change.

You'll have a massage.

Relax.

Oh, no... no, thanks.

No, thanks.

Sit, Mr. Matlock.

Take off your coat.

Okay.

Now, what makes you think

I knew the man your client

is supposed to have
murdered, Mr. Matlock?

Well, we have this
ledger we found

in Michael Russell's office,

and apparently, it had to do

with the pharmaceutical
company that he owned,

and it looks like that he
had three secret partners

listed only as A, B
and C, and... and I...

I just wondered...

Now, there are thousands
of people in this city

who could be A, B or C.

Well, you had a meeting
with Thomas Baldwin

and Douglas Clark last night.

They could certainly be B and C.

What's your point?

Could you be A?

This is New York, Mr. Matlock.

One meets many diverse people.

We're friends, nothing more.

Uh-huh.

Well... uh... uh, this
was certainly very nice.

Thank you.

Are you sure you
wouldn't like to change?

Have a full body massage?

Oh, no, thanks.

What he did to my
neck fixed me right up.

♪ ♪

No initials, nothing.

He was just seeing
if I'd take the bait.

And I did.

♪ ♪

Oh.

Hello, Dr. Clark.

I'm sorry... visitors
aren't permitted in here.

Oh, I'm not...
I'm not a visitor.

I'm Ben Matlock.

You haven't been
returning my calls, Doctor.

Well, I can't talk to you now.

I'm afraid you're going to
have to make an appointment.

Well, uh... well, this
will only take a moment.

What can you tell me
about Michael Russell?

Michael Russell...
Never heard of him.

Well, I have this ledger.

What, uh... happened to him?

At some point, he died.

Mr. Matlock, you
can see I'm busy.

Not too busy

to meet with Mr. Baldwin
and Mr. Kramer

last night. You're all

secret partners in,
uh, Michael Russell's

pharmaceutical
company, aren't you?

Leave now, or I'll
call a security guard.

Sorry to interrupt.

I just wanted to see
if you were interested.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

I think Shelby's gone
and she's not coming back.

I'm under a lot of
pressure to go home.

Might not be a bad idea.

So, what should I do?

Give up? Throw
away my whole career?

Well, a thing like
that's up to you.

Would you like a hot dog?

Why not?