Matlock (1986–1995): Season 6, Episode 8 - The Suspect - full transcript
♪♪ [theme]
♪♪ [dance]
[clears throat]
Do you want to dance?
Sorry. I'm with someone.
Who? The Invisible Man?
[laughs] He went
to powder his nose.
Well, wait for him out there.
Have you seen Sonny tonight?
Yeah. He's right over there.
We need to talk.
- Hey, not now.
- Hey, hey!
Ah, I'll call you.
Hello, Sonny.
I'm glad you came in.
Let's talk.
[grunting] I'm trying
to concentrate here.
Look, you've been putting
us off for a week, Sonny boy.
Don't make us do
something you'll regret.
Tonight.
My place. 8:00.
What can I say? I don't have it.
Why the hell not?
It happens.
When will you have it?
In a couple of days.
Hey, come on, we're partners.
Why do I detect a
lack of trust here?
Because you owe us 50 grand!
- You'll get it.
- That's not good enough.
You put us off for the last time.
We want that money tonight!
[knock on door]
I'm a popular guy.
[knocking]
[woman shouts]
My daughter's dead.
I told her you were scum,
but she wouldn't listen!
- She was too strung out.
- Cool it.
What the hell's the
matter with you?
Carla's dead!
Carla's a kid. How
could she... She OD'd!
I just came from the hospital.
What are you doing here?
I haven't seen Carla in months.
You gave her drugs!
You turned her into a junkie.
And when you were done with
her, you threw her out into the streets!
She was an okay kid.
I'm sorry she's dead.
But, hey, I'm no magician.
I didn't turn her into
anything she wasn't already.
- You son of a...
- Hey!
Go on, get out of here.
Get out of here
before I call the cops.
Heh!
That's the problem with
going out with 20-year-olds.
Their fathers still
pack a mean punch.
[door opens]
[gasps]
[grunting]
Aah!
Now, there's a chance
that maybe... Just maybe...
We could get this whole
dismissed right here and now, okay?
- Uh-oh.
- What's wrong?
Judge Katz. He hates me.
[Katz] Bail denied.
The defendant will remain
in custody until her trial.
[bangs gavel] Next case.
Case number 30679...
State of Georgia vs.
Matthew Tidyman.
Your Honor, we waive the
formal reading of the charges.
How does your client plead?
Not guilty. But,
more to the point,
I submit that since the evidence
the state had planned to
present no longer exists,
that the charges
against him be dismissed.
What is he talking about?
Well, unfortunately, some of
the documents we planned to use
to show that Mr. Tidyman had gained
illegal access to the university computers
have been misplaced.
They were incinerated.
There's some indication
that the janitorial staff
may have made a
gross error, yes, but...
Your Honor, the only thing the
state has is testimony of people
who contend that they saw
these alleged documents.
The university has provided
me with another set of printouts
of the records in question...
These records are recreated
after the fact, Your Honor.
But more importantly, Mr. Tidyman
has admitted to the Dean
that broke into the university
computer and made it appear
that he and his friends had already
paid their tuition and fees for the year.
Mr. Matlock, why is
nothing ever simple
when you come
into this courtroom?
Your Honor, the
court must understand
that all computer errors
have been corrected
and all appropriate
fees have been paid,
and the state has no
admissible evidence for this trial.
Your Honor, the state is confident
it can win a conviction in this case.
Your Honor, the state would
only waste the court's time.
Case dismissed.
Next case.
Case number 47063...
State of Georgia
vs. Walter Padilla.
- Shot that down. We're free?
- Yes.
But your days of
computer hacking are over.
Do you got that?
And you tell your father the
next time I buy a car from him,
I want a big discount.
[Padilla] I don't understand. Why
should I plead guilty when I'm innocent?
[Attorney] We waive formal
reading of the charges, Your Honor.
[Katz] How does
your client plead?
- Guilty, Your Honor.
- But I'm not guilty!
Walter, be quiet.
I thought you were supposed
to tell the truth in court.
May I have a world with
my client, Your Honor?
I didn't do anything! Why
are you saying I'm guilty?
Order! Order!
Mr. Hornsby, what's
going on here?
My client is just a little
confused, that's all.
You're supposed
to be on my side!
Walter, shut up!
- Order! Order!
- Hey, hey, hey!
- Hold it there, hold it! Stop it!
- Order!
Stop it!
My nose is bleeding,
you dumb jerk!
Settle down, or I'll throw
you both in jail for contempt.
Mr. Padilla, can I assume you
no longer wish to be represented
by Mr. Hornsby?
A baboon could do a better job.
Mr. Hornsby, I take it
the feeling is mutual?
He deserves a baboon.
Oh, Mr. Matlock?
Would you be so kind as to
approach the bench, please?
Mr. Matlock, since you
and I both have problems...
Mine, finding a new
lawyer for Mr. Padilla;
yours, finding something
to do with your spare time...
Spare time?
Since I dismissed
one of your cases.
Oh.
And this is murder
one... Your specialty...
And I thought we could kill two
birds with one stone, as it were.
But he just decked
his lawyer. I saw him.
[laughs] I know.
Now you're his lawyer.
Your Honor... You're his lawyer.
Okay.
I guess I'd better have a few
words with my new client, Mister...
- Padilla.
- Padilla.
You two can confer
over there someplace.
- After lunch?
- Now.
The bailiff will
bring you lunch.
Your daughter was only 18?
Sonny was twice her age.
Any idea how his blood
got all over the wrench
the police found
in your toolbox?
No.
That wrench isn't mine.
Well, the toolbox
was in your van.
I'm a plumber. All my
tools are in my van.
Why did you go to Sonny's
house the night she died?
He got her hooked.
It was all his fault.
You hit him?
If David hadn't of grabbed me, I
would have probably never stopped.
Don't say that, not even to me.
Eat your pickle.
Who is this David
who grabbed you?
David Houk.
He and two other people were
at Sonny's when I got there.
Do you know them?
Hmm. Well, we'll
get you arraigned.
Keep your fists to yourself.
You're pleading innocent, but if I
do something that you disagree with
and you hit me, I'm going to
knock the living tar out of you.
You got that?
Now, eat your hot dogs.
Okay.
Mm-mmm!
- Hi.
- Hey.
Where have you been?
Ah, busy day.
Good news is, I got the
Tidyman case dismissed.
Well, there's a
picture of that inn.
- Yeah, the Roanoke Island Inn.
- Yeah.
I stayed there. I liked it.
Yeah, you go down to the
living room in the morning
and get a bran muffin
and a cup of coffee.
Oh, the girl that served that
coffee was so pretty. Ohh.
Did anybody ever tell
you you're girl-crazy?
- I'm not girl-crazy.
- You're girl-crazy.
I simply like the ladies.
If I see a pretty lady, I can't
help myself. I take a look.
I take a look at you.
I don't say much because
you're kind of like family.
I like that place.
A pretty girl, hot coffee.
Don't you want to
hear the bad news?
Yeah. What's the bad
news? Some girl slap you?
No, we've got a new client.
What's that? Sandwiches?
No. Mousetraps.
Oh, fine. Oh, yeah.
That mouse has gotten so bold,
he comes out and waves at
me when I'm having a snack.
Did you put all your
perishables in glass jars?
Oh, yeah. Cereal,
crackers, everything.
It doesn't bother him.
He gnawed his way
through a can of soup.
Hmm. Well, then, a
mousetrap is the only way.
Yeah.
So, what's so bad about
getting a new client?
It's pro bono.
Oh. Charity is
good for the soul.
That's what they say.
You should have moved
out when you had the chance.
I've got you now, you
little pest. [chuckles]
[siren blaring]
The killer entered the
bedroom, went to the bed,
delivered multiple
blows to the skull.
Sonny fell to the floor dead.
- Looks like he put up a fight.
- Mm-hmm.
The coroner estimates the time of
death to be between 10 P.M. and midnight,
and a cleaning lady found him.
How did she get in?
He kept a key under
the rug in the hallway.
Apparently everybody and
his uncle knew it was there.
My client didn't know.
Unless his daughter told him.
Okay, I've got to go.
Where did he get his money?
The manager of this place said
he was heavy into the stock market.
Ben, I've really got to go.
Who do you suppose
he got this for?
The man was a womanizer, Ben.
It could have been any
one of a dozen women.
Now, look, stay here if you
like, but I've really got to be going.
Why?
I'm supposed to be over
at the Windemeyer estate.
You know John Windemeyer?
He was found dead this
morning. It hasn't hit the news yet.
What did he die of?
Anaphylactic shock.
Apparently he was a diabetic.
He'd just given himself
his daily shot of insulin.
The coroner thinks it was doctored
with something he was allergic to.
I'll be. The richest man
in Atlanta, murdered.
That's what I said.
Excuse me.
I'm looking for David Houk.
[David] Right here.
Thanks.
Hi.
I'm Michelle Thomas.
- You're a lawyer?
- Yeah.
Do you have a minute to
answer a few questions?
You bet. Do you want a drink?
No, thanks.
Well, this is quite a
place you've got here.
Heh. You need to
see it with the lights.
Hmm.
How well did you
know Sonny Harlowe?
Well, we hung out together.
Walter Padilla says you were
at Sonny's the night Carla OD'd.
I thought for sure Walter
was going to kill him.
There were two
other people there.
Uh, yeah.
Let's see... Tanya
Bergen and Nick Saddler.
And who are they?
They're friends of Sonny's.
Tanya owns a health club. Nick's
in an auto wrecking business.
Walter says that he overheard the
four of you arguing about something.
[laughs] We weren't arguing.
We were just
raising a little hell
because of a hit we'd
taken in the market.
Sonny gave us a bad tip.
Lose a lot of money?
No, just enough to
give him a hard time.
Yeah. Well, thanks.
Any time.
Uh, why don't you come
back tonight when we're open?
I'll leave your
name at the door.
Thanks, but dancing
is really not my thing.
Oh? So, what is your thing?
Asking questions?
That's my life.
Ben?
[snap] Ow!
Michelle!
Oh, I'm sorry.
Ohh.
Oh.
I'm sorry, but I just heard
something incredible on the radio.
Guess who was
murdered this morning.
John Windemeyer.
- How did you know?
- Bob Brooks told me.
What did the police
find in his insulin?
Penicillin. He was
deathly allergic to it.
Apparently, his wife
is a prime suspect.
His second wife,
30 years his junior.
Oh.
How did your meeting
go with David Houk?
Fine. I found out who
those other two people were.
I have a meeting
with them tomorrow.
Why another mouse trap?
It's the same one. The
damn mouse stole the cheese.
[doorbell rings,
mousetrap snaps] Ow!
Ohh!
- Yes?
- Hello, Mr. Matlock.
Jonathan Ayers of Greenburg,
Brown and Lavinsky.
Do you have a moment to talk?
Well, uh, yes.
One of our clients...
Roxanne Windemeyer...
Her husband passed
away this morning.
I heard.
Well, then, let me
get right to the point.
Our sources downtown tell
us they're drawing up a warrant
for the arrest of
Mrs. Windemeyer
and the charge will
be first degree murder.
So, you see, Mr. Matlock, she
no longer needs general counsel.
She needs you.
I just took on a major case.
Mr. Matlock, only someone
like you can keep the press
from absolutely crucifying her.
I really don't have the time.
Mr. Matlock, she's innocent.
I can't.
Please, Mr. Matlock.
I truly am innocent.
I'm sorry, Jonathan.
I was just too nervous
to wait in the car.
Mr. Matlock, I know this is very
bad manners but I'm desperate.
My husband, whom I
loved very much, is dead.
And on top of that, the
police think that I killed him.
I just don't have
anywhere else to turn.
Mrs. Windemeyer, I...
Oh.
[sobbing]
Oh, don't... don't cry.
Don't... Don't cry.
There, there, there, there.
There, there, there, there.
Now, don't... Maybe... Maybe...
Maybe, Mrs. Windemeyer...
Maybe I can help.
Oh. Oh.
Au revoir.
Au revoir.
Tomorrow.
Oh, yeah.
Hey, Michelle, want
to have some coffee?
Yeah, sure. I'll
just get the cups,
and you take the cream and
sugar, and I'll get a couple of spoons.
You're going to ask
me to take Walter's case
so you can take
her case, aren't you?
What?
It's okay. Just admit it.
You think she's pretty.
Well, yeah.
But that's not why
I'm taking her case.
I'm taking her case
because it's right up my alley.
Oh, that's right.
Her case is right up your alley.
I'm taking her case because
I think she's innocent.
And Walter isn't?
No, I think Walter's
innocent, too.
Well, great. Then I'll take
Mrs. Windemeyer's case,
and you take Walter's.
- Michelle...
- No, right?
Because she's prettier
than Walter, that's why.
Okay, she's prettier than
Walter, but that's not why.
[mousetrap snaps]
We've got him.
[mousetrap snaps] Two?
I've only seen one.
He stole the cheese
from both traps.
Mr. Matlock, how
nice to see you.
This is really beautiful.
Thank you.
John and I loved living here.
I miss him dreadfully.
I'm sure you must. I'm sorry.
Thank you.
Well, shall we get to work?
Okay.
Come in.
Oh, wow. Oh.
Uh... Oh. Did, uh...
Did your husband always
give himself his shots in here?
Yes. He knew I
couldn't stand needles,
so he always did it in here
where I wouldn't see him.
He kept the insulin in a small
refrigerator in our bathroom.
He kept the
syringes in his desk.
Um... Uh, your
fingerprints... Yes, I know.
They were on the ampoule
that was found in here.
I put it in the refrigerator
after the pharmacy delivered it.
So, um...
Who else knew that your
husband was allergic to penicillin?
Well, everyone knew.
He wore one of those
medical alert bracelets.
And how many people knew
where the insulin was kept?
Well, let's see.
Rosa knew... that's our maid.
And Alice, John's former
wife. And John Jr., their son.
Okay.
- Could we?
- Oh, yes.
And how did you and
your husband meet?
We met three years
ago in San Diego
at a charity banquet his
foundation helped sponsor.
Oh. Oh.
I understand he was, uh...
quite a bit older than you.
About like you.
Oh.
I like older men.
Always have.
[clock chiming]
I'm sorry. I have to
get to the mortuary.
Oh, sure. We can talk later.
- Could I speak with your maid?
- Of course.
You know, you are a
very sweet man, Mister...
Ben. Ben.
Ben.
Roxanne.
Roxanne.
Rosa, I'd like you to
meet Mr. Ben Matlock.
He's my attorney. He
wants to talk to you.
- Be as helpful as you can.
- Yes, ma'am.
Oh, Le Perigord.
I've been meaning
to try that. Is it good?
What's that?
That new restaurant,
Le Perigord.
Oh, I don't know. John and I
never had the chance to try it.
I'll call you this afternoon?
Okay.
Au revoir.
Au revoir.
So, how long have
you worked here?
Nine years.
The other Mrs.
Windemeyer hired me.
Oh. How do you like working
for this Mrs. Windemeyer?
Oh, fine.
I mean, she's not snooty,
and she's good to me.
When my back went
out, she made the beds
and did the vacuuming herself...
Said it would be our little secret.
Ha ha! She's a nice lady.
How did you like working
for the first Mrs. Windemeyer?
Oh, very much.
Sounds like the mister
had good taste in wives.
[chuckles]
Well, thank you for your time.
Oh.
This... Yeah.
Sonny was a regular here.
That's how I knew him.
What about you?
I guess I met him a couple
of years ago through friends.
I don't really remember.
I heard he was pretty good
at playing the stock market.
He was incredible.
The guy was psychic.
Walter Padilla claims that just before
he came barging into Sonny's condo,
he heard you two and
David arguing with Sonny.
No. We weren't arguing.
No? Oh.
David remembers it differently.
He said you had a real donnybrook
over a bet on a Falcons game.
[laughs] Oh.
Sonny was trying
to welch on a bet.
Yeah, he said we gave him
five points instead of seven.
Oh. Hmm.
Well, thanks.
Somebody had better
keep an eye on her.
Call David.
Hey, John Jr.?
It's J.J. What do you want?
I'm asking questions.
Yeah? So ask.
Uh...
[machine powers down]
I couldn't hear you.
Roxanne married my father for
his money, and she murdered him.
What else do you want to know?
Well, you stand to get a good
deal of money out of this, don't you?
Yeah. Of course I do.
Like that real estate deal
in... Where was it? Phoenix?
It went belly up. You
could use the money.
[car horn honks]
- Is that your mother?
- Yeah.
I wanted to talk to her.
She's on her way to
Children's Hospital.
She does volunteer
work there twice a week.
She doesn't deserve
what Roxanne did to her.
Yeah?
Yeah. She ruined her life.
Doesn't look like that to me.
No, I'm talking about
dignity and self-respect.
How do you think Mom felt being
dumped for a younger woman
after 24 years of marriage.
Why do you blame Roxanne
for all of this and not your father?
My father was a
fool, but I loved him.
And because he's
dead and she's not.
[machine whirring]
[door opens]
Good Lord. How
many traps did you set?
- Twelve.
- That ought to do it.
- How was your meeting?
- Fine.
How about yours?
- Michelle.
- Ha ha!
Walter was right. Sonny and those
other three were arguing that night
about something
they won't talk about.
[Conrad] Hello, sports fans.
Hi.
- You rang?
- Yeah.
I need you to find out where a guy
named Sonny Harlowe got all his money.
Didn't he play the stock market?
I went over every square
inch of his place today
and didn't find one thing that suggested
he had been buying and selling stock.
Hmm. Do you think
he was dealing drugs?
He must have been.
And from the looks of his
lifestyle, we're talking big time.
If he was moving
weight, I could find him.
Don't you guys have anything
to eat around here? I'm starving.
[mousetrap snaps] Conrad!
Of course, I know.
The age difference
means nothing.
You love a man, not a number.
And all you want is to be by
his side for the rest of his life.
I'll just come back later.
Michelle?
Michelle, I was just preparing
Roxanne for her testimony.
We were talking about the
day Mr. Windemeyer, uh...
proposed to her.
Oh, Ben is so empathetic.
It's like he was there.
Are you saying you're putting
Mrs. Windemeyer on the stand?
Oh, ordinarily I
wouldn't consider it,
but I think she'd impress
the hell out of a jury.
Don't you?
I think she'd impress
the hell out of a turnip.
I just saw Conrad.
He's pretty sure
Sonny was not a player.
He's got one more
source to check out.
Good, good. Anything else?
No. Nothing that can't wait.
I wouldn't want to keep you
and your client from... anything.
[both chuckling]
Freshen up your tea?
All right.
[tires screech, engine revs]
Whoa! Whoa!
You almost cut off my toes.
I wish I had.
I'm Alice Windemeyer.
How dare you insinuate that I
had something to with John's death?
Excuse me?
You called Children's Hospital,
you asked them if I had
access to any antibiotics there,
specifically penicillin, as if
I were some kind of a thief.
For what it's worth, they
said if any had been missing,
you'd be absolutely the
last person they'd suspect.
However stupid your
accusations were,
people have started
to talk, and that hurts.
We're thinking about suing.
I'm just doing my job.
Destroying people's
lives is your job?
How can you lawyers
live with yourselves?
Mrs. Windemeyer, did
you love your husband?
Yes. Very much.
Even though he was
considerably older than you?
I think I loved him because
he was so much older.
He was very wise, very patient.
Men my own age usually
aren't either of those things.
Mrs. Windemeyer...
did you kill your husband?
No, I did not.
Thank you.
Mrs. Windemeyer...
you stand to inherit
a lot of money
from your late husband's estate.
I'll be well taken care of, yes.
As in his life I was
well taken care of.
John knew I wasn't
interested in his money.
Not interested?
Not at all interested?
I loved John.
All I wanted was to be by
his side for the rest of my life.
Oh, come on. He was old
enough to be your father.
You married him for the status.
You married him for his money.
Then you got
tired of an old man.
Then you got tired of waiting
for an old man to die, didn't you?
So, you decided you'd just speed
the process up a little bit, didn't you?
No.
- You knew he was a diabetic.
- Yes.
And you knew he was
allergic to penicillin?
Yes.
And, knowing that the insulin
was kept in the refrigerator,
you knew that you could tamper
with it without any problem, didn't you?
Just answer yes or
no, Mrs. Windemeyer?
There was no problem
in tainting the insulin
with the penicillin that you knew
would be poisonous to him, right?
I did not do that.
But you cannot deny...
No further questions,
Your Honor.
Mrs. Windemeyer, let me finish
what Mr. Burgess decided
not to let you explain.
Objection, Your Honor.
Counsel is beginning
his argument.
Sustained.
Why were your fingerprints
on the ampoule of insulin?
Because when the
pharmacy delivered it,
I'm the one who took it out
of the box and put it away.
Did you tamper with it?
No.
And I most certainly
did not kill my husband.
Thank you.
- Hi.
- Hi.
What are you doing here?
Is Rosa in?
Of course. Is
everything all right?
Everything is perfect.
I bet you were pretty surprised
when John Windemeyer
asked you for a divorce.
Yes, I was.
I mean, 24 years of
marriage down the drain,
all because his head was
turned by a younger woman.
I imagine that made
you pretty mad.
I was angry at first,
but life goes on.
- Yeah.
- I got over it.
Yeah. Yeah.
But didn't you tell a would-be
suitor... Arthur Warren...
That you couldn't develop
a relationship with him
because you still hadn't
gotten over your ex-husband?
No.
I mean, yes, I told Arthur that,
but that was because
I... I wasn't attracted to him
and I didn't want
to hurt his feelings.
So, you and Arthur
Warren are good friends?
Yes.
He recently had a bout
with pneumonia, didn't he?
Yes.
And for that pneumonia, he
was given penicillin, wasn't he?
I don't know.
Well, you did visit him while
he was recuperating, didn't you?
Didn't you?
I did, once, yes.
How long has it been since you've
been in John Windemeyer's home?
I moved out two weeks before
the divorce was finalized...
About two years ago.
And you never went back?
No.
Three weeks ago,
you took Rosa Marino...
Your ex-husband's maid
and your former maid...
Out to lunch to that new
place, Le Perigord, didn't you?
I know you did
because I called them
after I saw a stub from their
parking lot on your windshield.
Now, Rosa doesn't want to
say anything that would hurt you,
but if I call her to the stand,
she's going to have to testify
that you did come in the house for a
few minutes after you dropped her off.
Well, to use the bathroom, yes.
So, it hasn't been two years
since you were in his house.
You were there less than
a week before the murder.
I forgot.
I was only there
for two minutes.
You lied because
you put that penicillin
in that ampoule of
insulin, didn't you?
No.
You lied because you saw
a chance to avenge yourself
on your ex-husband and the
woman who take him away from you.
That's not true.
Then why are your fingerprints
all over this prescription
bottle of penicillin
which the police took from your
friend Arthur Warren's home?
You stole this penicillin on the
spur of the moment, didn't you?
And you weren't wearing gloves.
And you took the maid out to
lunch, brought her home, went inside,
went to the upstairs bathroom,
this time wearing gloves.
You injected this liquid penicillin
into the ampoule of insulin,
knowing where
your husband kept it.
You got even with
your husband, all right,
but there's always a price,
and yours is, you're guilty
of premeditated murder.
We find the defendant
Roxanne Windemeyer not guilty.
[overlapping chatter]
Order.
We'll have order in this court.
Ohh!
I'm telling you what
he told me, okay?
You don't get any more stuff
unless you've got cash in hand.
I'm supposed to be in at
5:00, he's gonna be ready.
We deliver, he delivers, okay?
Hey!
Hey!
[starts engine]
You were set up?
Yeah. That rendezvous
thing was just a ploy
to get me over to the wrecking
yard so they could kill me.
Damn.
Yeah, well, at least
you got your girl off.
Roxanne is not my girl.
Mrs. Windemeyer is not my girl.
She's just a client.
She's a very nice lady,
but she's just a client.
Now, they must have known you were
eavesdropping back at the health club.
Yeah, they must have.
But they can't have
known who you are.
Sure they could. I
obviously shook them up.
If they had someone watching me,
they would have
known I talked to Conrad.
Hmm.
Well, you'd better lie
low for a couple of days
and make them think
the coast is clear.
You can punch them out
later. I guess much later.
And what did you do with
this wrench that you found
in the back of Mr. Padilla's
van, Lieutenant?
We sent it to the
lab for testing.
And what did the lab find?
They found traces of hair
and blood on one end of it.
Were they able to
determine whose?
The decedents...
Sonny Harlowe's.
Thank you,
Lieutenant. That's all.
Miss Thomas?
Whose fingerprints did
they find on the wrench?
They didn't find
any fingerprints on it.
None? Not even Walter Padilla's?
The handle appeared to
have been wiped clean.
So, are we to believe,
Lieutenant Brooks,
that Mr. Padilla killed Sonny
Harlowe with that wrench,
left it covered with Mr. Harlowe's blood,
but wiped his own fingerprints from it,
and then put it in his toolbox,
where the police were sure to find it?
Objection, Your
Honor... Argumentative.
Sustained.
Thank you, Lieutenant.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Where did you come from?
- I was in there.
- Yeah?
Yeah. I thought
you did a terrific job.
Thank you.
Oh, there's the lovely Roxanne.
- Ben! Hi!
- Hi.
What are you doing here?
Signing papers...
Papers and more papers.
They're dispersing
John's estate.
Ben, I've decided to throw myself a
little birthday party tomorrow night,
and I want you to
come... Both of you.
Tomorrow night?
Well, thanks, Roxanne,
but I have a date.
If you'll both excuse me.
I insist that you come.
You'll have a good
time, I promise.
Well, birthdays only
come around once a year.
Have you got time for lunch?
With you? Of course.
We don't need a reservation.
Well, of course not.
You're so famous.
You never need a
reservation at Charlie's.
You just have to decide whether
you want your dog plain or with chili.
My dog?
Yeah. Sometimes you
can have sauerkraut
or those little red
peppers that make you cry.
Hey, Charlie, two
hot dogs, all the way.
[starts engine]
[beep]
Any problems? Good.
Let's hit it.
[laughter and chatter]
Oh, thank you. It's
so good to see you.
Please, help
yourselves. Excuse me.
Captain!
[Man] Oh, there she is.
Oh, nice to see you.
I'll see you in a little
bit. Enjoy yourselves.
Amanda! Oh!
- I can't wait to hear about Europe.
- Oh, it was divine. We'll talk.
Okay, thanks for coming.
Hello. Good to see you.
There you are.
I was afraid you
might have left.
Oh, no, no. I just...
You think we're all
terrible snobs, don't you?
No, not all of you.
[laughter]
So, you like polo, huh?
Not particularly.
John did. I didn't want
him to play anymore.
I was afraid he'd get hurt,
but he insisted on
going to all the matches.
[laughs]
Know what I've been
dying to do all evening?
No.
Open my presents.
Come on.
Ohh!
Ohh!
It is absolutely beautiful.
And emerald green happens
to be my favorite color.
[laughter]
Thank you.
Here, dear.
Let's see, this one is from...
my dear friend and absolutely
fabulous lawyer, Ben Matlock.
Ohh.
[laughter]
- Ben.
- There you go.
[laughs] Oh, I get it.
It's a fan.
That's what I keep telling him
I've become... his biggest fan.
[laughter]
Aren't you clever?
And this is from me, dear.
Oh, Amanda, what have you done?
[gasps]
Oh, Fleur du Plantange...
My absolute favorite.
You can only get this in France.
Come here, you! For bringing
it all the way back from Europe
and not keeping it for
yourself, you get a kiss.
Mwah! Mwah!
- My pleasure, dear. Enjoy.
- Oh!
Ohh. Ha ha ha!
Thank you.
[siren blaring]
[engine won't start]
Now, is that irony or what?
While you were stealing from
them, I was stealing from you.
Let me help you.
Come on, step out of the car.
- Out of the car, ma'am.
- Get your hands up.
On top of the car.
Spread your legs.
Detective Vorhess?
- What did they say?
- Zip.
Did they cop to any
of the other burglaries?
They won't even cop to
the one they pulled tonight.
When do you think
they'll be arraigned?
That hotshot lawyer of theirs
will probably have them
out of here by morning.
We still have time. Come on.
- Ah!
- Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry.
[dance music]
[telephone rings]
[footsteps]
[rock music]
[turns off]
[rock music]
[turns off]
[Man] I'll pick you
up at 7:30, okay?
[Woman] Make it 6:30, Sonny.
That way we can
have a quick appetizer.
Bye.
[dial tone, phone ringing]
[Man] Burglaries.
Sergeant Conway here.
[Second man] Hello
again, Sergeant.
Check out what I told you yet?
Yeah. As a
matter of fact, I did.
[turns off]
Hey, don't do that.
It was just getting good.
Get out or I will call the cops.
Go ahead. Bugging
people's phones
and taping all
their calls is illegal.
So is trespassing.
So is destroying evidence.
Or did David just tell you to hide
that tape when he called you just now?
I don't know what
you're talking about.
Yes, you do. David's in trouble.
He may be even involved
in Sonny Harlowe's murder.
Now, unless you want to risk
becoming an accessory after the fact,
I suggest you give me that tape.
Well, thanks, Bob.
I owe you one.
Hmm. I thought you turned
this case over to Michelle?
I did.
So, what are you doing here?
"Sonny Harlowe, 1990
Championship Team,
"West Brook Polo Club."
How would you characterize your
relationship with Sonny Harlowe?
We were friends.
And business partners?
Just friends.
What business are you in?
I own a dance club
called the Caravelle.
You're also paying off several
rather sizeable loans, aren't you?
I suppose you could say that.
Isn't it also true that you and
Tanya Bergen and Nick Saddler
have all been indicted for more than
a dozen burglaries in the Atlanta area?
Objection. Irrelevant,
Your Honor.
Your Honor, please bear with me.
This line of questioning is
critical to my client's defense.
It bears directly on the real motive
for the killing of Sonny Harlowe.
I'll overrule for now.
The witness may answer.
Okay. We've been indicted.
Was Sonny Harlowe your fence?
I refuse to answer on the
grounds it might incriminate me.
You were thieves together.
Conspired together and
stole together, didn't you?
Objection. Argumentative.
Sustained.
But you and Sonny had a
falling out, and he betrayed you.
He called the police, didn't he?
I don't know what you're
talking about, Counselor?
Well, in that case, let
me play an audio tape
that might refresh your memory.
Burglaries. Sergeant
Conway here.
Hello again, Sergeant.
Did you check out
what I told you yet?
Yeah. As a
matter of fact, I did.
So, you know what
I'm talking about, right?
Hey, who is this?
Before I just told
you what they stole.
Now, I'm going to tell you
where you can find them.
- Are you listening?
- Yeah.
9863 Contillon Way.
Tomorrow night.
There's three of them...
Two men and a woman.
You're about to become
a hero, Sergeant.
Recognize it now, Mr. Houk?
That's the tape that you instructed
your bartender, Betsy Rhodes,
to remove from your
office at the dance club
the night you were
arrested. Remember?
At least that's what
she's prepared to testify.
That was Sonny's
voice, wasn't it?
Well, come on, you
said you were his friend.
Was that his voice or not?
Yes, that was Sonny.
You tapped his
phone, didn't you?
Maybe for money,
maybe for spite.
Sonny was selling
you out, wasn't he?
So, you canceled your plans to
burglarize that house on Contillon Way
- and then you killed him, didn't you?
- No!
I did not kill Sonny!
Then who did?
I have no idea.
I know it was one
of you, Mr. Houk.
Well, Counselor, a man can't
be in two places at once, can he?
Are you saying you
were somewhere else?
I'm not saying anything.
Your Honor, may I
have a 20-minute recess?
We'll reconvene in 20 minutes.
Here's the list of
robberies you wanted.
Thanks, Bob.
Uh, I've got to go.
Thanks a lot.
Bad news?
[Bailiff] Please remain seated.
This court is now in session.
Walter, I'm sorry.
It looks like Tanya Bergen,
Nick Saddler and David Houk
were all burglarizing a
house at the other end of town
the night Sonny was murdered.
None of them could have
committed the murder.
[Judge] Miss Thomas,
you may resume.
I have no more
questions, Your Honor.
No questions, Your Honor.
Very well. The
witness may step down.
We'll adjourn here for today and
resume tomorrow morning at 9:00.
Hey, how did it go?
Horrible. David
Houk didn't do it.
Neither did his two cronies.
Oh. Um, Listen, I've got
to borrow that cassette...
You know, with
Sonny's voice on it.
You did say there were
a couple of days of calls.
Yeah, but what
do you want it for?
I can't tell you.
Why not?
I can't tell you that, either.
Well, excuse me for asking.
Thanks.
[knock on door]
Oh, Mr. Matlock. Come in.
Hi, Rosa. Is Mrs. Windemeyer in?
Yes. Right there.
Hello, Ben.
Oh, what a pleasant surprise.
Are you on your way out?
No. Just dinner with
friends. Come in.
Come in, sit down.
- Can I get you a drink?
- No, thanks.
Uh...
I didn't know you
knew Sonny Harlowe.
Is that important?
Well...
did you meet him
at a polo match?
Well, as a matter
of fact, I did.
How did you know that?
That perfume you like so much,
there's a bottle of it in his apartment...
All gift-wrapped like he was
going to give it to somebody
and never got a chance.
Was he going to give it to you?
Well, for my birthday, perhaps.
I mean, we were good friends.
Hmm.
He was involved
in a burglary ring.
Sonny? No.
Yeah. One of his
partners in crime
suspected he might
be double-crossing him,
so they tapped his phone, made
taped recordings of all his calls.
I just listened to it.
I know you were
having an affair with him.
I don't know whether my associate
recognized your voice or not,
but I did.
Oh, Ben.
It's something I'm not proud of.
He was a habit I just
couldn't seem to break.
The person Michelle thought
committed murder didn't do it.
He has an alibi for that night.
- I'm sorry.
- I'm sorry, too.
I've always hated
asking this question,
but I have to ask you
where you were that night.
I'm a suspect?
Not if you answer my question.
Well, as much as I
love this big old house,
I hate being here alone.
So, I did what I always did
when John was out of town
and Rosa had the night
off... I stayed at a hotel.
The Collier.
Well, I'll just...
I'll go before your
friends get here.
Ben?
I thought we were friends.
You sure are pretty.
[chuckles]
What do you say, Roy?
Ben, good to see you.
Welcome to my chambers.
Sit down. What, no hot dog?
I've been kind of
off my feed lately.
That's not like you,
Ben. What's going on?
You were on the Ethics Committee
of the State Board for what?
- Five years?
- Five years.
- I want to ask you something.
- Okay.
Well, just hypothetically
speaking, let's say I'm a lawyer.
I have two different clients,
both charged on two
separate murder counts.
- Do you follow me?
- Yeah.
All right. Let's say that I get
the first client off, not guilty.
Sometime during the
trial of the second client,
I find out something
that makes me believe
that the first client
committed the murder
that the second
client is charged on.
I never heard of such a thing.
Well, it's just hypothetical.
Okay.
The issue is
attorney-client privilege.
Now, your client has the right to
assume that everything that he says
and everything that you learn
while you're defending him
will remain confidential.
You can't turn around and
point your finger to a client, Ben.
See, I didn't learn what I learned
while the trial was going on.
I learned it after
the case was over.
Would you have recognized the
significance of what you had learned
if you hadn't
defended this person?
- That's hard to say.
- Then your hands are tied.
And you'd better
drop that second client.
He has a constitutional right
to the best possible defense,
and you can't give it to him.
I'm not going to fold.
She hired me because she
knew if I found out the truth,
I wouldn't be able to
do a damn thing about it.
But she's not going
to get away with this...
This hypothetical person.
There's nothing you
can do about it, Ben.
Yeah, but what if I came
up with irrefutable evidence
that had nothing
whatsoever to do
with my former lawyer-client
relationship with this person?
Give it up, Ben.
Well, thank you, Roy.
I just wanted to
know where I stood.
Where have you been?
- Are you all right?
- Yeah, I'm fine.
You don't look fine.
What was all that
about the tape?
I can't tell you.
What is it, Ben?
What's going on?
I can't tell you.
Can't or just don't
want to bother?
I can't.
Here, take this,
since you're here.
I'd rather you'd just tell me why
you wanted it in the first place.
I can't.
[telephone ringing]
[Woman] Hello?
Hi, doll. It's Sonny.
Where were you last night?
We had to take a friend to
the emergency room. I swear.
I couldn't call because they
wouldn't let me use the phone.
Yeah? Oh, go to hell.
[dial tone, telephone ringing]
Sonny here.
[Woman] Sonny, it's me.
- About tomorrow...
- What about tomorrow?
I'm really very busy.
We're all busy, honey, but you
don't want to disappoint me, do you?
Sonny.
Roswell at noon.
If you say so.
What a good girl.
Au revoir.
[dial tone]
[tape rewinding]
We're all busy, honey, but you
don't want to disappoint me, do you?
Sonny.
Roswell at noon.
If you say so.
What a good girl.
Au revoir.
What do you mean,
where was my van?
It has all my equipment.
It was with me.
Exactly where was it
from, say, 2:00 that morning
until you were arrested?
If we can pinpoint where
and when the murder weapon
was planted in your toolbox,
it could help us figure
out who framed you.
Now, can you remember
what you did that day?
Uh, around 8:00, I went
out to Central Grove
to finish a job I'd
started the day before.
And around noon,
I went downtown
to do a job there.
And where was
your van prior to that?
Locked in my garage.
All right.
On those jobs you did, I
need names and addresses.
Well, the first job was
out on Dunhill Road.
Mr. and Mrs. Weintraub, I think.
I replaced a bunch of old
pipes with copper ones.
And the second job was on the
fourth floor of the Redding Tower.
A drain in the women's
restroom was clogged.
Who called you on that one?
Some secretary. She
didn't give her name,
just told me to send the
bill to the building manager.
Hell, he should have just bought
himself a bottle of drain cleaner
and done it himself.
Easy job?
Took me five minutes.
Where did you leave your van?
Down in the garage...
visitor parking.
- That's something else.
- Yeah.
I came home last night and
was too tired to fix anything,
so I just took some cheese
and crackers up to bed.
Fell asleep reading the paper.
About 3:00 in the morning, I
heard this "chomp, chomp, chomp."
Turned on the lights.
There he was sitting on the bed
stand, eating my cheese and crackers.
I threw my shoe at him.
He came down off of
there like greased lightning,
but he stopped at the
door and looked at me
like I was the biggest
jackass he ever saw.
[chuckling]
It's none of my business, but
what are you going to do with him?
Well, like you say,
it really is none
of your business.
- It's your mouse.
- Yeah.
[chuckles]
Yeah.
I know a farm about
12 miles from here,
and the man who owns it
has got a big herd of Holsteins
and a silo full of mice.
The man hates cats.
I'm going to take you
out there and drop you off.
And I don't care what
you say. You're an animal.
You're supposed
to hunt your food.
[squeaking]
You outsmarted me, mouse.
I don't like being outsmarted.
So, I've got a lot
of respect for you.
[chuckles]
[Michelle] Ben?
[Door closes]
- Ben?
- Yeah.
Ben, you don't
have to say a word.
Roxanne Windemeyer was
having an affair with Sonny Harlowe.
Her voice is on this tape.
And I just checked
with Walter Padilla.
The day after the murder, he
got a call to fix a clogged drain
in a commercial
building downtown,
which just happens to be owned
by the Windemeyer Corporation.
Roxanne must
have lured him there
so she could slip that
wrench into his toolbox
while his van was
parked in the visitor's area.
I knew this was going
to be a good day.
Not for Walter Padilla.
We're going to have
to drop his case.
No, no, no.
You recognized Roxanne's
voice on your own.
It had nothing to do with
my prior relationship with her.
Ben, you and I are partners.
You know I had no
contact with Roxanne,
and I know I had
no contact with her,
but how is anybody
else going to know that?
I mean, ethically
we're on very thin ice.
But we're right.
Roxanne put me in this
predicament on purpose.
She used me. She manipulated me.
She lied to me since the
minute I took this case.
She knows how pretty she
is, and she knew I'd respond.
You were right when you
said that I took her case
because she's
prettier than Walter.
And I've done nothing for
Walter, and I'll get her for that.
But you could be disbarred.
That's a chance
I'll have to take.
I could be disbarred, too.
The truth is...
we haven't and won't
do anything unethical.
We're so close. All we
need is one little bit of proof,
and Roxanne will get
what she deserves.
I guess I could always find
work as an exterminator.
Don't knock it.
You should see the check I
wrote that fellow that just left.
They make damn good money.
[squeaking]
[Man] Yeah, it's in
the Harding case.
It should be in a
brown paper box...
Rolex... two rings,
bracelet, silver chain.
My Lord, the man wore more
jewelry to bed than I wear to work.
He had a thing about silver,
that's for sure. What's next?
All right.
And here are the items that were
lying on the floor next to Sonny's bed.
They must have
fallen off his nightstand.
All right. One prescription
for sleeping pills
- about due to be refilled.
- Yeah.
One battery-operated clock.
One more silver chain.
Three rings, all silver.
And another bracelet... gold.
Beautiful.
I think we can
safely say five days.
Fine.
See you then.
Hi.
Thanks for stopping by
to brighten up the place.
How can I make you happy?
I understand Sonny Harlowe
bought a lot of jewelry from you.
Who?
I represent the man who has
been accused of murdering him.
I found several receipts from
your store in Sonny's condo.
You're a lawyer?
Surprise.
I wonder if you could tell me
if you sold Sonny of the
jewelry in these pictures?
Nope. Sorry.
Anything else I
can help you with?
Hmm. That's odd.
According to this receipt,
Sonny bought a silver I.D. bracelet
with a shamrock
outlined in diamonds.
And look, here it is. Heh.
Maybe.
According to this receipt,
he paid you $700 in cash.
[whistles] What a bargain. Ha!
No wonder he bought
so much jewelry from you.
Unless... No, no.
You wouldn't do that.
Do what?
Well, say this
bauble costs $7,000.
You charge Sonny 3,500 in cash,
then write a receipt that says 700.
Sonny gets half price,
and you get away with 2,200
tax-free, and everybody's happy.
But you wouldn't do that.
Hey, I sold the guy
some jewelry, that's all.
Of course.
Now, please look
at the pictures.
Okay. I sold him this stuff.
Except the bracelet. Sonny
wouldn't have bought that.
Why not?
He was allergic to gold.
It gave him a rash
like chicken pox.
Funny, huh?
Now...
she'll be cool as a
cucumber up there,
so you've got to be cool, too.
Got it.
And try to keep
her off her guard.
Otherwise, she'll be
miles ahead of you.
Got it.
Okay. Good luck.
It's all yours.
Oh, no, no.
You're the one she
tried to compromise.
And, besides, she
thinks she's pulled this off.
Otherwise, she
wouldn't have shown up.
When you step up,
she'll know that she didn't.
Then let her try to stay
cool as a cucumber.
Shall we?
Your Honor, if it pleases the court,
my co-counsel, Mr. Ben Matlock,
will spearhead Mr. Padilla's
defense for the duration of the trial.
Very well.
Mr. Matlock, you may
call your next witness.
Your Honor, I call...
Mrs. Roxanne
Windemeyer to the stand.
[banging gavel]
Matlock, Miss
Thomas, Mr. Ferber...
My chambers right now.
Have a seat.
Mr. Matlock, I would have had to
have been in a coma for the past month
not to know that you just finished
representing Mrs. Windemeyer
in another case.
That's right, Your Honor.
Well, how do you expect
to use her in this case?
She murdered Sonny
Harlowe, and I intend to prove it.
Mr. Matlock, you will be in
breach of attorney-client privilege.
No, ma'am. Everything
that I will say in court
was uncovered after my relationship
with Mrs. Windemeyer ended.
And I'm supposed to just sit
here and take your word for that?
No.
I hope you'll take the
word of Judge Roy Marcus.
In anticipation of this problem,
Miss Thomas and I took the liberty
of outlining our entire line of
questioning and submitting it to him.
We also submitted a breakdown
detailing where, when and how
everything that we will touch on
in this trial came to our knowledge.
I'm handing you a list of
our entire line of questioning
and a transcript certified
from Judge Marcus
saying what he thought about it.
- He reviewed it?
- Yes.
And he is convinced that
our entire line of questioning
does not breach the
attorney-client relationship
that I had with Mrs. Windemeyer.
[Bailiff] Remain seated
and come to order.
The Honorable
Cindy Justin presiding.
[Justin] Mrs. Windemeyer, you
may now take the stand, please.
What was your relationship
with the late Sonny Harlowe?
Your Honor, until just recently,
Mr. Matlock was my attorney.
I was under the impression that that
meant whatever he knew about me
was to be kept
strictly confidential.
That's true, Mrs. Windemeyer.
You're talking about
attorney-client privilege.
Yes. So, anything he knows
about me is confidential,
and I don't have to
answer his question.
Madam, I will tell you, after
conferring with Mr. Matlock in chambers,
and reading the transcript from
Judge Marcus on the subject,
that this court is satisfied that
the questions that will be asked
do not invade the sanctity of
the attorney-client privilege.
So, you may now
answer that last question.
Sonny and I were lovers
for a very, very short time.
Starting when?
About three months
before he died.
And how often would you meet?
We'd rendezvous up in Roswell
once every two weeks or so.
And you never spent the
night in his condominium?
Never.
Never?
I was married to the wealthiest
man in Atlanta, Mr. Matlock.
I had to be discreet.
I never set foot
in Sonny's condo.
Um, what did
Sonny do for a living?
I don't know.
Hmm.
Did he ever introduce you
to a man named David Houk?
Who?
Or Tanya Bergen or Nick Saddler?
Never heard of them.
They're three friends of Sonny's
who have recently been
arrested for burglary.
In fact, they are suspects
in burglarizing a house
at 9745 Broadmoor Road.
I believe you know the
woman who lives there.
Sally Friedlander.
She's a friend of yours.
Yes.
Did you ever visit that home?
Of course.
I hear it's quite spectacular.
Did you ever tell
Sonny about it?
Not that I remember.
So, it's just a coincidence
that Sonny's three friends
are the prime
suspects in a burglary...
In a burglary that took place
at that house last month.
I don't know what he
means, Your Honor,
and I'm sure I don't have
to answer his question.
He's my lawyer, for God's sake.
Madam, the court instructs
you to answer this question.
I don't know anything
about Sonny's friends
robbing Sally Friedlander.
Are you aware that Richard
and Diane Herman's house
at 3704 Rightwood Road
was burglarized three weeks ago?
Yes.
- You know the Hermans?
- Yes.
And your friends Cathy
and Charles Edwards,
were robbed in the last month.
All coincidences?
Didn't you... Didn't you
know what Sonny was up to?
He was using his affair with
you to find out about your friends...
When they took trips,
when they took vacations,
the layout of their houses.
Then he'd pass that information
along to his cat burglar friends.
Then they would
rob your friends,
and then Sonny would
dispose of the loot,
and they were making
quite... Quite a good living at it..
He didn't love you.
He wasn't even
infatuated with you,
as I'm sure many men have been.
He was using you
over and over again.
Sonny used you.
It must have made you furious.
Is that why you killed him?
Ben... how can
you do this to me?
I thought we were friends.
It isn't easy.
Your Honor, would
you instruct the witness
to answer the last question?
The witness will
answer the question.
All right.
As you well know, I was at
the Collier Hotel that night.
- I couldn't have killed anyone.
- Yes.
According to the records I
subpoenaed from the Collier Hotel,
you spent more than 12 nights
there in the past six months.
- Is that about right?
- Yes.
Why were you charged for
overnight parking every visit
except the night that Sonny
Harlowe was murdered?
I found a parking spot
on the street that night.
Felt the need to be frugal?
I just didn't want the valets to
put any more dings in my car.
Are you sure you
didn't want to be seen
driving to Sonny's
house and back?
I was in my room
all night, Mr. Matlock.
Why don't you ask the maid
that turned down my bed.
I did, and she said she
saw you there at about 9:30,
but she had run out of those little
chocolate things you put on the pillow,
and when she returned 15 minutes
later with a fresh supply, you were gone.
I must have gone down
the hall to get some ice.
No. The Collier doesn't
have ice machines.
You have to call room service.
No.
You slipped down the back stairs
and drove to Sonny's condominium.
Want to know how I know?
The next morning...
the police found this
on the floor by his bed.
Do you recognize it?
Ben.
Do you recognize the bracelet?
No.
Here's a photograph taken
by your insurance agent
of this same antique bracelet.
You see, they're identical,
even to these little
marks on the side here.
The jeweler who sold it
to you showed them to me.
He said there's probably not
another bracelet like it in the city.
So, tell me, how did your
bracelet wind up on the floor
of a condominium
you never set foot in?
, It came off when I was with
him and he put it in his pocket.
You know, I'd
forgotten all about that.
How long before
his death was that?
A couple of weeks.
You periodically have your
jewelry cleaned, don't you?
Yes.
Here's a copy of a receipt
that shows that you had this
bracelet cleaned October 25th,
the day before
Sonny was murdered.
You're getting all tangled
up in your own lies.
Let me see if I
can... finish this.
When you found out that Sonny
was using you to rip-off your friends...
that he cared nothing
whatsoever for you,
you wanted revenge.
He told you how Walter
Padilla beat him up that time.
You saw your chance.
You found out who Walter
is, you bought a wrench,
checked in at the Collier...
for an alibi, just in case...
then you drove to Sonny's.
Using the key under the
mat, you let yourself in,
and there was Sonny,
asleep on the bed,
and you hit him
with that wrench.
How about it?
Please. Please
don't do this to me.
But he couldn't die right away,
and a struggle followed,
and your bracelet
fell off your wrist.
You didn't think about it or
even miss it till the next day,
when you lured Walter
Padilla to a building downtown.
There you planted
that wrench in his van...
The murder weapon.
You knew Sonny
wore a lot of jewelry,
and the police would probably
believe that this was his.
So, it was no big deal.
You were home free.
And then something...
you never thought in a million
years would happen happened.
Somebody murdered your husband,
and you were
accused of that murder,
and you hired me.
I was already
representing Walter Padilla,
so if I happened on anything that
might implicate you in Sonny's murder,
I couldn't say anything
because it would be...
privileged information.
[sighs]
Roxanne, I...
I can't tell you how sorry I am.
I had no choice.
[sobbing]
Thanks to you,
Walter's a free man.
It's time to celebrate.
I'm buying.
I can't thank you
enough, Mr. Matlock.
I just wish I could pay you.
Mrs. Windemeyer paid
enough for both of you.
This was difficult, wasn't it?
Very.
Well, it's over.
Not quite.
I can't keep this
check from Roxanne.
I'm going to donate
it to a halfway house
for drug-addicted teenagers
in your daughter's name.
I don't know what to say.
Don't say anything to anybody.
If you're buying, I'm
eating. I'm hungry.
And I'm not girl-crazy.
Well, maybe a little.
♪♪ [dance]
[clears throat]
Do you want to dance?
Sorry. I'm with someone.
Who? The Invisible Man?
[laughs] He went
to powder his nose.
Well, wait for him out there.
Have you seen Sonny tonight?
Yeah. He's right over there.
We need to talk.
- Hey, not now.
- Hey, hey!
Ah, I'll call you.
Hello, Sonny.
I'm glad you came in.
Let's talk.
[grunting] I'm trying
to concentrate here.
Look, you've been putting
us off for a week, Sonny boy.
Don't make us do
something you'll regret.
Tonight.
My place. 8:00.
What can I say? I don't have it.
Why the hell not?
It happens.
When will you have it?
In a couple of days.
Hey, come on, we're partners.
Why do I detect a
lack of trust here?
Because you owe us 50 grand!
- You'll get it.
- That's not good enough.
You put us off for the last time.
We want that money tonight!
[knock on door]
I'm a popular guy.
[knocking]
[woman shouts]
My daughter's dead.
I told her you were scum,
but she wouldn't listen!
- She was too strung out.
- Cool it.
What the hell's the
matter with you?
Carla's dead!
Carla's a kid. How
could she... She OD'd!
I just came from the hospital.
What are you doing here?
I haven't seen Carla in months.
You gave her drugs!
You turned her into a junkie.
And when you were done with
her, you threw her out into the streets!
She was an okay kid.
I'm sorry she's dead.
But, hey, I'm no magician.
I didn't turn her into
anything she wasn't already.
- You son of a...
- Hey!
Go on, get out of here.
Get out of here
before I call the cops.
Heh!
That's the problem with
going out with 20-year-olds.
Their fathers still
pack a mean punch.
[door opens]
[gasps]
[grunting]
Aah!
Now, there's a chance
that maybe... Just maybe...
We could get this whole
dismissed right here and now, okay?
- Uh-oh.
- What's wrong?
Judge Katz. He hates me.
[Katz] Bail denied.
The defendant will remain
in custody until her trial.
[bangs gavel] Next case.
Case number 30679...
State of Georgia vs.
Matthew Tidyman.
Your Honor, we waive the
formal reading of the charges.
How does your client plead?
Not guilty. But,
more to the point,
I submit that since the evidence
the state had planned to
present no longer exists,
that the charges
against him be dismissed.
What is he talking about?
Well, unfortunately, some of
the documents we planned to use
to show that Mr. Tidyman had gained
illegal access to the university computers
have been misplaced.
They were incinerated.
There's some indication
that the janitorial staff
may have made a
gross error, yes, but...
Your Honor, the only thing the
state has is testimony of people
who contend that they saw
these alleged documents.
The university has provided
me with another set of printouts
of the records in question...
These records are recreated
after the fact, Your Honor.
But more importantly, Mr. Tidyman
has admitted to the Dean
that broke into the university
computer and made it appear
that he and his friends had already
paid their tuition and fees for the year.
Mr. Matlock, why is
nothing ever simple
when you come
into this courtroom?
Your Honor, the
court must understand
that all computer errors
have been corrected
and all appropriate
fees have been paid,
and the state has no
admissible evidence for this trial.
Your Honor, the state is confident
it can win a conviction in this case.
Your Honor, the state would
only waste the court's time.
Case dismissed.
Next case.
Case number 47063...
State of Georgia
vs. Walter Padilla.
- Shot that down. We're free?
- Yes.
But your days of
computer hacking are over.
Do you got that?
And you tell your father the
next time I buy a car from him,
I want a big discount.
[Padilla] I don't understand. Why
should I plead guilty when I'm innocent?
[Attorney] We waive formal
reading of the charges, Your Honor.
[Katz] How does
your client plead?
- Guilty, Your Honor.
- But I'm not guilty!
Walter, be quiet.
I thought you were supposed
to tell the truth in court.
May I have a world with
my client, Your Honor?
I didn't do anything! Why
are you saying I'm guilty?
Order! Order!
Mr. Hornsby, what's
going on here?
My client is just a little
confused, that's all.
You're supposed
to be on my side!
Walter, shut up!
- Order! Order!
- Hey, hey, hey!
- Hold it there, hold it! Stop it!
- Order!
Stop it!
My nose is bleeding,
you dumb jerk!
Settle down, or I'll throw
you both in jail for contempt.
Mr. Padilla, can I assume you
no longer wish to be represented
by Mr. Hornsby?
A baboon could do a better job.
Mr. Hornsby, I take it
the feeling is mutual?
He deserves a baboon.
Oh, Mr. Matlock?
Would you be so kind as to
approach the bench, please?
Mr. Matlock, since you
and I both have problems...
Mine, finding a new
lawyer for Mr. Padilla;
yours, finding something
to do with your spare time...
Spare time?
Since I dismissed
one of your cases.
Oh.
And this is murder
one... Your specialty...
And I thought we could kill two
birds with one stone, as it were.
But he just decked
his lawyer. I saw him.
[laughs] I know.
Now you're his lawyer.
Your Honor... You're his lawyer.
Okay.
I guess I'd better have a few
words with my new client, Mister...
- Padilla.
- Padilla.
You two can confer
over there someplace.
- After lunch?
- Now.
The bailiff will
bring you lunch.
Your daughter was only 18?
Sonny was twice her age.
Any idea how his blood
got all over the wrench
the police found
in your toolbox?
No.
That wrench isn't mine.
Well, the toolbox
was in your van.
I'm a plumber. All my
tools are in my van.
Why did you go to Sonny's
house the night she died?
He got her hooked.
It was all his fault.
You hit him?
If David hadn't of grabbed me, I
would have probably never stopped.
Don't say that, not even to me.
Eat your pickle.
Who is this David
who grabbed you?
David Houk.
He and two other people were
at Sonny's when I got there.
Do you know them?
Hmm. Well, we'll
get you arraigned.
Keep your fists to yourself.
You're pleading innocent, but if I
do something that you disagree with
and you hit me, I'm going to
knock the living tar out of you.
You got that?
Now, eat your hot dogs.
Okay.
Mm-mmm!
- Hi.
- Hey.
Where have you been?
Ah, busy day.
Good news is, I got the
Tidyman case dismissed.
Well, there's a
picture of that inn.
- Yeah, the Roanoke Island Inn.
- Yeah.
I stayed there. I liked it.
Yeah, you go down to the
living room in the morning
and get a bran muffin
and a cup of coffee.
Oh, the girl that served that
coffee was so pretty. Ohh.
Did anybody ever tell
you you're girl-crazy?
- I'm not girl-crazy.
- You're girl-crazy.
I simply like the ladies.
If I see a pretty lady, I can't
help myself. I take a look.
I take a look at you.
I don't say much because
you're kind of like family.
I like that place.
A pretty girl, hot coffee.
Don't you want to
hear the bad news?
Yeah. What's the bad
news? Some girl slap you?
No, we've got a new client.
What's that? Sandwiches?
No. Mousetraps.
Oh, fine. Oh, yeah.
That mouse has gotten so bold,
he comes out and waves at
me when I'm having a snack.
Did you put all your
perishables in glass jars?
Oh, yeah. Cereal,
crackers, everything.
It doesn't bother him.
He gnawed his way
through a can of soup.
Hmm. Well, then, a
mousetrap is the only way.
Yeah.
So, what's so bad about
getting a new client?
It's pro bono.
Oh. Charity is
good for the soul.
That's what they say.
You should have moved
out when you had the chance.
I've got you now, you
little pest. [chuckles]
[siren blaring]
The killer entered the
bedroom, went to the bed,
delivered multiple
blows to the skull.
Sonny fell to the floor dead.
- Looks like he put up a fight.
- Mm-hmm.
The coroner estimates the time of
death to be between 10 P.M. and midnight,
and a cleaning lady found him.
How did she get in?
He kept a key under
the rug in the hallway.
Apparently everybody and
his uncle knew it was there.
My client didn't know.
Unless his daughter told him.
Okay, I've got to go.
Where did he get his money?
The manager of this place said
he was heavy into the stock market.
Ben, I've really got to go.
Who do you suppose
he got this for?
The man was a womanizer, Ben.
It could have been any
one of a dozen women.
Now, look, stay here if you
like, but I've really got to be going.
Why?
I'm supposed to be over
at the Windemeyer estate.
You know John Windemeyer?
He was found dead this
morning. It hasn't hit the news yet.
What did he die of?
Anaphylactic shock.
Apparently he was a diabetic.
He'd just given himself
his daily shot of insulin.
The coroner thinks it was doctored
with something he was allergic to.
I'll be. The richest man
in Atlanta, murdered.
That's what I said.
Excuse me.
I'm looking for David Houk.
[David] Right here.
Thanks.
Hi.
I'm Michelle Thomas.
- You're a lawyer?
- Yeah.
Do you have a minute to
answer a few questions?
You bet. Do you want a drink?
No, thanks.
Well, this is quite a
place you've got here.
Heh. You need to
see it with the lights.
Hmm.
How well did you
know Sonny Harlowe?
Well, we hung out together.
Walter Padilla says you were
at Sonny's the night Carla OD'd.
I thought for sure Walter
was going to kill him.
There were two
other people there.
Uh, yeah.
Let's see... Tanya
Bergen and Nick Saddler.
And who are they?
They're friends of Sonny's.
Tanya owns a health club. Nick's
in an auto wrecking business.
Walter says that he overheard the
four of you arguing about something.
[laughs] We weren't arguing.
We were just
raising a little hell
because of a hit we'd
taken in the market.
Sonny gave us a bad tip.
Lose a lot of money?
No, just enough to
give him a hard time.
Yeah. Well, thanks.
Any time.
Uh, why don't you come
back tonight when we're open?
I'll leave your
name at the door.
Thanks, but dancing
is really not my thing.
Oh? So, what is your thing?
Asking questions?
That's my life.
Ben?
[snap] Ow!
Michelle!
Oh, I'm sorry.
Ohh.
Oh.
I'm sorry, but I just heard
something incredible on the radio.
Guess who was
murdered this morning.
John Windemeyer.
- How did you know?
- Bob Brooks told me.
What did the police
find in his insulin?
Penicillin. He was
deathly allergic to it.
Apparently, his wife
is a prime suspect.
His second wife,
30 years his junior.
Oh.
How did your meeting
go with David Houk?
Fine. I found out who
those other two people were.
I have a meeting
with them tomorrow.
Why another mouse trap?
It's the same one. The
damn mouse stole the cheese.
[doorbell rings,
mousetrap snaps] Ow!
Ohh!
- Yes?
- Hello, Mr. Matlock.
Jonathan Ayers of Greenburg,
Brown and Lavinsky.
Do you have a moment to talk?
Well, uh, yes.
One of our clients...
Roxanne Windemeyer...
Her husband passed
away this morning.
I heard.
Well, then, let me
get right to the point.
Our sources downtown tell
us they're drawing up a warrant
for the arrest of
Mrs. Windemeyer
and the charge will
be first degree murder.
So, you see, Mr. Matlock, she
no longer needs general counsel.
She needs you.
I just took on a major case.
Mr. Matlock, only someone
like you can keep the press
from absolutely crucifying her.
I really don't have the time.
Mr. Matlock, she's innocent.
I can't.
Please, Mr. Matlock.
I truly am innocent.
I'm sorry, Jonathan.
I was just too nervous
to wait in the car.
Mr. Matlock, I know this is very
bad manners but I'm desperate.
My husband, whom I
loved very much, is dead.
And on top of that, the
police think that I killed him.
I just don't have
anywhere else to turn.
Mrs. Windemeyer, I...
Oh.
[sobbing]
Oh, don't... don't cry.
Don't... Don't cry.
There, there, there, there.
There, there, there, there.
Now, don't... Maybe... Maybe...
Maybe, Mrs. Windemeyer...
Maybe I can help.
Oh. Oh.
Au revoir.
Au revoir.
Tomorrow.
Oh, yeah.
Hey, Michelle, want
to have some coffee?
Yeah, sure. I'll
just get the cups,
and you take the cream and
sugar, and I'll get a couple of spoons.
You're going to ask
me to take Walter's case
so you can take
her case, aren't you?
What?
It's okay. Just admit it.
You think she's pretty.
Well, yeah.
But that's not why
I'm taking her case.
I'm taking her case
because it's right up my alley.
Oh, that's right.
Her case is right up your alley.
I'm taking her case because
I think she's innocent.
And Walter isn't?
No, I think Walter's
innocent, too.
Well, great. Then I'll take
Mrs. Windemeyer's case,
and you take Walter's.
- Michelle...
- No, right?
Because she's prettier
than Walter, that's why.
Okay, she's prettier than
Walter, but that's not why.
[mousetrap snaps]
We've got him.
[mousetrap snaps] Two?
I've only seen one.
He stole the cheese
from both traps.
Mr. Matlock, how
nice to see you.
This is really beautiful.
Thank you.
John and I loved living here.
I miss him dreadfully.
I'm sure you must. I'm sorry.
Thank you.
Well, shall we get to work?
Okay.
Come in.
Oh, wow. Oh.
Uh... Oh. Did, uh...
Did your husband always
give himself his shots in here?
Yes. He knew I
couldn't stand needles,
so he always did it in here
where I wouldn't see him.
He kept the insulin in a small
refrigerator in our bathroom.
He kept the
syringes in his desk.
Um... Uh, your
fingerprints... Yes, I know.
They were on the ampoule
that was found in here.
I put it in the refrigerator
after the pharmacy delivered it.
So, um...
Who else knew that your
husband was allergic to penicillin?
Well, everyone knew.
He wore one of those
medical alert bracelets.
And how many people knew
where the insulin was kept?
Well, let's see.
Rosa knew... that's our maid.
And Alice, John's former
wife. And John Jr., their son.
Okay.
- Could we?
- Oh, yes.
And how did you and
your husband meet?
We met three years
ago in San Diego
at a charity banquet his
foundation helped sponsor.
Oh. Oh.
I understand he was, uh...
quite a bit older than you.
About like you.
Oh.
I like older men.
Always have.
[clock chiming]
I'm sorry. I have to
get to the mortuary.
Oh, sure. We can talk later.
- Could I speak with your maid?
- Of course.
You know, you are a
very sweet man, Mister...
Ben. Ben.
Ben.
Roxanne.
Roxanne.
Rosa, I'd like you to
meet Mr. Ben Matlock.
He's my attorney. He
wants to talk to you.
- Be as helpful as you can.
- Yes, ma'am.
Oh, Le Perigord.
I've been meaning
to try that. Is it good?
What's that?
That new restaurant,
Le Perigord.
Oh, I don't know. John and I
never had the chance to try it.
I'll call you this afternoon?
Okay.
Au revoir.
Au revoir.
So, how long have
you worked here?
Nine years.
The other Mrs.
Windemeyer hired me.
Oh. How do you like working
for this Mrs. Windemeyer?
Oh, fine.
I mean, she's not snooty,
and she's good to me.
When my back went
out, she made the beds
and did the vacuuming herself...
Said it would be our little secret.
Ha ha! She's a nice lady.
How did you like working
for the first Mrs. Windemeyer?
Oh, very much.
Sounds like the mister
had good taste in wives.
[chuckles]
Well, thank you for your time.
Oh.
This... Yeah.
Sonny was a regular here.
That's how I knew him.
What about you?
I guess I met him a couple
of years ago through friends.
I don't really remember.
I heard he was pretty good
at playing the stock market.
He was incredible.
The guy was psychic.
Walter Padilla claims that just before
he came barging into Sonny's condo,
he heard you two and
David arguing with Sonny.
No. We weren't arguing.
No? Oh.
David remembers it differently.
He said you had a real donnybrook
over a bet on a Falcons game.
[laughs] Oh.
Sonny was trying
to welch on a bet.
Yeah, he said we gave him
five points instead of seven.
Oh. Hmm.
Well, thanks.
Somebody had better
keep an eye on her.
Call David.
Hey, John Jr.?
It's J.J. What do you want?
I'm asking questions.
Yeah? So ask.
Uh...
[machine powers down]
I couldn't hear you.
Roxanne married my father for
his money, and she murdered him.
What else do you want to know?
Well, you stand to get a good
deal of money out of this, don't you?
Yeah. Of course I do.
Like that real estate deal
in... Where was it? Phoenix?
It went belly up. You
could use the money.
[car horn honks]
- Is that your mother?
- Yeah.
I wanted to talk to her.
She's on her way to
Children's Hospital.
She does volunteer
work there twice a week.
She doesn't deserve
what Roxanne did to her.
Yeah?
Yeah. She ruined her life.
Doesn't look like that to me.
No, I'm talking about
dignity and self-respect.
How do you think Mom felt being
dumped for a younger woman
after 24 years of marriage.
Why do you blame Roxanne
for all of this and not your father?
My father was a
fool, but I loved him.
And because he's
dead and she's not.
[machine whirring]
[door opens]
Good Lord. How
many traps did you set?
- Twelve.
- That ought to do it.
- How was your meeting?
- Fine.
How about yours?
- Michelle.
- Ha ha!
Walter was right. Sonny and those
other three were arguing that night
about something
they won't talk about.
[Conrad] Hello, sports fans.
Hi.
- You rang?
- Yeah.
I need you to find out where a guy
named Sonny Harlowe got all his money.
Didn't he play the stock market?
I went over every square
inch of his place today
and didn't find one thing that suggested
he had been buying and selling stock.
Hmm. Do you think
he was dealing drugs?
He must have been.
And from the looks of his
lifestyle, we're talking big time.
If he was moving
weight, I could find him.
Don't you guys have anything
to eat around here? I'm starving.
[mousetrap snaps] Conrad!
Of course, I know.
The age difference
means nothing.
You love a man, not a number.
And all you want is to be by
his side for the rest of his life.
I'll just come back later.
Michelle?
Michelle, I was just preparing
Roxanne for her testimony.
We were talking about the
day Mr. Windemeyer, uh...
proposed to her.
Oh, Ben is so empathetic.
It's like he was there.
Are you saying you're putting
Mrs. Windemeyer on the stand?
Oh, ordinarily I
wouldn't consider it,
but I think she'd impress
the hell out of a jury.
Don't you?
I think she'd impress
the hell out of a turnip.
I just saw Conrad.
He's pretty sure
Sonny was not a player.
He's got one more
source to check out.
Good, good. Anything else?
No. Nothing that can't wait.
I wouldn't want to keep you
and your client from... anything.
[both chuckling]
Freshen up your tea?
All right.
[tires screech, engine revs]
Whoa! Whoa!
You almost cut off my toes.
I wish I had.
I'm Alice Windemeyer.
How dare you insinuate that I
had something to with John's death?
Excuse me?
You called Children's Hospital,
you asked them if I had
access to any antibiotics there,
specifically penicillin, as if
I were some kind of a thief.
For what it's worth, they
said if any had been missing,
you'd be absolutely the
last person they'd suspect.
However stupid your
accusations were,
people have started
to talk, and that hurts.
We're thinking about suing.
I'm just doing my job.
Destroying people's
lives is your job?
How can you lawyers
live with yourselves?
Mrs. Windemeyer, did
you love your husband?
Yes. Very much.
Even though he was
considerably older than you?
I think I loved him because
he was so much older.
He was very wise, very patient.
Men my own age usually
aren't either of those things.
Mrs. Windemeyer...
did you kill your husband?
No, I did not.
Thank you.
Mrs. Windemeyer...
you stand to inherit
a lot of money
from your late husband's estate.
I'll be well taken care of, yes.
As in his life I was
well taken care of.
John knew I wasn't
interested in his money.
Not interested?
Not at all interested?
I loved John.
All I wanted was to be by
his side for the rest of my life.
Oh, come on. He was old
enough to be your father.
You married him for the status.
You married him for his money.
Then you got
tired of an old man.
Then you got tired of waiting
for an old man to die, didn't you?
So, you decided you'd just speed
the process up a little bit, didn't you?
No.
- You knew he was a diabetic.
- Yes.
And you knew he was
allergic to penicillin?
Yes.
And, knowing that the insulin
was kept in the refrigerator,
you knew that you could tamper
with it without any problem, didn't you?
Just answer yes or
no, Mrs. Windemeyer?
There was no problem
in tainting the insulin
with the penicillin that you knew
would be poisonous to him, right?
I did not do that.
But you cannot deny...
No further questions,
Your Honor.
Mrs. Windemeyer, let me finish
what Mr. Burgess decided
not to let you explain.
Objection, Your Honor.
Counsel is beginning
his argument.
Sustained.
Why were your fingerprints
on the ampoule of insulin?
Because when the
pharmacy delivered it,
I'm the one who took it out
of the box and put it away.
Did you tamper with it?
No.
And I most certainly
did not kill my husband.
Thank you.
- Hi.
- Hi.
What are you doing here?
Is Rosa in?
Of course. Is
everything all right?
Everything is perfect.
I bet you were pretty surprised
when John Windemeyer
asked you for a divorce.
Yes, I was.
I mean, 24 years of
marriage down the drain,
all because his head was
turned by a younger woman.
I imagine that made
you pretty mad.
I was angry at first,
but life goes on.
- Yeah.
- I got over it.
Yeah. Yeah.
But didn't you tell a would-be
suitor... Arthur Warren...
That you couldn't develop
a relationship with him
because you still hadn't
gotten over your ex-husband?
No.
I mean, yes, I told Arthur that,
but that was because
I... I wasn't attracted to him
and I didn't want
to hurt his feelings.
So, you and Arthur
Warren are good friends?
Yes.
He recently had a bout
with pneumonia, didn't he?
Yes.
And for that pneumonia, he
was given penicillin, wasn't he?
I don't know.
Well, you did visit him while
he was recuperating, didn't you?
Didn't you?
I did, once, yes.
How long has it been since you've
been in John Windemeyer's home?
I moved out two weeks before
the divorce was finalized...
About two years ago.
And you never went back?
No.
Three weeks ago,
you took Rosa Marino...
Your ex-husband's maid
and your former maid...
Out to lunch to that new
place, Le Perigord, didn't you?
I know you did
because I called them
after I saw a stub from their
parking lot on your windshield.
Now, Rosa doesn't want to
say anything that would hurt you,
but if I call her to the stand,
she's going to have to testify
that you did come in the house for a
few minutes after you dropped her off.
Well, to use the bathroom, yes.
So, it hasn't been two years
since you were in his house.
You were there less than
a week before the murder.
I forgot.
I was only there
for two minutes.
You lied because
you put that penicillin
in that ampoule of
insulin, didn't you?
No.
You lied because you saw
a chance to avenge yourself
on your ex-husband and the
woman who take him away from you.
That's not true.
Then why are your fingerprints
all over this prescription
bottle of penicillin
which the police took from your
friend Arthur Warren's home?
You stole this penicillin on the
spur of the moment, didn't you?
And you weren't wearing gloves.
And you took the maid out to
lunch, brought her home, went inside,
went to the upstairs bathroom,
this time wearing gloves.
You injected this liquid penicillin
into the ampoule of insulin,
knowing where
your husband kept it.
You got even with
your husband, all right,
but there's always a price,
and yours is, you're guilty
of premeditated murder.
We find the defendant
Roxanne Windemeyer not guilty.
[overlapping chatter]
Order.
We'll have order in this court.
Ohh!
I'm telling you what
he told me, okay?
You don't get any more stuff
unless you've got cash in hand.
I'm supposed to be in at
5:00, he's gonna be ready.
We deliver, he delivers, okay?
Hey!
Hey!
[starts engine]
You were set up?
Yeah. That rendezvous
thing was just a ploy
to get me over to the wrecking
yard so they could kill me.
Damn.
Yeah, well, at least
you got your girl off.
Roxanne is not my girl.
Mrs. Windemeyer is not my girl.
She's just a client.
She's a very nice lady,
but she's just a client.
Now, they must have known you were
eavesdropping back at the health club.
Yeah, they must have.
But they can't have
known who you are.
Sure they could. I
obviously shook them up.
If they had someone watching me,
they would have
known I talked to Conrad.
Hmm.
Well, you'd better lie
low for a couple of days
and make them think
the coast is clear.
You can punch them out
later. I guess much later.
And what did you do with
this wrench that you found
in the back of Mr. Padilla's
van, Lieutenant?
We sent it to the
lab for testing.
And what did the lab find?
They found traces of hair
and blood on one end of it.
Were they able to
determine whose?
The decedents...
Sonny Harlowe's.
Thank you,
Lieutenant. That's all.
Miss Thomas?
Whose fingerprints did
they find on the wrench?
They didn't find
any fingerprints on it.
None? Not even Walter Padilla's?
The handle appeared to
have been wiped clean.
So, are we to believe,
Lieutenant Brooks,
that Mr. Padilla killed Sonny
Harlowe with that wrench,
left it covered with Mr. Harlowe's blood,
but wiped his own fingerprints from it,
and then put it in his toolbox,
where the police were sure to find it?
Objection, Your
Honor... Argumentative.
Sustained.
Thank you, Lieutenant.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Where did you come from?
- I was in there.
- Yeah?
Yeah. I thought
you did a terrific job.
Thank you.
Oh, there's the lovely Roxanne.
- Ben! Hi!
- Hi.
What are you doing here?
Signing papers...
Papers and more papers.
They're dispersing
John's estate.
Ben, I've decided to throw myself a
little birthday party tomorrow night,
and I want you to
come... Both of you.
Tomorrow night?
Well, thanks, Roxanne,
but I have a date.
If you'll both excuse me.
I insist that you come.
You'll have a good
time, I promise.
Well, birthdays only
come around once a year.
Have you got time for lunch?
With you? Of course.
We don't need a reservation.
Well, of course not.
You're so famous.
You never need a
reservation at Charlie's.
You just have to decide whether
you want your dog plain or with chili.
My dog?
Yeah. Sometimes you
can have sauerkraut
or those little red
peppers that make you cry.
Hey, Charlie, two
hot dogs, all the way.
[starts engine]
[beep]
Any problems? Good.
Let's hit it.
[laughter and chatter]
Oh, thank you. It's
so good to see you.
Please, help
yourselves. Excuse me.
Captain!
[Man] Oh, there she is.
Oh, nice to see you.
I'll see you in a little
bit. Enjoy yourselves.
Amanda! Oh!
- I can't wait to hear about Europe.
- Oh, it was divine. We'll talk.
Okay, thanks for coming.
Hello. Good to see you.
There you are.
I was afraid you
might have left.
Oh, no, no. I just...
You think we're all
terrible snobs, don't you?
No, not all of you.
[laughter]
So, you like polo, huh?
Not particularly.
John did. I didn't want
him to play anymore.
I was afraid he'd get hurt,
but he insisted on
going to all the matches.
[laughs]
Know what I've been
dying to do all evening?
No.
Open my presents.
Come on.
Ohh!
Ohh!
It is absolutely beautiful.
And emerald green happens
to be my favorite color.
[laughter]
Thank you.
Here, dear.
Let's see, this one is from...
my dear friend and absolutely
fabulous lawyer, Ben Matlock.
Ohh.
[laughter]
- Ben.
- There you go.
[laughs] Oh, I get it.
It's a fan.
That's what I keep telling him
I've become... his biggest fan.
[laughter]
Aren't you clever?
And this is from me, dear.
Oh, Amanda, what have you done?
[gasps]
Oh, Fleur du Plantange...
My absolute favorite.
You can only get this in France.
Come here, you! For bringing
it all the way back from Europe
and not keeping it for
yourself, you get a kiss.
Mwah! Mwah!
- My pleasure, dear. Enjoy.
- Oh!
Ohh. Ha ha ha!
Thank you.
[siren blaring]
[engine won't start]
Now, is that irony or what?
While you were stealing from
them, I was stealing from you.
Let me help you.
Come on, step out of the car.
- Out of the car, ma'am.
- Get your hands up.
On top of the car.
Spread your legs.
Detective Vorhess?
- What did they say?
- Zip.
Did they cop to any
of the other burglaries?
They won't even cop to
the one they pulled tonight.
When do you think
they'll be arraigned?
That hotshot lawyer of theirs
will probably have them
out of here by morning.
We still have time. Come on.
- Ah!
- Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry.
[dance music]
[telephone rings]
[footsteps]
[rock music]
[turns off]
[rock music]
[turns off]
[Man] I'll pick you
up at 7:30, okay?
[Woman] Make it 6:30, Sonny.
That way we can
have a quick appetizer.
Bye.
[dial tone, phone ringing]
[Man] Burglaries.
Sergeant Conway here.
[Second man] Hello
again, Sergeant.
Check out what I told you yet?
Yeah. As a
matter of fact, I did.
[turns off]
Hey, don't do that.
It was just getting good.
Get out or I will call the cops.
Go ahead. Bugging
people's phones
and taping all
their calls is illegal.
So is trespassing.
So is destroying evidence.
Or did David just tell you to hide
that tape when he called you just now?
I don't know what
you're talking about.
Yes, you do. David's in trouble.
He may be even involved
in Sonny Harlowe's murder.
Now, unless you want to risk
becoming an accessory after the fact,
I suggest you give me that tape.
Well, thanks, Bob.
I owe you one.
Hmm. I thought you turned
this case over to Michelle?
I did.
So, what are you doing here?
"Sonny Harlowe, 1990
Championship Team,
"West Brook Polo Club."
How would you characterize your
relationship with Sonny Harlowe?
We were friends.
And business partners?
Just friends.
What business are you in?
I own a dance club
called the Caravelle.
You're also paying off several
rather sizeable loans, aren't you?
I suppose you could say that.
Isn't it also true that you and
Tanya Bergen and Nick Saddler
have all been indicted for more than
a dozen burglaries in the Atlanta area?
Objection. Irrelevant,
Your Honor.
Your Honor, please bear with me.
This line of questioning is
critical to my client's defense.
It bears directly on the real motive
for the killing of Sonny Harlowe.
I'll overrule for now.
The witness may answer.
Okay. We've been indicted.
Was Sonny Harlowe your fence?
I refuse to answer on the
grounds it might incriminate me.
You were thieves together.
Conspired together and
stole together, didn't you?
Objection. Argumentative.
Sustained.
But you and Sonny had a
falling out, and he betrayed you.
He called the police, didn't he?
I don't know what you're
talking about, Counselor?
Well, in that case, let
me play an audio tape
that might refresh your memory.
Burglaries. Sergeant
Conway here.
Hello again, Sergeant.
Did you check out
what I told you yet?
Yeah. As a
matter of fact, I did.
So, you know what
I'm talking about, right?
Hey, who is this?
Before I just told
you what they stole.
Now, I'm going to tell you
where you can find them.
- Are you listening?
- Yeah.
9863 Contillon Way.
Tomorrow night.
There's three of them...
Two men and a woman.
You're about to become
a hero, Sergeant.
Recognize it now, Mr. Houk?
That's the tape that you instructed
your bartender, Betsy Rhodes,
to remove from your
office at the dance club
the night you were
arrested. Remember?
At least that's what
she's prepared to testify.
That was Sonny's
voice, wasn't it?
Well, come on, you
said you were his friend.
Was that his voice or not?
Yes, that was Sonny.
You tapped his
phone, didn't you?
Maybe for money,
maybe for spite.
Sonny was selling
you out, wasn't he?
So, you canceled your plans to
burglarize that house on Contillon Way
- and then you killed him, didn't you?
- No!
I did not kill Sonny!
Then who did?
I have no idea.
I know it was one
of you, Mr. Houk.
Well, Counselor, a man can't
be in two places at once, can he?
Are you saying you
were somewhere else?
I'm not saying anything.
Your Honor, may I
have a 20-minute recess?
We'll reconvene in 20 minutes.
Here's the list of
robberies you wanted.
Thanks, Bob.
Uh, I've got to go.
Thanks a lot.
Bad news?
[Bailiff] Please remain seated.
This court is now in session.
Walter, I'm sorry.
It looks like Tanya Bergen,
Nick Saddler and David Houk
were all burglarizing a
house at the other end of town
the night Sonny was murdered.
None of them could have
committed the murder.
[Judge] Miss Thomas,
you may resume.
I have no more
questions, Your Honor.
No questions, Your Honor.
Very well. The
witness may step down.
We'll adjourn here for today and
resume tomorrow morning at 9:00.
Hey, how did it go?
Horrible. David
Houk didn't do it.
Neither did his two cronies.
Oh. Um, Listen, I've got
to borrow that cassette...
You know, with
Sonny's voice on it.
You did say there were
a couple of days of calls.
Yeah, but what
do you want it for?
I can't tell you.
Why not?
I can't tell you that, either.
Well, excuse me for asking.
Thanks.
[knock on door]
Oh, Mr. Matlock. Come in.
Hi, Rosa. Is Mrs. Windemeyer in?
Yes. Right there.
Hello, Ben.
Oh, what a pleasant surprise.
Are you on your way out?
No. Just dinner with
friends. Come in.
Come in, sit down.
- Can I get you a drink?
- No, thanks.
Uh...
I didn't know you
knew Sonny Harlowe.
Is that important?
Well...
did you meet him
at a polo match?
Well, as a matter
of fact, I did.
How did you know that?
That perfume you like so much,
there's a bottle of it in his apartment...
All gift-wrapped like he was
going to give it to somebody
and never got a chance.
Was he going to give it to you?
Well, for my birthday, perhaps.
I mean, we were good friends.
Hmm.
He was involved
in a burglary ring.
Sonny? No.
Yeah. One of his
partners in crime
suspected he might
be double-crossing him,
so they tapped his phone, made
taped recordings of all his calls.
I just listened to it.
I know you were
having an affair with him.
I don't know whether my associate
recognized your voice or not,
but I did.
Oh, Ben.
It's something I'm not proud of.
He was a habit I just
couldn't seem to break.
The person Michelle thought
committed murder didn't do it.
He has an alibi for that night.
- I'm sorry.
- I'm sorry, too.
I've always hated
asking this question,
but I have to ask you
where you were that night.
I'm a suspect?
Not if you answer my question.
Well, as much as I
love this big old house,
I hate being here alone.
So, I did what I always did
when John was out of town
and Rosa had the night
off... I stayed at a hotel.
The Collier.
Well, I'll just...
I'll go before your
friends get here.
Ben?
I thought we were friends.
You sure are pretty.
[chuckles]
What do you say, Roy?
Ben, good to see you.
Welcome to my chambers.
Sit down. What, no hot dog?
I've been kind of
off my feed lately.
That's not like you,
Ben. What's going on?
You were on the Ethics Committee
of the State Board for what?
- Five years?
- Five years.
- I want to ask you something.
- Okay.
Well, just hypothetically
speaking, let's say I'm a lawyer.
I have two different clients,
both charged on two
separate murder counts.
- Do you follow me?
- Yeah.
All right. Let's say that I get
the first client off, not guilty.
Sometime during the
trial of the second client,
I find out something
that makes me believe
that the first client
committed the murder
that the second
client is charged on.
I never heard of such a thing.
Well, it's just hypothetical.
Okay.
The issue is
attorney-client privilege.
Now, your client has the right to
assume that everything that he says
and everything that you learn
while you're defending him
will remain confidential.
You can't turn around and
point your finger to a client, Ben.
See, I didn't learn what I learned
while the trial was going on.
I learned it after
the case was over.
Would you have recognized the
significance of what you had learned
if you hadn't
defended this person?
- That's hard to say.
- Then your hands are tied.
And you'd better
drop that second client.
He has a constitutional right
to the best possible defense,
and you can't give it to him.
I'm not going to fold.
She hired me because she
knew if I found out the truth,
I wouldn't be able to
do a damn thing about it.
But she's not going
to get away with this...
This hypothetical person.
There's nothing you
can do about it, Ben.
Yeah, but what if I came
up with irrefutable evidence
that had nothing
whatsoever to do
with my former lawyer-client
relationship with this person?
Give it up, Ben.
Well, thank you, Roy.
I just wanted to
know where I stood.
Where have you been?
- Are you all right?
- Yeah, I'm fine.
You don't look fine.
What was all that
about the tape?
I can't tell you.
What is it, Ben?
What's going on?
I can't tell you.
Can't or just don't
want to bother?
I can't.
Here, take this,
since you're here.
I'd rather you'd just tell me why
you wanted it in the first place.
I can't.
[telephone ringing]
[Woman] Hello?
Hi, doll. It's Sonny.
Where were you last night?
We had to take a friend to
the emergency room. I swear.
I couldn't call because they
wouldn't let me use the phone.
Yeah? Oh, go to hell.
[dial tone, telephone ringing]
Sonny here.
[Woman] Sonny, it's me.
- About tomorrow...
- What about tomorrow?
I'm really very busy.
We're all busy, honey, but you
don't want to disappoint me, do you?
Sonny.
Roswell at noon.
If you say so.
What a good girl.
Au revoir.
[dial tone]
[tape rewinding]
We're all busy, honey, but you
don't want to disappoint me, do you?
Sonny.
Roswell at noon.
If you say so.
What a good girl.
Au revoir.
What do you mean,
where was my van?
It has all my equipment.
It was with me.
Exactly where was it
from, say, 2:00 that morning
until you were arrested?
If we can pinpoint where
and when the murder weapon
was planted in your toolbox,
it could help us figure
out who framed you.
Now, can you remember
what you did that day?
Uh, around 8:00, I went
out to Central Grove
to finish a job I'd
started the day before.
And around noon,
I went downtown
to do a job there.
And where was
your van prior to that?
Locked in my garage.
All right.
On those jobs you did, I
need names and addresses.
Well, the first job was
out on Dunhill Road.
Mr. and Mrs. Weintraub, I think.
I replaced a bunch of old
pipes with copper ones.
And the second job was on the
fourth floor of the Redding Tower.
A drain in the women's
restroom was clogged.
Who called you on that one?
Some secretary. She
didn't give her name,
just told me to send the
bill to the building manager.
Hell, he should have just bought
himself a bottle of drain cleaner
and done it himself.
Easy job?
Took me five minutes.
Where did you leave your van?
Down in the garage...
visitor parking.
- That's something else.
- Yeah.
I came home last night and
was too tired to fix anything,
so I just took some cheese
and crackers up to bed.
Fell asleep reading the paper.
About 3:00 in the morning, I
heard this "chomp, chomp, chomp."
Turned on the lights.
There he was sitting on the bed
stand, eating my cheese and crackers.
I threw my shoe at him.
He came down off of
there like greased lightning,
but he stopped at the
door and looked at me
like I was the biggest
jackass he ever saw.
[chuckling]
It's none of my business, but
what are you going to do with him?
Well, like you say,
it really is none
of your business.
- It's your mouse.
- Yeah.
[chuckles]
Yeah.
I know a farm about
12 miles from here,
and the man who owns it
has got a big herd of Holsteins
and a silo full of mice.
The man hates cats.
I'm going to take you
out there and drop you off.
And I don't care what
you say. You're an animal.
You're supposed
to hunt your food.
[squeaking]
You outsmarted me, mouse.
I don't like being outsmarted.
So, I've got a lot
of respect for you.
[chuckles]
[Michelle] Ben?
[Door closes]
- Ben?
- Yeah.
Ben, you don't
have to say a word.
Roxanne Windemeyer was
having an affair with Sonny Harlowe.
Her voice is on this tape.
And I just checked
with Walter Padilla.
The day after the murder, he
got a call to fix a clogged drain
in a commercial
building downtown,
which just happens to be owned
by the Windemeyer Corporation.
Roxanne must
have lured him there
so she could slip that
wrench into his toolbox
while his van was
parked in the visitor's area.
I knew this was going
to be a good day.
Not for Walter Padilla.
We're going to have
to drop his case.
No, no, no.
You recognized Roxanne's
voice on your own.
It had nothing to do with
my prior relationship with her.
Ben, you and I are partners.
You know I had no
contact with Roxanne,
and I know I had
no contact with her,
but how is anybody
else going to know that?
I mean, ethically
we're on very thin ice.
But we're right.
Roxanne put me in this
predicament on purpose.
She used me. She manipulated me.
She lied to me since the
minute I took this case.
She knows how pretty she
is, and she knew I'd respond.
You were right when you
said that I took her case
because she's
prettier than Walter.
And I've done nothing for
Walter, and I'll get her for that.
But you could be disbarred.
That's a chance
I'll have to take.
I could be disbarred, too.
The truth is...
we haven't and won't
do anything unethical.
We're so close. All we
need is one little bit of proof,
and Roxanne will get
what she deserves.
I guess I could always find
work as an exterminator.
Don't knock it.
You should see the check I
wrote that fellow that just left.
They make damn good money.
[squeaking]
[Man] Yeah, it's in
the Harding case.
It should be in a
brown paper box...
Rolex... two rings,
bracelet, silver chain.
My Lord, the man wore more
jewelry to bed than I wear to work.
He had a thing about silver,
that's for sure. What's next?
All right.
And here are the items that were
lying on the floor next to Sonny's bed.
They must have
fallen off his nightstand.
All right. One prescription
for sleeping pills
- about due to be refilled.
- Yeah.
One battery-operated clock.
One more silver chain.
Three rings, all silver.
And another bracelet... gold.
Beautiful.
I think we can
safely say five days.
Fine.
See you then.
Hi.
Thanks for stopping by
to brighten up the place.
How can I make you happy?
I understand Sonny Harlowe
bought a lot of jewelry from you.
Who?
I represent the man who has
been accused of murdering him.
I found several receipts from
your store in Sonny's condo.
You're a lawyer?
Surprise.
I wonder if you could tell me
if you sold Sonny of the
jewelry in these pictures?
Nope. Sorry.
Anything else I
can help you with?
Hmm. That's odd.
According to this receipt,
Sonny bought a silver I.D. bracelet
with a shamrock
outlined in diamonds.
And look, here it is. Heh.
Maybe.
According to this receipt,
he paid you $700 in cash.
[whistles] What a bargain. Ha!
No wonder he bought
so much jewelry from you.
Unless... No, no.
You wouldn't do that.
Do what?
Well, say this
bauble costs $7,000.
You charge Sonny 3,500 in cash,
then write a receipt that says 700.
Sonny gets half price,
and you get away with 2,200
tax-free, and everybody's happy.
But you wouldn't do that.
Hey, I sold the guy
some jewelry, that's all.
Of course.
Now, please look
at the pictures.
Okay. I sold him this stuff.
Except the bracelet. Sonny
wouldn't have bought that.
Why not?
He was allergic to gold.
It gave him a rash
like chicken pox.
Funny, huh?
Now...
she'll be cool as a
cucumber up there,
so you've got to be cool, too.
Got it.
And try to keep
her off her guard.
Otherwise, she'll be
miles ahead of you.
Got it.
Okay. Good luck.
It's all yours.
Oh, no, no.
You're the one she
tried to compromise.
And, besides, she
thinks she's pulled this off.
Otherwise, she
wouldn't have shown up.
When you step up,
she'll know that she didn't.
Then let her try to stay
cool as a cucumber.
Shall we?
Your Honor, if it pleases the court,
my co-counsel, Mr. Ben Matlock,
will spearhead Mr. Padilla's
defense for the duration of the trial.
Very well.
Mr. Matlock, you may
call your next witness.
Your Honor, I call...
Mrs. Roxanne
Windemeyer to the stand.
[banging gavel]
Matlock, Miss
Thomas, Mr. Ferber...
My chambers right now.
Have a seat.
Mr. Matlock, I would have had to
have been in a coma for the past month
not to know that you just finished
representing Mrs. Windemeyer
in another case.
That's right, Your Honor.
Well, how do you expect
to use her in this case?
She murdered Sonny
Harlowe, and I intend to prove it.
Mr. Matlock, you will be in
breach of attorney-client privilege.
No, ma'am. Everything
that I will say in court
was uncovered after my relationship
with Mrs. Windemeyer ended.
And I'm supposed to just sit
here and take your word for that?
No.
I hope you'll take the
word of Judge Roy Marcus.
In anticipation of this problem,
Miss Thomas and I took the liberty
of outlining our entire line of
questioning and submitting it to him.
We also submitted a breakdown
detailing where, when and how
everything that we will touch on
in this trial came to our knowledge.
I'm handing you a list of
our entire line of questioning
and a transcript certified
from Judge Marcus
saying what he thought about it.
- He reviewed it?
- Yes.
And he is convinced that
our entire line of questioning
does not breach the
attorney-client relationship
that I had with Mrs. Windemeyer.
[Bailiff] Remain seated
and come to order.
The Honorable
Cindy Justin presiding.
[Justin] Mrs. Windemeyer, you
may now take the stand, please.
What was your relationship
with the late Sonny Harlowe?
Your Honor, until just recently,
Mr. Matlock was my attorney.
I was under the impression that that
meant whatever he knew about me
was to be kept
strictly confidential.
That's true, Mrs. Windemeyer.
You're talking about
attorney-client privilege.
Yes. So, anything he knows
about me is confidential,
and I don't have to
answer his question.
Madam, I will tell you, after
conferring with Mr. Matlock in chambers,
and reading the transcript from
Judge Marcus on the subject,
that this court is satisfied that
the questions that will be asked
do not invade the sanctity of
the attorney-client privilege.
So, you may now
answer that last question.
Sonny and I were lovers
for a very, very short time.
Starting when?
About three months
before he died.
And how often would you meet?
We'd rendezvous up in Roswell
once every two weeks or so.
And you never spent the
night in his condominium?
Never.
Never?
I was married to the wealthiest
man in Atlanta, Mr. Matlock.
I had to be discreet.
I never set foot
in Sonny's condo.
Um, what did
Sonny do for a living?
I don't know.
Hmm.
Did he ever introduce you
to a man named David Houk?
Who?
Or Tanya Bergen or Nick Saddler?
Never heard of them.
They're three friends of Sonny's
who have recently been
arrested for burglary.
In fact, they are suspects
in burglarizing a house
at 9745 Broadmoor Road.
I believe you know the
woman who lives there.
Sally Friedlander.
She's a friend of yours.
Yes.
Did you ever visit that home?
Of course.
I hear it's quite spectacular.
Did you ever tell
Sonny about it?
Not that I remember.
So, it's just a coincidence
that Sonny's three friends
are the prime
suspects in a burglary...
In a burglary that took place
at that house last month.
I don't know what he
means, Your Honor,
and I'm sure I don't have
to answer his question.
He's my lawyer, for God's sake.
Madam, the court instructs
you to answer this question.
I don't know anything
about Sonny's friends
robbing Sally Friedlander.
Are you aware that Richard
and Diane Herman's house
at 3704 Rightwood Road
was burglarized three weeks ago?
Yes.
- You know the Hermans?
- Yes.
And your friends Cathy
and Charles Edwards,
were robbed in the last month.
All coincidences?
Didn't you... Didn't you
know what Sonny was up to?
He was using his affair with
you to find out about your friends...
When they took trips,
when they took vacations,
the layout of their houses.
Then he'd pass that information
along to his cat burglar friends.
Then they would
rob your friends,
and then Sonny would
dispose of the loot,
and they were making
quite... Quite a good living at it..
He didn't love you.
He wasn't even
infatuated with you,
as I'm sure many men have been.
He was using you
over and over again.
Sonny used you.
It must have made you furious.
Is that why you killed him?
Ben... how can
you do this to me?
I thought we were friends.
It isn't easy.
Your Honor, would
you instruct the witness
to answer the last question?
The witness will
answer the question.
All right.
As you well know, I was at
the Collier Hotel that night.
- I couldn't have killed anyone.
- Yes.
According to the records I
subpoenaed from the Collier Hotel,
you spent more than 12 nights
there in the past six months.
- Is that about right?
- Yes.
Why were you charged for
overnight parking every visit
except the night that Sonny
Harlowe was murdered?
I found a parking spot
on the street that night.
Felt the need to be frugal?
I just didn't want the valets to
put any more dings in my car.
Are you sure you
didn't want to be seen
driving to Sonny's
house and back?
I was in my room
all night, Mr. Matlock.
Why don't you ask the maid
that turned down my bed.
I did, and she said she
saw you there at about 9:30,
but she had run out of those little
chocolate things you put on the pillow,
and when she returned 15 minutes
later with a fresh supply, you were gone.
I must have gone down
the hall to get some ice.
No. The Collier doesn't
have ice machines.
You have to call room service.
No.
You slipped down the back stairs
and drove to Sonny's condominium.
Want to know how I know?
The next morning...
the police found this
on the floor by his bed.
Do you recognize it?
Ben.
Do you recognize the bracelet?
No.
Here's a photograph taken
by your insurance agent
of this same antique bracelet.
You see, they're identical,
even to these little
marks on the side here.
The jeweler who sold it
to you showed them to me.
He said there's probably not
another bracelet like it in the city.
So, tell me, how did your
bracelet wind up on the floor
of a condominium
you never set foot in?
, It came off when I was with
him and he put it in his pocket.
You know, I'd
forgotten all about that.
How long before
his death was that?
A couple of weeks.
You periodically have your
jewelry cleaned, don't you?
Yes.
Here's a copy of a receipt
that shows that you had this
bracelet cleaned October 25th,
the day before
Sonny was murdered.
You're getting all tangled
up in your own lies.
Let me see if I
can... finish this.
When you found out that Sonny
was using you to rip-off your friends...
that he cared nothing
whatsoever for you,
you wanted revenge.
He told you how Walter
Padilla beat him up that time.
You saw your chance.
You found out who Walter
is, you bought a wrench,
checked in at the Collier...
for an alibi, just in case...
then you drove to Sonny's.
Using the key under the
mat, you let yourself in,
and there was Sonny,
asleep on the bed,
and you hit him
with that wrench.
How about it?
Please. Please
don't do this to me.
But he couldn't die right away,
and a struggle followed,
and your bracelet
fell off your wrist.
You didn't think about it or
even miss it till the next day,
when you lured Walter
Padilla to a building downtown.
There you planted
that wrench in his van...
The murder weapon.
You knew Sonny
wore a lot of jewelry,
and the police would probably
believe that this was his.
So, it was no big deal.
You were home free.
And then something...
you never thought in a million
years would happen happened.
Somebody murdered your husband,
and you were
accused of that murder,
and you hired me.
I was already
representing Walter Padilla,
so if I happened on anything that
might implicate you in Sonny's murder,
I couldn't say anything
because it would be...
privileged information.
[sighs]
Roxanne, I...
I can't tell you how sorry I am.
I had no choice.
[sobbing]
Thanks to you,
Walter's a free man.
It's time to celebrate.
I'm buying.
I can't thank you
enough, Mr. Matlock.
I just wish I could pay you.
Mrs. Windemeyer paid
enough for both of you.
This was difficult, wasn't it?
Very.
Well, it's over.
Not quite.
I can't keep this
check from Roxanne.
I'm going to donate
it to a halfway house
for drug-addicted teenagers
in your daughter's name.
I don't know what to say.
Don't say anything to anybody.
If you're buying, I'm
eating. I'm hungry.
And I'm not girl-crazy.
Well, maybe a little.