Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996): Season 1, Episode 19 - Armed Response - full transcript

[Woman] Tonight on
Murder, She Wrote.

I'm drivin' this little
lady to Dr. Sam's.

- He was murdered last night.
- What?

Now, there's nothing
wrong with that man.

Bailed him out of four malpractice
suits before they ever got to trial.

A thousand bucks
a day and I'm fine.

Cigarettes, bourbon,
sex... [Razzes] all gone.

- She was on her way to commit murder.
- I wouldn't want a black mark
on my first day in charge.

Do you know, he even
keeps a gun in his car?

We'll let ballistics decide
if it's the murder weapon.

Whoever heard of framing
anyone with the wrong gun?



[Man] Son, I don't care. You
get your shiny little backside

down to that jail and you
don't leave until you talk to him.

And when I say “talk," I mean get his
John Hancock and a retainer. You got me?

Now, Henry, will you put
the old foot down to the floor?

I've got a million dollars
comin' in on that plane, son.

Oh, and another thing...
Another thing. Now, listen.

You be sure you get
that book contract signed.

It's the only way
we're gonna get paid.

[Jessica] It looked so lovely from
the plane. How's the weather been?

Real fine, ma'am. Reached
103 yesterday. Oh, how nice.

J.B. Fletcher! I'd know
you anywhere. Mr. Porter.

Milton Porter at your service. It is
an honor to welcome you to Texas.

That photograph you
sent down here doesn't

do you justice. Well,
that's very flattering.



[Laughs] Mmm, I'm so
proud to have you testifying.

You know, when I walk into that
courtroom with you on my arm,

those other shysters
will... oh, by golly. [Laughs]

Well, I'm delighted to testify
on Harold Endicott's behalf.

I mean, the idea of
accusing him of plagiarism...

Accusin' one thing,
winning's another.

We've slapped those
vultures with a $6 million

countersuit chargin'
defamation of character.

By the time we're through
with those shysters,

they're gonna be down
to bare feet and skivvies.

Well, Mr. Porter, the
important issue is not money,

but the terrible slur on
Mr. Endicott's reputation as a writer.

I agree. It's how I conduct my
life: Principle first. Mm-hmm.

Can't tell you how
pleased I am. Mr. Porter.

Mmm? When will I testify?

Could be any day, Ms.
Fletcher. Meanwhile I

wanna show you some
mighty fine restaurants.

Got a cocktail party
lined up for the weekend.

But don’t you worry.
I'll... [All Yelping]

Ms. Fletcher. You all right,
ma'am? I sure am sorry.

You oughta be.
Here you are, honey.

It's all right, Mr... Mr. Porter.
I... I'm fine, really. There we go.

It's all right. I'm just fine.

Ooh. Ouch. That... That doesn't
feel so good. Here. Here, lean on me.

Henry, help me get her in the car.
Now, don't you worry, Ms. Fletcher.

We're gonna get you
the best damn doctor in

the state of Texas.
Thank you, Mr. Porter.

I'm sure it's just a bruise. Henry,
I'm drivin' this little lady to Dr. Sam's.

You stay here and you be
sure to file a police report.

Get the names and addresses of all
these witnesses. Oh, Mr. Porter. Really.

Oh, gross negligence,
open and shut. [Strains]

- We're lookin' at 50,000 here, minimum.
- Oh, that's ridiculous.

You're right. We'll make
it a hundred thousand.

Now you sit back and relax.

Well, Ms. Fletcher, the bad news is you
have a fracture of the fifth metatarsal.

Oh, dear. Hmm. But the good
news is that break is very tiny.

Now, we're gonna fit you out
with a walking cast, and in a

few hours, you'll be able to
clump about wherever you want.

Well, you're right, Dr. Garver.
That is good news, I suppose.

That's what I admire...
Positive attitude,

and it is "Dr. Sam."

I'll check in on you
later. Thank you, Doctor.

Dr. Ellison.

Excuse me, Doctor. Yes?

I'd like to talk to you about a
patient on my ward, Barney Ogden.

Miss Wells, I am very
familiar with Mr. Ogden's

complaints. Now, there's
nothin' wrong with that man.

[Wells] No, sir. Nothing
that would show up in a chart.

How nice that we agree.

Bye now. [Woman
Chattering On P.A., Distant]

How does that feel? Warm.

Now, you shouldn't have
any more swelling, but to

be safe, I want you here
overnight. Oh. All right.

And if your leg starts to swell, I
want you to let us know immediately.

Oh, I will. [Chuckling]
I'm no hero.

Well, the worst part
is gonna be the itching.

Chicago, right?

What? Your accent.

I have a cousin there who sounds exactly
like you, born and bred on the North Side.

I'm from the South Side, Mrs.
Fletcher, a few hundred miles away.

Is this where they're having
the wild party? Huh? [Laughs]

Miss Wilson. Oh, sugar, we're
gonna be birds of a feather.

I'm tradin' this clunker
in for one of those.

Oh, it looks very
uncomfortable. How’d you do it?

Got mine tryin' to take a
shortcut on a Texas two-step.

How about some more, angel of mercy? Why
don't we wait until we're finished here?

Coffee and plaster don't mix.

Isn't it great how
they treat us here?

Cigarettes, bourbon,
sex... [Chuckles]

[Razzes] all gone. But not
forgotten, right, Mrs. Winthrop?

You said it, handsome.
See you around.

Maybe later on I'll... I'll race
you down the corridor. [Laughs]

Race her down the
corridor. Anyway... [Laughs]

Maine can be beautiful this
time of year, Mrs. Fletcher.

Oh, Maine is beautiful any
time of the year, Miss Horton.

Though I must confess I don't miss
those 10-foot snowdrifts. [Chuckles]

Do you want my card? Card?

My hospital insurance. Oh,
no. We don't deal in that here.

Oh. Oh, dear. Don't you be concerned
with money now, Ms. Fletcher.

We know who all's
gonna be payin' for this.

Any tests you need, Marge, don't
spare the horses. Of course, Mr. Porter.

Oh, Nurse Wells will
take you to your room.

And I hope you enjoy your
stay with us, Mrs. Fletcher.

I'm sure I will, if
it's a short one.

You let me know, you
need anythin'. Meanwhile

I'll be in negotiations
with the airport.

Mr. Porter, this was an
accident. I don't want to sue.

Hush, ma'am. Talk like that...
Put us lawyers out of business.

[Woman Chattering
On P.A., Distant]

Good afternoon, Jennie. Hi,
Dr. Kenyon. Have you met...

Well, Mrs. J.B. Fletcher. How
do you do? How do you do?

The way that attorney of yours
was yelling into the telephone,

everybody in the hospital
knows all about your accident.

Mind if I take a
look? Oh, no, no.

How does it feel?

Oh, just fine. Dr. Ellison
did a very nice job.

Ellison, huh?

Well, I guess it looks all right. If
there's any swelling, you let me know.

If these things aren't applied
correctly, there can be problems.

Coming to Dr. Sam's
dinner party, Jennie?

No. I, uh... I'm afraid I'm not on the
A-list. Besides, I'm on duty tonight.

Oh, that's too bad. Well,
we'll see you around.

[Woman Chattering
On P.A., Distant]

That's odd. What?

The strange look on Dr. Kenyon's face
when I mentioned Dr. Ellison. Georgia?

You should see them when Dr. Sam's
around. They bicker like schoolboys. Oh.

Isn't that kind of competition a
little childish? Not to them it isn't.

I can't say that I blame them.

Last year a doctor on
staff was fired. Dr. Sam

spread the word the
man was incompetent.

- He hasn't worked since.
- What's that got to do
with Ellison and Kenyon?

- There's a rumor that Dr. Sam's bringing in
a replacement for one of them.
- Only one?

Yes. They don't know
which one. Hold that up.

Dr. Sam won't tell them, so
they're at each other's throats.

Now, put your foot...
Yeah, that's it. Okay.

[Jessica Strains] Here
we go. Whoa. Okay.

[Jessica] Well, Dr. Sam seems
to wield a great deal of power.

Are you kidding?

A bad rap from Sam Garver
could finish either one of them.

Now, are you comfortable? Oh,
yes. Thank you very much, Jennie.

Okay. Now, if you need anything, you just
buzz, and I'll see you later. Fine. Thanks.

[Door Opens, Closes]

[Sighs]

[Garver] You two drive
carefully. Don't want

you windin' up as
guests of the institute.

[Chuckles] Good night, now.

[Woman] Good night.

♪ [Soft Latin] Every
year you check into

that hospital like it's
some kind of resort.

I like to take care of my body
in the best way I know how.

I'm not about to let myself go
like some folks I could name.

Dr. Sam.

Dr. Sam, I don't think Billy
Don wants me to get well.

Oh, Melanie, zip it up. Only thing
wrong with you is a bad case of flap jaw.

Keep it up, darlin',
and you'll be in for a

bad case of somethin'...
a bad legal case.

- Milt Porter'll see to that.
- Why do you two always
pick my dinner parties to fight?

What do you think, Kenyon?

I never choose sides in marital
squabbles. It's, uh, much too dangerous.

That's what I like about
you... Your decisiveness.

[Melanie] Well, anyway, I'll be comin
‘in tomorrow for my annual checkup.

Don't suppose you got a
weekend special, Sam?

What do you care? It's
my money, Billy Don.

My cattle, my oil,
and my checkup.

[Phone Rings] Saved by the bell.

[Ringing Continues]

I'm sorry, Doctor, but I need your
authorization for some tests. No!

Now, would you do me the courtesy
and never call me at my home again.

[Sighs] [Dial Tone]

I'll say good night,
Doctor. I'm on duty in 45

minutes. Well, I'll be
chasin' 'em out anyway.

Dinner was excellent. It was
thoughtful of you to invite me. Not at all.

By the way, I'm invitin'
Dr. Ellison for brunch on Sunday.

Can't play favorites, you know.

♪ [TV: News Theme]

[Man On TV] Good evening, and
welcome to the Channel Three 1 1:00 Report.

I'm Tom Halley... [Continues] Excuse me,
that machine took the last of my change.

I wonder, would you have
change for a dollar, Mr., uh, Ogden?

No.

[Man On TV] New
technology in petrochemicals

to aid the U.S.
in the space race.

Anything else?

Oh, no. I'm so sorry
to have troubled you.

And these late-breaking
stories on the 1 1:00

report. Amarillo: Two
sets of triplets born...

Excuse me. I need some
change. Oh, Nurse Horton.

Oh, Mrs. Fletcher. You shouldn't be
up and about. Well, I wanted some tea.

We would have brought you
some. Oh, I didn't want to trouble you.

You've got too many
people who are really sick

here. Don't tell me about
responsibility, Ellison.

I'm not gonna take the blame for
your screw-ups. Get off of it, Kenyon.

I don't need you to tell
me how to run this shift.

I'm not at all impressed
with your old school tie.

A t least I own a tie.

If you wanna talk, let's
do it in private. Sure.

[Kenyon] What the hell do
you mean by humiliating me in

front of staff? [Ellison] You
don't need my help for that.

Keep your voice down! Look, Kenyon,
I've had about enough of your garbage.

You won't have that problem much
longer. What's that supposed to mean?

It means that you are on your way
out. I got it straight from the old man.

Kenyon, you're a first-class jerk,
only you’re too thick to know it.

You've been here on a pass since day one,
only Garver's finally caught on to you.

[Alarm Beeping]

[Beeping Continues]

Dr. Sam Garver's place.

[Tapping Buttons]

[Rings]

[Continues Ringing]

- No answer.
- I'll check it out.

[Tires Squeal]

Boy, are you in luck.

Dr. Ellison has prescribed Dr. Sam's
world-famous apple flapjacks...

World-famous,
that is, around here.

Mmm. They look scrumptious...
Not exactly what I'd call hospital food.

Well, if the truth be told,
this isn't exactly a hospital.

I guess what I mean by
that is that when pampered,

rich people get sick, they
still like to be pampered.

It's called Dr. Sam's
Number One Rule.

Hi, y'all. Uh, Georgia, go
get yourself a beer. [Laughs]

Well, sugar, you finally
made the papers. Page three.

Oh. That Mr. Porter doesn't
waste any time, does he?

Hell, Milt Porter... he could plant
daisies in the South Pole if he had a mind.

Uh, sugar, would you bring me a bunch
of those flapjacks and a pot of coffee?

Flapjacks, but no coffee.

Dr. Kenyon got the word from Dr. Sam
that you have been much too active.

Until further notice, you
are being put on carrot juice.

This stuff really
looks venomous.

Howdy, Jennie.

Uh, excuse me, Ms. Fletcher? Seems
as how I owe you an apology, ma'am,

about last night?

- I was rude.
- Oh, please. Think nothing of it.

- You know Sadie Winthrop?
- Barney Ogden, ma'am.

Hi, Barney. Plant yourself.
Like a little bit of this liquid carrot?

Here, take mine.
No, no. No, thank you.

What's the matter?
You on a special diet?

No. I... I feel fine...

At least everybody
says I'm fine.

A thousand bucks
a day, and I'm fine.

[Horton] Ohhh!
[Kenyon] Marge? Marge!

Marge. Dr. Kenyon,
what's the matter?

- Dr. Sam is dead.
- What?

- He was murdered last night.
- Murdered? How?

The radio report I
heard mentioned the

possibility of someone
breaking into his house.

Oh, my God. Poor Marge.

May I help you? Oh,
uh, Mrs., uh, Fletcher?

- Yes.
- I'm Lieutenant Ray Jenkins,
City Homicide.

Could I talk to you for a minute?
Oh, yes. Of course. Have a seat.

Thank you, ma'am. [Strains]

Here. Whoops. Thank you.

I'm in charge of the investigation
into Sam Garver's death. Oh, yes.

I read about your
accident. I'm sure sorry.

Thank you. Is that why you're
here, Lieutenant... a sympathy call?

No, ma'am. Fact
is, uh... [Sighs]

Well, I don't know how to say this, 'cept
just to say it. I'd kinda like your help.

My help? What for?

- Solve a murder.
- By an intruder? [Laughs]

No, Lieutenant. I... I'm
not sure it was an intruder.

You see, we found Dr. Garver's body lyin'
in this fish pool near his front door,

- and it could've been moved.
- Oh.

And the bullet that killed him
entered his body at a 45 degree angle.

Which means that the doctor
was either sitting down...

Or he was killed
by an N.B.A. center.

Right now, we have no
seven-footers under investigation.

Well, I'm still not sure that
I can help you, Lieutenant.

Ma'am,

I just got transferred here
from a real rough neighborhood.

Now, to me, murder is when a
guy in a bar kills another guy in a bar.

But these people...

Shoot, I don't know how to talk to
fancy folks, much less ask 'em questions.

Ray... It is "Ray," isn't it?

- Yes, ma'am.
- Maybe we should start
at the scene of the crime.

[Slaps Thighs] Won't take long. Doc's
house is only five minutes away from here.

This is the alarm control.
Oh. Show me how it works.

You flip this switch to
activate before you go out.

And when you return, you've
got 60 seconds to punch

in the right code to
deactivate. And if you don't?

If you don't, or you
punch in the wrong code,

an alarm goes off
in the security office.

Now, first they call the
house to see if you messed up.

If the right code isn't given,
or nobody answers the phone,

well, they send an
officer out to check.

And that is how they
discovered Garver's body.

And what time was that...
when the officer arrived? 1 1:15.

The alarm went off at 1
1:06 in the security office.

Now, the lady next door says
she heard what she thought...

was a car backfiring a few
minutes into the 11:00 news.

I figure it was the shot that killed
Garver. That sounds logical. What else?

That's about it, except for his keys.
We found those here by the door.

That's odd. Why would
his keys be outside?

He must've dropped them.
Yeah, but he was already

in the house. Why were
his keys out of his pocket?

- Got any ideas?
- [Chuckling] I'm sorry, Ray.

I don't have a glimmer of one.

Mrs. Fletcher. Oh,
hello, Dr. Kenyon.

- We were about to send a search party
out for you. Where have you been?
- Well, as you can see, I was in good hands.

Thank you. [Grunting]

Good-bye, Ray. I'll let you
know if I'm hit with an inspiration.

Thank you, ma'am. I
appreciate it. Thank you.

Oh. I wonder if I could
trouble you for a ride?

My leg is really beginning
to act up. Oh, yes. Of course.

Well, I must confess that
I wasn't terribly surprised.

Dr. Sam had a lot of enemies.

For example, the doctor he discharged
last year? How did you know about that?

[Chuckles] Oh, hospitals
are very much like

small towns, Dr. Kenyon.
Hard to keep a secret.

Dr. Sam is a... was a brilliant
man, but he was cold and distant.

He... He was curt with
some people. But not to you.

No. Not hardly, no.

It was generally conceded that I was
next in line. I'd had his complete trust.

He told you that? Funny. Well, not in
so many words, but the signs were clear.

I understood that he was
equally close to Dr. Ellison.

Ellison? Not a chance.
Ellison is a second-rate

doctor with a
fourth-rate personality.

Hmm. I heard you two going at it
in that office last night. Here we are.

I don't like Ellison,
and I never have.

There's something
dangerous about him. He's a

street kid who couldn't
leave the streets behind.

Everything is always a
confrontation with him.

When he's challenged, he
always has a gut-level response.

- Do you know, he even keeps
a gun in his car?
- Really.

Can I help you into bed?

Oh, no, no. I think I'll
just stay here for a while.

Then Ellison must have been the one
that the new doctor was going to replace.

Boy, this place really
is a small town, isn't it?

[Chuckles]

Dr. Kenyon, you haven't been
suggesting that perhaps Dr. Ellison...

might have been responsible
for Dr. Garver's death?

Me? I'm just a doctor, not
a policeman. Excuse me.

Oh. Excuse me.

Barney. Oh. Oh,
Jessica. Come in.

Excuse me. I... I
was just daydreamin'.

I see you had a visitor. Buzzard
named Philip. My nephew.

Only reason he's hangin' around
is 'cause he figures I might be dyin'.

Which you're not, or
maybe you wish you were?

- What's that supposed to mean?
- It means we're getting pretty tired
of seein' that sad-sack face of yours.

What's the matter,
Barney? You like this place?

Ain't you got no place to go?

No.

My wife died about nine
years ago. Don't have any kids.

All I got left are Philip and a
couple of cousins in Alaska.

Only reason Philip
is hangin' around... to

make sure I spell his
name right in my will.

I'm sure you have friends.

Friends? No. No, I... I
don't have any friends.

I can see why, big fella.

Don't have no time to
worry about anybody else but

yourself. Come on, J.B. Let's
chow down on the terrace.

The mood in here is gettin' downright
depressin'. Oh, listen, Barney.

If by chance you might
find a little smile tucked

away in that dresser,
you're welcome to join us.

If not, we'll send in the
chaplain to give you the last rites.

[Laughing] Bye.
Hit the road, honey.

[No Audible Dialogue]

Hold it, sugar.

Sadie, you were pretty rough
on him. Nah. It's good for him.

Know the type. My husband,
Zeb, was a lot like him...

All knotted up inside,
worried about his money,

worried about folks
takin' advantage of

him... worried himself
right into the grave.

- Excuse me.
- Jessica?

Thank you, ma'am. You've... You've
been a big help, and I appreciate it.

I'll do anything I can.
I owe it to Dr. Sam.

Ray. Oh, Ms. Fletcher.

Ray, I just saw Miss Wells
being led out by one of your men.

Yes, ma'am. We're
takin' her in for questioning

in connection with
the Garver murder.

Oh, that is ridiculous. That
girl wouldn't hurt anyone.

Sorry, ma'am, but the security guard
who discovered Dr. Garver's body?

He spotted her last night about
three blocks from his house.

Made a positive identification.
Oh, there must be some mistake.

There's no mistake,
Mrs. Fletcher.

One of my nurses spotted Jennie
sneaking out the back way around 11:00.

"Sneaking out" is
a very harsh term.

She's supposed to sign off the
floor if she has to leave. She didn't.

Why? Because she was
on her way to commit murder.

- Ms. Fletcher.
- Mr. Porter.

I came as soon as I got
your urgent message.

Well, thank you. Mm-hmm.

I take it that you have
changed your mind. About what?

Our legal action
against the airport. I've

lined up a dozen
witnesses. Oh, no, no, no.

I want you to
rescue Jennie Wells.

Who? Jennie Wells. She's
a nurse here at the hospital.

The police are questioning
her in the Garver murder.

Yes. I hear the D.A. thinks he
may have a pretty good case.

A good case of mental
incompetency, maybe. She's innocent.

Is that so? She was seen.

Look, Mr. Porter... Hmm.

Milton... I have
talked with Jennie.

Now, she did leave the hospital,
but only to talk to Dr. Garver.

- When she arrived at the house,
it was about 10 after 11:00.
- Mm-hmm.

There was no
answer to her knock.

Now, as I see it, she got there
sometime after Dr. Garver was killed,

but just before the
security guard arrived.

Mmm, if you believe her story.

Which I do. She's innocent.

And I want you to
help that poor girl out.

"Poor"? Mmm.

Mmm, yes. Well,
actually, Ms. Fletcher,

right now I'm up
to my ears in work.

I've gotta fly to Denver on Monday.
Got that brief there for the Supreme Court.

I had a book to write, but that did
not prevent me from flying to Texas.

I get your drift.

Yes. Well, I-I'll
see what I can do.

As I see it, it's my
sacred obligation as an

officer of the court to
defend the helpless,

regardless of
race, color, creed...

Yes, yes. Well, that...
That's very thoughtful.

And by the way, when can I
expect to testify for Mr. Endicott?

Any day now. By the way, I've made a
reservation for you at a very fine hotel.

Well, actually, Mr. Porter, my
leg is feeling very much better,

but I thought I would stay here for a
bit, until things sort themselves out.

I'll keep in touch.

- [Murmuring] You take care now.
- Thank you.

[Jessica] Well, of course
I'm happy that you released

Jennie. I just want to be sure
that she remains released.

That she will, unless some
new evidence shows up.

Well, if you want evidence,
I suggest you start looking

elsewhere... which brings
up something else, Lieutenant.

I'd like another look at the
murder scene. You got an idea?

No. No, no, nothing
specific, but something's

bothering me and
I don't know what.

I'll pick you up in 30 minutes.

Melanie, you got yourself so worked
up that you really are gonna get sick.

It's just not gonna
be the same without

Dr. Sam. Yeah. You
might even get some rest.

Now, Billy Don, do
Mama a big favor.

Get your fanny over
to Milt Porter's office...

and see what happened to
the contracts for those oil rights.

[Woman On P.A.] Frances Ashea,
please call the medical library.

Frances Ashea... Good afternoon.

Hello, Dr. Ellison.

Going out again? Actually, yes.

I was waiting for a
friend to pick me up. I

thought the activity
would be good for me.

- Not too much now. I wouldn't want
a black mark on my first day in charge.
- Oh, really?

The trustees have named
Dr. Kenyon and myself

to run the place jointly...
on an interim basis.

Well, congratulations...
And I will take it easy.

Will they still be bringing in that other
doctor then? Uh, that other doctor?

You know, the one that Dr. Garver
hired to take over for you...

Or was it Dr. Kenyon?

Uh, Kenyon, believe me.

You see, the old man
wasn't very fond of my family

tree, but he knew a good
doctor when he found one.

- He told you that?
- That's right.

How odd. I thought that Dr. Sam
never confided in his subordinates.

- [Both Chuckle]
- [Vehicle Horn Honks]

Oh, here's my
ride. See you later.

[Jenkins] Dr. Sam made a
phone call to the hospital last night.

I listened to it just before I
came to pick you up. Listened?

Marge Horton, the head nurse, has
an answering machine on her phone.

Dr. Sam would sometimes
call in instructions

for patients for
the following day.

Miss Horton, uh, sent it
over about an hour ago.

Listen.

[Garver] Marge, it's me. A
couple of things for the morning.

I'll be in late. I want Peabody up and
walkin', no matter how much he complains.

Second, get Sadie Winthrop on carrot juice.
She's too hyperactive for her own good.

One other thing. That Nurse
Wells is gettin' to be a real problem...

Startin' to think
she's a doctor.

Now, find some
excuse to get rid of her.

Now, I'm goin' to bed. See you
tomorrow. You take care now.

Second piece to the puzzle. We can prove
the opportunity. Now we've got the motive.

Aw, rubbish. Come
on now, Mrs. Fletcher.

Lieutenant, you came
to me, remember?

You asked my help.

Ma'am, I asked your help
in sorting out the facts.

You're defending this girl outta... outta
pure guesswork. It's called reading people.

But if you want to
deal with facts, let's go.

All right, let's start
with your original theory.

Garver was out for a short walk,
and the shooter followed him.

No, the tape contradicts that.
He said he was going right to bed.

And if he was going right to bed,
why was his body found right here?

No. This whole scene outside
was very carefully staged.

The murder must have
taken place inside the house.

He was sitting at his desk.

He'd just phoned
in those instructions.

He hangs up.

He looks up, then... bang.

[Sighs] I guess it could've happened
that way. Uh-uh. The angle is wrong.

[With Effort] But suppose
I come a bit closer.

This is closer to
a 45 degree angle.

You're only provin' that
Nurse Wells could've killed

him. Only a person he knew
could've gotten this close.

- And you're saying that Jennie could drag
his dead body out there to that pond?
- She's a nurse.

She's accustomed to movin'
sick patients around, isn't she?

And why put the body in
the pond in the first place?

Well, the pond was
heated because of the

fish. Makes the time
of death more uncertain.

- Uncertain?
- Mm-hmm.

Guard arrived at 11:15.
The neighbor heard the shot

around 11:05. Now, how
could that be uncertain?

Lieutenant, do you have
any blanks for your gun?

- I guess I can get you some.
- Good. I want to try something.

You got cameras hidden around here
somewhere, right? [Sirens On Speaker]

Now, where'd you put 'em... outside
the windows? [Sirens Continue]

Oh, no. Really. You're gonna tell me that
that nice young man is really a policeman?

Come on. What do you
want me to try: coffee, soap?

It don't make no never mind
to me. I'm just gonna love it.

You tell me which one to pick.
Oh, no. This really is police business.

I've heard that you can put one of
them TV cameras in a gnat's ear.

Of course, I did not
believe that. [Phone Rings]

Yes. Yes, Lieutenant, I'm ready.
[Tires Squealing, Sirens Continue]

- This television is at the same volume
as it was the other night, right?
- Oh, where I always keep it.

You know, about 12 years ago I
almost got on Let's Make a Deal.

Came dressed like a
chicken. [Gunshot, Distant]

That's it. That's just like the
other night. That's just what I heard.

It worked. That's right. I heard the
shot. And now, do I win anything?

- You heard "the" shot? One shot?
- That's right.

I fired two shots.

Oh, dear. I got it wrong.

One inside the house,
the other outside.

The one outside was fired
to mask the time of the death.

Question is, who fired it?

How many chances do I get?

Nurse Horton? Oh... [Exhales]

Mrs. Fletcher,
you... startled me.

I wonder if I could ask you a
few questions about Dr. Garver.

I'm having a terrible time getting a
picture of what the man was really like.

I'm... sure you are.

The people here
never understood him.

He was a... A
marvelous physician,

a genius.

I was looking for
something more personal.

Um, why ask me? Well, I
couldn't help but notice...

your reaction to the
news of his death.

Then I heard the tape, the
one he dictated last night.

There was a certain
warmth... Uh, you'll forgive me...

That wasn't present in his
dealings with other people.

We had a... an
intimate relationship.

Is that what you wanted
to hear, Mrs. Fletcher?

[Sighs] Well, it wasn't
much of a secret.

This morning, when I
was told about Sam, I...

I went home and I
had a hell of a cry.

I came back at, uh, lunchtime.
I thought I'd be all right.

Then I... played the tape on
the answering machine, and I...

H-Hearing his voice like
that... [Woman] Miss Horton!

Miss Horton, come
quick. The police, they're in

the locker room. They've
got a search warrant.

What?

Lieutenant, what's happened?

Check it out. What
right do you have?

This right, ma'am.
It's a warrant.

- We got a tip, Ms. Fletcher.
- A tip? From whom?

Feller didn't give his name.

That's not mine. I've
never seen that before.

Read her her rights and book
her. Murder one. Mrs. Fletcher.

It's all right, child. Lieutenant,
you're making a dreadful mistake.

Motive, opportunity
and now the means.

We'll let ballistics decide
if it's the murder weapon.

Well, of course it's
the murder weapon.

Whoever heard of framing
anyone with the wrong gun?

You wanna do what?
Are you crazy, son?

You can't arrange bail for
that man. He's too dangerous.

He'll be out on the
street quick enough, soon

as I get him acquitted.
All right, you do that.

Now, as I was sayin', Ms. Fletcher,
Dr. Sam was one of my best clients.

Fine man. I bailed him
outta four malpractice

suits before they
ever got to trial.

Uh, yes. We were discussing
bail for Jennie Wells.

Yes. Yes. Well,

you know, I'm not sure
that I can swing that.

The murder weapon was obviously
planted in her locker by the real killer.

It may be obvious to you, Ms.
Fletcher, but... [Buzzer Sounds]

Yes. [Woman] Dr. Kenyon's
here, sir. From the institute?

He says it's very important
he speak with you.

Have him come in.

Maybe a confession, hmm?

Uh, somehow I doubt that.

Mr. Porter, I'm Dr. Wesley Kenyon. We
met briefly at the hospital the other day.

Mrs. Fletcher. What
can I do for you, Doctor?

- I am here on behalf of Jennie Wells.
- Yes. Yes.

Well, as I was tellin' Ms.
Fletcher... I want you to

know that the hospital
stands behind her completely,

that we will be responsible
for any legal fees involved.

- Is that so?
- Dr. Kenyon,
that is a marvelous gesture.

Ellison should have come to
her aid immediately last night.

No harm done.

You do realize, of course, that this
might be a lengthy and expensive trial.

That, sir, is immaterial.

Like Mrs. Fletcher, I'm
convinced she's innocent.

Pleasure to take the case.

[Woman On P.A., Distant]
Dr. Baxter, please report to X-ray.

♪ The eyes of
Texas are upon you ♪

♪ All the livelong ♪
Gin.

[Woman On P.A., Distant]
Dr. Baxter, please report to X-ray.

Let me see.

♪ Dum, dee dum-dum ♪
Pigeon.

I thought you were
savin' jacks. Mm-mmm.

Who's winning? I'm killin' her.

[Chuckles] You're
killin' who, Buster?

You. [Chuckles] Just
deal. Deal, will ya, dear?

Mmm. My goodness. $6.80.
You two are certainly high rollers.

Well, it's not the money.
It's just the principle.

Um, she plays a mean game.

Why, thank you,
Barney. [Giggles]

[Chuckles]

- How'd it go with Perry Mason?
- He's going to take the case,
and the hospital is going to foot the bill.

- Hi. Would anyone
care for something?
- Oh, I'd love some tea.

Coffee, sugar. Nice and
black. Make it a double.

Uh, give her a carrot
juice, and I'll have the same.

I'm beginning to
like that stuff. I think

your little old brain
is goin ‘soft, Barney.

And you’re tryin' to kill
yourself with caffeine.

And I thought we were gonna go
to Hong Kong in a month? Uh-huh.

Hong Kong? Oh,
is that an invitation?

Well, of course it is, woman. But if
you’re not gonna take care of yourself...

Well, if you're gonna keep up with
me, Barney, you gotta go some... Oh.

Jessica? Jessica, where you
goin'? Excuse me just a moment.

Think it was somethin'
we said? [Mutters]

Yes. This is Mrs. Jessica Fletcher. I'd
like to talk to Lieutenant Jenkins, please.

Well, I'm sorry. I don't
care how or why he is

tied up. I have to talk
with him immediately.

[Jenkins] I'm askin' you
again, Doctor. Is this your gun?

Are you crazy? I told you no. I don't
even own a gun. You're a liar, Ellison.

You told me you kept a
gun in your car. I told you a

lot of things, Kenyon...
none of them necessarily true.

Lieutenant, what is
the point of all this?

I got a tip about this gun,
counselor. Lieutenant...

Ms. Fletcher. What
are you doing?

Questioning Dr. Ellison
about the murder weapon.

But why are you
questioning Dr. Ellison?

- Did you trace the gun to him?
- Well, no, but...

Oh, this is ridiculous.
Lieutenant, may I

please have private
words with you? Excuse us.

[Jessica] Lieutenant,
what do you use for brains?

[Jenkins] Now, wait a
minute. The gun was your idea.

You said it was Dr. Ellison's. I said, I
heard Dr. Ellison kept a gun in his car.

I didn't say this was his.

Well, you sure gave
me that impression. Well,

did you run a trace
on a possible permit?

Did you check gun registries throughout
the state? Ma'am, I know my job.

- Do you? I wonder. You
know the F. B. I. has a central

file... [Continues] - She
seemed like such a sweet old gal.

You can't always tell
a cake by the icing.

- Doctor, what is this all about?
- I haven't the vaguest idea.

Whatever it is, I'll say
this: That lady's got spunk.

Why, thank you, Mr. Porter.

Well, now, wait a damn minute. What? All
right, Lieutenant. You can come out now.

[Jessica, On Speaker] This is
not the Old West, Lieutenant.

And despite what you may
think, you are not Wyatt Earp.

[Jenkins, On Speaker] Nobody
asked you to butt into this.

[Jessica] No?

- Well, as I recall, you did, Lieutenant.
- [Voices On Speaker Stop]

Marge, am I wrong, or did we witness
a scene similar to this two nights ago...

when Dr. Garver was killed?

- Yes, we did.
- I don't know what you're trying to prove
with all this hocus-pocus, but, um...

Only that one or both of you could
be in two places at the same time.

As for the proof that
you killed Dr. Garver,

- I'm afraid we have you to thank
for that, Dr. Kenyon.
- Me?

The morning after the killing,
on orders from Dr. Garver,

you switched Sadie Winthrop from coffee
to carrot juice. [No Audible Dialogue]

Nurse Horton didn't play that
message tape until lunchtime.

There's only one way you could
have known about those orders...

If you had still
been at the house...

when he dictated them at the
phone just before he was killed.

Now, look... But you must
have killed him before 1 1:00.

Someone else had to go to
his house, set off the alarm,

fire the pistol to establish
the false time of death,

which happened to coincide with that very
public argument behind those closed doors.

What can you tell us
about that, Dr. Ellison?

[Sighs] God. Ellison, shut up.

I knew it would fall apart. I
never should have listened to you.

They haven't got
a thing. Don't they?

It was his idea, but
I went along with it.

Why don't you tell
us what happened?

[Ellison Narrating] Kenyon said
good-bye to Dr. Sam at the party,

but he didn't leave.

After everybody else was
gone, he went to the den.

Dr. Sam was on the
phone. When he hung up,

Kenyon shot him with my
gun. [No Audible Gunfire]

Then he dragged the
body into the entryway.

He got the front door keys
out of Dr. Sam's pocket,

and dumped the body into the
pool so that the heated water

would make the time of
death difficult to figure out.

He set the alarm
and he left the house.

When he got back to the hospital,
we staged a fight going into the office.

We played a tape with a prerecorded
argument. Then I slipped out the back way.

I went to Dr. Sam's
house... it's only five

minutes from here...
unlocked the front door.

That set the alarm off. I tossed the keys
inside, then fired a shot into the air.

[No Audible Gunshot]

I came in the same way I left. Then I
walked out of the office after Kenyon.

[Quietly] That's it. Not quite.

You planted that gun in Jennie's
locker... after she became a suspect.

We had to nail down the case against
her. W-We knew the gun couldn't be traced.

It was another one of those brilliant
ideas from Mr. Ivy League here.

It was a good idea, only I had
to share it with an idiot like you!

[Jenkins] Boys,
boys, boys, boys!

Take it easy.

Someone might get the idea
that... you two don't like each other.

Boy, I am so glad that you
were here to help me. [Chuckles]

Um, do you know why they
did it? Simple survival, Jennie.

One of them was about
to be replaced, his career

destroyed. They decided to
put aside their differences...

and get Dr. Sam before
he got one of them.

And pin it on me.
Only after the fact.

You were a convenient scapegoat.

Well, I don't know how
I'm ever gonna be able to

thank you. By continuing
in your chosen career.

Nursing can use
many more like you.

Oh. By the way, will you
write and let me know how the

lovebirds are getting along?
Ah. Sadie and Barney. Will do.

[Chuckles] Bye-bye, and
thanks. Bye-bye. Thank you.

[Porter] Ms. Fletcher. Oh, dear.

Good mornin'.

Why, you are lookin'
radiant today. [Chuckles]

Mmm. Mr. Porter, I was delighted to hear
that Harold Endicott's case was settled.

Settled? Hell, they
gave up, thanks to you.

They couldn't face
my big gun. [Laughs]

I sure am disappointed you
won't let me take on that airport.

You know, I could get
you a couple of hundred

thousand easy. Oh,
I'm sure you could.

No, maybe not. Might
not have the time.

Took on a new case
just last night. Oh.

Two doctors accused of
premeditated murder of their employer...

Overbearin' tyrant of a man.

You mean, um... Yeah.
That's right. Kenyon and Ellison.

That's silly. You
can't win that case.

Ma'am, I don't make
a career of losin'.

Now, if you'll just allow
me to get you to the

airport... Oh, thanks.
I have a taxi waiting.

Good-bye, Mr. Porter.
"Good-bye"?

Ms. Fletcher, is that all
you've got to say to me...

after all we've been
through... "Good-bye"?

There is one other thing...

See you in court.