Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996): Season 1, Episode 6 - Hit, Run and Homicide - full transcript

[Woman] Tonight on
Murder, She Wrote.

What's going on around here? I
get chased down by a driverless car.

- My partner gets killed.
- [Screams]

You certainly can't
let that get around.

He's a very kind,
very gentle man.

- But neither of us
want to see him end up in jail.
- Maybe I'm a schizoid. A Jekyll and Hyde.

- Why don't you ease off on the speed
until you get the hang of it?
- I got it.

Jessica!

[Seagull Squawking]

[Bell Ringing] Daniel!

[Groans] Jessica, what are you
doing? You nearly ran into me.



- Don't you have that
a little bit backwards?
- I guess I do.

Do you always ride with your head
down, watching the front wheel?

I wasn't watching the front
wheel. I was watching this.

What in the world is that?

A device I rigged up so you can
monitor yourself while you ride.

The handle of the bike gives me
my blood pressure and my pulse rate.

It also tells me
how fast I'm going.

Well, since it now says
you're doing 22 miles an hour,

I assume it's not
working properly.

I guess it isn't.

Well, now that we've
bumped into each other almost,

are you coming to the
Founders Day picnic?

Hasn't Founders Day come and gone?
Yeah, last week. But we were rained out.

I thought that
year went by fast.



Well, you're always buried
in that workshop of yours.

Come on to the picnic
and relax for the day.

I'd like to, but I can't.
Besides, I've got a houseguest.

All the better. Now you
can both hear my speech.

Speech? You're not
running for office? Hardly.

I have to wax eloquent about
Cabot Cove founding fathers.

I don't know how I'm
gonna do it, Daniel.

It's going to be so
embarrassing to tell the truth.

[Chattering]

[Man] Come on. Let's
go. [Man #2] Let's go.

[Man] Get some wood on it.

[Cheering] It's a lucky hit.

Well, how does this sound? "Captain
Joshua Wayne, a free-spirited adventurer...

who seized opportunities
wherever he could find them."

Jessica, he was a pirate.

Well, I'm trying to
state that as delicately

as I can. Oh, you
don't have to do that.

We've always been very proud of old
Captain Wayne and his Yankee gumption.

And nobody cares that he fought on the side
of the British in the Revolutionary War?

He didn't. He
most certainly did.

Jessica, you certainly
can't let that get around.

[Yelling]

Help me. Stop it. Stop that car.

[Gasping]

[Yelling]

Help! Please, someone help!

[Grunts]

I'm telling you, Amos. There was
nobody behind the wheel of that car.

Ethan, how many
six-packs did you put away?

Are you sayin' I was
drunk? In a word, yes.

Well, what about everybody else who was out
there? Do you think everybody was drunk?

Mass hysteria. I know
all about it. I'll bet you do.

And I suppose Ms. Fletcher
also saw this car had no driver.

No, Jessie was too far away. But I told
her all about it. Yeah, I'll bet you did.

If you'll excuse me,
Ethan, I'm goin' into that

hospital and find out
what really happened.

I just told...

I came up from Boston to
visit with an old friend of mine,

Daniel O'Brien.

Ouch! What the hell
are you doin' back there?

I'm making adjustments so
you'll receive proper traction.

Where did you learn your
technique? On the rack?

Mr. Woodley, your X-rays
show that nothing is broken.

But as long as you have pain, we'll do
everything we can do to make it better.

Right. I'll check in
on you later. Right.

Now, you say you came up
to visit Daniel O'Brien, hmm?

That's right.

He used to work for
me. That is, my company.

Wompco Electronics.

He called to invite me and
my partner up to visit with him.

My partner's due in tomorrow.

And when you got to Daniel's?

He wasn't there.

By the time I realized
it, my cab was gone.

Some kid told me that
there was a picnic going on,

and I had to walk all
the way down there.

Hmm. Nice little
town you got here.

We like it.

Where the hell is Daniel anyway?

Hasn't anybody told him
that I'm being held hostage...

in the hospital of this
quaint little village?

Mr. Woodley, one
other thing. Uh, what?

The car that almost hit you... Did
you happen to get a look at the driver?

No, no, no, no, no, no. I was too busy
running to notice anything, but, uh...

But what?

Well, you... You... You're
gonna think I'm crazy,

and maybe I am,

but the only time I really
got a look at it, I could have...

I could have sworn that
nobody was driving it.

[Doorbell Rings]

Yes? You must be Daniel's
houseguest. I'm Jessica Fletcher.

Oh, yes. You're the author.

Daniel told me about
you. I'm Katie Simmons.

Oh. Yes, Daniel's
out at the workshop.

Working on a new
device. Yes. Don't I know.

I used to work with
Daniel. Oh, really?

Oh, yes. Uh-huh.
Is, um, that for me?

I'm sorry. Local custom.

Thank you very
much. You're welcome.

I'll put it in the
refrigerator. All right.

And then we'll go
out in back. Good.

Tony. Mrs. Fletcher.

I didn't know you were in town.

We just got in a few
days ago. I'm showing this

beautiful lady off to
my uncle. Leslie Andler.

How do you do? How do you do?

Leslie, Jessica Fletcher, Cabot
Cove's one and only celebrity.

Only because the publishers persist in
putting authors' faces on the dust jacket.

I've read your books. They're great.
It's such a pleasure to meet you.

Thank you. We're going
to get along famously.

In that case, uh, why don't
we invite her to the wedding?

Wedding? Tony, how
wonderful. Congratulations!

Thanks. Thank you. Tony's been
showing me off like a new sedan.

Yes. Oops. Tony,
the time, honey.

Oh! Uh, Mrs. Fletcher,
we'd love to stay and

chat, but she has
appointments in Portland.

- She's gonna drop me off on the way.
- Well, you're welcome to
use my car anytime.

Ah. That's okay. Thanks, Katie.

Did you ever hear the one about
the traveling saleslady? That's me.

I'm trying to cram in all my stops so
we can sneak off for a honeymoon.

You sure you don't want
to stay over in Portland?

I mean, a hundred miles round-trip's no fun
in summer traffic. It's part of the job.

- Are you staying here in town?
- Yeah, at the old Hansen place.

Oh. I hope we'll be
seeing more of you later.

You bet. Bye-bye.

Have a safe trip. Bye.

Thanks. Okay. Thank you.

Daniel.

Oh, hello.

Jessica, I think I found
the glitch in this thing.

Oh, good. I'd feel a lot
happier, though, if you'd

look up every now and
again when you're riding.

Well, what'd you think
of her? Oh, Leslie.

Yeah. Oh, she's
absolutely charming.

She sure is. My nephew met her a
month ago. A whirlwind courtship.

He'd better nail her down fast.

Well, that sure is
interesting advice.

Especially coming from the
country's original confirmed bachelor.

Me? I was never confirmed.
I just never found the time.

You just never found anyone who
would put up with a musty old scientist.

Did Katie tell you, Jess?

She came here to shanghai
me to Memphis, Tennessee.

- Wants to put me back behind a desk.
- It's a great opportunity.

I've had enough of those. Nothing's
gonna drive me out of this town.

OH? Jessica, maybe
you better tell him.

- Tell me what?
- Daniel,

something strange
happened today at the picnic.

A friend of yours was hurt.

- Friend? What friend?
- Charles Woodley.

Woodley? What's he
doing in Cabot Cove?

Well, he told Sheriff
Tupper that you had

invited him and his
partner to come up and visit.

Jessica, the only
thing I'd invite Woodley

and Merrill to would
be to a hanging party.

And only then if I had
charge of the ropes.

Excuse me. I need
some fresh air.

Well, what was all that about?

[Man] E... Excuse me. Pardon me.

Oh, good afternoon. Yes. Could
you tell me where I might find a taxi?

Oh, there are no taxis here.
They're down at the station.

People usually come
into town by train.

Well, my partner told me it'd be much
quicker if I came by a chartered boat.

Is that so? Well, you
might try old Pete.

He'll take you anyplace
you want to go for five bucks.

Well, where do I find old Pete?

- At the train station.
- Naturally.

Well, how far is that?

Oh, it's about two
miles. That way.

Where you goin'? The hospital.

Oh. That's only
a mile. That way.

Thank you very much.

[Engine Starts]

[Screams]

[Ethan] Jessica.

It's open, Ethan.

Jess, I'm sorry. I heard you working,
but I thought you'd want to know about it.

That fella from
Boston... he's dead.

Woodley?

No. His partner, Dean Merrill.

They found his body
by the side of the road.

He'd been hit by a car. The
same car from the picnic.

Nobody knows 'cause nobody
saw it, but a little while ago...

Ernie Tatum's kids saw that same
station wagon headin' north on...

Thank you... on the county road.

Were they sure?

Kids have a way of
remembering when they see a

car guzzlin' along with
no driver at the wheel.

Jess, I'm worried about Amos.

I think he's in over his head.
And you think he'd like some help.

Well, he sure is
clearing his throat a lot.

Clearing his throat? Come on,
woman. You play checkers with him.

Every time he doesn't know what
to do he starts to clear his throat.

I've never told him
about that little habit,

'cause I play
poker with him too.

Well, I'll do what I can, Ethan,
providing he wants me to help.

[Clears Throat]

Amos. Oh, good
afternoon, Ms. Fletcher.

Listen, I just heard about Mr. Merrill's
accident. What a terrible thing.

Yes, ma'am. I mean, any ideas
about who might be responsible?

[Clearing Throat] Well, no,
not yet, but we are workin' on it.

Oh. I suppose you're gonna ask Mr. Woodley
about his prior relationship with Daniel.

Oh, I already
talked to him once.

Yeah. And also why
he thinks that Daniel has

said that he didn't
invite him to Cabot Cove.

He didn't? No.

Well, I... I suppose it wouldn't
hurt to reconfirm some of the details.

I hear he's into electronics.
Mr. Woodley, I mean.

That's right. He's
got his own company.

Really? Well, I suppose
he'd be a perfect person...

to give you some expert insight.

Into what?

Uh, well, uh, being as
how he's in electronics,

he probably knows a
good deal about, um,

remote control,

which I'm sure
you figured out is...

the only way that a driverless
car could be operated.

Oh! Yes, yes, yes.

That was the other thing
I was gonna bring up.

Uh, look, Ms. Fletcher, if...

If you're not too busy, I...

I'd take no offense if
you'd care to join me.

What a fine idea.

Might be helpful
in your next book.

Indeed it might.
Thank you, Amos.

You've been loosening
your tension again. I have not.

Now, behave
yourself, Mr. Woodley.

This is good for you.

Ohh. That nurse and doctor,
they really enjoy their work.

Yeah. Uh, you were saying,
Mr. Woodley, about remote control cars.

The technology's been
around for many years.

Matter of fact, Daniel designed one
for me when he worked for my company.

Wait a minute.

Are you suggesting that he...

No, Daniel's always
been eccentric, but...

But I can't believe
he's gone totally insane.

And speaking of Daniel,
where the hell is he?

I'm afraid he's not coming.

He says he never invited you here...
In fact, that he never even called you.

Now that is crazy.

Sheriff, what's going
on around here?

I get chased down by a driverless
car. My partner gets killed.

You are quite certain
that it was a driverless car?

Are you accusing
me of something?

Oh, no. I wouldn't
dream of doing that.

Now, look, I guess we agree that
the car is the key to this whole thing,

and I'm gonna turn this
county upside down till I find it.

Come on, Ms. Fletcher. [Woman
On P.A.] Nurse Goldstein to Station 12.

Oh, no. Here comes
Little Mary Sunshine.

Ouch!

Whoops. [Chuckles] [Chuckles]

Remote-controlled cars?
Nothing new about that.

I designed one a
dozen years ago.

I got the plans in my
workshop someplace.

Yes, but what would a
car like that be used for?

Automotive testing, military
maneuvers, motion picture stunts.

And it would be a great boon for people
like you, Jess... people who don't drive.

You could get in your car,
program your destination,

and the computer
would take you there.

Sounds wonderful.

If a little far-fetched.

No, no. I remember
those designs.

It was a wonderful concept.

No more highway accidents.

This car had a built-in self-protection
system against collisions.

How come it never
happened? [Daniel] Cost.

That's what they always talk about.
As if human lives weren't worth a damn.

Ms. Fletcher, uh, anything
new on the investigation?

Oh, Sheriff Tupper's
exploring several possibilities.

Got out his old Ouija
board again, huh?

Now, Daniel,
Mr. Woodley is still insisting

that you called him
and invited him up here.

[Sighs] Jess, if I had, don't you
think I would've remembered it?

The man's a liar. That's
all. Come on. Let's eat.

All this talk about Woodley
is givin' me indigestion.

Uh, Letitia?

I know it's confidential
information, but you're going

to have to trust me. I need to
know those phone numbers.

Ah, you're a dear.

No, I'll hold.

Jessica, what is it? On the
phone you sounded upset.

I may be. It depends.
Where's Daniel?

Well, he... he's out in
back with Tony. Why?

In the past week, two phone calls
were made to Boston on Daniel's phone.

What? Wh-Where
did... How did you know?

Well, just a minute. Now,
the first one was 555-6641.

Well, that's Tony's
number at the bank.

And the other one was 555-9044.

Oh.

Oh.

That's Charles Woodley's
private office line.

Are you sure? Of
course I'm sure.

I used to work for
the man, remember?

I just can't believe it. Katie,

we don't know that
Daniel made the calls.

We only know that the calls
were made on his phone.

Can we be frank?
Well, yes, of course.

Why was Daniel
fired by Mr. Woodley?

Well,

they said that he was
wasting the company's money...

That his notions
were impractical.

They didn't want to
deal with the future.

And Daniel's mind
is all in the future.

Except they seem to
want to hire him again.

Oh, there's not a chance
he'd ever go back to Woodley.

You know, after they fired him,

they tried to keep
his plans and designs.

Daniel went crazy.

No, I... I don't mean crazy.

But he did. He got
very, very angry.

He hired a lawyer, and
it dragged on for months.

He won, but it cost
most of his savings.

So he had very good reason to
hate Mr. Woodley... and his partner.

Oh, no.

Daniel couldn't hurt anybody.

Jessica, you don't
know him like I do.

He's... He's a very
kind, very gentle man.

He's... [Daniel] Jessica, hello!

You're just in time to see
me test my latest invention.

Uh, Tony, go on over there.

One there and one by
the birdbath, okay? Right.

Well, what on earth is
that? Salvation for my roses.

If it works, you get
one for Christmas.

Uh, you see those rods?

Each one is a miniature
ultrahigh-efficiency amplifier,

controlled by this transmitter.

The ultrasonic sound should frighten
the aphids into somebody else's yard.

All set, Uncle Dan. Here we go!

Are we supposed
to hear something?

That's the beauty of it. To the
human ear it's absolutely silent.

[Dogs Barking]

[Jessica Laughs]

Oh, Daniel, I love
your invention,

but, uh, I think there's a
little room for improvement.

Yes, I guess it does
need some work.

[Jessica Laughing]

[Jessica] Are you sure
you had enough to eat?

Yes, thank you. I had a
huge lunch in Portland.

And you, Ethan... You've
had two helpings only today.

I am too worn out to eat. Oh.

I never spent a more
worthless afternoon in my life.

Amos had us chasin'
all over creation.

I've got so many bug bites, I
don't know where to start scratchin'.

Bugs didn't have any trouble
finding us, but we didn't spot that car.

Where did you
concentrate your search?

Concentrate? Oh,
that's a good one.

Amos was having fits
of divine inspiration.

We searched the woods
behind Miller's place twice.

Yeah. Then about 5:30, after six hours of
searching everywhere except the barbershop,

Amos finally tells us where he really
thinks the car is. You're gonna love this.

All right. Now the
day of the picnic, after

the car chased Woodley
across the ballpark,

the state police checked the
highways with a helicopter.

All right. They spotted
a large moving van...

heading north on Highway
27, toward Augusta...

Coffee, darling. Thanks, hon.

And Amos... Bless
his pointy little head...

Is convinced that the
car was hidden in that van.

That doesn't make any
sense because the next

day that very same
car ran down Mr. Merrill.

Maybe. Now, remember, Jessie,

there were no witnesses except the Tatum
kids, and they could've made a mistake.

I'm sorry, but I don't think the
car ever reached the highway.

Did you look around that stretch of
woods just east of the old Gentry farm?

Come on, Jessie. That
place is so overgrown you

couldn't hide a tricycle
in there, let alone a car.

No. If you jogged every morning
like I do, you'd learn something.

There are at least a dozen ways in
and out, if you know where to look.

Sheriff Tupper sure didn't.

I'll call him first thing
tomorrow morning.

The answer is no.

That's "no" with a capital N-O.

Heard you perfectly
well the first time, Amos.

Now, look here, Ms.
Fletcher, I am sorry,

but I am in no position to waste
any more taxpayers' money...

lookin' for some...
Some phantom car...

that could be halfway
to Newfoundland by now.

You and I know that that car was
not swallowed up in any moving van.

I don't know any such thing.

That car ran down Dean Merrill the
day after you claimed it was carted off.

We don't know that either.

Sheriff, think. Two
partners arrive from Boston...

to a tiny town they've
never seen before.

One of them is almost
run down by a car.

The next day the
other is run down.

Now, don't you think that's
more than just coincidence?

All I know is that my budget
is in desperate trouble,

and I don't plan to get
myself in the same condition.

Then you don't mind if I
look around on my own?

You go right
ahead, Ms. Fletcher.

And when you come
back after finding nothin',

you make sure you come straight here
and tell me what it is you didn't find.

I'll do that.

[Engine Starts]

Wasn't that Jessica
Fletcher drivin'?

A-yah.

[Horn Honks]

[Tires Squeal]

[Horn Honks]

Jessica!

[Horn Honking]

Jessica!

[Seagulls Squawking]

[Grunts]

[Engine Revving]

[Sighs] Oh, Jessie.
Are you all right?

And you wonder why I
don't drive a car. [Sighs]

Thank you, Ethan. You
sure you don't want some

hot tea or bouillon, hot
chocolate... somethin'?

No, it's just great.

I'm afraid, Ms.
Fletcher, that, uh,

remote control device
sounds an awful lot like

the one Woodley says
Daniel O'Brien invented.

Don't jump to conclusions, Amos.

I'm sure all these devices
operate on the same principle.

Maybe so.

But there's more.

We found these in the
back of the station wagon.

It's a bunch of letters
and designs and sketches.

And they all have Daniel
O'Brien's name on them.

I'm afraid, ma'am, I'm gonna
have to bring him in for questioning.

Daniel, I just want you to know
that I don't believe a word of this.

That's all right, Jessica.

Sheriff Tupper's
just doing his job.

Those designs have to
be in here somewhere.

Ah.

No.

Tony, when you and Leslie
left my house last night,

did you go straight
to your place?

No, no. As a matter of fact, we stopped
by and saw Uncle Daniel and Katie. Why?

Well, did you or Leslie
happen to mention my notion...

that the driverless car might have
been hidden at the old Gentry farm?

Yeah, we discussed it. Uh,
didn't think it was any secret. Hmm.

Ah, here we are.

Daniel, I'm sorry, but you're
going to have to come with me.

[Katie] What? Why?

I'm afraid, ma'am, that device in the
wagon looks exactly like these photographs.

[Tony] Sheriff, that
doesn't mean a thing.

[Tupper] Maybe. Maybe not.

We'll see.

Tony, what's going on?

The sheriff's taking my uncle
in for some questioning. Why?

Ah... Look, I'll explain later.

Tony.

I love your uncle.
You know that.

It's just that...

we've both noticed he's been
behaving rather strangely.

Well, he's always
been like that.

I still think you should arrange
to have someone examine him.

A psychiatrist? No,
that's not necessary.

Tony, I know you
love him very much.

Sometimes these
things just happen.

I don't really want to
talk about it right now.

How was your trip to
Portland? Marvelous.

Mmm? I wrote three orders...

and got propositioned by a gorgeous
hunk who runs a zipper factory.

Wow! [Chuckles] That's
the one order I didn't get.

You weren't too disappointed?

No. But he was.

It seems incredible that a
company should get rid of

a man like Daniel with
such vision and intelligence.

Well, it was because they
said he was wasting money.

Frankly, I think Woodley was
just trying to save his salary.

In my opinion, they
were just up against it.

And it was a partnership?

Fifty-fifty. Merrill provided the
money, Woodley ran the show.

And now that Merrill
is dead, what happens?

Woodley gets it all. Oh.

If there is anything. I see.

The rumor is the company
is in financial trouble,

despite the big
contract they just landed.

Strange the partners
should show up here in

Cabot Cove when
they're in financial difficulty.

You suppose
there's a connection?

I wonder.

[Daniel] I'll admit it,
Jessica. I am scared.

I never spent the
night in a jail before.

I don't recommend it.

I wish you wouldn't worry.

The sheriff doesn't have a case.

I keep wondering somehow if I
could have done it and not remember.

Maybe I'm a schizoid.
A Jekyll and Hyde.

I doubt that.

Katie told you about
my stay in a sanitarium.

For heaven's sakes,
Daniel, that was years ago.

A man who'd rather
frighten aphids than kill them?

You couldn't hurt anyone.

The lawyer Tony got wants me to
undergo a psychiatric examination.

I think he's laying the groundwork
for a plea of temporary insanity.

That is ridiculous.

It sounds as if he's
already given up.

No, no. Tony says
he's very good.

Is he good enough to
get you bailed out of here?

Oh, he and Katie promise
I'll be home for supper.

There's someone
who believes in you.

She always has.

Ms. Fletcher.

Oh. [Chuckles] Hello, Tony.

You got a problem
with the bike? Flat tire.

Here. Let me give
you a lift. Thanks.

Whoo. Let me get my purse.

Thanks.

Mrs. Fletcher, how's
my uncle holding up?

I know you just
saw him at the jail.

He's frightened. And
understandably so.

You know, Tony, he's not crazy.

I hope you're right.

The examination's just
a precaution. That's all.

It's just in case.

In case of what? That he's
indicted for murder? Yes.

Oh, but that's ridiculous.
Mrs. Fletcher, please.

It... It's... It's easy
for you to dismiss the

situation, but I'm the
one with the responsibility.

I'm his only living relative.
I'm gonna look out for him.

Look, uh, we... we gotta
get some gas. This gauge

has been acting up. I don't
know how much we have.

Leslie's been going
back and forth to Portland.

It'll just take a minute.

Okay.

[Bell Rings]

Well, good afternoon.

Fill her up for ya? Yeah, please,
would ya? And, uh, check the oil too.

Tony, what happens to your
uncle's estate if he should die?

I guess it goes to me... uh, what there is
of it. Wh-Which probably isn't very much.

All those patents and designs?

Surely it must be
worth a great deal.

Most likely. But he's already
told me he's got 'em earmarked

for the University of Maine,
which is his alma mater.

I guess he figures they'll
take good care of 'em.

Well, your oil's just fine.

The gas comes
to, uh, $7.08. Okay.

What's the matter? Oh, I
got something in my eye.

Do you have a tissue in
here? Yeah. Help yourself.

Thanks.

[Man] 7.08 out of 10. You
have yourself a good day now.

[Tony] All right. Thanks.

All better? Oh, much
better. [Chuckles]

Mrs. Fletcher, uh...

Jessica.

Uh, I know you hate the idea
that Uncle Daniel might be...

unbalanced,

but, uh, what I do know is that neither
of us want to see him end up in jail.

No, we don't.

Whatever happened to the
notion "innocent until proven guilty"?

He's on time. What a shame.

Chin up, Katie. It's not
as if I'm being committed.

Not yet.

[Car Door Opens, Closes]

Anything else?

Uh, I think that should do it.

Sure is a shame about Daniel.

Hard to believe. Though his bein' a
stranger and all, you never can tell.

A stranger? Cora, he's lived
in Cabot Cove for six years.

Wasn't born here.

[Ethan] Come on. Get out
of the way, you road hog.

Put in one of them arcade games.

Kids around here won't
leave it alone. [Ethan Yells]

Too noisy for my taste,
but every little bit helps.

[Yelling Continues]

[Ethan] Move over,
will ya? Move over!

Ethan. Oh, uh, hi, Jessica.

I was just tryin'
out the new game.

Yeah, looks like fun. It's a real
test of eye-to-hand coordination.

Ethan, you remember
that red and gray van...

that you saw on the road
when you were chasing me?

Huh? The red and gray van. You
remember the make and model?

Uh, yeah. Sure.

You know that same
van was also at the picnic?

I-Is that so?

I think it's possible...
no, probable...

That that driverless car
was operated from that van.

- Yeah, well, whatever you say.
- Ethan.

Jessie, look what you
made me go and do.

You shouldn't be wasting your
time playing a child's game anyway.

It isn't a child's
game. It's a test of skill.

Oh. Oh, well, if you think it's so
dad-burned easy, why don't you try it?

Oh, don't be silly. I
knew you'd say that.

I don't care how smart you are. You
are no match for this thing. I'm not, huh?

No. Lend me a quarter.

With pleasure.

[Coin Rattles] Try to
keep it out of the ditches.

[Tires Squealing]

Look out for the
rocks. I see it.

There's another car.

Hush up, Ethan. Maybe you
ought to try it a little slower.

Jessie... A little slower. You're
runnin' over everything except the road.

Why don't you ease off on the
speed until you get the hang of it?

I got it. What do
you mean you got it?

You just wiped out two
deer and a motorcycle.

Jessica, where are you going?
You still got 40 seconds left.

[Woman On Police
Radio, Indistinct]

Sheriff, what's going on here?

I'm about to reconstruct
what happened the day

of the picnic, and
Mr. Woodley has agreed to...

- Mr. Woodley? The man in the hospital?
- Oh, he's out now.

That's him over there with the
cane. He's agreed to help out.

[Tony] Help out how?
What am I doing here?

Well, we're gonna try and jog everybody's
recollection as to what happened.

And, uh, you bein'
Mr. O'Brien's nephew and all,

Ms. Fletcher thought it
might be best if you were here.

If you, uh, ask me, this
whole thing is kind of screwy.

But, uh, I don't argue with her
when she gets set on somethin'.

Excuse me. Mr. Woodley.

Ms. Fletcher, you really think
this is gonna prove anything?

Well, I'm not sure.

The sheriff thinks that he's got it all
worked out, and he wants to nail it down.

- [Tony] Nail down my uncle, you mean.
- Well, I'm afraid so.

The sheriff feels...
[Horn Honks]

Sheriff, behind you! Look out!

Stop! Stop it! Stop the car!

Please!

- Please. Someone help!
- God, it's gonna hit him.

Turn it off! Turn it off!

Stop it! Stop it!

Leslie!

All right, Ethan!

Oh! Oh, for God's sake!

Leslie!

[Sighs]

Tell me, Leslie, whatever made
you rush to this particular vehicle?

Well, I thought I could
drive it onto the field

and block that station
wagon before it hit anyone.

Well, why didn't you use your own
car? Because this one seemed bigger.

Well, it certainly is.
But I'm sure it doesn't

get the gas mileage
that your car does.

Gas mileage?

Yes. The mileage you got
on those trips to Portland.

$7.08.

Or did you go to Portland?

Well, of course I did.

Whom did you see? Customers.

And I'm sure you'll give Sheriff Tupper
their names when he asks for them.

What is this?

It doesn't wash, Leslie.

Yesterday I wondered why
Tony had to buy so little gas,

so I peeked at the
car rental agreement.

I saw the mileage
when you rented the car,

and I saw the current mileage.

And a little simple
subtraction...

told me that no way could
you have made those trips.

Well, I changed my
mind. I never went.

That's not what you told me.

Leslie, what's goin' on here?

Well, it was his idea.

He thought the whole thing
up. He forced me into it.

Leslie, keep your big mouth
shut! They don't have anything.

If you think I'm taking
the blame for this,

Charles, you're crazy!
If I go, you go too!

[Laughter]

I tell you, Jessica. When you asked me to
help out with that remote control gadget,

I thought you were
crazy. [Chuckles]

You know, it was that arcade
game that triggered the answer.

Arcade game? I kept crashing into
things, even when I slowed down.

Then the day at the picnic
flashed across my mind.

It was the speed of the
driverless car that bothered me.

I mean, Mr. Woodley managed
to stay ahead of it all the way...

from the outfield to home plate.

Now, I was in that
car, and it was fast.

I mean, if someone had really been
intent on running Mr. Woodley down,

he wouldn't have
reached second base.

And it was Leslie in the
van, controlling the car.

While Woodley was
conveniently laid up in a bed,

she did the dirty work.

- Well, why did they do it?
- Well, simple greed.

Mr. Woodley, being
the surviving partner,

would wind up with
the entire company.

With Daniel judged
insane for killing Merrill,

Tony would control the estate,
and Leslie would control Tony.

Mr. Woodley would have Daniel's
security screen all to himself.

Security screens? I came up with
that 10 years ago. It's not worth a damn.

Well, not then it wasn't, but
according to Woodley's confession,

it was the key to a multimillion-dollar
contract they'd just landed.

The simple way, of course,
would have been to kill you.

But then the university would
have inherited your designs.

Then it was Leslie who made
the phone call on Daniel's phone.

Yeah, what a hell of a
marriage that would've been.

Speaking of which,

may I offer a toast to
the two ladies in my life?

To the one who
just saved my life...

and to the other who's
been saving it for years,

only I was too
preoccupied to notice.

Well, if you will all
excuse me, I gotta go.

Go? Go where?
[Whispers] Mclntyre's.

Wait, Ethan. Hold up.

[Sighs]

I've made up my mind. I'm
not goin' to Memphis with you.

Oh.

But I'll move heaven and earth
to get you to stay on here with me.

I'm sorry to eat and run, Jess, but they're
having a tournament on that arcade game,

and since I am the
current record holder,

I feel obliged to
defend my title.

Well, dishes can wait.
Would you mind if I competed?

You?

It really would be kind of
a waste of a good quarter.

Well, maybe. But
I better warn you.

I've been practicing a little.

Practicing?

How much practicing?