Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996): Season 10, Episode 4 - The Phantom Killer - full transcript

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.

Now, get out!

Try your extortion tactics on this one,
and Ben Forman is history around here.

Murdered in his bathtub.
By electrocution, no less.

My God, that was brilliant.

I'm going to spend as
much as it takes to bury you.

Consider yourself fortunate, Hans.
He's being uncharacteristically gentle.

I was home alone at
the time of the murder.

I hope that's true.

Hey, listen, wuss. If I want to hear
anything from you, I'll ask you, all right?

What I'd like to do is put
a contract out on Forman.



And then you reread
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Why, you stupid little...

The worst thing that'll happen is
he'll have us taken out and shot.

Look, Carter, you see the numbers
your way, I see the numbers my way.

Yeah, I know, I know.

But, look, Kane's offer is not
gonna stay on the table forever.

And it's an insult. We are not gonna
be new kids on the block much longer.

Advertising dollars
are up, circulation...

Inching. Dean, the bankers, their
smoke detectors are whistling a big N-O.

Yes?

Gary Mannion on line 1.

Oh, how did I get so lucky?

Look, Carter, you're the one
who thought it would be neat

to get into magazine
publishing, right?



Yeah.

Did I or did I not warn
you of all the realities

long before you ever
wrote out a check?

Yeah. Right.

So if the bankers are not
going to write us a new loan,

you're gonna have to dip
into that trust fund again, okay?

Now, come on, I got
a lot of work to do.

What, Mannion?

Upon my soul, the
man's warmth is exceeded

only by his eagerness
to hear my voice.

Oh, please, get to the point.

I'm calling to find out how Ben
Forman did with the J.B. Fletcher piece.

How conscientious. He didn't.

Say what?

What I'm saying is, if he screws
up again, I will never hire him again.

And I'll probably never hire
one of your writers again.

I'll talk to him.

Please do, because
I'd rather not.

The truth is if that young
neurotic wasn't such a good writer,

and if he wasn't represented

by the biggest pain in the neck
in town, he couldn't get arrested.

Okay, one more word
and I'll pull him off the story!

Just remind him our
deadline's Friday, 3:00 p.m.,

and I'm holding you
responsible. Thank you.

Agents.

No, no, no. We have to
do something with her hair.

We'll have to
re-shoot. Then re-shoot.

And I hate this headline.

I want something sexier, something
that reaches out, pulls you in.

Okay, but the Goldberg story...

Ellen, it'll have
to wait. I'm late.

Mr. Forman, is there
something I can help you with?

Oh, I had these notes, you
know, from my research that I did.

Oh, of course. Yeah.
A list of questions.

Wait. Here. Is this
what you're looking for?

Oh, yes, yes. Thank you.

Uh, so, you were saying?

Oh, yeah, what
was it? Oh, oh, yes,

that puzzles and books, I
think, are really what led me to...

Excuse me, Mrs. Fletcher, this
thing doesn't seem to be recording.

Could it be the batteries?

Yes. That must be it. I have a fresh
set right here. It'll only take a minute.

Hold everything.
I'll be right back.

Oh, God, I don't
believe this is happening.

I think we'll have
to make this a...

You know, I'll just
take it longhand.

Okay. Now, my next question is,

how long does it take you from
the time that you get an idea

to the finished novel?

Ben, I'm afraid I'm going to
have to leave for my meeting.

Oh, right. How's
your time tomorrow?

Crowded. I have meetings
all day, all over town.

Well, maybe I could
tag along with you?

Well, if you like. I
suppose so, sure.

That'd be great. I get some
of my best profiles that way.

You know, on the
run, a lot of energy.

Oh!

My father insisted that I
never had anything to prove.

Well, if he insisted, he certainly
did it when I was well out of earshot.

Well, perhaps you
weren't listening.

Don't waste your breath,
Jessica. It's a lost cause.

Okay, okay, okay.

Anyway, I'm very grateful that
you're allowing us to do this profile.

Well, I wish I was as
convinced as you are

that your readers are going
to find it that interesting.

Anyway, Ben Forman, no problem.

In fact, I find him a delight.

I have to run, darling. Three
photo shoots and a looping session.

Dean, stop. I'm
flavor of the month.

Goodbye, Jessica.

Have a good day, Kathryn.

She's a lovely
young woman, Dean.

Jessica.

I'm much more interested
in what you're not saying.

Mr. Richards. Ah!
And Mrs. Fletcher.

It's been a long time.

Yes, it has, Mr. Kane.

Well, I trust that Carter
managed to convey

the extremely temporary
nature of my offer.

Mr. Kane, you're more than welcome
to withdraw your offer anytime you'd like.

You're making a serious mistake.

Look, Kane, even if
the money wasn't a joke,

even if I was on the
brink of financial obscurity,

I would never let Follies
fall into your hands.

Well, allow me to
sweeten the pot for you.

If you don't agree to sell me the magazine
in 48 hours under my current terms,

you have my promise, I'll put you out
of business before the end of the year.

Have a nice lunch.

And the most disgusting thing

is that he just may have the
financial wherewithal to do it.

I take it your experience with
him wasn't such a pleasant one?

Last year, without
my permission,

he shopped one of my books
to all the studios and networks.

Let me guess, and he didn't
have an option for the movie rights.

So by the time a legitimate
producer wanted it,

it was regarded
as damaged goods.

Oh, Mr. Kane, such
a fine gentleman.

"Very well, then.

"You have my permission to
leave anytime you're ready."

Uh, "Fine. Then I'll just
throw my things in a bag

"and I'll be out of
here in an hour."

"Fifteen minutes
would be better."

Preferable. "Fifteen
minutes would be preferable."

Oh, God!

I really hope I get this one.

Well, if you don't, they're crazy,
because you're perfect for this.

Thanks.

You know, I bet if I had a killer agent
like you do, I would be a big star by now.

Well, at least a
working actress.

I mean, not that you aren't a
really good writer, or anything...

It's okay. I know
what you mean, Abby.

You know, I really wish that
he wouldn't smoke these things.

Oh, you know, it's funny
that you should say that,

because when he
was here last night,

I was thinking of saying
something to him about it.

Ben, do you suppose...

I mean, would he consider ever
branching out from just handling writers

and maybe take on
someone, you know, like me?

It won't hurt to ask.

The worst thing that'll happen is
he'll have us taken out and shot.

Geez, Abby, what
the hell are you doing?

I've been calling your
place for like an hour.

Oh, I'm sorry. We
were just reading lines.

How did your audition go?

Oh, hey, Doris, listen,
is Gary... It went great.

They said that they're
probably gonna give me a call...

Hi, Gary, it's Ben. Ben Forman.

Uh, listen,

I was wondering if you'd be able to
take the time to meet with Abby Peters.

She's that actress that I've been
telling you about. She's really terrific.

I really think that you...

You will? That's great!

That is really great!

Yes, I will have the Fletcher
piece done by tomorrow.

All right, Gary. Thank you.

He said that you should call him this
afternoon and set up an appointment.

Oh, Ben, that is so hot!

Hey, come on, you're gonna
be late for your audition.

You know, I just hope you
know your lines, for a change.

She's been working really hard.

Hey, listen, wuss. If I want to hear
anything from you, I'll ask you, all right?

Look, Dave, just
leave him alone.

Come on, let's go, Abby.

Good luck.

Bye, Ben.

Yes?

Oh. How are you, Mr. Kane?

Wonderful. Listen, but not as
wonderful as that screenplay of yours.

You're kidding! No.

I think we can get
Squeegee made.

Oh, wow, Mr. Kane...

Harrison, please, please.

Can I talk to you as
a friend here, Ben?

Uh, sure.

Good, 'cause, well, I
have a favor to ask you.

I wonder if you'd have a word
with that SOB agent of yours. Hmm?

Maybe slip him
some reasonable pills?

Uh, you know, Mr. Kane, you're
putting me in a very awkward position.

Okay. Hey, suit yourself.

I just wanted to hear
from your own lips

that you were gonna take a hike

if I didn't come up with
$100,000 for the option.

Wow, he's asking for that much?

Ooh. Demanding.
Issuing ultimatums.

Well, I'll see what I can do.

Listen, Mr... Harrison.
I got a favor to ask you.

I'm listening.

The role of Paula.

There's this actress I know, she's
really terrific. Her name is Abby Peters.

Yeah. Well, look,
have her give me a call.

You really don't care whether
you get this role or not, do you?

Not really, no.

Is there anything that
you really care about?

I mean, passionately, deeply?

Well, I have this cat.

She looks into my soul, and
I into hers. I care about her.

How long ago did you
start writing mysteries?

Fourteen years ago,
as a matter of fact.

Of course, that was back when I
was still teaching high school English.

You see, I read about this
murder in Bar Harbor, and I...

Oh, dear, Ben. Look, I've got 10
minutes to get to my publisher's.

Thank you. I have everything
I need. I love working...

Here's a cab.

This has really been
absolutely terrific, Jessica.

Well, it's been
great fun for me, too.

And I just hope that it
measures up to your expectations.

Oh, God! I'm sorry.

It's all right.
Listen, don't forget,

I want to see the copy
before you send it into Follies.

Absolutely, yes. Thank you.

Thank you.

Oh, and, Ben, at the risk
of raining on your parade,

a word of advice
about Harrison Kane.

I suggest that you keep a
very close eye on your script

and on your wallet.

And that your agent
does the same.

I don't know where the hell you
would hear that, Mannion, but it's a lie.

I would never shop a property
I don't own the rights to.

That's not what I heard, pal.

A cashier's check for
the optioned dollars.

A hundred thousand of them,
on my desk by noon tomorrow.

Mannion... And,

if you try to sell that
script without a deal,

both Ben Forman
and I will sue you

for every cent you're
ever gonna be worth.

Look, if you'd give me a...
And another thing, Kane.

About this young
actress, Abby Peters.

You pull any of your famous
scope and grope on the lady,

and we're gonna rewrite
the definition of trouble.

Harrison, I'm asking you as a
friend, please don't pull your offer.

Oh, what is this,
good cop, bad cop?

I warned you not to
play games with me.

No, and I told you
that's not how I operate.

Now, look, just give
me another day or two,

and I promise you, I'm
certain I can turn Dean around.

Oh, well, you're
too late, Carter.

You can keep your magazine.
I'm already onto plan B.

I'm gonna spend as much as
it takes to bury you, and Follies.

And your terminally
short-sighted partner.

Now, get out.

And you can give
him a message for me.

Tell him not to mess
with Harrison Kane.

Energy, energy.
Come on, Kathryn!

Give it some life,
for God's sake!

I'm trying.

The hell you are. The whole
day you haven't been with me.

Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Hans, cut her some slack.

She's gotten more
than she deserves.

And you haven't been any help.
She's had zero concentration.

You know, Hans, I think you're
overstepping... Dean, stay out of it.

Okay, okay, okay. Why don't
we just call it quits, all right?

- That's a wrap.
- That's a wrap.

Why don't you and I go dive
into a nice cool drink. Hmm?

All right, everybody.
Makeup, 9:00 a.m. sharp.

And, Dean, do me a
favor, stay at the office.

Hans, do me a favor. The
Malibu pictures, I'd like them.

Couple of days. End of
the week, at the latest.

No, no, no, no. 10:00,
my desk, tomorrow.

And I hope they're
a hell of a lot better

than that crap you
gave us last month.

You're joking?
You're not joking.

That was some of my finest work.

Consider yourself fortunate, Hans.
He's being uncharacteristically gentle.

I heard from a
very reliable source

that Harrison Kane's
finances are in the dumper.

We're talking a
complete meltdown.

I can't say I'm surprised.

He always struck me as a phony.

Well, that's because you're much
more perceptive than most people.

And while Follies is
hardly out of the woods,

at least we won't have Harrison
Kane kicking us around anymore, hmm?

Good night, darling. It'll go
better tomorrow, I promise.

Listen, I'm sorry I had
to move our appointment

to such a late
hour, Miss Peters,

but it's just been one
of those days, you know.

Business meetings
and phone calls and...

Oh, Mr. Kane, really, this
has been such a day for me.

First Mr. Mannion agrees to represent
me, and then he gets you to meet with me.

Well, I'm the one
who's impressed.

For the role of Paula?

Of course, yeah. Nobody's
got a lock on that yet, but...

I'm also impressed with that very
appealing, special quality that you have.

You've got that,
that fire in the belly.

You know, that hot, hot thing
that actresses need to have.

And you've got
it. You got the fire.

Unfortunately, you've also got that
lowlife Gary Mannion representing you.

Not that that has to be
a deal breaker. It's just...

Let's not talk about it. Let's
not let that spoil our night.

I've got room service,
dinner for two, candlelight.

Mr. Kane. Well, I
am very disappointed.

Oh, for God's sake, what
do you think this is, the '50s?

No, but you must.

You know, I may
be awfully naive,

but I thought this sort of thing
went out of style about then.

Why, you stupid little...

Good evening, sir.

No!

Oh, my God.

Come on!

West 9th Street, 427.

Abby!

Room service.

Mr. Kane?

Mr. Kane?

Mr. Kane?

Mr. Kane, are you...

Oh, my God!

Yep, room service
waiter found him.

Murdered in his bathtub. By electrocution,
no less. Hair dryer, probably.

Oh, how dreadful.

I thought there were safeguards
against that sort of thing.

The power was supposed
to shut down automatically.

The hotel is in violation
of the electrical code.

Anyhow, since Dean Richards claims that
the last time he saw Harrison Kane alive

was a couple of days ago, when
you were having lunch with him,

I'd appreciate a statement.

Well, of course.

Plus, your name, address and phone
number turned up in Kane's book.

And Richards says even you
weren't that fond of this guy.

Yes, we had less than
positive business dealings.

Look, Jessica. I know that
this is not the best time for this,

but could we do
this a little quickly?

Doris made reservations
at a resort in the Catskills,

and I'm supposed to
pick her up in a few hours.

Well, that sounds lovely.

Yeah, she really is
looking forward to it.

We're meeting another couple up
there. Her best friend from college.

The thing is, her husband is about
as interesting as a TV test pattern.

Listen. Lieutenant
Gelber, excuse me.

Jessica, I think I better go
home and plug these changes in

so that I can get the
new pages over to Follies.

Hold it.

Mr. Forman, I now remember
where I saw your name before.

Yeah, yeah, here it is.

Right in Harrison
Kane's little black book.

Why don't you just hang
out for a few minutes

while I get a statement
from you, too?

Oh, yeah, sure.

Are there any suspects, Artie?

Outside of maybe half the people
in Los Angeles and Manhattan.

This guy has been
accused of everything,

from sexual harassment,
to bunko, to grand theft.

Apparently, Mr. Kane
had a visitor last night.

Someone with a taste for
expensive cigars and straight bourbon.

We haven't ID'd him as yet.

We'll run it in
three or four pieces.

Sounds moderately interesting.

Moderately interesting? Mannion,
please, this is a major assignment.

This kid'll get so much
material, he'll get a book out of it.

It's gonna be one of those long
pieces, like in the New Yorker.

Just don't expect to buy him for the
kind of mini-bucks you've been paying.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, pal.

Try your extortion tactics on this one,
and Ben Forman is history around here.

And that's assuming he doesn't blow
his deadline on the Jessica Fletcher piece,

which is in 53 minutes.

Richards, when you're ready to treat
Ben with the respect he deserves, call me.

That pencil-neck, high-handed,
pretentious... You know, that is it.

That's the last time I deal
with him or Ben Forman.

That's what you said last month.

I heard you.

Okay. Look, Carter, I have a
magazine to get out, so if you would be...

Dean, we might not
have it much longer.

Alive, at least, Kane looked
like a possible source of revenue.

Now the bankers
really won't talk to us.

They just want
their loans repaid.

Okay, okay.

Look, I have a couple
of leads on some money

that'll get us through
to the next payroll.

I hope that's true.

And I hope we're
not in a lot deeper

trouble than we were
yesterday at this time.

Doris, not to worry.
I'll be there by 5:00.

And then we'll be off to the
mountains with Lorraine and Ernie and...

If I can get off this
phone right now.

Yeah, me, too. Muah-muah.

Ernie. The man hasn't
stopped talking since the flood.

Listen, Jessica, I am so
sorry to drag you up here,

but we found this manuscript
in Harrison Kane's hotel suite.

It's got no title page, but,

well, your fingerprints
are on a lot of the pages...

Artie, by any chance does
the opening sentence read,

"Danny Carvaggio opened
the dead man's wallet

"and realized that he was staring at
more money than he'd ever seen"?

You wrote this.

Yes. And Mr. Kane shopped it all
over Hollywood without my authorization.

Excuse me, Mrs. Fletcher.

Lieutenant, to bring you up to
speed on the Kane homicide,

there's still a bunch of prints
we haven't been able to ID.

Plus, I still can't seem to
locate this Gary Mannion.

Henderson, come on. He's
got to have a phone, an office...

Yes, sir. Locked up tight.

His machine says he's
in Boston for a few days,

but he'll be checking
for messages.

I've left about five of them
and contacted the Boston PD.

Well, good, good. What
about his residence?

No listing for him in the five
boroughs or surrounding counties.

Yeah, well, then
check the airlines.

Okay. One other thing, we still
haven't found a mate to Kane's room key.

Hotel desk insists they always issue
two of them when the people check in.

Well, keep looking.

Anyway, there've been
several phone calls

from this Mannion to the
victim in the last couple of days.

And according to
Kane's appointment book,

they were supposed to have a
breakfast meeting this morning,

only Kane wasn't quite up to it.

I just hope to hell this doesn't
interfere with the weekend.

Doris is gonna kill me.

You know, Artie, you might
speak to Dean Richards.

He's had plenty of
dealings with Mannion.

Or for that matter, Ben Forman.

I mean, after all,
Mannion's his agent.

I'm sure he'd be able
to help you locate him.

We're a couple of steps ahead
of you on that one, Jessica.

Ben provided this.

Got his license in California as
a literary agent three years ago.

Signatory to the Writers Guild
and Dramatists Guild contracts.

By the way, you wouldn't
know him, would you?

Oh, I don't think so, no.

Listen, Jessica,

I hope you don't think I meant anything
by that business with the manuscript. I...

Of course not, Artie. You
were only doing your job.

And for what it's worth, I was
home alone at the time of the murder.

Well, why should you be any different
than anybody else who has a beef with Kane?

There is not an alibi in the bunch that
will float any better than the Titanic.

Honest, Carter, I haven't
come up with anything.

The hell you haven't. You've got the
hots for him, so you're protecting him.

That's not true. Yeah, right.

Ellen, listen, I wasn't
born five minutes ago.

Now, you said you could find
out who Dean's been talking to

and what kind of deals he's
been making behind my back.

Now, I expect information,
not pangs of conscience.

Okay.

You're right, my
heart hasn't been in it.

Yes, I was bitter about Kathryn
Scofield, but this is the end.

Even if you tell Dean, even if it costs
me my job, I'm not spying on him anymore.

So you are covering up for him?

You know something, Carter?

Maybe you ought to
think about spending some

of that money of yours
on a good psychiatrist.

Hello. DEAN: Have you seen Ben?

I haven't received
his piece yet.

You haven't?

No, I haven't, and we were supposed
to go to press over an hour ago.

But I went over the pages
with Ben this morning.

It was all done, except
for a few minor changes.

Minor changes, major
changes, I haven't seen bubkes.

And to make matters worse, the
police were here looking for him.

Look, Dean, can't you just kill
the story and remake the pages?

It's impossible. It's billboarded on
the cover, which we've already printed.

You know, what I'd like to do

is put a contract out on Forman,

and his agent, who hasn't got
the guts to meet me face to face.

And you know what? I'd
probably get away with it,

because between the two of them,

it would barely add up
to killing an entire person.

Dean, I'm afraid I have
to make another call.

Please let me know
if you hear anything.

Yes, I will, Jessica.
And you, me?

Yes. Yes, I will.

Business office.
How may I help you?

Yes, this is the office of
Gary Mannion, 555-6700.

There seems to be some sort
of discrepancy in our phone bill.

Area code 212? That's right.

I believe that we're being charged for
a service that we've never requested.

Call forwarding?

Well, we show your
calls being forwarded.

Really?

Yes, to 555-7688.

Yes, well, thank
you. You're welcome.

Yes, I'll speak to
Mr. Mannion about it.

Okay.

Look, I'm just
not sure, that's all.

I'll let you know later.

What, after you find out if
that wimp writer is available?

Dave, look, I'm just not
feeling too terrific, okay?

That's who you were
out with last night, isn't it?

God, you know, Abby, I can't believe
that you're buying into his whole act.

Mr. Mannion?

Mr. Mannion's not in?

No. And I just spoke
with him a half hour ago.

I should have taken
him at his word.

He said I could mail these,
my pictures and credits.

I just didn't want to wait.

What is this? Everybody in
Manhattan wants to talk to Mannion?

I have a couple of questions
I'd like to ask him, yes.

Yeah, not as many
as I would. Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Oh, by the way, we traced those
cigars we found at the murder scene.

They're Mannion's.
We ran his credit cards.

Orders them by the box. Eight
bucks per smoke, if you can believe it.

There you go, Lieutenant.

Henderson, let me
ask you something.

You ever get caught flat-footed?

You know, when you weren't prepared
for a situation before it happened?

In the second
grade, I think it was.

Yeah, I figured. You can give
me the details some other time.

Looks like Mannion's our
man. Ugh, smells like it, too.

Okay, okay, we'll get
Forensics down here ASAP.

So let's don't touch anything.

Ten will get you 75, Mannion's
prints will match the ones

that are all over
the murder weapon.

And I'll put out an APB.

Uh, excuse me, Artie. It might
be a good idea to call the airline.

We did that.

Well, if you don't mind me saying so, it
might not be a bad idea to call them again.

Hold it, Jerry.

I'm not sure I'm
getting your drift.

Okay, okay, I'm telling you,

I hear one more word of abuse
about Ben, one more insult,

and I'll never let him near that
crummy magazine of yours again.

Now, look here, Richards, relax!

Yes, now, you listen to me,
chum. Ben Forman is one...

Is the finest young
writer I've ever seen.

Yes, and as far as his
being a wimp or dishonest,

you, sir, don't know
the first thing about him.

You, sir, don't even have enough
class to crank up his computer.

It finally just added up, Ben.

I made a guess that you forwarded
Gary Mannion's phone calls

to an unlisted number
in your apartment.

And when none of
the airlines showed

any reservations in
Mr. Mannion's name,

Mrs. Fletcher said
we should try yours.

Midtown traffic
this time of the day,

you wouldn't have made
it to the airport, anyway.

Well, it worked for a while.
- Yeah.

Mr. Forman,

I'm placing you under arrest
for the murder of Harrison Kane.

Those first couple of years, they
were really tough, Jessica, you know?

Being shy didn't help.

Oh, I know, the rejections. It really helps
to grow a thick layer of elephant hide.

Tell me. The editors, if
they would talk to me at all,

they would ask me
if I had an agent.

I would say no,
and they would say,

"Well, we really don't
want to see your work

"unless it comes from an agent."

And then the agents would say,
"Call me when you've sold something."

It made me nuts.

And then you reread
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

That's where it came from.

I created Gary Mannion to
be everything that I wasn't.

Sophisticated, arrogant, tough.

The guy in the photo.

My Uncle Max.

Anyway, little by little, it
began to work, and he...

I began to get me assignments.
That was the good part.

I suspect I saw some of
the bad a little while ago.

Yeah. When people didn't
like me or my work or both,

Gary Mannion would have to
listen to them dump all over me.

It wasn't a lot of fun.

Anyway, none of that
matters much anymore.

Okay. I'm afraid to tell you,

we matched your prints
against the liquor glass,

the bourbon bottle
and the murder weapon.

The hair dryer?

So you may as well
give us a confession.

But, Artie, what
about the motive?

A beauty. Kane was peddling
Mr. Forman's screenplay...

Without owning the rights to it?

You got it, Jessica. Besides
which, we have eyewitnesses

that place Ben at Kane's door
around the time of the murder.

Ben, for what it's worth,

I urge you not to talk to anybody
until you've spoken to your attorney.

Thank you, Mrs. Fletcher,
but there's no point.

Lieutenant, I'm ready
to sign a confession.

Hey, with that charade he
pulled, that phantom agent and all,

any halfway competent lawyer

should be able to get him off
with a diminished-capacity plea.

Aw, Jessica, come on, he did it.

Look, Artie, I
can't believe that.

Jessica, I have to be on the
thruway with Doris in an hour

or my marriage is in the
dumper, so please don't start in.

Now, listen to me, Artie. I mean,
this just doesn't make any sense.

I mean, why would Ben plant
evidence pointing to Gary Mannion

when he knows it would
come right back to him?

He told us why, he's
trying to buy more time.

Well, then why didn't
he leave town last night?

No, I'm sorry, but that
can't be the reason.

But I think I have an
idea what might be.

Doris, you had to tell me, "Artie,
don't retire. It'll make you meshugge."

You do look sensational today.

Darling, why am I getting the feeling
that you're finally coming to the point?

Because I am.

Do you remember that interim
financing that I was so sure of?

Mmm-hmm.

Well, it isn't going to happen.

And the bank is
going to pull the plug.

How much are we talking about?

Oh, just 20,000.

Kathryn, I hate asking you,

and I may not be able to pay you back
for six months, maybe a year, maybe...

Excuse me. Hi, Miss Scofield.

Dean, I just want you to know that
we went to press five minutes ago

with Ben Forman's profile
of J.B. Fletcher in place.

Oh, that's wonderful.

And, by the way,
it's awfully good.

Well, I better be getting back.

Uh, thank you, Ellen.

I'll think about it.

The truth is, Ben is in a great
deal of trouble, Miss Peters.

Look, Mrs. Fletcher,
no offense, right,

but she doesn't have
time for this right now.

What he means is...

What I mean is, that you
gotta learn this role for tonight.

Oh, it's only a
walk-on, Mrs. Fletcher.

Yes, it's only a walk-on, but it
could lead to something important.

Mr. Wolski, this happens
to be very important,

and I promise it will
only take a moment.

I just want to know if your interview
last night was with Harrison Kane.

Wait, wait, that
producer that got killed?

No, Mrs. Fletcher.

Now, Abby, are you denying it

because you're afraid you'll
be accused of killing Mr. Kane?

I have a hunch that Ben
Forman believes that you did it.

Ben thinks that?

Would he have any reason to
think that? Perhaps self-defense?

Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Time out, here.

What the hell are you
talking about, Mrs. Fletcher?

I'm talking about the
reason Ben seems so

willing to admit that
he killed Harrison Kane,

and why he planted evidence
implicating Gary Mannion.

To protect Abby.

Oh, come on, this
is completely crazy.

Look, like I told you
before, we don't...

Dave, stop!

Is there somewhere
that we could...

Why don't we sit down?

Very well.

Now, why would
Ben try to protect me?

I could be mistaken, Abby,

but I have a feeling that Ben
cares a great deal about you.

Were you in Harrison
Kane's hotel suite last night?

Carter, you scared
the hell out of me.

The pictures, Hans.

I haven't got them.

Don't jerk me around,
Hans. I want what I paid for.

And I hope to God for once you
remember that you weren't paid for art,

only for shots of Kathryn Scofield
in the sack with Harrison Kane.

Now, come on, give
them to me, Hans.

It's important that I show them to
Dean before he does something stupid,

like commit to the lady.

Oh, come on, Hans, face it,
you're a whore just like she is.

That's precisely the
way they made me feel.

Which is why I burned
them. Now, get out!

The shouting, the loud noises. He
was coming after you, wasn't he?

Well, it got kind of scary, but, Ben,
he was alive when I ran out of there.

Ben, Abby is telling the truth.

But it couldn't have been five minutes
after you left that I found him dead.

Look, it was so sweet
of you to... All of this...

I had no idea that
you felt this way.

Mrs. Fletcher picked
up on it just like that.

But I guess maybe because I was
so caught up in trying to make it...

Hey, Abby.

In case you hadn't noticed, I'm
not all that terrific at this myself.

Listen, I'm sorry that I lied to you,
you know, about Gary Mannion.

Ben, my God, that was brilliant.

Ben, try to describe
what you remember

after you entered
Mr. Kane's suite.

Well, that won't
be too difficult.

It's not something
I'm ever gonna forget.

Uh, Mr. Kane? Mr. Kane?

I called out his name,
and there was no answer.

All I could think of
was letting him know

what I thought of him
for hitting on Abby.

By the time I got
to the bathroom,

I was ready to tell him he
couldn't have my script, either.

Then I found him.
I was panicked.

All I kept thinking was
that Abby had killed

him, and that I had
to cover up for her.

That's when I decided to
blame it on Gary Mannion.

So you cleaned up any evidence
that Abby had been there.

Yeah. Her pictures,
any fingerprints.

And I left as many of Gary...

Of my own, as I could.

You know, like
on the hair dryer.

And on the bourbon
bottle and the glass?

Yeah.

One thing I'm not gonna miss
is smoking those cigars of his.

I finally broke loose
and shoved him away

and just ran out of the
hotel and took a taxi home.

Nothing else?

That's about all
of it, Lieutenant.

I have to admit,
that's a hell of a story.

We always knew there
was a mystery woman.

We just never knew who she was.

Miss Peters absolutely fits the
description of several of the eyewitnesses

who saw her running
out of the hotel.

Jessica, I can't tell
you how happy I am

that you convinced
her to come forward.

Well, believe me, Artie, I wasn't
all that sure it would work out.

And I figure in two minutes from
now, when we fingerprint you,

we're gonna come up with a match
for the only yet unidentified print

in the victim's suite.

And then we'll be able to
nail the case on Ben Forman.

But... You told him
what Kane did to you.

Forman goes up there to avenge
your honor and kills the guy.

And my Doris doesn't
do the same to me.

Did I tell you, Doris? I'll
pick you up in 22 minutes.

Good. Ciao.

Gelber. Jessica, I can't
talk to you right now.

You want me to what?
Run a financial check?

And meet me at Abby
Peters' apartment.

Jessica!

Oh, and you can ask Abby a
couple of questions before you leave.

Jessica, the case is closed.
Besides which, Doris...

What we need to
know for starters is

would she happen to
be personally acquainted

with a photographer
named Hans Dietrich?

Artie, I promise
this won't take long.

It can't take long.

Here.

Here it is. So?

Well, look at the mailing label.

So, it's addressed to the
photographer. Jessica, I don't get it.

Well, don't you see? Abby told you
that she didn't know this Dietrich fellow.

Yeah, right, she claims she picked
this up in Harrison Kane's hotel room.

Look, Kane can't tell us
where he got it, obviously.

Not that it would make much
of a difference. It means nothing.

No, Artie, it means
that we can prove

that neither Ben Forman nor
Abby Peters murdered Mr. Kane.

I'm just amazed how the advanced
copies turned the bankers around.

Well, I'm so pleased
for you, Dean.

And another 90 days
to pay off our loans.

This means we are
almost out of the woods.

Well, I can't believe that my presence
in Follies had anything to do with that.

Well, not by itself, obviously,

but, Jessica, you really do
underestimate the public's interest in you.

You represent
something very special.

I hope you're right about Ben's
innocence. And the young woman's.

I am so sorry I missed dinner. The ad
agency people couldn't make up their minds,

so we kept shooting
take after take.

Jessica, thank you for
keeping him entertained.

Oh, it was my pleasure, Kathryn.

Look, as I was saying, Abby's
the one that I'm really worried about.

I mean, the evidence is
really piling up against her,

and the police now feel that
robbery may have been the motive.

Robbery?

Well, it's all a little vague.

But, according to
my friend in Homicide,

they're planning to go over Abby's
apartment very, very carefully tomorrow,

and they expect to
find some of the items

that apparently were missing
from Mr. Kane's hotel suite.

At any rate, I hope you two
have a lovely time this evening.

I wish you could
join us at the theater.

Oh, forget about it.
She is a driven woman.

She can't bear to be
away from her computer.

If we hurry, we just
may make the curtain.

Jessica, what are
you doing here?

I think you know what, Kathryn.
You murdered Harrison Kane.

That's ridiculous.

Well, then perhaps you
can explain why you're here?

I thought that I had forgotten
something the last time I was here.

You've never been
here before, Kathryn.

But you forgot
something, all right.

The magazine you took
from Hans Dietrich's studio

and inadvertently
left in Mr. Kane's suite.

And later, Miss Peters
borrowed the magazine from Kane

and brought it home with her.

That doesn't mean
that I murdered anyone.

Maybe not by itself, but that
magazine alone isn't the only thing

that can prove you
were in Mr. Kane's suite.

We kind of leaned on
your pal, Mr. Dietrich.

It seems he took some pretty intimate
photographs of you and Mr. Kane.

Also, the fact that you bought
the story that I told Dean

obviously jogged your
memory about the magazine,

and you realized it could
be traced to Hans Dietrich,

and then, of course, back to you,
so you came down here to retrieve it.

And that should be enough
to convince a jury of your guilt.

Plus, I expect when we search
your belongings, Miss Scofield,

we'll find the missing key that gave
you access to the victim's hotel rooms.

I killed him.

Doris, Doris, 30 minutes, okay?

We'll be up there in time for a nightcap
with Lorraine and what's his name.

Ernie, right. Anyway, gotta go.

Excuse the interruption.
Go on, Jessica.

As I was saying, Lieutenant
Gelber ran a check on your finances.

And he discovered the
money I'd advanced to Harrison.

Half a million dollars.

Some parts of town, those
are still considered big bucks.

I was hoping it
would help ensure

getting his movie
off the ground.

With you as the female lead?

I wanted a new life.

Something more challenging
than modeling the latest eye shadow

or the newest lip gloss.

That got old a long time ago.

I forgot that damn magazine
after Harrison and I had made love.

But then you
discovered that he was

insolvent, that he was
all smoke and mirrors.

Not only wouldn't I
have a new career,

I would never see
my money again.

I felt used, betrayed
and swindled.

So, last night, you went
up to his suite and killed him.

He was out.

I let myself in
with the other key

and cleaned up anything I could think
of that might have indicated I was there.

Except that you
forgot the magazine.

Then when I heard him coming in
with someone else, I hid in a closet.

It was that little actress.

Abby Peters.

From where I was hiding, I saw
her put the magazine in her bag.

I didn't think it would matter.

Anyway, a few
minutes later, he made a

clumsy pass at her,
and she was out of there.

Then I heard him
filling the bathtub.

Mr. Kane?

Jessica, I still don't understand
how you knew about the magazine.

Well, when I realized that you'd worked
with that photographer, Hans Dietrich,

I recalled having
seen the mailing label

on the magazine in Abby's
apartment with his name on it,

and I asked Lieutenant Gelber to ask
her if she knew him or where she'd got it.

She never heard of the
guy, but she remembered

taking the magazine
from Kane's room.

We checked Kane's
appointment book.

He never met with Dietrich.

And then it became a question of how
did the magazine get into Mr. Kane's suite?

It seemed possible that it
might have been from you.

That's when we ran a
search on your bank records

and found those big
withdrawals from the mutual funds

and the checks
you wrote to Kane.

I was counting on
a couple of things.

First, that you'd seen
Abby take the magazine,

and second, that
you'd buy my story

about the police intending
to search her apartment.

It worked.

I knew I had to retrieve it. It
had my fingerprints all over it.

I don't regret killing
Harrison Kane. Not at all.

He was a pig.

Oh, that's wonderful, Richie.

Will you have them
come right up? Thanks.

That must have been
awfully painful for you, Dean.

I'm glad that you're
taking it so well.

Oh, please, please, it could have been
much worse. I could have married her.

Jessica, you not only caught the
murderer, but you saved me from myself,

and for that, I am
forever in your debt.

Good. I'll let you know
when I'm ready to collect.

Well, actually, I was hoping
you would accept partial payment

by having dinner with
Ellen Harper and me.

Well, how nice. Thank you.

Ah, Abby, Ben. Come on in. Hi.

Hi, Jessica. Hi, Dean.

Look, we can only stay a minute.

We're going on sort
of a working vacation.

Sounds interesting.

He just got this terrific
assignment from Follies.

Mmm-hmm. And try to get
it in on time, for a change.

Hey, oh, and Abby's going
to be doing this great role,

a real plum, at this little
theater in Connecticut.

Oh, well, I certainly hope that Gary
Mannion isn't negotiating your deal.

We've severed that relationship.

Ben is my manager now.

Oh, and you should hear him on the phone,
Mrs. Fletcher. He is a regular killer.

Yeah.