Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996): Season 12, Episode 18 - Track of a Soldier - full transcript

On vacation in the Tetons, Jessica encounters jewel thieves and a man from her Army vet host's past.

Soldier!

Soldier, come on, boy!

Soldier!

Come on!

Come on, boy!

Let's go!

Soldier! Damn it,
Soldier, come on!

How many times
do I have to tell...

Thank you.

Why can't you stay put? Huh?

What'd you bring back
this time? Come here.



Soldier, sit. Sit, good dog.

Now, how many times do I...

Come here.

Oh, my God, you've been shot at.

Gosh! I can't
believe this scenery!

Isn't it just the greatest?

Hello, ladies. Welcome
to Starcrest Lodge.

Uh, Juan, uh, Ms. Bayers? Yes.

She'll be in room 201,
and Ms. Hastings? Yes.

In 215, Pete.

Pete? Oh! Right.

And, uh, Luisa, Mrs. Fletcher

will be in 203.

Enjoy your stay. Thank you!



I'm sorry.

I lost my earring under
the seat of the van.

Oh! Are you ever a
sight for sore eyes?

Oh! Same here, Ellen.

You know, it's been
five years. Yeah.

And the place looks
as wonderful as ever!

Oh, flattery will
get you everything!

Starcrest Lodge, Ellen speaking.

Mrs. Levering, if that's for
me I'll take it in the lounge.

Sit down, Harley.

J.B. Fletcher?

Uh, just a moment, I'll see.

Um, no, I'm sorry,
she hasn't arrived yet.

Uh-huh. Yes, all right. I'll give
her the message. Thank you.

Well, some heavyweight
at Hartley Publishing

is desperately seeking Jessica.

Thank you. I know
what it's about,

and it's less than
urgent, believe me!

Let me guess. You're here to
hibernate and work on a new book.

Oh, how I wish!

I haven't had a
fresh idea in weeks.

I didn't even bring my laptop,

thinking that if I just
refueled for a few days...

Well, you came
to the right place.

Why don't you go
on up? You're in 203.

I'll be up in a minute. Great.

It's not the market that's
haywire, Stevens, it's you.

Imperative, Harley.

Stay on top of Placo Electronics
until the market closes.

If it drops below 50,
buy a million more,

and spread it among the
retirement funds as usual.

Mr. Wainwright, Placo's
dropping like a stone.

We'll be putting thousands
of retirees' money at risk.

I didn't ask for an opinion.

Just do it.

Um, you wanted to
be reminded, um...

Mrs. Wainwright
called last evening.

Call Lois, see what she wants.

Tell her I'm out
riding or something.

You're good at
that sort of thing.

There's a fellow.

Oh, your dad's mementos. Yeah.

The knife.

It tells you something
about him, Jessica.

100% military. Mmm-hmm.

He told me one time he had
to kill an enemy hand to hand.

I don't know if I could do that.

Oh, that must be a
picture of your dog.

I've heard all sorts of things
about him and I'd like to meet him.

Oh, you will, you
can't miss him!

This is Lloyd Nichols. Leave
your message after the beep.

I really wanted to say
this to your face, creep.

But apparently you left town.

I want your things
out of my apartment.

I don't ever want
to see you again.

And don't try to reach
me, you can't find me.

It's over.

I hardly recognized Pete.

He's grown up into
such a nice young man.

Yeah, acquiring a grown stepson
proved to have its challenges.

Uh-huh. But we're
good friends now.

As far as your room
goes, you've got el primo.

Howard insisted on it.

Well, it's absolutely beautiful.

How is Howard?

Oh, he's handsome as
ever, bossy, and opinionated!

I still love him.

He, uh, he wants to
run for state senate.

Naturally, he's all
gung-ho about that.

And I take it that you're
not quite so gung-ho.

Maybe I'd like a time-out,
do some traveling.

He still gets the nightmares.

That's tough to handle.

But your brochure specifically
said that you had full security.

And a safe.

I'm very sorry, we're
installing a new one.

I thought it would be
here today and the...

Excuse me.

Uh, Starcrest Lodge.

Yes, one moment,
please. Mr. Foote.

Phone call for you.
I'll take it over here.

This is Harley Foote.
This is Dr. Mingler.

Hello, Dr. Mingler,
um, what... What...

Harley, I don't have
very good news.

The test results aren't good.

You still there?

Yes, I'm still here.

The tests were positive then?

Yes. You're sure?

Yes, I'm sure.

How long do I have?

I'd say a year, six months.

Thank you, Doctor.

I'm sorry.

Um, so am I.

Excuse me.

Are you all right?

You look a little green.

Thank you for asking, Mrs...

Greta.

You sure you're all right?

You look like you just
lost your best friend.

In a manner of
speaking, yes, I have.

I'm sorry.

Listen, Mr...

Foote, Harley Foote.

Harley!

Well, listen, you'd
feel a whole lot better

if you got out of
that suit and tie

and into some
fresh mountain air.

They say you can see the
whole world from the Tetons!

I'm not sure the whole
world is a top priority.

It's not my vacation
anyway, it's Mr. Wainwright's.

I'm here to work.

But for what?

Yeah.

Life's too darn short!

You don't know
the half of it, Greta.

The Tetons?

Do you suppose they have
a bungee jump up there?

Or skydiving?

I wouldn't even
need a parachute!

Whoa! Don't hurt yourself!

You're very kind.

Furthermore,

has anyone ever told you, you
have the most remarkable eyes?

Someone has now.

- Marla Hastings, please.
- One moment, please.

This is Marla.

Hey, I'm in Jackson.

Lloyd, thank God.

Mother, of course I'm all right.

I just needed a little
change of scene, that's all!

Has the lady arrived yet?

Yes.

Don't worry. Everything's
gonna be fine.

Okay, I'll talk to you
later. Uh-huh. Bye-bye.

Who the hell is Lloyd?

Lloyd? What Lloyd?

I was talking to my mother.

You don't know what
a worry-wart she is.

Housekeeping.

Oh, sorry, Miss Bayer, I
didn't know you were here.

I brought you some fresh
towels for the bathroom.

Oh, not just now.
Please come back later.

Sure.

Oh, I see you're gonna
need some ice, Ms. Bayer.

No!

I'd prefer that you'd
come back later.

Thank you.

Rancher McGrath woke
me up at 4:00 this morning.

Says he took a shot at a
black dog going after his sheep.

What makes McGrath
think it was Soldier?

As far as I know, Soldier
was inside all night.

Well, what's that
gouge on his shoulder?

Uh, he caught himself on a wire.

Sure. This is McGrath's
third complaint in a month.

I'm telling you, Pete,
he's gonna come up here

and settle it
himself with a gun.

Jed, give me a break!

You and I both know those
are coyotes and mountain lions

taking those sheep.
Soldier gets his food here.

I mean, the dog
has a right to roam.

The ranchers
helped to vote me in.

I've got a family to feed.

If it happens again,

I'll have to put
him down myself.

May I take your
bag, mister? Huh?

Oh, yeah, thanks.

Is that Howard Levering?

C.O. of the 505th
Special Forces Battalion?

Ah, you know the Colonel?

What's it to you?

Hey, Dad! Colonel!

Come on! Let's hear it!

Well, you want the
long version or the short?

All right, all right. Are
you declaring or not?

Well, the state party's
gonna stand by my platform.

Gentlemen, you are now looking

at the next state senator
from Teton County.

I'm gonna go tell Ellen! Ah!

This kid! Hey, what's up, Juan?

Are you acquainted
with a guy called Nichols?

You might've run
across him in the 505th?

Yeah, I know him.

Well, it must've been
after I retired out.

Something about him makes
me want to kick his butt.

Coming.

Lloyd!

Oh, you can't get away
from me that easy, lover.

You know, you left the plane
and the lodge reservations...

Oh! On the desk pad.

Brilliant!

So you're here
now, you can get out!

I never meant to hurt you,
sweetheart, you know that.

Let go of me!

I told you I never
want to see you again!

Oh, sorry to intrude, Greta,
isn't it time for happy hour?

Uh, right, we'd better hurry.

Um, she just changed
her plans, whoever you are.

Well, whoever you are, if you don't
take your hand off Greta this instant,

you'll be in more trouble
than you know how to handle.

Thanks, Jessica.

I guess I'm buying.

A win could put the Dukes in
their first professional playoff series.

Yes!

Dinner's on yours truly, ladies.

I just won $10,000.

10,000, are you crazy?

What do you know
about basketball, anyway?

Greta, you look a little
tired. Come for a walk.

You'll sleep like a baby.

Sure, Harley!

Did you make that call to Lois?

What about the buys I
asked you to execute?

Excuse me. Greta.

I have never seen him like this.

Is that the Greta Bayer?

The woman who
married... Arnie Kravitz.

He died a year after
they were married.

Now, I remember.

He won the Meladora diamond
off the Sultan of someplace or other.

Then he gave it to her
as a wedding present.

No wonder Harley
is so moonstruck.

Come on, guys!

Jessica, look who's here!

Oh! Howard, how
great to see you!

Oh, it's good to see you, too.

Just couldn't stay away
from the mountains, eh?

No. It is so beautiful.

Well, Jess, we've got a
lot of catching up to do here.

Colonel Levering. How you doing?

You know, I still have trouble
sleeping nights. How about you?

Oh, Colonel, I understand
you're running for office.

You gonna let the good people
of Wyoming in on our little secret?

Huh?

Dad, who is that creep?

205's got a leaky faucet,
it needs some fixing.

I want you out of
here by morning.

No charge, but out.

No charge? Well, hot damn!

You're forgetting
one thing, Colonel.

I don't take orders
from you anymore.

You mind telling me
what you're doing here?

I'm vacationing.

And if you're wondering, I would've
paid money not to run into you.

Well, it cuts both ways.

Neither one of us could
change what happened.

Now, if you've come
here looking for money or...

Oh, what? You're
gonna buy me off?

What? Are you thinking
about your voters?

Or maybe it's that pretty
little wife of yours, and that kid.

They know from nothing, right?

If you go near either one
of them... You'll do what?

They are gonna know, Colonel.

Everybody is going to know

exactly what's underneath
all of those ribbons of yours.

A brainless coward who sent
my brother screaming downriver...

No! Come on! Come on!

Do me the favor!

Don't press it, Mr. Nichols,

unless you think you
can take on the both of us.

Juan, about a year
after you left the Battalion

there was this incident.

I don't want to know, Colonel.

He's just a
troublemaker, that's all.

Look at it this way, Greta,

not many people have the great
memories that you and I have.

Did you ever,

you know, find another
guy after Frank?

To be perfectly honest,
no one ever measured up.

Hmm.

Maybe I'm just trying too hard.

There was this one guy

and, boy, did you ever take
a piece out of him yesterday!

Mr. Nichols?

Oh, Greta, I felt that he
was a very troubled man.

Mmm.

And this dummy let
him move in with her!

He never had a job,

borrowed, and never paid back,

if we argued, I paid
for it with a black eye.

Oh!

Well, I'm heading into town.

I hear they've got
some great shops.

Oh, yes! Do I remember!

Well, have a good time.

I'm gonna stay here and
spend a little time with Ellen.

Okay.

Housekeeping.

Soldier, what a grand
dog you are! I love you, too!

Oh, what's this?
Oh, he's a collector.

Anything in the woods with a
human scent he brings it back

like it's a gift
from the almighty.

Pete!

I just got another call from the
Sheriff. Now, I've asked you...

Dad, Jed is way off base.

Look, you get in control of him

or that dog is out of
here. You understand?

Or even worse, Jed's
gonna handle it his own way.

Now, I've got a lot bigger
problems than a dog!

What, are you gonna
let him kill Soldier?

I apologize,
Jess. It's just, uh...

You handle it.

Scotch, rocks.

I don't know what
the hell she did with it.

It's still gotta be up in
her room someplace.

Lloyd, I cannot spend
another night with Arthur.

I should've thought of that.

The maid with the ice tray!

What maid?

Would you please talk sense?

Once in New York, we
were late for this show,

she couldn't remember
the combination to the safe.

I can't go back up there now.

All right, look,
whatever it takes,

I need you to keep her out
of her room tonight, okay?

And if I'm right about this, we're
gonna leave right on schedule.

No problem.

I'll find a way, but
give me my ticket now.

If we miss each other, we'll
meet at the plane, okay?

Safe and sound, lover.

You just remember
what you gotta do

and where you
gotta be, and when.

Lloyd! Let go of my arm.

Halloween's the end
of October, Harley.

I think he looks macho!

I've been on the pipe
to New York all morning.

You didn't buy the
Placo I asked you to!

Why don't you grab us a table
for lunch? I'll be right there.

Yeah, sure.

No, I didn't.

The stock tanked yesterday.

I saved the retirement
funds over $122 million.

But you wiped me out!

Call your wife, mend some
fences. You'll need her money.

If only to support
your current lifestyle.

You're fired, Harley!

Too late, I resigned yesterday
morning at precisely 11:03.

Have a nice day.

Mrs. Fletcher,

I wanted to apologize about
what happened here yesterday.

I guess I'm just
having a tough time

getting Greta out of my system.

You've certainly made
a good friend there.

Uh, you seem to have a
point to make, Mr. Nichols.

Well, just that,

she's probably saying
a lot of things about me

and none of them good,
and none of them true.

So, I think it might be best if
you just keep your nose out of it.

Well, that sounds
vaguely like a threat.

And since we're
leveling with each other,

I'm concerned that you have

some sort of axe to grind
with Howard. Exactly what is it?

Well, why don't you ask
the Colonel about that, okay?

Ask him about what went
down on the Warsatch River

six years ago.

Warsatch?

I do seem to remember something.

I saw it after he moved up
here, after we got married.

It's somewhere in here
with all this old army stuff.

Oh, here. This is
it. Yeah, that's it.

January, 1990.

Special Forces enlistee
drowned in the Warsatch River

on maneuvers yesterday.

The deceased...

Ellen, his name was
Private Timothy Nichols.

Jessica, could I
please have that?

Howard, this Nichols
fellow's strange behavior

was worrying me, and I...

I understand, Jess.

You see, it was

one of those situations
where the line blurred

between what maybe could
have been done and wasn't.

Howard, you don't
have to explain...

No, I want to, I want to.

Able Company was
ordered to attack

across the Warsatch River.

Baker Company was playing the
enemy on the other side of the bank.

Now, the rain was coming down, it
was coming down hard, in buckets.

The river was rising and that,
right there, is where we lost...

That's where we
lost Nichols' brother.

Nichols accused
me of dereliction.

And then he claimed there was
a cover-up among the officers.

Oh, Howard.

No, Ellen, he would like nothing
better than to dredge this thing up

during the campaign and that would
eat us up alive, do you understand?

Oh, my sweet wife.

Let's do it your way, huh?

I see no alternative
than to withdraw.

Howard, no! Not on his terms!

Dad!

Ellen's right. You have
never wimped out in your life.

What are you doing it now?

Look, you stay out of
this! You understand?

Hell, yes, I understand.
No, you don't!

You back out now,
what's gonna stop him

from telling all the
folks about it anyway?

Pete.

You think I messed
that up, Jess?

Howard, you left out
the most important detail,

whether or not there
really was a cover-up.

There's a new movie
in Jackson tonight.

I hear it's a very
entertaining picture.

It got one thumb up
and one thumb down.

Which thumb are we to believe?

Well, Prelutsky gave it
three on a scale of one to ten.

Ooh!

Let's see if Jessica
wants to join us.

Oh, I'm sure she will.

Oh, great, well, then we'll
just meet here at 8:00 sharp.

Great. Uh, Mr. Foote,
phone call for you.

This is Harley Foote.

What time?

I'll be there.

Is something wrong?

I, uh, have to pass on the movie
tonight. Something's come up.

Boy, was that a long movie.

Your clock is slow,
Ellen. It's 12:15.

Oh, that's all I needed to hear!

Did I miss anything, girls?

Discounting bare butts,
explosions, and body count.

It was terrible, terrible.

Three thumbs down, Ellen.
You didn't miss a thing!

Good night. Good night.

Good night.

Today's been a brute,
Jess. Forgive me if I turn in.

Oh, of course! And sleep well.

I'm gonna read for a while.

Good night. Good night.

Party chairman has
an attitude, Colonel.

Doesn't drink,
doesn't like boozers.

Well, the party bosses,
they can all take a flying...

This man's army, we would've
fixed Nichols' wagon good.

You know that.

He'd have taken the
header down a flight of stairs.

Wouldn't be walking
too good for a while.

Assault and battery

isn't exactly on my
platform, Sergeant Major.

Noncoms don't have platforms.

You're gonna run, Colonel.

Might not look that way now,

but you're gonna run.

Marla?

Marla?

A local kid found the body
about 6:00 this morning,

stabbed in the back with
a broad-bladed weapon,

which has not been located yet.

Now, the M.E. can't be
too accurate, but guesses

that death occurred
sometime after 1:00 a.m.

Now, what I need from
all of you is to know

where you were and what you
knew about Mr. Nichols' plans

for the evening.

Now, Howard, there's
some talk that Nichols had

some sort of a grudge going on.

Was there anyone
amongst your guests

or your staff who
may've had it in for him?

Jed, let's stop the game, okay?

Now, you know damn well by now

that Nichols and I
were army together.

Jed, it could've been
practically anybody!

I mean, come on,
the guy was a creep!

Sheriff, uh, you said that his
pockets were turned inside out?

Yes, but if you're
thinking robbery,

his wallet and his
cash were still intact

along with an airline ticket that would've
taken somebody all the way to Rio

by tomorrow morning. Oh.

But his room was
booked till Friday, Sheriff.

Well, something sure
as hell changed his mind.

I can tell you
what it is, Sheriff.

My diamond, it's gone.

Oh, Greta. SHERIFF: Diamond?
What diamond? How valuable?

Oh, it's not just the value.

Well, I understand that it's
worth well over two million dollars.

Two...

Lady, are you telling me you
kept a rock that size in your room?

I thought I had it hidden in a place
where no one would think to look for it.

Are you sure that it was there
when we left for the movies?

Yes.

But when we got
back it was just so late,

I guess I was so tired
I forgot to check to see

if it was still in the ice tray.

You put a two million
dollar diamond in an ice tray?

Mmm-hmm. You had it insured?

Oh, boy, I do not relish the
thought of making that phone call.

Well, look, they're gonna
want a robbery report.

And your personal statement.

It's best if you
come into the station.

Uh, I have a tour going in, Jed.

I'll run Ms. Bayer over.

Only, uh, your people
will have to bring her back.

I'll be on the
mountain till 3:00.

Thanks, Juan.

Uh, Sheriff, is it okay
if I go along with you?

Um, I have a couple of errands.

Yeah, sure. Thank you.

Ellen, I talked to every one
of your guests except for one,

a Mr. Harley Foote.

Mr. Foote left shortly
after dinner last night.

He wasn't here for breakfast,

but his room is booked
for another week.

Right.

Uh, wait a minute.

You take care of the
self-service refrigerators,

is that right?

Like refilling the ice trays?

I didn't steal it, if that's
what you're asking.

Hmm.

Thank you, ma'am.

Seeing the damn
thing is not stealing it!

Now you have your
work to do, Luisa.

Do it and let the
police do theirs!

I'll fax your statement to
the insurance company

along with my robbery report.

The judge gave us a blanket
warrant to search every room

at the Starcrest Lodge,
for what good it'll do.

If it was me, I'd have it on me.

Sheriff, you said that someone
went through Mr. Nichols' pockets.

The alternatives that I see are,

one, someone caught on to
the fact that Nichols planned

to steal the diamond,
waited... And killed him for it.

Two, someone else
got to the ice cube tray

and the murder had nothing
whatever to do with the diamond.

In which case... Mrs. Fletcher,

I know you've had some
experience in these things,

but didn't you say you had
one or two errands to run?

Yes, yes, I do. Yes, I
really ought to be off.

Greta? Freddy!

I want that murder weapon.
You keep the boys on it, okay?

I want an A.P.B.
on a Harley Foote.

Thirty-five, 5'9", driving
a white Ford rental.

Yes, sir. The weapon. Of course!

Mrs. Fletcher...

Last night, when I
was on my way to bed,

the combat knife was missing
from the weapon's cabinet.

But just before we
left this morning,

it was back in its place!

Harley, where've you been?

Greta, I don't ask you to
understand, but I'm leaving tonight.

No!

You're not going anywhere
until you tell me what's wrong.

Yesterday, I told
you I was dying.

And if you remember,

we said that whatever
time you had left,

we would spend it together.

And now I regret saying that.

Greta, I went to a doctor
in Cheyenne this morning.

He told me that my
doctor in New York

had made a critical
error in his diagnosis.

There's nothing wrong with me

that a few pills and the
right diet won't correct.

Oh, Harley! Well,
that's incredible!

Please, please, let me finish.

Yesterday on the mountain
when I told you my secret,

you actually cried for me.

I cried for myself for
what I'd missed in life.

I was this drudge,
always obedient,

never taking a risk, never allowing
someone like you into my life.

This morning, I realized that
your feelings came out of pity,

and mine out of a
dying man's selfish need.

You dope!

Do you think I'd
like you any less

because you're going to live?

Greta, this is difficult
enough for me with...

Jed, hold it! I said hold it!

You are out of your mind!

Dad, please shut up!

The boy lost it, that's
all. He did it for you!

You better have some
damn fine evidence.

Pete's fingerprints on
the shaft of the knife,

Nichols' blood
all poorly cleaned,

plus, he refuses to talk.

What would you want me to do?

Soldier.

Soldier, are you here?

Soldier!

Come here, boy!

Come on, Soldier!

Oh, that's a good boy.

Ah, now don't be shy. I
want to be able to tell Pete

you're home safe and sound!

Come on.

Come on, Soldier!

There's a good boy.

Yeah.

What've you got there,
another collectible?

Oh, my goodness!

Okay, boy.

Pete, I don't know what you
think you gain by your silence.

Although you may
well have had cause,

I don't believe for a minute
that you killed Lloyd Nichols.

But obviously, you
have a story to tell.

But why won't you at
least tell it to the Sheriff?

Jed has to prove
something first.

Look, Jess, Dad is sending
some hot-shot attorney down here

who's gonna get me out of here.

Look, Pete,

two people who
love you very much

are worried sick right now.

Furthermore, bail is seldom
allowed in a murder case.

Dad understands
why I'm stonewalling.

Oh?

Well, then if you believe
that he killed Mr. Nichols,

this is not the
way to protect him.

I never said that!

Oh, it's a brave and foolish
thing that you're doing.

Wait a minute. Please,
Jess, please, don't go.

All right?

Sometime after 1:00,

I heard Soldier howling,
so I went out to find him.

Soldier!

I found Nichols' body
lying face down in the dirt.

He had a knife
wound in his back.

Lying about six feet away
I found Dad's combat knife.

I heard someone rustling
around in the woods.

At first I thought
it was Soldier,

but he always comes
when I call, so I panicked.

Soldier? I just
picked up the knife

and started running like hell.

I guess I didn't take
enough time to clean it good.

I was in such a hurry to put
it back in the weapon cabinet.

Pete, you thought...

Look, you must tell
that to the Sheriff,

just as you told me.

Maybe sometime.
Look, wait, Jessica.

You have to promise me this
stays just between you and me.

Look, I can't promise,
but I'll do my best.

Time's up.

Let's go.

Well, Mrs. Fletcher?

Thank you for letting
me see him, Sheriff.

I just had a wild thought.

Wild thoughts give me the
willies, but what's yours?

Well, just suppose
that Mr. Nichols' body

fell face down and not
face up as you've assumed.

Well, who's assuming? We've
got the crime scene photos right...

A notion like that doesn't just
come out of the blue, does it?

Okay.

But if I told you that I
was bound in friendship

to keep a secret, would you
go along with my intuition?

Maybe. Keep on supposing.

If someone did turn
the body on its back,

it was to go through the front
pockets of Nichols' hunting jacket.

Looking for the
diamond, huh? Go on.

Then wouldn't
you tend to believe

that Nichols did
steal the diamond

and had it on his person
when he was killed?

Pete Levering killed Nichols, and
then someone else took the diamond?

Trust me, Sheriff.

Pete isn't your murderer.

So, by my count there were
three people there that night.

Now, I think I know
who murdered Nichols

and who has the diamond.

But we'd better hurry.

I hope everything
was satisfactory?

Thank you very much, it was
very enjoyable up to a point.

Well, try us again next
year, it'll be a happier time.

Oh, Marla, before you leave

I wonder if you'd consider
selling your jacket to me.

I've been admiring the design.

Jessica, what an odd request.

I'm sorry, it's not for sale.

Arthur, we'll be late.

I think Mrs. Fletcher is talking
about big money here, Miss Hastings.

Something in the neighborhood
of two million dollars?

Sheriff, this is some dumb joke!

Miss Hastings knows it's
no joke, Mr. Wainwright.

I'm sure you don't
want to go through

a clothing and body
search down at the station.

Marla!

I gave you everything,
clothes, an apartment.

Arthur, shut up!

How did you know?

The day before yesterday when
you were together in the bar,

it seemed obvious to me
that you and Lloyd Nichols

were more than
passing acquaintances.

And I wondered
what you were up to.

Then at the time that
Nichols was killed,

you said that you
were with Arthur,

I heard someone leave
the lodge in a hurry

and I noticed that your jacket
was missing from the rack.

Now, since the murder, I thought
it odd that you kept it with you

throughout the
day, indoors and out.

I suspected Lloyd was
planning on running out on me

with the diamond.

But I didn't kill him, Sheriff.

I went to his car,
he wasn't there.

I heard some noise off
and amongst the trees.

I thought it was Lloyd.

Lloyd!

But I found him dead.

Lloyd?

I went through his pockets.

Some terrifying animal
was off in the dark.

But I didn't kill Lloyd.

Yeah, well, it sure
as hell wasn't my boy!

If it wasn't Marla, then who?

Someone who
certainly knew better

than to leave a readily identifiable
murder weapon on the scene.

But Pete's sudden arrival
must have caused him to do so.

You see, the animal that you
saw was Pete's dog, Soldier,

an avid collector of objects
with human scent on them

such as this one,

which he discovered on
the murder site this morning.

Juan,

the other night when we
returned from the movies,

you told Ellen that
her clock was slow.

That time, your watch
was on your wrist.

But yesterday, half
the strap was missing.

Forensics found a
bloodspot on that half.

I'm betting it has
Nichols' name on it.

Well, say something, Sergeant!

Tell them they're wrong!

Juan?

I can't do that, Colonel, sir.

I'm real sorry about Pete.

I lost the knife in the dark.

When he showed, I
had to get out real fast.

It tore me up to see what
Nichols was doing to you

and your folks
for something that

you've paid for many times over.

You're gonna make one
hell of a fine senator, sir.

Let's go.

All right, all right. What's
all this mystery about?

Well, Pete didn't say.
Did he tell you, Ellen?

Nope.

Pete?

What?

Ever wonder why Soldier
kept picking on McGrath's ranch

and none of the others?

Oh!

That's Rosemary.
She's the mother

and she belongs to McGrath.

Well, it looks like Soldier had

a good reason for roaming, huh?

Well, I'd say he had
a bunch of reasons!