Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996): Season 12, Episode 21 - Race to Death - full transcript

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.

Passion and power.

And like early man's dream
of conquering the ocean.

Kyle'll out-tack him,
cross him, pinch him.

Why don't you win it for him?

No lady skipper
has ever done that.

The trouble between you
and Mr. Kimball is no secret.

Are you a real sheriff?

If you want Tommy, you get
out of this race, you go home.

Kimball's looking for a bruise.

How could you have
humiliated me like that?



We're supposed
to be a class act.

I'm putting you in the hospital!

This race is so
important for Cabot Cove.

You'll do anything
to avoid racing me.

Kyle Kimball's behind this,
right up to his shifty eyeballs.

I want to get all the speed I
can out of Free Spirit tomorrow.

Captain Larkin, a video camera
like this mounted on the mainmast

is the best way to determine
depth, draft, angle of attack, even...

Bill, I've been racing for 45
years and I've got me a better way.

Like what, Captain?

You're looking
into them right now!

Hey, what are you doing?

Who are you?

Help! Somebody help me!



Whoever it was
must've been after info

on these new winglets that
Captain Larkin just added.

They affect speed and stability.

That's right. And they're always a
prime spying target before races.

Well, we'll have to
go down with him.

Oh, if old man
Larkin's out of it,

we don't have a
prayer on Saturday.

We'll see.

Not very smart, Ned.

Moving that leg before you
had it properly examined.

Oh, Seth!

Well, Mort, what've
you found out?

Ned, we just
started to investigate!

Hey, what's the big mystery?

Kyle Kimball's behind this,
right up to his shifty eyeballs.

Free Spirit's getting
faster every run,

and all of a sudden Kimball's
Buccaneer's not a sure thing anymore.

Uh-huh. And there's an awful lot
of buzz about your new keel design.

Now this town is
full of media types

who would just love to
have top-secret photos.

And as yet, there's no
evidence that Kimball is involved.

What... What do you want?

Never mind what they want,

I'm putting you in the hospital.

Oh, Seth, don't make a big deal,

I've got a race to
run on Saturday.

What you've got is a
badly fractured ankle.

And it'll have to be
properly set right after x-rays,

or you will never
use it fully again!

Ned, I tried to reach Anne.

Why?

Well, I thought she'd want to know
that her father had been injured.

I left a message.

She's not gonna care.

Ned!

Easy! Easy on the stairs.

Well, whoever it was
they left in a hurry.

There was a small inflatable
boat hidden under the pilings.

And I don't know what this is,
a brad or a rivet of some kind.

Anyway, I found it in the boat.

Good start.

So, is Captain
Larkin out of the race?

And I could just see the
50 bucks I bet on Free Spirit,

disappearing into
Davy Jones' locker.

Later on.

Well, that would depend on who
replaces him, doesn't it, Mrs. Fletcher?

It certainly does.

I remember when I was racing,

she used to take Larkin's boat
out and I would crew for her.

She really had a knack.

Well, from what I've
heard, so did you.

With their crucial World
Cup elimination race

set for Cabot Cove this weekend,

Ned Larkin's Free Spirit
and Kyle Kimball's Buccaneer

had excellent training
runs yesterday,

as the rivalry between Larkin and
millionaire industrialist, Kyle Kimball,

both natives of Cabot Cove,
grows more fierce every day.

Oh, Mr. Kimball.

Mrs. Fletcher.

Admiral. Morning.

Welcome back to Cabot Cove.

The World Cup couldn't
have picked a better liaison.

Thank you.

I was sorry to hear
about Ned Larkin.

I was hoping to
beat the first team.

You're not gonna beat
anybody, Mr. Kimball.

You'll be too busy
watching Free Spirit's stern.

Well, we'll see, Gantry.

Mrs. Fletcher. Admiral.

Are you gonna
skipper the Free Spirit?

Well, sir, I can't say for sure.

Only I've been the captain's
tactician for a long time.

Pardon me.

Mmm-hmm.

Look, Len, I'm
very happy to help.

But please remember,
that I'm a total amateur.

I mean, what I know about the technique
of racing would fit into a thimble.

Come off it, Jess.

The World Cup wanted
somebody with stature

and cachet as
Honorary Commodore.

Stature and cachet, my foot!

If you don't feel it,
at least play the part.

Besides, I remember
how sharp you were

keeping the clock and compass for
Frank and me on those 45-footers.

Yes, I remember.

It's funny, you know,
Frank always said that

it had nothing to do with money.

Even when it came to the World Cup,
and all those millions of dollars at stake.

It was about passion and power.

And like early man's dream
of conquering the ocean.

Jess, I think you understand much
more than you thought about racing.

Mmm.

Len, excuse me.

What can I get you, Admiral?

I'll have a beer, please.

Anne, I'm so glad you came.

Thank you for alerting me.

Have you seen your father?

Not yet. The hospital said
that he had been released

but then I got cold
feet. How bad is it?

Well, Seth said that his
ankle is going to be all right.

But I'm not so sure about
his sense of disappointment

over not being able to compete.

After all these years, he was finally
on the brink of qualifying for the big one.

I'm not sure if he
wants to see me.

But, listen, he's got a beautiful
photograph of you and Tommy on his table.

And his house is full of
clippings and photos of you...

He's kept Tommy
and me at arm's length.

Jessica, he has never
even met his own grandchild.

Hey, Anne, it's
great to see you!

Steve.

Hey, don't worry about
your dad. He's okay.

We're gonna win it for him
on Saturday. That's a promise.

I know it is.

You don't think he can do it.

Much as I like the
guy, he can't improvise.

Kyle'll out-tack him, cross
him, pinch him and bluff him.

Gantry is capable of a good try,

but he'll never win
that race for Dad.

Why don't you win it for him?

I don't think Dad
would go for it.

And to be frank,

I don't think that I
want to get involved,

there's too much baggage.

But you've just won in Key
West and in the Irish Cape.

I mean, why don't you
at least give it a try?

I just don't know.

Hey, I think I deserve a
bonus for beaching Larkin.

You were lucky.

Anne Larkin came
in right after you left.

She was talking
to Mrs. Fletcher.

Thanks. Keep me posted.

Anne. I thought I
might find you here.

I'm looking for my dad.

Oh, when you see
him, give him my best.

Sure.

And if you're thinking of
taking the helm of Free Spirit,

I'd strongly advise against it.

Just see your dad and
go back to Newport.

You don't have any
right to tell me what to do.

Anne, let's not argue. We
were lovers, we were friends...

Friends?

You didn't even tell me
that you were married,

until you found
out I was pregnant.

Then you wanted to
set me up in Boston

where you could come
visit when you felt like it.

You disgusted me
then, and you still do.

Anne, just stay out of the race.

Why, Kyle? What else
are you gonna do to me?

You have maligned me,
you've cost me teaching jobs,

you've poisoned investors in
yachts that I could have skippered.

You walked out on me.
And nobody walks out on me.

Now, if you think I've made
things difficult for you so far,

you have no idea what's coming.

Let go of me!

You heard her, Mr. Kimball.

You okay? Yes.

Thanks, Bill.

And I just made up my
mind about something.

Good morning, Mr. Kimball.

What is this trimaran all about?

I thought you were here to help my
husband on the design of the Buccaneer.

Oh, no. By World Cup rules,

any entry must be completely
designed by nationals of that country

or else it is disqualified.

Mr. Kimball holds the
patent on Buccaneer.

I'm here as a racing
consultant only.

On the other hand, with
Netherlander it's vice versa.

She's mine.

But if Mr. Kimball got
involved in the design,

I could not race
her for Holland.

Alana... We have to talk now!

I know.

Develop this.

It should tell us what's making
the difference in Free Spirit.

It may be something
we can adapt.

Where did you get it?

From a research consultant.

All right. Right
away, Mr. Kimball.

Mrs. Kimball.

How could you have
humiliated me like that?

When the bank called I
didn't know what to say.

My own husband
refusing to co-sign a note.

I was a laughing stock!

I warned you not
to put in for that loan

until after I'd studied your
projections and prospectus.

You kept putting me off
and there was a clock ticking.

That chain of boutiques wasn't
going to be available forever.

Kyle, this time,
just believe in me.

Maybe it's not too
late. Look, call the bank.

Nonsense.

I'd have to be crazy.

Bring me something
that works next time

if you want me to put
up 10 million dollars.

But you can throw 55
million into that lousy boat.

That's different.

The difference is it's
not my project, it's yours.

You don't like it,

then file for divorce

and try to break our
pre-nuptial agreement.

That ought to be
a barrel of laughs.

Don't underestimate me, Kyle.

What you're doing could cost you a
lot more than any divorce settlement.

Oh, for pity's sake, Ned.

Can't you just keep your
mouth shut for one minute?

About time.

Well, temperature's normal,

but I'm not at all happy
about your blood pressure.

Isn't he taking his pills?

Anne.

In a word, no.

Well, I'm here now.
Send some around.

Otherwise, how's he doing?

Oh, okay.

Ned, I do not want you to put
any weight at all on that ankle.

Welcome back, Anne.

Seth, what are the odds
down at the barbershop now?

Why don't you
concentrate on Anne?

Seth!

They've gone up 4-to-1
against Free Spirit.

Damned fools!

Steve Gantry isn't
helping your odds any.

What is this, Anne?

You walk in here
after four years

and the first thing you
do is second-guess me.

As if I didn't feel riled
enough not racing her myself.

I'm sorry.

Look, Dad,

I love you, I never
stopped loving you.

I can't deal with
all of that right now.

But the race, that's
something else,

that's something that you and
I definitely have in common,

since we both hate Kyle Kimball.

Where's the boy?

Funny, you asked.
He's with Aunt Louise.

He knew I was coming
to see his grandfather.

He wanted to come, too.

You should have brought him.

Let's not talk about
all that now, okay?

Please?

I've got to go with Gantry.

He's all we got.

He's not a number
one, he never was.

I know you're good, Anne,

but what makes you think you could lead
this crew into world class competition?

They're a tough bunch.

Just let me talk to them.

Okay. Go ahead.

Yeah, the winds are
north-northeast at about...

We're getting four
knots right now.

I've just been studying
Free Spirit's keel.

The winglets in photos
are for stability, not speed.

But we have all the
stability we need.

What's that?

Ah, Anne Larkin
racing off Newport.

I had a friend put it together
when I heard Larkin was hurt.

I understand she's a
steady hand at the helm.

Too damned steady.

I know these waters,

the winds, and the
sand bars, the reefs.

I grew up here,

and we are gonna win here and go
on to San Diego and New Zealand.

You ever command
an all-guy crew before?

Yeah, and an all-woman
crew, and I've won with both.

It doesn't matter, so long as everybody
keeps their eye on the job to be done.

Just like we will!

That's a good speech,
and I admire the sentiment.

But as for competing at
the top level, the World Cup,

well, no lady skipper
has ever done that.

For the first time.

All right, men, meeting's over.

Practice run is in an hour. You can
check me out on the water, where it counts.

All right. You heard her.

Hey, Bill.

Set those new carbon
sails you were touting.

Aye, aye, Skipper.

Oh, Anne, I'm
genuinely concerned.

What's between us isn't just
about racing, it's about Tommy.

It's about our son.

Our son?

You've totally ignored
Tommy's existence.

Well, you may think
so, but I haven't.

I know how often you
leave him to go racing...

When I'm gone he's with my aunt.

They're crazy about each other.

He needs a loving home.

The kind of home my
wife and I can provide.

And we have no children of our own,
and she would like to raise my son.

Kyle, what's this about?

I'm going to court,
for Tommy's sake.

I filed a writ. I want custody.

No!

Security!

If you want Tommy,
you get out of this race,

you go home and you
repair your lifestyle,

or you're gonna lose him.

He's bluffing.

He doesn't bluff.

Anne, I watched you
with that crew. It'll work.

You're gonna beat
Kimball on Saturday,

and you'll beat him in court,
too, if that's what you have to do.

Because you're my
girl and you're a winner.

Odds are down to 3-to-1.

Things are looking
a whole lot better.

I wish I could say the
same for this outline.

Oh, you've just
erased all of it.

Oh, no! Only everything
that came after the title.

And that wasn't
much good either.

Oh, I'd say you were
a mite distracted.

Well, we were able to clear
another 100 media parking places

around the yacht club
for you, Commodore.

Well, thank you, Ensign.

How's Adele's cold?

Ah.

The trouble is,
she's gone through

just about all of the old musical
comedy videos that the rental place has.

Right now, she's watching Follow the
Fleet with Fred Astaire and Ruby Keeler.

Ruby Keeler was
not in Follow the Fleet.

That was Fred Astaire
and Ginger Rogers.

Ruby Keeler. I
just rented the tape.

No, Mort, Ruby Keeler never
made a picture with Fred Astaire.

They came from
different studios.

Well, then, it was Ann Miller.

Ginger Rogers!

Hello?

Come on in, Andy.

Hi, Mrs. Fletcher, Doc.

Sheriff, these just came
in from the photo lab.

I thought you'd like to see
them right away. Yeah, I do.

The odds better on Free Spirit

now that Anne is listed as
captain and Gantry as tactician.

I'm afraid that was a rush of
sentiment, Doc. They're back to 4-to-1.

I was able to get another
25 bucks down on Free Spirit.

Mort, take a look at this. The
wrist band. Whose hand is that?

That's Steve Gantry. He
was briefing us on the winglets.

It looks as if one of the
metal grommets is missing.

Andy, that small bit of metal that
you found in the inflatable boat...

Yeah. It's in the evidence
room. You're right.

I'll swear it's one
of those studs.

Mmm-hmm.

Very nice, Mrs. F.

Well, it looks like the new team of
Larkin and Gantry may be very short-lived.

Where's my lawyer?

That's not my problem.
You made your phone call.

That is, of course, unless you want
to save us all some time by confessing.

Confess to what? I
didn't do anything.

Yeah.

Anne, I've got some bad news for you
and I've got some good news for you.

The bad news is you just
lost yourself a tactician.

The good news, like I
told you on the phone,

I have an idea
whose time has come.

Later on!

Look, Anne, I'm flattered,

but, you know, I haven't done
any real racing for, like, three years.

When that cold spray hits
your face, it won't matter.

Yeah. Well, I don't
know the boat.

Bill will brief you
starting right now.

You know the crew
and they respect you.

You and I, we communicate,
and you know the waters.

Whoa! Whoa! Anne,
look, I'm still a deputy,

and I'm on duty
through the weekend.

Funny, Mort just told me
you were on sick leave,

and needed lots of ocean
air to effect a complete cure.

Welcome aboard, matey.

I abhor this Gantry thing.

I want to go on the record
with that, Mrs. Fletcher, in case,

like so many other people in town,
you think I had something to do with it.

I admit it crossed my mind.

Well, you really think I'd risk

having to forfeit my shot at the
World Cup to look at a damned winglet?

Frankly, Mr. Kimball,
I don't know.

But I'm here about
something entirely different.

They tell me as
Honorary Commodore,

it is my duty to
officially inform you

that Anne Larkin will skipper
Free Spirit on Saturday.

Well, obviously,
I'm not surprised.

Mrs. Fletcher. Oh, hello.

I've ordered full
battens for Buccaneer.

Oh, you anticipated me. Good.

Excuse me.

Oh, more trouble
in Silicon Valley.

They never stop.

I've been enjoying
Cabot Cove, Mrs. Fletcher.

It's what I always imagined
an American town should be.

Well, I'm afraid there's nothing
very typical about it right now.

Oh, when you see Anne, tell her
I'm looking forward to the competition.

Well, that's the same message
she asked me to give you.

Goodbye.

Bye.

Oh, how lovely!

She's my dream, Mrs. Fletcher.

I can see why.

All right, she's
in the third tack.

Free Spirit's practice
run this afternoon.

I was about to watch it
when Mrs. Fletcher arrived.

Reading 23 knots.

Free Spirit is now doing 23 knots
in the cross current off the reef,

is showing very little
leeway and seems to...

Best time ever.

Be staying true to her heading.

They're doing
something with the sails.

More than that.

Miss Larkin is obviously considerably
more skilled than her father.

Still, Mr. Kimball, I'm certain that
you don't have anything to worry about.

I don't take chances.

Kimball here. We need to
move up the heavy artillery.

Yeah. I'll need everything,
the whole package.

Gentlemen. Guys.

Jessica. Ned.

Admiral.

I never expected to see
Ned Larkin here tonight.

He drove himself over.

And I mean that in every way!

Well, I see Adele
didn't make it.

Ah, still sniffling.

She's watching Singin' in the Rain
with Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse.

You mean Debbie Reynolds.

Definitely Cyd Charisse.

If you're in a
betting mode, Mort,

how'd you like a little wager?

Twenty-five on Cyd Charisse.

You're on.

You know, I seem to recall a bawling
out you gave me about cholesterol.

If there's anything you don't
understand, I'll be glad to clarify it.

I don't skipper racing
yachts any longer, Admiral.

My passion is design.

Thanks.

Have you seen the Netherlander?
She's really something.

The Netherlander? Kyle, didn't we
discuss her in San Diego? Your trimaran?

That's right, Admiral.

Thanks.

Hey, you were a great liaison this
afternoon between Anne and the crew.

Ah, that was
easy. They like her.

What's not to like?

Well, everything seems to
be working out perfectly so far.

The only possible glitch
may be that the press turn out

was far greater
than we expected.

We have a problem
with accommodations.

Anne Larkin? Yes.

I'm a county marshal. That's a
summons to appear in superior court.

I have to go to the office.

"Notice to attend
custody hearing

"on the minor now
known as Tommy Larkin."

Meanwhile, I'm forbidden
to take him out of the state.

Just raising the ante.

I'm headed for my
office, if you care to chat.

Kimball's bucking for a bruise!

Ned, no. It will only
make things worse.

Sounds like a nice party.

I've been to better.

My lawyer got a writ.
Insufficient evidence.

I need money.

Let's say 50,000, or I talk
to the World Cup committee.

Well, then you force
me to tell the truth,

and you do five to ten in
Shawshank for felonious assault,

or maybe even attempted murder.

Good night.

Good night.

Now these reports

are from the most reputable private
detective agency in New England,

detailing your love
affair with Bill Richards.

And your other sexual
adventures at boat-racing events,

much of which took place,
according to these documents,

in the presence of
poor little Tommy.

There are even some
allegations that you...

All these prove is that
you have corrupted

the most reliable detective
agency in New England.

You are a filthy-minded
ego-maniac who's scared of me.

And you'll do anything
to avoid racing me.

Well, you won't
get away with it.

- Thanks, Roger.
- No problem.

Leaving so early, Richards?

We've got a lot of homework to do if
Free Spirit's gonna leave you in her wake.

Hate to disappoint you, but it's
going to be Kyle Kimball's victory,

not Anne Larkin's.

Good luck.

Take your time,
Mr. Vandervelt. I'll stay to lock up.

Thank you, Alec.

Wait, Mr. Vandervelt,
it's Mr. Kimball.

All very preliminary, but I'd say
cause of death was blunt instrument.

Blow struck from
rear or left side.

Time of death?

Oh, I'm working on that.

Andy, you want to run that
trophy through the lab, please?

Right, Sheriff.

Well, it certainly doesn't
appear to be robbery.

He's still wearing his watch.

He had over $300 in his wallet.

Maybe there was something
more valuable in the safe.

There was no sign of tampering.

Well, the safe could have been open
when he was killed and then closed.

It's got one of those
self-created combinations.

Kimball was the
only one who knew it.

The company's sending
a rep up from New York.

He's been dead at
least half an hour.

Let's see, the time
is, what, 11:20.

He left the club a
little bit before 10.

That would set the time of death
somewhere between 10:00 and 10:50.

You wanted the log, Sheriff.

Oh, yeah. Let's take a look.

"10:14."

Anne Larkin in to
see Kyle Kimball.

10:30. Anne Larkin
leaves the yard.

Didn't stop, looked real upset.

Thanks.

Right in your time frame, Doc.

Ours will be like this.

Hi, Mort. Evening, Ned.

Tommy, this is Sheriff Metzger.

Say hello, Tommy.

Are you a real sheriff?

Well, I try to be, son.

Where's your badge?

Well, I'm working undercover.

We're getting acquainted.

Sorry to have to interrupt,
Ned, but I have to talk to Anne.

Something wrong?

Dad, it is way past
Tommy's bedtime.

Would you show him to his room?

Let's go, son.

Okay. Bye, Sheriff.

Good night, Tommy.

How'd those boats
get into those bottles?

I'll show you, son.

What can I help
you with, Sheriff?

It's about Kyle Kimball.

What's he trying to do now?

Look, Anne, the trouble between
you and Mr. Kimball is no secret.

Especially after what happened
at the Commodore's Ball tonight.

Now we know you went to his
office and you left it agitated...

Mort, what are you getting at?

Kyle Kimball's dead.

Dead?

Murdered.

Now, look, Anne, we know you
were at loggerheads about your son,

you had an argument...

Wait a minute. Are you
trying to say that I killed him?

Look, Anne, I'm just
trying to help you.

Now, we're still investigating.

But this doesn't feel like
premeditated murder to me.

So if you have something
you want to tell me,

now is the time to do it.

Sheriff, I can't say
that I'm sorry he's dead,

but I didn't kill him.

Jess, I've got a real problem.

World Cup headquarters wants me to
postpone the race until things clear up.

Postpone?

I mean, isn't that a
preliminary to canceling it?

Well, can you really blame them?

Consider. Anne Larkin, skipper of
Free Spirit, murders Kyle Kimball,

millionaire owner/skipper
of the rival yacht, Buccaneer,

and father of her son.

Just think of the tabloids.

We're supposed
to be a class act.

Len, wait a minute.

Anne hasn't actually been
charged with anything.

I mean, if you
could just hold off

until the investigation is a little
bit further along before you decide.

This race is so
important for Cabot Cove.

All those races with Frank and me,
you never gave us a bad heading.

I'm gonna go along with you.

Come in.

Mrs. Kimball.

Please accept my condolences.

Oh, thank you.

Mrs. Fletcher called and said
that the race was still scheduled.

Kyle put so much of
himself into Buccaneer.

I'm happy we can
carry on for him.

Oh, you're
determined to do that?

Oh, yes.

Then we have to pick
a skipper right away.

I strongly suggest
our present tactician.

Jon, if Kyle was doing the
picking, I know who it would be.

Admiral Spalding told me that
you skippered for the Dutch,

and you know your stuff.

Mrs. Kimball, I'm
a designer now.

I have no desire to race again.

Please don't ask me.

Kyle was good to you, Jon.

Do it for him.

I'm sure you know every
plank on the Buccaneer.

Oh, Mrs. Kimball,

Buccaneer is almost
100% fiberglass.

Which proves how
much I need you.

I was at home watching one
of those Dan Rather specials.

You want to know
what it was about?

You gonna quote me TV Guide?

Why would I knock off Kimball?

I'm warning you, you
try to hold me again,

my lawyer's gonna
pull out all the stops.

Get out.

Yeah.

The lab work on that
trophy from Kimball's office.

Nothing.

So we don't have a
murder weapon yet.

No.

We're gonna need
some search warrants.

And the last thing we do is

heave-ho me hearties and...

Pull up the mast!

Very good.

Tommy, I cooked some
food for you in the kitchen.

Great, Mom!

Good morning,
Jess. Good morning.

I have official notification.

Your opposing skipper tomorrow
is going to be Jon Vandervelt.

That makes sense. He
knows his stuff. That's fine.

I've gotta get to the pier,
so, I'll see you guys later.

I'm afraid the only place
you'll be going, Anne, is with us.

Investigative reports pertaining
to Kyle Kimball's paternity suit.

We found them
hidden in your bedroom.

They have Kimball's
blood on them.

I don't understand. I don't know how
those things got into my bedroom. I swear.

Mort!

No.

No. I killed him.

I was so riled last night.

I drove to his office and I...

And you argued with him and
you struck him with the trophy?

Yes. That's what it was.

Ned, I'm sorry, but the trophy
was not the murder weapon.

Come with us, please.

But, Tommy... I
can't just leave him.

Jessica, help Anne.

She's... She's innocent.

I bet Dad's threatening to
skipper the race, isn't he?

Oh, he'd like to, but
Seth won't hear of it.

Suppose I'm still in jail?

Well, the last I heard, Bill will
skipper and Andy will advise.

Okay.

Jessica, I told Sheriff Metzger

that those papers that
he found in my room

were on Kyle's desk
when I left there.

How can I make him believe me?

Just keep on telling
the truth, Anne,

and let's hope that we can
find some way to back it up.

I remember it distinctly.

Kyle took those papers out
of the safe when I got there,

threw them on the
desk right in front of me.

So he took the
papers out of the safe.

Now, do you recall,

did he close the door of the
safe after he removed the papers?

No. Not while I was there.

Uh-huh. Okay.

Thank you for letting
me talk to Anne, Mort.

You know, she said that Mr. Kimball
opened the safe while she was there

and that he never closed it.

Mrs. F, she can say anything.

Metzger.

Oh, hi, honey, how you...

Well, no. There's no problem.
I'll just bring them back.

Yeah, I love you, too.

I got to stop back by the house.

Adele forgot to
rewind the tapes.

Here we are,
Singin' in the Rain,

Gene Kelly, Donald
O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds.

It must be a mistake.

Mistake?

Seth, Cyd Charisse!

Oh! You're both right.

Whoops.

And I might be, too.

I thought I'd better start to get
acquainted with what Kyle was doing.

And then the woman from
the safe company arrived.

Yeah, so I see.

Jessica, will Anne Larkin be able
to skipper in the race tomorrow?

I don't know.

Have you used the VCR today?

The VCR?

You can use this combination,

or create a new one by
referring to the manual.

If you need any help, call.

Thank you.

Do you mind if I take a look?

No. Go ahead.

Nothing much in here.

I can see that.

Alana, may I borrow this?

Sure.

By the way, Alana,

Anne will be racing tomorrow.

Jessica?

Look, at least don't
worry about the race.

Hell, Free Spirit's
such a great boat

that even if nobody's at the helm
she'll probably beat out Buccaneer.

Not true, Bill.

But I know you can bring her in.

That's better. There's
something else.

And I hope you won't
take this the wrong way.

But whatever really
happened with Kimball,

I'm glad for you, that he's
finally out of your life, I mean.

And I hope that when
this is all over that...

Bill.

I've been looking
everywhere for you.

We need you down on the boat.

Problem with the
main mast rigging.

Chin up, Annie.

You okay?

Yeah.

Because I was wrong,
you stayed away from me.

You kept my grandson
away because

that was the message I gave you,

that I was ashamed of you.

And I didn't want to
see either one of you.

Look, I wasn't exactly the
daughter that you'd hoped for,

the one I should've been.

No. Listen.

I haven't learned a whole
lot in the last few years,

but one thing sticks with me.

"Should've been" ought to be
erased from the English language.

Thank you.

Yes?

Oh, Mrs. Fletcher.

I heard Miss Larkin
has been released.

Yes, she has.

I was able to prove that she couldn't
possibly have killed Mr. Kimball.

I'm delighted and
mystified. How?

I was with Sheriff
Metzger today.

I got to stop back by the house.

Adele forgot to
rewind the tapes.

And he spoke of rewinding tapes.

And I was reminded that when we
were here at the crime scene last night,

the video footage
of Free Spirit,

which had been playing
on the TV screen, ran out.

Now, this is the tape.

The length of the
recording is 35 minutes.

It ran out at 11:20
while we were all here.

So the earliest that it could
have been turned on was 10:45.

Now since Anne Larkin
was clocked out at 10:30,

Mr. Kimball was alive for at
least 15 minutes after she left.

Excellent! I'm so
happy for Miss Larkin.

And he remained alive

until you killed him
sometime after 10:45.

I?

I admire your perspicacity
at clearing the young lady,

but why accuse me?

Because a little while ago, I saw
the contents of Mr. Kimball's safe.

Now, what was not in the safe
was more important than what was.

Yesterday, you and I
were here in the office

when Mr. Kimball
received an unexpected fax.

It was from the patent office,

requesting clarifications
on his patent application

for what you called your dream,

Netherlander.

He tried to get the fax into his safe
without either one of us seeing it,

but we both did.

You've lost me.

Not so, I'm sure,
Mr. Vandervelt.

When Mrs. Fletcher didn't see
the fax from the patent office,

but did detect
bloodspots on the safe.

Well, we got ourselves
a search warrant.

We found that fax
in your apartment.

It had blood
droplets all over it.

That checked out
to be Kyle Kimball's.

I see.

I had designed Netherlander.

I... I loved her.

I planned on racing her for
Holland in the next World Cup.

Nothing could have beaten her.

Then I saw that he had
applied for a patent on her.

And at the Ball,
Admiral Spalding

said that he had talked
about her as his own trimaran.

I knew I had to settle
things with Mr. Kimball.

I beg you, withdraw
that patent application.

If it comes to light,
Netherlander will be disqualified

from ever racing for my country.

You're stealing
my life, Mr. Kimball.

Stealing? After all the
money I've paid you?

That was salary for
my help on Buccaneer!

Maybe you see it that way, but
I didn't need you for Buccaneer,

I needed you for Netherlander,

destined to be one of the
great racing yachts of all time.

She was a passion with me from
the minute I saw the first drawings.

You're a fool, Jon.

You're a fool to think I'd
ever let her get away from me.

When I realized he was dead,

it occurred to me that
there might be a way out.

I knew Anne Larkin
had been there.

I read the custody papers that
Mr. Kimball was putting away.

They already had
his blood on them,

so I placed them in Anne Larkin's
bedroom, where you found them.

But the killing itself was
unpremeditated, a moment of rage.

Was it?

You didn't go through the gate
when you went to see Mr. Kimball.

You made sure that you got into
his office unobserved, didn't you?

Well, let's say I
went prepared to do

whatever was necessary.

It's Free Spirit winning
the final race in the series,

with Anne Larkin at the helm,
with Buccaneer three meters back.

Now, on to San Diego, and
from there, possibly New Zealand.

Let's see it one more time.

Dad, that was the tenth rerun!

Ah, Free Spirit gets
faster every time she wins.

Hey, you're gonna see that little lady
win 1000 more times before she's through.

Jessica, Bill is opening
his own sail factory.

After we win the World Cup.

Uh-huh.

You gonna be in
San Diego with us?

Well, right now, I'm headed back
to New York to complete some work.

However, I'm not saying that
if I'm invited to New Zealand...

I've never been to New Zealand.

Where's New Zealand?

That's where we
win the World Cup.

And I'm gonna show you, Tommy.

I'm gonna show
you a lot of things.