Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996): Season 2, Episode 3 - Murder in the Afternoon - full transcript

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.

He refused to die. And that wimp
of a director let him get away with it.

Nita Cochran was
trying to kill her.

I don't believe
that. Believe it.

I don't have the time for this right now.
I have an entire show to put together.

I'll be sure to tell
Nita of your concerns.

I escaped in a laundry truck
while the guard looked away.

Felix deserved to die.

Larry and I were warming the sheets
four stories below in an apartment.

It's obvious why I didn't
want to tell the police.

Felix. Mmm.



Another 15 minutes, hmm?

Now.

How about if I just,
um, finish this page?

Who the devil are you?

No. Oh, no. Wait. Wait. Please. Please.
No, please! What did I ever do to you?

Please! No!

Ow! Oh!

Cut! Will you stop the tape?

Gimme some lights!

Martin— Damn it! You were shot
in the stomach, not the shoulder.

Now, you deliberately
ruined the take. Why?

Hey, I told you I'm not playing the
scene the way it's written, Gordon.

She's not killing off my character like
she did the others. I have a contract.

All contracts come to an end, just as they
did with "The Avenger's" other victims.



Oh, right. "The
Pittsfield Avenger,"

lifted mercilessly from one
of your Hollywood potboilers.

To the network's delight.

You cannot kill off
an entire cast, Joyce.

As the new producer and head

writer, I can do
anything I want creatively.

Creatively? So you're gonna
create a whole new show?

With a character that nobody,
including yourself, knows anything about.

Which gives me an option to get rid of
yet another burned-out actor when I decide.

Martin, may I say something?

Joyce, in daytime drama,

changes like yours should be
woven in over several months.

- Julian, please.
- Julian, forget it.

You cannot dent the
iron maiden with logic.

Joyce, I am calling my agent!

Joyce, could I talk to you
for a minute? Uh, later, Nita.

I've got to rewrite the
hospital room scene.

- What's the matter?
- Martin Grattop ruined
the dress rehearsal taping!

He refused to die. And
that wimp of a director,

Gordon LaMonica,
let him get away with it.

Can't you edit the tape to
make it look like he died?

Only if we want
to be lazy about it.

So, I've got another rewrite.

You'll have to adjust
the hospital room stuff.

But I want you to keep the new
running character, the orderly.

That's a terrific
introductory scene for him.

Thanks. I liked it myself.

But it doesn't work
if Felix isn't dead.

Make it work. It shoots
first thing tomorrow.

By the way,

did I leave my keys
here this morning?

I haven't seen 'em.

Joyce— Don't start again,
Todd. I'm up to my ears.

Look, Joyce, I am not
kidding. I want off this show.

Now, my agent is getting
offers I can't turn down.

Because of this show,
and don't you forget it.

Todd, say the words, take the
money and count your blessings.

Look, I got a shot
at a lead in a...

Joyce!

If it were up to me,
Todd, I'd let you out.

Thanks, Carol.

I wish it were up to you.
Be great for both of us.

Yeah. Well, she has taken the show from
nowhere to number two in the time slot.

Yeah, by killing off half
the town of Pittsfield to do it.

I just wish I were
on her death list.

Or she was.

My character hasn't been
on the show that long.

And what you've
started between her and

Todd's character—
Nita, I haven't decided...

who the Avenger is going
to be when I unmask him.

Or her.

Having me play your maniac killer
isn't the most reassuring feeling,

especially with my contract
option coming due next month.

Here they are.

How in the world did they
get here? Joyce, please.

I want to continue
with the show.

I need the work.

If you're looking for job security,
you're in the wrong business.

Now, I'm sorry, Nita,
I've got work to do.

Making my sweet little
Nita the Pittsfield Avenger...

would be utter folly.

Well, from what you
say, Agnes, I'd say folly

and a great big slice
of dramatic license.

Yes. Well,

that dreadful woman has
motives of her own, mark me.

A piece of a successful
television soap means big bucks.

Next to killing off Dr. Goodman—

Oh, heaven forbid— her most
ridiculous idea is to kill Felix.

- Felix?
- OH, Jessica, you know.

He's the one whose
mother tried to poison him,

so she could run away
to India with the maharaja.

You know, I really must
start watching more.

Yes. Oh.

Nita's so sweet and gentle.

Making her the
multiple killer is...

I swear I'm gonna
kill that woman!

Oh, Nita, don't tell me.

Talk about an
entrance line, huh?

Hi, Grandma.

Hi. Hi, Aunt Jess.

Hi, darling.

Sorry I couldn't meet
your plane this morning.

Don't be. Because I escaped from
those publicity people just an hour ago.

And this is the first
free time I've had.

Child, she didn't
make you the Avenger?

Not yet, but it's right in the
front of her small, narrow mind.

Sure, I'm worried. If my character
does turn out to be the Avenger,

then eventually I'll be
written out of the show.

No more fat weekly paychecks.

Well, if it does come to that,
you know I'd be happy to help.

I know, and thanks.

But this is my responsibility.

She's been mother and
father to me for half my life.

Oh, Lord.

"A woman is nae a woman
till time does line her face.

"For 'tis time that
gives her beauty,

and charm and quiet grace."

Robert Burns. Herbert Upton.

Which means that your
deathless lines were churned out...

by our very own Hollywood
hack-smith, Joyce Holleran.

Did you see she cut my big
seduction scene with Todd?

No. If that's not an
omen, I don't know what is.

Bibi, Herbert, I want you to
meet my aunt, Jessica Fletcher.

Your aunt. How lovely.
I'm so pleased to meet you.

- Thank you.
- Jessica Fletcher, the writer?

- Mm-hmm.
- Well, this is a surprise.

Well, it's my pleasure
to meet you. You know,

the art of acting has
always intrigued me.

Well, aren't you nice.

Oh, Larry, this is
my Aunt Jessica.

Larry Holleran. Holleran?

Joyce's husband. Oh, I'm
very pleased to meet you.

- Mrs. Fletcher.
- Um, Herb says
that you write, Mrs. Fletcher.

And I've read every book
you've had published.

Well, I'm very
flattered to hear that.

Actually, I read all kinds
of detective material.

It helps me get into my
character as Inspector Holcomb.

Oh. Lends a touch of reality.

Talk about getting
into his character. When

I shot a burglar in our
apartment last year,

Herb wanted to handle the
case for the robbery detail.

Well, I'm sure he could have.

Bibi, can I see you for a
moment, please? Sure.

Mrs. Fletcher, a
pleasure. Thank you.

Excuse me, ladies. We won't be
using this gun anymore today, Herb.

Oh. I better lock it
up in the prop box.

Excuse us, Herbert. I want to
show my aunt some of the sets.

Yes. It was lovely meeting
you. Well, thank you.

There is no explaining some
people's hormonal drives.

Come on. I don't want to be around
if the dragon lady suddenly shows.

I assume you were saving yourself
in the love scene run-through.

I do everything I can to save
myself in all your scenes, Joyce.

Now, why don't you just
let Carol write them her way?

And let her give my character
something to do outside of the bedroom.

Oh, come on now, you two.

Don't let a long day
and frazzled nerves...

make you say things
that you don't really mean.

- Julian, if you don't mind.
- Anger...

let stand only festers.

Now, come on. Kiss and make up.

Ohh.

Oh, Todd boy, let it pass.

Some of us will just have to work a
little harder to keep peace in the house.

Nita, the reason that I came
is, my publisher collected...

a windfall of foreign
royalty checks.

I mean, money that
I never expected.

I really want you to use it
to help pay for Agnes's care.

No, Aunt Jess. It's good
of you, but I don't want it.

I want to do this myself.

Well, here's a charming couple.

Julian! This is my Aunt Jessica.

This dear soul is Julian
Tenley. He plays Dr. Goodman.

Oh, I'm delighted, Mr. Tenley.
No, no. You must call me Julian.

You see, Nita is my niece,

and if you are her aunt,

then somehow or
other, we are related.

Very well, Julian.

And this young, wonderful
lady is very special to me.

Oh, we'd all be
lost without him.

I'd be lost without my family.

And I'm afraid that, uh...

Yes, I'll be no good in
surgery tomorrow morning...

unless I run on home
and get some rest.

Jessica, I'd like
to get to know you.

I look forward to it.
Good night, children.

Good night. Good night.

Isn't he wonderful?

He's been the heart of
the show for 30 years.

He'll never be
cut from the cast.

Lucky man. The show is his life.

Talk about getting
into character.

He can't tell where Julian Tenley
ends and Dr. Eliot Goodman begins.

Mmm. The only concession to
his age has been the teleprompters.

And you'd never know
he was reading his lines.

Hey, there. Tycoon!

- Time to take a break.
- Pour yourself another drink, Larry.

- How about if I pour one for you?
- I'm working.

Oh, come on. I've been rattling
around this barn by myself...

since 4:30 this afternoon.

Poor darling is bored?

Why don't you give Bibi a call? I'm sure
she could break the monotony for you.

You're gonna start that again?

Look—

Look, you're my big lady.

- I love you.
- Come on, Larry.

We know what we both love.

Now leave me alone!

I want to finish this cast
obituary for tomorrow.

All right. I guess I'll have
to go to the Friar's Club.

Do that.

All right.

- And Larry.
- Mm-hmm?

I may call you
later, so be there.

'Cause if you're not, I
may be forced to cut your...

allowance off.

Nita? What are you doing
in that ridiculous outfit?

How did you get in here?

My God, no.

No, Nita. Please!

If you’ll take those down to the
lobby, I'll meet you at the desk.

Thank you.

Excuse me.

Uh, are you Jessica
Fletcher? Yes.

Name is Kaplan. Sergeant, Homicide
Division, 21st Precinct. Homicide?

Yes, ma'am. Lookin' for
your niece, Nita Cochran.

Oh, I was just on the phone trying
to reach her. Is something wrong?

If you don't mind,
I'd like to check inside

and make sure she
isn't hiding out in here.

Hiding out? Why
would she be hiding out?

Sergeant, would you mind telling
me what— what this is all about?

Got a warrant here for the
arrest of one Nita Cochran...

on suspicion of murder
of a certain Joyce Holleran.

- So far, attempts to locate
said suspect— - Murder?

Yeah.

At about 9:30 last night, you
said you left your apartment...

to go to the Friar's Club.

Why didn't you go? Lieutenant,
please, what difference does it make?

It might establish your whereabouts
at the time of your wife's murder.

- You know who killed her.
- And you admitted
you had words with her.

It was a spat. It was
nothing more than that.

It was nothing.

Look, my not
going to the club...

I wanted to give her something to think
about if she happened to call me there.

So you did some
bar hopping. Where?

I don't remember. I
didn't even know I checked

into a hotel until I
woke up this morning.

Look, give me a break, will you?

I am hung over and I'm sick.

And an hour ago I went home to
have an officer in my apartment...

tell me my wife is dead.

Okay. Okay. Okay. But be where I
can reach you if I need you, Mr. Holleran.

Of course,
Lieutenant. Thank you.

Mary— Mary, that wouldn't
be my autopsy report, would it?

Thank you. Uh,
Lieutenant Antonelli?

This is Jessica Fletcher.

She's Nita Cochran's aunt.

Right this way.

Wait till you hear this, Lieutenant.
She writes books. Have a seat.

Detective mystery books.

Okay, Kaplan.

Lieutenant, a very serious
mistake is being made here.

The mistake was the
murder of Joyce Holleran.

And I assure you that it
was not done by my niece.

Mrs. Fletcher, let me be frank.

Your kind of writing is
not my kind of reading.

Well, Lieutenant, let
me be even franker.

Anyone who is
capable of imagining...

that my niece can
commit murder...

is being grossly overpaid...

for taking up valuable
space in this office.

This person was seen
leaving by a couple...

entering the Holleran apartment
building last night about 9:45.

That person could be any member
of the company of Our Secret Lives.

Several of whom may have felt that
they had very valid motives for murder.

According to Gordon
LaMonica, the show's director,

your niece wore that
wardrobe in several episodes.

Making it a rather stupid
disguise, wouldn't you think?

Also, according to Mr. LaMonica,
her character was about to be...

written out of the show, as
were several others, I know.

I met with each of them this
morning and was given an

account of their whereabouts
at the time of her murder,

which gives added emphasis to the fact
that along with this new series bible...

Joyce Holleran was
writing at the time of her

murder, your niece has
disappeared without a trace.

The real murderer could
have lured her away,

possibly harming her,
to cast suspicion on her.

Last night at 9:40, Gordon
LaMonica received a telephone call...

from a panicking,
terrified Joyce Holleran...

who managed to
gasp, in great pain,

that Nita Cochran
was trying to kill her.

I don't believe that.
Believe it. Believe it.

There was a short, gasping cry at
which time the phone went dead.

Mr. LaMonica called
here immediately, and in

less than 10 minutes,
my men were at the scene.

They found the telephone
cord tangled in the dead

woman's body, torn from
the wall, obviously by the fall.

Mrs. Fletcher,

do you know where
your niece is hiding?

No, I do not.

Mrs. Fletcher,

if you hear from her, you
will cooperate and tell me.

You know what? What?

We're gonna have to stop
production on the day of the funeral.

You're not gonna be able to count on
too many of the cast members showing up.

Well, as new producer
and new head writer,

we will just represent
the entire show, that's all.

Ah, I suppose it's a bit early for
me to discuss some ideas I have.

In a day or two,
all right? Okay.

I gotta warn you. The network wants
me to continue with what Joyce started.

- What?
- Well, with your touches added, naturally.

The ever-loving ratings system
says she was dead on track.

No pun intended. Out with
the old and on with the new.

With the exception of dear
old Julian and Todd, of course.

What are you
gonna do about that?

I don't know. We could put
him in the hospital for a while,

get a little mileage on
him teetering on the brink,

and we'll have Sybil sleep
with the entire hospital staff.

Martin is gonna go to Hollywood.
He's up for a lead in a new series.

You know what? We could
edit out, uh, where Felix gets hit...

and then get a close angle
on the Avenger's gun firing.

And then have Sybil dally
with the Homicide squad...

while they
investigate the killing.

Then it's "Bye-bye, Martin."

And bye-bye, Nita,
wherever you are.

Now, obviously, that
Gordon LaMonica...

was lying about
Joyce calling him.

Now, the question is, why?

To cover up his own guilt?

Lieutenant Antonelli
said a squad car arrived

at Gordon's apartment
halfway across town...

just about the same time as
one arrived at the Hollerans.

Now, the killer
was seen at 9:35.

The police got to both places
less than 10 minutes later.

Well, I don't care.
Nita didn't do it.

She didn't do it! Not even if
all the evidence says she did.

Hello.

Nita? Where are
you? Are you all right?

Stay right there.
I'll be right over.

Yes, I'm on my way. I'm gonna
put you on to your grandmother.

Now, don't let her panic. And
you keep calm too, all right?

Nita, how'd you get
yourself in this mess?

- Nita!
- Aunt Jess!

So...

Nita!

Guess you forgot to call.
Frankly, I didn't think of anything...

except getting to my
niece as quickly as possible.

Figured that might happen. So we ordered
up a few phone taps. You'll excuse me.

Look, Lieutenant, we're both
looking for the same thing.

I mean, cooperation is the
only way. I've stopped looking.

Mmm.

- What are you doing?
- I'm riding with you to headquarters.

Mrs. Fletcher— Look, you may
have stopped looking, but I haven't.

Mrs. Fletcher— You will
arrange for me to see

my niece as quickly
as possible, won't you?

Do I have any choice?

I'm sorry, Nita, but disappearing
like that just wasn't very smart.

I know.

What am I gonna do?

Well, start by telling me
how you got into this mess.

It was the delivery
of those pages.

What pages?

Joyce had new script pages
messengered for this morning's taping.

The way they read, I knew I was
gonna end up being the Avenger.

She knew what the part meant
to me. She knew about Gram.

I went to have it out with her.

I was so furious. I stood in
front of her apartment building...

trying to get control of myself.

What time was that?

I don't know. A
little before 9:30.

Go on. I guess it was
only a couple of minutes,

when I saw somebody come
out of the apartment building...

wearing my wardrobe—
The Avenger wardrobe.

He almost knocked
two people down.

I don't know why, but I
felt an awful premonition.

And what did you do
then? I started to go inside.

I got as far as the elevator
before I chickened out.

So I decided to call
Joyce’s apartment.

I looked for a phone along the
street. Then I heard the siren.

You saw the police arrive?

And the ambulance.

I knew then something
awful had happened.

I ran. I went back
to my apartment.

The police were waiting for me!

I drove away. I—I—I drove
around half the night.

Why didn't you come to my hotel?

I was frightened they'd
be watching there too.

I panicked.

Oh, Mrs. Fletcher, we
heard about Nita's arrest.

How is she? As you'd
expect, she's very frightened.

Uh, and I understand that Joyce sent
her some new script pages last night.

Uh, did she happen to mention
what those changes were?

You mean the elimination
of one or more characters.

Well, now, that makes us seem awfully—
Yes, Mrs. Fletcher, that's what we mean.

She didn't say. Excuse me.

Did she happen to say if Joyce
was working on the series bible?

She had no way of knowing, Miss Hartman.
She was nowhere near the apartment.

Oh? Gordon said that Joyce
accused Nita with her dying breath.

I assumed— You
assumed incorrectly.

Someone else, wearing her
costume, killed Joyce Holleran.

- If you're suggesting that
I had anything— - I'm not

suggesting. I'm stating it
as clearly as I know how.

Lucky for me, I was directing that little
theater group in the Village last night...

when it happened.

And I was driving alone...

to the island to
visit my sister.

As it happened, she wasn't there when I
got there. But I can't prove it, of course.

Well, that's something you'll have
to take up with Lieutenant Antonelli.

Mrs. Fletcher,

believe what you wish,
but I like Nita very much.

We all do.

Believe this as well. There's not one of
us that's sorry Joyce Holleran is dead.

Whoever killed her did
us all one great big favor.

Oh, Gordon, can I see you?

Good morning,
Julian. Good morning.

Uh, I wanted to talk to you
about my scene with Nita...

where she confesses
that she's the Avenger.

We're going to be pushing that
whole story line ahead indefinitely.

Carol will have some new
pages for you. Now, Gordon,

I seldom ask your
indulgence. Julian, please.

I'm sorry. I can't take the
time right now, all right?

All right. Yeah. W-We—
We will talk later.

Right. Fine.

Oh, hello, Martin. OH, Julian.

Well, I'm back. You're back?

Yeah. That Hollywood
series I was supposed to do...

fell through before I
even got my bags packed.

Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah. Have
you seen, uh, Gordon around?

I gotta talk to him about
something. He's right around there.

I've got a great idea how to keep
Felix alive. I'm gonna tell him about it.

Well, I wish you
well. I really do.

Sad to say, Joyce’s influence...

seems to hang over
things like a shroud.

Oh, Mr. Holleran. Yes?

Uh, we met at the studio. Uh,
my name is Jessica Fletcher.

I'm Nita Cochran's
aunt. Oh, yes.

Uh, could we talk? I was
hoping you might be able...

to clear up a little matter
that has me a bit confused.

I'm sorry. I'm on my
way to my lawyer's.

It's about you
telling the police...

that you left your apartment
building at 9:30 last night,

which I'm afraid you didn't,

not unless you were
dressed as the Avenger.

May I drop you?

We could talk on the way.

I suppose you can prove
that preposterous accusation.

If I have to.

I have uncovered a witness who
was outside the apartment house,

a witness who saw
the Avenger leave,

and, a few minutes
later, the police arrive,

but who never saw
you exit the building.

I was with Bibi Hartman
until 3:00 this morning.

A friend of mine has an
apartment in our building.

He travels a lot.
He lets me use it...

whenever Bibi and I
want to be together.

It's obvious why I
didn't tell the police.

She'll verify that?

If I ask her to.

Giving you both an alibi.

An alibi?

You think I killed Joyce? Why?

She was my meal ticket. I never
had it so good. I had no reason.

Not even her ownership
of Our Secret Lives?

I understand it's worth
several million dollars.

Good point. But the
killer took the bible.

If I'd killed her, I'd
have left it behind...

and protected those
several millions in royalties.

Unless it was to
divert suspicion.

She must have told you that
she discussed ideas in detail...

with the network, with Gordon
LaMonica and Carol Needom.

Oh, yes. Okay.

So she mentioned she'd
had a few conferences.

Look, those so-called
millions in profits,

those are a long
way down the road.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Fletcher,

you're a fascinating lady,

but you got the wrong guy.

I'll tell you one thing though.

I was a damned fool for not
telling the police the truth...

about Bibi and me.

It's a mistake I plan to rectify
before you get the chance.

Cabbie, Manhattan
police precinct, please.

Come on, Carol. You are the
one person in this lousy company...

I thought I could count on, and now you're
telling me there's nothing you can do?

I'm sorry, Todd, but Gordon's
giving the orders now,

and he says you and
Julian stay on the show...

just like Joyce planned.

Oh, I see. Yeah, first that
broad, and now Gordon, huh?

Well, let me tell you
something. I don't know how,

but I am gonna get
off this damn program.

I really thought you
were on my side, Carol.

I am so sorry. Did I
interrupt something personal?

I only wish.

I gather from Mr. Worthy's expression
his freedom won't be forthcoming.

That's one way of putting it.

What a bizarre situation.
Those who want to leave

can't, and those who want
to stay are being dropped.

Oh, by the way, my name is...

I think I know who you are, Mrs.
Fletcher. And I can guess why you're here.

You're looking for someone to give to
the police in exchange for your niece.

Well, not just anyone.

Look—Okay, Joyce is
dead, and all of a sudden...

I'm head writer with a big
office and an even bigger salary.

If that's a motive, I plead
guilty, but I didn't kill her.

Success isn't all that
great that I'm gonna

climb over somebody
else's bones to get there.

Well, I just wanted to ask you
one simple question, Miss Needom.

Did Mrs. Holleran discuss with you
any changes that she intended making?

With me? You must be kidding.

The network then? Oh, she
never consulted with them.

Then it must have been
Gordon LaMonica. What?

Mrs. Fletcher, as far as I'm concerned,
the police have Joyce’s killer in custody.

Well, as far as I'm concerned,
there are several other possibilities.

Yes, I know. Carol just called
me. Said you mentioned my name.

Because I believe that Joyce
Holleran discussed with you...

the changes she had in mind
for the program. That's right.

Look, I— I'd like to discuss
those with you in detail.

Mrs. Fletcher, please. I
don't have the time for this

right now. I have an
entire show to put together.

Well, I'll be sure to tell
Nita of your concern.

All right.

All right. Look, uh,

it's gonna be a long day, so
suppose we meet tonight...

8:00 at, um, Barney's
on 49th Street.

It's one of our hangouts.
I'll fill you in then.

I'll be there. I'll find it.

You believe this note we got? "Nita
Cochran didn't kill Joyce Holleran.

"I did. And it had nothing
to do with the show.

Catch me if you can."

Take this and the envelope it came in
over to Forensic. See what they can pull.

You think it's anything? Yeah. I think
it's something, right out of a soap opera.

Or a two-bit detective
novel. Get goin'.

♪

♪

Author. Author. Author.

Oh, good evening, Bibi.
"Good evening, Bibi."

That's nice. You know where
I've been for half the afternoon?

No, I'm afraid I don't.

Chatting—I've been chatting...

with that absolutely
delightful Lieutenant Antonelli.

I've been trying to persuade him, with
some degree of success I might add,

that while Larry's
late, unlamented wife...

was being terminated
by your niece,

Larry and I were warming the sheets
four stories below in an apartment.

Specifically from 9:30
to around 3:00 a.m.

I swore to it.

As a matter of fact, we're
playing an encore this evening,

if he ever shows up.

I suppose you're
very relieved that your

relationship no longer
has to be kept under wraps.

Mm-hmm.

I don't suppose you happened
to see Gordon LaMonica.

Gordy?

Yeah, we just had a
couple of drinks together.

Why? You don't
think he and I were...

- Uh, he said
he'd meet me here at 8:00.
- Oh.

Well, you're out
of luck, author.

Got a phone call from
the studio a little while ago.

Something about
more actor trouble.

You and Gordy, huh? Well, I
guess you have a way about you.

Todd?

Where are you?

Don't tell me he's following
the network's orders.

Absolutely. He could do
something if he wanted.

I can't believe that Gordon
would turn his back on us.

Julian, he's not the
friend you want him to be.

He's looking out for number one.

Let's just face it. We're
doomed to extinction.

It's the same for us as if
nothing happened to Joyce.

I say if he doesn't come around,

we somehow find a
way to get rid of him.

What do you mean? You heard

me, get rid of him. It's our
only choice. We can do it.

It's a cinch the network
will never do anything.

I'm not talking about the

network. You know what
I mean, Bibi. You all do.

Oh, sorry, ma'am, nobody's allowed
in without proper authorization.

Yes, I understand. Just tell me,
have you seen Mr. LaMonica?

Ma'am, I haven't seen anybody.
Everybody's gone home.

The place is empty
except for you and I. Oh.

Yeah, well, I know I said
something about wanting

to get rid of him, but
I didn't mean murder.

Gordon, you know
that. Yeah, right.

All I know is I got a
message from my service...

saying that you wouldn't
show up for tomorrow's

taping unless I met
you at the studio.

I didn't make that
call. I told you!

Now, look, Lieutenant, I was at
my apartment from before 7:00...

until your people
got there at 9:15.

- Now, I was out
of breath when they

arrived because, you
know— - I know, I know.

Because you were exercising
for over half an hour. And

you were home alone
because you felt like being alone.

And you didn't make that call
to LaMonica's answering service.

And you didn't try to kill him,
even though you did say...

you somehow had
to get rid of him.

Lieutenant, don't you think if he'd wanted
to kill Mr. LaMonica, he'd have done it?

Mrs. Fletcher, the man had
a bullet slug in his shoulder.

In his shoulder.

As I understand it, the
attacker was so close...

that he couldn't have
missed if he'd wanted to kill.

I mean, he had ample time for
a second or even a third shot.

Yeah, maybe. It could
have been a warning...

to Mr. LaMonica not
to tamper with the show.

I mean, supposing someone had
secretly taped that actors bull session.

And then, with Todd making
what sounded like a threat,

used his name to lure
Mr. LaMonica back to the studio.

That makes about as much sense
as that ridiculous confession note I got.

Yes? Yeah, hold on. Lieutenant.

Thanks. Antonelli.

Yeah, Kaplan.

Thank you.

That .38 slug they took
from your shoulder...

It matches the one that
killed Joyce Holleran.

Joyce Holleran was killed
with a .38? But I thought...

In that publicity still, the
Avenger held a .45 automatic.

I know.

But the killer was dressed as the
Avenger, so I assumed that he used a .45.

Sorry about that. It
was a .38 police special.

Oh, my goodness.

Well, that changes...

Lieutenant, uh, would you
come back with me to the studio?

The Avenger's .45. Cleaned
and oiled, and its clip of blanks.

Where's the gun that
belongs in this holster?

Oh, I don't know. It
should be right there.

When was this gun cleaned last?

Uh, right after the
Avenger-Felix sequence,

where Martin Grattop got so angry
because his character's being killed off.

Well, someone's used it
since then. Oh, no. No way.

None of them guns get
taken unless I give them.

Excuse me. This
is a seven-shot clip.

There are only
six shots in this.

That gun that, uh, Herbert Upton
uses as Inspector Holcomb...

- What kind is that?
- A .38 police special.

I sure don't understand how it
got taken without my knowledge.

You think Upton's pistol
is the murder weapon?

Or it might've been
taken to make it seem so.

Collaborate with Jessica
Fletcher? I'd love it.

How long will it take to cue our
dialogue into the teleprompter?

No time at all. Well,
let's get to work.

Come on, Sybil. Felix hasn't been
dead two days, and you want to...

I wanted you from
the first day I saw you.

And you want me.

Camera three, move back.
A little to your left. That's it.

After all the real women you've had,
what can that simpering child offer you?

It's all the "real women" I've known
that make her all the more dear to me.

Gil, don't say that. Not
after what we've had.

All right, the door's
gonna be opening. Julian's

gonna be walking in.
What we had was wrong.

Because of Felix it
was wrong. I was weak.

But now with Courtney to give
me strength, I'm not gonna do...

- Dr. Goodman.
- Well, Gil...

And Sybil, my dear.

Why, it really is heartwarming
to see Felix's friends...

rallying to the support
of his loving wife.

You poor dear.

You really shouldn't be
out on a night like this.

Well, Felix was
very special to me.

Where else to be but
with his grieving widow?

Dear, dear, Dr. Goodman,

so giving to us all.

Courtney!

Pull back camera one, slow.

Oh, Courtney. Come in,
dear. The police let you go.

Thank God! I'm glad.
They didn't let me go.

I escaped in a laundry truck
while the guard looked away.

Dr. Goodman,
I didn't kill Felix.

I didn't!

I don't know where to
turn. Please help me.

We will help you. Don't worry.

And we all know
that you didn't kill him.

They're going to put me in
prison for the rest of my life.

No, my dear. No.

I won't allow that. I give you
my word. I won't allow that.

Felix deserved to die.

What he did to your career,

and to the careers of
so many of my friends.

Joyce had to be stopped!

And how better to stop
her than with the Avenger?

Nobody knows who he
is. Not even Joyce herself.

It was a perfect
cover for killing her.

She was destroying my family.

That's why I killed
Joyce, Courtney.

I had to. And that's why I
took the bible she had written.

I had to!

But she'll bring no
more pain to any of you.

Okay, folks. That's a cut.

Was that all right,
Gordon? I could do it better.

No, it was, uh— it was
fine, Julian, just fine. Good.

Hello, Julian. Hello, Mrs.
Fletcher. It's nice to see you.

Julian, I think there's something
that we'd all like to know.

How did you get into
Mrs. Holleran's apartment?

Uh— I mean, the front door...

and the penthouse door
were always kept locked.

Oh—Oh, uh, I had keys.

You see, I took Joyce’s keys...

in the morning and slipped out
and had some duplicates made.

And then I put them on her desk
before she ever knew they were gone.

Is this the gun that you shot
her with? Yes. Yes, this is it.

This—This is the Avenger's
gun, isn't it? Yes, yes. That's it.

But this isn't the
gun that killed her.

Oh, dear lady, you're wrong.

You didn't kill Mrs. Holleran.

This gun was filled with blanks.

Joyce was killed with
a .38 police special.

The kind Inspector Holcomb uses—

A gun which incidentally is
missing from the prop box.

Now, just a moment. I
was in Greenwich Village,

watching a rehearsal of a play.

I know where you were, Mr. Upton.
But your gun was taken to cloud the issue.

While you were watching
the rehearsals of the play,

Joyce Holleran's
murderer was watching...

from some kind of cover as Julian
got off the penthouse elevator...

to unlock the penthouse
door and move inside.

That person followed
him and watched.

Nita, no, please!

Is that pretty much the way
it happened, Mr. Holleran?

Wait a minute. I
didn't kill Joyce.

Didn’t you?

I don't know the
exact series of events,

but I think, with your wife
stunned, you got your gun,

the one you kept in the house
for protection against intruders.

Your wife revived enough
to call Mr. LaMonica.

Nita is trying to kill me.

You pulled the
telephone cord from

the wall at the time she
mentioned Nita's name.

Larry, no! And you shot her,

wrapping the cord around
the body to make it look

like it was pulled from
the wall when she fell.

Oh, come on.

Why would I kill Joyce?

She was a gold mine to me alive.

Well, she might have
been in some future time,

but you weren't
prepared to wait that long.

She knew about Bibi.
And you knew it was only a

matter of time before
things blew up in your face.

I think you decided to get what you
could and Bibi while you had the chance.

Will you listen to this?

I have to tell you,

you've got some case
of something, milady,

but what you
don't have is proof.

I'm sure that there
is proof, Mr. Holleran.

It will come when the police compare
the slugs taken from your wife's body,

Gordon LaMonica's shoulder, and the burglar
you shot in your apartment last year.

If they all came
from the same gun,

would that be proof
enough for you?

Pretty slick. Thank you.

So, how'd you know he used the
same gun on that burglar a year ago?

Well, actually, I
didn't. You're kidding.

But as soon as you make
the comparisons, we'll find out.

Uh, I—I mean, I-I'm pretty sure.

I don't know how to break
this to you, Mrs. Fletcher,

but that burglary slug would
have been tossed out months ago.

Well, in that
case, Lieutenant...

Yes? Uh, since Mr. Holleran
doesn't know that,

if I were you, I'd get him to confess
as loudly and as quickly as possible.