Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996): Season 3, Episode 2 - Death Stalks the Big Top: Part 2 - full transcript

Fire!

In the past 24 hours,
two people have died.

[Woman] Tonight on
Murder, She Wrote.

- Somebody's trying to kill me.
- The Carmody Family Circus is jinxed.

You have about as much right to conduct
a police investigation as Jack the Ripper.

You lock up this
busybody right now.

You really paid Edgar a
million dollars if he fired Ray?

You make me sound so devious.

- Are you gonna tell me what's wrong?
- Being sold off like a piece
of equipment is what's wrong.

Maylene?

[Woman] Here are scenes from
Part One of Murder, She Wrote.



Jessica! Oh! Howard! [Laughs]

Carol? What is it?

This is from Grandfather.
He's alive. I know it.

Frank was devastated when he
heard about Neil's boating accident.

He-He never could believe
that his brother was dead.

- He's a striking looking man.
- Perhaps you knew him as Carl?

Sorry. A circus is a busy place.

You can't keep this creaky showboat
afloat forever. We're going under.

You finished?

What's so terrible about making
100,000 a year in New York City?

[Muffled Cry]

Stop it! You stay away from
my mother or I'll bust you!

Hank! Give me that!

I'll give it back to you when
you're man enough to handle it, boy.



A woman named Fletcher came
around here last night lookin' for you.

Constance? No. Um, Jessica.

She said she was your
sister-in-law. But of course

I got rid of her. Now I
hope I did the right thing.

Just what I need! A murder case! With
my reelection comin' up in four weeks.

I can handle the investigation,
Mr. Mayor. I'll do it myself.

The tiger gettin'
loose, that bleacher fire,

and the main tent pole
splinterin' like it done,

- Those were just accidents.
- Oh, shoot, honey. You don't believe that.

Mother! If poverty is
an insufficient motive,

at least this murder should
convince you to come home.

One of the circus people's disappeared.
Lead clown. Man named Carl Schumann.

Get out an A.P.B. on
this Carl Schumann.

Yes, I took the boat out, blew it up
to make it look like I'd been killed.

But you could have gotten a divorce.
I mean, why this elaborate charade?

If you love me, you'll see
that all this stays between us.

I don't want Constance
to know a thing.

Oh, that should be the
least of your concerns.

You've been
arrested. You're in jail.

Jessica, leave it
lay. Stay out of it.

Katie, the link in this elephant's
chain has been partially cut through.

You're right.

Between you and the
troubles you've been havin',

now this second-rate road show
is bein' driven right into the ground.

You're gonna be bankrupt in six
months. I'll buy what's left for a song.

That small-town mayor with the midget
mentality has Carl under lock and key,

and I'm afraid that's
where he's going to stay.

Not if I can help it. He
has not killed anyone.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Fletcher.
You're wrong about that.

Your brother-in-law told us exactly
where we'd find the murder weapon.

Covered with blood too.

- There has to be some mistake here.
- No, ma'am. No mistake.

We took his
statement an hour ago.

He's already signed a confession,
admittin' to the murder of Hank Sutter.

[Neil] Jessie, what
more do you want?

I want the truth. It's
staring you in the face.

The coroner already told you it
was Sutter's blood type on that club.

You saw them
find it where I hid it.

I don't care what I saw. I don't
care what the coroner told me.

I don't care what
you told the police.

Sweet, trusting Jessica.

Neil, don't do this to me.

Why? Why did you kill him?

- Jess, leave it be.
- No. You of all people. Neil.

It would be as easy
for me to believe that-

that Frank had killed someone.

What is it?

What are you trying to
hide? Who are you protecting?

No one! Jessie, go home, please.

Leave it alone for God's sake if
you have any feeling-[Groaning]

Neil, what is it? What's wrong?

- [Groaning]
- Sheriff! Sheriff Childs!

Neil, what's the
matter? What is it?

What's the matter? There seems
to be something wrong with his leg.

Neil? No. No.

[Mutters] No.

Oh, my Lord!

It's a nasty knife cut. Not deep
but-Got in a fight, would you say?

A man of his age in
a knife fight? Really.

All things considered,
a logical conclusion.

[Doctor] Well I've given
him a shot of antibiotics.

I'll change the new
bandage in a day or two.

All right, thank you, Doc.

Mayor, think! The
wound was self-inflicted.

What'd you say? Carl cut himself
to make his confession believable.

That's his blood on that club.

Oh, now, I get it. You're settin'
it up for him to plead insanity.

- Well, it ain't gonna work.
- Well, it's the only explanation.

And why did he confess to
a murder he didn't commit?

Well, possibly to protect someone
that he cares about very much.

- And who would that be?
- Well, I uh, I-I don't know.

Seems to me when it comes to hard
facts, you don't know much at all, lady.

Well, let me tell you. I am
satisfied I caught the right man.

My father-in-law, Judge Frazer,
is satisfied I caught the right man.

The newspaper is satisfied
I caught the right man,

and so are the
people in this town.

Mayor-This case is ready to be delivered
to the district attorney in the mornin'.

The circus is reopened, and
I am gettin' myself reelected.

Why don't you go back
to where you come from?

Mrs. Fletcher, uh-

The mayor has got a mighty
tight grip on things in this town.

I wish I-

Sheriff, you're a good
man and a bright one.

I know what I'm talking
about when I tell you that,

given the opportunity,
you'll be a good lawman.

Thank you. Only
been at it a few months.

Well, that's... hard to believe.

I was with the state
police for 11 years...

and then my-leg.

Mayor Powers gave me a
job when no one else would.

I got a wife and three kids,
and I can't afford to cross him.

With the election, who knows?

Maybe we'll get a new mayor,
somebody who'll let me do my job.

Can only wait and hope, huh?

I'm afraid that's a
luxury I don't have.

[Laughing]

[Man] Clean up those stands.

[Man #2] Maylene,
you're looking real food.

So, how'd I look?

As always, graceful as a
swan, pretty as a peacock.

You sure got a
line about you, Pres.

Fact is, I've decided to quit
come end of this season.

Yep. I never told Hank, but I
managed to put some aside.

I'm thinkin' about startin'
a horse breedin' farm.

Good for you.
I'll be leaving too,

but for entirely
different reasons.

The Carmody Family Circus
is jinxed, Maylene. It's doomed.

Inevitably, it will fold.

Regardless, I've
been at it long enough.

And if things work out, I'll
have some money down the line.

Oh, you got an oil well
that's gonna come a gusher?

[Laughs] No. Nothin' like that.

[Tiger Growling] Horse breedin' is
a pretty profitable kind of business.

Hmm. Hard to run
by yourself though.

To tell you the truth, Maylene, I've
about had it with backwater America.

I don't care if I never
hear a cricket again.

Maylene. We met earlier.

Yes. Emmaline Polsby, wasn't it?

I wanted to express
my condolences.

Oh that's sweet, Mrs.
Fletcher, but not necessary.

Includin' me, there aren't many
that's caring about my husband's death.

He wasn't a nice man.

Maylene, I'm sorry, forgive
me, I have to ask you this.

Do you think it's possible
that your husband

was responsible for
all those accidents?

Possible? Sure. But was he?

I don't know. I never had
any reason to think so. Why?

You think that that's got
somethin' to do with his killin'?

Possibly. You see, I
have a feeling that Neil-

I'm sorry-Carl... was
protecting your husband's killer.

Maybe someone who came along,

just as your husband was
arranging another so-called accident.

Well, could be you're right.

But if Carl is protectin'
somebody, it sure wouldn't be me.

Truth is we weren't
all that close.

Yes, but who was
he close to, Maylene?

I mean, who did he
care enough about...

to confess to a murder
that he didn't even commit?

Well, make yourself to home.

Why, Mr. Carmody,
how gracious of you.

Now lock the door.

We have business to discuss.

She's lookin' good, huh?
Lookin' good your mom. Yeah.

Yeah, I'm just hangin' around.

Mr. Carmody's sendin'
a guy in from Phoenix.

I still say you'd make
a great foreman.

It's not for me, kid.
Nope, that ain't for me.

I don't figure I'll be around
here much longer anyway.

You quittin' the circus?
Well, I ain't quittin' today.

[Brad] What's goin’
on? What's goin’ on?

[Cries Out]

[Gasping]

What happened,
Mom? Hey, you all right?

No, I'm not all right!
Somebody's trying to kill me.

I could hear something,
rolling back and forth.

It was like the balancing pole
was just alive in my hands,

pulling me one
way then the other.

It was terrifying.

- What is that?
- [Jessica] It's a ball bearing.

And that looks like dried glue.

Just enough to hold
the ball immobile...

until the pole was
used in Katie's act.

That's right. And when it started
to roll, it pulled her off balance.

And if that happened during
a performance, without a net-

Mom, you could have been killed!

Yes. In an "accidental" fall.

Mr. Carmody, you
should call the police.

- No police.
- Hey, we've had enough
of them around.

- Brad!
- Oh, but I really do-
I said no.

If they come back, they could shut us
down again for Lord knows how long.

Now we'll handle
this by ourselves.

Well, you go ahead
and handle it then.

But I'm not going back up
there with a maniac on the loose.

So we handle it.
Where do we start?

I know exactly where.

Ah, Mr. Kaneally-

Hey, I'm gonna go talk to Katie.
Ah, could you give me a minute?

Something's puzzling me
about who Carl is protecting.

You and he are friends.

Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah,
sure, we're friends.

I couldn't help but notice the
cuts and bruises on your hands.

All right. What about 'em?

I saw them this morning after
Hank Sutter was beaten to death.

And I thought-Hey! I work a
tough job here, Mrs. Fletcher.

Sometimes I don't wear
gloves on my hands...

and my hands look
like this most of the time.

Now I don't know what you're
getting at, and I don't much care, okay?

Now if you'll please excuse me.

Nobody cares I
could have been killed!

Oh, Edgar's just worried
about being shut down again.

And Brad agreed with him.

Mom, he didn't mean-Don't
you defend him to me, Charlie!

- Katie?
- What is it?

Are you all right?

Yes. I'm fine. And no
thanks to my friends.

Oh, now don't sell them short. I think
they love you and Charlie very much.

As Carl does. I'm right
about that, aren't I?

- You and Carl are close
aren't you, Charlie?
- Yeah, I guess so.

Close enough for Carl to
do anything to protect you.

Katie, I found
this in his trailer.

So?

- Charlie, where's your baseball bat?
- Hank took it.

[Katie] The other night
when he came to our trailer.

He got fresh. Remember?
I told you I slapped him.

Charlie threatened him with the
bat, and Hank took it away from him.

Neil, listen to me.

You are protecting someone
who doesn't need protecting.

Whatever that's supposed
to mean. Jessie, please-

Charlie didn't have his baseball bat
the night that Hank Sutter was killed.

Hank took it from him
earlier that evening.

It was early in the
morning, 5:30, 6:00.

A little later maybe.

It came to be the way I
started most mornings.

I'd take a walk around the
grounds before anybody was up.

It's quiet, peaceful.

Anyway, I'd been walking a
while when I heard the animals.

They sounded restless.

I went over to take a look.

It didn't take long to see
why they were acting up,

and there wasn't any
doubt Hank was dead.

He was messed
up something awful.

And then when I found
Charlie's bat covered with blood,

there also wasn't any
doubt how Hank was killed.

I'd given Charlie that bat for
his birthday only a month ago.

Well, knowing how Hank
was trying to get next

to Katie, and knowing
how she felt about him...

and how Charlie disliked him
and his pestering his mother-

You assumed that
Charlie had killed him.

Yeah. Jumped him in the dark,
knocked him down with it and beat him.

And what did you do?

Well, first I-I
just hid the bat.

I'm not sure how long I
pondered on just what to do.

I was heading back to my
trailer when I ran into Edgar,

and he told me about you
being there looking for me.

I didn't have much
choice but to leave.

But before I did, I had to make sure
young Charlie wasn't gonna be blamed.

I fixed it so if it came to it, it
would look like I had killed Hank.

I knew we had the same blood type. I
gave him some five, six months ago...

when one of the big cats
got loose, clawed him.

I'd hoped it would look like an
accident-that the elephants stomped him.

[Mayor] And if they didn't?

Oh, I'd have phoned you, told
you where I'd hidden the club.

I'd have been far enough away.

And if I'd have been caught-

Well, what time do
I have left anyway?

But young Charlie would've
been safe. That's all that mattered.

- And where's the baseball bat now?
- I threw it in the river
on the way to Hankston.

Well, now ain't that convenient?

This whole damn
thing's a concoction.

Nobody confesses to a
murder they didn't commit.

I don't believe none of it and
neither will the county attorney.

- Lock him up again.
- Mayor, for heaven's sakes!

Now, Sheriff. Right now.

I will stake my life on
everything that he has said.

Bein' the relation he
is, that ain't sayin' much.

I know the man. And
that's exactly the sort

of thing he'd do for
someone that he loved.

And would he also kill
for someone he loved?

Mayor, use your head.

Anyone could have come
on Mr. Sutter that night.

And an argument could have
broken out-that partially cut chain.

I mean, they could have had a fight
over the baseball bat, and Sutter lost.

Mrs. Fletcher, I'm
through with this case.

It's up to a judge and
jury from here on out.

[Sighs]

A report on Brad Kaneally?

Yes, ma'am. When I met
him the mornin' after the killin',

I noticed he had some cuts
and scrapes on his hands.

- As if he'd been in a fight.
- Uh-huh.

Good thinking.

Uh, as you can see,
I ran a check on his

employment application
with Carmody's circus.

Most of these
references are phony.

Then he must be
hiding something. Why?

Sorry, ma'am. You heard Mayor
Powers. The case is closed.

He'd have my head if
I kept snoopin' around.

Fortunately, Sheriff, I am under no such
threat of decapitation. Good afternoon.

Thank you. Mr. Carmody!

Oh, excuse me, Bert.

Do you happen to know if
Mr. Kingman is in his room?

Believe so, Mrs. Fletcher.
Can I ring him up for you?

Oh, no. If you'd just tell
me which room he's in.

Oh, he's in 205. That's up
the stairs and to your left.

Thank you. Ma'am.

Oh, excuse me.
Mrs. Fletcher? Yes?

Maria Morgana.

We haven't met, but
you and I are entwined...

in that gruesome situation
involving the Carmody Family Circus.

Oh, yes. You're-You're Ray
Carmody's mother-in-law.

I do so admire your doggedness in trying
to prove your brother-in-law's innocence.

Well, if there's anything I
can do, please don't hesitate.

Well, thank you, the sheriff and I are
very grateful for any help that we can get,

uh, no matter what the reason.

Meaning what?

Well, I-I was just thinking. I mean, if
we could prove that Neil is innocent,

then Mayor Powers would probably close
down the circus again and if that happens,

I don't suppose that
Mr. Carmody could stand it-

financially, I mean.

In which case, of course,
your daughter would

have to return to New
York along with her husband.

[Clears Throat] Or
something like that.

Well, I can see I'm not dealing
with some tourist fresh off the bus.

Mother, are you insane? Daniela!

Ray just told me about that bizarre
proposition you made to his father.

How could you? I really think this is
something best discussed in private.

Then it's true? You really
paid Edgar a million dollars...

to keep the circus
afloat if he fired Ray?

Oh, Daniela, darling,
don't put it that way.

- You make me sound so devious.
- Heaven forbid.

I merely proposed a business arrangement
that seems to benefit everyone concerned.

Help! Help!

Help! Help!

What's the matter? What's
wrong? On the floor, in the room!

I think he's dead!
Call the police.

Mrs. Fletcher?

It's Harry Kingman. He's dead.

[Chattering]

Sorry, folks, no press permitted
till the mayor's available.

Be a while, I expect.

Well, now as near as
I can tell, I'd say that,

uh, Kingman's been
dead less than an hour.

That's all? Strangled and
dead less than an hour?

The Fletcher woman knew
that much. For Lord's sake, I

made you coroner, boy.
Now I need somethin' to go on.

"Criminentals," Uncle Ansel.
I'm a veterinarian, not a detective.

Sir, Mrs. Fletcher just
made a very valid point.

You ain't gonna
give up, are you?

The two murders are
almost certainly related,

meaning that Neil could
not have been involved.

You've had him locked
up for the last 12 hours.

There is as much evidence to connect them
two murders as there is I done 'em both.

Forty minutes ago when I
arrived here, Edgar Carmody-

I ain't interested.

Mayor. Mrs. Fletcher,

If you impede my
investigation one more minute,

you're gonna find yourself in a cell
alongside that brother-in-law of yours.

I'm sorry, but you have
about as much right...

to conduct a police
investigation as... Jack the Ripper.

Sheriff, you lock up this
Yankee busybody right now.

Mayor, I can't just-
On what charge?

Obstruction of justice.
Impeding a police investigation.

Flagrant disrespect
of the office of mayor.

Oh, it's not the office
that's earning my contempt.

Sheriff, you hear
what I told you?

Oh, will you shut the hell up before
you make an even bigger fool of yourself?

- What?
- From now on,
I'm runnin' this investigation.

One more word and
I'll have your badge.

You want my badge? You've
got it. But I promise you, Mayor.

Every mother's son in this
town is gonna know what a...

boob-brained, pompous ass they
got for a mayor, if they don't already.

And if they don't, if they are
dumb enough to reelect you,

well, they damn well
deserve what they get.

Now what's it gonna be?

Now I guess we can
get down to business.

Oh, yes, sir, Sheriff.

Well, I know you're dealing
with reality, Mr. Jameson.

It's one of the tragedies
of the banking profession.

Well, because it doesn't let
you believe miracles can happen.

Now I've got the money
to pay off the entire loan.

[Man On Radio] Well-known
circus promoter Harry Kingman...

was found dead in his room at
the Ozark Inn in Pullman City.

Mayor Ansel Powers reports Sheriff Leonard
Childs has called the death a homicide.

When questioned by reporters,
Mayor Powers refused any comment...

until more details were uncovered
by Sheriff Childs's investigation.

[Cabdriver] 0l' Ansel
Powers sure don't miss a trick.

I swear. He'll get his name and face
pushed right up in front, no matter what.

[Radio] Mayor Powers,
who reminded us...

he is runnin' for
reelection in three weeks,

was quoted as saying, "The
dead man has no business

connection with the
Carmody Family Circus."

He'll get a lick in on hisself
anytime or place he can-

[Chuckles] reelection or no.

That there man's
a real politician.

[Radio] ...and the prospect is
for more of the same tomorrow.

Well, there'll be a certified check
in the mail first thing tomorrow.

You should get it no later
than Monday morning.

Well, as a matter of fact, advance
sales for our next stop are pretty good.

That's right. Day
by day. Why not?

Nobody owns tomorrow.

Yes, you too. Bye-bye.

- Ray?
- This is the last
of my personal things.

Well, there's no hurry in
getting them out of the office.

- No reason not to, Dad.
- Ray.

Wait a minute. Are you
gonna tell me what's wrong?

Being sold off like a piece
of equipment is what's wrong.

I'll admit I fetched a hell of a
price. Now you just back up.

That Morgana woman's offer
was a godsend for both of us.

The bank close to calling in those
notes, Daniela pulling at you to leave.

Now how much longer could I expect
you to stay with me out of loyalty?

Loyalty, hell! I did it
because I love you.

[Animal Roaring] Dad, this is
where I belong. It's where I wanna be.

Daniela was staying with me
because that's where she belongs.

We knew we'd never
get rich with the show.

We figured to get by.
[Elephant Trumpeting]

Well, if you mean
what you're saying, Son,

Maria Morgana's check gets
sent back quicker than scat.

Of course I mean it. Look, changing
the locations we've been playing,

stopping these accidents that have cost us
time and money-That's all it's gonna take.

Well, I know who's behind
them, and I'm gonna stop him.

I'm afraid Mr. Kingman has
already been stopped. Kingman?

He was murdered in
his room at the Ozark Inn.

They found the body
just after you left.

What the hell is that
supposed to mean?

Suppose we let
your father answer.

Wait. You think
that I killed him?

I said some
threatening things, but-

- Dad, you don't have to answer to her.
- It's all right, Son.

He had a woman in
his room or somebody.

Now he wouldn't let me inside.

We yelled at each other outside
the door, then he went inside,

slammed the door on
me, and that's when I left.

A woman or somebody?

I seriously doubt that a woman would've
been capable of strangling him to death.

Mr. Carmody, it's
very evident to me...

that you've been trying to protect
somebody, but you can't go on.

In the past 24 hours,
two people have died.

Please, tell me
about Brad Kaneally.

I'm sorry, Pres, but I'm gonna put as much
distance between me and here as possible.

At least stay on to
the end of the season.

No, sir. Thank you, but I don't
wanna be one of those accidents.

With Kingman dead, there shouldn't be
any more. Who else stood to profit by them?

Excuse me. Have either one
of you seen Brad Kaneally?

Oh, uh, a little while ago he was,
uh, packing some gear in his pickup.

Mrs. Fletcher, is it true what
Preston here was just tellin’ me?

That Harry Kingman was
strangled in his hotel room?

It was on the radio
not 10 minutes ago.

And I say that's the
end of our troubles.

Harry Kingman is dead, but that's no
guarantee that there won't be more trouble.

Charlie's gonna miss you.

That goes for me too, Brad.

I know I'm a
little late with that.

Look, I'm not the right man for you.
I'm not the right man for Charlie either.

Brad, what is it? What's
wrong? What are you hiding?

For what it's worth, I think you should
stay here, Brad, and talk to the police.

Hey, I got nothin'
to say to the police.

Whatever you think, you
did not kill Hank Sutter.

I don't know what
you're talkin' about.

I can't stop you,
but if you do go,

you should know that Sutter wasn't
trampled to death by an elephant.

And he was not
killed by a man's fists.

Well, I used to be a
professional boxer.

And, uh, I used to drink,

and I almost killed a
man one night in a bar.

Yeah, the law called
these lethal weapons,

and my conviction on attempted
murder was suspended,

and I got probation,

and I started drinking again,
and I got into another fight,

and I took off, I ran.

It was either that or the
Illinois State Penitentiary.

So-

So three years went by,
and I hadn't taken a drink.

I hadn't made a fist.

No matter how Hank
Sutter baited me-

Till two nights ago-

Yeah, I was-I was checkin'
out the animals like I usually do...

before turnin' in,
and I ran into Hank.

He was in a-He was in
a mean mood as usual,

and then he made-He
made a crack about Katie.

That's when I noticed that
he had Charlie's baseball bat.

See, and then, uh, he kept comin',
he kept sayin’ it over and over.

He wouldn't quit. I tried stoppin'
him. He just kept comin', so I hit him.

And he came back at
me with the baseball bat.

So I stopped him.

He took some-He took
some pretty good pops.

Then he went down.

Went down pretty hard.

So I heard some footsteps
and I just took off, I ran.

I know I shouldn't have hit him
so hard. I thought I'd killed him.

The whole thing
is in self-defense,

but who's gonna believe that
with what I got hangin’ over me?

No, no, no. They'd
nail me for murder.

Hey, what you said about the
baseball bat. Are you sure about that?

Yes. Yes, I am.

Whoever it was you
thought you heard...

must have found Sutter lying on
the ground and beat him with the bat.

You hit him in the face,

but he had broken arms,

ribs, shoulder, even
the bones of his back,

which made it easy to assume that
he'd been crushed by an elephant.

But if Brad didn't kill
him, then who did?

I can't answer that. Yet.

[Maria] You are returning
one million dollars? Tax-free?

That old man is insane.

You all are! Mother.

I'm sorry. I'm gonna
tell her. Honey.

Tell me what?

Edgar isn't crazy. He's dying.

Ray didn't want to
tell me. I forced him.

Edgar has less
than a year to live.

No one's to know.
We're keeping it that way.

Ray, I'm sorry.

What are you going
to do? Nothing.

Edgar's not going to spend what
time he has left in some hospital.

[Ray] He's going
out the way he lived.

A circus man.

[Switch Clicking]

Maylene!

[Grunting]

You keep yourself available
till this thing is settled.

I've got no reason to run
now, Sheriff. Thanks for the lift.

You bet.

Excuse me.

[Flames Crackling]

Jessie, it's me.

Fire!

Fire!

Yep, it's always strangers
bring trouble to town.

Bert, put a lid on it.

We could have been killed.

And not by one of
them accidents either.

Much as it was
made to look like one.

It sure wasn't Mrs. Fletcher who put
that note under the door of your trailer,

askin' you to meet her here.

I sure feel like a ninny.

Should've figured it didn't
make a whole lot of sense.

Well, I said I was leavin', and I
am. If you don't need me no more-

Well, wouldn't you like to
know who tried to kill us...

and who did kill your
husband and Harry Kingman?

- You know who it is?
- Yes.

But I don't know
how to prove it.

[Snarling]

Edgar?

You look like you've seen
a ghost, Mr. Bartholomew.

Understandable, as you
assumed that I'd be dead by now.

I don't know what
you're talking about.

One of the roustabouts said
Edgar Carmody wanted to see me.

- No, I wanted to see you.
- Why?

To talk to you about
giving yourself up.

You killed Hank Sutter and Harry Kingman,
and you tried to kill Maylene and me.

Where did you ever get a
preposterous idea like that?

When it became clear
that whoever killed Hank...

was also the one who was staging those
"accidents" intended to ruin the circus.

Most probably someone who
used to work for Harry Kingman.

Maybe because I knew him when he was
a roustabout with Harry Kingman's circus.

But didn't you yourself remark on the fact
that several of us had worked for Kingman?

The saboteur could just as
easily have been Hank himself.

Maybe someone caught him cutting
that link on the elephant's leg chain...

and beat him with
that baseball bat.

That's interesting that you
should know about the bat.

It's not common knowledge.

Oh? And is that going to
be part of your evidence?

No. You slipped again...

when you told Maylene
you were quitting the circus.

If things work out, I'll have
some money down the line.

Oh, you got an oil well
that's gonna come a gusher?

No. Nothin' like that.

Did "nothing like that" mean it
was a payoff from Harry Kingman...

that was "down the line"?

No, Mrs. Fletcher, it did not.

Really.

[Tiger Snarling] How easily
your trial balloons are shot down.

Well, how about this one.

When I returned to the circus grounds
right after Kingman had been killed,

I ran into you and Maylene.

I remember.

Mrs. Fletcher, is it true what
Preston here just told me?

That somebody strangled
Harry Kingman in his hotel room?

Not 10 minutes ago
it was on the radio.

That was a mistake, and you must
have realized it almost immediately.

You must have remembered...

the radio broadcast mentioned
nothing about the cause of the death.

You're wrong.

No. I'm not wrong.

The radio station's tapes
of the broadcast will verify it.

There was specifically no mention
of how Kingman was murdered.

You slipped badly in front of the
two people who might remember,

Maylene and myself.

That's why you lured
her to my room and tried

to stage that fire-to
get rid of us both.

Supposing you're right? So what?

I can think of at
least a dozen different

scenarios that could
explain how Sutter died.

One will do. All right.

Let's suppose, and
this is just conjecture...

mind you, that you're right,

that I was working for
Kingman, sabotaging the circus.

Maybe what happened is this-

Maybe I was cutting that link
on the elephant's leg chain.

Maybe I didn't see
Hank lying there.

It's possible that he
awakened and caught me.

We would have fought,

and I, not being
the brawler he was,

would have looked for something to
hit him with, say, a kid's baseball bat.

I would probably
have picked it up...

and hit him several times.

I would have been afraid he'd tell about
seeing me cutting the elephant's leg chain.

And if I had done it right,

I probably would
have beaten him,

so it would look like he had
been trampled by an elephant.

Of course, this is
all just conjecture.

And Harry Kingman? What is
your theory about how he died?

I would have gone to see
him to ask for my money.

Harry was a funny sort, a
real shark about business,

but he didn't have much
of a stomach for killing.

Harry was the type...

who always kept his hands
clean while someone else-

He refused to pay. He
threatened to go to the police.

That is, he probably would
have threatened to go to

the police if, indeed, all
this had actually happened,

which, of course, it did not.

Of course.

When Edgar Carmody came to Kingman's room,
and they had that row outside the door,

you probably would
have been inside.

Now that's a good theory.

Too bad they don't deal
in theories in courtrooms.

They need hard evidence there.

Something a jury
can sink its teeth into.

Speaking of which-[Snarling]

[Sighing]

And surely you understand-

I can't let you go to the
police with these theories.

Oh, well- What's
one more accident?

One too many.

Oh! Oh, well.

If-If you've been here,
then-then you heard.

You heard-You heard the way
she twisted everything around.

Listen to me! I'm your friend.

Surely you're not gonna
believe any of this stupidity.

But we do, Preston.
Every bit of it.

You've betrayed us all, Preston.

You're not gonna hurt
me. [Neil] Oh, no? Why not?

You wanted to destroy our lives.

There's gonna be one
last accident. No! Ray!

Ray! No! Ray, you're crazy!

What choice do we have? We couldn't
prove any of this in a court of law.

Besides, you know how cops
feel about circus people. No!

Hey, we're just gonna deal
with you the way we know. No!

You're insane! All of you!

Mrs. Fletcher, for God's sakes!

I'm sorry. As much as I abhor
violence, there is no other way.

We can't just let two
murders go unpunished.

- No! Wait! Please!
- [Snarling]

Please! Please!

- All right! I did it!
- We know you did it.

Well, the hacksaw-It's
hidden under my bunk!

And at the hotel, somebody
saw me arrive, several people.

You've got proof! Please
don't kill me like this!

Lucky I happened
to be passin' by.

You're under arrest for murder.

How your young
man could possibly-

His name is Clay, Grandmother.

Why Clay chose to refuse...

the position I found for him
with Kirkpatrick and Dalton is-

Don't you really know?

A certain amount of independence
in youth is admirable, dear.

But I'm afraid Clay is
carrying it to the extreme.

I mean, your grandmother
was merely trying-

I know what Grandmother
was doing. And so did Clay.

But we're going to
make it on our own.

Oh, thank heavens!
I'm still in time.

Oh, Jessica. Aunt Jess.

Well, Jessica, I hope your meeting
with your publishers was productive.

You've missed several
of Carol's parties.

I am sorry about that,
Constance. I really am.

Could I have a
moment with Carol?

Well, the ceremony is
going to begin in about-

- It'll only take a minute.
- Grandmother, will you and Mother
please leave us?

- My dear child-- Now please.

Aunt Jess, did you
find Grandfather?

My dear, he is better than ever.
I sneaked him in the back door.

[Whistling]

- Grandfather!
- Hello, sweetheart.

Oh, Grandfather, how
I've missed you. Oh!

Oh, Lord, child,
how you've grown.

I can't believe it. I mean, you're
home. You've really come back.

No, darling. No, I
haven't. Not to stay.

No one knows I'm here.
And no one's going to know.

But I don't want to lose you
again. You won't. I promise.

But I have a whole new life.
Your grandmother has hers.

Now, I know it's hard for you to
understand what I did, but someday-

No. Not someday,
Grandfather, believe me.

I do understand... completely.

Jess! How wonderful! Oh!

Roberts said you'd returned.
Just in time for the festivities.

He said you wanted to see me.

Yes, I do.

This could wait, of course, but-

I have a friend who
wants to invest in a circus.

A partnership.

And he wanted me to ask you if you
would be willing to loan him the money.

To invest in a circus? Uh-huh.

Jessica, that's hardly
sound, fiscal responsibility.

Well, he gave me
this to give to you.

[Stammers] Neil?

He's-Yes. He certainly is.

And you're absolutely right.

A circus is a terrible
financial investment.

I mean, a hand-to-mouth
operation with very little future.

Don't bother to run it through
your computer. You'd be appalled.

Is he happy?

Happier than he's ever been.

Good for him.

Well, he's got the money.
It's rightfully his anyway.

Howard, where have you been?

You know, you are
giving the bride away.

The wedding
starts in 20 minutes.

That still gives me
plenty of time, Audrey.

Oh, I do wish you'd spend a little of it
with Ambassador Luchenkov and his wife.

- You know how
important... Yes, Audrey.

I don't know why I have to
ask you to do the little things...

that any other husband
would automatically do.

This circus-

I don't suppose there's an opening for an
overworked, underappreciated stockbroker?

Well, we could certainly
find out from the new owner.