Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996): Season 3, Episode 20 - The Cemetery Vote - full transcript

Hands up or I'll shoot.

[Woman] Tonight on
Murder, She Wrote.

Yates has been
coverin' up a murder.

Folks around here know better than
to make threats against the sheriff.

Where I come from the
sheriff upholds the law.

There's one thing I know
how to do is follow orders.

A trained dog can do that.

Wayne's a good boy. I think
he'd make a good sheriff.

Hell, she's crooked’r
than a dog's hind leg.

Watch yourself.
You could get hurt.

- [Jessica] Pull over, let him pass.
- I don't think he wants to pass.



Hang on!

[Dog Barking In Distance]

[Grunting]

You're deep in the
dung heap now, old man.

Breaking and entering
is a felony. [Groans]

What's that? I can't hear you. What's
the matter? Cat got your tongue, huh?

Ease off, Wayne. That's no
way to treat a senior citizen.

- Yeah, you see
what he done to that gate?
- Let him be.

Harry, you all right?

No. Thanks to your deputy.

Well, you shouldn't
be here, Harry.

I got a right to
look at Jimmy’s car.

Not while it's locked
up in my pound.

It shouldn't be locked up
in your pound. It should've



been released to Jimmy’s
wife six weeks ago.

No reason to get riled
up over a little red tape.

I liked your boy. He
was an honest mayor.

Yeah, that's what
probably got him killed.

You know, Harry, it grieves me to see
you hung up on that damn fool notion.

Jim's death was an
accident, pure and simple.

Maybe I'll believe that when I
examine this wreck for myself.

And I mean to do that, Yates—
Even if I have to get a court order.

Careful now, Harry. A man of your
age, it's dangerous to get so worked up.

Humph.

I'll have the county bill
you for that busted gate.

You do that.

Beeler, you get away from my
truck before I run over your size 12s.

[Engine Starts]

I found out about it when I
called Seth Hazlitt from Rome.

And he told me that he'd heard
about the accident from your mother.

You shouldn't have canceled
your plans, but I'm glad you're here.

I'm only sorry I couldn't
have gotten here sooner.

I have such wonderful memories of
that picnic on the beach at Cabot Cove.

The two of you cutting
up like a couple of kids.

[Sighs]

And how are you, Linda?

I'm holding together.
Barely, sometimes.

I wake up groggy,
and Jim isn't there.

Yes.

I find myself inventing places where
he must be— 'cause he can't be dead.

I miss him so much.

I know.

But you are
keeping busy, I hope.

You mentioned
something on the telephone

about being involved in
some special election?

To replace Jim as mayor.

Oh, I, ah, I promised
to pick up some posters.

Mind if we make one
quick stop at the city hall?

Not a bit. Come on.

Well, I know, George, that
the incumbent has the edge,

but, uh, the trouble is that I'm not the
incumbent, I'm only the acting mayor.

What are you trying to
say? That you've got a fight

on your hands? Hell, it
says that on your poster.

Well, I don't mind a scrap as
long as there's a crowd behind me.

The decent element of this
town is solidly behind you.

You've got me on the city council.
I can deliver most of the others.

Don't belittle your
position, David.

Well, the decent element has
yet to stand up and be counted.

And I'm not so sure whether my
being backed by most of the council...

equals the civic club's wholesale
endorsement of Orville Yates.

Kate Gunnerson's civic club? Hell,
she's crooked’r than a dog's hind leg.

[Buzzing] Don't even
think about that bunch.

Rita, I said no interruptions.

Oh, that's different.
Send her in.

Linda Stevens.

David, I'm sorry to drop
in like this. Oh, hi, George.

Don't I get a hug
anymore? Always.

How's it going, kiddo? Oh,
it's better since Jessica arrived.

Jessica, may I present
George McDaniel’s,

the best hugger west
of the Mississippi.

Hello, George. My
pleasure, ma'am.

And David Carroll.
OH, Jim’s friend.

He told me about the time you went
hunting jackrabbits and almost shot a cow.

Is nothing sacred?
In defense of David,

it was a very small cow,
with very long ears. Oh.

I dropped by to pick
up some more posters.

Oh, well, here they are. Uh, I don't
know where you're gonna put them though.

There isn't an empty square
inch of fence left in this town.

[Harry]And I'm tellin’ you. I gotta
see David right now! But, Mr. Stevens—

Outta my way, girl.
You can't go in there!

David, I need some kind of legal
paper to use on Sheriff Yates.

Harry, now what
have you been up to?

I tried to look at Jimmy’s
brakes and steerin'...

but Yates and his bully-boy
deputy stopped me cold.

I asked you not to do it.

That death car is evidence, and Sheriff
Yates is sittin' on it. Big as you please.

Evidence? Harry's got it in
his head that Jim was murdered.

But I thought it was an
accident. [Linda] It was.

Oh, a one car accident
on a stretch of straight

road that Jimmy had
driven over 900 times before.

Don’t you believe
it! Jessica, I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to burden
you with Harry's obsession.

Jessica,

you be the friend
from back East? Yes.

Well, then you know my son.

He wasn't careless,
and he wasn't reckless.

Somebody tampered with his car.

And I was fixin' to examine it when
Deputy Beeler got a choke hold on me.

- He used force on you?
- Thought he was gonna
break my neck.

[Sighs] That wrecked car should have
been released to Linda within 30 days.

You had every right to see it,
and they had no right to stop you.

Getting a court order in the middle of
an election might look like politicking.

[Tapping Buttons] You know,
George, I really don't care.

Linda, you'll see. Yates has
been coverin' up a murder.

Get me Judge Reardon.

Harry, are you sure? Sure
as I'm standin' on this spot.

Jimmy's wrecked car was right
here. You must be mistaken.

Well, something stood here until
recently. That oil stain is still fresh.

Well, you folks have a problem?

What did you do with Jim’s car?

Wayne, you know
anything about a missin' car?

Well, last week you told
me to clean this area up.

That old piece of junk
was a terrible eyesore.

Yates, that car was an important piece
of evidence you conveniently got rid of.

That what you
think, Mrs. Stevens?

That car is my property, Sheriff.
I want it returned immediately.

Well, now I'd like to
oblige you, ma'am. But,

uh, this is a big county
with lots of junkyards.

By now, it's probably been
shoved into some compactor...

and scrunched up to
the size of a suitcase.

I don't think you
understand, Sheriff.

The court order directs you to
return the car to Mrs. Stevens.

Surely you don't want a violation
of the law hanging over your head...

just before election time.

You must be from out of town.

Well, what's that
got to do with it?

Folks around here know better than
to make threats against the sheriff.

[Jessica] Where I come from,

folks don't have
to make threats.

The sheriff upholds the law.

I don't believe I caught
your name, ma'am.

[Woman] Just who the
hell is this Jessica Fletcher?

My wife says she's
some kind of book writer.

What kind of books? I don't
know what kind of books.

Why? You takin'
up readin', Kate?

Strangers make me edgy.

That wasn't too smart of you, Orville,
makin’ Jim Stevens’ car disappear.

Well, maybe I should've left
it there, let 'em all examine it.

Maybe you should've
got rid of it before that old

man started asking
questions you can't answer.

Nobody'd listen to him for a
minute if it wasn’t Jim Stevens’ pa.

Let me worry about old Harry.

Strikes me you don't
worry near enough. You

know, this special
election ain't in the bag.

- You've got yourself
a real candidate this time.
- Is that right?

Yes.

I didn't call this meeting to an end.
Orville, you come back here. You owe us.

I don't owe you spit
in the wind, Stokes.

I been savin' your
butts all the while.

Or ain't that weekend gamblin'
club of yours still wide open?

Nobody come close to shuttin' you
down but Jim Stevens, and he's gone.

You've been gettin'
your share, Orville.

Or maybe it's not enough. That
it, Orville? You lookin' for more?

Thanks for the suds.

[Linda] I wish you could
stay a few days longer.

Well, I really have to get home.

Amos Tupper may uphold the law,
but I can't trust him to water my plants.

And I have so much work to do.

I could get you a typewriter.

[Laughs] Linda, when I'm writing,
I am the world's worst company.

Well, I'll never forget the way
you stood up to Sheriff Yates.

I don't believe he's covering up anything,
but he's sure not somebody I trust.

Jim said there's a rumor he won
his first election by the cemetery vote.

The what?

Oh, you know, copying names off tombstones
to cast extra votes on election day.

Oh yeah.

Yates was a heavy
favorite with the R.I.P. crowd.

Too bad Jim couldn't prove it.

[Glass Shattering]

What was that?

Somebody's in the house.
We should call the police.

Sheriff Yates? I'd rather take
my chances with the burglar.

Is that loaded? I don't know.

Hands up or I'll shoot!

- Ain't that Jimmy’s
old jackrabbit gun?
- Harry.

My goodness. You
frightened us half to death.

Well, I rang the
doorbell. Guess it ain't

workin' again. I'll have
a look at it tomorrow.

Why are you going
through Jim’s desk?

Jimmy said he was
gonna clean up this town.

Now I got to thinkin'
about the illegal gambling

that goes on every
Friday and Saturday...

in Gil Stokes's warehouse
near the railroad tracks.

That isn't a secret. Everybody
in town knows about it.

Supposing Jimmy had proof that Sheriff
Yates was gettin' his cut off the top,

that he was like
a partner in it.

Well, it explains a few things
about law and order in this town.

But there isn't any
proof. Are you sure?

Jimmy was very careful.
He would have put it down

on paper so somebody
would see it just in case...

Jimmy lost control of his car.
He fell asleep at the wheel.

Linda, that's what
they want you to think.

But where is the car?
Where is Jimmy’s car?

Look, I'm going to put on some
coffee. I can't sleep anyway.

I guess I do talk
crazy sometimes.

Not to me. Look,
that car is missing.

Frankly, if Yates was the
sheriff of my hometown,

I wouldn't call a
special election.

I would call the state's
attorney or the exterminator.

You know, Linda's a smart girl.
Levelheaded most of the time.

But she's got a blind spot
when it comes to Jimmy’s death.

Look here, Jimmy's personal effects.
Guess Linda couldn't deal with 'em.

Hey, look at this ring.

Ever seen a ring like this?

Oh, not in years. That's
a horseshoe nail, isn't it?

Just looks like one, but my
daddy made this specially...

Mm-hmm. Out of a $10 gold piece.

He was a blacksmith. He gave it to me
when I was just, well, wet behind the ears.

Said it was lucky. So I
passed it on to Jimmy.

And now it's come back to me.

You know, I ain't
worn a ring in years.

Still fits.

Harry, take a look at this.

It could be a
cipher of some sort.

Jessica, this here is
just what I was lookin' for.

A bunch of numbers and letters?

Surely that can't be the proof of
anything. Maybe this isn't the proof,

but it tells me
where I can find it.

And that's where I'm
goin', and when I get it,

I want you to tell
Linda that I'm takin' it

straight to Ernie Lenko
at the state police.

[Keys Jingling]

Harry, be careful.

Don't worry. I ain't gonna
fall asleep at the wheel.

And thanks, Jessica.

[Yates] Mrs. Stevens, I'm gonna
ask you to identify the body...

since you bein'
practically next of kin.

Sheriff, is that
really necessary?

I can make an identification, if you
won't. [Man] Matter of form, Mrs. Fletcher.

Papers need signin'. Won't
take but a few minutes.

I'll be all right. Okay.

Come on, Bernard.
Let's get it over with.

Sure am sorry, Mrs. Stevens.

The town won't be the
same without old Harry.

There's some benches
there by the front door.

Like to find a magazine
or two, ma'am. Excuse me.

[Huffs]

Sheriff, may I ask you a
question? It's up to you, ma'am.

When your deputy came to the
house, he only told Mrs. Stevens...

that Harry's body had
been found on the highway.

Exactly how did he die?

You know that bench out there is a real
nice place to wait. Was he struck by a car?

And why was he alone
out on that highway?

Surely you’re not going to claim
that that was another accident.

You know, for the life of me, ma'am,
I don't think it's any of your business.

Linda is a friend of mine, and
so was Jimmy and so was Harry.

For some reason, nobody wanted to listen
when Harry said his son had been murdered.

You know, I think folks around
here put a lot of faith in proof...

and not in the ravings
of a grievin' old man.

Last night, Harry was sure
that he had turned up proof.

Now I ask you again,
Sheriff: How did he die?

[Sighs] Somebody banged him over
the head and shoved him out of a car.

Coroner says he was dead
before he hit the pavement.

That was sometime
last night. Satisfied?

I see. First the son is killed on one
of your lonely roads, then the father.

Are you going to tell me
that that was a coincidence?

[Drawer Slams] Harry was mule headed.
He spoke his mind; he got folks riled up.

Anyone could've done it. It didn't
have to be the same one who...

The same one who killed Jimmy.
Is that what you were going to say?

No, ma'am. If I said
that, I would be lyin'.

Jim Stevens died
in a car accident.

That's official.

Now is there anything else
I can do for you, ma'am?

Can I maybe buy you a can of
soda pop from the machine? [Sighs]

[David] Yates.

They told me Linda
was identifying the body.

Now that is a lousy thing to put
her through and totally unnecessary.

Somebody had to do it.

Oh, come on, Yates.

You could have corroborated
your own identification of Harry

with his driver's license and
signed the forms yourself.

Maybe... if he had
a driver's license.

He drove a pickup truck.

Yes, ma'am. [David] Look, Yates, I
don't know what you’re trying to pull here.

But I'm gonna settle it.

Now, as Mrs. Stevens’
personal attorney, I have the

authority to take possession
of Harry's personal effects.

Well, now, that might be a bit of a
problem. Since he didn't have any.

His watch, his wallet, his
ring, the key to his pickup.

We didn't find none of those things
on him. He wasn't even wearin' boots.

What are you talking about?

Why would the killer
take Harry's boots?

That's a good question.

[Jessica] Captain, I am out of patience,
and I am not going to be shined on.

Comstock is having a crime wave,
and you people are just sitting here.

Are you finished?

No, I have lots more
to say on the subject.

Uh, ma'am, may I
break in for a minute?

In the first place, Harry
Stevens was a friend of mine.

I knew him all my life. He was
my track coach when I was a kid.

Turned me into a
pretty good miler.

That old man was something
else. So don't tell me

I'm looking the other way
when it comes to Harry.

Now, as far as this
illegal gambling goes,

I'd give a year's salary to
lead a mop-up operation.

Twice I've led raids in
conjunction with Sheriff Yates.

You know what we found in that
hardware company warehouse?

Lawn mowers, chain
saws and pickle jar openers.

That's all you're going to find,
as long as Yates is running things.

Ma'am, I know the score.

I have a separate file
cabinet full of complaints

from suckers who got
trimmed at that warehouse...

and not by a lawn mower.

But if I want to raid the
place, I'm required to tell Yates.

And as soon as I tell him, I
know what I'm going to find there.

Nevertheless, I've still got
to go through the motions.

Something to do with
political jurisdiction?

Yes. And if I want to
make a move on my own,

I've got to have hard evidence
connecting Yates with that gambling club.

Well, surely Jim Stevens
supplied some information.

Yes, we worked together on it.

Once, when Yates was in Reno at a sheriff's
convention, we pulled a surprise raid.

We had no more luck then
than we did the other two times.

When was that?

Two nights before Jim’s car crash.
I have my suspicions about that too.

You know, Harry wanted
to see you last night.

He thought something
we found in Jim’s wallet...

might lead you to that hard
evidence that you're looking for.

- What's it mean?
- I was hoping you could tell me.

Reminds me of something...

Something you might
find on a library card.

Sorry I can't help you.

You may have already.

Wendell? George McDaniel’s.

Fine. I'm here with
David and thought it'd

be a good idea to touch
base with you about—

[Typing]

Pardon me, I'm
looking for Mrs. Stevens.

Hello, Mrs. Fletcher.
She's inside.

I'm Cindy March. I was
Mayor Stevens’ secretary.

By the way, he just loved that
inscribed book you sent him.

It's still on his
desk. His desk?

Well, his office is
just the way he left it.

I'll show you right in.

Mrs. Stevens, Mrs.
Fletcher is here.

Oh, Jessica. I thought
you'd gotten lost.

[Jessica] Oh, no.

Yes, I can see Jim in here.

Can you see Orville Yates?

I won't even try.

David thought it would be better to remain
in his office during the interim period,

and Cindy has been busy getting
the files in order for the next occupant.

And you couldn't find it in your heart
to clear out Jim’s personal possessions.

They were a lot alike.

Yes. Strong,
honest, mule headed.

I've been talking to Captain
Lenko, Linda, and he feels as I do...

That Harry was killed by the
same person who killed Jim.

[Slamming Desk] Why
do you keep saying that?

Jim wasn't murdered.

Look, what happened to Harry was horrible,
but it had nothing to do with Jim.

Linda, you know that isn't true.

It is.

It must be true.
Please, Jessica,

I don't want to discuss
it, especially not now.

I've been here stuffing
campaign material...

and trying to erase that
image of the morgue.

I can't handle anything else.

Jessica, I didn't know you
were one of my volunteers.

Well, I'm not. You caught me just
as I was about to make my escape.

Oh, good. I have to
leave too. You want a lift?

Yes, thank you.

Linda, you want to come?

What, and miss out on all this?

No, thanks. I'm
developing a rhythm.

I'll stay and finish up.

Well, I'll be back in a little while.
I'm just going to stop at the library.

I'll be here.

Before we go to the library,
I'd like to see where he died.

Harry? Jim.

Let me get my keys,
I'll tell my secretary...

to make up some new
telephone excuses till I get back.

Right.

[David] Since they
built the interstate, not

many people drive
these old country roads.

Jim would have preferred the
solitude, you know, the country feeling.

We're not far from where
he went off the road...

About a mile or so.

Is something wrong?

That truck behind us.

Oh, my goodness.
He's going awfully fast.

Too fast. I haven't
been able to shake him.

He was probably lying in wait on
one of those side roads we passed.

Aren't you letting your-your
imagination run away with you.

Am I?

[Jessica] What's he doing?

David, pull over
and let him pass.

[David] I don't think
he wants to pass.

Hang on!

How many fingers
am I holding up? Two.

I don't have concussion.
I wasn't hit on the head.

Now what we need
is a ride back to town.

Yeah. [Siren Blaring]

We can take you as far as the hospital.
Tell me that isn't who I think it is.

Sheriff Yates.

Well, that ain't no way
to treat a nice car like

that, Mr. Carroll. You
oughta be more careful, boy.

Looks like you folks
ran into some trouble.

Ran into a ditch
is more like it.

Sheriff, isn't there some law
about keeping him on a leash?

Easy now. Wayne, go and help them
direct traffic. I'll take care of this.

Yeah, right.

Well, now, Mrs. Fletcher, you
seem to be right on the scene here.

Like to tell me what happened?

A truck forced us off the road.

Did you see this truck, ma'am?

Yes, I saw it clearly.
It was a black one.

What make was it?

Well, I—I don't know one make
from another. Dark black cab.

Did you see who was driving it? Was
he fat, skinny, white, black, hairy, bald?

I couldn't see him because of the
mud splattered on the windshield.

Maybe you can give
me the license number.

It was smeared with
mud too. I couldn't read it.

We are talkin' about the
same truck, aren't we, ma'am?

The one you saw very clearly?

Yes, I saw it. And I also felt it
bump into the rear of David's car.

- And then it pushed you off the road?
- No. I turned off the road
to get away from it.

So you drove it into the ditch under
your own power. Is that the way it was?

- No, that is not the way it was.
- Jessica, he's not gonna listen to us.

Where do you think you're going?

To the hospital.

[Groans] I feel as though that
truck ran over me a few times.

And I thought soaking
in a hot tub would help

take away some of the
pain from your bruises.

[Groans] You were
in the tub for an hour.

Well, I soaked for ten minutes.

But it took me the rest of
the time to get in and out.

Oh. David said you both
could have been killed.

Yes, I think the driver could
have killed us if he'd wanted to.

But somehow I don't
think that was his intention.

Don't be too sure.
They killed Harry.

But not Jim?

Linda, whatever it is you've
got bottled up, let it go.

He was happy as a lawyer,

defending the poor,
fighting for justice.

It was so bleak.

Without any kind of future.

I talked Jim into
running for office.

I told him of all the good he could
do operating from a power base.

But all the time, I was selfishly thinking
about the exciting lives we would lead...

in the state capitol or
even in Washington.

And now Jimmy has no life.

If he died because he
was trying to do his job—

I can't live with
that. Listen to me.

Jimmy was murdered,
and it's not your fault.

- It is!
- It is not your fault.

Now Jimmy and his father were
one of a kind— bullheaded, stubborn.

Neither one of them would do
something unless they wanted to do it.

Now you know that.

Serving the people,
serving the town...

That was Jim’s
decision, not yours.

I couldn't face it if it was
politics, if Yates killed him.

Yates? Oh, I wonder.

Your sheriff is a crafty fox.

But if he was responsible,

why would he go to all the trouble of
making Jim’s death look like an accident,

and then turn around...

and leave poor Harry's beaten
body out in the middle of nowhere,

so obviously a murder?

- Jessica.
- Oh. Ow.

Oh, I'm sorry. It's all
right. I forgot myself.

I'm going to make you some
hot soup. Now hop into bed.

[Groans] Hop.

Oh.

The state police
barracks, please.

Captain Lenko.

[Linda] Jessica, are you in bed?

Yes!

Captain Lenko? This
is Jessica Fletcher.

How did you know
I'd be here this late?

Well, I had a hunch.

I was going to call you. I
thought you'd be in bed.

What happened this afternoon?

Well, somebody tried to scare me,
and they did a darn good job of it.

That's what I figured.

Of course, that's not what
it says in the sheriff's report.

Captain, I had a
thought on Harry.

In your experience, who
goes around stealing shoes?

Nobody these days, unless
you're flat broke and need them.

Oh, I see what you mean. Somebody may
have come along and robbed Harry's body.

A vagrant, a hitchhiker,
something like that. I'll check it out.

Anything else?

Yes. You mentioned a third
raid on Stokes's warehouse,

one that Jim arranged while
Sheriff Yates was out of town.

That's right. And like the other
two times, it didn't come off.

But it should have come off...

with Yates gone, unless
someone else was on the payroll.

A mole in Jim’s office? That's
possible. What made you think of it?

The truck that ran us off
the road was lying in wait.

I mean the driver knew that
we would be coming that way.

Which means the
mole is still there.

Watch yourself.
You could get hurt.

Oh, Jessica.

Can you come in here a
minute, please? Will it take long?

I don't think so. Ernie
Lenko called me last

night, and I started asking
questions this morning.

I found your mole.

Rita, nobody's angry with
you. We just want the truth.

I'm sorry, Mr. Carroll. I guess I
should have said something sooner.

Well, I know. A
conflict of loyalties.

Now, Rita, I want you to tell Mrs.
Fletcher exactly what you told us.

Look. I sure hate sayin' things
about somebody I work with,

but I told Cindy I didn't like
what she was doin'. Cindy?

Where is Cindy anyway?

She hasn't come in yet. You
won't tell her that I told you?

Rita, please, what
has Cindy done?

Now, Mrs. Fletcher,
don't you misunderstand.

I'm not accusing her of anything,
except maybe bad judgment.

I just don't think it's right for her to
be running around with a married man.

Rita, skip the moral issue.
Tell her the man's name.

His name is Wayne.

Wayne Beeler.

No. Wayne. I have to go.

What is the matter
with you this morning?

I woke up a couple of times last
night, thinking about what you told me.

About you and that truck.

Oh, you keep your
mouth shut about that.

What if you'd killed them?
Didn't you think about that?

I wasn't supposed to kill 'em.

I done just like I was told.

There's one thing I know
how to do is follow orders.

A trained dog can do that.

I ain't nobody's dog.

And when I'm sheriff, I'm
gonna be givin' the orders.

I'll make this old county
jump. You just see if I don't.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey,
where do you think you're going?

To work. I'm late as it is.

You'll go when I say you can go.

Wayne.

You just remember who
you're workin' for, darlin'.

[Door Opening] [Jessica] You
overheard my conversation...

in the outside office
with Mr. Carroll...

and told Deputy Beeler that we
were driving on the county road.

No.

Oh, Cindy, for heaven's sakes.

I swear, Mrs. Fletcher.

I didn't even talk to
Wayne until afterwards.

If I'd have known he was gonna pull a stunt
like that, I would've tried to stop him.

Haven't you been giving him information
ever since you came to work at city hall?

Now, Cindy, don't lie to me.

Two people have been murdered.

Don't make things
worse for yourself.

All right.

Yeah, sometimes I had to.

I was afraid of him.

When Wayne doesn't get his
own way, he can be real mean.

Well-Well, why didn't
you stop seeing him?

I can't.

I love him. He loves me too.

Oh, Cindy.

It's true.

He's gonna ask his wife for a divorce
just as soon as she has her baby.

I know how awful that sounds.

Other people are happy.

Oh, God, why is all of
this happening to me?

Cindy, sit down.

Now, I need your help.

I want you to be
totally honest with me,

and I'll do everything
I can to help you.

Now, when you were
Mayor Stevens’ secretary,

did you tell this deputy that the mayor
had arranged for the state police...

to raid the illegal gambling club
while the sheriff was out of town?

No. I didn't even know about it.

You're sure? I swear.

Well, there's something else.

This morning, I talked
to the public librarian

about something
that Mayor Stevens...

had been carrying around
with him on a slip of paper.

She said that it wasn't
a card catalog number.

However, she suggested it
might be a legal reference.

When he wanted me to look
up something in his law books,

this is how he'd write it.

Actually, this has two different
references with a lot of different parts.

Would you like me
to find them for you?

Oh, please. You see, I was
puzzled by the six at the beginning.

That's not a six. That's an "S"
for state and "IX" for Volume 9.

Here it is.

Let me see. Page 560.

"D" for Docket 584.

Here it is.

People versus Pawley, 1979.

[Lenko] You found
this in a law book?

Where Jim kept it from prying
eyes. His files were too accessible.

It's a signed statement
from an electrician...

who had to make some emergency repairs
at Stokes's warehouse on a Saturday night.

He says that Sheriff Yates was
present while people were gambling.

Sworn to and notarized. This is reason
enough not to let him in on the next raid.

It was tucked into a book next
to a case about a local official...

who accepted bribes in
the form of political support.

Fits Yates like a glove.

Well, so does the case in the
other law book, election fraud.

A candidate for office used the cemetery
vote to insure his victory at the polls.

Oddly enough, there was no
evidence tucked into that one.

Maybe Jim was still working
on it. I got something for you too.

You were right
about Harry's shoes.

The police in Castorville
picked up a wino trying

to buy muscatel with,
uh, Harry's credit card.

Is it possible that he killed Harry? Oh,
no, no, no. On the night of the murder,

he was in the
country drunk tank.

They let him go just before dawn, so
they wouldn't have to feed him breakfast.

He was walking out of town. He
must have run into Harry's body.

And took Harry's boots.

Took Harry's everything,
his wallet, his keys.

Two sets of keys? Only one.

That's strange.

I saw Harry pick up Jim’s keys
from the desk before he left the house.

That's strange. I'm sorry. I didn't
mean to interrupt your train of thought.

Oh, no, that's about it. Wallet,
keys, uh, wristwatch and a ring.

Ring? Yeah. Harry's gold ring.

I don't know why
the guy didn't pawn it.

The ring. Of course, of course.

That explains everything.

Would you mind
explaining it to me?

Oh, I will, as soon as you set
up the raid on the warehouse.

I have a feeling that this time you'll
find more than lawn furniture there.

[Beeler] Come on
back, come on back.

Okay, baby, give me a little six
puff on 'em. Come on, puff 'em—Six!

Yeah! Whoo-hoo!

Yeah, come on
back, come on back.

[Chattering]

Kate, how's it goin' tonight?

It's still early. The
high rollers can't get

away from their
wives till after midnight.

Here, Orville. Try your luck.

Go ahead. It's on the house.

Not for me, thanks.

Orville's not a big
gambler like his deputy.

Yeah, Wayne ain't
exactly cautious.

He's willing to take
chances to better himself.

That's how you play the game.

What game is that, Kate?

There's only one game.
It has different names.

You talking about politics?

That's one name.
Another is "Gettin' Rich."

In case you hadn't
noticed, I play to win.

That why you told Wayne
Beeler to run Carroll

and the Fletcher woman
off the road yesterday?

Shh! Not so loud.

What makes you say that?

[Sighs] It wasn't me.

I see Wayne actin' like he owns
the place. You givin' him testimonials.

What am I supposed to think?

You should've been
a detective, Orville.

If I was, maybe I'd have known
who killed Jim and Harry Stevens.

Are you crazy? Hold it down.

You think it was Wayne?

It come to me.
Wayne's a good boy.

He does what he's told.

I think he'd make
a good sheriff.

We agreed the mayor
would have a say in that.

The mayor will.

[Door Opens, Closes]
[Jessica] Hello?

David? Is that you?

Oh, I was beginning to
think you weren't coming.

Well, I nearly didn't.

After I got off the phone with you, I
wasn't sure I had the time correctly.

I mean, nobody meets
at city hall at this hour.

Forgive me. I'm a writer.
We work at all hours.

But I did think that
this was important.

Well, I've burned the
midnight oil myself on occasion.

You mentioned a piece of evidence
that Jim left in one of his law books?

Yes. His instructions
indicated two law books,

but only one of them
contained a paper...

A letter— Placing
Sheriff Yates...

at the scene of
illegal gambling.

That's great. Then Jim was
able to get something on Yates.

I only wish he'd had a chance to
pass it on to Captain Lenko himself,

but I gave it to him today.

And tonight, he's leading
a raid on the gambling club.

Fantastic. What time?

Oh, in a couple of hours.

Oh, for heaven's sakes. Linda's supposed
to be picking me up, and I've got her keys.

I was supposed to meet her out at
the front door. Would you excuse me?

I'll go if you like.
Oh, no, no, no.

I kept her waiting, and
I'll make the apologies.

Get me Kate
Gunnerson. It's urgent.

What do you mean
she's not available? You

find her quick, and you
give her this message.

You tell her that the state troopers
are gonna hit the place in two hours.

You got that?

Yes, Mr. Carroll. We've
got your warning on tape.

No, I'm sorry, uh,

Kate can't come to the phone
just now, but you can speak to me.

This is Captain Lenko
of the state police.

You can't do this to me.
I'm gonna be the next sheriff.

Let go of me! I'll shove that
badge down your throats!

Now what was that you were
saying about a raid, Mr. Carroll.

Sorry. I must have been
wrong about the time.

[Sighs] You set me up.

Yes. A small part of me
hoped that I was wrong,

but I knew that I wasn't.

What a pity.

You had all the tools, David.
Looks, charm, intelligence.

All right, so I was
working both sides.

Kate Gunnerson and her friends
carry a lot of weight in this town.

I convinced them that
I could be reasonable.

A lot more
reasonable than Yates.

I see.

Look, I'd be no good to
anyone unless I got elected.

Now my relationship
with the gambling crowd...

is nothing more than
temporary expedience.

Oh, no, David, it was
a great deal more.

You were willing to do anything,

consort with anyone, to
launch your political career.

You were even willing
to commit murder.

Whoa! Oh, no.

Oh, I'm afraid so.

Now, look, I-I was with you in
the car when we were nearly killed.

Were we?

I don't think so.

Cindy swore she never
warned her boyfriend, the deputy.

So it must have been you who set
up that phony, near-miss accident.

You made an excuse to stop
in your office before we left.

That's when you made the call to Kate
Gunnerson, and she notified Wayne Beeler.

Why would I have
risked my own neck?

To remove yourself as a suspect.

I think that Jim Stevens
discovered you were the one...

who tipped off the gambling club
owners about the raid he'd planned.

He would have given
you a chance to deny it,

because that was his way.

And you responded by
tampering with his car.

That's your way.

Jessica, you are a spellbinder.

It's amazing how you can weave a
story out of the flimsiest of material,

without any evidence whatsoever.

It's true I can't prove
that you killed Jim.

- But I know that you killed Harry.
- I told you I didn't even see
Harry the night he was killed.

No?

Remember in the sheriff's
office when you asked

for the return of
Harry's personal effects?

His watch, his wallet,
his ring, key to his pickup.

If you didn't see Harry that night, how
did you know that he was wearing a ring?

He told me he hadn't
worn one in years.

The fact is, he only put that ring
on shortly before he left the house.

Linda told me of course.

No, David. I couldn't
have told you.

I wasn't in the room
when Harry put the ring on.

I didn't even know about it until Jessica
told me on the way over here tonight.

This isn't really
solid evidence, is it?

Linda, what keys
were on Jim’s key ring?

The car keys, the house
keys, the key to city hall,

and the key to this office.

[Jessica] Harry took Jim’s
keys when he left the house—

The keys that he needed to get
into this building and into this office.

It must have been one of those nights when
you were burning the midnight oil, David.

So what?

[Jessica] Harry came to city
hall to check Jim’s law books.

But he must have heard or
seen something that stopped him.

Something that led him to you.

I'm only guessing but he probably
overheard you on the phone, talking to who—

Kate Gunnerson?

He confronted you, and you responded
to the father as you had to the son.

You struck him down.

Then you took the keys and paper
with the references from his pocket.

After you got rid
of Harry's body,

you came back and searched
through Jim’s law books.

There were two case references,
both of which could apply to the sheriff.

But the case in volume nine
about malfeasance in office...

could have equally
applied to the deputy mayor.

That's where Jim probably kept
his documentation of your betrayal.

You must have destroyed it.

When you found the
damaging letter about Sheriff

Yates in volume four, you
switched it to volume nine.

Anyone who found it would
assume that Jim had placed

it there to point out the
sheriff's malfeasance.

Oh, come on now, Jessica.
You can't make a case

out of the absence of
incriminating evidence.

Someone took the
office keys from Harry and

the piece of paper
that indicated the books.

Well, it could have been Yates.

But wouldn't the sheriff have
removed the letter that incriminated him?

I'd love to stay here and
debate with you, Jessica,

but I really am much too busy.

Funny—I can't think of a thing you have
to do except wait for the state police.

Get out of my way, George.

They'll be here before
you get to the front door.

But if you want to try, I'd sure
love to knock your block off.

I really wish I could stay,
Linda. I'm sorry but I can't.

Now don't worry about me,
Jess. I'm going to be fine. Sure?

Positive.

You know, you were right.

Jim was his own
person, right or wrong.

What happened,
it's part of living.

And have you decided
what you're going to do now?

Well, George McDaniel’s
and some of the others,

they want me to run for
mayor. Oh, my goodness.

Yes, and with Kate Gunnerson and Yates and
the rest of that crowd under indictment,

they say I won't have any trouble
winning. Are you going to do it?

I'm a Stevens, aren't I?