Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996): Season 3, Episode 5 - Corned Beef and Carnage - full transcript
Jessica gets involved when her niece Victoria is believed to be connected to the murder of her lecherous boss.
[Screaming] [Woman]
Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.
If a sandwich was delivered, well, it
could help to establish the time of death.
Corned beef for everybody!
You're gonna have dinner with
Grover Barth tonight, and he'd
better come in here tomorrow
with a big smile on his face.
The account can be had. There's
a $100,000 bonus in it for you.
Myron inherits the business.
Which certainly won't be worth much
without the Corned Beef Castles account.
Grover didn't care much for the
campaign you laid out this morning.
You're under arrest for
the murder of Larry Kinkaid.
We're goosing up the 18 to 34
demographics by, uh-[Finger Snapping]
17 million impressions.
If we can squeeze
the franchise holders
another two percent
of gross for advertising,
we're gonna have Grover
Barth's Corned Beef
Sandwich over the
billion served this year.
Well, that's very impressive, Larry,
but, uh, how much is it gonna cost?
Well, we haven't
fine-tuned it yet, Grover,
but, uh, rough
cut, oh, 11 million.
Oh, by the way, Grover.
Ah, we still don't have your John
Hancock on the renewal contract.
Now I know you’ve had a lot of
details to attend to and everything,
but, uh, we're down to two
weeks on the old agreement.
Well, I'll just glance this
over and get it back to ya.
Get the little woman's
input, you know.
Oh, yeah, yeah. Uh, listen, why
don't you have Polly join us for lunch?
Fine.
That's a beautiful
blouse, Victoria.
It just kind of sets off that
peaches-and-cream complexion.
Listen, I'll lay on a
reservation for four.
You're really gonna
love this place. See ya.
He didn't like the presentation, and
he's stalling on that renewal contract.
But he likes you, Victoria. I want
you to sit next to him during lunch.
I'm sorry, Mr. Kinkaid. I
won't be able to make it.
I'm having lunch with my
husband and my aunt. She's
visiting us. Would you
forget the family reunion?
We're talking
survival here, kiddo!
"Francoise." I read about
that place in The New Yorker.
Apparently half the
advertising deals on Madison
Avenue are cooked up
at the tables over lunch.
Yeah, three martinis, a salad, and
your name in Advertising Age for dessert.
Maybe we should eat
there. Why not? I'm sure
Victoria can put it on
her expense account.
Oh, part of the privilege
of overpaying for
the penthouse suite.
You get your own elevator.
[Ding]
Hold that. Hold that
elevator! [Howard] Elevator!
[Jessica] I'm sorry.
That's all right. Hi, Howard.
Hi. You landed anything yet?
I got a couple of things
working, yeah. Good. Good.
Uh, I'd like you to meet Jessica.
Jessica, this is Aubrey Thornton.
Uh, another one of Larry
Kinkaid's galley slaves.
How do you do? This is
Jessica Fletcher, Victoria's aunt.
Ah, a wonderful kid, your niece.
She's got everything to go
the distance in this racket:
brains, youth, good looks and a
very high threshold for humiliation.
The only thing she's
short on is guile,
but, uh, Larry's giving
her lessons on that.
[Laughs] Am I right in assuming that
you're the resident cynic, Mr. Thornton?
Well, I would be, but
I don't have tenure.
Oh, I'm going to get downstairs
before all the best barstools are taken.
Nice to meet you, Mrs. Fletcher.
Good luck, Howard. Bye-bye.
This way. Mmm.
Some place, huh? Yes, indeed.
Hi, Howard. I called
her. She's on the way. Hi.
Thanks. Let's go
over here and sit down.
Aunt Jessica? Victoria.
Oh, I am so impressed!
My goodness. A penthouse
suite, account executive-
You're going to have to bring me
up to speed on life in the fast lane,
but how about a pit stop
first down at Francoise?
Oh, Aunt Jessica, I'm really
sorry, but, uh, we've got a crisis.
A command performance for the client,
and I won't be able to have lunch today.
Oh. That's swell.
Aunt Jessica comes all
the way down from Maine,
and you can't fit her
into your schedule.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no. It's
all right. Business comes first.
Look, why don't I stop over, and
we can all have dinner together?
Wonderful. You'll stay with
us. Oh, can we make it late-ish?
Um, say, 9:00? Perfect.
What Polly's saying is that, uh,
with the renewal coming up and all,
we're just sort of wondering
who's minding the store creatively?
[Polly] Larry, we
know you did your best,
but Grover didn't care much for the
campaign you laid out this morning.
[Grover] Well, I just thought
it lacked... imagination.
I mean, it's exactly the same thing we
did last year only with bigger budgets.
Well, I'm glad to hear
you say that, Grover,
because I think it's time for a whole
new approach, a totally new concept.
Fresh, exciting, power packed-
A radical marketing strategy
based on a new creative concept.
For example?
I'm going to scrap the entire presentation
I showed you this morning, Grover.
I want you and
Polly in tomorrow.
I'm going to lay out a whole new
campaign. It's going to blow you away.
Well, darling, maybe we'll be able to
renew the account with Larry after all.
I'll certainly drink to that.
I guess we'll be
working together a lot.
50 million dollars a
year in advertising billing.
Leland, that isn't chopped liver. Another
50 million even chopped corn beef...
would look very good on
the balance sheet, Christine,
especially when I take Biddle
Advertising public next year.
The account can be had.
There's a $100,000 bonus in it for you if
you can bring that account into the office.
Did I hear you say "vice
president"? If you deliver.
To the corner office.
Oh, my goodness! Talking
business makes my nose shiny.
[Laughing] If you
gentlemen will excuse me?
Good idea. I'll go with you.
You know, uh, Polly's going to be spending
the night with her sister in Queens.
Her sister can't abide me.
Oh, then you and
I'll have dinner.
Well, actually, Larry,
I was thinkin' more
about splittin' a
chateaubriand with Victoria.
There's something
about that young filly that
brings out the stallion
in this old horse.
I bet you could
explain to her just how
important this is for her
future on the account.
I'll make sure she understands.
[Howard] Everything's fine.
I mean, Victoria. She's got a great
job. Her career's going through the roof.
Considering she's got an unemployed
actor for a husband, she's doing great.
Oh, Howard.
[Sighs] What have I
got to complain about?
So big deal. She's
supporting me.
I mean, just because we hardly ever see
each other-She's working late most nights.
You know, she
does look a little tired.
You know, that Larry
Kinkaid-he uses people.
He burns them up, and
then he throws them away.
For all I know, one of
these days, he's going to ask
Victoria to put her body
on the line for a client.
Oh, Victoria is too levelheaded
for any of that sort of thing.
Jessica, I love her so much.
I feel like she's
slipping away from me.
I mean, if it was just me, I
could go on with-with nothing.
But she's got a real shot, and I could
never stand in the way of her career.
Please, Jessica, don't
tell her I said anything.
But, Larry, I've told you as the controller
of your company, you don't want to hear.
Now I'm telling you as your
own brother! Later, Myron.
I don't have the time right now.
You're spending more
money than we're taking
in. Receivables are
running 60 days in arrears.
And your major account,
the Corned Beef Castle-
Larry, we're holding
nearly four million dollars in
unpaid media bills that
Barth hasn't paid for us yet!
[Knocking]
Oh, uh, I'm sorry, Mr. Kinkaid. I
know you're very busy, but, uh,
I've been working up
some new ideas for the-
Yeah, yeah, sure, fine. Why don't
you just, uh, leave 'em on the desk?
Larry, why wasn't I
notified about the Corned
Beef Castles
presentation this morning?
'Cause you're no longer
on the account, Thornton.
Corned Beef Castles
is my account, Larry.
I brought you that
account three years ago.
A mom and pop
delicatessen in Buffalo.
You were over your head
then; you're over the hill now.
If you don't like the way I run
this agency, why don’t you quit?
That's what you want, isn't it?
Well, let me tell you something, Larry.
- I've got a contract.
- You can't cut it anymore, Thornton.
I think Aubrey has a lot to contribute.
Some of his ideas are very good.
Victoria, darling, you're a smart kid,
but an advertising genius, you're not.
You know why you’re on
this account? You're on this
account because Grover
Barth has the hots for you.
That's why he's taking
you to dinner tonight.
I have other plans
tonight. Listen, sweetheart.
You're gonna have dinner
with Grover Barth tonight,
and he'd better come in here tomorrow
morning with a big smile on his face...
'cause you don't
have a contract.
Mr. Kinkaid, you may own this
agency, but you don't own me.
You're the one who
accepts all the fancy awards,
but it's people like
me and Aubrey...
and Phil Conklin, God rest his soul,
who have always ground it out for you.
But not anymore. I quit!
I don't need you. I
don't need any of you.
I am still the best
advertising man on this street.
I'm going to work here
tonight. All night, if I have to!
And tomorrow morning, when Mr. and Mrs.
Corned Beef Castle come marching in here,
I am going to show them a new campaign
that's gonna knock their socks off.
Now get outta' here, all of you!
[Knocking] Mr. Kinkaid? Your
secretary seems to have wandered off,
but we did have a
4:00 appointment.
Come in, please.
That man is impossible.
Well, at least you don't have to worry
about Larry stabbing you in the back.
He always gives it to you right
in the chest. Uh-[Elevator Ding]
Take a friendly word
of advice, Victoria. Don't
quit until you've lined
something else up.
Howard and I are surviving paycheck
to paycheck. But there's a limit.
Larry needs you right now. Besides, he
loves it when people come crawling back.
You are talking to an expert.
I'll never crawl back. [Laughs]
But thanks. You're a pal.
Forget it, kid.
Well, I'm gonna cut
out early as usual.
You know, it gives me
a warm feeling to know
that Larry has to pay
me whether I work or not.
Ciao.
To be quite honest with you,
Biddle Advertising is creatively barren,
and the prospect of learning at the feet
of a man like you is enormously exciting,
and I'm a very excitable woman.
Christine, I think we might
have something for you.
Why don't we grab some
dinner next week, and, um,
we can go over your portfolio?
I'd like that.
Ah, right now I've got to
put out a couple of fires.
Listen, why don't you give my secretary,
Mary, a call in a couple of days,
and, uh, we can set
something up, all right?
Thank you. I've gotta run.
Oh, I forgot my purse.
I'd forget my head if
it wasn't fastened on.
Howard?
Aunt Jessica?
[Beeping] [Howard] Hi, honey.
The audition went really well. I got a
feeling they're gonna offer me the part.
Gonna stop by for a drink with my
agent. Be home about 9:00. [Beeping]
Vicky, it’s Jessica.
I'm gonna be tied up for
awhile-Life insurance.
That can't be due.
With my publisher,
but I'll be there by 9:00.
Think of a nice place for
dinner, and it's my treat.
[Beeping] Howard, this is
Laverne at Sid Shakelman's office.
I promised to call you
if I heard anything. Well,
Mr. Shakelman is going with
Rod Waverly for the doorman's part.
He thought you were great, but
not world-weary enough. Sorry.
[Beeping] [Machine Clicks Off]
[Ding] [Man] Right.
Yes, I've got it.
Hi, Ms. Griffin. Workin'
late again, huh? [Laughs]
There's something I have to
settle with Mr. Kinkaid. Hmm.
[Weatherman Chattering]
[Victoria Screaming]
What happened, Ms. Griffin?
Let me see that.
"Outstanding Achievement in the
Field of Advertising, Larry Kinkaid."
Well, like they say, this one
had his name on it. Bag it.
Mrs. Griffin.
Why did you scream? I
mean, what did he do to you?
Nothing. He was laying there
when I came in. I was terrified.
Well, uh, what were you
doing here after hours?
Was it business business
or, like, personal business?
[Door Opens]
Hey, you can't go in
there! She's my wife!
It's okay! It's
all right. Sorry.
Listen, uh, I want
you to call the coroner.
Tell him I want that lab report on my
desk first thing in the morning. Okay?
Yes, sir. Oh,
Bobby, call my wife.
Tell her I ain't gonna
make it, all right? Yes, sir.
[Howard] Are you okay, baby?
Why'd you have
to come back here?
Mr. Griffin, does
she work late a lot?
What the hell is that
supposed to mean?
It means-
Lady, hey. Lady,
who the hell are you?
She's my aunt, Jessica Fletcher.
J.B. Fletcher, the mystery writer.
Oh, that's swell.
That's just what I need.
Curious-that corned
beef sandwich.
He wasn't poisoned,
Mrs. Fletcher.
He was brained with this advertising
award. Yes, of course, Lieutenant.
Look, I don't want to
intrude here, but, uh-
Well, it seems to me that if
a sandwich was delivered,
uh, well-Well, it could help
to establish the time of death.
The body was warm
when we got here,
which means the time of death...
had to be just about the time that your
niece here says she discovered the body.
What do you mean,
"says"? "Says" means-
Ah, Lieutenant, I'm-I'm sure
the notion has occurred to you...
that someone must have been
here before Victoria arrived.
Uh, well, perhaps the, uh, the security
guard has kept a report of some sort?
I came on duty at 6:00
after the receptionist leaves.
Tonight I never left the desk
until I heard the screams.
So anybody coming in or
out has got to get by you.
All these names between 6:00 and
6:30, I suppose they're employees leaving?
Yeah, everybody
cleared out about 6:30.
Thank you.
Now, wait a minute. These
are-These are all sign outs.
Well, here's a Grover Barth, in at
7:00, out at 7:10. Is he an employee?
No, Mr. Barth is a client.
"Mr. Corned Beef Castles."
And here's a Maryjane’s. She
signed in and out around 8:30.
Yeah, well, she's
the interior decorator.
Now, was the sandwich delivered?
There's nothing on the sheet here.
The delivery guy
was here about 8:00.
Wait, wait, wait a
minute. Do you mind?
Now, this, uh, Victoria
Griffin. She was in at 9:15.
Now, did she say
anything? Act strange?
[Sighs] She only said that she had
something to settle with Mr. Kinkaid.
Well, what's going on?
I'm leaving. I quit yesterday.
And with Mr. Kinkaid dead, I doubt
that they will be renewing the account so-
Ah, whoa, whoa. We haven't lost the
account yet. Myron and I have been talking.
I looked at those ideas you gave
Larry yesterday. They're really very good.
Good? They're terrific.
[Aubrey] Now, I'm not
going to go into mourning
for Larry. The fact
is I hated his guts.
But if we can save the Corned Beef
Castles account, we can save this agency.
But I-As Larry's only living
relative, Myron inherits the business.
Which certainly won't be worth much
without the Corned Beef Castles account.
I'll take over the account again.
We have to renegotiate my deal.
No more banker's hours. You know, Larry
never listened to me on financial matters,
but damn it, I know a thing or two
about running a sound business.
We take those terrific new ideas of
yours, and we put together a new campaign,
and we have Grover
Barth begging to renew.
Well, it's about time
we tried something fresh.
Whatever you're making,
you get a 10 grand a year raise.
Have you had a chance to tell
Howard about your raise? No, not yet.
Aunt Jessica, I don't want
to burden you, but, uh-
I've been worried
about Howard. Well, now
that you bring it up,
he did seem a bit down.
Do you suppose it could have
something to do with your job?
There are times when I wonder
why I'm even in this rat race.
There's so much pressure,
cutthroat competition,
and some of it
really seems shallow.
Actually, the reason I'm
hanging in is for Howard.
For Howard? To take the
financial pressure off him.
So he's free to devote
himself to his acting career.
I love him so much, Aunt
Jessica. I just want him to be happy.
Victoria, do you and Howard
ever talk to each other?
Victoria Griffin? Christine
Clifford, Biddle Advertising.
This is my aunt,
Jessica Fletcher.
Oh, yes, the famous writer.
Talent must run in the family.
Mind if I sit down for a moment?
Victoria, I have heard
wonderful things about your work.
You have? Oh, yes. They say Larry
Kinkaid couldn't make a move without you.
And now he's dead. Oh, poor man.
Victoria, I hate to
short stroke this, but-
Leland Biddle wants
you on our team.
You mean a job at
Biddle Advertising?
Whatever you’re making, I am
authorized to make it 10,000 more.
We can talk title later.
My goodness! The advertising
business is certainly very volatile.
I hardly know what
to say, Miss Clifford.
Except that I do feel I have a
commitment to the Kinkaid Agency.
Okay. Maybe Mr. Biddle will go
higher. I'll have to check with him.
Call me.
Nice to meet you, J.B. Love
your product. Thank you.
Vicky, you are really in demand.
Christine Clifford.
Now I remember where
I've seen that name.
On Larry Kinkaid's
appointment calendar, 4:00.
She's with the competition.
Why would she be seeing Larry?
Ladies. Oh, Lieutenant Spoletti.
Any developments on
Mr. Kinkaid's murder, Lieutenant?
Yeah, I've got it just
about wrapped up.
I've got motive, opportunity and
a lab report that makes it a lock.
Victoria Griffin, you're under
arrest for the murder of Larry Kinkaid.
[Gasp]
[Jessica] This is preposterous.
According to the lab
report, the advertising
award was definitely
the murder weapon,
and the only fingerprints on it, aside
from Kinkaid's, were yours, Mrs. Griffin.
I had picked up that award
earlier to make a point.
Aubrey Thornton and Myron
Kinkaid will tell you that.
You see, Lieutenant, a
perfectly simple explanation.
And if the killer wore gloves,
that suggests premeditation.
That doesn't mean she couldn't
pick it up again and whack him with it.
Look, perhaps... perhaps the security guard
was mistaken about who was still there.
The rent-a-cop? The agency
fired him. They probably
figured they weren't
getting their money's worth.
But if somebody had been
working late and not signed out-
And then slipped
out when the security
guard went to investigate
Victoria's scream-
Maybe the award
just fell on him.
You know, I just had a thought.
Mr. Kinkaid may have died
just before you got there,
but the fatal blow could
have been struck much earlier.
Sometimes people linger
for days with a head injury.
Could I see the sign-out
sheet again, please?
You wanna see the sign-out sheet? Terrific!
Let's take a look at the sign-out sheet.
Okay, here we go. We
got the sign-out sheet.
We got, uh, Grover Barth,
a client. He was in at 7:00.
Over two hours before
the guy got killed.
[Scoffs] Lieutenant- And, by
the way, the guy had no motive.
And here we have our interior decorator,
Maryjane’s. Whom nobody has even heard of.
- We're checking her out.
- Mr. Kinkaid never
mentioned her to me.
Uh, Lieutenant, doesn't
the name "Maryjane’s"
seem just a little
prosaic to you?
Come again?
Oh, commonplace ordinary, You
know, like John Doe, made up, an alias.
Mrs. Fletcher, even if that
were true, which I ain't sayin' it is,
the bimbo came and went 45
minutes before Kinkaid got conked.
And I assume that you're still
trying to find the deliveryman?
That was at 8:00! Do you know how
many delis there are in New York? Hundreds.
Look, lady, I know
one thing. Kinkaid was
iced at 9:15 according
to the medical report.
9:15! That is the
magic number here.
The sandwich had
nothin' to do with nothin'!
I'm sorry, Lieutenant,
but you're wrong.
The sandwich was delivered at 8:00.
At 9:15, the sandwich was still uneaten,
and I have to ask why.
Maybe, just maybe,
you got something there.
- I'll give you 24 hours.
- Thank you.
Aubrey, good. Come on!
Now give me a situation report.
Everything's in
high gear, Myron.
The art department will have the graphs
and the charts ready for you about 5:00,
and the media people are working up the
numbers right now. [Jessica] Excuse me.
I-I hope I'm not interrupting
anything important,
but your secretary seems
to be away from her desk.
Mrs. Fletcher. Please, come in.
No, I've got her manning the copy
machine. This is Myron Kinkaid.
He's our new leader.
I can give you about two minutes,
Mrs. Fletcher. Oh, it won't take that long.
I just want to express
my condolences.
Beautiful guy. Everybody
loved him. But we're
gonna pick up his
banner and keep charging.
Yes. Victoria tells me
that you inherit the agency,
and that you’re going to do everything
possible to save the big account.
It won't be easy
following Larry's act.
But we're gonna give it our
best shot. It beats going belly-up.
Yes, everyone would
lose their jobs, and it
would be such a shame
to-to close up this office.
I mean, the decoration
is-is so charming.
Look, it was nice chatting
with you, Mrs. Fletcher.
I can't imagine why you'd want
to redecorate it. Redecorate?
Yes, I'm talking about
Miss Jones, the interior
decorator, who came to
see your brother last night.
I've never heard of her.
Larry just had the place redone
a year ago. We don't throw
money around for nothin'.
Oh, it was you who fired the
guard then. To save money?
Uh, that was me.
When you let the owner of the company
get killed, practically under your nose,
it's a fair assumption
you're not doing your job.
So I called the security
company for a replacement.
Yes. Well, I mustn't keep you. I'm
sure you two have big plans to discuss.
♪ [Band] [Applause]
[Applause Continues]
[Grover] And now,
ladies and gentlemen,
I'd like to introduce a man already
known to many of you in this community.
A man who'll be manager and
co-owner of this Corned Beef Castle,
Harrison P. Oswald-
who in the grand tradition
of American free enterprise...
will be investing $100,000 in
the future of this community.
And now, for a special treat, corned
beef on the house for everybody!
♪ [Band]
Grover, is that check certified?
[Jessica] Mr. and Mrs. Barth.
[Polly] My goodness, what a surprise!
Well, that was such a charming ceremony.
Well, I saw a notice about the
opening in the financial pages.
Wasn't it a shame
about poor Larry Kinkaid?
Oh, yes, such a shock for
everyone, particularly you, Mr. Barth.
I understand that you were
the last one to see him alive...
except for the
murderer, of course.
Why, Grover, you told me
you were going to the movies.
I had to visit my sister.
Grover can't stand her.
I did go to the movies, pumpkin.
I-I just stopped by Larry's office first.
I thought I left my extra
pair of glasses there,
but I assure you, Mrs. Fletcher,
he was very much alive when I left.
And were they there? What?
Your glasses. Oh, I
found them in another suit.
[Polly Laughing] Grover,
let's not stand around yapping.
I want to get this check to
the bank before it closes.
You'll excuse us,
Mrs. Fletcher? Bye.
I always knew when
Mr. Kinkaid was gonna work late.
You see, uh, around 8:00, he'd
always have a sandwich delivered.
Oh, uh, you mean from
a neighborhood deli?
No idea. I always
brought my own lunch.
Oh, yes. Well, of course, it is
a great deal more economical.
Uh, did Mr. Kinkaid come out to get his
sandwich, or did you bring it back to him?
Oh, no, no. You never leave
your home post security, see?
No, I called Mr. Kinkaid, told him the
sandwich was there and sent the guy back.
You gotta be very careful.
Are you quite sure that it was Mr. Kinkaid
on the telephone that you spoke to?
Well, I only talked to
him two or three times.
I tell you the truth, I didn't
really know any of the big guys,
but I think it was his voice.
But you can't be sure?
He only said, "Okay."
Uh, Mr. Ingram. Yeah?
You told Lieutenant Spoletti that Mary
Jones, the one who checked in at 8:30,
was an interior
decorator, but Myron
Kinkaid said they
didn't plan to redecorate.
Yeah, that was kinda strange.
She showed up with some pieces
of material and a tape measure.
She said that she had forgotten to
measure the drapes in one of the offices.
Well, uh, could it have
been one of the employees?
Oh, no, no, no, I would have
remembered. No, this was a real looker.
Tall, blonde, legs
up to here. [Laughs]
Tall and blonde? Real
sophisticated, expensive clothes.
I think she kinda liked me.
Did she, by any chance,
resemble this girl here?
Yeah, that's her! Yeah, except on
the card it says, "Christine Clifford."
I guess Mary Jones is
her professional name.
Mm-hmm. Uh, like a stage name.
Well, thank you, Mr. Ingram.
You've been most helpful.
[Coughs]
[Howard] Jessica? Yes?
I just got a call from my agent.
They want me right away for a
tryout. That's wonderful! A new play?
A TV commercial,
but at least it's a job.
Oh, that is exciting. What's
the product? They didn't say.
But it's for Biddle Advertising, and
I'm supposed to see a Christine Clifford.
Howard, would you mind if I came
along with you? Call it research.
Mind? Come on. You'll bring
me luck. [Jessica Laughs]
So when your loved one
slips off to final repose,
be sure the destination
is Slumberland.
One phone call makes
all the arrangements.
Slumber ceremonies available for all
budgets. Major credit cards accepted.
So remember, when final
repose arrives for your loved one,
Mr. Slumberland is waiting.
I could have done it better.
You were fine, Howard.
You were terrific,
Howard. I-I mean terrific.
We think you would be
perfect as Mr. Slumberland.
We'll contact your agent right
away and get the contracts working.
You mean, I-I've got it?
[Christine] You're
definitely the
Mr. Slumberland we've
been looking for, Howard.
And, naturally, Victoria will
be your account executive.
Victoria? Victoria?
Well, think of it as a
kind of package, Howard.
You and your wife
working together on the
same account here.
It has a nice feel to it.
Uh, would one of the strings on the
package be the Corned Beef Castles account?
That's the deal we're talking.
You know, Miss Clifford, I find the
advertising business just fascinating.
It's so competitive,
and yet, it's so chummy.
According to Larry Kinkaid's
appointment calendar,
you went to see him in his office at
4:00 the day that he was murdered.
There's nothing
unusual about that.
He offered me a job. I turned him down.
It happens every day in this business.
[Leland] Well, I
have-I have a meeting.
I'll leave you to tie up
the loose ends, Christine.
It was nice to meet
you, Mrs. Fletcher.
Howard, welcome aboard.
[Jessica] Miss Clifford.
Did you, by any chance, return to
Mr. Kinkaid's office later in that evening?
Of course not. No.
Well, I'm sorry, but
the security guard
will identify you as
the interior decorator.
And in view of your interest in the,
uh, Corned Beef Castles account,
the police may feel that you
have a very, very strong motive...
unless, of course, there's,
uh, another explanation.
Well, it's not what you think.
When I was in Mr. Kinkaid's office in
the afternoon, I borrowed something.
A file folder. With some of
Victoria's ideas for the account.
All I wanted to do was return that
file before Mr. Kinkaid missed it,
and the decorator seemed like
a good story to get by the guard.
Only Kinkaid was in the office
and caught you with the stolen file.
No!
No, Mr. Kinkaid was already dead when
I got into the office. I didn't kill him.
I swear!
[Christine] I'm taking
Mrs. Fletcher's advice,
Lieutenant, and I'm
telling you the truth.
[Snickers]
And your story is that you
were returning stolen property?
Okay, I borrowed some confidential
material, but that is all that I did.
Fine. Fine. Get her statement.
I didn't kill him.
Why is it I always figure
gorgeous blondes are lying to me?
Adolescent trauma, Lieutenant.
But if she is telling the truth?
It means we've got
the time of death wrong,
and somebody got to him first.
But who?
Lieutenant Spolet-
- Oh, hello, Mrs. Fletcher.
- Hello.
Lieutenant, my
name is Leland Biddle.
I just received a rather confused and
hysterical phone call from Miss Clifford.
- I thought I should come in
and try to sort things out.
- Have a seat.
Thank you.
- Christine Clifford works for you?
- She's an employee of my firm, yes.
She said that she stole some
confidential files from Kinkaid's office.
Good heavens. She said that?
And she said that you'll verify
it. We're a highly ethical firm.
If Miss Clifford is involved
in some sort of theft, well,
I have no choice but to ask
for her resignation immediately.
But you were trying
to take the Corned Beef
Castles account away
from Mr. Kinkaid's company?
Actually, we're no longer interested
in the Corned Beef Castles account.
Oh, that wasn't the impression
that I got this afternoon.
Yes, well, I have made
some inquiries since then.
And it would appear that the Barths
have filed for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Bankruptcy? Well,
that's interesting.
Apparently they've hit Kinkaid
Agency with a... a ton of media bills.
But, of course, you didn't
know about the bankruptcy
the evening that Mr. Kinkaid
was killed, Mr. Biddle.
Mrs. Fletcher, if you
are suggesting that I was
in any way involved
with Larry Kinkaid's death,
I was having dinner with a business
associate at the time that he was killed.
Aubrey Thornton at Francoise.
Oh, yes, of course. On the
ground floor of Mr. Kinkaid's building.
- What time was that?
- 7:00.
Uh, we met at 7:00, and
we stayed till well after 9:00.
Actually, he was hitting me up for a job.
The police arrived just as we were leaving.
Thornton will tell you
that I never left the table...
except for a few minutes to
make a phone call at the bar.
- The barman will vouch for that.
- Oh.
If you'll excuse me, Lieutenant,
I don't think I should make
any further comment on
this matter until I've
conferred with my attorney.
- Good idea.
- Mrs. Fletcher.
Apparently, Mr. Biddle is leaving
Miss Clifford swinging in the wind.
Corned Beef Castles bankrupt?
[Jessica] Yes, I'm afraid
that's what Mr. Biddle said.
Well, then neither agency
is going to get the account.
That means my TV commercial
goes down the tube too.
Apparently Christine
Clifford is out of a job as well.
Howard, I'm so sorry. It's okay.
I can always get my old job
back at the insurance company.
What about your career?
All I ever really
wanted was you.
[Buzzing] I'll get it.
Oh, yes.
Griffin? Yes.
A large pastrami and
sausage. Ah, thank you.
Oh, dear. It's
anchovy and olives.
[Sighs] Look, it says, "pastrami
and sausage" on the ticket.
I don't make 'em,
lady. I just deliver 'em.
What do I owe you?
That's, uh, 16.20.
And I don't carry around much
change, lady. Ah, that's all right. Thanks.
Thanks. Uh-huh.
Actually, you know,
I'm not very hungry.
Uh, would you two mind
if I went out for awhile?
I won't be back till late.
Get this right over
there. They called twice!
Now what did you want on that,
lady? Mustard, sauerkraut, horseradish?
No, I'm afraid you don't
understand. I-I'm asking about
a corned beef sandwich
that was delivered last night.
Somethin' was
wrong with it? No, no.
I-I was wondering if it was
delivered to Kinkaid Advertising.
Look, I realize that you have
hundreds of orders but, uh-
Well, this is the
seventh delicatessen that
I've been to and, uh,
please, it's important.
Kinkaid? Over on
Madison Avenue? That's it!
What about it? Well, could I
talk to the man who delivered it?
Lady, we get a lot of repeat business.
We got a reputation in this business.
[Paper Crinkling] Here's
your sandwich, Linda.
If there was something
wrong with it, we'll make it right.
[Paper Rustling]
Corned beef, rye. Larry
Kinkaid, Kinkaid Advertising.
Yes. Does it say
who delivered it?
Nobody delivered it. The guy
called and canceled the order.
Ah, come on. Gimme a break, will ya'?
Why would I lie about a lousy sandwich?
I don't know. You tell me.
Uh, Mr. Ingram, what did
the deliveryman look like?
Huh, like a deliveryman. I mean, all these
meatballs-They all look alike, you know?
Well, please try and remember.
It could be very important.
Ah, he was wearing a gray coat,
carrying a-a Styrofoam cooler.
Oh, that sure narrows it down.
[Jessica] Uh-huh.
Was he wearing
gloves by any chance?
Yeah, as a matter of fact, yeah.
He had a little woolen
hat, mustache, shades-
Tell ya' the truth, I didn't get a good
look at him if you know what I mean?
Lieutenant, why would a deliveryman
be wearing dark glasses at night?
Wait a minute.
Are you telling me that Kinkaid
was killed by some deliveryman?
I'm saying it's someone
posing as a deliveryman.
- Would you recognize this guy
if you saw him again?
- Yeah. Uh, maybe.
Uh, I don't know.
[Jessica] Lieutenant,
I have an idea.
Would you be
interested in trying it?
[Ingram] You got the time?
Cops. They love
to make you sweat.
Two hours they
got me waitin' here.
Well, nice try, Mrs. Fletcher.
But the security guard doesn't
recognize Thornton. You struck out.
Maybe so, Lieutenant.
But since you brought
Mr. Thornton down here,
couldn't we at least
have a chat with him?
This is outrageous!
First of all, you call me
down here. Then you
keep me sitting out
there for half an hour.
What's going on? I'm
sorry, Mr. Thornton.
But Mrs. Fletcher here
has a wild idea that you
might know something
about Larry Kinkaid's death.
Well, uh-Why, that's ridiculous!
I was having dinner with Leland
Biddle when Kinkaid was killed.
Uh, ask Biddle. He was
with me the whole time.
Except for a few minutes when Mr. Biddle
went into the bar to make a phone call.
The express elevator would take you up
to the penthouse in only a few seconds.
Or anybody else in New
York City, Mrs. Fletcher.
I understand from Victoria that
Mr. Kinkaid was trying to squeeze you out.
It didn't matter to
me. I had a contract.
Yes, but no official duties.
I imagine time hung on
your hands, Mr. Thornton.
Victoria says you
always left early.
Mmm. You must have had
Kinkaid's moves down pretty good.
Like the fact that he always ordered
a sandwich when he worked late?
You probably knew
the deli he ordered from.
What does Larry Kinkaid's taste in
short order food have to do with me?
Well, you could have canceled
the order with a phone call...
and made the delivery that
he was expecting yourself.
Mrs. Fletcher, that's
pure conjecture.
Yes, it's only a theory,
but I suspect that you
already had the cooler prepared
and hidden somewhere
down on the ground floor.
So, when Mr. Biddle went to
make one of his frequent phone calls,
you headed for the elevator.
You probably had your
disguise hidden inside the cooler.
And seconds later, you got
out at the penthouse suite...
dressed as the deliveryman.
You have great fantasies.
You should be in advertising.
The guard had only been
on the job a short time.
You'd always been careful to
leave before he came on duty,
so he wouldn't recognize
you even in your disguise.
You even made sure that he was
discharged the next day just to be sure.
So that's your
little game, is it?
You kept me cooling my
heels out there in the hallway,
hoping that that security
guard would recognize me.
Well, it didn't
work, Lieutenant.
That guard wouldn't know me from Adam.
He's never seen me before in his life.
You've got nothing. Guard?
How did you know
that that man sitting out
there was the security
guard, Mr. Thornton?
Hey, that's right!
[Lieutenant] He
wasn't in uniform.
How did you know he
was the security guard?
You're trying to trick me. [Jessica] I'm
afraid the only way you’d know that...
would be if you'd seen him in uniform
the night that you murdered Mr. Kinkaid.
You think you've got it all
planned, every little detail,
and then you get suckered
by one little mistake.
He cheated me. He humiliated me.
I sat in my office for months,
trying to figure
out how to get him.
And it-it seemed
like... a perfect plan.
He did not even look up.
That arrogant, pompous phony.
I wanted him to
know that it was me.
And, you know, killing
him with the award-
that wasn't improvisation-
that was part of the plan.
Nice touch, don't you think?
Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.
If a sandwich was delivered, well, it
could help to establish the time of death.
Corned beef for everybody!
You're gonna have dinner with
Grover Barth tonight, and he'd
better come in here tomorrow
with a big smile on his face.
The account can be had. There's
a $100,000 bonus in it for you.
Myron inherits the business.
Which certainly won't be worth much
without the Corned Beef Castles account.
Grover didn't care much for the
campaign you laid out this morning.
You're under arrest for
the murder of Larry Kinkaid.
We're goosing up the 18 to 34
demographics by, uh-[Finger Snapping]
17 million impressions.
If we can squeeze
the franchise holders
another two percent
of gross for advertising,
we're gonna have Grover
Barth's Corned Beef
Sandwich over the
billion served this year.
Well, that's very impressive, Larry,
but, uh, how much is it gonna cost?
Well, we haven't
fine-tuned it yet, Grover,
but, uh, rough
cut, oh, 11 million.
Oh, by the way, Grover.
Ah, we still don't have your John
Hancock on the renewal contract.
Now I know you’ve had a lot of
details to attend to and everything,
but, uh, we're down to two
weeks on the old agreement.
Well, I'll just glance this
over and get it back to ya.
Get the little woman's
input, you know.
Oh, yeah, yeah. Uh, listen, why
don't you have Polly join us for lunch?
Fine.
That's a beautiful
blouse, Victoria.
It just kind of sets off that
peaches-and-cream complexion.
Listen, I'll lay on a
reservation for four.
You're really gonna
love this place. See ya.
He didn't like the presentation, and
he's stalling on that renewal contract.
But he likes you, Victoria. I want
you to sit next to him during lunch.
I'm sorry, Mr. Kinkaid. I
won't be able to make it.
I'm having lunch with my
husband and my aunt. She's
visiting us. Would you
forget the family reunion?
We're talking
survival here, kiddo!
"Francoise." I read about
that place in The New Yorker.
Apparently half the
advertising deals on Madison
Avenue are cooked up
at the tables over lunch.
Yeah, three martinis, a salad, and
your name in Advertising Age for dessert.
Maybe we should eat
there. Why not? I'm sure
Victoria can put it on
her expense account.
Oh, part of the privilege
of overpaying for
the penthouse suite.
You get your own elevator.
[Ding]
Hold that. Hold that
elevator! [Howard] Elevator!
[Jessica] I'm sorry.
That's all right. Hi, Howard.
Hi. You landed anything yet?
I got a couple of things
working, yeah. Good. Good.
Uh, I'd like you to meet Jessica.
Jessica, this is Aubrey Thornton.
Uh, another one of Larry
Kinkaid's galley slaves.
How do you do? This is
Jessica Fletcher, Victoria's aunt.
Ah, a wonderful kid, your niece.
She's got everything to go
the distance in this racket:
brains, youth, good looks and a
very high threshold for humiliation.
The only thing she's
short on is guile,
but, uh, Larry's giving
her lessons on that.
[Laughs] Am I right in assuming that
you're the resident cynic, Mr. Thornton?
Well, I would be, but
I don't have tenure.
Oh, I'm going to get downstairs
before all the best barstools are taken.
Nice to meet you, Mrs. Fletcher.
Good luck, Howard. Bye-bye.
This way. Mmm.
Some place, huh? Yes, indeed.
Hi, Howard. I called
her. She's on the way. Hi.
Thanks. Let's go
over here and sit down.
Aunt Jessica? Victoria.
Oh, I am so impressed!
My goodness. A penthouse
suite, account executive-
You're going to have to bring me
up to speed on life in the fast lane,
but how about a pit stop
first down at Francoise?
Oh, Aunt Jessica, I'm really
sorry, but, uh, we've got a crisis.
A command performance for the client,
and I won't be able to have lunch today.
Oh. That's swell.
Aunt Jessica comes all
the way down from Maine,
and you can't fit her
into your schedule.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no. It's
all right. Business comes first.
Look, why don't I stop over, and
we can all have dinner together?
Wonderful. You'll stay with
us. Oh, can we make it late-ish?
Um, say, 9:00? Perfect.
What Polly's saying is that, uh,
with the renewal coming up and all,
we're just sort of wondering
who's minding the store creatively?
[Polly] Larry, we
know you did your best,
but Grover didn't care much for the
campaign you laid out this morning.
[Grover] Well, I just thought
it lacked... imagination.
I mean, it's exactly the same thing we
did last year only with bigger budgets.
Well, I'm glad to hear
you say that, Grover,
because I think it's time for a whole
new approach, a totally new concept.
Fresh, exciting, power packed-
A radical marketing strategy
based on a new creative concept.
For example?
I'm going to scrap the entire presentation
I showed you this morning, Grover.
I want you and
Polly in tomorrow.
I'm going to lay out a whole new
campaign. It's going to blow you away.
Well, darling, maybe we'll be able to
renew the account with Larry after all.
I'll certainly drink to that.
I guess we'll be
working together a lot.
50 million dollars a
year in advertising billing.
Leland, that isn't chopped liver. Another
50 million even chopped corn beef...
would look very good on
the balance sheet, Christine,
especially when I take Biddle
Advertising public next year.
The account can be had.
There's a $100,000 bonus in it for you if
you can bring that account into the office.
Did I hear you say "vice
president"? If you deliver.
To the corner office.
Oh, my goodness! Talking
business makes my nose shiny.
[Laughing] If you
gentlemen will excuse me?
Good idea. I'll go with you.
You know, uh, Polly's going to be spending
the night with her sister in Queens.
Her sister can't abide me.
Oh, then you and
I'll have dinner.
Well, actually, Larry,
I was thinkin' more
about splittin' a
chateaubriand with Victoria.
There's something
about that young filly that
brings out the stallion
in this old horse.
I bet you could
explain to her just how
important this is for her
future on the account.
I'll make sure she understands.
[Howard] Everything's fine.
I mean, Victoria. She's got a great
job. Her career's going through the roof.
Considering she's got an unemployed
actor for a husband, she's doing great.
Oh, Howard.
[Sighs] What have I
got to complain about?
So big deal. She's
supporting me.
I mean, just because we hardly ever see
each other-She's working late most nights.
You know, she
does look a little tired.
You know, that Larry
Kinkaid-he uses people.
He burns them up, and
then he throws them away.
For all I know, one of
these days, he's going to ask
Victoria to put her body
on the line for a client.
Oh, Victoria is too levelheaded
for any of that sort of thing.
Jessica, I love her so much.
I feel like she's
slipping away from me.
I mean, if it was just me, I
could go on with-with nothing.
But she's got a real shot, and I could
never stand in the way of her career.
Please, Jessica, don't
tell her I said anything.
But, Larry, I've told you as the controller
of your company, you don't want to hear.
Now I'm telling you as your
own brother! Later, Myron.
I don't have the time right now.
You're spending more
money than we're taking
in. Receivables are
running 60 days in arrears.
And your major account,
the Corned Beef Castle-
Larry, we're holding
nearly four million dollars in
unpaid media bills that
Barth hasn't paid for us yet!
[Knocking]
Oh, uh, I'm sorry, Mr. Kinkaid. I
know you're very busy, but, uh,
I've been working up
some new ideas for the-
Yeah, yeah, sure, fine. Why don't
you just, uh, leave 'em on the desk?
Larry, why wasn't I
notified about the Corned
Beef Castles
presentation this morning?
'Cause you're no longer
on the account, Thornton.
Corned Beef Castles
is my account, Larry.
I brought you that
account three years ago.
A mom and pop
delicatessen in Buffalo.
You were over your head
then; you're over the hill now.
If you don't like the way I run
this agency, why don’t you quit?
That's what you want, isn't it?
Well, let me tell you something, Larry.
- I've got a contract.
- You can't cut it anymore, Thornton.
I think Aubrey has a lot to contribute.
Some of his ideas are very good.
Victoria, darling, you're a smart kid,
but an advertising genius, you're not.
You know why you’re on
this account? You're on this
account because Grover
Barth has the hots for you.
That's why he's taking
you to dinner tonight.
I have other plans
tonight. Listen, sweetheart.
You're gonna have dinner
with Grover Barth tonight,
and he'd better come in here tomorrow
morning with a big smile on his face...
'cause you don't
have a contract.
Mr. Kinkaid, you may own this
agency, but you don't own me.
You're the one who
accepts all the fancy awards,
but it's people like
me and Aubrey...
and Phil Conklin, God rest his soul,
who have always ground it out for you.
But not anymore. I quit!
I don't need you. I
don't need any of you.
I am still the best
advertising man on this street.
I'm going to work here
tonight. All night, if I have to!
And tomorrow morning, when Mr. and Mrs.
Corned Beef Castle come marching in here,
I am going to show them a new campaign
that's gonna knock their socks off.
Now get outta' here, all of you!
[Knocking] Mr. Kinkaid? Your
secretary seems to have wandered off,
but we did have a
4:00 appointment.
Come in, please.
That man is impossible.
Well, at least you don't have to worry
about Larry stabbing you in the back.
He always gives it to you right
in the chest. Uh-[Elevator Ding]
Take a friendly word
of advice, Victoria. Don't
quit until you've lined
something else up.
Howard and I are surviving paycheck
to paycheck. But there's a limit.
Larry needs you right now. Besides, he
loves it when people come crawling back.
You are talking to an expert.
I'll never crawl back. [Laughs]
But thanks. You're a pal.
Forget it, kid.
Well, I'm gonna cut
out early as usual.
You know, it gives me
a warm feeling to know
that Larry has to pay
me whether I work or not.
Ciao.
To be quite honest with you,
Biddle Advertising is creatively barren,
and the prospect of learning at the feet
of a man like you is enormously exciting,
and I'm a very excitable woman.
Christine, I think we might
have something for you.
Why don't we grab some
dinner next week, and, um,
we can go over your portfolio?
I'd like that.
Ah, right now I've got to
put out a couple of fires.
Listen, why don't you give my secretary,
Mary, a call in a couple of days,
and, uh, we can set
something up, all right?
Thank you. I've gotta run.
Oh, I forgot my purse.
I'd forget my head if
it wasn't fastened on.
Howard?
Aunt Jessica?
[Beeping] [Howard] Hi, honey.
The audition went really well. I got a
feeling they're gonna offer me the part.
Gonna stop by for a drink with my
agent. Be home about 9:00. [Beeping]
Vicky, it’s Jessica.
I'm gonna be tied up for
awhile-Life insurance.
That can't be due.
With my publisher,
but I'll be there by 9:00.
Think of a nice place for
dinner, and it's my treat.
[Beeping] Howard, this is
Laverne at Sid Shakelman's office.
I promised to call you
if I heard anything. Well,
Mr. Shakelman is going with
Rod Waverly for the doorman's part.
He thought you were great, but
not world-weary enough. Sorry.
[Beeping] [Machine Clicks Off]
[Ding] [Man] Right.
Yes, I've got it.
Hi, Ms. Griffin. Workin'
late again, huh? [Laughs]
There's something I have to
settle with Mr. Kinkaid. Hmm.
[Weatherman Chattering]
[Victoria Screaming]
What happened, Ms. Griffin?
Let me see that.
"Outstanding Achievement in the
Field of Advertising, Larry Kinkaid."
Well, like they say, this one
had his name on it. Bag it.
Mrs. Griffin.
Why did you scream? I
mean, what did he do to you?
Nothing. He was laying there
when I came in. I was terrified.
Well, uh, what were you
doing here after hours?
Was it business business
or, like, personal business?
[Door Opens]
Hey, you can't go in
there! She's my wife!
It's okay! It's
all right. Sorry.
Listen, uh, I want
you to call the coroner.
Tell him I want that lab report on my
desk first thing in the morning. Okay?
Yes, sir. Oh,
Bobby, call my wife.
Tell her I ain't gonna
make it, all right? Yes, sir.
[Howard] Are you okay, baby?
Why'd you have
to come back here?
Mr. Griffin, does
she work late a lot?
What the hell is that
supposed to mean?
It means-
Lady, hey. Lady,
who the hell are you?
She's my aunt, Jessica Fletcher.
J.B. Fletcher, the mystery writer.
Oh, that's swell.
That's just what I need.
Curious-that corned
beef sandwich.
He wasn't poisoned,
Mrs. Fletcher.
He was brained with this advertising
award. Yes, of course, Lieutenant.
Look, I don't want to
intrude here, but, uh-
Well, it seems to me that if
a sandwich was delivered,
uh, well-Well, it could help
to establish the time of death.
The body was warm
when we got here,
which means the time of death...
had to be just about the time that your
niece here says she discovered the body.
What do you mean,
"says"? "Says" means-
Ah, Lieutenant, I'm-I'm sure
the notion has occurred to you...
that someone must have been
here before Victoria arrived.
Uh, well, perhaps the, uh, the security
guard has kept a report of some sort?
I came on duty at 6:00
after the receptionist leaves.
Tonight I never left the desk
until I heard the screams.
So anybody coming in or
out has got to get by you.
All these names between 6:00 and
6:30, I suppose they're employees leaving?
Yeah, everybody
cleared out about 6:30.
Thank you.
Now, wait a minute. These
are-These are all sign outs.
Well, here's a Grover Barth, in at
7:00, out at 7:10. Is he an employee?
No, Mr. Barth is a client.
"Mr. Corned Beef Castles."
And here's a Maryjane’s. She
signed in and out around 8:30.
Yeah, well, she's
the interior decorator.
Now, was the sandwich delivered?
There's nothing on the sheet here.
The delivery guy
was here about 8:00.
Wait, wait, wait a
minute. Do you mind?
Now, this, uh, Victoria
Griffin. She was in at 9:15.
Now, did she say
anything? Act strange?
[Sighs] She only said that she had
something to settle with Mr. Kinkaid.
Well, what's going on?
I'm leaving. I quit yesterday.
And with Mr. Kinkaid dead, I doubt
that they will be renewing the account so-
Ah, whoa, whoa. We haven't lost the
account yet. Myron and I have been talking.
I looked at those ideas you gave
Larry yesterday. They're really very good.
Good? They're terrific.
[Aubrey] Now, I'm not
going to go into mourning
for Larry. The fact
is I hated his guts.
But if we can save the Corned Beef
Castles account, we can save this agency.
But I-As Larry's only living
relative, Myron inherits the business.
Which certainly won't be worth much
without the Corned Beef Castles account.
I'll take over the account again.
We have to renegotiate my deal.
No more banker's hours. You know, Larry
never listened to me on financial matters,
but damn it, I know a thing or two
about running a sound business.
We take those terrific new ideas of
yours, and we put together a new campaign,
and we have Grover
Barth begging to renew.
Well, it's about time
we tried something fresh.
Whatever you're making,
you get a 10 grand a year raise.
Have you had a chance to tell
Howard about your raise? No, not yet.
Aunt Jessica, I don't want
to burden you, but, uh-
I've been worried
about Howard. Well, now
that you bring it up,
he did seem a bit down.
Do you suppose it could have
something to do with your job?
There are times when I wonder
why I'm even in this rat race.
There's so much pressure,
cutthroat competition,
and some of it
really seems shallow.
Actually, the reason I'm
hanging in is for Howard.
For Howard? To take the
financial pressure off him.
So he's free to devote
himself to his acting career.
I love him so much, Aunt
Jessica. I just want him to be happy.
Victoria, do you and Howard
ever talk to each other?
Victoria Griffin? Christine
Clifford, Biddle Advertising.
This is my aunt,
Jessica Fletcher.
Oh, yes, the famous writer.
Talent must run in the family.
Mind if I sit down for a moment?
Victoria, I have heard
wonderful things about your work.
You have? Oh, yes. They say Larry
Kinkaid couldn't make a move without you.
And now he's dead. Oh, poor man.
Victoria, I hate to
short stroke this, but-
Leland Biddle wants
you on our team.
You mean a job at
Biddle Advertising?
Whatever you’re making, I am
authorized to make it 10,000 more.
We can talk title later.
My goodness! The advertising
business is certainly very volatile.
I hardly know what
to say, Miss Clifford.
Except that I do feel I have a
commitment to the Kinkaid Agency.
Okay. Maybe Mr. Biddle will go
higher. I'll have to check with him.
Call me.
Nice to meet you, J.B. Love
your product. Thank you.
Vicky, you are really in demand.
Christine Clifford.
Now I remember where
I've seen that name.
On Larry Kinkaid's
appointment calendar, 4:00.
She's with the competition.
Why would she be seeing Larry?
Ladies. Oh, Lieutenant Spoletti.
Any developments on
Mr. Kinkaid's murder, Lieutenant?
Yeah, I've got it just
about wrapped up.
I've got motive, opportunity and
a lab report that makes it a lock.
Victoria Griffin, you're under
arrest for the murder of Larry Kinkaid.
[Gasp]
[Jessica] This is preposterous.
According to the lab
report, the advertising
award was definitely
the murder weapon,
and the only fingerprints on it, aside
from Kinkaid's, were yours, Mrs. Griffin.
I had picked up that award
earlier to make a point.
Aubrey Thornton and Myron
Kinkaid will tell you that.
You see, Lieutenant, a
perfectly simple explanation.
And if the killer wore gloves,
that suggests premeditation.
That doesn't mean she couldn't
pick it up again and whack him with it.
Look, perhaps... perhaps the security guard
was mistaken about who was still there.
The rent-a-cop? The agency
fired him. They probably
figured they weren't
getting their money's worth.
But if somebody had been
working late and not signed out-
And then slipped
out when the security
guard went to investigate
Victoria's scream-
Maybe the award
just fell on him.
You know, I just had a thought.
Mr. Kinkaid may have died
just before you got there,
but the fatal blow could
have been struck much earlier.
Sometimes people linger
for days with a head injury.
Could I see the sign-out
sheet again, please?
You wanna see the sign-out sheet? Terrific!
Let's take a look at the sign-out sheet.
Okay, here we go. We
got the sign-out sheet.
We got, uh, Grover Barth,
a client. He was in at 7:00.
Over two hours before
the guy got killed.
[Scoffs] Lieutenant- And, by
the way, the guy had no motive.
And here we have our interior decorator,
Maryjane’s. Whom nobody has even heard of.
- We're checking her out.
- Mr. Kinkaid never
mentioned her to me.
Uh, Lieutenant, doesn't
the name "Maryjane’s"
seem just a little
prosaic to you?
Come again?
Oh, commonplace ordinary, You
know, like John Doe, made up, an alias.
Mrs. Fletcher, even if that
were true, which I ain't sayin' it is,
the bimbo came and went 45
minutes before Kinkaid got conked.
And I assume that you're still
trying to find the deliveryman?
That was at 8:00! Do you know how
many delis there are in New York? Hundreds.
Look, lady, I know
one thing. Kinkaid was
iced at 9:15 according
to the medical report.
9:15! That is the
magic number here.
The sandwich had
nothin' to do with nothin'!
I'm sorry, Lieutenant,
but you're wrong.
The sandwich was delivered at 8:00.
At 9:15, the sandwich was still uneaten,
and I have to ask why.
Maybe, just maybe,
you got something there.
- I'll give you 24 hours.
- Thank you.
Aubrey, good. Come on!
Now give me a situation report.
Everything's in
high gear, Myron.
The art department will have the graphs
and the charts ready for you about 5:00,
and the media people are working up the
numbers right now. [Jessica] Excuse me.
I-I hope I'm not interrupting
anything important,
but your secretary seems
to be away from her desk.
Mrs. Fletcher. Please, come in.
No, I've got her manning the copy
machine. This is Myron Kinkaid.
He's our new leader.
I can give you about two minutes,
Mrs. Fletcher. Oh, it won't take that long.
I just want to express
my condolences.
Beautiful guy. Everybody
loved him. But we're
gonna pick up his
banner and keep charging.
Yes. Victoria tells me
that you inherit the agency,
and that you’re going to do everything
possible to save the big account.
It won't be easy
following Larry's act.
But we're gonna give it our
best shot. It beats going belly-up.
Yes, everyone would
lose their jobs, and it
would be such a shame
to-to close up this office.
I mean, the decoration
is-is so charming.
Look, it was nice chatting
with you, Mrs. Fletcher.
I can't imagine why you'd want
to redecorate it. Redecorate?
Yes, I'm talking about
Miss Jones, the interior
decorator, who came to
see your brother last night.
I've never heard of her.
Larry just had the place redone
a year ago. We don't throw
money around for nothin'.
Oh, it was you who fired the
guard then. To save money?
Uh, that was me.
When you let the owner of the company
get killed, practically under your nose,
it's a fair assumption
you're not doing your job.
So I called the security
company for a replacement.
Yes. Well, I mustn't keep you. I'm
sure you two have big plans to discuss.
♪ [Band] [Applause]
[Applause Continues]
[Grover] And now,
ladies and gentlemen,
I'd like to introduce a man already
known to many of you in this community.
A man who'll be manager and
co-owner of this Corned Beef Castle,
Harrison P. Oswald-
who in the grand tradition
of American free enterprise...
will be investing $100,000 in
the future of this community.
And now, for a special treat, corned
beef on the house for everybody!
♪ [Band]
Grover, is that check certified?
[Jessica] Mr. and Mrs. Barth.
[Polly] My goodness, what a surprise!
Well, that was such a charming ceremony.
Well, I saw a notice about the
opening in the financial pages.
Wasn't it a shame
about poor Larry Kinkaid?
Oh, yes, such a shock for
everyone, particularly you, Mr. Barth.
I understand that you were
the last one to see him alive...
except for the
murderer, of course.
Why, Grover, you told me
you were going to the movies.
I had to visit my sister.
Grover can't stand her.
I did go to the movies, pumpkin.
I-I just stopped by Larry's office first.
I thought I left my extra
pair of glasses there,
but I assure you, Mrs. Fletcher,
he was very much alive when I left.
And were they there? What?
Your glasses. Oh, I
found them in another suit.
[Polly Laughing] Grover,
let's not stand around yapping.
I want to get this check to
the bank before it closes.
You'll excuse us,
Mrs. Fletcher? Bye.
I always knew when
Mr. Kinkaid was gonna work late.
You see, uh, around 8:00, he'd
always have a sandwich delivered.
Oh, uh, you mean from
a neighborhood deli?
No idea. I always
brought my own lunch.
Oh, yes. Well, of course, it is
a great deal more economical.
Uh, did Mr. Kinkaid come out to get his
sandwich, or did you bring it back to him?
Oh, no, no. You never leave
your home post security, see?
No, I called Mr. Kinkaid, told him the
sandwich was there and sent the guy back.
You gotta be very careful.
Are you quite sure that it was Mr. Kinkaid
on the telephone that you spoke to?
Well, I only talked to
him two or three times.
I tell you the truth, I didn't
really know any of the big guys,
but I think it was his voice.
But you can't be sure?
He only said, "Okay."
Uh, Mr. Ingram. Yeah?
You told Lieutenant Spoletti that Mary
Jones, the one who checked in at 8:30,
was an interior
decorator, but Myron
Kinkaid said they
didn't plan to redecorate.
Yeah, that was kinda strange.
She showed up with some pieces
of material and a tape measure.
She said that she had forgotten to
measure the drapes in one of the offices.
Well, uh, could it have
been one of the employees?
Oh, no, no, no, I would have
remembered. No, this was a real looker.
Tall, blonde, legs
up to here. [Laughs]
Tall and blonde? Real
sophisticated, expensive clothes.
I think she kinda liked me.
Did she, by any chance,
resemble this girl here?
Yeah, that's her! Yeah, except on
the card it says, "Christine Clifford."
I guess Mary Jones is
her professional name.
Mm-hmm. Uh, like a stage name.
Well, thank you, Mr. Ingram.
You've been most helpful.
[Coughs]
[Howard] Jessica? Yes?
I just got a call from my agent.
They want me right away for a
tryout. That's wonderful! A new play?
A TV commercial,
but at least it's a job.
Oh, that is exciting. What's
the product? They didn't say.
But it's for Biddle Advertising, and
I'm supposed to see a Christine Clifford.
Howard, would you mind if I came
along with you? Call it research.
Mind? Come on. You'll bring
me luck. [Jessica Laughs]
So when your loved one
slips off to final repose,
be sure the destination
is Slumberland.
One phone call makes
all the arrangements.
Slumber ceremonies available for all
budgets. Major credit cards accepted.
So remember, when final
repose arrives for your loved one,
Mr. Slumberland is waiting.
I could have done it better.
You were fine, Howard.
You were terrific,
Howard. I-I mean terrific.
We think you would be
perfect as Mr. Slumberland.
We'll contact your agent right
away and get the contracts working.
You mean, I-I've got it?
[Christine] You're
definitely the
Mr. Slumberland we've
been looking for, Howard.
And, naturally, Victoria will
be your account executive.
Victoria? Victoria?
Well, think of it as a
kind of package, Howard.
You and your wife
working together on the
same account here.
It has a nice feel to it.
Uh, would one of the strings on the
package be the Corned Beef Castles account?
That's the deal we're talking.
You know, Miss Clifford, I find the
advertising business just fascinating.
It's so competitive,
and yet, it's so chummy.
According to Larry Kinkaid's
appointment calendar,
you went to see him in his office at
4:00 the day that he was murdered.
There's nothing
unusual about that.
He offered me a job. I turned him down.
It happens every day in this business.
[Leland] Well, I
have-I have a meeting.
I'll leave you to tie up
the loose ends, Christine.
It was nice to meet
you, Mrs. Fletcher.
Howard, welcome aboard.
[Jessica] Miss Clifford.
Did you, by any chance, return to
Mr. Kinkaid's office later in that evening?
Of course not. No.
Well, I'm sorry, but
the security guard
will identify you as
the interior decorator.
And in view of your interest in the,
uh, Corned Beef Castles account,
the police may feel that you
have a very, very strong motive...
unless, of course, there's,
uh, another explanation.
Well, it's not what you think.
When I was in Mr. Kinkaid's office in
the afternoon, I borrowed something.
A file folder. With some of
Victoria's ideas for the account.
All I wanted to do was return that
file before Mr. Kinkaid missed it,
and the decorator seemed like
a good story to get by the guard.
Only Kinkaid was in the office
and caught you with the stolen file.
No!
No, Mr. Kinkaid was already dead when
I got into the office. I didn't kill him.
I swear!
[Christine] I'm taking
Mrs. Fletcher's advice,
Lieutenant, and I'm
telling you the truth.
[Snickers]
And your story is that you
were returning stolen property?
Okay, I borrowed some confidential
material, but that is all that I did.
Fine. Fine. Get her statement.
I didn't kill him.
Why is it I always figure
gorgeous blondes are lying to me?
Adolescent trauma, Lieutenant.
But if she is telling the truth?
It means we've got
the time of death wrong,
and somebody got to him first.
But who?
Lieutenant Spolet-
- Oh, hello, Mrs. Fletcher.
- Hello.
Lieutenant, my
name is Leland Biddle.
I just received a rather confused and
hysterical phone call from Miss Clifford.
- I thought I should come in
and try to sort things out.
- Have a seat.
Thank you.
- Christine Clifford works for you?
- She's an employee of my firm, yes.
She said that she stole some
confidential files from Kinkaid's office.
Good heavens. She said that?
And she said that you'll verify
it. We're a highly ethical firm.
If Miss Clifford is involved
in some sort of theft, well,
I have no choice but to ask
for her resignation immediately.
But you were trying
to take the Corned Beef
Castles account away
from Mr. Kinkaid's company?
Actually, we're no longer interested
in the Corned Beef Castles account.
Oh, that wasn't the impression
that I got this afternoon.
Yes, well, I have made
some inquiries since then.
And it would appear that the Barths
have filed for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Bankruptcy? Well,
that's interesting.
Apparently they've hit Kinkaid
Agency with a... a ton of media bills.
But, of course, you didn't
know about the bankruptcy
the evening that Mr. Kinkaid
was killed, Mr. Biddle.
Mrs. Fletcher, if you
are suggesting that I was
in any way involved
with Larry Kinkaid's death,
I was having dinner with a business
associate at the time that he was killed.
Aubrey Thornton at Francoise.
Oh, yes, of course. On the
ground floor of Mr. Kinkaid's building.
- What time was that?
- 7:00.
Uh, we met at 7:00, and
we stayed till well after 9:00.
Actually, he was hitting me up for a job.
The police arrived just as we were leaving.
Thornton will tell you
that I never left the table...
except for a few minutes to
make a phone call at the bar.
- The barman will vouch for that.
- Oh.
If you'll excuse me, Lieutenant,
I don't think I should make
any further comment on
this matter until I've
conferred with my attorney.
- Good idea.
- Mrs. Fletcher.
Apparently, Mr. Biddle is leaving
Miss Clifford swinging in the wind.
Corned Beef Castles bankrupt?
[Jessica] Yes, I'm afraid
that's what Mr. Biddle said.
Well, then neither agency
is going to get the account.
That means my TV commercial
goes down the tube too.
Apparently Christine
Clifford is out of a job as well.
Howard, I'm so sorry. It's okay.
I can always get my old job
back at the insurance company.
What about your career?
All I ever really
wanted was you.
[Buzzing] I'll get it.
Oh, yes.
Griffin? Yes.
A large pastrami and
sausage. Ah, thank you.
Oh, dear. It's
anchovy and olives.
[Sighs] Look, it says, "pastrami
and sausage" on the ticket.
I don't make 'em,
lady. I just deliver 'em.
What do I owe you?
That's, uh, 16.20.
And I don't carry around much
change, lady. Ah, that's all right. Thanks.
Thanks. Uh-huh.
Actually, you know,
I'm not very hungry.
Uh, would you two mind
if I went out for awhile?
I won't be back till late.
Get this right over
there. They called twice!
Now what did you want on that,
lady? Mustard, sauerkraut, horseradish?
No, I'm afraid you don't
understand. I-I'm asking about
a corned beef sandwich
that was delivered last night.
Somethin' was
wrong with it? No, no.
I-I was wondering if it was
delivered to Kinkaid Advertising.
Look, I realize that you have
hundreds of orders but, uh-
Well, this is the
seventh delicatessen that
I've been to and, uh,
please, it's important.
Kinkaid? Over on
Madison Avenue? That's it!
What about it? Well, could I
talk to the man who delivered it?
Lady, we get a lot of repeat business.
We got a reputation in this business.
[Paper Crinkling] Here's
your sandwich, Linda.
If there was something
wrong with it, we'll make it right.
[Paper Rustling]
Corned beef, rye. Larry
Kinkaid, Kinkaid Advertising.
Yes. Does it say
who delivered it?
Nobody delivered it. The guy
called and canceled the order.
Ah, come on. Gimme a break, will ya'?
Why would I lie about a lousy sandwich?
I don't know. You tell me.
Uh, Mr. Ingram, what did
the deliveryman look like?
Huh, like a deliveryman. I mean, all these
meatballs-They all look alike, you know?
Well, please try and remember.
It could be very important.
Ah, he was wearing a gray coat,
carrying a-a Styrofoam cooler.
Oh, that sure narrows it down.
[Jessica] Uh-huh.
Was he wearing
gloves by any chance?
Yeah, as a matter of fact, yeah.
He had a little woolen
hat, mustache, shades-
Tell ya' the truth, I didn't get a good
look at him if you know what I mean?
Lieutenant, why would a deliveryman
be wearing dark glasses at night?
Wait a minute.
Are you telling me that Kinkaid
was killed by some deliveryman?
I'm saying it's someone
posing as a deliveryman.
- Would you recognize this guy
if you saw him again?
- Yeah. Uh, maybe.
Uh, I don't know.
[Jessica] Lieutenant,
I have an idea.
Would you be
interested in trying it?
[Ingram] You got the time?
Cops. They love
to make you sweat.
Two hours they
got me waitin' here.
Well, nice try, Mrs. Fletcher.
But the security guard doesn't
recognize Thornton. You struck out.
Maybe so, Lieutenant.
But since you brought
Mr. Thornton down here,
couldn't we at least
have a chat with him?
This is outrageous!
First of all, you call me
down here. Then you
keep me sitting out
there for half an hour.
What's going on? I'm
sorry, Mr. Thornton.
But Mrs. Fletcher here
has a wild idea that you
might know something
about Larry Kinkaid's death.
Well, uh-Why, that's ridiculous!
I was having dinner with Leland
Biddle when Kinkaid was killed.
Uh, ask Biddle. He was
with me the whole time.
Except for a few minutes when Mr. Biddle
went into the bar to make a phone call.
The express elevator would take you up
to the penthouse in only a few seconds.
Or anybody else in New
York City, Mrs. Fletcher.
I understand from Victoria that
Mr. Kinkaid was trying to squeeze you out.
It didn't matter to
me. I had a contract.
Yes, but no official duties.
I imagine time hung on
your hands, Mr. Thornton.
Victoria says you
always left early.
Mmm. You must have had
Kinkaid's moves down pretty good.
Like the fact that he always ordered
a sandwich when he worked late?
You probably knew
the deli he ordered from.
What does Larry Kinkaid's taste in
short order food have to do with me?
Well, you could have canceled
the order with a phone call...
and made the delivery that
he was expecting yourself.
Mrs. Fletcher, that's
pure conjecture.
Yes, it's only a theory,
but I suspect that you
already had the cooler prepared
and hidden somewhere
down on the ground floor.
So, when Mr. Biddle went to
make one of his frequent phone calls,
you headed for the elevator.
You probably had your
disguise hidden inside the cooler.
And seconds later, you got
out at the penthouse suite...
dressed as the deliveryman.
You have great fantasies.
You should be in advertising.
The guard had only been
on the job a short time.
You'd always been careful to
leave before he came on duty,
so he wouldn't recognize
you even in your disguise.
You even made sure that he was
discharged the next day just to be sure.
So that's your
little game, is it?
You kept me cooling my
heels out there in the hallway,
hoping that that security
guard would recognize me.
Well, it didn't
work, Lieutenant.
That guard wouldn't know me from Adam.
He's never seen me before in his life.
You've got nothing. Guard?
How did you know
that that man sitting out
there was the security
guard, Mr. Thornton?
Hey, that's right!
[Lieutenant] He
wasn't in uniform.
How did you know he
was the security guard?
You're trying to trick me. [Jessica] I'm
afraid the only way you’d know that...
would be if you'd seen him in uniform
the night that you murdered Mr. Kinkaid.
You think you've got it all
planned, every little detail,
and then you get suckered
by one little mistake.
He cheated me. He humiliated me.
I sat in my office for months,
trying to figure
out how to get him.
And it-it seemed
like... a perfect plan.
He did not even look up.
That arrogant, pompous phony.
I wanted him to
know that it was me.
And, you know, killing
him with the award-
that wasn't improvisation-
that was part of the plan.
Nice touch, don't you think?