Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996): Season 3, Episode 6 - Dead Man's Gold - full transcript

[Woman] Tonight on
Murder, She Wrote.

Call the medics! Tell 'em to meet us at
the dock! Somebody get some oxygen!

- Let go of the wheel!
- [Tires Screeching]

Alex, let go!

People are getting
killed. I don't need that.

But we're that
close to the treasure.

Somebody belongs in that cell.

- Tell her what happens if something
happens to all the partners.
- Survivor takes all.

This old friend of yours could
turn out to be a cold-blooded killer.

Haven't you got
me figured out yet?

[Footsteps]



Hello, mate. Well, well,
well. Gregory Small.

- Oh, you have given us
a merry chase, Davey.
- Really?

- Well, I wasn't aware of that.
- House in Key West sold.

Nine different
motels in two weeks.

And a ticket on the morning
flight to Portland, Maine.

Now, what would you call it?

Gregory, you are mussing
Mr. Everett's blazer.

Now do be careful.
Nice piece of cloth.

A man wouldn't mind
being buried in that.

As always, Small,
a master of subtlety.

Hmm, you have
impeccable taste, David.

This—This is the sort
of yacht I would buy...

if I had the money.
Ross, I'm sorry.

I've neglected to tell you. I'm
about to come into a fortune.



Indeed?

Well, then, I shan't have to worry
about your repaying the $50,000...

you borrowed from me, will I?

- How reassuring.
- Mr. Barber's been a bit
worried about that, mate.

Keeps havin' these
recurring visions of you...

lying in some dark alley, a bit o' blood
here and there— Oh, now, now Gregory,

enough of that kind of talk.

Well, now, then, David, tell me—There's
something in the wind, is there?

Something big? Treasure.

No, no, no.

This is not idle speculation.
This is a sure thing.

It needs only to be hauled up.

You feel great, like
a slippery sea lion.

Oh, you could've said mermaid.

I always think of
mermaids as scaly.

- Did you see anything down there?
- Nope.

It's the same feeling I
had in Jamaica though.

It's down here, Coby. I know it.

- Hey, hey, hey!
- That's Bill.

[Alex] All right.

Hey, hey, treasure hunters!

Guys, you interested
in this? Is it gold?

What is it? I don't know,
but it's old and it's heavy.

Susan, look what your husband
found while you were redoing your nails.

- Hey, Bill, what have you got?
- Looks like junk to me.

What do you think,
Coby? Is it gold?

Brass. A ship's fitting,
probably held a lantern.

Junk. Uncle David
isn't going to be happy.

Oh, but I think he will be.

This is 18th-century, guys.

Which means there's a
ship down here somewhere.

Our ship. We're close,
babe. Really close.

Well, maybe this whole
treasure thing wasn't so dumb.

[Chuckles] Dumb?

Well, I imagine they're keeping you
pretty busy up at the hospital, Dr. Graham.

Only as busy as I want to be.

And, please, call me Wylie.

For the past 30 years,
it's either been Doc...

or Commander, or a
whole lot worse. Wylie then.

Believe me, Jess. The navy's
loss is Cabot Cove's gain.

I've known this
old pirate for years,

and medically speaking,
there's no one better.

You don't need to butter me up,
Seth. I'm not coming after your patients.

When I'm not at the hospital,
you'll find me out on the blue,

three sheets to
the wind. At least.

As a matter of fact,
there's a breeze coming up.

Might as well make use of it.

Jessica, bye.

I expect we'll be seeing
a lot of each other.

I'm sure we will. Wylie.

Seth.

Amos, that piece of paper you're
puttin' under my windshield wiper...

better be an invitation to a
clambake. No, it's a parking ticket.

And that is an
M.D. license plate.

And that is a fire hydrant.
The law is the law.

Wait until your sciatica
starts acting up again.

Jessie? Yes.

- Jessie MacGill?
- Yes.

David? David Everett? Yes.

I can't believe it.

[Chuckling]

[Jessica] David, what in the world
are you doing back in Cabot Cove?

Why, I came to see you, of course.
I don't believe that for a minute.

You know, the last time I saw
you was about, about 35 years ago,

and you were about to
set sail to seek your fortune.

Mmm. I thought maybe
I'd get a letter or a postcard.

Oh, I couldn't, you know.

Shipwrecked on a desert island,
surrounded by great white sharks.

- Yeah, well, I gather you were rescued.
- Yes, yes.

By a fascinating old
Malayan pearl trader.

His cook had just died, some
social disease, you understand.

So during the next six
months, I learned to make

the best boiled rice this
side of Kuala Lumpur.

And you, who couldn't
even boil water.

Ah, Jessica, you'd be surprised
at the skills I have mastered.

Chief among which
is the art of survival.

Yes, you certainly seem to
be in one piece. Mm-hmm.

In spite of hurricanes,
and headhunters,

wild animals, and—
And four wives.

You have been reading
the scandal sheets.

Well, I do sneak a peek when
I see your name mentioned.

Quite a quartet, those ladies.

Well, this is— This
is a solid home.

I'd say you had a good
life with Frank. Wonderful.

Good man.

I've been thinking about
settling down lately.

You know, stop chasing rainbows.

Planting my feet
solidly on the ground.

David, what are you really
doing here in Cabot Cove?

I have four young
people out in the harbor...

diving off a ship, looking
for a sunken treasure.

Treasure? Here?
A fortune in gold.

It went down on a British
ship, merchant ship, in 1777.

That's odd. I don't
remember anything about that.

Well, it's a
little-known episode.

But two months
ago, just off the Keys,

my young partners
found this chart.

It showed the exact location.

Of course, they needed a
partner to finance the expedition.

So I became the partner.

- I see. But, David—
- Ow, partner.

Jessica, why don't you come and
meet the kids? I'm sure you'd love them.

Oh, David, I can't. I have got to
stay chained to my typewriter today.

But what about dinner tonight?
Here. And, uh, you and your kids.

Well, good. Thank
you. That would be fun.

This way here?
Sure, right out here.

Jessica, I can't tell you how
marvelous it is to see you.

You know, I hadn't realized...

how much I'd missed you.

Well.

David!

- What is it, Alex?
- Here.

- Did you find anything valuable?
- Relax, Susan, it's nothing you can wear.

- It looks like another ship's fitting.
- More junk.

Where's Bill? Larry,
he was diving with you.

I swam behind some rocks.

I lost sight of him. Then I saw
Alex, and she signaled to come up.

You mean, you left
him down there alone?

I'm sure he's all right.
We all had plenty of air.

He could be caught on
some rocks, anything. David!

We'd better play it safe. Coby,
go back down and look for him.

[Gregory] One of the divers is
submerging back into the water.

Yes, yes. Our Davey
looks a bit anxious.

Something has gone
wrong. I knew it. I knew it.

Oh, Gregory, when
will I ever learn?

Never put your
trust in a sure thing.

Bill!

Call the medics! Tell
'em to meet us at the dock!

Somebody get some oxygen!

Alex, it was an accident.

Sure, blame it on the
equipment. Not that equipment.

It was primo.
Absolutely perfecto.

Unless somebody
did something to it.

You're crazy, Alex. I
checked it all out this morning.

The tank must have been dropped.
Maybe the regulator jammed.

Did you think about that? Sure.

I just spoke to Dr. Graham
back at the hospital.

He said your friend's vital signs
are good, and he's going to be fine.

- Oh, good.
- Great.

Is Susan still at
the hospital? No.

Wylie sent her back to her room
at the Hill House to get some rest.

Good. There's nothing that
airhead could do anyway.

Champagne for everyone. To celebrate Bill's
recovery and the finding of the treasure.

Champagne!

Yes, I-I found it in one of your
cupboards. I hope you don't mind.

[Phone Ringing] Of course not.
Just seemed a little early to celebrate.

Hello? Yes, it is.
No, he's right here.

David, it's a Mr. Barber.

Oh, yes. Business.

I'll take it in the kitchen. Larry,
will you open that, please?

Affirmative, Uncle David.

So my uncle says
you're some kind of writer.

I've seen your
typewriter. It's prehistoric.

We work at the same speed.

I can get you a
state-of-the-art computer,

complete with word
processing at the factory price.

And with a new piece of
software called Novelrite.

Novelrite? Yeah.

Five hundred and five best-selling plots,
from Shakespeare to Sidney Sheldon.

Takes the work out
of being creative.

[Laughs]

Okay, who wants bubbly? I do.

Why stop now?

Of course I'm glad to
hear from you, Ross.

A meeting? Is that necessary?

Well, yes, of course. I
understand your concern.

Well, I'll—I have to go now.
Uh, give my regards to Gregory.

- No bad news, I hope.
- No, no, no.

An annoying inconvenience.
My attorney from New York.

There's been a
communications foul-up. My bank

in Hong Kong neglected
to transfer some funds.

And now I'm short of cash, so—
Well, surely you have credit cards.

I've cut them all off. My
ex-wives, you remember, Jessica.

Now, perhaps you could put in
a good word for me at the hotel.

I can do better than that. I've
got a perfectly good guest room...

that hasn't been slept in for months.
Oh, no. I would not think of imposing.

- Don't be silly.
- The neighbors are liable to
start talking.

Do you really think so?
Good. They think I lead

a very dull life, chained
to my typewriter.

Well, maybe just for one night. I'm
sure my funds will arrive by tomorrow.

I was a damn fool to sign
that partnership agreement.

We all were.

David, Billy, Coby and me.

Now that we are on the brink.

I mean, we're really
close to finding something.

Greed is rearing its ugly head.

What do you think,
Mrs. Fletcher?

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

It's real simple.

If something happens
to one of the partners,

then the other three
split the shares.

I see. Tell her, David.

Tell her what happens
if something happens...

to all the partners except one.

Survivor takes all.

Here's looking at you, kid.

You're drunk. So what?

I'm taking you to the hotel
before you get sick. No!

Don't touch me!

You checked the diving
equipment. You said it was all right.

How do we know that?

Don't touch me.
Right now. Come on.

Sorry to spoil the party, folks.
Mrs. Fletcher, thank you very much.

I don't wanna go
to the hotel with you.

Let me out. Here? Come on, Alex.

Stop the car and let
me out! Get serious!

- Stop the car!
- Alex, Alex, let go!

Are you nuts? Let
go of the wheel!

Alex, let go!

Alex! Okay, you want
out? Get out! Go on, get out!

You don't like the way
I drive, you call a taxi.

I'll walk. I don't
care how far it is.

Oh, yeah, I forgot.
No money, as usual.

Here's 20 cents for the
phone call. Get over here!

20 cents for the phone
call. Five bucks for the taxi.

Thanks for the good time,
honey. You're on your own.

I'll talk to you
after you sober up.

I hate you, Coby! I hate you!

[Floor Creaking]

[Phone Rings]

- Doc Hazlett.
- Seth, Wylie. I didn't wake you, did I?

No, of course not. I'm
always up at 6:00, well, 6:15.

I'm sorry. I wanted to catch you
before I got hung up with the rounds.

Seth, the man who's
staying with Jessica Fletcher...

David? What about him? He stopped
by last night to ask about the boy.

He looked familiar.

I ran into him five, maybe
six years ago in Florida.

He was involved in, uh, some
kind of real estate scheme.

Scheme? You mean like a swindle?

Hmm, I wouldn't say that exactly. I
just remember that he was pretty sharp.

I thought that
Jessica ought to know.

Well, maybe so, maybe so.

But in this particular case, I get the
feelin' I'd better mind my own business.

Thank you, Wylie.

[Jessica] Hmm,
do I smell coffee?

Good morning. Good morning.

Yes, this is the best coffee
this side of Marrakech.

I also have another treat
for you. Eggs à la Everett.

You had everything I
needed except the yak's milk.

Well, it looks divine.

You're unbearably
cheery this morning.

Yes, that's because I slept like a
baby. The instant my head hit the pillow.

There.

Your label was sticking out.

So now you're properly dressed and
charmingly so, if I may say. Thank you.

[Clears Throat]

Oh, Amos. You're up and
about early. Come on in.

Thank you, ma'am.

- Sheriff, could I get you some eggs?
- Oh, well-well, no, sir.

Thank you, but not right now.

As a matter of fact, it's
you I've come to see.

Understand you’re involved with
those young folks divin' off the coast.

That's right. What's
wrong, Amos?

I'm afraid I have some
bad news for you, sir.

Miss Bell? She was found dead on
Cabot Cove Road just after sunrise.

I'll need you to
identify the body.

Oh, my God.

Well, Doc says your
friend identified the body.

He's on his way to break
the news to the others.

Did Seth say how long she'd been
dead? Yeah, since before midnight.

Body was found by an early morning
jogger. Clear case of hit-and-run.

Amos, this doesn't
make any sense.

Alexandra and her friend Coby left my house
last night to drive to the Hill House.

Now why was she walking all by herself down
a dark road in the middle of the night?

Now, Mrs. Fletcher, I
hope you're not trying

to make something
out of this that isn't.

It's very odd.

She was on the
very edge of the road.

Now I mean anyone could have
swerved well around and missed her.

Well, maybe so.

Unless, of course,

she was struck closer
to the center of the road...

and then thrown to the edge
with the force of the impact.

Oh, no, ma'am, no. The
car ran right over her.

[Sighs]

You see something?

It's what I don't see.

Skid marks.

I mean, if the driver had seen her at the
last minute, he didn't slam on his brakes.

Skid marks?

Broken glass. Oh, well.

No matter how many
signs we put up, folks won't

stop throwing empty
bottles out of their cars.

That's not bottle glass. It appears
to be a piece of a broken headlight.

[Coby] It's my fault.

I left her there alone,
on that road. It was dark.

She was all alone. And I-I
just drove off. Take it easy.

I won't take it easy. I
came back to the hotel.

I left a message at the desk that I didn't
want to be disturbed, no phone calls.

Then I piled back into
bed, and I went to sleep.

Coby, now whoever did it,
they'll get them, believe me.

[Coby's Voice] Yes,
that's my car outside.

I rented it in Portland.
And you drove the car

back from Mrs. Fletcher's
house last night?

Yes. Ease off, Sheriff.

He's already admitted to us
that he left Alex off on the road.

Good, now he can admit it to
me after I read him his rights.

[Jessica] Thank you.
Oh, that is very welcome.

I remember that expression.
Jessie MacGill in her reverie.

What is it, Jessie? A problem?

I was just recalling
how envious you were...

of me and my brothers and sisters
because you were an only child.

Last night, Larry Gaynes
called you "Uncle."

It is a harmless deception.
Believe me. Larry's a rich kid.

And he's into scuba
diving and excitement.

And his father offered
me a couple of thousand

dollars if I'd bring
him on the expedition.

Now of course, I make it a
policy never to turn down money.

But I wondered
how the others, uh,

what they would feel
with a neophyte aboard.

I thought that a nephew
would be more acceptable.

A rich kid who knows
a lot about computers.

His father, uh, owns a
company that manufactures them.

But you see, the mystery
disappears when you know the facts.

- You don't believe Coby killed Alex.
- Do you?

No, no.

But I have no other suspects
in mind. Maybe you do.

What I have is an appointment
with a doctor. Thanks for the coffee.

Let me drive you. Oh, thanks,
but it's not far, and I'd rather walk.

It, uh, helps me to think.

Oh, Jessie.

Be careful.

The dock is a little slippery.

One thing's sure— Being hit
by that car is not what killed her.

Now hold on, Doc. You
told me she was run over.

She was, after she was killed.

By a blow to the left temple,
I'd say about here. Sure.

The impact broke the
headlight and smashed the grill.

No. In order for a car to
have made that sort of contact,

she'd have had to have
been crouched on all fours,

and then she would have been hit by
the bumper, not the grill or the headlight.

And finally, I did not find
any glass in the wound.

- Then what did strike her, Seth?
- Some sort of blunt instrument,
I expect.

Yeah, but that Coby fella, he
still could've struck her down...

and then tried to make it
look like it was a hit-and-run.

By smashing his own headlight
and pointing suspicion at himself?

Jessica, don't confuse
Amos by bringing logic to bear.

Coby is my only suspect,

and I'm holding on to him at least
till I get to see that autopsy report.

Well, it's about time you showed
up. You're in the wrong duds, kiddo.

Get changed and grab a mop.
I'm splitting from the project.

- What, you can't do that.
- Sorry, old-timer. This gig is history.

- We've got a contract, Larry.
- Void because of the safety factor.

People are getting
killed. I don't need that.

But we're that
close to the treasure.

What treasure? You ask me, you're
chasin' smoke, just like you always have.

Damn it! You can't do that. You
begged to come on this expedition.

And I paid for the privilege. Well, I'm
through paying. This bank is closed.

How am I supposed to
get this boat out of here?

That's your problem. Ciao, baby.

A real shame, mate.

Your money man took to his heels
and left you with your tail in the wringer.

Mr. Barber is going
to be very unhappy.

Wait. Wait.

You know if, uh, if Barber could come
up with some of the operating expenses.

- Not a chance, mate.
- It'll just take 10,000
to get started again.

Then I'd say you better come
up with 10,000, right, Davey?

[Jessica] So Larry is gone.

Yes, he was scared off.

I suppose that means now I'm gonna
have to give his father back a refund.

Oh, I doubt that.

Our Cabot Cove
library isn't very big,

but they do have a copy of
Allenby's, uh, Leaders of Industry.

Larry Gaynes owns the
computer company, not his father.

But, Jessica, I'm
flabbergasted. Why?

Because I checked
up on your story?

Larry didn't strike me as
the kind of young man...

who would've had to depend on
his father's checkbook for excitement.

Jessie, I would have
told you if I could.

It's just that I assured Larry I'd
keep his participation confidential.

What are you going to do now?

I don't know. I don't
want to give up.

It wouldn't be
fair to Bill or Coby.

I'll just have to find someway
to keep on going. Someway.

How much do you need?

Well, I...

Oh, no, no, no, Jessica.
No, don't even think about it.

How much, David?

All right.

I'll need some experienced
divers, additional equipment.

Possibly $10,000.
Yes, I'd say that.

That'd be about it. $ 1 0, 000.

Good morning, Doctor. Morning.

Would you like
some orange juice?

No, thank you. Jess up?

I believe she's taking a shower.

- Would you like me to get her?
- No, no, no.

There's no, no special rush.

Well— [Clears Throat]

How do you like your,
uh, your accommodations?

Just great.

[Sighs] Sleeping well?

Well, as best I can.

Those, uh, featherbeds
require some getting used to.

[Chuckles] Nice jammies.

- Seth.
- Morning, Jessica.

Isn't it a little early for
you to be up and about?

Brisk morning air starts a man's
brain cells, gets them thinking,

specially if he has
something to think about.

Uh, I assume you had a
reason for coming over.

Yes, woman, I
certainly do. Bill Ainsley.

You did ask me to tell you
when he could have visitors.

Wylie says it's perfectly
all right, starting today.

[Wylie] All things considered,
you're comin’ along pretty nicely.

I'll check on you later.
Thanks a lot, Doc.

So how's David? We haven't seen
much of him in the past day or two.

- Busy, keeping the ship afloat.
- He's a great guy.

- Did he tell you that he signed
for all my hospital bills?
- That's David.

It's crazy about Alex. I
mean, with Coby in jail.

- I've got to get back to the job.
- You will be back on the job, really.

Just take it easy,
okay? [Coughing]

Look, Susan, my-my
throat's kind of dry.

- Would you mind maybe scrounging
some juice up or something?
- Oh sure.

Listen, Mrs. Fletcher.

What happened to
me, it was no accident.

If Coby hadn't have pulled
me out, I'd be as dead as Alex.

- What do you think happened?
- I just keep wondering where the hell
Larry was when I blacked out.

- Larry? But why would
he— - You've seen my wife.

But you haven't
seen her in her bikini.

Larry looked at her like she was
some kind of an Italian sports car,

- and he was ready to take her
for a test drive.
- And his reason to kill Alex?

That I can't answer.

[Coby] Mrs. Fletcher, I told
you everything I remember.

I gave Alex 20 cents for a
phone call. Five dollars for a taxi.

She never carried any
money. Not even any change.

- So you were sure she would call a cab
and come back to the hotel.
- Yes.

Coby, where was the telephone?

Uh, at a gas station
back a little ways.

It was closed, but there
was an outside phone booth.

Ed Potts never went
fishing a day in his life.

More likely he went
to visit his lady friend in

Augusta. But he couldn't
put that in the window.

Amos. Yes, ma'am?

Amos, when you looked
in Alexandra's purse for

her identification, did
you notice any money?

Yep. Five dollar bill.
How much change?

Not a penny.

Coby said that he
gave her 20 cents.

Well, she must've
used it in the phone.

There's no phone book there.

So she couldn't have
looked up the taxi number in it,

and being a stranger in town it's
unlikely she would have known it.

Yeah, of course she could've dialed the
operator and told her it was an emergency.

And then the operator would've
put the call through for nothin'.

Ah, but she didn't
make a free call.

She spent the 20 cents. Mmm.

Amos, you know, there might be one or two
fingerprints of hers left on that phone.

Good thinking. Or it would be,

except the jogger used
the phone to call my deputy,

and my deputy used
it to call me at home,

and I called Doc
Hazlett— But now wait.

Didn't you say that she was
at your house earlier? Yes.

Well, that's the answer then. She
copied down your phone number.

But she didn't call.
The phone didn't ring.

Well, maybe you were asleep, and
somebody else answered the phone.

I wasn't asleep. I was
working on my book.

And there's no phone
in my guest room, Amos.

Mrs. Fletcher. I'm sorry, Amos.

- Would you drive me home?
- Yes, ma'am.

David? David, are you here?

- Hello, Jessie.
- David, what is this?

That's a .38 special.

Not as effective as a
.45, but easier to carry.

I'm surprised, as a mystery writer,
you don't know that. Why do you carry it?

Why does anyone carry those
nasty little things? For protection.

I can see that you
don't like guns either.

I'll just stow this
someplace out of sight.

I noticed that you
drove off with the sheriff.

- Does he have any leads
on Alex's killer?
- No.

No. It's too bad. Such a lovely
young lady and a good friend.

- And a partner?
- And a partner.

Well, I'll put this in the car.

[Jessica] She phoned somebody,
Seth, I know it. But who?

How about this, Jess? Alexandra
didn't phone anyone in town.

She called the boat. The boat?

Yes, it can be done. And she
would've known the number.

Yeah, but who was
on the boat? Larry.

Larry? That bogus nephew that
took it so conveniently on the lam.

Well, first of all,
I'm-I'm not certain that

a call to the boat would
have cost 20 cents.

And Larry was the one person
who did not have a motive.

He was not one of
Alexandra's partners...

and apparently had-had enough money that
he didn't have to worry at all about money.

All right, all right. I'll tell you what.
Could we sit down just for a minute?

Well, I was hoping that the fresh
air might stimulate your brain cells.

Oh, the fresh air is just fine.

The trouble is I don't enjoy walking
when I'm not going somewhere.

All right, all right,
we'll forget Larry.

Now I suppose we'll have
to forget David too, won't we?

After all, he was in your
guest bedroom all night.

You know, you sound
almost disappointed.

He would have made a
dandy suspect. Oh, Seth.

Don't "Oh, Seth" me, woman.

He was, he is,
one of the partners.

Could be there's a whole
packet of money involved here.

I don't believe that
you're suggesting— Jess.

I want you to get a real
perspective on this thing.

Now we are talking about a man
who has spent his entire adult life...

traipsing all over the globe
looking for the pot of gold.

He was obsessed with it.

Seth, you don't know
the first thing about him.

You are thinking with your funny
bone and not with your head.

This old friend of yours could
turn out to be a cold-blooded killer.

Seth, I have known David
Everett for the past 35 years.

Correction. You knew him 35
years ago. There is a difference, Jess.

Oh, come on.

Well, what is this,
the Boston Marathon?

Wait!

David! Oh, you're home.

I looked into that
library you told me about,

and I came across
this fascinating volume.

This is a history of Cabot Cove.
This is not supposed to be taken out.

Well, it wasn't
officially. It just sort of

went for a walk with
me and it ended up here.

Now Jessie, would you do me a
favor? Could you return that for me?

David, I want some
straight answers.

For you, Jess, anything.
Don't patronize me.

I have been acting like a fool,
and I don't like it. I-I don't like it.

The fact that because I may have
felt something for you a long time ago...

I'm afraid to ask you the hard
questions that I have to ask.

Well, if you think
there is something, uh...

Where did you go when you left this
house the night Alex was murdered?

Please don't try to deny
it, David. I heard you leave.

I went to see some people.

In the middle of the
night? Armed with a gun?

The time and place
was picked by them.

And the gun was for protection, in
case they didn't see my point of view.

And who are these people?

One is a loan shark, and
the other was his muscleman.

When times were slow, I
piled up a considerable debt.

But I didn't really
need to use the gun.

Because I had talked
them into another deal,

half of my share of the treasure
against what I owed them.

And then the next day,
poor Alex was killed,

and Coby was in jail,
and the operation stalled.

And my new partners wouldn't come
up with another nickel for expenses.

So you had to raise
$10,000 very quickly.

Jessica, that 10,000 that you
lent me has saved my neck,

not to mention various
other parts of my anatomy.

- You were desperate.
- For me, that's hardly unusual.

- It's a motive.
- What, to harm Bill and kill Alex?

I may be a trifle threadbare,
Jessica, but I'm not homicidal.

No, I don't believe
that you are.

But with all that's happened,

I do think that you should
talk to Sheriff Tupper.

No, no, no. Not possible. I have a meeting
with my new partners tonight on the boat,

and I wish to get there
first, so I can set out

the ice bucket and the
champagne and the caviar.

- David!
- Jessica, I'm saying good-bye.

And thank you
for your hospitality.

Good-bye? You can't just duck out in
the middle of a murder investigation.

Haven't you got
me figured out yet?

I've been ducking
out all my life.

Isn't that why you all voted me in
high school so many years ago...

as the man most likely to flee the
scene when the going got tough?

You know, Jessica,
I've often lain awake,

thinking about, uh,
the road not taken...

and the word not spoken.

Things might have
been different for us.

But then, they didn't turn
out that way, did they?

But believe me,

with Frank, you got
by far the best of it.

Oh, I scribbled a few words
of farewell on the bookmark.

Good-bye, Jessie MacGill.

"Dear Jessie— It scares me to
think I could learn to like a featherbed.

Here's your house key. With
my undying gratitude, David."

Here's your belongings. Just sign the
form and you're free to go, Mr. Russell.

Oh, Coby, you're being released.

The sheriff couldn't hold me any
longer. Uh, you were right, Mrs. Fletcher.

Case against him
doesn't hold water.

But somebody
belongs in that cell.

Can I help you, Mrs. Fletcher? Amos,
I'd like to see Alexandra's purse if I may.

Don't see why not. Won't do you
any good. Already went through it.

There isn't a single scrap of paper that
has a Cabot Cove telephone number on it.

I'm not looking for
a scrap of paper.

The number is on
Alexandra's room key tag.

Hill House.

That's where you were
staying, wasn't it, son?

[Bill] Coby didn't kill Alex!

No, but somebody went to a great
deal of trouble to make it look that way.

The same person, I'm afraid,
who nearly ended your life, Bill.

- You know who's responsible?
- I'm fairly sure.

Well, come on. Let's hear it.

None of the divers or David
could have jammed that regulator,

because nobody was left alone
on deck with the equipment.

One person was alone on
deck a great deal of the time,

mostly passing the
time with self-grooming.

- That's insane!
- What, Susie?

You're way off base, lady.

I love my husband. Why
would I try to kill him?

You didn't. But you had
every reason to believe...

that Bill would be with
Larry when the trouble began.

You couldn't know Bill would wander
off, and Larry would surface without him.

It wasn't meant to be an attempt
on Bill's life, only to look like one.

You were setting the
stage for the real murder,

and you wanted to remove
suspicion from your husband.

You must have been
frantic when the other three

divers came aboard
and left Bill in the water.

No wonder you didn't
accept their reassurance

that he had plenty
of oxygen left.

That's preposterous.

How could I have
known hours in advance...

that Coby would leave Alex stranded
on a dark, deserted road late at night?

Because that was not the murder
that you were planning, at least not yet.

When Alex found the Hill House
phone number and called you,

you simply took
advantage of an opportunity.

Oh, come on. Alex
must have called Coby.

She couldn't have. He told the
desk not to put any calls through.

Her call had to be you.

Honey? Come on, this is crazy.

Tell her! Tell her what?

Bill, I'm sorry.

She did call me. Crazy Alex.

Drunk, scared and angry.

Me, who she was
always putting down.

[Susan] Well, I had
no trouble finding her.

And I was ready for her.

And she was glad to see me.

I couldn’t just run her down.
Suppose she lived through that?

I had to be sure.

It wasn't enough to kill Alex.
You tried to fix the blame on Coby.

You knew if he was found guilty of killing
Alex, he couldn't share in the treasure.

You think that was it?
You think the money was it?

Well, let me tell you something. I
was sick and tired of being the outsider.

Bill was a diver, so they
would accept Bill, no problem.

But Alex kept harping on how the only
thing I paid attention to was my looks.

Well, my looks are the
only thing that I have.

I was never smart
enough for them.

And they kept throwing
it back in my face.

- Honey, that's just not true.
- It is true, Bill.

You just never paid any attention to
it. To them, I was your airhead wife.

Anyway,

I went back to Hill House,
and I located Coby's rental car.

And then I made
sure I was alone.

And I took off my jacket,

and I wrapped it around the
tire iron to muffle the sound.

And then I smashed
the grill and the headlight.

And then very
carefully picked up...

every piece of glass,

and I took it back with me
to that dark, deserted road.

Bill?

Bill, I didn't do it for
me. I did it for us, baby.

It was all right there for the
taking, everything we ever wanted.

Bill?

[Gregory] Good
riddance, I say, sir.

You know, in a way, I almost
felt sorry for Mr. Everett.

He had a certain way about him.

Uh, too bad. Too bad he
had to get in over his head.

David? David?

Jessica! What a
pleasant surprise.

You've come down to
see me off. What a relief.

Those two men— I
thought for a moment.

You thought what?
That— Oh, Jessica, no.

I may have been on the ropes, but you must
give me some credit for resourcefulness.

I was going to send this to
Sheriff Tupper from Sri Lanka.

Perhaps you can save me
the postage. A cassette tape?

Yes, of Barber and
Small, uh, extorting from

me my remaining half
share of the treasure...

for a mere $100,000.

Oh, and I was going to
send you a cashier's check,

but since you're here...

$10,000 with interest
and with thanks.

Oh, things are
becoming clearer to me.

That passage you marked
in the Cabot Cove history.

Your treasure ship
didn't sink in the harbor.

It was badly damaged, and it limped
out to sea and was lost in a storm.

Great Scott.

And to think that I neglected to
tell Barber and Small about that.

One more question. Anything.

Did your wives really
marry you for your money,

or was it, uh, possibly
the other way around?

Seems to me I've always been
falling in love with women who are rich.

Maybe it's the way
they do their hair.

Jessie MacGill, good-bye.

Perhaps I'll drop you a
postcard from time to time.

Seems you're
always sailing away.

I never said I was smart.