Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996): Season 8, Episode 4 - Thicker Than Water - full transcript
Sheriff Metzger assumes his younger brother, the black sheep of the family, is guilty as charged, of murder.
Most family
relationships aren't easy.
You have any idea what it's
like looking at your baby brother
over the barrel of a .38?
FEMALE NARRATOR:
Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.
Would you look at that?
Hey, take a chance.
I want him to know
that you're off-limits.
I've changed, I've
cleaned up my act.
What do you mean, he
just vanished from the boat?
Yes! How can that be?
Let's just say it's an
interesting part of the puzzle.
This time, you're on your own.
This time I'm innocent.
Excuse me, I don't mean to bother
you, but are you Jessica Fletcher?
Yes, I am.
I knew it. I've read your books.
All of them. I
think you're terrific.
Well, that's very
kind. Thank you.
This is my favorite.
I brought it along
from New York.
I don't suppose you could...
Sign it? Of course.
Who shall I make it out to?
Wayne... Uh,
Wayne'll be just fine.
There you go.
So, what brings you to Maine?
Well, I have a friend
who lives in Cabot Cove.
Or at least somebody
who used to be.
I'm hoping we can get
back together again.
It was a pleasure
meeting you, Mrs. Fletcher.
Thanks for the
autograph. It means a lot.
No trouble at all.
I hope everything
works out for you.
So do I. So do I.
How can you stand there
and argue with me, Doc?
You've got eight parking
violations and you haven't paid one.
You seem to
forget I am a doctor.
Now, a doctor gets
an emergency call,
he doesn't stop to figure out
where he's going to park his car.
Oh, yeah? Well, let's see.
This one was outside the bakery,
this one's in front of
Hagarty's pool hall,
this... That's enough.
What's the fine?
Simple math, Doc.
$15 times eight.
You should have been an
accountant instead of a policeman.
Well, come next election, you are
losing one of your most valuable votes.
We don't have elections, Doc.
I was hired by the city council.
(SCOFFS)
Hey, this is for $70!
You've got eight parking
violations, you owe me $120!
Well, I took the deduction
because I paid them all at once.
Hi, Mort.
It's been a while.
I understand how you feel.
But I want you to know
things are different.
I've changed, I've
cleaned up my act.
You're not even
gonna listen to me?
Oh, I listened, Wayne!
Time and again I listened.
And what did I
ever get out of it?
Just a whole lot of pain.
I'm here because I want
to make it up to you, Mort.
I can't do it in New York.
I figured maybe here,
with your help, I could
settle down, find a job.
Who knows, maybe even become
what you thought I should be.
Is that asking too much?
Yes.
Maybe you could think it over.
I'm staying at the
Lighthouse Motel,
and checkout's at 12:00 noon.
If I don't see you
by then, I'll go.
Okay?
Sheriff?
Mrs. Fletcher.
I thought you weren't due back
from New York until tomorrow.
Well, I got finished
sooner than I expected.
Oh, I managed to find the
book that Adele was looking for.
May I give it to
you to give to her?
Is everything
all right, Sheriff?
Sure. Why shouldn't it be?
Well, you seemed to be having
a slight altercation with your desk.
Oh, that, I...
I just do that every so
often just to stay in shape.
Ah. Then it had nothing to do with
the young man I just saw leaving.
No, he was, uh, just some
stranger passing through town.
I see.
Look, Mrs. F., it's really great to see
you, but I'm kind of snowed right now.
Of course. We'll talk later.
(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)
ADELE: Come on up,
Mort. It's getting late.
In a minute, Adele.
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
Mort!
I just want to... Just
shut up and listen.
Now, you said you wanted a
chance, I'm gonna give you one.
But if you mess up in any
way, no matter how small,
I'm gonna come
down on you so hard,
you're gonna wish you were
back making license plates.
You got that? Yeah.
One more thing.
Anybody asks, anybody,
you're just a friend of
a friend, nothing more.
Sure.
If that's the way you want it.
That's the way I want it.
Zach's kind of a bear,
but he'll treat you fairly.
Reminds me of
somebody else I know.
ZACH: Don't threaten
me, Terry Montagne.
TERRY: Then you better
start listening to reason, Zach.
What reason?
You're a lousy con man, and
I don't owe you a damn cent.
Facts and figures don't lie,
Zach. You know it, I know it.
Your facts, your figures. I
don't want either one of them.
Gentlemen, is there
a problem here?
There's no problem.
Zach and I are just taking care
of some old business, right, Zach?
What can I do for you, Sheriff?
Zach, this is Wayne Stearns.
He, uh... He needs a job, and I
heard you were looking for a deckhand.
You ever work a
fishing boat before?
No. But I learn fast.
All you got to learn is to
live with the stink of fish.
I just want to work, sir.
That's all I care about.
Okay. You just do what I tell you
when I tell you, we'll get along fine.
You stow your gear below.
Sure. Thanks.
Thanks, Zach. The kid gives you
any trouble, any problems at all,
just don't hesitate to call,
and I'll take full responsibility.
Don't worry, Sheriff,
you'll be the first to hear.
All set, Captain Franklin.
Call me Zach.
You can start out by
swabbing down the deck.
You'll find a mop and a bucket
aft on the starboard side there.
If you're looking for
the hose, it's over there.
What would I have
done without you?
Probably found it yourself.
Elaine Franklin,
Zach's daughter.
Wayne Stearns,
deckhand in training.
Dad finally hired someone.
Good. I've been after
him about that for ages.
You're not from
Cabot Cove, are you?
Just came in yesterday.
It's a nice town.
You'll like it.
I like it already.
Dad, Wayne was just
telling me the good news.
It's about time we got
a little help around here.
Looks like he's doing
more talking than working.
Right. See you.
I see we're in our crusty
sea captain mode today.
Daughter, you run the business,
leave the boat and
the hired help to me.
You better get on
back to the office
before somebody steals us blind.
Aye, Captain. Anything you say.
Thank you, my beauty.
And this is Otto.
Biggest of the bunch.
Oh, he's a real scrapper. They
make the best eating, you know.
Well, I'm not at all sure that I
care about personalizing my dinner.
This is the one,
Jessica, trust me.
I'm never wrong about
muskmelons or lobster.
(CLEARS THROAT)
Why don't you wrap up
Otto here for Mrs. Fletcher?
She'll, uh, take
care of the damages,
and with any luck,
invite me out for supper.
What's the hurry?
Emergency. I think I may
be parked in a red zone.
Thank you.
Mrs. F.
Oh, afternoon, Mort.
Look, I want to apologize for being
so short with you yesterday afternoon.
Oh, no apology necessary. I happened
to drop in the office at a bad time.
I hope things are better today.
Enjoy.
Thanks. Thanks a lot.
And so, how is your brother
enjoying Cabot Cove so far?
Well, he hasn't really
seen that much...
You know.
I met Wayne on the plane
coming back from New York.
He had a copy of one of my books
and he wanted me to sign it.
But it happened to be the
one that I dedicated to you.
Then I remembered that Adele once
said that you had a younger brother
in New York City that
you never talked about.
And then when I saw
his bag with W.M. on it,
and saw the two of you
arguing in the station,
I realized that I
had to be right.
Mrs. F., I'd appreciate it if you
didn't tell anybody else about this.
Any reason?
Well, I've got my reasons and
they're very important to me.
Well, of course, Mort.
If that's what you want.
Thanks. You're a real friend.
Wayne, hi.
Hi.
I hear Dad actually let you pilot
his baby back to port yesterday.
Pretty amazing, isn't it? I think
he's actually beginning to trust me.
Do you enjoy it?
Yeah. As soon as I
peeled his eyes off my back.
(BOTH CHUCKLE)
Listen, Elaine, I was wondering
if maybe this evening...
Why haven't you finished a
simple task I gave you an hour ago?
Oh, Zach, I was... No
excuses. Get cracking.
That was uncalled for.
I mean, he's been breaking
his back for three weeks now.
You could at least
cut him a little slack.
I want him to know
that you're off-limits.
And I hope it's something that I
never have to talk to you about.
KELLER: Hey!
Damn poacher!
What do you think you're doing?
What's your problem, Captain Keller?
You got your nose in a rum bucket again?
You were out in the
east bay last night.
I told you before,
those are my waters!
As far as I know, the ocean
belongs to God and the seagulls,
and not necessarily
in that order.
Until I find out different, I'll
fish where I like when I like!
Let's go, Daughter.
Get out of the way.
Dad!
Stop it!
Stop it!
You can either leave on your
own two feet or by an ambulance.
Well, you'll pay for this.
Both of you.
Dad.
I'm all right, I'm all right.
Thank you, boy.
Are you all right?
Yeah.
Who was that guy?
Ned Keller, captain
of the Vagabond.
He used to own the Gretchen.
He's drunk half the time and
he's not a very good fisherman.
Couldn't keep up his payments on
the boat, so the bank took it back.
Dad and Terry Montagne
bought it at a reduced price.
Which didn't make them
too popular with Keller.
Especially Dad.
But thank God you were here.
You were wonderful.
(DOOR CLOSING)
WAYNE: Hi.
I thought I told you
never to come in here.
Yeah, since I've been
working for Captain Bligh,
I've seen less of you
than I have of dry land.
How about I buy you lunch?
Thanks, but I'm not hungry.
What do you want from me, Mort?
I'm doing the best I can.
So I've heard.
And who knows, maybe
in a couple of months
I may even start
to trust you again.
But until then, I
don't even know you.
(DOOR CLOSING)
JESSICA: Wayne!
Mrs. Fletcher, hi.
I was just going to have a bite of
lunch. Would you like to join me?
Thanks. That'd be terrific.
Hi, Mrs. Fletcher. Hello.
The special's scallops
in Burgundy wine sauce.
And I'll be back in a
minute to take your order.
Delicious.
Well, I must say that the sea
air certainly agrees with you.
You're looking very fit.
I love it out there.
I don't think I've ever found any
place more quiet and peaceful.
Then, things are
going well for you?
You know about me
and Mort, don't you?
Well, I know that
you're brothers,
and I know that there's something between
you both that Mort won't talk about.
Yeah, I can't say I blame him.
I haven't exactly made it easy.
Well, most family
relationships aren't easy.
You know, when Dad died, Mort
felt like he had to take his place.
All of a sudden, he
wasn't a brother anymore.
He was just some guy with a tight
face, pretending to be my father.
Well, that's not unusual
under the circumstances.
Sure. But back then,
it drove me crazy.
I felt like I was living under
Mort's thumb 24 hours a day.
When I started
getting into trouble,
Mort thought I was
doing it just to tick him off.
How serious was the trouble?
Not much at first.
Fights, gang stuff.
Things like that.
But I'm not going
to lie about it.
It got worse.
A lot worse.
And you know Mort, if he ever
has to have a heart operation,
I'm sure they'll find
a gold badge in there.
Breaking the law is the one
thing he can't seem to forgive.
Is that what you came
to Cabot Cove for?
Forgiveness?
I figured I could
start a new life here.
Prove something to Mort.
Maybe myself.
But no matter how hard I try,
Mort still won't
believe I've changed.
I don't think he ever will.
Wayne, Mort may be
hard to deal with at times,
but I've never known
anyone more fair and decent.
So be patient with him.
Give him a little more time.
And if you don't want
him to give up on you,
then for heaven sakes,
don't give up on him.
SETH: Excuse me, Sheriff!
You notice anything peculiar
about where you're parked?
You owe me 50 bucks, Doc.
Thirty-five.
I'm deducting 15 for this
violation I just pointed out to you.
Ordinance 42.7
of the city charter,
parking in a red zone.
Twenty-four hours,
Doc. Then it's jail.
You'll have to catch me first.
And I'm pretty fast on my feet.
Hi, stranger. Is Dad around?
Uh, he's on the
boat. I'll get him.
Uh, no, wait. Um, listen. Um...
Dad's going to be down
in Freeport this weekend,
and I thought maybe we could, um,
have dinner together or something.
Uh, well, I don't know. Zach...
Scares off everybody I meet
because he thinks
they're not good enough.
But knowing his criteria,
that leaves doctors, who don't
come around the docks very often,
and saints, who don't
come around anywhere.
Hey, take a chance.
I make a killer pasta.
I don't know, you
keep twisting my arm.
ZACH: Don't even think about it.
Elaine, I've said this before,
but I'm not gonna say it again.
I don't want you here
hanging around the boat.
Damn it, Dad, when
are you going to get it
through your head that
I'm not 12 years old?
You just get right... Zach.
Never!
You never lay your hands on me.
You better go.
It'll be all right, I promise.
Zach, this is stupid.
We got to talk about this.
No, I'll talk and
you do the listening.
What do you take me
for? You think I'm blind?
I seen that tattoo you got on your
arm when you was fighting Keller.
That's a prison tattoo.
That's one teardrop for each
year spent. You're an ex-con.
So, why don't you
go ahead and fire me?
Boy, I've got nothing against
a man who's paid his debts.
I just don't want you
hanging around my daughter.
Zach, she's a grown woman. She has
the right to see whoever she wants to.
Not an ex-con.
Of course, now, I could
phone Sheriff Metzger,
tell him I found some money
missing from the cashbox.
How do you suppose
he'd take to that?
Well, I think you and me
understand each other now, don't we?
So, why don't we
get under way now?
See if we can catch some fish.
If you'll cast off the
bowline, please, sir.
Oh, it's the Sheriff.
Well, thank you for
breakfast, Jessica.
I expect I better be on my way.
Seth, what is this?
Every time you see the Sheriff,
you act like a wanted criminal.
Well, there could
be some truth in that,
so don't tell him I was here.
(EXCLAIMS)
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
Oh, good morning, Sheriff.
Come on in. Nice to see you.
I was just finishing breakfast.
Uh, would you care
for a blueberry muffin?
Uh, thanks, no.
Look, Mrs. Fletcher, I know you
had a talk with Wayne yesterday.
That's right. We
had lunch together.
Did he tell you
he was in prison?
No. He told me that he'd been
in serious trouble with the law.
He never denied it.
Well, let me guess.
He probably gave you the
helpless little boy version.
Father dies, leaving a bottomless
void for poor Wayne Metzger.
Stern older brother
becomes father figure
and makes his life a
nightmare of misery and pain.
Sounds like something out
of Charles Dickens, doesn't it?
He must have
hurt you very badly.
That's not the point.
Isn't it?
Look, Mrs. Fletcher, I am just
trying to save you some grief.
Wayne is like... He's
like two different people.
Trouble follows him
wherever he goes.
And I just don't
want you to get hurt.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello?
Why, yes, yes, he is.
Metzger.
I'll be right there.
Well, Wayne's done it again.
Elaine, I'm so sorry.
Your father, he's missing.
I... I think he's dead.
No.
God, no!
What happened? Oh, God!
I don't know.
We were out late last night.
Zach decided to anchor so we
could get an early start in the morning.
He told me to get some sleep
and he'd take the first watch,
but he never woke
me to relieve him.
When I got up, he was just gone.
What do you mean he
just vanished from the boat?
Yes! How can that be?
I don't know. But I knew
something terrible had happened
because the cabin's
been ripped apart.
I called the Coast Guard.
They're still out there.
I'm gonna take a look around.
Somebody had a fight down there.
A real donnybrook.
There's something else.
Mort.
WAYNE: I went to sleep
in the forward cabin.
METZGER: I want
the truth, Wayne.
I told you, I don't
know what happened.
We were alone on
board. I went to sleep.
When I woke up, Zach was just
gone!
Oh. I suppose Peter Pan took
him off to Never-Never Land.
Maybe we were boarded.
By who, Captain Hook?
No, Captain Ned Keller.
He had an argument with Zach
three days ago. They hate each other.
You expect me to believe that Ned Keller
sailed up to the Gretchen, boarded her,
had a fight with Zach, stabbed
him, threw him overboard,
and then just sailed away,
and you never heard a sound?
Try spending a few
years in prison, Mort.
You learn to sleep
through just about anything.
Yeah, nice fairy tale.
Only from where
I stand, it stinks!
Then do something about
it, cop, and get off my back!
Sheriff, lab reports are in.
Blood and tissue on the blade,
blood type matches Zach's.
Any prints? None.
Killer probably wore gloves.
No motive, no
fingerprints, no body.
Now, that's what a defense
lawyer would call a real fairy tale.
The evidence will come, Wayne,
like it always does with you.
Only this time,
you're on your own.
This time I'm innocent.
Don't try to leave town.
Stay close to your hotel room.
Andy, keep an eye on him.
Right, sir.
Damn!
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
Oh, hello, Elaine.
Mrs. Fletcher, please, I know
you're a friend of Wayne's,
and I've got to talk to someone.
Oh, of course. Please,
please, come in.
Mrs. Fletcher, I
don't know what to do.
Sit down. I'm so sorry.
Your father's death must have
been the most terrible shock.
It's not just that, it's...
Just before the
Gretchen put out,
Wayne and Dad
got in a terrible fight.
I mean, they practically
came to blows.
Oh, dear.
And there's something else.
Dad kept $2000 in a
cashbox on the boat.
But when the police found the box,
there were only a few hundred dollars left.
I didn't tell anyone because I knew
it would look bad for Wayne, but...
Someone has to tell the police
about this. But I think you know that.
Yes.
And I know all the
evidence is against him,
but I just can't believe
that Wayne killed Dad.
Elaine, you know, evidence
is like a jigsaw puzzle.
You can't see the whole
picture until it's completed.
But there are pieces of this
puzzle that just don't seem to fit.
Two grand? All this
for a lousy 2000 bucks.
We don't know that yet.
(PHONE RINGING)
Metzger.
I'll be right there.
Well, it's the same old story.
First the lies, and then
he pulls his vanishing act.
What are you talking about?
That was the deputy I had
watching Wayne's room.
Apparently, he slipped out
the back window and took off.
Well, I'll tell you
something, Mrs. Fletcher,
this is where it ends.
(SIGHS)
Elaine, I'm so sorry
about your father.
I know how close
the two of you were.
Thanks, Terry.
Look, I know it's
not the best of times,
but you can't sell the Gretchen.
Why?
Well, obviously your father never
told you that I put up most of the money.
He was supposed to
make monthly payments
except the truth
is, he never did.
Dad said you were
equal partners.
Well, we were, but, uh, he
kept putting off the payments,
and I let him slide because of
friendship. Elaine, the Gretchen is mine.
Now, I'll buy your share.
I know it can't be too much, but under
the circumstances, anything will help.
You can't do this.
Oh, yes, I can.
I've got the paperwork,
Zach's promissory note.
Be smart. Take the money. Zach
would have wanted it that way.
Hope I'm not intruding.
No, not at all.
You know what really kills me?
I actually let myself
believe that this time maybe,
just maybe, he really
wanted to change.
Well, aren't you being
a little premature?
People who aren't guilty don't sneak
out back windows. It's as simple as that.
Maybe he felt he'd
already been judged.
Forgive me, but you haven't
been exactly supportive.
I wish I had a nickel for every
time I tried to support Wayne.
I'd be driving one of
those German sports cars.
You see, when I made
sergeant back in New York,
Wayne started running
around with a bunch of punks.
Small stuff at first. Petty
larceny, con games, numbers.
But it kept on getting
worse and worse.
Then a few years ago, something
happened that turned my life upside down.
It was during a raid on a
major fencing operation.
Here I was,
standing in an alley
full of garbage cans,
while the rest of my unit
went in the front door.
All of a sudden,
someone shot out the back
like they were being
chased by the hounds of hell.
So I drew down on him.
"Freeze!" And he did.
You have any idea what it's
like looking at your baby brother
over the barrel of a .38?
I'm sorry.
I had one second
to make a decision that
would change my life forever.
Don't ask me why,
but I heard a voice,
my voice, saying,
"Run, go, get out!"
And he did.
He got out of there
like a scared rabbit.
I thought he learned a
lesson that he'd never forget.
Two weeks later, he was arrested
for being a wheelman in a jewelry heist.
One of his pals shot the
guard inside the store.
So, they sent Wayne to prison.
That was three years ago.
Then, it wasn't job burnout that
brought you up here to Cabot Cove.
I had knowingly helped a criminal
escape the scene of a crime.
Every time I pinned on
my badge, I felt like a fraud.
I knew I couldn't stay there.
So I came here.
Started a new life.
All of a sudden, he shows up
and it's happening all over again.
Do you know what
your problem is, Sheriff?
You're being betrayed
by your own emotions.
You are not seeing Wayne
through the eyes of a policeman.
All you're seeing is
your younger brother,
who has brought you a tremendous
amount of disappointment and pain.
Now, the law says that a man is
innocent until he is proven guilty.
And the Mort Metzger that I
know has always applied that fairly.
Regardless of his own opinion.
Mrs. F., I really
need your help.
What a mess. How could
anybody on the boat not hear this?
But what is odd is that
there's no blood in here,
only out on deck.
Which means the fight started
in here and ended up outside.
Zach's killer stabbed him
and threw him overboard.
Well, what we do know is Wayne
was not involved in this struggle.
How do we know that?
Well, when the Gretchen
pulled in, Wayne was frightened,
but he didn't show any
signs of having been in a fight.
I mean, he had no cuts
from this broken glass,
no bruises on his
face and hands,
which could indicate that there
was somebody else on the boat.
Keller. Ned Keller?
Wayne told me Ned
and Zach had a fight.
Well, it's no secret, those
two weren't the best of friends.
Wayne tried to tell me.
I guess I really
wasn't listening to him.
Well, you're listening now.
I think I better have
a talk with Ned Keller.
OFFICER ON RADIO:
Sheriff Metzger. Metzger.
You got a call from
Terry Montagne.
He says he knows
who killed Zach Franklin.
He says you should get
to his house on the double.
On my way.
Terry Montagne?
I think I've heard the name,
but I'm not really familiar with him.
Well, he's sort
of a mystery man.
People say he was
a mercenary once.
Soldier of fortune
in Southeast Asia.
He and Zach were partners in the
Gretchen, although you'd never know it.
Come on, let's go.
METZGER: That's it.
Wayne. What the
hell is he doing here?
This is the Sheriff.
Put out an APB on Wayne Metzger.
M-E-T-Z-G-E-R.
The charge is murder.
Wayne! Oh, my God.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I
didn't mean to scare you.
The police were here last night.
They said you killed
Terry Montagne.
No. I went over to his
house, but I didn't kill him.
He was already
dead when I got there.
Wayne, they said you ran away.
What else could I do in the face
of everything that's happened?
You could have
called Sheriff Metzger.
Yeah, and spend the
rest of my life rotting in jail?
I've tried talking to Sheriff
Metzger, and that doesn't work.
Elaine, I need
your help, please.
I don't know what to do. I need a
place to hide until I can figure this out.
Oh, you startled me!
I thought I'd find
you here, Mrs. F.
You know, you really shouldn't be
sneaking around boats all by yourself.
Well, I'm not sneaking around.
Did you speak to Ned Keller?
Yeah, dead-end. Oh, he admits
to having a fight with Zach, all right,
but he can account for every
minute during the night of the murder.
Well, now, that leaves the matter of
Zach's estate. Did you check on that?
Well, he didn't have any
family, except for Elaine.
She gets the warehouse,
and now that Terry
Montagne's out of the picture,
a full interest in the Gretchen.
Kind of an odd thing, though.
What was that?
Well, it turns out Zach had a
pretty healthy life insurance policy.
Pretty recent, too.
Little Elaine is going to come
into a nice chunk of money.
Hey, you don't think that...
Well, let's just say it's an
interesting part of the puzzle.
Mrs. F., we've been over this
boat with a fine-tooth comb.
Ah, just what I was looking for.
What've you got?
The blueprints for this boat.
What are you, uh...
Yeah, that checks out.
Oh, you mean you can
estimate it that close?
Well, of course. Why not?
Do you mind telling
me what you're doing,
or do I have to wait
for divine revelation?
I'm looking for a hiding place.
Ah-ha!
"Ah-ha," what?
Well, according to this
blueprint, this hold is 4 feet short.
Well, what do you mean?
Somebody built a fake wall?
Well, in nautical terms, I think
it's referred to as a bulkhead.
Wow!
Would you look at that?
What do you know, just
like a haunted house.
Anything strike
you as significant?
Well, looks like
distribution codes.
Like something the Medellin
Cartel uses in drug shipments.
Wayne was telling the truth. Zach's
killer must have hidden in here.
Yes and no.
Did you say that Elaine got the
Gretchen and the warehouse in the will?
Yeah. Boat storage, marine
supplies, that sort of stuff. Why?
Mort, we may not have much time.
Thanks, that helped.
There's a couch back there Dad
used to use when he stayed over.
Um, you can get some rest.
I'll get out of here
as soon as I can.
I don't want to cause
you any more trouble.
I've caused you enough already.
Well, you haven't heard
me complain, have you?
Now, go lie down.
You look exhausted.
(CLATTERING)
(CLATTERING)
Elaine.
Mrs. Fletcher. Uh,
what are you doing here?
I'm sorry to say that
we're looking for a killer.
Uh, but Wayne isn't here.
Not Wayne. The real killer.
Terry Montagne was the majority
owner of the Gretchen, wasn't he?
Well, yes. I didn't find
out about it until yesterday,
but Terry said that he
put up most of the money
and Dad was supposed to
pay him back, but never did.
Well, I'm afraid that's
not quite accurate.
Zach paid him, but not in money.
The Gretchen was
used to smuggle drugs.
That's impossible. Dad would
never do anything like that.
He may not have
had any choice, Elaine.
It's my guess that Terry
Montagne financed the boat,
then coerced your father into
smuggling to pay off his share.
No doubt Zach thought once
the debt was clear, he could quit,
but that's not how it happened.
But this is crazy.
I heard them arguing about money
the day I brought Wayne to the boat.
Zach was looking for a way out,
and he didn't have
too many options.
Then Wayne came along, and
that's when he made his decision.
What decision?
To stage his own death, kill Terry
Montagne, and frame Wayne for it.
Your father told Wayne to go get
some sleep in the forward cabin.
He said he'd anchor and
take the first watch himself.
Next, he went out on deck and
cut himself with Wayne's knife,
then hid the knife in a place
you'd have to be blind not to find it,
to make it appear as if Wayne had
stabbed him and tossed him overboard.
Then he bandaged his
own arm and came back in.
He wanted it to look like there'd been
a struggle, so he wrecked the cabin.
Then he hid in the secret compartment
he used to carry the drug shipments.
He waited there until the boat
docked and it was safe to leave.
You always were too damned
clever, Jessica Fletcher.
Dad! Oh, my God.
Put the gun down,
Zach, it's all over.
Stay where you are, Mort.
Now, you wouldn't want
anybody to get hurt, would you?
Then it's true?
Everything they said?
I had no choice.
When Terry and I became partners,
he never said anything about smuggling.
By the time I found
out, it was too late.
Your mother was sick,
you needed college money.
Fishing was the worst it had
been in years, so I went along,
figuring as soon as I could pay him
off for my share of the boat, it'd be over.
You know what happened?
He laughed in my face.
He said if I tried to quit,
something would happen to you.
That's when you
decided to kill him.
That's exactly
when, Mrs. Fletcher.
But you knew you'd be the prime
suspect, unless you were dead, too.
METZGER: So you
cooked up your little plan.
All you needed
was the right fall guy.
And who could be more perfect
than Wayne, an ex-convict?
Oh, Dad.
Elaine, with Terry
dead, the Gretchen,
the whole business,
it'd be all yours.
I even took out extra life insurance
to make sure you'd be okay.
And then what, Zach? Were you
going to hide for the rest of your life?
Not as hard as you
might think, Mrs. Fletcher.
I know places in Mexico where
the fishing is good and nobody cares
who you are or
where you came from.
But first you have
to deal with us.
So what's it gonna be, Zach?
What're you gonna do,
shoot us down right in
front of your own daughter?
Looks like I don't have
any other option, Mort.
WAYNE: No!
(GUN FIRES)
Wayne!
Oh, God, please, no.
Oh, God, please, no.
Hey, big brother.
You still mad at me?
Call an ambulance. Somebody,
please, call an ambulance!
Hi. Hi.
I, uh...
I was patrolling in the
area. How you doing?
Better. Doc says I should
be on my feet in no time.
That's good. I, uh...
Look, I got another job
for you on a fishing boat.
That is, if you want it.
We've been through
a lot lately, haven't we?
Yeah, we have. And I guess
I didn't make it any easier.
I didn't have any right
to expect anything else.
Yes, you did. I'm your brother.
And I'm sorry.
It's been three years.
I missed you, kid.
I missed you, too.
How is my patient
supposed to recover
with you squeezing the
daylights out of him, Sheriff?
Mrs. Fletcher, I want to
thank you for believing in me.
I'm not even sure why you did.
Well, it just didn't make any sense
that a man would kill someone,
radio the Coast Guard,
then come back into port
with the murder
weapon in full sight.
But beyond that, maybe
there was a touch of intuition.
Yeah, what I don't understand is what
were you doing in Terry Montagne's house?
I got a message I should go there
if I wanted proof I didn't kill Zach.
A message that was obviously
sent by Zach, and not Montagne.
He timed it so I'd be
there when you showed up.
When I saw you, I
panicked and ran.
That's enough of the third
degree for one day, Sheriff.
You'll have this young man's blood
pressure doing handstands into the red.
Well, now you are a fine one to be
talking about being in the red, Doctor.
I know. So, uh, here.
Now we're square.
What's this?
Bill for my services.
Wayne here took that bullet
in your behalf, you know.
Good Samaritan law suggests
that you pay his expenses.
Minus what I owe you,
well, I figure,
possibly, $70 from you,
and we'd be dead even.
relationships aren't easy.
You have any idea what it's
like looking at your baby brother
over the barrel of a .38?
FEMALE NARRATOR:
Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.
Would you look at that?
Hey, take a chance.
I want him to know
that you're off-limits.
I've changed, I've
cleaned up my act.
What do you mean, he
just vanished from the boat?
Yes! How can that be?
Let's just say it's an
interesting part of the puzzle.
This time, you're on your own.
This time I'm innocent.
Excuse me, I don't mean to bother
you, but are you Jessica Fletcher?
Yes, I am.
I knew it. I've read your books.
All of them. I
think you're terrific.
Well, that's very
kind. Thank you.
This is my favorite.
I brought it along
from New York.
I don't suppose you could...
Sign it? Of course.
Who shall I make it out to?
Wayne... Uh,
Wayne'll be just fine.
There you go.
So, what brings you to Maine?
Well, I have a friend
who lives in Cabot Cove.
Or at least somebody
who used to be.
I'm hoping we can get
back together again.
It was a pleasure
meeting you, Mrs. Fletcher.
Thanks for the
autograph. It means a lot.
No trouble at all.
I hope everything
works out for you.
So do I. So do I.
How can you stand there
and argue with me, Doc?
You've got eight parking
violations and you haven't paid one.
You seem to
forget I am a doctor.
Now, a doctor gets
an emergency call,
he doesn't stop to figure out
where he's going to park his car.
Oh, yeah? Well, let's see.
This one was outside the bakery,
this one's in front of
Hagarty's pool hall,
this... That's enough.
What's the fine?
Simple math, Doc.
$15 times eight.
You should have been an
accountant instead of a policeman.
Well, come next election, you are
losing one of your most valuable votes.
We don't have elections, Doc.
I was hired by the city council.
(SCOFFS)
Hey, this is for $70!
You've got eight parking
violations, you owe me $120!
Well, I took the deduction
because I paid them all at once.
Hi, Mort.
It's been a while.
I understand how you feel.
But I want you to know
things are different.
I've changed, I've
cleaned up my act.
You're not even
gonna listen to me?
Oh, I listened, Wayne!
Time and again I listened.
And what did I
ever get out of it?
Just a whole lot of pain.
I'm here because I want
to make it up to you, Mort.
I can't do it in New York.
I figured maybe here,
with your help, I could
settle down, find a job.
Who knows, maybe even become
what you thought I should be.
Is that asking too much?
Yes.
Maybe you could think it over.
I'm staying at the
Lighthouse Motel,
and checkout's at 12:00 noon.
If I don't see you
by then, I'll go.
Okay?
Sheriff?
Mrs. Fletcher.
I thought you weren't due back
from New York until tomorrow.
Well, I got finished
sooner than I expected.
Oh, I managed to find the
book that Adele was looking for.
May I give it to
you to give to her?
Is everything
all right, Sheriff?
Sure. Why shouldn't it be?
Well, you seemed to be having
a slight altercation with your desk.
Oh, that, I...
I just do that every so
often just to stay in shape.
Ah. Then it had nothing to do with
the young man I just saw leaving.
No, he was, uh, just some
stranger passing through town.
I see.
Look, Mrs. F., it's really great to see
you, but I'm kind of snowed right now.
Of course. We'll talk later.
(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)
ADELE: Come on up,
Mort. It's getting late.
In a minute, Adele.
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
Mort!
I just want to... Just
shut up and listen.
Now, you said you wanted a
chance, I'm gonna give you one.
But if you mess up in any
way, no matter how small,
I'm gonna come
down on you so hard,
you're gonna wish you were
back making license plates.
You got that? Yeah.
One more thing.
Anybody asks, anybody,
you're just a friend of
a friend, nothing more.
Sure.
If that's the way you want it.
That's the way I want it.
Zach's kind of a bear,
but he'll treat you fairly.
Reminds me of
somebody else I know.
ZACH: Don't threaten
me, Terry Montagne.
TERRY: Then you better
start listening to reason, Zach.
What reason?
You're a lousy con man, and
I don't owe you a damn cent.
Facts and figures don't lie,
Zach. You know it, I know it.
Your facts, your figures. I
don't want either one of them.
Gentlemen, is there
a problem here?
There's no problem.
Zach and I are just taking care
of some old business, right, Zach?
What can I do for you, Sheriff?
Zach, this is Wayne Stearns.
He, uh... He needs a job, and I
heard you were looking for a deckhand.
You ever work a
fishing boat before?
No. But I learn fast.
All you got to learn is to
live with the stink of fish.
I just want to work, sir.
That's all I care about.
Okay. You just do what I tell you
when I tell you, we'll get along fine.
You stow your gear below.
Sure. Thanks.
Thanks, Zach. The kid gives you
any trouble, any problems at all,
just don't hesitate to call,
and I'll take full responsibility.
Don't worry, Sheriff,
you'll be the first to hear.
All set, Captain Franklin.
Call me Zach.
You can start out by
swabbing down the deck.
You'll find a mop and a bucket
aft on the starboard side there.
If you're looking for
the hose, it's over there.
What would I have
done without you?
Probably found it yourself.
Elaine Franklin,
Zach's daughter.
Wayne Stearns,
deckhand in training.
Dad finally hired someone.
Good. I've been after
him about that for ages.
You're not from
Cabot Cove, are you?
Just came in yesterday.
It's a nice town.
You'll like it.
I like it already.
Dad, Wayne was just
telling me the good news.
It's about time we got
a little help around here.
Looks like he's doing
more talking than working.
Right. See you.
I see we're in our crusty
sea captain mode today.
Daughter, you run the business,
leave the boat and
the hired help to me.
You better get on
back to the office
before somebody steals us blind.
Aye, Captain. Anything you say.
Thank you, my beauty.
And this is Otto.
Biggest of the bunch.
Oh, he's a real scrapper. They
make the best eating, you know.
Well, I'm not at all sure that I
care about personalizing my dinner.
This is the one,
Jessica, trust me.
I'm never wrong about
muskmelons or lobster.
(CLEARS THROAT)
Why don't you wrap up
Otto here for Mrs. Fletcher?
She'll, uh, take
care of the damages,
and with any luck,
invite me out for supper.
What's the hurry?
Emergency. I think I may
be parked in a red zone.
Thank you.
Mrs. F.
Oh, afternoon, Mort.
Look, I want to apologize for being
so short with you yesterday afternoon.
Oh, no apology necessary. I happened
to drop in the office at a bad time.
I hope things are better today.
Enjoy.
Thanks. Thanks a lot.
And so, how is your brother
enjoying Cabot Cove so far?
Well, he hasn't really
seen that much...
You know.
I met Wayne on the plane
coming back from New York.
He had a copy of one of my books
and he wanted me to sign it.
But it happened to be the
one that I dedicated to you.
Then I remembered that Adele once
said that you had a younger brother
in New York City that
you never talked about.
And then when I saw
his bag with W.M. on it,
and saw the two of you
arguing in the station,
I realized that I
had to be right.
Mrs. F., I'd appreciate it if you
didn't tell anybody else about this.
Any reason?
Well, I've got my reasons and
they're very important to me.
Well, of course, Mort.
If that's what you want.
Thanks. You're a real friend.
Wayne, hi.
Hi.
I hear Dad actually let you pilot
his baby back to port yesterday.
Pretty amazing, isn't it? I think
he's actually beginning to trust me.
Do you enjoy it?
Yeah. As soon as I
peeled his eyes off my back.
(BOTH CHUCKLE)
Listen, Elaine, I was wondering
if maybe this evening...
Why haven't you finished a
simple task I gave you an hour ago?
Oh, Zach, I was... No
excuses. Get cracking.
That was uncalled for.
I mean, he's been breaking
his back for three weeks now.
You could at least
cut him a little slack.
I want him to know
that you're off-limits.
And I hope it's something that I
never have to talk to you about.
KELLER: Hey!
Damn poacher!
What do you think you're doing?
What's your problem, Captain Keller?
You got your nose in a rum bucket again?
You were out in the
east bay last night.
I told you before,
those are my waters!
As far as I know, the ocean
belongs to God and the seagulls,
and not necessarily
in that order.
Until I find out different, I'll
fish where I like when I like!
Let's go, Daughter.
Get out of the way.
Dad!
Stop it!
Stop it!
You can either leave on your
own two feet or by an ambulance.
Well, you'll pay for this.
Both of you.
Dad.
I'm all right, I'm all right.
Thank you, boy.
Are you all right?
Yeah.
Who was that guy?
Ned Keller, captain
of the Vagabond.
He used to own the Gretchen.
He's drunk half the time and
he's not a very good fisherman.
Couldn't keep up his payments on
the boat, so the bank took it back.
Dad and Terry Montagne
bought it at a reduced price.
Which didn't make them
too popular with Keller.
Especially Dad.
But thank God you were here.
You were wonderful.
(DOOR CLOSING)
WAYNE: Hi.
I thought I told you
never to come in here.
Yeah, since I've been
working for Captain Bligh,
I've seen less of you
than I have of dry land.
How about I buy you lunch?
Thanks, but I'm not hungry.
What do you want from me, Mort?
I'm doing the best I can.
So I've heard.
And who knows, maybe
in a couple of months
I may even start
to trust you again.
But until then, I
don't even know you.
(DOOR CLOSING)
JESSICA: Wayne!
Mrs. Fletcher, hi.
I was just going to have a bite of
lunch. Would you like to join me?
Thanks. That'd be terrific.
Hi, Mrs. Fletcher. Hello.
The special's scallops
in Burgundy wine sauce.
And I'll be back in a
minute to take your order.
Delicious.
Well, I must say that the sea
air certainly agrees with you.
You're looking very fit.
I love it out there.
I don't think I've ever found any
place more quiet and peaceful.
Then, things are
going well for you?
You know about me
and Mort, don't you?
Well, I know that
you're brothers,
and I know that there's something between
you both that Mort won't talk about.
Yeah, I can't say I blame him.
I haven't exactly made it easy.
Well, most family
relationships aren't easy.
You know, when Dad died, Mort
felt like he had to take his place.
All of a sudden, he
wasn't a brother anymore.
He was just some guy with a tight
face, pretending to be my father.
Well, that's not unusual
under the circumstances.
Sure. But back then,
it drove me crazy.
I felt like I was living under
Mort's thumb 24 hours a day.
When I started
getting into trouble,
Mort thought I was
doing it just to tick him off.
How serious was the trouble?
Not much at first.
Fights, gang stuff.
Things like that.
But I'm not going
to lie about it.
It got worse.
A lot worse.
And you know Mort, if he ever
has to have a heart operation,
I'm sure they'll find
a gold badge in there.
Breaking the law is the one
thing he can't seem to forgive.
Is that what you came
to Cabot Cove for?
Forgiveness?
I figured I could
start a new life here.
Prove something to Mort.
Maybe myself.
But no matter how hard I try,
Mort still won't
believe I've changed.
I don't think he ever will.
Wayne, Mort may be
hard to deal with at times,
but I've never known
anyone more fair and decent.
So be patient with him.
Give him a little more time.
And if you don't want
him to give up on you,
then for heaven sakes,
don't give up on him.
SETH: Excuse me, Sheriff!
You notice anything peculiar
about where you're parked?
You owe me 50 bucks, Doc.
Thirty-five.
I'm deducting 15 for this
violation I just pointed out to you.
Ordinance 42.7
of the city charter,
parking in a red zone.
Twenty-four hours,
Doc. Then it's jail.
You'll have to catch me first.
And I'm pretty fast on my feet.
Hi, stranger. Is Dad around?
Uh, he's on the
boat. I'll get him.
Uh, no, wait. Um, listen. Um...
Dad's going to be down
in Freeport this weekend,
and I thought maybe we could, um,
have dinner together or something.
Uh, well, I don't know. Zach...
Scares off everybody I meet
because he thinks
they're not good enough.
But knowing his criteria,
that leaves doctors, who don't
come around the docks very often,
and saints, who don't
come around anywhere.
Hey, take a chance.
I make a killer pasta.
I don't know, you
keep twisting my arm.
ZACH: Don't even think about it.
Elaine, I've said this before,
but I'm not gonna say it again.
I don't want you here
hanging around the boat.
Damn it, Dad, when
are you going to get it
through your head that
I'm not 12 years old?
You just get right... Zach.
Never!
You never lay your hands on me.
You better go.
It'll be all right, I promise.
Zach, this is stupid.
We got to talk about this.
No, I'll talk and
you do the listening.
What do you take me
for? You think I'm blind?
I seen that tattoo you got on your
arm when you was fighting Keller.
That's a prison tattoo.
That's one teardrop for each
year spent. You're an ex-con.
So, why don't you
go ahead and fire me?
Boy, I've got nothing against
a man who's paid his debts.
I just don't want you
hanging around my daughter.
Zach, she's a grown woman. She has
the right to see whoever she wants to.
Not an ex-con.
Of course, now, I could
phone Sheriff Metzger,
tell him I found some money
missing from the cashbox.
How do you suppose
he'd take to that?
Well, I think you and me
understand each other now, don't we?
So, why don't we
get under way now?
See if we can catch some fish.
If you'll cast off the
bowline, please, sir.
Oh, it's the Sheriff.
Well, thank you for
breakfast, Jessica.
I expect I better be on my way.
Seth, what is this?
Every time you see the Sheriff,
you act like a wanted criminal.
Well, there could
be some truth in that,
so don't tell him I was here.
(EXCLAIMS)
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
Oh, good morning, Sheriff.
Come on in. Nice to see you.
I was just finishing breakfast.
Uh, would you care
for a blueberry muffin?
Uh, thanks, no.
Look, Mrs. Fletcher, I know you
had a talk with Wayne yesterday.
That's right. We
had lunch together.
Did he tell you
he was in prison?
No. He told me that he'd been
in serious trouble with the law.
He never denied it.
Well, let me guess.
He probably gave you the
helpless little boy version.
Father dies, leaving a bottomless
void for poor Wayne Metzger.
Stern older brother
becomes father figure
and makes his life a
nightmare of misery and pain.
Sounds like something out
of Charles Dickens, doesn't it?
He must have
hurt you very badly.
That's not the point.
Isn't it?
Look, Mrs. Fletcher, I am just
trying to save you some grief.
Wayne is like... He's
like two different people.
Trouble follows him
wherever he goes.
And I just don't
want you to get hurt.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello?
Why, yes, yes, he is.
Metzger.
I'll be right there.
Well, Wayne's done it again.
Elaine, I'm so sorry.
Your father, he's missing.
I... I think he's dead.
No.
God, no!
What happened? Oh, God!
I don't know.
We were out late last night.
Zach decided to anchor so we
could get an early start in the morning.
He told me to get some sleep
and he'd take the first watch,
but he never woke
me to relieve him.
When I got up, he was just gone.
What do you mean he
just vanished from the boat?
Yes! How can that be?
I don't know. But I knew
something terrible had happened
because the cabin's
been ripped apart.
I called the Coast Guard.
They're still out there.
I'm gonna take a look around.
Somebody had a fight down there.
A real donnybrook.
There's something else.
Mort.
WAYNE: I went to sleep
in the forward cabin.
METZGER: I want
the truth, Wayne.
I told you, I don't
know what happened.
We were alone on
board. I went to sleep.
When I woke up, Zach was just
gone!
Oh. I suppose Peter Pan took
him off to Never-Never Land.
Maybe we were boarded.
By who, Captain Hook?
No, Captain Ned Keller.
He had an argument with Zach
three days ago. They hate each other.
You expect me to believe that Ned Keller
sailed up to the Gretchen, boarded her,
had a fight with Zach, stabbed
him, threw him overboard,
and then just sailed away,
and you never heard a sound?
Try spending a few
years in prison, Mort.
You learn to sleep
through just about anything.
Yeah, nice fairy tale.
Only from where
I stand, it stinks!
Then do something about
it, cop, and get off my back!
Sheriff, lab reports are in.
Blood and tissue on the blade,
blood type matches Zach's.
Any prints? None.
Killer probably wore gloves.
No motive, no
fingerprints, no body.
Now, that's what a defense
lawyer would call a real fairy tale.
The evidence will come, Wayne,
like it always does with you.
Only this time,
you're on your own.
This time I'm innocent.
Don't try to leave town.
Stay close to your hotel room.
Andy, keep an eye on him.
Right, sir.
Damn!
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
Oh, hello, Elaine.
Mrs. Fletcher, please, I know
you're a friend of Wayne's,
and I've got to talk to someone.
Oh, of course. Please,
please, come in.
Mrs. Fletcher, I
don't know what to do.
Sit down. I'm so sorry.
Your father's death must have
been the most terrible shock.
It's not just that, it's...
Just before the
Gretchen put out,
Wayne and Dad
got in a terrible fight.
I mean, they practically
came to blows.
Oh, dear.
And there's something else.
Dad kept $2000 in a
cashbox on the boat.
But when the police found the box,
there were only a few hundred dollars left.
I didn't tell anyone because I knew
it would look bad for Wayne, but...
Someone has to tell the police
about this. But I think you know that.
Yes.
And I know all the
evidence is against him,
but I just can't believe
that Wayne killed Dad.
Elaine, you know, evidence
is like a jigsaw puzzle.
You can't see the whole
picture until it's completed.
But there are pieces of this
puzzle that just don't seem to fit.
Two grand? All this
for a lousy 2000 bucks.
We don't know that yet.
(PHONE RINGING)
Metzger.
I'll be right there.
Well, it's the same old story.
First the lies, and then
he pulls his vanishing act.
What are you talking about?
That was the deputy I had
watching Wayne's room.
Apparently, he slipped out
the back window and took off.
Well, I'll tell you
something, Mrs. Fletcher,
this is where it ends.
(SIGHS)
Elaine, I'm so sorry
about your father.
I know how close
the two of you were.
Thanks, Terry.
Look, I know it's
not the best of times,
but you can't sell the Gretchen.
Why?
Well, obviously your father never
told you that I put up most of the money.
He was supposed to
make monthly payments
except the truth
is, he never did.
Dad said you were
equal partners.
Well, we were, but, uh, he
kept putting off the payments,
and I let him slide because of
friendship. Elaine, the Gretchen is mine.
Now, I'll buy your share.
I know it can't be too much, but under
the circumstances, anything will help.
You can't do this.
Oh, yes, I can.
I've got the paperwork,
Zach's promissory note.
Be smart. Take the money. Zach
would have wanted it that way.
Hope I'm not intruding.
No, not at all.
You know what really kills me?
I actually let myself
believe that this time maybe,
just maybe, he really
wanted to change.
Well, aren't you being
a little premature?
People who aren't guilty don't sneak
out back windows. It's as simple as that.
Maybe he felt he'd
already been judged.
Forgive me, but you haven't
been exactly supportive.
I wish I had a nickel for every
time I tried to support Wayne.
I'd be driving one of
those German sports cars.
You see, when I made
sergeant back in New York,
Wayne started running
around with a bunch of punks.
Small stuff at first. Petty
larceny, con games, numbers.
But it kept on getting
worse and worse.
Then a few years ago, something
happened that turned my life upside down.
It was during a raid on a
major fencing operation.
Here I was,
standing in an alley
full of garbage cans,
while the rest of my unit
went in the front door.
All of a sudden,
someone shot out the back
like they were being
chased by the hounds of hell.
So I drew down on him.
"Freeze!" And he did.
You have any idea what it's
like looking at your baby brother
over the barrel of a .38?
I'm sorry.
I had one second
to make a decision that
would change my life forever.
Don't ask me why,
but I heard a voice,
my voice, saying,
"Run, go, get out!"
And he did.
He got out of there
like a scared rabbit.
I thought he learned a
lesson that he'd never forget.
Two weeks later, he was arrested
for being a wheelman in a jewelry heist.
One of his pals shot the
guard inside the store.
So, they sent Wayne to prison.
That was three years ago.
Then, it wasn't job burnout that
brought you up here to Cabot Cove.
I had knowingly helped a criminal
escape the scene of a crime.
Every time I pinned on
my badge, I felt like a fraud.
I knew I couldn't stay there.
So I came here.
Started a new life.
All of a sudden, he shows up
and it's happening all over again.
Do you know what
your problem is, Sheriff?
You're being betrayed
by your own emotions.
You are not seeing Wayne
through the eyes of a policeman.
All you're seeing is
your younger brother,
who has brought you a tremendous
amount of disappointment and pain.
Now, the law says that a man is
innocent until he is proven guilty.
And the Mort Metzger that I
know has always applied that fairly.
Regardless of his own opinion.
Mrs. F., I really
need your help.
What a mess. How could
anybody on the boat not hear this?
But what is odd is that
there's no blood in here,
only out on deck.
Which means the fight started
in here and ended up outside.
Zach's killer stabbed him
and threw him overboard.
Well, what we do know is Wayne
was not involved in this struggle.
How do we know that?
Well, when the Gretchen
pulled in, Wayne was frightened,
but he didn't show any
signs of having been in a fight.
I mean, he had no cuts
from this broken glass,
no bruises on his
face and hands,
which could indicate that there
was somebody else on the boat.
Keller. Ned Keller?
Wayne told me Ned
and Zach had a fight.
Well, it's no secret, those
two weren't the best of friends.
Wayne tried to tell me.
I guess I really
wasn't listening to him.
Well, you're listening now.
I think I better have
a talk with Ned Keller.
OFFICER ON RADIO:
Sheriff Metzger. Metzger.
You got a call from
Terry Montagne.
He says he knows
who killed Zach Franklin.
He says you should get
to his house on the double.
On my way.
Terry Montagne?
I think I've heard the name,
but I'm not really familiar with him.
Well, he's sort
of a mystery man.
People say he was
a mercenary once.
Soldier of fortune
in Southeast Asia.
He and Zach were partners in the
Gretchen, although you'd never know it.
Come on, let's go.
METZGER: That's it.
Wayne. What the
hell is he doing here?
This is the Sheriff.
Put out an APB on Wayne Metzger.
M-E-T-Z-G-E-R.
The charge is murder.
Wayne! Oh, my God.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I
didn't mean to scare you.
The police were here last night.
They said you killed
Terry Montagne.
No. I went over to his
house, but I didn't kill him.
He was already
dead when I got there.
Wayne, they said you ran away.
What else could I do in the face
of everything that's happened?
You could have
called Sheriff Metzger.
Yeah, and spend the
rest of my life rotting in jail?
I've tried talking to Sheriff
Metzger, and that doesn't work.
Elaine, I need
your help, please.
I don't know what to do. I need a
place to hide until I can figure this out.
Oh, you startled me!
I thought I'd find
you here, Mrs. F.
You know, you really shouldn't be
sneaking around boats all by yourself.
Well, I'm not sneaking around.
Did you speak to Ned Keller?
Yeah, dead-end. Oh, he admits
to having a fight with Zach, all right,
but he can account for every
minute during the night of the murder.
Well, now, that leaves the matter of
Zach's estate. Did you check on that?
Well, he didn't have any
family, except for Elaine.
She gets the warehouse,
and now that Terry
Montagne's out of the picture,
a full interest in the Gretchen.
Kind of an odd thing, though.
What was that?
Well, it turns out Zach had a
pretty healthy life insurance policy.
Pretty recent, too.
Little Elaine is going to come
into a nice chunk of money.
Hey, you don't think that...
Well, let's just say it's an
interesting part of the puzzle.
Mrs. F., we've been over this
boat with a fine-tooth comb.
Ah, just what I was looking for.
What've you got?
The blueprints for this boat.
What are you, uh...
Yeah, that checks out.
Oh, you mean you can
estimate it that close?
Well, of course. Why not?
Do you mind telling
me what you're doing,
or do I have to wait
for divine revelation?
I'm looking for a hiding place.
Ah-ha!
"Ah-ha," what?
Well, according to this
blueprint, this hold is 4 feet short.
Well, what do you mean?
Somebody built a fake wall?
Well, in nautical terms, I think
it's referred to as a bulkhead.
Wow!
Would you look at that?
What do you know, just
like a haunted house.
Anything strike
you as significant?
Well, looks like
distribution codes.
Like something the Medellin
Cartel uses in drug shipments.
Wayne was telling the truth. Zach's
killer must have hidden in here.
Yes and no.
Did you say that Elaine got the
Gretchen and the warehouse in the will?
Yeah. Boat storage, marine
supplies, that sort of stuff. Why?
Mort, we may not have much time.
Thanks, that helped.
There's a couch back there Dad
used to use when he stayed over.
Um, you can get some rest.
I'll get out of here
as soon as I can.
I don't want to cause
you any more trouble.
I've caused you enough already.
Well, you haven't heard
me complain, have you?
Now, go lie down.
You look exhausted.
(CLATTERING)
(CLATTERING)
Elaine.
Mrs. Fletcher. Uh,
what are you doing here?
I'm sorry to say that
we're looking for a killer.
Uh, but Wayne isn't here.
Not Wayne. The real killer.
Terry Montagne was the majority
owner of the Gretchen, wasn't he?
Well, yes. I didn't find
out about it until yesterday,
but Terry said that he
put up most of the money
and Dad was supposed to
pay him back, but never did.
Well, I'm afraid that's
not quite accurate.
Zach paid him, but not in money.
The Gretchen was
used to smuggle drugs.
That's impossible. Dad would
never do anything like that.
He may not have
had any choice, Elaine.
It's my guess that Terry
Montagne financed the boat,
then coerced your father into
smuggling to pay off his share.
No doubt Zach thought once
the debt was clear, he could quit,
but that's not how it happened.
But this is crazy.
I heard them arguing about money
the day I brought Wayne to the boat.
Zach was looking for a way out,
and he didn't have
too many options.
Then Wayne came along, and
that's when he made his decision.
What decision?
To stage his own death, kill Terry
Montagne, and frame Wayne for it.
Your father told Wayne to go get
some sleep in the forward cabin.
He said he'd anchor and
take the first watch himself.
Next, he went out on deck and
cut himself with Wayne's knife,
then hid the knife in a place
you'd have to be blind not to find it,
to make it appear as if Wayne had
stabbed him and tossed him overboard.
Then he bandaged his
own arm and came back in.
He wanted it to look like there'd been
a struggle, so he wrecked the cabin.
Then he hid in the secret compartment
he used to carry the drug shipments.
He waited there until the boat
docked and it was safe to leave.
You always were too damned
clever, Jessica Fletcher.
Dad! Oh, my God.
Put the gun down,
Zach, it's all over.
Stay where you are, Mort.
Now, you wouldn't want
anybody to get hurt, would you?
Then it's true?
Everything they said?
I had no choice.
When Terry and I became partners,
he never said anything about smuggling.
By the time I found
out, it was too late.
Your mother was sick,
you needed college money.
Fishing was the worst it had
been in years, so I went along,
figuring as soon as I could pay him
off for my share of the boat, it'd be over.
You know what happened?
He laughed in my face.
He said if I tried to quit,
something would happen to you.
That's when you
decided to kill him.
That's exactly
when, Mrs. Fletcher.
But you knew you'd be the prime
suspect, unless you were dead, too.
METZGER: So you
cooked up your little plan.
All you needed
was the right fall guy.
And who could be more perfect
than Wayne, an ex-convict?
Oh, Dad.
Elaine, with Terry
dead, the Gretchen,
the whole business,
it'd be all yours.
I even took out extra life insurance
to make sure you'd be okay.
And then what, Zach? Were you
going to hide for the rest of your life?
Not as hard as you
might think, Mrs. Fletcher.
I know places in Mexico where
the fishing is good and nobody cares
who you are or
where you came from.
But first you have
to deal with us.
So what's it gonna be, Zach?
What're you gonna do,
shoot us down right in
front of your own daughter?
Looks like I don't have
any other option, Mort.
WAYNE: No!
(GUN FIRES)
Wayne!
Oh, God, please, no.
Oh, God, please, no.
Hey, big brother.
You still mad at me?
Call an ambulance. Somebody,
please, call an ambulance!
Hi. Hi.
I, uh...
I was patrolling in the
area. How you doing?
Better. Doc says I should
be on my feet in no time.
That's good. I, uh...
Look, I got another job
for you on a fishing boat.
That is, if you want it.
We've been through
a lot lately, haven't we?
Yeah, we have. And I guess
I didn't make it any easier.
I didn't have any right
to expect anything else.
Yes, you did. I'm your brother.
And I'm sorry.
It's been three years.
I missed you, kid.
I missed you, too.
How is my patient
supposed to recover
with you squeezing the
daylights out of him, Sheriff?
Mrs. Fletcher, I want to
thank you for believing in me.
I'm not even sure why you did.
Well, it just didn't make any sense
that a man would kill someone,
radio the Coast Guard,
then come back into port
with the murder
weapon in full sight.
But beyond that, maybe
there was a touch of intuition.
Yeah, what I don't understand is what
were you doing in Terry Montagne's house?
I got a message I should go there
if I wanted proof I didn't kill Zach.
A message that was obviously
sent by Zach, and not Montagne.
He timed it so I'd be
there when you showed up.
When I saw you, I
panicked and ran.
That's enough of the third
degree for one day, Sheriff.
You'll have this young man's blood
pressure doing handstands into the red.
Well, now you are a fine one to be
talking about being in the red, Doctor.
I know. So, uh, here.
Now we're square.
What's this?
Bill for my services.
Wayne here took that bullet
in your behalf, you know.
Good Samaritan law suggests
that you pay his expenses.
Minus what I owe you,
well, I figure,
possibly, $70 from you,
and we'd be dead even.