Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996): Season 8, Episode 9 - The Committee - full transcript

Jessica happily accepts her New York friend Winston Devermore's invitation to be the first female author/guest speaker at the previously exclusive male bastion Avernus club. Ruthless, rude businessman Lawrence Cayle is ostracized for 'un-brotherly' (adulterous) conduct, but Harcourt Fenton refuses to join the collective vendetta proclaimed. Lawrence gets wind and still agrees to meet the secretly selected 'enforcer' at midnight in Avernus, but is shot with a club sports gun. Winston asks Jessica to help him find the killer before NYPD lieutenant Howard Tartarus collectively charges the executive committee. Shortly after, Harcourt dies in a car accident, his passenger Winston is seriously hurt (the accident is a result of sabotage).

I think you are in very
serious, serious trouble.

FEMALE NARRATOR:
Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.

We're brother
Avernus Club members.

The rules are very clear. You do not
turn against your fellow club members.

Why punish him?

It is the will of this Committee that
our brother member be punished

by whatever means the
enforcer deems appropriate.

You stay away from my wife.

Don't tell me, tell her.

The Committee would like
you to investigate the killing.

(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)



Mrs. Fletcher, hi.

Hello. I just wanted to say

I've been a big fan of yours

ever since The Corpse
Danced at Midnight.

Well, thank you.

Oh, could you make
that out to Doris?

Doris.

Excuse me, Mrs. Fletcher.
How are we doing?

Great, we've almost
reached our goal.

Great. Mrs. Fletcher,
I know it's getting late,

but we've got people
lined up all the way outside.

If there's any way that you could
give us just a few more minutes?

Oh, certainly. How would
another half-hour do?

Oh, that's great! Thanks,
you're a real life-saver.



There you go.

Thank you. You're welcome.

You always were willing to
go the extra mile, Jessica.

Winston.

For heaven's sakes,
where have you been?

Well, I've been in France
on business. I just got back.

When I saw the notice in the paper
that you were going to be here today,

I couldn't resist.

Well, I'm glad you didn't.
I mean, it's been too long.

That's my very thought.
So when you finish here,

how about dinner?
That's a wonderful idea.

Why don't I run home and
change and you pick me up at 8:00?

I can't wait.

WINSTON: Jessica,
we've been friends for years

and I need to tell
you something.

Beyond wanting to see you again,

I had an ulterior reason
for coming to your signing.

What do you know
about the Avernus Club?

Just that it's over
100 years old.

That it's rather like the
Bohemian Club out west,

a gentlemen's club.

In the past, the club has hosted
readings by a number of famous authors.

Ernest Hemingway,
Robert Frost, Carl Sandburg,

T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound.

All men, I notice.

Some of us are
fighting to change that.

And we'd like you to
be our opening volley.

We've convinced the chair of the social
committee to invite you as a speaker.

Now, if you come,

it'll open the doors
for other women,

both as speakers and as members.

So what do you say, Jessica?

Will you help us
storm the gates?

Winston, I'd be honored.

THEO: Gerald Innsmouth
to see you, Lawrence.

Then show him in, Theo,
by all means, show him in.

What the hell's the
idea, Lawrence?

That depends, which
idea are you referring to?

Gravity? Nuclear
power? Low-fat yogurt?

I just got a call from Nelson.

Ah, the Sun Towers matter.

Yeah, the Sun Towers matter.

I'm glad you remembered.

It's just a little issue of a
Palm Springs resort hotel

that you and I are supposed
to be buying together.

You put up half, I put up half,

we run the place
as equal partners.

Well, I'd planned
to call you tonight.

I didn't think you'd
find out so quickly.

Oh, well, it's a good thing I did, or
else I'd be out in the cold altogether.

Gerald, the simple fact is that

you're a bit inexperienced to run
an operation that big, and frankly,

you're a loose cannon prone to
sudden outbursts, rather like this.

Now, I know you
have some problems

running operations on
the scale of Sun Towers.

So I sat down with
the stockbrokers,

and once I explained
the situation,

they insisted I take
charge of the operation

and retain 70% of the stock.

You sold me out.

No, I prevented the
deal from falling through.

Come on. Take the
30% and enjoy it.

You won't even have to
worry about running anything.

You should thank
me, Gerald, really.

How can you do
this to me, Lawrence?

We're brother
Avernus Club members.

That should at least
count for something.

The Avernus Club is irrelevant.

This is strictly
business, Gerald.

Would you be so good as to
show Mr. Innsmouth out, Theo?

I don't know how
you can stand it, Theo.

If I had a younger
brother like that,

I'd have drowned him in
the bathtub when he was two.

A bit extreme, don't you think?

No. I'm talking to Philip
Arkham about this at the club.

We'll see what he
has to say about it.

And where does Lawrence
get all this garbage

about me having
problems running a resort?

That is utter bilge.

I'm afraid I'm not privy to
his sources or his thoughts.

I can only ask
you to be patient.

Others beyond yourself are
having difficulties with him at present.

I've every confidence that
things will work out in the future.

Good day, Gerald.

JESSICA: "Serene and
confident, Robert Connor smiled

"as he waited for the police.

"He had thought his crime
through with machine-like precision.

"If there were indeed such a thing as
a perfect crime, then surely this was it.

"And so he sat and smiled,

"until he glanced
at his wine glass,

"the one he had taken
to celebrate his victory,

"and realized from
the faint lipstick smears

"that it was not his,

"but the identical glass
he had poured for Charlene.

"He had washed the wrong one.

"How much poison was left
in the glass, he wondered.

"Surely not enough to...

"When the police arrived,
they found Robert Connor

"sitting in his chair, smiling,

"the smile frozen on his
face in a rictus of death.

"And they wondered what a dead
man could possibly find so amusing."

Jessica, that was
absolutely wonderful!

Well, thank you, Winston.

I would like to introduce you to
the president of the Avernus Club.

Philip Arkham.

Philip, Jessica Fletcher. Hi.

A pleasure. Thank you.

And this is one of our newer
members, Edward Dunsany.

Dunsany? Oh, it's the
Dunsany Vineyards, isn't it?

I enjoy your work. When Winston
here said he knew you personally,

I knew we had to have you.

A guest speaker from the
distaff gender is way overdue.

Well, I was awfully
pleased to be selected.

And if I can open the door
for others, all the better.

You know, in that very
spot you were standing,

Ernest Hemingway read
the Hills Like White Elephants

for the first time anywhere.

Never did understand what
the hell he was talking about.

Good reading, though.

Oh, so I hear.

Well, I've got to
get back to my wife.

A fine reading, Mrs. Fletcher.

Hemingway
could've learned a lot.

Thank you.

White elephants.
Darndest thing, that.

(WESTERN CLASSICAL
MUSIC PLAYING)

If you'll excuse me.

What the hell do you
think you're doing?

I was just having
a conversation.

I mean, it's nothing
you'd be interested in.

You know, it's weather,
clothing, sports.

We're going home.
Go get your coat.

But we just... Now.

I'm warning you, Lawrence.
You stay away from my wife.

Don't tell me, tell her.

She invited me over.

Not true. No, no, no.

Of course, you're right. It
couldn't possibly be true.

But then again...

You're spending
an awful lot of time

out in the vineyards
lately, aren't you, Edward?

What's that supposed to mean?

Well, just that I hear that

you're pressing a lot more than
grapes on those long trips to California.

She's a very fine year, Edward.

You can't keep her locked
up in the wine cellar forever.

You know?

I don't know about you,
but I had a good time.

Oh, it was perfect. Thank you.

Mr. Devermore, I was
told to give you this.

Is everything all right?

Everything's fine.

For a moment, we didn't
think you were gonna show.

I almost didn't make it.

I told you before, I don't
want any part of this.

Yes, you did. Now,
please, sit down.

We have considerable
work ahead of us.

I don't understand
what there is to debate.

Lawrence Cayle
is out of control.

He has to be made an example.

I agree. The rules
are very clear.

You do not turn against
your fellow club members.

Which is exactly
what he did to me.

Do you have any idea what this

organizational
re-arrangement cost me?

(STUTTERING) I spent 15...

Gerald, Gerald. Sit down.

You've been harmed, granted.

And you're not the only one.

He's acting outrageously.

But what we must decide

is whether his actions
are sufficiently outrageous

to require sanction.

But why a sanction?

Why punish him?
He's a pain in the neck.

Why not just expel him?

Because to expel is to eliminate
any hope of future influence.

At some point, we may
need him or he will need us.

Bankers need stockbrokers,

who need developers
who need bankers.

We're all interdependent.

Every once and so often,
one of our members goes rogue

and he has to be
reminded of that reality.

You've heard all the reports.
We've heard from Edward here.

And I must agree that the
incident of Edward's wife is,

at best, inappropriate.

It's more than inappropriate.

PHILIP: Edward, please.

I'm too old for redundancy.

Are there any other new
charges to be added?

Good. We'll proceed.

The Committee will now vote
on the matter of Lawrence Cayle.

You'll vote a black
marble for guilty

and a white marble for innocent.

If he is found guilty,

he will be sanctioned,

in order that the Committee may
register its collective displeasure.

Lisa.

Proceed to take the vote.

The vote is 4-to-1, guilty.

It is the will of this Committee that
our brother member be punished

by whatever means the
enforcer deems appropriate.

His business ventures
may be harmed.

He may be fined.

Certain private endeavors
may be revealed to the public.

If necessary... HARCOURT: No.

Wait, I'm sorry,
but this is nuts.

Look at us.

Sitting here like judge, jury and
executioner all rolled up into one.

Harcourt, the task is
unpleasant, but necessary.

It's the way things
are always done.

Yeah, I've had it with
the way things are done.

If you want to play this
game, fine. Count me out.

He'll come back, they always do.

Lisa, let's proceed.

In accordance with tradition,
whoever chooses the gold marble

will enforce the will
of the Committee.

No one will know who that is.

And he alone will determine
the appropriate punishment.

The selection has been made.

No one is to speak of this meeting
or reveal the results of the vote.

This meeting of the
Committee is concluded.

(ROMANTIC MUSIC PLAYING)

Jessica, would you
excuse me a moment?

Oh, Mrs. Fletcher, I
so enjoyed your reading

at the club the other night.

Well, thank you, Mr...

Cayle, Theodore Cayle.

Oh, yes, of course. Isn't that
your brother talking to Winston?

Yes, I suppose it is.

Well, don't you know?

Well, does any of us
really know anyone else?

Well, I suppose you
have a point there.

However, I think I
know when I am being

deliberately distracted
and you're very good at it.

I've had a lifetime in training.

Just a simple
conversation, business.

Nothing you need
trouble yourself with.

Of course, simple, boring
business conversations

always require a smoke screen.

It's been a great
pleasure. Good evening.

Pull!

(PEOPLE CLAPPING)

You're up.

Pass. I'm gonna talk to someone.

Well, that's too bad. You
should take your best shot now,

while you still can.

EDWARD: Pull!

(GUN FIRING)

Mmm, Lawrence, try the pâté.

It's quite good, much
lighter than last time.

Philip, I know there was a meeting
of the Committee the other night.

And I know it was about me.

Nonsense, whatever
gave you that idea.

Let's just say that
I've got my sources.

And I wanna know
what's going on.

Lawrence, you're as familiar
with the rules as anyone else.

Meetings of the Committee
are held in strictest confidence.

Right, it's fine to conspire
against somebody behind his back.

But you don't have the guts
to do it face to face, is that it?

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

(THUNDER RUMBLING)

Think it's ever gonna
let up out there?

Well, you know, the record
is 40 days and 40 nights.

Better tell the kitchen to
start serving smaller portions.

It's too bad you weren't here

for the trapshooting tournament.

I managed very well, thank you.

LISA: Excuse me.

Have you seen
Mr. Arkham anywhere?

I think I saw him in the Hermes
Room with Harcourt a little while ago.

Jessica, this is Lisa Sutton,

Philip Arkham's
personal secretary.

Lisa, Jessica Fletcher.

It's a pleasure. Oh!

Are you all right?

Yeah, I think so.

Oh.

Oh, it's sopping wet.

Oh, the rain
must've gotten into it.

Well, don't panic, I've had
this very same thing happen

and they can be repaired.

I better go find Mr. Arkham.

Mr. Cayle? I was
told to give this to you.

(SNICKERS)

What is it? Nothing.

Absolutely nothing you
need to worry about, Theo.

They think they
can hurt me, fine.

Let them try. They need me
a lot more than I need them.

(THUNDER RUMBLING)

Shall I bring your car
around, Mr. Devermore?

Yes, thanks. By the way,

do you know if Theo
Cayle has left yet?

I think I saw him drive
away a little while ago.

At least, his space is empty.

All right, thank you.

Is there a problem?

No, no.

Something's bothering me,

I wanted to talk
to him about it.

It's nothing that
can't wait 'til morning.

Hello!

(CLOCK CHIMING)

Anybody home?

(CHUCKLES)

Hello! Hey!

Okay, come on out. Come on.

Olly, olly, oxen free!

(CHUCKLING)

Yeah, I should've known.

You got no guts, any of you!

(LIGHTNING CRACKING)

(DOOR OPENING)

Ah, at last. Now,
who do we have here?

Who got the odious job of
being the big, bad enforcer?

Well, well, what do you know?

(GUN FIRES)

(CHATTERING ON POLICE RADIO)

Jessica.

Oh, Winston. I came
as soon as I got your call.

When did this happen?

We're not sure.
Sometime last night.

The body wasn't discovered 'til the
cleaning staff arrived this morning.

Well, we're all
done in there, Mr...

Devermore, Winston
Devermore. Right.

Lieutenant Tartarus,
this is Jessica Fletcher.

The writer, right?

Correct.

Well, I don't think you're gonna
get much of a story out of this one.

Pretty straightforward,
shouldn't be too difficult

to figure out who the killer is.

Oh, why do you
say that, Lieutenant?

Well, the victim was shot at
close range with a shotgun.

All we need to find out
is who the gun belongs to.

I'm afraid that's going
to be very difficult.

The club owns about 20 shotguns.

We use them for trapshooting.

Everyone here
has access to them.

Well, that's not a problem.
We'll just have to nuke everybody.

Excuse me? Nuke.

Short for neutron
activation test.

It checks for
antimony and barium,

both of which stick around a lot
longer than any gunpowder residue.

So we'll just nuke all
the members of the club,

and see who fired a
gun in the last 24 hours.

Lieutenant, are you aware that there
was a trapshooting contest here yesterday?

No, why?

Well, it occurred to me that since
quite a number of the members took part,

they'll all test positive.

Well, like I said, this
is going to be difficult...

If I need to ask anything
else, I'll be in touch.

Oh, Winston, I'm so sorry.

Thank you.

One question, though. Why did
you want to get me here so quickly?

Well, I... Mrs. Fletcher?
Mr. Devermore?

The Committee would
like to see you, both of you.

JESSICA: Let me
see if I have this right.

The five of you met to
vote on whether or not

Lawrence Cayle
should be punished.

GERALD: Sanctioned. Sanctioned.

For his actions against
members of the Committee.

You found him guilty, 4-to-1,

and one of you was selected as his
enforcer to administer the punishment.

That's correct.

And you don't know which one of
you was selected to be the enforcer?

Correct.

Our guess is that
whoever it was, he...

Well, he got out of
control, he went too far.

Perhaps, there was a
struggle, and it was an accident.

Maybe whichever one of us did it
planned to kill Lawrence all along,

knowing the rest of us would
have to go along with the cover-up.

Or disgrace the club
or be indicted ourselves.

Gentlemen, I don't really
know how to tell you this.

But, in my opinion,

I think you are in very
serious, serious trouble.

This is exactly
what I was afraid of.

I knew that this
sanctioning business

would get out of control
one of these days.

I don't know which one
of you did it, but whoever...

How do you know it was
one of us? What about you?

I left before the enforcer
was selected, remember?

Oh, yes, wasn't that
quite convenient?

What are you trying to imply?

Now, wait a minute. All of you.

Now nothing will be accomplished

by slinging wild
accusations at one another.

I mean, you're
all in this together.

If one of you did
kill Lawrence Cayle,

a jury might find you
all guilty of conspiracy.

Unless we take some action on
our own to bring the killer to justice

and that's where you
come in, Mrs. Fletcher.

Tell her, Winston.

The Committee would like
you to investigate the killing.

Philip sensed that whole
lives, careers, could be ruined

if the police find out
about the sanction

before we can
give them the killer.

They just wouldn't understand.

All right.

I will look into the matter.

But on one condition.

That as soon as we can
identify the killer, if we can,

we turn everything
over to the police,

including what you have
told me about the sanction.

Agreed.

You know, it's a
very curious dilemma.

If what you told me is true,

then I'm commissioned by a group

that very likely includes
the killer himself.

I've heard enough
of this nonsense.

The rest of you may be content

to go along with this
inquisition, but I'm not.

Edward, please.

No, I won't have an outsider
digging around in my life.

The rest of you do whatever you
want to do, just leave me out of it.

(DOOR CLOSING)

Well, Mrs. Fletcher, looks like
you've got your work cut out for you.

WINSTON: Makeup of the
Committee changes each year

to make sure no one
gets a monopoly on power.

When my tenure ended, I was
going to remove myself from the list.

There's just something
not right about it.

About people who think they, that
only they, can police each other.

But you shouldn't
blame yourself, Winston.

I mean, after all, you didn't
know this was going to happen.

But what's done is done. Now we
have to focus on finding the killer.

That's strange.

Who was that?

That was Harcourt.
What was he doing here?

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

Mrs. Fletcher to see Mr. Cayle.

Please come in.

Mr. Cayle will be right down.

Thank you.

Well, thank you for
driving me out, Winston.

I think that I should talk
to Theo alone for a while.

Because I'm a suspect, right?

And you don't want me
to hear what he might say?

Well, let's just say that
I'll feel more comfortable.

But don't worry about me.
I'll take a cab back to town.

All right. See you later.

All right.

Harcourt, it's me,
we have to talk.

As soon as possible.

4:00? All right. And,
Harcourt, tell no one.

Do you have any idea who he might
have been going to meet last night?

None, Lawrence was
a very private man.

I knew something was
up, but he didn't elaborate.

When I went up to bed
last night, about 10:00,

he said he was going to
stay up, get some work done.

Told me he'd see
me in the morning.

That's the last I saw of him.

Yes, I'm sorry.

We were a perfect
team, Lawrence and I.

He had a fantastic mind for
business, but no diplomacy.

I've always been politic,

but whenever I tried to run
a business, it always failed.

Miserably.

So he ran the business
end of things, while you...

Picked up after him.

Not that it was any
small task, mind you.

But I was happy to do it.

Well, I've taken up
enough of your time.

If there's a phone
I could use...

No, no, no. I'd like to call...

Let me give you
a lift into town.

Oh, no, that's not necessary.

I know, but I've been inside
since yesterday afternoon.

The air would do me good.

All right, thank you.

By the way, one last question.

As Winston and
I were driving in,

we noticed Harcourt
Fenton driving away.

Unless I'm mistaken,

he's a member of the Committee.

Do you know what
he was doing here?

He came to offer his
condolences. Polite gesture.

But it's hard to accept condolences
from someone who could be the killer.

PHILIP: You wanted
to see me, Lieutenant?

That's right, Mr. Arkham.

I'd like to...

I'd like to ask you something
about the Committee.

Just a moment.

Elizabeth, would you
put through that call?

Thank you.

Sorry, Lieutenant,
you were saying?

We've had a tip about
your little in-group.

Something about an enforcer who's
supposed to punish Lawrence Cayle.

Really?

And here's another revelation.

I checked, and it seems like the Avernus
Club gets a good chunk of Cayle's will.

Since you pretty much
run things around here,

that makes you a prime suspect.

Does it? How interesting.

I've never been
a suspect before.

Yeah, well, there's a
first time for everything.

Frankly, I can't think of one
good reason why I shouldn't arrest

the whole bunch of you right now
for conspiracy to murder. Can you?

As it so happens,
I believe I can.

(PHONE RINGING)

Yes. Oh, very good. Put him on.

Hello, Commissioner,
how are you? And the wife?

Wonderful. Oh, I'm fine, thanks.

Yes, he's right here.

It's for you.

Of course you know
he isn't going to like this.

Well, this has gone too far.
We'll do what we have to.

I know, it's just...

What? What's wrong?

The brakes. The brakes are out!

TARTARUS: Can we talk to him?

DOCTOR: Yes,
but not for very long.

He's out of danger, but I
don't want to take any chances.

Winston.

Mr. Devermore?

Mr. Devermore, there's
some people here to see you.

Jessica.

I had a dream we were dancing.

Later, Winston, when
you get back on your feet,

which is going to be very soon.

What about Harcourt?

Did he make it?

I don't know.

TARTARUS: Mr. Devermore, I
know this isn't a good time for you,

but I need to ask
you some questions.

We checked the car, and the
brake lines were definitely cut.

Now, do you know anyone who'd
want to hurt you or Harcourt Fenton?

I'm sorry.

Can you tell us what happened?

Where were you
going with Harcourt?

To see Philip.

We wanted to tell the
police about the Committee.

Looks like someone
didn't want you to talk to us.

I never liked Lawrence,

but I never wanted
to see him killed.

I was the only one that
voted that he was innocent.

One white marble, four black.

Looks like the sedative's
starting to kick in.

I'm sorry, but I'm gonna
have to ask you to go now.

All right, yes.

Dr. Clarke, there's
been a problem.

Someone broke into a locker

where we kept a patient's
clothing and personal belongings.

Which patient?

This one.

Well, what exactly was taken?

Well, everything.

You see, when we have
a patient in the ER room,

well, we put all their personal
belongings in one place.

Whoever did this broke
into another locker as well,

but as far as we know,
nothing was taken.

Why would someone
want to steal his clothes?

If it was his effects
they were looking for.

You said another locker
had been broken into?

That's right. We'd used it
temporarily to put the effects

of the other patient,
Harcourt Fenton.

But Harcourt's
effects were bagged

and sent down to the
coroner's office as soon as...

As soon as he was declared dead.

Unless the thief did not know

that the material
had been transferred.

Could we take a look at
those effects, Lieutenant?

Sure. Come on. Thanks.

TARTARUS: Anything?

No, nothing out of the ordinary.

Same here.

The guy didn't even carry any
cash. I guess he didn't have to, huh?

A marble?

Just put it with
the rest of the stuff.

I think we can
be pretty sure that

nobody killed Harcourt
Fenton for a marble.

I'm not so sure
about that, Lieutenant.

Not so sure at all.

One white and
four black marbles.

Excuse me?

What Winston
said in the hospital.

When the Committee voted
to sanction Lawrence Cayle,

the vote was four black
marbles and one white.

He said his was the white vote.

Which means what?

Which means that our killer
has been very, very careful.

This has been planned
down to the last detail.

Except for this.

And we have to be just as
careful if we're going to prove it.

Now, first, we need the records
of every local taxi company.

Lieutenant, do you have any
social plans for this evening?

Should I cancel them?

I think it might be wise.

Mr. Dunsany?

Yes.

Message, sir. Oh, thank you.

Mr. Innsmouth? Yeah.

Thank you.

Ah, looks like the
gang's all here.

Please have a
seat, Mr. Innsmouth.

How much do you all
know about firing squads?

I know better than to get in front
of one, if that's what you mean.

Well, there are generally
six men in a firing squad.

It's a very difficult job,
knowing you have to kill a man.

As a result, five of the guns
are loaded with live ammunition.

One of the guns contains blanks.

And no one on the firing
squad is told which is which.

Mrs. Fletcher, this is
all quite fascinating,

but what does it have to do with
the murder of Lawrence Cayle?

More than you might
suspect. Lieutenant.

Please, come inside.

The night of the vote, each
of you were given two marbles

to use in voting on Lawrence
Cayle's guilt or innocence.

One black and one white.
A marble like this one.

Which we retrieved today from
Harcourt Fenton's personal effects.

If your vote was to sanction,

then you dropped
in a black marble.

If you found Lawrence innocent,

you were to vote a white marble.

You were instructed not to
discuss your votes with anyone else.

That changed this afternoon.

Winston Devermore mentioned
that he voted white, innocent.

Which means that
we have a dilemma.

Because it is physically
impossible for Harcourt

to have walked out of that
meeting with a black marble,

unless he had also voted white.

But then if that's true,

there must have been at least
two white marbles, not one.

Unless someone
had altered the count.

Someone who stacked
the vote toward guilty.

But left in one white marble,
knowing that as with the firing squad,

anyone who voted innocent
would assume that it was his.

Someone who couldn't take a chance
that Lawrence might be found innocent.

Only one person was in a
position to change the results.

Isn't that correct, Lisa?

(STAMMERING) No.

Well, then allow
me to elaborate.

At every meeting, the votes
are collected in the same pouch.

But you altered the pouch to
form a separate compartment

and planted marbles inside.

You then collected every
member's vote as usual.

Instead of the real vote,

you revealed the
one you had planted.

Four black, one white.

That's not true!

Yes, it is, Lisa.

We took the liberty of checking
the pouch and found the alterations.

The oldest game in the
world, and we fell for it.

Yes. Yes, but that still
doesn't tell us who the killer is.

Because that's
only half the story.

Now the other half involves
the selection of the enforcer.

Now the process
was much the same.

Whoever picked the one gold
marble out of the bag was the enforcer.

But Lisa here, carefully
palmed the gold marble,

so that it was never
inside the bag at all.

Each of you assumed that the
other had gotten the gold marble

and had been
selected the enforcer.

But, of course, in
reality, none of you got it.

Then there was no enforcer.

Oh, there was an enforcer, all
right, but he wasn't in the room.

He wasn't even a
member of the Committee.

You all suspected each
other, without cause.

The enforcer was Theo
Cayle, Lawrence's brother.

This is nonsense.

No, Theo.

It was you who told Lawrence that
Gerald's businesses weren't run well.

You who suggested
to Gerald and others

that Lawrence was having
some problems of his own.

You who lured your brother
into the room with Edward's wife.

All so you could have him
brought up before the Committee,

and when that happened
he was as good as dead.

But I was nowhere near the
club when Lawrence was killed.

Everyone saw me driving away.

No, they saw your car
leave driven by Lisa.

I remembered when she
arrived at the party last night

her shoes were
soaking wet from the rain.

But everyone entering or leaving
was carefully kept dry by the valets.

The only way her shoes
could have gotten wet

would be if she was
dropped off near the club

and walked the rest of the way.

Later, she got in your car, leaving
everyone to assume that you had gone home.

I realized that someone
else had been driving your car

when you had to
push the seat back.

It had been adjusted
to accommodate Lisa.

You then waited for Lawrence,
and when he arrived that night,

you killed him.

TARTARUS: We
checked the cab company.

And they have a record of picking
up someone matching your description

three blocks from here less
than an hour after the murder.

You wanted
control of his estate.

Two billion dollars.

You resented his success, resented
being shoved into the background.

Cleaning up his mess.

As for Harcourt, Jessica
told me he came to your house

to offer condolences.

He probably brought the marble
along to prove he voted innocent.

So you killed him

to eliminate the evidence that
the vote had been tampered with

by severing the brake
line of his sports car.

Harcourt, too?

But you didn't tell me.

Be quiet.

(STUTTERING) I swear, I didn't
know what he was gonna do.

He just gave me $10,000 to switch
the vote and drive his car home.

He said it was
a gag, that's all.

And then when Lawrence
was killed, he threatened me.

He said that we'd
both be up for murder.

But I didn't know.

I swear it.

I didn't know.

WINSTON: I can't thank you
enough for all your help, Jessica.

Your being up and around
is the only thanks I need.

You know, you really had us
worried for a while there, Winston.

Well, I was a little worried
myself, to tell you the truth.

By the way, I spoke to
Philip Arkham this morning.

Lisa's agreed to
testify against Theo

in return for a reduced charge.

And he's decided to
disband the Committee.

Well, I have to
tell you, I'm glad.

Well, you should be. You
certainly had a hand in it.

Which brings us back to
the question of repayment.

Winston, please.

I was thinking about dinner
at this little place I know.

Oh, no.

You mean a big, fancy, up-town
restaurant with a big band,

music and dancing.

No, absolutely not.

I mean a real, honest, quiet
little restaurant, very quaint

in Scotland.

I've already made
the reservations.

We can swing by your
apartment, pick up your passport

and be on my
plane in half an hour.