Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996): Season 9, Episode 10 - The Sound of Murder - full transcript
Jessica records one of her novels for the blind and while at the recording studio Jessica is invited to a taping of a rock video. When a murder happens during the taping Jessica tries to find the murderer.
Hey, you know anything
about music, Mrs. Fletcher?
Well, just a little bit.
(SINGING) In my arms
you'll have all the action
Welcome to Rojam Records.
Which novel are you recording?
The Corpse Danced at Midnight.
Cool.
Was there a friend
of mine there?
A singer by the name of Piper?
I think I liked him, Holly.
Somehow, I don't
think of you as being
into heavy metal, Mrs. Fletcher.
Top of the charts. Right, kids?
You're betting on Rojam
to go in the toilet, huh?
Fantasyland, my friend.
You haven't forgotten where
and how we first met, have you?
Don't do that to me, damn it.
You mean there was
emotional blackmail going on?
This is in like one
of your novels, eh?
JESSICA: So, I called
this young editor to ask him
what he thought
of my manuscript,
and he said, "Gee, I don't know.
"I'm the only one
who's read it!"
(ALL LAUGHING)
Listen, believe me, the
most difficult part of writing
is actually getting started.
I mean, there's
nothing so daunting
as that blank piece
of paper, you know,
staring right back at you.
(CHUCKLING) And there you
sit, without an idea in your head.
So, that'll be the subject
of our next special seminar.
In other words, how to
jump-start the process.
And in the meantime, I'd like
each one of you, if you will,
to bring me a five-page
character study
about someone that you know.
So, I'll see you next week.
Thank you very much.
It's all set, Mrs. Fletcher.
Rojam Records agreed to
donate one of their studios.
And they're even
going to throw in
a sound engineer
for good measure.
Well, that's great, Holly.
You must've done some
heavy-duty arm-twisting.
Oh, I can't take the credit.
My friend Julie reminded them
that you were taping one
of your novels for the blind,
so the cost could be deducted
as a charitable contribution.
Well, that's fantastic.
Only problem is you'll have
to record in the evenings,
and Julie's asked if you
could come in tomorrow
for a photo session
at 11:30 with her boss.
Photo session?
Yes.
Well, I guess so. I mean,
considering his generosity.
Maybe you ought to
tell me a little something
about this music mogul
of yours, Freddie Major.
In simple terms, Freddie, the
deal means outright purchase
of your company, contracts,
talent, licenses, catalogs,
all buildings and studios.
Rojam Records becomes
a wholly owned subsidiary
of Palladium Software.
Yes. But nothing changes,
you still run the
company, just as always.
It's win-win, Mitch.
It's gonna be great
all the way around.
Uh, there are some
further conditions.
This late in the game?
The financial partner
wants absolute secrecy
until the papers are signed.
FREDDIE: I can live with that.
MITCH: Second, if Rojam loses anyone
who's presently on the artist roster,
the deal's off.
People drop dead, Mitch...
Freddie, please,
exclusive of an act of God.
Now, you got this
group, Myra... Mirabilis.
Right. Anyway, that's
what that clause is all about.
That's to guarantee that
they're part of the package, too.
Not a problem.
We're meeting with their
manager tomorrow to renegotiate,
but it's a done deal.
Good. Now, lastly,
you've got somebody
running your A&R
department, Lefko?
Yeah. Rick's been
with me since day one.
A background check
picked up something
that the Palladium family
of companies can't live with.
Lefko is mob-connected.
And frankly, that's one of the
reasons, his job performance,
that this company's
losing ground.
Come on. Rick can't
be blamed for that.
Freddie, I understand
what you're saying.
I respect your
loyalty. Lefko goes.
(EXHALES)
That's a tough one, Mitch.
Anytime it hurts, Freddie,
think about the windfall you're
picking up with the Palladium options.
Freddie, think about
how bad you need this.
On a happier note,
Michele here has the most
exquisite little voice you ever heard.
Freddie, it'll cost us, but I have
persuaded her to sign with the company.
Smart move.
Welcome to Rojam
Records, Michele.
Thank you.
How else is a broken-down
piano player like you
gonna know what's selling in Michele's
market segment unless you plug into it?
Case in point. Last week a
single came on the market,
sold 75,000 copies. What
was the name of that?
Desperate Times. Willi
Piper on Sly Records.
MITCH: I understand that that was
one of your engineers that moonlighted it.
I want Willi Piper and
Sly Records in the deal.
You're saying that's
another deal-breaker?
Hey, Freddie, for a tough
player like you, how hard is that?
I mean, who ever
heard of this guy?
He's not big yet, Mr. Major,
but just you watch.
Remember, pal,
Sunday's your deadline.
All the pieces, Freddie.
You deliver, I deliver.
(SIGHS)
HOLLY: We may have to wait
a few minutes, Mrs. Fletcher.
Freddie Major has
a photo session
with a band called Mirabilis.
Mirabilis.
Ah, don't they have a tune
out? Burnt something or other?
Burnt Memories.
I had you pegged for
a Lincoln Center type,
but here you are
jammin' Mirabilis!
Well, I wouldn't say jammin',
but I... I think I
liked their sound.
Yeah, see you at 4:00.
(CAMERA CLICKING)
Oh, it's a great
angle. Good. Good.
Okay. Let me get
in this one, huh?
Here we go. Come on.
Top of the charts. Right, kids?
You're on, Freddie.
You two happy?
Anything you need?
Nah. No. Nothing.
Okay. You're a true
believer, aren't you?
I'm with you, Mr. Major.
(LAUGHS)
All right. That'll
do it, Mr. Major.
Thanks, guys. See you Saturday.
FREDDIE: Okay,
let's just get one more.
Here. Get in here. Okay.
Real tight now, okay?
Let's give it to 'em.
Holly, hi.
Hi. This is my friend,
J.B. Fletcher. Julie Knight.
Hello, Julie. Thanks
so much for your help.
Oh, it's my pleasure.
It looks like we're
ready for you.
Oh, great. Later, Mrs. Fletcher.
Bye, Holly. Bye.
(PIANO PLAYING)
So, tell me about the book you're
recording with us, Mrs. Fletcher.
Well, it's called The
Corpse Danced at Midnight,
and I'm taping it for the blind.
We're certainly
very grateful to you
for the use of your studio
and your technicians.
Yeah, sure.
Hey, you know anything
about music, Mrs. Fletcher?
Well, just a little bit.
Well, when I was a kid, my folks wanted
me to enter the Tchaikovsky competition.
I was pretty good at the piano,
but I wanted to write songs.
(CHUCKLING) And the
joke was, I was lousy at it.
(EXCLAIMS)
Those two that just left,
they have a tune that could be
a rock classic, called Bulletproof,
only the sampled bass
line they're playing is wrong
and they don't
want to change it.
(PLAYING) You hear this?
They go to the "A" when they
should've stayed on the "C."
It needs more tension.
Something like this.
(PLAYS LOWER KEY ON PIANO)
All right. That'll
do it, Mr. Major.
Mrs. Fletcher.
Thank you very much.
Well, I couldn't make
it as a songwriter,
so now I'm Mr. Fix It.
We're shooting the
video this Saturday.
Why don't you come? You'll
give the operation some class.
Well, I don't know
about the class,
but, yes, I think that would
be very interesting. Thank you.
Good. Make the
arrangements, will you?
Chuck, Rick, meet
J.B. Fletcher, the writer.
Hello. I'm Rick Lefko. Hello.
FREDDIE: Rick's Vice President
for Artists and Repertoire,
and the one and only Charles
George Drexler, who manages Mirabilis.
How do you do?
We got a meeting?
Right. Let's get started.
Uh, show Mrs.
Fletcher around, Julie.
Sure.
Saturday? You bet.
(JESSICA CHUCKLES)
Bye.
(EXHALES)
I'm taking Mrs. Fletcher
on the tour, Holly.
Good! Don't forget
tomorrow night.
What's tomorrow night?
I'm playing hooky, remember?
We have freebies to
the Magnatek concert.
Magnatek? Mmm-hmm.
Oh, Magnatek! Yes.
Oh, no, I hadn't forgotten.
(LAUGHING) I'll see you later.
Okay.
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
Somehow I don't think of you as
being into heavy
metal, Mrs. Fletcher.
Well, I'm not.
But Holly is indoctrinating
me into the cutting edge of pop.
(BOTH LAUGH)
Excuse me. Oh!
Sorry.
Fellas, I'll make
the deal simple.
It just boils down to dollars.
Frankly, it's one I can make
across town, even as we speak.
But the kids say
they like you, Freddie.
You've been good to them,
and they want to stay
with Rojam Records.
(STRUMS)
Great. Give me the numbers.
The numbers work out to 3
million a year against profits,
three years firm, 10% bumps,
and a signing bonus,
a million for the kids,
a million for management.
Signing bonus? And what's
with this "management" crap?
Hey, hey, it's not out of
line for me to get something
for keeping them here, Freddie.
As far as the dollars go,
I'll remind you that Mirabilis
was the only thing that kept
you in the black last year.
I'll be in my office till 2:00.
I won't wait any
longer than that.
You've run my A&R
for 20 years, Rick.
How come all of a
sudden we're at the mercy
of a bloodsucker like Drexler?
Hey, nobody bats 1,000, Freddie.
You mean not since they
took Plugola away from you.
Face it, that's when this
company started going downhill!
This company wouldn't
even be here today
if it wasn't for the independent
promoters that I brought in.
You mean the hoods.
You didn't complain when
you had 10 in the top 40.
Don't badmouth your
friends, Freddie. It's not nice.
What, you're saying
somebody'll rearrange my face?
(BLOWING SMOKE) Huh?
Come on, Freddie.
Let me take you to lunch.
(MAN SINGING ON RADIO)
That's some guy
called Willi Piper.
He's done over 70,000 copies.
Yeah? What the hell
do we buy him with?
We don't.
Would you believe
Willi Piper's producer
is one of our engineers?
A guy named Paul Atkins.
Guess who washes Atkins' socks.
I give up.
Our own Director of Press
and Artist Development,
Julie Knight.
PIPER: (SINGING) Yeah,
and for a minute there
I stood in his shoes
Felt his hopeless heart beatin'
Felt his black and blues
They say the Lord helps
those who help themselves
But, damn it, they'll
help someone else
Oh, these are desperate times
When a man's gotta live this way
And all the people look
and then just turn away
Don't seem to care anymore
These are desperate times
Where are the days
of the helpin' hand?
Where did they go? I
just don't understand
Hi, sweetie. How are you?
Hi. Mrs. Fletcher, this
is my friend, Paul Atkins.
He'll be your engineer today.
Oh, hello, Paul.
Hi, Mrs. Fletcher,
nice to meet you.
(CHUCKLES) Thank you.
(PIPER STRUMMING GUITAR)
Oh, that's a nice sound.
That's Willi Piper.
Willi, come here a minute.
This is J.B. Fletcher.
She wrote all those novels
you're always hollerin' about.
The J.B. Fletcher?
I am an addict! How are you?
Fine, thanks.
Um, which novel
are you recording?
Oh, The Corpse
Danced at Midnight.
Oh, an early one. Cool!
Mrs. Fletcher, you're all
set and ready out there.
Oh, good.
All right, we're rolling.
Anytime.
Great.
"Daphne Heath would
forever remember the weather
"on that Thursday in November.
"She'd gone out
early for the paper,
"and felt the wind on
her face and seen the line
"of angry black clouds
stacked on the northern horizon.
"A hundred unanswered
questions crowded Daphne's mind.
"She wanted to ask Alan
to clarify so much for her,
"but in her heart,
she was still uncertain,
"even about Alan."
Paul Atkins? We haven't
met, Paul. I'm Freddie Major
and this is Rick Lefko,
our A&R vice-president.
Gentlemen, this is Willi Piper.
How you doin'? Hi.
I see they got them working
late like us tonight, huh?
(ALL LAUGHING)
We're here to talk to you
about Desperate Times.
I think you've come up
with something special.
I'll be up-front.
I want to offer you a
home with Rojam Records.
Well, that's very
kind of you, Mr. Major.
But, Willi and I already
have our own label.
Sly Records, is it?
That's right.
Ah, Paul, I wasn't
very happy with that.
Could we do the second
paragraph on page 22 again?
Paul?
FREDDIE: I don't think you
get the whole picture, Paul.
I'm saying Rojam Records
will buy your company
along with Willi's contract.
You stay on as producer.
You get a piece of the action.
Well, thanks, but
I like what I've got.
You have anything to say, Willi?
No.
See, me and Paul
have an agreement.
Where he goes, I go.
Would it change your mind knowing
Julie Knight's future with Rojam
could depend on your decision?
What the hell does
Julie have to do with this?
Sounds to me like she
hasn't told you everything
about her and me.
Listen, you son of a bitch...
Whoa! Hey! Hey! Easy. Easy.
PAUL: Just keep
Julie out of it, all right?
FREDDIE: Think
about what I've said.
Julie, something very
upsetting just happened in there.
I saw.
They're trying to take
Paul's dream away from him.
But, surely, if Paul
doesn't want to give in...
They always get what
they want, Mrs. Fletcher.
One way or another, they
always get what they want.
FREDDIE: I've never seen
anything like this in my life.
You people call
this an album cover?
Who's gonna look twice?
Grungy, rockabilly junk!
Where's the youth appeal?
Les, what're you
trying to prove?
"Mirabilis merges
classic rock with a rap
"in the triptych of
disenchanted isolation"?
I can't even pronounce it,
let alone tell my
18-year-old what it means.
Now go back and redo it, please!
(ALL CHATTERING) Jesus.
Julie, you got a minute?
(EXHALES) I, uh...
I met with your friend
Paul Atkins last night.
I know.
Hey, I'm glad for you, baby.
You've found
someone you care for.
But I need your help.
Don't ask me to
change Paul's mind.
I couldn't if I wanted to.
You owe me something
more than that.
Now you haven't forgotten where
and how we first met, have you?
Don't do that to me, damn it!
For the first time in your life,
you're making good money.
You've got a career here
as long as you want it.
I earn the money.
I do a job for this company,
and if that's not enough
for you, then fire me!
(EXCLAIMING)
HOLLY: I could
see it in your face.
You weren't
enjoying the concert.
Well, I think that
heavy metal is,
well, a little metallic.
I mean, my eyeballs
are still rattling!
(GIGGLING) Sorry about that!
Oh, no, no, no, I enjoyed
the new experience.
But you have to understand
that I was brought
up with Frank and Ella.
Yeah, I couldn't
get with it, either.
It really wasn't
my scene, plus...
Julie was still on your mind.
I don't like seeing her hurt.
Last night, Mr. Major's
manner suggested that
there was something
more between him and Julie.
Yeah.
When Julie first came
to town, she dated Major.
Oh, you mean there was some
emotional blackmail going on?
Yeah.
Oh! I've still got time
to drop by Annie's
and see if she needs anything.
You know, one of these days,
I'd love to meet this mysterious
foster mother of yours.
She sounds like a
remarkable woman.
Topnotch clinical psychologist
living a very full life,
and yet, she's blind.
Yeah. Annie can see
with her ears and her hands
and all of her other senses
much better than most
people can with 20-20 vision.
She certainly did a
good job with you.
She's a big fan of yours.
Before I left home, I read
four of your books to her.
She doesn't know about
the one we're taping.
I want it to be a surprise.
Will you say hello for me?
I will.
Will I see you tomorrow?
At the video shoot? Oh!
Couldn't keep me away!
Last night at the taping,
was that friend of mine there,
a singer by the name of Piper?
Willi? Yes, I met him.
Do you have an
opinion? You know...
About Willi? Mmm.
Oh, well...
He's very
nice-looking, talented.
I think I liked him, Holly.
And I know that he's a good
and faithful friend to Paul.
Thank you.
Night.
Good night.
(CHUCKLES)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
(SIGHS)
What's with the nutsy
rendezvous, Rick?
You got some girls
stashed someplace?
Oh, yeah. I got 'em
stashed everywhere.
Freddie's getting ready
to sell the company.
Is that so? Mmm-hmm.
Let me guess, he's
cutting you out? Right?
Look, what's this got
to do with me, huh?
Let me tell you a little story.
This broker friend of mine has
a weakness for the track, see?
Covers his markers
with inside information.
Now he says a certain
Charles George Drexler...
That's you, right? Huh?
Sold two million shares
of Rojam stock short.
In other words, you're betting
on Rojam to go in the toilet, huh?
(CHUCKLES)
Fantasyland, my friend.
Fantasyland, is it? Huh?
If Mitch Randall's buyout
goes through this weekend,
come Monday, Rojam
stock is gonna go sky high,
and you, my friend, are
gonna lose your pretty silk shirt.
Just supposing you're right.
(BLOWING SMOKE)
You've got an act
that Freddie needs,
or this whole deal is off.
Mirabilis.
Now, you hold them out,
Monday, when the market
opens, you bail out your stock.
End the story.
Where the hell you been?
Freddie and I closed
the Mirabilis deal
three hours ago, 8:00 tonight.
(CHUCKLING)
Sure. Sure, you did.
Assuming there's a
grain of truth in any of this,
what's in it for you?
I've given Freddie the
best years of my life.
And now he's selling me out.
CHAUFFEUR: Have a nice time.
CHOREOGRAPHER: Okay, guys. All
right. Fall change. All right, turn, turn.
All right, that's good.
Good. All right. Now spot it.
Spot it. Keep it uniform,
guys. Come on, all right.
Tuck. Tuck it in. Good.
Good. All right. Isolate it.
Isolate it, fellas. All right.
Looking good. All right.
Turn. All right, good, guys.
Let's roll. All right,
Lori, take over.
LORI: All right. Let me
see you do it again, guys.
A five, six, seven, eight.
Step, on change. Slide.
Yeah, I read you. You got it.
HOLLY: Hello, Mrs. Fletcher.
Gotta bring some cue sheets
to Paul. Wanna come with?
Oh, sure.
(HOLLY EXCLAIMS)
Sorry. They're
special effects, Holly.
They're testing the squibs.
Let me tell you, Mrs. Fletcher,
in my old neighborhood,
when a balloon pops,
you are kissing asphalt.
In the movies they use
squibs to simulate bullet hits.
(EXCLAIMING)
(CLANGING)
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
Hi, Paul.
Hi, Mrs. Fletcher. What's
Julie doing out there?
Oh, just holding hands with
some stud from Billboard magazine.
Well, that's funny. I
didn't think they had studs
(HOLLY AND JESSICA
CHUCKLING) at Billboard magazine.
The song's been pre-recorded,
so Mirabilis will
be lip-synching.
Oh.
(STATIC SCREECHING)
Just seeing if you
all were awake.
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
(INAUDlBLE)
Yes, I see.
Uh, I gotta go. Go ahead
and take care of that.
I gotcha. Hey, let's do this.
Listen, um, Mr. Major,
about that deal you offered, I
mean, it's more than generous,
but I gotta say
no. I'm gonna pass.
What the hell is this?
An upstart like you hasn't
got a pot to grow peanuts in,
and you turn down
a paying contract?
Listen, Mr. Major, I mean,
it might sound crazy to you,
but I'm not gonna
give up on someone
who's had as much
faith in me as Paul has.
Think twice about
that, Willi. What?
My people did a
background on you.
Three years ago, under another
name, you did time for robbery.
Being faithful to Paul'll
amount to diddly if that leaks out.
Noon tomorrow,
I'll want a big yes.
Yo! Yo! Hey, Paul!
Hey, hey, Paul. Hey,
work with me, huh?
Let's see if we can't create
some order out
of all this chaos.
You ready?
Anytime you are, Davey.
All right. Let's do this.
Hey, listen up,
fellas and ladies,
this is gonna be a full dress
rehearsal right from the top.
All right. People.
People. People! Move it!
I need to see more energy
and I need to see
you hit your axes.
Here, Mrs. Fletcher.
Have a seat.
Oh, thank you, Holly.
Ah! Yes?
DIRECTOR: I want you to
anticipate the music if you can!
Fellas! Dancers!
You're not hittin' your
marks early enough.
William, you're
lurkin', brother.
Background, I want you to move
as if it means something to you.
Ladies! Something happening
in every muscle in your body!
Look, I can't hear you!
You want what? What?
Yes. Yes, I will tell him.
DIRECTOR: Is all the cast here?
MAN: Here!
Mr. Major, they want
you in the VIP lounge.
Now? Yes.
Okay, thanks.
I'll see you later.
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
Next place is Hollywood.
Give me a call, have lunch.
Looks great, Peter.
I gotta check one of these
amps. I'll be right back.
DIRECTOR: Okay.
Rehearsal from the top.
(RACY INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)
(GUN FIRING)
In a world of true temptation
Hearts get broken
and dreams go wrong
My love defies its destination
Here with you is where I belong
(GUN FIRING)
(GUN FIRING)
My love is bulletproof
Indestructible
And it's all for you
(GUN FIRES)
Two hearts feeling
No one can stand there, baby
That's the truth
My love is, my love
is (GUN FIRING)
Bulletproof
(GUN FIRING)
Holly, that sounded
like a real gunshot.
Nah. Just a drumbeat,
Mrs. Fletcher. Go with it.
(GUN FIRING)
I've never known
such satisfaction
With you it's easy
to feel so right
In my arms you'll
have all the action
You'll ever need to
keep you warm at night
(GUN FIRES)
(GUN FIRING)
My love is bulletproof
Indestructible
And it's all for you
When two hearts feelin'
No one can stand there, baby
That's the truth
My love is, my love is
Bulletproof
Bulletproof
(GUN FIRING)
What the hell was that?
(HOLLY SCREAMING)
(PEOPLE CLAMORING)
POLICEMAN: Get those
people back. Get back.
Here you are, Lieutenant.
Okay. Get it into
Forensics right away, Ralph.
Right-o.
You know, the wardrobe
man was missing one of those.
Look, let's suppose that
the killer, male or female,
lured Major over to this
location, disguised in that thing,
and then killed him with
a single shot close up.
Yeah, and the body
fell on to the conveyor
and the killer made
his or her escape.
Right.
Al, are you sure that
the killing occurred here?
I mean, Mr. Major had
a call to the VIP lounge
just as the rehearsal
was beginning.
My six witnesses said they
heard a shot from this direction
just before the body was
discovered, including yourself.
Now, Jess, come
on, don't do that.
Don't do what?
There's a look you get that says
that this guy is
talking through his hat.
(SIGHS) But, Al, with all
the squibs and the playbacks,
I mean, there were
enough gunshots
to wipe out an entire regiment.
And any one of them
could've killed Mr. Major.
I'm sure that I heard a
shot much earlier over there,
right by the VIP lounge.
Does this change your mind?
A nine-millimeter bullet casing.
(CAMERA CLICKING)
We have statements from everyone
on the guard's roster, Lieutenant.
Is there anything else?
No, tell 'em to go home
and get that over to Ballistics.
Right away.
If it's okay, I'd like to send
someone over tomorrow
to pick up the keyboard
in the VIP lounge.
The kids have a concert
in Buffalo on Tuesday.
The cordon should be lifted
by 3:00. Any time after that.
Thanks, Lieutenant.
All right. Did he tell
you he's the one person
who stands to make a few million
dollars off of Freddie's murder? Hmm?
You took my
statement, Lieutenant.
Don't be shy, Drexler.
When the news of Freddie's
murder hits Wall Street on Monday,
Rojam stock will be
worth next to nothing.
LEFKO: Sounds crazy, but on
the big board you can bet on failure.
Drexler here, oh, he
does that in spades.
What's in it for you, huh,
Chucky? Three, four mill? Huh?
You'd think he'd be worrying
about keeping the company together.
Mrs. Fletcher.
You know most of
these people, Jess.
Well, not all. Just some.
Oh. Any, uh... Any theories?
Well, not really. I
mean, we both know
how misleading
the obvious can be.
Right.
Well, I'll, um...
I'll let you know when I
come up with something.
Fine.
Oh. Oh. Jess, Jess, uh...
I know it's a little early,
but I've got some covered
seedlings in the kitchen window.
I'm betting you a dinner
my squash comes up
bigger and tastier than
yours, say by mid-August?
Well, mine'll be a little later
coming up in Cabot Cove,
but they'll still be
bigger and tastier
than the ones from
your New York garden.
You're on, Terwilliger.
Oh, Julie. Didn't
mean to startle you.
Holly and I were planning
to go back to town together,
but I can't find her.
I haven't seen Holly.
Julie, are you all right?
Mrs. Fletcher, I saw
you with the Lieutenant,
so don't pretend
that you don't know.
They're hounding Paul just because he
left the video console during rehearsal.
No, I... I didn't know.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)
(THREE NOTES PLAY IN SUCCESSION)
(SAME TUNE PLAYS)
(THREE NOTES PLAY IN SUCCESSION)
Bang!
JESSICA: What time
is your class, Holly?
8:00. I really appreciate this.
I want you to tell me what
you think of that bread.
Because I found a new bakery.
(CHUCKLING) Okay.
Aren't you having any?
No. I'll have something later.
I've got too much in
my head right now.
Holly, just before the
dress rehearsal this morning,
you got a call on
your walkie-talkie.
Someone wanted
Mr. Major in the VIP lounge.
I know what you're going to
ask, but there was so much noise,
I can't even be certain if
it was a man or a woman.
There's a rather strange man
that I'm very curious about.
I bumped into him, literally, at
Rojam Records the other day,
and I saw him
again this morning.
A skinny guy, maybe 29, with
dirty blond hair, and shifty eyes?
That's him.
Yeah. Shiny gray suit that
had been dry-cleaned to death,
with frayed cuffs, white socks
and scuffed black wingtips.
Very good, Holly. Go on.
Well, I didn't like the
looks of him either.
After the murder, I talked to this
cool police sergeant about him
and he said the guy's
name is Bert Sellers
and he's a lowlife private eye.
He does down-and-dirty things
like wiretaps and surveillance,
but doesn't have guts
enough to kill anyone.
Hank, the sergeant, said if they
weren't so busy with a homicide,
they would've busted
him then and there.
I wonder what he was
doing at the filming.
Maybe it had something
to do with the buyout.
Buyout?
(PHONE RINGING)
Yes, Richie?
Oh, yes, please send her up.
It's Julie.
What buyout?
One of those rumors that
go around among secretaries.
A Midwestern conglomerate was talking to
Freddie Major about acquiring his company.
Buyout talks are
generally held in secret.
In which case, someone
in the Rojam Music building
may have hired Sellers
to do a bugging job.
And you're thinking if you
knew who hired Sellers...
And whose privacy he
was hired to invade...
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Julie, oh, what's wrong?
They arrested Paul for murder.
On what evidence?
They found a gun
underneath the seat of his car
and they say it's
the murder weapon.
Julie, sit down.
Listen, this afternoon,
you told me that Paul
had left the shoot
during the rehearsal.
Did he tell you why?
He'd gone to look for Willi.
Did he find him?
No. And then when he got back,
they had already found the body.
Mrs. Fletcher, I know that you
have influence with the police.
Please tell them that Paul
would never hurt anybody!
Look, Julie, Lieutenant Terwilliger
is a very savvy policeman.
He's always open
to new evidence.
Don't you worry.
You go on in there
and freshen up
and then go to Paul, all right?
Mrs. Fletcher, are you sure
Paul didn't murder Freddie Major?
Holly, at this point,
I'm not sure of anything.
MAN: Something I
can help you with?
Oh... I'm so sorry.
You... You startled me.
Giorgi Pappavasilopoulos
at your service, Mrs. Fletcher.
Oh, you know my name.
Your picture graces numerous
book jackets in my library.
Oh, how nice.
If you're looking for
Sellers, he won't be back.
He was six months
behind in the rent,
and it got so the process servers
looking for him earned parking privileges.
Do you happen to
know where he went?
You can bet it's someplace
nobody can find him, I'm sure.
I saw him yesterday. He must've
cut out in the middle of the night.
Well, from the looks of
things, he left in quite a hurry.
Uh, Mr. Papa...
I'm so sorry, I...
Pappavasilopoulos.
But you can call me Giorgi.
Giorgi, do you happen to know
if there's a trash incinerator
chute in this building?
Ah. This is in like one
of your novels, eh?
Paydirt, Mr. P.!
(WHISTLES) Taxi!
HOLLY: Why are you so
disappointed, Mrs. Fletcher?
The transcripts tell you it was
Rick Lefko who hired Sellers.
He found out he'd lose his
job if the buyout went through.
In spite of that, I don't believe
that Lefko killed Mr. Major.
Why not?
Lefko's timetable
doesn't work for me,
and there are others with
equally strong motives.
Mr. Drexler stood to lose a
lot of money in the stock market
if the buyout was successful.
Or Paul Atkins, to
prevent Major's takeover
of his only asset, Willi Piper.
And Julie Knight?
Yes. Julie, because
she loves Paul,
and might've killed
to protect his interests.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello?
Jessica? Al. You called.
Yes, Al. I've come
across some information
that's material to the
Freddie Major case,
and I think that
you should have it.
Good.
Look, we've earned some
R&R for working all weekend.
Bring whatever you've got,
and let's discuss it over brunch.
Ah, Tavern on the
Green, say, 1:00?
Oh, Al, you don't
have to do that!
By hook or crook, the
department'll pay for it.
Be there.
Naturally.
I've got a date
with a policeman.
Come on, Holly, I'll drop you.
All right.
There is another possibility you
haven't mentioned, Mrs. Fletcher.
Willi Piper, right?
And why not? I
mean, where was Willi
when Paul left the shoot
to go looking for him?
It's just hard to believe!
I mean, Willi's all
about love and peace.
He wouldn't hurt a fly.
And who said anything about music
and murder going together, hmm?
Come to think of it,
the only person I ever wanted
to murder was my piano teacher.
I never could learn the notes.
The open spaces between
the clef lines stood for F-A-C-E,
that spelled "face."
That was easy enough.
It was the lines I
could never remember.
I know, E-G-B-D-F.
Yeah.
Someone should have
told you it stands for
"every good boy deserves fudge."
Then you would...
Oh, my goodness!
What is it?
You don't have to worry
about Willi anymore.
You and your piano
teacher have just helped me
to put my finger on a very
important piece of the puzzle.
I am going to the plant
where we were yesterday.
I want you to call Lieutenant
Terwilliger at the Tavern on the Green.
Tell him to meet
me at the VIP lounge.
Tell him that I know who
murdered Freddie Major.
(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)
Hi, there, Mrs. Fletcher.
(THREE NOTES PLAY IN SUCCESSION)
Mr. Drexler. Here to
pick up the keyboard?
The kids and I have that gig
in Buffalo day after tomorrow.
Just wondering what
business you have here.
Well, I don't think you'll be able
to make that gig, Mr. Drexler.
Come again?
I think it's more likely
that you'll be a guest
of the city of New York, as
the killer of Freddie Major.
(LAUGHS INCREDULOUSLY)
Come on, Mrs. Fletcher. I was standing
right beside you when Freddie was killed.
I don't think
you'll find that alibi
quite as ironclad as you think.
That was the second
gunshot that everybody heard,
but I'd heard an
earlier gunshot,
and now I'm quite sure it
came from inside this room.
My friend Holly suggested
it was a drumbeat.
Holly, that sounded
like a real gunshot.
But when I examined
the musical score,
I found no tympani indicated.
Furthermore, I found
evidence that the second shot
had been caused by a
theatrical squib you planted earlier
on the metal framework
of the conveyor belt,
close to where the police
just happened to find
a nine-millimeter shell casing.
As the dress rehearsal began,
you called Holly
on the walkie-talkie,
knowing she couldn't
identify your voice over the din.
You summoned Freddie
Major here to the VIP lounge.
(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)
As he waited, he started
going over the musical phrase
in Bulletproof that had
bothered him so much.
(THREE NOTES PLAY IN SUCCESSION)
Out of sight of the
dress rehearsal,
you carried Mr. Major's
body to the conveyor belt.
You left the bullet
casing on the ground
to establish a
phony murder site.
Then later, you planted the
murder weapon in Paul Atkins' car.
You overcharged
the squib to make sure
that it was heard
all over the plant,
then detonated it remotely
as you stood beside me.
That's close enough,
Mrs. Fletcher.
I'm just curious about
one thing, though.
DREXLER ON SPEAKER: Why
were you so convinced it was me?
JESSICA: It's there in the
electronic piano, Mr. Drexler.
Before you kill me,
why don't you play it?
Freddie Major was still
trying to fix Bulletproof.
(UPBEAT TUNE PLAYING)
But knowing that
he was about to die,
he was determined to betray you.
(THREE NOTES PLAY IN SUCCESSION)
He did it with
those three notes.
They had nothing
to do with the tune,
but everything to
do with his murderer.
C-G-D. Mr. Charles
George Drexler.
Drop it! Police! Drop it!
Mrs. Fletcher,
are you all right?
Yes. Thank you, Holly, I'm fine.
Holly, go back to the
car, call for some backup.
Yes. Right. Right.
Freddie never did
get it right, did he?
Bulletproof?
Maybe not the
notes he wanted, no.
But in the end, I do
think he got it right.
Don't you, Mr. Drexler?
JESSICA: I have one criticism
which applies to all of your papers.
Far too many words to
express something simple.
You know, the old
jingle bears repeating.
"The written word
should be clean as bone,
"clear as light, firm as stone.
"Two words are
not as good as one."
(CHUCKLES)
I'll see you all next Monday.
(ALL CHATTERING)
Good point about
words, Mrs. Fletcher.
Only, um, sometimes
there aren't enough
to really express how you feel.
But when is that, Willi?
Well, take Julie.
Yeah. How is Julie?
Well, Willi's new song
got a big advance sale,
and Julie's left Rojam Records
to head up Paul's
A&R department.
Looks like Sly Records is
turning into a real family affair.
You're kidding! You mean...
Mmm-hmm. Next
weekend. I'm the best man.
And I'm the maid of honor.
They want you to be there, too.
Well, I wouldn't
miss it for the world!
about music, Mrs. Fletcher?
Well, just a little bit.
(SINGING) In my arms
you'll have all the action
Welcome to Rojam Records.
Which novel are you recording?
The Corpse Danced at Midnight.
Cool.
Was there a friend
of mine there?
A singer by the name of Piper?
I think I liked him, Holly.
Somehow, I don't
think of you as being
into heavy metal, Mrs. Fletcher.
Top of the charts. Right, kids?
You're betting on Rojam
to go in the toilet, huh?
Fantasyland, my friend.
You haven't forgotten where
and how we first met, have you?
Don't do that to me, damn it.
You mean there was
emotional blackmail going on?
This is in like one
of your novels, eh?
JESSICA: So, I called
this young editor to ask him
what he thought
of my manuscript,
and he said, "Gee, I don't know.
"I'm the only one
who's read it!"
(ALL LAUGHING)
Listen, believe me, the
most difficult part of writing
is actually getting started.
I mean, there's
nothing so daunting
as that blank piece
of paper, you know,
staring right back at you.
(CHUCKLING) And there you
sit, without an idea in your head.
So, that'll be the subject
of our next special seminar.
In other words, how to
jump-start the process.
And in the meantime, I'd like
each one of you, if you will,
to bring me a five-page
character study
about someone that you know.
So, I'll see you next week.
Thank you very much.
It's all set, Mrs. Fletcher.
Rojam Records agreed to
donate one of their studios.
And they're even
going to throw in
a sound engineer
for good measure.
Well, that's great, Holly.
You must've done some
heavy-duty arm-twisting.
Oh, I can't take the credit.
My friend Julie reminded them
that you were taping one
of your novels for the blind,
so the cost could be deducted
as a charitable contribution.
Well, that's fantastic.
Only problem is you'll have
to record in the evenings,
and Julie's asked if you
could come in tomorrow
for a photo session
at 11:30 with her boss.
Photo session?
Yes.
Well, I guess so. I mean,
considering his generosity.
Maybe you ought to
tell me a little something
about this music mogul
of yours, Freddie Major.
In simple terms, Freddie, the
deal means outright purchase
of your company, contracts,
talent, licenses, catalogs,
all buildings and studios.
Rojam Records becomes
a wholly owned subsidiary
of Palladium Software.
Yes. But nothing changes,
you still run the
company, just as always.
It's win-win, Mitch.
It's gonna be great
all the way around.
Uh, there are some
further conditions.
This late in the game?
The financial partner
wants absolute secrecy
until the papers are signed.
FREDDIE: I can live with that.
MITCH: Second, if Rojam loses anyone
who's presently on the artist roster,
the deal's off.
People drop dead, Mitch...
Freddie, please,
exclusive of an act of God.
Now, you got this
group, Myra... Mirabilis.
Right. Anyway, that's
what that clause is all about.
That's to guarantee that
they're part of the package, too.
Not a problem.
We're meeting with their
manager tomorrow to renegotiate,
but it's a done deal.
Good. Now, lastly,
you've got somebody
running your A&R
department, Lefko?
Yeah. Rick's been
with me since day one.
A background check
picked up something
that the Palladium family
of companies can't live with.
Lefko is mob-connected.
And frankly, that's one of the
reasons, his job performance,
that this company's
losing ground.
Come on. Rick can't
be blamed for that.
Freddie, I understand
what you're saying.
I respect your
loyalty. Lefko goes.
(EXHALES)
That's a tough one, Mitch.
Anytime it hurts, Freddie,
think about the windfall you're
picking up with the Palladium options.
Freddie, think about
how bad you need this.
On a happier note,
Michele here has the most
exquisite little voice you ever heard.
Freddie, it'll cost us, but I have
persuaded her to sign with the company.
Smart move.
Welcome to Rojam
Records, Michele.
Thank you.
How else is a broken-down
piano player like you
gonna know what's selling in Michele's
market segment unless you plug into it?
Case in point. Last week a
single came on the market,
sold 75,000 copies. What
was the name of that?
Desperate Times. Willi
Piper on Sly Records.
MITCH: I understand that that was
one of your engineers that moonlighted it.
I want Willi Piper and
Sly Records in the deal.
You're saying that's
another deal-breaker?
Hey, Freddie, for a tough
player like you, how hard is that?
I mean, who ever
heard of this guy?
He's not big yet, Mr. Major,
but just you watch.
Remember, pal,
Sunday's your deadline.
All the pieces, Freddie.
You deliver, I deliver.
(SIGHS)
HOLLY: We may have to wait
a few minutes, Mrs. Fletcher.
Freddie Major has
a photo session
with a band called Mirabilis.
Mirabilis.
Ah, don't they have a tune
out? Burnt something or other?
Burnt Memories.
I had you pegged for
a Lincoln Center type,
but here you are
jammin' Mirabilis!
Well, I wouldn't say jammin',
but I... I think I
liked their sound.
Yeah, see you at 4:00.
(CAMERA CLICKING)
Oh, it's a great
angle. Good. Good.
Okay. Let me get
in this one, huh?
Here we go. Come on.
Top of the charts. Right, kids?
You're on, Freddie.
You two happy?
Anything you need?
Nah. No. Nothing.
Okay. You're a true
believer, aren't you?
I'm with you, Mr. Major.
(LAUGHS)
All right. That'll
do it, Mr. Major.
Thanks, guys. See you Saturday.
FREDDIE: Okay,
let's just get one more.
Here. Get in here. Okay.
Real tight now, okay?
Let's give it to 'em.
Holly, hi.
Hi. This is my friend,
J.B. Fletcher. Julie Knight.
Hello, Julie. Thanks
so much for your help.
Oh, it's my pleasure.
It looks like we're
ready for you.
Oh, great. Later, Mrs. Fletcher.
Bye, Holly. Bye.
(PIANO PLAYING)
So, tell me about the book you're
recording with us, Mrs. Fletcher.
Well, it's called The
Corpse Danced at Midnight,
and I'm taping it for the blind.
We're certainly
very grateful to you
for the use of your studio
and your technicians.
Yeah, sure.
Hey, you know anything
about music, Mrs. Fletcher?
Well, just a little bit.
Well, when I was a kid, my folks wanted
me to enter the Tchaikovsky competition.
I was pretty good at the piano,
but I wanted to write songs.
(CHUCKLING) And the
joke was, I was lousy at it.
(EXCLAIMS)
Those two that just left,
they have a tune that could be
a rock classic, called Bulletproof,
only the sampled bass
line they're playing is wrong
and they don't
want to change it.
(PLAYING) You hear this?
They go to the "A" when they
should've stayed on the "C."
It needs more tension.
Something like this.
(PLAYS LOWER KEY ON PIANO)
All right. That'll
do it, Mr. Major.
Mrs. Fletcher.
Thank you very much.
Well, I couldn't make
it as a songwriter,
so now I'm Mr. Fix It.
We're shooting the
video this Saturday.
Why don't you come? You'll
give the operation some class.
Well, I don't know
about the class,
but, yes, I think that would
be very interesting. Thank you.
Good. Make the
arrangements, will you?
Chuck, Rick, meet
J.B. Fletcher, the writer.
Hello. I'm Rick Lefko. Hello.
FREDDIE: Rick's Vice President
for Artists and Repertoire,
and the one and only Charles
George Drexler, who manages Mirabilis.
How do you do?
We got a meeting?
Right. Let's get started.
Uh, show Mrs.
Fletcher around, Julie.
Sure.
Saturday? You bet.
(JESSICA CHUCKLES)
Bye.
(EXHALES)
I'm taking Mrs. Fletcher
on the tour, Holly.
Good! Don't forget
tomorrow night.
What's tomorrow night?
I'm playing hooky, remember?
We have freebies to
the Magnatek concert.
Magnatek? Mmm-hmm.
Oh, Magnatek! Yes.
Oh, no, I hadn't forgotten.
(LAUGHING) I'll see you later.
Okay.
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
Somehow I don't think of you as
being into heavy
metal, Mrs. Fletcher.
Well, I'm not.
But Holly is indoctrinating
me into the cutting edge of pop.
(BOTH LAUGH)
Excuse me. Oh!
Sorry.
Fellas, I'll make
the deal simple.
It just boils down to dollars.
Frankly, it's one I can make
across town, even as we speak.
But the kids say
they like you, Freddie.
You've been good to them,
and they want to stay
with Rojam Records.
(STRUMS)
Great. Give me the numbers.
The numbers work out to 3
million a year against profits,
three years firm, 10% bumps,
and a signing bonus,
a million for the kids,
a million for management.
Signing bonus? And what's
with this "management" crap?
Hey, hey, it's not out of
line for me to get something
for keeping them here, Freddie.
As far as the dollars go,
I'll remind you that Mirabilis
was the only thing that kept
you in the black last year.
I'll be in my office till 2:00.
I won't wait any
longer than that.
You've run my A&R
for 20 years, Rick.
How come all of a
sudden we're at the mercy
of a bloodsucker like Drexler?
Hey, nobody bats 1,000, Freddie.
You mean not since they
took Plugola away from you.
Face it, that's when this
company started going downhill!
This company wouldn't
even be here today
if it wasn't for the independent
promoters that I brought in.
You mean the hoods.
You didn't complain when
you had 10 in the top 40.
Don't badmouth your
friends, Freddie. It's not nice.
What, you're saying
somebody'll rearrange my face?
(BLOWING SMOKE) Huh?
Come on, Freddie.
Let me take you to lunch.
(MAN SINGING ON RADIO)
That's some guy
called Willi Piper.
He's done over 70,000 copies.
Yeah? What the hell
do we buy him with?
We don't.
Would you believe
Willi Piper's producer
is one of our engineers?
A guy named Paul Atkins.
Guess who washes Atkins' socks.
I give up.
Our own Director of Press
and Artist Development,
Julie Knight.
PIPER: (SINGING) Yeah,
and for a minute there
I stood in his shoes
Felt his hopeless heart beatin'
Felt his black and blues
They say the Lord helps
those who help themselves
But, damn it, they'll
help someone else
Oh, these are desperate times
When a man's gotta live this way
And all the people look
and then just turn away
Don't seem to care anymore
These are desperate times
Where are the days
of the helpin' hand?
Where did they go? I
just don't understand
Hi, sweetie. How are you?
Hi. Mrs. Fletcher, this
is my friend, Paul Atkins.
He'll be your engineer today.
Oh, hello, Paul.
Hi, Mrs. Fletcher,
nice to meet you.
(CHUCKLES) Thank you.
(PIPER STRUMMING GUITAR)
Oh, that's a nice sound.
That's Willi Piper.
Willi, come here a minute.
This is J.B. Fletcher.
She wrote all those novels
you're always hollerin' about.
The J.B. Fletcher?
I am an addict! How are you?
Fine, thanks.
Um, which novel
are you recording?
Oh, The Corpse
Danced at Midnight.
Oh, an early one. Cool!
Mrs. Fletcher, you're all
set and ready out there.
Oh, good.
All right, we're rolling.
Anytime.
Great.
"Daphne Heath would
forever remember the weather
"on that Thursday in November.
"She'd gone out
early for the paper,
"and felt the wind on
her face and seen the line
"of angry black clouds
stacked on the northern horizon.
"A hundred unanswered
questions crowded Daphne's mind.
"She wanted to ask Alan
to clarify so much for her,
"but in her heart,
she was still uncertain,
"even about Alan."
Paul Atkins? We haven't
met, Paul. I'm Freddie Major
and this is Rick Lefko,
our A&R vice-president.
Gentlemen, this is Willi Piper.
How you doin'? Hi.
I see they got them working
late like us tonight, huh?
(ALL LAUGHING)
We're here to talk to you
about Desperate Times.
I think you've come up
with something special.
I'll be up-front.
I want to offer you a
home with Rojam Records.
Well, that's very
kind of you, Mr. Major.
But, Willi and I already
have our own label.
Sly Records, is it?
That's right.
Ah, Paul, I wasn't
very happy with that.
Could we do the second
paragraph on page 22 again?
Paul?
FREDDIE: I don't think you
get the whole picture, Paul.
I'm saying Rojam Records
will buy your company
along with Willi's contract.
You stay on as producer.
You get a piece of the action.
Well, thanks, but
I like what I've got.
You have anything to say, Willi?
No.
See, me and Paul
have an agreement.
Where he goes, I go.
Would it change your mind knowing
Julie Knight's future with Rojam
could depend on your decision?
What the hell does
Julie have to do with this?
Sounds to me like she
hasn't told you everything
about her and me.
Listen, you son of a bitch...
Whoa! Hey! Hey! Easy. Easy.
PAUL: Just keep
Julie out of it, all right?
FREDDIE: Think
about what I've said.
Julie, something very
upsetting just happened in there.
I saw.
They're trying to take
Paul's dream away from him.
But, surely, if Paul
doesn't want to give in...
They always get what
they want, Mrs. Fletcher.
One way or another, they
always get what they want.
FREDDIE: I've never seen
anything like this in my life.
You people call
this an album cover?
Who's gonna look twice?
Grungy, rockabilly junk!
Where's the youth appeal?
Les, what're you
trying to prove?
"Mirabilis merges
classic rock with a rap
"in the triptych of
disenchanted isolation"?
I can't even pronounce it,
let alone tell my
18-year-old what it means.
Now go back and redo it, please!
(ALL CHATTERING) Jesus.
Julie, you got a minute?
(EXHALES) I, uh...
I met with your friend
Paul Atkins last night.
I know.
Hey, I'm glad for you, baby.
You've found
someone you care for.
But I need your help.
Don't ask me to
change Paul's mind.
I couldn't if I wanted to.
You owe me something
more than that.
Now you haven't forgotten where
and how we first met, have you?
Don't do that to me, damn it!
For the first time in your life,
you're making good money.
You've got a career here
as long as you want it.
I earn the money.
I do a job for this company,
and if that's not enough
for you, then fire me!
(EXCLAIMING)
HOLLY: I could
see it in your face.
You weren't
enjoying the concert.
Well, I think that
heavy metal is,
well, a little metallic.
I mean, my eyeballs
are still rattling!
(GIGGLING) Sorry about that!
Oh, no, no, no, I enjoyed
the new experience.
But you have to understand
that I was brought
up with Frank and Ella.
Yeah, I couldn't
get with it, either.
It really wasn't
my scene, plus...
Julie was still on your mind.
I don't like seeing her hurt.
Last night, Mr. Major's
manner suggested that
there was something
more between him and Julie.
Yeah.
When Julie first came
to town, she dated Major.
Oh, you mean there was some
emotional blackmail going on?
Yeah.
Oh! I've still got time
to drop by Annie's
and see if she needs anything.
You know, one of these days,
I'd love to meet this mysterious
foster mother of yours.
She sounds like a
remarkable woman.
Topnotch clinical psychologist
living a very full life,
and yet, she's blind.
Yeah. Annie can see
with her ears and her hands
and all of her other senses
much better than most
people can with 20-20 vision.
She certainly did a
good job with you.
She's a big fan of yours.
Before I left home, I read
four of your books to her.
She doesn't know about
the one we're taping.
I want it to be a surprise.
Will you say hello for me?
I will.
Will I see you tomorrow?
At the video shoot? Oh!
Couldn't keep me away!
Last night at the taping,
was that friend of mine there,
a singer by the name of Piper?
Willi? Yes, I met him.
Do you have an
opinion? You know...
About Willi? Mmm.
Oh, well...
He's very
nice-looking, talented.
I think I liked him, Holly.
And I know that he's a good
and faithful friend to Paul.
Thank you.
Night.
Good night.
(CHUCKLES)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
(SIGHS)
What's with the nutsy
rendezvous, Rick?
You got some girls
stashed someplace?
Oh, yeah. I got 'em
stashed everywhere.
Freddie's getting ready
to sell the company.
Is that so? Mmm-hmm.
Let me guess, he's
cutting you out? Right?
Look, what's this got
to do with me, huh?
Let me tell you a little story.
This broker friend of mine has
a weakness for the track, see?
Covers his markers
with inside information.
Now he says a certain
Charles George Drexler...
That's you, right? Huh?
Sold two million shares
of Rojam stock short.
In other words, you're betting
on Rojam to go in the toilet, huh?
(CHUCKLES)
Fantasyland, my friend.
Fantasyland, is it? Huh?
If Mitch Randall's buyout
goes through this weekend,
come Monday, Rojam
stock is gonna go sky high,
and you, my friend, are
gonna lose your pretty silk shirt.
Just supposing you're right.
(BLOWING SMOKE)
You've got an act
that Freddie needs,
or this whole deal is off.
Mirabilis.
Now, you hold them out,
Monday, when the market
opens, you bail out your stock.
End the story.
Where the hell you been?
Freddie and I closed
the Mirabilis deal
three hours ago, 8:00 tonight.
(CHUCKLING)
Sure. Sure, you did.
Assuming there's a
grain of truth in any of this,
what's in it for you?
I've given Freddie the
best years of my life.
And now he's selling me out.
CHAUFFEUR: Have a nice time.
CHOREOGRAPHER: Okay, guys. All
right. Fall change. All right, turn, turn.
All right, that's good.
Good. All right. Now spot it.
Spot it. Keep it uniform,
guys. Come on, all right.
Tuck. Tuck it in. Good.
Good. All right. Isolate it.
Isolate it, fellas. All right.
Looking good. All right.
Turn. All right, good, guys.
Let's roll. All right,
Lori, take over.
LORI: All right. Let me
see you do it again, guys.
A five, six, seven, eight.
Step, on change. Slide.
Yeah, I read you. You got it.
HOLLY: Hello, Mrs. Fletcher.
Gotta bring some cue sheets
to Paul. Wanna come with?
Oh, sure.
(HOLLY EXCLAIMS)
Sorry. They're
special effects, Holly.
They're testing the squibs.
Let me tell you, Mrs. Fletcher,
in my old neighborhood,
when a balloon pops,
you are kissing asphalt.
In the movies they use
squibs to simulate bullet hits.
(EXCLAIMING)
(CLANGING)
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
Hi, Paul.
Hi, Mrs. Fletcher. What's
Julie doing out there?
Oh, just holding hands with
some stud from Billboard magazine.
Well, that's funny. I
didn't think they had studs
(HOLLY AND JESSICA
CHUCKLING) at Billboard magazine.
The song's been pre-recorded,
so Mirabilis will
be lip-synching.
Oh.
(STATIC SCREECHING)
Just seeing if you
all were awake.
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
(INAUDlBLE)
Yes, I see.
Uh, I gotta go. Go ahead
and take care of that.
I gotcha. Hey, let's do this.
Listen, um, Mr. Major,
about that deal you offered, I
mean, it's more than generous,
but I gotta say
no. I'm gonna pass.
What the hell is this?
An upstart like you hasn't
got a pot to grow peanuts in,
and you turn down
a paying contract?
Listen, Mr. Major, I mean,
it might sound crazy to you,
but I'm not gonna
give up on someone
who's had as much
faith in me as Paul has.
Think twice about
that, Willi. What?
My people did a
background on you.
Three years ago, under another
name, you did time for robbery.
Being faithful to Paul'll
amount to diddly if that leaks out.
Noon tomorrow,
I'll want a big yes.
Yo! Yo! Hey, Paul!
Hey, hey, Paul. Hey,
work with me, huh?
Let's see if we can't create
some order out
of all this chaos.
You ready?
Anytime you are, Davey.
All right. Let's do this.
Hey, listen up,
fellas and ladies,
this is gonna be a full dress
rehearsal right from the top.
All right. People.
People. People! Move it!
I need to see more energy
and I need to see
you hit your axes.
Here, Mrs. Fletcher.
Have a seat.
Oh, thank you, Holly.
Ah! Yes?
DIRECTOR: I want you to
anticipate the music if you can!
Fellas! Dancers!
You're not hittin' your
marks early enough.
William, you're
lurkin', brother.
Background, I want you to move
as if it means something to you.
Ladies! Something happening
in every muscle in your body!
Look, I can't hear you!
You want what? What?
Yes. Yes, I will tell him.
DIRECTOR: Is all the cast here?
MAN: Here!
Mr. Major, they want
you in the VIP lounge.
Now? Yes.
Okay, thanks.
I'll see you later.
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
Next place is Hollywood.
Give me a call, have lunch.
Looks great, Peter.
I gotta check one of these
amps. I'll be right back.
DIRECTOR: Okay.
Rehearsal from the top.
(RACY INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)
(GUN FIRING)
In a world of true temptation
Hearts get broken
and dreams go wrong
My love defies its destination
Here with you is where I belong
(GUN FIRING)
(GUN FIRING)
My love is bulletproof
Indestructible
And it's all for you
(GUN FIRES)
Two hearts feeling
No one can stand there, baby
That's the truth
My love is, my love
is (GUN FIRING)
Bulletproof
(GUN FIRING)
Holly, that sounded
like a real gunshot.
Nah. Just a drumbeat,
Mrs. Fletcher. Go with it.
(GUN FIRING)
I've never known
such satisfaction
With you it's easy
to feel so right
In my arms you'll
have all the action
You'll ever need to
keep you warm at night
(GUN FIRES)
(GUN FIRING)
My love is bulletproof
Indestructible
And it's all for you
When two hearts feelin'
No one can stand there, baby
That's the truth
My love is, my love is
Bulletproof
Bulletproof
(GUN FIRING)
What the hell was that?
(HOLLY SCREAMING)
(PEOPLE CLAMORING)
POLICEMAN: Get those
people back. Get back.
Here you are, Lieutenant.
Okay. Get it into
Forensics right away, Ralph.
Right-o.
You know, the wardrobe
man was missing one of those.
Look, let's suppose that
the killer, male or female,
lured Major over to this
location, disguised in that thing,
and then killed him with
a single shot close up.
Yeah, and the body
fell on to the conveyor
and the killer made
his or her escape.
Right.
Al, are you sure that
the killing occurred here?
I mean, Mr. Major had
a call to the VIP lounge
just as the rehearsal
was beginning.
My six witnesses said they
heard a shot from this direction
just before the body was
discovered, including yourself.
Now, Jess, come
on, don't do that.
Don't do what?
There's a look you get that says
that this guy is
talking through his hat.
(SIGHS) But, Al, with all
the squibs and the playbacks,
I mean, there were
enough gunshots
to wipe out an entire regiment.
And any one of them
could've killed Mr. Major.
I'm sure that I heard a
shot much earlier over there,
right by the VIP lounge.
Does this change your mind?
A nine-millimeter bullet casing.
(CAMERA CLICKING)
We have statements from everyone
on the guard's roster, Lieutenant.
Is there anything else?
No, tell 'em to go home
and get that over to Ballistics.
Right away.
If it's okay, I'd like to send
someone over tomorrow
to pick up the keyboard
in the VIP lounge.
The kids have a concert
in Buffalo on Tuesday.
The cordon should be lifted
by 3:00. Any time after that.
Thanks, Lieutenant.
All right. Did he tell
you he's the one person
who stands to make a few million
dollars off of Freddie's murder? Hmm?
You took my
statement, Lieutenant.
Don't be shy, Drexler.
When the news of Freddie's
murder hits Wall Street on Monday,
Rojam stock will be
worth next to nothing.
LEFKO: Sounds crazy, but on
the big board you can bet on failure.
Drexler here, oh, he
does that in spades.
What's in it for you, huh,
Chucky? Three, four mill? Huh?
You'd think he'd be worrying
about keeping the company together.
Mrs. Fletcher.
You know most of
these people, Jess.
Well, not all. Just some.
Oh. Any, uh... Any theories?
Well, not really. I
mean, we both know
how misleading
the obvious can be.
Right.
Well, I'll, um...
I'll let you know when I
come up with something.
Fine.
Oh. Oh. Jess, Jess, uh...
I know it's a little early,
but I've got some covered
seedlings in the kitchen window.
I'm betting you a dinner
my squash comes up
bigger and tastier than
yours, say by mid-August?
Well, mine'll be a little later
coming up in Cabot Cove,
but they'll still be
bigger and tastier
than the ones from
your New York garden.
You're on, Terwilliger.
Oh, Julie. Didn't
mean to startle you.
Holly and I were planning
to go back to town together,
but I can't find her.
I haven't seen Holly.
Julie, are you all right?
Mrs. Fletcher, I saw
you with the Lieutenant,
so don't pretend
that you don't know.
They're hounding Paul just because he
left the video console during rehearsal.
No, I... I didn't know.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)
(THREE NOTES PLAY IN SUCCESSION)
(SAME TUNE PLAYS)
(THREE NOTES PLAY IN SUCCESSION)
Bang!
JESSICA: What time
is your class, Holly?
8:00. I really appreciate this.
I want you to tell me what
you think of that bread.
Because I found a new bakery.
(CHUCKLING) Okay.
Aren't you having any?
No. I'll have something later.
I've got too much in
my head right now.
Holly, just before the
dress rehearsal this morning,
you got a call on
your walkie-talkie.
Someone wanted
Mr. Major in the VIP lounge.
I know what you're going to
ask, but there was so much noise,
I can't even be certain if
it was a man or a woman.
There's a rather strange man
that I'm very curious about.
I bumped into him, literally, at
Rojam Records the other day,
and I saw him
again this morning.
A skinny guy, maybe 29, with
dirty blond hair, and shifty eyes?
That's him.
Yeah. Shiny gray suit that
had been dry-cleaned to death,
with frayed cuffs, white socks
and scuffed black wingtips.
Very good, Holly. Go on.
Well, I didn't like the
looks of him either.
After the murder, I talked to this
cool police sergeant about him
and he said the guy's
name is Bert Sellers
and he's a lowlife private eye.
He does down-and-dirty things
like wiretaps and surveillance,
but doesn't have guts
enough to kill anyone.
Hank, the sergeant, said if they
weren't so busy with a homicide,
they would've busted
him then and there.
I wonder what he was
doing at the filming.
Maybe it had something
to do with the buyout.
Buyout?
(PHONE RINGING)
Yes, Richie?
Oh, yes, please send her up.
It's Julie.
What buyout?
One of those rumors that
go around among secretaries.
A Midwestern conglomerate was talking to
Freddie Major about acquiring his company.
Buyout talks are
generally held in secret.
In which case, someone
in the Rojam Music building
may have hired Sellers
to do a bugging job.
And you're thinking if you
knew who hired Sellers...
And whose privacy he
was hired to invade...
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Julie, oh, what's wrong?
They arrested Paul for murder.
On what evidence?
They found a gun
underneath the seat of his car
and they say it's
the murder weapon.
Julie, sit down.
Listen, this afternoon,
you told me that Paul
had left the shoot
during the rehearsal.
Did he tell you why?
He'd gone to look for Willi.
Did he find him?
No. And then when he got back,
they had already found the body.
Mrs. Fletcher, I know that you
have influence with the police.
Please tell them that Paul
would never hurt anybody!
Look, Julie, Lieutenant Terwilliger
is a very savvy policeman.
He's always open
to new evidence.
Don't you worry.
You go on in there
and freshen up
and then go to Paul, all right?
Mrs. Fletcher, are you sure
Paul didn't murder Freddie Major?
Holly, at this point,
I'm not sure of anything.
MAN: Something I
can help you with?
Oh... I'm so sorry.
You... You startled me.
Giorgi Pappavasilopoulos
at your service, Mrs. Fletcher.
Oh, you know my name.
Your picture graces numerous
book jackets in my library.
Oh, how nice.
If you're looking for
Sellers, he won't be back.
He was six months
behind in the rent,
and it got so the process servers
looking for him earned parking privileges.
Do you happen to
know where he went?
You can bet it's someplace
nobody can find him, I'm sure.
I saw him yesterday. He must've
cut out in the middle of the night.
Well, from the looks of
things, he left in quite a hurry.
Uh, Mr. Papa...
I'm so sorry, I...
Pappavasilopoulos.
But you can call me Giorgi.
Giorgi, do you happen to know
if there's a trash incinerator
chute in this building?
Ah. This is in like one
of your novels, eh?
Paydirt, Mr. P.!
(WHISTLES) Taxi!
HOLLY: Why are you so
disappointed, Mrs. Fletcher?
The transcripts tell you it was
Rick Lefko who hired Sellers.
He found out he'd lose his
job if the buyout went through.
In spite of that, I don't believe
that Lefko killed Mr. Major.
Why not?
Lefko's timetable
doesn't work for me,
and there are others with
equally strong motives.
Mr. Drexler stood to lose a
lot of money in the stock market
if the buyout was successful.
Or Paul Atkins, to
prevent Major's takeover
of his only asset, Willi Piper.
And Julie Knight?
Yes. Julie, because
she loves Paul,
and might've killed
to protect his interests.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello?
Jessica? Al. You called.
Yes, Al. I've come
across some information
that's material to the
Freddie Major case,
and I think that
you should have it.
Good.
Look, we've earned some
R&R for working all weekend.
Bring whatever you've got,
and let's discuss it over brunch.
Ah, Tavern on the
Green, say, 1:00?
Oh, Al, you don't
have to do that!
By hook or crook, the
department'll pay for it.
Be there.
Naturally.
I've got a date
with a policeman.
Come on, Holly, I'll drop you.
All right.
There is another possibility you
haven't mentioned, Mrs. Fletcher.
Willi Piper, right?
And why not? I
mean, where was Willi
when Paul left the shoot
to go looking for him?
It's just hard to believe!
I mean, Willi's all
about love and peace.
He wouldn't hurt a fly.
And who said anything about music
and murder going together, hmm?
Come to think of it,
the only person I ever wanted
to murder was my piano teacher.
I never could learn the notes.
The open spaces between
the clef lines stood for F-A-C-E,
that spelled "face."
That was easy enough.
It was the lines I
could never remember.
I know, E-G-B-D-F.
Yeah.
Someone should have
told you it stands for
"every good boy deserves fudge."
Then you would...
Oh, my goodness!
What is it?
You don't have to worry
about Willi anymore.
You and your piano
teacher have just helped me
to put my finger on a very
important piece of the puzzle.
I am going to the plant
where we were yesterday.
I want you to call Lieutenant
Terwilliger at the Tavern on the Green.
Tell him to meet
me at the VIP lounge.
Tell him that I know who
murdered Freddie Major.
(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)
Hi, there, Mrs. Fletcher.
(THREE NOTES PLAY IN SUCCESSION)
Mr. Drexler. Here to
pick up the keyboard?
The kids and I have that gig
in Buffalo day after tomorrow.
Just wondering what
business you have here.
Well, I don't think you'll be able
to make that gig, Mr. Drexler.
Come again?
I think it's more likely
that you'll be a guest
of the city of New York, as
the killer of Freddie Major.
(LAUGHS INCREDULOUSLY)
Come on, Mrs. Fletcher. I was standing
right beside you when Freddie was killed.
I don't think
you'll find that alibi
quite as ironclad as you think.
That was the second
gunshot that everybody heard,
but I'd heard an
earlier gunshot,
and now I'm quite sure it
came from inside this room.
My friend Holly suggested
it was a drumbeat.
Holly, that sounded
like a real gunshot.
But when I examined
the musical score,
I found no tympani indicated.
Furthermore, I found
evidence that the second shot
had been caused by a
theatrical squib you planted earlier
on the metal framework
of the conveyor belt,
close to where the police
just happened to find
a nine-millimeter shell casing.
As the dress rehearsal began,
you called Holly
on the walkie-talkie,
knowing she couldn't
identify your voice over the din.
You summoned Freddie
Major here to the VIP lounge.
(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)
As he waited, he started
going over the musical phrase
in Bulletproof that had
bothered him so much.
(THREE NOTES PLAY IN SUCCESSION)
Out of sight of the
dress rehearsal,
you carried Mr. Major's
body to the conveyor belt.
You left the bullet
casing on the ground
to establish a
phony murder site.
Then later, you planted the
murder weapon in Paul Atkins' car.
You overcharged
the squib to make sure
that it was heard
all over the plant,
then detonated it remotely
as you stood beside me.
That's close enough,
Mrs. Fletcher.
I'm just curious about
one thing, though.
DREXLER ON SPEAKER: Why
were you so convinced it was me?
JESSICA: It's there in the
electronic piano, Mr. Drexler.
Before you kill me,
why don't you play it?
Freddie Major was still
trying to fix Bulletproof.
(UPBEAT TUNE PLAYING)
But knowing that
he was about to die,
he was determined to betray you.
(THREE NOTES PLAY IN SUCCESSION)
He did it with
those three notes.
They had nothing
to do with the tune,
but everything to
do with his murderer.
C-G-D. Mr. Charles
George Drexler.
Drop it! Police! Drop it!
Mrs. Fletcher,
are you all right?
Yes. Thank you, Holly, I'm fine.
Holly, go back to the
car, call for some backup.
Yes. Right. Right.
Freddie never did
get it right, did he?
Bulletproof?
Maybe not the
notes he wanted, no.
But in the end, I do
think he got it right.
Don't you, Mr. Drexler?
JESSICA: I have one criticism
which applies to all of your papers.
Far too many words to
express something simple.
You know, the old
jingle bears repeating.
"The written word
should be clean as bone,
"clear as light, firm as stone.
"Two words are
not as good as one."
(CHUCKLES)
I'll see you all next Monday.
(ALL CHATTERING)
Good point about
words, Mrs. Fletcher.
Only, um, sometimes
there aren't enough
to really express how you feel.
But when is that, Willi?
Well, take Julie.
Yeah. How is Julie?
Well, Willi's new song
got a big advance sale,
and Julie's left Rojam Records
to head up Paul's
A&R department.
Looks like Sly Records is
turning into a real family affair.
You're kidding! You mean...
Mmm-hmm. Next
weekend. I'm the best man.
And I'm the maid of honor.
They want you to be there, too.
Well, I wouldn't
miss it for the world!