Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996): Season 9, Episode 12 - Double Jeopardy - full transcript

(SPEAKING SPANISH)

The dramatic murder trial
of Mr. Frank Fernandez

has ended with his acquittal.

There was no body
because there was no murder.

I'm gonna rip his face off!

Sergeant, what is your reading
of the Fernandez verdict?

Means, motive and
opportunity just weren't enough.

Hasn't there been
enough killing?

Don't do anything to get
yourself in trouble, okay?

You better start watching
over your shoulder.

He may need more than a crucifix
and a string of beads to protect him



in the real world.

Okay, you guys, get out of here.

Mrs. Fletcher, I saw everything.

I saw the murder.
And I saw who did it.

MAN 1: Right here. Right here.

MAN 2: Go! Go! Right here!

(CHATTERING)

MAN 3: Yeah!

Money!

In your dreams!

MAN 2: Hey,
buddy, take that shot!

DENISE: But what I
don't get, Mrs. Fletcher, is,

where do you start?

Actually, Denise, one of
the most effective ways



to build a mystery is to start with
the ending and work backward.

(TIMER RINGING)

But not always.

I wish I could
give you a formula,

but the truth is that every
mystery that I write is different

and about a third
of the way into them,

I am invariably convinced
that this is the one

I won't be able to pull off.

(ALL CHUCKLING)

So, next week I'd like to see a
three-page procedural scene,

where your detective tries to
get information from someone

who'd rather not cooperate.

Have a good weekend.

(CHATTERING)

MAN 1: Come on!

MAN 2: Come on, come on!

MAN 1: Come on, let's
go. MAN 2: Never mind that!

MAN 2: I'm going
next time. Come on!

MAN 3: Yes!

Okay, game.

Aw, come on, Father,
one more game, man.

We just got started!

Right. One more game and
these legs are gonna be total mush.

Tomorrow, guys.

So, Jessica.

Have you thought any more
about using a priest as a protagonist

for one of your novels?

Well, I suppose I thought that
the Holy Father would have more

divine mysteries to solve.

Are you suggesting that Father
Brown's mysteries don't work?

Or Father Dowling
by Ralph McInerny?

Oh, of course not. I
think they're wonderful.

And of course, there's the Brother
Cadfael and Sister Mary Helen stories.

And don't forget Veronica
Black's Sister Joan.

Mmm-hmm. Or Sister
Mary Teresa by Monica Quill.

Cheating.

That's a pen name for
McInerny and we had him.

(LAUGHING)

Rabbi Small by Harry Kemelman!

Okay, okay, you win.

Anyway, they all go to show
that a man or woman of God

can deal with a secular mystery.

People need to get rid of those
dusty old stereotypes of the clergy.

Oh, I agree. The problem
is, as a character in a novel,

who will believe that
a doctor of philosophy

who built a very successful
software company,

became a parish priest?

Hey, did I ever say it
had to be about me?

Hey, Bro, the verdict's in.

What's up, Tony?

Oh, the verdict's in.

The jury's coming
back after lunch.

I'll be there.

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

REPORTER: And so the dramatic
murder trial of Mr. Frank Fernandez

has ended with his acquittal.

Although branded a slumlord
and a killer by the District Attorney

the jury declared him not guilty

in the murder of City
Councilman Roberto Galvan.

Galvan disappeared
11 months ago,

leaving behind a devoted
family and hundreds of friends.

Galvan rallied for years against
Fernandez and his real estate holdings.

He led a tenant's rent strike

which ended in
several court orders,

forcing the cleanup and repair of
Fernandez's numerous tenement buildings.

And since Galvan's
body was never found

the case against Fernandez
was never entirely completed.

There was no body
because there was no murder.

I'm gonna rip his face off!

MAN: Whoa, whoa, hey!

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

Hey, cool it, all right?

Is that what your father taught
you? To fight like a street punk?

(SIRENS BLARING)

Stay with him, Joe. Make sure
he doesn't do anything crazy.

Okay, Ma.

JOE: Hey, Tony!

We're gonna be fine.

Well, Mrs. Galvan,

you won the first round
when you persuaded the DA

to bring this ridiculous
case against me.

But now it's over.

I don't have to deal with
your fantasies anymore.

Fantasies, Mr. Fernandez?

We both know
the truth, don't we?

JESSICA: I like the new
twist ending, Mr. Demarco.

DEMARCO: Thank
you, Mrs. Fletcher.

And we'll work together
on the grammar.

All right.

Very colorful
characters, Denise.

My family. I took your advice
and used the tape recorder.

(LAUGHING)

I liked the way you
introduce your suspects, Ruth.

Thanks.

How did I do?

I enjoyed it, Joseph.

A "C"?

Look, I know how
difficult it is to write

when your mind
is somewhere else.

But I felt that you weren't quite
as into it as you usually are.

Yeah, you got that right.

Your protagonist,

the boy on the verge
of becoming a man.

Would he be your
brother, by any chance?

Tony, yeah.

You know, ever
since the verdict,

he just seems to
get angrier every day.

(STUDENTS CHATTERING)

All right.

Today, we're going
to talk about research.

And how it can add
texture to your work.

Suppose you want information
on stuff that's hard to get,

such as, say, rare poisons?

Well now, this is my personal
bibliography of my favorite reference books

and articles that I've
assembled over the years.

I've left a copy of it
at the research desk

as a model,

so that you can begin
to build your own.

Uh, Denise, you asked
me about poisons.

Now,

the most complete, concise
work on the subject is

The Toxic Handbook.

Denise, how do you plan
to use poison in your story?

Well, it's about my
Aunt Ethel from Scotland.

And she's, kind of,
you know, round.

And she develops
this intense hatred

for this gorgeous exercise
lady in pink leotards on TV.

And decides to poison
her disgusting protein drink.

How am I doing?

Well, I'm hooked!

Have you decided about
the police academy?

Yeah.

It scares Ma, but she says if it's
what I want, then just go ahead.

Ruth, I get the feeling that
you're not entirely convinced.

Marrying a cop wasn't exactly one of
my childhood dreams, Mrs. Fletcher,

but it's José's decision.

(SIGHING)

RAYMOND: Hey, babe, let's go.

A piece of advice, my friend.
Keep your family out of our business.

(POLICE RADIO CHATTERING)

Sergeant Davis, isn't it?

That's right. Good to
see you, Mrs. Fletcher.

Thank you.

José, Ruth.

Listen, about
Raymond Fernandez...

It's nothing.

I would take him
seriously if I were you.

He's a nasty piece of work.

Yeah, we know
about him, Sergeant,

just like we know
about his father.

And maybe if you spent a
little less time giving out advice

and a little more
time investigating,

we wouldn't have to worry about
either one of them now, would we?

Well, I can't really blame him.

Sergeant, what is your reading
of the Fernandez verdict?

Off the record?

Frank Fernandez
is a bottom-feeder

who wouldn't lose five minutes'
sleep over killing Roberto Galvan.

The truth is, with what little they had,
the DA never should've gone to trial.

Means, motive and
opportunity just weren't enough.

Not without a corpse
or a smoking gun.

Go in peace to love
and serve the Lord.

(SPEAKING SPANISH)

Amen.

ALL: Amen.

(ORGAN PLAYING)

I'm glad to see you here.

I just want to tell you
that I'm proud of you all.

I know you're angry.

But so far you're showing
your love for Roberto,

by sticking
together as a family,

not by doing something crazy

that would get you on
the wrong side of the law.

They know better than that.

Their father taught 'em
how to fight a different way.

Through the community,
using the system.

Yeah, and look where it got him.

Tony.

Your father helped a
lot of people around here.

People that don't have the money or
the power to stand up for themselves.

That was his crusade.

And I intend to
carry on after him.

How do you mean that?

I'm gonna be running for
his seat on the City Council.

Father, that's great!

Absolutely.

We'll back you up all the way.

Part of my platform
will be to get Fernandez

to clean up his
buildings and his act.

Then I've got some
advice for you, padre.

You better start watching
over your shoulder.

RAYMOND: Those numbers
aren't too shabby, are they?

Best cost-to-earnings ratio
we've had in three years.

Well, I've got to admit, you
gotta be doing something right.

Ah, it's nothing you
didn't teach me, Pop.

Well, now that my legal
distractions are over,

I'll be able to spend
more time on the company.

What's the status on the
Hudson Street buildings?

All four evictions completed.

But Building and Safety put
clean up orders on three of them.

Have Delgado get
us a restraining order.

Maybe we can get the
system to work for us this time.

Have you heard the latest
about Father Michael?

You mean about running for
Galvan's seat on the City Council?

(SIGHING)

After what happened to Roberto,
you think he'd know better.

Raymond, that's enough.

Hey, look, all
I'm saying is that

he may need more than a crucifix
and a string of beads to protect him

in the real world.

(CLATTERING)

I don't ever want to
hear that again. Got it?

Hey, save it for
your tenants, okay.

I don't know, Jessica.

I think maybe I've
finally bitten off too much.

Well, it never seemed
to bother you before.

Yeah, but this is different.

I mean, the church needs
a new roof, new plumbing,

a new heating system.

I feel like I'm losing the battle
to keep our kids off the streets.

And what it all
comes down to is,

I've got no business
running for office.

Michael, if ever there was
someone who was equal

to all of those challenges
and more, it's you.

And you know it.

Hello, Father. I
want to talk to you.

Oh, I was just leaving.

Don't bother, lady.
It's nothing personal.

I want you to forget about
this borough council business,

for your own good.

I'm touched by your concern,

but it's a bit late,
don't you think?

I won't let you destroy what I've
worked so many years to build.

What, an empire of
substandard housing?

Like you, Father, I fill a need.

Only mine, at least keeps
them warm in the winter.

It keeps the rain
off their heads.

That's not exactly
what I've heard.

All right, Michael, let me
put it to you another way.

There are people who work for me

who seriously do not look
forward to your interference.

You understand what I'm saying?

Tell me something, Frank.

This life you've chosen,

does it make you feel
good about yourself?

(SIGHING)

I know I should pray for him.

And yet, a big part
of me doesn't want to.

Michael.

You and Mr. Fernandez,

you're not exactly
total strangers, are you?

No, Jessica, we're not.

He's my father.

JESSICA: Michael,

how old were you when you
found out that Frank Fernandez

was your father?

10 years old.

But he knew about you?

Oh, yes. And he
never offered to help,

financially or otherwise.

Not that she'd have accepted it.

My mother was, well,

a very determined woman.

She was still in her
teens when I was born.

She put herself through
college and became a teacher.

I can certainly see where
you get your energy from.

(LAUGHING)

She told me about my
father just before she died.

She warned me to
stay away from him.

She told me he
could only hurt me.

He never even
acknowledged her death.

When he was talking
to you just now,

I had the feeling that he
hadn't come just to threaten you.

How do you mean? Oh,
for a moment, I sensed

genuine concern.
Maybe even regret.

Perhaps.

It's difficult for me to get
past all our personal baggage.

He's never even tried
to contact me before.

He's always behaved
as if I don't exist,

as if Raymond, my
half-brother, was his only son.

MARIA: That's right, Carmen. Just
make a list of all of your complaints

and we'll present
them at the meeting.

Good, I'll see you there. Bye.

Oh, Jessica, José said
you might be dropping by.

Yes, he told me that the
bromeliads have arrived.

Yeah. Right here, Mrs. Fletcher.

Oh, they're lovely.

Some people tried to
buy them this morning

and Mrs. Galvan practically
threw them out of the store.

(LAUGHING) Ruth, I didn't
know you were working here.

I'm moonlighting
while I get my degree.

In botanical science. Since
her trip to the Caribbean,

we are stocking plants that
no one else in New York carries.

Yeah, and she gets
to keep her eye on me.

Oh, we've been busier
than ever the last few days.

But I figure it's as
much a show of support

as it is a sudden
passion for potted plants.

I'm glad to see that José seems
to be taking things in stride.

Are you, Maria?

Oh, I don't know, Jessica.

Before Roberto
and I were married,

I didn't have any
trouble making decisions.

But now I feel like I've got to relearn
how to think for myself all over again.

That I can identify with.

One thing I know for sure,

Roberto isn't ever coming back.

And Frank Fernandez
continues to be a slumlord

and make a fortune off
people I grew up with.

RAYMOND: Look, amigo,
next week's not gonna do it.

You promised me
two keys by Friday.

You deliver as scheduled or I take my
business elsewhere. You understand?

What are you doing?

Taking care of business.

Narcotics are not my business.

Hey, lighten up, okay?

Don't you ever tell
me what to do, culebra.

Is this the way you repay me?

Selling drugs right
out from my home?

Killing children?

Oh, that's rich.

Big time slumlord gives
his kid a morality lecture.

You want to see morality, Pop?

Here's your morality.

You think our deadbeat tenants are
suddenly paying their rent on time?

I don't think so.

But they can always scrape together
enough dinero for a vial of crack.

Well, it stops now! Understand?

You don't get it, do you, Pop?

You're in the crack-house
business with both feet.

So you better
learn to live with it.

I should call the police.

Yeah, but you won't.

(PHONE RINGING)

Hello?

DAVIS: I thought you'd
want to know, Mrs. Fletcher.

Roberto Galvan's body
turned up this afternoon.

In the old west culverts.

The flooding last week
must have moved it.

A sanitation crew found it.

Is there evidence
that he was murdered?

He was shot in the head.

Ballistics has the bullet. They'll try
and do a match on Fernandez's gun.

It looks like he was killed
about the time he disappeared.

Thank you, Sergeant.

But I'm not sure why
you called me about this.

I'm going to see the
Galvan family in the morning.

Yes.

Look, I'm kind of concerned
about how they're going to take it.

Especially the boys.

And well, they seem to listen
to you, so I thought that maybe...

I'll be there, Sergeant.

8:00. Mmm.

(DIAL TONE DRONING)

Hmm.

Come on, Sergeant.

Now, did the bullet that killed my
father come from Fernandez's gun?

Ballistics says yes.

Well, then we've got him, right?

I'm afraid not.

TONY: What are
you talking about?

I'm talking about
double jeopardy.

Well, what the hell is that?

JESSICA: It's part of
our constitution, Tony.

I mean, once someone
has been tried for a crime

and found to be not guilty,

he can't be tried again
for the same crime,

even if there's new evidence.

I don't believe
I'm hearing this!

You mean, he goes free?

He's been acquitted. That's it.

Look, the DA wants
Fernandez as much as you do,

as much as I do, but even if
we can prove he's the shooter,

there's nothing that
we can do about it.

Yeah, well, maybe there's
something we can do about it.

Now, hold it. You listen
to me and you listen good!

Any of you try to even this
up and I'll come after you

as hard as I'd go after him!

You know, Jessica,
it was all my fault.

Maria, this started
with Roberto's murder.

You can't blame
yourself for that.

No, but I'm the one who
pushed for the indictment.

I stirred the neighborhood
until the District Attorney

had no choice
but to go to trial.

If he had waited,

Fernandez would
have been convicted.

That's not necessarily true.

Even if he could be
brought to trial now,

there's no guarantee that
they could actually prove

that he pulled the trigger.

You know, it's ironic.

Robert always said to
me, "It's always one person

"who can make
all the difference."

And I certainly did do that.
Only it was the wrong one.

None of it would
have brought him back.

I guess that's what a lot
of it was about, wasn't it?

Mmm.

No, come on, Ruth. Tell
me, what? What's wrong?

I'm worried about you,
that's what's wrong.

Tony does all the talking
and you don't say anything!

I know inside
you're all torn up.

What? About my father, Ruth?

That's not true.

And you don't think
I know you so good?

Know the way you think?

José,

if you love me, please,

I beg you, just

don't do anything to get
yourself in trouble, okay?

I won't, Ruth.

Now, you got it wrong, okay?

I promise.

Here you go.

Hey. Hey, Raymond.

What do you got, man?

(SIGHING) Manny, let
me ask you a question.

Yeah.

Suppose I told you, you
could have anything you want.

The Galvan brothers?

Now, how did I know that?

Man, I thought
you'd never ask me.

Come on, Ma, there's
nothing we can do now.

José.

It's not good.

Keeping it all bottled
up inside like that.

Okay, Ma, I'm angry!

Is that what you want to hear?

But it's too late.

Mrs. Fletcher's right.
The law's the law.

There's nothing we can do now.

If we do something now, we
are no better than Fernandez, Ma!

Is that what our
father taught you?

You're just gonna
sit there and take it?

Look, what I don't need from
you, Rambo, is mouthing off.

Yeah?

Yeah, well, it's not
all just talk, hermano.

I'll see you around.

Tony.

I don't want you
going out. Not like this.

If there was ever a time when I
needed my sons around me, it's now.

Go on upstairs and we'll
have dinner in a few minutes.

Rambo? I got you, Rambo.

Oh, yeah, you're a big punk.

(DIALING)

Cool it.

Nothing's gonna happen to you.

We just wanna talk to
your boys. Where are they?

I don't know.

(DOOR CLOSING)
Don't let her move.

(SWITCHBLADE CLICKING)

Hey, wait, wait, wait! You
sure Ma's gonna be all right?

Yeah. You heard
'em. They want us.

Here, put this on.
You're gonna freeze.

Look, I'm gonna go back and I'm
gonna make sure that she's okay.

You stay out of sight. Okay.

And out of trouble.
You understand?

Right. Go on.

(SIGHING)

They're gone.

Tell 'em if they're
smart, they'll stay gone.

Hold it, Raymond.

Let me tell you something.

You touch either one of my
boys and I will kill you myself.

They're busy,
Father. Get off of me!

What are you doing here? I want
you to call off your strong-arms.

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

The Galvan brothers made
open threats against my father.

We have the right
to protect ourselves.

You sent him after them!

They're just boys!

Don't you read the paper? Even
ten year olds are packing guns.

Look. Hasn't there
been enough killing?

Put it away, Raymond.

Raymond, put it away!

I promise you.

There'll be no more violence.

Explain yourself.

Hey, it's known as putting
the fear of God into them.

You got a problem with that?

I mean, either one of them could
get crazy enough to take a shot at you.

And even if they don't,
what happens to our honor

if we let them go
around badmouthing us?

Honor?

Where does a drug dealer
get off talking about honor?

Get out there and call
your hoods off. Now!

Before it's too late.

MAN: Take it. Find it.
Find it. Go! Go! Yeah!

(CHEERING)

(PHONE RINGING)

Church of Saint Julian.
How can I help you?

FRANK: This is your father.
I want to come and see you.

Why?

I want to speak to my priest.

I want to confess my sins.

Can I come in an hour?

An hour?

Yes, I'll be here.

I thought you had gone home.

I was waiting for a phone call.

So, you're

gonna really let it
all hang out, huh?

I have to make my peace

with God and with my son.

You think either one
of them'll forgive you?

They'll have to decide
that for themselves.

Raymond, I gave you
everything you ever asked for,

love, money,

and what did you give me?

Shame and contempt.

God help me.

Tonight I finally
looked into myself

and I hated what I saw.

Ah, who knows?

Maybe, in the few years I have left,
I'll be able to make it up to Michael.

What I'm sure of is that I
want you out of my sight

and out of my life.

When you go,

leave your key.

(PRAYING IN SPANISH)

Bless me, Father,
for I have sinned.

(FRANK YELLING)

(GASPING)

(COUGHING)

(PANTING)

Michael...

Forgive me, Michael,

for I have sinned.

(GASPING)

(SPEAKING SPANISH)

Amen.

(DOOR OPENING)

Michael.

I heard about it on the radio.

Are you all right?

He died trying to make
his peace with God.

We were gonna meet
in the confessional,

but I got an
emergency sick call.

When I got here,

he was dying.

Father Michael,

when were you last in
the confessional booth,

the one that your
father would have used?

Uh, about 7:00 in the evening.

What's going on?

It was a heart
attack, wasn't it?

Um, could you give me a minute?

Mrs. Fletcher.

Do you remember seeing
that stain at 7:00 p.m.?

MICHAEL: No.

All right. We'll get a
sample and send it to the lab.

Thanks, Father.

What was that all about?

I think it's occurred to
Sergeant Davis that your father

may not have died
of natural causes.

TONY: Mrs. Fletcher.

Tony, no.

Give me that gun. Look,
just stay away from me.

Look, you're only going to
make things much worse!

Maybe, but I need protection.

Listen to me. Frank
Fernandez died 45 minutes ago,

right here in this church.

He died? Or was murdered.

How long have you been here?

DAVIS: It wasn't a heart attack
that killed Frank Fernandez.

Look, this is off
the record for now,

but we hit pay
dirt with the stain.

The lab managed to
isolate traces of a couple

of alkaloid poisons from
plants that grow in Jamaica.

The Lobel Leaf
and Anacycla Wolfia.

Would you happen to
know anything about 'em?

No. Only that in
combination they're lethal,

and inhaled as a vapor,

they quickly paralyze
the respiratory system.

And that the symptoms
resemble a heart attack.

Yeah.

And according to the lab guys,
they're virtually untraceable in the body.

Now, another thing.

Both plants can be bought
at the Galvan's store.

Oh, but I'm sure it's
sold in other plant stores.

Sure, but how many of 'em you figure
have two sons and an employee missing?

Ruth Nelson.

Plus José and Tony.

Now, Raymond told us that
his old man only made the date

with Father Michael about
a hour before he died.

Well, then how could
any of them have known

that Frank Fernandez
was gonna be there?

Come on, Mrs. Fletcher.

They could've had him staked
out and followed him to the church.

Tell me something.

Was exotic poisons ever one of
the topics in your extension class?

Well, for the past several weeks,
yes. I'd talked about poisons

in general. Well,
the lab tells me

there are a half dozen
books that cover poisons

pretty thoroughly. Did you happen
to mention any one book specifically?

Yes. The Toxic
Handbook by Milner.

It's available in the
university library.

Thank you very much,
Mrs. Fletcher. I'll be in touch.

Michael.

I brought you a gift.

For your church.

$25,000.

In memory of our father.

I can't accept this.

What, are you crazy?

This could help you save some
kids from the streets, for God's sake.

Raymond, I know
where this comes from.

It wouldn't be right.

You're making a
big mistake, padre.

Maybe.

So our father dies in
your own confessional

and you won't even
accept a tribute to him.

Is this this Christian forgiveness
you people are so famous for?

Christian forgiveness?
No, it isn't, Raymond.

But I'm afraid there are
some things I can't forgive!

Fine.

(DOOR CLOSES)

Yeah, over there.

Sergeant Davis?

Could I speak to
you for a minute?

Of course. Come in, Mrs. Galvan.

Father Michael said that you were
looking for Joe and Tony in church today.

That's right. Did
they come home?

No.

He also told me that last night
you thought maybe Fernandez

didn't have a heart attack.

Today we got proof
that he was murdered.

What does that have
to do with my sons?

Well, I don't know yet.

But Tony was seen at the
church just after the murder

and José may have had
access to... Excuse me.

I had my people check out a
book over at the university library.

A book that Mrs. Fletcher recommended
to her mystery-writing students.

It's called The Toxic Handbook
and it describes exactly

the kind of poisons that
killed Frank Fernandez.

According to this,

the only one of her students
whoever signed it out

was your son, José.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Galvan, I'm
gonna have to put out an APB.

Well, that won't be necessary.

That's what I came
here to tell you.

While José had that book at
home, I made some notes from it.

I killed Frank Fernandez.

Jessica, I'm so
glad you're here.

I don't know what to do.

They picked up José
early this morning.

Listen, Maria, what you
tried to do was very brave.

But not very smart.

When Sergeant Davis asked me what
poisons I had used, I could only guess

and I was wrong.

Well, have you spoken to José?

Yes. He'd been hiding out

in a bus-barn over in the Bronx.

Oh.

But he swears he hasn't
been near that church.

Did anyone see him
the night of the murder?

Not that he knows of.

But he insists he never checked
that book out of the library.

But according to the
police, he signed for it.

Unless... Excuse me, Maria.

What is it, Jessica?

LIBRARIAN: I've got the sign-out
sheet right here, Mrs. Fletcher.

But I thought the
students used library cards.

Well, you know these kids.

Sometimes they
forget their cards,

so we allow them to
sign for the books instead.

Here we go. José Galvan.

That's what I showed the police.

Do you recall
seeing him sign it?

No, not really.

We get hundreds of
students a day in here.

Any one of us could
have handled this.

But if a student
didn't have a card,

you'd want to check to
see that he was registered?

That's right. Galvan.

(BEEPING)

There he is.

Oh, so he is.

Thank you.

Oh, just one other thing.

Um, would you happen to
know if The Toxic Handbook

has been returned?

We'll know in a minute.

Yes, it has.

May I borrow it?

I have my card.

Jessica,

Ruth has told me
something in confidence.

I can't repeat it, of course.

But I've persuaded her
to at least speak with you.

Ruth?

I knew it was in
him to do something,

and I begged him not to.

He promised.

Mrs. Fletcher, I was in the church the
night Frank Fernandez was murdered.

I can't... I...

Ruth.

Whether or not you
say any more to me,

the police are certainly
going to want to question you.

I mean, you can
refuse to cooperate.

You can lie. But for how long?

Mrs. Fletcher, I...

I saw everything.

I saw the murder.

And I saw who did it.

It was José.

Oh...

I don't believe it.
His own fiancée?

Maria, I hate to say this,
but things seem to be going

from bad to worse.

Now, she admits that
she never saw his face.

So why does she think it was
José? What are you saying?

Well, according to Ruth, the
killer was wearing José's jacket.

You know, the Saint Julian jacket
with the "I" missing on the back.

Now, I saw Tony wearing that
jacket not long after the murder.

Jessica, are you telling me that you
think Tony killed Frank Fernandez?

Oh, of course not.
All I'm trying to say is

that it's unfortunate that
they're both under suspicion.

Oh, God in heaven, this is
worse than my worst nightmare.

Look, Maria, I don't... I don't
want to get your hopes up,

but things may not be
as bad as they seem.

Tell me,

you carry the Lobel and the
Anacycla Wolfia, don't you?

The Lobel... Yeah, it's there.

And I have the Anacycla
over by the ferns.

Ruth found exporters for
both when she was in Jamaica.

What does that have
to do with anything?

Look, is it possible that
you could identify someone

who might have
purchased it here recently?

No, it's too inexpensive
and common.

We don't keep records.

Well, what about the
other plant stores?

The same. TONY: Ma!

Ma?

I just heard! Is it true?
They arrest José?

Tony, I want the truth.

Did you kill Frank Fernandez?

Me? Hell, no!

I wanted to.

But nobody would sell me
any bullets for that stupid gun.

Tony, have you been
wearing that jacket all the time?

Yeah, why?

No, forget it. All of you.

Look, I've got Ruth's
statement that she saw José.

José cannot account for his
whereabouts at the time of death.

He hated Fernandez
for killing his father

and he learned all about poisons
in your class, Mrs. Fletcher.

The only thing I don't
have is a confession.

And that's just
a matter of time.

That's it, Sergeant!

What? What's it?

Confession.

Sergeant, Frank Fernandez
was poisoned in the confessional.

But he died outside it,
in the church, proper.

Yeah. So?

Yeah, but the newspaper reports never
said anything about the confessional.

Oh, that's right. We never
give all the details to the press.

Then, it couldn't have been
José that Ruth saw that night.

DAVIS: Well, wait a minute.

Sergeant, I think I know
who committed the murder.

RAYMOND: I've gotta
hand it to you, Sergeant.

You nailed José
Galvan in record time.

Now, what can I do for you?

Well, Ray, Mrs. Fletcher
thinks she's got an insight or two.

I didn't think you'd mind
if she ran 'em past you.

Like I said, I think it's high time we
got this community back together.

Anyone care for a drink?

No, thank you.

Oh, I think that the
community will be celebrating,

Mr. Fernandez.

After you're behind bars
for the murder of your father.

Wait a minute. This is
some kind of joke, right?

No.

Unfortunately, it's not.

You concocted a rather
elaborate plot to kill your father

and frame José Galvan.

Get her out of here.

Put a sock in it, Raymond.
She's just getting into it.

JESSICA: You relied on
two things to frame José.

First, there was the
jacket José always wore,

the one with the missing letter.

The second element was my writing
class, in which José was enrolled.

You're reaching, Mrs. Fletcher.

Am I?

You knew we'd been researching
various methods of murder,

including the use of
deadly exotic poisons,

the kind that are
difficult to trace.

And how would I have known that?

By dating one of my students,

Denise Dillard,

who was terribly flattered by
your interest in her and her writing

and didn't realize
your sole purpose

was to stay on top of the
subjects that we were covering.

Based on what she told
you, you went to the library

and signed out The
Toxic Handbook.

But you signed as José Galvan.

And that was your first mistake.

I remembered that he never
used José on any of his papers.

Galvan.

Signing his work with the
pen-name Joseph Galvan.

José had anglicized his name.

Which still has
nothing to do with me.

It might not have except that
you pointed the finger at yourself.

The police hadn't
revealed that your father

was poisoned in
the confessional.

But when you talked to
Michael in the gym, you knew it.

So our father dies in
your own confessional

and you won't even
accept a tribute to him?

Only the killer would have been under
the impression that that's where he died.

And we fished this
out of your car trunk

along with a briefcase
full of cocaine.

Hey, man, that's illegal
search and seizure and...

Don't worry, we've
got a warrant.

The jacket was
your second mistake.

It's a duplicate of José's,

down to the missing
"I" in "Julian."

You wore it when you
murdered your father.

What you couldn't have
known was that, that night

José had given the
jacket to his brother Tony.

It's all... It's all circumstantial
and you know it.

Besides, why would
I kill my own father?

Because you knew
that, sooner or later,

he'd admit that it was you who
had murdered Roberto Galvan.

Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! You're
one crazy lady, you know that?

Your father couldn't
be retried for it

but his testimony
could convict you.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute. There's
no way that you can prove that I did this.

Yeah, but we don't have to
prove that you killed Galvan.

Forensics found your prints
all over The Toxic Handbook.

You're goin' down for
your father's murder.

Roberto Galvan

found out I was dealing
drugs and came to my house.

Threatened to go to the cops

if I didn't stop.

I went after him to scare
him off, but he started arguing.

That's when I did it.

With your father's gun.

Yeah, yeah.

He said he'd protect me.

But I knew that
there were limits.

A man who was willing to
spend the rest of his life in prison

just to save your
worthless butt.

You're a hell of a son, Raymond.

MICHAEL: How's the
press release coming?

It's all done.

I'll get it copied.

Since Maria took over as my campaign
manager, things have been going great.

Ma, we need some more envelopes.

You know, there's one thing that
worries me about all this, Michael.

What's that? Well,
when you're elected,

it'll make you even less
believable as a fictitious character!