Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996): Season 9, Episode 17 - The Big Kill - full transcript

You're not going
out in this, are you?

"The sea's impassable.
Unable to round Humber Point..."

He's an arms dealer, a
middleman, and he can be deadly.

The rendezvous this
time is play or pay.

We book half a dozen
orders, Ward'll get us that loan.

A lot of good it'll do
us if we're doing time

for smuggling
embargoed armaments.

I don't think I can do that.

Have you heard the latest about
Eve Simpson and Martin Fraser?

Are you gonna let
him get away with that?

Half the people in this town



look upon me as
some sort of villain.

A real nor'easter.

We got no business
casting off in one of these.

Save it. Give me a hand.

Night like this, we'll be lucky
to get past the breakwater

without running aground.

Nobody's bending
your arm, old man.

Get rid of him.

Henry! Here.

Here, here, let me give
you a hand with that.

You're not going
out in this, are you?

They've got small-craft warnings
posted up and down the coast.

HENRY: It's cod
weather, Sheriff.

Nothing those puppies like better
than to take shelter in my nets.



(BOTH LAUGHING)

METZGER: I'm sure glad
it's not me going out there.

Yeah. Watch yourself.

There.

Yeah.

Finally got that new bilge
pump. Just in time, too.

We'll be shipping a
lot of water tonight.

You give my best to Adele.

Right.

Hey, you be careful
out there, Henry.

You don't wanna miss a
chance to win back your 50 bucks.

You keep drawing those
straights, it's never gonna happen.

That's not your problem, Henry.

Pulling on your earlobe every
time you bluff, that's your problem.

Good night, now.

Good night, now.

Let's get this show on the road.

Nobody ever said
anything about guns.

He's right, Shannon.

The last thing we
need is violence.

I don't recall you telling me
anything about getting this done

only if I feel like it.

Don't argue. Just do it.

Let me give you a
little advice, Mr. Bentall.

This lobster jockey,
you better watch him.

He's gonna get us
all thrown in the joint.

He's not the one
who worries me, Phil.

(HAMMERING)

(DRILL WHIRRING)

JESSICA: Seth, can you hear me?

Seth, I've got two
new leaks down here.

SETH: I know that, Jessica.

Doesn't get there till it's gone
down my shirt and through my shoes.

Whoa! That is one
doozy of a storm.

And it's only the
beginning of the season.

At this rate, we may all
float away before it's over.

Listen, Mrs. Fletcher, I'm
really grateful for the work.

Oh, Russell, that's
not necessary.

I don't think I or Seth
could've managed without you.

Well, it's much appreciated.

I guess there's no need to tell
you how slim things have been

since they laid us off.

Yes, I know.

It's an ill wind
that doesn't blow.

Hello? Oh!

Hello?

Hello, there.

Oh, my goodness! What happened?

Well, I lost some
shingles in the night,

and the place is
leaking like the Titanic.

Do me a favor and
empty that, will you, dear?

Uh-huh. Thanks.

Russell. Eve.

Oh, I'm sorry to come at such a
bad time, but my phone went out.

Well, I'd love to chat,
but I've got my hands,

and anything
else I can find, full.

I've also got to go over
these students' papers.

And I'm late on a set of
revisions for my editor.

Russell and you,
is that because...

Martin Fraser.

Oh, lord knows he hated
having to lay all those people off.

I think they blame him
for the whole recession.

Martin is why I'm here.

(THUD)

Seth, are you
all right up there?

Well, I'm... Course I'm...

Of course I'm all right.

Eve!

What are you doing
here on a day like this?

You're both invited for
dinner on Wednesday.

Martin's coming
back from Europe.

I'm busy.

Oh, Seth, Seth.

Martin is really such a
special kind of a man.

(LAUGHS SARCASTICALLY)

(COUGHS)

(GRUNTING) Here, here, here. No.

Uh-oh. You did hurt
yourself, didn't you?

Well, it's nothing, really.
It's just a little twinge.

I'll take a couple of aspirin
and call myself in the morning.

There's a wonderful new
chiropractor over in Bar Harbor.

Dr. Albright.

I'll make an
appointment for you.

Chiropractor?

I'd rather eat broken glass.

Well, I'll run along.

Perhaps shuffle.

(SIGHS)

MARTIN: A piece
of cake, you said.

All the arrangements
for the financing

were supposed to be in
place by the time I got back.

And you were supposed to
give me something to work with.

Something besides smoke.

Brian tells me you've had the
drawings and the mock-ups for 10 days.

What the hell have
you been doing?

Martin, banks are not in the
business of giving $20 million loans

on drawings and mock-ups.

(DOOR OPENS)

Maybe they should...

Excuse me, Martin.
You said you wanted to

see these as soon
as they came in.

From the Pentagon.
Response to our proposals.

Good news?

Negative, I'm afraid.

They say there is no
money for new projects.

And you wonder why they value
your inventory of missile hardware

at only ten cents on the dollar.

You think I'm not trying?

Martin,

I think you're just another
one-track military-industrial-complexer

who's hoping for a
rerun of the Cold War.

And I've got a bulletin for
you, it's over and done with.

And so is Pantechnics
unless you get serious.

Serious?

(SCOFFS)

A marketable version of
our underwater survey system

is just around the corner.

We've got damn near all the
bugs worked out of the prototype.

The Japanese are on the phone
with me every other day about our...

Martin, you're talking to me.

Look at this place. You've
got about eight employees left

and a warehouse full of missile
guidance systems nobody wants,

and I've got my reputation
at risk back on Wall Street,

a situation that's
about to change.

Wait, wait. Brian, hand
me those drawings.

Carl, we're gonna be testing
this equipment Saturday

on the company
boat off Cabot Cove.

I'd like you to be there.

All right. I'll be
there, Martin.

But I want you to
understand something.

It had better be a wild success

because it's your
last shot with me.

Fair enough.

Martin, what in the hell
do you think you're doing?

My job.

Which is more than
can be said for you.

How could you have
missed the pickup?

Oh, for the love of...

This is not home
delivery we're talking here.

That storm the other night is one of the
worst they've had in the last two years.

As it was, our man
almost lost his boat,

not to mention his
life, off Humber Point.

Brian, we're talking
about our survival,

our only source of cash
flow till we procure that loan.

Now, if you're starting to
lose your nerve on me...

It's taken care of.

I spoke to Kurtz.

I'm arranging another rendezvous
and another messenger.

The fisherman bailed out on us.

But that's the least
of my worries, isn't it?

There's no way I can
have this prototype

up and running by
Saturday and you know it.

You heard of life or
death, my friend? Hmm?

Well, this is it.
Our last chance.

You've got to get it working.

We book half a dozen
orders, Ward'll get us that loan.

A lot of good it'll do
us if we're doing time

for smuggling
embargoed armaments.

(HENRY GRUNTING)

Hey, kiddo. What's new
in the travel business?

You went out in that storm.

Yeah.

Daddy, what's the
matter with you?

You... You could
have got yourself killed.

I've been at this a
few years, Sarah.

Yeah. I remember them.

And you telling me about
all those friends that you lost

in weather just like that.

Well, I didn't stay out long.
I'm not a total fool, honey.

Oh, I... I've got
something for you.

$1000?

Daddy, where did you get this?

Ah, poker games,
fishing. Been saving up.

Dad, I... I can't.

Yeah, you can. Take it.

You know, you can pay me
back, well, when business picks up.

Thanks.

Get outta here.
I got work to do.

Yeah. You take care of yourself.

(PHONE RINGING)

Metzger.

Oh, hi, Henry.

I guess that new bilge pump
worked pretty good, huh?

(STAMMERING) Ah, no,
yeah. No... No problem.

Mort, I gotta talk to you.

It's... It's important.

All right, I'll be right
over. You at home?

No, no, later, about
8:00. Down at the boat.

Riddett, let's have a few words.

Hang in there, we'll
get you outta here.

Lady, you're killing me. Will
you please move it over there?

Back it up and let
her in there, will you?

Nobody's going anywhere.

Why don't we just have
a nice little picnic here?

(CAR HONKING)

It's all up to you now, lady.

SETH: Please, give me one of
them. People are gonna see this.

No, Seth. I'm not letting
you carry anything.

Look, it makes me
ache just to look at you.

Now, when are you gonna make
the appointment with the chiropractor?

Oh, don't start with me, Jess.

In a couple of days,
it'll be as good as new.

It only hurts when I stand
up, sit down, or lie down.

What in the world
is going on here?

Come on, here. Let's
get it moving here, okay?

(CAR HONKING)

Throw everybody out of work, but they
can still buy themselves fancy boats, huh?

Theo, we'll talk
economics later.

Let me try to get this thing
outta here, will you, please?

Give me a hand. Come on,
Alex, just follow him, will ya?

Stay close to him.
Stay close to him.

Hold it, hold it...
Lady, please!

Will you please move it over?

Okay, hold it. Okay, Mr. Nielsen,
you wanna bring it on through?

Sheriff, I really do apologize
for this problem, you know.

I know.

Hold it right there.
Come on, move it along.

Jessica. Hello, Martin.

Eve.

Oh, hi.

Tell me, Martin, this
dog and pony show...

Seth...

you figure it will bring your company's
stock up off the floor, do you?

I honest to God hope so, Seth.

Seth, Martin is doing his best.

Yeah. I just hope that other
people know what they're doing, too.

JESSICA: Seth, we
really have to get back.

I've gotta get back to work.

HELEN: And the caterers
want a check for the full amount.

They were demanding cash,
but I talked them out of it.

Helen, I don't even want to
contemplate what I'd do without you.

I'll just run upstairs
and get a check.

Eve! Would you get Helen
whatever she wants, please?

Oh...

I don't think I can do that.

No, you can't.

Martin told me about you.

Did he tell you about himself?

Oh, Helen, I don't
blame you for being bitter.

Here we are, Helen.
And thanks for everything.

Henry!

Henry!

(ENGINE RUNNING)

(COUGHS)

Henry!

Henry!

(COUGHING)

Henry!

Henry!

(COUGHING)

(ENGINE STOPS)

Oh, Henry.

SETH: So, I'd say poor Henry
died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

When he was
overcome by the fumes,

he probably fell
hard on his head,

which would account for
the severe cranial injuries.

Well, that exhaust manifold
could've been leaking

for some time
without him knowing it.

Risky thing, that.

You know, the same thing happened
to my Aunt Hilda when I was a boy.

Remember my
telling you that, Jess?

Her furnace vent got clogged up.

Well, you can't
smell it, can you?

Poor old dear went down to the
basement and never came up again.

Took three strong men
to haul her back upstairs.

And at the time he called,
Henry sounded really worried.

By the by, Sheriff,
did you ever explain

why all the cabinets
on the boat were open?

Well, he must've been
looking for something.

Sarah said she can't
find his logbook. Hmm.

Excuse me, Sheriff,
could you get up a minute?

Ah, there it is. Thanks.

Of course, we can't account for the
elephant footprints on the dock, either,

can we, Mrs. F?

Hmm?

Oh, no, Sheriff. I suppose not.

Jess, have you got
a fever or something?

Normally you'd be all over
the Sheriff on a case like this.

I'm sorry, but between the
leakings and the hammerings

and the revisions
and the corrections...

The boys are almost done
on the roof, Mrs. Fletcher.

It should hold you
enough for 20 years.

Oh, thank goodness for that.

Then there won't be
any more hammering?

Well, not quite.

Still have to fix a couple of
loose joists up in the attic.

Looks like somebody dropped
a steamer trunk up there.

(COUGHING) Yes, well...

Thanks for the breakfast, Jess.

I think I'd better run along.

(GROANING)

You know, bacon fat would
help that back of yours, Doc.

My grandma swore by it.

Bacon? Didn't you ever
hear of cholesterol, Sheriff?

I'm not talking about eating it.

You rub it into the sore spot.

And you call yourself a doctor.

Oh, if I could
stand up straight,

you would regret
that last remark.

And molasses. Back
in the old country,

my grandma cured a lumbago
epidemic practically overnight.

Lumbago epidemic? Mmm-hmm.

And what old country was
that, may I ask? Glocca Mora?

METZGER: Oh, that's good.

WARD: Mr. Shannon? Yeah.

I'm Carl Ward.

I'm doing a financial analysis
of Pantechnics Corporation.

So?

Anybody ever tell you
you'd be easier to find

if you were in the Yellow Pages?

What do you want, Mr. Ward?

Information on some payments
that Pantechnics made to you recently.

Three separate occasions.
For shipping services?

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

Here's a photocopy
of the checks.

What I find confusing is that

Pantechnics has an
exclusive arrangement

with Carey Trucking
out of Bridgeton.

Why were you hired, Mr. Shannon?

I've got work to do.

Adios.

Yeah, it's Shannon. Who's
this Ward character that just left?

You said nobody's gonna
know about this deal.

Hey, man, I'm stuck with all these
drums from Riddett's boat down here

with no place to put 'em.

No, pal, you listen to me.

If the Feds even
get one whiff of this,

I'm looking at hard
time in Leavenworth.

If you can't cover my
butt, pal, I'll do it myself.

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

As you're well aware, Mr. Tokuda,
we've been photographing

the ocean floor for decades now,

but this is the first successful
application of imaging technology

to read deep beneath
the crust itself.

I understand your plan for
Saturday has changed, Mr. Fraser.

We are to be treated to an
actual working demonstration

of your prototype.

You understand correctly,
so have your checkbook ready.

Oh, Eve, darling.

Eve Simpson, I'd like you to
meet Mr. Risaburo Tokuda.

He's with Yosenabe
Heavy Industries.

Oh, what a pleasure
to meet you. Eve.

Think about a Comstock lode
1000 fathoms deep, Herr Bruch.

Our system will save billions
in developmental financing.

No guesswork. It'll give it all to
you on your computer screen.

Undersea mineral deposits,
their depth, purity, everything.

Well, I sure hope you've
got someone to take the heat

in case this thing lays
an egg, Mr. Bentall.

It'll work, Sheriff. Bet on it.

Oh, you're a gambling man?

I enjoy a game now and then.

Well, I happen to have a little
group that meets on Thursdays,

if you care to join
us. 8:00? My place?

Tomorrow night?
Sure. Thanks, Sheriff.

I'll try and brush up on
my probability calculus.

Probability calculus?

It's a sell-a-thon, Jess.

Martin Fraser and a couple
of his corporate henchmen

trying desperately to
save a dying company.

Seth, I think this underwater
survey system is a wonderful idea.

And I've never seen
Eve look so happy.

Yes. It's a case of love
causing severely impaired vision,

to say nothing of judgment.

Oh, there's Jessica.

Hello. JESSICA: Eve. Martin.

Jessica, Seth.

Sorry to hear
about Henry Riddett.

I understand he was a
dear friend to you both.

Yes, he was, and
we're gonna miss him.

Jessica, I don't suppose
you get to spend much time

in Cabot Cove these days.

As much as I can. It'll
always be home to me.

It's a wonderful place to
recharge your batteries.

Isn't that the truth?

I've put Martin on notice that I will
never completely leave this town.

Too many friends to leave
behind here if we moved away.

Excuse me. Another guest.

There were reasons why
you weren't invited, you know.

I forgive the oversight.

I want to congratulate you on the
way you handled the Riddett matter.

What are you talking about?

Don't be shy, Fraser.

The man had become a liability.

Are you crazy, Kurtz?
The man died accidentally.

As you wish.

But his death raises the
question of what arrangements

you are making to
meet our timetable.

Brian told you,
we're dealing with it.

Now I think it really
would be best...

I warn you, Fraser.

The ship must be met
and the goods transferred.

The rendezvous this
time is play or pay.

Excuse me, I have some
friends I want you to meet, darling.

Could I borrow him
for just a moment?

Of course.

MARTIN: Stop the tap
dancing and get to it, huh?

All right, Martin, I will.
I'm onto your game.

I figured out what
you're attempting to do

with that inventory of
embargoed guidance components.

I'd hoped we'd been more clever.

But then given the carte
blanche I was forced to give you,

I suppose it was
just a matter of time.

Give me credit for a
little ingenuity, Martin.

It was very well concealed.

I presume your purpose was
to provide interim cash flow

until the bank
loan came through.

(SIGHS)

Which I suppose
is a dead issue now.

Not necessarily.

You wanted me to get to
the point. Here it is, Martin.

I want one-third of
whatever you realize.

And if I refuse, the loan
disappears, is that it?

It gets worse.

Interested federal
agencies will be informed.

Are you gonna let
him get away with that?

Do I have a choice?

(GROANS)

METZGER: Make it
easy on you. Three.

I'm out.

You three, raise you three.

No.

No, too rich for my blood.

Well, I will see your raise,

and I will raise you five.

What's the matter, Brian?
You need a calculator?

Real men can afford to be gracious
when they're winning, Sheriff.

Well, you should've reminded
yourself of that last week, Doc.

I'm gonna be hearing about
this card by card all day tomorrow.

SETH: Oh, yeah?

Call.

Full house. Aces over tens.

(ALL GROANING)

(WHOOPING)

Well, I guess you don't
have to be an Einstein

to play this game
after all, huh?

That's for sure.

Oh, good idea, Brian. You call
your answering machine again.

See if Amarillo Slim left
you any of his secrets.

Maybe he did.

METZGER: Okay, gentlemen.
It's gonna be a little five-card draw.

Jacks or better. Ante up.

My luck's about to change.

You got a hunch, bet a bunch,

but luck has
nothing to do with it.

Isn't there a city ordinance
that punishes bad winners?

Can I help, Martin, hmm?

I wish you could, sweetheart.

Maybe another one of
these would do the trick.

Isn't there something
we might talk about

that might help you unwind?

Apart from the marine
survey systems?

Oh, we could talk about me about to
lose everything I've built for ten years.

Martin.

And we could talk
about the people,

the engineers with a
Volvo and a mortgage.

(GROANS)

I'm sorry.

Let's face it, huh?

Saying I'm rotten
company tonight

would be a massive
understatement.

I'll just take you home and
then I'll brood by myself.

No, no. You're not
gonna take me home.

Hi, there.

Either of you fellows
seen Carl Ward,

the guy driving that
car parked up there?

No. Ain't been nobody
around this morning.

Thanks.

(COUGHING)

Oh, my God.

Trust me, Martin. It still won't
interfere with our plans for Saturday.

Listen, I've gotta go.

I'll be in as soon as I can.

Good morning, Mrs. F.

I figured you'd be too
distracted to come down here.

Well, I'm just taking
a post office break.

Another accident?

If that's what it was.

Two in less than a week, almost
the same. Surprising, if you ask me.

Henry Riddett, you
mean? How similar is it?

Blow to the head, CO
poisoning, leaky exhaust?

Some memory.

Now, I could have sworn you
weren't listening to a word that day.

So could I, Sheriff.

Any elephant
footprints this time?

Well, not that I...
She's sneaky, Sheriff.

You still haven't
answered my question.

Similar? Very.

Practically
identical, I'd call it,

right down to the
wounds on the heads.

Except for Mr. Ward's
bruised wrist.

Two murders?

Basically the same MO.

Except that in Henry's case,
theft might have been involved.

Ah, that's right. It might
not have been Henry

who was looking for
whatever on his boat.

Well, any idea
when this happened?

Mmm, I'd say somewhere
between 7:00 and 10:00 last night.

We'll have a better fix
when the coroner's finished.

Thing is, why would someone kill a
fisherman and an investment banker?

I mean, where's the connection?

And apparently try to steal
something from the fisherman.

What's going on, Sheriff?

Are you saying this is a murder?

Well, it's possible.

Any notions why Mr. Ward would
be on your company boat last night?

I haven't the foggiest.

He knew we were readying
the new survey system

for a demonstration
run on Saturday, but...

That electronic gear. Maybe
he came down to check on it,

make sure it was
in working order.

Sheriff, I've only
installed a small part of it.

The heart of the system is under
lock and key back at Pantechnics.

Carl knew that.

Perhaps he was
supposed to meet someone.

And the appointment
turns out to be the killer.

He hits Ward, shoves him
in the engine compartment,

switches it on and asphyxiates
him with the exhaust fumes.

I don't know, Sheriff. I
mean, it still doesn't explain

those bruises on
Mr. Ward's wrist,

and it seems a rather
cumbersome way to kill someone.

I mean, why not a gun
or a knife or strangulation?

Could be a candidate
for the record books

under "Odd Ways
to Commit a Murder."

Record books.

Seth, would you mind dropping
these off at the post office?

They're my
student's papers. Yes.

Right. Okay.

Uh-huh. Until midnight.

And your mother
will confirm that?

It's the best I can do,
Sheriff. I was there all evening.

Okay, Mr. Fraser, now you.

Well, I'm afraid I can't back an
account of my whereabouts, Sheriff.

I worked late. Left the
office about 1:00 a.m.

This $20 million loan that Carl
was trying to arrange for you,

what was the money
gonna be used for?

R and D. Research
and Development.

We plan to develop a line
of products for civilian use.

Well, the report that the victim
filed with his people in New York,

he didn't feel you had a plan.

And I've gotta tell
you, Mr. Fraser,

there's a lot of people here in
Cabot Cove who feel the same way.

Well, they're sadly
mistaken, aren't they?

I've put my lifeblood
into this company,

but I'm not
about to let it fail.

Even if it costs a
few people their lives?

Wrong, Sheriff. And I'll
tell you something else.

Carl Ward was my
conduit to that money.

Dead, he's no good
to me or Pantechnics.

Come on, Helen, I think we've taken
up enough of the good Sheriff's time.

METZGER: Hey, Mr. Fraser.

Don't take it personally.

Oh, but I do,

'cause I don't think this is
about just those two killings.

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

In spite of my investment here,

you, Dr. Hazlitt, half
the people in this town

look upon me as
some sort of villain,

an outsider who
can't be trusted.

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

Oh, Jess, those coroner's
reports you wanted.

(GROANS)

Oh, Seth, I should have come
over to your office. Sit down, please.

I'd rather stand
if you don't mind.

Okay.

(CLEARING THROAT)

Well, he confirms that both deaths
were due to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Just as you suspected.

Clever fellow, that coroner.

Except that Carl Ward appears
to have been hit on the head

an hour or two before he died.

CO poisoning works
pretty fast, doesn't it?

Yeah.

Aunt Hilda went off in
a couple of moments,

poor old girl.

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

Jessica, it came in
this morning's mail.

Hello, Seth.

Sarah.

You've got to tell me how you knew
Daddy would send me a package.

I didn't. It was just a hunch.

Your father's logbook
and his nautical charts.

May I? Of course.

But why would Daddy
send them to me?

I guess that he might
have sent them to you

to prevent them from getting
into someone else's hands.

Possibly the person or
persons who searched his boat.

Are you saying that my
father knew he might be killed?

I'm afraid it looks more
and more that way, Sarah.

Now, here it is. The
night of the storm.

"21:00 hours, cast off
from Cabot Cove dock.

"Full load of merchandise
from New Seaford."

Merchandise?

"23:42 hours, sea's impassable.

"Unable to round Humber Point.

"Turning back for Cabot Cove."

Humber Point. That's not
where he goes for codfish.

Hang on.

Yeah, could you give
me the telephone number

of the coast guard
in Portland, please?

The Aurora Discoverer?

Yes, a container
ship, 12,000 tons.

Liberian registry.

Departed Boston on the 17th.

Mmm-hmm. Lieutenant
Billingsley said

that it was the only ship
that passed Humber Point

in either direction
the night of the storm.

And their radar report
indicates that it stood off the point

from 9:00 p.m.
until after midnight.

Now wait a minute, am I
missing something here?

I mean, what has this
got to do with anything?

Sheriff, didn't you tell
me that Henry Riddett

was transferring something from the
back of a truck onto his fishing boat?

Yeah. A new bilge pump.

Ah-ha. Perhaps.

"Perhaps."

Now what is that supposed to
mean? It wasn't a bilge pump?

Come on, Mrs. F, give.

Did you see what was
in the back of that truck?

Fifty-five gallon fuel drums.

A plain white truck on
the dock at Cabot Cove.

Suppose it wasn't fuel.

Suppose it was something
that Henry was taking on board

to deliver to the
Aurora Discoverer.

Well, that would certainly
explain Henry's log entry

about merchandise
from New Seaford.

And it might also
explain why he was killed.

Did you happen to see the
license plate number on that truck?

No.

But I'm not all bad. I've
got the make and model.

All in all, probably
enough to run a trace.

And I think I'd
recognize the driver.

METZGER: This does
seem to be the place.

JESSICA: Mmm-hmm.

MAN: They're up
on the shelf in there.

I'll call you back.

Mr. Shannon, may
we talk to you, please?

Yeah, I'm busy.

So am I. I'm
investigating a murder.

This is Mrs. Fletcher.

What do you want?

You met Henry Riddett in Cabot
Cove the night of the storm. Why?

He needed a new
generator and I delivered it.

He said it was a bilge
pump. You wanna try again?

Judging from what
we know, Mr. Shannon,

it seems reasonable to
assume that you and he

were involved in some
sort of smuggling operation.

Hey, sometimes I get hired to
pick up fuel drums from Pantechnics,

drop 'em off at this guy's boat.

Fuel drums.

When Henry brought those
back the night of the storm,

where did you take 'em?

Who said they came
back? The last I saw of them.

You want to open
that truck, please?

Sure.

SHANNON: Satisfied?

METZGER: Thanks
for your cooperation.

Sheriff, that rope in the
truck, I've seen that before.

I think I may know
where he took them.

The Pantechnics boat.

Bingo! There must be 15 drums
full of these things down there.

Any idea who might want to
take another trip out to sea?

Mr. Fraser, you want
to tell me what this is?

It's part of a missile
guidance system.

We used to manufacture them.

You wanna tell me why your
boat's crammed full of them?

It's a mistake pure and simple.

They should be in our
warehouse at Pantechnics.

Was it a mistake, Martin?

Didn't you try to ship
these out to a freighter

five nights ago aboard
Henry Riddett's boat?

I don't think you realize
what's happening...

Before you say anything
dumb, Mr. Fraser,

I'm placing you under arrest
for the murder of Carl Ward.

And probably Henry
Riddett, too. Andy.

Now wait a minute, Mr. Fraser.

Are you trying to tell me that
there's some international bad guy

running around Cabot Cove,

and he killed Henry
Riddett and Carl Ward?

I believe so, yes.

And what's his name? Goldfinger?

Kurtz. Walter Kurtz.

Description.

Thinning brown hair,
brown eyes, about 5'10",

wears wire-rimmed glasses.

Exactly.

I'm not even gonna ask.

I saw him talking
to Martin at his party.

He's an arms dealer, a
middleman, and he can be deadly.

All right, now let's take
this from the beginning.

Your company was going belly-up,

so you decide to sell a few
million bucks' worth of missile parts

through this guy Kurtz to some
people who really shouldn't get them.

Crime number one.

That was the plan.

Only Henry never meets the ship off
Humber Point. He comes back, frightened.

You smash him over the head
and break his exhaust outlet

to make it look like an
accident. Crime number two.

I had nothing to do with that.

Then Carl Ward goes through
your books and discovers your scam.

Now did he threaten to go to the
Feds or did he want money instead?

Either way, you've
got to keep him quiet.

So he goes the same way
Henry did. Crime number three.

And you've already told me you
haven't got an alibi for either murder.

Darling, there are times when being
a gentleman just isn't worth the price.

Sheriff, Martin couldn't possibly
have killed Carl Ward or Henry Riddett.

He was with me both nights.

Till when?

Until breakfast.

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

Do I detect wheels turning?

It just annoys me
that I can't figure out

why the killer
knocked out Carl Ward

and then waited two hours before
starting the motor to asphyxiate him.

It doesn't make a whole
lot of sense, does it?

I assume it occurred to you that Eve
might be lying to protect Martin Fraser.

Oh, I don't think that she did.

I doubt that she'd make
something like that up.

I mean, it... It's...
Well, it's too personal.

These are the '90s, Mrs. F.

Now what did they do? Send
out to Portland for our lunch?

Hey, back seems a
lot better, huh, Doc?

Time is a great healer, Mort.

As a matter of fact,
I've never felt looser.

Well, isn't that
wonderful, Seth?

And high time because, you know, I
have mislaid that chiropractor's card.

(CLEARS THROAT) Oh.

That reminds me, I...
You know, I borrowed that

thinking I might have a
possible patient referral.

Oh.

How did you like Dr. Albright?

What?

Oh.

She's all right, I suppose,
if you like that sort of thing.

By the way, have you
heard the latest about

Eve Simpson and Martin Fraser?

Mrs. Pemberthy has
it on good account

that they have a love
child who's being raised

in Paris by nuns.

I tell you, gossip gets around
this town faster than a phone call.

That's it, that's it.

Seth, you have just put your
finger on the killer's modus operandi.

SETH: I have?

Yeah. Sheriff, let's go.

We're gonna have
to rustle up some help.

Ah.

BRIAN: Of course I'll do
anything I can to help, Sheriff.

You say there are some
new circumstances?

Yes. For one thing, Martin Fraser's
been cleared of both murders.

Oh, thank God.

He may have overstepped the
line with this contraband business,

but I was never convinced
he could murder anyone.

What can I do to help?

Well, I need to
find Walter Kurtz.

You suspect him?

We have reason to believe we
know how he arranged the killings.

Now is it possible for you to
contact him and set up a meeting?

I think so, yeah.

It may take some time. He
tends to be somewhat elusive.

I'll call you as
soon as I find him.

Thank you, Mr. Bentall.

BRIAN: Sheriff.

Yes?

You say you know how he did it?

Yep.

But it's kind of policy not to give
out any details, you understand.

Of course. You'll hear from me.

Oh, Miss Lewis, I wonder if I
might have a word with you?

If you wish.

I'll take that, Mr. Bentall,
if you don't mind.

Sheriff, Mrs. Fletcher.
What brings you here?

You did, Mr. Bentall.

I'm arresting you for the murders
of Carl Ward and Henry Riddett.

For crying out loud, I was
sitting two seats away from you

at a poker game at the
time that Carl was murdered.

Tell him, Mrs. F.

What better alibi than
the local sheriff himself?

But earlier in the evening, you'd
arranged to meet Mr. Ward right here.

The coroner's report indicated
that the blow you struck to his head

occurred two hours
or so before he died.

You handcuffed your
victim to the engine

and opened up the
exhaust manifold

so that when you turned
on the boat's engine,

the deadly carbon monoxide
fumes could escape.

You came back here after the
poker game to remove the handcuffs.

What you didn't know was that Ward
regained consciousness before he died.

His struggle left lacerations
and bruises on his wrist and hand,

marks that you couldn't
possibly have seen in the dark,

but were apparent
to the coroner.

Towards 10:00, with
the poker group present,

you made a phone call
on your cellular phone,

a call to a circuit board

you'd placed in
the engine housing,

which you just
removed... Maybe he did.

The board that started
the cruiser's engine

when you punched in
a code by telephone.

It'll never fly, Sheriff.

The phone company
records will show that I called

my answering machine at work.

Oh, sure. I impounded
it an hour ago.

One of my deputies knows
something about electronics.

Now he says the machine was
rigged to relay a radio signal,

and I'm sure if we examine
this gizmo real closely,

we'll find that it was
picked up right here.

You killed Carl Ward almost the
same way you murdered Henry.

With a strong alibi
for the second murder,

you assumed you'd never
be suspected for the first.

Andy.

Brian Bentall made
a full confession

to the district
attorney this morning.

Seems he had it
arranged with Kurtz

where he was gonna complete
the missile parts transfer himself

and abscond with the
money. Mmm-hmm.

So, when Carl Ward
heard about the plan,

he demanded a piece of it, and
that's when Brian decided to kill him.

It's too bad about that marine
survey system Brian invented,

because now neither
he, Helen Lewis,

or Martin Fraser are
gonna be around to enjoy it.

And I understand
that the demonstration

those Boston people
ran was a huge success.

They're buying up Pantechnics,

which will be a wonderful
boost to the local economy.

Enjoy your lunch, ladies.

Are you all right, Eve?

Oh. Oh, I'm fine, really.

It's just going to take time.

And I've... I've got
lots to keep me busy.

The office and
replanting the garden,

sorting my socks...
(JESSICA LAUGHING)

you know. Excuse me.

Eve Simpson?

(STAMMERING) Yes.

I'm sorry to disturb you. Your
office told me I could find you here.

I'm just in town for the day
and I'm looking for property

to buy in the area.

But I can see that you're
busy. Maybe some other time.

Oh, no, no, no.
Today is fine, Mr...

Wright.

Oh, yes, of course. I
should have guessed.

Ben Wright.

I'm sorry, Jessica, but you
understand. Would you excuse me?

Business before pleasure.

Oh, absolutely, Eve.

I mean, you can sort
your socks any day.