Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996): Season 9, Episode 18 - Dead to Rights - full transcript

Dana? What the
hell are you doing?

You've made millions on illegal
insider trading of Regitek stock.

This could be
connected to the murder?

Gabe, get him outta my face!

Take it easy, the both of you.

Hello, this is Mrs. Fletcher.

Don't go into your
act. Not with me.

I have never lied to you, Mrs.
Fletcher. Not once. I couldn't do that.

For once in her life, Dana
is actually telling the truth.

You are in terrible trouble.

Do you for one minute think that
any jury would hesitate to convict her?



I know I should have
a better plan, Jessica,

but I'm just gonna
take off for points south

and see what kind of
job opportunities open up.

Well, I wish you the best, Dana.

Your work has been extremely
valuable. Most of it, anyway.

Oh, well, listen, I'm sorry
about that screw-up last week.

But I've gone back over those
judging procedures for livestock

at the New Hampshire State Fair.

Good. You'd be amazed
how many letters I receive

when even little things
like that aren't accurate.

Oh, yes, I know. I spoke to Mrs.
McCurdy again and got it all straight.

I felt like such a fool
having to call her back.

(CHUCKLING)

Well, again, it's
been a real pleasure.



And good luck on
your publicity tour.

Well, thank you. Goodbye, Dana.

Oh, thank you.

(PHONE RINGING)

Hello?

Helen McCurdy, Mrs. Fletcher,
from the New Hampshire State Fair.

I've double-checked my
phone records and my files,

and I just can't find any indication
that I've ever been contacted

by Dana Ballard.

Thank you, Mrs. McCurdy.

(SIGHS)

ETHAN: I'm somewhat
embarrassed to say I haven't checked

your references
as yet, Miss Ballard.

However, they look excellent. And now that
you're in town, I'll get right into it.

(TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWING)

For whatever it's worth, there's
one I haven't had a chance to include.

Up until a week ago, I
had the pleasure of working

as a personal assistant to a
mystery novelist up in Cabot Cove.

Her name is... Cabot Cove?

You mean J.B. Fletcher?

You've been working
with Jessica Fletcher?

Do you know her?

Well, only through her
novels, which I devour.

(LAUGHING)

All I can say is that if the rest
of my employment experiences

are half as pleasant, I'm gonna
consider myself very fortunate.

You know, she seems like
such a fascinating person.

When I mentioned I was
coming in for this interview,

she said you're welcome
to call her anytime.

Oh, I'd like that very much.

Well, here's her number.

You know, it's been my ambition
to be part of the securities business

for as long as I can remember.

Well, why don't I just call
Mrs. Fletcher right now?

Oh, you know, she doesn't
take phone calls until after 3:00.

Oh, of course she'd
have a set routine.

My God, the self-discipline
that must take.

Oh, she's incredible.

Every morning, 5:00 a.m., she walks
three miles. Always the same route.

And then she has exactly four cups of
coffee before sitting down to her computer.

Fascinating.

Look, Miss Ballard, why
don't you do me a favor

and don't take any other
position without calling me?

I promise I won't, Mr. Stevens.

Morning, Mr. Stevens.
Yesterday's reports.

Hmm.

Oh, and I thought you'd like to know, I
sold Mrs. Buffum on that no-load account.

That girl, is she...
I hope so, Todd.

One more week
without an assistant

and I'm going to sink
under all this paperwork.

And my first stop is
Portland. Interview with

Terence Gideon of
Wedgewood Publications.

Isn't he the man
who hates mysteries?

Well, look at it this way, Jess.

You'll get a free dinner from one of
the hottest restaurants in New England.

Atlantis is supposed to
be absolutely fabulous.

Jessica, tell me, are
you feeling all right?

Perfect. Why do you ask?

Oh, please, don't get me wrong,
I mostly love this latest draft,

and my edits are
minimal, but I have to say,

some of your research is...

Well, it's
uncharacteristically sloppy.

Uh-oh. I was afraid
of that. Where?

Well, for instance, you have
Inspector Davidson saying

the FBI was established in 1926.

I happen to be editing a
book about the Bureau.

It was actually started in 1908.

And there are
several other places.

(HORN HONKING)

Uh-oh. There's my cab.

Look, I'm really sorry about this,
Gloria, and I take full responsibility.

Look, if you'll give me your notes on
any other mistakes that you pick up,

I will go through the entire
manuscript while I'm on the road, okay?

(PHONE RINGING)

ON ANSWERING MACHINE:
Hello, you've reached Jessica Fletcher.

I can't come to
the phone just now,

but if you leave your
name and number...

(BEEPING)

ELECTRONIC VOICE:
Record message now.

(IN UPPER CLASS ACCENT) Hello,
this is Jessica Fletcher's machine.

I'm out of town for a few days,
but I'll be picking up my messages,

so be sure to leave yours after
the beep, and I'll get back to you.

Thank you.

DANA ON ANSWERING MACHINE:
yours at the sound of the beep,

and I'll get back
to you. Thank you.

(BEEPS)

Mrs. Fletcher, this is
Ethan Stevens in Portland.

555-6750. I'd appreciate
it if you'd get back to me

at your earliest convenience.

Dana Ballard suggested
I call you. Thanks.

Now look, honey, believe me, I have no
intention of letting Baker push me around.

Well, you certainly
had me fooled.

Besides, there may
not even be a problem.

And if you're wrong, Ethan?

Okay. Okay. If I am,
then we've got some time

so I can think out our options, which
I can't do with you haranguing me.

Missy, what I need
right now is your support.

Oh, poor baby. You really
do have all the pressure.

But I don't want to have to
move to Rio or the Bahamas

or wherever we might have to go.

I like it here.

Yeah, I know.

So where is it tonight?

I made reservations
at Atlantis. 7:30.

(SIGHS)

(PHONE RINGING)

DANA ON ANSWERING MACHINE: Hello,
this is Jessica Fletcher's machine...

Mrs. Fletcher, this is Ethan
Stevens in Portland. 555-67...

SECRETARY: Good
afternoon, Ethan Stevens' office.

Hello, this is Mrs. Fletcher. May
I please speak with Mr. Stevens?

Well, we're programmed to
sell the Dynogenics common

when it reaches 14
and three-eighths,

and we're recommending a buy on the
Elton municipals as a conservative measure.

I'm sorry, Todd, I
can't deal with it now.

But you said you wanted
to... Some other time, okay?

Yes. Yes, Mrs. Fletcher. You know,
from my brief meeting with Dana,

I sensed that myself.
Yeah, definitely.

And really, Mr. Stevens, that's
almost the least of her virtues.

I can tell you quite honestly that Dana
Ballard is a truly remarkable young woman.

Well, coming from someone
like yourself, Mrs. Fletcher,

that's quite an impressive
recommendation.

Ethan, we have to talk.

(WHISPERING) In
a second, damn it.

Mrs. Fletcher, I thank you
very much for your time.

Oh, a pleasure. And by all means,
call me anytime you're in Cabot Cove.

Baker, I have done
absolutely nothing improper.

Your informant doesn't know what the
hell he's talking about and neither do you.

Let me spell it out for you.

You've made millions on illegal
insider trading of Regitek stock.

And now, you're going to the SEC
voluntarily before they come after you.

Forget it.

And tell them the truth
that it was you, you alone.

Now, you offer to give back
everything you made on the transaction,

you'll probably get no more than nine
months in a minimum security country club.

Baker, I have no intention
of doing any of this.

Shut up, Ethan.
There's another piece.

I'll buy you out.

That way, we at least give the
appearance of cleaning house.

Don't worry. I'll make
it worth your while.

The answer is go take a...

Let me put it another
way. You have 48 hours,

or I go to the Securities
Exchange Commission

and tell them I just
discovered your crimes.

And you're positively aghast that
this sort of thing has been going on

right under your nose.

Something like that, yes.

I repeat. 48 hours.

TERENCE: Au contraire, Mrs. Fletcher.
I find your books surprisingly literate.

I simply find mysteries tedious.

Cardboard,
one-dimensional characters,

whose sole function
is to service the plot.

I mean, who cares how
someone got into a locked room

and committed a murder?

(LAUGHING) Well, I certainly
appreciate your candor, Mr. Gideon,

but I really don't believe that
you have read any of my books.

What do you mean? Of
course I've read your books.

My novels are character-based. I mean,
a group of people, hopefully interesting,

in conflict with each other, who
find themselves in a situation

where a murder or
murders take place.

I mean, like you...
Mrs. Fletcher? Jessica?

Ethan Stevens.

I really enjoyed our
little chat this afternoon,

but I must say it's such a delight
to finally meet you face to face.

I mean, if I'd known that
"out of town" meant Portland,

I'd have arranged
to take you to dinner.

Mr. Stevens, I...

And this is my wife, Missy.

Hello.

My partner, Baker Lawrence.

As I said, I really appreciate
you taking the time.

Miss Ballard's certainly
gonna owe you one.

Dana Ballard?

I've already hired her.

Mr. Stevens...

Excuse me, Mrs. Fletcher. It seems
we're already late for our sitting.

You know how it is with
these trendier restaurants.

Well, for someone who doesn't
know many people in Portland,

you certainly seem to be
acquainted with the right ones.

Well, do you know that man?

Mrs. Fletcher, Ethan Stevens is one of
the town's most prominent stockbrokers.

You promised that nothing
like this would happen.

Saul, will you please...

My name has got to be
kept out of the news. Fine.

Okay. Just, please, sit
down and let's talk about this.

I can't afford to be connected with
this in any way. My future, my life...

You were saying, Mr. Gideon?

DANA: Oh, you don't have to
worry about me, Mr. Stevens.

I have enough reading and
catching up to last me to Christmas.

And Mr. Merlin's
been so helpful.

Oh, splendid. Well,
I'll look in on you later

after I take care
of some business.

Great.

It's me.

Well, we have serious problems.

About 16 million of them.

Oh, Jessica. I wasn't
expecting you so early.

Thank you, Mr. Merlin.

Anytime.

May I get you some coffee?

No, thank you. All I want is an
explanation, which I hope you can give me

before I go and
speak to Mr. Stevens.

As I said when you called,
I'm absolutely mystified.

It must be some sort
of misunderstanding.

I hope that's all it is.

I did give your
name as a reference,

but I can't understand why he'd
have thought he'd spoken to you

when he hadn't.

I suppose it's possible
he's confused, or...

Or what, Dana?

Or for some reason he's lying.

Well, since you
raise the subject,

there were a number of instances
in Cabot Cove when you lied to me,

so I think it's quite possible.

Wait a minute. I lied to you?
Jessica, I wouldn't do that.

Dana, how can you say that?

Most recently, you
purposely gave me incorrect

research on the New
Hampshire State Fair.

And then there was...
(BUZZER SOUNDING)

An orientation meeting. I
just can't afford to miss it.

Look, I feel terrible
that you think I've been

any less than 100% truthful
with you. I had no idea.

Well, I should have
brought it up at the time,

but I suppose I wanted to
believe they were simply mistakes

or oversights.

Well, I'm sure there's a
simple explanation for all of it.

And for starters, I'll talk to Mr. Stevens
and have him get back to you

before the end of
the day. All right?

Well, I'd really
appreciate that. All right.

(SIGHS)

Yeah. We've got trouble.

Tonight? But...

All right, if you say so.

Ooh, you're going to be
a good one, Miss Ballard.

I'm not sure I know what
you mean, Mrs. Stevens.

My heavens, you've really put the
whole package together, haven't you?

I've really gotta get home.

I know you do, darling.
Come along. I'll walk you out.

And while you're en route, you might
like to chew on a couple of things.

For starters, in case you're not all
ready up to speed on office gossip,

Ethan and I don't have your
basic honeymoon relationship.

Mrs. Stevens, I...

Do not, repeat,
do not be misled.

I don't know what you mean.

No. No. Don't go into
your act. Not with me.

All right. Fine, Mrs. Stevens.

You'll forgive me if I'm
a little overwhelmed,

but I assure you,
I'm here for one thing,

and that is to learn
everything I can

about the securities
and investment business.

I find that commendable, Dana.

However, while you are
absorbing it all at my husband's feet,

keep in mind that
though I may regard him

as one of the major
clowns of the western world,

he is my very own major clown.

Does he know you feel this way?

Oh, like a third-grader knows
The Pledge of Allegiance.

Well, look, I appreciate you
sharing this with me and...

I sincerely hope you do
appreciate it, Miss Ballard.

Dana? What the
hell are you doing?

No! Don't... (GROANS)

Small amount of blood indicates
victim died almost instantly.

Bullet apparently passed
right through the pump.

15 years I've been doing this.

Every time I ask for a transfer,
they give me a promotion.

Mrs. Fletcher, you were
gonna tell me why you're here.

Oh, I came to see Mr. Stevens
on a business matter.

Uh-huh. Mmm.

All right. The securities'
room inventory checks out.

So apparently it
wasn't a robbery or...

It didn't look that way.
Listen, you happen to know

where Mr. Stevens kept
his electronic gizmo?

You know, the card key that
let him in the securities room?

Ah.

Now be careful with that.

Yeah, don't worry about it.

What a disaster.
We're losing our biggest

clients faster than we
can answer the phone.

Lieutenant, do you
have any idea who...

No, not really. We did find a
couple of interesting items, though.

We dug a bullet outta
the doorframe and...

Oh, yeah. We found this along
the bottom edge of the victim's desk.

Small quantity of blood and hair,
as if somebody bumped his head.

You know, your partner had
nice taste. This desk must be...

What? A couple of
a hundred years old?

Mmm. Jasmine wood. Ah.

Ridiculously soft, but valuable,
like everything else in here.

Excuse me, Mr. Lawrence.

You have a phone call from the
Mount Bennington Pension Fund.

Another one.

You know, I'd kill
for a desk like this.

Well, you know what I mean.

I do, Lieutenant.

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

I'm coming!

Mrs. Fletcher? Yes.

We have to talk. Pardon me?

I'm Vincent Polaski.
I'm an attorney.

The court appointed me
to defend Dana Ballard.

Dana has been...

She's been arrested for
the murder of Ethan Stevens.

Well, what made them...

Well, they found a
gun in a storm drain

not too far from the
scene. Her prints were on it.

Plus, there were traces
of her blood and hair.

Oh, yeah, where she hit her
head on Mr. Stevens' desk.

Yeah, well, the cops were running
down a list of all the employees

and since her name starts with a
"B" and, well, she just started there,

they got to her pretty early on.

And the paraffin tests?

Positive. She fired the gun.

(SIGHS)

Mr. Polaski, I have less than 10
minutes to catch my train to Boston.

You know, I really don't think there's
anything that I can tell you that will help

in your defense of Dana.

Yeah, well, I'm not looking
for a character witness here.

She told me that the two of you had
had a couple of little misunderstandings.

Well, that is an
interesting way to put it.

Look, I need your
help in another way.

As you've probably noticed, social
skills are not exactly my strong suit.

I tend to alienate
certain people.

I can understand that, yes.

Yeah, like judges and police
and prosecutors, etcetera, etcetera.

And, well, the public
defender's investigation team,

who, I might add, are a bunch of
bureaucratic incompetents anyway,

they pretty much... Why
are you telling me all this?

Well, because normally
it's not a problem.

I have a local PI that I use.

Well, that's wonderful. Now,
if you'll excuse me, I have...

Yeah, actually, you know what? Let
me give you a hand with this, okay?

Well, thanks. Okay. All right.

Here we go.

Thank you.

See, the thing of it is, this PI, well,
he's been missing for about a week.

And then this morning, he shows up
in a drying-out clinic outside of Bangor,

and then they wanna
keep him there for 10...

Stop right there, Mr. Polaski.

You mean you want me to
do investigative work for you,

so that you can
defend Dana Ballard?

Yeah, that's pretty
much the size of it.

Look, Mrs. Fletcher,
I'm not stupid.

I know that Dana has kind
of a problem telling the truth.

Kind of?

But that doesn't
make her a murderer.

Look, Mrs. Fletcher,
nobody is looking out for her,

and she's entitled to the
best defense I can give her.

She said she didn't do it
and that's all I wanna know.

Look, Mr. Polaski, I really admire
your commitment and your compassion.

But I am not an
attorney, nor am I a saint.

Okay. Okay, just suppose
that for once in her life,

Dana is actually
telling the truth,

and they convict her anyway and she goes
to prison for a crime she didn't commit,

all because you couldn't spare
a day, maybe two, to help her.

I mean, could you
really live with that?

Thought you might see it my way.

Not quite, Mr. Polaski. What I
see is so pat, so open-and-shut,

that I'm curious.

All right. I will speak to Dana.

And on the off chance that she
can go for five minutes without lying,

maybe I will try to help her.

(ELEVATOR DINGS)

Well, I think we should...

I was asleep in my motel room,

and I have absolutely no idea
how those tests could indicate

that I fired a gun.

And the bump on your head?

I'd lost an earring.

I was looking for it under
his desk during the lunch hour.

Mr. Stevens came
in and surprised me.

When I turned to get up...

I suppose he talked to
you about the mix-up?

No, he didn't.

He didn't call you?

Oh, come on, Dana. You promised.

Mr. Polaski, I'm
telling you the truth!

I told Mr. Stevens about our
conversation like I said I would.

He'd looked and checked
the number that he had called.

Turns out he talked to
a stranger in Bar Harbor.

I don't think that's true, Dana.

Jessica...

I checked my answering
machine, Dana.

Someone had replaced
the announcement message.

I believe it was you.

I don't know how you
could think that of me.

(SIGHS)

I have never lied to you, Mrs. Fletcher.
Not once. I couldn't do that to you.

Dana, you said you bumped your head
when you turned to see Mr. Stevens?

That's right.

So, your back was to the
door to his outer office?

That's right. Why?

What's the matter,
Mrs. Fletcher?

Vincent, the kneehole in Ethan
Stevens' desk goes clear through

from one side to the other.

So?

Her blood and her hair
were found on the other side

from the door to his office.

Why would she lie about that?

Ah! I might have your
answer right here, Polaski.

The college that Miss Ballard
supposedly graduated from.

Not only didn't
she get a diploma,

she hadn't attended classes
in the past two years. Oh.

Oh, Polaski, your buddy Hastings
wants to see you ASAP. Enjoy.

Look, Vincent, any way
you cut it, she's going over.

If you force this to trial, I'll
demand life and I will get it.

You plea to manslaughter,
she'll be out before she's 30.

Stuff it, Bruce.
She didn't do it.

Oh, God. Here we go again.
All right, that's it. Forget it.

You just blew your last chance.

You know, Mrs. Fletcher,

I don't know if
you realize this,

but this man is the embodiment of what's
wrong with our criminal justice system,

the reason our courts are
clogged up with unnecessary trials

and the streets are full of people that
should have been locked up long ago.

That wasn't the impression
that I got from Mr. Polaski.

Well, of course not.

And I'm sure that in conning
you into this with all that

bleeding heart sincerity of his,

he's painted a similarly distorted
picture of the case against Dana Ballard.

Mr. Hastings, If I were
satisfied that she were guilty,

I assure you, I
wouldn't be here.

As a matter of fact, perhaps you
could clear up a couple of questions.

My pleasure.

Well, for example,
the bump on her head?

Well, I thought you were
going to ask something difficult.

She bumped it while
searching under his desk

for the key card to
the securities room.

But that prompts me
to another question.

If she only started working there that
morning, how would she have known...

She's a quick study.

Look, she'd already been to
Ethan Stevens' office several times.

She learned that the securities
room was full of bearer bonds.

And the gun? To
whom was it registered?

Untraceable. The
numbers have been altered.

She probably bought it
on the street somewhere.

Now, come on.

Look, we've got means, motive,
opportunity, fingerprints, paraffin tests,

hair and blood samples
that prove she was there,

and a girl who's probably never
told the truth in her entire life.

Now, Mrs. Fletcher,

you are presumably a sensible
woman, so I will ask you.

Do you, for one minute,
in your wildest fantasy,

think that any jury would
hesitate to convict her?

I'm afraid that Mr. Hastings
has a point, Vincent.

I mean, this may be one time...

No! No, Mrs. Fletcher.

Look, I'm not pleading
Dana guilty to anything.

I mean, you halfway
believe she's innocent.

Halfway. But proving even that much
in the face of all of that evidence...

I mean, your belief in Dana, there's
more to it than her simply having told you

that she didn't do, isn't there?

(SIGHS)

Mea culpa.

Yes, but that could get in the way
of you doing what's best for her.

Yeah, well, that's
why I came to you.

There's, I don't know,
just something about her.

Not that my instincts towards
women are all that great.

I mean, my love life has
been somewhat of a disaster.

I don't know. When
I first saw her there

just sitting there
all by herself and...

All by herself she comes
to Portland, she gets a job.

Yeah, but not just any job.

Exactly. Now suppose she
was working with someone,

someone who was
getting things ready for her,

someone who was already
with Stevens and Lawrence.

Oh, okay. No, wait a
minute. How could they

possibly know there
would be a job opening?

Of course. They fix it so that Ethan
Stevens has to fire his assistant

to make way for Dana...

Vincent, I wonder how we could
get a look at their employment records

without alerting
anyone over there.

I think I might know
someone who could help,

if you don't mind bending
the rules a little bit.

Hi, Wanda. It's me.

Listen, I got a
little job for you.

JESSICA: "Bending
the rules a little"?

I mean, isn't this
invasion of privacy?

VINCENT: Well,
actually, it's kind of moot.

Yeah. What Vinnie's saying is, the way the
government's got its nose in our business,

does anyone have
any privacy to invade?

Excuse me, Jessica.

Actually, that's what
my grandmother's saying.

What I'm saying is, it's
probably better if you don't ask

how she's accessing this stuff.

(WANDA LAUGHING)

Is he terrific or what?

Oh, Wanda, will
you stop, please?

I bet him 20 he
wouldn't talk you into this.

Well, there it is.
"Patricia Corman,

"executive assistant
to Mr. Stevens."

Terminated voluntarily on
the 14th. That's 10 days ago.

Reason, relocation.

So she wasn't fired.

Well, maybe we
could talk to her.

Forget it. I checked.

"Moved out the next day. No
forwarding address or number."

Have you found that
other information I wanted?

Oh, right.

There. One other
employee from Vermont.

From Gresham's Notch.

Gresham's Notch?
May I use your phone?

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

Hi. As I said on the
phone, we're closed today.

Well, on account
of poor Mr. Stevens.

I understand, Todd, and I
appreciate your letting me in.

The only reason I'm here is

I have this customer
over in Blue Hill

that I'm supposed to
execute an order for.

I was just setting it
up on the computer.

You know, I feel really terrible
about what happened to Dana.

She seemed like a nice person.

I hope you can get her off.

So do I.

Um, exactly what
were you looking for?

Some answers that you
might be able to supply me with.

You were Dana's inside
man, weren't you, Todd?

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

I checked with your hometown,
Gresham's Notch, Vermont.

It happens to be near Livingston
where Dana comes from.

(SCOFFS) Mrs. Fletcher, I've
never met Dana until yesterday.

It turns out there's an area high
school that serves both towns

where you and Dana
were classmates.

And I guess you've stayed
in close touch ever since.

Look.

I had nothing to
do with Mr. Stevens.

Well, Mrs. Fletcher, what
would you be doing here?

I'm really sorry,
Mr. Lawrence, Mrs. Stevens.

I talked Todd
into letting me in.

There were a couple of
details about the crime

that I wanted to double-check.

Uh-huh.

Well, your apology, such
as it is, is not accepted.

BAKER: What she means is...

What I mean is that
in view of the fact that

you are working on behalf of that
little witch who murdered my husband,

I want you out of here, now!

I'm sure you can understand that
Mrs. Stevens is not quite herself today.

Of course. You have my
utmost sympathy, Mrs. Stevens.

But if I may, would either
of you happen to know

anything about the circumstances
surrounding Patricia Corman's departure

from her job as
Mr. Stevens' assistant?

She made some costly mistakes,

and I think the
final straw for Ethan

was when she started
stealing from petty cash.

I don't think that she did any
of those things, Mr. Lawrence.

The time-date entry on
Miss Corman's computer file

indicates that it was
amended less than a week ago,

probably by you, Todd, to conceal
the real reason for her dismissal,

and the fact that
you had set her up.

(SIGHS) Okay.

It was so that we could
get at those negotiables

in the securities room.

But murder...

Everything Todd Merlin
has told you is a lie.

Oh, damn it, Dana,
will you get real?

But I am. I'm
telling you the truth.

Dana, listen. I'm gonna say
one thing and then I'm finished.

You are in terrible trouble.

Now, we, Vincent
and I, are all you've got.

Look, what she's laying on you

is either you level
with us, I mean all of it,

or both of us are
outta here. Period.

And you and Todd Merlin can both
take the fall for Ethan Stevens' murder.

You got five seconds.

My mother died when I was
little and my father raised me.

He is the sweetest man.

Except that he's ill.

He's had three heart attacks

and he doesn't know
anything about...

About my problem. Any of it.

Mrs. Fletcher, I'm sorry.
The lying... I can't help myself.

I've never been able to.

The police psychologist
described it as borderline psychosis,

and he feels
that it's treatable.

Todd found out about
my father's condition

and he threatened to tell him
everything about me, the lies...

It would kill him.

So you felt you had no choice.

Todd told us that he'd
learned the securities system.

And on the night
of Ethan's death,

when it was obvious you
were going to speak to him,

Todd said we had no
choice but to go forward.

So you entered Ethan
Stevens' office alone?

To get the card key.

Todd was down the hall at the securities
room waiting to disable the cameras.

And then Stevens
unexpectedly showed up.

I turned, saw him
in the doorway,

and that's all I can remember
till I woke up on the floor.

Somebody must've hit me.

But Todd was long gone, so I
ran out of there as fast as I could,

dumped the gun, and
went back to my motel room.

So, even your coming to
work for me in Cabot Cove,

that was part of
your plan, wasn't it?

Todd found out that you
were Ethan's favorite author.

The killer was already
there when you came in,

probably waiting for
Ethan Stevens to show up.

So it might've been
someone he knew.

Dana, try to remember.
Did you see or hear anyone?

Any movement when
you walked into the office?

No. It was pretty dark in there.

I went right over to his desk.

I was about to pick up his
lamp to get the card key,

and there was stuff
leaning against it.

You know, papers, his bag,
files. His desk was a mess.

And I just was about
to move them when...

You believe me, don't you?

(SIGHS)

Yeah, we do.

VINCENT: So now what?

Finally getting her to
tell the truth is one thing,

but proving her innocence
is quite another kettle of fish.

Polaski, we ready to talk?

Oh, yeah. Sure. About
dropping the charges?

You are out of your mind.

Vincent, be reasonable. No! No!

Look, I'm gonna have
you brought up on charges

of irresponsibility to your
client, unprofessional conduct...

Gabe, get this
guy out of my face.

All right. Come on. Take
it easy, the both of you.

All right, all right. Now
look, she's got no record,

she's psychologically impaired.

We'll forget murder, we'll
go involuntary manslaughter.

She'll be out in four
years. What, we got a deal?

No.

Mrs. Fletcher, he's
soft in the head.

Talk to him, will you, please?

We've got a confession
from Todd Merlin

admitting conspiracy
to this entire thing.

Excuse me, Mr. Hastings,

I think that I may
be able to prove

that there was a third person in Ethan
Stevens' office when he was killed,

the person who
actually murdered him.

Well, I can't help wondering

what Mrs. Stevens and
Mr. Lawrence were doing

in her husband's office this
afternoon, the day of his funeral.

Oh, this might
throw a glow on it.

It came in a little while ago.

Oh! It's a friend of Wanda's
from the old protest days.

She's with a public advocacy
outfit in D.C. Picks up rumors.

She saw Portland and Ethan
Stevens, and wondered if I knew him.

A SEC investigation
of Ethan Stevens.

Hmm.

(CHUCKLES)

He buys two million shares of a
small-growth company called Regitek

one week before
the stock jumped $8.

That's some serious money.

Not to mention seriously illegal

if he had inside information.

Yeah. The guy would probably break
it up into a lot of little transactions.

You know, phony
accounts, dummy companies.

Yes, but there'd be records

that his wife and his partner
might want to conceal.

Are you thinking that this could
be connected to the murder?

I'm thinking that it's essential

that we get another look
at Mr. Stevens' office.

(SHUSHING)

(CLEARS THROAT)

Vincent, are you
sure this is legal?

Yeah, I told you, I got
Baker Lawrence's key.

I'll get the lights. No.

Why don't we just use this?

(DOORKNOB
RATTLING) But you said...

Oh, God!

Oh, Vincent, you lied to me.

You're wrong. I never said
Baker "gave" me his key.

Dana told me where he left his
spare, under the bumper of his car.

Yes, but you're an
officer of the court.

I mean, you could
be disbarred for this.

Yeah, and an innocent girl
could go to prison for murder.

I don't think we're gonna have
to worry about that anymore.

Just as I thought.

Smooth as silk,
not a dent in it.

Are you sure?

Watch.

(WHISPERING) I don't know
why I didn't think of it before.

Mr. Lawrence made a point
that jasmine wood's unusually soft.

If Dana's head had bumped
hard enough to break the skin,

there'd most certainly
be an indentation.

Okay, so who's the third party,

the one that clocked
her and killed Stevens?

Mmm. And why was he killed?

Damn. It's probably
right here in front of us.

Right in front
of us. No, it isn't.

But it was.

I'm sorry, you're
losing me here.

Vincent, I think
I'll know who it was

if the next two phone calls
turn out the way I expect.

Would you happen to have
Lieutenant Rodino's number?

Um, yeah, sure.

It's 555-7301.

Yes, Lieutenant Rodino?
This is Jessica Fletcher.

I was wondering if Vincent and
I might stop by and take a look

at those murder scene photos.

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

Beer?

I knew it was only a matter
of time before you'd sink

to something like this.

Oh, what, you're offended 'cause this
isn't as classy a crime as insider trading?

Save the judgments,
Hastings, okay?

You got the money?

Yeah, the whole 250,000.

So how'd you figure out
I was Ethan's partner?

Oh, I wouldn't
worry about it, pal.

Listen, we ever bump into each other on
Ipanema Beach, I'll tell you all about it.

You didn't really think I was
gonna let you blackmail me, did you?

It couldn't be any dumber than you thinking
you were gonna get away with murder.

Well, the only down side is that
you're never going to make it to Rio.

Neither are you,
Hastings. Freeze.

Oh, good, Lieutenant! You
couldn't drag that out a little longer?

I'm placing you under arrest
for the murder of Ethan Stevens.

You have the right to remain silent.
You have the right to an attorney...

I'd be happy to stipulate that
you've read them to me, Gabe,

only it'll never come to that.

Oh, I wouldn't
bet on it, Brucie.

Forensics just ID'd
the murder gun, Bruce.

Metallurgy tests revealed
the original numbers.

It's from a case you
tried five years ago.

You signed it out of the evidence
locker and you never put it back.

Which was one of the reasons that
you were so desperate to get Vincent

to accept a plea-bargain.

Plus, we've been
checking with various banks.

So far, we've confirmed half a dozen of
your accounts between here and Florida.

Almost two million of the roughly
eight you took out of that insider deal.

How the hell did you
make the connection?

It was rather
fragile, Mr. Hastings,

one that didn't come together

till I remembered Dana Ballard's
description of Mr. Stevens' office

the night of the murder
when she entered it,

not realizing that
you were there.

She said she saw
a man's handbag.

I went right over to
his desk, was about to

pick up his desk lamp
to get the card key,

and there was stuff
leaning against it.

You know, papers,
his bag, files.

And yet I recalled that
when I'd entered his office

the morning after the murder,

there was no man's
handbag on his desk.

She's right. I double-checked
those crime scene photos.

But when Vincent
and I visited your office,

I saw a leather
handbag on your desk.

Mrs. Stevens confirmed that
her husband didn't carry one,

so it seemed most likely that
the one Dana saw was yours.

Oh, and then I recalled
seeing Mr. Benson from Regitek

apparently heading
for your office.

I didn't think
much about it then,

but later, it
seemed to be a link.

You, Mr. Benson,
and Ethan Stevens,

and the insider
trading in Regitek stock.

And I suppose that little wimp
caved in the moment you spoke to him.

How'd you and Benson
get together anyway?

(SCOFFS)

About six months ago,
Benson gave us a deposition

in a design theft case that had something
to do with a revolutionary new chip

they were working on.

So you called your
friend Ethan Stevens

and suggested that in
exchange for half the profits,

you could let him
in on something big,

with the proviso that
your name be kept out of it.

I figured Saul could be bought.

I was right.

And then Ethan told you there
might be an SEC investigation

and he might have
to implicate you.

So you shot him and
framed Dana Ballard.

Ethan didn't simply
threaten to implicate me.

He demanded part of my share.

I arranged to meet
him at his office.

I told him I'd bring the money.

We're both members of
the downtown squash club,

so I borrowed his keys out of
his locker and I made copies.

I arrived a few minutes
early and let myself in.

I was just putting
my bag on the desk

and then the strangest
thing happened.

The door opens, and in
walks this young woman.

She comes right
toward where I'm hiding.

I was beginning to panic.

And suddenly...

Dana?

(GROANS)

What the hell are you doing?

No! Don't... (GROANS)

I noticed the young woman's blood,
and I realized I had a chance to frame her.

I wiped some on my glove and
smeared it on the edge of Ethan's desk.

And then I placed
the gun in her hand,

squeezed the trigger,
fired a round into the wall.

Listen, Bruce, you know I'd
be happy to defend you on this.

Course, no
plea-bargains, you know.

This is actually one
trial I'd enjoy losing.

DANA: And I've already
started my therapy, Mrs. Fletcher.

Well, that's wonderful, Dana.

The doctors say it may
take a couple years.

But by then, she'll have her college
degree, and she can come work for me.

And that'll give Wanda some time
to kick back, travel, that sort thing.

Yeah. Too bad it's
gonna be so long.

I mean, there's a big peace
march in Washington next week

that's really got me jazzed up!

Jessica, did I tell you my
Vinnie was brilliant or what?

He solves the case,
he gets the girl...

I mean, with a
little help from you.

Wanda, would you zip it, please?

Oh, just think what he'd
be if he'd only get a haircut,

look like a regular person.

But, no, no, he's
gotta be different.

(LAUGHING)

I don't know where
he gets it from.

I don't know either, Wanda,
but I wouldn't change a thing.