Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996): Season 9, Episode 4 - The Wind Around the Tower - full transcript
While being visitors at an estate in Ireland, Jessica and her friend are convinced that their host's demise is not from natural causes.
(SHRILLING)
What on earth is...
Sometimes the wind
catches around the old tower.
According to legend, whenever the
crying woman is heard, someone dies.
But with everything that's
going on... What if they find out?
(SCREAMING)
I have every reason to believe in the next
48 hours someone's gonna try and kill me.
It's that place. It's bad luck
to disturb the rest of the dead.
JESSICA: "For my beloved Sarah,
safe passage through dangerous places."
(LOADING GUN)
JESSICA: That was so kind of
you, meeting me at the airport, Sean.
I hope I didn't put you
to too much trouble?
No trouble at all, Jess.
It's my sabbatical and
I'll spend it as I please.
Besides, what's an old retired
cop like me gonna do otherwise?
Sit at home and watch those
infernal Australian soap operas?
(LAUGHING)
You're still going
on about them.
We sent them convicts, now
they're sending us soap operas.
If you ask me, we still
owe them a few convicts.
Well, I'll try to avoid them
and get on with my research.
Sounds like you've got
quite a task ahead of you.
Uh-huh. You know, I'm
really very excited about it.
It's the biggest book
that I've tackled yet.
What do you want to see first?
I'm very anxious to get a feel
of everyday life here in Ireland.
You know, the
people, the lifestyle,
the colloquial speech,
that sort of thing.
Then I know just the place.
I got a call from an old friend who
heard I was back in the country.
Lives in a charming
little village
about an hour outside of Dublin.
Would there be any problem
finding a place to stay?
All taken care of.
BRIAN: Culhane... I'm
sure it's here somewhere.
What did you say the
other reservation was?
Uh, Fletcher. Jessica Fletcher.
Did you know that she's the same
name as that mystery writer woman?
She is... Aware of it, I'm sure.
Probably hears it all the time.
You know how it is. One thing
always pushing out the other.
Brian, is this what you
might be looking for?
(CHUCKLING) Ah, sure. I
knew it was here all the time.
Well, listen, I'll go
see to your rooms,
and why don't you go over
and have a bite of lunch,
and I'll call when
your rooms are ready.
Oh, that'll be fine. Sean?
Isn't she that mystery writer?
Oh, you know the one...
Now, don't you start
on about that now.
The poor woman gets
mistaken for her all the time.
(EXCLAIMS)
(CHUCKLING) Sean!
Good to see you!
And you. And you.
Neal Gillen, Jessica Fletcher.
Jess, this is Neal Gillen, one
of my oldest friends in the world.
And one of only two that
admit it. Pleased to meet you.
It's a great pleasure. Brian.
Sean was telling me that you've
bought a great house around here?
Just finished
remodeling the inside.
The outside you leave
alone. Kind of an unwritten law.
And Neal made his fortune in real
estate. Who would have guessed it?
Comes out of a family as poor as mine, next
thing he's a millionaire ten times over.
Ah, anyone can make money
if that's all you want to do.
Problem is, most
developers destroy the past.
Here, you learn to reach
a kind of accommodation.
And speaking of accommodations,
if you're going be here a few
days, I insist you stay at our place.
Oh, no. We couldn't impose.
And besides, we just checked in.
It isn't an imposition, and
you leave old Brian to me.
He owes me plenty.
And we could use the company.
It's a big old
place, half empty.
And besides, the house came with
a big library, local history, folklore.
If it's research you want to do, you
couldn't find a better place to start.
All right, you
talked us into it.
Good. Then, to friends then,
present, absent,
and on the road.
May you have warm
words on a cold evening,
a full moon on a dark night,
and the road downhill
all the way to your door.
(CHUCKLING) I'll drink to that!
Oh, my, I almost forgot.
You know, I noticed that there's
a chemist shop across the street.
I have some pictures
that I took in London
that I'd love to get
developed before they close.
I'll be right back.
All right, Neal. I'm
here like I promised.
Now, what's wrong?
If I told you, you'd
think I was mad.
Try me.
No, not yet. It may
be just my imagination.
Or it may be something else,
something, something terrible.
Oh, come on, Neal, you've
got to give me more than that.
Then let me just say
my life may be at stake.
Now, please, Sean, I
need someone objective.
I don't want to prejudice
what you see or hear.
Just come, look around.
And once you've done that,
we'll talk, and I'll tell
you everything. All right?
And one thing more. You're
to tell no one about this,
not even Jessica.
(WOMAN CHATTERING)
Francis Reilly, proprietor,
at your disposal.
JESSICA: How do you do?
What can I do for you?
Well, I'd like to get these two rolls
of film developed. One print of each.
Certainly. And the name, please?
Fletcher. Jessica Fletcher.
Right. I heard you were coming.
Oh!
It's a pleasure to meet you.
We carry your books, you know.
Have a devil of a time
keeping them in stock.
Is tomorrow all
right on the film?
Well, that'd be fine. Thank you.
By the way, some of our customers,
well, they're big fans of yours,
but they're, well, they're
housebound, you know.
If you could see your way to
signing a couple of books for them,
I know it'd perk them up. I could drop
them off when I make my deliveries.
Of course, I'd be delighted.
I'll see you tomorrow, then.
Okay. Bye bye.
NEAL: Jessica. Sean. I'd like you
to meet Claire Abbott, our helper.
Claire, this is my old friend, Sean
Culhane, and Jessica Fletcher.
Hello. Well, now, hello!
I knew we were having
guests, but not so famous.
If there's anything
at all I can do for you,
please don't hesitate to ask.
She's from the village. Never hurts
to help keep the local economy going.
This way, then.
Before the remodeling, we used to
have the worst breezes right through here.
Now, nothing. Ah! There you are.
This is my wife, Anne
Gillen, and my cousin, Liam.
A pleasure. Oh, how do you do?
Jessica Fletcher. Sean Culhane.
Neal's told me so
much about you, Sean.
I imagine some
of it's even true.
(ALL LAUGHING)
Mrs. Fletcher, we're
doubly honored.
Neal didn't tell me you were
coming as well until yesterday.
Kept it as his little surprise.
Well, I hope it wasn't too much
of a surprise. And it's Jessica.
Are you staying to dinner, then?
Oh, no, thank you.
I have other plans.
It was a pleasure meeting
both of you. Good evening.
Hmm. Yes, this is very nice.
Very nice. I don't
recognize it, though.
(CHUCKLING) I'm not surprised.
Mouton Rothschild, 1945.
Almost impossible to get.
After we bought the house,
Anne was exploring the wine cellar,
found a whole case
of it hidden away.
We keep it for
special... (SHRILLING)
What on earth is...
When we remodeled,
we left the exterior alone.
Sometimes, the wind
catches around the old tower.
Sounds almost sad.
As well it should. Anne...
The villagers all say it's the
crying woman come back again.
Anne, for God's sake,
let's not get into that.
I'm sure our guests have no
interest in such absurd stories.
Well, speaking as someone
who makes a living telling stories,
I'd be very interested.
This house was
built 150 years ago
by the captain of a trading
ship for his wife as a wedding gift.
He even built her a stone
tower down by the cliffs,
so she could watch as he
came home from the sea.
One night, she
was up on the tower.
A terrible night, wracked
with storms, lightning.
And she watched as his ship
was dashed against the cliffs.
It sank with all hands aboard.
In despair, she threw
herself from the tower
to join her husband in death.
How terrible.
According to legend,
from time to time,
the captain's wife can be
heard here on the grounds,
weeping and calling
for her husband.
The legend also says whenever
the crying woman is heard,
someone dies.
(DOG BARKING)
I'm just going for
some warm milk.
Really? So was I.
Yeah. You saw it too, eh?
I thought it was moving
toward the tower.
Are you sure you
saw a light in here?
JESSICA: "For my beloved Sarah,
safe passage through dangerous places."
(LOADING GUN)
Don't move.
Listen, I don't know
who you are, but...
The name's Quint Sankey.
I'm the caretaker around here.
And I'll thank you
to stay real still.
What are you doing
here trespassing?
I think there's been
a misunderstanding.
We're guests of Neal Gillen.
This is his property, isn't it?
Aye. That it is. That it is.
But I thought I saw someone
sneaking on the property,
and whoever it were weren't
coming from the house.
So, if you don't mind,
let's be having you.
One thing's for sure.
You're not from these parts.
Because if you were, you'd
know better than come here.
No one comes to the tower after
dark. Leastways, no one alive.
NEAL: I'm terribly sorry
about all this, Jessica.
It's our own fault, I
suppose. I should say.
Wandering about
in the dark like that.
Well, I'll leave
you to sort it out.
I've done me job for
the night. Good evening.
Yes. Well, I've had quite
enough excitement for one night.
I'm off to bed.
And you should get some
sleep too, Neal. Good night.
And I'll see you in
the morning, then.
Certainly watches
over him, doesn't she?
Best thing that ever
happened to him.
Made a new man out of him.
JESSICA: Oh, good morning,
Sean. SEAN: Been up long?
A couple of hours. You
know, Neal was right.
There's some fascinating
material in his library,
and just the sort of thing
I'm looking for for my book.
What I need now is
some personal stories.
You know, local
yarns. That sort of thing.
I was thinking of
heading into town.
Would you like to come with me?
Uh... No. No,
thanks. I was, uh...
I think I'll just, you
know, go for a stroll.
Take a look around in the
daylight when it's a mite safer.
Get a feel for the place.
(LAUGHING)
That's funny.
You know, you once told me that when
you were starting to investigate a case,
you liked to walk
every inch of the scene
and get a feel of the place.
I suspect that our visit isn't quite
as casual as you led me to believe.
(STUTTERING) I don't
know... Let me finish.
Look, I don't want to intrude,
and if you want to deal with
whatever it is on your own,
I respect that and
I'll stay right out of it.
I've got enough research
material here to keep me busy.
But if you change your mind and
if there's anything that I can do,
I just wanted you to know
that I'm here. That's all.
Mrs. Fletcher, back for your
photos, are you? They just come in.
Oh, great.
Oh, by the way, about those housebound
customers I was telling you about.
If you wouldn't mind
signing a few of your books?
Oh, of course. No problem.
You must do quite a
good business here.
When you're the only chemist for
20 kilometers, it works out pretty well.
So I carry a little of
everything, you know.
Food, medicines, cameras,
hoof and mouth treatment.
I get doctors, dentists, vets, just
plain folk. It's always something new.
That's perfect.
Thanks very much.
You're very welcome.
Thank you.
Oh! Emerald Sunset.
I didn't think that this new fragrance
was coming out for several weeks.
It's just come in. I hear it's
supposed to be wonderful.
Hmm. Why not?
You're the first one in
town to buy this brand.
I'll be curious to know
what you think of it.
Well, I'll let you know.
Here we go. Thank you.
Thank you very
much. Good bye. Bye.
JESSICA: And what
were they fighting about?
Seems to me it
involved five strong men,
one woman, a tax collector,
a horse, several cases
of good Irish whiskey
and crossing rights
to Cavanagh's Bridge.
And who won?
The horse!
(BOTH LAUGHING)
Now, Mr. Foudy, as far as
local history is concerned,
I mean, are there any stories,
legends, incidents, you know,
that kind of thing
that comes to mind?
Douglas, why don't you tell
her about the crying woman?
Word is she's been heard
again up by Gillen's place.
That sounds fascinating, Mr...
Uh, MacNamara. Jason MacNamara,
and no need to introduce
yourself, Mrs. Fletcher.
You're the biggest news to hit
town since the great flood of '32.
Oh! I'm very flattered.
Mr. Foudy, tell me more
about the crying woman.
Folks have been talking about
the crying woman for 100 years now.
Every time she's heard
from, someone dies.
Even in life, she
was a strange one.
Always up at the tower.
But nobody ever saw her go in,
and no one ever saw her
go out. Strange woman.
Maybe. All I know is
I can't think of anyone I'd
rather have the crying woman visit
than Neal Gillen.
If ever a man
deserved death, it's him.
The man's a thief.
Well, good day to
you, Mrs. Fletcher.
And be careful.
You never know what will come out
of the woodwork in a place like that.
Why did he call
Neal Gillen a thief?
He used to own most of the land
on either side of the Gillen place.
When he fell on hard times, he took
out a loan and he couldn't pay it back.
The bank foreclosed, and
Mr. Gillen bought the paper.
Well, thank you for all
the information, Mr. Foudy.
You've been
tremendously helpful.
My pleasure, darling. Ah!
You looking for someone, then?
I was. Looks like I lost him.
Happens a lot around here.
Look, I'm sorry about
that bit last night.
But there's been some strange
things happening around here lately.
Can't be too careful.
Strange? How?
You see things in the
woods some nights, like lights.
And then there's the voices,
sometimes a man,
sometimes a woman,
sounding far away, like from
another world, or right next to you.
But when you get close, the
lights vanish, and the voices stop.
Where? By the tower, of course.
It's not a healthy
place, that, Mr. Culhane.
It's not healthy at all. At all.
Liam, I want to talk to you.
Well, I was just on my way to...
I know what you were
just on your way to do.
I suggest you quit
while you're ahead.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
I'm talking about the
large amounts of money
that have disappeared from the
corporate Swiss holding accounts.
And what does that
have to do with me?
You're the only one with
the access code, remember?
Right, and how you got
the code, I don't know,
but I'll find out.
What was the plan, Liam?
Steal a little at a time?
See if anyone noticed, then go
for the rest? Was that it, then?
I don't have time for this.
Right now, it's
small time, Liam.
Hardly worth the scandal.
I might even be
inclined to forget it
if you tell me who gave
you the access code.
Don't walk away from me when I'm
talking to you! Damn it, answer me!
You're crazy. You know that?
You're out of your bloody mind!
And if you ever lay a
hand on me again, ever,
I'll tear your bloody heart out.
So I said to her, "You know, it
ought to be part of every IQ test.
"If you can't make your VCR stop
flashing 12, 12, 12, you don't pass."
She still isn't speaking to me.
I don't blame her. Brandy?
Take the edge off dinner.
Thanks. No.
So, now you've had a chance to
look around, what do you think?
What do I think?
In the last 24 hours, I've
been threatened at gunpoint,
seen strange
lights in the woods,
every time I turn around, somebody's
talking to me about the crying woman
in a way that makes me
think I have to leave town fast.
What do I think?
I think it's time you
leveled with me, Neal.
'Cause I don't like the
way this is shaping up,
and I don't like
keeping this from Jess.
You're right. I'm sorry. It's just, in
my heart, I didn't want to believe it.
I wanted someone to tell me
I was crazy, imagining things.
But I don't think so.
Sean, I have every reason
to believe in the next 48 hours
someone's gonna try and kill me.
What? Who?
That's the whole
thing. I'm not sure.
I mean, we've had some problems
lately. Money disappearing.
Things that'd be a lot easier
to conceal if I weren't here.
But there's something
else, something...
ANNE: Neal?
Meet me here tonight at
midnight. I'll tell you everything.
Darling, your toy is
on the blink again.
Can you take a
look at it, please?
Of course. Just leave it there.
And don't forget, you've still
got those portfolios to go through.
The broker won't wait forever.
Right, right, I'd forgotten.
I'll do it tonight before bed.
Which is where I
should be heading now.
Good night, Neal. Anne.
ANNE: Good night, Sean.
Good night, darling.
(WOMAN SCREAMING)
JESSICA: What is it?
Anne! Anne, dear. What is it?
Neal! Neal!
Neal?
He's dead.
Oh, God. He's dead.
(MAN CHATTERING)
I'm sorry about your
loss, Mrs. Gillen.
I know this isn't a good time,
but if there's anything else
you can tell us about your husband's
condition when you found him.
No.
He was just sitting
there. At first...
At first, I thought he'd just
fallen asleep at his desk again.
But when I saw his
eyes were open, I...
Well, there'll have to
be an autopsy, of course,
but unofficially, I'd say it
looks like a heart attack.
Are you sure, Sergeant?
I mean, there wasn't the
telltale bluing of the lips
that follows a heart attack.
Well, now, that's true.
Might've been an aneurysm,
then, or some other natural cause.
Makes sense, since
there wasn't a mark on him.
I mean, the man was sitting
at his desk in a closed room,
windows locked,
no sign of distress.
One thing I've never seen, Mrs.
Fletcher, is a relaxed murder victim.
True. Almost all poisons show
some signs of physical distress.
There you are, then.
Well, I'd best be going.
If I have any further
questions, I'll be in touch.
Excuse me, Sergeant O'Malley,
may I have a word with you?
Yes, Mr. Culhane?
Something you remembered?
Uh... No. No, not exactly.
Look, I used to be a police
officer myself back a few years.
Yes, Mrs. Fletcher
was telling me.
I'd appreciate if you could do
me a favor, one cop to another.
I guess that depends upon
the favor now, doesn't it?
Mmm.
I've seen how coroners get when
they think it's death by natural causes.
It'll be a five-minute autopsy.
And you'd like the
works, is that it?
Probably want to see the
report yourself, too, I don't doubt.
Well, I'll see what I can do.
But until then, no interference
in this case, agreed?
Agreed. Thanks.
SEAN: And he asked me
not to tell a soul, not even you.
JESSICA: Do you know why?
Well, Neal was a private man.
He always kept things to
himself till he was ready to act.
Must've been hard for
him to bring me into this.
Damn it, Jess, I should've
done something, told someone.
Oh! Listen, you were
respecting the wishes of a friend.
I mean, you cannot blame yourself
for honoring his decision, Sean.
What matters now is
finding out what happened.
Then you don't believe this death by
natural causes stuff any more than I do?
No. I keep thinking of the
way the body was found,
so peaceful, so undisturbed,
no sign of violence.
It's as if there's something
that I can't quite put my finger on.
You know, I need to
go back into the village.
There's people
I want to talk to.
Is there anything I can do?
What do you know about a
man named Jason MacNamara?
Morning. Looking for
Jason MacNamara.
You found him.
Who are you, then?
Name's Sean Culhane. I'm
staying with the Gillens up the way.
I was wondering, since you
own the land next door to his,
if you heard or saw
anything last night.
No, not a thing.
It's funny. I thought this part of
the grounds belonged to Neal Gillen.
No, it's mine. Always was.
And now with Gillen
dead, it'll be again.
Can't imagine his wife
staying on now that he's gone.
Probably sell it
back to me cheap.
Why do you say that?
I got my sources.
Your sources must be good, seeing
how's Neal's not dead eight hours,
and here you not only know
about it, you're even making plans.
I suggest you move
along now, Mr. Culhane.
I've got nothing
more to say to you.
BRIAN: And that's dark
news, Mrs. Fletcher.
He was a good
man, was Mr. Gillen.
It's that place. I told him
that no good would come of it,
the way he went
about restoring it.
All that noise and the work.
It's bad luck to disturb
the rest of the dead.
Ah, the crying woman again?
Oh, now, don't
scoff, Mrs. Fletcher.
The fact is, there wasn't a peep heard
out of that woman for nigh on 50 years.
Then Mr. Gillen moved into
the house, and the next thing...
Well, you saw
how it all ended up.
Yes. Yes, indeed.
Well, thank you, Mr. Mulrain.
I really appreciate your help.
Pleasure. Uh-huh.
Good day.
Mrs. Fletcher, I just
wanted to say thanks again
for signing those books the
other day for my customers.
It's the best medicine I ever
delivered. Perked them right up.
Well, I'm glad to hear that.
Well, speaking of deliveries,
I'll just give this to himself,
and I'll be on me way. Uh-huh.
Oh, Sean, we need to talk.
Yes, we do.
Oh. Mrs. Fletcher, I just got
into town, and I heard about Neal.
I'm terribly sorry this had to
happen while you were here.
We wondered where
you were this morning.
I had some
business to attend to.
It's a nice village, but try
and find a fax around here.
I had to drive across three
towns before I found one.
Business on the weekend?
Bankers never sleep.
Now I'll have to
do it all over again
to notify the
stockholders about Neal.
Listen, with Neal gone, I'll be
assuming a larger role in the business,
as he'd have wanted me to do,
so if there's anything I can do in Neal's
absence, just be sure to let me know.
Interesting.
You caught the bit
about the bank, too?
Just before he died, Neal mentioned
something about money disappearing.
I think I'll give Sergeant O'Malley
a call. See what he can find.
That's a good idea.
Meantime, I think it's time for
me to have another talk with Anne.
So I suggest that we get together
afterwards and compare notes.
Around 2 o'clock? Fine.
The coroner's report
should be in by then. Yeah.
Hey, we make a pretty
good team, don't we?
Phone call. Right.
Are you sure, Liam?
Positive. Just do as I said.
Find a place to stay, and
I'll see you in a day or two.
But with everything that's
going on... What if they find out?
They won't.
And if they do, it's best that I
stay here to take care of things.
Now go on. I'll see
you in a few days.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Oh, Jessica, I'm sorry I
didn't see you at breakfast,
but with so much going on...
Oh! That's quite all right.
I just wanted to know
how you were doing.
I'm fine, fine. Please, come in.
Thanks.
Can I get you anything?
Oh, no. No. Nothing at all.
I just wanted to tell you that if
there's any way that I can help,
please tell me.
I realize it must
be rather daunting,
having to take over
Neal's responsibilities,
his business, his property.
Yes. Thank you.
I've decided to sell the
house as soon as possible.
I couldn't stay here
knowing what happened.
Of course.
And I understand that Liam will be taking
on the burden of running the business?
Will he?
I bet he said that's what
Neal wanted. Well, he didn't.
Neal found out that Liam was
dipping into the corporate accounts.
Just a little at first,
then a little bit more.
Neal suspected that Liam was planning
a big score this weekend, didn't he?
Yes, he...
My God. You're not suggesting...
This is outrageous.
You heard the police sergeant.
Neal died of natural causes!
This incident with Liam
has nothing to do with it.
He's a schemer,
to be sure, but he...
I know that this
is difficult for you,
but if there's even a chance
that there might be something
more here than meets the eye...
It wasn't murder! Neal
died of natural causes!
Oh, God!
There's never a tissue
around when you want one.
Oh! I'll get you one.
Thank you, Jessica.
It's just this has
been so stressful.
Oh! I do understand.
I know Neal was a
close friend of Sean's,
and it's hard losing
someone you care for.
When someone dies, you want
to believe there's a reason for it.
Death is rarely fair.
We have to come
to grips with it,
stop trying to fix blame
where there is none.
You understand that,
don't you, Jessica?
JESSICA: The coroner found considerable
amounts of fluid in Neal's lungs.
How could Neal have
died of pneumonia?
I mean, you saw him.
Did he look sick to you?
No. Not at all.
So how do you explain
this coroner's report?
I can't.
Then perhaps we can assist you.
Sergeant O'Malley has graciously
brought me up to date on your inquiry.
Sean, I understand your concern,
but this household has
been through so much,
a prolonged investigation
will only hurt more people.
I can't have that.
I have just taken the liberty
of showing Sergeant O'Malley
something that will prove
beyond a shadow of a doubt
that Neal was not murdered.
If it will set your mind at ease, I
would like to show it to you as well.
This way, please.
Neal loved his toys.
That's why he was
renovating this place,
to bring it into
the 20th century.
The night he died,
I brought one of his toys
here in case he could fix it.
The video camera.
What I didn't know was I
accidentally left it switched on.
The camera recorded
the last hours of Neal's life.
You'll forgive me if I
don't stay to watch it again.
Once was more than enough.
It goes on for about an hour.
I'll fast forward
through some of it.
(SCREAMING)
And that's where you came in.
So you saw it for yourself.
No one came into the
room. No one touched him.
He experienced no
trauma, no distress.
Natural causes, just like the
coroner said. It's that simple.
Pretty, isn't it?
JESSICA: Hmm, yes.
Oh, Jess, I'm lost.
Ah, is it possible we've
been wrong the whole time?
I know how you feel.
But the evidence is pretty
overwhelming, isn't it?
Hmm. Maybe Anne was right.
Maybe we should
let it go. Mmm-hmm.
Stop chasing shadows
that don't exist.
And what's the point
in it, after all? I ask you.
It's a fine day. Not
a cloud in the sky.
Flowers are blooming.
Or is that your perfume, Jess?
Oh, maybe it is.
It's a new brand I picked
up at the chemist's.
They just got it in.
Jessica?
Jess?
They almost did it. They were
that close to getting away with it.
Who? What? Jess, you're
speaking in tongues again,
and you know how
that worries me.
Neal was murdered, Sean,
and I think I know who, and I
think I know how it was done,
but we just have to
be sure. Come on.
Where are we going?
Shopping.
Shopping? Now?
Trust me.
Back again?
I'm just keeping a promise.
You asked me about the perfume.
Oh, right. How'd
you like it, then?
Well, I think it's wonderful.
I mean, it's very light. Not too
cloying. What do you think, Sean?
Uh, hmm? Oh, yes.
It's light. It's very light.
That's good.
Tell me, did anyone else buy a
bottle of Emerald Sunset since I was in?
No.
Are you sure?
Absolutely. You were
the first to buy one,
and nobody's bought one since.
Well, that's curious,
because this box holds a dozen
bottles and there are only 10 left,
which means that one
bottle is unaccounted for.
It's probably Mr. Reilly.
He's quite a lady's
man, you know.
He probably took one as a
present for one of his lady friends.
He does that often?
On occasion.
Oh, what's the point
of owning a store
if you can't dip into the
inventory once in a while?
(LAUGHING)
(PHONE RINGS)
Excuse me.
Of course.
I don't suppose
you'd mind telling me
what a bottle of perfume has to do
with Neal Gillen's death, now, would you?
Well now, there's only one
person who can tell us that,
the crying woman herself.
Are you sure you
want to be doing this?
It's awful cold in here.
Exactly. And colder outside.
Now that is the whole point.
The captain who built
the house and this tower
loved his wife very
much, remember?
That's what one
of the villagers said.
"He built it special
for her to make it safe."
And?
Well, would a loving husband
let his wife walk through
the wind and the rain
all the way from the house?
Well, logically, he wouldn't.
Exactly. So...
Would you mind telling
me what you're doing here?
SEAN: Just exploring.
Well, I'm under orders to watch out
for anybody going where they shouldn't,
and that includes you. So out
you go, you and the lady both.
If you'd just listen to me.
Where is she?
Jess?
SEAN: Jess?
(SHRILLING)
(SHRILLING STOPS)
(SHRILLING)
Jessica? What
are you doing here?
I'm gathering evidence.
Please, come in.
(WHISPERING) I don't
want anyone to hear us.
Anne, I have reason to believe
that your husband was murdered,
despite what we
saw on the videotape.
Jessica, we've
been through all this.
Well, indulge me
just for a moment.
Now, I think that the
secret is here in this book.
I'm sure you remember
it from the videotape.
Now, this is the book that
Neal was reading when he died.
Now, there's a
certain section here
that I think will be
of interest to you.
Really, this is quite upsetting
and not at all necessary.
Please, give me a moment.
I know it's here somewhere.
Well, maybe, but couldn't this wait
until morning? It's late, and I want...
I'd imagine finding the reason
for your husband's murder
might be worth staying
up a little longer?
I refuse to stay here all night.
It's locked!
Oh, my goodness. It must
be stuck or something.
Well, I'm sure somebody will
come along and open it soon.
Not to worry.
Hello? Hello? Is there
anyone out there?
Open the door! I've
got to get out of here!
Oh, God. Oh, God.
Anne? What's the matter?
You didn't have to do that.
We took the liberty of
disconnecting the connection
between the lamp and the
gas canisters in the basement.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
SEAN: We're talking
about conspiracy to murder.
No. No, this is absurd.
Yes, I suppose that's
what you were relying on,
an unlikely alliance
that was kept absolutely
secret until your
job was finished.
Except a few
things didn't add up.
SEAN: A dozen bottles of Emerald
Sunset perfume arrived at Reilly's shop.
Only one was sold,
but 10 were left.
The cashier figured that
it was a gift to a lover.
She was right.
JESSICA: That's the
same perfume that I noticed
in your dressing
room the other day.
Strange gift to give
to a married woman,
unless there's a more
intimate involvement.
Then I remembered that,
when I arrived in town,
Francis Reilly said he'd
heard that I was coming.
Not that I had arrived,
that I was coming.
But Neal didn't tell anyone.
Not the staff, not
his cousin. No one
except you, the day
before we arrived.
He wanted to keep it a secret,
so the only way Reilly could
have known was through you.
If you don't mind me asking,
Mrs. Fletcher, why this fella?
Of all the people in the village
for her to get involved with, Reilly?
Well because, as
the village chemist,
he could legally obtain the one ingredient
necessary for the murder, nitrogen.
It's colorless, odorless,
and absolutely lethal.
And as any good chemist knows, one
of the unique things about nitrogen is
that the body
interprets it as oxygen.
You could be stuck in a
room full of it and never notice.
You'd just keep on doing whatever
it was you were doing until you stop.
The brain passes out from
lack of oxygen, the heart stops,
and the lungs fill with fluid, a
side effect of nitrogen poisoning.
Yes, and that is
exactly what happened.
Using the secret
passage to the tower,
which you probably found while
exploring the basement, as Neal mentioned,
you hooked the canisters of nitrogen
gas into the central heating ducts
that led into Neal's study here.
You then fixed the
switch on Neal's desk lamp
so that it would turn on the gas
and the light at the same time.
On the tape,
I noticed that his cigar kept going
out much faster than it should have
as the air was replaced
by non-flammable nitrogen.
In a closed room
with the windows shut,
the gas filled it in no time.
I noticed the way you
came into the room
after Neal was dead.
You switched off the lamp
first, and then checked him
to avoid inhaling the gas.
You left the room
and then cried for help.
By the time we arrived,
most of the gas had escaped.
Well, that's all
very interesting,
but how are you going
to convince a jury?
Well, that's why I brought
you in here and closed the door,
and switched on the lamp.
You had no way of knowing that we'd
disconnected the nitrogen canisters.
The only reason that you would
panic and switch off the desk lamp
was because you knew
this room was a killing jar.
And that proves your
involvement in Neal Gillen's murder.
Amazing. Simply amazing.
Now, what about
the gas canisters?
Oh, we checked
the serial numbers,
and the invoice proves they
were shipped to Mr. Reilly.
It's airtight. There's
no question about it.
The whole village is
talking about it, you know.
It's quite the story.
Now it figures, the way
Anne moved in on Neal
and stole him away
from his first wife,
and all she wanted
was the money.
But now, what about
the crying woman?
And this bit about
Neal's cousin?
Well, from what I saw, it was only
the wind moving through the air duct
where it had been
sliced and left open.
Ah! Be that as it
may, in my heart,
I'd like to believe that
she was always there
and was trying to warn
Mr. Gillen about what was coming.
Perhaps.
As for Liam, turns out he used Claire
to get the access code to Neal's account.
Now he's promised to give back the
money in exchange for a reduced penalty.
As I said, amazing.
Simply amazing.
Of course, everything amazes me.
Well, speaking of going, we
should be heading off, Jess.
Right.
I promised to show
you all of Ireland,
the hills and the valleys, the
green and the rocks and the sea,
and I mean to keep my promise.
There's adventures
to be had out there.
Adventures out there?
What do you call all this?
A good start.
What on earth is...
Sometimes the wind
catches around the old tower.
According to legend, whenever the
crying woman is heard, someone dies.
But with everything that's
going on... What if they find out?
(SCREAMING)
I have every reason to believe in the next
48 hours someone's gonna try and kill me.
It's that place. It's bad luck
to disturb the rest of the dead.
JESSICA: "For my beloved Sarah,
safe passage through dangerous places."
(LOADING GUN)
JESSICA: That was so kind of
you, meeting me at the airport, Sean.
I hope I didn't put you
to too much trouble?
No trouble at all, Jess.
It's my sabbatical and
I'll spend it as I please.
Besides, what's an old retired
cop like me gonna do otherwise?
Sit at home and watch those
infernal Australian soap operas?
(LAUGHING)
You're still going
on about them.
We sent them convicts, now
they're sending us soap operas.
If you ask me, we still
owe them a few convicts.
Well, I'll try to avoid them
and get on with my research.
Sounds like you've got
quite a task ahead of you.
Uh-huh. You know, I'm
really very excited about it.
It's the biggest book
that I've tackled yet.
What do you want to see first?
I'm very anxious to get a feel
of everyday life here in Ireland.
You know, the
people, the lifestyle,
the colloquial speech,
that sort of thing.
Then I know just the place.
I got a call from an old friend who
heard I was back in the country.
Lives in a charming
little village
about an hour outside of Dublin.
Would there be any problem
finding a place to stay?
All taken care of.
BRIAN: Culhane... I'm
sure it's here somewhere.
What did you say the
other reservation was?
Uh, Fletcher. Jessica Fletcher.
Did you know that she's the same
name as that mystery writer woman?
She is... Aware of it, I'm sure.
Probably hears it all the time.
You know how it is. One thing
always pushing out the other.
Brian, is this what you
might be looking for?
(CHUCKLING) Ah, sure. I
knew it was here all the time.
Well, listen, I'll go
see to your rooms,
and why don't you go over
and have a bite of lunch,
and I'll call when
your rooms are ready.
Oh, that'll be fine. Sean?
Isn't she that mystery writer?
Oh, you know the one...
Now, don't you start
on about that now.
The poor woman gets
mistaken for her all the time.
(EXCLAIMS)
(CHUCKLING) Sean!
Good to see you!
And you. And you.
Neal Gillen, Jessica Fletcher.
Jess, this is Neal Gillen, one
of my oldest friends in the world.
And one of only two that
admit it. Pleased to meet you.
It's a great pleasure. Brian.
Sean was telling me that you've
bought a great house around here?
Just finished
remodeling the inside.
The outside you leave
alone. Kind of an unwritten law.
And Neal made his fortune in real
estate. Who would have guessed it?
Comes out of a family as poor as mine, next
thing he's a millionaire ten times over.
Ah, anyone can make money
if that's all you want to do.
Problem is, most
developers destroy the past.
Here, you learn to reach
a kind of accommodation.
And speaking of accommodations,
if you're going be here a few
days, I insist you stay at our place.
Oh, no. We couldn't impose.
And besides, we just checked in.
It isn't an imposition, and
you leave old Brian to me.
He owes me plenty.
And we could use the company.
It's a big old
place, half empty.
And besides, the house came with
a big library, local history, folklore.
If it's research you want to do, you
couldn't find a better place to start.
All right, you
talked us into it.
Good. Then, to friends then,
present, absent,
and on the road.
May you have warm
words on a cold evening,
a full moon on a dark night,
and the road downhill
all the way to your door.
(CHUCKLING) I'll drink to that!
Oh, my, I almost forgot.
You know, I noticed that there's
a chemist shop across the street.
I have some pictures
that I took in London
that I'd love to get
developed before they close.
I'll be right back.
All right, Neal. I'm
here like I promised.
Now, what's wrong?
If I told you, you'd
think I was mad.
Try me.
No, not yet. It may
be just my imagination.
Or it may be something else,
something, something terrible.
Oh, come on, Neal, you've
got to give me more than that.
Then let me just say
my life may be at stake.
Now, please, Sean, I
need someone objective.
I don't want to prejudice
what you see or hear.
Just come, look around.
And once you've done that,
we'll talk, and I'll tell
you everything. All right?
And one thing more. You're
to tell no one about this,
not even Jessica.
(WOMAN CHATTERING)
Francis Reilly, proprietor,
at your disposal.
JESSICA: How do you do?
What can I do for you?
Well, I'd like to get these two rolls
of film developed. One print of each.
Certainly. And the name, please?
Fletcher. Jessica Fletcher.
Right. I heard you were coming.
Oh!
It's a pleasure to meet you.
We carry your books, you know.
Have a devil of a time
keeping them in stock.
Is tomorrow all
right on the film?
Well, that'd be fine. Thank you.
By the way, some of our customers,
well, they're big fans of yours,
but they're, well, they're
housebound, you know.
If you could see your way to
signing a couple of books for them,
I know it'd perk them up. I could drop
them off when I make my deliveries.
Of course, I'd be delighted.
I'll see you tomorrow, then.
Okay. Bye bye.
NEAL: Jessica. Sean. I'd like you
to meet Claire Abbott, our helper.
Claire, this is my old friend, Sean
Culhane, and Jessica Fletcher.
Hello. Well, now, hello!
I knew we were having
guests, but not so famous.
If there's anything
at all I can do for you,
please don't hesitate to ask.
She's from the village. Never hurts
to help keep the local economy going.
This way, then.
Before the remodeling, we used to
have the worst breezes right through here.
Now, nothing. Ah! There you are.
This is my wife, Anne
Gillen, and my cousin, Liam.
A pleasure. Oh, how do you do?
Jessica Fletcher. Sean Culhane.
Neal's told me so
much about you, Sean.
I imagine some
of it's even true.
(ALL LAUGHING)
Mrs. Fletcher, we're
doubly honored.
Neal didn't tell me you were
coming as well until yesterday.
Kept it as his little surprise.
Well, I hope it wasn't too much
of a surprise. And it's Jessica.
Are you staying to dinner, then?
Oh, no, thank you.
I have other plans.
It was a pleasure meeting
both of you. Good evening.
Hmm. Yes, this is very nice.
Very nice. I don't
recognize it, though.
(CHUCKLING) I'm not surprised.
Mouton Rothschild, 1945.
Almost impossible to get.
After we bought the house,
Anne was exploring the wine cellar,
found a whole case
of it hidden away.
We keep it for
special... (SHRILLING)
What on earth is...
When we remodeled,
we left the exterior alone.
Sometimes, the wind
catches around the old tower.
Sounds almost sad.
As well it should. Anne...
The villagers all say it's the
crying woman come back again.
Anne, for God's sake,
let's not get into that.
I'm sure our guests have no
interest in such absurd stories.
Well, speaking as someone
who makes a living telling stories,
I'd be very interested.
This house was
built 150 years ago
by the captain of a trading
ship for his wife as a wedding gift.
He even built her a stone
tower down by the cliffs,
so she could watch as he
came home from the sea.
One night, she
was up on the tower.
A terrible night, wracked
with storms, lightning.
And she watched as his ship
was dashed against the cliffs.
It sank with all hands aboard.
In despair, she threw
herself from the tower
to join her husband in death.
How terrible.
According to legend,
from time to time,
the captain's wife can be
heard here on the grounds,
weeping and calling
for her husband.
The legend also says whenever
the crying woman is heard,
someone dies.
(DOG BARKING)
I'm just going for
some warm milk.
Really? So was I.
Yeah. You saw it too, eh?
I thought it was moving
toward the tower.
Are you sure you
saw a light in here?
JESSICA: "For my beloved Sarah,
safe passage through dangerous places."
(LOADING GUN)
Don't move.
Listen, I don't know
who you are, but...
The name's Quint Sankey.
I'm the caretaker around here.
And I'll thank you
to stay real still.
What are you doing
here trespassing?
I think there's been
a misunderstanding.
We're guests of Neal Gillen.
This is his property, isn't it?
Aye. That it is. That it is.
But I thought I saw someone
sneaking on the property,
and whoever it were weren't
coming from the house.
So, if you don't mind,
let's be having you.
One thing's for sure.
You're not from these parts.
Because if you were, you'd
know better than come here.
No one comes to the tower after
dark. Leastways, no one alive.
NEAL: I'm terribly sorry
about all this, Jessica.
It's our own fault, I
suppose. I should say.
Wandering about
in the dark like that.
Well, I'll leave
you to sort it out.
I've done me job for
the night. Good evening.
Yes. Well, I've had quite
enough excitement for one night.
I'm off to bed.
And you should get some
sleep too, Neal. Good night.
And I'll see you in
the morning, then.
Certainly watches
over him, doesn't she?
Best thing that ever
happened to him.
Made a new man out of him.
JESSICA: Oh, good morning,
Sean. SEAN: Been up long?
A couple of hours. You
know, Neal was right.
There's some fascinating
material in his library,
and just the sort of thing
I'm looking for for my book.
What I need now is
some personal stories.
You know, local
yarns. That sort of thing.
I was thinking of
heading into town.
Would you like to come with me?
Uh... No. No,
thanks. I was, uh...
I think I'll just, you
know, go for a stroll.
Take a look around in the
daylight when it's a mite safer.
Get a feel for the place.
(LAUGHING)
That's funny.
You know, you once told me that when
you were starting to investigate a case,
you liked to walk
every inch of the scene
and get a feel of the place.
I suspect that our visit isn't quite
as casual as you led me to believe.
(STUTTERING) I don't
know... Let me finish.
Look, I don't want to intrude,
and if you want to deal with
whatever it is on your own,
I respect that and
I'll stay right out of it.
I've got enough research
material here to keep me busy.
But if you change your mind and
if there's anything that I can do,
I just wanted you to know
that I'm here. That's all.
Mrs. Fletcher, back for your
photos, are you? They just come in.
Oh, great.
Oh, by the way, about those housebound
customers I was telling you about.
If you wouldn't mind
signing a few of your books?
Oh, of course. No problem.
You must do quite a
good business here.
When you're the only chemist for
20 kilometers, it works out pretty well.
So I carry a little of
everything, you know.
Food, medicines, cameras,
hoof and mouth treatment.
I get doctors, dentists, vets, just
plain folk. It's always something new.
That's perfect.
Thanks very much.
You're very welcome.
Thank you.
Oh! Emerald Sunset.
I didn't think that this new fragrance
was coming out for several weeks.
It's just come in. I hear it's
supposed to be wonderful.
Hmm. Why not?
You're the first one in
town to buy this brand.
I'll be curious to know
what you think of it.
Well, I'll let you know.
Here we go. Thank you.
Thank you very
much. Good bye. Bye.
JESSICA: And what
were they fighting about?
Seems to me it
involved five strong men,
one woman, a tax collector,
a horse, several cases
of good Irish whiskey
and crossing rights
to Cavanagh's Bridge.
And who won?
The horse!
(BOTH LAUGHING)
Now, Mr. Foudy, as far as
local history is concerned,
I mean, are there any stories,
legends, incidents, you know,
that kind of thing
that comes to mind?
Douglas, why don't you tell
her about the crying woman?
Word is she's been heard
again up by Gillen's place.
That sounds fascinating, Mr...
Uh, MacNamara. Jason MacNamara,
and no need to introduce
yourself, Mrs. Fletcher.
You're the biggest news to hit
town since the great flood of '32.
Oh! I'm very flattered.
Mr. Foudy, tell me more
about the crying woman.
Folks have been talking about
the crying woman for 100 years now.
Every time she's heard
from, someone dies.
Even in life, she
was a strange one.
Always up at the tower.
But nobody ever saw her go in,
and no one ever saw her
go out. Strange woman.
Maybe. All I know is
I can't think of anyone I'd
rather have the crying woman visit
than Neal Gillen.
If ever a man
deserved death, it's him.
The man's a thief.
Well, good day to
you, Mrs. Fletcher.
And be careful.
You never know what will come out
of the woodwork in a place like that.
Why did he call
Neal Gillen a thief?
He used to own most of the land
on either side of the Gillen place.
When he fell on hard times, he took
out a loan and he couldn't pay it back.
The bank foreclosed, and
Mr. Gillen bought the paper.
Well, thank you for all
the information, Mr. Foudy.
You've been
tremendously helpful.
My pleasure, darling. Ah!
You looking for someone, then?
I was. Looks like I lost him.
Happens a lot around here.
Look, I'm sorry about
that bit last night.
But there's been some strange
things happening around here lately.
Can't be too careful.
Strange? How?
You see things in the
woods some nights, like lights.
And then there's the voices,
sometimes a man,
sometimes a woman,
sounding far away, like from
another world, or right next to you.
But when you get close, the
lights vanish, and the voices stop.
Where? By the tower, of course.
It's not a healthy
place, that, Mr. Culhane.
It's not healthy at all. At all.
Liam, I want to talk to you.
Well, I was just on my way to...
I know what you were
just on your way to do.
I suggest you quit
while you're ahead.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
I'm talking about the
large amounts of money
that have disappeared from the
corporate Swiss holding accounts.
And what does that
have to do with me?
You're the only one with
the access code, remember?
Right, and how you got
the code, I don't know,
but I'll find out.
What was the plan, Liam?
Steal a little at a time?
See if anyone noticed, then go
for the rest? Was that it, then?
I don't have time for this.
Right now, it's
small time, Liam.
Hardly worth the scandal.
I might even be
inclined to forget it
if you tell me who gave
you the access code.
Don't walk away from me when I'm
talking to you! Damn it, answer me!
You're crazy. You know that?
You're out of your bloody mind!
And if you ever lay a
hand on me again, ever,
I'll tear your bloody heart out.
So I said to her, "You know, it
ought to be part of every IQ test.
"If you can't make your VCR stop
flashing 12, 12, 12, you don't pass."
She still isn't speaking to me.
I don't blame her. Brandy?
Take the edge off dinner.
Thanks. No.
So, now you've had a chance to
look around, what do you think?
What do I think?
In the last 24 hours, I've
been threatened at gunpoint,
seen strange
lights in the woods,
every time I turn around, somebody's
talking to me about the crying woman
in a way that makes me
think I have to leave town fast.
What do I think?
I think it's time you
leveled with me, Neal.
'Cause I don't like the
way this is shaping up,
and I don't like
keeping this from Jess.
You're right. I'm sorry. It's just, in
my heart, I didn't want to believe it.
I wanted someone to tell me
I was crazy, imagining things.
But I don't think so.
Sean, I have every reason
to believe in the next 48 hours
someone's gonna try and kill me.
What? Who?
That's the whole
thing. I'm not sure.
I mean, we've had some problems
lately. Money disappearing.
Things that'd be a lot easier
to conceal if I weren't here.
But there's something
else, something...
ANNE: Neal?
Meet me here tonight at
midnight. I'll tell you everything.
Darling, your toy is
on the blink again.
Can you take a
look at it, please?
Of course. Just leave it there.
And don't forget, you've still
got those portfolios to go through.
The broker won't wait forever.
Right, right, I'd forgotten.
I'll do it tonight before bed.
Which is where I
should be heading now.
Good night, Neal. Anne.
ANNE: Good night, Sean.
Good night, darling.
(WOMAN SCREAMING)
JESSICA: What is it?
Anne! Anne, dear. What is it?
Neal! Neal!
Neal?
He's dead.
Oh, God. He's dead.
(MAN CHATTERING)
I'm sorry about your
loss, Mrs. Gillen.
I know this isn't a good time,
but if there's anything else
you can tell us about your husband's
condition when you found him.
No.
He was just sitting
there. At first...
At first, I thought he'd just
fallen asleep at his desk again.
But when I saw his
eyes were open, I...
Well, there'll have to
be an autopsy, of course,
but unofficially, I'd say it
looks like a heart attack.
Are you sure, Sergeant?
I mean, there wasn't the
telltale bluing of the lips
that follows a heart attack.
Well, now, that's true.
Might've been an aneurysm,
then, or some other natural cause.
Makes sense, since
there wasn't a mark on him.
I mean, the man was sitting
at his desk in a closed room,
windows locked,
no sign of distress.
One thing I've never seen, Mrs.
Fletcher, is a relaxed murder victim.
True. Almost all poisons show
some signs of physical distress.
There you are, then.
Well, I'd best be going.
If I have any further
questions, I'll be in touch.
Excuse me, Sergeant O'Malley,
may I have a word with you?
Yes, Mr. Culhane?
Something you remembered?
Uh... No. No, not exactly.
Look, I used to be a police
officer myself back a few years.
Yes, Mrs. Fletcher
was telling me.
I'd appreciate if you could do
me a favor, one cop to another.
I guess that depends upon
the favor now, doesn't it?
Mmm.
I've seen how coroners get when
they think it's death by natural causes.
It'll be a five-minute autopsy.
And you'd like the
works, is that it?
Probably want to see the
report yourself, too, I don't doubt.
Well, I'll see what I can do.
But until then, no interference
in this case, agreed?
Agreed. Thanks.
SEAN: And he asked me
not to tell a soul, not even you.
JESSICA: Do you know why?
Well, Neal was a private man.
He always kept things to
himself till he was ready to act.
Must've been hard for
him to bring me into this.
Damn it, Jess, I should've
done something, told someone.
Oh! Listen, you were
respecting the wishes of a friend.
I mean, you cannot blame yourself
for honoring his decision, Sean.
What matters now is
finding out what happened.
Then you don't believe this death by
natural causes stuff any more than I do?
No. I keep thinking of the
way the body was found,
so peaceful, so undisturbed,
no sign of violence.
It's as if there's something
that I can't quite put my finger on.
You know, I need to
go back into the village.
There's people
I want to talk to.
Is there anything I can do?
What do you know about a
man named Jason MacNamara?
Morning. Looking for
Jason MacNamara.
You found him.
Who are you, then?
Name's Sean Culhane. I'm
staying with the Gillens up the way.
I was wondering, since you
own the land next door to his,
if you heard or saw
anything last night.
No, not a thing.
It's funny. I thought this part of
the grounds belonged to Neal Gillen.
No, it's mine. Always was.
And now with Gillen
dead, it'll be again.
Can't imagine his wife
staying on now that he's gone.
Probably sell it
back to me cheap.
Why do you say that?
I got my sources.
Your sources must be good, seeing
how's Neal's not dead eight hours,
and here you not only know
about it, you're even making plans.
I suggest you move
along now, Mr. Culhane.
I've got nothing
more to say to you.
BRIAN: And that's dark
news, Mrs. Fletcher.
He was a good
man, was Mr. Gillen.
It's that place. I told him
that no good would come of it,
the way he went
about restoring it.
All that noise and the work.
It's bad luck to disturb
the rest of the dead.
Ah, the crying woman again?
Oh, now, don't
scoff, Mrs. Fletcher.
The fact is, there wasn't a peep heard
out of that woman for nigh on 50 years.
Then Mr. Gillen moved into
the house, and the next thing...
Well, you saw
how it all ended up.
Yes. Yes, indeed.
Well, thank you, Mr. Mulrain.
I really appreciate your help.
Pleasure. Uh-huh.
Good day.
Mrs. Fletcher, I just
wanted to say thanks again
for signing those books the
other day for my customers.
It's the best medicine I ever
delivered. Perked them right up.
Well, I'm glad to hear that.
Well, speaking of deliveries,
I'll just give this to himself,
and I'll be on me way. Uh-huh.
Oh, Sean, we need to talk.
Yes, we do.
Oh. Mrs. Fletcher, I just got
into town, and I heard about Neal.
I'm terribly sorry this had to
happen while you were here.
We wondered where
you were this morning.
I had some
business to attend to.
It's a nice village, but try
and find a fax around here.
I had to drive across three
towns before I found one.
Business on the weekend?
Bankers never sleep.
Now I'll have to
do it all over again
to notify the
stockholders about Neal.
Listen, with Neal gone, I'll be
assuming a larger role in the business,
as he'd have wanted me to do,
so if there's anything I can do in Neal's
absence, just be sure to let me know.
Interesting.
You caught the bit
about the bank, too?
Just before he died, Neal mentioned
something about money disappearing.
I think I'll give Sergeant O'Malley
a call. See what he can find.
That's a good idea.
Meantime, I think it's time for
me to have another talk with Anne.
So I suggest that we get together
afterwards and compare notes.
Around 2 o'clock? Fine.
The coroner's report
should be in by then. Yeah.
Hey, we make a pretty
good team, don't we?
Phone call. Right.
Are you sure, Liam?
Positive. Just do as I said.
Find a place to stay, and
I'll see you in a day or two.
But with everything that's
going on... What if they find out?
They won't.
And if they do, it's best that I
stay here to take care of things.
Now go on. I'll see
you in a few days.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Oh, Jessica, I'm sorry I
didn't see you at breakfast,
but with so much going on...
Oh! That's quite all right.
I just wanted to know
how you were doing.
I'm fine, fine. Please, come in.
Thanks.
Can I get you anything?
Oh, no. No. Nothing at all.
I just wanted to tell you that if
there's any way that I can help,
please tell me.
I realize it must
be rather daunting,
having to take over
Neal's responsibilities,
his business, his property.
Yes. Thank you.
I've decided to sell the
house as soon as possible.
I couldn't stay here
knowing what happened.
Of course.
And I understand that Liam will be taking
on the burden of running the business?
Will he?
I bet he said that's what
Neal wanted. Well, he didn't.
Neal found out that Liam was
dipping into the corporate accounts.
Just a little at first,
then a little bit more.
Neal suspected that Liam was planning
a big score this weekend, didn't he?
Yes, he...
My God. You're not suggesting...
This is outrageous.
You heard the police sergeant.
Neal died of natural causes!
This incident with Liam
has nothing to do with it.
He's a schemer,
to be sure, but he...
I know that this
is difficult for you,
but if there's even a chance
that there might be something
more here than meets the eye...
It wasn't murder! Neal
died of natural causes!
Oh, God!
There's never a tissue
around when you want one.
Oh! I'll get you one.
Thank you, Jessica.
It's just this has
been so stressful.
Oh! I do understand.
I know Neal was a
close friend of Sean's,
and it's hard losing
someone you care for.
When someone dies, you want
to believe there's a reason for it.
Death is rarely fair.
We have to come
to grips with it,
stop trying to fix blame
where there is none.
You understand that,
don't you, Jessica?
JESSICA: The coroner found considerable
amounts of fluid in Neal's lungs.
How could Neal have
died of pneumonia?
I mean, you saw him.
Did he look sick to you?
No. Not at all.
So how do you explain
this coroner's report?
I can't.
Then perhaps we can assist you.
Sergeant O'Malley has graciously
brought me up to date on your inquiry.
Sean, I understand your concern,
but this household has
been through so much,
a prolonged investigation
will only hurt more people.
I can't have that.
I have just taken the liberty
of showing Sergeant O'Malley
something that will prove
beyond a shadow of a doubt
that Neal was not murdered.
If it will set your mind at ease, I
would like to show it to you as well.
This way, please.
Neal loved his toys.
That's why he was
renovating this place,
to bring it into
the 20th century.
The night he died,
I brought one of his toys
here in case he could fix it.
The video camera.
What I didn't know was I
accidentally left it switched on.
The camera recorded
the last hours of Neal's life.
You'll forgive me if I
don't stay to watch it again.
Once was more than enough.
It goes on for about an hour.
I'll fast forward
through some of it.
(SCREAMING)
And that's where you came in.
So you saw it for yourself.
No one came into the
room. No one touched him.
He experienced no
trauma, no distress.
Natural causes, just like the
coroner said. It's that simple.
Pretty, isn't it?
JESSICA: Hmm, yes.
Oh, Jess, I'm lost.
Ah, is it possible we've
been wrong the whole time?
I know how you feel.
But the evidence is pretty
overwhelming, isn't it?
Hmm. Maybe Anne was right.
Maybe we should
let it go. Mmm-hmm.
Stop chasing shadows
that don't exist.
And what's the point
in it, after all? I ask you.
It's a fine day. Not
a cloud in the sky.
Flowers are blooming.
Or is that your perfume, Jess?
Oh, maybe it is.
It's a new brand I picked
up at the chemist's.
They just got it in.
Jessica?
Jess?
They almost did it. They were
that close to getting away with it.
Who? What? Jess, you're
speaking in tongues again,
and you know how
that worries me.
Neal was murdered, Sean,
and I think I know who, and I
think I know how it was done,
but we just have to
be sure. Come on.
Where are we going?
Shopping.
Shopping? Now?
Trust me.
Back again?
I'm just keeping a promise.
You asked me about the perfume.
Oh, right. How'd
you like it, then?
Well, I think it's wonderful.
I mean, it's very light. Not too
cloying. What do you think, Sean?
Uh, hmm? Oh, yes.
It's light. It's very light.
That's good.
Tell me, did anyone else buy a
bottle of Emerald Sunset since I was in?
No.
Are you sure?
Absolutely. You were
the first to buy one,
and nobody's bought one since.
Well, that's curious,
because this box holds a dozen
bottles and there are only 10 left,
which means that one
bottle is unaccounted for.
It's probably Mr. Reilly.
He's quite a lady's
man, you know.
He probably took one as a
present for one of his lady friends.
He does that often?
On occasion.
Oh, what's the point
of owning a store
if you can't dip into the
inventory once in a while?
(LAUGHING)
(PHONE RINGS)
Excuse me.
Of course.
I don't suppose
you'd mind telling me
what a bottle of perfume has to do
with Neal Gillen's death, now, would you?
Well now, there's only one
person who can tell us that,
the crying woman herself.
Are you sure you
want to be doing this?
It's awful cold in here.
Exactly. And colder outside.
Now that is the whole point.
The captain who built
the house and this tower
loved his wife very
much, remember?
That's what one
of the villagers said.
"He built it special
for her to make it safe."
And?
Well, would a loving husband
let his wife walk through
the wind and the rain
all the way from the house?
Well, logically, he wouldn't.
Exactly. So...
Would you mind telling
me what you're doing here?
SEAN: Just exploring.
Well, I'm under orders to watch out
for anybody going where they shouldn't,
and that includes you. So out
you go, you and the lady both.
If you'd just listen to me.
Where is she?
Jess?
SEAN: Jess?
(SHRILLING)
(SHRILLING STOPS)
(SHRILLING)
Jessica? What
are you doing here?
I'm gathering evidence.
Please, come in.
(WHISPERING) I don't
want anyone to hear us.
Anne, I have reason to believe
that your husband was murdered,
despite what we
saw on the videotape.
Jessica, we've
been through all this.
Well, indulge me
just for a moment.
Now, I think that the
secret is here in this book.
I'm sure you remember
it from the videotape.
Now, this is the book that
Neal was reading when he died.
Now, there's a
certain section here
that I think will be
of interest to you.
Really, this is quite upsetting
and not at all necessary.
Please, give me a moment.
I know it's here somewhere.
Well, maybe, but couldn't this wait
until morning? It's late, and I want...
I'd imagine finding the reason
for your husband's murder
might be worth staying
up a little longer?
I refuse to stay here all night.
It's locked!
Oh, my goodness. It must
be stuck or something.
Well, I'm sure somebody will
come along and open it soon.
Not to worry.
Hello? Hello? Is there
anyone out there?
Open the door! I've
got to get out of here!
Oh, God. Oh, God.
Anne? What's the matter?
You didn't have to do that.
We took the liberty of
disconnecting the connection
between the lamp and the
gas canisters in the basement.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
SEAN: We're talking
about conspiracy to murder.
No. No, this is absurd.
Yes, I suppose that's
what you were relying on,
an unlikely alliance
that was kept absolutely
secret until your
job was finished.
Except a few
things didn't add up.
SEAN: A dozen bottles of Emerald
Sunset perfume arrived at Reilly's shop.
Only one was sold,
but 10 were left.
The cashier figured that
it was a gift to a lover.
She was right.
JESSICA: That's the
same perfume that I noticed
in your dressing
room the other day.
Strange gift to give
to a married woman,
unless there's a more
intimate involvement.
Then I remembered that,
when I arrived in town,
Francis Reilly said he'd
heard that I was coming.
Not that I had arrived,
that I was coming.
But Neal didn't tell anyone.
Not the staff, not
his cousin. No one
except you, the day
before we arrived.
He wanted to keep it a secret,
so the only way Reilly could
have known was through you.
If you don't mind me asking,
Mrs. Fletcher, why this fella?
Of all the people in the village
for her to get involved with, Reilly?
Well because, as
the village chemist,
he could legally obtain the one ingredient
necessary for the murder, nitrogen.
It's colorless, odorless,
and absolutely lethal.
And as any good chemist knows, one
of the unique things about nitrogen is
that the body
interprets it as oxygen.
You could be stuck in a
room full of it and never notice.
You'd just keep on doing whatever
it was you were doing until you stop.
The brain passes out from
lack of oxygen, the heart stops,
and the lungs fill with fluid, a
side effect of nitrogen poisoning.
Yes, and that is
exactly what happened.
Using the secret
passage to the tower,
which you probably found while
exploring the basement, as Neal mentioned,
you hooked the canisters of nitrogen
gas into the central heating ducts
that led into Neal's study here.
You then fixed the
switch on Neal's desk lamp
so that it would turn on the gas
and the light at the same time.
On the tape,
I noticed that his cigar kept going
out much faster than it should have
as the air was replaced
by non-flammable nitrogen.
In a closed room
with the windows shut,
the gas filled it in no time.
I noticed the way you
came into the room
after Neal was dead.
You switched off the lamp
first, and then checked him
to avoid inhaling the gas.
You left the room
and then cried for help.
By the time we arrived,
most of the gas had escaped.
Well, that's all
very interesting,
but how are you going
to convince a jury?
Well, that's why I brought
you in here and closed the door,
and switched on the lamp.
You had no way of knowing that we'd
disconnected the nitrogen canisters.
The only reason that you would
panic and switch off the desk lamp
was because you knew
this room was a killing jar.
And that proves your
involvement in Neal Gillen's murder.
Amazing. Simply amazing.
Now, what about
the gas canisters?
Oh, we checked
the serial numbers,
and the invoice proves they
were shipped to Mr. Reilly.
It's airtight. There's
no question about it.
The whole village is
talking about it, you know.
It's quite the story.
Now it figures, the way
Anne moved in on Neal
and stole him away
from his first wife,
and all she wanted
was the money.
But now, what about
the crying woman?
And this bit about
Neal's cousin?
Well, from what I saw, it was only
the wind moving through the air duct
where it had been
sliced and left open.
Ah! Be that as it
may, in my heart,
I'd like to believe that
she was always there
and was trying to warn
Mr. Gillen about what was coming.
Perhaps.
As for Liam, turns out he used Claire
to get the access code to Neal's account.
Now he's promised to give back the
money in exchange for a reduced penalty.
As I said, amazing.
Simply amazing.
Of course, everything amazes me.
Well, speaking of going, we
should be heading off, Jess.
Right.
I promised to show
you all of Ireland,
the hills and the valleys, the
green and the rocks and the sea,
and I mean to keep my promise.
There's adventures
to be had out there.
Adventures out there?
What do you call all this?
A good start.