Original subtitles

Thank you.

I don't believe it. Either my watch is wrong or you're sick.

I feel fine.

In that case, how about some coffee?

When did I ever not want morning coffee?

I could bite my tongue off.

I had a phone call last night. Kept me up thinking, that's all.

Morning, everybody.

I'm early.

I'm not early.

You know, this is the first time I ever walked in here and you weren't already

up and... Except when you were... He's sick. That's it, you're sick.

I feel fine.

Somebody called him up last night. Phone call? Who?

Ted Hollinger.

No kidding.

I'm not even going to ask why you're still in bed at 8 .15.

Mark, where's the thermometer?

Fran, I feel fine.

All right, then. I will ask.

Why are you still in bed at 8 .15? I'm in bed at 8 .15 because...

Because I feel lousy.

Now keep your distance. I think it's the flu.

I'll call the doctor. Oh, Fran.

I have something to say to all of you.

So gather around closer.

I think an old friend of mine needs some help.

Ted?

I think he needs it sooner than I'm going to be able to give it.

Fill it, please, regular.

I'm looking for a place called Ollinger's Pier.

Uh, Jenkins Landing's right down the way.

It's closer, good bait, and they got better fishing boats for rent, too.

Well, I don't need a boat, and Ollinger's has been recommended. I never

it.

It's a big pier sticking out in the ocean.

Ollinger. Ted Ollinger. You're sure you never heard of it? I'm sure.

Well, you tried.

But tell your friend Jenkins you ran into one you just couldn't steer his

Excuse me, sir.

Maybe you could help me.

I'm sorry, what's that?

Ollinger's Pier.

You know where it is?

Yes, straight through town, turn left. You'll run right into it.

Thank you very much.

Cash or charge? Credit card.

Edward D. Brown, San Francisco.

I wonder who he is.

You can catch him before he reaches the pier.

Yeah, maybe I better have a closer look at him.

See license, please.

You know, our car had the speed limit back there a little close.

I don't think so.

Yeah, we'll let it go this time anyway.

Saw the sign back there, I guess.

Doesn't say anything about pedestrians.

Well, Ollinger isn't doing much business these days anyway.

Big dayboats don't use his landing anymore.

And this is where you start touting me to Jenkins Landing, is that it?

When I met you On a day just like today

And though the sun

is shining now Tomorrow may be raining

And I hope you will be staying Until

the clouds have gone

you feel so all alone and no one with strangers around you

where can you go when you feel so all alone maybe

i can say that i found you

i found you

dead

$10!

Adam Brunson?

Yes, sir.

Excuse me, your office. I can find you here. My name is Ed Brown.

Oh, yes, Mr. Brown. What can I do for you? I believe you know Ted Olinger.

Yes. Sit down.

Thank you.

I've been out to cheer. There was no sign of him.

Well, he's always there during the day. He was more or less expecting me, too.

Not like Ted to stand up a friend. You did say you were a friend of his, didn't

you? No, I don't believe I did.

But it's true we are friends. We used to work together.

Oh, Ted's a retired policeman, isn't he?

Just coffee, please.

I found this on his desk.

Well, my representative had a hearing before the county commissioners when the

pier was condemned.

Now, a week later when the county put up those no parking signs, there was no

place left for his customers to leave their cars.

The appeal was denied?

Unfortunately.

An organized attempt to put him out of business?

Uh -huh.

Cronyism is the name of the game in this county. It's the very reason I'm

running for prosecutor.

Oh, Bill.

Come on over here.

This is Mr. Brown, a friend of Ted Olinger's up from San Francisco. Bill

Eaton's. Mr. Eaton was kind enough to direct me to the pier. Ted was supposed

meet him, and he didn't.

You wouldn't know why, would you, Mr. Eaton?

No.

You know where Ted Olinger might be?

Maybe he just ran out on his creditors. Yes.

Well, I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help, Mr.

Brown, but I'm sure he'll turn up with a perfectly logical explanation.

Miss, do you know St. Ellington?

It's a small town.

I'll look at that menu now.

Sorry, lunch hour's over.

You're the owner here?

Mr. Martin, I've come to Grants Bay for a few relaxing days of fishing at the

invitation of my friend Ted Olinger. Now, that seems like a simple enough

to do, wouldn't you think so?

I guess so.

Well, then why do you suppose it is that every time I mention his name, I get

the distinct impression I'm doing something very wrong?

Well, you claim he's a friend of yours.

Maybe that doesn't say a whole lot for your judgment.

Oh. Maybe folks around here just don't feel inclined to do him any favors or

buddies either. Well, that's funny.

Everybody liked him in San Francisco.

Maybe changed.

Mr. Martin, I intend to stay right here in Grants Bay until I find Ted.

I'll be at his place.

I thought you might like to know that.

I was a rookie assigned to my first patrol car.

He was my senior officer.

That's a long time.

Ed.

Ted owned a cemetery plot at St. Joseph's.

I'll claim the body.

Let me know.

I can have an ambulance up there in an hour.

I think we need an autopsy.

There's no question about it.

Chief.

I haven't talked to anybody here yet. What do you think I ought to do?

You'd do exactly what I'd do if I were there.

the night before last. He mentioned a conspiracy.

He didn't say who, but he'd come across some incriminating evidence.

And you believed him?

Ted Olinger is dead.

I believe that.

Well, he was painting a railing. We found an open can of paint hanging

You don't have to climb on the outside of a railing to paint it. He had a heart

attack and he fell in and drowned.

Who said heart attack?

Medical examiner, Doc Johnson.

And he ought to know Olinger was his patient.

That he should have noticed the bump on his head, too.

Oh, he did.

He figured he hit something when he fell.

Or something hit him.

Sergeant, I have a feeling that you want me to consider something other than

natural or accidental death in this case.

Well, I don't think an investigation is totally out of line to you. It's a

matter of motive.

There's no doubt that a good share of the town hated him.

That ought to do for a start.

The conspiracy.

Then you do know about it. Oh, yeah.

Hollinger was standing in the way of a real estate development that could have

meant a lot of money for a lot of people around here. And you don't think that's

a motive?

Sergeant, these aren't your San Francisco hoodlums we're talking about.

are just plain, ordinary citizens. Sheriff, most of the murders in this

are committed by so -called plain, ordinary citizens. Yeah. There's

that you keep bringing up.

I wonder why he didn't say something about it to me.

Maybe he wasn't sure he could trust anybody around here. Maybe that's why he

called for outside help.

It's too bad that Grant's pay is out of your jurisdiction. You better believe it

is. Otherwise, I might do a little pushing to find out why your deputy gave

hard time out at the pier.

Oh, that'd be Larry Davis.

Oh, he's a fine young man.

Local boy, substantial kind that invests all his money right here in the old

hometown, I bet.

Wouldn't be a bit surprised.

Including some property involved in that real estate deal you mentioned, I bet

you. I can't really blame him or anybody else for resenting Olinger.

You see, a Denver company, United Chemical, wanted to build a factory on

acres right down there along the shore, but Ted's peer sat right smack dab in

the middle of it. And he wouldn't sell?

No, he was an ecology freak. He didn't sell a grant.

Mrs. Adam Bronson?

People kept on calling her sell a grant even after she got married.

Grant, Grant's Bay, that's how it all started.

And she sided with Ted?

Didn't want to upset the delicate balance of nature, they said.

Well, it was our budget that needed some delicate balancing.

The folks around here wanted that factory. You take a look around outside.

You'll see how bad we need it.

You wanted to see me, Ted?

Oh, yeah, I did. Oh, you met Sergeant Brown?

Sergeant.

I'm sorry to hear about your friend.

Yeah. I wanted to ask you, Adam, did Ted leave a will with you who might help us

trace any relatives?

He had no living relatives.

Well, I guess we can take your word for that.

In fact, I'll clean the body.

If you have no objections.

I'll, uh... Be all right, I guess.

What about the will, Adam?

He didn't file any with me. Not that it matters much. The bank seized the

property to pay off the mortgage.

All right, Ed.

Keep in touch.

Incredible.

It's out.

Absolutely incredible. It sounds like the whole town's involved.

Can you believe that?

Can't even get a whole town to agree on where to put a stop sign.

It does sound like a conspiracy.

Maybe it could use some help.

Well, if he could, he'll ask for it.

Besides, I have something else for you to do.

Your notes on that clipping, Mrs. Adam Bronson.

The former Stella Grant.

She'd been in Las Vegas on the 6th. and Ted was there a week later.

Investigating a death, maybe?

That's what you're going to find out. Take Fran with you. And leave you alone

your condition?

My condition is... Lousy!

To quote the doctor.

I took it upon myself to pack your suitcase.

Otherwise, you'd have had to hire a boat to get out there.

You still will.

Mr. Hollinger's personal effects will have to be inventoried. Sorry.

No trespassing. Peer is posted.

Now, who did that?

Bank. You want to go out there, you're going to have to get their permission.

In writing.

I'll be happy to pass on your request to the new owner, Sergeant Brown.

And just who would that be?

It's a confidential matter at the moment.

I assume there will be an announcement in a day or two.

Thank you.

Maybe we'd better try his car.

Ed, we've been trying to reach you.

I've been busy getting another lesson in organized resistance.

We heard from Mark in Las Vegas.

Do you know a William Eaton?

Yeah, he's a real estate man here.

Well, he arrived in Las Vegas the day after Mrs. Bronson did.

Registered at the same hotel.

How's that?

Not according to Mark.

He said they had a real Donnybrook in the dining room. The maitre d' told him

she acted like a lady, but Eaton's voice got so loud they asked him to leave.

What was the hassle? Maître D didn't exactly know, but he heard the word loan

more than once.

That mean anything to you?

Yeah.

Yeah, it sure does.

Later.

Hi, Sally.

Mr. Martin.

I just saw him going into the bank.

I don't have to answer your questions.

Dolly Pearson, is it?

Let me help you.

Iowa.

Michigan.

You like Grants Bay?

Well, I like how you can take a deep breath and not choke.

I like the ocean.

What about people?

No place is perfect.

Unless you were born here, they'd treat you like a foreigner. Yeah, I noticed.

Maybe there's something wrong with our passports.

Ted was a newcomer, too.

You and he must have had a lot in common.

Look, I just worked for him, that's all.

In his coffee shop.

It's always full.

People waiting for the dayboats to pick them up.

People coming back in with their catches.

But that stopped when they condemned a peer.

No way to get supplies out there.

No way.

Sally.

I found this in his cabin.

You can get it in any drugstore for a dollar and a half.

Sally.

Somebody killed him. He had a heart attack. You know better than that. And

he fell in the water and he drowned. Wanted to get away with it? I don't

Yeah, I understand you had a little accident.

It could be that my brake fluid picked this particular time and this particular

place to disappear, but I doubt it.

How about it, Sam?

That's a clever tip.

It connects the brake pedal with the master cylinder.

Must have fallen out.

Sure it did.

Are you ready to press charges against somebody?

Any suggestions?

Nobody in this town would do such a thing.

I wonder if Ted Olinger would agree with that.

Look, I can stall him here for a couple days.

The sooner he finishes this snooping and gets out of here, the better.

The autopsy says he was asphyxiated, but not drowned.

No water in his lungs?

Not a drop.

But here's something weird, though. They found bits of lint in his throat.

Fran, let me see that.

Chief, please. Now, you promised to rest. I can read it. Just tell me if the

color of that lint is indicated.

Yes, it was blue.

Ed? You were in that cabin. I want you to think hard.

Something he could have been smothered with.

Murder weapon.

A pillow, I think.

A pretty blue pillow.

Think you're ready to go to the sheriff with it?

I don't know, Chief.

There's a deputy here I don't trust very much.

Might be a good idea to make a more thorough search of Ted's place anyway.

Talk to you later.

Sergeant Brown.

You know, this is a downright unfriendly town, Mr. Bronson. I can't even rent a

boat. The fellow in there says they're all reserved.

Oh, well, I'm sure he wouldn't lie about it. Yeah.

Oh, by the way, I hear you had a little accident.

That's what we're calling it for the time being.

My brakes went out. Oh?

I was talking to Sam at the service station. I wondered if it could have

the problem with your wife's car.

I'm sorry, that's a painful question for you, but... Oh, no.

No, it's all right. It's just I don't understand the question.

Well, my brakes were tampered with. I thought hers might have been, too.

Oh, no.

It was those spongy shocks.

I blame myself for not having them replaced.

You mind if I ask what your wife was doing in Las Vegas?

Surely that has nothing to do with the accident.

Well, it might have something to do with Ted Olinger's murder.

I believe the sheriff is going along with the M .E. You see, Dr. Johnson was

careless.

Ted was smothered to death.

And you seem very sure of that.

I am.

An autopsy was performed in San Francisco.

Now, what about your wife's trip?

Oh, well, she went to Vegas to get a little sun, do a little gambling.

How she loved those slot machines.

I was going to join her, but my campaign manager called a strategy meeting.

Could it be that she intended to bail Ted out of his troubles?

Alone?

Yes.

That would be very like her.

They were allies, you know, Mother Nature's warriors.

Thanks,

Mr. Bronson.

We'll talk again.

about this, okay?

Just tell us where you were. In the office, working. Good. Was anybody there

with you?

Oh, I see what you mean. Do I have a witness?

If it was up to me, I'd take your word for it. You know that, Bill. Pat, I was

alone. Records at the Marina gas dock indicate you called about 5 o 'clock

yesterday afternoon and asked them to top the test. I was planning to use my

boat, but I had to straighten out some escrow papers at the last moment and I

changed my mind.

Is that a crime?

Well, well, it's about time.

I came as soon as I got your message. What's this all about, Pat? Sergeant

here is convincing somebody in Grant's Bay is out to do him bodily injury.

You?

He's actually accusing me of having tried to kill him last night.

What are you saying?

Well, I haven't dignified the charge with a reply.

Well, you don't have anything to hide, do you, Bill?

Adam, are you kidding?

Then go ahead and dignify it.

Well, at the advice of counsel, I deny the charge.

Charge is?

I'm referring to your car trying to run me down in the parking lot.

I don't know anything about it. And sabotaging my brakes.

I don't know anything about brakes.

Not even Mrs. Bronson's.

That's the second time you've alluded to Stella's accident. Now, unless you have

some concrete evidence to back that up, I wish you'd shut up about it. Are you

aware that your wife was followed to Las Vegas by Mr.

Eaton?

And why would he want to do that?

Maybe to warn her not to give Ted a loan. No, I requested her not to. At the

of your voice?

No, I just wanted her to see that all I planned. Your plans would be down the

drain. No. How much would you have lost?

A million? Two million?

No. But you're up to your neck in land options, aren't you? Yes, he is.

But Adam... Ted could have held out with a loan.

He would have been left holding the bag.

Whose side are you on?

You could have done it.

You could have killed my wife!

Well,

looks like you're going to have to get yourself a new lawyer, Bill.

Pat, you're not actually going to hold me here, are you? Just until you get

another lawyer and he shows up with a red.

We'll play us a little game of gin while we're waiting.

And admit, Sergeant, we don't have any real hard evidence.

Glenn, I better find you.

Sally? Please leave me alone.

She has nothing to say to you. Yes, again, Martin, you both have. Listen,

got a business to run here, and the lunch crowd's going to be in here any

minute. I had a phone call last night from San Francisco. There was a letter.

It was Ted's will.

The bank sale is bound to realize something above the mortgage.

Whatever it is, it's yours, Sullivan.

Don't let him con you, Sally.

It's only his word.

She knows I'm telling her the truth.

She knows Ted loved her.

So why don't you just cool it, Martin, before you get yourself in heavier than

you already are?

I just used him.

Somebody to be with because there was nobody else.

He deserved so much more.

Oh, yeah.

Truth, at least the truth.

He still deserves that.

How so?

Who killed him?

We all did.

What the devil is this?

They were all yelling at once about the pier, that it had to sell,

that he had no right to hold out when it meant so much to everybody else.

It was an

accident.

We were just trying to scare him. We just shoved him around a little, that's

all. He tripped and fell.

All right. All right.

Let's not lose our head. You know what you've done. It's called manslaughter,

and as far as the United Chemical Deal is concerned, forget it.

A corporate image won't stand this kind of publicity.

Now head to the hills.

What can we do, Adam? We have to do something.

Sure.

Sure, if nobody ever finds out about it.

But there's many people.

We can keep it quiet. Look, we have to. You know what you can get for

manslaughter? Fifteen years.

Sally?

How about you?

I didn't have anything to do with it.

I say you did.

It's your word against ours.

I don't think we have to threaten her, Bill.

Sally wants to see Grants Bay saved, too.

We all do.

Well, just remember what I said.

Get your things, Sally.

All right.

Go home, all of you. Try to establish alibis.

were all left together.

The body wasn't moved.

No.

That's what's so puzzling.

I heard them talking and they think that somebody went back, got scared and

tried to get rid of... And they don't know who.

Mr. Bronson.

I wondered who Martin called. I thought I'd wait and see.

Well, house calls are not exclusive to the country doctor, Sergeant. Not in

Grants Bay.

Get in, Mr. Bronson. Let's talk.

I was going to look you up anyway.

Well, I'm not surprised.

I warned them they couldn't keep it quiet, but that's no excuse for me, I

I'll have to take my lumps, too.

But first I want to put Eden where he belongs.

It'd be a lot easier if I could find Ted's notes.

I have reason to believe he was investigating your wife's death.

Are you sure he made notes?

He always did.

Where would he have kept them? Well, Eden.

Probably at his place.

That's what I was looking for last night when I got interrupted.

I can get a boat.

Mark poking around in the wrong haystack, so I sent him in another

just called back.

I see.

Yes, sir, I understand.

Thank you.

At last.

Well?

Ted writes that on the night your wife was killed, there was someone else in

car with her.

Billy?

Ted suspected that he'd hit her over the head and then left her unconscious body

in the car.

Then he aimed it down the hill where it would crash at the hairpin curve.

But he needed a motive, so he went to Las Vegas to look for one. And he found

it? In the hotel where Eaton met Stella.

No.

At a lawyer's office where your wife went to discuss a divorce.

You were the man.

Divorce?

That's no motive for murder.

It is if a man who's using his wife's fortune to finance his political

suddenly sees that fortune walking away.

No, I love my wife.

When you were referred to as Stella Grant's husband, a thing like that could

make a man hate.

It even made killing her easy.

And that made killing Ted Olinger a necessity. He had to be silenced.

You came back here later that night.

You're out of your mind.

To kill him.

With this, you were the only one to examine him.

The only one who knew he was still alive.

It's too bad the tide didn't cooperate and carry his body away.

The notebook.

I gotta tell you, Adam.

You're a big disappointment to me.

drawn map showing how to get to Grants Bay from San Francisco.

And that's all?

There's nothing in the notebook.

Nothing. Just enough, I'd say.

Just enough.