All language subtitles for Ironside s08e07 The Lost Cotillion

Good cat?

Hmm?

It's all right now.

It's all right now.

Helen should have told you that you're
persona non grata in my home, Courtney.

My dear sister -in -law, there's never
been any doubt in my mind that I'm

unwelcome here.

You always did have the hide of a
rhinoceros.

Why don't you help yourself to a drink?

I note that you took care not to be
announced until your daughter had left

shopping. Oh, Jennifer is a nice enough
young woman, I suppose.

But too much of this place has rubbed
off on her.

Anyway, my business doesn't concern her.

Whatever it concerns, please get on with
it.

It, Athena dear, is the rising cost of
living.

Of course, I realize that you are
sheltered from such mundane

But unfortunately, I'm not so lucky.

You would be shocked at the cost of food
and Napoleon Brandy.

And those handsome shirts McAuliffe
makes especially for me.

I hate to tell you this, Theney, old
girl, but you're just going to have to

an adjustment in our arrangement.

Why don't you call it by its name?

It doesn't matter what we call it.

It has to be doubled.

Doubled?

Starting next month.

That is outrageous.

I'll do no such thing.

Well, maybe you'd rather cancel our
arrangement.

Of course, that's entirely up to you.

And the courts.

And the newspapers.

And the television cameras.

Come on, T &A, cheer up.

I'm not foreclosing on their old
homestead.

It won't even make a dent in what the
old robber baron left to you.

It can only happen in Chicago.

Robert!

I'm so delighted you could make it.
Athena, you look younger every time I

you.

You're as polished a prevaricator as you
ever were, and I hope you never change.

How are you, Uncle Bob?

Fine, Jennifer, just fine.

You haven't met Dr. Mrs. Crichton, have
you, Robert? I don't believe so. How do

you do?

How do you do? I do.

And of course you know Tony Hudson.

Tony. Bob.

And Jay Endicott, Chief Ironside. It's
been a long time, Mr. Endicott. You're

looking fit, Chief.

Can I get you anything, Uncle Bob?

Oh, thank you, Jennifer.

Chief, I'm particularly glad you're
here.

I need your help.

I've been trying to persuade Athena to
get rid of this old mausoleum.

Tell Dieter to the city anything to free
her. Oh, honestly, Tony, you know I

only keep enough of the house open to
fit our needs.

You see?

Same old argument.

I'm not sure I should get into it.

Tell you what.

You keep this old face if you insist.

But come and live in my condominium with
me.

Of course.

I should suddenly get married at my age.

Who said anything about marriage?

If my instincts were right, I should
stay out of it.

Madam, do you know I served?

I don't know.

Ellen! Who put those there?

Those orchids.

I did, Miss Athena.

Well, get them out of here at once.

But you ordered them.

I did no such thing.

Now get them out of here.

Yes, ma 'am.

I'm sorry.

It's just that orchids... Well, I'd
sooner have poison ivy in my home.

Now you all find your cards for
Jennifer's place.

Athena?

Stephan Post?

Yes, poor dear Stephan.

He was to have been here this evening.

A memorial?

A reminder that his attacker is still at
large.

It's been a week since his murder.

Oh, John has persuaded me to try a new
wine tonight, Robert.

I'll be interested in your opinion.

Hello, Ed.

It's Mike Roark.

Oh, hi, Lieutenant.

Is the chief there?

No, he's out for the evening. You want
me to have him? I just got a call from a

woman who said she saw someone near the
site of the Stephan Post murder last

week.

Could have been the killer.

Oh, yeah? Good.

I know the chief was acquainted with the
victim, and I was hoping that he might

also know the witness.

Miss Evelyn Wescott?

Well, I wouldn't know about that, but
I'll sure have him... She lives there in

that same Nob Hill area where the chief
has so many friends.

Listen, when he comes in, I'll certainly
have him... See, this thing waited a

whole week before she came forth.

Said she was scared to get involved.

I don't know whether to believe it or
not.

Now, if the chief could vouch for her,
it would simplify my life a great deal.

Yeah, I'll just bet.

You could simplify my life a good deal,
too, Lieutenant.

I could how?

Do this.

Excellent dinner, Athena.

I'm glad you liked it. Yes, superb as
usual, my dear Athena.

You all right?

Yes, yes, I'm all right.

A little pensive, perhaps.

It was such a shock.

Who would kill a nice guy like Steve
Post?

It had to be a mugger, don't you agree,
Chief?

That, of course, is a possibility.

Oh, something's happened to the world.

violence and horror, such an everyday
part of life.

It was so different when we were young.

Remember, Jay?

Tony? As if it were yesterday, my dear.

That's your problem, Athena.

Can't look back.

You can't live in the past.

Well, death and death brought it all
back.

And the other day, I found a memento I
hadn't seen in years.

Jennifer? Yes, I'm Athena.

My cotillion dance card.

Papa insisted on calling it a cotillion
instead of just a dance.

And rightly so.

Oh, it was so beautifully formal and
stylized and old.

You should have seen it.

Stephen Post.

Yes.

He had the first waltz.

And Jay, you had the second.

I remember.

Courtney Elliott.

Yes, uh, Jennifer's father.

You're on the list, too, Tony.

Number six?

Best I could do.

I had to get in the line.

All the rest are dead.

Well, shall we finish our drinks in the
other room?

There we are.

You wanted to talk, didn't you?

Uh, Jennifer, be a good girl and look
after our guests for a minute, please.

I'll be right along.

Robert, if you asked, I know they'd put
you on Stefan's case.

Please, for my sake.

For your sake, Athena?

Well, of course. He was my oldest
friend.

Stefan's murder is being investigated by
thoroughly competent officers.

I know, I know, but you could step into
it if you wanted to.

Yes, I suppose I could.

Athena, is this what's been bothering
you?

Well, it would be a great comfort to me
to know that you were in charge of the

investigation.

Because you want to see Stefan's murder
brought to justice?

Yes. That's all, no other reason.

What other reason could there possibly
be?

I don't know.

Will you do it?

Yes, of course I'll do it.

Thank you, Robert.

Well, shall we join the others?

Yes.

Don't you ever knock?

I did, Miss Athena, and you know
perfectly well I did.

You've probably been yelling at Miss
Jennifer, too.

Not very much, Ellen.

I'll thank you not to disgust me as if I
were somewhere else.

Hard to know where you are these days.

What is this woman talking about?

Miss Jennifer, if you don't say
something, I swear I'm going to.

Say something about what?

About your not being where you're
supposed to be at night. Like in bed.

What? Walking in your sleep.

Ellen. It was Miss Jennifer who found
you. And she called me.

Well, it was nothing, Anacina. You were
out in the upstairs hall.

Got you back to bed without any fuss.

And the orchids you ordered.

That is absolutely not true.

You called me. Right from here. Night
before last.

I was in the pantry finishing up. You
said to send for them.

And I tried to say something.

My goodness.

Now, don't you think I know how you feel
about them? You just hung up the phone

on me.

I'd have to be out of my mind to request
such a... I don't remember.

Anna Sina, we're concerned about your
health. Now, if you've been overdoing

things, why don't you see Dr. Crichton?

Because there's nothing wrong with me,
that's why.

Forgetfulness is sometimes an adjunct of
getting older.

Perhaps I have grown careless
occasionally.

But there is no need to confide my
innermost thoughts to an analyst.

Now, I do not wish to hear another word
on the subject.

Is that clear?

Both of you go to bed.

Yes.

Yes, of course I knew it.

He was at the dinner party last night.

I thought he was found at 3 o 'clock
this morning by another tenant.

The coroner says he was dead at 11 .30
last night.

He's been home about an hour and a half.
He left when you did.

We've just been talking about the murder
of Stephan Post.

I presume you're tying the two together.

Looks like the same weapon.

Long, slender instrument.

Sharp point, dull size?

Like scissors.

Could be.

Sort of fits the description the
Westcott woman gave us in the post case.

I mean, at the risk of sounding
chauvinistic, scissors are more of a

weapon than a man's.

Sorry I couldn't help you with the
witness, Mike.

Did you check her out?

Seems to be reliable.

Could she identify the woman who bumped
into her?

She's not sure.

There wasn't much light.

There's one thing I'm sure of, though.

The M .O. was the same.

One of these was found on each of the
bodies.

Apparently dropped there by the killer,
like a signature.

White orchids.

White orchids.

You didn't give this to the papers.

That's the secret between us and the
killer.

Two men, about the same age, friends.

Now, what do they have in common with a
white orchid?

We're checking into their personal
background.

Stick with Mike. See what he turns up.
I'll see you later.

Hey, hold it, hold it.

Have you got something on your mind
you'd like to share with the San

Police Department?

Only if something develops, Mike.

Yes, madam.

I understand, madam, but the chief says
it's very important.

Yes, madam.

She'll see you upstairs, sir.

Thank you, John.

This isn't like Miss Athena, sir.

She's usually out before anyone else in
the house.

Has she seen the morning paper?

You mean about poor Mr. Allen?

Yes.

I have a feeling that there's more to it
than that.

There's something going on here that I
can't quite figure out.

Oh, nothing you can put your finger on.

Just some funny looks between Miss
Jennifer and Ellen.

Not a whisper.

And poor Miss Athena getting grouchier
every day.

Good morning, Robert.

Morning, Athena.

Thank you for seeing me.

You've come to tell me about Jay
Endicott.

I already know about it.

I've come to hear the rest of what you
started to tell me last night.

There's nothing more.

I only wish I'd asked you to take charge
sooner.

Perhaps poor Jay might still be alive.

What makes you think so?

Well, maybe you would have caught the
killer.

I should thank you for your vote of
confidence, but instead I'm wondering

you used the singular.

Killer.

Well, surely it's occurred to you that
Stefan and Jay were killed by the same

person. They were old friends.

And they were numbers one and two on
your cotillion card.

And they were murdered in that order.

Now, what do you think that means?

Oh, what I know.

Oh, I think you know a great deal more
than you're telling me. I think last

night you were afraid there'd be another
murder.

That's ridiculous.

And this morning you were wondering if
you couldn't have prevented it.

How could I... I could

do anything about that.

Because you may suspect what's behind
the murders or even who's doing it.

Every detail, but most of it.

Most of it was in the papers, Athena.

The papers said a sharp -pointed
instrument.

I can tell you they were shears.

The police have suggested that.

For 30 years, I've kept my shears in
this sewing basket.

The same pair.

Now they're gone.

You don't know where they are?

That's just it. I...

I don't know anything for sure.

I just get flashes of Stefan lying at
the foot of the stairs.

And of Jay crumpled in the doorway of
his apartment.

And of my standing over them with the
cheers in my hand.

You still haven't told me anything that
isn't common knowledge.

There's been nothing in the papers about
flowers.

What flowers?

I'm not sure, but there were flowers in
both cases.

Where?

Near the bodies.

On them.

I don't know. I just see them lying
there.

And there was a flower.

But if I could remember it all, I'd just
go confess.

Don't you understand?

If I'm going to help you, I have to ask
questions.

Ask them, ask them. Get to the bottom of
this quickly, please.

All right, Athena.

Every murder has a motive.

Now, what's yours?

Isn't insanity enough?

Not necessarily.

There are many kinds of mental illness.

Only the barest percentage are
homicidal.

Then I must be part of the barest
percentage.

Why don't you come in, ladies?

You are not insane, Athena, and you're
not a murderer. Jennifer. Ellen.

John told us the chief was here and we
were listening.

All right, good.

Tell him about finding me wandering in
the halls at night and not remembering

leaving my bed.

About ordering the orchids and not
remembering that.

That is sleepwalking. That's not
unusual.

Sometimes you may be a little forgetful
or short -tempered, but that doesn't

mean anything.

The orchids, Athena.

Why are they so distasteful to you?

Because they... Some people don't like
night -blooming jasmine. I don't like

orchids. Never did, that's all.

I don't think that's all.

I had the feeling she was still holding
back.

She asked for help but won't cop out.
Does that make sense?

To her it does.

The royal family can never let the world
know where the skeletons are.

So we're going to have to dig them out.

I want you to check on every member of
Athena's family. She had a twin sister.

Jennifer's mother died long before I met
any of the champions.

And Jennifer's father is around
someplace, I think.

Well, that was a lot of hours for
nothing. There's only one person I can

of who has a cleaner record than Stephen
Post, and that is... Andrew Endicott.

Right. Both staunch pillars of the
community, paid by their fortunes

Not so much as a parking ticket on
either one.

In short, there's no reason why anybody
would want to murder them. That you

could find. That I could find. They were
murdered.

One point of interest, though.

They were both engaged to marry Athena
Champion at different times, of course.

Post first, then Endicott.

Both engagements were short, both before
she made her debut.

Before the cotillion.

Fran, you'll be checking the newspaper
more. Get everything you can on the

cotillion. Bye.

Oh, and by the way, what was the name of
Jennifer's father?

Elliot.

Courtney Elliot.

I'll take care of the packages, Miss
Jennifer.

Very well, John.

Oh, Mr. Jennifer, thank goodness you're
here. I have to show you something.

What is it?

Well, first your father was here today.

What did he want? I don't know. He spoke
with your aunt a few minutes and then

he left, but that's not important.

Open it.

Pick it up.

I wouldn't touch it again for a million
dollars.

Athena, champion's only sister, died in
1950.

Check the death certificate.

Heart attack. Certifying physician, Dr.
Philip R. Barnes.

Ironside. Yes, sir.

Chief, I finally traced down Courtney
Elliott.

He has an apartment on Aqua Vista.

I'm across the street from it now.

Stay there. I want to talk to her.

As for my daughter living with her aunt,
she finds time. That hardly needs

explanation.

You see, I can't provide for her. And
her aunt can and does.

Handsomely.

I'd be a fool if I objected, wouldn't I?

In all the years I've known your
daughter, Mr. Elliot, I've never heard

mention you.

Does that too hardly need explanation?

I never pretended to ooze with love for
the girl.

She is far more a champion than Elliot.

But we do exchange birthday and
Christmas cards.

And your wife?

Were you as close to her as to your
daughter?

We could have been much closer if it
hadn't been for Athena.

She never approved of me.

Poor Claudia.

If she'd lived, we might have made a go
of it.

Is there anything else you wanted,
Chief?

I borrowed that from your sister -in
-law, Mr. Elliott.

Do you recognize it?

I know what it is, of course.

Your name is third on the dance program.

The first two names are those who... Oh,
I know whose names they are, young

lady.

That's too bad.

Terrible tragedy.

You don't sound very concerned.

Oh, but I am.

I'm as concerned as any almighty
citizen. What the chief means is you

worried about being next on the list.

Oh, you mean victim number three.

Why would anyone want to kill me?

Why, indeed.

Mr. Elliot, how well do you remember the
cotillion?

Oh, I will never forget it.

Who escorted Athena?

Oh, I remember that, Chief.

Very well.

She has just gone through two
engagements.

But her timing was very bad.

We came the night of the party, and she
was without a bow.

And so Athena the Beautiful, Athena the
Proud, Athena the Invincible was forced

to make a debut on this quarter.

She had to stand at the side of her
father.

Now, if you see a face that looks
familiar, Miss West, you just speak up.

your time.

I hope I can be of help to you, but I
don't know.

You see something, ma 'am?

Well, I don't think so.

This one looked familiar at first, but I
guess I was mistaken.

Don't be afraid, Miss Wescott.

You think that's the lady who bumped
into you that night? Just speak right

We'll treat it as confidential.

I'd tell you if I could be sure, but I
can't.

My eyes need a lot more light than there
was that night.

All right, ma 'am. Thank you very much.

I'm afraid I...

Wasn't much help.

Of course you were, Miss West. We very
much appreciate your taking the time and

trouble to come down here.

And that's about all we need for a
warrant.

That was no identification.

Anyway, a slice of chief.

That nice little old lady picked this
picture out of the stack.

Because it looked familiar.

You heard her.

But not necessarily because she saw her
in the park that night. Where else?

What about the newspapers?

Tina Pendridge Champion's face has
appeared in the society section a few

times. But not for years.

Now, when did you ever read a society
page?

What about Miss Champion's confession?

There's no confession.

She merely suspects she's guilty.

Chief, the lady needs help. She's
begging for it. We're giving it to her.

All I want's a little help from you.

Hold off on that warrant, Mike.

I can't. Yes, you can.

You've got to dig deeper now, Ed.

Get subpoenas to check the champion bank
records as far back as possible.

What am I looking for?

You'll know it when you see it.

Hey, now, wait a minute.

Lieutenant, we've got to find a motive,
don't we? Yes, and motive is logic. And

logic you won't get from a batty old
dame. What if she isn't batty? What if

somebody just wants us to think she is?

Who? Yeah, who? And the next question is
why? And we're right back to motive.

You bet your sweet badge we are.

All right.

Check the old lady's will. See who
benefits.

We already have.

Okay, who?

The maid? The butler? The niece? Who?
Which one?

None of them. Not to any great extent.
They're all mentioned, only modestly.

Volk remains in the Champion Foundation.

I have the right of Charlie to dispatch
more to get this.

But I think you'll be willing to
reimburse me.

from a champion cotillion of 1927
featuring Miss Athena Champion wearing a

corsage of orchids.

Orchids. Orchids.

Is there to be no end of discussions
about orchids?

It would appear that we have to settle
the issue first, Athena.

A silly flower. How can that be an
issue?

A silly flower can be symbolic of a
motive for murder. Now, you've asked me

help, Athena, and I'm sure you want
help.

But not at the risk of uncovering any
family embarrassment.

That is an absurd theory.

Because if it should turn out that you
are innocent, you would not have failed

as lifetime guardian of the champion
good name.

Your secrets would be intact and you
could go on living or whatever it is you

call what you do.

How dare you?

I dare because I think you are innocent.

I think somebody is trying to convince
you that you're insane.

Even homicidal.

That's preposterous.

Not if you actually have a motive.

But I don't. Are you sure, Athena?

Are you sure that your friendship for
Stephan Post and Jay Endicott wasn't

a pretense?

Haven't you harbored a deep, smoldering
resentment for the two men who had

jilted you?

Jilted? Why wouldn't they marry you?

Oh, I didn't want them.

They were weak, both of them.

Too weak.

Or were you too strong for them?

Too much like your father?

First Stephan and then suddenly Jay.

You were left to suffer the unthinkable
embarrassment of rejection at your own

cotillion.

A last -minute replacement would have
been too obvious.

Stop it. The crown princess of San
Francisco society could not produce even

prince consort, so her...

Her father, the king, had to take her
hand.

She was forced to stand there, wearing a
corsage of orchids, suffering the

laughter of her peers.

They wouldn't have dared to laugh.

Oh, they laughed, Athena. One of them's
still laughing. Courtney Elliott.

That pig.

You've always detested him, haven't you?

Always. And why have you been giving him
money all these years?

We subpoenaed your bank records.

You had no right.

$3 ,000 a month, just like clockwork.

Well, he was family, whatever else.

He was a blackmailer.

No. The champion's secret has been very
costly, hasn't it, Athena?

Starting with the million -dollar
addition to Dr. Philip Barnes' hospital.

Please, no.

Endowment was dated...

Only two days after the doctor signed
your sister's death certificate.

Please, Robert, no more. Please. Clear
to the bone, Athena.

Everything before the cost becomes more
than you can bear.

I had wondered why a three -story house
would have an elevator that only went to

the second floor.

Long after Claudia and...

Courtney were married.

Jennifer was still a little girl.

My sister attacked me.

She imagined I was having an affair with
Courtney.

She tried to stab me.

With a pair of sewing shears.

And you've been afraid that you were
cursed by the same affliction as your

sister.

My sister. How could I have her
committed?

She's had the best of care.

Ellen looks after her.

Jennifer's kind to her. I couldn't let
them put her away in some institution.

Not Claudia Champion.

So important.

That name.

So important.

So important.

Hey, friend.

You want something cold to drink?

Oh, no, thanks.

Ed, you still with the chief?

Yeah, but I'll be talking to him later.

That's good. Tell him we're all set.

Blank clothes, unmarked car.

But you think there's somebody right
there in the house, huh?

Yeah, could be.

Someone who could have planted the
battalion dance card right where Athena

have run across it.

Someone who could have drugged her milk
to make her think she was sleepwalking.

Someone who could have impersonated her
voice to get Ellen to put the orchids in

the centerpiece.

Unless Ellen lied and there wasn't any
call at all.

The chief's already thought of that.

Or the old gal is actually doing the
murders.

Annapina.

Is Uncle Bob really helping you? Oh,
he's trying to, Jennifer.

He's trying to be encouraging, but I
don't know.

Have a good night, Miss Athena.

Thank you, Ellen. Good night. Good
night.

Look, it's really been a very trying
day, Jennifer. Do you mind? No, of

not. Good night. Good night, Jim.

You are going to get up now.

You are going to get up and go out.

You will wear the same black dress and
the same black cloak

that you always wear.

The one your mama used to wear.

The one you wore when you killed Stefan
and Jane.

You will hide the sewing shears under
the fold of the cloak and you will slip

out of the house.

You will go quickly to Courtney's
apartment.

Courtney's apartment.

You will ring the bell and you will tell
him who you are.

He will press the buzzer and let you in.

When he opens the apartment door, you
will stab him with the shears.

Just as you did. the others and just as
before

you will leave the single white orchid
on the body

and when it's all done you will return
home to your house

And when it's all over, you will
remember everything you did.

You will remember.

You will remember.

Yes?

Yes, who is it?

Athena.

I don't believe it.

I don't believe it.

I must see you.

I bet you could have telephoned me.

Now. I must see you now.

All right.

Now come on out.

Halt! Police!

Police, stand where you are.

Halt!

What is it, Miss Jennifer?

What is it?

Look.

Something awake me. I don't know what it
was. So I looked in on her.

I hope I didn't upset her.

Where do you think she could be?

Somewhere in the house.

Ellen, look downstairs. I'm going to
check the rooms up here.

Back so soon.

You must have run very fast.

Mama, we've got her now.

They'll have to put her away. They'll
have to punish her for what she did to

you. You won't have to stay up here
anymore.

And you can be mistress of this house
just as you always should have been.

You can have her bedroom, Mama.

Mama?

You did do what you were supposed to do.

Didn't you?

Mama, answer me.

Mama.

You didn't do it.

You didn't do it.

I took you there. I showed you what to
do. I showed you exactly what to do.

Why didn't you do it?

Why? They shined a light, a blinding
light.

Please.

Please.

Please, we're there. Please.

Please.

It's her fault.

It's our fault.

It's her fault.

No! No! No!

No! No!

It wasn't you cursed by the affliction,
Athena.

Jennifer inherited everything from her
mother, including her hatred of you.

I'm sorry I had to let it go so far.

It's going to be all right, dear.

Everything's going to be all right.

If you're still thinking about Athena
Champion, forget it.

She's leaving on a world cruise with
Tony Hudson.

Turn the paper.

Turned her mansion over to the city for
a museum.

Gee, I don't remember it saying anything
about their having separate staterooms.

Maybe they're married.

I wouldn't count on it.

One of them would lose his social
security.