Original subtitles

It's really good to see you all here together.

Been too long.

Miss Brasher, you know what the slammer is?

I believe so, Sergeant.

Grandfather hated him.

Hated me too, as a matter of fact.

Did Miss Brasher remind you of anybody?

Yeah. Uh -huh. She did.

I just couldn't figure out who it was. Who is that? I don't know.

You are going to let me help you on in this case, aren't you?

No, ma 'am, we're not.

That'd be fun.

Could be bizarre.

Do you know who killed him?

Of course.

If the pose is broke.

Maybe they're just not home.

How do you do? Sergeant Hunter, Sergeant McCall, Metropolitan Homicide.

You're the police?

Yes.

Answering the call about a homicide?

Ah, yes.

A homicide.

Come with me, please.

The people you called are here, sir.

Thanks, Cecil.

Hello.

I'm Clarence Highland. Hi, Sergeant McCall. Mr. Highland, Sergeant Hunter,

are you?

Please be seated. You had a homicide report?

Yes, I have, but won't you please sit down?

May I offer you something?

No, not for me, thank you. No, thanks.

Now, about the homicide, it hasn't happened yet, which is...

Why, there are no bodies lying around.

Oh, please don't conclude I'm a nutcase. I'm quite sane.

Here, look at this.

That's a brake hose.

It's an essential part of the braking system in my car.

As you can see, it's been neatly cut.

It's nothing short of a miracle that Clarence wasn't killed.

Jenny, I'm so glad you dropped by.

Oh, dear.

Police Sergeants McCall and Hunter, Jennifer Brasher. How do you do? Hello.

do you do?

Jenny's my closest friend. I have no secrets from her. Oh, that's because I

always pry them all out of him.

Oh, sit, sit.

Mrs. Brasher.

Brasher, I know that name. You're a writer, aren't you?

Well, that's debatable.

If you call writing screenplays writing, then I'm a writer. She's a writer and a

darn good one.

Did you see The Edge?

No, Miss, that was... What about Fatal Obsession? Oh, Clarence, those were not

my best scripts. They were just the ones that made the most money.

Mr. Hyland, let's get back to the homicide.

Considering the circumstances here, I think your best bet is the Traffic

Investigation Department.

Sergeant, whoever it was will certainly try again, probably in some more

conventional way.

And that person can only be one of four people.

I'd like you to be my guest for dinner tonight so you can meet them.

Well, it wouldn't have to be official.

Clarence simply wants to invite you on your own time to be his guest.

The other guests will be me, of course, his three nephews and his niece, one of

whom tried to kill him yesterday.

Now, what makes you think one of the four tried to kill you? They all have a

great deal to gain by Clarence's death and a great deal to lose if he lives

another 20 years, which his doctors assure him he will.

Well, what are we expected to do at this dinner?

Eat.

Clarence feels sure that there will be another attempt, and soon.

Now, if you have already met the four of them, well, it would be of great

assistance to you in case an investigation should ever be required.

Don't you agree?

No.

You see, Mr. Highland, I still think that the traffic investigation

is your best bet. But, uh...

Now that I've met you and Sergeant McCall, I'd be very pleased if you'd

my invitation.

We'll think about it and get back in touch with you.

I do hope you can join us. I'd be deeply grateful.

Mr. Hyland, thank you very much.

Cocktails are at 7, dinner at 8, and it's casual. Please come as you are.

Miss Brasher, pleasure.

Thank you. Thank you. Bye -bye. Thank you. Thank you.

What's the matter? Did Miss Brasher remind you of anybody?

Yeah. Uh -huh. She did.

I just couldn't figure out who it was. Who is that? I don't know, but I'll

of it.

Isn't that weird?

What do you think about this dinner?

Oh, come on. Brene sauce and snow peas will get it.

It'll probably be the best meal either one of us ever had.

Yeah.

Might be fun.

Could be bizarre.

You're early.

But I'm glad.

Uncle Clarence, how are you?

Always good to see you.

Where's Jennifer?

In the garden, I think.

I'll be right back. I want to talk to her.

Something private?

Oh, it's very private.

Jennifer will no doubt tell you all about it later on.

You look lovely as usual.

You've never said that before.

What have you got on your mind?

Problems, Jenny. I got problems on my mind.

That sounds serious.

I, uh... I need money. I need a loan.

Can you help me?

You need a loan?

The bank has been lavishing money on the four of you. $300 ,000 a year, last I

heard. And you need money?

Jenny, before those vultures would lend us a dime, they had to make sure we'd

outlive Clarence.

They made each of us get life insurance.

Max, I assumed that.

So?

I, uh... I flunked my physical this time.

Oh, I see.

They cut you off.

They wouldn't even lend me cab fare home.

Well, Max, I am not a wealthy woman.

I... I can't lend you money to live on. I just need enough to get by on. Until I

figure out what to do.

Well, let's go inside.

And we'll talk. With Clarence? You know what he's going to say. Not with

Clarence.

It's really good to see you all here together.

It's been too long.

I should say all except Michael.

Michael is Devin's fiancée. Fine young man. I'm very fond of him.

How is Michael, Devin?

I haven't the slightest idea.

Don't tell me you and Michael are... I'd rather not talk about it, Jennifer.

I'm sorry, dear.

Oh, I think you could say that we each have a calling.

Take Byron, for example. He's true to his namesake.

He's a poet.

No.

How is your novel progressing, Byron?

What page was on the last time you asked?

Oh, I think it was 450.

Now it's about 300.

I made the mistake of reading it.

You're a writer.

No, I write.

A writer is someone who makes a living writing, like Jennifer.

Jennifer doesn't write, Byron. You got to get that straight.

Mac says that what I do isn't writing, it's typing.

No, Jennifer, Truman Capote said that.

I merely stole it. Did he say it about me?

Wonder who he stole it from.

Have you known my uncle long?

No, actually, not long at all.

But, you know, I think he's one of the most charming men I've ever met.

Yeah? How many men have you met?

Not many.

Max is drunk.

Hey,

you know, you really ought to take the time to get to know this man.

As you can see, he's brilliant.

He's brilliant.

Uncle Clarence tells me you're a stockbroker.

Are you really?

Do you always believe the things your uncle tells you?

He used to tell us the most awful lies when we were kids.

And we loved them.

Well, I'm afraid he's done it to you again.

Actually, I'm a botanist.

Oh, really? What do you do? Do you teach?

Yes, at the university.

Thank you.

Do you believe in love at first sight?

No.

Do you?

I do now.

Aren't the others joining us?

No. Jennifer hates my cigars. And the others, well, the others will do

suits them.

Sergeant Hunter?

No, thank you. I think I'll make myself a drink. Please do.

I, uh... I won't like this if you share Jennifer's low opinion of cigars.

It's fine, really. Go ahead.

Well, what did you think?

I find it difficult to believe that any of them would want to kill you. I think

they all genuinely like you.

I always felt they did.

I love them, actually.

All of them.

But you think one of them's trying to kill you.

You see that stern -looking gentleman?

Seamus Highland, born in 1845 without money or prospects.

He died in 1929 and left a fortune worth $30 million.

Oil, of course.

No, he didn't drill for it. He just found a way to monopolize the

of it.

And over there, my father, Edward Highland.

Grandfather hated him.

Hated me, too, as a matter of fact. I was too young to notice it.

I was only six when the old buzzer died.

When Grandfather got ready to pass on, he set up an irrevocable trust.

His son, Edward, would inherit nothing, and Edward's children, that's me, I'm

the last grandchild left, would inherit nothing.

You had to have inherited something, Mr. Hyland.

Oh, yes, the income from the estate.

It went first to my father, and when he died, it passed on to my sister and me,

and after her death, it all came to me.

The income's considerable, of course, but the estate has remained untouched.

It's valued at over 200 million today.

Well, then your nephews are brothers, and Devin is their sister?

No, no, no, no.

My dear sister married seven times. They all had different fathers.

But to get back to your question, Sergeant, when I die, the trust will be

dissolved. and the assets distributed among the four young people you met

tonight. In the meantime, they haven't a cent to their names.

I used to give them a generous allowance, but I stopped doing that over

ago. Why's that?

Not one of them has ever done an honest day's work in his life.

I thought it was time they did.

Have they?

Unfortunately, no.

On the prospect of their eventual inheritance, every bank in town lined up

lend them money.

Let me ask you a question, Mr. Isle.

Have you ever done a day's work in your life? Of course not.

Neither did my sister or my father. We didn't have to.

But to get back to the problem I face, those four young people are paupers,

living on borrowed money and will till the day I die.

My grandfather lived to be 84.

So you think one of the four is tired of waiting?

Somebody tried to kill me yesterday.

What else am I to think?

Well, I believe the others are in the game room. Shall we join them?

Hello?

I'll take this in my study. Will you hold, please?

You know, I wonder who's going to get this house and all the furnishings.

I don't know. Let's ask him when he comes out.

Do you know the names of the three musketeers?

Let's see.

Pappy, Pee -wee, and Sneezy.

You've had enough of this.

As well.

Hi. Well, where's Clarence?

Clarence went into the study to take a phone call. Oh.

How long has he been on that call?

I don't know, about ten minutes.

Clarence!

I thought it's locked.

He's dead.

Hunter?

Hmm.

22 Ruger.

Well, I'll gather everybody up in the dining hall and call the lab.

Behind this wall is the living room. Is there another way in or out of this

room? No, just the door and those windows.

Well, this window's locked from the inside. Did you or Sergeant Hunter leave

foyer even for a moment after Clarence came into this room?

No, Mrs. Brasher, we didn't.

Then nobody could have left this room.

Which means...

The murderer must have already been in here.

So he or she must still be in here, wouldn't you

say? Well, it sounds logical, Mrs. Brasher, but I really don't think that

there's anyone else in here.

Just us two.

Well...

It would appear then, Sergeant McCall, that we have a locked room puzzle,

wouldn't you say?

No, I would say that there is another way into this room.

No, if there were any such thing, Clarence would have told me about it.

And I'm very surprised that you haven't commented on another very significant

clue. What's that?

Well, the murderer left the gun behind.

So he or she must have wanted it found, wouldn't you say?

No, I wouldn't.

The killer obviously knows that everyone in this house is going to be searched.

I would doubt that there would be any prints left on that gun, and it's

not traceable.

Okay, the lab's on its way.

May I stay with you, Sergeant Hunter?

I'd like that, yes.

Oh, good.

Perhaps I can help you look for clues.

Well, I actually see the technicians will look for the clues. Why don't you

a seat right here? Thank you.

Tell me, Jennifer, it was about 10 or 15 minutes from the time everybody cleared

out of the dining room to the time you came into the foyer. Where were you?

Well, didn't you see me carrying fresh flowers in my hand when I came in? I

picked them in the patio garden.

Tell me, who stands to inherit Clarence's estate, this house, for

I haven't any idea.

But I wouldn't be a bit surprised if I do.

Do you know who killed him?

Of course.

One of those four idle, now very wealthy young people. Or a combination of them.

Maybe all four of them planned it together.

And very cleverly, too.

They're not stupid. They're not unimaginative nor unmotivated.

Could you tell me what's behind this wall?

Oh, a guest study and stairs leading to the second floor.

You know, Sergeant Hunter, I'm a very serious... student of crime, especially

murder. And I do know a great deal about all those involved in this one.

You are going to let me help you with this case, aren't you?

No, ma 'am, we're not.

Oh.

Ernie, let's go.

Reuben, I'll be in the dining room.

Jennifer, what's happening?

We're getting a lot of questions and no answers.

All I know is that Clarence is dead. Somebody shot him.

What do you got?

Mr. Majeska and Mr. Loire went into the game room immediately following dinner.

They say that they stayed there and played backgammon until you came to get

them. Mr. Van On Holt and Mr. Thornberry went into the bar. After a while, Mr.

Van On Holt went upstairs, left Mr. Thornberry in the bar alone.

Mr. Fowler and the staff were in the kitchen. We were all in the kitchen,

from the time we cleared the table.

Till you came down and told us Mr. Hyland was dead.

Eric, you went upstairs, I'll come.

To see my old room, I, uh... I always go there when I visit Uncle Clarence.

It helps me to remember the good times we had here.

Clarence was the only person in all our lives who ever gave a damn about us.

Where's that room located?

It's up the stairs, directly above the study.

Well, I'm gonna go check it out.

Yeah.

Mr. Fowler, would you and your staff wait in the kitchen, please? Certainly.

Thank you.

You say that after Mr. Von Onholtz went upstairs, he left you alone in the bar,

correct? As my blood alcohol content will no doubt establish.

Did you see anyone?

The heavy question is, did anyone see me?

The two of you were in the game room.

Did one of you leave for a minute or so?

No, we were together the whole time.

How well do the four of you know this house?

Very well. We grew up here.

Byron's the youngest. He was four when our mother died, and Clarence brought us

here. Is there another entrance into Clarence's study other than the door

the foyer?

No. Is there a phone in this house that's not connected to the three PBX

Why? Well, the call that came through took your uncle into his study alone.

It's possible that that call originated from inside the house.

There is a phone in the extra study.

Clarence liked to call it Jennifer's office.

That phone's not part of the PBX system.

Jennifer's office.

So, Mrs. Brash, when did she leave?

A minute ago.

Officer Biggs is going to have to take all of your fingerprints, if none of you

mind.

No. Thank you.

I gave this lamp a twist, boom, open sesame.

Now, I used two fingers, so if there are any prints up there, we'll get them.

But, Hunter, this door hasn't been open in a long time.

Months, maybe years.

So, still appears we have a locked room puzzle, eh, Sergeant?

How you doing, Jennifer? I see you're still on the case.

Mrs. Brasher.

Would you mind going back into the dining room and having Officer Biggs

your fingerprints? I'd be very happy to, Sergeant. Oh, Miss Brasher, before you

leave, tell me, when did Clarence build this house?

Oh, he didn't.

When his sister died, he needed a place to raise her children, so he bought this

house. Well, did he know about this paneling?

I doubt it.

I certainly didn't.

Okay, yeah, thank you.

Jennifer, how good to see you again.

Is that the door leading to the study you talked to me about?

Oh, yes.

Clarence used to call it Jennifer's office, but I seldom used it. You have a

for it?

Yes, but I never locked the door.

Anyone could have used the phone in there.

I think you should dust it for prints.

Well, speaking of prints, why don't you hop into the dining room and have yours

taken?

All right.

Good.

Thank you.

When Sergeant Hunter comes out of there, no one touches anything, no one goes

through that panel.

Okay? Ruben? Yes?

I need a complete set of blueprints, and I want to ship this through this house.

I want to find out who built this panel there.

I wondered when I'd be seeing you again.

Moving, huh?

Yeah, the bank cut off my credit. I can't afford to live here anymore.

Hey, babe, who are you talking to?

Michael, this is one of the police sergeants I told you about. Oh. Hi.

What's up?

Well, actually, I had something to discuss with you. Perhaps you'd prefer

it in private.

Michael and I got married yesterday.

Nothing is private between us.

Well, congratulations.

Thanks.

I guess I really owe it to this case you're on.

Devin had some kind of crazy idea that I wanted her for her money.

But when she found out that the trust executives were blocking the

of the estate and I still wanted to marry her, she said yes.

That's great.

We're looking for your brothers, Max and Byron. Apparently they've both moved

and neither one's left a forwarding address.

Do you have any idea where we can find them?

Byron's using a friend's house at Malibu.

He'll either be writing or sleeping, so you'll find him there.

I don't know where Max is. I'm very worried about him.

Thanks.

Devin, I have another question concerning the gun that was used to kill

uncle. The registration number on it had been filed off, and we had it restored.

The gun is registered to you.

The gun was stolen.

I reported it stolen six months ago. Do you have any idea who may have stolen

it? Devin told me that Eric took it. No, Michael.

I just happened to notice that it was gone the day after Eric and Mrs. Brasher

had lunch with me here.

Well, then why didn't you suspect Mrs. Brasher? I didn't suspect anyone.

I see.

Is your brother Eric still at this address?

Yes, but I'm sure he didn't take the gun.

The address on these boxes, is this where I'll be able to reach you in the

future? Yeah. Can I write it down for you?

Yeah, thank you. And may I use your phone? Sure, it's right there.

Thanks.

Hunter, I'm over at Devin's.

She has no idea where Max is, but I do have Byron's address. I'm going to head

on over there right now.

And by the way, that address on Eric is current.

11490 Wilshire, suite 1505.

You crazy? That cost me 5 ,000 bucks.

What about this? What did this cute little item set you back?

Look, don't touch that. Castle knows I'll pay him. Like hell he does. He

for the money over a week ago. He got nothing.

I'll pay him.

How?

I'll borrow it.

The banks won't even let you in the damn door.

Look, I got friends.

Yeah.

They're gonna hand you 200 grand tomorrow.

I asked you a question.

Oh, please, look, don't break that.

Tomorrow?

Yeah.

You're a liar.

Freeze, police!

Eric, get their guns.

Get your hands up.

Eric, over here on the table.

All right, both of you down on your knees.

Let's go, come on.

Cross your legs behind you.

Now put your hands behind your head.

Clasp them good.

Now both you idiots stare at the cottage cheese on the ceiling.

Jimmy, this is Hunter.

I want you to send a black and white out to 11490 Wilshire Boulevard, apartment

1505. Make it quick, will you?

Yeah. Thanks.

Eric, I suggest you pay Coslow the money you owe him and get on with your life,

huh? Yeah, I'm gonna do that.

I passed the bar and I graduated from Stanford Law six years ago.

The firm that's been representing me offered me a job.

Start Monday.

Where's Max?

I don't know. I've been trying to find him. He just vanished.

Go away. I'm busy.

It's the police. Open up.

What can I do for you, Sergeant?

May I come in?

For how long?

That depends on you.

Have a seat.

Thanks.

I gather you still don't know who killed my uncle.

We're working on it.

You and Devin alibied each other. I think you ought to know the gun that was

used to kill your uncle was registered to Devin.

You sure of that?

Absolutely sure.

She did have a gun, but somebody stole it.

I told her to report the theft. I don't know if she did.

Yeah, she did.

But maybe that gun was stolen by one of her brothers.

Like, maybe you?

That's a lot of maybes.

Look, can I save you some time?

You can try.

Not a Max, nor Eric, nor me, nor Devin is capable of killing anyone.

But especially not Clarence.

We loved him with all our hearts.

Well, then that leaves Mrs. Brasher, doesn't it?

Is that what you're trying to tell me?

Jennifer killed him? I'm just saying that we didn't.

Your brother Max is missing. Do you have any idea where he is?

Max is an alcoholic.

He'll show up when he needs some money.

Working on your novel, huh?

Yeah.

It should be finished in two or three months.

What's it about?

People who have nothing because they have everything.

Sort of autobiographical?

Do you have any idea what it's like to discover that there's this great,

fabulous game being played out there, and you haven't been eligible?

Who said you weren't eligible?

Nobody had to say it.

It's like everybody's out there in the thick of it, you know, trying to figure

out who they are, what they've got to give, what they, you know, how far they

can go, whether they'll kill the beast or be killed.

I never realized what a wild, wonderful challenge that was until they told me

that the distribution of old Seamus Highland's fortune was going to be

maybe for years to come.

It was like being born again.

I threw out the novel I was writing. I started on this one.

For the first time, I'm in the damn game.

It's a great feeling to know that either I finish this thing or I starve to

death.

Well, good luck.

Thanks.

I'll need it.

Sergeant Hunter.

How nice to see you. Come on in.

You know, uh, Max Thornberry disappeared.

He was the last one to see him.

Well, if that's a question, I think I'll refuse to answer.

You know what the slammer is?

I believe so, Sergeant.

Would you like to go there?

On what grounds?

Obstruction of justice.

You know much more than you've been telling me.

I drove Max to the Farnsworth Clinic in Palm Springs and signed him in for the

full 12 weeks here. That's a very expensive visit. Who paid for it?

I did. What?

Max would have been dead in a month if I hadn't taken him to the clinic.

I did it for Clarence. You know, Max had a very good motive for killing

Clarence. The bank stopped lending him money because he couldn't pass his

insurance bill.

Make up your mind, Sergeant.

Am I the suspect or Max?

Why not both of you?

I wondered if you'd find out about Max's insurance difficulty.

So you knew.

Oh, yeah. And you didn't tell me about it.

Why don't we have some tea?

I recognize the murder gun as Devin's.

I also know that Eric is a compulsive gambler.

who owes a great deal of money to a bookmaker named Eddie Koslow. You could

told me that earlier and saved me a lot of problems.

So you think Max and I joined forces to bump off Clarence Highland.

You don't really believe that, do you? Does the date February 2nd, 1987 mean

anything to you?

No. Why?

Because that date was circled in red on Clarence's calendar.

Four days later, all monies were cut off to his niece and nephews.

Sorry, I can't help you.

Let's not forget about the slammer.

If that secret panel was there when those children moved in, they would have

found it.

Which points to all four of them.

Because they all claimed not to know any other way into that room.

But you and I both know that they didn't do it, right?

What's the other choice?

I don't know.

But I'm going to find it.

Carl Hunter.

I'm at the morgue with Barney.

Look, I got an idea.

Take exhibit A, load it with blanks, and meet me out at the Clarence Highland

estate.

I'll try it.

Yeah, as soon as you can.

I'll explain it to you when you get there.

Okay, thanks.

Hey, great. Thanks for coming.

The gun can is loaded.

Fantastic. Come on over here.

Now, I found this string the other day while I was looking through Clarence's

desk.

loop right around here. Tighten it down to keep it in place.

What are you doing?

Barney did an autopsy on Clarence.

Found out he had leukemia. What?

He had probably less than a year to live.

Are you kidding me? No.

He didn't want those kids inheriting $50 million apiece. He was going to do

whatever it took to keep that money on ice.

Maybe February 2nd was the day that Clarence found out he was sick. That's

exactly correct. Excuse me.

Four days later, he cuts off all monies to them.

Now, Clarence is sitting here. Of course, he had a cigar.

Light the string.

As you can see, the string burns without a trace of ash.

Clarence killed us.

That's all very true, Sergeant.

I was with Clarence when he was told he had leukemia.

And when the bank stepped in to lend them money.

Clarence brooded about it for a year.

And then he did what he thought he had to do.

To be sure that the trust was not distributed for as long as possible.

Are you saying that you knew he intended to kill himself that night?

No.

He would never have told me what he was going to do. He knew I wouldn't let him

do it.

But he did it.

And if you report what you have just found...

You will undo everything he died to accomplish.

What was he trying to accomplish?

You've already seen it happening.

He wanted his children to have meaningful lives.

His father and his sister had meaningless, empty, worthless lives.

And so did Clarence, until those four children suddenly became his to raise.

They were his salvation, and he loved them.

You placed the call to Clarence that night, didn't you? You got him into this

study alone. He asked me to place the call, yes.

Then he put me on hold, and he came in here.

And he asked me to go out and get some fresh flowers and bring them in.

I demanded to know what was going on, and he said, just pick the flowers,

I promise I'll tell you about it later.

I should have guessed.

I'll never forgive myself that I didn't.

When we found him dead, I knew then, of course.

And I knew why.

So I tried to make it as difficult as possible for you.

The children had to look guilty.

if that will was to be held up.

But surely you must have known that had we not figured this out, the four of

them could have gone to prison or worse.

No.

Clarence knew I would never let that happen.

He knew that I would be able to figure it out just as you have.

I wanted Clarence to achieve what he died for.

And I still do.

It would be a terrible, terrible thing if you reported what

you have discovered here.

No crime was committed.

Suicide is not a crime.

Jeannie, we can't do that.

Are you really prepared to take away from Clarence what he did for those

It's not up to us to make that decision.

But it's already working.

I mean, Byron is writing.

And Devon is finally able to accept a man's love. Eric is doing what he was

trained to do. And Max... Well, I don't know, but it... But there is hope that

he can be cured.

Please.

Forget what you found.

It's going to be very difficult for us to make this report.

But we will be telling the truth.

For Clarence's sake, I had to ask, didn't I?

Yes, you did.

Thank you.

For...

Understanding why.

Thank you.