All language subtitles for Matlock s09e17e18 The Scam

Thank you.

So old Mark here just all of a sudden
looks up at me and says, Walnut Grove

Textiles. Next thing I know, we're
buying half a million shares at 13 and a

quarter. 13 and three -eight. I almost
had him committed.

I mean, who the hell's even heard of
Walnut Grove Textiles?

But one week later, guess who gets
bought out by Value Right?

Tripled our money. Just like that.

Guy's a genius.

Or maybe he just has access to the right
information.

There's no need to break the law to be a
player in this business.

The information's out there. Who's
making money, who's losing money, who's

smart, who's on the meat.

You just have to know how to digest it.

Actually, it's those glasses he wears.

They make it so he can read between the
lines.

Don't they, Mark?

Tell you what, let's trade your glasses
for my wife's here.

It's my wife, Cameron Cooper.

Sorry about that, John.

Now, what did I do with my wife?

I believe you divorced her.

Oh, so I did. In that case, quick, will
you marry me? I'll buy you your very own

company. You like insurance?

I'll buy you this guy's company,
Ashfield Light.

It's doing very well. I know.

He's my husband.

I need another drink.

What was that?

John throws a heck of a party, doesn't
he? Mm -hmm. Anything look interesting?

Stuffed mushrooms look good.

So does Asheville's life.

All kidding aside.

So, when are you going to make me a rich
man?

As soon as I'm sure I'll wind up even
richer.

Thank you.

Oh, God, he's dead, isn't he?

Well, they're doing everything they can,
sir.

Now, why don't you tell me what happened
here? I don't know what happened. I was

just driving along. Next thing I knew,
he was right in front of me.

Sir, have you been drinking?

A glass of champagne, maybe two, that's
all.

Okay, I have to ask you to step over
here with me, please.

Now...

I need you to stand with your feet
together and close your eyes.

Come on, I'm not drunk.

Sir, are you refusing to cooperate?

Now, tilt your head back, place your
arms out to the side, and with your

forefinger, reach out and touch the tip
of your nose. Can you do that for me?

My client may have had some champagne
before he got behind the wheel of his

that night, Your Honor.

And tragically, he may have struck and
killed someone on his way home.

But I'm going to show you in the course
of these proceedings that those two

facts are not necessarily related.

I'm going to show you that the charge of
vehicular homicide is unwarranted, that

Mr. Ivers does not deserve to go to
jail, for I am going to show that

that poor man was something no one,
drunk or sober, could have avoided.

That man died not because my client had
been drinking, but because he had the

misfortune of wandering out onto a dark,
winding road and being struck by a car

that any one of us here could have been
driving.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Thank you, Mr. Browning. Is the state
ready to call its first witness?

Yes, Your Honor. Call Sergeant Travis
Farrow to the stand.

Goodbye, my Coney Island baby.

Farewell, my own true love, true.

Not bad, huh?

Of course I got it. It's upstairs in my
closet.

Yeah. Okay.

Count me in.

All right. I'll see you then.

Who was that?

That's an old friend from school. He's
drumming up some people to come to our

class reunion.

40th. Oh, what was all that going on,
baby? I used to be a member of a

barbershop quartet. Yeah?

Yeah. Yeah. It was me and Gus and George
and Chuck.

Fairview Fairtones.

Fairview was the name of our dormitory.
Oh.

Are they all coming to the reunion?

Yeah. Yeah, we're going to wear the
outfits we used to wear and everything.

That's great.

Yeah. Yeah.

You know, we have to have this filed by
5 o 'clock.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Where were we?

Well, we were trying to figure out if we
want a jury trial or a bench trial.

Yeah.

Ben.

Ben?

Be right back.

Thank you

Do you have a moment? I need to talk to
you. You alone?

Well, Ben's upstairs.

Oh, then let's talk out here.

All right.

Hey, that's some great pressure getting
on the Cameron Ivers case.

Yeah. Listen, I've got a problem.

What's up?

I'm being blackmailed.

You see, I met this woman recently, and,
well, she and I have gotten real close

real fast.

Oh, Craig, I thought you were happily
married.

Well, I thought so, too, but then I met
Rachel, and Cliff, it's like I

never had sex before. I mean, with her,
it's just incredible.

The more I'm with her, the more I want
to be with her. I mean, it's like I'm

addicted, you know what I mean?

No, not really, but...

Go, go ahead. Well, anyway, I thought we
were being discreet, but yesterday I

got some rather graphic photos of us
along with a note saying the news media

would get copies next if I didn't do as
I was told.

Cliff, my wife is running for her state
assembly seat.

This kind of publicity could ruin her. I
mean, I may not love her, but I

certainly don't want to hurt her. She's
a good person.

Well, how much does a blackmailer want?

I don't know yet. I'm supposed to meet
with them this afternoon at Kelbo's bar.

I need a favor.

No, no. On second thought, Cliff, I'm
going to do this right. I want to hire

you. What for?

Go to Cowboys in my place.

You want me to meet with the
blackmailer? Well, I can't meet with him

public place like that. Everybody knows
me.

Geez, Craig, I don't know. I mean, it's
really weird, you know? Cliff, I don't

have anyone else to ask.

Now, this is a really delicate
situation.

I have to have someone I can trust.
Yeah.

But... I don't want you to do it if it
makes you feel uncomfortable.

I'll figure out something else. Thanks
anyway.

Hold on.

How am I supposed to recognize the guy?

He'll be sitting at a table by himself
with a pin in his lapel. The American

flag.

Thanks, Cliff.

Waiting for Craig Browning, right?

Who the hell are you?

Cliff Lewis.

Sent me in his place.

He shouldn't have done that.

Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. I'm not a cop or anything.
I'm Craig's lawyer.

I just didn't want to risk being seen in
public with you, that's all.

So, how much do you want?

Oh, I don't want money.

I want Cameron Ivers to go to prison.

Cameron, his client, Ivers. That's
right.

I want Craig Browning to throw the case.

Cameron Ivers goes to prison, and I tear
up the negatives of those pictures, and

everybody's happy.

Ivers walks, and I send those pictures
to the press, and they have a field day.

So all Browning's got to do to win is to
lose.

It's that simple.

Tell him, Mr.

Lawyer.

Thank you.

Yeah. Yeah, it's Cliff Lewis. I want to
talk to you. Cliff Lewis,

I'm not leaving here until I talk to
you.

Let me guess.

You want your hankering.

No, I came here to make a deal. You got
pictures? I got pictures. I got pictures

of you and two guys.

Their names are John Robinson and Mark
Reeves. Does that ring a bell?

Who? Who? The two guys who put you out
to this. You don't know what you're

talking about.

Well, you take Craig Browning down. I'll
take you all down. Is that understood,

Mr. Astin? My, my, how clever you are.
You know my name and where I'm staying.

But I wonder how clever Craig Browning
will think you are when his picture

appears in all those papers.

Now, get out.

Hey, Ben.

Yeah? Got some donuts.

Blazed or jelly filled?

You eat them.

Hey, when's the reunion?

Uh, 23rd. Uh, getting excited?

Can't wait.

Oh, great.

Blazed or jelly filled?

Is that all you're having?

Yeah.

What are you on, some kind of diet or
something?

I look like I need to be on a diet.

No, no, no. I, uh, um, just, you know.

was asking, I'll get that.

Norman! Hello, Cliff.

Hi, hi.

What can I do for you?

I'm investigating the murder of a
private investigator from Savannah.

Recognize him?

I can't tell you that.

Why not?

I can't tell you that either.

Well, I know him.

Morning, Ben. What's going on?

I made it to the hotel where this man
was staying, saw somebody pounding on

door to his room last night about an
hour before she found him dead.

Heard the guy say his name was Cliff or
Clark or something. So when we found

Cliff's business card in one of the dead
man's pockets, we naturally thought

we'd check it out.

You fit the description she gave of the
guy to a T.

I'm sorry.

I can't say anything more about any of
this. I really am sorry, Norm.

There will be a next time.

Right.

Sorry for the waste of trip.

What's going on?

Ben, I'm so sorry. I can't tell you
about this either. I... I gotta go.

Hi. Who was that? We got some work to
do.

Bye.

What I'm trying to say is we're going to
have to cool it for a little while.

You mean I'll see each other? Just for a
couple of weeks.

Why? A few complications have arisen,
that's all.

What complications?

What happened? Rachel, believe me, I
want to see you.

As soon as things calm down, I'll call
you. I promise.

Craig, I love you.

I want us to be together.

I gotta be in court.

Three weeks tops.

I swear.

Okay.

What's the lighting like on the road
where the accident occurred?

There is no lighting.

So if a person was driving along that
road at 11 .15 at night, how easy would

be to see something outside the beam of
his or her headlights?

It wouldn't be easy, but it'd be even
harder if that person was speeding.

Are you suggesting that my client was
speeding that night?

Well, from the length of the skid marks,
the damage done to the car, and the

injury sustained by the victim, we
estimate he was doing 50 miles an hour.

Posted speed limit's 35.

You estimate.

You mean it's possible Mr. Ivers may
have been going less than 50.

Yeah, but it's also possible... Now,
about those skid marks you just

on what part of the road did you find
them?

A straightaway or a curve?

Both. They began on a curve and ended on
a straightaway. Okay, so Mr. Ivers came

around the curve, saw the victim
standing in the road, and slammed on his

brakes? That's correct.

All right, now, taking into
consideration the length of the skid

point of impact, when did Mr. Ivers
start braking?

As soon as he saw the victim or an
intoxicated moment or two later?

Well, it's hard to say without knowing
how fast he was going.

I thought you knew how fast he was
going.

Oh, no, that's right. That was just an
estimate, wasn't it?

One more thing, Lieutenant.

I understand you found a set of
footprints at the side of the road that

made by the victim. Is that right?

That's correct.

Have you been able to determine who did
make those footprints?

No. Yet one of them was found directly
on top of one of the victim's

wasn't it?

That's correct. Which indicates what?

It's possible that someone else was
there that night.

Well, it's possible that this as yet
unidentified person may have pushed the

victim onto the road and caused the
accident, isn't it?

Objection. Call for rampant speculation.

Sustained.

Nothing further, Your Honor.

Next witness, Mr. Gerard.

I'm sorry.

Seeing Mr. Robinson without an
appointment is out of the question.

Oh, but can I just slip in after he's
done with Mr.

Herman?

No, you may not.

Yes, hello.

Mm -hmm.

Mm -hmm.

Sure, I'll bring them right in.

Thank you, George.

Where the hell did this come from?

From me.

I'm sorry, Mr. Robinson. She's been
pestering me to let her see you. I told

her... I'll call security.

No, no, no, no.

That's all right.

Roger, we're going to have to continue
this later.

No problem.

You can go two doors.

I'm Jerry Stone. I'm a private
investigator.

I was just wondering what you and Mr.
Reeves were talking to Scott Aston about

in the park.

I don't think that's any of your
business, Ms. Stone.

Well, it's just so obvious that you were
meeting with him on the sly. And since

Mr. Aston is so dead now... As you
undoubtedly know,

my partner and I are what is known as
corporate raiders.

Sometimes we buy whole companies.

But before we do that, we check those
companies out from top to bottom. And to

do that, we hire private investigators
like Scott Afton.

And if you ask me what company he was
checking out, I won't tell you.

You know, that's so interesting, because
that's not at all what Mr. Reeves told

me when I showed him the picture.

When did you talk to him?

This morning, about an hour ago.

That's a nice try, Miss Stone.

Mark's in L .A. on business.

I just talked to him about an hour ago.

Why did you take this picture, anyway?

Why, Mr. Robinson, I don't think that's
any of your business.

But thanks for your time.

Frank!

Hey. Hey, I gotta talk to you. Yeah.

Uh, did you hear about this private
investigator Scott asked me who got

last night?

Yeah, it was on the news.

Well, that's the guy who was black,
really.

You're kidding.

Well, it gets worse than that.

I went to see him last night. The police
found out, so I'm kind of on their

suspect list.

Went to see him?

Yeah, well, I had him followed from
Calvo's, and, you know, once I found out

he was and where he was staying, I
confronted him.

You did all this without telling me?
Geez, Cliff, I hired you to meet with

guy. That was it.

Well, I'm going the extra mile. Now,
don't worry. I didn't say anything to

police. I don't intend to.

It's all under the lawyer -client
privilege.

All right, keep me posted in private.

Oh, that's a problem. I don't know where
it's safe to contact you.

Try me at the office.

What if you're not at the office?

Try me at the Mayfield Hotel, Mr. and
Mrs. William Gillespie.

William Gillespie? Yeah.

Mayfield Hotel. Try it.

Hey, just the person I want to see. Hey,
Gary Stone, Craig Browning. Hi, Gary.

Hi, Craig. Hi. Did you have a chance to
talk to John Robinson?

Yep. Hey, Pates got asked to respond for
them.

That's what he said.

Now, don't buy that for a moment.

Rachel, what are you doing here?

It's okay. Cliff Lewis, Gary Stone. This
is my friend, Rachel Ballard.

Hi. Hi.

Hi. This'll just take a minute.

What are you doing?

I'm sorry. I know I wasn't supposed to
come, but I don't like this. I need to

talk to you. Not now. I'll call you. I
promise.

I miss you.

I'll greet you later, okay?

That was her, huh?

Yeah. Remember, keep me posted.

It was outside Calvo's when you went to
meet with Scott Astin. It was parked

right next to me.

Who was at the door?

Lieutenant Bigelow.

He's in the living room.

What for?

Well, a handkerchief with your initials
on it and Scott Astor's blood was found

at the scene of the crime.

He wants to take you downtown.

Mr. Matlock.

Hi. Craig Browning.

I know who you are. I just heard that
Cliff's been arrested.

Suspicion of murder.

Oh, my God.

Are you going to represent him? Yeah.

And as his lawyer, I have to keep
whatever he tells me a secret.

He told me everything.

You mean about me?

And now you're going to tell me
everything.

Starting with... Why you were at Kelbo's
the afternoon you sent Cliff to see

that blackmailer.

What makes you think I was there? And
whatever you do, don't lie.

I hate that.

I just wanted to get a look at the
blackmailer, that's all. Why? I was

You sure you didn't follow him back to
his hotel room?

What are you trying to say, that I
killed Scott Astin?

Cliff didn't.

The only one I know who benefits from
Scott Astin's murder and from this...

Lawyer -client relationship that
prevents Cliff from telling the police

he knows is you.

You think I set this whole thing up?

Wouldn't be the first time somebody's
taken advantage of Cliff. Well, you're

wrong.

Then prove it.

Go in there and release him from any and
all obligations to you. Let him tell

the truth.

The person who hired Scott Astin to make
sure I threw Cameron Ivers' case,

that's who you should be trying to nail.
Not me.

I'm no murderer.

A coward, maybe.

But not a murderer.

Came in here two days ago around four o
'clock in the afternoon. Do either of

you remember him?

Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do.

I'm investigating his murder.

Do you happen to remember what he
wanted? Well, that's why I remember him.

came in here claiming that we'd run some
obituaries last month on some people

who weren't really dead.

Made us give them copies of their death
certificates.

You keep copies of death certificates in
here?

Well, the legal department won't let us
publish an obit without one.

Do you happen to remember which ones you
showed him?

No.

But the computer will.

Having previously found the defendant
guilty of the lesser charge of vehicular

homicide, I sentence him to five years
formal probation.

Order him to pay a $10 ,000 fine and to
complete 1 ,000 hours of community

service.

This court is now in recess.

Miss Drivers, Ben Matlock.

Could I speak with you for a moment?

I suppose.

This may seem like a strange question,

but who would benefit from your going to
prison?

What is this? Craig asked me the same
thing two days ago.

What'd you tell him?

That I had no idea.

Now, what's this about? Craig wouldn't
say.

Somebody tried to blackmail him into
throwing your case so you'd wind up in

prison. Are you joking? No.

It was this man here.

Private investigator, Scott Astin. You
know him?

No. But I sure as hell know these other
two.

But, Mr. Ivers... Mr. Ivers, stop. You
can't go in there.

What's the matter?

Were you afraid I was going to buy some
company out from under your snotty

little noses? Is that why you wanted me
out of the way? Just take it easy.

What's the problem?

Right here.

This is the problem.

That's you.

And that's you.

Meeting with a guy who tried to get my
lawyer to send me up the river.

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

He was doing some investigating for us.
That's all.

Liar. You're both liars. Mr. Ivers,
please.

Calm down, Cameron.

That meeting had nothing to do with you.
I think it did.

In fact, I know it did.

You two still have a 28 % stake in
Lavinia Enterprises?

Good.

Because I just got through dumping 250
,000 shares of it.

Don't look now, boys.

But you're bleeding.

paying my bill, Pop. I'll pay you back,
I swear.

I don't know, Cliff. 200 grand.

You may have to get a paper route.

Besides, I'm gonna get it back.

Unless you're thinking about making a
run for the border or something.

I'll tell you what I'm thinking about.
I'm thinking it was stupid of me to let

Craig Burney set me up like that.

Now you don't know for sure that he set
you up.

You trusted him. That's not stupid.

Have faith in your fellow man. That's
not stupid. That's an admirable quality.

Oh, Pop, I was trying to impress him,
you know? I just went overboard on this

case because I wanted him to respect me
and like me.

I wanted him to think I was cool.

Yeah, that's stupid.

Hello again, Mr. Matlock. I'm sorry I
took off like that. I'm a bit impulsive.

Where'd you go?

Hey, everyone. I went to see John
Robinson and Mark Reeves.

They're up to something. There's no
doubt about it. But while I was in their

office, something very odd happened.

What? Well, there was a young woman
there. I'd never seen her before, and

she knew who I was, which is very
surprising. I keep a very low profile.

Maybe she works for them.

I've been to their offices dozens of
times.

I've been to parties at both their
houses. I've never seen her before, I'm

What does she look like?

Mid to late 20s, 5 '6", 5 '7", dark
brown hair, about shoulder length, trim,

very pretty.

Fair skin?

Yeah.

Rachel Bauer.

I promise you, as soon as the election
is over, I'll tell her. Even if you did,

you wouldn't wind up with me.

I can't handle this anymore, Craig. It
hurts too much.

I'm really sorry to barge in on you like
this.

Hi, Rachel. I see you're still on the
job here. I guess no one told you the

blackmailer's dead and Cameron Ivers was
acquitted, so you can go home.

What are you talking about?

Well, Rachel here was seen this morning
at the offices of John Robinson and Mark

Reeves. I'm pretty sure those are the
guys who hired Aston to blackmail you,

which, if you think about it, he
couldn't have done without her help.

So that's why you're blowing me off.

All along, you were working with Scott
Astin, leading me on so he could take

those pictures.

I don't have to listen to this.

Rachel, listen, here is something you do
have to listen to.

Chances are that one or both of those
men you met with this morning killed

Astin because I found a connection
between them and him.

And now I found a connection between
them and you.

So what do you suppose they're going to
do when they figure that out?

Rachel, go to the DA and get these guys
before they get you.

There is nothing to tell the DA.

John Robinson and Mark Reeves paid me to
seduce Craig. That's it.

I don't know why they wanted to
blackmail him, and I know nothing of the

murders. Well, how long did you know
Scott Astin? I talked to him once, the

before he was murdered. He was in a big
hurry to get down to Florida.

You and me?

The whole thing was an act?

You used me for fun away from home.

I used you in a different way.

Oh, if it's any consolation, I intend to
vote for your wife.

I'm not sure I follow you.

Somebody wanted Cameron Ivers to go to
prison?

Is that what you think?

And I can't help but believe it had
something to do with business.

Like, say, maybe he wanted to buy
somebody's company.

Say, yours.

Only somebody else wanted him out of the
way so they could buy your company.

Say, John Robinson, Mark Reeves.

I just met with John the other day.

I know.

He planning on buying you up?

Mr. Matlock, answering that question
could land me in prison.

You're asking for what the SEC refers to
as insider information.

I know, and I'm not looking to make a
fortune in the stock market.

The police think my associate's a
murderer, and I'm just trying to prove

not.

What I'm about to say is completely off
the record. If anybody asks, I'll deny

that I ever said a thing. Of course.

The only person of late who has shown
any interest in acquiring Ashfield Life.

It's Cameron Ivers. I was talking to
John about something else entirely.

Have John Robinson and Mark Reeves ever
expressed an interest in buying your

company? Never, never.

Although I don't know why not.

Our sales for the past two years have
been monumental.

As long as we're on the subject, have
you heard about the flexible premium

adjustable policy that we've just begun
offering?

Right, left, right, left. Wide it out.

Right,

left. Watch my feet. Watch my feet. Now
we're going to get into the monster.

Okay, here we go. Here we go.

That's it. Now we're going to get the
arms into it. Ready?

Back when I tried to learn to talk,
talk.

Yeah, what happened?

Broke his one foot.

Oh, yeah?

Let's do something.

That's enough for Rupert. Okay. Good
job. Yeah.

Okay. We're going to move into some
resistance training.

Resistance.

There you go.

Oh, I don't want to look like Arnold
Schwarzenegger. I just want to lose 20

pounds by the 23rd. Let me tell you
something. If you want to lose weight,

proper way to do it is to eat right and
increase your metabolism.

You got it? Yeah. Okay, you stick with
me, Mr. M, and you're going to be

and feeling like a million bucks in no
time.

Man, I feel that's what I'm paying.

You're a pretty funny guy.

Okay. One -arm dumbbell curls. Just like
this.

Shoulders back.

Chest out.

Right arm first.

Bring it up. Go ahead.

Bring it up. You exhale.

Go ahead. Right arm.

That's it. Get up.

That's it. Keep going.

That's it. That's the way to breathe.

Okay. And down slow.

There you go. Left arm up. Come on. Keep
going. These are heavy.

You're darn right they're heavy. No
pain, no gain.

Come on, squeeze.

Keep it going, keep it going.

Pretty soon your arms are going to feel
like hot, molten lead.

They do.

Finn!

Here, she might want to talk to me.

I'm moving furniture.

Why? You could have asked me to help
you.

I just felt like doing it.

Oh.

Well, I went over to Kane Mortuary. You
know the place that issued the death

certificates to the three dead people
that Scott Asin was so interested in at

the Atlanta Herald? Yeah.

Well, the place was completely
abandoned.

I mean, really eerie. Like nobody had
been there for months, maybe even years.

Well, they could have gone out of
business.

Not according to the Better Business
Bureau.

Are you okay?

Oh, yeah, yeah, I'm fine.

Well, they're still listed in the phone
book, and when you call, you get a

machine. But get this one.

Those people whose names were on the
death certificates, they're not dead.

They're not?

I traced them down through their social
security numbers.

They're all very much alive, which is
what Scott Aston thought.

I wonder what he was on to.

I don't know, but maybe we better find
out.

May Allah...

In the kitchen.

This place stinks like onions.

Onions stink.

They make you cry, too.

You talk to D .A. yet?

About what?

Cameron Ivers.

What about him? Someone hit him with a
car last night and killed him.

I know that.

Well, that proves that Cliff didn't kill
Scott Afton.

I don't get it. Use your noggin, Ben.

Somebody hired Scott Astin to blackmail
Cameron Ivers' lawyer so this fellow

Ivers would go to jail for hitting that
guy when he was driving drunk.

You told him Craig Browning was being
blackmailed? I didn't. What happened to

privileged information? You might as
well put it in the newspaper. I didn't

him. So when this fellow Ivers went
free, this somebody killed him just like

they killed Scott Astin.

It's probably John Robinson or Mark
Reeves.

Maybe even both.

Where'd you get all this stuff? I didn't
tell him. I heard you two talking the

other day. You were eavesdropping. I
just heard you. The only place Cliff and

talked about this stuff was right here
in the kitchen. Where were you? Right

there in that dining room.

You were hiding in the dining room
listening to us?

Daggone you, Billy.

Pop, Ben is my lawyer. Any conversations
we have are confidential.

Can I help it if I got all my faculties?

Doctor said I got ears like a fruit bat.

Like a what?

Fruit bat. Now listen, Ben. Cliff was
with me last night. We had dinner, pot

roasts and dumplings. Then we played gin
rummy till ten and I won.

So he couldn't have killed Cameron Ivers
and that means he didn't kill Scott

Aston.

Billy, I can't say anything to the DA
till Cliff says it's okay.

Tell him.

I can't.

They think you're a murderer. Tell him.
It is a principle of the thing, Dad. I

can't tell them.

Principle? The heck with principle.

They're destroying your reputation and
you don't even have one yet.

Well, if he's not going to do anything,
isn't there something you can do? Yep.

Well, what?

I'm not telling you.

I'm sorry, but I'm afraid seeing Mr.
Robinson and Mr. Reeves without an

appointment is absolutely out of the
question. Well, just tell them that I'm

here. See what happens. Ben Matlock.

They are in conference.

Well, give it a shot. What the heck?

Yeah, I'm sorry to bother you, but
there's a Ben Matlock here, and he'd

see you. I've already told him that
that's...

This way, please.

Well, it really is Ben Matlock. I'm John
Robinson. This is my partner, Mark

Reeves. Mr. Reeves.

Thank you, Doris.

Well, I guess I'm interrupting you
fellows just as you're trying to decide

company you're going to take over next.

I was rather hoping you had a idea for
it. Ah, you could put what I know about

the stock market on the head of a pen.

Now, I wanted to talk to you about
Cameron Ivers.

That's a terrible tragedy. Yeah, yeah,
yeah.

He came to see you yesterday.

Yes, yes, he did. Yeah.

I talked with him afterwards, and he
said that there was a young woman in

with you.

The same young woman that helped Scott
Astin blackmail Cameron Ivers' lawyer,

Craig Browning.

I'm afraid you've lost me.

Oh, well, at first, when you arranged
for this private detective to

blackmail Craig Browning into throwing
Cameron Ivers' case, all you wanted was

Mr. Ivers to go to jail. But when that
didn't work, and then he came in here

confronted you the way he did, well...

You figured more drastic action should
be taken.

How about it?

We may be sharks in business, but we do
not kill people.

And Cameron Ivers was no threat to us.

Oh, yes, he was.

I don't know how yet, but I know he was.

Well, I hate to burst your bubble, Mr.
Matlock, but Mark and I were attending a

black -tie fundraiser at the Ritz
-Carlton last night.

Oh.

Well, how about the night Scott Astin
was murdered, between seven and eight?

What night was that?

That'd be Tuesday the 3rd.

Playing racquetball at the spa club.
With each other, I guess.

Yes.

Well, maybe this whole thing is just one
big coincidence.

The blackmail, the girl, Mr. Ivers
getting run down like that.

I assure you, Mr. Matlock, that's
exactly what it is.

Well, thanks for your time.

And now that we've had our little talk,
I...

Sure hope nothing happens to that girl,
Rachel Bower, don't you?

Your friend, Ben

Matlock, is an alarmingly smart fellow.

He's not my friend. And he only looks
smart compared to you two.

What's that supposed to mean?

Killing Cameron Ivers was stupid.

That's what it means.

What makes you think we'd kill him?

A man had enemies all over the world,
one of whom happened to be you.

All that stuff was in Scott Asher's
pocket?

Yes, it was.

A real pack rat, huh? I wonder why he
let the water in before he was killed.

Where did you find them?

A sack of peanuts.

I don't know. I smell them through the
wrapper.

Fat. Just fat, see?

Probably why they smell so good.

Shame to let them go to waste, though.

Garbation in the world.

Let's see what we got here.

Driver's license, library card, ATM
card, car rental, video club.

Top -of -the -line car rental.

They say if you use their credit card,
you can get a free rental sometime.

If he rented a car from them down in
Florida, he'd have to leave a local

and phone number, wouldn't he?

Right. Fine, I'll be. Okay.

I got to go home.

What's over at the house?

I got to meet a fella and move some
furniture.

Come on, fight it, fight it. Get up.
Good, good, good. Keep breathing.

Keep breathing. Good, good, good.

Attaboy, keep going. Couple more, couple
more.

Good job.

My stomach's on fire.

That's good, that's good. That's what we
want. Burn those abs. Blast them.

I can't do anymore.

All right. Good job. You went to
failure. That's what we want.

Okay, Mr. M, hop up. We're going to do
some squats.

Some what?

Squats. Watch.

Three sets of 15 reps, holding 20
pounds. Maybe we'll pyramid up to 30.

see how it goes.

You know, half the time, I don't know if
you're talking English.

You're right. You know that? Here, grab
them.

Oh, no more dumbbells. Just make me
sweat. That's something I do real good.

me sweat.

The name of the game is muscle mass.

All this exercise and all I've lost is a
pound and a half.

You have got to stop measuring your
progress by the scale. It's how you look

how you feel, not how much you weigh.

I hired you because I need to lose this
by the 23rd.

Now give it to me straight. Is it
possible? Yes or no?

Well, that depends.

On what?

On how you feel about liposuction.

Well, I'll claim mortuary, Dad.

Is this your phony death certificate?

It sure looks that way.

So far, I've located seven people who
are dead, according to the claim

but are, without a doubt, alive.

They either live out of town or out of
state.

They know they're supposed to be dead?

None of them had any idea that they were
dead. But their obituaries had appeared

in the Atlanta Herald.

This is good.

This is good.

I used to eat like that.

Why'd you quit?

Couldn't buy pants?

What do you mean I couldn't buy pants?

I couldn't buy pants with a 33 -inch
waist that fit.

No wonder.

Look at the gut.

It's not so big.

Get the tape.

Well, anyway...

I thought the best way to find out if
these fake death certificates had

to do with Scott Aston's murder would be
to get all the people together to find

out if they have anything in common.

How are you going to do that?

Well, I have an idea, but it could be
expensive.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Hi.

We need to get started. Welcome to
Atlanta. Again, I'm Jerry Stone, and

over here is Billy Lewis. He's the one
that paid to fly you out here and put

up at the nice hotel.

That's okay. I did it for my boy here.

Now, as I explained to all of you on the
phone, I've reasoned to believe that

you all have something in common, and
we're here to discover what that might

Okay, how many of you know a man named
John Robinson?

Never heard of him.

Uh, Mark Reeve?

The guy who played Superman?

You're thinking of Steve Reeve. No, that
was George Reeve. You mean Christopher

Reeve. Okay,

how about a man named Cameron Ivers?

I have heard of him.

I think I have.

What about this? Have any of you ever
lived here in Atlanta?

No. My grandson lived here once.

Um, where was everybody born?

Oklahoma City.

You know,

you look really familiar.

Weren't you on that cruise I took last
year to St. Thomas?

Are you kidding?

I threw up just looking at pictures of
boats.

Well,

what, um, what religion is everybody?

How many of you think Atlanta would have
won the pennant if there hadn't been a

strike?

Guess I'm going to Miami.

Let me get that.

No, I got it. Well, let me drive you to
the airport.

I got a taxi coming.

Well, I'm a good driver.

Fair.

I'll take you for free.

No, Billy.

What's the matter with you? Free's your
favorite word. You know how to say it in

ten different languages.

It wouldn't wind up being free. You'd
keep butting in and try and take over.

Ben, Cliff's my only child, my sole
heir, and he's in trouble right now.

Well, he's pretty smart.

I know he doesn't seem it sometime,
especially now with this lawyer -client

-can't -talk -about -it stuff, but I
want to help.

I'll pay for the plane tickets.

No, Billy.

Come on, Ben.

I'll stay out of your way. I won't say a
single word the whole time, I promise.

I'll just go with you and hear what
people have to say.

You'll butt in, Billy.

You won't even know I'm there.

I know.

Except for the colorful way you're
dressed.

I'll buy you a colorful suit. That way
we'll blend.

No, Billy.

meals, a hotel, pay for everything. And
anything else that comes up, too.

No. I'll buy presents for everybody at
the airport on the way home. Well, since

you put it that way... No.

Mr. Matlock. Yes. Hi, welcome to Miami
Beach. Thank you. What can I do for you?

I called from Atlanta about a man named
Scott Astin. The top -of -the -line car

rental company said he stayed here on
the 2nd. That's right.

Yeah. He said he was murdered? Yeah, the
next day.

You got a warrant that allows me to look
at his bill?

Oh, yeah.

There you go.

Pretty minimal.

Sure is.

Pay for one night and that's about it.
No meals, no parking, no calls.

Only charges for a one -page fax you
receive.

Want me to see if we still have a copy
of it?

Do you keep copies of all the faxes you
get?

In this day and age, it pays to make
backups of everything.

I'll be right back. Okay.

So you found a place okay, huh? I just
followed the directions on that... that

fax you sent to Scott Astin when he came
to see you.

Are you hungry? My wife just made some
cookies. In fact, I can smell them all

the way out here.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, I better not.

I got my 40th college reunion coming up,
and I'm trying to lose a little weight.

Well, why don't we just take a walk
then? That way I can show off the place.

That sounds good.

Yeah.

Boy, this is a pretty place.

Bet you like living here.

Oh, yes, sir.

So, you said you had some questions
about Scott Astin? Yeah, I wanted to

why he came all the way down here from
Atlanta to see you.

I needed a private investigator, and I
was thinking about hiring him. To do

what?

Why am I asking why you want to know?

He was murdered the next day.

He's dead?

Trying to find out who killed him and,
you know, why.

My wife and I have two children.

Our youngest is a little boy. He's five
years old.

He was born with severe disabilities.

Now, we love him dearly, but it's hard
caring for him. It's hard on my wife and

me. It's hard on our daughter.

It's hard on our marriage.

I imagine.

Anyway, I... Somehow I got it in my
brain and my wife was having an affair,

I... Flew Scott Aston down here to find
out if it was true.

Oh, you wanted him to spy on you?

Well, I just wanted to know.

But talking to him turned out to be kind
of therapeutic for me. I finally

realized that I was probably just
overreacting. So I sent him home and

I'd call him after I thought things
over. Well, why him? Why didn't you get

somebody local?

A friend of mine used him.

I wasn't about to use the yellow pages.

Did you call him back?

No. I decided I was overreacting.

Now that is what we call a preschool.

It's where we work out all our
yearlings.

How long have you had this place?

Let's see. I retired in 92.

It's been going on about three years.

You're awful young.

How could you retire? How could you
afford it? I was in the right business

the right time.

Computer software.

I made more money and I knew what to do
with it.

But when our son was born, I decided
enough was enough.

I wanted to stay at home and make sure
that he got off to the best possible

start. Well, that's a good point.

Well, you've answered all my questions.
I appreciate it. Don't you want to see

the rest of the farm?

Well, no.

Horses and I don't, really.

I'll get something to wipe that off.

The guy asked him to go all the way to
Florida to talk to some potential

that's all?

Well, that squares with the mileage on
the car he rented.

He drove from the airport to the hotel,
drove down to the farm, drove back to

the hotel, spent the night, drove to the
airport and flew out.

Such a dead end, huh?

Well, I don't know.

See what you can find out about this
fella.

Chuck Ratner's his name.

He owned a horse farm down near Hialeah.

Used to work for some kind of computer
software company.

Ratner. Right. I'll do that.

I told you he should have taken me with
you. I would have gotten something out

of the guy right there and then.

Yeah,

sorry.

So when are you coming home?

But I'm not coming straight home.

I got to make a stop.

Can't you do something?

I think maybe you came to the wrong
place, Ben.

You don't need a tailor.

You need an engineer.

Oh, come on, Marv. Everybody puts on a
little weight as they get older.

What are you doing?

I'm holding my stomach in.

You are?

Yes.

Where are you putting it?

Come on, Marv. Oh, don't worry. I'm just
making a little small talk while I get

a lay of the land here.

Can't you just let it out some?

Well, there's not enough material.

Well, maybe if I can find some to match
the coat and...

Put it here in the back and sort of
widen it out a little bit.

Move the buttons over here on the
trousers and fix the zipper over there.

You'll be set.

Thanks, Mark.

I can fix that, too.

Okay, I know you're all a little anxious
to get home a cookie.

This is worse than jewelry duty.

I'd like to see my grandkids.

Please,

whatever it is you people have in
common, two men may be dead because of

Now, we've got to figure this out.

Hello, everybody.

Just keep talking to each other. Talk
about the school, siblings, hobby, club,

job, something. You've got to have
something in common.

Hi. Hi. Where's Ben?

He went over to the courthouse.

Well, I've been doing a little research.
You know the guy you went to see down

in Florida, Chuck Ratner? Yeah.

Well, the guy said that he worked for a
computer software company.

He lied. He worked for Roger Herman's
company, Ashfield Life Insurance.

Ashfield Life?

Yeah, that's right.

I know that company. I almost bought a
policy from them. Then I discovered I

could get the same thing for less
somewhere else. Me too.

Well, at least they give you a free pen
when you sign up an application.

Hold the phone. How many of you at one
time or another have applied for life

insurance from Ashfield Life?

Yeah, I did. I did. I did.

Good, good, good. The gang's all here.

It better be as urgent as you indicated.

Oh, it's pretty complicated.

Maybe everybody better sit down. Get to
the point.

Okay.

I know what you've all been up to.

And I know that Mr.

Herman here has been using information
on application forms of people who

decided not to buy Ashfield Life
Insurance.

They filled out the forms, but they
didn't buy.

And he used the information on those
applications to issue a lot of phony

insurance policies.

How in the world would I do that?

Money. That's ridiculous. How can I make
any money if there's no one to pay the

premiums? Well, according to the state
insurance commissioner, you could sell

those phony insurance policies to
another company.

You'd remain the administrator, and you
could pay the premiums for a year or

two, and then one by one issue fake
death certificates. That way you'd

all the death benefits from the second
insurance company, keeping all the money

for yourself.

Huh? Of course, in order to issue fake
death certificates, you'd have to own a

mortuary, which you do.

Kane Mortuary.

Am I to understand that you've discussed
all of this already with the state

commissioner? Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah, he
said it's a very ingenious idea.

Highly illegal, but very ingenious. He
wants to talk to you.

Oh, and since the partnership of Mr.
Robinson and Mr. Reeves owns

the bulk of Asheville Insurance stock
outside of, of course, Mr. Herman,

I also spoke with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.

Wait a minute.

We bought that stock on good faith. What
you're saying is true.

It's new stocks.

Well, maybe you didn't know about the
fraud when you bought the stock.

But you found out about it. And that's
why Mr. Ivers was such a threat to you.

According to the agreement which you
signed, you were not permitted to sell

stock.

For five months.

And if in that time, Mr. Ivers got
interested, started sniffing around,

the fraud,

Ashfield Life would be out of business.
And you'd be out, what, $300 million?

And so, to be sure that Mr.

Ivers was out of the way for at least
five months,

You made sure he had plenty to drink at
Mr.

Robinson's party. Remember Mr.
Robinson's party?

And then you hired somebody to shove a
bomb that nobody would ever remember

anyway out in front of his car when he
was on his way home.

And then you hired that investigator,
Scott Aston, to blackmail his lawyer

throwing his case so Mr.

Ivers would wind up in jail.

But, but...

Then, the investigator, Ashton, he got
curious about the fraud.

And he wound up in Florida talking to an
ex -Ashfield employee, a fellow

named Chuck Ratner, remember him?

About these fake life insurance
policies.

The upshot of it was, you knew you had
to do something about Scott Ashton. So

one of you... Went over to his hotel
room and hit him over the head and

him. I repeat, John and I played
racquetball that night from 6 to 8 at

club. And I was in a meeting with Chuck
Ratner. He came to see me the day after

Scott Astin went to see him in Florida.

Yeah, I know. I called him this morning
after I realized he had lied to me the

last time I saw him. I hate when people
do that, don't you?

Any other wild accusations you'd like to
hurl in our direction?

No, that about does it.

I'd talk to my lawyers, gentlemen.

I'll see you in court.

Hey, Clint.

Oh, hi, Craig. Can I talk to you for a
second in private?

Yeah, sure.

I'll meet you inside.

Thanks. Uh, yeah, what's up?

Look, uh, forget all that lawyer -client
privilege information stuff, okay?

Oh, no, no, no, no, no, I... No, no, I
mean it. You tell the police or whomever

else you need to that I was being
blackmailed because I was cheating on my

It's okay.

Whatever happens, I can deal with it.

Okay.

You got guts.

Cliff, wait, um... I don't have guts.

The police called my house yesterday and
talked to my wife.

She knows everything and she wants a
divorce.

What about the election?

She doesn't care whether she wins or
loses anymore.

She's pretty mad.

I wanted you to think that I was taking
the high road because I do it so

infrequently.

You're the one with the guts, pal.

Good luck in there.

I'll be pulling for you.

Thanks.

I understand the decedent Scott Aston
had a talk with you last month, the day

before he was murdered, on your horse
farm down there in Florida. Is that

Yes, it is.

What do you want to talk about?

He, uh, he suspected that Asheville Life
Insurance Company was creating

fake life insurance policies, selling
them to other companies in order to

defraud them out of millions of dollars
in death benefits.

The last time I talked with you, you
told me something else altogether.

Yes, sir.

I apologize for that, sir. This is the
truth. This is the truth. Yes, sir.

why'd he come to you?

Because I used to work at Asheville
Life, I guess. When you worked there,

you know that fraudulent policies were
being sold to other companies?

I suspected it.

Is that why you quit, or should I say
retired?

Yes. And you retired with a very
generous pension, didn't you?

You mean was I being paid to keep quiet?

No.

But you did keep quiet.

My son is developmentally disabled.

Roger Herman, the president of Asheville
Life, has always shown nothing but the

utmost concern and compassion for my son
and my family.

I didn't report my suspicions because
I... I felt I owed him.

What did you tell Scott Astin?

Nothing. Told him I didn't know what he
was talking about.

What'd he do?

Got angry and left.

What'd you do?

Called Mr. Herman.

He didn't want to talk on the phone, so
I flew up to Atlanta the next evening

and... Met him at his club for drinks.

The next evening would have been the
third, the night of the murder.

Yes, yes. And I was with Mr. Herman from
about 6 .45 till about

8 .30 that night.

Well,

during your meeting with Mr.

Aspen, did he mention Cliff Lewis?

Who? The defendant?

Oh, no, he didn't. Never.

They mentioned Craig Browning.

No. How about Cameron Ivers? Never.

Did he give you the impression that
since he wasn't going to get anything

you about the fraud going on at Ashfield
Life, you're going to let the matter

drop? He told me that he said something
like he was going to keep rattling cages

until either the truth or somebody's
head fell out in his lap.

And less than 24 hours later, he was
dead.

No more questions.

Well, it seems Mr.

Herman has an alibi.

One of them.

There they are.

Right on time. They play racquetball
between 6 and 8 every Tuesday and

night, and they have for the past four
years.

Can I see him leaving?

Yeah, right there.

There.

20, 22.

22 minutes after 8.

Good -looking guys.

Too bad one of them's so weird and the
other one's so married.

Well, thanks.

Would you mind if I took a look around?

Sure.

Hi, sir. Have you ever seen these men?

Gentlemen, do you know of a John
Robinson? No.

Oh,

what the heck.

Hey,

buddy.

I've got to answer a question.

You know these two guys here?

You should

dry your hair. You'll catch a cold.

Yeah, well, the wet looks in, lady.

Hair dries well with perms.

entering the club two weeks before the
murder.

And here you are leaving the club.

And here you are entering the club one
week before the murder. And here you are

leaving the club.

Now, in those pictures, when you entered
the club, was your hair wet or dry?

It's dry.

How about when you left the club?

Wet. How come?

We take showers after we play. How come
you don't dry?

Club doesn't provide hair dryers. Oh, so
you just towel dry it and leave it a

little wet. That's fashionable.

Now, here you are entering the club
January 3rd, the night of the murder.

And here you are leaving the club.

Now, how could that be?

You left the club with dry hair.

How could that be?

Well, uh... Oh, I know. That was the
night I hurt my knee. We only played

for about an hour, and then we had a
drink. There's no record if you're

drink or anything else at the club that
night.

You rented the court, and that's it.

Only you didn't play racquetball that
night, did you? You or Mr. Reeves or

slipped out the back door, went over to
Mr.

Ashton's... Hotel room killed him,
slipped back in the club so it looked

had an alibi. Not true. It's already
been established that you stood to lose

hundreds of millions of dollars if he
lived to tell about the fraud going on

Asheville Life.

Right, Mr. Robinson?

I need to talk to my attorney.

Sounds like a good idea to me.

This court's in recess till 9 a .m.
tomorrow.

And because we are so successful, people
who are eager to get rich try to do so

by finding out about our investment
plans and then acting on them even

do. Our phones have been tapped, our
employees bribed, our cars have been

followed.

Secrecy has become an absolute necessity
for us, and not just out of self

-interest.

Federal law demands it. Federal law?

When did you get so law -abiding? You've
been indicted for fraud.

Yes. But we're not murderers.

You were right. We did use the sports
club as a cover.

But were we to say where we really went
that night, the SEC could very easily

consider it a violation of insider
trading laws. Wait a minute.

If there's a problem with the SEC, I'll
handle it.

Now, where were you?

With Carl Gottlieb, the CEO of the VSN
Corporation.

Discussing a possible takeover.

Here's his sworn affidavit.

Mr. Matlock, do you mind?

Well, whoever killed Scott Astin, we
know it wasn't John Robinson or Mark

Reeves. That's what you said before
about Roger Herman. Well, we'll just

prove that he got Chuck Ratner to laugh
on him. But you can't prove it.

And what if you can't prove it? You
know, the DA's case against me is pretty

circumstantial, but it's, you know, some
strong circumstance. They got the maid

who overheard me arguing with Scott
Asin. They got my hankies stuffed in the

toilet. The jury likes you.

Really, do they? I think juror number
eight has a crush on you.

That's very funny.

No, honestly.

Was juror number eight the blonde or the
brunette?

Um...

What do people need with all this stuff?

Who uses bath gel or shower caps? When
was the last time you wore a shower cap?

How long was Scott Aspin in this room?

Oh, uh, since about noon on the day he
died. They gave him a new room when he

got back from Florida.

Call housekeeping and ask them if a
little sewing kit comes in these

Sewing kit? Yeah. Call them and ask
them.

I had drinks with Mr. Herman that night,
but I left around 7.

Before, under oath, you said you left
around 8 .30.

Yes, sir, I know.

Mr. Herman told me to.

He threatened to cut off my pension.

Without it, I can't care for my son.

So I lied.

I see.

One more thing. Do you happen to
remember what... Mr. Herman was wearing

evening? Oh, gosh.

I think he was wearing light brown pants
and a yellow striped

shirt.

No jacket?

It was warm that night. I wouldn't wear
any jacket either.

No more questions.

I understand you've been indicted for
fraud, Mr. Herman. I've been indicted,

yes. Well, I'm going to ask you some
questions.

Some of it has to do with fraud.

Now, there's a large cast of characters,
like they used to say about the movies,

cast of thousands.

So you think carefully before you answer
so you don't, you know, wind up in

trouble. You ready?

Was Cameron Ivers interested in buying
your business?

He never talked to me about it.

I hear that he was the kind of fellow
that when he took over a company... He

went through that thing with a fine
-tooth comb. Is that right?

I suppose. So if there'd been any fraud
going on at Asheville Life, he'd have

found it, wouldn't he?

I wouldn't know.

Oh, come on, Mr. Herman.

I'm talking major fraud.

What if Mr. Ivers found out that you
were creating fake life insurance

policies and selling them to other
insurance companies?

And what if he found out that you were
creating...

Fake death certificates.

And then collecting all the death
benefits from these other companies for

yourself.

That's a scheme amounting to hundreds of
millions of dollars. What if he found

out about that?

I refuse to answer that.

I don't blame you.

Are you following all this?

If Craig Browning had thrown Mr.

Ivers' case when Mr. Ivers had gone
to...

Jail, and that'd probably been the end
of it.

But he didn't throw his case.

He didn't go to jail.

What he did, Greg Browning got my
associate, Cliff Lewis, to intercede for

and go to a meeting at a bar with this
private investigator about this

business. He met him. He had him
followed. He got pictures of Mr. Astin,

Robinson, Mr. Reeves.

He went up to Ashton's hotel room and
confronted him.

He said, you take my man down, I'll take
your man down.

Cliff was thrown out of the room.

Sometime later, about, oh, 10 o 'clock,
a maid that worked there at the hotel

discovered Mr.

Ashton's body.

There'd been a fight.

He was dead. Hit over the head with a
bottle of champagne.

Dinner was knocked over.

Stuff all over the floor is a mess.

And then she remembered Cliff pounding
on Mr.

Astin's door, shouting to be let in.

Then they found Cliff's handkerchief.
Somebody tried to flush it down a

The upshot of it is the police charged
Cliff with Scott Astin's murder.

But I know this man.

He didn't do it.

What he did, he went the extra mile for
his client.

He respected lawyer -client
confidentiality, and I respect him for

He didn't do it.

You did.

You're out of your mind.

Remember your ex -employee, Chuck
Ratner?

He called you, met you at your club,
told you that Scott Astin was about to

out about your fraud. You knew you had
to do something, and now.

So you went up to his room and did it,
didn't you?

No.

Mr. Ratner just testified that you
bullied him into perjuring himself by

that you were with him at the time of
the murder.

I did it because I knew the truth would
make me look bad.

What kind of truth?

I left the club and I walked around for
a couple of hours. I needed time to

think. And when it became apparent that
I'd be better off with an alibi, I asked

Chuck to give me one.

Would you say his description of what
you were wearing that evening was pretty

great? I don't remember what I was
wearing.

Well, could you have been wearing these?

Yes, those are mine. Yeah, those are
yours.

The police got them, with Warren, of
course.

Cliff and I were looking around the
scene of the crime, trying to, you know,

what we could find.

What we couldn't find were those little
sewing kits that housekeeping puts in

all the rooms.

You know where I'm heading, don't you?

No, no, no, I don't.

Well, like I said before, There was a
fight.

And this... This man, I'm sure, was
doing all he could do to save his life.

I bet grabbing at anything he could,
even the killer's shirt, huh?

Rich man couldn't go out on the street
with his hair all messed up like that

after a fight, with his shirt hanging
half off of him.

Couldn't go home to his wife like that,
could he? Your Honor, this is

preposterous.

Yes, ma 'am. We'll cut to the chase.

Now, there was a fight.

He was strong, but you were younger.

And you won the fight.

And you killed him.

And you hit him over the head with this
champagne bottle.

And then you grabbed a handkerchief off
the dresser.

Cliff's handkerchief.

Wiped the blood off your hands.

Then you went in the bathroom, tried to
flush it down the toilet.

Then you saw the sewing kit, and you
used it to sew the buttons that had

been torn off back onto your shirt
before you went outside, didn't you?

No. Okay, here we have it. When the
police forensics got done with this

they found that not only was the thread
that were holding these three buttons on

the shirt different from the thread
holding the other buttons, But it was

identical in weight and dye lot to the
thread in this little sewing kit.

You know, this is really something.

Here's a man who dealt with millions of
dollars every day.

A lot of it is illegal, but millions of
dollars.

Often there's just a little mistake.

And one piece of thread, worth a

penny, two at the most, ties you

to Scott Astin's death for as long as
you might live.

Thank you, Your Honor. That's all.

They mourn that a maid forlorn with her
sweetheart by her side.

Through the window pane, she looked at
the rain.

We must stay home, Joe, she cried.

There's a picnic, too, at the old Point
View.

It's a shame it rained today.

They're so wonderful.

They still got it.

Ben sounds a lot better with them than
he ever did by himself.

I can't believe he still fits in a
costume.

He had it let out.

How do you know?

Heard him talking to his tailor.