Original subtitles

See, this novel, it's gonna make me hot again. I don't have the manuscript.

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote. Okay, pal.

Please. If this is the best you guys can do for a cop, this town is in real

trouble. I can't believe this lowlife is actually a friend of yours. Pay me the

863 or have a little talk with Richard. Oh, he can talk now? Listen, that

manuscript that I sent you, I'm afraid I don't have it.

Hey, I haven't got it. I want that book, Mrs. Fletcher. I've got no more options.

How am I supposed to look at it?

I date a couple of broads who work here, and you give them the third degree about

what went on.

Sounds like you're writing a book, not me.

Nick, calm down.

15 years I've been with this team.

Suddenly you're checking up on me like I'm some kind of a spy.

Nick. Come on, Gordo.

Half of Boston has heard rumors and stuff about Augie.

But telling tales out of school, I mean, that's not my game.

Besides which...

I mean, I'm so blocked, I have trouble typing my own initials. And besides,

which, don't flatter yourself. This is standard rich kid stuff.

I mean, the playboy with too much money and not enough to do.

If I were able to write again, I sure as hell wouldn't be writing about you,

Augie. Even with the debutantes and the Ferraris and the 12-meter yachts, you're

not exactly Mr.

Fascinating. Ah, no, that's not the impression you gave the girls.

Geez, I don't believe I'm hearing this.

I mean, company gossip?

That's what their lives are all about.

Ah, look, to hell with this, okay? To hell with this. Let's just end this

before one of us says something we regret.

Sit down, Nick.

We had no intentions of offending you.

We were just a little curious, that's all.

Why can't we, um...

Talk about my contract.

Nick. Oh, I can relax, fellas. I mean, my lawyer tells me I'm nuts and my agent

says I'm suicidal. I mean, he was all set, you know, to go for the juggler. I

mean, he says after 15 years, I am Schmesse Beer.

Nick. But I said, no, no, no, no. We're not going to take advantage here now

with sales in the dumper like they are.

I said, you know, we're not going to hold these people up for not one penny

more than what my last deal was.

That's very gracious of you, Nick.

Well, you know, I don't need thanks. I mean, what are friends for?

Speaking of which, though, I have one little temporary problem. I need an

advance. My bookmaker has given me a little flack, and I want to throw her a

bone. No biggie, nothing big. A hundred grand will make her as happy as if she

had good sense.

Nick, we're not renewing you.

You what? You're not what?

It's called business, Nick.

Well, listen, wait a minute. Research tells us there's a whole generation out

there that doesn't even know who you are.

Look, you can't... They don't know that you used to write detective stories.

They say that we need a fresh new campaign. In short, Nick, you are the

reason that Schmesser beer sales are down.

Excuse us. We have a meeting coming up.

Perhaps you could use your pictures.

Hey, Nick, what do you say?

Well?

Zip. You sure?

Hey, if I say there was no manuscript, then there wasn't any, okay?

Covered every lousy inch of his cabin.

Files, everything.

There weren't even any notes for it.

Nothing there but unpaid bills, empty beer cans, and dirty dishes.

Writers.

See, maybe now we can just forget about this book nonsense and concentrate on

getting the yacht ready for the Newport race.

High and outside, ball one.

Ogden?

What? Let's suppose that we do forget about this book, and that such a book

really does exist. How many yachts do you think you'll be able to afford after

your grandfather gets a look at it?

I keep hearing about this great book of yours, Nick, but I don't see it.

All I see is this overdue tab for 150 large ones.

Vicki, if you would just let me... Enough already. I want the money, Nick.

Now. Today.

Yeah.

The Lakers?

Plus three points.

That's the spread, Howie. Take it or leave it.

Too large?

Done. And I mean the whole hundred and a half.

Vicki, you're not hearing me, babe.

See, this novel, it's gonna make me hot again.

And rich. I mean, the advance alone is way more than what I owe you, and the

check is on its way from New York.

Go ahead. You don't believe me? You don't believe me? Go ahead. Call my

agent. Call him. New York. 212-55... Oh, wait a minute.

Yeah, he's already left for the weekend. I tell you what.

48 hours, and you get every penny. 24.

And be here.

No problem. No problem. And Vicki, hey, thanks a lot.

He's lying.

Probably.

So how can you let him off the hook?

Marjorie, it's me.

How's the Big Apple treating you?

Tell me about it.

Hey, what could be new? Teams win, teams lose.

I pick up a couple of bucks either way.

Listen, I need a favor.

Yeah, I want you to ask around to your literary friends. See if there's any

word on a new book by Nick Culhane.

Yeah, the guy in the beer commercial.

Thanks, Marge.

Wait a minute.

I know why you didn't lower the hammer on him. You and Nick Culhane... No,

Richard. Don't start in again. I'm sorry, all right? I don't mean to think

these things, baby. I really don't. I just... Good.

Then knock it off.

Hi there. This is Nick's machine.

As soon as I beep, say your piece and I'll get back to you.

Nick, this is Jessica. I may never forgive you for sending me your

manuscript.

I couldn't put it down until I'd finished it at 4 a.m. I really loved it.

Every word. The characters are wonderful.

They're exciting, full of dimension and life.

It's by far the best thing you've ever written.

Congratulations.

You've obviously cured your writer's block.

Will you call me soon and tell me your secret?

Goodbye.

Can I kick it in?

Go ahead.

Take your pick, McGraw.

Pay me the 863 or have a little talk with Richard.

Oh, he can talk now?

In a minute, darling.

What do you say, Harry?

Come on, Vic, you know I'm good for it.

I mean, hell, all the years I did business with Lou, he never tried to

muscle me. That was Lou.

This is me.

Okay, I'll tell you what.

I'll let you work it off. I got a job for you. No, forget about it. I don't

finger people. Will you stop?

I want you to find something for me. A manuscript.

What, like in a book?

It's collateral for another tab.

A very big tab, Harry.

Trouble is, there's not a whole lot to go on. All I got is this.

It's from a guy's answering machine.

The woman on the tape. I figure she could be his agent or maybe one of those

Hollywood producer types.

I'm not sure.

You're not sure? She's the link, Harry. You find her. We're home free. Listen.

For a lousy $863, you want me to find a voice? I mean, there's got to be 150

million women.

I couldn't put it down until I finished it at 4 a.m.

I really loved it. Every word. The characters were wonderful.

Exciting.

You okay, Harry?

Swallowed the wrong way.

Listen, Vicki, I'm not a magician, but I am a pretty good P.I., as you well know.

Skip the commercial, Harry.

You want to find her or you want to pay me?

Okay, okay, but I'm going to need some expense money. I mean, this Jessica or

whatever her name is, she could be anyplace, San Francisco or China.

Harry, Harry, you think I don't own a television?

What are you saying?

What she's saying, stupid, is even those private eyes on TV know how to find out

where phone calls come from.

Oh, that?

Yeah, well, sure, I can do that. But, uh, uh, no rough stuff.

No rough stuff.

Good. When you find out, you go there.

And I go with you. No, no way. I work alone.

Not for me, you don't. What about me?

You mind the store.

Vicki, I hate this.

With him?

You've got to be kidding.

You want to hang on to your hands, pal, you better keep them to yourself. Do you

understand?

Everything I do should be so easy.

Sheriff.

What, you see that guy in the pork pie hat?

Yeah. I know him from someplace.

Boston.

Boston?

How do you know he's from Boston?

Bus came from there.

Get in the car.

We're gonna go take a look at some waterproofs, too.

Jessica, what do you say?

Nick, what are you doing in Cabot Cove?

So you're going to invite me in or what?

Well, of course I am. Come on in.

What is it?

Is something wrong?

Wrong? No, well, some days are more fun than other days, but I mean, what else

is new?

Listen, that manuscript that I sent you.

Oh, it's wonderful, Nick, but didn't you get the phone message I left you?

No, I haven't been spending too much time around my house lately.

I'm really glad that you like it, really, but I need it back, Jessica,

now, today.

Oh, dear.

I'm sorry, but I don't have it here. Oh, please, tell me I'm not hearing this.

Please. Nick, it's, um... Somebody broke into my cabin. They trashed my computer.

They took the only other copy.

Nick, it's all right. Your book, I mean. I loaned it to a friend, Ben Devlin.

He's our newspaper publisher, for a second opinion.

Oh, Jessica.

I love you.

So how do I find this guy?

Well, I'm afraid you can't until next week. He's in the Canadian woods on a

fishing trip.

Oh, boy.

I couldn't have just sat down and wrote another Rick Sledge novel. No, I had

to... I had to get creative.

Nick?

Nick?

Hiya, Jessica.

Long time no see. San Francisco McGraw, 150 million women.

Jessica Fletcher, say hi to Vicki Palumbo.

Oh, Miss Palumbo, how very nice to meet you.

Harry.

Oh, no, this is strictly business.

I mean, she's a client.

We're looking... I'm looking for a book written by Nick Culhane. Now, I heard

that he sent you a copy. I want that book, Mrs. Fletcher. Oh, are you in the

publishing business, Miss Palumbo? Uh, not exactly.

That scumbag Nick Cohane ran out on me.

Oh, then you must be his agent.

Well, Miss Palumbo is kind of in the credit business, and Nick owes her some

heavy bread.

Bread? Oh, yes, yes, of course, gambling debts. Nick, I should have thought of

that right away.

My goodness, women are certainly breaking ground in new professions, Miss

Palumbo. That book of his, if it exists, is my collateral.

Oh, so that's the trouble he's in. Are you sure that's all?

Well, it's all I know about.

Well, as far as that book, there's something that you should know.

This is Mrs. Palumbo. She's a bookmaker.

You got that right.

And she's gone to Maine.

Yeah, phone messages.

I found them last night.

in her boyfriend's desk.

Phil, I would much prefer that you don't tell us how you go about these things

that you do. You're making me an accomplice.

She took a private investigator with a guy named McGraw.

All right, I want you to get up there fast.

This morning I fired two more secretaries who admitted they'd been

feeding Nick Cohane company gossip and God knows how many others he slept with

or what they told him.

Guys, whoa.

Guys.

Wait a minute here. First off, listen to me. We don't know for sure if this book

even exists.

And second... I just don't want to know. I just told you, I don't want to know

how you go about these things. I can't afford to know. Phil, I want you to keep

in mind that until we get our hands on it, we have to assume the worst about

what this book might contain.

And that anybody who has read it is still capable of walking and talking.

Can hurt us Badly

Hello

Jessica everything, okay, I'm kind of on the move

Those people that came to your front door, wasn't anybody called Mannix or

Forbes, was it?

No. Nick, for heaven's sakes, what's going on? I mean, if you're in some kind

of trouble, maybe you should go to the police.

We have a very responsible sheriff here, you know.

No, no, no. For God's sakes, don't get the cops involved.

All I got to do is find that copy of my manuscript and I'm out of here. Now, who

did you say you gave it to? Ben Devlin. He's our local newspaper publisher.

But he's out of town until next week.

Next week.

If I don't get my hands on that manuscript, there may not be a next

week. Listen, don't tell any...

Well, I'm sorry, Nick, but it's too late. A lady came to the house looking

for you.

She's interested in your book. Her name is Vicki Palumbo.

Oh, terrific.

It's just what I need.

Jessica, if anybody named Mannix or Forbes contacts you, you never heard of

me. And for God's sakes, don't tell them I sent you my manuscript.

417. That's Devlin's house.

So, now what?

Now we sit and watch.

Tell when.

The guy isn't coming back for a week.

Besides which, we don't know if he took the book with him or if he's got it

hidden. Vicki, will you knock it off? This is what real detectives do.

Here, have a donut.

I can't believe you actually charge people for this kind of work.

You know what I can't believe?

That a sweet guy like Lou Palumbo could put up with you.

Lou is a schnook.

He needed people to like him. In the bookmaking business, that's a killer

liability. Well, that's one problem you'll never have.

Oh, there.

What there?

Where are you going? Shh.

Sit still. I'll be right back.

Mr. Cohane, I figured it was you. Ogden sent you, right?

Ogden? No, no, no.

Listen, all I want to... Now, wait a minute, wait a minute. My client, see,

all she wants...

Okay,

pal.

Please.

Look at that, you lousy creep. Hey, hey, put a sock in it, will you? Vicky, I'm

on the phone here.

Yeah, that's right.

Not only is there a manuscript, but at least two of the locals have read it so

far. All right, Phil, I want you to back off until I get up there.

Yeah, well, you better make it fast.

We need some heavy-duty damage control.

What happened, my bubbler? What happened? What, the big bad man hit you?

Oh, listen to me, sweetheart.

Do yourself a favor, will you?

I mean, unless you're really looking to get hurt.

You let me know the minute you see or you hear from Nicolaine.

Huh? You stays?

Oh, uh, you know, I wouldn't bother calling the cops.

I'm a retired detective, a sergeant with a whole string of medals and

commendations.

And you?

You are what you are.

You know what I mean?

Thank you.

So you've got a Miss Palumbo registered here. What is her room number?

I'm her brother.

What do you think? I punched myself in the mouth?

Jessica, if this is the best you guys can do for a cop, this town's in real

trouble. Mrs. Fletcher, I can't believe this lowlife is actually a friend of

yours. Oh, Harry, Sheriff, please.

Okay, okay.

So if you didn't break in, what were you doing there?

I just happened to be passing by.

Two miles away from your hotel?

Sheriff, was anything stolen from Ben's house?

Well, not that you could notice, no.

Well, then you really have no reason to be holding Mr. McGraw. Mrs. Fletcher,

back when I was with the NYPD, we used to have a saying about PIs.

Unfortunately, it's not something I can repeat in mixed company.

But I think you should know. I checked with the Boston PD.

Turns out they've yanked his license four times in the past three years.

Plus, he's been picked up on suspicion of murder, breaking and entering,

assault. I know.

You know?

Yeah, Sherlock. And how many times did it stick to the wall?

Hurry. He refuses to describe this alleged burglar who allegedly assaulted

him. Sheriff. Come on, will you? It was pitch dark. And he refuses to explain

what he's doing in Cabot Cove. You know, I can remember a time when even the

dumbest cop knew about client confidentiality. Will you please stop

this? Both of you.

You know, Sheriff, I think that Harry has a good point here.

Oh, thanks a lot.

But I can tell you this much.

It has something to do with Nick Culhane.

Nick Culhane?

From the beer commercials?

Yeah, yeah, that's the guy I saw getting off the bus.

Okay, Mrs. Fletcher, give. What's Nick Culhane doing here in Cabot Cove?

Uh, I-I really don't think I should say any more, Sheriff.

Well, I suppose that's client confidentiality, too.

Jessica, you were within your rights, and I was within mine. I know. but I

hated not telling Sheriff Metzger everything I know.

Trust me, he'll get over it. He's a good man, Harry. I mean, he was only trying

to do his job.

Hey, that makes two of us.

But I still don't understand why Nick would automatically assume that I was

working for Augie Schmesser.

Harry, how much do you know about this Mr. Schmesser?

Well, only what I hear, which is he's not all that swift. He's sort of a

playboy type.

He's been running the brewery since his grandfather retired. That is, when he's

not chasing skirts.

I'm not sure if this means anything, but Nick's manuscript is about a wealthy

young playboy who inherits his grandfather's brewery. Yeah?

Now that's interesting.

In Nick's book, his best friend is a non-scrupulous attorney who manipulates

him into some very unethical behavior.

Yeah, I'm getting the picture. So Nick did a real hatchet job on Schmesser.

But that still doesn't explain why he was afraid of me.

Well, it may be more than a hatchet job had.

Do you recall Mr. Schmesser being kidnapped?

Yeah, about five years ago. It was a big deal.

The Boston paper seemed to think so.

I was going over some back issues this afternoon in the library.

Yeah, I think the grandfather came up with about three million bucks to save

Junior's at... Buns?

Yeah, well, that's what the paper said. But according to Nick's book, young Mr.

Schmesser was never really kidnapped. It was all a big hoax, rigged by the young

man and his friend, the attorney.

Oh, to set up Grandpa and keep the three million for himself.

Whoa. Well, in the manuscript, it's the grandmother.

But otherwise... Hey, why not? Rich kid, expensive tastes, short of cash.

But, Jessica, if it actually happened that way, that means that Augie and his

pals are seriously worried about this book coming out.

Yes.

You know, I had the impression that Nick was worried about a great deal more than

simply repaying a gambling debt. Which, by the way, may not be the whole story

with Vicki Palumbo. I mean, she might be just stringing me along, trying to get

her hands on that book so she could, I don't know, maybe extort money from

Schmesser.

Come on. I'll get you a cab.

Oh, I don't know, Harry.

This all sounds very melodramatic.

You want to talk melodramatic?

What about if Schmesser and his pal are really worried about what's in that

book, then you and your friend, the newspaper editor, Ben, what's his name?

Devlin. You could both be in this as deep as Nick, just because you both read

the thing.

Oh, Harry, that's awfully far-fetched. Besides, it's possible that it's not

about any of this. I mean, he could be having romantic problems, or perhaps

he's in trouble with the law, or something like that.

Yeah, and I'm Sam Spade.

Oh, I just wish I could give him his manuscript and let him do whatever he

wants with it.

Listen, Jessica, is it possible that he left it at his newspaper office?

Well, he told me that he was taking it with him.

But yes, I think it's possible.

Yes? I'm an attorney, Mrs. Fletcher. My name is Gordon Forbes.

I'm sorry to disturb you at this hour of the night, but I need to speak to you on

a matter of great urgency.

Mrs. Fletcher, I really don't like talking to a door.

Thank you.

I tried to call you.

on my car phone on the way up from Boston, but there was no answer.

I understand that you have a copy of a certain manuscript by Nicholas Culhane.

Now, on behalf of my client, I am prepared to make you an extremely

generous offer. Mr. Forbes, I don't have the manuscript.

Now, if you'll excuse me.

Wait.

Please.

Do you know where it is, the manuscript, I mean?

Mr. Forbes, if I call out, my neighbors will hear, and I happen to know that

several of them have guns.

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to frighten you.

I'll call you in the morning.

Nick called Hayne.

Drop it, dirtbag.

I can't wait to see Mrs. Fletcher try to explain this one.

I told you, I don't know whose gun it was. Sure, like you don't know who

slugged it because there wasn't any one. I figured the manuscript was never there

or else the killer took it. Look, if I could have returned the script to him,

Nick might still be alive.

Oh, no, wait a minute. The manuscript wouldn't be... Don't bet on it. I mean,

there are too many people after him and his book. No, he went to the newspaper

office looking for it. Now, somebody followed him. Or someone got there

first. Oh, Harry. Excuse me, can we get back to this manuscript? Remember when I

told you you might be on the spot just because you read the thing? Now do you

believe me? Harry, we don't know that's why Nick was killed. Wrong. You don't

know. Now hold it. I want to hear about this. The character in the book, the one

who helped him rig his own kidnapping?

Kidnapping? What kidnapping? Now if we can match him up with the real guy in

Schmesser's life, then we can... All right, now hold it. That's it.

You are both going to tell me whose manuscript, what kidnapping, who's

Schmesser, and what in the hell is McGillis all about?

Okay, pal.

Ogden, I told you it wasn't necessary for you to drive all the way up here.

Oh, no?

I thought I could count on you.

And you, Phil.

We've been covering as many bases as we can. I've been on the phone since sunup

trying to keep us out of the press.

Yeah?

Well, you wouldn't know it. All I've heard on the news is Nick Culhane and

Schmesser Brewing. It's like it's part of his name.

Hey, kid, get a grip, huh?

We're giving it our best shot.

Well, that's not good enough.

I should have never listened to either one of you. I mean, running up and down

the coast, chasing after this manuscript without knowing what's in it, and then

you don't even get your hands on it. Ogden, you haven't got all the facts.

Listen, if Grandfather was going to be unhappy about a stupid book, how do you

think he likes his favorite TV spokesman getting murdered?

And the publicity it's generating.

He's on the phone to me practically all the way up. All right, that's it. I'll

see you around sometime.

No, wait. Get it.

Hey, I don't need this. Come on.

Phil. Listen, the guy needs a wet nurse.

I've been cleaning up after him for long enough. Forget about it.

Now see what you've done.

Phil, please.

I'm sorry.

Like you mean it.

Phil. Phil.

I apologize.

I'll make it worth your while.

All right.

All right, now the first order of business is to find the book before

anybody else reads it.

And before the press gets their hands on it.

A hundred and fifty... 50,000 down the pipes.

Yeah, along with the sports car you promised me.

Listen, there was never any guarantee that book was worth 10 cents.

I mean, my friend in New York said nobody had ever heard of it.

And the fact that that Fletcher woman said she liked it, well, maybe she was

just being kind to Nick.

Anyway, who'd have figured McGraw was smart enough to try and go into business

for himself?

I should have kept a closer eye on him. Well, how close did it get?

Me and McGraw?

Richard, you're starting to irritate me again.

Vicki, I'm sorry. I don't mean to.

Really. Yeah.

Hey, let's get out of here.

Go. Get yourself packed.

Let's get back to civilization.

Listen, Vicki, don't blow your top.

What?

This guy Mannix, you know, the one that you said came to see you last night?

Don't. Vicki, I got him.

I mean, you and him, you didn't... That's it, Richard.

That's all.

I have had it with your jealousy. Vicki, I'm just... I have had it with you. We

get back to Boston, you find yourself another job and another life. Now, get

out!

Keep going. You're going in the right direction.

All right.

Now, here, put these on.

Up you go. Up you go.

I'm going to say this just one time.

We want the manuscript.

Now. What makes you think I've got it?

You haven't been paying attention.

Hey, I haven't got it! Phil.

Please.

You got a friend here.

Richard.

Don't be stupid.

And don't try and protect Mrs. Palumbo.

We know you either gave her the manuscript or you kept it for yourself

after you killed Nick Cohen.

Killed?

Me?

You guys are out of your minds.

Okay, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. Suppose, suppose I can get my

hands on this manuscript.

I'm not saying that I can't, but suppose.

Would you guys be willing to come up with 200 grand?

Huh?

Did I say $200,000? $100,000?

What do you say, guys?

Now, don't scream out, will you? I get very angry when I hear people scream.

Nitrate tests.

McGraw couldn't have fired the murder weapon.

I know you were already sure he didn't do it.

I didn't say a word.

Anyway, we got Mrs. Palumbo.

Call it a justice she was about to leave town.

Are you saying that she killed Nick Culhane?

Oh, not directly.

The way it played was she incited her boyfriend by playing on his jealousy.

Really? Yeah, it took some reading between the lines, but I finally got her

to admit that she and Nick Hulhane had been an item.

The rest was easy.

She let Richard, the boyfriend, in on it. He automatically assumed that Nick

was the one who made it happen and went after him.

Then Vicki's motive for revenge was Nick's not having paid his gambling

debts? Exactly.

Put out an APB on Richard about a half an hour ago.

State cops should be picking him up even as we speak. I tell you, Mrs. Fletcher,

I wish they were all as easy.

I don't know, Sheriff.

I have a feeling that there may be more to it. Oh, ma'am, I got to tell you,

this time you are dead wrong.

And I'll tell you something else.

I'd still bet the rancher friend McGraw's in this thing up to his

nostrils. I don't understand.

Well, his manuscript that everybody's so hysterical about. Now, the way I figure

it is, he grabbed it for himself.

That's grand theft, and which I would give my left arm to nab him for. Now,

just a minute, Sheriff.

I'll admit that Harry has a few unfortunate habits, but like yourself,

he's a decent, hardworking man.

And I'm positive that his involvement with this case is, well, it's purely

professional.

For your sake, Mrs. Fletcher.

I hope you're right.

That'll be 43 cents posted to do it, Mrs. Fletcher. Right.

Thank you. Looks like Mr. Devlin sent that from Canada. Didn't realize about

the new rates. Yes, he's been away fishing.

Good seeing you, Mrs. Fletcher. Thank you, Mr. Finnerty.

Give it to me, Mrs. Fletcher.

Give you what?

Nick Culhane's manuscript.

Oh, this?

Oh, this is just a seed catalog.

Mr. Forbes, will you please leave my house?

I'll be glad to.

Just as soon as you give me the seed catalog.

Now, Mrs. Fletcher, I don't have time for this.

And neither do you.

What is it about this book that you find so interesting, Mr. Forbes?

After all, it's just fiction, isn't it?

Or is it?

I'm telling you, Osborne, it can't miss. Your grandma's going to do anything we

tell her to do, anything to get you back in one piece, such as paying the $3

million ransom that you and young Mr.

Schmesser collected from his grandfather. Isn't that correct, Mr.

Forbes?

Mrs. Fletcher.

I've got no more options.

Yeah, you do.

You can start walking back in there very carefully.

Oh, Harry, thank you. You know, Jessica, you ought to keep your door locked.

Any kind of riffraff can just waltz right in here.

Now, listen, pal.

It was bad enough that you killed an okay guy like Nick.

And slugged me. But when you start even thinking about hurting Mrs. Fletcher

here, you're way off the chart. You know, Harry, I'm not at all sure that it

was Mr. Forbes who murdered Nick.

Oh, come on, Jessica.

Let me ask you a question, Mr. Forbes.

Did you search through Nick Culhane's cabin?

No, that was... That was handled by Phil Mannix.

Yeah, Phil Mannix.

Jessica, what is it?

Mr. Forbes.

Just how badly do you want to get to the bottom of this?

I never should have been so trusting.

But I never dreamed that Gordo would pull something like this.

Hey, who could read minds?

We'll talk to your grandfather.

We'll lay it all out for him.

Nick's murder, plus whatever else happens to be in the book.

It was all Forbes is doing, right?

We'll just make the old man understand that we are clean.

Gordo! What do you know? What do you say?

Miserable lying piece of garbage.

What?

I've seen the manuscript.

It's all in there.

Everything that you told Nick Culhane, he told him. Don't listen to him, kid.

Doggy!

Did you ever tell Nick or anyone else, any of the secretaries, anybody about

our little kidnap scheme?

What? Are you crazy?

That's why you killed him, isn't it? So that he couldn't tell anybody that he

heard all about it from you.

Phil sold you that number.

Didn't he?

Yeah.

Well, half of it's right anyway.

The half about why Nick was murdered.

I don't understand.

No, you button it!

Noggy.

Listen to me.

Only the three of us knew about this, right? You, me, Phil.

You didn't tell anyone.

I didn't tell anyone. All right, forget it.

Now, why would I pull a no-brainer like that?

He's the one nursing the grudges.

You know, complaining behind your back about having to save you from yourself,

about always having to take your grandfather's heat from you. Okay,

Gordon, please. The truth now.

Where were you on the night that Nick Culhane was murdered? What are you

asking him that for? He's only going to give you a lot of bull. Phil, let him

answer.

I was with Vicky Palumbo.

That's a lie.

Ask her.

I made a deal with her.

If she got to the manuscript first, she was going to sell it back to us. But,

Augie, what neither of us realized was that Phil couldn't afford to have that

happen because Phil knew what was on every page.

And if we were ever to read the manuscript, then we would know. Yes.

That Phil was Nick's source.

I'm sorry, fellas.

Now, if I'd gotten to the manuscript first, we'd all be going back to Boston

alive.

Go figure.

Freeze! I'm moving, you're a dead man.

You're under arrest for the murder of Nick Culhane.

Floyd Kuffman, read him his rights.

You have the right to remain silent.

If you give up the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be

used against you. See?

You did okay.

I still don't believe you talked me into this.

Okay, but what I don't get is, what was in it for you?

I mean, spilling the truth about the fake kidnapping to Nick Culhane. Yeah,

with Nick and Hock to Vicki up past his eyeballs, he couldn't have offered you

money. Oh, it's possible that Mr. Mannix may have another motive. I mean,

according to Nick's book, your fictional counterpart tended to have a rather

loose tongue when he was drinking.

Plus, he felt rather unappreciated by his employers.

You got that right, lady.

See, I was hired by old man Schmeser to nursemate Ogden.

But Grandpa didn't come around much anymore.

And Gordon Forbes, well, he was busy building his little empire, which wasn't

about to include me.

They conveniently forgot the whole Mickey Mouse kidnap gag would have

fallen apart if it wasn't for me.

And when they collected the three million, I ended up with pennies.

Anyway, Nick and I, well, we used to go pub crawling sometimes, and one night, I

guess it all just boiled up inside me, and I let the sauce get the better of my

common sense.

Nick swore to me he'd never use the stuff that I told him.

And about two weeks ago, I run into Vicki Palumbo.

She's all bent out of shape because Nick's been stalling her.

She says he promised to pay her out of the money that he's getting from a book

that he wrote.

And suddenly you're frightened.

Yeah, well, I started doing some digging.

I found out that Nick was dating some of the women at the brewery.

You know, just picking their brains to find out what was going on behind the

scenes.

Then I was sure there was a book.

And suddenly you realized that if it contained all the information that you'd

given to Nick, Gordon Forbes and young Mr. Schmesser would know that it

couldn't have come from anyone but you.

Right. Even if the law didn't come after you, it would have meant the end of your

cushy life on Schmesser's payroll.

You try living on a cop's pension.

So you broke into Nick's cabin and found the manuscript.

Right. I took what I thought was the only one.

And I burned it.

Along with the other thing. What do you call that thing? What, the floppy disk?

And then I destroyed the computer.

But that left Nick.

He was a major loose end.

It's not here, Nick.

Phil!

I was just trying to find it so I could turn it over to you.

Sure you were.

You weasel.

You just couldn't keep what I told you to yourself, now could you?

Oh, no!

See?

What did I tell you?

I'm sorry I couldn't cooperate more with you, Sheriff, but I was trying to

protect Harry and Nick.

I understand, Mrs. Fletcher.

But tell me something. How did you figure it out?

Whoever was desperate enough to kill Nick and who tried to kill me certainly

knew exactly what was in that book.

Yeah, and whoever it was had to be the guy who broke into Nick's place before

Vicki Palumbo and Richie ever got there. Right, Jessica?

Right, Harry.

And that, as they say, is all she wrote.