Original subtitles

Dana, what the hell are you doing?

You've made millions on illegal insider trading of Regitech stock.

This could be connected to the murder?

Gabe, get him out of my face!

Take it easy, the both of you. Hello, this is Mrs. Fletcher. Don't go into

your act.

Not with me.

I have never lied to you, Mrs. Fletcher. Not once. I couldn't do that. For once

in her life, Dana is actually telling the truth.

You are in terrible trouble. Do you?

For one minute think that any jury would hesitate to convict her.

I know I should have a better plan, Jessica, but I'm just gonna take off a

point south and see what kind of job opportunities open up.

Well, I wish you the best, Dana. Your work has been extremely valuable.

Most of it, anyway.

Oh, well, listen, I'm sorry about that screw-up last week, but I've gone back

over those judging procedures for livestock at the New Hampshire State

Fair. Good. You'd be amazed how many letters I receive when even little

things like that aren't accurate.

Oh, yes, I know. I spoke to Mrs. McCurdy again and got it all straight.

I felt like such a fool having to call her back.

Well, again, it's been a real pleasure, and good luck on your publicity tour.

Well, thank you. Goodbye, Dana. Thank you.

I've double-checked my phone records and my files, and I just can't find any

indication that I've ever been contacted by a Dana Ballard.

Thank you, Mrs. McCurdy.

I'm somewhat embarrassed to say I haven't checked your references as yet,

Ms. Ballard.

However, they look excellent.

And now that you're in town, I'll get right into it.

For whatever it's worth, there's one I haven't had a chance to include.

Up until a week ago, I had the pleasure of working as a personal assistant to a

mystery novelist up in Cabot Cove. Her name is... Cabot Cove?

You mean J.B. Fletcher?

You've been working with Jessica Fletcher? Do you know her?

Well, only through her novels, which I...

All I can say is that if the rest of my employment experiences are half as

pleasant, I'm going to consider myself very fortunate.

You know, she seems like such a fascinating person.

When I mentioned I was coming in for this interview, she said you're welcome

to call her any time.

Oh, I'd like that very much.

Well, here's the number.

You know, it's been my ambition to be part of the securities business for as

long as I can remember.

Well, why don't I just call Mrs. Fletcher right now?

Oh, you know, she doesn't take phone calls until after 3. Of course she'd

have a set routine.

My God, the self-discipline that must take.

Oh, she's incredible.

Every morning, 5 a.m., she walks 3 miles, always the same route, and then

she has exactly 4 cups of coffee before sitting down to her computer.

Fascinating.

Look, Miss Ballard, why don't you do me a favor and don't take any other

position without calling me?

I promise I won't, Mr. Stevens.

Morning,

Mr. Stevens.

Yesterday's reports?

Oh,

and I thought you'd like to know I sold Mrs. Buffum on that no-load account.

That girl, is she... I hope so, Todd.

One more week without an assistant, and I'm going to sink under all this

paperwork.

And my first stop is Portland.

Interview with Terrence Gideon of Wedgwood Publications.

Isn't he the man who hates mysteries?

Well, look at it this way, Jess. You'll get a free dinner from one of the

hottest restaurants in New England.

Atlantis is supposed to be absolutely fabulous.

Jessica, tell me, are you feeling all right?

Perfect. Why do you ask?

Please don't get me wrong. I mostly love this latest draft, and my edits are

minimal. But I have to say, some of your research is... Well, it's

uncharacteristically sloppy.

Uh-oh. I was afraid of that.

Where?

Well... For instance, you have Inspector Davidson saying the FBI was established

in 1926.

I happen to be editing a book about the Bureau. It was actually started in 1908.

And there are several other places.

Uh-oh, there's my cab.

Look, I'm really sorry about this, Gloria, and I take full responsibility.

If you'll give me your notes on any other mistakes that you pick up, I will

go through the entire manuscript while I'm on the road, okay?

Hello, this is Jessica Fletcher's machine.

I'm out of town for a few days, but I'll be picking up my messages, so be sure to

leave yours after the beep, and I'll get back to you.

Thank you.

Mrs. Fletcher, this is Ethan Stevens in Portland.

555-6750.

I'd appreciate it if you'd get back to me at your earliest convenience.

Dana Ballard suggested I call you.

Thanks.

Now, look, honey, believe me, I have no intention of letting Baker push me

around. Well, you certainly had me fooled.

Besides, there may not even be a problem.

And what if you're wrong, Ethan?

Okay, okay. If I am, then we've got some time so I can think out our options,

which I can't do with you haranguing me.

Missy, what I need right now is your support.

Poor baby.

You really do have all the pressure.

But I don't want to have to move to Rio or the Bahamas or wherever we might have

to go.

I like it here. Yeah, I know.

So where is it tonight?

I made reservations at Atlantis.

7.30.

Hello.

This is Jessica Fletcher's machine.

Mrs. Fletcher, this is Ethan Stevens in Portland.

55567.

Steven's office.

Hello, this is Mrs. Fletcher.

May I please speak with Mr. Stevens?

Well, we're programmed to sell the Donagenics Common when it reaches 14 and

three-eighths, and we're recommending a buy in the Elton Municipals as a

conservative measure. I'm sorry, Todd, I can't deal with it now.

But you said you wanted... Some other time, okay?

Yes. Yes, Mrs. Fletcher.

You know, from my brief meeting with Dana, I sensed that myself.

Definitely.

And really, Mr. Stevens, that's almost the least of her virtues.

I can tell you quite honestly that Dana Ballard is a truly remarkable young

woman. Well, coming from someone like yourself, Mrs. Fletcher, that's quite an

impressive recommendation.

Ethan, we have to talk.

In a second, damn it.

Mrs. Fletcher, I thank you very much for your time.

A pleasure.

And by all means, call me any time you're in Cabot Cove.

Baker, I've done absolutely nothing improper.

Your informant doesn't know what the hell he's talking about.

Neither do you.

Let me spell it out for you.

You've made millions on illegal insider trading of Regitech's stock, and now

you're going to the SEC voluntarily before they come after you. Forget it.

And tell them the truth, that it was you, you alone.

Now, you offer to give back everything you made on the transaction, you'll

probably get no more than nine months in a minimum security country club.

Baker, I have no intention of doing any of this. Shut up, Ethan.

There's another piece.

I'll buy you out.

That way, we at least give the appearance a cleaning house.

Don't worry, I'll make it worth your while.

The answer is, go take off. Let me put it another way.

You have 48 hours.

Or I go to the Securities Exchange Commission and tell them I just

discovered your crimes. And you're positively aghast that this sort of

thing has been going on right under your nose.

Something like that, yes.

I repeat, 48 hours.

Au contraire, Mrs. Fletcher. I find your books surprisingly literate. I simply

find mysteries tedious.

Cardboard, one-dimensional characters whose sole function is to service the

plot. I mean, who cares how someone got into a locked room and committed a

murder?

Well, I certainly appreciate your candor, Mr. Gideon, but I really don't

believe that you've ever read any of my books.

What do you mean? Of course I've read your book.

My novels are character-based. I mean, a group of people, hopefully interesting,

in conflict with each other, who find themselves in a situation where a murder

or murders take place.

I mean, like you.

Mrs. Fletcher, Jessica, Ethan Stevens.

I really enjoyed our little chat this afternoon, but I must say it's such a

delight to finally meet you face to face.

I mean, if I'd known that out of town meant Portland, I'd have arranged to

take you to dinner. Mr.

Stevens, I... This is my wife, Missy.

Hello. My partner, Baker Lawrence.

As I said, I really appreciate you taking the time.

Miss Ballard's certainly going to owe you one.

Dana Ballard. I've already hired her.

Mr. Stevens. Excuse me, Mrs. Fletcher. It seems we're already late for our

sitting. You know how it is with these trendy restaurants.

Well, for someone who doesn't know many people in Portland, they certainly seem

to be acquainted with the right ones.

Do you know that man?

Mrs. Fletcher, Ethan Stevens is one of the town's most prominent stockbrokers.

You promised that nothing like this would happen. Saul, will you please? My

name has got to be kept out of it. Fine, okay, just please sit down. I can't

afford to be connected with this in any way. My future, my life.

You were saying, Mr. Gideon?

Oh, you don't have to worry about me, Mr. Stevens.

I have enough reading and catching up to last me to Christmas.

And Mr. Merlin's been so helpful.

My splendid.

Well, I'll look in on you later after I take care of some business.

Great.

It's me.

Well, we have serious problems.

About 16 million of them.

Oh, Jessica, I wasn't expecting you so early.

Thank you, Mr. Merlin.

Anytime.

May I get you some coffee?

No, thank you.

All I want is an explanation, which I hope you can give me before I go and

speak to Mr. Stevens.

As I said when you called, I'm absolutely mystified.

It must be some sort of misunderstanding.

I hope that's all it is.

I did give your name as a reference, but I can't understand why he'd have thought

he'd spoken to you when he hadn't.

I suppose it's possible he's confused, or... Or what, Dana?

Or for some reason he's lying?

Well, since you raised the subject, there were a number of instances in

Cabot Cove when you lied to me, so I think it's quite possible. Wait a

minute. I lied to you?

Jessica, I wouldn't do that.

Dana, how can you say that?

Most recently, you purposely gave me incorrect research on the New Hampshire

State Fair, and then there was...

An orientation meeting.

I just can't afford to miss it. Look, I feel terrible that you think I've been

any less than 100% truthful with you. I had no idea.

Well, I should have brought it up at the time, but I suppose I wanted to believe

they were simply mistakes or oversights.

Well, I'm sure there's a simple explanation for all of it. And for

starters, I'll talk to Mr. Stevens and have him get back to you before the end

of the day. All right?

Well, I'd really appreciate that.

Yeah, we've got trouble Tonight but All

right if you say so

You're

going to be a good one miss Ballard

I'm not sure I know what you mean, Mrs. Stevens.

My heavens.

You've really put the whole package together, haven't you?

I've really got to get home.

I know you do, darling. Come along. I'll walk you out.

And while you're en route, you might like to chew on a couple of things.

For starters, in case you're not already up to speed on office gossip, Ethan and

I don't have your basic honeymoon relationship.

Mrs. Stevens, I... Do not repeat.

Do not be misled.

I don't know what you mean.

No. No.

Don't go into your act.

Not with me.

All right. Fine, Mrs. Stevens.

You'll forgive me if I'm a little overwhelmed.

But I assure you, I'm here for one thing.

And that is to learn everything I can about the securities and investment

business.

I find that commendable, Dana.

However... While you are absorbing it all at my husband's feet, keep in mind

that though I may regard him as one of the major clowns of the Western world,

he is my very own major clown.

Does he know you feel this way? Like a third grader knows the Pledge of

Allegiance.

Well, look, I appreciate you sharing this with me, and... I sincerely hope

you do appreciate it, Miss Ballard.

Dana, what the hell are you doing?

No!

Small amount of blood

indicates victim died almost instantly.

Bullet apparently passed right through the pump.

15 years I've been doing this.

Every time I ask for a transfer, they give me a promotion.

Mrs. Fletcher.

You were going to tell me why you're here.

Oh, I came to see Mr. Stevens on a business matter.

All right.

The securities room inventory checks out, so apparently it wasn't a robbery.

No, it didn't look that way. Listen, you happen to know where Mr.

Stevens kept his electronic gizmo?

You know, the card key that led him in the securities room.

Ah.

Now, be careful with that. Yeah, don't worry about it.

What a disaster. We're losing our biggest clients faster than we can

answer the phone.

Lieutenant, do you have any idea who... No, not really.

We did find a couple of interesting items, though. We dug a bullet out of

the door frame, and, uh... Oh, yeah.

We found this along the bottom edge of the victim's desk. A small quantity of

blood and hair. As if somebody bumped his head.

You know, your partner had nice taste. This desk must be, what, a couple of

hundred years old?

Jasminewood. Ah.

Ridiculously soft, but valuable like everything else in here.

Excuse me, Mr. Lawrence.

We have a phone call from the Mal Bennington Pension Fund.

Another one.

You know, I'd kill for a desk like this.

You know what I mean.

I do, Lieutenant.

Mrs. Fletcher? Yes.

We have to talk.

Uh, pardon me.

Um, uh, Ms.

Pulaski, I'm an attorney. The court appointed me to defend Dana Ballard.

Dana's been... She's been arrested for the murder of Ethan Stevens.

Well, what made... Well, they found a gun in a storm drain not too far from

the scene. Her prints were on it, plus there were traces of her blood and hair.

Oh, yeah, where she hid her head on Mr. Stevens' desk.

Yeah, well, the cops were running down a list of all the employees, and since her

name starts with a B, and, well, she just started there, they got to her

pretty early on.

And the paraffin test?

Positive. She fired the gun.

Mr. Pulaski, I have less than ten minutes to catch my train to Boston.

I really don't think there's anything that I can tell you that will help in

your defense of Dana. I'm not looking for a character witness here. She told

me that the two of you had had a couple little misunderstandings.

Well, that is an interesting way to put it. Look, I need your help in another

way.

As you've probably noticed, social skills are not exactly my strong suit. I

tend to alienate certain people.

I can understand that, yes.

Yeah, like judges and police and prosecutors, et cetera, et cetera.

And, well, the public defender's investigation team, who, I might add,

are a bunch of bureaucratic incompetents anyway, they pretty much... Why are you

telling me all this?

Well, because normally it's not a problem. I have a local P.I. that I use.

Well, that's wonderful.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have... Actually, you know what? Let me give you

a hand with this, okay? Oh, thanks.

All right.

Here we go.

Thank you.

See, the thing of it is, this P.I., well, he's been missing for about a

week, and then this morning he shows up in a drying-out clinic outside of

Bangor, and then they want to keep him there for 10 years. Stop right there,

Mr. Pulaski. You mean you want me to do investigative work for you so that you

can defend Dana Ballant?

Yeah, that's pretty much the size of it.

Look, Mrs. Fletcher, I'm not stupid. I know that Dana has kind of a problem

telling the truth.

Kind of?

But that doesn't make her a murderer. Mrs.

Fletcher, nobody is looking out for her, and she's entitled to the best defense I

can give her. She said she didn't do it, and that's all I want to know. Look, Mr.

Pulaski, I really admire your commitment and your compassion, but I am not an

attorney, nor am I a saint.

Okay, okay, just suppose that for once in her life, Dana is actually telling

the truth.

And they convict her anyway, and she goes to prison for a crime she didn't

commit, all because you couldn't spare a day, maybe two, to help her.

I mean, could you really live with that?

Thought you might see it my way.

Not quite, Mr. Pulaski.

What I see is so packed, so open and shut, that I'm curious.

All right.

I will speak to Dana.

And on the off chance that she can go for five minutes without lying, maybe I

will try to help her.

I was

asleep in my motel room.

And I have absolutely no idea how those tests could indicate that I fired a gun.

And the bump on your head.

I'd lost an earring.

I was looking for it under his desk during the lunch hour.

Mr. Stevens came in and surprised me when I turned to get up.

I suppose he talked to you about the mix-up.

No, he didn't. He didn't call you?

Oh, come on, Dana, you promised.

Mr. Pulaski, I'm telling you the truth.

I told Mr.

Stevens about our conversation like I said I would.

He'd looked and checked the number that he had called.

Turns out...

He talked to a stranger in Bar Harbor.

I don't think that's true, Dana.

Jessica. I checked my answering machine, Dana.

Someone had replaced the announcement message.

I believe it was you.

I don't know how you could think that of me.

I have never lied to you, Mrs. Fletcher. Not once. I couldn't do that to you.

Dana, you said you bumped your head when you turned to see Mr. Stevens.

That's right.

So? Your back was to the door to his outer office.

That's right. Why?

What's the matter, Mrs.

Fletcher? Vincent, the knee hole in Ethan Stevens' desk goes clear through

from one side to the other. So?

Her blood and her hair were found on the other side from the door to his office.

Why would she lie about that?

I'm going to have your answer right here, Pulaski.

The college that Miss Ballard supposedly graduated from, not only didn't she get

a diploma, she hadn't attended classes in the past two years.

Oh, Pulaski, your buddy Hastings wants to see you ASAP.

Look, Vincent...

Any way you cut it, she's going over. If you force us to trial, I'll demand life,

and I will get it.

You plead a manslaughter, she'll be out before she's 30.

Stuff it, Bruce.

She didn't do it.

Oh, God.

Here we go again. All right, that's it. Forget it.

You just blew your last chance.

You know, Mrs. Fletcher, I don't know if you realize this, but this man is the

embodiment of what's wrong with our criminal justice system.

The reason our courts are clogged up with unnecessary trials and the streets

are full of people that should have been locked up long ago. That wasn't the

impression that I got from Mr.

Pulaski. Well, of course not.

And I'm sure that in conning you into this with all that bleeding heart

sincerity of his, he's painted a similarly distorted picture of the case

against Dana Ballard.

Mr. Hastings, if I was satisfied that you were guilty, I assure you I wouldn't

be here.

As a matter of fact, perhaps you could clear up a couple of questions?

My pleasure.

Well, for example, the bump on her head.

I thought you were going to ask something difficult. She bumped it while

searching under his desk for the key card to the securities room.

But that prompts me to another question.

If she only started working there that morning, how would she have known? She's

a quick study.

She'd already been in Ethan Stevens' office several times. She learned that

the securities room was full of bearer bonds.

And the gun.

To whom was it registered?

Untraceable. The numbers have been altered. She probably bought it on the

street somewhere. Come on.

Look, we've got means, motive, opportunity, fingerprints, paraffin

tests, hair and blood samples that proves she was there, and a girl who's

probably never told the truth in her entire life. Now, Mrs. Fletcher, you are

presumably a sensible woman, so I will ask you, do you, for one minute, in your

wildest fantasy, think that any jury would hesitate to convict her?

I'm afraid that Mr. Hastings has a point, Vincent. I mean, this may be one

time. No, no, Mrs.

Fletcher. Look, I'm not pleading Dana guilty to anything.

I mean, you halfway believe she's innocent.

Halfway. But proving even that much in the face of all of that evidence.

I mean, your belief in Dana, there's more to it than her simply having told

you that she didn't do it, isn't there?

Mea culpa.

Yes, but that could get in the way of you doing what's best for her.

Yeah, well, that's why I came to you.

There's, I don't know, just something about her.

Not that my instincts towards women are all that great. I mean, my love life has

been somewhat of a disaster.

I don't know, when I first saw her there, just sitting there all by herself

and... All by herself.

She comes to Portland, she gets a job.

Yeah, but not just any job.

Exactly. Now, suppose she was working with someone, someone who was getting

things ready for her, someone who was already with Stevens and Lawrence.

Okay. No, wait a minute. How could they possibly know there would be a job

opening?

Of course.

They fix it so that Ethan Stevens has to fire his assistant to make way for Dana.

Vincent, I wonder how we could get a look at their employment records

without... Alerting anyone over there. I think I might know someone who could

help. If you don't mind bending the rules a little bit.

Hi, Wanda.

It's me.

Listen, um...

I got a little job for you.

Bending the rules a little?

I mean, isn't this invasion of privacy?

Well, actually, it's kind of moot. Yeah, what Vinnie's saying is the way the

government's got its nose in our business, does anyone have any privacy

to invade?

Excuse me, Jessica.

Actually, that's what my grandmother's saying. What I'm saying is it's probably

better if you don't ask how she's accessing this stuff.

Is he terrific or what?

Rhonda, will you stop, please? I bet at 20 he wouldn't talk you into this.

Well, there it is. Patricia Corman, executive assistant to Mr. Stevens.

Uh, terminated voluntarily on the 14th.

That's ten days ago. Reason, relocation.

So she wasn't fired.

Well, maybe we could talk to her. Forget it. I checked.

Moved out the next day. No forwarding address or number.

Have you found that other information I wanted? Oh, right.

There. One other employee from Vermont.

From Gresham's Notch.

Gresham's Notch?

May I use your phone?

I said on the phone we're closed today. Well, on account of point, Mr. Stevens.

I understand, Todd, and I appreciate your letting me in.

The only reason I'm here is I have this customer over in Blue Hill that I'm

supposed to execute an order for. I was just setting it up on the computer.

You know, I feel really terrible about what happened to Dana.

She seemed like a nice person.

Hope you can get her off.

So do I.

Um, exactly what were you looking for?

Some answers that you might be able to supply me with.

You were Dana's inside man, weren't you, Todd?

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

I checked with your hometown, Gresham's Notch, Vermont.

It happens to be near Livingston, where Dana comes from.

Mrs. Fletcher, I've never met Dana until yesterday.

It turns out there's an area high school that serves both towns where you and

Dana were classmates, and I guess you've stayed in close touch ever since.

Look, I had nothing to do with Mr. Stevens.

Well, Mrs. Fletcher, what would you be doing here?

I'm really sorry, Mr. Lawrence, Mrs. Stevens.

I talked Todd into letting me in.

There were a couple of details about the crime that I wanted to double-check.

Well, your apology, such as it is, is not accepted.

What she means is... What I mean...

is that in view of the fact that you are working on behalf of that little witch

who murdered my husband, I want you out of here now.

I'm sure you can understand that Mrs. Stevens is not quite herself today. Of

course. You have my utmost sympathy, Mrs. Stevens. But if I may, would either

of you happen to know anything about the circumstances surrounding Patricia

Corman's departure from her job as Mr. Stevens' assistant?

Well, she made some costly mistakes. I think the final straw for Ethan was when

she started stealing from petty cash.

I don't think that she did any of those things, Mr. Lawrence.

The time date entry on Ms. Corman's computer file indicates that it was

amended less than a week ago, probably by you, Todd, to conceal the real reason

for her dismissal and the fact that you had set her up.

Okay.

It was so that we could get at those negotiables in the securities room.

But murder...

Everything Todd Merlin has told you is a lie.

Oh, damn it, Dana.

Will you get real?

But I am. I'm telling you the truth. Dana, listen.

I'm going to say one thing, and then I'm finished.

You are in terrible trouble.

Now, we, Vincent and I, are all you've got.

Look, what she's laying on you is either you level with us, I mean, all of it,

Or both of us are out of here, period.

And you and Todd Merlin can both take the fall for Ethan Stevens' murder.

You got five seconds.

My mother died when I was little.

And my father raised me.

He is the sweetest man.

Except that he's ill.

He's had three heart attacks, and he doesn't know anything about... about my

problem.

Any of it.

Mrs. Fletcher, I'm sorry. The lying, I can't help myself.

I've never been able to.

The police psychologist described it as borderline psychosis, and he feels that

it's treatable.

Todd found out about my father's condition.

And he threatened to tell him everything about me, the lies.

It would kill him.

So you felt you had no choice.

Todd told us that he'd learned the security system.

And on the night of Ethan's death, when it was obvious you were going to speak

to him, Todd said we had no choice but to go forward.

So you entered Ethan Stevens' office alone?

To get the card key. Todd was down the hall at the securities room waiting to

disable the cameras.

And then Stevens unexpectedly showed up.

I turned, saw him in the doorway, and that's all I can remember until I woke

up on the floor.

Somebody must have hit me.

Todd was long gone, so I ran out of there as fast as I could, dumped the

gun, and went back to my motel room.

So even your coming to work for me in Cabot Cove, that was part of your plan,

wasn't it? Todd found out that you were Ethan's favorite author.

The killer was already there when you came in, probably waiting for Ethan

Stevens to show up.

So it might have been someone he knew.

Dana, try to remember.

Did you see or hear anyone, any movement when you walked into the office?

No.

It was pretty dark in there.

I went right over to his desk.

I was about to pick up his lamp to get the card key, and there was stuff

leaning against it.

You know, papers, his bag, files.

His desk was a mess.

And I just was about to move them when... You'd believe me, don't you?

Yeah, we do.

So now what?

Finally getting her to tell the truth is one thing, but proving her innocence is

quite another kettle of fish.

Pulaski. You ready to talk?

Oh, yeah, sure.

About dropping the charges?

You are out of your mind. That's it. Be reasonable. No, no. Look, I'm going to

have you brought up on charges of irresponsibility to your client,

unprofessional conduct.

Gabe, get this guy out of my face. All right, come on. Take it easy, the both

of you. All right.

All right, now look.

She's got no record. She's psychologically impaired.

We'll forget murder, we'll go involuntary manslaughter. She'll be out

in four years.

Come on, we got a deal?

No. Mrs. Fletcher, he's soft in the head. Talk to him, will you please?

We've got a confession from Todd Merlin admitting conspiracy to this entire

thing. Excuse me, Mr. Hastings.

I think that I may be able to prove that there was a third person in Ethan

Stevens' office when he was killed. The person who actually murdered him.

I can't help wondering what Mrs. Stevens and Mr. Lawrence were doing in her

husband's office this afternoon, the day of his funeral.

This might throw a glow on it.

It came in a little while ago.

It's a friend of Wanda's from the old protest days. She's with a public

advocacy outfit in D.C., picks up rumors.

She saw Portland and Ethan Stevens and wondered if I knew him.

An SEC investigation of Ethan Stevens.

Hmm.

He buys two million shares of a small growth company called Regitech

one week before the stock jumped $8.

That's some serious money.

Not to mention seriously illegal.

If he had inside information.

Yeah, the guy'd probably break it up into a lot of little transactions. You

know, phony accounts, dummy companies.

Yes, but there'd be records.

that his wife and his partner might want to conceal.

Are you thinking that this could be connected to the murder?

I'm thinking that it's essential that we get another look at Mr.

Stevens' office.

Vincent, are you sure this is legal?

Yeah, I told you, I got Baker Lawrence's key.

I'll get the knife. No, why don't we just use this?

But you said... Oh, God.

You lied to me. No, wrong.

I never said Baker gave me his key. Dana told me where he left his spare, under

the bumper of his car.

Yes, but you're an officer at the court. I mean, you could be disbarred for this.

And an innocent girl could go to prison for murder.

I don't think we're going to have to worry about that anymore.

Just as I thought.

Smooth as silk, not a dent in it.

Are you sure?

Watch.

If Dana's head had bumped hard enough to break the skin, there'd most certainly

be an indentation.

Okay, so who's the third party, the one that clocked her and killed Stevens?

And why was he killed?

Damn. He's probably right here in front of us. Right in front of us.

No, it isn't.

But it was.

I'm sorry you're losing me here.

Vincent.

I think I'll know who it was if the next two phone calls turn out the way I

expect. Would you happen to have Lieutenant Rodino's number?

Um, yeah, sure.

It's, uh... 555-7301.

Yes, Lieutenant Rodino, this is Jessica Fletcher.

I was wondering if Vincent and I might stop by and take a look at those murder

scene photos.

Beer? I knew it was only a matter of time before you'd sink to something

like this. Oh, what, you're offended because this isn't as classy a crime as

insider trading?

Save the judgments, Hastings, okay?

You got the money?

I have the whole $250,000.

So how'd you figure out I was Ethan's partner?

Oh, I wouldn't worry about it, pal.

Listen, we ever bump into each other on Ipanema Beach, I'll tell you all about

it. You didn't really think I was going to let you blackmail me, did you?

I couldn't be any dumber than you thinking you were going to get away with

murder. Well, the only downside is that you're never going to make it to Rio.

Neither are you, Hastings Fries. Oh, good, Lieutenant.

You can drag that out a little longer. I'm placing you under arrest for the

murder of Easton Stevens.

You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney. I'd be

happy to stipulate that you've read them to me, Gabe.

Only it'll never come to that. Oh, I wouldn't bet on it, Brucey.

Forensics just ID'd the murder gun, Bruce.

Metallurgy tests revealed the original numbers.

It's from a case you tried five years ago.

You signed it out of the evidence locker and you never put it back. Which is one

of the reasons that you were so desperate to get Vincent to accept a

plea bargain.

Plus, we've been checking with various banks.

So far, we've confirmed half a dozen of your accounts between here and Florida.

Almost two million of the roughly eight you took out of that insider deal.

How the hell did you make the connection?

It was rather fragile, Mr. Hastings.

One that didn't come together.

till I remembered Dana Ballard's description of Mr. Stevens' office the

night of the murder when she entered it, not realizing that you were there.

She said she saw a man's handbag.

I went right over to his desk, was about to pick up his desk lamp to get the card

key, and there was stuff leaning against it.

You know, papers, his bag, files.

And yet I recall that when I'd entered his office the morning after the murder,

there was no men's handbag on his desk.

She's right.

I double-checked those crime scene photos.

But when Vincent and I visited your office, I saw a leather handbag on your

desk. Mrs. Stevens confirmed that her husband didn't carry one, so it seemed

most likely that the one Dana saw was yours.

Oh, and then I recall seeing Mr. Benson from Regitech apparently heading to your

office.

I didn't think much about it then, but later, it seemed to be a link.

You, Mr. Benson, and Ethan Stevens, and the insider trading in Regitech stock.

And I suppose that little wimp caved in the moment you spoke to him.

How'd you and Benson get together, anyway?

About six months ago, Benson gave us a deposition in a design theft case that

had something to do with a revolutionary new chip they were working on.

So you called your friend Ethan Stevens and suggested that in exchange for half

the profits, you could let him in on something big, with the proviso that

your name be kept out of it.

I figured Saul could be bought.

I was right.

And then Ethan told you there might be an SEC investigation and he might have

to implicate you. So you shot him and framed Dana Ballard.

Ethan didn't simply threaten to implicate me. He demanded part of my

share.

I arranged to meet him at his office. I told him I'd bring the money. We're both

members of the downtown squash club, so I borrowed his keys out of his locker

and I made copies.

I arrived a few minutes early and let myself in.

I was just putting my bag on the desk.

And then the strangest thing happened.

The door opens and in walks this young woman.

She comes right toward where I'm hiding.

I was beginning to panic.

And suddenly... Dana?

What the hell are you doing?

No! I noticed the young woman's blood, and I realized I had a chance to frame

her. I wiped some on my glove and smeared it on the edge of Ethan's desk.

And then I placed the gun in her hand, squeezed the trigger, fired a round into

the wall.

Listen, Bruce, you know, I'd be happy to defend you on this.

Of course, no plea bargains, you know.

This is actually one trial I'd enjoy losing.

And I've already started my therapy, Mrs. Fletcher. Well, that's wonderful,

Dana. The doctors say it may take a couple years.

But by then she'll have her college degree and she can come work for me. And

that'll give Wanda some time to kick back, travel, that sort of thing.

Too bad it's going to be so long.

I mean, there's a big peace march in Washington next week that's really got

me jazzed up.

Jessica, did I tell you my Vinnie was brilliant or what?

He solves the case. He gets the girl.

I mean, with a little help from you.

Wanda, would you zip it, please?

Oh, just think what he'd be if he'd only get a haircut.

Look like a regular person.

But no, no, he's got to be different.

I don't know where he gets it from.

I don't know either, Wanda, but I wouldn't change a thing.