All language subtitles for Murder.She.Wrote.S02E16.Murder.in.the.Electric.Cathedral.WEBRip.x264-ION10

Don't let them change my will.

They're all after my money.

Friends, bless you all.

[Jessica] Tonight, on Murder, She Wrote...

We got it. Her will.

Praise the Lord.

I suspect that Carrie was poisoned.

The chief and half his staff
just went on sick leave.

-Leaving you--
-Leaving me holding

a sack full of diamondback rattlers.

You were with my husband at midnight?

Willie John was ministering to my needs.

Oh, now stop this.
Have you lost your senses?

Now, you oughta be in jail,

which is where you're gonna be,
Willie John

[cheerful orchestral music]

[solemn organ music]

And I say to you, my friends,

those of you who want to believe,
will believe.

Those of you who listen
for His voice, will hear His voice.

And those who give themselves to Him,
will be received of Him.

There is a place for you,

all of you, in His heavenly firmament.

He is waiting, His arms open wide,

waiting to clasp you
to His beautiful bosom

and warm you with His love.

Surrender yourself now, my friends.

Open your hearts and receive Him.

And I say to you,

you will dwell in the house
of the Lord forever.

My prayers and those of
my beloved wife, sister Ruth,

are with you always.

If you are troubled,

if you are sick and in pain,

if you feel as if you've been forsaken,

write us a letter, even a postcard.

Let us know how we can help
to ease your burden,

for we are family,
one family in the sight of God,

and our thoughts and prayers
will be with you.

Two, sister Ruth. Move in for a close-up.

Now, for those of you in the Omaha area,

sister Ruth and I will be appearing

the weekend of July 9th and 10th
at Carlstadt stadium

and the following weekend in Denver
at the Malloy auditorium.

Widen out, three,
so we can see that choir.

Make your plans now.

Friends, neighbors, we love you.

Keep us in your prayers

as we keep you in ours and bless you all.

Take the cross. Start the crawl.

And cue Edgar.

You have been listening
to the reverend Willie John Fargo

from the Electric cathedral.

To receive a copy of reverend Fargo's

inspirational sermon,
send $1 to the Church...

-What's that big grin for?
[both chuckle]

Well, what happened? We sell out in Omaha?

[laughs] Better than that, Willie John.

We got it!

Her will! She just recorded it!

-We got it?
-Every last cent.

[laughter]

Praise the Lord!

[dings]
-Oh.

[laughter]
-Charlie, that's wonderful!

[laughter and applause]
-Oh, and at 1,800 feet

that drill hits the sandstone substrata,

and by Wednesday, we punch through
at 2,600 feet, and wham!

We got ourselves another gusher!

[cheers, laughter, and applause]

Ah, thank you.

Daddy!

Daddy, you're not gonna believe this.

What, Alice finally file for divorce, Sam?

Hell, daddy,

this is serious.

Oh, this time she's gone too damn far.

[both talking at once]

Oh, there must be some mistake.

This doesn't look like a hog farm.

Nope, old Wendell's hog farm
is down the road about ten miles,

sitting on a five-mile pool
of Oklahoma crude.

There's only one Carrie McKittrick
in these parts, and she is a pistol.

Jessica?

[laughs]

-Jessica!
[laughs]

Well, you did ask me to stop by
if I ever came to Oklahoma.

-Come on in.
[laughs]

Carrie, I'm amazed
that you even recognized me.

My goodness, you know,
it's more than 30 years.

[chuckles] At my age,
30 years seems like last month.

It's last month
I have trouble remembering.

Besides, I still keep up with my reading.

-Miss Carrie.
-Thank you, Ethel.

Can I give you some help?

Don't fuss me, Ethel.

I can still pour tea.

You know, if it hadn't been
for your encouragement,

there might not have been any books.

You were a joy to teach, child.

That is what I miss most, the teaching.

And... and Wendell, of course.

He passed on 15 years ago.

God rest his soul.

Jessica, I have met
the most wonderful man.

He's such a comfort to me.

You must meet him while you're here.

Oh, dear, I would love to,
but I do have a plane to catch.

Oh, nonsense.

You must stay over.

So many things I want
to talk to you about.

[car horn playing cheerful tune]

-Come on, boy!
-Mama! Mama!

I told ya! I told ya!

Oh, Lord Almighty,
that's my grandson, Sam.

I hope he and Alice
haven't had another fight.

Look, if I've come at an awkward time--

Fiddlesticks. Want you to meet him.

We'll get this thing straightened out!

-Harvey, what in the world?
-Now, mama,

-how could you do this to us?
-And behind our backs?

You two, mind your manners,
and say howdy-do to Jessica Fletcher.

Jessica, Harvey, my stepson--

You can't cut your own kin
out of McKittrick oil!

Changing your will
and recording it with the county!

You have got more than you will ever need!

I'll do with mine as I see fit.

Leaving controlling interest

in McKittrick oil to Willie John Fargo?

Are you insane, mama?

Mr. McKittrick!

Please, this is no good for Carrie.

Now, you stay out of this!

And you get out of my parlor

and stay out until
you remember your manners!

That preacher's made you
crazy in the head!

We're going to the lawyers, grandma.

We're gonna have you declared
non compos mentis!

We're gonna have that will invalidated!

Lord, forgive those boys
their selfishness.

Oh!

Oh, Carrie! Ethel! Ethel!

[groans]
-Sit down, dear.

It's all right.

She has a weak heart.

[dramatic music]

Dr. Brady, how is she?
Is she going to be all right?

Well, we won't know for certain
till we get some test results back.

Oh. May I see her?

Might be the best medicine for her.

Sue Beth, would you
take Mrs. Fletcher into 207?

-Thank you.
-Sure.

[monitor beeping]

Jessica.

My, you're looking better.

Oh, I'm so sorry this had to happen
on your visit, Jessica.

Damned heart, always kicking up
at the wrong times.

Well, you know, I've decided
to stay over a few days

until you're feeling more like yourself.

Jessica, if anything should happen to me--

Oh, nothing's going
to happen to you, Carrie.

But if it should...

don't let them change my will.

They'll try.

They're all after my money, except Alice.

Now, you just concentrate
on getting better.

Worry about the money later.

Jessica, please.

Of course.

I promise.

Sister Carrie?

Willie John.

I was laboring in the Lord's vineyard,

videotaping Sunday's sermon,
when a voice came to me:

"Carrie McKittrick needs you. Go to her."

And as I rushed here, I prayed mightily.

"Our sister Carrie's work on this earth
"is not finished, Lord.

Don't take her from us yet."

It's such a comfort to have you here.

You're in the hands of the Lord, Carrie.

I feel stronger...

already.

Oh, this is an old friend,
Jessica Fletcher.

Reverend Willie John Fargo,
the man I told you about.

How do you do, reverend Fargo?

Our dear friend is in
good hands here, miss Jessica.

While the good Lord never gave
me the gift of healing,

he did provide a means
to build this clinic.

This is your clinic?

Part of my Electric Cathedral.

Oh. I'm afraid
I didn't notice any cathedral.

Well, there isn't any
Church building as such.

My ministry's electronic.

We reach out through
the miracle of television.

I see.

Miss Jessica, I wonder if you'd mind.

I'd like to pray privately
a few moments with miss Carrie.

-Oh, of course.
-Sue Beth?

Got to be over 80. She can't live forever.

Earl, please, will you stop this?

[sighs] Look,
the way Willie John spends it,

we're gonna need every penny.

-Oh, Mrs. Fletcher?
-Yes.

They told me you were
with Mrs. McKittrick.

I'm sister Ruth Fargo.

This is Earl Fargo, my husband's brother.

-How do you do?
-Pleasure.

Is she feeling any better?

Yes, a little, I think.

I was devastated by the news.

She is such a delightful woman.

I want to talk to someone in authority!

Who's in charge here? You!
Now, where is she?

We're getting her out of here!

Mrs. McKittrick is under
the private care of Dr. Brady.

Now, I just want to know
what room you got her in?

What's going on here?
This is a hospital!

You just get her ready.
We're gonna take her home!

Mrs. McKittrick is seriously ill.

She can't be moved.
And keep your voices down!

Well, she's alive, ain't she?

And we aim to keep it that way.

We're gonna get an ambulance
and take her over to Tulsa general!

I can't allow you to do that.

Oh, I bet you can't,

considering who signs your paycheck!

Excuse me, all of you!

I mean, Carrie is resting quietly.

The last thing she wants
is a family squabble.

This ain't none of your business!

Seems to me miss Jessica's
on the Lord's side here, Sam.

Oh, you bible-thumping charlatan!

You brainwashed the old woman
into giving you all her money!

Not to me. To the work of the Lord.

Now, you ought to be in jail,

which is where you're gonna be,
Willie John,

as soon as I get ahold
of the district attorney

to file charges of fraud and embezzlement!

Oh, now, stop this!
Have you lost your senses?

I mean, this behavior is unforgivable!

Mrs. Fletcher is right.

If you want to fight, do it someplace else

but not in my hospital!

Well, we're leaving,
preacher, for mama's sake.

But if anything happens to her,
you're gonna have a lot to answer for.

[scoffs]

[monitor beeping]

[quietly] Hi.
[quietly] Oh, hi.

Oh, Jessica.

Jessica, has Alice been here?

-Alice?
-Sam's wife.

I'd like to see her, please, Jessica.

Would you phone her for me?

-Oh, yes, of course.
-Tell her I'm here.

You really shouldn't have any visitors.

She might get more rest
if we left her alone.

There's a waiting room just down the hall.

I will phone Alice.

Try to get some more sleep, Carrie.

[line ringing]

[door clicks]

[monitor beeping]

[loud beep]

[alarm beeping]

Code blue, code blue. Room 207.

Code blue.
Attention, all available personnel.

Code blue, two West.

[all talking at once]

Code blue, attention,
all available personnel.

Code blue.

Open that now. It's Mrs. McKittrick!

-Three CCs epi, stat!
-Yes, doctor!

-Vital signs?
-Sam, what happened?

She just stopped breathing.

This isn't doing any good.

[indistinct chatter]

Hands off. Stand back.

[defibrillator clicks]
-No response, doctor.

All right. Let's try it again.

-Stand back.
-Yes, Sir.

-Hands off. Clear.
[defibrillator clicks]

Oh, sorry, ma'am, but you can't be here.

Oh, dear Lord.

Cyanide.

Alice, I'm sorry about your grandma.

-Thank you, Mr. Whittaker.
[elevator bell dings]

At least she didn't have to suffer.

Where is Harvey?

He got me out of bed about an hour ago.

Said something about an investigation.

Oh, Fred!

Now, Fred, as district attorney,

I want you to personally
investigate Willie John Fargo!

-Why? What for?
-Why, the will, Fred!

Why, Willie John swindled mama
into signing all her money over to him.

And before the ink's hardly dry,
mama up and dies of a heart attack

right here in his clinic!

-Harvey, can't this wait?
-Fred?

Well, I'll certainly look into it.

But I can't just throw wild accusations
at a man like Willie John Fargo.

Oh, Mr. McKittrick,

please let me express my deepest sympathy.

Oh, thank you, Mrs. Fletcher.

Oh, this is my daughter-in-law, Alice.

Mrs. Fletcher.

And this is our district attorney,
Mr. Fred Whittaker.

Grandma spoke of you often.

Well, at least Carrie enjoyed
a long and full life.

Not as long and as full

as it might have been, Mr. Whittaker.

I suspect that Carrie was poisoned.

Poisoned?

-What?
-Mrs. Fletcher is right.

My examination indicates

that Mrs. McKittrick
died of cyanide poisoning.

Oh, my Lord!

Do you mean that
she got the wrong medicine?

No, that's impossible.

I think you should
check this out, Mr. Whittaker.

It, uh, it smells of cyanide.

Where did you get this?

I found it on the floor in Carrie's room.

You tampered with possible evidence?

Oh, no, of course not. No, but I thought
it was important, under the circumstances,

to get it to the authorities right away,

and I placed it very carefully
in that plastic bag.

It may have fingerprints on it.

Well, seems to me
you'll be wanting to talk

to Willie John Fargo about this, Fred.

And you may also want
to talk to Sam McKittrick.

He was in Carrie's room when she died.

[dramatic music]

Mmm. Sam come back to see her.

Well, oh well, that was...

that was real thoughtful of the boy.

Well, naturally,
I'll have a chat with Sam.

Tomorrow there will be plenty of time.

Dr. Brady, you want to show me
that report?

Yeah.

I just can't believe she's really gone.

You were in her thoughts.

I tried to call you last night.

I, uh, wasn't home.

Uh, I spent the evening over at Harvey's.

I had to talk to him about something.

Don't you think
it might be easier to drive

without those dark glasses on?

Sam and I had a little spat.

So I see.

This marriage just doesn't work.

It never has.

And I'm leaving Sam.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Oh, don't be. I was only waiting
because grandma didn't approve of divorce.

Waiting?

Yeah. She was terminally ill.

It was, uh, just a matter of months.

We all knew it.

Mrs. Fletcher, I'm going to sleep
over at grandma's for the time being.

So if you're going
to stay for the funeral,

why don't you stay with me?

Thank you, Alice. I will.

I made a promise to your grandmother,

and I'm gonna do my best to keep it.

Alice...

I'm sorry.

What are you doing here, Sam?

I was going through grandma's strongbox

before those religious
hypocrites got to it.

And I found it.
Everything's gonna be fine.

Found what?

Grandma's new will.

She cut off Willie John
without a red cent.

But I thought she specifically
wanted Willie John--

May I look?

It's all legal.

Dated yesterday. Signed by grandma.

This leaves everything to the family,
to you and me and Harvey.

-Damn right.
-And witnessed by Ethel.

Wait till that DA sees this.

See, grandma signed this
before she died of that heart attack.

Heart attack?

He left in such a hurry last night.

Maybe he doesn't know
what really happened.

I'm sorry, the district attorney

is in an important conference
and cannot be disturbed.

That's right, Mrs. Fletcher.

Sam McKittrick came to see me
first thing this morning.

What exactly is your interest
in this matter?

Well, Carrie was very dear
to me, Mr. Whittaker,

and perhaps if I'd stayed
in her room last night,

she'd still be alive.

Oh, yes.

Uh...

We have a very delicate
situation here, Mrs. Fletcher.

Yes, I know.

You're between a rock and a hard place.

The hard place being
the McKittrick oil interests

and the rock being Willie John Fargo.

District attorney of Cherokee Flats
is an elective post.

Now, half the people in this county
work for the McKittricks,

and the other half are members
of Willie John's Church.

But I'm sure that won't deter you

from giving your full attention
to the case.

Well, rest assured,

miss Carrie's death
is my highest priority.

Well, that's good.

What have you found out so far?

I mean, were there fingerprints
on the hypodermic?

Yes, well, we're checking it out.

The medical examiner says it was
cyanide poisoning all right,

shot through the intravenous tube.

Probably with that hypodermic
needle that you found.

Into the IV Tube?

Well, that means that the poison

must have taken some time
to get into her system.

Yes, the medical examiner says
up to half an hour.

Did you ask Sam McKittrick
about the cyanide syringe?

He says he never saw it.

Hang it all, Mrs. Fletcher.
You can't arrest a man

for just going to visit
his sick grandmother.

I suppose he also told you about
the new will that he found?

What new will?

Why, Earl,
it seems Sam McKittrick found a new will.

He left a copy with me.

I guess you're entitled to see it.

This leaves everything
to the McKittricks.

Excuse me, may I take a look
at that for a moment?

I had a letter last month from Carrie.

Oh, isn't that curious?

The signatures don't match.

What?

[soft dramatic music]

You can see,
the signature on the will

is clearly a very crude copy.

She's right. This is a forgery.

Obviously typed in haste,
and only one witness.

All right! I typed the will last night.

And I took it down to the clinic
for grandma's signature.

She wouldn't wake up,

so I put the pen in her hand and--

And signed it for her.

Did you expect me to stand by

and do nothing
while that oily tongued preacher

robbed us of everything?

[clears throat] Uh, Harvey,

it, uh, it seems that I've got no choice
but to file charges against, uh...

Sam.

Because of a little piece of paper?

Why, it ain't even legal.
You said so yourself.

I think that Mr. Whittaker was referring
to a murder charge, Mr. McKittrick.

-Murder?
-Well, you were there,

and the forged will does give you
a pretty good motive.

Fred...

you file charges against my boy,

and I'll see to it that
you're not even elected

dogcatcher come spring.

Seems to me you ought to be trying

to find out why mama was murdered

in Willie John's clinic.

That's what we got you elected for.

Come on, Sam.

[soft dramatic music]

[door closes]

Mrs. Fletcher?

Oh, my goodness, Dr. Brady.
You gave me a start.

I thought I was watching you operating.

You know, it's hard to tell
with these masks.

I just finished
in the other operating room.

Sometimes I feel like I spend half my life
with a scalpel in my hand.

Yes, I understand that you
were operating last night

when Carrie died.

Was there something
you wanted to see me about?

Oh, yes. About the hypodermic needle.

I suppose a hospital like this
has hundreds of them.

Thousands.

It's a prepackaged
insulin syringe for diabetics

who have to inject themselves
on a daily basis.

I see. Was Carrie diabetic?

No.

Mrs. Fletcher,
a lot of people are diabetic,

and it would be against medical ethics

to discuss the status of
any patient that I'm treating.

-Yes, of course.
-Dr. Brady,

could you sign these orders, please?

[woman speaking indistinctly over PA]

Thank you.

Mrs. Fletcher, it's been
a pleasure chatting with you.

Thank you.

-What a marvelous doctor.
-And so dedicated.

Oh, yes, he's here all hours of the day,

seven days a week, except for Wednesdays.

Oh, yes, all doctors
pick Wednesdays to play golf.

Oh, no, not this one.
He spends the entire day

out at the clinic
on the Indian reservation.

Sue Beth, I hope you won't
misunderstand this question,

but didn't I see you come out
of Carrie's room last night?

You may have.

I checked on her about every 15 minutes.

And you didn't see Sam McKittrick there?

No.

Mrs. Fletcher, I'm sorry,
but I really do have to leave.

Oh, of course.

I can see by the nurses' schedule,
I'm chatting away your meal break.

Bye-bye.

[mischievous music]

[door clicks shut]

[laughter]

Now we've got the McKittrick oil money,
I say we move ahead

with the Willie John Fargo University now.

[sighs] Willie John,

you really don't have any idea
what's involved here.

Okay, Earl.

-You tell me.
-All right.

The will will be in probate for a year.

And sure as hellfire,

the McKittricks
are gonna fight it in court.

We may not see a penny for years.

Willie John, you gotta
stop spendin' that money

faster than you rake it in.

Excuse me.

They said I'd find you here.

Miss Jessica, how nice of you
to pay us a call.

Have you met my brother, Earl?

He's the brains in the family?

Yes, we met briefly last night.

Mrs. Fletcher, excuse me.

Well, miss Jessica,
this is a real pleasure.

You know, I had a powerful
feeling we would meet again.

Actually, I've been anxious.

Anxious?

Oh, of course you're anxious.

Let me help you find peace
in your troubled soul.

Well, what troubles me, reverend Fargo,

is Carrie's murder, and to be honest,

her leaving all of her money to you.

Bequeathing her vast resources

to the work of the Electric Cathedral

was her fervent last wish, I assure you.

Yes, she said as much to me.

She was--

she was very taken with you, reverend.

Please, call me Willie John.

I guess I just needed to satisfy myself

that she wasn't being taken advantage of.

I respect that, miss Jessica.

Let me put your mind at ease.

You saw the hospital we've built.

Do you know that we have three clinics
out on the indian reservation,

and our Tulsa mission feeds 400
hungry street people every day.

The scope of our work is enormous,
and that all takes money.

You know where most of it comes from?

From the little people.

The hardscrabble dirt farmers,

the oil folks toiling on the oil rigs,

the children, the widows,
the old folks with pensions.

I ask 'em to give, give again,

give until it hurts, and they do!

Being a part of the glorious work
of the Electric Cathedral,

it provides them with dignity
and hope and pride.

What does it provide you, Willie John?

That's a fair question.

Now and again, some
doubting Thomas raises a fuss

about the jet plane, the limousines.

But if you've got a big job to do,

you better have the best tools
you can buy.

Miss Jessica, I'd like you
to have a look around.

Unfortunately, I have to meet a
delegation from Durango, Mexico

trying to get a new well put in.

But sister Ruth can give you the tour.

-My goodness, Ruth!
[chuckles]

This is very impressive.

Look at all those computers.

Why, you've even got your own post office.

Yes. It's his life.

It must be a very busy life for you too.

Exhausting.

-Sometimes I wonder...
-Wonder what?

If I'm strong enough for all this.

These are our living quarters.

Please, do go in.

I've got some tea for us.

Unbelievable!

When you said apartment,

I never expected anything like this.

Willie John takes great pleasure
in beautiful things.

Thank you, Elsie.

Do sit down.

Unfortunately, his work consumes him,

so he has little time for much else.

Indeed, and it looks like those poor folks

are gonna have themselves a new well.

Well, miss Jessica,

did sister Ruth show you around?

Oh, my, yes, and I'm very impressed.

This is an incredibly
well-organized operation.

You ought to see some of our fieldwork.

-Sister Ruth, come Wednesday...
-Thank you.

...why don't you take Mrs. Fletcher
out to the, uh, reservation?

She spends every Wednesday
caring for the young ones

out at one of the Indian school's clinics.

Oh, how interesting.

Sister Ruth finds it both
spiritually uplifting

and professionally fulfilling.

You know, a few years ago,
in London, I came down sick,

and there she was, this angel of mercy,

-name of sister Ruth.
[chuckles]

Just like being home among my flock.

[chuckles]
-Yes, he was quite ill.

That's when they discovered the diabetes.

Something wrong, miss Jessica?

Oh, no, no. Not at all.

I was just a little surprised.

You appear to be in such good health.

Well, I am. I am, indeed.

I inject myself daily
with a dose of insulin,

a gift from the Lord above,

to help control
this burdensome affliction.

Not that I feel
the Lord has singled me out.

No, indeed.

In fact, I would say there are hundreds,

perhaps thousands
right here in the Tulsa area

who suffer as I do.

Wouldn't you say, sister Ruth?

Oh, yes, Willie John. I would say so.

Reverend Fargo, as you know,
Carrie was a dear friend of mine.

I-I hope you won't mind
if I ask you a question.

Where were you between midnight and 12:30
on the night that Carrie died?

I take no offense, miss Jessica.

I only wish I were free
to divulge that information.

My husband was home.

Hush now, Ruth.

I regret that I cannot answer
that question

without violating a trust.

I'm sure you understand.

No, reverend Fargo, I'm afraid I don't.

Excuse me. Miss Jessica.

Surely you cannot believe

I had anything to do
with that dear woman's death?

At the moment,
I don't quite know what to believe.

[soft dramatic music]

Of course I knew that
Willie John Fargo is a diabetic.

So are hundreds of other people
in this county.

It doesn't mean a thing.

So I was just told.

But they are not going
to inherit McKittrick oil.

Look, we have a very
sensitive situation here.

I realize that you have to be circumspect,

-but certainly the police--
-The police?

The chief and half his staff
just went on sick leave.

Seven county judges
applied for vacation yesterday!

-Oh, yes, I see. Leaving you--

Leaving me holding a sackful
of diamondback rattlers.

Well, still and all, Mr. Whittaker--

Ma'am, if I knew for sure -
and I mean for sure -

miss Carrie's killer, I would do my duty.

Well, then, let's look at the facts.

Now, we know that someone put cyanide

into Carrie's IV Tube
between midnight and 12:30.

We also know that Sam had an opportunity.

You keep making a point of that.

Yeah, but he wasn't the only one.

I mean, there was an exit down
the hall from Carrie's room

that leads down to the parking lot.

It was late, almost nobody around.

Somebody could have come in
from the outside

and have gotten into her room
without even being noticed.

-All right. Who?
-Well, didn't you tell me

that there were fingerprints
on that syringe?

I sent them to the FBI.
We're waiting to hear.

Yeah, well, what puzzles me most is

that a massive dose of insulin

would almost certainly be fatal

to someone who'd had a heart attack.

Are you a doctor or something?

Writing murder mysteries
almost qualifies me, believe me.

But, now, if insulin has been used,

it would not have been detected
in a postmortem.

Now, there'd be no suspicion of murder.

The death would seem perfectly natural.

But, no, someone removes the insulin,
substitutes cyanide.

Now, Mr. Whittaker,
it's as if someone had wanted

Carrie's murder to be discovered,
and the question is, why?

[organ music playing softly]

She always used to say,
"Hold my wake in that parlor,

and make sure everybody comes."

I know it's an old tradition
and everything,

but I don't know, it just
makes me a little squeamish.

Well, you know, I think
it's rather a nice custom.

Gives everybody a chance to say good-bye.

I suppose.

Ethel, let's...

-May I make you a drink?
-Oh, not right now.

-Thank you.
[sighs]

I appreciate your helping out,
Mrs. Fletcher.

-Oh.
-Now, fact is,

I'm gonna have
to pull out of here in a while.

I got some-- some work to attend to.

Oh, business on a night like this?

Well, bringing in a new well
is like birthing a calf.

You never know when it's gonna happen,

but you better be there when it does.

I been out there every night this week.

Oh, my goodness.

Even the night of Carrie's heart attack?

Oh, I went right out to those fields

after you run us out of the hospital.

Oh, that's strange.

Alice said that she'd spent the evening
with you at your house.

Well, uh, yes, actually, uh, ma'am, as--

As I recall, uh,

when I got home, Alice was waiting for me,

and I could tell from her eye

that she'd had a little spat with Sam.

Didn't mean much.

Just two young kids
blowing off some steam.

Really? I got the impression

it, uh, was a little more than that.

Do you remember exactly what time
you got back from the oil field?

Oh, I don't know.
12:30. Maybe 1:00.

Now, ma'am, I hope you ain't suggesting

that I had anything to do
with Carrie's death,

because the fact of the matter is,
you'd be dead wrong.

Now, uh, maybe we weren't blood related,

but, uh...

she was a real mama to me
for most of my life.

Good night, ma'am.

Willie John, uh,
I think I'll wait outside.

I'm not sure I'm up
to facing the McKittricks.

Earl, come here.

I guess they never taught you
this in college, little brother.

No matter what they're saying about you,
you always face 'em down.

The narrower the path.
The broader the smile.

[both chuckle]

Don't tell me...

either he's the smartest okie in the State

or the dumbest millionaire
west of the ozarks.

Earl, how can you talk that way

-about your own brother?
[sighs]

Come on, Ruth.
Where would he be without me?

Still picking up nickels in a tin plate
under some threadbare revival tent.

You may not have noticed,
but he's not in a tent anymore.

He's got his hands on McKittrick oil.

McKittrick oil goes straight
to the Church, sister Ruth,

not to brother John.

I made sure of that.

Good evening.

Mrs. Fletcher, you'll pardon me, ma'am,

but you always seem to be

popping up at the strangest times.

Earl, your manners.

Willie John told me about
your conversation earlier,

and I consider it the poorest of manners

to accuse a man of God
of the sin of murder.

Oh, I made no accusation, Mr. Fargo.

Pardon me while I pay my respects.

I'm so sorry.
Oh, that's quite all right.

Despite what you heard,
he and Willie John are very close.

I think Earl really is afraid
that Willie John might have, um...

Oh, excuse me.

Oh, good evening, Mrs. Fletcher.

-It's a nice wake, isn't it?
-Oh, yes.

Are you looking for someone?

Well, I just noticed
that Sam McKittrick isn't here.

Tammy Lee, what in Sam Hill
did you do to your hair?

It's only sprayed on, Mr. Whittaker.

I'm going to a dance.

I'll wash it out before
I come in in the morning.

The report from the FBI
came in just as I was leaving,

and I thought you'd want
to see it right away.

Excuse me, Tammy Lee.

It's been a time of testing for all of us.

Excuse me. Willie John?

Yes, Fred?

Willie John, I hate
to interrupt a man of God

while he's at work,
but, uh, looks like I got to--

You sound like a man
with a heavy burden, Fred.

Well, the way it is,

I finally got this, uh, back from the FBI,

and, uh...
Hang it all, Willie John.

The fingerprints on the murder syringe,
it turns out to be yours.

Well, now, Fred,

they tell me the guilty party
was in sister Carrie's room

sometime between 12:00 and 12:30.

During that time,

I was giving spiritual comfort
to one of my flock.

Oh, well, if you could tell us
who that someone was--

I'm afraid I can't do that, Fred.

I'd be violating a sacred trust.

Come on, now, Willie John.

Believe in me as you would in the Lord.

I give you my word.

-Oh, I want to believe in you.
-Believe me.

It's just that,
well, a grand jury is liable to want more.

No, Willie John.

It was me, Mr. Whittaker.
Willie John was with me.

Is-is that so?

You were with my husband at midnight?

You were supposed to be
on your dinner break.

We were in the chapel.

Willie John was ministering to my needs.

Oh, well, if-if you and Willie John

were both in the chapel
together, well, then,

someone else
must have poisoned miss Carrie.

Oh, but, Mr. Whittaker,

it's quite simple to get from the chapel

to Carrie's room without
passing the nurses' station

by way of the exit staircase.

Sue Beth, I'm sure that
you used those stairs

when you left the chapel
to go to Carrie's room?

No, I was with Willie John in the chapel
between 12:00 and 12:30.

Oh, but I'm sure that
I saw you leave Carrie's room

just minutes before she died.

I never left the chapel
and neither did Willie John.

We were talking the whole time.

Talking. That's all.

I've been having an affair
with one of the interns and--

Hush, child. There's no need to explain.

I'd better go see if she's all right.

Mrs. Fletcher, I don't get it.

If his fingerprints
were on the murder syringe,

he had to be the one
who snuffed her, right?

Dear heaven.

How stupid of me.

Don't worry, Ruth.

Everything's gonna be all right.

[crying] They'll never find a jury

that'll convict Willie John,
not in this county.

Nor should they, Mr. Fargo.

Your brother did not kill
Carrie McKittrick.

Are you sure about that, lady?

Yes, I am now.

Because the killing was committed

by someone who wanted to make it appear

that Willie John was responsible.

-Somebody framed Willie John?
-Of course.

It was the McKittricks.
They wanted to break the will.

No, it was someone close to Willie John.

Very close.

Someone who knew that he was a diabetic

and knew that it would come out,

someone who had access to the syringes

that he used every day and discarded,

someone who thought

that he wouldn't have an alibi.

That's ridiculous.

I love my husband.

Do you?

Haven't you been meeting another man,

secretly, once a week, on Wednesdays,

at the Indian reservation clinic?

Ruth!

Oh, Earl, don't be so ridiculous.

Carrie wasn't so much a murder victim

as much as she was a means to an end,

and I suppose that's what makes this

so hard to accept.

I mean, a smart killer

would have injected Carrie with insulin

so the murder
would not have been detected.

But you wanted
the murder discovered, Ruth,

and you made sure that the
clues pointed to your husband.

-No.
-When I first met you,

I assumed "sister Ruth"
had a religious connotation.

But when you said that
you'd met Willie John in London

when he'd had a diabetic attack,

it made me wonder if the term "sister"

might not refer to your former vocation,

a nurse?

It would have been simple
to find a uniform

in the locker room downstairs
and washable hair color spray.

The kind Mr. Whittaker's secretary wears

is available at any all-night drugstore.

If anyone had seen you from a distance,

they'd have mistaken you for Sue Beth.

You even wore gloves so that
Willie John's fingerprints

would still be on the syringe.

Ruth, why?

Did you do it for Willie John?

For Willie John?

No.

I did it to Willie John.

Or I tried to.

I had to be free of him,

but that meant destroying him totally.

I tried to tell you, Mark.

I couldn't.

As much as I know you love me,

you could have never understood.

Willie John was crushing me,
Mrs. Fletcher.

Wringing the life out of me
with his sanctimonious piety.

I'm a woman,

and every day, I've been
getting older and older,

living like some plaster saint,

the dutiful wife of the great
and good Willie John Fargo.

What was I supposed to do?

Divorce him?

Oh, my God.

Can you just see the headlines?

Or kill him?

That would have thrust me into
an even more untenable role:

the keeper of Willie John 's flame,

living in chastity
for the rest of my years.

Ruth.

Why didn't you tell me?

I did, Willie John,

every day, in a hundred different ways,

but you were always too busy to hear.

[somber music]

I'm so glad you got to see Carrie.

I only wish it could have been
under happier circumstances.

[tapping at door]

I'd like a word, miss Alice.

You got your nerve coming here.

We're taking that will all the way

to the supreme court, Willie John.

That won't be necessary, Harvey.

I'll never be able to make
amends for what Ruth did,

but at least I can set matters right

regarding sister Carrie's
last will and testament.

In honor of the generous

and good-hearted woman that she was,

I've established
the Carrie McKittrick foundation

in lasting tribute to her memory.

-What?
-With her money?

Since I won't have anything
to do with running it, Harvey,

I knew you and Sam
would be real fond of the idea.

What in the name of heaven
is he talking about?

Shut up, boy. Let me think.

Makes you feel real proud

being a benefactor to the people.

It'll just take some getting used to.

Bless you, boys.

Come on, Sam.

You didn't have to do that, you know.

Well, miss Jessica,

I've had to do some hard thinking.

I failed Ruth.

Seems like I lost my direction
somewhere along the line.

Raising all that money
doesn't seem so important now.

Really?

What will you do, then?

I've decided to go away for a while,

to Africa, Asia, South America,

anyplace the simple folks need me.

Well, I wish you luck, Willie John,

and I hope that you find
what you're looking for.

Oh, I will, miss Jessica.

I will, indeed, the good Lord willing.

[soft music]

[cheerful orchestral music]