Original subtitles

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]