All language subtitles for Murder.She.Wrote.S03E20.The.Cemetery.Vote.WEBRip.x264-ION10

Hands up or I'll shoot.

[Jessica] Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.

Yates has been coverin' up a murder.

Folks around here know better than

to make threats against the sheriff.

Where I come from
the sheriff upholds the law.

There's one thing I know
how to do is follow orders.

A trained dog can do that.

Wayne's a good boy.

I think he'd make a good sheriff.

Hell, she's crookeder
than a dog's hind leg.

Watch yourself. You could get hurt.

Pull over, let him pass.

I don't think he wants to pass.

Hang on!

[cheerful orchestral music]

[music playing]

[rooster crowing]

[engine stopping]

[dog barking in a distance]

[dramatic music]

Ooh, you're deep
in the dung heap now, old man.

Breaking and entering is a felony.

[groans]

What's that? I can't hear you.

What's the matter?
Cat got your tongue, huh?

[laughs]

Ease off, Wayne.

That's no way to treat a senior citizen.

Yeah, you see what he done to that gate?

Let him be.

Harry, you all right?

No, thanks to your deputy.

Well, you shouldn't be here, Harry.

I got a right to look at Jimmy's car.

Not while it's locked up in my pound.

It shouldn't be locked up in your pound.

It should've been released
to Jimmy's wife six weeks ago.

No reason to get riled up
over a little red tape.

I liked your boy.

He was an honest Mayor.

Yeah, that's what probably got him killed.

You know, Harry, it grieves me

to see you hung up
on that damn fool notion.

Jim's death was an accident,
pure and simple.

Maybe I'll believe that

when I examine this wreck for myself.

And I mean to do that, Yates,

even if I have to get a court order.

Careful now, Harry.

A man of your age,

it's dangerous to get so worked up.

Humph!

I'll have the county bill you
for that busted gate.

You do that.

Beeler, you get away from my truck

before I run over your size 12s.

[engine turns over]

[background music intensifies]

I found out about it

when I called Seth Hazlitt from Rome.

And he told me that
he'd heard about the accident

from your mother.

You shouldn't have canceled your plans,

but I'm glad you're here.

I'm only sorry I couldn't
have gotten here sooner.

I have such wonderful memories

of that picnic on the beach at Cabot Cove,

the two of you cutting up
like a couple of kids.

[sighs]

And how are you, Linda?

I'm holding together.

Barely, sometimes.

I wake up groggy, and Jim isn't there.

Yes.

I find myself inventing places

where he must be,

'cause he can't be dead.

I miss him so much.

I know.

But you are keeping busy, I hope.

You mentioned something
on the telephone about

being involved in some special election?

To replace Jim as Mayor.

Oh, I--I promised to pick up some posters.

Mind if we make one quick stop
at the city hall?

Not a bit. Come on.

Well, I know, George, that
the incumbent has the edge,

but the trouble is, I'm not the incumbent.

I'm only the acting Mayor.

What are you trying to say?

That you've got a fight on your hands?

Hell, it says that on your poster.

Well, I don't mind a scrap

as long as there's a crowd behind me.

The decent element of this town

is solidly behind you.

You've got me on the city council.

I can deliver most of the others.

Don't belittle your position, David.

Well, the decent element has
yet to stand up and be counted.

And I'm not so sure

whether my being backed
by most of the council equals

the civic club's wholesale
endorsement of Orville Yates.

Kate gunnerson's civic club?

Hell, she's crookeder
than a dog's hind leg.

Don't even think about that bunch.

Rita, I said no interruptions.

Oh, that's different. Send her in.

Linda Stevens.

David, I'm sorry to drop in like this.

Oh, hi, George.

Don't I get a hug anymore?

Always.

How's it going, kiddo?

Oh, it's better since Jessica arrived.

Jessica, may I present George McDaniels,

the best hugger West of the Mississippi.

-Hello, George.
-My pleasure, ma'am.

-And David Carroll.
-Oh, Jim's friend.

He told me about the time
you went hunting jackrabbits

and almost shot a cow.

Is nothing sacred?

In defense of David,

it was a very small cow
with very long ears.

I dropped by to pick up some more posters.

Oh, well, here they are.

Uh, I don't know where
you're gonna put them, though.

There isn't an empty square inch of fence

left in this town.

I'm tellin' you,
I gotta see David right now!

-But Mr. Stevens--
-Outta my way, girl.

You can't go in there!

David, I need some kind of legal paper

to use on sheriff Yates.

Harry, now what have you been up to?

I tried to look at
Jimmy's brakes and steerin',

but Yates and his bully-boy
deputy stopped me cold.

I asked you not to do it.

That death car is evidence,

and sheriff Yates is sittin' on it,

big as you please.

Evidence?

Harry's got it in his head
that Jim was murdered.

But I thought it was an accident.

It was.

Oh, a one-car accident
on a stretch of straight road

that Jimmy had driven
over 900 times before?

Don't you believe it!

Jessica, I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to burden you
with Harry's obsession.

Jessica, you be the friend from back East?

Yes.

Well, then you know my son.

He wasn't careless,
and he wasn't reckless.

Somebody tampered with his car.

And I was fixin' to examine it

when deputy Beeler got a choke hold on me.

He used force on you?

Thought he was gonna break my neck.

That wrecked car should
have been released to Linda

within 30 days.

You had every right to see it,

and they had no right to stop you.

Getting a court order
in the middle of an election

might look like politicking.

You know, George, I really don't care.

Linda, you'll see.

Yates has been coverin' up a murder.

Get me Judge reardon.

Harry, are you sure?

Sure as I'm standin' on this spot.

Jimmy's wrecked car was right here.

You must be mistaken.

Well, something stood here until recently.

That oil stain is still fresh.

Well, you folks have a problem?

What did you do with Jim's car?

Wayne, you know anything
about a missin' car?

Well, last week you told me
to clean this area up.

That old piece of junk
was a terrible eyesore.

Yates, that car was
an important piece of evidence

you conveniently got rid of.

That what you think, Mrs. Stevens?

That car is my property sheriff.

I want it returned immediately.

Well, now, I'd like to oblige you, ma'am,

but this is a big county
with lots of junkyards.

And by now, it's probably been
shoved into some compactor

and scrunched up
to the size of a suitcase.

I don't think you understand, sheriff.

The court order directs you

to return the car to Mrs. Stevens.

I mean, surely you don't want
a violation of the law

hanging over your head
just before election time.

You must be from out of town.

Well, what's that got to do with it?

Folks around here know better than

to make threats against the sheriff.

Where I come from,

folks don't have to make threats.

The sheriff upholds the law.

I don't believe I caught your name, ma'am.

Just who the hell
is this Jessica Fletcher?

My wife says
she's some kind of book writer.

What kind of books?

I don't know what kind of books.

Why? You takin' up readin', Kate?

Strangers make me edgy.

That wasn't too smart of you, Orville,

makin' Jim Stevens' car disappear.

Well, maybe I should've left it there,

let 'em all examine it.

Maybe you should've got rid of it

before that old man started
asking questions

you can't answer.

Nobody'd listen to him for a minute

if it wasn't Jim Stevens' pa.

Let me worry about old Harry.

Strikes me you don't worry near enough.

You know, this special election
ain't in the bag.

You've got yourself
a real candidate this time.

-Is that right?
-Yes.

I didn't call this meeting to an end.

Orville, you come back here. You owe us.

I don't owe you spit in the wind, Stokes.

I been savin' your butts all the while.

Or ain't that weekend gamblin' club
of yours

still wide open?

Nobody come close to shuttin' you down

but Jim Stevens, and he's gone.

You've been gettin' your share, Orville.

Or maybe it's not enough.

That it, Orville? You lookin' for more?

Thanks for the suds.

I wish you could stay a few days longer.

Well, I really have to get home.

Amos Tupper may uphold the law,

but I can't trust him to water my plants.

And I have so much work to do.

Well, I could get you a typewriter.

[laughs]

Linda, when I'm writing,
I am the world's worst company.

Well, I'll never forget

the way you stood up to sheriff Yates.

I don't believe he's covering up anything,

but he's sure not somebody I trust.

Jim said there's a rumor

he won his first election
by the cemetery vote.

The what?

Oh, you know, copying names off tombstones

to cast extra votes on election day.

Oh, yeah.

Yates was a heavy favorite
with the R.I.P. crowd.

Too bad Jim couldn't prove it.

[glass shattering]

What was that?

Somebody's in the house.

-We should call the police.
-Sheriff Yates?

I'd rather take my chances
with the burglar.

-Is that loaded?
-I don't know.

Hands up or I'll shoot!

Ain't that Jimmy's old jackrabbit gun?

-Harry.
-My goodness.

You frightened us half to death.

Well, I rang the doorbell.
Guess it ain't workin' again.

I'll have a look at it tomorrow.

Why are you going through Jim's desk?

Jimmy said he was gonna
clean up this town.

Now I got to thinkin'
about the illegal gambling

that goes on every Friday and Saturday

in Gil Stokes's warehouse
near the railroad tracks.

That isn't a secret.

Everybody in town knows about it.

Supposing Jimmy had proof

that sheriff Yates was gettin'
his cut off the top,

that he was, like, a partner in it.

Well, it explains a few things

about law and order in this town.

-But there isn't any proof.
-Are you sure?

Jimmy was very careful.

He would have put it down on paper

so somebody would see it just in case.

Jimmy lost control of his car.

He fell asleep at the wheel.

Linda, that's what they want you to think.

But where is the car?
Where is Jimmy's car?

Look, I'm going to put on some coffee.

I can't sleep anyway.

I guess I do talk crazy sometimes.

Not to me. Look, that car is missing.

Frankly, if Yates
was the sheriff of my hometown,

I wouldn't call a special election.

I would call the state's attorney

or the exterminator.

You know, Linda's a smart girl,

levelheaded most of the time.

But she's got a blind spot
when it comes to Jimmy's death.

Look at this. Jimmy's personal effects.

Guess Linda couldn't deal with 'em.

Hey, look at this ring.

Ever seen a ring like this?

Oh, not in years.

That's a horseshoe nail, isn't it?

Just looks like one,

but my daddy made this specially--

-Mm-hmm.
-Out of a $10 gold piece.

He was a blacksmith.

He gave it to me when I was just, well,

wet behind the ears.

Said it was lucky,
so I passed it on to Jimmy.

And now it's come back to me.

You know, I ain't worn a ring in years.

Still fits.

Harry, take a look at this.

It could be a cipher of some sort.

Jessica, this here is
just what I was lookin' for.

A bunch of numbers and letters?

Surely that can't be the proof
of anything.

Maybe this isn't the proof,

but it tells me where I can find it.

And that's where I'm going,
and when I get it,

I want you to tell Linda

that I'm takin' it straight to Ernie Lenko

at the state police.

[keys jingling]

Harry, be careful.

Don't worry,

I ain't gonna fall asleep at the wheel.

And thanks, Jessica.

Mrs. Stevens, I'm gonna
ask you to identify the body

since you bein' practically next of kin.

Sheriff, is that really necessary?

I can make an identification,
if you won't.

Matter of form, Mrs. Fletcher.

Papers need signin'.
Won't take but a few minutes.

-I'll be all right.
-Okay.

Come on, Bernard. Let's get it over with.

Sure am sorry, Mrs. Stevens.

The town won't be the same
without old Harry.

There's some benches
there by the front door.

Like to find a magazine or two, ma'am.

Excuse me.

Sheriff, may I ask you a question?

It's up to you, ma'am.

When your deputy came to the house,

he only told Mrs. Stevens

that Harry's body
had been found on the highway.

Exactly how did he die?

You know, that bench out there

is a real nice place to wait.

Was he struck by a car?

And why was he alone out on that highway?

Surely you're not going to claim that

that was another accident.

You know, for the life of me, ma'am,

I don't think it's any of your business.

Linda is a friend of mine,

and so was Jimmy, and so was Harry.

For some reason, nobody wanted to listen

when Harry said his son had been murdered.

You know, I think folks around here

put a lot of faith in proof

and not in the ravings of a
grievin' old man.

Last night, Harry was sure
that he had turned up proof.

Now I ask you again, sheriff:
how did he die?

Somebody banged him over the head

and shoved him out of a car.

Coroner says he was dead
before he hit the pavement.

That was sometime last night. Satisfied?

I see.

First the son is killed
on one of your lonely roads,

then the father.

Are you going to tell me that

that was a coincidence?

Harry was muleheaded.

He spoke his mind. He got folks riled up.

Anyone could've done it.

It didn't have to be the same one who--

The same one who killed Jimmy.

Is that what you were going to say?

No, ma'am. If I said that,
I would be lyin'.

Jim Stevens died in a car accident.

That's official.

Now, is there anything else
I can do for you, ma'am?

Can I maybe buy you a can
of soda pop from the machine?

[sighs]

Yates.

They told me Linda
was identifying the body.

Now, that is a lousy thing
to put her through

and totally unnecessary.

Somebody had to do it.

Oh, come on, Yates.

You could have corroborated

your own identification of Harry

with his driver's license
and signed the forms yourself.

Maybe, if he had a driver's license.

-He drove a pickup truck.
-Yes, ma'am.

Look, Yates, I don't know

what you're trying to pull here,

but I'm gonna settle it.

Now, as Mrs. Stevens' personal attorney,

I have the authority

to take possession
of Harry's personal effects.

Well, now, that might be
a bit of a problem.

Since he didn't have any.

His watch, his wallet, his ring,

the key to his pickup.

We didn't find
none of those things on him.

He wasn't even wearin' boots.

What are you talking about?

Why would the killer take Harry's boots?

That's a good question.

Captain, I am out of Patience,

and I am not going to be shined on.

Comstock is having a crime wave,

and you people are just sitting here.

Are you finished?

No, I have lots more to say
on the subject.

Uh, ma'am, may I break in for a minute?

In the first place,

Harry Stevens was a friend of mine.

I knew him all my life.

He was my track coach when I was a kid,

turned me into a pretty good miler.

That old man was something else.

So don't tell me I'm looking the other way

when it comes to Harry.

Now, as far as this illegal gambling goes,

I'd give a year's salary
to lead a mop-up operation.

Twice, I've led raids

in conjunction with sheriff Yates.

You know what we found in that
hardware company warehouse?

Lawn mowers, chain saws,
and pickle jar openers.

That's all you're going to find

as long as Yates is running things.

Ma'am, I know the score.

I have a separate file cabinet
full of complaints

from suckers who got trimmed
at that warehouse--

And not by a lawn mower.

But if I want to raid the place,

I'm required to tell Yates.

And as soon as I tell him,

I know what I'm going to find there.

Nevertheless, I've still
got to go through the motions.

Something to do with
political jurisdictions?

Yes, and if I want to make
a move on my own,

I've got to have hard evidence

connecting Yates with that gambling club.

Well, surely Jim Stevens
supplied some information.

Yes, we worked together on it.

Once, when Yates was in reno
at a sheriff's convention,

we pulled a surprise raid.

We had no more luck then

than we did the other two times.

When was that?

Two nights before Jim's car crash.

I have my suspicions about that too.

You know, Harry wanted
to see you last night.

He thought something
we found in Jim's wallet

might lead you to that hard evidence

that you're looking for.

What's it mean?

Well, I was hoping you could tell me.

Reminds me of something,

something you might find
on a library card.

Sorry, I can't help you.

You may have already.

Wendell? George McDaniels.

Fine.

I'm here with David
and thought it'd be a good idea

to touch base with you about--

[typewriter keys clattering]

pardon me, I'm looking for Mrs. Stevens.

Hello, Mrs. Fletcher. She's inside.

I'm Cindy March.
I was Mayor Stevens' secretary.

By the way, he just loved that
inscribed book you sent him.

-It's still on his desk.
-His desk?

Well, his office is
just the way he left it.

I'll show you right in.

Mrs. Stevens, Mrs. Fletcher is here.

Oh, Jessica.

-I thought you'd gotten lost.
-Oh, no.

Yes, I can see Jim in here.

Can you see Orville Yates?

Oh, I won't even try.

David thought it would be better for him

to remain in his office
during the interim period,

and Cindy has been busy
getting the files in order

for the next occupant.

And you couldn't find it in your heart

to clear out Jim's personal possessions.

They were a lot alike.

Yes.

Strong, honest, muleheaded.

I've been talking to captain Lenko, Linda,

and he feels, as I do,

that Harry was killed by
the same person who killed Jim.

Why do you keep saying that?

Jim wasn't murdered.

Look, what happened to Harry was horrible,

but it had nothing to do with Jim.

Linda, you know that isn't true.

It is. It must be true.

Please, Jessica,
I don't want to discuss it,

especially not now.

I've been here stuffing Campaign material

and trying to erase
that image of the morgue.

I can't handle anything else.

Jessica, I didn't know
you were one of my volunteers.

Well, I'm not.

You caught me just as I was
about to make my escape.

Oh, good. I have to leave too.

-You want a lift?
-Yes, thank you.

Linda, you want to come?

What, and miss out on all this?

No, thanks. I'm developing a rhythm.

I'll stay and finish up.

Well, I'll be back in a little while.

I'm just going to stop at the library.

I'll be here.

Before we go to the library,
I'd like to see where he died.

-Harry?
-Jim.

Let me get my keys, I'll tell my secretary

to make up some new telephone
excuses till I get back.

Right.

Since they built the interstate,

not many people drive
these old country roads.

Jim would have preferred the solitude,

you know, the country feeling.

We're not far from
where he went off the road,

about a mile or so.

Is something wrong?

That truck behind us.

Oh, my goodness. He's going awfully fast.

Too fast.

I haven't been able to shake him.

He was probably lying in wait

on one of those side roads we passed.

Aren't you letting your--

Your imagination run away with you?

Am I?

What's he doing?

David, pull over and let him pass.

I don't think he wants to pass.

Hang on!

How many fingers am I holding up?

Two.

I don't have concussion.

I wasn't hit on the head.

Now what we need is a ride back to town.

-Yeah.
-[siren blaring]

We can take you as far as the hospital.

Tell me that isn't who I think it is.

Sheriff Yates.

Well, that ain't no way

to treat a nice car like that,
Mr. Carroll.

You oughta be more careful, boy.

Looks like you folks
ran into some trouble.

Ran into a ditch is more like it.

Sheriff, isn't there some law
about keeping him on a leash?

Easy, now.

Wayne, go and help them direct traffic.

I'll take care of this.

Yeah, right.

Well, now, Mrs. Fletcher,

you seem to be right on the scene here.

Like to tell me what happened?

A truck forced us off the road.

Did you see this truck, ma'am?

Yes, I saw it clearly. It was a black one.

What make was it?

Well, I--I don't know
one make from another.

Dark black cab.

Did you see who was driving it?

Was he fat, skinny,
White, black, hairy, bald?

I couldn't see him

because of the mud
splattered on the windshield.

Well, maybe you can give me
the license number.

It was smeared with mud too.
I couldn't read it.

We are talkin' about the same truck,

aren't we, ma'am?

-The one you saw very clearly?
-Yes, I saw it.

And I also felt it bump into
the rear of David's car.

And then it pushed you off the road?

No, I turned off the road
to get away from it.

So you drove it into
the ditch under your own power.

Is that the way it was?

No, that is not the way it was.

Jessica, he's not gonna listen to us.

Where do you think you're going?

To the hospital.

Ooh,

I feel as though that truck
ran over me a few times.

And I thought soaking in a hot tub

would help take away some
of the pain from your bruises.

You were in the tub for an hour.

Well, I soaked for ten minutes,

but it took me the rest of the time

to get in and out.

[whistling]

David said you both
could have been killed.

Yes, I think the driver
could have killed us

if he'd wanted to, but somehow,

I don't think that was his intention.

Don't be too sure. They killed Harry.

But not Jim?

Linda, whatever it is
you've got bottled up,

let it go.

He was happy as a lawyer,

defending the poor,

fighting for justice.

It was so bleak,
without any kind of future.

I talked Jim into running for office.

I told him of all the good he could do

operating from a power base.

But all the time, I was selfishly thinking

about the exciting lives we would lead

in the state capitol
or even in Washington.

And now Jimmy has no life.

If he died because
he was trying to do his job,

I can't live with that.

Listen to me.

Jimmy was murdered,

and it's not your fault.

-It is!
-It is not your fault.

Now Jimmy and his father
were one of a kind--

Bullheaded, stubborn.

Neither one of them would do something

unless they wanted to do it.

Now, you know that.

Serving the people, serving the town,

that was Jim's decision, not yours.

I couldn't face it if it was politics,

if Yates killed him.

Yates? Oh, I wonder.

Your sheriff is a crafty fox.

But if he was responsible,

why would he go to all the trouble of

making Jim's death look like an accident

and then turn around

and leave poor Harry's beaten body

out in the middle of nowhere,
so obviously a murder?

-Jessica.
-Oh. Ow.

Oh, I'm sorry.

It's all right. I forgot myself.

I'm going to make you some hot soup.

Now hop into bed.

-[groans]
-Hop.

Oh.

The state police barracks, please.

Captain Lenko.

-Jessica, are you in bed?
-Yes!

Captain Lenko? This is Jessica Fletcher.

How did you know I'd be here this late?

Well, I had a hunch.

I was going to call you.
I thought you'd be in bed.

What happened this afternoon?

Well, somebody tried to scare me,

and they did a darn good job of it.

Yeah, well, that's what I figured.

Of course, that's not

what it says in the sheriff's report.

Captain, I had a thought on Harry.

In your experience,
who goes around stealing shoes?

Nobody these days,

unless you're flat broke and need them.

Oh, I see what you mean, yeah.

Somebody may have come along
and robbed Harry's body.

A vagrant, a hitchhiker,
something like that.

I'll check it out. Anything else?

Yes,

you mentioned a third raid
on Stokes's warehouse,

one that Jim arranged

while sheriff Yates was out of town.

That's right. And like the other two
times, it didn't come off.

But it should have come off,
with Yates gone,

unless someone else was on the payroll.

A mole in Jim's office? That's possible.

What made you think of it?

The truck that ran us off the road

was lying in wait.

I mean, the driver knew that
we would be coming that way.

Which means the mole is still there.

Watch yourself. You could get hurt.

Oh, Jessica.

Can you come in here a minute, please?

-Will it take long?
-I don't think so.

Ernie Lenko called me last night,

and I started asking questions
this morning.

I found your mole.

Rita, nobody's angry with you.

We just want the truth.

I'm sorry, Mr. Carroll.

I guess I should have said
something sooner.

Well, I know. A conflict of loyalties.

Now, Rita, I want you
to tell Mrs. Fletcher

exactly what you told us.

Look.

I sure hate sayin' things
about somebody I work with,

but I told Cindy I didn't like
what she was doing.

Cindy?

Where is Cindy anyway?

She hasn't come in yet.

You won't tell her that I told you?

Rita, please, what has Cindy done?

Now, Mrs. Fletcher,
don't you misunderstand.

I'm not accusing her of anything,

except maybe bad judgment.

I just don't think it's right for her

to be running around with a married man.

Rita, skip the moral issue.

Tell her the man's name.

His name is Wayne.

Wayne Beeler.

No.

Wayne. I have to go.

What is the matter with you this morning?

I woke up a couple of times last night

thinking about what you told me
about you and that truck.

Oh, you keep your mouth shut about that.

What if you'd killed them?
Didn't you think about that?

I wasn't supposed to kill 'em.

I done just like I was told.

There's one thing I know
how to do is follow orders.

A trained dog can do that. Ow!

I ain't nobody's dog.

And when I'm sheriff,
I'm gonna be givin' the orders.

I'll make this old county jump.

-[loud smack]
-[trembles]

You just see if I don't.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey. Hey.

Where do you think you're going?

To work. I'm late as it is.

You'll go when I say you can go.

Wayne.

You just remember

who you're workin' for, darlin'.

You overheard my conversation

in the outside office with Mr. Carroll

and told deputy Beeler

that we were driving on the county road.

No.

Oh, Cindy, for heaven's sakes.

I swear, Mrs. Fletcher.

I didn't even talk to Wayne
until afterwards.

If I'd have known he was
gonna pull a stunt like that,

I would've tried to stop him.

Haven't you been giving him information

ever since you came to work at city hall?

Now, Cindy, don't lie to me.

Two people have been murdered.

Don't make things worse for yourself.

All right.

Yeah, sometimes I had to.

I was afraid of him.

When Wayne doesn't get his own way,

he can be real mean.

Well--Well,
why didn't you stop seeing him?

I can't.

I love him.

He loves me too.

-Oh, Cindy.
-It's true.

He's gonna ask his wife for a divorce

just as soon as she has her baby.

I know how awful that sounds.

Other people are happy.

Oh, god, why is all of this
happening to me?

Cindy, sit down.

Now, I need your help.

I want you to be totally honest with me,

and I'll do everything I can to help you.

Now, when you were
Mayor Stevens' secretary,

did you tell this deputy

that the Mayor had arranged
for the state police

to raid the illegal gambling club

while the sheriff was out of town?

No, I didn't even know about it.

-You're sure?
-I swear.

Well, there's something else.

This morning, I talked
to the public librarian

about something that Mayor Stevens

had been carrying around
with him on a slip of paper.

She said that it wasn't
a card catalog number.

However, she suggested
it might be a legal reference.

When he wanted me to look up
something in his law books,

this is how he'd write it.

Actually, this has
two different references

with a lot of different parts.

Would you like me to find them for you?

Oh, please.

You see, I was puzzled
by the "six" at the beginning.

That's not a six.

That's an "s" for state
and "ix" for volume 9.

Here it is.

Let me see. Page 560.

And "d" for docket 584.

Here it is. People versus Pawley, 1979.

You found this in a law book?

Where Jim kept it from praying eyes.

His files were too accessible.

It's a signed statement
from an electrician

who had to make some emergency repairs

at Stokes's warehouse on a Saturday night.

He says that sheriff Yates was present

while people were gambling.

Sworn to and notarized.

Well, this is reason enough not
to let him in on the next raid.

It was tucked into a book next to a case

about a local official who accepted bribes

in the form of political support.

Fits Yates like a glove.

Well, so does the case
in the other law book,

election fraud.

A candidate for office
used the cemetery vote

to insure his victory at the polls.

Oddly enough, there was no evidence

tucked into that one.

Well, maybe Jim was still working on it.

I got something for you too.

You were right about Harry's shoes.

The police in Castorville picked up a Wino

trying to buy muscatel with,
uh, Harry's credit card.

Is it possible that he killed Harry?

Oh, no, no, no,
on the night of the murder,

he was in the country drunk tank.

They let him go just before Dawn

so they wouldn't have
to feed him breakfast.

He was walking out of town.

He must have run into Harry's body.

And took Harry's boots.

Took Harry's everything,
his wallet, his keys.

-Two sets of keys?
-Only one.

That's strange.

I saw Harry pick up Jim's keys
from the desk

before he left the house.

That's strange. I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to interrupt
your train of thought.

Oh, no, that's about it.

Wallet, keys, uh, wristwatch, and a ring.

-Ring?
-Yeah, Harry's gold ring.

I don't know why the guy didn't pawn it.

The ring. Of course, of course.

That explains everything.

Would you mind explaining it to me?

Oh, I will, as soon as

you set up the raid on the warehouse.

I have a feeling that this time,

you'll find more
than lawn furniture there.

[door closes]

Come on back, come on back.

Okay, baby, give me
a little six puff on 'em.

Come on, puff'em-six!

Yeah! Whoo-hoo!

Yeah, come on back, come on back.

[chattering]

-Kate, how's it goin' tonight?
-It's still early.

The high rollers can't get away

from their wives till after midnight.

Here, Orville.

Try your luck.

Go ahead. It's on the house.

Not for me, thanks.

Orville's not a big gambler
like his deputy.

Yeah, Wayne ain't exactly cautious.

He's willing to take chances
to better himself.

That's how you play the game.

What game is that, Kate?

There's only one game.

It has different names.

You talking about politics?

That's one name.

Another is "gettin' rich."

In case you hadn't noticed, I play to win.

That why you told Wayne Beeler

to run Carroll and the Fletcher woman

off the road yesterday?

Shh! Not so loud.

What makes you say that?

-[sighs]
-It wasn't me.

I see Wayne actin' like he owns the place.

You givin' him testimonials.

What am I supposed to think?

You should've been a detective, Orville.

If I was, maybe I'd have known

who killed Jim and Harry Stevens.

Are you crazy? Hold it down.

You think it was Wayne?

It come to me.

Wayne's a good boy.
He does what he's told.

I think he'd make a good sheriff.

We agreed the Mayor
would have a say in that.

The Mayor will.

[door opens, closes]

Hello?

David? Is that you?

Oh, I was beginning to think
you weren't coming.

Well, I nearly didn't.

I mean, after I got off
the phone with you,

I wasn't sure I had the time correctly.

I mean, nobody meets
at city hall at this hour.

Forgive me. I'm a writer.

We work at all hours.

But I did think that this was important.

Well, I've burned the midnight

oil myself on occasion.

You mentioned a piece of evidence

that Jim left in one of his law books?

Yes, his instructions
indicated two law books,

but only one of them contained a paper

A letter placing sheriff Yates

at the scene of illegal gambling.

That's great.

Then Jim was able
to get something on Yates.

I only wish he'd had a chance

to pass it on to captain Lenko himself,

but I gave it to him today.

And tonight he's leading a raid
on the gambling club.

Fantastic.

What time?

Oh, in a couple of hours.

Oh, for heaven's sakes.

Linda's supposed to be picking me up,

and I've got her keys.

I was supposed to meet her
out at the front door.

Would you excuse me?

-Well, I'll go if you like.
-Oh, no, no, no.

I kept her waiting,
and I'll make the apologies.

Get me Kate Gunnerson. It's urgent.

What do you mean she's not available?

Well, you find her quick,
and you give her this message.

You tell her that

the state troopers are gonna
hit the place in two hours.

You got that?

Yes, Mr. Carroll.
We've got your warning on tape.

No, I'm sorry, uh,

Kate can't come to the phone just now.

But you can speak to me.

This is captain Lenko of the state police.

You can't do this to me.

I'm gonna be the next sheriff.
Let go of me!

I'll shove that badge down your throat!

Now what was that you were saying

about a raid, Mr. Carroll?

Sorry, I must have been
wrong about the time.

-You set me up.
-Yes.

A small part of me hoped that I was wrong,

but I knew that I wasn't.

What a pity.

You had all the tools, David:

looks, charm, intelligence.

All right,

so I was working both sides.

Kate Gunnerson and her friends

carry a lot of weight in this town.

I convinced them
that I could be reasonable,

a lot more reasonable than Yates.

I see.

Look, I'd be no good to anyone

unless I got elected.

Now, my relationship
with the gambling crowd

is nothing more than temporary expedience.

Oh, no, David, it was a great deal more.

You were willing to do anything,

consort with anyone,

to launch your political career.

You were even willing to commit murder.

Whoa! Oh, no.

Oh, I'm afraid so.

Now, look, I--I was with you in the car

when we were nearly killed.

Were we?

I don't think so.

Cindy swore she never warned
her boyfriend, the deputy.

So it must have been you

who set up that phony near-miss accident.

You made an excuse to stop
in your office before we left.

That's when you made the call
to Kate Gunnerson,

and she notified Wayne Beeler.

Why would I have risked my own neck?

To remove yourself as a suspect.

I think that Jim Stevens discovered

you were the one who tipped off
the gambling club owners

about the raid he'd planned.

He would have given you
a chance to deny it,

because that was his way.

And you responded
by tampering with his car.

That's your way.

[chuckles]

Jessica, you are a spellbinder.

It's amazing how you can weave a story

out of the flimsiest of material,

without any evidence whatsoever.

It's true I can't prove
that you killed Jim.

But I know that you killed Harry.

I told you I didn't even see
Harry the night he was killed.

No?

Remember in the sheriff's office

when you asked for the return
of Harry's personal effects?

His watch, his wallet,
his ring, key to his pickup.

If you didn't see Harry that night,

how did you know
that he was wearing a ring?

He told me he hadn't worn one in years.

The fact is,

he only put that ring on

shortly before he left the house.

Linda told me, of course.

No, David. I couldn't have told you.

I wasn't in the room
when Harry put the ring on.

I didn't even know about it

until Jessica told me
on the way over here tonight.

This isn't really solid evidence, is it?

Linda, what keys were on Jim's key ring?

The car keys, the house keys,

the key to city hall,

and the key to this office.

Harry took Jim's keys
when he left the house,

the keys that he needed
to get into this building

and into this office.

It must have been one of those nights

when you were burning
the midnight oil, David.

So what?

Harry came to city hall
to check Jim's law books.

But he must have heard or seen something

that stopped him,
something that led him to you.

I'm only guessing,

but he probably overheard you on the phone

talking to who, Kate Gunnerson?

He confronted you,

and you responded to the father
as you had to the son.

You struck him down.

Then you took the keys
and paper with the references

from his pocket.

After you got rid of Harry's body,

you came back and searched
through Jim's law books.

There were two case references,

both of which could apply to the sheriff.

But the case in volume nine
about malfeasance in office

could have equally applied
to the deputy Mayor.

That's where Jim probably

kept his documentation of your betrayal.

You must have destroyed it.

When you found the damaging letter

about sheriff Yates in volume four,

you switched it to volume nine.

Anyone who found it would assume that

Jim had placed it there

to point out the sheriff's malfeasance.

Oh, come on now, Jessica.

You can't make a case

out of the absence
of incriminating evidence.

Someone took the office keys from Harry

and the piece of paper
that indicated the books.

Well, it could have been Yates.

But wouldn't the sheriff
have removed the letter

that incriminated him?

I'd love to stay here
and debate with you, Jessica,

but I really am much too busy.

Funny, I can't think of a thing

you have to do except wait
for the state police.

Get out of my way, George.

They'll be here before
you get to the front door.

But if you want to try,

I'd sure love to knock your block off.

I really wish I could stay, Linda.

I'm sorry, but I can't.

Now, don't worry about me, Jess.

I'm going to be fine.

-Sure?
-Positive.

You know, you were right.

Jim was his own person, right or wrong.

What happened, it's part of living.

And have you decided
what you're going to do now?

Well, George mcdaniels
and some of the others,

they want me to run for Mayor.

Oh, my goodness.

Yes, and with Kate Gunnerson and Yates

and the rest of that crowd
under indictment,

they say I won't have any trouble winning.

And are you going to do it?

I'm a Stevens, aren't I?

[laughter]

[cheerful orchestral music]