All language subtitles for Murder.She.Wrote.S05E01.J.B.as.in.Jailbird.WEBRip.x264-ION10

Give me the keys, or I will kill you. Now!

But I don't even drive.
[gunshot]

Tonight on
Murder, She Wrote...

was J.B. Fletcher kidnapped?
Something like that?

And you were supposed to be covering him!

The real Jessica Fletcher
reported her luggage

and her purse stolen at the airport.

But that's impossible!

If she did see something,

then she would be
in great personal danger.

So how come you know
so much about Nitrate tests?

It's my business to know!

This your aunt, Mr. Fletcher?
No, sorry.

I've never seen this woman
before in my whole life.

[cheerful orchestral music]

[knocking]
What?

It's the maintenance man.

They sent me out to fix that bad pipe.

Pipe? No, no, no. Come back later.

No, I can't do that.
I get off in half an hour.

They want it fixed now. Open up.

It may snow in the Sierras
before the weekend.

Listen, if you don't let me in,
there's gonna be a flood.

And it won't
be in any mountains.

It'll be on the second floor.

Now, are you gonna open up?

Or do I use the passkey?

The keys, give me the keys.

I-I don't have the keys.

Give me the keys,
or I will kill you. Now!

Uh, but I don't even drive.

[gunshot]

[siren wailing]

Freeze!

Excuse me, but--

-I said freeze, lady!
-Officer, I'm sorry--

Now!

Okay, lady, real slow, on your feet...

and put your hands behind your head.

You've really done it this time, Michael.

[sighs]

I have a mind to put you on charges!

I was acting on your orders, Lancaster.

I bring in MI6's top man

to prevent a political assassination,

and the first thing you do
is terminate the contact!

If you'd stop blowin' at me
and listen a second,

you'd realize it wasn't me
that terminated him!

Are you saying it was him?

That's right, him.

Our mysterious friend, the Cobra.

He must have had position
in a room above me.

I went after him, but he got away
across the roof.

-Did you see him?
-No such bloody luck.

Damn!

A file as thick as your arm,

a dozen killings,
and not even a description.

Who the hell is this fellow anyway?

A man who's very careful about loose ends.

Are you saying that the
dead Bulgarian was a loose end?

Well, obviously there'd been
some previous contact.

Then when I dropped
into the scene,

and the Bulgarian panicked,
the Cobra severed the link.

All right.

Assuming...

assuming that we can ascribe
this fiasco to bad luck,

what in the name of Heaven

were you doing letting this
Fletcher woman get involved?

Well, I didn't exactly plan it.

Just ran into her at the airport.

I've known her casually
for a couple of years.

Yes. That business with
our Embassy in Washington.

I thought she'd be good cover
to get out of the airport,

so I offered her a lift to her hotel.

-You didn't tell her anything?
-No, of course not.

But when you called me on the car phone

and told me about the meeting--

well, I, uh, I didn't
have much choice, did I?

This is absolutely intolerable.

This woman's going to talk to the police.

She may even talk to the press.

She is going to compromise everything.

I'm not wet behind the bloody ears,
Lancaster.

I've got Mrs. Fletcher covered.

Temporarily.

[phone ringing]

[indistinct chatter]

[clears throat]
Excuse me, sergeant.

I wonder how much longer
you want me to wait here.

I'm running a little late
for an appointment.

So's the stiff from the alley.

But, look, I've already
given you my statement,

and, uh, as I told you,
I didn't actually see who fired the shot.

Have you learned who the poor man was?

What?

Oh, you figure we're slow or something?

You thought we wouldn't find out?

Ivanov Daki, Bulgarian trade attaché

at least that's the cover he was using.

-The cover?
-Yeah. Speaking of cover,

-what's your real name?
-I've already told you.

It's Jessica Fletcher.
My I.D. is in my purse,

which iId like to have back,
if you don't mind, Sergeant.

Okay, lady. Now the jukebox

just stopped playin',
and you're out of quarters.

So what do you say we cut the crap

and get down to cases, huh?

We already checked,

and the real Jessica Fletcher
reported her luggage

and her purse stolen
at the airport.

But that's impossible.

And besides that, we got a telephone tip

from a concerned citizen

who saw you blow away the Bulgarian.

So spare me the horse pucky, huh?

Now, who are you, what's your nationality,

and who do you work for?

This is absurd.

My name is Jessica Fletcher,
and I live in Cabot Cove, Maine.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, andIi'm
the mayor of Pismo Beach.

Book her as a Jane Doe. Lock her up.

Wait!

Sergeant,
I was supposed to meet

my nephew, Grady Fletcher.

He-he's an accountant here on business,

and he's staying at
the Royal Imperial Hotel.

He'll vouch for me.
[chuckles]

All right.

Let's review this situation

from the damage-control position.

In two day's time,
Leonard Matoso arrives here

from Africa to give
a speech at Berkeley.

Oh, yes.

A highly publicized,
politically orchestrated event...

engineered to embarrass
the entrenched regime in his own country.

Matoso is a can of petrol
looking for a match.

The ruling party is afraid
to touch him at home,

but if he's hit here,
their hands are clean.

So they lay off the
contract on the Bulgarians.

Or maybe his own people
are willing to sacrifice

him to set the barn on fire.
I mean, maybe they're the ones

with the connection
to the Bulgarians.

Well, either way,

our sources in the
Bulgarian Consulate...

indicate that the Cobra
has accepted the contract...

for half a million.

And what do the Americans
have to say?

As usual, they doubt our information.

Personally, I think they're terrified

to cancel Matoso at Berkeley.

Officially, of course,
their answer is that

their security arrangements
are adequate for the risk.

Now, we're outsiders here.

We have to play this
very, very, very low key.

But if Matoso is terminated,

the Americans won't have
to clean up the mess in Africa.

-We will.
-Thanks to Hagarty,

we already have a mess to clean up.

What's that supposed
to mean, boyo?

It means the Bulgarian contact
with the Cobra is dead,

and our source in the
Consulate may be compromised,

all because you've got
a panicky trigger finger.

I think you must have
a hearing problem, Travis.

I didn't terminate Ivanov.

Well...
[chuckles]

we only have
your word for that, don't we?

Which isn't exactly gilt-edged

since you bungled that business
in Madrid last year.

And what about Mozambique?

It was Danny Frame,

one of our own men the Cobra killed,

and you were supposed
to be covering him!

All right now. That's enough.

I'll have both of you on charges
if you do not stop this now.

Thank you. Now if we can
return to the problem.

My sources indicate
that there was no money

on the dead Bulgarian
when he was found.

There wasn't anything
in the hotel room. I checked.

So the payoff had
already been made.

Was it?

Then why was the Bulgarian
hanging around,

if the money had already
exchanged hands?

No. No, I don't buy that.

Well, what difference
does it make now?

We've still got Matoso coming in
the day after tomorrow.

I say we abort.
Stop him before he leaves Africa.

That might be a bit dicey.

We have two days.

As long as the bait is dangling,
let's play this thing out.

We may still have
a chance to take the Cobra,

whoever he is.

[woman coughing]

[coughing continues]
Hi.

Oh.

I feel like a rhinoceros
crawled inside my head and died.

I can't handle this stuff
the way I used to. Oh.

Wouldn't happen to have an aspirin
on you, would you, honey?

Oh, I'm afraid the police
confiscated my purse.

Pigs!
[coughs]

What ya in for, honey?

Oh. Uh- uh, it's all a misunderstanding.

Yeah, I know what you mean.
With me it was political.

Political?

Well, how was I to know
he was the State Senator?

It wasn't me that hit him in the head
with the beer bottle!

Sixteen stitches sounds like a lot,

but it was hardly more than a scratch.

-What's your name, honey?
-Jessica.

Jessica Fletcher.

Mine's Veronica.
You know, like Veronica Lake.

Matter of fact, when I was younger,

people used to notice the resemblance.

Oh. I have to go lay down
for a while, Jessica.

Sorry to trouble you, Mr. Fletcher,

but this is important.

Oh, no problem, sir.

Grady! Oh, Grady,

I've never been so glad
to see anyone in my life!

This your aunt, Mr. Fletcher?

No, sorry.

I have never seen this woman
before in my whole life.

Grady, for Heaven's sakes.

Tell 'em who I am.

No. No way.

No way is this lady Jessica Fletcher.

Yeah, that's what I figured.

Grady. Grady!

[door closes, sighs]

So, that's the lady that stole

my aunt's purse and luggage, huh?
[chuckles]

Yeah. Sure looks harmless,
doesn't she?

Well, actually, I thought
she looked kind of nice.

She even resembles my aunt.
Well, superficially.

You know, you been
around as long as I have,

you develop a sixth sense.

-Yeah.
-I can always spot a killer by the eyes.

A killer?

Iced a commie in the alley
with a cold gun.

Lucky we had a squad car a block away.

No. I mean, there must
be some kind of mistake.

She couldn't-a commie?

We're kinda keeping
this under wraps,

but we got her figured for
some kind of enemy agent.

Anyhow, soon as you hear from your aunt,

you have her give us a call, huh?

A commie?

You want a chair?
You might be more comfortable.

Excuse me. Are you Nash?

Yeah. What can I do for you?

Joe Santiago, Miami P.D.

oh, yeah, I heard the captain
talking about you.

You're here on-what?
Extradition or somethin'?

Yeah, I got a murder witness

decided to skip out
to the Bay Area.

Somebody had to come here
and twist his arm.

I had some
vacation leave coming.

The department sprung
for my plane ticket.

Yeah, tough duty, huh?

Well, anything you need,
you just let me know, huh?

Thanks.

Actually, I was looking at
this report you have here.

Oh. A foreigner hit in the alley. Sure.

Jane Doe arrest.

You know, Nash,
it's kinda weird.

We had a murder about six months ago,
same M.O. exactly.

Greek national, shot in an alley.

We got a description from
a cab driver on a woman...

that sorta looks like this Jane Doe.

-No kidding?
-Yeah.

We sent her prints to
Washington and Interpol.

That'll take a week or more.

But you think there
could be some connection?

I don't know. Probably nothing.

But, uh, maybe I
could talk to her?

Sure. Why not?

I, uh, imagine,
all things considered,

she's a bit upset?

Yeah, you could say that.

She'll probably never
speak to me again.

But your identification,

or rather, your lack of it,
you made that stick?

Yeah. Look, uh--uh--

it's all right. I told you
you could call me Michael.

I went along with you on
this for only one reason.

You said it was for her own safety.

And it is, Grady. I-- trust me.

Trust you? Well, nobody said anything
about a murder charge!

Shh! Not here.

Look, I think
I made a big mistake.

I mean, she was counting on me,
and I let her down.

I think I ought to go
back and tell the truth.

Oh, I can't let you do that.

You can't? What do you mean,
you can't?

I hardly even know you.
As a matter of fact,

I don't even know
you at all,

except for what my
Aunt Jess told me,

and all that sounds
kind of weird.

Ah, all right, son.

I suppose you deserve
some kind of an explanation.

It is a breach of security,
but, uh...

I'll tell you this much.

A man was killed. Jessica was there.

What man? Where?

It doesn't matter what his name is.
It's immaterial.

But he was...from the other side.

You mean...

I mean, there's an
assassination in the works.

If it comes off, it could cause
quite a stir in international circles.

Espionage? Oh, wow.

Jessica may be in danger,
depending on what she saw.

That's why it's better
if she stays in jail.

I-I never realized.

You mean, like there's--
there's national security that's involved?

[sighs] I've already
told you too much.

Okay, count me in.
What can I do to help?

Nothing.

Hey, if my Aunt Jess
is in danger,

I'm not just sittin'
around on my hands.

All right.

Go back to your hotel.

-Stay there.
-Right.

If anyone comes nosing around
asking about Jessica,

for any reason whatever,

I want you to call me
at this number.

Right.

Wow.

About this Englishman you say
you picked up at the airport-

well, actually,
he picked me up.

Uh, well, what I mean
to say is that-

Michael Hagarty?
That's his name?

-Yes.
-Now come on, lady.

We checked the British
passport bureau.

They got no record
of any Michael Hagarty.

Well, maybe I got
the name wrong.

Uh, it wouldn't
be the first time.

The first time you met him?

No, the first time
that I got a name wrong.

Lieutenant, I have been
held here for several hours,

and I haven't even been
permitted to make a phone call.

About this car you were drivin',

leased to a Midstate
Plumbing Supplies?

Only there ain't
no Midstate Plumbing.

Look, I don't even know
how to drive a car.

Look, a simple Nitrate test

will prove that
I did not fire the gun.

So, you were wearing gloves.

Oh, for heaven's sakes,
why don't you test the gloves?

So how come you know
so much about Nitrate tests?

It's my business to know.

Wh-what I mean is that,
um, I'm a mystery writer,

and, uh, I do a lot of research.

Is that why you stole
the Fletcher woman's I.D.?

Lady, lady, lady, look.
Who do you work for?

Maybe we can make a deal.

Will you two please
listen to me?

I have tried to be as
helpful as I know how,

and I have certainly
been very patient

under the circumstances.
But I know my rights,

and I insist on phoning
my attorney.

We're not infringing on
anybody's rights, lady.

Your attorney's here now.
You're free to talk to him.

Michael, what have
you done to me?

[southern accent]
Michael? Why, no, ma'am.

Derek Dawson,
of Peabody, Perkins & Proctor,

at your service.

And my professional advice
is that you give

no statement to the police.

[normal voice] I suspect
they wouldn't believe you anyway.

Well, they certainly don't.

And I'm sure I have you
to thank for it.

Oh, I finally realized
who reported my purse stolen,

and who the concerned citizen
was who conveniently witnessed

me bumping off that poor man.

I don't know how you managed it,
but you even got to Grady!

I suggest you keep
your voice down.

You are entitled
to confidentiality.

Keep my voice down?

Michael, I am so angry

I hardly know how to begin.

Now look, I haven't seen
you for almost a year.

You turn up at the airport,

offer to drive me
back to my hotel,

and then you leave me
waiting in an alley.

Just a bit of bad luck, Jessica.
Couldn't be helped.

Oh? Is that what you call it,
bad luck?

Here I am, arrested for a murder
that you committed,

and you call that bad luck?

But he might have killed you.

Well, does that give you
the right to pin it on me?

Well, I would have killed him,

but the truth is,

somebody else fired the shot.

Somebody else?
I didn't see anyone else.

Are you sure?

Nobody coming into the alley?

Nobody going into the hotel?

A face in a window?
Think, Jessica, think.

Michael, for heaven's sakes,
what's going on?

Tell me, please.

[sighs]

Well, we've, uh,

crossed trails with
a political assassin.

We call him the Cobra,

but we haven't the foggiest idea

who he is or what he looks like.

And the man in the rumpled suit?

Ah, he was just
his Iron Curtain contact.

He was there to pay him his fee.

I think he was liquidated
to keep his mouth shut.

Oh, dear.

Now, the Cobra may
think you saw him.

That's why I decided that
you were safer in jail.

[southern accent]
But it'll only be for a few more days.

A few more days?

Yes. I will be in touch.

You take good care of this lady.

I am holdin' you responsible.

Good day to you both.

Anything you want to order
from room service?

[sighs]

Actually, yes,
there-there is something.

Uh, there was a paperback book
that you took away from me,

and, uh, well, I wasn't
finished reading it.

Sure. Why not?

You're gonna have a lot of time

to catch up on your reading.

[bell ringing]

[knocking]

Can I help you?

I'm looking for Jessica Fletcher.
Where is she?

She's not here at the moment.

Terrific. What about my appointment?

Appointment?

The interview...
for the article I'm writing.

Are you her secretary?

No, I'm her nephew.

Well, then, where is she?

Detained.

Let me tell you.

I find this
extremely annoying.

The lady agrees to do
a personality profile

for The Chronicle,
and then she stiffs me.

Oh, yeah, I remember.
Aunt Jess did mention

an interview with
The Chronicle.

That's me,
Glenda Morrison.

Maybe you caught that series
I did on the Afghanistan War.

No, I guess I missed that.

Well, what about the, uh,

feature I did on
the assassination

of that Nicaraguan general?

I mean, all the wire
services picked it up.

I didn't catch that one either.

Hey, don't you have
newspapers in Cabot Cove?

Well, actually,
I live in New York.

Look, have Mrs. Fletcher
call me at uh...

at this number.

Not at the paper.
I'm hardly ever there.

And tell her if she wants
to plug her book,

she'd better clear some time,

like, uh, right away.

cause it's scheduled
for the weekend edition.

Not much to go on, is there?

Body counts, damage reports,
dates, places.

But the man himself?
Nothing but a shadow.

Yes.

Cobra certainly knows
how to cover his tracks.

But he's too bloody good.

It's almost as if he were working
with inside information.

Yes.

He made a fool of me,
you know.

Remember that business when
I was station chief in Kenya?

He blew up a busload of police,
didn't he?

Mmm.

I often wondered
if that is the reason

they chose to exile
me to California.

[both laugh]

Strange that he should
turn up again on my patch.

Ah, well, another three months,

early retirement,
my rose garden in Sussex.

And then he'll be
somebody else's problem.

Has it occurred to you that
our boat may have sprung a leak?

Michael, don't let your frustrations

force you to go looking
for goblins under the bed.

Oh, by the way, um,
Travis took a message for you.

A telephone call from
some chap called Grady.

I think I'll get
something to eat.

Can I get you anything?

No, thank you. I'm fine.

I've just been in touch
with my source

in the Bulgarian Consulate.

It's his understanding
that Ivanov Daki

definitely left the Consulate
with the payoff.

According to the
San Francisco police,

no money was found
on the body.

Michael, however,
is convinced

that the payment hadn't been made
before Daki was terminated.

A puzzling contradiction,

if you believe Hagarty's
version of what happened.

Travis, a word of advice.

I wouldn't go
making accusations

unless I could find hard evidence
to back them up.

Well, doesn't it
strike you as strange

that the Fletcher woman
just happened to be there?

The Fletcher woman, yes.

And I suppose that
if she did see something,

then she would be in
great personal danger.

[chuckles] But then,
Hagarty's got that covered, hasn't he?

With the Fletcher woman in jail,

Hagarty seems to have
himself well covered.

Well, you told me to
contact you if, you know,

anything unusual
happened at the hotel.

Uh, two, please.

But this Miss, uh, Morrison,

she said she was
there for an interview?

No sauerkraut, please.

Yeah, well, that's
what she said.

But think about it.

A hotshot foreign correspondent,
travels a lot.

It's a perfect cover.
I mean, she was right there

when some general in
Nicaragua got blown away.

Ah. Maybe she's
just a good reporter.

Mmm. Come here.

Sorry.

I phoned The Chronicle.

They said they'd never even
heard of a Glenda Morrison.

Let me see the number
she gave you.

Here.

[gunshot]

[tires squealing]

[spits]

[trolley bell ringing]

[chattering]

Detective Sergeant Nash?
Yes.

I'm... Kevin Styles,

special atorney with
the State Department.

State Department, huh?
[chuckles]

I figured we'd be
hearin' from you guys.

Well, this is strictly unofficial.

As a matter of fact,
we really prefer to stay out of this.

As a matter of fact, uh,

we're not really
having this meeting,

if you get my drift.

What are we telling
the Bulgarians?

We're minimizing it.

The story is
a simple armed robbery

that resulted in a homicide.
Non-political.

Also non-believable.

Oh, Mr. Styles,
Lieutenant Joe Santiago, Miami police.

He's here on a
special assignment.

Ah, ah. Miami,
one of my favorite cities.

Haven't we met somewhere?

I don't think so, no.

So are the Bulgarians buying
this robbery-homicide story?

Strangely enough,

they're taking it at face value.
As a matter of fact,

they haven't even
filed an official protest.

Look, I'm just an observer
on this thing,

but, uh... well, was he robbed?

No. No, not the way we got it.

You see, the Bulgarian only had
a few bucks in his pocket,

and the arresting officer
didn't find anything on the Jane Doe,

except for the stolen purse,
which clinches it for me.

It was political.

You know, I'm sure
I've run into you before.

Uh, were you by any chance at Yale?

Afraid not.

Paris? One of those
diplomatic parties?

I was in Paris last year, yes.

Some liaison work
with Interpol.

But I don't remember
attending any parties,

and frankly, Mr. Styles,

if we had met, iI'd remember.

No matter. Uh, can you cut me
a copy of the file on this?

No problem.

-And, uh, Sergeant Nash?
-Mmm?

Don't release
anything to the press

until you run it
past me first, okay?

The press hasn't
got a whiff of this.

At least, not yet.

[bell ringing]

I could have been
killed back there.

I mean, it is just
beginning to sink in.

Somebody tried to kill me!

Grady, I don't want you
to take this personally,

but, uh, I don't think that shot
was meant for you.

Oh, yeah, well, that's not
a real comforting thought.

What if he tries again?

That's not a terribly
comforting thought either.

Listen, son, think.

Could you have been followed?

Yeah, sure. I wasn't
paying that much attention.

Oh, geez.

No, it's clear. It's clear.

I've been looking in the mirror.

Well, I think we better take you
back to your hotel.

Hey, look.
I might have been shot at,

but that doesn't mean I'm quitting.

No, no, it's all right,
boyo. It's all right.

Did I suggest you were? No.

I think it's time
that we bait another line

and see if we can
get ourself a bite.

They're not gonna push me around.

Not this cookie.

I'm gonna give my
congressman an earful.

You ought to try it, honey.

Nothing makes 'em sit up
and take notice around here

like a letter from Washington.

Mrs. Fletcher.

I never thought
the sound of my own name

would be such a relief.
Am I being released?

Not likely, I'm afraid.

But I didn't shoot that man.

I mean, why won't
anybody believe me?

-Oh, I believe you.
-You do?

It was Michael Hagarty
who killed him, wasn't it?

Who are you?

The name's not important,

but I'm with British
counterintelligence.

And we're onto Hagarty.

And we know you two
were working together.

But that's ridiculous.

Your loyalty's very touching,
but I'm afraid misplaced.

Hagarty's left you
holding the bag, Mrs. Fletcher.

Now, he may have promised
to share that money with you,

but, um, don't hold your breath.

You'll never see a penny of it.

What money?

The half a million
the Bulgarian was carrying.

But of course,
he forgot to tell you.

He didn't tell me
because we never discussed it.

And I am not working with him.

Look, you've made a big mistake
by protecting him,

but if you're willing
to give evidence against him,

we'll take this up
with the police,

and you'll be
out of this clean.

But I couldn't give
evidence against Michael

even if I wanted to,

because I didn't
see him do anything.

And I don't know anything
about a half a million dollars.

And I have to wonder why
a British intelligence agent

is wearing a patrolman's uniform...

and is coming sneaking
back here to talk to me.

Maybe I should, uh, call Sergeant Nash
and ask him about it.

[door closes]
Gee, honey,

I had you figured for

shoplifting or maybe kiting checks.

But murder?

Jessica, I knew you had class.

Mrs. Fletcher?

[knocking]

Mrs. Fletcher?

[gasps]

Hey! Take it easy!

What the hell is going on?

Perhaps you could tell us,
Miss Morrison.

That is your name, isn't it?
Morrison?

[grunts]
Huh?

Or perhaps not.

All I know is
this guy calls me

and tells me his aunt
is ready for my interview!

Next thing I know,
I'm gettin' mugged!

A few hours ago,
did you follow me?

Follow you?
What's he talking about?

Look, lady, we know you don't work
for The Chronicle.

So what's your game?

Well, I never actually said

I workedfor The Chronicle.

I'm just doing a piece for them.

You know, on--on a freelance basis!

Well, if you're such
a hotshot foreign correspondent,

how come they
never heard of you?

Well, maybe
I exaggerated a little.

Hey, freelancing is a tough racket.

Who's gonna give you an interview

if they know you're working on spec?

Well, you lied to my aunt to get

the interview in the first place.

Why should we believe you now?

Because it's the truth.

Well, not exactly the truth.

What I really had in mind
was a profile

on J.B. Fletcher for Rolling Stone,

but I figured she'd be
more likely to go for it if...

I told her it was for The Chronicle.

Rolling Stone?Really?

Yeah.

He said he was with
British intelligence,

but he could have been anybody.

From your description
and his heavy-handed approach,

it sounds like our man
Roger Travis.

-What'd you tell him?
-Nothing.

I don't mind telling you, my girl,

I don't like Travis being here.

What did he want?

Michael, he thinks that
you killed that man,

took the payoff money,
and he's one of your people?

[chuckles]

This is not the time or the place

to hang out
the company's dirty laundry, Jessica.

But there's something
about the Cobra's M.O.

that smells even more
like an inside job.

Are you telling me that
he's merely paranoid?

Or maybe I am.

Or maybe somebody's
just kicking dust in our eyes.

Michael, what did happen
to that money?

I doubt if there was
ever any cash.

A half a million
would be too bulky.

No, it's more likely something
less obvious, like a--

a Swiss account number,
a claim check.

Well, whatever it was,

perhaps this man
who calls himself the Cobra

already has it.

No. No, it doesn't cipher, Jessica.

And some of the funny things
that have happened since

tell me he never
got the money.

Which why I still think
you're safer in jail.

What funny things?

Oh, nothing really.

Now look here, Michael.

You may thrive on these
cloak-and-dagger shenanigans, but I don't.

And I have no intention of spending
another moment locked up in here.

Now I insist that we go to Sergeant Nash
and you tell him who I am,

and that this has all been
a terrible misunderstanding.

Do I make myself clear?

Veronica, uh, do you still have
any of those writing materials?

Sure, honey.
Share and share alike.

You gonna write
your congressman too?

Well, it's a way of passing the time.

[phone ringing]

[dog growling]

[softly]
Stop. Sit. Sit!

Stop it. Stop it. Shh. Shh.
[barks, growling]

[phone ringing]

Do you have a, uh,
Jessica Fletcher registered?

J.B. Fletcher? 2308.

Is there a problem, lieutenant?

No. Strictly routine.
Uh, she reported a theft.

-Here in the hotel?
-No, at the airport.

Oh, good.

[growling]

[gun cocks]

Who are you?

Okay, nobody make any sudden moves.

Now, who are you?

My name is Grady Fletcher.
This is my hotel room.

I mean, that's why I'm here.

Glenda Morrison.

I'm a member of the press.

And who are you?

Lieutenant Santiago.

Police business.
Sorry about the gun,

but, uh, you did kind of startle me.

Okay. Okay, does someone
want to tell me

what is going on here?

I mean, I know I am onto
one hell of a story,

but I don't know what it is.

So what is it?

Was J.B. Fletcher kidnapped?
Something like that?

No!

No, uh, nothing like that at all.

Mrs. Fletcher's luggage and purse
were stolen. That's all.

Ah. And you expected
to find it behind the mirror?

We've already
arrested the thief.

Actually, we think Mrs. Fletcher

is involved in something else.

Uh, we were searching the room

to make sure she hadn't
hidden anything here.

Like what?

That's confidential.
Police business.

Oh.

Well, you wouldn't happen
to have a search warrant

by any chance, would you?

I don't need one.
I have the hotel's permission.

Well, I'm finished here.

Hope I didn't startle you too much.

Ha!

So, how come you've got
a key to our suite?

Hey, a good reporter
is supposed to be resourceful.

Okay, Grady. Is that your name, Grady?

What really happened to your aunt?

She's--well, actually,
she's visiting friends.

Who? Where?
What's her number?

I don't know.
I mean, I don't remember.

Somebody grabbed her, right?
She was kidnapped.

[phone ringing]
No.

-Your phone's ringing.
-I know that.

Maybe you ought to answer it.

-I'm going to.
-It could be the kidnappers!

Look, I am telling you,
there are no kidnappers.

Hello?

Grady?

What?

Honey, it's me, Donna.

Oh. Hi. How are you?

Is it Mrs. Fletcher?

Grady, who-who was that?

Is there someone there with you?

No! I-I mean, it's just the television.

It's her, right?
Let me talk to her. Will you let go?

Grady, what is going on?

Who is that woman?

Come on. Come on. Come on.

Mrs. Fletcher,
your nephew is terrific.

He really, really is. He's gonna tell you
all I want is a story.

[gasps]
Hello?

[dial tone]
Grady?

Hello. Hello, Donna?

You know, for a mature woman,
her voice is very young.

That was my fiancée!

Yeah, right.

Then you've actually met
Senator Deauville?

Mr. Styles, ordinarily
I don't like to drop names.

But quite frankly,
I don't know what else to do.

The truth is that I'm acquainted

with a number of influential people
in Washington.

Mrs. Fletcher, if indeed
you are Jessica Fletcher,

this could turn out
to be very embarrassing.

Well, if you think this is
embarrassing for you, think how I feel.

Look, Mr. Styles,
there's a simple way to deal with this.

Go to any bookstore,
and my-my picture

is on the dustcover
of all of my books.

I'll do that, immediately.

Oh, I'd be so grateful if you would.

In the meantime,
is there anything you need?

Would you like some fruit,
something to read?

Well, I hope I'm not
going to be here.

Oh, I see you're
a Zane Gray fan. So am I.

[Veronica coughing]
Oh.

I don't think
I've read this one.

Oh, please, Mr. Styles,

it's extremely important
that I get this solved quickly.

Uh, yes, of course.
I'll be in touch.

Thank you.

Rise and shine, Veronica.

Be back in 10 minutes to take
you over to your arraignment.

Don't forget
to comb your hair, honey.

[whispers]
Pigs.

Veronica, could you make a phone
call before your court appearance?

Sure.

Even if they don't let me,
my lawyer could do it.

What do you need, Jessica?

I have to get a message
to my nephew at the hotel.

It's terribly important.

You might even say
it's a matter of life and death.

[clears throat]

Yes, Travis, what is it?

Sir, I've just interrogated
the Fletcher woman.

What? Where, in jail?

Yes, sir.

Well, was that wise, Travis?

I had cover. And frankly, sir,

I think it vindicates my theory.

What theory was that, Travis?

I think Hagarty shot the Bulgarian
and got away with the money.

Ah. Is that what the
Fletcher woman told you?

No. She's still protecting him.

Well, damn it, man,
it's just speculation.

Is it?

I think Hagarty set her up
to take the fall,

confuse his trail
while he gets away.

All right, Travis.
Let's get this out into the open.

Tell Michael that I want
to speak to him, will you?

I've been trying to contact him
for over an hour.

He may already have
slipped away.

Mr. Styles, back already?
Oh, this is a relief.

Where is it, 00:43:25,211
Uh, where is what?
Did you lose something?

I'm really rather pressed for time.

I want the stamp.

Oh, yes. The stamp on the postcard.

The one with the two heads
printed on it.

-Very unusual.
-Unique.

An error in the printing.

There are only three in existence.

And worth a great deal
of money, I would guess.

Just a stab...

uh, probably...
half a million dollars?

Mrs. Fletcher,
hasn't your mother

ever told you that
curiosity killed the cat?

It dawned on me that you weren't
with the State Department,

that you were in
business for yourself,

and a very nasty
little business at that.

My compliments on
your deductive powers.

I would like to know how
you figured it out,

but as I said,
I don't have the time.

Please don't force me
to do something ugly.

-You wouldn't dare.
-Oh, but I would.

Please don't bother to scream.

We have your nephew.

If I don't walk out of here
now and with the stamp...

you're very persuasive, Mr. Styles.

Or course, that isn't your name.

But Mr. Cobra sounds so...theatrical.

Now.

It's in the toe of my shoe.

Now relax. Relax, boyo,

or the next sound you hear
will be a .38 soft nose

crashin' through your brainpan.

[bell ringing]

Donna. Donna, I did try
to call you back, honest.

Well, how did I know you were calling
from someone else's house?

-There you are.
-Thank you.

Mmm. Would you, uh, check
the contents, Mrs. Fletcher,

and, uh, would you
sign right here?

I'm--I'm really sorry that,
uh, we got things mixed up.

Well, it wasn't entirely
your fault, Sergeant Nash.

You mean, that
funny-lookin' stamp

was the payoff to the hit man?

Well, I didn't spot it at first,
but then I noticed...

that the cancellation marks
hadn't run across it,

and that's when I got the hunch.

So I took the stamp off the postcard

and stuck another one on.

But how'd you know
it was Styles?

I didn't. But when
he came to see me

he seemed very interested
in the book the Bulgarian

was carrying
when he was shot.

And sure enough,
after he left,

I found that the postcard was missing.

Which meant he knew about the stamp.

-Mm hmm.
-Pretty slick.

Oh, hi, Grady.
How's Donna?

Hmm? Oh, fine now, I think.

Boy, aunt Jess, I tell you,

women sure get some screwy ideas.

[laughs]
Yes.

And why do they always start crying
at the least little thing?

You know, I've always
wondered about that myself.

I guess it's just something
that you have to get used to.

Well, my girl,
all's well that ends well.

-Yes.
-My car's downstairs.

You've plenty of time
to catch your plane.

Oh, you're very sweet,

but I hate to put
you to all this trouble.

Trouble? Not a bit of it.
But there is one thing.

I promised my chief I'd do him a favour,
pick up some microfilm

from one of our undercover agents
in Chinatown.

It won't take a minute. It's on our way.

Grady...

Call a cab.