All language subtitles for McBride_Its_Murder_Madam_2005

[solemn music]

- Thank you Mr. Sinclair.

- Your witness, Mr. McBride.

- Mr. Sinclair,

you stated that you were

driving past the warehouse, uh,

on the night of April 17th.

- Yes.
- And do you remember the time?

- It was around midnight.
- Can you tell us what you saw?

- Objection. The witness has
already told the court.

- Then it won't be difficult
for Mr. Sinclair

to repeat his eyewitness
testimony,

one more time, for the record.

- Overruled.

You may ask.

- I was driving home, past the
warehouse.

It was late, and I was tired.

So I wasn't traveling fast.

- That's when you saw
something?

- I saw a man dressed in a
security guard's uniform,

walking along the loading dock
of the warehouse.

- And then what happened?

- The man stopped to look at
something.

So, I slowed down even
more to see what he was doing.

Out from a dumpster came a man
that startled me.

The man hit the guard on the
head with a pipe,

and then ran away.

- What did you do?

- I took out my cell phone and
called the police.

- Is that man in the court
today?

- Yes, right there.

- You're sure this is the man?

- Absolutely.

- It was late at night,

you stated you were tired,

you were, at least, a hundred
feet away.

It must have been a very
traumatic experience.

- Objection.

Counsel is leading the witness

to change his story.
- Your Honor,

with all due respect, this
preliminary hearing is to decide

whether to charge my
client with murder,

based on an eyewitness report
made late at night,

from a distance.
Now, forensics has
already testified

there were no fingerprints on
the murder weapons.

So the only thing tying my
client to the murder scene is

Mr. Sinclair's positive
identification of my client.

- Overruled.

- Now, Mr. Sinclair, you are
positive

that this is the man?

- It was him.

- Would it help if I had him

stand up and pretend to run
away?

- If you insist, but it won't
change my mind.

I know it was him.

Who is this?

- Mr. Newberry, my associate.

This is Matthew Turner, my
client.

- The prosecution withdraws its
charge against Mr. Turner.

[mellow music]

[knockng at door]

- Yes.

- Are you Heather Bronson?

- Uh, what do you want?

- I was hoping I might find
some work through you.

- Work?

- Natalie told me about you.

- Natalie?
- Yeah. She's my best friend
back home in Omaha.

- Well, what exactly did
Natalie tell you?

- That you helped her find
work as a dinner escort to some
business men.

And that it really helped her,

while she was trying to get her
acting career started.

- Well,

why don't you come in.

So, what's your name?

- Uh, Marilyn Fletcher.

- Marilyn, so have a
seat, Marilyn.

- Oh, thank you.

- So, um, how is...

- Natalie?
- Yeah.

- I guess she's doing all
right. She told me she met a

wonderful businessman through
your service.

And that he offered her a job
traveling to Japan.

That was six months ago and I
haven't heard from her since.

So, [LAUGH] I guess she's having
a pretty good time.

I'm sorry, may I use your powder
room.

I came straight over as soon as
I checked into the hotel.

- Oh, absolutely.

It's just down the hall, the
second door on the right.

- Thank you.

- Hello.

- Harold, it's Heather.

- I didn't think I was going to
hear from you.

- Well, you're in luck.

I can accommodate you after all.

A little something has just
arrived,

hot off the assembly line from
Nebraska.

- O-oh, sounds wonderful.

- Oh, it's just the model
you've been looking for.

Five hundred for dinner and a
look-see.

- What do you mean a look-see?

- Well, you like what you see,

and then we'll talk about a real
test drive.

- Sounds good.

Um, I'll make a dinner
reservation for 7:30 tonight.

- At the hotel?

- Of course.

Uh, we'll deal with this the
usual way.

- No, you pay me directly.

And remember, Harold, tonight is
just a look-see.

- I wouldn't have it any other
way.

- Well, I'll drop by and
collect later.

- Wanna go to San Francisco
this weekend?
- What?

- I thought we'd fly up
Saturday morning

and have dinner in Sausalito,
and spend the night.

- Oh, you did.

- Yeah.

- Oh, that's nice.

But, no.

- What do you mean no?

- Mac, you're a good guy.

You were a great cop, and you're
a terrific lawyer.

And I'll always do whatever I
can to help you.

- Are you saying what I think
you're saying?

- What I am saying

is that I will always be there
for you,

as a friend.

Just don't expect anything more.

I've got someone, and you know
what else.

I can count on him.

- Roberta, who is he.

Roberta.

- That's a very pretty dress,
Marilyn.

- Thank you.

- So, Heather tells me that
you're new in town.

Thank you.
- Brand new.

I just arrived today, actually.

- Today.

From...

- Nebraska.

- That's wonderful.

- Oh, I don't know about that.

[LAUGH] Just a lot of corn.

- And corn-fed beauties.

- Thank you.

It must be really difficult for
you.

- What?

- Losing your wife.

- Huh?

- Heather told me you're a
widower.

- Um, I think about her all the
time.

- I'm sorry.

I don't mean to bring up
memories to make you sad.

[LAUGH] I guess I'm not very
good at this.

I've never done it before.

- No, you never have done this
before, have you.

Marilyn, what did I tell you?

Isn't that view spectacular?

- [LAUGH] It's beautiful.

We don't have anything like this
in Nebraska.

- Come over here.

[LAUGH]

- Did you call the cab? [LAUGH]

I'll wait downstairs in
the lobby.

- Wait a minute, wait a minute.

What is it?

You want more money.

I'll give you all the money you
want.

- Uh, look, I, I don't want
anything.

I just wanna leave.

- What do you think this
evening was about?

- Let me go, you creep.

I need to report an attempted
rape.
- Calm down.

I need you to tell me exactly
what happened.

- Harold Paxton, I just met him
for dinner tonight at the Grand
Hotel.

And then he took me to his hotel
suite and he tried to attack me.

- Harold Paxton, he's your
boyfriend, your husband?

- No, no, Heather Bronson set
it up.

- Heather Bronson used to run
Hollywood's most famous call
girl service.

- She sent me out to be a call
girl?

- We'll check into Mr. Paxton
at the Grand Hotel

and we'll send someone over and
have a look at you.

- Oh, I could kill her for
this.

- Miss, we're not finished
here.

If you could just...

- Miss Bronson?

[eerie music]

Miss Bronson. Heather?

Hello?

Heather?

Heather?

[eerie music]

[screams]

- Your neighbor reported a
scream.

Who are you?

[eerie music]

Dispatch, this is Charlie, one,
four, over.

- Here you go.

- Thank you, Roberta.

- Please tell Mr. Collins that
I'm obliged to give

the same information to the
defendant's attorney.

- Grimes.

Not a problem.

- Thank you.

- Mm hmm.

- What's up?

- Hey.
Thanks for coming right in.

Look, an arrest was made last
night.

A young woman, she can use some
help, your kind of help.

- Somebody you know?
- No, she only arrived here in
L.A. yesterday,

from Nebraska.

- In trouble her first day,
hmm.

What's she charged with?

- Murder.

- Who is she suspected of
killing?

- Heather Bronson.

- Wow.
From the cornfields of Nebraska

right into the sticky arms of
Heather Bronson,

and directly to jail.

Busy day.

- Mac, I questioned her

when they brought her in.

She's a nalve, unsophisticated
young woman,

who's never been 50 miles away
from her home.

- And you don't think she came
to L.A. purposely to work for
Heather Bronson?

- Absolutely not.

Her parents died, when she was a
kid.

Her grandmother raised her.

Her grandmother gave her $500,

a bus ticket, and her blessing.

Something tells me that

there's a lot more

to Heather Bronson's death.

- O-oh, Roberta, a gut feeling?

- She's being arraigned this
morning.

- Coincidence.
I'm just on my way to court,

look in on a case that Phil took
on his own.

You already knew that, didn't
you?

- Yes, thank you.

Her name's Marilyn Fletcher.

- Thanks, man.

Yes.

- You're the man.

Yeah.

- Come here, honey.

- Hey, didn't you tell me
10:30?

- I did.

- Where's your client?

- Uh, right there.

- What happened?

- The plaintiff went through
with a case of action.

- Terrific.

- No, it's not terrific.

My client told the plaintiff
that I worked for you,

and he said if he didn't go for
a small settlement that

you were gonna come in here onto
the case,

and destroy him.

- He what?
- Yeah.

- I thought you took this case
because you said you knew the
guy.

- We went to college together.

- Well, I would keep that to
myself.

- Well, at least he paid.
- Hey, it's not about

the client's check, all right,
Philip.

It's about the client.

And have you tried cashing the
check?

- The defendant will restrain
herself.

- That's enough, right here.

- Either you control your
client

or I'll find her in contempt

and have her removed from this
courtroom.

Case Number 287542,

People Versus Marilyn Fletcher,

first-degree murder.

- Uh, Your Honor, in, in...

- [OVERLAPPING] You know her
lawyer?

- It's Calvin Grimes, he's the
public defender.

- Any good?

- Oh, I think he passed the bar
on his third try.

- Your Honor, given that the
defendant has no ties to the
community,

no job, no friends,

and literally, arrived in
Los Angeles

on the day of the murder,

I have to ask the court to
consider her

a serious flight risk,
and, therefore, deny bail.

- Counsel for defense has
anything to say?

- Uh, yes, Your Honor, uh, my
client has no criminal record of
any kind.

- How do you plead?

- Not guilty.

- The court concurs with the
District Attorney, bail is
denied.

The defendant is remanded to the
County Jail, until the time of
her preliminary hearing.

[gavel]
Thank you, gentlemen.

Next case, please.
-That went well/ Don't you
think?

- Now that's a client.

- Thanks.

- So you never told me which
public defendant was
representing Marilyn Fletcher.

- I take it you attended her
arraignment.

- Phil says this Calvin Grimes
guy took like three times just
to pass the bar.

- I didn't wanna influence your
decision, until you had a chance
to see her.

What do you think?

- I find it hard to believe
that Marilyn Fletcher could kill
anybody.

I also don't think that she
would have knowingly

gone to work for Heather
Bronson.

I also don't think she has a
chance.

Norman Collins is prosecuting.

- He's fair.

- Oh, he's a lizard.

He only cares about how many
convictions he gets.

- Mac.

- What? He's a fair lizard?

- I'll arrange a meeting.

- Okay.
Wanna go to lunch?
- No.

- Ah

- So,

you only met the deceased
the same day she was murdered?

- Yes.

And then you went on a blind
date that she had arranged for
you?

- It was just supposed to be
dinner with a lonely widower.

- You believed that?

- Why shouldn't I?

- Well, did your friend,
Natalie, tell you that,

Heather had helped her?
- Yes.

- And she didn't tell you what
kind of work it was?

- No. If I had known, I never
would have gone.

It's just,

Heather seemed so nice and

she had this big, beautiful
home.

- Hmm, yeah, well, big and
beautiful doesn't necessarily
mean a whole lot in this town.

All right, so, you went back to
confront Heather.

She didn't answer.
The door was open.

- Yes.

That's when I went in and found
her.

It was so horrible.

- Did you see anybody?

- No,

but I heard a door open

as soon as I came into the
house.

Somebody was there before me.

- Very well.
Unless you can tell me who that
person is,

Marilyn, it's not much help.

- Yes, I invited her up to my
suite to have coffee and to see
the view.

That's all.

How was I supposed to know she
was emotionally unstable?

- Mr. Paxton, did you appear in
front of Miss Fletcher wearing
nothing but a bathrobe?

- Well, yes.
- Do you often entertain

young women you've just met in
your bathrobe?

- No, of course not.
- What.

- I thought that's what I was
supposed to...

- [OVERLAPPING] Uh, what Mr.
Paxton means is that

he wouldn't knowingly engage a
prostitute,

since that would be illegal.

- She said she was under the
impression that

she was only going to have
dinner

with a lonely widower, who
craved conversation and
companionship.

- Don't let her kid you.

She knew the score.

- Are you a widower, Mr.
Paxton?

I asked, are you a widower?

- No.

- Can you tell me how Miss
Fletcher's dress got torn?

- She demanded money from me.

When I refused, she tore her
dress and threatened to go to
the police.

- Did she also slap herself
hard enough to make both eyes
swell up?

- Maybe she had another date
after she left me.

- Tell me, Mr. Paxton, had
Heather Bronson provided you

with escorts on previous
occasions?
- Yes.

- You weren't angry with
Heather Bronson for setting you
up with a bad date?

- No.

- Can you account for your time
from 9:15,

when the doorman stated that
Miss Fletcher left the hotel
until 10:00,

when Heather Bronson was
murdered?

- Are you suggesting that Mr.
Paxton is involved?

- I'm not suggesting anything.

I'm merely asking him to account

for his time after Miss Fletcher
left his hotel suite.

- Well, Mr. Paxton called me
immediately to report the
woman's unsavory behavior.

I, uh, went to his hotel suite
immediately to meet with him.

And, um, was with him until
after midnight.

- Smart move to call your
lawyer.

- Look, Detective, there is no
evidence that a sexual assault
took place.

As far as the other unfortunate
matter goes,

my client can account for his
time.

Either book him or release him.

- Hey, why don't you, um, check
out her computer.

See if there's anything on there
we can use.

- That's a good idea.
- Hmm.

Mm hmm.

Hello.

Oh, what a cute dog.

- Oh, oh, don't pet Jack.

I haven't broken him of
biting, yet.

Sit.

Good boy.

- Can we help you?

- That depends.

Who are you?

- I beg your pardon.

Um, my name is McBride.

This is Phil Newberry.

You are Victoria Sawyer.

- Have we met?

- No.

I've seen your picture in the
papers.

And I've donated a few dollars

to your charities over
the years.

- So have I.

- Well, as far as I'm
concerned,

your philanthropic ventures

deserve all the accolades they
receive.

Particularly, your work with
troubled young women.

Was Heather one of your wayward
girls?

- Once.

Not wayward, troubled.

She just needed guidance.

- Well, I can certainly say by
the, um,

look of this house, you
succeeded with her.

- I never thought it would come
to this.

She was such a bright girl, so
capable.

She could have become anything
she wanted to become.

She just couldn't resist, uh,
the excitement, I suppose.

I guess I really never
understood her.

Now, you stay.

All those weeks of obedience
training, hope they do some
good.

Hmm.

- Have any idea of anyone who
would want to harm her?

- Didn't they arrest, uh, some
young woman?

- Yes, uh, they did.

She's our client.

- Then you're lawyers, not
police.

I shouldn't really be talking
to, should I.

I just came by to, uh, to get a
framed picture of Heather and
me.

Why did that woman want to kill
Heather?

- I don't think she did.
I believe that

she was just in the wrong place
at the wrong time.

- You think she's innocent?
- I do.

Now you should, maybe, go talk
to her yourself.

I would imagine you're a very
good judge of character.

- How did she know Heather?

- She was new in town, she was
broke.

Heather set her up as, um, an
escort.

Did not go well.

As I recall, you were a
character witness at Heather's
trial.

- Yes.
And when she got probation,

she swore that she would
straighten up her life.

But she liked getting and
spending lots of money

- I think I got something in
here.

- Ah.

There it is.

I may just go see that woman of
yours.

Nice to meet both of you.

- Nice to meet you.

- Thank you.

Come on, Jack.
- A pleasure.

- Bye, bye.

Come on, Jack.

- What have you got?

- Well, it looks like she wrote
an email to three different
people

to bring money to her house, the
night she was murdered.

And there it is.

- Holy cow.

- So she's not only back in
business,

but she was blackmailing

some of her high profile
clients?

- Seems like it.

- Why would she do that?

- I don't know.

But you know what.

Now we've got three people

with a better motive for killing
her than Marilyn.

When were the other two supposed
to come?

- Hmm,

Nero237 at 9:30

and Untouched1 at 10:30.

- You know what.

Do this. Send them each an email
entitled Good News, Bad News.

The good news is somebody's been
arrested for Heather's murder.

The bad news is I've got the
goods on you.

Show up tomorrow at noon at
Carson's Coffee Shop,

pick up an envelope

addressed to your screen name
that will prove that I do.

So, Russell, how's it going.

So how's Jesse?

- Oh, he's a big help.

- Good, glad to hear that.

- Yeah, I threw a stick and
told him to fetch.

And now he's picking up every
loose stick in the yard.

- What. He's retrieving for you?

- Oh, even better. He's putting
them all in a neat little pile.

- That's very funny.

Well, I'm glad to, uh, hear he's
helping.

You know what, Russell.
I'll talk to you later.

I gotta go.

[phone rings]

Yeah, hi, Phil.

No, No, uh, yeah, working.

One of our suspects is smarter
than I would, uh,

figure, though.

Sent a messenger service to pick
up the package.

Right.
So, listen, are the police
finished at the crime scene?

Good. Take Heather's computer
back to the office.

Play a little of your hacker
magic,

see if there's anything else
there.

You know what.
I gotta go.

Looks like we got another
customer.

I'll talk to you later.

[mysterious music]

[mysterious music]

[tire squeals]

- You got a problem?

- No.

- You were following me, right?

- You know, I gotta tell you
that sounds a little paranoid.

Maybe you should have a
conversation with Dr. Phil about
that.

- You some kind of comedian?

- No, not really.

I'm a, uh...
- In a lot of trouble.

- Excuse me.

What are you doing.

I said, excuse me.

- Trixie.

Hey, Ben.
How's the new baby?

- How do you know everybody?

- I used to work here.
Before your time, I'm sure.

- What do we have here?

- I can explain.

- Get the paperwork started.

Come on, Mac.

- Oh, hey. I want my JetHawks
hat back, too.

It's in your car.

Thank you.

- So, what happened?

- I was tailing him.

- Not doing a very good job of
it, it would seem.

- I guess I'm a little out of
practice.

- You want to explain why you
were tailing a police officer?

- I didn't know he was a cop.

- Not just a regular cop,
either.

He's part of the detail assigned
to the mayor.

- I'm sorry?
The mayor?
- That's right.

Mac, if they wanna make a case
out of this,

I may not be able to help you.

- Oh, no, you know what.

You just did help me, dear.

- Detective Hansen.

You're sure.

All right, it's your call.

Yeah, will do.

Ah, looks like you may still
have some friends in the police
department, after all.

Officer Taylor wants to drop all
the charges.

- He does.

- You're free to go.

And he wants me to tell you that

he's sorry for the
misunderstanding.

- I bet he did.

I know why, too.

- Why is that, Mac?

- I'll tell you in San
Francisco.

- Go, leave.

[mysterious music]

Oh.

- Hi.

- Oh, may I help you?

- Yes. I would

like to see Mayor Theodore.

- I'm afraid no one sees him
without an appointment.

- Please.
Just, just tell him.

I wanna discuss Nero237.

- He'll wanna see me.
Trust me.

- Just a minute.

Yes, I, there's a man out here

who says he wants to discuss
Nero237?

- Officer Taylor.

Thanks for dropping the charges.
- Hey...

- The boss know what you're up
to,

during your off duty hours.

He was off duty, wasn't he, sir.

When he picked up a package
intended for you,

at Carson's Coffee House, today.

I mean, he wouldn't be doing
your personal errands on

tax payer time, would he.
My name's McBride.

I'm representing the defendant
in the Heather Bronson murder.

- Come on. You don't barge into
the mayor's office unannounced
like this.

- It's all right.

Just what is it you want, Mr.
McBride?

- I would like to discuss
Nero237.

In private might be better, but
it's your call.

- How do you know about
Nero237?

- A more compelling question,
Your Honor,

is why was Heather Bronson
blackmailing you?

- Hi, honey.

- [MUMBLES] Mr. McBride, I'd
like you to meet my wife,
Elaine.

- Mr. McBride.

- A pleasure.

- I called my wife and asked
her to join us.

- Let's cut to the chase, Mr.
McBride.

Before I met Joe, I worked for
Heather Bronson.

Like a lot of girls, I came to
Los Angeles to be an actress,

and like a lot of girls, I
struggled.

- Sounds familiar.

- I heard about Heather

and soon I was making more money
than I ever imagined.

Through Heather's clients,

I began to get invited to
parties,

and met Joe at one.

No, no, Joe was never a client
of Heather's.

My life changed when I met him.

- So Heather Bronson was
blackmailing your husband
because of your past.

- Do you know the field day the
press would have had with that.

It would have ended Joe's
political career.

Joe is well aware of my past.

I told him all about it when he
asked to marry me.

And he still asked.

- So when you found that email,
you thought maybe I killed
Heather,

to stop her from exposing me as
a client.

- It crossed my mind.

- I understand that.
I would have done the same
thing, if I were in your shoes.

- I insisted on delivering the
money to Heather,

because I wanted to face her and
put an end to things.

- Well, it puts you at the
scene of the crime the night
Heather was murdered.

- Elaine, what a surprise.

I was expecting Joe.

Now don't tell me our fearless
mayor has sent you to do his
dirty work.

- You really are despicable,
Heather.

- No, I'm a businesswoman,
who's a little bit short on
liquid assets these days.

So, did you bring the money,

- How do I know if I pay, you
won't come back for more?

- I guess you're just gonna
have to trust me.

You know, some of your old
clients still ask for you.

- She said some very hurtful
things to me.

But all I did was give her the
money and leave,

a manila envelope filled with
$100 bills.

Would I have left the money if I
killed her?

- Well, probably not.
But the police never found any.

- Well, it must be there
somewhere.

I gave it to her, and she
counted it before I left.

- Did you get his license
number?

- No, he purposely covered it
with mud.

He busted the Viper's tail out
on a trashcan coming out of the
driveway.

So, if I take it to the
dealership to order the part,

and I can trace it from there.
- Good.

Do you know what.
There's nothing in here.

- Maybe you don't know where to
look.

- Oh, well, Miss Sawyer, back
again?

- Yes, I saw your Jeep outside.

- You know something. Maybe you
could be, um, of help to us.

Do you know where Heather might
have kept things that were
important to her?

- I helped her decorate.

Um, as a matter of fact, I
bought her this armoire.

- Huh.

- She was fascinated with it,

because it contains a secret
compartment.

- Whoa.

- My, that's a lot of money.

- Looks like the lady was
telling the truth.

Heather was, um, extorting money
from people.

And we think that one of them
decided to kill her, instead of
pay her.

Thank you very much for your
help.

- Yeah.

Oh, um, by the way,

I went to the jail this morning
and I, um,

met your client.

Well, and I must agree with you,
she's innocent.

So if I can be of any help,
please don't hesitate.

- I've gotta go.
- Bye.

- Thanks a lot.

- Huh, looks like she
eliminated one of our suspects
for us.

- I think you might be right.

- What, what are you planning
to do

with all that money?

- Give it back to the mayor.

No use ruining his life over
something he and his wife

put to bed years ago.

You have to find that Viper.

Come on.

- Mrs. Sawyer seemed really
nice.

She brought me some soap and
some personal things.

- She wasn't too tough on you,
then?

- Oh, no.

She was very understanding.

- She was very close to
Heather.

- That's what she said.

She also spoke very highly of
you,

and said she'd be willing
to pay your fee.

- I see it can't hurt to have
her on our side.

- Are you having any luck?

- I got a couple of suspects,
and following some other leads.

- Well, that's good.

- Right, but, on the other
hand, it's still not enough.

- Oh.

- But, hey,

we're not done yet either.

[mellow music]

[store manager] It's gotta go
out today.

- Hi.

- How can I help you?

- I dropped a package off for
someone at

Carson's Coffee House
in North Hollywood.

And, uh, they sent one of your
messengers to pick it up.

I was wondering if you could
tell me who picked it up.

- Carson Coffee House?

- Mm hmm.
- I'll look.

Chip, the surfer kid.

- Chip, the surfer kid.

- He only worked here two days.

- Is that Chip?

- No.

- That's who picked up the
package.

See, he's getting into one of
your vans.

- Well, this is terrible.

I'll find your package for you.

- Great.

- Hi.

- Well, how is it going with
Heather's computer?

- Well, not bad.

But I still haven't found
anything the police didn't find.

- Oh, but you're better with
computers than the police.

- Well, now that's true.

It's just nothing of really of
any importance,

other than the original emails
we found.

I've used every recovery program
and, at least,

nothing looks like it's been
shredded.

- Shredded?

- That's computer speak meaning
deleted.

- Oh.

All right, well, do me a favor.
Wrap it up.

I promised Roberta I'd get it
back to her today.

In the meantime, I have a little
footwork and sleuthing for you
to do.

[soft music]

[driver] Hey man, how are you
doing?

See you later.

Do you need something delivered?

- Yes.
Uh, it's, it's urgent.

And I need a, uh, messenger that
speaks Spanish.

- Not a problem.

Se habla espanol.

- Great.

- Jorge, ven aqui.

Esta muy importante aqui, um,

delivery esta paquita
immediamante.

- No problema.

Voy en Camino.

[birds chirping, background
traffic]

- Just the guy I'm looking for.

- I got to deliver this
package.

- Yeah, it's for me.

- You.

I don't think you are Juan
Fernandez.

- Yeah, I don't think you're
Chip or Flip, either.

- Huh?
- I'm Sergeant McBride.

- Oh, come on, man.

Don't hassle me, okay?

- You picked up a package this
morning

from Carson's Coffee House.

I just wanna know where it got
delivered.

- You INS.

Look, I'm gonna get a green
card, honest.

- Right.
That's why your manager didn't

wanna tell me anything about
you.

He hires illegals.

- Come on, man, I really need
the job.

- I understand. I tell you what,
I'll make you a deal.

You tell me where the package
got delivered,

we never had this conversation.

- Deal.
- You give me bad
information...

- Okay. I took it to Fina
Estampa on Wilshire in downtown.

- Honest?

- Honest.
Fina Estampa.

- Okay, thanks.

- That's, that's it.
I can go.

- Yup, back to work.

- You police?

- No.

- You lied.

- Just about my first name.

It's not Sergeant.

[rhumba music]

Hello.

Um, I'm trying to locate a
package.

It was delivered here today by
Unity Courier.

[rhumba music]

I have a bad feeling

about this.

- Welcome to Fina Estampa,
Mister...

- McBride.

- I understand you're looking
for a package.

- Yes. There was one delivered
here today by Unity Courier.

I'd like to know who got it.

- Was the package for you?

- No.

- Did you ask the messenger
service to

deliver the package?

- Not exactly.

- Please show Mr. McBride the
way out.

- Thanks.

All I needed to know was, it's
not anything,

I was just curious,

This is gonna hurt, isn't it?

[crash]

- Hola.

[phone rings]

- Yes Phil.
- McBride.

Hey.

All right, so I stopped by the
car dealership

and a couple of the, uh,
high-end body shops.

Still so far nothing.

Gotta couple of places to go.
How are you doing?

- Well, I think I might be onto
something.

I just did a Mexican head dance
down a flight stairs.

I'm gonna stick around here.

See if I can snoop anything else
out. You keep looking.

- Okay.

- Hey, see remember I told you

I went to the allergist a couple
of days ago.

I got the allergy panel done.

Turns out I'm allergic to dog,
dust mites, and cats.

But I thought I was, I kept
thinking it was mold and mildew.

Remember, 'cause we have the
mold in the closet.

And I kept sneezing, and I kept
thinking...

- [OVERLAPPING] Gotta go.

[edgy music]

[raucous music]

- Luis.

- Heh. If it isn't the
owner of my favorite restaurant.

What brings you here.

Ever watch a champ work out?

- Someone's been snooping
around the restaurant,

asking about that package I
picked up for you.

- What guy?

- I don't know.
I got rid of him.

I don't think he'll come back.

- You did the right thing to
come and tell me.

Now go back to the restaurant
and relax.

And let the champ work out.

- Hey, Luis.

- Hey, you a reporter.

I don't recognize you.

- No.

- Oh, you're a fan.
- Oh, yeah, yeah.

I saw you knock out Gordon in
the second round last year.

He never saw the right coming,
huh?

- Sorry I can't talk to fans,
while I'm working out.

- I understand. You got time to
talk about Heather Bronson and
Untouched1?

- What are you a cop?

- No, a lawyer.
I'm representing the woman

who's accused of killing
Heather.

I know that Heather was
demanding money from you.

- I don't have to talk to you.

- Hey, you know what.
You're right, you don't.

Not here, not now.
We can wait till I subpoena you

to testify at a very public
murder trial.

- Hold on a minute.

So how'd you find out about me
and Heather?

- On the email, on her
computer, addressed to
Untouched1.

- What, what makes you think
it's me?

- I sent the package, Luis.
Very clever.

And an Escobar picked it up
and delivered it to you.

- So you know that I owe
Heather some money, so what?

- Luis, come on.

Heather was blackmailing you.

All right, it's gonna come out
in the trial.

- Yeah, if you bring it up.

And you'll destroy me.

- That's not what I want.

But it occurs to me,

if it comes out that you're one
of Heather's customers,

you get damaged,

with your wife, your kids,

your adoring public.

So it seems pretty obvious to
me,

that it's in your best interest
if Heather is quiet.

- By killing her.

When I drove to Heather's that
night,

the place was swarming with
police. So I just kept going.

- Anybody see you?

- Oscar.
- Who's Oscar?

- He's my sparring partner.

He's also the guy that took me
to Heather's that night.

- Well, you know, I'd like to
believe that.

But I can't but think Oscar
would say anything you told him
to.

- When we were driving to
Heather's that night,

I had Oscar drive me to the
Burger Buddy,

where I signed an autograph to
the kid at the takeout window.

- Okay.

I'll check that out.

Thank you.

Keep it up, huh.

- Yeah.

[edgy music]

- Hi, Roberta.
Nice to hear from you.

You change your mind about
dinner?

- No. But I've got some
information

that might prove useful for you.

- Oh, really.
Okay, what?

- That car you were looking for
belongs to a Becky Sullivan.

Her address is in Burbank, 939
and a half, Olson Street.

She's 23 years old.

McBride, are you going through a
midlife crisis?

- Very funny. Now, she might
have some information

that could shed some light on my
case.

- Well, other than a couple of
parking tickets, she's a model
citizen.

- Okay, thanks.

Oh, listen, if you change your
mind about dinner, give ...

[hushed music]

- Yes.
- Hi, Becky, uh, my name is
McBride.

I think you picked up a package
today that I dropped off at
Carson's Coffee House.

- I took it directly to Chad,
just like you told me to.

That was pretty neat using that
code name, Heartthrob.

He sure is.

- Yeah.

Yeah, so, you and Chad,
you're...

- Oh, no, I work
for him.

- Oh.

- I'm his assistant.

Do you mean that you don't know
who Chad Foster is?

- No, I don't.

Who is he?

- [LAUGH] He's only the
hunkiest,

most handsome television star
ever.

- [LAUGH] Huh.

- Aren't you a little old to be
a personal assistant?

- Thank you.

- Yeah?

- Oh, um, I'm looking for a
Neal Andrews.

- What about?

- Uh, a personal matter.

- I'm sure it is.

Do you have an appointment?

- No, I, I don't.

- Leave me your name and number
and I'll get back to you about
an appointment.

- Oh, this, this won't take
very long.

- Monday, no,

Tuesday, no,

okay, how about a week from
Thursday, 4:00.
Name?

- So, so, so he's, he's not in?

- He's a very busy man.

And I'm a very busy woman.

If you decide you want the
appointment, let me know.

- All right.

Thanks.

- Investigations.

- This is the parking garage.

I'm afraid someone's run into
your car, did...

- [OVERLAPPING] Oh.
- ...quite a bit of damage.

- All right, you keep him
there.

I'll be right there.

Oh, why me? No,
not me.

Oh.

- Maybe this is it.

- You accuse me,

you accuse me of cheating on
you.

You know I love you so much.

Oh, cut.

- All right, Matt.

- Perfect.

Ow, ow.

Okay, let's get ready for my
next close-up.

- Chad Foster.

- If you're with the magazine,
I don't do interviews while
I'm working,

unless it's People or TV Guide.

- I'm not with a magazine.

- You're a fan?

- Do I look like a fan.

I wanna talk to you about an
email,

sent to Heartthrob.

- Daniel.

- You are Heartthrob, aren't
you?

- You're my bodyguard, right.

Act like it, and get this guy
off my set.

- My name's McBride.

Love your hat.

- Now.

- I know the way out.

- You, brain of a doorknob,
come here.

How could you be so stupid?

- I, I...

- I asked, stop it.

I give you one simple little
task

a monkey could perform,

and you screw it up.

Now get out of my sight.

Get out of my sight.

Come on, people.

- So sorry if I got you in
trouble in there.

- Chad didn't mean to act that
way.

He's really a great guy.

He's just a very private person
when he's working.

He's been under a lot of
pressure since they let him
direct.

- I'm sure it's part of your
job, making excuses for him.

Becky, listen, Chad might be
involved in a murder case.

- No way.

Which one?

- Heather Bronson.

- No.
- I'm working on the case.

And it would really be good if I
could talk to Chad

before the police do.

Now,

if he's the wonderful guy
you say he is,

then everything will be fine.

Well, I'd hate to see all of
this wind up in the tabloids.

- Oh. Chad would hate that.

- That's why I wanna talk to
him privately, maybe at his
home.

Perhaps I can help him.

[crowd] Oh, no.

- You're doing the right thing,
I promise.

- [crowd getting excited]

- Thank you.

- [crowd screaming]

- I don't care what
we discussed.

This is getting much more
involved than I expected.

No, you listen to me.

Either we double the ante, or
you're on your own.

That's more like it.

You meet me on Mario's
Restaurant at 7:00.

We eat, you pay me.

You are an artist, Eve.

- Mm hmm.

- Treat yourself.

- Oh, thank you.

- Yeah, um.

I'm sure you're gonna love
this,

- Goo.

Oh, my gosh.

[jazzy music]

[indistinct conversation]

- Hi, Chad.

What are you doing here?

- So, would you like to talk
about

Heartthrob's email now

or later, when I subpoena you.

So, did American's heartthrob
just forget to invite the girls
today?

- Every woman in America who
watches daytime television is in
love with me.

If you tell anybody about this
get together, you will destroy
the illusion.

Chad, you know what.
Your lifestyle is none of my
business.

You know what is my business.

Finding the person that actually
killed Heather Bronson,

so that an innocent woman
doesn't get burned for it.

- I don't know anything about
that.

- Really.

You know, Heather, though, huh.

Because she was blackmailing
you.

- When I go out in public,

I have to keep that fantasy
alive for all my fans,

who expect me to always have a
beautiful woman by my side.

Heather's girls are all
beautiful, sophisticated, and
discreet.

I trusted Heather like I trusted
all her girls.

It never dawned on me that she
would try to extort money.

- And, yet, Heather was
murdered the very night

you were supposed to show up and
give her that money.

- But I didn't do it because
I was here.

[eerie music]

As much as I hated Heather for
what she was doing to me, I was
gonna pay her.

What else was I supposed to do.

Getting that much cash together
on the sly was harder than
I expected.

Good thing I have a lot of
experience living a lie, huh?

- Chad, you want me to come?

- No, I don't want you to come
pick me up.

I told you I was gonna get there
on my own.

- You sound like you're mad at
me.

- Daniel, I'm not mad at you,

all right. I'm fine.

- It's kind of late.

Do you know what time it is.
Come on...

- I'm aware that it's 11:00.
Okay.

Just earn your keep and cover
for me for a little while.

My bodyguard wanted to give me a
lift,

but I wanted to take care of
this myself.

But then the whole point became
moot.

- Well, no details are
currently available.

Police, immediately, arrested
and took into custody her
alleged killer at the scene.

Heather Bronson's reported ...

- I was off the hook.

- I was relieved.
But...

I lost the only person I
trusted in this town.

- Chad, that is, um, not a very
good alibi.

- Maybe not.

But it's the truth.

- You know what.
Let, let me say something,

I'm not here to accuse you.

I'm a defense attorney.
My job...

is to prove reasonable
doubt to a jury,

that somebody else had a better
motive and better opportunity

to commit the crime than my
client.

Now you definitely had motive,
blackmail's always been a really
good one.

And you had an opportunity.

As far as opportunity, it
doesn't seem like anybody can
corroborate

where you were the night Heather
was murdered.

- Get out, get out.

- All right, yeah.

Yes, okay, thank you, Mrs.
Dawston.

No, I don't see any reason why
you have to be called as a
witness.

Good bye.

What happened to you?

- Don't ask.

The sacrifice I made may get me
close to Neal Andrews.

- Wow.

I certainly hope the
information

was worth the sacrifice.

I just talked to Chad Foster's
agent.

He's got an alibi.

I definitely think Neal Andrews
is involved.

I think we just need to find out
how deeply.

- You better be right, you
know.

We're running out of time.

Gotta hope that Neal Andrews
will poke a hole in the alibi of
one our suspects.

[LAUGH]

- From the sound of the phone
conversation I overheard,

we should meet the person who
put him up to hacking

into Heather's computer.

- If you're right, I'll pay to
get your hair fixed.

- Cute.

- What's she doing here?

- Didn't you say she visited
Marilyn at the jail?

- Yeah.

- Maybe she hired a private eye
to track down some evidence

to help prove
Marilyn's innocence.

- Do you want anything else?
- No thanks.

- Glad to see you decided to
see things my way.

- What choice did I have?

- What was that about?

- I have a bad feeling about
this.

- Can I help you?

- Remember me?

- Neal, Neal, Neal, do you
really wanna make a scene here?

- What do you want?

- So you're doing a little P.I.
work for Victoria Sawyer?

- Well, that's none of your
business.

- Well, by the size of
that envelope, she, obviously,
pays very well.

- And who are you?
- I'm a lawyer. I'm representing
the young lady

accused of killing Heather
Bronson.

- Glad to see you got your
Viper repaired.

Classic Body Shop does some nice
work.

- Victoria Sawyer paid you to
hack into Heather Bronson's
computer.

Neal, come on, she just walked
in here and gave you an envelope

so full of cash, you could choke
a horse.

Now what did she want off of
Heather's computer.

Philip, didn't you say that you
thought Neal

left Heather's house so quickly,
he probably didn't have a chance

to wipe his fingerprints off her
computer keyboard?

- Mm hmm, I did.

- Hmm.

How do you explain that little
detail to the police?

- Like I said,

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

- Clearly, Victoria didn't hire
Neal to protect Heather's
reputation.

That's hardly old news.

- You know, Heather's
operation, I mean, it was

high-end from the very
beginning.

That takes bankrolling.

Maybe Victoria's

desire to help women in trouble
wasn't completely altruistic.

- We've gotta find a way to
attach Victoria to Heather,

financially, in order to prove
motive.

- Gotta be something we missed.

- Yup.

- And the cause of death was?

- Blunt force trauma to the
left side of the victim's head,

primarily the temple.

Death from the blow was
instantaneous.

- This is People's Exhibit B.

Is this the instrument that
caused Heather Bronson's death?

- Yes. We found strands of her
hair and blood matted on it.

- Did you find any fingerprints
on this?

- Yes, but, unfortunately, it
was so dirty with soot,

the prints were too smudged to
make a positive identification.

- This instrument of death is
solid wrought iron.

I'll bet a hard enough swing,
even by a 10-year old,

could have caused the victim's
death.

Never mind that of a healthy
23-year old woman.

- Objection, leading the
witness.

- Sustained.

- No more questions.

- Your witness, Mr. McBride.

- This blow, to which side of
the head was it?

- The left.

- The left. Would that have

any bearing on whether the
murderer was

left-handed or right-handed?

- Right-handed.

- So a right-handed blow

to the head,

to the left side of the head.

Do you know that Miss Fletcher
is left-handed?

- Objection. The defendant could

have used a backhand motion with
her left hand,

or held the murder weapon with
both hands.

- Sustained.

- No further questions.

- Officer, you were the first
to arrive on the scene?

- Yes.
- Would you please tell the
court what happened?

- I was making my regular
rounds at the neighborhood,
shortly after 10:00 p.m.

I noticed that the front door of
the Bronson home was open.

And I heard a scream.

- What did you discover?

- As I entered the home, the
defendant was running toward me.

- What was her state of mind?

- She was upset.

- What did you do?

- I didn't know who she was.

So I stopped her from leaving,
and questioned her.

Then I went to look at the
victim.

- What did you see?

- Miss Bronson on the floor.

She was dead.

- Did you see anything else?

- Yes, a fireplace poker lying
on the floor near the body.

- Did you see anyone else?

- No, just the defendant.

- No more questions, thank you.

- Your witness, Mr. McBride.

- Officer, you said that Miss
Fletcher was upset,

when you first saw her?
- Yes.

- Now isn't it possible that
she was upset

because she had just discovered
a dead body?

- Yes, I guess so.

- Objection, speculation.

- Sustained.

- You also stated that, uh,
there was a fireplace poker

on the floor next to the body of
the deceased?

- Yes.

- Well, from all the, uh, soot
on here, it looks like, uh,

looks like it's got a lot of
use.

- Officer, how did you detain
the defendant, after you met
her?

- I placed her in handcuffs and
sat her in a chair in the foyer.

- Handcuffs.

Did you happen to see any soot
on her fingers, when you applied
the handcuffs?

- No.

Nothing further.

- Court is adjourned until
tomorrow morning, 9:00 a.m.

-This is so tedious.
- Ugh.

- We searched everything twice,

and we've got nothing to tie

Victoria and Heather in anyway,
as a suspect.

- I don't understand.
No diary, nothing written down.

She must have kept some sort of
record of her clients.

You know, we're gonna look
pretty stupid going after a
pillar of society,

like Victoria Sawyer, without
anything concrete.

The D.A. will have our heads.

- I know.

- This is interesting.

- What?

- She must have meticulously
alphabetized

all of these rock albums.

And yet there this

Christmas album stuck right in
the middle of all of them.

Looks homemade.

- What do you mean?

- This CD doesn't have any
label on it or anything.

- Let me see.

There's information on this.

Whoa.

- My, my, my, my.

Looks like Christmas has
come a little early this year.

[hushed music]

Miss Sawyer, you were more than
a friend to Heather Bronson.

You were, in reality, her
benefactor.

- I thought of Heather as the
daughter I never had.

She was a very bright and
capable young woman.

And I'm devastated by her death.

- I'm sure you are.

And you must have been
distressed by the legal
problems, as well.

- Heather made a terrible
mistake.

- Are you familiar with a
gentleman named Neal Andrews.

He's in court today.

Mr. Andrews, will you stand up,
please.

Do you recognize him?

- Yes, I'm acquainted with Mr.
Andrews.

- How?

- Mr. Andrews is a private
investigator.

I used his services on a few
occasions

to do some background checking
on my perspective employees.

- Thank you.

Isn't it true that you met with
Mr. Andrews last night at
Mario's Restaurant?

- He was giving me a report of
a confidential matter.

- Do you know Amy Wade?

- No.

- Miss Wade, would you stand
up, please?

- Objection. What does this have
to do with the case at hand?

- Your Honor, this has
everything to do with the case
at hand.

If you give me a moment, I can
prove it.

- Overruled.

- Do you recognize her?

- No.

- Thank you.

Miss Wade is a cocktail waitress
at Mario's Restaurant.

And in her sworn deposition,

she states that she witnessed
you give Mr. Andrews an envelope
filled with cash.

I'm curious, do you, you always
pay cash for services rendered?

- No, as a matter of fact, I
don't.

However, I was concerned about

someone working in the
Accounting Department in my
foundation.

I was checking to see if the
cash advances, how they were
being dealt with.

So I took cash that night.

- Is it fair to say that your
reputation, as a woman,

who is very involved with
charities, work is important to
you?

- Yes, it is.

- I have a list here of some of
the charitable organizations

with which you're involved,
very impressive list.

Crush Foundation,
Women's Boarders Review,

the Arlington Foundation,
The Human Society of
the Art Council,

The National Foundation Of Human
Rights,

the list goes on and on.

You are a busy woman.

- Yes, I am.

- There's one organization here
that you, obviously,

founded, since it bears your
name, the Victoria Sawyer
Institute.

Could you, um, define its
purpose for us?

- Objection.

Your Honor, this is irrelevant.

The defense is wasting the
court's time.

- Your Honor, I assure you this
is anything but irrelevant.

I just need a little more
leeway.

- Overruled.

Proceed Mr. McBride, but do not
try the patience of this court.

- Thank you, Your Honor.
Miss Sawyer...

- The Victoria Sawyer Institute
was founded to help young women
in difficult circumstances.

- You call this women abused,
women, uh, juvenile delinquents?

- We prefer to use the term
disadvantaged.

- Isn't that how you first met
Heather Bronson?

- Yes.

Heather had enormous potential.

I nurtured her for many, many
years.

In fact, I had hoped to
eventually turn the foundation
over to her.

- Then you must have been more
than a little disappointed when
she ran into trouble.

- Yes.

I tried to counsel her.

Obviously, she didn't listen.

- But you stood by her.
As a matter of fact,

you were even a character
witness at her trial,

when she was charged with
pandering

and running a high-end escort
service.

- Yes, I wanted to help.

- At this time I'd like to
introduce into evidence Defense
Exhibit G,

a computer CD found in Heather
Bronson's home.

This is a transcript of the
contents of that CD.

It has been verified and
notarized by an independent
stenographic firm.

Miss Sawyer,

would you please read

the highlighted portion of that
transcript, aloud.

Miss Sawyer.

- You may proceed.

- I didn't realize how
lucrative the business would
become,

nor how distinguished and well
known the clientele would be.

I guess that is all a tribute to
the person who taught me
everything I know.

And who laid the groundwork
during her years in the...

- I'm sorry.

Let me help you.

The person who laid the
groundwork in her years in the
business,

my mentor, my savior, my friend.

- Stop.

- My silent partner, Victoria
Sawyer.

- Wow.

- If we read further,

we discover that Miss Sawyer was
receiving a substantial
percentage

of all of Heather's proceeds.

After the trial,

well,

unfortunately, Heather had
become very accustomed to her
lifestyle.

So she needed to find another
business,

as she began extorting money
from her wealthy clients.

And you, Miss Sawyer.

- That's absurd.

- That's motive.

And I think I can prove it.
[whoosh]

[mysterious music]

Heather, not only stopped
paying you,

she told you she wanted money
from you.

So you went to see her, and have
it out with her.

- Victoria, I wasn't expecting
you.

This isn't a good time.

- How could you do this to me?

- Your actions weren't
premeditated,

but your anger at the woman that
you had helped, exploded.

- Now. I took you from nothing
and gave you everything.

Is this the way you repay me?

- Yes, you taught me everything
I know, including how to
survive.

- You ingrate.

I won't let you do this to me.

- Then pay me.

You made me who I am, now deal
with it.

- How dare you talk to me like
that.

- Then pay me.

No.

- No.

Ow, ah, ah.

- Help me.

- I'm sure that you couldn't
believe what you had just done.

All you could think of was
getting out of there.

- Miss Bronson?

Miss Bronson?

Heather?

Heather?

[screams]

- Well, it must have been
heartbreaking having the one
person

you love and trusted turn on you
like that.

But, like Heather who didn't
care who she hurt,

you're allowing an innocent
person to take responsibility
for your crime.

- I wasn't there.

You are saying these terrible
things

in an effort to save your
client.

I won't be treated this way.

- You're walking on very thin
ice here, Mr. McBride.

- Yes, Your Honor.

By the way, how's your hand.
When we first met, you said that
you had

injured it, when your dog bit
you.

- Yes.
He's a very sweet dog,

but he's a puppy that's young
and rambunctious.

- Jack Russel Terrier I
believe?

- Yes.
- That's what I thought.

You recognize Miss Susan Watson.

She's the breeder

who sold you your dog.

You know what's interesting,
though.

On the papers registering the
sale,

have you buying it

the day after Heather was
murdered.

- Why would you tell me your
dog bit you, before you even
bought it.

I think you bought that dog so
you could blame a bite on it.

But not a dog bite, a bite
inflicted by Heather, during the
struggle.

- That is a lie.

- Would you mind removing the
bandage, proving me a liar?

- Miss Sawyer?

- I am not on trial here.

- No, you're not.

You don't have to do it.

We'll have the court issue a
subpoena.

The police will have you do it
later.

And when you do,
I'm sure that they will match

the bite mark on your hand with
Heather's bite mark.

And then we'll know who actually
killed Heather Bronson.

- I don't have to stand for
this.

You have no right...

- [OVERLAPPING] No further
questions.

The defense rests.

- The witness is dismissed.

[solemn music]

- If you would come with me,
please.

[solemn music]

- We, the jury, find the
defendant, Marilyn Fletcher, not
guilty.

- Oh.
- Court dismissed.

Defendant is free to go.

[gavel]

- [LAUGH] Huh.

I'll miss you most of all.

- Thank you.

- Well, when you know you're
right, you are tenacious, aren't
you.

I do admire that.

- Now, speaking of tenacity,
how would you like to celebrate?

- Roberta.

I'll call you.

- Okay.

- Norman.

You are seeing Norman Collins?

- Yes.

- Oh, oh.

[country music]

- And to further enhance the
beauty of your property,

some nice green shrubbery and
bushes, just like you asked for.

Huh?

Beautiful, huh, Jesse?

- [Barks]

- I think that was a no.

[country music]

Keep thinking.

Come on.

[country music]