All language subtitles for Murder.She.Wrote.S06E16.The.Big.Show.of.1965.1080p.AMZN.DD2.0.x265.HEVC-Bearfish_track3_[eng]

Who's out there?

Why are you hiding in the dark?

[Jessica] Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.

I hate nostalgia,
and I hate this old song.

This is a reunion,

and reunions are all about nostalgia.

I'm sorry. I'm not like Lee.
I can't bottle up my emotions.

I was 20 years old.
Nobody could tell me anything.

Richie King, that fine family man,

was a skirt-chaser.

This is where Richie died.

Now, snap out of it and get back to work!

[lively theme music playing]

♪ Beneath the blue umbrella skies ♪

♪ Then softer than a Piper man ♪

♪ One day it called to you ♪

♪ I lost you, I lost you
To the summer wind ♪

♪ The Autumn wind and the Winter wind ♪

♪ Well, they have come and gone ♪

♪ And still the days, those lonely days ♪

♪ They go on and on ♪

♪ And guess who sighs his lullabies ♪

♪ Through nights that never end? ♪

This guy was a big star back in the '60s.

One of the biggest.

Yes, I remember Richie King.

Yeah?

He died the year I started nursery school,

or something, 1965.

Anyway, he was stabbed to death

during a rehearsal of
the Barry Barnes Big Show.

Now, this is a tape
from an earlier performance.

[audience applauding]

Let's hear it for Richie King!

Let's hear it!

Oh, I...

I love that boy!

That is a story dying to be told.

And as I mentioned to Josh Reynolds,

Jessica, you're the one to tell it.

Yes, where is Josh Reynolds?

I thought he was going
to be at this meeting.

Did my... secretary tell you that?

I'm gonna have to have a talk with Sandra.

Look, Josh is fully aware

that the trend is gonna be reality books

based upon the murders
of famous old stars.

The Richie King story has all the elements

to make it a bestseller.

It's got... it's got mystery,

it's got glamour, it's got famous names.

And no ending.

As I recall, it was never solved.

That's where you come in.

Jessica, you solve it.

But how?

I mean, sifting through the blurry events

of a quarter of a century ago?

Oh, no, I'm sorry, Mr. Fielding...

Jessica, please.

You just cannot turn me down
on this one, okay?

You just can't do it.

Why do I have the feeling that

you're not telling me something?

Did I mention The Haley Sisters?

No, you did not.

It was their first big TV show.

It got big ratings because of the murder.

The Haley Sisters were a hit.

They were the number one
female singers in the country,

until they suddenly retired in 1974.

I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't
see where all this is leading.

They're reviving the act.

And they're gonna kick it off

on the Barry Barnes Reunion Special.

Don't you see?

Their comeback will
generate free publicity

to sell this book.

Along with J.B. Fletcher's
name, of course.

Yes, well, I'm very flattered,

but I really must decline the honor.

You see, Mr. Fielding,
I am a fiction writer.

Hey, that's exactly
what I told Josh Reynolds.

But you know what he said to me?

Truman Capote did it with In Cold Blood,

and that became a hardcover
and paperback bestseller

with an awesome picture deal.

Come on, Jessica,

if that little guy can do it,
you can do it.

No, really.

Well, just take it
a look-see, okay? Here...

here's the number
of Barry Barnes' head writer,

Art Sommers.

Jessica, please, as a favor to yourself,

just go to the TV theater

and get a taste for what
you'll be writing about.

Will you do that much for me, please?

Or am I gonna have to come all
the way up there to Cabot Cove

and talk myself blue in the face?

[laughs]

♪ Just one of those crazy flings ♪

♪ One of those bells
that now and then rings ♪

♪ Just one of those things ♪

♪ It was just one of those nights ♪

♪ Just one of those fabulous flights ♪

♪ A trip to the moon on gossamer wings ♪

♪ Just one of those things ♪

This sketch might have
a couple of laughs in it,

but I don't like it.

Barry, it's too late for that.

It's new, it's hip, it's the '90s.

And it's funny.

Oh, sure, it might go over
at Saturday Night Live,

but I'm too old
for that smart aleck stuff.

I want to do the same sketch
I did on the show 25 years ago.

Barry, it's old hat.

So when's the last time
you bought a new hat?

Look, I'm making it easy for you.

Just go over the old sketch
and update the gags.

Do you know how much work
we've put into our material?

Art, tell him. It's brilliant.

Look, guys, take a walk, okay?

Now, Barry, you should
listen to these kids.

They're great. They know what goes today.

[over speaker] This is so stupid!

Is everybody crazy?

How the hell are we supposed
to concentrate?

What's the matter with Lee?

Lee, calm down. Calm down!

Ozzie? Ozzie? Where's Ozzie?

We can't work this way!

Lee, do you have to get so mad?

Yes! When I'm mad, I do!

You, up in the booth, do you hear me?

Say something!

[over speaker]
Lee, we're looking for Ozzie.

[over speaker] Will somebody please find
the music director!

Lee, honey, what's wrong?

Everything.

How do you expect us
to sing with those dancers

jumping around us like
a bunch of grasshoppers?

Come on, Lee, cool down.

No! The dancers are in our way.

They're spoiling our number.

Darling, listen to me. I swear to you,

this is an exact recreation
of your first number

on your first show.

Now, the choreography's
the same, step for step.

Yeah? Well, it stinks.

Well, in 25 years
it hasn't gotten any better.

But, hey, it's nostalgia.

I hate nostalgia,
and I hate this old song.

But this is a reunion,

and reunions are all about nostalgia.

Old songs, old sketches.

That doesn't bother you.

You've been telling
the same jokes for 40 years.

-[people laughing]
-Fifty, but who's counting?

Lee, I don't mind doing the old song.

I kind of like it.

It's better than some of the new stuff.

Well, the song is fine,

the staging is from the Stone Age.

Oh, forget it.

Look, she's just tired, Barry.
It's nerves.

Don't make excuses.
Go talk some sense into her.

Let's take a break.

[over speaker]
Okay, everybody, 30 minutes.

-[people chattering]
-Why am I doing this?

At my age, you'd think I'd be smarter.

Am I right?

What'd you do,

cut me off?

[suspenseful music playing]

Who is it? Who's out there?

Why are you hiding in the dark?

Mr. Barnes, I'm so sorry to startle you.

I'm Jessica Fletcher.

Fletcher?

Oh. Oh, sure.

My people said that you were coming over.

It was the way you came
out of the shadows.

I thought you were
the Ghost of Christmas Past.

[laughs]

Well, come down here, young lady.

I was supposed to meet a Mr. Sommers.

Oh, you just missed him.

Art went backstage with his wife.

You can wait with me, huh?

Oh, Jim, bring us some tea.

Coming right up.

Now, listen to me.

Stop being the prima donna

and give it your best shot.

I didn't want to do this show.

I told you I had a bad feeling about it.

-Lee, cut it out.
-[upbeat piano music playing]

Now, before you did
your first Barry Barnes Show,

your act never made more than 200 bucks.

You started your career with Barry,

and it's perfect for
starting your comeback.

We've been gone so long.

Maybe it's too late.

Will you stop that kind of talk?

The '60s are big box office,

and The Haley Sisters have a chance

to cash in on the trend.

What happens when the trend is over?

Then we just sit back and count our money.

Honey, how can we lose?

Art, do you remember this dressing room?

They all look alike.

It was Richie's.

Lee, now don't start.

This is where Richie died.

That's a part of the '60s, too.

Okay, that's enough.

Now, snap out of it and get back to work!

[suspenseful music playing]

Sweetheart, now look.

I'm only thinking of what's right for you.

For you.

For you, baby.

[door shuts]

-Art, you got a minute?
-[chuckles] For you,

Oz, maybe a minute and a quarter.

Tell me something.

Am I the music director
on this show, or is she?

Hey, hey, hey, hey.

You are treading on dangerous ground, Oz.

What did you do, Art, poison
your wife's mind against me?

You never liked my music,

and I happen to know
that you hated my songs

on that Thanksgiving Special.

You mean when you had the Indians

and the Pilgrims holding hands

around the table and everybody sang,

We're Gonna Gobble Up the Gobbler?

-It's a children's classic.
-[Art laughing]

Well, it will be
if I can get a record deal.

Well, personally, I prefer,

Little Ducky Duddle Splashing in a Puddle.

Look, look, I know you don't like me.

I can live with that.

You never liked my dad

when he was Barry's music director.

You thought he was a hack.

No, no, no. Get this straight.

Richie King thought he was a hack.

I only thought
he was a bad music director.

You and Richie tried to get
my dad dumped off the show.

If Richie hadn't been killed,
it might have worked.

Now you're trying to get me dumped.

You know, you're the only guy

I know with second-generation paranoia.

Admit it. Admit it, Art,
you want me out of here.

Oz, talking to you is
like talking to a turnip.

Only a turnip listens.

Get out of my hair.

[scoffs]

You know, I hadn't realized
that Art Sommers was married

to one of The Haley Sisters.

Yeah, Lee, the oldest.

Now, there's a story you should write.

He met her 25 years ago

when the sisters started rehearsing

for their first appearance on my show.

Oh, the one with Richie King?

Right. Art fell for Lee
like a ton of bricks.

She couldn't stand him.

Wanted nothing to do with him.

So what happened?

A couple of weeks later,

they get hitched
by a city clerk in Las Vegas.

Tell me romance is dead.

[chuckles] You have a remarkable memory.

Yeah.

I developed it memorizing
other comics' jokes.

Well, then you probably
remember details of the murder?

Are you kidding? Sure.

Tricky. I like that in a woman.

You wanna know all about
Richie King, right?

Well, he was a wonderful friend.

A terrific guy. Everybody loved him.

Except his killer.

Could it have been someone
connected with your show?

Well, the police questioned everyone,

checked their alibis.

Nothing.

I keep thinking how Richie always had

a mob of weirdo fans hanging around.

One of them could have slipped
into his dressing room and...

-[over speaker] Five minutes, everyone!
-Well, it sounds crazy,

till you stop to think about John Lennon.

-Oh, Artie.
-[crew talking in background]

Hey, look, Ozzie's singing

the "everybody's out to get me" blues.

I think you better talk to him.

Jessica Fletcher, Art Sommers.

Oh, hello, Mr. Sommers.
We talked on the phone.

Oh, the mystery writer.

I completely forgot you were coming today.

Please forgive me, Mrs. Fletcher.

Hey, don't worry about it.

She couldn't have had better company.

For which I am very grateful.

Oh, excuse me, Jessica.
Oz, you got a minute?

Five, six, seven, eight.

I realize you're very busy, Mr. Sommers.

I mean, if another time
would be more convenient...

No, I doubt it. But let me warn you,

I am not an authority on the murder.

And even when I saw the body,
I thought it was a gag.

I expected Richie to jump up

and reveal the blood
on his chest was ketchup.

[laughs]

But it never happened.

I'm sorry, the story
doesn't have a punchline.

You know, I'm curious.

Mr. Barnes seemed startled when he saw me

sitting out in the shadows
in the back of the house.

Oh?

I was under the impression

that he thought I was someone he knew.

I mean, have you any idea
who that might be?

No. No idea at all.

Maybe Barry's getting
quirky in his old age.

Oh, do you think so?

I thought he was very alert,
very much on top of things.

Girls. Girls, over here.

This is Cathy Haley,
Marge Haley, and Lee Haley,

my beautiful wife.

-Hello.
-Hello.

This is Jessica Fletcher.

She's writing a piece about the show.

-Hello.
-Nice to meet you.

-Oh, how nice.
-Delighted to meet you.

Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen.
Let's get on with the rehearsal, please.

-We'll see you later?
-Good luck.

-Good.
-Excuse us.

I'll show you the murder scene.

Watch your step, Mrs. Fletcher.

[Barry] Hey, Jim, let's work
the lights on this rehearsal.

[Lee] Andy, would you take it
from the top?

Same song?

Yes.

With or without dancers?

With dancers, if you please.

I'm starting to feel real good about this.

Well, I'm glad one of us is.

[piano playing]

♪ It was just one of those things ♪

♪ Just one of those crazy flings ♪

No, Jessica.

Listen to me, okay?

You cannot just give up and go home.

But I have thought
about it very seriously,

and I'm not convinced
that there's a book there.

At least, not one that
I would care to write.

Jessica, it's there. I know it is.

All you gotta do is just dig it out.

If Richie King's killer
escaped 25 years ago,

he's done a pretty good job
of covering his tracks.

Are you telling me
this was a perfect crime?

Oh, of course not.

But for a quarter of a century,
it's been the next best thing.

-I'm sorry, Scott.
-[phone ringing]

Now she calls me Scott.

[piano music playing]

-[Barry playing piano]
-[door opens]

[door closes]

Hey, you gonna stick around all night?

This was Richie's first big hit.

What a waste.

He was such a talented boy.

I know.

Look, Lee is waiting for me at the hotel.

Do you want to join us for dinner?

No, not tonight, thanks.
I'm ready to drop.

-[door closing]
-[Barry abruptly stops playing]

[suspenseful music playing]

-Did you see that?
-What?

Somebody moving in the dark.

Where? I don't see anything.

I tell you, there's somebody out there.

Put on the house lights.

House lights, please!

Now, I know you're there!

Stop playing games, and show yourself!

Barry?

Barry?

Oh, my God, Barry. Barry.

Yes. Yeah, 27. That's correct.

Surely. Bye-bye.

-May I help you?
-Oh, yes, please.

I received a message at my hotel

that Mr. Barry Barnes was a patient here

and wanted to see me.

If I seem a little confused,

it's because he seemed perfectly well

when I saw him a few hours ago.

Apparently he suffered a severe shock.

Shock? Well, what sort of shock?

I'm not permitted to discuss
the details of his case.

I'm sure you can understand that.

-Of course. May I see him?
-He's resting.

I see.

Mrs. Fletcher. I see you got my message.

Well, what happened?

Barry collapsed after the rehearsal.

Well, is he all right?

See for yourself.

[people laughing]

[ukulele music]

[all cheering]

Come on in. We're having a ball.

Move over, darling. Make room for Jessica.

Barry, I expected to
find you in an oxygen tent

not having a party.

Oh, it was nothing. I hyperventilated.

I'll be back at work tomorrow.

Have a glass of champagne.

I'll bet you do a mean hula.

Thank you, but I really can't stay.

Why? Where are you going?

I'm going home to Maine.

No, you can't do that.

Art, tell her she can't do that.

She can do anything she wants, Barry.

She's not on your payroll.

Out. Everybody out,

so I can have a minute alone with Jessica.

Oh, here, darling, here.

Drop some bread crumbs
so you can find your way back.

[all laughing]

Barry, I'll see you at rehearsal?

I'll see you there.

I'm so glad it wasn't your heart.

Kid, you broke my heart a long time ago.

Take your husband and get out of here.

He hasn't come up with a funny line

since I fainted in his arms.

[laughs]

Thanks for coming.

I feel a lot better, now that you're here.

Oh, please, sit down.

Thanks.

You weren't exactly serious
when you said it was nothing,

were you?

Well, I meant it wasn't a heart attack.

I passed out from sheer panic.

Do you remember when I saw you
standing in the dark,

and I thought you were somebody else?

Mm-hmm.

I saw her,

for the second time in my life,
the woman in black.

Someone you knew?

I couldn't see her face.

She was heavily veiled,
like a woman in mourning.

The same as the first time.

And that was...

The night after Richie's murder.

[sighs] She was standing in the wings,
pointing at me,

as if accusing me of Richie's death.

Then she was gone.

She's been in my nightmares ever since.

But what have I got to do
with your nightmares?

I mean, why did you send for me?

Well, I know all about you.
I read all your books.

Looked up some of the cases you solved.

Now, you have a way of getting
at the root of a problem.

That's why I suggested
to my brother-in-law's nephew

that you'd be perfect

for writing a book about Richie's murder.

Oh, that nephew wouldn't by any chance

be Scott Fielding, would it?

Oh, a know-it-all, but a good kid.

You put him up to it.

Look, I'm being straight with you.

I knew if I invited you myself,

you wouldn't come.

Look, Jessica, I'm desperate.

The memory of the woman in black

has haunted me for 25 years,

and now she's back.

To tell you the truth,
my heart's not that good.

My daughter's gonna have her first baby,

and I want to live to see my grandchild.

Is that so terrible?

What can I do?

What the cops couldn't do.

Get a line on the woman in black

and find out who really
knocked off Richie King

so she'll leave me alone.

I'm overwhelmed
by your faith in me, Barry,

but I'm a writer.

I mean, this calls for
a real, trained detective.

You want a detective? You got him.

Hello, sweet lips.

You miss me, sugar pie? My secretary.

Huh? Oh, I'm feeling great.

Now, listen, be a good bunny
and give Jessica Fletcher

the phone number of Sergeant Kowalski.

Kowalski?

Kowalski is the detective

who was in charge of
the Richie King investigation.

A real character.

He was known as the "Broadway Bulldog".

He's kept every word ever written

on the Richie King case.

Here we are.

Oh, thank you, Mr. Kowalski.

Or should I say Sergeant?

No, Bulldog will do just fine.

[both laugh]

Barry Barnes told me

that you've saved every word
from the Richie King case?

Yeah, I got tired of living with the mess.

I put it all in here.

Oh, I see.

You want me to fire this thing up for you?

Sure.

Okay, here we go.

There we are.

There, that's statements
from all the people concerned.

There was no witness, of course.

And the alibis, there,
they was all confirmed.

And where was Barry Barnes
at the time of the murder?

He was onstage in front of 50 people,

rehearsing the cowboy sketch.

That doesn't make sense.

What do you have on the woman in black?

Oh, the shady lady. Yeah. Well, here.

-[computer beeps]
-Now, that is an artist's conception

of the way she looked,
based on Barry's description.

Well, Barry said that he saw her again,

pointing an accusing finger at him.

Like she was saying that
he was the one who did it.

Yes, but why would she accuse Barry,

who couldn't possibly have done it?

I don't know. Maybe
she don't care about logic.

Maybe she just likes to
frighten comedians.

Would you like a rundown
on the ladies in the case?

That might be a very good idea.

Here we go.

There.

I don't know how you feel
about The Haley Sisters,

but 25 years ago
they was sweet young girls,

fresh from Iowa.

They still had
the corn silk in their hair.

Oh, yeah.

Now, this is some time later.
This is after the murder.

I expect that you will be more
interested in this lady here.

This is Sharon King.
That was Richie's wife.

Oh. Well, no one has even mentioned her.

Now, was she in the theater
when her husband was murdered?

Yeah, yeah, but she left
20 minutes before it happened.

A lot of witnesses saw her

kissing Richie goodbye at the door.

She could have
slipped back later, I guess.

Do you know where she is now?

Yeah. You wanna meet her?

[fanciful music playing]

My favorite Bulldog.

Hey, Sharon, just as beautiful as ever.

Watch it.

That kind of talk will give you
the business end of this hose.

-Hello.
-Hello.

I'm Sharon King.

[stutters] This charming lady
is Jessica Fletcher.

She is a writer.

I'm very pleased to meet you, Sharon.

He brought you here to talk about Richie.

-Well, yes.
-[birds chirping]

I'm not a mind-reader,

but he never invites anyone
unless he thinks he's got

a new lead for that very old case.

Now, don't you believe a word of that.

Hey, how are the grandchildren,

the three little angels?

The girls are with their mother,

probably enjoying
their first ride in a tow car.

Kelly called right after I talked to you,

and she's having trouble with her car.

So as soon as I get the dust off my wagon,

I've gotta go and pick up
my grandson at kindergarten,

and then I've got to
take him to the dentist.

I'm very sorry.

It seems to me your priorities are clear.

Okay, we'll cut it short.

Jessica is interested
in the woman in black

who allegedly appeared to Barry Barnes

the night after the murder.

Seems she's popped up again,
after all these years.

And you're wondering if it was me.

I might have pulled a stunt
like that 25 years ago.

When Bulldog first knew me,
I was high-strung.

My husband had just been murdered.

I realize that Barry's eyes

aren't as good as they used to be,

but can you honestly imagine anybody

mistaking me for an avenging angel?

Black isn't my color.

I thought she ought to hear it from you.

Frankly, I don't know
why you want to dig up

an old murder that
most everyone's forgotten.

Richie was a beautiful man.

He missed seeing a daughter

grow into a lovely woman
with adorable children.

They mean the world to me,

and I don't want to see
anything dredged up

that could hurt them.

I'm not looking for scandal.

I can't tell you what to do, of course.

But I wish you would let
Richie King remain the man

his family can be proud of.

-[suspenseful music playing]
-If you'll excuse me,

grandmothers should never be late.

Of course.

You realize she just
hinted at a dark secret,

and you didn't ask a single question.

Didn't have to. I know the answer.

The worst-kept secret in show business.

Richie King, that fine family man,

was a skirt-chaser.

He liked them young.

But if you think that's gonna
make me drop this case,

you just don't know
why they call me Bulldog.

♪ Move over, sun, ♪

♪ And give me some sky ♪

♪ I've got me some wings ♪

♪ I'm eager to try ♪

♪ I may be unknown ♪

♪ But wait till I've flown ♪

♪ You're gonna hear from me ♪

♪ Make me some room ♪

♪ You people up there ♪

Art, this, in case you haven't seen it,

is a copy of the final script.

We're taking our names off the show, Art.

Okay, come on, hold it down, will you?

♪ I'm staking my claim ♪

♪ Remember my name ♪

♪ You're gonna hear from me ♪

Nothing's changed, not even
The Haley Sisters' act.

-[The Haley Sisters singing in background]
-Our sketch is gone.

You didn't even have
the decency to tell us.

Or the guts. You sold us out.

Look, we'll talk
about it later, all right?

Later is too late.

Mrs. Fletcher,

Barry was just asking for you.

Hello, Sergeant.

Hey, you look good. You lost some weight.

Yeah, couple of pounds maybe.

Well, that's one of the fringe benefits

of police retirement.

No more free donuts.

[laughing] Yeah.

Where is Barry?

He's changing for rehearsal.

Hey, look, why don't you grab
a couple of seats inside,

and I'll tell him you're here.

Thank you.

All right. Around to your left.

Good to see you, Sergeant.

Art, Art.

We just took out full page ads
in both trade papers

telling people to watch our sketch.

They're gonna think we're complete idiots.

Look, what do you guys want from me?

We'll start with your liver.

That's not funny.

♪ You're gonna hear from me ♪

-That's nice.
-It really is.

Thanks, guys.

[over speaker] Haley Sisters,
that was great.

-Thank you.
-Thanks.

[from speaker] Cathy.

Yeah?

[from speaker] We'll need you to change
into costume for the sketch.

[from speaker] We're gonna run it
for camera after the specialty act.

Just great.

[from speaker] Okay, spinners,
on stage, please.

-[uptempo music playing]
-[woman] No, no, no, no.

Number one, number three, number three.

-[woman] Number one.
-[man] One, good.

[woman] Three.

Oh, watch it!

Number one, number one, watch number...

No, no, no, number one.

Number three, number three,
watch number three.

[woman exclaiming]

That is the same act
that was on stage 25 years ago

when Richie was murdered.

[woman] ...three.

[woman yelling]

No, no, here, this one. Eight, eight!

They improved with age.

I'm not a comic, I'm not funny,

and I don't want to do the sketch.

[woman] Number five. Six, six.

[Cathy screaming]

Eight, eight. Hurry up, hurry up.

Number four, number four.
Watch it, watch it.

Number five, number five.

[Cathy sobbing]

-Where's Barry?
-In there.

Hey, Barry, you okay?

I am.

But Art's not.

Oh, no.

It's crazy.

Who'd kill a writer?

So you just walked into the dressing room

and started talking to a dead man?

I didn't know he was dead

until I took a good look at him.

Then I ran out screaming.

You could have conked him first.

She was only in the dressing room
five seconds.

Marge and I were in the corridor

the whole time.

You're not acting much
like a grieving widow.

I'm not acting at all.

My grief is personal.

I have no intention
of making a show of it.

Why were you so hot to talk
to your brother-in-law?

I wanted to ask him to get me
out of the comedy sketch.

I hated it.

Why did you want to talk
to your brother-in-law

instead of Barry Barnes,
who runs the show?

That has nothing to do with the murder.

I'll decide that.

Unless the three of you
wanna go downtown and talk.

Art was our personal manager.

You mean that Barry's head writer

was your personal manager?

That's a conflict of interest.

-No, it's...
-Forget it, Ozzie.

Oz, why don't you tell the lieutenant

about the argument you had with Art

outside my dressing room?

[sighs] He hated me.
He wanted me off the show.

So you had a motive?

No, no. He hated me, I didn't hate him.

I get along with everybody.

Look, everyone of you
stick around the theater

until I say you can go.

Do you understand?

[stagehand] Okay, wrap it up.
Store all the props.

Well, Bulldog Kowalski.

That's about the last person
I wanted to see.

Oh, Lieutenant Meyerling,
this is Jessica Fletcher.

How do you do?

Just butt out, Bulldog.

This is not the old murder
that you screwed up.

This is a new one and it belongs to me,

and I do not screw up.

Oh,

well, then I'm sure

you've questioned the two writers

who had angry words with Art Sommers.

Their names were Lyman and Roth.

Come to think of it,
I haven't seen them recently.

Have you, Bulldog?

No, no, not since the murder.

This is Lieutenant Meyerling.

I want to know right now
who was responsible

for letting a couple of suspects get away.

We didn't even know he was dead.

We heard about it at the writers' guild

when we tried to file
a complaint against him.

Why don't we have a little talk

at the murder scene?

It might bring back
a few memories. Let's go.

I hope they talk better than they write.

Jessica, do me a favor.

Cathy Haley wants to split right now.

-Talk to her, will you?
-[fanciful music playing]

Barry's got it all wrong.

I don't want to run out
on the murder investigation.

I just want to go home to my husband

and two teenage daughters.

In Iowa?

It's only a few hours away,
and the phones work just fine.

-[birds chirping]
-I talked to my kids a little while ago.

The news about the murder
was on TV already,

and they were upset.

Well, of course they would be.

I mean, with you being so close.

No, not only that.

They were crazy about Art.

He was good with kids.

He and Lee never had any of their own,

but he was just a terrific uncle

to his nieces and nephew.

[sobs] I'm sorry.

I'm not like Lee.
I can't bottle up my emotions.

Well, it's hard for some people

to express their feelings.

Lee's always been like that.

She didn't even cry when Mom and Dad

died a few weeks apart in 1966.

She's the strong one.

Marge and I are just
a couple of weak sisters.

We'd still be clerking
at the five-and-dime

if she hadn't dragged us
into show business.

Even then, I hated performing.

I just wanted to live my life.

But they were willing to pay us,

and money was short at home.

There was no way we could go to college.

Is that why you retired
in 1974, to go to college?

We never got around to that.

I got married in '73.

'74 was when we started our family.

And how did your sisters
feel about retirement?

Lee was already married.

I think she was glad
to get away from the road.

But Marge wasn't married.

I mean, I was always surprised

that she didn't go out on her own.

Mrs. Fletcher,

what do I have to do
to get away from here?

Can the police make me stay?

Well, I'm not sure.

It depends whether they feel

that you're a material witness,

or if they consider you a suspect.

No way!

I couldn't have killed Art.

He was Lee's husband, and a friend.

I see.

How did you feel about Richie King?

Honestly?

I thought he was a creep.

-[dramatic music playing]
-But I didn't kill him, either.

[keyboard clacking]

Okay, what do you want me
to punch up on this thing?

That photograph of the Haley family.

-Mm-hmm. You got it.
-[keyboard clacking]

That was something that Cathy said.

I mean, a bell just went off.

Yeah.

Now, you see that man there?
That has to be their father.

Now, that has to be their mother.

Yeah. Am I missing something?

Now, Cathy said that both
her parents died in 1966.

Now, she didn't start
her family until 1974,

so that baby there couldn't possibly be

one of Cathy's teenage daughters.

Well, Cathy was just a kid then.

She was like 17, 18 years.

What was it you said
that Richie "liked them young"?

[pounds head]

All these years I've been
looking at that picture,

it never occurred to me,
the possibility that

I was looking at Richie King's
baby by Cathy Haley.

You know, Cathy said something else.

She said that Art was
such a terrific uncle

to his nieces and nephew.

What nephew? She had two girls.

Yeah.

Sergeant, you see what seems to be a scarf

on Marge's left shoulder?

If I'm not mistaken, that is a diaper.

And you see that blurry object
in her right hand?

That has to be a baby's bottle.

Then you are saying that
Cathy is handing the baby

over to be fed by its mother?

Marge.

Something else in the file
you ought to see.

[keyboard clacking]

That is a hospital admissions certificate.

When Marge gave birth.

No, no, this is
a different kind of hospital,

and this is later.

So much later, that all these years,

I never connected it
with Richie King's murder.

I clean forgot about it until just now.

1974.

That was the year that
The Haley Sisters retired.

Yeah.

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

You must have made some kind of a mistake.

I don't think so, Marge.

Look at this old family photograph.

Tell me what you think.

Where did you get this?
I haven't seen this in years.

That's your baby, isn't it?

He must be quite grown up now.

Where is he?

He's in graduate school.

Yes, he's my baby.

Mine and Richie's.

Lee tried to warn me about Richie,

but I was 20 years old.

Nobody could tell me anything.

Richie King.

I thought sneaking around
with Richie King would be

the most romantic thing
in the whole world.

I can't believe how dumb I was.

When did you start seeing him?

About three months

before he asked Barry
to put us on the show.

That's how we got the job.

And nobody knew that I was pregnant.

And, of course,

I wanted so desperately
to have Richie's baby.

I still thought I was so in love with him.

But then I saw the look on his face

when I told him.

That must have hurt you terribly.

I hated him.

I cried and I cried so, and I carried on.

He tried to make me keep still,

and I slapped him.

I even threatened to call his wife.

And then Richie said

he didn't want to work with me anymore.

He was going to ask Barry
to bump us from the show,

and we would be replaced by another act.

I was in a panic then.

This was our big break,

and Lee and Cathy were so excited.

And Mom and Dad, they had called them,

and half of Iowa was tuned in
to watch us on the show.

We had to be on the show.

We just had to be on that show!

And then Richie told me to
get out of his dressing room.

I was frantic.

[Marge] I couldn't let it end this way.

We were having dinner
in his dressing room,

and there was a steak knife on the table,

-[suspenseful music playing]
-and I picked it up,

[stammering] and he said I was crazy.

And then he came closer,

and he tried to reach for the knife,

and then I just stabbed him!

You left something out, didn't you?

Something very important.

[Jessica] There was a witness there.

[Marge] Yes.

-It was Art.
-[somber music playing]

I knew what I had done
was a terrible thing.

I wouldn't have blamed Art
if he had called the police.

But he didn't.

Barry told me that

you didn't care for Art
when you first met him, Lee.

That you didn't want
anything to do with him.

But within a few weeks of the murder,

you became his wife. Why, Lee?

Were you being blackmailed by a man

who was hopelessly in love?

You're very clever, Jessica,
about making things up.

You've just put words
in my sister's mouth.

And Marge will deny everything
that was said in this room,

and so will I.
It will be our word against yours.

And mine.

Thanks for leaving the door open, Jessica.

I get it. A set up.

Well, I don't care
what you thought you heard.

I'm not going to allow my sister

to be tried for murder.

I'm sure that that won't be necessary.

I have here a printout

from the files of a mental institution

that says that you committed
your sister Marge in 1974,

which probably explains

the early retirement of The Haley Sisters.

You give me that!

No, it's no use. I got the original.

I can make a lot of copies.

The hospital records show

that Marge might not have been
responsible for her actions.

She has a history
of emotional disturbances,

going back to early childhood.

They released her from
the hospital in 1983,

saying she needed no further
treatment or confinement.

They released me because I was cured,

wasn't I, Lee? Huh?

Well, what if she is cured?
What are you driving at?

[Jessica] That she could be
capable of distinguishing

between right and wrong.

You knew what you did
to Art Sommers was wrong,

didn't you, Marge?

Now, wait a minute. You have no right!

After you finished rehearsing your number,

you went back to your dressing room,

and Art was there waiting.

Now, Art lied when he said

he never saw the woman in black.

He not only saw her,
but he knew who she was.

I wouldn't have hurt Barry.

I just wanted him to share my guilt.

He did Richie a favor
by having us on the show,

but it was his fault that
we were in the dressing room.

I told him it was his fault,

and I told... I told Richie
it was his fault.

I had to kill him!

For God's sake, please don't do this!

What did Art say to you?

That you were jeopardizing the act?

No!

Is that the reason

that you snatched at the nearest thing,

a heavy vase filled
with flowers and water?

You swung it at his head hard.

You killed him.

No! Lee!

Stop it, stop this!

Marge did not kill Art.

I killed Art!

[dramatic music playing]

I found him in the dressing room

when I came back from the stage.

He said that Marge had been
up to her old tricks,

and that we had to get
stronger tranquilizers

to keep her under control.

I said that being back in the theater,

being back in that dressing room

was just too traumatic for Marge.

I wanted to put her back in the hospital,

just for a while, but...

And our-- our comeback would have to wait.

But Art said no.

The comeback was Art's idea.

He wanted to get out from Barry's shadow

and be an entrepreneur.

We would do Barry's show,

and then we'd do our own specials,

and Art would be in charge.

Well, I said that I wasn't going to risk

Marge being driven over the edge

just so he could play king of the hill.

Then he said,

how would I like to have
Marge exposed as a killer?

If I'd had a gun,

I would have used it.

But I didn't have a gun,

so I just grabbed the vase of flowers,

and I...

-And killed the man who would have made
-[Lee sobbing]

your sisters' lives as
miserably unhappy as your own?

Murder is murder,

but I feel sorry for those poor women.

There's one thing I don't get.

Now, you and Bulldog
forced Lee into confessing.

But how did you know Lee was the killer

and not Marge or Cathy?

Well, the police photos
of the murder scene

showed Art's body soaking wet

and covered with flowers
from the broken vase.

It stood to reason that the impact

of the vase-shattering death blow

would also have splattered Art's killer,

and I remembered that
I'd seen the three sisters

only a few minutes later,
after the police had arrived.

Both Cathy and Marge were
still in their costumes,

bone dry and unsplattered.

But Lee wore a long Terry cloth bathrobe,

that could easily have
covered a wet costume

that she didn't have time to change.

That's like the magician
making the elephant disappear.

-It's easy if you know how.
-[chuckles]

Have you had any word about your show?

Oh, yes, that disappeared, too.
It was canceled.

Oh, Barry. I'm so sorry.

Hey, I look ahead.

Some day television will be history.

There'll be something else

that hasn't even been invented yet.

You won't have to stare at a tube.

The actors will be right there
in the room with you.

Oh, heaven forbid!

-[laughs]
-[lively music playing]

[lively theme music playing]