Original subtitles

That Jeep right there, that's your rental.

And you have a good stay.

Spencer Hamilton?

That's right.

Ed Tucker.

Everything's set.

Power's on, water's on, phone works.

Need a key?

Got one.

What's that? My bill.

Your brother always paid me cash.

Oh. Yeah, he usually paid me when I got done. That way neither one of us forgot.

That's a good idea.

I was wondering when somebody would come down to close the house.

You gonna sell it?

I don't know.

I wouldn't park my car there.

We cut a limb off that tree and dripped sap on everything.

Do you know where my brother was killed?

Yeah. Can you show me?

Yeah.

Out there?

What is that?

Duck blind?

Yeah. Season's been over six months.

How did it happen?

Well, the way I heard it, Frank was in the boat.

Four buddies was already in that blind.

Bunch of ducks come in flying low, you know.

Frank grabbed his gun, stood up just as his friend fired.

Hit Frank square in the chest.

Frank was in the boat?

That's right.

Heard he was setting decoys.

You can ask the sheriff.

That's what all the fellas said. You know, the ones that was there.

Anyway, like I said, your brother always paid me cash. That way neither one of

us forgot.

I ain't never seen nothing like it. Them big blues got them schools of track and

run them up on the beach.

And I picked up two or three buckets for myself.

When was that?

Yesterday. I always miss it. It never fails.

I get there the day before it or the day after. It just kills my soul.

Wouldn't you think a person just one time could get there the day of it?

Happens to me, too.

Boys, that's what brought the people down here. The fish, water, beaches,

lost colony play.

But in the 50s, I was just fine. But now we just got too many of them. Tell

them, Commissioner.

Wintertime. Good for the economy.

Let people know where this place is at. Good all around.

You campaigning again, Commissioner?

All right, all right.

I voted for you last time.

Me too.

I voted for you when you ran Democrat, when you ran Republican, and when you

Independent. You did.

No, but Mama did.

Then she felt sorry for you.

Honey, you just tell Mama to keep on voting.

Keep on feeling sorry for old Gordon, but keep on voting.

Hell, Commissioner, if you ever win, we'll have to get out in high school

and have a parade.

I'm Spencer Hamilton, Frank Hamilton's brother.

Oh. Oh, have a seat. I'm Gordon Lewis.

Commissioner.

Yes, a little joke.

Have some.

Did you know my brother?

Well, yeah, I knew him.

You know, it's interesting that you should come up to me.

I've got this little law office.

Don't practice much anymore.

I got a little insurance business, sell some real estate from time to time.

But I did do a couple of things for your brother.

So, yeah, I... Who killed him?

Well, you know, that was an accident.

Happened last November.

I've been stationed in Europe. I just mustered out.

So, uh, you want to step over to my little office and go through Frank's

and what I got of him? All I want is the name of the man who killed him.

Well, uh,

uh, Dalton.

Here's the man you ought to talk to.

Spencer Hamilton. Frank Hamilton's brother?

Sheriff Parks.

Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hamilton.

Sorry about your brother. Who killed him?

Well, it was an accident.

Who pulled the trigger?

A man named Brian Bartell.

You know where I can find him?

Well, I haven't seen him or his friend. I hear they're in town.

I know how you must feel, but it was an accident.

You seem awfully upset.

I hope you don't feel... You don't know how I feel.

You here for the fishing?

Yeah, I've heard the bluefish run the trout right up into your bunk.

That's right.

Been here long? Born here.

Where you from?

Where it snows.

Ooh.

Ryan Bartella.

You know? Oh, yeah. Comes in here all the time with his buddies.

Known Ryan long?

No. Friend of a friend.

Well, he's a card.

Loves to party, but he's got a hell of a gun.

All right. Oh, yeah. One night last year, Ryan comes in here with his pal.

And all of a sudden, Ryan gets into a brawl with one of his friends, a guy by

the name of Frank Hamilton, over some girl. Ryan wants her.

She wants Frank.

Just an argument over a girl? Oh, yeah. Well, it happens.

But it got settled.

Another girl comes in.

And I will speak to the devil. There they are.

I'm Spencer Hamilton.

Frank Hamilton's brother.

Well, I'm Ernie D 'Amato. This is David Channing, Brian Barcell and Lee Kramer.

Yeah.

You want something else?

No.

We are really, really sorry about what happened to Frank.

Yeah, he, uh... Frank was a great guy. He was a great guy.

What about you?

How sorry are you?

I'm sorry.

It was an accident. What happened, happened.

And that's it?

It was an accident.

Ask anybody.

I'm asking you.

Why'd you kill my brother?

I told you.

It was an accident. Frank was in the boat when you shot him, right?

Right.

He gave his statement to the sheriff.

Frank was in the boat? Yeah, he was in the boat.

You're a liar.

He lost his brother.

You call me a liar?

Yeah, you're a liar.

Frank wasn't in any boat.

He almost drowned when he was three.

He had hydrophobia.

He wouldn't go near the water.

You murdered my brother.

Liar.

Hey, cut it out. Back off. Now tell me why you murdered my brother. Hey, drop

the knife.

Drop the knife.

All

right,

what's going on here?

I see him.

I didn't start it.

We better hold it together.

That was real dumb.

Hey, damn it, I didn't start it.

We got a problem.

Oh, yeah.

Take a dye and don't look at it until you get home.

If it's white, you go to bed.

If it's red, you've got work to do.

And it has to be done by 7 a .m. Are we agreed?

Nobody talks to anybody, including each other, until after 9 a .m.

Only the man that does the job will know that he did it.

Yeah.

What for?

Yeah. Yeah, okay.

I'll be there.

How took you so long?

Show him the warrant, Clarence.

Floyd Tubbs. He owns a barbershop.

Was out walking in the woods this morning.

About a mile from here at 6 o 'clock.

Heard pistol shots and went to look.

Ryan Bartell was lying there with two bullets through him.

Stone dead.

Wait a minute.

I don't even own a gun.

And I wasn't out running around in the woods at 6 o 'clock. I was right here.

Yeah? Yeah.

Handing a mechanic the keys to that car over there.

He came to fix the ignition.

At six in the morning?

He said he was real busy. His work was backed up and that was the only time he

could fix it.

What's his name?

Jack. Yeah, Jack something. Go call Jack Rose. Yes, sir.

Sheriff?

Why are you looking at me?

I'll listen to the gun case.

Recently fired.

Wait a minute.

I've never seen that before.

Jack Rose said he hadn't been anywhere near this place this morning.

What? Let's go, Mr. Hamilton.

Now, this is crazy. I didn't kill anybody.

I hereby grant the defense's motion, and in so doing, find the prosecution's

case against Horton Garrett to be solely lacking in substance and merit.

I therefore order that the charges against Mr. Garrett be dropped and that

released immediately.

Court is adjourned.

Thank you, Mr. Matlock. Thank you a million times over. Just do my job. Now,

and your wife go celebrate. We will. Oh, we will.

Where's Mr. Garrett?

Free, ma 'am.

Free is right.

We just got this from the bank.

His check bounced?

Hey, Mr. Garrett!

Excuse me, excuse me. Hey, Mr. Garrett!

Hey, Mr. Garrett!

Hey, fella!

I hate that.

I hate that.

Don't you just hate that?

We should only take cash in advance.

Ben Matlock.

Yes, sir, General.

Oh, well, it's good to hear your voice, General Colvin. It's been such a long

time.

Uh -huh.

Uh -huh.

Uh -huh.

Oh, well, sure, sure, I remember.

And, and...

Well, yes, sir. Yes, sir. I'd be glad to do that.

Of course.

Yes, sir.

Bye, General Colvin. Hey, Michelle.

You know who that was?

General Colvin.

Four -star general.

Big man.

He did me a favor several years ago, and now it's my turn.

Have you ever heard of a town called Manteo on Roanoke Island in North

Mr. Matlock.

Yeah? You're supposed to go straight to the courthouse, sir.

They found a cab.

I've been in elevators bigger than that.

The thing bounced like a jackrabbit all the way from Raleigh. Well, at least

you're in good hands.

Chris, they're the most experienced pilot we've got.

Him who?

That lawyer.

What lawyer?

The one they sent for from Atlanta.

Well, I'm a lawyer.

We heard about your suit.

What suit?

Is that it?

Well, it's my suit.

Excuse me.

That's him.

That's him.

What do you think?

Well, I don't know.

He's supposed to be here.

Mr. Matlock?

Yeah.

Glad to see you. I'm Gordon Lewis, your co -counsel. Well, not really co

-counsel. It's kind of holding down a fort that you've got here. This is

Hamilton. Thanks for coming.

Uh -huh. Uh -huh. Well, uh... Oh, we've got to get inside.

Your Honor.

Your Honor, I'm sorry.

Melissa Lyle, and I have followed your career with great admiration.

Thank you.

Your Honor, at this time... Why are you late?

I just got here.

There's a big crowd outside. I got stuck.

I'll not have that crowd disrupting this trial. You understand?

Well, yes, sir.

Good. Now, in your absence, your co -counsel, the prosecutor, and I have

discussed bail.

And it has been agreed that $50 ,000 is reasonable. You have no objections, do

you, Mr. Matlin?

I was just holding down the board. I'm not really co -counsel.

Uh, no, no objection.

Good. Miss Lyle, anything further?

Oh, no, Your Honor. Fine. Mr. Matlock, if you'll sign on for the case, we're in

business. Court's adjourned.

You paid Jack Rose to lie.

You're nuts, mister. What the hell are you talking about?

Which one of you killed Ryan?

Or was it all of you?

Spencer, get away from the car.

Get away from the car.

Spencer!

Mother Earth!

You know, a lot of people down here think you're guilty.

That thing you pulled on the street, that was dumb. I'm talking real dumb.

I never heard of Roanoke Island before.

And the only reason I'm down here now is General Colvin called me and I owe him

a favor.

He said you were one of his best men and you had a hot temper. Now I'm going to

warn you.

During the course of this trial, you be one of the best men.

Forget the hot temper part.

You got that?

Yeah. Okay.

So, uh, this is where he was killed, wasn't it?

Ryan Bartell.

Killed Frank over some girl.

Yeah?

Yeah.

Were you and Frank close?

We're actually pretty different, except for our temper.

What'd he do for a living?

He wheeled and dealed and a lot of stuff.

Did pretty well, I guess.

We just started patching things up.

How do you suppose that gun got in your house?

I don't know.

But you were home?

Yeah, the whole time.

This mechanic, Jack Rose, was there from 6 to 7 .30 fixing the car.

He told the sheriff he was home in bed.

Hmm.

I wonder why he lied.

There you go, Jack Rose's statement.

Oh, as long as we're at it, why don't I give you a copy of this? It's Conrad

McMaster's statement.

Who's Conrad McMaster?

Me.

Conrad broke up a fight between Ryan Bartell and your client the day before

murder.

Yeah, huh.

I have a pistol.

That's all it was, too?

Yeah, pretty much.

Spencer Hamilton stuck the knife in the table and left.

There's a knife?

Yeah. Belonged to Ryan Bartell. Spencer had taken it away from him and they got

to wrestling about it.

Anyway, Ryan said he didn't start it.

Actually, they were both pretty mad at each other.

But you had your pistol. Yeah.

When I'm in uniform, I have my pistol.

That was good work.

Thank you.

Ryan Bartell lives on Mother Vineyard Road.

Sure.

Why don't you give Mr. Matlock a ride out there?

All right.

My first name's Ben. Conrad.

B -H -C. Ben and Conrad. Conrad and Ben.

And there's the library.

Yep.

That's Gordon Kellogg's plot.

Oh, I see.

Nice looking store.

No lumber. What else they sell? Whatever you need.

Nice. And there's your basic house.

And as you can see, woods.

You like it here, huh?

Yeah. Yeah.

Pretty much all I know.

I've traveled.

I mean, I've been to New York, Miami.

Atlanta? Been to Atlanta.

But I always wind up back here.

Well. You like it here?

You like the job?

I think I'm ahead of the game.

Okay, here we are.

Look like timeshare. Oh, timeshare.

You know, Mr. Bartell owned this place.

Paid cash for it.

Ah. Yeah.

He stay here by himself?

Sometimes. A lot of times.

Then a lot of times he'd bring the family along.

Then a lot of times he'd come down here with another woman.

Yeah? Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

He had several.

Blondes, brunettes, redheads.

I mean, me.

I just got one, you know?

Yeah, me too.

Do all his friends have homes as nice as this? Oh, yeah.

Huh.

You have any idea what to do for a living?

Nope. I'm pretty sure they're not deputy sheriffs.

Yeah.

How long have these trolls been coming down here?

Old bot. Five years, I guess.

Doug

Connors,

huh? Yes, sir.

Is there any good?

They brag about it, give games to the locals sometimes, but I don't know if

they're any good.

You know anybody who would?

Are you kidding?

To hear them talk, they back every duck they ever shot at.

Do you ever go hunting with them?

Nah, they keep pretty much to themselves.

But town folks love them, don't they, Conrad?

Yeah, they get along with everybody.

Give them charities in town, different causes.

Do they come in here a lot? A lot.

Have a cup of beer, then either eat dinner here or... They go to one of

houses to play poker and have pizzas delivered.

They play poker a lot?

Well, they like to gamble a little, I guess.

Sometimes the hunters run into what you call bluebird weather.

Clear days without any wind.

Ducks don't fly at all, so they might as well play poker.

Yeah, in the daytime, but at night... Well, I guess

if you hunt long enough, you get to knowing when... Bluebird weather's

Huh.

What? This is a peculiar bunch of duck hunters.

Play poker all night, eat pizza. What happens to the duck they shoot? Don't

eat them?

Maybe they don't like duck.

Like to shoot them, don't like to eat them.

Give them away. A lot of people do that.

Something's wrong.

Go ahead, Clarence.

Conrad!

Go ahead, Clarence.

Conrad!

What?

You better get over to Jack Rosen's garage.

Spencer Hamilton's there and he's trying to beat the living hell out of Jack.

Great.

You suppose I could just rent a car down here?

Oh, yeah.

Leave me alone. I don't have to talk. Will you stand still?

Come here.

Just tell me where you're lying.

and I'll be through the door.

See that?

He tried to kill me.

Trying to make you tell me why you lied.

I'm going to press charges, fella.

They're going to electrocute you for killing Ryan Bartell and they're going

electrocute you again for trying to kill me.

Mr. Rose, you can file charges.

But if you do, then everybody's going to wonder what you did to make Spencer so

mad at you.

You just keep him away from me.

You think he can do that?

Count on it.

All right, then, it's over.

Come on, Jeff.

Come on.

Now, I told you, and I'm going to tell you one more time, don't ever try

something like this again. But he... You're on trial for murder.

You can't go around here acting like some kind of a jackass.

You got that?

Yeah, I got that. Good.

Because otherwise, you're digging your own grave.

And with the evidence against you, it won't take much of a shot.

You scared the hell out of me.

I'm sorry the door was open.

Uh, Mr. D 'Amato?

Yeah? I'm, uh, I'm Ben Matlock, Spencer Hamilton's lawyer.

He's a bum. He shot Ryan Bartell in cold blood.

Is that right?

Yeah.

What's that?

It's mousse.

Chocolate mousse.

What's that?

Spaghetti sauce.

Green spaghetti sauce?

It's pesto.

This.

Nice glass of wine, a little mousse.

You forget about heaven.

Oh, that's right.

You own a restaurant in Boston, right?

Yeah. Oh.

That's nice.

You and your friends bring your families down here, do you?

Yeah. They enjoy it.

Sometimes... You don't? Yeah.

What's wrong with that?

Sometimes you bring another woman.

Who told you that?

Oh, I just heard it.

Let me tell you something. I don't bother nobody.

Nobody bothers me.

Something wrong with the gun?

Oh, no.

No, it's a nice gun. It's just a little dirty.

This shot, is illegal.

It's lead.

It's supposed to use steel shot over water.

Federal law.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, I have to get something next season.

Talking about how Spencer Hamilton shot Ryan Bartell

in cold blood.

Where were you that morning?

Are we going to have to go through this?

You can't get around it.

I was here.

Asleep. Your moose is burning.

Damn!

I know I'm talking with you.

Yeah, it's me. I just got a visit from that lawyer Matlock.

I took the wrong door. Went in the toilet.

He's gonna be a problem.

Excuse me.

Is there something I can do for you? Oh, hi.

I'm Ben Matlock, Spencer Hamilton's lawyer.

That's a nice boat.

I like it.

So you're a stockbroker from Chicago?

Yes.

Do you folks up there know something we don't?

Well, we just know it first.

What I meant was that flat -bottom boat that's on the trailer right there, how

do you haul that when you don't have a trailer hitch on your car?

Uh -oh, there's one on the other car.

I heard you always drive that sports car when you're down here.

He sold his other car to me.

I buy all my cars for my friends. That way I know what I'm getting. What a good

idea. Ben Matlock, Spencer Hamilton's lawyer.

You must be Lee Kramer.

Sir.

Get your gun, David. Let's go shoot some targets.

How about me?

I mean, you got your...

Your headset, you can listen to some Mozart or The Grateful Dead or

but I'm not doing anything, so... Wait a sec.

Okay. Yeah.

Oh,

you and David both stockbrokers?

Hell no, I'm an oil leaser.

Oh! Dallas?

Denver? Houston?

Houston. Oh, that's an easy way to lose your shirt, especially these days.

Awful lot of bad luck going around. Yeah.

If you want to survive, you got to know what you're doing.

Yeah. Hey, could I, uh... Oh,

thanks.

Hey, that's nice.

Take a shot.

Oh, no, I wouldn't be able to hit anything.

Boy, your gun's clean.

Your hunting buddies could take lessons from you.

Ernie D 'Amato's gun's dirty, rusty.

So's Ryan's.

City boys, what can you do, right?

Were you shooting the morning Ryan was killed?

At six?

I was asleep.

At home.

Alone. Look, if I'd have killed Ryan Bartell, I wouldn't have needed two

to bring him down, you know? Well, you got a point.

Oh!

There you go.

There's a lot of people down here. Summertime.

They cut them all over.

Well, I don't blame you.

It's pretty down here.

Have you been here all your life?

Like the fella says, not yet.

What do you think?

Right on, Pat.

You remember?

Fondly. Sheriff, those, uh, those, uh, fellas, those, uh, honey fellas, uh,

how did they get to be friends? I mean, uh, one's from Houston, one's from

Boston, one's from Chicago. I mean, they're from all over.

Well, the story is they met on vacation and liked one another and they started

meeting at different places and taking a little trip together and wound up here.

Huh. Wound up here.

Sheriff! Mr. Matlock.

Hello, Commissioner.

Oh, Mr. Lewis. What they say about you is true. You are everywhere.

I like to keep up. But you, you're the one that's everywhere, isn't he,

He's a little young yet.

See you later, boys.

I heard you was over here. You making any progress on your case?

Oh, you know, I asked a few questions around.

So, uh, county commissioner, huh? Oh, no, no, no. I've run for commissioner a

lot of times.

Never won? Never did.

Pretty soon, folks just started calling me commissioner. Oh, ex -official, huh?

Yeah, hell, I like a good joke.

In the meantime, I got my little practice, insurance business, one -third

interest in a used car lot.

So you're making some progress on that case, huh? Well, yeah.

Moderate, moderate.

Ben Malach.

Who is it?

Those are Beetham Gardens.

I guess so, but...

What's going on?

I got a call.

Anonymous. The person fitting your description was seen buying or accepting

substance at Whalebone Junction on the beach.

And they said this car was here, too.

You don't think I got dope in my car?

Well, I doubt it, and I hope not.

But I'm going to have to ask you to open your car, Mr. Matlock.

Well... Well, that's...

It's just that systemic, right?

Sorry, but, uh, drunk too, Conrad.

Well, uh... What

is

that?

What?

Cocaine.

Looks like about four ounces.

What the hell is cocaine doing?

Well, surely you... Surely you don't... You don't think...

How

the hell could you drag me in here? You know I had no choice. You were carrying!

Mr. Matlock, I will have order.

Your Honor, I was framed. Mr. Matlock, you're out of turn. In my court, we

follow procedure.

Now, we're going to go through with this. We have to.

Now, you will speak when you're spoken to. You understand?

I understand.

Counsel for the defense. I'm counsel for the defense. I said you'll speak. You

spoke to me.

The charge.

It's illegal possession of a controlled substance. Now, we know you possess it.

We'll find out if you intended to sell.

How do you plead? Somebody planted that cocaine in my car. How do you plead? Not

guilty. You know damn well that cocaine doesn't belong to me.

Not locked. One more outburst like that and I'll charge you with contempt.

Understood? Yes.

I understand.

Good.

The record will reflect the entry of a not guilty plea to the charges.

We will proceed to the matter of bail.

Does the prosecution have any recommendations?

Oh, yes, your honor. Because Mr. Matlock is defending a case in Manteo, the

people are not concerned that he will fail to appear for trial.

So we recommend that the bail be set at $10 ,000.

$10 ,000?

You don't take dope.

No. I don't take dope.

How is this going to affect the case?

Now, listen.

I came down here for one reason.

To defend the man that I believe is innocent.

And if you think I'll jeopardize my chances by smoking cocaine or whatever

hell else you do with it, then you've got another thing.

And I'll tell you something else.

Just because you come from a small town... Doesn't give you the right, and

telling you to watch.

But you gotta calm down.

But I was praying. I believe you.

All right?

And somebody planted that cocaine because you're getting close to

Yeah.

Now we're gonna get to the bottom of this, but you gotta keep cool.

Keep cool. Yeah.

Keep cool.

Boy, that was good.

Yeah, you were just hungry.

Nothing evens a man out like a cup of eggs over easy and a cup of hot coffee.

Eggs over easy, cup of coffee. That's right.

Conrad, you're a good cook. Some girl's gonna be lucky to get you.

Well, if I say so myself, who shouldn't?

Yeah.

Well, you keep a nice place, I'll say that. Thank you.

Look at all this stuff here. What's that?

Yeah, he's messing around on the rodeo circuit.

A little riding, a little roping.

First place?

That don't sound like just messing around.

I had some fun.

I know Charlie Sampson. Yeah, he's good, isn't he? Yeah, you like the rodeo? I

like to watch.

You know, for a small -town fella, you don't seem to mind a little excitement.

Maybe you enjoy it.

If it doesn't get out of hand.

Been getting enough of it lately, though, huh?

Oh, too much.

Too much. I'll tell you something. If these fellas who framed me think they're

gonna get away with it, it ain't gonna happen. It ain't gonna happen. I'll tell

you, as soon as I get the first little glimmer, that's right, relax.

Exactly.

These for show?

I mess around a little bit now and then.

Okay.

See? Yeah.

I got one.

When it's peach picking time in Georgia.

Apple picking time in Tennessee.

Cotton picking time in Mississippi.

Yeah. Everybody picks on me when it's round -up time in Texas.

Boy, we're gonna make whoopee way down south in Alabama.

Yeah, I'll pick a time to meet.

I hope

the preacher knows his business.

I know he can't fool me.

You yodel? Universal language. Universal.

I got to tell you something.

This day wound up a lot better than it started. Yeah. Two eggs.

Over easy.

Coffee. Yeah, a little too.

Oh, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. Glad to see you feeling

feel good. And calm.

You feel calm? Oh, yeah.

Calm. Yeah.

All right.

Which one of you framed me?

I wasn't all out.

That's crazy.

What the hell are you talking about? I came to Manteo to defend a client.

business. But whoever framed me just made it personal.

You're nothing to do with us, Ben.

You're a liar.

Who are you calling a liar? Calling you a liar.

You're all liars.

Hold on, hold on, hold on.

You've got no reason to make such an accusation. You lied about everything.

You lied about Frank Hamilton's death.

He was a hydrophobic. He wouldn't set foot near the water, never mind get in a

boat. And when Ryan Bartell killed him, you all got together to make it look

like a honey accident.

And you all told the same story.

And when Spencer Hamilton came to town, confronted Ryan Bartell, next morning,

Ryan Bartell's dead.

Spencer didn't kill him. He had an alibi.

Jack Rose. Jack Rose lied, afraid he'd wind up like Ryan Bartell.

Now, sooner or later, one or all of you will make a mistake, and I'll be there

to watch you do it.

I'm going to find out why you killed Ryan Bartell and what you're up to.

I'll see you in court.

One more time.

You're a girl.

Having a bad day?

Happens to the best of us.

You have got to be new in town.

Because if I'd seen you before, I'd remember.

Just drove in this morning from Richmond.

Welcome to Dare County.

David Channing.

Michelle Thomas.

How long are you here for?

I don't know.

A couple weeks, maybe longer.

You here by yourself?

So far.

Maybe we could have dinner.

Maybe. Ben Matlock. Hey. Yeah. Ben.

Yeah. I got something to tell you that's going to knock your head off.

What? Well, I got me an idea. I just had to follow through on it. What?

Well, you know, Jack Rose's garage.

Yeah. Yeah. His fellow works there.

Ned. Ned Porter.

Yeah. And he pumps gas, checks oil, water, tires, stuff like that. Yeah.

Well. I went there, and I got me some gas, and I got my oil check, water,

stuff like that. All right, okay, okay. Anyway, I know Ned. See? See?

Ned likes to talk.

The money for Jack Rose's garage was put up by Lee Kramer, David Channing, Ernie

D 'Amato, and the late Frank Hamilton and Ryan Bartell.

It's beautiful.

Sure is.

Here's to new friends.

How about a walk on the beach?

Yeah.

Expecting a phone call.

Business. What business are you in?

Real estate.

I buy property, develop it, sell.

Yeah, I've got it.

Two o 'clock.

Beg's bed.

Yeah, I've got it.

Make it a twin if you can.

Okay. See you tomorrow.

Thought you were admiring the view.

It's getting chilly outside.

It's fine.

It's fine.

I'll just get the champagne and then you and I will get better acquainted.

You know what I really need?

What's that?

About ten hours sleep.

It's a long drive from Richmond.

What is this?

I'm just asking for a rain check on the sleep on my feet.

How about if I take you to lunch tomorrow?

Well, I can't make lunch.

How about drinks?

Four o 'clock.

Oh, great.

Should I keep the whole evening free?

I can find my way out.

Tomorrow.

Thank you very much.

All right.

You didn't have any trouble? No, no.

Hey, my little evening with David paid off. I have something.

All right. I got a look at his date book.

He travels a lot.

Europe, South America, the Bahamas, the finest hotels.

You wonder when he has time to take care of his real estate business.

So I called the Illinois Board of Realty.

Oh, he's not in real estate.

Yes, he is.

In a big way.

He got into it overnight.

He bought a row of houses, he tore them all down, and put up new, very expensive

houses. Did they sell them? Not yet.

Takes a lot of money.

Sorry I'm late.

Sit down, Conrad. Conrad McMaster, Michelle Thomas, my associate. How are

Just talked to the Boston police.

You call them, they ask you what department you want.

See, now that's a police force.

Anyway, Ernie D 'Amato. He's got a restaurant in town.

Not doing too good.

No liquor license.

Got a police record busted six years ago.

Cocaine. Possession with intent to sell.

Well, we've all made phone calls.

A friend in Houston knows everybody.

He said that Lee Kramer is known for three things. Of course, he likes women.

Puts pistachio nuts in his chili.

Keeps drilling oil wells that turn up dry.

But they're spending money like they invented.

Yeah.

Somebody put that cocaine in my car.

They're running drugs.

The Lost Colony. Yeah.

It's a good, good play. It's been going on every summer for 50 -some years.

This is where the first English colony lived? On Roanoke Island.

And no one knows what happened to them? Nope.

You know, the old -timers say that on a full moon, a pure white dough can be

seen out on the sand dunes.

They say that's the spirit of Virginia Dare.

Gives you the chills, doesn't it?

What's going on? What's this all about?

Well, we're making progress with your case, but we have something to tell you

that isn't simple or pleasant.

Let's have it.

We believe your brother and Ryan Bartell and the others were running drugs.

The remaining three still are.

That's what Frank meant in his last letter.

He said he was involved in something that had to go sour sooner or later.

That's why he was killed.

He wanted out.

David arranged a meeting with someone for 2 o 'clock today at Begg's Bay. I

didn't hear everything, but I did hear him say, make it a twin if you can.

Twin engine seat blade?

Running drugs from South America?

I think you could arrange something.

Party? Yeah.

Get the sheriff to make it official?

Yeah.

That over here. I'll take that out. Go.

All right.

Let's see what you got.

It's almost... Where the hell are they?

Plane shows, they'll show.

There's something.

That's it.

Everybody keep now on set time.

Something's wrong.

Hit the beat, now.

You on the 20, hold it right there.

Hold it right there.

Don't move.

Yeah.

Easy, easy.

I don't get it. Why didn't they show?

Conrad. Well, at least we got the drugs.

They're in the back.

We don't have diddly.

It's empty.

Nothing. What?

Conrad. Rip everything out of there. Rip out the sea cushions, pontoons. Come

on.

There's nothing in there, Conrad. There's got to be something in there.

Do you have any idea how much it costs to bring these men and equipment out

here, Conrad?

I'll see you back at the office.

I'm going to have my head.

Hey, fella.

I want to talk to you.

Calm down. All we got was an empty airplane.

We needed that plane.

All right.

We'll use the backup.

They're still over at the sheriff's office trying to figure it out.

The boat.

Fast. How did they know about the plane?

One of us spilled it.

You were in a dinner last night, David.

I told you, I had a date.

This blonde, who is she?

Just a blonde.

Just a... I think she

was looking at my date book.

You suppose she was working with that lawyer?

Jackass.

Be on the dock across from the Elizabeth II.

Five o 'clock sharp.

Any sign of Davis?

Home free, boys. We're home free.

Put it alongside.

Toss these right in.

Everybody freeze.

All right, all of you, hit the deck. Come on.

Hands in plain sight.

Move, come on. Come on, let's go.

Okay, clear.

Well, I gotta hand it to you, Conrad. You were right.

Yeah, well, that seaplane pilot this afternoon realized, you know, looking at

the pros and cons, that if he cooperated with me, he might limit his time in

jail. Yeah, so?

So he told me about the backup.

I wonder if the sheriff will give me my head back now.

Oh, yeah, he'll give it back and make sure it looks nice.

What's the charge?

Conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance, maybe?

Try tax evasion.

They weren't smuggling drugs in, they were smuggling drug money out.

Wait a minute, wait a minute. What?

When you arrested these three birds, they were each carrying a million and a

half dollars.

That's right. And according to the seaplane pilot, they were illegal moving

to offshore banks. Yeah.

No cocaine.

That's right.

We searched the houses and no cocaine.

That's right. They don't deal drugs here. They just bring the money through.

Where did the cocaine found in my car come from?

I suppose there's somebody else.

Somebody else?

Yeah. They were taking their money out of Mayo.

Where is Ryan Bartell's money?

Maybe the other three divided it up.

Or there's another two proof cases. Maybe there's some connection with that.

The drugs found in your car.

That's what I say.

I understand you do a pretty good business at your garage, Mr.

Rose. I got the best garage in town.

Of course, you don't really own it, do you?

It's owned by the bank over in Little Washington, North Carolina. Or that is,

it's owned by the men who hold the note that the bank collects on. Is that

right?

Oh, yeah.

Whose names are on the note?

I don't remember.

The names on the note are Lee Kramer, David Channing, Ernie D 'Amato, and the

late Frank Hamilton and Ryan Bartell. Is that right?

I guess so. And you've missed payments now and then, haven't you? Well, my

divorce... And they didn't foreclose.

No. Do you, uh... Do you do things for them?

I fix their cars.

Do you...

A lie for them?

Objection. Sustained.

Didn't my client call you the evening of the 9th and ask you to come by his

house the next morning and fix his car? I wasn't anywhere near his house that

morning.

Uh, Mr. Rose, do you own a 1962

Porsche Cabriolet?

Yeah.

Restored it myself.

Do you drive it or do you keep it on the roof somewhere?

No, I drive it. I mean, I put a cover on it when I park it and keep it in the

garage at night.

Does anybody else on the island have a car like that?

No, sir.

So it was your Porsche Cabriolet that went through Roy's car wash

at 8 .30 the morning of the murder.

How do you know that?

Roy Scarborough told me.

He owns the car wash. He said, you came in with fresh tree sap on the hood of

your car and were real anxious to get it off before it soaked in and ruined the

paint. Now, how could a car that was in a garage all night wind up

with tree sap on it at 8 .30 in the morning?

I don't know.

This is a tough one, isn't it?

I think that sap came from that big tree outside Spencer

Hamilton's house.

Roy told me that he was all the time scraping that same kind of sap off

Frank's car.

You were there the morning of the murder, weren't you?

All right, I was there. And my client was there, too, wasn't he?

Yeah, he was there.

Who told you to lie?

The men who hold my note.

There's three of them left. Which one was it? I don't know. I didn't recognize

the voice.

One of them called me, and he threatened to take my garage, and he told me

what to do, and I did it.

No further questions.

Cross -exam.

Mr. Rose, was the defendant standing right there while you were fixing his

Well, no.

Where was he?

He went in the house.

And from where you were working, could you see to the back door of the house?

No. So it's entirely possible that at one point he left the house through the

back door, met Ryan Bartell in the woods somewhere, shot him, and returned to

the house without you seeing him.

Isn't it, Mr. Rose?

Yeah.

Sure as possible.

No further questions.

Hey, Jared.

How's it going?

It's going, Conrad. What's up?

Do you remember that cocaine bust out of NAGPAD last month?

Last month?

Rudy Clark, 12 months.

Mind if I have a look at the evidence?

Anything for me to explain?

Got the inventory?

There. Hey.

Well, Commissioner, even though you say you're not co -counsel, the fact is the

state of North Carolina requires a local co -counsel when counsel is from

another state.

And for Mr. Hamilton, you're it, right?

Yes, sir, that is correct.

You don't mind being called as a witness, do you? Oh, no.

No, not at all. I just don't know how much help I can be.

Maybe more than you think.

You practice law in Manteo, don't you?

I have a little practice.

In fact, you're the attorney of record in a cocaine possession

case against Mr.

Rudy Clark.

Is that right?

Well... Yes or no?

Yes. How much cocaine was seized at the time of Mr. Clark's arrest?

Well, it was... Twelve ounces, wasn't it?

Yeah, I think that's about right.

I was recently arrested and charged for possession of four ounces of cocaine.

And as it happened, four ounces of cocaine turned up missing from the

Department property room.

You know what case it was missing from?

I have no idea.

The Clark case, your case.

As counsel of record, you have access to that cocaine, don't you? What the hell

are you implying? I'm not implying anything. I'm saying right out loud.

You went in that room, took four ounces of cocaine out of the Clark evidence,

planted it in my car in hopes that my arrest would end the investigation into

Ryan Bartell's murder. This is outrageous.

Why would I do a dumb thing like this? It was dumb. I'm talking dumb.

Surely you had to know the Clark case would come up and the cocaine would turn

up missing and there's not a chance in hell you're going to get it back.

I didn't take it.

Mr. Lewis, the cocaine found in my car and the cocaine stored

in the sheriff's property room were analyzed. You know what they found?

No, and I don't appreciate... The tooth samples were exactly the same.

86 .2 % cocaine.

13... 0 .8 % minute.

According to police chemists, that would be an extraordinary coincidence unless

both batches were exactly the same. What say, Commissioner?

Ms. Lyle, isn't there something you'd like to say at this point? Yes,

Your Honor.

There's no doubt that this question is leading to speculation, and Mr. Matlock

is engaging in rampant speculation himself.

Sustained.

Mr. Lewis, how well did you know Ryan Bartell?

I knew who he was.

How well do you know Lee Kramer, David Channing, Ernie D 'Amato?

I know who they are. Are you aware that they were recently arrested in an

alleged attempt to transport huge sums of money out of the country?

Yes.

Are you aware that an attempt... to catch them doing the same thing at a

different location earlier in the day was a dismal failure.

I heard that.

Your office is next to the sheriff's office, and like you say, you get about

good bit.

Like to know what's going on.

I do like to keep up. Yeah.

You drop into the sheriff's office almost every day.

We're old friends.

According to Deputy McMaster, you dropped in...

At the very moment that he and the sheriff were setting up that first

Well, I could have done that, yes. Now, as you know, first stakeout.

Tell you, when Deputy McMaster, on his own, set up the second stakeout,

and it was a roaring success. Why?

I don't know. It's because as soon as you heard of the first stakeout, you

the sheriff's office and you called Lee Kramer or Mr. Channing or one of them.

One. No.

You've done little favors for them for years, haven't you?

Objection. Speculation. No, Your Honor. No, Your Honor. This is not speculation.

The proof is right outside that door.

Overruled. For the moment.

Thank you.

Uh, does the number NC9402BA mean anything to you?

That's a registration number on my boat. Yeah.

Silver Lane, Alabama.

Sheriff Parks and Deputy McMaster found something interesting in her home.

Money.

More than a million and a half in cash.

Was that your reward for planting the cocaine in my car or warning them or

for murdering?

Ryan Bartell.

Murder?

No,

wait a minute.

Just hold on.

I don't know where that money came from.

Now, I might have done a few favors for those guys, like you said. Now, I might

have even done a couple other things I shouldn't have done.

But I swear to you, I've never killed anybody.

I was at home that morning. Asked my wife.

Asked my neighbor. I saw him out in his backyard and waved to him. Asked him.

Believe me, after everything that's happened.

If I knew who murdered Brian Bartell, I'd sure tell you.

All I know is it was not me.

Nothing further.

Find anything?

Not yet.

Hey, look here.

Ron Bartell kept a new knife in an old sheep.

That's not the knife I saw in the bar the night. I broke up the fight between

Ryan and Spencer That's not Same type of knife, but this one's brand new

Ryan's knife was old as worn down with sharpening and it was nicked Are you

I'm positive?

Now let's see you

And Lee Kramer and Ernie D 'Amato were running drugs and laundering your

profits through here to offshore banks, weren't you?

On the advice of my attorney, I invoke my Fifth Amendment right and refuse to

answer on the grounds that it may tend to incriminate me.

Okay.

Who was Frank Hamilton?

He was a friend you used to go hunting and fishing with, wasn't he?

That would be you and Lee Kramer and Ernie D 'Amato and Ryan Bartell.

What happened to Frank Hamilton?

He was shot and killed in a hunting accident, wasn't he?

Who fired the accidental shot?

Killed him.

Who fired the shot?

Ryan Bartell.

Finally.

When did you first meet Spencer Hamilton, Frank's brother?

In the Roadhouse Bar, the day before Ryan was murdered.

Hamilton told Ryan he didn't believe that the shooting was accidental.

Accused him of murdering his brother.

What did Ryan do?

Ryan had a short fuse.

Hamilton called him a liar.

Ryan pulled a knife on him. What kind of knife?

Hunting knife you always carried?

Uh -huh.

Well, what happened after Deputy McMasters came in and broke it up?

Did Spencer leave?

Yeah. Yeah? Stabbed the knife in the table and left.

Did you get the feeling that he was going to stay around town and start

digging?

Surely you and your friends must have known that sooner or later he would

stumble onto your drug operation.

So you and your co -conspirators decided to kill Ryan Bartell and

frame Spencer Hamilton, killing two birds with one stone, so to speak.

On the advice of my attorney, I invoke my... Now, either you elected on your

or were chosen.

To kill him. But your reward was Ryan Bartell's money, wasn't it?

On the advice of my... And as you got deeper and deeper in trouble, you

that money on Gordon Lewis's boat to make him look like the killer. On the

advice of my attorney, I... All right, all right.

Do you recognize this knife?

It's Ryan's hunting knife. Well, it is and it isn't.

It was found in Mr. Bartell's home and in the sheet that Mr. Bartell always

wore.

But Mr.

Bartell carried the same knife for five years or more.

It was all scratched and nicked.

This is brand new, isn't it?

I don't know.

This knife was bought on June the 10th at Hudson's Sporting Goods

Store.

The clerk said the man she sold it to showed her an old knife and

said he wanted another one just like it. That person was you, wasn't he?

No. Why change knives?

There must have been something on that old knife that implicated you.

Maybe there was some of your blood on it.

And that's why you exchanged them, wasn't it? I don't know what you're

about.

So you say, why not just wash the blood off the old knife? Why get a new knife?

And a few years ago, that might have worked.

But anymore, police science is so exact.

Say you got a knife, got blood on it, you wash it off, can't be seen with the

naked eye.

The police, with their equipment, can still find what is called trace

Still traces of blood.

And they can be so exact, they can tell you the type, how long it's been there,

and probably whose.

And you knew it was yours, didn't you?

After you shot Ryan Bartell, he stabbed you, didn't he?

Your Honor, I must object. Pure speculation.

No, Your Honor, this is not speculation at all.

We'll see, Mr. Matlock.

Overruled. Let me try to be more exact, Mr. Channing.

You shot him.

The first shot didn't kill him. He rose up and plunged his knife into your leg.

Your second shot did him in.

You were real busy the morning Ryan Bartell was killed.

You shot him. He stabbed you. You shot him again.

You took the sheath off his body, picked up the knife, planted the gun.

Spencer's house. Then you had to do something about the blood on your leg,

handkerchief or something.

Then you went to Greenville, bought a new knife, got rid of the old knife.

Then you could go to the hospital and have something done about the two -inch

gash in your leg.

How am I doing?

No. That was your blood on that old knife.

We called all the hospitals in the vicinity, and there are several people.

At the hospital up at Greenville, who remember you, said you came in with a

bloody thigh.

It wasn't me.

There are two people in the gallery right now, ready to identify you.

Well, they're wrong.

There's a simple way we can settle this.

The scar, if there is one, would be about here.

We can go in Judge's chambers, take a look, or... I've got a pocket knife.

Split your pants about that far.

There's no scar.

You're home free. We'll get you a new pair of pants. What's that?

I have got a little scar.

from when I was working on the propeller of my boot.

Nothing further.

We find the defendant, Spencer Hamilton, not guilty.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

This court is adjourned.

Here. Thanks.

Well, Mr. Mettler, thanks for everything. Good luck. Good luck.

Thanks, Conrad. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Me first.

Young Bass Knight.

Conrad, I'm glad to have met you. So am I glad to have met you. This is Jimmy.

Jimmy's a Bass Knight.

Good, huh? Yeah. Especially with Bobby. Oh, winning tastes good, doesn't it?

Yes, it does.

Bobby's an old, but he married Bass Knight.

Next time you come, we'll keep it a secret. I'll take it. This is Betty

Mann.

If you come to Atlanta, I know... This is John Wilson.

He's a cousin, but hell, everybody on the island's a cousin. If you come to

Atlanta, I know a place where there's catfish. You can't catch any, but you

buy all you want.

Where's his mama?

Smile.

When it's peach picking time in Georgia, apple picking time in Tennessee.

Cotton picking time in Mississippi.

Everybody picks on me.

Playing our song.

Well, Conrad, get in here. What you doing in Atlanta?

Oh, I had a little vacation.

How much vacation? A lot. I never really took one. You didn't? Sit down.

You know, in Manio, it's hard to tell a vacation from work.

Either one's exactly strange.

How is Manio? Oh, Manio. Manio's great.

Everybody misses you, wishes you'd come back.

Oh, I will, I will.

So, what are your plans during vacation?

I have no real plans. I thought I'd just stop and see you.

So... So I have, so I guess I'll be going.

Wait, wait, wait.

Wait a minute.

Are you saying you've got some free time while you're on vacation?

A little. Why?

Oh.

Well,

see, I've got this client, and he's up for murder one, but he didn't do it.

I'm pretty sure it was a mob hit, but now I've got to prove it.

Mob, huh? Yeah, it's dangerous.

I mean, there's some...

Very bad dudes.

Gonna take a lot of investigating.

A lot of investigating. A lot.

Yeah.

You know, if you need some help... Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. I wouldn't want

to interfere with your... You wouldn't? No, you wouldn't. No, I wouldn't. I

really want to help.

Well, I... And it shows, doesn't it?

Yeah, it does, Conrad.

It's all over you.

You like a little excitement, huh? Yeah, well, you need some help.

It looks like we were meant for each other. I hope so.

B and C? No. C and B.