Original subtitles

For you, dear one.

Thank you.

Won't you come in?

Diana, you look, uh... I mean,

serene.

Tranquil. Yeah.

What happened?

I just spent six days at the Inona retreat.

Yoga, relaxation, deep breathing.

Anger out, tranquility in.

Life's too short to manifest anger, Ben.

It's just wonderful how sometimes a misfortune can turn

a whole life around.

How wise you are, dear Ben.

How's my case coming along?

Slow, Diana, slow. We don't have a shred of proof as to who killed your husband.

But you will, won't you, Ben, dear?

I hope so, Diana.

I hope so, but I... I have to admit, right now I'm stumped.

But I'm not paying you a small fortune to be stumped, Ben, dear.

I'm paying you to... Prove that I didn't kill that philandering... I'm trying my

best.

Breathe, breathe in. Tranquil, breathe.

Tranquil, breathe. Come, patronize me, you old, you old jackass.

Maybe 30 years in the slammer is what you need.

Randy came by when she heard about Jack.

Yeah, well, when Jack came by, Carolyn was in a meeting. But Jack just barged

right in, talked to her for I'd say about 30 seconds, and then he came out

again. But on his way out, he made this remark that sounded like Carolyn was

selling the client the Warhol. See, Jack told me that the picture in Carolyn's

office showed six rows of $50 bills.

You know, see, Warhol painted a huge $1 bill, but I have never heard of him

painting a lot of 50s.

Besides that, I went ahead and checked the sales and the purchase records.

We haven't handled a Warhol in over two years.

Well, tell them the rest.

Tell them.

Well, a few minutes after Jack left, Carolyn came out of the conference room

she was really upset.

And so were the guys she was meeting with.

Remember their names?

Mm -hmm.

Carl Shepley and Dick Lerner.

Carl Shepley? Yeah. Do you know him?

Those are the three people that John Resnick called the night before he was

murdered. Hmm.

Well, yeah, you know, they're at the art gallery all the time. That's why I

really couldn't understand why Carolyn got so upset.

Ever heard of an artist named Hugo Wyckoff?

Oh, I have. We handled his lithographs at the gallery.

He was killed in a hit -and -run about a year ago.

Looking for Lily Wyckoff.

Oh, that's me.

Can I ask you something?

What do you call all this?

It's art.

That's what it is. It's art.

Um, my name is Conrad McMasters. I'm a private investigator.

I wonder if I could ask you a couple of questions about your late husband.

What about my husband?

I'm saying he was a wonderful artist.

He was a great artist, my Hugo.

Here, sit down.

Uh, did he ever tell you about anybody named John Resnick?

That's the man who killed him.

Killed him?

He commissioned Hugo to do some work for him. Now, I don't know what kind of

work. Hugo wouldn't say.

But I do know they had a big fight on the phone one day. And when Hugo hung

up... He was scared.

Two days later, he was dead.

The police tell me John Resnick had an airtight alibi.

Well, I don't care. He's the one who ran Hugo down.

Did Hugo ever mention anybody named Carl Shepley?

No.

What about Carolyn Westlake or Dick Lerner?

Sure, he mentioned them. Carolyn had his work on display in her gallery.

Dick Lerner bought one of his best pieces.

That was the last thing Hugo sold before he was killed.

Did you happen to save some of your husband's art?

I saved all of it.

Could I see it?

Sure.

Oh, the nudes are all of me, by the way.

Mr. Chaplin.

Mr. Chaplin.

Hi.

Hi, I'm Ben Matlock. I'm glad I finally caught up with you.

I gotta call you back, bud.

What's this about, Mr. Matlock?

Well, I represent the woman who's accused of killing Jack Huntington. And

name keeps popping up all over the place.

You're kidding me.

Yeah.

You're friends with John Resnick, Carolyn Westlake, and Dick Lerner.

Were you in business with them?

Yeah. I'm a broker.

I bring people who want to buy things together with the people who want to

them. Classic cars, artwork, real estate, dental practices.

I'm kind of a professional middleman.

Oh. That's good.

What's going on here?

Well, all I know so far for sure is that John Resnick was involved in a murder

about a year ago.

and that he called you at 2 o 'clock in the morning the night before he was

killed. He also called Carolyn Westlake and Dick Lerner that same night. And

they are the two people that Jack Huntington saw you with when he came

into the conference room at the gallery the night before he was murdered. And

since you seem to be at the center of all this death and destruction, I was

hoping you could tell me what's going on.

Mr. Matlock, I would like to help you, but I...

I don't know what to tell you. Maybe you could tell me what you and Miss

Westlake and Mr. Lerner were looking at that night.

What night?

The night Jack Huntington come bursting into that conference room. Now, that was

business, Mr. Matlock. I'd just as soon not discuss that. How about the next

morning, around, oh, say, 8 o 'clock, when Jack Huntington was killed?

Could we discuss that, or is that business?

If memory serves, I was playing racquetball.

Now, if you'll excuse me, Mr. Matlock, I have places to go.

Uh, one more question.

The Hillsdale Racquet Club.

You know about John Resnick? My God, what else does he know?

Nothing. What if he followed you? He didn't.

Are you sure?

Hey, I don't know if the guy I've been tailing for two days has been tailing

don't you think?

So we're going to go through with it.

You better believe we are.

In 24 hours, the three of us are going to get an awful lot of money.

See, Hugo dated a lithograph.

This is what he was working on when he died.

Man knew how to draw money, didn't he? Right down on the whiskers on Grant's

face. Yeah.

Jack saw something he shouldn't have seen, and Carolyn and Carl Shepard and

Lerner were afraid he might figure out what it was, so they simply killed him.

Morning, Randy.

Oh, hi, Mr. Sheffley.

She's waiting for you in the conference room.

Great.

Don't forget the baseboards, okay?

Right.

Carolyn, what the hell is wrong with you?

What's he doing here?

Who? The guy in the coveralls.

He's a janitor. He's cleaning.

The hell he is. That's Ben Matlock's private investigator.

I saw him outside his house.

All right, I'm going to pick the truck up at 3 o 'clock, and I should be able

make delivery by 4 .30.

So by seven, it'll all be over.

Yeah.

So the poor guy started to run up on the grass to get away, but the car went

right after him and just nailed him.

About how far away from the decedent were you when this happened? Oh, 30, 40

feet. Were you close enough to see the car's license plate? Oh, yes, easily.

Do you remember it? You bet.

It was ESV 571.

Georgia plates. Oh, and there was a frame around the plate saying, uh, born

shop.

Did you happen to notice the make of the car?

Yeah, it was a blue Lincoln Mark 7.

Well, since it's been stipulated that the defendant, Diana Huntington, owns a

blue Lincoln Mark 7, license plate number ESV571, I have no further

Mr. Matlock? Sir?

Uh...

This car that drove past you, did you get a look at the driver?

Well, no, not a real good look, no.

So the only view you had of the car and its driver was from behind?

Right. From behind, what did the driver look like?

Well, I was so busy memorizing the plate that I didn't look at the driver at

all. Oh, so you saw Diana Huntington's car, but you didn't see who was driving

it. Right.

It could have been anybody.

Yes, absolutely.

Thank you.

Miss Sullivan, Jack Huntington was living with you at the time of his

that correct?

Yes. He had recently separated from his wife?

That's right.

Would it be more accurate to say that he was hiding from Diana Huntington?

I couldn't really say.

Well, didn't Jack Huntington give specific instructions to both his

his accountant to withhold his whereabouts from the defendant?

Yes. He was afraid of his wife's violent temper, wasn't he?

Objection. Call for speculation.

Attained.

Did Diana Huntington send a birthday card to her husband through her

Yes. Did you happen to see that card?

Oh, I sure did.

And what did it say?

It said, Happy birthday, dear.

Wish you were dead.

That was a joke!

It was a joke! Order!

Mr. Matlock, restrain your client.

Sit down, Diana.

It was a joke! Aren't you going to say something?

Miss Sullivan, did the defendant...

recently visit you and Jack Huntington at your home?

Yes.

How would you characterize her state of mind when she entered your house?

She... She was upset.

Upset.

Didn't she burst through your front door flailing a gun? The gun was loaded, you

cretin! Would you get off your duff and say something?

Quiet! I'll hold you in contempt!

Do you call this justice?

Oh,

God, no. No, please don't. I'm not armed.

I had no control over the prosecutor's questions today, Diana.

I'm not. I just answered him honestly.

I know that.

too, Lisa. I don't want to talk about what happened in court today. I just

to ask you something. Can I come in?

This is how artists live.

I'm comfortable with it.

So is Jack.

Do you know that I knit this for Jack with my own hands 15 years ago?

I'm glad that he held on to something of mine.

Do you knit?

No, my mother does.

Look, Diana, you wanted to talk to me about something?

Yes.

I don't know why this is important to me, but it is.

Were you going to marry Jack?

That's your question?

I don't know.

We never talked about it. Oh, come on. Two people who are presumably in love

talk to each other about their future. Yeah, we did, just not in those terms.

I know what you mean.

Getting married wasn't important to me.

I just wanted to be with Jack, that's all.

Marriage was important to your generation.

My generation. Look, Diana, I don't want to fight.

You and me, we're different.

Oh, we sure are.

No, this is wrong.

I love Jack, and I guess you did, too.

In a very different way, we'll both miss him.

Bye.

Coast couldn't be clearer.

Where's Charles Beckman?

A million.

Now we see what you've got.

Ten million and fifties.

Hold it.

This one.

Okay, Charlie.

1 ,000 % return on your money.

Can't beat that.

Beats the hell out of a two -year CD, that's for sure.

I'll be in touch.

You know.

We just got done searching the room you leased in that industrial park, Mr.

Arner. We had a warrant, of course, Counselor.

Found a printing press.

Two plates.

One for the front of a $50 bill and one for the back.

Who made the plates for you? My clients have nothing to say.

Was it Hugo Wyckoff?

We also have the whole transaction between you and Charles Beckman on

In other words, we got you dead to rights.

So why don't you save the taxpayers of the state a lot of money and maybe

yourself some prison time and fill it in on all the details?

I told you my clients had nothing to say, Lieutenant.

Well, well, Mr.

Shepley. Pull up a chair.

Glad you could join us.

I take it you've been advised of your rights? My lawyer's on his way. We've

sitting here discussing this counterfeiting ring that the three of

involved with. If you'll recall, my clients have said nothing.

Well, they'd better say something, because we're not just talking about

counterfeit here. We're talking about murder, and that's a capital offense.

And one or all of you could be spending some time.

And I'm not talking about the federal country club. I'm talking about hard

state prison.

And I'm not talking about two or three years. I'm talking about the rest of

lives. My clients have nothing to say on that subject either. The hell they

don't. When I started asking questions about that picture you dumbed up for

Resnick, you figured you better keep an eye on me, didn't you?

That's how you got onto Conrad.

And that's how you knew Diana Huntington would be a perfect patsy for you when

you realized you had to kill her husband. I insist you stop this

of you stole her car and ran him down. I'm as sure of that as I'm sitting here.

I just don't know which one. You?

I told you I was playing racquetball that morning. You? Don't answer that.

I was at Shea Sal's making a sales pitch.

You, where were you at 8 o 'clock that morning?

You don't have to say anything.

I was in bed.

Alone. Don't answer that!

Yes.

So you can't prove you were in bed.

And you can't prove I wasn't.

Diana, what are you doing here?

I brought it.

You went and told her I was making progress. She followed me, following

She blew my cover. No, I didn't.

What do you call it when the person you're trying to secretly watch sees

Well, I didn't know you had a cover, so how could I blow it?

Diana, you shouldn't have followed Conrad.

Please, don't yell at me.

Since when did you mind yelling?

Well... You know, Dr. Dennis Woodruff, the radiotherapist, I called him

yesterday and I found out that my anger is just a cover for my extreme

sensitivity.

Diana, you need therapy.

But not out of books or over the radio.

You need a bona fide doctor.

Somebody you can interact with.

I think so. Oh, yes.

Somebody who can talk sense to you.

Promise me you'll get a psychiatrist, Diana.

Okay. And promise me this is the last time you'll interfere with this

investigation. Interfere? I'm paying you a fortune for this. You're working for

me. Diana.

Do you want me to stay on this case?

Yes, dear Ben, of course I do.

Then you've got to stay away from here.

Get a psychiatrist.

Go see him.

As soon as you get out of bed in the morning, stay there all day, every day.

Now get out of here.

I'm not going to say anything.

I just got to Carolyn Westlake's house, Beth.

All right, I'll let you know what I find.

Hey, are you the guy that usually reads the meters at this house?

Got a problem with you, Bill? Call the folks downtown, okay?

No, no. I just want to know how often you come here.

Once a month.

Always on Wednesdays? Yeah.

Always at 8 in the morning? Yeah.

Great. By any chance were you here on the 18th of last month?

Nope. Was here on the 25th.

Got to get out of here before the gardener comes. He always gives me hell

step on his petunias or gardenias or whatever the hell this stuff is.

Les? Hey, Les?

What?

Where have you been?

When's the big day? There's not going to be a big day.

What happened?

I don't want to talk about it.

Well, who called it off?

Mildred, the bride -to -be. That's who called it off.

Why? I don't want to talk about it. Oh, Les, tell me what happened.

Okay, she said if we got married, she'd lose her Social Security, so why don't

we just be friends and just go on meeting at the supermarket?

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Just go on meeting at the supermarket.

What kind of a life is that?

Of course, maybe it's for the best. I mean, she needs her Social Security and

you need yours, so it could be a blessing in disguise.

Well, it could be.

Yeah, sure.

And you can always keep on helping her pick out her cassava.

Well, yeah, there's that.

Sure.

I understand you were

arrested. Recently, Ms. Westlake, since it's already a matter of public record,

would you mind telling the court what the charges were?

On the advice of legal counsel and in view of my Fifth Amendment rights, I

decline to answer that question.

Then at this time, I would like to enter into evidence this arrest

report that was filed at the time Ms. Westlake was taken into custody.

For the record...

It charges the witness, Carolyn Westlake, with the creation and

counterfeit U .S. currency, specifically counterfeit $50 bills. Is that what it

says, Miss Westlake?

I suppose.

I understand that Jack Huntington, the night before he died, walked in

unannounced on a meeting you were having in your conference room at your art

gallery. I'm afraid I don't recall.

It was the meeting with Carl Shepley and Dick Lerner, the one where you were

showing them that Andy Warhol.

I don't remember any meeting like that.

Well, your assistant does.

Now, I can put her on the stand, but if I do, then the good men and women of the

jury might get the idea that you're hiding something.

Objection! Withdrawn!

You sure you don't remember that meeting?

I guess.

Vaguely. Vaguely. Okay.

Were Carl Shepley and Dick Lerner present?

I think so, yes.

They were arrested for counterfeiting at the same time you were, weren't they?

It's public record.

Then I guess they were.

Well, what were you discussing when Jack walked in on you?

Business. I don't recall specifics.

Maybe I can help you out.

You were showing your two friends that Andy Warhol. I wasn't showing them any

Warhol. Well, according to your assistant, Randy, Jack told her you

He was mistaken.

And according to Jack's girlfriend, he said the Warhol he saw was a sheet of

bill. That is not true. Isn't that some coincidence, though?

I mean, you're showing your two friends a sheet of 50s, and a week later,

you and these same two friends are arrested with a truckload of counterfeit

50s. I'd say that's a big coincidence, wouldn't you? I choose not to comment on

that.

He saw a proof sheet.

A proof sheet?

It was your first run of 50s.

Off your press.

He saw it. You had to explain what it was. So you told him it was a Warhol.

But you knew that sooner or later he'd put two and two together.

So you stole Diana Huntington's car and ran Jack down in the street.

That's enough,

Mr. Matlock. You're supposed to be questioning this witness, not testifying

her place.

Objection sustained.

I'll say this just once.

Cut it out.

Yes.

At 8 o 'clock, the morning of Wednesday the

18th, last month, the morning Jack Huntington was killed, where were you?

I was in bed.

You always sleep in that late?

I'm a night owl. I rarely go to bed before 1 .30 and even more rarely get up

before 9.

That's what Lewis said.

Your gardener, Louis Vittoria. He's sitting right over there.

When he started taking care of your lawn, you told him not to do any mowing

after nine o 'clock so as not to wake you. Is that right?

Yes.

Does he come every week? Yes.

What day?

Wednesday. What time?

Around eight, I guess. I can't say for sure because I'm never up.

That's not quite true, is it?

He remembers seeing you driving away from your house one morning as he was

coming up the street. It stuck in his mind because he had never seen you up so

early before. It was 7 .55.

You know what the date was?

Wednesday the 18th.

Now, you said you were in bed.

Why did you lie?

I didn't lie.

I just forgot.

Forgot what?

That I had a meeting that morning.

With whom?

Jeffrey Aiello.

Who's Jeffrey Aiello?

A businessman. I was with him till almost nine.

What was the meeting about?

You're going to have to ask him that.

Why didn't you tell me this before?

555 -1057.

That's Aiello's number.

When you call him.

You'll understand.

No more quack.

Wait up, wait up.

I want you to find out who Jeffrey I. Ellen was. I know. He's a two -bit hood.

Tell him.

What are you doing? Get your hands off of me.

I mean it. Stop it. Let go.

It sure works.

Ah, thanks for coming, Mr. Powell.

Matt, you want to get Mr. Powell's car?

Thank you.

Whoa, talk about a quick eater. Good for you.

Didn't really come to eat. Want to get a gentleman's car?

Thank you.

Morning, Mrs. Holdren. This is Robert. Another Powell breakfast, I think.

Yes.

Do you know everybody that comes here?

Yeah, most of the regulars I do. It's basically friendly in my line of work.

Is Dick Lerner a regular?

Yeah, yeah. You know Mr. Lerner?

Sort of. Yeah, he comes in every couple of weeks. Usually has eggs benedict.

Leaves with a little bit on his shirt.

That hostess in there said he was here last month on the morning of the 18th,

but she can't remember exactly when he got here.

I don't suppose you have any idea, do you? Oh, no, I wouldn't remember that.

Why? What's this all about?

He's a client. I need to corroborate whether he was here on the 18th or not.

18th? There's no bells.

Wait a minute. The 18th? That was the week they were tearing up the street out

there. Oh, yeah, yeah, I remember now.

He was giving me a hard time because he couldn't use the front entrance. He had

to come around back, and I was giving him a hard time about his car again.

What about his car?

Well, he came in a cab.

His car is always breaking down. It's like a terrible vehicle.

I have a better one.

Mr. Lerner, would you please tell the court who Jeffrey Aiello is?

I don't know any Jeffrey Aiello. No?

According to the records we subpoenaed from the phone company, he called your

office three times last month. Then he must have been trying to sell me

something because I sure don't remember it. Jeffrey Aiello did time for passing

counterfeit bank checks a while back. Did you know that?

Of course not.

He wasn't trying to sell you something. He was trying to buy a bunch of

counterfeit money from you, wasn't he? I don't know what you're talking about.

Only... You and your friends got a better deal from Charles Beckman. So you

Mr. Aiello to take a hike.

All except Miss Wesley. And she decided to print up a few more bills. Do

business with Mr. Aiello after all. Only secretly.

So she wouldn't have to cut in anybody.

And that's what the fight was about in the corridor yesterday, wasn't it? No,

no, no. And that's what her meeting with Mr. Aiello was at the time of the

murder, wasn't it?

How should I know what Carolyn was doing? You know, the funny thing is,

double -crossed you, she gave herself an alibi for the time of the murder.

And she has one, but you don't, do you? I was at Shea's Fowls with a prospective

client. Is that how you got those cuts on your arm?

Mind pushing up your sleeve?

Push it up, push it up.

Huh.

These are not cuts, they're scratches. I got them pruning my roses.

They didn't come from roses.

They came from this car.

Diana Huntington's car.

You stole it and used it to kill her husband.

That's not true.

But you sideswiped the post during the killing, and the window on the driver's

side shattered, and glass came flying through all over your arm, and look,

up here. And that's how you got those cars.

Objection! This is all speculation, Your Honor. And where is it leading?

Mr. Matlock.

You have a knack for storytelling.

Where is it leading?

It's leading to reasonable doubt, Your Honor.

Reasonable doubt that my client killed her husband.

Proceed. Thank you.

Now, we were telling Mel where you got those cuts.

I was at a business meeting at Shea Sal's that morning from 8 till almost 9

You got those cuts in a restaurant?

No, from my...

Oh.

How did you get to that restaurant?

I drove.

You sure you didn't come by cab? Yes.

Well, the doorman at Chez Sound said you did.

He's right. My car broke down. I called a cab.

I was mistaken.

So you were late for your meeting.

A little, yes.

The red and white cab company says they didn't pick you up till well after 8

.30. So you were not at the restaurant at the time of the murder.

I was trying to get there. They said they picked you up at a gas station.

Yes, I had my car towed there so they could work on it.

Towed from where?

My house. Who towed it? I don't remember.

Wally's garage.

I have the work order right here.

See?

You paid cash and gave a phony name. Why'd you do that, Mr. Lerner? I didn't.

Obviously, you've got the wrong work order.

Well, this is your license plate number, isn't it?

They wrote it down. They also wrote down the location of your car when they

picked it up. See?

17 ,000 block of Cortez Avenue. Is that where you live?

There must be some mistake.

No, no. You know where that is? That's right around the corner from Diana

Huntington's house.

You parked there, walked up to her house, stole her car from her garage,

to kill her husband, then put it back, then walked around the corner to your

car.

Wouldn't start.

So you used your car phone, called Wally's Garage, closest one you could

and they towed you to that gas station. From there, you went by cab to the

restaurant, didn't you?

All because Jack Huntington walked in on that meeting and inadvertently saw that

sheet of counterfeit 50s. He had already been making waves, asking questions

about that photograph.

The three of you fabricated to give John Resnick an alibi for Hugo Wyckoff's

murder. And then, sometime later, for whatever your reason, one of you killed

John Resnick.

Maybe it was you, Mr. Lerner.

It was one of you, that I'm sure of. And pretty soon, the police will figure out

which one.

Counterfeiting is against the law, Mr. Lerner.

But killing three people, and one of them, Jack Huntington,

just in your way, kind of like a fly.

Nothing further.

We find the defendant, Diana Huntington, not guilty.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen of the jury. Thank you, one and all. Court is

adjourned.

Diana, Diana, Diana, Diana.

I'm glad everything turned out all right. Thank you.

Listen, I promised you that I would get into therapy, and I will. I'd never go

back on my bargains, even when I'm mad.

Good, good, good.

Would you do me a favor? No.

Thank you, pardon.

Doing you a favor is what got us into this mess in the first place. I should

have said no the first time.

And it's this time, definitely no. No.

Well, I was going to ask you to loan me your pen so I could write a check for

your fee, but if that's the way you feel, the hell with you.