Original subtitles

Thank you, Elena.

I've decided to redo the living room.

The living room is fine.

Cecil assured me that if he gets started right away, he'll have it done in time

for the wedding.

We're not redoing the living room, Sarah.

Cecil is coming here.

First thing in the morning.

I'd allow that man or anyone else to waste my money indulging your silly

The living room is a dump.

The living room is fine.

It was your idea to hold the receptionist... I said no!

No!

You hear me?

No!

Cecil wants to go with teal this time.

Teal, salmon, and beige.

He can't wait to get rid of that hideous burgundy carpet.

You enjoy doing this to me, don't you?

Doing what, darling?

I spend ten hours a day at the office with my stomach in knots trying to keep

competitors from eating me alive. And what do I get when I come home? More

aggravation.

More aggravation than a splitting headache.

Dick, you, Sarah.

Damn you.

Oh, my God.

Elena, call 911.

Something's happened to Justin.

Oh, my God.

Well,

I'll be.

What?

Justin Kearns died last night. He was over at dinner. Stroke.

Kearns of yours?

No, I used to run into him once in a while.

Morning. Front door was open.

Hi, come on in. You want some coffee?

Uh, no. Oh, I see you've already got the paper.

Want the comics?

No, already read them.

What are you doing?

Looking to see what page you're on.

Why?

Because before you get to page 15, you've got to let me explain something.

No, just don't go right then.

All your legal needs call Clifford R. Lewis, attorney at law, your local legal

beagle. Cute picture, Cliff. Who's dogs?

My neighbors.

You ran an ad.

Yeah, but it was... I hate it when lawyers run ads.

I know, I do too. It's demeaning, undignified. It was my father's idea.

Oh.

He thought that it was time that I started acting more like a lawyer

a glorified law clerk.

His words, not mine.

You don't want to work with us anymore?

Oh, yeah. Oh, I do. Oh, absolutely I do. It's just that I want to work for

myself, too.

In fact, I've got a meeting with a potential client this morning.

Malpractice suit. Your ad paid off already?

Well, actually, my picture paid off. This lady said that I was strong and

dependable looking.

Well, are you sure you want to do this?

Got to try sometime.

There's a lot you don't know.

Yeah. A lot that doesn't have anything to do with law.

I know. A courtroom trick that you can pull that can swing the verdict your

Ben. You don't know those tricks.

I know.

I just, I got to try sometime. Ben, I just got to try.

Okay.

Well, in the end, I guess we'll be out of business pretty soon.

Simple blepharoplasty. That's all I wanted.

Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, what?

Oh, eye job.

My upper lids were sagging and my lower ones were puffy.

He said he could fix them.

Well, he fixed them, all right.

Look at them now.

They look okay to me.

Oh, you're just being polite.

No, really.

You've got to look closer.

Come here.

Now, look again and be brutally honest.

I can take it.

I do see little lines here and there.

Little lines?

Those are full -fledged wrinkles, and you know it.

And they were not there before that butcher operated on me.

Are you sure?

Yeah. Well, see for yourself.

Here.

Now, that was me less than two years ago. Do you see any wrinkles?

Well, no, but the picture's kind of out of focus.

Oh, that's because my idiot husband took it.

Are you divorced?

He dumped me for a younger woman, but I fixed him. I took him and his

hyperactive libido for every cent.

he had.

Do you know what?

He not only gave me wrinkles, he made my eyes smaller.

I mean, look at this.

See how large my eyes are here? And look at them now. Look how small they are

now.

Well, actually, you know, you just, you look a little older, that's all.

That's all? Yeah.

That's all?

That's what I mean.

Instead of making me look younger, he made me look older.

I can't live like this.

He's butchered me. Mrs. Westmore, you know, I really... Please.

Call me Jackie.

Jackie.

I... I think you need a more experienced lawyer.

Oh, no, Cliff, no.

What I need is a lawyer who's...

Young and hungry and willing to fight to the death for a child

to call.

I don't even know that we have a case yet.

You can do it.

What's the name of the plastic surgeon that butchered you?

Levinson.

Albert Levinson.

What do you think?

About what?

Can you do it?

Of course I can do it, but... How so?

Well, surely the question must be, how much?

Money's no object, Doctor.

I'll pay you up front, in full, and in cash.

Well, in that case, I think we can probably schedule you in right away.

Want me to fix the hairline while I'm at it?

Dr. Levinson, can you come out here for a minute, please? It's so important.

Yes, excuse me.

This was just delivered.

You're being sued.

Oh, not again.

Who? Jackie Westmore.

You're crying out loud. She's a total flake. She's nuts.

Well, she may be a flake, but she's got a lawyer who's going to take you to

court.

As the judge has explained to all of you potential jurors, this case involves

plastic surgery.

How do you feel about plastic surgery, Mr.

Webster?

I don't know.

It's okay, I guess.

Have you ever undergone plastic surgery?

No. Have you ever thought about undergoing plastic surgery? No.

Why not?

Oh, no, no, no. Not that I was implying that you need plastic surgery. I was

merely trying to discern your attitude towards it.

My attitude is I like myself just the way I am. And if other people don't like

it, well, that's their tough luck.

Well, how do you feel about people who have nose jobs or have their eyes done?

Oh,

um... Your Honor, may I just have one moment?

Excuse me.

What are you doing here? I'm just passing by. Listen, this guy doesn't

Write him off. Yeah, I know, but I figure if I don't make him like me, he's

going to rub off on me. You'll make things worse. Write him off and move on.

Ben, I think that I know what I'm... Cleft. Write him off.

No further questions, Your Honor.

Pass for cause.

You're dismissed.

They're here doing so well.

Elena, what are you doing with Mr. Kern's clothes?

How dare you put those back immediately?

But Mrs. Kern...

Your daughter told me. I know what you're up to, Elena. I'm no fool. Now

them back.

Mother,

what's going on? Elena is fired.

I just caught her sneaking Justin's things out of the closet. No doubt she

going to sell them.

I was just doing what you asked me to do, Mrs. Phillips. I know. I know,

It's okay. Now just go downstairs.

Makes me wonder what else is missing around here.

Mother, she was following my orders.

I told her to clean out Father's clothes so we could give them to charity.

Without consulting me.

I thought it might upset you. What upsets me is you sneaking around my back

the time.

His things are my things now, young lady. I'll decide what's to be done with

them. Do you hear me? Yes, Mother, now just relax.

Did you take your pill today?

That's none of your business. Mother, why aren't you at work?

Because my car broke down. I had to have it towed to the garage.

I need a new car.

Just get this one fixed, and then don't drive it so much. That's all you young

people do nowadays, is drive, drive, drive.

Father left you millions of dollars.

All I'm asking for is 20, maybe 25 ,000. Your father didn't work himself to

death just to indulge your every silly whim. Silly whim?

I've had that car for nearly 10 years.

First you want a big wedding. Now you want a new car.

Next you want a house.

I want a new car, Mother.

No. I need a new car.

N -O, no.

Struck out, huh?

Surprise, surprise.

Just take me back to the office.

When do those things come off?

Two more days.

Good.

And you've been Dr. Levinson's scrub nurse for how long?

Seven years.

So when he moved his practice from Dallas, you moved with him?

That's right.

He's not just a brilliant surgeon.

He's also a wonderful man to work for.

Objection.

Non -responsive.

Sustained. Just answer the question, please.

Don't editorialize. I'm sorry.

Would you identify these photos for us, please? Certainly.

The first one is a photo Dr.

Levinson took of Jackie Westmore the day before her blepharoplasty.

And that one he took several weeks after the procedure.

You are somewhat of an expert on this subject.

How would you rate the result?

Well, the suture lines are all but invisible.

There's no puckering of the lids. No unevenness of skin tone.

It's a masterful job.

Very typical of Dr. Levinson's work. Always excellent.

Objection. Sustained.

You're doing it again.

I'm sorry.

You've helped Dr. Levinson perform this procedure on exactly 97 patients, have

you not?

Sounds right. And exactly 96 of them were satisfied?

Yes, they were. In fact, they weren't just satisfied.

They were delighted, were they not?

Objection.

Leading the witness?

Sustained. Mr. Matlock, Mr. Lewis, approach the bench.

Cut it out.

Cut what out?

Coaching Mr.

Lewis from the gallery.

Why, Your Honor.

Mr. Lewis wears long pants, appears to shave, and his voice has

changed. So I must assume he has a law degree and is old enough to argue his

case. Your Honor. Did I ask for you to speak?

No, Your Honor.

Mr. Matlock, cut out the call.

Oh, Your Honor, I have this little takeover.

stifle the tickle or get out of the courtroom.

Do you understand?

Your Honor, may I speak?

Yes, Mr. Lewis.

Your Honor, if I might have a minute with Mr. Matlock out in the hall, I

that I might be able to help him with his tickle.

Do that, Mr. Lewis.

And if Mr.

Matlock's tickle persists, both of you may be headed to the Huskow.

One minute.

What's wrong?

Don't worry. Everything's all right.

Oh, I can't tell you how glad I am you took my key.

Cliff, you're doing great in there. Just, just great. Now, now, in your

this, Jen, this has got to stop.

Please, could you just...

Butt out.

Butt out?

I know you're trying to help me in there, and I really appreciate it, but

got to let me make my own mistakes.

Not that I want to make mistakes, but if I do, well, that's how I'm going to

learn. You know what I mean?

Yeah, you're right.

It's your case.

Win or lose.

Win or lose, right.

I'll just... But I'll... You don't have to leave.

I can stay?

Yes, you can stay.

You just have to sit in the back row.

Proceed.

Dr. Levington.

Have any of your patients ever come to you and said, I want a smaller nose so I

can get a better job, or I need a tummy tuck so my husband won't leave me? Have

they ever said that?

Anyone? No, never.

Never? I screen my patients very carefully. If anyone comes to my office

expecting that a little plastic surgery is going to somehow solve all their

personal problems, I show them right out the door.

So, in other words, you only operate on people with realistic expectations, who

don't appear to be neurotic in any way.

That's correct.

People like my client.

Well... Well, you did operate on her, didn't you?

Yes, but she... So, in your opinion, she's a rational, emotionally stable

Is that correct?

She was before the surgery, yes.

Very interestingly put, Doctor.

Very interestingly put.

You stated earlier that you moved your practice from Dallas to Atlanta 18

ago. Why?

I felt like it.

Oh. It didn't have anything to do with the fact that the people in Dallas were

starting to sue you with what would be termed an annoying frequency?

Objection. Relevancy?

Sustained.

Dr. Levington, is it true that during your last two years in Dallas, five

malpractice suits were brought against you?

Yes, but I had... No further questions, Your Honor.

Miss Simpson?

We direct, Your Honor.

Proceed. Were any of these five suits settled out of court, Doctor?

No, they all went to trial. They all went before juries such as this one, is

that correct?

Yes, correct.

And what was the outcome of those trials, Dr. Levinson?

The jury found in my favor in every single case.

Thank you.

No further questions.

Sorry to have to bring you in this late.

My life has been a little hectic these days.

So I heard.

Jury's still out?

Well, my attorney says the longer they're out, the better it is for me.

this.

Well?

Well, you tell me.

You're some kind of genius, you know that?

Wait a minute, whoa.

What are you doing?

Well, uh, how about a smile? I'm just going to take a little picture, you

I wanted to go with the one I took before the operation.

All right, well, okay. Just one, okay?

One's all I need.

Can't believe it.

You look just like him. Well, that was the whole idea, wasn't it?

Yeah, but Ron, I mean, this is incredible.

From now on, just call me Justin.

And you, just call me Daddy.

In the case of Westmore v.

Levinson, we the jury find for the defendant, Dr.

Albert Levinson.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

This court is adjourned.

I'm really sorry.

I could file an appeal for you, or you could get another lawyer.

Hi. Mr.

Greenwood, did you have an appointment?

Uh, no, I didn't, but, uh, something's going on with my nose. It just, it kind

of hurts right up in here.

Might be an infection.

Come on back and I'll take a look at it. No offense, miss, but I'd much rather

have the main man look at it. I understand.

Have a seat. He just called from the courthouse and he said he'd be here in

about 20 minutes.

Something wrong?

I just hadn't seen your face since you had surgery.

Looks good.

You must be pleased.

You have no idea.

Oh, by the way, do you happen to know who owns that red Beretta that's always

parked by the elevator?

Yeah, I do.

Uh -oh.

What?

Well, just as I was getting on the elevator to come up here, I saw somebody

into it. No, not again.

Have a seat. I'll be right back.

Congratulations. Another win for you.

Levinson six, fruitcakes nothing.

Oh, what?

Oh, yeah. She was a bad loser. Tried to take my face off with her nails. You

know,

when I was coming in, I thought I saw Rod Greenwood driving out. Yeah, he did.

He wanted you to look at his nose.

He was having some sort of post -operative discomfort.

His nose?

He shouldn't have any problems with his nose.

Let me see his chart.

Todd. What?

His pre - and post -op pictures are gone.

Well, you sure they were there in the first place? Yeah, you can see the holes

where I stapled them.

You know, Mr. Greenwood told me somebody backed into my car.

I went down, but it was somebody else's.

And when I got back up here, he was gone.

Do you think he stole them?

Why would he do something like that?

Another nutcase. Who knows?

Give him a call tomorrow.

Tell him I want to see him.

Morning. Morning. All right, come on in.

Have a record.

No, thanks.

Get to page seven yet?

You didn't learn anything after that first ad? It's not an ad.

Not only

do I lose my first case, but the gory details wind up on the morning paper.

Did Ms. Westmore calm down?

Yeah. The movie seemed to do the trick.

Movie? I took her to a movie after dinner.

Dinner?

I took her out for a bite to eat. I thought it was the least I could do.

Well, at least it's over.

Have some breakfast.

No.

Have some eggs and sausage and grits.

Pancakes. I got a pot of baked beans with hot dogs and onions cut up in them.

Mmm, good.

No, Ben, no, I can't. I gotta go to the courthouse.

Jackie, uh, Miss Westmore wants me to make a motion for a new trial.

You're not.

Well, I can at least try.

See you later.

I think you're going

to be very happy.

And I'll see you next week.

Thank you.

The information Rod Greenwood gave us is phony.

What do you mean, phony? I mean the address and the phone number on the

filled out don't exist.

He lied?

He must have.

Do you think he's in some sort of trouble?

I mean, he paid cash for everything.

Maybe he's trying to get away from an ex -wife.

Or he's a criminal looking for a new faith.

Maybe we should call the police.

Let's not.

I mean, after all, he did pay his bill.

Those cameras that security uses to keep an eye on the parking garage, are they

connected to recorders?

Yeah, they are.

That's how they caught the guy that nabbed my car last month.

Great.

It's open!

Hello?

Be right there, Billy boy. Help yourself to a beer.

I haven't slept this late since... What the hell are you doing here?

Who's this Justin Kearns?

You better leave.

Why'd you want to look like him?

I said leave. Why did I have to trace your license plate to figure out where

live? Get out of here.

You know, I want to know what's going on here. Doesn't concern you. Get out of

here. Go away and stay away.

The police are searching her house. The police are searching her house? Oh, it

looks horrible.

Watching them tear through my things like that.

Oh, God. I just had to leave the house.

Thank God I was able to reach Cliff.

I told the police she'd be over here.

They had a warrant.

Oh, yeah.

They think I'm a murderer.

Just because you threatened Dr. Levinson and a few people happened to see.

Threatened? She was beating the linen hell out of him, and there was a gang

watching. Well, I was angry, and anyone would have been.

But I got over it.

By bedtime that night, I was fine.

It was a nightclub.

I beg your pardon?

Oh, oh, no. We went to dinner and a movie. No, what she means is by the time

dropped her off to go to bed, she was fine.

I see.

We had such a good time.

I forgot about that fiend and what he had done to me.

We did have a good time, didn't we, Cliff?

Oh, we had a wonderful time.

I could never have gotten through all this without him.

You're so sweet.

I think I will go into the kitchen and get us some lemonade.

Dad, would you like to help?

Um... Oh, no, no, you stay.

Dad's up.

He's going on in there. That woman is all over him.

Yeah, I saw that.

He's gone.

What do you want me to do about it?

Dad, this woman is a little nuts, and Cliff doesn't have a lot of experience

a lot of ways, if you know what I mean.

No, he doesn't.

You always know exactly what to say to make me feel better.

Oh, excuse me. I better go get that.

Mr. Lewis, I believe you indicated I could find Miss Westmore here.

Yeah, she's right here. Jackie, what's going on?

Ben, this is Westmore. We've just found what we're pretty sure is the murder

weapon in your garage.

A bloodstained scapel wrapped up in a towel with a pair of latex gloves in a

bucket with some old rags.

Why? I never put them there.

Of course you didn't. Well, we can talk about that downtown.

Dr. Sergeant Donley here reads you your rights.

Cliff!

Just go with them. I'll be right there. I'll be right behind you. It's okay.

I'll be right behind you. Cliff, you're the only one I can depend on. I'll be

there. Promise?

I promise.

Say you'll help me.

No, I don't think it's a good idea.

What do you want me to do, just bail out on her? She'd be devastated.

Cliff, I don't think you're aware of this, but that woman is very emotionally

attached to you. You're playing with fire.

Then help me.

Mother?

Oh, damn it, Melanie. Don't startle me like that.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to.

Look what you've done.

My heart is just racing. My head feels like it's about to float off my

shoulders. Well, here. I picked up your refills. Maybe you ought to take one.

The people that were going to cater the reception called me this morning.

They said you decided to go with someone else. Yes, I found someone who's

cheaper.

For God's sakes, Mother, this is my wedding.

I don't want whoever's cheapest. I want the best.

Don't you want the best for me?

If you think I'm going to spend a fortune on your wedding, knowing full

your marriage won't last out the year, think again.

How can you say that?

Because I know you.

And I know Bill.

You don't love each other. You just like the way you look together.

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

Oh, you're two peas in a pod.

You'll tear each other apart trying to get what you want.

You don't know how to love, Melanie.

You and Bill will never come close to having what your father and I had.

Ever.

He hated you, Mother.

He absolutely hated you. That is not true.

How's your pulse?

Is it back to normal?

Yes. Those pills work like magic.

Good. Well, um, I've got to get back to work.

I didn't mean what I said just now.

I guess I'm just, um, nervous about the wedding, that's all.

The night janitor found him lying there about 9 .30.

Thank God he found him and not me.

I can certainly understand that.

I had left the office early. I guess about four.

Dr. Levinson wasn't here. He was gone somewhere.

Is it true that his face was all cut up?

Yes, that's why the police were so quick to call it an act of revenge.

How can you defend someone who would do something like this?

Mrs. Westmore didn't do it.

And even if she had, she'd still be entitled to an attorney.

Did Dr. Levinson have any relatives?

No. A sister in California.

How about ex -wives, girlfriends?

His wife died about two years ago, and he hadn't been out with anyone since.

So he was pretty much alone then?

Yeah, alone.

Was he troubled or upset about anything? Did he get a phone call?

A letter.

Anything?

I don't think so.

Was there anything at all unusual that happened prior to his death?

The thing with Rod Greenwood was sort of unusual.

In fact, that's the last time I saw the doctor was when he left the office to go

talk to him.

Rod Greenwood. Is that a patient?

Yeah.

Yeah, Dr.

Levinson did some work on me.

That's nice.

Well, thank you.

I mean, I didn't know you before Dr. Levinson worked on you, but you really

can't even tell.

I thought you did a good job.

Did you ever have fun? Not yet.

I didn't think so.

You don't need it.

Well, thank you.

I understand Dr. Levinson came by here.

No. I mean, I never saw him anyway.

You stopped by his office?

Yeah? The nurse said you left unexpectedly.

Well, I hung out for a while. He didn't show, and so I left.

Dr. Levinson and his nurse discovered that your before and after pictures from

your file were missing.

Did you take them?

Why would I do that?

The nurse also says that the address and phone number you gave were phony.

Does this woman got a problem with me or something?

I paid all my bills. I kept my appointments.

Why in the hell would I lie about where I live?

I don't know.

Well, you know, maybe Dr. Levinson's nurse just, uh, if she lost my address

uh, got mixed up.

May I ask you something?

Why did you have all that surgery done anyway?

Because I hated the way I looked.

And now I love her.

Men can be vain, too, you know.

Well, I've taken up too much of your time.

I enjoyed it.

Oh, just one more question.

Yes, ma 'am.

Anything.

Where were you last night from, say, 6 to 10?

Well, I was with a friend.

Just drinking beer and barbecuing steaks.

Why did you tell her you were with me?

I need an alibi. What was I supposed to say?

Oh, you killed him?

No, Billy boy, I thought you did.

No, it wasn't me.

Well, surely you're not suggesting that Miss Melanie here did it, are you?

I guess none of us did.

Just knowing someone's snooping around, it just got me nervous.

I mean, maybe we should just hold off a while.

Oh, no, no, no, Billy boy. I can't hang around here looking like this. Come on,

what's one more week?

My mother gets more insufferable by the day.

We wait another week, I'll probably blow and she'll end up disinheriting me.

Uh -uh.

We gotta get going.

It's your fault I'm dead, Sarah.

My only

daughter's getting married.

And I won't be there.

All because of you.

You drove me to my grave, Sarah.

I'm not going to rest.

But I do the very same to you.

Sarah.

Well, that doesn't necessarily mean she called him that night.

Oh, I see. Okay.

I'll tell him, thanks.

Thanks. Bye.

Who's that?

Detective Cavallo.

Oh, so Ms. Westmore.

This is not going to make Cliff happy.

Ben. In the kitchen.

Thank you, the devil.

I've got some bad news.

Bad news?

Yes. Detective Cavallo called me.

Good morning. Morning.

My arraignment's today, and Cliff stopped by.

He's so concerned.

I made cheese crates.

Which we're to die for.

He's, um... What's the best way of saying... He's healed up.

Oh, he's the best thing that ever happened to me. I don't know what I'd do

without him.

What did the police say?

Maybe you two should sit down.

Yeah. Cliff, you sit over here, and you sit over here out of the draft.

Since you're here, I was wondering, did you make any calls from your home the

night Dr. Levinson was murdered?

I don't think so.

You sure?

Well,

no, no, I didn't. I knew Cliff was working on my appeal, and who else would

have called?

Apparently, Dr.

Levinson was wearing one of those beepers that stores numbers when people

It indicates that one of the calls he got that night was from you.

never called him.

He was the last person I would call.

The district attorney considers it additional proof that you're the killer.

Well, how does that prove anything?

Well, the district attorney believes that you called and left your number on

beeper so that when he returned your call, you could make arrangements to

him and, uh...

never made that call. You believe me, don't you, Cliff? Of course I do. Of

course I do. Anybody could have called Dr. Levinson and left her number on his

beeper. It's not proof.

Not solid proof, anyway.

I appreciate your coming in such short notice.

It was very nice of you to do that. Mother?

Thank you very much.

What's going on?

Who's that?

Someone from Corbell Realty. I forget her name.

I decided to sell the house.

Why?

We've been through this before, Melanie. It's my house now. I get to do with it

whatever I please.

But you love this house.

Just last week you said you'd never sell it. Well, I changed my mind. Why?

I just did.

That's all.

I'm not leaving until you tell me why.

Your father was here last night.

I woke up out of a sound sleep and he was standing at the foot of the bed.

Mother, you were dreaming.

No, he was there.

And he said... He said things to me.

He said terrible things.

I've never been so scared in all my life. And my heart, it was pounding so

it hurt.

And then I tried to take my pills, but they weren't there. The ones I just

brought you? He kept... Coming toward me.

And then he touched me.

His hands were like ice.

And then the next thing I knew, I was lying on the floor. He was gone.

I couldn't get to sleep the rest of the night.

I just can't stay in this house anymore.

I just have to sell it.

Mother, listen to me.

You were dreaming.

There is no ghost.

It was not a dream. Mother, please.

Father's been dead for more than two months.

Why didn't this ghost of his appear sooner, hmm?

Why did it wait until last night?

I don't know.

Because there is no ghost, that's why.

It's just a dream.

Now, come on.

Let's go find those pills.

Just a few more reps and I'll be done.

A few more what?

Uh, reps.

Reps?

Short for repetitions.

Oh. Yeah.

All these pictures are of you.

Yep, that's right.

Little model.

Ever have plastic surgery?

No. I don't intend to either.

That's why I do this.

What do you think about Rod Greenwood having all that plastic surgery?

Rod?

Huh.

You didn't know?

No. Again, it's not like we're best friends or anything.

So you want a mineral water? No, thanks.

Wait a minute. I am a little thirsty.

What's that?

It's a concentrated protein drink.

How about that?

Asparagus juice.

Tap water will do.

Great. So, how'd you and Rod Greenwood get to be friends?

I met him in a softball league.

Only known him a couple of weeks.

There you go.

What'd he do?

Some kind of aerospace engineer or something.

Just got laid off.

Well,

thanks for the water.

Talking to me, you're a big help.

Big.

What do you mean?

What do you mean, what do I mean?

I just mean, what do you mean?

Oh, I just mean that every little bit of information counts. That's all I mean.

Well, I'll let you get back to your... Reps. Yeah, reps.

Remember that.

See ya.

space engineer?

Well, I had to call him something.

I mean, two -bit hood didn't have quite the right ring to it.

Who are you calling?

Rod. Oh, he's not at home.

Well, how do you know?

Because he's never at home at five o 'clock in the afternoon.

He runs in the park.

Honestly, Bill, you can be so unobservant.

I'm going to go talk to him.

Make sure he knows that this is his last chance.

All right.

Tell him to ice his whole body this time.

Whatever it takes to get it right.

What's up?

Partner of that lady you talked to yesterday.

Been Matlock?

Came by to see me.

Yeah, what'd you tell him?

Told him we met on the softball team.

Told him you were some kind of aerospace engineer.

They couldn't check yet, man.

Well, what was I supposed to think?

That's what you're supposed to do. I wasn't supposed to think.

Bill Parker's a vegetarian?

Yeah, he's a vegetarian.

He had all those meatless cookbooks, and I looked in his refrigerator, no meat

in there, not even a piece of bologna, just oranges and apples and carrots and

squash and juice and stuff like belonged to some kind of big rabbit.

So what do you think?

What do you think?

You think Rod Greenwood was lying about going over there for a steak barbecue

the night Dr.

Levinson was murdered. And guess what?

Mr. Parker, I followed him, and the man he was talking to in the park looked

exactly like Justin Kearns.

Justin Kearns.

That's that businessman that I used to know died a couple months ago. Oh,

right, right. I remember. I had a stroke.

Anyway, this guy looked exactly like him. I swear to the end, it was like

a ghost.

Well, you know what they say.

Somewhere, everybody's got a double. He's Justin Kearns' double, and he was

nervous. Kept looking around, wringing his hands, and he'd talk loud every now

and then. I was too far to hear it. Then he started chewing on a toothpick.

Habit, I guess.

That's one of them.

Rod Greenwood chews on a toothpick.

Okay.

What are you doing?

I want to show you something.

Recognize him?

No, Rod Greenwood. No?

Justin Kern.

You think Rod Greenwood had Dr.

Levinson do plastic surgery on him so he'd look like Justin Kern?

Why would somebody want to look like a dead man?

It's late. Maybe we should do this tomorrow.

No, she's still up.

Miss Kearns?

Miss Kearns?

Anybody home?

Anybody here?

Miss Kearns?

What was that?

Yeah,

Mrs. Curran?

It was.

She's dead.

Medical examiner says it looks like a heart attack, Ben. I'm telling you

somebody was up here with her. We heard her yell at somebody right before we

found her. We heard a door slam downstairs like somebody was leaving.

Miss Kearns, is that it? It's her heart.

Oh, I should have... I should have come home sooner.

No, you couldn't have done anything. She tried to take a pill, but it was too

late. Excuse me, Miss Kearns. Your mother was on medication?

Mm -hmm, for cardiac arrhythmia. That's what was in her hand.

I see.

It's a heart attack.

I'm telling you, Steve, somebody was up here with her. We heard her screaming,

and that's why we broke in.

But she didn't see anyone. No. He must have come back.

Elena, stop it. Who must have come back?

Mr. Kearns.

Mrs. Kearns said he came to her the other night.

Seeing him again must have been too much for her.

Mrs. Kearns thought she saw her dead husband. It was just this dream she had.

Well, maybe not.

So she was up here with a ghost when the two of you arrived? Not a ghost.

A real person.

Rod Greenwood.

Rod Greenwood had plastic surgery done by Dr.

Albert Levinson so he would look like Justin Kearns. Dr.

Levinson's tied up in this? Well, that's why we came over here, so we could talk

to Mrs. Kearns, see if she knew anything about it. Maybe I better have a talk

with Rod Greenwood. Mo.

Greenwood Motel.

Wait a minute. What?

I saw this car in Phil Parker's driveway yesterday.

Mr. Greenwood?

Mr.

Greenwood?

You happen to know if he was home today?

Meets me.

You sure that's him?

That's Rod Greenwood, all right.

All his things are gone.

Never said anything to me about moving out. If you hear from him, let me know.

You too?

Yeah.

Father's things go to the church and mother's things go to the shelter.

Yes, ma 'am. I'll take care of it right away.

Allow me.

Goes with your new car.

You shouldn't be here. Someone might see you.

Maid's gone.

Billy boy's flexing his pecs.

I knew you'd be alone.

And I still have my key.

Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

You're supposed to be in hiding.

I got bored.

Ain't a little broke.

I need another 20 grand.

I don't have any money.

Not until the estate gets out of probate. Borrow it. That wasn't our

Okay.

Let's see then.

Why don't we hock some of this stuff?

For your information, the cops are on to you. And so is that lawyer Matlock.

So if I were you, I'd crawl under a rock and stay there until this whole thing

cools down, just like we planned.

You're forgetting something, pretty little doll.

The closer they get to me, the closer they get to you.

I want that money.

All right.

Come back tomorrow night and I'll have it for you.

Of course, it's not like money is the only thing I'm interested in.

Oh, that can probably be arranged, too.

Good morning.

Excuse me, you're in my chair.

I am.

Tradition, the lead attorney always sits in the middle. He does? Yes, Cliff, he

does.

Detective

Cavallo,

I show you this scalpel.

People's Exhibit H, which is a defense that's stipulated to the weapon that

killed Dr. Levinson.

Do you recognize it?

Yes, sir, I do. It has my mark. Did you find this scaffold?

Yes, I did.

Wrapped in a bloody towel in the defendant's garage.

Somebody put that in my garage.

Can't you do something?

Not now, honey.

Don't worry. It'll be all right.

Ben, um...

Ben thought that you and I should have this talk.

About what? How he's blowing my case.

Oh, no, no, no, no, no. He's not blowing your case.

Honestly, Cliff, I'd feel so much better if you were in charge.

He's got so much more experience than I do.

Experience? Experience?

I mean, he does everything by rote.

He lacks your youthful exuberance and passion.

Well, just because he has a track record.

What's that?

It doesn't mean he's better than you are.

No, oh, no, no, no. See, no, no. You know what? This is exactly the kind of

thing that we have to talk about.

I get the feeling, as does Ben, as does everyone else, that you're...

I don't know how to say that, but you're, uh... Do you feel fond of me?

Fond of you?

Cliff, I'm in love with you.

Head over heels in love with you.

Oh.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. That's not good either. No, no, that's

worse. Well, I can't help what I feel. Well, I'm your attorney. We have a

professional relationship.

The fact that... Thank you very much.

The fact of the matter is, the fact of the matter is, I'm not going to have a

personal relationship with you right now. It's unethical. It's unprincipled.

It's wrong.

Do you know what I mean?

A man of principle.

Oh, you have no idea how that turns me on.

Jackie, Jackie.

I understand.

I understand.

All right.

I promise from now on, I'll keep my feelings in check.

You are mine.

What the hell happened here?

You were interrupted the night that mother died. So you came back tonight to

finish the job.

But this time I interrupted you.

Only I had a gun.

Melanie, what are you doing?

I enjoyed you for a while.

But I have to stop you from committing this robbery.

Oh, come on, baby.

Come on, you're no killer.

But that's my job, remember?

I came by so I could pick up more clothes to take to the shelter first

the morning, but when I turned on the light, he was standing next to the bed

holding Mother's jewelry box, and I screamed, and then he came towards me,

pulled the gun out of my purse, and I shot him.

You carry a gun in your purse.

It's my fiancé's idea. He wants me to be able to defend myself.

When I saw his face, I thought I shot my father.

You wouldn't think plastic surgery could do that.

We won't know for sure until we run some prints, but I'll bet that that is Rod

Greenwood.

Poor mother.

She really thought she saw a ghost.

Did either of your parents know Rod Greenwood?

No, not at all.

Why would someone want to change his face so he could look like my father?

I really don't know.

Do you mind if my men and I have a look around here?

Oh, no.

Please, by all means.

Captain!

Ben,

the police found threatening letters.

Threatening letters?

Yeah, they were locked inside Justin Kern's desk, unsigned.

They think they're from Rod Greenwood?

They were written by someone who accused Justin Kearns of having an affair with

their mother.

I don't know, they were angry, and they said that the family was destroyed, and

the parents got divorced, and eventually the mother committed suicide.

Rod Greenwood's mother killed herself?

Well, as a matter of fact, she did right before the letters were written.

I'm trying to figure out why he changed his face.

I don't know.

Maybe to scare to death, you know, or to

get revenge while he was stealing the family jewels, which is what

he was doing when Melanie Kern shot him to death.

Yeah, it's really weird.

Oh, um... By the way, I had that little talk with Mrs. Westmore. Good.

I don't think it really went that well.

I don't think that the, you know...

Sumptuous.

Just sumptuous.

So this is all yours now.

Yeah, I guess.

Yeah. Yours and Bill Parker.

We're getting married next May. Oh, I heard.

I heard.

That old BMW that I saw parked in his driveway is yours.

I mean, it used to be before you got new and out there. It's a beauty.

Thanks.

Did you know Rod Greenwood?

No, I didn't.

Bill did. Is that a coincidence?

I don't know.

He never did tell you that Rod Greenwood looked exactly like your father?

As a matter of fact, he did tell me once that he met a guy playing softball who

looked a lot like Dad, but I didn't think much of it.

No, I guess not.

You know, sometimes my job just bores me to death.

I just hate to ask all these questions, but I have to find out who actually

killed Albert Levinson.

Of course.

When did he die again? It was the 17th, a Thursday, between 6 and 9 p .m.

The maid has Thursday nights off, so when Mother was alive, I used to keep

company. So you would have been here then.

Yes.

Poor Mother.

I'm sorry.

Well, hi to Bill, and good luck with all this.

Just sumptuous.

Sumptuous.

Damn it, Melanie.

Why did you have to kill him? Because he was blackmailing us. Relax, Bill.

Oh, relax.

Right. I mean, Ben Matlock knows we're engaged.

He knows I knew Rod. He knows Rod's responsible for your mother's death. He

knows you inherit everything. This whole thing's falling apart.

Ben Matlock is not a cop.

And even if he were, he can't prove anything. Now, just take it easy.

The only thing that's falling apart is you.

Well, maybe I should just get out of town.

That's a good idea.

That'll make you look real innocent, won't it?

I just don't have the stomach for this kind of thing. You like it.

I mean, you get a rush from living on the edge. I don't.

We're in this together, kiddo.

And as long as we both remember that, everything will be fine.

Hi, I'm Ben Matlock, an attorney.

I was here the night Ms. Kearns, you know... Well, what are you doing out

Oh, just poking around.

I do that a lot.

I saw you in here, and I thought maybe we could talk a while, if you've got

time. I suppose.

Terrible thing that happened to Ms. Kearns. How long has she been having

trouble? A couple of years.

The night she died, was that your night off?

Yeah, Thursdays are my night off.

I understand that usually on Thursdays you go to your daughter's house.

Most of the time.

Most of the time.

We just heard Dr. Levinson's nurse testify that a few months prior to his

murder... He performed plastic surgery on a man named Rod Greenwood.

Made him look just like your late father.

Did you know Rod Greenwood?

No. Did you ever see Rod Greenwood?

Yes. When?

I caught him burglarizing my mother's house.

I shot him to death in self -defense.

How did your mother die?

Heart attack.

The police are fairly certain that Rod Greenwood got into her house and

surprised her and...

The shock of seeing what she thought was my father's ghost was apparently too

much for her heart.

She suffered from arrhythmia.

So the police think that Rod Greenwood had plastic surgery done so he could

like your father and scare your mother to death.

Is that right?

Yes.

Who inherits her estate?

I do.

Any idea how much it's worth?

Somewhere between $20 and $30 million.

That's a lot of money, even when you say it fast.

Makes me kind of think that maybe, just maybe, you did know

Rod Greenwood.

And maybe, just maybe, you convinced him to transform himself into your

father, knowing the sight of him would scare your mother to death.

Objection. Calls for speculation.

Assumes facts not in evidence.

Sustained. Mr. Matlock?

What's the matter with that?

You heard Mr. Lane.

Speculation assumes fact, not evidence?

That's what he said.

Well, I said it kind of makes me think.

If I have to count to three... Miss Kerns, uh...

Why would you say Rod Greenwood wanted to scare your mother to death?

For revenge.

The police found threatening letters apparently from him locked away in your

father's desk, didn't they? Yes.

This is one of those letters. Have you ever seen it before?

Yes. Did Rod Greenwood ever tell you that his mother committed suicide?

I told you that I didn't know him.

Then how did you write these letters?

Objected. No foundation.

Sustained. Mr. Matlock, would you care to make an offer of proof?

Your Honor, I can't prove this witness actually wrote these letters, but I do

know for a fact they were not written three years ago as they're dated.

Hold this letter against the light and read the watermark on the paper.

Finley Bond 7.

According to Finley Paper Company, their number 7 bond paper was first produced

three months ago.

So how do you think these letters got typed and placed in your father's desk?

I have no idea. And are you aware that your father's brokerage firm, where you

work, uses Finley Bond paper?

And you did know Rod Greenwood, didn't you?

If these questions are uncomfortable, try this.

Did you know Dr.

Albert Levinson?

No. Ever go to his office?

No. His office is in Medical Building at 1903 West Selby. Ever go there? No.

You used to drive a silver 1984 BMW license

plate BKO 248, did you not?

Yes.

This photograph was taken off a tape that was made by

a security camera.

In the parking garage at 1903 West Selby. See, right here. 7

.49 p .m. at 17.

Anyway, at the time Dr. Levinson was murdered, the night he was murdered, the

approximate time he was murdered, your car was parked in the parking garage

beneath his office. That is your car, isn't it?

Yes, but... Albert Levinson grew suspicious of Rod Greenwood.

And in order to keep... your plan on track, you killed it and made it look

Jackie Westmore had done it, didn't you?

No. Where were you that night?

I was at my mother's.

Now try again.

Your mother's maid, Elena, didn't sleep over at her daughter's house that night.

Her daughter had the flu, so Elena stayed home.

And she's prepared to testify that you were nowhere near your mother's house

that night. You were afraid that Dr.

Levinson would wreck the whole thing.

If he spilled the beans, your mother would make sure that you never inherited

penny. So you killed him, did you?

Where were you, Melanie?

I was at the Parkside Hotel.

Say again?

I was at the Parkside Hotel.

Would you like to see my credit card receipt?

Anybody see you there?

Yes, a maid.

She walked into my room while I was preoccupied.

Who were you with?

None of your business.

You were with

Rod Greenwood, weren't you?

Mm, mm, mm, mm, mm. Well, this is the capper, isn't it?

This caps the capper.

Sleeps with a man that looks like her father, and then she kills him.

Yep. Caps the sack.

When I think of all the times that you accused me of being wild, I was a piece

of milk toast.

You had your times.

Okay. So, if Melanie was with Rod Greenwood that night, she didn't kill

Levinson. No.

Guess Mr. Greenwood didn't either.

Guess not.

Guess that leaves one.

Yep.

What was in this box that was next to the body?

Well, let's see. He just gotten a bunch of samples from a pharmaceutical

company, and he was putting them away in that cupboard right there. It's all

here in the police report.

They say one of the boxes was empty. I guess it was this one.

What's... Dermazine.

Skin ointment prescription.

Mostly for acne, but a lot of people use it to get rid of wrinkles.

Oh, yeah.

I hear that you and Melanie Kearns are engaged to be married, Mr. Parker.

That's right. When's the big day?

Well, we're not quite sure right now.

Oh, that's right. She's been arrested and charged with Rod Greenwood's murder,

hasn't she? You must be very disappointed.

I am.

I love Melanie very much. And how about that $30 million you were going to

inherit along with her? Saying goodbye to that must have hurt a little, too.

I make plenty of money as a model.

What we would or wouldn't have inherited...

It was never a big deal to me.

Of course, just because you make a lot of money now, what about ten

years from now?

Five years from now?

Tastes change.

People change.

Age creeps up on men just like it does on women. I mean, look at me.

So, at 30 million, we might have...

Quite a soft landing in case you had to fall back on something else, wouldn't

it?

I never gave it much thought.

I understand that you and Rod Greenwood were friends.

Acquaintances. I knew him from a softball league we both played in.

Kind of got a kick out of how much he looked like Melanie's old man.

Did you know him before the plastic surgery that made him look like that?

No, I didn't.

Oh, come on now.

You must have met him somewhere and realized that he's not what you'd call

upstanding citizen and talked him into becoming Justin Kearns so that you and

Melanie could use him to kill Sarah Kearns and inherit that $30 million?

No. You didn't pay to have him do all that? Pay his medical expenses using

of that big modeling money you're talking about?

No. Objection.

Sustained.

Your Honor, I'll move to another line of questioning.

Thank you.

I know you ride a motorcycle, Mr. Parker.

Did you ever drive that old 84 BMW your fiancée used to own?

Of course.

It must have been a hassle borrowing keys from her all the time.

No, I had my own set.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh, so, yeah, so that's how her car got in the parking lot by Dr.

Levinson's office.

She didn't drive it there. You did.

No, I have no idea how that car got there. Oh, yeah, you drove it there.

You knew that Dr.

Levinson could blow your plan to get your hands on that $30 million, so you

drove the car there.

Picked up a scalpel, stabbed him to death. No. And when you saw this in the

paper, you know just who to frame.

Jackie Westmore. That's not true. You had everything you needed.

Just drive over to her house, go in the garage, take the scalpel, the gloves you

used to commit the murder, throw them in that bucket, use the telephone in the

garage to call Dr. Levins' office, leave her number on his beeper.

I was home all night. I never left the house. Okay.

Okay.

And how did this... wind up in

your medicine cabinet?

Yeah, I had a nice long talk with Detective Cabello this morning.

The upshot of it was he got a warrant to search your house. I told him to look

for this.

He found it.

Would you tell the good people what it is?

It's a tube of Dermazine.

What's it for?

Gets rid of wrinkles.

A dermatologist gave it to me.

A box of Dermazine was found on the floor by Dr. Levinson's body.

Apparently he'd been stacking these away in a cabinet.

Some pharmaceutical company had delivered them that afternoon.

The box on the floor was empty.

But it did have a lot number on it.

It's right here in the police report.

Would you just read that number aloud?

It's lot number 876 -944.

Now read the lot number on the tube that came from your medicine cabinet.

It's A76944.

The same. Your dermatologist didn't give you this. You saw it on the floor after

you had murdered Albert Levinson.

You thought, well, nobody's ever going to miss this, so you stole it.

Greed, Mr. Parker.

And vanity.

Greed and vanity.

You can't let them get out of control.

They'll get the best of you every time.

What's ironic is

Dermadine is not a surefire cure for wrinkles at all.

It can cause severe redness and swelling, and it makes your skin

sensitive to the sun. Oh, you're right.

Well, I think it's safe to say that I cry just about every day.

Thank you again, Mr. Mettler.

Welcome.

Hi. I guess now the trial's over, we don't have a professional relationship

anymore, do we?

I guess not.

Want to go to lunch with me today?

Oh, Chris.

I've been thinking a lot since we had that talk at dinner, and, um... Well,

suddenly, I finally realized that what I thought was love...

It wasn't really love at all.

My life was in turmoil, and you were my lifeline. But

I wasn't in love with you.

I met the most marvelous plastic surgeon, and when he's done, he will

corrected all the mistakes that monster made. Oh!

And then, Cliff, I'm going to the Caribbean for two weeks, and then maybe

Cancun.

I guess you need a vacation after all that.

Oh, darling, Cliff, thank you for understanding.

You will always be in my heart.

Bye -bye. Bye.

Looking for men.

What's the matter with me?

Too old.

I'm too old for her?

Yep.

Said she liked me.

I thought she meant it.

I figured for once in my life I had a sure thing.

Done deal.

Fate accomplished.

How do I wind up?

Too old for her.

I just don't get it.

Well.

Forget it, Cliff.

Come to lunch with us. Really?

Hey,

how about those personal ads in the newspaper? You know, like, uh, shy young

seeks outgoing woman age unimportant?

No.

Don't even think about it.