All language subtitles for msw_-_2000_movie_a_story_to_die_for

So there's no age limit on reinventing
yourself.

Sometimes it just takes us a while to
discover what it is that we're good at.

It doesn't matter if you decide to take
up writing at the age of 20, 40, 60,

whatever. I mean, what matters is the
quality of your writing and the quiet

determination of your most secret heart.

And striving for quality will not always
come easy.

You may throw out a half of what you
write. That's okay.

The idea is to keep going, keep writing.

It will take a great deal of energy, but
it'll be worth it. In the end, it all

comes down to four things.

Patience, direction, determination, and
strength.

Thank you so much for coming.

I have been a literary assistant with
Speakers Incorporated for years, but I

have never seen a crowd react to a
speaker the way they do to you. Well,

you. Are you writing something new? As a
matter of fact, I am. I just started a

new mystery set in the television
industry.

Oh, yes. Well, we'd better get you to
the hotel to pack up your things. Your

flight to Los Angeles is leaving on
schedule.

You know, this upcoming event, it's the
first time all the speakers in the

agency will be together in one place.

It's going to be a huge PR event.

Did you know that for the first time,
Yuri Milankovitch is coming in all the

from Russia?

No, I didn't.

Yes.

Well, I'm ready. Great.

Be careful with this case. It's my
typewriter. I'm sure you've heard of a

typewriter. It's kind of like a word
processor, but you don't have to plug it

in. You're hungry, aren't you?

You usually wait until at least six to
get this cranky. I am not cranky. I'm

very soul of refined manners.

A damned soul, perhaps.

There's no way to talk to your mentor.

Lauren, with you, it's the only way.

Where's the elevator?

No, there has been a mistake.

When the reservations were made, I said
smoking room.

I cannot have a non -smoking room. I'm
sorry, Mr. Milankovitch. I'm sure we

something available for you. Let me just
check the computer.

This is typical.

Americans export tobacco all over the
world.

Now we all smoke. Russia, France,
England.

Everybody smokes.

Now you changed the rules so we cannot
do it here.

Where is the fairness in that?

I'm afraid that's not my department,
sir. Enough of this.

I have my bags taken up to my room.

Immediately. He has it.

What if he says no?

Then we will convince him.

Message to you, Mr. Cole.

Hi, I'm William Batsby. I'm one of the
motivational speakers.

Didn't I see you in a cereal box once?
It's altogether possible.

So how do you do that? I get on a cereal
box, I mean... You train all your life.

Ten hours a day, seven days a week,
until you get this little gold medal

says you're the best in the world at
what you do.

And then what?

Just try to hang on.

Well, thanks.

I'll see you later.

Hi, the name is Penny Ryan. I think you
have a room. All ready to go, Miss Ryan.

Mrs. Fletcher, John Mendoza, an intern
with the agency.

I've been assigned to be your gopher. If
there's anything that I can do, any

errands, just say the words. Well, thank
you.

Come in.

Actually, there is something.

I was planning on wearing this jacket at
the closing dinner on Sunday night, but

I'm afraid it came out of my luggage
worse than it went in.

I know it's the weekend, but... No
problem.

I'll have it ready for you first thing
in the morning. That would be wonderful.

Thank you. My pleasure. That's why I
signed up. And as soon as I heard that

were going to be here, I called and
asked to be assigned to you.

I figure it's the least that I can do.

You see, my mom, she was a big fan of
yours and she passed away about six

ago. Oh, I'm sorry.

No, don't be.

Because you kept her going.

I used to come to the hospital and read
to her from your last book.

We'd finish one chapter and then she had
me start the next one. It was like,

like Scheherazade.

It gave her something she knew she would
have to finish.

Your mom must have been quite a woman.

I'm sure you loved her very much.

I did.

Anyway. You helped her get her mind off
of her treatments, and for that, I owe

you.

Thank you, John.

That was Penny Ryan.

Yeah. I can't believe it. She hasn't
been seen in public in what, over three

years? Well, if I lost my last chance at
a gold medal in one of the worst

showings in Olympics history, I'd go
into hiding, too.

Still, it doesn't change the fact that
she's one of the best skaters in the

business. I do believe you're rather
taken with her.

I was a big fan. Well, then go talk to
her. No, I can't. Not now.

Maybe later. Jay, you can't help to
motivate other people if you can't

yourself first.

Rule one, remember?

Yes, I remember.

So, any sign of Jessica Fletcher? No.

Knowing her, she got here early. She's
already settled in.

I have no idea how she does it. It makes
me crazy. Does what?

Perfection. Do you know she charges less
for her lectures than any of the other

clients? So she wants to make sure that
anybody who wants to be a writer can

afford to get in.

Some days, I think she does it
deliberately, just to make the rest of

bad. Come on, she's the last person
who'd do that sort of thing. Yeah, but

you read her books, then you know that
the person we think is the least likely

to do that sort of thing is almost
always the one who turns out to be the

likely to do exactly that sort of thing.

Jessica, you must join us for dinner.
Otherwise, we'll have to share our table

with one of those dreary colleagues of
ours downstairs.

And frankly, I would rather hurl myself
off the roof to my untimely death, and I

would leave you with all kinds of guilt,
which I would never do to an old

friend. So, there you are.

Hey, how are you? You look wonderful.
Thank you, Warren.

And who is this? I'm Patricia Williams.

I've been studying with Warren. She's my
protege.

I'm teaching her everything I know.
Warren, I... I have a good idea. Why

we continue this over dinner?

Splendid. Splendid idea.

And I met Warren about a year ago at a
writing workshop in Seattle.

First time I read her stuff, I knew she
had it.

Yesterday's a little seasoning.

So,

how long have you two known each other?

Oh, ages.

We both had our first novels published
in the same year.

Which put us in contention for the same
awards. So we attended the same

receptions, the same awards, banquets,
and somehow we became friends.

A miracle of somewhat biblical
proportions.

This may surprise you, but it's not easy
being my friend.

I'm shocked. Shocked, I tell you.

I've heard it said that I'm cranky,
impatient, judgmental, short -tempered.

Tempestuous. Volatile.

Well, we noticed that you were going
alphabetically, so we thought we would

help you out.

Well, despite all that, we've managed to
remain friends.

Because you've always had a mutual
respect for each other.

Jessica's the real deal.

Look around you.

Half the people in this room won't even
be here next year. Their flavors of the

month. With about as much depth of
character as a piece of cardboard.

And speaking of our esteemed comrades, I
believe this is the latest addition to

our ranks.

Yes, I heard. The former head of the
KGB.

You don't sound too happy about that.

Well, many unfortunate things were done
by the KGB before the fall of the Soviet

Union.

Yuri.

I know you.

Mac Rollins, the political connotator.

It's commentator.

No, commentator. I've read your columns.

You engage in connotation, implication,
innuendo, but very little real news.

Are you still able to earn a living, I
wonder?

I do just fine.

Excuse me if I can have your attention,
please.

For those of you I haven't met yet, I'm
Joseph Brennan, president of Speakers,

Inc.

Thank you.

Thank you.

In the last ten years, we have become
one of the most popular speakers bureaus

in the United States and Britain.

Our clients include writers, actors,
athletes, politicians, scientists, and

others. But now I would like to
introduce our newest clients.

Penny Ryan, four -time international
gold medalist in figure skating.

Mack Rollins, syndicated columnist,
author of a half a dozen of the most

inflammatory books written about
American politics in the 70s. As my late

lamented writing partner used to say at
these occasions, I'm bombed to meet you.

And finally,

I would like to introduce to you Yuri
Ivanov Malenkovich.

Previously head of military intelligence
for the former Soviet Union, educated

at Eton in England.

Well, I am pleased to announce that he
has just completed a new non -fiction

book. A history of his tenure as head of
the KGB.

And it has just been sold sight unseen
to Hafner Loeb's Publishing.

It should cause quite a stir in both our
countries.

Names are named.

There are scandals.

Secrets. My former comrades offered me a
million dollars not to sell the

manuscript, just to turn it over to
them.

I told them I had a better offer.

To wrap things up on Monday, Yuri will
hand over the manuscript for the very

first time at a press conference in
return for a check for two million

Two million dollars?

I'd kill for a deal like that.

If he's right about what's in that
manuscript, you're not the only one.

Excuse me.

Mr.

Rollins. A moment of your time, please.

Excuse us.

My time is your time. Good. Then stop
wasting it.

What the hell was that all about back
there? What are you talking about? We

an agreement.

Me and your publisher.

While we were on tour, there's no
drinking. This is not the tour. That

happen until next week. But this is to
promote the tour. This place is lousy

with reporters. We have an image to
maintain here.

Look, look. When you came to us with
this little dog and pony show, we were

supportive. Now, despite some serious
misgivings on my part, your publisher

I invested a significant amount of money
in this project.

I'd rather not lose my shirt.

You won't.

I'm just being colorful.

That's all. People like colorful.

Surely you've heard about it. It's been
in all the papers.

Fine. Okay.

Okay, fine.

Do what you want.

But if you screw up, I'm pulling out and
it's over.

Hey, I didn't notice you getting that
heavy -handed with Yuri for saying a lot

more and a lot worse than I did. Kind of
makes me think you want to swing this

deal over more in his direction.

But after all, he's the bigger ticket,
right? Those are your words, Mac, not

mine. But not exactly inaccurate either.

I didn't like what you said to me back
there.

We had an understanding. There's a line
you don't cross.

Mr. Rollins.

At this moment, you need me more than I
need you.

Do you wish to end our little agreement,
do you?

Good boy.

You're a real piece of work, Yuri, you
know that?

My wife said I was signing a deal with
the devil.

The mister next to you, he's a piker.

Go have a drink, Raleigh.

Tomorrow, we begin the Cold War all over
again.

This is Fletcher.

William Batsby, Motivational Ideologies.
This is my associate, Everett Chang.

Oh, hello. We're big fans of yours.

Oh. Well, thank you. That said, can I
ask you a tactless question?

Well, that depends on the question.

Do you feel that solving real -life
murders has helped raise your visibility

terms of book sales, appearances, PR?

I don't know. I must confess I've never
really thought about it.

I think you're being slightly
disingenuous, Mrs. Fletcher.

Even in my country, your work is well
known.

Now, you're not a law enforcement
officer.

And yet you take great risks every time
you get involved in a murder

investigation, huh?

Why else do it if not for the publicity?

If you bring something special to a
situation that may be of help, and if

circumstances merit your intrusion,
don't you think it's the responsibility

every citizen to become involved if a
crime has been committed?

But I did not come here to argue.

I thought we could begin fresh. Let the
past stay in the past.

I believe that...

All things work out for the best in the
end, huh?

So do I.

I sleep well at night comforted by that
thought.

You perhaps should not.

Pretty night.

Yes, yes it is.

I couldn't take much more of that crowd
in there.

My capacity for superficial chatter only
goes so far.

Where's Patricia?

Inside, dancing the night away, I
imagine.

I can't keep up with her.

Well, I know what you're thinking.

I didn't know I was thinking anything.
There's nothing more between Patricia

myself than student and mentor.

I never thought there was.

Not that she's not important to me,
Jess.

I'm very fond of her.

You know, when I look at her, I see
myself at that age.

Full of energy.

Idealistic as hell.

And very bright.

All she needs is that one big break and
she's on her way.

I just hope I don't pack it in before
she gets her chance.

Well, it's a little premature to be
talking about the end. You've still got

lot of years ahead of you.

You know, Jess, there are times when I
think I can no longer bear the weight of

my own existence.

You said the same thing when your son
Brent died.

If it was true then, why is it not true
now?

It was a hard thing, losing a son.

It made you question everything.

You had to get on with the job of living
again.

Yeah, you're right.

Tell me something, Jess.

How is it that you and I never got
together?

Oh, because I am completely busy and you
are completely disagreeable.

Yeah, I thought it was something like
that.

You, boy, may need to copy something. A
manuscript. Can you tell me where I

might do that?

No.

And first off, I'm not your boy.

And second, I'm here for Mrs. Fletcher,
not you.

You're an intern of this agency, yes?

Sorry.

Insolent little... Come back here!

Two million dollars for one book.

Housekeeping.

Jessica Fletcher's here and there's been
a murder. What are the odds?

Excuse me.

It's Yuri.

I heard it from one of the cleaning
staff.

She found his body when they went in to
clean his room.

They said he was shot, but no one heard
a gun.

Oh, dear.

So?

What?

Aren't you going to investigate?

I thought you'd be discovering clues by
now.

Oh.

I'm quite sure that the local
authorities have everything well in

I'm not going to get in their way.

Excuse me.

I can't believe it. I just saw him last
night.

We were supposed to have breakfast.

Had staff bring in caviar, onions,
sardines. Breakfast?

Yes, me. Whoever killed him didn't have
to do it. With a diet like that, just

wait a few weeks, huh?

Hello, Jessica.

Oh, Joseph.

Are you all right? Is there anything you
need? No, thank you, Jessica.

Jessica Fletcher.

That's right.

Lieutenant Detective Bob Mankowski.

It's an honor to meet you. I've read all
of your books.

Well, most of them. I would have read
all of them, but who's got that kind of

time? I assume you've heard the details.

Well, actually, I... Yuri was shot
sometime last night around midnight in

room. Possibly with a silencer, since
nobody heard anything.

And only one thing was taken from the
room.

The manuscript of Yuri's book.

So isn't this where you tell me what you
think happened?

Don't worry, Officer Mankowski. I am not
going to interfere with your

investigation. What, you think I don't
want you getting involved?

Well, it's usually the case.

Well, not me. Like I said, I'm a big
fan. So as far as I'm concerned, you get

involved to your heart's content.

Well, thank you. I'll remember that.

Now, what are you going to do, Joseph? I
mean, in terms of the conference.

Well, Officer Mankowski thinks we should
continue, and I agree.

I mean, we've arranged this gathering
for our clients to showcase their

individual presentations.

We've got free lectures all weekend,
tons of press.

I can't justify closing down that
opportunity for our clients to generate

valuable attention.

Besides, the odds are somebody here
pulled the trigger.

So you think Jessica Fletcher's working
on the case?

Come on, she said she wasn't going to
get into it. But what if she does?

You know, between the two of us, we
could beat her at her own game.

Solve it first.

Oh, come on. Can you imagine the
publicity?

Can you imagine the attention?

Can you imagine the book sales?

You're not thinking what I think you're
thinking, are you? Yeah.

Listen, I'll catch up with you later.
I'm going to get on this before anybody

else figures it out.

Patricia, you up?

Hey.

Nothing personal, but you look like
hell.

Thanks a lot.

Couldn't sleep. Had nightmares all
night.

Point of logic.

How could you have nightmares if you
couldn't sleep?

Warren.

Never mind.

Come on.

You okay?

Fine.

Want something to drink?

Before breakfast?

It's not like you.

Yeah, well, I guess a lot of people
think I'm somebody else these days.

I'm going to take a shower.

You want to get something for breakfast?

Yeah.

Yeah, I'll, uh... I'll meet you
downstairs.

That's why sometimes you have to
sacrifice a little privacy for peace of

Frankly, I'm not at all concerned about
the liberal left.

Organized crime, there is a real threat.

Worst thing a liberal can do is talk you
to death.

Next question, please.

Ah, a fellow speaker and a member of the
liberal press.

Why'd you come here to learn a few
things?

What's your question?

Well, I was just wondering where you
were last night around midnight.

It's none of your business.

But I'm going to tell you anyway.

I was in my room preparing for this
little lecture. Can you prove that?

If I have to. What the hell are you,
pal? A cop? If you are, say so.

I'm just an interested member of the
audience, and I think you've got

to hide.

What might that be?

You tell me.

You and the murdered man had some words.

That was a friendly exchange.

Now, look, pal, I'm not on trial here,
and you're not a judge.

Next question.

Hello, Patricia.

Oh, hello.

Are you all right?

Yes, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired.

Didn't get much sleep.

Oh, sure. I know the feeling.

May I ask you something?

Of course.

How badly did you want to be a writer?

Well, I think it was always in the back
of my mind, but... I didn't start

writing seriously until after my husband
died.

What do you ask?

Well, I'm afraid it's becoming a bit of
an obsession with me.

See, Warren has given me so much of his
time, and I appreciate that so much, and

I just want to make him proud.

I know I'm going to have to work very
hard if I want to gain any recognition

all as a writer, so... Well, it's a very
competitive world.

But don't worry. A little obsession
never hurt anyone.

Thank you.

How you doing?

We're looking for the hotel manager. We
understand someone's been murdered.

Right. Well, he isn't talking to anyone.

FBI genius.

Upstairs to the left. Sir.

Come in.

Good morning, John.

Good morning.

I got it for you, just like I promised.
Oh, thank you. Set it right down there.

Are you leaving?

Oh, no, no, no. I'm just going to work
outside for a few hours.

Why don't you take the afternoon off?

Well, some friends of mine asked me to
go to Santa Monica for a birthday party,

but... No buts. You go and have a good
time. I can take care of myself.

I guess you heard about last night.

Yes. Very unfortunate.

Yeah, well, I'm not going to shed any
tears for him. He shouldn't have talked

you. He shouldn't have talked to people
the way he did.

John, rudeness is hardly grounds for
murder. If it was, half the planet would

gone tomorrow.

All right, Mrs. Fletcher, have a good
day.

Thanks. You too.

Here's your drink, Miss Ryan.

So, let's go over the evidence.

We don't have any evidence.

Jay, we're motivators. Think positive,
be positive, act positive.

Now, one, Yuri was murdered.

Two, his manuscript was missing.
Therefore, three, Yuri was killed for

manuscript. Unless whoever did it took
the manuscript to make it look like

that's why he killed him, when in fact
the manuscript had nothing to do with

Are you trying to make this more
difficult? What else is there? Murder

motive. Now, I was talking to some of
the company people, and Yuri was

apparently a recluse. This was his first
time outside of Russia since the fall

of the Berlin Wall.

Sounds like a sore loser.

The point is that whatever he might have
done in Russia, he was killed here in

America. But he hadn't done anything
yet. He just got here. He was

just off the boat.

He had a book published last year. It
was a novel.

Fiction. Come on, Jay. Let's get on the
same page.

Okay, it was a novel.

It got slammed by the reviewers. Maybe
that had something to do with it.

People got murdered for writing bad
books. Somebody would have taken out

Kranz a long time ago.

Okay, I'll give you that one.

Maybe he slandered somebody in the
novel.

That's why God made lawyers.

Now, Uri said his non -fiction book was
filled with secrets from the Cold War.

So that's why he was murdered.

Maybe it was someone who wanted to cash
in on the information in the book.

Or maybe it was a political killing by
somebody from the old country who didn't

want those secrets to get out.

It was probably a copy on his computer
back home, but it's probably coded,

triple encrypted, booby -trapped, and
Trojan -horsed.

What do you think, Mrs. Fletcher?

Do you think that's a likely scenario?

Well, I mean, there are always many
likely scenarios. The trick is finding

one true scenario among all the likely
ones.

I mean, for instance, in my experience,
the person who's being the most helpful

in trying to solve the murder is often
the one who committed the crime.

I mean, he does it in order to discredit
real clues and create misleading

information. Oh, yes, too much eagerness
to solve the crime is all too often a

sign of the killer himself.

Don't look at me like that. Well, you
said yourself, the killer could be

anybody.

Anybody means you, me, Jessica.

Exactly, or even... those guys.

Now, you ask me, those guys look pretty
suspicious.

Well, they're FBI.

How do you know?

Earpiece visible behind the left ear.

Slight bulge in the right sleeve, where
the mic for the walkie -talkie is

located. Second bulge.

Just under their jackets.

Looks about the right size for a 9mm
semi -automatic standard FBI issue.

Suspects. Good going, Sherlock.

Come on.

Let's give the pro some room to work.

Jay, she may be right about the FBI, but
I still think there's something going

on here.

Let's get real, shall we? They call it
the Russian Republic now and not the

Soviet Union, but it's the same old
player, the same old game. And they want

past to stay dead.

And if Yuri's dead along with it, then
that's business as usual.

Now, I think... I think we should let
the people who know what they're talking

about try to figure out what happened.

At last, the voice of common sense. What
took you so long?

Caught in traffic outside of D .C.

Common sense hasn't been able to get
into that place in years.

I'm sorry, where are my manners?

Peggy Ryan, Everett Jang.

Everett, this is... Oh, I know, believe
me.

I saw you skate in Sarajevo, Paris,
Chicago.

Chicago?

That was my first real competition.

Nobody saw me in Chicago.

I did.

I'm glad to hear you're on the comeback
trail.

Thank you.

It's getting a little thick in here,
isn't it? Matt Rollins?

Yes. Mason Phillips, Paul Neely, FBI.

Would you come with us, please?

Anyway, I say follow the book.

You find that manuscript, you'll find
the killer.

You sound pretty sure about that. It's
hard to believe it's so simple.

Well, when you've been around for a
while, perhaps you'll observe more.

Maybe. But from what I've seen now, it
seems pretty inconclusive.

I mean, don't you need a motive anymore,
or do people just go around getting

arrested? Oh, there is motive, all
right. Rollins had plenty of reason to

kill... Well, that's none of our
business now, is it?

Well, no, but I just thought I... Don't.

Leave the thinking to the FBI.

Excuse me.

I'm sure you understand, Mr. Rollins,
the murder of Yuri Milankovich has sent

alarms all over the State Department.

Not to mention we've received some
rather sharply worded faxes from the

consulate. What's that got to do with
me?

Well, during the 70s, while you were
overseas on book tours, you did some

freelance work for the American
intelligence community, covering the

of campus radicals here and abroad.

It would pose a considerable
embarrassment if the unfortunate events

night would come knocking at your door.

This is insane.

According to reports, the two of you
exchanged words the night he was

Something about a deal.

Would you care to explain, Mr. Rollins?

He and I had the same publisher.

Six weeks ago, we signed a deal to do a
tour together. 16 cities, a little dog

and pony show like the G. Gordon Liddy
Timothy Leary tour.

East versus West in the final shootout
of the Cold War. And then what was that

little exchange about during dinner?

Well, I was just part of the show. I
figured I'd warm up the act a little.

I hear it got pretty hot.

I lost my temper.

That's all.

We had an agreement not to make the
debates personal, to stick to the

Right out of the gate, he starts taking
personal shots.

Yuri Milankovich wasn't big on keeping
promises.

Knowing your feelings towards anyone
involved with the former Soviet Union,

surprised you went along with this. My
publisher thought it would help move my

books. Sales have been soft since the
Berlin Wall came down. I guess nobody's

building things to last anymore.

Do you ever talk?

You will. of course, review this
material.

It's in the best interest of the agency
and everyone involved here to make this

go away as quickly as possible.

Why? It's not like he was dearly loved,
you know?

Perhaps not, but there's still a
manuscript missing which may or may not

politically sensitive information.

I see you decided to get away from that
feeding frenzy in there.

Pack of vultures.

Picking at someone else's misfortune.

Tell me, Jessie, did you ever stop
working?

Well, it's so easy.

You see, it's one of the benefits of a
notebook computer.

I wouldn't know.

This, I made myself.

Works like a dream.

Look, man, this is a car, Jack. You can
just take the car, okay? Open it.

You're going to give me the manuscript.

What? You have Yuri's manuscript.

I don't believe it. This is a mystery
novel. This is my novel. Okay, I've been

working on it for the past two years.

I was hoping to give it to Jessica
Fletcher after the conference.

Freeze, FBI. Drop your weapon.

So the real question is, what ever
happened to Common Courtesy?

Little things like, thank you, you're
welcome, I'm sorry, after you.

You know, it's gotten to the point now
where you can't even go to the movies

without worrying about creating an
international incident just by asking

somebody to be quiet.

I've been threatened just for going,
shh.

So I made this little gadget, about so
big, with a spring and a little latch on

it. Perfectly harmless.

But it sounded like a gun being cocked.

Now, if you could just tell me who you
saw in the hallway.

I need more money.

This is not enough.

This better be worth it.

So when I'm in the movies, and when I
heard somebody talking, I'd give them a

shush. If they didn't pay any attention,
I would take out the little gadget, and

I would... And suddenly it got very
quiet.

Till one night, I went to the movies in
Chicago and there was a guy behind me

and he kept talking. So I reached into
my pocket and I took out the little

gadget and I confidently waited for the
silence.

A couple of seconds later, from behind
me, I heard another.

So I thought to myself, what are the
odds that this guy has a little gadget

like mine?

Or what are the odds that he's got a
real gun pointed at the back of my head?

I dropped the little gadget in the trash
bin, and I have never, ever tried that

again.

Excuse me. I don't think we've met. I'm
Patricia Williams.

Hi, I'm Penny Ryan.

Oh, yes, of course I know.

I was lucky enough to see you in the
Olympics.

So, what happened there?

What do you mean?

Well, I mean you went into that
competition ranking number one in the

finished fifth and stopped skating.

Well, we were all under a lot of
pressure and I had a bad day.

If you don't mind me asking, was there
more to it than the pressure?

I think you said... You know, I don't
really care what you think.

I know what I went through and it's
actually just none of your business.

Well, actually, it is my business. You
see, I'm a writer, and I look for

stories. You mean fabricating stories?

No, I gather facts, and I have them
published. Well, there's nothing here

publication.

Guess I had a nerve.

I'm sorry. No, you're not.

Look, there is no story here.

Leave me alone.

Yes, of course, I'll be right there.

No, it's not a problem.

John, don't be silly. It's not as if I
haven't done this sort of thing before.

I'll be right there.

Oh.

Oh, I was just about to knock.

Are you going out?

Well, yes. I just got a call from my
intern, John Mendoza. He was picked up

the FBI.

I need someone to go to bat for him.

Oh, sorry.

Well, could you spare a minute before
you go?

Oh, of course. Come in.

Jessica, I was wondering if you would be
willing to look into this whole murder

situation. That's a personal favor to
me.

May I ask why?

A little while ago you were complaining
about this feeding frenzy and everyone

trying to capitalize on somebody else's
misfortune by trying to figure out who

did it. That's true.

Well, what happened to change your mind?
Well, nothing. They're still vultures.

But the hysteria we've got out there,
it's dangerous.

I think we're in desperate need of
some...

Panic control.

That'd be you.

Warren, if I get into this, I have to
follow the truth, wherever it leads.

I understand.

All right, I'm in.

Walk with me?

Hello, John.

I am so sorry to have to drag you all
the way out here. Oh, that's quite all

right. How long were you planning on
holding him, Lieutenant?

Well, if it was up to me, I would have
cut him loose an hour ago. But the feds

want to hold him as a material witness.

But I didn't see anything.

Some guy tried to rob me. Who tried to
rob you?

A Russian.

The feds think maybe it's the same guy
who kept Milankovitch. He thought I had

to stole the manuscript.

And I thought for sure that he was going
to kill me.

They're questioning him in another room.

Want to see?

Yes, perhaps I should.

Don't worry, I'll be right back. We'll
get you out of here in just a few

minutes.

Okay, once more. This time, give me the
facts. I have already told you.

That's the guy.

Tell me again.

I just love being lied to. It reminds me
of my last marriage.

Boris, what were you doing at the hotel?

I came to speak with Yuri Malenkovich
about his book.

Do you always bring a gun and a silencer
to talk to somebody about his book?

Or are the Russians just harder on their
writers than I thought? It was for

protection in case Yuri made a problem.

We knew he had been offered $2 million
by his publisher. I was sent to make a

counteroffer of equal value if he would
not sell it to anyone else.

We would also arrange for certain favors
to be done for members of his family

still in Russia.

Those living conditions have been rather
hard since the fall of the Communist

Party. Of course, it would have been
much simpler just to kill him, take the

book, and keep the money for yourself, I
think. It's not that!

Simple.

He didn't kill Yuri.

Well, you sound awfully sure of that.

Look, if he had done the job, he would
have had the manuscript.

He wouldn't have gone after John
thinking that he had it.

Well, he could have killed him and then
found the book was already missing.

Oh, no. Yuri wasn't the sort of person
who would lose track of something that

important.

If that manuscript had been stolen
before he was killed...

he would have caused a commotion that
you would have heard all the way back to

Moscow. So the killing is related to the
manuscript?

Ah, I didn't say that.

In a situation like this, there's what
we think, what we know, and what we can

prove. I mean, Yuri is dead.

The manuscript is missing.

But how do those facts relate to one
another?

I mean, we don't know.

Tell your people to keep looking. What?
What do you mean?

Forensics report says the gun we found
in the sky didn't fire the bullet that

killed Yuri.

I'll get into it.

Well, if you're going to, you better do
it quickly.

What do you mean we better... What is
she doing in here?

She is my guest.

She has no official role in this
investigation. She has no business...

you mean we should do it quickly?

Well, this man here is a Russian
citizen, isn't he?

That's right. Why?

Well, if I was in his situation, I'd
have orders to check in with my handler

every few hours.

And if I didn't, my handler might think
that I had been arrested, in which case

he would immediately arrange for the
kind of assistance that only he could

as a diplomat of another country.

Diplomatic community.

Mr. Phillips, there's a guy on the line
from the Russian consulate in New York.

He'd like a word with you.

I'll take that in the other office. Then
I want her out of here. Just one other

thing, Mr. Phillips.

If that call is what I think it is, and
if our guest is about to receive

diplomatic immunity, then you have no
case against him. That's right.

Well, then, how can you hold John
Mendoza as a material witness in a case

no longer exists?

Kick him loose.

That was a thing of the evening, Mrs.
Fletcher. I mean, the look on his face

perfect. Someone's here to see you,
Detective.

Yeah, send them on back.

I'm going to put through the paperwork
on your friend, and we'll have him out

here in a little bit. Oh, thank you.
That'll be wonderful.

Oh.

Sorry, I didn't know you were here.

Oh, that's all right.

I can leave if you like.

Oh, no.

That's okay.

You'll want to hear this.

I think I know who killed Yuri.

Hi.

Mind if I bother you for a minute?

Please.

After we met, I asked around about you.
And from what I gather, when it comes to

motivational speaking, you are the one
to talk to.

Even more than your partner, William.

Well, I don't know if I'm any better
than... I also heard that you are very

modest. That is a rare trait these days.

So what can I do for you?

You mentioned the comeback trail.

Well, I am ready to find it all right,
but I'm not really sure which trail to

take. I've tried writing, but so far
nothing's really worked out.

You could consult on ice skating, but
not unless you really want to coach, and

I'm not really ready for that.

So I have a name. A little worn out,
maybe, but still a name. Just not a lot

options on how to use it.

So I was thinking maybe motivational
speaking might be the best way to go.

I think that's a great idea.

You see, the harder your life has been,
the more it means if you can pull

yourself out of it and make something of
yourself.

And from what I know about you, you've
had a pretty hard life.

You've worked yourself out of poverty.

You've educated yourself. You've trained
yourself.

You've got a pretty interesting story to
tell. And I think people will want to

hear it. Do you really think so? I mean,
I wouldn't need, like, some kind of

gimmick or... No.

Just be yourself.

Patricia Williams?

Yes? Lieutenant Detective Bob Mankowski.

Is there something wrong?

Miss Williams, you told our officers
that you went straight to your room

dinner. But we now have a witness who
has placed you leaving Yuri

room at roughly the time of the murder.

You were crying.

You looked as though you'd been in a
struggle. And you were seen leaving with

thick manila envelope.

Would you come with me, please?

You're sure this won't get you into any
trouble?

Well, it probably will, but I can handle
it.

I don't buy any of this.

Where did the so -called witness come
from?

And if they saw something, why didn't
they come forward earlier?

That's all too convenient for me.

The witness works the 4 p .m. to
midnight shift.

She didn't hear of the murder until she
got back to work this afternoon.

Miss Williams, do you understand the
penalty for lying?

To an agent of the FBI in the course of
a homicide investigation.

I'm not lying.

No?

Interesting.

I still don't understand why Patricia
didn't want an attorney.

I don't know.

She was afraid it would be an admission
of guilt.

It was naive.

Stupid. We couldn't talk her out of it.

So let me see if I understand this.

You say you were never in Yuri
Milankovitch's room.

That's right.

So the maid that saw you?

She's confused or lying.

So you were never there?

No. Well, that's interesting.

Let me show you something.

On the left are fingerprints we took
when we brought you in here.

The fingerprints on the right were taken
from a broken wine glass we found in

Yuri's room.

They're the same.

100%. Absolute match.

Is there anything you want to change in
your story now, Miss Williams?

After the reception, I did call him to
see if I could speak to him privately.

He agreed. We set a time.

What time?

A little before 11.

Didn't it strike you odd to be seeing
someone so late in the evening?

I figured he was still on Russian time.

What were you seeing him about?

I thought if I could interview him about
his years with the KGB and his new

book, I could sell the article to a
major magazine.

I felt that This could be my big break.

My first big sale.

I brought my clips so I could show him
what I'd done previously.

Mostly some articles and a few short
stories I'd published over the years.

Just so he would know that I was a
writer.

But as it turned out, he wasn't
interested in my work.

We struggled.

But I didn't kill him.

He was very much alive when I left that
room.

That was the last time I saw him.

That's a fine story, Miss Williams.

It's what happened.

Look, from what I've heard, it sounds
like he was shot. I don't even own a

But it is entirely possible that you saw
his manuscript as the big break.

Or maybe you just wanted to sell it to
the Russians.

No. On the other hand, maybe he did try
to assault you. And in the course of the

struggle, he grabbed his gun, fired,
self -defense.

I'm sure a jury will find that story
more sympathetic.

I can hold you for 24 hours before I
have to charge with anything.

Until then, you're the person closest to
the sound of the storm. And I'm keeping

you here.

She didn't do it.

She couldn't have.

I just won't accept it.

I'll give you that she's wild in some
ways, but it's because she's so

about things.

Her life, her work, her career, but
something like this, no, never.

You know, Warren, when you asked me to
look into this, I sensed that there was

lot more than what you were saying.

You were afraid of this, weren't you?

Yes, I was.

Phillips is so desperate to pin this on
somebody, he'll try anything.

I know.

It's the hardest thing to see someone
innocent being blamed for something that

they didn't do.

I don't want anything to happen to
Patricia.

I lost my son. I just don't want to go
through anything like that again.

You know, Warren, you've never really
talked about him.

I mean, I knew that Brent was a
reporter, that he had been killed in

Afghanistan, but that's all.

He loved to write.

Even as a little boy, he just loved to
write.

So he decided he wanted to become a
journalist.

He was covering the activities of the
Afghani rebels when he was killed.

It was the worst thing that ever
happened to me in my life, Jess. I

can't go through anything like that
again.

I'm going to do everything I can,
Warren. I swear.

So what's our next step?

Well... The killer is still out there.

So our job is to find him or at least
produce evidence that eliminates

from the list of possible suspects.

So we don't necessarily have to show who
did it.

As long as we can prove that she didn't
do it.

Right. What we need to do right now is
to prove that the real killer is still

large. And how do we do that?

I've got an idea or two.

You made it. Are you kidding? I wouldn't
miss this for the world.

You know, I'm surprised you're at this
conference by yourself.

Well, I'm kind of on my own these days.

My husband and I separated about six
months ago.

I'm sorry to hear that.

It's okay.

He was a skater for the East German
team.

And I've spoken to Lieutenant Mankowski,
and he has agreed to attend the press

conference on Monday morning.

And that's when you'll make your
announcement?

I should think so.

I don't know how you do it, Jess.

I would never have seen those clues, and
they were right there in front of me.

Well, it's just a matter of knowing what
you're looking for, how to recognize

it, and how to organize the information.
I mean, once you've done that,

everything else invariably falls into
place.

By Monday morning, we should have the
last two pieces of information to nail

down the case, and then we can all get
back to our respective lives.

You think he bought it, Jess? Oh, yes.

I'd like a lager.

A lager sounds good.

Two lagers, please.

Where is he now?

Oh, back in Germany.

He had some kind of run -in with the
authorities there.

He dropped out of sight completely about
a week ago.

I suspect he's in some kind of trouble.
Jay, we're looking everywhere for you.

Did you hear?

Kind of busy here, Bill.

Hi.

Fletcher's on the case.

You're kidding.

No, I heard her talking with that friend
of hers, Warren.

She figures to have this whole thing
completely wrapped up by Monday.

That gives us just 24 hours to crack
this thing.

Why? If she knows who the killer is and
justice gets served, that's great.

Great for her, maybe. Not so good for
me.

All right, I'll see you later.

I've got something I've got to do.

Excuse me, Mr. Brennan.

Can I have a minute?

What is it?

Well, I...

I've got some ideas about Yuri's murder,
and I've got nobody to bounce them off

of. Why don't you just bounce them off
your buddy, Jang? Well, he's got his

hands full with other things. No, I just
thought that if I could sort of test my

theory out on you, that there might be,
I don't know, some interest in a book or

something, somewhere down the line, or
perhaps... Look, Batsby, I'm president

a company that represents people who
write books.

I'm not a publisher.

Oh, I know, I know. But I thought that
if I told you my ideas, and you thought

they had merit, that you might direct me
to somebody who could help me.

And put in a good word.

You know?

All right. All right, let's hear it.

Well, um, the way I see it, we need to
find a connection between Yuri and

somebody at this conference.

Somebody who needed that manuscript bad
enough to kill for it.

Correct. Yes.

Now, who would that be?

I don't know.

Yet. But I will.

One thing I do know, it's not going to
be obvious.

The killer, I mean.

So, um...

If you thought I might be worth a shot,
sorry, no pun intended, I might be able

to nose around, see what I could find
out.

Well, do some sleuthing if you'd like,
and we'll see.

If you come up with something, maybe
we'll talk.

But I'm going to tell you something.

I don't want to get led on a wild goose
chase.

And before you come back to me, make
sure you know what you're talking about.

Oh, yes, sir.

You can bet I will.

Now, I want you to stay right here and
don't answer the door.

I've got to pick up a few things and
I'll be back before you know it.

I beg your pardon?

Oh, this couch looks very comfortable.

Warren, you're not staying here.

Of course I am. We as much as told the
world that you know who the killer is.

And the killer will obviously consider
that a threat, which should bring him

out. That's a good thing.

It's a bad thing if he decides to
eliminate the threat by eliminating you.

So you will stay in the bedroom.

I will sleep here on the couch.

No one will get past me, I guarantee it.
You don't have to do this, Warren.

No, if I did, I probably wouldn't. Since
I don't, I am and I will.

I'm going to go to my room and get my
pillow, because I've broken it in quite

nicely.

Yes? Room service.

Good evening, ma 'am. Oh, over there,
please.

I always have a cup of chamomile tea
every evening.

Oh, good idea.

I think I'd like some myself.

Back in five.

Tea for two, ma 'am?

So it would seem.

Thank you very much.

Oh, thank you, ma 'am.

Good night. Good night.

Well, it doesn't prove anything.

We have no proof that's even came from
the killer. It could have come from any

one of those other people out there who
were trying to solve the murder.

Well, unless the neighbors heard you
snoring, what would stop now or die

to other than our investigation?

Well, it's possible.

What do you mean, my snoring?

I don't snore. I have never snored.

Warren, you're a dear man and a good
friend.

Either you snore or there was a bear in
here last night, and one of us should

inform the management.

Look, I'll grant it's not much, but it's
a start. It means that we've been

noticed. Now we have to turn it over to
the police.

The more we can create a legitimate
paper trail, the better Patricia's

of being cleared.

Give me just a minute to put myself
together.

Warren, are you all right?

Yes.

Warren, what's wrong?

I've been shot.

Oh, God.

Don't move.

It'll only make it bleed more.

See?

I told you you were in danger.

Oh, there are simpler ways of proving it
than by dying, Warren.

Jessica,

it's just a flesh wound.

The doctor said nothing vital was hit.

I can sit here. I can sit at the hotel.
What difference does it make?

But, Warren, someone tried to kill you.
Yes, and whoever tried it may probably

come after you next.

I'm not going to stay here and let that
happen.

You know, I thought you might want to
know that we tested that bullet that

grazed you. The double striations on the
bullet matched the one that we pulled

out of Yuri's body.

Double striations?

Yes, indicating that the bullet was
fired from a gun equipped with a

which is why no one heard it the night
Yuri was murdered.

That's interesting.

What?

Well, a silencer indicates a certain
degree of premeditation, doesn't it?

I mean, most people who own guns don't
own silencers. They're very expensive

hard to find.

Well, see, that's the other thing.

The lines caused by the silencer don't
match anything else we have in the file.

A silencer certainly mitigates against
the murder being a spontaneous act of

rage or passion.

Well, that clears Patricia.

If she was in a cell across town, she
couldn't possibly have been outside the

hotel this morning with a gun, now could
she?

No, she couldn't have.

Agent Phillips is not going to be happy
about this.

Would he have been happier if I'd been
killed?

Well, he's a fed.

You never know.

Shall we?

Bobby, Mrs. Fletcher is moving to the
siesta suite. Take care of her luggage,

please. Henry's already up there. He'll
help you.

Thank you.

No, I can manage those.

Oh, yes, with one arm.

I'll go along with him.

I'll just be a moment.

No, Clem, listen.

We know she was in Sarajevo. I need
more.

Any connection with Yuri Milankovitch?

Anything between them or even someone
they both knew?

You said yourself this woman is not even
a police suspect.

I don't care.

Come on.

Call your sources. Pull out some favors.

I've told you who's here. See if you can
connect any of them with Yuri.

That. Jessica Fletcher knows what she's
doing.

Leave it to her and go motivate
somebody.

And if I could crack this, it would mean
a lot more dough than I'm getting right

now. All right.

I'll do what I can.

Don't expect any big secrets to be
uncovered.

Yeah, thanks, Glenn.

I'll be in my room. Call me with
anything.

Excuse me.

I wonder, did you by any chance see a
man standing around here around 9 a .m.?

Funny you should mention that, but yeah.

Why funny?

Well, I've seen him around the hotel a
few times the past couple days, but I

don't think he's a guest here.

Why not?

Well, he orders a drink once in a while,
but he always pays cash, never puts it

on a room account.

Anyway, I saw him this morning, and he
was standing there looking up, and all

a sudden he just took off. I haven't
seen him since.

I see.

Do you think you could describe him for
me?

Sure. About 5 '6", maybe 5 '7". Always
wearing a black jacket.

Oh, yeah, and he had one of those small
leather shoulder bags. Carried it with

him like it was the most important thing
in the world.

Oh, interesting.

Well, you've been very helpful. Thank
you.

Jay, I got it. I worked it out.

Oh, Mr. Holmes, so good to see you
again.

Yeah, laugh all you want, but I think I
know who the killer is, and I'm ready to

go with it.

You know why your pal, the athlete, got
divorced?

Penny? No, she just said that she and
her husband split up sometime after he

back from Germany.

East Germany, that's what you said.
Well, I called in a few favorites from

reporter friends of mine.

It turns out that she was involved with
somebody on the East German team while

she was married. That same year, she
turns in the worst performance of her

career, and we lose the gold. That's too
much of a coincidence.

Now, maybe the Russians were holding her
husband hostage and it was blackmail.

Maybe she got paid to throw the
competition.

Maybe she did it out of love. Maybe she
was upset because her marriage was

falling apart.

Jay, she's the only one here with a
direct connection to the old Soviet

She knew Yuri had a book coming out.
Maybe she was afraid that she was in it.

If she did throw the competition and it
came out, it could ruin her career.

She'd lose her endorsements. There'd be
a scandal. She'd lose everything.

So you're saying she did it.

I'm saying that either she did it or she
hired somebody to do it for, to kill

Yuri and anybody else who gets too close
to the truth.

Agent Phillips, Anneli, what a pleasant
surprise. What can I do for you?

The night Yuri Milankovitch was
murdered, you spoke with him, correct?

We had a few words, yes.

What kind of words?

Oh, the usual.

Nouns, verbs, adjectives to round things
out. Any heated words on that list? Any

rash words?

Not that I can remember, no.

Please, come in.

Thank you.

Have a seat.

I am told that you were upset by the
idea that someone who repressed writers

artists during the Soviet days might
profit from his actions.

Upset? No.

Annoyed, yes.

I mean, the morality of this is rather
dubious.

Mrs. Fletcher, do you recognize this?

Yes, of course. It's the note that I
took from under my door this morning.

And what did you do with it upon finding
it?

Well, I gave it to the police straight
away.

Well, when we went over the paper, we
found traces of handwriting.

To be precise, we found the impression
of a signature.

Now, the signature is under the ink,
spelling out the words, stop now or die,

meaning that the impression was made
before the warning was written.

Well, that's good.

That means the writing belongs to the
killer or someone involved in the

Exactly.

So you'll understand my surprise when
our experts... checked out the indented

signature and determined that the
handwriting and the signature on the

yours, Mrs. Fletcher.

Now think about it.

Is there something you're not telling
me?

Yes.

Yes, there is.

And would you care to enlighten me?

At this precise moment, no.

What do you mean, no, Mrs. Fletcher?

Do you or do you not want the person
responsible for Yuri's death?

Of course I do.

Then give me a little more time. I need
24 hours. I have one last lead to check

out. No.

Forget it.

Not a chance.

Look, all you have is a series of clues
that don't add up.

Now, you can pressure me to tell you
what I know, and being a good citizen, I

probably will, but you still won't be
able to prove anything.

The conference will be over tomorrow and
everybody will have gone their separate

ways and this case will have slipped
through your fingers.

Give me those 24 hours and I will give
you the person responsible for Yuri's

murder.

A man has been murdered, Mrs. Fletcher.
I am not about to... Let her go.

What?

You heard me. I said let her go. Give
her the 24 hours.

Why?

Because I trust her.

I know her work, and I know her rep.

And I trust her.

You got a problem with that?

Hello. I think the lady wants to talk to
you. What do you want?

Well, I'd like to know what you're doing
here.

I believe that you were in the garden
this morning, standing under my window.

No, I... Please, I have a witness.

All right, fine. I was there, so what?

I was also told that you left in quite a
hurry. Why?

Well, I was standing there, minding my
own business.

when all of a sudden there was this big
whack from the tree right next to me

like something hit it real hard. And I
didn't know if somebody was throwing

something at me or if there was some
kind of an animal in there, but I wasn't

going to stick around to find out.

What kind of a sound was that?

Well, like I said, it was a sharp whack
right next to my head.

So, if you don't mind... Oh, one other
thing.

What were you doing standing there in
the first place?

I'm a collector.

I was hoping for an autograph.

I've been waiting two days just to get
five minutes alone.

I'm autographed. Oh, for heaven's sakes.

Let me find a pen.

Oh, no, no. Not yours.

His. Warren Pierce.

Oh, Joseph, if your faith was any lower,
I'd have to dig a hole in the floor to

accommodate it.

I'm sorry, I'm just tired. It's been a
long day.

I know.

What can I do for you?

You know, everything about Yuri's murder
screams premeditation.

Yet relatively few people knew about his
new book.

It was a non -fiction memoir of his
years in the KGB.

So, if the Russians aren't responsible
for his death...

Then the murder had nothing to do with
his memoirs.

And this is where I need your help,
Joseph.

About a year ago, Yuri published another
book. It was a novel based loosely on

his experiences.

Would you by any chance have a copy of
that book?

Sure. I was going to have it out for the
press conference on Monday.

Why?

I need to see it.

The recent insurrection against civil
authority brought this warrior to a

battlefield. Death and destruction
abound, but even here he would seek out

pleasures of the flesh.

Colonel Boris Yeltonov was a man of
healthy sexual appetites, loved by

feared by his enemies.

When she entered the room and he saw
her, he knew that he had seen his true

opposite number. As he looked into her
eyes, he knew their paths were locked.

from this day forward.

I didn't know you'd be here.

I had to come.

I had to come and see what sort of man
you are.

What do you think?

I think that my life has just changed
forever.

Warren? I was afraid I was never going
to get out of that jail.

And now we're going to celebrate your
liberation from unjustified

And I'm by.

Then we do live in miraculous times.

What? Oh.

I'm going to call Jessica.

I know she'll want to be in on this.

Boris had no choice but to shoot his way
out.

to a place of great danger to our
people, where a man of your talent is

to deal with insurgents and spies.

What better place to show the world what
you are made of than Afghanistan?

Come!

At last, he was back in uniform. Now he
could discard the pretense of being

anyone other than who he was, a loyal
servant of the Soviet Party.

General Yezinov, we found these men in
the rebel

Abganyakon. We're reporters.

Be quiet.

Do they have any identification?

No. You know damn well we don't. You're
going to confiscate our papers and our

passports. And you know we're not the
CIA.

Oh?

Perhaps.

Perhaps so.

It is not my fault that your own
government has compromised all of its

journalists everywhere.

When you know that one reporter is
actually a spy, then any of them can be

a spy.

Just let me call my newspaper.

There are no telephones here.

There's just you and me and all those
soldiers outside.

Boris looked at the two intruders.

He could not afford to take chances.

Jessica? I had one of the staff let me
in.

We've been together so much, they didn't
seem to question it.

Terrible lapse in security.

I came by your room last night. I called
you a couple of times, but there was no

answer. Around midnight, I turned off
the phone.

Writing again?

No.

I was up reading.

I see.

It's funny.

The more important an emotion, the fewer
words are needed to express it.

I'm your friend. Four words.

I love you. Three words.

Marry me.

I'm sorry.

Two words.

You are my friend.

That puts you just three words from the
center of my heart.

Over the years, I've lost so many
people.

Sometimes I felt that there was no one
left for me to play with, and then I met

you again, and everything changed.

Warren, you are my friend.

I would do anything for you.

Except... Except betray what I believe
in and pretend that I don't

know what this book...

After I finished reading it, I... I came
in here and took the liberty of going

through your bags.

You seemed so protective of them when
they were being carried by the staff out

of my room.

I suspected that the gun might be hidden
in one of them.

I didn't find it.

But I did find this.

How did you know?

It came to me in pieces.

Oh, it must be very hard to kill a man,
Warren, even if you think it's

justified.

That's why you were so depressed the
night of the murder.

It didn't mean much to me at the time,
not even when Yuri was discovered dead

the following morning.

I knew you were good at making your own
gadgets, but I didn't put it together

with what Lieutenant Mankowski said
about the silencer being handmade.

And then there was that business of the
note on the hotel stationery.

The night before you were shot, I
ordered in some room service.

I'd put out some of the hotel's
stationery earlier while sorting through

things, and as I signed the bill, my
handwriting left an impression on the

paper. During the night, you took one of
those sheets of paper.

Then you wrote the warning note and put
it under the door so that I'd find it in

the morning.

No one else had access to my room or
that paper.

You then put the handmade silencer on
the gun, pulled the trigger, and wounded

yourself, hoping, I suppose, to take
suspicion away from Patricia.

You were very good at covering your
tracks.

I might never have given it a thought if
you hadn't asked me to investigate her

arrest.

It was a calculated risk.

I couldn't let Patricia take the blame
for something that I'd done.

See, I didn't know that she'd gone to
see Yuri until the next morning.

The timing was too close.

I had to clear her name. I knew you were
the one person who could do that.

I was hoping that we could clear it
without going any further.

And then you told me the most important
thing was to prove that the killer was

still on the loose.

And I knew what I had to do.

And that's where you made your mistake.

After you were shot, I went out to
examine the area where the shooter would

been standing.

On inspection, I found a bullet hole in
a tree that was on a direct line to my

window, meaning a bullet had not been
fired in from the garden. It had been

fired out from the room.

Then when the police found the bullet in
the wall of my room and it matched the

one that killed Yuri, I knew.

I was hoping that somehow, some way, it
wasn't you.

that perhaps I'd misread the clues, or
you were being set up to take the blame.

One thing finally changed that, and I
feel confident that when forensics

the powder burns on your shirt, they'll
realize only you could have fired that

gun. Everything about the murder pointed
to premeditation, which meant that the

murder must have had something to do
with the contents of his previous novel.

Yuri killed your son, didn't he?

Jess, do you know what it's like to go
through life wondering why your son was

murdered?

Who killed him?

And then one day, I opened a book.

This book.

My publisher said it to me. He wanted me
to review it. It was Yuri's book. Can

you believe it?

As I read it, bit by bit, I realized I
was...

I was reading the intimate details of my
own son's murder.

Information that no one else could have
known but the man who did it.

The man who killed him.

Gary must have thought nobody put it
together. He must have thought he was

immune from prosecution. But it's all
here, Jess.

It's all in the book. All the facts.

I wasn't going to let him get away with
it.

Yuri Milankovitch killed my son.

Shot him.

Shot him.

He dumped his body in a ditch.

And he just left it there.

For as long as I've known you, I've felt
that a part of you has been in terrible

pain.

Now I know why.

And I am so sorry, Warren.

I truly am.

Are you sorry enough?

Do you understand enough not to go to
the police?

Warren. What else did you tell them?

Well, nothing significant. I didn't name
you. I didn't need to.

Why not?

Because you are going to turn yourself
in to the police and you are going to

confess.

And you will tell your story in front of
a jury.

Jessica, you're the only one who knows
I'm involved in this.

What's to keep me from killing you?

Because I still believe that you're an
honorable man.

I've already killed once.

That was because you believed you were
avenging your son's death.

There's a big difference between that
and... and this.

You could have let Patricia take the
blame for the murder.

And you could have gotten away before
any of this unraveled, but you didn't.

And that proves that you can't hurt an
innocent.

Or a friend.

You'll always be my friend.

Excuse me, Mrs. Fletcher.

I don't understand how you could do it.
I mean, you said yourself he was your

friend. The guy he murdered was probably
a killer several times over.

A lot worse than your friend.

So why do it?

Yes, well, it was. It was the hardest
thing that I've ever done.

But... Popular culture notwithstanding,
there is such a thing as right and

wrong.

The taking of a human life for any
reason is wrong.

I mean, you can never nudge the moral
compass far from its true north without

losing something vital.

A compass is essential for everyone,
writers in particular.

Yuri Malenkovich asked why I investigate
murders.

He said that I had to have a personal
agenda.

Well, he was quite right.

It's important to me to pursue those who
cross the line and take another human

life.

In my investigating murders, I have seen
some terrible things.

So many of them, it would take the wind
out of anybody's sails.

I'm giving you this confession.

But Patricia here has first rights of
publication of the story.

Told you I'd get you that one big break.

I always keep my promises.

I'm surprised Mrs. Fletcher doesn't want
to tell this story.

I mean, she has every right to.

I think she understands.

Well, here we go.

My son Brent was a correspondent for the
Washington Sentinel.

But because I am a romantic, I still
believe that we have the potential to be

nobler than we know and better than we
think.

That the darkness I've seen is only a
shadow on the potential of the human

heart.

Warren, in his own way, was a romantic,
made hard by the world around him until

he finally made...

A tragic mistake.

He walked away from his own moral
compass.

So I urge you to keep your heart's
compass on the true north of your

Be free to be romantics, to reject
cynicism, to believe that good will

and that those who do wrong will be
punished.

Because when the hour of the wolf comes,

as it comes to all of us, sooner or
later.

Those are the things that sustain us.

Thank you, and good night.