Original subtitles

A bit early for you to be up, isn't it?

I've got a hair appointment,

and I'm having my nails done,

then lunch with Suzanne.

Never a moment to yourself, is there, dear?

No smoking at the table, Mitchell.

You just getting in?

Four parties.

Don't you find your lifestyle a trifle expensive?

Do stop picking on him, Albert.

In the unlikely event I want your advice,

you'll be the first to know.

You think I don't know how tight the two of you are?

Well, I do.

Father.

What?

Good morning.

Whether you like it or not.

Albert, I've called Hong Kong

five times already this morning.

I told you to stonewall them, Philip.

They have several other buyers waiting in the wings.

I've investigated, they're not bluffing.

If we don't close this in 30 minutes, we'll lose it.

Let them wait.

Come on, Albert.

I've put in six months on this deal.

I run this company, Philip.

In case you've forgotten.

I could never forget that, Albert.

Oh, good morning, Philip.

Morning, Michelle. Oh.

His fangs are showing this morning.

Mr. Gordon, why did you cancel

the installation order I put in for a PR3 cable?

The one that would have given you access

to my personal computer?

Mr. Gordon, I have nothing but the utmost respect

for your privacy. It's at the top of my list.

But if I'm supposed to be your in-house counsel,

I have to stay up-to-date,

and you rarely have time to brief me.

It seems all I do is sit around and wait for someone to sue you.

Excuse me, Miss Thomas.

Here's your tea.

Also a Mr. Douglas is in the foyer.

He seems to think you'll want to see him,

even though he hasn't got an appointment.

Show him in.

I'm totally satisfied with your performance, Michelle.

Anything else?

Mr. Douglas.

Morning, Mr. Gordon, sir.

What have you got?

I should have known it.

Good day, Mr. Gordon, sir.

Father.

You're late.

Was checking out the jet.

Philip flies to Antwerp tomorrow.

Philip? Why is Philip going?

Because in my opinion,

I think Philip should represent us.

And if I'm gonna be second in command,

I think you should... Oh, shut up, Eric.

Don't talk to me like that.

Get out of here.

Go on, get out!

Good evening, sir.

May I take your coat, sir?

Hello, darling.

You look in need of champagne.

Lawrence, bring the glasses straight away, please.

Never mind the champagne. Just leave us alone.

I don't know what you two are up to,

but you're not going to make a fool out of me, Fiona.

What are you saying?

These were taken last weekend.

Look at them.

I don't understand.

Look.

There.

Hello?

Yes, this is his brother, Eric.

Well, how much did he drink?

All right, I'll be there.

Mr. Gordon?

As long as we're both here early,

why don't we...?

You have heard how the murder weapon

was found in Eric Gordon's car

the morning after the murder.

You have also heard evidence to the effect

that he was seen both entering and leaving

the scene of the crime the night of the murder.

Most importantly, you've heard on the previous day,

Eric Gordon had an ugly

and public quarrel with his father.

I believe that it has been proved

beyond all reasonable doubt

the unlawful killer of Albert Gordon

was his son, Eric Gordon.

No! My brother is innocent. He was framed.

He is innocent.

Did you take those files down to the courthouse?

I'm a model of efficiency.

Great.

Mail call.

Mm-hm.

Occupant.

Occupant.

Bill. Bill. Bill.

Bill. Occupant.

No love letters?

No hate mail either.

Oh, and this came from Trader Ed's.

Mmm.

Mmm. Now.

Oh, wow.

Look at those.

They look just like your old shoes.

They are just like my old shoes.

Hmph.

How do they feel?

A little tight.

I guess they need breaking in.

Ben Matlock.

Oh, one moment please.

Long distance operator.

Mm.

This is Ben Matlock.

Yes, I'll hold.

Overseas.

London?

Wonder what anybody from London wants with me.

Yes?

Ben Matlock to see Laura Gordon.

Is Miss Gordon expecting you?

Yes.

Come in, please.

Wait here, sir, please.

Good morning.

Insomniac.

Some know.

Joseph, who is this person?

Mr. Matlock, madam. To see Miss Gordon.

Must be a new groom for her horse or some such.

I'll see to it.

Miss Gordon's gone out,

and I've no idea when she's returning.

Could you come back another time?

Oh, well, um...

Oh, Miss Gordon's taken you on.

Well, she offered me the job.

I-I didn't take it yet.

Would you like to have a look at her horse?

Her horse?

In the stable yard.

I have to be honest with you,

I'm afraid of horses.

Well, you're not only independent

but courageous as well.

Oh, well, not really.

Uh, do you mind if I sit down?

I've got on new shoes, and they're just killin' me.

Oh, please be careful.

It's George III.

Sybil, has a Mr. Matlock called for me?

Mr. Matlock.

Yes.

I went to the airport to pick you up

and I must have missed you, I'm sorry.

That's okay. We were getting acquainted.

This is Sybil Gordon, my stepmother,

and this is Mr. Matlock,

the lawyer I've hired to retry Eric's case.

Well... What's this all about, Laura?

I have arranged a trial, a mock trial,

to draw attention to Eric's case.

You see, with Mr. Matlock here to give Eric a better defense,

we can get public support for a rehearing of this case.

Sounds like a tasteless publicity stunt.

You don't understand, Sybil.

You see, everything about this trial

will be exactly like a real one.

All the rules of an English court

will be strictly enforced.

I have arranged to have retired Judge Woolsey preside,

and I have even got that egomaniac

Sir Alec Moore to repeat his prosecution.

It's out of the question.

Sybil, please.

This is Eric's last chance,

and everyone has been very cooperative.

Of course, the fact that you're contesting

our dear father's will

so nobody gets a dime till this whole thing is settled

might have something to do with it.

Mr. Matlock, my brother Mitchell.

We've met, sort of.

Look, Eric is my brother too.

But all the evidence indicates that he murdered our father.

I know the evidence indicates that,

but it was circumstantial. That's right.

Mr. Matlock, will you take this case?

I don't know.

Uh, I did... I did notice

something fairly interesting in the, uh,

transcripts of the trial.

Yes?

Yeah, nobody seemed to look too closely

at other family members

who might have committed this crime.

I beg your pardon.

Oh, I'm not saying one of you did,

I just said nobody seemed to look too closely

at one of you who might have.

I mean, if I were to do this, I'd have to.

I've got a date.

What do you mean?

Well, um, for instance,

uh, where were you at the time of the murder?

What?

I just wanted you to see what it would be like.

Where were you?

I was at home, reading.

Can you corroborate that?

Well...

I suppose not.

You signed a pre-marital agreement

with your husband, didn't you?

How did you know?

Figures.

He'd be worth a lot more dead than divorced.

She had a lot to gain.

Yeah.

She wasn't the only one.

A lot of times I wished he was dead,

but I didn't kill him.

It wasn't in me.

Well, do you have any idea who might have?

No, I don't.

Ahem. Your father was several times a millionaire

before the family moved from America to England, right?

Yeah.

And when he was murdered, he was a billionaire.

Good, clean motive.

Wonder why just then.

What? What do you mean, "just then"?

Well, when somebody's murdered,

usually there is a reason why at a particular time.

And I wonder why your father was killed

at his particular time.

I don't know.

The prosecution says your car was seen

in front of his building.

But I didn't do it.

Well, now, you went somewhere that night.

Now, I get a phone call from a girl

who didn't tell me what her name was,

just told me that my brother Mitchell was drunk,

so I went to pick him up, bring him home.

Will you take the case?

Will you represent him?

I don't know.

I... I just don't know.

It is interesting though, isn't it?

I've never done anything like this before,

and it's as close as I'll ever come

to arguing a case in a British court.

But I wouldn't wanna take it on

unless I could show you some real progress.

Let me look into it for now.

I'll get back to you.

Albert was an old friend of my father's,

and when he offered me this job, I took it.

And here I am.

Huh. Well, what did you do for him?

Not much.

I was supposed to be his confidential assistant

and private counsel,

although he never confided much.

He sounds like a strange fellow.

He wasn't ordinary.

Here we are.

Well, I guess I look as uncomfortable as I am.

Oh, well, the scene of the crime

can give you a little bit of the creeps.

Yeah.

Uh, has this door been kept locked?

Yeah, the police locked it after the murder,

and Laura's kept it locked since the trial.

All this time?

Laura insisted. Why?

You, I suppose.

Huh.

The, uh, transcript said

that Albert put up a little bit of a fight.

Heh. Yeah, I guess so.

And the coroner's report said that he was murdered

between 7 and 10 p.m.

Would the front doors have been locked then?

They get locked at 6:30.

Who has the keys?

I do. Albert did.

His two sons Eric and Mitchell, and Laura, of course.

Anybody else?

Uh, Philip Dudley, Albert's executive VP,

and Cybil, Albert's wife.

What's this?

Sealing wax.

Albert was, as you suggested, a little eccentric.

It amused him to seal documents

with the family crest with this.

Oh.

Body was found over there.

Yes.

Anything else I should see?

Well, actually I don't know if this is relevant or not,

but it is kind of odd.

Last week we received a bill from a private detective

for services performed for Mr. Gordon before he died.

What kind of services?

The bill didn't say.

Think you could set up an appointment with this fella?

Uh, I'd like to know about that bill.

Tell me... Tell me exactly what you did

for Albert Gordon before he died.

Mr. Gordon hired me to do some surveillance work

to log the movements of a certain subject.

Take photographs.

Well, who was the subject?

A girl.

Fiona Maxwell, his mistress.

Mistress?

Didn't it occur to you

that she might have had something to do with his murder?

Why didn't you come forward at the trial?

I maintain the confidentiality of my clients,

alive or dead.

Oh, and, uh, incidentally,

if you should require any investigative services

during your stay here,

I shall be pleased to make myself available.

You wouldn't happen to still have the negatives?

Better than that.

There you go, sir.

Nicely composed, wouldn't you say?

Did Albert Gordon say why he wanted these taken?

No, I assumed he thought she was cheating on him,

that's usually why it's done.

My instructions were to take photographs

of everyone who went in and out of her home

over the course of a weekend.

Did he say anything when he saw them?

Yes.

He said, "Damn, I should have known."

Then you'd better give me this woman's address.

I'm sorry, Fiona Maxwell doesn't live here anymore.

Are you sure?

Absolutely sure.

If you don't believe me, come in and see for yourself.

She's gone, all right.

Yeah.

Do you know where she moved to?

No. Only wish I did.

Why?

Easiest job I ever had. That's why.

She gave me a weekly salary

but only asked me to work on Wednesdays.

You just worked one day a week?

He had the same deal, ask him.

And out of the blue she told us she was moving

and asked us to come in today and clear up.

Nearly broke my heart. Fear flattened me.

Ah.

Well, do you have any idea

what she did on the days you weren't here?

No.

Now, if you don't mind, we have work to do.

You're paid to clean the place, not run a tour.

Get back to work.

What do you want?

Are you...? Are you the owner?

That's right.

You know a woman named Fiona Maxwell?

Why? Well, we were looking for her.

She owes him some money. - Yeah.

What?

Damn.

What are you looking at?

Where'd you get those shoes?

If you're interested in buying this,

make an appointment with the broker.

Here's her card.

There's the door.

Well, I-I just wanted to know...

Thank you very much. Good day.

What makes him such hot stuff?

That was Robert Harris.

He runs a casino in London

as well as several other businesses

that are slightly less than legitimate,

if you get my drift. Oh.

Where to now?

The Gordon estate. I got something to tell Laura.

What?

I'm taking the case.

Mr. Matlock, thank you.

I wouldn't be thanking me yet.

I'm gonna need a few things to get started.

Anything. Name it.

Well, limousine and a driver.

Apartment in London.

Briefcase containing £100,000.

It's a lot of money, isn't it?

A lot of money. Anything else?

No, that will do for a start.

I'll have everything for you within an hour. Excuse me.

Oh.

Hi.

Uh, I'm Ben Matlock.

Are you Philip Dudley?

That's right. Oh, good to see you.

Oh. Oh.

Oh, I'm sorry. What happened to your wrist?

Uh, I fractured it. It was an accident.

Excuse me, I have to get to the safe.

Oh, go right ahead.

I was just, ah, getting the feel of the room.

Scene of the crime and everything.

Ah, did, uh...?

Did you work for, uh, Albert Gordon a long time?

Seventeen years.

Oh. I guess it was frustrating.

Why frustrating?

Well, I hear he was pretty hard on his employees,

you included.

Mr. Matlock, I'm no hypocrite.

Albert Gordon was, in most ways,

a thoroughly disagreeable man.

Why should I kill him?

I don't know.

But with, uh...

With Eric found guilty of his murder, that...

That stands to make you head of the company.

I can vouch for Philip.

Oh, hi.

Really?

Yes.

Mr. Matlock, just for the record,

with the salary I earn and the stock I own,

I am more than secure financially.

It would make little difference to me

were I to become head of the company,

as you put it.

Uh, where were you again the night of the murder?

He was with me.

In fact, that's the night he hurt his wrist.

He took a fall in my kitchen

and I ran him to the emergency room.

Oh.

I didn't know you were such good friends.

Uh...

Uh, Miss Maxwell.

Uh... Uh, Fiona Maxwell?

The Fiona Maxwell who is a friend

of Albert Gordon's?

I don't know any Albert Gordon.

He certainly knew you.

So does Robert Harris.

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

Ah, I'm a lawyer, Miss Maxwell.

Eric Gordon's lawyer.

Not yours, unfortunately.

Maybe you didn't know they're retrying this case.

Go away. This has nothing to do with me.

No?

I bet this time you'd make a very interesting witness.

Uh, Miss Maxwell.

Officer, this gentleman is annoying me.

What's the problem, sir?

My feet hurt.

What?

Big winner at table eight.

Wants the limit taken off.

Thank you, Pam. I'll take over.

Am I gonna be able to get some real money here or what?

I don't believe I've ever had the pleasure.

That's right. You haven't.

What's your name?

Hudson, Tyler Hudson.

We have to talk.

It'll have to wait. It can't wait.

Why don't you see what the lady wants?

We can play another time.

Excuse me for a moment.

Pam.

Someone's asking questions.

Some Yank lawyer.

His name is Matlock.

He's some guy they called in for that kangaroo court.

Forget it.

He said he was gonna make me testify.

It's not a real trial.

He can't make you do anything.

He could go to the police.

He had copies of those pictures.

They don't prove a thing.

Oh, I want to go away. I'm afraid.

I know, love.

That's why I give you this.

Because I know how secure it makes you feel.

It separates you from all the lower species.

I want to go away.

We will, when the time is right.

Now go on home.

I'll stop by later if I can.

Excuse me, miss.

My employer wishes to know if you'd accept a lift.

Thank you.

Well, here you are.

Well.

Thanks for the ride.

Miss Maxwell.

How do you know my name?

This is for you.

I don't understand.

Well, with this much money,

you can put a great deal of distance

between you and all of your problems.

Who are you?

I am Tyler Hudson,

and this is from the Gordon family.

They are willing to pay you to tell the truth.

Mr. Matlock sent you.

I work for the family.

Now, Mr. Matlock has his means of doing things,

and I have mine.

He prefers to make people's lives miserable.

I prefer to spread a little sunshine.

What do you say?

Thanks for the ride.

Speaking for the family,

I would like to say that we believe

so strongly in my brother's innocence

that we have staged this public rehearing

of this case, and it is our sincere hope

and belief that what happens in this court

will justify an official retrial of my brother's case.

Thank you.

I hope you are enjoying this exhibition,

because I certainly am not.

Enjoying it only slightly more than Eric is.

Come in.

Um...

Judge Woolsey, I am Eric Gordon's attorney,

Ben Matlock.

Mr. Matlock,

though I have been lured out of retirement

to preside at this trial,

I intend to conduct it as if it were the real thing.

Oh, I understand.

The rules and procedure of the Crown Court

will be adhered to as closely as possible.

Accordingly, I will not tolerate

any breeches of decorum or colorful courtroom antics.

I-I have acquainted myself

with British courtroom procedure.

Though I might need a little guidance

and patience from Your Honor.

Your Lord... My Lord.

I'd like to shake hands with the prosecuting attorney.

You'll find your counterpart,

Sir Alec Moore, in the robing room.

Sir Alec, why are you participating in this?

I cannot account for the motives of the others involved.

I suspect the quest for publicity

has much to do with it.

As for myself as the original prosecuting counsel,

I have an interest in upholding the validity

of the original trial.

I have every confidence that I shall do so.

And, uh, the American lawyer,

do you have anything to say about him?

I think, under the circumstances,

the less said the better.

Thank you, Sir Alec.

Sir Alec?

Uh, I'm Eric Gordon's attorney, Ben Matlock.

How do you do, Mr. Matlock?

How do you do?

Well... I trust that we can make this

not only a fair fight, but also a civil one.

I'll do my best.

Oh, your gown hangs over there.

And here is your wig.

I'll see you in court. Yes.

Thank you.

Silence. Be upstanding in court.

All persons who have anything to do

before My Lords, the queen's justices,

draw near and give your attendance.

God save the queen.

Sir Alec, if you're ready.

My Lord, though I should like

to express my readiness to proceed,

I submit that my learned friend

is already guilty of contempt of court.

Mr. Matlock has asked me to allow him to appear

without our traditional robe and wig.

I have granted him this deviation from the norm,

and as this trial is somewhat unusual to begin with,

I have agreed.

Not that it matters how Mr. Matlock

is or is not dressed, as Your Lordship pleases,

it matters not one jot that Mr. Matlock

is dressed in less than exemplary fashion.

I am confident that the truth in this case,

much as before, is so compelling

that nothing will distract us from it.

The prosecution will demonstrate that Eric Gordon

murdered his father and that the facts

allow of no other conclusion.

And where was the gun found, inspector?

In Eric Gordon's car, the morning after the murder.

Thank you, inspector.

No questions.

And, uh, what did your investigation reveal?

We discovered that the bullet

removed from the body was fired from that gun.

The same gun that was found in Eric Gordon's car?

Yes.

No questions, My Lord.

You drew up Mr. Gordon's last will.

Yes.

Uh, did all members of the family benefit?

Yes.

But who was left in control of the business?

His son, Eric.

This time I have a question, My Lord.

Two questions.

One, did Eric Gordon witness this will?

No.

Two, who did?

Members of our firm and Mr. Gordon's wife, Sybil.

Thank you.

Had a little bit of a shop on King Street, okay?

Very good, sir.

You are employed as a security guard

in the building adjacent to Albert Gordon's office building.

Yes, sir.

At about 9:00 on the night of the murder,

did you see anyone enter Mr. Gordon's building?

Yes, sir.

And who was that?

Mr. Eric Gordon.

You knew him on sight?

I used to see him quite often.

And how did you know him by name?

I found out.

I rather fancied that car he drove.

Thank you.

Now, this car you fancied,

it was parked outside

the Gordons' building that night.

If this is the building,

where was the car parked? Here?

No, sir. There. Across the street.

This is a one-way street, isn't it?

Yes, sir.

What I don't understand

is why someone would park a car

way over here to go in a building over there.

What do you think about that?

If it please My Lord,

my learned friend is leading the witness

to a purely speculative conclusion.

My Lord, once answered,

these questions will elucidate a major point for the defense.

What major point?

That whoever parked that car here,

that person wanted to be seen by this witness.

I will uphold the objection,

and I would ask you to restrain yourself

from further speculation.

I'll withdraw that question

and submit this one in its place.

Mr. Crossland, isn't it true that not ten feet

from where this car was parked is a streetlamp?

I suppose.

And isn't it true when lit,

the streetlamp backlights anyone

crossing the street, making a clear view

of that person's face impossible?

I suppose so, but...

Did you get a clear view of that person's face?

Not his face, no.

When you patrol the building next door

to Gordon International office building,

do you follow any kind of path?

I generally tour the rooms

in the same order each night, yes.

How long does this tour usually take?

Twenty minutes.

So you saw someone you assumed to be Eric Gordon

cross the street at around 9:00.

Yes, sir.

And you saw this same person

go back across the street at 9:20, 20 minutes later?

Yes.

If this person wanted you to see him

going in and out of this building,

he couldn't have planned it any better, could he?

If it please My Lord...

No further questions. Thank you, Mr. Crossland.

That is the case for the prosecution, My Lord.

The court will take a brief adjournment.

The court will be upstanding.

I am very impressed.

Well, poking holes in their case is one thing.

Plugging up the holes in ours is something else altogether.

Mr. Matlock, I'm ready.

I'll testify.

I swear by Almighty God that the evidence I shall give

shall be the truth, the whole truth

and nothing but the truth.

Miss Maxwell, let's...

Let's clarify something upfront.

Did someone pay you to appear in court this morning?

Yes.

Was that person a representative of the Gordon family?

Yes.

Did that person tell you

what to say up in the witness box?

Yes. The truth.

And it took money to get you to do that.

Yes, I shall need it to get away after I testify.

Before I ask you from whom, tell me this.

Did you know Albert Gordon?

Yes.

How would you describe your relationship?

We were lovers.

God, she's been shot.

She's dead.

Why was she shot?

I don't know why she was shot.

Who do you think would carry a pistol and fire at her?

Someone obviously did not want that woman to testify,

and it certainly was not my brother.

And if anyone had any doubts before,

then they should know now that Eric is innocent.

Whoever killed your father

had to have a key to the front door

of the office building.

It had to be a friend or a member of the family.

The facts are

Mitchell didn't get along with your father,

everybody knows that.

What's not generally known is that he was that close

to bankrupting his trust fund.

With your father dead, he stands to inherit

a great deal of money. And Phil...

With your father dead and you incarcerated,

Philip would take over Gordon International.

Becoming not only several million dollars richer,

but also one of the most powerful

financiers in the world.

If your father was having an affair with Fiona Maxwell,

then his marriage with Sybil couldn't have been very strong.

Maybe you didn't know there was pre-nuptial agreement.

No, I didn't.

In the event of a divorce, Sybil would have gotten nothing.

But now she'll be one of the richest women in the world.

But none of them could have killed that woman in court.

I don't think so.

But there had to be a connection with somebody.

Somebody killed my father.

He went to a lot of trouble to make it look like it was me.

I want that person behind bars.

I don't care who it is.

I don't care how much time it takes

or how much money it costs.

You just find out who did it.

I'll give it a shot.

Thank you.

Well.

What's going on at the casino?

The cops are all over my newfound and very dear friend

Robert Harris.

Have you spoken to him?

Ben, we are like this:

We've gambled together, had drinks together.

At any moment, I'm expecting an invitation to tea.

We need the person responsible for that girl's death.

Yeah.

That a new suit?

Yeah, a tailor over on Savile Row made it for me.

Shoes new too?

Yeah, shop on Bond Street.

How much?

Oh, I don't remember exactly.

Over $50 a pair?

Over $50 a shoe.

I'll give you some money so you can get out of town.

Rob, we've got to talk.

There's nothing to discuss.

Two of the people in that courtroom

picked out your mug shot. You've got to lay low.

No, thanks.

I got rid of the woman to safeguard my cut.

I'm not going till it's finished.

Mickey, you've earned your share,

and you'll get it.

What's the matter? Don't you trust me?

Come on, I'll get you a drink.

Johnny's in the hospital.

In the hospital? What the hell for?

Gallstones.

He's gonna be there at least a week.

After all the trouble I went to setting up Albert Gordon,

we don't have a torch man

because of some bloody gallstones.

We'll have to find another torch man.

Starting right now. Come on.

He once said that with a single drop of water,

you can produce a whole ocean.

To get our killer, we just need the right drop.

Think I might have a little something for you.

Michelle Thomas, Tyler Hudson.

Hi.

Nice to meet you.

Robert Harris was in a scheme

that required setting up Albert Gordon.

My guess is, that's where Fiona Maxwell came in.

What's the scheme?

All I know is, in order to pull it off, he needs a torch man.

Torch man?

It's somebody who can cut open a safe.

You think you can figure out

what this Robert Harris is up to?

Well, all right.

I'll talk to you later about it.

Can we sit down? My shoes are killing me.

Well, Fiona's affair with Albert Gordon was part of a setup.

I wonder if this murder was part of a setup too.

Do we suppose something went wrong?

The pictures must have something to do with it.

The private investigator that took them

says that Albert got real upset when he saw them.

Maybe he saw something in 'em that made him realize

he was being... Being used.

What if he had to be killed?

Who is that fella?

I don't know.

Wait a minute, isn't that the butler?

Yeah, that's him.

He worked for her on Wednesday, didn't he?

Yeah, Wednesday.

Oh.

Those pictures were taken on Saturday.

What's the name of this place?

The Stevenson Davies Academy for Household Administrators.

I'm gonna look for the office. Okay.

Ben?

This young man will direct us.

Those butlers were staring at me.

Household administrators.

Excuse me?

Household administrators.

The term "butler" is archaic and demeaning.

Okay.

Why were they staring at me?

I suppose they thought you were a class project.

Mr. Davies is in there.

Thank you.

Demonstrate, please.

Mr. Davies? Yes?

Hello. I'm Michelle Thomas.

Yes. This is Benjamin Matlock.

How do you do? Hello.

Uh, we're looking for a butler...

- A - household administrator.

I presume you do have references?

I couldn't place any of our graduates

unless I first examine the employers.

Well, we're not actually doing any hiring.

You see, we're... We're lawyers,

and we're looking for one particular administrator.

No, I'm afraid I couldn't possibly.

Uh, it's a rather complicated story,

but our client,

who must go unnamed, was paid an act of kindness by this man,

when he returned the wallet that our client

had accidentally left in a taxicab.

The gentleman refused any reward or compensation at that time.

Our client, however, is now on his deathbed.

It's his final wish to include this honest man in his will.

We've hired private investigators

who've been surreptitiously photographing

household administrators these past few weeks, in what,

until only recently, has been a vain attempt to locate this man.

Well, just a few days ago,

one of our investigators did photograph the right man.

But he was leaving a house that's unoccupied,

and therefore a dead end, so to speak.

We were hoping you might know the gentleman's name.

As I said, it's a rather complicated story.

No, I don't know him.

What's his name?

That's what we're trying to find out.

Miss Brookin, do you know this gentleman?

I've seen him.

Kim.

That's right, Charles. He's home.

Nice performance. Thank you.

Of course I'm talking about the one you gave at Fiona Maxwell's.

We just wanna ask you a few questions.

We represent Eric Gordon.

I promise you Robert Harris will never find out.

Now, did...? Did Fiona know

you weren't a real butler?

She was a friend.

She needed a butler, I needed a job.

Why did she only need you on Wednesdays?

Look, she was your friend.

Help us find the person who killed her.

Wednesdays was the day she had Albert Gordon over.

Was he, uh...?

Was he there the day before he died?

Yes, very briefly.

They had an argument.

About what?

Some photographs.

What were they saying?

Well, he was doing most of the talking.

I remember him saying something about,

"I don't know what you two are doing,

but I'm going to put a stop to it."

Then he left.

He was quite angry.

But you were seen going into Fiona's townhouse

not on a Wednesday, but a Saturday.

What were you doing there?

I needed an advance on my salary.

I was there for all of five minutes.

She had company.

Who?

I don't know. I didn't see him.

Him?

Yes. I think it was him.

I remember seeing a cigarette lighter on the kitchen table.

I'm sure it was a man's.

That, and the way she was acting,

made me think that she must have had somebody upstairs.

Did this lighter have any initials or monogram on it?

It was one of those promotional jobs.

It was burgundy color with white letters and a medical insignia.

You know, it was one of those favors

they give away at charity balls.

It wasn't a ball, it was a dinner for the Health Fund.

It's over here.

Didn't know you smoked.

I don't.

Uh, on... On... On Saturday,

before your father was murdered...

It was around 2:30 in the afternoon.

This lighter was seen in Fiona Maxwell's home.

I didn't even know her.

Where were you that Saturday?

There were hundreds of those lighters

given away at that dinner.

Ask her, she was there.

Shall we repeat the question?

I was out for a drive.

With who?

No one.

Stop for gas?

I don't remember.

You know, it's a lot like where you were

the night your father was murdered.

You don't remember that either.

You have a kind of problem with your memory, don't you?

Phone numbers.

I'm real good with girls' phone numbers.

How about Fiona's?

You think I'm a suspect. I'm flattered.

People don't usually think to include me in family matters.

I do have a lousy memory.

I certainly wouldn't forget killing my father.

My lighter.

All right, everybody be cool.

Now we know why you've been such a faithful customer.

You've been casing us.

Before anybody gets too imaginative, I want you to know

I have very serious friends in Chicago.

Why don't you relax, Mr. Hudson?

If you're actually any good with that torch,

we may be able to do some business.

What kind of business?

Are you any good?

Let's talk.

Michelle?

I've seen so little of you since this thing began.

Why don't we have dinner tonight?

All right.

Mr. Dudley?

Uh, I'd appreciate if you'd stand by.

You're my first witness today.

Would you please examine this

and tell the court what it is?

It's a telex. And from the code,

it would appear to have been sent to Mr. Gordon

on May the 8th of this year.

At what time?

Uh, 2007 hours.

So this telex was sent to Albert Gordon at 8:07 p.m.,

May the 8th, the night he was murdered.

In fact, it was the last telex he ever received.

My Lord, either I dozed off for a few seconds,

which is quite possible, or my learned friend has yet to even

remotely suggest the pertinence of these questions.

Ah, the coroner has testified that Albert Gordon died

between 7 and 10 p.m. the night he was shot, My Lord.

The police concluded since someone was seen entering

the building around 9 and leaving at 9:20,

that the murder occurred shortly after 9.

These questions will demonstrate that, in fact,

his death could have been accomplished

a whole hour earlier.

You may continue, Mr. Matlock.

If only to keep Sir Alec awake.

Would you please tell the court where this telex originated?

Ecsholls and Krumburg.

That's a brokerage firm in Los Angeles.

And tell us what it says, the gist of it.

Well, basically, it's a request for Mr. Gordon's permission

to sell a certain stock immediately.

And by ignoring this request,

how much did Albert Gordon stand to lose?

Well, I'm not sure. Um...

I'd say about one million dollars.

According to my information, closer to two.

Was it like Albert Gordon to ignore such a request?

Not really, no.

Under what circumstances would he ignore a message like this?

Well... What if he were dead, Mr. Dudley?

What if he had been murdered around 8:00

instead of 9,

and the murderer used the hour in-between to frame Eric for it?

With respect, My Lord,

my learned friend is leading the witness.

Mr. Matlock, you will have ample opportunity

to draw conclusions in your closing remarks.

As Your Lordship pleases. No further questions.

Mr. Dudley, would you describe Albert Gordon as eccentric?

Not exactly.

I would say he was an individualist.

He liked to do things his own way.

Yes. The way that had, after all,

made him a billionaire.

Yes.

Hadn't he, on occasion, refused to take advice,

to his ultimate loss?

Yes.

And hadn't he sometimes ignored telexes,

even when it cost him money to do so?

On occasion, yes.

In fact, Albert Gordon could afford to lose $2 million

and not bat an eyelid, couldn't he, Mr. Dudley?

Yes.

So it isn't too difficult to believe

that on this occasion he simply chose to ignore some telex

from his stockbroker?

I don't suppose so.

Thank you, Mr. Dudley.

My Lord, I call Mitchell Gordon to the stand.

Mr. Gordon, you're an American, is that correct?

I was born in the United States, but my family moved here

several years ago.

Mr. Gordon, where do you currently reside?

At my family's home.

And how do you support yourself?

I live off a trust fund my mother left for me

when she died.

Isn't it true that your unpaid bills have mounted up,

and, in fact, you're broke?

Yeah.

And didn't you go to your father

and have a violent argument with him over money?

Yeah.

And isn't it true that he refused to give you any more?

Yeah.

And isn't it true now that he's dead,

you stand to come into more money than even you can spend?

Well, I'd be delighted to try.

Thank you for being so honest about it, Mr. Gordon.

Now, where were you the night your father was murdered?

I spent the evening at several parties.

Whose parties?

I don't remember.

It is true that several of your friends recall seeing you

at a party that night,

but they also recall your leaving around 7:30.

Where did you go?

Well, I suppose I went to another party.

Send in Mr. McNulty, please.

Mr. McNulty drives a taxi for Gray's Livery Service.

Do you recognize him?

No.

He's prepared to testify that he picked you up

in the West End that night at 7:23 p.m.

and drove you to Wharton Road.

Thank you, Mr. McNulty.

What were you doing at Wharton Road?

I told you... I mean, I don't remember.

I suppose I went to another party.

I think you'd better try to remember.

You see, it's the defense's contention

that Albert Gordon was murdered long before 9:00.

Now, Wharton Road is a short ten-minute walk from his office.

You could have taken the taxi to Wharton Road,

walked the ten minutes to his office, and killed your father.

No, he didn't kill him.

Order!

Order in the court. Please take your seat.

Mitchell, tell them.

Another outburst, and I will have you arrested.

I believe my learned friend asked the witness a question.

The truth is, I know exactly where I was

on the night of the murder.

I haven't told anybody because I promised my stepmother,

Sybil, that I wouldn't.

She called me at a party in the West End,

and as you say, Mr. Matlock,

I hailed a cab, and I took it to Wharton Road.

When I got there, I met Sybil and I drove her, in her car,

to our country home where we spent most of the night.

Lest you get the wrong idea,

Sybil... has a drinking problem,

and my father told her that if he caught her drinking again,

he'd have her committed. And that night, she was...

She was very drunk, and she was terrified

that my father would find out,

so I took her to the country and helped her sober up.

And then drove her home.

And we found out the next morning that my father was dead.

Why have you kept this a secret, even after your father's death?

I gave my word.

No further questions.

Hm.

Mr. Hudson, it's time.

Just a minute, please.

Now.

Thank you.

You go with Nicky.

Wait a minute. You said the score wasn't gonna

go down until after midnight.

I changed my mind.

Look, I made plans for the evening.

Do you mind if I cancel them?

Where we goin'?

Okay.

Ben, we're at the Gordon International offices.

Well, what in the world are they trying to steal?

Hey, look, sweetheart,

I'm sorry, but I'll see you tomorrow next door.

I promise.

Tyler, are you all right?

Let's go.

Bye, baby.

We need Michelle Thomas.

Come on, then.

Daughtry, McNeill, upstairs.

Saunders.

Well?

Tyler never would have called if there wasn't something wrong.

Then where is he?

Inspector.

What is it?

Dirt.

What is the matter with you?

There's something the matter with the torch.

Give me a minute, will you?

Don't move, gentlemen. Any of you.

You guys get caught in traffic, or what?

May I help you?

You're under arrest, Mr. Harris.

Conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary.

Inspector, may I have a moment with him?

I'll be right outside.

Um, Mr. Harris, Ben Matlock.

We met the other day.

The sheik who owns the building next to Gordon International

arrived in town yesterday with his people

and around 4 million in diamonds.

Mr. Matlock, I run a casino.

What do Arabs and diamonds have to do with me?

Well, I imagine, greed, Mr. Harris.

You knew for months that those diamonds would be stored

in that vault underneath that building.

So you dug a tunnel, didn't you?

From the basement of Gordon International,

to the basement of that building.

And tonight, your men cut into that office

to steal those diamonds.

That's ridiculous.

The thing is, to get into Gordon International,

you needed a contact there, and I believe

that contact is the person who killed Albert Gordon.

This may be your only chance to help yourself.

Who was it?

You know what my problem is, Mr. Matlock?

I never learned how to sing.

Well, it's never too late.

For me, it is.

Inspector.

They've arrested Robert Harris?

Yes.

Did he kill Albert?

I don't know.

But if he didn't, he probably knows who did.

He's not talking, but Mr. Matlock thinks

it's just a matter of time.

Are you sure you don't wanna call this off?

I'm three hours late.

Why do you think they invented the microwave?

Light the candles.

Red or white?

Red.

You really enjoy Mr. Matlock, don't you?

Yeah, I am enjoying working with him.

It's a lot more compelling than shuffling papers. Hee-hee!

I haven't felt this good about being a lawyer since...

I'm very happy for you.

Thanks.

I thought you were lighting the candles.

Oh, yes.

Does he have any suspects?

Not that I know of.

You know, Philip, this was a bad idea.

I'm really not hungry.

In fact, I don't feel too well.

Well, what's wrong?

A little dizzy. Just tired, I suppose.

You can sleep here.

Not tonight. I'll see you tomorrow.

No. Look, it's all right.

I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Ow! Oh, what's the matter?

Burned myself.

What are you doing?

Oh, I was just messin' with this stuff.

If this sealer was found over there on the floor

the morning after Albert Gordon was shot,

then it might be that he was using it

about the time whoever killed him came into the office.

It could have been knocked off the desk

or out of his hand in the struggle.

Yeah.

This came for you, sir.

Express mail.

Thank you.

Would you read the card? Mm-hm.

It's from someone named Kathie. Yeah?

"These came from Trader Ed's.

They sent you a half size too small."

Hm.

Oh...

Now we'll get somewhere.

You got anything new?

Philip Dudley has a cigarette lighter

identical to the one that butler says he saw

in Fiona Maxwell's apartment.

And when I was there last night, it almost seemed like he was...

Oh, who am I kidding?

He was pressing me to see

whether you knew who the killer is.

I think maybe it's him.

Tell me I'm wrong.

Take a look at these.

See if you can see maybe what Albert Gordon saw.

Take a good look.

The car?

That's Philip Dudley's car.

Parked in front of her townhouse.

But there's not a picture of him.

No.

Just the car.

These pictures were taken over the weekend.

He came on Friday

and didn't leave till Monday.

But you can't see the license plate.

You can't even tell what color it is.

How do you know it's Philip's?

The same way maybe Albert Gordon did.

By this.

Consider yourself still under oath, Mr. Dudley.

My Lord.

Now, what is your association

with Robert Harris, Mr. Dudley?

I've never met the man.

Well, you've spent considerable time in his gambling casino.

According to records obtained by Scotland Yard,

enough times to have accumulated a debt

of almost half a million pounds.

My Lord, though my learned friend obviously revels

in these sojourns into the obscure,

I, and everyone else

the least bit concerned with expediency, do not.

I must object.

I intend to show relevance and much more, My Lord.

If you'll bear with me, please.

You have my permission,

however temporary, to proceed, Mr. Matlock.

Now, Mr. Dudley, isn't it true

that in order to settle your gambling debts,

you entered into an agreement with Robert Harris?

I certainly did not.

And if this Robert Harris fellow says that I did, then he lied.

Ahem. Did you ever read a Sherlock Holmes story called

The Red-headed League?

It... It's about these crooks who arrange for this redheaded man

who owns a store to be away from his store at certain times,

so they could dig a tunnel from his shop to the bank next door.

You've lost me, Mr. Matlock.

Well, Albert Gordon is the redheaded man.

Now, Robert Harris didn't wanna dig a tunnel to a bank,

he wanted to dig a tunnel to a vault

containing several millions of dollars in diamonds

from the Ashed building, next door to

the Gordon International building.

The problem was that Albert Gordon, the redheaded man,

often worked late at night,

so Robert Harris used one of Mr. Gordon's weaknesses.

He arranged for him to meet a woman.

A beautiful woman.

Fiona Maxwell.

That's when Mr. Gordon's weakness came into play.

An affair followed.

They met Wednesday nights.

She probably told him she was married

and could only be with him on Wednesday evenings. Anyway,

ahem, every Wednesday night, instead of working late,

old Albert got in his Rolls-Royce and drove over

to Fiona Maxwell's Belgravia townhouse,

while Robert Harris' men, with a key provided by you,

entered the Gordon building, went down in the basement,

dug away at their tunnel till the next morning

when the cleaning crew arrived.

My Lord, he's indulging in sheer fantasy.

Surely I don't have to stand here...

My Lord, the tunnel is still there, as far as it went.

Proceed.

Mr. Dudley, do you drive a 1986 green Jaguar?

Yes. But...

Now, before you speak, take a look at these.

I wouldn't want you to perjure yourself.

These are a set of photographs taken by a private detective,

outside Fiona Maxwell's townhouse,

at the direction of Albert Gordon.

Here's a set for you, My Lord, and a set for you, sir.

These pictures were taken the weekend before

Albert Gordon was murdered.

In all but one of them,

Mr. Dudley's car is parked out front.

Yes, my cousin drives a similar green car, Mr. Matlock.

I suppose you'll want to be questioning him too?

Not unless it has a dent in the left front fender

the way that one does, and not unless

the estimate for its repair wound up

on Albert Gordon's desk the way this one did.

It was a company car, wasn't it, Mr. Dudley?

And I expect Albert Gordon was apprised of the insurance claim

after your little fender bender, and I expect he recognized

your car when he looked at those pictures.

What do you think?

I don't.

Oh, I do.

I think when he saw your car, he knew that you and Fiona were,

as my mother used to say, up to something.

And when she knew that he knew about you,

she told Robert Harris, whose scheme to steal those diamonds

was suddenly in serious jeopardy,

and he amended his agreement with you.

Killing Albert Gordon became part of the deal.

I didn't kill anyone.

I was nowhere near the Gordon Office building.

Oh, that's right.

You have an alibi.

Your wrist.

You were at the hospital having it x-rayed and a cast put on.

Yes, I was.

That is, assuming, the murder took place around 9:00.

But what if, as I have suggested,

it actually took place around 8, and the person seen going into

the Gordon office building was really your friend Fiona,

dressed in a trench coat and a hat

to appear to be Eric Gordon?

None of this is true. None of it.

Tell me about your wrist.

What'd you do to it?

I stumbled and fell against the stove when helping a friend

prepare dinner at her house.

I... I fractured it.

And burned yourself? Yes.

If you'd like to see the hospital records,

I'm sure they'll make them available.

That won't be necessary.

The emergency room nurse who supervised your treatment

that night is in court this morning.

Would you send in Miss Winthrop, please?

Objection, My Lord. What does the nurse

who treated Mr. Dudley have to do with this?

May I continue, My Lord?

Continue.

Is this the nurse?

I-I think so.

According to the medical records from your orthopedist,

you did fracture your wrist,

but that was three months ago, wasn't it?

No.

Well, according to your doctor, it was.

But you didn't have a cast put on then because you were told

that this sort of injury often heals quite well on its own.

But the night of the murder, you insisted a cast be put on.

Not because of the fracture, but to hide a burn.

My Lord, if you'll indulge me,

I did something stupid yesterday.

I burned myself.

Burned myself with this.

This is the stamp that was found on the floor

next to Albert Gordon's body the morning after the murder.

I think he was doing what I was doing:

sealing an envelope with hot wax.

I melted the wax, heated the stamp,

pressed the stamp into the hot wax.

That's when I did something stupid.

Someone entered the room unexpectedly.

I burned myself.

Perhaps you can see the mark, Sir Alec.

Now, this is what I think happened, Mr. Dudley.

About 8:00 that night, you went up to Albert Gordon's office,

struggled with him briefly and killed him.

Then you had Fiona Maxwell lure Eric Gordon out of his house

with a phone call about his brother being drunk,

while you went over to your friend's house,

took your convenient fall, went to the hospital.

While Fiona impersonated Eric at the scene of the crime.

Complete lunacy.

Miss Winthrop, will you step forward?

I've asked her to bring her saw with her.

I think it's time for that cast to come off.

My Lord, surely you don't expect me to comply.

Mr. Dudley, please step down, kindly remove your coat.

Let the record show Mr. Dudley has a partially-healed burn

on his right wrist, exactly the same size and shape

of the Gordon family crest.

I believe in the case of the Crown against Eric Gordon,

there exists more than a reasonable doubt.

That is the case for the defense.

Of course we're thrilled they cast a mistrial,

and I feel very confident that when we have an official retrial

of this case, my brother's name will be cleared.

Excuse me.

Mr. Matlock.

May I?

You bet.

Thank you.

Well, it's one of those deals

that worked out well for everybody.

Eric gets a new trial and will take over the company.

Laura's not gonna contest the will.

Sybil gets some money. Mitchell gets some money.

I had a good job. Had some fun.

Didn't have to wear a wig. Ha-ha-ha!

It worked out well for everybody.

When I say everybody, not Albert.

I'm sorry about Philip.

So am I.

Listen, my daughter's off on her own.

She joined a law firm in Philadelphia.

So I've got an empty office.

A proposition?

Well, I could only offer a junior partnership.

I tell you what, you think about it.

Let me know if you're interested.

Hey, Tyler.

If we catch the Concorde,

we can get home and go to the Peachtree Diner

in time for pork chops and grits.

You're buying.

You thought it over?

Yeah.

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