Original subtitles

The short form is, I'm afraid my past has caught up to me. There's no way I'm

going to let my mom be hurt. It's all such a waste.

I'll have to go to prison anyway. If you're looking for words of

encouragement, I don't have any. Face it, kid. You got a partner. We can call

ourselves the Twin Avengers.

Tell me something, Doc.

Have you seen this mystery prowler in the neighborhood?

No. It's just not my game. Son, think for God's sake. Listen, I need some

information fast. All right, nobody moves. The jury convicted you. I feel

violated. Sheriff, I don't much like making this call.

I noticed the doc's car wasn't in the driveway either. There appeared to have

been some sort of a struggle. Why would someone do such a thing to the doc? My

God. Mom, please, I can explain this. Just stay out of it. There.

That's him.

Stop!

It's okay.

We gotta ditch this stuff.

Let Carl... All right, nobody moves. Keep your

hands where I can see them.

After only two years, built-in obsolescence, if you ask me, I told you

this thing was going to be nothing but trouble and expense.

Oh, nonsense.

Look, I'm looking forward to the extra power. I mean, there's a lot of newer

software that I haven't been able to run.

Megabytes, software, CD, what's-its.

No way I'm going to trust my records to any kind of magnetic blips in one of

those little whatchamacallits. Well, I'll keep discs. If you did, you

wouldn't have to use all those filing cabinets and all those tons of paper.

I'll get you anything else later.

What do you say, Julia?

Got a light?

Damn it, Leo. How did you know where I was? I told you I would keep you posted.

Yeah, well, that felt a little loose to me. I got worried I might hear you say,

Leo, I killed the buzzard.

Kid, give me something light this way.

Yeah, sure.

Look, I'm not even sure it's him. That's why I'm here.

If it does turn out to be Stanley Barton, I simply want to see him brought

to justice, same as you.

Now we're getting down to the...

And you got to understand, doing time gives a fellow a little different take

on justice from, you know, regular people.

I'm looking at a little monetary compensation here for 20 miserable,

stinking years. Besides, I figured it ought to be worth it to old Stanley,

whatever the hell he calls himself these days, to not be put away for the rest of

his rotten life.

Here you go, sir. Yeah.

By the way, there's no smoking in here.

Wonderful. You go away for a few years and suddenly everybody's got religion.

Can I get you anything? No, thank you.

You say you spotted this guy at the symphony?

Look, Leo, why don't you go back to Boston before you wreck everything?

Or should I call your parole officer? I'm sure he's not aware that you crossed

the state line.

No, no, Judy, don't you threaten me, honey. I don't have all that much to

lose.

Face it, kid, you got a partner. We can call ourselves the Twin Avengers.

Besides, you need me to identify him. You were what, four years old?

I worked with the SOB. I was sitting in the police van when he escaped.

I'm at the Lighthouse Motel, Cabin 5. Stay in touch.

Come on, Mr. Castino. Another week's all I need. No way I can give you that long,

Will. This offer I got is good, but I gotta give him an answer by Friday, the

latest. Nothing to make me happier than to see you have the place. Yeah, I know,

I know. Look, we're just gonna have to go take another shot at my dad, I guess.

See you in an hour, huh? Well, there you go.

I hate to pass up your chowder. Oh, Brett.

Things are really backed up here.

Are you sure this is about work and not about us?

I'm positive.

I'll call you.

Whatever it is that's bothering you, I'm on your side.

I know.

Dave Archer, Mr. Rafferty, JWC Credit Bureau. The outfit that asked for a

credit report on you last week?

Back pay development.

That's right. We tracked down the name of the individual who made that request.

It's a Jay Harris.

Thanks, Dave. I appreciate that.

Jessica, you're going to love this machine.

I've got one just like it, and it's super. I've got all my bird-watching

data right at my fingertips.

Bird-watching computerized?

Whatever happens to binoculars and a good walking stick?

Your old one's in really good shape, Mrs. Fletcher. Well, good, because I

want to donate it to the school.

Oh, speaking of the school, has Mr. Eagleton been pestering us about his old

XT? Uh, yeah, plus you got a call from Mrs. Devers. Mr.

Olsen returned, Mr.

Parducci, Mrs. Stop!

I haven't even had my coffee.

Jessica? Seth?

Kevin. Kevin, I hear the bass are really jumping over at Long Lake.

Are we still on for tomorrow?

Uh, I'm not sure.

Did you finish the parity check on Mrs. Devers' computer?

Line, gremlin. It'll be ready in an hour. Make sure that's all it takes.

Now, these invoices.

They were supposed to be paid last week.

Anyway, it'll take a few hours to port your files over to the new machine.

There's a chance we'll have it by closing time.

Well, I'm quite sure I can survive until then.

Oh, and I certainly hope that Evan gets over his funk before he chews your head

all the way off. I know.

That makes two of us.

Excuse me.

I'm Julia Harris. I believe I have an appointment with Evan Rafferty.

Something wrong, sir?

I don't know.

Not like Evan to be that grumpy.

Well, he's obviously got something on his mind.

Maybe I'll suggest he stop in for a checkup.

So, what is it, Mom?

Oh, I don't know.

I don't know. Just the last few days.

I'm afraid Evan may be having second thoughts.

What? About you?

Yeah.

He's got to be out of his mind, Mom.

Oh, you. I love you.

Just for that, I'm going to buy us a sundae with a gallon of hot fudge and a

ton of whipped cream. What do you say?

What about your deliveries?

What the heck with them?

After the wedding, I'm not going to have to worry about peddling wrinkle cream to

the neighbors.

And you're not going to have to worry about holding down a job after school.

Yeah.

Are you sure that's what you want to do, Mom?

I mean, do you want to spend the rest of your life with Evan Rafferty?

Whoa.

Where did that come from?

I'm sorry.

I just don't want you making any huge sacrifices just for me, you know?

Oh, well, don't flatter yourself, pal.

A, I'm not. B, I wouldn't.

And C, I happen to love Evan very much.

Okay.

How about that Sunday?

I'm right up.

You're looking very fit, Sheriff.

You can breathe harder than that.

Are you sure?

Breathe.

This thing is, uh... Breathe.

Working?

Perfectly. I'd stake my reputation on it, Sheriff. Your sound is a $19.55.

What about all this wheezing?

Well, here, you try it.

Listen for yourself.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

Now, not a wheeze in a carload, is there?

Nothing. But Adele says it's keeping her up nights.

Well... Maybe you ought to have Adele come in and have her hearing checked.

Well, I'm not the one who's going to suggest that.

Hey, tell me something, Doc.

Have you seen this rumored prowler in the neighborhood?

Nope. Yes, I did see a man.

Short fellow, dark hair, kind of thick eyeglasses.

Does that sound right?

Descriptions I have.

Everywhere from 5'10 to 6'7.

Red hair, brown hair, gray hair.

All except for the one who insisted he was bald.

Too bad I'm not an eye doctor.

I'd clean up on that group.

Yeah, well, if you see him again, give me a call. Yeah, yeah. Oh, and, uh,

thanks. Ain't nothing of it.

Yes. Hi, Dr. Hazlitt. I hate to barge in on you like this. I'm just passing

through town. I got this... Little sore throat I'd like you to take a look at.

Oh, give me a break, will you?

Of course I want to help. It shouldn't be much longer, Mr. Harris. Well, I got

a going business here.

One that's got a future.

Look, Dad, I don't like this any more than you do, okay? But it's not going to

cost you a dime. All I'm asking for is your signature on the loan.

So you've made up your mind. I mean, that's what you want to do with your

life. Yes, it is.

Dad, look, I said this before. I respect what you've built here. I really do, but

it... It's just not my game.

Well, servicing a bunch of rusty fishing boats isn't one you're going to win.

Son, think for God's sake. Where the hell are you going to be ten years from

now?

Look, you're going to do this or not.

I'm not cosigning anything.

If that's the way you want to go, you're going to have to do it yourself.

Sorry.

It's okay.

Mr. Rafferty can see you now.

And we're very interested in that parcel you own out at Septon Point for a

possible condo development.

These are some of the other projects we've built between here and Kennebunk.

They've been very well received.

Uh-huh.

I noticed you ran a credit check on me.

Well, the company likes to know who we're doing business with.

According to town records, you've owned that property for about, um, eight

years? I assume that was, what, 11 or 12 years after you moved to town?

Like I said.

You like to know who you're dealing with.

Property's not for sale.

Well, maybe if we made you an offer.

Like I said, property's not for sale.

Good day, Miss Harris.

Oh, right.

Well... I'll just leave these here with you. And if you change your mind or you

have any questions...

I'm staying at the Hill House.

Come on, Max. Come on, Margaret.

It's right, Neil. There should be four printers there.

That guy's been hanging around all morning.

Could be that prowler people are talking about.

You know, this is a really humbling experience, Mort.

Working on this old typewriter.

I love this old darling, but let's face it, it's obsolete.

And my deputies say it's right up there with stone tablets.

Any leads on that prowler in town?

Two more reports last night. Now, that makes ten already this week. And not a

single solid description or any evidence that the guy actually exists.

Excuse me.

Sheriff Metzger.

Well, thanks, Andy.

No, I'll check it out myself. I'll be going past there in a few minutes.

Yeah, later on.

Neil Krause over at the computer store.

Spotted some guy hanging around. This thing is catching on like UFO sightings.

Like I said, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with your

father. I hope you don't mind my calling. Oh, please, are you kidding?

I mean, I need all the help I can get. If this thing works out, it'd be

sensational.

So, what else do you need to know?

Okay, um, you said you came here from Boston with your mother in... I think it

was 1974.

And your father?

He came over here later.

He'd been away for a while.

Really? Yeah.

I think he was working on some kind of a transcontinental pipeline or something.

It's kind of vague. I was only about four.

More coffee.

Thanks, Grace.

Will.

Hi. Miss Harris.

Sorry your dad's giving you such a hard time. He gets so impatient with him.

Well, maybe my luck's changing.

Miss Harris here thinks she might be able to help me get some financing

without Dad having to sign for it.

Really?

Oh, Will, that'd be great.

Well, I better put in that sandwich order before I forget who asked for

what.

Well, uh, I better be getting back to the shop.

Listen, any chance we might continue this over dinner?

Oh, I'm afraid I can't. I have some papers to go over, but I'll call you.

Okay, well, I'll be looking forward to it.

Bye.

There we go, Mrs. F. A thing of beauty, sort of.

Thanks for your help, Mort.

Hey, I'm becoming a believer myself.

This new program we put in the wire machine, it replaces the old-fashioned

police sketch artist.

I've seen them. They're amazing.

Oh, excuse me. I completely forgot to check my messages.

Mm-hmm.

This is Seth. I need... Tuesday, 6, 48 p.m. That was your last

message. Oh, dear. That's nearly an hour ago. What do you suppose... I don't

know, but we're gonna find out right now, I hope.

The line's busy at this place.

Well, we can have the telephone company verify that someone's on the line.

Yeah.

Operator, this is Sheriff Metzger. I'd like to make an emergency breakthrough,

please.

That's blood.

It looks recent, Mrs. F.

No, it looks as if something or somebody had been dragged over to the door.

There's heel marks on the door jamb.

I noticed the doc's car wasn't in the driveway either.

Oh, yeah, I've got news. All of it lousy.

The blood?

It's the same type as the doc's. Oh, I was afraid of that. What about the DNA

test? That's going to take a few more hours. And did you issue an APB?

Yes, as well as a stolen vehicle report.

By now, it could be somewhere 800 miles away from here.

What about the hospitals?

We checked everyone in the area on the off chance he might have checked himself

in, or even somebody else with a wound and B-positive blood, but no.

Mrs. F., I'm doing everything I can. Oh, I know, Mort, and I'm sorry.

Have you been able to make any more sense out of Seth's phone message?

Zip, same goes for his office.

Andy and I checked it over for hours, and outside of his car and his medical

bag, nothing seems to be missing.

There appeared to have been some sort of a struggle.

The thing I don't understand is why would someone do such a thing to the

doc? And if he was only, you know, injured, why wouldn't they just leave

him there?

Why isn't there a ransom demand or some kind of communication?

I wish I knew. I really wish I knew.

Mrs. Taylor. Yes. Hi, I'm Julia Harris.

I'm trying to arrange a loan for Will Rafferty. He gave me your name as a

reference. Oh?

Oh, I'm sorry. Connie over at Cabot Cove Digital.

She pointed you out to me.

Well,

I've known Will for many years. He's a fine young man.

Good. That's excellent. Wonderful. I understand you're about to become Will's

stepmother.

Yes, I am.

Congratulations. Thank you.

Tell me, has Will's father ever said anything about his life before he moved

to Cabot Cove? Excuse me? Well, the bank is just trying to do a background check,

you know, check on his financial condition.

It's my understanding that Will's father is not really interested in getting into

loan arrangements with his son.

Well, that's true, but I... I really have an appointment I have to keep.

Look, I just need some... Goodbye, Miss Harris.

Then put more men on it.

Right.

Wasn't even the same make and model as Doc's car.

There. We think that's the mysterious stranger that's been hanging around

town. Or as close as we've gotten so far from the descriptions.

Emily Brenneman claims she saw this guy late yesterday afternoon down the block

from Doc Haslett's place.

He look familiar to you, Mrs. F.? Not exactly.

Andy, can you give him a longer upper lip?

No problem.

There. Now, try moving his eyes closer together.

This?

A bit more.

There. That's it.

That's him.

Hey, hey, Julia.

How's it going?

Well, I spoke to the Boston Bank.

Yeah? And you'll be happy to know they're very interested in doing

business with you.

Oh, uh, listen, I really appreciate this, Julia.

No problem.

I, uh, I just have to ask you a few other questions.

Yeah, great.

Hey, Will, uh, could you give me a hand with that winch over there? Uh, yeah,

right away, Mr. Castillo.

Listen, how about tonight? Can I buy you dinner?

Well, what time do you get off? Maybe I could meet you someplace.

Okay, how about 7 o'clock?

My place?

Sure.

Great.

Listen, I gotta warn you, though.

I make a killer linguine with clam sauce.

Okay. See ya.

Okay.

So his name is Ronald Olsen.

He checks in here yesterday morning.

Doesn't sleep in his room last night at all and still hasn't checked out.

And he was seen in the vicinity of Sass' office 15 minutes before Sass left that

phone message.

And he rents this car in Boston under the name of Jack Landis. Nice.

Hey, Sarah.

Hi, Jimmy.

Hey, Ms. Fletcher, you heard anything on Dr. Hasley?

I'm afraid not.

Have you seen this man?

No, I don't think so.

Andy, it's me. Anything?

Nothing yet, Sheriff. Yeah, same here.

Listen, I want you to get down to the Lighthouse Motel pronto and dust this

guy's room and his car.

Oh, yeah, it's him.

But I've got a hunch he's not either of the people he claims to be.

I hope the doctor shows up.

This is not real promising, Mrs. F.

Well, if you're looking for words of encouragement, I don't have any.

What is it?

I'm not sure.

I can't imagine why he'd do it, but I have a feeling that Jimmy Taylor was

lying to us.

Hello, Mrs. Fletcher?

I'm Julia Harris, and I'm with Back Bay Development in Boston.

We're interested in purchasing some land from Evan Rafferty, and I would like to

ask you some questions about him.

Miss Harris, I'm sorry. You'll have to forgive me, but a very dear friend of

mine is missing, and I... I understand, and I'm very sorry.

It's just that you were a client of Mr. Rafferty's, and I thought... Miss

Harris, please stop.

Look, I've had friends who've sold land to organizations such as yours. I can't

remember a company representative ever questioning me about the people they're

buying property from.

I know, but it's my job.

So whatever reason you have for prying into Mr. Rafferty's affairs, you're

going to have to get your information from someone else.

Mrs. Fletcher, please, if you change your mind, I'm staying at Hill House.

Goodbye, Miss Harris.

Come in.

Mrs. F.

Mort, what is it?

Well, nothing good, I'm afraid.

This just came from the NCIC.

According to his fingerprints, our elusive pal is a career bad guy, one Leo

David Fender, enrolled ten days ago from a Massachusetts penitentiary, doing time

for armed robbery and second-degree murder.

Which in no way explains why he was in Cabot Cove or anywhere near Seth's

house. Or where he is now. I've added this to our APB. At least now they've

got a name to go with the face.

Well, there might be a bright spot to all this. I mean, we may have

overreacted to Seth's phone message.

Say again?

Listen.

Jessica, Marion Taylor.

I heard about Seth and I wondered... See?

It broke up almost the same way as his did.

It's probably just my machine.

Okay, but that still doesn't explain... Excuse me.

Let's go.

Sheriff, I don't much like making this call.

What?

A couple of hikers just phoned in. They were out in Benson's Woods and they

spotted a body.

Male, Caucasian.

That's all?

Yeah. They were afraid to get too close.

Okay, Andy, I'll meet you there.

Evan, I gotta talk to you. Sure, I'm a little late getting to work. No, right

now. I'm worried about Mom.

I don't understand.

No, I think you do.

She says you've been acting a little funny lately. Now, that wouldn't be

because of the two people here in town looking for you, would it?

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

Look, I heard him talking at the coffee shop.

The woman, she's staying at Hill House.

She's from Boston.

She says I saw this guy at the symphony.

Now, you're the only one in Cabot Cove that goes all the way down to Boston

just for the symphony.

There's no way I'm going to let my mom get hurt at him.

I just want to know what's going on.

Jimmy, I may be going away for a long time.

What? Jimmy, no questions. You just stay out of it.

You better wake up, Mrs. F.

Now, what the Sam hell would you people be doing way out here in the woods?

Well, of course there was more to my message. The rest

of it was this. I have to get over to Bridgeton to pay a house call on Billy

Buffum's mother, who incidentally turned out to be a lot healthier than I am.

That is why I couldn't come to dinner at your house. Well, it certainly sounded

as if you were in dire straits. Well, anyway, it got so late that I finally

decided to put up at a motel.

Then when I was driving over here, I saw your car out there to the road.

That was after I'd been stopped by the state police.

R.A.P.B.? Uh-huh.

Lord knows what you told him. It took me half an hour to convince him I wasn't

stealing my own car. Now, will someone please tell me what's going on?

We've got this corpse here, Doc.

We were afraid it was gonna be you.

All right, turn him over, Andy.

Mort, that's Leo Fender.

I treated that man for sore throat.

Must have been worse than I thought.

It appears he's been stabbed in the back. Probably got him right through the

heart. Paroled convict. Two aliases, Landis and Olsen.

You know, it's likely that his blood type is the same as yours. Be positive.

My guess is that he was killed in your office and then deposited here. Wait a

minute. My office? What was he doing there?

Beats me.

Well, I like that. I'm away for ten minutes and strangers start snooping

through my belongings.

I feel violated.

On the other hand, Seth, if you'd been in your office when he was, you might

not be feeling anything.

Wonderful news about Seth.

Yeah, it is.

Evan. Connie, I'm gonna need your help.

I've said that a few times over the years, haven't I?

Look, I made provisions for you to take over the company. Now, I'd like it if

you... I would like it if you'd hang on to it for a while in case Will changes

his mind.

I want part of the income to go to Marion. It's all laid out for you.

Evan?

Sweetheart, I've been trying to get a hold of you.

Your face. What happened?

I fell.

Evan, what is going on?

The short form is, I'm afraid my past has caught up to me.

No, no, not there. That goes on the left-hand side of the desk.

Oh, you don't want it on the right.

Certainly not.

The stack you mistakenly put in the chair was on the right-hand side.

Well, no wonder you don't need a computer.

You know something really was stolen?

My World's Fair letter opener is gone.

Or maybe it was the murder weapon.

You know, Seth, your R's and S's are all mixed up here.

You mean someone's been messing with my patient's files?

No, don't touch them.

You know, Sheriff Metzger may want to dust them for fingerprints.

They haven't been dusted in years.

You definitely didn't lie about your clam sauce, Will. It was wonderful.

Well, thanks, Julie.

More wine?

Oh, um, yeah, half a glass.

Now, wait, this is your father, right? But that's not your mother.

No, it's Connie.

You saw her yesterday at the coffee shop.

That was after my mom died.

Connie sort of helped out.

You know, it's funny. I see a lot of pictures here of you when you were

little with your mom in Boston, but... None of your dad?

Well, I guess working on the pipeline, he must have a million stories, huh?

Well, actually, no.

You never talked much about it.

Oh, he seems to have made quite an impression on you.

You ask more questions about him than about me.

Well, taking loan applications isn't usually part of my job.

Hey, look, I didn't mean anything by it.

Yeah, in any way, Dad can be a...

Pretty fascinating guy when he's not beating me up about what I want to do

with my life.

Well, this monogram on your mother's blouse, LBC, what does the B stand for?

I don't think I've ever noticed it before.

I mean, the L and the C are for Laura Cardoza. That was her maiden name, but,

uh... Martin.

What?

Nothing. I have to go.

Yeah?

Uh, so am I gonna see you tomorrow?

Uh, I don't think so, Will. I... Look, don't worry. I'm sure we can get that

loan set up for you by Friday.

Uh, no, I mean, it's not what I meant, Julia.

Okay.

Someone stabs Leo Friend of the Death in Doc's office, drags his body over to the

door, dumps him in the driveway, stuffs him in a car, and transports him to

Benson's Woods.

And leaves the victim's pistol?

and his wallet containing over $300.

Why?

I don't know, Sheriff, but I'd have to say these look a whole lot like the

murder victim's fingerprints.

All over Evan Rafferty's medical file. Well, it's just like you figured, Mrs.

F. Evan didn't want Fender looking at him, so he killed him.

Come on, Andy, let's pick him up. Look, Mort, I'm not sure that it was Evan.

Oh, what do you think? It was that Harris woman you were talking about?

It's possible, but... Andy, that matchbook we found in Fender's pockets,

that had two sets of prints on it, right?

Yeah, Fender's and another one we haven't been able to identify.

Most likely the killer's.

If he or she went through Fender's pockets?

Okay, so we're going to need Miss Harris' prints along with Evans.

Andy, check with the Hill House and see if she's still in town.

Harris.

Harris.

Mort, you were preparing a dossier on Leo Fender?

I'm right with you, Mrs. F.

Let's see. Here we go.

One of the guys he was convicted with was a Rudolph James Harris.

He ceased April 19, 1980.

Died in prison.

And serving the same sentence, armed robbery and second-degree murder.

Julia Harris could be his daughter.

And there was another accomplice named Barton.

Sheriff, do you mind if I call Boston?

When you get that look, what am I going to say?

Boston, please.

The Chronicle? Here's the note. Thank you.

The Hill House says she hasn't checked out yet, but she's not in her room.

Yes, this is Jessica Fletcher. I need some information fast about a robbery

and murder that took place in Boston in 1974.

Yes, I am Stanley Bart.

Rudy Harris was your father, right?

Yes.

And he's dead because of you.

And my mother.

She fell apart when my father went to prison.

This vibrant, vital woman.

And when my father died, she lost it.

And a year later, she was dead.

In my arms. I was ten years old. Miss Harris, Julia...

I'm sorry. I really am. But none of that was my fault. I wasn't even part of what

these guys were trying to pull. Oh, come on.

You don't think I know all about it?

She told me the whole story when I was a little girl. And I researched it.

The newspaper, the testimonies.

And then last month at the Boston Symphony, there you were.

Only I wasn't sure until tonight.

Julie, don't you realize... Why should you?

It's all a bunch of self-serving lies. Leo and your father.

Lies?

Lies. That you talked them into it. That you pulled the trigger that killed the

guard. The jury convicted you, for God's sake. On their perjured testimony.

And you escaped.

But I couldn't prove it. And spent the next 20 years a free man.

While they went to prison, while their lives were destroyed, while my life was

destroyed. Dad, I've got to talk.

Julia. Stay out of this, will I mean it.

I was just going to take you in and make you pay.

But that's not enough.

Hey, look, I don't know what this is about, but...

We know what it's about.

Put the gun down, Mr. Harris.

Now.

All right, let me get this straight.

You were working at a Boston factory with Leo Fender and Rudy Harris? The

same shift for about a year.

Anyway, there I was waiting for my friend to get off work so we could go

out for a beer. Your friend Al Gowdy, the security guard who was shot to

death? Right.

So I'm sitting there behind the wheel, and all of a sudden I see these two men

coming out, Leo and Rudy.

And a second later, there's Al Gowdy, and... Stop!

Before I know it...

They see me, and Leo jumps into my car instead of theirs, and Rudy dumps his

gloves and the murder gun in my lap just as the cops arrive.

All right, nobody move!

The rest is history.

Badly written.

Well, not according to an old fugitive warrant in the courts. You were

sentenced 30 to life for first-degree murder. Leo and Rudy testified against

me. In exchange for a plea to a lesser charge.

I mean, I didn't know them well, but I had the sense they were not the nicest

guys in the world.

Their criminal record seemed to bear that out.

You had none.

Jessica, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

On top of which, there I was with Rudy's gun and gloves, powder burns, and all

sitting in my lap.

I mean, I was looking at spending the rest of my life in prison.

So I jumped out of the van on the way to sentencing. I contacted Laura, and I

told her to get herself and Will out of Boston, take nothing except cash, and...

I'd remembered Cabot Cove because I'd visited here with my folks, so I told

her to change her name to Rafferty and to come here.

You shaved your mustache and your sideburns? And it all worked until Julia

Harris just happened to see you at the Boston Symphony.

But I don't think Leo's motives were the same as hers.

According to Julia's statement, he was looking to blackmail you. Which is what

he told you in Doc Haslett's office just before you fought, and you stabbed him

to death.

Sheriff, no.

Look, I haven't had a chance to send this over to the lab yet for

confirmation. But earlier this evening, I went to your place with a search

warrant and I found this lint on your shoes.

Lint that looks an awful lot like it's going to match the rug in Doc Haslett's

office. Now, according to his appointment book, you haven't been there

in over a year. Now, would you care to comment on that?

Okay, I was there.

I'm listening.

I learned that Leo was staying at the motel. I wanted to see if I could talk

to him, work something out. So I went there.

But he was leaving, so I followed him to Seth's.

I saw him pick the lock and go inside, and I had a feeling that I knew what he

was after.

Your medical records to help him confirm that it was you.

So I followed him inside.

I was going to try to reason with him, but he just went ahead and hit me.

And that's all I remember. I woke up sometime later with a rotten headache.

The place was a mess, and that... Blood stain. I didn't know what to do, so I

just got the hell out of there.

Look, why don't you just save everybody the trouble and admit that you killed

Fender?

That's here.

Who?

Pick him up. I'll meet you at the office.

We had a tip that Jimmy Taylor was seen in the vicinity of Benson's Woods last

night. My deputies found clay from out there on the tires of his mother's car.

But that still doesn't get you off the hook.

Okay. The way this lays out, Jimmy, you were afraid that if Leo Fender exposed

the truth about Evan Rafferty, there goes your mother's marriage, and you'd

have to work your way through college.

Not to mention all the other perks you'd be missing out on. Mark, no.

You can't account for your whereabouts at the time of the murder. Plus, you

were seen traipsing all over Benson's Woods all by yourself.

All right.

First of all, I wasn't by myself.

I was with Carrie Novak all evening.

Look, Sheriff, if Carrie's father finds out about that, you know, I'm all over.

I'll be discreet.

Did anyone see the two of you together?

Excuse me, Sheriff.

This matchbook we found on the victim, I've ID'd the other prints on it.

They belong to Jimmy here.

Oh, my God.

No, wait, Mom, please. I can explain this.

Look, this guy, Fender, Olsen, or whatever the guy's name is, all right?

Look, I gave him those matches myself at the coffee shop.

Okay.

Maybe.

So that brings us back to you, Evan.

The message I'm getting is you had motive, means, and zero alibi.

Plus, you were the only one in town who knew who Fender and Julia Harris were.

The only one in town who knew.

More? Mrs. F., don't say it.

No.

I think there is someone in Cabot Cove who knew who they were.

The killer.

Expect such a quick response.

Well, we can't have a brand new machine fall on its face. When Connie called to

see if we had the parts in stock, I just told her I'd meet her here.

So, they caught anybody yet for that murder? Not yet.

Hi, Jessica. Sorry, I'm late.

Is everything okay, Connie?

I'm okay. Why?

I thought you might be upset because they've got Evan Rafferty in custody.

What are you talking about?

I think you know, Connie.

You've known everything for years, haven't you?

Jessica, you're not making any sense.

Are you sure?

I think that Leo Fender was killed to keep the truth about Evan Rafferty's

past from coming out. The only people in Cabot Cove who knew it were Leo Fender,

Evan, Miss Harris, and you.

That's ridiculous.

Now, how could I... I suspect that somewhere along the line, you figured

out that Evan wasn't quite who or what he claimed to be. No, that's... So you

did some digging and learned the truth.

and decided that Evan wasn't guilty of that murder and robbery.

Look, if you don't mind, I'd like to fix your unit and get home.

Oh, there's nothing wrong with my computer, Connie.

The truth is, you spotted Leo Fender almost the minute he arrived in Cabot

Cove. You learned he was registered at the Lighthouse Motel under an alias.

Jessica! And you phoned him there, probably to try and buy him off.

And then yesterday morning, using his alias, Ronald Olsen, Leo called you back

at your office.

Plus you had a call from Mrs. Devers, Mr.

Olsen returned, Mr.

Parducci, Mrs. Stop!

I haven't even had my coffee.

Jessica, you can't prove any of this. Good night.

Connie, this is the message I saw Neil give you.

Seth came across it this evening when he was cleaning up his office where you

dropped it after killing Mr. Fender.

I'm quite sure the forensics people will find your fingerprints all over it.

All right.

Yes.

I did it. I killed him, and I'd have killed Julia Harris if I had to.

Thanks, Mrs. F.

You get more mileage out of a blank piece of paper than almost anyone I

know.

So, then you drove over to the motel to try to talk to Leo.

When I got there, he was just leaving, and Evan was following him.

So you followed both of them to Seth's office.

That's right.

And when Evan went in, I got worried.

I thought Leo hit Evan.

And then I realized he was going to kill him, so I grabbed the letter opener.

No!

I made sure Evan was breathing.

and I dragged Leo to the door and shoved him out. And drove his body out to

Benson's Woods.

Found the murder weapon in her dresser drawer, like she said.

Found this, too. A bunch of old clippings from Boston newspapers.

I just couldn't believe that he was a murderer and a thief, not Evan.

You've been in love with him for a long time, haven't you, Connie?

I tried to let him know, but I wasn't about to throw myself at him.

He just never thought of me that way.

Anyway, it's all such a pity.

All such a waste.

I'll probably have to go to prison now anyway.

Maybe not.

Mrs. Fletcher may have come up with a major brainstorm.

Turns out the Boston PD still has the evidence from that case, including the

murder weapon and the gloves that they found in Evan's lap.

You see, I remembered that they didn't have DNA testing back in 1974.

They're running them tomorrow. And if it turns out that Evan or Stanley Barton

didn't wear those gloves... And Rudy Harris did.

Chances are he'll go free.

Well, you must be feeling pretty smart, Ms. Thatcher, getting Evan off and then

learning how to drive that computer of yours. Well, there's a lot to be said

for progress, Seth.

I mean, without that DNA test, Evan, Marion, and Jimmy's life would be very

different. But don't forget the trouble caused by that.

Contraption. Well, let's hope that Evan can fix it so that it won't make the

same kind of mistake again.

Anyway, I wouldn't worry if I were you because I wouldn't dream of trying to

bring you out of the Dark Ages. Thank heaven.

Oh, Seth, your laptop's in. We'll have it ready for you this afternoon.