Original subtitles

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That jeep right there, that's your rental.

You have a good stay.

Spencer Hamilton?

That's right.

Ed Tucker.

Everything's set.

Power's on, water's on, phone works.

You need a key?

Got one.

What's that?

My bill.

Your brother always paid me in cash.

Oh.

Yeah, he'd usually pay me when I got done.

That way neither one of us forgot.

That's a good idea.

I was wondering when somebody would come down

to close the house.

You gonna sell it?

I don't know.

I wouldn't park my car there.

We cut a limb off that tree.

It drips sap on everything.

Do you know where my brother was killed?

Yeah.

Will you show me?

Yeah.

Out there?

What is that?

A duck blind?

Yeah.

Season's been over six months.

How'd it happen?

Well, the way I heard it, Frank was in the boat.

His four buddies was already in that blind.

A bunch of ducks come in flying low, you know,

and Frank grabbed his gun, stood up

just as his friend fired.

Hit Frank square in the chest.

Frank was in the boat?

That's right.

Heard he was setting decoys.

You can ask the sheriff.

It's what all the fellas said...

You know, the ones that was there. Yeah.

Anyway, like I said, your brother always

paid me cash.

That way neither one of us forgot.

I ain't never seen nothing like it.

Them big blues got them schools of trout

and run 'em up on the beach

and I picked up two or three bucketfuls myself.

When was that?

Yesterday.

I always miss it.

It never fails.

I get there the day before it or the day after.

It just kills my soul.

Wouldn't you think a person just one time

could get there the day of it?

Happens to me, too.

Boys, and that's what brought the people down here.

The fish, water, beaches, sun, lost colony play.

In the '50s, that was just fine,

but now we just got too many of 'em.

Tell, 'em, Commissioner.

Wintertime...

Good for the economy.

Let's people know where this place is at.

Good all around.

You campaigning again, Commissioner?

I might.

I voted for you last time.

Me, too.

I voted for you when you ran democrat,

when you ran republican and when you ran independent.

You did?

No, but Mama did.

Said she felt sorry for you.

Well, honey, you just tell Mama to keep on voting.

Keep on feeling sorry for old Gordon,

but keep on voting.

Hell, Commissioner, if you ever win,

we'll have to get out the high school band

and have a parade.

I'm Spencer Hamilton, Frank Hamilton's brother.

Oh... Oh, uh, have a seat.

I'm Gordon Lewis.

Commissioner?

It's a little joke.

Have something.

Did you know my brother?

Well, yeah, I knew him.

You know, it's interesting that you should come up to me.

I've got this little law office.

Don't practice much anymore.

I got a little insurance business,

sell some real estate from time to time.

But I did do a couple things for your brother.

Um, so yeah, I knew... Who killed him?

Well, you know, that was an accident.

Happened last November.

I've been stationed in Europe.

I just mustered out.

So, uh, you want to step over to my little office

and go through Frank's papers...

What I got of 'em?

All I want is the name of the man who killed him.

Well, uh...

Dalton.

Here's the man you ought to talk to.

Spencer Hamilton... Frank Hamilton's brother.

Sheriff Parks.

Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hamilton.

Sorry about your brother.

Who killed him?

Well, it was an accident.

Who pulled the trigger?

A man named Ryan Bartell.

You know where I can find him?

Well, haven't seen him, or his friends.

I hear they're in town.

I know how you must feel, but it was an accident.

You seem awfully upset.

I hope you don't feel... You don't know how I feel.

Thanks.

You here for the fishing?

Yeah, I've heard the blue fish

run the trout right up into your bunk.

That's right.

Been here long?

Born here.

Where you from?

Where it snows.

Ooh.

Ryan Bartell, uh, you know him?

Oh, yeah. Comes in here

all the time with his buddies.

Known Ryan long?

No. Friend of a friend.

Yeah, well, he is a card.

Loves to party, but he's got a hell of a temper.

That right?

Oh, yeah. One night last year,

Ryan comes in here with his pals.

And all of a sudden, Ryan gets into a brawl

with one of his friends...

A guy by the name of Frank Hamilton,

over some girl.

Ryan wants her, she wants Frank.

Just an argument over a girl?

Oh, yeah, well, it happens.

But it got settled.

Another girl comes in.

Now speak of the devil. There they are.

Some beer all around.

Coming right up.

I'm Spencer Hamilton...

Frank Hamilton's brother.

I'm Ernie D'Amato.

This is David Channing, Ryan Bartell,

and Lee Kramer.

You want something else?

No.

We're really, really sorry

about what happened to Frank.

Yeah, he, uh...

Frank-Frank was a great guy.

He was a great guy.

What about you?

How sorry are you?

I'm sorry.

It was an accident.

What happened, happened.

And that's it?

It was an accident.

Ask anybody.

I'm asking you.

Why'd you kill my brother?

I told you, it was an accident.

Frank was in the boat

when you shot him, right?

Right?

He gave his statement to the sheriff.

Frank was in the boat?

Yeah, he was in the boat.

You're a liar.

Ryan, the man lost his brother.

You calling me a liar?

Yeah, you're a liar.

Frank wasn't in any boat.

He almost drowned when he was three.

He had hydrophobia.

He wouldn't go near the water.

You murdered my brother.

Liar!

Hey! Hey, cut it out!

Back off!

Now tell me why you murdered my brother!

Hey, drop the knife.

Drop the knife.

All right, what's going on here?

Ask him.

I didn't start it.

You better hold it together.

That was real dumb.

Hey, damn it, I didn't start it.

We got a problem.

Oh, yeah.

Take a die and don't look at it until you get home.

If it's white, you go to bed.

If it's red,

you've got work to do.

And it has to be done by 7:00 a.m. Are we agreed?

Nobody talks to anybody, including each other

until after 9:00 a.m.

Only the man that does the job

will know that he did it.

Yeah?

What for?

Yeah, yeah, okay.

I'll be there!

Hey, what the hell took you so long?

Morning.

Morning.

Show him the warrant, Clarence.

Floyd Tubbs... he owns the barbershop...

Was out walking in the woods this morning

about a mile from here, 6:00.

Heard pistol shots, and went to look.

Ryan Bartell was lying there with two bullets through him,

stone dead.

Wait a minute. I don't even own a gun.

And I wasn't out running around

in the woods at 6:00.

I was right here.

Yeah? Yeah. Handing a mechanic

the keys to that car over there.

He came to fix the ignition.

At 6:00 in the morning?

He said he was real busy. His work was backed up

and that was the only time he could fix it.

What's his name? Jack.

Jack something.

Go call Jack Rose.

Yes, sir.

Sheriff.

Why are you looking at me?

Found this in the gun case.

Recently fired.

Wait a minute.

I've never seen that before.

Jack Rose said he hadn't been anywhere near

this place this morning!

What?!

Let's go, Mr. Hamilton.

This is crazy. I didn't kill anybody.

I hereby grant

the defense's motion, and in so doing,

find the prosecution's case against Horton Garrett

to be solely lacking in substance and merit.

I therefore order that the charges against Mr. Garrett

be dropped and that he be released immediately.

Court is adjourned.

Thank you, Mr. Matlock.

Thank you a million times!

Ah, just doing my job.

Now you and your wife go celebrate.

We will. Oh, we will!

Yeah.

Where's Mr. Garrett?

Free man.

Free is right.

We just got this from the bank.

His check bounced?!

Hey, Mr. Garrett!

Excuse me. Excuse me.

Hey, Mr. Garrett!

Just let me by. Hey, Mr. Garrett!

Hey, fella!

I hate that.

I hate that!

Don't you just hate that?

We should only take cash in advance.

Yeah.

Ben Matlock.

Yes, sir, General.

Uh, well, it's good to hear your voice, General Colvin.

It's been such a long time.

Uh-huh.

Uh-huh. Uh, uh-huh.

Oh, well, sure. Sure, I remember.

And, and...

Why, yes, sir, yes, sir, I'd be, I'd be glad to do that.

Of course.

Yes, sir. Bye, General Colvin.

Hey, Michelle,

you know who that was?

General Colvin, four-star general.

Big man. He did me a favor

several years ago, and now it's my turn.

Have you ever heard of town called Manteo on Roanoke Island

in North Carolina?

Mr. Matlock.

Yeah?

You're supposed to go straight

to the courthouse, sir. They sent a cab.

I've been in elevators bigger than that.

That thing bounced like jackrabbit

all the way from Raleigh.

Well, at least you're in good hands.

Chris there is the most experienced pilot we've got.

Thanks, Roy.

Are you him?

Him who?

That lawyer. What lawyer?

The one they sent for from Atlanta.

Well, I'm a lawyer.

We heard about your suit.

What suit?

Is that it?

Well, it's my suit.

Excuse me.

That's him.

That's him!

What do you think?

He's supposed to be here.

Mr. Matlock?

Yeah.

Glad to see ya.

I'm Gordon Lewis, your co-counsel.

Well, not really co-counsel.

I was kinda holding down the fort till you got here.

This is Spencer Hamilton.

Thanks for coming.

Oh, uh-huh, uh-huh. Well, uh...

Ooh, we better get inside.

Uh, Your Honor, Your Honor, I'm-I'm sorry I'm late.

Mr. Matlock, this is a pleasure!

I'm Melissa Lyle,

and I have followed your career

with great admiration!

Oh, thank you.

Uh, Your Honor, at this time...

Why are you late?

I just got here.

There's a big crowd outside. I got stuck.

I will not have that crowd disrupting this trial,

you understand?

Well, yes, sir, but...

Good.

Now, in your absence,

your co-counsel, the prosecutor and I have discussed bail.

And it has been agreed

that $50,000 is reasonable.

You have no objections, do you, Mr. Matlock?

I was just holding down the fort.

I'm not really co-counsel.

Uh, no objection.

Good. Mrs. Lyle, anything further?

Oh, no, Your Honor.

Fine. Mr. Matlock,

if you'll sign on for the case, we're in business.

Court's adjourned.

Okay.

Well...

Uh...

Excuse me.

You got a problem?

You paid Jack Rose to lie.

You're nuts, mister.

What the hell are you talking about?

Which one of you killed Ryan?

Or was it all of ya?

Spencer! Get away from the car.

Get away from the car.

Spencer!

Murderers!

You know a lot a of people down here

think you're guilty.

That, that thing you pulled on the street,

that was dumb. I'm talking real dumb.

I never heard of Roanoke Island before.

And the only reason I'm down here now is

General Colvin called me and I owe him a favor.

He said you were one of his best men

and you had a hot temper.

Now I'm gonna warn you.

During the course of this trial,

you be one of the best men.

Forget the hot temper part.

You got that?

Yeah.

Okay.

So, uh,

this is where he was killed?

What's his name?

Ryan Bartell.

Killed Frank over some girl.

Yeah? Yeah.

Were you and Frank close?

We're actually pretty different,

except for our temper.

What'd he do for a living?

He wheeled and dealed in a lot of stuff.

Did pretty well, I guess.

We just started patching things up.

How do you suppose that gun got in your house?

I don't know.

But you were home?

Yeah, the whole time.

This mechanic, Jack Rose, was there from...

6:00 to 7:30 fixing the car.

He told the sheriff he was home in bed.

Hm.

Wonder why he lied.

There you go, Jack Rose's statement.

Oh, long as we're at it, why don't I give you a copy of this, too.

It's Conrad McMasters' statement.

Okay. Who's Conrad McMasters?

Me.

Conrad broke up a fight between Ryan Bartell

and your client the day before the murder.

How?

Had my pistol.

That's all there was to it? Yeah, pretty much.

Spencer Hamilton stuck the knife in the table and left.

There was a knife?

Yeah. Belonged to Ryan Bartell.

Spencer had taken it away from him,

and they got to rassling about it, and...

Anyway, Ryan said he didn't... he didn't start it.

Actually, they were both pretty mad at each other, but...

But you had your pistol. Yeah.

Yeah, when I'm in uniform, I have my pistol.

That was good work.

Thanks.

Um...

Ryan Bartell lives, uh,

on the, uh, Mother Vineyard Road.

Sheriff?

Well, why don't you give Mr. Matlock

a ride out there.

All right!

My first name's Ben.

Conrad.

B and C, Ben and Conrad.

Conrad and Ben.

And there's the library.

That's Gordon Kellogg's Supply.

Oh, that's a... nice looking store.

Sell lumber... What else they sell?

Whatever you need.

Oh, nice.

And there's your basic house.

Uh-huh. And...

as you can see, woods.

Yeah.

You like it here, huh?

Yeah. Yeah.

It's pretty much all I know.

I've traveled.

You know, I've been to New York, Miami...

Atlanta?

Been to Atlanta.

But I always wind up back here.

Well,

you like here.

You like your job.

Yeah.

I think I'm ahead of the game.

Yeah.

Okay, here we are.

Boy, that's nice!

Big.

Sure doesn't look like a time-share.

Oh, time-share?

No, Mr. Bartell owned this place.

Paid cash for it.

Cash? Yeah.

He stay here by himself?

Sometimes.

A lot of times.

Then a lot of times he'd bring the family along.

And... then, a lot of times he'd come down here with another woman.

Yeah? Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

He had several.

Blondes, brunettes, redheads.

I mean, me, I just got one, you know?

Yeah, me, too.

Do all his friends have homes as nice as this?

Oh, yeah.

Huh.

You have any idea what they do for a living?

Well, I'm pretty sure they're not deputy sheriffs.

Yeah.

Huh.

How long these fellas been coming down here?

Oh, about five years, I guess.

Huh.

Mm.

Oh, yeah.

Duck hunters, huh?

Yes, sir.

Uh-huh.

They any good?

They brag about it, give game to the locals sometimes,

but I don't know if they're any good.

Do you know anybody who would?

Are you kidding? To hear them talk,

they've bagged every duck they ever shot at.

Huh. Did you ever go hunting with them?

Nah. They keep pretty much to themselves.

But the town folks love 'em, don't they, Conrad?

Yeah, they get along with everybody.

Give to charities in town, different causes.

Huh.

Do they come in here a lot?

A lot. Have a couple beers,

and then either eat dinner here or go to one of their houses

to play poker and have pizzas delivered.

They play... poker a lot?

Well, uh...

they like to gamble a little, I guess.

Sometimes the hunters run into what you call "bluebird weather."

Clear days without any wind.

Ducks don't fly at all, so might as well play poker.

Yeah, in-in the daytime, but at-at night, I...

Well, I guess if you hunt long enough,

you get to knowing when bluebird weather's coming.

Huh. What?

This is a peculiar bunch of duck hunters.

Play poker all night, eat pizza.

What happens to the duck they shoot?

Don't they eat 'em?

Maybe they don't like duck.

Like to shoot 'em; don't like to eat 'em.

Give 'em away... Lot of people do that.

Something is wrong.

Central dispatch to McMasters. Can you copy?

Go ahead, Clarence.

Conrad.

Go ahead, Clarence.

Conrad?

What?!

You better get over to Jack Rose's garage.

Spencer Hamilton's there,

and he's trying to beat the living hell out of Jack.

Great.

Do you suppose I could just rent a car down here?

Oh, yeah!

Leave me alone... I don't have to talk to you.

Will you stand still?

Come here! Just-just tell me why you lied.

Get out of here!

Come here!

You're a damn liar, Rose!

Come back here!

You better get out of here!

The cops are coming!

Get out of here!

Leave me alone!

Tell me why you lied!

Open the door, Rose.

Come on out of there, Rose!

Come on out of there!

Tell me why you lied?

Come on out of there, Rose.

In another minute, I'll be through this door, Rose.

You are some kind of maniac!

It's just gonna be you and me, Rose.

Get out of here!

Almost there, Rose!

Hey, Spence! Hold it!

Okay!

Okay, okay.

Jack, come on out of there.

Jack! Come on

out of there.

He's not gonna hurt you.

See that?

He tried to kill me! I'm trying

to make you tell me why you lied.

I'm gonna press charges, pal.

They're gonna electrocute you for killing Ryan Bartell,

and they're gonna electrocute you again

for trying to kill me!

Uh, Mr. Rose,

you can file charges,

but if you do, then everybody's gonna wonder

what you did to make Spencer so mad at you.

You just keep him away from me.

You think he can do that?

Count on it.

All right, then it's over.

Come on, Jack.

Come on.

Now, I told you,

and I'm gonna tell you one more time,

don't ever try something like this again.

But he... You're on trial

for murder!

You can't go around here acting like some kind of a jackass.

Hell... You got that?

Yeah, I got that.

Good. 'Cause otherwise, you're digging your own grave.

And with the evidence against you,

it won't take much of a shovel.

Hi.

You scared the hell out of me!

Oh, I'm sorry. The door was open.

Uh, Mr. D'Amato?

Yeah?

I'm, uh, I'm Ben Matlock, Spencer Hamilton's lawyer.

He's a bum.

He shot Ryan Bartell in cold blood.

Is that right? Yeah.

Hm. What's that?

It's mousse.

Chocolate mousse. Mm.

What's that?

Spaghetti sauce.

Green spaghetti sauce?

It's pesto.

This...

nice glass of wine, a little mousse,

you forget about Heaven.

Oh, that's right.

You own a restaurant in Boston, don't you?

Yeah. Oh.

This is nice here.

Uh...

you and your friends bring your, uh...

uh, families down here, do you?

Yeah. They enjoy it.

Uh,

sometimes you don't?

Yeah.

Wha-What's wrong with that?

Sometimes you bring another woman?

Who told you that? Oh,

I just heard it.

Let me tell you something,

I don't bother nobody; nobody bothers me.

Something wrong with the gun?

Oh, no.

No, it's a nice gun... it's just...

a little dirty.

This shot, uh, is illegal.

It's lead... you're supposed to use

steel shot over water.

Federal law.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, I-I have to get some next season.

Talking about...

how, uh...

Spencer Hamilton shot Ryan Bartell in cold blood,

where were you that morning?

Are we gonna have to go through this?

Can't get around it.

I was here.

Asleep.

Your mousse is burning.

Damn!

Enjoyed talking with you.

Yeah, it's me.

I just got a visit from that lawyer, Matlock.

I took the wrong door.

Went in the toilet.

He's going to be a problem.

Excuse me.

Is there something I can do for you?

Oh, hi. Uh, I'm Ben Matlock,

Spencer Hamilton's lawyer.

That's a nice boat.

I like it. Yeah.

So, you're a stock broker from-from Chicago?

Yes.

Do you folks up there know something we don't?

Well, we just know it first.

What I meant was, uh, that flat-bottom boat

that's on the trailer right there?

How do you haul that

when you don't have a trailer hitch on your car?

Oh, there's one on the other car.

I heard you always drive that sports car

when you're down here.

He sold his other car to me.

I buy all my cars from my friends.

That way, I know what I'm getting.

What a good idea!

Ben Matlock, Spencer Hamilton's lawyer.

You must be Lee Kramer.

That's right.

Ah.

Get your gun, David.

Let's go shoot some targets.

How about me?

I mean, you got your headset.

You can listen to some Mozart,

or the Grateful Dead, or something.

But, uh, I'm not doing anything.

So, what do you say?

Okay. Yeah.

So, are you and David both stock brokers?

Hell, no. I'm in oil leasing.

Oh. Dallas? Denver? Houston?

Houston.

Oh. That's an easy way to lose your shirt,

especially these days.

Awful lot of bad luck going around.

Yeah.

Ooh.

You want to survive, you got to know what you're doing.

Yeah. Could I, uh, take a look?

Sure.

Thanks.

Hey, that's nice.

Take a shot.

Oh, no.

I wouldn't be able to hit anything.

Boy, your gun is clean. Your hunting buddies

could take lessons from you.

Ernie D'Amato's gun's dirty, rusty.

So's Ryan's.

City boys. What can you do, right?

Yeah.

Uh, were you shooting the morning Ryan was killed?

At 6:00?

I was asleep.

At home. Alone.

Look, if I'd have killed Ryan Bartell,

I wouldn't have needed two shots to bring him down, you know?

Well, you got a point.

Oh!

There you go.

Hey.

Boy!

There's a lot of people down here.

Summer time. They come from all over.

Well, I-I don't blame them.

It's pretty down here.

Have, uh, have you been here all your life?

Like the fella says, not yet.

What do you think?

Afraid I'm past it.

Do you remember?

Fondly.

Sheriff, those, uh, those fellas,

those hunting fellas...

uh, how did they get to be friends?

I mean, uh, one's from Houston.

One's from Boston.

One's from Chicago.

I mean, they're from all over.

Well, the story is, they met on vacation,

liked one another,

and they started meeting at different places

and taking little trips together

and wound up here.

Huh. Wound up here.

Sheriff! Mr. Matlock!

Hello, Commissioner.

Oh. Mr. Lilley.

What they say about you is true.

You are everywhere.

I like to keep up.

But you? You're the one that's everywhere.

Oh... Isn't he, Sheriff?

Uh, he's a little young, yet.

See you later, boys.

See you, Sheriff.

I heard you was over here.

You, uh, making any progress on your case?

Oh, you know, asking a few questions around.

So, uh, county commissioner, huh?

Oh, no, no.

I've run for commissioner a lot of times.

Never won?

Never did.

Pretty soon, folks just started calling me "Commissioner."

Oh.

Ex-officio, huh?

Yeah. Hell, I like a good joke.

Yeah.

But in the meantime, I got my little practice,

insurance business,

one-third interest in a used car lot.

Huh.

So, you making some progress on that case, huh?

Well, yeah. Moderate, moderate.

Ben Matlock.

Who is this?

Elizabethan Gardens?

Well, I guess so, but...

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

What's going on?

I got a call, anonymous.

Uh, a person fitting your description

was seen buying or accepting a substance

at Whalebone Junction on the beach.

And they said this car was here, too.

Well, you don't think I got dope in my car?

Well, I doubt it, and I hope not,

but I'm going to have to ask you to open your car, Mr. Matlock.

Well...

Well, that...

This just caps this day.

Hey.

Sorry, but, uh,

trunk, too, Conrad.

Well, uh...

Uh...

What is that?

What...

Hmm.

Cocaine.

Looks like about four ounces.

What the hell's cocaine doing...

Well, surely you...

Surely you don't...

You don't think that...

How the hell could you drag me in...

You know I had no choice!

Gentlemen!

Mr. Matlock, I will have order!

Your Honor, I was framed!

Mr. Matlock,

you're out of turn!

In my court, we follow procedure.

Now, we're going to go through with this.

We have to.

Now, you will speak when you're spoken to.

You understand?

I understand.

Counsel for the defense?

I'm counsel for the defense.

I said you'll speak when...

You spoke to me!

The charge is illegal possession

of a controlled substance.

No, no, that's...

Now, we know you possessed it.

We'll find out if you intended to sell.

No. How do you plead?

Somebody planted that cocaine in my car!

How do you plead?!

Not guilty!

You know damn well that cocaine

doesn't belong to me.

Mr. Matlock, one more outburst like that

and I'll charge you with contempt!

Understood? Yes!

I understand.

Good.

The record will reflect the entry

of a "not guilty" plea to the charges.

We will proceed to the matter of bail.

Does the prosecution have any recommendations?

Oh, yes, Your Honor.

Because Mr. Matlock is defending a case in Manio,

the people are not concerned

that he will fail to appear for trial.

So, we recommend

that the bail be set at $10,000.

$10,000?

Tell the truth. You don't take dope.

No, I don't take dope!

How is this going to affect the case, sir?

Now, now, listen!

I came down here for one reason.

To defend a man that I believe is innocent,

and if you think I'll jeopardize my chances

by smoking cocaine or whatever the hell else

you do with it, then you got a... Another think...

And I'll tell you something else.

Just because you come from a small town,

doesn't give you the right...

And I'm telling you something. What?

Wait. Mr. Matlock?

But you got to calm down!

But I was framed!

I believe you!

All right?

Now, somebody planted that cocaine

because you're getting close to something.

Yeah.

Now, we're going to get to the bottom of this,

but you got to keep cool.

Yeah. Keep cool.

Yeah. Yeah.

Keep cool.

Mmm, boy. That was good.

Yeah, you were just hungry.

Nothing evens a man out like a couple of eggs over easy

and a cup of hot coffee.

Eggs over easy, cup of coffee.

That's right.

Conrad, you're a good cook.

Some girl's gonna be lucky to get you.

Well, if I say so myself, who shouldn't.

Yeah?

Well, you keep a nice place, I'll say that.

Thank you.

Look at all this stuff here.

What's that?

Yeah, I used to mess around on the rodeo circuit.

A little riding, a little roping.

First place.

That don't sound like just messing around.

I had some fun.

I'm no Charlie Sampson.

He's good, isn't he?

You like the rodeo?

I like to watch.

You know, for a small town fella,

you don't seem to mind a little excitement.

Maybe you enjoy it.

If it doesn't get out of hand.

Been getting enough of it lately though, huh?

Oh, too much, too much.

I'll tell you something, if these fellas who framed me

think they're gonna get away with it,

it ain't gonna happen, it ain't gonna happen.

I'll tell ya, as soon as I get the first little glimmer,

that's right, relax.

Exactly.

These for show?

I mess around a little bit now and then.

Okay.

Let's see...

I got one.

♪ When it's peach pickin' time in Georgia ♪

Ah.

♪ Apple pickin' time in Tennessee ♪

♪ Cotton pickin' time in Mississippi ♪

♪ Everybody picks on me ♪

♪ When it's round up time in Texas ♪

♪ The cows all make whoopee ♪

♪ Way down south in Alabama ♪

♪ It's gal pickin' time to me ♪

♪ I hope the preacher knows his business ♪

♪ I know he can't fool me ♪

♪ When it's peach pickin' time in Georgia ♪

♪ It's gal pickin' time for me ♪

I cannot yodel.

You yodel.

Universal language. Universal.

I got to tell you something.

This day wound up a lot better than it started.

Yeah.

Yeah, two eggs...

Over easy. Coffee.

Yeah, a little tune.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.

Glad to see you feeling good. I feel good.

And calm. You feel calm?

Oh, yeah.

Calm, yeah.

All right.

Which one of you framed me?

Or was it all of you?

Man's crazy.

What the hell you talking about?

I came to Manteo to defend a client...

That's business... But whoever framed me

just made it personal.

Got nothing to do with us, Ben.

You're a liar.

Who you calling a liar?

Calling you a liar. You're all liars.

Now, hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it, hold on.

You got no reason to make such an accusation.

You lied about everything.

You lied about Frank Hamilton's death.

He was a hydrophobic.

He wouldn't set foot near the water,

never mind get in a boat,

and when Ryan Bartell killed him, you all got together

to make it look like a hunting accident.

Then, you all told the same story,

and when Spencer Hamilton came to town,

confronted Ryan Bartell,

next morning, Ryan Bartell is dead.

Spencer didn't kill him.

He had an alibi.

Jack Rose... Jack Rose lied,

afraid he would wind up

like Ryan Bartell.

Now, sooner or later, one or all of you will make a mistake,

and I'll be there to watch you do it.

I'm going to find out why you

killed Ryan Bartell and what you're up to.

I'll see you in court.

One more time.

Yes, sir.

Having a bad day?

Happens to the best of us.

You have got to be new in town.

Because, if I'd seen you before,

I'd remember.

Just drove in this morning from Richmond.

Welcome to Dare County.

David Channing.

Michelle Thomas.

How long you here for?

I don't know.

Couple weeks, maybe longer.

You here by yourself?

So far.

Maybe we could have dinner.

Maybe.

Ben Matlock, hey.

Yeah. Hey, Ben.

Yeah?

I got something to tell you

that's going to knock your hat off.

What? Well,

I got me an idea.

I just had to follow through on it. What?

Well, you know Jack Rose's garage?

Yeah. Yeah.

This fellow works there... Ned... Ned, uh Porter.

Yeah. And, uh, he pumps gas,

checks oil, water, tires, stuff like that.

Yeah. Yeah.

Well, I went there, and I got me some gas,

and I got my oil checked, water, tires,

stuff like that. Uh-huh.

All right, okay, okay.

Anyway, I know Ned.

Yeah. See? See?

Ned likes to talk.

Yeah?

The money for Jack Rose's garage was put up

by Lee Kramer, David Channing, Ernie D'Amato

and the late Frank Hamilton and Ryan Bartell.

It's beautiful.

Mm.

Sure is.

Here's to...

new friends.

How about a walk on the beach?

Yeah.

Uh, expecting a phone call.

Business.

Oh.

What business are you in?

Real estate.

I buy property, develop it, sell.

Ah.

Don't go away.

Uh, yeah, I've got it.

2:00, Bags Bay.

Yeah, I've got it.

Make it a twin if you can.

Okay.

See you tomorrow.

Thought you were admiring the view.

It's getting chilly outside.

That's fine. That's fine.

Let's get the champagne, and then...

you and I will get better acquainted.

You know what I really need?

What's that?

About ten hours sleep.

It's a long drive from Richmond.

What is this?

I'm just asking for a rain check.

I'm asleep on my feet.

How about...

if I take you to lunch tomorrow?

Well, I can't make lunch.

How about drinks? 4:00.

Sounds great.

Should I keep the whole evening free?

Oh, yeah.

I can find my way out.

Tomorrow.

Yeah.

Hey.

Hi, Michelle. Sit down.

Hi. You didn't have any trouble?

No, no.

Hey, my little evening with David paid off.

I have something. All right.

I got a look at his date book.

He travels a lot.

Europe, South America, the Bahamas.

Oh. The finest hotels.

You wonder when he has time

to take care of his real estate business.

So, I called the Illinois Board of Realty. Oh?

He's not in real estate.

Yes, he is... in a big way.

He got into it overnight.

He bought a row of houses, he tore them all down

and put up new, very expensive houses.

Oh. They sell?

Not yet.

Takes a lot of money.

Yeah.

Sorry I'm late. MATLOCK: Oh, sit down, Conrad.

Conrad McMasters,

Michelle Thomas, my associate.

How are you? Hi. Good.

Just talked to the Boston Police.

You call them, they ask you what department you want.

See, now, that's a police force.

Anyway, Ernie D'Amato...

He's got a restaurant in town.

Not doing too good.

No liquor license.

Now, the police record... Busted six years ago.

Cocaine: possession with intent to sell.

Well, we've all made phone calls.

A friend in oil in Houston... Knows everybody.

Uh, he said that Lee Kramer is known for three things.

Of course, he, uh... he likes women.

Puts pistachio nuts in his,

uh, chili.

Keeps drilling oil wells that turn up dry.

But they're spending money like they invented it.

Yeah.

Somebody put that cocaine in my car.

They're running drugs.

The Lost Colony.

McMASTERS: Yeah.

It's a good, good place

It's been going on every summer

for 50-some years.

Mm. This is where the...

the first English colony lived?

Mm-hmm, on Roanoke Island.

And no one knows what happened to them?

Mm-mm, no.

You know, the old-timers say that...

on a full moon, a pure white doe

can be seen out on the sand dunes.

They say that's the spirit of Virginia Dare.

Uh-huh?

Gives you the chills, don't it?

Yeah. Yeah.

Ah.

What's going on?

What's this all about? Well,

uh, we're-we're making progress with your case,

but we have something to tell you that isn't, uh, simple or pleasant.

Let's have it.

We believe your brother and Ryan Bartell and the others

were running drugs.

The remaining three still are.

That's what Frank meant in his last letter.

He said he was involved in something

that had to go sour sooner or later.

That's, uh...

that's why he was killed.

McMASTERS: He wanted out.

David arranged a meeting with someone for 2:00 today

at Bags Bay.

I didn't hear everything,

but I did hear him say, "Make it a twin if you can."

Twin-engine seaplane?

Running drugs from South America.

I think he could've arranged something.

McMASTERS: A party? - Yeah.

Get the sheriff and make it official?

Yeah.

All right, you boys, spread out that way.

Jackson, head over that way.

Come on.

Down over here on this side, go on.

All right, now, let's see what you got.

It's almost 2:00.

Where the hell are they?

If the plane shows, they'll show.

There's something!

That's it.

Clarence, everybody keep down and sit tight.

Something's wrong.

He's pulling out.

Clarence, hit the beach. Now.

You in the plane, hold it right there!

Out of the plane! Hold it right there!

Don't move!

Come on, get out of there!

All right, easy, easy.

I don't get it. Why didn't they show?

Conrad!

Well, at least we got the drugs.

Check if they're in the back.

We don't have diddly! It's empty!

Nothing. What?!

Conrad... Rip everything out of there.

Rip out the seat cushions, pontoons... Move! Come on!

There's nothing in there, Conrad!

There's got to be something in there!

Do you have any idea how much it costs

to bring these men and equipment out here, Conrad?

I'll see you back at the office.

Man. He... he's gonna have my head.

Hey, fella.

I want to talk to you.

What the hell happened?

Calm down, all they got was an empty airplane.

We needed that plane.

All right.

We'll use the backup.

They're still over at the sheriff's office

trying to figure it out.

The boat.

Fast.

How did they know about the plane?

One of us spilled it.

You were in a dinner last night, David.

I told you I had a date.

This blonde... who is she?

Just a blonde.

She's just a...

I think she was looking at my date book.

You suppose she is working with that lawyer?

You jackass.

Be on the dock across from the Elizabeth II, 5:00 sharp.

Any sign of David?

Come on.

All right? Yeah.

Home free, boys, we're home free.

Pull it alongside.

Just toss these right in.

Everybody, freeze!

All right, all of you, hit the deck, come on.

Hands in plain sight, move, come on!

Come on, let's go.

Okay, clear.

Well, I got to hand it to you, Conrad, you were right.

Yeah, well, that seaplane pilot

this afternoon realized, you know,

looking at the pros and cons,

that if he cooperated with me,

he might limit his time in jail.

Yeah, so...

So he told me about the backup.

I wonder if the sheriff'll give me my head back now.

Oh, yeah, he'll give it back

and make sure it looks nice.

What's the charge?

Conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance, maybe?

Try tax evasion.

They weren't smuggling drugs in,

they were smuggling drug money out.

Hey, hey, hey, wait a minute, wait a minute.

What?

When you arrested these three birds,

they were each carrying a million-and-a-half dollars.

That's right. And according to the seaplane pilot,

they were illegally moving it to offshore banks.

Yeah.

No cocaine?

That's right.

We searched the houses

and no cocaine.

That's right,

they don't deal drugs here,

they just bring the money through.

Where did the cocaine found in my car come from?

Uh...

Suppose there's somebody else?

Somebody else? Yeah.

They were taking their money out of Manteo.

Where is Ryan Bartell's money?

Maybe the other three divided it up.

Or there's another two suitcases hidden somewhere.

Maybe there's some connection with that

and the drugs found in your car.

That's what I'm saying.

Oh, yeah, they got bail.

I understand you do

a pretty good business at your garage, Mr. Rose.

I got the best garage in town.

Of course,

you don't really own it, do you?

It's owned by the bank

over in Little Washington, North Carolina,

or that is, it's owned by the men

who hold the note that the bank collects on.

Is that right?

Well, yeah.

Whose names are on the note?

I don't remember.

The names on the note are Lee Kramer,

David Channing, Ernie D'Amato,

and the late Frank Hamilton and Ryan Bartell.

Is that right?

I guess so.

And you've missed payments now and then, haven't you?

Well, m-my divorce caused me...

And they didn't foreclose?

No.

Do you, uh, do you do things for them?

I-I fix their cars.

Do you lie for them?

Objection.

Sustained.

Didn't my client call you the evening of the ninth

and ask you to come by his house the next morning

and fix his car?

I wasn't anywhere near his house that morning.

Uh, Mr. Rose,

do you own a 1962

Porsche Cabriolet?

Yeah. Restored it myself.

D-Do you drive it or do you keep it under a roof somewhere?

No, I drive it.

I mean, I, you know, put a cover on it when I park it,

keep it in the garage at night.

Yeah.

Does anybody else on the island have

a car like that?

No, sir.

So it was your Porsche Cabriolet

that went through

Roy's Car Wash at 8:30 the morning of the murder.

How do you know that?

Roy Scarborough told me.

He owns the car wash, says you came in with fresh tree sap

on the hood of your car and were real anxious

to get it off before it soaked in

and ruined the paint.

Now, how...

could a car that was in a garage all night

wind up with tree sap on it at 8:30 in the morning?

I don't know.

That's a tough one, isn't it?

I think that sap came from that big tree

outside Spencer Hamilton's house.

Roy told me that he was all the time scraping

that same kind of sap

off Frank's car.

You were there the morning of the murder, weren't you?

All right, I-I-I was there.

And my client was there, too, wasn't he?

Yeah, he was there.

Who told you to lie?

The, the... man who hold my note.

There's three of them left. Which one was it?

I don't, I don't know.

I didn't, uh... I didn't recognize the voice.

See, one of them, uh, called me,

and he threatened to take my garage,

and he told me what to do, and I did it.

No further questions.

Cross-examine.

Mr. Rose, was the defendant standing right there

while you were fixing his car?

Well, no. He...

Where was he?

He went in the house.

And from where you were working,

could you see to the back door of the house?

No.

So it's entirely possible that at one point,

he left the house through the back door,

met Ryan Bartell in the woods somewhere, shot him,

and returned to the house without you seeing him,

isn't it, Mr. Rose?

Yeah.

Sure is possible.

No further questions.

Hey, Gerry, how's it going?

It's going, Conrad. What's up?

You remember that cocaine bust out of Nags Head last month?

Last month...?

Rudy Clark,

12 ounces. Mind if I have a look at the evidence?

Anything for Manteo's finest.

Got the inventory?

It's there with the evidence.

Eight?

Well, Commissioner, even though you say

you're not co-counsel.

The fact is the state of North Carolina requires

a local co-counsel when counsel is from another state.

And for Mr. Hamilton, you're it, right?

Yes, sir, that is correct.

You don't mind being called as a witness, do you?

Oh, no, no, not at all.

I just don't know how much help I can be.

Maybe more than you think.

You practice law in Manteo, don't you?

I have a little practice.

Yeah. In fact, you're the attorney of record

in a cocaine possession case against Mr. Rudy Clark,

is that right?

Well...

Yes or no?

Yes.

How much cocaine was seized

at the time of Mr. Clark's arrest?

Well, it was...

12 ounces, wasn't it?

Uh, yeah, I think that's about right.

I was recently arrested and charged for possession

of four ounces of cocaine.

And as it happened, four ounces of cocaine

turned up missing

from the Sheriff's Department Property Room.

You know what case it was missing from?

I have no idea.

The Clark case. Your case.

As counsel of record, you have access

to that cocaine, don't you?

Just what the hell are you implying?

I'm not implying anything, I'm saying right out loud.

You went in that room,

took four ounces of cocaine

out of the Clark evidence, planted it in my car

in the hopes that my arrest would end the investigation

into Ryan Bartell's murder.

This is outrageous!

Why would I do a dumb thing like that?

It was dumb. I'm talking dumb!

Surely you had to know the Clark case would come up,

and the cocaine would turn up missing,

and there's not a chance in hell you're going to get it back.

I didn't take it.

Mr. Lewis, the cocaine found in my car

and the cocaine stored in the Sheriff's Property Room

were analyzed. You know what they found?

No, and I don't appreciate...

The two samples were exactly the same.

86.2% cocaine.

13.8% mannite.

According to police chemists,

that would be an extraordinary coincidence

unless both batches were exactly the same.

What say, Commissioner?

Miss Lyle, isn't there something

you'd like to say at this point?

Yes, objection, Your Honor!

Um, there's no doubt

that his question is leading to speculation,

and Mr. Matlock is engaging

in rampant speculation himself.

Sustained.

Uh, Mr. Lewis, how well did you know Ryan Bartell?

I knew who he was.

How well do you know

Lee Kramer, David Channing Ernie D'Amato?

I know who they are.

Are you aware that they were recently arrested

in an alleged attempt to transport huge sums of money

out of the country?

Yes.

Are you aware that an attempt to catch them doing

the same thing at a different location earlier in the day

was a dismal failure?

I've heard that.

Your office is next to the sheriff's office,

and like you say, you get about a good bit;

like to know what's going on.

I do like to keep up. Yeah.

You drop into the sheriff's office almost every day.

We're old friends.

According to Deputy McMasters, you dropped in

at the very moment that he and the sheriff

were setting up that first stakeout.

Well, I...

I could have done that, yeah.

Yeah, yeah. Now as you know,

the first stakeout failed.

When Deputy McMasters, on his own,

set up the second stakeout,

and it was a roaring success. Why?

I don't know.

It's because as soon as you heard of the first stakeout,

you left the sheriff's office

and you called Lee Kramer or Mr. Channing

or one of them and warned them.

No.

You've done little favors for them for years,

haven't you? Objection.

Speculation.

No, Your Honor. No, Your Honor.

This is not speculation.

The proof is right outside that door.

Overruled.

For the moment.

Thank you.

Uh, does the number

N-C-9-4-O-2-B-A mean anything to you?

That's the registration number on my boat.

Yeah. Silverly. Adamantium.

Sheriff Parks and Deputy McMasters

found something interesting in her hold.

Money.

More than a million-and-a-half in cash.

Was that your reward

for planting the cocaine in my car?

Or warning them?

Or maybe for murdering Ryan Bartell?

Murder?

Now, wait a minute.

Just hold on.

I don't know where that money came from.

Now, I might've done a few favors for those guys,

like you said; I might've even done a couple of other things

I shouldn't have done.

But I swear to you, I never killed anybody.

I was at home that morning. Ask my wife.

Ask my neighbor. I saw him out in his backyard

and waved to him. Ask him.

Believe me, after everything that's happened,

if I knew who murdered Ryan Bartell, I'd sure tell you.

All I know is, it was not me.

Nothing further.

♪ ♪

You find anything? Not yet.

Hey, look here.

Ryan Bartell kept a new knife in an old sheath.

That's not the knife I saw in the bar

the night I broke up the fight between Ryan and Spencer.

It's not?

Same type of knife, but this one's brand-new.

Ryan's knife was old,

it was worn down with sharpening,

and it was nicked.

Are you sure?

I'm positive.

Now, let's see.

You and Lee Kramer

and Ernie D'Amato were running drugs

and laundering your profits through here

to offshore banks, weren't you?

On the advice of my attorney,

I invoke my Fifth Amendment right,

and refuse to answer

on the grounds that it may intend to incriminate me.

Okay.

Who was Frank Hamilton?

He was a friend you used to go hunting

and fishing with, wasn't he?

That would be...

That would be you and Lee Kramer and Ernie

D'Amato and Ryan Bartell.

What happened to Frank Hamilton?

He was shot and killed in a hunting accident, wasn't he?

Who fired the accidental shot

and killed him?

Who fired the shot?

Ryan Bartell.

Finally.

When did you first meet Spencer Hamilton,

Frank's brother?

In the Roadhouse Bar.

Day before Ryan was murdered.

Hamilton told Ryan he didn't believe

that the shooting was accidental.

Accused him of murdering his brother. Oh?

What'd Ryan do?

Ryan had a short fuse.

Hamilton called him a liar.

Ryan pulled a knife on him.

What kind of knife?

Hunting knife he always carried.

Aha.

Well, uh, what happened, uh,

after Deputy McMasters came and broke it up?

Did Spencer leave?

Yeah.

Yeah. Stabbed the knife in the table

and left.

Did you get the feeling

that he was gonna stay around town

and start, uh, digging?

Surely you and your friends must've known

that sooner or later,

we would stumble onto your drug operation.

So you and your coconspirators

decided to kill Ryan Bartell

and frame Spencer Hamilton.

Killing two birds with one stone,

so to speak. On the advice

of my attorney, I invoke my...

Now either you elected

on your own

or were chosen... to kill him.

But your reward was Ryan Bartell's money, wasn't it?

On the advice of my attorney...

And then you got deeper and deeper in trouble.

You planted that money on Gordon Lewis's boat

to make him look like the killer.

On the advice of my attorney...

All right, all right.

Do you recognize this knife?

That's Ryan's hunting knife.

Well, it is and it isn't.

It was found in Mr. Bartell's home

and in the sheath that Mr. Bartell always wore,

but Mr. Bartell carried the same knife

five years or more.

It was all scratched and nicked.

This is brand-new, isn't it?

I don't know. Huh.

This knife was bought

on June the 10th at Hudson

Sporting Goods Store.

The clerk said the man she sold it to,

showed her an old knife

and said he wanted another one just like it.

That person was you, wasn't it?

No.

But why change knives?

There must've been something on that old knife

that implicated you.

Maybe there was some of your blood on it.

And that's why you exchanged them, wasn't it?

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

So, you say, "Why not

"just wash the blood off the old knife?

Why get a new knife?"

And a few years ago, that might've worked.

But anymore, police science is so exact,

say you got a knife, got blood on it...

You wash it off, can't be seen with the naked eye...

The police with their equipment can still find

what is called trace evidence.

Still traces of blood.

And they can be so exact, they can tell you the type,

how long it's been there

and probably whose.

And you knew it was yours, didn't you?

After you shot Ryan Bartell, he stabbed you, didn't he?

Your Honor, I must object.

Pure speculation.

No, Your Honor, this is not speculation at all.

We'll see, Mr. Matlock. Overruled.

Let me try to be more exact, Mr. Channing.

You shot him.

The first shot didn't kill him.

He rose up and plunged his knife into your leg.

Your second shot did him in.

Uh...

You were real busy

the morning Ryan Bartell was killed.

You shot him, he stabbed you, you shot him again.

You took the sheath off his body.

Picked up the knife, planted the gun at Spencer's house.

Then you had to do something about the blood on your leg.

Handkerchief or something.

Then you went to Greenville, bought a new knife,

got rid of the old knife,

then you could go to the hospital

and have something done

about the two-inch gash in your leg.

How am I doing?

No.

That was your blood

on that old knife.

We called all the hospitals in the vicinity,

and there's several people at the hospital up in Greenville

who remember you.

Said you came in with a bloody thigh.

It wasn't me.

There are two people in the gallery right now

ready to identify you.

Well, they're wrong.

There's a simple way we can settle this.

The scar, if there is one, would be about here.

We can go in judge's chambers, take a look,

or I've got a pocket knife.

We can split your pants... up about that far.

There's no scar, you're home free.

We'll get you a new pair of pants.

What say?

I have got a little scar from when I was working

on a propeller of my boat.

Nothing further.

We find the defendant, Spencer Hamilton,

not guilty.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

This court is adjourned.

Okay, see, now, this is important.

Don't touch this; this is the flash.

Just look through this little square box here

and then push that... I know how to take a picture!

Thank you. What a nice-looking group here.

Thanks, thanks.

Well, Mr. Matlock, thanks for everything.

And good luck, good luck to you.

Thanks, Conrad. Yeah, thank you.

Me first!

Della Basnight.

Uh, Conrad, I'm glad to have met you and worked with you.

And so am I glad to have met you, Mr. Matlock.

This is Jimmy; Jimmy is a Basnight.

It's good, huh? Yeah.

Especially winning. Aw.

Bobby... Winning tastes good, doesn't it? Yes.

Bobby's an Owen, but he married a Basnight.

Look, uh, next time you come, we'll keep it a secret.

I'll take you blue fishing. Oh!

This is Betty Alice Mann.

Bluefish, listen, if you come to Atlanta, I know...

This is John Wilton; he's a cousin.

But hell, everybody on the island's a cousin!

You come to Atlanta, I know a place where there's catfish.

You can't catch any, but you can buy all you want!

This is Mama!

Smile.

Aah...

♪ When it's peach picking time in Georgia ♪

♪ Apple picking time in Tennessee ♪

♪ Cotton picking time in Mississippi ♪

♪ Everybody picks on me. ♪

Playing our song.

Well, Conrad!

Get in here!

What you doing in Atlanta?!

Oh, I had a little vacation.

How much vacation? A lot.

I never really took one.

You never... sit down!

You know, in Manteo, it's hard to tell vacation from work.

Neither one's exactly strenuous. Oh, yeah.

How is Manteo?

Oh, Manteo... Manteo's great. Yeah?

Everybody misses you, wishes you'd come back.

Oh, I will, I will.

So, what are your plans during vacation?

Well, I-I... I have no real plans.

I thought I'd just stop and see you.

So...

So, I have, so I guess I'll be going.

What?

Well, wait.

Wait a minute.

Ar-Are you saying you've got some

free time while you're on vacation?

Yeah, a little.

Why? Oh.

Well, see, I've got this client,

and he's up for murder one, but he didn't do it.

I'm pretty sure it was a mob hit.

But now I've got to prove it.

Mob, huh? Yeah. It's dangerous.

I mean...

there's some...

very bad dudes.

Gonna take a lot of investigating.

A lot of investigating? A lot, yeah.

You know, if you need some help...

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

I wouldn't want to interfere with your holiday...

You wouldn't, no, you wouldn't. No, I-I-I really want to help.

Well...

And it shows, doesn't it?

Yeah, it does, Conrad.

It's, it's, it's all over you. Yeah.

You like a little excitement, huh?

Yeah, well, you need some help.

Looks like we were meant for each other.

I hope so.

B and C. No.

C and B. C and B.