Original subtitles

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.

If I so much as see you again, I swear I'll kill you.

He took me for everything I had, in more ways than one.

Well, yeah. I mean, money, fame. What else is there?

He tell you he's got a police record?

All these computers are stolen.

There's something about this that I just don't understand.

Some unpleasant threats were made.

Redundant. All threats are unpleasant.

It looks as if he got somebody's message, all right.

Uh-oh! An "L" key.

You know, Jessica, this situation wouldn't be nearly so bad

if you hadn't named your characters Lola and Larry Lamont.

Now, listen carefully, and think this through.

You have five suspects in a murder.

One at a time, you lead them into the interrogation room

and watch them through a two-way mirror.

It's quiet, and they're alone for about an hour.

Now, how is a killer likely to act,

as opposed to someone who is innocent?

Hmm?

If the killer's stuck there for an hour, he's probably going nuts.

Pacing, nervous, agitated.

Well, that's what you'd expect. But, no, on the average, that's not it.

Ah! Mr. Rossari.

He falls asleep?

That's exactly right. Why?

Well, it's simple. You gotta figure the guy's stressed out.

He's been running on adrenaline ever since the murder.

You take someone who's that wound up, and put him in a small, stuffy room

alone for an hour, he's bound to fall asleep.

Whereas an innocent man's stress begins in the interrogation room.

That's very good.

And that is exactly the sort of intuitive thinking that results

when you put yourself into the mind of a suspect.

It helps you to understand that the obvious answer

isn't always the right answer.

Dr. Auerbach?

Excuse me. This will only take a minute.

Michael, can I see you outside?

I see that we're nearly out of time.

So, for the next class,

put yourselves into the mind of a murderer.

What you would do to make sure that you weren't caught,

and to compare that to what you would look for

if you were investigating the crime.

That's all.

Oh, Dr. Auerbach, may I see you for a moment? Yes?

I was just wondering about that discussion you were having. Mr. Rossari...

Has been removed from your class.

But he's one of my best students.

Well, I'm sorry, but he didn't belong there.

He doesn't have the grades or the background required

to take an advanced class like yours.

Well, then how did he get in?

By altering his records in the university's mainframe computer.

I'd stay away from this one, if I were you, Jessica.

Take my word for it, he's trouble.

Operator.

Administration office, please.

One moment, please.

Administration.

Oh, yes.

I wonder if you could give me some information on a student, Michael Rossari.

Oh... I believe you forgot these.

Oh, thanks.

Oh, I'm sorry. Come on in.

Thank you.

Michael, Dr. Auerbach told me what you did,

but what he couldn't tell me was why.

Why go to all the trouble of slipping into the university's mainframe computer

and changing your records, just to get into my class?

Well, the truth is, I want to be a writer.

No, scratch that. I am a writer.

I just...

Well, there's so much I don't know.

And when I saw that you'd be teaching here this semester,

I figured I'd... I'd take the class, learn from you.

Find out how you got where you are, how you think.

And then you found out that you just didn't have the grades

or any of the other requirements.

Yeah. I had to do something, so I...

I altered my transcripts.

Just enough to get in. I wasn't gonna leave them that way.

Honest. I tried to.

Put them back the way they were? Yes, I know.

I talked to the Administrations office.

And from what they said, your initial effort went unnoticed.

It was only when you tried to put your records back

the way they were, that you were caught.

Ain't that a kick in the head?

I should've quit while I was ahead.

No, what you should have done was to come to me in the beginning

and explain the whole situation.

I mean, I'm an instructor. I have a fair degree of latitude.

Well, you didn't know me.

Well, I guess I figured, you know, why should you do anything to help me?

Because you're bright, and you're a hard worker. And because of these.

You know, I brought those short stories to class every day.

I kept trying to get up the nerve to show them to you,

and I never did.

Just my luck you get them now, after all this.

Well, I read them, and they're good.

They're extremely good.

You show a potential way beyond your years, and you have talent.

And talent should be encouraged.

Yeah? I mean, really?

Yeah. Really!

Well, that's great. Except... Except, I blew it.

I can't go back to class.

Well, there might be room to maneuver on that.

I mean, it helps that you tried to undo your "alterations."

It'll be difficult, but I'm willing to give it a try.

So what's the catch?

I mean, like you told us in class, nobody does anything without a reason.

Well, along with your writing, you seem to have a knack for computers.

I thought we might turn that to a good cause.

I've decided to move up from my old typewriter to a word processor.

You could help me.

I know just the guys.

Well, it's all very impressive, Mr. Miller.

Well, hopefully it's not too intimidating.

We try to present a user-friendly appearance.

Computers can be daunting enough

without everything looking like a dentist's office.

And what else do you do here besides teach computers?

Well, hardware design, commercial scanning for computer viruses.

And Linda and I collaborate on new software programs. Space games, mostly.

I write all those lines like, "Surrender or die, Earth scum!"

Oh!

Well, the class was Derek's idea. It's a very select group.

Lawyers, prominent writers such as yourself, advertising executives,

vice presidents of major corporations, stock brokers...

People who don't want to learn everything about a computer,

but just enough to use one effectively.

That's me.

Did you find him?

Oh, Maggie said he's in the workroom.

Well, good. Right this way, Mrs. Fletcher.

Ah, another one of our satisfied students, part of our adopted family.

Jessica Fletcher, Henry Waverly.

Henry, this is Jessica Fletcher.

How do you do?

Mrs. Fletcher.

Another satisfied customer.

What... What family doesn't have its little problems?

Don't you ever take a break?

Oh, this board needs work. I'm sorry, I...

Well, why don't you take five minutes and meet Ms. Jessica Fletcher?

Ms. Fletcher, this is Derek St. James.

It's a pleasure.

How do you do?

Derek and I handle different aspects of the course.

He teaches hardware, and I handle software.

And I take care of the chronically shell-shocked.

Derek also handles the installations.

The installations?

As part of your fee for the class, we buy a computer,

customize it to your needs, and set it up in your apartment.

Like I told you, service to the max.

Well, I'm certainly sold.

Well, good. First class is tomorrow at 3:00.

And as long as you're here, Derek will start taking the information

that he needs to get the right system for you. So I'll leave you to it.

Thank you.

Well, let's see what the basic requirements will be for your new computer system.

How much RAM, how much ROM, VGA, SVGA, 386, 486,

33, 25 megahertz.

If you do a lot of research, you may want to get a CD-ROM or a WORM optical system.

Do you have any offhand preferences?

Well, I was thinking of something in a nice beige.

In other words, I ought to be doing this in English?

That would be wonderful.

Jessica Fletcher. Not bad.

Mmm. I was thinking, if we can get her to try the new game

and give us an endorsement, we can ship an extra 50,000 units easily.

We have to finish it first.

Not that you have been giving me very much time lately to do that.

Ah, all business, no pleasure...

Mmm-hmm. Well, there's plenty of time for pleasure.

Actually, we're partners on this program,

and I thought maybe I should be pulling a little bit of the work.

Yeah, I know, I know. I've been meaning to talk to you about that.

Yes?

It's your wife.

Do you want it in here, or do you want it in your office?

I'll take the call in my office.

Right. That's got it. Well... Any problems?

No! No, no. Uh...

I just had to finish hooking your computer up to your phone line.

Now you're all set up. You can dial from your computer to any database

or any other computer in the country,

send or receive any information you need.

Oh, it's remarkable.

Well, is there... Is there anything else that I should know?

Not that we won't be covering later in class.

Just play with it until it feels comfortable to you...

Ah! Power, on.

Uh-huh. Okay?

Now, you may want to leave that on all the time,

except if you leave town, of course.

It just saves wear and tear on the power supply.

Excellent. Well, I'll see you in class later.

Yes.

And thank you.

All right, we come to an understanding,

or one of us doesn't leave here alive.

Right. No, I tried modifying the path statement, and it still won't...

Could I get back to you, please? Thank you.

Well, Henry, I didn't...

I got a message for you. I'm sick of this crap, you hear me?

I'm sick of it, and I'm all finished!

Henry, I don't know what you're... Just cut it, will you!

You really think that I'm gonna stand here and let you bleed me dry?

Well, forget it. I'm not gonna give you a single penny.

Henry... Not one penny!

And if I so much as see you again, I swear I'll kill you.

It ends here, or you end here. It's your choice, Alan.

I'm sorry, Jessica, I just don't think it's appropriate.

Michael Rossari broke the rules.

He accessed the university computer, changed his records.

Look, I'm not defending what he did, Raymond.

His actions were foolish, ill-considered, and entirely consistent with his age.

He didn't think it through.

Precisely.

But at least he tried to set it straight.

And if he hadn't, he wouldn't have gotten caught.

I'm not nominating him for a Nobel Prize, but he's bright and dedicated.

And I think he's worth a second chance.

Is he?

After this all hit the fan, I had Administration send me his file.

He tell you he's got a police record?

No. No, he didn't.

You're a good teacher, Jessica.

And the students like you because they know you honestly care about them.

That can work as much against you as for you.

You know what my attorney told me the day I filed for my divorce?

He said, "There's no shortage of love in the

world, only of worthy vessels to put it in."

Think about that.

Okay, so you got the stuff?

Hey, Mikey, have I ever let you down before?

Yes. And I haven't been Mikey since the third grade. It's Michael.

Oh, that's big talk.

Pretty soon you're gonna forget you're just another guy from the block.

How can I forget it, when I got guys like you reminding me all the time?

Let me see what you got.

Mostly 386s, some 286s. All in good shape.

Warranty papers?

That's a joke, right?

Yeah, okay, I'll take care of it.

The guys handle most of the service anyway.

Just one thing.

Last time, you were two weeks behind on your payments.

You weren't thinking of doing that again, were you?

Look, you come by the office tomorrow. I'll handle it.

Payment in full.

Nice doing business with you, Mikey.

You will find that a computer won't just change your life,

it'll make you more efficient.

If, for example, you have to add a few words

or change a few figures in a report,

you don't have to type up the whole thing.

Just run in the numbers and/or the words,

and let the computer type out a whole new copy.

You don't even have to worry about delivering your work.

You can use the phone lines to send it across town,

or across the whole globe.

So if I finish a chapter of my book in Cabot Cove,

I can send it through the phone lines

to my publisher's computer in New York?

Exactly.

You know, this is beginning to sound very attractive.

Just one question.

What does it mean when it says "fatal disc error"?

It means your hard disk has crashed.

Oh, dear.

It's gone. Dead.

In other words, Mrs. Fletcher, your computer has been murdered,

so what we have to do now is find a suspect.

Oh, that's no problem. I've been working at this thing three weeks straight,

and I'm up for a little computercide.

Who else here would enjoy seeing one of these things run over by a truck?

Oh, I would!

All right, all right. Now if we could just take this from the top.

Michael, would you please be kind enough to give

Mrs. Fletcher a live computer?

And dust the old one for fingerprints.

Thanks for providing me with an alibi back there.

Oh, well, if you ask me, offing a computer is justifiable homicide.

I've been through this course three times,

and I still can't get the hang of it.

Maybe I'm too old to learn.

Oh, not true. I like to think that you're never too old.

The way this day's been going, I'm not so sure.

In what way?

Well, I own Skytouchers Construction Company,

and we've been bidding on a new project.

It's a monster, 30 stories high. A mall.

I was sure we had the lowest bid in town,

but today, out of the blue, I find out we lost the project.

Some guy comes in $4,000 under us.

That's the second time it's happened.

Oh. I'm so sorry.

Okay, that's it, folks. Break time is over. Back to the trenches.

Ah, more grief. I swear, I don't understand a word this man says.

Everybody's gone, Mrs. Fletcher. I have to close up.

Oh, I'll be right there.

Hey, are you all right, Linda?

I don't like being lied to, and I don't like being stolen from.

I'm sorry, Linda, everybody's gone for the day.

But, you know, if you've got a problem...

Yes, I've got a problem.

Six months Alan has had me working on this computer game,

promising me equal money, equal credit, my big break in the business.

Today, I walk into the store, and there it is.

Not only doesn't it have my name on it,

he didn't have the guts to tell me it was out.

Come on, Linda...

It's the best program I have ever come up with. It would have made me.

He took me for everything I had, in more ways than one.

He is a thief!

Look, Linda, I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation...

A reasonable explanation, for the knife he stuck in my back?

Wait till you see the knife I stick in his.

Michael, Miss Truitt sounded very upset.

Yeah. Well, you know, like Alan said,

what family doesn't have its little arguments?

I'm sure they'll work it out. Probably just a typo or something.

Come on, I'll give you a lift home.

Oh, you don't have to do that.

No, I want to. Come on.

All right.

You're on the streets, you're in a gang...

So I used to hang out at the Boys' Club when I was in high school.

It kept me off the streets. They had a couple of computers,

and I found I had a knack for taking them apart,

putting them back together, so I figured I'd use it.

You know, earn a living, while I tried to make it as a writer.

Always plan ahead.

Michael, I spoke to Dr. Auerbach today about reinstating you.

And apparently, there are some complications.

He said that you have a police record.

You want to know what for?

You don't have to...

Age 14, busted for shoplifting comic books.

Age 15, caught boosting hubcaps.

Nailed again on petty theft at 16. Police record.

Yeah, we're definitely talking national security risk here.

Once you make a few mistakes, nobody wants you to go straight,

get your act together.

Messes up their expectations.

Look, I don't want to sound ungrateful.

You've... You're doing all you can,

and that's more than anybody else has ever done for me.

But, if things don't work out, I'll understand.

Well, I don't believe in giving up hope until I've tried everything.

Ah... Patron saint of lost causes, huh?

Oh, by the way, I was... I was talking to my mom,

and she said that if I didn't invite you over for lunch tomorrow, she'd kill me.

Oh, she's a big fan of yours,

and their place is not that far from you, over on the West Side.

Well, I'd love to, but I don't think...

Well, would it help if I said it was a matter of life and death?

I mean, if you don't come, she will kill me.

Well, all right, I'd love to.

And anyway, I could drop off some notes I have on those short stories of yours.

Great.

It's just so exciting, our Michael, working with you to become a writer.

Well, to be honest, Rosalee, I've found

that you can't teach someone to become a writer.

The instinct has to be there first.

But then, it has to be trained, disciplined...

Disciplined? Michael? Good luck.

We've tried, the schools have tried. All his life, he's been in trouble.

The fights... You saw it, Rosalee.

Oh, every other day.

He just can't back down, even when he's outnumbered.

They hit him, he gets up and goes for them. Ma.

They knock him down, he gets up... Ma.

They knock him down, he gets up... Ma!

What? Pass the peas.

You know, I don't know about this writing stuff.

You know, you put a couple of black marks on a piece of paper,

and you expect people to pay for it?

Stephen King, sure. You, sure.

But Michael, he's not the type.

So what is the type?

Somebody who's not always getting into trouble.

Yeah, like Norman Mailer?

Hey, I told you not to answer me back, eh?

And this Mailer guy, is he another one of your friends

who's always getting you in trouble?

Oh, Dominic, hi. I was just on my way back from the laundry,

and thought I'd stop by and see Rosalee.

You always dress this way when you go to the laundry?

It's a fashion statement, okay? Rosalee, I...

Oh, I know you! You're Jessica Fletcher!

I've read all your books.

You told her.

I just mentioned it.

I don't suppose you could autograph one of your books for me?

Well... And for a few of my friends.

Well, I suppose so. I'm not sure that this is the best time...

Great!

It's okay!

There she is!

Now, if you could just maybe sign this, "To Teresa."

Teresa. With an "H"?

No "H".

Would you mind some company?

I needed a break.

You know, I spent my whole life in this neighborhood.

I was born here, I was raised here.

And some days I think I'm gonna die here, that I'm never gonna get out.

You know, half the guys I grew up with are either dead,

the other half are still here doing the same thing they did 10, 20 years ago.

Well, we all want different things.

I mean, some people like that kind of stability.

It's not stability. It's death.

You know, I have...

I have such dreams.

I want to be somebody, go places,

prove to everybody that I'm not just one more guy

from the neighborhood, nobody special.

Then I think maybe I haven't got it, maybe I'm not good enough.

You know, sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night,

it's like I can't breathe.

The Hour of the Wolf.

The long midnight

when possibilities evaporate,

and the walls close in, and the loudest sound in the world

is the beating of your own heart.

You, too?

I thought maybe you get past that,

once you really make it, once you get some money,

some fame, become a real success. Geez, I know I'd be happy.

You sure?

Well, yeah. I mean, money, fame, respect.

What else is there?

Well, there's the exercise of vital powers along lines of excellence,

and a life affording them scope.

A little piece of wisdom about 2,000 years old.

Find out what moves you to passion, Michael, and do it.

Not because it'll make you famous, not because of the money,

but because you can't not do it.

Just strive to be the best at what you do, and the rest will follow.

Follow your own bliss, Michael.

Everything else is just smoke and mirrors.

Oh, hi. Hi.

What's up?

Well, perhaps you could tell us.

Class was supposed to start 15 minutes ago.

I told Alan I was going to be late.

He should've started without me.

Maybe he didn't get the message.

It appears that you're wrong, Mr. O'Connell.

It looks as if he got somebody's message, all right.

Okay, who found the body?

I did. Lieutenant... Timothy Chance.

You're Jessica Fletcher, right? I've seen your books in the stores.

And he'd read them, except he gets lip burn.

The lady with no class is Lieutenant Cynthia Deveraux.

Is there anything else you'd like to add to the report you gave to the officers?

Well, not really. From what I saw, Mr. Miller was strangled.

Possibly with a piece of electrical cord that was in the room.

Possibly.

But probably not by one of the cords still in the room.

Probably.

I mean, would you leave a piece of crucial evidence laying around like that?

No, I would dump it outside. We're checking the area now.

Well, at least it's an inside murder, not an outside murder.

I hate outside murders, don't you?

Hate them. So how's business?

Excuse me?

Well, when a business partner's killed, the first thing

you want to know is, how's the business doing?

Any outstanding debts, any problems? Wouldn't you agree, Lieutenant Chance?

Definitely, Lieutenant Deveraux.

The business was great.

Alan brought a lot of contracts that paid off big time.

Now it's just gonna be hard to make up the difference, that he's gone.

Then there's no one who might have had a grudge against him?

No, no one.

Well, I'm not sure about that.

The other day I heard Michael having a rather heated conversation

with Linda Truitt.

She said that Mr. Miller had stolen her program for some new computer game.

Who's this Linda Truitt?

She's a freelance designer that Alan worked with, well, until today.

She... She quit and went to work for UNIDAC.

Just one problem. Logistics.

The victim was strangled. He would have put up a fight.

Tough, if the killer was a woman.

Not necessarily.

I noticed his glasses were on the floor, halfway across the room,

and there was a swelling on the back of his head,

as if he could have been hit from behind. If he had been unconscious

when it happened, he could have been killed by a woman.

You always miss these things.

I know, I should attend more staff meetings.

Anybody else see the argument?

Michael Rossari.

But, well, he doesn't seem to be here right now.

It's not surprising. I heard Alan say he was going to fire Michael.

Fire him? What for?

Well, I don't know.

He just said it as I was on the way out. He seemed very upset about it.

Said we'd talk about it later.

You know, for a business that's going great, Mr. St. James,

you've been losing a lot of employees lately.

In more ways than one.

Yeah, okay. Hang on.

Late again, Mikey.

Yeah, I know. I haven't got it.

Then get it. How ain't my problem.

But unfortunately, I'm gonna have to make it your problem.

Well... Well, tell him I'm very, very excited, Susan.

Well, a first child is very important.

That's why I want to be informed the minute that he's born.

I'll be on the first plane to Cabot Cove.

Yeah. Oh, listen, my visitor's arrived.

I'm going to have to run. But remember, call me any time, day or night.

Bye.

Just a minute!

Mrs. Rossari, please come in.

Ahmed told me you were coming up.

Can I take your coat?

Oh, no, no, thank you. I'll only be a minute.

I was just in the neighborhood, and I was wondering if...

Well, I thought maybe you might have heard from Michael.

Oh, no, I'm so sorry, I wish I had. But he hasn't been in touch.

We're so worried about him. The police came by this morning.

They... They said a man was killed.

Well, I'm sure it has nothing to do with Michael.

I hope you're right.

Dominic, he drove past Michael's apartment three times this morning,

looking for him. They argue all the time,

but he loves Michael more than his soul.

If he's got nothing to hide,

why is he doing this?

I wish I knew.

Just put the report on the chair, would you?

Difficult to do, since we haven't written it yet.

A very good point. Who...

Lieutenant Detective Deveraux, NYPD Homicide.

This is Lieutenant Chance.

We'd like to talk to you about...

I know. I can save you a lot of time.

I had nothing to do with Alan's murder.

We have a witness that says you accused Alan

of stealing one of your programs.

Some unpleasant threats were made.

Redundant. All threats are unpleasant.

Point taken.

You bet I threatened him.

We worked together six months on that new game program, and he undercut me.

He published it with only his name on it.

Do you have any idea what that's going to cost me?

A lot of money.

Or 10 to 20, depending on the judge.

Why don't we just cut the dog and pony show, okay?

I had nothing to do with Alan's murder. I don't have to talk to you.

Unless you're going to charge me, and that means a Miranda,

in which case the only thing you're going to get out of me is the name,

address and phone number of my attorney.

You've been watching those TV cop shows again, haven't you?

Hello.

Mrs. Fletcher?

Michael? Where are you? Do you know the police are looking for you?

You parents are frantic. This is just going to make things look bad for you.

Yeah, yeah, I know. But there's something

that might make things look even worse, and that's why I need your help.

I need you to get the police off my tail and onto the guy I think did kill Alan.

Well, I'll certainly do what I can.

Tell the police to check out a guy named Henry Waverly.

He used to be a student of Alan's. I saw them talking a couple of days ago.

He said something about how he wasn't gonna be squeezed for money,

and that if they didn't leave him alone, he'd kill them.

Well, all right, I'll... I'll tell the police.

But it would be much easier if we could at least talk about this in person, Michael.

Yeah, okay. Got a pen?

No, but go ahead.

All right, there's a little park off West Sixth Street.

Go two blocks past where Grayson turns into Brunswick,

then left. It's just around the corner on the right.

I'll be there tomorrow morning at 8:00.

Don't tell anybody, okay?

I mean nobody!

I've got it. I've got it down.

I'll see you tomorrow, Michael.

You said it was important, Mr. St. James?

Well, I think so, but you'll have to decide for yourself.

I hate to drag you out here after hours, and everything, but...

Oh, you can use that phone in there, if you like. Just punch nine.

Well, what have you got?

These.

See, people come to us to learn computers, and we not only teach them,

but we help them select a system that's right for them.

And then we send Michael Rossari out to find the best price.

So? I've been digging around, and...

All these computers are stolen.

See, you can check the ID numbers for yourself.

What exactly was your arrangement with Mr. Rossari?

Every month we'd give him money for computers.

And he could keep what he didn't spend as his commission.

Now, buying hot means he'd be paying less than he would on the open market,

and it'd be a bigger profit for him.

Alan was a straight-up guy.

And I guess he found out what was going on, and decided to fire Michael.

Can I have these?

Sure.

Thanks.

Anything?

Ms. Fletcher, she's got a tip on a guy named Henry Waverly.

Used to be a former student. You?

I got it all. Motive, means and access.

Embarrassment of riches.

Clean living. Does it every time.

Mrs. Fletcher.

Michael. I was beginning to think you weren't coming. Are you all right?

Oh, yeah. Just a professional disagreement.

Did you tell the police about Waverly?

Oh, yes, I did. But there's something I don't understand...

Oh, no. Oh, man...

Michael, don't! If you run, it'll only make things worse.

Halt, police! Hold it!

Michael, I didn't tell anyone. I swear!

Nobody else knew. It had to be you, Mrs. Fletcher, it had to be.

How could you do this to me?

Watch your head. Get in there.

Well, are you sure he got my message?

He did. He doesn't want to see you. I'm sorry.

Well, how is he?

Michael's holding up. But how could a thing like this happen, Mrs. Fletcher?

How could they think that Michael...

Have they charged him with murder?

No, but... But they have enough to hold him for receiving stolen goods.

He said he didn't know they were stolen.

He thought he was buying gray market.

You know, cheap knock-offs with brand names stuck on them.

It's not nice, but it isn't...

They're gonna charge him with murder, aren't they, Mrs. Fletcher?

I'm afraid it looks that way.

What are we going to do?

Find the truth.

Lieutenant, how did you know where to find Michael this morning?

Anonymous tip.

And where did the anonymous source get the information?

Tea leaves, divine inspiration, Ouija boards, who knows?

The tip was right. That's all that matters.

Well, I'm not so sure, Lieutenant.

There's something about all of this that just doesn't add up.

Hello.

Susan! Oh, that's wonderful!

Boy or girl? Great! And how are you feeling?

Oh, that's lovely.

Hey, but now you promised that you'd have your mother call me.

Well, as soon as he was born, and I...

You did call? What time?

No, of course I was at home.

At 4:00 in the morning? I was dead asleep.

Well, but the phone couldn't possibly have been busy.

Well, no, it just doesn't make any sense.

Well, anyway, I'll be up there this weekend,

to see which side of the family Alex takes after.

Well, take great care, Susan, and congratulations!

Yes.

Well, that's impossible.

I mean, how could a phone line be busy if I'm not using it?

Yes, hello, operator.

I was wondering if you could give me a list of phone calls

made from this number in the last 24 hours.

I need to know who I've been calling when I haven't been calling anyone.

Lieutenant... Lieutenant, I have to ask you a question.

No, no, Mrs. Fletcher, you want to ask a question. We have to go to lunch.

So if you don't mind...

Did you talk to the man I referred you to, Henry Waverly?

We did. He has an airtight alibi at the time of the murder.

We know he didn't do it.

Yes, but he might be able to point us at the person who did.

We have to go back and talk to him again. We?

Mrs. Fletcher, please. We haven't eaten all day.

Well, then afterwards, we'll go to this little deli that I know,

and I'll fill you in over a corned beef sandwich. It's my treat. Deal?

She's a force of nature, isn't she?

On the other hand, it is a free lunch.

Point taken.

I told you before, I never threatened Alan.

Yes, but a witness said otherwise.

Yeah, well, it's his word against mine.

And listen to me, that's the last time

that I'm gonna say anything about this, you understand?

Mr. Waverly, I believe there's a great deal more that you could say about all this.

And I believe it has to do with this telephone number.

I thought you might recognize it.

This number was dialed from my apartment

at 4:00 in the morning, but not by me.

I believe that you had a similar experience.

I have a wife and kids.

I have a reputation that I have to protect.

If this gets out, I'm finished.

We're not interested in messing up your family.

All we want is the truth.

Look, I had... I was having an affair, all right?

And I was gonna end it, but then the blackmailing started.

That's what you meant when you told Alan that you refused to pay

what was being demanded of you?

Yeah, but he got real mystified when I told him about it,

like he didn't know what I was talking about.

You see, I thought the two of them were behind it,

but I was wrong, so I went and talked to him again.

Alan knew nothing about the arrangement. Nothing.

What arrangement?

You said you were having an affair. How did they find out?

Through this telephone number.

Which we will have to prove, of course.

Fortunately, I have one or two ideas about how to do that.

Derek. Hey!

What are you doing in this part of town?

Saving your neck, that's what.

Saving my neck? I don't get it.

This is your latest project, right?

Yeah, yeah. So?

Full square block, five-story mall, lots of subterranean parking.

It's big.

What do you think'd happen if the word got out

that you were using inferior material?

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

Oh, I'm talking about a confidential report you sent to one of your partners.

This one. And in it you say that you became aware that a contractor

was supplying you with "dangerously inadequate materials,"

but you decided to keep it quiet to avoid the scandal.

For shame, O'Connell.

What do you think the City Attorney's office would do with this?

What do you want?

Not much.

A modest payment deposited every week to a certain bank account.

Guarantee of silence.

You will find I am a very reasonable man.

I think that Alan Miller might not agree with that description.

But I do want to thank you for providing us with the proof

that we need to support a charge of blackmail and murder.

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

Really?

It's quite simple, once you know what the trick is.

You and Alan ran a computer class for working professionals.

He handled the software, while you took care of the hardware.

Your installation included this, a telephone line.

Each computer was wired into the phone system,

so that your students could dial into another computer,

sending or receiving information over the phone lines.

Well, right. That's standard procedure.

It makes getting the work out so much easier. So?

So, while you were installing the computers,

you slipped in a program without anyone knowing.

At regular intervals,

that program would make our computers dial up your computer

at this phone number.

And I had the police verify that this number belongs to you.

Now, once connected,

our computers would send copies of everything we had entered into them.

It's nonsense.

Is it? I imagine your logic was that everybody has something to hide.

Eventually, you'd get something that you could use.

And it worked.

You found out about Henry Waverly's mistress

through the notes to her he composed on his computer.

And that's how you found out about my meeting with Michael.

I typed the time and place into my computer,

and it was still there when my computer dialed you up that night.

Which is why my line was busy when someone tried to call in.

And that was what tipped me to what you were doing.

When she told me about it, I couldn't believe it.

But I figured, well, we'll give it a try.

So we planted that phony construction memo in my computer,

and we waited.

Sure enough, last night it dialed your computer,

and sent you a copy of that memo.

And when you walked through that door with it,

you literally convicted yourself.

Not nice to run from the lady when she's not finished talking to you.

She's a writer. You should stay for the end of the story.

Yeah, you know, where Waverly got fed up

with the blackmail, and threatened Alan.

Except Alan didn't know anything about it.

And when he figured it out, well, he was something less than a happy camper.

He threatened to expose you.

You couldn't have that.

Bad for business. So you fought, grabbed a cable, and strangled Alan.

Which is also bad for business.

Oh, and sloppy. Very, very sloppy.

Michael, I am so glad to see you.

Me, too. Thanks. I mean, thanks for everything.

Come on in. Thanks.

Come on. Please, sit down.

You ask me, you ought to thank everybody on the planet

that you got out of this thing in one piece.

Here, have some sherry, Mrs. Fletcher.

Thank you. Well, at least you managed to convince the police

that you didn't realize that the computers were stolen. That's a start.

Yeah. And next time you be careful who you buy from, you hear?

Yeah, I hear, I hear. Boy, do I!

I mean, you miss a payment and they don't mess around, these guys.

You know what I mean?

Oh, by the way, I spoke to Dr. Auerbach today,

and he still insists that you can't take my course for credit.

But I checked,

and anyone can audit a class at the discretion of the instructor.

Now, you wouldn't get academic credit for it,

but at least you'd get the experience.

That's great.

And with all this craziness, maybe you'll get a story out of it.

Hey, I thought you didn't approve of all this writing stuff.

Well, when I saw you in that... In that place,

I made a little deal with God.

I said, let him be innocent, let them see that he's all right,

and after that if he wants to be a writer, I'll give him the pencil.

And God did.

With a little help from Jessica Fletcher.

Now, you don't want me to break a promise like that, do you?

After all, with Mrs. Fletcher here, if you don't become a writer,

there's gotta be something wrong with you here.

Who's that?

Relax. Will you relax, Dominic, and put this on?

When Michael came home,

I figured we have to have a party to celebrate!

Oh, no.

Oh, I just invited a few people.