All language subtitles for Murder, She Wrote S08E05 Lines of Excellence.DVDRip.NonHi.en

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.