Ellery Queen (1975) s01e04 Episode Script

In a few minutes, this man is going to be murdered.
The question is, who killed him? Was it the frustrated nephew? Do you really believe that a devoted nephew would kill his uncle? The spurned housekeeper? He had no further need of me.
The fiancé with a shady past? I could get away with murder out here.
The willful heiress? I didn't kill my father! Or was it someone else? Hold it.
I'm sorry, Reverend.
I couldn't find the right door.
Match wits with Ellery Queen and see if you can guess who done it.
Ellery, will you please hurry? What's the rush, Dad? The fish will still be there.
The best fishing's early in the morning.
Then why are we leaving in the middle of the night? Now, what? I can't find my book on famous American murders.
On top of the desk.
Oh, yeah.
Thanks.
Ellery, let's get going.
I can't find my glasses.
In the bookcase.
And if you're looking for your car keys, they're in the ashtray.
- Ashtray? - That one.
Oh, yeah.
You'd forget your head if it wasn't fastened on.
What's the matter with the blasted thing? It's hard to say.
What we need, I think, is a mechanic.
What's the matter with our mechanic? Didn't he see something was wrong when you took it in for a checkup? Checkup? You mean you didn't? Dad, I think I forgot.
Not sure I forgot, but I think I forgot.
How could you forget? We've been planning on this fishing trip for weeks.
We've been talking about nothing else.
As far as this car's concerned, I've turned in better junk to the scrap drive.
Well, here comes a car.
- Hey! Hold it! - Hey! Hey, hey! Stop in the name of the law! That was the sheriff's car.
I know what it was! What do we do now? Are we gonna need the rifle, Sheriff? - Bring it.
We'll see.
- Yes, sir.
[Rings doorbell.]
Morning, Tilda.
Oscar.
What are you doing here? I came over to see Eben Wright.
Mr.
Wright doesn't like to be disturbed when he's in his study.
But, Tilda, he sent for me.
Oh, well, in that case, wipe your feet.
You might have told me you were coming.
What did he say on the phone? Precious little.
Just to hustle on over here with my two deputies.
By the way, Tilda, I hope I can count on your vote come Election Day.
- We'll see.
- Well, here's a little reminder.
I'll pin it on myself if I have a mind to wear it.
I can't think of any place I'd rather see it.
Mr.
Wright is in the study.
Knock.
[Knocking on door.]
Come in.
[Door opens.]
I'd about given up on you.
Well, I tell you, Mr.
Wright, that old county car won't do more than 50.
Been a long time since I nailed a speeder.
What would you have done if this was a real emergency situation.
Well, likely you'd have mentioned it to me on the phone.
What can I do for you, Mr.
Wright? You know my daughter Julia's getting married in two days.
I know that.
Yes, sir.
Right after the ceremony, she and her husband are leaving for their honeymoon.
I'm giving them a very special wedding present.
That's why I called you, Oscar.
I want it guarded while it's in this house.
Some kind of jewelry or something like that? Not really.
Have you ever seen anything like this? What in blue thunder is that? That's a Chinese temple dog solid gold.
- Those red stones.
- Rubies.
And the green ones are emeralds.
This was my wedding gift to my bride Julia's mother.
Its value has increased to nearly half a million dollars.
Is that a fact? When I asked my nephew Warren to bring it up from New York City, I expected him to bring a couple of armed guards with him.
You know Warren.
He throws this gold dog into a suitcase with his underwear, comes up here on the train alone.
Don't you worry none, Mr.
Wright.
I guarantee its safety as long as it's in my county.
- Ralph? - Yes, sir.
You stand out front with your rifle.
Stu, you go 'round back.
You question everybody coming into this house that you don't know personally and search everybody going out, no matter who.
- Got it? - Yes, sir.
Well, get cracking.
Don't you worry about a thing, Mr.
Wright.
Hey, Julia, look at that.
What, darling? It's a deputy sheriff.
There's another one in the front of the house.
It looks like an armed camp.
I don't like that.
What's he doing? He He's waving to somebody in the garden.
- Sir? - Huh? Oh, I'm sorry.
Were you talking to me? I didn't realize.
Would you mind telling me what you're doing out here? Oh, not in the least.
I was just flicking an aphid off that leaf.
What are you doing out here? - You're not the gardener.
- No.
Are you? Now, look, Mister, you got any business in this house? Well, I really don't see what business my business is of yours.
Well, there happens to be a very valuable object in there.
Well, I happen to be the one who brought it from New York.
See, I'm Warren Wright, Eben's nephew.
- Oh, really? - Mm-hm.
Well, I can't take your word for that.
Well, would you like to see some identification? I have my driver's license right here.
Well, I am sorry, Mr.
Wright.
Oh, that's all right.
I understand, Constable.
I live in New York mostly.
No reason why you should know who I am.
Yes, sir.
Deputies are on the job, sir.
You can rest easier now.
I'll check back later on in the day.
Bye now.
I can let myself out, Tilda! - Everything okay, Ralph? - So far.
You did say to check everybody coming out of the house? - Everyone, no matter who.
- Yes, sir.
Sir, then I guess I better check you.
- Me? - Well, yes, sir.
You're a real stickler, Ralph.
Okay.
- Everything okay, Ralph? - Yes, sir.
Good.
I'll see you around lunchtime.
[Clock dings.]
- Sure you won't have one, Julia? - No, thank you.
- Warren, scotch? - Water, please.
This thing is parched.
Tilda, doesn't anyone ever sprinkle the plants around here? I do, when they need it.
Lunch is ready.
Where's Daddy? He always has a glass of sherry before lunch.
- Maybe he's breaking with tradition.
- Eben? Impossible.
I'll fetch him.
Well, good.
That'll give me time to finish this.
Well, here's to the day after tomorrow, honey.
Cheers.
[Tilda screams.]
- Tilda, what is it? - What's the matter? Is Daddy in here? What's wrong? What's wrong? What happened? Ellery, you'll never catch a fish without a fly in the water.
Dad, do you really think there's trout in there? I know there is.
I got a big fella last year on the line, but he broke off.
He's the one I'm after.
You mean you came back here for the same fish? Of course I did.
Ever hear of Moby-Dick? Yes, I have, Captain Ahab.
Tell you what, I'll read, and you fish.
Ellery, there he is.
He just dimpled.
I'm gonna put this right on his nose.
I got it! I got him! Oh, Lord, don't let him break off.
Inspector Queen! Oh! You made me lose my fish! The hotel said I'd find you here.
I take it you are Inspector Richard Queen of the New York Homicide Bureau.
Well, what about it? And you must be Ellery Queen.
We know who we are.
Who are you? Oh.
Henry Palmer.
I own Palmer Groceries in the village.
I'm also running for election against Oscar Eberhart.
Sheriff Eberhart? You know him? I've seen the name.
Well, he's been the incumbent for five terms, and folks are saying it's time for a change.
Now, we got the first murder in this county in 20 years, and I know he's gonna flub it.
Murder? Ellery! Somebody killed Eben Wright.
You know, Wrightsville was named for his great-grandpa.
He's the one who started Wright Galoshes Company.
Never heard of it.
ELLERY: I think I've seen their slogan.
"You can't go wrong with two Wright galoshes.
" That's it.
You can see we got one real important murder investigation.
And I just feel it in my bones that Oscar Eberhart can't handle it.
That's why I came to you.
Be a real feather in my cap if I could get you to step in unofficial-like.
Wrightsville's off my beat.
My dad came up here for a well-earned rest.
What about you? This is a real fascinating murder, Mr.
Queen.
In what way? Ellery! Well, take the way he was killed.
How was he killed? He was hit on the head with a dog.
[Laughs.]
A dog? Chinese dog.
What are you trying to pull, Henry? I thought you could use a little help, Oscar.
I'm very grateful, but everything's under control.
QUEEN: Good.
Glad to hear it.
Come on, Ellery.
We still have the rest of the afternoon.
Dad.
Do you have any lead on the murderer? Well, I wouldn't exactly say that.
Oh, tell the truth, Oscar! You couldn't catch rainwater in a sponge.
Now, just a doggone minute, Henry.
I just wonder what the voters are gonna say about you turning away professional advisers.
- That's what I wonder.
- Well, these fellas can stay.
But you keep your professional advice till I need beans and baloney, especially baloney.
You see what you're up against.
Good luck.
Sheriff, can you tell me where the body was found? Down here.
He was struck from behind while looking at this ledger.
I see.
Beats me how the murderer got out of the house.
My men were watching it, front and back.
- What about the windows? - Stuck.
They've been that way since last year, when the house was painted.
There must be other windows.
Can't all be stuck.
No trace of footprints in the flower beds under the windows.
Sounds like an inside job.
Who else was in the house at the time of the murder? Tilda MacDonald, the housekeeper.
She's the one who found the body.
Julia Wright, the daughter.
And Gordon Wilde, the fella she's gonna marry.
I see.
Just those three? And Warren Wright, Eben's nephew.
Warren tends to be away so much, I forget him.
May I see the murder weapon? Have those things been checked for prints? Yeah.
Wiped clean.
We're not that far out in the sticks, Inspector.
Thank you.
Ralph, take this evidence down to the sheriff's office and lock it up.
Is that the ledger you were talking about? Yep.
Found it where he dropped it, open to the page I marked with a tag.
"W.
W.
"Warren Wright? It appears Eben kept a record of every penny Warren spent.
In red ink.
He wrote him off as a loss.
Well, that's Warren, all right.
I wonder if he was holding it when he was struck? Don't forget this, Ralph.
- What's in the box? - Personal effects.
I haven't had a chance to check them yet.
I was hoping they'd be cigars.
- Do you mind if I talk to Tilda? - She's out back.
- You want to talk to everybody? - Sooner or later, yeah.
- You coming, Dad? - No, thanks.
I came to catch trout, not murderers.
Enjoy yourself.
I'm going fishing.
I don't know what else I can tell you, except what I've already told Sheriff Eberhart.
Well, when you found the body, Mrs.
MacDonald Miss MacDonald.
I'm not married.
I'm sorry.
Miss MacDonald, when you found the body, where was the weapon? On the floor, near his head.
There was blood on it.
It was his blood.
I see.
Do you know if there was anything taken from the room? No.
Whatever the reason for murdering Eben, it wasn't robbery.
Do you know if he ever had any violent disagreements with anyone? - You mean his nephew Warren? - Yeah.
Did he quarrel with him? - They had their differences.
- I see.
- Well, could you tell me? - What? I don't eavesdrop, Mr.
Queen.
You want to know anything about that, you discuss it yourself with Mr.
Warren Wright.
This is kind of a strange time to be doing laundry, isn't it? I don't think so.
A body can't just sit around and mope.
You were fond of him? He was very good to me.
I came here to tutor his daughter, Julia, after his wife passed away, and then I just stayed on to manage his affairs and run his house.
What are you going to do now? I'm gonna put the wash away.
No, I mean after you leave this house.
I haven't really thought about it.
Excuse me.
I don't know anything about Mr.
Ellery Queen, and I don't see why we have to answer any of his questions.
Aren't there enough local cops without sending out for more? It's not my idea, Mr.
Wilde.
Then tell him to go away.
You're in charge, aren't you? Well, yes, I am, but there are certain things that - Are you in charge, or aren't you? - Yes, I am, Ma'am.
But there are some who think that Mr.
Queen would be helpful in my investigation.
I get the distinct aroma of politics.
Why does Mr.
Queen want to question us? Well, it's not just you.
It's everyone who was in the house at the time of the murder.
Do you mean that we are suspected of? I can't even say it.
What about it, Sheriff? Are we suspects, huh? I'm sure that no one thinks that Miss Wright had anything to do with it.
What about me? Well, I don't know what goes on in Mr.
Queen's mind.
- Did he mention me specifically? - Gordon.
I need a rest.
I feel a terrible headache coming on.
What am I going to tell Mr.
Queen? Tell him we're in my room.
You know you're fishing in my spot? I didn't see no sign, stranger.
Why don't you keep going right on downstream? I don't want to go downstream.
The fish I want is right here.
You mean you seen him the big fella? Seen him? I hooked him twice.
Well, if you can, so can I.
Not with that yellow fly, you won't.
He's only taken to red.
Oh, red flies, blue flies.
It don't make no difference.
You're just wasting your time.
Why don't you step out of there? Let me take a crack at him? - I got him! - You have? Will! You're wanted in town.
Oh, doggone it! Aw, that's too bad.
Oh, the sheriff sent me for you.
I've been looking all over.
- What's so all-fired important, Stu? - Well, there's been a murder.
Oh, that's a fine way to spoil a man's fishing.
What have you got to do with the murder? I'm the county coroner.
Who's dead, Stu? - Eben Wright.
- Eben? - That's right, Will.
- What happened to him? Got hit in the head with a dog.
A dog? Didn't even know he had a dog.
Well, come on, Stu.
We got work to do.
It's all yours, friend.
Where is everybody? Miss Wright and Mr.
Wilde have gone upstairs.
Before you go, Mr.
Queen, I don't want you to get the wrong idea, but Mr.
Wright was a very powerful man in this county, and I was counting on him in my election.
Now that he's dead You're hoping his daughter will give you her support.
Well, that's about the size of it.
Have you questioned her at all? Well, no.
I don't want to upset any apple carts.
I can understand the political wisdom of that, but, you see, I'm not running for office, so maybe I can ask a few questions without stepping on any toes.
- You'll keep me informed? - Absolutely.
Much obliged, Mr.
Queen.
Proud to have you on the team.
Oh, yeah.
Thank you.
First door.
You can't miss it.
It's just so horrible.
But why would anybody want to do a thing like that? It just doesn't make sense.
I know this is a bad time to be asking questions.
It's a lousy time! Can't you see she's all broken up, the poor kid? Yes, but I have to find out a couple of things.
It's all right.
I have to get straight in my own mind where everybody in this house was at the time of the murder.
- I was here, in my room.
- I see.
- Mr.
Wilde? - Why should I tell you? Well, you're gonna have to tell somebody.
Gordon, please.
Gordon was with me in my room.
- Julia.
- We did nothing wrong.
I know.
Besides, we're going to be married.
Yes, I know that.
Oh, and Daddy won't be here to give me away.
- Anything else, Queen? - Yes.
Did Eben Wright object to your marrying his daughter? That has nothing to do with it! Daddy was wrong! Gordon is not marrying me for his money! But it's your money now most of it, anyway.
That is, unless he spent it all.
Spent it? Mr.
Queen, my father held on to the first dollar he ever earned, the last dollar, and every dollar in between.
But his wedding gift is very, very generous.
That Chinese monstrosity? Daddy knew what I really wanted, and he could have given it to me easily.
What was that? I wanted him to make Gordon a full partner in the company.
- Then you didn't want the dog? - Of course not.
It was on loan to the museum for the remainder of Daddy's lifetime.
I couldn't even sell the dreadful thing.
All I could do was send it back to the museum after the wedding.
I mean, what kind of a present is that? Oh, I sound so mean and vindictive.
I did love him.
Really, I did.
Do you see what you've done? You ask her one more question, and you're gonna have to answer to me! I'd I'd watch that temper of yours if I were you, Mr.
Wilde.
Plants are a hobby of mine.
I certainly have had lots of time to pursue my hobby much too much time.
You didn't work for the family, Mr.
Wright? Oh, no.
Uncle Eben wouldn't let me near the place.
He claimed I lacked business sense.
Occasionally, he did use me for an errand boy, but he never never consulted me on anything important never.
And you resented that? Well, it was a family business, and I was his only-living male relative.
I mean, I should have had some say.
- Well, I guess you will.
- You think so? Well, I'm sure you'll inherit your share.
Yes, my fair share.
Yes, that's true.
And I'm going to need an office, aren't I? - What? - An office.
I must pick out an office with lots of light.
That way, I can surround myself with ferns.
- Ferns? - Ferns.
- That'll make you happy? - Ferns? Ferns make me happy? What a question.
Now let me ask you one.
Do you really believe that a devoted nephew would kill his uncle simply to gain control of a galoshes factory? Well, that would depend on how much the factory's worth.
Millions! I thought you knew that.
When rubber was impossible to get during the war, they started making plastics.
In the right hands, this factory could be a gold mine.
- He was talking to me, Tilda.
- Oh, you're quite right.
Quite right.
Mr.
Queen, there's some lovely, fresh coffee inside.
- Wouldn't you like some? - Yes, I would.
Thank you.
I see your game, Tilda.
You just want him to think I had a good reason for killing Uncle Eben.
I can't think of anyone who had a better reason.
Oh, can't you? Well, think harder! Look, don't you try to throw suspicion on me.
I happen to know what Eben thought of you.
And I happen to know what he thought about you, my dear, so just keep out of my way! [Honks horn.]
Hi, Dad.
Hope you had better luck than I did.
Only the mosquitoes were biting.
I did more scratching than fishing.
Is that what you're using for bait? Oh.
The sheriff started campaigning as soon as I drove up.
You know, Palmer's right.
This murder's too much for Eberhart.
He's running scared.
Well, what do you think, Ellery? Did the nephew do it? Dad, I thought you were only interested in fish.
If it was the nephew, why did he pick now to kill Eben Wright? The wedding.
Eben Wright was about to acquire a new son-in-law.
Now, this made Warren's position even more insecure.
Now, Julia made it quite clear that her father had no intention of taking Gordon into their business.
Yeah, but you told me that Eben Wright never consulted Warren about important matters.
Maybe Warren didn't even know about it.
It's that "maybe" that bothers me.
All right.
I'll give you one without a maybe.
Julia Wright is disappointed because her father isn't gonna take her new husband into the company as a partner.
With Papa dead, she inherits a goodly share of said company, and her husband winds up with his partnership, after all.
Now, Ellery, you got to admit, that makes sense.
What? I can't hear you, Dad.
I'm in the shower.
Are you expecting somebody? [Knocking on door.]
Yeah? Oh.
Well, how's it going, Inspector? You catch him? Not after you scared him away.
- The killer? - The fish.
What about the murder investigation? You'll have to ask my son about that.
- Oh, hi, Mr.
Palmer.
- Evening.
Did you find any good clues? Hard to say.
I'll have to sleep on it.
Yeah.
We were just about to turn in.
I thought you city folks were night owls.
Only in the city.
In the country, we go to bed with the chickens.
Gotcha.
We'll get together first thing in the morning.
Oh, no.
No.
We're getting up at the crack of dawn to go fishing.
Oh, say, I brought you a little something to make up for before.
Surefire for those big babies.
Hey, those are nicely tied.
A hobby of mine.
I tie the best trout flies in the county.
They're yours.
Watch the hook.
Thank you, Mr.
Palmer.
I'll use those first thing in the morning.
Mr.
Palmer, do you know the county coroner? - Will Bailey? - Yeah.
I sure ought to.
I lost 8 bucks to him at draw poker last night.
Why, you want to meet him? Yes, I'd like to ask him a couple of questions.
Well, he has breakfast every day at the coffee shop.
We'll see him there tomorrow.
I guess I won't be trying these first thing in the morning.
- Dad, do you mind? - Oh, no.
No.
Did anybody think I just came up here to go fishing? - Good night.
- Good night.
- Good night.
- Good night.
[Gargling.]
People are dying all over the place.
Never know who they're gonna bring in next, snuffed out in the prime of life.
The trouble is, people don't take care of themselves.
It was all them wartime shortages.
Why, nowadays, people act like pigs.
Uh, could I have a little more of the maple syrup and a couple more pats of butter, please, Mamie? - Sure thing.
- Thank you, Mamie.
They got me so busy, I hardly have time to even get my fishing boots wet.
If there's anything I like, it's fishing.
And eating.
Just black coffee for me, Mamie.
What about you, hon? Cream and sugar? - Huh? - You want some cream and sugar? It's no use.
He can't make any major decisions until he's had his morning coffee.
Well, how does he take it? Leftover, lukewarm, and lumpy.
Did I tell you I got that big fella on my line again yesterday, Henry? Yeah.
And he got away from you again, right, Will? [Laughs.]
Mr.
Bailey, you were about to tell us about Eben Wright.
Speaking as the next sheriff, Will, I'd appreciate any information you can give these crime experts that I personally brought into the case for the good of all the people of this county.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, I gave him a thorough examination, head-to-toe.
The voters can rest assured that, come Election Day, I will be just as thorough in my pursuit of lawbreakers.
- What did you find out, Mr.
Bailey? - Not very much.
Don't hold anything back, Will.
The people have a right to know.
If you'll stop campaigning for a minute, I'll tell the people! Now, in my judgment, Eben expired as a result of being struck on the head.
Well, that's hardly news.
Was it a hard blow? Hard enough to do the job.
Could a woman have done it? Possible.
Now we're getting somewhere.
What about bruises or lacerations? Anything that might indicate a struggle? No.
As I say, the killer was behind him.
Probably never knew what hit him.
No, there were no more marks on the body at all, except Except what? Speak up, Will.
It's your duty as a public servant.
Well, I was looking under his fingernails through a magnifying glass.
I thought maybe I might find some scrapings of skin or hair.
And? Well, all I found was a minute puncture in the ball of his right thumb.
He must have got that just before he died.
A puncture in the thumb? Well, here it is.
See for yourself right there in the M.
E.
Report.
Thank you.
"Puncture in the ball of the right thumb.
" Now, what the heck does that have to do with the way he was killed? He was hit over the head.
I didn't say he wasn't.
I said he had a hole in his thumb.
- Does it mean anything, Ellery? - I'm not sure, Dad.
Coroner, do you happen to remember what was in his pockets? Oh, the usual keys, coins, handkerchief.
Nothing more than you'd expect to find in somebody's pocket.
Take yourself, Mr.
Queen.
What have you got in your pockets right this minute? I can tell you that a hole.
I know because I had to pick up the tab for breakfast.
Here's the forms you wanted, Will.
What's this, some kind of caucus? Oscar, this has nothing to do with politics.
Well, he wouldn't be here if it didn't.
It seems like somebody's nose is out of joint.
I'm not worried about some grocery clerk putting his thumb on the scales of justice.
Now, see here, both of you.
Quit your campaigning.
The coroner's office is above petty politics.
Yeah, till next election, when you have to run again.
Sheriff, I'm glad you're here.
We were just talking about the confiscated belongings taken from Eben Wright's body.
You suppose I could have a look at them? Will tell you about the telegram that was found on him? Telegram? Come to think of it, there was a telegram.
I forgot about that.
How many dead men you examine have telegrams in their pocket? [Laughs.]
Not many.
I'd like to know more about that telegram.
Since you know this much, it was from New York a private detective named Sykes.
It said, "A full report on G.
W.
Will follow.
" G.
W .
Gordon Wilde.
Eben Wright was having his son-in-law-to-be investigated? Dad, do you think you could call Sergeant Velie and have him talk to Sykes? Okay, Sykes, let's hear it.
Look, I don't have to tell you nothing about nothing.
I know my rights.
You see that? I'm a licensed private investigator.
I don't have to take no pushing around from the police department.
What was in that report you made for Eben Wright? That is confidential information.
If you want to find out, ask my client.
Your client's dead.
Well, if he won't tell you, neither will I.
Aw, come on, Sarge.
Let me go back to work, huh? Tell me about Gordon Wilde.
Never heard of him.
Here's the Sykes file you wanted from Traffic, Sergeant.
Thanks, Gracie.
- Well, Algy, what do we got here? - What? What do you have there? Parking violations unpaid.
And here's a speeding citation, an illegal turn.
And here's another where you knocked a guy's fender off and left the scene.
This could cost you your license, Algy.
What about it? [Sighs.]
Okay, Sarge.
What do you want to know? [Door opens.]
- Any calls, Ralph? - No, sir.
Inspector Queen's expecting a call from New York.
Get the key for the property lockup.
You gonna look at the evidence in the Wright case? I made a list of everything, if there's something special you want to see.
I'd like to see the personal effects.
Oh, yes, sir.
Got them in a cigar box.
This has been tampered with, Sheriff.
What are you talking about? - Well, the lock's been jimmied.
- Well, open it.
It's empty.
Somebody stole the evidence.
Doesn't say much for your security, Sheriff.
Ralph, did you leave this office for one minute? No, sir, I sure didn't.
Well, maybe for one minute, when I went to check the cells.
There's nobody in the cells.
Well, it says on my duty schedule to check the cells every hour on the hour.
That means if we've got a prisoner in the lockup.
It doesn't say that, Sheriff.
Deputy, you mentioned a list of evidence.
Oh, yes, sir.
I listed everything that went there, in detail.
- May I see that list? - Oh, you bet.
I've got it right here.
Uh, somewhere.
Would this be it? - Oh, yeah.
In detail.
- Thank you.
The evidence pointed to somebody, and, what's more, somebody knew it.
Is that any use? Well, it's certainly detailed.
It even has the exact amount of change that Eben Wright was carrying "Keys, pocket comb, handkerchief white cotton.
Wristwatch gold.
Ring monogrammed, gold.
One telegram from New York.
" - That's it.
- No, it's not, Dad.
The cigar box wasn't all that was stolen.
Yeah.
The ledger and the murder weapon.
Looks like a case of grand larceny in the sheriff's office.
How's that gonna look on Election Day? Not too good.
While you were checking empty cells.
[Telephone rings.]
Sheriff's office.
Oh, yeah, just a minute.
He's right here.
Long distance, Inspector Queen.
Yeah, Velie.
What you got? An earful, Inspector.
Algy Sykes is a slow starter, but he had a lot to say after I got him going.
For instance, "Gordon Wilde" is only an alias.
What else did Sykes say? No kidding.
All right.
Thank you, Sergeant.
Talk to you later.
What did he have to say, Dad? Gordon Wilde had an arrest record going back to reform-school days.
And if Wilde knew that report was on its way, I'm not surprised the late Mr.
Wright is the late Mr.
Wright.
I found the telegram right here on the table, after I returned from shopping.
- Then it came when you were out.
- Well, yes.
Otherwise, I would have taken it straight in to Mr.
Wright's study.
Of course.
That means somebody else signed for it.
Well, I got that.
So many telegrams came in for Julia's wedding that the boy began leaving them under the door.
Wilde found it, opened it, read it, and resealed it.
- Why didn't he just destroy it? - Why don't you ask him? Ralph, bring down Mr.
Wilde for questioning.
Yes, sir.
- Did I hear Gordon's name? - Oh, yes, Miss Wright.
There are a few questions that only your fiancé can answer for us.
- Questions about what? - His past, for one thing.
Oh, dear.
You don't seem too surprised.
Ralph, what's taking you so long? Bring him down! Wilde ain't in his room, Sheriff.
I looked everywhere.
He ain't up here at all.
- Do you know where he is? - No.
Search the rest of the house.
Start in that room.
He can't be in there.
I just came from there.
Maybe he's in the garden.
Unless I miss my guess, he's nowhere near the house.
He saw us coming and knew we were onto him.
Gordon wouldn't run away.
Even if he knew he was suspected of murder? Oh! Oh! Oh! [Coughing.]
What happened? Well, you seem to have fainted.
When Mr.
Queen said that Gordon was the murder suspect.
Now, Tilda, you know that's ridiculous.
Julia, maybe it's time you stopped playing the Little Princess and began to face a few unpleasant facts about your Prince Charming.
I will not have you speaking to me that way.
Please leave this room.
Of course, Miss Julia.
And this house as soon as possible.
Do you think Gordon killed my father? Well, there's a lot of circumstantial evidence that points in that direction.
But Gordon would never hurt anybody.
Well, he threatened me.
But you know he didn't mean it.
That was just a temper flare-up.
What evidence? Uh, the telegram telling your father that a report on G.
W.
Was on the way.
It was downstairs on the table.
- Now, if he opened it - That's ridiculous.
Anybody could have opened it.
Well, that's true.
Even you could have.
You've been receiving congratulatory telegrams all week.
- You could have opened it.
- No.
And found out your father was having your fiancé investigated by a private detective.
It's not true.
Confronted him with it, quarreled with him, picked up the nearest heavy object a Chinese dog No, Mr.
Queen, I swear it.
I never saw that telegram, and I didn't kill my father! I only said it could have happened.
Anyone could have opened that telegram.
I don't know why it would concern anybody else.
Would you excuse me for just a moment? Put me through to the state police barracks, please.
Your dad went out to check on the cars in the garage to see if Wilde borrowed one.
Right.
Right.
Yeah, this is Sheriff Eberhart in Wrightsville.
Harry, we've got a murder suspect on the loose.
Yeah, I want you to send out an all-points highway bulletin.
He goes under the name of Gordon Wilde.
The description's as follows.
Sorry.
Hope I didn't interrupt your train of thought.
Oh, my train isn't going anywhere.
That's a nice fern.
Yes.
Maidenhair.
It could be nicer.
The poor thing's been neglected.
My uncle didn't always give me free access to his study.
Now, of course, I can come and go as I please.
Did you ever grow succulents? Well, I've had some small success with echeveria.
- Cactus plants? - Yes.
I do prefer ferns, though, don't you? I mean, they're so fragile.
Warren, when you brought that Chinese temple dog up from New York, where where did your uncle keep it? Where did he put it? Well, he put it right there.
I mean, that's the last place I saw it.
Right here, huh? If you're looking for dust, you won't find any.
You can say what you want about Tilda MacDonald.
She's a gem of a housekeeper.
Why my uncle didn't ask her to marry him years ago, I'll never know.
Would Tilda have married him if he asked her? In a flash.
I mean, she's been in love with him for years.
I thought the whole town knew that.
I'm from out of town, remember? Yes, I loved him with all my heart.
How did he feel about you? I thought he loved me, too, till his daughter got engaged.
For years, he used Julia as an excuse for not marrying me.
"It wouldn't look right.
" Oh, I heard it all.
I believed it, too.
I had no reason to think that he'd lie to me.
But once Julia was married, he wouldn't have had that excuse.
That same thought occurred to me in the middle of one night.
I mentioned it to Eben.
He said it was too late for marriage.
He was too old.
He was too set in his ways.
He wanted to maintain the status quo.
No.
I would have accepted that.
I loved him.
No, he said something quite different.
He wanted to give this house to the children as a surprise wedding present when they came back from their honeymoon.
He was gonna find a small apartment in town.
He had no further need of me.
I hated him for that.
How much? Oh, not that much.
- Ellery! - Dad.
Why didn't you tell somebody you were coming out here? What's the matter, Dad? We found out how Gordon Wilde got away.
He used his fiancé's car.
But I've got a good notion that she gave him the keys.
Well, so what? She loved him.
She'd do anything for him.
Yeah, well, I think she knows where he went.
But she's locked herself in her room.
She won't come out.
If she's done herself any harm - Have you got the key? - I do.
Hurry! Hurry! Another chicken flew the coop.
She's gone to him.
They're running off together.
I'll give the state police a description.
Wait.
I have a hunch where they might have gone, but I'd like to go alone.
- You can't do that.
- Please.
Just give me one hour.
Stop here.
Here in the middle of nowhere? Seems like a Ionely spot to leave a young lady.
- How much do I owe you? - 50 cents even.
- Keep the change, Delbert.
- Thank you, Ma'am.
I still feel bad about leaving you all by yourself out here.
- I'll be all right.
- Okay.
Gordon? Gordon, where are you? - Here.
- Oh! - Oh, you frightened me.
- I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I heard a car drive up, and I didn't want to take a chance on being seen.
That was the taxi.
I sent it away.
- You sure you weren't followed? - Positive.
Now, you intend to go through with this? Yes, but I do wish you'd go back and talk to them.
No.
Absolutely not.
- But, Gordon - Listen.
Do you trust me? You know I do.
I lied for you, didn't I? You didn't lie.
- I told Ellery you were in my room.
- I was.
But I let him think you were there the whole time.
I didn't tell him that you left and were gone for several minutes.
I went to get a drink.
You didn't come back with a drink.
Is that how you trust me? Okay, okay.
I decided it was too early and settled, instead, for a glass of water.
Do you believe that? I love you.
That's what's important.
In other words, you don't have to believe me.
But what about later? Are you gonna look at me across the breakfast table some morning and wonder whether I've been telling the truth? No.
Never.
So I'm okay 'cause you want me to be? Prison, criminal records doesn't matter? Not to me.
You know, we're miles from the nearest house.
If you screamed, nobody could hear you.
I could get away with murder out here.
- Do you still trust me? - Yes.
Do you, Gordon, take this woman in holy matrimony, to love and to cherish in sickness and in health, so long as you both shall live, so help you God? I do.
And do you, Julia? Hold it.
JULIA: Ellery! Don't pay any attention to him.
He can't break in like this.
Julia I'm sorry, Reverend.
I couldn't find the right door.
Julia, do you know what you're doing? She's getting married to me.
Now go away.
- He never saw that telegram.
- Then why did he run? What was I gonna do? I saw those cops coming back.
I'm an ex-con.
He panicked.
Can you understand that? Let's talk.
Can this wait until later? I have a christening at 11:30.
We don't have anything to talk about, Queen.
You're just like all the rest of them.
You see a guy with a record, and you're ready to pin a murder on him.
If you'll just listen to me for one moment.
I told you to go away.
Don't do that! Stop it! The poker.
Of course.
I should have thought of that.
I know who killed Eben Wright, and I'll bet you do, too.
The fireplace poker's important because it wasn't used.
Oh, and don't forget the puncture in the victim's right thumb.
And the murder weapon.
Got it? It's a good chance for you to campaign, Henry.
You don't get a crowd this size every day.
Since they didn't come to hear you.
Is everybody here? Well, half the Wrights, it looks to me.
Ralph, you stand by that door and don't let anybody out.
Yes, sir.
A rather unusual crime took place in this room.
The murder weapon was a valuable art object a gold Chinese temple dog encrusted with precious jewels.
But why was it the murder weapon? Let's see what happened.
Eben Wright was standing here, taking a ledger off this stand.
Now, his back was to most of the room, including the fireplace.
Now, if the killer had struck out of anger, malice, or frustration, or simply a desire to be rid of Eben Wright, why not do the easiest thing grab the most obvious weapon in the room? Now, I admit, that's a bit of a cliché, but it sure would have served the purpose.
And it was a lot more convenient than the Chinese dog, which is over here.
That choice was deliberate.
The killer wanted to strike Eben with that dog.
Do you think there was some special significance in that? WARREN: Yeah, that's good.
Maybe you should look for a man named Rex or Rover.
No, the truth is a lot simpler.
It has to do with the motive robbery.
But, Ellery, there's nothing missing.
- Oh, yes, there is.
- What? The dog is missing.
Forget that it's a murder weapon and remember that it's a valuable art object, because that's what the killer had in mind when he chose it as the means of killing Eben Wright.
He couldn't carry it out of the house with the two deputies watching.
But he knew that after the murder, it would be taken out as part of the evidence.
So all the time, he was planning to steal it right out from under the sheriff's nose.
Well, let's go back for just a minute.
The killer has just struck, and Eben Wright has fallen to the floor.
But a flicker of life remains, and he desperately wants to leave us a clue to the killer's identity.
But as the killer places the Chinese dog next to his victim, he sees that feeble movement, and he tries to pry open Eben Wright's hand to remove that incriminating evidence without noticing that it has pricked Wright's thumb.
Dad, you saw a list of the items taken from Wright's body.
Was there anything there that would have caused the puncture? Nothing with a sharp point.
Well, but there should have been, because he gave one to everybody else even to me.
Get out of my way, Ralph! Sheriff, you said not to let anybody out anybody.
I saw the handwriting on the wall.
I was gonna lose the election.
I started out as a deputy more years ago than I can care to remember.
What would I do now? I'm too old to start over again as a deputy.
My record's not good enough to get me elected anywhere else.
All those years of hard work, and you wind up with nothing.
And then Eben Wright showed you that statue.
All those rubies and whatnot that could be pried off and the gold melted down and sold separately.
That's enough to make a body mighty comfortable in his old age.
The idea just flashed into my head.
I hit him with it, just the way Mr.
Queen said.
Later on, I pried open the property box in my office and took the Chinese dog and all the other evidence.
It's hidden in my house, down in the basement, behind the furnace.
- Ralph, you got the cuffs? - Yes, sir.
I hope you fellas realize I had it figured all the time.
Is that a fact? Oh, sure.
Easy as pie.
Well, next year when you come up this way again, be sure and drop by the sheriff's office and say hello.
I'll be there.
Let's go fishing, Dad.