Murder, She Wrote s02e16 Episode Script
60312 - Murder in the Electric Cathedral
Don't let them change my will.
They're all after my money.
- Friends, bless you all.
- Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.
We got it! Her will! Praise the Lord! I suspect that Carrie was poisoned.
The chief and half the staff just went on sick leave- - Leaving you- - Leaving me holding a sackful of diamondback rattlers.
You were with my husband at midnight? WillieJohn was ministering to my needs.
Oh, now, stop this! Have you lost your senses? Now, you oughta be in jail, which is where you're gonna be, WillieJohn.
And I say to you, my friends, those of you who want to believe will believe.
Those of you who listen for his voice will hear his voice, And those who give themselves to him will be received ofhim.
There is a place for you- all of you-in his heavenly firmament.
He is waiting- his arms open wide, waiting to clasp you to his beautiful bosom and warm you with his love.
Surrender yourself now, my friends.
Open your hearts and receive him.
And I say to you, you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
My prayers and those of my beloved wife, Sister Ruth, are with you always.
If you are troubled, if you are sick and in pain, if you feel as if you've been forsaken, write us a letter, even a postcard.
Let us know how we can help to ease your burden, for we are family- one family in the sight of God, and our thoughts and prayers will be with you.
Two, Sister Ruth.
Move in for a close-up.
Now, for those of you in the Omaha area, Sister Ruth and I will be appearing the weekend ofJuly 9 and 10 at Carlstad Stadium and the following weekend in Denver at the Malloy Auditorium.
Widen out, three, so we can see their choir.
Make your plans now.
Friends, neighbors, we love you.
Keep us in your prayers as we keep you in ours and bless you all.
Take the cross.
Start the crawl.
And cue Edgar.
You have been listening to the Reverend WillieJohn Fargo from the Electric Cathedral.
To receive a copy of Reverend Fargo's inspirational sermon, send one dollar to the Church of the Electric Cathedral - What's that big grin for? Well, what happened? We sell out in Omaha? Better than that, WillieJohn.
We got it! Her will! She just recorded it! We got it? Every last cent.
Praise the Lord! Oh, Harvey, that's wonderful! At 1,800 feet, that drill hits the sandstone substrata, and by Wednesday, we punch through at 2,600 feet, and wham-we got ourselves another gusher! - Thank you.
- Daddy! Daddy, you're not gonna believe this! What, Alice finally file for divorce, Sam? Hell, Daddy, this is serious.
This time she's gone too damn far! Damn right! Oh, there must be some mistake.
This doesn't look like a hog farm.
Nope, Old Wendell's hog farm is down the road about 10 miles, sittin' on a five-mile pool of Oklahoma crude.
There's only one Carrie McKittrick in these parts, and she is a pistol.
Jessica? Jessica! Well, you did ask me to stop by if I ever came to Oklahoma.
Come on in.
Carrie, I'm amazed that you even recognized me.
My goodness, you know, it's more than 30 years.
At my age, It's last month I have trouble remembering.
Besides, I still keep up with my readin'.
Miss Carrie.
Thank you, Ethel.
Can I give you some help? Don't fuss me, Ethel.
I can still pour tea.
You know, if it hadn't been for your encouragement, there might not have been any books.
You were a joy to teach, child.
That is what I miss most- the teaching and- and Wendell, of course.
He passed on 15 years ago, God rest his soul.
Jessica, I have met the most wonderful man.
He's such a comfort to me.
You must meet him while you're here.
Oh, dear, I would love to, but I do have a plane to catch.
Oh, nonsense.
You must stay over.
So many things I want to talk to you about.
Come on, boy! Mama! Mama, I told ya! I told ya! Lord Almighty, that's my grandson, Sam.
I hope he and Alice haven't had another fight.
Look, if I've come at an awkward time- Fiddlesticks.
I want you to meet him.
We'll get this thing straightened out! Harvey, what in the world? How could you do this to us? And behind our backs? You two, mind your manners, and say howdy-do toJessica Fletcher.
Jessica, Harvey, my stepson- You can't cut your own kin out of McKittrick Oil! Changin'your will and recordin'it with the county! You have got more than you will ever need! I'll do with mine as I see fit.
Leavin' controllin' interest in McKittrick Oil to WillieJohn Fargo? - Are you insane, Mama? - Mr.
McKittrick! Please, this is no good for Carrie.
- Now, you stay outta this! - And you get out of my parlor and stay out until you remember your manners! That preacher's made you crazy in the head! We're goin' to the lawyers.
We're gonna have you declared non compos mentis! We're gonna have that will invalidated! Lord, forgive those boys their selfishness- Oh! Oh, Carrie! Ethel! Ethel! Sit down, dear.
It's all right.
She has a weak heart.
Dr.
Brady, how is she? Is she going to be all right? Well, we won't know for certain till we get some test results back.
Oh.
May I see her? Might be the best medicine for her.
Sue Beth, would you take Mrs.
Fletcher into 207? Thank you.
Sure.
- Jessica.
- My, you're looking better.
Oh, I'm so sorry this had to happen on your visit, Jessica.
Damned heart.
Always kicking up at the wrong times.
I've decided to stay over a few days until you're feeling more like yourself.
Jessica, if anything should happen to me- Oh, nothing's going to happen to you, Carrie.
But if it should, don't let them change my will.
They'll try.
They're all after my money, except Alice.
You just concentrate on getting better.
Worry about the money later.
Jessica, please.
Of course.
I promise.
Sister Carrie? WillieJohn.
I was laboring in the Lord's vineyard, videotaping Sunday's sermon, when a voice came to me.
"Carrie McKittrick needs you.
Go to her.
" And as I rushed here, I prayed mightily.
"Our Sister Carrie's work on this Earth is not finished, Lord.
Don't take her from us yet.
" It's such a comfort to have you here.
You're in the hands of the Lord, Carrie.
I feel stronger already.
Oh, this is an old friend, Jessica Fletcher.
Reverend WillieJohn Fargo, the man I told you about.
How do you do, Reverend Fargo? Our dear friend is in good hands here, Miss Jessica.
While the good Lord never gave me the gift ofhealing, he did provide a means to build this clinic.
- This is your clinic? - Part of my Electric Cathedral.
Oh.
I'm afraid I didn't notice any cathedral.
Well, there isn't any church building as such.
My ministry's electronic.
We reach out through the miracle of television.
- I see.
- Miss Jessica, I wonder if you'd mind.
I'd like to pray privately a few moments with Miss Carrie.
- Oh, of course.
- Sue Beth? She's gotta be over 80.
She can't live forever.
Earl, please, will you stop this? Look, the way WillieJohn spends it, we're gonna need every penny.
Oh, Mrs.
Fletcher? Yes.
They told me you were with Mrs.
McKittrick.
I'm Sister Ruth Fargo.
This is Earl Fargo, my husband's brother.
How do you do? Pleasure.
Is she feeling any better? Yes, a little, I think.
I was devastated by the news.
She is such a delightful woman.
I wanna talk to someone in authority! Who's in charge here? You! Where is she? We're gettin' her outta here! Mrs.
McKittrick is under the private care of Dr.
Brady.
What room you got her in? What's going on here? This is a hospital! You just get her ready.
We're gonna take her home! Mrs.
McKittrick is seriously ill.
She can't be moved.
- And keep your voices down! - She's alive, ain't she? And we aim to keep it that way.
We're gonna get an ambulance, take her to Tulsa General! I can't allow you to do that.
I'll bet you can't, considerin'who signs your paycheck! Excuse me, all of you! I mean, Carrie is resting quietly.
The last thing she wants is a family squabble.
This ain't none of your business! Seems to me Miss Jessica's on the Lord's side here, Sam.
Oh, you Bible-thumping charlatan! You brainwashed the old woman into givin' you all her money! Not to me, to the work of the Lord.
You oughta be in jail, which is where you're gonna be, as soon as I get ahold of the district attorney to file charges of fraud and embezzlement! Oh, now, stop this! Have you lost your senses? I mean, this behavior is unforgivable! Mrs.
Fletcher is right.
If you want to fight, do it someplace else, but not in my hospital! We're leavin', Preacher, for Mama's sake.
But if anything happens to her, you're gonna have a lot to answer for.
Oh, Jessica.
Jessica, has Alice been here? Alice? Sam's wife.
- Oh.
- I'd like to see her, please, Jessica.
- Would you phone her for me? - Oh, yes, of course.
- Tell her I'm here.
- You really shouldn't have any visitors.
She might get more rest if we left her alone.
There's a waiting room just down the hall.
I will phone Alice.
Try to get some more sleep, Carrie.
Code blue! Code blue! Room 207! Code blue.
Attention, all available personnel.
Code blue, Two West.
Code blue.
Attention, all available personnel.
Code blue.
Mrs.
McKittrick! Three c.
c.
's epi, stat! Yes, Doctor! Vital signs? Sam, what happened? Shejust stopped breathing.
This isn't doing any good.
Hands off.
Stand back.
No response, Doctor.
All right.
Let's try it again.
Stand back.
Hands off.
Clear.
Sorry, ma'am, but you can't be here.
Oh, dear Lord.
Cyanide.
Alice, I'm sorry about your grandma.
Thank you, Mr.
Whittaker.
At least she didn't have to suffer.
Where is Harvey? He got me out of bed about an hour ago.
- Said something about an investigation.
- Oh, Fred! Now, Fred, as district attorney, I want you to personally investigate WillieJohn Fargo! Why? What for? Why, the will, Fred! WillieJohn swindled Mama into signin' all her money over to him.
And before the ink's hardly dry, Mama up and dies of a heart attack right here in his clinic! Harvey, can't this wait? Fred? Well, I'll certainly look into it.
But I can't just throw wild accusations at a man like WillieJohn Fargo.
Oh, Mr.
McKittrick, please let me express my deepest sympathy.
Thank you, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Oh, this is my daughter-in-law, Alice.
Mrs.
Fletcher.
And this is our district attorney, Mr.
Fred Whittaker.
- Grandma spoke of you often.
- Well, at least Carrie enjoyed a long and full life.
Not as long and as full as it might have been, Mr.
Whittaker.
I suspect that Carrie was poisoned.
Poisoned? - What? - Mrs.
Fletcher is right.
My examination indicates that Mrs.
McKittrick died of cyanide poisoning.
Oh, my Lord! Do you mean that she got the wrong medicine? No, that's impossible.
I think you should check this out, Mr.
Whittaker.
It- It smells of cyanide.
- Where did you get this? - I found it on the floor in Carrie's room.
You tampered with possible evidence? Oh, no, of course not.
But I thought it was important, under the circumstances, to get it to the authorities right away, and I placed it very carefully in that plastic bag.
- It may have fingerprints on it.
- Well, seems to me you'll be wantin' to talk to WillieJohn Fargo about this, Fred.
And you may also want to talk to Sam McKittrick.
He was in Carrie's room when she died.
Mmm.
Sam come back to see her.
Well- Oh, well, that was- That was real thoughtful of the boy.
Well, naturally, I'll have a chat with Sam.
Tomorrow'll be plenty of time.
Dr.
Brady, you wanna show me that report? I just can't believe she's really gone.
You were in her thoughts.
I tried to call you last night.
I, uh, wasn't home.
Uh, I spent the evening over at Harvey's.
I had to talk to him about something.
Don't you think it might be easier to drive without those dark glasses on? Sam and I had a little spat.
So I see.
This marriage just doesn't work.
It never has.
And I'm leaving Sam.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
Don't be.
I was only waiting because Grandma didn't approve of divorce.
Waiting? Yeah.
She was terminally ill.
It was, uh, just a matter of months.
We all knew it.
Mrs.
Fletcher, I'm going to sleep over at Grandma's for the time being.
So if you're going to stay for the funeral, why don't you stay with me? Thank you, Alice.
I will.
I made a promise to your grandmother, and I'm gonna do my best to keep it.
- Alice, I'm sorry.
- What are you doin' here, Sam? I was goin' through Grandma's strongbox before those religious hypocrites got to it.
- And I found it.
Everything's gonna be fine.
- Found what? Grandma's new will.
She cut off WillieJohn without a red cent.
But I thought she specifically wanted WillieJohn- May I look? It's all legal.
Dated yesterday.
Signed by Grandma.
This leaves everything to the family- to you and me and Harvey.
Damn right.
And witnessed by Ethel.
Wait till that DA.
Sees this.
See, Grandma signed this before she died of that heart attack.
Heart attack? He left in such a hurry last night, maybe he doesn't know what really happened.
I'm sorry.
The district attorney is in an important conference and cannot be disturbed.
That's right, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Sam McKittrick came to see me first thing this morning.
What exactly is your interest in this matter? Well, Carrie was very dear to me, Mr.
Whittaker, and perhaps if I'd stayed in her room last night, she'd still be alive.
Oh, yes.
Uh- We have a very delicate situation here, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Yes, I know.
You're between a rock and a hard place- the hard place being the McKittrick Oil interests, and the rock being WillieJohn Fargo.
District attorney of Cherokee Flats is an elective post.
Now, half the people in this county work for the McKittricks, and the other half are members of WillieJohn's church.
But I'm sure that won't deter you from giving your full attention to the case.
Well, rest assured, Miss Carrie's death is my highest priority.
Well, that's good.
What have you found out so far? I mean, were there fingerprints on the hypodermic? We're checking it out.
The medical examiner says it was cyanide poisoning, all right, shot through the intravenous tube.
Probably with that hypodermic needle that you found.
Into the I.
V.
Tube? Well, that means that the poison must have taken some time to get into her system.
Yes.
The medical examiner says up to half an hour.
Did you ask Sam McKittrick about the cyanide syringe? He says he never saw it.
Hang it all, Mrs.
Fletcher.
You can't arrest a man forjust going to visit his sick grandmother.
- I suppose he also told you about the new will that he found? - What new will? Why, Earl, it seems Sam McKittrick found a new will.
He left a copy with me.
I guess you're entitled to see it.
This leaves everything to the McKittricks.
Excuse me.
May I take a look at that for a moment? I had a letter last month from Carrie.
Oh.
Isn't that curious? The signatures don't match.
What? You can see the signature on the will is clearly a very crude copy.
She's right.
This is a forgery.
Obviously typed in haste, and only one witness.
All right! I typed the will last night, and I took it down to the clinic for Grandma's signature.
She wouldn't wake up, so I- I put the pen in her hand and- - And signed it for her.
- Did you expect me to stand by and do nothin' while that oily tongued preacher robbed us of everythin'? Uh, Harvey- It, uh- It seems that I've got no choice but to file charges against, uh, Sam.
Because of a little piece of paper? Why, it ain't even legal.
You said so yourself.
- I think that Mr.
Whittaker was referring to a murder charge, Mr.
McKittrick.
- Murder? You were there, and the forged will does give you a pretty good motive.
Fred, you file charges against my boy, and I'll see to it that you're not even elected dogcatcher come spring.
Seems to me you oughta be tryin' to find out why Mama was murdered in WillieJohn's clinic.
That's what we got you elected for.
Come on, Sam.
Mrs.
Fletcher? Oh, my goodness, Dr.
Brady.
You gave me a start.
I thought I was watching you operating.
It's hard to tell with these masks.
I just finished in the other operating room.
Sometimes I feel like I spend half my life with a scalpel in my hand.
Yes, I understand that you were operating last night when Carrie died.
Was there something you wanted to see me about? Oh, yes.
About the hypodermic needle.
I suppose a hospital like this has hundreds of them.
Thousands.
It's a prepackaged insulin syringe for diabetics who have to inject themselves on a daily basis.
I see.
Was Carrie diabetic? No.
Mrs.
Fletcher, a lot of people are diabetic, and it would be against medical ethics to discuss the status of any patient that I'm treating.
- Yes, of course.
- Dr.
Brady, could you sign these orders, please? Thank you.
Mrs.
Fletcher, it's been a pleasure chatting with you.
Thank you.
What a marvelous doctor.
And so dedicated.
Oh, yes.
He's here all hours of the day, seven days a week, except for Wednesdays.
Oh, yes.
All doctors pick Wednesdays to play golf.
Oh, no, not this one.
He spends the entire day out at the clinic on the Indian reservation.
Sue Beth, I hope you won't misunderstand this question, but didn't I see you come out of Carrie's room last night? You may have.
I checked on her about every 15 minutes.
And you didn't see Sam McKittrick there? No.
Mrs.
Fletcher, I'm sorry, but I really do have to leave.
Oh, of course.
I can see by the nurses' schedule, I'm chatting away your meal break.
Bye-bye.
Now we've got the McKittrick Oil money.
I say we move ahead with the WillieJohn Fargo University now.
WillieJohn, you really don't have any idea what's involved here.
Okay, Earl, you tell me.
All right.
The will will be in probate for a year.
And sure as hellfire, the McKittricks are gonna fight it in court.
We may not see a penny for years.
WillieJohn, you gotta stop spendin' that money faster than you rake it in.
Excuse me.
They said I'd find you here.
Miss Jessica, how nice of you to pay us a call.
Have you met my brother, Earl, the brains in the family? Yes, we met briefly last night.
Mrs.
Fletcher, excuse me.
Well, Miss Jessica, this is a real pleasure.
You know, I had a powerful feeling we would meet again.
Actually, I've been anxious.
Anxious? Of course you're anxious.
Let me help you find peace in your troubled soul.
Well, what troubles me, Reverend Fargo, is Carrie's murder, and to be honest, her leaving all her money to you.
Bequeathing her vast resources to the work of the Electric Cathedral was her fervent last wish, I assure you.
Yes, she said as much to me.
She was very taken with you, Reverend.
Please, call me WillieJohn.
I guess I just needed to satisfy myself that she wasn't being taken advantage of.
I respect that, Miss Jessica.
Let me put your mind at ease.
You saw the hospital we've built.
Do you know that we have three clinics out on the Indian reservation, and our Tulsa mission feeds The scope of our work is enormous, and that all takes money.
You know where most of it comes from? From the little people- the hardscrabble dirt farmers, the oil folks toiling on the oil rigs, the children, the widows, the old folks with pensions.
I ask 'em to give, give again, give until it hurts, and they do! Being a part of the glorious work of the Electric Cathedral- it provides them with dignity and hope and pride.
What does it provide you, WillieJohn? That's a fair question.
Now and again, some doubting Thomas raises a fuss about the jet plane, the limousines.
But if you've got a big job to do, you better have the best tools you can buy.
Miss Jessica, I'd like you to have a look around.
Unfortunately, I have to meet a delegation from Durango, Mexico trying to get a new well put in.
But Sister Ruth can give you the tour.
My goodness, Ruth! This is very impressive.
Look at all those computers.
Why, you've even got your own post office.
Yes.
It's his life.
It must be a very busy life for you too.
Exhausting.
Sometimes I wonder.
Wonder what? If I'm strong enough for all this.
These are our living quarters.
Please, do go in.
I've got some tea for us.
Unbelievable! When you said "apartment," I never expected anything like this.
WillieJohn takes great pleasure in beautiful things.
Thank you, Elsie.
Do sit down.
Unfortunately, his work consumes him, so he has little time for much else.
Indeed, and it looks like those poor folks are gonna have themselves a new well.
Well, Miss Jessica, did Sister Ruth show you around? Oh, my, yes, and I'm very impressed.
This is an incredibly well organized operation.
You oughta see some of our fieldwork.
Sister Ruth, come Wednesday, Thank you.
Why don't you take Mrs.
Fletcher out to the, uh, reservation? She spends every Wednesday caring for the young ones out at one of the Indian school's clinics.
- Oh, how interesting.
- Sister Ruth finds it both spiritually uplifting and professionally fulfilling.
You know, a few years ago, in London, I came down sick, and there she was - this angel of mercy, name of Sister Ruth.
Just like being home among my flock.
Yes, he was quite ill.
That's when they discovered the diabetes.
- Something wrong, Miss Jessica? - Oh, no, no.
Not at all.
I was just a little surprised.
You appear to be in such good health.
Well, I am.
I am, indeed.
I inject myself daily with a dose of insulin- a gift from the Lord above- to help control this burdensome affliction.
Not that I feel the Lord has singled me out.
No, indeed.
In fact, I would say there are hundreds, perhaps thousands right here in the Tulsa area who suffer as I do.
Wouldn't you say, Sister Ruth? Oh, yes, WillieJohn.
I would say so.
Reverend Fargo, as you know, Carrie was a dear friend of mine.
L- I hope you won't mind if I ask you a question.
Where were you between midnight and 12:30 on the night that Carrie died? I take no offense, Miss Jessica.
I only wish I were free to divulge that information.
- My husband was home.
- Hush now, Ruth.
I regret that I cannot answer that question without violating a trust.
I'm sure you understand.
No, Reverend Fargo, I'm afraid I don't.
Excuse me.
Miss Jessica.
Surely you cannot believe I had anything to do with that dear woman's death? At the moment, I don't quite know what to believe.
Of course I knew that WillieJohn Fargo is a diabetic.
So are hundreds of other people in this county.
It doesn't mean a thing.
So I was just told.
But they are not going to inherit McKittrick Oil.
Look, we have a very sensitive situation here.
I realize that you have to be circumspect, but certainly the police- The police? The chief and half his staff just went on sick leave.
Seven county judges applied for vacation yesterday! - Oh, yes, I see.
Leaving you- - Leaving me holding a sackful of diamondback rattlers.
- Well, still and all, Mr.
Whittaker- - Ma'am, if I knew for sure- and I mean for sure- Miss Carrie's killer, I would do my duty.
Well, then, let's look at the facts.
Now, we know that someone put cyanide into Carrie's I.
V.
Tube between midnight and 12:30.
We also know that Sam had an opportunity.
You keep making a point of that.
Yeah, but he wasn't the only one.
I mean, there was an exit down the hall from Carrie's room that leads down to the parking lot.
It was late, almost nobody around.
Somebody could have come in from the outside and have gotten into her room without even being noticed.
- All right.
Who? - Didn't you tell me that there were fingerprints on that syringe? I sent 'em to the F.
B.
I.
We're waiting to hear.
Yeah, well, what puzzles me most is that a massive dose of insulin would almost certainly be fatal to someone who'd had a heart attack.
A- Are you a doctor or something? Uh, writing murder mysteries almost qualifies me, believe me.
But, now, if insulin has been used, it would not have been detected in a postmortem.
There'd be no suspicion of murder.
The death would seem perfectly natural.
But, no, someone removes the insulin, substitutes cyanide.
Now, Mr.
Whittaker, it's as if someone had wanted Carrie's murder to be discovered, and the question is, why? She always used to say, "Hold my wake in that parlor, and make sure everybody comes.
" I know it's an old tradition and everything, but- I don't know.
It just makes me a little squeamish.
Well, you know, I think it's rather a nice custom.
It gives everybody a chance to say good-bye.
I suppose.
Ethel, let's- May I make you a drink? Oh, not right now, thank you.
I appreciate your helping out, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Oh.
Now, fact is, I'm gonna have to pull out of here in awhile.
I got some- some work to attend to.
Oh, business on a night like this? Well, bringin' in a new well is like birthin' a calf.
You never know when it's gonna happen, but you better be there when it does.
I been out there every night this week.
Oh, my goodness.
Even the night of Carrie's heart attack? Oh, I went right out to those fields after you run us out of the hospital.
Oh, that's strange.
Alice said that she'd spent the evening with you at your house.
Well, uh, yes, actually, uh, ma'am.
As-As I recall, uh, when I got home, Alice was waitin' for me, and I could tell from her eye that she'd had a little spat with Sam.
Didn't mean much.
Just two young kids blowin' off some steam.
Really? I got the impression it, uh, was a little more than that.
Do you remember exactly what time you got back from the oil field? Oh, I don't know.
Now, ma'am, I hope you ain't suggestin' that I had anything to do with Carrie's death, because the fact of the matter is, you'd be dead wrong.
Now, uh, maybe we weren't blood related, but, uh, she was a real mama to me for most of my life.
Good night, ma'am.
WillieJohn, uh, I think I'll wait outside.
I'm not sure I'm up to facin' the McKittricks.
Earl, come here.
I guess they never taught you this in college, little brother.
No matter what they're sayin' about you, you always face 'em down.
The narrower the path, the broader the smile.
Don't tell me.
Either he's the smartest Okie in the state or the dumbest millionaire west of the Ozarks.
Earl, how can you talk that way about your own brother? Come on, Ruth.
Where would he be without me? Still pickin' up nickels in a tinplate under some threadbare revival tent.
You may not have noticed, but he's not in a tent anymore.
He's got his hands on McKittrick Oil.
McKittrick Oil goes straight to the church, Sister Ruth, not to BrotherJohn.
I made sure of that.
Good evening.
Mrs.
Fletcher, you'll pardon me, ma'am, but you always seem to be poppin' up at the strangest times.
Earl, your manners.
WillieJohn told me about your conversation earlier, and I consider it the poorest of manners to accuse a man of God of the sin of murder.
Oh, I made no accusation, Mr.
Fargo.
Pardon me while I pay my respects.
I'm so sorry.
Oh, that's quite all right.
Despite what you heard, he and WillieJohn are very close.
I think Earl really is afraid that WillieJohn might have, um- Excuse me.
Oh, good evening, Mrs.
Fletcher.
It's a nice wake, isn't it? Oh, yes.
Are-Are you looking for someone? Well, I just noticed that Sam McKittrick isn't here.
Tammy Lee, what in Sam Hill did you do to your hair? It's only sprayed on, Mr.
Whittaker.
I'm goin' to a dance.
I'll wash it out before I come in in the morning.
The report from the F.
B.
I.
Came in just as I was leaving, and I thought you'd want to see it right away.
Excuse me, Tammy Lee.
It's been a time of testing for all of us.
Excuse me.
WillieJohn? Yes, Fred? WillieJohn, I hate to interrupt a man of God while he's at work, but, uh, looks like I gotta- You sound like a man with a heavy burden, Fred.
Well, the way it is- I- I finally got this, uh, back from the F.
B.
I.
, and, uh- Hang it all, WillieJohn.
The fingerprints on the murder syringe turns out to be yours.
Well, now, Fred, they tell me the guilty party was in Sister Carrie's room sometime between During that time, I was giving spiritual comfort to one of my flock.
Oh, well, if you could tell us who that someone was- I'm afraid I can't do that, Fred.
- I'd be violating a sacred trust.
- Come on, now, WillieJohn.
Believe in me as you would in the Lord.
I give you my word.
Oh, I wanna believe in you, believe me.
It's just that, well, a grand jury is liable to want more.
No, WillieJohn.
It was me, Mr.
Whittaker.
WillieJohn was with me.
- Is- Is that so? - You were with my husband at midnight? You were supposed to be on your dinner break.
We were in the chapel.
WillieJohn was ministering to my needs.
Oh, well, if- if you and WillieJohn were both in the chapel together, well, then, someone else must've poisoned Miss Carrie.
Oh, but, Mr.
Whittaker, it's quite simple to get from the chapel to Carrie's room without passing the nurses' station, by way of the exit staircase.
Sue Beth, I'm sure that you used those stairs when you left the chapel to go to Carrie's room? No.
I was with WillieJohn in the chapel between 12:00 and 12:30.
Oh, but I'm sure that I saw you leave Carrie's room just minutes before she died.
I never left the chapel, and neither did WillieJohn.
We were talking the whole time.
Talking.
That's all.
I've been having an affair with one of the interns and- Hush, child.
There's no need to explain.
I'd better go see if she's all right.
Mrs.
Fletcher, I don't get it.
If his fingerprints were on the murder syringe, he had to be the one who snuffed her, right? Dear heaven! How stupid of me! Don't worry, Ruth.
Everything's gonna be all right.
They'll never find a jury that'll convict WillieJohn, not in this county.
Nor should they, Mr.
Fargo.
Your brother did not kill Carrie McKittrick.
Are you sure about that, lady? Yes, I am now.
Because the killing was committed by someone who wanted to make it appear that WillieJohn was responsible.
Somebody framed WillieJohn? Of course.
It was the McKittricks.
They wanted to break the will.
No, it was someone close to WillieJohn.
Very close.
Someone who knew that he was a diabetic and knew that it would come out.
Someone who had access to the syringes that he used every day and discarded.
Someone who thought that he wouldn't have an alibi.
That's ridiculous.
I love my husband.
Do you? Haven't you been meeting another man, secretly, once a week, on Wednesdays, at the Indian reservation clinic? - Ruth! - Oh, Earl, don't be so ridiculous.
Carrie wasn't so much a murder victim as much as she was a means to an end, and I suppose that's what makes this so hard to accept.
I mean, a smart killer would have injected Carrie with insulin, so the murder would not have been detected.
But you wanted the murder discovered, Ruth, and you made sure that the clues pointed to your husband.
- No.
- When I first met you, I assumed "Sister Ruth" had a religious connotation.
But when you said that you'd met WillieJohn in London when he'd had a diabetic attack, it made me wonder if the term "sister'"might not refer to your former vocation-a nurse? It would have been simple to find a uniform in the locker room downstairs and washable hair color spray.
The kind Mr.
Whittaker's secretary wears is available at any all-night drug store.
If anyone had seen you from a distance, they'd have mistaken you for Sue Beth.
You even wore gloves so that WillieJohn's fingerprints would still be on the syringe.
Ruth, why? Did you do it for WillieJohn? For WillieJohn? No.
I did it to WillieJohn.
Or I tried to.
I had to be free of him, but that meant destroying him totally.
I tried to tell you, Mark.
I couldn't.
As much as I know you love me, you could've never understood.
WillieJohn was crushing me, Mrs.
Fletcher, wringing the life out of me with his sanctimonious piety.
I'm a woman, and every day I've been getting older and older, living like some plaster saint.
The dutiful wife of the great and good WillieJohn Fargo.
What was I supposed to do? Divorce him? Oh, my God.
Can you just see the headlines? Or kill him? That would have thrust me into an even more untenable role.
The keeper of WillieJohn's flame living in chastity for the rest of my years.
Ruth.
Why didn't you tell me? I did, WillieJohn, every day, in a hundred different ways, but you were always too busy to hear.
I'm so glad you got to see Carrie.
I only wish it could've been under happier circumstances.
- I'd like a word, Miss Alice.
- You got your nerve comin' here.
We're taking that will all the way to the Supreme Court, WillieJohn.
That won't be necessary, Harvey.
I'll never be able to make amends for what Ruth did, but at least I can set matters right regarding Sister Carrie's last will and testament.
In honor of the generous and good-hearted woman that she was, I've established the Carrie McKittrick Foundation in lasting tribute to her memory.
What? With her money? Since I won't have anything to do with runnin' it, Harvey, I knew you and Sam would be real fond of the idea.
What in the name of heaven is he talkin' about? Shut up, boy.
Let me think.
Makes you feel real proud bein'a benefactor to the people.
It'll just take some gettin' used to.
Bless you, boys.
Come on, Sam.
You didn't have to do that, you know.
Well, Miss Jessica, I've had to do some hard thinking.
I failed Ruth.
Seems like I lost my direction somewhere along the line.
Raising all that money doesn't seem so important now.
Really? What will you do then? I've decided to go away for awhile to Africa, Asia, South America, anyplace the simple folks need me.
Well, I wish you luck, WillieJohn, and I hope that you find what you're looking for.
Oh, I will, Miss Jessica.
I will, indeed, the good Lord willing.
They're all after my money.
- Friends, bless you all.
- Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.
We got it! Her will! Praise the Lord! I suspect that Carrie was poisoned.
The chief and half the staff just went on sick leave- - Leaving you- - Leaving me holding a sackful of diamondback rattlers.
You were with my husband at midnight? WillieJohn was ministering to my needs.
Oh, now, stop this! Have you lost your senses? Now, you oughta be in jail, which is where you're gonna be, WillieJohn.
And I say to you, my friends, those of you who want to believe will believe.
Those of you who listen for his voice will hear his voice, And those who give themselves to him will be received ofhim.
There is a place for you- all of you-in his heavenly firmament.
He is waiting- his arms open wide, waiting to clasp you to his beautiful bosom and warm you with his love.
Surrender yourself now, my friends.
Open your hearts and receive him.
And I say to you, you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
My prayers and those of my beloved wife, Sister Ruth, are with you always.
If you are troubled, if you are sick and in pain, if you feel as if you've been forsaken, write us a letter, even a postcard.
Let us know how we can help to ease your burden, for we are family- one family in the sight of God, and our thoughts and prayers will be with you.
Two, Sister Ruth.
Move in for a close-up.
Now, for those of you in the Omaha area, Sister Ruth and I will be appearing the weekend ofJuly 9 and 10 at Carlstad Stadium and the following weekend in Denver at the Malloy Auditorium.
Widen out, three, so we can see their choir.
Make your plans now.
Friends, neighbors, we love you.
Keep us in your prayers as we keep you in ours and bless you all.
Take the cross.
Start the crawl.
And cue Edgar.
You have been listening to the Reverend WillieJohn Fargo from the Electric Cathedral.
To receive a copy of Reverend Fargo's inspirational sermon, send one dollar to the Church of the Electric Cathedral - What's that big grin for? Well, what happened? We sell out in Omaha? Better than that, WillieJohn.
We got it! Her will! She just recorded it! We got it? Every last cent.
Praise the Lord! Oh, Harvey, that's wonderful! At 1,800 feet, that drill hits the sandstone substrata, and by Wednesday, we punch through at 2,600 feet, and wham-we got ourselves another gusher! - Thank you.
- Daddy! Daddy, you're not gonna believe this! What, Alice finally file for divorce, Sam? Hell, Daddy, this is serious.
This time she's gone too damn far! Damn right! Oh, there must be some mistake.
This doesn't look like a hog farm.
Nope, Old Wendell's hog farm is down the road about 10 miles, sittin' on a five-mile pool of Oklahoma crude.
There's only one Carrie McKittrick in these parts, and she is a pistol.
Jessica? Jessica! Well, you did ask me to stop by if I ever came to Oklahoma.
Come on in.
Carrie, I'm amazed that you even recognized me.
My goodness, you know, it's more than 30 years.
At my age, It's last month I have trouble remembering.
Besides, I still keep up with my readin'.
Miss Carrie.
Thank you, Ethel.
Can I give you some help? Don't fuss me, Ethel.
I can still pour tea.
You know, if it hadn't been for your encouragement, there might not have been any books.
You were a joy to teach, child.
That is what I miss most- the teaching and- and Wendell, of course.
He passed on 15 years ago, God rest his soul.
Jessica, I have met the most wonderful man.
He's such a comfort to me.
You must meet him while you're here.
Oh, dear, I would love to, but I do have a plane to catch.
Oh, nonsense.
You must stay over.
So many things I want to talk to you about.
Come on, boy! Mama! Mama, I told ya! I told ya! Lord Almighty, that's my grandson, Sam.
I hope he and Alice haven't had another fight.
Look, if I've come at an awkward time- Fiddlesticks.
I want you to meet him.
We'll get this thing straightened out! Harvey, what in the world? How could you do this to us? And behind our backs? You two, mind your manners, and say howdy-do toJessica Fletcher.
Jessica, Harvey, my stepson- You can't cut your own kin out of McKittrick Oil! Changin'your will and recordin'it with the county! You have got more than you will ever need! I'll do with mine as I see fit.
Leavin' controllin' interest in McKittrick Oil to WillieJohn Fargo? - Are you insane, Mama? - Mr.
McKittrick! Please, this is no good for Carrie.
- Now, you stay outta this! - And you get out of my parlor and stay out until you remember your manners! That preacher's made you crazy in the head! We're goin' to the lawyers.
We're gonna have you declared non compos mentis! We're gonna have that will invalidated! Lord, forgive those boys their selfishness- Oh! Oh, Carrie! Ethel! Ethel! Sit down, dear.
It's all right.
She has a weak heart.
Dr.
Brady, how is she? Is she going to be all right? Well, we won't know for certain till we get some test results back.
Oh.
May I see her? Might be the best medicine for her.
Sue Beth, would you take Mrs.
Fletcher into 207? Thank you.
Sure.
- Jessica.
- My, you're looking better.
Oh, I'm so sorry this had to happen on your visit, Jessica.
Damned heart.
Always kicking up at the wrong times.
I've decided to stay over a few days until you're feeling more like yourself.
Jessica, if anything should happen to me- Oh, nothing's going to happen to you, Carrie.
But if it should, don't let them change my will.
They'll try.
They're all after my money, except Alice.
You just concentrate on getting better.
Worry about the money later.
Jessica, please.
Of course.
I promise.
Sister Carrie? WillieJohn.
I was laboring in the Lord's vineyard, videotaping Sunday's sermon, when a voice came to me.
"Carrie McKittrick needs you.
Go to her.
" And as I rushed here, I prayed mightily.
"Our Sister Carrie's work on this Earth is not finished, Lord.
Don't take her from us yet.
" It's such a comfort to have you here.
You're in the hands of the Lord, Carrie.
I feel stronger already.
Oh, this is an old friend, Jessica Fletcher.
Reverend WillieJohn Fargo, the man I told you about.
How do you do, Reverend Fargo? Our dear friend is in good hands here, Miss Jessica.
While the good Lord never gave me the gift ofhealing, he did provide a means to build this clinic.
- This is your clinic? - Part of my Electric Cathedral.
Oh.
I'm afraid I didn't notice any cathedral.
Well, there isn't any church building as such.
My ministry's electronic.
We reach out through the miracle of television.
- I see.
- Miss Jessica, I wonder if you'd mind.
I'd like to pray privately a few moments with Miss Carrie.
- Oh, of course.
- Sue Beth? She's gotta be over 80.
She can't live forever.
Earl, please, will you stop this? Look, the way WillieJohn spends it, we're gonna need every penny.
Oh, Mrs.
Fletcher? Yes.
They told me you were with Mrs.
McKittrick.
I'm Sister Ruth Fargo.
This is Earl Fargo, my husband's brother.
How do you do? Pleasure.
Is she feeling any better? Yes, a little, I think.
I was devastated by the news.
She is such a delightful woman.
I wanna talk to someone in authority! Who's in charge here? You! Where is she? We're gettin' her outta here! Mrs.
McKittrick is under the private care of Dr.
Brady.
What room you got her in? What's going on here? This is a hospital! You just get her ready.
We're gonna take her home! Mrs.
McKittrick is seriously ill.
She can't be moved.
- And keep your voices down! - She's alive, ain't she? And we aim to keep it that way.
We're gonna get an ambulance, take her to Tulsa General! I can't allow you to do that.
I'll bet you can't, considerin'who signs your paycheck! Excuse me, all of you! I mean, Carrie is resting quietly.
The last thing she wants is a family squabble.
This ain't none of your business! Seems to me Miss Jessica's on the Lord's side here, Sam.
Oh, you Bible-thumping charlatan! You brainwashed the old woman into givin' you all her money! Not to me, to the work of the Lord.
You oughta be in jail, which is where you're gonna be, as soon as I get ahold of the district attorney to file charges of fraud and embezzlement! Oh, now, stop this! Have you lost your senses? I mean, this behavior is unforgivable! Mrs.
Fletcher is right.
If you want to fight, do it someplace else, but not in my hospital! We're leavin', Preacher, for Mama's sake.
But if anything happens to her, you're gonna have a lot to answer for.
Oh, Jessica.
Jessica, has Alice been here? Alice? Sam's wife.
- Oh.
- I'd like to see her, please, Jessica.
- Would you phone her for me? - Oh, yes, of course.
- Tell her I'm here.
- You really shouldn't have any visitors.
She might get more rest if we left her alone.
There's a waiting room just down the hall.
I will phone Alice.
Try to get some more sleep, Carrie.
Code blue! Code blue! Room 207! Code blue.
Attention, all available personnel.
Code blue, Two West.
Code blue.
Attention, all available personnel.
Code blue.
Mrs.
McKittrick! Three c.
c.
's epi, stat! Yes, Doctor! Vital signs? Sam, what happened? Shejust stopped breathing.
This isn't doing any good.
Hands off.
Stand back.
No response, Doctor.
All right.
Let's try it again.
Stand back.
Hands off.
Clear.
Sorry, ma'am, but you can't be here.
Oh, dear Lord.
Cyanide.
Alice, I'm sorry about your grandma.
Thank you, Mr.
Whittaker.
At least she didn't have to suffer.
Where is Harvey? He got me out of bed about an hour ago.
- Said something about an investigation.
- Oh, Fred! Now, Fred, as district attorney, I want you to personally investigate WillieJohn Fargo! Why? What for? Why, the will, Fred! WillieJohn swindled Mama into signin' all her money over to him.
And before the ink's hardly dry, Mama up and dies of a heart attack right here in his clinic! Harvey, can't this wait? Fred? Well, I'll certainly look into it.
But I can't just throw wild accusations at a man like WillieJohn Fargo.
Oh, Mr.
McKittrick, please let me express my deepest sympathy.
Thank you, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Oh, this is my daughter-in-law, Alice.
Mrs.
Fletcher.
And this is our district attorney, Mr.
Fred Whittaker.
- Grandma spoke of you often.
- Well, at least Carrie enjoyed a long and full life.
Not as long and as full as it might have been, Mr.
Whittaker.
I suspect that Carrie was poisoned.
Poisoned? - What? - Mrs.
Fletcher is right.
My examination indicates that Mrs.
McKittrick died of cyanide poisoning.
Oh, my Lord! Do you mean that she got the wrong medicine? No, that's impossible.
I think you should check this out, Mr.
Whittaker.
It- It smells of cyanide.
- Where did you get this? - I found it on the floor in Carrie's room.
You tampered with possible evidence? Oh, no, of course not.
But I thought it was important, under the circumstances, to get it to the authorities right away, and I placed it very carefully in that plastic bag.
- It may have fingerprints on it.
- Well, seems to me you'll be wantin' to talk to WillieJohn Fargo about this, Fred.
And you may also want to talk to Sam McKittrick.
He was in Carrie's room when she died.
Mmm.
Sam come back to see her.
Well- Oh, well, that was- That was real thoughtful of the boy.
Well, naturally, I'll have a chat with Sam.
Tomorrow'll be plenty of time.
Dr.
Brady, you wanna show me that report? I just can't believe she's really gone.
You were in her thoughts.
I tried to call you last night.
I, uh, wasn't home.
Uh, I spent the evening over at Harvey's.
I had to talk to him about something.
Don't you think it might be easier to drive without those dark glasses on? Sam and I had a little spat.
So I see.
This marriage just doesn't work.
It never has.
And I'm leaving Sam.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
Don't be.
I was only waiting because Grandma didn't approve of divorce.
Waiting? Yeah.
She was terminally ill.
It was, uh, just a matter of months.
We all knew it.
Mrs.
Fletcher, I'm going to sleep over at Grandma's for the time being.
So if you're going to stay for the funeral, why don't you stay with me? Thank you, Alice.
I will.
I made a promise to your grandmother, and I'm gonna do my best to keep it.
- Alice, I'm sorry.
- What are you doin' here, Sam? I was goin' through Grandma's strongbox before those religious hypocrites got to it.
- And I found it.
Everything's gonna be fine.
- Found what? Grandma's new will.
She cut off WillieJohn without a red cent.
But I thought she specifically wanted WillieJohn- May I look? It's all legal.
Dated yesterday.
Signed by Grandma.
This leaves everything to the family- to you and me and Harvey.
Damn right.
And witnessed by Ethel.
Wait till that DA.
Sees this.
See, Grandma signed this before she died of that heart attack.
Heart attack? He left in such a hurry last night, maybe he doesn't know what really happened.
I'm sorry.
The district attorney is in an important conference and cannot be disturbed.
That's right, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Sam McKittrick came to see me first thing this morning.
What exactly is your interest in this matter? Well, Carrie was very dear to me, Mr.
Whittaker, and perhaps if I'd stayed in her room last night, she'd still be alive.
Oh, yes.
Uh- We have a very delicate situation here, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Yes, I know.
You're between a rock and a hard place- the hard place being the McKittrick Oil interests, and the rock being WillieJohn Fargo.
District attorney of Cherokee Flats is an elective post.
Now, half the people in this county work for the McKittricks, and the other half are members of WillieJohn's church.
But I'm sure that won't deter you from giving your full attention to the case.
Well, rest assured, Miss Carrie's death is my highest priority.
Well, that's good.
What have you found out so far? I mean, were there fingerprints on the hypodermic? We're checking it out.
The medical examiner says it was cyanide poisoning, all right, shot through the intravenous tube.
Probably with that hypodermic needle that you found.
Into the I.
V.
Tube? Well, that means that the poison must have taken some time to get into her system.
Yes.
The medical examiner says up to half an hour.
Did you ask Sam McKittrick about the cyanide syringe? He says he never saw it.
Hang it all, Mrs.
Fletcher.
You can't arrest a man forjust going to visit his sick grandmother.
- I suppose he also told you about the new will that he found? - What new will? Why, Earl, it seems Sam McKittrick found a new will.
He left a copy with me.
I guess you're entitled to see it.
This leaves everything to the McKittricks.
Excuse me.
May I take a look at that for a moment? I had a letter last month from Carrie.
Oh.
Isn't that curious? The signatures don't match.
What? You can see the signature on the will is clearly a very crude copy.
She's right.
This is a forgery.
Obviously typed in haste, and only one witness.
All right! I typed the will last night, and I took it down to the clinic for Grandma's signature.
She wouldn't wake up, so I- I put the pen in her hand and- - And signed it for her.
- Did you expect me to stand by and do nothin' while that oily tongued preacher robbed us of everythin'? Uh, Harvey- It, uh- It seems that I've got no choice but to file charges against, uh, Sam.
Because of a little piece of paper? Why, it ain't even legal.
You said so yourself.
- I think that Mr.
Whittaker was referring to a murder charge, Mr.
McKittrick.
- Murder? You were there, and the forged will does give you a pretty good motive.
Fred, you file charges against my boy, and I'll see to it that you're not even elected dogcatcher come spring.
Seems to me you oughta be tryin' to find out why Mama was murdered in WillieJohn's clinic.
That's what we got you elected for.
Come on, Sam.
Mrs.
Fletcher? Oh, my goodness, Dr.
Brady.
You gave me a start.
I thought I was watching you operating.
It's hard to tell with these masks.
I just finished in the other operating room.
Sometimes I feel like I spend half my life with a scalpel in my hand.
Yes, I understand that you were operating last night when Carrie died.
Was there something you wanted to see me about? Oh, yes.
About the hypodermic needle.
I suppose a hospital like this has hundreds of them.
Thousands.
It's a prepackaged insulin syringe for diabetics who have to inject themselves on a daily basis.
I see.
Was Carrie diabetic? No.
Mrs.
Fletcher, a lot of people are diabetic, and it would be against medical ethics to discuss the status of any patient that I'm treating.
- Yes, of course.
- Dr.
Brady, could you sign these orders, please? Thank you.
Mrs.
Fletcher, it's been a pleasure chatting with you.
Thank you.
What a marvelous doctor.
And so dedicated.
Oh, yes.
He's here all hours of the day, seven days a week, except for Wednesdays.
Oh, yes.
All doctors pick Wednesdays to play golf.
Oh, no, not this one.
He spends the entire day out at the clinic on the Indian reservation.
Sue Beth, I hope you won't misunderstand this question, but didn't I see you come out of Carrie's room last night? You may have.
I checked on her about every 15 minutes.
And you didn't see Sam McKittrick there? No.
Mrs.
Fletcher, I'm sorry, but I really do have to leave.
Oh, of course.
I can see by the nurses' schedule, I'm chatting away your meal break.
Bye-bye.
Now we've got the McKittrick Oil money.
I say we move ahead with the WillieJohn Fargo University now.
WillieJohn, you really don't have any idea what's involved here.
Okay, Earl, you tell me.
All right.
The will will be in probate for a year.
And sure as hellfire, the McKittricks are gonna fight it in court.
We may not see a penny for years.
WillieJohn, you gotta stop spendin' that money faster than you rake it in.
Excuse me.
They said I'd find you here.
Miss Jessica, how nice of you to pay us a call.
Have you met my brother, Earl, the brains in the family? Yes, we met briefly last night.
Mrs.
Fletcher, excuse me.
Well, Miss Jessica, this is a real pleasure.
You know, I had a powerful feeling we would meet again.
Actually, I've been anxious.
Anxious? Of course you're anxious.
Let me help you find peace in your troubled soul.
Well, what troubles me, Reverend Fargo, is Carrie's murder, and to be honest, her leaving all her money to you.
Bequeathing her vast resources to the work of the Electric Cathedral was her fervent last wish, I assure you.
Yes, she said as much to me.
She was very taken with you, Reverend.
Please, call me WillieJohn.
I guess I just needed to satisfy myself that she wasn't being taken advantage of.
I respect that, Miss Jessica.
Let me put your mind at ease.
You saw the hospital we've built.
Do you know that we have three clinics out on the Indian reservation, and our Tulsa mission feeds The scope of our work is enormous, and that all takes money.
You know where most of it comes from? From the little people- the hardscrabble dirt farmers, the oil folks toiling on the oil rigs, the children, the widows, the old folks with pensions.
I ask 'em to give, give again, give until it hurts, and they do! Being a part of the glorious work of the Electric Cathedral- it provides them with dignity and hope and pride.
What does it provide you, WillieJohn? That's a fair question.
Now and again, some doubting Thomas raises a fuss about the jet plane, the limousines.
But if you've got a big job to do, you better have the best tools you can buy.
Miss Jessica, I'd like you to have a look around.
Unfortunately, I have to meet a delegation from Durango, Mexico trying to get a new well put in.
But Sister Ruth can give you the tour.
My goodness, Ruth! This is very impressive.
Look at all those computers.
Why, you've even got your own post office.
Yes.
It's his life.
It must be a very busy life for you too.
Exhausting.
Sometimes I wonder.
Wonder what? If I'm strong enough for all this.
These are our living quarters.
Please, do go in.
I've got some tea for us.
Unbelievable! When you said "apartment," I never expected anything like this.
WillieJohn takes great pleasure in beautiful things.
Thank you, Elsie.
Do sit down.
Unfortunately, his work consumes him, so he has little time for much else.
Indeed, and it looks like those poor folks are gonna have themselves a new well.
Well, Miss Jessica, did Sister Ruth show you around? Oh, my, yes, and I'm very impressed.
This is an incredibly well organized operation.
You oughta see some of our fieldwork.
Sister Ruth, come Wednesday, Thank you.
Why don't you take Mrs.
Fletcher out to the, uh, reservation? She spends every Wednesday caring for the young ones out at one of the Indian school's clinics.
- Oh, how interesting.
- Sister Ruth finds it both spiritually uplifting and professionally fulfilling.
You know, a few years ago, in London, I came down sick, and there she was - this angel of mercy, name of Sister Ruth.
Just like being home among my flock.
Yes, he was quite ill.
That's when they discovered the diabetes.
- Something wrong, Miss Jessica? - Oh, no, no.
Not at all.
I was just a little surprised.
You appear to be in such good health.
Well, I am.
I am, indeed.
I inject myself daily with a dose of insulin- a gift from the Lord above- to help control this burdensome affliction.
Not that I feel the Lord has singled me out.
No, indeed.
In fact, I would say there are hundreds, perhaps thousands right here in the Tulsa area who suffer as I do.
Wouldn't you say, Sister Ruth? Oh, yes, WillieJohn.
I would say so.
Reverend Fargo, as you know, Carrie was a dear friend of mine.
L- I hope you won't mind if I ask you a question.
Where were you between midnight and 12:30 on the night that Carrie died? I take no offense, Miss Jessica.
I only wish I were free to divulge that information.
- My husband was home.
- Hush now, Ruth.
I regret that I cannot answer that question without violating a trust.
I'm sure you understand.
No, Reverend Fargo, I'm afraid I don't.
Excuse me.
Miss Jessica.
Surely you cannot believe I had anything to do with that dear woman's death? At the moment, I don't quite know what to believe.
Of course I knew that WillieJohn Fargo is a diabetic.
So are hundreds of other people in this county.
It doesn't mean a thing.
So I was just told.
But they are not going to inherit McKittrick Oil.
Look, we have a very sensitive situation here.
I realize that you have to be circumspect, but certainly the police- The police? The chief and half his staff just went on sick leave.
Seven county judges applied for vacation yesterday! - Oh, yes, I see.
Leaving you- - Leaving me holding a sackful of diamondback rattlers.
- Well, still and all, Mr.
Whittaker- - Ma'am, if I knew for sure- and I mean for sure- Miss Carrie's killer, I would do my duty.
Well, then, let's look at the facts.
Now, we know that someone put cyanide into Carrie's I.
V.
Tube between midnight and 12:30.
We also know that Sam had an opportunity.
You keep making a point of that.
Yeah, but he wasn't the only one.
I mean, there was an exit down the hall from Carrie's room that leads down to the parking lot.
It was late, almost nobody around.
Somebody could have come in from the outside and have gotten into her room without even being noticed.
- All right.
Who? - Didn't you tell me that there were fingerprints on that syringe? I sent 'em to the F.
B.
I.
We're waiting to hear.
Yeah, well, what puzzles me most is that a massive dose of insulin would almost certainly be fatal to someone who'd had a heart attack.
A- Are you a doctor or something? Uh, writing murder mysteries almost qualifies me, believe me.
But, now, if insulin has been used, it would not have been detected in a postmortem.
There'd be no suspicion of murder.
The death would seem perfectly natural.
But, no, someone removes the insulin, substitutes cyanide.
Now, Mr.
Whittaker, it's as if someone had wanted Carrie's murder to be discovered, and the question is, why? She always used to say, "Hold my wake in that parlor, and make sure everybody comes.
" I know it's an old tradition and everything, but- I don't know.
It just makes me a little squeamish.
Well, you know, I think it's rather a nice custom.
It gives everybody a chance to say good-bye.
I suppose.
Ethel, let's- May I make you a drink? Oh, not right now, thank you.
I appreciate your helping out, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Oh.
Now, fact is, I'm gonna have to pull out of here in awhile.
I got some- some work to attend to.
Oh, business on a night like this? Well, bringin' in a new well is like birthin' a calf.
You never know when it's gonna happen, but you better be there when it does.
I been out there every night this week.
Oh, my goodness.
Even the night of Carrie's heart attack? Oh, I went right out to those fields after you run us out of the hospital.
Oh, that's strange.
Alice said that she'd spent the evening with you at your house.
Well, uh, yes, actually, uh, ma'am.
As-As I recall, uh, when I got home, Alice was waitin' for me, and I could tell from her eye that she'd had a little spat with Sam.
Didn't mean much.
Just two young kids blowin' off some steam.
Really? I got the impression it, uh, was a little more than that.
Do you remember exactly what time you got back from the oil field? Oh, I don't know.
Now, ma'am, I hope you ain't suggestin' that I had anything to do with Carrie's death, because the fact of the matter is, you'd be dead wrong.
Now, uh, maybe we weren't blood related, but, uh, she was a real mama to me for most of my life.
Good night, ma'am.
WillieJohn, uh, I think I'll wait outside.
I'm not sure I'm up to facin' the McKittricks.
Earl, come here.
I guess they never taught you this in college, little brother.
No matter what they're sayin' about you, you always face 'em down.
The narrower the path, the broader the smile.
Don't tell me.
Either he's the smartest Okie in the state or the dumbest millionaire west of the Ozarks.
Earl, how can you talk that way about your own brother? Come on, Ruth.
Where would he be without me? Still pickin' up nickels in a tinplate under some threadbare revival tent.
You may not have noticed, but he's not in a tent anymore.
He's got his hands on McKittrick Oil.
McKittrick Oil goes straight to the church, Sister Ruth, not to BrotherJohn.
I made sure of that.
Good evening.
Mrs.
Fletcher, you'll pardon me, ma'am, but you always seem to be poppin' up at the strangest times.
Earl, your manners.
WillieJohn told me about your conversation earlier, and I consider it the poorest of manners to accuse a man of God of the sin of murder.
Oh, I made no accusation, Mr.
Fargo.
Pardon me while I pay my respects.
I'm so sorry.
Oh, that's quite all right.
Despite what you heard, he and WillieJohn are very close.
I think Earl really is afraid that WillieJohn might have, um- Excuse me.
Oh, good evening, Mrs.
Fletcher.
It's a nice wake, isn't it? Oh, yes.
Are-Are you looking for someone? Well, I just noticed that Sam McKittrick isn't here.
Tammy Lee, what in Sam Hill did you do to your hair? It's only sprayed on, Mr.
Whittaker.
I'm goin' to a dance.
I'll wash it out before I come in in the morning.
The report from the F.
B.
I.
Came in just as I was leaving, and I thought you'd want to see it right away.
Excuse me, Tammy Lee.
It's been a time of testing for all of us.
Excuse me.
WillieJohn? Yes, Fred? WillieJohn, I hate to interrupt a man of God while he's at work, but, uh, looks like I gotta- You sound like a man with a heavy burden, Fred.
Well, the way it is- I- I finally got this, uh, back from the F.
B.
I.
, and, uh- Hang it all, WillieJohn.
The fingerprints on the murder syringe turns out to be yours.
Well, now, Fred, they tell me the guilty party was in Sister Carrie's room sometime between During that time, I was giving spiritual comfort to one of my flock.
Oh, well, if you could tell us who that someone was- I'm afraid I can't do that, Fred.
- I'd be violating a sacred trust.
- Come on, now, WillieJohn.
Believe in me as you would in the Lord.
I give you my word.
Oh, I wanna believe in you, believe me.
It's just that, well, a grand jury is liable to want more.
No, WillieJohn.
It was me, Mr.
Whittaker.
WillieJohn was with me.
- Is- Is that so? - You were with my husband at midnight? You were supposed to be on your dinner break.
We were in the chapel.
WillieJohn was ministering to my needs.
Oh, well, if- if you and WillieJohn were both in the chapel together, well, then, someone else must've poisoned Miss Carrie.
Oh, but, Mr.
Whittaker, it's quite simple to get from the chapel to Carrie's room without passing the nurses' station, by way of the exit staircase.
Sue Beth, I'm sure that you used those stairs when you left the chapel to go to Carrie's room? No.
I was with WillieJohn in the chapel between 12:00 and 12:30.
Oh, but I'm sure that I saw you leave Carrie's room just minutes before she died.
I never left the chapel, and neither did WillieJohn.
We were talking the whole time.
Talking.
That's all.
I've been having an affair with one of the interns and- Hush, child.
There's no need to explain.
I'd better go see if she's all right.
Mrs.
Fletcher, I don't get it.
If his fingerprints were on the murder syringe, he had to be the one who snuffed her, right? Dear heaven! How stupid of me! Don't worry, Ruth.
Everything's gonna be all right.
They'll never find a jury that'll convict WillieJohn, not in this county.
Nor should they, Mr.
Fargo.
Your brother did not kill Carrie McKittrick.
Are you sure about that, lady? Yes, I am now.
Because the killing was committed by someone who wanted to make it appear that WillieJohn was responsible.
Somebody framed WillieJohn? Of course.
It was the McKittricks.
They wanted to break the will.
No, it was someone close to WillieJohn.
Very close.
Someone who knew that he was a diabetic and knew that it would come out.
Someone who had access to the syringes that he used every day and discarded.
Someone who thought that he wouldn't have an alibi.
That's ridiculous.
I love my husband.
Do you? Haven't you been meeting another man, secretly, once a week, on Wednesdays, at the Indian reservation clinic? - Ruth! - Oh, Earl, don't be so ridiculous.
Carrie wasn't so much a murder victim as much as she was a means to an end, and I suppose that's what makes this so hard to accept.
I mean, a smart killer would have injected Carrie with insulin, so the murder would not have been detected.
But you wanted the murder discovered, Ruth, and you made sure that the clues pointed to your husband.
- No.
- When I first met you, I assumed "Sister Ruth" had a religious connotation.
But when you said that you'd met WillieJohn in London when he'd had a diabetic attack, it made me wonder if the term "sister'"might not refer to your former vocation-a nurse? It would have been simple to find a uniform in the locker room downstairs and washable hair color spray.
The kind Mr.
Whittaker's secretary wears is available at any all-night drug store.
If anyone had seen you from a distance, they'd have mistaken you for Sue Beth.
You even wore gloves so that WillieJohn's fingerprints would still be on the syringe.
Ruth, why? Did you do it for WillieJohn? For WillieJohn? No.
I did it to WillieJohn.
Or I tried to.
I had to be free of him, but that meant destroying him totally.
I tried to tell you, Mark.
I couldn't.
As much as I know you love me, you could've never understood.
WillieJohn was crushing me, Mrs.
Fletcher, wringing the life out of me with his sanctimonious piety.
I'm a woman, and every day I've been getting older and older, living like some plaster saint.
The dutiful wife of the great and good WillieJohn Fargo.
What was I supposed to do? Divorce him? Oh, my God.
Can you just see the headlines? Or kill him? That would have thrust me into an even more untenable role.
The keeper of WillieJohn's flame living in chastity for the rest of my years.
Ruth.
Why didn't you tell me? I did, WillieJohn, every day, in a hundred different ways, but you were always too busy to hear.
I'm so glad you got to see Carrie.
I only wish it could've been under happier circumstances.
- I'd like a word, Miss Alice.
- You got your nerve comin' here.
We're taking that will all the way to the Supreme Court, WillieJohn.
That won't be necessary, Harvey.
I'll never be able to make amends for what Ruth did, but at least I can set matters right regarding Sister Carrie's last will and testament.
In honor of the generous and good-hearted woman that she was, I've established the Carrie McKittrick Foundation in lasting tribute to her memory.
What? With her money? Since I won't have anything to do with runnin' it, Harvey, I knew you and Sam would be real fond of the idea.
What in the name of heaven is he talkin' about? Shut up, boy.
Let me think.
Makes you feel real proud bein'a benefactor to the people.
It'll just take some gettin' used to.
Bless you, boys.
Come on, Sam.
You didn't have to do that, you know.
Well, Miss Jessica, I've had to do some hard thinking.
I failed Ruth.
Seems like I lost my direction somewhere along the line.
Raising all that money doesn't seem so important now.
Really? What will you do then? I've decided to go away for awhile to Africa, Asia, South America, anyplace the simple folks need me.
Well, I wish you luck, WillieJohn, and I hope that you find what you're looking for.
Oh, I will, Miss Jessica.
I will, indeed, the good Lord willing.