Murder, She Wrote s02e17 Episode Script

- Hey, who is that broad? - Some murder suspect named Fletcher.
- Jessica? - Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.
What are you falling to pieces for? He was only an actor.
We wish to inspect the diary, Doctor, not speed-read it.
How am I supposed to bid on it if I don't know what's in it? You're in it, Doctor.
- Why would I kill him? - If murder were a disease, you'd be contagious.
The diary is gone.
Someone broke into my safe and stole it.
I'm real close to self-destruct, Mrs.
Fletcher, so don't do anything stupid.
Move! Oh, Mr.
Bennett, you're so kind.
Not at all, Lydia.
It is you who are kind to remember me.
- May I wish you a very pleasant flight.
- Thank you.
Mr.
Bennett? Richard.
Jessica.
How good of you to come.
Oh.
I was so worried.
Well, you know that Cabot Cove bus.
It is not a model of punctuality.
Come and sit down.
I'm afraid I don't have much time.
My plane for Barcelona leaves in 20 minutes.
Oh, good heavens.
You know, your telephone call, you sounded so mysterious.
Jessica, I need your help.
I don't know anyone else I can trust.
Richard, what is it? You've heard of Radford's? Of course, it's the auction house.
Yes.
I received this the other day.
Somehow they've managed to get hold of Evangeline's diary.
At 5:00 on Saturday, they're going to sell it off to the highest bidder.
Then all the rumors about the diary are true.
Yes, I'm afraid so.
Jessica, I want you to get it for me.
I'd do it myself, but my presence would only attract attention, which is precisely what I don't want.
Yes, I know how much she meant to you, Richard.
Yes.
Well, I won't have her name exploited anymore.
A million dollars? If you need more, I've authorized my bank to release any amount.
Any amount, Jessica.
Richard, I'm not sure that I can.
I am.
I would not trust this to anyone else.
This is a letter from Evangeline.
A sample of her handwriting.
I don't want to buy a pig in a poke.
All right.
Now, after I've purchased the diary, how do I get it to you? You don't.
Once you've taken possession of it, please, destroy it.
No, no, no, don't worry.
Believe me, it'll never go to trial.
Stan, I have to go.
Uh, remember now, you owe me one.
Yes, sir.
Bring me up to date.
I spoke to Radford again.
He won't deal privately.
He's got people like Richard Bennett and Sal Domino interested.
Damn it, Robert, that's not good enough.
If that diary's made public, the only way either of us will see Washington is on a tour bus.
Sir, I have always done anything you asked of me.
And that's why you'll do this as well.
Tomorrow at 5:00 p.
m.
, someone will walk out of Radford's with that woman's diary.
I expect that someone to be you.
I'm not asking how or how much, Robert, I'm telling you, do it.
Evangeline.
Mesmerizing, isn't she? Even now.
Yes, she certainly is.
It is Mrs.
Fletcher, isn't it? - J.
B.
Fletcher? - Why yes, but- I'm an avid reader of the Sunday book review.
William Radford.
I know.
I'm a sometimes reader of the society pages.
Oh.
Did you know her? No, not really.
L - I met her twice, but only casually.
She and I were quite close.
I'm delighted you're here.
The presentation of the diary this afternoon has piqued a great deal of interest.
Well, I'm afraid I'm not here out of curiosity.
I intend to enter the bidding, representing Mr.
Richard Bennett.
Bennett won't be here? But I've notified the press.
Channel 8 is sending a remote crew.
I'm sorry.
You're stuck with me.
Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to authenticate the diary.
Of course.
It's in my office.
Please.
I transferred the diary from my safe-deposit box the first thing this morning.
- Let go of me! - Bert, what's going on here? Tell this buffalo to take his hands off of me before I slap this junk shop with a lawsuit.
I'm sorry, sir.
This woman just offered me $5,000 to steal the diary before you auction it off.
I thought you oughta know.
Yes, yes, Bert, you were quite right.
- I can handle it from here.
- Yes, sir.
You were asked to bid on the diary, Dr.
Dunn, not to steal it.
You know my name? As psychiatrist to some of Hollywood's biggest stars, Dr.
Sylvia Dunn is something of a star in her own right.
- Meet Mrs.
Fletcher.
- How do you do? Hello.
I have enemies, Radford.
Powerful enemies.
But I'm not going to keep silent.
As Evangeline's former analyst, I resent your contemptuous efforts to make a quick buck on that poor child's unhappiness.
The owner has a perfect right to sell.
I'm merely the middleman.
- And just who is the owner? - That, I'm afraid, is privileged information.
A court of law might disagree, Mr.
Radford, if it's true that the diary was stolen from Evangeline's bedroom the night ofher death.
You wish to authenticate the diary, Mrs.
Fletcher? Please, feel free.
Well, the handwriting matches.
We wish to inspect the diary, Doctor, not speed-read its contents.
How am I supposed to bid on it if I don't know what's in it? You're in it, Doctor.
That's all you have to know.
The last movie of yours, Sheila? Dynamite.
I'm glad you liked it, Sal.
Actually, I thought it stunk.
But you have always had a real talent for turning organic fertilizer into greenbacks.
"Sheila Saxon Presents.
" You've come a long way, baby.
So have you, baby.
Are you still developing dirty pictures in your bathroom? Oh, you and me, we have had some good old memories together.
So, what brings you here, honey? Wanna make a picture about my life, huh? Oh, no, not yours, love.
Evangeline's.
I should have known.
The diary.
You know how close we were.
Hell, I discovered the kid.
I made her a star.
I loved her like a sister.
And then when she died- Sal, I just wanted to do a picture about the real Evangeline.
You know, the scared, tender kid behind the myth.
I just wanted people to see her like I did.
That's all.
That is so beautiful, baby.
When they start to hand out the Oscars for Best Performance by a Hustler, you're gonna get my vote.
Now, you wanna talk business, let's talk business.
All right.
You buy the diary and publish it.
I go halves and buy the film rights.
Now, if we merchandise this right, the picture alone will gross over a hundred million.
Now, Sal, I am willing to cut you in for five percent, for old time's sake, huh? - Maybe I can do better.
- Maybe.
But the auction is in three hours, and I am right here with the checkbook.
You see, if we bid separately, we might get outbid.
But if we do it together, you and I, we got it locked.
Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am.
That's not for sale this week.
It's blue tagged.
Ah, I see something has caught your eye.
Are you a collector? No, but a friend of mine back in Cabot Cove is.
Oh, he'd be absolutely thrilled with something like this.
Well, if you like it, it's yours.
Oh, my goodness, thank you, but I couldn't possibly accept it.
How much money do you think it'll bring? Well, actually, it's mine.
I was going to auction it off for about $300, tops.
Well, could I offer you a check for $300 then? Well, if you insist.
I'll have it wrapped for you.
Well, thank you.
Thank you very much.
Excuse me.
The bid now is at $ 1,000.
And 1, 100, the lady's bid.
Twelve hundred front.
Thirteen.
Fourteen hundred.
Fifteen hundred.
Sixteen.
Seventeen in the back.
And eighteen to the left.
And nineteen.
Two thousand.
Now twenty-two fifty.
Twenty-two fifty.
Twenty-five hundred.
Twenty-seven hundred and fifty.
Three thousand, the lady's bid.
And now thirty-five hundred in the back.
At thirty-five hundred.
And four thousand front.
Going at four thousand.
The bid is four thousand.
All through at four thousand dollars.
And sold at four thousand dollars, the lady front.
Ladies and gentlemen, this next piece was added at the last minute in response to several special requests.
This is a classical all of mahogany, finely carved and mounted with chase bronze plaques.
We ask anyone interested to please step forward and inspect it.
Fantastic.
Look at the finish.
Lieutenant, this is absurd.
You can't just arbitrarily close down this auction.
Excuse me, sir, but the body of a famous movie star tumbles out of a piece of furniture.
It's not exactly business as usual.
Your superiors will hear of this.
They usually do.
Come on, come on.
Get a hold of yourself.
Everybody's staring at us.
Sal, I can't believe it.
Do you know who that was? Richard Bennett.
I know, I know, honey, but what are you falling to pieces for? He was only an actor.
Oh, Sal.
This way, please.
Go ahead.
Lieutenant, you wanted to talk to Mrs.
Fletcher.
Yes, yes, right.
Thanks.
Fletcher.
Fletcher.
Jessica? Uh, yes, that's right.
Yeah.
Uh, Radford tells me you're a last-minute bidder? You're here in place of the deceased.
Yes.
Who-Who was supposed to be in Spain making a movie, but obviously he wasn't, right? So, what can you tell me about that? Well, nothing.
I have no idea why or how Mr.
Bennett died.
You don't.
No.
Or what he was doing back in this country.
Five days ago, he gave me a check.
A check? A check? What check? Uh, it's this check.
To bid on the diary of Evangeline.
It's for a million dollars.
It's made out to you.
Yeah, well, obviously, I was, uh - I was going to endorse it over to Radford's.
Obviously.
Suppose you weren't the high bidder? What then? The check's still made out to you.
Meaning that I could or would have cashed it? - Lieutenant.
- Oh, Mr.
Radford, please.
It's gone.
The diary is gone.
Someone broke into my safe and stole it.
Wait a minute.
Are you sure? When's the last time you saw it? About two hours ago, when I let Mrs.
Fletcher examine it.
Well, surely you- you don't think that I- Um- Harry, Officer Darrin said he found you unconscious and beaten up in an alley.
Now what happened? Hey, get off my back, will you, Hogan? That cop should have minded his own business, and so should you.
Hey, who is that broad? Some murder suspect named Fletcher.
- Jessica? - Sit down.
Are you sure you don't want a lawyer present, Mrs.
Fletcher? Lieutenant, this is utterly ridiculous.
Jessica.
Harry? Harry McGraw.
Oh, my goodness.
How are you? Never mind about me.
What'd these dirtbags drag you in here for? - You know this bum? - Well, of course.
Harry and I solved a case together.
I see your eye hasn't changed much in the past two years.
Oh, this? It's nothing.
It's some kind of allergy.
Now listen, Casey- No, no, no, you listen, McGraw.
Take a hike.
This is an official interrogation going on here.
Oh, yeah? Where you hiding the rubber hose? Look, this lady, and I mean lady, happens to be a very famous author.
Not to mention, a close personal friend of mine.
And she did not snuff anybody.
I give you my personal guarantee on that.
Oh, hey, that changes everything.
Uh, Harry, it's all right.
I'm gonna be fine.
You bet you will, Jessica, because as of right now, I'm taking you on as a client.
McGraw, I'm giving you five seconds to get out that door before I throw you out.
Yeah, you do, Casey, and I'll go right to my pals on the Morning Bulletin and tell them how this Boston flatfoot with baked beans for brains just put himself in line for a foot patrol beat in Brockton.
Now come on.
Suppose you just tell me what the hell's going on around here.
I think we can find something here to fix your eye.
Richard Bennett, iced right here in Boston, and it's my case.
There is no case, Harry.
You heard what the lieutenant said.
I'm not seriously under suspicion.
Well, I don't think it was such a hot idea leaving that million-dollar check with him.
Well, there's no possible way he could cash it, even if he wanted to.
Yeah, you don't know Boston cops.
- What's this? - An ice pack to put on your eye.
Anyway, you're not walking away from this.
Yes, I did promise Richard that I'd get Evangeline's diary.
You bet you did.
Which means you're staying.
Which means I'm sticking close to you.
Oh, now, Harry, really.
You know, murder cases have a way of bringing out the worst in people.
Now, you ask me, you're gonna need a lot of protection.
And I'm just the guy who can give it to you.
Yes, Harry.
That makes me feel much better.
Good Lord! Maybe now you'll listen to me, huh? Oh! No, nothing is missing, Lieutenant, but I thought I ought to report it anyway.
Oh, yes, yes, I will.
Thank you.
Are you sure there's nothing missing? Harry, there was nothing to take.
What about this thing? Oh, this is an antique Spanish chess set worth a few hundred dollars.
That's all.
Unless- Unless what? I remember reading about chess sets similar to this one.
Some of them had secret hiding places, where people who had reason to fear the Spanish Inquisition would hide their valuables.
Let me see.
Um, how did it work? You press down simultaneously on the king's square.
Evangeline's diary.
This is what our intruder was after.
I get it.
So, whoever stole the diary, stuck it in this drawer, and then used you to slip it out right under the noses of the cops-slick.
I suppose I should hand it to the police.
Yeah.
Now, listen, Jessica, before you do anything, you know, Bennett wanted this, a million bucks' worth.
And somebody else wanted it bad enough to kill him.
You're dealing with some pretty tough customers here.
I think you'd better let me handle this.
Uh, no, no.
Before I do anything, I- I wanna find out for myself what's so important about this diary.
My goodness.
Oh, merciful heavens.
Pretty juicy stuff, huh? Let me take a peek.
Uh, Harry, my interest is simple curiosity about possible suspects.
Well, it's mine too.
Uh, hey, you know, I'm getting really hungry.
What do you say we order something up from room service? Hey, that's a good idea.
I could do with a sandwich and a nice pot of tea.
This could be a very long night.
You know, I can't believe I fell asleep reading this diary.
It's intriguing enough to keep anybody awake.
Oh, yeah? Like what, for example? Harry.
Oh, come on, Jessica.
Am I in this or aren't I? All I wanna do is help.
Well, it covers the last year of Evangeline's life.
In addition to several love affairs, she has some very unpleasant things to say about Sal Domino, not to mention, the producer Sheila Saxon and Dr.
Dunn.
Also, there's a mysterious person called Al.
Al who? She didn't mention his last name.
But the day before she died, he caused quite a scene at her house, and Richard Bennett had to throw him out.
So Bennett was still seeing her? Only as a friend.
She was romantically involved with Jonathan Damon.
Damon, the ambassador? Throughout the diary, she only refers to him as J.
D.
It's only in the last few pages that she identifies him by name.
Jessica, you know what you're holding there? A hot potato.
See, Damon's looking for a shot at the White House.
Only if it ever came out that he was warming the sheets with Evangeline- Oh, wait a minute.
If Damon's in the book, how come he wasn't there trying to buy it? One of the bidders was a lawyer named Robert Rhine.
Now, he refused to tell the police who he was representing.
Rhine, sure.
Him and Damon are as tight as a new pair of jeans.
Jessica, you're really making a mistake giving that back, you know? Harry, it's not mine to keep.
After I've reread a few of these sections, I think I'm gonna stop by and see Mr.
Radford.
I feel that he and I should take it back to the police together.
One thing I like about you, Jessica, you got a real sense of propriety.
You'd make a lousy private eye.
Well, I'm heading out and see if I can shake anything loose.
Oh, and do me a favor.
Don't open this door to any strangers.
Especially not to anybody who's mentioned in that diary.
First of all, I do not traffic in stolen property.
Well, suppose I could get you a photocopy for, uh, oh, say a hundred grand? I just drink at the Ritz, Mr.
McGraw.
I don't own it.
But your pal, Ambassador Damon, owns half of Boston.
Now look, Rhine, you wanna dance? Go do the boogaloo with somebody else.
Now me? I'm just here on a mission of mercy, which involves saving your pal's ambitions for the White House.
Now, you don't want a hand in this game? I'll deal in Sal Domino.
I wouldn't do that if I were you.
Oh, what, are you threatening me? Get off my case.
The photocopy isn't worth all that much, with the original floating around.
It is if Damon wants to know what Evangeline wrote about him.
Think it over, mouthpiece.
I'll be in touch.
Mr.
Radford? Mr.
Radford? This is ridiculous, Lieutenant.
Why would I kill him? Beats me, Mrs.
Fletcher, but every time I find a body, you seem to be in the neighborhood.
And not only that, you just happen to be carrying this million-dollar diary that everybody's trying to get their hands on.
Yeah, but I explained that.
Look, obviously Mr.
Radford faked the theft of the diary and then used me to unknowingly smuggle it out of the premises.
I sure love your theory.
I did not kill Mr.
Radford.
And quite frankly, Lieutenant, I don't honestly think that you believe that I did.
Okay, Mrs.
Fletcher, you can go.
But I'm warning you.
If I find you near another body, I'm gonna book you.
If murder were a disease, you'd be contagious.
Well, that is a charming diagnosis.
Thank you.
Hogan.
Tag this and put it in the evidence room.
Personally.
Taxi! Jessica, get in.
Oh.
Thanks.
I just heard about Radford.
You all right? Harry, I'm fine.
Lousy cops.
Thinking for one minute that you could have been involved in icing the guy.
So, uh- What did happen? Harry, he was dead when I got there.
Well, who said he wasn't? It's my hunch that whoever killed Richard Bennett didn't believe that the diary was really stolen.
The killer probably tried to force Mr.
Radford to divulge its whereabouts.
Okay.
So who would want the diary bad enough to take out two of the players? Who? Everybody, if they had the guts.
I know one person with nerve enough to try to bribe a warehouse workman to steal it.
The shrink, Dr.
Dunn.
Harry, stop at the next telephone booth.
I wanna look up an address.
Dunn lives in this dump? No, Bert Cromwell does.
The warehouseman that Dr.
Dunn tried to bribe.
Hold it, Jessica.
This ain't Cabot Cove.
Better let me handle this.
I'm so sorry to bother you, Mr.
Cromwell.
We were wondering if we could ask you a few questions.
- Well, about what? - Won't take long.
I promise.
Well, sure.
I'll be glad to.
Come on.
I was just on my way down to the laundry room.
We can talk down there.
Now, Bert, how come you didn't take the Dunn dame up on her offer? I mean, five thousand's a nice piece of change.
Harry.
And how do we know she approached you? Maybe it was the other way around.
Excuse me.
But I told you the way it happened.
She said she'd give me five thousand in cash.
In fact, she had it right there in her purse.
You saw it? All in twenties.
Still in those wrappers from the Remington Federal Bank.
Come on, Bert.
Why would a dame like that trust a guy like you she didn't even know? Excuse me, Mr.
Cromwell.
Bert.
We were hoping- Now, you were in the back area during the auction? Back and forth, but I don't know anything about Mr.
Bennett's death if that's what you mean.
Oh, no, no, no, no.
But you might have seen or heard someone or something.
I'm sorry.
The police already asked me that.
Oh, of course.
Well, if you do think of something, anything, would you call either Mr.
McGraw or me? - Well, sure, if I do.
- I'm in the book.
I'd give you a card, but I'm fresh out.
Thank you so very much, Mr.
Cromwell.
Oh, and be careful there, Bert.
You know, too much starch in your shorts will make you cranky.
Oh, Harry.
Oh, terrific, my hubcaps.
Oh, good Lord.
Oh, this is great, Jessica.
We waste a half an hour with that muscle-bound grunt, and all it cost me was four hubcaps.
Well, I'm sorry, but the time was not exactly wasted.
Bert said that the money came from the Remington Federal Bank.
And that is in Los Angeles, Harry.
Which means that Dr.
Dunn's bribery plan was premeditated.
I want to talk to her.
Yeah, well, uh, listen.
I'm gonna be a little tied up tonight.
Oh, you've got a date, Harry? Oh, that's nice.
Well, you know, all work and no fooling around, uh, ain't exactly living.
May I have the key to 812, please? Here you are.
Thank you.
Mrs.
Fletcher? Dr.
Dunn.
I was about to try to track you down.
You too? I must talk to you privately.
All right.
My room? - Is it bugged? - No, I don't think so.
All right.
I'll take the chance.
I've been told there's a copy of the diary available for sale.
Oh, really? Who told you that? Oh, don't give me that, Mrs.
Fletcher.
I know you're in on it.
In on what? Why are you out to get me? I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about.
A friend of a friend works for Robert Rhine, who works for Ambassador Damon.
He was offered a photocopy of the diary.
And since it was in your possession at the time- Doctor, believe me- Why should I believe you? You're out to get me just like the rest of them.
The rest of who? I know.
Trust me, I know.
You try to help people.
Ease their fears.
Help them to face their problems.
So what if I prescribed drugs to get them through the dark moments? It's certainly preferable to a total breakdown.
If you're referring to Evangeline, I did read the diary, Doctor.
The drugs were necessary! To keep her tied to you, Doctor? Is that what she wrote? I should have known.
It's not true.
Patients are always inventing fantasies involving their analysts.
Well, I'm certainly not gonna let her neurotic scribblings destroy a lifetime of hard work.
I want that copy, Mrs.
Fletcher.
And I repeat, I don't know what you're talking about.
So, you're one of them.
All right.
Have it your own way.
But I am going to fight.
You're not going to get me, not now and not ever.
Are you sure McGraw didn't talk you into this? Oh, no.
No, tonight Harry's off pursuing other, uh, interests.
Well, I'm gonna let you have one more look at this diary, but only because I'm at a real dead end here.
LfJudge Parker ever gets wind of this, he's gonna chew my butt out good.
Lieutenant.
Yeah.
A few pages in the diary are missing.
What? You see the dates on these entries? They jump from October 17 to October 20, the day she died.
Nobody had access to this except my people and Judge Parker.
He was in here this morning looking at this in private.
Judge Parker? Well, surely he wouldn't do a thing like that.
Not unless he owed somebody a favor.
Damn! Just what I need.
How am I gonna arrest Judge Parker for tampering with his own evidence? Who would Judge Parker owe that big a favor to? AmbassadorJonathan Damon, perhaps? I gotta tell ya, honey.
That's my kind of movie.
I thought you'd like it, Harry- murder, mayhem, lust, vice.
Yeah.
And all as phony as a three-dollar bill.
No, my next film is gonna smell of realism.
I am talking the real nitty-gritty of the streets, focusing on a real-life private eye.
Harry, have you ever considered a movie based on your life story? You're kidding.
I can see it now.
The last surviving paladin of justice.
A Galahad in a fifty-buck suit, roaming the mean streets.
Desired by women.
Yeah, yeah, and all you need from me is? A copy of Evangeline's diary.
Yeah, hold it, doll face.
You know, you're supposed to wait for me to make the first move.
Who told you about it? One phone call to my bank in LA.
, and I can have the cameras rolling inside, what, three months? Maybe you could even play the part.
Terrific.
And then you can work me over like you did Evangeline.
What? Come on.
You worked her like a plow horse and you robbed her blind.
Who knows? Maybe you even killed her.
Maybe all this stuff about suicide is just turkey stuffing.
Why, you two-bit gumshoe.
I have just offered you the chance of a lifetime.
Yeah, you're a real fairy godmother, aren't you? You know, I never hit a dame in my life, but you're just begging to be number one.
Surely you weren't looking for this, Harry.
Oh, now wait a minute.
Oh, my goodness, your eye.
And I thought it was getting better.
Oh, this is nothing.
Me and somebody had a little disagreement.
Ah, about this? - Now, I can explain that.
- Oh, I'm sure you can.
I would have told you before, but you got too many scruples.
And you obviously don't.
I understand you were going to sell this copy of the diary to Robert Rhine? Ah, that was just a cover.
See, I figured if the killer thought that there was a copy for sale, - I could smoke him out, that's all.
- So you what? Ordered a pot of tea from room service, and, uh, slipped me a Mickey.
I wish you wouldn't put it that way, Jessica.
We needed some leverage.
And it's working too.
I'm stirring up a real hornet's nest.
Oh, yes, I can see that.
Well, actually, Harry, it's a good thing that you did make a copy of the diary, because somebody got through police security and removed the last few pages of the original.
Somebody representing Ambassador Damon.
Wow.
And since we've got the copy- Hey, what's in those pages about Damon? Well, it seems that he canceled a weekend trip at the last minute.
Evangeline thought that his advisors might have finally persuaded him to break it off.
Sure.
He'd never get the nomination with her hanging around his neck.
And that's not all, Harry.
Now, there's reference in here to a nude layout that Sal Domino was forcing her to do with Sheila Saxon's cooperation.
- Now, I think we should turn this over to Lieutenant Casey right away.
- Uh, wait a minute.
Unless, of course, your real objective was always to make a fast buck out of this copy, Harry.
Okay, let's go.
I'm gonna get some smokes.
I'll meet you in a minute.
Any messages for 810? Yes, there is, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Thank you.
Come by my place this evening at 8:00.
It will be worth your while.
Sal Domino.
Mrs.
Fletcher, let's take a little walk.
Calmly and quietly.
This is very foolish, Mr.
Rhine.
I'm real close to self-destruct, Mrs.
Fletcher, so don't do anything stupid.
Right now, I don't care much.
Move! Mr.
Rhine, does Ambassador Damon know about this? He doesn't worry about details.
He just gives orders.
And his orders to you were to get the diary.
If you knew how much I hate this.
But he could destroy me.
I really don't think you know all the facts.
Would you just get in? And if I refuse? - Oh, boy! - Oh, Harry, thank goodness.
I saw you and this dirtbag headed out of the lobby.
I didn't figure you were the type of dame to stand a guy up.
All right, on your feet, shyster.
We better do something about that hand.
Is it broken? Come on, Jessica.
If I know anything, I know how to punch somebody without busting my hand.
Well, Harry, this break's not as bad as last time.
It should be good as new in six weeks.
That nose is looking real good too.
Now that the cartilage healed, actually, that's an improvement.
Well, listen, you take it easy, Harry.
Guess I'll be seeing you soon.
Okay, so I got busted up a little bit.
At least we got the case solved.
You know, I'm not at all sure that Rhine is our man.
Aw, come on, Jessica.
The guy was this close to pulling the trigger on you.
Yeah, but that doesn't mean that he killed Richard and Mr.
Radford.
You know, the more I think about those last three pages in that diary, the more I think about the entries about Al.
Now, they were full of fear.
Al.
Oh, you mean the guy Bennett tossed out of her house? Yeah.
At first, I thought he was just another obsessive fan.
But now I feel that she must have known him.
Otherwise why would she have let him in? Look, as far as I'm concerned, we got the guy nailed.
Casey's got the diary, and I'm going back to making a living.
There's a guy I know wants me to lean on some deadbeat in Elmira, New York.
Hey, we did it, huh? We're a great team, Jessica.
I always told you that.
Yes, you did, Harry.
So you did.
Mrs.
Fletcher.
I'm expected.
I'll handle this, Randolph.
I, uh, wanted to talk to you before you got cornered by him.
Oh, it's Miss Chase, isn't it? Mr.
Domino's secretary.
Secretary.
Yeah.
You know, I always had a thing about Richard Bennett.
Who didn't? My mom was president of his fan club.
Oh.
His photograph was on our piano.
Like he was, you know, a member of the family.
Miss Chase, what is it? On the day of the auction, Mr.
Bennett came to see Sal here at the mansion.
And even from my desk outside, I could hear them having a terrible argument.
And did you hear what they were arguing about? No.
But I've never heard Sal so mad.
And believe me, I've heard Sal mad lots of times.
I'm afraid Sal might be involved.
Well, thank you for telling me.
I guess my first loyalty should be to Sal, but when you've grown up with the man's picture on your piano, it's- Mrs.
Fletcher, how nice of you to come.
Honey, get lost.
How about a drink, Mrs.
Fletcher? No.
No, thank you.
Mind if I have one? Oh, not at all.
Go right ahead.
Good.
What do you think of the old homestead? Lovely.
What can I do for you, Mr.
Domino? I hear you have a copy of the diary.
- Who told you that? - Oh, come on, come on.
That private eye you've been working with? He's been trying to peddle it all over town.
Assuming that's true, wouldn't it be tricky publishing a copy that you can't authenticate? That is no problem.
I'll have the original too.
You see, I am the mysterious owner that Radford has been trying to sell it for.
And why are you trying to buy a copy of your own diary? Simple.
To get a lot of free publicity before I publish it.
And to cover up how you really got the diary.
That would explain the violent argument you had with Richard Bennett the day that he was murdered? Okay.
So Bennett found out about my little publicity stunt.
When he came back from Europe, he tried to buy it from me direct.
When I wouldn't sell it to him, he threatened me.
I don't like to be threatened.
Presumably you had a copy made of the diary? That's right.
But I can't publish until the cops are through with the original.
In the meantime, the competition would love to get their hands on your copy and beat me to the punch.
You've got nothing to worry about, Mr.
Domino, because Lieutenant Casey has the copy too.
Tell me about Al.
Al? Who's Al? Someone that Evangeline was afraid of.
I thought it might have been one of your enforcers.
Come on, lady.
I wondered about Al.
Too bad she didn't use his last name.
The diary belonged to Domino all along? How am I gonna explain this to the commissioner? He'll ask me what I've been smoking.
Look, I'm sorry, Lieutenant, but I felt that you should know all the facts.
You know, you're really something, Casey.
LfJessica hadn't dug all this out, you still wouldn't know what the hell was going on.
Remind me never to get murdered in Boston.
Okay, that's it.
You're through.
Sergeant, give me the city license department.
I wanna revoke the license of a former so-called private investigator named Harlan A.
McGraw.
Harlan? Well, Jessica.
Harlan.
Probably thought Harry sounded tougher.
Well, it ain't.
Harry, Harlan, Harrison.
Get off my back, will ya? What's the difference? Well, maybe in this case a great deal.
Are you sure about this? The judge was sure.
You got your warrant, didn't you? Here, get out of the way.
I'm gonna pretend I didn't see this.
I feel like I'm in a church.
- Mrs.
Fletcher, I think you were right.
- What are you doing in here? - Albert Cromwell? - You're the cop from the auction house.
Yeah, yeah.
There's a couple of questions I'd like to ask you.
Me? What for? You have no right to be in here! Mr.
Cromwell? Bert? Or is it Al? I imagine a lot of people call you that.
Evangeline, perhaps? We read her diary.
She mentioned you often.
Did she? I never read it.
I didn't even know about that until much later.
See, I was going to steal the diary.
Richard Bennett showed up.
He recognized me from Evangeline's.
I knew if the diary turned up missing, he'd figure I was the one that stole it, so I killed him.
And I put his body in the armoire.
I didn't know it was going to be auctioned off.
I thought it was blue tagged.
And, uh, Radford, why'd you kill him? Well, I-I knew he faked the theft of the diary, and I tried to force him to tell me where he had it.
He didn't scare.
He came after me.
I grabbed a knife off the wall.
But why, Mr.
Cromwell? Why did you want the diary so badly? So she could rest in peace.
You know, we were going together for a long time before she became famous.
But her career, that- that came first.
That-That meant she had to be seen with all the right people.
Like Richard Bennett.
So, she dumped me.
Went off looking for fame.
But I never stopped loving her.
Then I had to watch her name being dragged through those scandal sheets.
Well, that's why she turned to drugs, you know.
I think she wanted to stop too, but she was just too weak to, uh, you know, pull herself out.
I just couldn't stand it any longer.
I had to help her.
I had to put her out of that misery.
Then Evangeline's death wasn't suicide.
I did it because I loved her.
You can understand that, can't you? Yes.
Oh, yes, I think it's for the best.
Good-bye.
What was that all about? Well, Domino originally obtained the diary illegally, because it belonged to Evangeline's estate.
So, her executor has just given me permission to destroy the diary as Richard wished.
- Harry, is that your only copy? - Sure.
Jessica, I swear.
Jessica, you're tossing away a fortune.
Yes, we are.
I must be nuts.
Harry, I know that was very difficult for you.
But now that you've put that diary to rest, honestly, don't you feel better? Honestly? Jessica, you must be nuts.