Murder, She Wrote s03e01 Episode Script

I heard it was an accident, but, good Lord of mercy, trampled by an elephant? Tonight on Murder She Wrote.
Hank Sutter's been killed.
It happened early this morning.
Stop it! You stay away from my mother or I'll bust you! Hank! What's so terrible about making I'm not a dress peddler.
Then what are you, Ray! Who do you think could have had a motive? He was a leprechaun, wasn't he? - It's dark and evil.
- That's illegal.
If you think I'm going to stand by while you railroad a perfectly innocent man, you are very sadly mistaken.
Pick it up.
It's a big party.
I can see that.
Yep.
Over here with the tables now.
Come on.
Grandmother, I love it.
Alex, it's wonderful! Thank you.
I'll reserve my judgment until the final fitting on Thursday.
But, Mrs.
Fletcher, this is the final fitting.
- Thursday.
10:00.
- Grandmother? Carol, this gentleman was your choice.
Now let me salvage what I can.
Mother.
- Is this the handkerchief you meant? - The one with the Chantilly lace? Yes, that's it.
Oh, good.
Then we have the something borrowed.
All we need is the something old.
Well, Great-aunt Amanda has offered the white silk gloves she wore when she was married.
No, I'm going to wear Grandfather's lodge ring.
Oh, well, Carol, it's only natural you'd be thinking of your grandfather now- It isn't natural at all.
It's silly romanticizing.
- For heaven's sakes, he's been dead for 10 years.
- Grandmother- We'll discuss this later when we have a little more privacy.
Oh! Oh, my.
Look who's here! It's our very own celebrity.
- AuntJessica? - And only three days early.
At my request.
Well, I wasn't at all sure she'd come.
Oh, dear.
I guess I better put her at table three with the undersecretary.
At table two with Senator Fry, Audrey.
As long as she's here, you might as well make the most of her.
Thank you.
Jessica! Oh! Howard! My goodness, you look wonderful.
I look dreadful but, uh, thanks for the insincerity.
Well, are you happy or relieved that your only daughter is getting married? Well, I'm not sure yet, Jess.
I can't believe it.
Has it really been five years since you were here last? Just before Frank died.
I feel awful we haven't kept in touch more, but Audrey and Constance- Well, the social obligations, never a minute's peace.
It was great of you to come.
Nonsense.
I wouldn't have missed Carol's wedding for the world.
Or a chance to see you.
You know, I've always loved that portrait of Neil.
There's so much of Frank in it.
Jessica, my dear, how nice to see you.
Constance.
Where have you been keeping yourself? Oh, don't you look wonderful! I mean, success really becomes you.
We would have been devastated if you had failed to come to the wedding.
How was your flight down from Vermont? - Maine.
- Of course.
We want to hear all about what you've been doing.
After you've settled in.
- You must be tired from your trip.
- No, not really.
You will be up to a small dinner party tonight? Just a few close friends.
Oh, and they're dying to meet you.
As I was saying to Senator Fry just- Audrey and I have a few wedding things to tend to.
Get some rest and we'll talk to you later.
Howard, makeJessica comfortable.
Audrey, dear.
As you can see, Constance hasn't changed much either.
No.
Would you like to see your room? I'd rather see Carol first.
Oh, AuntJessica, I'm so grateful to you.
To me? For what? For convincing me to wait.
You remember, I was all set to jump into marriage just to get away from this place.
Oh, you mean all those midnight telephone calls to Cabot Cove? No, no, no, no, no.
You did your own convincing.
Your being here makes it perfect.
I mean, almost perfect.
All it needs is Uncle Frank.
And Grandfather.
Yeah, well, let's just pretend that they're both here.
Excuse me.
Oh, thank you.
The wedding gifts keep coming.
I think we've invited the entire District of Colombia.
- Oh, you're gonna love Clay.
- I know I will.
Of course, Grandmother doesn't approve ofhim.
You should have seen the ones she's tried to pick out for me.
And how does your father feel? About Clay? Absolutely adores him.
Poor Daddy, all he's had to put up with for our sake.
Carol? No.
What is it? - This is from Grandfather.
- Neil? Oh, no, child.
I know, I know, he's dead.
Or he's supposed to be.
But no one else knew.
Knew what? It-It looks like a little leprechaun.
When I was a little girl, Grandfather used to say that when I got married, a leprechaun would come to my wedding and bring me the gift of a happy life.
He said it was our secret, and that no one could ever know.
No.
This has to be some sort of a coincidence.
Look, there's no card.
There's no return address.
He's alive.
I know it.
You know it too, don't you? Frank was devastated when he heard about Neil's boating accident.
He-He never could believe that his brother was dead.
Cat Cat-lin Catlinburg, Arkansas.
Well, that's a start.
Carol, the family must not know about this.
I'll invent some reason.
My publisher.
AuntJess- One way or the other, I'll be back for the wedding.
Okay.
So what do ya say, slugger? How was practice? Brad says I've got a Pete Rose swing and a hustle.
- Hittin' 'em big, huh? - Real big.
Say, what's with Brad? He gettin'off dead center with your mom? Not yet, but he's sure workin' at it.
Charlie? Katie.
Do you know I was that close to askin'if it wasn't time for his geography studies.
That is exactly what it is.
In fact, it's that much past the time.
Aw, Mom.
Well, maybe you'd rather the state order me to send you to school.
I'm gone.
See ya, Charlie.
See you later.
I hope he wasn't pestering you, Carl.
Pestering? You're talkin' to Blinky the Clown.
Where'd I be without Charlie around to pump me up every day, huh? That goes for his mom too.
Aw, that means a lot to Charlie.
To both of us.
Mean a lot more comin' from somebody younger.
I got a sick snake here- Y'all got a sick something- Comin' through here, comin' through- Ho, Katie.
Katie! Hi, Brad.
Hey, look, you know, Charlie and me, we found this-this great lake.
You know, we were out there practicin' ball.
We were figurin' on gettin' up early tomorrow mornin' and doin' a little fishin'.
I thought maybe we could make a little room for ya if you'd like to come.
Oh, no, I'm working on a new wire-stunt, and my timing is just a little off.
L- I really oughta put in some extra practice.
Hey, no problem.
Well, we'll bring a mess home for supper then anyway.
You just bring him home in time for school work, okay.
Bye, Brad.
Kaneally.
The lady's out of your league.
Well, I guess that makes two of us then, huh, Sutter? - You check the rigging on the main tent? - That's just where I was headin'.
Not until I had to tell ya.
Move it! A silver leprechaun, eh? About so-high.
I couldn't find one in either one of the stores in town.
Well, you're not gonna find one here either, ma'am.
I had one in stock for months.
I sold it last week.
Fast talkin' salesman from up north.
He got me to buy it.
He said it would be a smart seller.
It sat there in that showcase since mid-February.
You didn't sell it to this man by any chance? Could have been him.
Could have not.
Then he wasn't from Catlinburg? Nope.
He was a stranger.
Probably a visitor, 'cause he come in here three times over a week before he decided to buy.
That was, uh, that was last Friday.
Thank you.
Ah, excuse me, sir.
That-That circus.
Afraid you missed it, ma'am.
Left town last Sunday night.
Yes.
Would you, uh, would you have any idea where it went? Nobody can fault your taste, tomcat.
I can't say the same for the way you sniff around back alleys.
Get off my back, Maylene.
Let me know if you're coming home tonight.
I'd hate to shoot you coming through the door.
Well, how about this for a house? Hmm.
Harry Kingman must have overlooked this charming little village.
Come on, gloomy gus.
Edgar, be realistic.
These whistle-stops can't support two shows.
Not when one's got the size and splash of Kingman's.
He's no more circus-folk than the man in the moon.
He'll fade.
Mark me.
One day that boy of mine will be passing the reins on to his son.
Yes, yes, Dr.
Harris, I understand.
I just- Look, give it to me plain and simple.
What did the tests tell you? Ladies and gentlemen, the graceful, artful and death-defying Princess Maria! And now, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, those madcaps of the midway, lunatics oflaughter, the cunningly capricious, cleverly comedic, clamorous, cavorting and cacophonic Carmody Family Circus Clowns! Featuring Blinky! Okay, thanks.
If anything develops, let me know.
Well, we have the same location in Bartlesfield as last year.
I just talked to Mother.
- Well, how is New York's most famous fashion lady? - The same.
Are we gonna go over it now, or do we save this for pillow talk? Skip it.
She started again, right? Ray, come on.
She knows what you know and what I know.
You can't keep this creaky showboat afloat forever.
We're going under.
You finished? What's so terrible about making I'm not a dress peddler - Then what are you, Ray? Please tell me.
What is the secret that's burying you here? You're miserable and you know it.
Ray, what's going on? Why won't you tell me? Well, she's not circus-people, Son.
She never was, never will be.
One, please.
Show's almost half over.
Oh, I'm sure there's still lots to see.
By the way, do you happen to recognize that man? - Could be Carl, younger, of course.
- Carl? Uh, no, that ain't him.
Sorry, lady, I can't help you.
- But you just said- - Lady, I got a long night ahead of me.
Well, evening, Daniela.
Been making yourself scarce these past few weeks.
Have I? No need to, honey.
When a thing's over, it's over.
I know.
It's just enough being there when you're needed.
By the way, Ray ain't giving any sign that, uh, he suspects, has he? I mean, I ain't seen it.
Stop it! Hey, come on.
I was just making conversation.
That's all.
Listen to me, Sutter.
You caught me when I was hurting.
Okay, I'm not proud of myself, but it's over.
Mrs.
Carmody, there's over and then there's over.
Let go of me! Let go of me! You try that again and you're a dead man.
You're not plannin' on hurtin' ol' Hank are ya, honey? No, I'm thinking about telling my husband before you do, and then he'll kill you.
Hello? Hello.
Excuse me, Mr.
Carmody? Yeah, Edgar Carmody, yes, ma'am.
I realize you're very busy and I don't wanna bother you - Nonsense.
Anything I can do, you just ask.
But shouldn't you be in there watchin' the show? Well, much as I like a good circus, actually I- I'm looking for someone, and I hope that you can help me.
- My name is Jessica Fletcher.
- Fletcher.
Yes.
This is a picture- was a picture- of my brother-in-law.
His name is- excuse me, was- Neil Fletcher.
He's a striking looking man, yes, ma'am.
Perhaps you knew him as Carl? Carl? Let's see.
Carl? Sorry.
A circus is a busy place.
Folks come and go.
It's the nature of the beast.
Yes, well, I- I understand your reluctance to talk to a stranger.
Mrs.
Fletcher, is it? I'm sorry but I'm afraid I can't help you.
Now we did have a Carl Benson.
A roustabout.
But he was a good 20 years younger than that picture.
And he quit me over a month ago.
I see.
Sorry I can't be of more help.
Brad, would you show this lady to the front entrance? Find her a cab or something? Excuse me, ma'am.
Okay.
My goodness, I think I just got the bum's rush.
Yeah, well, Edgar's got this thing about the payin' public pokin' around where they don't belong.
- Come on.
I'll show you the way out.
- Oh that's all right, uh, Brad.
I'll find my own way.
Thanks anyway.
Okay, boys, get those cats into the main tent! We don't wanna hang around here all night! It'd take six months of crowds like tonight to make this outfit well again.
"Well" is somethin' it's never gonna be.
Hey, don't wait up for me.
I'm gonna run a check on some of the equipment.
Oh yeah? Who's the lucky one tonight? You got a way about you, don't you, Maylene? - You're hurting her.
- You stay out of this, or I'll rearrange your face.
Oh for Lord's sakes, stop it! You just go do what you got to do.
I don't care.
Go on.
Get! Get out of my sight! Louisiana? Baton Rouge.
- Maryland? - Annapolis.
- Oregon? - Salem.
- Idaho? - Boise.
Oh! Sheer genius! Oh, yeah! What's this? Louisville slugger.
Uh-huh.
He was hot today.
He worked hard.
And he needs a soft place to rest.
Honestly.
All right, okay.
All right.
Let's see.
I'll set the alarm for what? 5:30 for your fishing trip tomorrow with Brad? I wish you'd go, Mom.
Gotta practice.
I miss your dad too, Charlie.
I'm just not ready to replace him yet.
But if I was, it would be somebody like Brad.
What do you want? Hey! I told you.
- Stay away from me.
- That's awfully hard to do, Katie.
Hank, I'm not interested.
Now that's not the message I got when I talked Carmody into hiring you, when you quit Harry Kingman.
Or did you get fired? I can't remember.
I remember it was faulty rigging that killed my husband a year ago.
Rigging you were supposed to have checked.
Hey, honey, we got that all hashed out a long time ago.
A long time for you to go without a man.
Stop it! You stay away from my mother or I'll bust you! Well, lookee here.
A real fightin' terror here, all 80 pounds of him.
I oughta spank your bottom, sonny.
Oh, you touch him and I'll kill you! Hey, I wasn't gonna hurt the kid.
Will you- Hank! Give me that! I'll give it back to you when you're man enough to handle it, boy.
Hank.
In fact, I think I'll just keep this till somebody comes askin' for it real nice like.
Well, now, lookee who's here.
Hello, darlin', you wanna ride? Come on up.
How about a little kiss, honey, huh? You betcha.
Okay, on your way.
Well, hi, there, little princess, and a warm, bright good mornin' to ya.
Well, good mornin' back at ya.
My name's Emmaline Polsby.
Polsby's General Store and Dry Goods in Pullman City.
You're up and at 'em awful early.
Well, store opens 7:00.
I had to deliver this here first.
One of your people from the circus, a Carl somethin', a real pleasant fella he bought some things yesterday, and a shirt and three pairs of socks got left out of his package.
Well, ain't you the soul of honesty? You must mean Carl Schumann.
He's likely asleep in his trailer right now.
Somethin' that can't be said for a certain lovesick tomcat I could name that stayed out all night.
- How's that? - Oh, no mind.
It's the gray trailer that way.
You can't miss it.
Oh, much obliged to ya.
Take care now, honey.
Hey, Carl? Yeah? Hey, you turned in early last night.
Yeah.
Matter of fact, I did.
Problem, Edgar? Well, maybe.
A woman named Fletcher came around here last night lookin' for you.
Constance? No.
Ah, Jessica.
She said she was your sister-in-law.
But of course I got rid of her.
Now I hope I did the right thing.
Oh, sure, sure you did, sure.
Too bad though.
In a way, I'd like to have seen her.
I think I made a big mistake, Edgar.
Sent a wedding gift off to my granddaughter.
I never figured she'd send Jessica lookin' for me.
Well, you don't have to worry.
She's gone now.
Uh, one more thing, Edgar.
Jessica's a real nice old gal, but she's persistent as hell.
Well, I'll get rid of her once and for all.
Nicely, Edgar.
Oh, you bet.
Hello again, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Oh, hello, Mr.
Carmody.
You know, I think you forgot to tell me that you had another Carl in your employ.
Carl Schumann.
Yes.
And darned if it didn't slip my mind.
You know, but when I remembered, why, I just mentioned it to him that I ran into you last night.
But it's a funny thing- A couple of the boys drove him into town last night, put him on a bus, and he took off for parts unknown.
Mr.
Carmody! - Oh, dear.
- Mr.
Carmody! Mr.
Carmody! Come quick! It's Hank Sutter! Should've known better than to let myself be talked into permittin' these lowlife grifters near my town.
Well, now, folks have been gettin' a lot of pleasure out of the circus.
The Good Book's got its say on the subject of pleasure.
The pressure it puts on me, havin' to deal with things like this - I could have handled it, sir.
Bein' mayor means takin' responsibility, Len, the bad with the good.
Are the newspaper people here? Not yet, sir.
This is Edgar Carmody owns the circus.
Uh-huh.
- Where'd it happen? Show me.
- Right this way, sir.
Doc says the man's been dead about four or five hours.
Since 2:00 or 3:00 this morning.
What happened? He looks to have been trampled to death by one of the circus elephants.
I heard it was an accident, but good Lord of mercy, trampled by an elephant? It was a Katie McCallum, high-wire performer, found the body.
I'll have a talk with her.
Everybody's been accounted for except for two people.
One of them is my roustabout, Brad Kaneally, and young Charlie McCallum.
They went fishing this morning at 5:30.
- We'll check 'em out.
- You do that.
I've got work to do.
Len, you sure you notified the newspaper? Yes, sir.
Is there anything else I need to know before they get here? I mean I want to be filled in on everything.
Excuse me.
I'd like to suggest- Ma'am? - Well, I just thought you might want to talk with the elephant handler.
- What county we hearin' from here? Oh, I'm Jessica Fletcher.
Well, Jessica Fletcher, - if you'll just wait till I'm ready to talk to you- - Oh, yes, yes, of course.
But I thought you should know there is not a trace of blood on any of those elephant's feet.
- Come here.
Let me show you.
- Len, Sheriff, you handle this.
There.
You see, they're all like that.
What do you think? Well, I think he was given a very vicious beating.
With what? Couldn't hardly have been a man's fists, and there's no murder weapon in sight.
Well, maybe the killer took it with him.
I don't think the mayor's gonna like this.
Just what I need! A murder case! With my reelection comin' up in four weeks.
I can handle the investigation, Mr.
Mayor.
I'll do it myself.
Now have the murder scene roped off.
And then I want- Sir, I'm sure that I can- Son, have you got a hearin' problem? Now I told you.
I'm takin' personal charge here.
And the first thing I'm gonna do is close you down.
You can't do that.
That's illegal.
Mister, you're gonna learn real quick.
Nothin' I do in this town is illegal.
You think otherwise, go talk to the judge.
I can arrange a meetin.
He's my father-in-law.
I've got bills to pay, salaries, obligations- And I have got a murder to solve, which I'll start doin' by interrogatin' witnesses.
Beginnin' with the one who seems to have all the answers.
Bring her.
I'll say it right now, Katie.
It's dark and evil.
And it is God's own curse.
Oh, Maylene.
All that's been happenin'these last months- the tiger gettin' loose, that bleacher fire, and the main tent pole splinterin' like it done, all the rest and now this.
Those were just accidents.
Oh, shoot, honey.
You don't believe that.
Maylene, look, I know you're upset, but I can't - No, honey.
I'm not upset.
What I am is free.
I'm free to leave.
I've been wantin' shed of here for a long time.
Hank was a flat-out no-count cheat, and I am glad he's dead.
And he won't be makin' life miserable for you no more neither.
If you've got no connection with these fly-by-nights, just what were you doin' here? I thought someone I once knew was with the circus.
And? Well, everyone I talked to assured me that he wasn't.
And just maybe he was the dead foreman.
Why were you lookin'for him? - Well, I wasn't looking for him.
- And how do I know that? Because I just told you.
And there'll be a lot more you'll be tellin' me before this investigation's over.
What are we gonna tell her? We got outsmarted by a bunch of ol' bass, all right? And next time, you know that old broken down wharf on the other side of the lake? Yeah.
We'll try that spot next time.
Brad.
Hey.
Hey, what's with the cop car? Hank Sutter's been killed.
It happened early this morning.
At first, they thought one of the elephants had trampled him.
But now they say he was beaten to death.
Police have been looking for you and Charlie.
That's crazy.
They keep us shut down much longer, you might just get your wish.
Oh, come on, Dad.
Daniela did not mean anything by that.
You said the advance ticket sales in Shaftersville were pretty good.
Yeah.
Chad Richards is calling in an update this afternoon.
What should I tell him? Keep booking.
We'll use the money to carry us here.
And if we can't keep the Shaftersville dates? Then what? Maybe you'd like to count off all our options? Bein'born and bred right here in Pullman City, I got a real affection for this town, ma'am, and a healthy suspicion of strangers.
And I don'tjust mean these circus people.
Mayor, if you're suggesting that I had anything to do with- I'm suggestin' that there's somethin' that's not quite right about you, ma'am, and I mean to figure out- Sir! I've got somethin' you oughta hear.
I told you not to interrupt here! One of the circus people's disappeared.
Lead clown.
Man named Carl Schumann.
Oh, but he couldn't possibly be involved.
He-he-he left last night.
Before the murder was even committed.
That so? Get out an A.
P.
B.
On this Carl Schumann.
Yes, sir.
I'm goin' to take a look at his quarters.
Mayor, if you'll just listen for a moment, I think - You think all you like.
Right there in that chair till I get back.
Now, listen up, Sheriff.
I want you contactin' every police department from here to the state line.
Oh, hello! Brad? Oh, hello.
Yeah, hello again.
How are ya? Hey, this is, uh, this is Charlie.
Hello, Charlie.
- What was your name again? - Mrs.
Fletcher.
Right.
Yeah, I'm tryin' to find the sheriff.
I understand he's looking for me.
I think they headed that way.
I want to get an all points on a man named Carl Schumann.
Male Caucasian, mid to late Lives like a pack rat.
Look at this place.
Seems he left in a hurry.
Wouldn't you if you just killed a man? Mayor? Yeah? Look here.
Appears one of them clubs is missin'.
Took note of that soon as I walked in the door.
Man could do a severe job of beatin' somebody with one of them things.
Yeah, I know how busy he is.
Well, I promise you.
This is very urgent, really.
Yes, he knows who I am.
Jessica Fletcher.
Pullman City, Arkansas.
No, he can't get back to me because the phone in my room is out of order, and I'm calling you from the lobby.
- When you come to a stopping point in that fascinating article- - Sorry, folks.
- Can I help you? - My name is Maria Morgana.
My secretary wired to reserve a suite of rooms.
- Oh, yes, ma'am.
I'm afraid- - Please have the boy get the luggage from the trunk.
Don't have a suite, ma'am.
Don't have a boy to fetch your luggage either.
I do have a double room with a private bath.
If Mrs.
Morgana were inclined to accept such accommodations, she would be bunking with her daughter, camped with that circus on the outskirts of town.
That so? Now, my dear man.
I'm sure if you'll check again very, very carefully, I know you'll come up with something.
Already have, ma'am.
- A double with a bath.
Overlookin' Main Street.
- How, delightful.
My dear friend, this lady happens to be the foremost fashion designer in the world.
Sonny, look close.
I've got one double.
Andrew? Oh, thank heavens! Yes, it's me.
I'm in Pullman City, Arkansas.
No, I'm not in trouble, but I may need a top-notch detective agency to find a missing relative.
And I may also need a good criminal lawyer.
Hey, Bert.
- Guess that murder hullabaloo's over 'fore it started.
- How's that? Well, they caught that circus clown that done it over at the Groverton bus depot.
- Jessie, aw, Jessie.
- Neil.
Jessie, I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
Oh, the times I wanted to pick up a phone and call you and tell you- I couldn't.
Oh, you look absolutely wonderful! I can't believe I'm standing here, looking at you like this.
It was the leprechaun, wasn't it? I knew it.
I knew it.
I almost didn't send it.
But how could I let my little granddaughter's wedding go by without letting her know I loved her, and I was thinking about her.
L - I try to get the Washington papers whenever I can, and when I saw the announcement, well, just my luck to have a crack mystery writer for a sister-in-law.
You know you never fooled Frank.
He always thought that you were still alive.
Well, we always were two of a kind.
Jessie, when Frank died, it almost killed me.
He was much too young.
It just wasn't fair.
I was there, you know.
At the funeral.
Oh, I was standing way off.
Not close for anybody to see me or recognize me.
After all of you were gone, I put some flowers on his grave.
The yellow roses! I should have known.
Neil, sit down.
You have to tell me what happened.
What is it? It's nothing, dear.
I bumped it.
That's all.
Well, where to start? Jessie, I never wanted to hurt anyone, especially Frank and you.
But I couldn't take it anymore- a cold and grasping wife, a foolish and vacuous daughter.
What time I had left I wanted to enjoy.
And I have.
Roaming the country, these last years in the circus.
Yes, I took the boat out, blew it up to make it look like I'd been killed.
Cashed in my life insurance policy weeks before.
Constance and Audrey got everything else.
That's all they ever wanted from me anyway.
But you could have gotten a divorce.
I mean, why this elaborate charade? I wanted to end it quickly, cleanly, permanently.
A new name.
A new life, which I've had.
Yes.
Neil- Jessie.
If you love me, you'll see that all this stays between us.
I don't want Constance to know a thing.
Oh, that should be the least of your concerns.
You've been arrested.
You're in jail.
Jessica, leave it lay.
Stay out of it.
Let it lay? Neil, you- Look, you are under arrest on a murder charge.
You open that damn door right now! What in the name of creation was in your head, lettin' that damn civilian in there? Get yourself out of here right now, woman! Mayor Powers- Now! Before I say somethin' we'll both regret.
I'll do everything I can to clear you, Neil.
Stay out of it, Jessie.
You listen to him, lady.
And you listen to this - You stay out of police business.
You could benefit from the same advice, Mr.
Mayor.
Lady, you're on thin ice.
If you think I'm gonna stand by while you railroad a perfectly innocent man for a crime that he did not commit, my-brother-in-law or not, you are very sadly mistaken.
Mother! I have just come from a shanty-on-wheels, which some misguided person described to me as your living quarters.
Daniela, for the sake of my sanity, please tell me that I was misinformed.
Long white trailer, gray trim, geraniums in the window box? - Good Lord.
Daniela! - Mother! If poverty is an insufficient motive, at least this murder should convince you to come home.
Her home is here.
Correction, Raymond.
Her home is with you.
And where you should be at the moment is not panhandling your way through the state of Arkansas with this flea-bitten menagerie.
Whoops.
I smell another job offer coming on.
Well, of course.
I'm no fool and neither are you.
Not the number two man in his graduating class from Harvard Business School.
Maria, if you're so hard up for help, why don't you go after number one? Well, I explored the possibility, but he went into the banana business in Brazil.
Besides, he's not married to my daughter.
Mother, you're wasting your time.
Ray's not gonna leave the circus or his father.
Love and loyalty.
How admirable.
A sentiment that certainly has its place, embroidered on a throw pillow.
- Charlie.
- You got Carl arrested.
You said it was murder and not an accident.
And now he's in jail.
Oh, no, Charlie.
Carl is my friend.
Believe me.
I want to help him.
That's true, Charlie.
Edgar told me who you are.
Well, thanks for the vote of confidence.
Carl never mentioned you by name, but he did talk a lot about his sister-in-law.
You remember? I don't care who she is.
I just know that Carl's in jail.
And unless we can prove where he was between 2:00 and 3:00 this morning, Mayor Powers is going to keep him there.
- Is that when Hank was killed? - Uh-huh.
I guess that makes us one of the last ones to see him alive.
- Mom! - Oh, come on, Charlie.
There's nothing to hide.
Hank came to the trailer last night.
He got out of line, and my fella here ran him off.
It's none ofher business! My dad wouldn't have gone blabbin' it to anybody like this! Charlie! I'm sorry.
My husband was killed in a high-wire fall last year, and Charlie's just trying to be the man of the family.
Oh, my.
And that is such a big job at his age.
Katie, I just found something.
I can't believe this is supposed to be this way.
You see, the link in this elephant's chain has been partially cut through.
You're right.
You know, we've been havin' a lot of accidents lately.
Only this makes it look like they weren't accidents at all.
Hank? You think someone saw Hank cutting through the chain? There's no sign of a hacksaw, so whoever is responsible must have taken it away.
But if someone had caught Sutter, don't you think they would have reported the partially cut chain? I mean, even anonymously, just to prevent a further accident.
The police have searched Carl's trailer.
There's no knowing what they might have found that would have incriminated him, or what they overlooked that would clear him.
- Can we get inside? - Yes.
There's a key under the rear bumper.
Me? Me ramrod the outfit? I don't think so.
No, I don't think so, Mr.
Carmody.
If and when we reopen, I'm gonna need somebody to take Sutter's place.
You're the best man for the job, Brad.
No.
Uh-uh.
- Sorry.
- Carmody! Well, Kingman, what are you doing here? Oh, I heard about your troubles.
You came down from Star City to commiserate.
Pine Bluff.
I moved up the other day for a three-week stand.
I'm just packin' 'em in.
So, you came to gloat, huh? Edgar, you're good people, but you gotta smarten up.
Now there's not enough business out there for both of us.
- I got you outgunned, boy.
Let's talk business.
- Forget it.
Between you and the troubles you've been havin', now this second-rate road show is bein' driven right into the ground.
You're gonna be bankrupt in six months.
I'll buy what's left for a song.
If it's such a second-rate outfit, why do you want it? To get rid of the competition, what else? Look, you've got a couple of acts that's worth savin', some animals.
The rest I'd junk.
Some of the rest of these people have been with me for years.
That's another reason you're broke.
You run this outfit like it was a charity ward.
Get the hell out of here before I have you thrown out.
I'm staying at the Ozark Inn for a couple of days.
Now you change your mind, you just come on by.
Out! It was a savage beating.
Who do you think could have had a motive? One could say just about everybody, madam.
Some more than others.
Jessica Fletcher, Preston Bartholomew, our ringmaster.
- How do you do? - Mrs.
Fletcher.
Of course, it's my personal opinion that the police have the wrong man in jail.
Really? Motive.
Carl's, if indeed he has one at all, has to be strictly bottom of the barrel.
I see.
And when you say that just about everybody has a motive to kill Hank Sutter, does that include yourself? Oh, dear heavens, yes.
He and I had our share of run-ins, but he didn't intimidate me the way he did the others though.
Maybe because I knew him when he was a roustabout with Harry Kingman's circus.
A green kid with cotton for brains and a disposition like cactus juice.
The years didn't improve either one.
Several of you were with this Harry Kingman at one time or another.
Mm-hmm.
That's true.
Sutter's wife also.
They met and married there.
Maylene is a delightful girl with an atrocious taste in men.
Unfortunately, that small-town mayor with the midget mentality has Carl under lock and key, and I'm afraid that's where he's going to stay.
Not if I can help it.
He has not killed anyone.
I'm sorry, Mrs.
Fletcher.
You're wrong about that.
This doesn't give me any pleasure, ma'am, believe me, but your brother-in-law told us exactly where we'd find the murder weapon.
Covered with blood too.
Oh, Sheriff, you're wrong.
There has to be some mistake here.
No, ma'am.
No mistake.
We took his statement an hour ago.
He's already signed a confession, admittin' to the murder of Hank Sutter.