Homicide: Life on the Street s03e18 Episode Script
Nothing Personal
I'm here at Maryland State Penitentiary where convicted murderer, Michael Bigelow, is to be executed at midnight.
He will be the second execution in Maryland in 34 years.
'Bigelow was convicted of murder and given the death penalty in 1979.
'Although the murder weapon was never recovered 'and Bigelow has maintained his innocence for 16 years, 'all appeals have been denied.
' I'm looking for Detective Bolander.
'Bigelow's attorneys have taken his case to every level of the court system 'in a failed effort to obtain a stay of execution.
'A last-minute plea to the Governor was also denied 'and Bigelow's execution will be carried out as scheduled at midnight tonight.
' - Can I help you? - I'm looking for the man in charge.
That's me.
With seven hours before the execution, death penalty protesters have gathered outside the penitentiary.
We'll keep you up to date as the countdown continues.
- Where's Bolander? - Captain Russert! Some woman took Barnfather hostage.
She's armed.
QRT and hostage negotiators are on their way.
Find Bolander.
- Call Jimmy's.
I'll call his apartment.
- Anyone check the can? 'An hour ago, a woman walked into Baltimore City Police Headquarters 'and held a gun to newly appointed Colonel George Barnfather.
' Get ready to kill the lights! Now! You saw the gun? She just comes in, pulls out the gun and yells at me to take this message out to all of you.
"Stop the execution," she tells me.
- She asked for me? - Her name is Lee Bigelow.
She says you put her father on Death Row for murdering Pete Larsen.
Bigelow's due to be executed at midnight.
His last appeal has been denied.
Al, this is the hostage negotiation team.
- No negotiation.
No negotiation.
- What? If anyone tries to talk to her, she'll kill Barnfather and herself.
- I say we try to talk to her.
- We can't take the chance.
She wants Stan to reopen the investigation of her father.
- She claims he's innocent.
- What else would she say? I'm the primary on a case, but I'm not the judge or the jury.
How many years ago was this anyway? - 16 years.
- That doesn't change anything.
This guy Bigelow, the woman's father, smashed Larsen's head in.
She says her mother died five years ago from a broken heart.
She says you murdered her mother.
This is not the kind of person to negotiate with.
- She says she's got nothing to lose.
- If that was my dad on Death Row with less than six hours to live and I thought he was innocent, I'd take out more than just me and the Colonel.
Stan, take Beau and Kay and reopen the Larsen murder case.
To die like that in the bathtub, stark-naked Martha would be so embarrassed.
Er is this how you found the body? I put that robe over her.
I felt it was the least I could do.
No sign of a struggle, no bruising.
Probably natural causes.
- Does he have to poke at her like that? - I'm not poking, I'm examining! Are you done here, Detective? Yes.
We'll talk about this downstairs, all right? We'll go downstairs.
No sign of forced entry.
How did you come upon the body, Mrs Hynde? I came over to bring Martha some lemon bars I baked.
So was Mrs O'Donnell expecting you? I called her and told her I was coming over.
She said she'd make a pot of coffee, it'd just be us girls.
Sam was at the poker game.
There was no answer when I rang the bell, so I got worried.
Sam? That would be Mr O'Donnell? Sam doesn't know.
He's still at his card game.
Where does he play poker? At the Veterans' Lodge over in McElderry Street.
Come on, fellas.
Hey, a pair of tens.
Best cards all night! Richard, a bullet for you.
Hank, a deuce and a trey.
Jim Uh, nothin'.
And Excuse me.
Mr Sam O'Donnell? Yeah, that's me.
What can I do for you? I hope this isn't gonna take long cos these guys are about to be fleeced.
I'm Detective Bayliss.
This is Detective Pembleton.
- Hello.
- Hi.
What's this all about? - It's about your wife.
- What about her? Sir, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but your wife is dead.
What are you talkin' about? I just saw here.
I just kissed her goodbye when I left for the poker game.
She was fine.
She was found in the bathtub.
We won't know the cause of death until the autopsy.
In the bathtub? How could she die in a bathtub? She loved to take baths.
I'm sorry.
You know, some older people, they slip in the shower, they they break their hip and But in a tub you're safe.
You're sitting down.
Nothing can happen to you.
I don't want anyone here.
Stay away.
There's nothing here to see.
Hey Lookie, lookie! Can I get a bag here, please? What do you say, Dr D? Angle of the gunshot wound, could be suicide.
We'll check the hands for powder residue.
- Got a witness for you, Detective.
- A witness or a suspect? - Did you see what went on here, sir? - It depends.
- On what? - On whether or not I keep these shoes.
- Did you steal his shoes? - They were a gift from Mr Zwick.
You know him? We introduced ourselves.
He's Jeffrey Zwick.
What did you two talk about? He told me I could keep these shoes.
Then he shoots himself in the head.
- In front of you he did this? - Yeah.
I asked him if he wanted me to leave, if he wanted privacy.
And what did he say? He said he didn't mind the company.
Can I keep the shoes? Yeah, keep the shoes.
There must be a record of it.
Michael Bigelow.
B-I - This computer isn't showing it.
- There must be a record of this case.
Cross-reference it with Stan's name.
His cases should be on file.
- It was 16 years ago.
- Try Thames Street Park, the location.
How the hell can you not have a record of this thing? - There it is.
- "Bolander, Thames Street Park.
"Victim Larsen, Peter.
Bigelow, Michael convicted.
Case disposed.
"Bigelow, death sentence.
" I've got to have witness statements, medical examiner reports, addresses.
- Nothing here.
- There has to be a record somewhere.
That's all there is.
They store old case folders in a warehouse on East Biddle.
An hour ago, a young woman walked into Baltimore City Police HQ and held a gun to Colonel George Barnfather.
She is demanding that her father - I need a minute, Al.
- OK.
' scheduled to die by lethal injection tonight, be granted a stay of execution.
'We'll update you on this hostage situation.
'From Channel 8 News, I'm Richard Gilroy.
' You, uh You cut me off at the knees, Al.
What? The hostage negotiation team was set.
I was following procedure.
- That may have gotten the Colonel shot.
- He still might get shot.
I disagreed with your call, but I did not intend to embarrass you.
Intention or not, that's what you did.
Don't undermine me in front of the squad, OK, Al? Whether you like it or not, I'm your boss.
I never knew this place existed.
It's like the graveyard for Homicide paperwork.
These are all the murder case records of Baltimore.
They go back 75 years.
Where the hell do we start? There's no sign of forced entry, no robbery, no trauma to the body.
She was 75-years-old.
This is probably not a homicide.
Maybe.
Why was she taking a bath when she had company coming? A lot of people take baths before company comes over.
We'll just wait for the autopsy results.
- You feel bad for the husband? - They were married for 50 years.
I can't imagine what it's like to be married for 50 years.
My wife and I could have 50 years.
We would both be 82.
I don't know if I want to live to be 82.
My mother's grandparents were married for 64 years.
No kidding! And my great-grandfather is lying on his death bed and his last words to my great-grandmother were "Sorry I married you.
" What did she say? "So am I.
" Autopsy's done! Cause of death was asphyxia by drowning.
What, she drowned in two feet of water? There's the presence of white foam in her mouth and windpipe, and water in her lungs.
Yeah, but did she have a heart attack, a stroke? - Did she get hit on the head? - She was healthy as a horse.
No sign of heart defect.
All major arteries were clear.
Evidence of foul play? Bruising, scratches, skin under her fingernails? - Nothing.
- That doesn't mean it wasn't foul play.
She could have been held under the water by a towel.
- Or fell asleep.
Did she drink anything? - Stomach contents show no alcohol.
- So is this a homicide or not? - What do you say, Dr Scheiner? I can't call it one way or the other until the toxicology report comes back.
OK, in the meantime, I'm gonna make another visit to Mr O'Donnell.
Frank, are you comin'? Meldrick, what brings you here? Business or pleasure? With Dr D, business is always a pleasure.
- What am I, chopped liver? - That's exactly what you are, Scheiner.
So what's up, Doc? The angle of this gunshot wound indicates it was self-inflicted.
The way the hand gripped the gun is consistent with that.
The left hand shows gunpowder residue.
He fired the gun.
He fired the gun.
- It's a suicide.
- Definitely.
Now the question is, Mr Zwick, why the hell did you do it? - Better go tell the wife.
- How do you know he had a wife? They all have wives.
Huh! Another reason to stay single! I wonder what Barnfather's thinking right now.
Probably wishing he had a clean pair of underwear.
I bet he isn't bothered at all.
He has a gun to his head.
You'd have to be made out of stone not to be bothered! I rest my case.
It's a good thing this didn't happen to Granger.
His heart would have exploded! Would've saved us a lot of trouble.
No leverage with a dead hostage.
- Here we go! - You got it? I got it, I got it.
It's Peter Larsen, Michael Bigelow, 1979.
Way to go, big man! Mr O'Donnell, what time did you leave the house this evening for the poker game? We always have dinner at 4:00.
That was one of Martha's rules.
Excuse me.
And, uh So that would have us done about five o'clock.
After dinner, Joe came over and we walked to the Lodge.
Joe? Yeah, Joe Santo.
He was at that poker game.
So you and Joe left the house about 5:15, 5:30? Well, more like 5:20.
Martha was Martha was washing the dishes.
She always liked to get that done fast cos she hates having a mess around.
I used to smoke, but one ash in the tray and she'd have it up washing it.
When you and Joe left for the poker game, Martha was doing the dishes? Yeah.
Yeah, that's right.
Did Joe come in to say hello? No.
No, Joe stayed out on the porch.
Martha didn't like Joe.
- Didn't like him? Why not? - He tried to borrow money once.
Martha always said, "You lend money to a friend, "you lose the friend and the money.
" So Joe never actually saw Martha before the two of you left? No.
No, she was The telephone rang and, uh, she went to answer it.
Then Joe and I left for the club.
That was about 5:20 or so? Yeah, around there sometime.
Was your wife on any medication? No, no, she wasn't.
She never needed anything, not even an aspirin.
So, no drugs of any kind? I still think Martha O'Donnell's death was a homicide.
- Why? - I don't know.
Joe Santo confirmed O'Donnell's alibi.
He heard Martha answer the phone, so Martha was alive when they left the house.
Joe Santo also has a hearing aid and he admitted owing O'Donnell 400 bucks.
- That's reason to lie.
- OK, say O'Donnell did kill his wife.
What was his motive? Not money.
They didn't have an insurance policy, they were on social security.
There's other motives besides money.
Maybe it was a crime of passion.
Maybe Sam O'Donnell caught his wife having an affair and killed her.
They're 75-years-old! Are you saying that old people can't have passion? - No, I'm not saying that.
- That's what you're thinking.
All I'm sayin' is I'm 75, right? I'm not gonna just laze around in my easy chair, toasting my toes by the fire, not unless there's some cute 70-year-old sitting right there on my lap! You'll be a dirty old man terrorising the nursing home, pinchin' their asses! Why not? Better than complaining about your gallstones all day! True.
Mrs Zwick? I'm Detective Lewis from Homicide.
Come in.
Mrs Zwick, I'm afraid it's my duty to inform you that your husband's death has been ruled as suicide.
I know.
You know? His suicide note.
I found it in the dresser drawer.
It's also a confession.
A confession of murder.
That's why Jeffrey killed himself.
The guilt.
You live with a person for 20 years and it turns out you never knew them at all, never knew what they were capable of or how much they loved you.
Hey, big man! - What are you hollering about? - Wait till you get a load of this! I have a signed confession for the murder of Peter Larsen.
- Did I say something funny? - I can't wait to read this! - Signed confession from who? - Jeffrey Zwick.
- The suicide? - Yeah.
Must have killed himself cos Bigelow's gonna fry tonight.
"I apologise most of all to my wife, Lisa, "for the actions of a disparate man?" Desperate.
It's misspelt.
"I am responsible for the death of Peter Larsen.
"I beat him to death with a golf club, a number 3-wood.
" Stan, is that true? We didn't find a murder weapon.
- He was bludgeoned.
- Yeah.
A 3-wood? To kill somebody, I'd use a driver! "This happened on February the 16th, 1979 "in Thames Street Park.
"I knew my guilt, but I didn't have the courage to come forward.
"Yours sincerely, Jeffrey Alan Zwick.
" If Zwick killed Larsen, the wrong guy's been in prison for 16 years.
Did the name Zwick ever come up? No, I never heard of this guy before.
But he, uh He knows way too much.
We gotta stop this execution.
We need the murder weapon.
I gotta find that golf club.
Are you comin'? I'm comin'! I bought Jeffrey a set of golf clubs after we were married.
- Still got the clubs? - I don't remember getting rid of them.
We're looking for the wood, the 3-wood.
Detective Lewis, the truth is that Jeffrey hated golf.
I've no idea where the clubs might be.
- We'll take a look.
- Looks like my garage! - Can the club overturn the conviction? - That's up to the judge.
- Here it is.
- Here, let me help you.
- Which one's a 3-wood? - This one.
Yeah.
For a guy who's not a regular golfer, it sure is beat up.
Get it to the lab, check for blood residue.
Let's go.
We haven't got a lot of time! What's going on? Chief, we got the judge's order.
Judge Mahoney gave us a stay of execution.
Lee Bigelow, this is Detective Bolander.
I have a judge's order here to stop the execution of your father.
Miss Bigelow, I think you should open this door and see this paper.
"I don't believe you.
" Miss Bigelow, there's a TV in the office.
Turn it on to the local news station.
'I'm outside the Maryland State Penitentiary where Channel 8 News ' You were right.
Your father's innocent.
' Michael Bigelow was to be executed at midnight ' I'm going to slide the judge's order underneath the door.
We can have you on the phone with your father just as soon as you open the door.
- Get the gun! Get the gun! - I got it! I won.
It took me 16 years and a.
38, but I won! Come on.
'lf this information is correct, Michael Bigelow will not be executed.
'We'll be standing by ' Easy! ' a remarkable story.
Wait.
I've just been informed ' Meldrick, can you cover for me? I wanna check on our new bartender.
Our new bartender? We don't need a new bartender.
We need new customers, new revenue.
A good bartender can make or break a place.
Have you seen "Cocktail"? - You hired Tom Cruise? - No.
This guy's Irish, he's old school.
So you and Bayliss went and hired a new bartender? Well, no, I hired him.
- Without consulting anybody? - Yes, you can trust me.
- Uh-huh.
The cheque's in the mail - Stop! The guy will be fine.
If he'll be so fine, why do you have to go check up on him? Lois Baker's gonna meet us tomorrow morning so we can interview her.
What about the other O'Donnell neighbours? Alexander Horton lives two doors down.
He knows both of them.
We can interview him after Baker tomorrow.
This guy sounds very cranky, man.
- Is he elderly? - He's 69.
Crankiness comes with age.
The five senses die.
- The plumbing goes bad.
- That'd make anybody pissy! Well, I'd rather burn out than fade away.
What about you? - Burn out.
- Burn out.
This is nice.
The place is empty.
Hey, McGonnigal, our customers don't look happy, like they're not gonna stick around.
- Hey, don't do that.
- What? - Don't touch the tap to the beer.
- Why not? It contaminates the tap with wild yeast.
In 12 hours every beer will taste like mouldy rye bread.
If we had some customers, maybe they'd complain.
What we need is an event.
What do you mean? Like ladies' nights? I was thinking of something more original, something bigger, more exotic.
- Women aren't exotic? - Let's make our own beer.
Why would we make our own beer? The largest growing segment of beer-drinkers is buying boutique beers from little bars like this one.
Raspberry Chilli Porter, Black Shadow, Chinook Pale I get the idea, I get the premise.
- Some investment in equipment - Investment? - Couple of hundred.
- I prefer the dollar-a-beer ladies' night! OK, we make our own beer, we sell it for a dollar a glass and get some women in here for ladies' night.
We call our brew Waterfront Gold Premium.
Better be one hell of a brew! - What's happening? - I'm just goin' over the Larsen folder.
I worked this case into the ground.
Every fact.
Everything points to Michael Bigelow as the killer.
Yeah, well, it happens.
Not to me it don't.
Larsen was a loner, a drunk, he had no family, no friends.
I didn't meet anybody who missed the guy.
So Zwick killed himself for no reason? No, I want to know what reason he had to kill Larsen.
Our job is to change names from red to black on a board, to put cases down.
That's what you did.
A little late, but you did.
I interviewed 30 or 40 people about Larsen.
Jeffrey Zwick's name never came up once! There's got to be a connection someplace! This guy Zwick tortures himself for 16 years over this murder until he turns a gun against himself? to go cold, big man! Are you gonna dig up all your old interviews? Everybody on your list is probably dead, left town or can't remember who Peter Larsen is! Or was.
- We'll move to the other side.
- The other side? Tomorrow.
I start interviewing people who knew Zwick.
If I can't connect Larsen to Zwick, I connect Zwick to Larsen.
Why don't you just let it be? I arrested the wrong man.
Maybe it was cos I asked the wrong questions.
So what I would like to do is I'd like to learn what are the right questions.
- I'm coming with you.
- I should do this alone.
Hold on a second.
The Zwick thing is my case.
I got a stake in this too.
Besides, I like hanging out with you, big man.
You're like a father figure to me.
- Father figure? - Yeah, father figure.
If I ever hear you repeat that, I'm gonna gut you! OK.
Oh, I never heard Sam and Martha yelling or fighting or anything like that.
They were old.
They had an old people's marriage.
What's an old people's marriage? They almost didn't seem to be in the same room most of the time.
But he walked her to the grocery store and carried her bags back.
I think they loved each other.
- Sam and Martha hated each other.
- Martha was not friendly.
- What do you mean? - She was hard of hearing.
- She disapproved of me.
- She liked me.
She thought I corrupted you.
- And Sam? - She had him on a strict routine.
- Lunch at noon.
- Dinner at four.
He had to account for every penny he spent.
You felt sorry for the guy.
They were together for 50 years.
That means something.
They stayed together for 50 years.
That's what matters.
- They never had problems? - I didn't say that.
So they did have problems? I don't gossip about other people's love affairs.
- What love affairs, Mr Horton? - It's Sam's business, not mine.
I'm not one for idle gossip.
We're conducting a police investigation.
I suppose that makes things different.
So, Mr O'Donnell did have an affair? Isabella Kunkle.
Isabella Kunkle? Some girl that Sam used to be sweet on.
Not much of a girl any more.
She called him one day right out of the blue.
Isabella Kunkle called Sam? As Sam was married to Martha that should've been the end of things.
- But it wasn't the end of things? - Not by a long shot.
Isabella kept dropping by, supposedly to see them both.
But she and Sam were always exchanging glances.
Meaningful glances.
Here it is - Waterfront Gold Premium.
Waterfront Gold Premium swamp water is more like it! - That bad? - Worse! Trust me, don't even try it! - See? - Needs work.
We already advertised, genius! What are we gonna do now? We can sell Heineken for a dollar a glass under our Waterfront Gold Premium label.
You're gonna bankrupt me! Just think of it as a little investment in your future.
I don't think Jeffrey Zwick had secrets.
What you saw was what you got.
Did he have any drinking or drug problems? I'm talkin' late '70s, early '80s, Reagan era drinking problems.
I only saw him drunk once.
The only change in Jeffrey with a few beers was he could do that trick where you make the nickel flip across your knuckles.
Good pressman too.
In all the years you knew him, did he ever mention a guy named Peter Larsen? - No.
Never heard of any Peter Larsen.
- Did he ever drink and get into fights? No, Jeffrey wasn't much of a drinker.
When he did drink, it was at The Old Elegant.
- The Old Elegant? - That bar over on Eastern.
It burnt down.
Peter Larsen used to drink at The Old Elegant.
Hey, hey! What are you doing? The head of a draw of good beer is a delicate thing.
Some of these glasses will never have a good head again.
- Too greasy.
- Can't you wash them? Glasses are fluid, very slowly-moving fluid that marries with adhesive substances such as fatty acids.
- Does that sign still say "Ladies' Night"? - Big as life.
How come there's no ladies in here? Would you walk into a room full of strange, drunken men if you were a woman? They don't seem to mind there's no women here.
They're a little relieved, but happy.
You're right.
I should lighten up.
I got a bar here full of happy, relaxed, cordial men who left their tragedies and defeats at the door.
They're revivifying, so they can go back into the fray on the morrow.
Now, here, they're among brothers.
Those two guys don't look too cordial.
If you handle the atmosphere right, you don't get bar fights.
Duck! Mr Malone? Do you remember me? Detective Bolander? Err sorry.
Should I know you? in a bar called The Old Elegant.
You had a regular customer named Peter Larsen.
I saw it on the news.
You got the wrong guy for killing him.
- What do you want? - I need to ask a few questions.
I'm busy.
I got a bar to take care of.
- It's a nice bar.
You own it outright? - Yeah, lock, stock and beer tap.
It's a real step up from The Old Elegant.
There wasn't anything elegant about it or its patrons.
They were a bunch of lousy drunks and lousy tippers.
Took me 15 years to earn enough money to buy my own place.
- What is that, a bread stick? - A cheese twist.
- Expensive? - A little higher than salted nuts, but my customers love 'em.
A cheese twist, huh? Do you remember this guy from The Old Elegant named Jeffrey Zwick? He looks familiar.
I think he was in once or twice.
Mr Zwick just confessed to killing Peter Larsen.
- No kidding? - No kidding.
- Why would Zwick kill Larsen? - What difference does it make now? None.
But I'd kinda like for you to tell me anyway.
You don't make it very big in the bar business if you open your mouth, repeat everything people tell you.
You get your customers' confidence and they keep coming back.
Yeah, these two customers are both dead now.
I don't think Zwick and Larsen were in the bar at the same time.
- So they didn't know each other.
- They knew each other.
- How? - Larsen slept with Zwick's wife.
about Larsen's murder twice.
You knew that Larsen was sleeping with Zwick's wife? Why didn't you tell me that before? You didn't ask me.
Is that her? Hmm Yeah.
Hi.
Isabella Kunkle? You're welcome to come in, but it won't do any good.
Excuse me? I'm a Presbyterian.
I'm not going to convert to the Jehovah's Witnesses.
We're not Jehovah's Witnesses.
We're from the police department.
I guess you'd better come in.
- Let me take these.
- Thank you.
- Hmm! - Tim! Before the war, Sam and I lived around the corner from each other.
- In Baltimore? - Highlandtown.
We grew up together.
Then in high school, one day Sam kissed me.
- And that was that.
- You fell in love? I really thought that we'd spend the rest of our lives together.
Then the war broke out.
Everything changed.
- What changed? - Sam enlisted.
He went overseas.
That was the last I saw of him.
When did you get in contact with Sam? After my husband died, I looked Sam up.
I found out that he was still living in Baltimore, so I called him.
It was as if 50 years had never gone by.
You decided to move back to Baltimore? I'd lived in San Francisco most of my life, but it never felt like home.
Here I had Sam and Martha.
Real friends.
- You and Martha were friends? - Mm-hm.
I was sad to hear about Martha's passing.
If truth be told, I was always a little sorry for Martha.
- What do you mean? - She let herself get old.
And fussy.
Strict about things.
But she had a good heart.
I know she loved Sam very much.
Mrs Kunkle, what were you doing last night? I I was at a birthday party at my niece's place.
- When was the last time you saw Sam? - Last week.
Sam takes me ballroom dancing once a week.
Martha always refused to go.
We're going dancing tonight.
Sam said it would take his mind off his grief.
Mrs Kunkle Were you having an affair with Sam? An affair? Oh, goodness, no! I care a great deal about Sam and I'll be his friend until the day one of us dies.
But I won't marry him.
I turned him down.
You turned him down? You mean that Mr O'Donnell asked you to marry him? Mm-hm.
This morning.
I should have fired that know-it-all bartender! Should have fired, but you didn't.
I was ready to give the guy the boot and he quits! - He got a job at The Prime Rib.
- I thought you liked him.
He has a big mouth, thinks he knows everything and he never shut up! Maybe next time you'll involve your partners in this business! We're not gonna have any business unless we get some customers here.
Ladies' night was a bust and I don't wanna talk about the beer-making fiasco! Maybe it's time to let your partners in on the creative aspects.
Maybe it's time for cheese twists instead of peanuts.
- Are you out of your mind, Meldrick? - What gimmicks haven't we tried? - Wet T-shirt competitions? - Turtle races.
I've always enjoyed 'em.
Now give me a drink.
Bourbon.
We're sinkin' here! Turtle races? Pour me a drink or I'll wreck this place again! Are you sure? You're only just out of the hospital.
One Bourbon coming up.
- Make it a double! - Hey, take it easy.
All right, all right.
Let destiny be your guide, big man.
An innocent man almost went to his death because I didn't ask the right question.
There's a big difference between almost and he did, big man.
How many times have I not asked the right question? Isabella Kunkle's alibi checks out.
There were 20 witnesses at that birthday party.
What if the name of the first woman you ever loved was Isabella Kunkle? The first woman that I ever loved was named Deborah Dabner.
I used to say it to myself - Deborah Dabner.
It sounded great to me.
Bernadette Marie Alice Reinhardt.
- What did you call her? - Bernadette Marie Alice Reinhardt.
It was a mantra.
I said it over and over.
But I think that the first woman that I ever really loved was Miss Mancini.
She was my second grade teacher.
You know I can remember her smell and her perfume and her wool skirt.
I used to pretend that I couldn't button up my jacket.
So she would reach up and just jerk my shoulders back, you know.
And then she would pull me in to her and she would button my coat.
I don't think she ever really knew that I was pretending.
- Oh, yeah, she caught on.
- How do you know? I see how you are with women now.
You can't fool 'em as a grown man, so you couldn't as a second grader! - I'm not trying to fool any women - Bayliss! Bayliss! Line 1! - The last time you did it, I was there.
- Hold on.
I wanna give this time, OK? Yeah, Bayliss Uh-huh.
Yeah.
OK.
Thanks, Scheiner.
- The last time - No, that was Scheiner.
The toxicology report came back.
At the time of her death, Martha O'Donnell had 5 milligrams per litre of secobarbitone in her system.
Excuse me, Mr O'Donnell.
- This way.
- It's all right, I can handle this.
- You don't need to involve her, do you? - What's this about? We need both of you to come downtown with us.
We have to ask you about the death of your wife.
Isabella had nothing to do with it.
With what? I don't understand.
Excuse me.
Mr O'Donnell, are you confessing? I killed my wife.
I killed Martha.
- Why? - So we could be together.
No, don't say that, please.
Isabella, I made a mistake.
I left you.
I re-enlisted in the army.
I thought I could just carry on with those foreign girls when all the time what I was looking for was right here, right where I left it.
You married Martha.
She's your wife.
Sometimes when Martha looked at me, I could swear she was thinking I was cluttering up her house, something that was collecting dust.
Then you came back into my life.
When I saw you, it was just like we were kids again.
You looked exactly the same.
Don't say these things to me, Sam.
Yesterday, I just couldn't wait any longer.
Mr O'Donnell, why didn't you just ask your wife to give you a divorce? I didn't want to hurt her feelings.
I just wanted for Isabella and me to be together.
I love you, Isabella.
I always have and I always will.
OK, come on.
Look can't I have one last dance? - What do you wanna do? - All right, go ahead.
Are they gonna release Michael Bigelow? They'll take him to a minimum security.
A stay of execution is one thing, but overturning a conviction takes another hearing.
- Is that him? - Yeah.
Yeah, that's him.
He will be the second execution in Maryland in 34 years.
'Bigelow was convicted of murder and given the death penalty in 1979.
'Although the murder weapon was never recovered 'and Bigelow has maintained his innocence for 16 years, 'all appeals have been denied.
' I'm looking for Detective Bolander.
'Bigelow's attorneys have taken his case to every level of the court system 'in a failed effort to obtain a stay of execution.
'A last-minute plea to the Governor was also denied 'and Bigelow's execution will be carried out as scheduled at midnight tonight.
' - Can I help you? - I'm looking for the man in charge.
That's me.
With seven hours before the execution, death penalty protesters have gathered outside the penitentiary.
We'll keep you up to date as the countdown continues.
- Where's Bolander? - Captain Russert! Some woman took Barnfather hostage.
She's armed.
QRT and hostage negotiators are on their way.
Find Bolander.
- Call Jimmy's.
I'll call his apartment.
- Anyone check the can? 'An hour ago, a woman walked into Baltimore City Police Headquarters 'and held a gun to newly appointed Colonel George Barnfather.
' Get ready to kill the lights! Now! You saw the gun? She just comes in, pulls out the gun and yells at me to take this message out to all of you.
"Stop the execution," she tells me.
- She asked for me? - Her name is Lee Bigelow.
She says you put her father on Death Row for murdering Pete Larsen.
Bigelow's due to be executed at midnight.
His last appeal has been denied.
Al, this is the hostage negotiation team.
- No negotiation.
No negotiation.
- What? If anyone tries to talk to her, she'll kill Barnfather and herself.
- I say we try to talk to her.
- We can't take the chance.
She wants Stan to reopen the investigation of her father.
- She claims he's innocent.
- What else would she say? I'm the primary on a case, but I'm not the judge or the jury.
How many years ago was this anyway? - 16 years.
- That doesn't change anything.
This guy Bigelow, the woman's father, smashed Larsen's head in.
She says her mother died five years ago from a broken heart.
She says you murdered her mother.
This is not the kind of person to negotiate with.
- She says she's got nothing to lose.
- If that was my dad on Death Row with less than six hours to live and I thought he was innocent, I'd take out more than just me and the Colonel.
Stan, take Beau and Kay and reopen the Larsen murder case.
To die like that in the bathtub, stark-naked Martha would be so embarrassed.
Er is this how you found the body? I put that robe over her.
I felt it was the least I could do.
No sign of a struggle, no bruising.
Probably natural causes.
- Does he have to poke at her like that? - I'm not poking, I'm examining! Are you done here, Detective? Yes.
We'll talk about this downstairs, all right? We'll go downstairs.
No sign of forced entry.
How did you come upon the body, Mrs Hynde? I came over to bring Martha some lemon bars I baked.
So was Mrs O'Donnell expecting you? I called her and told her I was coming over.
She said she'd make a pot of coffee, it'd just be us girls.
Sam was at the poker game.
There was no answer when I rang the bell, so I got worried.
Sam? That would be Mr O'Donnell? Sam doesn't know.
He's still at his card game.
Where does he play poker? At the Veterans' Lodge over in McElderry Street.
Come on, fellas.
Hey, a pair of tens.
Best cards all night! Richard, a bullet for you.
Hank, a deuce and a trey.
Jim Uh, nothin'.
And Excuse me.
Mr Sam O'Donnell? Yeah, that's me.
What can I do for you? I hope this isn't gonna take long cos these guys are about to be fleeced.
I'm Detective Bayliss.
This is Detective Pembleton.
- Hello.
- Hi.
What's this all about? - It's about your wife.
- What about her? Sir, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but your wife is dead.
What are you talkin' about? I just saw here.
I just kissed her goodbye when I left for the poker game.
She was fine.
She was found in the bathtub.
We won't know the cause of death until the autopsy.
In the bathtub? How could she die in a bathtub? She loved to take baths.
I'm sorry.
You know, some older people, they slip in the shower, they they break their hip and But in a tub you're safe.
You're sitting down.
Nothing can happen to you.
I don't want anyone here.
Stay away.
There's nothing here to see.
Hey Lookie, lookie! Can I get a bag here, please? What do you say, Dr D? Angle of the gunshot wound, could be suicide.
We'll check the hands for powder residue.
- Got a witness for you, Detective.
- A witness or a suspect? - Did you see what went on here, sir? - It depends.
- On what? - On whether or not I keep these shoes.
- Did you steal his shoes? - They were a gift from Mr Zwick.
You know him? We introduced ourselves.
He's Jeffrey Zwick.
What did you two talk about? He told me I could keep these shoes.
Then he shoots himself in the head.
- In front of you he did this? - Yeah.
I asked him if he wanted me to leave, if he wanted privacy.
And what did he say? He said he didn't mind the company.
Can I keep the shoes? Yeah, keep the shoes.
There must be a record of it.
Michael Bigelow.
B-I - This computer isn't showing it.
- There must be a record of this case.
Cross-reference it with Stan's name.
His cases should be on file.
- It was 16 years ago.
- Try Thames Street Park, the location.
How the hell can you not have a record of this thing? - There it is.
- "Bolander, Thames Street Park.
"Victim Larsen, Peter.
Bigelow, Michael convicted.
Case disposed.
"Bigelow, death sentence.
" I've got to have witness statements, medical examiner reports, addresses.
- Nothing here.
- There has to be a record somewhere.
That's all there is.
They store old case folders in a warehouse on East Biddle.
An hour ago, a young woman walked into Baltimore City Police HQ and held a gun to Colonel George Barnfather.
She is demanding that her father - I need a minute, Al.
- OK.
' scheduled to die by lethal injection tonight, be granted a stay of execution.
'We'll update you on this hostage situation.
'From Channel 8 News, I'm Richard Gilroy.
' You, uh You cut me off at the knees, Al.
What? The hostage negotiation team was set.
I was following procedure.
- That may have gotten the Colonel shot.
- He still might get shot.
I disagreed with your call, but I did not intend to embarrass you.
Intention or not, that's what you did.
Don't undermine me in front of the squad, OK, Al? Whether you like it or not, I'm your boss.
I never knew this place existed.
It's like the graveyard for Homicide paperwork.
These are all the murder case records of Baltimore.
They go back 75 years.
Where the hell do we start? There's no sign of forced entry, no robbery, no trauma to the body.
She was 75-years-old.
This is probably not a homicide.
Maybe.
Why was she taking a bath when she had company coming? A lot of people take baths before company comes over.
We'll just wait for the autopsy results.
- You feel bad for the husband? - They were married for 50 years.
I can't imagine what it's like to be married for 50 years.
My wife and I could have 50 years.
We would both be 82.
I don't know if I want to live to be 82.
My mother's grandparents were married for 64 years.
No kidding! And my great-grandfather is lying on his death bed and his last words to my great-grandmother were "Sorry I married you.
" What did she say? "So am I.
" Autopsy's done! Cause of death was asphyxia by drowning.
What, she drowned in two feet of water? There's the presence of white foam in her mouth and windpipe, and water in her lungs.
Yeah, but did she have a heart attack, a stroke? - Did she get hit on the head? - She was healthy as a horse.
No sign of heart defect.
All major arteries were clear.
Evidence of foul play? Bruising, scratches, skin under her fingernails? - Nothing.
- That doesn't mean it wasn't foul play.
She could have been held under the water by a towel.
- Or fell asleep.
Did she drink anything? - Stomach contents show no alcohol.
- So is this a homicide or not? - What do you say, Dr Scheiner? I can't call it one way or the other until the toxicology report comes back.
OK, in the meantime, I'm gonna make another visit to Mr O'Donnell.
Frank, are you comin'? Meldrick, what brings you here? Business or pleasure? With Dr D, business is always a pleasure.
- What am I, chopped liver? - That's exactly what you are, Scheiner.
So what's up, Doc? The angle of this gunshot wound indicates it was self-inflicted.
The way the hand gripped the gun is consistent with that.
The left hand shows gunpowder residue.
He fired the gun.
He fired the gun.
- It's a suicide.
- Definitely.
Now the question is, Mr Zwick, why the hell did you do it? - Better go tell the wife.
- How do you know he had a wife? They all have wives.
Huh! Another reason to stay single! I wonder what Barnfather's thinking right now.
Probably wishing he had a clean pair of underwear.
I bet he isn't bothered at all.
He has a gun to his head.
You'd have to be made out of stone not to be bothered! I rest my case.
It's a good thing this didn't happen to Granger.
His heart would have exploded! Would've saved us a lot of trouble.
No leverage with a dead hostage.
- Here we go! - You got it? I got it, I got it.
It's Peter Larsen, Michael Bigelow, 1979.
Way to go, big man! Mr O'Donnell, what time did you leave the house this evening for the poker game? We always have dinner at 4:00.
That was one of Martha's rules.
Excuse me.
And, uh So that would have us done about five o'clock.
After dinner, Joe came over and we walked to the Lodge.
Joe? Yeah, Joe Santo.
He was at that poker game.
So you and Joe left the house about 5:15, 5:30? Well, more like 5:20.
Martha was Martha was washing the dishes.
She always liked to get that done fast cos she hates having a mess around.
I used to smoke, but one ash in the tray and she'd have it up washing it.
When you and Joe left for the poker game, Martha was doing the dishes? Yeah.
Yeah, that's right.
Did Joe come in to say hello? No.
No, Joe stayed out on the porch.
Martha didn't like Joe.
- Didn't like him? Why not? - He tried to borrow money once.
Martha always said, "You lend money to a friend, "you lose the friend and the money.
" So Joe never actually saw Martha before the two of you left? No.
No, she was The telephone rang and, uh, she went to answer it.
Then Joe and I left for the club.
That was about 5:20 or so? Yeah, around there sometime.
Was your wife on any medication? No, no, she wasn't.
She never needed anything, not even an aspirin.
So, no drugs of any kind? I still think Martha O'Donnell's death was a homicide.
- Why? - I don't know.
Joe Santo confirmed O'Donnell's alibi.
He heard Martha answer the phone, so Martha was alive when they left the house.
Joe Santo also has a hearing aid and he admitted owing O'Donnell 400 bucks.
- That's reason to lie.
- OK, say O'Donnell did kill his wife.
What was his motive? Not money.
They didn't have an insurance policy, they were on social security.
There's other motives besides money.
Maybe it was a crime of passion.
Maybe Sam O'Donnell caught his wife having an affair and killed her.
They're 75-years-old! Are you saying that old people can't have passion? - No, I'm not saying that.
- That's what you're thinking.
All I'm sayin' is I'm 75, right? I'm not gonna just laze around in my easy chair, toasting my toes by the fire, not unless there's some cute 70-year-old sitting right there on my lap! You'll be a dirty old man terrorising the nursing home, pinchin' their asses! Why not? Better than complaining about your gallstones all day! True.
Mrs Zwick? I'm Detective Lewis from Homicide.
Come in.
Mrs Zwick, I'm afraid it's my duty to inform you that your husband's death has been ruled as suicide.
I know.
You know? His suicide note.
I found it in the dresser drawer.
It's also a confession.
A confession of murder.
That's why Jeffrey killed himself.
The guilt.
You live with a person for 20 years and it turns out you never knew them at all, never knew what they were capable of or how much they loved you.
Hey, big man! - What are you hollering about? - Wait till you get a load of this! I have a signed confession for the murder of Peter Larsen.
- Did I say something funny? - I can't wait to read this! - Signed confession from who? - Jeffrey Zwick.
- The suicide? - Yeah.
Must have killed himself cos Bigelow's gonna fry tonight.
"I apologise most of all to my wife, Lisa, "for the actions of a disparate man?" Desperate.
It's misspelt.
"I am responsible for the death of Peter Larsen.
"I beat him to death with a golf club, a number 3-wood.
" Stan, is that true? We didn't find a murder weapon.
- He was bludgeoned.
- Yeah.
A 3-wood? To kill somebody, I'd use a driver! "This happened on February the 16th, 1979 "in Thames Street Park.
"I knew my guilt, but I didn't have the courage to come forward.
"Yours sincerely, Jeffrey Alan Zwick.
" If Zwick killed Larsen, the wrong guy's been in prison for 16 years.
Did the name Zwick ever come up? No, I never heard of this guy before.
But he, uh He knows way too much.
We gotta stop this execution.
We need the murder weapon.
I gotta find that golf club.
Are you comin'? I'm comin'! I bought Jeffrey a set of golf clubs after we were married.
- Still got the clubs? - I don't remember getting rid of them.
We're looking for the wood, the 3-wood.
Detective Lewis, the truth is that Jeffrey hated golf.
I've no idea where the clubs might be.
- We'll take a look.
- Looks like my garage! - Can the club overturn the conviction? - That's up to the judge.
- Here it is.
- Here, let me help you.
- Which one's a 3-wood? - This one.
Yeah.
For a guy who's not a regular golfer, it sure is beat up.
Get it to the lab, check for blood residue.
Let's go.
We haven't got a lot of time! What's going on? Chief, we got the judge's order.
Judge Mahoney gave us a stay of execution.
Lee Bigelow, this is Detective Bolander.
I have a judge's order here to stop the execution of your father.
Miss Bigelow, I think you should open this door and see this paper.
"I don't believe you.
" Miss Bigelow, there's a TV in the office.
Turn it on to the local news station.
'I'm outside the Maryland State Penitentiary where Channel 8 News ' You were right.
Your father's innocent.
' Michael Bigelow was to be executed at midnight ' I'm going to slide the judge's order underneath the door.
We can have you on the phone with your father just as soon as you open the door.
- Get the gun! Get the gun! - I got it! I won.
It took me 16 years and a.
38, but I won! Come on.
'lf this information is correct, Michael Bigelow will not be executed.
'We'll be standing by ' Easy! ' a remarkable story.
Wait.
I've just been informed ' Meldrick, can you cover for me? I wanna check on our new bartender.
Our new bartender? We don't need a new bartender.
We need new customers, new revenue.
A good bartender can make or break a place.
Have you seen "Cocktail"? - You hired Tom Cruise? - No.
This guy's Irish, he's old school.
So you and Bayliss went and hired a new bartender? Well, no, I hired him.
- Without consulting anybody? - Yes, you can trust me.
- Uh-huh.
The cheque's in the mail - Stop! The guy will be fine.
If he'll be so fine, why do you have to go check up on him? Lois Baker's gonna meet us tomorrow morning so we can interview her.
What about the other O'Donnell neighbours? Alexander Horton lives two doors down.
He knows both of them.
We can interview him after Baker tomorrow.
This guy sounds very cranky, man.
- Is he elderly? - He's 69.
Crankiness comes with age.
The five senses die.
- The plumbing goes bad.
- That'd make anybody pissy! Well, I'd rather burn out than fade away.
What about you? - Burn out.
- Burn out.
This is nice.
The place is empty.
Hey, McGonnigal, our customers don't look happy, like they're not gonna stick around.
- Hey, don't do that.
- What? - Don't touch the tap to the beer.
- Why not? It contaminates the tap with wild yeast.
In 12 hours every beer will taste like mouldy rye bread.
If we had some customers, maybe they'd complain.
What we need is an event.
What do you mean? Like ladies' nights? I was thinking of something more original, something bigger, more exotic.
- Women aren't exotic? - Let's make our own beer.
Why would we make our own beer? The largest growing segment of beer-drinkers is buying boutique beers from little bars like this one.
Raspberry Chilli Porter, Black Shadow, Chinook Pale I get the idea, I get the premise.
- Some investment in equipment - Investment? - Couple of hundred.
- I prefer the dollar-a-beer ladies' night! OK, we make our own beer, we sell it for a dollar a glass and get some women in here for ladies' night.
We call our brew Waterfront Gold Premium.
Better be one hell of a brew! - What's happening? - I'm just goin' over the Larsen folder.
I worked this case into the ground.
Every fact.
Everything points to Michael Bigelow as the killer.
Yeah, well, it happens.
Not to me it don't.
Larsen was a loner, a drunk, he had no family, no friends.
I didn't meet anybody who missed the guy.
So Zwick killed himself for no reason? No, I want to know what reason he had to kill Larsen.
Our job is to change names from red to black on a board, to put cases down.
That's what you did.
A little late, but you did.
I interviewed 30 or 40 people about Larsen.
Jeffrey Zwick's name never came up once! There's got to be a connection someplace! This guy Zwick tortures himself for 16 years over this murder until he turns a gun against himself? to go cold, big man! Are you gonna dig up all your old interviews? Everybody on your list is probably dead, left town or can't remember who Peter Larsen is! Or was.
- We'll move to the other side.
- The other side? Tomorrow.
I start interviewing people who knew Zwick.
If I can't connect Larsen to Zwick, I connect Zwick to Larsen.
Why don't you just let it be? I arrested the wrong man.
Maybe it was cos I asked the wrong questions.
So what I would like to do is I'd like to learn what are the right questions.
- I'm coming with you.
- I should do this alone.
Hold on a second.
The Zwick thing is my case.
I got a stake in this too.
Besides, I like hanging out with you, big man.
You're like a father figure to me.
- Father figure? - Yeah, father figure.
If I ever hear you repeat that, I'm gonna gut you! OK.
Oh, I never heard Sam and Martha yelling or fighting or anything like that.
They were old.
They had an old people's marriage.
What's an old people's marriage? They almost didn't seem to be in the same room most of the time.
But he walked her to the grocery store and carried her bags back.
I think they loved each other.
- Sam and Martha hated each other.
- Martha was not friendly.
- What do you mean? - She was hard of hearing.
- She disapproved of me.
- She liked me.
She thought I corrupted you.
- And Sam? - She had him on a strict routine.
- Lunch at noon.
- Dinner at four.
He had to account for every penny he spent.
You felt sorry for the guy.
They were together for 50 years.
That means something.
They stayed together for 50 years.
That's what matters.
- They never had problems? - I didn't say that.
So they did have problems? I don't gossip about other people's love affairs.
- What love affairs, Mr Horton? - It's Sam's business, not mine.
I'm not one for idle gossip.
We're conducting a police investigation.
I suppose that makes things different.
So, Mr O'Donnell did have an affair? Isabella Kunkle.
Isabella Kunkle? Some girl that Sam used to be sweet on.
Not much of a girl any more.
She called him one day right out of the blue.
Isabella Kunkle called Sam? As Sam was married to Martha that should've been the end of things.
- But it wasn't the end of things? - Not by a long shot.
Isabella kept dropping by, supposedly to see them both.
But she and Sam were always exchanging glances.
Meaningful glances.
Here it is - Waterfront Gold Premium.
Waterfront Gold Premium swamp water is more like it! - That bad? - Worse! Trust me, don't even try it! - See? - Needs work.
We already advertised, genius! What are we gonna do now? We can sell Heineken for a dollar a glass under our Waterfront Gold Premium label.
You're gonna bankrupt me! Just think of it as a little investment in your future.
I don't think Jeffrey Zwick had secrets.
What you saw was what you got.
Did he have any drinking or drug problems? I'm talkin' late '70s, early '80s, Reagan era drinking problems.
I only saw him drunk once.
The only change in Jeffrey with a few beers was he could do that trick where you make the nickel flip across your knuckles.
Good pressman too.
In all the years you knew him, did he ever mention a guy named Peter Larsen? - No.
Never heard of any Peter Larsen.
- Did he ever drink and get into fights? No, Jeffrey wasn't much of a drinker.
When he did drink, it was at The Old Elegant.
- The Old Elegant? - That bar over on Eastern.
It burnt down.
Peter Larsen used to drink at The Old Elegant.
Hey, hey! What are you doing? The head of a draw of good beer is a delicate thing.
Some of these glasses will never have a good head again.
- Too greasy.
- Can't you wash them? Glasses are fluid, very slowly-moving fluid that marries with adhesive substances such as fatty acids.
- Does that sign still say "Ladies' Night"? - Big as life.
How come there's no ladies in here? Would you walk into a room full of strange, drunken men if you were a woman? They don't seem to mind there's no women here.
They're a little relieved, but happy.
You're right.
I should lighten up.
I got a bar here full of happy, relaxed, cordial men who left their tragedies and defeats at the door.
They're revivifying, so they can go back into the fray on the morrow.
Now, here, they're among brothers.
Those two guys don't look too cordial.
If you handle the atmosphere right, you don't get bar fights.
Duck! Mr Malone? Do you remember me? Detective Bolander? Err sorry.
Should I know you? in a bar called The Old Elegant.
You had a regular customer named Peter Larsen.
I saw it on the news.
You got the wrong guy for killing him.
- What do you want? - I need to ask a few questions.
I'm busy.
I got a bar to take care of.
- It's a nice bar.
You own it outright? - Yeah, lock, stock and beer tap.
It's a real step up from The Old Elegant.
There wasn't anything elegant about it or its patrons.
They were a bunch of lousy drunks and lousy tippers.
Took me 15 years to earn enough money to buy my own place.
- What is that, a bread stick? - A cheese twist.
- Expensive? - A little higher than salted nuts, but my customers love 'em.
A cheese twist, huh? Do you remember this guy from The Old Elegant named Jeffrey Zwick? He looks familiar.
I think he was in once or twice.
Mr Zwick just confessed to killing Peter Larsen.
- No kidding? - No kidding.
- Why would Zwick kill Larsen? - What difference does it make now? None.
But I'd kinda like for you to tell me anyway.
You don't make it very big in the bar business if you open your mouth, repeat everything people tell you.
You get your customers' confidence and they keep coming back.
Yeah, these two customers are both dead now.
I don't think Zwick and Larsen were in the bar at the same time.
- So they didn't know each other.
- They knew each other.
- How? - Larsen slept with Zwick's wife.
about Larsen's murder twice.
You knew that Larsen was sleeping with Zwick's wife? Why didn't you tell me that before? You didn't ask me.
Is that her? Hmm Yeah.
Hi.
Isabella Kunkle? You're welcome to come in, but it won't do any good.
Excuse me? I'm a Presbyterian.
I'm not going to convert to the Jehovah's Witnesses.
We're not Jehovah's Witnesses.
We're from the police department.
I guess you'd better come in.
- Let me take these.
- Thank you.
- Hmm! - Tim! Before the war, Sam and I lived around the corner from each other.
- In Baltimore? - Highlandtown.
We grew up together.
Then in high school, one day Sam kissed me.
- And that was that.
- You fell in love? I really thought that we'd spend the rest of our lives together.
Then the war broke out.
Everything changed.
- What changed? - Sam enlisted.
He went overseas.
That was the last I saw of him.
When did you get in contact with Sam? After my husband died, I looked Sam up.
I found out that he was still living in Baltimore, so I called him.
It was as if 50 years had never gone by.
You decided to move back to Baltimore? I'd lived in San Francisco most of my life, but it never felt like home.
Here I had Sam and Martha.
Real friends.
- You and Martha were friends? - Mm-hm.
I was sad to hear about Martha's passing.
If truth be told, I was always a little sorry for Martha.
- What do you mean? - She let herself get old.
And fussy.
Strict about things.
But she had a good heart.
I know she loved Sam very much.
Mrs Kunkle, what were you doing last night? I I was at a birthday party at my niece's place.
- When was the last time you saw Sam? - Last week.
Sam takes me ballroom dancing once a week.
Martha always refused to go.
We're going dancing tonight.
Sam said it would take his mind off his grief.
Mrs Kunkle Were you having an affair with Sam? An affair? Oh, goodness, no! I care a great deal about Sam and I'll be his friend until the day one of us dies.
But I won't marry him.
I turned him down.
You turned him down? You mean that Mr O'Donnell asked you to marry him? Mm-hm.
This morning.
I should have fired that know-it-all bartender! Should have fired, but you didn't.
I was ready to give the guy the boot and he quits! - He got a job at The Prime Rib.
- I thought you liked him.
He has a big mouth, thinks he knows everything and he never shut up! Maybe next time you'll involve your partners in this business! We're not gonna have any business unless we get some customers here.
Ladies' night was a bust and I don't wanna talk about the beer-making fiasco! Maybe it's time to let your partners in on the creative aspects.
Maybe it's time for cheese twists instead of peanuts.
- Are you out of your mind, Meldrick? - What gimmicks haven't we tried? - Wet T-shirt competitions? - Turtle races.
I've always enjoyed 'em.
Now give me a drink.
Bourbon.
We're sinkin' here! Turtle races? Pour me a drink or I'll wreck this place again! Are you sure? You're only just out of the hospital.
One Bourbon coming up.
- Make it a double! - Hey, take it easy.
All right, all right.
Let destiny be your guide, big man.
An innocent man almost went to his death because I didn't ask the right question.
There's a big difference between almost and he did, big man.
How many times have I not asked the right question? Isabella Kunkle's alibi checks out.
There were 20 witnesses at that birthday party.
What if the name of the first woman you ever loved was Isabella Kunkle? The first woman that I ever loved was named Deborah Dabner.
I used to say it to myself - Deborah Dabner.
It sounded great to me.
Bernadette Marie Alice Reinhardt.
- What did you call her? - Bernadette Marie Alice Reinhardt.
It was a mantra.
I said it over and over.
But I think that the first woman that I ever really loved was Miss Mancini.
She was my second grade teacher.
You know I can remember her smell and her perfume and her wool skirt.
I used to pretend that I couldn't button up my jacket.
So she would reach up and just jerk my shoulders back, you know.
And then she would pull me in to her and she would button my coat.
I don't think she ever really knew that I was pretending.
- Oh, yeah, she caught on.
- How do you know? I see how you are with women now.
You can't fool 'em as a grown man, so you couldn't as a second grader! - I'm not trying to fool any women - Bayliss! Bayliss! Line 1! - The last time you did it, I was there.
- Hold on.
I wanna give this time, OK? Yeah, Bayliss Uh-huh.
Yeah.
OK.
Thanks, Scheiner.
- The last time - No, that was Scheiner.
The toxicology report came back.
At the time of her death, Martha O'Donnell had 5 milligrams per litre of secobarbitone in her system.
Excuse me, Mr O'Donnell.
- This way.
- It's all right, I can handle this.
- You don't need to involve her, do you? - What's this about? We need both of you to come downtown with us.
We have to ask you about the death of your wife.
Isabella had nothing to do with it.
With what? I don't understand.
Excuse me.
Mr O'Donnell, are you confessing? I killed my wife.
I killed Martha.
- Why? - So we could be together.
No, don't say that, please.
Isabella, I made a mistake.
I left you.
I re-enlisted in the army.
I thought I could just carry on with those foreign girls when all the time what I was looking for was right here, right where I left it.
You married Martha.
She's your wife.
Sometimes when Martha looked at me, I could swear she was thinking I was cluttering up her house, something that was collecting dust.
Then you came back into my life.
When I saw you, it was just like we were kids again.
You looked exactly the same.
Don't say these things to me, Sam.
Yesterday, I just couldn't wait any longer.
Mr O'Donnell, why didn't you just ask your wife to give you a divorce? I didn't want to hurt her feelings.
I just wanted for Isabella and me to be together.
I love you, Isabella.
I always have and I always will.
OK, come on.
Look can't I have one last dance? - What do you wanna do? - All right, go ahead.
Are they gonna release Michael Bigelow? They'll take him to a minimum security.
A stay of execution is one thing, but overturning a conviction takes another hearing.
- Is that him? - Yeah.
Yeah, that's him.