Murder, She Wrote s04e09 Episode Script

Charlotte didn't leave a will.
But this place definitely belongs to you.
- Willard told me all about your sister's evil ways.
- What was Charlotte doing? [Woman.]
Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.
Doc says heart attack.
That's good enough for me.
I heard you went to see the sheriff.
You shouldn't have done that.
- I swear to God, she knows everything.
- What if she decides to stay? - She won't.
- She gonna have a heart attack too? - [Gasps.]
- What's wrong? Well, that wasn't me.
I thought it was you.
- Watch it! - [Woman Screams.]
[Woman.]
It was positively uncanny.
I've never experienced anything like this before in my life.
I woke up in the middle of the night with this overwhelming feeling of sorrow.
Now, Charlotte and I haven't been close for years, but at that moment, without a question of a doubt, I knew that my sister was dead.
I am so sorry, Mary Rose.
You know, I had no idea.
This letter came from the town where she lived in Oregon.
"Charlotte was murdered.
"Don't trust anybody in Eden, no matter who.
Be very careful.
" Here, Jessica.
What do you think? It's unsigned.
But you didn't accept this as any kind of proof? Oh, of course not.
I placed a long-distance call to Charlotte's hotel, and the hotel operator told me that Charlotte had died of a heart attack and was cremated the very next day.
Now, I found that very suspicious.
Oh, Jessica, please come to Oregon with me.
Wait.
You've left me behind.
Oregon? Well, to investigate Charlotte's death.
Lewis says it's very important for my best interests to go at once.
Lewis? Lewis Framm, my attorney.
Rather, my attorney's son.
Oh, please, Jessica.
Mary Rose, I'm sorry, dear, I can't.
I have got so much work to do at home.
Before you make up your mind, talk to Lewis.
He makes a lot of sense for someone his age.
- Well, how old is he? - 32.
Waiter? Check, please.
[Sighs.]
Well, if you have any doubts, why don't you contact the Eden police? Oh, I can't.
The letter said not to trust anyone in Eden.
N-No one.
Well, I'm afraid I don't share your faith in that anonymous letter.
[Engine Revving, Tires Squealing.]
- Watch it! - [Woman Screams.]
Oh, my Lord! [Man.]
Attempted murder? You must bejoking.
I can assure you, Lewis, it's not funny.
I saw the expression on that man's face when he stepped on the gas, and he knew what he was doing.
That's crazy.
What did he tell the police? Nothing.
Dead on arrival.
Lewis, when are you going to Oregon? Tomorrow.
I'll rent a car in Eugene and drive to Eden from there.
I wish you were going with me, Mary Rose.
So do I.
Believe me.
I'll make sure you get your fair share of your sister's property.
Oh, I thought that Charlotte lived in a hotel.
She did.
She also owned it.
We are talking major real estate.
- Mary Rose, have you ever been to Eden? - No.
Never been invited.
So no one there knows you? I've never met any of Charlotte's friends.
Jessica, what are you thinking? That I could go in your place.
No, I can't let you do that.
Look.
I don't believe in coincidences, especially when they involve murder or attempted murder.
Now, that man behind the wheel was determined to kill you.
[Sighs.]
Now, it's possible that he didn't want you to find out what had really happened to Charlotte.
- Still, an impersonation- - Look, if Eden, Oregon, is anything like Cabot Cove, Maine, people don't have much to say to strangers.
- But a bereaved sister- - [Sighs.]
Mary Rose, if they had reason to try it once, they might try it again, and we can't have that, now, can we? No, but it sounds so dangerous.
Oh, don't you worry.
I'll have Lewis with me.
[Gasps.]
[Jessica.]
Face it, Lewis.
We're lost.
Pull over.
I'll ask that woman.
Uh, pardon me.
I think we took a wrong turn.
I wonder, could you please direct us to the Garden of Eden Hotel? This hotel is a joke.
I think it's charming.
But then, I'm partial to old houses.
I was hoping for a high-rise tower of glass and steel.
The possible flagship of an international hotel chain.
In Eden, Oregon? They taught us to think positive in my entrepreneur class.
[Chuckles.]
We're talking major disappointment.
[Door Creaks, Closes.]
- Can I help you? - My name is Lewis Framm.
I am an attorney with the law firm of Plotkin, Davis and Framm.
Well, you're probably in the wrong place.
Nobody here called for a lawyer.
I'm not looking for business.
I represent Mary Rose Welch.
Charlotte's sister? Oh, Miss Welch.
I talked to you on the phone the other day when you called.
We were both real upset about Charlotte.
I forgot to introduce myself.
- I'm Lila Benson.
- I'm so glad to meet you at last, Lila.
Your sister was the kindest, most generous, sweetest woman I ever worked for.
She told me if anything was to happen to her, I'd take charge.
When exactly did she tell you that? How long before she died? Well, I don't know exactly.
I don't remember.
I'm sure that Charlotte was very fond of you, if she trusted you to run her business.
I was like a daughter to her.
Would you like to see Miss Charlotte's suite? It's real nice.
Yes, I would like that.
Thank you.
I need a room too.
Here? Well, of course here.
Unless everything's full.
Well, I suppose I could fix you up somethin'.
I might take a few minutes though.
Uh, why don't the two of you wait in Miss Charlotte's suite? It's on the second floor, first door to your left.
Well, thank you.
Hi.
Hello.
Hi.
[Phone Dialing.]
[Phone Ringing.]
- Dr.
Lynch.
- I just thought you'd like to know.
Mary Rose Welch is in town.
[Handset Clatters In Cradle.]
[Punching Keypad.]
She's here.
[Handset Clatters In Cradle.]
Looks like Charlotte wasn't too crazy about the 20th Century.
You know, the decor of this room reminds me of something, but I'm not sure what.
How come we've seen only one other guest? Where are all the tourists? Oh, Lewis, relax and sit down.
It's this room.
L-It spooks me.
Doesn't it bother you that Charlotte probably died in this room? No.
The only thing that bothers me is unanswered questions.
Perhaps you better try and get a copy of her death certificate from the courthouse.
As soon as I see if her will was filed.
[Knocking.]
Yes? Excuse me.
I was told to make up the room down the hall, then I heard voices here.
Nobody's been in these rooms since Miss Charlotte.
Are you the housekeeper? Yes, sir.
Martha Neilson.
Well, Martha, it's my room you're getting ready.
Your room, sir? Yes.
And I'd appreciate it if you could do it quickly.
I'd like to put my things away before I go out.
Does the name Mary Rose Welch mean anything to you? - You don't favor her much.
- Did you know Charlotte well? 'Bout as well as anybody in the world.
I did for her before she opened this place.
Well, sometime we must have a good chat about Charlotte.
Well, right now I got my work to do.
Excuse me.
[Phone Ringing.]
This place is very strange.
- Hello? - Sorry to disturb you, ma'am.
Oh, hello, Lila.
Uh, you had a phone call from Sheriff Landry.
- It sounded kind of important.
- Oh, why didn't you put it through? Well, he just asked me to tell you to come on down to his office.
Uh, Mary Rose, ma'am, do you want me to keep runnin' the place the way your sister did? I see no reason to change, do you? No, ma'am.
Lila, where is the, uh, sheriff's office? Oh, it's down on Main Street.
It's the only one with a flag out front.
You will keep me up to date, huh, Sheriff? I'll do my best, C.
J.
A man can't ask for more than that.
Oh, ma'am.
My condolences for your sister Charlotte, Miss Welch.
Oh, thank you.
Come in, please.
For a stranger, he seems to know a great deal about me.
C.
J.
Dobbs keeps his finger on the pulse of the town.
I'm Howard Landry.
Please, have a seat.
Oh, thank you.
I was a little curious about your invitation.
It was just that.
I hope you don't think I had you summoned here.
- It crossed my mind.
- I told Lila to ask you to stop by when you had a chance.
My deputy is home with the flu.
I'm kinda stuck here.
I wanted to express my regrets about Charlotte.
- She was one hell of a woman.
- You were close to her? Close enough to feel real bad when she died so suddenly.
Of course, I was under the impression that she had been ill.
Charlotte? She flew up and down stairs.
Never guess she had a bum ticker.
If it'll make it any easier, Doc said that it was real fast.
She didn't suffer.
Well, at least she had a doctor with her.
Yeah, Doc Lynch.
A real old-time country doctor.
Thank you, Sheriff.
It's a relief to know that Charlotte died of natural causes.
- Any reason to think she didn't? - Well, only the mysterious rush to cremate her remains.
May I ask, by whose authority? Doc's, I guess.
- Does it matter? - Oh, my goodness.
How time does fly.
I have an appointment with my attorney.
Please excuse me.
I hope I see you again before you leave.
Oh, I haven't made up my mind about leaving.
This is such a nice little town.
A few days ago, we didn't even know she existed.
Now she's looming over us like an avenging angel.
First I ever heard of an angel with a New York lawyer.
Yeah, well they're both snoopin' around.
I'd like to know what the hell they're up to.
Mary Rose is just crossin' the street.
Why don't you go down and ask her? I knew it.
She's the spitting image of Charlotte.
I don't think so.
But then again, my vision's not blurred by fear.
Now you boys better get a grip on yourselves, and look on the bright side.
What bright side? She gonna have a heart attack too? Snooks- for God's sake- [Groans.]
No, a New York woman like that's not gonna hang around a one-horse town like this for long.
She'll look around, see what's in it for her, and then she'll be on her way.
I give her about two days, at the most.
If we all keep our mouths shut, she won't learn a thing.
Jessica, where have you been? Well, I went to the sheriff's office.
Did you find out anything at city hall? Oh, yes.
But I'd rather you see for yourself.
##[Ragtime Piano.]
Oh, now nice! It sounds as if the hotel also provides entertainment.
[Chuckles.]
[Laughter, Chattering.]
##[Continues.]
That's entertainment.
## [Continues.]
Miss Mary Rose, you weren't here at openin' time.
Now, I know you said you didn't want any changes made, so I figured that just meant business as usual.
Is that okay? O-Oh, I was just a little surprised that we opened so early.
Well, that's a courtesy to our regular customers.
Some of them have to go home to dinner before the kids go to bed.
Very thoughtful.
Mary Rose, we have to discuss Charlotte's will.
- Oh, yes.
Yes, of course.
Will you excuse us, Lila? - Oh, sure.
[Lewis.]
Is it always this busy? [Chuckling.]
You haven't seen anything yet.
[Key Clinks.]
And what did they have to say about that in your entrepreneurial class? [Gasps.]
Jessica, I'm afraid this town is full of surprises.
Charlotte didn't leave a will.
Are you sure? If she did, it wasn't filed.
But this place definitely belongs to you- I mean, Mary Rose.
Oh, Lewis, I'm not sure that I can go through with this.
I mean, it's one thing to be Mary Rose, but a madam? [Chuckles.]
[Knocking.]
[Sighs.]
Go away.
- This is a private suite.
- [Martha.]
Miss Mary Rose, are you there? It's Martha.
Let her in.
[Woman Laughing.]
##[Piano.]
[Jessica Sighs.]
Lewis, the door! I heard you went to see the sheriff.
You shouldn't have done that.
Why not? A man like that can be dangerous.
Oh, but surely I can trust a lawman.
Ma'am, listen to me, please.
Don't trust anybody in Eden, no matter who.
I am listening, Martha, and that has a very familiar ring to it.
Ma'am? I read those words in an anonymous letter.
You wrote that letter, didn't you? I had to do something.
Miss Charlotte was gone, and it wasn't right.
What happened to Charlotte, Martha? What really happened? I don't know.
I wasn't here.
I went down to Medford to visit my brother and his family, and when I got back, Lila told me that Miss Charlotte was dead and cremated.
She said, " Things are gonna change around here.
" And all the time I'm thinking if I'd only been here, maybe I could have done something to stop it.
Stop a heart attack? There was nothing wrong with Miss Charlotte's heart.
But on the death certificate, Dr.
Lynch said- I know what he said.
You know something that you're not telling us, don't you? Miss Charlotte said she had enemies in Eden, and when she said it, she shivered.
- [Lewis.]
Well, that's not much.
- Well, there's something else.
It's empty.
It wasn't when I went away.
Miss Charlotte kept some money, jewelry, her private papers in here, in a metal box.
Nobody knew about it except me.
Somebody did.
She wasn't only murdered, she was robbed.
What sort of papers did she keep in the box, Martha? She never showed 'em to me.
But I knew they were probably deeds from real estate that she'd invested in, - and Miss Charlotte's will.
- She didn't leave a will.
Oh, she left one, all right.
You saw it? I signed it, as a witness, in this room.
Me and Eddie Mackle.
Eddie Mackle? Well, he works around here- odd jobs, mostly.
- I dunno where he is.
- Too bad.
Lila probably knows where he is.
They're sweet on each other.
Two of a kind.
When did you first discover that the box was gone? As soon as I heard Miss Charlotte was dead.
Well, I didn't want Lila to get her hands on Miss Charlotte's things.
I don't suppose you told the sheriff? Miss Charlotte paid Sheriff Landry a thousand dollars a month to look the other way.
How could I tell a man like that? - Martha, I want you to give Lila a message for me, if you will.
- Ma'am? Would you please tell Lila to clear out all the gentlemen from the house immediately.
And after she's done that, to lock the front door.
Gather all of the ladies into the lobby.
I have something that I want to say to them.
What are we supposed to do for the rest of the night, watch television? Too bad all of your favorite shows are on Saturday morning.
Where's Mary Rose? What's gonna happen to us now? [Lewis.]
Ladies, may we have your attention? I have an announcement to make, and l- I do hope you won't find it too unpleasant.
Out of respect for dear Charlotte, I have decided to close down- [Gasping.]
The Garden of Eden for a three-day period of remembrance.
Oh, what a dear, sweet thing to do.
Sure, she can afford it.
But what about us? Yeah.
Ladies, ladies, please, l- I have given that some thought, and I have decided to give you all full pay.
But you're givin' away the Garden's profits.
Oh, dear Charlotte would have wanted that.
And since I am now in charge- Does that mean that you're stayin' on to take Charlotte's place? Yes, Lila.
I have been looking for a new venture and a new home, and I do believe that I have found both of them right here, in the Garden of Eden.
[Phone Ringing.]
Landry.
Uh-huh.
Well, thanks for the call.
By the look on your face, that call might be somethin' I'd be interested in.
Might be.
Seems Mary Rose is staying in Eden, taking over the family business.
Hmm.
C.
J.
Aren't you gonna say good-bye? [Door Closes.]
I think I'm overdressed for the county recorder's office.
I need bib overalls and a shovel for that filing mess.
Haven't these people ever heard of computers? Well, just keep looking.
I'll see you later.
All right.
- There she is.
- [Man.]
Don't, uh, look at her, dear.
- I'd like to tell her what I think ofher.
- Don't make trouble, please, Dora.
- Her kind isn't wanted round here.
- I couldn't agree with you more, Dora, dear.
Come.
I was sound asleep when Charlotte called.
She was gasping for breath.
Obviously in trouble.
When I got there a few minutes later, I injected her with lidocaine.
Then I took her here for oxygen.
Here? Isn't there a hospital in this town? [Chuckling.]
Well, the office is closer.
It has everything I need.
Even so, I was unable to save her, I'm sorry to say.
Poor Charlotte.
- Did she suffer much? - Very little.
She was unconscious when I reached her, and remained so till the end.
I was surprised that you decided on a fast cremation.
Why not a funeral for Charlotte's many admirers? Well, it wasn't my decision.
It was Charlotte's.
Would you excuse me? She, uh, didn't want to be, uh, laid out in a casket, for, uh, folks to see her while she was dead.
I respected her wishes.
She was a lady.
She was entitled to that last bit of vanity.
Oh, l-I'm so sorry to sound so confused about all this.
Well, I understand.
But how did Charlotte ask to be cremated if she was unconscious? Uh, that was- that was earlier, before she lapsed into a coma.
Oh, you mean on the telephone, when she was gasping for breath? A few days earlier, when she was here in this office, she mentioned chest pains.
I told her she might have heart trouble.
That was when she made the request.
Uh, Charlotte was a very brave woman.
Oh, forgive me if I'm still confused, but if you knew that she had heart trouble, why did you go to her when she called? I mean, why didn't you call an ambulance? Much as I'd like to go on talking with you, Miss Welch, I'm afraid I have patients waiting.
Well, thank you for seeing me, Doctor.
You've helped me more than you know.
I'll see myself out.
[Phone Rings.]
- Dobbs.
- She was here.
I swear to God, she knows everything.
Doc, take a couple of aspirins and lie down.
I'll take care of Mary Rose.
[Door Closes.]
You had a long distance phone call- a Mrs.
Fletcher.
- Mrs.
Fletcher? - She said she was a friend of yours, in the hospital.
Oh, yes! Mrs.
Fletcher.
She left a number.
Should I get her for you? Please.
I'll take it upstairs in my room.
Well, I'm glad to hear from you, Jessica.
But I don't think that you should waste your strength talking on the telephone.
Don't worry about my strength.
There's something I have to tell you.
The police found a plane ticket to Oregon on the body of the man that died in the crash.
- His name was Eddie Mackle.
- [Gasps.]
- What's wrong? - Well, that wasn't me.
I thought it was you.
I was trying to tell you that there might be someone else on the line.
Lila? Lila, I need to talk to you.
May I come in? [Sobs.]
It's your house.
[Engine Revving.]
[Tires Squealing.]
What're you doing with that? Give it back.
So that's Eddie Mackle.
So? What if it is? [Sniffling.]
I'm sorry, Lila.
I understand that you were very fond of him.
Yeah, I guess you could say that.
[Sighs.]
Two people working in a place like this, fallin' for each other.
- God, that's funny.
- Why don't you tell me what he was doing in New York City? Charlotte was always sayin' how one day I'd run this place.
When she died, I thought it was mine.
And then you called, and I found out Charlotte had a sister.
So you sent him to New York City to find me? No.
I didn't even know where he was goin'.
Hejust said he was gonna make it work out for us.
If I'd have known what he had in his mind, I could've talked him out of it.
Eddie was a sweet guy, but he wasn't exactly a rocket scientist.
He thought he was doin' me a favor.
Don't you mean a second favor? What about Charlotte? Eddie didn't kill Charlotte.
Well then, who did? [Stammering.]
Nobody.
Charlotte died of a heart attack.
Ask Doc Lynch.
I did.
And I'm pretty sure that he was lying to me, just like you're lying now.
Charlotte died of a heart attack.
Why are you so afraid that I'm going to find out the truth? You just get out.
This is still my room.
[Landry.]
It could be important.
Depends on how you look at it.
Well, I look on it as a deliberate attempt to kill me by running me down with an automobile.
How do you look at it? I look at it as something that should be handled by the New York City Police.
But it started here in Eden with Charlotte's sudden death.
Now, I'm sure that Lila knows a great deal more than she's admitting, if only you would talk to her.
[Sighs.]
Why? What is she, a heart specialist? Charlotte was murdered.
Doc says heart attack.
That's good enough for me.
But what if Doc Lynch had a reason to lie? Now look, it's one thing to question my ethics.
You're attacking the integrity of one of the most respected men in this town.
We're not talking about the same thing.
We're talking about a man who saved my three-year-old niece, who fell into a creek at the Sunday school picnic.
He breathed life into her.
Is that a man who would have something to do with murder? Well, at this point I really don't know, and as far as I can see, you're not inclined to find out.
Mmm.
[Spits.]
[Sighs.]
Ma'am.
C.
J.
Dobbs at your service.
Mr.
Dobbs, we're not open today.
Well, so I've heard.
I heard about your sentimental, costly gesture.
[Chuckles.]
I'm not the businesswoman that Charlotte was.
I can appreciate how rough it'd be to take over a going concern in a strange town- [Coughing.]
Not knowing who you're dealing with, or what's expected of you.
You sorta have to feel your way around.
Mr.
Dobbs, what do you want? I want to help you.
I'd like to take this whole shebang off your hands, hmm? At a fair price, of course.
You want to buy the Garden of Eden? I also have a sentimental side.
See, the first time I saw this place, my- [Laughs.]
My daddy brought me here on my 16th birthday.
[Chuckles.]
Oh, boy.
What's your offer? $100,000, lock, stock and barrel.
Well, I can speak for the lock and the barrel, but, uh, the stock will have to speak for themselves.
- Ma'am? - Well, before I can reply to your offer, my lawyer and I will have to look over Charlotte's books.
Mmm.
Well, it'd surprise me if you could find any, on account of the I.
R.
S.
But you go ahead and look around.
I never try to talk any of my real estate clients into doing anything they don't want to do.
Well, I understand that Charlotte, uh, had invested in some real estate, but, uh, I can't seem to find the deeds.
And you won't.
Some time ago, there was talk about developing some land for a big shopping mall to pull down some of those tourist dollars.
[Chuckles.]
Well, all it amounted to was- was a bunch of talk.
I bought a couple of parcels for she and I and, uh, hmm, had to sell 'em at a loss.
Well, she must have gotten something out of this business, Mr.
Dobbs.
I can't imagine why a shrewd businessman like you would want to, uh, buy this enterprise if it had never made a profit.
Well, ma'am, let's put it this way.
If you sold to me, you'd go back East with a hell of a lot more money than you had when you came through the door.
Why is it that everyone is so nervous with me around? You know, Dr.
Lynch trembled when I spoke to him.
Well, poor old Doc.
He had his problems.
One of'em was his drinkin'.
But I gotta give the man credit for keepin' it under control.
But not before he killed one of his patients.
That was in another state.
A man can't help but shake with that on his conscience.
Well, you think about my offer, now, hmm? [Door Closes.]
Because of Eddie and everything that happened, I suppose you're gonna want me outta here real quick, huh? Milk or lemon? Milk.
I'll admit, I haven't exactly been honest with you.
Sugar? No, ma'am.
I even made phone calls to certain people, to let them know you were in town, and that you were gonna stay.
Lila, what happened the night that Charlotte died? - If I tell you, can I stay? - Is that your bargaining chip? Well, I'm not gonna beg, but I'll deal.
It's up to you.
It was real late.
About 3:30 in the morning.
I'd been asleep for a couple of hours because the middle of the week, business hadn't been that good.
Well, some noises down the hall woke me up.
I thought it was a couple of drunk johns that didn't have the sense to go home.
Well, I was gonna tell 'em to haul their ash cans down to some other dump, but when I came out I saw that Charlotte's door was open, and two men carried her out, wrapped in a blanket, one ofher arms hangin'out.
She looked so white.
Doc Lynch was right behind 'em.
- Who were the other two men? - Snooks Sitwell.
He was that professional football player, but he had to give it all up to run the family business? He can be real nasty.
You ask some of the girls.
And the other one was Reverend Willard Manchester, the hypocrite.
- And did they see you watching them? - Yes, ma'am.
Doc Lynch came over to me.
He told me that Charlotte called him.
She'd had a heart attack, and they were takin' her to his office for some kind of treatment or other.
- What else? - Nothin' else.
They took her out, and I went back to bed.
Lila, there's something else.
You're afraid to tell me something.
- What are you leaving out? - Oh, Lord.
[Softly.]
If they even thought I saw it.
- Saw what? - It was a stain on Charlotte's blanket.
I'm pretty sure it was blood, Mary Rose.
- You keep away from my husband.
- But your husband was in the Garden of Eden the night that my sister died.
He's a man, like any other, subject to the weakness of the flesh.
Oh, I don't care about that.
I want to hear his version of what happened.
I know what you want.
Willard told me all about your sister's evil ways.
- You're just picking up where she left off.
- "Picking up"? - What was Charlotte doing? - Preying on the men of this town.
Using their secrets to destroy them.
[Gasps.]
Oh, Mrs.
Manchester, I just wonder how far you would go to protect your husband.
Hope you never find out, Miss Welch.
- I've been lookin' for you.
- Yes, Sheriff? I got to thinkin' about your story.
Checked it out with the New York police.
You were right.
Eddie Mackle did try to kill you.
Yes.
In fact, he got real close.
Before he wound up breakin' his neck, he ran you down and busted your leg.
That's why Mary Rose Welch is confined to a bed in Mid-Manhattan Hospital.
Who the hell are you, lady? [Landry.]
Okay, Mrs.
Fletcher- if I believe that story.
You found out why Eddie Mackle tried to kill your friend Mary Rose.
Yeah, but that's only part of- And that it had no direct connection with Charlotte's death.
- You admitted that yourself.
- Yes.
But it only means that she was murdered by someone else.
Possibly one of the men that she was blackmailing.
Blackmail? Where'd you pick that up? Dora Manchester, the minister's wife.
Well, she's not knitting with both needles these days.
Always was kinda high-strung.
Who'd she say was being blackmailed, besides her husband? She didn't.
But I suspect there were at least two others, possibly three- a man named Snooks Sitwell and Dr.
Lynch.
You're not startin' out on ol' Doc again, are you? He's the closest thing this town has to a saint.
Now, you said there were three more.
Who's the third? - C.
J.
Dobbs.
- Dobbs? Are you going to tell me that he's a saint too? He owns half this town.
He holds paper on most of the buildings on Main Street, and he had me appointed sheriff.
What else would you like to know about him? Why did he try to buy me off? You keep springin' this stuff on me.
Why didn't you let me in on it before? I can't imagine.
Unless it was the $1,000 bribe you took from Charlotte every month.
I have never taken a bribe in my life.
That money went to the county orphans and widows fund.
She wanted me to make cash donations for her, so she could remain anonymous.
That's the kinda lady she was.
You oughta know that- I forgot.
You're not her sister.
It might be better if you didn't tell anyone that right now.
Please? - Is there anything else I can do for you? - Yes.
Tell Mr.
Dobbs that I'd like to have a meeting with the men that I just mentioned.
Lady, I hope you know what you're doin'.
[Martha.]
Oh, Miss Mary Rose, you can't close down the Garden of Eden.
Well, just suppose that I had to close down, Martha.
Now, what would you do? Well, like I told Miss Charlotte, there'll be plenty of jobs in town after they open up that new shopping mall.
Well, what about you? What would you do? Well, I think that I could manage.
Oh, Lewis, I'm so glad that you're here.
I think that I have a way of making your research at the county recorders file easier.
Good.
But first, a rose by any other name, Mary Rose.
Oh, how beautiful.
Thank you.
I'd like to take the credit, but there's a card.
- Secret admirer? - Hardly.
"You are cordially invited to a meeting tonight at 9:00.
C.
J.
Dobbs.
" Interesting spot for a meeting.
[Wind Howling.]
I can't let you go in there alone.
Well, I won't be alone.
But I'll be all right.
But I'm certain they'd be too intimidated to talk in front of a high-powered New York attorney.
Good point.
But I'll wait here until you come out.
[Sighs.]
That's very reassuring.
[Thunderclap.]
[Doorbell Rings.]
Miss Welch? Come in.
I'm Glen Roy Sitwell.
I wish I could say it's a pleasure to meet you, but I'm sure you understand.
This way, please.
Thank you.
Ah, Miss Mary Rose.
We've saved a seat at the head of the table for you.
Gentlemen, after thinking it over, I've decided that, in spite of Mr.
Dobbs's generous offer, I'm going to stay on and take full charge of Charlotte's enterprises.
[Chuckles.]
Well, we're not exactly bowled over.
Just, uh, how much more did you expect from us? Well, first, I would like to hear what happened the night that Charlotte died.
We sort of guessed you would.
Have a seat.
Thank you.
[Dr.
Lynch.]
We, uh, talked it over, and we're prepared to lay it all out on the table.
And we warn you, if you go to the authorities with any of this, we'll deny it to the grave.
Reverend, you start.
You were the one who found her.
Um, it, uh, would be about, uh, 3:00 in the morning.
She was expecting me to make a payment.
- Blackmail payment? - She had something on all of us.
Her door was slightly open.
I knocked anyway.
She didn't respond.
So I opened it wider.
And saw her on the bed.
She was still alive-barely.
She'd been stabbed.
I couldn't see any knife.
I couldn't leave her there like that.
I couldn't call the sheriff without explaining what I was doing in that place.
I finally used Charlotte's private line and called the one doctor I could trust.
By the time I got there, Charlotte was dead.
I knew if- Well, I couldn't report a murder, because it might bring on an investigation.
If they found out about the blackmail, we'd all be suspects.
I figured that C.
J.
Was used to handling difficult situations.
- He'd know what to do.
- Then it was you who suggested heart attack? - I thought that was best.
- And it was also your suggestion that they should, uh, make enough noise to wake up Lila, so that they would have a witness who would swear that Charlotte was taken to Dr.
Lynch's office for treatment.
But she was brought here, isn't that right, Mr.
Sitwell? Sure, cremation was my idea.
No stab wound, no murder, no investigation.
But didn't it bother any of you that Charlotte's killer was still free? Anyone could have killed her.
Maybe somebody who worked there.
One of the girls.
Maybe one of her, uh, perverted clients? Maybe a jealous wife? - [Thunderclap.]
- Didn't matter who killed her.
He did us a favor.
See, our secrets went up in smoke with Charlotte.
We thought we were safe.
That is, until you arrived.
Then it occurred to us that we weren't safe at all.
But you weren't safe anyway.
You knew each other's secrets.
No, ma'am.
Nor did we want to.
Our own were burden enough.
Charlotte had a strongbox under the floorboards.
I believe that it contained a great deal of money.
[Chuckles.]
Some of that money was ours.
- If I'd have know that, I'd have torn her place apart lookin' for it.
- Well, someone did find it.
- The box is gone.
- What else was in it? Oh, everything that she held over you.
All of your secrets.
- Oh, dear Lord.
- How do you know that? Well, it's the sheriff's theory.
Sheriff Landry? Yes.
He's certain that one of the blackmail victims took it.
He is so certain that he has warrants to search all of your homes and offices for the box.
What if one of us did take it and Landry finds it? You can kiss all this good-bye.
We'll be through in this town.
I better be, uh, home in case he comes tonight.
I wouldn't want Dora to do anything foolish.
Yeah, well, the sheriff could be here any time now.
Well, I say let him search and be damned.
[Clears Throat.]
I take it the meeting's over now? [Engine Revving.]
[Engine Starting.]
Hurry! Take me to a telephone.
I just lied about the sheriff, and I have to let him in on it.
[Lock Rattling.]
How'd you get in? I got the key from the night cleaning lady.
It had to be you, Mr.
Dobbs.
The sheriff kept insisting that Dr.
Lynch was practically a saint.
But you painted a different picture.
Well, poor ol' Doc.
He had his problems.
One of'em was his drinkin'.
But I gotta give the man credit for keepin' it under control.
But not before he killed one of his patients.
That was in another state.
At the meeting in the mortuary, Doc said that you didn't know each other's secrets.
How could you know his unless you'd seen it in the box? - I'll take that, C.
J.
- You touch this, and you'll be lookin' for a new job.
Maybe.
But I'm gonna look in this box tonight.
You were right about the money.
Well, from everything I'd heard, Charlotte was a devout believer in cash.
It's her will, and some fat envelopes.
Is this the blackmail stuff, C.
J.
Lynch, Sitwell, Manchester- - Nothing for Dobbs.
- That's because you weren't being blackmailed, Mr.
Dobbs.
But you found out the others were, maybe the same way that I did.
With the new shopping mall going up, you found it useful to draw them together and pretend to be one of them.
You needed them on your side.
You probably pulled the same swindle on others in town that you'd pulled on Charlotte.
You talked her into buying a large parcel ofland, then you told her it was worthless and pretended to sell it, at a loss.
Actually, you snapped it up cheap for yourself.
Howard, are you gonna listen to this fancy woman's guesswork? Her lawyer found the evidence in the county recorder's office this afternoon.
Charlotte must have suspected when Martha told her the new shopping mall was under construction.
That could be why she summoned you to her room that night.
Charlotte must have accused you of cheating her.
Maybe she threatened to call the sheriff- Angry and afraid ofbeing exposed, you decided to kill her- probably with the knife you carry in your pocket.
Afterwards, you must have thought about the blackmail material.
You reasoned that it would probably be hidden with her money, somewhere in her suite.
You found the box and carried it off, a few minutes before the Reverend Manchester arrived.
Howard, I can't believe you're takin' the word of this cathouse madam! I'm not.
From what this lady says, I'm gonna have to check your pocket knife for traces of blood.
[Mutters.]
At last, I finally know the truth.
Poor Charlotte, killed by a burglar.
- That's pretty much the story.
- Hmm.
In the Garden of Eden Hotel.
Oh, that name is so lovely and peaceful.
I hope Charlotte was happy there.
Oh, I'm sure she was.
It was her kind of place.
I've been thinking.
The Garden of Eden is my hotel now.
Why shouldn't I be happy? I've decided, I'm gonna go up there and run the place myself.
Now tell me the truth.
Do you think I'll be any good at it?