Murder, She Wrote s05e07 Episode Script
63702 - The Last Flight of the Dixie Damsel
Been inside that plane frozen all these years.
Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.
This is just one more example of the air force trying to put the lid on something.
Seems to me that your investigation into the death of Sergeant Gagliano is not quite closed.
Out of my way, punk! I'm sorry, Mrs.
Fletcher, but in my opinion, there's one, and only one, inescapable conclusion.
That tinhorn investigator has elected himself judge, jury- He has labeled Frank a murderer.
##[Fanfare.]
[Reporter.]
Good news from Alaska, where earlier this week search-and-rescue teams of the United States Air Force found the crew of a C-97 cargo transport, downed last week in a raging blizzard hundreds of miles west of Anchorage.
Stranded on the slopes of the Kuskokwim Mountains near Stony River, the crew of the Dixie Damsel had little to protect them from the 10-below-freezing snow and sleet, except Yankee guts and ingenuity.
Still missing are the flight engineer Sergeant Peter Gagliano and the plane itself.
And the way the weather's been battering our northernmost territory, it may be summer before they're found somewhere in the Alaskan wilderness.
Meanwhile, Navigator Frank Fletcher of Cabot Cove, Maine, says it all.
[Phone Ringing.]
[Jessica.]
Hello.
[Woman.]
Jessica.
Thank God.
It's Bonnie.
Bonnie Phelps.
Bonnie? Oh, for heaven's sakes.
I know.
I wasn't sure this old number I had would be any good.
Jess, they found it- the Dixie Damsel.
They found it.
What? Two days ago in an Alaskan ice field.
But I thought it crashed.
No, it didn't.
They told Clint that it must have gone into a snowfield.
It's hardly damaged at all.
Oh, I can't believe it.
Clint and I are flying to California first thing in the morning.
He was asked to appear at the air base.
Bonnie, uh, just a moment.
There-There's something that you're not telling me.
[Bonnie.]
Clint does think there is something strange going on, something the air force isn't telling him.
[Airplane Passing Overhead.]
[Horn Honking.]
[Woman.]
Rickl Hi.
Oh, gosh, I'm sorry, ma'am.
Oh, that's quite all right.
Are you sure you're okay? Oh, absolutely.
[Horn Honking.]
[Man.]
Hi.
[Car Engine Starts.]
None of this makes any sense.
Why can't anybody give me a straight answer? Darling, will you sit down? Bonnie, you know what we've got here? A public relations coup.
An aircraft is found intact after all these years of being buried in the snow.
Now, that's just the kind of thing these air force feather merchants love to hoopla to the press.
So where are they? And another thing- Where's Lee? Oh, darling, I forgot to tell you.
While you were renting the car, I called his son in Tucson.
He said Lee took off two days ago and with no explanation.
You see? That's my point.
Something's going on.
- Jess! - Bonnie! Jessl [Chuckling.]
How are you? Jessie, you look absolutely sensational.
Oh, Clint, ever the diplomat.
How have you been? Good as ever, thank the Lord.
Let me look at you.
Seein' you two together, it's like San Diego all over again.
You know, that was, um, 35 years ago.
My two best girls livin'together.
Where was that little place you gals rented? - Rosecrans Street.
- Mm-hmm.
That's right.
One bedroom, one bath and one hot plate.
Yes.
[Laughing.]
Livin' high on the hog while Frank and I were shuttling back and forth, Seoul to Tokyo, Tokyo to Seoul, like a couple of commuters.
Yeah, without the Brooks Brothers suits.
Amen to that.
[Chuckling.]
Oh, my goodness.
I wish Frank were here today.
Of course, he'd be madder than a flea on a hot griddle.
God, how he hated that airplane.
Oh, the plane and the war.
I just realized.
That tinhorn general is gonna get his Cadillac back.
Oh, now that really would have made Frank mad.
That's all he talked about for months was, uh, General- What was his name? Havermeyer.
Havermeyer, Havermeyer.
Oh, and how they were stuck with moving his furniture, his clothes, even his car, from Tokyo all the way to Anchorage.
Frank couldn't get over it.
I mean, after two and a half years, the D.
F.
C.
And they'd turned him into a delivery man.
When the plane started to ice up, Frank's first thought was, "Dump the Caddy.
" [Chuckling.]
That was Frank.
Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr.
Phelps.
Oh, Major, there you are.
- And you must be Mrs.
Fletcher.
Major Kevin Cooper.
- How do you do, Major? How do you do? I regret you had to travel so far for nothing.
Frankly, I didn't feel it necessary to invite you.
Invite? Now hold on a minute, Major.
What I got was definitely not an invitation, so why don't you stop pussyfootin' around and give us some answers? In due time.
Why don't you have seats? Uh, just a moment, Major.
As you said, l- I have come a long distance, and my curiosity being what it is- Ma'am, at the risk of repeating myself, your presence here is not vital to the situation.
And just what exactly is the situation? I mean, all we're asking is a little common courtesy.
Very well, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Why don't you step into my office.
I'm sorry, sir.
My orders are not to interrogate you till the others have arrived.
Excuse me.
Interrogate? I'm sorry, Major, if I seemed abrupt- Can we get right to the point, Mrs.
Fletcher? Please sit down.
Thank you.
I've acquainted myself with the statistical data- the cause of your husband's death, date of occurrence.
Now I would like some more personal insight.
Did your husband talk to you about the events concerning the downing of the C-97 cargo plane known as the Dixie Damsel? Yes, yes, of course he did.
It was a harrowing experience, believe me.
Mrs.
Fletcher, would you try to describe to me as accurately as possible your late husband's description of the events on board the plane before he and the other members bailed out.
Frank said the storm was severe- terrifying, actually- and the pilot, Lee Goddard, tried to fly over it.
But it was no use.
The radio operator, Sergeant Dressler, I believe, continuously radioed for help, but he never received a reply.
And meanwhile, ice was building up on the wings, and Colonel Goddard knew he couldn't keep the plane aloft.
He ordered the crew to bail out, and then he put the ship on automatic pilot and bailed out himself.
Frank said that the last thing that he remembered was the plane and the drone of the engines as it disappeared into the storm.
Once they were on the ground- I'm aware of the events once they jumped.
I assure you, Major, those were the most frightening 72 hours of my life, until I learned that they'd found the crew half-frozen but still alive.
Not all of the crew, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Oh, yes, yes, Sergeant Gagliano, the flight engineer.
Mm-hmm.
He got separated from the others.
L- I never did learn- Did they ever find his body? Well, thank you very much for your cooperation, Mrs.
Fletcher.
You're free to go back to Maine.
Well, thank you, Major, but you still have not told me what this is all about.
If you'd like, I can arrange to have your husband's duffel bag delivered to you.
As you know, the crew members were forced to leave their personal belongings on board when they bailed out.
[Airplane Approaching.]
She's here.
Wow, I can't believe it.
You can't? Look at the old girl.
How the hell did they get her airborne? I'm told they had engineers out on that ice field for over a week.
[Cooper.]
Incredible she didn't sustain more damage.
What do you think, Jessie? Big news? Like man bites dog? Where are all the photographers and the TVnews guys-anybody? This whole thing is beginning to smell like last week's casserole.
- Son of a gun! It's Lee! - [Jessica Laughs.]
You old rattlesnake, how are ya? All right, Clint.
Oh, Jessica! [Laughing.]
And Bonnie! You mean they let you fly that thing? Yeah, well, who'd know her any better? [Chuckles.]
Lee, maybe you can tell us what in the world is going on? They haven't told you yet? [Clint.]
Who is it? Gagliano.
What? You mean they found him? Inside the plane.
Hey, hold on.
He jumped.
We thought he did.
- He's been inside that plane frozen all these years.
- [Clint.]
Well, that's crazy.
Why he didn't bail out with the rest of us? He had a little problem.
They found a.
45 slug buried in his chest.
[Clint.]
Major, you must be nutsl [Lee.]
Take it easy, Clint.
There has to be another explanation, Major.
[Lee.]
The idea that one of us could murder Sergeant Gagliano is absolutely ridiculous.
There were only you five on board that plane.
I cannot ignore the corpse of an air force sergeant murdered while on active duty.
And I promise you, gentlemen, one way or another, I will get to the bottom of this.
Well, at least Clint has stopped yelling.
Let's take that as a good sign.
Hmm.
Excuse me.
I'm, uh, Nicholas Rossi.
This is Sylvia Gagliano.
- We're here to see Major Cooper.
- Of course.
That's Gagliano? Sergeant Peter Gagliano was my father.
Mr.
Rossi's his cousin.
We've just flown in from Oakland.
Well, the major's tied up right now, but as soon as I can possibly get you in, I'll do so.
Excuse me, Miss Gagliano.
I'm Jessica Fletcher.
Uh, I'd like to express my sympathy for your loss.
It must have been a terrible shock for both of you.
Oh, yes.
Thank you.
Fletcher? The wife of Captain Fletcher? Yes.
Yes, I'm with Mrs.
Phelps.
Would you like to join us? Thank you, but given the circumstances of my father's death, I have nothing to say to any of the men aboard that plane or their families.
Please excuse me.
Let me know when Major Cooper can see us.
I'm sorry, but Sylvia's been under a terrible strain these past few days.
Of course.
You see, she's been alone most ofher life.
Her father was sent to Korea when she was only six years old.
I'll go see if she's all right.
[Sighs.]
We have to be back here at 0830 in the morning, which is "militarese" for too confounded early.
Well, you can come back if you want to, but we're on the next plane to Seattle.
This little tin soldier doesn't have any authority over any of us.
Oh, now- now just- just a moment, Clint.
I mean, after all, Sergeant Gagliano did die under very mysterious circumstances.
Are you saying that one of us did it? Now take it easy, Clint.
I'm not saying any such thing, but he was a member of your crew, and if you can contribute something- Besides, it wouldn't look too good if you walked away.
Look good to who? Hey, old buddy, you ever hear the expression "star chamber"? Secret interrogation, secret trial? [Lee.]
Ah, so what? You didn't kill Gagliano any more than I did.
So they ask a few questions.
Besides, it's about time the old Dixie Damsel crew had a little reunion.
We can go over to that Italian restaurant.
What was the name of it? Um, the Gondolier.
That's it.
Just the four of us.
Be like old times.
Oh, yes.
A little like old times anyway.
Excuse me, sir.
We just received Captain Fletcher's personnel from St.
Louis.
Thank you, Lieutenant.
Oh, and what about Sergeant Dressler? Is he coming? I'm not sure, sir.
The Texas judge refused to issue a warrant.
- And Sergeant Dressler refuses to come in voluntarily? - Well, yeah.
So far.
[Phone Buzzes.]
Yes? [Man.]
General Havermeyer, sir.
Oh, good.
You can go.
General Havermeyer, Major Kevin Cooper.
I have some very interesting news for you, sir.
I've been briefed on your news, Major.
I may be retired, but I'm not dead.
Of course, sir.
I didn't mean to imply- I've been given to understand that my car and my personal possessions have been preserved without damage.
Yes, sir.
That is, they appear to be.
Nothing on board the plane has actually been disturbed yet.
We're in the midst of an investigation.
I've made arrangements for early morning transportation to MacDill Field.
I will depart at 0900 hours eastern time.
My E.
T.
A.
Is 1000 hours your time.
Please arrange your schedule accordingly.
Yes, sir.
Thank you, Major.
I look forward to seeing you.
[Dial Tone.]
Happy to be of service, sir.
[Airplane Passing Overhead.]
Excuse me.
Miss Gagliano? Yes? I know how distressed you must feel, and I apologize for intruding.
Oh, no.
Please.
I'm the one who ought to apologize.
I was really very rude earlier today.
I'm sorry.
Please, won't you sit down? Thanks.
I don't know whether you realize this, but I lost my husband just a few years ago.
Of course, it wasn't under such terrible circumstances.
I'm sorry.
I imagine, as a little girl, you must have loved your dad very much.
Actually, I didn't know him all that well, and what I did know- The fact is, Mrs.
Fletcher, I suppose I hated that man for 35 years.
I'm sure you don't- Mean that? Oh, yes, I do.
I was hardly more than a baby, and I can remember him fighting with my mother- terrible screaming, my mother crying.
Oh, no.
Pete Gagliano was not cut out for marriage.
He was much too busy being king of the neighborhood, driving around in a fancy car- [Scoffs.]
Spending all his time with bums and loafers looking for an easy buck.
And then one day he was gone.
Well, as you said, it- it's hard for some young men to adjust to the responsibility of marriage.
When they told us that his plane had gone down and that he was missing and declared dead, I was afraid to believe it.
That's the reason that I'm here, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Not to mourn him but to look at him.
To look at his body and know that finally and for certain he's gone and out of my life.
Sylvia, it's getting chilly.
I think you better go inside.
[Sighs.]
So much grief, she doesn't know what she's saying.
[Lee.]
After the diagnosis, we did all of the normal things.
Yeah.
[Chuckles.]
She was wonderful right up to the end.
But, well, you knew Betty.
She was a fighter.
She just hung in there.
Well, I wish I'd known.
I would have been there.
Yeah.
Oh, I know you would have.
But you- [Chuckles.]
Jessica- You carved out quite a life for yourself.
[Chuckles.]
Oh, my goodness.
Frank was proud of you then.
If he was here now, think how proud he'd be, huh? [Chuckles.]
You, uh-You got anybody? Anybody? Oh, no.
No, no, no, no, no.
[Chuckles.]
The only man in my life is my publisher, and believe me, that's all I can handle.
Yeah.
[Chuckles.]
- You? - Me? Well, I still get chased around four or five nights a week by some of those lonely widows and divorcées over there in Tucson.
It's kind of a Mecca for unmarried women, you know.
[Chuckles.]
But I still got my freedom, thank you.
Kind of a curse, havin' a wonderful marriage like we had.
You seem to always be afraid it's never gonna be that good again.
Consider us cursed.
Oh, 8:15.
Where are Bonnie and Clint? Oh, well, they're actually not late.
I told 'em 8:30.
Oh.
I mean, how else were we gonna have a few minutes alone so I could kinda catch up on things? Well, well! Colonel Goddard, sir.
Hey, Ray.
Nice seein' you again, sir.
They told me where you were eatin' at the motel.
Oh, yeah? Sergeant Dressler, meetJessica Fletcher here.
How do you do? The captain's wife? A pleasure, ma'am.
I'm sorry to hear he died.
He was an okay fella for an officer.
- Well, thank you, Mr.
Dressler.
- Let me buy you folks a drink here.
Actually, Ray, we're waitin' on another couple.
Thank you.
Yeah, I know- the major and his missus.
Saw 'em over at the motel.
Major hasn't changed much.
Put on a few pounds, but who in the hell hasn't? [Chuckles.]
Hey, boy! You wanna get me a double scotch, easy on the ice.
We weren't sure you were gonna show up, Ray.
Yeah, I got here a couple hours ago.
Me and my lawyer spent a fascinatin' time with that, uh, uptight gentleman of the colored persuasion.
Well, uh, what do you think, Colonel? What happened to that little greaseball? Think one of us shot him? I think maybe you got a foul mouth, Ray.
You always did have.
Now why don't you go on back up to the bar there and enjoy your drink? Or better still, go on back over to the motel and sleep it off.
Oh, I'm sorry, sir.
Sorry.
I forgot how close you were to that, uh, Sergeant Gagliano.
Me, I didn't share your enthusiasm.
While I was bustin' my tail, doin' my work, Pistol Pete was goofin ' off somewhere.
Half the time, he'd disappear completely.
The rest of the time, he was droppin' a couple thousand in a crap game.
That's enough.
Now you butt out.
Now! Yes, sir.
Anything you say, sir.
I guess, uh, I'll be seein' you in the morning for that, uh, lie detector test.
- Lie detector? - It's Major Cooper's idea.
Yes, ma'am.
That Major Cooper- He figures that's the only way he's gonna find out what happened on the plane.
Major Phelps and I are not so sure about that.
[Ray.]
Yeah, well, you do what you have to do, Colonel.
Me- I just want to get back to Amarillo.
I left my two boys in charge of the ranch.
And between you and me, I don't think either one of'em know which end of the steer to put a brand on.
[Chuckles.]
You know, the results of a polygraph test are not always accurate, Ray.
You might want to reconsider.
Yeah? Well, I got nothin' to hide.
How about you, Colonel? At the time Colonel Goddard gave the order to abandon the aircraft, were you armed with a.
45 caliber pistol? No.
At that time did you obey Colonel Goddard's order to abandon the aircraft? Yes.
Did you shoot Sergeant Peter Gagliano? No.
Clint was stupid to agree to this.
I think they all were.
I don't think that they had any choice.
Refusal would have been tantamount to admitting some sort of involvement.
Involvement? If you wanna know who's involved, I know who's involved.
Sergeant Dressler? Mm-hmm.
Clint said that Dressler and Gagliano never got along.
I'm not surprised.
The sergeant doesn't seem to have any use for anyone but white Anglo-Saxon Protestants and, uh, maybe a few head of cattle.
[Chuckling.]
Let me tell you something.
On the night before the last flight, Gagliano disappeared again.
Clint was about ready to replace him when he finally showed up one hour before the flight.
Dressler and Gagliano had such a row.
Clint had to step in to stop them from slugging each other.
Oh, dear.
I know you from somewhere? I don't think so.
My name is Nicholas Rossi.
You are, uh- Dressler.
Oh, yes.
Sergeant Dressler.
I think you knew my Cousin Peter Gagliano.
This is his daughter Sylvia.
He may have spoken to you about her.
Not that I remember, paesan.
Nick.
Forget it.
Oh, Clint.
No problem, honey.
We're outta here.
Jessie, we'll see you back at the motel.
Yes.
Mrs.
Fletcher, may I see you in my office? [Jessica.]
Uh, what seems to be the problem, Major? You're planning on giving her a lie detector test too, are ya, Major? In my office, please, ma'am.
Alone.
Anything you have to say to Mrs.
Fletcher, you can say in front of me.
Colonel- As the skipper of the Dixie Damsel, I have a right to know what's goin' on.
Yes.
Maybe you should hear this.
Please have a seat.
Uh, I'll stand if you don't mind.
Very well.
Naturally, the results of the polygraph examination will require further study, but the preliminary results indicate that Major Phelps, Sergeant Dressler and you, Colonel Goddard, were all telling the truth.
None of you had any involvement in Sergeant Gagliano's death.
We told you that.
There were five men on board that plane at the time it went down.
One man was left on board dead.
I'm sorry, Mrs.
Fletcher, but in my opinion, there's one, and only one, inescapable conclusion.
That your husband, Captain Frank Fletcher, is guilty of the murder of Sergeant Peter Gagliano.
Frank? Murder a man? That's ridiculous.
I don't see it that way.
A board of inquiry will laugh you out of the hearing room.
Colonel, please.
Give me a little credit for some sense.
With Captain Fletcher dead, I see no point in pursuing this matter any further.
Oh, I see.
You're going to- You're going to file a report accusing my husband of murder? And what do you suggest, Mrs.
Fletcher? A court-martial? Not only would that be a waste of time and taxpayers' money, it would not change the outcome.
Well, I'm sorry, but I won't accept that.
That, Mrs.
Fletcher, is not my concern.
My orders are to dispose of this matter as discreetly and expeditiously as possible, and that I intend to do.
Thank you, Colonel, for your cooperation.
I'll see to it that Lieutenant Gaynes delivers your personal property before you leave.
- Now just one moment, Major.
L-l-I'd like to see your files.
- The case is closed, Mrs.
Fletcher.
But surely there are procedures.
There are, and they are available to military personnel- military, not civilian.
[Intercom Buzzes.]
Yes? [Man On Intercom.]
General Havermeyer has just arrived, sir.
Thank you.
Oh, and, Lieutenant, come in.
As soon as I have General Havermeyer squared away, we'll discuss- [Lee.]
Major Cooper.
Now, Mrs.
Fletcher may not be military, but, by God, I am.
I have no intentions of letting a black mark stand against the crew of the Dixie Damsel like this.
You want quiet and discretion? Well, if you don't cooperate with Mrs.
Fletcher, I'm gonna find somebody that will if I have to go all the way to the judge advocate's office in Washington, D.
C.
Do you understand that? As I was about to say, as soon as I have General Havermeyer squared away, we can continue this conversation.
In the meantime, Lieutenant- Sir? Make Colonel Goddard and Mrs.
Fletcher as comfortable as possible.
Yes, sir.
Can I get you anything? Some coffee maybe? No, thank you.
Excuse me.
This is insane.
That smug, pompous, supercilious- Jess, control yourself.
Control myself? That tinhorn investigator has elected himself judge, jury- He has labeled Frank a murderer.
He's making it part of his record.
Yeah.
Well, I agree that Frank's no murderer, but on the other hand, Jessica, what logical explanation is there? Well, I can think of two right off.
One, someone has found out a way to beat the polygraph test.
I don't think so.
Or there was a sixth person on board that plane.
And that's impossible.
No, I'm sorry, but those are the only two possible explanations, because there's no way that Frank could have been involved.
Now look, someone on that plane killed Sergeant Gagliano, and I'm gonna find out who it was if I have to stay here a month or a year- as long as it takes.
I understand your frustration.
Don't patronize me, Lee.
I mean it.
Now first of all, the first thing I need to know is more information about the victim- who he was, what enemies he might have had.
You remember- You remember that, uh, Ray Dressler said that he was a goldbrick, that he used to disappear a lot.
Well, where did he go? And to do what? Did he gamble? Did he go to meet some woman? [Phone Rings.]
Maybe he cheated at cards with someone, and that someone wanted to get even.
I don't think so.
I remember Pete.
He was a bad gambler.
He usually lost.
I think it's more logical some irate or angry husband.
Excuse me.
I'll be back shortly.
Lee, you remember, you always said that you were the last person to leave the plane when you jumped? I was.
Or I thought I was.
But I can assure you of one thing, Jessica.
Gagliano wasn't layin' dead on the floor when I bailed out.
I'm sure he wasn't.
Which means that he was out of sight.
Now, that tells me that he was hiding.
But why? What are you doin', Jess? I'm gonna have a good look at these files of Major Cooper.
It's a beauty, sir.
It's almost like new.
It was new, Major.
I bought it for my wife for our 20th anniversary.
I doubt she drove it a dozen times before I had it loaded on that aircraft.
God, how she loved that car.
As I told you, General, we have not tampered with either the car or the packing crates.
We thought it best to leave them just as you'd packed them.
Thank you, Major.
You know, I never really cared about things.
I mean, a chair was a chair and a car was a car.
My wife said I was about as sentimental as a toilet fixture.
[Chuckles.]
She, on the other hand, was able to develop a lifelong affection for a magazine rack.
Ma'am? I'm sorry, ma'am.
You can't go up there.
I'm looking for Major Cooper.
Well, he's in the hangar, ma'am.
Thank you.
I'm sorry, ma'am, this is a restricted area.
Sergeant, I'm sure you have your orders, but- Mrs.
Fletcher, what are you doing here? I asked you- I know what you asked me, Major.
Now I have something to ask you.
Where is his parachute? What? Have a good look at this.
- Where did you get this photograph? - [Jessica.]
I found it in a file on your desk.
Have a good look at it.
As you can see very plainly, he is not wearing a parachute.
Yes, so I see.
Have you looked on the plane? No, but, Mrs.
Fletcher, you had no right rifling through the material on my desk.
Those files are confidential.
Major, may I see that? Yes, sir.
The lady makes sense.
General Marcus Havermeyer, Mrs.
Fletcher, United States Air Force, retired.
How do you do? Just, uh, what is your point? The major has accused my husband of murder by a process of elimination.
I think it's far more likely that there was a sixth person on that aircraft, and this is borne out by the absence of a parachute on the sergeant.
Now I would like permission to examine the aircraft myself.
- That is not possible, Mrs.
Fletcher.
- Why not, Major? Sir, regulations.
Oh, regulations be damned.
The lady has made a very interesting point.
I see nothing to be gained by keeping a closed mind.
Actually, Mrs.
Fletcher, the cargo's already been off-loaded and placed there in that hangar.
Oh.
Please.
Thank you.
Thank you, General.
General Havermeyer, it's been a long time.
You probably don't remember.
Colonel Lee Goddard.
Of course I do, Colonel.
You and your men went through quite an ordeal.
There's something of a miracle about that plane.
Yes, it was.
General, you'll understand, I'm gonna have to make this investigation part of my report.
Yes, Cooper, that's- that's fine.
That's fine.
Jessica, I know what you want to believe.
So do I.
But I don't think there's any way anyone could have slipped aboard that airplane and hidden without one of us knowing about it.
- Who has a key to this car? - I have, Mrs.
Fletcher.
I supervised the loading of the car personally.
I locked it personally.
My late wife kept this key all these years.
I wonder what she knew that I don't know.
- That's not possible.
- If I'm not mistaken, this lock was forced.
Look at the holes that have been drilled here and here.
Where the devil did they come from? I suspect they were air holes, and that our stowaway hid out inside this trunk when the plane took off.
That's nonsense.
[Havermeyer.]
Is it, Major? Well, those holes were not there when I left this car on that plane It seems to me that your investigation into the death of Sergeant Gagliano is not quite closed.
[Phone Ringing.]
Lieutenant Gaynes will see to it that you get everything you need, Mrs.
Fletcher.
I wouldn't want it said that we didn't cooperate in every way.
Thank you, Major.
You get the feeling that in a previous life he might have been Torquemada? Well, if so, he has not improved with age.
[Chuckles.]
What are we lookin' for here, Jessica? Well, this is Sergeant Gagliano's personnel file.
Now, whoever was on that plane needed some help getting aboard, and my vote goes to the sergeant.
Let's see what we can find out about him.
My God, he hasn't changed.
[Cooper.]
Remember, he's been frozen for 35 years.
You may take custody of the body first thing tomorrow morning, Miss Gagliano.
You don't understand, Major.
I don't want to take custody.
You can do whatever you like with him.
Well, well, Mrs.
Fletcher.
And what have we found now? Nothing, I'm afraid.
But that doesn't mean that I'm giving up.
- No, I was sure you wouldn't.
- Major- Tomorrow General Havermeyer returns to St.
Petersburg.
And at that time, you'd better have something concrete for me.
Otherwise, this case is closed.
[Lee.]
I don't know how anybody could have gotten on that plane without somebody seein' 'em.
- I'm not sure I'd go that far, old buddy.
- What do you mean? Come on, Lee.
The war was winding down.
Somebody in uniform wandering around could have slipped onto that plane.
- Security wasn't that tight.
- Yeah, yeah.
Well, then you go along with Jessica's theory? Well, I didn't say that.
But something weird happened on that flight.
I'm damned if I know what.
Oh.
Any luck? All bad.
Would you like a drink? [Jessica.]
Oh, just coffee.
I've gotta keep my head clear.
Son, coffee.
[Bonnie.]
Nothing in the files? [Jessica.]
Nothing that we didn't already know.
Namely that Pete Gagliano was not exactly a model airman.
Clint, do you remember anything specific about those run-ins that he had with Sergeant Dressler? Well, Dressler was always bellyaching about him.
If you want more information, you can get it yourself.
He's sitting right there at the bar.
Excuse me.
Jess, can we order you anything? Oh, just some ravioli.
I'm starved.
Lots of it.
Excuse me, Sergeant Dressler.
You mind if I sit down? Free country.
Thank you.
I understand that major's tryin' to nail the killin' on your husband.
Those people- They ain't too bright.
Those people? Excuse me, ma'am.
If you have a mind to ask a lot of questions, ask somebody else.
I didn't kill Gagliano.
Truth be known, I don't much care who did.
Yes, I understand you two didn't get along.
Oh, you're gonna try to lay this on me, huh? That's real cute.
'Cause I'm enlisted, huh? Couldn't be that some fancy officer did it.
Guess you never considered that.
I haven't closed my mind to any possibility, believe me.
Good.
Then you take your questions and chat a spell with Major Phelps.
Now, the major- There-There's a guy with a real reason to hate old Pete's guts.
But Major Phelps passed the lie detector test.
[Chuckles.]
That don't mean beans, ma'am.
People like the major- born liars.
Comes as natural as a hog eatin' slop.
Excuse me, Sarge.
Got a light? Out of my way, punk! [Groans.]
Come on, buddy.
Sober up, huh? [Coughing.]
[Woman Screaming.]
Ray! Oh, my God! [Gasping.]
Good morning, Sergeant.
The doctor just told us that you're gonna recover.
That's wonderful news.
Oh, thanks, Mrs.
Fletcher, Colonel.
I'm sorry, but if you don't mind, uh- Sergeant, I just have to ask you a couple of questions.
I already told you I don't know anything.
Two minutes.
That's all I need.
Captain Fletcher went to bat for you a lot of times, Ray.
[Sighs.]
Okay.
Okay.
A couple minutes.
Can you tell me any reason why those men attacked you last night? I already told the cops.
I guess they were- they were after my wallet.
I come- I come out of the bar, headin' toward my car.
Two guys pop out of nowhere.
One of'em says, "Hey, Sarge, you got a light?" I'm about to tell 'em to get lost.
One of'em grabs my arm.
Next thing you know, here I am.
Uh, just a moment.
Uh, just-just a moment.
Did you know those men? No.
Why should I know 'em? Because you were wearing civilian clothes, and one of the men called you "Sarge.
" Which means it may not have been simple robbery.
Maybe it had somethin' to do with the investigation.
Why me? I don't know anything.
Well, maybe you do, Sergeant, about Clint Phelps.
What was it that you didn't want to tell me about Major Phelps and Sergeant Gagliano? One night Gagliano caught Phelps in an off-limits Tokyo geisha house, and the little greaseball was usin' it, holdin'it over the major, makin'sure he stayed in the crew.
That doesn't make any sense.
It's true though.
Two or three times I tried to dump Gagliano, send him on back to the States.
Clint talked me out of it every time.
Sergeant Gagliano was a self-admitted goldbrick.
I mean, why would he fight to stay aboard the Dixie Damsel? [Scoffs.]
Not that it was any great duty.
Back and forth, Tokyo to Seoul every week, haulin' cargo.
You'd think his life depended on it.
What do you got on your mind, Jess? You got a look on your face there.
Amazing how the memory plays tricks.
The other night friends and I were discussing a new movie, and for the life of me, I couldn't recall the title.
Yet these photos- I haven't looked at 'em in over 40 years, yet I can remember every name, every face.
Major, excuse me.
I just got an urgent telephone call from my office in Seattle.
Now they need me there right away.
Your investigation, Major.
Do as you wish.
I won't be needing you anymore, sir.
By the way, we took your duffle bag from the plane.
You're free to take it with you.
What for? There's nothing in there I want anymore.
[Bonnie.]
Jess, there you are.
We tried to reach you.
We have to get back to Seattle while I still have a company to get back to.
Oh, of course.
I wish we could stay, honestly.
Things are gonna work out.
Don't you worry.
You take care of yourself now.
I will.
- Lee, keep in touch.
- Hey, you know where to find me.
Good luck, Jess.
You call me and let me know what happened.
Oh, I will, dear.
Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.
[Rossi.]
Major, I am trying to be patient.
General.
But enough is enough.
How long are you gonna keep my niece here? No one is keeping you here, Mr.
Rossi.
As far as I'm concerned, you can leave whenever you wish.
Well, thank you.
Now if you can tell me where my cousin's duffle bag is, his daughter would like to have it in remembrance ofher father.
It's right over there.
Thank you.
Major, I wouldn't let him leave with that duffle bag if I were you.
Ma'am? Well, doesn't it seem strange that a woman who didn't care enough about her father to see that he had a proper burial suddenly wants his 35-year-old duffle bag as a souvenir? Rossi! Just a minute! Would you mind if I check the contents before you leave? - What for? - Call it curiosity.
Well, look if you like.
I don't know why.
Major, do you mind telling me what this is all about? Major.
[Cooper.]
Guardsl Thank you.
Rossi's real name? Vito Ciccarelli.
The F.
B.
I.
Nailed him from his fingerprints.
Not only have we been looking for him for the last 35 years, so have they.
Uh-huh.
Extortion, racketeering, smuggling.
He was stationed in Seoul in '50 and '51, working a nice little scam with his buddy Pete Gagliano.
Ciccarelli must have passed the contraband on to Gagliano who passed it to a third party headed for the States.
Incidentally, he was not Gagliano's cousin.
He made that story up for the daughter's benefit.
Then she knew nothing about all this? I don't think so.
Anyway, something happened in early 1952.
The security police were hot on Ciccarelli's trail, so he wrote himself a phony set of orders transferring himself back to Tokyo, where he disappeared.
Into the trunk of a car aboard the Dixie Damsel.
Mm-hmm.
With Pete Gagliano's help.
We may never know all the details, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Obviously, Ciccarelli isn't admitting to a thing, but I'm convinced.
I'm sorry about any suspicions I might have had about your husband, Mrs.
Fletcher.
I was only doing my job the best I know how- perhaps not as graciously as I could have.
I do hope you will accept my apology.
Yes.
Of course, Major.
You know, if I'd been in your position, I might have been tempted to reach the same conclusion, but I had one big advantage.
I knew my husband, and you didn't.
Mmm.
[Airplane Passing Overhead.]
Well? Case closed.
Thank God.
[Laughs.]
I don't know how you do it.
I swear.
How'd you know about those diamonds in the bottom of that duffle bag? Well, actually, I didn't.
But that attack on Sergeant Dressler outside the restaurant- it just didn't make any sense.
His attacker called him "Sergeant" even though he was a stranger to the base, and he was wearing civilian clothes.
I mean, it had to be something more than just robbery.
I mean, the man was trying to kill him.
But why? And then I remembered something.
[Jessica.]
It occurred to me that maybe many years ago Ray Dressler had seen Rossi in the vicinity of the airplane just before it took off.
Rossi may have become frightened that Dressler would eventually remember, and he knew he couldn't take that chance.
So I suspect that he called a couple of friends who'd be willing and able to do that sort of thing.
Huh.
Well, that makes sense.
[Chuckles.]
Why didn't I think of that? [Chuckles.]
You don't write mysteries for a living.
You got my bags? Yeah, they're in the trunk.
Well, then let's go.
I don't wanna miss my plane.
Oh, you won't.
It's almost 1:00.
Yeah, well, I booked you on a later flight.
What? Not only that.
Uh, I booked the two of us on a flight to Tucson.
I mean, I'm not gonna let you come all this way and then just spend a couple of days.
Who knows? You might learn to like it.
Lee, I can't! Ah! That word's not even in my vocabulary.
Now, there's not anything back there in Cabot Cove that can't wait for a couple of days.
Well, we got about an hour's ride to the airport.
[Chuckles.]
You better get set to have the darnedest sales pitch put on you that's ever been put on anybody.
[Chuckling.]
[Engine Starts.]
Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.
This is just one more example of the air force trying to put the lid on something.
Seems to me that your investigation into the death of Sergeant Gagliano is not quite closed.
Out of my way, punk! I'm sorry, Mrs.
Fletcher, but in my opinion, there's one, and only one, inescapable conclusion.
That tinhorn investigator has elected himself judge, jury- He has labeled Frank a murderer.
##[Fanfare.]
[Reporter.]
Good news from Alaska, where earlier this week search-and-rescue teams of the United States Air Force found the crew of a C-97 cargo transport, downed last week in a raging blizzard hundreds of miles west of Anchorage.
Stranded on the slopes of the Kuskokwim Mountains near Stony River, the crew of the Dixie Damsel had little to protect them from the 10-below-freezing snow and sleet, except Yankee guts and ingenuity.
Still missing are the flight engineer Sergeant Peter Gagliano and the plane itself.
And the way the weather's been battering our northernmost territory, it may be summer before they're found somewhere in the Alaskan wilderness.
Meanwhile, Navigator Frank Fletcher of Cabot Cove, Maine, says it all.
[Phone Ringing.]
[Jessica.]
Hello.
[Woman.]
Jessica.
Thank God.
It's Bonnie.
Bonnie Phelps.
Bonnie? Oh, for heaven's sakes.
I know.
I wasn't sure this old number I had would be any good.
Jess, they found it- the Dixie Damsel.
They found it.
What? Two days ago in an Alaskan ice field.
But I thought it crashed.
No, it didn't.
They told Clint that it must have gone into a snowfield.
It's hardly damaged at all.
Oh, I can't believe it.
Clint and I are flying to California first thing in the morning.
He was asked to appear at the air base.
Bonnie, uh, just a moment.
There-There's something that you're not telling me.
[Bonnie.]
Clint does think there is something strange going on, something the air force isn't telling him.
[Airplane Passing Overhead.]
[Horn Honking.]
[Woman.]
Rickl Hi.
Oh, gosh, I'm sorry, ma'am.
Oh, that's quite all right.
Are you sure you're okay? Oh, absolutely.
[Horn Honking.]
[Man.]
Hi.
[Car Engine Starts.]
None of this makes any sense.
Why can't anybody give me a straight answer? Darling, will you sit down? Bonnie, you know what we've got here? A public relations coup.
An aircraft is found intact after all these years of being buried in the snow.
Now, that's just the kind of thing these air force feather merchants love to hoopla to the press.
So where are they? And another thing- Where's Lee? Oh, darling, I forgot to tell you.
While you were renting the car, I called his son in Tucson.
He said Lee took off two days ago and with no explanation.
You see? That's my point.
Something's going on.
- Jess! - Bonnie! Jessl [Chuckling.]
How are you? Jessie, you look absolutely sensational.
Oh, Clint, ever the diplomat.
How have you been? Good as ever, thank the Lord.
Let me look at you.
Seein' you two together, it's like San Diego all over again.
You know, that was, um, 35 years ago.
My two best girls livin'together.
Where was that little place you gals rented? - Rosecrans Street.
- Mm-hmm.
That's right.
One bedroom, one bath and one hot plate.
Yes.
[Laughing.]
Livin' high on the hog while Frank and I were shuttling back and forth, Seoul to Tokyo, Tokyo to Seoul, like a couple of commuters.
Yeah, without the Brooks Brothers suits.
Amen to that.
[Chuckling.]
Oh, my goodness.
I wish Frank were here today.
Of course, he'd be madder than a flea on a hot griddle.
God, how he hated that airplane.
Oh, the plane and the war.
I just realized.
That tinhorn general is gonna get his Cadillac back.
Oh, now that really would have made Frank mad.
That's all he talked about for months was, uh, General- What was his name? Havermeyer.
Havermeyer, Havermeyer.
Oh, and how they were stuck with moving his furniture, his clothes, even his car, from Tokyo all the way to Anchorage.
Frank couldn't get over it.
I mean, after two and a half years, the D.
F.
C.
And they'd turned him into a delivery man.
When the plane started to ice up, Frank's first thought was, "Dump the Caddy.
" [Chuckling.]
That was Frank.
Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr.
Phelps.
Oh, Major, there you are.
- And you must be Mrs.
Fletcher.
Major Kevin Cooper.
- How do you do, Major? How do you do? I regret you had to travel so far for nothing.
Frankly, I didn't feel it necessary to invite you.
Invite? Now hold on a minute, Major.
What I got was definitely not an invitation, so why don't you stop pussyfootin' around and give us some answers? In due time.
Why don't you have seats? Uh, just a moment, Major.
As you said, l- I have come a long distance, and my curiosity being what it is- Ma'am, at the risk of repeating myself, your presence here is not vital to the situation.
And just what exactly is the situation? I mean, all we're asking is a little common courtesy.
Very well, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Why don't you step into my office.
I'm sorry, sir.
My orders are not to interrogate you till the others have arrived.
Excuse me.
Interrogate? I'm sorry, Major, if I seemed abrupt- Can we get right to the point, Mrs.
Fletcher? Please sit down.
Thank you.
I've acquainted myself with the statistical data- the cause of your husband's death, date of occurrence.
Now I would like some more personal insight.
Did your husband talk to you about the events concerning the downing of the C-97 cargo plane known as the Dixie Damsel? Yes, yes, of course he did.
It was a harrowing experience, believe me.
Mrs.
Fletcher, would you try to describe to me as accurately as possible your late husband's description of the events on board the plane before he and the other members bailed out.
Frank said the storm was severe- terrifying, actually- and the pilot, Lee Goddard, tried to fly over it.
But it was no use.
The radio operator, Sergeant Dressler, I believe, continuously radioed for help, but he never received a reply.
And meanwhile, ice was building up on the wings, and Colonel Goddard knew he couldn't keep the plane aloft.
He ordered the crew to bail out, and then he put the ship on automatic pilot and bailed out himself.
Frank said that the last thing that he remembered was the plane and the drone of the engines as it disappeared into the storm.
Once they were on the ground- I'm aware of the events once they jumped.
I assure you, Major, those were the most frightening 72 hours of my life, until I learned that they'd found the crew half-frozen but still alive.
Not all of the crew, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Oh, yes, yes, Sergeant Gagliano, the flight engineer.
Mm-hmm.
He got separated from the others.
L- I never did learn- Did they ever find his body? Well, thank you very much for your cooperation, Mrs.
Fletcher.
You're free to go back to Maine.
Well, thank you, Major, but you still have not told me what this is all about.
If you'd like, I can arrange to have your husband's duffel bag delivered to you.
As you know, the crew members were forced to leave their personal belongings on board when they bailed out.
[Airplane Approaching.]
She's here.
Wow, I can't believe it.
You can't? Look at the old girl.
How the hell did they get her airborne? I'm told they had engineers out on that ice field for over a week.
[Cooper.]
Incredible she didn't sustain more damage.
What do you think, Jessie? Big news? Like man bites dog? Where are all the photographers and the TVnews guys-anybody? This whole thing is beginning to smell like last week's casserole.
- Son of a gun! It's Lee! - [Jessica Laughs.]
You old rattlesnake, how are ya? All right, Clint.
Oh, Jessica! [Laughing.]
And Bonnie! You mean they let you fly that thing? Yeah, well, who'd know her any better? [Chuckles.]
Lee, maybe you can tell us what in the world is going on? They haven't told you yet? [Clint.]
Who is it? Gagliano.
What? You mean they found him? Inside the plane.
Hey, hold on.
He jumped.
We thought he did.
- He's been inside that plane frozen all these years.
- [Clint.]
Well, that's crazy.
Why he didn't bail out with the rest of us? He had a little problem.
They found a.
45 slug buried in his chest.
[Clint.]
Major, you must be nutsl [Lee.]
Take it easy, Clint.
There has to be another explanation, Major.
[Lee.]
The idea that one of us could murder Sergeant Gagliano is absolutely ridiculous.
There were only you five on board that plane.
I cannot ignore the corpse of an air force sergeant murdered while on active duty.
And I promise you, gentlemen, one way or another, I will get to the bottom of this.
Well, at least Clint has stopped yelling.
Let's take that as a good sign.
Hmm.
Excuse me.
I'm, uh, Nicholas Rossi.
This is Sylvia Gagliano.
- We're here to see Major Cooper.
- Of course.
That's Gagliano? Sergeant Peter Gagliano was my father.
Mr.
Rossi's his cousin.
We've just flown in from Oakland.
Well, the major's tied up right now, but as soon as I can possibly get you in, I'll do so.
Excuse me, Miss Gagliano.
I'm Jessica Fletcher.
Uh, I'd like to express my sympathy for your loss.
It must have been a terrible shock for both of you.
Oh, yes.
Thank you.
Fletcher? The wife of Captain Fletcher? Yes.
Yes, I'm with Mrs.
Phelps.
Would you like to join us? Thank you, but given the circumstances of my father's death, I have nothing to say to any of the men aboard that plane or their families.
Please excuse me.
Let me know when Major Cooper can see us.
I'm sorry, but Sylvia's been under a terrible strain these past few days.
Of course.
You see, she's been alone most ofher life.
Her father was sent to Korea when she was only six years old.
I'll go see if she's all right.
[Sighs.]
We have to be back here at 0830 in the morning, which is "militarese" for too confounded early.
Well, you can come back if you want to, but we're on the next plane to Seattle.
This little tin soldier doesn't have any authority over any of us.
Oh, now- now just- just a moment, Clint.
I mean, after all, Sergeant Gagliano did die under very mysterious circumstances.
Are you saying that one of us did it? Now take it easy, Clint.
I'm not saying any such thing, but he was a member of your crew, and if you can contribute something- Besides, it wouldn't look too good if you walked away.
Look good to who? Hey, old buddy, you ever hear the expression "star chamber"? Secret interrogation, secret trial? [Lee.]
Ah, so what? You didn't kill Gagliano any more than I did.
So they ask a few questions.
Besides, it's about time the old Dixie Damsel crew had a little reunion.
We can go over to that Italian restaurant.
What was the name of it? Um, the Gondolier.
That's it.
Just the four of us.
Be like old times.
Oh, yes.
A little like old times anyway.
Excuse me, sir.
We just received Captain Fletcher's personnel from St.
Louis.
Thank you, Lieutenant.
Oh, and what about Sergeant Dressler? Is he coming? I'm not sure, sir.
The Texas judge refused to issue a warrant.
- And Sergeant Dressler refuses to come in voluntarily? - Well, yeah.
So far.
[Phone Buzzes.]
Yes? [Man.]
General Havermeyer, sir.
Oh, good.
You can go.
General Havermeyer, Major Kevin Cooper.
I have some very interesting news for you, sir.
I've been briefed on your news, Major.
I may be retired, but I'm not dead.
Of course, sir.
I didn't mean to imply- I've been given to understand that my car and my personal possessions have been preserved without damage.
Yes, sir.
That is, they appear to be.
Nothing on board the plane has actually been disturbed yet.
We're in the midst of an investigation.
I've made arrangements for early morning transportation to MacDill Field.
I will depart at 0900 hours eastern time.
My E.
T.
A.
Is 1000 hours your time.
Please arrange your schedule accordingly.
Yes, sir.
Thank you, Major.
I look forward to seeing you.
[Dial Tone.]
Happy to be of service, sir.
[Airplane Passing Overhead.]
Excuse me.
Miss Gagliano? Yes? I know how distressed you must feel, and I apologize for intruding.
Oh, no.
Please.
I'm the one who ought to apologize.
I was really very rude earlier today.
I'm sorry.
Please, won't you sit down? Thanks.
I don't know whether you realize this, but I lost my husband just a few years ago.
Of course, it wasn't under such terrible circumstances.
I'm sorry.
I imagine, as a little girl, you must have loved your dad very much.
Actually, I didn't know him all that well, and what I did know- The fact is, Mrs.
Fletcher, I suppose I hated that man for 35 years.
I'm sure you don't- Mean that? Oh, yes, I do.
I was hardly more than a baby, and I can remember him fighting with my mother- terrible screaming, my mother crying.
Oh, no.
Pete Gagliano was not cut out for marriage.
He was much too busy being king of the neighborhood, driving around in a fancy car- [Scoffs.]
Spending all his time with bums and loafers looking for an easy buck.
And then one day he was gone.
Well, as you said, it- it's hard for some young men to adjust to the responsibility of marriage.
When they told us that his plane had gone down and that he was missing and declared dead, I was afraid to believe it.
That's the reason that I'm here, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Not to mourn him but to look at him.
To look at his body and know that finally and for certain he's gone and out of my life.
Sylvia, it's getting chilly.
I think you better go inside.
[Sighs.]
So much grief, she doesn't know what she's saying.
[Lee.]
After the diagnosis, we did all of the normal things.
Yeah.
[Chuckles.]
She was wonderful right up to the end.
But, well, you knew Betty.
She was a fighter.
She just hung in there.
Well, I wish I'd known.
I would have been there.
Yeah.
Oh, I know you would have.
But you- [Chuckles.]
Jessica- You carved out quite a life for yourself.
[Chuckles.]
Oh, my goodness.
Frank was proud of you then.
If he was here now, think how proud he'd be, huh? [Chuckles.]
You, uh-You got anybody? Anybody? Oh, no.
No, no, no, no, no.
[Chuckles.]
The only man in my life is my publisher, and believe me, that's all I can handle.
Yeah.
[Chuckles.]
- You? - Me? Well, I still get chased around four or five nights a week by some of those lonely widows and divorcées over there in Tucson.
It's kind of a Mecca for unmarried women, you know.
[Chuckles.]
But I still got my freedom, thank you.
Kind of a curse, havin' a wonderful marriage like we had.
You seem to always be afraid it's never gonna be that good again.
Consider us cursed.
Oh, 8:15.
Where are Bonnie and Clint? Oh, well, they're actually not late.
I told 'em 8:30.
Oh.
I mean, how else were we gonna have a few minutes alone so I could kinda catch up on things? Well, well! Colonel Goddard, sir.
Hey, Ray.
Nice seein' you again, sir.
They told me where you were eatin' at the motel.
Oh, yeah? Sergeant Dressler, meetJessica Fletcher here.
How do you do? The captain's wife? A pleasure, ma'am.
I'm sorry to hear he died.
He was an okay fella for an officer.
- Well, thank you, Mr.
Dressler.
- Let me buy you folks a drink here.
Actually, Ray, we're waitin' on another couple.
Thank you.
Yeah, I know- the major and his missus.
Saw 'em over at the motel.
Major hasn't changed much.
Put on a few pounds, but who in the hell hasn't? [Chuckles.]
Hey, boy! You wanna get me a double scotch, easy on the ice.
We weren't sure you were gonna show up, Ray.
Yeah, I got here a couple hours ago.
Me and my lawyer spent a fascinatin' time with that, uh, uptight gentleman of the colored persuasion.
Well, uh, what do you think, Colonel? What happened to that little greaseball? Think one of us shot him? I think maybe you got a foul mouth, Ray.
You always did have.
Now why don't you go on back up to the bar there and enjoy your drink? Or better still, go on back over to the motel and sleep it off.
Oh, I'm sorry, sir.
Sorry.
I forgot how close you were to that, uh, Sergeant Gagliano.
Me, I didn't share your enthusiasm.
While I was bustin' my tail, doin' my work, Pistol Pete was goofin ' off somewhere.
Half the time, he'd disappear completely.
The rest of the time, he was droppin' a couple thousand in a crap game.
That's enough.
Now you butt out.
Now! Yes, sir.
Anything you say, sir.
I guess, uh, I'll be seein' you in the morning for that, uh, lie detector test.
- Lie detector? - It's Major Cooper's idea.
Yes, ma'am.
That Major Cooper- He figures that's the only way he's gonna find out what happened on the plane.
Major Phelps and I are not so sure about that.
[Ray.]
Yeah, well, you do what you have to do, Colonel.
Me- I just want to get back to Amarillo.
I left my two boys in charge of the ranch.
And between you and me, I don't think either one of'em know which end of the steer to put a brand on.
[Chuckles.]
You know, the results of a polygraph test are not always accurate, Ray.
You might want to reconsider.
Yeah? Well, I got nothin' to hide.
How about you, Colonel? At the time Colonel Goddard gave the order to abandon the aircraft, were you armed with a.
45 caliber pistol? No.
At that time did you obey Colonel Goddard's order to abandon the aircraft? Yes.
Did you shoot Sergeant Peter Gagliano? No.
Clint was stupid to agree to this.
I think they all were.
I don't think that they had any choice.
Refusal would have been tantamount to admitting some sort of involvement.
Involvement? If you wanna know who's involved, I know who's involved.
Sergeant Dressler? Mm-hmm.
Clint said that Dressler and Gagliano never got along.
I'm not surprised.
The sergeant doesn't seem to have any use for anyone but white Anglo-Saxon Protestants and, uh, maybe a few head of cattle.
[Chuckling.]
Let me tell you something.
On the night before the last flight, Gagliano disappeared again.
Clint was about ready to replace him when he finally showed up one hour before the flight.
Dressler and Gagliano had such a row.
Clint had to step in to stop them from slugging each other.
Oh, dear.
I know you from somewhere? I don't think so.
My name is Nicholas Rossi.
You are, uh- Dressler.
Oh, yes.
Sergeant Dressler.
I think you knew my Cousin Peter Gagliano.
This is his daughter Sylvia.
He may have spoken to you about her.
Not that I remember, paesan.
Nick.
Forget it.
Oh, Clint.
No problem, honey.
We're outta here.
Jessie, we'll see you back at the motel.
Yes.
Mrs.
Fletcher, may I see you in my office? [Jessica.]
Uh, what seems to be the problem, Major? You're planning on giving her a lie detector test too, are ya, Major? In my office, please, ma'am.
Alone.
Anything you have to say to Mrs.
Fletcher, you can say in front of me.
Colonel- As the skipper of the Dixie Damsel, I have a right to know what's goin' on.
Yes.
Maybe you should hear this.
Please have a seat.
Uh, I'll stand if you don't mind.
Very well.
Naturally, the results of the polygraph examination will require further study, but the preliminary results indicate that Major Phelps, Sergeant Dressler and you, Colonel Goddard, were all telling the truth.
None of you had any involvement in Sergeant Gagliano's death.
We told you that.
There were five men on board that plane at the time it went down.
One man was left on board dead.
I'm sorry, Mrs.
Fletcher, but in my opinion, there's one, and only one, inescapable conclusion.
That your husband, Captain Frank Fletcher, is guilty of the murder of Sergeant Peter Gagliano.
Frank? Murder a man? That's ridiculous.
I don't see it that way.
A board of inquiry will laugh you out of the hearing room.
Colonel, please.
Give me a little credit for some sense.
With Captain Fletcher dead, I see no point in pursuing this matter any further.
Oh, I see.
You're going to- You're going to file a report accusing my husband of murder? And what do you suggest, Mrs.
Fletcher? A court-martial? Not only would that be a waste of time and taxpayers' money, it would not change the outcome.
Well, I'm sorry, but I won't accept that.
That, Mrs.
Fletcher, is not my concern.
My orders are to dispose of this matter as discreetly and expeditiously as possible, and that I intend to do.
Thank you, Colonel, for your cooperation.
I'll see to it that Lieutenant Gaynes delivers your personal property before you leave.
- Now just one moment, Major.
L-l-I'd like to see your files.
- The case is closed, Mrs.
Fletcher.
But surely there are procedures.
There are, and they are available to military personnel- military, not civilian.
[Intercom Buzzes.]
Yes? [Man On Intercom.]
General Havermeyer has just arrived, sir.
Thank you.
Oh, and, Lieutenant, come in.
As soon as I have General Havermeyer squared away, we'll discuss- [Lee.]
Major Cooper.
Now, Mrs.
Fletcher may not be military, but, by God, I am.
I have no intentions of letting a black mark stand against the crew of the Dixie Damsel like this.
You want quiet and discretion? Well, if you don't cooperate with Mrs.
Fletcher, I'm gonna find somebody that will if I have to go all the way to the judge advocate's office in Washington, D.
C.
Do you understand that? As I was about to say, as soon as I have General Havermeyer squared away, we can continue this conversation.
In the meantime, Lieutenant- Sir? Make Colonel Goddard and Mrs.
Fletcher as comfortable as possible.
Yes, sir.
Can I get you anything? Some coffee maybe? No, thank you.
Excuse me.
This is insane.
That smug, pompous, supercilious- Jess, control yourself.
Control myself? That tinhorn investigator has elected himself judge, jury- He has labeled Frank a murderer.
He's making it part of his record.
Yeah.
Well, I agree that Frank's no murderer, but on the other hand, Jessica, what logical explanation is there? Well, I can think of two right off.
One, someone has found out a way to beat the polygraph test.
I don't think so.
Or there was a sixth person on board that plane.
And that's impossible.
No, I'm sorry, but those are the only two possible explanations, because there's no way that Frank could have been involved.
Now look, someone on that plane killed Sergeant Gagliano, and I'm gonna find out who it was if I have to stay here a month or a year- as long as it takes.
I understand your frustration.
Don't patronize me, Lee.
I mean it.
Now first of all, the first thing I need to know is more information about the victim- who he was, what enemies he might have had.
You remember- You remember that, uh, Ray Dressler said that he was a goldbrick, that he used to disappear a lot.
Well, where did he go? And to do what? Did he gamble? Did he go to meet some woman? [Phone Rings.]
Maybe he cheated at cards with someone, and that someone wanted to get even.
I don't think so.
I remember Pete.
He was a bad gambler.
He usually lost.
I think it's more logical some irate or angry husband.
Excuse me.
I'll be back shortly.
Lee, you remember, you always said that you were the last person to leave the plane when you jumped? I was.
Or I thought I was.
But I can assure you of one thing, Jessica.
Gagliano wasn't layin' dead on the floor when I bailed out.
I'm sure he wasn't.
Which means that he was out of sight.
Now, that tells me that he was hiding.
But why? What are you doin', Jess? I'm gonna have a good look at these files of Major Cooper.
It's a beauty, sir.
It's almost like new.
It was new, Major.
I bought it for my wife for our 20th anniversary.
I doubt she drove it a dozen times before I had it loaded on that aircraft.
God, how she loved that car.
As I told you, General, we have not tampered with either the car or the packing crates.
We thought it best to leave them just as you'd packed them.
Thank you, Major.
You know, I never really cared about things.
I mean, a chair was a chair and a car was a car.
My wife said I was about as sentimental as a toilet fixture.
[Chuckles.]
She, on the other hand, was able to develop a lifelong affection for a magazine rack.
Ma'am? I'm sorry, ma'am.
You can't go up there.
I'm looking for Major Cooper.
Well, he's in the hangar, ma'am.
Thank you.
I'm sorry, ma'am, this is a restricted area.
Sergeant, I'm sure you have your orders, but- Mrs.
Fletcher, what are you doing here? I asked you- I know what you asked me, Major.
Now I have something to ask you.
Where is his parachute? What? Have a good look at this.
- Where did you get this photograph? - [Jessica.]
I found it in a file on your desk.
Have a good look at it.
As you can see very plainly, he is not wearing a parachute.
Yes, so I see.
Have you looked on the plane? No, but, Mrs.
Fletcher, you had no right rifling through the material on my desk.
Those files are confidential.
Major, may I see that? Yes, sir.
The lady makes sense.
General Marcus Havermeyer, Mrs.
Fletcher, United States Air Force, retired.
How do you do? Just, uh, what is your point? The major has accused my husband of murder by a process of elimination.
I think it's far more likely that there was a sixth person on that aircraft, and this is borne out by the absence of a parachute on the sergeant.
Now I would like permission to examine the aircraft myself.
- That is not possible, Mrs.
Fletcher.
- Why not, Major? Sir, regulations.
Oh, regulations be damned.
The lady has made a very interesting point.
I see nothing to be gained by keeping a closed mind.
Actually, Mrs.
Fletcher, the cargo's already been off-loaded and placed there in that hangar.
Oh.
Please.
Thank you.
Thank you, General.
General Havermeyer, it's been a long time.
You probably don't remember.
Colonel Lee Goddard.
Of course I do, Colonel.
You and your men went through quite an ordeal.
There's something of a miracle about that plane.
Yes, it was.
General, you'll understand, I'm gonna have to make this investigation part of my report.
Yes, Cooper, that's- that's fine.
That's fine.
Jessica, I know what you want to believe.
So do I.
But I don't think there's any way anyone could have slipped aboard that airplane and hidden without one of us knowing about it.
- Who has a key to this car? - I have, Mrs.
Fletcher.
I supervised the loading of the car personally.
I locked it personally.
My late wife kept this key all these years.
I wonder what she knew that I don't know.
- That's not possible.
- If I'm not mistaken, this lock was forced.
Look at the holes that have been drilled here and here.
Where the devil did they come from? I suspect they were air holes, and that our stowaway hid out inside this trunk when the plane took off.
That's nonsense.
[Havermeyer.]
Is it, Major? Well, those holes were not there when I left this car on that plane It seems to me that your investigation into the death of Sergeant Gagliano is not quite closed.
[Phone Ringing.]
Lieutenant Gaynes will see to it that you get everything you need, Mrs.
Fletcher.
I wouldn't want it said that we didn't cooperate in every way.
Thank you, Major.
You get the feeling that in a previous life he might have been Torquemada? Well, if so, he has not improved with age.
[Chuckles.]
What are we lookin' for here, Jessica? Well, this is Sergeant Gagliano's personnel file.
Now, whoever was on that plane needed some help getting aboard, and my vote goes to the sergeant.
Let's see what we can find out about him.
My God, he hasn't changed.
[Cooper.]
Remember, he's been frozen for 35 years.
You may take custody of the body first thing tomorrow morning, Miss Gagliano.
You don't understand, Major.
I don't want to take custody.
You can do whatever you like with him.
Well, well, Mrs.
Fletcher.
And what have we found now? Nothing, I'm afraid.
But that doesn't mean that I'm giving up.
- No, I was sure you wouldn't.
- Major- Tomorrow General Havermeyer returns to St.
Petersburg.
And at that time, you'd better have something concrete for me.
Otherwise, this case is closed.
[Lee.]
I don't know how anybody could have gotten on that plane without somebody seein' 'em.
- I'm not sure I'd go that far, old buddy.
- What do you mean? Come on, Lee.
The war was winding down.
Somebody in uniform wandering around could have slipped onto that plane.
- Security wasn't that tight.
- Yeah, yeah.
Well, then you go along with Jessica's theory? Well, I didn't say that.
But something weird happened on that flight.
I'm damned if I know what.
Oh.
Any luck? All bad.
Would you like a drink? [Jessica.]
Oh, just coffee.
I've gotta keep my head clear.
Son, coffee.
[Bonnie.]
Nothing in the files? [Jessica.]
Nothing that we didn't already know.
Namely that Pete Gagliano was not exactly a model airman.
Clint, do you remember anything specific about those run-ins that he had with Sergeant Dressler? Well, Dressler was always bellyaching about him.
If you want more information, you can get it yourself.
He's sitting right there at the bar.
Excuse me.
Jess, can we order you anything? Oh, just some ravioli.
I'm starved.
Lots of it.
Excuse me, Sergeant Dressler.
You mind if I sit down? Free country.
Thank you.
I understand that major's tryin' to nail the killin' on your husband.
Those people- They ain't too bright.
Those people? Excuse me, ma'am.
If you have a mind to ask a lot of questions, ask somebody else.
I didn't kill Gagliano.
Truth be known, I don't much care who did.
Yes, I understand you two didn't get along.
Oh, you're gonna try to lay this on me, huh? That's real cute.
'Cause I'm enlisted, huh? Couldn't be that some fancy officer did it.
Guess you never considered that.
I haven't closed my mind to any possibility, believe me.
Good.
Then you take your questions and chat a spell with Major Phelps.
Now, the major- There-There's a guy with a real reason to hate old Pete's guts.
But Major Phelps passed the lie detector test.
[Chuckles.]
That don't mean beans, ma'am.
People like the major- born liars.
Comes as natural as a hog eatin' slop.
Excuse me, Sarge.
Got a light? Out of my way, punk! [Groans.]
Come on, buddy.
Sober up, huh? [Coughing.]
[Woman Screaming.]
Ray! Oh, my God! [Gasping.]
Good morning, Sergeant.
The doctor just told us that you're gonna recover.
That's wonderful news.
Oh, thanks, Mrs.
Fletcher, Colonel.
I'm sorry, but if you don't mind, uh- Sergeant, I just have to ask you a couple of questions.
I already told you I don't know anything.
Two minutes.
That's all I need.
Captain Fletcher went to bat for you a lot of times, Ray.
[Sighs.]
Okay.
Okay.
A couple minutes.
Can you tell me any reason why those men attacked you last night? I already told the cops.
I guess they were- they were after my wallet.
I come- I come out of the bar, headin' toward my car.
Two guys pop out of nowhere.
One of'em says, "Hey, Sarge, you got a light?" I'm about to tell 'em to get lost.
One of'em grabs my arm.
Next thing you know, here I am.
Uh, just a moment.
Uh, just-just a moment.
Did you know those men? No.
Why should I know 'em? Because you were wearing civilian clothes, and one of the men called you "Sarge.
" Which means it may not have been simple robbery.
Maybe it had somethin' to do with the investigation.
Why me? I don't know anything.
Well, maybe you do, Sergeant, about Clint Phelps.
What was it that you didn't want to tell me about Major Phelps and Sergeant Gagliano? One night Gagliano caught Phelps in an off-limits Tokyo geisha house, and the little greaseball was usin' it, holdin'it over the major, makin'sure he stayed in the crew.
That doesn't make any sense.
It's true though.
Two or three times I tried to dump Gagliano, send him on back to the States.
Clint talked me out of it every time.
Sergeant Gagliano was a self-admitted goldbrick.
I mean, why would he fight to stay aboard the Dixie Damsel? [Scoffs.]
Not that it was any great duty.
Back and forth, Tokyo to Seoul every week, haulin' cargo.
You'd think his life depended on it.
What do you got on your mind, Jess? You got a look on your face there.
Amazing how the memory plays tricks.
The other night friends and I were discussing a new movie, and for the life of me, I couldn't recall the title.
Yet these photos- I haven't looked at 'em in over 40 years, yet I can remember every name, every face.
Major, excuse me.
I just got an urgent telephone call from my office in Seattle.
Now they need me there right away.
Your investigation, Major.
Do as you wish.
I won't be needing you anymore, sir.
By the way, we took your duffle bag from the plane.
You're free to take it with you.
What for? There's nothing in there I want anymore.
[Bonnie.]
Jess, there you are.
We tried to reach you.
We have to get back to Seattle while I still have a company to get back to.
Oh, of course.
I wish we could stay, honestly.
Things are gonna work out.
Don't you worry.
You take care of yourself now.
I will.
- Lee, keep in touch.
- Hey, you know where to find me.
Good luck, Jess.
You call me and let me know what happened.
Oh, I will, dear.
Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.
[Rossi.]
Major, I am trying to be patient.
General.
But enough is enough.
How long are you gonna keep my niece here? No one is keeping you here, Mr.
Rossi.
As far as I'm concerned, you can leave whenever you wish.
Well, thank you.
Now if you can tell me where my cousin's duffle bag is, his daughter would like to have it in remembrance ofher father.
It's right over there.
Thank you.
Major, I wouldn't let him leave with that duffle bag if I were you.
Ma'am? Well, doesn't it seem strange that a woman who didn't care enough about her father to see that he had a proper burial suddenly wants his 35-year-old duffle bag as a souvenir? Rossi! Just a minute! Would you mind if I check the contents before you leave? - What for? - Call it curiosity.
Well, look if you like.
I don't know why.
Major, do you mind telling me what this is all about? Major.
[Cooper.]
Guardsl Thank you.
Rossi's real name? Vito Ciccarelli.
The F.
B.
I.
Nailed him from his fingerprints.
Not only have we been looking for him for the last 35 years, so have they.
Uh-huh.
Extortion, racketeering, smuggling.
He was stationed in Seoul in '50 and '51, working a nice little scam with his buddy Pete Gagliano.
Ciccarelli must have passed the contraband on to Gagliano who passed it to a third party headed for the States.
Incidentally, he was not Gagliano's cousin.
He made that story up for the daughter's benefit.
Then she knew nothing about all this? I don't think so.
Anyway, something happened in early 1952.
The security police were hot on Ciccarelli's trail, so he wrote himself a phony set of orders transferring himself back to Tokyo, where he disappeared.
Into the trunk of a car aboard the Dixie Damsel.
Mm-hmm.
With Pete Gagliano's help.
We may never know all the details, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Obviously, Ciccarelli isn't admitting to a thing, but I'm convinced.
I'm sorry about any suspicions I might have had about your husband, Mrs.
Fletcher.
I was only doing my job the best I know how- perhaps not as graciously as I could have.
I do hope you will accept my apology.
Yes.
Of course, Major.
You know, if I'd been in your position, I might have been tempted to reach the same conclusion, but I had one big advantage.
I knew my husband, and you didn't.
Mmm.
[Airplane Passing Overhead.]
Well? Case closed.
Thank God.
[Laughs.]
I don't know how you do it.
I swear.
How'd you know about those diamonds in the bottom of that duffle bag? Well, actually, I didn't.
But that attack on Sergeant Dressler outside the restaurant- it just didn't make any sense.
His attacker called him "Sergeant" even though he was a stranger to the base, and he was wearing civilian clothes.
I mean, it had to be something more than just robbery.
I mean, the man was trying to kill him.
But why? And then I remembered something.
[Jessica.]
It occurred to me that maybe many years ago Ray Dressler had seen Rossi in the vicinity of the airplane just before it took off.
Rossi may have become frightened that Dressler would eventually remember, and he knew he couldn't take that chance.
So I suspect that he called a couple of friends who'd be willing and able to do that sort of thing.
Huh.
Well, that makes sense.
[Chuckles.]
Why didn't I think of that? [Chuckles.]
You don't write mysteries for a living.
You got my bags? Yeah, they're in the trunk.
Well, then let's go.
I don't wanna miss my plane.
Oh, you won't.
It's almost 1:00.
Yeah, well, I booked you on a later flight.
What? Not only that.
Uh, I booked the two of us on a flight to Tucson.
I mean, I'm not gonna let you come all this way and then just spend a couple of days.
Who knows? You might learn to like it.
Lee, I can't! Ah! That word's not even in my vocabulary.
Now, there's not anything back there in Cabot Cove that can't wait for a couple of days.
Well, we got about an hour's ride to the airport.
[Chuckles.]
You better get set to have the darnedest sales pitch put on you that's ever been put on anybody.
[Chuckling.]
[Engine Starts.]