Murder, She Wrote s07e14 Episode Script

Well-known author Jessica Fletcher has been arrested in the town of Bremerton.
Jessica we can help you investigate.
- I'll dig up some background on her.
- What happens next? Tonight on "Murder She Wrote" I knew you got a reputation for solving crimes and all but right now you're on my territory.
I feel I'm committing a serious breach of medical ethics.
Bertie, you won't be able to see his files.
They're very confidential.
Chill out Jessica! Hold it right there, ma'am Now let's see I should have that card right here under Spaniels.
Well here it is.
Springer Spaniels, Larkin's Prince Regent.
Bred by Simon McCauley, over in Bremerton.
Here's the address.
Can't imagine what kind of mystery you'll be writing about hunting dogs.
- But I hope I helped - You have indeed.
I've never read any of your books, but my momma's got them all.
She'd be tickled pink if I could get your autograph.
Thank you very much Mrs.
Fletcher.
Always glad to accommodate my public.
Well I guess I'm off to Bremerton.
It's getting late.
It will be dark by the time you get there.
I'll manage.
Thanks again for everything.
- My pleasure.
- Bye.
I knew it, I just knew it.
Hold it right there, ma'am.
You'll be notified of your court date.
Until then, try to stay out of trouble Mrs.
Fletcher.
Well of course.
- Kit, darling.
- Are you alright? I'm just fine.
Thank you for coming.
Well, thanks for everything.
Before I go, would you like my autograph? We have to run.
Thank you so much.
Let's get out of here.
Bye! I guess I should be grateful Dwayne's away on business.
It's no big deal! You told them you were Jessica Fletcher! Well I had to.
Can you imagine what would happen if someone found out that Senator Allen' mother got arrested for breaking and entering? They'd just laugh him out of the State House.
What were you doing there anyway? What Jessica would be doing, cracking the case.
Come on, Kit.
We're wasting time.
Let's move it! That's it! That's the truck I saw! Kit, my car is near the kennel.
Drive me over, okay? Marge Allen! Didn't getting arrested teach you anything? Well it certainly did.
To check for silent alarms.
Now are you going to drive me, or do I have to walk? Let's go.
I'm coming! - You thought you'd get away with it? - What? Who are you? - As if you didn't know.
- What are you talking about? And where's your partner in crime? I'm sure he'd like to hear this too.
I don't know what you think you know, but get out of here right now - or I'm calling the sheriff.
- Go ahead and do it.
Call him because if you don't I will.
Are you enjoying your stay in Big D, Mrs.
Fletcher? Yes, the book signing yesterday was a lot of fun.
- Thank you very much.
- Thank you.
Have a nice trip home now.
You bet.
Through a spokesman Mr.
Bishop denied allegations of wrongdoing.
This just in.
Well-known author Jessica Fletcher has been arrested in the town of Bremerton.
According to authorities the mystery writer would not explain why she broke into the offices of a local kennel.
Fletcher was released on bail early this morning.
Now let's find out what's happening in sports.
Sheriff's office, Sheriff Tanner speaking.
Sheriff, this is Jessica Fletcher.
I'm calling because there's been a terrible mistake.
Well, the way I see it ma'am, everyone is entitled to at least one.
As long as you stick to the straight and narrow from now on everything should be fine.
No, you've got it all wrong.
You didn't arrest the real Jessica Fletcher last night, that was someone else.
Look, if you're going for one of those split personality defenses that's between you and your lawyer.
My job is to make sure you show up at the hearing.
- But, you don't understand Sheriff.
- See you in court Mrs.
Fletcher.
Hello, this is Jessica Fletcher in room 417.
I need to get to Bremerton, where I was not arrested last night.
Hello! Is there anybody here? - Sheriff Tanner? - Yes ma'am.
- What can I do for you? - We spoke a couple of hours ago.
I'm Jessica Fletcher.
Is that so? Well, I suppose you have a driver's license to prove it, don't you? Well actually, no.
You see, I don't drive.
But I do have identification.
Here's my I.
D.
card.
Here you go.
The lady we had in here last night had I.
D.
real similar to this.
Well, here are my credit cards, I got receipts made out in my name I got my Cabot Cove library card.
These are just paper.
This doesn't prove anything.
Sheriff, do you have a bookstore anywhere nearby? A bookstore? The closest thing is the drug store which has a couple of paperbacks.
I'll be right back.
You see, it's me! Well, I guess I'll have to change that arrest record to Jane Doe.
Thank you.
- Now what do we do next? - Nothing.
But what about the woman impersonating me? Who is she really? We'll take care of whatever needs taking care of Mrs.
Fletcher.
But I want to thank you for coming in.
Perhaps you could tell me who bailed her out? Perhaps you could stop wasting my time? Thank you.
Kit Parkins, 15 Longacre Street, Sunville, Texas.
Here you go.
Keep the change.
Well much obliged.
Mrs.
Fletcher, There's no doubt in my mind that you got a bum rap.
- Excuse me.
- My land, it's you! - I beg you pardon? - I just can't believe my eyes.
- Come in, come in.
- Perhaps I'd better explain - my name is Jessica.
- We all know what your name is.
All of us do.
Ladies, look who just dropped in.
- J.
B.
Fletcher in the flesh! - My God! - I don't believe it! - We're your biggest fans! How ever did you arrange it? You're right here in Sunville.
Wait until I tell mom.
You look just like yourself.
Hold on, you're not one of those celebrity impersonators, are you? No, I really am Jessica Fletcher although I've had a hard time proving to anyone it lately.
And you are? Excuse my manners.
I'm Kit Perkins, this is Florence, Caroline, Bertie and that's Jane.
I'd just love your autograph.
- Me too.
- Let me take your purse.
Come on J.
B, take a load off! - Thank you.
- We're so thrilled to have you.
Well now, Kit, what exactly is all this? It's the weekly meeting of the J.
B.
Fletcher Literary Society.
I thought you knew? - This is the first I've heard of it.
- Well, then why are you here? Because according to the Sheriff in Bremerton, Kit posted bail this morning for Jessica Fletcher of Cabot Cove, Maine.
My God! - You were arrested? - No, it was Marge.
Marge? Kit you never told us - that they had arrested Marge! - No! Well, if she had wanted you all to know, she wouldn't have used her J.
B.
Fletcher I.
D.
would she? Her Jessica Fletcher I.
D.
? My family runs a little print shop, and we all like to pretend we're like you, solving mysteries the way you do.
So I made us each up a picture I.
D just for fun.
Marge's son, Ronald, is a state senator.
Very stuffy, no sense of humor at all.
So when she got caught, she told the sheriff she was you.
I see.
Ladies, do me a great favor.
Get rid of those I.
D.
cards immediately.
- Absolutely.
- Ma'am you're right - There it is.
- There's mine.
Thank you.
Now, Kit, can you tell me why Marge broke into that kennel? She's got a bee in her bonnet about Bella Mae Feldhammer.
Bella Mae's dog Prince has won the amateur field trials thinks she's cheating.
- Because she's beaten Marge's dog? - Marge doesn't have a dog.
Just an over-developed sense of fair play.
Anyway, she told me this morning that she had cracked the case.
Well, I think I'd better have a little chat with Marge.
No! Marge! I just can't believe it! Of all people It says here that she apparently lost control of her car driving on Wills Creek Road out of Bremerton and crashed into the ditch.
A passing motorist found the body and presumably that I.
D.
card.
Lost control? That's a load of fertilizer.
Marge drove that road all her life.
What was she doing at Wills Creek? She should have been on County 14 if she was heading home to Sunville.
Kit, exactly what happened after you bailed her out? Well, she had me drive her to the McCauley house.
Those are the people who run the kennels.
Then Marge recognized a truck that was parked and she got all excited and had me take her to her own car.
That's the last time I ever saw her.
Darling, Jane - Did she tell you where she was going? - Back to the McCauley house.
She was hell bent on confronting them with her evidence, whatever that was.
But you have no proof that she ever got there.
It might be worth a trip to find out.
- I'll take you! - I will! I'll be happy to drive you over.
Somebody in the neighborhood must be having a party.
- Are you all right? - Yes.
Marge isn't the first friend I've lost, and she won't be the last.
But she was the best.
I was wrong about the party.
Mrs.
Fletcher? - I'm surprised to see you here.
- I should have called earlier Did you read the newspaper? Damn fool reporter ran that story without checking his facts.
The car was registered to Mrs.
Allen.
You mind telling me what you are all doing here? We came to talk to Mr.
and Mrs.
McCauley.
After she got out of jail, Marge came here to see them.
There's no way she could have seen Simon.
He was killed in a hunting accident late yesterday afternoon.
How awful! Shot by another hunter? No, by his dog.
He must have leaned his gun against a tree and the dog knocked it over.
Shot hit him square in the back at close range.
- That's Mrs.
McCauley over there.
- Who's the young man she's talking to? Why do you want to know Mrs.
Fletcher? It's a character flaw.
I'm curious about everything.
His name's Rick.
Works in the kennel.
He grooms the dogs, and feeds them.
- I see.
- Listen, Mrs.
Fletcher, Now I don't want to hear you've been pestering Mrs.
McCauley.
Of course not.
But while I'm here, I would like to pay my respects.
Now, what in the Sam Hill is he doing here? Excuse me, ma'am.
That's Mitchell Lawrence, the insurance agent.
We have our homeowner's policy with him.
- Well howdy, Mrs.
Parkins.
- Hi, Mr.
Lawrence.
- This is a friend, Jessica Fletcher.
- Jessica Fletcher? - Why, didn't I read? - You did, but it's a mistake.
Actually the woman in the car was a friend of Kit's.
I'm sorry.
This must be a doubly sad day for you Mrs.
Parkins.
- Did you know Simon well? - Actually, I've never met him.
It's a long story.
Was Mr.
McCauley a close friend of yours, Mr.
Lawrence? I knew him for years, but it'd be a stretch to say we were close.
Simon didn't care much for people.
His best friends were all of the canine variety.
- Excuse me, I've got to be going.
- Yes.
Kit, I'm going to try and have a talk with Mrs.
McCauley.
- Do you mind waiting for me here? - No, go.
I'll keep a look out for anything unusual.
Don't worry, I'll take care of everything.
Mrs.
McCauley? Yes? I'm terribly sorry to intrude on your grief and it may not be the best time but it's very important that I have to clear something up.
A woman was arrested last night for breaking into your kennel.
The Sheriff told me.
As it turns out, she was using my name, Jessica Fletcher.
I wanted to be quite sure you knew that I had nothing to do with it.
Thanks, but that's really the last thing on my mind right now.
Yes, of course.
I quite understand it.
It must have very been upsetting when she showed up this morning asking to see your husband.
No one came here this morning.
Except for the Sheriff.
Well, I must have been misinformed.
You see the lady was killed in a car crash several hours ago.
That's too bad! Mrs.
McCauley, do you have any idea why someone would break into your kennel? No.
There was nothing valuable in the office.
.
Just paperwork, breeding records, things like that.
I guess we'll never know what the lady was thinking.
Probably just some grey-haired old wacko.
Mrs.
McCauley? Just wanted you to know, I'm mighty sorry for your loss.
- Even under these circumstances.
- How very kind.
Would you excuse me? I'm feeling a bit worn out.
Ma'am - Jessica! - Kit? - What were you doing back there? - Keeping the room under surveillance.
I was watching the Sheriff and that big fella.
I couldn't hear a word.
I don't think the Sheriff likes him much.
I don't think Mrs.
McCauley liked him either.
- She was quite rude to him just now.
- What did she say about Marge? Well, that no one came here this morning.
That can't be! I knew Marge Allen for 30 years and when she decided to do something, she did it.
I'll take your word for it.
I don't think we should outwear our welcome, you know.
Excuse me, ladies.
I apologize for the sloppy parking.
- I'll get it right out of your way.
- Thank you, mister Willoughby, Boon Willoughby.
And that there is Roscoe.
Say hello, Roscoe! I bet that's one of Mr.
McCauley's dogs.
Yes.
Raised and trained.
Although I've taught him a few tricks of my own now.
You're a hunter then? Well, in my spare time.
I'm with the highway patrol.
I've been trying to form a K-9 Unit, and wanted McCauley to be the trainer.
- But he wasn't interested? - Was what he said, every time I asked.
Well, as long as I'm out this way I'll hang around a few days and see if I can bag some quail.
Nice to see you.
You know he talks a good game, but he doesn't say much.
My thoughts exactly.
- Lisa didn't tell you anything? - On the contrary.
She told me that she did see Marge early this morning.
But she said she didn't.
But she also said Marge must have been a grey-haired old wacko.
Now, I never mentioned Marge's age so had did she know what color her hair was unless she had seen her? Jessica Fletcher in action.
So what happens next? I have a hunch there's a connection between Simon McCauley's death and Marge's accident.
I'd like to stick around a couple of days, and satisfy my curiosity.
- Good! - We can help you investigate.
I have a nephew that works for the same insurance company as Mitchell Lawrence.
I'll just bet you that I can get their password from him.
I'm something of a computer whiz.
And my husband works in the County Coroner's Office.
I know I can get a peak at the autopsy report.
I'll dig up background on McCauley.
And I'll well I don't know right now, but I'll do something.
Thank you ladies, thank you.
I appreciate your help But I think I'll take my suspicions through the proper channels first.
There's no reason to believe that Marge Allen's death was anything but an accident.
But don't you think it a bit unusual she was headed for the McCauley's - the last time she was seen alive? - But Lisa said she didn't see her.
- Yes, well - Mrs.
Fletcher, I know you have a reputation for solving crimes and all, but right now you’re in my territory.
If there's any investigating to be done, I'll do it.
Got me? What do you mean my card's been cancelled? That's what the box says.
Sorry.
It's just a silly mix-up.
I know that it said in the local paper that I'd been killed, but obviously I wasn't, since I'm standing right here.
It doesn't matter.
If the box says you've been cancelled, you've been cancelled.
It's so frustrating.
How could this happen? I suppose that newspaper report got picked up by one of the wire services.
- It's probably all over the country.
- No! Seth, just listen for a minute.
I've called Grady in New York.
He'll contact my family.
My publisher will handle the media.
You take care of Cabot Cove.
Make it easy, just go tell the girls down at Loretta's beauty parlor.
I'll call you tomorrow.
Okay? Thanks.
- What's the next move? - A good night's sleep.
We'll get up first thing tomorrow morning, and borrow a dog.
Butch, come on baby, get up on the table.
- There's a good boy.
- He doesn't mind you well, does he? No, he is one big problem.
Perhaps you can all do something about him here.
I've heard raves about your kennel from Bella Mae Feldhammer.
- I wouldn't know her.
- Well perhaps it was Marge Allen.
Mr.
McCauley did all the training.
I'm just the groomer.
I was sad to hear about Mr.
McCauley.
I'd heard wonderful things about him.
Not unless dogs have learned to talk.
Really? I thought Your dog will be ready in a couple of hour's ma'am.
- Fine.
Thank you very much.
- Okay.
Okay, the coast's clear.
I got your message.
What's up? Take a look at these.
Florence, did you take those reports from the Coroner's Office? I said I was just going to peak at them but the copier was right there.
Kit, look right here.
- My gosh! - What is it? Marge couldn't have been driving that car when it crashed.
This says they found her glasses in her purse and she always wore them to drive.
- It's a real clue.
- It certainly is.
How odd - Another clue? - Well, something quite unusual.
I'm going to be late for Herman's lunch.
- I'll keep in touch.
- Okay.
- Bye.
- Bye.
- Afternoon ladies.
- Hello, Mr.
Willoughby.
Looks like you've got something mighty important in that envelope.
What ever do you mean? I was sitting over there and I saw the lady with dark glasses pass it to you.
You both seemed pretty excited about it.
Actually, it's just some research on a book.
Are you a writer, ma'am? Jessica Fletcher is one of the pre-eminent mystery writers of the United States.
Jessica Fletcher? - Weren't you supposed to be - No.
No, I'm not dead.
That was an error.
Mr.
Willoughby, I'm curious about something I heard you saying to Lisa McCauley yesterday.
When you were offering your sympathies on the death of her husband you added "even under the circumstances.
" - What circumstances? - Stupidity.
No right-thinking hunter would ever lean a loaded gun against a tree.
Simon McCauley died of pure carelessness.
Well, I have to admit it did seem mighty odd to me that a dog could knock over a gun and cause it to fire.
You never know what a dog might do.
Especially if you've trained him right.
Nice seeing you ladies.
Sheriff.
Mrs.
Fletcher, I'd think you'd have something better to do - than just waste my time.
- Well, this won't take long.
.
I understand that Simon's body was found lying face down on the ground.
- What of it? - Well, the Coroner removed a hunting jacket from the body which was soaked with blood on the right side, which would indicate that the body was Lying on its right side - after it was hit with the blast.
- Wait a minute.
Just where did you get all this information? - I can't reveal my sources.
- You can't? Mrs.
Fletcher, I'd be well within my rights to throw you in the lock-up back there for interfering with police business.
But because I'm such a nice guy, I'll let you go with a warning.
This does not concern you, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Now keep out of it! I bet the pay is not great, but the fringe benefits are dynamite.
Hello, anyone home? - It's Mrs.
Fletcher, isn't it? - Yes, I've come for my dog.
I'll go get him ma'am.
Your dog? I was under the impression you were from out of town.
She is.
It's really my dog.
Jessica brought him in for grooming as a surprise for me.
You are an angel.
- Anything wrong, Sheriff? - Looks like maybe I was.
Mrs.
Fletcher, after you left, I got to thinking about what you said so I ran it past the Coroner and he's inclined to agree with your theory.
So Mr.
McCauley wasn't shot out in the fields.
If he died where he fell, he should have bled all over the front and back of the jacket.
Seems we got a murder on our hands.
I can't believe I let you talk me into coming all the way out here.
Well, if I'm right, you'll have another piece of evidence.
But I haven't got good suspects.
Both Rick and Lisa claim to have been home alone at the time.
There's your spot.
I reckon his chest was right about there.
If he really was shot here, a great deal of blood should have soaked into the ground where he fell.
The lab report will tell us that.
Operator, it's all a misunderstanding.
I'm not dead.
How can I prove it? Well, I'm talking to you aren't I? Hello? Hello? Hello! - Something wrong, Mrs.
Fletcher? - Well I got cut off! Do you believe they've cancelled my phone card all because of - that report in the newspaper? - Anything I can do? How about skywriting "Jessica Fletcher is alive and well"? I'm afraid that's beyond me, but I can offer you the use of my phone.
- I'll take it.
- Follow me.
If I'd come home when I planned to, I wouldn't be so short of cash.
Would you send it to the Western Union here in Bremerton.
Yes, Seth.
I'm good for it.
Thanks.
I'll see you soon.
You've had quite an eventful little visit in our sleepy little town.
To say the least.
Now rumor has it Simon McCauley's death might not have been an accident.
News travels as fast here as it does in Cabot Cove.
Yes, there is some question.
In fact Sheriff Tanner is taking some evidence to the Dallas lab right now.
I'd better notify my home office.
If murder's involved we can't pay any benefits until the case is resolved.
No, I can certainly understand that.
Did Mr.
McCauley have a large policy? Pretty standard.
Mrs.
McCauley should be provided for.
There's Kit.
Thanks so much for the use of the phone.
My pleasure, Mrs.
Fletcher.
- You all come back now.
- You bet.
Find anything interesting in those old newspapers Caroline? Yes, a sale I missed at the Bed 'n Bath o 'Rama.
I don't know who we're going to replace Simon McCauley.
Jane, I never realized you were a friend of his.
I didn't mean him personally.
I meant his blood.
I'm the area coordinator for the blood bank.
And he was our only Type B Negative donor.
- That's quite a rare type.
- That certainly is.
I did it! Jessica, you would have been so proud of me.
You'll be proud of me.
I got the password for the insurance company's files from my nephew.
Bertie, you know these files are confidential.
It doesn't seem quite ethical to be accessing them this way.
Chill out, Jessica.
We've got a murder to solve here.
You know, I just realized something.
The McCauley's truck was at the house when Marge and I drove past.
But this says it was parked in the field near the body.
Well then the body was probably taken there sometime after 6 in the morning.
Florence, you get anything out of Bella Mae? No, she still says she trained that dog herself.
I really put the pressure on her too.
I gave her my best Jessica Fletcher technique.
Really? But I don't go around putting the pressure on people.
Jessica, come here! We're in! - This is so exciting.
- I'm getting McCauley's file up.
Just a second - Now! - There! It says here Simon McCauley's life insurance was raised to 2 million dollars just a couple of months ago.
Unfaithful wife and a big insurance policy.
Ladies, I think we've got us a motive.
- Yes! - Great! You were right on the money, Mrs.
Fletcher.
The lab analysis showed very little blood in the dirt at the murder scene.
McCauley had to have been killed someplace else.
Yes, and we think we know who plugged him.
What was that? Mrs.
Parkins and I happened to be at the kennel.
We saw Mrs.
McCauley and Rick in a rather compromising position.
And we've learned there was a 2 million dollar policy taken out on Mr.
McCauley's life.
Is that a fact? Tanner here.
- Lucas, you copy? - Yes, Sheriff, what's up? I'm over at the McCauley place.
I just saw Rick tear out of here on his bike like something big and ugly was chasing him.
- I think you'd better pick him up.
- Will do.
And send me some backup.
Something doesn't smell right.
Mrs.
McCauley? Sheriff, I'm about to give up here.
If anybody else was killed in this house except for that lady upstairs, somebody did a bang up job of removing any traces of the crime.
Or Simon McCauley was killed someplace else.
If I were going to set up an ambush, I would do it right here.
Mr.
McCauley kept his shotgun shells in that cabinet.
If he came down here to get some, the killer simply had to walk out from underneath these stairs to shoot him in the back.
That's a tidy scenario Mrs.
Fletcher.
Unfortunately it's not backed up by any physical evidence.
Maybe we're overlooking something? I mean something obvious.
Something in plain sight.
- Could I borrow your flashlight? - Sure, here you are.
Thank you.
Now, would you mind running upstairs and turning off the switch that controls that light? - Sheriff? - Sure, we've got nothing but time.
Now, if I'm not mistaken Look, just as I thought, dried specks of blood.
Well, I'll be damned.
Yes ma'am.
You couldn't see the blood flecks because if the glare of the bulb All right, Mrs.
Fletcher, you call this one okay? I'm not trying to compete with you.
I just want to help in any way I can.
Well you have.
You've been a help.
It's a good possibility that McCauley was killed in the basement.
Unfortunately, the Coroner is upstairs zipping one of my prime suspects into a big oversized baggie.
Yes, has he determined how Lisa died? Strangled.
First she was dressed I'd say, but she was expecting whoever did it.
I can't wait for Rick to try and come up with an alibi.
I told you I didn't kill Lisa! She was dead when I got there.
Would you mind telling me why you walked right into her bedroom? We had a thing.
You had a what? We had a thing.
- A thing.
- Yes, you know.
Simon would take some of the dogs out for field work every afternoon at 4.
I'd lock up the kennel and meet Lisa at the house.
She'd always leave the door open for me.
Today when I got there and saw her, I just got scared and I took off.
I didn't even get down to the house until 10 after 4.
Come now Rick, it was about 4:15 when I saw you leaving the McCauley place.
That's hardly enough time to get to the house and commit a murder.
Sheriff.
I just spoke with Mrs.
Hidalgo and she says she was with Rick at the kennel until 10 after 4.
So Rick has an alibi and the Sheriff is stymied.
- That's it? - I'm afraid so.
The lab did reported that the blood on the light bulb was Simon McCauley's type, B Negative.
I thought we'd figured it all out.
Lisa and Rick killed Simon for the insurance money, then Rick got greedy and kills Lisa.
- It was perfect.
- Well, not really.
Lisa never received the insurance settlement and Mr.
Lawrence said it would probably be held up.
I mean, what reason would Rick have for killing her? To cover his tail? Maybe, but I don't think he's the type.
On the other hand, I do think Lisa was involved in her husband's murder.
Particularly as it took place in their home.
- But she had to have help.
- That's right.
There's no possible way she could have carried the body up the cellar stairs all by herself.
And then somebody had to go along to bring her back to town because they left the truck in the field with the body.
You're absolutely right, but there's one thing that bothers me.
How does Marge fit into all this? Jessica, I'm ashamed to say it but I almost forgot about Marge.
And she's the reason you got involved in all this.
When Marge went to the McCauley house Simon most probably had just been killed.
Maybe she saw something she oughtn't.
- Or someone.
- But who? It could have been practically anyone.
Bertie, do you still have the read out of that insurance information? Right here.
Now when I first read this, there was something that I couldn't quite remember.
What is it Jessica? Something important? Something very important.
We have to get in touch with Jane at work, right away.
I certainly hope Dr.
Dunn doesn't catch me out here with these files.
Lighten up Jane.
They're not medical records, they're just donor lists from the blood drive.
Well still, I feel like I'm committing a serious breach of medical ethics.
Well, if it's any consolation, you've just helped expose a murderer.
Mrs.
Fletcher.
I wasn't expecting to see you.
I hope you don't mind I let myself in.
No, that's fine.
So what brings you here? You have some information on the McCauley claim? Yes, but you may not want to hear it What do you mean? I mean you and Lisa killed Simon McCauley.
She agreed to split the insurance money with you.
Mrs.
Fletcher, I think your writer's imagination is a bit out of control.
I didn't imagine the 2 million dollar insurance policy.
It was easy for Lisa to handle the paperwork part of it.
She could probably sign her husband's name as well as she could her own.
That left the little matter of the insurance physical.
We've all taken them, simple exams.
Just blood and urine specimens.
Your mistake Mr.
Lawrence, was in presenting yourself as Mr.
McCauley when the company nurse came to call.
Because the results of that exam, including blood type are listed on the insurance file.
It says type A Positive, your type according to the records from the last blood drive.
You've been a regular donor for years, so was Mr.
McCauley.
But he was type B Negative.
Now it's my guess that Marge Allen saw something incriminating when she came to the house, you killed her and staged the car wreck.
I couldn't take a chance.
Simon hadn't been dead 10 minutes before she showed up.
I didn't know who she was, but she said she knew what was going on and that she'd caught us.
Marge had uncovered what was to her a major scandal: that a supposedly amateur trained dog had actually been trained by Simon McCauley.
She knew nothing about the murder.
Well, I'm sorry about that.
- Just like I'm sorry about this.
- It's not in there.
This is what you're looking for Mitch.
Lucas, come on in here! You shouldn't leave your office unlocked Mitch.
You never know who might decide to let herself in.
So once you arrived on the scene, and stated asking questions Lawrence knew the truth of the murder would come out.
Yes.
He was certain that Lisa would crack under the strain and turn him in.
He also knew about her regular rendezvous with Rick.
He got to the house first and killed her.
Then Rick showed up and made himself the perfect fall guy.
But he had an airtight alibi.
The only crime Rick's committed was picking the wrong woman.
Imagine, 3 murders solved.
Jessica, you are the most amazing person.
Actually the real hero in all this is Marge.
I mean, if she hadn't stirred things up, Lisa and Mitchell Lawrence might well have gotten away with murder.
Ladies, I would like to propose a toast.
To two of the finest investigative minds of this century: Jessica Fletcher and Marge Allen.