Murder, She Wrote s07e22 Episode Script

- This novel will make me hot again.
- I don't have the manuscript.
Tonight on "Murder, She Wrote" Okay, pal.
Freeze.
If this is the best you can do for a cop, this town is in real trouble.
I can't believe this low life is actually a friend of yours.
Pay me the $863, or have a little talk with Richard.
- He can talk now? - Listen, that manuscript I sent you I'm afraid I don't have it.
I haven't got it! - I want that book, Mrs.
Fletcher! - I've got no more options.
How am I supposed to look at it? I date a couple of broads who work here, and you give them the third degree about what when on.
Sounds like you're writing a book, not me.
- Nick, calm down.
- 15 years I've been with this team.
Suddenly you're checking up on me like I'm a spy.
- Nick - Come on, Gordo.
Have of Boston has heard rumors and stuff about Oggie, but telling tales out of school, that's not my game.
Besides, I'm so blocked I can't type my own initials.
Besides, don't flatter yourself.
This is standard rich kid stuff.
The playboy with too much money and not enough to do.
If I were able to write again, I would be writing about you, Oggie.
Even with the debutants, the Ferraris and the 12 meter yachts, you're not exactly Mr.
Fascinating.
That's not the impression you gave the girls.
I don't believe I'm hearing this.
Company gossip? That's what their lives are all about! Look, the hell with this, okay? Let's just end this before one of us says something we regret.
Sit down, Nick.
We had no intentions of offending you.
We were just a little curious, that's all.
Well, can we talk about my contract? - Nick - Relax, fellas, my lawyer tells me I'm nuts and my agent says I'm suicidal.
He was all set to go for the jugular because he says after 15 years, I am Schmesser Beer.
With sales in the dumper like they are.
I said, we're not going to hold these people up for not one penny more than what my last deal was.
That's very gracious of you, Nick.
I don't need thanks.
What are friends for? Speaking of which I have a temporary problem.
I need an advance.
My bookmaker is giving me a little flack and I want to throw her a bone.
A hundred grand'll make her as happy as if she had good sense.
Nick, we're not renewing you.
You're not what? It's called business, Nick.
- Listen - Research tells us there's a whole generation out there that doesn't know who you are.
- You can't - They don't know that you used to write detective stories.
They say that we need a fresh new campaign.
In short, you are the reason that Schmesser beer sales are down.
If you'll excuse us, we have a meeting coming up.
Perhaps you could use your pictures.
Hey, Nick.
What do you say? Well? - Zip.
- You're sure? If I say there was no manuscript, then there wasn't any, okay? I covered every inch of his cabin, the files, everything.
There weren't even any notes for it.
Nothing there but unpaid bills, empty beer cans and dirty dishes.
Writers.
Now we can forget about this book nonsense and concentrate on getting the yacht ready for the Newport Race.
Hi and outside, ball one.
- Ogden.
- What? We can forget about this book, but if such a book does exist how many yachts could you afford after your grandfather sees it? I keep hearing about this great book of yours, but I don't see it.
All I see is an overdue tab for 150 large ones.
- Vicky, if you would just - Enough, I want the money.
Now.
Today.
Yeah.
The Lakers? Plus three points.
That's the spread, Howie, take it or leave it.
Two large.
Done.
And I mean the whole hundred and a half.
Vikki, you're not hearing me, babe.
This novel will make me hot again, and rich.
The advance alone is way more than what I owe you and the check is on its way from New York.
You don't believe me? Call my agent.
New York, 212-555-wait a minute Yeah, he's already left for the weekend.
I'll tell you what.
No problem.
And Vikki, thanks a lot.
- He's lying.
- Probably.
So how come you let him off the hook? Marjorie, it's me.
How's the Big Apple treating you? Tell me about it.
Hey, what could be new? Teams win, teams lose.
I pick up a couple of bucks either way.
I need a favor.
I want you to ask around, you literary friends.
See if there's word on a new book by Nick Culhane.
Yeah, the guy in the beer commercial.
Thanks, Marj.
Wait a minute.
I know why you didn't lower the hammer on him.
- Because you and Nick - No! - Don't start again.
- Sorry.
I don't mean to think these things but I really don't Good! Then knock it off.
Hi there.
This is Nick's machine.
As soon as I beep, say your piece and I'll get back to you.
Nick, this is Jessica.
I may never forgive you for sending me your manuscript.
I couldn't put it down until I finished it at 4 a.
m.
I really loved it.
Every word, the characters are wonderful, exciting full of dimension and life.
It's by far the best thing you've ever written.
Congratulations.
You've obviously cured your writer's block.
Call me soon and tell me the secret.
Good bye.
- Should I kick it in? - Go ahead.
Take your pick, McGraw.
Pay me the 863 or have a little talk with Richard.
He can talk now? In a minute, darling.
- What do you say, Harry? - Come on.
You know I'm good for it.
In all the years I did business with Lou, he never tried to muscle me.
That was Lou, this is me.
Okay, tell you what.
I'll let you work it off.
I got a job for you.
- Forget it.
I don't finger people.
- Will you stop! I want you to find something for me.
A manuscript.
- Like a book? - It's collateral for another tab.
A very big tab, Harry.
Trouble is, there's not a lot to go on.
All we got is this.
It's from the guy's answering machine.
The woman on the tape could be his agent, or maybe one of those Hollywood producer types.
- I'm not sure.
- You're not sure? She's the link.
You find her, we're home free.
Listen.
For a lousy 863 bucks, you want me to find a voice? There's got to be 150 million women I couldn't put it down until I finished it at 4 a.
m.
I really loved it.
The characters are wonderful, exciting, full of dimension - You okay, Harry? - By far the best thing you've written.
I'm okay.
I just swallowed the wrong way.
Listen, Vikki, I'm not a magician, but I am a pretty good P.
I.
as you well know.
Skip the commercial, Harry.
You want to find it, or you want to pay me? Okay, but I'll need some expense money.
This Jessica, whatever her name is, she could be anyplace.
San Francisco, or China Harry, you think I don't own a TV? What are you saying? What she's saying, stupid, is that even those P.
I.
's on TV know how to find out where phone calls come from.
That, well, sure, I can But, - no rough stuff.
- No rough stuff.
Good.
When you find out, you go there, and I go with you.
- No way.
I work alone.
- Not for me, you don't.
- What about me? - You mind the store.
Vikki, I hate this.
With him? You got to be kidding.
You want to hang on to your hands, you better keep them to yourself.
Everything I do should be so easy.
- Sheriff.
- You see the guy in the pork-pie hat? - Yeah.
- I know him from someplace.
- Boston.
- Boston? - How do you know he's from Boston? - Bus came from there.
Get in the car.
I'll take a look at some wanted posters.
Coming! Jessica! What do you say? Nick? What are you doing in Cabot Cove? Are you inviting me in or what? Of course I am.
Come on in.
What is it? - Is something wrong? - Wrong? No, well Some days are more fun than others but what else is new? That manuscript that I sent you.
It's wonderful, Nick.
But, didn't you get the phone message I left you? No, I haven't spent too much time at home lately.
I'm really glad that you liked it, but - I need it back.
Now, today.
- Dear! I'm sorry, but I don't have it here.
Please, tell me I'm not hearing this.
Nick, somebody broke into my cabin, they trashed my computer, they took the only other copy.
Nick, it's all right.
Your book, I mean.
I loaned it to a friend.
Ben Devlin.
He's our newspaper publisher.
For a second opinion.
Jessica I love you.
How do I find this guy? I'm afraid you can't until next week.
He's in the Canadian woods on a fishing trip.
I couldn't have sat down and wrote another Rick Sledge novel No, I had to get creative.
Nick.
Nick? Nick! - Harry! - Hi, Jessica! - Long time no see.
- San Francisco, McGraw? Jessica Fletcher say hi to Vikki Palumbo.
Miss Palumbo, how nice to meet you.
No, this is strictly business.
I mean, she's a client.
We're looking I'm looking for a book, written by Nick Culhane.
- I heard he sent you a copy.
- I want that book.
Are you in the publishing business, Miss Palumbo? Not exactly.
That scumbag, Nick Culhane, ran out on me.
Then you must be his agent.
Miss Palumbo is kind of in the credit business and Nick owes her some heavy bread.
Bread? Yes, gambling debts.
Nick.
I should have thought of that right away.
Women are certainly breaking ground in new professions.
That book of his.
If it exists, it's my collateral.
So that's the trouble he's in.
- Are you sure that's all? - That's all I know about.
As far as that book.
There's something that you should know.
This Miss Palumbo, she's a book-maker? You got that right.
And she's gone to Maine.
Yeah, phone messages.
I found them last night.
In her boyfriend's desk.
Phil, I would prefer you not to tell us how you go about things You're making me an accomplice.
She took a private investigator with her, a guy named McGraw.
All right, I want you to get up there, fast.
This morning I fired two more secretaries for admitting they'd been feeding Nick Culhane company gossip and lord knows how many other he's slept with or what they said.
I hardly even knew him.
Guys, Wait a minute here.
Listen, we don't know for sure if this book even exists, and second I don't want to know.
I just told you I don't want to know how you go about these thing.
Phil, keep in mind that, until we get our hands on it, we have to assume the worst about what this book might contain.
And that anybody who has read it, and is still capable of walking and talking can hurt us.
Badly.
- Hello.
- Jessica, everything okay? I'm not so sure.
Nick, where are you? I'm kind of on the move.
Those people that came.
It wasn't anybody called Mannix or Forbes, - was it? - No.
Nick, for heaven sakes, what's going on? If you're in some kind of trouble, maybe you should go to the police.
We have a responsible sheriff here, you know? No, don't get the cops involved.
All I have to do is find that copy of the manuscript, and I'm out of here.
Who did you say you gave it to? Ben Devlin, he's our local newspaper publisher, but he's out of town until next week.
If I don't get my hands on it, there may not be a next week.
Don't tell anybody you saw me.
Better yet, you don't even know me.
- Okay? - Sorry, but it's too late.
A lady came to the house looking for you.
She's interested in your book.
Her name is Vikki Palumbo.
Terrific, just what I need.
If anybody named Mannix or Forbes contacts you, you never heard of me.
And for god's sake, don't tell them I sent you my manuscript.
- So, now what? - Now we sit and watch.
Until when? The guy isn't coming back for a week.
Besides, we don't know if he took the book with him or if it's here.
Vikki, will you knock it off? This is what real detectives do! Here, have a donut.
I can't believe you charge people for this kind of work.
I can't believe a sweet guy like Lou Palumbo - could put up with you.
- Lou was a schnook.
He needed people to like him.
In the book-making business, that's a killer liability.
That's one problem you'll never have.
- There.
- What, there? - Where are you going? - Sit still.
I'll be right back.
But Mr.
Culhane, I figured it was you.
- Ogden sent you, right? - Ogden, no.
No.
ALL I want to Wait a minute.
My client just wants Okay, pal.
Freeze.
Look at that, you lousy creep.
Put a sock in it.
I'm on the phone here.
That's right.
Not only is there a manuscript, but at least two of the locals have read it so far.
All right, Phil.
I want you to back off until I get up there.
You better make it fast.
I need some heavy damage control.
What happened to my bubbala? The big bad man hit you? Listen to me, sweetheart.
Do yourself a favor, Unless you're really looking to get hurt, you let me know the minute you see or hear from Nick Culhane.
Understand? I wouldn't bother calling the cops, I'm a retired detective.
A sergeant with a string of medals and commendations And you.
You're what you are.
You know what I mean? Thanks.
You've got a Miss Palumbo here.
What is her room number.
I'm her brother.
What do you think? I punched myself in the mouth? If this is the best you guys can do for a cop, this town's in trouble.
I can't believe this low-life is actually a friend of yours.
Harry, Sheriff, please! Okay, okay.
So if you didn't break in, what were you doing there? I just happened to be passing by.
Two miles away from your hotel? Sheriff, was anything stolen from Ben's house? Not that you could notice, no.
Then you have no reason to be holding Mr.
McGraw.
Back in the NYPD, we used to have a saying about PI's, Unfortunately, it's not something I can repeat in mixed company.
But you should know, I checked with the Boston PD, turns out they've yanked his license four times in the last three years, plus, he's been picked up on suspicion of murder, - breaking and entering, assault.
- I know.
- You know? - Yeah, Sherlock.
- How many times did it stick? - Harry! He refuses to describe this alleged burglar, who allegedly assaulted him.
- Sheriff, - Come on, it was pitch dark.
And he refuses to explain what he's doing in Cabot Cove.
I can remember a time, when even the dumbest cop knew about client confidentiality.
Will you please stop this.
Both of you.
Sheriff, I think Harry has a good point here.
Thanks a lot.
But, I can tell you this much.
It has something to do with Nick Culhane.
Nick Culhane? From the beer commercials? Yeah.
That's the guy I saw getting off the bus.
Okay, Mrs.
Fletcher, what's Nick Culhane doing here in Cabot Cove? I shouldn't say any more.
I suppose that's client confidentiality, too? Jessica, you were within your rights, and I was within mine.
I know, but I hated not telling him everything I know.
- Trust me, you'll get over it.
- He's a good man.
He was only trying to do his job.
That makes two of us.
I don't get why Nick would assume I was working for Oggie Schmesser.
How much do you know about Mr.
Schmesser? Just what I hear.
Not that swift, sort of a playboy type, He's been running the brewer since his grandfather retired, when he's not chasing skirts.
I'm not sure if this means anything, but Nick's manuscript is about a wealthy young playboy, who inherits his grandfather's brewery.
Yeah? That's interesting.
In Nick's book, his best friend is an unscrupulous attorney who manipulates him into some very unethical behavior.
I'm getting the picture.
So Nick did a real hatchet job on Schmesser.
That doesn't explain why he was afraid of me.
Well, it may be more than a hatchet job.
Do you recall Mr.
Schmesser being kidnapped? Yeah, about five years ago.
It was a big deal.
The Boston papers seemed to think so.
I was going over some back issues this afternoon in the library.
I think the grandfather came up with about 3 million bucks to save junior's - buns.
- Yeah, that's what the papers said.
But according to Nick's book, young Mr.
Schmesser was never really kidnapped.
It was all a big hoax, rigged by the young man and his friend the attorney.
To set up grandpa and keep the three million for himself.
In the manuscript, it's the grandmother, - but otherwise - Hey, why not? Rich kid, expensive tastes, short of cash.
But if it actually happened that way, that means that Oggie and pals, are seriously worried about this book coming out.
Yes.
I had the impression that Nick was worried about much more than simply repaying a gambling debt.
Which may not be the whole story with Vikki Palumbo, She might be stringing me along trying to get that book so maybe she could exhort money from Schmesser.
Come on.
I'll get you a cab.
I don't know.
It all sounds very melodramatic.
You want to talk melodramatic? What about if Schmesser and his pal are really worried about what's in that book? Then you and your friend, the newspaper editor - Ben What's-his-name? - Devlin.
You could both be in this as deep as Nick because you've both read it! That's awfully far-fetched.
It's possible that it's not about any of this.
He could be having romantic problems.
Perhaps he's in trouble with the law, or something like that.
Yeah, and I'm Sam Spade.
I wish I could give him this manuscript and let him do whatever he wants with it.
Is it possible that he left it at his newspaper office? He told me he was taking it with him, but yes, it's possible.
Yes? I'm an attorney, Mrs.
Fletcher.
My name is Gordon Forbes.
I'm sorry to disturb you at this hour of the night, but I need to speak to you on a matter of great urgency.
Mrs.
Fletcher, I really don't like talking to a door.
Thank you.
I tried to call you on my car phone, but there was no answer.
I understand you have a copy of a certain manuscript by Nick Culhane.
On behalf of my client I'm prepared to make an extremely generous offer Mr.
Forbes, I don't have a manuscript.
Now, if you'll excuse me.
Wait.
Please.
Do you know where it is? Mr.
Forbes, if I call out, my neighbors will hear, and I happen to know that several of them have guns.
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to frighten you.
I'll call you in the morning.
Nick Culhane.
Drop it, dirt bag! I can't wait to see Mrs.
Fletcher try to explain this one.
I told you, I don't know whose gun it was.
Just like you don't know who slugged you because it wasn't anyone.
I figure the manuscript was never there.
- Or else the killer took it.
- If I could have returned the script, - Nick might still be alive.
- Wait a minute.
- What manuscript? - The problem is there are too many people after him and his book.
He went to the newspaper office looking for it.
Somebody followed him.
Or somebody got there first.
Harry.
- Can we get back to the manuscript? - I told you you might be on the spot because you read the thing.
- Now do you believe me? - Harry.
We don't know that's why Nick was killed.
- Wrong, you don't know.
- Hold it! I want to hear about this.
The character in the book who helped him rig his own kidnapping - What kidnapping! - Matches - real guy in Schmesser's life.
- Hold it, that's it! You are both going to tell me: Who's manuscript? What kidnapping? Who's Schmesser? And what this is all about? Very well.
Ogden, I told you it wasn't necessary - for you to drive all the way here.
- No? I thought I could count on you.
And you, Phil.
We've been covering as many bases as we can I've been on the phone since sunup trying to keep us out of the press.
Yeah? You wouldn't know it! ALL I heard on the news was Nick Culhane and Schmesser Brewing, like it was part of his name.
Hey kid, get a grip.
- We're giving it our best shot.
- That's not good enough.
I should have never listened to either one of you.
Running up and down the coast after this manuscript without knowing what's in it.
And then you don't even get your hands on it.
Ogden, you haven't got all the facts.
If grandfather was going to be unhappy about his stupid book will he like his favorite TV spokesman getting murdered? And the publicity it's generating.
He's on the phone to me all the way up here.
All right.
That's it.
I'll see you around sometime.
- No, wait.
- Forget it.
- I don't need this.
- Come on.
The guy needs a wet nurse.
I've been cleaning up after him for long enough, forget about it.
Now, see what you've done? Phil, please.
Sorry.
Like you mean it! Phil Phil I apologize.
I'll make it worth your while? All right.
The first order of business is the find the book before anybody else reads it.
And before the press gets their hands on it.
down the pipes.
Yeah, along with the sports car you promised me.
There was never any guarantee that book was worth 10 cents.
My friend in New York said nobody had never heard of it.
And the fact that that Fletcher woman said she liked it Well, maybe she was just being kind to Nick.
Anyway, who would have figured McGraw was smart enough to try and go into business for himself? I should have kept a closer eye on him.
How close did he get? Me and McGraw? Richard, you're starting to irritate me again.
Vikki, I'm sorry.
I don't mean to.
- Really.
- Yeah.
Let's get out of here.
Get yourself packed.
Let's get back to civilization.
Vikki, don't blow your top.
What? This guy Mannix, the one that came to see you last night - Don't.
- Vikki, I have to! - You and him? - That's it! I have had it with your jealousy.
- I just - I've had it with you! When we get back to Boston, you find yourself another job and life! Now, get out! You're going in the right direction.
Sit down.
All right.
Now.
Here, put these on.
Up you go.
I'm going to say this just one time.
We want the manuscript, now.
What makes you think I've got it? You haven't been paying attention.
- Please! - I haven't got it.
You got a friend here.
Richard, don't be stupid.
And don't try and protect Mrs.
Palumbo.
We know you either gave her the manuscript or you kept it, after you killed Nick Culhane.
Killed? Me? You guys are out of your minds.
Okay.
Wait a minute.
Suppose I can get my hands on this manuscript.
I'm not saying I can, but suppose Would you guys be willing to come up with 200 grand? Did I say 200? What do you say, guys? Don't scream.
I get very angry when I hear people scream.
Nitrate test.
McGraw couldn't have fired the murder weapon.
I know.
You were already sure he didn't do it.
I didn't say a word.
Anyway, we got Mrs.
Palumbo.
We caught her just as she was about to leave town.
Are you saying that she killed Nick Culhane? Not directly.
She incited her boyfriend by playing on his jealousy.
- Really? - I had to read between the lines but she finally admitted she and Nick had been an item.
The rest was easy.
She let Richard, the boyfriend, in on it he assumed Nick made it happened and went after him.
Then Vikki's motive for revenge was Nick's not having paid his gambling debts? Exactly.
I put out an APB on Richard about a half an hour ago.
The State cops will be picking him up even as we speak.
I tell you, I wish they were all this easy.
I don't know, Sheriff.
I have a feeling that there may be more to it.
I have to tell you, this time you are dead wrong.
I'll tell you something else.
I'm still convinced McGraw is in this up to his nostrils.
I don't understand.
About this manuscript everyone's so hysterical about.
I figure he grabbed it for himself.
That's Grand Theft.
Which I would give my left arm - to nab him for.
- Just a minute.
I'll admit that Harry has a few unfortunate habits, but, like yourself, he's a decent hard-working man.
I'm positive his involvement with this case is purely professional.
For your sake, I hope you're right.
That'll be 43 cents postage due.
- Fine.
- Thank you.
Looks like Mr.
Devlin sent that from Canada.
- Didn't realize the new rates.
- He's been away fishing.
- Good seeing you.
- Thank you, Mr.
Finnerty.
Give it to me, Mrs.
Fletcher.
- Give you what? - Nick Culhane's manuscript.
This? This is just a seed catalogue.
Mr.
Forbes, will you please leave my house? I'll be glad to, just as soon as you give me the seed catalogue.
Mrs.
Fletcher, I don't have time for this.
And neither do you.
What is it about his book that's so interesting for you? After all, it's just fiction, isn't it? Or is it? "I'm telling you, Osborne, it can't miss.
Your grandma'll do anything we tell her to do anything to get you back in one piece.
" Such as paying the 3 million dollar ransom that you and Schmesser collected from his grandfather? Isn't that correct, Mr.
Forbes? I've got no other options.
Yeah, you do! You can start walking back in there, very carefully.
Thank you, Harry.
Jessica, you should keep your door locked.
Any kind of riff-raff can just waltz right in here.
It was bad enough you killed an okay guy like Nick, and slugged me.
But when you start thinking about hurting Mrs.
Fletcher you're way off the chart! Harry, I'm not sure it was Mr.
Forbes who murdered Nick.
Come on, Jessica.
Let me ask you a question, Mr.
Forbes.
Did you search through Nick Culhane's cabin? No, that was handled by Phil Mannix.
Phil Mannix! What is it? How badly do you want to get to the bottom of this? I never should have been so trusting.
But I never dreamed that Gordo would pull something like this.
Yeah, who could read minds? We'll talk to your grandfather.
We'll lay it all out for him.
Nick's murder, plus whatever else happens in the book.
It was all Forbes' doing.
We'll just make the old man understand that we are clean.
Gordon! What do you know? Miserable Lying piece of garbage.
- What? - I've seen the manuscript.
It's all in there.
Everything that you told Nick Culhane.
- He told him? - Don't listen to him.
Oggie, Did you ever tell Nick, or anyone else any secretaries, anybody, about our little kidnapping scheme? What? Are you crazy? That's why you killed him, isn't it? So he could tell anybody that he heard all about it from you! Phil told you that number, didn't he? Yes.
Well, half of it's right, anyway.
The half about why Nick was murdered.
- I don't understand.
- You button it! Oggie, listen to me.
Only the three of us knew about this.
You, me, Phil.
You didn't tell anyone, I didn't tell anyone, Forget it.
Why would I pull a no-brainer like that? He's the one nursing the grudges.
Complaining behind your back about having to save you from yourself.
- About taking your grandfather - Okay, Gordon, please.
The truth, now.
Where were you on the night Nick Culhane was murdered? Why are you asking him that? He'll just give you bull! Phil, let him answer.
I was with Vikki Palumbo.
- See? It's a lie.
- Ask her! I made a deal with her.
If she got to the manuscript first, she would sell it back to us.
But what neither of us realized, is that Phil couldn't afford to have that happen, because Phil knew what was on every page.
- If we were to read it we would know.
- Yes.
That Phil was Nick's source.
I'm sorry, fellas.
If I'd gotten to the manuscript first, we'd all be going back to Boston alive.
Go figure.
Freeze! Move and you're a dead man.
You're under arrest for the murder of Nick Culhane Cuff him and read him his rights.
You have the right to remain silent.
If you give up that right, anything you say can and will be used You did okay.
I can't believe you talked me into this.
Okay.
But what I don't get is, what was in it for you? About spilling the truth about the fake kidnapping to Nick Culhane? With Nick in hock to Vikki, he couldn't have offered you money.
It's possible that Mr.
Mannix may have another motive.
According to Nick's book, you fictional counterpart tended to have a loose tongue when he was drinking.
Plus, he felt unappreciated by his employers.
You got that right, lady.
I was hired by old man Schmesser to nursemaid Ogden.
But grandpa didn't come around much anymore.
And Gordon Forbes was busy building his little empire.
Which wasn't about to include me.
They conveniently forgot the whole kidnapping gag would have fallen apart if it wasn't for me.
And when they collected the three million, my end of it was pennies.
Anyway, Nick and I used to go pub crawling sometimes.
One night I guess it all just boiled up inside me and I let the sauce get the better of my common sense.
Nick swore to me he'd never use the stuff that I told him.
Then two weeks ago, I run into Vikki Palumbo.
She all bent out of shape because Nick's been stalling her.
She says he promised to pay her out of the money he's getting from a book that he wrote.
And suddenly, you're frightened.
Yeah.
I started doing some digging.
I found out that Nick was dating some of the people from the brewery.
You know, picking their brains to find out what was going on behind the scenes.
Then I was sure there was a book.
Suddenly you realized it contained all the information you had given to Nick.
Gordon Forbes and young Mr.
Schmesser would know that it couldn't have come from anyone but you.
- Right.
- Even if the law didn't come after you, it would've meant the end of your cushy life on Schmesser's payroll.
You try living on a cop's pension.
So, you broke into Nick's cabin, and found the manuscript.
Right.
I took what I thought was the only one.
And I burned it.
Along with the other thing.
What do you call it, floppy disk? And then I destroyed the computer.
But that left Nick.
He was a major loose end.
It's not here, Nick.
Phil! I was just trying to find it, so I could turn it over to you.
Sure you were.
You weasel.
You just couldn't keep what I told you to yourself, could you? No! See? What did I tell you? I'm sorry I couldn't cooperate more with you, Sheriff, but I was trying to protect Harry and Nick.
I understand.
Tell me something.
How did you figure it out? Whoever was desperate enough to kill Nick, and tried to kill me certainly knew exactly what was in that book.
And whoever it was broke into Nick's place before Vikki Palumbo and Richard ever got there.
- Right, Jessica.
- Right, Harry.
And that, as they say, is all she wrote.