[Jessica] Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.
A young athlete has died before his time.
The ball was out, Mr. Harrigan.
Oh! Can't you see the white lines?
You need glasses, old-timer.
I can remember when tennis was a gentleman's game.
Get wise, honey, or get moving.
You, I can do without altogether.
Now stay out of this.
We're dealing with a person
who's not only dangerous, but desperate.
Carol?
Carol, what is it?
[cheerful orchestral music]
[crowd gasping]
[laughing]
Pathetic.
[applauding]
Alright! Whoo!
[male voice] And now, may we introduce
the honorary chairperson for this year's event,
one of America's foremost mystery novelists,
Mrs. J.B. Fletcher!
As I have been asked
to restrict my speech to four words:
let the games begin!
[applause]
I still can't believe I fell on my fanny in front of all those people.
Well, that's why they call it an "exhibition."
But, you know, I still see flashes of that old form
that won you the state championship for Cabot Cove High.
-Lord! That was ten years ago. -Oh, don't remind me.
I thought I was gonna be the next Chris Evert.
I soon realized Chris had nothing to worry about.
How's your sister Barbara? Does she still play?
No. Barbara has other things on her mind.
-Where does she live? In Boston still? -Brian!
Carol, how many times have I told you?
No matter how exhausted you get, never sit down on the court.
Oh, you rat! You were watching!
Watching? How could I take my eyes off you?
Jessica Fletcher, this terrible person is Brian East,
the man who thinks he's gonna marry me.
Well, I'm delighted to meet you, Brian, and congratulations.
Thank you.
Well, what have you ladies got planned?
Well, for starters, we thought we'd watch you
knock the socks off of Horrible Harrigan,
after which we'll undoubtedly watch
Cissy Barnes demolish Penny Novack.
Oh, haven't you heard? Cissy's dropping out.
Oh. Don't you do that. You know she's our top draw.
No, I'm not kidding.
I just saw her on her way up to see Elliot.
She was moaning about a pulled muscle.
-Oh! -Oh, no!
This is earth-shattering, Jessica.
Please forgive me.
Yes, earth-shattering.
Yeah, she says things like that.
But I love her anyway.
[Cissy] Oh, Elliot, I can't bear it!
Anytime I put any kind of weight on this leg,
the pain cuts through me like a knife.
-Oh, here. Let me help you. -Oh, thank you.
Now, Cissy, what would it take to ease that pain of yours?
Another thousand on top of your guarantee?
Oh! It still hurts, Elliot, but keep trying.
Cissy, I'm sorry. It just wouldn't be fair to the others.
Oh, come off it. You and I both know
that this tournament is a sellout because of me.
Does Donny Harrigan know about that?
Listen, Doris, darling.
We all know what an expert you are on male tennis players.
You've helped so many of them score.
Why, look at that, dad.
-Her limp is gone. -Hallelujah.
A momentary recovery, Elliot.
I can resurrect this injury in time for a press conference,
which I plan to hold in about an hour,
unless you come across with a more substantial guarantee.
What do you say?
I say you've got a hell of a lot of nerve.
Carol, take it easy.
I liked your outfit out there, Carol.
I almost mistook you for a tennis player,
but then you started to play.
Cissy, we have already given you enough
so-called expense money to feed an entire family for a year.
All right, ladies. That's enough.
Cissy, old friends shouldn't haggle over nickels and dimes.
You want five thousand more? You got it.
-Tell your agent to call me. -Elliot!
Now, you rest up for your match tonight and be sure and wear
one of those outrageous little costumes of yours.
There's a photographer here from S.I.
I'll need somebody to zip me up.
Don't tempt an old man.
[both chuckling]
-Elliot, how could you do that? -Alright. So I caved.
You've got your star attraction, haven't you?
Carol's forgotten that paying celebrities
under the table is done all the time.
And your father's forgotten that I already made a deal,
which Cissy agreed to.
Elliot, this is a rotten way to do business.
But let's not forget that's what it is, Carol. A business.
[frustrated groan]
I knew she was going to be trouble.
-I can handle Cissy. -I didn't mean Cissy.
You know, honey, when it comes to Carol McDermott,
I find it hard to tell
where envy begins and jealousy leaves off.
[scoffs] Because she took a man away from me?
Please, dad. So Carol's got Brian.
That's not what I want. Not now.
I want her job.
If I ever decide to let her go, it's yours. Okay?
I may hold you to that.
[chuckling]
-[crowd booing] -[male voice] Are you crazy?
-What was that? -It's Horrible Harrigan. Come on.
Do you agree with this call?
The ball was out, Mr. Harrigan.
[Mr. Harrigan] Oh! You must be insane! Can't you see the white lines?
[Mr. Harrigan] Pray, forgive me.
I mustn't say things like that since I've mellowed.
After all, you're only doing your job, Sir,
you're just not doing it very well.
I can remember when tennis was a gentleman's game.
You've got a terrific memory.
[Mr. Harrigan] You're a wonderful person,
and a great human being.
But you need glasses, old-timer!
Resume play, Mr. Harrigan, or forfeit the game.
-[Mr. Harrigan] Look where it hit! -[male voice] Game to Mr. East.
[Mr. Harrigan] Oh, come on, bandit!
Oh, boy! Excuse me.
[Mr. Harrigan] Man, you have lost your marbles!
How'd you get this job anyway, huh? You paid?
Look at the white lines! That thing was in!
-Ridiculous! -[Carol] Okay, what's the trouble here?
The trouble, sweetie,
is that your fleabag tournament is infested with a flotilla
of nearsighted buffoons passing themselves off as line judges.
Look, Mr. Harrigan, we have a funny tradition at this club.
The players play, the judges judge,
and I frankly do not have the time
or the patience to deal with your self-serving arrogance.
Now, you either play or take a hike, but I warn you,
if you walk, I will serve you up to your association on a platter.
Clear enough?
Well, I'm not sure what you said,
but if it was a book, I'd copyright it.
Well, I've already alienated our top female player today.
Why not our top male player as well?
What are you trying to do,
make a monkey out of my client in front of his fans?
Only God can make a monkey, Mitch.
I'm just telling it to play by the rules.
You don't get it, do you, Carol?
Everybody likes to see Donny go into his act.
It's called show business.
Well, if by "everybody", you're including me
you better count again.
Get wise, honey, or get moving.
You, I can do without altogether.
And who was that charming character?
That is Mitch Mercer, Donny's personal manager.
I would have introduced you, but he didn't deserve the honor.
Actually, he was Brian's manager until last week
when Brian caught him forging Brian's name to a check.
[whistles]
Forget I said that. Donny confided in me. It just slipped out.
Oh, the noise level. Can't hear a thing.
Yeah!
Alright, Bri!
[soft pop-rock music]
[chuckling] Oh, oh, sure, sure, sure. Okay. Alrighty.
-Here you go. -Thanks.
Yeah? Alright.
[squishy noise]
[Elliot] That was taken three years ago, Fourth of July.
-My wife, Annie. -She was lovely.
Yes, she was, in every way.
My daughter Doris. But you two have met.
Earlier. She's a very charming young woman.
Not always, but she's all I have left.
You get to be more tolerant when the loneliness of old age
starts fogging you in.
Isn't that Carol in the background?
You have extraordinarily good eyes.
I recognize her stance. [chuckles]
If I'm not mistaken, that's her sister Barbara with her.
Yes. Barbara. Would you care to dance?
I'd love to! Sounds like a samba.
If it isn't, we'll fake it.
Elliot, darling! Where have you been?
Cissy, look at you. What do you think?
-Well, it's highly original. -That means he hates it.
It's a sure sign I'm on the right track.
Cissy Barnes.
-And you're J.B. Fletcher. -How do you do?
I've read ten pages of your new book.
Well, that's very nice to hear, Ms. Barnes. I hope you finish it.
I doubt it. Got a short attention span.
So how did you get roped into this thing?
Well, I have a soft spot for good causes and uh,
old students.
Oh, right. Let me guess.
Carol was voted most likely to succeed, or was it Ms. Prom Queen?
Actually, both. How did you guess?
Cissy, I'd hoped I'd find you here.
Look, I'm sorry about our run-in this afternoon.
What? Backing up?
I had no idea your gear box included reverse.
Anyway, I do apologize.
-Let's be friends. -Let's not.
I'd rather cozy up to a virus infection.
All right, Cissy. Cool it.
Oh, Brian, I just love it when you try to act gallant.
Jessica, I think this is our dance.
Oh, Elliot, this is not really my speed.
Don't run off, Elliot.
I want you to hear this firsthand.
I've had it with this tournament
and with miss perfection here in particular. I'm out.
Oh, come on, Cissy. You signed an agreement.
Really? Are you sure?
Yes, I checked it myself.
Well, check it again.
Your boyfriend here has already knocked out
the number-two attraction in this tournament.
Now you can kiss number one good-bye as well.
Bye, folks. I won't be seeing you.
Now even I've had enough.
-I want to see that agreement. -Elliot!
Carol, now!
That girl is not walking away from this tournament.
The agreements are all in a file, and I took them home.
Look, I'll get them.
It won't take me more than 20 minutes.
It'll all be settled, and we can forget it, okay?
No, it's not okay.
This is her idea of some sick joke.
I saw her signature on the agreement!
-Carol! -What's the matter with you?
You don't think I can do my job?
Go ahead, Brian. Get the files.
Right.
Oh, Carol, look, your car is blocking mine.
I'll take yours.
[sighs] I sure hope we're gonna laugh about this tomorrow.
-I don't feel like laughing now. -We will.
Be back in a flash.
Like I said, Jessica, I think this was our dance.
Well, quick, before they change their minds.
They're not bad for a bunch of guys brought up on steel guitars.
I bet you're a Glenn Miller man.
Les Brown, actually.
And you move very nicely.
Your moves aren't bad either.
[slow dance music]
[engine turning over]
[explosion]
[gasping] [agitated chattering]
Brian. Brian!
[distant siren wailing]
[Len] A witness says you and the victim
had it out in the dressing room.
Yeah, I told him off. I'm a sore loser. So what?
Well, uh, you say that you spent the entire evening
with Doris Robinson.
Yeah.
Then how come a waiter says
that you ducked out of the party alone
and you were gone for a while?
I had to make a pit stop at the John, okay?
Champagne does that to me.
Look, if I wanted to blow up everybody I was sore at,
I'd need a truck just to carry around the dynamite.
How'd you know it was dynamite?
Well, what else do you blow up cars with? Cookie dough?
I hear there was bad blood between you and Brian East.
We were like brothers.
Why'd he dump you as his manager?
You ever hear of Cain and Abel?
What'd he do, Mercer, catch you autographing his checks?
Who told you that, his girlfriend?
She was lying.
No. She didn't tell me anything, but thanks for the tip.
Yeah, I thought I recognized you,
Mercer, so I had 'em put you through the computer.
Six years ago, you were busted on the same charge.
[Mercer] The charge was dropped.
Yeah, after somebody slugged your client
and threatened her life.
I was cleared, Lieutenant.
As for Brian East, he was a fading second-rater.
I couldn't waste my time on him.
Donny Harrigan is my boy.
-There's no one better. -Really?
So how come he got his socks beat off by this fading second-rater?
[laughs] He's all yours, Len.
Is this gonna take long?
[Len] Probably.
Ah, Mrs. Fletcher?
-Lieutenant Travis. -How do you do?
By the way, I caught your lecture
on murders in contemporary fiction
last spring in Boston College.
-Ah, it's first-rate stuff. -Thank you very much.
So tell me, uh, what was I doing wrong in there?
-Sorry? -Oh, come on.
I know that head-shaking look. I ought to.
I've seen it from my wife often enough.
Well, don't you think you're wasting your time
questioning people
who might have had a reason to kill Brian East?
I mean, he couldn't possibly have been the intended victim.
Yeah. I know, I know.
Nobody could have known
he was gonna borrow the McDermott woman's car.
I just wanted to shake up that sleazebag
Mitch Mercer a little.
Well, I'd say you shook him up a lot.
The real question is, who would wanna kill Miss McDer--
Carol.
Why did it happen? Jessica, I don't understand.
Maybe you'd better take her home.
Yes, of course.
-Uh, we have to talk. -Tomorrow.
Mr. Robinson, is your daughter well enough to talk now?
Yes, Lieutenant, of course.
Thank you.
Carol?
Carol, we're home.
Carol, would you mind very much if I stayed with you tonight?
No, Jessica, I don't mind.
Thank you.
Thanks.
Could I get you some tea or coffee?
Maybe just some conversation, huh?
Carol, I-I know it's hard,
but if you could just talk and let it out--
I'm all right.
I think I'll try to get some sleep.
You know, I don't like the idea of you being alone
these next few days.
Perhaps your sister could come and stay--
No!
I'm sure she couldn't.
Well, tomorrow why don't we call her and see?
Just because Barbara's come back doesn't mean I want to see her.
-Come back? -Good night, Jessica.
[phone rings]
-Hello. -Carol?
No, this is a friend. Who is it?
[line clicks, dial tone hums]
A young athlete has died before his time,
and we must ask ourselves, "why has this happened?"
For the moment, there is no answer,
and we can only serve his memory
by paying him the homage he deserves.
That's why the remaining games
for the children's fund tennis tournament
will be dedicated to our friend Brian East.
-Thank you. -[reporters shouting]
[woman's reporter] Cissy! Cissy, is it true that you once
had a romantic relationship with Brian East?
I don't remember.
Donny, how do you feel about his being murdered
only hours after you lost to him?
What's that supposed to mean, you creep?
Can't you see he's upset?
He just lost a real friend.
Mr. Mercer, have you ever been arrested?
Carol, what are you doing here?
-You didn't have to come in. -I know. I wanted to.
Jessica, don't you think she should rest?
Maybe it's a good thing
that she's got something to occupy her mind.
Well, I can understand that.
I felt the same way after my Annie died.
Well, I should check this morning's receipts.
Good idea. You run along and do that.
-See you later, Jessica. -Yes.
Thanks.
She's like my daughter Doris.
Thinks she's tough, but you can see right through her,
right down to the pain.
Strange, both of them hurting over the same man.
Oh?
Doris and Brian were almost engaged
before Carol entered the picture.
Carol is a fine girl.
I'm glad you're looking after her.
Well, it's only temporary.
I'm afraid I have to go home
as soon as the tournament is over.
You know, I'd really wish that she could find someone
to stay with her for a while.
Shouldn't be too difficult. She's got lots of friends.
-What about Barbara? -Barbara?
-Carol's sister Barbara? -Yes, yes.
I have the feeling that they'd had a sort of falling out.
Every time I mention her name, Carol sort of tightens up.
-Then you don't know? -Know what?
That photograph you were looking at,
taken fourth of July three years ago--
Barbara turned up stoned, asked Carol for money.
Carol refused. They had a terrible fight
right after that photograph was taken.
It was the last time any of us ever saw Barbara alive.
The next day, she died in a plane crash.
Carol?
-Hello, Jessica. -Carol, are you free for lunch?
I'm starved, and we really should talk.
Mmm. I'm not very hungry, and I have to check some figures.
Something's wrong. What is it?
-Elliot told me about Barbara. -Barbara? What about her?
You know, you shouldn't have let me go on like that
without telling me.
Telling you what? What are you talking about?
That Barbara was killed in a plane crash three years ago.
Elliot's wrong. Barbara wasn't killed in any plane crash.
-Oh? -Of course not.
I saw her just a few days ago.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I really have to check these figures.
July fifth. Trans-central airlines.
-Well, here, read it yourself. -Oh, thank you very much.
"Destination: Chicago. Suspected cause of crash"...
Mechanical malfunction during an electrical storm.
Everybody on board, crew and passengers, dead on impact.
-Crash happened... -93 miles west of Boston.
-There's a passenger list. -Oh, yes.
Here's the name you were asking about.
Barbara McDermott, Carol's sister,
the one she insists is still alive.
Could that be an error?
[chuckles]
Well, uh, try this address, then you tell me...
if somebody made a mistake.
This is it. Barbara McDermott.
-There's no stone. -Stones are up to the family.
Never ordered one.
Never ordered for the care or cleaning of the grave site.
Well, some families are like that.
Dead is dead.
Like they didn't care for her when she was alive and...
They care even less now.
For care and cleaning. And some flowers, too.
Oh, bless you, ma'am.
[doorbell rings]
[suspenseful music]
Miss McDermott?
Miss McDermott? It's Lieutenant Travis.
Miss McDermott? Miss Mc--
-Carol? -[sobbing]
-Carol, what is it? -[hysterical sobbing]
Operator, get me the police. This is an emergency.
[whispering] Carol, who did it?
Barbara. Barbara killed him. [sobbing continues]
Why the hell did Lieutenant Travis go to that house?
Mind if I sit down?
It's been a long night at the hospital.
You've had a long night?
I had to tell his wife.
Tell me, did he discuss much about the case with you, Sergeant?
All I know is, he had a lead of some kind.
Travis mostly worked out of his hat.
-How's Miss McDermott doing? -She's still under sedation.
Great. That's great.
My only witness, and I can't get her for a statement.
Did you pick up any fingerprints on the knife?
Smudged.
Why didn't he wait for me?
Why didn't he leave me a message?
-You want some coffee? -No.
Sergeant, believe me, I-
I know what it feels like to lose a friend.
What friend? He was my partner.
I got a lot of friends. I only got one partner.
Maybe he, uh...
maybe he found something, and then he...
he went to the house to confront her with it.
-Carol? -Yeah, Carol.
You see anybody else there?
You, uh, walk into the house,
and you find her alone with the body,
and she says that her sister did it.
Her dead sister, Barbara.
It's possible that Carol saw someone in the house.
It's also possible that you arrived after she killed him,
and she pretended to be loony tunes
so she could beat a murder rap.
Oh, I'm sorry, but I can't believe that.
Well, do you believe that her sister climbed out of her grave,
took a bus and paid her a visit?
Excuse me, please.
I gotta call my wife.
Let her know I'm still alive.
She likes to be up on things.
Mrs. Fletcher.
-Oh, Ms. Barnes. -Is it true?
What I heard about the lieutenant getting killed?
Yes, I'm afraid it is, but Carol was not responsible.
Oh? They're saying that she was.
-They're wrong. -Well, good.
I'm glad to hear it.
I'm not exactly a member of the Carol McDermott fan club,
but she's too straight and narrow to have murdered anyone.
If there's anything I can do...
Well, that's very thoughtful, and I know she'll appreciate it.
Cissy, you didn't, by any chance,
know Barbara, her sister?
I didn't even know she had a sister.
That lady gets around.
Donny, what are you doing here?
I thought you'd be in London by now.
Yeah, me too. But I still may have some tennis to play.
You got yourself a deal.
Donny stays on to take Brian's place in the semifinals.
Mrs. Fletcher, is there something I can help you with?
-I was looking for your father. -Mitch and I had just finished.
Right. Let me know as soon as you cut that check
for Donny's new expenses.
See you later, doll baby.
Have you noticed, Mitch,
how much you're starting to sound like your client?
I think you've got that the wrong way round.
Dad's asked me to handle Carol's duties until things are resolved.
Guess all of this is making me a little nervous.
Anyway, dad's not here right now.
Is there anything I can do?
I hope so. I want to find out what I can about Carol's sister Barbara.
Sorry, I never met her,
although I did see her once at Carol's house
when I went there to pick up some papers for my father.
Oh, you saw her, but you never met her?
Well, I didn't actually go into the house.
I started to ring the bell,
and I heard a terrible fight inside.
A woman's voice was screaming at Carol.
I walked around to the rear, to the kitchen,
and I heard Carol begging Barbara
to go away and stay out of her life.
When I peeked in the kitchen window,
there was this redhead with her back to me,
smashing everything she could get her hands on.
And where was Carol?
Actually, I didn't see her, but I know she was there
because Barbara kept telling her she was going to get even for everything.
And Barbara, what did she look like?
I didn't see her face.
As I said, she had her back to me.
But her voice--
What?
It-it was like Carol's, only huskier and full of hate.
Oh, it was awful.
Papers or no papers,
I didn't want to go in there, so I left.
Your memory is very vivid, even after three years.
Three years? No, this was only a couple of months ago.
Look, I know about the plane crash
and that she's supposed to be dead,
but all I know is what I heard.
Carol called her Barbara.
If she wasn't Barbara, who was she?
[Elliot] A little more to the left. Now, the cup over here.
Let's try to create space in the center of the display.
Jessica, I thought you'd be at the hospital with Carol.
-She's sleeping. -Oh, good. That's fine. Thanks, Tom.
Well, I just left Doris.
She seems very happy with her new responsibilities.
She needs something to keep her busy.
Oh, not Carol's job. She's just filling in.
Expecting a new trophy?
Actually, we're presenting one, posthumously, to Brian East.
We'll keep the trophy in the club, with Carol's permission, of course.
After all, this was the scene
of his last brilliant victory on the court.
It's odd that the fallen torch should be snatched up
by his vanquished opponent.
Yes, well--
Yes. I-I know. It's business.
Elliot, I don't want to be a pest, but certain things have been troubling me.
Tell me, what do you remember about Barbara McDermott?
She was a very sick girl.
By sick, I mean unstable.
Carol nearly went broke
getting her out of one scrape after another.
She brought her to Boston
and took her in after their parents died.
Oh, yes, in that terrible highway accident
near Cabot Cove. I remember.
Then finally, when Barbara was admitted to that hospital in Westoverfield,
Carol made that 200-mile roundtrip every Thursday,
rain or shine, without complaint.
You don't happen to remember the name of that hospital, do you?
Culver's a private hospital for the treatment of mental illness.
Oh. I didn't know.
Well, I'm Rosie. Can I help you?
Well, I hope so.
I do realize that all information regarding patients
-is confidential. -Strictly.
Well, the young woman that I'm inquiring about
was a patient here several years ago,
and her name was Barbara McDermott.
Are you researching a new book, Mrs. Fletcher?
You know me?
It's cool, it's cool. I'm a writer too.
-Oh? -Unpublished as yet, but you're so right.
Research gives a book a realism that really grabs a reader
by his handle, if you know what I mean.
Now, this place here, you are talkin' major stories here.
Hundreds of 'em.
Well, actually, I'm only interested in just one.
Me? Well, I'm writing a book about outer space.
That's where I'm from. Originally, I mean.
Rosie, how long have you been a patient here?
Long enough to have entered every admission file into this computer,
and no one named Barbara McDermott was ever treated here.
Could you possibly double-check to make sure?
Oh, it's not necessary.
I ran it through yesterday for this guy from Boston.
-Lieutenant Travis. -That's him! Right.
He got really interested when I told him that--
that there was a McDermott treated here
in the last five years, but her name wasn't Barbara.
It was Carol.
Sergeant. There you are.
Sergeant, I just found out where Lieutenant Travis
-went yesterday. -Is that so?
Carol McDermott was an outpatient
at a mental hospital
until the day of the plane crash three years ago.
I hate to burst your bubble, ma'am, but I know all about it.
Come on. There's someone I want you to meet.
-Thanks. -I brought somebody to see you.
-Mrs. Fletcher. -Yes?
You may not remember me.
I'm Barbara McDermott, Carol's sister.
When I was little, our mom used to make Carol promise
she'd take good care of me if anything happened to her.
Carol gave it her best shot,
but I-I was a real handful.
I was wild. I thought I knew it all.
You name it, I tried it.
I guess the last straw came
when I made an awful scene in front of Carol's boss and his family.
The Fourth of July party at the racquet club.
The next day, Carol booted me out of the house.
She told me not to come back until I got myself straightened out.
I guess she thought I'd come crawling.
Not me. Oh, no.
I took her car and headed west.
That's when I picked up a hitchhiker, a girl about my age.
I needed somebody to tell my troubles to.
Well, she had some troubles of her own
and a switchblade knife.
She stole the car and my money, with my purse and my I.D.
Then she was the one who died in the plane crash.
I read about it the next day.
And you still didn't go home,
didn't even make a lousy phone call?
When I realized I was dead, it was like being reborn.
I wanted to go someplace and start over
and forget all my troubles with Carol.
That's terrific.
I thought she'd be glad to get rid of me.
I was messin' up her life.
Well, that's the truth.
What did you do then?
I thumbed rides, and I didn't stop until I got to Seattle.
For a couple of years, things weren't so good.
I was drinking more than ever.
And then a few months ago,
I-I got into this group,
and they're straightening me out.
I have a job and a nice place to live.
I've met a guy, and we're talking about getting married.
Then you decided to contact your sister.
Well, it's part of the group that I'm into--
trying to square things
with people that you've hurt in the past
but I knew I couldn't do it by phone.
I knew I had to face her.
So I came back to Boston last week.
Last week?
Barbara, what happened when you confronted Carol?
She acted...strange.
Like she couldn't accept it was really me standing there,
uh, like she didn't believe I was her sister.
[shaky sigh] Anyway, that's when I left.
But you tried to get in touch with her again
two nights later after Brian East's death.
I heard about it on the radio, and...
How--
I answered the phone. You hung up.
You? I thought it was just Carol being spooky.
Spooky?
Look, I've told you all I know.
I found these notes of Pat Travis's in his desk.
He talked to the head shrink at the hospital.
It seems that Carol felt inadequate
to the job of taking care of Barbara,
not like her parents would have done, had they remained alive.
Yes, I see.
"Although he never treated her after the loss of her sister,
"doctor imagines Carol's guilt was overwhelming.
"Her probable reasoning:
"if she hadn't tossed Barbara out of the house,
Barbara would still be alive."
Keep reading.
"It's possible Carol dealt with it
"by refusing to admit Barbara was dead,
keeping her alive in her mind."
And if Barbara showed up alive, how could she acknowledge her?
Casebook schizophrenia.
Maybe. But even so, there's no proof that Carol killed anyone.
No. Not Carol killing someone, Mrs. Fletcher.
Excuse me.
-[whispers] What is it? -[indistinct whispering]
Okay, let's go.
Sergeant?
Someone called Carol McDermott at the hospital.
She slipped out...
Maybe an hour ago.
[suspenseful music] It's open.
She may be in there waiting, like she was for Travis.
-Go around the back. -Okay.
Good Lord!
[Len] She's gone berserk.
[Len] She's finally snapped.
The other personality, Barbara, finally got the upper hand.
Nobody here, but I found this dynamite in the kitchen.
Get on the horn and issue an A.P.B.
Carol McDermott, presumed dangerous.
Excuse me, Sergeant,
but didn't you thoroughly search the house...
[phone beeping]
when Lieutenant Travis was murdered?
We went over this place with a tweezer.
But you didn't find any dynamite then.
Why did you suddenly find it now?
Because she had it hidden.
Then why suddenly unhide it?
Mrs. Fletcher, this is not advice.
This is an order.
Now, stay out of this!
We're dealing with a person who is not only dangerous, but desperate.
I'm afraid we are.
So I throw down my racquet, right. And I go over to the chair.
And I start yelling real loud so everybody can hear.
Including the Prince of Wales, Lady Di, and half of the royal family.
So he says to me... he says,
"Resume play, Sir, or I shall find you in contempt."
I says, "Fella, you couldn't find a bowling ball in a teacup."
[laughing]
And then he starts reading me the riot act--
you know, tradition of the games, civility of gentlemen.
I mean, can you believe that?
From a country whose big claim to fame is warm beer.
-To tennis. -Excuse me.
Well, Mrs. Fletcher. Would you care to join us?
Oh, I'm sorry, but this is urgent.
I'm looking for Carol McDermott.
Yeah, you and that homicide cop.
He just called, said to call him back if she showed.
But we're leaving.
Well, have you seen Elliot Robinson?
Are you kidding? This place is deserted.
We closed this bar up about an hour ago.
[laughing]
Jessica. What are you doing here?
-Looking for you, Elliot. -For me? Why? What's wrong?
Today you removed a photograph from the trophy case
that I had noticed the night that Brian was killed.
What are you talking about?
It showed you posing with your wife and your daughter
three years ago on the Fourth of July.
I was rearranging the decorations.
In the background were two blurred figures.
One of them was Carol, and the other was Barbara.
So, what?
Your daughter lied to me, Elliot.
Doris told me she didn't know Barbara McDermott,
that she'd never met her.
She made a mistake.
It was no mistake, Elliot,
or you wouldn't have removed the picture
because you knew what else she had told me:
a desperate lie about hearing Carol pleading with Barbara
in their kitchen two months ago.
Oh, please.
But I wasn't supposed to believe that it was Barbara.
Doris wanted me to believe
it was Carol pretending to be Barbara,
a tormented Carol on the verge of a breakdown,
which is why you made sure both Lieutenant Travis and I
ended up at that sanitarium.
You wanted us to learn of Carol's psychiatric treatment.
You wanted Carol to take the blame for setting the bomb in her own car.
You wanted us to believe
that it was the Barbara side of her personality
that had tried to kill Carol.
And why would I do that?
To protect someone that you couldn't bear to lose.
You'd already trashed Carol's house,
planted the dynamite and that red wig
to convince everyone that poor Carol was the mad killer.
Then you called her at the hospital and arranged to what?
Meet her on the outside? To take her where?
Really, Jessica, this is preposterous.
-Where is she, Elliot? -Look, you're upset.
Let's go somewhere, and we'll talk it out, huh?
What the hell's going on here, Elliot?
She tells me she's looking for Carol McDermott.
The cops are looking for her.
And I'm pulling out of the parking lot,
and the guard wants to know whether you and Carol are still here.
-Then she is here. -No.
Oh, come on. He saw you drive in together a half hour ago.
Oh, no! Oh!
There's still time! Call an ambulance and the police.
This is an emergency.
[Elliot] I didn't want to do it. I had to.
To protect Doris.
I found the dynamite,
and when I confronted Doris with it, she told me everything.
She has this hate for Carol. Sick. Psychotic.
She loved Brian,
and then when Carol took him away, something snapped.
She put that bomb in Carol's car,
and then when Brian was killed in her place...
Go on, Mr. Robinson.
The next day, she went back to the house to find Carol,
to finish the job.
She took a knife from the kitchen and-- and started up the stairs,
when she heard the front door start to open.
She ducked into the closet and waited.
Through the crack she recognized Lieutenant Travis.
She knew that if Travis found her there,
he'd put everything together,
so she stabbed him and ran out.
And when Carol came home, she caught a glimpse of Doris.
A trick of light or her emotions made her think that it was Barbara.
My only hope was to make you think Carol was crazy.
I had no idea Barbara was really alive.
-Where is Doris now? -Home.
I have a nurse with her. She's sedated.
I know I should have told you, but I couldn't.
You see, she's all I had left.
-I'll need a statement. -Of course.
-Mrs. Fletcher, she'd like to see you. -Thank you.
-Oh, don't be silly.
Oh, I feel like such a fool.
Elliot called me at the hospital,
said there was something very important
he had to talk to me about.
And we drove here to the club, and he fixed me a drink.
Yes, I know.
And that's the last thing I remember.
Jessica, there are so many things I have to sort out.
Barbara.
You know, she tried very hard to protect you.
She was very concerned.
I'd like to see her.
Oh, I think you two are going to see
a great deal of each other for a long, long time to come.