[Jessica] Tonight, on Murder, She Wrote.
[Jessica] Passion and power.
And like early man’s dream of conquering the ocean.
Kyle’ll out-tack him, cross him, pinch him.
Why don’t you win it for him?
No lady skipper has ever done that.
The trouble between you and Mr. Kimball is no secret.
-Are you a real sheriff? -If you want Tommy,
you get out of this race, you go home.
Kimball’s looking for a bruise.
How could you have humiliated me like that?
We’re supposed to be a class act.
I’m putting you in the hospital.
This race is so important for Cabot Cove.
You’ll do anything to avoid racing me.
Kyle Kimball’s behind this,
right up to his shifty eyeballs.
[Ned] I want to get all the speed I can
out of Free Spirit tomorrow.
Captain Larkin, a video camera like this
mounted on the mainmast
is the best way to determine
depth, draft, angle of attack, even...
Bill, I’ve been racing for 45 years,
and I’ve got me a better way.
Like what, captain?
You’re looking into them right now!
[laughing]
Hey, what are you doing?
-Who are you? -[grunting]
[bone cracking] [groaning]
Help! Somebody help me!
[siren wailing]
Whoever it was must’ve been after info
on these new winglets that captain Larkin just added.
They affect speed and stability.
That’s right.
And they’re always a prime spying target before races.
[man] Well, we’ll have to go down with him.
Oh, if old man Larkin’s out of it,
we don’t have a prayer on Saturday.
We’ll see.
[Ned groaning]
Not very smart, Ned.
Moving that leg before you had it properly examined.
Oh, Seth!
Well, Mort, what’ve you found out?
Ned, we just started to investigate.
Hey, what’s the big mystery?
Kyle Kimball’s behind this, right up to his shifty eyeballs.
Free Spirit’s getting faster every run,
and all of a sudden Kimball’s Buccaneer’s
not a sure thing anymore.
Uh-huh. And there’s an awful lot of buzz
about your new keel design.
Now this town is full of media types
who would just love to have top-secret photos.
And as yet, there’s no evidence that Kimball is involved.
What... what do you want?
Never mind what they want,
I’m putting you in the hospital.
[Ned] Oh, Seth, don’t make a big deal.
I’ve got a race to run on Saturday.
What you’ve got is a badly fractured ankle,
and it’ll have to be properly set right after X-rays,
or you will never use it fully again.
Ned, I tried to reach Anne.
Why?
Well, I thought she’d want to know
that her father had been injured. I left a message.
She’s not gonna care.
Ned!
[Seth] Easy! Easy on the stairs.
[Andy] Well, whoever it was, they left in a hurry.
There was a small inflatable boat hidden under the pilings.
And I don’t know what this is, a brad or a rivet of some kind.
Anyway, I found it in the boat.
Good start.
So, is captain Larkin out of the race?
And I could just see the 50 bucks I bet on
Free Spirit, disappearing into Davy Jones’ locker.
Later on.
Well, that would depend on
who replaces him, doesn’t it, Mrs. Fletcher?
It certainly does.
Andy] I remember when I was racing,
she used to take Larkin’s boat out, and I would crew for her.
She really had a knack.
Well, from what I’ve heard, so did you.
[man on TV] ...with their crucial
world cup elimination race
set for Cabot Cove this weekend,
Ned Larkin’s Free Spirit and Kyle Kimball’s Buccaneer
had excellent training runs yesterday,
as the rivalry between Larkin
and millionaire industrialist, Kyle Kimball,
both natives of Cabot Cove, grows more fierce every day.
Oh, Mr. Kimball.
Mrs. Fletcher. Admiral. Morning.
Welcome back to Cabot Cove.
The world cup couldn’t have picked a better liaison.
Thank you.
I was sorry to hear about Ned Larkin.
I was hoping to beat the first team.
You’re not gonna beat anybody, Mr. Kimball.
You’ll be too busy
watching Free Spirit’s stern.
Well, we’ll see, Gantry.
Mrs. Fletcher. Admiral.
Are you gonna skipper the Free Spirit?
Well, sir, I can’t say for sure,
only I’ve been the captain’s tactician for a long time.
Pardon me.
Mmm-hmm.
[sighs] Look, Len, I’m very happy to help.
But please remember that I’m a total amateur.
I mean, what I know about the technique of racing
-would fit into a thimble. -Come off it, Jess.
The world cup wanted somebody with stature
and cachet as honorary commodore.
[laughing] Stature and cachet, my foot!
If you don’t feel it, at least play the part.
Besides, I remember how sharp you were
keeping the clock and compass for Frank and me
on those 45-footers.
Yes, I remember.
It’s funny, you know, Frank always said that
it had nothing to do with money,
even when it came to the world cup,
and all those millions of dollars at stake.
It was about passion and power,
and like early man’s dream of conquering the ocean.
Jess, I think you understand much more
than you thought about racing.
Mmm. Len, excuse me.
[bartender] What can I get you, admiral?
[sighs] I’ll have a beer, please.
Anne, I’m so glad you came.
-Thank you for alerting me. -Have you seen your father?
Not yet. The hospital said that he had been released,
but then I got cold feet. How bad is it?
Well, Seth said that his ankle is going to be all right,
but I’m not so sure about his sense of disappointment
over not being able to compete.
After all these years,
he was finally on the brink of qualifying for the big one.
I’m not sure if he wants to see me.
But, listen, he’s got a beautiful photograph
of you and Tommy on his table,
and his house is full of clippings and photos of you...
He’s kept Tommy and me at arm’s length.
Jessica, he has never even met his own grandchild.
-Hey, Anne, it’s great to see you. -Steve.
Hey, don’t worry about your dad. He’s okay.
We’re gonna win it for him on Saturday, that’s a promise.
I know it is.
You don’t think he can do it.
Much as I like the guy, he can’t improvise.
Kyle’ll out-tack him,
cross him, pinch him, and bluff him.
Gantry is capable of a good try,
but he’ll never win that race for dad.
Why don’t you win it for him?
[chuckling]
I don’t think dad would go for it.
And to be Frank,
I don’t think that I want to get involved,
there’s too much baggage.
But you’ve just won in Key West, and in the Irish Cape.
I mean, why don’t you at least give it a try?
I just don’t know.
Hey, I think I deserve a bonus for beaching Larkin.
You were lucky.
Anne Larkin came in right after you left.
She was talking to Mrs. Fletcher.
Thanks. Keep me posted.
Anne, I thought I might find you here.
I’m looking for my dad.
Oh, when you see him, give him my best.
Sure.
And if you’re thinking of taking the helm of Free Spirit,
I’d strongly advise against it.
Just see your dad and go back to Newport.
You don’t have any right to tell me what to do.
Anne, let’s not argue. We were lovers,
-We were friends... -Friends?
You didn’t even tell me that you were married,
until you found out I was pregnant.
Then you wanted to set me up in Boston
where you could come visit when you felt like it.
You disgusted me then, and you still do.
Anne, just stay out of the race.
Why, Kyle? What else are you gonna do to me?
You have maligned me,
you’ve cost me teaching jobs,
you’ve poisoned investors in yachts
that I could have skippered.
You walked out on me, and nobody walks out on me.
Now, if you think I’ve made things difficult for you so far,
you have no idea what’s coming.
Let go of me.
You heard her, Mr. Kimball.
-You okay? -Yes.
Thanks, Bill.
And I just made up my mind about something.
[man] Good morning, Mr. Kimball.
What is this trimaran all about?
I thought you were here to help my husband
on the design of the Buccaneer.
Oh, no. By world cup rules,
any entry must be completely designed
by nationals of that country,
or else it is disqualified.
Mr. Kimball holds the patent on Buccaneer.
I’m here as a racing consultant only.
On the other hand,
with Netherlander, it’s vice-versa.
She’s mine.
But if Mr. Kimball got involved in the design,
I could not race her for Holland.
-Alana... -We have to talk, now.
I know.
Develop this.
It should tell us what’s making the difference in Free Spirit.
It may be something we can adapt.
Where did you get it?
From a research consultant.
All right. Right away, Mr. Kimball.
Mrs. Kimball.
How could you have humiliated me like that?
When the bank called, I didn’t know what to say.
My own husband refusing to co-sign a note.
I was a laughingstock.
I warned you not to put in for that loan
until after I’d studied your projections and prospectus.
You kept putting me off, and there was a clock ticking.
[phone ringing]
That chain of boutiques wasn’t going to be available forever.
Kyle, this time, just believe in me.
[fax machine whirring]
Maybe it’s not too late. Look, call the bank.
Nonsense.
I’d have to be crazy.
Bring me something that works next time
if you want me to put up ten million dollars.
[scoffs] But you can throw 55 million into that lousy boat.
That’s different.
The difference is it’s not my project, it’s yours.
You don’t like it,
then file for divorce,
and try to break our pre-nuptial agreement.
That ought to be a barrel of laughs.
[scoffs]
Don’t underestimate me, Kyle.
What you’re doing could cost you
a lot more than any divorce settlement.
[door slams]
[Seth] Oh, for pity sake, Ned.
Can’t you just keep your mouth shut for one minute?
[Ned groans]
About time.
Well, temperature’s normal,
but I’m not at all happy about your blood pressure.
[Anne] Isn’t he taking his pills?
Anne.
[Seth] In a word, no.
Well, I’m here now. Send some around.
Otherwise, how’s he doing?
Oh, okay.
Ned, I do not want you to put any weight at all on that ankle.
Welcome back, Anne.
Seth, what are the odds down at the barbershop now?
Why don’t you concentrate on Anne?
-Seth! -They’ve gone up 4-to-1
against Free Spirit.
Damn fools!
Steve Gantry isn’t helping your odds any.
What is this, Anne?
You walk in here after four years,
and the first thing you do is second-guess me.
As if I didn’t feel riled enough not racing her myself.
[sighs] I’m sorry.
Look, dad,
I love you, I never stopped loving you.
I can’t deal with all of that right now.
But the race, that’s something else,
that’s something that you and I
definitely have in common,
since we both hate Kyle Kimball.
Where’s the boy?
Funny you asked.
He’s with aunt Louise.
He knew I was coming to see his grandfather.
He wanted to come, too.
You should have brought him.
Let’s not talk about all that now, okay?
Please?
I’ve got to go with Gantry.
He’s all we got.
He’s not a number one, he never was.
I know you’re good, Anne,
but what makes you think
you could lead this crew into world-class competition?
They’re a tough bunch.
Just let me talk to them.
Okay. Go ahead.
[man] Yeah, the winds are north-northeast at about...
we’re getting four knots right now.
I’ve just been studying Free Spirit’s keel.
The winglets in photos are for stability, not speed.
But we have all the stability we need.
What’s that?
Ah, Anne Larkin racing off Newport.
I had a friend put it together when I heard Larkin was hurt.
I understand she’s a steady hand at the helm.
Too damn steady.
[Anne] I know these waters,
the winds, and the sand bars, the reefs.
I grew up here, and we are gonna win here,
and go on to San Diego and New Zealand.
You ever command an all-guy crew before?
Yeah, and an all-woman crew, and I’ve won with both.
It doesn’t matter,
so long as everybody keeps their eye on the job to be done,
just like we will.
That’s a good speech, and I admire the sentiment.
But as for competing at the top level, the world cup,
well, no lady skipper has ever done that.
-[man] there’s a first time. -All right, men, meeting’s over.
Practice run is in an hour.
You can check me out on the water, where it counts.
All right. You heard her.
[Anne] Hey, Bill.
Set those new carbon sails you were touting.
Aye, aye, skipper.
Oh, Anne, I’m genuinely concerned.
What’s between us isn’t just about racing, it’s about Tommy.
It’s about our son.
Our son?
You’ve totally ignored Tommy’s existence.
Well, you may think so, but I haven’t.
I know how often you leave him to go racing...
When I’m gone, he’s with my aunt.
They’re crazy about each other.
He needs a loving home.
The kind of home my wife and I can provide,
and we have no children of our own,
and she would like to raise my son.
Kyle, what’s this about?
I’m going to court, for Tommy’s sake.
I filed a writ. I want custody.
No!
Security!
If you want Tommy, you get out of this race,
you go home, and you repair your lifestyle,
or you’re gonna lose him.
He’s bluffing.
He doesn’t bluff.
Anne, I watched you with that crew.
It’ll work.
You’re gonna beat Kimball on Saturday,
and you’ll beat him in court, too,
if that’s what you have to do.
Because you’re my girl, and you’re a winner.
[Seth] Odds are down to 3-to-1.
Things are looking a whole lot better.
I wish I could say the same for this outline.
Oh, you’ve just erased all of it.
Oh, no! Only everything that came after the title,
and that wasn’t much good either.
Oh, I’d say you were a mite distracted.
Well, we were able to clear another 100 media parking places
around the yacht club for you, commodore.
-Well, thank you, ensign. -[chuckling]
-[Seth] how’s Adele’s cold? -Ah.
The trouble is, she’s gone through
just about all of the old musical comedy videos
that the rental place has.
Right now, she’s watching Follow the Fleet
with Fred Astaire and Ruby Keeler.
[Seth] Ruby Keeler was not in Follow the Fleet.
That was Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
Ruby Keeler. I just rented the tape.
No, Mort, Ruby Keeler
never made a picture with Fred Astaire.
They came from different studios.
[Metzger] Well, then, it was Ann Miller.
Ginger Rogers!
[knock at door] [Andy] Hello?
[Jessica] Come on in, Andy.
Hi, Mrs. Fletcher, Doc.
Sheriff, these just came in from the photo lab.
I thought you’d like to see them right away.
Yeah, I do.
The odds better on Free Spirit,
now that Anne is listed as captain
and Gantry as tactician.
I’m afraid that was a rush of sentiment, Doc.
They’re back to 4-to-1.
I was able to get another 25 bucks down on Free Spirit.
Mort, take a look at this.
The wrist band. Whose hand is that?
[Metzger] That’s Steve Gantry.
He was briefing us on the winglets.
It looks as if one of the metal grommets is missing.
Andy, that small bit of metal
that you found in the inflatable boat...
Yeah. It’s in the evidence room. You’re right.
I’ll swear it’s one of those studs.
Mmm-hmm.
Very nice, Mrs. F.
Well, it looks like the new team of Larkin and Gantry
may be very short-lived.
Where’s my lawyer?
That’s not my problem. You made your phone call.
That is, of course,
unless you want to save us all some time by confessing.
Confess to what? I didn’t do anything.
Yeah.
Anne, I’ve got some bad news for you,
and I’ve got some good news for you.
The bad news is you just lost yourself a tactician.
The good news, like I told you on the phone,
I have an idea whose time has come.
[chuckling] Later on.
Look, Anne, I’m flattered,
but, you know, I haven’t done
any real racing for, like, three years.
When that cold spray hits your face, it won’t matter.
Yeah. Well, I don’t know the boat.
Bill will brief you starting right now.
You know the crew, and they respect you.
You and I, we communicate, and you know the waters.
Whoa, whoa, Anne, look, I’m still a deputy,
and I’m on duty through the weekend.
Funny, Mort just told me you were on sick leave,
and needed lots of ocean air to effect a complete cure.
Welcome aboard, matey.
I abhor this Gantry thing.
I want to go on the record with that, Mrs. Fletcher, in case,
like so many other people in town, you think I had something to do with it.
-I admit it crossed my mind. -You really think I’d risk
having to forfeit my shot at the world cup
to look at a damn winglet?
Frankly, Mr. Kimball, I don’t know,
but I’m here about something entirely different.
They tell me as honorary commodore,
it is my duty to officially inform you
that Anne Larkin will skipper Free Spirit on Saturday.
Well, obviously,
-I’m not surprised. -[phone ringing]
-Mrs. Fletcher. -Oh, hello.
I’ve ordered full battens for Buccaneer.
-[fax machine whirring] -Oh, you anticipated me. Good.
Excuse me.
Oh, more trouble in Silicon Valley.
They never stop.
I’ve been enjoying Cabot Cove, Mrs. Fletcher.
It’s what I always imagined an American town should be.
Well, I’m afraid there’s nothing very typical
about it right now.
Oh, when you see Anne,
tell her I’m looking forward to the competition.
Well, that’s the same message she asked me to give you.
-Goodbye. -Bye.
Oh, how lovely!
She’s my dream, Mrs. Fletcher.
-I can see why. -[chuckling]
[man] All right, she’s in the third tack.
Free spirit’s practice run this afternoon.
I was about to watch it when Mrs. Fletcher arrived.
...reading 23 knots.
Free spirit is now doing 23 knots in the cross current
off the reef,
is showing very little leeway and seems to...
Best time ever.
They’re doing something with the sails.
More than that.
Miss Larkin is obviously
considerably more skilled than her father.
Still, Mr. Kimball,
I’m certain that you don’t have anything to worry about.
I don’t take chances.
Kimball here. We need to move up the heavy artillery.
Yeah. I’ll need everything, the whole package.
-Gentlemen. -Guys.
-Jessica. -Ned.
Admiral.
I never expected to see Ned Larkin here tonight.
He drove himself over.
-And I mean that in every way. -[chuckling]
Well, I see Adele didn’t make it.
Ah, still sniffling.
She’s watching Singin’ in the Rain
with Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse.
You mean Debbie Reynolds.
Definitely Cyd Charisse.
[sighs] If you’re in a betting mode, Mort,
how’d you like a little wager?
Twenty-five on Cyd Charisse.
You’re on.
You know, I seem to recall a bawling out
you gave me about cholesterol.
If there’s anything you don’t understand,
I’ll be glad to clarify it.
I don’t skipper racing yachts any longer, admiral.
-My passion is design. -Thanks.
Have you seen the Netherlander? She’s really something.
The Netherlander?
Kyle, didn’t we discuss her in San Diego, your trimaran?
That’s right, admiral.
Thanks.
Hey, you were a great liaison this afternoon
between Anne and the crew.
Ah, that was easy. They like her.
What’s not to like?
[Jessica] Well, everything
seems to be working out perfectly so far.
The only possible glitch may be that the press turnout
was far greater than we expected.
We have a problem with accommodations.
-Anne Larkin? -Yes.
I’m a county marshal.
That’s a summons to appear in superior court.
I have to go to the office.
"Notice to attend custody hearing
on the minor now known as Tommy Larkin."
Meanwhile, I’m forbidden to take him out of the state.
Just raising the ante.
I’m headed for my office, if you care to chat.
Kimball’s bucking for a bruise!
Ned, no. It will only make things worse.
Sounds like a nice party.
I’ve been to better.
My lawyer got a writ. Insufficient evidence.
I need money.
Let’s say 50,000, or I talk to the world cup committee.
Well, then you force me to tell the truth,
and you do five to ten in Shawshank
for felonious assault,
or maybe even attempted murder.
Good night.
Now these reports
are from the most reputable private detective agency
in New England,
detailing your love affair with Bill Richards,
and your other sexual adventures at boat-racing events,
much of which took place, according to these documents,
in the presence of poor little Tommy.
There are even some allegations that you...
All these prove is that you have corrupted
the most reliable detective agency in New England.
[sighs] You are a filthy-minded ego-maniac who’s scared of me,
and you’ll do anything to avoid racing me.
Well, you won’t get away with it.
-Thanks, Roger. -[Roger] No problem.
Leaving so early, Richards?
We’ve got a lot of homework to do
if Free Spirit’s gonna leave you in her wake.
Hate to disappoint you,
but it’s going to be Kyle Kimball’s victory,
not Anne Larkin’s.
Good luck.
[man chattering on TV]
Take your time, Mr. Vandervelt. I’ll stay to lock up.
Thank you, Alec.
Wait, Mr. Vandervelt, it’s Mr. Kimball.
[sirens wailing]
All very preliminary,
but I’d say cause of death was blunt instrument.
Blow struck from rear or left side.
Time of death?
Oh, I’m working on that.
[Metzger] Andy, you want to run that trophy
-through the lab, please? -[Andy] Right, sheriff.
[Metzger] Well, it certainly doesn’t appear to be robbery.
He’s still wearing his watch.
He had over $300 in his wallet.
Maybe there was something more valuable in the safe.
There was no sign of tampering.
Well, the safe could have been open
when he was killed, and then closed.
It’s got one of those self-created combinations.
Kimball was the only one who knew it.
The company’s sending a rep up from New York.
[Seth] He’s been dead at least half an hour.
Let’s see, the time is, what, 11:20.
He left the club a little bit before 10:00.
That would set the time of death
somewhere between 10:00 and 10:50.
You wanted the log, sheriff.
Oh, yeah. Let’s take a look.
"10:14."
Anne Larkin in to see Kyle Kimball.
10:30. Anne Larkin leaves the yard.
Didn’t stop, looked real upset.
[Metzger] Thanks.
Right in your time frame, Doc.
[Ned] Ours will be like this.
-Hi, Mort. -Evening, Ned.
Tommy, this is sheriff Metzger.
Say hello, Tommy.
Are you a real sheriff?
Well, I try to be, son.
Where’s your badge?
Well, I’m working undercover.
We’re getting acquainted.
Sorry to have to interrupt, Ned, but I have to talk to Anne.
Something wrong?
Dad, it is way past Tommy’s bedtime.
Would you show him to his room?
Let’s go, son.
Okay. Bye, sheriff.
Good night, Tommy.
How’d those boats get into those bottles?
I’ll show you, son.
What can I help you with, sheriff?
It’s about Kyle Kimball.
[sighs] What’s he trying to do now?
Look, Anne, the trouble between you and Mr. Kimball
is no secret,
especially after what happened at the commodore’s ball tonight.
Now we know you went to his office,
and you left it agitated...
Mort, what are you getting at?
Kyle Kimball’s dead.
Dead?
Murdered.
Now, look, Anne, we know you were at loggerheads
about your son, you had an argument...
Wait a minute. Are you trying to say that I killed him?
Look, Anne, I’m just trying to help you.
Now, we’re still investigating,
but this doesn’t feel like premeditated murder to me.
So if you have something you want to tell me,
now is the time to do it.
Sheriff, I can’t say that I’m sorry he’s dead,
but I didn’t kill him.
[Spalding] Jess, I’ve got a real problem.
World cup headquarters wants me to postpone the race
until things clear up.
Postpone?
I mean, isn’t that a preliminary to canceling it?
Well, can you really blame them?
Consider. Anne Larkin, skipper of Free Spirit,
murders Kyle Kimball,
millionaire owner/skipper of the rival yacht, Buccaneer,
and father of her son.
Just think of the tabloids.
We’re supposed to be a class act.
Len, wait a minute.
Anne hasn’t actually been charged with anything.
I mean, if you could just hold off
until the investigation is a little bit further along
before you decide.
This race is so important for Cabot Cove.
All those races with Frank and me,
you never gave us a bad heading.
[sighs] I’m gonna go along with you.
[laughing]
-[knock at door] -Come in.
Mrs. Kimball.
Please accept my condolences.
Oh, thank you.
Mrs. Fletcher called
and said that the race was still scheduled.
Kyle put so much of himself into Buccaneer.
I’m happy we can carry on for him.
Oh, you’re determined to do that?
Oh, yes.
Then we have to pick a skipper right away.
I strongly suggest our present tactician.
Jon, if Kyle was doing the picking,
I know who it would be.
Admiral Spalding told me that you skippered for the Dutch,
and you know your stuff.
Mrs. Kimball, I’m a designer now.
I have no desire to race again.
Please don’t ask me.
Kyle was good to you, Jon.
Do it for him.
I’m sure you know every plank on the Buccaneer.
Oh, Mrs. Kimball,
Buccaneer is almost 100% fiberglass.
Which proves how much I need you.
I was at home watching one of those Dan rather specials.
You want to know what it was about?
You gonna quote me in TV guide?
Why would I knock off Kimball?
I’m warning you, you try to hold me again,
my lawyer’s gonna pull out all the stops.
Get out.
Yeah.
The lab work on that trophy from Kimball’s office.
-Nothing. -So we don’t have
-a murder weapon yet. -No.
We’re gonna need some search warrants.
[Ned] And the last thing we do is
heave-ho, me hearties and...
pull up the mast!
[laughing] Very good.
Tommy, I cooked some food for you in the kitchen.
Great, mom!
-Good morning, Jess. -Good morning.
I have official notification.
Your opposing skipper tomorrow is going to be Jon Vandervelt.
That makes sense.
He knows his stuff. That’s fine.
I’ve gotta get to the pier, so I’ll see you guys later.
I’m afraid the only place you’ll be going, Anne, is with us.
Investigative reports
pertaining to Kyle Kimball’s paternity suit.
We found them hidden in your bedroom.
They have Kimball’s blood on them.
I don’t understand.
I don’t know how those things got into my bedroom, I swear.
[Ned] Mort!
No.
No. I killed him.
I was so riled last night.
I drove to his office, and I...
And you argued with him,
and you struck him with the trophy?
Yes. That’s what it was.
Ned, I’m sorry,
but the trophy was not the murder weapon.
Come with us, please.
[Anne] But, Tommy... I can’t just leave him.
Jessica, help Anne.
She’s... she’s innocent.
[Anne] I bet dad’s threatening to skipper the race, isn’t he?
Oh, he’d like to, but Seth won’t hear of it.
Suppose I’m still in jail?
Well, the last I heard,
Bill will skipper, and Andy will advise.
Okay.
Jessica, I told sheriff Metzger
that those papers that he found in my room
were on Kyle’s desk when I left there.
How can I make him believe me?
Just keep on telling the truth, Anne,
and let’s hope that we can find some way to back it up.
I remember it distinctly.
Kyle took those papers out of the safe when I got there,
threw them on the desk right in front of me.
So he took the papers out of the safe.
Now, do you recall, did he close the door
of the safe after he removed the papers?
No. Not while I was there.
Uh-huh. Okay.
Thank you for letting me talk to Anne, Mort.
You know, she said that Mr. Kimball opened the safe
while she was there, and that he never closed it.
Mrs. F., she can say anything.
-[phone ringing] -Metzger.
Oh, hi, honey, how you...
Well, no. There’s no problem. I’ll just bring them back.
Yeah, I love you, too.
I got to stop back by the house.
Adele forgot to rewind the tapes.
Here we are, Singin’ in the Rain,
Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, Debbie Reynolds.
It must be a mistake.
Mistake?
Seth, Cyd Charisse.
-Oh! -You’re both right.
-[laughing] -Whoops.
And I might be, too.
[Alana] I thought I’d better start to get acquainted
with what Kyle was doing,
and then, the woman from the safe company arrived.
[Jessica] Yeah, so I see.
Jessica, will Anne Larkin be able to skipper
in the race tomorrow?
I don’t know.
Have you used the VCR today?
The VCR?
You can use this combination,
or create a new one by referring to the manual.
If you need any help, call.
Thank you.
-Do you mind if I take a look? -No. Go ahead.
[Alana] Nothing much in here.
[Jessica] I can see that.
[sighs]
-Alana, may I borrow this? -Sure.
By the way, Alana,
Anne will be racing tomorrow.
Jessica?
Look, at least don’t worry about the race.
Hell, Free Spirit’s such a great boat
that even if nobody’s at the helm,
she’ll probably beat out Buccaneer.
Not true, Bill.
But I know you can bring her in.
That’s better. There’s something else.
And I hope you won’t take this the wrong way.
But whatever really happened with Kimball,
I’m glad for you,
that he’s finally out of your life, I mean.
And I hope that when this is all over that...
[Ned] Bill.
I’ve been looking everywhere for you.
We need you down on the boat.
Problem with the main mast rigging.
Chin up, Annie.
You okay?
Yeah.
Because I was wrong, you stayed away from me.
You kept my grandson away because
that was the message I gave you,
that I was ashamed of you.
And I didn’t want to see either one of you.
Look, I wasn’t exactly the daughter
that you’d hoped for, the one I should’ve been.
No. Listen.
I haven’t learned a whole lot in the last few years,
but one thing sticks with me.
"Should’ve been" ought to be erased
-from the English language. -Thank you.
-[knock at door] -Yes?
Oh, Mrs. Fletcher.
I heard miss Larkin has been released.
Yes, she has. I was able to prove
that she couldn’t possibly have killed Mr. Kimball.
I’m delighted and mystified. How?
I was with sheriff Metzger today.
I got to stop back by the house.
Adele forgot to rewind the tapes.
[Jessica] And he spoke of rewinding tapes.
And I was reminded that when we were here
at the crime scene last night,
the video footage of Free Spirit,
which had been playing on the TV screen, ran out.
Now, this is the tape.
The length of the recording is 35 minutes.
It ran out at 11:20, while we were all here,
so the earliest that it could have been turned on was 10:45.
Now since Anne Larkin was clocked out at 10:30,
Mr. Kimball was alive for at least 15 minutes after she left.
Excellent. I’m so happy for miss Larkin.
And he remained alive
until you killed him some time after 10:45.
I?
I admire your perspicacity at clearing the young lady,
but why accuse me?
Because a little while ago,
I saw the contents of Mr. Kimball’s safe.
Now, what was not in the safe
was more important than what was. Yesterday,
you and I were here in the office
when Mr. Kimball received an unexpected fax.
It was from the patent office,
requesting clarifications on his patent application
for what you called your dream,
Netherlander.
He tried to get the fax into his safe
without either one of us seeing it,
but we both did.
-[door opening] -You’ve lost me.
[Metzger] Not so, I’m sure, Mr. Vandervelt.
When Mrs. Fletcher didn’t see the fax from the patent office,
but did detect blood spots on the safe,
well, we got ourselves a search warrant.
We found that fax in your apartment.
It had blood droplets all over it,
that checked out to be Kyle Kimball’s.
I see.
[stuttering] I had designed Netherlander.
I... I loved her.
I planned on racing her for Holland in the next world cup.
Nothing could have beaten her.
Then I saw that he had applied for a patent on her.
And at the ball, Admiral Spalding
said that he had talked about her as his own trimaran.
I knew I had to settle things with Mr. Kimball.
I beg you, withdraw that patent application.
If it comes to light,
Netherlander will be disqualified
from ever racing for my country.
You’re stealing my life, Mr. Kimball.
Stealing? After all the money I’ve paid you?
That was salary for my help on Buccaneer.
Maybe you see it that way,
but I didn’t need you for Buccaneer,
I needed you for Netherlander,
destined to be one of the great racing yachts of all time.
She was a passion with me
from the minute I saw the first drawings.
You’re a fool, Jon.
You’re a fool to think I’d ever let her get away from me.
When I realized he was dead,
it occurred to me that there might be a way out.
I knew Anne Larkin had been there.
I read the custody papers that Mr. Kimball was putting away.
They already had his blood on them,
so I placed them in Anne Larkin’s bedroom,
where you found them.
But the killing itself was unpremeditated,
a moment of rage.
Was it?
You didn’t go through the gate
when you went to see Mr. Kimball.
You made sure that you got into his office unobserved, didn’t you?
Well, let’s say I went prepared to do
whatever was necessary.
[man] It’s Free Spirit winning the final race in the series,
with Anne Larkin at the helm,
with Buccaneer three meters back.
Now, on to San Diego, and from there, possibly New Zealand.
Let’s see it one more time.
Dad, that was the tenth rerun.
Ah, Free Spirit gets faster every time she wins.
Hey, you’re gonna see that little lady win
Thousand more times before she’s through.
Jessica, Bill is opening his own sail factory.
After we win the world cup.
Uh-huh.
You gonna be in san Diego with us?
Well, right now, I’m headed back to New York
to complete some work.
However, I’m not saying that if I’m invited to New Zealand...
I’ve never been to New Zealand.
Where’s New Zealand?
That’s where we win the world cup,
and I’m gonna show you, Tommy.
I’m gonna show you a lot of things.
[laughing]