I'll come by the house.
No, my son will be home.
You're running out of excuses.
[Jessica] Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.
What do you mean you may never get to see your mother again?
You know, I really should be talking
to the juvenile authorities on this.
I've lost my boy once before, Mrs. Fletcher.
I'm so scared of it happening again.
You know what gets me, Seth?
That all this could happen here in our little town.
[cheerful orchestral music]
Kevin, how are you doing?
Well, this dirt's putting up
a pretty good fight, Mrs. Fletcher,
but--[laughs]
there's no way it's gonna win.
Well, it's lucky for me that you're on my team,
although there must be lots of other ways
you'd rather spend a half-day off from school, huh?
Oh, not me.
Not much time for playing around.
You got to earn a living, you know?
You know, you're the best worker I've ever had.
Your mother must be very proud of you.
Oh, yeah, sure, you know,
she's got her job at the shoe factory and all,
but as she says, I'm the man of the house.
[sighs]
There.
I should have brought my own shovel.
I-I work better with my own tools.
Yeah, well, let's prepare the rest of the bed.
Okay.
All right, gentlemen, start your hoes!
Yes, I have it.
5:00 will be fine.
I'll see you then.
You can't do that to me!
I just did.
You raised my rent six months ago,
and I've got a one-year lease.
Come on!
And if you'll read it very carefully,
you'll see that I had the option
to bump you an extra 10% after six months.
That's today.
You must be out of your mind.
I mean, I don't pay my workers minimum wage
because I like to,
but because I have to.
I mean, I've cut expenses to the bone.
I'm barely breaking even.
Owen, tell someone who cares.
Just be sure I get the money next Wednesday
when it's due in full.
Hey, there, Patsy.
Well, how do we do, Mr. Franzen?
Mr. Franzen? Is that any way to talk to an old friend?
[chuckles] Old friend? Where?
Hey, there, kiddo, didn't we have some laughs?
Yeah, sure, lots.
My funny bone's still hurting.
There you go.
Glad to know there aren't any hard feelings.
What kind of feelings should I have, Jack?
Forget it, Marla.
I need you to finish that last batch of lady mocs.
I'll come in tomorrow.
You won't be able to ship them until Monday, anyway.
Suppose the whole shop came to me with personal problems.
I'm supposed to give them all the afternoon off, right?
Oh, come on, Owen.
You know I always get the work done.
Oh, God, all right. Yes, yes.
But I want to see you at that machine
first thing in the morning.
Thanks.
Marla, let's you and I talk about your rent.
Not right now.
Okay, we'll do it later.
I'll come by the house.
No, my son will be home.
The kid can go out and play.
Not today, Jack.
Sweetheart, you don't get it.
You're running out of excuses.
If money's a problem, don't worry.
I'll figure out a way you can square things.
-Here's your laces, Marla. -Thanks, Danny.
-Everything okay? -Everything is fine, Danny boy.
Now why don't you go on about your business?
Why don't you get a new routine?
What for?
There's nothing wrong with the old one.
It's okay, Danny.
You heard the lady. Take a hike.
I'll see you later.
[clicks teeth]
You know what I like about that guy?
-Huh? -His humility.
Thanks for your help, Seth.
Well, there's no way you could've gotten
all this stuff into your bicycle basket.
Well... hi, Kevin.
-Hi, doctor Hazlitt. -Kevin.
Did you get that special plant food, Mrs. Fletcher?
Right here.
We'll be able to plant the bulbs after school on Monday.
That is, if you're available.
-Oh, sure. -Great. Good.
Now, week's wages for Mr. Bryce.
Thanks a lot, Mrs. Fletcher!
Oh, dear.
You know, I hadn't realized it was so late.
It's gonna be dark before you get home.
Toss your bike in my trunk, son.
I'll give you a lift.
No, thanks, doctor Hazlitt.
I've got to stop and buy some stuff for mom.
And I've got a good headlight,
and I've done it about a million times.
-Are you sure? -Oh, yeah.
Yeah, don't worry about me.
I'll see you on Monday, Mrs. Fletcher.
And I'll bring my good shovel.
All right, Kevin. And enjoy your weekend.
All right. You too.
Now there goes a young man
that's going to make something of himself someday.
[chuckling] I believe you're right.
My, he sure has grown a lot
since he and his mother moved into town.
-Nearly six years ago. -Yeah.
I remember he had a case of measles
practically the day they got here.
Bad case.
He had spots on his spots.
[chuckles]
Tough on a woman being alone,
new in town, working in a factory.
But don't get me wrong.
She paid her bill, in full, in a timely fashion.
Meaning?
Well, meaning that I wasn't going anywhere especially,
neither was she.
Look here, woman,
do I go nosing around in your business affairs?
Occasionally. You staying for dinner?
Well, that depends. What are we having?
Well, I've got a couple of
cans of tuna fish up on the top shelf.
I thought I might make something interesting out of them.
[car tires screeching]
Jerk!
Jessica Fletcher,
you are the remembering-est woman I ever did know.
Why can't you be like normal people
and forget your relatives' birthdays?
Because they're family, and I like to remember them.
And there are so many of them.
Besides, wrapping all these parcels
has kept me out of trouble this entire weekend.
Be thankful for small favors.
Isn't that your young handyman over there?
Yes,
and it looks as if he's waiting for someone.
Jess, this way. Oh, drat.
Kevin?
Oh, hi, Mrs. Fletcher.
-Are you waiting for someone? -Me? No.
Hey, I better get over to your house
and start on the yard.
See you later, okay?
Strange. Kevin's acting very oddly.
I believe it's called puberty, Jess.
Turns even a nice kid
into a jangled mass of obnoxious contradictions.
Well, perhaps you're right.
Still, I give him credit for being industrious.
He stopped by my office earlier,
see if I had any work for him,
so I gave him a couple of dollars
to run some forms over to the pharmacy for me.
Well, he's very serious
about his "man of the house" status.
I just hope he's not taking on too much.
Yeah.
I'll get the door.
Quite a pile of outgoing mail you have there, Jessica.
Oh, yes, I have a bumper crop of
birthdays and anniversaries this month.
I prefer the incoming variety myself.
You know, you could save yourself a ton of trouble
if you shopped by catalog like I do.
When I wanna send someone a gift,
I just pick up the phone.
How's Jack doing, Gloria?
I haven't seen much of him around lately.
You're not the only one.
There you go, Mrs. Franzen.
Thank you, Lou.
Believe me, Jessica,
life is so much simpler now that I let my fingers do the walking.
Her fingers and Jack's credit cards.
Well, considering the deficit, I suppose the postmaster general
sends you a lot of thank-you notes.
-Oh, Seth, it wasn't that much. -[scoffs]
-Oh! -Ooh!
-Jessica, I'm sorry. -That's all right.
I wasn't looking where I was going.
Lydia, it's okay, no harm done.
-How's work? -Oh, you know how it is.
Nearly 40 kids in the seventh grade,
each and every one teetering on the brink of adolescence.
-Uh-huh. Didn't I tell you? -Mm.
We were just talking about Kevin Bryce.
Oh, Kevin. He's a sweet boy.
He's in my third period history.
-He's a very hard worker. -Oh, I know.
He's doing a wonderful job for me in my garden.
Well, I better run.
There's an enormous stack of homework papers
just waiting to ambush me.
Well, take care.
Oh, Jessica.
If you speak to Kevin, tell him I hope he's feeling better.
-Is he sick? -I assumed so.
He wasn't in school today.
-Oh. -Hmm.
How you doing, Kevin?
Pretty good, Mrs. Fletcher.
Oh, it must be awfully hard working with that little spade.
What happened to the shovel you were gonna bring from home?
I couldn't find it. I left it in the front yard.
And somebody must have swiped it.
You look as if you could do with a little break.
What would you say to a nice piece of banana bread
and a glass of milk?
-You bet. -Good.
There you go.
That's an old recipe
that I have been making for years.
Oh, I guess I was kind of hungry.
No need to apologize.
That's a compliment to the cook.
Well, you see, my mom really didn't feel good today,
so she forgot to make me lunch.
Oh.
Well, miss Johansen
will be glad to know that you're all right.
I ran into her earlier, and she was concerned,
because you weren't in school.
Right, well, you see, my mom really felt bad,
so I had to stay home and take care of her.
Oh, dear, maybe I should have doctor Hazlitt
drop by and see her.
No! No! That's okay.
She felt a lot better when I left.
Is there anything that your mother might need?
No, I don't think so.
Well, perhaps I better call her and just ask.
We don't have a phone.
Well, we did for a while,
but we couldn't afford to keep it.
Mrs. Fletcher, would you mind paying me for today's work?
I mean, I may need to buy some medicine
or something for mom.
Sure, I'll just get my wallet.
Kevin, be sure to tell your mother to let me know
if there's anything I can do for her, okay?
I will, Mrs. Fletcher. Thanks.
[sighs]
No bicycle?
It's back at the house. I bent a wheel.
Oh, I see.
-[knocks at door] -Mom?
Oh, Mrs. Fletcher.
Kevin, are you all right?
Oh, sure, everything's fine.
I came by because I was worried about your mother.
Oh, she's sleeping.
Uh, then why did you think it might be her at the door?
Perhaps I'd better speak to her, huh?
You can't!
I mean,
I don't know where she is.
She wasn't sick, Mrs. Fletcher. I made it up.
When I came home Friday, there was a note from my mom
saying she'd be home that night.
But she never showed up.
You mean you've been alone here for three days?
-Yeah. -Oh, you must be worried sick.
You should have told the sheriff right away.
No!
Mrs. Fletcher, if the sheriff finds out,
I may never see my mother again.
Kevin, what do you mean
you may never see your mother again?
I mean, if the sheriff finds out I'm alone here,
it'll be Chicago all over again.
I don't understand.
I think I was about four or five.
Mom didn't have a job, and we were broke.
She called one of these agencies for help,
and I ended up in a Foster home.
-Oh, I see. -It was awful!
I never want to go back to that place again.
That's why I didn't tell anyone.
Yes, but, Kevin,
you've got to think of your mother.
She might be hurt or in trouble.
She's probably worried sick about you too.
But, Mrs. Fletcher, if you tell the sheriff,
he'll have to call one of those agencies.
Yeah, well,
I think I can convince him to put it off for a little while.
What do you say? Shall we go see him?
[laughs softly] Yeah.
Good.
"Going to Portland. Back tonight."
But she never said why she was going
or who she was going to see?
-No, Sir. -Okay.
We're gonna put your mom's description out on the wire,
and then we're gonna check with the hospitals
and the police in Portland.
You look like you've been hanging in there
pretty good, son.
Just keep it up.
Mrs. F, talk to you for a sec?
Yes, sheriff?
You know, I really should be
talking to the juvenile authorities on this.
I know.
You know, normally, I wouldn't dream of
asking you to go against proper procedure,
but if you could put off calling
until you've checked with the agencies in Portland.
I mean, there's no harm in that, is there?
I guess not.
Good. Kevin can come home with me,
and if you hear anything, you'll know where to reach us.
Will do.
Just have him check over this report before I have Floyd type it up, will you?
All right.
Kevin, would you come over here?
-Oh, hello, Gloria. -Jessica.
Sheriff, I want to file a report.
This is just for the record, you understand.
In case my lawyer needs it.
You know, lawyers just love paperwork.
Yes, ma'am.
Now, what seems to be the problem?
No problem. My ever-loving hubby,
good old Jackie, has finally flown the Coop.
-When did you see him last? -Friday.
Before he left, he mentioned
something about meeting a client,
probably in some motel room in Mexico City.
Missing since Friday, that's good.
Oh, I don't mean it's good that your husband is missing.
It's just that
since it's been more than 72 hours,
we can get right on it.
You were right the first time.
-Where do I sign? -Here.
Just fill out the first page of this report,
and we'll get the ball rolling.
I think this is okay, Mrs. Fletcher.
Fine. I'll give it to the sheriff.
-You want to meet me outside? -Okay.
Gloria, excuse me, I couldn't help overhearing.
-I'm so sorry. -Don't be.
I've been waiting years to dump Jack.
Well, perhaps it's not what you think.
It is, unless he's had a personality transplant.
I don't suppose he happened to mention Marla Bryce.
Is she missing, too?
-Since Friday. -Well, that figures.
Jack has always had his eye on her.
200 a month rent
he charges her for that place of hers,
and it's worth twice that.
I guess missy Marla
made up the difference in services rendered.
Kevin, do you know
who that woman in the sheriff's office was?
Oh, sure. Mrs. Franzen.
Her husband owns the house we live in.
He's always hanging around.
You see, we're a couple of months behind in the rent.
Oh, so he used to come over quite often
and talk to your mother about it?
I guess so.
I think he really bugged her, though.
Well, what makes you say that?
Well, one day, after he left,
mom said that he was gonna get what was coming to him,
one way or another,
and that we were gonna get out of that place.
-[bus horn blowing] -Hey, there's the 4:15.
Maybe she'll be on the late bus tonight.
Yeah, but if she is, and I'm not at home,
she's gonna be worried.
Yes, you're right.
You know, I've got a spare bike in my basement.
Why don't we ride out to your place,
leave her a note,
and pick up some of your things too, okay?
Okay.
Kevin, are you sure about this shortcut?
Oh, yeah, I don't use it a lot,
'cause I can't ride my bike through here,
but it comes out right near my house.
Mrs. Fletcher, look!
Uh, no, Kevin.
Kevin, I don't think you should go any closer!
-But maybe somebody's hurt. -Kevin, wait!
That's Mr. Franzen's car.
Mrs. Fletcher...
Oh, my Lord, it's Jack.
You think they'll be much longer?
Oh, probably not.
I used to think it'd be cool to find a dead body.
-Well, it isn't. -You can say that again.
Well, that's about all we can do today.
Probably take a couple of tow trucks
to get that car out in one piece.
I don't want to damage the evidence.
Sheriff, do you have any idea how the accident happened?
Oh, it was no accident, Jess,
not unless Jack had learned how to drive a car
completely turned around.
The back of his skull was caved in,
probably by the proverbial blunt object.
I'd say a two-by-four could have done it.
Seth, can you pinpoint the time of death?
Oh, he's been there quite a while.
Three, maybe four days.
Four days would make it last Friday.
That's the last time his wife saw him and when...
I, uh--I think I'll take a look around
before it gets too dark.
Kevin, why don't you give me a hand
putting those bikes in the back of my car?
Then I'll drive you two home.
What have you found?
Some pieces of red plastic.
Looks like they could have come from a taillight cover.
-Yes. Jack's Mercedes? -Could be.
I'm gonna bag the pieces just in case.
Sheriff, look.
That's a pretty fresh scar.
Sheriff, I think we found Marla Bryce.
One of the hospitals in Portland's got a Jane doe,
fits her description.
Like we told you on the phone, sheriff,
she was a mugging victim.
Paramedics brought her in late Friday night.
She had a mild concussion
and was suffering from post-traumatic amnesia.
But she's fully recovered now?
Well, for the most part.
But she still may be a bit confused about details.
I'll be down the hall if you need anything.
Thank you.
-Kevin! -Mom!
Oh, thank God you're all right.
Hello, Mrs. Fletcher, sheriff.
Marla, it's such a relief to see you.
Mom, what happened?
Well, I came to Portland for a job interview,
but I didn't want to tell you, honey,
'cause I didn't want to get your hopes up.
Oh, Kevin was so worried. We all were.
Ma'am, do you remember how you got here?
Yes, I took the 3:00 bus from Cabot Cove,
and I went to the interview,
and then I got lost
on my way back to the bus station.
And is that when you were mugged?
Yes. I asked a man for directions.
And he grabbed my purse, and then he knocked me down,
and then everything's a blank
until I realized I was in a hospital.
Did you happen to see Jack Franzen on Friday?
Jack?
Well, yes, I'm sure I did. Why?
His body was found in the woods
near your house this afternoon.
Seems to be a homicide.
Oh, Jack...Jack's dead?
I spoke to your doctor, and he tells me
you're well enough to be released tonight.
I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm gonna have to
take you back to Cabot Cove for questioning.
Sheriff, the idea that Marla killed Jack
just because he annoyed her is simply ludicrous!
It gets worse.
We found this in the woods near Franzen's car.
It's got traces of blood on it that match his.
It's got to be the murder weapon.
And check this.
The name of Bryce is carved right here in the handle.
Oh, Lord.
Now, here's how it went down, Mrs. F.
Jack was coming after her,
so she let him have it with the shovel.
When she realized what she'd done,
she hopped the next bus to Portland.
Probably meant to go on to New York or somewhere.
And abandon Kevin? Oh, no.
So she planned to send for him.
It was her bad luck she got mugged
while she was on the lam.
"On the lam"?
Sheriff, aren't you getting just a little carried away?
Hey, Mrs. F., you want to prove me wrong,
be my guest.
I don't like keeping Mrs. Bryce locked up any more than you do.
Want some coffee?
[twittering]
Kevin, is there anything I can do for you?
Yeah, you can get my mother out of jail.
Well, believe me, there's nothing I'd like more,
but right now it's... it's just not possible.
It's just like my mom said.
You can't trust the cops
or the welfare workers or anybody.
All they do is mess up your life.
[doorbell rings]
That must be the friend I was telling you about.
-Come on in. -Hello, Mrs. Fletcher.
Thanks for coming at such short notice.
Short notice is my specialty.
You must be Kevin.
-Hi. -Hi.
Kevin, this is Lee McAdam.
I used to teach her in high school.
Now she works for the county.
County?
You mean like a social worker?
Something like that.
Kevin, I told Lee about the Foster home in Chicago.
Yeah, sounds like you got a pretty raw deal.
Yeah.
Well, you know, Kevin, it happens sometimes,
especially in big cities.
There's too many cases, too few workers,
too few people willing to pitch in and help out.
And you're right.
Sometimes kids do fall through the cracks.
I mean, nobody wants it to happen,
but, I mean, there isn't always enough time and money
to give each child the attention that they deserve.
From what Mrs. Fletcher's told me,
you're having a pretty rough time of it right now.
Would it help if you were placed in Foster care?
No way!
Not even here?
Here? With Mrs. Fletcher?
Why not?
As long as we have your mother's consent,
and a responsible adult
is willing to accept temporary custody.
You are responsible, aren't you, Mrs. Fletcher?
I try.
[laughter]
[knocking on door]
-Mind if I come in? -Okay.
You know, this is the first time
that I have volunteered for something quite like this,
and, well, I wanted to make sure that
you have everything that you need.
I'm okay.
Kevin, is there anything, anything at all,
that you can remember about Friday
that might help your mother?
No, I went to school,
I worked in your yard, and then I went home.
Uh-huh. What about your bike?
Now, I saw that at your house.
You said that you banged it up.
Hey, that's right. Some guy ran me off the road.
It wrecked up my bike pretty good.
-Was that near your house? -I guess.
It was coming from that direction.
And did you get a look at it?
No, it was too dark.
But it only had one taillight.
Kevin, are you sure?
You know, sheriff Metzger
found some pieces of red plastic in your front yard.
They might have come from a taillight cover.
Mrs. Fletcher, do you think that it's possible
that they came from the car I saw,
and that that car was at my house
and that maybe the killer was in it?
It's possible.
So all we have to do is find the car,
and the sheriff will have to let my mom go.
Whoa! Now, slow down.
We're not even sure that there's a connection.
Besides, I think we should let sheriff Metzger
handle the investigation.
But Mrs. Fletcher, what if it is the car
and he doesn't find it?
What's gonna happen with my mom?
Your mom is gonna be all right.
I'm quite sure of it.
-[sighs] -[chuckles]
-[knocking on door] -Kevin? Are you up?
How do blueberry pancakes sound for breakfast?
Kevin?
Come on, Seth.
Will you slow down, woman?
The boy can't have gotten very far.
This isn't Boston, you know.
Yeah, but he's my responsibility.
I mean, if anything has happened to him...
Oh, Danny.
Oh, good morning, Mrs. Fletcher.
-Doc. -Yeah.
Danny, have you seen Kevin Bryce this morning?
You know, as a matter of fact,
I saw him on third street a couple of minutes ago.
He was checking out all the parked cars.
-Thank goodness. -What did I tell you?
-Thanks, Danny. -Okay.
For pity's sake, woman, you know where he is now.
Put it in low gear.
-Kevin? -Oh, hi, Mrs. Fletcher.
Oh, you scared the heart out of me.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I just thought I ought to help out the sheriff.
Hard to quarrel with that, wouldn't you say, Jess?
Well, I don't know about you, young fellow,
but I'm getting mighty hungry.
Me, too.
Well, come on, then.
Pancakes for everyone at my house?
-All right. -[laughs]
Have you any more of that delicious blueberry syrup?
Hey, there's my mom's boss.
Owen Brownwell and the widow Franzen.
What do you make of that?
[engine revving]
Jess!
Did Kevin get to school on time?
Yeah.
Though no sooner did he get out of the car
than young Ritchie Mills started to tease him
about having a jailbird for a mother.
Ritchie Mills. Yes, I might have guessed.
Ritchie stopped that pretty quick
when I reminded him he was due for a tetanus booster next week.
You know what gets me, Seth?
That all this could happen here in our little town
where everybody seems to know everybody else's business.
I mean, Marla has been in desperate trouble for months.
Why is it that none of us could see it?
Most people lead busy lives, Jess.
Even here in Cabot Cove.
Yeah, and what bothers me is that right here in Cabot Cove,
what's happened to the communal spirit?
I mean, neighbor helping neighbor.
If you mean the good old days,
I'm afraid you're talking ancient history, Jess.
Well, if I am, there's something very wrong.
Will you give me a ride down to the sheriff's office?
Sure.
Find something in the paper?
No, but I'm hoping that Marla will.
This is last Friday's Portland Tribune.
Yeah.
I wanna try and jog her memory.
Mmm.
Here it is, Mrs. Fletcher!
This is where I went for the job interview.
Warren industries.
They were looking for a finished goods inspector.
-Are you sure? -I am positive. I remember now.
I had this ad circled in red pencil.
Good.
I'll get sheriff Metzger to call the personnel manager.
That'll be one step closer to getting you out of here.
Mrs. Fletcher, I'm so scared.
Of course you are. I would be, too.
Well, there's something I think you should know.
I've been in trouble before.
Broke back in Chicago,
we snuck out of an apartment in the middle of the night
because I couldn't pay the rent.
Yes, I know. Kevin told me.
I've lost my boy once before, Mrs. Fletcher.
I'm so scared of it happening again.
You won't,
because you didn't kill Jack Franzen.
No, I didn't.
And this might not be fair
because I have nothing to back it up,
but I can think of someone who might've killed Jack.
Who?
Owen Brownwell.
Jack owned the shoe factory building
and on Friday he raised Owen's rent
for the second time in a year.
Well, Owen was furious.
He has a terrible temper.
Sometimes he blows up over the slightest thing.
You know, I suddenly have an uncontrollable urge
for a pair of moccasins
direct from factory to you.
-Hello again, Danny. -Hi, Mrs. Fletcher.
-You find Kevin okay? -Oh, yes, thanks.
How's Marla holding up?
Well, as well as can be expected
under the circumstances.
If she needs anything, money,
I haven't got much, but she's welcome to it.
Well, I'm sure she'll appreciate the offer.
Oh, by the way, I understand that Jack's funeral's on Friday.
Yeah?
Well, I wouldn't look for much of a crowd.
That's odd.
I remember you and Jack in high school.
You were always the best of friends.
Yeah, I know it looked like that.
Jack always liked having guys like me around him
telling him how great he was.
Kids do dumb things like that.
Ah, excuse me, I got to get these shoes to the shipper.
Oh, yes. Of course.
[door closes] [engine turning over]
[machinery whirring]
Hello, Patsy.
Hiya, Mrs. Fletcher.
What can I do for you today?
Um, I need a pair of mocs for a gift.
Do you know, the ones with the beading across the toes.
-A size seven. -Oh, the lady moc.
You know, that's our most popular style.
Well, great.
Oh, I see that Owen has a guest.
Guest?
Hell, she's getting to be like part of the family.
That's the third time today she's come by.
I'll be right back with your shoes.
Thanks.
-I think this is mandatory. -Mm-hmm.
Yeah, we can do that. See here?
Yeah, that's all good.
-Now what about this corner? -Excuse me.
Am I interrupting anything?
Oh, just a little business discussion.
Listen to this, Jessica.
Gloria's figured out a way
for me to buy this building outright,
and then we're going into
a mail-order catalog business together.
Really?
Gloria, I had no idea you were interested in business.
I never got involved,
because Jack didn't want to share any of the glory.
In fact, about all we did share was a name and an address.
"Owen shoes direct to you."
Oh, I tell you,
this is the best thing that ever happened to me.
[laughs] Yes.
It's just one of those little quirks in life, isn't it?
I mean, so much good coming out of such a misfortune.
Isn't it wonderful?
Oh, I've got to go.
Owen, shall I pick you up around 6:00-ish?
No, not tonight, Gloria. I've already got a ride.
Well, take care.
-Bye-bye, Jessica. -Bye.
-Car trouble? -[chuckling]
Oh, the worst kind.
My old clunker finally gave up the ghost.
I had to junk it.
Fellow in Rockport gave me 50 bucks for it for the parts.
Not much else you could do with it.
Oh, and when did you do that, Owen?
Saturday morning. First thing.
Got a new car coming this week.
It should be here by this weekend.
Why do you ask, Jessica?
You're not thinking of taking up driving, are you?
Oh, my, no. [laughs]
I have enough trouble keeping my bicycle in shape.
Well, I must pick up my shoes.
Goodbye, Owen,
and good luck with your new car.
Hello, sheriff.
-Any news? -Yes, ma'am.
None of it good, I'm sorry to say.
I called that company in Portland
Mrs. Bryce said she had the appointment with.
They never heard of her.
And she was there shortly before 5:00,
and she stayed for 20 minutes?
Thank you, Mr. Ashland.
You have been very helpful.
Okay, Mrs. F., I give up.
How come when I called nobody ever heard of Marla Bryce,
and when you call, they did?
Because you spoke to Mr. Ashland's secretary,
who did not come into the office on Friday.
He spoke personally to Marla,
but he forgot to write the appointment down
on his calendar.
Okay, okay.
So she had a reason to go to Portland,
but that still doesn't put her in the clear.
She could have killed Franzen before she left.
And there's a little matter of the murder weapon,
which she admits belongs to her.
Yes, but Kevin told me that
he left it out in the front yard.
Anyone could have walked up and taken it.
And what about these, sheriff?
I mean, could these have come from Jack's car?
No, no, both of his taillights were intact.
I'm trying to pinpoint what make and model
might take this type of cover,
but it's gonna take a little while.
If they came from a 12-year-old station wagon,
you better talk to Owen Brownwell.
Oh, yeah? Why is that?
Yes, ma'am, please stay on the line.
Ma'am? Don't hang up. Hello? Hello?
What's the problem, Floyd?
Anonymous caller, sheriff. A woman.
Said she saw Jack Franzen leave Patsy Dumont's house
about 3:30 Friday afternoon.
-Anonymous, huh? -Mm-hmm.
That's one thing about Cabot Cove.
There's no shortage of people willing to stick their noses
into other people's business.
Maybe so, but if it's true,
that means there isn't any way
that Marla could have been involved in Jack's death.
Well, yeah.
I could use the fresh air anyway.
Jack? Here?
Whatever gave you a crazy idea like that?
A witness.
A woman who said she saw Jack Franzen
leave your place at about 3:30 last Friday.
Mrs. Vibber.
Thanks a lot.
I'll do you a favor someday, you old bat.
Look, miss Dumont,
Marla Bryce caught the 3:00 bus to Portland.
If Jack Franzen was here, alive, at 3:30,
that gives her a concrete alibi, and I can let her go.
I wasn't trying to hurt Marla.
I just didn't think it was anybody's business what I did.
So Franzen was here.
I snuck out of work about 2:00.
Owen was so riled up,
he didn't even notice I was gone.
Jack came by about 2:30.
He left at 3:30, just like you said.
What are you doing?
Thanks for your cooperation, miss Dumont.
You've been most helpful.
Yeah, that's me. Heart of gold.
[engine turning over]
That's wonderful, sheriff.
Well, I'll tell Kevin as soon as he arrives.
Well, thanks for calling.
Marla has an alibi
for the time of Jack Franzen's death.
He's getting ready to release her.
I'd say that was about time.
Seth!
Now, I baked those for Kevin.
Besides, what's happened to your diet?
Well, not only is the flesh weak,
but so is the spirit,
especially when it comes to chocolate.
Well, all right, maybe just one.
Thank you.
And to show you my appreciation and gratitude,
I'm going to freshen up your coffee.
-[groans] -What is it?
Well, it looks as if you've only got
half a pot of cold coffee left, Jess.
The little red light is out.
Feel the side of the coffee pot,
but very carefully.
Agh! [chuckles]
Wrong again, doctor Hazlitt. It's hot.
Yeah, well, the light broke nearly a month ago.
Did you know that nearly every part of a coffeemaker
is replaceable?
But if you want a new light,
you have to buy a whole new machine.
Oh, that's modern technology for you.
Give me an old-fashioned percolator
and a gas flame anytime.
Seth, that's it!
We've been going about this all wrong.
That's what I'm trying to tell you, woman.
The coffee you get from an old-fashioned percolator,
you can stand a spoon in.
Not the coffee, the red light.
Sheriff? Jessica Fletcher.
Something's just occurred to me.
In our area, there can't be more than, say,
four or five stores that sell auto parts.
I think you ought to start checking them out.
What you doing, Kevin?
Oh. Hi, Danny.
I just came to pick up my mom's paycheck.
You won't find it in the back of my truck.
What are you looking for?
Nothing.
Why are you nosing around here?
I'm not, honest.
-Look, I got to go, okay? -Hold it.
Kevin! Kevin, come here!
Kevin, wait!
Let go of me!
Take it easy, kid! I'm not gonna hurt you.
You're the reason my mother's in jail.
You killed Mr. Franzen!
I didn't mean to. I swear to God.
Will you cut it out!
Now listen to me, kid. I didn't start it. He did.
Danny!
I wasn't trying to hurt him.
He killed Mr. Franzen, sheriff.
He has a new taillight on his pickup.
I know, son.
We know.
-You all right? -Yeah.
It wasn't something I planned. It just happened.
Oh, God.
The past few days I've been so scared,
looking over my shoulder,
waiting for somebody to figure it out.
Why don't you just start at the beginning, Danny?
I like Marla. She's a great lady.
And I hated the way Jack was always trying to strong-arm her.
At the factory last Friday, I heard him tell her
he was gonna come over to the house
to work something out for the back rent.
I figured if I gave her the rent money,
maybe she'd begin to look at me differently,
not just some dumb delivery guy.
So I told Owen I had an errand to run,
and I went to her house.
She wasn't there.
I was getting ready to leave,
and Jack pulled up, looking for Marla.
When he found out she wasn't there,
he got really mad.
He thought she was trying to skip out on the rent.
So he took it out on me,
just like he always did, even in high school.
Jack loved to rub it in
about how we both came from the same place,
but he'd made it big, and I was still just a nobody.
Well, this time, I tried to stick up for myself.
I wasn't gonna take it.
Well, he hit me, and he knocked me into the dirt.
And then he laughed at me.
The way he'd been laughing at me my whole life.
Something in me snapped.
I saw the shovel laying there. I picked it up and I swung.
When I realized what I'd done,
I--I knew I had to get rid of his body,
so I drove his Mercedes into the woods,
and I threw the shovel as far as I could.
Then I pushed the car into the gully.
I figured somebody would think it was an accident.
And I ran back to the house, I got in my truck,
but I was in such a hurry to get out of there
that I backed into the firewood in the front yard
and I broke my taillight.
I found as many pieces as I could in the dark,
and then I just beat it out of there.
That's when you nearly ran me down.
Yeah.
[sighs]
Next day, I drove over to Rockport,
and I bought a new taillight cover.
Yeah, we know.
We've got a copy of the receipt.
Lock him up, Floyd.
Poor fellow just went crazy, is all.
Diminished capacity.
Of course, I'm no lawyer, but what I think is...
oh, Seth, we all know what you think,
you've been telling us all evening.
Kevin, there's just one piece of chocolate cake left.
It would be an awful shame to have it go to waste.
Well, I...
if you're not hungry, son,
it won't go to waste, I promise you that.
Well, actually, Jessica, we have to get going.
Kevin has school in the morning,
and I've got to be at work early.
That old slave driver still at it, huh?
No, doctor Hazlitt.
Owen has promoted me to day foreman
with a nice raise in pay.
Oh, Marla, that is wonderful news.
Yes, and between that
and what Kevin's gonna pick up working for the sheriff...
What's that?
Washing the squad cars
and doing some of the landscaping.
Now, hold on there.
I had it in mind to hire the young man myself.
I've got that fence needs painting.
Oh, now, Seth.
Kevin's a healthy young man.
He's gonna be able to handle all of our odd jobs
in his spare time, aren't you, Kevin?
Oh, sure thing, Mrs. Fletcher.
Of course, I get him first.
[laughter]
[cheerful orchestral music]