“MURDER, HE WROTE”

Written by John Thomas James (Pen name for Roy Huggins)

ACT ONE

EXT. MULHOLLAND DRIVE - DAY

We are looking at a well-tended, Spanish-style house with a
curving driveway, down which a Mercedes rolls toward us.

The Mercedes passes through the open wrought-iron gates and
turns onto the road, going east. As the car turns we get a
look at the name of the owner of the residence: BRASHER.
The name is embossed on a shiny brass plate set into a large
brick mailbox.

INT. THE MERCEDES

The driver is a man in his early sixties, silver-haired,
ruddy-cheeked, a man we will come to know and like. His
name is CLARENCE HYLAND.

Clarence touches the brake to slow for a curve and reacts in
fear and shock. He has no brakes.

CLOSE ON HIS FOOT

Stomping on the brake pedal.

SERIES OF SHOTS - INTERIOR/EXTERIOR

as the Mercedes careens down Mulholland.

AT LAST

The Mercedes plows into a sloping hillside, almost goes out
of control, but finally comes to a jarring stop as the
Mercedes hits a pile of sand and gravel at the road's edge.

ON CLARENCE

He sits for a moment, apparently savoring this happy ending.
He opens the door and steps out tentatively, as if half
expecting to find that something is broken, like an arm or a
leg.

Having discerned he is all in one piece he steps to the side
of the road, sees a car coming his way, smiles a warm,
attractive smile and raises his thumb. We feel that he is
enjoying this little misadventure.

EXT. A HOLMBY HILLS MANSION - DAY

This place makes the Brasher house look like a hovel, and it
makes Hunter's car look as if a mistake is being made as
Hunter drives up the long curving drive to the front door.

AT FRONT OF HOUSE

Hunter and McCall step out of the car and look around in
awe.

They walk to the door and push the bell button. NO SOUND.
Hunter pushes it again. NOTHING.

HUNTER
Suppose it's out of order?

The door opens, revealing a polished-looking gentleman in a
white coat. His name is CECIL FOWLER and he belongs to an
endangered species: Fowler is a butler. He is also black
but he has a cultured English accent.

FOWLER
(looking at McCall
suspiciously)
You're the police?

McCall's answer is to show her credentials.

MCCALL
We're answering a call about a
homicide.

FOWLER
Ah. Yes. The homicide. Come with
me, please.

IMT. CLARENCE HYLAND'S SITTING ROOM - DAY

Clarence, seated in a deep leather chair, is reading a book.
This is a comfortable, lived-in room with some large oil
paintings on the wall which we will look at more closely
later.

Fowler enters, followed by Hunter and McCall. Clarence sees
them and stands, a warm smile of welcome on his face.

FOWLER
The, ah... people you called are
here, sir.

CLARENCE
Thanks, Cecil.
(to McCall, as he
takes her hand)
I'm Clarence Hyland.

MCCALL
I'm Sergeant McCall, my partner,
Sergeant Hunter.

As Clarence shakes Hunter's hand. (Fowler has left.)

CLARENCE
Would you sit down, please?

HUNTER
(still standing,
puzzled)
We were told you had a homicide
to report, Mr. Hyland.

CLARENCE
Yes, I do, but won't you sit down,
please? May I offer you some
refreshment?

MCCALL HUNTER
No, thanks. No.

But they do sit.

CLARENCE
(sits in his chair)
Now. About the homicide...
(looks at Hunter,
then McCall)
It hasn't happened yet, which is
why you don't see any bodies lying
around.

McCall and Hunter look at him, look at each other, look back
at Clarence.

CLARENCE
(laughs)
Please don't conclude I'm a
nut-case. I'm quite sane. Look
at this.

He opens a drawer in the polished oak table next to his
chair and takes out a short length of brake-hose. He hands
it to Hunter.

CLARENCE
That is a brake-hose. It's an
essential part of the brake system
in my car. As you can see, it's
been neatly cut.

Hunter, having looked at the brake-hose, passes it to
McCall.

MRS. BRASHER'S VOICE
It was nothing short of a miracle
that Clarence wasn't killed!

ALL LOOK OFF AT:

MRS. JENNIFER BRASHER, as she enters the room. We should
notice that Mrs. Brasher bears a striking resemblance to
that gifted actress, Angela Lansbury. Mrs. Brasher is tall,
a few years beyond middle age, and quite matronly. She is
also unabashedly self-confident, self-assured, and on
occasion, self-important.

CLARENCE
(rising)
Jennifer! I'm so glad you dropped
By. I'd like you to meet my
friends Sergeant McCall and
Sergeant Hunter of our Metro
police.

As Jennifer shakes their hands:

CLARENCE
(to Hunter and
McCall)

This is Jennifer Brasher, my
closest friend. I have no secrets
from Jenny.

JENNIFER
(laughs)
That's only because I pry them
all out of him. Sit, sit.

They all sit, including Jennifer, who draws up a chair and
joins them.

MCCALL
I think I've heard of you, Mrs.
Brasher - aren't you a writer?

JENNIFER
Well, that's debatable. If you
call writing screenplays
-writing', then I'm a writer.

CLARENCE
She's a writer, and a darned good
one.
(to McCall)
Did you see "The Edge"?

MCCALL
Ah, no... I missed that one.

CLARENCE
How about "Fatal Obsession"?

JENNIFER
Clarence, those are not my best
scripts, they're just the ones
that made the most money.

HUNTER
Mr, Hyland, your problem is for
Traffic Investigation, not
Homicide.

CLARENCE
Sergeant, whoever it was will
certainly try again, probably in
some more conventional way. And
that person can only be one of
four people. I'd like you to be
my guests for dinner tonight so
you can meet them.

JENNIFER
(to Hunter)
It doesn't have to be official.
Clarence simply wants to invite
you, on your own time, as his
guests. The other guests will
be me, of course, Clarence's three
nephews, and his niece, one of
whom tried to kill him yesterday.

HUNTER
How do you know it was one of
them?

JENNIFER
They all have a great deal to gain
by Clarence's death, and a great
deal to lose if he lives another
twenty years - as his doctors
assure him he will.

MCCALL
(puzzled)
What are we expected to do at this
dinner?

JENNIFER
Eat.

Jennifer laughs modestly to make room for a response to her
wit. When she gets none, she purses her lips and goes on.

JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Clarence feels certain there'll
be another attempt, and soon.
If you've already met the four
of them... well, that will be
of great assistance to you - in
case an investigation is ever
required. Don't you agree?

HUNTER
No, I've already said what I
think you should do.

CLARENCE
But now that I've met you and
Sergeant McCall, I'd be very
pleased if you'd accept my
Invitation.

McCall smiles. She throws a look at Hunter indicating she
likes the idea.

HUNTER
We have to report in, Mr. Hyland.
We'll think about it and get back
to you.

Hunter stands. McCall stands. Clarence rises.

CLARENCE
I do hope you'll join us. I would
deeply appreciate it. Cocktails
are at seven. Dinner at eight.
And it's casual. Please come as
you are.

Hunter and McCall move to the door.

EXT. THE FRONT DOOR

As McCall and Hunter come out, Fowler closing the door
behind them. McCall sees the pondering, puzzled look on
Hunter's face.

MCCALL
What's wrong?

HUNTER
(he can't quite
grasp it)
That woman. Did she remind you
of anyone?

MCCALL
Cone to think of it, she did -
but I can't think who...

HUNTER
Neither can I... But it'll come
to me.

They reach the car.

HUNTER
What do you think they'll have
for dinner - bernaise sauce and
overcooked snowpeas?

MCCALL
I'm sure it'll be the best dinner
we've had in years.

As they get in the car,

CUT TO:

INT. CLARENCE'S STUDY - DAY

Clarence is seated reading a script. Jennifer is nowhere
in sight. Clarence hears something and looks up to see:

MAX THORNBURY

Max is one of Clarence's nephews, a once-attractive man
whose face tells us that he is an alcoholic. His expensive
clothes look a bit threadbare.

THE SCENE

CLARENCE
(a warm saile)
Max! You're early, but I'm glad,
it's always good to see you.

Max smiles and gives Clarence a kiss on the top of his head.

MAX
Good to see you too, Uncle
Clarence. Where's Jennifer?

CLARENCE
Out in the garden.

MAX
I'll be right back -- I wanta talk
to her.

CLARENCE
(smiles)
Something private?

MAX
(smiles back)
Very private - and Jennifer will
no doubt tell you all about it
later.

Clarence smiles after Max affectionately as Max walks back
toward the foyer.

EXT. THE GARDEN - DAY

Jennifer is picking a bouquet of flowers. We will later
See her with a bouquet that looks very much like this one.
She sees Max approaching her, looks surprised.

MAX
Jennifer. You look lovely, as
Always.

THE SCENE

as Max enters to her.

JENNIFER
(skeptically)
You've never said that before.
(smiles)
What've you got in mind?

MAX
(suddenly very
serious)

Problems, Jennifer. I got
problems in mind.

JENNIFER
Sounds serious.

Max hesitates, looking for precisely the right way to say
this:

MAX
I need some money. I need a loan,
can you help me?

JENNIFER
(sharply surprised)
You need a loan? The banks are
lavishing money on all four of
you - three hundred thousand a
year the last I heard - and you
need money?

MAX
Jenny... before those vultures
would lend any of us a dime they
had to be sure we'd outlive
Clarence. They made all of us
carry life insurance, and it goes
up every year.

JENNIFER
Max, I assumed that. So?

MAX
I... I flunked my physical this
time.

Silence, as Jennifer absorbs this.

JENNIFER
I see... they cut you off?

MAX
They wouldn't lend me cab-fare
home.

JENNIFER
Max, I'm not a wealthy woman.
I can't lend you enough money to
live on.

MAX
I just need enough to get by on...
till I figure out what to do.

Jennifer thinks about it for a moment, then:

JENNIFER
Let's go inside and talk about
this.

MAX
With Clarence? You know what
he'll say!

JENNIFER
Not with Clarence.

She turns toward the house and Max follows as we

CUT TO:

INT. CLARENCE HYLAND'S DINING ROOM - NIGHT

Dinner is under way. At one end of the table sits Clarence
Hyland. At the other end sits Jennifer Brasher.

AT CLARENCE'S LEFT: ERIC VON ANHALT

Eric is not quite thirty, with a slender, attractive face
and blond hair.

AT ERIC'S LEFT: MCCALL

looking quite beautiful.

AT MCCALL'S LEFT: MAX THORNBURY

He can be witty and charming, but after the first pint or
two the wit turns caustic and the charm turns sour.

AT CLARENCE'S RIGHT: HUNTER

casually observing the people around him.

AT HUNTER'S RIGHT: DEVON DE LOIRE

Devon is 27, a slender woman with reddish-blond hair and a
delicate body. The thing you notice about her is that she
is lovely, sad and quiet.

ON DEVON'S RIGHT: BYRON MAJESKA

Byron looks a little like his poet-namesake: longish
light-brown hair, pale skin, handsome and withdrawn. He is
the youngest of the group, 24.

The room is not brightly lit and the table is richly
decorated but not large, so the scene is almost intimate.
There always seems to be at least one dark-skinned servant
(Latin, Asian, perhaps both), unobtrusively seeing to the
guests' needs. Fowler is there, yet not there, never
Intruding, always ready. The scene consists of a series of
impressions, with SHORT DISSOLVES, OVERLAPPING DIALOGUE:

CLARENCE
(to Devon)
How's Michael?

DEVON
I haven't the slightest idea.

JENNIFER
Don't tell me you and Michael -

DEVON
I'd rather not talk about it,
Jennifer.

SHORT DISSOLVE

SAME SCENE - LATER

JENNIFER
(to Byron)

How's the novel progressing,
Byron?

BYRON
What page was I on the last time
you asked?

JENNIFER
I think it was about four hundred
and fifty.

BYRON
(nods)
It's now about three hundred.
I made the mistake of reading it.

HUNTER
(to Byron)
You're a writer?

BYRON
No. I write. A writer is someone
who makes a living writing, like
Jennifer.

MAX
Jennifer does not write, Byron.
You've got to get that straight.

JENNIFER
(a hollow laugh;
to Hunter)
Max says that what I do isn't
writing, it's typing.

MAX
No, Jennifer. Truman Capote said
that. I merely stole it.

SHORT DISSOLVE TO

SAME SCENE - LATER

ERIC
(to McCall)
Have you known my uncle long?

MCCALL
Not long enough, he's one of the
most charming men I've ever met.

MAX
Yeah? How many men have you met?
Not many, huh?

ERIC
Max, you're drunk.

MAX
(to McCall,
indicating Eric)

You ought to get to know this man.
As you can see, he's brilliant.

SHORT DISSOLVE TO

SAME SCENE - LATER

DEVON
(to Hunter)
Uncle Clarence tells me you're
a stockbroker. Are you really?

HUNTER
You don't believe what your Uncle
tells you?

DEVON
He used to tell us the most awful
lies when we were kids.
(a sad smile)
We loved it.

HUNTER
Well, he's still doing it.

SHORT DISSOLVE TO

SAME SCENE - LATER

ERIC
(to McCall)
Do you believe in love at first
sight?

McCall realizes this isn't a casual question; Eric likes
her. She decides to discourage him.

MCCALL
No. Do you?

ERIC
(smiles)
I do now.

CUT TO:

INT. CLARENCE'S SITTING ROOM - NIGHT

Clarence, Hunter and McCall enter and Clarence walks over to
the table next to his chair. On the table, next to a
telephone, is a small, ornately carved teak-wood box which
Clarence opens. Also on the table is a vase of faded
flowers.

MCCALL
Aren't the others joining us?

CLARENCE
(takes a cigar from
the box)
No, Jennifer can't stand my cigars
and the others will do whatever
suits them.
(offers box to
Hunter)
Sergeant Hunter?

HUNTER
No, thanks.

CLARENCE
(to McCall)
I won't light this if you share
Jennifer's low opinion of cigars.

MCCALL
No, please, go ahead.

As they sit, close enough to each other to speak quietly,
Clarence lights his cigar.

CLARENCE
Well? What do you think?

MCCALL
It's hard to believe any of them
is capable of trying to kill you.
I got the feeling they like you.

CLARENCE
Yes, I always felt they did. I
love them, actually, every one
of them.

HUNTER
(puzzled,
skeptical)
But you think one of them intends
to kill you.

CLARENCE
(points)
See that stern-looking gentleman?

HUNTER AND MCCALL LOOK AT:

Oil painting of Clarence's Grandfather. The painting is
almost life-size, and the old gentleman looks nothing less
than imperious. He also looks angry.

CLARENCE'S VOICE
Seamus Hyland, born in 1845,
without money or prospects.

BACK TO GROUP

CLARENCE
He died in 1929 and left an estate
worth thirty million dollars.
Oil, of course. He didn't drill
for it, he just found a way to
monopolize the distribution of
it.
(nods at another
painting)
And over there -

A SECOND OIL PAINTING

This one is smaller. The man in the painting somewhat
resembles Clarence. He is dressed in the style of the
twenties.

CLARENCE'S VOICE
My father, Edward Hyland, born
in 1875. Grandfather hated him.
Actually, he hated me, too, but
I was too young to notice it.
I was six when the old tyrant
died.

BACK TO GROUP

CLARENCE
When Grandfather got ready to pass
on he set up an irrevocable trust.
His son Edward would inherit
nothing and Edward's children -
that's me, I'm the last grandchild
left - would inherit nothing.

HUNTER
(looking around)
You must've inherited something.

CLARENCE
Oh, yes - the income from the
estate. It went first to my
father, and when he died it went
to me and my sister, and when she
died it all came to me. The
income's substantial, of course,
but the estate has remained
untouched. It's valued at over
200 million today.

MCCALL
(surprised)
Your nephews are brothers? And
Devon's their sister?

CLARENCE
(laughs)

No no, my dear sister married
seven times! Those four all had
different fathers.
(to Hunter)
But to get back to your question,
Sergeant. When I die the trust
will be dissolved and the assets
distributed to the four young
people you met at dinner.

Silence. McCall and Hunter look at Clarence for a long
moment, then exchange a glance between them. Finally:

MCCALL
So they'll inherit over 50 million
dollars each when you die.

CLARENCE
(nods)
And meanwhile they haven't a cent
to their names. I used to give
them a generous allowance, but
I stopped doing that over a year
ago.

HUNTER
Why?

CLARENCE
Not one of them has ever done an
honest day's work in their lives.
I thought it was time they did.

HUNTER
Did they?

CLARENCE
Unfortunately no - on the
prospect of their eventual
inheritance, every bank in the
city lined up to lend then money.

HUNTER
Did you ever do an honest days
work, Mr. Hyland?

CLARENCE
(totally offended)
Absolutely not. Neither did my
sister or my father. We didn't
have to.

Clarence brushes the ash on his cigar into an ashtray.

CLARENCE (CONT'D)
But to get back to the problem
I face: Those four young people
are paupers, living on borrowed
money, and will till the day I
die. And my grandfather lived
to be 84.

HUNTER
And you think at least one of
'em's tired of waiting.

CLARENCE
Someone tried to kill me
yesterday. What else can I think?

He looks at Hunter and McCall. They don't know what to
think. Clarence stands.

CLARENCE
Well, I think the others are in
the game-room. Why don't we join
them?

Hunter and McCall follow Clarence into the foyer.

INT. FOYER - DAY

As they walk through the room, the phone rings. Clarence
stops and picks up the receiver. He pushes the button
where a red light glows (there are three lines) and:

CLARENCE
Hello.
(listens, then:)
I'll take this in my study, will
you hold please?

Clarence pushes the HOLD button and hangs up the phone. The
red light remains on, of course.

CLARENCE
(stands)
Excuse me, I won't be long.

He crosses to a door in the polished oak wall and opens it.
He snaps on the lights and for a moment we catch a glimpse
of a study. The door closes behind Clarence.

HUNTER AMD MCCALL
look at each other.

HUNTER
This house and what's in it must
belong to Clarence. Who do you
suppose gets that?

MCCALL
Let's ask him when he comes back.

Hunter glances at the phone.

DISSOLVE TO:

OMITTED

HUNTER AMD MCCALL

Hunter is standing now, pacing restlessly.

OMITTED

ON JENNIFER

As she walks into the foyer carrying a bouquet of flowers like those
we saw her picking before. She sees that Clarence is not there and:

JENNIFER
Where's Clarence?

HUNTER
He took a call.
(nods)
In his study.

JENNIFER
Oh.

JENNIFER (CONT'D)
(glances at phone)
How long's he been on the call?

MCCALL
Almost ten minutes.

JENNIFER
(surprised)
What?

She strides to the study door and knocks, not timidly. No
response. She knocks again, aggressively.

JENNIFER
Clarence?

No response. Jennifer decides to go in. The door doesn't
open.

JENNIFER
That's odd, the door's locked.

She rattles the knob, knocks again, strides quickly back to
the table, picks up the phone and pushes the button under
the red light. She lays the flowers on the desk.

Her face tells us there is no conversation going on.

JENNIFER
Hello? Hello!

She hangs up but the light stays on. She starts looking
quickly through the drawers of the table for a key, which
she finds.

MCCALL AND HUNTER

are both standing, both intently watching Jennifer's every
move. When she crosses to the door with the key they go
with her.

AT DOOR

as Jennifer unlocks it.

INT. THE STUDY - NIGHT

as the door swings open and Jennifer steps in, followed
closely by Hunter and McCall. The lights are still on, and
seated at a desk in the left center of the room is Clarence
Hyland.

Jennifer freezes in her tracks and gasps loudly.

CLARENCE

Bright red blood stains his immaculate white dress shirt.
Clarence has been shot through the heart.

Hunter steps over to him quickly to feel for some sign of
life. He finds none but continues to try. On the desk is
the telephone, the receiver off the hook, the red light
still burning, on the floor lies Clarence's cigar, not
burning.

HUNTER
(to Jennifer)
He's dead...

Jennifer nods, a look of sorrow and dread on her expressive
face as we

GO TO BLACK

END OF ACT ONE

************************************************************

ACT TWO

FADE IN:

INT. CLARENCE HYLAND'S STUDY, ONE SECOND LATER

On Mccall as she sees something across the room and starts
toward it.

HUNTER

sees what caught McCall's eye and falls in beside her

ON HUNTER AND MCCALL

as they cross to a gun lying on the polished oak parquet
floor. Hunter kneels to look at it as Mrs. Brasher, who has
followed them, stands looking over his shoulder at the gun.

THE GUN

It is a .22 caliber automatic revolver with a silencer
attached.

HUNTER, MCCALL, MRS. BRASHER

Hunter looks to his right where the door of a small closet
stands open, revealing a shallow clothes closet, not large,
but large enough for a full-sized man to hide in. The
closet is only a step or two away from where the gun lies.

HUNTER

looks over his shoulder toward Clarence, no more than
twenty-five feet from where the gun lies.

MRS. BRASHER

follows Hunter's gaze, looks back at him and nods knowingly.
Hunter rises, turns to McCall.

HUNTER
I'll call the lab and round
everyone up.

MCCALL
How about checking on the servants
too?

Hunter nods and hurries out to use the phone in the other
room. We stay with McCall, who glances at a nearby
marble-topped table. The table is small, round and has a
halt-dozen books on it, supported by two marble book-ends.

McCall's gaze moves on to a large window, in the center of
the wall. McCall goes to the window, finds that it is
closed and locked.

MCCALL

looks the room over. On the far wall are two more oil
portraits. Another wall is lined with books. In the fourth
wall is the door they used to enter, still open.

MCCALL
(to Jennifer)
I don't see any other way in or
out of this room. Is there one?

JENNIFER
No. Just the door and that
window.

MCCALL
The window's locked, on this side.

JENNIFER
Did you or sergeant Hunter leave
the foyer, even for a moment,
after Clarence came in here?

McCall reacts only slightly to Jennifer's sudden Scotland
Yard Inspector tone.

MCCALL
No, Mrs. Brasher, we didn't.

JENNIFER
Then no one could have left this
room. That means the murderer
was already in here. So he, or
she, must still be in here,
wouldn't you say?

MCCALL
Sounds logical Mrs. Brasher, but
I really don't think anyone else
is in here.

McCall steps over and glances into the small closet near
where the gun lay. There is a cardigan sweater hanging on a
head-high cross-pole, a smoking-jacket, and a lap-blanket.
The closet is otherwise empty.

McCall crosses to the door (we can't see if anyone is behind
it) and closes it, revealing that no one was hiding there.
She looks the room over. There is no place anyone could be
hiding.

MCCALL
Nobody here but us two.

JENNIFER
Well. It would appear, then,
Sergeant McCall, that we have a
locked-room puzzle, wouldn't you
say?

MCCALL
No. What I'd say is that there's
another way in and out of this
room.

JENNIFER
(shakes her head)
If there were any such thing
Clarence would have told me about
it.
(walks toward
McCall)
And I'm surprised you haven't
commented on another very
significant clue, Sergeant.

MCCALL
Really? What clue is that?

JENNIFER
The killer carelessly left the
gun behind. He, or she, must have
wanted it found, wouldn't you
say?

MCCALL
No. Everyone in this house will
be searched, and I'm sure the
killer knows that. He...
(smiles)
... or she, was very smart to
leave the gun behind.
(nods at gun)
There probably won't be any
fingerprints on it, and it'll
probably be untraceable.

If Jennifer has a reply to that we don't hear it because the
door opens and Hunter comes in.

HUNTER
Lab's on the way and everyone's
in the dining room.

JENNIFER
(to Hunter)
May I stay with you, Sergeant
Hunter?

HUNTER
Yes, I'd like you to.

JENNIFER
Good. Perhaps I could help you
look for clues.

HUNTER
The technicians•11 find the
clues. Why don't you have a
seat.

He gestures toward a chair and Jennifer reluctantly walks
over to it and sits down. She is now seated in an area of
the room that puts the back of Clarence's chair (and the
back of his head) in Jennifer's line of sight. In effect,
we "lose" the corpse for the remainder of the scene.

McCall walks over and sits down beside her.

MCCALL
It was about ten minutes from
the time we all left the dining
room till you came into the
foyer. Where'd you go?

JENNIFER
Didn't you notice the fresh
flowers I had in my hand when I
came in? I picked them in the
patio garden.

HUNTER
Who inherits Clarence's personal
estate?

JENNIFER
I haven't the slightest idea, but
I wouldn't be a bit surprised if
I do.

That surprises Hunter and McCall only slightly. He had
half-suspected that would be the answer.

HUNTER
You got any idea who killed him?

JENNIFER
Of course. One of those four
idle, and now very wealthy, young
people - or a combination of
them. Maybe all four of them
planned it together.
(looks around)
And very cleverly too. They aren't
stupid, or unimaginative or
unmotivated.

HUNTER
(looks at west
wall)
Do you know what's behind this
wall?

Hunter indicates the wall he can't be sure of. He knows
what's beyond the walls with the windows in them; and
beyond the other wall is the foyer.

JENNIFER
There's a guest study and some
stairs to the second floor.

Hunter goes to the south wall, where he begins to study the
paneling closely, careful not to put his hands on it.

JENNIFER
(at her most
gracious)
You know, sergeant Hunter, I'm
a very serious student of crime,
especially of murder. And I know
a great deal about all the people
involved in this one. You are
going to let me help you on this
case, aren't you?

Hunter glances at McCall, then looks at Jennifer. She is
smiling sweetly, in full confidence of a positive reply.

HUNTER
No, ma'am, we're not.

On Jennifer's surprised and dismayed reaction we

CUT TO:

CLOSE SHOT - FLASH PHOTOGRAPH

INT. THE STUDY - NIGHT

The whole crew is here now, except McCall.

BARNEY

is supervising the photography of Clarence's body. Two
FINGERPRINT TECHNICIANS are busy dusting, especially in the
area of the desk and where the gun was lying. REUBEN GARCIA
is tapping the walls with a specialized Instrument, looking
for a second entrance/exit. WE COME INTO the shot as Hunter
leaves Garcia and heads for the exit door. Jennifer and the
print-technician follow him.

INT. CLARENCE'S SITTING ROOM - NIGHT

Hunter crosses toward the hallway, followed closely by Mrs.
Brasher and the fingerprint technician (BIGGS.)

INT. THE DINING ROOM - NIGHT

McCall, Cecil Fowler, Byron, Eric, Max and Devon are all
here, some seated, some standing (Fowler for one). Behind
Fowler are three servants and a cook. Devon is weeping
quietly and Byron is trying to comfort her. McCall is
speaking quietly with Cecil Fowler when Hunter and Mrs.
Brasher enter with a print technician (BIGGS).

MAX
(angry, and still
a bit drunk)
Jennifer! What's happened? We're
getting a lot of questions and
no answers!

JENNIFER
(gently)
All I know is that Clarence ia
dead. Someone shot him.

HUNTER
What've you got, McCall?

MCCALL
(indicating Byron)
Mr. Majeska and Miss De Loire went
to the game-room immediately after
dinner. They played backgammon
till you came and got them.
(checks -her
notebook,
indicating Eric
and Max)

Mr. Von Anhalt and Mr. Thombury
went to the bar. Then Mr. Von
Anhalt went upstairs, leaving Mr.
Thombury alone in the bar.
(looks at Fowler)
Mr. Fowler was with the staff in
the kitchen.

FOWLER
(to Hunter, firmly)
We were all in the kitchen,
eating, from the time we cleared
the table till you came and told
us Mr. Clarence was dead.

MCCALL
(to Eric)
Mr. Von Anhalt, you went upstairs?
Why?

ERIC
To see my old room. I always go
there when I visit Uncle Clarence,
it helps me remember the good
years we all had in this house.
(with genuine
feeling)
Clarence was the only person in
any of our lives who ever gave
a damn about us.

HUNTER
Where is that room?

ERIC
It's up the stairs - directly
above the study.

HUNTER
I think I'm gonna go look
Around.

Hunter turns and heads out of the room. Jennifer, standing
slightly behind McCall, curiously watches Hunter leave.

MCCALL
(to Max)
And you spent the entire time in
the bar alone?

MAX
As my blood-count will no doubt
establish.

MCCALL
You see anyone?

MAX
The heavy question is, did anyone
see me.

MCCALL
(to Byron and
Devon)
And you two were in the game room.
One of you didn't happen to leave
for a few minutes or so?

BYRON
We were together the entire time.

MCCALL
(to the siblings)
How well do you four know this
house?

As McCall's attention is focused on Eric, Jennifer quietly
slips out of the room.

ERIC
Very well, we grew up here.
(looks at Byron)
Byron's the youngest, he was four
when our mother died and Clarence
brought us here.

MCALL
Do any of you know of a way into
Clarence's study other than the
door from the foyer?

No answer. We gather that either they don't know or they
aren't saying.

MCCALL
(to all)
Is there a phone in the house
that's not connected to the three
PBX lines?

MAX
Why?

MCCALL
Somebody called your uncle, and
it was from a separate line. The
call got him into his study,
alone.

ERIC
There's a phone in the guest
study. Clarence liked to call
it "Jennifer's office". The
phone there isn't part of the
house's PBX system.

MCCALL
(turning around
to talk to
Jennifer)
So, Mrs. Brasher...

She stops, realizing Jennifer is gone.

MCCALL (CONT'D)
When did she leave?

ERIC
A minute ago.

MCCALL
(indicates Biggs)
Officer Biggs is here to take your
fingerprints. Anybody here object
to having that done?

Silence. No objection apparently.

MCCALL
Thank you.

McCall nods at Biggs and leaves.

INT. STUDY - NIGHT

We COME IN on the west wall, in which a panel now stands
open. Hunter and Garcia look at the opening. In b.g. the
police crew is still at work.

ON THE PANEL

It is the size of a standard door and opens outward into
the corridor beyond.

THE SCENE

Garcia indicates a small brass lamp in the wall next to the
panel.

GARCIA
I gave this lamp a twist.
(shows
plastic-gloved
hand)
I used two fingers, so if there
are any prints up there we'll get
'em.

Hunter nods and starts to walk through the open panel into
the corridor. He is stopped by:

GARCIA
(emphatically)
Hunter. This "door" hasn't been
opened for a long time - months,
maybe years.

Hunter looks surprised and puzzled, then turns abruptly as
he hears:

JENNIFER'S VOICE
So it still appears we have a
locked-room puzzle here, eh,
sergeant?

CLOSER ANGLE TO INCLUDE JENNIFER

HUNTER
I see you're on the case.

McCall enters the room.

MCCALL
Mrs. Brasher, would you kindly
return to the dining room and let
Officer Biggs get your prints.

JENNIFER
I'll be happy to do that,
Sergeant.

HUNTER
(to Jennifer)
Just a minute. I have a couple
questions. When did Clarence
Hyland build this house?

JENNIFER
He didn't. When his sister died
he needed a place to raise her
children so he bought this house.

HUNTER
Did he know about this panel?

JENNIFER
I doubt it - I certainly didn't.

Hunter turns, ducks his head slightly, and walks into:

INT. THE REAR CORRIDOR - NIGHT

He sees that it ends at a flight of stairs leading to the
second floor. He looks the other way, toward the door of
the "guest study". Without being invited Jennifer joins
him.

HUNTER
(indicates door)
Is that the door to the guest
study you mentioned?

JENNIFER
Yes. Clarence called it
"Jennifer's office", but I seldom
used it.

HUNTER
Did you have a key?

JENNIFER
(with total
confidence)
Yes, but I never locked the door.
Anyone could have used the phone
in there. I think you should dust
it for prints.

HUNTER
Speaking of prints, I think you
better go back and have your
fingerprints taken now.

Jennifer nods, turns and walks out.

HUNTER
Reuben?

Reuben steps into the corridor.

HUNTER (CONT'D)
I want you to get a complete
architectural and ownership
history on this house. I wanta
know who built this panel.

They both walk back into the study in time to see:

OMITTED

BARNEY AND CREW

wheel the covered body of Clarence Hyland from the room.

GO TO BLACK

END OF ACT TWO

***********************************************************

ACT THREE

FADE IN

MONTAGE

This is a FAST-MOVING, OVERLAPPING SERIES OF SCENES
consisting of:

ACID-ETCHING PROCESS.

A method of recapturing a number filed off a metal base,
in this case the serial number of the gun found at the
murder scene. We are actually able to read the number as
follows X (X means nothing there yet) 4, X, X, 9, 5, X, 3,
X.

TELEPHONE IN "JENNIFER'S ROOM" BEING DUSTED FOR PRINTS.

BLUEPRINTS OF CLARENCE'S STUDY BEING EXAMINED.

LIFE INSURANCE APPLICATION STAMPED REJECTED.

TEST BULLET BEING SHOT FROM "MURDER- GUN INTO BALE OF
COTTON.

END OF MONTAGE

HUNTER

seated at Clarence Hyland's desk. He unlocks a deep drawer
and begins taking out the following items: Pictures of the
siblings, one in which they (at 5, 6, 8 and 10) are all over
a smiling Clarence. A calendar page for February, 1987 with
the 2 circled in red. He also finds a ball of string about
the size of an apple, a script of "The Edge" by Jennifer
Brasher, a cigar lighter, some scraps of paper.

INT. DEVON'S APARTMENT - DAY

All the furnishings have been placed in boxes preparatory
to being removed. The walls and floors are bare.

Devon appears to be alone in the room, appearing from a
corridor with an armful of books, which she puts into one
of the many large boxes.

As she does this she looks off at:

OPEN FRONT DOOR

In the door stands McCall.

THE SCENE

DEVON
(smiles)
Well, Hello. I've been wondering
when I'd be seeing you again.
Come in.

McCall walks in.

MCCALL
Moving, huh?

DEVON
(happy as a clam)
Yep. The banks cut off my credit.
Can't afford to live here anymore.

MICHAEL'S VOICE
Hey, babe, who you talking to -

Over the last word of this speech a tall man of about 30
appears. He is wearing blue jeans and a comfortable shirt.
He is extremely attractive.

DEVON
Michael, this is one of the police
sergeants I told you about.

MICHAEL
Oh.
(to McCall)
What's up?

MCCALL
(to Devon)
I have something to discuss with
you. Maybe you'd prefer it to
be private.

DEVON
Michael and I got married
yesterday. Nothing is private
between us.

MCCALL
(to Michael)
Congratulations.

MICHAEL
(almost solemn)
Thanks. I owe it to this case
you're on: Devon had some crazy
idea I wanted her for her money.
When she found out the
trust-executors were blocking the
distribution of the estate, and
I still wanted to marry her -
she said yes.

MCCALL
(to Devon)
We're looking for Max and Byron.
They both moved and left no
forwarding address. D'you know
where we can find them?

DEVON
Byron's using a friend's house
at Malibu.

Devon crosses to her purse (on one of the boxes) takes out
a card and hands it to McCall.

DEVON
(over the above)
He'll either be writing or
sleeping, so you'll find him
there. I don't know where Max
is, I'm very worried about him.

MCCALL
(takes the card)
Thanks. I have a question about
the gun that killed your uncle.
The registration number had been
filed off, but we restored it.
(pauses)
The gun's registered to you.

Michael steps over and puts an arm comfortingly around
Devon's shoulders.

DEVON
That gun was stolen. I reported
it stolen, six months ago.

MCCALL
Any idea who stole it?

Devon starts to answer Yes, but catches herself and say
Nothing.

MICHAEL
Devon told me she thought Eric
took it.

DEVON
No, Michael.
(to McCall)
I just happened to notice it was
gone the day after Eric and Mrs.
Brasher had lunch with me here.

MCCALL
Why didn't you suspect Mrs.
Brasher?

DEVON
I didn't suspect anyone.

MCCALL
Is Eric still living at this
address?

She takes a piece of paper with the address on it from her
pocket and shows it to Devon.

DEVON
Yes. But I'm sure he didn't take
the gun.

MCCALL
(nods)
Is the address on these boxes
where I'll be able to find you
next time?

MICHAEL
Yes.

MCCALL
Thanks - nay I use your phone?

Devon nods, motions to a phone perched on one of the boxes.
McCall crosses, picks up the phone and punches out a number.
After a beat,

MCCALL
(into phone)
Hunter, I'm at Devon's. She has
no idea what's happened to Max,
but I know where to find Byron.
I'm heading over there right now.
And by the way, that address on
Eric is still good... 11490
Wilshire, Suite 1505.

CUT TO;

EXT. 11490 WILSHIRE BLVD. - DAY

INT. CORRIDOR - ON SUITE 1505

We HEAR a CRASHING SOUND.

INT. ERIC'S APARTMENT - DAY
We are close on Eric who has a horrified look on his face.

THE SCENE
Eric stands facing two dark-suited thugs named TURK and
SPOZZY. They carry too much beef for their tailored suits.
Spozzy has just kicked over a piece of glass sculpture,
which accounts for the NOISE and the horrified look on
Eric's face.

ERIC
Are you CRAZY! That cost me five
thousand bucks!

TURK
What about this? What'd this cute
little item set you back?

He is referring to a fragile-looking vase on a marble stand.

ERIC
Don't touch that! Kozlov knows
I'll pay him!

TURK
Like hell he does! He ast for
the money over a week ago! He
got nothin'!

ERIC
I'll pay him

TURK
How?!

ERIC
I'll borrow it.

TURK
The banks won't even let you in
the damned door!

ERIC
I've got friends.

TURK
Yeah? They gonna hand you two
hundred grand tomorrow?

Silence. Turk picks up the vase.

TURK
I ast a question.

ERIC
Please. Don't break that!

TURK
Tomorrow?

ERIC
Yes!

TURK
You're a liar!

He throws the vase against the wall behind Eric. It hits
with a violent CRASH. Turk starts to smile, but never makes
it.

A HAND

swings Turk around and a fist drives into his face.

As Turk goes down, Spozzy swings around, ducks his head and
rushes at

HUNTER

who brings a knee up into Spozzy's face and drops him.

THE SCENE

Hunter takes out his gun and his cuffs.

HUNTER
Help the man up, Eric.

Eric pulls Spozzy to his feet as Turk gets slowly back to
his.

HUNTER

Hands behind your heads.

They hesitate a moment, but do as instructed as Hunter takes
a quick move toward them.

HUNTER
Turn around.

They do, and Hunter pulls Turk over beside Spozzy, then
jerks down Turk's right arm and cuffs him to Spozzy's left
arm. Hunter steps over to the phone and dials a number.

HUNTER
(into phone)
This is Rick Hunter. Gimme
Shroeder or Randelli.
(waits)
Jimmy? Send a squad car to 11490
Wilshire, suite 1505.
(listens)
I appreciate it.

He hangs up.

HUNTER
(to Eric)
I suggest you pay Kozlov his
money and get on with your life.

ERIC
I'm going to do just that. I
passed the bar when I graduated
from Stanford Law ten years ago.
The firm that's been representing
me offered me a job. I start next
Monday.

HUNTER
Good. Where's Max?

ERIC
I've been trying to find him.
He's just vanished.

CUT TO:

EXT. PCH - MALIBU

McCall spots a sun-faded shack on the hillside on the
"wrong" side of the Pacific Coast Highway. She checks the
number she has against the number on the paint-faded
mailbox. This is it. She turns off the highway onto the
rutted, unpaved road that leads to the shack 80 yards from
the highway.

AT THE SHACK - DAY

McCall pulls up, gets out of her car and walks to the door
of this one-room, run-down "beach house".

AT DOOR

McCall hears a typewriter clacking away inside. She KNOCKS.
The typewriter CONTINUES. She KNOCKS louder.

BYRON'S VOICE
Go away, I'm busy!

MCCALL
It's the police. Open up.

The typewriter SOUND comes to an abrupt stop. After a
moment the door opens and there stands Byron in khaki
shorts, tennis shoes, no sox, no shirt, and a stubble of
beard.

BYRON
What can I do for you, Sergeant?

MCCALL
May I come in?

BYRON
For how long?

MCCALL
That depends on you.

Byron hesitates, steps back to let her enter.

INT. THE SHACK - DAY

As McCall enters and Byron closes the door. The place looks
like a monk's cell: A table, on which sits the typewriter,
a wooden chair, a bunk. A sink, a hot plate. Some open
shelves, a small ancient refrigerator. A manuscript is
stacked on the table next to a box of blank paper.

Byron turns the wooden chair around and offers it.

BYRON
Have a seat.

McCall sits down and Byron sits on the edge of the bunk.

BYRON
I gather you still don't know who
killed my uncle.

MCCALL
You and Devon alibied for each
other. And the gun that killed
your uncle is registered to Devon.

That takes Byron by genuine surprise. He stands, walks
around the tiny room for a while.

BYRON
You sure of that?

MCCALL
Absolutely.

BYRON
She did own a gun. But someone
stole it. I told her to report
the theft but I don't know if she
did.

MCCALL
Maybe she did, or maybe it was
stolen by one of her brothers,
like you, maybe.

BYRON
That's a lot of maybes. Can I
save you some time?

MCCALL
You can try.

BYRON
Neither Eric nor Max nor me nor
Devon is capable of killing
anyone, and especially not
Clarence. We loved him with all
our hearts.

MCCALL
That would seem to leave Mrs.
Brasher. Is that what you're
telling me? Jennifer killed him?

BYRON
I'm just saying we didn't.
(smiles)
I didn't realize what a wild,
wonderful challenge that was till
they told me the distribution of
old Seamus Hyland's fortune was
being held up, maybe for years
to come.
(he laughs)
It was like being born again.
I threw out the novel I'd been
writing and started this one.
(a big grin)
For the first time, I'm in the
damned game! It's a great
feeling to know I gotta finish
this thing or starve to death.

EXT. THE BRASHER HOUSE - DAY

This is the house we saw in the opening scene.
Brasher turns into the driveway and drives up to

THE HOUSE - DAY

In the brick-paved area at the front of the house is
Hunter's car.

ON HUNTER

He sees Jennifer drive in and steps out of this car.

JENNIFER

sees Hunter and parks her car near the front door.

JENNIFER
(as she gets out)
Sergeant Hunter, how nice to see
you!

THE SCENE
as Hunter crosses to her.

HUNTER
May I have a word with you?

JENNIFER
In the garden, Sergeant.

Hunter nods and walks beside Jennifer as she leads him down
a stone path alongside the front of the house.

SERIES OF MOVING TWO-SHOTS

EXT. HOUSE, EXT. GARDEN - DAY

HUNTER
Max Thornbury is missing. He was
last seen with you driving away
from his apartment. He hasn't
been seen or heard from since.

JENNIFER
If that's a question, I think I'll
refuse to answer it.

HUNTER
Do you know what the slammer is?

JENNIFER
I believe so, Sergeant.

HUNTER
You want to go there?

JENNIFER
On what grounds?

HUNTER
I ought to have arrested you days
ago for obstructing justice. I
think you know more than you're
telling me. If you don't tell
me now, you're going downtown.

JENNIFER
All right, Sergeant Hunter. You
win. I drove Max to the
Farnsworth Clinic in Palm Springs
and signed him in for the full
12-week cure.

HUNTER
That's a very expensive 3 months.
Who's paying for it?

JENNIFER
I am.

HUNTER
Why?

JENNIFER
Max would've been dead in a month
if I hadn't taken him to the
clinic. I did it for Clarence.

HUNTER
Max had a strong motivation to
kill Clarence. His bank stopped
lending him money because he
couldn't pass his insurance
physical.

JENNIFER
Make up your mind, Sergeant
Hunter. Am I your suspect? Or
Max?

HUNTER
Why not both of you?

Jennifer stops walking and gives Hunter a look of approval
(They are in the garden now.)

JENNIFER
I wondered if you'd find out about
Max's insurance difficulties.

HUNTER
So you knew about it, huh?

JENNIFER
Oh yes.

HUNTER
And didn't tell us. Well, you're
a big help, Mrs. Brasher.

JENNIFER
You didn't ask.

HUNTER
What else should I know that I
haven't asked about?

They begin to walk again.

JENNIFER
I recognized the murder gun as
Devon's. I also know that Eric
is a compulsive gambler. He owes
a great deal of money to a
bookmaker named Eddie Kozlov.

HUNTER
I know that now. You could've
saved me a lot of time, Mrs.
Brasher.

JENNIFER
So you think Max and I joined
forces and bumped off Clarence
Hyland?
(looks at Hunter)
You don't really believe that
do you?

Hunter stops walking. Jennifer stops walking. Silence
then,

HUNTER
Does the date February 2, 1987
mean anything to you?

JENNIFER
No. Why?

HUNTER
That date was circled in red on
Clarence's calendar. And four
days later he cut off the money
to his niece and nephews.

JENNIFER
Sorry. I can't help you.

HUNTER
Let's not forget about the
slammer now.

Jennifer is silent.

HUNTER (CONT'D)
You still believe all four of
them killed their uncle?

JENNIFER
If the panel was there from the
day they moved in, those kids
would've found it. Which points
to all four of them, since they
all claimed not to know any other
way into that room.

HUNTER
We don't really think they killed
him, do we?

JENNIFER
What's the other choice?

HUNTEM
I'm qonna find out.
(starts to leave)
Aren't you going to wish me
luck?

Hunter looks at her studiedly, thoughtfully, almost with
a smile.

JENNIFER
Good luck, Sergeant.

He turns and goes.

GO TO BLACK

END OF ACT THREE

*************************************************************

ACT FOUR

FADE IN

EXT. THE MORGUE — DAY

HUNTER'S VOICE

This is Hunter, connect me with

McCall.

INT. THE MORGUE

Hunter is standing, phone to his ear, in Barney's cluttered

office. Barney is seated at his desk looking at a lab

report.

HUNTER

McCall? I want you to sign out

Devon's revolver and bring it

with you to the Hyland house.

(listens)

No, I'm at the morgue, in

Barney's office. And McCall —

see Archie in ballistics, I want

you to bring a couple of .22

caliber blanks.

(listens)

Yeah, I said blanks. Get started.

(he hangs up)

Thanks, Barney, I'll let you know

if it works.

BARNEY

I'll be right here, waiting.

Hunter leaves and we

CUT TO:

EXT. HYLAND HOUSE - DAY

McCall drives in. Hunter's car is already there. She ducks

under the yellow tape and enters the house.

INT. THE SITTING ROOM - DAY

Hunter enters the sitting room from the study as McCall

enters it from the corridor.

HUNTER

Gimme the gun.

McCall takes it out of her purse and hands it to Hunter.

HUNTER

Where's the silencer?

MCCALL

You said "sign out Devon's

revolver," partner.

HUNTER

(smiles)

Yeah, I did, didn't I? This'll

do fine.

INT. THE STUDY - DAY

Hunter quickly goes to the desk and takes the ball of string

from the desk drawer. The following dialogue WILL PLAY OVER

Hunter's actions. Hunter moves fast and smoothly, as if he

had already worked out each move in his mind. In swift

sequence he takes a blank cartridge from McCall and puts it

into the revolver; he goes to the marble table near which

the gun had been found and using the string, quickly ties

the revolver firmly to the marble bookend on the table; he

positions the bookend so that the revolver is pointing

toward the chair where Clarence was seated when he was shot;

with great care. Hunter wraps the string around the trigger

guard and then around the trigger itself; he backs toward

the chair, keeping the tension on the string to hold it

firmly against the trigger; he sits down, facing the pointed

gun.

OVER THE ABOVE, from the start of the action:

MCCALL

Mind telling me what you're doing?

HUNTER

Trying to figure out who killed

Clarence Hyland, what else?

MCCALL

What's Barney got to do with

this?

HUNTER

I had him do a complete autopsy

on Hyland. Clarence had

leukemia, probably had less than

a year to live.

By this tine Hunter is nearing the chair, carefully holding

the taut string. He sits down, takes the cigar lighter from

the desk and lights the end of the string that dangles from

his hand.

THE STRING

burns steadily, leaving no ash (a quality that can be found

in many types of string).

HUNTER

Well, so far, so good.

(looks at McCall)

See, McCall? It doesn't leave

any ash.

MCCALL

sees that it doesn't, moves closer.

HUNTER

suddenly pulls the string and BAM, the blank cartridge

FIRES.

MCCALL

jumps.

MCCALL

My God, Hunter you could've

warned me!

HUNTER

(smiles)

You should've brought the

silencer.

Hunter has dropped the string to the parquet floor. He

watches it burn.

HUNTER

See that? — It burns at such a low

temperature it doesn't leave a

trace.

(looks at McCall)

Clarence Hyland killed himself.

The string continues to burn toward the gun.

MCCALL

I wondered if that might be the

answer — when Reuben kept insisting

that door hadn't been opened in a

long time.

He looks at the string, which has now reached the gun and

continues to burn.

HUNTER

Barney's autopsy settled it for

me. Clarence was gonna die in

less than a year and he didn't

want those kids to inherit 50

million bucks apiece. He was

willing to do whatever it took

to put their inheritance on ice.

The string has burned far enough now to release the gun,

which drops to the floor. The string continues to burn

without a trace.

MCCALL

And February 2 was the day

Clarence found out he was sick.

HUNTER

Right. And four days later he

cut off the money.

JENNIFER'S VOICE

That's all very true, Sergeant.

I was with Clarence when he was

told he had leukemia.

Hunter and McCall spin around to look behind them at

JENNIFER BRASHER

standing in the open door of the study.

JENNIFER

And when the banks stepped in to

lend them money, Clarence brooded

about it for a year... and then

did what he thought he had to do

to keep the trust from being

distributed, for as long as

possible.

MCCALL

(angry and

incredulous)

You knew he intended to kill

Himself that night!?

JENNIFER

Certainly not! He didn't dare

tell me what he had in mind, I

wouldn't've let him do it! But

he did it, and if you report what

you've found here, you'll undo

everything he died to accomplish.

MCCALL

Just what did he expect to

accomplish?

JENNIFER

You know, you've already seen it

happening! He wanted those kids

to have meaningful lives. His

father and his sister led utterly

meaningless, empty, worthless

lives. So did Clarence until

those four children suddenly

became his to raise. They were

his salvation, and he loved them.

MCCALL

You made that telephone call to

Clarence, didn't you? And got

him in here alone.

JENNIFER

He asked me to call him, yes.

He put me on hold and came in

here. He told me to go pick some

fresh flowers and bring them in.

I demanded to know what was going

on, and he said "Go pick the

flowers, Jenny. I promise I'll

tell you all about It later.

Jennifer's eyes have begun to mist and it takes her a moment

to go on.

JENNIFER

I should have guessed. I'll never

forgive myself that I didn't.

(looks at Hunter)

When we found him dead... I knew

then, of course. And I knew why,

so I tried to make it as difficult

as possible for you. The children

had to look guilty for the will

to be held up. I wanted Clarence

to achieve what he died for.

(looks at both

Hunter and McCall)

And I still do. It will be a

terrible, tragic thing if you

report what you've just

discovered. No crime was

committed here. Suicide isn't

a crime.

HUNTER

(gently)

I'm sorry, Jennifer. We can't

do that.

JENNIFER

Are you really prepared to take

away from Clarence what he did

for those kids?

HUNTER

(firmly)

It's not our choice to make.

JENNIFER

(not listening)

It's already working. Byron is

writing, Devon was finally able

to accept a man's love. Eric is

doing what he was trained to do.

And Max... I don't know... but

at least there's hope he'll be

cured...

MCCALL

Jennifer, maybe when they find

out what Clarence did for them...

it'll make a difference. I'm sure

nothing will stop Byron from

finishing his novel, and Devon

certainly won't leave Michael.

JENNIFER

what about Eric? What about Max?

Do we just say "too bad about

them"?

MCCALL

I've had four calls from Eric.

The first one had nothing to do

with the case, so I didn't return

the others.

(pauses)

I can call him now, and maybe I

can help — God knows I'd like

to.

(to Jennifer)

What if we hadn't figured this

thing out? Those four could have

gone to prison, or worse.

JENNIFER

No. Clarence knew I wouldn't let

that happen. He knew that I'd

be able to figure it out just the

way you have.

(pauses)

Please? Forget what you've found?

HUNTER

I wish we could. Making this

report won't be easy, Jennifer,

but we're gonna tell the truth.

Jennifer looks at Hunter, nods slightly, tries to get her

voice under control.

JENNIFER

For Clarence's sake I had to ask,

didn't? Thank you for

understanding why.

Jennifer turns and leaves the room.

ON MCCALL AND HUNTER

is they watch, her walk. away. They look at each other in

silence and we

FREEZE FRAME

FADE OUT