Murder, She Wrote

That's a pretty lousy suggestion, Mrs. Fletcher.

Murder is lousy too, Mr. Fields.

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote.

Are you saying that anyone can file a lawsuit willy-nilly,

against anyone they please anytime they please?

Well, it's not quite that simple.

First you have to hire a lawyer.

Stop moving your head.

You have a pinched vertebrae.

30 years he gave that company.

My father is dead because of you.

Step forward, number two.

Me?

Yes, you, number 2,

step forward.

You drive careful, now.

Yeah, right.

Hold it!

What the hell are you doing?

Don't you hear the siren? They know you're out.

We've got to get out of here, ditch this van.

Dummy!

This is the state police.

Pull over to the side of the road.

Driver of the van, pull over now!

I can't outrun that chopper, Eddie.

Keep going, or I'll blow your head off.

Eddie!

Hurry, get the paramedics!

Tell them to move it!

More tea, Mrs. Fletcher?

Hmm? Oh, no, no.

No more. Thank you, Fred.

Ma'am, there's a very nice lady

standing over there, carrying one of your books,

and she says she'd like your autograph.

Oh, I'd be delighted.

This is very nice of you.

She reminds me of my grandmother.

Oh, Mrs. Fletcher.

This is a thrill, really.

Why, thank you.

I've read every one of your books.

Love them all.

And what is your name?

Hester.

"To Hester" would be fine.

Oh, my mother's gonna be so excited.

She's a big fan of yours, too.

Do you still live in Cabot Cove, Maine?

And I wouldn't dream of moving.

698, Candlewood Lane.

Yes. How did you know?

It's typed...

right on the summons.

Summons?

Thanks again, Jessica.

I knew you were gonna be just as nice as your picture.

What did I tell you?

Isn't she the sweetest thing?

Fred, get yourself a new grandmother.

My, my, my.

Dear.

Well, surely they can't be serious.

Oh, they're serious all right, Mrs. Fletcher.

Whether they have a case or not

is an entirely different matter.

Look, Mr. Dandridge,

I'm a reasonably intelligent woman.

But when it comes to a legal summons,

or the fine print in my insurance policy with you,

I'm a little bit confused as to where I stand.

Let me explain it to you.

Six years ago, you assisted the authorities

in a murder investigation which led to the arrest

and conviction of a man named Edward Stone.

Yes, I remember the case.

Well, Stone died

in an attempted prison break last month.

And now his daughter, Geraldine Stone,

has filed a $50 million

wrongful death suit against you.

She claims that your participation

in the investigation was instrumental

in her father's conviction,

and that his death was the result

of wrongful imprisonment

based upon erroneous evidence.

But that is ridiculous.

Well, of course it is.

We.. We have 30 days in which to answer.

Answer what?

The complaint.

But there is nothing to answer.

This is pure fabrication.

Well, of course it is.

But we... we still have to answer it.

Wait a minute. Are you saying

that anyone can file a lawsuit willy-nilly

against anyone they please, anytime they please?

Well, it's not quite that simple.

First, you have to hire a lawyer.

Though I would suspect that this one is working

on a contingency basis.

Charlie Cosmo, gives even shysters a bad name.

Well, I'm sorry, Mr. Dandridge,

but I refuse to dignify this travesty.

I'll have to leave it in your hands.

I'm sure this will never even come to trial.

Charlie would rather settle than fight any day.

So if his figure's low enough, I'll just give him something

to end the nuisance.

Settle? Oh, no.

That would be admitting that he was right.

No, absolutely not.

Mrs. Fletcher, I know how you feel.

I don't think you do.

Well, ultimately this comes down to dollars and cents.

I mean, none of us wants the expense

or the inconvenience of a long, drawn-out trial.

So suppose that I talk to Charlie?

See where he's coming from.

You do that, Mr. Dandridge.

Meantime, I'm going to have a chat

with Miss Geraldine Stone

and find out where she's coming from.

Mrs. Fletcher, I don't think that's such a good idea.

On the contrary, Mr. Dandridge,

I think it's the best idea I've had all morning.

Come on, Mr. Kleinschmidt,

the appropriation was killed in committee

on your recommendation, and you know it.

Sir, nobody is trying to nail anyone.

I just want a straight answer.

If I'd wanted to talk to your PR guy,

I would've called your PR guy.

All right, all right, fine.

Excuse me for bothering you.

Earth Now will be on the stands next Tuesday.

You can read all about it.

Pardon me. Miss Stone?

Yeah, that's me.

I'm Jessica Fletcher.

Look, Mrs. Fletcher, I'm very busy right now.

Yes, I can see that.

Miss Stone, I'd like to know why on earth

you're filing this lawsuit against me.

I think it speaks for itself.

No, I'm afraid it doesn't.

I'm sorry that your father is dead.

But he was sent to prison for killing a man.

On trumped-up evidence created by you.

No, that's not true.

Look, Mrs. Fletcher,

I don't think we should be talking about this.

This is something for the courts to decide.

Yes, just as they decided

to send your father to prison, not me.

Mrs. Fletcher, I'm very, very busy right now, okay?

So would you please leave, or I'm going to have to

ask somebody to make you leave.

No, that won't be necessary.

- Stone! - Gerry...

Oh, hi.

Did I catch you at a bad time?

Yeah, very.

Justin, she was here.

Who?

Mrs. Fletcher.

I didn't know what to say to her.

You don't have to say anything, darling.

That's what you pay your lawyer for.

I just feel so sleazy.

For what? It's not gonna cost her anything.

Just her insurance company.

Yeah, I know, but it's... it's just that

Gerry, this is no time to lose your nerve.

Believe me, the night we open Justin's restaurant,

you'll forget all about this.

Got to run.

Here comes the grand dragon.

See you tonight,

I'll bring home some cheesecake.

I trust, Mr. Fields, that your duties here

are not interfering with your personal life.

Sorry, Mr. Von Steuben.

A personal emergency.

Involving your banker?

Sir?

I am a tolerant man, Fields, even forbearing.

But I am not amused by pastry chefs

with delusions of grandeur.

Sorry, Sir, you've lost me.

Yes, just the thing I hope to avoid.

I am not amused by your heretofore vain attempts

to raise the capital to fund your own restaurant.

Sir, I assure you, I...

And I assure you, I will enforce your contract

with every means available to me.

I do not relish seeing my clientele