11x01 - A Nest of Vipers

[bunniefuu]

Good evening, Mr. Russell.

Why don't you come
out where I can see you?

There'll be an
appropriate time and place.

What do you know? "Zoogate."

I don't think you realize
how right you are.

You're aware of the
petition calling for

the immediate dismissal of Norman
Gilford as Director of the Animal Park?

Yeah. Petitions
don't usually cut it.

You and your newspaper
can help promote it.

I suggest you interview Gilford.

He hates my guts.

Ask him about the
suppliers he works with

that bill the Animal Park
for beef and ship horse meat.

They kick back the
difference to Gilford.

And that's just the tip of the
iceberg. That's all for now.

Oh, and the key I sent you?

This better be real.

Trust me.

I'm happy to show you
around, Mrs. Fletcher.

Now, tell me
about your new plot.

My new book will be
something of a departure.

It's kind of wild,
actually. Uh-huh.

You see, my m*rder
victim, a woman or a man,

I haven't quite decided,
dies here in the Animal Park

and there are several
major suspects,

all of them animals,
although none of them did it.

Oh, I love it!

Is it gonna be another
Inspector Jellicoe story?

I don't think so.

Anyway, last time I was in
town, a friend brought me out here

and I met Ted Fraley
and Dr. Stinson.

They have never
stopped talking about you.

Well, I just hope they're
still as enthusiastic

when I get through
picking their brains.

I can't tell you how proud
we are that you've chosen

the Animal Park as the
site of your next novel.

Oh, God! Spoken
like a true flack.

I am really becoming a cliché.

Miss Michaels,
I've gotta talk to you!

Jessica Fletcher, City
Councilman Joe Gandolph.

Mrs. Fletcher How do you do?

You wrote this nonsense
about me, didn't you?

I wish that I could
take credit for it, but no.

That's one that the boss
insisted on writing himself.

I think it showed
a lot of eloquence.

Then you can tell him for me...

I'm sorry, you're just gonna
have to tell him yourself.

That man goes whichever
way the wind is blowing.

Right now it's blowing
against our director, Mr. Gilford.

Something to do with all
the repair work in progress?

Well, that's part
of the problem.

A lot of it isn't in progress.

Between earthquake
damage and an aging facility,

we're between a
rock and a hard place.

Hmm.

Mr. Gilford told me that
it would cost me my job

if I didn't bring you by
so he could say hello.

I don't give a hoot in hell how the
Chronicle grades my performance.

And I won't be drawn and
quartered for running this place

on the totally inadequate
budget I've been given.

Then how about Councilman
Gandolph's recent att*cks?

He calls this park, quote,

"An outrage to the
body politic," unquote.

Would you like to comment?

I consider Councilman
Gandolph's personal attack

a contemptible political ploy.

And I won't dignify
it by a response.

Jessica this is Bea Huffington.

Anything you need to
know, you just ask her. Hello.

Come on, Norm, talk to me.

I mean, whoever
started this petition,

the word is it's turning
into a real groundswell

and it's only gonna get bigger
when... Get out of my office!

So I guess my getting a
look at your ledger entries

regarding feed purchases
is out of the question?

Get out of here!

You tell the gate I'm
pulling Russell's pass,

and if you show your face on
zoo property, I'll have you arrested!

And that goes for anybody
else from the Chronicle!

Thanks, pal, you just gave me
tomorrow's page-one lead story.

Oh! Forgive my manners.
J.B. Fletcher, isn't it?

Mr. Gilford, if this
is a bad time...

Oh, no! Not at all! Not at all.

Kelly, see if you can find Stinson.
He's not answering his beeper,

and since we can't prevent Councilman
Gandolph from entering the premises,

be sure you keep
him away from me.

Call the gate, Bea, now.

And see if you can rustle up some
coffee for Mrs. Fletcher and me.

Oh, Mr. Gilford, I'm on
a very tight schedule.

Nonsense. For the
moment at least,

this is still my park, and I
want to hear all about your book.

I'm really worried about
another aftershock, Doc.

Several of these glass panes
were shaken out of their frames.

We can kiss half
our species goodbye,

we get another
aftershock like that last one.

Yeah. So, what did Gilford say?

Take a guess. He will not
touch the contingency fund.

He wants FEMA to come
through with the money.

I guess you heard about that
petition going around this morning.

A lot of folks think you
ought to have his job.

No. I'm an animal doctor, Ted.

So, this our guy
with the problem?

Yeah. He's been off his
feed since the earthquake.

Yeah. There's a
little nasal discharge.

Look who's here! We're here.

Jessica!

Hello, Ted. How are you?

And Ray. Hello, Jessica!

Gilford's looking for you. He
wants you in his office muy pronto.

Well, Mr. Gilford's
gonna have to wait.

I've got a problem
with the elephants.

So, Jessica, I'll see
you again later? Oh, yes.

Have I got some clues for you.

Ever since I got your fax, I've
been making notes like crazy.

I... I wake up in the middle
of the night with these ideas.

Well, you better watch out
because that is a writer's disease.

Here. I hope this is
what you're looking for.

Oh, this is gonna be a
tremendous help, Ted. Thank you.

Uh, Doc thinks maybe it was the earthquake
dust got everything all stirred up.

Oh, poor baby.

My goodness.
What a beautiful bird.

Hello.

So, 7:00 okay?

Ted, I'm really sorry.
I've gotta cancel.

Couldn't let me
know a little later?

Something personal
came up. I'm sorry.

Jessica. Hmm?

Let's take a stroll this way
and I'll show you that alligator

you expressed
interest in. Great.

Norman, I had nothing
whatsoever to do with any petition.

Of course you didn't.

I just want to remind you
that politicking of any kind

is a violation of your
employment contract.

Uh, pardon me, Mr. Gilford, I...

Kelly, stay out of this.

Look, Ray, let me
spell it out for you.

Contrary to anything you may have
heard about my imminent departure,

I have no intention of going
away, gently or otherwise.

And when the dust settles,

I'll be taking a hard look
at where everyone stood.

Ray, please.

Norman, despite your
paranoid fantasies,

I have no interest in your job.

Let me tell you something else, this
petition is the least of your worries.

It's Mark Atwater and these Earth Speak
people you should be keeping your eye on,

because from the few straight answers that
I've been able to extract from Atwater...

Come on, Ray, that's not fair.

I gather that their agenda
is not to fire you, sir,

it's to close down
the park. Period.

Which, while it
pains me to admit it,

puts us on the same team.

Excuse me.

Well? I think he's wrong
about Mark, Mr. Gilford.

Really?

I'm sure that your relationship with
Mr. Atwater doesn't color your opinion.

Now Clarence
here's just a youngster

and naturally he's
too small to swallow

that .45 caliber amm*nit*on
clip you described in your fax.

But give him a
couple more years,

he'd sooner eat you
than the entire g*n.

No problem. It's not an
absolute requirement of the plot.

There you go. Got him?

Yes. Now, you mentioned
poisonous snakes.

This should be
your k*ller, Jessica.

The black mamba. It's one of
the Elapidae family, like the cobras.

I could give you a few pointers

on what makes them
such dangerous critters.

- Hmm.
- Yo, Ted...

Excuse me, Jessica. Of course.

Payday, friend.

Atwater, listen, I'm sorry.
Things are still really tight.

You said that last week, Ted.

And the week before.

Well, I'd better see $1,200
before the banks close tomorrow

or past transgressions
become public knowledge.

And we're gonna learn about
this wonderful little creature

from Melanie Bryan, here.

But first, we're honored to welcome
Joe Gandolph, a city councilman

who's made no secret of his
sentiments regarding the Animal Park.

The cat's out of the bag, Joyce.

The petition is circulating,

calling for the removal of the Animal
Park Director, Norman Gilford and...

Mr. Gandolph, I think our audience
knows where I stand on this issue.

I'm only giving you
this forum to allow...

Look, my responsibility
is to the taxpayer.

As I started to say,
after Mr. Gilford's ousted,

we have to take a hard look

as to whether or
not the Animal Park

will continue to exist at all.

Hello?

All right,

if the offer still stands,
I'm ready to talk.

When would you like to meet?

Tonight. Tonight's no good.

Tomorrow, then.

We're not exactly
over-staffed, as you can see.

Help yourself to any
one of these desks. Oh.

Well, hey, what is this?

A deserving gift for
the lady of my dreams.

Hi, doll. Mark.

Jessica, this is Mark Atwater.

Oh, hello. Hi. How are you?

Nice to meet you.

Let's get out of here.

The bad penny himself.

You're sounding more and
more like a rotten loser, Ray.

It's very unattractive.

Will you guys cool it?

God, I'm beginning
to feel like a referee.

Damn!

I'm sorry.

What exactly does
Mr. Atwater do?

He's passionately on the side
of whoever's willing to pay him.

Right now, that's Earth Speak,

an organization dedicated to
closing down all zoos. Oh, yes.

I've read some
of their arguments.

The theory that if a species
is destined to die out, so be it?

Mmm.

And zoos are buying time
for a lot of those species.

You know, when you've got some time,
I'll be glad to show you our plans for

breeding programs and
interdependent ecosystems,

which, of course, are
still on the drawing board

because Gilford won't
fight for more money.

But right now, I've got two
sick elephants. Excuse me.

Of course.

My late husband
Cornelius was a surgeon

and big-game
hunter, Mrs. Fletcher.

Hmm.

I was his chief nurse,

until he mercifully took me away
from all the syringes and bedpans.

Actually, I find this
a bit embarrassing.

He believed he was
doing humanity a service

by helping to k*ll off
endangered species.

Well, that's an
interesting logic.

Indeed. And the only issue
Corny and I ever disagreed on.

I'd always had an
interest in zoology

and knew the
value of live animals

as opposed to dead ones,

which is why I'm such a passionate
defender of the Animal Park.

Mrs. Fletcher, my wife and I so
enjoyed your book, Endangered.

A real page-turner.

Thank you.

In payment for
being invited tonight,

Mr. Gandolph has promised
not to say anything hostile

to the friends of
the Animal Park.

So if you catch him
breaking his word,

I want to hear about it.

Shush, Joyce!

Jessica! Hello!

Hi! Ray tells me
you've already come up

with a protagonist
for your new book.

Well, subject to
change, of course.

I've decided that she'll
be a zoo veterinarian,

just like Dr. Stinson here,

and she'll use her
knowledge of animal sciences

to solve a human mystery.

You'll have to explain
that one to me, Jessica.

I'd like to make a statement

that's going to be unpopular
in present company.

Oh, Mark, do you have to?

It distresses me to see
a writer of your stature

undertaking a
novel that glorifies

an abusive, medieval
system of animal confinement.

Oh, please, be distressed
somewhere else if you must,

but not in my house.
Kelly, talk to him.

Bea, darling, may I borrow
Ray for a few minutes?

Look, Mrs. Hacker,
it's... Now, wait a minute.

First off, I want you to
understand I have nothing to do

with this cabal against Norman.
My God, we've been friends for years,

but the tide's
turned against him.

And that's okay.
I'm an animal doctor,

I'm not an administrator.

Nonsense, you're the only
person around who can do the job.

I'll find you the help you need.
Starting with Joe Gandolph?

With friends like that, the Animal
Park does not need any enemies.

You let me handle him.

He practically owns
the Parks Department

and he's guaranteed me the
chair on the new zoo board,

with the right to appoint
my own members.

Hmm.

Well, no question,
I'm flattered.

Ray, I just know you'll
do an outstanding job.

Yeah.

Not exactly a pushover.

He'll do it.

It was needlessly risky for
you to come here tonight.

You're only paying for my day
job. My evenings are my own.

Besides, if you didn't
want me to come,

you shouldn't have
invited my fiancée.

I've been meaning to
talk to you about that.

Well, since you won't
have me, I have no choice.

Besides, her father is a
partner in Berns, Fowler.

And I thought
Cornelius was amoral.

Jessica. Hi, Ted.

You missed a good
movie last night.

You know, I've got some time if you
want to talk about the black mamba?

Oh, I most certainly do,

but could we make it a little later?
Bea's going to show me the leopards.

Sure.

I said I was sorry,
Ted. No rain check?

I didn't see any
rain last night.

Okay.

Thanks for not letting on about
Dr. Stinson and I. Last night, I mean.

Well, it's really not
my business, Bea.

Well, I don't like sneaking around.
It's just Ted, he's so insecure.

If I told him the truth,
he wouldn't believe me.

I take it you were on
a mission of mercy?

Yeah, a regular
Florence Nightingale.

Ray and I go way back as friends

and he's just so down because
of losing Kelly to Mark Atwater.

Well, he needed me.

I'll straighten it out
with Ted eventually.

What?

I was just thinking about Kelly.

She was supposed to supply me with
some research material this morning,

but I haven't seen her all day.

Look, Kell, I'm sorry, but
you've got this whole thing wrong.

For starters, Joyce
and I were an item once.

Now we're just friends.

That's what you said
about the flight attendant.

Oh, come on, kid, there's a
very simple explanation for this.

I'd really love it if
there were, Mark.

Believe me, I would, but
right now I'm just not buying it.

Gee, Norman, imagine my surprise

to actually receive an invitation
to meet you face-to-face...

Are you finished?
You tell me, Norman.

Okay. I know my days
here are numbered,

but I'm asking you as
a fellow human being,

take this place
down if you want to,

but don't take me with it.

That's part of the deal, Norman.

The public has to have a
heavy, and you're elected.

Joe, if I take the fall for this
fiasco you've been orchestrating,

my career is over, finished.

Now, you find
somebody else to blame.

Joyce Hacker, the
board of directors...

Ah, but, Norman, why should I?

I can suggest about
150,000 reasons.

Really?

And untraceable. Already
in an offshore bank.

I don't know, Norm. I'll
have to think that one over.

But I'll get back to you.

I'd really appreciate it if you can
mention something to your boss about it.

Miss Huffington? I'm sorry,
Chris. What were you saying?

How's it coming,
Doc? Almost finished.

I heard the scuttlebutt.

You gotta be
feeling pretty good.

I don't know, Ted. I'd be taking
on an awful lot of responsibility.

Nah.

No worse than
surgery on a rhino.

Well...

Besides, if you're the director, maybe
you could make some changes around here.

Yeah. I just wish I
could be sure of that.

Okay, Norman, you didn't get
me out here for a nature walk.

I want Joyce Hacker off
my case, and if she folds,

Gandolph will go away.

Now, that's a public
statement you'll make

disavowing your association with
Earth Speak and its policies on zoos,

plus you now have serious
doubts about Earth Speak's integrity.

Furthermore, you've given
it deep thought and decided

that Norman Gilford's a pretty
damn fine administrator after all.

You were simply
misled by Gandolph.

Well, you don't ask for much.

All right, pal, what kind of
dollars we talking about?

Well, the park's got a small
contingency fund that I can dip into

for a few thousand... Norman.

I want half of everything that
you've skimmed out of there,

from the horsemeat
scam to the donations

to the cash from the
trash removal kickbacks.

Why, you're crazy. I...

I can give you 20%.

Norman, we're talking
serious felonies here.

If any of this gets
out, it's adiós, amigo.

I'll give you until 9:00 tonight,
okay? You have my number.

Mrs. Fletcher,
you're here so late.

I got a call from
Kelly to meet her here.

Really? I haven't
seen Kelly all day.

I guess that she must have
told you about last night.

She didn't have to. I was there.

Yeah.

What? Now?

All right. I'll see you
in a couple of minutes.

You know, maybe you shouldn't
be so quick to judge, Mrs. Fletcher.

You don't exactly
have all the facts.

Okay. Where are you?

Help me!

Help...

Captain, I guarantee nobody's
more aware of my caseload than I am,

or that this is not
a job for homicide.

But Councilman Gandolph
called me at 4:00 a.m.,

told me to get down
here to investigate,

and I didn't figure you'd
be all that wild about me

waking you up to
get your opinion.

Right. Oh, come on, don't
put it in my face, will you?

Where'd you find it? The poor
guy was down the road apiece,

trying to rustle up a
warm snack. Yeah.

It all right if I lock him up?
Yeah. Yeah. Go ahead.

If I need his
fingerprints, I'll call you.

Nutley.

We've got a couple of witnesses.

The reporter and a
novelist, Jessica Fletcher.

She's here?

Lieutenant Caceras?

My goodness, we do seem fated to
meet under less than ideal circumstances.

What was it you said when
you were out last year? Um...

"Corpses just seem to be
part of our job description."

Stevens found it in
the deceased's pocket.

Uh-huh. All right, for the record,
you last saw Mark Atwater when?

Well, it was just after 8:00
last night. In the bull pen.

He was supposed to
meet Kelly Michaels there,

and then he got a call
on his cellular phone.

He seemed to be anticipating
the call and he left immediately.

Without saying who the caller
was or where he was headed?

Mmm-hmm.

Mean anything? Mmm-mmm. No.

I'm sorry. Afraid not.

So, you figure the caller might've
been this, uh, this Michaels woman?

I have no idea, Lieutenant.

You got anything
to add, Mr. Russell?

I told the officer everything
I could remember.

I just can't get it
out of my head.

This poor guy crawling around
on the floor, mumbling for help.

Yeah. Well, I guess
I'd be mumbling, too.

Now you never actually
saw this mysterious zoo lady?

Like I said, I always found a
key in an envelope under my door

with a typewritten slip telling me
where and when we should meet.

Well, guess that
about wraps it up.

Lieutenant... I don't
mean to second-guess,

but don't you find it strange

for Mr. Atwater to have been
summoned to the reptile area

at the exact moment
that a poisonous snake

just happens to be
slithering around on the floor?

No. It's just your basic case of being
in the wrong place at the wrong time.

What, Jessica?

And that woman, the woman
who sends the key to Mr. Russell.

Well, that's just somebody
one sandwich short of a picnic,

with a grudge against
Norman Gilford.

Well, she certainly is
familiar with the place.

I mean, it's just possible
that she might have witnessed

what happened last night.

Jessica, a word, huh? Look.
We're talking an accident here.

I mean, there's no
need for a witness.

Now, forgive an
overused metaphor,

but please don't build a
mountain out of a molehill.

By the way, Gabe, on what part
of his body was Mr. Atwater bitten?

The puncture marks were
on the neck. Period. The end.

Right.

Something the matter, Ray?

Yeah. Where's our
esteemed director?

We have a potential disaster on
our hands, and he hides in his office.

Dr. Stinson, I must talk to you.

Hello.

Mrs. Fletcher, I was just about to
tell Joyce, what with Atwater's death,

it's clear that the Animal Park has
become a major public safety risk.

I'm going to recommend it be
shut down, effective tomorrow.

No. Mr. Gandolph, please, let's
just cool this, for a few days, anyway.

Mrs. Hacker. No,
I'm with you, Ray.

Joe, you've got to
back off, at least...

Believe me, Joyce, I only want
what's best for the city, for the animals,

but I've got a
responsibility here.

If I may say something.

My observation is that
with the right leadership,

this could be a fine park.

Now, Ray tells me that you've
asked him to take charge,

and I believe that he passionately believes
in all the same things that you do.

Both of you.

That is, in making the park more
humane and more habitat-oriented.

Bravo, Jessica.

Joyce... JOYCE:
Oh, Joe, come on,

for heaven's sake, stop being
a politician for just a minute.

I'll think about it.

What is there to think about?

Ray, I believe it's best
to quit while we're ahead.

All this drama, a nocturnal
death by snakebite,

a mysterious, unseen woman.

It would probably be
wonderful grist for you as a writer

if it weren't so
tragic for this place.

It will probably end
up in one of my books.

Goodbye, Mr. Gandolph.

Have a nice day, Mrs. Fletcher.

Joyce, I have something
you have got to hear.

A rather interesting conversation
I had with Norman Gilford.

Oh, I don't know, Doc. I
checked her temperature last night

and everything
seemed to be fine.

She seems okay to me. Yeah?

Yeah.

Ray, would it be
accurate if I were to portray

zoo personnel milking
poisonous snakes for their venom?

No. No. That doesn't happen.

Well, not in a zoo. The milking
severely weakens the animal.

Oh, but I notice that you have
here a record of recent milkings.

That's not ours.

The animal regulation people
busted this guy out in Tarzana

for keeping two dozen rattlers and
assorted other venomous snakes.

He was illicitly
extracting the venom.

And harboring venomous reptiles

outside of an authorized
facility is against the law.

The animal reg people didn't have a
place for the snakes or the venom, so...

So both of them
ended up here, huh?

Yeah. Hey, Mrs. Fletcher.

Hello, Ted. - Ted.

Well, this is all very helpful.

Okay. Good. How
about some lunch?

Oh, yes. If it's on me.

Okay.

Caceras.

Gabe, I have a quick question.

My favorite kind.
Uh, hold on, Jessica.

Nutley, you look like your pet
duck got run over by a lawnmower.

You better come
in and take a look.

Somebody's tossed
Atwater's place.

Could've been this
they were looking for.

Found it behind a picture frame.

- Any prints?
- Only Atwater's.

We found another set on this.

Uh, sorry, Jessica. What
was it you were saying?

Gabe, I was wondering if the autopsy
verified that it was black mamba venom

that k*lled Mr. Atwater.

On the money. Well,
that's very strange, Gabe.

In doing research for my book, I
discovered that the black mamba's habitat

is ordinarily elevated, in trees
or in thatched roofs, for example,

and when it does strike human
victims, it's usually from above.

Yeah? So?

Well, as I recall, there was
nothing on the ceiling of that area

where Mr. Atwater was k*lled.

That a snake could
hang from, so...

How was he bitten on the
neck? That's terrific, Jessica.

Well, look, between that
and some other new evidence,

I'm logging Atwater's
death as a homicide.

With any luck, we'll have a
suspect in custody by 5:00.

Kelly, Lieutenant Caceras now believes
that Mark's death wasn't an accident.

There was a moment
I could've k*lled him.

I felt so betrayed.

I realized that I had known
all along what he was.

I just feel this compulsive
need to be with someone.

Mark told me that you called
to have him meet you here

at 8:00 last night.

I wanted to tell
him what I really felt.

I wanted to end it. I
didn't have the courage.

The police are going
to ask where you were.

And of course you can
count on me, Norman.

All I'm saying is I don't know
if I'll be able to control him.

Now that the police are calling
it m*rder, Joe's like a wild man.

It's as if this is the opportunity
he's been waiting for.

Not to mention the fact that you made
a horrible tactical mistake with him.

Mistake? How?

By trying to bribe him.

Bribe? Joyce, what in
hell are you talking about?

He recorded your
conversation, Norman. I heard it.

Oh, my God. I'm a dead man.

Not necessarily.

I've been thinking about it.

The way I see it, you
have a couple of choices.

For instance, I might
be able to talk Gandolph

into forgetting about
the tape if you'd resign,

you know, with a mild mea culpa
about how the Animal Park just

kind of got away from you.

Wonderful. Next?

Or you could just go away.

You've skimmed enough
off the top of this operation

to live out your life
very comfortably in some

nice Third World country that doesn't
have an extradition treaty with the US.

I... No, I can't.

Well, don't reject it
out of hand, darling.

I mean, you have my
word that I'll try my best

to keep them from tearing
down your reputation.

Wait.

What do you get out of all this?

Me? Yeah.

I thought you
understood, Norman.

All I've ever wanted is what's
best for the Animal Park.

And we keep all of
our tranquilizer g*ns

right over there. Oh.

And I suppose it would be
possible to load one of them

with snake venom instead
of tranquilizer serum?

Yeah. It's possible. I just can't
imagine why anybody would.

Oh.

You're talking about
Mark Atwater, aren't you?

Well, perhaps.

But a dart fired from a g*n
would leave a larger wound.

Unless it was somehow modified,

it wouldn't look
anything like a snakebite.

That mamba. Wasn't that one of
the snakes that you were boarding

for the animal regulation
people? Mmm-hmm.

Wasn't he milked recently?

Yeah. About three
days ago, illegally.

It takes about, oh, five
or six days for the venom

to get back up
to lethal strength.

But you're storing the
illegal venom, too, aren't you?

It's the black mamba venom.

There's about ten
milliliters of this missing.

It was checked in full. That
means that somebody...

You better put it down, Ray.

I mean, the fewer
fingerprints on it, the better,

although I doubt that they'll
find the k*ller's prints on it.

Somebody must've been very
familiar with park procedures

to have stolen that venom.

Somebody who arranged

to meet Mark Atwater
last night in the reptile area.

On the money, Dr. Stinson.

This area will have
to be secured, Doctor.

Well, we got our
suspect, like I said,

and he fulfills all those
requisites and then some.

Left his fingerprints
all over Atwater's place

looking for something
he had to k*ll for.

Who, Lieutenant?
They arrested Ted,

and he would never
k*ll another living thing.

Oh, Jessica, do you
think you could help us?

Well, of course, Bea, but...

Don't waste your time, Jessica,
we've got Mr. Fraley dead to rights.

Means, opportunity and
total hatred for the victim.

Jessica, I did not
k*ll Mark Atwater.

When I heard he was dead, I
busted into his place to find something

that would've cost me
my job had it gotten out.

The records from the Fish
and Game Department.

When I was too young and
too dumb to know any better,

I got involved in
an illegal operation

bringing in animals from
overseas for private sale.

I actually thought I was
helping endangered species.

Anyway, I was
sentenced to six months

and I never mentioned it
when I applied for my job here.

And Atwater somehow learned
about it and held it over you.

For 1,200 bucks a month.

I could barely make my rent,
let alone have a social life.

And if you admitted it to the park
administration, Gilford would've fired you.

In a second. With
that on my record...

Ted, this morning
in Dr. Stinson's lab,

you replaced a vial
in the refrigerator...

And one of the
tranquilizer g*ns, yeah.

All right, we'll need
to find out if anyone...

Caceras doesn't know that,
but sure as heck you spotted it!

It won't change his
mind, but I was covering

for one of the other curators
who was on his honeymoon.

I had to sedate one of his
hippos who had a TB shot coming.

I believe you, Ted, and I'm going
to do everything I can to help.

Whoever set up Atwater

had to have removed the
glass from the enclosure.

And knew a lot about
dangerous reptiles. That sinks me.

Sorry. Time's up.

Listen, Jessica, tell Bea she's
got that rain check after all, will you?

I promise. Keep the faith, Ted.

Well, good guys don't
always win, you know.

What's the matter?
Oh, spider bite.

It's that time of year.

Somebody's gonna
be out 35 smackers

plus a tow charge if
he's not out of here.

Gabe, do us both a favor.

sh**t.

There's a tract of undeveloped
land north of the Animal Park.

On the city map it's
described as Parcel 154.

Could you find out who owns it?

Lot 154? Sure, Jess...

Jessica Fletcher.

According to the Hall
of Records, Parcel 154

is 172 acres adjacent
to the Animal Park.

Now that's primo.

With 180s of the
ocean, the city... Mmm!

Wouldn't mind having
a piece of that myself.

Gabe, do you have that slip of paper
that your people found on Atwater?

Oh, yeah. Sure,
Jessica, I got it right here.

As I recall, there's
a top and a bottom

and the top is shaped
like a fire hydrant?

Yeah, come to think of it.

With the initials "C.H."

And isn't there a line going through
the bottom half to the top half?

Right.

Suppose that's a sketch

of the Animal Park
and Parcel 154.

Who owns the top half, Gabe?

Yeah. An outfit called
the C.H. Foundation.

It's a trust set up in 1982.

But we haven't been able to learn
anything more about them so far.

Gabe. I'll check with you later.

Jessica, I hadn't expected
to find you here this late.

Oh, I kind of got
hung up on an idea.

Oh, actually, I'm here
looking for, um, Kelly.

There's no answer at her number.

Oh, sorry, I can't
help you there.

You, um... You seem worried.

Oh, just wondering
what it's all about.

As a matter of fact,
you've given me an idea.

What my protagonist, Clair
Forrester, needs is a boyfriend.

Someone who'll take her mind off
all those animals once in a while.

Oh. Glad I could help.
Good night, Jessica.

Goodbye.

Access. That's what it's about.

Mrs. Fletcher.

Bea, just the person
I wanted to see.

Oh, about what?

You asked me if
I could help Ted.

Now you have a
chance to help him.

It'll require your honesty,
starting with admitting

you're the mysterious unseen woman
who kept anonymous rendezvous

with that reporter,
Jimmy Russell.

How did you know?

Oh, she had to be someone

who's wired into the who, what
and where of the Animal Park

and details of Norman
Gilford's moves and his finances.

I still...

I saw what was happening,
you know, his cheating,

the whole place
was deteriorating.

And you were afraid that if you
went public with it, you'd be the loser.

Well, I saw it happen
to other people.

They'd get fired and
Mr. Gilford would see to it

that they looked like the crook.

So you started
feeding information

to Mr. Russell and
to one other person.

Bea, I want you to
make a phone call

to a number you
must already know.

Thanks for coming.

What did you expect?

Look, I have to know. Did
you tell anyone else about, uh...

You know, about this?

Oh, of course not.

And you don't want money?

I told you when I first started giving
you information about Mr. Gilford,

I only want the park to survive.

Mrs. Hacker, I saw you k*ll Mark
Atwater and I will tell the police

unless you forget about
this real estate thing.

I just can't believe you're this
stupid, but I guess you are, so...

Come on,

we're gonna take a
little walk up into the hills.

Put the g*n down, Mrs. Hacker.

You're under arrest for
the m*rder of Mark Atwater.

Wait a minute! I
didn't k*ll anyone!

She threatened
me over the phone.

The only reason I
came down here was...

What Bea wants is
simple justice, Joyce,

and freedom for Ted Fraley.

Thanks, Miss Huffington.
That took real courage.

This must have sprung from your
overactive imagination, Jessica.

Why on earth would I
have k*lled Mark Atwater?

Access, Joyce.

Access through the Animal Park to
that 172 acres adjacent to the park

owned by C and H Trust.

Left to you by
your late husband.

I just tracked the new trustees.

You and City
Councilman Joe Gandolph.

Oh, please. Do you people
honestly think you can fantasize

a connection between that
and the death of Mark Atwater?

I mean, we'd been
lovers, for God's sake.

I cared about him.

But you cared a great deal more
about the bonanza you'd realize

if that useless tract of
yours became accessible.

The only way that would ever happen
was if the park was closed down permanently

so that you could
build a road through it.

Friends of the Park was a
charade to mask your real intentions.

Yeah. Atwater figured
out the little scheme

you and Gandolph had
concocted to make it all happen.

He even drew a picture of it.

My guess is Atwater
tried to blackmail you.

You k*lled him, using
your familiarity with animals

and your background as a nurse.

Cornelius was a surgeon and
big-game hunter, Mrs. Fletcher.

I was his chief nurse,

until he mercifully took me away
from all the syringes and bedpans.

You can't prove any of this.

I think that we can.

Though he was unaware, Lieutenant
Caceras reminded me earlier today

that your own
words betrayed you.

At the park this morning, you
referred to the way Mr. Atwater died.

A nocturnal death by snakebite,
a mysterious unseen woman.

This evening, I realized
you had no way of knowing

about either of
those circumstances

in Mr. Atwater's death or the location
of his wound unless you'd been there.

You had access to every part
of the Animal Park, Mrs. Hacker.

The other night in my study, Mark
told me he knew about the real estate.

I've been doing some research
and guess what I turned up?

You got an inheritance
from your husband

that turned out to be a whole
lot less than meets the eye,

so far.

What do you want, Mark?

It isn't a matter
of want, darling.

We're partners, you,
Joe Gandolph and I.

It's that, or I
blow it wide open.

He had to die.

I called him to meet me
at the reptile area at 9:00.

Since I had a master key,

I got here early and
let myself into the lab.

I knew that the park was keeping
snake venom in the refrigerator

for the animal
regulation people.

I unlocked the refrigerator and
located the vial of mamba venom.

I grabbed the
syringe from the table

and drew off enough
of the venom to k*ll him.

I always knew my training as a nurse
would come in handy again someday.

Joyce?

I knew my way around animals,

except for the human kind.

I guess I should've taken
some lessons from you, Jessica.

Let's go, ma'am.

Well, Jessica, sure hope next time we
meet, it isn't over somebody's corpse.

But I'm not betting
my house on it.

Jessica, it's hard to
know where to begin.

Dr. Stinson accepted
the director's job.

Oh, and Councilman
Gandolph finally resigned.

And even better, I
just heard on the radio

that Norman Gilford was arrested
boarding a plane for Mexico City.

Well, I'm glad to hear that.

Listen, I better pick up
my stuff from the office

if I'm going to catch my plane.

Well, why don't you
let us give you a ride?

Oh, thanks. I think
I can handle this.

Wow, this has
got a lot of zip! Oh!

Careful! JESSICA: I
think I've got it now.