Father Dowling Mysteries (1989) s03e13 Episode Script

Hi, Rita. Still going out
with that trombone player?
I told you, Mr. Bailey,
Danny plays the clarinet.
Clarinet, trombone,
musicians are all alike.
Don't let him break your heart.
You're late.
Mr. Preston is waiting.
This meeting was
called for 2, Donald.
Sorry I'm late.
Lunch ran a little long,
but I think I managed to close
the Minton Rubber account.
Good.
The three of you
have been with me
since I took the company
public ten years ago.
Because of our close
working relationship,
I felt I ought to
inform you personally.
I've agreed to an acquisition
offer from Argyle Petroleum.
- What?
- When did this happen?
It's been in the works, three
weeks. I closed the deal Monday.
We sign the final
papers tomorrow.
Walter, you and I
had dinner on Monday.
You didn't say
anything about this.
Heh, Elliott, I knew
you were working
on your research and
development proposal for next year.
I didn't want to upset you.
Where do we stand in all this?
I'll stay on as a consultant.
I'm sure you'll all be
offered positions as well.
What kind of positions?
Argyle Petroleum
already has division heads.
Anything Argyle offers us
is gonna be a step down,
if they offer us
anything at all.
You're under no obligation to
accept any offer they may propose.
Walter, you always said
you were going to retire.
Right, and when you retire,
we were supposed to
receive seven-figure bonuses.
BAILEY: So you sell the company,
come out ahead, and
we end up with nothing.
Walter, you offered
those bonuses
instead of profit
participation or stock options.
Reread your contract, Tim.
I promised you nothing.
Who the hell do you think you
are? You can't get away with this.
- Take it easy.
- You're gonna live up to your word!
Get out, Don.
Get him out of here
before I call security.
Well, if it isn't Mrs. Preston.
Excuse me.
Darling, what
was that all about?
Business. Just business.
But it's all finished now.
Unfortunately, I have to
stay here for an overseas call.
- Oh.
- I'll join you at the restaurant later.
All right. Darling,
don't be too late, okay?
EDITH: Oh.
Mr. Preston, you startled me.
Edith, what are you doing here?
My reading glasses.
I was half way
home, then I realized
- that I didn't have my
- Never mind.
- Come on, I'll walk you down.
- Oh.
I read for an hour every
night before I go to sleep.
I'm reading Dickens
now. Bleak House.
I I just love
Charles Dickens,
but I never could get
through Dombey and Sons.
- The style of the writing is just so
- Good night, Edith.
Oh. Good night, Mr. Preston.
[TIRES SCREECHING]
[PRESTON GRUNTS]
Mr. Preston!
Mr. Preston!
WOMAN [ON TV]: We'll have more
on that story during the noon report.
In other news this morning,
we have just been informed
that Walter Preston,
president of Preston Chemicals,
was killed last night
while leaving his office.
Police report that Preston was
gunned down from a passing car
as he walked across
the parking garage
of his downtown office building.
An unidentified
eyewitness at the scene
has given the police a
description of the driver and the car,
which was damaged
in the incident.
More details are forthcoming.
This is the car. Let's check it
out. See if he's home, okay?
BAILEY: Father, I don't
know where to begin.
Take your time.
I'm Don Bailey. I haven't
been here in a while.
Uh
I don't know where else to turn.
What's troubling you?
A man was killed last night.
Murdered.
And I believe whoever
did it used my car.
When the police came by this
morning, I panicked and I ran.
I didn't do it, Father.
I swear, I'm innocent.
What shall I do?
There's only one
thing you can do.
The cops should
be here any minute.
Sergeant Clancy said they've
been looking all over for you.
I don't know how they did it. Somebody
must have taken my car and used it.
A lot of cars look alike, Don.
Yeah, well, mine has a big
dent in it that I didn't put there.
Somebody is working awfully
hard to frame me for this crime.
- You have any idea who it could be?
- No.
Donald, where were you last night
when this man Preston was killed?
I was home, alone.
[SIRENS WAILING]
- You Don Bailey?
- Yes.
Okay, fellas.
Father?
Sergeant Clancy, is
handcuffing him really necessary?
Yeah, he's turning himself in,
Clancy. He's not going anywhere.
Procedure, Father. Read
him his rights and book him.
I'll contact your lawyer, Don.
Thanks for the call, Frank.
FRANK: Clancy,
I have known Donald
Bailey since he was a boy.
Now, it's hard for me to believe
that he's capable of murder.
He had a terrific motive, Frank.
What's the motive?
Preston was selling the company
and Bailey was losing his job.
Well, killing Preston
killed the sale.
So you're saying he killed
the guy to save his job?
Oh, it gets better.
Walter Preston's death activated
a bonus plan worth $2 million.
Donald Bailey just
became a rich man.
That's a pretty good
motive for murder.
Ah, I don't believe it.
Believe what you want.
I have my suspect.
I'm satisfied.
How can you be so sure?
We have an eyewitness
who saw your friend
drive up to Walter
Preston and gun him down.
So save your sympathy
for someone else, Father.
Donald Bailey is guilty as sin.
You should pardon
the expression.
Let's go.
Sounds pretty open
and shut to me, Frank.
Yes, it does.
You know, no matter how
much you believe in this guy,
it's gonna be hard
to prove him innocent
if the cops have an eyewitness
and he doesn't have an alibi.
Yes, it would.
- Wanna look into this a little further?
- Yes, I do.
- Should I get the car?
- Yes, you should.
[SIGHS]
Walter Preston was the finest
man that I've ever worked for,
and that Donald Bailey
shot him down in cold blood.
Miss Monroe, would you mind
if we acted out what
you saw last night?
Just to be certain that we
understand what happened.
- All right.
- Go ahead, Steve.
STEVE: Okay.
Now, you were here very
late last night, weren't you?
Actually, I'd already
left and I'd come back.
Why was that?
I forgot my glasses.
My reading glasses, Father.
My distance vision is just fine.
I'm sure it is.
Now, what exactly were you
doing at the time of the shooting?
Well, my car was about
here and I was unlocking it.
What is it?
Uh
The light wasn't very good.
I couldn't see the keyhole,
so I put my glasses on
and then I got in the car.
Please.
Oh. Sorry.
[CAR ENGINE STARTS THEN REVS]
[TIRES SCREECHING]
What did you just
see, Miss Monroe?
I saw Sister Stephanie
driving your car.
I think you saw the
person you expected to see.
[CAR DOOR OPENS]
Hi, Edith.
- Some fun, huh?
- Okay, Frank?
Okay, Steve.
You tricked me.
I just wanted you to know
that you might be mistaken.
I don't care.
I know what I saw and
you can't trick me out of it.
Thanks, Rita.
Edith couldn't have
seen me shoot Walter.
Without her, the police
don't have a case, do they?
They have to let me go.
I'm afraid it's not
that simple, Don.
Edith Monroe is
convinced that she saw you,
- and that's how she's
gonna testify. BAILEY: Ah
Then there's the
problem with your car.
The police lab says that the
paint on the side of your car
matches the paint that's on
the cement pillar in the garage.
Oh, God, Father.
Oh, what am I gonna do?
Don, can you think of anyone
else who might have benefited
from Walter Preston's death?
Uh
Elliott Wagner, Tim
Shannon, I suppose.
Elliott is head of
research and development.
Tim is in charge of finances.
They both had the same
bonus plan that I did.
Do you think that one of
them could've killed Preston?
Sister, the police
think I killed Walter.
If I could have,
they could have.
The car.
The car was parked out
in front of your townhouse.
Now, how could anyone
have taken it away
without being
seen by a neighbor?
Father, the car
wasn't there all night.
For a couple of hours, it was in
the St. Francis Hotel parking lot.
The St. Francis Hotel downtown?
How did it get there?
I drove it.
I was, uh, seeing someone.
A woman.
Don, why didn't you
tell me this before?
- If that woman can give you an alibi
- It's not that simple.
- Why, is she married?
- No.
Well, so then what's the
problem? Who is she?
Her name is Violet.
She has black hair,
medium height,
wears red sunglasses.
I don't know her real name and
I don't know how to reach her.
Why not?
She called me.
Father, she's a prostitute.
Ever since this
whole thing started
I had the feeling that Bailey
was acting a little bit strange.
- Now we know why.
- Guilty conscience.
He wouldn't tell us
where he was last night.
STEVE: Mm-hm.
- We gotta find that girl, Steve.
Oh, but, Father,
a woman like that?
Mary Magdalene was a
woman like that, Marie,
and she was very
precious to the Lord.
MARIE: Ahem.
- Marie's right, Frank.
We are the last people
that a lady like Violet's
gonna wanna talk to.
A priest and a nun?
We go cruising the St.
Francis Hotel downtown,
we're never gonna find her.
Yeah, I suppose you're right.
What about those two other
guys from Bailey's company?
Shannon and Wagner.
They both had the same
motive for murder as Don Bailey.
We better have a
talk with them first.
- Sister Stephanie.
STEVE: Hello, Phil.
- Father Dowling.
- Bye, Phil.
Marie. Just the
person I wanted to see.
What do you mean?
What do you want?
Well, the bishop has asked
me to arrange a reception
for Jonathan Harris, he's our
Catholic Layman of the Year.
So we thought a small
party at the diocesan offices
would be appropriate,
uh, say 2 or 300 people
and the press, of course,
uh, with some food
and some music.
Now, I was wondering, because
I have a very tight budget,
- if you would like to
- No.
Marie, this is a very
important reception.
It's my first.
Marie, I need to prove myself,
and I need to be on budget,
and I haven't the slightest notion
of where to begin. I need your help.
The Lord helps those that
help themselves, Father.
[SIGHS]
Oh, all right. Help me with
the dishes and we'll talk about it.
Heh. Marie.
Marie, what do you
know about canapés?
- Frank, I'll see you in about an hour.
- Aren't you coming?
Well, I have a few
errands to run downtown.
What errands?
- I didn't tell you about the errands?
- No.
I gotta go, Frank.
Steve. Steve. Steve!
Hello, Rita.
Oh, hi, Father.
Listen, that little masquerade of ours,
that didn't get you in any trouble, did it?
What, with Edith?
No, we never got along anyway.
She thinks I talk too much
about people in the office.
So how's the case coming?
What's your next move?
Well, I'm hoping to have a talk
with Tim Shannon and Elliott Wagner.
They're in a staff meeting now.
Big changes now
that the boss is dead.
They shouldn't be long.
I'll wait.
Okay.
So do you?
Do I what?
Do you talk too much about
the people in the office?
I wish people would
stop saying that.
What exactly do
you want to know?
So I say to this guy:
"Look, you wanna
push somebody around,
you've got the
wrong girl, baby,"
because I am done
with this thing, right?
- So then he says to me
- Hey, check it out.
Hi, I'm Steve.
I'm a friend of Violet's.
Black hair, red
sunglasses, you know her?
You know her?
I guess not.
Well, um, I'm just gonna
go I'm gonna go over there.
- Cop.
- Definitely.
SHANNON: Excuse
me, can I help you?
Oh. Mr. Shannon.
I'm Frank Dowling.
I was hoping we could talk
about, uh, Walter Preston.
I thought his family was
handling the funeral arrangements.
I didn't know Walter
was a Catholic.
Well, actually, I'm here
on behalf of, uh, Don Bailey.
Oh?
I understand you've
taken over his department.
Don can't do too
many sales from prison.
You think he's guilty.
Of course he's guilty.
Edith saw him do it.
Hm. So she said.
Don Bailey stands to collect
a fortune in bonus payments
now that Walter Preston is dead.
So will you. So
will Elliott Wagner.
What is your point?
I'm just curious
about a few things.
For example, I notice you're
quite a sailing enthusiast.
All my life. I've raced everything
from dinghies to 12 meters.
Hm. You must miss it.
Your subscription
ran out six months ago.
I don't find a lot of
time for reading lately.
Or sailing, for that matter.
I heard you had to sell your
boat to meet some gambling debts.
All right, Father,
what's this all about?
Donald Bailey
wasn't the only man
to benefit from Preston's
death, Mr. Shannon.
Yesterday you were in
debt, facing financial disaster.
Today you're a rich man.
Now that's quite a change of luck,
even for a gambler, don't you think?
Father
if you don't mind.
- Where were you?
- What?
Where were you last night while
Walter Preston was being killed?
That's none of your business.
Hm. Well, you may
have to tell the police.
I will, if they ask.
- Goodbye, Father.
- Bye.
DAWN: This should be,
uh, heh, very interesting.
- You wanna party?
STEVE: That depends.
- On how much?
- You got it.
[CHUCKLES]
- How much?
- For you, 5,000.
You nuts or something?
This chick's bad for business.
Definitely.
- Mr. Wagner?
- Take everything.
I want this place
stripped to the walls.
Really?
Oh, you're not the moving man.
You're a, uh, priest.
Frank Dowling.
Talk to Shannon.
He's in, uh, Finance.
He handles all of our
philanthropic contributions.
Oh, I've already spoken
to him. Impressive view.
WAGNER: Yes, yes.
I've waited a long
time to get in here.
Ten years, I'd say
that's long enough.
Who did you say you were?
I'm Father Dowling, a
friend of Donald Bailey's.
Mr. Wagner,
I understand you were Preston's
head of research and development.
Your ideas made him rich,
yet he kept you a
contract employee.
Oh, I see.
[WAGNER CHUCKLES]
Walter's dead,
Bailey's blamed, but
you think he's innocent,
which naturally makes you
want to find another suspect,
which brings you to me.
I can't argue with
your logic, Father.
I had every reason
to want Walter dead.
- Weren't you friends?
- Walter Preston had no friends.
So you're not unhappy
that he's gone?
I'm your perfect suspect.
[CHUCKLES]
FRANK: Where were
you last night, Mr. Wagner?
Father, are you a Jesuit?
No, I'm just a
simple parish priest.
I was at home, asleep.
Unfortunately, my wife is out of town,
so I have no one to corroborate that.
But then again, I don't
need anyone, do I?
I'm not under arrest for murder.
[CHATTERING]
Come on, Violet, where are you?
Why doesn't she split?
She's scaring off the trade.
Hey, ladies.
- You busy?
- Why? Wanna party?
Maybe.
What's your name, cutie-pie?
- Dawn.
- Dawn, my favorite name.
Yours truly, Jake,
is in Room 111.
Stop by, maybe I can, uh,
make it worth your while.
[CLICKS TONGUE]
- Catch you later.
- Not if you go up there, you won't.
Come here.
Come here.
I think I know that guy, honey.
Hey, uh, you.
Steve.
Come here a second.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- You wanna find Violet, right?
- Uh-huh.
Check out Room 111.
Tell the guy up
there Dawn sent you.
His name's Jake.
Room 111, huh?
Thanks.
[LAUGHING]
Who says there's never a cop
around when you need one?
[KNOCKING]
JAKE: It's open.
Jake?
I'm Jake. Who are you?
I was looking for Violet.
Are you here to party?
Um, Dawn sent me.
Say no more.
You're under arrest,
young lady. Chicago Vice.
Next time you want to do some
missionary work downtown, Sister,
don't dress like a native.
I might not be around to
explain to our boys in Metro Vice,
and you could end up
spending the night in county jail.
I'm really sorry about the
misunderstanding, Sister.
Yeah, well, it wasn't
exactly a misunderstanding.
Thanks again, Clancy.
See you later, Jake.
What are you gonna do now?
What I should have been
doing from the beginning.
Missionary work.
Hey, wait up.
Hold on a second.
Look, I need to talk to you.
No chance.
We don't talk to cops.
I'm not a cop.
I'm not a cop and I'm
not one of you guys either.
I'm sorry I wasn't more up front
about this from the
beginning, but I need your help.
I'm looking for this
woman named Violet.
See, there's this guy, he's
been accused of murder
and Violet is his only alibi.
- You're not a cop?
- No.
- So, what are you then?
- I'm a nun.
Listen, you guys had lunch?
[JAZZ MUSIC PLAYS]
[CHATTERING]
Mrs. Preston, I'm
Father Dowling.
Thank you for coming, Father.
I'm sure your being here
would have meant a
great deal to my husband.
Very lively for a wake.
Well, Walter wouldn't
want anything gloomy.
I think this is much
more like him, don't you?
I wouldn't know, Mrs. Preston.
Please call me Suzanne.
I'm sorry, we haven't met.
Walter had so many associates.
Um, may I get you something,
Father? A glass of wine?
Oh, no. No, thank you.
Mrs. Preston, I'm
not here for the wake.
I, uh I never actually
knew your husband.
Oh, I assumed that you
were with one of his charities.
- No.
- Then I don't understand.
Why are you here, Father?
Well, I was hoping
you had some idea
as to who might have
killed your husband.
The police say Don
Bailey killed Walter.
I don't think so.
Did Mr. Preston ever
mention an enemy?
Someone who may have
wanted to do him harm?
No. Perhaps we could
discuss this some other time.
I understand that Mr. Preston planned
to endow a charity trust fund in his will.
Yes, that's right.
Two-thirds of his estate
would have gone to
that fund upon his death.
But I heard he was killed
before the will was changed.
What is your point, Father?
Well, now the entire
estate goes to you.
Perhaps you could tell me where
you were when he was killed.
I checked the restaurant
where you were supposed to go,
but they said
you hadn't arrived.
I think you'd better leave.
[SUZANNE GASPING]
- I'm very sorry.
SUZANNE: Oh, my God.
Allow me.
Just leave me alone.
[DOOR CLOSES]
Must have been something I said.
Violet.
Black hair, red glasses
Nope. Doesn't ring a
bell. What about you guys?
- I gotta find her.
- Okay, well, we'll put the word out.
This is great spaghetti,
Mrs. Gillespie.
Thank you.
My mother used to
make spaghetti like this.
Every Saturday, she'd
get all the kids together
and make up a big pot.
- You miss your mom?
- Sure.
She miss you too?
She does.
My dad never wants to see
me again, which suits me,
because I never want
to see him again either.
So don't go back. But you don't
have to be out on the street either.
Heh. What am I gonna do,
go live in a convent? Heh.
I did.
How old are you, Dawn?
Eighteen.
I'm not saying you
need to become a nun,
but I have plenty of
friends who'd be happy
to give you a place to stay.
For a while, you know,
until you work things out.
It's kind of lonely
on the street.
Yeah?
- What would you know about it?
- You'd be surprised.
Sister Stephanie here
practically grew up on the street.
And from the sound of it, her
father wasn't much better than yours.
You ladies want some pie?
Oh, no, thanks.
If I ate another
bite, I'd burst.
Besides, um, we gotta go.
- Yeah, thanks for lunch.
- Sure.
And for the chance to sit down.
My feet are killing me.
Oh, well, you
should do what I do.
I always soak my feet
in hot Epsom salts water.
It really helps when you're
on your feet all the time.
We're not on our
feet all the time.
[CHUCKLES]
Um, I just wanna say I'm
sorry for what happened
- back at the hotel today.
- Don't worry about it.
Sometimes I get
myself into trouble.
Most of the time.
Whoa. Oh. Oh.
Sister Stephanie. Oh,
thank you. Thank you.
Father Prestwick,
what is all this stuff?
Oh, this is party supplies
for the Catholic Layman
of the Year reception.
I've got balloons, napkins,
cocktail napkins, party favors.
You know, it's really extraordinary
what you can get for a party these days.
I've also made arrangements
for a caterer and a florist.
One thing I'm not certain
about is do I need entertainment?
Ah. What is a party
without entertainment?
[LAUGHS]
Are you an entertainer?
Well, uh, that's
what people tell me.
[CHUCKLES]
Really? Do you do parties?
Why, parties are
my specialty, Father.
[CHUCKLES]
[LAUGHS]
I'll tell you what. If you
wanna know how to find me,
- call the St. Francis
Hotel, - Oh, yes.
- Ask for Michelle,
- Michelle, okay.
And, um, they'll know
where to get in touch with me.
Oh, excellent.
Thank you, Michelle.
See you, Sister.
We'll keep an
eye out for Violet.
All right. Thanks.
Listen, think about
what I told you, all right?
If you ever get too lonely out
there, you know where to find me.
Thanks.
Steve, those weren't
Girl Scouts, were they?
Not exactly, Frank, no.
Yeah.
You may begin.
I'm Violet.
I hear you want to see me.
We've been looking for you.
We need to talk.
- Let's go to my study.
- I like it here.
What do you want to talk about?
Donald Bailey.
What about him?
Last night, a man was
murdered around 7:15.
Don Bailey is the prime suspect.
VIOLET: Seven-fifteen.
Bailey was with me.
Wait.
You called him?
VIOLET: Yes.
Well, isn't it usually
the other way around?
Sometimes a girl gets referrals.
Someone told you to call him.
VIOLET: A mutual friend.
He said that Bailey had
just got some bad news.
Maybe he could use a good time.
You have to go to the police.
Oh, not a chance.
But you're his only alibi.
I talk to the cops,
they bust me.
They've already got a beef
with me on another matter.
Bailey's a nice guy,
but I don't do time for any man.
Violet,
the man who told
you to call Don Bailey,
he must have used you to
frame Don for the murder.
Now if I'm right,
your mutual friend
killed Walter Preston.
Now who was it?
Who told you to call
Don Bailey last night?
Tim Shannon.
Drop it.
All right.
Wait, what is going on?
Father Dowling?
I think ballistics will
find that Walter Preston
was killed with bullets
fired from that gun.
No, officer, this isn't my gun.
I just received a phone call.
Somebody said
they put it in my desk.
That I was being framed.
Mr. Shannon,
you're under arrest.
- Oh, my God. CLANCY:
Read him his rights outside.
Please, wait, you don't
have to handcuff me.
This is a mistake. Please.
Father Dowling, please help me.
Chalk up one more
I owe you, Frank.
Mr. Bailey's a lucky man.
I would like to propose
a toast, to freedom.
MAN 1: Freedom.
MAN 2: Hear, hear.
And to the man who made it
possible, Father Frank Dowling.
[CLAPPING AND CHATTERING]
Really, Don, that
isn't necessary.
No, Father, I would like to
thank you for believing me
when everybody else
thought I was guilty.
Like Elliott.
You thought I killed
Walter, didn't you?
Somebody had to.
Why not you?
FRANK: Are you leaving?
I can't work here.
Not with that man.
Are you still certain that you saw
Donald Bailey shoot Walter Preston?
What difference
does it make now?
You found the
real killer, Father.
It's over. Congratulations.
Something wrong, Frank?
Why didn't Tim Shannon
get rid of the gun?
And if he was trying
to frame Bailey,
why didn't he plant
the gun in Bailey's car?
I still think he did it, Frank.
Well, he says he's innocent
and he says he was framed.
Yeah, but we caught
him red-handed.
Please, have some
champagne. I owe you my life.
WOMAN 1: Cheers. Hear,
hear. WOMAN 2: Cheers.
Maybe you didn't kill Walter,
but don't dance on his grave.
Don't let me spoil your fun.
Try to drive home like that,
you're gonna get somebody killed.
Maybe you.
Hey. Do I know you?
No.
I know a friend of yours.
Black hair, red sunglasses.
Violet.
- You know Violet?
- Saw her today.
[SIGHS]
- Really?
- Outside a church.
Yeah, I heard she was there.
You know, Violet
drives a real expensive car.
Where do you think she went?
I can't imagine.
This big house on
Lake Shore Drive.
Mrs. Preston's house.
Now, Violet and Mrs.
Preston live in the same house.
How do you think
they manage that?
What do you want?
The police don't pay much
for this kind of information.
I thought maybe you'd pay more.
I don't know what to say.
You'll think of something.
I'll meet you at Mrs.
Preston's house in one hour.
She knows, Suzanne.
Darling, relax.
Everything's under control.
What are we gonna do about her?
[SUZANNE CHUCKLES]
I got these for Walter.
If you hadn't jumped
the gun and shot him,
I was going to
stage a little suicide.
Oh, poor Walter.
He was so depressed about
selling the business, you know.
[SUZANNE CHUCKLES]
What are you gonna do?
Dear Don, do you realize
how many prostitutes
die of drug overdose every year?
What's one more?
[DOORBELL RINGS]
[DOOR OPENS]
[DOOR CLOSES]
You must be Godiva.
- And you must be Violet.
- Just what do you want?
The way it looks to me,
the two of you have
been having a little affair.
The both of you killed
poor old Preston together,
and with hubby dead,
you get the money,
the company, each other.
You'd have everything.
All you needed,
baby, was an alibi.
A missing witness.
Violet.
How much do you want?
Oh, don't be ridiculous, Don.
She can't prove a thing.
Maybe I can't,
but I know somebody who can.
Who?
[DOORBELL RINGS]
Father Dowling and
Sister Stephanie.
That's them now.
Twenty-five thousand dollars.
[DOORBELL RINGS]
Y'all wanna make a deal
with me, or do I talk to them?
SUZANNE: Wait.
You've got a deal.
Father Dowling, what
are you doing here?
I know it's very late,
but Sister Stephanie and I got
a phone call from some woman,
and she asked us
to meet her here.
Said it has something to do
with your husband's murder.
Is this some kind of joke?
FRANK: No one's here?
At this hour? No.
Good night, Father.
Good night.
Well, they're gone.
To our little secret.
To 25 Gs.
To a long and healthy life.
To the Cubs winning the pennant.
Ah, are you going
to drink or not?
Everybody freeze.
What took you so long?
I don't understand.
I just saw you out.
Hi, Mrs. Preston.
You saw what you
expected to see.
Just like I now see
what I expected to see.
Violet in the
confessional at the church.
Violet with a bandage on
her hand, just like yours.
Framing Shannon
with the murder weapon,
that was a nice touch too.
Which he happened
to be holding in his hand
the minute we showed
up with the cops.
FRANK: He said someone
had just called him.
Now if that were true,
that someone would've
had to see us coming,
and you, Mrs. Preston,
you saw us coming
on the security monitor
in your husband's office.
Mm-hm.
Clancy, I think your forensic people
will find something very lethal in that.
CLANCY: Donald Bailey,
Suzanne Preston,
you are both under arrest for
the murder of Walter Preston.
This time, Mr. Bailey,
get yourself another priest.
OFFICER: Come on.
[FRANK SIGHS]
Sister Rita, Sister
Godiva, let's get out of here.
So after Bailey
ran from the police,
he must have gone to Mrs.
Preston before he came here.
FRANK: Mm-hm.
And that's where they
cooked up this whole idea
about Violet and
getting us involved,
knowing that I would
advise Don to turn himself in.
And do everything
you could to clear him,
which you almost did, Frank.
And that, Sister Stephanie,
is a humbling experience.
Father Dowling, have
you seen Father Prestwick?
Somebody left this for him.
"Can't make your party.
I'm sending Trixie instead.
Lots of love, Michelle."
[STEVE GASPS]
- Oh, no.
- What's the matter?
I forgot to tell Phil.
Trixie must be a hooker.
At the bishop's reception for
the Catholic Layman of the Year?
Steve.
Father Dowling, it's incredible.
Unbelievable.
This woman showed up
at the bishop's reception,
and you will never
guess what happened.
- We can guess, Phil.
- Are you okay?
Sister Stephanie, I have never
experienced anything more moving.
What actually did
you experience, Phil?
Trixie.
It turns out Trixie is the
long-lost niece of John Harris,
our Catholic Layman of
the Year. Heh-heh-heh.
When they first laid
eyes on each other,
oh, Father, it was such
a marvelous moment,
such a great healing.
And Trixie said that
they have me to thank.
Heh-heh. Isn't life marvelous?
More than you'll
ever know, Phil.
[SIGHS]