Murder, She Wrote s11e02 Episode Script
69532 - Amsterdam Kill
Philip's in diamonds.
Oh.
In a modest way.
The damned thing was paste.
I want to know when the transaction is scheduled for and where.
If you're one minute late, he's a dead man.
Then it is a kidnapping.
Now, really, Mrs.
Fletcher, I'm afraid your author's imagination is running away with you.
If I would have got my hands on that cash, I would've been long gone.
What a brilliant man.
And charming.
Yes, it's happening.
When can you get here? Well, hello again, Mrs.
Fletcher.
We kidnap interesting people.
I'm a lover, not a killer.
Colin, the game has changed.
People are getting killed.
(SCREAMING) (INDISTINCT CHATTERING) (DIALING) (PHONE RINGING) Hello? Inspector Van Horn here.
It's me.
I've got a line on the merchandise you're looking for.
It's about time.
Not so fast.
I need assurances and I need more money.
Damn it, Kuyper, I've gone out beyond the edge on this already.
You don't quite understand.
This is much bigger than we thought.
There's more risk involved.
Kuyper, I don't like to be shaken down.
I want to know when the transaction is scheduled for and where.
That's what I'm paying you for.
(TIRES SCREECHING) No.
No! No! (SCREAMING) Kuyper? Kuyper! (ENGAGED TONE BEEPING) Jessica.
Hello, Nigel.
You're here at last.
Mmm.
Indeed.
Have a smooth flight over? Oh, marvelous.
You know, I remember opening a book as we took off from JFK.
Next thing I knew, we were landing, and I had slept all the way.
Hope it wasn't one of my books.
Oh! Oh, how beautiful.
Brought them with me from home, they bloomed early this year.
Oh, from your lovely Sussex garden.
How are things at home? Actually, I haven't been around there much lately.
Been off tracking research on a new project.
Mmm, I'll be interested to hear about that.
And so you shall, but first we must get you registered.
Passport, please, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Oh, yes, of course.
I made Mr.
Burger promise you one of his very best rooms.
Overlooking the canal, on the Look here.
I asked for a wake-up call If you could just wait one moment, Mr.
De Kooning.
He's right, Philip.
Ah, Nigel.
Forgive me.
And of course, you must be Mrs.
Fletcher.
Nigel has spoken about you so often, I feel as if we're old friends.
That's a lovely pin.
Oh, thank you.
I found it last year in Texas.
Philip's in diamonds.
In a modest way.
But look, both of you, you must allow me to help celebrate your arrival and to compensate for my rudeness.
You've never been to South Africa, Mrs.
Fletcher? JESSICA: (CHUCKLES) No.
Well, you must come.
It's a beautiful place.
Watch out, Jessica, that's how it begins.
I met Philip and his wife at the races in Deauville, and next thing I knew I was their house guest in Johannesburg.
We kidnap interesting people.
But tell me, how did you two meet? Or do all famous authors know each other? (KNOCKING ON DOOR) Ah Excuse me.
Sorry to interrupt, sir, but we have a small problem.
There are no small problems with airplanes.
Nick Halsey, say hello to Mrs.
Fletcher and Nigel Allison.
Hello.
Uh, one of the compressors needs replacing.
Now, they're going to express ship one out tonight.
We should have it tomorrow morning the latest, and they'll fit it ASAP.
If you'll excuse us, Philip, I have an appointment call coming through in my room.
Plus, I took the liberty of scheduling Jessica to appear with me on a conference panel that starts in 10 minutes.
With Nigel making the arrangements, I can count on plenty of R and R.
Nice meeting you, gentlemen.
Thank you so much.
It was my pleasure.
Nigel.
Well, I'm certainly looking forward to hearing all about this new novel you're working on.
Well, it's something of a thriller.
It starts in San Francisco.
Lots of twists and turns.
Actually, that's why I'm in Amsterdam, to fill in the last vital bits of the story.
Well, it sounds like a typical Nigel Allison novel full of devilish convolutions.
Well, actually, it's right up your alley, Jessica.
We must have a good old brainstorming session.
Oh, wait a moment.
I can't let these just stand in a vase.
Here, let me put this one here.
Oh, makes me look like a boulevardier.
There you go.
Look, I'm just down the hall in 1420.
Why don't I just take my call and meet you downstairs? Good.
It'll give me time to change.
Ah-ha.
See you a little later.
Yeah.
(TELEPHONE RINGING) Yes? MAN: Is it happening? Yes, it's happening.
When can you get here? (WHEEL SQUEAKING) Uh-huh.
Yes, I think that would be the best.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR) Yes, who is it? WAITER: Room service.
NIGEL: I think the sooner we arrange for the lid to close on the affair, so much the better for all concerned.
Uh-huh.
Yes.
Ciao.
I think you must have the wrong room.
I didn't order anything.
(GROANS) (WHEEL SQUEAKING) Lydia, all I'm asking is that you restrict your spending for a few days.
While you continue to pour money into that damned airplane? My airplane happens to be TIGNER: Philip! Philip! I'm so glad I caught up with you.
Listen, you have a moment? Anything for you, Harry.
Lydia, you do know Mr.
Tigner, now, don't you? Of course.
I'll be running along.
I've got window-shopping to do.
(SIGHS) (CHUCKLES) That's what I want to talk to you about, money.
Philip, we've been doing business together for a long time now, but All right, Harry, what's troubling you? Your diamonds.
Word's out they're hot.
This time I need payment in cash.
What are you trying to pull? Nothing.
I swear, nothing.
My people are calling the shots.
Look, it's cash or no deal.
And I can't extend the deadline.
We still have to close tomorrow.
Where the hell am I going to find a cash customer for half a million in diamonds within 24 hours? Look, all I know is that I'm sitting on top of a warehouse full of illegal arms, and the cops are one step behind me.
I've already resold those weapons.
If I don't deliver, I could end up dead.
Hey, Philip, we all have our problems.
It's noon tomorrow or forget it.
Harry.
Such an honor to have you join our panel, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Well, thank you.
Is Mr.
Allison here? Oh, he won't be with us.
I was just on the phone to his secretary, and she said he's been taken ill.
But, here, let me pin on your microphone, I don't want our audience to miss a word you say.
But I was just with Nigel, and he was fine.
Oh, not to worry.
Just a touch of food poisoning or something.
He's resting in his room now.
Oh.
(BIRDS CHIRPING) (GROANS) Marvelous craftsmanship.
Yes, I absolutely adore it, of course.
But can I speak in confidence? Oh, well, we pride ourselves on our discretion.
What I'd really like to know is could you make an exact copy of this necklace? And how much could you sell the original for on the current market? Surely Madame knows this is a copy.
Albeit a superb one, but only worth a few thousand dollars.
Perhaps Madame has confused this piece with another.
Oh.
Yes, of course.
How forgetful of me.
I'm very sorry to have wasted your time, Herr Kronin.
Not at all.
Good day, Madame.
PANEL CHAIRWOMAN: Thank you, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Ladies and gentlemen, we will resume the conference after lunch.
Monika Vidal, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Amsterdam News.
I thought the point you made about how the new International Trade Agreement will impact on existing copyright laws was very interesting.
Well, I think it's a ripple that will be felt throughout the publishing world.
I'd like to follow up on that.
Would an interview be possible? Oh, certainly, but not right now.
Perhaps later.
I'll call you.
Thank you.
MAN: Operator.
Yes, Operator.
Would you connect me with Mr.
Allison's room, please? I'm sorry, he's checked out.
What? Mr.
Allison has checked out.
Are you sure? Yes, he checked out today.
Thank you.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING) No, there's no record of him contacting the house doctor.
He just simply checked out.
Without leaving a message for me? I wish I could be more helpful, Mrs.
Fletcher.
All I can tell you for sure is the time, 12:02.
Mr.
Burger, how is it that you can be so precise about the time? Well, because Mr.
Allison used our express checkout service.
You know, on the television set in his room? Oh.
So you never actually saw him leaving the hotel? I'm afraid not.
Your work is very good.
For a policeman.
You're very kind.
Now, you say Nigel Allison's secretary mentioned a medical problem of some sort when she canceled his speaking appearance? (TELEPHONE RINGING) Ja? Uh-huh.
Mmm.
Inspector, Nigel Allison has no secretary.
He was traveling alone.
I've also checked the local hospitals.
They haven't seen him.
Perhaps he has gone back to England.
Well, none of the airlines have any record of him booking a flight out today.
You've been quite busy, Mrs.
Fletcher.
(TELEPHONE RINGS) Excuse me.
(ANSWERING IN DUTCH) (SPEAKING DUTCH) These mug shots Isn't this a photo of the man that was in the newspaper this morning? Yes, Hendrik Kuyper.
A police informant.
A victim of a hit-and-run driver.
So, what conclusion do you draw from all this? Well, the conclusion that I draw is that something very strange is going on, and I'm afraid something very bad.
Nigel's friend, Mr.
De Kooning, agrees with me Excuse me.
Did you say De Kooning? Yes.
Would that be Philip De Kooning? Yes.
Is that important? No.
Not really.
You see, Nigel and I had made arrangements to meet here.
Now, it's not like him to just vanish without telling me.
I'm sorry, Mrs.
Fletcher, there's nothing I can do.
My workload is substantial already.
Besides, it's much too soon to file a missing persons claim.
And, besides, you're much too busy.
I understand, Inspector.
And thank you for sharing your very valuable time.
(EXCLAIMS) Mrs.
De Kooning.
Having a nice day? Yes, just fine, Nick, thank you.
Mind if I join you? Oh, please.
Well? The damned thing was paste.
Nearly worthless, like my marriage.
I'll bet Philip has sold off all my real jewelry without telling me.
He just did it to you before you could do it to him.
You think that's funny? Baby, I know you're disappointed.
I just thought I'd finally found a way for us to get away from him.
There'll be another way.
Just hang in there.
Nicky, what's the matter? I tell you that we have lost our ticket to paradise, and you're giving me fortune-cookie philosophy.
Or maybe you have a better game going.
Hey, you know better than that.
Then help me.
Help us.
I mean, if Philip were out of the picture Now, don't start that again, Lydia, because I'm not gonna do it.
I'm a lover, not a killer.
And lately you haven't been much good at that, either.
Mr.
Burger, you still haven't heard from Mr.
Allison? No, I'm sorry.
(EXCLAIMS) I can't understand it.
Excuse me, would that be Nigel Allison? Why, yes.
Have you seen him? I just ran into him at the airport.
I was getting off a shuttle flight from London.
He was waiting to board.
I'm Colin Biddle.
You're Jessica Fletcher, of course.
Yes.
Here for the conference, too, I assume? Are you sure that it was Nigel you saw? I spoke with him.
I'm a publisher's rep.
Nigel's house is one of our clients.
Was Nigel all right? He left here so abruptly and didn't tell anyone why.
He did mention some sort of minor family emergency.
Otherwise, he seemed perfectly fine.
I may be speaking with him later.
Can I give him a message from you? Well, yes, would you please ask him to call me? Of course, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Thank you.
We're all done with your passport, Mrs.
Fletcher.
And, Mr.
Biddle, here's your key.
And this message we were holding for your arrival.
So nice to have met you, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Thank you.
Would you have my bags taken upstairs, please? I have an appointment.
Mr.
Burger, did you return Mr.
Allison's passport to him? I assume we did.
Wait, let me check.
Nope, still here.
I guess he didn't pick it up.
(TELEPHONE RINGING) This is Biddle.
KIDNAPPER: (VOICE DISGUISED) I've been more than patient, yet you keep putting me off.
We have a deal.
What is going on? Where is it? Not so fast.
If the goods are damaged more than slightly, we won't buy.
Now, put him on the phone.
(STUTTERS) What? Allison, is that you? It's Biddle.
Are you all right? (STUTTERING) Colin.
Yes, I'm all right.
Look, just, just tell these people to to go stuff it! Satisfied? The money's on its way.
It'll be here early tonight.
Why didn't you bring it with you? Because gathering two million pounds sterling in used bills isn't the sort of thing one can pull off in 20 minutes.
Now, where can I reach you? I'll contact you.
JESSICA: Mr.
Biddle.
If that is your real name.
We have to talk about how it is that you saw Nigel Allison board a plane for London without his passport.
JESSICA: The globe-trotting novelist who always turns up when things get hot on the international scene.
Of course, I should have guessed long ago.
Guessed what? Well, it's the perfect cover, just as it was once for Somerset Maugham.
Nigel Allison is a British intelligence agent, isn't he? And so are you.
(CHUCKLES) Now, really, Mrs.
Fletcher, I'm afraid your author's imagination is running away with you.
I'm a publisher's A publisher's representative, I know.
I phoned Nigel's publishing house a few minutes ago.
They'd never heard of you.
Please, tell me what's happened to Nigel.
Now, look, Mrs.
Fletcher, for the sake of argument, let's say you've got it just about right.
What you're missing is, if you don't go back to your room and stop asking questions, he'll be dead.
Then it is a kidnapping.
I'm here to negotiate the ransom exchange with the terrorists, who've assured me if a single word of this leaks out, they'll kill him immediately.
Well, I've already talked to the police.
I was afraid you might do something of the sort.
What did they say? It was an Inspector Van Horn.
He seemed to think that I was an alarmist.
Well, let's hope he continues to feel that way.
Look, Mrs.
Fletcher, I've got a great deal of work to do.
I'm sorry I lied to you earlier on.
Now you know why I had to.
I can imagine how you feel.
I've handled situations like this before successfully.
Any luck, we'll have Nigel released in a few hours.
If there's any way that I can help Yeah, there is.
Just do nothing, please.
Excuse me.
I wonder if you could help me.
I'm Mrs.
Allison.
We've just checked out of room 1420 a little while ago.
Have you made up the room yet? No.
No, not yet.
Oh, thank heavens.
My wedding ring.
I think I must have left it on the bathroom sink.
I really shouldn't take it off.
My husband will be furious if I've lost it.
Would you be kind enough to let me go inside and have a look? Of course.
Good.
Thank you so much.
I hope you find it.
(DOORKNOB CLICKING) (SIGHS) Well, hello again, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Do you have a license to carry hairspray? Well, these days, one can never be too sure.
Isn't it baffling, Mrs.
Fletcher? Why do the pictures on the walls of hotel rooms all look the same? Boring.
A wasted opportunity to spread beauty.
That's an artist's view of things.
But, as a policeman, I assume you came looking for clues to the whereabouts of your friend, Mr.
Allison.
Did you find anything interesting? Well, I've only been here a minute.
Inspector, you told me that there was nothing to investigate.
I changed my mind.
Doesn't that please you? Oh, of course it does.
Although, Mr.
Allison will probably just turn up anyway in a few hours.
I hope so.
Sometimes unpleasant things happen to people who are friendly with Philip De Kooning.
Yes, I noticed your reaction to his name earlier.
The man is notorious.
We believe him to be a major broker in illegal jewels and military arms.
In fact, he may have had a connection with the hit-and-run killing of Hendrik Kuyper.
Murder? (AGREEING IN DUTCH) At the time of Mr.
Kuyper's death he was working for me, tracking the movements of Mr.
De Kooning.
I'll have to tell Nigel when I see him.
Yes, you do that.
In the meantime, are you certain there is nothing you wish to tell me? No, there isn't.
I see.
Well, I'll be sure to let you know what I discover.
Thank you.
Uh-huh.
You're sure you'll have it by then? Great.
Thanks.
Okay.
They'll have the new compressor installed by noon tomorrow.
We can fly any time after that.
Splendid.
And the repair cost? About 5,000.
Yeah, 5,500.
They want cash.
All my problems should be that small.
Tell me, Nick, you wouldn't happen to have 500,000 jingling around those jeans, now, would you? That's a little out of my league.
Well, be glad it is.
The ups are magnificent, but the downs could kill you.
LYDIA: Philip.
Pour yourself a drink.
Be back in a moment.
(DIALING) Fasten these, will you? Remember when you gave me these, darling? Istanbul.
Exquisite, aren't they? Mmm.
Like all my jewelry.
But, then, you treat me so well.
Nothing you don't deserve, darling.
Omar Hakeem, of course.
What? Hakeem.
Istanbul.
Maybe he can advance me the money.
NICK: Yeah, I just got the word.
The plane is ready and waiting right now.
Yeah, as soon as we get our hands on the money, we're out of here.
Two million pounds richer.
LYDIA: Philip? NICK: Yeah.
Just give me the signal.
Okay.
(PHONE HANGS UP) Sorry to keep you waiting, Nick.
Why don't you run along, have a good time? I don't want to burden you with my problems.
Well, I hope you work them out.
Oh, I will.
I definitely will.
WOMAN: Operator.
Hello, Operator? I was on the phone a moment ago, and I was cut off.
Ja.
Could you ring the party back? Gladly.
I misplaced the number.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING) I'm sorry.
I have no record of a room service order being delivered on the Could someone come by and just borrow one of your carts? I suppose they could.
Excuse me.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING IN FRENCH) (SQUEAKING) It's a tranquilizer dart.
The sort they used on animals in the zoo.
Nigel was knocked out and wheeled off in that room service cart.
I've asked them to put it aside in case there are fingerprints.
Couldn't resist, could you? I asked you to stay out of it, I begged you, but no, here you are again.
Mr.
Biddle, aren't you interested in apprehending these people to prevent them from doing this sort of thing again? Of course I am.
But my first priority is Is to get Nigel released.
I know that, but (TELEPHONE RINGING) Biddle here.
It's Finley.
Finley.
In regard to the ransom.
Where the hell is the money? We're having trouble.
What? We just now got it.
Damn it, man, we are already two hours behind their schedule.
We're going to lose Nigel, all because your people are dragging their bloody feet.
Listen, we're doing our best.
It's a lot of money.
Try and stall them as long as you can.
What? We need more time.
I'll do my best.
Whitehall bureaucrats.
Well, they finally managed to get the ransom money together.
(TELEPHONE RINGING) This could be them.
This is Biddle.
KIDNAPPER: Do you have the money? There's been a slight delay.
I warned you! Now, wait.
Don't hang up.
It's the weather.
Amsterdam Airport's fogged in.
Won't allow any planes in till morning.
If you are lying Look, it's just a few hours more.
You'll have the money by noon at the latest.
Can I say hello to Allison now? (GROANS) (MUMBLES) (MUMBLING) This is Nigel Allison.
This is my final warning.
If you're one minute late, he's a dead man.
(PHONE HANGS UP) (SIGHS) (ANNOUNCER CHATTERING ON PA) Excuse me, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Oh, hello, Miss Vidal.
I tried to call you.
I hate to be a bother.
But when I told my editor about seeing you He's one of your fans.
And I just thought, wouldn't it be an incredible thing if I could say I interviewed Jessica Fletcher and Nigel Allison in the same day? When did you talk to Mr.
Allison? At breakfast.
What a brilliant man.
And charming.
Just the way a world-famous author should be, with a suntan, and a carnation in his lapel and that twinkle in his eye.
Oh, that's Nigel, all right.
Anyway, let's talk about you, Mrs.
Fletcher.
I'm sorry to put you off again, Miss Vidal, but I'm afraid I can't just now.
(MAN ANNOUNCING IN DUTCH) Oh, Mrs.
Fletcher.
This letter was left for you at the desk.
Oh.
Thank you, Mr.
Burger.
Mr.
De Kooning.
(KNOCKS ON DOOR) Mr.
De Kooning? You may look, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Of course, it's a work in progress.
Sometimes, sketching an individual's likeness helps me to understand them.
Very interesting so far.
Like yourself.
You You puzzle me, Mrs.
Fletcher.
You seem so basically honest, and yet often so elusive.
We shall see how you turn out.
(KNOCK AT DOOR) Inspector, there's a gentleman who says he must see Mrs.
Fletcher.
Are you all right, Jessica? Colin! I'm Colin Biddle, Inspector, associated with Mrs.
Fletcher's publishing firm in Britain.
Ah, yes, of course.
(SPEAKS DUTCH) (SPEAKS DUTCH) Mrs.
Fletcher and I were just about to discuss the note she received from Mr.
De Kooning.
It was regarding Mr.
Allison's whereabouts.
Jessica Colin, the game has changed.
People are getting killed.
I think you should seek legal advice before discussing anything further.
She's not being charged, Mr.
Biddle.
Only asked to provide facts that might facilitate my investigation.
And I should like to tell you both, I'm not happy to have British Intelligence or anyone else play games in my territory without informing me.
(KNOCKING AT DOOR) (SPEAKING DUTCH) (SPEAKING DUTCH) You'll have to excuse me.
Inspector, can Mrs.
Fletcher leave now? Ja, of course.
But I shall need to ask for your passports.
I want to have further conversations with you both.
You told him! I can't believe you did that.
I didn't, Colin.
But the man is not stupid.
I'm sorry, Jessica.
This whole affair has driven me a little crazy.
Well, have you heard from the kidnappers? I mean, is Nigel still So far, so far.
I spoke with him briefly an hour ago.
And the ransom? Well, the fog's lifted.
The plane should be touching down any moment.
We're almost there.
Mr.
Burger, I am not responsible for my husband's finances.
He misrepresented them to me, too.
The only reason I'm staying on in Amsterdam at all is because the police have apparently not finished questioning me.
Now, am I supposed to sleep out on the street? Please, please.
We're happy to provide you with another room, with our compliments.
And then as soon as the police allow us back into your former suite, then we'll move your bags for you.
Thank you.
Ah, pardon me, Mrs.
De Kooning? I'm I know who you are.
Nigel Allison's rattled on about you at great, boring length on several continents.
Well, it's Nigel that I need to talk to you about.
Mrs.
De Kooning, would you have any idea what it was that your husband learned about Mr.
Allison's whereabouts or his situation that he might have been about to tell me? Mrs.
Fletcher, if I had a dollar for every time Philip confided in me, I could maybe buy you a cup of coffee.
Hell, he's been dead for, what, 12 hours now, and he's still lying to me.
I'm afraid I don't understand.
I just called the airport to find out what time the plane would be repaired.
And they said, "Didn't Mr.
Halsey tell you? "It's been ready since yesterday morning.
" And they said Nick had ordered the plane gassed for takeoff shortly after noon today.
By noon? By noon.
What? Thank you, Mrs.
De Kooning.
(DIALING) MAN: Operator.
Yes.
Could you please connect me with the Amsterdam News? You've had a good run, Harry.
You and De Kooning.
He'd fly in diamonds from South Africa, you'd be waiting with a shipment of illegal weapons, he'd fly out the weapons to the Middle East, and everybody got rich.
Until now.
By noon De Kooning was gonna have the cash and we'd close the deal.
A few hours more, and your guys would've busted into an empty warehouse.
So you ran down Hendrik Kuyper to keep him off De Kooning's case Oh, no! until De Kooning got his hands on this money, then you killed him for it.
And you figured you would sell the armaments to his buyer.
Inspector, if I would've got my hands on that cash, I would've been long gone.
Tell me, Harry, where did De Kooning say he was going to find all this money? (KNOCKING AT DOOR) (SPEAKING DUTCH) Excuse me, Inspector.
The lab report on the fingerprints we found on the murder knife and on the note Mrs.
Fletcher received.
918, 919.
Yes.
JESSICA: It's all there? The entire two million pounds.
Now, back up just a bit.
You say you think Halsey may be involved along with this Vidal woman? Who is not who she claims to be.
The Amsterdam News said they had no one there working by that name.
Now, yesterday morning in the lobby I happened to notice Mr.
Halsey slip a piece of paper to her.
All right.
But how does that connect them to Nigel Allison's kidnapping? Well, it doesn't necessarily.
But I think it's possible that De Kooning's widow was mistaken, and her husband wasn't deceiving her about the airplane's readiness.
You mean Nick Halsey may have been misleading both of them? Exactly.
I mean, suppose he was planning a sudden getaway with Miss Vidal? Now, look, Jessica, you may be correct or not, but right now I have to focus solely on securing Nigel's freedom.
And from here on out it becomes extremely risky.
Something to which I have no intention of exposing you.
Colin, I am going with you, and that is that.
I mean, Lord knows what kind of shape Nigel is going to be in, so I packed some sandwiches and some bottled water, and bandages.
No wonder he speaks so highly of you.
I care for Nigel just as much as you do.
He saved my life in Beirut.
But you must understand, these people are notoriously unreliable and volatile.
Now, I want you to go back to your suite while I wait here for their call.
And God help us, I hope we aren't too late.
(KNOCKING AT DOOR) MAN: Mr.
Biddle.
Inspector Van Horn.
Mrs.
Fletcher, you weren't in your room, so I assumed I'd find you here.
What is it, Inspector? The police laboratory has provided positive identification of the fingerprints on the death weapon and on the note you allegedly received from Mr.
De Kooning.
Allegedly? Inspector Van Horn Quiet, Mr.
Biddle.
Or whoever you are.
I will deal with you and your activities later.
For now, the only prints on the message itself were yours, Mrs.
Fletcher, and the same is true of the knife.
Therefore, I'm placing you under arrest for the murder of Philip De Kooning.
Inspector, I never touched that knife.
And as for the note, well, it was clearly prepared by the killer as part of an attempt to frame me for Mr.
De Kooning's murder.
Perhaps.
You know, I did not find a murderess in that face.
But it is one that is capable of deception.
I've never lied to you.
No, you have not.
As yet.
But I said deception.
There is a difference, however subtle.
Tell me, what connection do you know of between the murder of Philip De Kooning and your missing friend? None, I'm afraid.
There seems to be a lot of disparate pieces.
Halsey, Monika Vidal.
And according to Harry Tigner, De Kooning expected to pay him a large sum of money today.
And yet, this report on De Kooning's finances indicates that at the time of his death his assets were virtually nil.
Now, Mrs.
Fletcher, it's time for the rest of it.
For you to tell me exactly what role Mr.
Biddle plays in all this.
All right.
But you must understand that any interference by you or your people could result in Nigel Allison's death.
I'd rather assumed it was something like this.
Inspector, I think I know how my fingerprints were placed On the murder weapon.
They were lifted on transparent tape, from something else I held at one time or another.
A device employed sometimes, I am sorry to say, by unethical, overzealous police officers.
Mrs.
Fletcher? What is it? Inspector, I believe I know who killed Mr.
De Kooning and how to find Nigel Allison.
I only hope we can get to him in time to save his life.
(VOICE DISTORTED) I'm calling to tell you that I'm not going to wait any longer.
Either you come here now or I will kill Allison and notify the police that you are behind it.
That was very convincing.
Well, I just hope that it sounded like the voice that I heard.
We'll find out.
(TELEPHONE RINGS) Ja? Muller? (SPEAKS DUTCH) Our target is on the move.
What the hell is wrong with you, falling apart like this? Falling apart? What are you talking about? What are you doing? Do you want Allison to identify you? Mr.
Allison is of no further use to us, Biddle.
Halsey.
He just doesn't get it.
Change of plan, pal.
A new line-up, and you're on the bench.
Give me the gun.
It's all about arithmetic.
Two divides into two million pounds a lot easier than three.
Well, well.
Can't say I'm surprised, partners.
But you're forgetting one essential piece of the equation.
Newspapers? I had a hunch when you phoned.
The money's safely hidden.
When I phoned? I'm afraid that was me.
And he's right.
Until a moment ago, the money was safely hidden in the trunk of his car.
You fool.
You led them here.
Where's Nigel Allison? He's over there.
He's not hurt.
Inspector, I can explain everything.
I had an anonymous tip that Nigel was being held Save your breath, Biddle, for the courtroom.
Mrs.
Fletcher has worked out everybody's role in this matter, yours included.
She figured it out? Yes, I did.
Remember when you described your interview with Nigel Allison? You talked about him in such glowing terms.
Just the way a world-famous author should be, with a suntan, and a carnation in his lapel and that twinkle in his eye.
The flowers on Inspector Van Horn's desk reminded me that I gave Nigel the carnation just before he went to his room, a minute or so before 12:00 noon.
And since he was electronically checked out of the hotel only three minutes later, it's likely that the only person who saw him wearing that flower was you, the kidnapper.
Once I realized you were in on it, I asked myself, how could the kidnapper be sure that Nigel would be in his room at precisely And that's when I remembered that he was expecting an appointment call from London.
From you, Colin.
You set Nigel up for the kidnapping.
Your plan was working quite well, Mr.
Biddle, until the wrinkle with Mr.
De Kooning occurred.
I don't know what you mean.
He means that somehow Philip De Kooning found out about the ransom, and probably tried to cut himself in on it, so you killed him and set me up.
No, no, Jessica.
I may be part of a failed kidnap plot, but you can't tie me into that murder.
Oh, I don't have to.
You did that yourself with my fingerprints.
On the phone, in your room, you asked me to pour you a glass of water.
You took it from me, being very careful not to disturb my fingerprints.
And being a professional, you knew just how easy it would be to transfer them to the murder weapon.
VAN HORN: We found the glass in your room, Mr.
Biddle, complete with traces of tape adhesive.
It wasn't fair.
I'd worked out the entire plan, taken all the risk, and here was this loudmouth interloper, De Kooning, trying to horn in.
He'd overheard a phone conversation I'd had with this idiot.
He came to see me.
I have worked too long, planned for this too hard, to have someone like you dictate to me Look, look, Biddle! From here on out, I'm your new partner.
For one million pounds sterling for keeping my mouth shut.
You have no choice in the matter.
I knew he had to die.
And then you walked in, and I saw the perfect way to get rid of him, and to stop your meddling, too.
I phoned up De Kooning in his suite, arranged to visit him to finalize our agreement.
Then you left a fake message from De Kooning to me, asking me to meet him there.
Only you met him first.
(GRUNTS) Would it have been worth it anyway, Colin, with your friends here, just waiting to kill you in the end? I'm sorry for what I did to you, Jessica.
For what I did to Nigel.
JESSICA: And your research was tracking Philip De Kooning? Yes.
And Mr.
Biddle admitted running down Hendrik Kuyper in a rented car.
Yes, well, that was to prevent Kuyper from revealing Colin's involvement, of course.
Thank you, Jessica, for being there.
Speaking of thank you, I have a gift.
For you, Mrs.
Fletcher.
A keepsake of your visit to Amsterdam.
Ooh.
I wonder if I can guess what it is.
Oh! NIGEL: You really captured her, Inspector.
Almost.
Unfortunately, I had to let her go.
(LAUGHS)
Oh.
In a modest way.
The damned thing was paste.
I want to know when the transaction is scheduled for and where.
If you're one minute late, he's a dead man.
Then it is a kidnapping.
Now, really, Mrs.
Fletcher, I'm afraid your author's imagination is running away with you.
If I would have got my hands on that cash, I would've been long gone.
What a brilliant man.
And charming.
Yes, it's happening.
When can you get here? Well, hello again, Mrs.
Fletcher.
We kidnap interesting people.
I'm a lover, not a killer.
Colin, the game has changed.
People are getting killed.
(SCREAMING) (INDISTINCT CHATTERING) (DIALING) (PHONE RINGING) Hello? Inspector Van Horn here.
It's me.
I've got a line on the merchandise you're looking for.
It's about time.
Not so fast.
I need assurances and I need more money.
Damn it, Kuyper, I've gone out beyond the edge on this already.
You don't quite understand.
This is much bigger than we thought.
There's more risk involved.
Kuyper, I don't like to be shaken down.
I want to know when the transaction is scheduled for and where.
That's what I'm paying you for.
(TIRES SCREECHING) No.
No! No! (SCREAMING) Kuyper? Kuyper! (ENGAGED TONE BEEPING) Jessica.
Hello, Nigel.
You're here at last.
Mmm.
Indeed.
Have a smooth flight over? Oh, marvelous.
You know, I remember opening a book as we took off from JFK.
Next thing I knew, we were landing, and I had slept all the way.
Hope it wasn't one of my books.
Oh! Oh, how beautiful.
Brought them with me from home, they bloomed early this year.
Oh, from your lovely Sussex garden.
How are things at home? Actually, I haven't been around there much lately.
Been off tracking research on a new project.
Mmm, I'll be interested to hear about that.
And so you shall, but first we must get you registered.
Passport, please, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Oh, yes, of course.
I made Mr.
Burger promise you one of his very best rooms.
Overlooking the canal, on the Look here.
I asked for a wake-up call If you could just wait one moment, Mr.
De Kooning.
He's right, Philip.
Ah, Nigel.
Forgive me.
And of course, you must be Mrs.
Fletcher.
Nigel has spoken about you so often, I feel as if we're old friends.
That's a lovely pin.
Oh, thank you.
I found it last year in Texas.
Philip's in diamonds.
In a modest way.
But look, both of you, you must allow me to help celebrate your arrival and to compensate for my rudeness.
You've never been to South Africa, Mrs.
Fletcher? JESSICA: (CHUCKLES) No.
Well, you must come.
It's a beautiful place.
Watch out, Jessica, that's how it begins.
I met Philip and his wife at the races in Deauville, and next thing I knew I was their house guest in Johannesburg.
We kidnap interesting people.
But tell me, how did you two meet? Or do all famous authors know each other? (KNOCKING ON DOOR) Ah Excuse me.
Sorry to interrupt, sir, but we have a small problem.
There are no small problems with airplanes.
Nick Halsey, say hello to Mrs.
Fletcher and Nigel Allison.
Hello.
Uh, one of the compressors needs replacing.
Now, they're going to express ship one out tonight.
We should have it tomorrow morning the latest, and they'll fit it ASAP.
If you'll excuse us, Philip, I have an appointment call coming through in my room.
Plus, I took the liberty of scheduling Jessica to appear with me on a conference panel that starts in 10 minutes.
With Nigel making the arrangements, I can count on plenty of R and R.
Nice meeting you, gentlemen.
Thank you so much.
It was my pleasure.
Nigel.
Well, I'm certainly looking forward to hearing all about this new novel you're working on.
Well, it's something of a thriller.
It starts in San Francisco.
Lots of twists and turns.
Actually, that's why I'm in Amsterdam, to fill in the last vital bits of the story.
Well, it sounds like a typical Nigel Allison novel full of devilish convolutions.
Well, actually, it's right up your alley, Jessica.
We must have a good old brainstorming session.
Oh, wait a moment.
I can't let these just stand in a vase.
Here, let me put this one here.
Oh, makes me look like a boulevardier.
There you go.
Look, I'm just down the hall in 1420.
Why don't I just take my call and meet you downstairs? Good.
It'll give me time to change.
Ah-ha.
See you a little later.
Yeah.
(TELEPHONE RINGING) Yes? MAN: Is it happening? Yes, it's happening.
When can you get here? (WHEEL SQUEAKING) Uh-huh.
Yes, I think that would be the best.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR) Yes, who is it? WAITER: Room service.
NIGEL: I think the sooner we arrange for the lid to close on the affair, so much the better for all concerned.
Uh-huh.
Yes.
Ciao.
I think you must have the wrong room.
I didn't order anything.
(GROANS) (WHEEL SQUEAKING) Lydia, all I'm asking is that you restrict your spending for a few days.
While you continue to pour money into that damned airplane? My airplane happens to be TIGNER: Philip! Philip! I'm so glad I caught up with you.
Listen, you have a moment? Anything for you, Harry.
Lydia, you do know Mr.
Tigner, now, don't you? Of course.
I'll be running along.
I've got window-shopping to do.
(SIGHS) (CHUCKLES) That's what I want to talk to you about, money.
Philip, we've been doing business together for a long time now, but All right, Harry, what's troubling you? Your diamonds.
Word's out they're hot.
This time I need payment in cash.
What are you trying to pull? Nothing.
I swear, nothing.
My people are calling the shots.
Look, it's cash or no deal.
And I can't extend the deadline.
We still have to close tomorrow.
Where the hell am I going to find a cash customer for half a million in diamonds within 24 hours? Look, all I know is that I'm sitting on top of a warehouse full of illegal arms, and the cops are one step behind me.
I've already resold those weapons.
If I don't deliver, I could end up dead.
Hey, Philip, we all have our problems.
It's noon tomorrow or forget it.
Harry.
Such an honor to have you join our panel, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Well, thank you.
Is Mr.
Allison here? Oh, he won't be with us.
I was just on the phone to his secretary, and she said he's been taken ill.
But, here, let me pin on your microphone, I don't want our audience to miss a word you say.
But I was just with Nigel, and he was fine.
Oh, not to worry.
Just a touch of food poisoning or something.
He's resting in his room now.
Oh.
(BIRDS CHIRPING) (GROANS) Marvelous craftsmanship.
Yes, I absolutely adore it, of course.
But can I speak in confidence? Oh, well, we pride ourselves on our discretion.
What I'd really like to know is could you make an exact copy of this necklace? And how much could you sell the original for on the current market? Surely Madame knows this is a copy.
Albeit a superb one, but only worth a few thousand dollars.
Perhaps Madame has confused this piece with another.
Oh.
Yes, of course.
How forgetful of me.
I'm very sorry to have wasted your time, Herr Kronin.
Not at all.
Good day, Madame.
PANEL CHAIRWOMAN: Thank you, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Ladies and gentlemen, we will resume the conference after lunch.
Monika Vidal, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Amsterdam News.
I thought the point you made about how the new International Trade Agreement will impact on existing copyright laws was very interesting.
Well, I think it's a ripple that will be felt throughout the publishing world.
I'd like to follow up on that.
Would an interview be possible? Oh, certainly, but not right now.
Perhaps later.
I'll call you.
Thank you.
MAN: Operator.
Yes, Operator.
Would you connect me with Mr.
Allison's room, please? I'm sorry, he's checked out.
What? Mr.
Allison has checked out.
Are you sure? Yes, he checked out today.
Thank you.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING) No, there's no record of him contacting the house doctor.
He just simply checked out.
Without leaving a message for me? I wish I could be more helpful, Mrs.
Fletcher.
All I can tell you for sure is the time, 12:02.
Mr.
Burger, how is it that you can be so precise about the time? Well, because Mr.
Allison used our express checkout service.
You know, on the television set in his room? Oh.
So you never actually saw him leaving the hotel? I'm afraid not.
Your work is very good.
For a policeman.
You're very kind.
Now, you say Nigel Allison's secretary mentioned a medical problem of some sort when she canceled his speaking appearance? (TELEPHONE RINGING) Ja? Uh-huh.
Mmm.
Inspector, Nigel Allison has no secretary.
He was traveling alone.
I've also checked the local hospitals.
They haven't seen him.
Perhaps he has gone back to England.
Well, none of the airlines have any record of him booking a flight out today.
You've been quite busy, Mrs.
Fletcher.
(TELEPHONE RINGS) Excuse me.
(ANSWERING IN DUTCH) (SPEAKING DUTCH) These mug shots Isn't this a photo of the man that was in the newspaper this morning? Yes, Hendrik Kuyper.
A police informant.
A victim of a hit-and-run driver.
So, what conclusion do you draw from all this? Well, the conclusion that I draw is that something very strange is going on, and I'm afraid something very bad.
Nigel's friend, Mr.
De Kooning, agrees with me Excuse me.
Did you say De Kooning? Yes.
Would that be Philip De Kooning? Yes.
Is that important? No.
Not really.
You see, Nigel and I had made arrangements to meet here.
Now, it's not like him to just vanish without telling me.
I'm sorry, Mrs.
Fletcher, there's nothing I can do.
My workload is substantial already.
Besides, it's much too soon to file a missing persons claim.
And, besides, you're much too busy.
I understand, Inspector.
And thank you for sharing your very valuable time.
(EXCLAIMS) Mrs.
De Kooning.
Having a nice day? Yes, just fine, Nick, thank you.
Mind if I join you? Oh, please.
Well? The damned thing was paste.
Nearly worthless, like my marriage.
I'll bet Philip has sold off all my real jewelry without telling me.
He just did it to you before you could do it to him.
You think that's funny? Baby, I know you're disappointed.
I just thought I'd finally found a way for us to get away from him.
There'll be another way.
Just hang in there.
Nicky, what's the matter? I tell you that we have lost our ticket to paradise, and you're giving me fortune-cookie philosophy.
Or maybe you have a better game going.
Hey, you know better than that.
Then help me.
Help us.
I mean, if Philip were out of the picture Now, don't start that again, Lydia, because I'm not gonna do it.
I'm a lover, not a killer.
And lately you haven't been much good at that, either.
Mr.
Burger, you still haven't heard from Mr.
Allison? No, I'm sorry.
(EXCLAIMS) I can't understand it.
Excuse me, would that be Nigel Allison? Why, yes.
Have you seen him? I just ran into him at the airport.
I was getting off a shuttle flight from London.
He was waiting to board.
I'm Colin Biddle.
You're Jessica Fletcher, of course.
Yes.
Here for the conference, too, I assume? Are you sure that it was Nigel you saw? I spoke with him.
I'm a publisher's rep.
Nigel's house is one of our clients.
Was Nigel all right? He left here so abruptly and didn't tell anyone why.
He did mention some sort of minor family emergency.
Otherwise, he seemed perfectly fine.
I may be speaking with him later.
Can I give him a message from you? Well, yes, would you please ask him to call me? Of course, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Thank you.
We're all done with your passport, Mrs.
Fletcher.
And, Mr.
Biddle, here's your key.
And this message we were holding for your arrival.
So nice to have met you, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Thank you.
Would you have my bags taken upstairs, please? I have an appointment.
Mr.
Burger, did you return Mr.
Allison's passport to him? I assume we did.
Wait, let me check.
Nope, still here.
I guess he didn't pick it up.
(TELEPHONE RINGING) This is Biddle.
KIDNAPPER: (VOICE DISGUISED) I've been more than patient, yet you keep putting me off.
We have a deal.
What is going on? Where is it? Not so fast.
If the goods are damaged more than slightly, we won't buy.
Now, put him on the phone.
(STUTTERS) What? Allison, is that you? It's Biddle.
Are you all right? (STUTTERING) Colin.
Yes, I'm all right.
Look, just, just tell these people to to go stuff it! Satisfied? The money's on its way.
It'll be here early tonight.
Why didn't you bring it with you? Because gathering two million pounds sterling in used bills isn't the sort of thing one can pull off in 20 minutes.
Now, where can I reach you? I'll contact you.
JESSICA: Mr.
Biddle.
If that is your real name.
We have to talk about how it is that you saw Nigel Allison board a plane for London without his passport.
JESSICA: The globe-trotting novelist who always turns up when things get hot on the international scene.
Of course, I should have guessed long ago.
Guessed what? Well, it's the perfect cover, just as it was once for Somerset Maugham.
Nigel Allison is a British intelligence agent, isn't he? And so are you.
(CHUCKLES) Now, really, Mrs.
Fletcher, I'm afraid your author's imagination is running away with you.
I'm a publisher's A publisher's representative, I know.
I phoned Nigel's publishing house a few minutes ago.
They'd never heard of you.
Please, tell me what's happened to Nigel.
Now, look, Mrs.
Fletcher, for the sake of argument, let's say you've got it just about right.
What you're missing is, if you don't go back to your room and stop asking questions, he'll be dead.
Then it is a kidnapping.
I'm here to negotiate the ransom exchange with the terrorists, who've assured me if a single word of this leaks out, they'll kill him immediately.
Well, I've already talked to the police.
I was afraid you might do something of the sort.
What did they say? It was an Inspector Van Horn.
He seemed to think that I was an alarmist.
Well, let's hope he continues to feel that way.
Look, Mrs.
Fletcher, I've got a great deal of work to do.
I'm sorry I lied to you earlier on.
Now you know why I had to.
I can imagine how you feel.
I've handled situations like this before successfully.
Any luck, we'll have Nigel released in a few hours.
If there's any way that I can help Yeah, there is.
Just do nothing, please.
Excuse me.
I wonder if you could help me.
I'm Mrs.
Allison.
We've just checked out of room 1420 a little while ago.
Have you made up the room yet? No.
No, not yet.
Oh, thank heavens.
My wedding ring.
I think I must have left it on the bathroom sink.
I really shouldn't take it off.
My husband will be furious if I've lost it.
Would you be kind enough to let me go inside and have a look? Of course.
Good.
Thank you so much.
I hope you find it.
(DOORKNOB CLICKING) (SIGHS) Well, hello again, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Do you have a license to carry hairspray? Well, these days, one can never be too sure.
Isn't it baffling, Mrs.
Fletcher? Why do the pictures on the walls of hotel rooms all look the same? Boring.
A wasted opportunity to spread beauty.
That's an artist's view of things.
But, as a policeman, I assume you came looking for clues to the whereabouts of your friend, Mr.
Allison.
Did you find anything interesting? Well, I've only been here a minute.
Inspector, you told me that there was nothing to investigate.
I changed my mind.
Doesn't that please you? Oh, of course it does.
Although, Mr.
Allison will probably just turn up anyway in a few hours.
I hope so.
Sometimes unpleasant things happen to people who are friendly with Philip De Kooning.
Yes, I noticed your reaction to his name earlier.
The man is notorious.
We believe him to be a major broker in illegal jewels and military arms.
In fact, he may have had a connection with the hit-and-run killing of Hendrik Kuyper.
Murder? (AGREEING IN DUTCH) At the time of Mr.
Kuyper's death he was working for me, tracking the movements of Mr.
De Kooning.
I'll have to tell Nigel when I see him.
Yes, you do that.
In the meantime, are you certain there is nothing you wish to tell me? No, there isn't.
I see.
Well, I'll be sure to let you know what I discover.
Thank you.
Uh-huh.
You're sure you'll have it by then? Great.
Thanks.
Okay.
They'll have the new compressor installed by noon tomorrow.
We can fly any time after that.
Splendid.
And the repair cost? About 5,000.
Yeah, 5,500.
They want cash.
All my problems should be that small.
Tell me, Nick, you wouldn't happen to have 500,000 jingling around those jeans, now, would you? That's a little out of my league.
Well, be glad it is.
The ups are magnificent, but the downs could kill you.
LYDIA: Philip.
Pour yourself a drink.
Be back in a moment.
(DIALING) Fasten these, will you? Remember when you gave me these, darling? Istanbul.
Exquisite, aren't they? Mmm.
Like all my jewelry.
But, then, you treat me so well.
Nothing you don't deserve, darling.
Omar Hakeem, of course.
What? Hakeem.
Istanbul.
Maybe he can advance me the money.
NICK: Yeah, I just got the word.
The plane is ready and waiting right now.
Yeah, as soon as we get our hands on the money, we're out of here.
Two million pounds richer.
LYDIA: Philip? NICK: Yeah.
Just give me the signal.
Okay.
(PHONE HANGS UP) Sorry to keep you waiting, Nick.
Why don't you run along, have a good time? I don't want to burden you with my problems.
Well, I hope you work them out.
Oh, I will.
I definitely will.
WOMAN: Operator.
Hello, Operator? I was on the phone a moment ago, and I was cut off.
Ja.
Could you ring the party back? Gladly.
I misplaced the number.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING) I'm sorry.
I have no record of a room service order being delivered on the Could someone come by and just borrow one of your carts? I suppose they could.
Excuse me.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING IN FRENCH) (SQUEAKING) It's a tranquilizer dart.
The sort they used on animals in the zoo.
Nigel was knocked out and wheeled off in that room service cart.
I've asked them to put it aside in case there are fingerprints.
Couldn't resist, could you? I asked you to stay out of it, I begged you, but no, here you are again.
Mr.
Biddle, aren't you interested in apprehending these people to prevent them from doing this sort of thing again? Of course I am.
But my first priority is Is to get Nigel released.
I know that, but (TELEPHONE RINGING) Biddle here.
It's Finley.
Finley.
In regard to the ransom.
Where the hell is the money? We're having trouble.
What? We just now got it.
Damn it, man, we are already two hours behind their schedule.
We're going to lose Nigel, all because your people are dragging their bloody feet.
Listen, we're doing our best.
It's a lot of money.
Try and stall them as long as you can.
What? We need more time.
I'll do my best.
Whitehall bureaucrats.
Well, they finally managed to get the ransom money together.
(TELEPHONE RINGING) This could be them.
This is Biddle.
KIDNAPPER: Do you have the money? There's been a slight delay.
I warned you! Now, wait.
Don't hang up.
It's the weather.
Amsterdam Airport's fogged in.
Won't allow any planes in till morning.
If you are lying Look, it's just a few hours more.
You'll have the money by noon at the latest.
Can I say hello to Allison now? (GROANS) (MUMBLES) (MUMBLING) This is Nigel Allison.
This is my final warning.
If you're one minute late, he's a dead man.
(PHONE HANGS UP) (SIGHS) (ANNOUNCER CHATTERING ON PA) Excuse me, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Oh, hello, Miss Vidal.
I tried to call you.
I hate to be a bother.
But when I told my editor about seeing you He's one of your fans.
And I just thought, wouldn't it be an incredible thing if I could say I interviewed Jessica Fletcher and Nigel Allison in the same day? When did you talk to Mr.
Allison? At breakfast.
What a brilliant man.
And charming.
Just the way a world-famous author should be, with a suntan, and a carnation in his lapel and that twinkle in his eye.
Oh, that's Nigel, all right.
Anyway, let's talk about you, Mrs.
Fletcher.
I'm sorry to put you off again, Miss Vidal, but I'm afraid I can't just now.
(MAN ANNOUNCING IN DUTCH) Oh, Mrs.
Fletcher.
This letter was left for you at the desk.
Oh.
Thank you, Mr.
Burger.
Mr.
De Kooning.
(KNOCKS ON DOOR) Mr.
De Kooning? You may look, Mrs.
Fletcher.
Of course, it's a work in progress.
Sometimes, sketching an individual's likeness helps me to understand them.
Very interesting so far.
Like yourself.
You You puzzle me, Mrs.
Fletcher.
You seem so basically honest, and yet often so elusive.
We shall see how you turn out.
(KNOCK AT DOOR) Inspector, there's a gentleman who says he must see Mrs.
Fletcher.
Are you all right, Jessica? Colin! I'm Colin Biddle, Inspector, associated with Mrs.
Fletcher's publishing firm in Britain.
Ah, yes, of course.
(SPEAKS DUTCH) (SPEAKS DUTCH) Mrs.
Fletcher and I were just about to discuss the note she received from Mr.
De Kooning.
It was regarding Mr.
Allison's whereabouts.
Jessica Colin, the game has changed.
People are getting killed.
I think you should seek legal advice before discussing anything further.
She's not being charged, Mr.
Biddle.
Only asked to provide facts that might facilitate my investigation.
And I should like to tell you both, I'm not happy to have British Intelligence or anyone else play games in my territory without informing me.
(KNOCKING AT DOOR) (SPEAKING DUTCH) (SPEAKING DUTCH) You'll have to excuse me.
Inspector, can Mrs.
Fletcher leave now? Ja, of course.
But I shall need to ask for your passports.
I want to have further conversations with you both.
You told him! I can't believe you did that.
I didn't, Colin.
But the man is not stupid.
I'm sorry, Jessica.
This whole affair has driven me a little crazy.
Well, have you heard from the kidnappers? I mean, is Nigel still So far, so far.
I spoke with him briefly an hour ago.
And the ransom? Well, the fog's lifted.
The plane should be touching down any moment.
We're almost there.
Mr.
Burger, I am not responsible for my husband's finances.
He misrepresented them to me, too.
The only reason I'm staying on in Amsterdam at all is because the police have apparently not finished questioning me.
Now, am I supposed to sleep out on the street? Please, please.
We're happy to provide you with another room, with our compliments.
And then as soon as the police allow us back into your former suite, then we'll move your bags for you.
Thank you.
Ah, pardon me, Mrs.
De Kooning? I'm I know who you are.
Nigel Allison's rattled on about you at great, boring length on several continents.
Well, it's Nigel that I need to talk to you about.
Mrs.
De Kooning, would you have any idea what it was that your husband learned about Mr.
Allison's whereabouts or his situation that he might have been about to tell me? Mrs.
Fletcher, if I had a dollar for every time Philip confided in me, I could maybe buy you a cup of coffee.
Hell, he's been dead for, what, 12 hours now, and he's still lying to me.
I'm afraid I don't understand.
I just called the airport to find out what time the plane would be repaired.
And they said, "Didn't Mr.
Halsey tell you? "It's been ready since yesterday morning.
" And they said Nick had ordered the plane gassed for takeoff shortly after noon today.
By noon? By noon.
What? Thank you, Mrs.
De Kooning.
(DIALING) MAN: Operator.
Yes.
Could you please connect me with the Amsterdam News? You've had a good run, Harry.
You and De Kooning.
He'd fly in diamonds from South Africa, you'd be waiting with a shipment of illegal weapons, he'd fly out the weapons to the Middle East, and everybody got rich.
Until now.
By noon De Kooning was gonna have the cash and we'd close the deal.
A few hours more, and your guys would've busted into an empty warehouse.
So you ran down Hendrik Kuyper to keep him off De Kooning's case Oh, no! until De Kooning got his hands on this money, then you killed him for it.
And you figured you would sell the armaments to his buyer.
Inspector, if I would've got my hands on that cash, I would've been long gone.
Tell me, Harry, where did De Kooning say he was going to find all this money? (KNOCKING AT DOOR) (SPEAKING DUTCH) Excuse me, Inspector.
The lab report on the fingerprints we found on the murder knife and on the note Mrs.
Fletcher received.
918, 919.
Yes.
JESSICA: It's all there? The entire two million pounds.
Now, back up just a bit.
You say you think Halsey may be involved along with this Vidal woman? Who is not who she claims to be.
The Amsterdam News said they had no one there working by that name.
Now, yesterday morning in the lobby I happened to notice Mr.
Halsey slip a piece of paper to her.
All right.
But how does that connect them to Nigel Allison's kidnapping? Well, it doesn't necessarily.
But I think it's possible that De Kooning's widow was mistaken, and her husband wasn't deceiving her about the airplane's readiness.
You mean Nick Halsey may have been misleading both of them? Exactly.
I mean, suppose he was planning a sudden getaway with Miss Vidal? Now, look, Jessica, you may be correct or not, but right now I have to focus solely on securing Nigel's freedom.
And from here on out it becomes extremely risky.
Something to which I have no intention of exposing you.
Colin, I am going with you, and that is that.
I mean, Lord knows what kind of shape Nigel is going to be in, so I packed some sandwiches and some bottled water, and bandages.
No wonder he speaks so highly of you.
I care for Nigel just as much as you do.
He saved my life in Beirut.
But you must understand, these people are notoriously unreliable and volatile.
Now, I want you to go back to your suite while I wait here for their call.
And God help us, I hope we aren't too late.
(KNOCKING AT DOOR) MAN: Mr.
Biddle.
Inspector Van Horn.
Mrs.
Fletcher, you weren't in your room, so I assumed I'd find you here.
What is it, Inspector? The police laboratory has provided positive identification of the fingerprints on the death weapon and on the note you allegedly received from Mr.
De Kooning.
Allegedly? Inspector Van Horn Quiet, Mr.
Biddle.
Or whoever you are.
I will deal with you and your activities later.
For now, the only prints on the message itself were yours, Mrs.
Fletcher, and the same is true of the knife.
Therefore, I'm placing you under arrest for the murder of Philip De Kooning.
Inspector, I never touched that knife.
And as for the note, well, it was clearly prepared by the killer as part of an attempt to frame me for Mr.
De Kooning's murder.
Perhaps.
You know, I did not find a murderess in that face.
But it is one that is capable of deception.
I've never lied to you.
No, you have not.
As yet.
But I said deception.
There is a difference, however subtle.
Tell me, what connection do you know of between the murder of Philip De Kooning and your missing friend? None, I'm afraid.
There seems to be a lot of disparate pieces.
Halsey, Monika Vidal.
And according to Harry Tigner, De Kooning expected to pay him a large sum of money today.
And yet, this report on De Kooning's finances indicates that at the time of his death his assets were virtually nil.
Now, Mrs.
Fletcher, it's time for the rest of it.
For you to tell me exactly what role Mr.
Biddle plays in all this.
All right.
But you must understand that any interference by you or your people could result in Nigel Allison's death.
I'd rather assumed it was something like this.
Inspector, I think I know how my fingerprints were placed On the murder weapon.
They were lifted on transparent tape, from something else I held at one time or another.
A device employed sometimes, I am sorry to say, by unethical, overzealous police officers.
Mrs.
Fletcher? What is it? Inspector, I believe I know who killed Mr.
De Kooning and how to find Nigel Allison.
I only hope we can get to him in time to save his life.
(VOICE DISTORTED) I'm calling to tell you that I'm not going to wait any longer.
Either you come here now or I will kill Allison and notify the police that you are behind it.
That was very convincing.
Well, I just hope that it sounded like the voice that I heard.
We'll find out.
(TELEPHONE RINGS) Ja? Muller? (SPEAKS DUTCH) Our target is on the move.
What the hell is wrong with you, falling apart like this? Falling apart? What are you talking about? What are you doing? Do you want Allison to identify you? Mr.
Allison is of no further use to us, Biddle.
Halsey.
He just doesn't get it.
Change of plan, pal.
A new line-up, and you're on the bench.
Give me the gun.
It's all about arithmetic.
Two divides into two million pounds a lot easier than three.
Well, well.
Can't say I'm surprised, partners.
But you're forgetting one essential piece of the equation.
Newspapers? I had a hunch when you phoned.
The money's safely hidden.
When I phoned? I'm afraid that was me.
And he's right.
Until a moment ago, the money was safely hidden in the trunk of his car.
You fool.
You led them here.
Where's Nigel Allison? He's over there.
He's not hurt.
Inspector, I can explain everything.
I had an anonymous tip that Nigel was being held Save your breath, Biddle, for the courtroom.
Mrs.
Fletcher has worked out everybody's role in this matter, yours included.
She figured it out? Yes, I did.
Remember when you described your interview with Nigel Allison? You talked about him in such glowing terms.
Just the way a world-famous author should be, with a suntan, and a carnation in his lapel and that twinkle in his eye.
The flowers on Inspector Van Horn's desk reminded me that I gave Nigel the carnation just before he went to his room, a minute or so before 12:00 noon.
And since he was electronically checked out of the hotel only three minutes later, it's likely that the only person who saw him wearing that flower was you, the kidnapper.
Once I realized you were in on it, I asked myself, how could the kidnapper be sure that Nigel would be in his room at precisely And that's when I remembered that he was expecting an appointment call from London.
From you, Colin.
You set Nigel up for the kidnapping.
Your plan was working quite well, Mr.
Biddle, until the wrinkle with Mr.
De Kooning occurred.
I don't know what you mean.
He means that somehow Philip De Kooning found out about the ransom, and probably tried to cut himself in on it, so you killed him and set me up.
No, no, Jessica.
I may be part of a failed kidnap plot, but you can't tie me into that murder.
Oh, I don't have to.
You did that yourself with my fingerprints.
On the phone, in your room, you asked me to pour you a glass of water.
You took it from me, being very careful not to disturb my fingerprints.
And being a professional, you knew just how easy it would be to transfer them to the murder weapon.
VAN HORN: We found the glass in your room, Mr.
Biddle, complete with traces of tape adhesive.
It wasn't fair.
I'd worked out the entire plan, taken all the risk, and here was this loudmouth interloper, De Kooning, trying to horn in.
He'd overheard a phone conversation I'd had with this idiot.
He came to see me.
I have worked too long, planned for this too hard, to have someone like you dictate to me Look, look, Biddle! From here on out, I'm your new partner.
For one million pounds sterling for keeping my mouth shut.
You have no choice in the matter.
I knew he had to die.
And then you walked in, and I saw the perfect way to get rid of him, and to stop your meddling, too.
I phoned up De Kooning in his suite, arranged to visit him to finalize our agreement.
Then you left a fake message from De Kooning to me, asking me to meet him there.
Only you met him first.
(GRUNTS) Would it have been worth it anyway, Colin, with your friends here, just waiting to kill you in the end? I'm sorry for what I did to you, Jessica.
For what I did to Nigel.
JESSICA: And your research was tracking Philip De Kooning? Yes.
And Mr.
Biddle admitted running down Hendrik Kuyper in a rented car.
Yes, well, that was to prevent Kuyper from revealing Colin's involvement, of course.
Thank you, Jessica, for being there.
Speaking of thank you, I have a gift.
For you, Mrs.
Fletcher.
A keepsake of your visit to Amsterdam.
Ooh.
I wonder if I can guess what it is.
Oh! NIGEL: You really captured her, Inspector.
Almost.
Unfortunately, I had to let her go.
(LAUGHS)