07x14 - Maybelle Returns

[bunniefuu]

♪ In the heat of the night

♪ I've got troubles
wall to wall ♪

♪ In the heat of the night

♪ Yeah

♪ Must be an ending
to it all ♪

♪ Oh

♪ But hold on

♪ It won't be long

♪ Just you be strong

♪ And it'll be all right

♪ In the heat of the night

♪ In the heat
of the night ♪

Now, y'all hold it
right where you are.

Please don't do that.

Now you really
got me mad.

Let go of me.

Hey, stop it.
Stop it!

I said please.
What'd you run for?

To get away.

So you know
that was wrong--

Plastering the town
with posters.

What'd you
do it for?

For money.

Who was
paying you?

Can't say.

You can't say?

Then let's go.

When's your birthday?

It used to be
august th.

Leo. Says you're
going to be tempted today.

Well, that sounds
dangerous. By what?

An old flame.
Can you resist temptation?

Mae west used to say,

"Why resist temptation?
There'll always be more."

Who's mae west?

A ghost I run into
now and then.

Well, look at this.

Well...if this is going
to be my temptation--

A sexy phone call--

I think I'm safe.

[Engine starts]

"Call -may-b

For intimate conversations
with southern ladies."

Y'all know
what that means?

Sure.

Folks pay to talk
dirty on the phone.

It ain't against
the law, is it?

Pasting these up
without a permit is.

Who hired you?

I ain't going
to tel you.

Oh, you see
what I mean?

Yep.

Take them away.

To jail?

Worse...

Your parents.

Oh, man.

Come on.

Chief forbes,

I got a pretty good idea
who's doing this.

There's no doubt
about it.

Anybody we know?

-May-b?
It's got to be
maybelle chesboro.

Who's she?

Well, sir,
she's a madam.

Chief--sheriff gillespie
chased her out of town.

She said she'd be back,
and I guess she's back.

Is that maybelle?
I thought so.

Couldn't be
anybody else.

Well, uh, if that's
all she's doing,

I'd say
it's an improvement.

It is?

Well, yeah. From selling
flesh to selling talk,

Yeah, I'd say so.

Bill, let's go to lunch.

Think we're ever
going to find

A maybelle call
on the office phone bill?

No way.

I'm going to have tuna salad
and sliced tomatoes

And cottage cheese, please.

How about you, sheriff?

I think I'm gonna
be reckless

And order
the same thing.

But, you know, the thing
I enjoy the most

Is being away from
that alligator pool

Called the city council.

I hear that.

Course, they're still
being pretty nice to me.

Oh, well, but
you watch your back.

Speaking of which...

Afternoon, chief.

Mr. Coleman.

This is councilman
drew ward,

Head of our advance
planning committee.

Hi.

Since you took over,
I've been away from sparta.

Best way to plan
for sparta

Is to stay
in palm beach,
right, drew?

Oh, is that you,
gillespie?

I heard you're hardly
ever seen anymore.

I've put the county
commissioners on notice

An we're gonna do
a inquiry into
your appointment,

So I wouldn't
get too cozy over
at the sheriff's office.

Nice to see you, chief.

Mmm.

Stop it!

Well, you were
talking about maybelle.

Anyway, bill,
what are we going to do

About maybelle's
phone service?

I don't know.

I know there's a fellow
up in state legislature,

He's trying to pass a law
against it.

How does the public feel?

It doesn't matter
how they feel.

How you going to make,
let alone enforce,

A law against
private conversations?

Even if they're using
public facility?

Well, a park
is a public facility.

You going to say

People can't
sit on a bench
and talk sex?

Well, no.

What if they publicly
invite you to talk sex,

Like those fliers
out in the streets?

Well, that's
an interesting question.

Makes you wonder about
disturbing the peace.

How you doing?

Pretty good.
Been a long time.

Last time I seen you,
weren't you in uniform?

Yeah, I was.
You were driving
a different car.

That's right.
The old classic.

Miss maybelle
put it in a museum.

Did she?

Yeah. Says she's going
into that same museum
when she dies.

Going to be preserved
sitting in that car.

We'll see you.

Yeah?

Yes. I'm here to see
miss maybelle.

Lieutenant, huh?

You have an appointment?

Oh. Let the man in, dora.

Police never need
an appointment
to see maybelle,

Especially if
they're good-looking.

How you doing,
miss maybelle?

It's been a long time
since you and your
lovely nieces

Were in that trailer park.

Weren't they something?

Yes, ma'am, they were.

You know what?

I found husbands
for all five of them.

Come on in.

Can't believe it.

All this for
just talk, huh?

Sugar, talk is
the most important
thing in the world.

But what about action?

It's not as interesting
as talk.

Talk is always different,
action's always the same.

The chief wants to know
if it isn't action

You're really selling here.

Young man,
my telephone artists

Are strictly forbidden
from making

Any kind of outside
arrangements.

[Woman giggling]

Yeah, baby.
Don't stop.

Uh-huh.

Uh-huh.

Uh...

You see? There's
absolutely nothing
illegal going on here.

And I still gross
, a week.

Of course, I have to
pay the phone company
their cut

And federal taxes
and state taxes,

Plus--ooh--i carry
full medical on
all my ladies.

You just sit yourself down.

Now...

Thank you.

You came here
to complain to me

About those advertising
flyers, didn't you?

Yes, ma'am, I did.

Mm-hmm!

Well, the newspapers
won't run my ads--
not yet, anyway.

All you got to do
is apply for a poster permit

At the police traffic desk.

Oh, please.
Where the police
would give me

The old-fashioned
sparta, mississippi,
run-around, right?

You know the public
doesn't want us
to make this easy on you.

Sugarplum,
the public wants to do

What the public
wants to do,

But they want
to feel good about it,

And your job is to make
damn sure they feel
real good about it.

: Will be just fine.

The heart of sparta motel.
O.k.

And cash up front, o.k.?

I mean, out and ready
where I can lay
my hand on it.

Damn.

Got to run pick up
a new prescription.

[Telephone rings]

-May-b.

Hang on.
Our lines are busy.

Oh, hey,

You're still on
the clock here, baby.

I'm sick.

Get me my bag.

What you need, baby?

My medication.

Oh, hell, you want
medication, baby,

You try some of mine.

Please...call .

I need help.

What?

[Hiccuping]

Well, honey, this
is the best remedy in
the world for hiccups.

Huh?

Hey.

Doc.

Bubba.

Y'all got anything?

Whoever was here
with her

Took a pillowcase
when he left.

Probably to carry
something out.

Maybe a bottle of booze.

There's a smell of booze
but no bottle.

I'd guess he took
whatever he figured
he touched.

Go get on the prints.

Yeah. Going to start
in the bathroom.

This happened
about hours ago.

About a.m.

Any idea what k*lled her?

Suffocation.

Not to put too fine
a point on it,

She choked
on her own tongue.

Looky here.

She had a bottle
of medication
in her purse.

And
look at this.

"Call -may-b for
intimate conversations

With southern ladies."

This card, this thing here
does not surprise me.

I've had nothing
but bad feelings

About this
phone enterprise.

Why, hello.
What's going on?

Hey, miss maybelle.
This here is
chief forbes.

Chief forbes,
it's so nice
to meet you.

Don't you have
one of those

Wonderful uniforms
like the captain?

Yes, I do.

Cause I think, ooh,
you would look divine in it

Just like
captain skinner.

Thank you, ma'am.

Now, miss chesboro,

You have an employee
named jessica lund?

Yes, sir, I do.
Why?

We found her dead
just a little while ago

At the heart of sparta motel.

Dead?

God, that's terrible.

Poor jessica.

No, wait, wait,
wait, wait.

She didn't go there...

Did she?

Did you know that
jessica lund had epilepsy?

No--well, yes.

I knew the poor child
had something.

Was that it?
It was epilepsy?

Uh, judging from
the medicine we
found on her, yeah.

Was it like
an overdose?

No, more like
an underdose.

She didn't
take it in time.

I know practically nothing
about medical matters.

Do you know why
she went to that motel?

Chief, I have no idea.

Well, uh, the room
was registered under
her name, miss maybelle.

Have any idea
why that was?

Gentlemen, I am in
the telecommunications
business.

Anything that my employees do

On their own time
is strictly freelance.

Oh, I bet you want me to
identify her, don't you?

If you would,
miss chesboro.

Fine.

Maurice, I'm ready.

Either of you gentlemen
want to ride with us?

No, thank you.

We have to stay
with our cars.

Well, you gentlemen
just lead on.

Maybelle will follow.

You getting
a little sleepy, honey?

I'm not surprised.
You exhausted me.

Don't you call again,
you hear?

Your parents are going
to be furious

When they get that bill.

Morning, lindy.

You hear what happened
to jessica?

Yes, I did.

[Telephone rings]

Hi, there. This is
-may-b.

My name is tamara.

Excuse me.
Can you tell me

Where jessica lund's
station is?

Right there. Excuse me.
I'm on a call.

Uh-huh.

Uh-huh.

Go on ahead
through her stuff.

We're looking for pieces
of paper,

Anything with a name
written on it.

Uh-huh.

[Siren]

How did maybelle take it?

Badly. Maybelle chesboro
seems like

A decent person
in an odd profession.

Odd for a decent person.

Well, I wondered
about that myself.

But then, who knows
why any of us get
where we're going?

Yeah. Yeah,
I am with you.

There you go.

The older I get,
the more painful it is

To see a young life
destroyed.

Amen to that.

What happened to her?

Jessica was epileptic.

I believe she neglected
to take her medication.

Jessica would have survived
with medical attention.

Well, then it's clear
that her customer

Is guilty at least
of manslaughter.

I think judge simms
will let us check
those phone records.

Uh-huh.

I'll have reports
ready right away.

Y'all looking
for a really
disgusting person.

[Knock on door]

Excuse me, miss reiker.

Come on in, captain.

Why don't you
have a seat?

Well, thank you.

Y'all have this
sex talk service?

Well, we don't have it,
but one of our customers.

Yeah. A miss
maybelle chesboro.

I think it's
" -may-b."

I guess you know
all about it, huh?

I well, not personally.

Sex talk?

Yeah.

I guess some people
are more than happy
to pay for it.

Well, maybe that's
as close as they
ever get to sex...

Poor things.

Yeah. Yeah. You're not
from the south, are you?

Minneapolis. Why?

Well,
cause you're not blushing

And I sure got a feeling
I am right now.

Well, I'll tell you
whatever I'm allowed
to tell you.

We need the numbers
and addresses

Of everybody that's
called may-b in
the last days.

Captain, not asking for much
are you?

Pretty much
everything, yeah.

I can
give you numbers,

But not names
and addresses.

Oh, that's all right.

We got one of those
reverse phone books.

We can get
the names from there.

I could use some dinner.

Hey, um, that's
no problem at all.

You're from
minneapolis, right?

That's right.

I bet you never had
some brunswick stew

With turnip greens
and fried okra

Topped off with some
sweet potato pie
with marshmallow glaze.

No, I haven't.
Where do they
serve that?

A little place
right near here.

I'm ready.

Hey, chief.

We got us this list
of frequent callers.

Some of the names
will surprise you.

We're not supposed
to know those names.

We're just looking
for one.

How many we got
to go through?

There's quite a few.

How much privacy
are we invading?

Oh, bunches and bunches.

Maybelle's got
a good thing going.

Here's a list
of the seven
biggest callers.

Drew ward?

That's holly coleman's
big buddy.

Guess we'll just go
through the short list
unless you say don't.

I must say don't.

Don't follow up?

No.

Don't y'all
trouble telling me

Every single thing
you doin'.

I'm starting to
like that guy.

Well, maybelle,
how are you?

Good morning,
bill gillespie.

Uh, maybelle--

I haven't had that much
sugar in a week.

Well--

And I want some more.

I--

More.

Maybelle, I'm here
on police business.

Police business.

All right. All right.

I'll let loose of you
on one condition.

You got to promise me

You're going to come to
the lake this evening.

Now, bill,
this is lindy.

She works for me.

Lindy, this is
sheriff gillespie.

O.k.

I believe you're acquainted

With the unfortunate
young woman jessica.

Sure. We worked together
right over there.

What, down there?

Right this way. May i?

The two of you
were together here?

Yes, sir.

Did she ever
make any dates

Over the telephone?

I suppose she could have

While I was busy
on my line.

Did she ever tell you
about making any dates?

No, sir.

Miss chesboro told us
to use these phones

For sexual conversation,

Not sexual dating.

That's the god's truth.
I swear.

I never wanna be in the
profession of bringing men
and woman together

Into fleshly contact.

This fella
that was with jessica

The night that she d*ed--

Is he in big trouble?

Oh, I'd say he is,
if we catch him.

I say, this is
jessica's desk?

It was.

Mmm.

Oh, isn't it
a crying shame,

Her having that--
oh, uh...

Fleshly contact.

No, silly, that
terrible disease

That brought the child down.

May I look in here?

Oh, go ahead,
darlin'.

Oh, epilepsy.

Oh.

Bill, tell me something.

Do you think all
this is going to

Have a bad effect
on my business?

It'll probably
help it.

I had exactly that
same hunch myself.

I can't go to
the lake tonight.

I told him that ain't
no way to run a city,

And I wasn't going
along with it.

Well, you tell him
to check with me first, okay?

Yeah.

Now, then, what can
I do you for?

Do you know the girl
in this photo, mr. Ward?

Mm-mmm. Who is she?

Girl we found dead
in a motel.

Soh, you mean that hooker.

One in the paper? Hmm?

Was she a hooker?

That's the story.

It didn't say
anything about her
being a hooker.

Said she worked for
a phone sex service.

I've got a list
right here

Of everybody who used
that service.

What right do you have
to get my phone records?

Judge tally
gave us a warrant.

Did you ever call
jessica lund?

No!

I mean, how would I know?

Did you meet jessica
tuesday night?

I am not submitting myself
to your interrogation.

This is smelling like
a police shakedown!

It's merely an
investigation, mr. Ward.

I ain't saying another word
without my attorney.

Thank you for your time.

Holly, could you
come down here?

Well, I'm so damn mad,
I could just catch fire.

I want to talk
to drew ward.

I called may-b
a few times,

And now the damn p.d.

Are trying to connect me
to that dead hooker.

Probably gillespie
putting the cops
up to it.

He's pretty cozy
with the chief.

[Telephone ringing]

Yeah, what?

Mr. Ward,
my name is lindy.

I need money.

What?

My name is lindy.

I need money.

Quite a bit.

What, are you
some kind of nut?

I'm going to tell
the sheriff

You left jessica to die.

Would you excuse me,
please, holly?

Why? What's going on?

Is that about
that hooker?

Holly, excuse me.

What do you want?

$ , .

How do you know
it was me

Who was with jessica?

Don't waste my time.
Get the cash money,

And I'll call you again,

Later.

[Doorbell rings]

Bobby johnson,
are you in this house?

Can you answer that door?

Bobby!

Who is it?

Hello.

Maybelle chesboro
here.

Did you say maybelle?

I said maybelle.

Oh, god.

Well, well.

Ha ha ha.

Surprised?

Yes.

Embarrassed?

No.oh, yes, you are.

Yes, I am.

Well, don't worry,
'cause what I have here

Is guaranteed to absolutely
nullify embarrassment.

I mean, it banishes it.

Well, maybelle,
isn't it a little late
in the evening?

Don't be such a fool.

It's only just now
turning dark.

Now, what I have here

Is by way of a housewarming
present for you.

Oh.

Come on, open it.

Well, certainly.

Right now. Yes.

I must say,

This is quite a house

For a poor old
ex-police chief.

Well, now, I put
the whole bankroll
into this,

And it still isn't
but half paid for.

I think I see
a woman's hand

In the decorating
around here.

Not a flashy woman

But a steady one.

Oh, look at this.

Look at this.
Oh, well, now.

What an utterly
elegant gift.

Maybelle, I'm really
very touched.

The decanter comes from
my great-uncle desmond

Who brought it
all the way to savannah

From waterford, ireland.

Now, what's inside

Is a very famous
private special stock

Distilled by
judge clarence coy

Of huntsville, alabama.

Well, well, well, well.

We're going to try some
of that right now.

Ooh, I'm not ever
going to ask you

Where you got
all your money.

Maybelle, speculations
of that kind

Are really--

Here's to old friendship,

The kind that's...
Full and fond

Forbears all the thoughts
of the past.

How wonderful. Mmm.

Mmm-mmm.

That's pretty
wonderful, too,

I tell you.

Now listen,
who is it said

What you just said?

My daddy!

And on what occasion
did he use those
appealing words?

New year's eve, ,
sparta, mississippi.

My mama just threw him
out in the snow.

Oh, my word.

Poor old daddy, huh?

Oh, maybelle.

When did you get
that call from coleman?

About a half hour ago.

What's he
supposed to mean

By an official
reprimand?

Well, everybody pretty much
ignores holly coleman

Including the city council.
I wouldn't worry.

He sounds a little
too angry, too nervous.

I bet you
he's covering something.

Well, sir,
chief forbes,

I do believe we have
a perfect match.

This fax just came in.

Fbi says the prints on
that photo I handed ward

Match his army prints.

They're also the same ones
we found at the motel.

On the top of the toilet
and on a glass.

Well, take a look
for yourself.

Let's bring him in.

Will you handle
the phone call

To advise mr. Coleman?

Want me to tell him

His buddy ward's
going to be in the clink?

Yeah.

In our clink.

Emphasize that.

Yes, sir.

[Telephone rings]

It's about time.

Hey, got the money?

Yeah, I got the money.

There's a pay phone

Right alongside city hall.

Go to that phone
and wait for me to call.

[Ring]

Yes?

Walk to the statue.
I'll meet you there
in five minutes.

You bring me the money,

I'll give you the book.

O.k.

Sparta p.d.,
This is deputy surillo

Requesting backup
at the town square.

I hated everybody.
That's why I did
what I did.

I had to do something
to drive 'em all crazy.

I know it.

I know you know--

You were
exactly the same.

You were nuts,
and I tell you,

You would have
probably have been

A class-a criminal

If the w*r hadn't come
along and saved you.

I don't know about that.

It's true.
You were a wild boy.

You didn't have
any money,

You didn't have
any background,

You didn't have
any future.

You were all kinds
of trash, weren't you?

Oh, no question about that.

Well, it's...

Ooh, we chesboros
had background

You couldn't find
the beginning of.

We had a future you
couldn't see the end of.

They said they didn't
want any trash like you

Climbing up little old
maybelle's trellis

In the dark of midnight.

They sent the cops on me.

They did,

And you see how life is?

Now you cops are after
poor little old me.

Oh, and I'm sorry about
that, maybelle, really.

Mm-hmm.

But you know what, bill?

Seriously,
this telephone thing--

I'm thinking about
hanging it up.

Ohh!

No pun intended.

Ha ha ha ha.

But I am.

I'm thinking
about retiring...

Maybe around here.

I do own all
that shore front
around the lake.

Oh, yeah, I know.

Only thing is,
I would be all alone.

Oh.

I would.

And you're not all
alone, are you, bill?

Uh, well, you know,
lately, i--i--

Shh.
I know.

I know all about it.

What's that playing
on the radio?

Uh, uh...

♪ I never planned

♪ In my imagination

♪ A situation

♪ So heavenly

♪ A paradise

♪ That only two
could enter ♪

♪ And in the center

♪ Just you and me, dear

♪ My heart beats
like a hammer ♪

♪ My arms wound
around you tight ♪

♪ And stars fell
on alabama ♪

♪ Last night

[Beeper]

Oh!

Oh.

Uh, sorry, maybelle,

That's, uh,
that's this here.

Let me see the money.

Let me see the book.

[Siren]

Freeze!

You skunk!

You skunk!

You stinking coward!

Put them hands up.

Go on!

m*rder*r.

You skunk!

You murdering skunk!

You say she's
at county hospital?

But she is going
to make it, huh?

Ooh, I hate
those beepers!

Excuse me.

Your friend lindy

Got herself
seriously hurt

Trying to get
some money

Out of one of
your callers.

She wanted to get back
at that man

That left jessica to die.
I told her to forget it.

Well, listen,

I'm going to
come down there.

I'll leave now.
I'm driving
down there.

I'll get there
as soon as I can.

No, christina.

No, you did
the right thing
beeping me.

I told you, I hate
those beepers!

Well, be that as it may,

I must respond.

I have to go down now.

I understand.

Yes, yes.

Well, maybelle,
you don't mind

My leaving you here
alone in the house?

Just go on. Go!

Yes, I really must
go down there.

[Telephone rings]

[Ring]

[Ring]

Hello, sheriff gillespie's
residence.

Sorry, he's not
here right now.

Oh, uh, my name is
maybelle chesboro.

I'm just a friend.

Well--

Are you sure you don't
want to leave a message?

No?

Well--

Bye.

Confessed? I don't know.

Captain skinner's in
talking with him right now.

O.k., Gerard.

Let sheriff gillespie know
that we're on for dinner.

Yes, sir. Will do.

Uh, chief forbes?

You just got
a little something

From miss maybelle chesboro.

Thanks, parker.

It's not ticking.
It's not a b*mb.

Yes, sir.

Well, well,
miss maybelle.

Well, well, well.

Well, I told you
the lady was a class act.

So is the lady
from the phone company

From what I hear.

Maybe I ought to hire
parker as my press agent.

Yeah.

It wouldn't be a bad idea.

Any luck with ward?

No. The man's
lying so hard,

He's lost track
of his first name.

Here you go, sheriff.

Thank you.
Now, what do you got
for me today.

Am with chief forbes
and d.a. Darnell,

Prearraignment meeting
on the ward case,

Then lunch
with ted marcus,

Then you'll be meeting

With county civic
pride association.

Can you get me
out of that?

What was it last time?

Oh, I had a severe pain
somewhere.

I'll tell them
it's still there.

Now, you want
your horoscope read?

No, I think it's
too dangerous

To listen to those things.

"With mars in ascendant,

"The wise leo will
stay in his lair

Or risk
the consequences."

Huh. It's too late
for that.

[Ring]

Sheriff gillespie's office.

Yes, miss delong.

I'll put him right on.

Line two, sheriff.

Thank you.

Hi! How are you?

Yes.

Last night?

Uh, well, the usual
sort of routine.

Uh, I was home, uh,

And then, uh, we had
a sh**t' in the square

Of all things.

Who?

Oh, well, uh,

Oh, well, I can
explain that.

An old friend, uh...

Yes, she's an old friend--

Dropped in.

Uh, it wasn't a few
moments afterwards,

I was--

Well, now.
Now, wait a minute.

Harriet, will you
wait a minute?

Harriet, will you
wait a minute?