05x14 - The Parents

[bunniefuu]

(theme song playing)

♪♪

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Now, you're the first
person to see it finished,

so I want you to be honest.

Oh. Oh, Amy, it's perfect!

Do you really think so?

Oh, it is the prettiest
nursery I've ever seen.

Oh... And, uh, Amy
embroidered this.

Well, yeah.

- Oh!
- It helped the time go faster.

(Amy laughs)

Wow, this will be
one very lucky baby.

I'm so happy for both of you.

Go ahead and ask her.

What? Oh, no.

No, you go ahead. Go on.

- What?
- AMY: Huh?

Go on.

MICHELLE: What?

Howard and I would
like it if... (sighs)

Would you be the
baby's godmother?

(Michelle laughs happily)

Was that a yes?

Well, I'm honored.

Yes, yes.

(Michelle laughs)

(doorbell rings)

Hi, Chris.

Hi. Come on in.

Hi.

How do you feel?

(sighs)

Like I'm about to explode.

How do I look?

Tired.

Mmm. I brought the vitamins.

Oh, thanks.

Oh, I'm going to need the, um,

final payment for the doctor.

Is there anything else
we can do for you?

No, I'm fine. Oh!

What is it?

Oh, nothing. Just
a really hard kick.

I think she's a dancer.

She?

Well, boy or girl, as long
as the baby's healthy.

(tearing check)

Here. You need anything
else, give us a call.

I will.

And let us know
what the doctor says.

Of course.

- Honey.
- Mmm.

Right, okay.

You take care.

And I'll call you tomorrow.

Thanks, Amy.

Okay.

Bye-bye.

(door closes)

Want to know how I really feel?

Rotten?

Like a dumb machine.

Like an incubator hatching
a baby for somebody else.

Will you get me some milk?

Yeah.

Actually, no. Never mind.

- Are you sure?
- I'll get it. Yeah.

(groans)

Oh! Oh!

Is it kicking again?

No. I'm in labor, Chris.

I'm having the baby.

Hang on. Here, here.

(baby crying)

MAN: She'll be okay.

Jaundice is a very common
occurrence with newborns.

Hmm.

The doctor assured me
that it will clear up in no time.

How long?

Three, four days at the most.

Well, we've waited this long.

What's a few more days, huh?

It's a beautiful baby.

Ah, thank you. I'm Howard Boggs.

This is my wife Amy. Uh...

Uh, we're adopting her.

Yes, I know.

You are...?

John Franklin. I'm Jill's boss.

How do you do, Mr. Franklin?

Harry Neiman. I'm the
attorney handling the adoption.

- Pleased to meet you.
- Pleasure.

Jill, honey, the
baby is just adorable.

How you feeling?

Empty.

(baby crying)

(Jill sighs)

Isn't she wonderful?

I need to talk to you.

Okay, okay.

AMY: Are you okay, honey?

No. I'm not okay.

She's my baby. I'm
not giving her up.

Jill, uh, let's talk
about this later...

What are you talking about?

She's my baby. Not yours.

- (Amy sighs)
- But you led us on.

You agreed.

Howard, listen,
I've seen this before.

She's just had a baby.
She's very emotional.

- She's made up her mind.
- (Amy sobbing)

Well, I will talk to her.

She won't listen to you.

Look, let's just calm
down, both of you.

Will you stop telling
me to calm down?

You can't do this, damn
it. You made a contract.

- You took our money.
- JILL: I can...

She's my baby. I can
do whatever I want.

Look, you're upset.

You need some rest. Now, come...

HOWARD: Wait, wait.

You don't know what my wife...

You know, both of
us... Have gone through.

Come on, let's talk.

You're not going
to change my mind.

- Okay.
- (Amy gasps)

Oh, God.

This ca... this
can't be happening.

Oh... (sobbing)

I'm naming the baby Corey,

and I'm taking her home.

I'm not going to
try and talk you

into anything you
don't want to do.

But I must remind you, you
did sign a declaration of intent.

Don't you think I know that?

When I signed that, I
was two months pregnant.

I wasn't even wearing
maternity clothes yet.

The baby hadn't moved.

It just didn't seem real,

but now I've carried
her for nine months.

And I felt her move and kick.

And I've dreamt
about her every night.

Don't you understand?

I can't give up the baby.

Jill, I understand how you feel,

but let's look at it
from their point of view.

Mr. and Mrs. Boggs have
invested a lot of... hope

and a lot of money in this.

I'll find some way
to repay them.

I feel sorry for the Boggs.

They're nice people,
but I'm keeping Corey.

I can do that, can't I?

Legally, yes.

But morally...

Morally, I'd like to
see everyone satisfied.

The Boggs have been
good to you, haven't they?

Yes, very good.

Then let's all sit
down and talk about it.

Just once.

I'm not saying you have
to change your mind.

It's just the right thing to do.

How 'bout it?

WOMAN (over P.A.):
Dr. Addison. Dr. Addison,

please contact Dr. Margolis.

I'm afraid Jill is very
serious about her decision.

Can't you talk to her?

I mean, it's her decision.

HARRY: Jill is willing to
sit down and discuss this.

But please don't push her.

We won't.

: , uh, tomorrow night,
her apartment okay with you?

Yeah.

We'll be there.

Now, remember, honey,
we want to stay calm.

Yeah.

How you doing?

It's too soon to tell.

(doorbell rings)

(Amy sighs)

Jill?

(Amy sighs)

Jill, are you here?

Jill?

Jill?

There's no pulse.

I think she's dead.

What?

We better get out of here.

Why?

(whispers): Come on. Let's go.

Howard?

MICHELLE: Try and be patient.

Ben's probably talking to
the assistant D.A. right now.

(phone rings in distance)

(Amy sighs)

What's the point?

Well, the point is to get
him to drop the charges,

so this doesn't go any further.

You think he can
get him to do that?

Ben is surprising.

In his own quiet way,
he gets things done.

(yelling): I don't
give a damn, Carl!

Howard and Amy Boggs didn't
k*ll anybody, and you know that!

I have a case.

Oh, you have a case!

You agree that
somebody k*lled this girl...

Unless she slipped and
fell, which she could've.

We know that somebody

- k*lled her.
- k*lled her.

And why aren't you out
looking for whoever really did it,

instead of trying to
lay it on this nice couple

who only wanted a baby
and couldn't k*ll anybody?

I'm telling you, Ben, they
had motive, opportunity.

They were found at
the scene of the crime.

I get so sick of hearing that.

Under the circumstances,

I strongly suggest
you consider a deal.

A deal? Oh, come on, Carl!

- The lawyer, Mr. Neiman...
- I know Mr. Neiman.

Says that the adoption
agreement provided

that if Jill didn't survive

the baby would go
directly to the Boggses.

Carl, we're lawyers,
too, you know.

That's meant to mean
that they get the baby

if Jill dies in childbirth.

He also said that Jill
didn't sign the paper

withdrawing her
consent for the adoption.

I-I can't believe
that you believe...

I believe what I
have to believe.

Now, here's the deal.

I suggest you listen to
it and bring it to them.

We're in a lot of
trouble, aren't we?

Well... (crying): Oh, God...

Honey, it's okay.

I-I... I-I-I-I have
to tell you the deal

the assistant D.A.
wants to make with you.

What sort of deal?

Well, first,
it's-it's an insult.

He says that he
understands that Jill's m*rder

might have been an act
of-of-of anger or passion,

and he's willing to-to
prosecute only whomever

actually hit her, as
long as the other's...

willing to agree
to what happened.

He wants them to
accuse each other?

- That's an insult!
- I know.

It's an insult you even
discussed such a deal with him!

They really think
we did it, don't they?

- It's gonna be okay.
- MATLOCK: I-I-I told him...

- It's an insult!
- Well, I told him,

and we're not gonna
accept his stupid deal.

- It's an insult!
- Yes, it is.

Y-Y-Y-Y-Yes, it... yes, it is,

and-and-and-and we're
gonna get you out of this cage

and into your home and
prove to the assistant D.A.

that he never should have
made his stu... stupid deal.

Okay?

(sighs): Okay.

Okay.

HARRY: And so
as I got to the door,

the, uh, the Boggs
came running out.

Jill was... laying right there.

So you never saw Howard
or Amy Boggs near the body?

- No, no.
- Hello, Bob.

Oh, Ben. Uh, Michelle
Thomas, Ben Matlock,

this is Harry Neiman.

- Hello.
- How do you do?

- Oh, you handled the adoption.
- (flashbulb pops)

That's right.

Uh, the girl was over here, Ben.

Uh, somebody must
have hit her or pushed her.

She fell backwards and smashed
her head on this marble slab,

fracturing her skull.

Uh, the painter out in the
hall says your clients was

the only people he saw
come and go all evening.

Huh.

Huh. Who-Who was
supposed to be at this meeting?

Uh, just Chris Miller,
biological father.

Oh.

Did anybody else know about it?

Yes, John Franklin... he's
the attorney Jill worked for.

Well, did you tell anybody?

No.

Matt Grayson, my golf partner.

Why'd you tell him?

Well, he referred Jill to me.

Of course, the
way it's turned out,

I... I may never forgive him.

I understand you were a
little late to the meeting.

Yeah, we got caught in traffic.

- "We"?
- My son and I.

I picked him up from
a Cub Scout meeting

about, uh, : .

He was gonna wait in the
car and do his homework.

You're not thinking, uh...?

Oh. (chuckles)

Not particularly.

(Harry chuckles)

We're done, Bob.

- Okay.
- Uh...

uh, uh, is either
one of these...

Chris Miller?

You know, Chris isn't
in any of those pictures.

Well, that's peculiar.

You know, I never saw him
so much as hold her hand.

Wasn't much of a love match.

Maybe that's why they were
willing to give up the baby.

Well... keep it up, Bob.

- Oh, thanks...
- Uh, no, thanks.

Okay.

You know, come to think
of it, I never saw them touch.

There didn't seem to be
any chemistry between them.

You know, if I
didn't know better,

I'd say they'd never
even slept together.

- MATLOCK: Uh-huh.
- MICHELLE: Hmm.

Did-Did he seem surprised

when she changed her mind
about giving up the baby?

I didn't think so.

Well, maybe they'd
already discussed it,

and he knew what
she was planning to do.

(sighs) I don't know.

It was as if Jill's decision
had nothing to do with him.

- Hmm.
- Hmm.

(birds chirping)

(dog barking in distance)

(whistling quietly)

Uh, hi. I'm looking
for Chris Miller.

Hey, Chris. There's
a cop here to see you.

- (chuckles, pops lips)
- (Matlock chuckles)

Uh, I'm-I'm not a
policeman; I'm Ben Matlock.

I'm Howard and
Amy Boggs' lawyer.

- Come in.
- Thanks.

Hmm.

Oh, you're a musician.

- When I get work.
- Hmm.

(strums strings)

Good.

I've been expecting you.

Yeah?

Why is that?

I was living at
Jill's apartment.

I thought you'd be
around asking questions.

Well, yeah.

Uh, did you... did you, uh...

did you find it strange,
or were you surprised,

when Jill decided not
to give up the baby?

No, I saw it coming.

How's that?

For the past couple of months,

the baby was all
she talked about.

What it would look like,
how it would feel to hold it.

I could see she was
becoming very attached.

Uh-huh.

How about you? Were
you... were you becoming...

attached to the baby?

I'm not the baby's father.

I lived with Jill,
but that's all.

- You... you never, uh...?
- No.

Jill was pregnant
when I met her.

When was that?

About six months ago at a party.

She wasn't showing then.

I ran into her about
three months later...

She was showing
pretty good then.

I hadn't had many gigs and
didn't have a place to stay.

She let me stay with her.

I guess she thought
it would look better,

her being big and all.

I ran some errands for her and
fixed things around her place.

I got out of the rain.

I guess I'm what
you call a drifter.

Oh. Oh.

So, um, the meeting that
the Boggses and their lawyer

were gonna have
with Jill that night...

I wasn't there.

- Yeah.
- Look, like I said,

I had nothing to do with it.

Drifter.

Yeah.

(sighs)

Jill took you in.

Uh, didn't you...
care for her a little?

Yeah.

Whoever did this...
I hope you get him.

Yeah. (sniffs)

Yeah.

(chuckles)

Mrs. McCardle,
uh, Mrs. McCardle,

uh, I have to go to work.

Now, you know
where everything is?

I do. But you're not going off
without your breakfast, surely?

- Oh, I don't have time.
- Oh, but you must make time.

Did your former housekeeper
let you go off without breakfast?

- Well, I...
- My mother, God rest her soul,

my mother used to say that
you got to have something in you

in the morning to get
the plumbing started.

Now, you come along... I'll
make you some toast and coffee.

I couldn't help overhearing you
on the telephone this morning

talking about adoption.

Uh, yes, I'm handling
an adoption case.

Speaking of adoption,
I've got to tell you this story.

Now, you will appreciate
it, not just as a lawyer

but as a human being.

It happened to a
couple that I knew

back home in Pennsylvania,

Burt and Ethel Steinkemp.

Darlin' people, darlin'.

They owned a
dry-cleaning business,

and they wanted to have
a child, but they couldn't.

They tried desperately
to have a baby,

but it just didn't happen.

They... they hoped, they
prayed, but it didn't happen.

They tried different doctors,
but no one could help them.

Butter.

They were truly desperate.

They tried all the time.

E-Even at lunchtime,

they used to close
up shop and go home.

Still nothing.

Coffee's done.

- Hmm.
- Finally, they gave up

and decided to adopt.

They wanted a child real bad,
so why not adopt one, they said.

So they applied for
one, and they got it.

I take cream with mine.

- Oh.
- And now, what do you think?

No sooner did they adopt a child

than, saints be praised,
Ethel got pregnant!

That's right!

And she got pregnant a
second and a third time.

And all of it because
of an adopted child.

Oh. They renamed him Adam

because he was
the start of it all.

(laughs)

Oh, that's a darlin' story.

Isn't it a darlin' story?

Oh, yes, it is. (chuckles)

I'm done.

Oh. All right.

But don't you ever go
running out of this house

without my getting
you some breakfast.

Oh, no, I won't. (chuckles)

(Matlock clears throat)

(horses neighing)

(horse huffs)

Going in! See you Tuesday!

WOMAN: See you, Matt! Good ride!

- Mr. Grayson.
- Hi.

Hi. I'm Michelle
Thomas. I'm an attorney.

I'm representing the people

accused of
murdering Jill Lambert.

Right. Some mess
that turned out to be.

Yeah. Ugh.

Were you and Jill close?

Well, she was a
friend of a friend.

But you put her in
touch with Harry Neiman,

and he kept you informed
about the adoption.

- That's right.
- He says he told you

about the adoption falling apart

and the meeting that was
set up to try and save it.

He called me, Ms. Thomas,
to give me a very bad time

about sending him a flake.

But you knew about the meeting.

Now, wait a minute.

I was out and about
the night Jill was k*lled.

Doing what?

Would you give me a break here?

Doing what?

Taking an aerobics class

at the Downtown Athletic
Club, if you must know.

I do that three or
four times a week.

Hi, darling.

This is Michelle Thomas.

She's representing the couple
accused of k*lling Jill Lambert.

My wife, Barbara Dewitt-Grayson.

Ah.

- How do you do?
- Hello.

We're meeting the Parkers
for drinks in ten minutes, darling.

Right. I'll get changed
and I'll meet you up there.

Nice talking to you, Ms. Thomas.

Good luck with the case.

Thank you.

MATLOCK: Mm. Is
all this stuff original?

Oh, yes.

(Matlock gasps, whistles)

Daggone! Hmm!

(Matlock chuckles, mumbles)

Now, so, uh, Jill
worked for you?

Jill was our receptionist.

I knew her since she was .

Watched her grow up.

She was a very fine young lady.

Is that why you visited
her in... in the hospital?

Oh, well, I'm...

I'm afraid there was a
little bit of guilt involved, too.

Guilt?

Well, I was concerned
about how it would look...

having an unwed mother
receiving my clients, so I...

I asked Jill if she would
take an early maternity leave.

That-That scene at
the hospital, I... Yes.

So you-you heard
'em set up the meeting?

I heard them arrange it, yes.

Did you talk to Jill about it?

No.

I left with everybody else.

She didn't ask you for
your advice or anything?

- No.
- (intercom buzzes)

Yes?

WOMAN: Mr. Franklin,
Mr. Kerr is here.

Thank you.

I'm afraid my : has arrived.

I-I hope that I've been able
to be of some help to you.

Oh, yes, yes.

Just-just... just
out-out of curiosity,

if Jill had asked you to, you
know, come to that meeting,

just for, you know, advice,

would you have been
able to, uh, to, uh, make it

or were you, uh, busy?

I would have done
anything to help Jill,

but she didn't ask.

And I was at a charity dinner...

The Autistic
Children's Foundation.

- Oh, that's a good cause.
- Yes.

Yes, a good cause.

Oh, well...

Well... Well, good-bye.

Yes.

If there's anything
else, just call me.

Oh, I will.

Thank you.

(sighs)

Tonight, : .

(whistling tune)

MAN: Hi. What can I get for you?

(indistinct voices)

♪♪

(camera shutter clicking)

(engine starting)

Oh, Mr. Matlock, why
didn't you call me?

I would have brought
the paper to you.

Oh, no, that's okay.

Well, you oughtn't to
go out in just your robe.

- I mean, what if I wasn't here?
- Yeah.

The same thing
could happen to you

that happened to a man I
knew back home... Fred Trimble.

He was a darlin' man, darlin'.

Uh, Mrs. McCardle, Mrs...

Mrs. McCardle, I
have my coffee, see?

And so you can just go
about what you were doing.

This Fred Trimble
went out one morning

to get the morning paper,

and discovered that he
had locked himself out.

Oh, well, that happens.

Well, now, the
windows were locked.

His neighbor wasn't at home.

So he decided to go to
the corner filling station

to telephone the locksmith.

Just then, a patrol
car was passing,

and they saw Fred in
just his robe and slippers

and immediately felt
that he was an escapee

from a mental institution.

Oh.

They pulled over.

- And...
- Oh, M-M-M...

M-Mrs. McCardle,
th-that won't happen.

See, i-if you're not...
If you're not here,

I-I have a key hidden
outside the house.

Oh, but that's really
dangerous, because they'll find it.

It happened to a friend
of mine... Eric Lane.

(doorbell ringing)

He thought he had found
the perfect hiding place,

but they found it.

And one night he came
home to an empty house.

Come in.

They even took the Bible
that his mother gave him.

Oh...

Oh, now you have
company, so I'll leave you.

- Uh-huh.
- Oh, remind me

to-to tell you the rest of
the story about Fred Trimble.

It's a darlin' story, darlin'.

(door opens)

New housekeeper.

MICHELLE: Oh.

She likes to talk...

- And talk and talk and talk.
- (laughing)

So why are you keeping her?

'Cause she's a good housekeeper.

Oh.

(Irish accent): And
she's a darlin' person,

darlin'.

(laughs)

(indistinct conversations)

Hey, Mr. Franklin, wait up.

Mr. Matlock, what
can I do for you?

I want to show you something.

You go a long ways for
a hamburger, don't you?

Make your point, Mr. Matlock.

I think you're the father
of Jill Lambert's baby.

That's why you're
paying off Chris Miller.

She must have
told him about you.

Interesting motive, isn't it?

My God, man, are you suggesting
that I m*rder*d Jill Lambert

to prevent her from naming
me the father of her child?

I'm saying you had reason.

Your biggest client is
the Holy Archdiocese.

How would they feel if they knew

they were being
represented by a married man

who'd fathered an
illegitimate child?

Mr. Matlock, listen
to me carefully.

I am a highly respected
and accomplished attorney.

My reputation is impeccable.

And barring a blood test, to
which I would never submit,

you have nothing to
tie me to Jill Lambert,

except as a friendly employer.

And if you insist on bringing
this nonsense into court,

I'd be delighted to sue you for
an indecent amount of money.

Now would you excuse me?

I have an appointment
with His Eminence.

You may call your first witness.

The prosecution calls
Harvey Lang to the stand.

Mr. Lang, you are a
housepainter, is that correct?

Yes, it is.

And on the day that Jill
Lambert was m*rder*d,

where were you working?

I was painting the hallway
right outside her apartment.

Did you take a lunch or
a dinner break that day?

No, I got there at noon.

Worked straight
through till : .

Mr. Lang, during the time

that you were
working in that hallway,

did you see anyone enter or
exit Jill Lambert's apartment?

Yes, I-I did.

Do you see that person or
persons in this courtroom today?

Yes, right there.
The-The defendants.

And did you see
anyone else enter or exit

Jill Lambert's apartment
while you were there?

No, nobody else.

Thank you.

Your witness.

(clearing throat)

Uh, Mr. Lang,
uh... (clears throat)

how long have you
been on your, uh,

uh, present job?

Three months.

And before that, how long
were you on your previous job?

Maybe four months.

And the job before that?

About, uh, two months.

I can, uh, I can have
Mike Foley, Dave Palmer

and Ritchie Morgan come up
here and explain why they fired you,

or would you like to
save us a lot of time

and explain it yourself?

(sighs)

They think maybe I
have a drinking problem.

Hmm, hmm.

Uh, have you been, uh,
drinking on this current job?

- No.
- You're under oath.

Okay, so maybe I
had a beer or two.

Where do you get this beer?

There's a market on the
corner a couple blocks away.

How long you figure it takes you

to go to that market and back?

Back and forth,
ten, minutes tops.

So the evening of
the m*rder, you made

one of your ten, -minute
beer runs, didn't you?

If you say so.

No, sir, if you say so.

Okay, I was there.

Yeah.

You left the hallway, were
gone for ten or minutes.

And during that
ten or minutes,

anybody could have gone
into Jill Lambert's apartment

before the Boggses
got there, couldn't they?

Objection. Compound,
argumentative,

calls for speculation.

Withdraw the question.

Mr. Lang, you couldn't
tell the assistant D.A.

that you left that
hallway and why,

because you were afraid
you'd get fired, isn't that true?

Hmm?

No further questions.

Pending the
outcome of the trial,

Corey's a ward of the state.

(Amy gasps softly)

But a foster home?

What do you mean "pending
the outcome of the trial"?

Well, if you're not convicted...

No, when you're not
convicted... The baby's yours.

(sighs)

Well, all we always
wanted was a child.

I mean, even this would be
worth it if we could get her.

MICHELLE: Did Jill
ever say or do anything

to make you suspect she
might change her mind?

Well, she was never really
warm to either of us, but no.

HOWARD: Well...

I never thought she was the
type that could give a child a home.

Well, her place was
always a bit messy.

Well, half the stuff in
it was stolen, honey.

Stolen?

Not half. There was some soap

and a shopping cart in the hall

and some towels,
that sort of thing.

She stole soap?

Yes, um, I think it was from

that little French hotel
downtown... the Chåteau de...

Chåteau de Fleurs?

Yes, I think that
was it, mm-hmm.

Hmm.

- Bonsoir, madame.
- Bonsoir.

I was wondering if
you could help me.

Avec plaisir, madame.
Certainement.

Do you, uh, do you
know this woman?

Mais oui. Oui, je la connais.

She has been a
guest here many times.

Though not for a little while.

Perhaps, uh, seven
or eight months.

Would she come in with a man?

Always.

Is this him?

No. No, no.

He was younger.

Do you remember his name?

Monsieur Smith.

And he always paid cash.

Merci.

No, Mr. Grayson didn't attend
his aerobics class that day.

How can you be so sure?

All the classes that
day were canceled.

Air conditioning went out.

Are you sure it was that day?

Believe me, I remember
the complaining.

You'd think I broke it myself.

(quiet chatter, piano
playing soft jazz)

Matt Grayson?

Do I know you?

No.

Now, what's this garbage
you're spouting on the phone?

If it was garbage,
you wouldn't be here.

Have a seat.

What do you want?

What would your
wife think if she knew

you were the father
of Jill Lambert's baby?

That's a lie.

Is it?

I think you and I know better.

And I think you're gonna
come up with $ ,

to keep it quiet.

Look, boy, you're
out of your league.

(scoffs)

Okay.

I'll see you in the
National Informer.

Wait.

I can't get that kind of money.

Yes, you can.

All right, all
right, I'll get it.

Fine.

Smart move.

How do I know
this'll be the end?

You don't.

: tomorrow, Dave's
burger stand on Peach Street.

(sighs)

You could get me
k*lled doing this.

So which one of them
do you think is the father?

Oh, I don't know.

John Franklin and Matt
Grayson both think they are.

And they both have a lot to lose

if Chris starts making
accusations in public.

Well, one of them must
have been here that night.

Yeah.

Oh.

Brand-new baby blanket.

She didn't even have
time to take the tags off.

Yeah.

Baby Corey's a girl, isn't she?

Yeah.

MATLOCK: Well,
now, Mr. Grayson...

What was your relationship
with the deceased?

No relationship, really.

A friend introduced
us at a party.

Miss Lambert was distressed
and very open about the reason.

She said she was
pregnant out of wedlock

and had decided it was best
to give the baby up for adoption.

I referred her to
an attorney friend

who specializes in adoption.

MATLOCK: Harry Neiman.

- That's right.
- And so, uh,

after that party, you never
saw Jill Lambert again?

No.

Oh.

Uh, so, uh, um, uh...

what business are
you in, Mr. Grayson?

I'm a real estate developer.

Real estate's in a kind of
a slump right now, isn't it?

Well, that depends
on the real estate.

(chuckles): Yeah.
Well, of course.

See, you still need a lot of,

lot of money, a
lot of cash up front.

Do you have-have partners?

Uh, not exactly.

Is that a yes or no?

My wife and I are partners.

CARL: Your Honor,

this is all very interesting
but hardly relevant.

Uh, Your Honor,

if you'll bear with
me, I'll show you

that this direction is
much more than relevant.

ALDEN: Overruled.

Continue, Mr. Matlock,
but get to the point.

Yes, sir.

Must be interesting having
your wife as a partner.

Uh, is everything split
- right down the middle?

Not exactly.

Oh, you mean
it's-it's your business

and you take the larger share?

I don't take a larger share.

And it's my wife's company.

Uh-huh.

Your wife is Barbara
Dewitt-Grayson, the heiress.

That's right.

MATLOCK: Uh, at the time

Jill Lambert was, uh,
m*rder*d, you were taking

an aerobics class at the,
uh, Downtown Athletic Club.

- Correct?
- That's right.

- Yeah.
- As I told your associate.

Yeah, but that-that
wasn't quite true, was it?

Because, uh, that day, the
air conditioning broke down

and they canceled all classes.

So you couldn't have been
there that day, could you?

Maybe I got my days mixed up.

Yeah, maybe you did.

Maybe you did.

Uh, do you recognize this man?

Yeah... (mumbling)

(mutters): Do you...?

I don't know him, no.

If I told you that
he is the desk clerk

at the Chåteau de
Fleurs Hotel downtown,

would you recognize him then?

No.

Well, he's prepared
to testify that you were

a frequent guest
for a lengthy interval

at his hotel.

Only you used the name Smith.

Who was your companion
during those stays?

It was Jill Lambert, wasn't it?

He's prepared to testify.

So were you having an
affair with Jill Lambert?

Yes, I was.

MATLOCK: Affairs outside
of marriage can cause

a world of trouble inside
the marriage, can't they?

MATT: My marriage
to Barbara is solid,

if it's any of your business.

Oh, well... would it have, uh,

remained solid when the
word came out that you were

the father of Jill
Lambert's baby?

You don't know I was the father.

No, I don't.

But you had good reason
to believe you were.

And when she changed her mind
and decided to keep that baby,

what'd she ask you,
for child support?

Doesn't mean I'd k*ll her.

It still made for a
sticky situation, didn't it?

I mean, how would you
explain that money away

- to your heiress wife?
- (door opens)

(gallery murmurs)

When-When Jill
was prepared to do

the right thing for you
and give up the baby,

you were happy.

But when she decided to
keep it, you were in trouble.

No, I wasn't.

Didn't your friend
Harry Neiman call you

and tell you about the
meeting at her apartment

that evening at :
with the Boggses?

- I suppose.
- Yeah.

The only choice you had
was to get to her apartment

before they did and
try to convince her

to go ahead with the adoption.

So you went to her apartment.

By now, she really
wanted to keep that baby.

She wouldn't listen to you.

You pled with her,
she wouldn't listen.

You argued with her,
she wouldn't listen.

You got angry.
You-You pushed her

or you hit her, and she fell
on the apron of that fireplace

and fractured her skull,

d*ed just like that!

And you did the only thing any
red-blooded coward could do;

you ran and left the
Boggses to take the blame.

You're wrong!

I wasn't even there.

- Are you sure?
- Yeah, I'm sure.

Do you recognize this?

No, I don't!

I found this in Jill
Lambert's apartment.

The name of the
store is on the tag.

And their records show
that this was bought

an hour before Jill
Lambert was m*rder*d.

You bought this
blanket and took it to her

as a peace offering maybe,
to show that you were sincere

and to convince her to
go ahead with the adoption.

Correct?

No. Your Honor, this
man's making all this up.

Almost done, Your
Honor, almost done!

Proceed.

Everybody who knew
about that meeting

was at the hospital but you.

Everybody at that hospital knew

that baby was a
girl named Corey,

except you.

Only somebody who
wasn't at that hospital

would think Corey
was a boy's name

and buy a blue blanket.

You bought this blanket,
and you m*rder*d Jill Lambert.

That's a lie.

And here is the
receipt for the blanket.

Purchased on your credit card.

Your Honor.

See there, Carl?

Reasonable doubt,
ladies and gentlemen.

Can any of you say

beyond a reasonable
doubt that my clients

m*rder*d Jill Lambert?

I don't think so.

And when the Atlanta Police
finish their investigation,

I think we'll find the person
who k*lled Jill Lambert

is sitting right there.

(Amy chuckles)

I can't tell you
how happy we are.

And how wonderful
you've been, both of you.

Well, I'm so glad we could help.

I, uh, I told Ben I was
gonna take us all out to lunch.

Where is he?

He's running an errand.

He said he has
something to pick up.

(door opens)

(baby cooing)

We can... we can have her?

Right now?

Absolutely.

How can we ever thank you?

Well, why don't you just
go ahead and take her?

She's a little wet.

(Amy laughs)

(Corey fusses quietly)