A Blueprint for Murder Page #2

Well, you do admit you don't

know what she died from...

and strychnine would

produce the same symptoms.

- Is this your idea too, Mr. Cameron?

- I don't know, Doctor.

There are so many confusing facts.

You told me it wasn't tetany, yet that's

what was put on the death certificate. Why?

Because that's what we were

treating the patient for.

She responded to the calcium

treatments, so we continued it.

As a matter of fact, I suggested an autopsy.

- Why didn't you have one?

- Because Lynne couldn't stand the idea.

- I see.

- I agreed with her.

Nothing could be gained by it.

Let me ask you one question. Just how

do you think the child got the poison?

Well, I don't know, but I don't see

how it could have been an accident.

I'm afraid I don't want any

part of this, Mr. Cameron.

All right. All right. I'm sorry

I brought it up. Shall we go?

It's preposterous to assume that anyone

would have wanted to poison the child.

- Oh, I don't know.

- Okay, then, who could have done it?

- Mmm, several people.

- For instance?

For instance, Lynne. Good day, Doctor.

Maggie!

What on earth got into you making

a crazy crack like that about Lynne?

- You can get into trouble.

- Now I'm getting mad.

I only said it was possible, and it is.

- Why don't you like Lynne?

- I can take her or leave her.

Aw, come on, Maggie.

You've got her all wrong.

She certainly made Bill a good

wife. He was very happy with her.

Maybe so.

- What time's the funeral tomorrow?

- 10:
00.

- Do you plan to stay on afterwards?

- Till the end of the week.

Well, that'll at least give

me a few more days. Bye-bye.

## [Classical]

[Cameron Narrating] The

more I was with Lynne...

the more I realized what a fine,

wonderful person she really was.

Must you really leave tomorrow?

I've stretched it as long as I could.

It's been over a week, you know.

- Yes, I know.

- I'll be back as soon as I can.

- You can rely on that.

- Good.

Lynne's warmth and affection for Doug...

helped so much to soften the

blow ofhis sister's death.

Never did Maggie's absurd suspicions...

seem more fantastic than now.

Mr. Sargent wants you on the phone.

Tell him I'll call him back later, please.

- No, go on, Cam.

- I'll take it.

Excuse me.

- Fred?

- You still leaving tomorrow morning?

Yes, of course. 7:15 plane.

Can you possibly stay over?

There's something we ought to tell you.

Maggie's been pestering me about it.

- I don't see how I can, Fred.

- Go on!

- Well, I... I kinda hesitate

bringing it up on the phone.

- What is it?

- You know I handled your

brother's estate. - Mm-hmm.

Under the terms of the will,

Lynne's share was left in trust.

She receives merely the interest,

unless...

Unless?

- Now, I don't want you to think

we're jumping to conclusions.

- Well, unless what?

Unless both children were

to die. Both Polly and Doug.

- What the devil are you trying to say?

- It could prove a motive.

I'm amazed at you.

Why, the idea's ridiculous.

I know it sounds that way...

but I think you ought to stay over

another day so we can talk it over.

- For one reason...

- One reason?

Remember, for Lynne to get the money

it requires the deaths of both children.

All right.

I'll see you in the morning.

## [Continues]

Beautiful.

- That was lovely.

- Thank you.

By the way, uh, I've decided to stay over

another day or so, if it's all right with you.

- You know it is.

- That's great, Uncle Cam!

Well, now that your Uncle Cam is going to be

here tomorrow, how about you getting to bed?

Sleep late tomorrow too. You've

been looking a little peaked.

Oh, I'm all right. I'm feeling fine.

- Soon as you get in your pajamas,

I'll come up and say good night.

- Don't forget!

I've been worried about

Doug. He doesn't look well.

Naturally. Polly's death was a big shock.

No, I mean for some time.

- I'm thinking seriously of taking him to Europe.

- Why?

He needs a change.

Too many things here remind

him of his father and Polly.

- Be good for me too.

- How long will you be away?

- Oh, I don't know. Maybe a year or more.

- Oh.

That long?

I thought it'd be fun visiting all

the little out-of-the-way places...

just taking it easy.

I don't care how it adds up.

Absolutely nothing would ever convince me

that a woman like Lynne is capable of murder.

Relax, Cam, relax. We're

only talking among ourselves.

But we can't close our eyes to the

fact that she did have a motive.

- Over a million dollars' worth.

- Or that she's taking Doug to Europe.

And to

out-of-the-way places.

I've gone through every book

on poison cases I can find.

There were plenty of women just

like Lynne who were poison murderers.

There was Madeleine Smith, Mrs. Maybrick, Lydia

Trueblood and all these dozens of others...

many of whom were young,

beautiful, intelligent and cultured.

Maybe so, but if it were

strychnine that killed Polly...

why didn't the doctors recognize it?

Because they weren't looking for it.

Here's the dope on all

the famous poison cases.

Lamson, Crippen, Seddon, the works.

Not in one instance did

a doctor call the turn...

purely on his medical diagnosis.

- This is impressive.

- Let me see.

Look. Over 100 people killed by

an arsenic ring in Philadelphia...

before even one of the cases was suspected.

Yet that's the only case reported in

Philadelphia during the last 20 years.

How do you account for that?

Because there's so many diseases

that simulate poison symptoms.

And the idea of murder seems so

utterly incredible to the doctors...

that it doesn't even enter their heads.

But this just doesn't make sense.

If Lynne really were guilty, she'd

have had Polly's body cremated.

Lynne did want Polly cremated.

I talked her out of it.

Bill wouldn't have wanted it.

I don't see how we can avoid the

issue. Polly could have been poisoned.

There's no proof to the contrary,

and Lynne could've done it.

We can't dismiss this lightly, Cam.

If... And there is that if... Doug should

be murdered, we'd never forgive ourselves.

- Fred's right.

- What do you suggest?

There's only one thing to do. We'll have

to try to get a court order for an autopsy.

Oh.

I know how you feel, but

we've just got to do it.

[Sighs] All right.

Go ahead. Get the court order.

Get it over with.

Bacardi tonight, Cam, or would

you rather have a highball?

- Bacardi's fine. Thank you.

- Ginger ale, Doug?

- Thank you.

- [Phone Rings]

- Anna will answer it.

- Of course.

I can't figure out where this piece goes.

- It doesn't seem to fit under there.

- Let's see.

Well, what do the plans say?

- Was that for me, Anna?

- Yes, Mr. Cameron.

Thank you. Excuse me.

- Hello.

- Here it is, Cam.

The kid had enough strychnine

in her to kill four people.

- Oh, no.

- The D.A.'s pretty sure

it must have been murder.

- I told Cole we'd meet him

in his office at 9:00 tomorrow.

- I see.

He's going to have the servants and

Lynne brought in for questioning.

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