A scene from “Unfinished Business”

Albert Cromwell: [after Jessica accuses him of committing the murders] I was going to steal the diary. Richard Bennett showed up. He recognized me from Evangeline's. I knew if the diary turned up missing, he'd figure I was the one that stole it, so I killed him. And I put his body in the armoire. I didn't know it was going to be auctioned off. I thought it was blue-tagged.

Lt. Nathanial Casey: And Radford? Why'd you kill him?

Albert Cromwell: Well, I knew he faked the theft of the diary. I tried to force him to tell me where he had it. He didn't scare. He came after me. I grabbed a knife off the wall.

Jessica Fletcher: But why, Mr. Cromwell? Why did you want the diary so badly?

Albert Cromwell: So she could rest in peace. You know, we were going together for a long time before she became famous. But her career, that came first. That meant she had to be seen with all the right people, like Richard Bennett. So, she dumped me. Went off looking for fame. But I never stopped loving her. Then I had to watch her name being dragged through those scandal sheets. Well, that's why she turned to drugs, you know. I think she wanted to stop too, but she was just too weak to, you know, pull herself out. I just couldn't stand it any longer. I had to help her. I had to put her out of that misery.

Jessica Fletcher: Then Evangeline's death wasn't suicide.

Albert Cromwell: I did it because I loved her. You can understand that, can't you?