A scene from “Unfinished Business”

Richard Wellstood: [after Jessica exposes him as the murderer] Only J.K. and I knew the real Spencer Prinz, who was about to transfer from Chicago to St. Louis one year ago. A week before he was due to arrive, he died of a heart attack. That's when J.K. and I hatched the scheme to steal the tax deposits by keeping Spencer alive. When the fiscal year was up, Spencer would disappear without a trace, taking with him all the blame and two million dollars.

Lt. Phillips: Okay, but why did you have to kill Nolan Hayes?

Richard Wellstood: J.K. got greedy. He forged a $200,000 payroll check to Nolan and cashed it to himself. He figured it would take the IRS forever to catch up with the tax problems it would cause Nolan. It didn't. Nolan was desperate for answers. So, after getting the run-around from Spencer Prinz by phone, he came to our office to see Spencer in person. One of the secretaries must have told him Prinz just left. Nolan tried to catch up to him. J.K. was taking his turn as Spencer. As he was getting into the rental car to pretend to drive back to St. Louis, his wig was accidentally knocked loose. And as he replaced it, he didn't see Nolan staring in at him, observing the metamorphosis. Nolan turned and ran back inside. That's when he made his fatal mistake. He came directly to me and said, "No wonder Edna was having problems. Never mind two sets of books; her company had two sets of employees." J.K. and I had to act quickly.

Jessica Fletcher: Of course. And since Nolan was making waves for Edna, why not frame her for the murder?

Richard Wellstood: We set up the bogus telephone message, leaving Edna without an alibi. I went to her house, entered through a rear window, and took the gun we all knew she kept in her bed table drawer. I drove out to Nolan's farm. I called into him. He came out, surprised to see me. I shot him, put his body in the car, drove to the tracks, and took out the jack and made it all look like a flat tire and robbery. [to Edna Hayes] I returned the gun to your house while you were with the police late that night. Once Mrs. Fletcher got you off the hot seat and became suspicious of Spencer Prinz, we shifted the blame for embezzlement and murder to the perfect fall guy, the man who didn't exist. [to Jessica and Lt. Phillips] The IRS has billions. Edna has millions. J.K. and me? We just wanted a piece of the pie.