Once again, Jason fumbles. When he got Liz alone, here's what he should have said: "My dear, you are quite right: you did kill Paul Stoddard. He was dead as the proverbial doornail. But you were in such a state that night that I knew I couldn't trust you to keep the secret. The body is buried elsewhere, Liz. Now, we'll tell the sheriff to go back to his dinner, and when Carolyn comes back, we'll tell her you were just a bit hysterical with joy at the thought of marrying me. We'll get the judge back here, and we'll get married as planned, or I'll tell everybody where the body really is, and I'll tell them how I saw you attacking Paul Stoddard in cold blood, as he sat peacefully by the fire reading an improving book." It might not work, but gosh, Jason sure folded easily.
I had forgotten the mention that was made in this episode of Jason's Swiss bank account. I daresay Jason had full access to it, but saw no reason to pass up a chance to get a little something out of Willie.
So...the last time Jason saw Paul Stoddard was in Singapore, about ten years ago? He's lying, of course. We know from later on that Paul Stoddard [spoiler]prospered nicely after he left Collinsport, and I'm sure Jason was cadging money from him periodically throughout the years - but there would be no need to tell Liz that, and risk drying up a steady source.[/spoiler]
Oh, one more thing - down there in the basement. Sheriff Patterson is trying unsuccessfully to get the trunk open while Burke stands around doing nothing, and Patterson says, "I'll need your help." For once, take-charge Burke wouldn't lift a finger without being asked. If I had been Patterson, I'd have been teed off. And golly, didn't they notice how light the trunk was when they lifted it out of the hole? No, they had to wait until they opened it to see that it was empty.
