Original subtitles

The arts are under attack,

and we need your support now more than ever.

- (CLEARS THROAT) - It's not lost on me

how lucky we are.

I mean, the fact that you left The Pidgeon Print

such a generous bequest in your will,

- it just... - (DELORES COUGHS)

It's a constant reminder that the work I do matters.

- (COUGHING) - That poetry is...

- is life itself. - (COUGHING)

But I'm asking you today to consider

making an additional donation.

I don't know, Gary.

It's kind of like how you don't know

if you can publish my epic poem.

With annotations.

Well, well, your-your epic poem

is extremely... epic.

And I just don't know

- if we have the room. - Then make room!

"Quest for Eternal Spring or the Blood Circus,"

it's my Odyssey.

I am going to get it published

if it is the last thing I do.

I'm not getting any younger.

Oh, Delores, don't say that.

Okay.

What if I come over tomorrow?

And if you're willing to make a few judicious cuts,

it could be perfect for our fall issue.

- Here you are, ma'am. - GARY: Oh, thank you.

That's so generous of you.

No, you're paying.

I want another glass of Chablis.

Don't be an imbecile and forget the ice cubes this time.

HANNAH: My paycheck bounced.

- Again. I can't work for free. - Can't?

Let's choose our words wisely.

How much did that outfit cost?

You are not allowed to ask me that.

- I'm telling HR. - I am HR. And if it helps,

I'm not taking a salary right now either.

The arts are under attack.

That doesn't mean you can take advantage of me.

No, no, I would never do that. (STAMMERS)

Not only are you the best associate

an arts administrator could ever ask for,

you're an integral culture maker for the next generation.

- I am? - Yes.

But jobs like yours don't exist anymore

if we don't raise the money.

Hey. Maybe you could ask your parents

to make a donation?

I already told you, I will never ask my parents for money.

You have an entire dental floss empire.

It is my parents' empire, not mine.

And if you don't pay me soon, I'm leaving.

Okay, okay, look, um... I think things

might get better around here.

Delores was coughing up a lung yesterday,

and she still has that oxygen tank.

Between us, I don't think she'll last much longer,

especially with the way she smokes.

Why did you cut this?

Because you have multiple other sections

about your mother's womb.

This sequence needs a hysterectomy.

Womb X is essential to the womb cycle.

It's where I felt

the constraints of the gestational sac.

You really remember that?

It's a metaphor.

I'm putting it back.

(COUGHS, CLEARS THROAT)

A muse only comes to me with cigarette in hand.

Just like literary treasure Elizabeth Bishop.

Shh.

I'm trying to work.

(TYPING ON KEYBOARD)

Hey, I've got to go to a meeting. Um...

Have you thought any more about our conversation?

- About the additional support? - No.

But I did have one other thought.

Will you take the trash when you leave?

Fred? What are you doing here?

Oh, um, Delores Feinn

wrote this wonderfully muscular, epic poem

that we're publishing in Tumbleweed's fall issue.

You made fun of me for publishing Delores

in Pidgeon Print.

Yes, it got back to me. No, I'm not over it.

I apologize for that, but now, I see hers is a singular voice.

Oh, cut the crap. You're trying to poach her.

She came to me.

You were dragging your feet, so I jumped in.

If you want to talk more, come to our benefit on Friday.

Tumbleweed can afford to comp you in.

GARY: What does that mean?

What have you done, Fred?

Fred.

So you're looking for an accountant?

Well, I asked Delores to put us in touch

for a different reason.

But I understand, um,

other organizations are asking my generous friend

for support.

I'm afraid they don't have the best of intentions.

Gary, I can't say if my client

is planning on changing her will when I see her next week,

but knowing what I know,

if I were you,

I'd look for alternative sources of funding.

I haven't been able to stop thinking about the womb cycle.

I was wrong to suggest any cuts.

Yeah, I told you.

I think you should make the gestational sac section longer.

Can you pull it up?

(TYPING ON KEYBOARD)

(OXYGEN HISSING)

(SIGHS)

Oh, shoot.

I'm supposed to be at a benefit right now.

But you should keep writing, Delores.

Let the fires of inspiration consume you.

Wait, wait, wait, wait.

Why are you actually here?

Oh, just because we both run literary journals

doesn't mean that we have to be enemies.

Now, where is that silent auction table?

(LINE RINGS)

DELORES (OVER PHONE): What do you want, Gary?

I was sleeping.

It's literally 6:00 p.m.

I am literally 95. I get tired.

Oh, I thought you were a real poet like Elizabeth Bishop.

I am!

Oh, then why are you giving up?

You said yourself that you're not getting any younger.

Don't you want to foster that genius as you live and breathe?

Fine. Let me get to my computer

and light a cig.

(OXYGEN HISSING)

(SIGHS)

- (EXPLOSION OVER PHONE) - (LINE DISCONNECTS)

(LINE RINGS)

OPERATOR (OVER PHONE): 911, what is the exact address of your emergency?

Yes. I was just on the phone

with my beloved friend Delores Feinn,

and the line suddenly went dead.

I tried calling her back, but she's not picking up.

Can you do a welfare check, please?

Oh.

- Too late again. - (GASPS)

Marissa. Oh, my God. (LAUGHS)

Wow. It's been years.

- I know. Crazy. - (LAUGHS)

I knew you were in New York, but I have to know everything,

except where to get a miniature hot dog in time.

- Oh, here, take it. - Oh, no. You.

I've eaten way too many of these this benefit season.

(LAUGHS) Yeah, I hear every season is benefit season now,

considering all the cuts in funding to everything.

That's why you should vote for my guy, Alec Bloom.

He wants to make the city affordable for everyone,

including nonprofit workers.

Are you talking about me?

Of course I'm talking about you. It's all I do.

- Oh. - Straighten your tie.

So, you're Marissa's guy. How cute.

Oh, no, not like that. I'm Alec's campaign manager.

I am perpetually single, much to Marissa's dismay.

MARISSA: We need the female vote, and the women of New York

tend to mistrust attractive men who aren't partnered up.

They've caused too much damage.

Wait, I thought you were a lawyer now.

Yeah, that was when the law still existed.

Now, I'm following in my father's conniving footsteps.

- Ooh. - How do you two know each other?

Oh, uh, Chicago.

We had some good years together. Okay.

Let's go through your speech. I've made some edits.

- But I'm so hungry. - Oh, take this.

- But that's yours. - No, no, no. I insist.

I love a good New York dog,

but I still miss the ones in Chicago.

I recognize a true connoisseur.

I tell you what, split this one with me,

and then tell me you still miss Chicago.

Okay.

Okay. (LAUGHS)

I don't miss Chicago. (LAUGHING)

(LAUGHS)

Am I crazy? Or am I sensing a vibe here?

What? No.

- (LAUGHS) - Uh-huh.

- Okay, we got to go. - Mm-hmm.

So nice to see you, Elsbeth.

I hope you enjoyed meeting the future mayor of New York.

ELSBETH: Oh. Bye.

That Alec Bloom is quite charming, isn't he?

He's something, all right.

And here I was thinking you were my date.

- Platonically, of course. - Yes.

Well, that's how I feel about him, too.

I-I just met the man.

I don't even know if I want to be his friend.

Elsbeth Tascioni, are you blushing?

- No! Stop. (LAUGHS) - Huh? (LAUGHS)

I'm just excited because I ran into a friend

- from the good old days. - Oh.

- Enjoy. - Ah. Here we go.

Another benefit,

another droopy salad followed by unseasoned chicken.

Mm. (CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

If you're sitting in this room,

you don't need me to tell you how important

the Coalition for Unhoused Children is.

You already know.

You may have read that I was unhoused, too,

when I was a kid.

I don't want to dwell on it because

my parents did their best.

I just want you to know how much I actually mean it

when I say we must

make this city affordable again for everyone.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

Enjoying your unseasoned chicken, Dr. Yablonsky?

(CHUCKLES) It might be fish, but who could tell?

It's so nice running into you.

I have to come to these things all the time for work,

but your generosity is inspiring.

Oh, and I've been meaning to send you my condolences.

You were so good to Delores Feinn.

- An oxygen tank explosion. - Oh.

- What a way to go. - I was on the phone

with her when it happened.

I heard her light a cigarette,

and then this loud, terrible boom.

The police must've talked to you for hours.

N-No, no, not really. They knew it was an accident.

Who knew it was an accident?

- Some cop? - YABLONSKY: Oh, pardon me.

I'm being rude. This is my friend Elsbeth Tascioni.

She works on a consent decree with the NYPD,

which may explain her curiosity.

Gary is director of The Pidgeon Print.

His journal maintains impeccably high standards,

which is why I sit on the board.

Did this Delores Feinn sit on the board, too?

No, but she was a big supporter.

GARY: She was a chronic smoker,

despite having an oxygen tank with her at all times.

She must've forgotten to close the valve.

I always thought that I would lose her to cigarettes,

but not like this.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I should make the rounds.

Go, go, go.

I feel awful. I always suspected

that Delores never actually used her oxygen tank.

What do you mean?

Well, the regulator gauge was always full.

(LAUGHS)

I told so many people she only used it

to get corner tables in restaurants.

- But you're a doctor. - Mm.

You know oxygen tanks.

What if you weren't wrong?

sync and corrections by solfieri www.addic7ed.com

(LAUGHS)

ELSBETH: Captain.

This is the coverage on Delores Feinn from last week.

I think they ruled this an accident way too fast.

- Uh-huh. - According to the article,

Delores's net worth was rumored to be upwards

of $200 million.

And she had no children or heirs.

- (LAUGHTER) - WAGNER: Uh-huh.

So, a lot of people must've wanted

to get their hands on her money.

Yeah, sure.

If Dr. Yablonsky was right,

and Delores didn't even use her oxygen tank,

then I think it's highly unlikely

that she... whoops... accidentally removed the valve.

Hmm...

Captain!

I'd like to look into this further, but I need a detective.

Rivers, get over here.

Uh... (STAMMERS) Yes, sir.

You're going on this case with Elsbeth.

But, Daddy, we were about to go to lunch.

Eat a sandwich in the car.

Uh, yes, sir. Uh, what-what is the case?

How often do you think oxygen tanks

just blow up by themselves? Not very often, right?

Uh, literally all the time. (SCOFFS)

Yeah. Uh,

but I-I-I respect your opinion,

you know, not only as a woman in the workplace,

but as mandated by the consent decree.

Okay. Uh, can you dig into the accident report?

I'm gonna go pay a visit to someone.

- Elsbeth. - Marissa.

- I'd love to run an idea by you. - I love ideas.

I think Alec might have a woman problem, electorally speaking.

You mentioned that, but what does that have to do with me?

I think you two should have dinner.

I can get you into Via Carota, corner table,

followed by orchestra seats to Oh, Mary!

Oh, boy. Um, look, that, uh,

that does sound like a lot of fun, but

I'm just not really looking to get into a relationship.

Is this even coming from Alec?

I'm in the driver's seat when it comes to Alec's meetings,

policy moves, and overall image.

- Isn't that everything? - You two seemed to hit it off.

And he's pretty charming, right?

Did you know he's a former fire marshal?

- Oh, Lord. - It's more than that.

Your consent decree is kind of a "magic bullet"

to position him well on policing for the electorate.

He wants to see how the system can be changed from within.

- What do you say? - Um...

I am in my "say yes to new friends" era.

- Perfect. I'll set a date. - Okay.

Read your texts promptly. Thank you.

Oh. Uh... Can I, uh, help you with that?

- Oh, no. You're fine. - Oh.

(GRUNTS) Just rethinking the feng shui in here.

- Oh. - Excuse me. And you are?

Uh, Elsbeth Tascioni. I'm here to see Gary.

I'll show you in. I'm Hannah Lee, the associate director.

Do associate directors of prestigious literary journals

always move around heavy furniture by themselves?

The arts are under attack, and I am happy to help.

Especially because I just got a raise.

(GRUNTING)

(LAUGHS)

Wow. It is so impressive that you have the resources

to redecorate and give raises,

especially in this current landscape.

The arts are under attack.

So I heard.

But we're lucky to have generous and loyal donors.

Like Delores Feinn?

Elsbeth, right? You work with the NYPD?

It's my job to make sure that the police do their job,

and I just want to confirm they did their due diligence

with your friend.

Um...

Do you remember what you two were talking about

on the phone the night she died?

Poetry. (CHUCKLES)

Delores was a poet herself.

That's why she was so invested

in our press.

We lost a great talent.

Oh, did she always write in this cute little nook?

(LAUGHS) She liked to sit in the same spot,

there with her cigarette, like Elizabeth Bishop,

an important poet, and Pulitzer winner.

Delores seemed so impressive.

Uh, well, except for the smoking part.

Cigarettes were an unfortunate part of her writing process.

You seem to know a lot about that.

I was her editor.

Oh... Did you edit in this little nook?

Always. It's what she wanted.

Not everyone is so generous with their time for the elderly.

I bet you were the only other person who spent time

in that apartment.

(STAMMERS) No. Actually, uh,

Delores had visitors all the time.

I ran into Fred Harrison there recently.

Fred runs a struggling

literary journal, Tumbleweed.

I was at his benefit the night of the accident.

That's kind of you, too,

especially since you and Fred must compete

for the same donors.

Oh, well, we have to stick together.

There's so few of us left

who really appreciate the art of poetry.

Yeah. I'm not well-versed in it. (LAUGHS)

- (LAUGHS) - No pun intended.

Um, but someone once read Keats

out loud to me, and...

it made me cry.

- Keats can do that. - Delores, too, I bet.

You devoted all these pages to her.

She must've been a literary genius.

Hey, can you read some of her work

out loud to me?

Oh, uh, poetry lives on the page.

But I love to hear the music of the words.

And since you love her so much, I'm sure you'll

do her justice.

Um, how about the one called "Nipples of the Sea."

(GARY SIGHS)

(CLEARS THROAT, SNIFFS)

"The cerulean"

"azure waves."

"Crash into the creamy"

"solar plexus of my eyes."

"That are also a"

"screaming mirror"

"shattered."

"A pussy willow bleeds on the moon."

"Or is it a wolf?"

"Both things can be true."

Okay.

But don't cerulean and azure

both mean blue?

And why is the pussy willow wolf bleeding

on the moon? (GASPS)

Is she hurt?

Why is it even called "Nipples of the Sea"?

It's a metaphor.

Are you sure?

I studied with Jorie Graham

at Harvard. Do you know who that is?

Uh, respectfully, I don't. I'm sorry,

but if you can't feel the visceral catharsis

of Delores's art, that's on you.

Wow. (CHUCKLES)

Guess you're right. Uh, can I take this with me?

I feel like I need to read more of her work

and educate myself.

There's hope for you yet.

Great.

Thanks.

"A pussy willow bleeds on the moon."

"Or is it a wolf?"

"Both things can be true."

Oh, yeah, this is terrible.

- I knew it. - Yeah.

- Uh, cerulean and azure both mean blue. - Yeah.

And why is "both things can be true" in all caps?

And why is it even called "Nipples of the Sea"?

- Nobody knows. - (SIGHS)

I knew Delores's poetry was bad.

Gary made me feel so stupid about it.

Yeah, well, clearly, money was the only reason he published her.

And maybe the reason he killed her.

Well, as you said, a lot of people were after her estate.

Are there no other suspects?

Well, Gary did conveniently mention someone named Fred

who came to the apartment.

Sir, I spoke to the maître d' at Satina.

Ooh, that's the restaurant Delores went to a lot.

Yeah, I was getting to that.

But I value your perspective, Elsbeth,

because I believe all women.

Has HR not updated their training since 2017?

- I like it. - RIVERS: Okay, uh, so, anyways,

he confirmed that Delores

always got the best table when she would come in

because her oxygen tank was so big.

Yeah, it was the only table that could accommodate it.

- Did he ever see her use it? - RIVERS: No.

I also checked with the pharmacy.

Even though she was prescribed oxygen in 2022,

there is no record of her ever refilling it.

So, Dr. Yablonsky was right.

She only used the oxygen tank for show.

And I spoke with the fire marshal...

He sends his best to you, Elsbeth.

- (CHUCKLES) - He said it takes

several hours for oxygen to saturate the air,

even in an enclosed space with no ventilation.

Like Delores's writing nook.

Which means Gary Pidgeon could've loosened that valve

hours before Delores sparked an explosion,

- knocking down his alibi. - WAGNER: Not so fast.

All the information is good,

but it doesn't lead to murder if you can't prove

that the oxygen tank was tampered with.

And Delores Feinn was a very elderly woman.

Why hasten her death?

The arts are under attack.

An oxygen tank explosion?

These cases sound dangerous.

Is it hard for your loved ones to deal?

My son Teddy is the strongest person I know.

- And your husband? - Oh, they're so divorced.

Long before I started this work. (CHUCKLES)

- Boyfriend? - He, um...

he had a hard time.

I mean, not about this.

It was a long-distance thing.

MAN: Hey.

You're that guy running for mayor.

I'm not voting for you,

but is there any way I can get a selfie?

I'll take the photo if you tell us

why you aren't voting for Alec.

Well, I work for the MTA.

How is he gonna run that with no experience?

I hear that.

And if I knew me as little as you knew me,

I'd probably vote for the other guy, too.

Hell, knowing me as well as I do, I might still vote

for the other guy. But... (CHUCKLES)

Here's the thing.

I do have experience.

I slept on the F Train on cold winter nights

when I was a kid, when I didn't have a home.

There was this conductor named Pete.

- Would always buy me a sandwich. - Wait a minute. Pete?

I think I know him.

Hey. That's...

We got to toast to Pete then.

This is on Alec. But it's not a bribe,

- just to be clear. - (CHUCKLES)

- To Pete. - OTHERS: To Pete.

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

MARISSA: So can we count on your vote?

Yeah. We might be screwed either way,

but you're the better choice.

Psychologically.

- (CHUCKLES) - We'll take it.

- You are so good at this. - Aw.

Both of you. (CHUCKLES)

MARISSA: I just keep telling him to be authentic.

And I authentically love talking to New Yorkers.

(GROANS) Me, too.

I love this city.

The people. The subway.

Central Park. Times Square.

Ew.

Hey. Times Square rules.

- That's where The Lion King is. - I love The Lion King.

I've seen The Lion King four times.

- Me, too. - (GROANS)

I'm empowering a philistine.

Wait, have you been on the hip-hop bus tour?

- (CHUCKLES) - Love it! Have you been

to the restaurant where the-the waiters

- croon musical numbers? - Yes!

Do you know Cooper? He came to my housewarming party.

I love Cooper the singing waiter.

♪ I'll take Manhattan ♪

♪ The Bronx and Staten Island, too! ♪

(BOTH LAUGH)

Do you really like all these things as much as I do?

How do I know you're not being...

Clintonian?

MARISSA: Alec is the real deal.

I wouldn't be here if he wasn't.

And I can prove it.

Here's Alec in front of the Lion King marquee

- in four different outfits. - (CHUCKLING)

MARISSA: Here's him on the hip-hop tour bus.

And here he is getting serenaded by Cooper at brunch last month.

Gosh, I wish it was always this easy to prove things. (CHUCKLES)

You want some free advice? Always keep a record.

Delores Feinn was wined and dined

by every nonprofit organization in New York.

Though I always wondered if the juice was worth the squeeze.

RIVERS: Meaning what?

- She never gave any money? - No. Not once.

- ELSBETH: Not even to Gary? - I doubt it.

But it was widely known she planned to leave Pidgeon

a large sum in her will.

That's why I was so surprised to see Gary at my benefit.

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY) We had a little fight a few days before,

where he accused me of trying to poach her.

Well, were you trying to poach her?

I wasn't trying. I did.

I made an offer to publish her epic poem with annotations,

and, in exchange, she offered to change her will.

Sadly, she passed a week before going to her accountant

to seal the deal.

So why would you kill Delores

when you needed her to stay alive a week longer?

- Exactly. - ELSBETH: Did Gary know about this?

Discretion is important in our business.

But, yeah, I'm sure he did the math.

- That must've made him mad. - Oh, honey, we're all mad.

The arts are under attack.

Nobody buys books anymore.

Ooh, it all feels hopeless.

But Gary didn't seem hopeless.

Last time I saw him, he was redecorating his office.

You know, you're right.

He was in such a great mood the night of my benefit.

He even bid $12K on a trip to the Left Bank in Paris.

- And he won. - How did he afford that?

He must have been expecting some money to come in.

Hey.

I went to a benefit, too,

and the silent auction was all done digitally

on people's phones.

Do you have time stamps for when all the bids were placed?

Why, hello!

- Heard you were going on a trip. - (SIGHS)

But how are you buying such expensive luggage

- when the arts are under attack? - Are you following me?

Hannah told me where you'd be shopping.

Oh, how thoughtful of her. But, no, I'm not shopping.

I'm just browsing to clear my head

in between applying for grants.

- How can I help you, Elsbeth? - Oh.

I was wondering if I could see your phone.

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

You told the police that you called Delores back

after the line went dead.

And if that's the case, then that would be

- on your call log, right? - Uh, well,

I guess you'll just have to take my word for it.

Unless you have a warrant?

(CHUCKLES)

See, um...

thought you'd say that.

Which is why I got Delores's phone records.

And I won't take your word for it

because you didn't call her back.

And I think that's because you knew she was dead.

I didn't call her back

because I was waiting for her to call me back.

And when she didn't, I knew that something was wrong

and I thought a little poetic license

would get the cops' attention a little faster.

Mm.

That's very considerate of you.

But Fred said that you bid

on a luxurious Left Bank vacation at his silent auction.

You talked to Fred?

And according to the bidding time stamps, you did that minutes after

Delores's time of death.

Everyone knew she was leaving you something big in her will.

And it seemed like you were sure that payday was coming

when you offered up that...

$12K?

This is so vulgar.

I loved Delores for her artistic spirit.

I wasn't thinking about her money that night,

just her well-being.

Now, if you'll excuse me,

I have to get back to work.

And...

talking about this accident

is really upsetting.

I am not so sure it was an accident.

Delores didn't use her oxygen tank

except to get the best tables at nice restaurants.

Are you sure?

She never refilled the prescription.

We have to find out who did this.

Even though proving someone tampered with an oxygen tank

when Delores died tragically alone

sounds... incredibly difficult.

Difficult but not impossible.

Well, best of luck, Elsbeth.

What a tragedy.

I'm just so thankful that I can lean on my community

in times like this.

Oh, yes. You all seem so...

supportive of each other

and not cutthroat or competitive at all.

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

Oh, hey, maybe I'll see you at the reading of Delores's will.

They're always public.

Mm.

TABITHA: Up to this moment, I've been the only person

who's had access to all of Delores's financial records.

This won't... take long.

"I, Delores Drusilla Feinn,

"being of sound mind,

"do bequeath something to help The Pidgeon Print survive

for generations to come."

"My unpublished poetry."

(GASPING, MURMURING)

But that's not all.

Oh. Oh. Oh.

"I also leave the amount of

"$413.17,

less accounting fees."

The...

gift of her words is...

so much more than I could have ever imagined.

FRED: What about the rest of her estate?

(LAUGHING)

I'm sorry.

That's it.

There's nothing else.

That's all she had.

- And her apartment? - It was rent-controlled.

She paid $250 a month.

And she could only afford it

because she had all of you paying for her meals.

RIVERS: Well, Gary didn't get any money, so...

there goes your motive.

But he thought he would.

Yeah, well, try proving that.

(SIGHS)

- ELSBETH: Captain. - (WAGNER SCOFFS)

What is this?

I dug up some photos of oxygen tank explosions.

Notice how some of the victims have discoloration

- on the fabric of their sleeves. - Mm.

Why would that be?

No, I mean what is this?

ELSBETH: "Mysterious redhead."

RIVERS: Isn't that... you?

- You and Alec Bloom? - We met.

What?

We talked. Uh, that's all.

We had a nice time at the-the... thing.

Can we focus on Gary and not Alec, please?

Are you saying this because you're deflecting

or because you're that sure he did it?

Both things can be true.

(WAGNER SIGHS)

ELSBETH: Why did you fire Hannah?

I saw her leaving with a box of her things.

I had to let go of Hannah

because of unexpected budget cuts.

As in you expected to get money

in Delores's will and you didn't?

Actually, I've been diving into the unpublished works

of Delores.

It's been the only thing

inspiring me in these...

hectic and dark times.

I know what you mean.

I read this cover to cover, and, um,

I was so moved that...

...I wrote some poetry of my own.

Do you think that you could, um,

give me some feedback?

I would love to be published by you.

And, um, you must be looking for new donors.

Sure...

Elsbeth.

Read it to me.

Really?

Wow. Um...

This is called "Emotional W(HOLE)."

And that is with a "W."

Mm.

"Father.

"Father. Father.

"Father?

"Father.

(VOICE BREAKING): "Father. Father."

"Father. Father.

"Shoe rack.

"Mouse.

(GRAVELLY VOICE): Saddam Hussein."

That was terrible.

Don't sugarcoat it.

I want to learn.

It gestures to Sylvia Plath

in a way that makes me want to put my head in an oven.

It lacks any technique or structure

or emotional resonance.

And, frankly, your voice is the word salad of a toddler.

So you hate it?

So much.

And how dare you

dangle your support as a way to get yourself published

by my press.

I have standards.

Do better.

That's very interesting, because...

I actually didn't...

write that poem.

Delores did.

She submitted it

to Fred at Tumbleweed.

You lied?

Just used a little poetic license.

You were expecting something in that will, Gary.

That is the only reason you would publish

a voice that you hated so much.

Well, who cares if I hated it?!

The entire point of my job as the director of a nonprofit

is to keep it alive!

So you lied?

I was cultivating.

I was trying to encourage Delores

to donate to a worthy cause.

But that doesn't mean that I killed her.

It means that I debased myself in service to that goal!

Why? Because this world doesn't care about the finer things.

Because this world doesn't understand nonprofit.

Because profit is the only thing this world cares about!

Gary, what's happening in your field is awful.

It really is.

But I know that somebody

tampered with that oxygen tank,

and there must be

some way to prove it.

(DOOR OPENS)

I'm sorry about the misunderstanding in the paper,

but that's the press.

Yeah. But maybe when you get a chance,

you can clarify to the press that we're not an item?

Um, I'm afraid that's a no.

New York View hasn't endorsed us,

but they love gossip.

"Mysterious redhead" is a good story for our campaign.

But I don't want to be the mysterious redhead.

I have important work to do.

Marissa, we've known each other a long time.

I...

I thought I was your friend.

I-I don't want to be a story or...

a pawn.

I'm sorry. You're right.

I don't want to be that person.

Don't worry. We'll take care of it.

ALEC: Phew.

(CHUCKLES) Glad we got that out of the way.

- (CHUCKLES) - Now we can relax. Oh.

Want to see if Cooper's singing tonight?

That sounds like fun,

but there's something else I wanted to talk to you about.

As a candidate?

As a former fire marshal.

Hey, Steve. I'm here to pick up a box Delores left for me.

Oh. Yeah.

You know, I read some of it.

There's a lot going on there.

Sure is.

Beautiful.

- Thanks. - So, I guess

they're investigating this as a homicide now.

What? How do you know?

Redheaded woman who works with the NYPD

came by the other day to look through these.

Said that she was getting a warrant to check the clothes

of anybody who went into Delores's apartment

the day of the explosion.

Something about how oxygen discolors fabric.

I got to go.

(PANTING) I need my tweed jacket.

- Ticket, please. - (SIGHS)

My assistant has it, but I had to fire her.

So she's not speaking to me.

- Not my problem. - I need you to find it. Now.

I...

This is what it looks like.

(PANTING)

Please! I'm begging you.

I don't see it.

GARY: Listen to me.

My life

depends on me finding that jacket.

Do you understand?

If the wrong people get their hands on it,

my life, my-my press, is over.

Your jacket isn't here, Gary.

Hannah gave us the ticket so we could send it to the lab

- for testing. - What lab?

Why does my jacket need testing?

Because you murdered Delores Feinn

after you found out you were losing her to Tumbleweed.

That's not true.

Delores was important to me.

Only because you thought you were in her will.

And you killed her before she could change it.

You still think I tampered with Delores's oxygen tank?

I was at Fred's benefit the night she died.

Remember?

I couldn't have killed her

and have been on the phone with her.

That just means that you left before she...

(CLICKS TONGUE) lit a cigarette.

Oxygen can take hours

to saturate the air.

When you called her back later that night though,

she picked up, alive.

And that's when you coaxed her into her writing nook.

This is preposterous.

As her editor, you knew

if you could just get Delores to write,

she would make her way

to that same spot,

light up... (MIMICS LIGHTER)

And boom.

But if it weren't for

a certain former fire marshal telling me

how oxygen discolors the fibers on fabric,

I never would have thought to check the sleeves

of your tweed jacket.

Oh, uh, by the way,

I'm the one who told Steve the doorman

to tell you about the warrant.

Because I really needed to get you here...

...so that I could read you this little poem

that I actually wrote.

Okay. (CLEARING THROAT)

"The sleeves of your jacket are faded,

"but they are supposed to be...

"plaided.

"Just admit it, pal,

"you opened the valve

"and Delores fell for the trap you...

baited."

Just because it sort of rhymes

doesn't mean it's poetry.

And your meter is a mess.

Oh, yeah. That may be true.

But, Gary, the discoloration on your sleeves proves

that your jacket was exposed to oxygen

when you... (SMACKS LIPS, HISSES)

Tampered with the tank.

Oh, Delores was torturing me for years.

And she didn't even have any money.

(LAUGHS)

I'm glad I killed her.

- Ah. - (CHUCKLES)

May, can we please have Gary's jacket now?

W-Wait, what's going on here?

I thought you said my jacket was at the lab.

Oh. Sorry.

That was poetic license.

As was the warrant.

Pure oxygen can discolor fabric

when it's exposed to cleaning supplies.

But Delores never cleaned her oxygen tank

because she never used it.

So, as you can see...

...your jacket's fine.

- Too bad you already confessed though. - Mm.

Gary Pidgeon, you are under arrest

for the murder of Delores Feinn.

(SIGHS)

You know, maybe you would've

realized that I was bluffing if you knew more about chemistry.

- (CHUCKLES SOFTLY) - But science is under attack!

What's gonna happen to The Pidgeon Print?

I mean, Gary may have been a murderer,

but the press was a literary treasure.

ELSBETH: Oh, it lives on.

Their Instagram announced

that Hannah Lee is taking over as director,

thanks to a special endowment from Lee Dental Floss.

- Mm. - (KNOCKING)

Hey, you.

(JULIA AND RIVERS CHUCKLE)

Ready for lunch?

- (GROANS) - ELSBETH: You know, Captain,

Detective Rivers really listened to me,

and he backed me up this time.

- That's my man. - (CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

Sounds like the results of mandatory HR training to me.

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

(JULIA GIGGLES)

(GROANS)

Hi!

Hey. I wanted to run something by you.

Oh. Yeah, I wanted to run something by you, too.

Why hasn't Alec made a statement saying

that he and the mysterious redhead are just friends?

Because I won't let him.

Don't tell Alec,

but I'm the one who leaked the photos in the first place.

You?

I said I didn't want to be that person.

Turns out, I am that person.

I need you to listen to me carefully.

It's super important that you don't make any moves

or talk to anyone about this unless I tell you to.

Elsbeth Tascioni,

the future of New York is in your hands.

sync and corrections by solfieri www.addic7ed.com