Original subtitles

Did he have any enemies? Anyone who wanted to hurt him?

No. Nobody.

Oh, my God, his wife.

Oh, Luciana, I heard on the news there was some kind of shooting.

Oh, Mrs. Brophy.

It was...

Mrs. Brophy?

Yes?

If it's all right, we'd like to ask questions.

Whatever you need.

A shooting has occurred at the Oregon Culinary Institute.

The body of Daniel Brophy, found dead...

Shocked to find the body of the loved chef and teacher, Daniel Brophy.

Found dead, and the killer is still at large.

Is there anybody that would...?

You know, wanted to do something to your husband?

Everybody I've heard from so far is like, "This is a nice guy."

Everybody loved Daniel.

But nobody as much as I did.

He was just the most wonderful, generous person I ever knew.

As a romantic suspense writer,

I spend a lot of time thinking about murder.

Mayhem and gore come naturally to me,

which means that my husband has learned to sleep with one eye open.

But I find it easier to wish people dead than to actually kill them.

Which, fellow scribes, brings me to the topic of today's post...

Grind of black pepper?

I trust the chef.

Every one of us is capable of murder, if we get far enough out on a limb.

Coriander?

I knew I married the right woman.

The only question is, do we have the goods to pull it off?

After all, if the murderer's supposed to set your character free,

she doesn't want to spend any time in jail,

and let me say, clearly, for the record,

I don't like jumpsuits, and orange isn't my color.

Did you sleep good tonight?

Oh, yeah. What are you gonna do today?

Are you gonna go to the office? What about you?

Anyhow, back to my latest masterpiece.

When last seen,

Laura had just discovered the terrible truth about Curtis.

You are nothing without my money!

I would rather starve than spend another cent of it.

And now everyone will know where it came from.

Oh, will they?

Get back here!

You'll never get away from me!

Hey.

Laura!

You look like somebody who needs a ride.

Laura, don't do this!

Laura, stop!

"As the car raced into the night,

Laura forced herself not to look backward to the life she was leaving behind,

but forward, to the future, and whatever danger it might hold."

So that's the end of chapter one. Sets it all flying, don't you think?

Oh, Nancy.

That was so...

improved.

And nobody can say Nancy Crampton-Brophy

isn't bold, bold, bold.

The courage it takes to throw logic to the winds like you do?

Laura knows how many guns Curtis has.

Once she finds out his secret,

on what planet would she confront him on it all alone?

And then she just happens to get saved by a stranger,

who just happens to drive by in his cherry-red hotrod.

You want gritty realism, watch a documentary.

It's supposed to be escapist entertainment.

You know, somehow, against all odds,

Nora manages to entertain half a billion people worldwide,

and has her plots make sense.

Okay, okay.

Next up is the latest chapter

in volume three of The Rosecroft Legacy.

"Nico stood on the balcony, watching Prince Florestan

slash his sword at invisible enemies in the courtyard below.

How was it possible that a man with so dark and tempestuous a heart

could hold the key to his?"

Rib?

- Flank. - Yeah.

Shank.

You got the easy ones out of the way.

Brisket?

Brisket.

- Could've cooked you one by now. - Okay, it's...

I'm halfway through a horseradish cream sauce that goes with it.

Here.

Top round.

Sirloin.

- Done. - Yeah.

Oh, look sharp, everybody. Management's here...

And what do we say?

Hello, management.

Okay, Gordon Ramsay,

tell me which way the grain runs on each one of these cuts.

You know how sensitive you are.

I'm sure they didn't hate it.

Trust and believe, they did.

Like it was smallpox.

- You don't know jealousy when you see it? - It's not only that.

It's what came in the mail.

Another love letter from an agent.

"Weakness in the plotting"?

What a load of bull.

Agents are lazy.

Why take a chance on someone as fresh and original as you, right?

Look, I gotta teach hollandaise in three minutes.

You think maybe you have some passages in your book

that need some...

proofreading?

You know, I just might.

"Jason's warm lips teased Laura's in the wickedest way.

He lifted her off the ground

and aligned her soft core with his length.

His rough jeans abused her hot center in ways to delicious to..."

"To" should be t-o-o, with two o's.

Thank you.

"Too delicious to contemplate.

Her body arched into his, and her nipple..."

- Fennel. - Fennel.

Thank God. Twenty seconds this side of compost.

- Daniel? - That doesn't sound good.

Duck livers? Seriously?

Were your ears clogged when I told you how tight the margin is on this one?

Duck liver mousse, Nancy.

What better way to celebrate the happiest day of their lives?

We're trying to run a business here.

We didn't go into this to save every last dime.

We did it to bring beauty and flavor into the world.

I don't know why I stress over this stuff.

I should let you figure out how to keep the business from going toes up,

which it is teetering every second on the brink of doing.

Honey.

I know this stuff triggers for you, but I swear to you,

a few extra bucks on a wedding

will not zap you back to roaches in the garbage.

Not the garbage.

The stacked-up newspapers.

They dug tunnels and built condos.

Well, after we get some pomegranate glaze on this fennel...

how about we get back to proofreading?

You glaze.

Maybe I'll get some writing done

and I won't feel like the whole day went down the drain.

There you go, Cal. Nice big slab.

Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Brophy.

Your boy makes a damn fine Irish stew.

Everything I know, I learned from my mom.

Well, almost everything.

Hi, Nancy. How's it going?

Not so good, Jack.

Hi, Karen.

Hey, what's wrong?

The Lamberts got cold feet, the engagement party's off,

they want their deposit back, and we can't make payroll.

The bank's making us liquidate. We're finished.

It's okay, we'll work it out.

Nancy, we always do.

Actually, no, Daniel, this time, it's not okay.

You have no concept of how close we are to the edge.

What if something happened to me?

Do you even know we have life insurance on each other?

I know what will happen.

I'll be dead, and you'll be leaving money on the table.

Nancy. You're going into a spin.

Nobody's dying here.

- Just going dead broke. - So we'll downsize.

I don't wanna downsize. I wanna upsize.

I want us to travel,

and drink rosé on the beach in Portugal,

and live a big, juicy, exciting life before time runs out.

My Portugal is right here, with you.

And our lives are as juicy and exciting as I can take.

Well, right now, my excitement's gonna be finding some cash,

'cause the credit card wolves are scraping at the door.

Everything's gonna be fine.

It always is.

- You were saying? - Maybe it just needs a jump?

No, I know that sound.

That sound is $1100 the other side of a jump.

Nancy, listen, the church just gave us a new truck to haul the food around,

so the van's yours if you want it.

Really, Mom? Are you sure?

Can't think of a better home for the old girl than with you guys.

I don't know what to say.

How about, "Hand over the keys"?

Oh, Karen, thank you so much.

Oh, man, it sucks that you guys are up against it.

- How much do you think you need? - It's not catastrophic yet.

Mortgage, some bills. Enough to tide us over.

Look, yeah, I mean, with the equity you've got in the policies,

after fees and penalties,

the most you're gonna pull out is a couple thou.

- That's it? - At best.

While reducing the payoff by a whole lot more.

I counsel strongly against it.

Not just as your insurance guy, but as your friend.

Hey, come on.

Cheer up, Nance. Life is all about the actuarial tables.

All right, let's see.

Daniel's 60, doesn't smoke, shade overweight,

goes for that extra glass of cab.

Policy on him is, what, about 40K?

Let's see.

Yeah, you hang on for 23 more years, you have enough to pay off the bills

and take a nice vacation in sunny Portugal.

That's about as far from funny as anything I've ever heard.

Sorry. That's bad taste.

Hey.

You know what? If you are looking for extra income,

how about a job with me?

You love insurance, and you've been buying policies since...

- When? - Since before I ever knew

I'd have a husband.

Exactly. I mean, you know more about it than half the people in my office.

What do you say?

Thanks, Joe.

I don't think so.

Please, God, I'm begging you.

I'll sweep garbage in Siberia, I'll clean latrines in hell, just please,

please don't make drone-in-a-cubicle my only option.

Do you think there's anything

the management can't figure out if she sets her mind to it?

That's what I always tell her, but does she believe me?

Ask him how much of the mortgage he thinks I can get away without paying.

I'm sorry, but I have no head for figures.

You know, screw you.

I'm sick of being patted on the head and sent on my way.

Should I get my Kevlar on?

You know, there's a tech billionaire born every minute in this town.

I don't wanna do it, Nancy.

No shinier status symbol than private chef.

- They'll pay through the nose. - And then they think they own you, 24/7.

It's...

"I have a hankering for swallow's tongue in blackberry truffle sauce. Go fetch."

Then they scarf it down in two seconds. It's soul-killing.

I wanna teach kids what good food, real food, can do for them.

Well, I'm glad you think beggars can be choosers.

Hang on, hang on. Nancy, you know Port View?

The nursing home in Cresthaven?

Well, if they're offering a bed I can crawl into,

I'm packing my bags.

I could get a job on the night shift, in the kitchen.

It's a lot of pureed carrots, but would it help?

Anything would.

Thank you, Daniel.

- Would you still need to find something? - And fast.

You don't know how lucky you are.

I'd give my left arm to make money doing what I love.

Why don't you try doing what I love?

Nobody's gonna pay me to mess up their dinner for them.

That's not all I love.

Of course. Teaching.

All those baby writers out there, hungry for pearls of wisdom,

and I've got more of them than Tiffany's.

There you go.

Good morning, ladies.

Interested in learning the tricks of the trade?

All the details are on my website.

Nancy.

This is genius.

I wish I'd thought of it. In fact, maybe I will.

You won't mind the competition?

Nan, do you still have that switchblade you got

when you were doing the stalker in Careful What You Wish For?

- I'll bring it next meeting. - Awesome.

I need to get the killer's moves right in Princess in Paradise.

I'll trade you the night goggles I got for Blood and Roses.

That'll be great.

Haven't received your RSVP for HeartCon in Vegas yet.

We're all splitting a penthouse at Caesars for the two nights.

Pricey, but you've gotta live the legend.

I've got so much going on right now.

You know, the keynote speaker is Nora herself.

Plus world-class networking. Like, every agent on the planet.

Put you down for a "yes"?

Try and stop me.

- Ciao. - Bye.

I don't know, Nance.

You think now is the best time to ask your brother for money?

He just won some massive class-action thing.

He's flush.

Have you called to ask how his chemo's going?

Of course I have.

And I don't think I like the way you asked that.

Marriages are complicated things.

My husband and I love being married.

We love being married to each other.

Just not every day.

Oh, my Lord, you are a sight for sore eyes.

Thanks for coming, Nance.

- How was your flight? - Great, if I was a sardine.

I'll take this.

- Hey. - Hey.

He's excited to see you, but try not to tire him out, okay?

He's not as strong as he wants us to think.

Okay.

This plum sauce, did you make it yourself?

Do you think she'd trust anything in a jar?

No way.

So tell me what's happening with the kids.

Well, Mark Jr., is blazing through his sophomore year at UT,

majoring in bio,

and Sarah is burning down the towers of the mighty in law school.

- I'm so proud of her. - Thrilled to hear they're doing well.

Jennifer, do you think you could make me that amazing Vietnamese iced coffee?

I'll have to brew some, but sure.

Thank you.

Now, tell me about your big case. Did you grind their noses into the ground?

We did okay.

I'm just gonna help Jen with the coffee.

It's Lucy and the football, every time.

Look, I know how much you love her,

but you are her brother, not her ATM.

We'd better get back.

Yeah, so the case, we did pretty good on the award,

but taxes were a bitch,

and the market's so crazy right now, we...

I just put whatever I had left into a two-bedroom in South Padre.

So condo-rich, cash poor.

Wise choice.

Your coffee will be ready in a few minutes.

Thank you so much.

How much tarragon?

One-fourth cup tarragon or to taste.

Basically meaning we're on our own.

Well, if we want to make it like they do in España,

I found a killer two-week cooking class in Barcelona.

And miss the adventure of figuring it out in our own kitchen?

- Plus... - I know, I'm the one who keeps saying

the belt's so tight, we're running out of holes to put the buckle in.

Well, maybe you should hold off on the fun in Vegas

till we're back on our feet?

Fun's got nothing to do with it.

Make the right connection and I can get my book out there.

And you know what that could mean.

You're just afraid if you don't go,

your friends will spend the whole time talking about you.

Well, they will.

Next time you go to one of these things, the keynote speaker is gonna be you.

Yes.

Here is to the master of us all, Lady Diana Gabaldon,

and her three pillars of wisdom.

May they guide us always on our literary paths.

All together now.

"Read a lot, write a lot, and never, never stop."

Sorry, your card didn't go through.

That's an old one, I should've cut it up and tossed it.

- Here you go. - Thank you.

This one seems to be having a problem too.

I must have forgotten to tell them I was going out.

- If you could put it on my room... - I'm sorry, we can't really do that.

Don't worry about it, Nan. I'll cover it.

Thank you. I'll pay it back as soon as I get home.

Oh, whenever you're ready to.

You'll get through this rough patch.

I know you will.

You all look beautiful today.

Those are your cold leads, and that's the script,

but don't sound like you're reading it.

Somebody gets abusive, you hang up, move on to the next call.

It's all about the next call.

You'll do great.

Your character's going along,

living her life like the normal person she is.

So, what's the shove that pushes her out of normal?

Everybody talks about the last straw, the one that breaks the camel's back.

The bigger question is, what's the first straw?

Is it possible Daniel owed somebody money?

Maybe your family was in some kind of financial difficulty?

You show me somebody who's never in a financial bind,

I'll show you Melinda Gates.

Can you imagine the allowance she gets every month?

Unless Bill turns out to be Ebenezer Scrooge

for the digital age, and...

Oh, God, there I go.

Like, Daniel always says, "Stay on topic, Nancy.

Don't go down the rabbit hole."

I can hear him now.

And the look on his face.

But anyway, Daniel and I were doing just fine.

Do I have the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Mitchell Krayton?

Whatever you're selling, save your breath.

Not selling a thing, cross my heart.

Just responding to the card you sent to us at Sutton Murray insurance,

expressing interest in a high-gain investment-based policy.

I didn't send you squat.

Actually, you did, as you can see right here, it shows you...

Sheila! How many times have I told you not to answer every goddamn piece

of goddamn crap that comes in the door?

Hey, Joe.

Remember the policy you sold to Chuck and Belinda Ledbetter?

Do I ever.

Commission saved our butts on two months of mortgage,

plus a bite out of...

Nancy. Look, they got a better deal and exercised the 30-day opt-out.

This blows big-time, but you have to pay back the commission.

And what about you, Mrs. Brophy? Any enemies on your side?

Someone who might try to get to you by hurting your husband?

Me?

The only enemies I've got are the New York literary agents

who won't give me the time of day.

Oh, you're a writer?

Oh, yes, cranking out the titles, getting better with every book.

And they weren't so shabby to start with.

- Oh, honey. - Yeah, yeah, I know.

"These jerks wouldn't know genius if it bit them on the ass."

They wouldn't, or they would love your book.

Don't. Just...

do not.

- Nancy... - What?

You're happy when you're writing your books, right?

Yeah, like I'm doing exactly what I was put on the earth to do.

And that's what I see,

and you know I love reading what you come up with, right?

Well, the hot parts.

There are a lot of those.

So isn't that enough?

That it makes you happy to do it, and it's something we can share?

What does it matter if the books get published?

- What are you trying to say? - What I said.

What matters is that it makes you happy to do it.

Like it was some kind of craft project?

Like knitting or macrame? Is that what my writing is to you?

- Nancy... - All those years,

you tell you me how much you love what I write,

and now I find out, the whole time, you were secretly thinking it was crap!

I never pretended. I always love what you write.

I'm just saying who cares if anybody else does?

Right! Because it's all just Nancy's cute, little hobby!

- That is not what I'm saying! - Yes, it is!

You don't know me at all. You have no idea who I am.

I'll tell you what I do know.

That there is no making you happy.

We built this beautiful life, this house, the garden.

After 27 years, we can't keep our hands off each other.

How many people you know still have that?

But you could be Shakespeare and Warren Buffett rolled into one,

it still wouldn't be enough.

Oh, yes, this dazzling house,

the science experiments growing in the floor tiles.

Oh, forgive me, your Royal Highness,

I'm so sorry our palace is not up to your standards.

I'm not gonna even dignify this with an exit line.

You just did.

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry, Nancy.

I know how this sounded, but truly, truly, truly,

that's not what I meant.

I want us to be happy. Together.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

I didn't mean it. I know how it sounded.

I'm sorry. I truly, truly am.

Ditto, it's just, sometimes...

I've got...

some panko-crusted tenderloin roasting.

Will be ready in 15 minutes.

Yeah?

Yeah.

I'll be down for it in a minute, hon, okay?

Okay.

Make sure your heroine is never without a plan.

Just when things are getting as bad as they can get,

presto, she finds another card to pull out of her sleeve.

Screw New York. I'm over those idiots.

I'm self-publishing Hearts On Fire.

That's super brave, Nancy.

I mean, wow, you gotta remember what that means.

It means I'm the captain of my own ship.

It also disqualifies you from entering the Crystal Rose.

Like I give a damn about winning some dumb-ass contest.

Okay, but you know,

once you take that step, there's no taking it back.

Agents and publishers won't go near you

unless the book is already a big hit on its own.

Too much.

Not enough.

And Goldilocks said, "just right."

I've got four words for you.

Fifty Shades of Grey.

Started out self-published,

and how fast did vintage books come crawling?

How's this for the blurb?

"The story of a man who thinks he's in charge,

and the woman who really is."

It's awesome, Nancy.

Awesome is nothing without five-star reviews.

They'll come.

Corn bread and homemade blackberry jam?

If you're making it, I'm eating it.

Hey, Nance.

Hey, Mark. How's it going down there?

I fell off the wagon. Bad.

It's killing Jennifer.

Plus, I feel like crap.

I'm afraid to go see my doctor.

Mark, I'm so sorry.

But that's not why you're calling.

It's just, I'm publishing my book online, and it's all about the algorithm.

How many stars you get, so if I send the link, could you...?

Count on me for a rave.

Thank you, and bless you. And call that doctor.

Things were good, Mrs. Brophy?

No big changes in your life?

You and Mr. Brophy were happy?

It's like everybody always told me. I was the luckiest girl alive.

And then we'll have the treasurer's report,

and I know Sandra is supposed to share

a new chapter of Saratoga Spring with us.

But first, if there are any announcements, now's the time.

- I can... - My book's off to a promising start.

Reviews are trickling in, and today, my Amazon rank for romantic suspense

jumped from 230,000 to 171,000.

Next stop? 100K.

Congrats, Nance.

- Thank you, Gary, and a good read... - Oh, Frances, you were saying?

I can't believe this is happening.

I mean, I have been pinching myself all day,

but Pilgrim Soul made the finals for the Crystal Rose, and...

And five minutes after I got the call,

I got a call from a 212 number, and it...

It was Portia Dellavecchia in New York,

calling to say she wanted to take me on,

and she wanted to sell my book to the big boys,

and she said that she thinks she can get $500,000.

Thank you. Oh, thank you. Thank you.

- Oh, there it is. - Thank you.

Did I hit the wildflower mother lode, or what?

You know what these are called? You won't believe it.

"Rosy Pussytoes." Is that not perfect?

And these beauties, look at these.

This is "Western Pearly Everlasting."

Can you believe it?

For you, my rosy pussy-toed,

western-pearly-everlasting bride.

It's the little things that push you toward the edge.

- Oh, my God, what happened? - Nothing, it's just a cut.

Oh, right on time.

Are we expecting somebody?

Don't you remember? Honey, where's your head?

Hey, hey, hey.

Come on in.

Hello.

Hey, son, how are you doing? Oh, my little girl.

Hey, Mom! Hey, Dad!

This little shrumpkin.

Who's grandpa's favorite shrumpkin?

So crazy. Right in front of me.

Three generations of Brophys.

And I'm probably next in line.

The chef arrived.

The thing that drives normal people to do abnormal things is pain.

And what's more painful than seeing other people have fun

when you feel like yesterday's scrambled eggs.

Cheers!

Did I tell you about the time I met her family?

The whole family's standing there, what she says, and everybody hears it.

"Hi, I guess I picked the short straw."

I could have died.

I love you. I love everybody.

Be honest with me.

Was the apple-rhubarb pie everything it could be?

I should have browned the butter.

What about the crust? Did you like it?

How do you think I'll look in a bikini on the beach in Portugal when I'm 87?

As beautiful as you did the day I met you.

And why 87 specifically?

That's how old I'll be in 23 years.

I'm sorry, did I miss the beginning of this thread?

Daniel.

- What'd I do wrong? - Nothing.

You know, Candy and Dave?

They got half a mil for their shack, and Barb Flanagan subdivided

and got 450 for each half.

Nancy...

Would you please just hear me out? We're at the top of the market.

- If we sell the place right now... - Sounds great.

- What? - I said sounds great.

Oh, wow. That's amazing.

Let's do it, Daniel.

Let's sell everything and be glamorous expats, you know?

Like Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda?

You mean drink ourselves to death?

I mean live awesome lives in a gorgeous place.

France is too expensive, but I've been looking at Portugal.

We could live near the beach, and drink rosé, and...

And be 10,000 miles from the kids, or my parents?

Yes, let's sell, for every dime we could get,

but let's find a beautiful, little place right here in the foothills,

where we can plant grapevines, and fruit trees...

And live in what? A tent?

No, one of these.

It's a...

It's a tiny house. Hold on.

Hold on, hold on, hold on. Got it!

The brochure.

Look at this.

Everything you could ever want in 450 square feet.

Except room to stand up.

- It's got an 8-foot ceiling. - Not in that sleeping shelf.

- Oh, that means we can cuddle. - Get away from me.

I'm in no mood to cuddle.

Did you see how I looked when you walked in the door today?

Do you even see me at all anymore?

I always see you.

You see your idea of me.

Nancy...

My whole life...

All the years I've worked, everything I've ever done,

the catering, my book...

this marriage.

And you think a chicken coop with a microwave is all I deserve?

And I haven't worked? Two jobs!

To pay for the credit cards that you ran up to the sky!

Oh, good move. Shame me with your sacrifice.

Look, I'm sorry.

This is crazy.

I love you.

Well, right now, I hate you!

Not good at all, but it has a good start.

- It's terrible. - It's bad.

What a waste of money. Do not buy.

Five hundred thousand dollars.

I'm sorry. I tried to, but this writer can't plot a story to save her life.

Oh, yeah?

If somebody tells you the thought of solving their problems

by making somebody in their life go away never crossed their mind,

they're lying.

Your challenge is to capture the moment

that the idea first floats into your character's head.

You'll always be trapped.

You'll never get out.

There's only way you're gonna be happy.

Happy and free.

How did you know to come down here today?

Shooting was on the news, and my mother-in-law called

and asked me to come down and check it out.

And when you got here, the student you spoke to

filled you in on what happened?

The shooting, how the body was found, all that?

No, I just got here, and...

Why are you asking?

Oh, no reason, just...

You know, you didn't ask about any of that.

- I hope it's nothing serious. - Oh, no, thank you, he'll be fine.

It's just, you know, working two jobs has been taking a terrible physical toll.

So we're hoping for a slight reduction in the mortgage payment,

just till Daniel's back up to speed.

How much of a reduction would help?

Like $300?

- Would that work? - Yes, no problem.

- Thank you. - You're welcome.

Bless you.

- Bye now. - Bye.

I've only got a half-hour before I trudge off to my night job.

Can this paperwork wait?

Just one quick autograph and I'm out of your hair.

Don't we already have insurance?

Investment value.

Beats the heck out of the stock market.

Doesn't the investment only pay off when I'm dead?

Well, you'd want me taken care of, wouldn't you?

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

Okay.

Once your motive is locked in, the question turns to choice of weapon.

I was thinking, braised endive and roast duck with cherries,

but all I've got the will for is grilled steak.

I hope that's okay?

Stabbing?

Only if you wanna get close enough for them to stab you.

And who's gonna clean up all that blood?

Y-o-u, that's who.

Whoa, you're hitting a tipping point here, Nancy.

Between what and what?

Well, you've got, like, eight life-insurance policies already?

If you put the money you're paying in premiums into something here and now,

bonds, blue-chip stocks, anything,

you and Daniel would be on a whole lot solider ground.

You know what lousy savers we are.

If it's premiums we have to pay, we don't have a choice.

- Nance. - What?

I'm really worried about you.

- I'm fine. I'm great. - Are you?

Do you have any idea how good you've got it?

A beautiful house, all these books pouring out of your brain,

a husband who can't get enough of you.

Why not tell tomorrow to go to hell

and smell the roses right under your nose right now?

I've got a plan, Joe.

I need to stick to it.

- One more John Hancock. - Didn't I already sign this?

This one's a cash-value policy.

Nice, fat piggy bank for a rainy day.

How bad is the rain?

Is the port view job even helping?

I feel like my students are getting half of me.

Half of you is twice anybody else.

There's always strangling with piano wire, a classic.

But for my taste, a touch melodramatic.

Hey, honey.

- How was work? - I'm too zonked to know.

Hey, I could use a really big favor right now.

Anything.

Feed the chickens?

Blow to the head with a blunt object?

This would require a cast-iron skillet

to be within easy reach right when you need it.

Well, I did say anything.

Thanks, sweetheart.

Paint job's not bad, actually.

Better than I feared.

You might...

And I do say might, get 425 for it.

Only if you do something about that nightmare backyard.

They're gonna wreck it. They're gonna make it suburban.

You want top dollar for the house, don't you?

- What is that? - Calm down, it's not Agent Orange.

It's just plain, old, everyday garden-variety herbicide.

What if whoever buys the house wants to grow stuff to eat?

Don't go anywhere near where they spray, okay?

Spread the word.

Poison? Not a sure thing.

Too little? Too much?

Your mother always told you to marry a doctor.

Now you know why.

Answer on the re-fi.

I've been trying to get a better rate.

- Everything okay? - Totally.

If we're going to your parents', we probably should get our Santa hats on,

don't you think?

I called and begged off.

I gotta get to Port View. They got me on the night shift.

- On Christmas Eve? - Pays double time.

But I've got a surprise for you, sweetheart.

- Yeah? - I know how hard you work

and how much you long for faraway places,

so I got you something I know you're gonna love.

My Christmas present to you is...

Drum roll, please?

A getaway...

to Portugal.

I got the tickets right here.

Portuguese national dish.

It's spelled "linguica,"

but it's pronounced "link-ee-kah,"

which is probably why they call sausages "links,"

now that I think of it.

Lisbon on a plate.

And this way, the pork gets the jet lag, not us.

I'll grill them up real quick before I take off, okay?

When it comes down to it,

sometimes, there's no better option than the obvious.

The gold standard. The sure thing.

Did Daniel own any kind of gun?

Because that might indicate he was under some kind of threat,

which could lead us to a suspect.

We most certainly do own a gun.

Everybody was all, "Ooh..." after that shooting in Florida.

- Parkland. - That's the one.

I kind of surveyed people,

and it turned out everybody had a gun except us.

So I went down and bought one.

And here's the very thing.

When I got it home, neither one of us wanted it.

And it's still in my closet.

And it still has the little plastic band around the trigger thing.

And we never even bought bullets for it.

You bought the gun when?

Oh, way back. Christmas.

Christmas? You're certain of that?

Yes. I was celebrating.

Wasn't Parkland a couple of months later, like...

- February. - Yeah.

February.

So many damn shootings.

Not too much kickback in this?

Just enough to show you've got some power.

Bit of practice, it'll get like swatting a fly.

Sounds great.

So, I'm a romance novelist,

and I'm buying the gun

so I get the details right in something I'm writing.

Glamorous.

Would I have read any of your books?

Maybe not yet, but you will someday.

So I have this idea that instead of the character hiding the gun,

they're like, "Hey, police, I have a gun, look, here it is!"

Which would totally throw them off the scent, right?

Totally.

So, is there a way the character can clean their gun

so it's like it was never used?

Actually, no,

but if your killer was smart, there's one thing he could do.

She.

Even better.

After she fires the gun,

she swaps out the slide and the barrel

for the same parts of the same model?

Presto.

Clean as the light of day.

Shit. It's the wrong Glock.

You have the why.

You have the how.

Now, for the all-important when and where.

"In the event of death at the insured's place of employment,

an additional payment of $100,000 is due."

Hey, you've got your big mock restaurant opening coming up soon.

Live Fire, right?

- Is there a problem with that? - I just get so worried.

I mean, with all the crime downtown these days,

and you'll be alone for a whole hour,

setting up for the kids, right?

- Nobody else in the building? - Just like every month,

and so far, my head is still attached to my neck.

- What's the date this month? - 31st.

A week from Saturday.

A week from Saturday?

No matter how ready your character thinks she is,

a dry run is a good idea.

Before you shoot, troubleshoot.

Scope the territory.

Honey...

Don't creep up on a guy like that.

I'm so sorry.

I was on my way to see a client,

and all of a sudden, nature called,

so I decided to stop in here and use the facilities.

- I'm glad you stopped by. - You're lucky it was me.

Anybody could have walked in here off the streets.

- Are there even security cameras here? - I've never seen any.

We're not a major target for theft.

- Nancy... - What?

It makes me so happy that you're worried about me.

These days...

I don't know...

There was a time when you wouldn't come by just to use the bathroom.

I know. All the stress...

It's too much for both of us.

There is a school holiday next month, on the 23rd.

Why don't we drive up to Spanish cove?

Michelin-star restaurant?

Fireplace in the bedroom?

We need it.

A lot.

Awesome idea.

I'll book it.

Thanks.

Read it to me.

Whatever sentence you just wrote.

Okay, you asked for it.

"And then Marshall arrived,

and her non-orgasmic body cranked out climaxes

like a Pachinko machine on the fritz."

Beautiful.

So rare to find polyozellos this close to the ocean.

Daniel Brophy, you could find mushrooms on the moon.

Catch.

I'm always blown away at how you keep coming up with stories.

Book after book after book.

Story's easy.

For you.

For anybody.

Next thing you see on the ground, pick it up.

Okay.

Let's see here...

What do you see?

Old piece of glass.

Yeah, but there's a reason somebody dropped it out here in the woods.

Oregon trail passed through here...

Keep going.

Maybe there was a westbound wagon train,

filled with men, women and children, headed for a new life.

And the wagon master was a cruel and wicked man,

who would seize young girls from the campfire,

bring them to his wagon, and have his wicked way with them.

But one girl fought back.

She smashed his bottle of whiskey

and stabbed him with this jagged edge.

And the pioneers left him on the trail

with the shard of glass that killed him still in his neck.

And 150 years later...

With you, every time is like the first time.

The first time was pretty great.

What if your character has a change of heart?

What if suddenly she can't do it?

I would love to keep going, but that's all the time we have for today.

So, let me conclude with this.

Don't write the novel that you think the market wants to buy,

write the novel that you want to read.

It was great talking with you.

And I hope I've been at least a little bit of help.

Oh, Ms. Halsey? Ms. Halsey.

Hi. I'm Nancy Brophy.

I belong to the romance writers of western Oregon,

and I had to talk to you before you took off.

If you want me to look at your manuscript, you need to send it to my office.

Where it will land in a slush pile

and lay there until it grows old,

takes courses to keep its mind sharp and dies.

Please, Ms. Halsey, I need you to give me this chance.

I... I've read every single romance novel ever published

in the last ten years,

and I swear, I'm better than half of them,

and I'm just as good as the other half.

I swear on it on... Barbara Cartland's fuzzy pink slippers!

- You need to swear on one more thing. - Anything.

That you will never tell anybody I said I would read your book.

Oh, my God.

It may take a beat, but I will get back to you, okay?

Oh, my info's on the title page.

I can't thank you enough for this.

If it's great, then that's all the thanks I'll need.

- Good night. - Good night.

She'll get in touch with you when she has had the chance

to take a look at your material.

I'll take those.

Sharon Halsey's office.

Yes, Mrs. Brophy,

I gave her your messages. I promise she will get in touch with you

as soon as she has had the chance to take a look at your material. Okay?

Sharon Halsey's office.

Do you know what you're doing when you keep saying...

Mrs. Brophy! If you'd just listen to me...

Sharon Halsey's office.

When you keep saying she's going to call, you're lying to me.

Mrs. Brophy...

Yes...

Mrs. Brophy, if you would listen...

No, you listen to me. Do you know what you're doing

when you keep saying, "She's going to call"? You're lying to me.

Are you proud of that?

Tell her I called.

Hey. What's up?

Nothing good. Starting with chemo.

I told Jennifer she had to take care of herself.

She'd have to be on her own.

This house is like a morgue without her.

I call my sponsor twice a day...

Mark, I have to go. It's a big work thing.

I'll call you right back.

Nancy Brophy, hello.

First of all, it's completely uncalled for to yell at my assistant,

but I did get a chance to read your book,

and here's where we're at.

The problem comes down to plotting.

You put your characters in these great dilemmas,

but they don't actually do anything anyone would really do to get out of them.

Your book is simply not of publishable quality.

We thank you for sending us...

Here we go.

Easy on the maple-glazed carrots, folks.

I made them special for Nancy.

I can't wait to see the look on her face when she digs in.

All righty.

Up to the last second,

your character needs to be like all of us.

Somebody who doesn't think she could ever actually go through with it.

Until she does.

- Join me for coffee? - I gotta take off.

- Early-morning client? - Yeah.

That trout I've been curing should be ready to go.

Breakfast of kings.

What time did your husband leave the house?

He's an early riser. Gets up, feeds the chickens.

He left... I'm gonna say...

Seven-ish, maybe 7:05?

And when did you see him after that? Did you have breakfast with him?

I didn't get out of bed.

Hey, management! Another bathroom stop?

Just wanted to stop by.

Are you okay?

- Why wouldn't I be okay? - No reason, just...

Seriously, Nancy, did something happen?

Don't worry about me, Daniel. You've got a lot to do. Go on and do it.

And then it comes.

The moment when she solves her problem, or doesn't.

The point of no return.

Hey, Jennifer. How's it going?

Bad. Mark's in stage 4.

The doctors want to get aggressive with his treatment.

He's going to pieces.

I'm taking him to the hospital.

You have to come down and help out.

Sorry, I have to take this call. I'll call you back. I promise.

Wait! Nancy!

Hey, Karen, how are you?

Have you seen what's on TV?

- There's been a shooting at the school. - Which school?

OCI. They haven't said who's been shot yet.

Have you heard from Daniel?

- No, I haven't. - You have to go down there

- and find out what's going on. - I don't think it'd be a good idea.

I think it'll be crazy with cops and ambulances,

and I'll just get in the way.

- I'll try to call him now, okay? - Okay...

Okay.

We're still waiting on updates,

and no word yet on any injuries or casualties.

Classes have been suspended here at the OCI...

Chef Brophy here. I'm probably in the woods

digging fungus out of the dirt right now,

so leave it at the...

Hey, Daniel, it's Nancy. Could you please give me a call?

I want to make sure you're okay.

- Hey, Karen. - You have to get down there now.

They say there's been a casualty.

I need to know that Daniel's all right.

You're a half an hour closer than we are.

You have to go now!

Okay, I will. I'm on my way right now.

Oh, God...

Have there been any recent break-ins? School have a problem with that?

There's crime in the neighborhood, but not here.

Oh, my God, his wife...

- I'm sorry, I have to... - Luciana.

What's happened? I heard about a shooting on the news.

Oh, Mrs. Brophy...

It was...

Mrs. Brophy?

I'm Detective Posey with the PPD.

This is Detective Merrill.

We know this is a terrible moment for you, but if it's all right,

- we'd like to ask you some questions. - Whatever you need.

And the gun you bought is where now?

Oh, it's at home.

I don't even know how to get rid of it

because Oregon has an ordinance about gun dealers,

so I can't sell it, you know?

Would you like to see it?

That would be great.

I can have a detective meet you at your home as soon as we're done here

- and he can take it into evidence. - Terrific.

You know...

Even if you find who shot him, that won't bring him back...

and I want him back.

That's what I want. I don't care about who shot him.

I want him back.

We'll get through this as quick as we can,

and you can go be with your family, okay?

I just want to thank you for your patience.

Well, it's not like I was doing anything else.

Check it out. Never been fired.

Thank you, Mrs. Brophy.

- Beniga here. - You with Mrs. Brophy now?

Yeah, just turning the Glock into evidence.

While you're there, could you get some pictures of her van? The Sienna.

Everything all right?

Everything's fine.

I'll check in with you later.

That was detective Merrill.

He just wants me to take pictures of your van while I'm still here.

Why do you need to do that? I wasn't downtown this morning.

It's just procedure.

You know where that van might be?

So the school gets a call from a horse farm down in Salem.

They're having a mushroom issue.

And my dad drives down there,

and walks into this pasture of morel heaven,

and the horse guy says, "We're worried the horses might eat them and get sick."

And my dad says,

"Well, I'm a chef, not a veterinarian, but if you want,

I can take them off your hands for you."

Share some Brophyisms.

Oh, there's so many of them.

"Every mushroom is edible... once.

Oh, I know that one!

Everybody, this is Nancy Brophy,

better known around here as...

Management.

He lived a happy life.

He loved teaching, he loved mushrooms,

he loved his family.

He was one of the few people I've ever known

who did exactly what he wanted in life and loved doing it.

For him, not only was life a science project,

but sometimes, it was an adventure.

I love you all, and thank you for being here.

We love you, Nancy.

- Atlantic Horizons. - Hi, it's Nancy Brophy.

How can they do this, Joe?

You have to admit, it makes sense.

If you were an insurance company,

and somebody you covered was murdered,

would you pay out until you found out who did it?

It was probably some vagrant who's in Timbuktu by now.

What about the $80,000 policy at Greenfield?

They'll give you the same answer as all the others.

What's wrong?

You want to do me an enormous favor, Joe?

Tell me what isn't?

So...

Ooh, nice, big windows for some morning sunshine.

Ah, and a stainless-steel stove.

That's good. All the young couples have to have that or die.

Room for a pool, once we get that mess cleared out.

Look, you have got wonderful bones here.

I'm glad that we're on the radar,

but with the broken tiles and the bad plumbing,

we're months away from anybody biting.

I don't have months.

I'm sorry, but in real estate,

patience is the name of the game.

I'll be in touch.

- Trevin? - Yeah?

Could you take Daniel's chickens away, please?

Absolutely.

I know how hard it must be.

Like, he's still here, and he's about to go hang out with his buddies.

I'll make some calls, find a good home for them.

I mean today, in your truck. Now.

Just take them away, please.

Of course, Nancy. I'll go herd them up right now.

I miss Grandpa.

She's on her way to Texas.

For her brother's funeral.

It's a little too close to Mexico for my taste.

Okay, she bought a gun, but you say yourself it's clean.

She also bought an extra sliding clip on eBay.

- Which you haven't found. - Yet.

And a million and a quarter in insurance on the deceased.

- Did she also have insurance on herself? - Yes.

Defense can build a whole case on that.

- Her van was at the scene. - Could have been stolen.

Okay, come on. The cell phone pings back it up.

Her phone could've been in the car when the killer took it.

You know juror number 5, in the back row?

The one who hates cops?

There's not enough here to convince him or her to convict.

You can hook up with Austin, have them keep an eye on her,

but I'm not ready to indict.

First of all, my sympathies to both of you

on the death of your brother and husband.

In the matter of the conflicting wills,

I am first going to address the earlier one,

dated two years ago,

and submitted to this court by Jennifer Crampton.

This one begins, as wills customarily do,

with pages of rather dull material.

Appointment of fiduciaries, identification of family trust,

before disposition of assets is arrived at.

I will now read the will

submitted by the sister of the deceased, Nancy Brophy,

dated two days before Mr. Crampton's death.

"I am currently married to Jennifer Crampton.

However, I have no intention or desire

of leaving any of my property to her under this will."

Moving on from the grammatically problematic use of

"intention of" rather than "intention to,"

the will then proceeds to name Ms. Brophy

as independent executor of all trusts created by this will,

as well as beneficiary

of the substantial bulk of the estate.

The court rules in favor of Jennifer Crampton.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Mrs. Brophy, this is the third time I'm calling

to ask when you're going to collect your brother's ashes.

As you've prevented us from contacting the wife of the deceased,

you'll need to let us know where you'd like us to send them.

Please call me back.

The widow Brophy just called.

She wants to come in and talk to us.

You think she's ready to break?

Thank you for coming in, Mrs. Brophy.

I'm sorry to hear about your brother.

Yeah, well, he's out of pain now.

I'm thankful for that.

And that's actually why I came in,

because the reason I stayed so long in Texas

is because I was finding out who killed Daniel.

- Really? - Yes.

We'll be recording this, if you don't mind.

Of course.

You see, my sister-in-law

found out that Mark was going to change his will

and leave his money to me.

Ao she hired a gangster in the Vietnamese mafia

to kill me and Dan so we couldn't inherit,

but the killer got scared off

by all the snooping around you guys were doing,

and never got around to me.

So that's who did it.

And I know you guys can take it from there.

Well, thanks for the tip. We'll get right on that.

No, thank you.

Oh, there was one other thing.

I don't want to be the stupid question of the day,

but I think I need to be the stupid question of the day.

Okay.

So this friend of mine was asking

how does somebody know they're no longer a suspect,

in terms of, you know, life insurance,

and I was saying, well, I just don't know,

and somebody else said I could get a letter from you

saying I'm not a suspect.

Why would you need something like that?

Because they don't want to pay

if it turns out that I secretly was the one who shot my husband.

- You know? - Yeah.

I mean, it's just a stupid, little policy. It's nothing.

Just like $40,000.

And I asked what happens if it never gets resolved,

and the answer is,

then it has to be evaluated, which could take forever.

Yeah, well, we never would do something like that.

I knew you would say that.

Yeah, that's never been done.

I've never heard of that being done.

Well, okay then.

Thank you for your time.

Just a little thing I wanted to check on.

So many I's to dot

and T's to cross when somebody passes.

How much did you say he was he insured for?

A million and a quarter,

but we found more since then.

It's a million and a half.

Vietnamese mafia...

Two sinks in the bathroom,

and 20 years after Craig died,

I don't think I have once turned the water on in his.

God knows if the pipes even work anymore.

Same for me and Dan's kitchen stuff.

Haven't picked up a single one of his knives.

Maybe I'm scared he'll just pop up and cut my throat.

It doesn't surprise me a bit the way chefs are with their gear.

I totally based the hot Italian Chef Donato

in Titan of Tuscany on Daniel.

Remember?

How Donato wouldn't talk to Tristan for days

if he dared to touch one of his sauté pans?

I loved that one. One of your best.

What are you hearing from the police?

They don't tell me anything.

So next on the agenda...

Romancecon, San Francisco, 10th of October.

Who is up for renting a monster white limo for the whole weekend?

Yes, yes, yes.

But isn't white a little... prom night?

Totally.

If you want glam, it's black all the way.

- Don't you think, Nan? - Yes, absolutely.

Nancy Brophy.

You're under arrest for the murder of Daniel Brophy.

You have the right to remain silent.

Anything you say can and will be used against you.

You have the right to an attorney.

If you cannot afford one, one will be provided for you.

- Do you understand these rights? - Yes.

Be strong, Laura.

Don't answer any questions until your lawyer gets there.

I love you. I will always love you.

I'll love you forever.

Until my lawyer gets here, I'm not answering any questions.

We wouldn't dream of asking any.

No, we just want to make some observations

on how it all went down.

- You made a lot of smart moves. - Every step of the way,

you were thinking, thinking...

Gotta hand it to you for creativity.

But you know, somehow, you just didn't fully work things out, did you?

It all comes down to...

- What's the word? - Plotting.

I mean, sure, think big,

but things still have to make basic sense.

Smart to swap out the slide and clip on the gun you shoot somebody with,

but not so smart to buy the extra parts on your own eBay account.

I bought all that for research.

For a novel I was writing.

So, for research, as you say,

you needed to buy two identical parts of the same gun?

And good move to delete the account,

but if you were writing this for one of your books,

the character would know that deleting something

doesn't erase it from the cloud.

And most of all, Mrs. Brophy, if you're going to murder your husband,

it may not be the best idea

to write a blog post called "How to Murder Your Husband."

A real chanterelle.

You see?

How the little ridges under the cap are forked,

and how they melt away into the stem?

That means it's not just safe...

it's so delicious...

it could take you to paradise.

No easy way out, Brophy.

Open the gate!

The thing I probably liked the best about him?

He loved me.

If that isn't a big number one item, I don't know what is.

You know?

And I loved him back.