Original subtitles

Hey. You're getting a little close there.

I don't know what your problem is, but...

Oh.

I am glad to see this book in your stack, Holly.

My niece told me reading this book

made her baby's first year go much more smoothly.

Our Lamaze class is talking about it.

I was worried it might've been checked out.

Oh, I monitor our inventory

and always make sure we have numerous copies

of our most helpful... titles.

True crime, Holly?

Oh, yeah! Aurora recommended it.

At least, I think this was it.

Is she here, so I can ask her?

The last one she recommended had me glued to the couch

the whole night.

Ah, Aurora isn't here.

She just started several weeks' vacation

for her honeymoon.

But I can set that aside

and recommend a more edifying read.

Oh, there she is now.

Aurora, was this the book you were talking about?

It is, yes.

Robin Daniels is a master of the true crime genre.

I would submit

that "master of true crime" is faint praise,

but, uh, reading of any kind is to be encouraged, I suppose.

Do enjoy, Holly.

Thanks. Have fun on your honeymoon, Roe.

Oh, we will!

Oh, I thought you and Nick would be

on a plane to Paris by now.

Paris is socked in with fog for the next few days.

We had to reschedule our trip for next week.

Well, don't expect me to put you back on the schedule.

I've already covered your shifts.

And frankly,

I don't want you underfoot, if there's no need.

I just stopped by to give you this--

a thank-you gift.

For being a part of our wedding.

Ohh.

Well, now you've made me appear uncharitable.

Is it any wonder I was looking forward to your vacation?

Now, the man convicted in this case--

one Olin "Pete" Coones--

went to prison

for killing his disabled father's caregiver

and her husband,

despite having a strong alibi.

Now, it was only years later that Coones,

who consistently claimed his innocence,

introduced evidence

he'd been framed...

by the caretaker

to take the fall

in a murder-suicide that she herself committed.

Wait.

You're saying this caregiver

decided to make Pete Coones look guilty

not only for her husband's murder--

- but for her suicide? - Yeah.

I know I'm brand-new to the club,

but that seems pretty far-fetched to me.

If she was gonna do herself in anyway,

why bother framing Coones?

Probably for revenge.

It was Coones who figured out

she was stealing money from his father

and was getting ready to press charges.

Oh. Sorry, Phillip.

Please go ahead. Ahem.

Where were we?

- So, no Arthur tonight? - Mm.

Is he working a case?

No, he's on a cruise ship right now

with his mom and the kids.

Well, good for him.

It's too bad you two had to put off your honeymoon.

Well, weather happens.

Yeah. We don't mind having a little "staycation"

until we can get on a plane to Paris.

I know!

You could spend a few days at Aunt Gladys' place

at Ridge Bay.

Bubba and I sometimes go up there

for a romantic weekend.

I love Ridge Bay.

Me and my friends go fishing up there sometimes.

That's up Highway 23, right?

It's about a half-hour drive.

I'd be more than happy

to give you the keys to the cabin.

Oh, thank you, Lizzy,

but it's not the kind of honeymoon we had in mind.

Pre-honeymoon.

We have the time off.

Why not go up there for a few days?

I'd love to get you on a boat, do a little fishing.

Fishing?

Yeah. It sounds fun.

I think it's wonderful

that you and Nick are heading up to the bay.

You two need some alone time together.

I'm very excited about romantic walks in the woods,

and wine on the deck at sunset,

but how do I tell my husband

I really don't want to go fishing?

Oh, yes, that wouldn't be my cup of tea, either.

Um, but didn't you say

fishing has some sentimental value for Nick?

Yeah, his father used to take him and his brother

on long fishing trips.

They're happy memories for him.

Well, then, you know, you should try it.

I mean, who knows, you may like it.

Aurora, you're just starting a marriage

that I know you want to last.

It would serve you well

to get out of your comfort zone once in awhile.

Thank you, Mother.

Sounds like excellent advice.

Well, I learned that the difficult way.

Hmm. Does that mean you'll be playing poker with Dad

when you go down to visit him in Florida?

How did you know that I'm going down there?

Dad told me you two

have been having long, late-night phone conversations

since the wedding,

and he said you're gonna go visit him next month.

The question is, why didn't you tell me?

Mother!

Are you blushing?

No! No. That would suggest that I'm doing something untoward,

which I certainly am not.

Oh, no, you're just keeping it a secret.

I'm trying to protect you.

I don't want you invested in a particular outcome

if your dad and I spend time together and then we don't--

Oh! Could that be Dad now?

Oh, stop it.

No. It's the real estate association.

I'd better take it. Hi.

Is it my imagination,

or does your mother look a little flushed?

Oh, she'd tell you it's your imagination

and not because we were just talking about my dad.

Ah.

You ready? The fish are waitin'.

Can't wait.

Wow.

When Lizzy said "cabin,"

I was thinking something small and rustic.

I don't think Aunt Gladys was much for roughin' it.

Hi!

Welcome.

Come on in.

Ohh...

Wow!

So...

there are DVDs for the TV,

but there's no cable or satellite.

Oh, there's no WiFi either.

Aunt Gladys wanted to feel like

she could literally get away from it all.

My uncle tried to talk her into

getting a landline for emergencies,

but she said no to that, too.

Oh, it's perfect!

Just you, me, and beautiful nature.

Okay!

So I'm gonna go

and we'll let you two start your honeymoon.

Or your rehearsal honeymoon, or whatever this is.

Okay. Keys are on the counter.

Have so much fun.

Thanks again, Lizzy!

Yes, we appreciate it, Lizzy.

Wow.

How smart are we to marry each other?

I'm very pleased with our brilliant decision-making.

I knew we'd be happy together,

but I didn't know it would feel like this-- like floating.

Well, Mrs. Aurora Teagarden Miller,

I've been floating since the day I met you.

Stop saying that!

Poor kid. He's upset.

Uh, we should give them their privacy.

- You okay? - Yeah.

I suppose we should start

thinking about what we want to do for dinner.

Hmm.

Maybe dinner can wait.

Hello.

Hi. Welcome to Slocum Security. How may I help you?

I'm Aida Teagarden,

from the Real Estate Association

and I have an appointment with the owner, Russ Slocum?

Yes, I will let him know you're here.

Please, have a seat.

- Thank you. - Mm-hmm.

Ohh.

Aw. My husband made me breakfast.

How lucky am I?

Coffee with a splash of cream.

Oh, thank you.

So today's fishing day, right?

Uh-huh.

I get the feeling you're not all that excited about it.

N-- I am.

This marriage is built to last.

I'm gonna share in your interests.

I'm gonna learn to hook innocent little fishies,

pull them up out of their nice watery home...

and learn to gut them and fry them up.

So the president of the Real Murders Club,

who doesn't flinch at the most grisly of crimes,

gets squishy about the thought of catching a fish.

I'm sure I can get used to it.

Roe. The success of our marriage

doesn't depend on you hooking "innocent little fish."

Well, whatever it took, I was prepared to be ruthless.

Well, forget fishing.

But we can still take a boat out on the bay,

and maybe take a picnic,

find a nice spot along the shore?

Mm. Now, that sounds like my kind of adventure.

Well, if the boat breaks down,

we have enough food to survive on the bay for days.

Looks like someone could use a hand.

Oh, that's the...

kid we saw on our neighbor's deck last night.

Hey there.

Got a flat, I see?

I've never changed a tire before.

I can't figure this thing out.

Well, I'll be happy to show you how that thing works.

May we call someone for you?

Already called my mom.

Shouldn't have stayed at her cabin last night.

I knew I had class this morning, but now I'm gonna miss it.

My professor told me

if I miss one more class, it'd be an automatic fail.

Your professor?

You mean at Lawrenceton University?

Yeah, I'm a freshman.

Oh, well, my husband teaches there.

Nick, why don't you call his professor

and ask him to make an exception?

A flat tire is hardly his fault.

Jacob?

Are you all right?

Yeah, I'm fine.

I was just about to show him how to change that tire.

Thanks. I called Triple "A." They should here soon.

Mom. This guy works at L.U.,

and he said he could talk to my professor

so I don't get dropped.

Actually, I didn't say that.

I did, and I probably shouldn't have.

I was just trying to help.

I'm Roe, by the way. This is my husband, Nick.

We're staying

at the Allison cabin for a few days.

Then I'm your next-door neighbor.

Terry Hall. This is Jacob.

Good to meet you, neighbor.

Wait. So...

are you going talk to my professor?

No, Jacob.

I actually prefer him

to figure out how to solve his own problems.

Exactly what I usually recommend to parents.

There. You see?

I do know what I'm talking about.

Now, let's go wait in our car.

I hope you both have a nice day.

You too.

Mrs. Teagarden. Russ Slocum.

Yes. Thank you for meeting with me.

Yes. Please.

So, you told my assistant

that you've had some complaints

from the agents in your real estate association

about my company?

Mm-hmm, yes, and as chairman of the business outreach program,

I'm hoping that you can help me with that.

I'll certainly do what I can. What seems to be the problem?

Well, the problem is that some of your representatives

are selling your home security systems

and telling customers

that the security system

raises the value of their homes a lot more

than it actually does.

That's... concerning.

I've experienced that myself a few times

when listing a house.

My clients are not too happy when they find out

what the actual worth of a security system

is to an appraiser.

Uh, here's a list

of complaints from the different agents.

Just as I thought.

Every one of the orders

for the customers your agents named

were deals made by one of my long-time sales reps,

Cliff Minton.

Well, it's nice to know it's not company policy

to misrepresent the value of a product.

I don't think it's Cliff's policy either.

He's just an enthusiastic guy, with a talent for hyperbole.

But he's not always on point with the numbers.

I'll talk to him.

It won't be a problem in the future.

Oh, well, the future is not the issue.

The seeds of misinformation have already been planted.

Point taken.

Um, why don't we send out a letter

to all of Cliff's customers,

make sure they know the actual value

of their system?

Perhaps a joint letter with the Real Estate Association?

Sure. I can have one of my assistants

work on that with you.

What about Cliff Minton? If these are his customers,

shouldn't his signature be on the letter as well?

Maybe, but, um,

Cliff hasn't been in the office all week,

and I haven't been able to reach him.

I'm actually getting a little worried.

He's been gone a week?

Shouldn't you be calling the police

and report him missing?

Okay. Thank you!

There you go.

Um, so we have three hours to bring the boat back?

You get another hour free if you rent fishing equipment.

Got some decent rods here.

Uh, no, thanks.

Um, we won't be going fishing today.

Wasted opportunity, if you ask me,

but to each his own.

Slip number 18.

Lifejackets are under the seat.

Thanks so much!

Wasn't he Mr. Sunshine?

Ahh. You ready?

I'm ready.

And when's the last time you saw Mr. Minton?

Last Friday.

Missing almost a week?

Why'd it take you so long to call us?

Well, Cliff doesn't work every day.

He's got other income,

so he comes and goes as he pleases.

The weird thing is he's not answering his phone,

not returning calls, or texts.

Does he have any family?

People he lives with? Wife, kids?

No. He's divorced, no kids.

Lives alone.

Any other family members?

Parents, siblings?

Uh, he has parents in Maryland, in a retirement home,

but they're not close.

Feel free to jump in, Sergeant.

What else would you ask

if you were leading this investigation?

Oh, uh, yeah.

What about his friends?

He must have friends here at work.

Sure, most of my sales group is fairly tight.

He's probably closest to Tom.

Tom?

Want to come here a minute?

What's up?

Have you heard from your buddy, Cliff Minton, since Friday?

Saw him for a few minutes on Saturday morning.

He stopped by my place to borrow my fishing rod,

said he was gonna head up to Ridge Bay,

needed to clear his head.

"Clear his head"? From what?

Was he under work stress?

Nah, if he was stressed,

it was probably about his divorce.

He's still in court battles with his ex.

It's amazing how much fun you can have in a boat

without a fishing pole in your hands.

Yeah, but I was hoping to impress you

with my ability to scare up a meal

with just a string and a hook.

Oh, don't worry,

you've impressed me with many other things.

Speaking of meals... I am getting hungry.

Oh. Uh...

that looks like a good spot for a picnic over there.

Yeah.

Nick, look. Is that a boat caught in the brush?

With a "Heller" logo on it, like this one.

Wonder how it got out here?

Maybe there was some rough weather,

and it got loose from the slip?

Maybe if we tow it in, we can cheer up Mr. Sunshine.

Hey, do you see that?

It looks like some sort of bundle.

It's a body!

Bad timing for Lynn

that Arthur is stuck on a cruise ship right now.

Well, she promoted Officer Heard to Sergeant.

I'm sure he'll step up.

The deceased still had his wallet

and keys in his pocket.

Ridge Bay Motel?

That isn't far from here.

You've already given us your statement, Roe,

so you and Nick are free to go.

Well...

From the I.D. that we found in his wallet,

the victim's name--

Clifford Edward Minton of Lawrenceton.

Cliff Minton?

That's our missing person from Slocum Security.

Yeah.

He was reported missing? When?

This is police business, Roe, not yours.

Go back to your honeymoon.

Actually, it's our pre-honeymoon.

Okay. Whatever. Just go.

I overheard the coroner's crew talking.

They found a bullet wound in the guy's chest.

It was murder?

Well, that explains the blood spatter we saw

on the rental boat.

So he was shot in the boat?

Let's go see what else they found.

Roe, I don't think

Lynn wants to have to tell us to leave again.

Maybe we should get back to enjoying our pre-honeymoon.

Yeah, that's exactly what we should do.

Yeah.

So if this is a potential homicide,

I need you to head back to Lawrenceton

and lock down the victim's house.

Yeah, I'll stop by Slocum Security, too,

and lock down that office as well.

Good, and get his computer.

There's a CCTV camera at the end of the dock.

I'm gonna check the marina authority

and see if it was recording.

First, I'm gonna head over to the motel

and the boat rental place,

see if Minton was seen with anybody

during his time here.

Alright. I'll see you at the station.

That must be Cliff Minton's truck

they're towing.

Yeah. Oh, I almost forgot--

I have to settle up with Mr. Sunshine.

I'll meet you back here.

Where are you going?

Just for a little walk.

To the motel. I'm curious.

You, curious?

Ha, ha. I won't be long.

Then it'll be right back to the honeymoon.

"Pre-honeymoon."

Excuse me. Do you work here?

Yes. I'm the manager.

They said somebody got killed on the bay.

Yes, someone who was staying here.

Clifford Minton, in room 137.

Huh! Guess that explains

why he didn't show up to check out.

Do you know when he checked in?

Yeah, last Saturday afternoon.

Booked for two nights,

but just stayed the one, and then, poof.

Didn't show up for his luggage or anything.

That didn't strike you as odd?

Well, I figured he got in a scrape with old Heller,

and left town for his own good.

Heller? As in Donald Heller from the boat rental company?

Heller was here on Sunday night,

demanding to see that Minton fella.

Said he planned to do the man some damage,

something about stealing his boat.

Yep, I thought Minton had reason to make himself scarce.

Heller can be pretty unpleasant when he chooses.

If Clifford Minton didn't check out,

what did you do with his luggage

and all the other things in his room?

Oh, housekeeping packed it all up in his suitcase

when she cleaned his room.

I've got it back here.

I don't suppose I could take a quick peek,

to see what's insi--

Uh, never mind. Nice talking to you.

Seriously, Roe?

I should've waited to come in

until you had a chance to investigate first. I'm sorry.

I don't believe you.

I think you're congratulating yourself

for beating me here.

I'm sorry I upset you anyway.

Make sure you ask him

about the owner of the boat rental company.

He seems like a good suspect.

You signed the contract.

No refunds for time not used.

It's not my problem you couldn't use it.

Okay, Mr. Heller, it was just a question.

Hey.

So I talked to the manager at the Ridge Bay Motel.

He said Donald Heller showed up there

and made threats against Cliff Minton.

I'm sure he's gonna be a suspect.

Well, he won't be the only one on the list.

Since Sally's out of town,

I just called Macon at the newspaper

to see if he had any background info on Clifford Minton.

Turns out they ran a big story about him last year.

Why?

Because he was awarded alimony--

big alimony-- in his divorce

from an attorney in Lawrenceton--

an attorney by the name of Terry Hall.

Terry Hall, the woman we met today?

Mm-hmm. I doubt it was a coincidence

that her ex was killed just two miles from her place.

You're right.

Donald Heller won't be alone on the suspect list.

Lynn has Cliff Minton's suitcase.

Looks like she's heading to interview Heller.

Ah, I wish I could be a fly on that wall.

Yeah.

Minton rented one of my boats on Sunday--

1:48 in the afternoon.

He was due to bring it back at 4:48.

Didn't show.

- Was anyone else with him? - Not that I noticed.

The motel manager said that you showed up on Sunday

and made some threats against Mr. Minton.

Yeah, well, I thought he stole my boat.

Is that the conclusion you normally jump to

when a boat doesn't come back?

That the renter stole it?

It's the conclusion I jumped to with Minton.

He'd done it before.

So you knew Cliff Minton before he walked in here on Sunday?

I used to rent him boats now and again.

Fancied himself a fisherman,

but he got to where he was keeping the boats

for a week or more and not paying up.

I had to take him to court to get him

to pay what he owed me.

So you're telling me

that Cliff Minton used to drive up here

and rent boats from you on a regular basis?

He was already here.

His wife-- ex-wife-- has a place up the road.

Cliff Minton's ex-wife lives here?

Yeah.

We didn't get the chance to have that picnic.

What do you say we set it up on the deck,

have a late lunch?

Mrs. Miller?

Sorry.

I can't seem to get any cell reception.

Yeah, there's not much in the way of reception

this far from the marina.

Yeah, it's not a big deal.

You want to look up the news story I mentioned

about Cliff Minton's divorce.

Yes.

But I don't want you to think

that our honeymoon isn't the most important thing

to me in the world right now.

Look. Would it make you feel better

if I admit that I'm curious

about what's in those articles, too?

Why, yes, it would, Mr. Miller.

Then let's head outside,

and see if we can find a good spot to get a signal.

I'll get our coats.

- Terry Hall? - Yes.

Chief Liggett Smith, Lawrenceton Police Department.

Sergeant, you're back.

Yes, and I'll need to speak to your boss again.

Hello, Sergeant.

Any news on Cliff?

I'm afraid it's not good.

His body was found this morning in Ridge Bay.

Well... that's a shame.

I appreciate you stopping by and letting us know.

That's not the only reason why we're here.

It seems Mr. Minton's death may not have been an accident.

Cliff was killed?

The coroner hasn't officially ruled on a cause of death,

but, out of an abundance of caution,

we'd like to do a quick search of his office,

take custody of his computer.

That computer's company property.

You're not taking it.

Why don't I have the Chief of Police come by

and explain why we need it?

Fine. Have her do that.

I'll go call my corporate counsel now

and ask them to meet her here.

Uh, maybe you didn't hear what I said.

I heard you. Cliff's dead. Possibly murdered.

Most people have some kind of reaction

when I give them news like that.

I assume it would be in bad form

to heave a giant sigh of relief,

which is basically all that I feel.

This your son?

Mm-hmm.

I was told you and Minton didn't have any children.

We didn't.

Jacob's a child

from a brief marriage in my 20s--

a man who died of cancer six years ago,

a man who deserved the tears that I cried for him.

When's the last time you saw Cliff Minton?

Three months ago.

Three months?

Even though he came to spend the weekend

in the Ridge Bay area.

He didn't tell you he was here?

He did. He called.

Said he wanted to talk.

I told him to talk to my lawyer.

End of story.

Why don't you tell me the beginning of the story?

What began as a pleasant marriage

turned sour,

then became a bitter divorce.

His lawyer got a judge

not only to award him my house in Lawrenceton--

a house that I bought before the marriage--

but to award him an egregious amount of alimony,

so egregious it actually made the news.

I was an attorney once myself-- corporate attorney--

but I lost respect for the profession.

I quit my job.

Recently, I filed to have the alimony reduced,

which, I assume, is why he wanted to talk.

Well, that's no longer gonna be a problem now, is it?

Apparently not.

We think that he was likely shot

while he was out on a boat on Ridge Bay.

Do you own a firearm, Ms. Hall?

No. I have a distaste for guns.

Do you have any idea who might've been

on that boat with him, anyone he had a conflict with?

Besides you, of course.

No.

But Cliff was a salesman-- king of false promises.

I always told him that, one day, it would come back to bite him.

Looks like I was right.

I'll be in touch.

Whatever you need.

Not even a hint of a bar.

Hmm.

Looks like she's crying.

Maybe she just learned her ex was killed?

She's not crying.

She's laughing.

You having a nice time?

Oh, honey. The best time.

I love being here with you.

Oh... I can hear the unspoken "but."

I can't stop wondering what Cliff Minton was doing here,

with Terry so close,

while they were still locked in a court battle.

Maybe...

a condolence call on Terry is in order?

I'll go get ready.

I knew Cliff, what, a couple of decades?

We worked as alarm installers together,

back in our 20s.

When I started this company, he was the first guy I called.

Because you were such good friends?

No, because Cliff knew the security business

inside and out.

And no one could close a sale like Cliff.

Do you have any thoughts on who might have killed him?

No.

Everyone liked him.

Well, except his ex-wife, I suppose.

They had a bad time of it.

Did he tell you that?

Didn't have to.

Terry came in here a few times to give him heck.

Is that all?

I'm gonna need a list of Cliff Minton's clients.

What for?

While you say that everyone liked him,

others say he was "the king of false promises."

That's a recipe for a lot of unhappy clients.

Also, I'm going to be

taking his computer and searching his office.

I believe that's the search warrant

you told my sergeant you needed?

Lynn.

Aida.

You are the last person I expected to see here.

I'm working on a joint project,

with Sharon there, for the Real Estate Association.

But...

she looks like she may not be up to it today.

You haven't heard about the murder?

Murder?

One of the employees here was killed.

Cliff Minton.

They found his body up at Ridge Bay yesterday.

How awful.

But Ridge Bay?

Yes, and wouldn't you know--

it was Aurora and Nick who found the body.

- What? - Don't worry.

They're fine.

Sharon...

I know we're going to be working together,

but I just heard about Cliff Minton.

I am so sorry.

I appreciate that.

It has been really hard.

Everybody here is so sad.

Hey!

So Cliff's office is now mine.

Can I get the key?

Yeah.

You should see Cliff's office--

it's better than Slocum's.

Cliff had some good dirt on him.

Maybe this isn't the right time.

No, I'm okay.

I had to put together Cliff's client list

for the police earlier,

so we might as well get started.

Okay.

Any names jumping out at you from Minton's client list?

Not so far.

It's a pretty short list

for somebody who's worked there for so many years.

But then, his boss did say

he didn't work there full-time after he married Terry Hall.

We're still waiting on the lab

to finish processing the items from Minton's suitcase,

but the fishing boat is done.

Heller's prints are all over it.

Well, that's not a surprise, right?

He owns the boat, he must maintain it.

Well, it's moot anyway.

Blood splatter indicates

he was shot from 10 to 15 feet away

with a .32-caliber bullet,

which means another boat

would've pulled up alongside him.

Oh, I almost forgot.

You wanted to know why

Donald Heller's prints were in the system?

He's got a record.

Two arrests for battery,

and felony conviction for assault.

Attacked some guy at a bar after he lost a pool game.

- Served eight months. - There you go.

Heller has a violent criminal history.

He threatened the victim,

had a contentious history with the victim.

A lawsuit, accusations of theft,

and who knows what else tripped his hair-trigger temper.

Plus, he knew the victim was on the water

and had access to different boats.

Oh, did we get the footage back from the marina dock yet?

'Cause if I can catch Heller underway after Minton,

then I'll have enough to get a search warrant for him, too.

They'll get us a thumb drive by tomorrow.

Well, keep working on that client list.

I'm gonna look into Terry Hall's relationship with her ex.

Think I'll head over to the university,

see if I can't get any insights from her kid.

I don't think paying a condolence call

to the ex-wife is typical,

but I do appreciate the sentiment.

Especially since you were so kind to stop and help my son.

And how is Jacob?

I don't suppose he was able

to make it to class in time yesterday?

No, but perhaps a death in the family

will make his absence excusable.

I see you drink Grozny.

It's funny,

because a bottle was left in your ex-husband's motel room.

Yes, well, I introduced it to Cliff

when we started dating.

How long were you married?

Three years.

But it would've been a lot less if I had my way.

Doesn't take long to realize you've married an opportunist.

Sounds like you think he married you for your money?

You're not here to pay a condolence call.

You're here to fish for information.

We did find your ex-husband's body.

I admit to curiosity about why he was here.

You've apparently read about me in the Lawrenceton paper.

Well, I've read about you, too, Miss Teagarden.

Actually, it's Mrs. Miller now.

Whatever your name,

I know you've had a hand

in solving several murders in Lawrenceton.

It's one thing to have to talk to the police

about my personal life,

but I'd prefer not to be under your microscope as well.

So, if you don't mind,

you can make your way out the same way you came in.

We respect how you feel.

But we'll be next door for the next few days.

Yes. If you need anything--

run to the store, grab dinner...

Hey, Chief.

What are you doing on campus today?

Phillip! Hi.

I was actually just looking for the freshman dorm.

I could've sworn it was this way.

Uh, no. It's on other side of the quad.

I'll show you.

Oh.

Why is Terry Hall being so dodgy?

Oh, I got the sense she's private by nature,

and maybe a little embarrassed

at being taken advantage of in her marriage.

I don't know.

She clearly liked challenging me.

Almost as if she wanted us to think she's guilty,

if that makes any sense.

Yeah, a little.

But it would take a longer conversation

to unravel her motivations.

I should call my mother.

The further this investigation goes,

the more likely she's gonna hear about it,

and when she hears about it,

she's gonna learn that we found the body,

and when she learns that, she's--

...Gonna worry.

Exactly.

Ohh. I forgot.

No cell reception.

Ohh. Hmm.

Well, we do need another bottle of wine for tonight.

Why don't we go to the marina?

Phillip, you wouldn't happen to know a boy named Jacob Hall?

Doesn't sound familiar.

Room 401 you said, yeah? Kinda ironic.

I lived across the hall in 402, when I was a freshman.

Mind if I watch you do your thing,

see the master detective at work?

Oh, Phillip, I'm afraid

even flattery will not get me to let you--

Jacob Hall?

Chief Liggett Smith, Lawrenceton P.D.

He's a student.

Phillip Pifer. He's, uh--

...A criminal justice major.

...Who is just about to go away now.

Right.

Sorry.

I'm investigating the murder of your stepfather--

Former stepfather, you mean.

All right, "former stepfather."

I'd like to ask you a few questions.

Did you talk to my mom?

Because she might get mad

if I talk to you without a lawyer or whatever.

Jacob, this isn't about questioning you as a suspect.

I'm just trying to get a little background info.

Oh. Right. It's totally an informal thing.

She's gotta get a lay of the land

for the investigation.

Okay, well, I don't have time anyway.

I'm late for my chemistry lab and I gotta go.

So, sorry.

You and Roe are certainly related,

but, Phillip,

if you ever want to get a job with the Lawrenceton P.D.--

He just lied to you, Chief.

Jacob did? About what?

I know the chemistry lab schedule

and they don't do labs on Fridays.

You mean he's ducking me?

Yeah.

Okay, Ed and Julie Steyer?

Okay.

Yes, they purchased the "Silver" package,

so version "B" of the letter will go to them.

Okay. Good.

Hold that thought. It's my daughter.

Okay.

Aurora.

I have a bone to pick with you.

A bone to pick with me?

Yes, you could've warned me

about what you found up at Ridge Bay.

Honestly,

only you could stumble on a body on your honeymoon.

"Pre-honeymoon."

And that's why I'm calling you, I didn't want you to worry.

Well, too late for that.

Mrs. Teagarden, can I get you a tea?

Oh, yes, that would be lovely, thank you.

Okay.

I'm in the middle of a project

for Slocum Security.

You're doing a project

at the victim's place of employment?

Regrettably.

But it has nothing to do with the murder,

I don't think.

Although, I am the one who got his boss to report

that Cliff Minton was missing before his body was found.

Well, why didn't you tell me that?

Why on Earth would I tell you that?

Okay, but have you heard anything

about Cliff Minton in his office?

Are they talking about who might've killed him?

I did hear someone say that Cliff might've had

some dirt on his boss.

Who's that?

Russ Slocum.

At first, I took it as a joke,

but it's so odd

because he put up with Cliff's shenanigans--

which I am here now trying to fix--

and then gave him the biggest office in this place.

Do you think you can find out

exactly what Cliff might've had on Russ Slocum?

Aurora, I'm not gonna try and be a spy for you.

Sorry, Mother, I have to go. I just spotted Cliff's ex-wife.

Talking to Donald Heller?

What was that about?

I just saw Terry hand Donald Heller

an envelope full of cash.

Do you think it was a payoff to him

for killing her ex?

You'd better call Lynn, tell her what you saw.

Chief?

Lab says most of the items in Minton's suitcase

were clothes and toiletries.

But there were two glasses in the room,

with traces of vodka in them, that didn't belong to the motel.

They lifted two distinct sets of prints off of them

that don't belong to Minton.

Well, one was most likely the housekeeper

who picked them up.

So, Minton had someone over to his motel room for drinks.

Hmm. Wonder who?

Should I drive up to Ridge Bay

and get the motel housekeeper's prints?

Yes, Roe, what is it?

I see. Okay. I'll look into it.

No. Thank you. We've got it.

Roe Teagarden is at the marina at Ridge Bay.

She said she just saw

Terry Hall handing money over to Donald Heller.

Wow. Guess what else?

The lab just finished processing Minton's car,

and they found prints

on the passenger-side door handle

belonging to Donald Heller.

Looks like we finally have enough

to get our search warrant on Heller.

What is it you people want?

Why were you handing money to Donald Heller?

That's none of your concern.

Maybe not, but now the police know about it, too.

Good. Maybe they'll reimburse me.

I paid Mr. Heller

for the boat the police dragged off as evidence.

They don't seem to care

that he needs that boat to make a living.

Why is it your job to pay him for it?

Why don't you stay out of my business?

There's got to be more to that story

between her and Heller.

I'd wager there's a lot more.

Okay, that's it,

that's the last name on the list.

It looks like we're going to need...

22 version "A"

and 16 version "B".

Okay, I'll start printing--

Guess I was wrong

about everyone being sad about Cliff dying.

Maybe it just hasn't sunk in yet.

Or maybe they're all just more jealous of Cliff

than I thought.

Mr. Slocum let him do things he didn't let anybody else do.

You know-- time off, long lunches.

So, what that fella said

about Cliff "having something" on Russ,

that wasn't a joke?

Oh, no, I'm sure it was,

but it's just a joke that Tom makes a lot.

Oh.

And the first batch of letters should be

coming out of the printer now.

Okay, I'll go get them and start signing.

Okay.

"Did you find out

what Cliff Minton had on his boss?"

Has she been asking you questions about this?

I, um--

I want Mrs. Teagarden out of this office. Now.

Are you going through my phone?

Why don't we finish this project tomorrow?

I'll print out the rest of the letters,

and then we can meet for lunch so you can sign them?

If only I could get online.

All the research I could be doing...

You know, the lack of WiFi here

is not a bug, it's a feature.

The police will take care of this case,

so why don't we unplug from it

and do something relaxing and vacation-y?

Like...

The new Robin Daniels book?

You clever husband, you.

Let's go read the afternoon away, huh?

This is a farce.

All because that nosy woman

saw something she didn't understand.

You brought this on yourself--

you, and your fingerprints in Cliff Minton's car.

Do you deny that you were in his car?

Yeah, I was in it.

- When? Why? - Sunday.

When he first came in here, I told him to get lost,

on account of the trouble I had with him before.

Then I thought, why turn his money down?

So I went outside, found him in his car.

He told me to get in. We had a conversation.

We came back in here, I rented him the boat.

Tell me the parts you're leaving out--

like, maybe how you were trying to find out

where he planned to fish,

so you could find him on the bay later?

I was here all afternoon, renting out boats.

Check my logbook.

Who's to say you didn't alter these times

so you could lock up for an hour,

take one of your boats out?

I'd be pretty dumb to do that considering

there's a security camera pointed right at the dock.

Oh, I'm sure you know

other spots to put a boat on the bay.

Good luck trying to prove that.

Why was Minton's ex-wife handing you money earlier today?

You took my boat!

She knew I was losing money.

Why would she want to help you?

I've been asking her that

ever since she helped me file my lawsuit against Minton.

Terry Hall helped you sue her ex?

She had good reason to want to see him squirm,

after the way he went after

her and her kid with his pack of lawyers.

He went after Jacob in court?

Not exactly "stepfather of the year,"

was he?

Jacob, hey.

Phillip Pifer? We met yesterday.

Yeah, you were with that cop.

Yeah, she's actually a pretty good cop.

You should give her a chance, talk to her.

Or not. It's fine.

You could just talk to me.

Why would I want to do that?

To help find out what happened.

My cousin, Roe, and her husband were the ones

who found your stepdad,

so of course they want to know what happened.

She's staying next door to your mom

and was trying to talk to her--

Yeah, well, you should tell her to stop bugging my mom,

or she'll have to deal with me.

Whoa.

Okay. It's cool.

Just, uh...

have a good day.

All right?

Mom?

Hey. It's me.

Roe?

Dinner's almost ready.

Oh, I was just getting to the really good part.

Those steaks I'm grilling are about to be the good part,

trust me.

Oh, I trust you. How I trust you.

How's your steak?

Mm. You weren't kidding.

It's so good.

Yeah?

Mm-hmm.

You're such a good cook. I'm so lucky.

Thank you.

What?

I just... I want to remember this moment.

Forever.

That shot came from the kitchen window.

We're not safe here.

Over there!

Okay, stay low.

There's no cell service.

We can't call for help.

We'll have to do this on our own.

Roe, we can figure this out.

Roe! Nick! Are you okay?

That's Terry.

It could be a trap.

Please open up! I called the police!

Stay here.

Nick!

I am not letting you go to that door alone.

Okay, all right. Stay low.

Watch out for the window.

Oh!

Thank goodness, you're both okay.

I was on my back deck. I heard the shots.

Police should be here any minute.

Did you see or hear anything at all outside

before or after the gunshots?

We were having dinner.

We weren't focused on what was happening outside

and, after the shots,

we were just tying to stay alive.

Someone meant to kill us.

Or scare you.

Donald Heller--

you said he was angry

that I'd called you about seeing Terry hand him money.

It wasn't Heller.

We've had him under surveillance since yesterday.

I'm more interested

in how Terry got over here so quickly

after the gunshots occurred.

She called the police.

But that doesn't mean she wasn't the shooter.

Yes, there's all kinds of psychological reasons why

someone who commits an offense is the one who calls the police.

Yes, and a big one is to cover for themselves.

I'm gonna go and talk to her.

You two stay in the motel tonight.

I'll have a guard posted outside your door.

Thank you.

Chief?

The bullets are .32 caliber.

The same caliber that killed Cliff Minton.

But not necessarily the same gun.

We won't know that until--

...You find the gun.

And the killer.

Guess our honeymoon's over.

Time to head back to Lawrenceton tomorrow.

You okay with that?

I thought we weren't gonna make it.

We just got married and I thought we were gonna die.

Ms. Hall, you told me recently

that you had a "distaste for guns"?

Yes, so?

So, I was confused, because,

when you heard the gunshots,

you ran toward the danger rather than away from it.

And here I thought you'd be hailing me as a hero

for calling the police.

Oh, no, we're very grateful that you called us.

Yet you stand here

asking me why I came to help my neighbors.

A question you still haven't answered.

It's true what they say-- no good deed goes unpunished.

I heard the shots.

I was worried they might be hurt.

I called the police,

and I came over here to check on them.

How did you know you wouldn't be placing yourself in danger?

Because I saw someone run into the woods.

You saw someone run into the woods

all the way from your house?

That's right.

Can you describe them? Male? Female?

It was too dark to make out any features.

Ah, yes, it's very dark outside.

And yet, you saw a figure running away,

from a very good distance?

And I heard footsteps, too.

You see, Ms. Hall,

I'm not a big believer in coincidence,

and there have been two shooting incidents

that occurred

in very close proximity to your house.

You're a lawyer.

As you know, we call that "opportunity."

And while you say you don't own a firearm,

do I believe you?

Tch. Maybe it's just a matter of finding it.

We call that "means."

Then there's the fact

that the person who was killed nearby

just so happens to be your ex-husband,

a man whose death

would have benefited you both directly and indirectly.

That's motive.

What you don't have is proof.

Call your lawyer, Ms. Hall.

Tell them to meet us

at the Lawrenceton Police Department tomorrow

for official questioning.

Room 137-- the room Cliff Minton was staying in

before he got shot,

I wish I could go inside.

And what would you be hoping to see?

A signature item belonging to the killer

sticking out from under the bed?

Roe, someone clearly doesn't want us

looking into Cliff Minton's murder any further.

Since when has that ever stopped me, or us?

Oh! Hey.

Um, if you don't mind my asking,

how long have you been staying here in this room?

About a week.

Two more to go while we get our kitchen renovated.

And did you happen to meet the guy who was

staying in this room last weekend?

No. I work weekends.

Do you recall hearing

anything coming from that room during the night?

An argument, anything like that?

Like I said, I work weekends, as a bartender,

which means...

You work nights.

Oh, you could talk to my wife.

She keeps complaining the walls are too thin,

but she works days, so.

Thanks anyway.

Terry Hall and her lawyer will be here in 20 minutes.

Footage from the marina the day Minton was shot.

This is Minton here.

The face isn't good focus,

but those are the clothes that he was wearing

when his body was found.

He leaves here at 1:57 p.m...

Obviously alone.

Looks like quite a few more boats leave

over the next few hours.

Yeah.

I want you to zoom in on all those boats,

see how many registration numbers you can come up with.

Aida Teagarden.

Aida,

if you have questions about the gunshots,

I'm afraid we don't have any answers for you yet.

Gunshots? What gunshots?

At the Allison cabin last night.

What?

You didn't know.

Don't be too concerned. Roe and Nick are fine.

Aurora had left a message saying

they were coming back early,

but she never mentioned gunshots.

What happened?

There were four shots fired

from outside, through the window,

likely to scare Nick and Roe.

Oh, how can you be sure

that they were just trying to scare them?

Well, we can't be sure, exactly, but...

Do you think Russ Slocum is behind this?

We don't know who's behind it yet,

but why would Slocum's name be the first that came to you?

Because I caught him

on my phone-- without my permission--

looking at a text

from Aurora,

asking me about the rumor I'd heard at Slocum

regarding Cliff Minton having some "dirt" on him.

And then he just kicked me out of his office.

I see.

If he believes

Aurora's a threat to him,

he may have been the one to fire those shots.

If he did, we will prove it, and we will prosecute.

In the meantime, thank you

for this information about Russ Slocum.

Okay.

Russ Slocum made you get a warrant

to get Minton's computer from his office, didn't he?

Yeah, but I don't know why he threw such a fit.

There wasn't anything on it except emails,

purchase orders, things like that.

Unless Slocum thought

there could have been something on there.

Does he have an alibi for Sunday afternoon?

Uh, he says he was playing golf here in Lawrenceton.

I want confirmation of that from the golf course.

Then, after we interview Terry Hall,

I want you to go back to Slocum and print him

and everybody else who works in that office.

If we're lucky, we might be able

to identify who Minton was having a drink with

the night before he was shot.

And if we're very lucky,

we might find out what Slocum had to hide.

Look, I don't deny

that there's more than enough motive for me to kill Cliff.

But there is zero motive for me to harm the couple next door.

I mean, yes, they're a little nosy for my taste,

but then so is everyone else in this area.

I found an arrest report on your son, Jacob,

with the county juvenile court.

But it was sealed.

Did you pull some strings

with the judge,

to get that report sealed?

Jacob was 17 during the worst of our divorce.

He was very angry

and, one day, he followed Cliff into Corinth,

and he smashed the windshield of Cliff's car with a tire iron.

Cliff called the Corinth police.

Luckily, the D.A. agreed

to let Jacob be diverted to an anger management program

and dropped the charges.

So, Jacob has a violent temper?

You have no idea what Cliff has put Jacob through.

Enlighten us.

For the entire first year of our marriage,

Cliff earned Jacob's trust,

and then he betrayed it,

again and again.

And now Jacob thinks

the whole world is an awful place

because of Cliff.

He's been terribly damaged.

Damaged to the point

where he might've wanted to seek revenge?

You wanna play the suspect game with me over Cliff's murder,

that's fine.

I'm the one who chose to marry the man.

But Jacob didn't choose him.

Jacob is the one innocent person in all of this.

So just back off him.

Am I being charged with anything here?

Then I think we're done.

There you are.

Oh! I was so worried.

But how come I had to find out from Lynn

that someone shot at the two of you

instead of from you?

I'm sorry, Mother.

That's not the way we wanted you to find out.

I'd suggest going out of town for safety's sake,

but I suppose that's how you got into this mess.

Well, we do leave for Paris in a few more days.

Do they have any leads on who might've fired those shots?

Not yet, but I'm sure Lynn will find out the truth.

Well, I am staying far away from Slocum Security.

In fact, I'm canceling my lunch today

with Russ Slocum's assistant.

Wait, don't cancel, Mother.

In fact, I'd like to go with you.

Aurora, no, that is the last thing you should do.

Or it's the best thing she could do.

The sooner we know who's behind all this mayhem,

the sooner Roe will be safe.

Nick, you have a vexing talent

for putting things in terms with which I cannot argue.

Well, I'll try to use it sparingly in the future.

I hope you find out something worthwhile.

I've gotta go take care of something.

Oh. Uh...

Meet you back here later then?

Mm-hmm.

Okay, just give me a minute and I'll be ready to go.

Okay.

Jacob!

Jacob Hall.

Hey, Jacob.

Glad I spotted you.

I've, uh, wanted to make sure you didn't get dropped

from that class you were worried about.

Um, I don't know.

I mean, not that I know of.

I've reconsidered,

and I want to make good my wife's offer

to speak with your professor.

I don't care.

My life is gonna suck regardless.

It's sucked since my mom married Cliff.

Well, I'm sorry to hear

you've been going through such a hard time.

I wish she'd never given him the time of day.

He acted all cool and slick,

but underneath, it was all an act.

It's painful to learn

that people aren't who they present themselves to be.

He lied about everything.

He'd tell my mom he helped me with my homework

when he didn't.

He'd tell me he'd pick me up from school

and then never show up.

Then, when my mom wanted a divorce,

he lied to the judge about my mom,

saying she did things that she didn't do.

Such as?

Saying that she was hiding money in my name.

It was my money, left to me when my dad died,

but Cliff took half.

That wasn't right.

No, nothing's been right since.

Well, except for Cliff being dead.

I'm glad he's gone. And you know what?

I bet you a lot of other people are, too.

So Mr. Slocum has already signed the letters.

Once you sign them, you can drop them with me,

and I will make sure that they get in the mail.

Well, frankly,

I'm not be too keen on going back to that office.

Yeah, your boss basically kicked her out.

What was that about?

Yes, he did overreact a bit,

but if you look at it from his point of view,

someone in our office was just murdered,

which is horrible enough,

and then the police start showing up twice a day?

That's not unusual in a murder investigation.

I don't know what's usual.

I-I just know

that Mr. Slocum is very protective of his business,

his staff.

Well, isn't it his staff

that said Cliff had some kind of dirt on him?

Sharon believes that the staff

repeated the "dirt" rumor, but in a joking way.

Yes. Mr. Slocum did let Cliff get away with a lot,

but it was mostly because they were like brothers.

I heard them laughing together all the time.

It is impossible to imagine Mr. Slocum killing Cliff.

Cliff definitely caused Russ grief with clients,

with the way he'd make promises that he couldn't keep.

So why keep Cliff?

Is it true

that Cliff had some kind of blackmail information on him?

Whatever it is you're not telling me

will come out eventually.

It always does.

And it usually doesn't end well for people who obstruct justice.

Whenever Cliff would get some vodka in him,

he would say how he knew

how Russ got the money to start this company.

And it wasn't by breaking open his own piggy bank.

Stolen money?

Cliff and Russ were installers,

so they knew exactly how to get past the security systems

in the houses of certain wealthy clients.

So, they robbed their customers?

That's the way I took it.

But then again,

Cliff was full of it half the time,

so maybe he just made up that story.

Who knows?

No! That is not going to happen.

You can forget it!

I'm not gonna just let you just walk in here,

and start fingerprinting me and my staff.

Mr. Slocum, this is about ruling out your staff.

You think I was born yesterday?

You want prints? Get a warrant.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So, you can't imagine Russ Slocum killing Cliff,

so who do you imagine did?

Uh, Sharon is obviously

not comfortable making that conjecture.

And I wouldn't be, either.

Yes, but,

Sharon, you worked with Cliff for a long time, right?

Almost five years.

Then you must have seen glimpses into his life,

knew who he was close to,

knew who he had problems with.

Well, I do know

he had terrible problems with his ex-wife.

I overheard some of their arguments.

What did you hear?

Well, I know all couples fight.

I've been disappointed by love myself,

I know it can be painful,

but Terry Hall is a cold woman.

Very vindictive, and unstable.

Do you know what Cliff said she did

to keep him from getting the house in the divorce?

She doused it in gasoline and set it on fire.

Whoa.

Thanks for coming on such short notice.

This case seems to be getting harder for the police to solve,

instead of easier.

Yeah, not to mention more dangerous.

Man, those gunshots had to be so scary.

Yeah, pretty shocking.

I thought the cabin would be idyllic for you.

I'm so sorry that happened.

If we assume the killer was the same person

who fired those shots at us,

it wasn't Donald Heller.

He was under surveillance at the time.

He's Lynn's top suspect, right?

Yes, but I don't think we can rule him out

just because he couldn't have been the one who shot at us.

I personally saw him take money from Terry Hall.

And he told Lynn

Terry helped him file a lawsuit against Cliff.

So, you're thinking she could have hired Heller

to kill her ex,

then fired those shots at you guys herself?

According to Sharon Patterson, who worked with Cliff at Slocum,

Terry has a history of instability.

Said she started a fire

to prevent Cliff from getting her house in the divorce.

Now, I haven't been able to confirm that.

The news reports on that fire

said the evidence was inconclusive.

Well, she certainly has the most obvious motive

to kill Cliff.

She'll save a ton on alimony.

Revenge for wrongs she feels done to her,

and to her son,

could be an even more powerful motivation.

And if Minton went up there to irritate her

or taunt her,

it's not a stretch to believe she may have snapped.

Or her son could have been the one to snap.

I talked to Jacob today.

He carries a lot of anger toward his stepfather.

I see him on campus.

I could try to talk to him again.

And I can try some of my colleagues at school,

see if they have some insights on him.

Well, I think Russ Slocum could be the one.

Because of the rumor Cliff had dirt on him?

Yeah, Sharon said

she didn't believe there was much truth to that.

I've gotten to know Charlie Heard a bit lately.

Sergeant Heard?

Yep. He told me a guy in sales at Slocum

thinks there's truth to that rumor.

According to this guy,

Cliff claimed to have

helped Russ Slocum steal that money

to start his company.

That's pretty good dirt.

On top of that,

Slocum absolutely refused

to be fingerprinted by Sergeant Heard.

That sounds like guilty behavior.

Oh, Charlie also said

that Slocum's alibi on Sunday-- playing golf by himself--

is questionable.

There's a five-hour gap

between the time he went out on the course

and when he got back.

Solo game doesn't take that long.

It might,

if you drive up to Ridge Bay in the middle of it.

That's some impressive scoop you got

from Sergeant Heard, Davis.

Why don't I go by Slocum tomorrow,

say I'm researching security systems for my house,

and see if I can get any kind of truth out of him?

Great! And I'd like to head back up to Ridge Bay

tomorrow morning.

I want to ask around the marina, see if there's any more

to Terry's relationship with Heller.

Could you wait till the afternoon?

I'm really not comfortable with you going up alone.

Well, I have to head up first thing in the morning

to meet the insurance adjustor at the cabin

to go over the damage those shots caused.

We could go together.

Good.

Then we have a plan--

to move closer to the truth and solve this case.

Well, no one we've talked to

has said they've seen Terry Hall and Donald Heller

sitting over coffee together,

but I'm gonna go down to the docks,

talk to a few more people.

Well, I'm supposed to meet the insurance adjustor

in 10 minutes,

but I'll come back and pick you up?

Wait, I know that guy.

He was in the motel room next to Cliff's.

Excuse me!

Hi! Do you remember me?

My husband and I

talked to you yesterday at the Ridge Bay Motel?

Right!

You were asking about the guy who was staying next to us.

Oh, my gosh-- Cliff Minton?

I read about him in the Lawrenceton paper.

He was shot out on the bay.

Oh, I'm Jenna, by the way.

Brandon.

Yeah, I'm Aurora, this is Lizzy.

Hi.

Jenna, Brandon said that he was working

the night before Cliff was shot,

and you were the only one in the room.

Yes, and I wish I hadn't been.

I had the hardest time falling asleep

with all the noise next door.

What kind of noise did you hear?

Uh, voices yelling.

A pretty big argument, by the sound of it.

Uh, do you think

this has something to do with him getting shot?

Maybe. You should definitely call the police

and tell them about it.

This argument you heard--

was it about money or business?

Or was it more personal?

I couldn't hear the words,

but I remember thinking it had to be a lovers' quarrel.

The woman was yelling even louder than the man.

It was a woman's voice?

Thank you so much. You've been a big help.

- Sure. - You guys have a good day.

- You too. - Bye.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Cliff Minton having an argument with a woman here?

Who else could that be but Terry Hall?

You are gonna make an excellent addition

to the Real Murders Club, Lizzy.

So, the lab identified

the prints on the drinking glasses

left in Minton's hotel room.

Terry Hall.

It's not evidence of murder,

but it is evidence she's a liar.

She told me she hadn't seen Minton in months.

I have to show you something.

I've been working on

identifying boat registration numbers.

You see this boat here?

I can't see who got in the boat--

most of the slips are out of frame--

but it left less than an hour after Cliff Minton's boat left,

and came back just 20 minutes later.

That's not very long.

Were you able to zoom in and get the registration number?

Yeah. It's registered

to a company called "TH Consultants."

Right, I remember that from our list of slip renters.

I looked it up.

It's a legal consulting business

owned by Terry Hall.

Get a search warrant on Terry Hall's cabin.

I'm gonna call the judge and make sure he signs it.

Okay.

I know you're chomping at the bit

to talk to Terry,

but I just need 10 minutes with the adjustor.

I'm gonna wander over there while you chat.

Hi.

Is she leaving?

What are you doing here?

I was hoping we could talk.

Terry?

Roe? What are you doing here?

She headed that way as soon as she saw you.

Check upstairs.

Terry?

Terry!

She's not up here.

She must've gone outside.

I'm on it.

She was looking in that drawer there

just before you pulled up.

It's a good thing I have a search warrant.

A .32.

Of course.

What do you want to bet that's the gun

that killed Cliff Minton?

And fired the shots at Nick and me?

Copy.

Pinging Terry's phone won't any good.

It's sitting on the coffee table.

There's no cell reception up here anyway.

The county sheriff is helping

put together a team to do a grid search.

Plus, I have officers up at the university

picking up her son.

We'll find her.

You're certain she's the one who killed Cliff Minton?

We have video proof that a boat registered to her company

went out onto the bay not long after Minton.

Ballistics comes back positive on the gun, then yes--

motive, opportunity, means, plenty of physical evidence--

it's a perfect case.

Does it strike you as a little too perfect?

Terry is highly intelligent.

Why would the gun sit in her hallway

when she knows she's a suspect?

I'd have an easier time believing

she was framed

than to believe

someone that smart would make such dumb mistakes.

Framed? Come on, Roe.

You caught her in the act

of removing the gun from the drawer.

Or...

did I catch her in the act of putting the gun in the drawer?

Wait, wait.

Are you suggesting that Terry would frame herself?

Why would she do that?

I can only think of one reason--

to cover for the guilty party.

You're about to say her son?

If he's the one who killed Cliff,

she might believe the best thing she can do for Jacob

is to point the blame at herself.

But she was leaving.

She was all packed up and ready to go.

Why do that if she wants to take the heat?

I don't know.

Maybe she doesn't actually want to go to prison,

she just wants the heat on her, and not Jacob.

Thanks for meeting me here.

Sure. I was gonna talk to Jacob anyway.

What'd you find out?

I was in the main office talking to the Dean

when two officers showed up,

said they have orders from Lynn to pick up Jacob.

Whoa.

Well, his room's this way.

Apparently, Lynn found a .32-caliber gun

in Terry Hall's hallway,

but she wasn't able to make an arrest

because Terry took off and disappeared.

Oh, man. So they're thinking

she might've gotten in contact with him?

Jacob?

You're packing up?

I hate this place. I'm outta here.

Why are you leaving, Jacob?

My mom's picking me up, so, please, just leave me alone.

There's one problem with your theory.

Remember what Cliff's neighbor at the motel said?

Cliff was having an argument with a woman

the night before he was killed.

Yes, and we've placed Terry in that room

with her prints on the glasses that Cliff left behind.

Okay, so...

maybe Terry did have a bad argument with Cliff.

Maybe Jacob was with her,

or was close enough to overhear it.

Okay, Roe, would you just stop?

Look, I don't have time to go down

a rabbit hole of complicated theories with you.

So why don't you pack up

your Real Murders Club mystery-solving puzzle kit

and call it a day?

I have a search to finish.

Arthur would at least hear me out.

You're right.

He would.

He's been friends with you since high school,

and he is a good friend.

He also knows how carefully I've studied actual murders,

and he respects my opinion.

You think this is about respect?

Roe, I know how good you are at solving these puzzles.

You might be the best there is!

It actually is amazing how good she is at it.

I know I'm new to this, but already she has--

Arthur thinks cracking a case is puzzle solving, too.

So he's open to working with you--

his puzzle-solving buddy.

But that is not the job.

The job is to collect evidence in a lawful manner,

and build a case that will stand up in court.

Mm-mm.

You used to wonder why you and I can't be friends.

It's because a friendship with you

is a luxury that I cannot afford--

not as long as I'm Chief of Police

and responsible for

making sure that evidence doesn't get thrown out,

and that murderers don't walk free,

because you're in a hurry to put your puzzle together.

So excuse me while I finish my job.

She did make some really good points.

She did, but if she doesn't want to look at the puzzle,

how can she tell when the pieces don't fit?

I still can't reach Roe.

You said yourself,

it's hard to get a signal up at Ridge Bay.

It's bothering me that Terry still hasn't been found, though.

Maybe Jacob was right and she's on her way here.

We should hang out near his dorm in case she does show up.

That's not a bad idea.

I'll have to leave that to you. I'm heading back to Ridge Bay.

Roe? Hey. Wait a second.

I just found this glass in Terry's living room.

It's one of a set of four. You know how I know that?

It matches the glasses

you pulled from Cliff Minton's suitcase?

The ones with Terry's prints?

Exactly.

Which forces me to ask,

why leave your own glasses in that room,

almost like a calling card?

So, Roe's theory about Terry framing herself

isn't so far-fetched?

As much as I don't want to admit it,

yes, this is looking more and more like a frame job.

But I was thinking Terry framed herself

after Jacob confessed to her that he shot Cliff.

If those glasses were left in that room

the night before the murder...

That would mean it was a premeditated frame job

in anticipation of a premeditated murder.

Well, it seems like the only way

to find out if that's true

is to find Terry.

Maybe there'll be something in her house

that will tell me where she went.

But if you come up with any other ideas...

while puzzle-solving...

...let me know.

We have to get to the marina so I can call Nick.

Okay!

You're on your way up?

I'm halfway there now.

Jacob is convinced

his mother is on her way down to get him.

But she doesn't have a car,

her phone, her purse...

how would she get there?

Well, she'd have to meet a friend,

or at least find a phone

within walking distance of her cabin.

I think I know where Terry could find

a sympathetic someone.

Heller.

Good thinking, but if you want

to go talk to him, please don't go in alone.

Wait till I get there?

I'm with Lizzy. It'll be fine.

All right.

Be careful. Love you.

Love you, too.

Let's go talk to Donald Heller.

What? Why?

Is this what we do?

What?

That's Terry.

Oh, I know exactly

who planted that gun in my living room.

Cliff must've made spare keys to the cabin and boat

before we split up.

Didn't I tell you you ought to change those locks?

I was a fool not to listen.

But I'm not such a fool I can't guess

who he gave those keys to.

I need to get Jacob, make sure he's safe,

and then I'll figure out how to prove it.

Take my truck.

Thank you. You're such a good friend.

Terry, you can't leave.

The police suspect you're being framed.

You just have to give them a chance to sort it out.

Well, I'm not taking that chance.

I can't let you do that.

If Terry can prove who framed her,

she might be in danger from that person.

Look, if you really want to help her,

you would let me talk her into

turning herself in to the police.

Um, Roe? I think it might be too late.

That's Sharon Patterson!

I'm going after her!

I'll call the police.

We have to catch them.

We have to do it?

Roe, this is crazy!

We should call Lynn and have her handle it!

Terry could be dead by then.

I'm gonna follow them!

I hope I don't regret this!

I do regret this! So much!

Call Nick.

Hey, Chief.

9-1-1 Dispatch is on the radio,

they say it's urgent.

Hey, Roe. Should be there in five minutes.

Oh, then you're headed straight towards us.

Sharon Patterson has a gun.

She forced Terry into a truck and took off.

Roe's chasing the killer, Nick.

Shouldn't she stop?

Why don't I try to block the road with my truck?

I just passed mile marker 88. Where are you?

Uh... wait.

Uh, mile marker 92.

Okay, I'll drive one more mile

and then I'll block the road best I can with my truck.

Oh, that's not gonna work! They turned up a dirt road!

I'm gonna follow 'em.

Ah! I don't like this.

She's pointing a gun at us!

Roe!

No! What are you doing?

Why are you following me?

You keep ruining everything!

I just want to help you, Sharon.

She told me she's gonna shoot me

and make it look like a suicide.

Well, that plan's out the window now,

because, if you shoot her,

you're gonna have to shoot me, too.

And Lizzy Rankart-- she's in the car.

Lizzy! Show Sharon you're here!

I can't!

I'm on the phone!

Hang up the phone now!

I have to go.

Hurry, Lynn! Sharon's got a gun.

I hung up. See?

And there's my husband.

You'd have to kill him, too, Sharon.

Sharon?

Why don't you put down the gun, and we can talk this through?

It's too late for talking.

But we haven't heard what happened between you and Cliff.

Why the two of you were arguing

in his motel room on Saturday night?

That was you, wasn't it?

It was awful.

She was Cliff's little helper at Slocum.

Doing all his paperwork, running errands for him.

I told him that she had a crush on him.

No. I was his friend. That's all.

At least until after the divorce.

I know how he operates, Sharon.

How he flirts with you,

makes you feel like

you're the most fascinating woman in the world to him,

so that you barely notice when he starts asking you

to do things that are just not quite right.

Is that what he did, Sharon?

He had me fake amounts on purchase orders,

and other things.

I thought he cared about me.

I thought we were building something,

but then, when he invited me to the motel on Saturday night--

You found out the truth?

He said he could never have a real relationship with me.

Said he couldn't risk losing his alimony.

But what he really wanted

was for me to break into Terry's cabin for him.

What did he want you to do?

Find bank statements,

or anything that could help him in court.

He wanted me to check her boat, too,

and see if she was hiding anything there.

He handed me the keys.

That stupid boat!

He talked me into buying that for him when we were married.

How ironic that that's what you used go after him with.

Knowing that he was just using me all along,

turning me into something that I didn't want to become...

I've never felt so angry or so humiliated.

I understand that much.

He used me, too.

You don't understand anything.

You are the reason that he became so cruel!

No! Sharon, don't do this.

Nick!

Drop the gun, Sharon!

Get your hands in the air. I need to see your hands.

That is the second time you almost killed my husband!

It's okay, Roe. We've got this.

All right. Thank you.

So, Sharon just pled guilty to Cliff's murder,

the attempted murder of Roe and Nick,

as well as Terry's kidnapping.

I can't believe I spent hours side-by-side with a murderer

and I never suspected a thing.

It's a good thing

Roe figured out you were being framed, Terry.

She also figured out

how to find you at Donald Heller's place.

It was terrifying, but... amazing.

I do have to admit,

that if Roe had not put the puzzle pieces together,

Sharon may have gotten away with not just one,

but two murders.

She wouldn't have gotten away with it.

I have no doubt the case you were building

would've put Sharon behind bars.

Thank you.

You saved my mom's life.

Both of you.

And you saved ours by calling the police.

Yes, and we're grateful, Terry.

Yes! And now you have a plane to catch!

- Let's go! - Yes!

Your chariot awaits.

Ohh!

Bye!