Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement (2024) Movie Script
Yeah. Take care, guys.
There you are.
I got ya.
Hello?
Who's there?
You!
Almost scared me to death.
Good morning!
Nelly!
Helen!
This place looks amazing!
- Congratulations.
- Thank you!
You want a coffee?
On the house.
Yes, please.
Uh, to go.
To go! You got it...
to go.
Helen?
Is that Peter?
I can't look.
Affirmative.
Peter Henderson-Huang...
incoming.
- Okay, uh...
- ...bye, Helen!
Okay. We're open daily!
Eight to eight!
Yeah!
- Hi!
- Hi.
Morning, Nelly.
Ooh! Sunflower test!
Who's winning?
Well, Sunny Delight is tallest,
but Suntastic has better seeds.
Ooh...
Looks like this foliage spray
really does the job.
I'll have 1,500 words
by end of day, no problem.
I heard Helen opened the diner?
- Mm!
- Yes!
What you cooking?
Souffls.
Three-part series...
"France at Home."
Hmm. Better get crackin'!
Help yourself
- to middling profiteroles...
- Oh!
...Tastes like mediocrity.
Never stopped me.
Mm. Yum!
Oh, uh, Marty brought the mail?
He sure did.
Oh.
Mm... This is for you.
Ooh. Thank you.
So... I saw what you wrote
in your column to Grace,
you know...
"Kitten-Less and Longing
in Babbleton," Fiona.
Right.
You told Grace to, "Be patient.
Good things will come."
- I said that?
- So, yesterday,
I see Peter at the park,
and he tells me
Grace "found" a kitten
right after you wrote that.
Under the shrubbery,
in their own garden.
Amazing!
I really hope
he let her keep it.
How could he not?
Does he have a choice?
The whole town
was rooting for Grace!
"Kitten-Less
and Longing in Babbleton,"
Fiona.
So, funny thing...
that kitten looks an awful lot
like those tabbies
up for adoption near your place.
Ee...
You said one would be perfect
for Grace.
Ah! Poor Peter.
I've rather been avoiding him!
So long as everyone
ends up happy, right?
Well... almost everyone.
Huh.
I just got a handwritten letter.
No return address.
Snail-mail advice?
Don't they use
the anonymous web form?
Yeah, they do.
This woman is worried
that her boyfriend
might be cheating on her.
Oh...
He was the bee's knees,
now secretive.
She suspects
canoodling in the shadows
with another woman!
How awful.
And mysterious!
Who's it from?
It's signed
"Worried in Babbleton."
I wonder why it's handwritten?
Maybe an off-grid?
No Internet?
Hmm.
I think I know this handwriting.
Oh!
Yes, yes, yes.
She has been dotting her "I" s
with hearts
ever since elementary school.
Dahlia Chatters!
Which means...
...Blake Jarvis!
No! Blake?
What are you thinking...
worrying our poor Dahlia?
Tch-tch-tch!
Nelly...
where're you going?
You know, advice
for an advice column
usually happens at a desk!
Type-type, type-type?
Blake?
I need to talk to you.
Blake?
Oh, no!
Blake?
No.
No, no, no!
No!
Is anybody there?
Uh, police, please?
Yes, I need some help.
Blake Jarvis's house.
Uh, yes! Yes, I'm here.
Yeah, please send someone.
There's been a murder.
It wasn't a robbery.
Nothing seems stolen.
He still had his phone
and his watch.
Bless his soul.
He took a terrible tumble.
Burgi! This wasn't an accident.
He was clearly pushed.
Oh! Detective Mickey.
Hey.
You met Nelly Parker?
Nelly's got a knack for advice.
She's the one who found Blake.
If I could just get a...
You're not much of anyone
in Babbleton
until you know Nelly, Mick.
He's so new here.
Nice to meet you, Ms. Parker.
Detective Michael Hogan.
Oh, uh, Nelly.
I've just been
reassuring our Nelly here
that the medical reports
will come back
and tell us
poor Blake took a header.
Did Doc Balliol
examine the body yet?
Oh, I'm afraid I'm not
at liberty to discuss that.
- Oh?
- Nelly.
Mickey's gonna tell us
what we need to know
to put your mind at ease, okay?
- Let's hear it, Mick.
- Thank you.
With all due respect, Sheriff,
uh, we should probably
discuss this in private,
- don't you think?
- Oh.
Um, o... kay then.
Well, uh, Dr. Balliol still
needs to conduct a full autopsy
and run the tox screens,
but the preliminary comments
put the time of death
somewhere between
10 p.m. and midnight
last night.
And there is an indication
that the victim was pushed
from the top of the stairs
- with significant force.
- Oh, my.
I knew it!
Did you notice the sawdust?
It had been swept away.
As though someone were trying
to erase a trail of footprints?
Yeah. Yeah, we caught that.
And the light was off!
I don't imagine
Blake went upstairs in the dark.
Certainly couldn't have
flipped the switch
after he died... obviously.
Obviously. Yeah.
Well, we're gonna
dust everything for prints.
- Good!
- Good.
Okay. Uh, Sheriff,
how do you see
this investigation proceeding?
Oh. You got a handle on it,
Mick.
Why not make it a trial run?
Yeah?
Congratulations!
Thanks. Um, okay, I guess
what I'll do then is...
Oh! Uh, wait.
I did... find this.
- Oh, my.
- Whoa. Where did you find that?
$20,000!
It was in Blake's
right-breast pocket.
Uh...
Oh, yeah. I... I don't...
Oh, man.
Huh.
So...
you were friends
with Blake Jarvis?
Oh, I knew Blake for forever,
but, uh, we weren't close.
What would you call "close"?
Birthday parties? Maybe...
Maybe more than that?
Did you go
to Blake's birthday parties?
- No.
- Did you date him?
What? No.
Date him?
We weren't close.
Dating would be close.
- True.
- Anyways, he was with Dahlia.
I used to babysit Dahlia.
I was friends with her brother
in second grade.
- I didn't date him either.
- Mm-hmm.
- Just, you know, for the record.
- Right.
So, why come here this morning
to see your acquaintance?
Well, I wanted to talk
to Blake face-to-face.
About what?
Love. Life.
Pursuit of happiness?
Mm-hmm.
I'm an advice columnist.
I was doing some research.
What kind of research?
Oh, it covers
a wide range of topics!
You should read
the weekend edition.
Well! That concludes
my statement.
For now.
It's very tidy in here,
don't you think?
Was Blake
a particularly neat person?
I have no idea.
Huh!
If he wasn't,
maybe the killer came back
and cleaned the place up.
That would tell you something,
wouldn't it? Hmm?
Well...
Ah!
Thank you for the water,
Michael.
All right, you guys fan out,
see what you can find,
all right?
Hey, Sheriff.
Nelly?
Oh. Dahlia. Oh!
I don't understand,
is this real?
I'm so sorry.
Why would anyone
want to hurt Blake?
I mean, everyone loved him.
I don't know.
But you can figure this out,
Nelly, right?
- Wh-What happened to him?
- I...
Please?
Maybe if we put
our heads together,
we can come up with some clues
to help the police.
Clues. O-Okay.
How do we do that?
Uh, um...
why don't we step away?
Uh... yeah,
we'll just go this way.
This way. Um...
Oh.
Um, why don't we start by...
remembering the last time
you and Blake spoke.
Uh, that would be on the phone.
I think yesterday evening,
after supper?
Okay, do you remember
what time that was?
Uh... quarter to seven?
Okay. Good!
This is very useful.
And what did
the two of you speak about?
Um... I asked him
what he had for supper.
All right.
And how did he sound?
Like, what was
his tone of voice?
Did he sound like
he usually did?
- No. He was rushing...
- Oh!
...Like he wanted
to get rid of me.
That was the last time we spoke.
Oh...
Dahlia.
I know this is hard...
...but I know
you're "Worried in Babbleton."
Worried?
That Blake was being unfaithful.
But cheating?
Dahlia, it just...
it sounds so harsh.
Oh. No. It was more of
a bad feeling than anything,
Nelly...
the-the prickles.
Like, like I knew
Blake had a secret.
- A secret?
- Not a good secret.
Oh!
It was happening more and more,
where he just didn't want
to talk to me, you know?
Like-Like he had
more important things.
Than you?
No way!
Oh, uh, his furniture business...
it kept him really busy, right?
Always! It wasn't that.
He w... He was acting sneaky.
Wait, I don't have
to tell the police, right?
I mean... I mean,
I don't have evidence
of Blake cheating.
You do have to tell them.
I wanted to talk to you first,
but Dahlia,
I'm gonna have
to tell them as well.
It could be really important.
Look, I am going to help you.
I promise.
Do you have any idea who
Blake was sneaking around with?
Uh...
you don't think that's who
did this to him?
Oh! Uh...
I mean, it could be possible.
Ms. Chatters?
Mr. Jarvis's partner?
I don't think I know you.
He's new.
Detective Michael.
Or Mickey? M-Mick? Uh...?
Detective Michael Hogan.
And I'm gonna have to ask you
to come with me,
if you don't mind.
Detective, Dahlia and Blake
were together for three years.
Right.
Yes. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry for your loss.
Um, I can arrange
to have you meet
with a victim's advocate,
if you'd like, but first,
I really need
to ask you to come with me...
and, uh, Sheriff Brahm...
back to the station,
for questioning.
W...
You'll-You'll come with me?
Yes, of course.
No, no, no. I've already
taken Ms. Parker's statement.
I really must insist
that you come with me alone...
I mean, and with Sheriff Brahm,
of course.
But this isn't
formal questioning.
Is it, Detective?
- Well...
- So wouldn't it be nice
if Dahlia had some support?
Or, I'm... if this is
formal questioning,
then maybe she should be
calling a lawyer.
No. No, no, no.
She can have support.
Great. All right.
I'll drive us. Okay?
We'll see you there.
Great!
Never a break.
See ya at the station, Burgi.
Right-o, kiddo!
Well, thank you guys
for coming in, again.
Good?
Okay, so. Um, you were home
all night, Ms. Chatters?
You didn't go out at all?
That's your statement, right?
Yes. That's what she said.
I heard it, too.
- Great.
- Mm-hmm.
Um... right.
My last class ended at five.
Fine.
And what were you teaching?
Soc 101.
My mother used to teach it, too.
- Okay.
- And my step-sister
picked me up at the Sub.
Oh, uh...
"Student... Union... Building."
Yes, I know.
Thank you very much.
- Well, just...
- I've got it, thank you.
So, if you could, please,
for the record, Ms. Chatters,
give me your sister's full name?
Oh! Formal.
Step-sister.
My dad was remarried.
Okay.
Colleen Hartell.
And we rent an apartment
at the Mason Building.
And Ms. Hartell was home
with you all night?
Yes.
Yeah. We made spaghetti.
Vegetarian, with eggplant.
Yum!
So, you had dinner...
go on, please.
Well, like I told Nelly,
I called Blake after.
It was, like, 6:45.
Yeah, 6:45.
That's what you said.
Ms. Parker?
If you would please
stop interfering
with my investigation,
that would be great.
Oh.
Thank you.
Now, this... this call,
was this your only communication
with Blake last night?
Yes. Yeah.
He was in a hurry,
which fit in with
my suspicion lately that...
Mm-hmm.
...That he may have
been cheating on me.
You suspected Blake
of infidelity?
Well, just this morning,
I received
a letter in the mail...
"Support person"...
you are not
my person of interest.
Wait! Person of interest?
Does that mean I'm a suspect?
No, no, no.
All parties are of interest
in the early stages
of a murder investigation.
But...
...if I'm being frank,
Ms. Chatters,
you just gave me
a very convincing motive.
So, how long did you suspect
your partner of cheating?
Uh, a few weeks, maybe?
A-A... A month?
I-I really don't know.
"A few weeks to a month."
Okay.
Just one... one sec.
Um...
Oh.
Look, in light of this
new, incriminating information,
I really need
to consult with my, uh...
well, anyway, it doesn't matter.
I'll be right back.
You made me tell the police
and now they think
I killed him for it.
No! No, I don't think
they think that.
All right, maybe Michael
is considering the idea,
but you had to tell him.
Otherwise, you'd be withholding,
and that's gotta be worse.
Everything's worse
with Blake murdered.
I never even wanted
to talk about the cheating,
even before...
and why does everyone
want me to talk about
being suspicious?
Who's everyone?
Ahem.
Okay.
Sheriff says you can go,
but please stay in Babbleton,
and we'll be in touch
as the investigation proceeds.
You wouldn't happen to have
the access code
to Blake's phone, would you?
No.
Hmm. All right.
Please, stay in Babbleton.
Oh, no, she should
be pulling up soon.
Oh.
Do you think they'll really
get into Blake's phone?
I mean, it's like a violation
of privacy.
I don't know.
Oh, there she is.
Oh.
And what are you gonna do?
I'm gonna solve this case.
Dahlia...
I know you didn't do this.
Everyone else needs
to know it, too.
Thank you.
You always take on
everyone's problems.
But how do you know
where to start?
Oh, I have an idea.
Don't you worry.
- Dahlia!
- Oh.
She can't be away
from work long.
She owns her business.
Coming, Colleen!
Oh, I could have driven you.
Oh, she wanted to.
She's like that.
Oh, but...
you'll keep me in the loop?
So loopy!
I promise.
You okay?
Thanks for coming.
- Okay.
- Yeah.
Forgive me for trespassing.
Hold up. What'd you find?
Peter!
You scared me half to death!
Why are you skulking?
I thought I saw something.
It's just
a Bank of Babbleton pen.
Hmm.
Do you steal these?
Yeah, of course, you do.
Everyone does. Hmm.
What are you doing here?
Huh? Oh!
Uh, came to get something
I left here last night.
I didn't know about Blake until
I saw the crime-scene tape.
It's really awful!
Can't believe he was murdered.
Yeah, it's heartbreaking.
I was just with Dahlia.
Mm.
So, you were here last night?
Sure. Poker night.
Hey, that new detective...
strict!
I'm never getting inside.
Well, it is
a secure crime scene.
We're not even allowed out here.
Ah, well. I gotta go.
Peter! What did you
leave at the house?
What did you forget last night?
Oh. Uh, nothing.
Uh, listen, Grace needs
my help with the cat.
First vet check.
Thanks for that, by the way.
We're doing a grand
"kitten reveal" on Sunday.
I was starting to think
you're avoiding me.
What? No! As if.
Wasn't gonna bite
your head off, Nelly.
Only inviting you to a party.
Hmm?
Hey, uh, Peter...
who played poker?
The usual suspects.
Jody Day.
Connor Wooly.
Grace, Blake, me.
Played the first Friday
of every month for years.
- Why?
- Last night was Wednesday.
Yeah. So Blake changed it.
- Did he do that often?
- Never.
So why did he do it last night?
Don't know. How 'bout you ask
someone who actually knew him?
Sometimes, I think
I really didn't.
What's hiding in here?
Please don't shoot me.
Tell me why not.
I-I knew Blake.
I'm a friend of...
Blake is no friend of mine,
and this is my property.
Maybe we could be friends?
I'm Nelly Parker.
Rumple Snide.
Would you mind if
I asked you a few questions?
Police already
took my statement.
But maybe just one thing first.
Would you mind...?
Okay, yeah.
Great! Okay!
So much better.
Uh, do you know what happened
to Blake Jarvis last night?
Murder.
Yes. Between 10 p.m.
and midnight.
Mr. Snide...
Call me Rumple.
Snide's my father.
Okay. Mr. Snide...
did you hear anything unusual
last night?
Like, anything
out of the ordinary?
No noise from Jarvis
would be out of the ordinary.
- Oh?
- Power tools...
day in, day out.
Customers going
right to the door.
This is a neighborhood!
Yes, indeed.
But surely
not customers at night?
Well, no.
A lot of loud people
last night, though.
Wasn't even Friday.
What time did you hear
the loud people?
10 p.m. Shouting.
And then, 11,
the light went on
at the workshop over there.
Shines right into my window,
right up there.
Well, that must be
horrible for you!
Yeah.
But you said you heard shouting?
Uh, was it...
was it angry shouting?
Or... Or joyful shouting?
Or maybe the scared kind?
- Angry.
- Oh!
And then, an hour later,
the workshop light goes on.
Mm. Could've been a half-hour.
Never place clocks in a bedroom.
No! Of course not.
No place for clocks
in the bedroom.
Do you think it was
the security light that went on?
Motion sensor.
Jarvis trips it every time
he goes out there,
which is a lot of times
in a night, if you ask me.
More, lately.
Did you see Blake
go out there last night?
I mean, you've got a great view.
Nah, put my sleep mask on.
- Oh!
- Ear plugs, too.
Getting ready for
a final "walk-through,"
they call it.
Lot of work.
You're selling your house?
Oh, I didn't see
a realtor sign out front.
Private sale.
Privacy is my constitutional
right, you know.
Oh! Heh. All right.
Oh. Uh, Rumple, do you ever
get intruders back here?
Sure.
Because I swear I heard someone
in the bushes earlier today.
Get rats. Rabbits.
Slugs.
Snakes.
You.
Yeah, I just...
yeah.
No, Blake
didn't have poker last night.
It was Wednesday.
But what do I know?
The five of them played
for years without me.
Ice?
Colleen and I go
to the movies on Fridays.
Poker wasn't a secret, though.
I mean, he always told me.
I think he always told me.
I was at Blake's house,
and there were no dirty dishes,
no playing cards...
That was Blake.
Neat freak in the house,
dust all over the workshop.
But poker would explain
the wad of cash I found?
Hmm. Cash?
Yeah. I found $20,000
in Blake's pocket.
Cash?
Yes!
- Could he have won it?
- At poker?
Of course not! I mean,
they didn't even play for money.
What about money?
I did talk
to the old man next door,
- and he...
- No, no, no.
Don't listen to Grumple.
He hates Blake.
"Grumple"? Oh!
All right.
Could it have been
from a furniture sale, though?
Blake didn't take cash.
Huh.
Anyway, he was working
on a bench until Monday.
Ask her!
Did you find out who
he was sneaking around with?
The other woman?
Uh, no. Uh...
No. I'm on it, though. Okay?
Uh...
I'll talk to you later!
Oh.
Hello again,
"Detective Michael."
Ms. Parker.
What are you doing here?
I'm just, uh, visiting a friend.
That friend's name wouldn't
happen to be Jody Day, would it?
Ooh, ah... hey.
Chain grease, that's the worst.
Seriously...
what are you doing here?
Are you following me?
Following you on...
on this thing?
No. But I have learned
some information
you may find interesting.
Oh, yeah? Like what?
Blake hosted
a poker game last night.
Yeah, I know that.
What I'm more interested in
is why your friend, Dahlia,
didn't tell us about that.
Makes me wonder
what else she's hiding.
She didn't know,
because it was Wednesday.
You sure about that?
That it was Wednesday?
Yeah.
N... No, no, no!
That's not what I meant.
Hey!
- Are you following me?
- No, I'm not.
Oh, Jody!
Nelly.
Ms. Day.
Just the person
we're looking for.
Uh, yes. Uh...
We've got some questions
for you.
No.
I have some questions for you.
So, Miss Day,
you went to Blake Jarvis's
Wednesday-night poker game?
Well, I thought Wednesday
was a nice change for poker.
And was it? Nice?
No, actually.
It was tense.
Blake kept checking his phone...
which is a rule we have...
no phones at the table...
Sure!
...And Peter called him out,
and I don't blame him,
but it seemed like Blake
just wanted the game to end
after that.
He forced a bold move...
all in... and lost,
then the boys
started exchanging jabs.
Uh, some select words
were thrown.
Blake's neighbor said
that he heard angry shouting.
Peter and Blake?
But Grace stepped in.
She's so diplomatic.
Nice work,
getting her that kitten, Nelly.
Thank you.
She deserves it.
But it wasn't me!
Was shouting usual
at these games?
Definitely not.
We're a "please,
pass the pretzels" crowd.
Hmm.
Peter said
that he left something
at Blake's that night.
- Do you know what it was?
- Hey, could you just...
I'll ask the questions, okay?
Oh, right. Uh...
you...
Thank you.
Do you know what it was?
- No.
- "No."
Blake gave me
my first woodworking job.
I apprenticed under him.
Jody, I'm so sorry.
I know you understand, Nelly.
All right, Miss Day. Thank you.
That'll be all for now.
Thank you very much. Um...
Yes, we should be going.
Um...
Uh, Jody?
Who won the pot that night?
Oh, that was Connor.
Connor Wooly.
The banker.
Thank you.
So, what do you
think of that fight
between Blake and Peter?
Are you asking me?
Well, you knew 'em both.
I do know them.
But are you admitting
that I'm helpful?
No.
But you wanna know what I think.
The sheriff seems
to think that you are an asset,
so...
Yeah. I would like
to know what you think.
Deal.
No, not a deal.
I just wanna know
what you think.
It's kind of a deal.
I was wondering
what Peter Huang was doing
at Blake's this morning.
Something was definitely up.
We can't ask him right now,
he's at an appointment...
a vet appointment...
for the kitty!
Huh.
Do you want a ride?
You don't know where I'm going.
Connor Wooly's, right?
- You sure you don't want a ride?
- Yes! I mean, no. I...
Okay! Race you there!
See you soon!
We never play for money.
I'm the one who won't go there.
So you gamble for stuff instead?
Money is work for me.
- This is fun.
- Huh. Interesting.
And how much at they worth?
Ah, it's worth a gamble.
There were only
100 of these ever made.
You won all those at poker?
Some nights
are luckier than others.
Wow!
What's this?
What's going on?
Oh, hi, Paige!
Honey-pie, hello.
This is my wife, Paige.
Hi.
Nelly and Detective Michael
were viewing my loot.
Oh. So, Connor told you
he bet the weed whacker
and came home
with collectible mallards?
They're worth a lot!
If you place
zero value on utility.
You're here about Jarvis?
I am.
Connor was one of the last
to see him alive.
All everyone at Helen's
can talk about is murder.
Wait. Everyone knows?
I heard from Peter Huang.
He heard it from Jody Day.
- Wait. Peter did?
- You bet.
Jody's EMT friends
spilled the beans
when the ambulance
was dispatched.
She called Peter
when he was banking with me.
We must've been
the first to know.
Other than you authorities,
and, uh, the killer.
So, what time
did Peter get that call?
Came into the bank
when we first opened.
That's nine a.m.
I was at the theatre last night,
in case you're wondering.
Connor was at poker,
but he came home right after.
- I told them that.
- He was home by 11.
10:15. I told them.
Right.
I mean, I was home by 11,
after the play ended...
Death of a Salesman...
I'm sure you've heard of it.
Yeah, I have.
Yeah, me too.
Uh, can anyone confirm
that you were home before 11?
I walked home from Blake's.
I left when everyone else did,
so I must have been here
by 10:15.
And you work
at the Bank of Babbleton?
I do.
Blake Jarvis held
an account there?
Affirmative.
I do the books
for his business, too.
Blake was a build-it-with-
your-own-hands type.
Needed me to handle his money.
Do you have
something to add, Paige?
No.
Okay. I'm gonna need to see
Blake's bank statements
and his business records.
If you could help
facilitate that,
I would much appreciate it.
Of course.
Oh, um...
he also had a very large sum
of cash on his person.
Like, a really big stack.
You wouldn't know anything
about that, would ya?
No.
Dinnertime.
Connor?
That's my cue to chop carrots.
Could you show
the Detective and Nelly out?
Uh, we're gonna need you to,
actually,
sign your statement.
We are?
Well, it's protocol, so.
Yeah, yeah!
Yeah, yeah.
Protocol. Please.
I didn't know you work
with the police, Nelly.
Did you leave
the lifestyle magazine?
Sure didn't.
Look for "monster-in-law" advice
in the weekend edition.
Oh... I wouldn't miss it.
Neat pen!
Thanks.
This is my lucky space pen.
Oh?
Wanna give it a try?
It writes upside-down.
Oh, wow.
I bet you keep this
in your pocket all the time.
- I know I would.
- Solid bet, Nelly!
You should play poker.
Thank you.
Uh, do you have one of
these neato pens, Paige?
No.
So what do you use?
Pens.
You know, I think
you should probably
- sign the statement, too.
- She should?
Mm-hmm. Well, it's protocol.
Yeah, so th-there's...
protocol.
- "Protocol"?
- Yeah. Yeah.
I didn't say
any of these things.
This is Connor's statement.
Why should I sign it?
Yeah, that's bonkers!
Michael, she doesn't need
to sign the statement.
It's Connor's.
So, we should go.
Cool pen!
Oh, thanks.
Uh, thank you.
Did you see Paige reach
for that pen in her pocket
and then it wasn't there?
And then,
she got a Bank of Babbleton pen!
Okay, okay.
Hey, what was with
the signatures and the pens?
I didn't understand any of that.
Connor might be in the clear
with that fancy space pen,
but I think Paige uses up
those Bank of Babbleton pens
like they're going out of style.
"In the clear" how?
Because of a pen?
I don't know how...
Oh! Hey.
Oh, uh, Connor.
Uh, what's up?
She doesn't know
that I came out.
Michael, I need you
to understand about the timing.
I didn't mean
to make it sound suspicious.
Neither did Paige, I'm sure.
Okay. Well, I'm listening.
She's mad at me.
- Oh!
- She lost her wedding ring.
I bought her a replacement.
I thought it would cheer her up.
But I was quite wrong.
I mean, I-I got
the size quite wrong.
I don't think
she has sausage fingers!
- Ohh...
- It was an honest mistake.
Connor... I'm so sorry.
I get it.
Really?
I don't.
Sleeping in separate rooms...
Oh!
I went to the guest room
like she told me.
I didn't know about the play!
I thought she was sleeping
when I came back.
She hates it when I wake her up.
But you still don't have
an alibi, Connor.
Paige can't confirm
when you came in.
Correct! I mean, no.
He's right.
- It's not less suspicious.
- No.
I want you to know
there's nothing fishy,
whether Paige
went to the theatre or not.
You suspect she didn't?
Death of a Salesman?
Oh...
She couldn't know where I was
on account of different rooms,
so, unless she passed by me
in the hallway...
Oh... like ships
passing in the night.
Okay...
let me see
if I get this straight.
- Oh.
- You came out here
to tell us
that neither of you has an alibi
from the time you left poker
and she left the theatre...
if, in fact, she went
to the theatre at all?
Because neither has a clue
if the other one
was here that night!
But the car was here
when I came back.
Oh!
Yeah. I came in
through the garage
and I saw it parked there.
That... That's why
I thought she was sleeping.
Well, that's great.
Very helpful.
Thank you, Connor!
But...?
- Not less suspicious.
- No.
No, I suppose not.
Mm.
Okay, then! Um...
Why don't you come
by the station in the morning
with Blake's financials
and we'll talk?
Okay.
- Great!
- Connor!
Carrots!
Oh, Connor, you better go.
- Mm-hmm.
- Honey-pie!
Poor Connor.
Well, he made his bed.
With sausage fingers.
Okay, that's kind of funny.
- Yeah!
- Whoa.
Hey. Uh...
w-we were just
on our way to the-the...
Yeah, we were gonna
go to that place.
Yeah, yeah, the place...
to talk about, uh...
- Those things!
- ...The things!
- So, uh, bye, Paige!
- Yeah! Bye, Paige!
- See ya.
- Thank you so much!
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'll see ya at the diner. Good?
Okay. Sorry about that.
It was the Sheriff on the phone.
Just, uh, more of the typical.
- "Typical"?
- Mm-hmm.
Give me the typical.
I wanna know typical!
You don't give up, do you?
You know I cannot talk to you
about this stuff.
But you love
my inside information.
People tell me things.
Mm-mm. Not everyone.
Help me help you.
Wasn't that the deal we made?
No, no.
No, there was no deal.
What are you, five?
Okay.
The tox screen...
- Oh!
- ...Showed nothing unusual.
And there were no fingerprints
on the broomstick
or on your light switch.
So the killer wore gloves!
No, no, no.
Gloves would've left
old fingerprints intact.
The killer wiped
the surfaces clean afterwards.
Interesting!
- Mm-hmm.
- A clean-up effort.
- Yeah.
- What about Blake's phone?
No, we're still waiting
for the records on that.
- Tech can't get into the phone.
- Oh.
Do you know everyone?
Everyone knows everyone
in Babbleton.
Mm-hmm. Well, the Sheriff seems
to think you have some kind of...
I don't know...
special knowledge.
Is that why
you're buying me dinner?
Well played.
Okay, fine, but,
- I wanna get my money's worth.
- Oh!
Show me some magic.
How about, uh...
Oh...
"Yours truly,
Feeling Jelly."
Intensely envious of his wife,
Darlene, when she started
getting attention at work.
Ooh.
Never underestimate jealousy.
Mm!
But it looks like
those two crazy kids
worked it out.
Oh... that's not Darlene.
Oh!
I didn't see that comin'!
Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Hold that thought.
- I do see pancakes coming.
- Breakfast for dinner!
- Thank you.
- Extra whip.
- Extra strawberries, Detective.
- Oh...
Thank you so much.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
Oh, my goodness.
I am so hungry.
Mm!
Ohh... I really needed that.
Big first week, huh?
Oh, you have no idea.
The paperwork alone.
I think Sheriff Brahm is trying
to test me with this case.
There is one thing
that's been bothering me
- about Peter Huang.
- Okay.
You want me to ask you
what doesn't jive?
- Mm-hmm.
- Okay, I will.
What doesn't jive?
All right, so...
well, he doesn't like kittens...
- there's that.
- Yeah.
But also, the timing.
Jody said she called him
when the ambulance was sent out.
- Mm-hmm?
- But when I saw him,
hours later, at the house,
he made out like
he had arrived all innocent,
just to pick something up,
and then, he dodged me
when I asked him what it was.
Hmm?
Yeah. Yeah, that's odd.
But what about the pens?
I didn't understand
what was happening
with the pens.
Yes. So, I found
this
under the bushes
at Blake's house...
a Bank of Babbleton pen.
It's a bank-teller pen.
Yeah, I get that,
but when did you find it?
And... at my crime scene?
I went back to interview
the neighbor, grumpy guy.
They call him "Grumple,"
if you can believe that.
Ooh, probably not to his face.
Anyways, naturally,
I thought the pen
belonged to Connor.
Banker, right?
Mm-hmm.
So, I thought to ask
for signatures
to see who had a pen.
Now, I think probably
Paige dropped the pen.
Or... well,
anyone who steals bank pens.
Why would Paige be hiding
in the bushes at Blake's place?
How many more times
are you gonna do this to me?
Find things
that are useful to the case?
No!
Come on!
You're like a lone wolf.
You get that I'm trying
to solve a murder here, right?
This is my first case
with Sheriff Brahm,
and every time I turn around,
you're jumping out of the cake
with jazz hands,
saying, "Oh, look at me, here's
some more evidence I withheld!"
Oh. Well...
I guess I'm just used
to working alone,
writing my column.
Do you live alone, too?
Do you live with someone?
No.
No, not anymore.
I got divorced.
There. I said it.
That's why the transfer.
Fresh start.
Yeah, something like that.
Look. Good work with the pen.
I mean it.
I'm glad you found it.
But, moving forward,
maybe we need
to work on our communication
just a little bit. Okay?
Okay.
Okay. Good.
That being said...
did it look like
anybody had been hiding
in the bushes recently?
Definitely!
There were broken branches,
and I swear,
I heard someone scurrying away
when I was finding Blake's body.
- Ah...
- Speculation, not new evidence.
- Hmm.
- I promise.
Mm-hmm.
Okay.
Now we got something.
What? What now? What'd I do?
Uh, no, nothing. I just...
I just like
that you ordered that.
Hmm.
Maybe souffl isn't meant
to be baked in a toaster oven.
If Dahlia's motive
was Blake cheating,
why would she share that?
And this murder
definitely didn't seem planned.
Ooh! Crime of passion?
So, Blake was
pushed down the stairs.
There's no weapon.
How do the police find clues?
No weapon.
No footprints. No tire tracks.
No fingerprints.
No access to Blake's phone, yet.
But the killer swept the floor
where they walked,
they wiped the light switch
and the broom handle clean.
Blake had cash in his pocket...
but they didn't steal it.
Unless they didn't know
about the money. Hmm.
Paige Wooly at the theatre?
I don't think so!
She's been working double shifts
at Helen's and the DMV.
Paige could have been
hiding in Blake's bushes.
Someone dropped
a Bank of Babbleton pen there.
Could she be
Blake's other woman?
I mean, people can surprise you.
Her marriage is on the rocks.
Connor!
An affair could
contribute to that. Hmm!
Oh! Not Jody.
We don't wanna think
that anyone we know did this,
but it happened in Babbleton,
so chances are they did.
You know, I have to say...
a murder plan
to push a guy like Blake
down the stairs
is not a very good murder plan.
It happened
in the heat of the moment.
The killer scrambled
to cover their tracks.
Now they're worried
they made a mistake.
They don't want me, or anyone,
looking that closely.
Hmm!
Nelly, how do you know all this?
Well...
...someone left this
at my house.
"Get your nose out of
where it doesn't belong"?
I know!
Somebody broke into your house
with this?
Well, they threw it
through the window with a rock,
but no hearts on the "I" s,
so...
"Don't mess with me."
Nelly, this is a threat!
Question is, what was happening
when the killer pushed Blake?
What was the feeling
that caused the push?
That is the motive.
A crime of passion!
What makes people passionate?
Money!
Or romance.
Yes!
Oh!
I spoke with Blake's neighbor,
Grumple...
Rumple? Rumpole?
Grumple? Grumple...
- "Rumple Snide."
- Yes!
Yes, I wrote about him
for the Bloom Count.
He was runner-up.
He does not like noise,
or light,
or Blake, or...
- You.
- ...Me very much. Hmm.
And he just sold his house.
These are the things
I know so far.
Okay, here he is.
This is the photo that I used
in the Bloom Count issue.
- Paige Wooly!
- What?
She's, like, Rumple's niece,
or something.
What?
- Yeah!
- Huh.
- Hey.
- Oh!
Hello!
Uh, Mickey...
uh, Detective! Michael.
Detective Michael.
Uh, hey! Do you know Fiona?
- She makes a great souffl.
- It...
It's actually not your best.
But, um...
she's great.
Hello, Detective.
What can we help you with?
Yes.
I know you're in
the middle of, uh...
Work?
...Work, right.
Um...
You wouldn't happen
to know anything about
"monster" mothers, would you?
You said something about
a column, or an article...
Uh... ooh.
Uh...
Monsters-in-law?
- That was it!
- Yes!
Close enough. Listen.
I need you to come with me.
Okay? So, I drive really fast.
So, I'll just wait in the car
for you.
Okay? Come with me?
Nice to meet you.
All right! See you in a bit!
Uh...
"Detective Mickey"?
"Detective Michael Hogan."
Detective Dreamy!
Okay.
I'm going now.
Oh!
You do drive fast.
Sheriff said hurry, so we hurry.
Dahlia's mom is kicking up
quite a fuss.
Well, she probably thinks
Dahlia should've had a lawyer.
Hey, that was a statement,
until she handed us
a motive on a silver platter.
All right, where do I come in?
What do mean,
where do you come in?
Aren't you always in?
Yesterday, you're in everything
like a dirty shirt.
Suddenly, you wanna back out?
I don't wanna back out.
Paige Wooly!
Hold on!
Hey!
Wh-Where you going?
I-It's just a quick pit-stop.
Don't worry!
We'll still win the race.
Paige!
Paige?
Paige!
Ohh! Paige!
Please! Yes!
What is wrong with you?
I am on my way to work.
Please tell me...
why did you make that noise...
about Blake and money?
- Ugh!
- Yes! That is the noise.
Because Blake had no money!
He wasted Connor's time.
He mostly didn't pay him.
He spent as much as he earned.
That's called a furniture hobby,
not a business.
You know, I saw him
at Vera's Jewelry Store,
visiting an engagement ring
he could not afford.
All, like...
"...My precious."
Honestly, I don't know
how Dahlia could even stand him.
You took a second job.
You can't relate?
Okay, Paige, I'm sorry.
I spoke with Rumple Snide.
Your Uncle Rumple?
I have to go.
The only thing
that my daughter is guilty of
is her horrible taste in men!
It's bad enough
that she would've
married the scoundrel,
but the way that
you treated her,
like some common criminal...
Whoa, whoa. Dahlia was
marrying Blake Jarvis?
He told me his intentions,
of course.
Brazen, presumptuous man.
So he wasn't pulling away
from her, then?
Of course, he wasn't!
Why would he do that?
My daughter was paying
for everything.
With my money, mind you...
mortgaged
and remortgaged to the hilt,
he gets her
to fund his business...
furniture!
So you were worried
he was using her?
It's worse than that, Nelly.
I heard he was cheating.
One of those "has his cake
and eats it too" types.
I've never really
understood that...
who doesn't eat their own cake?
Can we...
Can we just sit down?
Please, sit down.
Why don't we sit down?
Thank you.
Um...
where did you hear
about the cheating?
Women are intuitive, Detective.
Mm.
But she was smitten,
and blind...
I had to take matters
into my own hands,
for her protection.
Okay, I'm gonna need you
to explain to me
exactly what you mean by that,
Mrs. Chatters.
- "Ms."
- "Ms." Chatters.
And please remember
that it is your duty
not to obstruct justice.
This is the kind of person
you keep company with?
Zinnia... I know.
Detective Michael
is infuriating.
He can be self-righteous,
and really annoying.
He can also be right here.
But...
I do believe he means well.
He is an honest man
who would not have got
a statement from Dahlia
without a lawyer present...
if he had thought
she was a suspect.
She's not a suspect?
Well, I...
You were just
protecting your daughter.
You were saying?
Well, I hired a detective
to follow Blake...
a private investigator,
and I had to tell
Dahlia this morning.
Oh, so she was angry?
Oh!
Did the P.I. get back to you
with his findings?
Well, he said
he would take photos
that I could use as evidence
to try to talk
some sense into her.
That's all I wanted to do,
Nelly,
was to catch Blake in the act.
O-Of course!
The P.I. was parked
outside of Blake's house
Wednesday night.
Wait! What?
Wednesday night?
Mm-hmm.
You had a P.I.
doing surveillance
the night of the murder?
Do you think
that he might have seen
something to do with the murder?
He might have.
He probably did.
Yeah, I'm gonna need his name.
Larry Foot.
Okay.
From Larry Foot Investigations.
Oh! Yes, on Spruce Street.
Spruce Street.
- Mm-hmm.
- Great.
So, remember,
I am the detective,
so I will be asking
the questions, okay?
But Burgi did say that I...
I know what the Sheriff said,
but this a murder investigation,
and though I do appreciate
your help with Zinnia,
you are still just a civilian,
and there are procedures
that have to be followed.
Of course, procedures!
So we're in agreement then?
I'm the leader
of this investigation,
you are the observer.
Got it?
Got it!
Active observer.
No, no, no!
I didn't say active.
Passive. Silent observer...
I'm not sure why I bother.
Oh, no.
No, Sheriff,
there's no one here.
Yeah, one security camera,
but it's smashed.
Yeah. Yeah, sure.
I can go check again.
All right,
I'll call you right back. Bye.
Don't... touch... anything.
I'll be right back.
Oh!
Ba-da, ba-ba-ba, ba
bada, da, da-da
Da...
Oh, have mercy!
Nelly Parker?
- What happened?
- The office was robbed.
- My office!
- Larry Foot?
The police are looking for you.
Oh, you've gotta be kiddin'.
I didn't do it!
I think they just want
to know if you're okay.
Ohh!
Did someone threaten you?
Uh... no, not lately.
Your computer was stolen.
Yeah, well, nothing that
ain't backed up on the cloud.
Brilliant!
Zinnia Chatters told us
she hired you
to follow Blake Jarvis.
Any chance you caught
any photos at his house?
Oh, big time!
- Oh!
- Caught a skulker!
Bit of a "spray-and-pray"
in the dark,
but probably something
to I.D.
Amazing!
I wonder what else
Blake was up to this week...
Mostly worked, and, uh...
...he was buying a ring
for his lady friend.
Oh...
Larry Foot.
Ya seem like a guy
with a story to tell.
I probably shouldn't.
Yeah, all right!
Uh...
I just came
from Vera's Jewelry Shop.
- Oh?
- Check this puppy out.
Wow!
Oh, if I'd had
something like that...
..."ex" might
just be a state of mind.
I've said yes to plastic.
Get this... Blake agrees
to buy it from Vera
- two weeks ago.
- Mm-hmm.
18 grand.
$18,000?
Yeah!
But he tells Vera
he can't pay for it till today.
- Not even a deposit.
- Oh?
He was all set
to pick up the ring...
payment in full
at three p.m.,
reservation at Gastronome
at eight.
Oh...
Blake was gonna propose
to Dahlia on Friday.
That's why he switched
the poker night...
kept it a secret from her.
But wait!
Are we sure that Dahlia was
the person he was proposing to?
Sure, we're sure!
Vera says so.
- Oh?
- Blake even brought a friend
to try it on...
same size as Dahlia.
Who was the person
he brought to try on the ring?
And how did you end up
with that big, fat diamond ring
in your pocket?
Zinnia got real protective.
Calls me this morning
in a real tizzy,
fighting with the daughter...
wants me to secure the ring,
she says,
before Dahlia learns
it went out into the world
on someone else's finger.
She's high-strung,
that Zinnia...
but a good mama.
I like the cut of her jib.
Everything's comin' up Larry!
Ahh. Well...
not everything.
Well, yeah.
Hey.
Oh! This is
New Detective Michael Hogan.
He's gonna want
to speak with you.
Larry Foot?
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
You're leaving?
Deadline at the office.
Type-type!
Okay, fine, but...
Larry has back-ups
of all the photos.
Yeah, yeah, yeah,
I'll deal with that in a minute,
but just so you know,
this break-in means
the killer is escalating.
So you understand how
dangerous that can be, right,
and you're okay?
- Sure.
- "Sure"?
Positive?
Listen. I'm going back
to the scene of the crime
this afternoon.
You're not gonna follow me
this time, right?
Right. No way.
Good.
Now, please, be careful.
Michael... you got this.
Yeah, I know I got this!
I got this,
but does she have this?
Zinnia said that Blake is broke
and needed Dahlia's money,
which, as it turns out,
is her money.
Meanwhile, he's walking around
with a fistful of cash,
shopping for
a two-carat diamond ring.
Just doesn't make sense.
What does
Detective Michael think?
He's, um, difficult...
to read.
Mm-hmm. You're never difficult.
Oh!
Look at this,
a submission from...
hmm!
"Jealous Green Monster."
What to say
to all the monsters, hmm?
You know, you have
this amazing talent
for being able to help
everybody else
with their romance.
Maybe take
your own advice sometime.
What, like about dating?
I mean, it's been years
since Fred.
You do date sometimes, right?
Well...
What about... tch-tch...
Detective Dreamy?
Is he single?
Maybe, you know, I...
I like to be carefree,
and maybe I don't want
to be bogged down
with responsibility to others.
Maybe... I'm a lone wolf.
Ha!
Nelly, you are
the most connected, caring,
community-minded person I know.
If anyone in Babbleton
needs help,
you are there.
That is the opposite
of carefree.
Well, that is not the point.
The point is...
who is Blake Jarvis
sneaking around with? Hmm?
We're missing something...
over there.
I don't know.
Did you know that Rumple Snide
will be joining us
at Babbleton Rose?
He was something of
a beau of mine back in 1967.
I just met Rumple Snide.
He sold his house.
Yeah. I liked Rumple.
That is a rare response
to Rumple, Granny.
Well, never judge
a book by his cover.
Do you know anything
about his relationship
to Paige Wooly?
Oh, Paige?
Yes, lovely girl.
Also not a widely-held opinion.
She sold his house.
But Paige isn't a realtor.
Oh!
Rumple hates doing business
with strangers.
And Paige knew a buyer,
so the house never
got on the market.
She got $300,000 for him.
So, now he can move here,
and he doesn't have
to work so hard.
Granny, that can't be right.
That was the price years ago.
Not now.
Numbers!
That's not the point, is it?
You're right.
It's not, I suppose.
The point is,
your former beau
is coming to live here.
Mm-hmm.
What will the others make of it?
I suppose
it'll "Rumple" some feathers.
Granny!
Who are we watching?
Shh.
Jody's job hunting.
Oh, and we're hunting Jody?
Do you have your binoculars?
Or do you use
a magnifying glass?
Okay.
Um, ahem, Ms. Day?
If I can just talk to you for
- a second, please?
- Hi, Jody!
Hi, Nelly.
Officer?
"Detective," actually.
Ms. Day, I found something
in Blake Jarvis's workshop.
It's of a personal nature.
Oh. Wow. This should be good.
Uh, a photo of you was found
in Blake's possession.
Enchanted. Do show.
Oh, he kept it!
Nelly, look.
- Ooh-la-la!
- I know, right?
Would you care to explain
the circumstances
that led to that photo?
Detective...
have you ever lost a bet?
So that's not, uh...?
I was so sure it would be
Blake in that dress...
but somehow,
he drew into the full house.
Next time.
Yeah. I'll take that.
Thank you.
Do you want a ride?
- No!
- A milkshake?
No!
Oh! Oh, here we go! Ooh.
- Goodie!
- Thank you.
That looks fantastic.
Mm!
Thank you.
I do have a magnifying glass,
by the way.
I am a detective, after all.
Mm.
Working on the weekend, huh?
Yeah. So how 'bout you?
How, uh...
How's your weekend?
Well, I went to go
see my grandmother,
and the many, many gentlemen
who love her.
Oh. So Grandma's a bit of
a heartbreaker, is she?
Granny Lu?
More... heartwarming.
I see.
So... kinda like you,
I guess?
Hmm!
Oh, don't think
I'm a lone wolf anymore?
I didn't say that.
I'm still trying
to figure you out.
Do I make it difficult?
My friend, Fiona,
says I can be difficult.
I wouldn't say difficult.
Just...
it's a bit of a process.
Okay, well...
bring it on.
What do you want to know?
Oh yeah? Anything?
Yes.
Okay.
Uh, let's see.
Um, oh, I know.
What makes you
so relentlessly happy?
Oh!
Honestly? Um...
Most things make me happy.
Well, I guess a few things
don't make me happy.
Okay, well, what are those?
If... If you don't mind
my asking.
Yeah.
Um, well...
I wasn't always a lone wolf.
Oh, really?
I was engaged to Fred,
my childhood friend...
later, my boyfriend.
Hmm.
And then, he proposed.
It was...
It was a dark and stormy night,
pouring rain,
in this parking lot
behind the country fair midway.
He had won this little
plastic, purple ring
in one of those, um, you know...
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- ...Toss games.
I know.
And, uh, he just dropped down
to his knee right into a puddle.
We were laughing so hard,
I could hardly get the words out
to say yes.
I remember, um...
on the car stereo,
the song was,
"Every Rose Has Its Thorn."
Poison.
Tsk. Good song!
Yeah. Yeah, great song.
I'm sorry.
It's not a sad memory. It's...
I have a lot of great memories
with Fred, but...
Time was not on our side.
He... um, he died
in a car accident,
five years ago.
I'm so sorry.
Well, he, uh...
gave me an appreciation
for glam rock.
Yes, he did!
And dancing in the rain.
Taught me what it's like
to... love and be loved.
Hmm.
I guess...
I just...
choose not to be sad.
Hmm.
Nelly?
Yeah, I know.
Heart on my sleeve!
Oh, she's perfect!
Aw, I just love her.
She was right under my peonies!
Oh! Bless you!
Hey, Peter, when are
those burgers gonna be ready?
Here you go.
Oh, hi.
Hey, you, Nelly Parker!
Thanks for showing up.
I was worried you were gonna
hide on me forever
because you did a bad thing.
You can't think
that kitten was a bad thing.
She's growing on me.
Mm-hmm.
Surf or turf?
Uh, surf, please.
So, Peter, um...
Jody called you
before I saw you at Blake's.
You came there after you knew
that he had been killed.
Hang on a second.
That's not what I knew.
Jody said an ambulance
went to pick him up,
- that's it.
- Uh-huh?
She said nothing about murder.
I know... it looks bad.
Yeah, it looks bad!
You lied.
I... had an argument
with Blake,
I didn't wanna tell you.
I wanted to get something back.
It was a watch he won off Grace
the Friday before.
- A watch?
- Grace is no card shark.
She had the flush,
but she'd already bet away
everything we brought.
Grace was so upset with herself,
and I'd become this villain
who wouldn't let her get a cat.
Peter, that's not the reason.
Anyway...
I went to see Blake.
Explained that the watch
was worth too much for our game.
He wouldn't hear it.
He said he won,
fair and square...
"rules are rules."
So you used the opportunity
of him going in an ambulance
to sneak in
and try and steal it back?
I'd copped to it
when he realized what I did...
maybe, by then,
he'd see the light.
I didn't know
he was murdered, Nelly.
I just thought he'd cut
one of his big Blake thumbs
on a table saw.
She's wearing
Grace's bloody watch!
How are you doing?
Sadness turned to anger,
thanks to my mother.
She should never have hired
that private investigator.
She's just trying to help you.
She was yelling at the police
in your defense yesterday.
Well, yelling
is my mother's specialty.
There was a robbery
at the private eye's
office, right?
Yeah. But he has digital files,
so the police are
gonna get everything.
- Really? They will?
- Mm-hmm.
Maybe they'll solve this now,
so they can stop persecuting me.
Dahlia, I have to ask you,
where did you get this?
From Blake.
Just out of the blue, too.
Probably buttering me up,
so I wouldn't suspect
his cheating.
It wasn't really his.
You don't think he took this
from the other woman, do you?
He took it from... Grace.
Blake stole my watch from Grace?
Not exactly.
He won it.
Fair is fair.
When is
this going to get easier?
I don't know.
I'm sorry.
Oh... boy.
Michael?
Dahlia Chatters,
you are under arrest
for the murder of Blake Jarvis.
Please stand up.
Turn around.
You have the right
to remain silent.
Anything you say
can, and will, be used
against you in a court of law.
You ready to go?
Let's go!
Nelly!
How can you do this?
She has an alibi!
She was with me.
There's no way
she murdered Blake.
- Michael...
- She was texting him
- all night long.
- Seriously?
- So, she...
- She lied!
She was texting him
every ten minutes until 11:30,
which is when
she could have killed him.
And, Nelly, the texts...
they were not friendly.
No, but Rumple said
the security light
at the workshop
went on earlier than that.
Tell it to the judge, Nelly.
There's nothing
I can do for you.
Michael, wait! Please.
Dahlia admitted
she talked to Blake.
She said that call was
her only communication with him!
Okay, so she was embarrassed.
My column was coming out.
What if her letter was chosen?
What letter?
Nelly...
what letter?
Dahlia
wrote into my column
for advice
about Blake's cheating.
She signed it
"Worried In Babbleton,"
but I knew it was her
'cause I know her handwriting.
I always figure it out, anyways.
I went to go see Blake
to talk to him about the letter.
We talked about this!
We did!
The communication thing!
No more lone-wolf stuff!
Were you ever gonna
tell me about this?
I tried to tell you...
- You did not.
- ...At the police station.
I don't believe
Dahlia killed Blake.
Nelly, don't you get it?
It doesn't matter
what you believe!
This is police work.
Suspects get treated
with objectivity,
and you just don't have that.
No.
I guess I don't.
And if it means
turning my back on my friends,
I don't think I want it.
Nelly, fix this!
I can't.
I tried.
I just made it worse.
But Dahlia didn't do it.
Please, Nelly.
Nelly, Dahlia didn't do it.
Okay, so, that night,
you and Dahlia...
making dinner...
vegetarian spaghetti.
With eggplant!
Yum! Then what?
Uh...
we started a movie around 9:30.
What about Blake's neighbor?
He's a really mean old man.
Do you think he's the murderer?
All right, so Dahlia's
texting during the movie.
Angry with Blake?
Yeah, she was texting.
But I-I didn't ask about what.
I know better.
What about Jody Day?
Did you know Jody
worked for Blake,
but she got laid off?
Okay, so when did the movie end?
Around 11:30.
Then we went to our rooms...
to bed.
Okay. So Dahlia stops
texting with Blake at 11:30.
Colleen, couldn't Dahlia
just have snuck out
without you realizing?
No. No way.
I would've heard her,
on account of her squeaky door.
Okay, the police are
gonna need proof than that.
How do we prove that
Dahlia stayed in her room?
It couldn't be that easy.
It couldn't?
If she snuck out to Blake's,
it would be on...
...camera.
And if she didn't,
the tape could clear her.
That's when we got home...
5:00 on Wednesday,
like Dahlia told you.
Mm-hmm, okay.
Here we go.
9:04.
Oh...
I forgot.
Dahlia wanted hot chocolate.
Ooh, the hot-cocoa run!
Don't gotta tell me
about those, hey, Mick?
Yeah.
That's not enough time
for a murder.
Anyway, it is too early.
Blake was still playing poker.
We're headed into time of death.
Yeah.
- That's it?
- Yep.
See? Dahlia didn't go out!
Bupkis.
For the love of the Lord,
let that girl out,
before her mother shows up.
- Boss?
- Yes?
Larry Foot has something.
You'll want to see this.
Is it the P.I.'s photos?
Yeah. This might
shake things up, huh?
Let's find out.
You were about
to let Dahlia out, remember?
She said let her out!
Darling, not yet.
Yeah, could you take
Colleen home
- for us, please?
- Yeah.
No! I-I don't want to go
without Dahlia.
Honey.
Sometimes, we don't
always get what we want.
It's gonna be okay.
It's okay.
Thanks for everything, Nelly.
Something just doesn't add up.
I don't get it.
What's bothering you?
Time of death is between
10 p.m. and midnight.
You and Dahlia
watching the movie.
She's angry,
she's texting Blake.
The movie ends 11:30.
She stops rage-texting Blake.
You both go to bed.
The police think that's
when she goes to Blake's
and pushes him down the stairs.
The walk is ten minutes away.
T-The police are wrong!
Why haven't
they released her yet?
Show me!
Show you what?
None of this matters.
Yeah. You get to be Dahlia.
I'm gonna retrace steps.
Show me her bedroom! Hmm?
Yeah?
There's no way she could've
climbed out of here.
Is there another way
she could have snuck out?
I guess that's the alibi.
- Michael?
- Nelly...
No, no, it's me.
They're giving me
one phone call since last night.
Dahlia. I'm so sorry.
I promised I would fix things,
and it's just such a mess.
I'm sorry.
No, I'm sorry.
I should have told you
about those text messages.
It's just...
we thought Blake was cheating,
and I was acting like
a jealous girlfriend,
giving him the gears.
I...
I couldn't show the detective.
I'm ashamed... I couldn't
show anyone, not even you.
I understand.
Why do the police keep
asking me about a letter?
W... "Worried in Babbleton"...
the letter
that you sent me for advice.
Nelly, I never
wrote you a letter,
and New Michael keeps
insisting that I did.
What-What...
What was it about,
and why do you think
it came from me?
The hearts on the "I" s,
that's you.
Or someone who knows you.
Well, lots of people
draw hearts.
Uh, Dahlia,
I gotta call you back.
Wait! No!
I can't answer calls!
Nelly?
Where are you going?
Wait!
- Colleen, stop!
- Nelly...
it's not what you think.
Good grief. Just...
Was it the letter?
Or stupid P.I. Larry
and his photos?
I never even saw him!
You knew the security camera
would show
that you two had stayed
in the apartment all night.
But you climbed down
the garden trellis
to sneak out back to see Blake.
Do you suppose
I was Blake's other woman?
Desperately in love
with my step-sister's boyfriend?
No. No, I don't suppose
you liked him at all.
There was no other woman.
Blake loved Dahlia.
Either you were mad
because you genuinely believed
that he was cheating on her,
or you made up that
bogus cheating story yourself.
Why?
I was 20 when Dahlia's dad
and my mom got married,
so we didn't get
to grow up together.
I'd never had a little sister,
and she'd never had
anyone to look out for her,
like I could.
So that's what this is about...
protecting your sister?
Blake was always too busy!
He wouldn't even
invite her to poker.
But the thing is,
Blake was never too good
to take her money.
Dahlia cares...
about me.
She cared about Blake,
and you... everyone...
but I could see that her life
wasn't gonna be good with him.
She just couldn't see it,
because he wasn't
bad enough, you know?
You knew
that he was gonna propose.
You were the one
who went to Vera's
and tried on
the engagement ring.
He thought
I'd be happy for them.
How crazy is that?
Why fake a letter to me, then?
I thought you would advise her
to dump him,
if he was unfaithful to her,
and I guessed if I sent
something personalized,
you'd think it came from Dahlia,
and you'd get right in there,
and you'd fix it.
But I didn't
get to Blake in time.
No.
Neither did I.
Wait, what?
He was dead when you got there?
I didn't go there to kill Blake.
I went to finally confront him!
And when I saw him
crumpled like that,
at the bottom of the stairs...
You're gonna have to tell
the police all of this.
But, Nelly, who killed Blake?
Don't answer it!
Paige!
Put the phone down.
Hi. It's Nelly.
Hi, Detective!
I don't wanna hurt you.
Just don't say anything.
Don't tell him I'm here.
Don't speak to the detective,
Nelly.
I came here to talk to you.
Nelly!
The police let me out.
Nelly, are you there?
Yes, Detective, I'm just
at the office right now.
- No!
- Nelly?
I've got big news to tell you.
The P.I. had photos of
Paige Wooly at Blake's house.
New Michael just sped
out of here
to arrest her.
I am not trying to hurt you.
Nelly?
I am asking you to listen!
Paige,
they have photos of you
at Blake's house that night.
Yes!
Because I was there!
I waited until the game ended,
and I hid
so Connor wouldn't see me.
Why?
I thought you might know.
Ohh...
you stole from Rumple Snide.
So you do know.
Nelly...
Blake was blackmailing me.
I had to meet him after the game
with the cash.
I'm mortified.
Uncle Rumple trusted me.
It just got so complicated.
Connor is a banker,
but he is also a shopaholic.
Our bank accounts
are all drained.
I was already working full-time.
So you used it as a chance
to get out of debt.
I met one of Connor's clients
who said he'd cut me in
for half the difference
if he got the house
for $80,000 under market value,
and I advised Uncle Rumple
it was a good deal.
He has these hang-ups
about privacy and strangers.
I thought it was low-risk.
I knew he would never gossip
about the sale price.
Well, there was one person
he was willing to tell.
Except for that's not
how Blake found out.
He overheard me
talking with the buyer
in the yard.
It was just...
so stupid of me.
So you had to cut him in?
I saw him at Vera's,
looking at her diamonds.
He was so desperate to propose,
but all of his money
was tied up with Dahlia,
and her mom, and the business.
I convinced him
to keep his mouth shut
for half my share.
But with that cash coming in,
why did you
have to take a second job?
Oh... guilt.
I decided I was gonna
pay Uncle Rumple back,
no matter how long it takes.
I have to get
Connor out of debt, Nelly,
or we'll lose our home.
I didn't know what else to do.
Were you hiding in the bushes
when I found Blake's body?
I went to tell him
that I was coming clean
with Uncle Rumple.
I hoped he'd return the cash.
We could both
do the right thing.
But... I was too late.
So did you trash
Larry Foot's office
to destroy the photos of you?
No!
O-Of course not.
I didn't even know about Foot
at all until tonight.
I didn't damage any property,
I didn't hurt anyone,
and I didn't kill Blake!
So, who else knew
about Larry Foot?
Dahlia, Zinnia, Colleen...
I guess any of the poker players
who were there that night
and saw him when they left.
Connor said that he heard
that Blake had been murdered
when Jody called Peter
at the bank...
but Jody didn't tell Peter
that Blake was dead,
which means...
...Connor knew
because he killed Blake.
That's enough, Nelly.
Connor!
What are you doing?
Put the gun down. Put it down!
You don't even know how to...
Mmf!
Say nothing, Nelly...
or Paige dies.
Connor...
Connor, you don't
wanna hurt her.
You're the one who knew
that she was being blackmailed.
You were trying to be her hero.
It won't make any difference.
She thinks I'm a failure!
Connor, please...
give me the gun.
You don't wanna hurt her.
You love your wife.
You're right, Nelly.
It would be better if you died.
Ah!
Hands up!
Connor Wooly...
you are under arrest
for the murder of Blake Jarvis.
You have the right
to remain silent.
Anything you say can,
and will, be used against you
in a court of law.
You good?
- Yeah.
- All right.
You have a right to an attorney,
if you can't afford an attorney,
one will be provided for you.
Thank you.
You good?
Mm-hmm. You?
Yeah, not bad.
Considering.
How did you know...
You go first.
You came for Paige?
Yeah, I did, but, uh,
then I realized
she couldn't have done it,
'cause if she had,
she would've picked up
that cash.
Only Connor Wooly
was so bad with cash
that he didn't have
the good sense
to pick up a stack of it
sitting right under his nose.
- "So bad"?
- Mm-hmm.
I...
I saw the financials!
Larry Foot's surveillance photos
caught Paige sneaking
around Blake's.
At 10:15, and then again
ten minutes later.
Not enough time
to commit a murder.
And it was way before
Rumple saw the light turn on,
too, so...
Well, that is
some solid evidence, Detective.
- Yeah.
- Objectivity!
Hmm.
Magnifying glass?
No!
Shh...
It doesn't explain
why you came here
instead of going
to the Woolys' house?
No, I guess it doesn't.
So why did you come here?
Because, Nelly,
by now, I realize
that anyone who has a problem
in Babbleton
comes to see you.
So what next?
Mickey!
I need you
over here for a minute.
Ah...
A detective's work
is never done.
- Mm-hmm.
- Mm-hmm.
Good morning!
What a beautiful day!
Hey!
Time to make it official.
Well-deserved.
Welcome to the force, Detective.
Thank you, Sheriff Brahm.
- I mean...
- Mm?
"Burgi."
- You'll get it.
- I will get it.
I will.
Thank you.
Meow!
You got the cat?
I sure did.
"Kitten-Less and Longing
in Babbleton"
turns out to be
"Regretfully Allergic
in Babbleton."
Hmm.
So "Nelly Knows"
doesn't always know everything
about everything, then, huh?
Well, I do have it
on good authority
that congratulations
are in order.
Well done, Detective Michael!
Thank you.
You're gonna have to get used
to seeing me around town.
Ooh!
"Single and Ready to Mingle
in Babbleton?"
Oh, brother.
You know, some of us around here
have work to do.
Come on!
Helen's for lunch?
Yeah. It's a Belgian waffle
kind of day.
- Ooh, international!
- Mm-hmm.
Sophisticated. Fancy!
What are you gonna have?
I think I'll have the special.
I want to be surprised.
Why doesn't that surprise me?
There you are.
I got ya.
Hello?
Who's there?
You!
Almost scared me to death.
Good morning!
Nelly!
Helen!
This place looks amazing!
- Congratulations.
- Thank you!
You want a coffee?
On the house.
Yes, please.
Uh, to go.
To go! You got it...
to go.
Helen?
Is that Peter?
I can't look.
Affirmative.
Peter Henderson-Huang...
incoming.
- Okay, uh...
- ...bye, Helen!
Okay. We're open daily!
Eight to eight!
Yeah!
- Hi!
- Hi.
Morning, Nelly.
Ooh! Sunflower test!
Who's winning?
Well, Sunny Delight is tallest,
but Suntastic has better seeds.
Ooh...
Looks like this foliage spray
really does the job.
I'll have 1,500 words
by end of day, no problem.
I heard Helen opened the diner?
- Mm!
- Yes!
What you cooking?
Souffls.
Three-part series...
"France at Home."
Hmm. Better get crackin'!
Help yourself
- to middling profiteroles...
- Oh!
...Tastes like mediocrity.
Never stopped me.
Mm. Yum!
Oh, uh, Marty brought the mail?
He sure did.
Oh.
Mm... This is for you.
Ooh. Thank you.
So... I saw what you wrote
in your column to Grace,
you know...
"Kitten-Less and Longing
in Babbleton," Fiona.
Right.
You told Grace to, "Be patient.
Good things will come."
- I said that?
- So, yesterday,
I see Peter at the park,
and he tells me
Grace "found" a kitten
right after you wrote that.
Under the shrubbery,
in their own garden.
Amazing!
I really hope
he let her keep it.
How could he not?
Does he have a choice?
The whole town
was rooting for Grace!
"Kitten-Less
and Longing in Babbleton,"
Fiona.
So, funny thing...
that kitten looks an awful lot
like those tabbies
up for adoption near your place.
Ee...
You said one would be perfect
for Grace.
Ah! Poor Peter.
I've rather been avoiding him!
So long as everyone
ends up happy, right?
Well... almost everyone.
Huh.
I just got a handwritten letter.
No return address.
Snail-mail advice?
Don't they use
the anonymous web form?
Yeah, they do.
This woman is worried
that her boyfriend
might be cheating on her.
Oh...
He was the bee's knees,
now secretive.
She suspects
canoodling in the shadows
with another woman!
How awful.
And mysterious!
Who's it from?
It's signed
"Worried in Babbleton."
I wonder why it's handwritten?
Maybe an off-grid?
No Internet?
Hmm.
I think I know this handwriting.
Oh!
Yes, yes, yes.
She has been dotting her "I" s
with hearts
ever since elementary school.
Dahlia Chatters!
Which means...
...Blake Jarvis!
No! Blake?
What are you thinking...
worrying our poor Dahlia?
Tch-tch-tch!
Nelly...
where're you going?
You know, advice
for an advice column
usually happens at a desk!
Type-type, type-type?
Blake?
I need to talk to you.
Blake?
Oh, no!
Blake?
No.
No, no, no!
No!
Is anybody there?
Uh, police, please?
Yes, I need some help.
Blake Jarvis's house.
Uh, yes! Yes, I'm here.
Yeah, please send someone.
There's been a murder.
It wasn't a robbery.
Nothing seems stolen.
He still had his phone
and his watch.
Bless his soul.
He took a terrible tumble.
Burgi! This wasn't an accident.
He was clearly pushed.
Oh! Detective Mickey.
Hey.
You met Nelly Parker?
Nelly's got a knack for advice.
She's the one who found Blake.
If I could just get a...
You're not much of anyone
in Babbleton
until you know Nelly, Mick.
He's so new here.
Nice to meet you, Ms. Parker.
Detective Michael Hogan.
Oh, uh, Nelly.
I've just been
reassuring our Nelly here
that the medical reports
will come back
and tell us
poor Blake took a header.
Did Doc Balliol
examine the body yet?
Oh, I'm afraid I'm not
at liberty to discuss that.
- Oh?
- Nelly.
Mickey's gonna tell us
what we need to know
to put your mind at ease, okay?
- Let's hear it, Mick.
- Thank you.
With all due respect, Sheriff,
uh, we should probably
discuss this in private,
- don't you think?
- Oh.
Um, o... kay then.
Well, uh, Dr. Balliol still
needs to conduct a full autopsy
and run the tox screens,
but the preliminary comments
put the time of death
somewhere between
10 p.m. and midnight
last night.
And there is an indication
that the victim was pushed
from the top of the stairs
- with significant force.
- Oh, my.
I knew it!
Did you notice the sawdust?
It had been swept away.
As though someone were trying
to erase a trail of footprints?
Yeah. Yeah, we caught that.
And the light was off!
I don't imagine
Blake went upstairs in the dark.
Certainly couldn't have
flipped the switch
after he died... obviously.
Obviously. Yeah.
Well, we're gonna
dust everything for prints.
- Good!
- Good.
Okay. Uh, Sheriff,
how do you see
this investigation proceeding?
Oh. You got a handle on it,
Mick.
Why not make it a trial run?
Yeah?
Congratulations!
Thanks. Um, okay, I guess
what I'll do then is...
Oh! Uh, wait.
I did... find this.
- Oh, my.
- Whoa. Where did you find that?
$20,000!
It was in Blake's
right-breast pocket.
Uh...
Oh, yeah. I... I don't...
Oh, man.
Huh.
So...
you were friends
with Blake Jarvis?
Oh, I knew Blake for forever,
but, uh, we weren't close.
What would you call "close"?
Birthday parties? Maybe...
Maybe more than that?
Did you go
to Blake's birthday parties?
- No.
- Did you date him?
What? No.
Date him?
We weren't close.
Dating would be close.
- True.
- Anyways, he was with Dahlia.
I used to babysit Dahlia.
I was friends with her brother
in second grade.
- I didn't date him either.
- Mm-hmm.
- Just, you know, for the record.
- Right.
So, why come here this morning
to see your acquaintance?
Well, I wanted to talk
to Blake face-to-face.
About what?
Love. Life.
Pursuit of happiness?
Mm-hmm.
I'm an advice columnist.
I was doing some research.
What kind of research?
Oh, it covers
a wide range of topics!
You should read
the weekend edition.
Well! That concludes
my statement.
For now.
It's very tidy in here,
don't you think?
Was Blake
a particularly neat person?
I have no idea.
Huh!
If he wasn't,
maybe the killer came back
and cleaned the place up.
That would tell you something,
wouldn't it? Hmm?
Well...
Ah!
Thank you for the water,
Michael.
All right, you guys fan out,
see what you can find,
all right?
Hey, Sheriff.
Nelly?
Oh. Dahlia. Oh!
I don't understand,
is this real?
I'm so sorry.
Why would anyone
want to hurt Blake?
I mean, everyone loved him.
I don't know.
But you can figure this out,
Nelly, right?
- Wh-What happened to him?
- I...
Please?
Maybe if we put
our heads together,
we can come up with some clues
to help the police.
Clues. O-Okay.
How do we do that?
Uh, um...
why don't we step away?
Uh... yeah,
we'll just go this way.
This way. Um...
Oh.
Um, why don't we start by...
remembering the last time
you and Blake spoke.
Uh, that would be on the phone.
I think yesterday evening,
after supper?
Okay, do you remember
what time that was?
Uh... quarter to seven?
Okay. Good!
This is very useful.
And what did
the two of you speak about?
Um... I asked him
what he had for supper.
All right.
And how did he sound?
Like, what was
his tone of voice?
Did he sound like
he usually did?
- No. He was rushing...
- Oh!
...Like he wanted
to get rid of me.
That was the last time we spoke.
Oh...
Dahlia.
I know this is hard...
...but I know
you're "Worried in Babbleton."
Worried?
That Blake was being unfaithful.
But cheating?
Dahlia, it just...
it sounds so harsh.
Oh. No. It was more of
a bad feeling than anything,
Nelly...
the-the prickles.
Like, like I knew
Blake had a secret.
- A secret?
- Not a good secret.
Oh!
It was happening more and more,
where he just didn't want
to talk to me, you know?
Like-Like he had
more important things.
Than you?
No way!
Oh, uh, his furniture business...
it kept him really busy, right?
Always! It wasn't that.
He w... He was acting sneaky.
Wait, I don't have
to tell the police, right?
I mean... I mean,
I don't have evidence
of Blake cheating.
You do have to tell them.
I wanted to talk to you first,
but Dahlia,
I'm gonna have
to tell them as well.
It could be really important.
Look, I am going to help you.
I promise.
Do you have any idea who
Blake was sneaking around with?
Uh...
you don't think that's who
did this to him?
Oh! Uh...
I mean, it could be possible.
Ms. Chatters?
Mr. Jarvis's partner?
I don't think I know you.
He's new.
Detective Michael.
Or Mickey? M-Mick? Uh...?
Detective Michael Hogan.
And I'm gonna have to ask you
to come with me,
if you don't mind.
Detective, Dahlia and Blake
were together for three years.
Right.
Yes. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry for your loss.
Um, I can arrange
to have you meet
with a victim's advocate,
if you'd like, but first,
I really need
to ask you to come with me...
and, uh, Sheriff Brahm...
back to the station,
for questioning.
W...
You'll-You'll come with me?
Yes, of course.
No, no, no. I've already
taken Ms. Parker's statement.
I really must insist
that you come with me alone...
I mean, and with Sheriff Brahm,
of course.
But this isn't
formal questioning.
Is it, Detective?
- Well...
- So wouldn't it be nice
if Dahlia had some support?
Or, I'm... if this is
formal questioning,
then maybe she should be
calling a lawyer.
No. No, no, no.
She can have support.
Great. All right.
I'll drive us. Okay?
We'll see you there.
Great!
Never a break.
See ya at the station, Burgi.
Right-o, kiddo!
Well, thank you guys
for coming in, again.
Good?
Okay, so. Um, you were home
all night, Ms. Chatters?
You didn't go out at all?
That's your statement, right?
Yes. That's what she said.
I heard it, too.
- Great.
- Mm-hmm.
Um... right.
My last class ended at five.
Fine.
And what were you teaching?
Soc 101.
My mother used to teach it, too.
- Okay.
- And my step-sister
picked me up at the Sub.
Oh, uh...
"Student... Union... Building."
Yes, I know.
Thank you very much.
- Well, just...
- I've got it, thank you.
So, if you could, please,
for the record, Ms. Chatters,
give me your sister's full name?
Oh! Formal.
Step-sister.
My dad was remarried.
Okay.
Colleen Hartell.
And we rent an apartment
at the Mason Building.
And Ms. Hartell was home
with you all night?
Yes.
Yeah. We made spaghetti.
Vegetarian, with eggplant.
Yum!
So, you had dinner...
go on, please.
Well, like I told Nelly,
I called Blake after.
It was, like, 6:45.
Yeah, 6:45.
That's what you said.
Ms. Parker?
If you would please
stop interfering
with my investigation,
that would be great.
Oh.
Thank you.
Now, this... this call,
was this your only communication
with Blake last night?
Yes. Yeah.
He was in a hurry,
which fit in with
my suspicion lately that...
Mm-hmm.
...That he may have
been cheating on me.
You suspected Blake
of infidelity?
Well, just this morning,
I received
a letter in the mail...
"Support person"...
you are not
my person of interest.
Wait! Person of interest?
Does that mean I'm a suspect?
No, no, no.
All parties are of interest
in the early stages
of a murder investigation.
But...
...if I'm being frank,
Ms. Chatters,
you just gave me
a very convincing motive.
So, how long did you suspect
your partner of cheating?
Uh, a few weeks, maybe?
A-A... A month?
I-I really don't know.
"A few weeks to a month."
Okay.
Just one... one sec.
Um...
Oh.
Look, in light of this
new, incriminating information,
I really need
to consult with my, uh...
well, anyway, it doesn't matter.
I'll be right back.
You made me tell the police
and now they think
I killed him for it.
No! No, I don't think
they think that.
All right, maybe Michael
is considering the idea,
but you had to tell him.
Otherwise, you'd be withholding,
and that's gotta be worse.
Everything's worse
with Blake murdered.
I never even wanted
to talk about the cheating,
even before...
and why does everyone
want me to talk about
being suspicious?
Who's everyone?
Ahem.
Okay.
Sheriff says you can go,
but please stay in Babbleton,
and we'll be in touch
as the investigation proceeds.
You wouldn't happen to have
the access code
to Blake's phone, would you?
No.
Hmm. All right.
Please, stay in Babbleton.
Oh, no, she should
be pulling up soon.
Oh.
Do you think they'll really
get into Blake's phone?
I mean, it's like a violation
of privacy.
I don't know.
Oh, there she is.
Oh.
And what are you gonna do?
I'm gonna solve this case.
Dahlia...
I know you didn't do this.
Everyone else needs
to know it, too.
Thank you.
You always take on
everyone's problems.
But how do you know
where to start?
Oh, I have an idea.
Don't you worry.
- Dahlia!
- Oh.
She can't be away
from work long.
She owns her business.
Coming, Colleen!
Oh, I could have driven you.
Oh, she wanted to.
She's like that.
Oh, but...
you'll keep me in the loop?
So loopy!
I promise.
You okay?
Thanks for coming.
- Okay.
- Yeah.
Forgive me for trespassing.
Hold up. What'd you find?
Peter!
You scared me half to death!
Why are you skulking?
I thought I saw something.
It's just
a Bank of Babbleton pen.
Hmm.
Do you steal these?
Yeah, of course, you do.
Everyone does. Hmm.
What are you doing here?
Huh? Oh!
Uh, came to get something
I left here last night.
I didn't know about Blake until
I saw the crime-scene tape.
It's really awful!
Can't believe he was murdered.
Yeah, it's heartbreaking.
I was just with Dahlia.
Mm.
So, you were here last night?
Sure. Poker night.
Hey, that new detective...
strict!
I'm never getting inside.
Well, it is
a secure crime scene.
We're not even allowed out here.
Ah, well. I gotta go.
Peter! What did you
leave at the house?
What did you forget last night?
Oh. Uh, nothing.
Uh, listen, Grace needs
my help with the cat.
First vet check.
Thanks for that, by the way.
We're doing a grand
"kitten reveal" on Sunday.
I was starting to think
you're avoiding me.
What? No! As if.
Wasn't gonna bite
your head off, Nelly.
Only inviting you to a party.
Hmm?
Hey, uh, Peter...
who played poker?
The usual suspects.
Jody Day.
Connor Wooly.
Grace, Blake, me.
Played the first Friday
of every month for years.
- Why?
- Last night was Wednesday.
Yeah. So Blake changed it.
- Did he do that often?
- Never.
So why did he do it last night?
Don't know. How 'bout you ask
someone who actually knew him?
Sometimes, I think
I really didn't.
What's hiding in here?
Please don't shoot me.
Tell me why not.
I-I knew Blake.
I'm a friend of...
Blake is no friend of mine,
and this is my property.
Maybe we could be friends?
I'm Nelly Parker.
Rumple Snide.
Would you mind if
I asked you a few questions?
Police already
took my statement.
But maybe just one thing first.
Would you mind...?
Okay, yeah.
Great! Okay!
So much better.
Uh, do you know what happened
to Blake Jarvis last night?
Murder.
Yes. Between 10 p.m.
and midnight.
Mr. Snide...
Call me Rumple.
Snide's my father.
Okay. Mr. Snide...
did you hear anything unusual
last night?
Like, anything
out of the ordinary?
No noise from Jarvis
would be out of the ordinary.
- Oh?
- Power tools...
day in, day out.
Customers going
right to the door.
This is a neighborhood!
Yes, indeed.
But surely
not customers at night?
Well, no.
A lot of loud people
last night, though.
Wasn't even Friday.
What time did you hear
the loud people?
10 p.m. Shouting.
And then, 11,
the light went on
at the workshop over there.
Shines right into my window,
right up there.
Well, that must be
horrible for you!
Yeah.
But you said you heard shouting?
Uh, was it...
was it angry shouting?
Or... Or joyful shouting?
Or maybe the scared kind?
- Angry.
- Oh!
And then, an hour later,
the workshop light goes on.
Mm. Could've been a half-hour.
Never place clocks in a bedroom.
No! Of course not.
No place for clocks
in the bedroom.
Do you think it was
the security light that went on?
Motion sensor.
Jarvis trips it every time
he goes out there,
which is a lot of times
in a night, if you ask me.
More, lately.
Did you see Blake
go out there last night?
I mean, you've got a great view.
Nah, put my sleep mask on.
- Oh!
- Ear plugs, too.
Getting ready for
a final "walk-through,"
they call it.
Lot of work.
You're selling your house?
Oh, I didn't see
a realtor sign out front.
Private sale.
Privacy is my constitutional
right, you know.
Oh! Heh. All right.
Oh. Uh, Rumple, do you ever
get intruders back here?
Sure.
Because I swear I heard someone
in the bushes earlier today.
Get rats. Rabbits.
Slugs.
Snakes.
You.
Yeah, I just...
yeah.
No, Blake
didn't have poker last night.
It was Wednesday.
But what do I know?
The five of them played
for years without me.
Ice?
Colleen and I go
to the movies on Fridays.
Poker wasn't a secret, though.
I mean, he always told me.
I think he always told me.
I was at Blake's house,
and there were no dirty dishes,
no playing cards...
That was Blake.
Neat freak in the house,
dust all over the workshop.
But poker would explain
the wad of cash I found?
Hmm. Cash?
Yeah. I found $20,000
in Blake's pocket.
Cash?
Yes!
- Could he have won it?
- At poker?
Of course not! I mean,
they didn't even play for money.
What about money?
I did talk
to the old man next door,
- and he...
- No, no, no.
Don't listen to Grumple.
He hates Blake.
"Grumple"? Oh!
All right.
Could it have been
from a furniture sale, though?
Blake didn't take cash.
Huh.
Anyway, he was working
on a bench until Monday.
Ask her!
Did you find out who
he was sneaking around with?
The other woman?
Uh, no. Uh...
No. I'm on it, though. Okay?
Uh...
I'll talk to you later!
Oh.
Hello again,
"Detective Michael."
Ms. Parker.
What are you doing here?
I'm just, uh, visiting a friend.
That friend's name wouldn't
happen to be Jody Day, would it?
Ooh, ah... hey.
Chain grease, that's the worst.
Seriously...
what are you doing here?
Are you following me?
Following you on...
on this thing?
No. But I have learned
some information
you may find interesting.
Oh, yeah? Like what?
Blake hosted
a poker game last night.
Yeah, I know that.
What I'm more interested in
is why your friend, Dahlia,
didn't tell us about that.
Makes me wonder
what else she's hiding.
She didn't know,
because it was Wednesday.
You sure about that?
That it was Wednesday?
Yeah.
N... No, no, no!
That's not what I meant.
Hey!
- Are you following me?
- No, I'm not.
Oh, Jody!
Nelly.
Ms. Day.
Just the person
we're looking for.
Uh, yes. Uh...
We've got some questions
for you.
No.
I have some questions for you.
So, Miss Day,
you went to Blake Jarvis's
Wednesday-night poker game?
Well, I thought Wednesday
was a nice change for poker.
And was it? Nice?
No, actually.
It was tense.
Blake kept checking his phone...
which is a rule we have...
no phones at the table...
Sure!
...And Peter called him out,
and I don't blame him,
but it seemed like Blake
just wanted the game to end
after that.
He forced a bold move...
all in... and lost,
then the boys
started exchanging jabs.
Uh, some select words
were thrown.
Blake's neighbor said
that he heard angry shouting.
Peter and Blake?
But Grace stepped in.
She's so diplomatic.
Nice work,
getting her that kitten, Nelly.
Thank you.
She deserves it.
But it wasn't me!
Was shouting usual
at these games?
Definitely not.
We're a "please,
pass the pretzels" crowd.
Hmm.
Peter said
that he left something
at Blake's that night.
- Do you know what it was?
- Hey, could you just...
I'll ask the questions, okay?
Oh, right. Uh...
you...
Thank you.
Do you know what it was?
- No.
- "No."
Blake gave me
my first woodworking job.
I apprenticed under him.
Jody, I'm so sorry.
I know you understand, Nelly.
All right, Miss Day. Thank you.
That'll be all for now.
Thank you very much. Um...
Yes, we should be going.
Um...
Uh, Jody?
Who won the pot that night?
Oh, that was Connor.
Connor Wooly.
The banker.
Thank you.
So, what do you
think of that fight
between Blake and Peter?
Are you asking me?
Well, you knew 'em both.
I do know them.
But are you admitting
that I'm helpful?
No.
But you wanna know what I think.
The sheriff seems
to think that you are an asset,
so...
Yeah. I would like
to know what you think.
Deal.
No, not a deal.
I just wanna know
what you think.
It's kind of a deal.
I was wondering
what Peter Huang was doing
at Blake's this morning.
Something was definitely up.
We can't ask him right now,
he's at an appointment...
a vet appointment...
for the kitty!
Huh.
Do you want a ride?
You don't know where I'm going.
Connor Wooly's, right?
- You sure you don't want a ride?
- Yes! I mean, no. I...
Okay! Race you there!
See you soon!
We never play for money.
I'm the one who won't go there.
So you gamble for stuff instead?
Money is work for me.
- This is fun.
- Huh. Interesting.
And how much at they worth?
Ah, it's worth a gamble.
There were only
100 of these ever made.
You won all those at poker?
Some nights
are luckier than others.
Wow!
What's this?
What's going on?
Oh, hi, Paige!
Honey-pie, hello.
This is my wife, Paige.
Hi.
Nelly and Detective Michael
were viewing my loot.
Oh. So, Connor told you
he bet the weed whacker
and came home
with collectible mallards?
They're worth a lot!
If you place
zero value on utility.
You're here about Jarvis?
I am.
Connor was one of the last
to see him alive.
All everyone at Helen's
can talk about is murder.
Wait. Everyone knows?
I heard from Peter Huang.
He heard it from Jody Day.
- Wait. Peter did?
- You bet.
Jody's EMT friends
spilled the beans
when the ambulance
was dispatched.
She called Peter
when he was banking with me.
We must've been
the first to know.
Other than you authorities,
and, uh, the killer.
So, what time
did Peter get that call?
Came into the bank
when we first opened.
That's nine a.m.
I was at the theatre last night,
in case you're wondering.
Connor was at poker,
but he came home right after.
- I told them that.
- He was home by 11.
10:15. I told them.
Right.
I mean, I was home by 11,
after the play ended...
Death of a Salesman...
I'm sure you've heard of it.
Yeah, I have.
Yeah, me too.
Uh, can anyone confirm
that you were home before 11?
I walked home from Blake's.
I left when everyone else did,
so I must have been here
by 10:15.
And you work
at the Bank of Babbleton?
I do.
Blake Jarvis held
an account there?
Affirmative.
I do the books
for his business, too.
Blake was a build-it-with-
your-own-hands type.
Needed me to handle his money.
Do you have
something to add, Paige?
No.
Okay. I'm gonna need to see
Blake's bank statements
and his business records.
If you could help
facilitate that,
I would much appreciate it.
Of course.
Oh, um...
he also had a very large sum
of cash on his person.
Like, a really big stack.
You wouldn't know anything
about that, would ya?
No.
Dinnertime.
Connor?
That's my cue to chop carrots.
Could you show
the Detective and Nelly out?
Uh, we're gonna need you to,
actually,
sign your statement.
We are?
Well, it's protocol, so.
Yeah, yeah!
Yeah, yeah.
Protocol. Please.
I didn't know you work
with the police, Nelly.
Did you leave
the lifestyle magazine?
Sure didn't.
Look for "monster-in-law" advice
in the weekend edition.
Oh... I wouldn't miss it.
Neat pen!
Thanks.
This is my lucky space pen.
Oh?
Wanna give it a try?
It writes upside-down.
Oh, wow.
I bet you keep this
in your pocket all the time.
- I know I would.
- Solid bet, Nelly!
You should play poker.
Thank you.
Uh, do you have one of
these neato pens, Paige?
No.
So what do you use?
Pens.
You know, I think
you should probably
- sign the statement, too.
- She should?
Mm-hmm. Well, it's protocol.
Yeah, so th-there's...
protocol.
- "Protocol"?
- Yeah. Yeah.
I didn't say
any of these things.
This is Connor's statement.
Why should I sign it?
Yeah, that's bonkers!
Michael, she doesn't need
to sign the statement.
It's Connor's.
So, we should go.
Cool pen!
Oh, thanks.
Uh, thank you.
Did you see Paige reach
for that pen in her pocket
and then it wasn't there?
And then,
she got a Bank of Babbleton pen!
Okay, okay.
Hey, what was with
the signatures and the pens?
I didn't understand any of that.
Connor might be in the clear
with that fancy space pen,
but I think Paige uses up
those Bank of Babbleton pens
like they're going out of style.
"In the clear" how?
Because of a pen?
I don't know how...
Oh! Hey.
Oh, uh, Connor.
Uh, what's up?
She doesn't know
that I came out.
Michael, I need you
to understand about the timing.
I didn't mean
to make it sound suspicious.
Neither did Paige, I'm sure.
Okay. Well, I'm listening.
She's mad at me.
- Oh!
- She lost her wedding ring.
I bought her a replacement.
I thought it would cheer her up.
But I was quite wrong.
I mean, I-I got
the size quite wrong.
I don't think
she has sausage fingers!
- Ohh...
- It was an honest mistake.
Connor... I'm so sorry.
I get it.
Really?
I don't.
Sleeping in separate rooms...
Oh!
I went to the guest room
like she told me.
I didn't know about the play!
I thought she was sleeping
when I came back.
She hates it when I wake her up.
But you still don't have
an alibi, Connor.
Paige can't confirm
when you came in.
Correct! I mean, no.
He's right.
- It's not less suspicious.
- No.
I want you to know
there's nothing fishy,
whether Paige
went to the theatre or not.
You suspect she didn't?
Death of a Salesman?
Oh...
She couldn't know where I was
on account of different rooms,
so, unless she passed by me
in the hallway...
Oh... like ships
passing in the night.
Okay...
let me see
if I get this straight.
- Oh.
- You came out here
to tell us
that neither of you has an alibi
from the time you left poker
and she left the theatre...
if, in fact, she went
to the theatre at all?
Because neither has a clue
if the other one
was here that night!
But the car was here
when I came back.
Oh!
Yeah. I came in
through the garage
and I saw it parked there.
That... That's why
I thought she was sleeping.
Well, that's great.
Very helpful.
Thank you, Connor!
But...?
- Not less suspicious.
- No.
No, I suppose not.
Mm.
Okay, then! Um...
Why don't you come
by the station in the morning
with Blake's financials
and we'll talk?
Okay.
- Great!
- Connor!
Carrots!
Oh, Connor, you better go.
- Mm-hmm.
- Honey-pie!
Poor Connor.
Well, he made his bed.
With sausage fingers.
Okay, that's kind of funny.
- Yeah!
- Whoa.
Hey. Uh...
w-we were just
on our way to the-the...
Yeah, we were gonna
go to that place.
Yeah, yeah, the place...
to talk about, uh...
- Those things!
- ...The things!
- So, uh, bye, Paige!
- Yeah! Bye, Paige!
- See ya.
- Thank you so much!
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'll see ya at the diner. Good?
Okay. Sorry about that.
It was the Sheriff on the phone.
Just, uh, more of the typical.
- "Typical"?
- Mm-hmm.
Give me the typical.
I wanna know typical!
You don't give up, do you?
You know I cannot talk to you
about this stuff.
But you love
my inside information.
People tell me things.
Mm-mm. Not everyone.
Help me help you.
Wasn't that the deal we made?
No, no.
No, there was no deal.
What are you, five?
Okay.
The tox screen...
- Oh!
- ...Showed nothing unusual.
And there were no fingerprints
on the broomstick
or on your light switch.
So the killer wore gloves!
No, no, no.
Gloves would've left
old fingerprints intact.
The killer wiped
the surfaces clean afterwards.
Interesting!
- Mm-hmm.
- A clean-up effort.
- Yeah.
- What about Blake's phone?
No, we're still waiting
for the records on that.
- Tech can't get into the phone.
- Oh.
Do you know everyone?
Everyone knows everyone
in Babbleton.
Mm-hmm. Well, the Sheriff seems
to think you have some kind of...
I don't know...
special knowledge.
Is that why
you're buying me dinner?
Well played.
Okay, fine, but,
- I wanna get my money's worth.
- Oh!
Show me some magic.
How about, uh...
Oh...
"Yours truly,
Feeling Jelly."
Intensely envious of his wife,
Darlene, when she started
getting attention at work.
Ooh.
Never underestimate jealousy.
Mm!
But it looks like
those two crazy kids
worked it out.
Oh... that's not Darlene.
Oh!
I didn't see that comin'!
Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Hold that thought.
- I do see pancakes coming.
- Breakfast for dinner!
- Thank you.
- Extra whip.
- Extra strawberries, Detective.
- Oh...
Thank you so much.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
Oh, my goodness.
I am so hungry.
Mm!
Ohh... I really needed that.
Big first week, huh?
Oh, you have no idea.
The paperwork alone.
I think Sheriff Brahm is trying
to test me with this case.
There is one thing
that's been bothering me
- about Peter Huang.
- Okay.
You want me to ask you
what doesn't jive?
- Mm-hmm.
- Okay, I will.
What doesn't jive?
All right, so...
well, he doesn't like kittens...
- there's that.
- Yeah.
But also, the timing.
Jody said she called him
when the ambulance was sent out.
- Mm-hmm?
- But when I saw him,
hours later, at the house,
he made out like
he had arrived all innocent,
just to pick something up,
and then, he dodged me
when I asked him what it was.
Hmm?
Yeah. Yeah, that's odd.
But what about the pens?
I didn't understand
what was happening
with the pens.
Yes. So, I found
this
under the bushes
at Blake's house...
a Bank of Babbleton pen.
It's a bank-teller pen.
Yeah, I get that,
but when did you find it?
And... at my crime scene?
I went back to interview
the neighbor, grumpy guy.
They call him "Grumple,"
if you can believe that.
Ooh, probably not to his face.
Anyways, naturally,
I thought the pen
belonged to Connor.
Banker, right?
Mm-hmm.
So, I thought to ask
for signatures
to see who had a pen.
Now, I think probably
Paige dropped the pen.
Or... well,
anyone who steals bank pens.
Why would Paige be hiding
in the bushes at Blake's place?
How many more times
are you gonna do this to me?
Find things
that are useful to the case?
No!
Come on!
You're like a lone wolf.
You get that I'm trying
to solve a murder here, right?
This is my first case
with Sheriff Brahm,
and every time I turn around,
you're jumping out of the cake
with jazz hands,
saying, "Oh, look at me, here's
some more evidence I withheld!"
Oh. Well...
I guess I'm just used
to working alone,
writing my column.
Do you live alone, too?
Do you live with someone?
No.
No, not anymore.
I got divorced.
There. I said it.
That's why the transfer.
Fresh start.
Yeah, something like that.
Look. Good work with the pen.
I mean it.
I'm glad you found it.
But, moving forward,
maybe we need
to work on our communication
just a little bit. Okay?
Okay.
Okay. Good.
That being said...
did it look like
anybody had been hiding
in the bushes recently?
Definitely!
There were broken branches,
and I swear,
I heard someone scurrying away
when I was finding Blake's body.
- Ah...
- Speculation, not new evidence.
- Hmm.
- I promise.
Mm-hmm.
Okay.
Now we got something.
What? What now? What'd I do?
Uh, no, nothing. I just...
I just like
that you ordered that.
Hmm.
Maybe souffl isn't meant
to be baked in a toaster oven.
If Dahlia's motive
was Blake cheating,
why would she share that?
And this murder
definitely didn't seem planned.
Ooh! Crime of passion?
So, Blake was
pushed down the stairs.
There's no weapon.
How do the police find clues?
No weapon.
No footprints. No tire tracks.
No fingerprints.
No access to Blake's phone, yet.
But the killer swept the floor
where they walked,
they wiped the light switch
and the broom handle clean.
Blake had cash in his pocket...
but they didn't steal it.
Unless they didn't know
about the money. Hmm.
Paige Wooly at the theatre?
I don't think so!
She's been working double shifts
at Helen's and the DMV.
Paige could have been
hiding in Blake's bushes.
Someone dropped
a Bank of Babbleton pen there.
Could she be
Blake's other woman?
I mean, people can surprise you.
Her marriage is on the rocks.
Connor!
An affair could
contribute to that. Hmm!
Oh! Not Jody.
We don't wanna think
that anyone we know did this,
but it happened in Babbleton,
so chances are they did.
You know, I have to say...
a murder plan
to push a guy like Blake
down the stairs
is not a very good murder plan.
It happened
in the heat of the moment.
The killer scrambled
to cover their tracks.
Now they're worried
they made a mistake.
They don't want me, or anyone,
looking that closely.
Hmm!
Nelly, how do you know all this?
Well...
...someone left this
at my house.
"Get your nose out of
where it doesn't belong"?
I know!
Somebody broke into your house
with this?
Well, they threw it
through the window with a rock,
but no hearts on the "I" s,
so...
"Don't mess with me."
Nelly, this is a threat!
Question is, what was happening
when the killer pushed Blake?
What was the feeling
that caused the push?
That is the motive.
A crime of passion!
What makes people passionate?
Money!
Or romance.
Yes!
Oh!
I spoke with Blake's neighbor,
Grumple...
Rumple? Rumpole?
Grumple? Grumple...
- "Rumple Snide."
- Yes!
Yes, I wrote about him
for the Bloom Count.
He was runner-up.
He does not like noise,
or light,
or Blake, or...
- You.
- ...Me very much. Hmm.
And he just sold his house.
These are the things
I know so far.
Okay, here he is.
This is the photo that I used
in the Bloom Count issue.
- Paige Wooly!
- What?
She's, like, Rumple's niece,
or something.
What?
- Yeah!
- Huh.
- Hey.
- Oh!
Hello!
Uh, Mickey...
uh, Detective! Michael.
Detective Michael.
Uh, hey! Do you know Fiona?
- She makes a great souffl.
- It...
It's actually not your best.
But, um...
she's great.
Hello, Detective.
What can we help you with?
Yes.
I know you're in
the middle of, uh...
Work?
...Work, right.
Um...
You wouldn't happen
to know anything about
"monster" mothers, would you?
You said something about
a column, or an article...
Uh... ooh.
Uh...
Monsters-in-law?
- That was it!
- Yes!
Close enough. Listen.
I need you to come with me.
Okay? So, I drive really fast.
So, I'll just wait in the car
for you.
Okay? Come with me?
Nice to meet you.
All right! See you in a bit!
Uh...
"Detective Mickey"?
"Detective Michael Hogan."
Detective Dreamy!
Okay.
I'm going now.
Oh!
You do drive fast.
Sheriff said hurry, so we hurry.
Dahlia's mom is kicking up
quite a fuss.
Well, she probably thinks
Dahlia should've had a lawyer.
Hey, that was a statement,
until she handed us
a motive on a silver platter.
All right, where do I come in?
What do mean,
where do you come in?
Aren't you always in?
Yesterday, you're in everything
like a dirty shirt.
Suddenly, you wanna back out?
I don't wanna back out.
Paige Wooly!
Hold on!
Hey!
Wh-Where you going?
I-It's just a quick pit-stop.
Don't worry!
We'll still win the race.
Paige!
Paige?
Paige!
Ohh! Paige!
Please! Yes!
What is wrong with you?
I am on my way to work.
Please tell me...
why did you make that noise...
about Blake and money?
- Ugh!
- Yes! That is the noise.
Because Blake had no money!
He wasted Connor's time.
He mostly didn't pay him.
He spent as much as he earned.
That's called a furniture hobby,
not a business.
You know, I saw him
at Vera's Jewelry Store,
visiting an engagement ring
he could not afford.
All, like...
"...My precious."
Honestly, I don't know
how Dahlia could even stand him.
You took a second job.
You can't relate?
Okay, Paige, I'm sorry.
I spoke with Rumple Snide.
Your Uncle Rumple?
I have to go.
The only thing
that my daughter is guilty of
is her horrible taste in men!
It's bad enough
that she would've
married the scoundrel,
but the way that
you treated her,
like some common criminal...
Whoa, whoa. Dahlia was
marrying Blake Jarvis?
He told me his intentions,
of course.
Brazen, presumptuous man.
So he wasn't pulling away
from her, then?
Of course, he wasn't!
Why would he do that?
My daughter was paying
for everything.
With my money, mind you...
mortgaged
and remortgaged to the hilt,
he gets her
to fund his business...
furniture!
So you were worried
he was using her?
It's worse than that, Nelly.
I heard he was cheating.
One of those "has his cake
and eats it too" types.
I've never really
understood that...
who doesn't eat their own cake?
Can we...
Can we just sit down?
Please, sit down.
Why don't we sit down?
Thank you.
Um...
where did you hear
about the cheating?
Women are intuitive, Detective.
Mm.
But she was smitten,
and blind...
I had to take matters
into my own hands,
for her protection.
Okay, I'm gonna need you
to explain to me
exactly what you mean by that,
Mrs. Chatters.
- "Ms."
- "Ms." Chatters.
And please remember
that it is your duty
not to obstruct justice.
This is the kind of person
you keep company with?
Zinnia... I know.
Detective Michael
is infuriating.
He can be self-righteous,
and really annoying.
He can also be right here.
But...
I do believe he means well.
He is an honest man
who would not have got
a statement from Dahlia
without a lawyer present...
if he had thought
she was a suspect.
She's not a suspect?
Well, I...
You were just
protecting your daughter.
You were saying?
Well, I hired a detective
to follow Blake...
a private investigator,
and I had to tell
Dahlia this morning.
Oh, so she was angry?
Oh!
Did the P.I. get back to you
with his findings?
Well, he said
he would take photos
that I could use as evidence
to try to talk
some sense into her.
That's all I wanted to do,
Nelly,
was to catch Blake in the act.
O-Of course!
The P.I. was parked
outside of Blake's house
Wednesday night.
Wait! What?
Wednesday night?
Mm-hmm.
You had a P.I.
doing surveillance
the night of the murder?
Do you think
that he might have seen
something to do with the murder?
He might have.
He probably did.
Yeah, I'm gonna need his name.
Larry Foot.
Okay.
From Larry Foot Investigations.
Oh! Yes, on Spruce Street.
Spruce Street.
- Mm-hmm.
- Great.
So, remember,
I am the detective,
so I will be asking
the questions, okay?
But Burgi did say that I...
I know what the Sheriff said,
but this a murder investigation,
and though I do appreciate
your help with Zinnia,
you are still just a civilian,
and there are procedures
that have to be followed.
Of course, procedures!
So we're in agreement then?
I'm the leader
of this investigation,
you are the observer.
Got it?
Got it!
Active observer.
No, no, no!
I didn't say active.
Passive. Silent observer...
I'm not sure why I bother.
Oh, no.
No, Sheriff,
there's no one here.
Yeah, one security camera,
but it's smashed.
Yeah. Yeah, sure.
I can go check again.
All right,
I'll call you right back. Bye.
Don't... touch... anything.
I'll be right back.
Oh!
Ba-da, ba-ba-ba, ba
bada, da, da-da
Da...
Oh, have mercy!
Nelly Parker?
- What happened?
- The office was robbed.
- My office!
- Larry Foot?
The police are looking for you.
Oh, you've gotta be kiddin'.
I didn't do it!
I think they just want
to know if you're okay.
Ohh!
Did someone threaten you?
Uh... no, not lately.
Your computer was stolen.
Yeah, well, nothing that
ain't backed up on the cloud.
Brilliant!
Zinnia Chatters told us
she hired you
to follow Blake Jarvis.
Any chance you caught
any photos at his house?
Oh, big time!
- Oh!
- Caught a skulker!
Bit of a "spray-and-pray"
in the dark,
but probably something
to I.D.
Amazing!
I wonder what else
Blake was up to this week...
Mostly worked, and, uh...
...he was buying a ring
for his lady friend.
Oh...
Larry Foot.
Ya seem like a guy
with a story to tell.
I probably shouldn't.
Yeah, all right!
Uh...
I just came
from Vera's Jewelry Shop.
- Oh?
- Check this puppy out.
Wow!
Oh, if I'd had
something like that...
..."ex" might
just be a state of mind.
I've said yes to plastic.
Get this... Blake agrees
to buy it from Vera
- two weeks ago.
- Mm-hmm.
18 grand.
$18,000?
Yeah!
But he tells Vera
he can't pay for it till today.
- Not even a deposit.
- Oh?
He was all set
to pick up the ring...
payment in full
at three p.m.,
reservation at Gastronome
at eight.
Oh...
Blake was gonna propose
to Dahlia on Friday.
That's why he switched
the poker night...
kept it a secret from her.
But wait!
Are we sure that Dahlia was
the person he was proposing to?
Sure, we're sure!
Vera says so.
- Oh?
- Blake even brought a friend
to try it on...
same size as Dahlia.
Who was the person
he brought to try on the ring?
And how did you end up
with that big, fat diamond ring
in your pocket?
Zinnia got real protective.
Calls me this morning
in a real tizzy,
fighting with the daughter...
wants me to secure the ring,
she says,
before Dahlia learns
it went out into the world
on someone else's finger.
She's high-strung,
that Zinnia...
but a good mama.
I like the cut of her jib.
Everything's comin' up Larry!
Ahh. Well...
not everything.
Well, yeah.
Hey.
Oh! This is
New Detective Michael Hogan.
He's gonna want
to speak with you.
Larry Foot?
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
You're leaving?
Deadline at the office.
Type-type!
Okay, fine, but...
Larry has back-ups
of all the photos.
Yeah, yeah, yeah,
I'll deal with that in a minute,
but just so you know,
this break-in means
the killer is escalating.
So you understand how
dangerous that can be, right,
and you're okay?
- Sure.
- "Sure"?
Positive?
Listen. I'm going back
to the scene of the crime
this afternoon.
You're not gonna follow me
this time, right?
Right. No way.
Good.
Now, please, be careful.
Michael... you got this.
Yeah, I know I got this!
I got this,
but does she have this?
Zinnia said that Blake is broke
and needed Dahlia's money,
which, as it turns out,
is her money.
Meanwhile, he's walking around
with a fistful of cash,
shopping for
a two-carat diamond ring.
Just doesn't make sense.
What does
Detective Michael think?
He's, um, difficult...
to read.
Mm-hmm. You're never difficult.
Oh!
Look at this,
a submission from...
hmm!
"Jealous Green Monster."
What to say
to all the monsters, hmm?
You know, you have
this amazing talent
for being able to help
everybody else
with their romance.
Maybe take
your own advice sometime.
What, like about dating?
I mean, it's been years
since Fred.
You do date sometimes, right?
Well...
What about... tch-tch...
Detective Dreamy?
Is he single?
Maybe, you know, I...
I like to be carefree,
and maybe I don't want
to be bogged down
with responsibility to others.
Maybe... I'm a lone wolf.
Ha!
Nelly, you are
the most connected, caring,
community-minded person I know.
If anyone in Babbleton
needs help,
you are there.
That is the opposite
of carefree.
Well, that is not the point.
The point is...
who is Blake Jarvis
sneaking around with? Hmm?
We're missing something...
over there.
I don't know.
Did you know that Rumple Snide
will be joining us
at Babbleton Rose?
He was something of
a beau of mine back in 1967.
I just met Rumple Snide.
He sold his house.
Yeah. I liked Rumple.
That is a rare response
to Rumple, Granny.
Well, never judge
a book by his cover.
Do you know anything
about his relationship
to Paige Wooly?
Oh, Paige?
Yes, lovely girl.
Also not a widely-held opinion.
She sold his house.
But Paige isn't a realtor.
Oh!
Rumple hates doing business
with strangers.
And Paige knew a buyer,
so the house never
got on the market.
She got $300,000 for him.
So, now he can move here,
and he doesn't have
to work so hard.
Granny, that can't be right.
That was the price years ago.
Not now.
Numbers!
That's not the point, is it?
You're right.
It's not, I suppose.
The point is,
your former beau
is coming to live here.
Mm-hmm.
What will the others make of it?
I suppose
it'll "Rumple" some feathers.
Granny!
Who are we watching?
Shh.
Jody's job hunting.
Oh, and we're hunting Jody?
Do you have your binoculars?
Or do you use
a magnifying glass?
Okay.
Um, ahem, Ms. Day?
If I can just talk to you for
- a second, please?
- Hi, Jody!
Hi, Nelly.
Officer?
"Detective," actually.
Ms. Day, I found something
in Blake Jarvis's workshop.
It's of a personal nature.
Oh. Wow. This should be good.
Uh, a photo of you was found
in Blake's possession.
Enchanted. Do show.
Oh, he kept it!
Nelly, look.
- Ooh-la-la!
- I know, right?
Would you care to explain
the circumstances
that led to that photo?
Detective...
have you ever lost a bet?
So that's not, uh...?
I was so sure it would be
Blake in that dress...
but somehow,
he drew into the full house.
Next time.
Yeah. I'll take that.
Thank you.
Do you want a ride?
- No!
- A milkshake?
No!
Oh! Oh, here we go! Ooh.
- Goodie!
- Thank you.
That looks fantastic.
Mm!
Thank you.
I do have a magnifying glass,
by the way.
I am a detective, after all.
Mm.
Working on the weekend, huh?
Yeah. So how 'bout you?
How, uh...
How's your weekend?
Well, I went to go
see my grandmother,
and the many, many gentlemen
who love her.
Oh. So Grandma's a bit of
a heartbreaker, is she?
Granny Lu?
More... heartwarming.
I see.
So... kinda like you,
I guess?
Hmm!
Oh, don't think
I'm a lone wolf anymore?
I didn't say that.
I'm still trying
to figure you out.
Do I make it difficult?
My friend, Fiona,
says I can be difficult.
I wouldn't say difficult.
Just...
it's a bit of a process.
Okay, well...
bring it on.
What do you want to know?
Oh yeah? Anything?
Yes.
Okay.
Uh, let's see.
Um, oh, I know.
What makes you
so relentlessly happy?
Oh!
Honestly? Um...
Most things make me happy.
Well, I guess a few things
don't make me happy.
Okay, well, what are those?
If... If you don't mind
my asking.
Yeah.
Um, well...
I wasn't always a lone wolf.
Oh, really?
I was engaged to Fred,
my childhood friend...
later, my boyfriend.
Hmm.
And then, he proposed.
It was...
It was a dark and stormy night,
pouring rain,
in this parking lot
behind the country fair midway.
He had won this little
plastic, purple ring
in one of those, um, you know...
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- ...Toss games.
I know.
And, uh, he just dropped down
to his knee right into a puddle.
We were laughing so hard,
I could hardly get the words out
to say yes.
I remember, um...
on the car stereo,
the song was,
"Every Rose Has Its Thorn."
Poison.
Tsk. Good song!
Yeah. Yeah, great song.
I'm sorry.
It's not a sad memory. It's...
I have a lot of great memories
with Fred, but...
Time was not on our side.
He... um, he died
in a car accident,
five years ago.
I'm so sorry.
Well, he, uh...
gave me an appreciation
for glam rock.
Yes, he did!
And dancing in the rain.
Taught me what it's like
to... love and be loved.
Hmm.
I guess...
I just...
choose not to be sad.
Hmm.
Nelly?
Yeah, I know.
Heart on my sleeve!
Oh, she's perfect!
Aw, I just love her.
She was right under my peonies!
Oh! Bless you!
Hey, Peter, when are
those burgers gonna be ready?
Here you go.
Oh, hi.
Hey, you, Nelly Parker!
Thanks for showing up.
I was worried you were gonna
hide on me forever
because you did a bad thing.
You can't think
that kitten was a bad thing.
She's growing on me.
Mm-hmm.
Surf or turf?
Uh, surf, please.
So, Peter, um...
Jody called you
before I saw you at Blake's.
You came there after you knew
that he had been killed.
Hang on a second.
That's not what I knew.
Jody said an ambulance
went to pick him up,
- that's it.
- Uh-huh?
She said nothing about murder.
I know... it looks bad.
Yeah, it looks bad!
You lied.
I... had an argument
with Blake,
I didn't wanna tell you.
I wanted to get something back.
It was a watch he won off Grace
the Friday before.
- A watch?
- Grace is no card shark.
She had the flush,
but she'd already bet away
everything we brought.
Grace was so upset with herself,
and I'd become this villain
who wouldn't let her get a cat.
Peter, that's not the reason.
Anyway...
I went to see Blake.
Explained that the watch
was worth too much for our game.
He wouldn't hear it.
He said he won,
fair and square...
"rules are rules."
So you used the opportunity
of him going in an ambulance
to sneak in
and try and steal it back?
I'd copped to it
when he realized what I did...
maybe, by then,
he'd see the light.
I didn't know
he was murdered, Nelly.
I just thought he'd cut
one of his big Blake thumbs
on a table saw.
She's wearing
Grace's bloody watch!
How are you doing?
Sadness turned to anger,
thanks to my mother.
She should never have hired
that private investigator.
She's just trying to help you.
She was yelling at the police
in your defense yesterday.
Well, yelling
is my mother's specialty.
There was a robbery
at the private eye's
office, right?
Yeah. But he has digital files,
so the police are
gonna get everything.
- Really? They will?
- Mm-hmm.
Maybe they'll solve this now,
so they can stop persecuting me.
Dahlia, I have to ask you,
where did you get this?
From Blake.
Just out of the blue, too.
Probably buttering me up,
so I wouldn't suspect
his cheating.
It wasn't really his.
You don't think he took this
from the other woman, do you?
He took it from... Grace.
Blake stole my watch from Grace?
Not exactly.
He won it.
Fair is fair.
When is
this going to get easier?
I don't know.
I'm sorry.
Oh... boy.
Michael?
Dahlia Chatters,
you are under arrest
for the murder of Blake Jarvis.
Please stand up.
Turn around.
You have the right
to remain silent.
Anything you say
can, and will, be used
against you in a court of law.
You ready to go?
Let's go!
Nelly!
How can you do this?
She has an alibi!
She was with me.
There's no way
she murdered Blake.
- Michael...
- She was texting him
- all night long.
- Seriously?
- So, she...
- She lied!
She was texting him
every ten minutes until 11:30,
which is when
she could have killed him.
And, Nelly, the texts...
they were not friendly.
No, but Rumple said
the security light
at the workshop
went on earlier than that.
Tell it to the judge, Nelly.
There's nothing
I can do for you.
Michael, wait! Please.
Dahlia admitted
she talked to Blake.
She said that call was
her only communication with him!
Okay, so she was embarrassed.
My column was coming out.
What if her letter was chosen?
What letter?
Nelly...
what letter?
Dahlia
wrote into my column
for advice
about Blake's cheating.
She signed it
"Worried In Babbleton,"
but I knew it was her
'cause I know her handwriting.
I always figure it out, anyways.
I went to go see Blake
to talk to him about the letter.
We talked about this!
We did!
The communication thing!
No more lone-wolf stuff!
Were you ever gonna
tell me about this?
I tried to tell you...
- You did not.
- ...At the police station.
I don't believe
Dahlia killed Blake.
Nelly, don't you get it?
It doesn't matter
what you believe!
This is police work.
Suspects get treated
with objectivity,
and you just don't have that.
No.
I guess I don't.
And if it means
turning my back on my friends,
I don't think I want it.
Nelly, fix this!
I can't.
I tried.
I just made it worse.
But Dahlia didn't do it.
Please, Nelly.
Nelly, Dahlia didn't do it.
Okay, so, that night,
you and Dahlia...
making dinner...
vegetarian spaghetti.
With eggplant!
Yum! Then what?
Uh...
we started a movie around 9:30.
What about Blake's neighbor?
He's a really mean old man.
Do you think he's the murderer?
All right, so Dahlia's
texting during the movie.
Angry with Blake?
Yeah, she was texting.
But I-I didn't ask about what.
I know better.
What about Jody Day?
Did you know Jody
worked for Blake,
but she got laid off?
Okay, so when did the movie end?
Around 11:30.
Then we went to our rooms...
to bed.
Okay. So Dahlia stops
texting with Blake at 11:30.
Colleen, couldn't Dahlia
just have snuck out
without you realizing?
No. No way.
I would've heard her,
on account of her squeaky door.
Okay, the police are
gonna need proof than that.
How do we prove that
Dahlia stayed in her room?
It couldn't be that easy.
It couldn't?
If she snuck out to Blake's,
it would be on...
...camera.
And if she didn't,
the tape could clear her.
That's when we got home...
5:00 on Wednesday,
like Dahlia told you.
Mm-hmm, okay.
Here we go.
9:04.
Oh...
I forgot.
Dahlia wanted hot chocolate.
Ooh, the hot-cocoa run!
Don't gotta tell me
about those, hey, Mick?
Yeah.
That's not enough time
for a murder.
Anyway, it is too early.
Blake was still playing poker.
We're headed into time of death.
Yeah.
- That's it?
- Yep.
See? Dahlia didn't go out!
Bupkis.
For the love of the Lord,
let that girl out,
before her mother shows up.
- Boss?
- Yes?
Larry Foot has something.
You'll want to see this.
Is it the P.I.'s photos?
Yeah. This might
shake things up, huh?
Let's find out.
You were about
to let Dahlia out, remember?
She said let her out!
Darling, not yet.
Yeah, could you take
Colleen home
- for us, please?
- Yeah.
No! I-I don't want to go
without Dahlia.
Honey.
Sometimes, we don't
always get what we want.
It's gonna be okay.
It's okay.
Thanks for everything, Nelly.
Something just doesn't add up.
I don't get it.
What's bothering you?
Time of death is between
10 p.m. and midnight.
You and Dahlia
watching the movie.
She's angry,
she's texting Blake.
The movie ends 11:30.
She stops rage-texting Blake.
You both go to bed.
The police think that's
when she goes to Blake's
and pushes him down the stairs.
The walk is ten minutes away.
T-The police are wrong!
Why haven't
they released her yet?
Show me!
Show you what?
None of this matters.
Yeah. You get to be Dahlia.
I'm gonna retrace steps.
Show me her bedroom! Hmm?
Yeah?
There's no way she could've
climbed out of here.
Is there another way
she could have snuck out?
I guess that's the alibi.
- Michael?
- Nelly...
No, no, it's me.
They're giving me
one phone call since last night.
Dahlia. I'm so sorry.
I promised I would fix things,
and it's just such a mess.
I'm sorry.
No, I'm sorry.
I should have told you
about those text messages.
It's just...
we thought Blake was cheating,
and I was acting like
a jealous girlfriend,
giving him the gears.
I...
I couldn't show the detective.
I'm ashamed... I couldn't
show anyone, not even you.
I understand.
Why do the police keep
asking me about a letter?
W... "Worried in Babbleton"...
the letter
that you sent me for advice.
Nelly, I never
wrote you a letter,
and New Michael keeps
insisting that I did.
What-What...
What was it about,
and why do you think
it came from me?
The hearts on the "I" s,
that's you.
Or someone who knows you.
Well, lots of people
draw hearts.
Uh, Dahlia,
I gotta call you back.
Wait! No!
I can't answer calls!
Nelly?
Where are you going?
Wait!
- Colleen, stop!
- Nelly...
it's not what you think.
Good grief. Just...
Was it the letter?
Or stupid P.I. Larry
and his photos?
I never even saw him!
You knew the security camera
would show
that you two had stayed
in the apartment all night.
But you climbed down
the garden trellis
to sneak out back to see Blake.
Do you suppose
I was Blake's other woman?
Desperately in love
with my step-sister's boyfriend?
No. No, I don't suppose
you liked him at all.
There was no other woman.
Blake loved Dahlia.
Either you were mad
because you genuinely believed
that he was cheating on her,
or you made up that
bogus cheating story yourself.
Why?
I was 20 when Dahlia's dad
and my mom got married,
so we didn't get
to grow up together.
I'd never had a little sister,
and she'd never had
anyone to look out for her,
like I could.
So that's what this is about...
protecting your sister?
Blake was always too busy!
He wouldn't even
invite her to poker.
But the thing is,
Blake was never too good
to take her money.
Dahlia cares...
about me.
She cared about Blake,
and you... everyone...
but I could see that her life
wasn't gonna be good with him.
She just couldn't see it,
because he wasn't
bad enough, you know?
You knew
that he was gonna propose.
You were the one
who went to Vera's
and tried on
the engagement ring.
He thought
I'd be happy for them.
How crazy is that?
Why fake a letter to me, then?
I thought you would advise her
to dump him,
if he was unfaithful to her,
and I guessed if I sent
something personalized,
you'd think it came from Dahlia,
and you'd get right in there,
and you'd fix it.
But I didn't
get to Blake in time.
No.
Neither did I.
Wait, what?
He was dead when you got there?
I didn't go there to kill Blake.
I went to finally confront him!
And when I saw him
crumpled like that,
at the bottom of the stairs...
You're gonna have to tell
the police all of this.
But, Nelly, who killed Blake?
Don't answer it!
Paige!
Put the phone down.
Hi. It's Nelly.
Hi, Detective!
I don't wanna hurt you.
Just don't say anything.
Don't tell him I'm here.
Don't speak to the detective,
Nelly.
I came here to talk to you.
Nelly!
The police let me out.
Nelly, are you there?
Yes, Detective, I'm just
at the office right now.
- No!
- Nelly?
I've got big news to tell you.
The P.I. had photos of
Paige Wooly at Blake's house.
New Michael just sped
out of here
to arrest her.
I am not trying to hurt you.
Nelly?
I am asking you to listen!
Paige,
they have photos of you
at Blake's house that night.
Yes!
Because I was there!
I waited until the game ended,
and I hid
so Connor wouldn't see me.
Why?
I thought you might know.
Ohh...
you stole from Rumple Snide.
So you do know.
Nelly...
Blake was blackmailing me.
I had to meet him after the game
with the cash.
I'm mortified.
Uncle Rumple trusted me.
It just got so complicated.
Connor is a banker,
but he is also a shopaholic.
Our bank accounts
are all drained.
I was already working full-time.
So you used it as a chance
to get out of debt.
I met one of Connor's clients
who said he'd cut me in
for half the difference
if he got the house
for $80,000 under market value,
and I advised Uncle Rumple
it was a good deal.
He has these hang-ups
about privacy and strangers.
I thought it was low-risk.
I knew he would never gossip
about the sale price.
Well, there was one person
he was willing to tell.
Except for that's not
how Blake found out.
He overheard me
talking with the buyer
in the yard.
It was just...
so stupid of me.
So you had to cut him in?
I saw him at Vera's,
looking at her diamonds.
He was so desperate to propose,
but all of his money
was tied up with Dahlia,
and her mom, and the business.
I convinced him
to keep his mouth shut
for half my share.
But with that cash coming in,
why did you
have to take a second job?
Oh... guilt.
I decided I was gonna
pay Uncle Rumple back,
no matter how long it takes.
I have to get
Connor out of debt, Nelly,
or we'll lose our home.
I didn't know what else to do.
Were you hiding in the bushes
when I found Blake's body?
I went to tell him
that I was coming clean
with Uncle Rumple.
I hoped he'd return the cash.
We could both
do the right thing.
But... I was too late.
So did you trash
Larry Foot's office
to destroy the photos of you?
No!
O-Of course not.
I didn't even know about Foot
at all until tonight.
I didn't damage any property,
I didn't hurt anyone,
and I didn't kill Blake!
So, who else knew
about Larry Foot?
Dahlia, Zinnia, Colleen...
I guess any of the poker players
who were there that night
and saw him when they left.
Connor said that he heard
that Blake had been murdered
when Jody called Peter
at the bank...
but Jody didn't tell Peter
that Blake was dead,
which means...
...Connor knew
because he killed Blake.
That's enough, Nelly.
Connor!
What are you doing?
Put the gun down. Put it down!
You don't even know how to...
Mmf!
Say nothing, Nelly...
or Paige dies.
Connor...
Connor, you don't
wanna hurt her.
You're the one who knew
that she was being blackmailed.
You were trying to be her hero.
It won't make any difference.
She thinks I'm a failure!
Connor, please...
give me the gun.
You don't wanna hurt her.
You love your wife.
You're right, Nelly.
It would be better if you died.
Ah!
Hands up!
Connor Wooly...
you are under arrest
for the murder of Blake Jarvis.
You have the right
to remain silent.
Anything you say can,
and will, be used against you
in a court of law.
You good?
- Yeah.
- All right.
You have a right to an attorney,
if you can't afford an attorney,
one will be provided for you.
Thank you.
You good?
Mm-hmm. You?
Yeah, not bad.
Considering.
How did you know...
You go first.
You came for Paige?
Yeah, I did, but, uh,
then I realized
she couldn't have done it,
'cause if she had,
she would've picked up
that cash.
Only Connor Wooly
was so bad with cash
that he didn't have
the good sense
to pick up a stack of it
sitting right under his nose.
- "So bad"?
- Mm-hmm.
I...
I saw the financials!
Larry Foot's surveillance photos
caught Paige sneaking
around Blake's.
At 10:15, and then again
ten minutes later.
Not enough time
to commit a murder.
And it was way before
Rumple saw the light turn on,
too, so...
Well, that is
some solid evidence, Detective.
- Yeah.
- Objectivity!
Hmm.
Magnifying glass?
No!
Shh...
It doesn't explain
why you came here
instead of going
to the Woolys' house?
No, I guess it doesn't.
So why did you come here?
Because, Nelly,
by now, I realize
that anyone who has a problem
in Babbleton
comes to see you.
So what next?
Mickey!
I need you
over here for a minute.
Ah...
A detective's work
is never done.
- Mm-hmm.
- Mm-hmm.
Good morning!
What a beautiful day!
Hey!
Time to make it official.
Well-deserved.
Welcome to the force, Detective.
Thank you, Sheriff Brahm.
- I mean...
- Mm?
"Burgi."
- You'll get it.
- I will get it.
I will.
Thank you.
Meow!
You got the cat?
I sure did.
"Kitten-Less and Longing
in Babbleton"
turns out to be
"Regretfully Allergic
in Babbleton."
Hmm.
So "Nelly Knows"
doesn't always know everything
about everything, then, huh?
Well, I do have it
on good authority
that congratulations
are in order.
Well done, Detective Michael!
Thank you.
You're gonna have to get used
to seeing me around town.
Ooh!
"Single and Ready to Mingle
in Babbleton?"
Oh, brother.
You know, some of us around here
have work to do.
Come on!
Helen's for lunch?
Yeah. It's a Belgian waffle
kind of day.
- Ooh, international!
- Mm-hmm.
Sophisticated. Fancy!
What are you gonna have?
I think I'll have the special.
I want to be surprised.
Why doesn't that surprise me?