Murder in a Small Town (2024) s01e04 Episode Script
Prized Possessions
1
This this is the real deal.
- Go go.
- Rescue: HI-Surf.
- Bring it on.
- Bring it on the floor.
Wow and universal basic guys.
How much did you spend on this?
Can't put a price tag on saving lives.
Nailed it.
All available now.
[WHISPERS] Charlie.
Wake up.
Charlie.
Charlie!
Wake up!
Why are you doing this to me?
Emma
Emma put the gun down.
Why aren't I good enough for you?!
Okay, Em.
- Em, put the gun
- [GUNFIRE]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Not a bad day's work, huh?
Yeah. Working with your
hands is good for your brain.
Endorphins and all that.
Oh
looking at you, there's all
the endorphins I can handle.
[LAUGHS]
Uh-oh.
Well, at at least it'll look good
when Holly gets here tomorrow.
You know what you're
gonna say to her yet?
About getting kicked out
of school for smoking pot?
Oh, god, the single dad of me
wants to forget it ever happened.
The cop in me wants daily urine samples.
I think my job is to
make sense of people
when it comes to my
daughter I'm a total rookie.
Maybe now isn't the best
time for her and I to meet.
But I want her to get to know you.
What does Holly think?
[SIGHS] Ah
You haven't told her yet?
Eh
Yeah. I never found the right moment.
Okay. Well
I am looking forward to meeting
her whenever it feels right.
Um, I gotta go.
What? Oh, no, no. I wanted to thank you
with my extraordinary culinary skills.
I have the planning committee
fundraiser for the art center.
Right. Right. Big date.
Yeah. Emma's an old friend.
Did I meet her at the prom?
No. We rode horses together.
She she, uh, went to private school.
I haven't seen her in a few months.
- Rain check then.
- Yeah.
Whenever Holly's settled.
Okay.
[GROANS]
[P.A.] Ladies and gentlemen,
the charity auction for the Arts Center
will begin after dinner.
Oh my God. Where is that?
Tahiti. Charlie and I go over here.
Have you been?
I've never left the state.
Sorry that Charlie
couldn't make it tonight.
Says he, but he's slammed at work.
How's Charlie doing these days anyway?
This reminds me
of the most fabulous
ravioli we had in Tuscany.
You'll never guess
the secret ingredient.
Love.
Goat cheese.
Oh, goat cheese.
Mm-hmm.
How did you and Cassandra
get to know each other?
Oh, I heard my back in yoga class,
and Cassandra was there
to help me to my car.
Sadie runs the lighthouse theater.
Yeah.
Is that that charming little
playhouse that's on the water?
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
I didn't realize it was still open.
[CLEARS THROAT] Right.
So, Cassandra, um
how's it going with the police chief?
Uh, God, we are so busy.
We hardly see each other.
You have a new man?
Way to bury the lead.
Wait. I thought you said
that you were over there
staining his deck today.
Please tell me that's not a euphemism.
[LAUGHTER]
Don't worry. If he's
the one, you will know.
So tell me about your art center.
Yeah. I just think Gibsons
needs a community art hub.
You know, it's something
that everyone can enjoy.
We have such amazing artists here.
We should be showcasing that.
The town's been trying to fund
a project like that for years.
Sadie's on community council.
Like blood from a stone.
It's definitely on brand
with the charitable work
that Charlie and I support.
Does it have a name yet?
No. I've been waiting until
it's actually happening.
I'm just terrified of
jinxing it, you know?
If only she had a rich
friend who could help.
Wow.
What? It's a fundraiser.
So let's raise some funds.
[GLASS CLINKING]
Ladies and gentlemen, it
has come to my attention
that our new community hub not
only needs completion funds,
but it also needs a name.
So get your checkbooks ready
because we are auctioning off
the naming rights after dinner.
[APPLAUSE]
The Wilbur and Ethel
Woodcock Center for the Arts.
[LAUGHING]
At least you got the funding.
You, you got me the funding.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Can we not wait until
you need another building
to see each other again?
Excuse me, miss. I'm in Portugal.
We'll talk next time we're
in the same time zone.
Fair, fair.
I wish you and Karl every happiness.
I mean that.
Em, are you okay?
Of course.
I just hope Karl isn't a
workaholic like Charlie.
He never leaves the office.
Can you wait until I get inside?
Of course.
[DISTANT SCREAMS]
- Emma?
- [DISTANT SCREAMS]
Emma!
- You okay?
- It's Charlie, Emma's husband.
Mrs. O'Brea, I need you to
leave everything where it was.
I can't have my home like this.
I can't conduct my investigation
if you compromise my crime scene.
Sergeant Sokolowski
will take you outside
where he'll collect
your statement. Okay?
Follow me, please.
Where is he?
Let's go.
That is a lot of blood.
Dangerous amount for whoever lost it.
Spatter on the wall could
be signs of a struggle.
- Robbery gone wrong?
- Or a kidnapping.
Or murder.
Let's start waking people up.
[SIRENS WAILING IN THE DISTANCE]
Forensics is here.
Blood on both walls.
Missed the two paintings.
Didn't spare the photo.
What do you see?
O'Brea was at his desk.
Looks like he struggled with
his attacker or attackers
and then collapsed
possibly due to blood loss.
What else?
The pertinent negative.
What is it?
Charlie O'Brea.
And
Not just his body.
This room has no personality.
No personal effects.
His office, the the one
room he can call his own
feels like a showroom.
Safe and the closet is open and empty.
What's wrong with it?
I don't know, he's not smiling.
You put a family picture over your bed.
You center it.
I mean, the decor, the furniture,
it's all thought out, but
seems out of place, right?
- Glove?
- Yeah.
The bullet hole.
I need to speak to Mrs. O' Brea?
[INDISCERNIBLE CHATTER]
Mrs. O'Brea?
Sent her to the station,
Cassandra went with her.
Landline cables are cut.
The, security cameras are blacked out.
Point of entry?
There's a side door at
the back, window's broken.
It's hard to access from the shore,
but not impossible if
you know it's there.
So whoever did this did their homework?
The other thing is, there's
no blood anywhere in this house
except for that office.
How'd they get him out of
here? Keep the floor clean?
Why'd they take him with
him in the first place
is what I'm wondering.
So he wasn't dragged. He was carried.
We're looking for at
least two assailants.
Sorry you had to be here all night.
I'll need you to come with me now.
- Can I?
- I'm sorry.
It's gonna be okay.
Have you found Charlie?
We're doing everything
we can, Mrs. O'Brea.
Emma, please.
Cassandra promised
that I could trust you.
Emma
could you explain the bullet
hole in your bedroom wall?
Charlie had a gun.
It accidentally discharged.
That was six months ago.
I didn't want the gun in the house
so I gave it to my brother.
You hid the bullet hole behind a picture
instead of fixing it?
I left it as a reminder for Charlie.
When we arrived, your safe was open.
A few thousand dollars
in cash for emergencies,
um, business documents, passports.
What about jewelry?
We don't wear jewelry.
It's ostentatious.
Who else knows the combination?
Only Charlie and me.
Does Charlie have enemies?
Anyone who might wanna hurt him?
Everyone loves Charlie!
Everyone?
Yes!
Was there any sudden
change in his routine?
Of course not.
Why would you ask that?
It's just sometimes people get involved
in situations that they keep secret
in order to protect their loved ones.
But not Charlie.
We never hide anything from each other.
No difficulties in your
marriage I should be aware of.
No!
Why are you asking me these questions?
I I'm starting to
feel like a suspect.
My husband is missing.
I need you to find him.
Cassandra.
Sid took Emma to other brothers.
Can I get you some breakfast?
I'm not hungry.
You should eat something.
Hm.
Tea and a muffin.
Okay.
How can I help?
I'd like you to tell me
more about Emma and Charlie.
I've known Emma since we were 14.
We're not close anymore, though.
I thought you said you saw
her just a few months ago.
I just bumped into her.
I only invited her to dinner last night
because I was hoping for
donations for the art center.
Why does that make me feel
so guilty all of a sudden?
It shouldn't.
That invitation may have saved a life?
Describe her to me.
Sheltered?
She came from money, um
Her mom expected perfection.
Appearances were everything.
And Charlie?
They met in college.
When Emma set our sights on him,
it was it was game over.
He couldn't get away from her.
- Nice guy?
- Mm
I mean, he's the husband of a friend,
not the husband who becomes a friend.
No children.
Emma couldn't.
Broke her heart, I think.
Emma avoids unpleasant conversations.
When I asked Emma if she
and Charlie had difficulties,
she she got very defensive,
insisted that everything was perfect.
Is that how you saw it?
No.
I wasn't surprised
when Charlie skipped
last night's dinner.
Look,
you don't think Emma had
something to do with this?
She was with me all night.
Until I know what happened to Charlie,
I can't rule anything out.
Crazy. Right?
I mean, who looks under a photo
because a frame feels unbalanced?
Probably us for the rest of our careers.
Forensics confirmed it's
Charlie O'Brea's blood
splattered everywhere.
They figure out how they
got the body out of here?
Without making the place look like
a Jackson Pollock painting? No.
Body? What do you mean, body?
So we turned around and
she was standing there
with cleaning supplies and her hands.
That's the second time
she's tried to clean up our crime scene.
This is on me. I should have
secured the scene better.
Chief, Blake Windsor's out front,
Emma O'Brea's brother.
He wants to know what
kind of "sorry excuse"
for a police force you're running here.
It's my fault. I'll talk to him.
I'll take care of this.
He's not mad, you know?
He's just dialed in.
Well, he has every right to be mad.
I would be.
How can I help you, Mr. Windsor?
Let's start with how you plan
to discipline your officer.
For?
For her callous and
frankly disturbing remarks
about my sister's
husband's disappearance.
You're right. You're right.
We should hold people
accountable for their actions.
I should charge your sister
with trespassing and evidence tampering.
Charlie is dead.
Emma is devastated,
and your officers are making
jokes about Jackson Pollock.
Who said Charlie's dead?
He's anemic.
With that sort of blood loss,
I mean, whatever happened to him
Of course, my sister didn't tell you.
No.
She's not trying to hide
information or destroy evidence.
Emma has a very specific
attitude towards life.
Everything needs to be perfect.
Thank you, Mother.
Charlie worked for your firm.
Yeah. Worked.
Yeah, that's generous.
Yeah, he was employed there.
It's a family investment firm,
and technically he's family.
Not up to your standards.
It doesn't matter. Emma loved him.
Where were you last night?
Enduring the dumbest game on earth
with my wife and our neighbors.
Look, please, just find
Charlie alive or dead.
Emma's not built for this uncertainty.
If there's anything
that I can do to help,
let me know.
The gun Emma gave you,
I'll need to see it.
Yeah. Yeah. Of course.
I'll bring it by tomorrow.
It's in your home?
Yes.
Sergeant Sokolowski will follow you.
Just wait for me in reception.
You'll surrender it.
The more we look into
Charlie O'Brea's perfect life,
the less perfect it seems.
Security system was
installed over five years ago.
Company monitors it
from a remote location.
- Seattle?
- Mumbai.
Last contractor was a plumper
that was two years ago.
No cleaner.
Leaving us with Emma O'Brea.
And there's no way she
moved that body herself.
Where was the brother last night?
Check with the neighbors.
He claims he was with them.
[NOTIFICATION ALERT]
- Holly.
- Go. I got this.
[PHONE BUZZES]
- Holly.
- Where are you?
I'm on my way, kiddo. What time is it?
[HOLLY] You're not late.
The ferry got in early.
- Still at the terminal?
- Cop shop.
Nice office.
Hey, Dad.
Oh
You accepted a ride from a stranger?
Some nice sailors with a van.
They invited me to a party later.
Not funny.
Oh, it's kinda funny.
Seriously, how did you get here?
Her name was Barb McDonald,
and she has three grandkids,
and none of them call her enough.
Oh.
She thinks you're doing a good job,
but should smile more when you're on TV.
What's in the bag?
It's your birthday present.
Seriously?
Yeah. I was gonna wait
till your actual birthday,
but you might wanna try it out now.
It's your grandmother's
was your grandmother's.
I I found some black and white film,
ordered some processing chemicals.
I I can teach you
how to develop pictures
at home if you'd like.
Yeah. Sure.
I was taking photos
for the school newspaper
before I you know.
You wanna talk about it?
I I really don't.
I have to start at a
new school tomorrow.
Can we just go home?
I gotta work.
But I can find somebody
to give you a tour.
The gun.
We're gonna need
confirmation from the lab,
but from the smell of it,
that thing hadn't been fired in months.
Windsor's alibi checks out.
They were playing charades.
What if Blake and Emma did kill Charlie,
staged the crime scene to
look like a robbery gone wrong,
and then just left for their events?
Kill them why?
Families.
Who knows what
speaking of, have you
talked to Holly yet?
About the pot?
I'm working up to it.
She's going through something.
Discipline's easy.
Listening's the hard part.
Beer and pickles.
Someone's going for father of the year.
Look behind.
You like their breakfast
burritos, right?
Way better parenting.
Oh, you're welcome. Ride to school?
Yeah. Nothing better
than getting dropped off
by the Chief of Police on my first day.
[PHONE RINGING]
Need to take that?
Two secs.
How are you?
Better. Look, yesterday,
you asked me about Emma,
and maybe, I don't know,
maybe there's something
I should have mentioned, um
Remember I said that we had
run into each other a while ago,
and, you know, we decided
to catch up over coffee,
but Emma didn't seem herself.
She was distracted, upset.
She said that she said that
Charlie had done something.
I pushed for more,
and she seemed like
she wanted to tell me.
And then then she just smiled
and said she was probably overreacting.
Because Emma doesn't do unpleasant.
Yeah. But for a second there,
I swear I could see this
flicker of, I don't know, rage.
And then it was gone.
And I convinced myself
that I had imagined it,
but now I'm not so sure.
I don't know. It's probably nothing.
Thank you for telling me.
How's Holly settling in?
Good. Good. Yeah.
She we're just
about to have breakfast.
[DOOR CLOSES]
Seen furniture shows
with more personality.
I doubt Charlie O'Brea
even set foot in his office
until the day he died.
Makes you wonder.
Wonder what?
Where he kept his stuff.
Wait. What? Like like another office?
Charlie O'Brea does have another office
at the investment firm.
Yeah. No. It was actually
Get some evidence boxes
ready. I'll call Windsor.
Good thinking Kendrick.
Now let's get somewhere.
You really have to take everything?
We appreciate your cooperation.
Well, I want to find
Charlie as much as you do,
for Emma's sake.
So what are we looking for anyways?
We'll know when we find it.
- Chief.
- Fingerprint sensor lock.
Send it over to forensics
along with the computer.
On it.
What's the first thing you notice
when you look around this place?
I don't know.
It's kooky.
Yeah. Also feels lived in, right?
There's something missing.
Emma There are no pictures of Emma.
A blood drive.
I keep meaning to do this, but
The needle?
I know. Most people are squeamish.
How much blood are you taking from me?
About a pint.
That sounds like a lot
when you put it that way.
Trust me. You won't miss it.
When can I do this again?
In two months.
Yeah. Some of our regulars
donate six times a year.
Wow.
Was Charlie O'Brea a regular?
He got an award for
organizing a blood drive.
Oh my god. That poor man from the news.
I hope they find him soon.
Mhmm.
And done.
See? Nothing to it.
Wow.
Tonya Helgenberger.
Is she working today?
She phoned in sick last couple of days.
Do you know her?
Uh she friend of a friend.
Mm.
Tell her I said hi
next time you see her?
Sure.
You say it wasn't an attack.
You say it was more like giving blood.
Sorry?
[KARL] Say there was
another person with him.
Not an assailant. An accomplice.
Charlie O'Brea wasn't a victim.
He faked his own death.
Tonya Helgenberger let's find her.
Charlie faking his own death
would explain why there's no body.
And the lack of blood
anywhere but the office,
the assailant's knowledge
of the security system,
the combination to the safe,
when to stage the attack.
Doesn't explain why though.
Well husband trapped
in a loveless marriage.
His brother-in-law hates him.
He's not a husband. He's a show pony.
Where are we with forensics?
Nothing on his computer or his files.
They're still working
on the thumb drive.
Keep me posted.
If I'm Charlie, I'd stay
away from public transit hubs.
- Private planes?
- Look into private airstrips,
passenger manifests, flights out.
Wherever he is, he's lying low.
Tonya's roommate hasn't
seen her in over two days.
She's being all secret squirrel.
Usually means the dude's married.
Charlie.
Oh, no.
No. No. No. No. No. It's not here.
Where is it then? Hmm? Where?!
Yelling at me is not gonna help.
You're right.
Let's just both calm down.
Retrace your steps.
Okay.
Okay, um
I was trying to get out of the office.
The drive was in the back of the drawer.
I went to grab it,
and then Blake barged
in. He said it was urgent.
It's always urgent with that guy.
Babe. Focus.
I must have grabbed the wrong drive.
Okay. Well, then the right
drive is still in your desk.
Oh, no, no, no, baby. We can't go back.
What if someone sees me?
I'm supposed to be dead.
Babe
we need that drive.
What the hell?
Oh, no
Oh, no! No, no, no, no, no!
Charlie?
You're not supposed to be here.
Emma's been out of her mind.
What happened to you?
Okay. I need to call my sister.
No, no, no, no! You can't!
No. Emma can't know.
No, uh She's uh,
she's in danger. Okay?
Charlie, what are you
doing here? Really?
I can't do this anymore, man.
I can't feel like a
failure all the time, okay?
So just let me get
what I came here for. Okay?
And then you'll never
have to see me again, ever.
I think I better call the police.
[GROANS]
What did you do?
Okay, okay, okay, okay.
We're gonna call 9-1-1,
and we're gonna leave
the phone off the hook,
and they're gonna come.
We can't leave him alive.
[ERRATIC BREATHING]
Babe you can do this.
We can't go to jail.
Charlie please
[ERRATIC BREATHING]
Charlie?
I'm sorry, man.
- Charlie?
- I'm sorry.
Emma loves you.
[GRUNTS]
Forensics cracked the drive.
They pulled O'Brea's
fingerprints from a glass
in the bathroom and
spoofed the biometric lock.
- Investment accounts.
- Mm-hmm. All fake.
O'Brea's been embezzling
from the family business.
Two million dollars is
enough to start a new life.
When did all this start?
Oldest account is from six months ago.
I need to speak to Blake Windsor.
[CAMERA SHUTTER SNAPS]
What are you thinking?
Charlie came back for the drive.
Windsor confronted him.
- Go on.
- I guess Charlie thought $2 million
might be worth killing for.
I'm sorry for your loss.
First, Charlie.
Now Blake, um
you're thinking they're
connected somehow, are you?
Mrs. O'Brea, Emma
I think Charlie is still alive.
What?
He is?
Well where is he?
That's what I need to find out.
[SIGH OF RELIEF]
Charlie may be connected
to your brother's death.
You think he killed Blake?
It's possible.
No. No. Charlie could never.
He loved Blake like a brother, he
I know my own husband.
Emma [CLEARS THROAT]
I told Karl about that day
that we went for coffee,
how Charlie had done
something very unpleasant.
- And
- Yeah.
It was the gun. He didn't mean to.
Wait. He threatened you with a gun?
It just went off accidentally.
A tempest in a teacup.
Charlie loves me. He loves me. Okay?
We we all we all made mistakes.
Mistakes, Emma.
If he had something to
Charlie wouldn't kill Blake. Okay?
[TEARY] He loves me.
He loves me because he stayed.
The bullet hole in your bedroom?
You pulled the trigger.
He'd had an affair.
Six months ago, he thought
he needed a divorce.
I wanted him to understand.
You don't end a marriage
because of one mistake.
You stay together for all
the things that went right.
Six months ago
that's how long Charlie
has been embezzling
from the family firm.
What?
Emma
do you have any idea where
Charlie might be right now?
If you do
How would I?
It turns out I don't
even know my own husband.
I am so sorry.
I think you both should leave.
I'll have an officer stay behind.
I really wish you wouldn't.
Please go.
- Please go.
- Yeah.
[BREATHING SHAKILY]
Sid, I need you to get a
warrant over to Judge Rowe
access to the GPS tracker
in Emma O'Brea's car.
How do you do that every day?
Hold on just a sec.
It's my job.
You gonna be okay?
Be careful.
Sid, that warrant, you got a pen?
Yeah. So it's a black Tesla.
Just got a hit. One of Charlie
O'Brea's fake investment account names.
Cal O'Bannon stores a
float plane at Riverway.
It's a private airstrip
out past Doriston.
[PHONE BUZZES]
Yen.
Got it.
Sarge
Sid, any trouble getting the warrant?
[SID] That depends.
If you count having to listen
to Judge Rowe's hunting stories.
Emma's on the move.
Which direction?
Doriston.
She knows exactly where Charlie is.
Send coordinates to my phone.
As soon as we make Alaska,
we'll sell the floatplane.
At least that gives us
enough to get to Hawaii.
And then what?
I don't know, babe.
Maybe you can figure
something out for a change.
We killed a man.
Does that not bother you?
I stabbed him by accident.
You're the one who killed him.
[EMMA] You know, I almost
forgot about this place.
Emma.
Only thing your family left you.
You always hated it here.
You said it was low rent.
Why can't you just leave me alone?
I gave you everything.
And how do you repay me?
You fake your own death
and you kill my brother.
None of this would have
happened if you just let me go!
For better or for worse.
As long as we both shall live.
[COCKS GUN]
You promised no more guns?
It's Blake's
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
Babe, have you seen my keys?
- No.
- [GUNSHOT]
What the hell is she doing here?
Babe, stay inside.
You promised to get rid of that.
Listen to me. This is all my fault.
You're right. Okay? I
don't know what got into me.
Sometimes, you know, I just
I love you so much that,
you know, it it scares me.
No. Not this time.
- Emma.
- Stay back.
Put the gun down. I've got this.
What are you out of your mind, man?
She wants to kill me.
No. She doesn't. Believe me.
What are you pointing at me for?
He put you through hell.
That's right.
If you kill Charlie,
your life is over, Emma.
I don't care.
I think you do care.
I think that's why Charlie's
still alive right now.
You think you've made
a point of no return.
I've been there, I know.
Time heals things.
Your brother loved you so much.
All he wanted was for you to be happy.
If you can't do that for
yourself, do it for him.
Huh?
You coward.
I'm done with you.
Oh geez.
Charlie will pay for what he's done.
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]
I'm the one you arrest.
She tried to kill me.
Gee, I wonder why.
Edwina, you do the interviews.
He sees something in you.
But if you're waiting for praise,
you gotta know, that was it.
Hey, Dad. I got tired of waiting.
I'm sorry, kiddo.
Don't be.
Stay. Stay. I just
I spent the whole day chasing a man
who'd rather fake his own
death than confront his issues.
That's one way to handle things.
Everyone wants to run away sometimes.
And maybe that's what I did.
But I didn't run away from you.
I love you more than my own life.
Were you ever planning on telling
me about your new girlfriend?
Cassandra.
Steph told me about her.
Yes.
The one you abandoned us for?
What? No.
I I only met Cassandra
when I moved here.
Dad, I was out here during the break.
You never mentioned her once.
We dated but we weren't a couple.
And now you are?
It seems so.
Now we're getting somewhere.
Whoa. Hey hey
[CRYING] Do you even want me here?
More than anything.
I screwed up.
Didn't I?
I'm so sorry, kiddo.
I'm so so, so, so, so sorry.
♪
I guess we're just lucky. ♪
Now
about the pot.
Let's say we, uh, we call it even.
Only if you promise to tell
your mother that I grounded you.
Deal.
But if you get caught smoking
pot in your new school,
I'm gonna get Isabella
to scare you straight.
You would really do that, wouldn't you?
Oh, in a heartbeat.
Now, grab your coat.
Why?
I'm starving.
And uh
there's someone I want you to meet.
One in a million ♪
One in a million ♪
♪
One in a million ♪
Holly.
Hi.
I'm Cassandra.
Hi.
One in a million ♪
This this is the real deal.
- Go go.
- Rescue: HI-Surf.
- Bring it on.
- Bring it on the floor.
Wow and universal basic guys.
How much did you spend on this?
Can't put a price tag on saving lives.
Nailed it.
All available now.
[WHISPERS] Charlie.
Wake up.
Charlie.
Charlie!
Wake up!
Why are you doing this to me?
Emma
Emma put the gun down.
Why aren't I good enough for you?!
Okay, Em.
- Em, put the gun
- [GUNFIRE]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Not a bad day's work, huh?
Yeah. Working with your
hands is good for your brain.
Endorphins and all that.
Oh
looking at you, there's all
the endorphins I can handle.
[LAUGHS]
Uh-oh.
Well, at at least it'll look good
when Holly gets here tomorrow.
You know what you're
gonna say to her yet?
About getting kicked out
of school for smoking pot?
Oh, god, the single dad of me
wants to forget it ever happened.
The cop in me wants daily urine samples.
I think my job is to
make sense of people
when it comes to my
daughter I'm a total rookie.
Maybe now isn't the best
time for her and I to meet.
But I want her to get to know you.
What does Holly think?
[SIGHS] Ah
You haven't told her yet?
Eh
Yeah. I never found the right moment.
Okay. Well
I am looking forward to meeting
her whenever it feels right.
Um, I gotta go.
What? Oh, no, no. I wanted to thank you
with my extraordinary culinary skills.
I have the planning committee
fundraiser for the art center.
Right. Right. Big date.
Yeah. Emma's an old friend.
Did I meet her at the prom?
No. We rode horses together.
She she, uh, went to private school.
I haven't seen her in a few months.
- Rain check then.
- Yeah.
Whenever Holly's settled.
Okay.
[GROANS]
[P.A.] Ladies and gentlemen,
the charity auction for the Arts Center
will begin after dinner.
Oh my God. Where is that?
Tahiti. Charlie and I go over here.
Have you been?
I've never left the state.
Sorry that Charlie
couldn't make it tonight.
Says he, but he's slammed at work.
How's Charlie doing these days anyway?
This reminds me
of the most fabulous
ravioli we had in Tuscany.
You'll never guess
the secret ingredient.
Love.
Goat cheese.
Oh, goat cheese.
Mm-hmm.
How did you and Cassandra
get to know each other?
Oh, I heard my back in yoga class,
and Cassandra was there
to help me to my car.
Sadie runs the lighthouse theater.
Yeah.
Is that that charming little
playhouse that's on the water?
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
I didn't realize it was still open.
[CLEARS THROAT] Right.
So, Cassandra, um
how's it going with the police chief?
Uh, God, we are so busy.
We hardly see each other.
You have a new man?
Way to bury the lead.
Wait. I thought you said
that you were over there
staining his deck today.
Please tell me that's not a euphemism.
[LAUGHTER]
Don't worry. If he's
the one, you will know.
So tell me about your art center.
Yeah. I just think Gibsons
needs a community art hub.
You know, it's something
that everyone can enjoy.
We have such amazing artists here.
We should be showcasing that.
The town's been trying to fund
a project like that for years.
Sadie's on community council.
Like blood from a stone.
It's definitely on brand
with the charitable work
that Charlie and I support.
Does it have a name yet?
No. I've been waiting until
it's actually happening.
I'm just terrified of
jinxing it, you know?
If only she had a rich
friend who could help.
Wow.
What? It's a fundraiser.
So let's raise some funds.
[GLASS CLINKING]
Ladies and gentlemen, it
has come to my attention
that our new community hub not
only needs completion funds,
but it also needs a name.
So get your checkbooks ready
because we are auctioning off
the naming rights after dinner.
[APPLAUSE]
The Wilbur and Ethel
Woodcock Center for the Arts.
[LAUGHING]
At least you got the funding.
You, you got me the funding.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Can we not wait until
you need another building
to see each other again?
Excuse me, miss. I'm in Portugal.
We'll talk next time we're
in the same time zone.
Fair, fair.
I wish you and Karl every happiness.
I mean that.
Em, are you okay?
Of course.
I just hope Karl isn't a
workaholic like Charlie.
He never leaves the office.
Can you wait until I get inside?
Of course.
[DISTANT SCREAMS]
- Emma?
- [DISTANT SCREAMS]
Emma!
- You okay?
- It's Charlie, Emma's husband.
Mrs. O'Brea, I need you to
leave everything where it was.
I can't have my home like this.
I can't conduct my investigation
if you compromise my crime scene.
Sergeant Sokolowski
will take you outside
where he'll collect
your statement. Okay?
Follow me, please.
Where is he?
Let's go.
That is a lot of blood.
Dangerous amount for whoever lost it.
Spatter on the wall could
be signs of a struggle.
- Robbery gone wrong?
- Or a kidnapping.
Or murder.
Let's start waking people up.
[SIRENS WAILING IN THE DISTANCE]
Forensics is here.
Blood on both walls.
Missed the two paintings.
Didn't spare the photo.
What do you see?
O'Brea was at his desk.
Looks like he struggled with
his attacker or attackers
and then collapsed
possibly due to blood loss.
What else?
The pertinent negative.
What is it?
Charlie O'Brea.
And
Not just his body.
This room has no personality.
No personal effects.
His office, the the one
room he can call his own
feels like a showroom.
Safe and the closet is open and empty.
What's wrong with it?
I don't know, he's not smiling.
You put a family picture over your bed.
You center it.
I mean, the decor, the furniture,
it's all thought out, but
seems out of place, right?
- Glove?
- Yeah.
The bullet hole.
I need to speak to Mrs. O' Brea?
[INDISCERNIBLE CHATTER]
Mrs. O'Brea?
Sent her to the station,
Cassandra went with her.
Landline cables are cut.
The, security cameras are blacked out.
Point of entry?
There's a side door at
the back, window's broken.
It's hard to access from the shore,
but not impossible if
you know it's there.
So whoever did this did their homework?
The other thing is, there's
no blood anywhere in this house
except for that office.
How'd they get him out of
here? Keep the floor clean?
Why'd they take him with
him in the first place
is what I'm wondering.
So he wasn't dragged. He was carried.
We're looking for at
least two assailants.
Sorry you had to be here all night.
I'll need you to come with me now.
- Can I?
- I'm sorry.
It's gonna be okay.
Have you found Charlie?
We're doing everything
we can, Mrs. O'Brea.
Emma, please.
Cassandra promised
that I could trust you.
Emma
could you explain the bullet
hole in your bedroom wall?
Charlie had a gun.
It accidentally discharged.
That was six months ago.
I didn't want the gun in the house
so I gave it to my brother.
You hid the bullet hole behind a picture
instead of fixing it?
I left it as a reminder for Charlie.
When we arrived, your safe was open.
A few thousand dollars
in cash for emergencies,
um, business documents, passports.
What about jewelry?
We don't wear jewelry.
It's ostentatious.
Who else knows the combination?
Only Charlie and me.
Does Charlie have enemies?
Anyone who might wanna hurt him?
Everyone loves Charlie!
Everyone?
Yes!
Was there any sudden
change in his routine?
Of course not.
Why would you ask that?
It's just sometimes people get involved
in situations that they keep secret
in order to protect their loved ones.
But not Charlie.
We never hide anything from each other.
No difficulties in your
marriage I should be aware of.
No!
Why are you asking me these questions?
I I'm starting to
feel like a suspect.
My husband is missing.
I need you to find him.
Cassandra.
Sid took Emma to other brothers.
Can I get you some breakfast?
I'm not hungry.
You should eat something.
Hm.
Tea and a muffin.
Okay.
How can I help?
I'd like you to tell me
more about Emma and Charlie.
I've known Emma since we were 14.
We're not close anymore, though.
I thought you said you saw
her just a few months ago.
I just bumped into her.
I only invited her to dinner last night
because I was hoping for
donations for the art center.
Why does that make me feel
so guilty all of a sudden?
It shouldn't.
That invitation may have saved a life?
Describe her to me.
Sheltered?
She came from money, um
Her mom expected perfection.
Appearances were everything.
And Charlie?
They met in college.
When Emma set our sights on him,
it was it was game over.
He couldn't get away from her.
- Nice guy?
- Mm
I mean, he's the husband of a friend,
not the husband who becomes a friend.
No children.
Emma couldn't.
Broke her heart, I think.
Emma avoids unpleasant conversations.
When I asked Emma if she
and Charlie had difficulties,
she she got very defensive,
insisted that everything was perfect.
Is that how you saw it?
No.
I wasn't surprised
when Charlie skipped
last night's dinner.
Look,
you don't think Emma had
something to do with this?
She was with me all night.
Until I know what happened to Charlie,
I can't rule anything out.
Crazy. Right?
I mean, who looks under a photo
because a frame feels unbalanced?
Probably us for the rest of our careers.
Forensics confirmed it's
Charlie O'Brea's blood
splattered everywhere.
They figure out how they
got the body out of here?
Without making the place look like
a Jackson Pollock painting? No.
Body? What do you mean, body?
So we turned around and
she was standing there
with cleaning supplies and her hands.
That's the second time
she's tried to clean up our crime scene.
This is on me. I should have
secured the scene better.
Chief, Blake Windsor's out front,
Emma O'Brea's brother.
He wants to know what
kind of "sorry excuse"
for a police force you're running here.
It's my fault. I'll talk to him.
I'll take care of this.
He's not mad, you know?
He's just dialed in.
Well, he has every right to be mad.
I would be.
How can I help you, Mr. Windsor?
Let's start with how you plan
to discipline your officer.
For?
For her callous and
frankly disturbing remarks
about my sister's
husband's disappearance.
You're right. You're right.
We should hold people
accountable for their actions.
I should charge your sister
with trespassing and evidence tampering.
Charlie is dead.
Emma is devastated,
and your officers are making
jokes about Jackson Pollock.
Who said Charlie's dead?
He's anemic.
With that sort of blood loss,
I mean, whatever happened to him
Of course, my sister didn't tell you.
No.
She's not trying to hide
information or destroy evidence.
Emma has a very specific
attitude towards life.
Everything needs to be perfect.
Thank you, Mother.
Charlie worked for your firm.
Yeah. Worked.
Yeah, that's generous.
Yeah, he was employed there.
It's a family investment firm,
and technically he's family.
Not up to your standards.
It doesn't matter. Emma loved him.
Where were you last night?
Enduring the dumbest game on earth
with my wife and our neighbors.
Look, please, just find
Charlie alive or dead.
Emma's not built for this uncertainty.
If there's anything
that I can do to help,
let me know.
The gun Emma gave you,
I'll need to see it.
Yeah. Yeah. Of course.
I'll bring it by tomorrow.
It's in your home?
Yes.
Sergeant Sokolowski will follow you.
Just wait for me in reception.
You'll surrender it.
The more we look into
Charlie O'Brea's perfect life,
the less perfect it seems.
Security system was
installed over five years ago.
Company monitors it
from a remote location.
- Seattle?
- Mumbai.
Last contractor was a plumper
that was two years ago.
No cleaner.
Leaving us with Emma O'Brea.
And there's no way she
moved that body herself.
Where was the brother last night?
Check with the neighbors.
He claims he was with them.
[NOTIFICATION ALERT]
- Holly.
- Go. I got this.
[PHONE BUZZES]
- Holly.
- Where are you?
I'm on my way, kiddo. What time is it?
[HOLLY] You're not late.
The ferry got in early.
- Still at the terminal?
- Cop shop.
Nice office.
Hey, Dad.
Oh
You accepted a ride from a stranger?
Some nice sailors with a van.
They invited me to a party later.
Not funny.
Oh, it's kinda funny.
Seriously, how did you get here?
Her name was Barb McDonald,
and she has three grandkids,
and none of them call her enough.
Oh.
She thinks you're doing a good job,
but should smile more when you're on TV.
What's in the bag?
It's your birthday present.
Seriously?
Yeah. I was gonna wait
till your actual birthday,
but you might wanna try it out now.
It's your grandmother's
was your grandmother's.
I I found some black and white film,
ordered some processing chemicals.
I I can teach you
how to develop pictures
at home if you'd like.
Yeah. Sure.
I was taking photos
for the school newspaper
before I you know.
You wanna talk about it?
I I really don't.
I have to start at a
new school tomorrow.
Can we just go home?
I gotta work.
But I can find somebody
to give you a tour.
The gun.
We're gonna need
confirmation from the lab,
but from the smell of it,
that thing hadn't been fired in months.
Windsor's alibi checks out.
They were playing charades.
What if Blake and Emma did kill Charlie,
staged the crime scene to
look like a robbery gone wrong,
and then just left for their events?
Kill them why?
Families.
Who knows what
speaking of, have you
talked to Holly yet?
About the pot?
I'm working up to it.
She's going through something.
Discipline's easy.
Listening's the hard part.
Beer and pickles.
Someone's going for father of the year.
Look behind.
You like their breakfast
burritos, right?
Way better parenting.
Oh, you're welcome. Ride to school?
Yeah. Nothing better
than getting dropped off
by the Chief of Police on my first day.
[PHONE RINGING]
Need to take that?
Two secs.
How are you?
Better. Look, yesterday,
you asked me about Emma,
and maybe, I don't know,
maybe there's something
I should have mentioned, um
Remember I said that we had
run into each other a while ago,
and, you know, we decided
to catch up over coffee,
but Emma didn't seem herself.
She was distracted, upset.
She said that she said that
Charlie had done something.
I pushed for more,
and she seemed like
she wanted to tell me.
And then then she just smiled
and said she was probably overreacting.
Because Emma doesn't do unpleasant.
Yeah. But for a second there,
I swear I could see this
flicker of, I don't know, rage.
And then it was gone.
And I convinced myself
that I had imagined it,
but now I'm not so sure.
I don't know. It's probably nothing.
Thank you for telling me.
How's Holly settling in?
Good. Good. Yeah.
She we're just
about to have breakfast.
[DOOR CLOSES]
Seen furniture shows
with more personality.
I doubt Charlie O'Brea
even set foot in his office
until the day he died.
Makes you wonder.
Wonder what?
Where he kept his stuff.
Wait. What? Like like another office?
Charlie O'Brea does have another office
at the investment firm.
Yeah. No. It was actually
Get some evidence boxes
ready. I'll call Windsor.
Good thinking Kendrick.
Now let's get somewhere.
You really have to take everything?
We appreciate your cooperation.
Well, I want to find
Charlie as much as you do,
for Emma's sake.
So what are we looking for anyways?
We'll know when we find it.
- Chief.
- Fingerprint sensor lock.
Send it over to forensics
along with the computer.
On it.
What's the first thing you notice
when you look around this place?
I don't know.
It's kooky.
Yeah. Also feels lived in, right?
There's something missing.
Emma There are no pictures of Emma.
A blood drive.
I keep meaning to do this, but
The needle?
I know. Most people are squeamish.
How much blood are you taking from me?
About a pint.
That sounds like a lot
when you put it that way.
Trust me. You won't miss it.
When can I do this again?
In two months.
Yeah. Some of our regulars
donate six times a year.
Wow.
Was Charlie O'Brea a regular?
He got an award for
organizing a blood drive.
Oh my god. That poor man from the news.
I hope they find him soon.
Mhmm.
And done.
See? Nothing to it.
Wow.
Tonya Helgenberger.
Is she working today?
She phoned in sick last couple of days.
Do you know her?
Uh she friend of a friend.
Mm.
Tell her I said hi
next time you see her?
Sure.
You say it wasn't an attack.
You say it was more like giving blood.
Sorry?
[KARL] Say there was
another person with him.
Not an assailant. An accomplice.
Charlie O'Brea wasn't a victim.
He faked his own death.
Tonya Helgenberger let's find her.
Charlie faking his own death
would explain why there's no body.
And the lack of blood
anywhere but the office,
the assailant's knowledge
of the security system,
the combination to the safe,
when to stage the attack.
Doesn't explain why though.
Well husband trapped
in a loveless marriage.
His brother-in-law hates him.
He's not a husband. He's a show pony.
Where are we with forensics?
Nothing on his computer or his files.
They're still working
on the thumb drive.
Keep me posted.
If I'm Charlie, I'd stay
away from public transit hubs.
- Private planes?
- Look into private airstrips,
passenger manifests, flights out.
Wherever he is, he's lying low.
Tonya's roommate hasn't
seen her in over two days.
She's being all secret squirrel.
Usually means the dude's married.
Charlie.
Oh, no.
No. No. No. No. No. It's not here.
Where is it then? Hmm? Where?!
Yelling at me is not gonna help.
You're right.
Let's just both calm down.
Retrace your steps.
Okay.
Okay, um
I was trying to get out of the office.
The drive was in the back of the drawer.
I went to grab it,
and then Blake barged
in. He said it was urgent.
It's always urgent with that guy.
Babe. Focus.
I must have grabbed the wrong drive.
Okay. Well, then the right
drive is still in your desk.
Oh, no, no, no, baby. We can't go back.
What if someone sees me?
I'm supposed to be dead.
Babe
we need that drive.
What the hell?
Oh, no
Oh, no! No, no, no, no, no!
Charlie?
You're not supposed to be here.
Emma's been out of her mind.
What happened to you?
Okay. I need to call my sister.
No, no, no, no! You can't!
No. Emma can't know.
No, uh She's uh,
she's in danger. Okay?
Charlie, what are you
doing here? Really?
I can't do this anymore, man.
I can't feel like a
failure all the time, okay?
So just let me get
what I came here for. Okay?
And then you'll never
have to see me again, ever.
I think I better call the police.
[GROANS]
What did you do?
Okay, okay, okay, okay.
We're gonna call 9-1-1,
and we're gonna leave
the phone off the hook,
and they're gonna come.
We can't leave him alive.
[ERRATIC BREATHING]
Babe you can do this.
We can't go to jail.
Charlie please
[ERRATIC BREATHING]
Charlie?
I'm sorry, man.
- Charlie?
- I'm sorry.
Emma loves you.
[GRUNTS]
Forensics cracked the drive.
They pulled O'Brea's
fingerprints from a glass
in the bathroom and
spoofed the biometric lock.
- Investment accounts.
- Mm-hmm. All fake.
O'Brea's been embezzling
from the family business.
Two million dollars is
enough to start a new life.
When did all this start?
Oldest account is from six months ago.
I need to speak to Blake Windsor.
[CAMERA SHUTTER SNAPS]
What are you thinking?
Charlie came back for the drive.
Windsor confronted him.
- Go on.
- I guess Charlie thought $2 million
might be worth killing for.
I'm sorry for your loss.
First, Charlie.
Now Blake, um
you're thinking they're
connected somehow, are you?
Mrs. O'Brea, Emma
I think Charlie is still alive.
What?
He is?
Well where is he?
That's what I need to find out.
[SIGH OF RELIEF]
Charlie may be connected
to your brother's death.
You think he killed Blake?
It's possible.
No. No. Charlie could never.
He loved Blake like a brother, he
I know my own husband.
Emma [CLEARS THROAT]
I told Karl about that day
that we went for coffee,
how Charlie had done
something very unpleasant.
- And
- Yeah.
It was the gun. He didn't mean to.
Wait. He threatened you with a gun?
It just went off accidentally.
A tempest in a teacup.
Charlie loves me. He loves me. Okay?
We we all we all made mistakes.
Mistakes, Emma.
If he had something to
Charlie wouldn't kill Blake. Okay?
[TEARY] He loves me.
He loves me because he stayed.
The bullet hole in your bedroom?
You pulled the trigger.
He'd had an affair.
Six months ago, he thought
he needed a divorce.
I wanted him to understand.
You don't end a marriage
because of one mistake.
You stay together for all
the things that went right.
Six months ago
that's how long Charlie
has been embezzling
from the family firm.
What?
Emma
do you have any idea where
Charlie might be right now?
If you do
How would I?
It turns out I don't
even know my own husband.
I am so sorry.
I think you both should leave.
I'll have an officer stay behind.
I really wish you wouldn't.
Please go.
- Please go.
- Yeah.
[BREATHING SHAKILY]
Sid, I need you to get a
warrant over to Judge Rowe
access to the GPS tracker
in Emma O'Brea's car.
How do you do that every day?
Hold on just a sec.
It's my job.
You gonna be okay?
Be careful.
Sid, that warrant, you got a pen?
Yeah. So it's a black Tesla.
Just got a hit. One of Charlie
O'Brea's fake investment account names.
Cal O'Bannon stores a
float plane at Riverway.
It's a private airstrip
out past Doriston.
[PHONE BUZZES]
Yen.
Got it.
Sarge
Sid, any trouble getting the warrant?
[SID] That depends.
If you count having to listen
to Judge Rowe's hunting stories.
Emma's on the move.
Which direction?
Doriston.
She knows exactly where Charlie is.
Send coordinates to my phone.
As soon as we make Alaska,
we'll sell the floatplane.
At least that gives us
enough to get to Hawaii.
And then what?
I don't know, babe.
Maybe you can figure
something out for a change.
We killed a man.
Does that not bother you?
I stabbed him by accident.
You're the one who killed him.
[EMMA] You know, I almost
forgot about this place.
Emma.
Only thing your family left you.
You always hated it here.
You said it was low rent.
Why can't you just leave me alone?
I gave you everything.
And how do you repay me?
You fake your own death
and you kill my brother.
None of this would have
happened if you just let me go!
For better or for worse.
As long as we both shall live.
[COCKS GUN]
You promised no more guns?
It's Blake's
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
Babe, have you seen my keys?
- No.
- [GUNSHOT]
What the hell is she doing here?
Babe, stay inside.
You promised to get rid of that.
Listen to me. This is all my fault.
You're right. Okay? I
don't know what got into me.
Sometimes, you know, I just
I love you so much that,
you know, it it scares me.
No. Not this time.
- Emma.
- Stay back.
Put the gun down. I've got this.
What are you out of your mind, man?
She wants to kill me.
No. She doesn't. Believe me.
What are you pointing at me for?
He put you through hell.
That's right.
If you kill Charlie,
your life is over, Emma.
I don't care.
I think you do care.
I think that's why Charlie's
still alive right now.
You think you've made
a point of no return.
I've been there, I know.
Time heals things.
Your brother loved you so much.
All he wanted was for you to be happy.
If you can't do that for
yourself, do it for him.
Huh?
You coward.
I'm done with you.
Oh geez.
Charlie will pay for what he's done.
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]
I'm the one you arrest.
She tried to kill me.
Gee, I wonder why.
Edwina, you do the interviews.
He sees something in you.
But if you're waiting for praise,
you gotta know, that was it.
Hey, Dad. I got tired of waiting.
I'm sorry, kiddo.
Don't be.
Stay. Stay. I just
I spent the whole day chasing a man
who'd rather fake his own
death than confront his issues.
That's one way to handle things.
Everyone wants to run away sometimes.
And maybe that's what I did.
But I didn't run away from you.
I love you more than my own life.
Were you ever planning on telling
me about your new girlfriend?
Cassandra.
Steph told me about her.
Yes.
The one you abandoned us for?
What? No.
I I only met Cassandra
when I moved here.
Dad, I was out here during the break.
You never mentioned her once.
We dated but we weren't a couple.
And now you are?
It seems so.
Now we're getting somewhere.
Whoa. Hey hey
[CRYING] Do you even want me here?
More than anything.
I screwed up.
Didn't I?
I'm so sorry, kiddo.
I'm so so, so, so, so sorry.
♪
I guess we're just lucky. ♪
Now
about the pot.
Let's say we, uh, we call it even.
Only if you promise to tell
your mother that I grounded you.
Deal.
But if you get caught smoking
pot in your new school,
I'm gonna get Isabella
to scare you straight.
You would really do that, wouldn't you?
Oh, in a heartbeat.
Now, grab your coat.
Why?
I'm starving.
And uh
there's someone I want you to meet.
One in a million ♪
One in a million ♪
♪
One in a million ♪
Holly.
Hi.
I'm Cassandra.
Hi.
One in a million ♪