Elsbeth (2024) s01e06 Episode Script

1
Let's all raise our glasses
to Dr. Astrid Olsen.
Or should I say this year's
surgical rising star?
- [SURGEONS ASSENTING]
- Thank you.
Oh
Which is why my colleagues and
I are offering you partnership
here at Holmes Plastic Surgery.
You've earned it.
- [ALL ASSENTING]
- Yeah.
ASTRID: Thank you, thank you. Wow.
What an offer I-I did not expect.
- [LAUGHS]
- And in front of everyone.
- [CHUCKLING]
- [INDISTINCT CHATTER]
This practice has been a home
- Aw.
- uh, a training ground,
- so many things for me.
- Yeah.
But I've realized that
it's also a starting point,
not my final destination.
I'm opening my own practice.
[SURGEONS MURMURING]
Now, now.
I admit this wasn't expected,
but, Astrid
- congratulations.
- Thank you.
I know you'll do great things.
At Just That Good, we welcome
your high expectations.
I promise, mine are higher.
Old-school plastic surgeons
tell you what you should want
and then leave you
unrecognizable post-op.
Thanks, boomer. [LAUGHS]
But in my care, it is
all about your vision.
Hey, lovers. So, I saw how much
you loved my skincare line,
Facelift in a Bottle,
and I just have to say
that you babes really do look
Just That Good. [LAUGHS]
And that's why I know you're gonna
love my new shapewear line,
Tummy Tuck in a Bag!
Use code Astrid10 for ten
percent off your first order.
Friends don't let friends
get bad work done.
You see these sutures? I'm serious.
There needs to be a mandatory
retirement age for surgeons.
Mm.
- You joining me for breakfast?
- I'll be there in two minutes.
- Okay.
- Thanks.
The plastic surgery world's old guard
is ruining the faces of America.
But I will make sure
you've never looked better.
["HABANERA" FROM CARMEN
BY GEORGES BIZET PLAYING]
Did you see the gluteal augmentation
Astrid performed on that 16-year-old?
And she says we're ruining
the bodies of America.
DR. YABLONSKY: Well said. Social
media doesn't belong in medicine.
Or at the dinner table.
Vanessa, do you mind?
[CHUCKLES]
My apologies.
Silly of me to think that the
dinner table's rules changed
just because I'm hosting this time.
Darling. Sir.
Hello. How are you today?
Oh! Whoopsie.
Sorry. Oh! [LAUGHS]
I'm such a klutz.
See anything interesting?
Uh, s-sure do. [CHUCKLES]
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
Oh
That is so cute, the way
you spell your name.
"Jaycub."
Did you make that up yourself?
My mom did.
[PURRS, LAUGHS]
Well, thank you, Mr. Cub.
Have a good day.
Welcome to The Reveal. Checking in?
Come with me.
Right this way.
We offer custom smoothies
to keep the post-op
liquid diet interesting.
Our oat, almond and soy
milks are made in house.
And our regular milk is sourced upstate
from a Holstein cow we
imported from Scotland.
The screening room is available
to you 24 hours a day
and features Dolby Atmos.
And all of our recovery suites
are named after Italian cities.
Feel free to tell people you
spent two weeks in Florence.
Because it's true. [LAUGHS]
♪
Good morning, Mrs. McQuillan.
I'm Dr. Astrid Olsen.
Dr. Yablonsky asked me
to check in on you.
Okay, I'm gonna take a look
under your wound dressing
and confirm things are
healing as they should.
Okay.
["REQUIEM IN D MINOR" BY MOZART PLAYING]
Vanessa?
Hello, Astrid.
[GRUNTS]
[MUFFLED SCREAM]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Hey, what's happening?
Climate change protest.
I sympathize, but this is suede.
♪
[HUMMING]
Good afternoon, Mrs. McQuillan.
I know you're ready to
get these right on off
and I am here to redress your bandages.
[SCREAMS]
Folks probably pay more here per night
than Claudia and I did on
our whole honeymoon.
I know, it's spectacular.
Wow, this place doesn't have
a single spot of bad lighting.
Hey, do you think they'd let me
stay here after a root canal?
Will you two focus?
Of course. Sorry, sir.
I'm just excited you want me here.
[SCOFFS]
Now, the press is all over
Astrid's murder already.
And I have to show the city that
even though we're working fast,
the NYPD does not cut corners.
So we're investigating together?
No, I'm-I'm here placating reporters.
Oh, so you're more figurehead
than investigator?
Eh, something like that.
Detective Edwards is
running point on this.
Officer Blanke will introduce you.
Victim was murdered while checking
on patient Ingrid McQuillan.
What a name.
Ooh.
Look, it's the Empire State Building.
Oh, I can't believe it,
I love it so much.
Don't tell the Chrysler
Building I said that.
- Do I know you?
- Uh, no.
- E-Elsbeth Tascioni. I'm
- The consent decree lady.
- You're famous.
- Really?
Or infamous. I always
get confused on that.
Listen, I don't know what
notetaking method you use
for your decree, but I
use speech-to-text, so
Oh.
It appears the murderer
fabricated patient McQuillan
as a way to gain entry to the facility.
Clever.
Sorry.
Ooh. Wow.
- Other procedures include
- Um, is there
- They include
- Footage?
Footage? Of the
Okay. Is there footage
of the patient exiting?
The killer took Astrid's key
card and swiped themself out,
but there's no footage of them doing it.
The Reveal is all about
privacy and discretion,
hence no security cameras.
- Idiots.
- What about payment method?
Everything about this
patient was analogue.
She checked in with a printed
chart, paid in cash.
- Apparently it's not uncommon here.
- Yeah, well, if I was famous
and didn't want anyone to
know I'd had work done,
I'd do the same thing.
Can't hack paper, right? [CHUCKLES]
Everyone has a digital footprint.
And that's how I plan to crack this.
Excuse me.
[WHISTLING]
Whales.
Oh, I love whales.
They're so soothing.
Hi. Do you mind if I ask
you some questions?
Oh, sure. Um, did you know
the victim, Dr. Olsen?
Yeah? Yes? Oh, great.
Um, would you say she was well liked?
Okay. Uh, I'm so sorry,
your robe looks so soft.
Can I just
- Oh, whoa, is that cashmere?
- Yes. It is.
- Oh.
- Could I help you?
Oh, yes, how generous
of you to offer, um
- Dr. Holmes.
- Dr. Holmes.
Stunning. But this woman
was just telling me
- all about your colleague, Dr. Olsen.
- Interesting.
This woman had neck surgery yesterday.
- She can't speak.
- Oh.
So, please.
- I'm sorry.
- Yes.
Please limit your questions
to doctors only.
All this undue stress
from this whole ordeal
could actually hinder
the patients' recovery.
I'm sure you understand.
I do.
But if I may ask, since
you are a doctor
- Mm-hmm.
- where were you this morning?
Hmm.
Here. [CHUCKLES] As always.
Well, until
See, I came in to check on
my patients at around 9:30.
I came in early because I wanted
to take the afternoon off.
Which should have been
a very lovely afternoon
at the museum that was cut short
by a climate change protest,
- of all things.
- Ugh, no.
These entitled millennials who
call themselves "protestors"
they then proceeded to
throw all this paint
on all these incredible works of art.
- Oh.
- It was the most unbelievable thing
- I've ever seen.
- Oh.
Hey, look, they even, you
know, ruined my shoes.
- I love your shoes.
- Oh.
They remind me of dark
chocolate peppermint bark.
[CHUCKLES]
I-I don't eat processed sugar.
Oh. Lucky.
I find anything sweet hard to resist.
- Especially if I'm stressed.
- Mm.
You seem so calm.
If my colleague was brutally
murdered down the hall,
I'd be choking down something
glazed or powdered.
Well, I suppose I have
a very strong constitution.
When you cut into people for a living,
it's pretty gruesome.
If I had a weak stomach,
I don't think I'd get very far.
You sure wouldn't, would you?
Anything else?
- No, all good.
- Okay.
- Lovely to meet you.
- You, too.
♪
Oh, hey. Hey.
I think we need to take a look
at that Dr. Vanessa Holmes.
Why? What happened?
Well, the staff can
barely hold it together,
but she seems so calm.
She credits her strong constitution,
but I don't buy it.
We already questioned her.
She left here before the attack.
Her key card swipes confirm it.
I don't know. She seemed, you know,
like this was any other day.
- Aren't you a defense attorney?
- Yes.
Then you know that only hard
evidence holds up in court,
not gut feelings from women
who wear polka dots over the age of 15.
[GASPS]
♪
ELSBETH: Oh, I know someone
was murdered there,
- but The Reveal is breathtaking.
- Mm.
Everywhere you look, there's some
fancy piece of art or pottery.
I wish I could make beautiful things.
You know, you can take
classes for stuff like that.
Mm-hmm. Look into the Ingenuity House.
They have a catalog and everything.
Oh. What a good idea.
Okay, so, McQuillan
checked in at 11:15 a.m.
Key card records show
Astrid arrived at 11:28
and checked on three
patients before McQuillan.
Time of death falls between
12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Vanessa's key card history
shows her leaving at 10:31.
She claims to have gone to the
Museum of the City of New York
for the afternoon, but
that's only a four-minute
walk from The Reveal.
That gives her plenty of time
to get to the museum,
scan her ticket and come right back,
disguised as patient McQuillan.
- But what's her motive?
- Doesn't matter.
She's got an alibi.
The only person of interest
is Patient McQuillan's surgeon
of record, Dr. Yablonsky.
Have you questioned him yet?
He's out of town, allegedly, but
we're checking flight manifests
and credit card records to confirm.
If the killer went through the
trouble of fabricating a patient,
why would they then list themselves
as the surgeon of record?
The guy wrote an op-ed
in some medical journal
straight-up dragging the
victim for six pages.
- Then why would
- I just came here to tell you
the M.E.'s ready for us.
Not chitchat.
What
- [SCOFFS]
- [MONITOR BEEPS]
You good?
Mm-hmm.
Okay.
Appreciate you turning this
around so fast, Barajas.
It's all good.
Been a while since you were on a case.
- It's good to see you.
- The report?
Sorry, yes.
23 jabs of Noxitoline.
It's kind of like a Botox
knockoff, readily available.
The cause of death was a
fatal jab of it to the spleen.
So, we're looking for someone
with a personal vendetta
who lost control and got another
random jab in for good measure.
KAYA: But isn't the spleen hard to find?
ELSBETH: That's what I was thinking.
My gut
is telling me that someone with
medical expertise did this.
Why wouldn't they just kill
Astrid in a more direct way?
Like, just stab her in the heart?
My guess: the killer wanted
the victim to suffer.
- Oof.
- WAGNER: Edwards,
put in a HIPPA exception request
for Astrid's records.
Let's see if a vengeful
patient did this.
Okay, so, according to the receptionist,
Dr. Y emailed Astrid in the morning,
asking her to check on his patients.
That was apparently weird,
because Dr. Y and the
older surgeons are,
quote, "très territorial."
Hmm.
Let's recreate it.
You be Astrid.
Do you need help getting up on the
- No, I got it.
- Okay.
Okay.
- All right. So
- [GROANS]
- [GRUNTS]
- I've just knocked you out.
- Mm-mmm.
- And then
I stab your face. [GRUNTS]
'Cause I have anger issues!
And then I need to finish the job.
So I, what what do I do?
Okay, let's see.
"How do you find the spleen?"
- Okay, here it is.
- [JINGLE PLAYS ON PHONE]
MAN: Finding the Spleen.
The spleen is roughly
parallel to the tenth rib.
- Where's the tenth rib?
- No idea.
- Okay.
- Mm.
Gently lift the left flank
of the patient ventrally.
- Oh. Left of the
- Ow!
Oh, sorry.
[GIGGLES]
A severely enlarged spleen is palpable
- under the left costal margin.
- Okay.
- Ow!
- I'm so sorry.
Seriously?
However, the spleen is generally
not palpable in healthy adults.
To untrained hands,
- it may be mistaken for the kidney.
- Okay.
[GRUNTS]
A layperson definitely
couldn't find the spleen.
They'd need an ultrasound or something.
Or medical expertise and
a "strong constitution."
You know what?
I think I could use a consultation.
Mm.
♪
Mrs. Larrimore?
- Good luck.
- Okay. Uh
Don't do too much.
[CHUCKLES]
So sorry. Sorry.
Yes.
Good luck.
["VIVA LA VIDA" BY PRAGUE
CELLO QUARTET PLAYING]
- Wow.
- [SCREAMS]
- Aah! I'm sorry.
- Oh.
I'm so sorry.
I did not mean to scare you like that.
- [MUSIC STOPS]
- I just, I was I was waiting
for my consultation with Dr.
Holmes and I heard the music
and I just sort of followed it up here.
I'm sorry, no, you're fine.
It's just been a rough few days.
- A friend of mine was murdered.
- You knew Dr. Astrid Olsen?
We weren't close.
Oh.
- I'm Carolyn Holmes.
- Oh.
I met your wife at the crime scene.
That's how I got this referral.
I'm Elsbeth Tascioni.
- I'm with the police.
- [GASPS] Do you have any leads?
A few, but nothing concrete just yet.
But you're an incredible dancer.
Um, do you do that professionally?
Oh, not anymore. Vanessa
didn't like me touring,
- but
- There you are.
We called your name downstairs.
I-I thought you might have stood me up.
Oh, never. I just, I
I heard this music and then
I just couldn't help myself.
Oh, she walked in on me
dancing to "Viva la Vida."
- Hmm.
- Our first date was a Coldplay concert
I dragged her to.
She's been obsessed ever since.
Well, Chris Martin is
an underrated genius.
- So, Ms. "Taskioni," shall we?
- Tascioni.
Great. Shall we?
- Yes.
- Great.
So, is this your first foray
into plastic surgery?
- Yeah, it is.
- [CHUCKLES]
[CLEARS THROAT]
So, I didn't realize that you and
Astrid had such history together.
Why do you say that?
Oh, I saw her in the staff photo.
You had your arm around her
and no other employee.
Yeah, well, I mean, she was
my employee and mentee.
Oh, so she meant a lot to you.
Well, I probably had more
of a presence in her life
- than she did in mine.
- I see.
Okay, let's see what we got here.
So, who do you think
could have killed her?
Well
between the nurses
being treated badly
Just relax. This way.
Uh, no, no, too much.
And all her unhappy
customers [MUTTERS]
and all those nasty ramblings
on the Internet
I mean, did you see her TikToks?
Mm-hmm.
I mean, unfortunately, I don't
think there's a shortage of people
who might have done that to her.
- Right. Well, it turns out
- Mm?
what killed her was an injection
of Noxitoline into the spleen.
- Really?
- So whoever did that
must have had extensive
medical knowledge
to hit that exact
spot.
I thought you were here
for a consultation.
- I am.
- Okay.
- We should probably get to it.
- Okay.
So
what are your concerns?
I don't know. What do you think
I should be concerned about?
[CHUCKLES]
WAGNER: So, Ms. Tascioni made
no further mention of Wali?
- No, sir. Uh, sh-should I ask her?
- No.
Just let me know if it comes up again.
Learned anything else?
About what she's doing here?
About anything.
There aren't many of us
this high up in the ranks.
Uh, and when we get here,
there's very little room for errors
or, uh, misunderstandings,
- you know you know what I mean?
- Yes, sir.
So, keep your ear to the
ground and be as creative
Elsbeth. Hey.
There you are. Hi.
What happened to you?
Oh! Vanessa.
What did I miss?
Captain was just updating us on the DNA
found under Astrid's fingernails.
- Really? Whose is it?
- It tested positive as sheep placenta.
- Any ideas?
- Hmm.
[CLUCKING TONGUE]
It's a type of facial.
Vanessa advertises them in her office,
and I bet Astrid administered them, too.
$600 for a sheep placenta facial?
Yeah, that's a hard pass.
He's here. Excuse me.
"Inexperienced surgeons
like Dr. Astrid Olsen
are passing off novel
procedures as innovative,
but in reality, they're dangerous."
Your warning fell on deaf
ears, Dr. Yablonsky,
and you did what you felt would
protect unsuspecting patients.
Well, her Tic Tac videos
were aggravating,
but I would never kill Astrid.
I wasn't even in the state.
Forgive me if I don't
take your word for it.
Give me your phone.
Oh, um
We know you didn't literally
deliver the fatal injection,
but your email set her up to die.
So are you an accomplice or a patsy?
What email?
I had nothing to do with this.
Cut the act. Our team is pulling
your metadata right now.
Meta-what?
[GROANS] Am I under arrest?
Officially, no.
Then I would like to leave, please.
All right.
But if you leave New York right now,
your situation is gonna get much worse.
[COMPUTER BEEPS]
ELSBETH: Yeah, I really
don't think he's involved.
That email was sent
while he was on a plane.
He seems like too much of a Luddite
to use in-flight Wi-Fi.
That email would have had
to be sent from his phone
and scheduled to send automatically.
I doubt he knows how to do that, either.
We need to talk to him ourselves.
Mm-hmm. Uh
- You still
- Oh! Oh, of course.
Oh, my gosh.
Um, is that it?
Girl, no, here.
Um, excuse me, Dr. Yablonsky.
- Huh?
- Hi.
I'm Elsbeth Tascioni, and
this is Officer Kaya Blanke.
Do you mind if we take
another look at your phone?
[GROANS]
We don't believe you
wanted to hurt Astrid,
but do you have any idea who might have?
It would be faster to
make a list of the people
who didn't have a problem with her.
Look how she stabbed the woman
who mentored her in the back.
How so?
Well, Vanessa offered Astrid
a position in her practice
and Astrid turned her down
in front of the entire staff.
I mean, Vanessa was gracious, of course,
but the doctors close
to her were furious.
- Ah, the phone.
- Thank you so much.
Mm-hmm.
- He has a Locomotion.
- A what?
It's one of those no-frills
iPhone lookalikes.
All it does is call, text and email.
I bought one for my nana.
- Oh, so he is a Luddite.
- I beg your pardon.
Were you ever separated from this phone
with other people around?
Uh, at a dinner party last week.
I don't like phones at the table,
so we rounded them up.
Was Vanessa at the dinner?
Oh, yes, she hosted.
But the entire room loathed
Astrid in equal measure.
Any one of them could have done it.
Ah. Anything else?
- No. Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.
Darn.
[MUTTERING]
She's late.
No, I'm not. I'm here.
Ah, I was taking pictures
of the caterpillar.
I could never understand
why people think
that Alice in Wonderland is weird.
Okay, I'm here.
Elsbeth Tascioni, meet Martin Wali.
The reason you're in New York.
So Wali is a last name.
I'm happy to finally
meet you, Ms. Tascioni.
Because that Captain C.W. Wagner
he's a real son of a bitch.
Mr. Wali has brought to our attention
some of the fast fashion company's
disturbing business practices.
I'm not sure how this relates
to Captain Wagner
or why I'm looking into him.
FlairAll's running sweatshops.
Because of Wagner, nobody's
doing a thing about it.
There have been anonymous
complaints about FlairAll online,
but it was Mr. Wali's dogged
pursuit of the issue
that brought it to the Feds' attention.
So you think Wagner's
blocking an investigation
- for personal gain?
- 'Course he is.
Shiesty billionaires never get caught
because they pay to keep people
like Wagner in their pocket.
Any kickbacks are likely being funneled
through Wagner's charitable foundation.
I want you to reflect on observations
the past couple months.
If any of Wagner's behavior
now seems suspect,
I want you to contact me immediately.
WAGNER: Observe and report.
Stop sticking your nose into everything.
♪
I mentioned I knew a great candidate
and your son did the rest.
I think of us as friends
and I'm sure you'll do the
same for me one day.
Vanessa had access to
Dr. Y's phone at his party,
so she could have scheduled
the email luring Astrid.
Plus, Vanessa administers Noxitoline,
so she had the means.
And Astrid "betrayed her"
in front of her colleagues,
- so there's motive.
- ELSBETH: Exactly.
Alibi is the only thing protecting
Vanessa at this point. [LAUGHS]
- Hey.
- Hey.
Oh, excuse me, sir.
Were you working this
post yesterday morning?
- I was.
- Did you happen to see this woman?
Yeah.
We flirted.
Cute neck.
Ah, the sexiest part
about a woman is her
She gave me $20.
Uh, uh, tips are against
the rules, but she insisted.
And I was gonna given it back,
but then I didn't see her again.
Oh, that's okay, we understand.
Just one more thing, if you don't mind.
Have you lost your mind?
All we need is a warrant
for Vanessa's shoes.
If the paint on hers doesn't
match these, then poof!
There goes her alibi.
Get those funky shoes off my desk.
And whose are they anyway?
The guard at the museum.
Vanessa was flirting with him,
probably so he would remember
her to bolster her alibi.
We don't have grounds for a warrant.
And I don't love you took
those shoes off a man's feet.
They were freely given, I promise.
The guard was worried
about getting in trouble
for accepting a tip from Vanessa,
so he just handed them right over.
[SIGHS]
The guard
was worried about corruption.
'Cause he knew that accepting
any amount of money
was wrong.
That he could lose a stable job,
even be on the hook for future favors.
Favors
can be misinterpreted.
Like how
I helped your son get a new job.
Someone might view you
as being exploiting
the police force you
are here to oversee.
Astrid's online presence was
nothing out of the ordinary.
Just a couple bad Yelp reviews.
This one from VivaLaMartin4611
is pretty harsh.
VivaLaMartin4611 sounds
like an online troll.
I'll look into any Martins
associated with Dr. Olsen.
"Chris Martin is an underrated genius."
You like Coldplay?
No.
But I know someone who does.
[LAUGHING]
A portmanteau of your address
with the numbers reversed,
and a Coldplay reference?
- Boy, you are so clever.
- Mm.
But you called Astrid "a snake
oil saleswoman in Manolos"?
- Ouch.
- Oh
I was blowing off a little steam.
Of course. I mean, I've had
clients who've done petty,
but perfectly legal things
like that all the time.
But the thing is
the police are under some
pressure to make an arrest.
Someone even suggested
that Captain Wagner
get a warrant for your shoes
to compare with the paint
from the museum protest.
- Hmm.
- Crazy, right?
Insanity.
Well, I hope you haven't
had them cleaned.
Because the paint on them
proves your airtight alibi.
[EXHALES]
CAROLYN: Physical
therapy was a bear today.
Oh! Hello again.
- Hi.
- Here with a case update?
- Oh, afraid not.
- Ooh.
- Doesn't hurt to ask, I guess.
- Yeah.
Uh, where's Vanessa?
Oh, um, I'm not really sure.
- I think she went that way.
- [SIGHS]
So, I'm assuming you're here
because you decided to go with Vanessa
for whatever work you're having done?
Chin, I presume?
Yup.
Couldn't go another moment with a
chin like this.
Yeah. Well, you made the right choice.
Vanessa's a true artist.
Are you speaking from experience?
[CLICKS TONGUE]
No.
You look amazing.
A lady never tells, but
I can promise you this.
I've spent far more time in hospital
for dance injuries than anything else.
Ankle fracture, torn
ACL, herniated disk.
I was just at physical therapy
for my snapping hip syndrome.
Oh, wow. Wow. [LAUGHS]
Speaking of, I should
get out of these clothes.
Oh, yes, of course.
It was great to see you.
- You, too. Bye.
- Bye.
- [GASPS]
- My shoe guy is still out of town,
so I haven't had them cleaned yet.
You can't take Italian
leather to just anyone.
Oh, no, of course.
Be careful with them.
They're custom.
Pigment, binders and solvents
in both samples are identical.
So the paint on Vanessa's
shoes really was the same
as the museum guard's?
- Well, Vanessa still could
- Give it up, Tascioni.
Science tells us,
Vanessa didn't do this.
She was where she said she was.
[CHAIR SQUEAKS]
Do we really think that the killer
just made a whole patient
chart from scratch?
Seems like a lot of work for
what was essentially a prop.
Honestly, after looking at
this for 14 hours straight,
anything is possible.
♪
McQuillan's patient
history included otoplasty,
talar joint fracture, coxa saltans.
What do these even mean?
♪
- What does she weigh? 115? 120?
- Yeah, looks like.
Patient McQuillan's medical
history belongs to Carolyn.
- Vanessa's wife.
- Uh, I don't follow.
Uh, microdiscectomy is a surgery
to repair herniated disks.
Uh, tibiotalar joint
fracture: broken ankle.
Coxa saltans is
snapping hip syndrome.
These are all common dance injuries.
Wait. So, Carolyn murdered Astrid?
Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
Vanessa definitely did it.
But I think she started
with her wife's information
for the fake chart.
Hmm.
Wagner won't back us up on this
without something concrete.
So, how can we find out for sure?
DR. YABLONSKY: There's no indication
of a facelift or a nose job.
From what I'm seeing in these photos,
Carolyn's only had her ears done.
Is it common to operate on spouses?
Well, we sometimes do.
The left ear is clearly Vanessa's work.
- How can you tell?
- I taught Vanessa the procedure,
so, I recognize her scoring technique.
So, Carolyn only had one ear done?
No, they've both been modified.
Vanessa probably did
them at the same time.
But the right ear
yeah, is Astrid's work.
She told you?
No, but I'd know an Astrid ear anywhere.
Astrid made a name for herself
by performing corrective surgeries,
and then criticizing the
original surgeon of record.
- Can you magnify the image?
- Mm-hmm.
The incisions don't match.
Disrespectful as Astrid was
she perfected the
invisible ear suture.
[LAUGHS] Doctor,
we cannot thank you enough.
- Oh, it was my pleasure.
- Mm.
And I love your chin.
Astrid declined Vanessa's partnership,
poached Vanessa's clients,
criticized Vanessa's surgical
methods on the Internet.
Only for Vanessa's wife to go to Astrid
to fix work that Vanessa
had already done?
This is one hell of a motive.
Please don't tell her.
Our marriage has been such bliss lately.
Vanessa bought us tickets to the ballet.
She even took out the recycling,
which she never, ever does.
I-I think that Astrid's death made
us appreciate each other more.
Hey!
Harassment is a felony.
Um, actually in New York,
it's a class B misdemeanor.
Get off my property.
Now. I mean it.
Babe.
[SIGHS]
What are you doing?!
I enrolled in the decoupage class.
It requires a lot of newspaper.
[SCOFFS]
Now, you really think Carolyn
can keep her ear a secret
from someone that controlling?
Oh, no way.
If Dr. Y could see it in a photo,
Vanessa definitely knows.
Mmm.
Only you could get me
to go to opening night,
where people watch each
other more than the stage.
Oh. Thank you for indulging me, honey.
Mm, anything for you, baby.
Sorry to interrupt your evening, Doctor,
but I wanted to make things right
with you as soon as possible.
- Hi.
- Ugh.
WAGNER: Ms. Tascioni is
here to return your property
and to apologize.
Oh.
Come on in.
Hi.
I am so sorry for all of this.
I had just convinced myself
that you weren't at the
museum all afternoon.
Despite my timed entry ticket
and my shoes confirming that I was.
Yeah. You just live so close to
the museum and The Reveal.
It would've been easy to go
to the museum, be seen,
sneak back into The Reveal,
kill Astrid, return to the museum,
stop at a hardware store
on 102nd to buy red paint,
walk home, splatter your shoes,
and get back to The Reveal
just in time to not
really look distraught.
How is it possible that
a woman this unhinged
is allowed to associate with the NYPD?
- Please accept our deepest apologies.
- Yeah.
And just so that we can
officially put this to bed,
uh
your shoes were ruined
at the protest, right?
Well, yes, obviously, of course.
See, your wife mentioned
that she appreciated how you took
out the recycling for a change.
See, when someone does something
that they don't normally do,
it's usually for a reason, so
I took it.
Your unchecked mental illness
and kleptomania is making us late.
Oh, wait, wait. Before you go,
I thought you might
find this interesting.
Not that interesting.
I do crafts all the time.
On the date of Astrid's murder?
[SCOFFS]
You see, I was stumped
when the paint on your shoes
matched the protest paint
until I visited every Upper
East Side hardware store.
Luckily, there's only three.
They all seem like cute
little mom-and-pop shops,
but apparently, they're all
owned by a larger company.
Yeah, these big hardware stores
and the smaller stores they own
they have these brand
exclusivity arrangements.
That's why Home Depot
only carries BEHR paint.
ELSBETH: So, the perfect
paint match on your shoes
doesn't really substantiate your alibi.
It just proves that you
and the protestors
bought your paint locally.
All you've got are some
footprints on a newspaper.
They could be anyone's.
Anyone's? But
they're custom.
Detective Edwards?
Oh, uh, this is ridiculous.
Why did you let that
bitch touch your ear?
How could you betray me like this?
What?
[SIREN WHOOPING]
WOMAN: Now you have a
beautiful decorative box.
Thank you for joining me,
and I'll see you next time.
- You're so good at this.
- [LAUGHS]
Well, not to brag,
but I am a little bit of a
Modge Podge queen.
Does that make me a Modge
Podge lady-in-waiting?
[LAUGHS]
Why did you meet with Wali
and Celetano yesterday?
I followed you to the park.
We shouldn't be discussing this.
You could be subpoenaed.
Captain Wagner believes that
you're looking into him,
and I'm supposed to find out why.
But I'm coming to you,
my friend, instead.
What's going on?
The DOJ
believes that Captain
Wagner is taking kickbacks
for blocking investigations.
[SCOFFS]
Mm.
Since the Academy,
I have only ever worked
under Captain Wagner.
Whole time, he has
been nothing but kind,
upstanding.
Now I don't know who I'm working for.
Or what side I'm supposed to be on.
Be on the side of the truth.
And what is that?
Hey.
We'll figure it out.
MAN: Here's the rest.
So, when do I speak
with Wagner directly?
What do you think a lieutenant's for?
Captain Wagner keeps his hands clean.
This is as close to a direct
conversation as you're gonna get.
You'll be hearing from me.