So Help Me Todd (2022) s01e19 Episode Script
86'd
1
Previously on So Help Me Todd
MARGARET: You did not speak
to Beverly Crest, did you?
I am this close to getting
my name above the letterhead.
Chuck, we have to talk.
Allison, are you living here?
TODD: Is it ethical for you to
kiss me, and then spend two weeks
gaslighting me into
thinking it never happened?
Did you know that Harry
has Parkinson's disease?
My doctors, they told me
that I only have seven
to ten years left to live.
What you, what you,
what you gonna do? ♪
Feeling on the vibe in the room ♪
(SINGING CONTINUES IN SPANISH)
Portland's first
Michelin-Starred restaurant.
(CHUCKLES) I know.
Cheers. To some mother-daughter time.
I'm just your backup because
your boss cancelled on you.
Mm-mm.
Well, yes, all right, okay. Yes.
Um, you know, Beverly is a foodie,
a big foodie like you,
and, um, next week
is my final interview
for named partner, and
(SIGHS) I wanted to impress her.
But (STAMMERS) I'd
rather be here with you.
What, so you can grill me
about Chuck over grilled melon?
I am not going to grill you about Chuck.
Can we just enjoy our
meal and enjoy the company
and enjoy our time.
(CHUCKLES) Thank you. Thanks so much.
- Thank you.
- (MAN YELLING IN KITCHEN)
(CLEARS THROAT) Just do
have one little, tiny
(LAUGHS) friendly thing
to say, to comment on.
Um, weren't you wearing
that exact same outfit
at last week's family dinner?
Yes, because I am, yes, still
living out of a suitcase.
- No, not at the hospital.
- Okay.
Yes, at an Airbnb in Southeast.
- MARGARET: Southeast?
- ALLISON: Yeah.
- MARGARET: Allison
- Excuse me, Margaret?
Hi, I'm Lauren Park.
Welcome to Flora & Fauna.
Lauren Park. Uh, this is Susan's friend
- from college, and and Todd's as well.
- Mm.
Uh, it is just delightful to meet you,
and thank you so much
for helping us with this,
- uh, reservation.
- Yes. My pleasure.
Lauren, this is, um,
my daughter, Allison.
Hi. The flowers are (KISSES)
- Enjoy.
- MARGARET: Thank you so much. Thank you.
Okay, so, Allison,
here's another thing
- Oh, my God, you're not gonna
- (MAN YELLING IN KITCHEN)
- You can't avoid Chuck forever.
- Okay (STAMMERS)
- I don't want to talk about this.
- Five weeks so far.
Yeah, that's what I've
been trying to tell you.
- (DISHES CLATTER)
- MAN: This is crap!
How many times do I need to
tell you, you got to taste
the food before it goes out?
LAUREN: Zero. 'Cause I quit!
Why don't you go back
to culinary school and learn how to use
- a salt shaker!
- LAUREN: Screw you, Jax.
I'm gonna need a lawyer.
Get back into the kitchen.
You're scaring everyone.
Come on.
Very sorry, everyone.
Nothing to worry about.
Just a temperamental,
but very talented chef.
Oh, my God. Lauren Park? Or
is it still freshman year,
and you go by "Lolo"?
Todd, you can catch up later, please.
So, we have more than enough evidence
to prove that Jax
Price is an abusive boss
and guilty of "intentional
infliction of emotional distress."
Yeah, well, my therapy
bills alone can prove that.
I can't believe he's trying
to throw out our lawsuit,
like, a week after we filed it.
Don't worry about
that, it's very common.
We'll take care of that in the motion
to dismiss hearing this afternoon.
And two of your co-workers
have already agreed to testify
on your behalf when we
get to the actual trial.
Only two?
He berates everyone on a daily basis.
Half of the staff are on
antidepressants because of him.
I find that personally offensive.
These alpha male bosses
thinking they can just get away
with trampling all over
their employees. Uh, Todd,
get the crumbs off the table, please,
and next time use a plate.
Not to mention alpha female bosses.
Jax has always been harsh,
demanding of excellence,
but lately, he's just been cruel,
like, trying to mess with our heads.
Accusing me of under-seasoning
my food, which is a joke.
Was your meal under-seasoned?
(LAUGHS) Oh, no, not at all.
It was absolutely perfect.
And we will hold Jax accountable
for his atrocious behavior.
Right.
What is it?
I'm just scared.
Portland isn't that big.
Jax has a lot of influence
in the culinary world here.
- He can ruin my career.
- MARGARET: Lauren,
you told me that, although
you love being a chef,
you could not stand one
more second of his abuse.
SUSAN: That's why this lawsuit
isn't just about the money.
These toxic kitchens have to change.
MARGARET: And I, for one, admire you
for standing up to a bully like Jax.
TODD: Wait,
- and that pizza you made us
- Okay.
when the fire department came?
No, that was not on me.
Those dorm kitchens had terrible ovens.
- Yeah, yeah.
- Terrible.
(SIGHS) I can't believe you
two are working together now.
- Yeah, but maybe not for much longer.
- Wait, what?
Yeah, well, I've got
less than 100 hours left
until I get my P.I. license
restored, and then, who knows,
- I might go back out on my own, or
- (ELEVATOR DINGS)
Okay, got to go. I'll
see you at the courthouse
later this afternoon.
And it's really nice
that you guys are friends
and everything's fine.
Okay, bye.
Bye, Lauren.
- It is fine, right?
- Yeah.
Yes, it's all totally fine.
Even Peter thinks it's fine,
and I told him everything.
Wait, you what? You told him what?
I told Peter everything.
He knows everything.
- Uh
- That you're dating Amy now, that I kissed you.
Wait, why would you Are you serious?
You didn't actually Does he hate me?
No, of course not.
Peter is very secure. He's
not threatened by you at all.
Uh, thank you?
Yeah, he understands that I
just, you know, got cold feet.
And I looked over my five-year plan,
and I did put an
asterisk next to this year
and labeled it "a crisis of confidence."
I'm an asterisk on your five-year plan?
Yeah, an asterisk.
Followed by: marry Peter,
buy a house, have a baby,
name it "Ruth" after
RBG, become a partner here
and write a children's book.
- Hmm.
- So anyway, now that
we both have it out of our
systems, and all of us know,
it's done, and fine, and
we can both move on from it.
Why does everyone think they
could write a children's book?
(SCOFFS)
Your Honor, dismissing this lawsuit
sets a dangerous precedent
for protecting employee rights.
Or perhaps your client
isn't capable of performing
in a high-pressure environment.
Harry Truman said it best.
"If you can't stand the
heat, get out of the kitchen."
And if it were 1942,
your archaic quote
might bear some weight.
But today, the law protects employees
from the toxic behavior of Mr. Price.
Your Honor, we have
signed affidavits from all
of Flora & Fauna's employees
denying the allegations
against my client, including
the two employees that were
gonna testify against him.
Your Honor, th-this is
clearly witness intimidation.
Huh. Other than your client's testimony,
do you have any other witnesses?
Uh, no, Your Honor,
uh, we-we don't, but given the time
I suggest you refile when
you find them, Counselor.
Motion to dismiss granted.
Don't worry. We will file an appeal.
Jax obviously threatened my co-workers.
They're all afraid of losing their jobs.
He's not gonna get away with it.
Well, you just 86'd your entire
career. No decent restaurant's
ever gonna hire you. I'm
gonna make sure of it.
Do not speak to my client.
You know, I just think while
you deal with Lauren's appeal,
maybe you have another
case that I could take on.
Or two or three.
You know, I have evenings
and weekends off, so
Oh, Todd, why the why
the frantic dash to
(SNIFFS) sop up the last 100 hours
so you can get your P.I. license back?
Oh, why the mad push to get
your name above the door here?
- Because I now bring in 32% of this firm's revenue.
- Right.
And I deserve it.
Yeah, you're a manager, not an employee.
- A leader, not a follower.
- That's right.
Yeah, you don't want to be
working under somebody else.
- Oh, I do not.
- And that's how I feel!
My license will set me free!
I can't be working
for my mother forever.
I want to be a professional
private investigator again.
Roaming the streets, seeking
out crime and fighting it,
a self-employed soldier of fortune.
Self-employed. Again.
Uh, without health insurance.
- Again.
- Oh, boy.
Taking on a small-business overhead.
Again. And without a
retirement plan again.
- Why are you raining on this particular parade?
- Because, Todd,
you are my 32-year-old precious son
and my only unmarried child.
And after everything that
you have been through,
I would like to see you
have a semi-realistic plan
before you go trotting off
into the great unknown. Again.
Uh, I have a plan. I have a big plan.
- I have a five-year plan.
- Oh?
Um buy a house, get
married, have a baby,
name it "Ruth" after RBG,
um, write a children's book
Why does everyone think they
can write a children's book?
- TODD: Tell me about it.
- Uh, I'm sorry, Lauren
I'm sorry. I I didn't
know where else to go.
Jax is dead.
(PANTING)
♪
Lauren, all you have to
do is plead "not guilty,"
and I will handle the rest.
Is a jury really going
to believe that I went
to go pick up my paycheck,
and I found Jax's dead body?
That I left my bloody
handprints everywhere because
I was trying to help him?
Our job is to make them believe it.
Who's going to take care of
my parents if I go to prison?
Who's going to remind them
what the Wi-Fi password is,
or take them to doctor's appointments?
They need me.
It's not going to get
to that point, I promise.
BAILIFF: All rise for the
Honorable Judge Rajkovich.
Be seated.
The charge is murder
in the second degree.
How does the defendant plead?
Not guilty.
Your Honor, based on the
violent nature of the crime,
the prosecution recommends the
defendant be held without bail.
Your Honor, Ms. Park
has no criminal history.
We ask that she be released
on her own recognizance.
Your client has no alibi,
and stabbed Jax Price.
- Allegedly.
- And then fled the scene of a crime
when a produce delivery man saw her.
She is a flight risk.
Your Honor, she fled
because she was terrified.
And she did turn herself in.
I'm setting bail at $50,000.
The court will set a date
for a preliminary hearing.
- (GAVEL BANGS)
- Uh, Lauren,
go with the bailiff,
fill out the paperwork.
- Then you can go home, okay?
- Okay.
Susan, let's start building
a witness list of all of Jax's
current and former employees,
and the produce delivery man.
I'll also subpoena
Lauren's cell phone records
- to bolster her alibi.
- Yes.
- Whatever we can do to establish reasonable doubt.
- Okay.
What time is it? Good.
Uh, Flora & Fauna should not still be
an active crime scene by now.
She'll be right back.
So, I'm going to go out there with Todd
and see what we can find out.
I don't get fine dining.
Why spend a small fortune on
tiny bites and weird sauces?
(LAUGHING): Because it's delicious,
and it's an experience.
Uh, seven-layer dip is an experience.
And it's only five bucks at that
amazing food cart at Nob Hill.
Okay, we need to focus.
We need to speak to
whomever we can to get a lead
on an alternate suspect.
Okay, uh, no, no, no, no, no.
Uh, we should separate.
You go on around the
back to the kitchen.
You're banishing me to
the back like a troll?
I guess you don't want those
remaining hours after all.
Okay, fine, I am going, but
I'm rounding up. (LAUGHS)
Sorry. We're closed.
Um, I'm Attorney Margaret Wright.
I'm representing Lauren Park.
Who murdered my friend. Goodbye.
I believe she is innocent, and I'm
I'm here to collect information,
uh, looking for the real killer.
Can we talk?
Lauren was a ticking time
bomb with anger issues
who couldn't take criticism,
and I don't want to
Uh, is that the '82
Domaine Saint Rousseau?
You know your wine.
Yes, I do. In fact, last week,
I had a bottle of Chateau Lauzat, '61.
Sit.
- (LAUGHS)
- Join me.
Thank you.
Oh, thank you.
- My name is Rufus.
- Uh-huh.
Quimby. I own this place.
What's left of it now.
I can't imagine.
Oh, what can you tell me about Jax?
We were like brothers,
spent every day together,
built this place from the ground up.
I believed in his talent.
Jax was on the cusp of culinary stardom.
A cookbook, TV offers, more restaurants.
And now he's gone.
I am so sorry for your loss.
Can you tell me about his personal life?
What personal life? He was here 24/7.
It sounds like he was
a very demanding boss.
If you worked here, it's
because you wanted to be here.
Everyone wanted to learn from Jax
because he was simply the best.
Did his employees hate him? Yes.
But make no mistake.
They needed him alive.
We all did.
Oh. Uh, excuse me?
- (GASPS)
- Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to sneak up on you there.
- You scared me. I could have died.
- Oh
I'm in here all alone
doing CSI grunt work,
and you scare me to death?
Ah, CSI, huh? That's so cool.
Nothing like running a black
light over a murder scene
and seeing it turn into a
Pollock painting, am I right?
- Who's Pollock?
- Hey, oh
How do you go to the bathroom
when you're wearing that suit?
You know, I thought about becoming CSI.
That or Batman, 'cause both have suits.
But I went with P.I. instead.
Todd Wright, almost
licensed, but not to kill.
I don't shake hands while
I'm covered in blood.
I'm Gavin West, CSI Portland.
Are you on a case, or
are you just some weirdo
who wandered in here?
No, no, no, I'm on a case.
I'm actually on this one.
That's why I'm here.
Do you actually mind if
I ask you a few questions?
What is next for you
now that Jax is gone?
I have to deal with this place,
and then I'm taking
a very long vacation.
I'm thinking Paris.
- Oh, I love Par-ee.
- Nothing better
than sitting in the Tuileries
Garden with a latte
And a freshly baked croissant.
Steps from the Louvre.
Mm. Oh, it sounds so wonderful.
And you deserve it after
everything you've been though.
You should meet me there.
Wow. Ooh.
That is very forward of you.
Do you have Parkinson's disease?
I'm-I'm I am so sorry.
I didn't mean to snoop.
It's just that my
My ex-husband had Parkinson's.
It's okay. I'm managing it.
Here. If you ever want to talk,
I happen to know quite a
bit about that diagnosis,
and I'd be happy
to give any insights.
Thank you.
So, you didn't find anything
unusual at this crime scene?
No, it was a standard stabbing.
Led to death, as stabbings tend to do.
Yeah. And no knife?
Not that I saw.
We did find a massive amount
- of substances on and around the body, though.
- Wait.
Substances? What do
you mean "substances"?
It's most likely cooking ingredients,
but I bagged and tagged
everything for testing.
We should have the
results in 48 to 72 hours.
- So cool.
- You know, this is my first restaurant crime scene?
So, I looked this place up.
$500 for one dinner.
- I know, right?
- And cooked by a chef
that sounded like an obnoxious jerk.
Wait. People complained
online about Jax?
Oh, yeah, lots of complaints.
Very, very much complaints.
Huh.
Good afternoon, Beverly.
It's not quite noon yet, actually.
I hear you're representing
the alleged killer
in the Jax Price murder investigation.
- Yes.
- Sorry I had to break off our dinner
at his restaurant, by the way.
I'm-I'm actually just on my
way to hear what new leads
we've rounded up.
- Are you?
- Mm-hmm.
Maybe I'll join you.
Yeah, of course.
Uh, so, what we're doing, Beverly,
is we're looking at online comments
to see if anyone had a
personal grudge against Jax.
Price. The deceased.
So far I've only seen, like, a
hundred reviews of his "yuzu foam."
- Is that really a thing?
- BEVERLY: Yes.
And it's fabulous.
Oh, okay. Good to know.
Yeah I just don't get
why people feel the need
to discuss and photograph
every single thing they eat, you know?
But yeah, no, I-I like photography.
On Flora & Fauna's Yelp page,
the recent reviews all mention
how Jax was rude to customers
if they complained about the food.
Oh, well, it sounds
like that Michelin Star
went right to his head. (LAUGHS)
LYLE: Here's a recent
review from username Noma97
targeting Jax, calling
him an "egotistical monster
in need of anger management classes."
Wait, Noma97 also called
Jax a "pompous pig"
on this foodie website.
And, look, here's Noma97
on Flora & Fauna's "Insta,"
saying they wish Jax dead.
We got to find this
Noma97. I mean, I will. Me.
I will personally discover the
identity of this possible lead.
In a legal and aboveboard fashion.
- I might have a way.
- Hmm?
I clicked on Noma97's Yelp profile page
and I can see all of their reviews.
When I drop pins of all the places
Noma97 reviewed on this map,
we can see that the
majority of the reviews
are within a ten-mile radius.
Is there any way to narrow
that down to Noma97's location?
Yeah. I I believe so.
LYLE: In another review, Noma97
complained about a vintage
mint-green chair and bench set
they purchased for their front yard.
- Huh?
- And when I
switch the map to street
view and peruse the area,
there's that mint-green bench set,
at 7255 Oak Knoll Drive.
Okay, I totally
would've figured that out
had I just had, like,
a few more minutes.
And the owner of that
home is "Beezus Miller."
That, too. Would've got that, too.
Oh, my God. Beezus
Miller's on my witness list.
She was a former line
cook at Flora & Fauna.
Nice work, Lyle.
Margaret.
LYLE: Hey, you can't just
prowl around a suspect's house.
- Todd. Todd.
- I am not prowling.
I'm perusing.
We tried the front door.
Now I'm trying the back.
I am here at the dwelling
of the Yelp troll and
possible chef killer,
but my teammate is grossly compromising
the surveillance effort.
And my teammate Todd
Wright is trespassing.
You talk into your watch, too?
No, I'm I'm mocking you.
And do not go in that door. Todd.
Todd. Todd, don't go in that door.
Todd. Todd!
- Do not go in there.
- Whoa.
BEEZUS: Hey, wait. Who
are you? Get out of here.
(AIR HISSING)
Hmm? Mom?
(SHOUTS) Lyle! Lyle!
There's a stormtrooper!
Todd? Back it up, Noma97.
How did you know my screen name?
TODD: Wait.
What is going on down here?
What's all this Willy Wonka stuff?
It's my molecular gastronomy lab.
I'm making ice cream
with liquid nitrogen.
And the poor ventilation
allowed the nitrogen
to displace the oxygen.
That's why you fainted.
Did not faint. I slipped.
BEEZUS: Who are you?
And what do you want?
We're investigators,
and we want to know why
you were trashing Jax
Price online as Noma97.
Because I got great
satisfaction out of it
and I didn't have the
guts to say it to his face.
Everybody hates Jax.
Everybody. Not just his employees.
Mm. And where were you last night?
(SNIFFS, COUGHS)
At my new job at the Union Café.
Here, try some peach ice cream.
I've been selling it at
the PSU Farmers Market.
No, thank you, I don't eat food
- from unlicensed kitchens.
- Mmm.
Wow. Fainting was totally worth it.
I mean slipping was totally worth it.
So, you said everybody hated Jax?
Yeah, but I'm not gonna name names.
I'm no kitchen snitch.
LYLE: Really? I wonder what
the Portland Health
Department would think
- about the lack of proper ventilation in here.
- TODD: No, Lyle.
You cannot report her.
This ice cream is fantastic.
- Here. Look.
- But
You didn't hear this from me.
Have you looked into Sofie Keller?
The head chef at Girl & the Wolf?
She hated Jax,
with, like, a raging passion.
They had this huge
rivalry, and once, she threw
a beer bottle at him because she thought
he stole one of her dishes.
Oh, that sounds interesting.
This candy's weird, though.
That's not candy. That's corn smut.
Corn what?
Smut.
Mold that grows on corn.
(STOMACH GURGLING)
- (GRUNTS SOFTLY)
- MARGARET: Oh, Todd.
What in the world possessed you to
eat something called "corn slut"?
S-smut, not slut. Oh, God.
I feel awful.
But at least we got a lead on
a new suspect: Sofie Keller.
Um, do we have the autopsy report?
Yes, and some very
interesting new information
on the murder weapon,
which they have not found.
"Fatal stab wound made with an implement
17 centimeters in length,
eight centimeters width with
a fine dipped steel point."
"One-centimeter shirakashi
Quercus oak wood fragment
from the knife handle
found in the wound."
That is a very high-end,
very expensive chef's knife.
Yes. One that Sofie might own.
- Yes.
- (KNOCKING ON DOOR)
(CHUCKLES): Oh. Hello, Rufus.
I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?
Ugh, no, no, no.
There's a man on your floor.
- Yes, come in. Come in.
- No, no. Come in.
- This is my son Todd.
- Hi. Hello. I'm dying.
- We've actually been discussing the case.
- Just come Good morning.
- Hello. I'm dead.
- The work is here. Come, sit down.
- I'm Todd.
- We can help. Um
What can you tell us about,
um, Chef Sofie Keller?
- Are you investigating her?
- Yes.
Oh, I suppose that makes sense.
(BRITISH ACCENT): It does, doesn't it?
(REGULAR ACCENT): Actually, does it?
Sofie and Jax had been
rivals since culinary school.
Last year, when Jax won
Portland's Best Chef over
Sofie, she stabbed him
- in the arm with a fork.
- (GASPS)
Do you think that, um,
Sofie could have killed him
with, uh, this knife?
Rare Japanese wood?
Definitely a custom knife.
And Sofie does collect
expensive Japanese knives.
- Oh
- RUFUS: This, by the way, is for you.
(LAUGHS): Oh, my.
Consider it a bribe.
I could really use some
legal help sorting through
the restaurant lease and some
other various contract matters.
Oh, I-I would be happy to help.
What do you think this
pairs the best with?
A fine tagliatelle with pesto sauce.
- Oh, God.
- Jax showed me how to make an excellent pesto.
I could teach you while
we go over the lease.
- Oh, well
- A trade-off.
Sounds wonderful.
Now if you'll excuse me,
I have another meeting to attend.
We will be in touch.
Mm.
Todd.
TODD: You did not just set up a date
during a murder investigation, Mom.
No, no, no, Todd, no.
A-anyway, my window for dating
is closed thanks to Gus Easton.
Rufus and I are just
new friends, and he
well, he happens to have
Parkinson's, like Harry,
and I offered some advice and support.
He has Parkinson's? That guy?
Yes. Now, Todd,
how are we going to get
close to Chef Sofie Keller?
The police are not looking
at her as a suspect,
so we do not have access to a
search warrant for the knife.
Well, when I have the
strength to stand in six weeks,
I will be looking at her as a suspect.
Can you c-close the blinds, please?
It's so bright in here!
Mmm, these are the best
muffins you have ever made.
You know me. Stress baking.
Plus, it gave me an excuse to stop by.
Tell me it's gonna be okay and mean it.
It's gonna be okay. I mean it.
And we got the autopsy
report back this morning,
and it shows that Jax was killed
between midnight and 6:00 a.m.
And your GPS cell phone data suggests
that you were at home until
the produce delivery guy
found you with the body at 9:00 a.m.
Okay. Won't they just say
that I left my phone at home,
and that I dodged all
the surveillance cameras?
We can establish reasonable doubt.
And if we find a viable
alternative suspect,
then we have a very strong case.
If I'd just listened to my parents
and not gone to culinary school,
I would not be in this position.
That was never gonna
happen. You love cooking.
And if I hear my
parents say one more time
"We did not leave Korea
so that you can be a
BOTH: cook in the kitchen."
I'm just (SIGHS)
I should've been the "good
Asian daughter" like you
- and become a lawyer.
- Or a doctor.
But I didn't just become a lawyer
because my parents pressured me into it.
It just so happens that I'm a big nerd
and ever since mock
trial in high school,
I enjoy curling up to
a stack of law journals.
(LAUGHS) I'm sorry.
You're such a weirdo.
I can't believe you're the same person
who did keg stands in
college, and dated Todd.
Well, you know, I was a
different person back then.
Mm-hmm. Well, Peter is a
total course correction.
I know your parents love him.
They are hardcore
Peter. Just like I am.
TODD: Oh, good, you're here. Lauren.
I need a favor.
How do I go about getting
a table at Girl & the Wolf?
Girl & the Wolf? Are you okay?
Smut, yeah. I need to
investigate Sofie Keller.
Apparently, she had
some ugly past with Jax.
Is she the alternative suspect?
- Uh, yeah.
- Wow.
She's terrifying. Uh
Okay, uh, Girl & the Wolf.
I feel like they're gonna
be booked up solid forever.
So if you're not gonna
get in with a reservation,
the only way in would
be through the back?
As a dishwasher.
Huh. (GAGS)
Oh, Todd, I'm not going
to let you go in there.
You are barely alive.
Not to mention you've never
washed a dish in your life.
Mom, they're expecting me now.
I had to pull every trick
in the book to get this job.
Okay? I had the lady
call five burner phones
- and it was me on all of them
- Okay.
being French, Polish, elderly,
all of us recommending me
- as dishwasher.
- Okay.
Now, luckily they were
"hideously short-staffed"
- so I'm in.
- Okay. Okay.
- I just got to go in there
- All right.
- find that knife
- Okay.
- and I'm gonna puke.
- All right.
What-what No, no, no,
no! Don't get it in the car.
- No, out, out, out. Don't get it on the car.
- Ow!
- Oh, my God.
- Okay, I'm fine. I am fine.
I'm just very cold and
it's really bright out.
- No, God, it is night outside.
- Wright? T. Wright?
Here for the dishwasher position?
That's my cue.
Wright? Todd Wright?
Oh, God, okay. Okay, never mind.
I will go do it myself.
I don't want Beverly thinking
I'm just dropping the ball on all this.
I'm not even dressed to be a dishwasher.
This is a very expensive suit.
There we go. Okay.
Hello. (LAUGHS)
Hi. I'm Toddalina Wright.
I am here for the dishwashing position.
Why didn't I bring my jacket?
Wow, you look really dressed up.
Well, you know, I just
like to dress to impress.
(LAUGHS) Shall we?
(STRAINS): Okay. Oh,
God, it's so bright.
(GRUNTS)
(EXHALES)
HOSTESS: Oh, my God. (GASPS)
Do you know who that is?
Oh, it's Jean Paul Depuis, the
notorious restaurant critic.
He always wears disguises. He's here.
That guy looks sick.
HOSTESS: Oh, he is
disgusted by everything.
(STAMMERS) Get him a table.
Quick, Ansel, take his car.
Someone, play Erasure, now.
(EXHALES) This is huge.
- (KNOCKS ON WINDOW)
- ANSEL: Excuse me, sir.
("A LITTLE RESPECT" BY ERASURE PLAYING)
- Mr. Depuis?
- Uh
We have a table waiting for you.
- Please follow me.
- Uh, o-okay.
A little something
to make me sweeter ♪
Oh, baby, refrain ♪
SOFIE: Good evening, Mr. Depuis.
A pleasure to serve you tonight.
Tonight's amuse-bouche,
a foie gras tartlet
with sour cherry sauce
and a goat cheese foam.
Oh.
Please enjoy it before
this foam dissipates.
Ooh. Hmm. You mean, right-right now?
Yeah, sure. Foam, my favorite.
This is, uh, cheese foam.
That's, uh, different.
I can see you are a true gourmand.
Yes, I'm gonna put this foam
in my review, for sure. (LAUGHS)
You know, um
this meal is already
better than the one I had
at Flora & Fauna, right before
that prick Jax got killed.
Chef Sofie Keller,
more like Sofie Killer,
is an emotionless Swedish robot.
High probability she killed Jax
(STOMACH GURGLING)
along with my stomach.
(INHALES SHARPLY)
Be sure to log an extra
hour for digestive distress.
- Work faster.
- ALL: Yes, Chef!
Yes, Chef. Yes, Chef.
Okay.
Oh, God. I don't know
what this stuff is.
Okay, what is this?
- (GASPS)
- SOFIE: This is how you dress.
For scullery work.
Yes, Chef!
It shows initiative. Style.
You are promoted. Go
out and clear tables.
Yes, Chef. Thank you, Chef.
Rory, I've told you numerous times
never to go in there. Never.
And do not touch my knives.
Yes, Chef. Sorry, Chef.
Mmm. Oh.
(STOMACH GURGLING)
(GRUNTS)
(RETCHING)
(PANTING)
Sorry. Thank you.
Todd?
- Huh?
- What are you doing here?
(GASPS) And wearing my jacket.
I don't know, okay? They
think I'm some food critic.
They just shoved me in here.
What have you found out?
Sofie is guarding her
knives very carefully,
and she is hiding
something in the pantry.
We have to get in there.
Come on.
- Busboy.
- In a minute.
Beverly.
Margaret?
MARGARET: Oh
What are you doing here? (CHUCKLES)
I might ask you the same thing.
I believe you know Eve Wexler.
Oh, yes, I do. Uh, Eve.
It is so lovely to see you again.
Well, clearly, Beverly
doesn't pay me enough,
so I'm moonlighting. (LAUGHS)
(LAUGHS): No, I'm just joking.
I am doing research.
That's what I'm doing here.
I've got to go.
(STAMMERS) Enjoy your meal.
- Did you throw up in my purse?
- What?
(SHUSHES)
I cannot believe that
Beverly Crest saw me here.
In an apron. It was humiliating.
And now she's eating
dinner with Eve Wexler.
- Yeah. Who was that?
- Oh, Eve is a prominent
Portland patent attorney.
And I heard rumors that
Beverly was considering her
for named partner, and now
they're here having dinner.
Yeah, well, joke's on them,
the food here is disgusting.
Although I think throwing up
all that foam actually
made me feel better.
Now, if I was a knife used
to murder my sworn enemy,
where would I be hiding?
I mean, it makes perfect sense.
With the booming tech
sector in Portland,
hiring a patent attorney would
fill a certain niche at the firm.
Meanwhile, my niche is
apparently now washing dishes.
Whoa.
Hello, small hidden
potential murder freezer.
- Mom, open it.
- W Wha Why me, Todd?
Well, I'm a little queasy, still.
(SCREAMS) Whoa.
I wouldn't touch that if I were you.
What are you doing in here, Mr. Depuis?
And are you wearing her jacket?
Or are you wearing his pants?
He is not a food critic,
and I am not a table busser.
We are a lawyer and an investigator.
That's right, she's terrible at bussing,
and we demand to know
what is in this freezer.
Is it dead bodies? Parts of dead bodies?
Obviously, you used
that knife to chop up
your victims, put it in there.
Is that the same knife
you used to kill Jax?
Huh? You make a foam out of his blood?
Wait, did I just eat blood?
Is this a cannibal restaurant?
This is a cannibal restaurant,
isn't it? Oh, my God, I knew it.
- Stop talking.
- (BOTH SCREAM)
(TODD STAMMERS)
What is all that? Heads and hands?
Shark fin. Japanese puffer fish.
Which is illegal in the U.S.
We serve private dinners to
our very exclusive clients.
And I did not kill Jax.
Yeah? Is your alibi
as carefully prepared
as that nonsense you made me eat?
Which did help my stomach,
by the way, thank you.
The night that Jax died, I
was at a meditative sound bath
in Bend working on my anger issues
- Clearly, it worked.
- which a dozen people can verify.
Truth is, I stopped envying Jax
when I saw how miserable he was.
He was in a very dark place lately.
Depressed, acting erratically.
I think that the pressure and
success caused him to relapse.
Wait, relapse? He had a drug problem?
He was in and out of rehab
early in his career, yes.
All those Yelp reviews saying
that he was rude to
all of his customers
Do you think that his erratic behavior
could've been caused by drug use?
If he was crossing paths
with dealers and addicts
Then maybe that's what got him killed.
MARGARET: How can you possibly eat
a breakfast burrito every morning?
- It just goes down really well.
- SUSAN: Morning.
Todd, there's a guy from
forensics here to see you.
TODD: Oh, I know that guy.
- Who is that guy?
- Mom, this is Gavin,
from CSI Portland.
- CSI Portland? Mm-hmm.
- It's not a TV show.
It's a real job.
Ah, yes. Well, how can we help you?
GAVIN: Every crime scene tells
a story, and from this story,
several chapters are missing.
I bagged 23 different substances
from on and around the victim's body
to send to the lab for testing.
I am very thorough.
But all 23 are listed here, aren't they?
Listed? Yeah, but only 14
of them were actually tested.
- And the other eight?
- SUSAN/MARGARET: Nine.
And the other nine?
My supervisor just did
a visual assessment,
assuming that they're
just cooking ingredients.
They assumed?
Okay, so what are the other substances?
Is there any chance they
could be illegal drugs?
- Mm
- We can't know unless we test them.
Contextual bias is clearly at play here.
The police are
cherry-picking the evidence
that supports whomever they
want to convict; clearly, Lauren.
This is insufficient
crime scene testing.
It happens all the time.
- Not to me.
- Not to me.
Susan, we need to file a motion
for independent testing right away.
SUSAN: These are the new test
results from the crime scene.
It's not drugs, it's just
food, cooking ingredients.
Vitamin E, curcumin?
Another dead end.
If Lauren goes to jail, it's my fault.
- Our fault.
- None of our leads panned out
from the witness list, and
the produce delivery guy
is standing by his original statement.
We are failing her, Todd.
Hey, don't be so hard on yourself.
We'll figure it out.
Something will show up. Something will.
Todd, hi. Hi, Susan.
Um, do you have my clothes?
Clothes? What clothes?
I am working right now
with Susan on a murder case, so
You're supposed to have my clothes.
From Chuck.
Oh, right, yes, I do have those.
Can you hold this for a second?
What is this list?
Coenzyme Q10, creatine,
vitamins C, E, curcumin.
They're cooking ingredients.
Well, someone's cooking up
a big antioxidant smoothie.
Wait, seriously?
Todd, this is how you bring
me my clothes? In a trash bag?
What am I, Oscar the Grouch?
Uh, you're welcome for your
laundry service, thank you.
Wait. Allison?
Sorry, Allison, what did you
just say about antioxidants?
Okay, the items on this list
that Todd just thrust upon me
are all yep, they're
all antioxidants.
And this particular combo are often used
as a homeopathic remedy for
various neurological disorders
- like dementia or Parkinson's.
- Parkinson's?
- You said Parkinson's?
- Yeah, I said Parkinson's.
Rufus, Jax's business
partner, he has Parkinson's.
Hmm, well, this report states
that Jax that's the angry chef?
- BOTH: Dead angry chef.
- Dead angry chef apparently had kidney stones
due to high levels of curcumin.
So, as a doctor, I would hazard a guess
that he's the one
taking these supplements,
and he's the one who has Parkinson's.
Had Parkinson's.
Rufus and Jax, they can't
both have Parkinson's, right?
I mean, they can, but that's
too weird a coincidence.
Right? Unless Rufus lied.
But why?
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
(DOOR OPENS)
Hello, Rufus.
A little something from
my travels in Tuscany.
RUFUS: You haven't lived
until you've been to Parma
and tasted a freshly
cut wheel of Parmesan.
Jax used to call the grated stuff
they sell in grocery stores
a crime against humanity.
Oh, well, do not look
in my fridge, then.
Did anything turn up with Sofie Keller?
Or are there any new leads?
Nothing concrete, unfortunately.
And we're not looking at Sofie anymore.
This wine is superb.
It's the complexity of flavor.
A wide range of notes.
Oak, cherry
- Uh-huh.
- Mmm, cassis.
Mmm. That subtle spice.
(LAUGHS)
You are lucky that you have
not lost you sense of taste.
My ex Harry, he couldn't taste a thing
because of his Parkinson's.
Turned every meal into a salt lick.
Well, I-I hope to dodge that bullet,
but until then, I'll drink
as much wine as I can.
- And cheers.
- (PHONE VIBRATING)
Excuse me one second.
Hello?
Hey, it's me. Uh, uh,
tell her what you told me.
- Who's her? Who are you talking to?
- I It's Mom. It's your mother.
Ow, you just hit me in
the face with your phone.
I am sorry, I didn't mean to
do that. Would you just share
all the information
you just dumped on me?
ALLISON: Oh, I dumped it?
TODD: Okay, imparted to me.
Will you just tell her the thing?
- Your phone smells like cheese.
- Whatever. It's vomit.
Hello? What is this regarding, please?
Okay, Mom, uh, we got the
independent lab test results
back from the crime
scene, and it wasn't drugs.
- Now go.
- Okay.
The test results came back
with residue from an antioxidant regimen
that's typically used
to treat Parkinson's.
No, no, no, but get this.
- And? Next?
- Okay. God. Sorry. Okay.
So the report suggests that Jax Price
was the one taking these antioxidants.
He was the one who
had Parkinson's. Happy?
TODD: Yes. They can't
both have it, can they?
I'm I'm not sure.
But, um, but I-I have to go.
Uh, I have a guest here now.
Rufus is here cooking dinner.
Wait, Rufus is there with you?
Yes, and if you could please
just pick up the dessert
like we spoke about
and then drop it off
here on your way home,
- that would be great.
- We did?
- I am? Did you tell Mom you'd get dessert?
- No.
Oh, wait. Wait, yes, oh, my
God. Oh, my God. You know what?
Uh, we will leave right now
and we'll call the police.
- What?
- Yes.
TODD: Mom, you think Rufus lied to you?
I'm about to find out.
Find out what?
If you're a good cook.
I'll start chopping this.
And I'll slice the baguette.
Your knife skills are very impressive.
Fortunately, you're not
experiencing any tremors yet.
(STRAINS): Oof.
What are you doing?
You should always use a
serrated knife to cut bread.
(KNIVES CLINKING)
And always cut at a
45-degree angle like this.
(BREAD SLICING)
(OVEN BEEPING)
(EXHALES) Oh.
Hmm.
So (CLEARS THROAT)
are you on any kind of
Parkinson's medication?
Not yet, no.
Oh.
(PHONE CHIMES)
I'm just curious,
uh, if-if you're not taking medication,
and-and you, you don't
have any symptoms,
what led to your
diagnosis of Parkinson's?
If you actually do have it.
(STAMMERS)
(LAUGHS): I mean, come on. It
all makes perfect sense now.
Jax berating Lauren for
her lack of seasoning
because he had lost his sense of taste,
the yelling at customers,
the erratic behavior.
Jax had Parkinson's. Not you.
And I bet that if we look
at your recent credit card transactions,
we'll find a purchase of a certain,
very high-end Japanese knife.
Jax hid his diagnosis from me.
Let me invest my money
in his new ventures,
knowing he was sick,
knowing he wouldn't be
able to cook much longer.
He was in denial.
And-and you felt betrayed.
Even when I finally found out the truth,
I told him I would support him.
But he wanted to quit
cooking and leave town.
I would've lost everything.
So you killed him.
No. No! No, no, please, let me
- Police! Get down on the ground!
- TODD: Mom!
OFFICER: Down on the ground!
- Oh!
- Oh, my God.
Mom, are you okay?
(PANTING) I'm fine.
And thankfully, so is this
very expensive bottle of wine.
Your Honor, given recent
developments in the case,
the State would like to drop all charges
against the defendant Lauren Park.
RAJKOVICH: This case is dismissed.
(GAVEL BANGS)
(BOTH LAUGH)
Thank you so much.
And I look forward to having
some more of your
cooking again very soon.
Well, actually, uh, there's a
position open for a head chef
at this little place in the Pearl,
and I'm gonna go for it now.
Well, maybe you'll
actually have the chance
to be the kind of boss
that you deserve to have.
And I expect a standing table.
Obviously. You both will.
Especially since you
risked your life to help me.
Who does that?
- (QUIET CHATTER)
- Oh, hey, Lauren.
I heard the great news.
Yes, case dismissed. 86'd.
Um, I'll see you guys outside?
Okay.
- Out of the fire and into the frying pan.
- Mm-hmm.
A happy ending. For all of us.
Wait, what do you mean?
You know, like-like I said,
you and Susan are friends again
and she got over the whole
- The whole
- Breakup.
After college.
I mean, sure, she's
the one that dumped you,
because she wanted a different lifestyle
and stability, but she was devastated.
For years.
For years?
You didn't know that.
But it's all good now, right?
- Yeah.
- Look, I should probably
get going, but please
thank your mom again for me.
Yeah, of course. Yes. Oh, and congrats.
- Thank you.
- Yeah.
Hey, so I, uh, drew up
a real five-year plan.
- Oh, you did?
- I did.
Yes. Uh, get my P.I. license back
Oh, I just signed off on
27 more investigative hours.
Great. Uh, get my own apartment,
solve more murders, 20 to 25 a year,
- per year.
- Ooh, that's a lot of murders.
Well, I'm not committing
them. I'm solving them.
- I see.
- Visit Rhode Island.
Get married, have kids.
- Ooh, helicopter battle.
- Mm-hmm.
Uh, go on the run. You
know, like, be on the lam
- for at least two weeks.
- I see.
I want someone to jump in my
car and yell, "Follow that car."
I am not driving home with you.
Okay, well, it's not gonna happen today.
Previously on So Help Me Todd
MARGARET: You did not speak
to Beverly Crest, did you?
I am this close to getting
my name above the letterhead.
Chuck, we have to talk.
Allison, are you living here?
TODD: Is it ethical for you to
kiss me, and then spend two weeks
gaslighting me into
thinking it never happened?
Did you know that Harry
has Parkinson's disease?
My doctors, they told me
that I only have seven
to ten years left to live.
What you, what you,
what you gonna do? ♪
Feeling on the vibe in the room ♪
(SINGING CONTINUES IN SPANISH)
Portland's first
Michelin-Starred restaurant.
(CHUCKLES) I know.
Cheers. To some mother-daughter time.
I'm just your backup because
your boss cancelled on you.
Mm-mm.
Well, yes, all right, okay. Yes.
Um, you know, Beverly is a foodie,
a big foodie like you,
and, um, next week
is my final interview
for named partner, and
(SIGHS) I wanted to impress her.
But (STAMMERS) I'd
rather be here with you.
What, so you can grill me
about Chuck over grilled melon?
I am not going to grill you about Chuck.
Can we just enjoy our
meal and enjoy the company
and enjoy our time.
(CHUCKLES) Thank you. Thanks so much.
- Thank you.
- (MAN YELLING IN KITCHEN)
(CLEARS THROAT) Just do
have one little, tiny
(LAUGHS) friendly thing
to say, to comment on.
Um, weren't you wearing
that exact same outfit
at last week's family dinner?
Yes, because I am, yes, still
living out of a suitcase.
- No, not at the hospital.
- Okay.
Yes, at an Airbnb in Southeast.
- MARGARET: Southeast?
- ALLISON: Yeah.
- MARGARET: Allison
- Excuse me, Margaret?
Hi, I'm Lauren Park.
Welcome to Flora & Fauna.
Lauren Park. Uh, this is Susan's friend
- from college, and and Todd's as well.
- Mm.
Uh, it is just delightful to meet you,
and thank you so much
for helping us with this,
- uh, reservation.
- Yes. My pleasure.
Lauren, this is, um,
my daughter, Allison.
Hi. The flowers are (KISSES)
- Enjoy.
- MARGARET: Thank you so much. Thank you.
Okay, so, Allison,
here's another thing
- Oh, my God, you're not gonna
- (MAN YELLING IN KITCHEN)
- You can't avoid Chuck forever.
- Okay (STAMMERS)
- I don't want to talk about this.
- Five weeks so far.
Yeah, that's what I've
been trying to tell you.
- (DISHES CLATTER)
- MAN: This is crap!
How many times do I need to
tell you, you got to taste
the food before it goes out?
LAUREN: Zero. 'Cause I quit!
Why don't you go back
to culinary school and learn how to use
- a salt shaker!
- LAUREN: Screw you, Jax.
I'm gonna need a lawyer.
Get back into the kitchen.
You're scaring everyone.
Come on.
Very sorry, everyone.
Nothing to worry about.
Just a temperamental,
but very talented chef.
Oh, my God. Lauren Park? Or
is it still freshman year,
and you go by "Lolo"?
Todd, you can catch up later, please.
So, we have more than enough evidence
to prove that Jax
Price is an abusive boss
and guilty of "intentional
infliction of emotional distress."
Yeah, well, my therapy
bills alone can prove that.
I can't believe he's trying
to throw out our lawsuit,
like, a week after we filed it.
Don't worry about
that, it's very common.
We'll take care of that in the motion
to dismiss hearing this afternoon.
And two of your co-workers
have already agreed to testify
on your behalf when we
get to the actual trial.
Only two?
He berates everyone on a daily basis.
Half of the staff are on
antidepressants because of him.
I find that personally offensive.
These alpha male bosses
thinking they can just get away
with trampling all over
their employees. Uh, Todd,
get the crumbs off the table, please,
and next time use a plate.
Not to mention alpha female bosses.
Jax has always been harsh,
demanding of excellence,
but lately, he's just been cruel,
like, trying to mess with our heads.
Accusing me of under-seasoning
my food, which is a joke.
Was your meal under-seasoned?
(LAUGHS) Oh, no, not at all.
It was absolutely perfect.
And we will hold Jax accountable
for his atrocious behavior.
Right.
What is it?
I'm just scared.
Portland isn't that big.
Jax has a lot of influence
in the culinary world here.
- He can ruin my career.
- MARGARET: Lauren,
you told me that, although
you love being a chef,
you could not stand one
more second of his abuse.
SUSAN: That's why this lawsuit
isn't just about the money.
These toxic kitchens have to change.
MARGARET: And I, for one, admire you
for standing up to a bully like Jax.
TODD: Wait,
- and that pizza you made us
- Okay.
when the fire department came?
No, that was not on me.
Those dorm kitchens had terrible ovens.
- Yeah, yeah.
- Terrible.
(SIGHS) I can't believe you
two are working together now.
- Yeah, but maybe not for much longer.
- Wait, what?
Yeah, well, I've got
less than 100 hours left
until I get my P.I. license
restored, and then, who knows,
- I might go back out on my own, or
- (ELEVATOR DINGS)
Okay, got to go. I'll
see you at the courthouse
later this afternoon.
And it's really nice
that you guys are friends
and everything's fine.
Okay, bye.
Bye, Lauren.
- It is fine, right?
- Yeah.
Yes, it's all totally fine.
Even Peter thinks it's fine,
and I told him everything.
Wait, you what? You told him what?
I told Peter everything.
He knows everything.
- Uh
- That you're dating Amy now, that I kissed you.
Wait, why would you Are you serious?
You didn't actually Does he hate me?
No, of course not.
Peter is very secure. He's
not threatened by you at all.
Uh, thank you?
Yeah, he understands that I
just, you know, got cold feet.
And I looked over my five-year plan,
and I did put an
asterisk next to this year
and labeled it "a crisis of confidence."
I'm an asterisk on your five-year plan?
Yeah, an asterisk.
Followed by: marry Peter,
buy a house, have a baby,
name it "Ruth" after
RBG, become a partner here
and write a children's book.
- Hmm.
- So anyway, now that
we both have it out of our
systems, and all of us know,
it's done, and fine, and
we can both move on from it.
Why does everyone think they
could write a children's book?
(SCOFFS)
Your Honor, dismissing this lawsuit
sets a dangerous precedent
for protecting employee rights.
Or perhaps your client
isn't capable of performing
in a high-pressure environment.
Harry Truman said it best.
"If you can't stand the
heat, get out of the kitchen."
And if it were 1942,
your archaic quote
might bear some weight.
But today, the law protects employees
from the toxic behavior of Mr. Price.
Your Honor, we have
signed affidavits from all
of Flora & Fauna's employees
denying the allegations
against my client, including
the two employees that were
gonna testify against him.
Your Honor, th-this is
clearly witness intimidation.
Huh. Other than your client's testimony,
do you have any other witnesses?
Uh, no, Your Honor,
uh, we-we don't, but given the time
I suggest you refile when
you find them, Counselor.
Motion to dismiss granted.
Don't worry. We will file an appeal.
Jax obviously threatened my co-workers.
They're all afraid of losing their jobs.
He's not gonna get away with it.
Well, you just 86'd your entire
career. No decent restaurant's
ever gonna hire you. I'm
gonna make sure of it.
Do not speak to my client.
You know, I just think while
you deal with Lauren's appeal,
maybe you have another
case that I could take on.
Or two or three.
You know, I have evenings
and weekends off, so
Oh, Todd, why the why
the frantic dash to
(SNIFFS) sop up the last 100 hours
so you can get your P.I. license back?
Oh, why the mad push to get
your name above the door here?
- Because I now bring in 32% of this firm's revenue.
- Right.
And I deserve it.
Yeah, you're a manager, not an employee.
- A leader, not a follower.
- That's right.
Yeah, you don't want to be
working under somebody else.
- Oh, I do not.
- And that's how I feel!
My license will set me free!
I can't be working
for my mother forever.
I want to be a professional
private investigator again.
Roaming the streets, seeking
out crime and fighting it,
a self-employed soldier of fortune.
Self-employed. Again.
Uh, without health insurance.
- Again.
- Oh, boy.
Taking on a small-business overhead.
Again. And without a
retirement plan again.
- Why are you raining on this particular parade?
- Because, Todd,
you are my 32-year-old precious son
and my only unmarried child.
And after everything that
you have been through,
I would like to see you
have a semi-realistic plan
before you go trotting off
into the great unknown. Again.
Uh, I have a plan. I have a big plan.
- I have a five-year plan.
- Oh?
Um buy a house, get
married, have a baby,
name it "Ruth" after RBG,
um, write a children's book
Why does everyone think they
can write a children's book?
- TODD: Tell me about it.
- Uh, I'm sorry, Lauren
I'm sorry. I I didn't
know where else to go.
Jax is dead.
(PANTING)
♪
Lauren, all you have to
do is plead "not guilty,"
and I will handle the rest.
Is a jury really going
to believe that I went
to go pick up my paycheck,
and I found Jax's dead body?
That I left my bloody
handprints everywhere because
I was trying to help him?
Our job is to make them believe it.
Who's going to take care of
my parents if I go to prison?
Who's going to remind them
what the Wi-Fi password is,
or take them to doctor's appointments?
They need me.
It's not going to get
to that point, I promise.
BAILIFF: All rise for the
Honorable Judge Rajkovich.
Be seated.
The charge is murder
in the second degree.
How does the defendant plead?
Not guilty.
Your Honor, based on the
violent nature of the crime,
the prosecution recommends the
defendant be held without bail.
Your Honor, Ms. Park
has no criminal history.
We ask that she be released
on her own recognizance.
Your client has no alibi,
and stabbed Jax Price.
- Allegedly.
- And then fled the scene of a crime
when a produce delivery man saw her.
She is a flight risk.
Your Honor, she fled
because she was terrified.
And she did turn herself in.
I'm setting bail at $50,000.
The court will set a date
for a preliminary hearing.
- (GAVEL BANGS)
- Uh, Lauren,
go with the bailiff,
fill out the paperwork.
- Then you can go home, okay?
- Okay.
Susan, let's start building
a witness list of all of Jax's
current and former employees,
and the produce delivery man.
I'll also subpoena
Lauren's cell phone records
- to bolster her alibi.
- Yes.
- Whatever we can do to establish reasonable doubt.
- Okay.
What time is it? Good.
Uh, Flora & Fauna should not still be
an active crime scene by now.
She'll be right back.
So, I'm going to go out there with Todd
and see what we can find out.
I don't get fine dining.
Why spend a small fortune on
tiny bites and weird sauces?
(LAUGHING): Because it's delicious,
and it's an experience.
Uh, seven-layer dip is an experience.
And it's only five bucks at that
amazing food cart at Nob Hill.
Okay, we need to focus.
We need to speak to
whomever we can to get a lead
on an alternate suspect.
Okay, uh, no, no, no, no, no.
Uh, we should separate.
You go on around the
back to the kitchen.
You're banishing me to
the back like a troll?
I guess you don't want those
remaining hours after all.
Okay, fine, I am going, but
I'm rounding up. (LAUGHS)
Sorry. We're closed.
Um, I'm Attorney Margaret Wright.
I'm representing Lauren Park.
Who murdered my friend. Goodbye.
I believe she is innocent, and I'm
I'm here to collect information,
uh, looking for the real killer.
Can we talk?
Lauren was a ticking time
bomb with anger issues
who couldn't take criticism,
and I don't want to
Uh, is that the '82
Domaine Saint Rousseau?
You know your wine.
Yes, I do. In fact, last week,
I had a bottle of Chateau Lauzat, '61.
Sit.
- (LAUGHS)
- Join me.
Thank you.
Oh, thank you.
- My name is Rufus.
- Uh-huh.
Quimby. I own this place.
What's left of it now.
I can't imagine.
Oh, what can you tell me about Jax?
We were like brothers,
spent every day together,
built this place from the ground up.
I believed in his talent.
Jax was on the cusp of culinary stardom.
A cookbook, TV offers, more restaurants.
And now he's gone.
I am so sorry for your loss.
Can you tell me about his personal life?
What personal life? He was here 24/7.
It sounds like he was
a very demanding boss.
If you worked here, it's
because you wanted to be here.
Everyone wanted to learn from Jax
because he was simply the best.
Did his employees hate him? Yes.
But make no mistake.
They needed him alive.
We all did.
Oh. Uh, excuse me?
- (GASPS)
- Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to sneak up on you there.
- You scared me. I could have died.
- Oh
I'm in here all alone
doing CSI grunt work,
and you scare me to death?
Ah, CSI, huh? That's so cool.
Nothing like running a black
light over a murder scene
and seeing it turn into a
Pollock painting, am I right?
- Who's Pollock?
- Hey, oh
How do you go to the bathroom
when you're wearing that suit?
You know, I thought about becoming CSI.
That or Batman, 'cause both have suits.
But I went with P.I. instead.
Todd Wright, almost
licensed, but not to kill.
I don't shake hands while
I'm covered in blood.
I'm Gavin West, CSI Portland.
Are you on a case, or
are you just some weirdo
who wandered in here?
No, no, no, I'm on a case.
I'm actually on this one.
That's why I'm here.
Do you actually mind if
I ask you a few questions?
What is next for you
now that Jax is gone?
I have to deal with this place,
and then I'm taking
a very long vacation.
I'm thinking Paris.
- Oh, I love Par-ee.
- Nothing better
than sitting in the Tuileries
Garden with a latte
And a freshly baked croissant.
Steps from the Louvre.
Mm. Oh, it sounds so wonderful.
And you deserve it after
everything you've been though.
You should meet me there.
Wow. Ooh.
That is very forward of you.
Do you have Parkinson's disease?
I'm-I'm I am so sorry.
I didn't mean to snoop.
It's just that my
My ex-husband had Parkinson's.
It's okay. I'm managing it.
Here. If you ever want to talk,
I happen to know quite a
bit about that diagnosis,
and I'd be happy
to give any insights.
Thank you.
So, you didn't find anything
unusual at this crime scene?
No, it was a standard stabbing.
Led to death, as stabbings tend to do.
Yeah. And no knife?
Not that I saw.
We did find a massive amount
- of substances on and around the body, though.
- Wait.
Substances? What do
you mean "substances"?
It's most likely cooking ingredients,
but I bagged and tagged
everything for testing.
We should have the
results in 48 to 72 hours.
- So cool.
- You know, this is my first restaurant crime scene?
So, I looked this place up.
$500 for one dinner.
- I know, right?
- And cooked by a chef
that sounded like an obnoxious jerk.
Wait. People complained
online about Jax?
Oh, yeah, lots of complaints.
Very, very much complaints.
Huh.
Good afternoon, Beverly.
It's not quite noon yet, actually.
I hear you're representing
the alleged killer
in the Jax Price murder investigation.
- Yes.
- Sorry I had to break off our dinner
at his restaurant, by the way.
I'm-I'm actually just on my
way to hear what new leads
we've rounded up.
- Are you?
- Mm-hmm.
Maybe I'll join you.
Yeah, of course.
Uh, so, what we're doing, Beverly,
is we're looking at online comments
to see if anyone had a
personal grudge against Jax.
Price. The deceased.
So far I've only seen, like, a
hundred reviews of his "yuzu foam."
- Is that really a thing?
- BEVERLY: Yes.
And it's fabulous.
Oh, okay. Good to know.
Yeah I just don't get
why people feel the need
to discuss and photograph
every single thing they eat, you know?
But yeah, no, I-I like photography.
On Flora & Fauna's Yelp page,
the recent reviews all mention
how Jax was rude to customers
if they complained about the food.
Oh, well, it sounds
like that Michelin Star
went right to his head. (LAUGHS)
LYLE: Here's a recent
review from username Noma97
targeting Jax, calling
him an "egotistical monster
in need of anger management classes."
Wait, Noma97 also called
Jax a "pompous pig"
on this foodie website.
And, look, here's Noma97
on Flora & Fauna's "Insta,"
saying they wish Jax dead.
We got to find this
Noma97. I mean, I will. Me.
I will personally discover the
identity of this possible lead.
In a legal and aboveboard fashion.
- I might have a way.
- Hmm?
I clicked on Noma97's Yelp profile page
and I can see all of their reviews.
When I drop pins of all the places
Noma97 reviewed on this map,
we can see that the
majority of the reviews
are within a ten-mile radius.
Is there any way to narrow
that down to Noma97's location?
Yeah. I I believe so.
LYLE: In another review, Noma97
complained about a vintage
mint-green chair and bench set
they purchased for their front yard.
- Huh?
- And when I
switch the map to street
view and peruse the area,
there's that mint-green bench set,
at 7255 Oak Knoll Drive.
Okay, I totally
would've figured that out
had I just had, like,
a few more minutes.
And the owner of that
home is "Beezus Miller."
That, too. Would've got that, too.
Oh, my God. Beezus
Miller's on my witness list.
She was a former line
cook at Flora & Fauna.
Nice work, Lyle.
Margaret.
LYLE: Hey, you can't just
prowl around a suspect's house.
- Todd. Todd.
- I am not prowling.
I'm perusing.
We tried the front door.
Now I'm trying the back.
I am here at the dwelling
of the Yelp troll and
possible chef killer,
but my teammate is grossly compromising
the surveillance effort.
And my teammate Todd
Wright is trespassing.
You talk into your watch, too?
No, I'm I'm mocking you.
And do not go in that door. Todd.
Todd. Todd, don't go in that door.
Todd. Todd!
- Do not go in there.
- Whoa.
BEEZUS: Hey, wait. Who
are you? Get out of here.
(AIR HISSING)
Hmm? Mom?
(SHOUTS) Lyle! Lyle!
There's a stormtrooper!
Todd? Back it up, Noma97.
How did you know my screen name?
TODD: Wait.
What is going on down here?
What's all this Willy Wonka stuff?
It's my molecular gastronomy lab.
I'm making ice cream
with liquid nitrogen.
And the poor ventilation
allowed the nitrogen
to displace the oxygen.
That's why you fainted.
Did not faint. I slipped.
BEEZUS: Who are you?
And what do you want?
We're investigators,
and we want to know why
you were trashing Jax
Price online as Noma97.
Because I got great
satisfaction out of it
and I didn't have the
guts to say it to his face.
Everybody hates Jax.
Everybody. Not just his employees.
Mm. And where were you last night?
(SNIFFS, COUGHS)
At my new job at the Union Café.
Here, try some peach ice cream.
I've been selling it at
the PSU Farmers Market.
No, thank you, I don't eat food
- from unlicensed kitchens.
- Mmm.
Wow. Fainting was totally worth it.
I mean slipping was totally worth it.
So, you said everybody hated Jax?
Yeah, but I'm not gonna name names.
I'm no kitchen snitch.
LYLE: Really? I wonder what
the Portland Health
Department would think
- about the lack of proper ventilation in here.
- TODD: No, Lyle.
You cannot report her.
This ice cream is fantastic.
- Here. Look.
- But
You didn't hear this from me.
Have you looked into Sofie Keller?
The head chef at Girl & the Wolf?
She hated Jax,
with, like, a raging passion.
They had this huge
rivalry, and once, she threw
a beer bottle at him because she thought
he stole one of her dishes.
Oh, that sounds interesting.
This candy's weird, though.
That's not candy. That's corn smut.
Corn what?
Smut.
Mold that grows on corn.
(STOMACH GURGLING)
- (GRUNTS SOFTLY)
- MARGARET: Oh, Todd.
What in the world possessed you to
eat something called "corn slut"?
S-smut, not slut. Oh, God.
I feel awful.
But at least we got a lead on
a new suspect: Sofie Keller.
Um, do we have the autopsy report?
Yes, and some very
interesting new information
on the murder weapon,
which they have not found.
"Fatal stab wound made with an implement
17 centimeters in length,
eight centimeters width with
a fine dipped steel point."
"One-centimeter shirakashi
Quercus oak wood fragment
from the knife handle
found in the wound."
That is a very high-end,
very expensive chef's knife.
Yes. One that Sofie might own.
- Yes.
- (KNOCKING ON DOOR)
(CHUCKLES): Oh. Hello, Rufus.
I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?
Ugh, no, no, no.
There's a man on your floor.
- Yes, come in. Come in.
- No, no. Come in.
- This is my son Todd.
- Hi. Hello. I'm dying.
- We've actually been discussing the case.
- Just come Good morning.
- Hello. I'm dead.
- The work is here. Come, sit down.
- I'm Todd.
- We can help. Um
What can you tell us about,
um, Chef Sofie Keller?
- Are you investigating her?
- Yes.
Oh, I suppose that makes sense.
(BRITISH ACCENT): It does, doesn't it?
(REGULAR ACCENT): Actually, does it?
Sofie and Jax had been
rivals since culinary school.
Last year, when Jax won
Portland's Best Chef over
Sofie, she stabbed him
- in the arm with a fork.
- (GASPS)
Do you think that, um,
Sofie could have killed him
with, uh, this knife?
Rare Japanese wood?
Definitely a custom knife.
And Sofie does collect
expensive Japanese knives.
- Oh
- RUFUS: This, by the way, is for you.
(LAUGHS): Oh, my.
Consider it a bribe.
I could really use some
legal help sorting through
the restaurant lease and some
other various contract matters.
Oh, I-I would be happy to help.
What do you think this
pairs the best with?
A fine tagliatelle with pesto sauce.
- Oh, God.
- Jax showed me how to make an excellent pesto.
I could teach you while
we go over the lease.
- Oh, well
- A trade-off.
Sounds wonderful.
Now if you'll excuse me,
I have another meeting to attend.
We will be in touch.
Mm.
Todd.
TODD: You did not just set up a date
during a murder investigation, Mom.
No, no, no, Todd, no.
A-anyway, my window for dating
is closed thanks to Gus Easton.
Rufus and I are just
new friends, and he
well, he happens to have
Parkinson's, like Harry,
and I offered some advice and support.
He has Parkinson's? That guy?
Yes. Now, Todd,
how are we going to get
close to Chef Sofie Keller?
The police are not looking
at her as a suspect,
so we do not have access to a
search warrant for the knife.
Well, when I have the
strength to stand in six weeks,
I will be looking at her as a suspect.
Can you c-close the blinds, please?
It's so bright in here!
Mmm, these are the best
muffins you have ever made.
You know me. Stress baking.
Plus, it gave me an excuse to stop by.
Tell me it's gonna be okay and mean it.
It's gonna be okay. I mean it.
And we got the autopsy
report back this morning,
and it shows that Jax was killed
between midnight and 6:00 a.m.
And your GPS cell phone data suggests
that you were at home until
the produce delivery guy
found you with the body at 9:00 a.m.
Okay. Won't they just say
that I left my phone at home,
and that I dodged all
the surveillance cameras?
We can establish reasonable doubt.
And if we find a viable
alternative suspect,
then we have a very strong case.
If I'd just listened to my parents
and not gone to culinary school,
I would not be in this position.
That was never gonna
happen. You love cooking.
And if I hear my
parents say one more time
"We did not leave Korea
so that you can be a
BOTH: cook in the kitchen."
I'm just (SIGHS)
I should've been the "good
Asian daughter" like you
- and become a lawyer.
- Or a doctor.
But I didn't just become a lawyer
because my parents pressured me into it.
It just so happens that I'm a big nerd
and ever since mock
trial in high school,
I enjoy curling up to
a stack of law journals.
(LAUGHS) I'm sorry.
You're such a weirdo.
I can't believe you're the same person
who did keg stands in
college, and dated Todd.
Well, you know, I was a
different person back then.
Mm-hmm. Well, Peter is a
total course correction.
I know your parents love him.
They are hardcore
Peter. Just like I am.
TODD: Oh, good, you're here. Lauren.
I need a favor.
How do I go about getting
a table at Girl & the Wolf?
Girl & the Wolf? Are you okay?
Smut, yeah. I need to
investigate Sofie Keller.
Apparently, she had
some ugly past with Jax.
Is she the alternative suspect?
- Uh, yeah.
- Wow.
She's terrifying. Uh
Okay, uh, Girl & the Wolf.
I feel like they're gonna
be booked up solid forever.
So if you're not gonna
get in with a reservation,
the only way in would
be through the back?
As a dishwasher.
Huh. (GAGS)
Oh, Todd, I'm not going
to let you go in there.
You are barely alive.
Not to mention you've never
washed a dish in your life.
Mom, they're expecting me now.
I had to pull every trick
in the book to get this job.
Okay? I had the lady
call five burner phones
- and it was me on all of them
- Okay.
being French, Polish, elderly,
all of us recommending me
- as dishwasher.
- Okay.
Now, luckily they were
"hideously short-staffed"
- so I'm in.
- Okay. Okay.
- I just got to go in there
- All right.
- find that knife
- Okay.
- and I'm gonna puke.
- All right.
What-what No, no, no,
no! Don't get it in the car.
- No, out, out, out. Don't get it on the car.
- Ow!
- Oh, my God.
- Okay, I'm fine. I am fine.
I'm just very cold and
it's really bright out.
- No, God, it is night outside.
- Wright? T. Wright?
Here for the dishwasher position?
That's my cue.
Wright? Todd Wright?
Oh, God, okay. Okay, never mind.
I will go do it myself.
I don't want Beverly thinking
I'm just dropping the ball on all this.
I'm not even dressed to be a dishwasher.
This is a very expensive suit.
There we go. Okay.
Hello. (LAUGHS)
Hi. I'm Toddalina Wright.
I am here for the dishwashing position.
Why didn't I bring my jacket?
Wow, you look really dressed up.
Well, you know, I just
like to dress to impress.
(LAUGHS) Shall we?
(STRAINS): Okay. Oh,
God, it's so bright.
(GRUNTS)
(EXHALES)
HOSTESS: Oh, my God. (GASPS)
Do you know who that is?
Oh, it's Jean Paul Depuis, the
notorious restaurant critic.
He always wears disguises. He's here.
That guy looks sick.
HOSTESS: Oh, he is
disgusted by everything.
(STAMMERS) Get him a table.
Quick, Ansel, take his car.
Someone, play Erasure, now.
(EXHALES) This is huge.
- (KNOCKS ON WINDOW)
- ANSEL: Excuse me, sir.
("A LITTLE RESPECT" BY ERASURE PLAYING)
- Mr. Depuis?
- Uh
We have a table waiting for you.
- Please follow me.
- Uh, o-okay.
A little something
to make me sweeter ♪
Oh, baby, refrain ♪
SOFIE: Good evening, Mr. Depuis.
A pleasure to serve you tonight.
Tonight's amuse-bouche,
a foie gras tartlet
with sour cherry sauce
and a goat cheese foam.
Oh.
Please enjoy it before
this foam dissipates.
Ooh. Hmm. You mean, right-right now?
Yeah, sure. Foam, my favorite.
This is, uh, cheese foam.
That's, uh, different.
I can see you are a true gourmand.
Yes, I'm gonna put this foam
in my review, for sure. (LAUGHS)
You know, um
this meal is already
better than the one I had
at Flora & Fauna, right before
that prick Jax got killed.
Chef Sofie Keller,
more like Sofie Killer,
is an emotionless Swedish robot.
High probability she killed Jax
(STOMACH GURGLING)
along with my stomach.
(INHALES SHARPLY)
Be sure to log an extra
hour for digestive distress.
- Work faster.
- ALL: Yes, Chef!
Yes, Chef. Yes, Chef.
Okay.
Oh, God. I don't know
what this stuff is.
Okay, what is this?
- (GASPS)
- SOFIE: This is how you dress.
For scullery work.
Yes, Chef!
It shows initiative. Style.
You are promoted. Go
out and clear tables.
Yes, Chef. Thank you, Chef.
Rory, I've told you numerous times
never to go in there. Never.
And do not touch my knives.
Yes, Chef. Sorry, Chef.
Mmm. Oh.
(STOMACH GURGLING)
(GRUNTS)
(RETCHING)
(PANTING)
Sorry. Thank you.
Todd?
- Huh?
- What are you doing here?
(GASPS) And wearing my jacket.
I don't know, okay? They
think I'm some food critic.
They just shoved me in here.
What have you found out?
Sofie is guarding her
knives very carefully,
and she is hiding
something in the pantry.
We have to get in there.
Come on.
- Busboy.
- In a minute.
Beverly.
Margaret?
MARGARET: Oh
What are you doing here? (CHUCKLES)
I might ask you the same thing.
I believe you know Eve Wexler.
Oh, yes, I do. Uh, Eve.
It is so lovely to see you again.
Well, clearly, Beverly
doesn't pay me enough,
so I'm moonlighting. (LAUGHS)
(LAUGHS): No, I'm just joking.
I am doing research.
That's what I'm doing here.
I've got to go.
(STAMMERS) Enjoy your meal.
- Did you throw up in my purse?
- What?
(SHUSHES)
I cannot believe that
Beverly Crest saw me here.
In an apron. It was humiliating.
And now she's eating
dinner with Eve Wexler.
- Yeah. Who was that?
- Oh, Eve is a prominent
Portland patent attorney.
And I heard rumors that
Beverly was considering her
for named partner, and now
they're here having dinner.
Yeah, well, joke's on them,
the food here is disgusting.
Although I think throwing up
all that foam actually
made me feel better.
Now, if I was a knife used
to murder my sworn enemy,
where would I be hiding?
I mean, it makes perfect sense.
With the booming tech
sector in Portland,
hiring a patent attorney would
fill a certain niche at the firm.
Meanwhile, my niche is
apparently now washing dishes.
Whoa.
Hello, small hidden
potential murder freezer.
- Mom, open it.
- W Wha Why me, Todd?
Well, I'm a little queasy, still.
(SCREAMS) Whoa.
I wouldn't touch that if I were you.
What are you doing in here, Mr. Depuis?
And are you wearing her jacket?
Or are you wearing his pants?
He is not a food critic,
and I am not a table busser.
We are a lawyer and an investigator.
That's right, she's terrible at bussing,
and we demand to know
what is in this freezer.
Is it dead bodies? Parts of dead bodies?
Obviously, you used
that knife to chop up
your victims, put it in there.
Is that the same knife
you used to kill Jax?
Huh? You make a foam out of his blood?
Wait, did I just eat blood?
Is this a cannibal restaurant?
This is a cannibal restaurant,
isn't it? Oh, my God, I knew it.
- Stop talking.
- (BOTH SCREAM)
(TODD STAMMERS)
What is all that? Heads and hands?
Shark fin. Japanese puffer fish.
Which is illegal in the U.S.
We serve private dinners to
our very exclusive clients.
And I did not kill Jax.
Yeah? Is your alibi
as carefully prepared
as that nonsense you made me eat?
Which did help my stomach,
by the way, thank you.
The night that Jax died, I
was at a meditative sound bath
in Bend working on my anger issues
- Clearly, it worked.
- which a dozen people can verify.
Truth is, I stopped envying Jax
when I saw how miserable he was.
He was in a very dark place lately.
Depressed, acting erratically.
I think that the pressure and
success caused him to relapse.
Wait, relapse? He had a drug problem?
He was in and out of rehab
early in his career, yes.
All those Yelp reviews saying
that he was rude to
all of his customers
Do you think that his erratic behavior
could've been caused by drug use?
If he was crossing paths
with dealers and addicts
Then maybe that's what got him killed.
MARGARET: How can you possibly eat
a breakfast burrito every morning?
- It just goes down really well.
- SUSAN: Morning.
Todd, there's a guy from
forensics here to see you.
TODD: Oh, I know that guy.
- Who is that guy?
- Mom, this is Gavin,
from CSI Portland.
- CSI Portland? Mm-hmm.
- It's not a TV show.
It's a real job.
Ah, yes. Well, how can we help you?
GAVIN: Every crime scene tells
a story, and from this story,
several chapters are missing.
I bagged 23 different substances
from on and around the victim's body
to send to the lab for testing.
I am very thorough.
But all 23 are listed here, aren't they?
Listed? Yeah, but only 14
of them were actually tested.
- And the other eight?
- SUSAN/MARGARET: Nine.
And the other nine?
My supervisor just did
a visual assessment,
assuming that they're
just cooking ingredients.
They assumed?
Okay, so what are the other substances?
Is there any chance they
could be illegal drugs?
- Mm
- We can't know unless we test them.
Contextual bias is clearly at play here.
The police are
cherry-picking the evidence
that supports whomever they
want to convict; clearly, Lauren.
This is insufficient
crime scene testing.
It happens all the time.
- Not to me.
- Not to me.
Susan, we need to file a motion
for independent testing right away.
SUSAN: These are the new test
results from the crime scene.
It's not drugs, it's just
food, cooking ingredients.
Vitamin E, curcumin?
Another dead end.
If Lauren goes to jail, it's my fault.
- Our fault.
- None of our leads panned out
from the witness list, and
the produce delivery guy
is standing by his original statement.
We are failing her, Todd.
Hey, don't be so hard on yourself.
We'll figure it out.
Something will show up. Something will.
Todd, hi. Hi, Susan.
Um, do you have my clothes?
Clothes? What clothes?
I am working right now
with Susan on a murder case, so
You're supposed to have my clothes.
From Chuck.
Oh, right, yes, I do have those.
Can you hold this for a second?
What is this list?
Coenzyme Q10, creatine,
vitamins C, E, curcumin.
They're cooking ingredients.
Well, someone's cooking up
a big antioxidant smoothie.
Wait, seriously?
Todd, this is how you bring
me my clothes? In a trash bag?
What am I, Oscar the Grouch?
Uh, you're welcome for your
laundry service, thank you.
Wait. Allison?
Sorry, Allison, what did you
just say about antioxidants?
Okay, the items on this list
that Todd just thrust upon me
are all yep, they're
all antioxidants.
And this particular combo are often used
as a homeopathic remedy for
various neurological disorders
- like dementia or Parkinson's.
- Parkinson's?
- You said Parkinson's?
- Yeah, I said Parkinson's.
Rufus, Jax's business
partner, he has Parkinson's.
Hmm, well, this report states
that Jax that's the angry chef?
- BOTH: Dead angry chef.
- Dead angry chef apparently had kidney stones
due to high levels of curcumin.
So, as a doctor, I would hazard a guess
that he's the one
taking these supplements,
and he's the one who has Parkinson's.
Had Parkinson's.
Rufus and Jax, they can't
both have Parkinson's, right?
I mean, they can, but that's
too weird a coincidence.
Right? Unless Rufus lied.
But why?
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
(DOOR OPENS)
Hello, Rufus.
A little something from
my travels in Tuscany.
RUFUS: You haven't lived
until you've been to Parma
and tasted a freshly
cut wheel of Parmesan.
Jax used to call the grated stuff
they sell in grocery stores
a crime against humanity.
Oh, well, do not look
in my fridge, then.
Did anything turn up with Sofie Keller?
Or are there any new leads?
Nothing concrete, unfortunately.
And we're not looking at Sofie anymore.
This wine is superb.
It's the complexity of flavor.
A wide range of notes.
Oak, cherry
- Uh-huh.
- Mmm, cassis.
Mmm. That subtle spice.
(LAUGHS)
You are lucky that you have
not lost you sense of taste.
My ex Harry, he couldn't taste a thing
because of his Parkinson's.
Turned every meal into a salt lick.
Well, I-I hope to dodge that bullet,
but until then, I'll drink
as much wine as I can.
- And cheers.
- (PHONE VIBRATING)
Excuse me one second.
Hello?
Hey, it's me. Uh, uh,
tell her what you told me.
- Who's her? Who are you talking to?
- I It's Mom. It's your mother.
Ow, you just hit me in
the face with your phone.
I am sorry, I didn't mean to
do that. Would you just share
all the information
you just dumped on me?
ALLISON: Oh, I dumped it?
TODD: Okay, imparted to me.
Will you just tell her the thing?
- Your phone smells like cheese.
- Whatever. It's vomit.
Hello? What is this regarding, please?
Okay, Mom, uh, we got the
independent lab test results
back from the crime
scene, and it wasn't drugs.
- Now go.
- Okay.
The test results came back
with residue from an antioxidant regimen
that's typically used
to treat Parkinson's.
No, no, no, but get this.
- And? Next?
- Okay. God. Sorry. Okay.
So the report suggests that Jax Price
was the one taking these antioxidants.
He was the one who
had Parkinson's. Happy?
TODD: Yes. They can't
both have it, can they?
I'm I'm not sure.
But, um, but I-I have to go.
Uh, I have a guest here now.
Rufus is here cooking dinner.
Wait, Rufus is there with you?
Yes, and if you could please
just pick up the dessert
like we spoke about
and then drop it off
here on your way home,
- that would be great.
- We did?
- I am? Did you tell Mom you'd get dessert?
- No.
Oh, wait. Wait, yes, oh, my
God. Oh, my God. You know what?
Uh, we will leave right now
and we'll call the police.
- What?
- Yes.
TODD: Mom, you think Rufus lied to you?
I'm about to find out.
Find out what?
If you're a good cook.
I'll start chopping this.
And I'll slice the baguette.
Your knife skills are very impressive.
Fortunately, you're not
experiencing any tremors yet.
(STRAINS): Oof.
What are you doing?
You should always use a
serrated knife to cut bread.
(KNIVES CLINKING)
And always cut at a
45-degree angle like this.
(BREAD SLICING)
(OVEN BEEPING)
(EXHALES) Oh.
Hmm.
So (CLEARS THROAT)
are you on any kind of
Parkinson's medication?
Not yet, no.
Oh.
(PHONE CHIMES)
I'm just curious,
uh, if-if you're not taking medication,
and-and you, you don't
have any symptoms,
what led to your
diagnosis of Parkinson's?
If you actually do have it.
(STAMMERS)
(LAUGHS): I mean, come on. It
all makes perfect sense now.
Jax berating Lauren for
her lack of seasoning
because he had lost his sense of taste,
the yelling at customers,
the erratic behavior.
Jax had Parkinson's. Not you.
And I bet that if we look
at your recent credit card transactions,
we'll find a purchase of a certain,
very high-end Japanese knife.
Jax hid his diagnosis from me.
Let me invest my money
in his new ventures,
knowing he was sick,
knowing he wouldn't be
able to cook much longer.
He was in denial.
And-and you felt betrayed.
Even when I finally found out the truth,
I told him I would support him.
But he wanted to quit
cooking and leave town.
I would've lost everything.
So you killed him.
No. No! No, no, please, let me
- Police! Get down on the ground!
- TODD: Mom!
OFFICER: Down on the ground!
- Oh!
- Oh, my God.
Mom, are you okay?
(PANTING) I'm fine.
And thankfully, so is this
very expensive bottle of wine.
Your Honor, given recent
developments in the case,
the State would like to drop all charges
against the defendant Lauren Park.
RAJKOVICH: This case is dismissed.
(GAVEL BANGS)
(BOTH LAUGH)
Thank you so much.
And I look forward to having
some more of your
cooking again very soon.
Well, actually, uh, there's a
position open for a head chef
at this little place in the Pearl,
and I'm gonna go for it now.
Well, maybe you'll
actually have the chance
to be the kind of boss
that you deserve to have.
And I expect a standing table.
Obviously. You both will.
Especially since you
risked your life to help me.
Who does that?
- (QUIET CHATTER)
- Oh, hey, Lauren.
I heard the great news.
Yes, case dismissed. 86'd.
Um, I'll see you guys outside?
Okay.
- Out of the fire and into the frying pan.
- Mm-hmm.
A happy ending. For all of us.
Wait, what do you mean?
You know, like-like I said,
you and Susan are friends again
and she got over the whole
- The whole
- Breakup.
After college.
I mean, sure, she's
the one that dumped you,
because she wanted a different lifestyle
and stability, but she was devastated.
For years.
For years?
You didn't know that.
But it's all good now, right?
- Yeah.
- Look, I should probably
get going, but please
thank your mom again for me.
Yeah, of course. Yes. Oh, and congrats.
- Thank you.
- Yeah.
Hey, so I, uh, drew up
a real five-year plan.
- Oh, you did?
- I did.
Yes. Uh, get my P.I. license back
Oh, I just signed off on
27 more investigative hours.
Great. Uh, get my own apartment,
solve more murders, 20 to 25 a year,
- per year.
- Ooh, that's a lot of murders.
Well, I'm not committing
them. I'm solving them.
- I see.
- Visit Rhode Island.
Get married, have kids.
- Ooh, helicopter battle.
- Mm-hmm.
Uh, go on the run. You
know, like, be on the lam
- for at least two weeks.
- I see.
I want someone to jump in my
car and yell, "Follow that car."
I am not driving home with you.
Okay, well, it's not gonna happen today.