Hudson and Rex (2019) s02e08 Episode Script
Game of Bones
1 - - (DRAMATIC MUSIC) (SCREAMING AND YELLING) Yaghhh! Yahh! Yahh! Ughh! Yahh! Hyah! Ahh! Gahh! Release the prisoners! Ahhhhh! Ragnar! I've come to offer you safe passage! Ragnar? Ragnar? Ragnar, are you wounded? I have my healing salts.
Ragnar! Ragnar? Miles? Miles! Miles! Miles! Miles! Miles!! - - (THEME MUSIC) I'm as big a fan of Halloween as anybody, but Hey, where'd you go? What have you got? No, there's no bones in there, buddy.
Somebody already beat you to it.
Rex, we're on the clock.
- Let's go, Rex! - (REX BARKS) CHARLIE: So you all were sorry LARPing? Live Action Role Playing.
LARP for short.
What can you tell me about Miles Chaffey? Miles was the halfling Prince Ragnar.
Part Viking, part elf, not belonging to either world.
I mean real life.
The game is real to us.
Especially Miles.
He didn't have very many people in his life.
We were his family.
When was the last time you saw him? Around midnight? There was a pre-battle bush party.
(REX SNIFFING) It gets a bit hazy after that.
Anyone have a reason to hurt Miles? He was the heart and soul of the game.
He looked out for you.
Made sure you had a good battle.
I can't believe he's gone.
Okay.
Thanks for your time.
Rex.
Hey.
Sarah.
Still no murder weapon.
Well, we have a field full of suspects, all carrying weapons.
Yeah, but they're all plastic and foam.
This stab wound is a through and through.
Required a lot of brute force.
Any idea what caused it? A closer look will help.
- Can you give me a hand? - Yeah.
Just roll him towards me.
Sure.
The wound is larger here.
Likely the entry point of the blade.
Stabbed in the back.
So much for honor among Vikings.
What is this? JESSE: Eihwaz.
The Rune of death.
See, Runic was the written language of the Norsemen.
Now, the LARP that Miles was playing was a mash-up of Nordic fantasy and early Viking history.
Hold up.
LARP? CHARLIE: Live Action Role Play.
LARPers create characters to play in a fantasy world.
LARP storylines are usually about quests, curses, blood feuds.
And Miles's group has been LARPing for five years.
But this particular storyline has been going on for three.
Long enough to build a grudge.
JESSE: These are all the LARPers that were there at the battle this weekend.
Now, I've included their character names as well as grouped them in order of clan.
Top left here are the elves.
A spry and nimble people.
Yeah, their weapon of choice is a bow and arrow.
But some have been known to carry a sword from time to time.
Sorry, Jesse.
How many LARPers were there? And how many have an alibi for the night Miles was killed? All of them.
There was a bush party that night.
And nobody remembers seeing Miles after midnight.
So someone could've easily slipped away and gotten back without anyone noticing.
Mmm.
Jesse, without going into any specifics on Half-Things or Borgs Halflings and Orcs.
Who would know the most about Miles's history with the other players? Well, I would start with the game master.
Gabby Mitchell.
GABBY: I run a clean LARP.
No real violence or weapons allowed.
And yet Miles ended up with a real stab wound through his back.
I try to mediate.
Watch out for everyone.
But it wasn't easy with someone like Miles.
Someone like Miles? Miles was intense.
He got carried away playing his character.
I thought that was the whole point? I mean, all the LARPers that I've talked to.
They say it's more than just a game.
It is.
I take LARPing very seriously.
But I never forget I'm me.
Miles thought he was Ragnar.
Even off the field.
Did he always have a problem telling fantasy from reality? No.
It started about three years ago.
When he found New Valhalla.
New Valhalla? It's what Miles named the field where we LARP.
Valhalla is Viking heaven.
It's where all the best warriors go after they die in battle.
I thought everyone loved Miles.
Miles acted like he was king of New Valhalla.
But I'm the Game Master.
I organize the permits, keep the story on track.
I'm not the only one who felt this way.
His attitude pissed off a lot of people.
Well, I'm going to need some names.
Fred Beasly.
CHARLIE: Drunk and disorderly, aggravated assault.
Aggravated assault.
This is a heck of a back story, Fred.
That was a long time ago.
I don't fight like that anymore.
No? Because Gabby said that you and Miles had it out a few weeks ago.
Gabby is full of it.
Miles and I got into an argument.
But it never got violent.
Your rap sheet says otherwise.
I've changed.
But nothing I do is good enough for people like you and Gabby.
The only one who ever believed in me was Miles.
How long had the two of you been friends? Since we were kids.
We lost touch after I started juicing.
Possession of illicit substances.
Anabolic steroids? Miles helped me find my way back.
How? Introduced me to LARPing when I was in recovery.
The game helped me safely channel my anger.
Gabby never wanted me to join because she thought I was a giant rage-monster.
But Miles got the other LARPers to let me in.
Sounds like a good friend.
Gabby always resented him for it.
She thought Miles was trying to overthrow her as game master.
- Was he? - No.
Even though he would've been a way better game master.
That was before all the school stuff.
Wait, what school stuff? Miles dropped out of university three years ago.
It was like he chose his LARP life over his real life.
What was Miles studying? DR.
MEADE: Miles Chaffey's PhD focus was Norse History.
Well, we found Miles dead in a Viking costume.
Pretty big coincidence.
I still can't believe he's dead.
He was a very brilliant young man.
Although he did have obsessive tendencies.
We don't usually allow dogs in here.
His dander could wreak havoc with these artifacts.
As long as you don't get his dander up your artifacts will be fine.
You were saying Miles had obsessive tendencies? Well, he thought he had discovered a new Norse settlement.
Norse as in Viking? Well, Norse are the people, Viking is the occupation.
The only confirmed Viking settlement in North America is at L'anse Aux Meadows.
But finding another one would be like winning the lottery twice.
Well if Miles did find a new settlement, that'd be a big deal for the university.
For the university, for his career, for my career, for the entire archaeological community.
But discoveries of that magnitude are exceedingly rare.
And Miles didn't have the evidence to back up his theory.
He was caught up in a fantasy.
A fantasy that might have got him killed.
We tried to reason with him.
But he just kept petitioning to dig.
CHARLIE: Let's find out what Miles was up to, buddy.
Here, I've got a piece of his costume.
Here, bud.
See if you can pick up something I haven't found yet, hey? - (REX SNIFFING) - Track it.
Go track it.
(REX SNIFFING) What is it with you and these holes? Hmm? What have you got? (REX SNIFFING) - - (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) (REX SNIFFING) More digging.
What was it they were looking for? (REX SNIFFING) BRODY: Excuse me! Is there a reason you're on the property? And it better not be to bury any more junk.
Detective Hudson, Major Crimes.
You are? Brody Max.
Real Estate.
And I am super embarrassed.
Your dog is going to love this.
He's not a dog.
He's my partner.
Yeah.
Rex is more about catching criminals.
We're all out of those.
But he can keep the Frisbee.
It's great advertising.
Yeah, how long have you owned this property? Bought it about six months ago from a company that used to rent it out for short term leases.
You know, concerts, festivals, that sort of thing.
Is that the same company that leased to the LARPers? Yeah yeah, they're the ones digging the holes in the back.
It's part of their game or something.
One time, they forgot to fill one in.
And my surveyor damn near broke his ankle.
Did you meet Miles Chaffey? He was the LARPer who found the field.
No.
Only person I dealt with was the one that rented from me.
Dark hair.
Uptight, kind of bossy.
Gabby Mitchell? That's her.
Any other incidents, other than the digging? No, they were cool.
That is, until my permits went through.
Once they found out I wanted to develop the lot into a top-tier housing development they went full frat.
They toilet papered my office.
Planted garden gnomes everywhere.
It was juvenile crap, trying to scare away potential buyers.
You filed a police report? No.
I didn't want to look like I was picking on the weirdos.
And when my permits were finally approved, I let them play their final scrimmage, or whatever it's called, as a peace offering.
How noble of you.
Sales 101.
An enemy today, (REX BARKING) is a potential buyer tomorrow.
(REX BARKING) What is it, partner? (REX BARKING) What the hell? (REX BARKS) Stay.
(REX BARKING) Don't move.
You too, pal.
Broken glass on the floor.
- - (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) I want those LARPers charged.
They will be if they're guilty.
Remember? No bad PR? I wish they could see I'm trying to build real homes for real families.
Not pretend clans for Keebler elves.
Don't touch anything.
It's a crime scene.
(REX BARKS) I know, partner.
I know.
What are these? Decor mock-ups.
Buyers can request special features for their units.
You know, like quartz countertops, ceramic backsplashes and decorative columns.
What about security features? Any security cameras? Yeah.
(UPBEAT THEME MUSIC) (DOOR BEEPS) The symbol painted in the showroom is the same one that was carved in Miles's neck.
Security footage from the showroom.
Brody left the office at 8:00 PM for a business dinner.
His colleagues verified his alibi.
Do you think the vandal and the killer are the same? Maybe.
Someone is either telling Brody to stop building.
Or they're trying to frame him, shoring up a motive to kill a LARPer.
Okay, let's see here.
Here we are.
Looks like someone left in a hurry.
That was just after Miles's murder! Think you can get a license plate? If I can clean up the footage, we might get lucky.
- Do it.
- Alright.
(KNOCK KNOCK) CHARLIE: Just like you ordered, m'lady.
I believe so.
I'm surprised that it was available.
Because pumpkin spice is apparently out of season.
Pumpkin spice is never out of season.
Learn anything from the autopsy? The symbol was carved into Miles's neck postmortem.
See how the edges of the wound are precise and defined? Yeah.
But the entrance wound on Miles's back has jagged lacerations around the edges.
Where the blade exited his chest is slightly narrower, suggesting a long, tapered, double-edged blade.
Miles was killed with a sword? That's what the wound is telling me.
See the bruising on his back? That odd mark in the middle.
It could be from a stud or jewel from the hilt.
So the weapon that killed Miles wasn't the same one that carved the symbol.
No, that would be like performing surgery with a chainsaw.
And wouldn't explain the sample I pulled from Miles's chest wound that was absent from the neck one.
What kind of a sample? Mineral, definitely.
I'm not sure what.
Or if it came from the weapon or from the body laying on the ground.
I've sent the rest of the sample in for more testing.
So, somebody snuck two real weapons into that LARP battle.
So much for Gabby's strict rules.
Is it possible that one of the LARPers had hidden a real sword by covering it in a foam casing? It's possible.
But none of the LARP swords we confiscated were wide enough to match Miles's wound.
DONOVAN: The killer probably disposed of it after the murder.
Probably in the car that was caught on Brody's security camera.
Well, I did a deep dive on the Internet researching swords.
I'll bet he didn't enjoy that at all.
JESSE: Now, it is pretty uncommon for a modern sword to match the dimensions of the one that killed Miles.
And I mean, look.
The length and width make it impractical for military.
And the way the hilt is embellished, I mean, it's pretty common in swords from antiquity.
Are you saying that Miles was killed with an ancient sword? I doubt it.
But a replica? 100%.
I know someone who knows a thing or two about artifacts.
Rex.
Let's go.
- - (UPBEAT THEME MUSIC) Huh, you beat me.
Hey, congratulations! We're having a little celebration for Dr.
Meade's promotion.
I thought he was already head of archeology? Next week he'll be Dean.
After 25 years in the trenches, he's earned it.
But until then, better not let him catch you with a dog in this building.
They've met before.
I'm Detective Hudson.
This is Rex.
(REX BARKS) Dr.
Helen Dubois.
Associate Professor of Archeology.
Dr.
Meade is giving a lecture.
Anything I can help with? Well, not unless you're an expert on ancient weapons.
Lucky for you, I literally wrote a book on the subject.
Really? Well, the case that I'm working involves a weapon that's a replica of a medieval-ish sword.
What are the weapon's specifications? Approximately 95 centimetres in length.
Six centimetres in width from the hilt, tapering to five centimetres, embellished with an Iolite prism? Iolite? Come on, pal.
Yeah, that matches the mark that we're looking for.
Then you're looking for a Viking sword.
Iolite is known as a Viking's compass.
They say by looking through an iolite lens, you can determine the exact location of the sun.
The prism was affixed to the sword as a good luck charm.
How many of these Viking swords would have a gem of that size attached to the hilt? Just one that we know of.
The Lodbrok.
Forged from crucible steel for the famed Viking conqueror who bears its name.
Do you have a photo of the real thing I could take a look at? Oh, the Lodbrok is the stuff of legends, known only through epic tales and poems.
Its existence has never been proven.
You ever see a replica of it? Few people have even heard of the Lodbrok.
If anyone made one, they'd have to be a real Viking buff.
Well, the victim was a Viking enthusiast.
And he was a former archeology student here at the school.
What was his name? You lose track of your students once they leave the nest.
I haven't seen Miles since he dropped out.
Dr.
Meade said that Miles was obsessively petitioning to set up a dig for Viking artifacts.
Then he told you the short version of the story, to save me embarrassment.
Embarrassment from what? Three years ago Miles convinced me to set up a preliminary dig.
His research suggested that when the Vikings traveled to Canada they made a stop before L'anse Aux Meadows.
We found what we thought were Viking tools.
But then we submitted them for peer review and they were revealed as naturally-occurring rock formations.
Sounds like an honest mistake.
It was.
An incredibly common one to make.
And Miles was crushed? It changed him.
He was convinced the peer reviews got it wrong.
When the dig was shut down he spiraled out of control.
And I I pulled away.
Miles may have been his own worst enemy.
I heard he was role-playing with friends at the old dig site.
I guess I let that comfort me a little.
New Valhalla was the failed dig site? New Valhalla? Sounds like Miles.
(PHONE BUZZING) Could you excuse me for just a minute? Jesse, what did you find out? JESSE: Oh, just a partial license plate off the security cam footage.
And I cross-referenced it with the plates registered to the LARPers on our list.
Our mystery car belongs to Game Master Gabby Mitchell.
Let's go, pal.
(KNOCKING) Detective Hudson! Is there a problem? You tell me.
We have footage of your car leaving New Valhalla just after Miles's murder.
I had to drive out to dispose of the food and garbage.
Everyone else was drinking.
And there were a lot of hungry foxes out there.
(REX SNIFFING) (REX BARKS) What is it, partner? - - (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) (REX BARKING) (REX BARKING) (REX BARKING) Look on the bright side.
You got further than most.
(REX BARKS) Yeah, turn around.
Keep an eye on her, pal.
(REX BARKING) (REX BARKING) Well well! Disposing of garbage, huh? It's more like disposing of evidence.
(REX BARKS) Kinda small for our killer.
So is the dagger we found.
Sarah confirmed that it was used to carve that rune into Miles's neck.
And yet it doesn't match the size of the kill wound.
This is our conundrum.
Any leads on the actual sword? No no.
Still no trace of it.
The search of Gabby's property has turned up empty, too.
Maybe she found a better hiding spot.
JESSE: Hey.
Here's the info on Gabby's history with the LARP group.
Ah, her feud with Miles sure ran deep.
Yeah, once the LARPers found out that they had to leave New Valhalla, there was talk of a new game starting, with Miles as the game master.
CHARLIE: Wait, what if Gabby killed Miles and framed Brody? Then she could keep control of the LARP and save New Valhalla from being developed.
DONOVAN: Kill two birds with one stone.
- CHARLIE: Yeah.
- But is winning a game motivation enough to commit murder? Well yeah, but these LARPers it's more than just a game.
You've got to be pretty twisted to stab one of your own in the back.
- CHARLIE: Thanks, Jesse.
- Yeah.
I didn't hurt Miles.
And I didn't touch Brody's showroom.
CHARLIE: This is the symbol that was carved into the back of Miles's neck.
It's the same symbol that you spray-painted on the showroom.
What kind of murderer signs their name at the crime scene? You said that Miles was too wrapped up in this LARPing world.
Maybe that was you.
You were jealous that the others saw Miles as their leader.
That's not true! You buried a dagger with Miles's DNA on it.
And then you drove off with the sword that you used to stab him in the back.
I may have a dagger.
But I don't have a sword.
At least, not a real one.
One of the LARPers is trying to frame me! Why would your family try and frame you? I run a strict game.
But I do it for them! Following the rules is the only way to keep the game going.
But these are your fellow LARPers.
That's why this is hard.
They were planning a secret bush party.
Our permit for the land has a zero tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol.
The players didn't care because it was the last LARP on New Valhalla.
But get a fine for public drinking in a Viking costume? No one's going to rent you their field any time soon! So I called them out.
That sounds reasonable.
That's what I thought.
But when I came back to the tent, it was ransacked.
Someone stole my dagger.
The dagger that, by your set of rules should not have been allowed.
I was planning on stepping down as game master after our last LARP.
Mm-hmm.
I was going to bury my dagger on the site.
A ceremonial way of saying goodbye.
Oh, that's touching.
But how did it end up in your backyard? Later I went back to the woods after a headcount came up short.
I saw Miles, lying there.
Miles! Covered in blood.
Miles! It was my dagger, next to him.
I didn't know what to do! I panicked! CHARLIE: Yeah, I don't buy it.
You saw Miles dead.
And you just left him there? You tampered with evidence.
- No I know! - You abandoned one of your own! I know what I did was awful! But I didn't kill Miles.
Talk to Fred! If Fred had found your dagger, he would've used it to get rid of you as game master.
He wouldn't have killed Miles.
Fred hated Miles.
And he has six stitches in his head to prove it! Six stitches? I thought LARPing calmed him down? On the field.
Real life is another story.
FRED: I'm out of here.
I don't want to live in one of your crappy houses! Yeah, well it's not a crappy house.
And you'll thank me one day.
I want my money back.
(BRODY LAUGHS) You signed a contract.
I don't care.
- Burn it! - Ughh! (REX BARKING) Uhh! Ugh! Stay down, Fred! Ughh, get your dog off me! That was cool, partner.
Even for you.
Come on.
I just talked to your work.
They said you went to see a real estate agent.
Huh? Hey! So much for LARP as therapy, huh? Settle down.
Get that freak away from me! Stop talking.
Or I'll take you in too.
Come on, let's go for a walk.
Come on.
Here or the station.
FRED: Two months ago I took Miles out for drinks to tell him I put a deposit on one of Brody's houses.
I felt bad about it.
But he offered me an amazing deal for an upfront down payment.
Miles was upset about real estate? That's why he put six stitches in your skull? He said I was siding with the enemy.
I've never seen him that angry.
Threw a beer bottle at my head at the bar.
You hit him back? The old me would've kicked his ass, but How were things between the two of you after the fight? I tried apologizing.
But the only thing that mattered to him was saving New Valhalla.
Well, Brody's permits came through.
He was going ahead with the development.
Miles kept saying, the key was hidden in the earth.
(REX SNIFFING) He completely lost it.
He would show up here at night, in full costume and dig.
Said it was only a matter of time before he uncovered some ancient artifact.
Miles told me it felt like the Viking spirits were there in the dirt, guiding him.
But I don't think he ever found anything.
Miles gave this to me the day before he died.
Said to hold on to it in case anything happened to him.
He was my best friend.
He saved me from self destruction.
But I couldn't save him.
(REX SNIFFING) Detective Hudson.
And partner.
Oh, one of the benefits of becoming dean.
Would you care for a glass? No thank you.
Not quite happy hour, yet.
Oh.
Well, it's happy hour somewhere So, what brings you back, Detective? Well, I was hoping to get information on the peer review from Miles's dig three years ago.
Oh, well I'll have my assistant track it down for you.
But I warn you, this is the archeology department.
We're not exactly known for our speed.
Doctor, before you go.
Is there any chance that the panel got it wrong? And that Miles's site was actually real? These panels are composed of rigorous professionals.
I should know.
I was one of them.
Ah.
There's something I left out before.
Something that perhaps I should've shared The artifacts, that Miles submitted for review, they weren't naturally occurring rock formations.
They were forgeries.
Miles was forging real Viking tools? Dr.
Dubois was mortified.
She believed in Miles.
I persuaded the panel to leave the word forgery off the record, to save Dr.
Dubois from the black mark it would've left on her career.
What about Miles? Did you confront him about it too? I gave him a choice.
Either leave school willingly or face disciplinary action.
One last thing.
How could Miles forge Viking tools convincing enough to fooled Dr.
Dubois? There are ways.
CHARLIE: Is it possible that Miles forged the sword that killed him? Maybe.
Dousing a replica in chemicals and burying it in manure for a few months causes a layer of discoloration rust to form on the steel.
Like a patina.
Making the sword look ancient.
Exactly.
Forgers usually dig up their items and rebury them.
The oxidation helps the curing process.
JESSE: Well, I mean, it might explain the holes that Miles dug.
And the strange mineral I found in his wound.
Why forge a mythical Viking sword? How does that help save New Valhalla? Well maybe he was trying to make enough money to buy back the land.
We need to talk to someone who knew Miles from when his real life was as important to him as his fantasy one.
Why didn't you tell me that Miles forged the Viking artifacts you found at your original dig? Self-preservation.
The public never knew what happened.
But all of my colleagues did.
It was humiliating.
It took a long time to earn back their respect.
Mm-hm.
Why would Miles fake a dig? Meade would say fame, academic glory.
But I think he lied to himself.
He wanted to believe it was real.
Do you think Miles made a forgery of the Lodbrok so he could sell it? If his forgery was good enough, a sword as rare as the Lodbrok would've fetched millions.
So if he tapped a savvy enough buyer to know that this sword wasn't real he could have landed himself in a dangerous situation.
Do you think his murder was a black market deal gone wrong? It's possible.
There's one other thing that I need you to do for me.
Okay, so three years ago, Miles convinces Dr.
Dubois to dig on the field that the LARPers referred to as New Valhalla.
They only managed to dig in one section before the site is shut down.
Right here.
But these are the other areas that they intended to dig.
This is Miles's map.
This marks all the areas that Miles dug on the New Valhalla site.
Now, when you overlap the map that Miles gave Fred the day before he died Huh? Miles wasn't forging artifacts.
He was continuing to dig.
It's like he never stopped believing that the site was real.
SARAH: And, he was right.
A forged sword may be able to fool the naked eye.
But it would never stand up against carbon-dating.
The results from the sample from Miles's wound? It's a mineral, all right.
A thousand-year-old rust from a thousand-year-old artifact.
Miles was killed with an authentic Viking sword? The Lodbrok is real? This is awesome.
(REX BARKS) The sword that killed Miles was a real Viking artifact.
You and Dr.
Dubois are lying about him forging these tools.
Why? I didn't believe the tools were authentic.
And I still don't.
Science tells us otherwise.
The rust from Miles's kill wound is more than a thousand years old.
That doesn't mean it came from the dig.
Miles could have found it on the black market.
What I saw at the time was forged.
And we were being pressured to shut down.
By who? DR.
DUBOIS: Our financiers.
The dig was draining the university's resources.
But aren't you one of the most well-funded institutions in the country? Universities care about disciplines that earn money, like sports or technology.
Archeology isn't as lucrative.
Wouldn't finding an authentic Viking site be incredibly lucrative? I trusted Dr.
Meade and the panel's conclusions.
Cases of finding Viking artifacts on Canadian soil are incredibly rare.
So you trusted him at the expense of Miles, the student that looked up to you, idolized you, in fact.
On what basis was the ruling made? On the condition of the artifacts and the likelihood of the location.
I have a reputation for being discerning.
These did not pass muster.
If Miles had found a real Viking sword after you accused him of forgery, it would be your reputation that would be ruined.
I'm an academic.
Nothing would excite me more than for Miles to be right.
I wish we could have kept going.
But it just got too expensive.
And the pressure the real estate developer put on them didn't help.
What real estate developer? Brody Max bought New Valhalla three years ago.
But the permits were stalled because of Miles's dig.
Why didn't Brody start building after the dig was called off? Well, the dig lasted a few months.
And by the time it was over, Brody had lost his crews, investors, and a large sum of his money.
He had to sell the property at dirt cheap to avoid bankruptcy.
Ah, and then he spent the next three years - (BEEP) - building up the capital to buy it back.
Come on, pal.
Over there.
So if Miles did find a real Viking sword on that land, it would have stopped Brody's build again, bankrupting his company.
That sounds like a pretty good motive for murder.
- (REX BARKS) - Yeah, but here's the thing.
I mean, who vandalized the showroom? I may be able to help with that.
With Runic, similar to other logographic languages like Cantonese or Mandarin, you can tell which hand a character was written with by how the strokes are arranged.
Now, the death rune on Miles was clearly carved with a left hand since the carving starts in the top right.
When I met Brody, he threw Rex a Frisbee with his left land.
Okay, so Jesse, can you pull up the photos from Brody's vandalized showroom please? See? The thickest strokes are on the top right.
Now, Jesse.
Can you pull up the photos from the showroom door? SARAH: See the tiny smudges of paint? After reconstructing the door fragments, we realized it's a partial boot print.
Same paint as the one used to deface the inside? - That's right.
- So the door was kicked down after the inside was vandalized.
He let himself in first.
Trashed the place.
And then kicked the door in on his way out.
Getting paint on it Open houses aren't the only thing Brody knows how to stage.
I've put up with their crap for the past six months.
One time, during an open house, those freaks barged in here waving foam swords, yelling, at the top of their lungs: Storm the castle! And I can't complain because if I do, I'm the bully because they're just grown children living in a fantasy world.
So yeah - I staged the whole thing, - (REX BARKS) hoping to finally get the cops' attention.
(REX BARKING) What is it, partner? Hmm? (REX BARKING) Don't tempt him.
He takes his job seriously.
- (REX BARKING) - So do I.
That's a warrant.
(REX BARKS) What's so special about this? Nothing.
It's just for show.
(REX BARKING) Let's see what they can tell me.
(CRASH) (REX BARKING) Uhhh.
- - (HEROIC MUSIC) You hid a sword in a stone.
You might have more in common with that LARPer you murdered than you think.
(REX BARKING) So, what did Miles approach you with the sword? You try and buy him off? Or you just killed him on the spot, hmm? We know your project would've been finished if the lot had been declared a World Heritage Site.
So it would have cost you millions, huh? Feel free to chime in any time.
I'll leave that to my lawyer.
(BEEP) Traces of Miles's blood were found on the Lodbrok.
The blade matches the stab wound.
The rust shavings I pulled from the sword also match the ones I sent in for testing.
This is definitely the murder weapon.
Why didn't Brody get rid of it? Well, he was hoping to sell it.
Dr.
Dubois said he could make a killing off it on the black market.
But how would Brody know that? He's a property developer.
He's not an antiquities dealer.
DONOVAN: Well, the weapon was found on his property.
And it turned out he lied about his alibi.
That's our guy, Charlie.
So he steals the sword from Miles? I mean, he didn't even know Miles.
I don't know.
Brody didn't have any connection to the archaeological community.
Maybe he did.
- Hm? - Charlie.
I just found an incoming call to Brody on the same day of Miles's murder, from the university.
- Show me.
- Yeah, right there.
In 25 wonderful years, it's been mostly joy, occasionally pain.
Very occasionally mistakes.
Mistakes? Like New Valhalla? Dr.
Reginald Meade.
You're under arrest for the murder of Miles Chaffey.
Come with me, please.
(GASPS) What? This is outrageous.
What's outrageous is that you felt the life of a brilliant young man was worth a 20% stake in Brody Max's multi-million dollar real estate deal.
I invested.
Not a crime.
No, it's not a crime.
But the bribe that you took to discredit the New Valhalla dig? That is.
We found the murder weapon in your associate's showroom.
(GASPS) The Lodbrok.
Miles was right.
The whole time.
And you made me believe he was crazy.
He was crazy.
Dressing up like a lunatic.
Wearing pointed devil ears I blamed myself for what happened to him for years! Miles was a brilliant young man.
And you exiled him from the community! For what? Real estate? The real devil is you! (REX BARKING) You said it, pal.
Let's go.
(DOOR BUZZER) (DR.
MEADE SIGHS) Miles came to my house.
Told me he'd found something that proved that I'd lied about New Valhalla.
Something no one would believe was a forgery.
I asked to see it.
If the artifact was authentic, then I'd admit to everything.
And Miles agreed.
Still as naive as he was when he was an undergrad.
And that's when you called Brody.
If Miles revealed that I'd lied, I'd lose my promotion, my reputation.
My whole life would be ruined.
I told Brody if he didn't help me fix it, I'd take him down with me.
Tell everyone that he'd bribed me to discredit the first dig.
So he came up with a plan.
The Lodbrok! It's real! And now that you know, it's time to keep your end of the deal.
Be smart about this, Miles.
I mean, this sword could make you a very rich man.
Sell it? This sword belongs in a museum.
Some of us actually care about history.
No matter how many times people like you try to rewrite it.
What are you doing here? I thought that you discredited my dig because you were jealous.
But you did it so he could build his shoddy houses? How much did he pay you? BRODY: A lot.
And I can make you the same deal.
MILES: All I want is what I lost when he ruined my reputation! Ughh! What the hell did you do? What I had to do! He would have ruined us both! Then Brody encased the Lodbrok in plaster.
He was supposed to encase it in concrete so it would stay hidden forever.
He couldn't even do that right.
Real estate agents are always cutting corners.
Hey, for what it's we worth, you almost pulled it off.
If it weren't for that dog.
(REX BARKING) I lost my way.
You know, you may have lost your way.
But Miles lost his life.
SARAH: I feel bad that Gabby wasn't able to make it.
CHARLIE: Well, she tampered with evidence in a murder investigation.
She's a first time offender.
She'll be out soon, but A crime is still a crime.
Yeah well, our friend Brody won't be as lucky.
His real estate days are over.
Huh.
Hey! New suit? JESSE: Well, I'm the only one who's doing this right.
Although the ears aren't historically accurate, but, What about the glasses? You didn't dress up? See? - Thank you.
- I can't thank you all enough.
The SJPD is the reason this field has been designated a heritage site.
New Valhalla will live forever.
Well, I think the real reason is Miles.
Let's call it a group effort.
(REX BARKS) Miles would be pleased.
That's right.
When I dream, you draw me to you Through the misty halls of time Find the way through darkened passage - Find the kingdom - (HORN BLOWING) Yours and mine To Ragnar! When I dream, I kneel before you Our wise warrior.
A brave spirit.
Wreathed in Rowan, clad in sky Our beating heart.
May he find new lands on the other side.
Well we rule, in grace and mercy Well we follow (SWOOSH) You and I Gossamer gleams on golden breeze Flitting flighty through the trees Next time on Hudson & Rex - (SINGING) - (GUNSHOT) We've got two shits fired from the north side.
Target was the Men's Coxed Four rowing team.
Niko! Their cockswain is dead.
We've got a suspected sniper on the loose.
No mother should have to bury her son.
(BARKING) Yeah, you and I are going to need to have a little talk.
I didn't kill him.
I didn't kill him.
(GUNSHOT) Rex? Rex! (REX BARKING) Shoot that dog and I will shoot you! - (GUNSHOT) - Rex! (GUNSHOT) Ughh!
Ragnar! Ragnar? Miles? Miles! Miles! Miles! Miles! Miles!! - - (THEME MUSIC) I'm as big a fan of Halloween as anybody, but Hey, where'd you go? What have you got? No, there's no bones in there, buddy.
Somebody already beat you to it.
Rex, we're on the clock.
- Let's go, Rex! - (REX BARKS) CHARLIE: So you all were sorry LARPing? Live Action Role Playing.
LARP for short.
What can you tell me about Miles Chaffey? Miles was the halfling Prince Ragnar.
Part Viking, part elf, not belonging to either world.
I mean real life.
The game is real to us.
Especially Miles.
He didn't have very many people in his life.
We were his family.
When was the last time you saw him? Around midnight? There was a pre-battle bush party.
(REX SNIFFING) It gets a bit hazy after that.
Anyone have a reason to hurt Miles? He was the heart and soul of the game.
He looked out for you.
Made sure you had a good battle.
I can't believe he's gone.
Okay.
Thanks for your time.
Rex.
Hey.
Sarah.
Still no murder weapon.
Well, we have a field full of suspects, all carrying weapons.
Yeah, but they're all plastic and foam.
This stab wound is a through and through.
Required a lot of brute force.
Any idea what caused it? A closer look will help.
- Can you give me a hand? - Yeah.
Just roll him towards me.
Sure.
The wound is larger here.
Likely the entry point of the blade.
Stabbed in the back.
So much for honor among Vikings.
What is this? JESSE: Eihwaz.
The Rune of death.
See, Runic was the written language of the Norsemen.
Now, the LARP that Miles was playing was a mash-up of Nordic fantasy and early Viking history.
Hold up.
LARP? CHARLIE: Live Action Role Play.
LARPers create characters to play in a fantasy world.
LARP storylines are usually about quests, curses, blood feuds.
And Miles's group has been LARPing for five years.
But this particular storyline has been going on for three.
Long enough to build a grudge.
JESSE: These are all the LARPers that were there at the battle this weekend.
Now, I've included their character names as well as grouped them in order of clan.
Top left here are the elves.
A spry and nimble people.
Yeah, their weapon of choice is a bow and arrow.
But some have been known to carry a sword from time to time.
Sorry, Jesse.
How many LARPers were there? And how many have an alibi for the night Miles was killed? All of them.
There was a bush party that night.
And nobody remembers seeing Miles after midnight.
So someone could've easily slipped away and gotten back without anyone noticing.
Mmm.
Jesse, without going into any specifics on Half-Things or Borgs Halflings and Orcs.
Who would know the most about Miles's history with the other players? Well, I would start with the game master.
Gabby Mitchell.
GABBY: I run a clean LARP.
No real violence or weapons allowed.
And yet Miles ended up with a real stab wound through his back.
I try to mediate.
Watch out for everyone.
But it wasn't easy with someone like Miles.
Someone like Miles? Miles was intense.
He got carried away playing his character.
I thought that was the whole point? I mean, all the LARPers that I've talked to.
They say it's more than just a game.
It is.
I take LARPing very seriously.
But I never forget I'm me.
Miles thought he was Ragnar.
Even off the field.
Did he always have a problem telling fantasy from reality? No.
It started about three years ago.
When he found New Valhalla.
New Valhalla? It's what Miles named the field where we LARP.
Valhalla is Viking heaven.
It's where all the best warriors go after they die in battle.
I thought everyone loved Miles.
Miles acted like he was king of New Valhalla.
But I'm the Game Master.
I organize the permits, keep the story on track.
I'm not the only one who felt this way.
His attitude pissed off a lot of people.
Well, I'm going to need some names.
Fred Beasly.
CHARLIE: Drunk and disorderly, aggravated assault.
Aggravated assault.
This is a heck of a back story, Fred.
That was a long time ago.
I don't fight like that anymore.
No? Because Gabby said that you and Miles had it out a few weeks ago.
Gabby is full of it.
Miles and I got into an argument.
But it never got violent.
Your rap sheet says otherwise.
I've changed.
But nothing I do is good enough for people like you and Gabby.
The only one who ever believed in me was Miles.
How long had the two of you been friends? Since we were kids.
We lost touch after I started juicing.
Possession of illicit substances.
Anabolic steroids? Miles helped me find my way back.
How? Introduced me to LARPing when I was in recovery.
The game helped me safely channel my anger.
Gabby never wanted me to join because she thought I was a giant rage-monster.
But Miles got the other LARPers to let me in.
Sounds like a good friend.
Gabby always resented him for it.
She thought Miles was trying to overthrow her as game master.
- Was he? - No.
Even though he would've been a way better game master.
That was before all the school stuff.
Wait, what school stuff? Miles dropped out of university three years ago.
It was like he chose his LARP life over his real life.
What was Miles studying? DR.
MEADE: Miles Chaffey's PhD focus was Norse History.
Well, we found Miles dead in a Viking costume.
Pretty big coincidence.
I still can't believe he's dead.
He was a very brilliant young man.
Although he did have obsessive tendencies.
We don't usually allow dogs in here.
His dander could wreak havoc with these artifacts.
As long as you don't get his dander up your artifacts will be fine.
You were saying Miles had obsessive tendencies? Well, he thought he had discovered a new Norse settlement.
Norse as in Viking? Well, Norse are the people, Viking is the occupation.
The only confirmed Viking settlement in North America is at L'anse Aux Meadows.
But finding another one would be like winning the lottery twice.
Well if Miles did find a new settlement, that'd be a big deal for the university.
For the university, for his career, for my career, for the entire archaeological community.
But discoveries of that magnitude are exceedingly rare.
And Miles didn't have the evidence to back up his theory.
He was caught up in a fantasy.
A fantasy that might have got him killed.
We tried to reason with him.
But he just kept petitioning to dig.
CHARLIE: Let's find out what Miles was up to, buddy.
Here, I've got a piece of his costume.
Here, bud.
See if you can pick up something I haven't found yet, hey? - (REX SNIFFING) - Track it.
Go track it.
(REX SNIFFING) What is it with you and these holes? Hmm? What have you got? (REX SNIFFING) - - (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) (REX SNIFFING) More digging.
What was it they were looking for? (REX SNIFFING) BRODY: Excuse me! Is there a reason you're on the property? And it better not be to bury any more junk.
Detective Hudson, Major Crimes.
You are? Brody Max.
Real Estate.
And I am super embarrassed.
Your dog is going to love this.
He's not a dog.
He's my partner.
Yeah.
Rex is more about catching criminals.
We're all out of those.
But he can keep the Frisbee.
It's great advertising.
Yeah, how long have you owned this property? Bought it about six months ago from a company that used to rent it out for short term leases.
You know, concerts, festivals, that sort of thing.
Is that the same company that leased to the LARPers? Yeah yeah, they're the ones digging the holes in the back.
It's part of their game or something.
One time, they forgot to fill one in.
And my surveyor damn near broke his ankle.
Did you meet Miles Chaffey? He was the LARPer who found the field.
No.
Only person I dealt with was the one that rented from me.
Dark hair.
Uptight, kind of bossy.
Gabby Mitchell? That's her.
Any other incidents, other than the digging? No, they were cool.
That is, until my permits went through.
Once they found out I wanted to develop the lot into a top-tier housing development they went full frat.
They toilet papered my office.
Planted garden gnomes everywhere.
It was juvenile crap, trying to scare away potential buyers.
You filed a police report? No.
I didn't want to look like I was picking on the weirdos.
And when my permits were finally approved, I let them play their final scrimmage, or whatever it's called, as a peace offering.
How noble of you.
Sales 101.
An enemy today, (REX BARKING) is a potential buyer tomorrow.
(REX BARKING) What is it, partner? (REX BARKING) What the hell? (REX BARKS) Stay.
(REX BARKING) Don't move.
You too, pal.
Broken glass on the floor.
- - (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) I want those LARPers charged.
They will be if they're guilty.
Remember? No bad PR? I wish they could see I'm trying to build real homes for real families.
Not pretend clans for Keebler elves.
Don't touch anything.
It's a crime scene.
(REX BARKS) I know, partner.
I know.
What are these? Decor mock-ups.
Buyers can request special features for their units.
You know, like quartz countertops, ceramic backsplashes and decorative columns.
What about security features? Any security cameras? Yeah.
(UPBEAT THEME MUSIC) (DOOR BEEPS) The symbol painted in the showroom is the same one that was carved in Miles's neck.
Security footage from the showroom.
Brody left the office at 8:00 PM for a business dinner.
His colleagues verified his alibi.
Do you think the vandal and the killer are the same? Maybe.
Someone is either telling Brody to stop building.
Or they're trying to frame him, shoring up a motive to kill a LARPer.
Okay, let's see here.
Here we are.
Looks like someone left in a hurry.
That was just after Miles's murder! Think you can get a license plate? If I can clean up the footage, we might get lucky.
- Do it.
- Alright.
(KNOCK KNOCK) CHARLIE: Just like you ordered, m'lady.
I believe so.
I'm surprised that it was available.
Because pumpkin spice is apparently out of season.
Pumpkin spice is never out of season.
Learn anything from the autopsy? The symbol was carved into Miles's neck postmortem.
See how the edges of the wound are precise and defined? Yeah.
But the entrance wound on Miles's back has jagged lacerations around the edges.
Where the blade exited his chest is slightly narrower, suggesting a long, tapered, double-edged blade.
Miles was killed with a sword? That's what the wound is telling me.
See the bruising on his back? That odd mark in the middle.
It could be from a stud or jewel from the hilt.
So the weapon that killed Miles wasn't the same one that carved the symbol.
No, that would be like performing surgery with a chainsaw.
And wouldn't explain the sample I pulled from Miles's chest wound that was absent from the neck one.
What kind of a sample? Mineral, definitely.
I'm not sure what.
Or if it came from the weapon or from the body laying on the ground.
I've sent the rest of the sample in for more testing.
So, somebody snuck two real weapons into that LARP battle.
So much for Gabby's strict rules.
Is it possible that one of the LARPers had hidden a real sword by covering it in a foam casing? It's possible.
But none of the LARP swords we confiscated were wide enough to match Miles's wound.
DONOVAN: The killer probably disposed of it after the murder.
Probably in the car that was caught on Brody's security camera.
Well, I did a deep dive on the Internet researching swords.
I'll bet he didn't enjoy that at all.
JESSE: Now, it is pretty uncommon for a modern sword to match the dimensions of the one that killed Miles.
And I mean, look.
The length and width make it impractical for military.
And the way the hilt is embellished, I mean, it's pretty common in swords from antiquity.
Are you saying that Miles was killed with an ancient sword? I doubt it.
But a replica? 100%.
I know someone who knows a thing or two about artifacts.
Rex.
Let's go.
- - (UPBEAT THEME MUSIC) Huh, you beat me.
Hey, congratulations! We're having a little celebration for Dr.
Meade's promotion.
I thought he was already head of archeology? Next week he'll be Dean.
After 25 years in the trenches, he's earned it.
But until then, better not let him catch you with a dog in this building.
They've met before.
I'm Detective Hudson.
This is Rex.
(REX BARKS) Dr.
Helen Dubois.
Associate Professor of Archeology.
Dr.
Meade is giving a lecture.
Anything I can help with? Well, not unless you're an expert on ancient weapons.
Lucky for you, I literally wrote a book on the subject.
Really? Well, the case that I'm working involves a weapon that's a replica of a medieval-ish sword.
What are the weapon's specifications? Approximately 95 centimetres in length.
Six centimetres in width from the hilt, tapering to five centimetres, embellished with an Iolite prism? Iolite? Come on, pal.
Yeah, that matches the mark that we're looking for.
Then you're looking for a Viking sword.
Iolite is known as a Viking's compass.
They say by looking through an iolite lens, you can determine the exact location of the sun.
The prism was affixed to the sword as a good luck charm.
How many of these Viking swords would have a gem of that size attached to the hilt? Just one that we know of.
The Lodbrok.
Forged from crucible steel for the famed Viking conqueror who bears its name.
Do you have a photo of the real thing I could take a look at? Oh, the Lodbrok is the stuff of legends, known only through epic tales and poems.
Its existence has never been proven.
You ever see a replica of it? Few people have even heard of the Lodbrok.
If anyone made one, they'd have to be a real Viking buff.
Well, the victim was a Viking enthusiast.
And he was a former archeology student here at the school.
What was his name? You lose track of your students once they leave the nest.
I haven't seen Miles since he dropped out.
Dr.
Meade said that Miles was obsessively petitioning to set up a dig for Viking artifacts.
Then he told you the short version of the story, to save me embarrassment.
Embarrassment from what? Three years ago Miles convinced me to set up a preliminary dig.
His research suggested that when the Vikings traveled to Canada they made a stop before L'anse Aux Meadows.
We found what we thought were Viking tools.
But then we submitted them for peer review and they were revealed as naturally-occurring rock formations.
Sounds like an honest mistake.
It was.
An incredibly common one to make.
And Miles was crushed? It changed him.
He was convinced the peer reviews got it wrong.
When the dig was shut down he spiraled out of control.
And I I pulled away.
Miles may have been his own worst enemy.
I heard he was role-playing with friends at the old dig site.
I guess I let that comfort me a little.
New Valhalla was the failed dig site? New Valhalla? Sounds like Miles.
(PHONE BUZZING) Could you excuse me for just a minute? Jesse, what did you find out? JESSE: Oh, just a partial license plate off the security cam footage.
And I cross-referenced it with the plates registered to the LARPers on our list.
Our mystery car belongs to Game Master Gabby Mitchell.
Let's go, pal.
(KNOCKING) Detective Hudson! Is there a problem? You tell me.
We have footage of your car leaving New Valhalla just after Miles's murder.
I had to drive out to dispose of the food and garbage.
Everyone else was drinking.
And there were a lot of hungry foxes out there.
(REX SNIFFING) (REX BARKS) What is it, partner? - - (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) (REX BARKING) (REX BARKING) (REX BARKING) Look on the bright side.
You got further than most.
(REX BARKS) Yeah, turn around.
Keep an eye on her, pal.
(REX BARKING) (REX BARKING) Well well! Disposing of garbage, huh? It's more like disposing of evidence.
(REX BARKS) Kinda small for our killer.
So is the dagger we found.
Sarah confirmed that it was used to carve that rune into Miles's neck.
And yet it doesn't match the size of the kill wound.
This is our conundrum.
Any leads on the actual sword? No no.
Still no trace of it.
The search of Gabby's property has turned up empty, too.
Maybe she found a better hiding spot.
JESSE: Hey.
Here's the info on Gabby's history with the LARP group.
Ah, her feud with Miles sure ran deep.
Yeah, once the LARPers found out that they had to leave New Valhalla, there was talk of a new game starting, with Miles as the game master.
CHARLIE: Wait, what if Gabby killed Miles and framed Brody? Then she could keep control of the LARP and save New Valhalla from being developed.
DONOVAN: Kill two birds with one stone.
- CHARLIE: Yeah.
- But is winning a game motivation enough to commit murder? Well yeah, but these LARPers it's more than just a game.
You've got to be pretty twisted to stab one of your own in the back.
- CHARLIE: Thanks, Jesse.
- Yeah.
I didn't hurt Miles.
And I didn't touch Brody's showroom.
CHARLIE: This is the symbol that was carved into the back of Miles's neck.
It's the same symbol that you spray-painted on the showroom.
What kind of murderer signs their name at the crime scene? You said that Miles was too wrapped up in this LARPing world.
Maybe that was you.
You were jealous that the others saw Miles as their leader.
That's not true! You buried a dagger with Miles's DNA on it.
And then you drove off with the sword that you used to stab him in the back.
I may have a dagger.
But I don't have a sword.
At least, not a real one.
One of the LARPers is trying to frame me! Why would your family try and frame you? I run a strict game.
But I do it for them! Following the rules is the only way to keep the game going.
But these are your fellow LARPers.
That's why this is hard.
They were planning a secret bush party.
Our permit for the land has a zero tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol.
The players didn't care because it was the last LARP on New Valhalla.
But get a fine for public drinking in a Viking costume? No one's going to rent you their field any time soon! So I called them out.
That sounds reasonable.
That's what I thought.
But when I came back to the tent, it was ransacked.
Someone stole my dagger.
The dagger that, by your set of rules should not have been allowed.
I was planning on stepping down as game master after our last LARP.
Mm-hmm.
I was going to bury my dagger on the site.
A ceremonial way of saying goodbye.
Oh, that's touching.
But how did it end up in your backyard? Later I went back to the woods after a headcount came up short.
I saw Miles, lying there.
Miles! Covered in blood.
Miles! It was my dagger, next to him.
I didn't know what to do! I panicked! CHARLIE: Yeah, I don't buy it.
You saw Miles dead.
And you just left him there? You tampered with evidence.
- No I know! - You abandoned one of your own! I know what I did was awful! But I didn't kill Miles.
Talk to Fred! If Fred had found your dagger, he would've used it to get rid of you as game master.
He wouldn't have killed Miles.
Fred hated Miles.
And he has six stitches in his head to prove it! Six stitches? I thought LARPing calmed him down? On the field.
Real life is another story.
FRED: I'm out of here.
I don't want to live in one of your crappy houses! Yeah, well it's not a crappy house.
And you'll thank me one day.
I want my money back.
(BRODY LAUGHS) You signed a contract.
I don't care.
- Burn it! - Ughh! (REX BARKING) Uhh! Ugh! Stay down, Fred! Ughh, get your dog off me! That was cool, partner.
Even for you.
Come on.
I just talked to your work.
They said you went to see a real estate agent.
Huh? Hey! So much for LARP as therapy, huh? Settle down.
Get that freak away from me! Stop talking.
Or I'll take you in too.
Come on, let's go for a walk.
Come on.
Here or the station.
FRED: Two months ago I took Miles out for drinks to tell him I put a deposit on one of Brody's houses.
I felt bad about it.
But he offered me an amazing deal for an upfront down payment.
Miles was upset about real estate? That's why he put six stitches in your skull? He said I was siding with the enemy.
I've never seen him that angry.
Threw a beer bottle at my head at the bar.
You hit him back? The old me would've kicked his ass, but How were things between the two of you after the fight? I tried apologizing.
But the only thing that mattered to him was saving New Valhalla.
Well, Brody's permits came through.
He was going ahead with the development.
Miles kept saying, the key was hidden in the earth.
(REX SNIFFING) He completely lost it.
He would show up here at night, in full costume and dig.
Said it was only a matter of time before he uncovered some ancient artifact.
Miles told me it felt like the Viking spirits were there in the dirt, guiding him.
But I don't think he ever found anything.
Miles gave this to me the day before he died.
Said to hold on to it in case anything happened to him.
He was my best friend.
He saved me from self destruction.
But I couldn't save him.
(REX SNIFFING) Detective Hudson.
And partner.
Oh, one of the benefits of becoming dean.
Would you care for a glass? No thank you.
Not quite happy hour, yet.
Oh.
Well, it's happy hour somewhere So, what brings you back, Detective? Well, I was hoping to get information on the peer review from Miles's dig three years ago.
Oh, well I'll have my assistant track it down for you.
But I warn you, this is the archeology department.
We're not exactly known for our speed.
Doctor, before you go.
Is there any chance that the panel got it wrong? And that Miles's site was actually real? These panels are composed of rigorous professionals.
I should know.
I was one of them.
Ah.
There's something I left out before.
Something that perhaps I should've shared The artifacts, that Miles submitted for review, they weren't naturally occurring rock formations.
They were forgeries.
Miles was forging real Viking tools? Dr.
Dubois was mortified.
She believed in Miles.
I persuaded the panel to leave the word forgery off the record, to save Dr.
Dubois from the black mark it would've left on her career.
What about Miles? Did you confront him about it too? I gave him a choice.
Either leave school willingly or face disciplinary action.
One last thing.
How could Miles forge Viking tools convincing enough to fooled Dr.
Dubois? There are ways.
CHARLIE: Is it possible that Miles forged the sword that killed him? Maybe.
Dousing a replica in chemicals and burying it in manure for a few months causes a layer of discoloration rust to form on the steel.
Like a patina.
Making the sword look ancient.
Exactly.
Forgers usually dig up their items and rebury them.
The oxidation helps the curing process.
JESSE: Well, I mean, it might explain the holes that Miles dug.
And the strange mineral I found in his wound.
Why forge a mythical Viking sword? How does that help save New Valhalla? Well maybe he was trying to make enough money to buy back the land.
We need to talk to someone who knew Miles from when his real life was as important to him as his fantasy one.
Why didn't you tell me that Miles forged the Viking artifacts you found at your original dig? Self-preservation.
The public never knew what happened.
But all of my colleagues did.
It was humiliating.
It took a long time to earn back their respect.
Mm-hm.
Why would Miles fake a dig? Meade would say fame, academic glory.
But I think he lied to himself.
He wanted to believe it was real.
Do you think Miles made a forgery of the Lodbrok so he could sell it? If his forgery was good enough, a sword as rare as the Lodbrok would've fetched millions.
So if he tapped a savvy enough buyer to know that this sword wasn't real he could have landed himself in a dangerous situation.
Do you think his murder was a black market deal gone wrong? It's possible.
There's one other thing that I need you to do for me.
Okay, so three years ago, Miles convinces Dr.
Dubois to dig on the field that the LARPers referred to as New Valhalla.
They only managed to dig in one section before the site is shut down.
Right here.
But these are the other areas that they intended to dig.
This is Miles's map.
This marks all the areas that Miles dug on the New Valhalla site.
Now, when you overlap the map that Miles gave Fred the day before he died Huh? Miles wasn't forging artifacts.
He was continuing to dig.
It's like he never stopped believing that the site was real.
SARAH: And, he was right.
A forged sword may be able to fool the naked eye.
But it would never stand up against carbon-dating.
The results from the sample from Miles's wound? It's a mineral, all right.
A thousand-year-old rust from a thousand-year-old artifact.
Miles was killed with an authentic Viking sword? The Lodbrok is real? This is awesome.
(REX BARKS) The sword that killed Miles was a real Viking artifact.
You and Dr.
Dubois are lying about him forging these tools.
Why? I didn't believe the tools were authentic.
And I still don't.
Science tells us otherwise.
The rust from Miles's kill wound is more than a thousand years old.
That doesn't mean it came from the dig.
Miles could have found it on the black market.
What I saw at the time was forged.
And we were being pressured to shut down.
By who? DR.
DUBOIS: Our financiers.
The dig was draining the university's resources.
But aren't you one of the most well-funded institutions in the country? Universities care about disciplines that earn money, like sports or technology.
Archeology isn't as lucrative.
Wouldn't finding an authentic Viking site be incredibly lucrative? I trusted Dr.
Meade and the panel's conclusions.
Cases of finding Viking artifacts on Canadian soil are incredibly rare.
So you trusted him at the expense of Miles, the student that looked up to you, idolized you, in fact.
On what basis was the ruling made? On the condition of the artifacts and the likelihood of the location.
I have a reputation for being discerning.
These did not pass muster.
If Miles had found a real Viking sword after you accused him of forgery, it would be your reputation that would be ruined.
I'm an academic.
Nothing would excite me more than for Miles to be right.
I wish we could have kept going.
But it just got too expensive.
And the pressure the real estate developer put on them didn't help.
What real estate developer? Brody Max bought New Valhalla three years ago.
But the permits were stalled because of Miles's dig.
Why didn't Brody start building after the dig was called off? Well, the dig lasted a few months.
And by the time it was over, Brody had lost his crews, investors, and a large sum of his money.
He had to sell the property at dirt cheap to avoid bankruptcy.
Ah, and then he spent the next three years - (BEEP) - building up the capital to buy it back.
Come on, pal.
Over there.
So if Miles did find a real Viking sword on that land, it would have stopped Brody's build again, bankrupting his company.
That sounds like a pretty good motive for murder.
- (REX BARKS) - Yeah, but here's the thing.
I mean, who vandalized the showroom? I may be able to help with that.
With Runic, similar to other logographic languages like Cantonese or Mandarin, you can tell which hand a character was written with by how the strokes are arranged.
Now, the death rune on Miles was clearly carved with a left hand since the carving starts in the top right.
When I met Brody, he threw Rex a Frisbee with his left land.
Okay, so Jesse, can you pull up the photos from Brody's vandalized showroom please? See? The thickest strokes are on the top right.
Now, Jesse.
Can you pull up the photos from the showroom door? SARAH: See the tiny smudges of paint? After reconstructing the door fragments, we realized it's a partial boot print.
Same paint as the one used to deface the inside? - That's right.
- So the door was kicked down after the inside was vandalized.
He let himself in first.
Trashed the place.
And then kicked the door in on his way out.
Getting paint on it Open houses aren't the only thing Brody knows how to stage.
I've put up with their crap for the past six months.
One time, during an open house, those freaks barged in here waving foam swords, yelling, at the top of their lungs: Storm the castle! And I can't complain because if I do, I'm the bully because they're just grown children living in a fantasy world.
So yeah - I staged the whole thing, - (REX BARKS) hoping to finally get the cops' attention.
(REX BARKING) What is it, partner? Hmm? (REX BARKING) Don't tempt him.
He takes his job seriously.
- (REX BARKING) - So do I.
That's a warrant.
(REX BARKS) What's so special about this? Nothing.
It's just for show.
(REX BARKING) Let's see what they can tell me.
(CRASH) (REX BARKING) Uhhh.
- - (HEROIC MUSIC) You hid a sword in a stone.
You might have more in common with that LARPer you murdered than you think.
(REX BARKING) So, what did Miles approach you with the sword? You try and buy him off? Or you just killed him on the spot, hmm? We know your project would've been finished if the lot had been declared a World Heritage Site.
So it would have cost you millions, huh? Feel free to chime in any time.
I'll leave that to my lawyer.
(BEEP) Traces of Miles's blood were found on the Lodbrok.
The blade matches the stab wound.
The rust shavings I pulled from the sword also match the ones I sent in for testing.
This is definitely the murder weapon.
Why didn't Brody get rid of it? Well, he was hoping to sell it.
Dr.
Dubois said he could make a killing off it on the black market.
But how would Brody know that? He's a property developer.
He's not an antiquities dealer.
DONOVAN: Well, the weapon was found on his property.
And it turned out he lied about his alibi.
That's our guy, Charlie.
So he steals the sword from Miles? I mean, he didn't even know Miles.
I don't know.
Brody didn't have any connection to the archaeological community.
Maybe he did.
- Hm? - Charlie.
I just found an incoming call to Brody on the same day of Miles's murder, from the university.
- Show me.
- Yeah, right there.
In 25 wonderful years, it's been mostly joy, occasionally pain.
Very occasionally mistakes.
Mistakes? Like New Valhalla? Dr.
Reginald Meade.
You're under arrest for the murder of Miles Chaffey.
Come with me, please.
(GASPS) What? This is outrageous.
What's outrageous is that you felt the life of a brilliant young man was worth a 20% stake in Brody Max's multi-million dollar real estate deal.
I invested.
Not a crime.
No, it's not a crime.
But the bribe that you took to discredit the New Valhalla dig? That is.
We found the murder weapon in your associate's showroom.
(GASPS) The Lodbrok.
Miles was right.
The whole time.
And you made me believe he was crazy.
He was crazy.
Dressing up like a lunatic.
Wearing pointed devil ears I blamed myself for what happened to him for years! Miles was a brilliant young man.
And you exiled him from the community! For what? Real estate? The real devil is you! (REX BARKING) You said it, pal.
Let's go.
(DOOR BUZZER) (DR.
MEADE SIGHS) Miles came to my house.
Told me he'd found something that proved that I'd lied about New Valhalla.
Something no one would believe was a forgery.
I asked to see it.
If the artifact was authentic, then I'd admit to everything.
And Miles agreed.
Still as naive as he was when he was an undergrad.
And that's when you called Brody.
If Miles revealed that I'd lied, I'd lose my promotion, my reputation.
My whole life would be ruined.
I told Brody if he didn't help me fix it, I'd take him down with me.
Tell everyone that he'd bribed me to discredit the first dig.
So he came up with a plan.
The Lodbrok! It's real! And now that you know, it's time to keep your end of the deal.
Be smart about this, Miles.
I mean, this sword could make you a very rich man.
Sell it? This sword belongs in a museum.
Some of us actually care about history.
No matter how many times people like you try to rewrite it.
What are you doing here? I thought that you discredited my dig because you were jealous.
But you did it so he could build his shoddy houses? How much did he pay you? BRODY: A lot.
And I can make you the same deal.
MILES: All I want is what I lost when he ruined my reputation! Ughh! What the hell did you do? What I had to do! He would have ruined us both! Then Brody encased the Lodbrok in plaster.
He was supposed to encase it in concrete so it would stay hidden forever.
He couldn't even do that right.
Real estate agents are always cutting corners.
Hey, for what it's we worth, you almost pulled it off.
If it weren't for that dog.
(REX BARKING) I lost my way.
You know, you may have lost your way.
But Miles lost his life.
SARAH: I feel bad that Gabby wasn't able to make it.
CHARLIE: Well, she tampered with evidence in a murder investigation.
She's a first time offender.
She'll be out soon, but A crime is still a crime.
Yeah well, our friend Brody won't be as lucky.
His real estate days are over.
Huh.
Hey! New suit? JESSE: Well, I'm the only one who's doing this right.
Although the ears aren't historically accurate, but, What about the glasses? You didn't dress up? See? - Thank you.
- I can't thank you all enough.
The SJPD is the reason this field has been designated a heritage site.
New Valhalla will live forever.
Well, I think the real reason is Miles.
Let's call it a group effort.
(REX BARKS) Miles would be pleased.
That's right.
When I dream, you draw me to you Through the misty halls of time Find the way through darkened passage - Find the kingdom - (HORN BLOWING) Yours and mine To Ragnar! When I dream, I kneel before you Our wise warrior.
A brave spirit.
Wreathed in Rowan, clad in sky Our beating heart.
May he find new lands on the other side.
Well we rule, in grace and mercy Well we follow (SWOOSH) You and I Gossamer gleams on golden breeze Flitting flighty through the trees Next time on Hudson & Rex - (SINGING) - (GUNSHOT) We've got two shits fired from the north side.
Target was the Men's Coxed Four rowing team.
Niko! Their cockswain is dead.
We've got a suspected sniper on the loose.
No mother should have to bury her son.
(BARKING) Yeah, you and I are going to need to have a little talk.
I didn't kill him.
I didn't kill him.
(GUNSHOT) Rex? Rex! (REX BARKING) Shoot that dog and I will shoot you! - (GUNSHOT) - Rex! (GUNSHOT) Ughh!