Wild Cards (2024) s02e09 Episode Script
Barking Bad
1
Previously on Wild Cards
Aww! Is this your brother?
You keep your badge
I stay out of jail and you can
catch your brother's killer.
- So, what, we're stuck here?
- Together?
Did we? Wait. We did, didn't we?
Err how did that happen?
Dorothy's chocolates.
I just don't wanna pretend
like something didn't happen.
Something definitely happened.
[PENSIVE PIANO PLAYS]
My grandfather was the
greatest man I've ever known.
He lived every day like it was a gift.
Most people his age were
slowing down. But not Nana.
[THUMPING SOUND]
- [CLEARS THROAT]
- [THUMPING CONTINUES]
Every day there was
something new to learn.
New music to hear.
New art to see.
And he was always active
right up until the end.
[THUMPING CONTINUES]
- [CROWD WHISPERS]
- [THUMPING CONTINUES]
The day before he died,
I remember his final words to me.
Don't forget to open your eyes and ears.
The world is trying
to tell you something.
You just have to listen.
[LOUD THUD]
- [LOUD THUD]
- [MAN] It's coming from inside the casket!
Bring the key!
[GRUNTING WITH EFFORT]
[WOMAN] Open!
[MUSIC INTENSIFIES]
[SCREAMS]
Ahh!
- It wasn't even gray.
- It was thinking about it.
You know, I haven't
heard you scream that loud
since you pretended to like
football for that fireman.
Tyrone.
Alas
He was better at putting
out fires than starting them.
- How'd I do?
- Hmm. Well, you're no beauty influencer,
but you have a great canvas to work on.
[SIGHS] Well, you do too.
I'm really gonna miss this condo.
Don't get misty-eyed. The last of
the packages are soon to arrive,
- and that means
- Yeah,
and as long as we keep solving cases,
I'll get my dad outta jail.
Mm-hmm, and then we grab
the payday of ten lifetimes.
It's just been so nice to be in
a place for longer than a week.
Waking up in the same bed.
Seeing the same sunrise.
Maybe I did get too attached.
- [DOORBELL RINGS]
- Oh, I'll get it.
No need. I installed a
doorbell camera and remote key.
- Oh, my.
- Who is it?
Your attachment.
Why, Detective, we were
just talking about you.
He's kidding. What are you doing here?
- Look, I need a favor.
- I'm all yours.
My boat's outta the water right now.
They're re-waterproofing
the entire hull or something.
So, uh
Yeah. Say hello to my little friend.
Of course we'll cat-sit!
O-M-G. The famous Marc.
- Hi.
- It is a pleasure to meet you.
Okay. So, this is his catnip fish toy.
It's a go-to if he gets nervous.
- His favorite blanket's in the car.
- He'll be fine.
Oh, poor thing.
Does he have scurvy?
Nope. He just looks like that.
Hmm.
We'll see about that.
Oh, yes. There is nothing
that Uncle Ricky can't fix.
- [CAT MEOWS]
- No.
Does he like salmon soufflé?
- Of course you do.
- Where's he going?
[CELL PHONE RINGING]
Hey, Chief. What do you got?
Yeah, sure. No, I know it.
Okay, we're on our way.
Where are we going? What should I wear?
Something black.
♪
Spoiler alert.
I bet we find a dead body in there.
So, how would you wanna be buried?
I try not to think about it.
I'd want my ashes
sprinkled over Hugh Jackman.
Dead or alive. It really doesn't matter.
Noted.
- What's up?
- You won't believe me unless I show you.
That's Mr. Singh, the deceased,
and this is his funeral.
She was inside the
casket with Mr. Singh.
- What?
- Were they close?
Was there, like, a two for one
special? I don't understand.
Nobody does.
So, nobody knows who this dead woman is
- or how she got here.
- Yeah.
Who are you?
- [BREATH SOUND]
- [GASPS]
♪
[BACKGROUND CHATTER]
Max, get over here.
As soon as she stops
dying, I'll be right over.
Don't worry, it's safe.
Did the dead woman tell you that?
- Because she's lying.
- I promise, amiga.
It's okay. What you saw
was a cadaveric spasm.
They can persist through rigor mortis.
They're more common than you'd think.
Sometimes air can even pass
through the vocal cords,
making it seem like the
dead are talking to us.
Okay, so she's got no ID and her purse
- and her phone are missing?
- So robbery?
Could be. You can
clearly see the tan line
where her wedding ring used to be.
An attack might explain the
ligature marks on her neck.
- Well, they're deep.
- Think she was strangled?
Likely with some kind
of strap, I'm guessing.
The eyes show petechial hemorrhaging.
But I need to need to do an autopsy
to confirm actual cause.
Possible time of death?
Some time between 10:00
and 12:00 last night.
Well, this place would've
been closed by then.
Exactly.
So, how did her body end
up in Mr. Singh's casket?
Let's talk to the owners.
[WOMAN] It's a mystery to us.
And you're sure you don't
recognize this woman in the casket?
No.
We assure you nothing like
this has ever happened before.
I would hope not.
Well, then how do you explain it?
We can't.
Vernon and I completed the final
prep on the body last night.
Locked the casket and headed upstairs.
- And what time would that have been?
- Around 9:30.
And then we were upstairs,
uh, playing Donkey Kong.
I wouldn't have taken you as gamers.
Oh, in this line of work, real life
can be a little much sometimes.
You need an escape.
[ELLIS] I understand.
Is there anything else
you'd like to tell us?
No, of course not. No.
Is there some way you
could keep this quiet?
If this gets out, it could ruin us.
We're a small business.
It's hard enough to compete
with the big funeral chains
without this getting around.
- Dad.
- Parker.
Uh, you gotta come see this.
Someone forced this open.
When did you notice this?
Just now.
All right, I'm gonna need
to take a look at the footage
- from that security camera.
- Sure. We can get it to you.
- Great.
- Uh, no, actually we can't.
- It's not working.
- Sure it is.
No, you were supposed to call
the security guy and fix it,
but you didn't.
Oh, right. Darn. I must've forgot.
Things have been a little
stressful around here lately.
Let me guess, the customer's
just dying to get in?
The opposite, actually.
Business has been very slow.
Oh, so it's been dead around here?
[ELLIS CLEARS THROAT]
That was the last one, I swear.
Vernon, I need you.
Mrs. Singh has family from out of town
and she wants to
proceed with the funeral.
- Uh
- Will that be okay?
That should be fine. Mr. Singh died
three days ago of a heart attack.
His death's not in question here.
But the forensics team will need
to take a look at the casket.
We can get Mr. Singh another casket.
Okay. Thank you.
Okay.
Great.
Whoever broke in must've
known that the camera was down
and that they wouldn't
have been recorded.
Vernon didn't exactly seem like he
was in a rush to get it fixed either.
You think he lied to explain
the after hours corpse smuggling?
Maybe. I'll get forensics
to dust this door for prints.
It seems like an awful lot of trouble.
Why would someone break
into a funeral home
to hide a body in a casket?
What happened to the good
old days when you would just
toss the body into the river?
Because with water, bodies
have a way of resurfacing.
But this? This was a
perfect disposal method.
Or at least it would've been.
What's strange is that nobody
here knows who the victim is.
Maybe Mr. Singh knew her.
Maybe they were having an affair.
You think Mrs. Singh, a
woman in her, what, 80's,
killed her husband's lover and then
dumped her body in the casket?
Hey, love makes you do crazy things.
[MRS. SINGH] I promise you,
that woman is a stranger.
No one has ever seen her.
My husband didn't know her either.
How can you be so sure?
My husband and I were
married when we were 18.
We own a small dry
cleaners, a full-time job.
We were together 24 hours a day,
seven days a week, for our entire lives.
Okay, fine. It was just a theory.
Look, we're so sorry
you're having to go through
all this today, Mrs. Singh, but
the forensics team is gonna
need to examine the casket.
I didn't order that one anyway.
- What do you mean?
- We prepaid our funerals years ago.
My husband and I chose the basic models.
But Mr. Gunderson texted
me this morning and told me
they were upgrading it because of a long
relationship with them.
Three generations of our family
have gone through this funeral home.
We appreciate you taking
the time to talk to us. Okay?
My condolences.
- Thank you.
- Right this way.
Thank you.
That's quite the bump in accommodation.
The casket upgrade is nearly
a ten grand difference.
Yeah. Doesn't exactly sound
like something a struggling
- funeral home would do.
- No, it doesn't.
The Gundersons are hiding something.
Let's go find out what.
We can talk in here.
Look, you said it's hard to
sustain a family-run funeral home,
what with all the competition
from the big chains. Right?
- Mm-hmm.
- So, how could you afford
to give a ten grand upgrade to
super size the casket for the Singhs?
- We didn't.
- Of course not.
Then how did Mr. Singh get one?
- The Singhs requested
the upgrade.- Uh-huh.
- And paid for it.
- No.
No, Mrs. Singh told us that
you texted her this morning
offering a free upgrade.
- Darling?
- It wasn't me!
No, she must be confused.
Grief does that to a lot of people.
Let me see your phone.
Open the messages.
He's right, there's no
messages to the Singhs.
- See?
- You could've deleted them.
Like you said, why would
we give away a free upgrade
- to a bigger casket?
- To fit another body inside.
Oh! [CHUCKLES]
Look, I'm afraid I'm gonna have
to take you for questioning.
- What?
- This is outrageous!
We can do this the easy
way or the hard way.
- No, no, no, no, no. You just
- Hey, stop!
Look, I'm sorry, but I
gotta take your parents in
- for questioning, all right?
- They didn't do anything wrong.
It's okay, Parker.
I know who put her in the casket.
How would you know that?
Because it was me.
I messed up.
Messing up is like when Ross
said Rachel's name at the altar.
This is murder.
I didn't kill anyone.
Okay? She was she was already dead
- when they dropped her off.
- Who dropped her off?
- I don't know!
- Okay, Parker.
Calm down. Now, just tell me
what happened from the beginning.
I owe a lot of money.
From what?
Gambling.
My parents don't know.
- Who do you owe the money to?
- My bookie.
But he was arrested a couple months ago
and sold off my debt.
I was told that one day
I'd be asked for a favor.
And yesterday was that day?
Last night I got a
text with instructions.
Leave the back door of the
funeral home open at 1:00 AM,
and move Mr. Singh to a larger casket.
So, you texted Mrs. Singh
from your father's phone,
offering the free upgrade, and then
deleted the text before he saw it.
You didn't think your parents were
gonna find out about the upgrade?
Of course, but I was gonna find a way
to try and cover it up
before they caught on.
And when we showed up,
you faked the break in.
Who gave you your instructions?
I have no idea, it was
an anonymous text message.
Why wouldn't you just call the police?
Because they said if I
didn't do this, then
they'd go after my parents.
Look, Parker, we have
your cell phone. Okay?
So, if you're lying, we're
gonna find out about it.
I'm not. Look, I swear
I didn't kill anyone.
Okay. Apparently, Parker's
story about the texts checks out.
Text messages came in late last
night through a burner phone.
- There's no way to trace them.
- Parker's stupid,
yeah, but there's
no way he's a murderer.
No, I agree. We gotta
talk to that bookie
to find out who he
sold Parker's debt to.
You'll need a medium because he's dead.
Died of a heart attack
in prison last month.
You gotta be kidding me.
Any hits on our Jane Doe?
Simmons put in a request to the
federal missing persons database,
but we won't get a response
back until the morning.
Look, someone went to great lengths
to cover up this murder.
There must be something bigger going on.
Keep digging.
[EXHALES]
What are you doing?
I'm waiting for the third shoe to drop.
Bad news always comes in threes.
You don't actually believe that, do you?
[PHONE CHIMES]
- So, what does the third shoe say?
- It's the marina.
Apparently, the hull of my boat's
in worse shape than they thought.
Is there anything I can do to hull-p?
[SIGHS] It's gonna be out of the
water for at least a couple days.
I'll have to grab Marc and
stay in a hotel or something.
- Maybe I'll just crash here.
- Hull! No!
There's no way I can let that happen.
What kind of partner would I be
if I let you and Marc
sleep in the station?
Max. We'll be fine, it's okay.
Okay. You're hull-arious.
You're coming home with me.
And not in the way that that sounds.
Let's take the fire escape ♪
I'll lead the way ♪
As long as you're ♪
By my side ♪
I don't have to worry ♪
There's no hurry ♪
We've got hours ♪
Till daylight ♪
More wine?
Sure.
I could do this forever ♪
- Don't wanna let a moment pass us by ♪
- [RICKY CLEARS THROAT]
Right. Sorry.
This dish is incredible,
Ricky. What's it called?
Uh, he calls it Ricky Tiki Masala.
[RICKY WHISPERS] Are you done?
I think it's time for our lavender bath.
He doesn't like baths.
[CHUCKLES]
- I beg to differ.
- It's your funeral.
Ah, you two are on dish duty.
[ELLIS LAUGHS]
Oh, baby ♪
Thanks for letting Marc
and I crash here, again.
Any time.
I mean, if your boat
springs a leak or something.
By the way, I haven't wanted to pry.
I figured you'd talk to me about
it when you were ready. But
Has there been any news
with your brother's killer?
Last update I got,
they tracked him to some
gas station in South Dakota, and
as soon as they got
close, he just [SCOFFS]
vanished.
It's kinda weird how he always seems
to be one step ahead of the Feds.
Yeah, I know.
And how are you handling
that all? Are you okay?
Sometimes yes.
Sometimes no.
I just wish that I was the guy out there
chasing that bastard down. You know?
All this sitting around,
waiting for other people
to get things done, it's just
not something I'm good at.
It's even harder when we're not working.
That's why I've been
fixing the boat so much.
If I don't keep myself busy,
my mind just starts to
Anyway.
How about you?
Looks like you're getting settled here.
I am.
Do you think your dad's gonna
move in with you and Ricky
when he gets out?
Maybe.
I don't know.
So, does that mean you're
thinking of staying?
[CELL PHONE RINGS]
[ELLIS SIGHS]
Olive, what do you got?
No, "Hello. How are you?"
Olive, why are you working so late?
Why are you two together so late?
He's getting his boat worked on.
I do not want to know what that means.
Doesn't mean anything. It's just
Never mind. Look, do you have something?
Of course I do. I found
traces of dog hair and dander
in Jane Doe's neck tissues.
Given that, she was most
likely strangled by a dog leash.
So, we know what the murder weapon is.
That's not all. I found something
tangled up in Jane Doe's hair.
I just texted you a photo.
A blue contact lens.
Cosmetic. Non-prescription.
- But our Jane Doe has blue eyes.
- So, it's not hers.
Had to have belonged to the killer.
A blue-eyed killer.
Sounds like a Netflix documentary.
The one blue-eyed killer.
Remember, the killer's missing one.
Good point. But that's
an even better title.
Are you two done?
- Buenas noches.
- Good night.
- [CAT MEWS] - Mark and I
are ready for night-night.
You are on the couch.
And you are in your bedroom.
Thanks Dad.
- Anything else?
- Yes. I hid the gummies.
You kids behave yourselves.
Huh. Should, uh
- Yeah, I should get to bed.
- Probably get some sleep.
- Yeah.
- [ELLIS CLEARS THROAT]
Well have a good sleep.
Yeah. You too.
Don't go take this for granted ♪
Life's too short to be missing out ♪
So take the rise ♪
Take the fall ♪
Or take it all ♪
Take life as it comes, brother ♪
'Cause no one else will live for you ♪
Mmm ♪
Mmm ♪
Mmm ♪
♪
Oh, wow, Ricky, that smells delicious.
Hey.
Wow.
I could get used to this.
Have a seat.
Thanks.
Okay. Taste test.
Oh my God.
It's incredible.
It's my mom's recipe.
Yeah. No matter what
kinda mood my dad was in,
if she made those
just the smell would
put a smile on his face.
Well, I'm with your dad on that.
Ricky, you gotta try these.
Carbs, darling, are my no-fly zone.
Why is that picture turned around?
[WHISPERS] It upsets Marc.
What upsets Marc?
Oh. Yeah.
[CELL PHONE RINGS]
Yates. What do you got?
We got a hit on our Jane Doe.
Husband called in a missing person.
Just arrived to identify the body.
Oh my God.
Yes, that's my wife.
The last time I saw Janice was
the night before last.
Around 7:00 PM.
She she left after
we had dinner together.
I went to sleep, and when
I woke up, she still
wasn't back. That's
That's when I got nervous and I
filed the missing persons report.
Where did she go?
Um
I assumed she went to the arena.
- The arena?
- Millside arena.
She was a judge.
What do you mean, judge, like
- as in legal?
- No, as in beagle.
Dog shows. We, uh, we
travel the dog show circuit.
All across the country.
I went along to support her. I
can work remotely from anywhere.
Right, you say you assumed
she went to the arena.
She often prepped the next
day's events the night before.
Did your wife have a
connection to a Mr. Singh?
No, not that I know of.
But again, we're not from here.
Was Janice ever involved
in anything criminal?
Janice? No. Never.
Never.
Everything about her was by the book.
That's what made her such a
respected Best in Show judge.
♪
Is that different from
any other dog show judge?
Spoken like a true cat person.
[YATES] I am so glad you asked.
It's like being picked to
be a ref in the Super Bowl.
- Impressive.
- [YATES] Mmm, you bet it is.
Oh, and get this. Judges aren't
even allowed to own a dog.
They could be accused
of favoring a breed.
Forensics followed her
rental car's LoJack tracker
and found it abandoned.
No sign of a struggle.
No purse, no phone, no nothing.
All right, let's get the
phone company to give us
her last location before
the signal cuts out.
Did she have any enemies?
[YATES] Oh my God, yes.
This world is insanely competitive.
A lot of people got angry with her.
A few days ago, her rental
car was smeared with dog food.
She was murdered with a dog leash,
and they found dog hair
embedded into her neck.
Sounds like an angry competitor to me.
But how did a Best in Show judge
get caught up in the
criminal underworld?
I don't know.
It sounds like we gotta
sniff out the truth.
♪
[BARKING]
[VOCALIZING] ♪
♪
Hi. I'm Becky Ann Swanson,
and this is Woofie Goldberg.
We're here to win it all!
What do you mean we're not on the list?
Could you check again? It's Goldberg.
- G-O-L
- You're not on here.
- And neither your dog.
- [SCOFFS]
Well, I'm sure you've got 101
things to think about, so
give me a second, I'll figure this out.
[MAX] Ricky, we're not on the list.
Ricky!
[SIGHS]
I'm sorry, buttercup, lost track
of time. We were meditating.
Okay, well, can you get your Zen in gear
and get us on the list?
Quiet your mind and
your soul will speak.
[KEYBOARD TAPPING]
- [BEEPING]
- We're in.
And you are good to go, Becky Ann.
Thank you, sensei.
Could you just check again,
please? And thank you.
Fine.
Are we back on the list?
Are you a new exhibitor?
I haven't seen you before.
Oh, yes, I'm Becky Ann,
and this is Woofie Goldberg.
- [BARKS]
- Huh.
Wesley Barnell, president
of Canine Circuit Dog Shows
and CEO of Furry Cuisine.
Furry Cuisine is boldly balanced
and brimming with benefits.
It's the barking best for
you and your canine companion.
Well, that is quite the mouthful.
So is Furry Cuisine.
- [CHUCKLES]
- At my shows,
it is the dog and their
handler that is top priority.
So, if you have any
problems, you come to me.
Hey! You made it.
Uh, thank you. Um, this is quite
the setup you've got going on here.
Well, less than four years ago,
when I started Furry Cuisine,
I had one priority.
To provide high-quality,
human-grade food for dogs.
And then that expanded
into a competition,
and now we have exhibitions
in every city across the state.
- Who knew?
- Well, that is quite the come up.
I'm just tickled pink
to be here, Mr. Barnell.
[CHUCKLES] You can call me Wesley.
I think you're missing something.
I am?
[DOG WHINES]
Our brand new GPS locator dog tag.
You'll always know
where Woofie Goldberg is.
- Why, thank you.
- And if you need any more, let me know,
because I have, like
three boxes of them in my car.
[CHUCKLES]
[EXHALES] Now, I have some
sad business to attend to.
You'll have to excuse me.
Oh, yes. I I heard
about that terrible news.
- Janice was a legend.
- Yes. She was.
It's heartbreaking for all of us,
but we press on in her honour.
Choose any grooming station
you like for Woofie Goldberg.
Hope to see you again.
And that, Lola
is a toupée.
Pretty good one, but
a rug for sure.
[UPBEAT MUSIC] ♪
[APPLAUSE]
[WESLEY] 37 vitamins and minerals.
In fact
It's so good
you'll wanna have a bite too.
- [DOG BARKS]
- [APPLAUSE]
Wesley Barnell.
President of Canine Circuit Dog
Shows and CEO of Furry Cuisine.
- Furry Cuisine is boldly balanced and
- I I've seen the commercial.
Thank you. Uh, Detective Ellis.
You got a minute?
I'm sorry.
I haven't slept much
since I heard about Janice.
Of course. What can I
do for you, Detective?
I just have a couple questions for you.
Now, the night Janice was killed,
her key card logged
an entry at 10:03 PM.
Do you have any idea what she might've
been doing here so late at night?
Well, she was probably triple checking
the grooming stations and the show ring.
I mean, she was a true pro.
That's why she was
our Best in Show judge.
Can you think of anybody who
might've wanted to harm Janice?
Well, everyone hates
the Best in Show judge.
Unless you're the winner's bitch.
Sorry. Winner's bitch?
- The winning dog.
- Oh.
- Of course.
- [MAN] Sir?
I'm here to move the boxes.
Deliveries are in the back.
You know who you
should talk to is Vicky.
Janice was her mentor.
They were inseparable.
- Okay. Thank you for your time.
- Oh. Thank you.
- [YATES] Okay. You see anything?
- [SIMMONS] No.
What about now?
No.
Okay. Anything here?
Will you stop asking me and
just help me look for the thing?
Okay, well, I'm just
confused because it says that
it should be, like, right here.
Ooh not it.
No, no, no, no, no.
That's not how this works.
We're gonna decide this like adults.
Yeah. Okay.
- Mm-hmm.
- Yes.
- Two adults.
- Yeah.
Best two outta three.
[EXHALES]
[CHUCKLES]
[GROANS]
[LAUGHS]
[EXHALES]
- Uh okay.
- Oh, you look scared.
No, I'm fine.
[EXHALES]
[IN UNISON] Rock. Paper. Scissors.
[APPLAUSE]
Clean ears. Correct
position of front legs.
- Firm hind quarters.
- Excuse me?
Sorry, I'm just running
the judging checklist.
Are you Vicky?
Hi, I'm Detective Ellis.
I'm here to ask you a few
questions about Janice Evans.
Do you mind if we do this later?
The next round starts
soon and I'm not prepared.
This should only take a few minutes.
Now, Wesley tells me that
you and Janice were close.
- Is that correct?
- She was my mentor.
But more than that, she
was also my friend. Um
I just can't believe she's gone.
How long have you known Janice?
Oh, I've been on the
terrier beat for years.
- Terrier beat?
- It's Best in Group.
I mean, I was working
towards Best in Show
with Janice's help, but, uh
getting promoted like this
isn't how I imagined it.
Right. When was the
last time you saw Janice?
At the end of the first day.
Okay. Now, when you saw her,
was there anything strange
about her behavior? Was she
upset about something, maybe?
No. Uh Janice had her game
face on, as usual. She's
Um
She was all business
once the show started.
I'm sure you heard that
somebody smeared dog food
all over her rental car a few days ago.
Is there anyone you can think of
who might've had it out for Janice?
This competition brings
out the worst in everybody.
I mean, don't even get
me started on Mrs. Palmer.
They broke the mold when
they made that bitch.
I'm sorry. Who's Mrs. Palmer?
[DOG WHINES]
Well, that's a beautiful
coat she's got there.
Mrs. Palmer says thank you.
Well, you're very welcome.
I'm Becky Ann.
- Myrtle.
- Uh, question
Why do all these leashes look the same?
You must be new to the circuit.
Oh, it's our first big show.
Show leads are all the same
because it's about the dog,
not about the dazzle. It
levels the playing field.
- I see.
- You're lucky.
Why's that?
I used to be dazzled by
the glamour of it all.
But once you've peeked
behind that curtain,
you realize it's not about the dogs.
It's just a bunch of
oversized human egos
in ugly competition with themselves.
Best in Show usually means
Biggest Ego in owners.
Mmm. It's like that, is it?
Afraid so. But not me, of course.
This is all about Mrs. Palmer
and letting her shine.
This is our last year
competing, and I just know
that she would die happy
if she could walk away
- with the top honour.
- Well, don't bet on it.
I can hold my breath longer than
that bitch can hold her bladder.
Mrs. Palmer got disqualified
when she made a little boo-boo
and dropped a little doo-doo
on her run. Oh, didn't you?
While my Chiquita here was
last year's Winner's Bitch.
Oh, yes you were.
Don't you listen to him, Mrs. Palmer.
- This is our year.
- Yeah. We'll see.
Myrtle was convinced that Janice
had something against dachshunds.
- And did she?
- Let's just say
that on the first day of the show,
someone smeared Furry Cuisine dog food
on Janice's rental car. I mean,
it can't be a coincidence I saw Myrtle
taking Mrs. Palmer out for a piddle
around the same time it happened.
My God! What is that smell? Ugh!
It's horrible!
My bad, that smell is you.
You haven't stopped
smiling since I got in here.
This whole thing would go a
lot faster if you'd help me out.
Says the man in the garbage bin.
[SIMMONS GAGS]
Found it.
Now help me outta here.
Phone first.
It's precious cargo.
- Thank you.
- All right, help me out.
Nice work. Smell you later.
Yates!
Yates!
Well, bless my buns.
This will help me keep track of Lola.
You know she's not
actually your dog, right?
Shh! Don't say that out loud.
By the way, Cooper told me that
Myrtle Furry Cuisine'd Janice's car.
What the hell did you just say?
Myrtle is the one that smeared
dog food all over Janice's car.
- Hmm.
- Maybe she finally snapped
after getting passed
over all these years.
[CELL PHONE RINGING]
Yates, what do you got?
What, I'm contagious now?
Better safe than stinky.
Hey, Ellis. We got Janice's
phone, it's unlocked.
- Great. Did you look at it?
- [YATES] I've smelled it.
That's weird.
Did you find out anything
that tells us why she went back
- to the dog show so late?
- Oh, you betcha.
And it's a tale as old as time.
[YELPING SOUND]
[YELPING SOUND]
[MUFFLED SCREAMS]
[KNOCKING]
Police. Open up!
[MUFFLED SCREAMS]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
Looks like puppy love to me.
So, we confirmed you were with Janice,
and then she went back to the arena.
But you lied about why she left.
I have no idea what
you're talking about.
We have Janice's phone.
We went through all the
call logs and we spoke
to the last person Janice
talked to that night.
Her sister.
She called her crying
on the way to the arena
because she found out you were
having an affair with Vicky.
You don't understand.
I love my wife.
That's a bold statement
coming from a guy
found wearing another woman's dog leash.
Yeah, I I know.
I cheated, it's true.
But I didn't kill her.
Janice was my mentor.
She taught me everything.
I would I would never hurt her.
Right.
Apart from having a secret
affair with her husband.
Okay.
Janice lived and breathed her work.
I mean, poor Oscar was
like a lapdog that she took
with her from show to show.
All the romance was gone
from their relationship.
And now you're Best in Show judge.
That worked out well for you.
No, no.
When Wesley texted me
that morning telling me
that Janice hadn't shown up and asked me
to take over for her, I felt awful.
Wesley texted you about
replacing Janice that morning?
He used to text Janice
her itinerary every morning
- at 7:00 AM, like clockwork.
- He was he was
like that about everything
related to the show.
Oscar, this isn't looking
good for either of you.
But we have alibis.
A manager and a and a
locksmith can back me up.
Why a locksmith?
So, apparently the locksmith
was from Passion Palace,
and the handcuffs malfunctioned.
And you don't wanna know
any more details than that.
Uh yes, I do.
- Later.
- Drinks on me.
Okay, so, if they didn't
kill Janice, then who did?
Oscar said that Wesley would
text Janice every morning
at 7:00 AM with the
daily itinerary. Right?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, look at this.
There's no text from Wesley
the day after she was murdered.
Exactly. Which could be
an innocent mistake, or
a guilty slip up.
Well, do you think Wesley knew
Janice wasn't showing up for work?
Well, if Wesley killed
Janice and dumped her body
in the casket, he would've
assumed that nobody
- would ever find her.
- Well, what do we know about Wesley?
Wesley Barnell.
Well, he doesn't have a criminal record.
But
look at his driver's license.
Does that look like the Wesley we know?
His eye color is listed as brown.
We need to find that video
of Wesley's commercial.
The one that played
non-stop at the dog show.
It's fortified. It's organic.
It has 37 vitamins and minerals.
In fact, it's so good,
you'll wanna have a bite too.
Mmm.
Furry Cuisine.
The barking best for you
and your canine companion.
Look. His eyes are blue.
He's wearing cosmetic contacts.
Just like the one Olive
found in Janice's hair.
I mean, if it matches, that
would connect him to the body.
Book 'em, Danno!
The dog show's done for the day.
I mean, he could be anywhere.
I know how to find him.
Wesley has a box of
these AirTags in his car.
Yeah, but you need a
serial number to track that.
Or we could just call Ricky.
[ELLIS] That's Wesley's car on the left.
But when I run the plates
for the one on the right,
I get this.
Gregory Thomas.
I swear I've seen his face before,
but I can't remember where.
- Can you run his name?
- Yeah.
Gregory Thomas.
[DOGS BARK IN DISTANCE]
Wow.
He's got a rap sheet a mile long.
He's a known associate
of the dead bookie.
I bet he's the one who
bought Parker's gambling debt.
Bada bing.
That's where I know him from!
He was dressed as a delivery
man at Wesley's dog show.
Doggone it.
But it still doesn't make any sense.
What does organized crime
have to do with the dog show?
I don't know.
But I'm calling Li and letting
him know we're going inside.
[VOICES IN DISTANCE]
[MAN] You got can openers?
[MAN] Yeah, just make
sure you weigh them all.
They're opening up
cans of Furry Cuisine.
I hope he's not forcing them to eat it.
Looks like drugs.
Wesley's not just a dog show mogul.
He's barking bad.
It's a perfect cover for moving
product without suspicion.
Well, maybe when Janice was
at the arena after hours,
she saw something she
wasn't supposed to.
- [TRIGGER CLICKS]
- [MAN] And so did you.
[MAN] Slowly get up.
Now, don't move.
Hey, man. Look, I think we can just
- [GROANS]
- [PUNCHES THUD]
Take it right back to the basics ♪
Who's the top dog now?
All right, take cover,
take cover, take cover!
Hey!
- Who's there?
- [GUNSHOT]
[GUNSHOT]
- Hey, Max.
- [MAN] Show your face!
You need to get to the Bronco right now.
I'm gonna cover you. On three. Ready?
One. Two. Three. Go!
[GUNSHOTS]
[GUNSHOT]
[GUNSHOTS]
But it's hard to believe ♪
I made it look easy ♪
Police. Freeze!
[GUNSHOTS]
- [MAN] Other side!
- [MEN YELLING]
Yeah ♪
[GUNSHOT]
Li, I got your right! I got your right!
[GUNSHOTS CONTINUE]
- [MAN YELLING]
- [GUNSHOTS]
I'm the big attraction ♪
- Lights, camera, action ♪
- [ELLIS] Stop!
[THUDS]
You're under arrest
for the murder of Janice Evans.
Put your hands behind your back.
Metro PD! On the ground!
On the ground!
Drop your weapons!
[LI] Hands behind your head.
I'm so glad you made it ♪
Ha ♪
Roll down your window ♪
Play this on repeat ♪
Whipping your neck when
we cruising the street ♪
Becky Ann Swanson?
- What are you doing here?
- Oh, don't you know?
We're here to bring
you to your new home.
Where you'll get three meals a day.
And if you're lucky
they'll let you out into
the yard to do your business.
I don't even like dogs!
- I'm a cat person.
- All right, let's go.
- Come on.
- You got to believe me ♪
The way I move, I make it look easy ♪
[DOG PANTING]
Just got off the phone with the Feds.
Wesley's team hid the drugs in
the cans in his dog food factory.
And he used his traveling
dog show as a cover
for his drug distribution network.
It was a good racket.
Yeah. So good it didn't
ping on anyone's radar.
Feds also tracked the drugs back
to their international source.
They're about to take a lot
of bad guys off the street,
- so, good work.
- What about Parker?
The funeral home kid.
I mean, the only reason
that drug dealer bought
his gambling debt is
so he could have access
to the funeral home to dump the body.
Parker had no connection to Janice.
He was just an unlucky sucker.
Don't worry, he's looking
at community service
and probation instead of real jail time.
Time's up. Her real parents
are here to get Lola.
Oh, let me just say goodbye.
Unfortunately, we weren't
the winner's bitches.
But we did solve a murder and
help keep Janice's memory alive.
From now on, the dog show will be called
the Janice Evans Memorial
Best in Show Championship.
- Sure.
- [PHONE CHIMES]
Come on. Here we go.
So, what should I tell
Ricky to make us for dinner?
Could we rain check?
The marina just texted
me. My boat's ready.
I'm just gonna swing by and
pick up Marc, if that's okay?
Yeah, probably for the best.
Ricky's getting too attached.
Come on, I'll give us a ride over there.
It's a cryin' shame ♪
Keeps me up at night ♪
Ricky?
What's for dinner?
I'm too depressed to eat.
Marc is gone.
How can you even think of food?
Because I'm hungry.
You're on your own.
Just ignore any sobbing you may hear.
But why so cruel? ♪
Why so cruel? ♪
Why so cruel? ♪
When you walk away ♪
All right.
Here goes nothing.
[CLUNK]
- [ELECTRICITY ZAPS]
- [ELLIS SIGHS]
[MARC MEOWS]
Don't judge me.
♪
Rules.
The rules I made for myself are
how I got to be where I am today.
A very rich man.
And more importantly, a free man.
The rules have to be non-negotiable.
Nothing less than commandments
brought down from the mountain.
Those rules are simple.
Never punch down.
Always lend a hand to those in need.
Don't take anything from anyone
who doesn't deserve to lose it. And
don't get attached.
Don't get attached to routines.
Don't get attached to
property or possessions.
And most important of all,
don't get attached to people.
They'll only betray you.
They'll slow you down
or cloud your judgment.
And any one of those
can make the difference
between freedom and 20 years in a cage.
You must be willing to
walk away from anyone
at the drop of a hat.
If you cannot
that's your warning
sign to cut them loose.
Why so cruel? ♪
Why so cruel? ♪
Why so cruel? ♪
[GROANS]
When you walk away ♪
Max!
[MAX] What?
Do you say "vahz" or "vase"?
[MAX] Vase.
That's "vahz".
- It's "vahz".
- [MAX] What?
Nothing!
Previously on Wild Cards
Aww! Is this your brother?
You keep your badge
I stay out of jail and you can
catch your brother's killer.
- So, what, we're stuck here?
- Together?
Did we? Wait. We did, didn't we?
Err how did that happen?
Dorothy's chocolates.
I just don't wanna pretend
like something didn't happen.
Something definitely happened.
[PENSIVE PIANO PLAYS]
My grandfather was the
greatest man I've ever known.
He lived every day like it was a gift.
Most people his age were
slowing down. But not Nana.
[THUMPING SOUND]
- [CLEARS THROAT]
- [THUMPING CONTINUES]
Every day there was
something new to learn.
New music to hear.
New art to see.
And he was always active
right up until the end.
[THUMPING CONTINUES]
- [CROWD WHISPERS]
- [THUMPING CONTINUES]
The day before he died,
I remember his final words to me.
Don't forget to open your eyes and ears.
The world is trying
to tell you something.
You just have to listen.
[LOUD THUD]
- [LOUD THUD]
- [MAN] It's coming from inside the casket!
Bring the key!
[GRUNTING WITH EFFORT]
[WOMAN] Open!
[MUSIC INTENSIFIES]
[SCREAMS]
Ahh!
- It wasn't even gray.
- It was thinking about it.
You know, I haven't
heard you scream that loud
since you pretended to like
football for that fireman.
Tyrone.
Alas
He was better at putting
out fires than starting them.
- How'd I do?
- Hmm. Well, you're no beauty influencer,
but you have a great canvas to work on.
[SIGHS] Well, you do too.
I'm really gonna miss this condo.
Don't get misty-eyed. The last of
the packages are soon to arrive,
- and that means
- Yeah,
and as long as we keep solving cases,
I'll get my dad outta jail.
Mm-hmm, and then we grab
the payday of ten lifetimes.
It's just been so nice to be in
a place for longer than a week.
Waking up in the same bed.
Seeing the same sunrise.
Maybe I did get too attached.
- [DOORBELL RINGS]
- Oh, I'll get it.
No need. I installed a
doorbell camera and remote key.
- Oh, my.
- Who is it?
Your attachment.
Why, Detective, we were
just talking about you.
He's kidding. What are you doing here?
- Look, I need a favor.
- I'm all yours.
My boat's outta the water right now.
They're re-waterproofing
the entire hull or something.
So, uh
Yeah. Say hello to my little friend.
Of course we'll cat-sit!
O-M-G. The famous Marc.
- Hi.
- It is a pleasure to meet you.
Okay. So, this is his catnip fish toy.
It's a go-to if he gets nervous.
- His favorite blanket's in the car.
- He'll be fine.
Oh, poor thing.
Does he have scurvy?
Nope. He just looks like that.
Hmm.
We'll see about that.
Oh, yes. There is nothing
that Uncle Ricky can't fix.
- [CAT MEOWS]
- No.
Does he like salmon soufflé?
- Of course you do.
- Where's he going?
[CELL PHONE RINGING]
Hey, Chief. What do you got?
Yeah, sure. No, I know it.
Okay, we're on our way.
Where are we going? What should I wear?
Something black.
♪
Spoiler alert.
I bet we find a dead body in there.
So, how would you wanna be buried?
I try not to think about it.
I'd want my ashes
sprinkled over Hugh Jackman.
Dead or alive. It really doesn't matter.
Noted.
- What's up?
- You won't believe me unless I show you.
That's Mr. Singh, the deceased,
and this is his funeral.
She was inside the
casket with Mr. Singh.
- What?
- Were they close?
Was there, like, a two for one
special? I don't understand.
Nobody does.
So, nobody knows who this dead woman is
- or how she got here.
- Yeah.
Who are you?
- [BREATH SOUND]
- [GASPS]
♪
[BACKGROUND CHATTER]
Max, get over here.
As soon as she stops
dying, I'll be right over.
Don't worry, it's safe.
Did the dead woman tell you that?
- Because she's lying.
- I promise, amiga.
It's okay. What you saw
was a cadaveric spasm.
They can persist through rigor mortis.
They're more common than you'd think.
Sometimes air can even pass
through the vocal cords,
making it seem like the
dead are talking to us.
Okay, so she's got no ID and her purse
- and her phone are missing?
- So robbery?
Could be. You can
clearly see the tan line
where her wedding ring used to be.
An attack might explain the
ligature marks on her neck.
- Well, they're deep.
- Think she was strangled?
Likely with some kind
of strap, I'm guessing.
The eyes show petechial hemorrhaging.
But I need to need to do an autopsy
to confirm actual cause.
Possible time of death?
Some time between 10:00
and 12:00 last night.
Well, this place would've
been closed by then.
Exactly.
So, how did her body end
up in Mr. Singh's casket?
Let's talk to the owners.
[WOMAN] It's a mystery to us.
And you're sure you don't
recognize this woman in the casket?
No.
We assure you nothing like
this has ever happened before.
I would hope not.
Well, then how do you explain it?
We can't.
Vernon and I completed the final
prep on the body last night.
Locked the casket and headed upstairs.
- And what time would that have been?
- Around 9:30.
And then we were upstairs,
uh, playing Donkey Kong.
I wouldn't have taken you as gamers.
Oh, in this line of work, real life
can be a little much sometimes.
You need an escape.
[ELLIS] I understand.
Is there anything else
you'd like to tell us?
No, of course not. No.
Is there some way you
could keep this quiet?
If this gets out, it could ruin us.
We're a small business.
It's hard enough to compete
with the big funeral chains
without this getting around.
- Dad.
- Parker.
Uh, you gotta come see this.
Someone forced this open.
When did you notice this?
Just now.
All right, I'm gonna need
to take a look at the footage
- from that security camera.
- Sure. We can get it to you.
- Great.
- Uh, no, actually we can't.
- It's not working.
- Sure it is.
No, you were supposed to call
the security guy and fix it,
but you didn't.
Oh, right. Darn. I must've forgot.
Things have been a little
stressful around here lately.
Let me guess, the customer's
just dying to get in?
The opposite, actually.
Business has been very slow.
Oh, so it's been dead around here?
[ELLIS CLEARS THROAT]
That was the last one, I swear.
Vernon, I need you.
Mrs. Singh has family from out of town
and she wants to
proceed with the funeral.
- Uh
- Will that be okay?
That should be fine. Mr. Singh died
three days ago of a heart attack.
His death's not in question here.
But the forensics team will need
to take a look at the casket.
We can get Mr. Singh another casket.
Okay. Thank you.
Okay.
Great.
Whoever broke in must've
known that the camera was down
and that they wouldn't
have been recorded.
Vernon didn't exactly seem like he
was in a rush to get it fixed either.
You think he lied to explain
the after hours corpse smuggling?
Maybe. I'll get forensics
to dust this door for prints.
It seems like an awful lot of trouble.
Why would someone break
into a funeral home
to hide a body in a casket?
What happened to the good
old days when you would just
toss the body into the river?
Because with water, bodies
have a way of resurfacing.
But this? This was a
perfect disposal method.
Or at least it would've been.
What's strange is that nobody
here knows who the victim is.
Maybe Mr. Singh knew her.
Maybe they were having an affair.
You think Mrs. Singh, a
woman in her, what, 80's,
killed her husband's lover and then
dumped her body in the casket?
Hey, love makes you do crazy things.
[MRS. SINGH] I promise you,
that woman is a stranger.
No one has ever seen her.
My husband didn't know her either.
How can you be so sure?
My husband and I were
married when we were 18.
We own a small dry
cleaners, a full-time job.
We were together 24 hours a day,
seven days a week, for our entire lives.
Okay, fine. It was just a theory.
Look, we're so sorry
you're having to go through
all this today, Mrs. Singh, but
the forensics team is gonna
need to examine the casket.
I didn't order that one anyway.
- What do you mean?
- We prepaid our funerals years ago.
My husband and I chose the basic models.
But Mr. Gunderson texted
me this morning and told me
they were upgrading it because of a long
relationship with them.
Three generations of our family
have gone through this funeral home.
We appreciate you taking
the time to talk to us. Okay?
My condolences.
- Thank you.
- Right this way.
Thank you.
That's quite the bump in accommodation.
The casket upgrade is nearly
a ten grand difference.
Yeah. Doesn't exactly sound
like something a struggling
- funeral home would do.
- No, it doesn't.
The Gundersons are hiding something.
Let's go find out what.
We can talk in here.
Look, you said it's hard to
sustain a family-run funeral home,
what with all the competition
from the big chains. Right?
- Mm-hmm.
- So, how could you afford
to give a ten grand upgrade to
super size the casket for the Singhs?
- We didn't.
- Of course not.
Then how did Mr. Singh get one?
- The Singhs requested
the upgrade.- Uh-huh.
- And paid for it.
- No.
No, Mrs. Singh told us that
you texted her this morning
offering a free upgrade.
- Darling?
- It wasn't me!
No, she must be confused.
Grief does that to a lot of people.
Let me see your phone.
Open the messages.
He's right, there's no
messages to the Singhs.
- See?
- You could've deleted them.
Like you said, why would
we give away a free upgrade
- to a bigger casket?
- To fit another body inside.
Oh! [CHUCKLES]
Look, I'm afraid I'm gonna have
to take you for questioning.
- What?
- This is outrageous!
We can do this the easy
way or the hard way.
- No, no, no, no, no. You just
- Hey, stop!
Look, I'm sorry, but I
gotta take your parents in
- for questioning, all right?
- They didn't do anything wrong.
It's okay, Parker.
I know who put her in the casket.
How would you know that?
Because it was me.
I messed up.
Messing up is like when Ross
said Rachel's name at the altar.
This is murder.
I didn't kill anyone.
Okay? She was she was already dead
- when they dropped her off.
- Who dropped her off?
- I don't know!
- Okay, Parker.
Calm down. Now, just tell me
what happened from the beginning.
I owe a lot of money.
From what?
Gambling.
My parents don't know.
- Who do you owe the money to?
- My bookie.
But he was arrested a couple months ago
and sold off my debt.
I was told that one day
I'd be asked for a favor.
And yesterday was that day?
Last night I got a
text with instructions.
Leave the back door of the
funeral home open at 1:00 AM,
and move Mr. Singh to a larger casket.
So, you texted Mrs. Singh
from your father's phone,
offering the free upgrade, and then
deleted the text before he saw it.
You didn't think your parents were
gonna find out about the upgrade?
Of course, but I was gonna find a way
to try and cover it up
before they caught on.
And when we showed up,
you faked the break in.
Who gave you your instructions?
I have no idea, it was
an anonymous text message.
Why wouldn't you just call the police?
Because they said if I
didn't do this, then
they'd go after my parents.
Look, Parker, we have
your cell phone. Okay?
So, if you're lying, we're
gonna find out about it.
I'm not. Look, I swear
I didn't kill anyone.
Okay. Apparently, Parker's
story about the texts checks out.
Text messages came in late last
night through a burner phone.
- There's no way to trace them.
- Parker's stupid,
yeah, but there's
no way he's a murderer.
No, I agree. We gotta
talk to that bookie
to find out who he
sold Parker's debt to.
You'll need a medium because he's dead.
Died of a heart attack
in prison last month.
You gotta be kidding me.
Any hits on our Jane Doe?
Simmons put in a request to the
federal missing persons database,
but we won't get a response
back until the morning.
Look, someone went to great lengths
to cover up this murder.
There must be something bigger going on.
Keep digging.
[EXHALES]
What are you doing?
I'm waiting for the third shoe to drop.
Bad news always comes in threes.
You don't actually believe that, do you?
[PHONE CHIMES]
- So, what does the third shoe say?
- It's the marina.
Apparently, the hull of my boat's
in worse shape than they thought.
Is there anything I can do to hull-p?
[SIGHS] It's gonna be out of the
water for at least a couple days.
I'll have to grab Marc and
stay in a hotel or something.
- Maybe I'll just crash here.
- Hull! No!
There's no way I can let that happen.
What kind of partner would I be
if I let you and Marc
sleep in the station?
Max. We'll be fine, it's okay.
Okay. You're hull-arious.
You're coming home with me.
And not in the way that that sounds.
Let's take the fire escape ♪
I'll lead the way ♪
As long as you're ♪
By my side ♪
I don't have to worry ♪
There's no hurry ♪
We've got hours ♪
Till daylight ♪
More wine?
Sure.
I could do this forever ♪
- Don't wanna let a moment pass us by ♪
- [RICKY CLEARS THROAT]
Right. Sorry.
This dish is incredible,
Ricky. What's it called?
Uh, he calls it Ricky Tiki Masala.
[RICKY WHISPERS] Are you done?
I think it's time for our lavender bath.
He doesn't like baths.
[CHUCKLES]
- I beg to differ.
- It's your funeral.
Ah, you two are on dish duty.
[ELLIS LAUGHS]
Oh, baby ♪
Thanks for letting Marc
and I crash here, again.
Any time.
I mean, if your boat
springs a leak or something.
By the way, I haven't wanted to pry.
I figured you'd talk to me about
it when you were ready. But
Has there been any news
with your brother's killer?
Last update I got,
they tracked him to some
gas station in South Dakota, and
as soon as they got
close, he just [SCOFFS]
vanished.
It's kinda weird how he always seems
to be one step ahead of the Feds.
Yeah, I know.
And how are you handling
that all? Are you okay?
Sometimes yes.
Sometimes no.
I just wish that I was the guy out there
chasing that bastard down. You know?
All this sitting around,
waiting for other people
to get things done, it's just
not something I'm good at.
It's even harder when we're not working.
That's why I've been
fixing the boat so much.
If I don't keep myself busy,
my mind just starts to
Anyway.
How about you?
Looks like you're getting settled here.
I am.
Do you think your dad's gonna
move in with you and Ricky
when he gets out?
Maybe.
I don't know.
So, does that mean you're
thinking of staying?
[CELL PHONE RINGS]
[ELLIS SIGHS]
Olive, what do you got?
No, "Hello. How are you?"
Olive, why are you working so late?
Why are you two together so late?
He's getting his boat worked on.
I do not want to know what that means.
Doesn't mean anything. It's just
Never mind. Look, do you have something?
Of course I do. I found
traces of dog hair and dander
in Jane Doe's neck tissues.
Given that, she was most
likely strangled by a dog leash.
So, we know what the murder weapon is.
That's not all. I found something
tangled up in Jane Doe's hair.
I just texted you a photo.
A blue contact lens.
Cosmetic. Non-prescription.
- But our Jane Doe has blue eyes.
- So, it's not hers.
Had to have belonged to the killer.
A blue-eyed killer.
Sounds like a Netflix documentary.
The one blue-eyed killer.
Remember, the killer's missing one.
Good point. But that's
an even better title.
Are you two done?
- Buenas noches.
- Good night.
- [CAT MEWS] - Mark and I
are ready for night-night.
You are on the couch.
And you are in your bedroom.
Thanks Dad.
- Anything else?
- Yes. I hid the gummies.
You kids behave yourselves.
Huh. Should, uh
- Yeah, I should get to bed.
- Probably get some sleep.
- Yeah.
- [ELLIS CLEARS THROAT]
Well have a good sleep.
Yeah. You too.
Don't go take this for granted ♪
Life's too short to be missing out ♪
So take the rise ♪
Take the fall ♪
Or take it all ♪
Take life as it comes, brother ♪
'Cause no one else will live for you ♪
Mmm ♪
Mmm ♪
Mmm ♪
♪
Oh, wow, Ricky, that smells delicious.
Hey.
Wow.
I could get used to this.
Have a seat.
Thanks.
Okay. Taste test.
Oh my God.
It's incredible.
It's my mom's recipe.
Yeah. No matter what
kinda mood my dad was in,
if she made those
just the smell would
put a smile on his face.
Well, I'm with your dad on that.
Ricky, you gotta try these.
Carbs, darling, are my no-fly zone.
Why is that picture turned around?
[WHISPERS] It upsets Marc.
What upsets Marc?
Oh. Yeah.
[CELL PHONE RINGS]
Yates. What do you got?
We got a hit on our Jane Doe.
Husband called in a missing person.
Just arrived to identify the body.
Oh my God.
Yes, that's my wife.
The last time I saw Janice was
the night before last.
Around 7:00 PM.
She she left after
we had dinner together.
I went to sleep, and when
I woke up, she still
wasn't back. That's
That's when I got nervous and I
filed the missing persons report.
Where did she go?
Um
I assumed she went to the arena.
- The arena?
- Millside arena.
She was a judge.
What do you mean, judge, like
- as in legal?
- No, as in beagle.
Dog shows. We, uh, we
travel the dog show circuit.
All across the country.
I went along to support her. I
can work remotely from anywhere.
Right, you say you assumed
she went to the arena.
She often prepped the next
day's events the night before.
Did your wife have a
connection to a Mr. Singh?
No, not that I know of.
But again, we're not from here.
Was Janice ever involved
in anything criminal?
Janice? No. Never.
Never.
Everything about her was by the book.
That's what made her such a
respected Best in Show judge.
♪
Is that different from
any other dog show judge?
Spoken like a true cat person.
[YATES] I am so glad you asked.
It's like being picked to
be a ref in the Super Bowl.
- Impressive.
- [YATES] Mmm, you bet it is.
Oh, and get this. Judges aren't
even allowed to own a dog.
They could be accused
of favoring a breed.
Forensics followed her
rental car's LoJack tracker
and found it abandoned.
No sign of a struggle.
No purse, no phone, no nothing.
All right, let's get the
phone company to give us
her last location before
the signal cuts out.
Did she have any enemies?
[YATES] Oh my God, yes.
This world is insanely competitive.
A lot of people got angry with her.
A few days ago, her rental
car was smeared with dog food.
She was murdered with a dog leash,
and they found dog hair
embedded into her neck.
Sounds like an angry competitor to me.
But how did a Best in Show judge
get caught up in the
criminal underworld?
I don't know.
It sounds like we gotta
sniff out the truth.
♪
[BARKING]
[VOCALIZING] ♪
♪
Hi. I'm Becky Ann Swanson,
and this is Woofie Goldberg.
We're here to win it all!
What do you mean we're not on the list?
Could you check again? It's Goldberg.
- G-O-L
- You're not on here.
- And neither your dog.
- [SCOFFS]
Well, I'm sure you've got 101
things to think about, so
give me a second, I'll figure this out.
[MAX] Ricky, we're not on the list.
Ricky!
[SIGHS]
I'm sorry, buttercup, lost track
of time. We were meditating.
Okay, well, can you get your Zen in gear
and get us on the list?
Quiet your mind and
your soul will speak.
[KEYBOARD TAPPING]
- [BEEPING]
- We're in.
And you are good to go, Becky Ann.
Thank you, sensei.
Could you just check again,
please? And thank you.
Fine.
Are we back on the list?
Are you a new exhibitor?
I haven't seen you before.
Oh, yes, I'm Becky Ann,
and this is Woofie Goldberg.
- [BARKS]
- Huh.
Wesley Barnell, president
of Canine Circuit Dog Shows
and CEO of Furry Cuisine.
Furry Cuisine is boldly balanced
and brimming with benefits.
It's the barking best for
you and your canine companion.
Well, that is quite the mouthful.
So is Furry Cuisine.
- [CHUCKLES]
- At my shows,
it is the dog and their
handler that is top priority.
So, if you have any
problems, you come to me.
Hey! You made it.
Uh, thank you. Um, this is quite
the setup you've got going on here.
Well, less than four years ago,
when I started Furry Cuisine,
I had one priority.
To provide high-quality,
human-grade food for dogs.
And then that expanded
into a competition,
and now we have exhibitions
in every city across the state.
- Who knew?
- Well, that is quite the come up.
I'm just tickled pink
to be here, Mr. Barnell.
[CHUCKLES] You can call me Wesley.
I think you're missing something.
I am?
[DOG WHINES]
Our brand new GPS locator dog tag.
You'll always know
where Woofie Goldberg is.
- Why, thank you.
- And if you need any more, let me know,
because I have, like
three boxes of them in my car.
[CHUCKLES]
[EXHALES] Now, I have some
sad business to attend to.
You'll have to excuse me.
Oh, yes. I I heard
about that terrible news.
- Janice was a legend.
- Yes. She was.
It's heartbreaking for all of us,
but we press on in her honour.
Choose any grooming station
you like for Woofie Goldberg.
Hope to see you again.
And that, Lola
is a toupée.
Pretty good one, but
a rug for sure.
[UPBEAT MUSIC] ♪
[APPLAUSE]
[WESLEY] 37 vitamins and minerals.
In fact
It's so good
you'll wanna have a bite too.
- [DOG BARKS]
- [APPLAUSE]
Wesley Barnell.
President of Canine Circuit Dog
Shows and CEO of Furry Cuisine.
- Furry Cuisine is boldly balanced and
- I I've seen the commercial.
Thank you. Uh, Detective Ellis.
You got a minute?
I'm sorry.
I haven't slept much
since I heard about Janice.
Of course. What can I
do for you, Detective?
I just have a couple questions for you.
Now, the night Janice was killed,
her key card logged
an entry at 10:03 PM.
Do you have any idea what she might've
been doing here so late at night?
Well, she was probably triple checking
the grooming stations and the show ring.
I mean, she was a true pro.
That's why she was
our Best in Show judge.
Can you think of anybody who
might've wanted to harm Janice?
Well, everyone hates
the Best in Show judge.
Unless you're the winner's bitch.
Sorry. Winner's bitch?
- The winning dog.
- Oh.
- Of course.
- [MAN] Sir?
I'm here to move the boxes.
Deliveries are in the back.
You know who you
should talk to is Vicky.
Janice was her mentor.
They were inseparable.
- Okay. Thank you for your time.
- Oh. Thank you.
- [YATES] Okay. You see anything?
- [SIMMONS] No.
What about now?
No.
Okay. Anything here?
Will you stop asking me and
just help me look for the thing?
Okay, well, I'm just
confused because it says that
it should be, like, right here.
Ooh not it.
No, no, no, no, no.
That's not how this works.
We're gonna decide this like adults.
Yeah. Okay.
- Mm-hmm.
- Yes.
- Two adults.
- Yeah.
Best two outta three.
[EXHALES]
[CHUCKLES]
[GROANS]
[LAUGHS]
[EXHALES]
- Uh okay.
- Oh, you look scared.
No, I'm fine.
[EXHALES]
[IN UNISON] Rock. Paper. Scissors.
[APPLAUSE]
Clean ears. Correct
position of front legs.
- Firm hind quarters.
- Excuse me?
Sorry, I'm just running
the judging checklist.
Are you Vicky?
Hi, I'm Detective Ellis.
I'm here to ask you a few
questions about Janice Evans.
Do you mind if we do this later?
The next round starts
soon and I'm not prepared.
This should only take a few minutes.
Now, Wesley tells me that
you and Janice were close.
- Is that correct?
- She was my mentor.
But more than that, she
was also my friend. Um
I just can't believe she's gone.
How long have you known Janice?
Oh, I've been on the
terrier beat for years.
- Terrier beat?
- It's Best in Group.
I mean, I was working
towards Best in Show
with Janice's help, but, uh
getting promoted like this
isn't how I imagined it.
Right. When was the
last time you saw Janice?
At the end of the first day.
Okay. Now, when you saw her,
was there anything strange
about her behavior? Was she
upset about something, maybe?
No. Uh Janice had her game
face on, as usual. She's
Um
She was all business
once the show started.
I'm sure you heard that
somebody smeared dog food
all over her rental car a few days ago.
Is there anyone you can think of
who might've had it out for Janice?
This competition brings
out the worst in everybody.
I mean, don't even get
me started on Mrs. Palmer.
They broke the mold when
they made that bitch.
I'm sorry. Who's Mrs. Palmer?
[DOG WHINES]
Well, that's a beautiful
coat she's got there.
Mrs. Palmer says thank you.
Well, you're very welcome.
I'm Becky Ann.
- Myrtle.
- Uh, question
Why do all these leashes look the same?
You must be new to the circuit.
Oh, it's our first big show.
Show leads are all the same
because it's about the dog,
not about the dazzle. It
levels the playing field.
- I see.
- You're lucky.
Why's that?
I used to be dazzled by
the glamour of it all.
But once you've peeked
behind that curtain,
you realize it's not about the dogs.
It's just a bunch of
oversized human egos
in ugly competition with themselves.
Best in Show usually means
Biggest Ego in owners.
Mmm. It's like that, is it?
Afraid so. But not me, of course.
This is all about Mrs. Palmer
and letting her shine.
This is our last year
competing, and I just know
that she would die happy
if she could walk away
- with the top honour.
- Well, don't bet on it.
I can hold my breath longer than
that bitch can hold her bladder.
Mrs. Palmer got disqualified
when she made a little boo-boo
and dropped a little doo-doo
on her run. Oh, didn't you?
While my Chiquita here was
last year's Winner's Bitch.
Oh, yes you were.
Don't you listen to him, Mrs. Palmer.
- This is our year.
- Yeah. We'll see.
Myrtle was convinced that Janice
had something against dachshunds.
- And did she?
- Let's just say
that on the first day of the show,
someone smeared Furry Cuisine dog food
on Janice's rental car. I mean,
it can't be a coincidence I saw Myrtle
taking Mrs. Palmer out for a piddle
around the same time it happened.
My God! What is that smell? Ugh!
It's horrible!
My bad, that smell is you.
You haven't stopped
smiling since I got in here.
This whole thing would go a
lot faster if you'd help me out.
Says the man in the garbage bin.
[SIMMONS GAGS]
Found it.
Now help me outta here.
Phone first.
It's precious cargo.
- Thank you.
- All right, help me out.
Nice work. Smell you later.
Yates!
Yates!
Well, bless my buns.
This will help me keep track of Lola.
You know she's not
actually your dog, right?
Shh! Don't say that out loud.
By the way, Cooper told me that
Myrtle Furry Cuisine'd Janice's car.
What the hell did you just say?
Myrtle is the one that smeared
dog food all over Janice's car.
- Hmm.
- Maybe she finally snapped
after getting passed
over all these years.
[CELL PHONE RINGING]
Yates, what do you got?
What, I'm contagious now?
Better safe than stinky.
Hey, Ellis. We got Janice's
phone, it's unlocked.
- Great. Did you look at it?
- [YATES] I've smelled it.
That's weird.
Did you find out anything
that tells us why she went back
- to the dog show so late?
- Oh, you betcha.
And it's a tale as old as time.
[YELPING SOUND]
[YELPING SOUND]
[MUFFLED SCREAMS]
[KNOCKING]
Police. Open up!
[MUFFLED SCREAMS]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
Looks like puppy love to me.
So, we confirmed you were with Janice,
and then she went back to the arena.
But you lied about why she left.
I have no idea what
you're talking about.
We have Janice's phone.
We went through all the
call logs and we spoke
to the last person Janice
talked to that night.
Her sister.
She called her crying
on the way to the arena
because she found out you were
having an affair with Vicky.
You don't understand.
I love my wife.
That's a bold statement
coming from a guy
found wearing another woman's dog leash.
Yeah, I I know.
I cheated, it's true.
But I didn't kill her.
Janice was my mentor.
She taught me everything.
I would I would never hurt her.
Right.
Apart from having a secret
affair with her husband.
Okay.
Janice lived and breathed her work.
I mean, poor Oscar was
like a lapdog that she took
with her from show to show.
All the romance was gone
from their relationship.
And now you're Best in Show judge.
That worked out well for you.
No, no.
When Wesley texted me
that morning telling me
that Janice hadn't shown up and asked me
to take over for her, I felt awful.
Wesley texted you about
replacing Janice that morning?
He used to text Janice
her itinerary every morning
- at 7:00 AM, like clockwork.
- He was he was
like that about everything
related to the show.
Oscar, this isn't looking
good for either of you.
But we have alibis.
A manager and a and a
locksmith can back me up.
Why a locksmith?
So, apparently the locksmith
was from Passion Palace,
and the handcuffs malfunctioned.
And you don't wanna know
any more details than that.
Uh yes, I do.
- Later.
- Drinks on me.
Okay, so, if they didn't
kill Janice, then who did?
Oscar said that Wesley would
text Janice every morning
at 7:00 AM with the
daily itinerary. Right?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, look at this.
There's no text from Wesley
the day after she was murdered.
Exactly. Which could be
an innocent mistake, or
a guilty slip up.
Well, do you think Wesley knew
Janice wasn't showing up for work?
Well, if Wesley killed
Janice and dumped her body
in the casket, he would've
assumed that nobody
- would ever find her.
- Well, what do we know about Wesley?
Wesley Barnell.
Well, he doesn't have a criminal record.
But
look at his driver's license.
Does that look like the Wesley we know?
His eye color is listed as brown.
We need to find that video
of Wesley's commercial.
The one that played
non-stop at the dog show.
It's fortified. It's organic.
It has 37 vitamins and minerals.
In fact, it's so good,
you'll wanna have a bite too.
Mmm.
Furry Cuisine.
The barking best for you
and your canine companion.
Look. His eyes are blue.
He's wearing cosmetic contacts.
Just like the one Olive
found in Janice's hair.
I mean, if it matches, that
would connect him to the body.
Book 'em, Danno!
The dog show's done for the day.
I mean, he could be anywhere.
I know how to find him.
Wesley has a box of
these AirTags in his car.
Yeah, but you need a
serial number to track that.
Or we could just call Ricky.
[ELLIS] That's Wesley's car on the left.
But when I run the plates
for the one on the right,
I get this.
Gregory Thomas.
I swear I've seen his face before,
but I can't remember where.
- Can you run his name?
- Yeah.
Gregory Thomas.
[DOGS BARK IN DISTANCE]
Wow.
He's got a rap sheet a mile long.
He's a known associate
of the dead bookie.
I bet he's the one who
bought Parker's gambling debt.
Bada bing.
That's where I know him from!
He was dressed as a delivery
man at Wesley's dog show.
Doggone it.
But it still doesn't make any sense.
What does organized crime
have to do with the dog show?
I don't know.
But I'm calling Li and letting
him know we're going inside.
[VOICES IN DISTANCE]
[MAN] You got can openers?
[MAN] Yeah, just make
sure you weigh them all.
They're opening up
cans of Furry Cuisine.
I hope he's not forcing them to eat it.
Looks like drugs.
Wesley's not just a dog show mogul.
He's barking bad.
It's a perfect cover for moving
product without suspicion.
Well, maybe when Janice was
at the arena after hours,
she saw something she
wasn't supposed to.
- [TRIGGER CLICKS]
- [MAN] And so did you.
[MAN] Slowly get up.
Now, don't move.
Hey, man. Look, I think we can just
- [GROANS]
- [PUNCHES THUD]
Take it right back to the basics ♪
Who's the top dog now?
All right, take cover,
take cover, take cover!
Hey!
- Who's there?
- [GUNSHOT]
[GUNSHOT]
- Hey, Max.
- [MAN] Show your face!
You need to get to the Bronco right now.
I'm gonna cover you. On three. Ready?
One. Two. Three. Go!
[GUNSHOTS]
[GUNSHOT]
[GUNSHOTS]
But it's hard to believe ♪
I made it look easy ♪
Police. Freeze!
[GUNSHOTS]
- [MAN] Other side!
- [MEN YELLING]
Yeah ♪
[GUNSHOT]
Li, I got your right! I got your right!
[GUNSHOTS CONTINUE]
- [MAN YELLING]
- [GUNSHOTS]
I'm the big attraction ♪
- Lights, camera, action ♪
- [ELLIS] Stop!
[THUDS]
You're under arrest
for the murder of Janice Evans.
Put your hands behind your back.
Metro PD! On the ground!
On the ground!
Drop your weapons!
[LI] Hands behind your head.
I'm so glad you made it ♪
Ha ♪
Roll down your window ♪
Play this on repeat ♪
Whipping your neck when
we cruising the street ♪
Becky Ann Swanson?
- What are you doing here?
- Oh, don't you know?
We're here to bring
you to your new home.
Where you'll get three meals a day.
And if you're lucky
they'll let you out into
the yard to do your business.
I don't even like dogs!
- I'm a cat person.
- All right, let's go.
- Come on.
- You got to believe me ♪
The way I move, I make it look easy ♪
[DOG PANTING]
Just got off the phone with the Feds.
Wesley's team hid the drugs in
the cans in his dog food factory.
And he used his traveling
dog show as a cover
for his drug distribution network.
It was a good racket.
Yeah. So good it didn't
ping on anyone's radar.
Feds also tracked the drugs back
to their international source.
They're about to take a lot
of bad guys off the street,
- so, good work.
- What about Parker?
The funeral home kid.
I mean, the only reason
that drug dealer bought
his gambling debt is
so he could have access
to the funeral home to dump the body.
Parker had no connection to Janice.
He was just an unlucky sucker.
Don't worry, he's looking
at community service
and probation instead of real jail time.
Time's up. Her real parents
are here to get Lola.
Oh, let me just say goodbye.
Unfortunately, we weren't
the winner's bitches.
But we did solve a murder and
help keep Janice's memory alive.
From now on, the dog show will be called
the Janice Evans Memorial
Best in Show Championship.
- Sure.
- [PHONE CHIMES]
Come on. Here we go.
So, what should I tell
Ricky to make us for dinner?
Could we rain check?
The marina just texted
me. My boat's ready.
I'm just gonna swing by and
pick up Marc, if that's okay?
Yeah, probably for the best.
Ricky's getting too attached.
Come on, I'll give us a ride over there.
It's a cryin' shame ♪
Keeps me up at night ♪
Ricky?
What's for dinner?
I'm too depressed to eat.
Marc is gone.
How can you even think of food?
Because I'm hungry.
You're on your own.
Just ignore any sobbing you may hear.
But why so cruel? ♪
Why so cruel? ♪
Why so cruel? ♪
When you walk away ♪
All right.
Here goes nothing.
[CLUNK]
- [ELECTRICITY ZAPS]
- [ELLIS SIGHS]
[MARC MEOWS]
Don't judge me.
♪
Rules.
The rules I made for myself are
how I got to be where I am today.
A very rich man.
And more importantly, a free man.
The rules have to be non-negotiable.
Nothing less than commandments
brought down from the mountain.
Those rules are simple.
Never punch down.
Always lend a hand to those in need.
Don't take anything from anyone
who doesn't deserve to lose it. And
don't get attached.
Don't get attached to routines.
Don't get attached to
property or possessions.
And most important of all,
don't get attached to people.
They'll only betray you.
They'll slow you down
or cloud your judgment.
And any one of those
can make the difference
between freedom and 20 years in a cage.
You must be willing to
walk away from anyone
at the drop of a hat.
If you cannot
that's your warning
sign to cut them loose.
Why so cruel? ♪
Why so cruel? ♪
Why so cruel? ♪
[GROANS]
When you walk away ♪
Max!
[MAX] What?
Do you say "vahz" or "vase"?
[MAX] Vase.
That's "vahz".
- It's "vahz".
- [MAX] What?
Nothing!