Elsbeth (2024) s02e13 Episode Script

1
[SOFT PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]
[CHUCKLES]
Mm.
Damn. Never seen
Mr. Jordan drink like this.
Or eat like this.
I think his date has
brought him back to life.
His date?
I thought she was his
niece or something.
My niece doesn't do that.
When they shut this place down,
I am getting the hell out
of Billionaires' Row.
At least Mr. Jordan looks
happy for a change.
- [LAUGHING]
- CHLOE: Ooh.
Here comes your favorite.
[LAUGHS] Mmm.
Oh, more butter please.
Ooh.
Mmm.
Can I get you anything else?
Nathan
do you still want that other round?
Mmm, without a doubt.
[SIGHS]
- [CHUCKLES]
- What?
I just love you. That's all.
I love you, too.
Thanks for being here.
Ah, thank you.
[SIGHS]
- That view never gets old.
- [CHUCKLES]
Unlike me.
I wanted everyone who lived
here to feel invincible,
like they owned this city.
But the city isn't a thing
to be owned, is it?
I feel like I've failed New York.
The problems with this building
don't cancel out
everything you've done.
I'm proud of you.
I always will be.
[CART ROLLING]
Dessert, Mr. Jordan?
Well, actually, I think I'm ready to go.
Oh, I would like to take home two orders
of the tomahawk steak.
For the dog.
I'm sorry. I'm-I'm
I'm feeling kind of woozy.
Okay. Just-just hold on
for one second, okay?
Here.
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
[CHUCKLES WEAKLY]
Oh, this really was the perfect day.
[GROANS SOFTLY]
What would I do without you?
You'd survive.
[TINKLING]
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
[THUMPING NEARBY]
[CREAKING]
[SIGHS] What's that noise?
[SIGHS] He must have left his
balcony doors open again.
[THUMPING, CREAKING CONTINUE]
Nathan.
I told you to keep those doors closed.
Are you trying to piss off the tenants?
Nathan?
Nathan?
Help.
Help!
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
I hate those buildings.
They ruin the skyline and
cast shadows in the park.
I think that could be
a good case for my guy.
Hmm.
You say he was a detective
on the Mertens case?
The case I reopened at your suggestion.
I'm pretty sure I did you
a solid there, Captain.
And so now you want me to
do a solid for you. I see.
Detective Rivers' work
was aggressive, but sloppy.
And the Mertens case was
shakier than we thought.
I think he could learn a lot from you.
Like how to be a little more
ingratiating.
[HORNS HONKING, WIND WHISTLING]
I can't believe people live like this.
Still?
I mean, yes, we've been
in some nice apartments,
but this one might be the nicest.
I mean, it is one of the tallest,
most expensive buildings
on the most expensive street in America.
Excuse me. This is my crime scene.
Your crime scene?
I'm sorry, are you a criminal?
I'm Rivers. Detective Rivers.
- And I accept your apology.
- I don't think she meant it like that.
You must be Elsbeth Tascioni,
the consent decree.
Heard a lot about you.
Is that the end of your sentence?
Uh, just let me do my job?
He looks so peaceful.
And so neatly tucked in.
Um, hey, uh, stop
touching things.
Weird.
All of these pajamas have snaps on them.
KAYA: But the ones Nathan
is wearing have buttons.
Ladies, there's a Bloomingdale's nearby
if you're looking to go shopping.
Wow.
The snaps were better
for my husband's arthritis.
Oh, we're so sorry for your loss.
Thank you. [SIGHS]
I'm Deborah Jordan.
I'm Elsbeth Tascioni.
This is Officer Blanke.
Detective Rivers.
We know this must be
a hard time for you.
May I ask, if Nathan had arthritis,
were you the one who buttoned up
his pajamas last night?
No. I was in my own apartment.
With my boyfriend,
Dr. Jason Yamamoto.
Boyfriend? But you just
Wait, so you were having an affair?
Nathan and I have been living
separate lives for years.
We were barely on speaking terms.
- May I ask why
- Ah, no, I will do the talking here.
Why?
Again, wow.
My husband was recently
declared medically incompetent.
Of course, he blamed me.
RIVERS: Well, it's probably because
you were only with him for the money.
Excuse me?
I put him through business school.
I'm on to you.
For what exactly, Detective Rivers?
Oh, God. Do you all think there
was some kind of foul play?
Oh, we don't know. What do you think?
Honestly?
I think Nathan got confused,
and tried to take more
of his pills himself
and slipped up.
Do you usually administer
his medications?
Every afternoon.
Deborah, would you mind walking
us through your routine?
[LAUGHS SOFTLY]
I give him an antidepressant,
benzodiazepines
for his anxiety as needed,
which he quite dramatically
demanded every day,
anti-inflammatories for his gout
RIVERS: And what's this?
I've never seen that before.
It's pentobarbital.
How do you know that?
There's a code on every pill.
Not that impressive.
A single dose can decimate
six strong bulls.
That part sounds made up for flair.
Google says they are lethal.
Deborah Jordan, you're under arrest
for the murder of Nathan Jordan.
- KAYA: Uh
- Um, no, she is not.
Y-You don't have enough grounds
for an arrest.
Why are you contesting this?
She cheated on her husband
with a doctor.
She clearly got
the murder pills from him.
You need to call your attorney, now.
And I need to call the captain. Now.
I can't work like this.
[SCOFFS SOFTLY]
I really don't like that guy.
How is he the detective
on this case and not me?
Another mystery.
Hey, did you notice
the bottle with the, um
Oh, how do you say it? Pinto-barbie
- Pentobarbital.
- Right.
It had the cap on upside down
the easy-to-open way.
But all the other ones
were right side up,
making them childproof.
What a weird habit for Deborah
to reserve for just one bottle.
And why would she use
the doctor as an alibi
if they were in on it together?
Exactly.
- [ELEVATOR DINGS]
- I mean, I don't think
Nathan was alone last night.
Somebody had to have
buttoned up his pajamas
and tucked him into bed.
The question is who.
[CLICKING TONGUE] Whoa.
Am I crazy or is the building
swaying in the wind?
It does that.
It seems odd that Nathan
Jordan's Cash Share account
was public, considering
he was a billionaire.
People forget to change
their settings to private.
That's how I've sleuthed on
everyone I've ever dated.
Ooh.
Including Cameron?
What?
- No.
- [CHUCKLES]
And he keeps his private.
What's going on between the two of you?
[SIGHS] Let's just say
none of his rent payments
are accompanied by lovey-dovey emojis.
Just a house.
What emojis are you hoping for?
May I direct your attention
to the screen, please?
Okay, Officer.
[CLEARS THROAT] So
all the transactions Nathan sent
to someone named "C" say
they're for consulting services,
but the emojis next
to them signify love.
Oh, New Year's Eve.
He sent cityscape,
clinking glasses, trombone, wink.
- How romantic.
- Mm-hmm.
I think?
And on Valentine's Day,
it's sweat droplets,
a burning heart,
and an eggplant.
[GASPS SOFTLY]
Exactly what kind of consultant is this?
An expensive one.
Nathan sent "C" six figures
- this year alone.
- Whoa.
Look at the last one.
Arrow up. Skyline.
Hey.
Did you see the name of the
restaurant at Manhattan Towers?
Above the Sky.
When this place first opened,
it seemed like the most exciting,
most exclusive restaurant in the city.
Why exclusive?
You have to be a resident to dine here.
But as time passed,
a third of the tenants
moved out due to problems
with the building.
Oh, no wonder it's so empty.
Those problems must've been severe.
There are many magnificent things
about being 1,550 feet above the ground,
but the wind
makes the balconies unusable,
the building sways so much
the pool water
constantly floods,
and the trash reaches terminal velocity.
Terminal velocity?
Because of the height.
Every time someone uses the chute,
it sounds like a neutron bomb.
It's one of the complaints
in the lawsuit.
What lawsuit?
A group of owners are suing
the building's developer,
Mr. Jordan. May he rest in peace.
According to his Cash Share account,
Nathan Jordan was here last night.
That's right.
Mr. Jordan was one of the few
who dined here anymore.
Most of the tenants have fled, but
he rarely left the building.
It's such a shock. He looked so happy.
Eating and drinking
like I'd never seen him.
Do you happen to remember
what he ordered?
Poached lobster with
extra butter, steak tartare,
caviar, two orders of foie gras,
and four martinis.
Impressive memory.
[LAUGHS] I never forget an order.
Even his pet ate well.
His date ordered
two tomahawk steaks
to take home for the dog.
Funny. There was no sign
of a dog in Nathan's apartment,
and I didn't see any steaks
in the fridge.
And who was his date?
He called her Chloe.
No idea if that's her real name.
Chloe with a "C."
And what was her last name,
real or otherwise?
[LAUGHS] I haven't a clue.
But in my time working
on Billionaires' Row,
I've seen her on the arm
of many successful men.
Could you tell us any of their names?
My relationship with Chloe is
purely professional and legal.
I have nothing more to say.
Other than that, she's
Elegant, brilliant, beautiful.
My God, she's so knowledgeable
about so many things.
And incredibly talented
at what she does.
And what exactly does she do?
Uh, she's a consultant.
- A consultant.
- A consultant.
CHAD: She's not in any trouble,
is she?
I would do anything to help her.
Just, please, don't tell my wife.
Do not tell my publicist.
You can never mention
any of this to my boyfriend.
Oh, we won't,
if you could just tell us
where we could find her.
- Honey, are you lost?
- Oh.
Hi. Um
I love your outfit. [CHUCKLES]
No. I'm here to see Chloe.
You're here to see Chloe?
Uh, yes, I wanted to talk
to Chloe as a fellow consultant.
O-Oh. Okay. Wow.
Women supporting each other
in this industry.
We love to see it.
Yes for breaking down stereotypes.
Desire, can you order some more
of those Dior candles?
They leave less residue.
Oh.
Hello.
Wow.
They said you were beautiful,
but that doesn't do you justice.
How sweet.
I think you're quite beautiful yourself.
This is so moving.
Come on in.
How did you find me?
Oh, um I promised I wouldn't tell.
Was it a referral?
Uh, yeah, you could say that.
Please, let's have a seat.
Oh.
I, um
I hope I'm not interrupting anything.
Oh, I always have time
for someone like you.
You do?
I love working with women.
I hardly ever get the chance. Luckily,
a slot did just open up in my schedule.
My starting rate is $5,000 an hour.
Whoa, that's
very expensive.
I'm worth it.
What's your name?
Um
Elsbeth Tascioni.
I-I work with the police
on a consent decree.
What is that?
Sort of a consultant.
We're both consultants.
How cool is that?
Very.
But
what kind of consulting
do you do exactly?
I help successful people
enhance their lives
by offering consultation services,
including, but not limited to,
culinary arts, fashion,
culture, personal style.
Is that what those costumes
are for? Style?
You bet.
Wow. What a beautiful purse.
Business must be great.
Oh, I'm very, very lucky.
My clients are the best of the best,
and they're very generous.
They like to buy me gifts.
ELSBETH: What's in the crate?
A painting.
I haven't quite figured out
what to do with it yet.
Wow. That's an extravagant gift.
You must be very good at your job
as a consultant.
My clients are powerful people
who sacrifice their time,
their social lives,
even their health, to change the world.
Yet, nobody asks how their
day was. Except for me.
My job is to make their
lives better, and I do.
Is that what you were doing
for Nathan Jordan
in his apartment the night he died?
Making his life better?
Nathan and I had dinner
at Above the Sky,
but I never went to his apartment.
Have you checked the security footage?
DESIRE: Michael's here
for his appointment.
Oh, let him in.
Never leave a client waiting.
- Oh.
- MICHAEL: Chloe.
- Michael, hi.
- [LAUGHING] Hi.
- CHLOE: How are you?
- MICHAEL: Good.
Oh, is this lovely redhead
joining us for the toy show?
Oh, I love toys.
Uh, but no, thank you.
Elsbeth, if you'll excuse us.
Yes.
Tell me, how was your day?
- Oh, I have so much to tell you.
- Mm-hmm.
MICHAEL: So, you know that
presentation I told you about?
CHLOE: Yes, of course
Okay, so Chloe is definitely an escort,
and a very high-class one.
Oh, and I saw a pill bottle in her purse
with the cap on upside down.
That's fishy.
Yeah, but it doesn't mean
that she killed Nathan.
I mean, why would she?
Unless Chloe was in his will?
I checked. Everything
is left to Deborah,
- their kids and grandkids.
- Hmm. Well,
money wouldn't be
Deborah's motive either.
Since Nathan was declared
medically incompetent,
she already had control of his finances.
What about the people suing him?
I ruled them out. Everyone
involved in that lawsuit
was in Europe or China
the day Nathan died.
Some of those people have never
even been to Manhattan Towers,
and they're still complaining
about that trash chute.
Maybe they can hear it
across continents.
I wish I had that sense of entitlement.
Do you?
- RIVERS: Hey.
- Oh.
I have the wife's boyfriend
in custody. So, you're welcome.
Speaking of entitlement.
You are just jealous
because I'm the one
who cracked the case.
Wait, you arrested Dr. Yamamoto?
On what grounds?
Uh, he kept pentobarbital
in his office, a lot of it.
Well, he is a doctor,
and it is a medicine.
It isn't available
in pill form in the States.
So, he got it on the black market.
Also, Yamamoto, he's got a nickname.
A nurse from his office confirmed
it's what all of his patients call him.
What's so important about the nickname?
They call him "Dr. Sandman."
Boom.
MAN: There they are,
entering the restaurant
and coming out two hours later.
Why did the camera
move like that?
The system is AI controlled.
Probably seemed like
a good idea, in theory.
Do you have footage of Nathan's floor?
Uh
The camera moved to face
the trash chute here, too.
We should order some steaks.
Okay, right now,
the cameras are facing us. Okay?
Now I'm out of frame.
But when I throw this bag
down the trash chute, I'm gonna
come right back towards you, okay?
I feel bad wasting
all this quality meat.
Walter said that tomahawks
were Chloe's exact order
for Nathan's nonexistent dog.
It's for the greater good.
[ECHOING THUMP]
[CAMERA WHIRRING]
Ha! The noise was so loud
it must trigger all the cameras
in the building.
KAYA: Chloe could have gotten
into Nathan's place
and left later, undetected.
Captain Wagner, we have a lead.
Jason had no reason
to be jealous of Nathan.
- You're ridiculous.
- Don't you lie to me!
Why does he have to act like a caveman?
You know the line, "Men are afraid
"women will laugh at them,
women are afraid men will kill them"?
She must be so scared right now.
You better get in there.
[DOOR OPENS]
Hi, hi. My turn.
You don't mind, do you?
Not at all.
Captain
You need to sit down and breathe.
Do not speak until you're calm.
Watch her and learn.
Are you okay? Do you need a minute?
I hate that man.
Imagine having to work with him.
Strawberry or Mango?
Strawberry.
I was in the mood for mango.
So, it sounds like
you and Dr. Yamamoto have
a pretty solid relationship,
given the unusual circumstances.
He knows Nathan
and I hadn't been physical
in 20 years.
We would attend an event
together here and there,
for optics.
Catholic charities.
But lately, Nathan
didn't even care to do those.
Why was that, do you think?
He didn't want to be seen out in public.
Because of the lawsuit?
That, and
Nathan was a vain, wealthy man
blessed with charm and good looks.
In his prime.
Nathan detested getting old.
Really? I like getting older.
Even if my knees don't.
Me too.
You can let so much silliness go.
But Nathan couldn't handle it.
By the end, my husband was a recluse
who never left
the wobbly towers he'd built.
That is so sad.
You mentioned that Nathan
was declared medically incompetent.
Did Dr. Yamamoto help you with that?
We had no choice.
Well, did he have a serious diagnosis?
Worse. He had a spending problem.
I had to put a stop to it.
We have talentless grandchildren
to think about.
[CHUCKLES] What was he spending it on?
Art.
Ridiculously expensive paintings
by contemporary artists.
And then a reckless
purchase of a Cézanne,
using God knows what funds
he'd stashed away.
Oh, and rare books.
He had one delivered the day he died.
Ooh, I love books.
Could I see it?
Maybe. We're trying to
sell it back to the dealer.
What about the Cézanne?
I didn't see one in Nathan's apartment.
I think I would have
noticed that. [CHUCKLES]
Apparently, he gave it away.
In a private donation.
It's worth millions.
Mm.
What a mess.
Wonder where it got to.
Hello, Desire. Is Chloe free?
Elsbeth. Almost.
She's finishing up an appointment.
I'll wait.
Hey, I meant to tell you before,
your hair is so special.
Your whole look, really.
- Oh, thank you.
- It's so hard to stand out
these days, but I think
you're going to do very well.
Thank you.
[DOOR OPENS]
Ah, ah, ah, ah.
Now you can go in.
Is this a bad time? You seem really busy
with clients today.
Elsbeth, you're so funny.
No, I was getting and
weekly mani-pedi and an updo.
I'm going to the ballet tonight.
Oh. [CHUCKLES] Um, okay.
I just thought
Come on in.
I happen to have the hour free.
Oh, great.
Uh, I happen to have
a question about
a certain painting by Cézanne.
By any chance,
is there one in this crate?
It was a gift from Nathan.
And it's real?
It came with all the paperwork.
And Nathan just gave this to you?
I told you,
my clients are very generous.
But this is very, very,
very generous.
Elsbeth, if you want to say
something, just say it.
Okay. It's just
if someone saw this, they might think
you killed Nathan to get it.
I know.
Is that why
you haven't hung it on the wall?
No.
No, I would feel guilty, holding on
to something like that for personal use.
Honestly, I was a little bit shocked
when it arrived after Nathan's death.
I thought he knew me better than that.
Maybe he wanted to take care of you.
Yeah, maybe.
We did talk a great deal
about blue chip art investments.
We'd go to Sotheby's, and I helped him
pick out some of my
favorite contemporary artists
like Ayako Rokkaku
and Nobuo Sekine.
It should also help take care
of his untalented grandkids.
Wow. [CHUCKLES]
You seem to know a lot about this stuff.
I have a masters in art history.
Are you surprised?
Only a little.
My dream was to work in an art gallery
until I found out I could make
ten times more consulting.
Most people in the art world
come from money anyway.
I had to make my own way.
- I'm sorry.
- Don't be.
I love my job. I love my life.
This is who I am.
I believe you.
Oh, wait.
Did you say Nathan gave you the Cézanne
after he died?
I mean, does that mean he bought it
after he was declared
medically incompetent?
Yeah, I-I guess so.
What would Nathan have had to do
to purchase an important
painting like this
and then surprise you with it?
He'd have to find and contact
the art dealer in Paris.
He was fluent in French.
Bid on the painting,
verify the paperwork
to approve transfer,
all while keeping it from me.
And his wife Deborah.
Hmm.
I wonder how someone that competent
would have ended up
in a situation where
somebody was giving him the wrong pills.
Just admit it.
You bought the murder drugs
on the black market and then you
gave them out like they were candy.
Pentobarbital is a legal
and widely used medication
used to treat insomnia,
which is common amongst
my successful, workaholic patients.
Many of them prefer them in pill form.
Your own staff turned you in.
What? What is it, Dr. Sandman?
- Oh, are you gonna cry?
- I'm not Dr. Sandman.
I was only trying
to provide for my patients.
Stop lying, Dr. Sandman.
YAMAMOTO: I'm a good doctor
who made one mistake.
Oh, and what mistake was
that, Dr. Sandman?
I slept with that woman.
Chloe.
She had access to my stash.
Please, don't send me to jail.
And please,
don't tell Deborah.
You cheated on me with
my husband's whore?
- He certainly did.
- I asked you not to say anything.
Debbie, she seduced me.
You should see her,
she's like a-a witch.
- You got to forgive me.
- No.
I didn't care about that woman
sleeping with my husband,
but I loved you.
Wait. You knew Nathan
was sleeping with Chloe?
Of course I did.
They've been together for years.
She was basically hired help
that got Nathan off my back.
First Nathan goes and dies
in the middle of this lawsuit,
and now this.
Every man in my life is letting me down.
ELSBETH: Deborah,
when was Nathan scheduled
to give his testimony
in the Manhattan Towers lawsuit?
It would have been tomorrow.
Oh, wow. So, this wasn't
a very convenient time
for you to kill him.
This lawsuit is going to ruin me.
The plaintiffs have even more ammunition
since Nathan canceled
all the repairs before he died.
Wait, he canceled all the repairs?
Why would he do that?
RIVERS: Chloe seduced
Yamamoto, stole the pills
and gave them to Nathan Jordan.
I mean, it's cut and dry.
I think there's more to the story.
Chloe cared a lot about Nathan.
She was a prostitute.
- Escort.
- Chloe is the murderer.
- Stop interrupting me. Stop it.
- That was my hunch from the jump.
No, it wasn't.
You arrested Dr. Yamamoto,
and your first hunch was Deborah.
Why would Deborah murder her husband
before he was able to give testimony
- on the building lawsuit?
- That was my idea.
You're just saying it louder.
I don't care whose idea was what.
We need to get to
the bottom of this together.
Ms. Tascioni, what do you know?
I've gotten to know Chloe.
Nathan was a steady, longtime client.
His death was a huge professional loss.
They had a genuine relationship.
He gave her a Cézanne.
She has the painting?
Are you hearing this,
Captain? She's guilty.
ELSBETH: Nathan gave her
that painting
fair and square. He loved her.
High-class men like Nathan Jordan
don't fall in love with lowlifes.
They just sleep with them.
Well, I don't know what the going rate
is for various sex acts,
but I'm guessing it's not
nine million dollars,
but I defer to you, Detective Rivers.
Okay, okay. I hear both of your points.
Let's bring this Chloe in
for questioning.
- Not an arrest?
- We need more information.
All right, well,
the DNA will prove it all.
I bet she was
all over Nathan's apartment.
Of course her DNA is in his apartment.
He was her client. The question is
if we can prove that she was in
his apartment the day he died.
Yeah, and that's what I just said.
No, it wasn't.
You literally didn't say that.
Yes, I did.
Come on, Elsbeth,
show him how it's done.
Hi, Chloe.
Thank you so much for coming in.
- We just have a couple of questions
- Yeah, we know
that you murdered Nathan Jordan.
Uh, don't listen to him.
RIVERS: Yamamoto confessed
to sleeping with you. He said that
you stole the drugs.
- You're cooked.
- Funny.
I don't recall
sleeping with Dr. Yamamoto.
I did go to his office,
but only as a patient.
Were you feeling sick?
Yeah, I had this deep, throbbing pain
on the inside of my thigh.
Perhaps Dr. Yamamoto
just had a little fantasy
when he was examining my legs.
Kind of like you did
- when I walked in.
- [CHUCKLES]
Chloe, we can't yet prove
that you slept with Dr. Yamamoto
or that you stole the pills,
but you did confirm
that you were with Nathan
the night he died,
and although we couldn't
find any footage of you
entering the apartment,
there's no footage of you
leaving the building, either.
That security system's a complete mess.
I went home right after
Nathan's consultation.
RIVERS: Okay, let's get
one thing straight.
Your consultation business?
Yeah, it-it's a front.
Everyone here knows
what you're actually doing.
You should be in jail.
Not just for what you did
to Nathan Jordan but for what you do
with your body.
What I do with my body is my business,
and mine alone.
I meant a great deal to Nathan.
He would never ever
want to see me in jail.
He'd want to see me thrive.
Well, let's get on with the DNA test.
Your friend likes to seem tough.
Oh. He's not my friend.
- Um, here, let me do that.
- Uh, not a chance.
- You, open wide.
- [SIGHS]
How much do you usually
charge to put things in your mouth?
- [THUMPS TABLE]
- Detective Rivers, that's enough.
By the power of my consent decree,
I will not allow
this disrespectful behavior.
- [SCOFFS] Oh, really?
- Miss Tascioni's right.
Thank you.
Your behavior is not
up to our standards.
We do not work like that.
Now get out of here.
What?
- I said out!
- Uh
Okay.
[SIGHS]
Miss, uh, are you all right?
I'm really sorry.
Elsbeth, don't apologize for that man.
You've been lovely.
I would like to go now, however.
[SIGHS] It's my word against
the doctor on the drug charges
and I'm not under arrest, correct?
No, you can go.
Hope you have a better night.
What No, no, no, no, no.
What, you're not even gonna get her
on a prostitution charge?
That's a Class B misdemeanor.
I told you to leave.
You keep calling me a prostitute,
but you have no proof.
Do you want me to be one that badly?
What? Uh
- No.
- You sure?
'Cause I'll gladly pay
the thousand-dollar fine
if it'll make you feel like a man.
Where did you even find this guy?
Another captain asked me to help him.
Rivers was on the Andy Mertens case.
He was? [GROANS]
Well, I can certainly see
how Delia Kirby got railroaded.
I know real change
comes from within the system,
but I can't stand that man.
Maybe Rivers is just a bad cop.
They do exist, you know.
He deserves a reprimand,
at the very least.
And I'd make sure that it gets
in his permanent file.
People need to know
who they're dealing with.
The Jordan family turned this in.
It's the book Nathan had
delivered the day he died.
The Collected Poems of John Keats.
This looks like an early edition.
Mm. Apparently, the
dealer won't take it back
because it had some
kind of water damage.
ELSBETH: Here. On this poem.
WAGNER: Let me see that.
"This living hand,
"now warm and capable
of earnest grasping,
"would, if it were cold
"and in the icy silence of the tomb,
"so haunt thy days
and chill thy dreaming nights
"that thou would wish thine own heart
"dry of blood
"so in my veins
"red life might stream again,
"and thou be conscience-calm'd
"see
here it is"
"I hold it towards you."
[EXHALES]
[SNIFFLES, CHUCKLES]
Hmm.
Wait.
[KNOCKING]
Elsbeth, if you brought
that rude detective with you,
you can't come in.
- I'm alone.
- Thank God.
What brings you here?
I know what you did for Nathan.
For Nathan? What do you mean?
Chloe, all signs point
to Nathan knowing he was gonna die.
Deborah mentioned he had gout.
Yes.
Poor guy.
The man lived for steak,
butter, and sugar.
Sometimes he'd pay to sit
and watch me eat everything he couldn't.
But on the night he died,
Nathan ate and drank
whatever he wanted at Above the Sky.
Because he knew it didn't matter.
He knew it was his last meal.
And he delayed the repairs
at Manhattan Towers
despite the lawsuit
because the building's quirks
the noisy trash chute,
the unreliable security cameras
would benefit his plan.
What was Nathan's plan?
Nathan came to you
with an unconventional request
obtain and give him the lethal pills,
then help him frame Deborah
and Dr. Yamamoto.
Why would he do that?
Nathan despised being old.
He hated his golden years.
Well, except for the time
he spent with you,
judging from the emojis
he attached to your payments.
I showed him the eggplant one.
But when Deborah
had him declared incompetent,
Nathan decided it
was time for him to go.
But on his own terms.
And he wanted to punish
Deborah and Dr. Yamamoto
while he was at it.
He made sure that they
would be charged with his murder,
so they wouldn't have any more
control of his hard-earned cash.
And you think
I had something to do with it?
Nathan couldn't have done
any of this without you.
At the request of your client,
you seduced Dr. Yamamoto
easy for you, I'm sure
got the pentobarbital from his office,
and slipped them into Nathan's martini.
You then distracted
the security cameras by throwing
heavy steaks down the trash chute,
got into Nathan's apartment undetected,
and planted the pill bottle.
To his credit,
Nathan's plan almost worked.
He was still sharp as a tack.
So why didn't it?
There were a few minor slipups.
First of all, Nathan chose
to die in his favorite
English pajamas.
But because of his arthritis
and all the buttons,
that was a dead giveaway
that someone else was there.
And judging by how much
they hated each other,
that ruled out Deborah for me. Also,
when you planted the pill bottle,
you left the cap on upside down,
the quick-to-open way,
just like the antidepressants
I saw in your purse.
You're very good at your job, Elsbeth.
And so are you.
But, Chloe
I know you're sad.
Not because of your job
or your place in the world.
You're sad because Nathan's gone.
It was the water damage
to the book that made me realize
why you agreed
to his plan.
Chloe, you didn't do this
for the money.
You have plenty.
You agreed to his plan
because you cared.
And I know this
because the damage to the book
was from your tears.
You cried when you read to him
for the last time.
You loved him.
And your motive was kindness.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
Elsbeth, all due respect,
I'm a professional.
I can separate business
from my emotions.
Of course you can.
I'm not underestimating your abilities.
But DNA testing confirmed everything.
Your tears prove you were
in Nathan's apartment
the day the book was delivered,
which is the day he died.
Your feelings for him gave you away.
He was my first regular client.
He changed my life.
I would have done anything for that man.
You came alone.
Does that mean you won't turn me in?
Um, Officer Blanke is waiting outside.
The law is still what it is.
And you did try to frame two people.
- I'm sorry.
- I guess you're just doing your job.
Goodbye, Elsbeth.
In another world,
I think we would have been friends.
I know a lot of great defense attorneys.
If you need any help,
I can give you some recommendations?
That's very sweet, but no.
There are plenty
of high-powered attorneys
who'd be eager to get me out of jail.
That makes sense.
I do have one favor to ask though.
I'm glad it's going to the museum.
Chloe was right.
Art like this belongs to the people.
I read the lawsuit is not
going well for Deborah.
I bet she wishes she had this
to save her from bankruptcy.
- Mm.
- RIVERS: Damn it, Tascioni.
You should've let me make the arrest.
I mean, it was my case.
And we solved it.
[QUIETLY]: For the record,
I still don't like that guy.
[SCOFFS]
Tell the truth.
You didn't want Detective Rivers
to learn from me.
You just wanted him out of your hair.
Okay, do I like
having Rivers around? No.
But you have to give him another chance.
His behavior is unacceptable.
Why do you think he deserves it?
Because he is Kevin Landon's nephew.
Kevin Landon? As in
the chief of detectives?
You stuck me with a nepo detective.
Why should our business
be different from any other?
Oh, hell.
Rivers!
Get in here!
I don't care if you are
the nephew of the Pope.
You will do mandatory counseling,
and there will be a reprimand
for your behavior in your file.
Understood?
I was just trying to impress you, sir.
Well, this is not the way to do it.
And put on a tie
and prove to me that you deserve
a second chance or you're out.
[PHONE CHIMING]
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
Um, why are you in my chair?
Oh. Um
I just needed a spot to rest for a bit.
I've-I've had a pretty rough day.
Look.
If you want some advice,
I think you should stop
taking up so much space.
Maybe if you look past yourself,
listen to other people,
you'll be better on the casework.
Yeah. Uh, I don't need advice
from somebody that I outrank.
Oh, wow.
You know what? I don't care
about your rough day.
Give me my chair back, now.
And for the record,
you don't outrank me.
I'm getting promoted.
[CHUCKLES]
Boom.
So you're getting promoted, huh?
Oh. Captain Kershaw.
Hi.
And, yes, I am.
Good to know.
Word on the street is you've been
doing some good work with Ms. Tascioni.
And I love the way
you just handled Rivers.
We're always looking for strong
women like you at the 2-7.
Stay in touch.