The Murdoch Mysteries (2004) s15e18 Episode Script

Here you are, sir.
Good luck with the repair.
Thank you.
Good to see you again, Mr.
Park.
And you, Mrs.
Yoo.
Uh, Vincent, Rachel.
What a lovely home you have here.
I'm only sorry that I've been invited under such strange circumstances.
Thank you, Constable.
You say you heard a low moaning sound coming up from the vent? Yes.
It's over here.
It could have been an intruder.
Ah! Uh.
Hello! Anybody down there? If there was somebody, they seem to have quietened down now.
Perhaps they ran off.
This smells delicious.
What is it? Constable, about the noise? Right.
Um.
Does the vent lead down to the store? No.
To the basement.
The air duct must end down here somewhere.
Yes.
Root cellar.
I think the moans you heard were this man's last few breaths.
Sir, the young Miss Rachel Park telephoned the station about eight PM after the family heard strange moaning sounds coming from the vent.
I recognize Mr.
Park from church.
He and his wife, Mrs.
Yoo.
Good evening.
Detective William Murdoch.
We attend the same church, sir.
Yes.
May God receive the dead man's soul.
Of course.
Do any of you know who this man is? Not at all, Detective.
We have never seen him before.
And you have no idea how he came to be in your basement? No.
Detective.
What have you, Mrs.
Hart? Nothing to identify the man.
And no signs of physical trauma to the body.
It may be poison.
Potato poisoning.
What? Sir, one time one of my aunt's, um "friends," let's say, well, his wife was very upset with him, I won't get into why, but, sir, he hid from her in the basement of the rectory among scads of potatoes, very nearly died.
From the potatoes? Yeah, sir, I'm telling you the improperly stored potato, nothing short of a menace.
I eagerly await your report, Mrs.
Hart.
Mr.
Caraway, that was marvelous.
The musicians, the athleticism of the dancers.
Margaret? Oh, it was absolutely wonderful.
Wait until you see the entire performance.
Exquisite! Ah, here they are.
Mr.
and Mrs.
Brackenreid, this is Miss Klavdia Federov and Mr.
Dmitri Popov.
Ooh.
Charmed.
Mr.
Brackenreid is a police inspector here in Toronto.
Pleasure to meet you.
You, too.
Enjoy the rest of your evening.
Like what you see? Uh, sorry.
What, Thomas? You've had an eyeful.
- So did you.
- She smiled at me.
- Ha! - What? You think she likes you? Well, there was a bit of a sparkle.
You really think an old coot like you has a chance with her? As much as you think you've got a chance with him.
I tell you what.
If she'll have you, be my guest.
Bloody hell, Margaret.
And I with him.
Pigs would sooner fly.
Actually, I've seen that happen.
Well-dressed.
It's not likely he was a vagrant.
Some interesting stitching here, sir.
It's quite the pattern.
Little stabs.
Beg your pardon? The embroidering.
It's Sashiko.
Japanese.
My friend collects exotic textiles.
So, he may be Japanese? Gentlemen, I've ascertained the cause of death.
Ah, potatoes? Arsenic, I'm afraid.
But there was something else.
The livor mortis shows there was pooling in the right arm and the right side of the torso.
Meaning he was lying down.
But we found him sitting up.
He'd already been dead for a couple hours by then.
It's likely he was poisoned four hours before that, based on the amount of arsenic he ingested.
I'd say he was poisoned at two o'clock and died at six.
So someone moved the body.
And the family lied about how quickly they telephoned the police.
Oh, and Constable? I looked into your potato theory.
It seems they cause solanine poisoning.
Apparently, it can indeed be lethal.
So, it was a factor? No.
Where were you at two PM yesterday, Mr.
Park? Working at my hardware store, Detective, sir.
My whole family was.
But you were all home at six PM when the man died.
When did you begin to hear moaning sounds coming from the basement? I don't recall.
Shortly before we telephoned you.
That leaves a gap of about two hours, Mrs.
Yoo.
Impossible.
We also know that the body was moved.
What? I don't know anything about that.
How would you explain it? Perhaps there was a second intruder.
I find that unlikely.
I can think of no other explanation.
I can.
You're lying.
My family is innocent, sir.
Finding a dead man in the house was horrid enough.
We did not touch him.
I swear to you.
The lads have dusted for fingermarks, sir.
Nothing but the family's and the dead man's.
So, it's unlikely he was killed by a second intruder.
Take a look at this, George.
This entire area here has bits of clay in it, unlike anywhere else.
It's been recently dug up.
It's roughly the size of a grave.
Do you think somebody tried to bury the body? It's possible.
It's possible they started digging, most certainly hit clay, and it would have been nearly impossible to dig deep enough.
But if they were trying to get rid of the body, why give up and call us? I mean, they could have dismembered it, or mulched it or Perhaps they didn't have the stomach for that, George.
Or one of them panicked.
Which one of them telephoned the police? I told you the truth.
Miss Park, we know that the body was moved.
And that someone in your household tried to bury the body, but you then telephoned the police.
If you don't cooperate, your entire family could go to jail for obstructing a murder investigation.
Yes.
Yes, it's true.
What happened? We just found him there, I swear.
But we were afraid.
We would not be seen favourably in the community if we reported a dead body.
We are immigrants from Korea.
Please understand, sir.
So, you tried to bury the body.
The ground was too hard.
So, we decided to call the police and we feigned surprise when the constable found him.
And you maintain that you have no idea who this man was? No.
I swear on the Bible the man was dead when we found him.
My family committed no murder.
I see.
Ah, so, you believe, then, that they've been stolen from you? Miss Federov.
What brings you here? Inspector! I was actually looking for you, but this constable here kept offering to help me instead.
It's just a robbery sir.
Miss Federov, I'd be more than happy to help.
Oh.
Wonderful! Higgins, kettle.
Kettle.
Oh, come this way.
I was about to release the body, but I noticed something strange about his mouth.
It turns out he had an ill-fitting false tooth.
And? I extracted it and found a hidden reservoir containing cyanide.
Good gracious.
Why would anybody want to keep cyanide in their tooth? Biting down on it in a particular fashion would allow him to break it open and, essentially, kill himself at a moment's notice.
I've heard of such a thing being used in the world of secret agents.
Sir, you think perhaps he's a spy? As much as it pains me to admit it, I think we need to call someone.
Terence Meyers.
You called? You say he was found dead in the home of a Korean family? That's right.
Korea has been a protectorate of Japan ever since the Japanese won the Russo-Japanese War in 1905.
Korea doesn't care much for being occupied.
So the Japanese are, what? Sending people to kill Korean families all over the world? Maybe this family has secrets.
The dead man had a lethal dose of cyanide hidden in a tooth.
Hm.
So, he is an agent.
But, at the very most, this is a matter for East Asian diplomacy.
And Canada would have no interest here.
So, good luck, gentlemen.
You're just going to leave? I have more important things to worry about.
Like Project Iguana.
What's Project Iguana? Murdoch, I do have cases that take place outside of this station house, you know.
If this man is truly a spy, then surely you know someone who could help us.
If he needed help, he likely went here.
Mention my name.
And, if you must, Bangkok.
I last saw the jewels in my dressing room.
I'm sure they were stolen when I went onstage for rehearsal.
Miss Federov, you certainly don't need jewels to shine, exceptionally talented as you are.
Ah! But I promise you this, I will find them for you.
Oh.
Thank you, Inspector.
You're very special.
What is this about? Terence Meyers gave us your name.
That name means nothing to me.
We're looking for information on this man.
We believe him to be a Japanese secret agent.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Bangkok.
Fine.
But tell Meyers this settles my debt.
I don't know anything about this man, all I do is help people.
I helped arrange his passage and met him when he arrived, but I haven't seen him for days.
What task was he to carry out while here in Toronto? I believe he was sent to kill someone.
The necklace is gold with many blue jewels.
It glistens like the sea.
You have quite the collection.
I'd say this fits the description, Miss Federov.
Oh! Inspector! Thank you! It was right there.
Did you really think it was stolen? Why, Inspector, what are you implying? I simply overlooked them in my clumsiness.
You're hardly clumsy, Miss Federov.
Few are as graceful as you.
You know, Inspector, I could teach you a step or two.
Partner ballet is called pas-de-deux.
The danseur provides support for the ballerina and helps maintain poise.
Here, grab my waist as I start my pirouette.
Uh, I have to go, Miss Federov.
Inspector, wait.
I'm planning an intimate gathering in my hotel after my performance and I'd be delighted if you could join.
I'm I'm not sure.
I would have to ask Margaret.
Ah, well, it's very intimate party and I'm afraid there may not be any room for anyone else.
Thank you.
So, which of them do you think did it? None of them.
Well, then what are we doing here? We're making sure.
But, Higgins, I can't imagine a family like the Parks have anything to hide.
Sooner we arrest one of them, - the sooner we can go home to bed.
- Higgins, I'm telling you, they're just a nice, hard-working family.
There's no way they had anything to do with this.
Wait, look.
Oh, for Pete's sake.
You stay here in case one of the others comes out.
Sir, so there's a switchblade.
Uh, various travel documents.
Recent steamship passage.
And then there's several visas under several different names.
Parks must have taken all of this off of the body before trying to bury it.
A book.
Looks like a novel.
Odd thing for a spy to be carrying.
And then, sir, there's this.
Some sort of palm print.
That's unusual, part of the ring finger is missing.
What do you make of it, sir? That would be a question for Agent Meyers.
Take a look at this.
The paper stock alone is rather intriguing.
Who is this? Detective Llewellyn Watts.
Watts, Terence Meyers.
Fine.
Yeah, - I've seen this palm print before.
- Oh? It belongs to An Jung-geun, activist leader of the Korean Resistance Army.
An army? Group of Koreans active in Vladivostok, Russia.
Their cause is freedom from the Japanese.
And these Koreans are in Russia? Well, they would be persecuted by the Japanese in their own country.
Yes.
According to the Japanese, An had eleven comrades.
This, apparently, is a list of those men.
Why is part of his finger missing? According to the Japanese, An cut off a piece of his finger and used his own blood to write his manifesto.
He signs all of his documents with this Palm print.
And, then, less than a month ago, An assassinated former Japanese Prime Minister Ito Hirobumi on a train platform in Manchuria.
An was captured by the Russians and handed over to the Japanese.
What happened to his comrades, - I do not know.
- Could Mr.
Park, here in Toronto, be one of the eleven comrades? I don't see why not.
These are likely all aliases, anyway.
Ah, wait are we suggesting that the Japanese sent a spy to kill Mr.
Park because he helped orchestrate an assassination? Unexpected flash of insight, Constable Crabtree.
We believe one of the names on this list is an alias of yours.
You are one of the eleven men who planned and executed the assassination of former Prime Minister Ito.
Isn't that right? You knew the Japanese would seek out these eleven men.
You hoped you would be safe because you were only involved in the planning from afar, but they found you.
The Japanese man in your cellar was there to kill you, but you poisoned him before he could.
You then left him to die in your basement, tried to bury him, but your daughter panicked and telephoned the police.
And you hid the dead man's belongings so they wouldn't be found in your possession.
Have you nothing to say for yourself? Do with me what you must.
Do you have any plans for this evening? - No.
- Are you sure? 'Course I'm sure.
What's that supposed to mean? I'm only curious.
You were a little late coming home for dinner last night.
I got caught up at work.
Well, I hope the same doesn't happen tonight.
I'm sure it won't.
Oh, but having said that, bloody Meyers turned up yesterday, so you never know what's in store.
Best not wait for me for dinner just in case.
Toodle, pip.
Sir, do you really think Mr.
Park is capable of murder? Well, if the murder was an act of self-preservation, then yes.
But, sir, I'm at their store nearly every week.
Do you mean to tell me that while selling me an adze, this man was plotting some international assassination? An adze? Well, yes, I was helping Mrs.
Pratt in her garden.
I don't believe this belonged to the dead man.
But Mr.
Park was hiding it along with these other items that we know he removed from the dead man.
Indeed.
But this book is not Japanese.
These characters are mostly Chinese, uh, but some I can't identify.
I suspect they may be Korean.
As I've been reading, Koreans write most official documents using Chinese characters.
Their own alphabet has only started to become in use amongst academic classes and the like.
So this book is Korean? It seems that way.
Do you have any idea what it says? The title is Freedom from Bondage.
I believe it is about Korean independence.
Well, then perhaps it belongs to Mr.
Park, a sort of guidebook to the movement.
Sir.
Look at this.
Looks like dozens of boxes.
Micro photography.
It's many, many documents all on a single frame.
Could we use your projector to read it? Possibly.
But we're going to need a bigger lens.
Sirs.
The Park family is here.
I'll take care of them.
Constable.
Please, we'd like to visit our father.
I don't think I can allow that at the moment.
Where is he? He's being held in the cells for now.
When will he be let out? I don't know, Vincent.
He's the suspect of this murder investigation.
He may be charged.
Look, we believe that he was involved in some sort of Korean independence movement.
It can't be true.
We would have known.
My father is a simple shop owner.
He is a man of God.
I believe they're all in Chinese.
Given that it was hidden inside the book, it likely belongs to Mr.
Park.
This one looks to be a schedule.
My guess is for a train.
How can you tell? Well, these are times and this one's circled.
A particular train? But why would a train schedule be top secret? Maybe it was about who was on the train.
Go down and to the right.
Yes.
This is a date.
And I've seen that character before.
I think.
I think it means meeting.
An itinerary, then.
What was the date of Ito's assassination? - October 26th.
- This is it.
The date and time he was assassinated.
This group of documents is what was used to plan it.
It was provided to all the assassins, the eleven comrades.
But Ito is already dead.
Why is this still of value? Perhaps simply to prove that Mr.
Park was involved? Then why not destroy it? Good question.
May be time to call your surly friend with the cigar.
Ah, sir? I found Miss Federov wandering the station house.
- Inspector.
- Miss Federov, please do come in.
Higgins, make yourself useful.
Go and put the kettle on.
Sir, I To what do I owe the pleasure? I come with a gift.
An apology for wasting your time with my foolishness.
Oh, this must have cost a fortune.
Oh, my family is very well known in Russia.
Money? We do not think about this.
I hope you can accept this gift? I accept.
Good.
I must go now.
My performance begins soon.
I hope to see you tonight.
Think I need a stiff drink of tea.
So none of you have seen this book before? No.
Well, your father was hiding it from us, and it was in your home.
So, either you've seen it before, or he was hiding it from you, as well.
This is a famous book in Korea.
It tells a story about Korean independence.
It is seen with disapproval in our country.
What do you mean by disapproval? Would it have been popular amongst the eleven comrades? - Comrades? - The men who assassinated Ito.
This is ridiculous.
Would the author of this book have been persecuted? Is this why your family moved to Toronto? Even if this was true, she had nothing to do with the assassination! She? It is true.
I am the author of this book.
Then your husband had nothing to do with this? He's the reason we fled to Canada.
But you wrote the book.
You're the one being persecuted.
Our whole family was persecuted.
I often wrote about independence.
I had gained a reputation.
I wanted to stay, to fight.
He wanted to leave and I have to say, we are much more at ease here.
So, the man in the basement.
He was seeking you.
Yes.
But I did not kill him.
We found him there, like we told you.
It must have been an accident.
Well, it was no accident, Mrs.
Yoo.
The man was poisoned.
You are one of the eleven comrades, aren't you? No.
I swear, we are hiding nothing from you.
Sir? What's going on? The film, someone's taken it.
Was it stolen? Possibly.
The thief has failed in at least one respect.
Of course, I've made a copy.
Uh, sir, Rachel and Vincent Park are still here.
They're hoping to have a visit with the father.
And, with their mother now, I suppose.
It had to have been one of them.
- I've finished translating this document.
- And? It's a fascinating manifesto, inspirational, really.
These people are very passionate about their country.
We have other matters, Watts.
Is there anything pertinent? As we can see, An Jung-geun cut off the tip of his fourth finger.
But the manifesto explains all eleven comrades did the same.
Meaning neither Mr.
Park nor Mrs.
Yoo is one of the eleven comrades.
Meaning what? That this isn't about the assassination after all? Or it's someone else.
Mr.
Park.
I must ask you to remove your gloves.
- Why? - Take off your gloves, Mr.
Park.
I am a member of the Korean Righteous Army.
You joined them from here in Canada.
My family has been here for some time.
I arrived later.
I was in Vladivostok when An Jung-geun drew up the pact.
I left when talk of assassination started.
So you wanted no part of it? I agree with their aims.
I am my mother's son.
But I do not agree with murder.
The Japanese sent a man to kill you, but you killed him instead.
I had no idea I had been found until we discovered his body.
You moved his body in order to bury him.
You were trying to cover it up.
My father took control.
He did not know the truth.
He only knew it would look bad for our family.
He thought the police would not believe us.
Well, we might have if you'd called us straight away.
You're saying that your father had no idea about your involvement with An? No.
Only my mother knew.
He thought the man was here for her, so he got rid of everything that might reveal this.
The film? Why keep it at all? I mean, if you had no part in the assassination, why keep the plans? I thought it might be valuable.
I could trade this evidence for my life if I were to be found.
That's why you stole it back from us? What are you talking about? I did no such thing.
You called.
Again? - Ah! - What is it? Mr.
Meyers, a lot has transpired since I called for your help.
I fear I may no longer need it.
So, what, you wasted my time? Time spent with good people is never time wasted.
Since you're here, this is why I called you.
This film was hidden inside of a book that was amongst the Park family's personal effects.
The son, Vincent, has admitted to being one of the eleven comrades.
Let me just.
Murdoch.
Let this young man go.
And destroy all records of his arrest.
Why? Need I say it, Murdoch? National security.
Exactly.
You will not arrest us again? All I know for sure is that you're free to go now.
I'm so sorry about all of this.
Thank you, Constable.
You have been very kind to us.
You're very welcome, Mrs.
Yoo.
Tonight.
We invite you to our home.
We will serve the jjigae you noticed on our dinner table.
- Do you accept? - Yes, of course.
What time should I come? Come now.
Oh! Excellent.
I've hardly eaten anything all day.
You must be starving.
I've released the Parks and I will burn all of the documents.
So, what's this about? The contents of these documents are clear, it's a plan to assassinate Ito.
But it's not what they say.
It's where it came from.
This number indicates the provenance.
I've seen it before.
This is a film stock used exclusively by the Russian government.
Meaning what? Meaning our single biggest hope is that we eliminate any evidence of this Japanese agent's murder and return to our normal lives.
Are you saying the Russians were involved in this assassination? This at least proves they were involved directly in its planning.
At the risk of exposing my ignorance, so what? Tensions have been high ever since the end of the Russo-Japanese war.
If this were to get out, that war would surely be reignited.
But, this time, Russia wouldn't be fighting alone.
Murdoch, do you recall the Triple Entente you helped salvage here in Toronto some years ago? The alliance between Russia, Britain and France.
Mm-hm.
And, by extension, the entire British empire, including Canada.
The release of this document could drag Canada into a war? Oh, not just Canada.
Alliances upon alliances would drag dozens of countries from around the world into the greatest war this world has ever known.
A first truly world war.
Are you telling us the fate of the world is hanging in the balance of our investigation? It wouldn't be the first time.
Who killed the Japanese agent, then? That clearly doesn't matter.
What does matter is that none of this ever happened.
I cannot stay silent a moment longer.
- When have you ever stayed - I saw you with her! - Who? - Oh, don't play dumb with me.
- The ballerina.
- Margaret! - And then you lied about it! - I did no such thing.
- You pretended that it didn't happen.
- Nothing did happen.
She came into the station house because she'd lost some jewelry.
I helped her find it.
That's all.
- Really? - On my honour.
Oh.
What's this? She gave it to me.
- Why? - For helping her.
And because Look, Margaret, I swear, I turned her down.
She invited me to her hotel room tonight and I've turned her down.
That hussy! Margaret, no! You better have turned her down, Thomas Charles Brackenreid.
And you'd better be home for dinner.
The bloody hell is this? It's a surveillance device.
It records and transmits auditory information.
- You mean it was listening to me.
- Indeed.
Why would anyone want to listen to me? Perhaps it has to do with a case? A case? She's a bloody Russian ballerina.
Russian? Do you think she's connected to the stolen film? An awfully big coincidence.
Uh, Inspector, was your ballerina friend here about two hours ago? That's when she gave me the box.
Then it's her.
What's all this about, then? That woman is a Russian spy.
She was sent here to eliminate any trace of Russian involvement in the assassination.
Which means there might be a loose end.
- Vincent Park.
- Not just him.
If he knows, his whole family knows.
That means She's going to kill them all.
Sir, find the Park family, get them somewhere safe.
Agent Meyers and I will arrest the ballerina.
Watts, you stay here, gather some constables in case we need help.
- Klavdia Federov? - Who are you? Klavdia Federov, you are under arrest.
You are being detained by the government of Canada.
I am not Klavdia Federov.
- You're not? - I am Klavdia's understudy.
Well, then where is she? She said she was ill.
Oh, no.
Oh, no! Stay away from my husband! I'm sorry.
I do not understand.
Come, let us talk.
I really don't think we have anything to talk about! Shh! Move and you die, understand? Yes.
Wait here a moment.
Miss, what's going on? Is everything all right? Stop right there! Get inside! Get inside! You bloody used me! Sorry, Inspector.
Stay there! What a woman.
I love you.
I love you.
Oh, my goodness.
The way I see it, you have two choices.
Confess and I'll hand you back to the Russians.
Stay quiet and I'll throw you to the Japanese.
Take your choice.
Both will kill me.
The Russians? You're one of theirs.
What I did with this assassination, this was not a sanctioned action.
- You're a rogue agent? - Indeed.
Three of us, working with the Koreans.
We hated that Russia surrendered to Japan.
We never forgave and so we fight.
Then you did it all.
It was you who poisoned the Japanese agent.
I had to kill him before he got to the microfilm.
You're the one who stole the film from my office.
And if you'd succeeded in killing the Parks, your secret would have been kept.
And it'll stay that way.
It behooves no one to implicate Russia in any of this, including Canada.
Then what will happen to me? Assuming you're telling the truth, I'll pretend that your identity was discovered incidentally and I'll trade you back to the Russians without revealing any of the real story.
Thank you, Murdoch.
I think we can consider this matter closed.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to Project Iguana.
Ah, yes.
What is Project Iguana? It is a painting.
- Laurier ordered it for his wife.
- Oh.
What's in it? Has someone made an attempt on his life? What? No, no, no, no.
It's got lost in the mail.
The man's incensed about it.
My job now to try to find it.
Mmm.
This is marvelous.
What is it? This is doenjang-jjigae.
Soybean stew.
Oh, it's the best stew I've ever come across.
You'll have to give me the recipe.
- I'm a bit of a cook myself.
- Oh? This is a family recipe, so I don't think my mother will share it with you.
But I'm glad you like it, Cnstable.
If you really like it that much, perhaps we should sell it.
Abeoji, I don't think people will buy food from a hardware store.
Why not? Customers shop, they get hungry.
Ah! Uh, come for an adze.
Stay for the stew! Or we open a restaurant.
A Korean restaurant? Who will come to eat? We're the only Koreans in Toronto.
Ah, maybe, one day, there will be a whole neighbourhood filled with Korean shops and restaurants.
A whole neighbourhood.
Uh, like Chinatown, but with Koreans! You could call it - Koreatown! - Excellent.
I guess there could be Korean clothing stores and grocery stores.
And one store with all manner of convenient items.
A convenient store! You two are out of your minds.