1
[motorcycle roars]
Who can it be knocking
at my door?
Go 'way,
don't come 'round here
no more.
Can't you see that
it's late at night?
I'm very tired, and
I'm not feeling right.
All I wish is
to be alone,
Stay away, don't you
invade my home.
[phone rings]
Best off if you
hang outside,
Don't come in,
I'll only run and hide.
Hey, it's about time.
[phone clatters to the ground]
What's your problem?
[grunts in pain]
[screams]
Ahhhhh
[motorcycle roars away]
Who can it be now?
[crash sounds]
Who Dunnit?
Not only is that the question
that has fueled the second
most successful fiction genre
in all of history,
but it's also going
to be the basis
of your midterm next week.
[sighs]
So, if crime fiction
is number two,
what is number one?
Lacy?
Um, sorry, what was
the question?
What's the most popular form
of genre fiction in the world?
Um, romance? Right?
Good job.
Right, now, by using methods
of deduction, Lacy,
why would you deduce
that out of all the people
in this room, that I asked you
to answer that question?
I don't know.
[door creaks open]
Sorry, am I interrupting?
No, no you're not.
Ladies and gentlemen, the man
who created this class,
also known as my father,
emeritus professor
Graham Winslow.
I'm sure you all know him
from your Atticus Keller books,
which I'm sure he will be
more than happy
to sign for you after class.
First of all, let me talk to you
about your midterm,
just really quick.
Bud here will be crafting
your midterm mystery,
and he's gonna have a full array
of suspects, 'mkay?
And it's going to be up
to all of you to discover...
Lacy?
Who dunnit?
That's right.
Who dunnit.
Have a good day, people.
Hey, Lacy.
Hey.
Is everything okay?
Yeah, why?
I just got the feeling that
maybe you're worried about
that frat guy you've
been seeing?
How do you know about Rex?
Elementary, my dear Lacy.
[laughs]
[clears throat]
I mean, the last two weeks
you've been coming to class
with a smoothie from
the smoothie shop,
which is right next door
to Theta New Zeta,
which is a fraternity for
the pin that you can't seem
to keep your hands off of,
which showed up around your neck
around the same time
that you started bringing
the smoothie to class,
and for the first time
ever in my class,
you've not been able to keep
your head out of your phone.
Which tells me that you're
anxiously awaiting
some response
from this Rex.
Am I correct?
Very Sherlock of you,
Professor.
Thanks.
Yes, Rex and I were supposed
to meet last night
and he didn't show up.
Have you checked
the fraternity house?
Rex is a non-resident.
He lives in Tamblyn Dorm.
[sighs]
Well, you know what,
everybody's sick around here.
I mean, maybe he just has
the flu
and turned his phone off.
Maybe.
Look.
Your paper on the red herrings
in the works of Agatha Christie?
Absolutely phenomenal.
Seriously, like, great.
Would you like to help Bud craft
the midterm mystery?
[laughs in disbelief]
Sure.
All right, great.
Meet us at Holly's at 9:00 AM?
See ya then.
Yeah, well, then...
Ah, here she is.
Hey, sweetie-pie.
Hey, Dad.
Mwua!
So what are you doin' here?
Need an ego boost?
Oh, is she always this cruel
behind my back?
Only to your face, sir.
Oh, good one, good one.
I like this teaching assistant
better than your last one.
Honey, I wondered if you're free
for supper tonight.
Uh, well, that depends.
Are you cookin'?
Always.
All right, then I'll be there.
I'll see you later.
All right, bye.
Nice to meet you, Bud.
Take care.
Eldon.
Hey, Amy.
Hey.
Since when did the facilities
manager start cleaning windows?
Apparently something got swiped
from Life Science,
so now we're adding external
security cameras.
Hey, how's your dad doing?
Heard he's on campus today.
Yeah, yeah, he was.
Uh, you know it's been
a little tough on him
since my mom passed,
but... he's good.
He's good.
Thanks for asking.
Hey, how's your son?
Uh, well, um... he's,
uh, getting' bigger.
And sicker.
We've got him in this
experimental program
out in Boston, so...
Oh, Eldon, I'm sorry.
[sighs]
Well, listen, I won't keep you
from doing your job.
[drill whirrs]
[laughs]
Talk to you soon.
See ya.
Bye.
So, to sum it up,
Professor Morales,
you have a key code entry
on every door,
you've got a state-of-the-art
alarm system,
you got these cameras
that are recording everything
that goes on in here,
and then they feed it
to your private server
in your own office.
Just as I reported to your
captain, Detective.
Yeah, but, see, there's no sign
of a break-in.
And those cameras,
they didn't record anybody
carrying anything out.
And yet, there has been
a theft.
Of a plant.
My team and I have been working
for five years
to genetically engineer crops
that are resistant
to climate change.
One of our plants could
potentially be worth
millions of dollars
on the open market.
Okay, well then I would like
a list of everybody
who has access to this lab.
I'm gonna need names
and numbers.
And what I really want
is the last two weeks
of everything these
cameras caught.
Travis, I'm not sure
I understand.
Why do you want the footage
going back two weeks?
Because, if this thief
is like most,
then he or she cased the
joint before they pulled it off.
And like, I know that going over
two weeks of footage
is not very glamorous,
so I'm sorry about that.
You still happy about becoming
a detective, Claire?
I am.
This is exciting.
A "locked room mystery."
Like "Murders in
the Rue Morgue".
You lost me,
what is that?
Don't you read crime fiction?
[laughs]
No, I got enough crime fact
in my life.
I don't need to read about it.
Good point.
Yeah.
So, "Murders in the Rue Morgue"
by Edgar Allan Poe
is basically the first
detective story.
It features a crime committed
in a locked room.
Like this crime.
Okay, and how did it end?
The killer was an orangutan.
A what?
Orangutan.
An orangutan?
[laughs]
Well, I don't know, maybe we
should have forensics sweep
for orange hairs, huh?
[laughs]
Come on, no more monkey
business.
Hmm.
Looks like Claire Tate.
What's that?
Oh, nothing.
She just reminded me of a former
Mystery 101 student of mine.
Ah yes, my favorite class
of yours.
I got the midterm
on my calendar,
I'll be sitting in.
Well that's great,
except for the fact
that you like to give hints
to the students, and although
you're my boss,
you can't do that.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
[laughs]
Here it is.
What's that?
I got that 29 years ago,
when my predecessor
asked me to become
Chair of the English department.
What are you sayin'?
I need to start thinking about
who I'm going to recommend
as my replacement, and I wanted
to know if you're interested.
[panicked]
Come on, Rex.
Pick up.
(Voicemail) Hi. You've reached
Rex Hanford, leave a message.
[panicked breathing]
[knocking]
[panicked]
Rex?
It's Lacy.
Rex?
[panicked breathing]
[phone dings]
Good afternoon,
ladies and gentlemen.
[shrieks]
Insurance scam?
Or she sells the super-plant
that she's been growing
to make more money than
she'll ever make as a professor.
Now, according to her,
these plants are worth
millions of dollars to the
agro-business companies.
And she told you that?
Yeah.
Not exactly a smart move
if she's the culprit.
It's kind of a good move.
Make it look like you're helping
the detective, hmm.
And my daughter?
She's great.
Claire's learning fast.
Asks great questions.
You did a good job.
[laughs]
Thanks.
Remember guys,
your Huck Finn papers are due
on Friday, all right?
Have a good day.
[sighs]
[phone rings]
[clears throat]
(Voicemail) Hey, it's Lacy.
Leave a message.
Hey, Lacy, this is Amy
calling you back.
Um, I'm available
for the rest of the day
if you want to call me,
or I can just see you
tomorrow morning.
Okay, thanks.
Bye.
Professor Miller asked me
to consider
being the department
Chair today.
Yeah, of course he did.
You know anything
about that?
Well, he mentioned it
to me.
I uh, told him it was
a terrible idea.
Obviously, he didn't listen.
Ha, ha.
You know though,
I don't know.
I'm kind of freaked out
about it.
I don't know if I'm ready
for all that.
Well, you know what your mom
would say.
Yeah.
She'd say "never walk away
from a challenge."
Challenge, yeah.
I don't believe
that you ever do.
Well, you guys
taught me well.
Yeah.
And uh, speaking of your mother
and challenges...
check that out.
Is that what I think it is?
Check it out.
Is this a new Atticus Keller
manuscript?
What a keen sense of deduction
you have.
[laughs]
Dad, this is great.
I thought you stopped writing.
Yeah, well, I believe
I would have,
but uh, that last day
with your mom,
she took hold of my hand
and she said
"now you listen to me,
buster.
"You will have three months
to mourn and then you've got
"to get back to writing."
I promised her that I would.
Yeah, she always knew
what you needed.
Yeah, she certainly did.
Now, I need you to give me
some feedback on this thing
before it goes to the publisher,
what do you say?
Yeah, absolutely Dad,
of course.
I would be honored.
Thank you.
Uh, but Dad, I've got a really,
really busy week.
Do you mind if I read it
over the weekend?
Of course.
We can't have our prospective
chairperson
of the English department be shirking
her school responsibilities, can we?
[laughs]
[laughs with mouth full]
No.
[sighs]
Lacy's late.
She's never late.
Mm-mm.
Never ever.
She texted me yesterday,
and she said she got
a weird message.
What was the message?
I don't know, I don't know.
I called her back after class,
but she didn't get back to me.
I'm just gonna
call really quick.
Yeah.
(Voicemail) Hey, it's Lacy.
Leave a message.
Straight to voicemail.
Hmm.
Hey, Lacy, it's Professor
Winslow.
Um, could you just give me a
call back when you get this?
Thanks. Bye.
[doorbell jingles]
Hey, hey, hey.
I paid that speeding ticket.
I hope so.
How's it going, Bradley?
Officer Tate, I told you
it's Bud.
And it's Detective Tate now.
Oh, nice.
But you can call me Claire.
Claire, I want you to meet
my mentor,
the brilliant Amy Winslow.
Hi, Amy.
Good to see you, Claire.
I know Claire.
Nice to see you too.
And you are?
Travis Burke.
Detective Travis Burke.
My mentor, and the most
brilliant detective
at the Garrison
police department.
[laughs weakly]
There isn't a lot of basis
for that statement, Claire.
Why do you say that?
Well, because he's clearly
new to the force.
Why would you say that?
Oh, um, your shoes.
My shoes.
Yeah, yeah.
There's red mud caked
on the seam of your shoe
from Scarlet Ridge.
And the only people that ever go
to Scarlet Ridge
are the people that stay at
the Scarlet Ridge Inn.
Like I said, she's brilliant.
I'm gonna assume
that you're a professor
at Elmstead College and your
specialty is crime fiction.
Okay, hold on,
how'd you know that?
Well, because Claire is a
graduate from Elmstead College,
and Amy knows Claire, and Claire
knows her crime fiction.
Yesterday she was, uh,
quoting Edgar Allen Poe's
"Murders at the Rue Morgue."
Right.
We have a locked room mystery
at the college.
Which we can't talk about.
It's nice to meet you.
You too.
It's good meeting you.
Bye, Claire.
I wonder if Lacy's gonna be in
her Modern American Novel class
later on in the day.
Hmm.
And so, I think DeLillo
is saying
that everything
is connected,
and that things which seem
maybe mundane or small
at one point can have really
huge implications
if we just pay attention.
(Voicemail) Hey, it's Lacy.
Leave a message.
It's going straight
to voicemail.
You know, I hate
to be an alarmist...
No, no, no, I mean first,
she doesn't show up
to her meeting, then she doesn't
come to class,
and now she's not answering
the phone
when her favorite
professor calls.
It's very un-Lacy like.
Yeah, it is.
Think maybe we should call
her boyfriend?
Rex Hanford?
Yeah.
Okay.
[phone vibrates]
Is that her?
No, unfortunately.
Hey, Goldie.
What's up?
Yeah.
Yeah, no problem.
Just tell him to hang tight.
Okay.
Bye.
Professor Miller
didn't show up to his
turn of the century Lit class,
so I need to sub.
Are you okay to run down
this Rex on your own?
Yeah.
Okay.
Thanks.
- See ya.
- Bye.
The key to understanding
Nathaniel Hawthorne
is to know he believed that sin
and guilt and evil
are all unavoidable aspects
of being human.
Ow, we are out of time,
people.
I'm so sorry.
Thank you.
Hey.
So, did you find Rex?
Negative.
I talked to a couple
of his frat buddies,
they said that he spends
his Tuesdays
at the Elmstead Current.
I'd go by, but I have
a tutoring session.
Uh, no, I can go
by there.
No problem.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I need to talk to Rex Hanford.
Uh, what do you want with Rex?
I was just hoping he could
tell me where his girlfriend is.
Lacy Daniels.
And I was also told that
he works here on Tuesdays?
Sometimes he does,
and sometimes he doesn't.
Meaning?
He's Rex Hanford.
Future Pulitzer winner
in his own mind.
You don't really like him
that much, do you?
I'm the editor of the paper,
Professor.
I just need to like his work.
[knocking at door]
Lacy?
It's Professor Winslow.
[knocking]
[screams]
I'm sorry!
Oh, Eldon, you don't have
to pick that up for me.
Oh...
Is this what I think it is?
Yeah, yeah, it's my dad's
new Atticus Keller manuscript.
Oh wow, how is it?
I'd love to read it.
Can you get it back to me
before the weekend?
Are you kidding me?
No problem.
Thanks.
Yeah, enjoy.
Hey, hey, Eldon?
Um, there is... there's
this student who lives here
that I'm having trouble
getting a hold of.
I've texted and I've called
and I'm just a little worried
about her.
Do you think you could just open
the door and do, like,
a health and wellness check?
Uh, I'm not supposed to...
I know, I know.
Like I said, I would never ask
you to do it,
but I am super worried
about her.
Well, I suppose a quick peek
won't hurt.
Yeah, yeah, just a quick
little peek.
[knocks at door]
Facilities manager.
Hello?
Lacy?
Looks like she's not home.
[phone shutter snaps]
And um, did you notify
campus security?
I don't really think that campus
security is equipped
to handle a missing
persons case.
[laughs]
Probably right.
See, the problem Amy is
that I can't file a report
until someone's been missing
for 24 hours.
So, you said she had
a boyfriend,
Rex was his name?
Yeah, yeah, Rex.
I tried to get a hold
of him, but...
My advice... try again.
If she's still missing tomorrow,
you call me.
[clears throat]
[knocking]
Rex.
[knocking]
[door creaks open]
[phone ringing]
Hey, Detective Burke?
This is Amy Winslow.
Listen, I have another
missing person,
and this one's definitely
in trouble.
The detective seemed upset.
Well, he should be upset.
Maybe in the future,
he'll listen to me.
No, I mean he was upset
with you.
Why would he be upset
with me?
For contaminating
a crime scene.
Oh.
Okay, so you're taking
this seriously?
That's how I take
serious things.
Seriously.
Okay, well then,
you should know
that I found this
in Lacy's room.
That smudge?
Lacy said she got
a message.
Maybe that message was written
with lipstick.
Maybe the same lipstick.
Not everything is a coincidence
like in one of your crime
fiction novels, Amy.
Excuse me?
Let police do the police work.
[laughs weakly]
Gladly.
Thank you.
[knocks at door]
Knock, knock,
President Hawkins.
Ah, detectives.
Detective Travis Burke.
Detective Claire Tate.
Hello.
So, did you find Professor
Morales's plant thief?
No, no, not yet.
Not yet.
Actually, we're here
on a different matter.
One of your professors seems
to think that two students
have gone missing,
Rex Hanford
and Lacy Daniels.
Missing?
Now listen, I'm sure
that it's nothing.
I'm sure it's kids
just being kids.
But, what I was hoping
was that you could call
their families for us
and just see if maybe
they went home?
Well, yes, of course.
Please, have a seat.
Hey, um... What are
we doin' here?
I did some digging,
and Rex's ex-girlfriend
lives here.
Let's see what she knows.
[doorbell rings]
Can I help you?
Hi, we're from the English
department,
and we were just wanting
to talk to...
Brittany, sure.
Brittney.
And what was her last
name again?
Summers.
Summers.
Brittany Summers.
That's right.
Hi, I'm Brittany.
Do I know you?
Uh, not exactly.
My name is Professor
Amy Winslow,
we're with the English
department.
I just wanted to ask you
a couple questions
about your ex-boyfriend.
Rex.
What about him?
When was the last time
you saw him?
Well, the last time I saw him
was when he made
the catastrophic decision
to be
with the little reporter rather
than me.
The reporter?
Lacy.
They work at the school
newspaper together,
and I'd rather not talk
about him.
Bye.
Yeah, bye.
Wow, what a charmer.
And I'm wondering
why Josh Green,
the editor of the Current,
acted like he didn't know
who Lacy was.
That's a good point.
Security camera footage arrived
from Professor Morales
at Life Science labs.
Took her sweet time on that,
didn't she?
Detective.
Claire.
Oh, terrific.
Professor.
Did the president call
their parents?
[laughs]
All right, you need to let me
do my job.
Ha, happily, as soon as you
start doing it.
[phone rings]
Tate.
All right, I don't know...
Where?
Okay.
Someone found Rex.
[distant police radio]
Rangers Randolph and Williams
found the body.
And you are sure this
is Rex Hanford?
Well, his face is banged up,
but it's a match for his
drivers' license.
Cause of death?
ME said a broken neck.
C'mere.
What? Oh.
- That's not all that's broken.
- Uh-nuh.
What do you think,
Detective?
I think that Rex might've
ended here,
but he started up there.
Yup.
Detective!
Friend of yours?
No.
That's Amy Winslow.
She was my crime fiction
professor at Elmstead.
What is she doing here?
Playing cop.
Claire?
On it.
Amy, you really need to-
He's dead, isn't he?
Is Lacy with him?
Not that we know of.
How did he die?
Amy, you know I can't talk
about this.
Right.
Sorry.
What do we do now?
We're just going to sit here
and wait for someone
that can talk about it.
Detective.
Professor.
Uh...
Bud, get in the car.
Yeah.
We're following.
[engine starts]
What is she doing here?
Professor?
Did he go over?
Yeah.
His motorcycle did, too.
Look, this is a closed
crime scene.
You're not welcome here.
Professor Winslow,
I'm Chief Tate.
Hi, you're Claire's dad,
right?
Yeah, I was one of her teachers.
You can call me Amy.
Amy.
I understand from Detective
Burke and my daughter here
that you're wanting to involve
yourself in this.
Well, I'd prefer that you let
police handle things.
Oh, uh, well, uh, no disrespect,
sir.
But I'm involved in this because
one of my students is in danger.
Okay?
And if you guys are gonna
handle this,
that's great, that's actually
what I want, okay?
But, I just, there's...
[sighs]
Don't you think if he would've
lost control of the bike
that the skid marks would've
started way back there?
Not there.
But they don't.
This is not an accident.
This is a murder.
Hey do you think maybe
we should just go?
No.
I wanna find out what their plan
is to find Lacy.
So?
We're going to officially report
this as an accident for now.
It's a good idea.
Yeah.
Cause then the killer will think
he outsmarted you.
There is no direct evidence
that there is a killer.
Think about it, guys.
Rex gets a threatening message
on his mirror,
which Lacy probably got too.
And now, Rex is dead.
Did he have a cell phone
on him?
We're looking for it,
it probably fell out of his
pocket during the fall.
Okay, well, look.
Can you now just entertain
the fact that Lacy is missing?
Can we maybe just, I don't know,
maybe you wanna cross-reference
the lipsticks
to see if they match?
We're already doing that, okay?
Thank you for your help.
I'm gonna go.
Okay, can I go with you?
No, you cannot go with me.
Why?
Because you're not
a police officer.
Well yeah, but I could be like
a consulting detective,
you know?
Like Sherlock was
to Scotland Yard...
[unimpressed]
Sherlock Holmes.
Okay. Look here.
You, you are a teacher
who teaches
about pretend detectives.
So no. You can't join me.
Hang on a minute, Travis.
Professor Winslow is the one
that alerted you
of these missing kids, right?
Yes, sir.
And a liaison who knows
the campus
wouldn't be a bad thing
to have.
Yes, sir.
Speaking of liaisons,
Captain Tate, sir,
You know, I'm actually writing
a thesis right now
about fictional cops
versus real cops,
and I'd be happy to lend
a hand too,
if that's all right.
The security footage drive
arrived from Professor Morales
at Life Science labs.
Someone stole a plant worth
millions out from under the eyes
of the security camera.
There is a lot of footage.
Maybe Bud could help me.
Fine.
In the meantime,
I'll talk to the president about
alerting the school community.
Bud.
I'll see you at Lacy's,
Detective.
What?
I'll see you at Lacy's.
[car doors slam]
[sighs]
So, what are you looking for?
[sighs]
I don't know.
I'll know when I find it.
Well, if I can help you
in any way...
You're a liaison, Amy.
[sighs]
You know, I'm assuming
that you've never read
"Who's Body" by
Dorothy L. Sayers so...
you haven't, have you?
No.
No.
No, I thought so.
Uh, but there's this, there's
this great example of the trope
of this really disgruntled
policeman who's so upset
with this amateur sleuth
for invading his turf,
and it's just, it was kind
of relatable,
but it's great, and I think
you should,
I think you should read it.
I think you'd like it.
Yeah?
Yeah.
How's it end?
Well, it ends with the amateur
sleuth solving all the crimes
and giving the cop the credit.
[laughs]
I'm not trying to step on
anybody's toes here.
Okay?
Really, I just, I feel
like there's
this questionable character
who's connecting to Rex and Lacy
that I feel like you should take
a look at.
I'm all ears.
Yeah?
So there's this girl,
Brittany Summers,
and she actually used to date
Rex before Lacy,
and she's just... unpleasant.
That's not a crime, Amy.
[laughs]
No, no that's not a crime.
But she did tip me to a fact
I didn't know about.
So, Rex and Lacy were
both reporters
for the school newspaper,
which is only pertinent
information
because when I was at the school
newspaper's office today,
I talked to the editor,
Josh Green,
and he acted like Lacy's name
meant absolutely nothing to him,
like he didn't know who she was,
and I just,
I feel like that's weird.
[sighs]
Where's the newspaper office.
I can take you there.
Let's go.
Okay.
Garrison PD.
Are you Josh Green?
[panicked] Yes.
Do you know Lacy Daniels?
Who?
Lacy Daniels.
She's a reporter here, when is
the last time you saw her?
[panicked] I don't,
I don't know. Why?
There's two students missing.
She's one of them.
I... haven't seen her
in a few days, really.
All right.
[heavy breathing]
I'm sorry I scared you.
Here's my number.
You call me if you hear
anything, all right?
Yeah...
That was awesome.
Thanks.
He's hiding something.
See, a reporter should have
asked me
who the other missing student
was, unless you already know.
Ahh.
May I, may I?
Oh, yeah, sure.
Thanks.
What are you hiding, Josh?
Here.
He's on the move.
[engine starts]
You wait here.
[gasps]
Oh, shh.
[terrified]
What?
[whispers] It's safe.
Come on.
[relieved sigh]
All right, I'm gonna go look,
okay?
Okay.
What are you doing?
I'm gonna look.
What?
She's alive.
[knocking heavily]
Hi, Josh.
Professor Amy Winslow,
you remember me?
[whispers]
Yes.
Is Lacy here?
Uh...
Professor?
Hi.
Lacy, can we come in?
We?
We need to talk to you, Lacy.
Alone.
[crying] No... He's...
that's not, he can't be...
It's okay.
I'm so sorry, Lacy.
[sighs]
[sobbing]
[whispers] Lacy, the detective
and I
need to ask you some questions.
Is that okay?
Thank you.
Okay, Lacy.
I'm sorry for your loss.
When is the last time
that you saw Rex?
Saturday.
We were supposed to write a
story together Sunday night,
but he never showed.
I called, texted, nothing.
That's why I was so worried
in class yesterday.
And can you walk us through
what you did after class?
I came home,
[sniffs]
and somebody had broken in, and
wrote a message on my window.
And that's the message
you called me about?
Was it "back off?"
Uh, yes...
How did you know?
Rex had the same one on
his mirror in his room.
Lacy, do you know
who might've written it?
Maybe.
A story Rex and I were
working on was about someone
hacking the math
department server,
stealing tests and selling
the answers.
That's a crime.
Do you know who it was?
We had a good lead.
Brittany Summers.
We need to see if she owns
any purple lipstick.
Did she find out that
you were onto her?
Um, we contacted her on her
burner cell to try to get a buy.
Rex had me be the buyer.
We didn't think she knew
Rex and I were together.
But she did.
Suddenly she didn't have
anything to sell me.
Said it was all
a practical joke.
How did you...
How did you end up here?
Well, when I went to Rex's room,
when I was on the phone with
you, professor, Josh showed up.
He was looking for Rex too.
He was upset with Rex,
but that was nothing new.
Why is that?
He hated Rex.
Josh was always accusing Rex of
trying to take over the paper.
Is that why Josh was angry
at Rex?
He said he owed him a story.
The math test story?
No, a different one.
The story was about
a tenured professor
who'd stolen a student's work
and published it.
What professor?
Rex wasn't ready to say.
He called the person
"Professor M."
And Josh....
Josh saw the warning
on the mirror.
I told him about mine,
he said I was in danger,
and that he had this cabin,
his grandpa's,
where I could be safe.
Now I know it sounds
so stupid now,
but, like, I was so freaked out
and, and now Rex...
[cries]
It's okay. You're safe.
We do need to call your folks
and let them know you're okay,
though.
Where were you Sunday night,
Josh?
I was uh, at the office,
waiting for Rex,
who never showed.
Waiting for Rex about what?
Some big story he said he had.
And was anybody else there?
No.
Why?
Okay, Josh, why did you bring
Lacy here?
For her safety.
I mean, she was in danger.
How long have you been
in love with Lacy, Josh?
[laughs]
I don't, um...
Was it before or after she
started going out with Rex?
What does that matter?
It matters, Josh.
Because here's
this handsome guy,
he's a star journalist breaking
all the stories,
and then he sweeps Lacy
right out from underneath you.
Hmm-mm.
And Josh, what are you going
to do about it?
Nothing.
Come on, man.
I didn't do anything.
Wrong.
You lied to a police officer
in the middle
of a missing persons
investigation.
That is an obstruction
of justice,
which is why you're
under arrest.
[sighs]
You have the right
to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be
used against you
in a court of law.
You have a right
to an attorney...
I agree, it's a wonderful way
to end the evening.
You have a good night, bye.
All right, that was
President Hawkins,
and he's relieved
that you are safe, Lacy,
so let's keep you that way.
I'm gonna post an officer
outside your dorm
until this is all settled, okay?
Okay.
What I need from you is
Brittany's burner phone number.
Hey, Claire?
Can you escort Lacy back
to campus, please?
Sure, see you tomorrow.
Okay.
It'll be okay.
Come on.
Thanks, Claire.
Tomorrow?
Oh, yeah, well, we went through
several hours of footage,
but we didn't see anyone
take a plant,
so I told Claire
that I could get back at it
with her tomorrow,
I mean, if that's okay with you,
Detective.
Appreciate your dedication, Bud,
to police work.
Protect and serve, sir.
Need a ride home, boss?
I can give you a ride home
if you like,
if you need a ride.
Uh, yeah.
Yeah.
I got it.
All right, see you tomorrow.
Bye.
Uh, you ready?
Yeah, sure.
Okay.
Well, thanks for the ride.
You're welcome.
Hey, and thank you
for the lead on Josh.
It was solid.
Oh, yeah.
You really think he killed Rex?
I don't know.
I mean, either he's trying
to play hero for Lacy,
or, he has more
sinister motives.
Hmm.
But what I do know is I've been
in town for one week,
I've already got a homicide
investigation.
It's like I never left Chicago.
[laughs]
I bet you probably
left Chicago
to get away from all the crime,
huh?
Yeah, yeah, partially.
Was the other part an ex-wife?
That's not a wild guess, is it?
The skin above your knuckle.
The what?
[laughs]
The skin above your knuckle
on your forefinger
of your left hand
is just slightly paler in tone.
How did you see that?
You're good.
You know, a missing wedding ring
is a key feature of
"A Study in Scarlet."
"A Study in Scarlet."
What is that?
It's my favorite
Sherlock Holmes story.
Wow, you really don't read
any crime fiction, do you?
I really don't.
None?
None.
Oh!
I'm thinking maybe
I should start.
You should.
Yeah.
[sighs]
Okay. Well...
Hey, Amy.
Yeah?
Tomorrow.
I have to interview
all the Professor M's
at Elmstead College.
Potentially, if Rex ended
someone's career, then,
makes sense it'd be someone
who'd want to end Rex's life.
Hm-mmm.
And having a familiar face
there with me,
you know, it might make people
be a little more compelled
to tell the truth,
to be a little more honest
than they would be if...
I was wondering...
Oh, me?
You.
Oh.
I mean, if you're not teaching,
you're probably teaching.
No, I'm not, I don't teach
on Wednesdays.
I would, yeah, I would
love to go.
Great.
Great.
Well then, tomorrow,
I'll meet you...
We should meet up.
Okay. Where?
Uh, the English department
building?
'Kay.
At 9:00?
Yeah. 9:00.
Okay.
9:00. English building.
Uh, I'll see you then.
Okay.
Okay.
Great. All right.
I'll get outta here.
All right, bye.
Bye, and thanks again,
that lead was very helpful.
All right.
Bye.
[rain patters]
[door bells jingle]
Hi.
Hey.
Oh, it's a mess out there.
I know.
The usual?
Yeah.
Oh, and an extra coffee.
You uh, you meeting someone?
Detective Burke, but I'm gonna
meet him at the school.
Oh.
And coffee for the cute
detective, now.
I get it.
[laughs]
There's nothing to get.
Okay? It's just work.
Mm, nope.
I saw the sparks
between you two.
[laughs]
You saw sparks?
You saw nothing of the kind,
okay?
But we are complete opposites.
Right.
Amy, are you familiar with
the phrase "opposites attract?"
Mmhmm.
It's a clich.
Well, clichs are things
that happen
so often they get
called clichs.
Doesn't make 'em any less true.
On the house.
Thank you.
Mmhmm.
Have fun.
It's work!
Hey there.
One of those for me?
[laughs]
Hey, what are you doing here?
Ah, I was looking for
Professor Miller.
See if you told him you want
the job.
Oh, uh, well no, you know what,
I actually think he's sick.
Yeah, I had to sub
for him yesterday.
Oh, I see.
And uh, what are you doing here?
You don't, uh, you don't teach
on Wednesdays.
Hey.
Hey.
Hi.
Hi.
Um, uh, Travis, this is my dad,
Graham Winslow,
and Dad, this is Detective
Travis Burke.
Oh, hi. Nice to meet you.
I gather this is who
the second coffee's for?
Oh, um, uh yeah,
I got you a coffee.
Thanks.
And how do you know
my daughter, Detective?
Um...
Um...
Your daughter's helping me
with a thing.
What thing?
Police thing.
What police thing?
Dad, he can't tell you
about all of his police things.
But he's telling you?
Uh, well, uh...
Sir, if I may, your daughter
has a gift.
She has a keen insight
into criminality,
and an ability to observe things
which is off the charts.
Which doesn't come
as any surprise,
considering who your father is.
It's an honor, Mr. Winslow.
Thank you, Detective.
That means a lot,
considering your profession.
And I trust that you'll
make sure my daughter
doesn't do anything dangerous?
Sir, I wanna give you my word.
Your daughter will be
absolutely safe, I promise.
Okay.
Shall we?
Yeah, we should.
Bye, Dad.
Yeah.
Talk to you later.
- Okay.
- Yep.
All right.
Hey, nice to meet you, sir.
You bet.
Pleasure.
'Kay.
So you went with M's as both
first and last names.
Mmhmm.
Yeah, you cover the bases,
but just tenured professors.
Right, yeah.
[inhales]
...that covers.
Jameson Mook...
Mook.
Well, I gotta be honest
with you.
Professor Miller is innocent.
I mean, that man is like
the sweetest person
on the whole entire planet.
Okay.
But you know I gotta, I gotta
cross my I's and dot my T's.
[laughs]
Uh, Morales.
Yeah, I don't know
about Morales.
I just, I think it's...
It's a little bit fishy
that she's a part of
two suspicious activities that
have taken place on campus.
I just, I don't like
coincidences.
Yeah.
Any coincidence
is worth noticing.
"You could throw it away later
if it's only a coincidence."
Miss Marple.
Marple? Marple?
Is she tenured?
You don't know Miss Marple?
You should talk to her.
You can't talk to her.
She's only the most famous
female fictional detective
of all time.
She said that about coincidence.
Well, good.
Glad that Miss Marple
and I agree.
Mm.
Hi, I got a message from the
president's office to be here.
Yeah, Mark, have a seat.
This is Detective Travis Burke.
How you doin'?
Hi, good.
Mark Cutforth. Physics.
Ivy Mittner. Sociology.
Uh, Steve McDonough.
History.
Jameson Mook.
Theatre.
Hello again.
Professor Morales.
So, have you found the culprit?
Uh, well actually, this is about
a different matter.
Um, I'm not sure, did you get
the email from the president
regarding the unfortunate
accident of Mr. Hanford?
Yes. Just awful.
Was he a student of yours?
No.
He wasn't.
No.
No.
Possibly in a freshman seminar.
I honestly couldn't tell you.
Okay, that's fine,
but did you know him,
maybe because he's a reporter
at the "Elmstead Current"?
I don't think I've ever talked
to a reporter before, so...
No.
No.
Yes, right, he did an article
a couple of years back
about a production I directed.
It was an all-female Macbeth
that was...
Uh, not that I recall.
Yes.
Would you care to elaborate?
Do I need my lawyer?
No, no, Sarah, not at all.
Look, we just understood that
Mr. Hanford was looking
into a professor and had some
potentially damaging information
that he was planning...
Damaging?
That sounds bad.
Well, you don't mean
just a bad play review?
So, this is a fishing
expedition.
But, if he's deceased, it
should be a moot point, no?
[laughs weakly]
Can you answer my question?
He was a work-study student
in my lab.
I thought he was a
communications major.
That is immaterial.
We are forced to employ
work-study students
regardless of course of study
for janitorial services.
This young man worked
six hours a week.
And did he know about
the stolen plant?
And how did you know
about the stolen plant, Amy?
[inhales awkwardly]
Professor Winslow is consulting
for the police department.
And finally, last question.
Have you published any major
papers in the last six months?
Of course I have.
Yeah.
Sure.
I have, yes.
Oh, certainly.
No, not in a...
Well, it's been years.
All right. Thank you.
Now, we're still very much
working on your case, Professor.
I should hope so.
Good day to you both.
Good day to you.
Thank you, Professor Morales.
What?
So, when did I go from liaison
to consulting?
Oh, well I needed you
to sound more important
for Professor Morales.
[laughs]
So, consultant.
What do you think?
Well, I think that we can
definitely rule out
Jameson Mook, the
theatre director.
Agreed.
Yeah.
And, um, I mean obviously we
need to look into the papers
that the rest of them published.
But it sounds like you've
got a "but" there.
But... I think that we need
to take a closer look at...
Morales, right?
Uh, no, I was actually going
to say Steven McDonough.
The history professor?
Mm.
Why?
Well, because when you asked
"do you know him,"
he's the only one that hedged.
He said, and I quote,
"not that I recall."
Ooh.
All right.
And what about your boy here,
Professor Miller?
He was a no-show.
Yeah, uh...
Well, if you want I could
just run you by his house.
I want. I'd like you to do
that right now.
Okay.
Is this a campus owned house?
Yeah.
[doorbell rings as Big Ben]
That's quite a bell.
[laughs]
He didn't show up yesterday,
so I had to sub for him.
[doorbell rings like Big Ben]
Hey, will you call the
facilities manager again?
Yeah. Yeah.
Thanks.
Hey, Eldon.
This is getting to be a habit.
We haven't formally met yet.
I'm Detective Travis Burke.
Eldon Parnell.
It's nice to meet you.
You joining the force, Amy?
[laughs]
Oh, no, no, no, no.
I'm just a liaison.
This lady knows crime.
At least the pretend kind.
Oh, speaking of which,
I'm tearing through
your dad's book.
Yeah?
Is it good?
Oh, best ever.
So, what's up here?
Well, that's what we're hoping
to find out.
Yeah.
Do you mind letting us in?
That's what I do.
Thank you.
Thank you.
[knocks at door softly]
Professor Miller?
This is the police.
We're entering your home.
The bedrooms and the home
office are up here.
I'll, uh, stay down here
unless you need me.
No, that's fine, Eldon.
Thank you.
He's not in there.
This is his office.
Professor Miller?
Professor Miller?
What are you doing in here
with the lights off?
Here, let me...
Amy, stop.
Touch nothing.
Is he?
Sorry.
Look at his hand.
Pills...
I don't understand.
"I have gone to be
with my Florence..."
Who's Florence?
His wife.
I just saw him on Monday.
He seemed to be fine.
He even told me he was coming
to my midterm mystery.
[sighs]
I don't know, but then,
he was also talking to me
about the fact
that he wanted me
to become Chair
of his department.
So I don't know, Eldon,
maybe he was trying
to tell me something.
[sighs heavily]
He was married to her
for over half a century.
Maybe he just...
Wanted to be with her.
Hey, Eldon.
Thank you.
Let me know if you need
anything.
All right, appreciate ya.
Thank you.
The medical examiner's
gonna do an autopsy,
which is standard in these kinds
of deaths.
So, if there's any next of kin
that needs to know about
the funeral...
He didn't have any children.
He used to say he had hundreds
of kids every four years.
[tears up]
I'm sorry.
It's okay.
I get it.
I'm sorry.
[phone rings]
Um, I need to take this.
Excuse me.
Yeah.
Yeah?
Hey.
Brittany Summers just bit
on the text we sent
about buying test answers.
She'll do an in-person meet.
You ready to go back to college?
Thanks for meeting me.
Do you have the money?
Um, do you have the exam?
No, I just like sitting in cars
with girls
who ask stupid questions.
Sorry, I just...
I mean, you don't exactly
look like a hacker.
My brother taught me how to code
when I was in 4th grade.
When I didn't look like this.
Money?
Wait, so did knowing code
help you hack
into the math department?
Are you seriously asking
me that?
Well, did it?
Yes, obviously.
That's how I got the exam that
you said you wanted to pay for?
$300 now.
You said $200 in the text.
Yeah, that was before
you became annoying.
Thank you.
Bye.
[clears throat]
Hello.
Who are you?
Detective Travis Burke.
Hi, Brittany.
Remember me?
What's going on here?
Claire, would you like
to make your first arrest
as a detective?
What's going on is we recorded
our whole conversation.
You're under arrest for hacking
and digital theft.
Thank you, gentlemen.
Do you recognize that?
Should I?
It's your shade.
You know what else?
It matches the shade
of the lipstick
put on Lacy Daniels' window.
This lipstick's worn by
a hundred girls at Elmstead,
at least.
Right.
But, you wanna know the funny
thing about lipstick?
See, when you transfer
from the tube to your lips,
you also transfer your DNA
back to the lipstick.
So that forensics test
that I just ordered.
Am I gonna see a match?
So what if you do?
Is it a crime to write
on a mirror?
"Back off" of what?
What do you think?
I think that Rex is
gonna write an article
about this little side business
that you've got going on.
Or, he was hitting on me,
and I wasn't interested.
Where were you Sunday night,
8:00 to midnight?
I need a lawyer.
All right, Brittany.
Obviously, you're a very
intelligent person,
you got a lot going for you.
But you know what else you got?
A tape admitting that you stole
an exam
and were trying to profit
from the theft.
Now, I don't care
what lawyer you hire,
no one can make
that disappear.
So, do you understand
the consequences?
Now, if you answered
my questions Brittney
then I'm gonna be inclined
to tell the DA
that you were very helpful.
So, you wanna try again?
Fine.
Sunday night, I was
at the Sig Kappa house,
in my room, studying.
Okay.
Is there anybody there
that can vouch for that alibi?
Yeah.
Some of the other sisters,
I guess.
Names and numbers.
[typing]
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Amy?
Hi, Tabby.
What brings you
to my department?
Well, I just had a quick
question for you.
Steven McDonough just
published a big paper
in the American Bulletin
of History on Nixon, right?
Yes, a fact he likes to remind
me of daily,
and has left me many copies,
so please, take one.
Thank you.
Before this, he published
a paper back in 2002,
but why the long drought?
Steven's a good historian,
but he's an abominable writer.
Except for that Nixon piece.
He teaches European history,
I mean, why is he writing
about Nixon?
That would have been inspired
by the student Andy Buck.
He was a Nixon nut.
Was.
He died last spring break.
A boating accident.
And now with Rex Hanford...
What's that got to do
with anything?
Andy and Rex were
best friends.
Hey, uh, guys.
Brittany's sorority sisters
cannot confirm her alibi
between 8:00 and 10:00 PM,
which the MA says fits
the time of death.
Is the evidence
from Rex's room here?
It's there.
Thanks.
Why?
Well, I think I know why
Steven McDonough
didn't recall knowing Rex.
What are you doing?
All right.
Huh.
See, almost word for word.
Word for word.
Except, of course,
the author.
That's incredible.
Nice work, Amy.
Yeah.
Hey, what does this mean?
Well, it means that someone else
had a reason
for keeping Rex quiet.
[knocks at door]
Uh, excuse me?
Hey, Steven.
We've got a few more questions
for you.
About Richard Nixon.
Can you sit down, please?
Uh, look.
I have a dinner engagement.
Sit down, Steven.
Where were you Sunday?
Sunday?
Yeah.
Steven, Sunday is the day
after Saturday,
it is the day before Monday.
What were you doing Sunday?
Uh, I'd had lunch that day
with some colleagues.
And something I ate
didn't agree with me,
so I went to bed quite early.
What time?
Uh, 6:30, 7:00.
6:30, 7:00.
Do you live alone?
At the moment.
Yeah, I figured.
So there's nobody there
that can vouch
for this early bedtime story?
No, I suppose not.
Look, what is going on?
Amy, why don't you tell him
what's going on?
Yeah, sure.
Want to you take this for me?
Thank you.
Open it to page 11, please.
Can you read the top for me?
The Nixon Story?
By?
Steven McDonough.
And if I were to read this,
I could deduce that you are
the author, not Andy Buck,
who wrote this a year ago?
Now, look.
Let me...
What did you do when Rex Hanford
confronted you
for publishing the essay
of a dead student?
Hang on.
When I asked you if you knew
Rex Hanford,
you told me "not that I recall,"
and yet...
Yes...
Steve, I got a whole bunch
of emails
between the two of you
dated last week.
Amy.
Can you please read him
the emails for me?
Absolutely, Detective.
All right, so last Friday, Rex
sent you an email that says
"We need to talk
about Andy Buck,
"I'd like to get your side
of the story."
Two hours later, you reply
"What story?"
An hour later, he replies
"The Nixon Story."
Then you say, "I can explain
how Sunday at 8,"
he replies "Sure. See you then."
Well, obviously he was
in that accident,
so, so we never met.
How did you know that?
You said you went to bed
between 6:30 and 7:00,
and if you were supposed
to meet him at 8, eh, right?
It doesn't make
a lot of sense,
unless you knew he wasn't going
to show up.
No, I... Look.
I... I admit there are some
irregularities with this,
but last time I checked,
plagiarism isn't a crime.
No.
But murder is.
Murder?
Steven McDonough,
you're under arrest for
the murder of Rex Hanford.
He spends the night in jail,
he'll wanna talk.
[laughs]
I'm gonna report to the chief.
Okay.
Report what?
Oh, he arrested
Steven McDonough.
McDonough confessed?
No, not yet, but he thinks
he will after he spends
a night in jail.
Once he does, he's
gonna release Josh.
So, does this mean that movie
Night of the Living Dead
is over?
We still need to find out
who stole the plant.
Right.
But I mean, you can leave
if you want.
Oh, no, no, no.
I'd love to stay.
It's showing me how boring
and tedious actual police work
can be.
It's good for my thesis.
But, um, do you want to maybe go
get some dinner?
Good idea.
Hey.
Hey, Dad.
I got the email about
Professor Miller.
Do you want some coffee?
[sighs]
[coffee pours]
[sighs]
Thanks.
[whispers] I was with
Detective Burke, Dad.
I found him.
I'm so sorry.
Hey, hey.
At least he passed in his sleep.
[inhales deeply]
What?
What is it?
Yeah.
Yeah, he did die in his sleep.
But he died from an overdose
of sleeping pills.
What?
Yeah.
He left a note
and everything.
I guess he just didn't want
to be away from Florence.
Why didn't he say anything
to me?
I could have helped him cope
with being a widower.
[sighs]
This makes no sense.
I saw him last week.
All he talked about was this app
he got to help him
with his arthritis.
You dictate everything and
the computer does the typing.
What?
Yeah, he thought that I could
use it for my writing.
What are you saying,
that he couldn't type?
His arthritis was brutal.
His hands were more
like claws.
Right, right, I know that,
but are you saying
physically he couldn't type?
Because that doesn't make
any sense,
because he typed
his suicide note.
Wait a minute, I need
to call Detective Burke.
Good, good.
You let him handle this.
Well, okay, I'm kind of in
the middle of it too.
Honey, now look.
It's Professor Miller
we're talking about here.
Okay?
There's been one dead,
and this could be
a second murder.
Yes, yes.
Which is why you let the
professionals take the ring.
Come on.
Amy, Amy, you and I are used
to dealing with mysteries
that live on the page.
This is different.
This is dangerous.
Tell me you understand that.
[sighs]
Thank you for getting
here so quickly.
So the ME just finished
Professor Miller's tox screen.
Sleeping pills didn't kill him.
He had a lethal dose
of fentanyl.
Fentanyl?
That's...
The painkiller that kills.
No fentanyl in the medicine
cabinets,
no opioids of any kind.
What are you looking for?
No prints.
It's wiped clean.
Wait a minute.
That proves it.
That proves that Professor
Miller didn't type that note,
and whoever did wiped
the typewriter clean.
Travis, this is a murder,
and it's gotta be connected
to Rex.
You said it yourself,
no coincidences.
The ME said that Miller died
Monday night, so...
Let's see what Steve McDonough
was doing Monday.
All right, yeah,
thank you Claire.
So, McDonough has an alibi
for Monday night, apparently.
He was having dinner
with the Chair of his department
at his house.
We'll see about that,
I just happen to be very good
friends with her.
You are?
Yes, I am.
Nice.
Okay.
[phone rings]
Hello?
Hey, Tabby, it's Amy.
Hey.
Did I get Steve McDonough
arrested?
[laughs]
No, I think he did that
all on his own.
Uh, listen, could I ask you
a question?
Were you with Steven McDonough
on Monday night?
Yes, he cooked for me.
The man's quite a gourmand.
Okay, do you know what times
you were there?
Five courses...
I left just shortly after
my office hours, so 6:00?
Got home around midnight?
[sighs]
Okay, all right,
thanks, bye.
Well, there's his alibi.
That's all right, Amy,
that's all right.
You know, this doesn't
change his motive,
or his lack of alibi
for killing Rex.
So I just need to find some
evidence that connects him
to the murder.
Hey, Travis, check this out.
[clears throat]
Yeah?
We've got it.
You got what?
The plant thief.
And Travis, you were right.
It was Professor Morales.
Bud noticed a small,
two minute gap in the timecode
on Saturday.
At first we thought maybe
it was a glitch,
like something that happened
every day at the same time.
So, we went back and checked,
but no.
So then, we brought
in Russ.
Good job, Russ.
What'd you find, Russ?
Well, somebody clipped two
minutes out of the footage
and they threw that file
in the trash,
which they then emptied.
But it wasn't hard to find.
I ran a basic recovery program
and got the file back.
But if Morales took
the plant herself,
then why would she give up
the evidence that proves
that she did it?
Because she thought she had
the perfect locked room mystery.
Yeah, but what's her motive?
Money.
It's like Morales
told Trav here.
That plant could
be worth millions
to a multinational
Agro business.
He's right.
Thank you.
Don't ever call me Trav.
Never again, sir.
We got another arrest
we gotta make.
Good work, Russ.
This is absurd.
I was moving the plant
before the cleaners came in.
I did that weekly.
You have absolutely
no basis for this.
You're gonna hear
from my lawyers.
What's going on?
Well, turns out the victim
was the culprit.
Just like in the first
Atticus Keller book.
Hmm, yeah.
I'm gonna go question her.
Yeah, uh...
Good luck.
Hey, congrats.
Thanks.
Uh... I'll call ya.
I mean, you know,
I'll call you about the...
when I find out about
the confession...
I'll call you later.
Yeah, yeah okay.
[clears throat awkwardly]
The great mystery writers
are much like magicians.
What do I mean
when I say that?
Jake.
Uh, they use misdirection.
They use misdirection.
What's misdirection?
It's kinda like this right now,
I've got you guys
all paying attention
to my right hand cause it's
doing something crazy over here,
so much that you don't pay
any attention
to what I'm doing with my left.
But the second time
you see the trick,
you start to understand
what the magician is doing,
and that's what I tell
my students,
I say, when you're nearing
the end,
always go back to
the beginni...ng.
Always...
[whispers] Always go back
to the beginning.
Bud, take over.
Wha...
Where, where are you going?
I have to take care
of something.
Hi.
Hey, are you looking
for Travis?
Uh, actually, no.
I was looking for the drive with
all the security footage on it.
It's in evidence holding.
Oh.
But, Russ made us a copy.
It's right here.
Do you think that I could
borrow that for a couple hours?
That should be fine.
Travis said you're a consultant,
right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, we're a little short
on workspace right now, so...
Don't worry about it.
I can just take it back to my
office and I'll bring it back.
That should be fine.
Okay, great.
Do you want a copy
of our log notes, too?
Yes, I would love that.
Thank you, Claire.
[phone vibrates]
Hey Dad, what's up?
It's your worrywart father
checking in on you.
Oh, I'm fine.
I hear from Tabitha that
Detective Burke made an arrest.
Yeah, more than one,
actually.
Well, that's a relief.
Can I get some details?
You know what, Dad,
I'm just in the middle
of something,
but I can come over later
for dinner.
Then I can fill you in.
I'm already making
my five-alarm chili.
I'll see you at 6:00.
Yeah, sounds good.
Love you.
Love you, too.
Okay...
Eldon?
Hang on.
Rex?
I finished.
Oh.
[laughs]
Hey, Eldon.
Sorry, didn't mean to scare you.
No, um.
What's up?
Finished your dad's manuscript.
Oh, that's nice.
[clears throat]
How was it?
Well, your old man
faked me out.
See, Atticus Keller got
the killer locked up,
but there were still
two chapters left.
Oh, so he locked up
the wrong guy?
Exactly.
Yeah.
But you knew that, cause there
were still two chapters left.
I should have.
But the suspect seemed
so perfect.
He had a motive.
Big time.
And no alibi for the time
of murder.
You know it.
But the suspect wasn't
a nice person, either.
[nervous laugh]
No, he wasn't.
And the irony is... the real
killer was a nice guy.
Someone nobody would suspect.
The thing is, he had
a motive too.
Just not one anybody
ever thought of.
How's your son doing
with all those expensive
cancer treatments, Eldon?
[door slams heavily]
I knew you'd crack it.
Eldon.
I, um, I...
I'm gonna need your cell phone,
Amy.
Well?
Well what?
You're not gonna do that whole
"last chapter detective" thing?
Morales had offered to help
your son,
but when you went to visit
her last week,
she told you she struck out.
No dice on the help.
You were angry and desperate,
and so you came up with a plan
that would cover your son's
medical expenses
and get revenge on Morales.
Am I right?
You know you are.
Never pictured you
the vengeful type, Eldon.
Seeing your kid dying in slow
motion changes a person.
But what you didn't know is that
guy in the corner of the lab
on the day you had your blowout
with Morales
fancied himself the next
Woodward and Bernstein.
He started tailing you.
Rex saw you steal the plant.
[camera shutter clicks]
And saw who you sold it to.
Rather than go to the police,
he came to you,
to squeeze you to give up
the people
you sold the stolen goods to.
Leave me alone.
Can I get a quote at least?
Look, this story's gonna happen
with or without you.
College reporter takes down
big business
for corporate espionage.
Rex might've won a Pulitzer
after all.
He promised to keep you
out of it,
but you didn't believe him.
Would you?
You set a meeting with him.
You shoved him off and made it
look like an accident.
But it was murder.
Did you know about McDonough?
That he had a reason
to want Rex gone?
I guess I got lucky,
for a second,
until Professor Miller.
I knew that wasn't suicide.
I just couldn't figure out
how it was all connected.
And then I realized.
It was so simple.
His office window looks out
on the Life Science building.
He saw you walk out with
the plant on Saturday night,
didn't he?
I ran into him on Monday,
after you saw me installing
those cameras.
He wanted to know why
Life Science made me work
in the middle of
a Saturday night.
Poor guy.
He had absolutely no idea
what you were doing,
but you knew that he would
as soon as it got out
about the theft.
And then there was Morales.
You had to make sure that she
took the fall for your theft,
even if it meant that
two people had to die.
Pull off over there,
just past the caution tape.
How are you gonna explain
my death?
You're like all those detectives
you teach about.
You returned to the scene
of the crime,
because you couldn't let it go.
You were checking out the edge,
you slipped.
You fell.
Give me the keys.
Give me the keys!
[screams in pain]
[grunts]
Where is it?
[panicked breathing]
Amy! Amy?
[panicked breathing]
Amy!
Amy!
Amy!
[panting heavily]
Amy! Come on.
I can do this all night.
[panicked breathing]
Eldon, stop.
Eldon.
You don't want to do this.
You don't want to do this.
Stop it.
Stop! Stop!!!
I just need you to remember why
you love my dad's books
so much, Eldon.
Remember what you told me?
Do you remember?
You said that, you said
that you love
that there were no bad guys,
there were just complicated
people that did bad things.
And I kind of feel like this is
one of my dad's books,
you know?
Because you're not a bad guy.
Eldon, you're a good guy.
You just got caught up
in a desperate situation,
and things got complicated and
you made some bad decisions,
but I know why you did it.
Because you love your son so
much you'd do anything for him.
But killing me is not going
to save him.
[police sirens]
Freeze!!!
Travis!
Freeze!
No, no, it's okay!
Hands where I can see 'em!
It's okay!
Are you okay?
He's surrendered.
Aren't you?
Are you surrendering?
[crying]
Yeah.
I'm sorry.
Let's go.
Let's go.
You have the right
to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be
used against you
in a court of law, Eldon.
You have the right
to an attorney,
if you can't afford one,
one will be appointed to you
by the State.
Do you understand?
Hey.
Are you okay?
I cannot believe that...
I can't believe that was Eldon.
I expect that you're going
to explain everything to me
in a little bit, yeah?
Yeah, yeah.
How'd you know I was here?
Your dad.
He called me, said that you were
really, really late for dinner.
How did you find me?
GPS on your phone.
Are you okay?
I'm so glad you're here.
I finished it.
And?
And... well, Dad, you know
I love all of your books, right?
Oh no, but...
But... but... I will have to say
that this one is...
hands down my favorite.
[laughs]
I loved it.
Honey, that is the best news
I've had since last week
when Travis called to tell me
that you were safe.
Oh, we're calling him
Travis now, are we?
Well, uh, yeah.
Had him over for dinner
last night.
You what?
Yeah.
Why would you have him
over for dinner?
Well, always good to get
a policeman's perspective
on crime fiction.
Dad, he doesn't read
crime fiction.
Yep.
And he doesn't read your books.
I realize that.
But, uh, he's still a very
nice man, huh?
[sighs]
I know where this is going.
No.
Come on, Dad.
Honey.
All right, people.
It's about that time.
Let's get started.
Uh... Um...
[door squeaks]
So, unfortunately, Bud and I
have been a little busy,
but I do have a treat
for you all.
This year, the midterm is going
to be administered
by a very special guest.
Oh, hi.
Emeritus Professor Graham
Winslow, everyone.
[applause]
Oh, please, please, please.
[laughs]
Take it away, Dad.
Thanks, sweetie.
Okay, gang.
Here's the scenario,
let's get started here.
Hey, what are you doing here?
Oh, President Hawkins said that
I could audit your class.
I mean, I'm a little nervous,
now I gotta take a midterm.
[laughs]
I wouldn't be nervous,
my dad's gonna give everybody
an A anyway.
Yeah?
Yeah.
Even the guy who's never
read his books?
[whispers] Oh, I heard
about that.
He caught you.
How's it feel to be guilty?
Uh, like I want a lawyer.
[laughs]
Uh,
[clears throat]
excuse me?
The back of the classroom there.
Is there something that you have
to say to the rest of the class?
No, sir.
Sorry, Dad.
So, as I was saying, um,
let's talk about the dead body.
[laughs]
Are you seriously gonna audit
my class?
Yeah.
I mean, how else am I gonna
learn from you, Professor?
Oh, I mean, you could always
bring me in to consult
on another case, Detective.
We'll see.