Mistletoe Murders (2024) s01e02 Episode Script
Poison in a Pear Tree Pt 2
1
SAM: There was an incident
at the Chalmers Tree
Farm last night.
You're telling me that
my cookie killed Marcus?
SAM: June Hubble,
you are under arrest
for the murder of
Marcus Donavan.
OFFICER: An emergency
call just came in.
It sounds like Gordon
Chalmers has been poisoned.
SAM: Who called it in?
Someone named Emily.
[dramatic music]
[distant siren]
♪
[horse neighs]
SAM: Is he okay?
ROWEN: Yeah.
Shadow and Gordon
share a close bond.
He knows something's wrong.
[siren wailing]
EMILY (V.O.): I
shouldn't be here.
Getting myself involved
in a murder investigation
is an unforced error, not to
mention the worst possible way
to fly under the radar.
And yet, here I am,
like a moth to a flame.
Cafeteria was closed,
so I got a coffee from
the vending machine.
ANNA: Thanks.
The cardiologist
gave me an update.
Whatever was in that flask
triggered a heart attack.
Well, I'm sure he won't
give up without a fight.
Yeah. Thanks for coming.
You didn't have to. We
barely know each other.
I know if it was my dad,
I wouldn't want to have
to go through it alone.
[indistinct announcement on PA]
Gordon mentioned that his flask
had gone missing for a few days.
Yeah, he was real
upset about it.
He likes to have a drink
after he's finished
with his evening wagon rides.
I have an uncle like that.
If he's anything
like your dad
the first is usually
not the last.
His drinking got a lot worse
after my mom died
a few years ago.
I'm so sorry.
Has your dad ever
considered retirement?
I'm sure he could
make a nice profit
if he ever chose
to sell the farm.
That's not an option.
When he's ready to hand
it off, it'll go to me.
It's everything I've been
working towards my whole life.
I'm sure it'll be
in excellent hands.
[mysterious music]
♪
Sam?
Why were you at the tree farm?
I gave my statement to
an officer before I left.
I read it.
I wasn't satisfied.
We need to talk.
It's been a long day.
I'm not asking.
EMILY (V.O.): Perfect.
My one job was to
stay out of trouble.
Self-sabotage,
thy name is Emily.
[theme music]
♪
EMILY (V.O.): This isn't
at all how I pictured
my first interrogation going.
- We're just talking.
- Really?
'Cause it felt like I
didn't have a choice.
You know, when you told me
that I didn't have a choice.
What do you wanna ask me?
Why you were at the
tree farm today.
And yesterday, for that matter.
You didn't order a tree.
- You fact-checked me?
- Mm-hm.
Look
I have nothing to hide.
I was at the tree farm because
I was trying to find evidence
that would help clear June.
I know how that sounds, and
yes, I have been listening
to too many true crime
podcasts, I will admit it.
You were trying to
help your friend.
I can respect that.
- Thank you.
What I don't like is the
way you went about it.
I don't need an amateur
sleuth getting in my way.
I retract my thank you.
Do I need to remind you
that one man is dead
and another is
fighting for his life?
Oh, I thought that you already
had the killer in lock-up.
Unless June is innocent,
like I've been saying
this whole time.
The only other possibility
is that she's working
with a partner.
That doesn't sound
so far-fetched.
You were alone with Gordon right
before Anna found him, right?
Okay, right.
Where did that cookie that
killed Marcus come from, again?
Yes, thank you, thank you.
You've made your point.
I am sorry that I got involved.
All I'm asking is if
you have any questions
or information,
you bring it to me,
rather than acting
on it alone. Agreed?
Fine.
And in return, I assume
you'll keep me in the loop
on what's going
on with the case?
Absolutely not.
Worth a try.
BROOKE: [gasps] I knew it!
EMILY: Brooke?
I told the girls
this would happen.
It was only a matter of time.
You two are perfect together.
Oh, uh, no, that's
not I'm not what
Yeah! I get it,
it's still new.
Well, I just wanted to say,
I think it's beautiful.
No, Brooke, uh, we're
BROOKE: I'm gonna let
you get back to it.
I knew it. [chuckles]
So, that happened.
Yep.
EMILY (V.O.): I know
I technically agreed
to leave the
investigating to Sam,
but what he doesn't know
can't come back to bite me.
I've just got to approach
it in a more subtle way.
Okay, let's see who
we've got here
EMILY (V.O.): Being able to
access photos and selfies
from the accounts of everyone
in attendance with Marcus
the night he died
creates a surprisingly
detailed timeline of events.
Unfortunately, the one person
I was most eager to prove
was on the wagon that night
is nowhere to be found.
Lizzy's boyfriend, Trent.
Why make a reservation
under a fake name
if he wasn't involved?
Okay.
Well Lizzy was
alone at the farm.
[cat meows]
She was telling the truth
about that, at least.
♪
See the snow fall
on your shoes ♪
Thanks so much. Have
a great holiday.
[door bells jingling]
- Hey, Vy! How was school?
- Mortifying.
I heard Gladys, one of
the cafeteria ladies,
talking about how my dad was
dating some new woman in town.
- You're kidding.
- Nope.
Then she got all
quiet when she saw me.
It was humiliating.
That isn't the same Gladys
who's in a book club
with Brooke Carmichael, is it?
I dunno.
EMILY (V.O.): I'm
gonna kill Brooke.
Consider this my confession.
Well, maybe it isn't
true. Wrapping?
It's definitely not true.
As if my dad would take five
minutes away from his work
to meet someone.
He's got zero social life.
Except when the
two of us hang out,
which right now mostly involves
doing the usual
Christmas activities.
Well, that sounds like fun.
Some are okay, but
some are torture.
Like Christmas karaoke
night as Sue's diner.
[shudders]
Every year, my mom and
dad do a duet together,
and not even divorce was
enough to stop the pain.
I still have PTSD
from last year's rendition
of "Jingle Bell Rock."
[laughs] Oh my God!
- Don't laugh at my trauma.
- I'm sorry.
I just now have that
image burned in my head.
At least now that my mom
lives two hours away,
karaoke won't rear
its ugly head.
I'll take my victories
where I can get them.
[phone buzzing]
[intriguing music]
EMILY: Okay, Ray, what
do you have for me?
Ah, straight to the point.
That's what I love about you.
Gonna start with the bad news.
Uh, came up empty on
the Joey Vaughan part.
Right. I figured that one out.
He was apparently a star
shortstop for the Dodgers
in the '40s.
Okay, so, definitely
no follow-up questions.
Okay, get to the good stuff!
I'm building to it!
There is an art to this.
- Mm.
- Okay, fine.
So, I was able to confirm that
Gordon racked up gambling debts
in the neighbourhood of 30
grand or so, plus interest.
So a lot of bad poker hands.
And that's not the
surprising part.
He paid, in full.
The slate is clean.
That doesn't make any sense.
Where would Gordon come
up with that kind of cash
on such short notice?
Well, maybe the bank
had a change of heart
and decided to give
him a loan after all.
EMILY (V.O.): Ray might not
be that far off the mark.
Gordon, Marcus, and Lizzy all
share a common connection.
And all roads lead
back to the bank.
Or, more specifically,
to the bank's new
senior loan manager.
[indistinct conversation]
[quietly] That coat
[mysterious music]
♪
- Hey, Trent!
- Emily.
Nice to see you again.
- Yeah, yeah, you too.
I like your coat. Super cozy.
Thanks! Yeah, it is very warm.
[chuckles] I could swear
I've seen it before.
You weren't at the Chalmers
Tree Farm recently, were you?
No, I haven't been
there in ages.
You sure this isn't you?
EMILY (V.O.): That coat must
be even warmer than it looks,
because Trent is definitely
starting to sweat.
You know, there are
other people out there
with the same coat.
EMILY: Yeah, that's
a really good point.
I guess it's also possible
that there are other people
that use the names of
their baseball heroes
when trying to stay anonymous.
How did
And I might have
my dates crossed,
but I'm pretty sure that picture
was taken the night Marcus died.
Is that possible?
I don't, um I'm actually
late for a meeting.
Oh! Oh, gosh, don't
let me keep you, yeah.
It's probably best that
I take this directly
to the police anyway.
I mean, no need to bug
you with it any further.
Wait. Sit down.
Oh!
This has nothing to do
with Marcus's death, okay?
He was like a brother to me.
I am curious how Marcus
felt about his brother
getting his
ex-girlfriend pregnant
so soon after they broke up.
Hey, congratulations,
by the way.
Lizzy is gonna be
such an amazing mama.
We were keeping it a secret.
Ah, you know how
small towns are.
Well, let me set the record
straight on one thing.
It was Marcus who introduced
us in the first place.
He was happy for us.
So, yeah, that's why you and
Lizzy were at the farm together.
For the wagon ride?
She didn't invite me.
I found that strange.
So I went to the farm
a few days earlier,
and I found Marcus's name
in the reservation log.
[sighs] You must have
thought the worst.
I know I would have.
Yeah, I-I got the wrong idea.
So I signed in under a fake
name to cover my tracks,
and I showed up that night
to catch them together.
Instead, I found
Marcus there with June.
I had it all wrong.
Lizzy never even
knew I was there.
So no one noticed it was you?
On my way out, I stopped to get
gas at the station up the hill.
Anna Chalmers was there.
Gordon Chalmers' daughter?
You spoke?
No, I was just leaving
as she was pulling in.
But we saw each other.
Well, I so appreciate you
sharing all of this with me.
Actually, um
before I leave,
I wonder if you could just
do me one tiny favour.
What is it?
I would really love just a
just a little peek at Marcus's
most recent account statement.
That's a total
breach of protocol.
I could get in trouble.
Ah, yeah, but I don't think
Marcus would mind, do you?
[scoffs]
Plus, what's one more little
secret between friends?
♪
RECEPTIONIST: Someone
will be in touch.
EMILY: Anna!
- You okay?
- Yeah.
I was just trying to get some
information about my dad's case.
I'm sure it's all gonna be okay.
I know Detective
Wilner's all over it.
Yeah.
Hey, um, I ran into
Trent Hadley today.
He mentioned you.
Trent?
Oh, do you mean
Trent from the bank?
Yeah, he said that you
guys saw each other
at the gas station by
the farm the other night.
The night Marcus died.
He's mistaken.
I didn't get back until
early the next morning.
Hm.
Um, I should get
back to the hospital.
The doctor said my dad's
gonna wake up any time now.
Yeah, of course. Take care.
Hi. Uh, here to
see June Hubble.
JUNE: I feel like one of
those poor shelter dogs
all curled up in the
corner of their cage,
not knowing why they're there.
You do not deserve
to be here, June.
I truly believe that.
I really needed to hear that.
I want to help you in any way
that I can, but to do that,
I need to ask you
something about Marcus.
It's okay. I have
nothing to hide.
The day before he was killed,
he made a large cash withdrawal
from his savings account.
$40,000.
No. That doesn't make sense.
Marcus was meticulous
when it came to money.
He crossed every
and dotted every I.
But with cash, there's
no paper trail.
Exactly. It goes against
everything Marcus stood for.
I can't think of any reason
why he would do that.
And the police haven't
mentioned this?
No, this is the first
I'm hearing of it.
Could this be connected
to his death somehow?
EMILY (V.O.): That, right
there, is the $40,000 question.
I have a theory about what
happened to Marcus's money,
but that theory only holds
water if I can be sure
Sam and his team
didn't recover it.
And the tricky part is,
I can't ask Sam about it
without tipping him off that
I've still got my mittens
all up in his investigation.
Emily?
Sam!
What a nice surprise.
Well, I do work here.
That's very true.
Are you on your way out?
I'm just waiting for Violet.
We have our annual Christmas
season kick-off event tonight.
That sounds fun.
What's the event?
The chocolate shop
brings out a new line
of holiday hot
chocolates every year,
so we like to go
on launch night.
It's actually become
a bit of a tradition.
That is adorable.
VIOLET: Hey, Dad. Oh, hi, Em.
EMILY: Uh, don't mind
me. I'm just leaving.
Have fun, you guys.
VIOLET: Actually
Dad, is it cool if we do
the hot chocolate thing
another night?
My friend Tara invited
a few of us over.
On a school night? To do what?
Get wasted and play
spin the bottle.
What else?
We have a quiz tomorrow. We're
mostly gonna be studying.
But I already
pre-paid to make sure
we'd get the collector mugs.
VIOLET: Oh.
You know what? You
should take Emily.
She's new here.
Who better to introduce her to
our local traditions, right?
You'll love it, I promise.
Ah
I mean, sure, if
that's okay with you.
- Yeah, why not?
- Yes!
You guys are gonna
have so much fun!
I'm jelly! Okay,
love you, Dad.
Bye, Em.
EMILY (V.O.): Awkward
Then again, I was looking
for a way to talk to Sam.
So how good is
this hot chocolate?
Has anybody seen
Kris Kringle? ♪
What flavour is this again?
Peppermint spiced white hot
with lime-infused marshmallows.
Sugar coma, here I come.
- Mmm.
- [slurping]
I'm like [giggles]
It's really good!
I know, right?
Hey, I'm sorry Violet put
you on the spot like that.
Oh, it's fine.
She mentioned that
she's gonna be
visiting her mom for Christmas.
Must be hard for you.
It is, yeah.
But, you know,
she's getting older.
Starting to outgrow this place.
She's already talking about
moving away for college.
What?
Who would ever want
to leave a place
with such decadent treats?
[chuckles]
[slurping]
What is it?
Uh I was just
thinking about something
Gordon mentioned to me.
Never mind.
Forget I said anything.
Well, now I'm curious.
Well, it's just that he was
talking about leaving, too.
Or at least selling the farm.
He said that Marcus was
interested in buying it.
They had a contract
all written up.
Marcus had even agreed to
a large cash down payment.
- He told you that?
- Yeah.
I didn't realize
you two were close.
Oh, no, we're not.
I think I just caught
him in a chatty moment.
Anyway, what wasn't
clear was whether
Marcus had actually paid
him the money or not.
Just kinda makes you wonder.
About what?
Oh, I mean, if
if Marcus did
withdraw that money
and didn't end up giving
it to Gordon, then
where's the money?
Why do I get the feeling
I'm the one being
interrogated this time?
I'm I'm just
making conversation.
We can change the subject.
I've been a cop for 15 years.
I know what fishing for
information looks like.
So, to answer your question,
maybe Marcus gave
the money to charity,
or maybe he bought a boat
to sail around the world.
It doesn't mean it's
connected to his murder.
Real criminal cases don't look
like Agatha Christie plots.
Okay.
Thanks for the company.
You're leaving?
You haven't even finished
your hot chocolate.
I have some work I need
to get done tonight, so
if you have anything else,
you know where to find me.
♪
[upbeat Christmas music]
EMILY (V.O.): I
underestimated Sam last night.
That's on me.
I love that one.
EMILY (V.O.): Now that I've
confirmed that Marcus's 40K
is still officially
unaccounted for,
I am certain that
Gordon used that money
to pay off his gambling debts.
The question is whether he
poisoned Marcus to get it.
And if so, who poisoned
Gordon in return?
Have a good one.
[door bells jingling]
EMILY: Hey, Vy.
How was your night?
Almost worth the silent
treatment from Dad.
He's making me pay for
missing hot chocolate night.
That was a pretty sneaky
move you pulled, by the way.
Sorry.
I just want to be able to
hang out with my friends
on a short notice.
But Dad and his schedules
EMILY: Have you told
him how you feel?
I don't want to
hurt his feelings.
I know he's just trying to make
up for not having Mom here.
You know, it really
is so special
that they can put
aside their differences
and come together
for the holidays.
I never really thought
about it before,
but I guess maybe I'm not the
only one who lost something
when Mom moved away.
It's so hard for me to picture
Sam with complex emotions.
He always seems so in control.
I call that his
"resting cop face."
But he's actually
a total softie.
And every little problem he
can't solve eats away at him.
EMILY (V.O.): Eating
away at him
Of course!
[dramatic music]
♪
EMILY: Hey, Rowen.
You done for the day already?
More than the day. We
all just got let go.
Oh, no. Maybe it's
just temporary?
That's exactly what Anna said.
But what are we supposed
to do in the meantime?
♪
ANNA: Sorry, we're closed.
Emily.
EMILY: I wanted to talk
to you about something.
About what?
Just, I can't stop thinking
about what happened to your dad,
and how some of his recent
choices may have led to it.
You mean his drinking?
Yeah, that's part of it,
but there are mistakes
he's made, and I think
they're eating away at him.
Like trying to sell
the farm to Marcus
when he knows how
important it is to you.
I told you he wouldn't do that.
I don't think he felt
he had any other choice.
Look.
[exhales]
I
I have a friend who plays poker
at some of the same tables.
He said your dad's debts
had been piling up.
He gets in over his head
sometimes, but this, I
No, these guys that he
owes, they are dangerous.
They would have killed
him if he hadn't paid.
Selling the farm to
Marcus was a way out.
Then why is Marcus dead?
And why is my dad
in the hospital
fighting for his life right now?
I think Marcus gave
him a down payment
to help him clear his debts,
and then once the
money was paid,
maybe Gordon had a change
of heart about selling.
The papers were never
officially signed.
If something happened to Marcus,
then the contract
would be null and void.
You're accusing my
dad of killing Marcus?
He was poisoned too, remember?
Yes, I know, but the poison
was found in his own flask.
Maybe he couldn't live with what
he'd done and he saw a way out.
- Why are you telling me this?
- Because I
Look, I get wanting
to protect your dad.
I would probably do the
same thing in your shoes.
But listen to me, Anna
If Gordon dies and you do
not share what you know,
then my friend June could
have her entire life
destroyed over this.
You need to leave.
Now!
- Anna
- Now.
Okay.
♪
[door opens and closes]
[sombre music]
EMILY (V.O.): Visiting a patient
in the hospital's
private care unit
comes with some complications.
First, you need to
be immediate family.
Second, you need to arrive
during proper visiting hours.
Sorry!
EMILY (V.O.): Of course, there's
always a way around the rules
if you're willing to
think outside the box.
EMILY (V.O.): I don't
know why I'm here.
If I'm right about Gordon,
he doesn't deserve
my compassion.
Yet I'm all too familiar
with self-preservation
and survival instinct.
[distant sirens]
EMILY (V.O.): Are we really
so different in the end?
NURSE: Excuse me. How
did you get in here?
This is a private ward.
You need to leave.
Oh it's okay.
Uh, she's with me.
[indistinct announcement on PA]
[machines beeping]
I needed some information
from Gordon's surgeon.
Thought I'd come
see if he was awake.
I suppose you'll want to
know what I'm doing here.
Will I like the answer?
Um
I was gonna reach
out. I, uh
I wanted to apologize for
leaving so suddenly last night.
I kinda deserved it.
I saved your collector's
mug for you, though.
Oh. I appreciate that.
Mm-hm.
I should probably go before
Nurse Ratchet comes back.
Night, Sam.
Night, Emily.
♪
♪
EMILY (V.O.): Hug the cats,
glass of wine, bubble bath.
In that order.
[indistinct chatter]
EMILY: Can I help
you with something?
That's okay.
Oh! Ah You're
the owner, right?
Mm-hm, yeah.
- Emily? We met at
- At the daycare.
Um Lizzy?
I was just driving
by and I suddenly
had a pregnancy craving
for something sweet.
I was hoping you
might still be open.
Ah
Think we can figure
something out.
[door bells jingling]
EMILY: We fall short
in the pickles and ice
cream department
But we do have 40 different
candy cane flavours.
What's the cookie
situation like?
Uh, gingerbread, shortbread.
All the cookies that
confusingly end in "bread."
There was this
one type of cookie
I can't stop thinking about.
It was a sugar cookie, I think,
with purple jam in the middle.
Marcus said it came
from your store.
Uh, sugar plum cookie.
Yeah, that sounds right.
You said that Marcus
told you about it?
Do you remember when that was?
Was it at the tree
farm, the night he died?
Um, I should probably go.
Lizzy, please, please. Look
if you know something about
what happened to Marcus
♪
I never meant for
him to get hurt.
[dramatic music]
LIZZY: It's my fault.
I never should have
gone to Marcus for help.
EMILY: Help with what?
I was being blackmailed.
This is about the baby, right?
Marcus is the father?
How did you?
You went to Marcus
instead of Trent.
So, whatever you're
being blackmailed over
is likely a secret you're
trying to keep from him?
I'm just taking a
shot in the dark here,
but Marcus is the true
father of your baby, right?
Yes.
I don't know why it
was so important for me
to keep it a secret.
If I had just told Trent.
But I didn't find
out I was pregnant
until I'd already
fallen for him, and
he was so happy.
How did Marcus take the news?
MARCUS: I, uh
I don't know what to say.
I'm sorry.
No. No, no.
It's okay.
I'm not ready to tell Trent yet.
I love him. I can't
risk losing him.
Whatever you choose to
do, I'm on your side.
LIZZY: Three weeks after that,
I got a text from a number
I didn't recognize.
It said I had to
pay 40,000 in cash
or Trent would learn the truth.
I wasn't ready for
that to come out.
So you went to Marcus again?
He wanted to get the
blackmailer on video.
He said the money didn't matter.
It would come back to him.
And he knew where to find them?
I was told to leave
the money in a bag
next to a tree with a
ribbon tied around it,
behind the stables.
I was also told to come alone.
EMILY: When is the last
time you saw Marcus?
LIZZY: On my way to
drop off the money.
I got scared.
I almost backed out,
but Marcus came to me.
Hey, hey. Look at
me, look at me.
It's gonna be okay, alright?
Here.
[owls and crows calling]
You'll feel better with
something in your stomach.
[crunches into cookie]
LIZZY: After that, I left
the bag of money by the tree
and went home.
You've got this.
EMILY: Wait, Marcus shared
the cookie with you.
Are you sure about that?
- Yes.
Then the cookie couldn't have
been the source of the poison.
Okay, Lizzy, I
I need you to just do one more
brave thing for me tonight.
Please.
SAM: I sure would love to know
how you got Lizzy
to come forward.
I think she was desperate
to tell someone.
I just happened to be in the
right place at the right time.
Seems to be a recurring
theme in your life.
And just so you know,
this does not mean
that June is exonerated.
She's still a
person of interest.
You're not gonna let me
have the win, are you?
I'm just managing expectations.
Well, at least for
the time being,
you're finally free of me.
What a relief.
♪
EMILY: Hey
Hey.
Oof.
JUNE: To think I owe my freedom
to Marcus's ex-girlfriend.
And you, of course.
I didn't do much of anything.
Somehow I find that
hard to believe.
Thank you.
For making our town your home.
You just make it better.
Maybe it makes me better.
Um
did you know about the baby?
Marcus promised no secrets.
And he meant it.
Except the one that got
him killed, of course.
He was buying the
farm from Gordon.
That was his big surprise.
- Really?
- Yeah.
That was always my dream for us.
Live in the country,
have an animal sanctuary.
I would talk about
it all the time
when we were married.
I, uh I spoke to Gordon
before he was hospitalized.
He mentioned you'd been
to the farm recently.
I went to see Shadow.
She had a nasty
infection in the summer.
I check in often to make sure
that if there's a recurrence,
I can catch it early.
I would have shot
Gordon a heads-up text,
but he wouldn't know
how to open that
even if he had a
phone. [chuckles]
EMILY (V.O.):
Maybe Sam is wrong.
Maybe some investigations are
like Agatha Christie plots
because the final
piece of this puzzle
just fell perfectly into place.
Hey!
You're not doing
anything gross
like looking at crime
scene photos, are you?
- No.
- Can we talk for a minute?
Uh, yeah, of course.
Is everything okay?
Yeah.
I just
I wanted to tell you
that I'm okay with
Mom not being here.
I loved it when she was,
and I loved that you
two would come together
to make sure I had
a great Christmas,
but I'm not a kid anymore.
I can handle it.
I made it awkward, didn't I?
No, Dad.
Spending time with
you is the best.
But that doesn't mean
we have to keep doing
the same activities
we did with Mom.
Maybe it's time to
find our own thing.
That actually
sounds really nice.
I, uh
I love ya, kiddo.
Love you too.
♪
♪
Although
there is one tradition I think
I could still get behind.
Yeah? Which one?
Christmas karaoke
night at the diner.
[clears throat]
Deck the halls with
boughs of holly ♪
Fa la la ♪
[both laugh]
No way.
You in?
Absolutely.
[instrumental "Deck
the Halls" playing]
[knocks on door]
♪
[music becomes mysterious]
♪
♪
♪
♪
Gotcha.
[door opens]
ANNA: Who's in here?
Emily?
What are you doing here?
Just looking for this.
Although it is $40,000 lighter
than when you first found it.
You do know blackmail's
a crime, right?
So is breaking and entering.
Touché.
So, what is it you
think you know?
You were blackmailing
Lizzy to get the money
to pay off your
dad's gambling debts.
Maybe my dad was
the one who did it.
Your dad doesn't
own a cell phone,
let alone know how to use one,
so how's he gonna
send a blackmail note
in the form of an
anonymous text message?
They came to me at school.
Two men.
I thought they were
going to kill me.
They said I had a week to pay
up or my dad was a dead man.
So you thought blackmail was
your only course of action?
We're broke!
The banks had already
turned us away.
And for all his faults,
he's still my dad,
and I would do anything
to protect him.
You knew that
Marcus was secretly
the father of Lizzy's baby.
It was just a fluke.
I was at the diner the night
that she broke the news.
I was hungry after
driving home from school
and I was just chilling out,
waiting for my food to arrive.
I guess they thought I
couldn't hear them whispering.
LIZZY: I'm not ready
to tell Trent yet.
I love him.
I can't risk losing him.
EMILY: Stealing Marcus'
money was one thing.
But he didn't have to die!
What are you talking about?
I didn't even see
Marcus that night.
I just grabbed the bag and
I went right back to my car
at the gas station.
I always intended to pay
Lizzy as soon as I was able.
- You think that makes it okay?
- Of course not!
But I don't regret it either.
So go ahead and report me.
I don't care.
This is your mess, Anna.
You clean it up.
[dramatic music]
EMILY (V.O.): I'm not sure
what's bothering me more,
the fact that Anna refused
to admit to killing Marcus
or the fact that I
kind of believe her.
SAM: [voicemail] You've
reached Dt. Wilner.
Please leave a message and
I'll get right back to you.
If this is en emergency
- [horse whinnies]
♪
[horse whinnies]
Hello?
Anyone here?
[horse whinnies]
[mysterious music]
EMILY (V.O.): That's new.
I thought Gordon said it
wasn't safe to go up there.
♪
♪
[floor creaking]
♪
EMILY (V.O.): Rowen's pack?
I saw him leave with it.
What's it doing up here?
♪
♪
Pentobarbital.
[floor creaking]
You shouldn't have come here.
I could say the
same thing to you.
♪
- [loud crack]
- Aah!
♪
Augh
[breathing heavily]
Aah
♪
- [beeping]
- [approaching sirens]
[exhales]
[groans]
[exhales]
ROWEN: Good.
You're both awake.
[muffled yelling]
ROWEN: Feel free to
yell if you like.
The boss there
sent everyone home.
[muffled yelling]
♪
EMILY: So, uh
how long have you been secretly
living up in that loft?
Since I lost my house to
a fire a few months back.
Turns out my insurance elapsed.
So now I'm still
paying a mortgage
for the privilege of
sleeping in a pile of straw.
And you're about
to lose that too.
You knew about Gordon's
plan to sell the farm.
They made the deal right
here where I'm standing.
There's a lot you can learn
when nobody knows you're there.
So, what, you
you figured you just kill Marcus
and then all your problems
will magically go away?
You think I was
trying to kill Marcus?
That was his own fault.
It should have been
the old man that night.
[mysterious music]
♪
Marcus.
Not now, Gordon. I've
done what I can for you,
and you're just gonna
have to be patient, okay?
Alright.
♪
ROWEN: Weeks of
planning down the drain.
GORDON: Rowen!
Get me some more
oats, would you?
Today!
EMILY: If Marcus took the flask,
why wasn't it found
with his body?
June convinced Gordon
to organize a search for him
when he didn't come back.
I was the one who found him.
He was already dead.
There was nothing I could do.
He shouldn't have
taken that flask.
EMILY: Marcus was there
to confront a blackmailer.
I imagine he took it because he
needed a little extra courage.
And you know what?
You're one to talk!
You stole that bottle
of pentobarbital
from June, didn't you?
Yeah?
During one of her medical
visits with Shadow?
She shouldn't have left
her bag unattended!
Once Marcus was dead,
though, the deal was dead.
Why try to kill Gordon again?
He made me a promise!
He told me to my face I
was like a son to him,
that I'd always
have a home here!
But he tried to throw that
away just to save his own skin.
What was to stop him
from trying again
next time he got
himself in a jam?
So I planted the flask
where I knew he'd find it.
He did the rest.
You gonna poison us too?
[whimpering]
You can't honestly believe
that you're gonna
get away with this!
I heard you earlier,
threatening to expose
Anna as a blackmailer.
It all just kind of
falls into place.
After you turned
your back on her,
she got the drop on you,
injected poison into
your bloodstream.
And then, overcome at
guilt at what she'd done
she injects herself.
[whimpers]
All wrapped up in a bow, huh?
There's only one problem.
I've been recording this entire
conversation on my phone.
You're bluffing. I checked.
You don't have
your phone on you.
That's because I hid
it when I came in here!
Go ahead and look.
You won't find it.
But the police will.
♪
♪
♪
Oh, I will find it.
[grunting]
Shh.
[suspenseful music]
♪
♪
♪
[phone buzzing]
[dramatic music]
- [loud crash]
- [horse snorts]
- [horse neighs]
- Okay, it's okay!
Calm down, Shadow.
Shadow, calm down!
[horse neighs]
Hey aah!
[grunts]
Aah!
Shh, Shadow!
It's okay, Shadow,
it's okay! It's okay!
[grunts] Aah!
Sorry.
I got you, I got
you. We're okay.
We're okay, come on.
Shh, shh, Shadow, it's okay!
Shh
He's down
He's down.
♪
[police radio chatter]
[sighs]
♪
♪
♪
[car starts]
♪
♪
[sighs]
I hear you took a nasty bump.
Yeah, it's okay.
Got a hard head.
That I believe.
[indistinct conversation
in background]
So, uh I owe
you an explanation.
You do.
But not today.
I'm just
I'm just glad you're okay.
Right now that's
that's all that matters.
[light, festive music]
♪
♪
Fa-la-la-la ♪
EMILY (V.O.): After every
disaster comes a period
of rebuilding and regrowth.
Isn't it magical
this time of year ♪
Brings a new sense of hope ♪
Wonder and cheer ♪
EMILY (V.O.): The hope
being that everyone
comes out the other
side stronger,
having successfully
weathered the storm.
That's when I finally see ♪
What Christmas means ♪
It's not about
gifts by the tree ♪
EMILY (V.O.): As for
me, the truth is,
I've never felt settled.
There's always been a
part of me that's ready
to pick up and run
at a moment's notice.
Moments that last forever
when we're all together ♪
Every December that's
when I remember ♪
What Christmas means ♪
Nothing if I don't have ♪
The ones I love
here next to me ♪
Fa-la-la-la,
fa-la-la-la ♪
EMILY (V.O.): But this
may be the closest thing
I've ever had to a real home.
And a home is worth protecting.
Of course, opening
the door a crack
to let some of my previous
life shine through
does come with a certain
degree of danger.
And a girl can never
be too careful.
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪
SAM: There was an incident
at the Chalmers Tree
Farm last night.
You're telling me that
my cookie killed Marcus?
SAM: June Hubble,
you are under arrest
for the murder of
Marcus Donavan.
OFFICER: An emergency
call just came in.
It sounds like Gordon
Chalmers has been poisoned.
SAM: Who called it in?
Someone named Emily.
[dramatic music]
[distant siren]
♪
[horse neighs]
SAM: Is he okay?
ROWEN: Yeah.
Shadow and Gordon
share a close bond.
He knows something's wrong.
[siren wailing]
EMILY (V.O.): I
shouldn't be here.
Getting myself involved
in a murder investigation
is an unforced error, not to
mention the worst possible way
to fly under the radar.
And yet, here I am,
like a moth to a flame.
Cafeteria was closed,
so I got a coffee from
the vending machine.
ANNA: Thanks.
The cardiologist
gave me an update.
Whatever was in that flask
triggered a heart attack.
Well, I'm sure he won't
give up without a fight.
Yeah. Thanks for coming.
You didn't have to. We
barely know each other.
I know if it was my dad,
I wouldn't want to have
to go through it alone.
[indistinct announcement on PA]
Gordon mentioned that his flask
had gone missing for a few days.
Yeah, he was real
upset about it.
He likes to have a drink
after he's finished
with his evening wagon rides.
I have an uncle like that.
If he's anything
like your dad
the first is usually
not the last.
His drinking got a lot worse
after my mom died
a few years ago.
I'm so sorry.
Has your dad ever
considered retirement?
I'm sure he could
make a nice profit
if he ever chose
to sell the farm.
That's not an option.
When he's ready to hand
it off, it'll go to me.
It's everything I've been
working towards my whole life.
I'm sure it'll be
in excellent hands.
[mysterious music]
♪
Sam?
Why were you at the tree farm?
I gave my statement to
an officer before I left.
I read it.
I wasn't satisfied.
We need to talk.
It's been a long day.
I'm not asking.
EMILY (V.O.): Perfect.
My one job was to
stay out of trouble.
Self-sabotage,
thy name is Emily.
[theme music]
♪
EMILY (V.O.): This isn't
at all how I pictured
my first interrogation going.
- We're just talking.
- Really?
'Cause it felt like I
didn't have a choice.
You know, when you told me
that I didn't have a choice.
What do you wanna ask me?
Why you were at the
tree farm today.
And yesterday, for that matter.
You didn't order a tree.
- You fact-checked me?
- Mm-hm.
Look
I have nothing to hide.
I was at the tree farm because
I was trying to find evidence
that would help clear June.
I know how that sounds, and
yes, I have been listening
to too many true crime
podcasts, I will admit it.
You were trying to
help your friend.
I can respect that.
- Thank you.
What I don't like is the
way you went about it.
I don't need an amateur
sleuth getting in my way.
I retract my thank you.
Do I need to remind you
that one man is dead
and another is
fighting for his life?
Oh, I thought that you already
had the killer in lock-up.
Unless June is innocent,
like I've been saying
this whole time.
The only other possibility
is that she's working
with a partner.
That doesn't sound
so far-fetched.
You were alone with Gordon right
before Anna found him, right?
Okay, right.
Where did that cookie that
killed Marcus come from, again?
Yes, thank you, thank you.
You've made your point.
I am sorry that I got involved.
All I'm asking is if
you have any questions
or information,
you bring it to me,
rather than acting
on it alone. Agreed?
Fine.
And in return, I assume
you'll keep me in the loop
on what's going
on with the case?
Absolutely not.
Worth a try.
BROOKE: [gasps] I knew it!
EMILY: Brooke?
I told the girls
this would happen.
It was only a matter of time.
You two are perfect together.
Oh, uh, no, that's
not I'm not what
Yeah! I get it,
it's still new.
Well, I just wanted to say,
I think it's beautiful.
No, Brooke, uh, we're
BROOKE: I'm gonna let
you get back to it.
I knew it. [chuckles]
So, that happened.
Yep.
EMILY (V.O.): I know
I technically agreed
to leave the
investigating to Sam,
but what he doesn't know
can't come back to bite me.
I've just got to approach
it in a more subtle way.
Okay, let's see who
we've got here
EMILY (V.O.): Being able to
access photos and selfies
from the accounts of everyone
in attendance with Marcus
the night he died
creates a surprisingly
detailed timeline of events.
Unfortunately, the one person
I was most eager to prove
was on the wagon that night
is nowhere to be found.
Lizzy's boyfriend, Trent.
Why make a reservation
under a fake name
if he wasn't involved?
Okay.
Well Lizzy was
alone at the farm.
[cat meows]
She was telling the truth
about that, at least.
♪
See the snow fall
on your shoes ♪
Thanks so much. Have
a great holiday.
[door bells jingling]
- Hey, Vy! How was school?
- Mortifying.
I heard Gladys, one of
the cafeteria ladies,
talking about how my dad was
dating some new woman in town.
- You're kidding.
- Nope.
Then she got all
quiet when she saw me.
It was humiliating.
That isn't the same Gladys
who's in a book club
with Brooke Carmichael, is it?
I dunno.
EMILY (V.O.): I'm
gonna kill Brooke.
Consider this my confession.
Well, maybe it isn't
true. Wrapping?
It's definitely not true.
As if my dad would take five
minutes away from his work
to meet someone.
He's got zero social life.
Except when the
two of us hang out,
which right now mostly involves
doing the usual
Christmas activities.
Well, that sounds like fun.
Some are okay, but
some are torture.
Like Christmas karaoke
night as Sue's diner.
[shudders]
Every year, my mom and
dad do a duet together,
and not even divorce was
enough to stop the pain.
I still have PTSD
from last year's rendition
of "Jingle Bell Rock."
[laughs] Oh my God!
- Don't laugh at my trauma.
- I'm sorry.
I just now have that
image burned in my head.
At least now that my mom
lives two hours away,
karaoke won't rear
its ugly head.
I'll take my victories
where I can get them.
[phone buzzing]
[intriguing music]
EMILY: Okay, Ray, what
do you have for me?
Ah, straight to the point.
That's what I love about you.
Gonna start with the bad news.
Uh, came up empty on
the Joey Vaughan part.
Right. I figured that one out.
He was apparently a star
shortstop for the Dodgers
in the '40s.
Okay, so, definitely
no follow-up questions.
Okay, get to the good stuff!
I'm building to it!
There is an art to this.
- Mm.
- Okay, fine.
So, I was able to confirm that
Gordon racked up gambling debts
in the neighbourhood of 30
grand or so, plus interest.
So a lot of bad poker hands.
And that's not the
surprising part.
He paid, in full.
The slate is clean.
That doesn't make any sense.
Where would Gordon come
up with that kind of cash
on such short notice?
Well, maybe the bank
had a change of heart
and decided to give
him a loan after all.
EMILY (V.O.): Ray might not
be that far off the mark.
Gordon, Marcus, and Lizzy all
share a common connection.
And all roads lead
back to the bank.
Or, more specifically,
to the bank's new
senior loan manager.
[indistinct conversation]
[quietly] That coat
[mysterious music]
♪
- Hey, Trent!
- Emily.
Nice to see you again.
- Yeah, yeah, you too.
I like your coat. Super cozy.
Thanks! Yeah, it is very warm.
[chuckles] I could swear
I've seen it before.
You weren't at the Chalmers
Tree Farm recently, were you?
No, I haven't been
there in ages.
You sure this isn't you?
EMILY (V.O.): That coat must
be even warmer than it looks,
because Trent is definitely
starting to sweat.
You know, there are
other people out there
with the same coat.
EMILY: Yeah, that's
a really good point.
I guess it's also possible
that there are other people
that use the names of
their baseball heroes
when trying to stay anonymous.
How did
And I might have
my dates crossed,
but I'm pretty sure that picture
was taken the night Marcus died.
Is that possible?
I don't, um I'm actually
late for a meeting.
Oh! Oh, gosh, don't
let me keep you, yeah.
It's probably best that
I take this directly
to the police anyway.
I mean, no need to bug
you with it any further.
Wait. Sit down.
Oh!
This has nothing to do
with Marcus's death, okay?
He was like a brother to me.
I am curious how Marcus
felt about his brother
getting his
ex-girlfriend pregnant
so soon after they broke up.
Hey, congratulations,
by the way.
Lizzy is gonna be
such an amazing mama.
We were keeping it a secret.
Ah, you know how
small towns are.
Well, let me set the record
straight on one thing.
It was Marcus who introduced
us in the first place.
He was happy for us.
So, yeah, that's why you and
Lizzy were at the farm together.
For the wagon ride?
She didn't invite me.
I found that strange.
So I went to the farm
a few days earlier,
and I found Marcus's name
in the reservation log.
[sighs] You must have
thought the worst.
I know I would have.
Yeah, I-I got the wrong idea.
So I signed in under a fake
name to cover my tracks,
and I showed up that night
to catch them together.
Instead, I found
Marcus there with June.
I had it all wrong.
Lizzy never even
knew I was there.
So no one noticed it was you?
On my way out, I stopped to get
gas at the station up the hill.
Anna Chalmers was there.
Gordon Chalmers' daughter?
You spoke?
No, I was just leaving
as she was pulling in.
But we saw each other.
Well, I so appreciate you
sharing all of this with me.
Actually, um
before I leave,
I wonder if you could just
do me one tiny favour.
What is it?
I would really love just a
just a little peek at Marcus's
most recent account statement.
That's a total
breach of protocol.
I could get in trouble.
Ah, yeah, but I don't think
Marcus would mind, do you?
[scoffs]
Plus, what's one more little
secret between friends?
♪
RECEPTIONIST: Someone
will be in touch.
EMILY: Anna!
- You okay?
- Yeah.
I was just trying to get some
information about my dad's case.
I'm sure it's all gonna be okay.
I know Detective
Wilner's all over it.
Yeah.
Hey, um, I ran into
Trent Hadley today.
He mentioned you.
Trent?
Oh, do you mean
Trent from the bank?
Yeah, he said that you
guys saw each other
at the gas station by
the farm the other night.
The night Marcus died.
He's mistaken.
I didn't get back until
early the next morning.
Hm.
Um, I should get
back to the hospital.
The doctor said my dad's
gonna wake up any time now.
Yeah, of course. Take care.
Hi. Uh, here to
see June Hubble.
JUNE: I feel like one of
those poor shelter dogs
all curled up in the
corner of their cage,
not knowing why they're there.
You do not deserve
to be here, June.
I truly believe that.
I really needed to hear that.
I want to help you in any way
that I can, but to do that,
I need to ask you
something about Marcus.
It's okay. I have
nothing to hide.
The day before he was killed,
he made a large cash withdrawal
from his savings account.
$40,000.
No. That doesn't make sense.
Marcus was meticulous
when it came to money.
He crossed every
and dotted every I.
But with cash, there's
no paper trail.
Exactly. It goes against
everything Marcus stood for.
I can't think of any reason
why he would do that.
And the police haven't
mentioned this?
No, this is the first
I'm hearing of it.
Could this be connected
to his death somehow?
EMILY (V.O.): That, right
there, is the $40,000 question.
I have a theory about what
happened to Marcus's money,
but that theory only holds
water if I can be sure
Sam and his team
didn't recover it.
And the tricky part is,
I can't ask Sam about it
without tipping him off that
I've still got my mittens
all up in his investigation.
Emily?
Sam!
What a nice surprise.
Well, I do work here.
That's very true.
Are you on your way out?
I'm just waiting for Violet.
We have our annual Christmas
season kick-off event tonight.
That sounds fun.
What's the event?
The chocolate shop
brings out a new line
of holiday hot
chocolates every year,
so we like to go
on launch night.
It's actually become
a bit of a tradition.
That is adorable.
VIOLET: Hey, Dad. Oh, hi, Em.
EMILY: Uh, don't mind
me. I'm just leaving.
Have fun, you guys.
VIOLET: Actually
Dad, is it cool if we do
the hot chocolate thing
another night?
My friend Tara invited
a few of us over.
On a school night? To do what?
Get wasted and play
spin the bottle.
What else?
We have a quiz tomorrow. We're
mostly gonna be studying.
But I already
pre-paid to make sure
we'd get the collector mugs.
VIOLET: Oh.
You know what? You
should take Emily.
She's new here.
Who better to introduce her to
our local traditions, right?
You'll love it, I promise.
Ah
I mean, sure, if
that's okay with you.
- Yeah, why not?
- Yes!
You guys are gonna
have so much fun!
I'm jelly! Okay,
love you, Dad.
Bye, Em.
EMILY (V.O.): Awkward
Then again, I was looking
for a way to talk to Sam.
So how good is
this hot chocolate?
Has anybody seen
Kris Kringle? ♪
What flavour is this again?
Peppermint spiced white hot
with lime-infused marshmallows.
Sugar coma, here I come.
- Mmm.
- [slurping]
I'm like [giggles]
It's really good!
I know, right?
Hey, I'm sorry Violet put
you on the spot like that.
Oh, it's fine.
She mentioned that
she's gonna be
visiting her mom for Christmas.
Must be hard for you.
It is, yeah.
But, you know,
she's getting older.
Starting to outgrow this place.
She's already talking about
moving away for college.
What?
Who would ever want
to leave a place
with such decadent treats?
[chuckles]
[slurping]
What is it?
Uh I was just
thinking about something
Gordon mentioned to me.
Never mind.
Forget I said anything.
Well, now I'm curious.
Well, it's just that he was
talking about leaving, too.
Or at least selling the farm.
He said that Marcus was
interested in buying it.
They had a contract
all written up.
Marcus had even agreed to
a large cash down payment.
- He told you that?
- Yeah.
I didn't realize
you two were close.
Oh, no, we're not.
I think I just caught
him in a chatty moment.
Anyway, what wasn't
clear was whether
Marcus had actually paid
him the money or not.
Just kinda makes you wonder.
About what?
Oh, I mean, if
if Marcus did
withdraw that money
and didn't end up giving
it to Gordon, then
where's the money?
Why do I get the feeling
I'm the one being
interrogated this time?
I'm I'm just
making conversation.
We can change the subject.
I've been a cop for 15 years.
I know what fishing for
information looks like.
So, to answer your question,
maybe Marcus gave
the money to charity,
or maybe he bought a boat
to sail around the world.
It doesn't mean it's
connected to his murder.
Real criminal cases don't look
like Agatha Christie plots.
Okay.
Thanks for the company.
You're leaving?
You haven't even finished
your hot chocolate.
I have some work I need
to get done tonight, so
if you have anything else,
you know where to find me.
♪
[upbeat Christmas music]
EMILY (V.O.): I
underestimated Sam last night.
That's on me.
I love that one.
EMILY (V.O.): Now that I've
confirmed that Marcus's 40K
is still officially
unaccounted for,
I am certain that
Gordon used that money
to pay off his gambling debts.
The question is whether he
poisoned Marcus to get it.
And if so, who poisoned
Gordon in return?
Have a good one.
[door bells jingling]
EMILY: Hey, Vy.
How was your night?
Almost worth the silent
treatment from Dad.
He's making me pay for
missing hot chocolate night.
That was a pretty sneaky
move you pulled, by the way.
Sorry.
I just want to be able to
hang out with my friends
on a short notice.
But Dad and his schedules
EMILY: Have you told
him how you feel?
I don't want to
hurt his feelings.
I know he's just trying to make
up for not having Mom here.
You know, it really
is so special
that they can put
aside their differences
and come together
for the holidays.
I never really thought
about it before,
but I guess maybe I'm not the
only one who lost something
when Mom moved away.
It's so hard for me to picture
Sam with complex emotions.
He always seems so in control.
I call that his
"resting cop face."
But he's actually
a total softie.
And every little problem he
can't solve eats away at him.
EMILY (V.O.): Eating
away at him
Of course!
[dramatic music]
♪
EMILY: Hey, Rowen.
You done for the day already?
More than the day. We
all just got let go.
Oh, no. Maybe it's
just temporary?
That's exactly what Anna said.
But what are we supposed
to do in the meantime?
♪
ANNA: Sorry, we're closed.
Emily.
EMILY: I wanted to talk
to you about something.
About what?
Just, I can't stop thinking
about what happened to your dad,
and how some of his recent
choices may have led to it.
You mean his drinking?
Yeah, that's part of it,
but there are mistakes
he's made, and I think
they're eating away at him.
Like trying to sell
the farm to Marcus
when he knows how
important it is to you.
I told you he wouldn't do that.
I don't think he felt
he had any other choice.
Look.
[exhales]
I
I have a friend who plays poker
at some of the same tables.
He said your dad's debts
had been piling up.
He gets in over his head
sometimes, but this, I
No, these guys that he
owes, they are dangerous.
They would have killed
him if he hadn't paid.
Selling the farm to
Marcus was a way out.
Then why is Marcus dead?
And why is my dad
in the hospital
fighting for his life right now?
I think Marcus gave
him a down payment
to help him clear his debts,
and then once the
money was paid,
maybe Gordon had a change
of heart about selling.
The papers were never
officially signed.
If something happened to Marcus,
then the contract
would be null and void.
You're accusing my
dad of killing Marcus?
He was poisoned too, remember?
Yes, I know, but the poison
was found in his own flask.
Maybe he couldn't live with what
he'd done and he saw a way out.
- Why are you telling me this?
- Because I
Look, I get wanting
to protect your dad.
I would probably do the
same thing in your shoes.
But listen to me, Anna
If Gordon dies and you do
not share what you know,
then my friend June could
have her entire life
destroyed over this.
You need to leave.
Now!
- Anna
- Now.
Okay.
♪
[door opens and closes]
[sombre music]
EMILY (V.O.): Visiting a patient
in the hospital's
private care unit
comes with some complications.
First, you need to
be immediate family.
Second, you need to arrive
during proper visiting hours.
Sorry!
EMILY (V.O.): Of course, there's
always a way around the rules
if you're willing to
think outside the box.
EMILY (V.O.): I don't
know why I'm here.
If I'm right about Gordon,
he doesn't deserve
my compassion.
Yet I'm all too familiar
with self-preservation
and survival instinct.
[distant sirens]
EMILY (V.O.): Are we really
so different in the end?
NURSE: Excuse me. How
did you get in here?
This is a private ward.
You need to leave.
Oh it's okay.
Uh, she's with me.
[indistinct announcement on PA]
[machines beeping]
I needed some information
from Gordon's surgeon.
Thought I'd come
see if he was awake.
I suppose you'll want to
know what I'm doing here.
Will I like the answer?
Um
I was gonna reach
out. I, uh
I wanted to apologize for
leaving so suddenly last night.
I kinda deserved it.
I saved your collector's
mug for you, though.
Oh. I appreciate that.
Mm-hm.
I should probably go before
Nurse Ratchet comes back.
Night, Sam.
Night, Emily.
♪
♪
EMILY (V.O.): Hug the cats,
glass of wine, bubble bath.
In that order.
[indistinct chatter]
EMILY: Can I help
you with something?
That's okay.
Oh! Ah You're
the owner, right?
Mm-hm, yeah.
- Emily? We met at
- At the daycare.
Um Lizzy?
I was just driving
by and I suddenly
had a pregnancy craving
for something sweet.
I was hoping you
might still be open.
Ah
Think we can figure
something out.
[door bells jingling]
EMILY: We fall short
in the pickles and ice
cream department
But we do have 40 different
candy cane flavours.
What's the cookie
situation like?
Uh, gingerbread, shortbread.
All the cookies that
confusingly end in "bread."
There was this
one type of cookie
I can't stop thinking about.
It was a sugar cookie, I think,
with purple jam in the middle.
Marcus said it came
from your store.
Uh, sugar plum cookie.
Yeah, that sounds right.
You said that Marcus
told you about it?
Do you remember when that was?
Was it at the tree
farm, the night he died?
Um, I should probably go.
Lizzy, please, please. Look
if you know something about
what happened to Marcus
♪
I never meant for
him to get hurt.
[dramatic music]
LIZZY: It's my fault.
I never should have
gone to Marcus for help.
EMILY: Help with what?
I was being blackmailed.
This is about the baby, right?
Marcus is the father?
How did you?
You went to Marcus
instead of Trent.
So, whatever you're
being blackmailed over
is likely a secret you're
trying to keep from him?
I'm just taking a
shot in the dark here,
but Marcus is the true
father of your baby, right?
Yes.
I don't know why it
was so important for me
to keep it a secret.
If I had just told Trent.
But I didn't find
out I was pregnant
until I'd already
fallen for him, and
he was so happy.
How did Marcus take the news?
MARCUS: I, uh
I don't know what to say.
I'm sorry.
No. No, no.
It's okay.
I'm not ready to tell Trent yet.
I love him. I can't
risk losing him.
Whatever you choose to
do, I'm on your side.
LIZZY: Three weeks after that,
I got a text from a number
I didn't recognize.
It said I had to
pay 40,000 in cash
or Trent would learn the truth.
I wasn't ready for
that to come out.
So you went to Marcus again?
He wanted to get the
blackmailer on video.
He said the money didn't matter.
It would come back to him.
And he knew where to find them?
I was told to leave
the money in a bag
next to a tree with a
ribbon tied around it,
behind the stables.
I was also told to come alone.
EMILY: When is the last
time you saw Marcus?
LIZZY: On my way to
drop off the money.
I got scared.
I almost backed out,
but Marcus came to me.
Hey, hey. Look at
me, look at me.
It's gonna be okay, alright?
Here.
[owls and crows calling]
You'll feel better with
something in your stomach.
[crunches into cookie]
LIZZY: After that, I left
the bag of money by the tree
and went home.
You've got this.
EMILY: Wait, Marcus shared
the cookie with you.
Are you sure about that?
- Yes.
Then the cookie couldn't have
been the source of the poison.
Okay, Lizzy, I
I need you to just do one more
brave thing for me tonight.
Please.
SAM: I sure would love to know
how you got Lizzy
to come forward.
I think she was desperate
to tell someone.
I just happened to be in the
right place at the right time.
Seems to be a recurring
theme in your life.
And just so you know,
this does not mean
that June is exonerated.
She's still a
person of interest.
You're not gonna let me
have the win, are you?
I'm just managing expectations.
Well, at least for
the time being,
you're finally free of me.
What a relief.
♪
EMILY: Hey
Hey.
Oof.
JUNE: To think I owe my freedom
to Marcus's ex-girlfriend.
And you, of course.
I didn't do much of anything.
Somehow I find that
hard to believe.
Thank you.
For making our town your home.
You just make it better.
Maybe it makes me better.
Um
did you know about the baby?
Marcus promised no secrets.
And he meant it.
Except the one that got
him killed, of course.
He was buying the
farm from Gordon.
That was his big surprise.
- Really?
- Yeah.
That was always my dream for us.
Live in the country,
have an animal sanctuary.
I would talk about
it all the time
when we were married.
I, uh I spoke to Gordon
before he was hospitalized.
He mentioned you'd been
to the farm recently.
I went to see Shadow.
She had a nasty
infection in the summer.
I check in often to make sure
that if there's a recurrence,
I can catch it early.
I would have shot
Gordon a heads-up text,
but he wouldn't know
how to open that
even if he had a
phone. [chuckles]
EMILY (V.O.):
Maybe Sam is wrong.
Maybe some investigations are
like Agatha Christie plots
because the final
piece of this puzzle
just fell perfectly into place.
Hey!
You're not doing
anything gross
like looking at crime
scene photos, are you?
- No.
- Can we talk for a minute?
Uh, yeah, of course.
Is everything okay?
Yeah.
I just
I wanted to tell you
that I'm okay with
Mom not being here.
I loved it when she was,
and I loved that you
two would come together
to make sure I had
a great Christmas,
but I'm not a kid anymore.
I can handle it.
I made it awkward, didn't I?
No, Dad.
Spending time with
you is the best.
But that doesn't mean
we have to keep doing
the same activities
we did with Mom.
Maybe it's time to
find our own thing.
That actually
sounds really nice.
I, uh
I love ya, kiddo.
Love you too.
♪
♪
Although
there is one tradition I think
I could still get behind.
Yeah? Which one?
Christmas karaoke
night at the diner.
[clears throat]
Deck the halls with
boughs of holly ♪
Fa la la ♪
[both laugh]
No way.
You in?
Absolutely.
[instrumental "Deck
the Halls" playing]
[knocks on door]
♪
[music becomes mysterious]
♪
♪
♪
♪
Gotcha.
[door opens]
ANNA: Who's in here?
Emily?
What are you doing here?
Just looking for this.
Although it is $40,000 lighter
than when you first found it.
You do know blackmail's
a crime, right?
So is breaking and entering.
Touché.
So, what is it you
think you know?
You were blackmailing
Lizzy to get the money
to pay off your
dad's gambling debts.
Maybe my dad was
the one who did it.
Your dad doesn't
own a cell phone,
let alone know how to use one,
so how's he gonna
send a blackmail note
in the form of an
anonymous text message?
They came to me at school.
Two men.
I thought they were
going to kill me.
They said I had a week to pay
up or my dad was a dead man.
So you thought blackmail was
your only course of action?
We're broke!
The banks had already
turned us away.
And for all his faults,
he's still my dad,
and I would do anything
to protect him.
You knew that
Marcus was secretly
the father of Lizzy's baby.
It was just a fluke.
I was at the diner the night
that she broke the news.
I was hungry after
driving home from school
and I was just chilling out,
waiting for my food to arrive.
I guess they thought I
couldn't hear them whispering.
LIZZY: I'm not ready
to tell Trent yet.
I love him.
I can't risk losing him.
EMILY: Stealing Marcus'
money was one thing.
But he didn't have to die!
What are you talking about?
I didn't even see
Marcus that night.
I just grabbed the bag and
I went right back to my car
at the gas station.
I always intended to pay
Lizzy as soon as I was able.
- You think that makes it okay?
- Of course not!
But I don't regret it either.
So go ahead and report me.
I don't care.
This is your mess, Anna.
You clean it up.
[dramatic music]
EMILY (V.O.): I'm not sure
what's bothering me more,
the fact that Anna refused
to admit to killing Marcus
or the fact that I
kind of believe her.
SAM: [voicemail] You've
reached Dt. Wilner.
Please leave a message and
I'll get right back to you.
If this is en emergency
- [horse whinnies]
♪
[horse whinnies]
Hello?
Anyone here?
[horse whinnies]
[mysterious music]
EMILY (V.O.): That's new.
I thought Gordon said it
wasn't safe to go up there.
♪
♪
[floor creaking]
♪
EMILY (V.O.): Rowen's pack?
I saw him leave with it.
What's it doing up here?
♪
♪
Pentobarbital.
[floor creaking]
You shouldn't have come here.
I could say the
same thing to you.
♪
- [loud crack]
- Aah!
♪
Augh
[breathing heavily]
Aah
♪
- [beeping]
- [approaching sirens]
[exhales]
[groans]
[exhales]
ROWEN: Good.
You're both awake.
[muffled yelling]
ROWEN: Feel free to
yell if you like.
The boss there
sent everyone home.
[muffled yelling]
♪
EMILY: So, uh
how long have you been secretly
living up in that loft?
Since I lost my house to
a fire a few months back.
Turns out my insurance elapsed.
So now I'm still
paying a mortgage
for the privilege of
sleeping in a pile of straw.
And you're about
to lose that too.
You knew about Gordon's
plan to sell the farm.
They made the deal right
here where I'm standing.
There's a lot you can learn
when nobody knows you're there.
So, what, you
you figured you just kill Marcus
and then all your problems
will magically go away?
You think I was
trying to kill Marcus?
That was his own fault.
It should have been
the old man that night.
[mysterious music]
♪
Marcus.
Not now, Gordon. I've
done what I can for you,
and you're just gonna
have to be patient, okay?
Alright.
♪
ROWEN: Weeks of
planning down the drain.
GORDON: Rowen!
Get me some more
oats, would you?
Today!
EMILY: If Marcus took the flask,
why wasn't it found
with his body?
June convinced Gordon
to organize a search for him
when he didn't come back.
I was the one who found him.
He was already dead.
There was nothing I could do.
He shouldn't have
taken that flask.
EMILY: Marcus was there
to confront a blackmailer.
I imagine he took it because he
needed a little extra courage.
And you know what?
You're one to talk!
You stole that bottle
of pentobarbital
from June, didn't you?
Yeah?
During one of her medical
visits with Shadow?
She shouldn't have left
her bag unattended!
Once Marcus was dead,
though, the deal was dead.
Why try to kill Gordon again?
He made me a promise!
He told me to my face I
was like a son to him,
that I'd always
have a home here!
But he tried to throw that
away just to save his own skin.
What was to stop him
from trying again
next time he got
himself in a jam?
So I planted the flask
where I knew he'd find it.
He did the rest.
You gonna poison us too?
[whimpering]
You can't honestly believe
that you're gonna
get away with this!
I heard you earlier,
threatening to expose
Anna as a blackmailer.
It all just kind of
falls into place.
After you turned
your back on her,
she got the drop on you,
injected poison into
your bloodstream.
And then, overcome at
guilt at what she'd done
she injects herself.
[whimpers]
All wrapped up in a bow, huh?
There's only one problem.
I've been recording this entire
conversation on my phone.
You're bluffing. I checked.
You don't have
your phone on you.
That's because I hid
it when I came in here!
Go ahead and look.
You won't find it.
But the police will.
♪
♪
♪
Oh, I will find it.
[grunting]
Shh.
[suspenseful music]
♪
♪
♪
[phone buzzing]
[dramatic music]
- [loud crash]
- [horse snorts]
- [horse neighs]
- Okay, it's okay!
Calm down, Shadow.
Shadow, calm down!
[horse neighs]
Hey aah!
[grunts]
Aah!
Shh, Shadow!
It's okay, Shadow,
it's okay! It's okay!
[grunts] Aah!
Sorry.
I got you, I got
you. We're okay.
We're okay, come on.
Shh, shh, Shadow, it's okay!
Shh
He's down
He's down.
♪
[police radio chatter]
[sighs]
♪
♪
♪
[car starts]
♪
♪
[sighs]
I hear you took a nasty bump.
Yeah, it's okay.
Got a hard head.
That I believe.
[indistinct conversation
in background]
So, uh I owe
you an explanation.
You do.
But not today.
I'm just
I'm just glad you're okay.
Right now that's
that's all that matters.
[light, festive music]
♪
♪
Fa-la-la-la ♪
EMILY (V.O.): After every
disaster comes a period
of rebuilding and regrowth.
Isn't it magical
this time of year ♪
Brings a new sense of hope ♪
Wonder and cheer ♪
EMILY (V.O.): The hope
being that everyone
comes out the other
side stronger,
having successfully
weathered the storm.
That's when I finally see ♪
What Christmas means ♪
It's not about
gifts by the tree ♪
EMILY (V.O.): As for
me, the truth is,
I've never felt settled.
There's always been a
part of me that's ready
to pick up and run
at a moment's notice.
Moments that last forever
when we're all together ♪
Every December that's
when I remember ♪
What Christmas means ♪
Nothing if I don't have ♪
The ones I love
here next to me ♪
Fa-la-la-la,
fa-la-la-la ♪
EMILY (V.O.): But this
may be the closest thing
I've ever had to a real home.
And a home is worth protecting.
Of course, opening
the door a crack
to let some of my previous
life shine through
does come with a certain
degree of danger.
And a girl can never
be too careful.
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪