Mistletoe Murders (2024) s02e05 Episode Script

1
Chimera?
It's the second time
I've heard that name recently.
There are things that I
don't want you to know about!
You're here 'cause
you're hiding from someone
or you're running
from something.
I guess you just never know
what people are capable of.
You're right. I overstepped.
No more secrets.
It can't be him.
Aaron?
It's always been my dream
to celebrate the holidays
with a multi-course
Victorian-inspired
Christmas feast.
Enjoying great food, fine wine,
and sparkling conversation
with dear friends, old and new.
Of course,
when my dreams do come true,
they tend to have
major ribbons attached.
Case in point, if I knew
how this would turn out
a week ago,
maybe it could have
all been prevented.
Dashing through the snow ♪
In a one-horse open sleigh ♪
O'er the fields we go,
laughing all the way! ♪
Only you can get so excited
over Christmas songs.
Did you know that
Jingle Bells was the first song
played in space?
Does anyone?
Vy, if we're gonna be partners
for Elf Trivia Night,
you're gonna need
to know this stuff.
Emily
the whole point
of partnering with you
is I don't need
to know anything.
Ray!
What a nice surprise.
Looking for some
last-minute stocking stuffers?
Oh, please.
I finished my Christmas shopping
in September.
Why would I wait till prices
were at a premium?
The spirit of Christmas
is strong in you.
Here's the thing.
There is a new
fine dining restaurant
opening up on
the east side of the Grove.
Yeah,
I heard something about that.
Right. Well, so Danny,
the guy who owns the place,
an old college buddy of mine,
he wants to do like a kind of
special kickoff event
for VIPs next week.
-That sounds nice.
-Oh, I hope so.
He's got his heart
set on this traditional
Victorian Christmas feast,
but his Michelin-trained
French chef is struggling a bit
with what he considers
an old-fashioned menu.
Which is where you come in.
I'm not sure I follow.
Well, you are the town's
resident Christmas expert,
are you not?
She totally is.
Tell 'em the thing about
Jingle Bells in space.
Look I mean,
I would love to help you out,
but I'm not a chef.
Oh, that's probably a good thing
'cause he can barely afford
the one he already has.
Uh, no, what he needs
is, like, some inspiration.
You know what, I do have a few
turn-of-the-century
Christmas cookbooks
in my personal collection.
I knew I could count on you.
Here's the address.
It's called Coniferous.
Like the trees.
Well, uh, come by after work.
Um
Oh, what fun it is to ride
in a one-horse open sleigh! ♪
-Emily!
-Oh, hey.
Perfect timing.
I'll introduce you to the owner.
Great.
Hey, um, before I forget,
-I was hoping we could talk.
-Well, fire away.
Oh, I was thinking more of
an official consultation.
Oh!
All right, in that case,
why don't you just stop by
the store and I'll fit you in.
-Great!
-Just give me one second.
Yeah?
Okay.
You'll get what you're owed,
Jason, okay?
I just need a bit more time.
Yeah, you know,
you've been saying that
for three weeks now, okay?
Man, you see
this crew around here?
I gotta pay my crew.
It's the holidays!
Empty promises like this,
they don't put presents
under the tree.
You know what I mean?
Or maybe I take my crew,
I take my lumber, I go home.
Hey!
Over my dead body.
Now, I just need you
to be patient
for another couple of weeks.
Danny!
Listen to me very carefully,
Danny.
I need you to pay me my money.
I mean it.
I mean it!
Jean-Marc and the sommelier are
at each other's throats again.
I don't even know
why we have a sommelier.
We cannot afford it!
Relax, babe.
I'll handle it.
Uh, Danny?
Lauren?
Emily,
your Christmas consultant.
-It's so nice to meet you both.
-Emily, welcome.
This is Lauren,
my wife and business partner.
We talked about this.
We have no budget for any
Oh! Oh, no,
I'm just doing this for fun.
I don't expect to be paid.
Well, then, it is a pleasure
to meet you.
I'm sorry. Everything seems to
cost twice what we planned for.
We're at risk of
going broke before
-we even open to the public.
-Okay!
It's not really
as bad as all that.
-Well
-Uh, Emily, come.
Let me introduce you
to the head chef.
Ray, don't leave yet.
I need to talk to you.
Oh, I'll be here.
Oh, Emily, this is Carrie,
our sommelier.
Sorry, Danny!
So, I hear you've been
fighting with Jean-Marc again.
He won't listen to my ideas.
Try and play nice
when Lauren is around, please.
Happy wife, happy life, right?
Don't mind us.
It's always a bit tense
before a grand opening.
A bit tense?
I don't think I could
cut through all this tension
with a machete!
We only have one week, one week
to prepare all this, okay?
Uh, Jean-Marc, a moment, please.
I'd like to
introduce you to Emily.
Hello.
Danny,
I don't have time for this.
I have to make
a Christmas feast here.
And Emily is here
to help with that.
Just hear her out, please.
I'll leave you both to it.
Well, I found
a few Victorian delicacies
that I think could use
a modern spin.
I tried to avoid
the ones with gelatin.
Unfortunately,
that's most of them.
Look, I'm very intrigued,
but I don't have time right now.
You come back Friday, okay?
Okay.
I guess we're done here.
I know restaurant kitchens
can be stressful environments,
but this entire place
feels like a pressure cooker
that's about to blow.
You say that every time.
I can't keep doing this, Danny.
Oh, okay, here we go.
Time for another lecture.
What have
you gotten me into, Ray?
I feel like I'm in the position
where I can say something!
Hot cider, Technicolor
lights on the tree ♪
Wait, so it doesn't
even have a name on the side?
No, it's just a tree.
That's how you know it's fancy.
And if you want to
drop your entire paycheck
on a single shrimp covered in
foamy bubbles, go right ahead.
Well, if it makes you
feel any better, Sue,
I would choose
your meatloaf any day.
Aww, thank you.
But I'd avoid
the meatloaf this week.
The less said, the better.
Well, I should get going,
but hey,
it was so nice running into you.
Yeah, yeah,
that was good catching up.
Yeah.
"Coffee with a friend."
What a concept, right?
Yeah.
Okay, well
-Yeah.
-Bye!
Wilner.
Alright.
Just give me a minute.
Thanks so much
for making the time for me, Ray.
Oh, it's the least I could do.
You really came through
for me yesterday.
I just, you know, I have a small
stake in Danny's restaurant,
but I just want the guy
to succeed this time.
This time?
Oh, I love him like a brother,
but
but this is the third restaurant
attempt in six years, so
What happened to your hand?
Oh.
Yeah, it's the, you know,
hazards of the job, you know?
Uh so!
What can I help you with?
Yes, so, a few weeks ago,
I asked you to look into
some hacker groups.
Um, you said that you'd been
digging into one in particular,
Chimera.
Ah, yes, I recall that.
Your inquiries, did you
go straight to the source
or were you more
discreet about it?
Well, I didn't contact
Chimera directly,
if that's what you mean, but,
uh I wouldn't even know how.
They're notoriously elusive.
Why? Why do you ask?
Ah, I just want
to make sure that, um
Uh, sorry, that's a line
I can't let go to voicemail.
Just, I'll be quick.
-Sure. Yeah, no.
-One sec.
Uh
Ray here.
Hey, yeah.
Uh, good to hear from you.
Look, I'm just
I'm with a client.
Can I, uh
I'm I'm sorry,
say that again?
I-I understand.
Of course.
Is everything okay?
Danny's dead.
What?
I'm sorry Emily, um
This is a bit of a shock.
Um, perhaps we could reschedule.
Yeah. No, of course.
Absolutely.
I'm so sorry.
I've never
seen Ray look so heartbroken,
and I can hardly blame him.
It's been said that
losing someone close to you
feels like losing
a part of yourself.
I've had a similar experience.
Old memories keep playing in
my head searching for an answer
to a question
that has haunted me for years.
How many lives
could I have saved
if I'd only
done things differently?
Prepare for one less
oil billionaire in the world
in three, two, one, boom!
Yeah!
The biggest fish yet!
They won't soon forget
the name Chimera.
Oh, I'd love to see his face
when he learns that his fortune
has been diverted to help
pay for the mess he caused
-in the Pacific.
-And we need to celebrate.
-Yes! Yes, we do!
-We need champagne.
Okay, I'll go.
I need fresh air.
Oh, hey.
Miss you already.
Guys
Great job guys, great job.
Well done, well done, well done.
Whoo!
I know how difficult
a time this is for you.
I just can't believe
Danny's gone.
I'll make this brief.
I just have a few questions.
When was the last time
you saw your husband alive?
Um, just before I left
the restaurant last night.
Did he seem upset
or argumentative?
No more than usual.
Why?
Danny had a black eye and his
knuckles were all banged up.
Looked like he'd been in a fight
prior to his death.
A fist fight?
No.
Danny has a temper,
but he's all bark, no bite.
Did he have any enemies?
No.
Even when you hate him
you can't help
but still love him.
Are you planning to shut us down
during the investigation?
Uh, that
that hasn't been determined yet.
I really hope not.
I know that that sounds cold,
but Danny and I put our whole
life savings into this place.
This is his legacy now.
Money is so tight,
if we don't open on schedule,
we may never open at all.
Okay, next question.
Name three towns
with "Christmas" in their name.
Oh.
Okay, Christmas Cove, Maine;
Christmas Island,
Nova Scotia, Canada;
and Christmas,
Orange County, Florida!
I thought for sure
I'd stump you.
How can you possibly know that?
I travelled a lot
when I was younger.
Living my dream.
Can you believe I'm 17
and I've barely ever been
outside of New York State?
Brooke! Hey.
What can I do for ya?
Oh, well,
since it's almost Christmas,
I thought I'd pop in
before you close your doors
for the off-season.
I am open all year.
Oh.
It seems like
a bad business model,
but to each their own.
I also saw that the two of you
signed up as a team
for Elf Trivia night.
That's right.
And you may as well deliver
the $200 prize to us now
'cause Emily is a total ringer.
Well, I wouldn't brag
just yet, Emily.
I didn't say anything.
As host,
I have taken it upon myself
to come up with
some very tough questions,
so I would buckle up
and hold on to those elf hats
because you are
in for a bumpy sleigh ride.
Wait, what elf hats?
Well, it's Elf Trivia night,
Emily.
You gotta dress the part!
Oh, hey, Sam.
Did I forget to mention that?
Hi, Dad!
What's up?
I just need a quick word
with Emily.
Oh, is this about Danny?
Ray got the call while I
was with him in his store.
Um, can you tell me
what happened?
Well, it's still preliminary,
but it looks like Danny
got in a fight, possibly
knocked out and left outside
to die of exposure.
Did you notice
anything yesterday
when you were at the restaurant?
I did see Danny
in a verbal altercation
with a contractor
over unpaid fees.
The words "over my dead body"
were uttered.
-That's not nothing.
-Yeah.
-Anything else?
-Just
I can't keep doing this, Danny!
Hazards of the job.
Danny and Ray
got into an argument too,
out near the parking lot.
I saw them when I was leaving,
but Ray would never
No, I'm
sure you're right.
I'll pay Ray a visit,
get his side of things.
-Okay.
-I should go.
I'm glad you stopped by.
Even if it was
just to question me.
Yeah.
It's hard for me
to imagine Ray could be
capable of killing anyone
intentionally.
But if his argument with Danny
did escalate to a fist fight,
maybe things just
spiral led out of his
Hi, Emily.
-Ray?
-Hope you don't mind, I, uh
let myself in.
Are you mad?
You look mad.
How did you even get in here?
A magician
never reveals his tricks.
Oh please, you have more
in common with PT Barnum
than you do with Houdini.
Give me one good reason
why I shouldn't call the police.
I'm not the bad guy here, Emily.
You sure about that?
'Cause you're giving off
some pretty serious
Bond villain vibes.
Oh yeah, okay.
I see that now.
Look, look, let me explain.
Look, when Lauren called
and told me that Danny was dead,
I knew how it was gonna look.
It was just a matter of time
before the cops
came asking questions,
and in my line of business,
that's a death sentence!
-How so?
-I'm an information broker.
The people who hire me
aren't the sort
to risk their secrets
getting spilled.
Yeah, no,
I-I see your point.
Emily, I had nothing to do
with Danny's death.
Well, your bruised knuckles
tell a very different story,
Ray.
Yes, words were exchanged.
Things got a little heated.
Come on, Ray,
it's a short-term loan.
You'll get it all back.
Danny, I can't keep doing this!
If I don't pay up,
the creditors will come calling.
-Please!
-No, I can't help you this time.
-Hey, don't turn away from me.
-Get your hands off me!
Oh, what are you,
tough guy all of a sudden?!
Ow!
I chipped my tooth!
But that was it.
He was fine.
I mean, minus the tooth.
Look, just one night Emily,
that's all I'm asking.
If I find out
that you're lying to me
I am not, I swear.
Okay, fine.
You know what, take the couch.
I will I will go find you
some blankets.
Yes!
-Wow!
-Hah-hah, perfect timing.
Breakfast is served.
Oh, and don't worry,
the cats have already been fed.
Thanks, Uncle Buck.
You didn't have to do all that.
Ah, it felt appropriate,
given you were so kind
as to not have me arrested
for breaking and entering.
-Hello?
-Hey, it's Sam.
Can I come up?
Sure.
Get in here.
Close the door.
No sound.
Silent.
-Hey, come on in.
-Sorry, I know it's early.
I hope I didn't wake you or
I like a big breakfast.
Most important meal of the day.
Right.
I just wanted to let you know
that Ray is in the wind.
His office was cleaned out
and none of his staff
have seen him
since yesterday morning.
Yeah, do you have any leads
on where he might have gone?
That's why I'm here.
You said you were with him when
he got the phone call yesterday.
Yes.
Wondering,
did he mention anything
that might point
to his whereabouts?
No, I mean
one minute he was showing me
an overpriced armoire,
and the next he got
that phone call and I left.
Alright.
Well, it was worth a shot.
Alright, I'll, uh
I'll talk to you soon.
Okay.
-Okay, bye.
-Bye.
I know I made Sam a promise
not to lie to him anymore,
but Ray is a friend
and I do believe his life
is on the line here.
The easiest way
to get Ray off the hook
is to find the real killer
as quickly as possible.
You wound me, Emily!
I'll have you know,
my armoires
are very competitively priced.
I found what I could,
but there are still
some financial statements
unaccounted for.
Emily.
You're back.
Yeah, Jean-Marc asked me
to come back today,
but I wasn't sure
if you still needed my help.
I'm so sorry
to hear about Danny.
Yeah, I'm still processing it.
It's been a tough few days.
Um, I'm sorry,
this is Monica, my lawyer.
-Hi.
-Hi.
Just flew in from New York
to help me untangle the mess
that Danny left me.
Um, I should get that.
Our contractor walked away
and took his crew with him.
Danny was so much better
at dealing with this than I am.
Well, must be challenging
having clients this far out.
I used to live here in town.
I moved to join a New York firm
a few years ago,
but I still kept
a couple clients.
Are you local?
I've just been here
a little over a year.
I love it.
-There's a lot to love.
-Yeah.
On the way here, I had to stop
at Sue's for a coffee.
I don't know
what her secret blend is,
but it's almost worth
a trip all on its own.
I am so with you there.
Uh, well,
Jean-Marc is expecting me, so
-Of course, yeah.
-Nice to meet you!
You too.
You brought your recipes?
Yeah, I mean,
if you're up for it.
You've all experienced
quite a loss.
I confess, the onions
are not the only thing
that brings tears to my eyes.
This is sad and troubling times.
We've lost a leader
and a dear friend.
But
distraction is good, no?
Yes.
I have to admit
that I was not very interested
in doing this, uh
this Victorian Christmas feast.
Yeah,
I kind of picked up on that.
But now it only feels right
to honour Danny's wishes.
Despite my preference
for the local cuisine
I grew up with in France.
You know, I actually spent
some time in France.
Uh, what region are you from?
A tiny little village
in the south.
Oh, I love the south of France.
Le midi.
Sorry to correct,
but midi means "noon,"
not south.
What is this?
Are you talking menu?
Jean-Marc,
you know that I need to be here.
I need the time
to source the right wine
to complement the meal.
Please,
you can barely distinguish
wine from grape juice.
You can't talk to me like that.
Why not?
Danny is no longer here
for you to run and cry to.
Okay.
Well, at least he respected me.
He didn't trust you to run the
feast without calling in help.
I don't have to listen to this.
Okay.
Pardon me.
I'm going to make copies.
Uh, no hurry.
I'll come back later.
Merci.
That's typical Jean-Marc.
I mean, he can dish it out,
but he can't take the heat.
Hmm
-Hey.
-Emily.
Wasn't expecting
to see you here.
Yeah, I was just dropping off
some recipe inspiration
for the head chef.
So they're actually going ahead
with the Christmas feast?
Yes, Detective Wilner.
As difficult as it is,
my lawyer assures me
we're well within our rights
to proceed as planned.
Monica.
Hi, Sam.
Oh, do me a favour,
don't tell Violet I'm here.
I'd like to surprise her myself.
No problem.
Emily, this is Monica.
My ex-wife.
Okay.
This isn't awkward at all.
You don't have to do that, Ray.
No, it's good to keep busy.
Hey, you get my text?
Your lunch order, you mean?
One beef dip from Sue's,
extra au jus.
Ah.
Look at this.
Uh, you're not gonna join me?
I gotta get back
to the Mistletoe.
Oh, well
I know I agreed
to be gone by today.
It's just I haven't
I haven't quite
One more day.
But that's it.
Understood.
Has there been any progress
with Sam's investigation?
You mean
does he have any suspects
that aren't named Famous Ray?
Hm?
Not that I'm aware of.
Are you sure you won't
reconsider talking to Sam
about this?
No. Look, Sam's a good guy,
but he's still a cop
and I can't trust
that he's not gonna
bring me in for questioning.
And I want to keep doing
some of my favourite activities
when this is all over,
like breathing.
Okay, okay, it was just an idea.
-Just relax; eat your beef dip.
-Oh, maybe later.
I'm suddenly feeling
kind of queasy.
I can't blame Ray.
But I promised Sam there'd be
no new secrets between us
and I'm already keeping them.
I hate how easy it's become.
After everything
that happened
I swore that would never be me.
A plumbing truck
with a satellite antenna?
It's probably nothing.
I looked up the company.
It doesn't exist.
It's a surveillance vehicle.
It has to be.
They're here for us, Aaron.
I can feel it.
Even if you're right
we got nothing to worry about.
How can you say that?
If they haven't pinpointed
our location yet,
it's only a matter of time.
Look,
we have precautions in place.
Security cameras,
proximity alarms.
It's not enough.
Look, if all else fails,
I have programmed a kill switch
into the system that can
wipe the hard drives bare
in less than a minute.
-You didn't tell me about that.
-I did not want to worry you.
So, you knew about
the surveillance?
No, but I knew that we would
draw the wrong kind of attention
sooner than later.
I'm just looking after us
like I always do, Grace.
So, wait, this
this isn't the first time?
What else haven't you told me?
-Aaron, I want to know.
-Fine, fine.
You remember
the Lakeport incident, right?
When you hacked into
the school account
and you stole the trip money?
-What?
-I knew that was you right away.
And everyone else
would've figured it out too
if I didn't fix it.
You set Miss Cambridge up?
She lost her career over that!
Em, what was I supposed to do,
let you get caught?
I didn't take that money!
How could you think I was even
capable of something like that?
-Aaron, why?
-Hey, hey
The point is
is that I would do
I would do anything
to protect you.
Right?
And you'd do
the same for me, right?
Yeah, of course.
So, then,
what are we talking about, hm?
I don't know.
Time to celebrate.
Alright,
who wants some champagne?
-Yeah!
-Oh, hey, yeah!
Let's do it!
Speed round.
Where is the official
Santa Claus museum located?
Indiana.
How many Home Alone movies
are there?
Six, but only four are canon.
What is the
Mom?
Hey, sweetie!
So nice to see you.
Why didn't you tell me
you were coming?
It was a last-minute work thing.
-Hi again.
-Hi.
I should have known
you were that Emily.
Violet speaks so highly of you.
Wait, you knew my mom
was in town and didn't tell me?
I didn't want to spoil
this moment.
-How long are you here?
-A few days.
I thought we could go back to
the city together for Christmas.
-That sounds perfect.
-Great.
In the meantime, what do you say
to a little Christmas shopping
followed by hot cocoa
at the chocolatier
like we used to?
I still have another hour,
but I can
-Oh, please, it's fine.
-You sure?
Oh, come on, you cover for me
all the time. Go.
-Thanks!
-Thank you.
Have fun, you two.
-Bye!
-Bye.
-Bye.
-Bye.
Danny and Ray were friends long
before I came into the picture.
In fact,
it was Ray who introduced us.
Really?
Back before he was Famous Ray.
He had a little store
in the strip mall
where I worked
as an accountant's assistant.
Danny needed a little help
crunching numbers
on whatever half-baked business
idea he was into back then.
And we fell hard and fast.
Was Danny and Ray's relationship
always so contentious?
I mean, they squabbled
like brothers,
but it always came
from a place of love.
Did their arguments
ever become physical?
Not that I know of.
You don't think
that Ray could have
Just routine questions.
But if they did come to blows
and Danny ended up unconscious,
it could explain the state
we found him in.
I hope you're wrong, Detective,
because Ray would never
forgive himself
if he was responsible for this.
I hope it snows ♪
♪
I hope it snows ♪
I can't believe how
little this place has changed.
I like that about it.
College acceptance letters
should be going out soon.
Have you heard from any schools?
Not yet.
I hope you didn't wait too long
to get your applications in.
It's so competitive out there.
It's gonna be fine, Mom.
Well I have some good news.
I talked to the dean of
admissions at my old Alma mater,
and the fact that
you are a legacy student
does hold some sway.
And it's still the top
law program in the state.
I haven't even started
my undergrad.
Let's not get too far ahead
of ourselves.
Trust me, it is never too early.
You'll blink and suddenly
be cramming for the bar.
Wouldn't be the worst idea
for you to consider
a summer placement,
just to get the jump on things.
Crap, uh, I forgot.
I'm supposed to meet
my friends at the rink.
I'm sorry.
I gotta go.
Oh, sure, yeah, no problem.
Um, can we get together later?
Sounds great.
Thanks for the hot chocolate.
Of course.
We gotta stop meeting like this.
I'm just here
to pick up my cookbooks.
Right.
Any news on Ray?
Nothing.
Guy's resourceful.
He could be
three states away by now.
Hey, uh,
Monica came by the store today.
Violet was so excited.
Wish I could have seen that.
I should get back
to the station.
Yeah.
Okay.
Jean-Marc?
There you are.
Well, I wouldn't be me
if I didn't take
a quick look around.
Ray's life is on the line,
after all.
This is interesting.
I thought Danny was the primary
owner, but according to this,
Lauren owns
100% of the restaurant.
I'd love to get a look
in that safe,
but safe cracking
is sadly not in my skill set.
Maybe I should take a class.
Can I help you with something?
I was just looking for Lauren.
Oh.
Well, I can't help you there.
She tends to avoid me.
-You two don't see eye to eye?
-That's putting it lightly.
Yes, I suspect I'm not
gonna last very long
without Danny here to defend me.
Were you close?
Oh, yeah.
I used to work
at a wing joint in Buffalo
and Danny came in all the time.
And when the place went
out of business, he rescued me.
Sorry,
a sommelier at a wing place?
-Kitchen manager.
-Oh.
I'm versatile.
I've worked in restaurants
my whole life,
from the mess hall
to fine dining.
I even have dreams
of opening my own place one day.
I'm sure you'll get there.
I better get back to work
or I will be spending Christmas
on the unemployment line.
I've heard of
comforting a grieving widow,
but this is a bit much.
Ah, Emily.
I didn't see you come in.
I, uh, was doing inventory.
You got a little lipstick
on your collar.
Lauren's shade,
if I'm not mistaken.
I'm not here to judge.
Does seem a little soon.
Danny knew about us.
He and Lauren have been
separated for some time now.
So, you're saying
Danny approved?
No, I wouldn't go that far.
Lauren served him with
divorce papers months ago,
but Danny wouldn't sign them.
I'm very much in love.
But that's why I accepted
to be the head chef here.
Even though it's a significant
step down for me.
Oh, yeah, Ray told me
that you trained
at a Michelin-star restaurant.
Yes, Auberge Antoinette,
on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
I gotta check it out sometime.
Ah, well,
you have to make a reservation
two years in advance.
Do they do takeout?
Takeout.
Phew
It's Jason, right?
-Have we met?
-Sorry, I'm Emily.
I, uh, I saw you with Danny
at Coniferous the other day.
Yeah, not my proudest moment.
Should have never
taken that job.
I just started
some consulting work for them.
Did I make a mistake?
Well, if you expect
to get paid on time, or at all.
And now I got a crew revolting,
I got missing equipment.
Wait, someone stole
your equipment?
Yeah, it was a brand-new
welding torch.
Danny probably sold it
to pay his chef.
I didn't mean that, okay?
I'm just I'm bitter.
And despite everything,
I still feel bad
about going so hard at Danny.
It's Christmas, you know?
I hear ya.
I'm just trying to get whatever
payment I can and move on.
Good luck.
Thanks.
As much as I feel bad for Jason,
I can't shake what Danny
said to him that night:
"Over my dead body."
To someone in Jason's situation,
it may have been
a welcome invitation.
Emily!
I'll be with you in a minute.
Okay, take your time.
Hey, Monica.
-Hi.
-How did your shopping trip go?
It was cut short.
Violet had a previous
engagement, apparently.
Too busy for Mom.
-I'm over-sharing.
-Oh, no, no, no please.
Violet talks about you so much
at the store,
I feel like we're old friends.
In that case, can I ask you
a personal question?
Yeah, sure.
You and Sam
Is it serious?
Uh, no, we're
we're just friends.
I see the way he looks at you.
It's a little more
than friendly.
Is it too late
to plead the fifth?
I retract my question.
I just
I want Sam to be happy.
He deserves that.
Speak of the detective
and he shall appear.
-Emily.
-Sam.
-Sorry I'm late.
-It's okay.
Gave me a little time
to get to know Emily a little.
Well, uh, my cats will be
crying for their dinner,
so, um
Hey, would you mind if I
came by the station tomorrow?
There are a couple things
we should discuss.
Case-wise.
-Of course.
-Okay.
-Bye.
-Bye.
-Hey, Emily.
-Hey.
FYI,
you're out of fabric softener.
Ah!
I will get right on that.
Okay, listen.
You are gonna be happy
to hear this,
but I have managed
to secure a new place.
I'll be out of your hair
by tomorrow.
-That's great, whereabouts?
-Probably better you don't know.
Look, I really appreciate
everything you've done,
and if we ever
get through this mess,
I am giving you a 5% discount
on the entire store for life,
minus luxury brands.
-That is
-And new arrivals.
So generous.
I know, right?
Ooh,
and I washed your tea towels.
-Oh.
-Look at that.
-Hey, thanks, buddy.
-Yeah.
My pleasure.
Jean-Marc and Lauren.
Interesting.
They certainly have motive.
-Thanks for bringing it to me.
-Hm.
What?
I'm just curious what you
and Monica were talking about
at the diner last night.
She asked me if there was
anything going on between us.
-What'd you tell her?
-I deflected.
Right, 'cause it's
none of her business.
'Cause I don't know the answer.
Well, I-I had I had
thought that we were
Oh, you know, I'm, um
I did not mean
to put you on the spot.
You should get back to work
'cause you have
new suspects now, so
Ray is still my priority.
What about Lauren and Jean-Marc?
That's a hot lead.
We found a glove
in the back of Ray's car.
It had traces
of Danny's blood on it.
That's because he punched
him in the face, once,
but he didn't kill him.
At least I'm pretty sure
he didn't.
Wait, how do you know all this?
We agreed to be honest
with each other.
Okay, all right.
Look.
Um hmm
If I tell you, I'm just gonna
need some assurances first.
Farewell, my furry friends.
Oh, hey, you came to see me off.
I'm so sorry, Ray.
Et tu, Emily?
Oh.
Well, say goodbye
to your lifetime discount.
I admit I lost my cool
and I-I popped him in the jaw.
It was more like
a love tap, really.
I mean, he was fine.
He didn't fight back?
No, he was actually
really gracious about it,
all things considered.
I need some ice.
Danny, I'll wire you the money.
This has gotta be the last time.
You're a good friend, Ray.
Better than I deserve.
Oh.
I gotta take this.
Hello?
If he didn't fight back,
then how did
his knuckles get bloody?
Not a clue. Maybe he had
another fight after I left.
Did you see him
arguing with anyone else?
No. Though he did get a call
when I was leaving.
He was still on it
when he went back in.
Where'd you go from there?
I went straight home
to wire him the money.
Why would I do that
if I killed him?
I'm gonna need you
to stay put for a while
while I look into a few things.
You're not taking me in?
I'm not gonna put your life
in danger if it can be avoided.
However,
if you leave this apartment,
you will be arrested
and charged on site.
Thank you.
Both of you!
I know.
I should have told you sooner.
Yes, you should have.
I understand why you didn't.
Wait, I know you.
Sam, you believe him.
His story checks out.
Danny did receive a deposit
from an anonymous wire transfer,
and his phone records show
that he received a call
from a restaurant in Paris.
Wait, Auberge Antoinette?
That's the place
Jean-Marc got his start, right?
Why would they be calling Danny?
Unless
wait, Danny called them first.
He was checking up on Jean-Marc.
Because something
made him suspicious.
Look, I need to be
clear with you.
I'm not certain
Ray won't be charged,
and if he is
I don't know
I can keep your name out of it.
I know.
It's not ideal.
But it's what we do
for friends, right?
I just hope you didn't put
your trust in the wrong guy.
What can I say?
It wouldn't be the first time.
Emily?
What do you think?
Uh
Well, you would fit right in
at the North Pole.
Perfect.
I got you one too.
For Elf Trivia night.
Right. Yes, yes.
Sorry.
What are you working on that's
got your brow all furrowed?
Oh no, I was just researching
obscure Christmas trivia
for the big night.
That's the right answer.
You know, you gotta keep
your head in the game here.
-Okay.
-All right?
Yeah, I got it.
Violet called it.
Something is bothering me.
Danny's phone call
with the French restaurant
made me think about something
Jean-Marc told me.
Sorry to correct, but midi
means noon, not "south."
During my time in France,
the locals would often refer
to the southern region
as "le midi"
because the sun at noon
sits in the southern sky.
But Jean-Marc seemed
oblivious to that,
almost as if he'd
never been there.
And if he lied about his past,
what lengths might he go to
to protect that secret?
♪
Sam didn't confirm my suspicions
that Danny was checking
Jean-Marc's employment history,
but I've done my own research
and I can't find a single
mention of Jean-Marc's name
in association with
Auberge Antoinette.
He may be more inclined
to talk to me than to a cop,
so I figure, why not
just ask him point blank
if he lied on his resume?
Maybe I should have
called first.
Sam?
Emily.
If I didn't know better,
I think you were following me.
I was hoping to have a word
with Jean-Marc.
Great minds.
But I don't think anyone's here.
Could be wrong.
Hello?
This is Detective Wilner.
Anyone there?
Wait here.
It's the police.
Hello?
Hello?
Ah, come on, Sam.