Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent (2024) s02e09 Episode Script
Bitter Pill
1
[NARRATOR]: In Toronto's
war on crime,
the worst offenders
are pursued by the detectives
of the Specialized Criminal
Investigations Unit.
These are their stories.
[ECHOING GAVEL]
[CLASSICAL PIANO MUSIC]
Are you sure it's centered?
Didi, I measured it 18 times.
So did the electrician.
Let the man work.
10 years in, if you don't
trust him by now
No, I trust him, I just don't
always trust my own eye.
Stanley.
We just bought you new ties.
Why are you still wearing that one?
For sentimental value.
- [BOTH CHUCKLING]
- Bruce? Tell him.
I think that tie probably
costs more than my car
and I think it looks great.
- Huh?
- Liar.
I'm going to change the tie.
[DOORBELL RINGING]
Oh, that'll be Declan.
He's picking me up.
Thank God you're here. You can rescue me
from the good-taste patrol.
- [LAUGHING]
- I would if I could.
But we are late to see our new home.
Did Bruce tell you?
Yeah?
One of his clients
has offered to sell us
the most incredible, fantastic
[LOUDLY GASPING]
- [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
- It's brilliant.
Bruce, you're a genius.
Oh, well, this genius
really does need to say goodbye.
- We are officially late.
- Yeah.
Okay, but before you go, the pool table.
Do we leave it for our anniversary party
or should we have it moved? Come, come.
[SCOFFING]
Let's just put a pin in these new ideas.
- I like where we are right now.
- Wait, a pin?
Aren't you the one always
saying evolve or die?
Yep.
Stanley!
- Do not touch me!
- It's okay. Let him go.
Let's not do this in a lab, Mishra.
Shut up, Jason.
Why don't you go lick some boots
somewhere else?
Stan, are you gonna stop it
with this lawsuit
or am I gonna have to stop you?
Welcome to the center for
science outdoor exhibits, children.
In the spring, this area
is typically filled
with butterflies
on their epic migration.
These pollinators
help to spread the wealth
and ensure our planet's future.
[CHILDREN LAUGHING]
"Spread the wealth"
is a It's a nice one.
If you're here about your
idea, I already said no, Reed.
I won't let your dislike
of me stand in the way
of great opportunity.
Wasn't the last one a great one too?
And the one before that?
There's a saying about
throwing good money after bad.
Ever heard of it?
We're brothers!
I don't see why I have
to go to your wife every time
I need to ask for some money.
Because Didi handles the investments.
She's always had a nose for it.
You're the scientist,
so how am I supposed to sell
an idea to someone who
doesn't speak our language?
Our language?
- Come on, Reed.
- Don't say things like that.
And don't use her as a shield.
If you don't believe in me
anymore, just say it.
Didi says no, it's no.
Sold to Ms. Rogers in the front.
The Hospital for
Sick Children thanks you.
[APPLAUSE]
I'm sorry.
It's just not a good investment.
- [SIGHING]
- It's fine. I get it.
Moving on.
- Hey, sweetie.
- Hey.
Having fun? Never been
to one of these things before.
[CHUCKLING]
Our next item is by emerging
artist Isabel Flugen,
titled Ascension.
That's the one you love so much, right?
- Mm-hmm.
- I don't see it, but
We'll start the bidding at $ 1,000.
- Didi. You don't even like it.
- [MAN]: $ 2,000.
- It's not for me, it's for you.
- [WOMAN]: $ 3,000.
- [BOTH CHUCKLING]
- [MAN]: $ 4,000.
- $ 20,000.
- [CROWD GASPING]
$ 200,000.
[LOUD GASPS]
[INDISCERNIBLE CONVERSATIONS]
Going once.
Going twice.
Sold. To our host.
The wonderful Didi Thorpe.
[CLAPPING]
Didi. You did not just do that.
Oh, come on. It's for sick kids.
And Nancy Fogel has to stop
trying to buy everything.
But I can't possibly accept
Oh, don't worry. I'm keeping it.
- [LAUGHING]
- I'll hang it above the fire
and invite Nancy over for a cocktail.
[CHUCKLING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
[DOORBELL RINGS]
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]
- Oh, Kate. Hi.
- Hi.
I told Didi that I'd be here
this morning to help hang
a painting, so she should be home.
I know, I put it in her calendar.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
- I got it.
- Thanks.
Didi?
Hello?
[BOTH GASP]
[SHOUTS]
[THEME MUSIC]
Lombardi! How's your Habs doing?
I forgot. Does Toronto
still have a team?
Careful, those are fighting words.
Okay, what do we got?
Whole lot of I don't understand
rich people, that's for sure.
Stanley Thorpe.
The guy had the kind of life
that most people would kill for.
- No pun intended.
- None taken.
Great house, wonderful wife,
great business, all the money
in the world.
Why would he murder her
and kill himself?
Money doesn't buy happiness.
[CAMERA CLICKING]
[TENSE MUSIC]
Certainly not in this case.
Looks like strangulation
and blunt force trauma.
Guessing the killer used this?
I would say Stanley used that.
He hit her, he stunned her,
strangled her.
Then he decides he'd rather
face his maker than a judge
and slits his own wrists.
Classic domestic.
She even fought back
and ripped his shirt.
Yeah, but there's no
scratch marks on him.
She does have something under her nails.
Make sure we bag her hands.
We don't want to miss
any fibers or trace DNA.
Those look like ligature marks to you?
Sure do. Looks like someone
bound his wrists then slit them.
Aren't they too dark
to have been made in the last
- 12 hours?
- Yeah, but if he was tied up,
it would explain the tailing.
The cut exits at the distal end
of the arm, away from the body.
It's unlikely he would cut
himself in that direction.
There's no hesitation marks.
It's a telltale sign
of a self-inflicted wound.
We went through all of the surveillance.
No one exited or entered
the house in the last 48 hours
except Didi and Stanley.
Show us when they got home.
Here is Didi. Coming home
from yoga, eight PM.
No one else is in the car.
She's gonna park in the garage
and she enters the house
through the walkway.
Well, we don't know if she was
alone. Back windows are tinted.
All we can see is there's
no one in the front with her.
Well, Didi didn't exactly
strike me as a chauffeur-type,
but what do I know?
Now, if I fast forward
for an hour here
There's Stanley coming home from work.
He parks in the driveway
and goes in the front door.
Between the hours of 9 PM and 10:30 AM,
absolutely no one other than
the Thorpes arrives or leaves.
Until this morning
That's Bruce Lacy waiting at the door.
Didi's assistant, Kate Weir,
is going to let him in
and then
Bruce's husband, Declan Carr,
arrives shortly after that.
And that's it.
We've been friends with Didi and Stanley
for over 10 years now.
Ever since Bruce was hired to design
the interior of this house for them.
We did everything together.
Vacations, holidays.
They don't have kids.
Graff? Got a second?
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
Look at this window down here.
I just checked
the security cameras again.
They're angled outward to see
the entire property.
Leaving this lower window out of view.
It's a blind spot.
The killer could have easily
pulled themselves up here,
walked off the property
without being seen.
Both median nerves were severed.
Yeah. Both median nerves
cut like that would render
the hand useless.
You wouldn't be able to make both cuts.
Exactly. Also,
you were right about the zip ties.
He was bound, but the bruising
isn't old like Lombardi thought.
Stanley was on blood thinners
for a heart attack
he had last year. Would have
made him bruise easily.
That also would have
made him bleed out fast.
Do we have any sense of a time of death?
They were both dead at least nine hours
before they were found.
I'd say roughly 9 to 11 PM?
Mm-hmm. Any foreign DNA on the bodies?
None. No blood, no hair.
And I know why.
Look at what was under
Didi and Stanley's fingernails.
Traces of woven polypropylene?
Common compound in the manufacture of
bunny suits.
The investigation is ongoing
and we'll hold a press
conference soon to update.
Okay, thanks.
I've got to give the media something
or else they'll just start
their own investigation.
Speaking of which,
are we absolutely sure
that this is a double homicide
- without a doubt?
- Yeah, we believe the killer
was wearing a clean room suit
to prevent leaving traces
of DNA at the scene.
Woven polypropylene fibers
found under both victims nails, okay.
Yeah, evidence that the assailant
fought with both victims
before he or she killed them,
and then slipped out
of this basement window.
One not covered by the cameras.
And we think the killer
must've known the Thorpes.
They were able to get
in and out of the house
without being detected.
- Knew their schedule,
knew their prescriptions.
Maybe chose exsanguination
for Stanley due to him
being on blood thinners.
And we've checked everyone
who was there?
Uh, Kate, Bruce, Declan.
Kate, the assistant,
was with her boyfriend.
Bruce was at a party with friends,
and Declan was in Kitchener
visiting his sister,
stayed overnight at a motel.
Who profits from their deaths?
Money's always a motive.
These two were worth what? A billion?
One point two.
We contacted the estate lawyer.
She intimated most of the fortune
would be left to charity,
but she's holding
the will until it's read
to the close friends and family.
That's Didi's cousin,
Stanley's brother.
The Thorpes didn't have any kids.
Stanley's baby was his business
and he was very protective of it.
His name's synonymous with Helix.
He sued just about all his rivals.
So maybe this killer's
got something to do
with his company.
[ECHOING GAVEL]
The only thing at Helix and Co
that could kill Stanley is stress.
Honestly, he had
a heart attack last year.
What was he like to work for?
He was a great man. Brilliant mind.
He plucked me from
the mail room, trained me up.
Look at you now. Interim CEO.
Jason, we have to ask.
Where were you when the Thorpes died?
I was at an industry builders
seminar in the T1 Towers.
Mm-hmm.
I wasn't involved in Stanley's death.
He was like a father to me.
He paid for my school,
he gave me everything that I have.
- You're saying he was a Saint.
- Not exactly.
I mean, he could be a bit of a rebel.
For Stan, making generic drugs,
that was his way of bringing
health to the people.
And if you got in the way
of his mission,
he'd just sue you, right?
That's the drug patent business.
Everybody sues everybody.
Was there anyone in particular
who had a problem with Stanley?
Recently?
Our head chemist, Mishra.
He left Helix.
Stanley was so upset,
he enforced his non-compete agreement.
So Mishra wanted to start
his own company?
Yes. He came in a few days
before Stanley died,
uttered threats, Stan held firm.
I did not kill Stanley
so I could start a company.
And yet the ink was barely dry
on their death certificates
before you signed a lease
for a new laboratory.
That's not a crime.
I can do what I want.
Stanley dropped the suit.
When?
He called me.
After our fight at Helix.
Said, "the whole thing was silly."
You know, he sent a retraction
letter to my lawyer.
Wished me luck.
That's interesting.
Seems out of character
for a litigious fella
like Stanley Thorpe.
I worked with Stanley for 20 years.
I never once saw him
back down from a fight.
But he had been acting strange lately.
Erratic, hard to reach,
not at all like himself.
Tell me you found something.
Walk with me, I'm late.
Well, more like someone.
Mishra told us that Stanley
was acting elusive, erratic,
out of character for a guy
as regimented as he was.
Yeah, so we took a look at his calendar
and Mark took a deep dive
into his phone.
According to location data,
when Stanley should have been
at Equinox,
he was actually somewhere else.
- Where was that?
- The Hotel Laurent,
where he met with this woman
on the day that he was killed.
Hotel security just sent us
this image of them together
and the concierge said Stanley
paid for his reservation
in cash, ordered a bunch
of room service.
- An affair!
- She left the hotel
in a rental car.
Now, company's cooperating
and has agreed to track
- the vehicle for us.
- Yeah, well I'm on my phone.
Just keep me posted. Thank God.
[ECHOING GAVEL]
Hi. Come in, come in.
[INDISCERNIBLE CONVERSATIONS]
We haven't met.
I'm Reed Thorpe.
Cal Maddox. Friend of Stanley's.
[CLASSICAL PIANO MUSIC]
Can't imagine you
finding them like that.
You know, the cops told me they
think it's a double homicide.
I mean, what are we even
doing back at this house?
It's grotesque.
It's okay. [SNIFFLING]
We'll get through this.
You know, Didi would be thrilled to see
so many of her friends here, right?
Except for that one.
Don't worry.
I'll get rid of her.
Excuse me.
Hey.
So you finally got what you wanted.
What's that, Reed?
My brother's job.
You know, I'd rather have
Stanley back. He was my family.
Stanley was not your family
and Helix is not your company.
And if you jeopardize its future,
you will have me to deal with.
We need to talk.
Now is not the time.
[SCOFFING]
- [CAR ENGINE STARTING]
- Cal Maddox.
Seems you just can't stay away
from Stanley.
Even in death.
I I wasn't having an affair
with Stanley,
but my company is in bed with Helix.
I'm the VP of Acquisitions for Bayer.
We're buying the company.
Hence the top-secret hotel meetings.
Stanley's habits changed
because he was getting ready
- to cash out.
- Yeah, but not everyone
would make off as well as Stanley.
The Board, sure. The shareholders
What about the rest?
Mergers mean layoffs, right?
Yes, there there is a short list.
Does it include
Stanley's protégé, Jason Roy?
Yes, it does.
Mr. Roy isn't Bayer material.
We insist on an MBA
education of minimum.
Yet, he's the interim CEO of Helix.
Bayer is going to reassess
most of Helix's practices
to suit our ethos.
Does Jason know he's being canned?
Yes. I think someone told him.
One of the shareholders.
I've been trying to get him
to sign the final sale papers,
but he keeps blowing me off.
And now he's running the company.
Yes, I knew about the merger.
Secrets that big never stay secret.
Must've stung to learn
that Stanley left you
- out of the deal.
- I was crushed,
but that's business.
Well, now that you're CEO,
you could put the brakes on the merger.
Isn't that why Cal Maddox
tried to buttonhole you
at the Thorpe's home?
That wasn't the time or the place.
Now, look, this merger is happening.
It's what Stan wanted.
I'm not gonna get in the way of that.
Well, then, explain to us
why you lied about your whereabouts
on the night of the murder.
Yeah, there was a seminar
at the T1 Tower,
but you weren't at it.
So who were you with?
- [SIGHING]
- Okay. I was with a broker.
When I found out I was being cut loose,
I bought Helix stock. A lot of it.
You think we should define
insider trading for him?
That's why I lied.
I'm hoping my being forthcoming now
might buy me some goodwill?
That depends on the kindness
of the prosecutor.
[SIGHING]
Look, I love Stan. Okay?
Even when I found out he was
gonna let them cut me loose.
But all the years, all those hours.
Everything we did for this
company? It was for what?
So we could be subsumed into
some massive, faceless corporation?
Didn't feel wrong to want
something more for it.
Well, now that we're being honest
Do you have any idea who did this?
The company's valued
at a billion dollars.
Stanley and Didi
would have gotten half the money
- from the sale.
- So now that they're gone,
someone's gonna get their share.
You should take
to Stanley's brother, Reed.
He only ever loved Stan for his money.
Meaning all the proceeds
from the house sale,
other property assets, and bank accounts
totaling 1.2 billion dollars
will be divided amongst
the charities I just named.
Now, onto individual gifts.
Kate Weird, Didi's assistant,
is to receive a year's pay in severance.
Ilana Sims, Didi's cousin,
will the receive the contents
of Didi's wardrobe,
including handbags and jewelry
valued at approximately
1.6 million dollars.
For Declan Carr,
a donation of $ 50,000
to the Daily Bread Food Bank.
For Bruce Lacy,
Didi's entire art collection,
to be donated in his name to the AGO,
should he facilitate its delivery.
Finally, the proceeds
from the pending sale
of Helix and Co shall be given
to Stanley's heir, Reed Thorpe.
[SIGHING IN RELIEF]
Thank you, brother.
Thank you.
Well, I suppose you'll let me
know when the check is ready.
Hey. Show some goddamn respect!
Respect?
This is my family. I don't know
what you two are doing here.
Don't you have some paintings
you have to drive over to the AGO?
- You're disgusting.
- Why?
Because I got what
you were hoping to get?
[SCOFFING]
It's alright. [SNIFFING]
It's okay.
So Stanley and Reed weren't estranged.
No, they were.
Up until about a year ago.
Then Reed came back into Stanley's life
looking for a payday.
Did Stanley and Didi see it that way?
Didi thought Reed was pathetic.
Always pestering them for money.
Well, now he'll never
have to ask them again.
Or anyone.
Was that the painting
that Didi asked you
over to help hang?
- Was it special to her?
- No.
It meant nothing to Didi.
Then why'd she buy it?
She just wanted to outbid
Nancy Fogel for it.
The developer?
At a charity event, of all places.
[SCOFFING] Classic Didi.
You know, we should have just
thrown this on top
of Reed's pile of money
in the lawyer's office
and left it [GRUNTING]
Thanks, we'll be in touch.
You alright, Kate?
No.
Reed wasn't supposed to get
all of the money,
but he did, and it's my fault!
Just slow down, take it from the top.
A few days before they died,
Stanley and Didi had a conversation
about what they wanted to do
with the money
from the Helix sale.
Didi wanted all of the money
to go into an endowment,
but not for something down the road,
something happening right now.
- How do you know this?
- Didi told me.
She wrote a letter to her lawyer by hand
and she gave it to me, but
I take it the letter
didn't make it to the lawyer.
I lost it! I
I put it in a pile of papers
and it just disappeared.
I was still looking for it
when all of this happened.
Do you know what the endowment
was to be used for?
No.
What if people in need
are gonna miss out
of the millions of dollars
that Didi wanted to share?
And Reed is just gonna go
and blow it on dumb inventions
that they wouldn't have funded
in the first place?
Kate, does Reed come to the house often?
Was he here the day
that Didi gave you that letter?
Reed turned up to the house
unannounced the night
that Stanley and Didi were discussing
what to do with the merger money.
Kate let him in.
And the letter went
missing that same night.
Yeah, it did.
So Mark did a little digging
and found some chatter
between the brothers.
I was able to recover a conversation
from an encrypted cloud-based
messenger the brothers used.
They love the vanishing feature,
but you know me.
There were bunch
of exchanges about the merger.
Reed was pushing Stanley
to retire, cash in.
He reminded Stanley
about his heart attack
and about not waiting
to reap the rewards.
Stanley eventually came around
to the sale.
He liked the idea
of spending more time with Didi.
He also put a clause
in the Helix sale contract
that proceeds would go
to Stanley's next of kin.
Yeah, but with Didi gone,
guess who the next of kin is?
Reed.
But why kill them for the money now?
Oh. You're not familiar with Reedware?
Mm-hmm. You're in for a cinematic feast.
[REED]: Made from
my personal blend
of unbreakable thermoplastic,
"Reedware" can withstand
anything!
And I mean anything.
"Reedware," it'll be
your first and your last.
Reed spent a fortune
on products that bombed.
- He was in debt.
- Debt that would have been
paid if he got the inheritance
from the sale of Helix.
But if he found out about Didi's plan
to give all the money
to the endowment
He knew he'd get nothing.
Unless, he did something about it.
Yeah, I might have heard Didi
saying something to my brother
that night about
possibly redirecting the money?
Possibly?
And the letter?
I might have moved it.
I can't remember. I didn't open it.
No, because that would be a crime.
Which Mr. Thorpe has not
committed or admitted to.
Alright, we're not here
investigating mail theft.
Reed, we know that
you were pressuring Stanley
to take the deal.
You were next in line to make
a ton a cash
and that would have financed a lot of
What did you say you were again?
An influencer?
I'm an inventor.
The black sheep.
The creative one. Every family has one.
You know,
your parents, they probably
just didn't get your thing, huh?
They probably labelled you
with a learning disability
or something like that.
But Stanley was different.
He empathized and occasionally,
he was generous.
That is until Didi came along
to remind you of that dumb kid
hidden beneath the surface.
So you chose the most horrendous
way to shut her up.
To get out from under Stan's shadow.
Free yourself from debt.
Multiple birds with one stone.
We'd like to pause this interview
No, no. It's fine. I didn't like Didi.
My brother made every single
penny of his fortune.
She controlled it.
For some reason, he liked it that way.
Didi only invested in things
that she felt had a return.
To get a loan from Didi
meant you were gonna get a loan
with a lot of strings attached.
But then at the same time,
she's donating
all that money to charity.
- [LAUGHING]
- But please.
No, that's to make her look good.
Why do you think she wanted to give away
all that money from the sale?
Go to war for some cause?
No, hubris.
Yeah, look, Reed. I gotta tell you,
for a guy who has not read a letter,
you sure seem to know
a lot about Didi's intentions.
Well, I'm not gonna sit around
and let this gold-digger
throw away my brother's fortune.
No, I get it. You took the letter
before Kate could deliver it
so the money would be yours.
No, no, no. I did not take the letter,
I delayed the letter
so that I could speak to Stanley
and try to talk some sense into him.
Before I had a chance to
he, um
You mentioned that Didi was
gonna go to war for a cause.
Do you know what or who
she was referring to?
Like I said, I didn't open the letter.
But I still have it.
Didi wanted all the money
from the Helix sale
to go to a charity called Share Science.
- It's a charity she founded.
- So she wanted to give
- the money to herself?
- Not exactly.
When Didi married Stanley 30 years ago,
he bought her a plot
of conservation land
near Don Mills as a wedding gift.
Didi wanted to be a philanthropist,
he gave her a way into that world.
So she transferred the land title
to a brand new charity
she created, Share Science.
And then donated that land
to the Toronto Center for Science
so they could build
a facility there, 25 years ago.
She even named a wing after Stanley.
This is all very romantic,
but what does it have to do with murder?
Well, Didi wanted to protect something.
Something special. Meaningful.
You ever see the faces on the kids
at the Center for Science?
It's like they got these
little bottle rockets
going off in their brain.
Imagine your partner creating
a legacy like that for you.
A legacy that would disappear
if the Center for Science
no longer existed.
This recent building condition
assessment was conducted
to determine if there were
any structural issues
with the center.
Of course, they found some.
An assessment ordered
and paid for by the notoriously
well-connected and aggressive
land developer, Nancy Fogel.
That name rings a bell.
Is there any connection
beyond this paperwork?
They were rivals. Nancy
used her political connections
to expedite the assessment.
She wanted to make
the center look hazardous.
Basically make it seem like a teardown.
It's why Didi wanted to go to war,
inject 500 million dollars
into this endowment
to ensure the upkeep
of the Center for Science
so that Nancy couldn't destroy it.
You should take this to probate court.
Find out what this Nancy Fogel was up to
and if she thought
it was worth killing for.
[ECHOING GAVEL]
Yes, Didi was being
a real pain in the ass.
Standing in the way of something
that could actually elevate Don Mills.
Something everyone else wants.
But I didn't kill her.
No, but you do plan
on killing the soul of this area
with this homage to mediocrity.
This is a luxury complex
that will service multiple communities.
I think you mean
it'll service the residents
of the multiple condos
your company hopes to build.
I mean the citizens of this
city who need amenities.
Do you know how many jobs
this complex will create?
None. Because you can't build
this paragon
of modern architecture
until you acquire the Center
for Science land.
But I'm guessing it's gonna be easier
to convince the Share Science
board of directors
to sell it to you now that Didi's gone.
She was the real pain in the ass, right?
It's like you said,
everybody else wanted this.
And who is everybody, Nancy?
The Share Science board?
Because it looks to me that
your dream is very much alive.
These drawings were revised
and printed today.
I don't have to answer that.
Tell me, Nancy. Where were you
the night that Didi and Stanley
were murdered?
I don't have to answer that either.
And if you had any evidence against me
with regard to the murder
of two people I barely knew
and hardly spent time with,
you would have already produced it.
Out of everyone we've talked to,
she's had the least contact
with the Thorpes.
Probably wouldn't know what
medication Stanley took.
Or how to get in and out of their house
without being seen, but she
is definitely hiding something.
Yeah, the fact
that she would've had help.
Someone close to Didi, someone who also
wanted the deal to go through.
Let's talk to the board.
Almost all of us voted yes
to the land sale.
But not Didi.
The vote needed to be unanimous.
She was never gonna budge.
Why would the board
of a science-based organization
be so eager to sell
to a property developer?
Nancy promised that
the Center for Science
wouldn't close.
It would simply relocate.
She said she'd retain jobs
and that she'd
Make it worth your while?
How much did she offer?
[STAMMERING]
Need I remind you that this
is a murder investigation,
Ms. Goodwin?
She offered the board
100,000 dollars each.
She'd pay us as consultants for
the various relocation efforts.
Wow. I mean, that's kind of
a lowball offer, isn't it?
I expected it to be more than that.
Are you kidding me?
100K is a fortune
for people on the board.
We're not all ladies who lunch
like Didi was. No disrespect.
You said that not everybody
said yes to the sale,
so apart from Didi,
who were the holdouts?
Bruce Lacy. Didi's best friend.
He was never ever
gonna vote against her.
Bruce.
I was worried you weren't going to show.
Just tell me where to sign.
I did the right thing? Yeah?
Of course, you did.
And it's not like you're
gonna give it back, right?
You're right. I'm not.
Screw it.
Let's do something for us.
Nancy Fogel finally got her land.
You know, I'm kind of sad to see
the Center for Science go.
You and me both, Theo,
but we've got bigger fish to fry.
This title transfer means that all
the Share Science board members
voted in favor of selling
the land to Fogel projects.
Which means your theory
that someone wanted to get rid
of Didi in order to push
the sale through holds water.
But Nancy Fogel doesn't fit
your profile, does she?
I'm sure there's motive,
but not much opportunity.
Right, for Nancy there isn't,
but there would be
for Bruce Lacy, Didi's best friend.
Yeah, he was on the board with Didi
and knew about her issues with Nancy,
he knew about Stanley's blood thinners,
had intimate knowledge
of the Thorpe home.
I mean, he designed the interior.
Yeah, and Theo, he found the bodies.
So you think Bruce
made a deal with Nancy.
For what, money?
Well, what else?
We believe that he met with Nancy,
who offered to change
Didi's mind for a price,
you know, get her to vote yes
on the deal.
I had the pleasure of meeting
Didi Thorpe.
Couple of times, actually.
Her mind was set in concrete.
Exactly, that's why he had to kill her.
To get rid of her vote entirely.
So you're suggesting that Bruce Lacy
and Nancy Fogel together
Well, we're not there yet,
but it's possible.
Certainly is,
but Nancy Fogel's lawyered up.
And all we got is this totally legal,
exceptionally unremarkable
land transfer document.
If we want a jury to believe
interior designer, Bruce Lacy,
killed his closest friend for a payday,
I need more than Nancy Fogel
made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
You sure?
No, thank you. Yeah, we just
wanted to double-check.
I thought you went home?
So did I.
Bruce's friends
swear he was at the party.
Timeline's a little hazy,
it's possible he might have been
able to sneak out and meet Didi,
- but I don't know.
- He gets in the back
of Didi's SUV, follows her into
the house,
and then does this.
The killer wanted to frame Stanley.
Shame him. As for Didi,
strangled with her husband's tie.
Arms and legs spread out like this.
It looks almost unnatural.
That painting we saw at the crime scene.
The one that Declan and Bruce
were packing up in the garage?
- We got that?
- Uh
Yup. Here.
My god.
She was posed.
We need to talk to the auctioneer.
Oh, my god. Bruce, this is so beautiful.
And I'm glad they included
the big furniture pieces.
They work, don't you think?
It just needs a good cleaning.
Oh, she more than outbid Nancy Fogel.
She raised bid ten times over.
I'd never seen anything like it.
It's a lovely piece
and I know Bruce loved it,
but for an emerging artist,
it wasn't worth anywhere near
what Didi paid for it.
Was Bruce Lacy her usual plus one?
Always. Her designer, lovely guy.
Was there any tension
between them on that day?
No.
But she did get into it
with another guy after the sale.
Who?
His boyfriend, I think.
Handsome salt and pepper hair?
I'd never seen him before.
- What happened?
- Didi asked Bruce
to come over to hang the painting,
and once he'd walked away,
this guy just went nuts on her.
Told Didi she was selfish
and that the painting
was just another thing
to throw in her pile of money.
Bruce? Declan?
[KNOCKING AGAINST WALL]
Detectives.
Please, come in.
Sorry, the door was open.
What a space. Remarkable.
Industrial era? 1920s, right?
1926. Used to be a mattress factory.
Heritage laws allowed it
to survive and then it became
well, this.
And you designed this
for a former client
and he sold it to you.
At a decent price, I hear.
Wait, sorry, how do you know that?
It's our job. This seller
holds you in high regard.
Says you have the best
taste in the city.
He does.
We're just curious
how you came up with the money
for this place, all of a sudden.
How is this any of your business?
We secured a loan. Privately.
From Nancy Fogel, I'd say it was more
of a gift or payment.
For services rendered.
It's just the first time
the board voted on
the land sale, you voted no.
And then Nancy paid you handsomely,
and second vote, a resounding yes.
This is our first night
in our new home, so unless
there's anything else
Space is a funny thing.
You know, means different things
to different people, but look at this.
By God, Bruce, you've got it in spades.
Must've been frustrating
to be under Didi's thumb,
treating you like a tradesman,
not the artist you actually are.
Didi paid me for my work,
she respected my craft.
And we were close, as you well know.
Right. Of course,
the dinners, the trips away together.
Them in first, you two in coach.
Only going where
they wanted to go, I bet.
Doing whatever they wanted to do.
Didi and I were friends.
A friend would lend you
money to buy this place.
A friend wouldn't have bought
a painting for you
that you loved and then kept it
just to spite a rival.
No, if Didi was a true friend,
she'd still be alive,
and that painting would be
hanging right here.
That's the thing about auctioneers,
we always think about them
talking, talking, talking,
but the really good ones,
they actually listen closely.
Yes, I asked Didi
for a loan for the down payment.
And she said no,
but that was her prerogative.
And how much you'd ask for?
200,000.
The same amount that she paid
for a painting that
she didn't even like.
The very same day.
Now, I don't know about you,
but that would hurt me.
Of course, it hurt. I'm human.
But you don't understand,
that was just Didi.
Just Didi absorbing your taste
like a leech.
Treating you like staff,
like an errand boy
Alright, enough!
Unless you have something concrete,
then maybe you should leave. Right now.
You were at your sister's
house in Kitchener
on the night of the murder, correct?
Yeah, you know that.
Right, we had a nice
conversation with her.
You arrived at five PM for dinner,
but then you insisted
on going back to a hotel
even thought she had made up
the guest room.
Yeah, my sister has three little kids.
You know, it's not strange
to want to have
- a good night's sleep.
- Well, it's not strange,
except you didn't get it.
According to the motel security footage,
you left the parking lot at 6:30.
So? I went for a drive, yeah.
You certainly did.
You drove right to Didi's yoga class.
And then, did you apologize
for the fight you had at the auction?
Maybe you feigned a stomach bug.
You know, something that would allow you
to get into the back of her car
and lie down
so you wouldn't be seen
by the security cameras.
You don't know that.
No, we don't. It's just
an educated guess.
Bear with us, there's more.
Woven polypropylene.
Declan
Our techs use these so they
don't contaminate crime scenes.
Made of the same fibers
that we found under your victims nails.
Declan, what he is talking about?
You know why? Because they fought back.
You were invited
into Didi's home as a guest.
You went into the bathroom
to change into your costume
and when you emerged,
she was staring at her death.
You struck her in the head,
and you strangled her until she died.
And then you waited there
for Stanley in that suit
like a ghoul.
And when he got there, you attacked.
You knew about his blood thinners,
you knew what window wasn't
covered by the security cameras.
This this is insane.
You know, in all of my years
of doing this
and seeing the foul things
that humans do to each other,
this case has baffled me.
So when talking to your sister,
we dug a little deeper.
She told us that
when you declared bankruptcy,
the second time,
you spiralled into
a terrifying depression.
You were running on fumes,
sleeping in your car,
and that's when you met Bruce.
At the end of your rope,
he was the one who brought
you back from the brink
and you knew it was love.
And as that love grew,
you promised yourself
that you would cherish
and protect this angel,
who had saved you.
But every idea,
every endeavour,
even with your gift of the gab,
it just never panned out.
Until Nancy Fogel came along
with her generous proposition.
All you had to do was
change somebody's mind.
Nancy paid Bruce 100,000 dollars
to change his vote to a yes.
Now, I'm assuming you don't know
that Nancy also offered
100,000 dollars to Declan
on the condition that he
would change Didi's mind.
But Didi wouldn't budge.
Something dark in you snapped
and you knew there was
only one thing you could do
to secure that vote.
It was your turn to be the saviour.
Didi and Stanley Thorpe
would have to die.
But killing them wasn't enough.
No, not for the disrespect
they'd shown you
and how they treated Bruce.
Like a fool instead of
the artist that he really was.
So, you posed her.
Yeah, was it like this? You remember?
Your vile requiem?
This is crazy.
I tried.
I couldn't
[DECLAN STAMMERING]
I couldn't watch them treat you like
Declan.
This isn't true? Right?
Tell me you didn't do this.
He did it for you, Bruce. For this.
That's how you got the rest
of the money?
By killing our friends?
Declan!
Tell me!
Answer me!
If I say yes,
will he get to keep the house?
Tell me, tell me, if I confess!
- Hey!
- Will he get to keep
this house?!
[HANDCUFFS CLANGING]
Tell me! Will he get to keep this house?
[WHIMPERING]
[CRYING]
You think Nancy Fogel's
really gonna move
the Center for Science?
Well, I did send her file
to the Fraud Squad,
so that'll jam her up a little.
Maybe give you enough time
for one last stroll through
the butterfly garden.
You could join me.
Bring your daughter.
It's a great place for kids.
Yeah. We'll be there.
[NARRATOR]: In Toronto's
war on crime,
the worst offenders
are pursued by the detectives
of the Specialized Criminal
Investigations Unit.
These are their stories.
[ECHOING GAVEL]
[CLASSICAL PIANO MUSIC]
Are you sure it's centered?
Didi, I measured it 18 times.
So did the electrician.
Let the man work.
10 years in, if you don't
trust him by now
No, I trust him, I just don't
always trust my own eye.
Stanley.
We just bought you new ties.
Why are you still wearing that one?
For sentimental value.
- [BOTH CHUCKLING]
- Bruce? Tell him.
I think that tie probably
costs more than my car
and I think it looks great.
- Huh?
- Liar.
I'm going to change the tie.
[DOORBELL RINGING]
Oh, that'll be Declan.
He's picking me up.
Thank God you're here. You can rescue me
from the good-taste patrol.
- [LAUGHING]
- I would if I could.
But we are late to see our new home.
Did Bruce tell you?
Yeah?
One of his clients
has offered to sell us
the most incredible, fantastic
[LOUDLY GASPING]
- [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
- It's brilliant.
Bruce, you're a genius.
Oh, well, this genius
really does need to say goodbye.
- We are officially late.
- Yeah.
Okay, but before you go, the pool table.
Do we leave it for our anniversary party
or should we have it moved? Come, come.
[SCOFFING]
Let's just put a pin in these new ideas.
- I like where we are right now.
- Wait, a pin?
Aren't you the one always
saying evolve or die?
Yep.
Stanley!
- Do not touch me!
- It's okay. Let him go.
Let's not do this in a lab, Mishra.
Shut up, Jason.
Why don't you go lick some boots
somewhere else?
Stan, are you gonna stop it
with this lawsuit
or am I gonna have to stop you?
Welcome to the center for
science outdoor exhibits, children.
In the spring, this area
is typically filled
with butterflies
on their epic migration.
These pollinators
help to spread the wealth
and ensure our planet's future.
[CHILDREN LAUGHING]
"Spread the wealth"
is a It's a nice one.
If you're here about your
idea, I already said no, Reed.
I won't let your dislike
of me stand in the way
of great opportunity.
Wasn't the last one a great one too?
And the one before that?
There's a saying about
throwing good money after bad.
Ever heard of it?
We're brothers!
I don't see why I have
to go to your wife every time
I need to ask for some money.
Because Didi handles the investments.
She's always had a nose for it.
You're the scientist,
so how am I supposed to sell
an idea to someone who
doesn't speak our language?
Our language?
- Come on, Reed.
- Don't say things like that.
And don't use her as a shield.
If you don't believe in me
anymore, just say it.
Didi says no, it's no.
Sold to Ms. Rogers in the front.
The Hospital for
Sick Children thanks you.
[APPLAUSE]
I'm sorry.
It's just not a good investment.
- [SIGHING]
- It's fine. I get it.
Moving on.
- Hey, sweetie.
- Hey.
Having fun? Never been
to one of these things before.
[CHUCKLING]
Our next item is by emerging
artist Isabel Flugen,
titled Ascension.
That's the one you love so much, right?
- Mm-hmm.
- I don't see it, but
We'll start the bidding at $ 1,000.
- Didi. You don't even like it.
- [MAN]: $ 2,000.
- It's not for me, it's for you.
- [WOMAN]: $ 3,000.
- [BOTH CHUCKLING]
- [MAN]: $ 4,000.
- $ 20,000.
- [CROWD GASPING]
$ 200,000.
[LOUD GASPS]
[INDISCERNIBLE CONVERSATIONS]
Going once.
Going twice.
Sold. To our host.
The wonderful Didi Thorpe.
[CLAPPING]
Didi. You did not just do that.
Oh, come on. It's for sick kids.
And Nancy Fogel has to stop
trying to buy everything.
But I can't possibly accept
Oh, don't worry. I'm keeping it.
- [LAUGHING]
- I'll hang it above the fire
and invite Nancy over for a cocktail.
[CHUCKLING]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
[DOORBELL RINGS]
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]
- Oh, Kate. Hi.
- Hi.
I told Didi that I'd be here
this morning to help hang
a painting, so she should be home.
I know, I put it in her calendar.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
- I got it.
- Thanks.
Didi?
Hello?
[BOTH GASP]
[SHOUTS]
[THEME MUSIC]
Lombardi! How's your Habs doing?
I forgot. Does Toronto
still have a team?
Careful, those are fighting words.
Okay, what do we got?
Whole lot of I don't understand
rich people, that's for sure.
Stanley Thorpe.
The guy had the kind of life
that most people would kill for.
- No pun intended.
- None taken.
Great house, wonderful wife,
great business, all the money
in the world.
Why would he murder her
and kill himself?
Money doesn't buy happiness.
[CAMERA CLICKING]
[TENSE MUSIC]
Certainly not in this case.
Looks like strangulation
and blunt force trauma.
Guessing the killer used this?
I would say Stanley used that.
He hit her, he stunned her,
strangled her.
Then he decides he'd rather
face his maker than a judge
and slits his own wrists.
Classic domestic.
She even fought back
and ripped his shirt.
Yeah, but there's no
scratch marks on him.
She does have something under her nails.
Make sure we bag her hands.
We don't want to miss
any fibers or trace DNA.
Those look like ligature marks to you?
Sure do. Looks like someone
bound his wrists then slit them.
Aren't they too dark
to have been made in the last
- 12 hours?
- Yeah, but if he was tied up,
it would explain the tailing.
The cut exits at the distal end
of the arm, away from the body.
It's unlikely he would cut
himself in that direction.
There's no hesitation marks.
It's a telltale sign
of a self-inflicted wound.
We went through all of the surveillance.
No one exited or entered
the house in the last 48 hours
except Didi and Stanley.
Show us when they got home.
Here is Didi. Coming home
from yoga, eight PM.
No one else is in the car.
She's gonna park in the garage
and she enters the house
through the walkway.
Well, we don't know if she was
alone. Back windows are tinted.
All we can see is there's
no one in the front with her.
Well, Didi didn't exactly
strike me as a chauffeur-type,
but what do I know?
Now, if I fast forward
for an hour here
There's Stanley coming home from work.
He parks in the driveway
and goes in the front door.
Between the hours of 9 PM and 10:30 AM,
absolutely no one other than
the Thorpes arrives or leaves.
Until this morning
That's Bruce Lacy waiting at the door.
Didi's assistant, Kate Weir,
is going to let him in
and then
Bruce's husband, Declan Carr,
arrives shortly after that.
And that's it.
We've been friends with Didi and Stanley
for over 10 years now.
Ever since Bruce was hired to design
the interior of this house for them.
We did everything together.
Vacations, holidays.
They don't have kids.
Graff? Got a second?
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
Look at this window down here.
I just checked
the security cameras again.
They're angled outward to see
the entire property.
Leaving this lower window out of view.
It's a blind spot.
The killer could have easily
pulled themselves up here,
walked off the property
without being seen.
Both median nerves were severed.
Yeah. Both median nerves
cut like that would render
the hand useless.
You wouldn't be able to make both cuts.
Exactly. Also,
you were right about the zip ties.
He was bound, but the bruising
isn't old like Lombardi thought.
Stanley was on blood thinners
for a heart attack
he had last year. Would have
made him bruise easily.
That also would have
made him bleed out fast.
Do we have any sense of a time of death?
They were both dead at least nine hours
before they were found.
I'd say roughly 9 to 11 PM?
Mm-hmm. Any foreign DNA on the bodies?
None. No blood, no hair.
And I know why.
Look at what was under
Didi and Stanley's fingernails.
Traces of woven polypropylene?
Common compound in the manufacture of
bunny suits.
The investigation is ongoing
and we'll hold a press
conference soon to update.
Okay, thanks.
I've got to give the media something
or else they'll just start
their own investigation.
Speaking of which,
are we absolutely sure
that this is a double homicide
- without a doubt?
- Yeah, we believe the killer
was wearing a clean room suit
to prevent leaving traces
of DNA at the scene.
Woven polypropylene fibers
found under both victims nails, okay.
Yeah, evidence that the assailant
fought with both victims
before he or she killed them,
and then slipped out
of this basement window.
One not covered by the cameras.
And we think the killer
must've known the Thorpes.
They were able to get
in and out of the house
without being detected.
- Knew their schedule,
knew their prescriptions.
Maybe chose exsanguination
for Stanley due to him
being on blood thinners.
And we've checked everyone
who was there?
Uh, Kate, Bruce, Declan.
Kate, the assistant,
was with her boyfriend.
Bruce was at a party with friends,
and Declan was in Kitchener
visiting his sister,
stayed overnight at a motel.
Who profits from their deaths?
Money's always a motive.
These two were worth what? A billion?
One point two.
We contacted the estate lawyer.
She intimated most of the fortune
would be left to charity,
but she's holding
the will until it's read
to the close friends and family.
That's Didi's cousin,
Stanley's brother.
The Thorpes didn't have any kids.
Stanley's baby was his business
and he was very protective of it.
His name's synonymous with Helix.
He sued just about all his rivals.
So maybe this killer's
got something to do
with his company.
[ECHOING GAVEL]
The only thing at Helix and Co
that could kill Stanley is stress.
Honestly, he had
a heart attack last year.
What was he like to work for?
He was a great man. Brilliant mind.
He plucked me from
the mail room, trained me up.
Look at you now. Interim CEO.
Jason, we have to ask.
Where were you when the Thorpes died?
I was at an industry builders
seminar in the T1 Towers.
Mm-hmm.
I wasn't involved in Stanley's death.
He was like a father to me.
He paid for my school,
he gave me everything that I have.
- You're saying he was a Saint.
- Not exactly.
I mean, he could be a bit of a rebel.
For Stan, making generic drugs,
that was his way of bringing
health to the people.
And if you got in the way
of his mission,
he'd just sue you, right?
That's the drug patent business.
Everybody sues everybody.
Was there anyone in particular
who had a problem with Stanley?
Recently?
Our head chemist, Mishra.
He left Helix.
Stanley was so upset,
he enforced his non-compete agreement.
So Mishra wanted to start
his own company?
Yes. He came in a few days
before Stanley died,
uttered threats, Stan held firm.
I did not kill Stanley
so I could start a company.
And yet the ink was barely dry
on their death certificates
before you signed a lease
for a new laboratory.
That's not a crime.
I can do what I want.
Stanley dropped the suit.
When?
He called me.
After our fight at Helix.
Said, "the whole thing was silly."
You know, he sent a retraction
letter to my lawyer.
Wished me luck.
That's interesting.
Seems out of character
for a litigious fella
like Stanley Thorpe.
I worked with Stanley for 20 years.
I never once saw him
back down from a fight.
But he had been acting strange lately.
Erratic, hard to reach,
not at all like himself.
Tell me you found something.
Walk with me, I'm late.
Well, more like someone.
Mishra told us that Stanley
was acting elusive, erratic,
out of character for a guy
as regimented as he was.
Yeah, so we took a look at his calendar
and Mark took a deep dive
into his phone.
According to location data,
when Stanley should have been
at Equinox,
he was actually somewhere else.
- Where was that?
- The Hotel Laurent,
where he met with this woman
on the day that he was killed.
Hotel security just sent us
this image of them together
and the concierge said Stanley
paid for his reservation
in cash, ordered a bunch
of room service.
- An affair!
- She left the hotel
in a rental car.
Now, company's cooperating
and has agreed to track
- the vehicle for us.
- Yeah, well I'm on my phone.
Just keep me posted. Thank God.
[ECHOING GAVEL]
Hi. Come in, come in.
[INDISCERNIBLE CONVERSATIONS]
We haven't met.
I'm Reed Thorpe.
Cal Maddox. Friend of Stanley's.
[CLASSICAL PIANO MUSIC]
Can't imagine you
finding them like that.
You know, the cops told me they
think it's a double homicide.
I mean, what are we even
doing back at this house?
It's grotesque.
It's okay. [SNIFFLING]
We'll get through this.
You know, Didi would be thrilled to see
so many of her friends here, right?
Except for that one.
Don't worry.
I'll get rid of her.
Excuse me.
Hey.
So you finally got what you wanted.
What's that, Reed?
My brother's job.
You know, I'd rather have
Stanley back. He was my family.
Stanley was not your family
and Helix is not your company.
And if you jeopardize its future,
you will have me to deal with.
We need to talk.
Now is not the time.
[SCOFFING]
- [CAR ENGINE STARTING]
- Cal Maddox.
Seems you just can't stay away
from Stanley.
Even in death.
I I wasn't having an affair
with Stanley,
but my company is in bed with Helix.
I'm the VP of Acquisitions for Bayer.
We're buying the company.
Hence the top-secret hotel meetings.
Stanley's habits changed
because he was getting ready
- to cash out.
- Yeah, but not everyone
would make off as well as Stanley.
The Board, sure. The shareholders
What about the rest?
Mergers mean layoffs, right?
Yes, there there is a short list.
Does it include
Stanley's protégé, Jason Roy?
Yes, it does.
Mr. Roy isn't Bayer material.
We insist on an MBA
education of minimum.
Yet, he's the interim CEO of Helix.
Bayer is going to reassess
most of Helix's practices
to suit our ethos.
Does Jason know he's being canned?
Yes. I think someone told him.
One of the shareholders.
I've been trying to get him
to sign the final sale papers,
but he keeps blowing me off.
And now he's running the company.
Yes, I knew about the merger.
Secrets that big never stay secret.
Must've stung to learn
that Stanley left you
- out of the deal.
- I was crushed,
but that's business.
Well, now that you're CEO,
you could put the brakes on the merger.
Isn't that why Cal Maddox
tried to buttonhole you
at the Thorpe's home?
That wasn't the time or the place.
Now, look, this merger is happening.
It's what Stan wanted.
I'm not gonna get in the way of that.
Well, then, explain to us
why you lied about your whereabouts
on the night of the murder.
Yeah, there was a seminar
at the T1 Tower,
but you weren't at it.
So who were you with?
- [SIGHING]
- Okay. I was with a broker.
When I found out I was being cut loose,
I bought Helix stock. A lot of it.
You think we should define
insider trading for him?
That's why I lied.
I'm hoping my being forthcoming now
might buy me some goodwill?
That depends on the kindness
of the prosecutor.
[SIGHING]
Look, I love Stan. Okay?
Even when I found out he was
gonna let them cut me loose.
But all the years, all those hours.
Everything we did for this
company? It was for what?
So we could be subsumed into
some massive, faceless corporation?
Didn't feel wrong to want
something more for it.
Well, now that we're being honest
Do you have any idea who did this?
The company's valued
at a billion dollars.
Stanley and Didi
would have gotten half the money
- from the sale.
- So now that they're gone,
someone's gonna get their share.
You should take
to Stanley's brother, Reed.
He only ever loved Stan for his money.
Meaning all the proceeds
from the house sale,
other property assets, and bank accounts
totaling 1.2 billion dollars
will be divided amongst
the charities I just named.
Now, onto individual gifts.
Kate Weird, Didi's assistant,
is to receive a year's pay in severance.
Ilana Sims, Didi's cousin,
will the receive the contents
of Didi's wardrobe,
including handbags and jewelry
valued at approximately
1.6 million dollars.
For Declan Carr,
a donation of $ 50,000
to the Daily Bread Food Bank.
For Bruce Lacy,
Didi's entire art collection,
to be donated in his name to the AGO,
should he facilitate its delivery.
Finally, the proceeds
from the pending sale
of Helix and Co shall be given
to Stanley's heir, Reed Thorpe.
[SIGHING IN RELIEF]
Thank you, brother.
Thank you.
Well, I suppose you'll let me
know when the check is ready.
Hey. Show some goddamn respect!
Respect?
This is my family. I don't know
what you two are doing here.
Don't you have some paintings
you have to drive over to the AGO?
- You're disgusting.
- Why?
Because I got what
you were hoping to get?
[SCOFFING]
It's alright. [SNIFFING]
It's okay.
So Stanley and Reed weren't estranged.
No, they were.
Up until about a year ago.
Then Reed came back into Stanley's life
looking for a payday.
Did Stanley and Didi see it that way?
Didi thought Reed was pathetic.
Always pestering them for money.
Well, now he'll never
have to ask them again.
Or anyone.
Was that the painting
that Didi asked you
over to help hang?
- Was it special to her?
- No.
It meant nothing to Didi.
Then why'd she buy it?
She just wanted to outbid
Nancy Fogel for it.
The developer?
At a charity event, of all places.
[SCOFFING] Classic Didi.
You know, we should have just
thrown this on top
of Reed's pile of money
in the lawyer's office
and left it [GRUNTING]
Thanks, we'll be in touch.
You alright, Kate?
No.
Reed wasn't supposed to get
all of the money,
but he did, and it's my fault!
Just slow down, take it from the top.
A few days before they died,
Stanley and Didi had a conversation
about what they wanted to do
with the money
from the Helix sale.
Didi wanted all of the money
to go into an endowment,
but not for something down the road,
something happening right now.
- How do you know this?
- Didi told me.
She wrote a letter to her lawyer by hand
and she gave it to me, but
I take it the letter
didn't make it to the lawyer.
I lost it! I
I put it in a pile of papers
and it just disappeared.
I was still looking for it
when all of this happened.
Do you know what the endowment
was to be used for?
No.
What if people in need
are gonna miss out
of the millions of dollars
that Didi wanted to share?
And Reed is just gonna go
and blow it on dumb inventions
that they wouldn't have funded
in the first place?
Kate, does Reed come to the house often?
Was he here the day
that Didi gave you that letter?
Reed turned up to the house
unannounced the night
that Stanley and Didi were discussing
what to do with the merger money.
Kate let him in.
And the letter went
missing that same night.
Yeah, it did.
So Mark did a little digging
and found some chatter
between the brothers.
I was able to recover a conversation
from an encrypted cloud-based
messenger the brothers used.
They love the vanishing feature,
but you know me.
There were bunch
of exchanges about the merger.
Reed was pushing Stanley
to retire, cash in.
He reminded Stanley
about his heart attack
and about not waiting
to reap the rewards.
Stanley eventually came around
to the sale.
He liked the idea
of spending more time with Didi.
He also put a clause
in the Helix sale contract
that proceeds would go
to Stanley's next of kin.
Yeah, but with Didi gone,
guess who the next of kin is?
Reed.
But why kill them for the money now?
Oh. You're not familiar with Reedware?
Mm-hmm. You're in for a cinematic feast.
[REED]: Made from
my personal blend
of unbreakable thermoplastic,
"Reedware" can withstand
anything!
And I mean anything.
"Reedware," it'll be
your first and your last.
Reed spent a fortune
on products that bombed.
- He was in debt.
- Debt that would have been
paid if he got the inheritance
from the sale of Helix.
But if he found out about Didi's plan
to give all the money
to the endowment
He knew he'd get nothing.
Unless, he did something about it.
Yeah, I might have heard Didi
saying something to my brother
that night about
possibly redirecting the money?
Possibly?
And the letter?
I might have moved it.
I can't remember. I didn't open it.
No, because that would be a crime.
Which Mr. Thorpe has not
committed or admitted to.
Alright, we're not here
investigating mail theft.
Reed, we know that
you were pressuring Stanley
to take the deal.
You were next in line to make
a ton a cash
and that would have financed a lot of
What did you say you were again?
An influencer?
I'm an inventor.
The black sheep.
The creative one. Every family has one.
You know,
your parents, they probably
just didn't get your thing, huh?
They probably labelled you
with a learning disability
or something like that.
But Stanley was different.
He empathized and occasionally,
he was generous.
That is until Didi came along
to remind you of that dumb kid
hidden beneath the surface.
So you chose the most horrendous
way to shut her up.
To get out from under Stan's shadow.
Free yourself from debt.
Multiple birds with one stone.
We'd like to pause this interview
No, no. It's fine. I didn't like Didi.
My brother made every single
penny of his fortune.
She controlled it.
For some reason, he liked it that way.
Didi only invested in things
that she felt had a return.
To get a loan from Didi
meant you were gonna get a loan
with a lot of strings attached.
But then at the same time,
she's donating
all that money to charity.
- [LAUGHING]
- But please.
No, that's to make her look good.
Why do you think she wanted to give away
all that money from the sale?
Go to war for some cause?
No, hubris.
Yeah, look, Reed. I gotta tell you,
for a guy who has not read a letter,
you sure seem to know
a lot about Didi's intentions.
Well, I'm not gonna sit around
and let this gold-digger
throw away my brother's fortune.
No, I get it. You took the letter
before Kate could deliver it
so the money would be yours.
No, no, no. I did not take the letter,
I delayed the letter
so that I could speak to Stanley
and try to talk some sense into him.
Before I had a chance to
he, um
You mentioned that Didi was
gonna go to war for a cause.
Do you know what or who
she was referring to?
Like I said, I didn't open the letter.
But I still have it.
Didi wanted all the money
from the Helix sale
to go to a charity called Share Science.
- It's a charity she founded.
- So she wanted to give
- the money to herself?
- Not exactly.
When Didi married Stanley 30 years ago,
he bought her a plot
of conservation land
near Don Mills as a wedding gift.
Didi wanted to be a philanthropist,
he gave her a way into that world.
So she transferred the land title
to a brand new charity
she created, Share Science.
And then donated that land
to the Toronto Center for Science
so they could build
a facility there, 25 years ago.
She even named a wing after Stanley.
This is all very romantic,
but what does it have to do with murder?
Well, Didi wanted to protect something.
Something special. Meaningful.
You ever see the faces on the kids
at the Center for Science?
It's like they got these
little bottle rockets
going off in their brain.
Imagine your partner creating
a legacy like that for you.
A legacy that would disappear
if the Center for Science
no longer existed.
This recent building condition
assessment was conducted
to determine if there were
any structural issues
with the center.
Of course, they found some.
An assessment ordered
and paid for by the notoriously
well-connected and aggressive
land developer, Nancy Fogel.
That name rings a bell.
Is there any connection
beyond this paperwork?
They were rivals. Nancy
used her political connections
to expedite the assessment.
She wanted to make
the center look hazardous.
Basically make it seem like a teardown.
It's why Didi wanted to go to war,
inject 500 million dollars
into this endowment
to ensure the upkeep
of the Center for Science
so that Nancy couldn't destroy it.
You should take this to probate court.
Find out what this Nancy Fogel was up to
and if she thought
it was worth killing for.
[ECHOING GAVEL]
Yes, Didi was being
a real pain in the ass.
Standing in the way of something
that could actually elevate Don Mills.
Something everyone else wants.
But I didn't kill her.
No, but you do plan
on killing the soul of this area
with this homage to mediocrity.
This is a luxury complex
that will service multiple communities.
I think you mean
it'll service the residents
of the multiple condos
your company hopes to build.
I mean the citizens of this
city who need amenities.
Do you know how many jobs
this complex will create?
None. Because you can't build
this paragon
of modern architecture
until you acquire the Center
for Science land.
But I'm guessing it's gonna be easier
to convince the Share Science
board of directors
to sell it to you now that Didi's gone.
She was the real pain in the ass, right?
It's like you said,
everybody else wanted this.
And who is everybody, Nancy?
The Share Science board?
Because it looks to me that
your dream is very much alive.
These drawings were revised
and printed today.
I don't have to answer that.
Tell me, Nancy. Where were you
the night that Didi and Stanley
were murdered?
I don't have to answer that either.
And if you had any evidence against me
with regard to the murder
of two people I barely knew
and hardly spent time with,
you would have already produced it.
Out of everyone we've talked to,
she's had the least contact
with the Thorpes.
Probably wouldn't know what
medication Stanley took.
Or how to get in and out of their house
without being seen, but she
is definitely hiding something.
Yeah, the fact
that she would've had help.
Someone close to Didi, someone who also
wanted the deal to go through.
Let's talk to the board.
Almost all of us voted yes
to the land sale.
But not Didi.
The vote needed to be unanimous.
She was never gonna budge.
Why would the board
of a science-based organization
be so eager to sell
to a property developer?
Nancy promised that
the Center for Science
wouldn't close.
It would simply relocate.
She said she'd retain jobs
and that she'd
Make it worth your while?
How much did she offer?
[STAMMERING]
Need I remind you that this
is a murder investigation,
Ms. Goodwin?
She offered the board
100,000 dollars each.
She'd pay us as consultants for
the various relocation efforts.
Wow. I mean, that's kind of
a lowball offer, isn't it?
I expected it to be more than that.
Are you kidding me?
100K is a fortune
for people on the board.
We're not all ladies who lunch
like Didi was. No disrespect.
You said that not everybody
said yes to the sale,
so apart from Didi,
who were the holdouts?
Bruce Lacy. Didi's best friend.
He was never ever
gonna vote against her.
Bruce.
I was worried you weren't going to show.
Just tell me where to sign.
I did the right thing? Yeah?
Of course, you did.
And it's not like you're
gonna give it back, right?
You're right. I'm not.
Screw it.
Let's do something for us.
Nancy Fogel finally got her land.
You know, I'm kind of sad to see
the Center for Science go.
You and me both, Theo,
but we've got bigger fish to fry.
This title transfer means that all
the Share Science board members
voted in favor of selling
the land to Fogel projects.
Which means your theory
that someone wanted to get rid
of Didi in order to push
the sale through holds water.
But Nancy Fogel doesn't fit
your profile, does she?
I'm sure there's motive,
but not much opportunity.
Right, for Nancy there isn't,
but there would be
for Bruce Lacy, Didi's best friend.
Yeah, he was on the board with Didi
and knew about her issues with Nancy,
he knew about Stanley's blood thinners,
had intimate knowledge
of the Thorpe home.
I mean, he designed the interior.
Yeah, and Theo, he found the bodies.
So you think Bruce
made a deal with Nancy.
For what, money?
Well, what else?
We believe that he met with Nancy,
who offered to change
Didi's mind for a price,
you know, get her to vote yes
on the deal.
I had the pleasure of meeting
Didi Thorpe.
Couple of times, actually.
Her mind was set in concrete.
Exactly, that's why he had to kill her.
To get rid of her vote entirely.
So you're suggesting that Bruce Lacy
and Nancy Fogel together
Well, we're not there yet,
but it's possible.
Certainly is,
but Nancy Fogel's lawyered up.
And all we got is this totally legal,
exceptionally unremarkable
land transfer document.
If we want a jury to believe
interior designer, Bruce Lacy,
killed his closest friend for a payday,
I need more than Nancy Fogel
made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
You sure?
No, thank you. Yeah, we just
wanted to double-check.
I thought you went home?
So did I.
Bruce's friends
swear he was at the party.
Timeline's a little hazy,
it's possible he might have been
able to sneak out and meet Didi,
- but I don't know.
- He gets in the back
of Didi's SUV, follows her into
the house,
and then does this.
The killer wanted to frame Stanley.
Shame him. As for Didi,
strangled with her husband's tie.
Arms and legs spread out like this.
It looks almost unnatural.
That painting we saw at the crime scene.
The one that Declan and Bruce
were packing up in the garage?
- We got that?
- Uh
Yup. Here.
My god.
She was posed.
We need to talk to the auctioneer.
Oh, my god. Bruce, this is so beautiful.
And I'm glad they included
the big furniture pieces.
They work, don't you think?
It just needs a good cleaning.
Oh, she more than outbid Nancy Fogel.
She raised bid ten times over.
I'd never seen anything like it.
It's a lovely piece
and I know Bruce loved it,
but for an emerging artist,
it wasn't worth anywhere near
what Didi paid for it.
Was Bruce Lacy her usual plus one?
Always. Her designer, lovely guy.
Was there any tension
between them on that day?
No.
But she did get into it
with another guy after the sale.
Who?
His boyfriend, I think.
Handsome salt and pepper hair?
I'd never seen him before.
- What happened?
- Didi asked Bruce
to come over to hang the painting,
and once he'd walked away,
this guy just went nuts on her.
Told Didi she was selfish
and that the painting
was just another thing
to throw in her pile of money.
Bruce? Declan?
[KNOCKING AGAINST WALL]
Detectives.
Please, come in.
Sorry, the door was open.
What a space. Remarkable.
Industrial era? 1920s, right?
1926. Used to be a mattress factory.
Heritage laws allowed it
to survive and then it became
well, this.
And you designed this
for a former client
and he sold it to you.
At a decent price, I hear.
Wait, sorry, how do you know that?
It's our job. This seller
holds you in high regard.
Says you have the best
taste in the city.
He does.
We're just curious
how you came up with the money
for this place, all of a sudden.
How is this any of your business?
We secured a loan. Privately.
From Nancy Fogel, I'd say it was more
of a gift or payment.
For services rendered.
It's just the first time
the board voted on
the land sale, you voted no.
And then Nancy paid you handsomely,
and second vote, a resounding yes.
This is our first night
in our new home, so unless
there's anything else
Space is a funny thing.
You know, means different things
to different people, but look at this.
By God, Bruce, you've got it in spades.
Must've been frustrating
to be under Didi's thumb,
treating you like a tradesman,
not the artist you actually are.
Didi paid me for my work,
she respected my craft.
And we were close, as you well know.
Right. Of course,
the dinners, the trips away together.
Them in first, you two in coach.
Only going where
they wanted to go, I bet.
Doing whatever they wanted to do.
Didi and I were friends.
A friend would lend you
money to buy this place.
A friend wouldn't have bought
a painting for you
that you loved and then kept it
just to spite a rival.
No, if Didi was a true friend,
she'd still be alive,
and that painting would be
hanging right here.
That's the thing about auctioneers,
we always think about them
talking, talking, talking,
but the really good ones,
they actually listen closely.
Yes, I asked Didi
for a loan for the down payment.
And she said no,
but that was her prerogative.
And how much you'd ask for?
200,000.
The same amount that she paid
for a painting that
she didn't even like.
The very same day.
Now, I don't know about you,
but that would hurt me.
Of course, it hurt. I'm human.
But you don't understand,
that was just Didi.
Just Didi absorbing your taste
like a leech.
Treating you like staff,
like an errand boy
Alright, enough!
Unless you have something concrete,
then maybe you should leave. Right now.
You were at your sister's
house in Kitchener
on the night of the murder, correct?
Yeah, you know that.
Right, we had a nice
conversation with her.
You arrived at five PM for dinner,
but then you insisted
on going back to a hotel
even thought she had made up
the guest room.
Yeah, my sister has three little kids.
You know, it's not strange
to want to have
- a good night's sleep.
- Well, it's not strange,
except you didn't get it.
According to the motel security footage,
you left the parking lot at 6:30.
So? I went for a drive, yeah.
You certainly did.
You drove right to Didi's yoga class.
And then, did you apologize
for the fight you had at the auction?
Maybe you feigned a stomach bug.
You know, something that would allow you
to get into the back of her car
and lie down
so you wouldn't be seen
by the security cameras.
You don't know that.
No, we don't. It's just
an educated guess.
Bear with us, there's more.
Woven polypropylene.
Declan
Our techs use these so they
don't contaminate crime scenes.
Made of the same fibers
that we found under your victims nails.
Declan, what he is talking about?
You know why? Because they fought back.
You were invited
into Didi's home as a guest.
You went into the bathroom
to change into your costume
and when you emerged,
she was staring at her death.
You struck her in the head,
and you strangled her until she died.
And then you waited there
for Stanley in that suit
like a ghoul.
And when he got there, you attacked.
You knew about his blood thinners,
you knew what window wasn't
covered by the security cameras.
This this is insane.
You know, in all of my years
of doing this
and seeing the foul things
that humans do to each other,
this case has baffled me.
So when talking to your sister,
we dug a little deeper.
She told us that
when you declared bankruptcy,
the second time,
you spiralled into
a terrifying depression.
You were running on fumes,
sleeping in your car,
and that's when you met Bruce.
At the end of your rope,
he was the one who brought
you back from the brink
and you knew it was love.
And as that love grew,
you promised yourself
that you would cherish
and protect this angel,
who had saved you.
But every idea,
every endeavour,
even with your gift of the gab,
it just never panned out.
Until Nancy Fogel came along
with her generous proposition.
All you had to do was
change somebody's mind.
Nancy paid Bruce 100,000 dollars
to change his vote to a yes.
Now, I'm assuming you don't know
that Nancy also offered
100,000 dollars to Declan
on the condition that he
would change Didi's mind.
But Didi wouldn't budge.
Something dark in you snapped
and you knew there was
only one thing you could do
to secure that vote.
It was your turn to be the saviour.
Didi and Stanley Thorpe
would have to die.
But killing them wasn't enough.
No, not for the disrespect
they'd shown you
and how they treated Bruce.
Like a fool instead of
the artist that he really was.
So, you posed her.
Yeah, was it like this? You remember?
Your vile requiem?
This is crazy.
I tried.
I couldn't
[DECLAN STAMMERING]
I couldn't watch them treat you like
Declan.
This isn't true? Right?
Tell me you didn't do this.
He did it for you, Bruce. For this.
That's how you got the rest
of the money?
By killing our friends?
Declan!
Tell me!
Answer me!
If I say yes,
will he get to keep the house?
Tell me, tell me, if I confess!
- Hey!
- Will he get to keep
this house?!
[HANDCUFFS CLANGING]
Tell me! Will he get to keep this house?
[WHIMPERING]
[CRYING]
You think Nancy Fogel's
really gonna move
the Center for Science?
Well, I did send her file
to the Fraud Squad,
so that'll jam her up a little.
Maybe give you enough time
for one last stroll through
the butterfly garden.
You could join me.
Bring your daughter.
It's a great place for kids.
Yeah. We'll be there.