Hudson and Rex (2019) s08e12 Episode Script
The Briny Deep
You know, this is the life.
Fresh air.
Stiff breeze.
And you know what they say.
The best thing about
fishing isn't what you catch.
Right, right. It's, uh
It's keeping good company.
- [DONOVAN CHUCKLES] Yeah.
- Yeah.
And Rex certainly is the best company.
Well, at least one of us
caught something, right, buddy?
He looks hungry!
Yeah, so am I.
What do you say? Burger and a pint?
- Yeah, I'm down.
- Let's do it.
All right.
Let's go, buddy. Come on.
[SEAGULLS CRYING]
[CONTROLS BEEPING]
[CONTROLS WHIRRING]
DECLAN: Look, Gary.
I get it.
Things haven't been going your way.
But you don't have to let me go.
One thing busting after another.
Winch motor. Bilge pump.
Then, the fuel leaks.
Just no sense in it.
You can always sell the
old tub to me, right?
My family could lend me the
cash, if the price is right.
I'm never selling the
Rusty Runner, Declan.
It was my dad's boat.
He left it to me.
Trusted me with it!
And when I find out
who's messing with me,
everything's going to turn around.
I get it.
For sure.
No problem.
One more run together, then
I'll find other work, Gary.
[MYSTERIOUS MUSIC]
GARY: Dad, I'll catch whoever's
doing this to your boat.
[KEYPAD CLICKING]
[PHONE RINGING]
RECEPTIONIST: Sunnyside Fishplant.
How can I direct your call?
[DISTANT SIREN]
Excuse me, sorry. Excuse me.
[FOLK MUSIC]
CHUCK: Hey there, Bryanna.
Chuck.
You heard from Gary the last few days?
Just got out of the hospital yesterday.
Ticker's been giving me trouble again.
He took the Rusty Runner out days ago.
He's not returning my calls.
He's your brother,
Bryanna. He's not your kid.
Maybe leave the grown man alone.
Let me know if you hear from him.
Will do.
I want to be out on the
water before the sun gets up!
Something's tangled in this net!
- Help me out, will ya?
- Yeah.
- [MEN GRUNTING]
- Dang, it's heavy!
What is it?
[HEAVY THUD]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[DRAMATIC PERCUSSION]
[UPBEAT THEME MUSIC]
[CAR ENGINE ROARING]
JESSE: Well, bit of
an early one this morning.
Yeah, nothing like sea
air to get you woken up.
Reminds me of when I was a kid,
heading out on the water at first light.
Yeah, I'm more of a coffee
while I scroll sort of person.
What are we looking at?
Oh, a fisherman found
a body tangled in a net.
Young male. No signs of foul play.
Sarah will fill you in on the details.
- SARAH: Hey.
- Any idea how long he's been under water?
Yeah, based on visual decomposition,
time of death was
approximately 48 hours ago.
Ultimate cause may have been drowning
but the victim had a
serious skull fracture.
Are you sure he didn't
strike his head in a fall?
- Land in the sea?
- Not with the addition
of defensive wounds on both arms.
Appear to be from the same weapon.
So he fought back,
- and lost.
- Gary Francis, 32 years old.
Yeah, he's a commercial fisherman.
Owns a boat called the Rusty Runner.
So he didn't work for a larger company?
Midshore vessels like this
are almost always family run,
little independent
businesses making their living
off the sea one run at a time.
I thought you were a military man.
Well, my grandfather worked his own boat
out of Halifax his whole life.
Fishing whatever was in season,
from lobster to cod, but,
not without the captain, so,
if Gary was killed
right here two days ago,
where's his boat?
JESSE: Yeah.
You know, I'll contact the Coast Guard
to see if the Rusty Runner had a GPS.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[REX SNIFFING]
MARK: What have you found there, Rex?
Something in his ear?
Here.
Yeah.
Oh.
What is that, a stone?
I'm not sure.
It's covered in an oily substance.
- Hold that?
- Sure.
That's curious.
I'll have a closer look back at the lab.
- BRYANNA: Gary!
- OFFICER: Whoah, whoah!
- OFFICER 2: Hey, hey!
- Gary!
Gary! [BRYANNA CRIES]
MARK: Word travels fast
in a fishing community.
SARAH: This is never easy.
I haven't heard from him since Friday.
I was asking around.
Is that unusual for your
brother to be out of touch?
For that long. Yeah.
Gary's out of cell range on the water.
And I took a temp gig in Gander
- so I haven't been around.
- But you were
concerned enough to come
back and look for him.
My brother had been
having a hard time lately.
I started to worry when
he didn't even text.
He'd always let me
know when he was back.
What do you mean by a hard time?
Just money trouble.
The boat was breaking
down a lot. Just
just little things that added up.
Broken pumps, clogged filters.
Gary seemed to think that
someone was messing with him somehow.
Messing with him?
He thought the things
going wrong weren't accidents?
He never laid it out.
I thought he was just
getting in his own head. Like paranoid.
But now I
I wish I'd listened.
I know this is hard, Bryanna, but
can you tell me who might
have wanted to harm your brother?
Someone who might take the Rusty Runner?
The boat's gone too?
That was my dad's boat!
[REX WHINES]
Listen. Anything
you can tell us might help.
Uh
There was this guy, uh,
Declan and, uh
Gary mentioned he kept
trying to buy the boat.
[CAR ENGINE ROARING]
[KNOCKING ON DOOR] MARK: Declan Terry?
- What are you at?
- This is it.
Just got back from my uncle's boat
up on the Northern
Peninsula, the past few days.
Heard the news this morning.
So the boat's gone too?
That's right. Word is you were
interested in buying the Rusty Runner.
That's just all talk.
Can't afford to pay my own rent as is.
And a tub like that's
not worth killing over.
When was the last time you saw Gary?
Six days ago. Friday.
We went for a pint after our last run.
He bought, since he was letting me go
and then we both headed home.
Gary cut you loose?
It happens, right?
Not the first job I lost.
[REX SNIFFING]
Can you think of anyone who may
have had a grudge against him ?
You know, was
messing with his boat maybe?
Gary could get crazy that
way, reading into things.
But there was this one guy.
- Who's that?
- Wayne somebody.
Baggins.
WAYNE: Need an extra hand today, Gary?
Herring's running.
I got it, Wayne.
DECLAN: Hangs around the harbour
trading odd jobs for cash or fish.
I heard two of them in a screaming
match a couple of weeks ago.
You know where I can find Wayne?
He hangs out at the Fog and Fleet a lot.
A lot of the young fishers do.
Cheapest fish and chips in town.
Thanks for the tip.
Come on, Rex.
[REX BARKS]
What's up with your dog?
You mean the highly trained police K9?
It seems he's interested in
whatever's in your fish pan here.
- Do you mind opening it up?
- Sure. No problem.
[REX SNIFFING]
You said you were fishing
the Northern Peninsula?
Isn't cod season closed up there?
Depends what area. What kind of license.
What kind of boat.
These are legit.
Well, Rex is alerting to something
so we'll take a closer look.
And our pathologist will
figure out what it is.
So, you're just going to take them?
Uh-huh.
[SHIP HORN BLARING]
MARK: You found a
microchip in Declan's cod?
Not the kind you put in pets.
The Department of Fisheries
sometimes implants acoustic tags in cod
so they can track their
migration and survival rates.
And Rex has been trained to alert
to the triphenylphosphine
oxide in any microchip.
Yeah, I'm still kind of shocked
that he was able to detect that
over the smell of the fish itself.
Could you use that to
investigate Declan's alibi?
He says he was up in the Northern
Peninsula over the last few days.
Absolutely. I'll reach out
to the Department of Fisheries.
- Get their tracking info.
- Okay.
Meanwhile, I have the
results of the autopsy.
Time of death remains two days ago.
So, some time Tuesday,
but as you can see,
cerebral haemorrhage was
deemed the sole cause of death.
So Gary wasn't breathing by
the time he hit the water.
Exactly.
Also, organic fibres were
found embedded in his scalp.
- From the murder weapon?
- Presumably.
I'm having them analyzed.
That might help identify
the object that caused
the death blow and the defensive wounds.
What about the rock that Rex
found in the victim's ear?
- [REX BARKS]
- That is a bit of a puzzler.
It turns out it's a piece of
crystallized salt covered in fish oils.
Sea salt from being in the ocean?
No, no, it's just common rock salt.
Would have got lodged in the canal
before Gary's body
ever entered the water.
But how did a guy end up
with oily rock salt in his ear
while fighting off an assailant?
I have no idea.
It's also not the only puzzling thing.
Something's bothering you.
Well,
I have seen many, many bodies
that have been submerged in water
for varying degrees of time.
But there's something
different about this one.
- Different how?
- Well, that's the problem.
I can't put my finger on it.
I'll just have to keep
fishing for answers.
[REX GROANS]
I know.
I've clearly been hanging
around Jesse too much.
Ah, yeah.
DONOVAN: So, our victim was
having trouble with his boat.
Thought someone was undermining him
and then wound up floating
in the harbour, dead,
with a piece of salt in his ear.
Plus, his boat's gone.
JESSE: Yeah, and it
has been for a while.
The Harbour Authority
logged the Rusty Runner
- coming in last Friday.
- Gary's last run with Declan.
JESSE: Yeah, but the thing is it
was never logged going back out again.
DONOVAN: So we need to find exactly
when the Rusty Runner left.
And where it is right now.
In the meantime, Coast Guard confirmed
that the vessel did not have a GPS.
So, they put the
equivalent of a BOLO out.
Meanwhile, the pub
should be open by now.
- Come on, Rex.
- [REX BARKS]
Seems a little bit early
for a cold one there, Mark!
DONOVAN: Yeah. Not to mention
that you're on a homicide investigation.
MARK: Okay, Declan, the deckhand
said he witnessed an argument
between Gary and a regular named Wayne.
I'm going to see if
there's any truth to that.
Sure.
Come on.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
BRYANNA: You and that boat!
You held it against him!
- You never let it go!
- Just calm down, Bryanna.
You're overwrought. He didn't
mean to upset you.
BRYANNA: One more word from you, Wayne
- and I swear !
- MARK: Hey, hey, hey!
Step back.
SJPD what's going on here?
Uh, we're having a little dispute.
She's just upset about her brother.
I don't take it seriously.
[REX SNIFFING]
You think Wayne here had something
to do with your brother's death?
It's like he said. I'm
I'm just upset.
Come on, dear. Let's get you inside.
Fish and chips is on me.
- [REX BARKS]
- MARK: What've you got, Rex?
This your truck, Wayne, with
all the rock salt in the back?
Yeah, what of it?
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Because it seems to be
spattered with blood.
[REX GROWLS]
[DRAMATIC PERCUSSION]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
WAYNE: I swear the blood
is from cleaning fish.
And what's the big deal with salt?
I salt my own cod
sometimes. Is that a crime?
We found a piece of rock salt
in the victim's body, Wayne.
Did Gary get that when you threw
him in the back of your truck?
I swear I had nothing
to do with Gary's death.
We've known each other our whole lives.
Gary's deckhand says he saw
the two of you arguing recently.
WAYNE: Need an extra hand today, Gary?
Herring's running.
I got it, Wayne.
I heard two of them in a screaming
match a couple of weeks ago.
WAYNE: Declan said that?
Uh-huh.
Oh, that guy says a lot of stuff
that you can't take to the bank.
What about Bryanna?
You and that boat! You
held it against him!
- You never let it go!
- Just calm down, Bryanna.
You're overwrought.
Me and Bryanna. Um
We were engaged years ago.
Uh, the dream was that we would
be running the boat together.
Two of us, raising kids, and, uh
then her dad died suddenly
and left the Rusty
Runner to her brother
alone.
Was Bryanna bitter about that?
- Being cut out?
- No, it's ancient history.
Bryanna loved Gary.
And she wouldn't hurt anybody,
- let alone her brother.
- Mmm.
That still doesn't explain
why she was angry at you.
You're barking up the
wrong tree, Detective.
Declan is the guy you
should be looking at.
- He's a real sleveen, if you ask me.
- Mmm.
But Declan has an alibi.
And so does Bryanna.
Where were you two days ago, Wayne?
I was fixing an engine on a trawler,
in Witless Bay.
Go ahead and check.
Okay.
JESSE: Hey, how was the pub?
Lively.
It seems that Wayne and
Bryanna are old flames.
At one time, they wanted her
dad's boat for themselves.
He claims that that's
all ancient history now.
Yeah, but where was he on
Tuesday when Gary was killed?
Well, he says he was working
on a trawler up in Witless Bay.
But he and Bryanna are hiding something.
I mean, she was screaming at him
- when I found them at the pub.
- DONOVAN: Right, so,
Bryanna claims that she was in Gander
on Tuesday, right?
And then Declan says that
he was in the Northern Peninsula.
And Wayne says that
he was in Witless Bay.
Do we have any suspect
who was near the scene of the crime
when our victim was killed?
JESSE: Well, a local fisher claims
he saw the Rusty Runner
leave Foxtrap Harbour Friday night.
MARK: The day of Gary's last run.
JESSE: Uh-huh. And another
fisherman says he saw
that the boat never came back
and hasn't been seen since.
So the boat left the
harbour six days ago
but Gary was killed two days ago.
Where was he in between?
Somewhere else on the boat?
Yeah, I feel like I'm
channelling Sarah here.
There's something off about this case
but I can't put my finger on it.
Okay, let's start by
taking a closer look
at the last day that
Gary was seen alive.
Okay, so we know that Gary and Declan
went out onto the water
and then came back and went to the pub.
Yeah, what about in between?
Between work and a pint?
Fishers stop on the way home to sell
their catch at a fish plant.
Can you call his sister
to see where that might be?
Yeah, yeah.
DONOVAN: Something is definitely off.
TANYA: At Sunnyside, , we
buy directly from the fishers,
fresh off our wharf.
Process it inside and sell it wholesale.
It's quite the operation.
And I'm in charge of
keeping it running smoothly.
So, what does this have to do
with a man found dead
in Foxtrap Harbour?
So, Gary Francis
Now his sister believes he sold you
a load of fish here last Friday,
the last day that he was seen alive.
Can't say I recognize him.
Really?
Even though he sold fish right here?
I'm rarely on the dock.
Chained to my desk.
But I can check our records for you.
Perfect, what about these two?
Declan, he worked with Gary
and Wayne had in the past.
Wayne, I know.
He works here at the plant on and off.
Last time would have been, uh
about a week ago.
- Okay, can you send me the exact date?
- Of course.
- [REX BARKS]
- Uh
- [REX SNIFFING]
- Tanya, my partner
seems to be alerting to that bin.
- Uh, may I?
- Go ahead.
- Is that salt?
- Yes.
We go through thousands
of pounds a year.
Use it for everything
from deicing the wharf,
to seasoning a can of salmon.
What about surveillance footage?
Can you send that over to me?
- Absolutely!
- Amazing.
Once I check with the owners.
I'm just the manager.
Wouldn't want to lose
my job in this economy.
Of course. Do your thing.
[PHONE CHIMING]
Donovan, what have you got?
Well, I've got good news and bad news.
The lab confirmed that
the blood in Wayne's truck
was, in fact, fish blood.
So I had to cut him loose.
Okay, and the good news?
The Coast Guard found
the Rusty Runner adrift
about 30 miles offshore.
They're towing it back to
Foxtrap Harbour as we speak.
We're on our way.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
MARK: Coming aboard.
Hey!
We're just getting started here.
No evidence of a struggle
but after being adrift at sea,
any blood on the deck would
likely have been washed away.
So we can't rule out the Rusty Runner
as the place where Gary
may have been killed.
Oh.
Here.
- Oh, what is this?
- Salt,
from Sunnyside Fishplant.
Okay, well, I'll see if it's a match
to the crystal found on the victim
but that won't prove
the salt was from there.
I mean, common salt is
BOTH: Common.
Where's Jesse?
Checking the hold.
That's been stewing
at sea for days and
That's a fun job.
JESSE: Okay, guys.
I just want you to know
that the hull is clear of fish
but it's teeming with stench.
I'll head back down
- holding my nose this time.
- [REX SNIFFING]
- SARAH: Oh, that's disgusting.
- JESSE: Oh, it stinks.
- Smells like a foot!
- MARK: Rex seems interested
- in something over here.
- Oh, yeah.
So the fibres we found
in Gary's head wound,
turn out to be wood
deeply suffused with various
aquatic flora and fauna.
Okay, so a buoy could have
been the murder weapon.
The triangular shape
fits the wound pattern.
But look, he's not alerting to anything.
I think I know why. You
see that last tie?
No last buoy.
Likely floating out
at sea, never to be found.
So maybe Gary was killed on
his own vessel, but then,
how did he end up in the harbour,
when the boat was 30 miles out to sea?
Let's, uh
Let's check the bridge.
- Okay.
- Come on, Rex.
- You okay down there, Jesse?
- JESSE: Nope!
MARK: Throttle's engaged.
Boat's still in gear.
Okay, so the boat was in motion.
Until it ran out of fuel.
So, what happened
to the person driving it?
Well, maybe someone
pointed it out to sea
and just let her go.
Didn't care if the boat
just sank out there?
Or maybe wanted her to.
The evidence at the bottom of the ocean
is usually no evidence at all.
[REX SNIFFING]
[REX WHINES]
What is it, Rex?
- [REX BARKS]
- What's written on it?
Looks like dates and numbers.
Gary told people that he thought
someone was messing with him.
Could he have been tracking something?
- See what Jesse makes of these.
- Okay.
Okay, I'm going to go back to the pub
and see how Bryanna reacts
to the return of the Rusty Runner.
Seems the old girl was carrying
a lot of other people's baggage.
[SARAH SIGHS]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
BRYANNA: I'm just so glad the
Rusty Runner's back safe and sound.
CHUCK: Here you go, folks. On the house.
Oh, Chuck.
- You didn't have to do that.
- No, it's fine, you both deserve it.
Just give me a shout if
you need anything else.
I was, uh I was kind of surprised
that you wanted to meet here,
considering
It's a tight community.
- We're all intertwined.
- Yeah.
I've known Chuck forever.
He used to fish with
my dad back in the day.
On the Rusty Runner?
Before Gary got old enough to help
and took over for him.
That's when Chuck bought this place.
Between you and me,
I don't think he's happy here.
Well, my grandfather was
never happy ashore, either.
- Mmm.
- Eyes always on the horizon.
What about you? Um
any regrets?
What do you mean?
Wayne said there's a history
between you two and the boat.
That you were upset when
your father left it to Gary.
At the time.
But we worked it out.
Oh. How's that?
Gary gave me part ownership,
for good or ill.
But there's a downside to that?
Profits aren't big.
But responsibilities are.
Is there something you're
not telling me, Bryanna?
What did Wayne say to you
earlier that upset you?
Wayne doesn't know
what he's talking about.
But it was about Gary?
We've got evidence of the Rusty
Runner leaving harbour unregistered
in the middle of the night
As part owner,
what do you know about that?
Gary would never do
anything outside the law
- if that's what you're implying.
- It wasn't.
But you think he could have?
I'm starting to think I need a lawyer.
[REX GRUNTS]
On second thought, I think
I'll bring you a cheque.
- [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
- [SHIP HORN SOUNDS]
I had a look at those numbers
that Sarah sent me last night.
Now, the first column they're dates.
But the second, they seem
to be a log of engine hours.
Engine hours? That's a boat's
equivalent to the odometer in a car.
Oh, your grandfather taught you well.
It seems that Gary was
tracking a discrepancy.
Now the boat, it had more
clicks than it should have
on those specific days.
It could be that wasn't the
first time the Rusty Runner
left the harbour in
the night, undocumented.
Bryanna sure clammed up at
the mention of midnight runs.
Still more questions than answers.
- Something's got to break soon.
- JESSE: Yeah.
Oh, I knew it looked off.
Wow. Someone was in early.
- Yeah, I couldn't sleep.
- JESSE: Insomnia?
DONOVAN: Alibis.
Everybody's got one.
Yeah, I think that's the problem.
All our suspects have
motive, but no opportunity.
Some were in Witless Bay, Gander,
and the Northern Peninsula
at the time of Gary's death.
There's something off about this case.
[REX WHINES]
Mmm.
SARAH: I think I figured it out.
The answer to everything.
Ruptured membranes.
Excuse me?
Even I don't get that.
It means that Gary didn't die
on Tuesday like we thought.
He died much earlier. Maybe even
as early as the previous Friday.
How is that possible?
Because Gary's body was frozen.
Frozen?
Specifically, flash frozen.
[DRAMATIC PERCUSSION]
- [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
- [TRAFFIC NOISE]
DONOVAN: I'm still trying
to wrap my head around it.
Gary was frozen?
How could they miss that on the autopsy?
Well, flash freezing,
the process of solidifying
something almost instantly
is designed to limit
cellular damage, right?
So that fish, or any
food's texture and appearance
remain very close to fresh when thawed.
The same held true for Gary's remains.
He looked fresher than he was.
Right, which led you and the coroner
to conclude that his
time of death was Tuesday.
And Tuesday was actually
the time of defrost.
Exactly., Gary most
likely died days earlier,
probably soon after he
was last seen alive.
MARK: Last Friday.
The night his boat was
secreted out of the harbour.
Any chance the Sunnyside Fishplant
has one of these flash
freezing facilities?
Even better. It looks like
they have a process that lowers
the freezing solution far below zero.
With the addition of salt.
Just like the piece Rex found lodged
in Gary's ear covered in fish oil.
- [REX WHINES]
- MARK: Right.
DONOVAN: Okay. Contact
the owners of Sunnyside.
Let's bring Tanya in for questioning.
Yeah, let's see what
else we can dig up on her.
She claimed that she
didn't recognize Gary
but he'd sold there for years.
I'll send a forensics team
to their freezing facility.
Ooh, but
the inside of a fish plant is kept
as sterile as an operating room.
- Sorry, Rex.
- [REX WHINES]
No dogs allowed.
- [REX BARKS]
- I know.
Okay! So it looks
like the flash freezing
melted away all the alibis.
Get down to the pub, Jesse.
- See what you can find out.
- Okay.
DONOVAN: And start with Wayne.
WAYNE: So now you want to
know where I was last Friday?
JESSE: Yeah, the case is evolving.
Where were you the last time
you saw Gary leave the pub?
Uh
I went home, I slept, I
worked a shift at
Sunnyside the next day.
Other than that, I was here. The usual.
Okay, well, Sunnyside is seeming
more and more connected to
the crime now, Wayne.
And you had access to it.
And you had an argument with Gary
and another one with his sister.
I mean, I know you say
it's ancient history, but,
from what I'm hearing,
these emotions seem pretty raw.
I said something I shouldn't
have said. That's all.
And what was that?
Look, Wayne,
a guy you've known your whole life
has been cut down in his prime.
Do we really need to bring you in again?
One night a couple of weeks ago,
I saw the Rusty Runner heading
out in the middle of the night.
And I know that Gary
was having some problems.
Mmm.
Okay, you thought he
was up to something.
Cod quotas are strict.
Every trip has limits.
Inspectors, they log everything.
But if a boat slips out in the dark,
has a buyer who doesn't ask questions
- You do the math.
- Mmm.
So you think he was poaching
and you confronted him on it.
He wouldn't give me a straight answer,
told me I was talking garbage.
And what did you say to that?
I reminded him
what happens to fishers in this town
who take what they're
not supposed to take.
He almost ripped my head off.
I wouldn't have said anything normally
but I was just trying
to look out for Bryanna.
Yeah. And how's that?
The Department of Fisheries
can fine you for poaching,
put you in jail and take your boat.
And that boat is partly Bryanna's.
Even now, if they prove
that the Rusty Runner was involved,
Bryanna loses everything.
Okay.
Is that why she was so angry with you?
I told her what I thought
was going on with her brother.
[JESSE SIGHS]
The thing is, how can I be
so sure that it wasn't you
taking that boat out,
and covering your tracks
by blaming a dead man?
Because I would take my own life
before I harm Bryanna.
How come you never mentioned
you work part-time with Sunnyside?
I work part-time everywhere.
Doesn't everybody?
Money's tight all over.
TANYA: The owners have instructed me
to do whatever I can
to assist in your investigation.
But the idea that someone was
frozen at our plant is preposterous!
But you don't deny that Gary
Francis and the Rusty Runner
were at Sunnyside the last
day that he was seen alive?
In fact, I can confirm it!
Our records show that Gary sold
Sunnyside fish on many occasions.
What about the surveillance footage
I requested over 24 hours ago?
Delivered as we speak.
But I
have the pertinent footage right here.
Gary and his boat
in one piece
sailing off for Foxtrap Harbour.
But you have a flash freezing facility
that uses the saltwater method.
And your forensic team
is there right now.
- Mmm.
- But I have no doubt
they will find nothing
linking your unfortunate victim
or his remains to the
inside of our facilities.
Well, perhaps you can
answer this question.
Um, does the plant operate at night?
No, not for years.
We've been down to one day shifts
since the cod stocks
collapsed in the 90s.
So if somebody wanted
to sneak in after hours,
there'd be no one to interfere.
Assuming that person had
access, of course.
What are you implying?
We looked into your financial
situation, Tanya.
You had a six figure
debt six months ago,
spread across half a dozen
online gambling sites.
And now it's gone.
Can you explain that?
If you're implying
that I'm involved in some
sort of illegal activity,
then I'm afraid this interview is done.
I think I'll let the company's lawyers
assist you from here on out.
[REX GROWLS]
[REX BARKS]
It's okay, Rex.
She's free to go.
[ELEVATOR PINGS]
MARK: So Wayne claims he saw
the Rusty Runner going out at midnight,
thought that Gary was poaching.
Yeah, and then he told Bryanna
and she flew off the handle at him.
She got pretty defensive with me, too.
Said that Gary would
never do anything illegal.
Yeah, but could it be that he
was selling Tanya an illegal catch
under the table, after hours
and then somehow something went wrong.
But what if it wasn't him?
I mean, Gary was tracking a
discrepancy in his engine hours.
Maybe he caught on to
the fact that someone
was using his boat
without his knowledge.
Heading out at midnight to poach fish.
Okay, okay.
Okay.
But look, I mean,
could Tanya really pay
off her gambling debts
by selling black market cod?
SARAH: Actually, I think
it's more than that.
I want to show you something.
Okay, what's What's
with all these trays?
Well, it was bothering
me that Rex was somehow
able to smell the microchip
buried inside the codfish
- you got from Declan.
- [REX BARKS]
What's up with your dog?
I mean, don't get me wrong,
Rex is amazing, but
to pick out a trace that
faint over the smell of fish?
Yeah, it surprised me too.
SARAH: Yeah. So I thought
I'd try it out for myself.
Rex.
Come here.
Check.
[REX SNIFFING]
[REX GRUNTS]
That's an alert.
Okay.
So this,
is a microchip
just by itself.
So he can detect it.
Now,
Rex.
- Check.
- [REX SNIFFING]
Codfish from the grocery store.
He didn't alert
with a chip inside it.
He couldn't even smell it at all.
[REX SNIFFING]
Okay, so why was he alerting
to the cod found at Declan's?
This is my point.
Just wait.
Rex.
Track.
[REX SNIFFING]
[REX GRUNTS]
And this time, he alerts.
This is the cod, Mark,
you got from Declan.
[REX BARKS]
Complete with the
original microchip inside.
So if he couldn't smell
the chip through the fish,
why is he alerting now?
Exactly.
A mystery until I swabbed
the surface of the cod
and found trace amounts of fentanyl.
Fentanyl on a fish?
Yeah, it's not so crazy, actually.
It's a decent way to hide drugs
from the inspectors.
So the Rusty Runner wasn't
bringing in illegal fish at night.
It was bringing in illegal drugs.
Why not both?
I just heard back from the
Department of Fisheries this morning.
This cod was taken from a closed area
just 30 miles offshore of St. John's.
Not the North Peninsula,
like Declan said.
Okay. All roads seem to lead to Declan.
Bring him in.
You got it.
Rex. [MARK CLICKS TONGUE]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[CAR ENGINE ROARING]
Hey, Declan!
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
SJPD!
[DECLAN YELLS]
[REX BARKS]
[REX SNIFFING]
Caught in your own net.
Seems fitting.
[DRAMATIC PERCUSSION]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
So, Declan ran?
And climbed
and almost slipped the net.
So maybe he knew that we
found the traces of fentanyl
on the confiscated codfish.
Or heard his manufactured
alibi had taken on water.
That trip to the Northern
Peninsula looks pretty convenient.
Yeah, but the bottom line is
he lied about where he found that cod.
He wanted to buy Gary's boat.
Maybe using it to poach
was a way to raise the cash.
Well, who else knows their way around
the Rusty Runner better than him?
But how does the
fentanyl play into this?
Yeah, not to mention
murder and flash freezing.
Wayne said that you couldn't take much
of whatever Declan says at face value.
Yeah, well looks like you better
start fishing for the truth.
Not you, too.
DECLAN: I know I shouldn't have run
but I heard you yelling "Police!"
and people at the pub were talking about
- how Gary may be poaching.
- We know you were poaching.
- I never in my life!
- We've gone way beyond that.
The fish that my K9
alerted to at your place
has tested positive for drugs.
- What?
- Gary suspected that someone
was sneaking the Rusty
Runner out at night.
Did he figure out that it was you?
Did he hide in the hull
to catch you red-handed?
No, no, you've got this all wrong.
Did he surprise you when you
were offloading at Sunnyside
where you killed him with a
buoy rather than face charges
then froze him and
got yourself an alibi?
This is insane.
I've got no idea how you
found drugs on that fish.
I just bought it cheap is all.
I didn't ask questions.
Bought it cheap? From who?
Chuck sells it under the table.
I don't know where he gets it.
Here you go, folks. On the house.
BRYANNA: Chuck, you
didn't have to do that.
CHUCK: No, it's fine.
You both deserve it.
Just give me a shout if
you need anything else.
But he's got the cheapest
fish and chips in town.
Okay. So I asked the
Department of Fisheries
to track the microchip found in the cod
after it left the water.
They thought it was a
pretty weird request.
- I bet. What did they say?
- They sent me this.
Okay, so the cod confiscated
from Declan, covered in fentanyl
was caught offshore illegally
then transferred to
the Sunnyside Fishplant
then on to the Fog and Fleet.
So Chuck took the Rusty
Runner on drug runs?
Yeah, and picked up a load of cod
on the way to freeze along with it.
Bryanna mentioned that he'd
worked the boat with her dad
and hated working the bar.
So he found a way out.
But he'd need someone with
access to the fishplant.
Send uniforms for Tanya.
- And let's bring this Chuck character in.
- You got it.
Rex.
[CAR ENGINE ROARING]
Back again?
Got new ways to smear my late brother?
I'm looking for Chuck.
He's not here.
Had to go back to the hospital.
Did me the favour of
throwing me a few shifts.
Back to the hospital?
Yeah, he was there about a week ago.
Around when Gary went missing?
Well, I bet they didn't
find anything wrong.
Though it makes for a great alibi.
What did Chuck need an alibi for?
To freeze a body and
shift the time of death.
They froze my brother?
[REX SNIFFING]
[REX BARKS]
What is it?
- Is this Chuck's truck?
- Yeah.
He uses it when he buys fish.
What's going on?
What's he found?
If I'm right,
the reason your brother was killed.
Thanks.
The hospital confirms they
admitted Chuck three days ago.
He was claiming chest pains.
His manufactured alibi while
he shifted Gary's time of death.
Yeah, well, he's not there now.
Okay, uniforms at Sunnyside.
Tanya disappeared mid-shift
but the office confirmed that
Chuck's bought fish from her for years.
And there's also this.
Surveillance footage from
Sunnyside Wharf, against the dates
from Gary's engine hours list.
- Nothing.
- I'll check the time stamp.
- Hours have been deleted.
- Yeah.
To hide the Rusty Runner's
unloading, presumably.
JESSE: On every one
of those same nights.
But look at this.
They missed one frame
from over a month ago.
MARK: Tanya and Chuck
headed for his truck,
full of frozen fish and drugs, no doubt.
JESSE: And following the
pattern of the dates that Gary
had written down next
drug run's tonight.
MARK: They'll be expecting someone
in the Rusty Runner to come
rendezvous with them offshore.
Now, if only we could get the
lab results on Chuck's truck,
it would be a full circle.
SARAH: Fish oil, seawater and fentanyl.
DONOVAN: Okay. Let's
get a BOLO on Tanya and Chuck.
Okay, I'll get the ferries
and airports covered.
Do that. But there's another
surefire way off this island.
My money is on Chuck
heading to the Rusty Runner.
Let's go, Rex.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[SIRENS WAILING]
MARK: There's Chuck,
headed for the boat.
[TIRES SCREECH]
Rex, hold on! Wait for me!
Chuck, stay where you are!
[ENGINE STARTING]
Halt!
Police!
Rex!
[DRAMATIC PERCUSSION]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
MARK: [ON RADIO] Rusty
Runner. This is the SJPD.
- Return to the wharf.
- [REX BARKS]
Coast Guard has been notified.
You have nowhere to go.
REPEAT: nowhere to go.
[REX BARKING]
[REX WHINES]
[REX GROWLS]
- [REX BARKING]
- K9 officer on board, Chuck.
Be smart about this.
[REX WHINES]
[REX GROWLS]
- [REX BARKS]
- [CHUCK GASPS]
- [REX GROWLS]
- CHUCK: Hey! Hey!
Get off! Get off me!
[REX GROWLING]
Okay, okay!
- [HEROIC MUSIC]
- [REX BARKING]
[REX GROWLS]
[REX BARKS]
COAST GUARD: [ON RADIO]
This is the Coast Guard.
The Rusty Runner has throttled down.
Good job, partner.
Now hold him until uniforms
can get on the boat.
[REX BARKS]
- [REX BARKS]
- All right!
Next time, wait for me. Okay?
I notified the Coast Guard.
Gave the exact location the
illegal cod was harvested from.
So they'll be able to find
the drug suppliers.
Nothing to say for yourself?
- It was really Chuck?
- Yeah.
BRYANNA: I can't believe it!
Lucky I didn't get word
of it before you did.
Safer where he's going.
Yeah, we should be able
to release the Rusty Runner
back to you later this week, I guess.
BRYANNA: This boat meant
everything to Gary and my dad.
My brother died defending it.
WAYNE: I'm here to work
it for you, anytime.
It's your call.
I'd like that.
I think Gary would, too.
[SOFT MUSIC]
[BRYANNA CRIES]
DONOVAN: Hey. So we
picked up Tanya 20 minutes ago.
It was called in by
a car rental company.
And she confessed to
using the fish plant
to offload the Rusty Runner
and transfer cargo to Chuck's truck.
Now, Chuck kept the fish.
And he shipped the drugs off-island.
And she swears that Chuck
killed Gary, not her.
How did she get mixed up in all this?
She was contacted
through a gambling site.
Now, they found out about her debt
and they promised to pay it off.
She brought in Chuck
because she knew how
much he wanted to get away
from the Fog and Fleet.
What about the fentanyl suppliers?
DONOVAN: Well, Chuck's escape route
led the Coast Guard to exactly
where they were stationed.
And all of those who were responsible
are now in the custody
of border services.
And Sunnyside had no knowledge
about the drug operation
happening at the plant.
So it's business as usual.
Okay! Well
Here we go.
I don't know about you
guys, but I'm starving.
So how about some fish and chips?
SARAH: Oh, you know,
suddenly I feel more like pizza!
Yeah, me too, me too.
Yeah, ditto.
- [REX GRUNTS]
- MARK: Come on, you.
[ENERGETIC CLOSING THEME MUSIC]
Fresh air.
Stiff breeze.
And you know what they say.
The best thing about
fishing isn't what you catch.
Right, right. It's, uh
It's keeping good company.
- [DONOVAN CHUCKLES] Yeah.
- Yeah.
And Rex certainly is the best company.
Well, at least one of us
caught something, right, buddy?
He looks hungry!
Yeah, so am I.
What do you say? Burger and a pint?
- Yeah, I'm down.
- Let's do it.
All right.
Let's go, buddy. Come on.
[SEAGULLS CRYING]
[CONTROLS BEEPING]
[CONTROLS WHIRRING]
DECLAN: Look, Gary.
I get it.
Things haven't been going your way.
But you don't have to let me go.
One thing busting after another.
Winch motor. Bilge pump.
Then, the fuel leaks.
Just no sense in it.
You can always sell the
old tub to me, right?
My family could lend me the
cash, if the price is right.
I'm never selling the
Rusty Runner, Declan.
It was my dad's boat.
He left it to me.
Trusted me with it!
And when I find out
who's messing with me,
everything's going to turn around.
I get it.
For sure.
No problem.
One more run together, then
I'll find other work, Gary.
[MYSTERIOUS MUSIC]
GARY: Dad, I'll catch whoever's
doing this to your boat.
[KEYPAD CLICKING]
[PHONE RINGING]
RECEPTIONIST: Sunnyside Fishplant.
How can I direct your call?
[DISTANT SIREN]
Excuse me, sorry. Excuse me.
[FOLK MUSIC]
CHUCK: Hey there, Bryanna.
Chuck.
You heard from Gary the last few days?
Just got out of the hospital yesterday.
Ticker's been giving me trouble again.
He took the Rusty Runner out days ago.
He's not returning my calls.
He's your brother,
Bryanna. He's not your kid.
Maybe leave the grown man alone.
Let me know if you hear from him.
Will do.
I want to be out on the
water before the sun gets up!
Something's tangled in this net!
- Help me out, will ya?
- Yeah.
- [MEN GRUNTING]
- Dang, it's heavy!
What is it?
[HEAVY THUD]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[DRAMATIC PERCUSSION]
[UPBEAT THEME MUSIC]
[CAR ENGINE ROARING]
JESSE: Well, bit of
an early one this morning.
Yeah, nothing like sea
air to get you woken up.
Reminds me of when I was a kid,
heading out on the water at first light.
Yeah, I'm more of a coffee
while I scroll sort of person.
What are we looking at?
Oh, a fisherman found
a body tangled in a net.
Young male. No signs of foul play.
Sarah will fill you in on the details.
- SARAH: Hey.
- Any idea how long he's been under water?
Yeah, based on visual decomposition,
time of death was
approximately 48 hours ago.
Ultimate cause may have been drowning
but the victim had a
serious skull fracture.
Are you sure he didn't
strike his head in a fall?
- Land in the sea?
- Not with the addition
of defensive wounds on both arms.
Appear to be from the same weapon.
So he fought back,
- and lost.
- Gary Francis, 32 years old.
Yeah, he's a commercial fisherman.
Owns a boat called the Rusty Runner.
So he didn't work for a larger company?
Midshore vessels like this
are almost always family run,
little independent
businesses making their living
off the sea one run at a time.
I thought you were a military man.
Well, my grandfather worked his own boat
out of Halifax his whole life.
Fishing whatever was in season,
from lobster to cod, but,
not without the captain, so,
if Gary was killed
right here two days ago,
where's his boat?
JESSE: Yeah.
You know, I'll contact the Coast Guard
to see if the Rusty Runner had a GPS.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[REX SNIFFING]
MARK: What have you found there, Rex?
Something in his ear?
Here.
Yeah.
Oh.
What is that, a stone?
I'm not sure.
It's covered in an oily substance.
- Hold that?
- Sure.
That's curious.
I'll have a closer look back at the lab.
- BRYANNA: Gary!
- OFFICER: Whoah, whoah!
- OFFICER 2: Hey, hey!
- Gary!
Gary! [BRYANNA CRIES]
MARK: Word travels fast
in a fishing community.
SARAH: This is never easy.
I haven't heard from him since Friday.
I was asking around.
Is that unusual for your
brother to be out of touch?
For that long. Yeah.
Gary's out of cell range on the water.
And I took a temp gig in Gander
- so I haven't been around.
- But you were
concerned enough to come
back and look for him.
My brother had been
having a hard time lately.
I started to worry when
he didn't even text.
He'd always let me
know when he was back.
What do you mean by a hard time?
Just money trouble.
The boat was breaking
down a lot. Just
just little things that added up.
Broken pumps, clogged filters.
Gary seemed to think that
someone was messing with him somehow.
Messing with him?
He thought the things
going wrong weren't accidents?
He never laid it out.
I thought he was just
getting in his own head. Like paranoid.
But now I
I wish I'd listened.
I know this is hard, Bryanna, but
can you tell me who might
have wanted to harm your brother?
Someone who might take the Rusty Runner?
The boat's gone too?
That was my dad's boat!
[REX WHINES]
Listen. Anything
you can tell us might help.
Uh
There was this guy, uh,
Declan and, uh
Gary mentioned he kept
trying to buy the boat.
[CAR ENGINE ROARING]
[KNOCKING ON DOOR] MARK: Declan Terry?
- What are you at?
- This is it.
Just got back from my uncle's boat
up on the Northern
Peninsula, the past few days.
Heard the news this morning.
So the boat's gone too?
That's right. Word is you were
interested in buying the Rusty Runner.
That's just all talk.
Can't afford to pay my own rent as is.
And a tub like that's
not worth killing over.
When was the last time you saw Gary?
Six days ago. Friday.
We went for a pint after our last run.
He bought, since he was letting me go
and then we both headed home.
Gary cut you loose?
It happens, right?
Not the first job I lost.
[REX SNIFFING]
Can you think of anyone who may
have had a grudge against him ?
You know, was
messing with his boat maybe?
Gary could get crazy that
way, reading into things.
But there was this one guy.
- Who's that?
- Wayne somebody.
Baggins.
WAYNE: Need an extra hand today, Gary?
Herring's running.
I got it, Wayne.
DECLAN: Hangs around the harbour
trading odd jobs for cash or fish.
I heard two of them in a screaming
match a couple of weeks ago.
You know where I can find Wayne?
He hangs out at the Fog and Fleet a lot.
A lot of the young fishers do.
Cheapest fish and chips in town.
Thanks for the tip.
Come on, Rex.
[REX BARKS]
What's up with your dog?
You mean the highly trained police K9?
It seems he's interested in
whatever's in your fish pan here.
- Do you mind opening it up?
- Sure. No problem.
[REX SNIFFING]
You said you were fishing
the Northern Peninsula?
Isn't cod season closed up there?
Depends what area. What kind of license.
What kind of boat.
These are legit.
Well, Rex is alerting to something
so we'll take a closer look.
And our pathologist will
figure out what it is.
So, you're just going to take them?
Uh-huh.
[SHIP HORN BLARING]
MARK: You found a
microchip in Declan's cod?
Not the kind you put in pets.
The Department of Fisheries
sometimes implants acoustic tags in cod
so they can track their
migration and survival rates.
And Rex has been trained to alert
to the triphenylphosphine
oxide in any microchip.
Yeah, I'm still kind of shocked
that he was able to detect that
over the smell of the fish itself.
Could you use that to
investigate Declan's alibi?
He says he was up in the Northern
Peninsula over the last few days.
Absolutely. I'll reach out
to the Department of Fisheries.
- Get their tracking info.
- Okay.
Meanwhile, I have the
results of the autopsy.
Time of death remains two days ago.
So, some time Tuesday,
but as you can see,
cerebral haemorrhage was
deemed the sole cause of death.
So Gary wasn't breathing by
the time he hit the water.
Exactly.
Also, organic fibres were
found embedded in his scalp.
- From the murder weapon?
- Presumably.
I'm having them analyzed.
That might help identify
the object that caused
the death blow and the defensive wounds.
What about the rock that Rex
found in the victim's ear?
- [REX BARKS]
- That is a bit of a puzzler.
It turns out it's a piece of
crystallized salt covered in fish oils.
Sea salt from being in the ocean?
No, no, it's just common rock salt.
Would have got lodged in the canal
before Gary's body
ever entered the water.
But how did a guy end up
with oily rock salt in his ear
while fighting off an assailant?
I have no idea.
It's also not the only puzzling thing.
Something's bothering you.
Well,
I have seen many, many bodies
that have been submerged in water
for varying degrees of time.
But there's something
different about this one.
- Different how?
- Well, that's the problem.
I can't put my finger on it.
I'll just have to keep
fishing for answers.
[REX GROANS]
I know.
I've clearly been hanging
around Jesse too much.
Ah, yeah.
DONOVAN: So, our victim was
having trouble with his boat.
Thought someone was undermining him
and then wound up floating
in the harbour, dead,
with a piece of salt in his ear.
Plus, his boat's gone.
JESSE: Yeah, and it
has been for a while.
The Harbour Authority
logged the Rusty Runner
- coming in last Friday.
- Gary's last run with Declan.
JESSE: Yeah, but the thing is it
was never logged going back out again.
DONOVAN: So we need to find exactly
when the Rusty Runner left.
And where it is right now.
In the meantime, Coast Guard confirmed
that the vessel did not have a GPS.
So, they put the
equivalent of a BOLO out.
Meanwhile, the pub
should be open by now.
- Come on, Rex.
- [REX BARKS]
Seems a little bit early
for a cold one there, Mark!
DONOVAN: Yeah. Not to mention
that you're on a homicide investigation.
MARK: Okay, Declan, the deckhand
said he witnessed an argument
between Gary and a regular named Wayne.
I'm going to see if
there's any truth to that.
Sure.
Come on.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
BRYANNA: You and that boat!
You held it against him!
- You never let it go!
- Just calm down, Bryanna.
You're overwrought. He didn't
mean to upset you.
BRYANNA: One more word from you, Wayne
- and I swear !
- MARK: Hey, hey, hey!
Step back.
SJPD what's going on here?
Uh, we're having a little dispute.
She's just upset about her brother.
I don't take it seriously.
[REX SNIFFING]
You think Wayne here had something
to do with your brother's death?
It's like he said. I'm
I'm just upset.
Come on, dear. Let's get you inside.
Fish and chips is on me.
- [REX BARKS]
- MARK: What've you got, Rex?
This your truck, Wayne, with
all the rock salt in the back?
Yeah, what of it?
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Because it seems to be
spattered with blood.
[REX GROWLS]
[DRAMATIC PERCUSSION]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
WAYNE: I swear the blood
is from cleaning fish.
And what's the big deal with salt?
I salt my own cod
sometimes. Is that a crime?
We found a piece of rock salt
in the victim's body, Wayne.
Did Gary get that when you threw
him in the back of your truck?
I swear I had nothing
to do with Gary's death.
We've known each other our whole lives.
Gary's deckhand says he saw
the two of you arguing recently.
WAYNE: Need an extra hand today, Gary?
Herring's running.
I got it, Wayne.
I heard two of them in a screaming
match a couple of weeks ago.
WAYNE: Declan said that?
Uh-huh.
Oh, that guy says a lot of stuff
that you can't take to the bank.
What about Bryanna?
You and that boat! You
held it against him!
- You never let it go!
- Just calm down, Bryanna.
You're overwrought.
Me and Bryanna. Um
We were engaged years ago.
Uh, the dream was that we would
be running the boat together.
Two of us, raising kids, and, uh
then her dad died suddenly
and left the Rusty
Runner to her brother
alone.
Was Bryanna bitter about that?
- Being cut out?
- No, it's ancient history.
Bryanna loved Gary.
And she wouldn't hurt anybody,
- let alone her brother.
- Mmm.
That still doesn't explain
why she was angry at you.
You're barking up the
wrong tree, Detective.
Declan is the guy you
should be looking at.
- He's a real sleveen, if you ask me.
- Mmm.
But Declan has an alibi.
And so does Bryanna.
Where were you two days ago, Wayne?
I was fixing an engine on a trawler,
in Witless Bay.
Go ahead and check.
Okay.
JESSE: Hey, how was the pub?
Lively.
It seems that Wayne and
Bryanna are old flames.
At one time, they wanted her
dad's boat for themselves.
He claims that that's
all ancient history now.
Yeah, but where was he on
Tuesday when Gary was killed?
Well, he says he was working
on a trawler up in Witless Bay.
But he and Bryanna are hiding something.
I mean, she was screaming at him
- when I found them at the pub.
- DONOVAN: Right, so,
Bryanna claims that she was in Gander
on Tuesday, right?
And then Declan says that
he was in the Northern Peninsula.
And Wayne says that
he was in Witless Bay.
Do we have any suspect
who was near the scene of the crime
when our victim was killed?
JESSE: Well, a local fisher claims
he saw the Rusty Runner
leave Foxtrap Harbour Friday night.
MARK: The day of Gary's last run.
JESSE: Uh-huh. And another
fisherman says he saw
that the boat never came back
and hasn't been seen since.
So the boat left the
harbour six days ago
but Gary was killed two days ago.
Where was he in between?
Somewhere else on the boat?
Yeah, I feel like I'm
channelling Sarah here.
There's something off about this case
but I can't put my finger on it.
Okay, let's start by
taking a closer look
at the last day that
Gary was seen alive.
Okay, so we know that Gary and Declan
went out onto the water
and then came back and went to the pub.
Yeah, what about in between?
Between work and a pint?
Fishers stop on the way home to sell
their catch at a fish plant.
Can you call his sister
to see where that might be?
Yeah, yeah.
DONOVAN: Something is definitely off.
TANYA: At Sunnyside, , we
buy directly from the fishers,
fresh off our wharf.
Process it inside and sell it wholesale.
It's quite the operation.
And I'm in charge of
keeping it running smoothly.
So, what does this have to do
with a man found dead
in Foxtrap Harbour?
So, Gary Francis
Now his sister believes he sold you
a load of fish here last Friday,
the last day that he was seen alive.
Can't say I recognize him.
Really?
Even though he sold fish right here?
I'm rarely on the dock.
Chained to my desk.
But I can check our records for you.
Perfect, what about these two?
Declan, he worked with Gary
and Wayne had in the past.
Wayne, I know.
He works here at the plant on and off.
Last time would have been, uh
about a week ago.
- Okay, can you send me the exact date?
- Of course.
- [REX BARKS]
- Uh
- [REX SNIFFING]
- Tanya, my partner
seems to be alerting to that bin.
- Uh, may I?
- Go ahead.
- Is that salt?
- Yes.
We go through thousands
of pounds a year.
Use it for everything
from deicing the wharf,
to seasoning a can of salmon.
What about surveillance footage?
Can you send that over to me?
- Absolutely!
- Amazing.
Once I check with the owners.
I'm just the manager.
Wouldn't want to lose
my job in this economy.
Of course. Do your thing.
[PHONE CHIMING]
Donovan, what have you got?
Well, I've got good news and bad news.
The lab confirmed that
the blood in Wayne's truck
was, in fact, fish blood.
So I had to cut him loose.
Okay, and the good news?
The Coast Guard found
the Rusty Runner adrift
about 30 miles offshore.
They're towing it back to
Foxtrap Harbour as we speak.
We're on our way.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
MARK: Coming aboard.
Hey!
We're just getting started here.
No evidence of a struggle
but after being adrift at sea,
any blood on the deck would
likely have been washed away.
So we can't rule out the Rusty Runner
as the place where Gary
may have been killed.
Oh.
Here.
- Oh, what is this?
- Salt,
from Sunnyside Fishplant.
Okay, well, I'll see if it's a match
to the crystal found on the victim
but that won't prove
the salt was from there.
I mean, common salt is
BOTH: Common.
Where's Jesse?
Checking the hold.
That's been stewing
at sea for days and
That's a fun job.
JESSE: Okay, guys.
I just want you to know
that the hull is clear of fish
but it's teeming with stench.
I'll head back down
- holding my nose this time.
- [REX SNIFFING]
- SARAH: Oh, that's disgusting.
- JESSE: Oh, it stinks.
- Smells like a foot!
- MARK: Rex seems interested
- in something over here.
- Oh, yeah.
So the fibres we found
in Gary's head wound,
turn out to be wood
deeply suffused with various
aquatic flora and fauna.
Okay, so a buoy could have
been the murder weapon.
The triangular shape
fits the wound pattern.
But look, he's not alerting to anything.
I think I know why. You
see that last tie?
No last buoy.
Likely floating out
at sea, never to be found.
So maybe Gary was killed on
his own vessel, but then,
how did he end up in the harbour,
when the boat was 30 miles out to sea?
Let's, uh
Let's check the bridge.
- Okay.
- Come on, Rex.
- You okay down there, Jesse?
- JESSE: Nope!
MARK: Throttle's engaged.
Boat's still in gear.
Okay, so the boat was in motion.
Until it ran out of fuel.
So, what happened
to the person driving it?
Well, maybe someone
pointed it out to sea
and just let her go.
Didn't care if the boat
just sank out there?
Or maybe wanted her to.
The evidence at the bottom of the ocean
is usually no evidence at all.
[REX SNIFFING]
[REX WHINES]
What is it, Rex?
- [REX BARKS]
- What's written on it?
Looks like dates and numbers.
Gary told people that he thought
someone was messing with him.
Could he have been tracking something?
- See what Jesse makes of these.
- Okay.
Okay, I'm going to go back to the pub
and see how Bryanna reacts
to the return of the Rusty Runner.
Seems the old girl was carrying
a lot of other people's baggage.
[SARAH SIGHS]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
BRYANNA: I'm just so glad the
Rusty Runner's back safe and sound.
CHUCK: Here you go, folks. On the house.
Oh, Chuck.
- You didn't have to do that.
- No, it's fine, you both deserve it.
Just give me a shout if
you need anything else.
I was, uh I was kind of surprised
that you wanted to meet here,
considering
It's a tight community.
- We're all intertwined.
- Yeah.
I've known Chuck forever.
He used to fish with
my dad back in the day.
On the Rusty Runner?
Before Gary got old enough to help
and took over for him.
That's when Chuck bought this place.
Between you and me,
I don't think he's happy here.
Well, my grandfather was
never happy ashore, either.
- Mmm.
- Eyes always on the horizon.
What about you? Um
any regrets?
What do you mean?
Wayne said there's a history
between you two and the boat.
That you were upset when
your father left it to Gary.
At the time.
But we worked it out.
Oh. How's that?
Gary gave me part ownership,
for good or ill.
But there's a downside to that?
Profits aren't big.
But responsibilities are.
Is there something you're
not telling me, Bryanna?
What did Wayne say to you
earlier that upset you?
Wayne doesn't know
what he's talking about.
But it was about Gary?
We've got evidence of the Rusty
Runner leaving harbour unregistered
in the middle of the night
As part owner,
what do you know about that?
Gary would never do
anything outside the law
- if that's what you're implying.
- It wasn't.
But you think he could have?
I'm starting to think I need a lawyer.
[REX GRUNTS]
On second thought, I think
I'll bring you a cheque.
- [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
- [SHIP HORN SOUNDS]
I had a look at those numbers
that Sarah sent me last night.
Now, the first column they're dates.
But the second, they seem
to be a log of engine hours.
Engine hours? That's a boat's
equivalent to the odometer in a car.
Oh, your grandfather taught you well.
It seems that Gary was
tracking a discrepancy.
Now the boat, it had more
clicks than it should have
on those specific days.
It could be that wasn't the
first time the Rusty Runner
left the harbour in
the night, undocumented.
Bryanna sure clammed up at
the mention of midnight runs.
Still more questions than answers.
- Something's got to break soon.
- JESSE: Yeah.
Oh, I knew it looked off.
Wow. Someone was in early.
- Yeah, I couldn't sleep.
- JESSE: Insomnia?
DONOVAN: Alibis.
Everybody's got one.
Yeah, I think that's the problem.
All our suspects have
motive, but no opportunity.
Some were in Witless Bay, Gander,
and the Northern Peninsula
at the time of Gary's death.
There's something off about this case.
[REX WHINES]
Mmm.
SARAH: I think I figured it out.
The answer to everything.
Ruptured membranes.
Excuse me?
Even I don't get that.
It means that Gary didn't die
on Tuesday like we thought.
He died much earlier. Maybe even
as early as the previous Friday.
How is that possible?
Because Gary's body was frozen.
Frozen?
Specifically, flash frozen.
[DRAMATIC PERCUSSION]
- [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
- [TRAFFIC NOISE]
DONOVAN: I'm still trying
to wrap my head around it.
Gary was frozen?
How could they miss that on the autopsy?
Well, flash freezing,
the process of solidifying
something almost instantly
is designed to limit
cellular damage, right?
So that fish, or any
food's texture and appearance
remain very close to fresh when thawed.
The same held true for Gary's remains.
He looked fresher than he was.
Right, which led you and the coroner
to conclude that his
time of death was Tuesday.
And Tuesday was actually
the time of defrost.
Exactly., Gary most
likely died days earlier,
probably soon after he
was last seen alive.
MARK: Last Friday.
The night his boat was
secreted out of the harbour.
Any chance the Sunnyside Fishplant
has one of these flash
freezing facilities?
Even better. It looks like
they have a process that lowers
the freezing solution far below zero.
With the addition of salt.
Just like the piece Rex found lodged
in Gary's ear covered in fish oil.
- [REX WHINES]
- MARK: Right.
DONOVAN: Okay. Contact
the owners of Sunnyside.
Let's bring Tanya in for questioning.
Yeah, let's see what
else we can dig up on her.
She claimed that she
didn't recognize Gary
but he'd sold there for years.
I'll send a forensics team
to their freezing facility.
Ooh, but
the inside of a fish plant is kept
as sterile as an operating room.
- Sorry, Rex.
- [REX WHINES]
No dogs allowed.
- [REX BARKS]
- I know.
Okay! So it looks
like the flash freezing
melted away all the alibis.
Get down to the pub, Jesse.
- See what you can find out.
- Okay.
DONOVAN: And start with Wayne.
WAYNE: So now you want to
know where I was last Friday?
JESSE: Yeah, the case is evolving.
Where were you the last time
you saw Gary leave the pub?
Uh
I went home, I slept, I
worked a shift at
Sunnyside the next day.
Other than that, I was here. The usual.
Okay, well, Sunnyside is seeming
more and more connected to
the crime now, Wayne.
And you had access to it.
And you had an argument with Gary
and another one with his sister.
I mean, I know you say
it's ancient history, but,
from what I'm hearing,
these emotions seem pretty raw.
I said something I shouldn't
have said. That's all.
And what was that?
Look, Wayne,
a guy you've known your whole life
has been cut down in his prime.
Do we really need to bring you in again?
One night a couple of weeks ago,
I saw the Rusty Runner heading
out in the middle of the night.
And I know that Gary
was having some problems.
Mmm.
Okay, you thought he
was up to something.
Cod quotas are strict.
Every trip has limits.
Inspectors, they log everything.
But if a boat slips out in the dark,
has a buyer who doesn't ask questions
- You do the math.
- Mmm.
So you think he was poaching
and you confronted him on it.
He wouldn't give me a straight answer,
told me I was talking garbage.
And what did you say to that?
I reminded him
what happens to fishers in this town
who take what they're
not supposed to take.
He almost ripped my head off.
I wouldn't have said anything normally
but I was just trying
to look out for Bryanna.
Yeah. And how's that?
The Department of Fisheries
can fine you for poaching,
put you in jail and take your boat.
And that boat is partly Bryanna's.
Even now, if they prove
that the Rusty Runner was involved,
Bryanna loses everything.
Okay.
Is that why she was so angry with you?
I told her what I thought
was going on with her brother.
[JESSE SIGHS]
The thing is, how can I be
so sure that it wasn't you
taking that boat out,
and covering your tracks
by blaming a dead man?
Because I would take my own life
before I harm Bryanna.
How come you never mentioned
you work part-time with Sunnyside?
I work part-time everywhere.
Doesn't everybody?
Money's tight all over.
TANYA: The owners have instructed me
to do whatever I can
to assist in your investigation.
But the idea that someone was
frozen at our plant is preposterous!
But you don't deny that Gary
Francis and the Rusty Runner
were at Sunnyside the last
day that he was seen alive?
In fact, I can confirm it!
Our records show that Gary sold
Sunnyside fish on many occasions.
What about the surveillance footage
I requested over 24 hours ago?
Delivered as we speak.
But I
have the pertinent footage right here.
Gary and his boat
in one piece
sailing off for Foxtrap Harbour.
But you have a flash freezing facility
that uses the saltwater method.
And your forensic team
is there right now.
- Mmm.
- But I have no doubt
they will find nothing
linking your unfortunate victim
or his remains to the
inside of our facilities.
Well, perhaps you can
answer this question.
Um, does the plant operate at night?
No, not for years.
We've been down to one day shifts
since the cod stocks
collapsed in the 90s.
So if somebody wanted
to sneak in after hours,
there'd be no one to interfere.
Assuming that person had
access, of course.
What are you implying?
We looked into your financial
situation, Tanya.
You had a six figure
debt six months ago,
spread across half a dozen
online gambling sites.
And now it's gone.
Can you explain that?
If you're implying
that I'm involved in some
sort of illegal activity,
then I'm afraid this interview is done.
I think I'll let the company's lawyers
assist you from here on out.
[REX GROWLS]
[REX BARKS]
It's okay, Rex.
She's free to go.
[ELEVATOR PINGS]
MARK: So Wayne claims he saw
the Rusty Runner going out at midnight,
thought that Gary was poaching.
Yeah, and then he told Bryanna
and she flew off the handle at him.
She got pretty defensive with me, too.
Said that Gary would
never do anything illegal.
Yeah, but could it be that he
was selling Tanya an illegal catch
under the table, after hours
and then somehow something went wrong.
But what if it wasn't him?
I mean, Gary was tracking a
discrepancy in his engine hours.
Maybe he caught on to
the fact that someone
was using his boat
without his knowledge.
Heading out at midnight to poach fish.
Okay, okay.
Okay.
But look, I mean,
could Tanya really pay
off her gambling debts
by selling black market cod?
SARAH: Actually, I think
it's more than that.
I want to show you something.
Okay, what's What's
with all these trays?
Well, it was bothering
me that Rex was somehow
able to smell the microchip
buried inside the codfish
- you got from Declan.
- [REX BARKS]
What's up with your dog?
I mean, don't get me wrong,
Rex is amazing, but
to pick out a trace that
faint over the smell of fish?
Yeah, it surprised me too.
SARAH: Yeah. So I thought
I'd try it out for myself.
Rex.
Come here.
Check.
[REX SNIFFING]
[REX GRUNTS]
That's an alert.
Okay.
So this,
is a microchip
just by itself.
So he can detect it.
Now,
Rex.
- Check.
- [REX SNIFFING]
Codfish from the grocery store.
He didn't alert
with a chip inside it.
He couldn't even smell it at all.
[REX SNIFFING]
Okay, so why was he alerting
to the cod found at Declan's?
This is my point.
Just wait.
Rex.
Track.
[REX SNIFFING]
[REX GRUNTS]
And this time, he alerts.
This is the cod, Mark,
you got from Declan.
[REX BARKS]
Complete with the
original microchip inside.
So if he couldn't smell
the chip through the fish,
why is he alerting now?
Exactly.
A mystery until I swabbed
the surface of the cod
and found trace amounts of fentanyl.
Fentanyl on a fish?
Yeah, it's not so crazy, actually.
It's a decent way to hide drugs
from the inspectors.
So the Rusty Runner wasn't
bringing in illegal fish at night.
It was bringing in illegal drugs.
Why not both?
I just heard back from the
Department of Fisheries this morning.
This cod was taken from a closed area
just 30 miles offshore of St. John's.
Not the North Peninsula,
like Declan said.
Okay. All roads seem to lead to Declan.
Bring him in.
You got it.
Rex. [MARK CLICKS TONGUE]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
[CAR ENGINE ROARING]
Hey, Declan!
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
SJPD!
[DECLAN YELLS]
[REX BARKS]
[REX SNIFFING]
Caught in your own net.
Seems fitting.
[DRAMATIC PERCUSSION]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
So, Declan ran?
And climbed
and almost slipped the net.
So maybe he knew that we
found the traces of fentanyl
on the confiscated codfish.
Or heard his manufactured
alibi had taken on water.
That trip to the Northern
Peninsula looks pretty convenient.
Yeah, but the bottom line is
he lied about where he found that cod.
He wanted to buy Gary's boat.
Maybe using it to poach
was a way to raise the cash.
Well, who else knows their way around
the Rusty Runner better than him?
But how does the
fentanyl play into this?
Yeah, not to mention
murder and flash freezing.
Wayne said that you couldn't take much
of whatever Declan says at face value.
Yeah, well looks like you better
start fishing for the truth.
Not you, too.
DECLAN: I know I shouldn't have run
but I heard you yelling "Police!"
and people at the pub were talking about
- how Gary may be poaching.
- We know you were poaching.
- I never in my life!
- We've gone way beyond that.
The fish that my K9
alerted to at your place
has tested positive for drugs.
- What?
- Gary suspected that someone
was sneaking the Rusty
Runner out at night.
Did he figure out that it was you?
Did he hide in the hull
to catch you red-handed?
No, no, you've got this all wrong.
Did he surprise you when you
were offloading at Sunnyside
where you killed him with a
buoy rather than face charges
then froze him and
got yourself an alibi?
This is insane.
I've got no idea how you
found drugs on that fish.
I just bought it cheap is all.
I didn't ask questions.
Bought it cheap? From who?
Chuck sells it under the table.
I don't know where he gets it.
Here you go, folks. On the house.
BRYANNA: Chuck, you
didn't have to do that.
CHUCK: No, it's fine.
You both deserve it.
Just give me a shout if
you need anything else.
But he's got the cheapest
fish and chips in town.
Okay. So I asked the
Department of Fisheries
to track the microchip found in the cod
after it left the water.
They thought it was a
pretty weird request.
- I bet. What did they say?
- They sent me this.
Okay, so the cod confiscated
from Declan, covered in fentanyl
was caught offshore illegally
then transferred to
the Sunnyside Fishplant
then on to the Fog and Fleet.
So Chuck took the Rusty
Runner on drug runs?
Yeah, and picked up a load of cod
on the way to freeze along with it.
Bryanna mentioned that he'd
worked the boat with her dad
and hated working the bar.
So he found a way out.
But he'd need someone with
access to the fishplant.
Send uniforms for Tanya.
- And let's bring this Chuck character in.
- You got it.
Rex.
[CAR ENGINE ROARING]
Back again?
Got new ways to smear my late brother?
I'm looking for Chuck.
He's not here.
Had to go back to the hospital.
Did me the favour of
throwing me a few shifts.
Back to the hospital?
Yeah, he was there about a week ago.
Around when Gary went missing?
Well, I bet they didn't
find anything wrong.
Though it makes for a great alibi.
What did Chuck need an alibi for?
To freeze a body and
shift the time of death.
They froze my brother?
[REX SNIFFING]
[REX BARKS]
What is it?
- Is this Chuck's truck?
- Yeah.
He uses it when he buys fish.
What's going on?
What's he found?
If I'm right,
the reason your brother was killed.
Thanks.
The hospital confirms they
admitted Chuck three days ago.
He was claiming chest pains.
His manufactured alibi while
he shifted Gary's time of death.
Yeah, well, he's not there now.
Okay, uniforms at Sunnyside.
Tanya disappeared mid-shift
but the office confirmed that
Chuck's bought fish from her for years.
And there's also this.
Surveillance footage from
Sunnyside Wharf, against the dates
from Gary's engine hours list.
- Nothing.
- I'll check the time stamp.
- Hours have been deleted.
- Yeah.
To hide the Rusty Runner's
unloading, presumably.
JESSE: On every one
of those same nights.
But look at this.
They missed one frame
from over a month ago.
MARK: Tanya and Chuck
headed for his truck,
full of frozen fish and drugs, no doubt.
JESSE: And following the
pattern of the dates that Gary
had written down next
drug run's tonight.
MARK: They'll be expecting someone
in the Rusty Runner to come
rendezvous with them offshore.
Now, if only we could get the
lab results on Chuck's truck,
it would be a full circle.
SARAH: Fish oil, seawater and fentanyl.
DONOVAN: Okay. Let's
get a BOLO on Tanya and Chuck.
Okay, I'll get the ferries
and airports covered.
Do that. But there's another
surefire way off this island.
My money is on Chuck
heading to the Rusty Runner.
Let's go, Rex.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[SIRENS WAILING]
MARK: There's Chuck,
headed for the boat.
[TIRES SCREECH]
Rex, hold on! Wait for me!
Chuck, stay where you are!
[ENGINE STARTING]
Halt!
Police!
Rex!
[DRAMATIC PERCUSSION]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
MARK: [ON RADIO] Rusty
Runner. This is the SJPD.
- Return to the wharf.
- [REX BARKS]
Coast Guard has been notified.
You have nowhere to go.
REPEAT: nowhere to go.
[REX BARKING]
[REX WHINES]
[REX GROWLS]
- [REX BARKING]
- K9 officer on board, Chuck.
Be smart about this.
[REX WHINES]
[REX GROWLS]
- [REX BARKS]
- [CHUCK GASPS]
- [REX GROWLS]
- CHUCK: Hey! Hey!
Get off! Get off me!
[REX GROWLING]
Okay, okay!
- [HEROIC MUSIC]
- [REX BARKING]
[REX GROWLS]
[REX BARKS]
COAST GUARD: [ON RADIO]
This is the Coast Guard.
The Rusty Runner has throttled down.
Good job, partner.
Now hold him until uniforms
can get on the boat.
[REX BARKS]
- [REX BARKS]
- All right!
Next time, wait for me. Okay?
I notified the Coast Guard.
Gave the exact location the
illegal cod was harvested from.
So they'll be able to find
the drug suppliers.
Nothing to say for yourself?
- It was really Chuck?
- Yeah.
BRYANNA: I can't believe it!
Lucky I didn't get word
of it before you did.
Safer where he's going.
Yeah, we should be able
to release the Rusty Runner
back to you later this week, I guess.
BRYANNA: This boat meant
everything to Gary and my dad.
My brother died defending it.
WAYNE: I'm here to work
it for you, anytime.
It's your call.
I'd like that.
I think Gary would, too.
[SOFT MUSIC]
[BRYANNA CRIES]
DONOVAN: Hey. So we
picked up Tanya 20 minutes ago.
It was called in by
a car rental company.
And she confessed to
using the fish plant
to offload the Rusty Runner
and transfer cargo to Chuck's truck.
Now, Chuck kept the fish.
And he shipped the drugs off-island.
And she swears that Chuck
killed Gary, not her.
How did she get mixed up in all this?
She was contacted
through a gambling site.
Now, they found out about her debt
and they promised to pay it off.
She brought in Chuck
because she knew how
much he wanted to get away
from the Fog and Fleet.
What about the fentanyl suppliers?
DONOVAN: Well, Chuck's escape route
led the Coast Guard to exactly
where they were stationed.
And all of those who were responsible
are now in the custody
of border services.
And Sunnyside had no knowledge
about the drug operation
happening at the plant.
So it's business as usual.
Okay! Well
Here we go.
I don't know about you
guys, but I'm starving.
So how about some fish and chips?
SARAH: Oh, you know,
suddenly I feel more like pizza!
Yeah, me too, me too.
Yeah, ditto.
- [REX GRUNTS]
- MARK: Come on, you.
[ENERGETIC CLOSING THEME MUSIC]