* *
RACHEL: To all my friends.
Subject: I'm getting married!
Just kidding. LOL. Forgive me for my little ruse
to get your attention, my busy loved ones.
I love you so much.
And I've been so happy to spend every weekend
and some Thursdays of my entire adult life
celebrating you and your partners' milestones.
It's been a pleasure to spend thousands of dollars
celebrating your first, second, and third weddings.
Countless hours organizing your bachelorettes,
your baby showers, your gender reveals.
And I've never, ever
asked for anything in return.
But, loved ones, much to my shock and delight,
I've reached an unexpected milestone myself.
My dear Aunt Sylvie passed away
and left me her sun-drenched villa
in the south of France.
I've inherited my dream home.
And I urge you to come celebrate with me.
Yes, it's a Thursday, but you'll manage, like I have.
(chuckles) I'm looking at you, Evangeline. Ha, ha.
And just like Blair's proposal reveal brunch,
it's a cash bar.
Cell phones will be locked upon arrival
to encourage human connection.
No children are allowed.
Heartfelt toasts are not only encouraged,
but required, so prepare.
I've set up a registry at Selency.
I could use all the help I can get to furnish my home
with genuine French pre-war pieces.
Attached is a photo for reference.
Oh, and did I mention the best part?
The dress code is Regency chic.
Please RSVP in a timely manner.
Kisses. Rachel.
Great. (chuckles)
Okay. Wow.
Everything looks perfect.
BLAZE: Would you like a drink while you wait?
Um, hi. Yes.
But you're going to have to say the name.
That's the whole point of paying for a custom cocktail.
I'm sorry. Um...
would you like a Rachel's Time Martini?
Put the emphasis on "Rachel."
(quietly): "Rachel's Time Martini."
Why are you still standing here?
It's almost time. (chuckles) Circulate.
-Okay. -Circulate.
Allez! Hey.
You should have asked me for this when I came in.
I was waiting for the guests to arrive.
Okay, well, when they do, it is really important
that you get everyone's phone. Okay?
I don't want any butt-ugly photos being posted online
without my permission.
Yes, miss.
If they ask for it back,
you say, "Is it an emergency?"
And then ask what the emergency is.
Okay? Because... (scoffs)
repeatedly checking in on the sitter-- it is not an emergency.
It's postpartum depression.
Ah.
Ready for my Rachel's Time.
It's my time after all. (chuckles)
Okay.
(sighs)
I need my phone.
Is it an emergency?
Just give it to me.
Hey. Tequila.
-Yes, ma'am. -Now. (sighs)
Kimberly?
Do you want a jalapeño popper?
No, Blaze. I don't want a jalapeño popper.
How about another Rachel's Time Martini?
Just leave me alone, okay?
Actually, you know what?
(chuckles)
Send everybody home. (chuckles)
Nobody's coming.
You can clean up in the morning.
Everybody, go home.
*
(shouts)
-(bike bell rings) -Whoa! Ugh, this night.
No!
Uh, don't jump!
Let go! Get off me, you freak.
Wow. You're beautiful.
What?
You've got so much to live for.
I wasn't gonna kill myself, you idiot.
But you look so damaged.
Maybe that's 'cause you almost hit me with your dumb bike.
Look, I know life
can get tough, but
you don't have to hide your pain.
I am not hiding my pain.
I am literally telling you
how upset I am.
Look. Look what you did
to my Jane Austen-inspired heels.
No one is alone.
Well, I literally am. (chuckles)
But don't you worry, I'm very used to it.
Don't follow me or I'll call the cops.
Uh, wait, wait.
At least take my number.
Let me know you got home okay.
Fine.
-Forgot my phone. -Then...
Here, take this.
You can call me anytime.
-(chuckles) -I mean it.
- Of course you're a barista. -I'm a store manager. That's why
it says, "bean boss."
I'm such a broke boy magnet.
Well, I'm here for you, always.
(door opens)
-Howie? -(door closes)
Hello, Kimberly.
Why were you not at my party?
Why didn't anyone come to my party?
-Hi, Rachel. -Ha, ha.
What did you do, Kimberly?
-What did I do? -Yeah.
Take some responsibility for yourself.
Everyone thought your party was insane.
Oh, not as insane as having three failed marriages
-before 35. -Howie and I are fine.
Oh, yeah? Is that why you're alone right now?
Why don't you just mind your own business?
I don't have time to mind my own business.
I'm too busy celebrating your garbage relationships
with garbage men.
Well, at least I've had relationships.
I like being single.
-No, you don't. -And I shouldn't be punished for it.
Kimberly, I have been a bridesmaid
16 times.
I can't remember the last day off
that I was not shopping for a gift
or planning a party or-or-- my favorite--
writing a speech about how great
someone else's underwhelming husband is.
Nobody appreciates me.
Rachel, I appreciate you and everything you do
and so does everyone else, but you also have free will.
You could have said no.
-I could have said no? -Mm-hmm.
Yeah, if I had said no, Kimberly, you wouldn't be
snuggling in this cashmere blanket
that I bought for you when you were engaged to Scooter.
If I had said no,
you wouldn't have this gorgeous Tiffany frame
that I bought for you when you were
engaged to Lyle.
If I had said no,
I wouldn't have paid
$800 for this
Le Pótique pot
that I got for you and Howie
when you got married on my 30th birthday.
And you can't even bring yourself
to celebrate me for one night?
Wow.
Do you hear yourself?
This transactional, entitled behavior
is not something to be indulged.
That's why I told everyone to change their RSVPs tonight.
You what?
Inheriting a house isn't the same as falling in love
or getting married or starting a family.
And it's not your friend's fault
that those things will never happen for you.
(grunts)
Oh, my God.
Dishwasher.
(dishwasher beeps)
Boo-boo?
Make me some mac and cheese?
(snoring)
* *
Okay, Howie.
(quietly): Oh, my God. I'm sorry.
Sorry. Sorry.
(door opens)
(door closes)
I know I've let you down,
and there's no excuse for my behavior.
I exaggerated,
and I let people hear
what I wanted them to hear.
Drawing attention to the right issues,
but in the wrong way.
And for that, I'm deeply sorry.
But from the beginning, this campaign
hasn't been about me.
It's about making this city affordable for you.
So, don't vote for me. Vote for the movement.
(reporters clamoring)
REPORTER: What made you decide to come forward about this lie?
Someone very important to me
made me realize that...
...without truth,
without honesty,
I have nothing.
Any other questions?
How many times are you gonna watch that speech?
-(TV clicks off) -Oh. Can't seem to
pull myself away. And the news
-is still everywhere. -Well, I don't think
the coverage is going away
before the election.
What do you think's gonna happen next week?
It's hard to tell.
Mr. Bloom did lie.
He said so himself.
But his apology was an actual apology,
which is rare in politics.
And it was genuine. I think.
Yeah, so is his work.
New Yorkers are gonna have to ask themselves
if his dishonesty
about his past
makes him a bad politician in the present.
-Are you gonna vote for him? -No.
I don't like how he treated my friend.
Please don't let that be a factor.
I mean, we... we had some good times.
-It wasn't all bad. -You're defending him?
It's complicated.
Maybe I was naive to expect a politician
to be completely honest all the time.
You're anything but naive.
That's why I have another case for you, if you're up for it.
-Okay. -Young woman by the name
of Kimberly Brooks was found dead in her apartment.
She's been featured in the wedding section
-of the Met Tribune three times. -Ooh, wow.
Above the fold.
Her third husband called the cops on himself.
Says he might have done it.
Might have?
DONNELLY: So, you're out at a bar,
and the next thing you know, your wife is dead
from blunt force trauma to the head,
and you're holding one of those heavy
Le Pótique pots in your hand.
I must have killed her.
Howie, to me,
it seems like you really just want to find out
what happened to Kimberly, even if you have to go to jail.
-She was the love of my life. -Aw.
And... look at these strange marks
on the floor. Are they usually here?
HOWIE: Those are from
our neighbor, Enid. (sighs)
She visits Kimberly all the time.
She's, like, super old and uses a cane.
Completely damaged our floors.
Weird. If these really are from Enid's cane,
then why don't they match?
Huh. You're right.
I guess she must have different canes.
And...
...look at the color of this pot.
It does not match the color of the lid.
What are you talking about? They're both yellow.
No, but one of them is lighter
than the other. See?
Ha. But every pot...
(pops lips) has a lid.
So... (whistles)
Yes. The...
Ooh, ooh, ooh. Where is it?
(vocalizing) Ooh.
(gasps) Ah-ha!
Bingo. (clicks tongue, whistles)
See?
And... every lid...
(grunts) has a pot.
See? A match.
(shutter clicking)
You're right. Google Lens
says these two are lemon daffodil,
but the one that was on Howie
-was buttercream yellow. -Huh.
Did-did you say this was in the dishwasher?
I would never put a Le Pótique pot
in the dishwasher, no matter how drunk I was.
But you would kill your wife?
(phone chiming)
HOWIE: That's Kimerly's phone.
Someone named Rachel is texting.
"Hey, girl. U ok?
U didn't make it to my party last night..."
ELSBETH: That's sweet.
A friend checking in.
Wonder which one is Rachel.
Oh.
* *
"Heartfelt toasts are not only encouraged, but required."
Uh, registry... Regency chic?
I-Is this Rachel Withers woman serious?
Sounds like it.
I thought these types of events
were for celebrating milestones
and accomplishments, like graduating from college,
having a kid, getting married, you know.
Uh... inheriting a house is something
-that was just given to you. -DONNELLY: Speaking of,
congratulations on your 30th anniversary, Captain.
I was honored to get the invite.
Me too. Want me to make you a cake?
Respectfully, no.
Oh, right. You probably have caterers. (chuckles)
Just like Rachel.
I think her party sounds like a blast.
Whatever Regency chic is, that sounds lovely.
DONNELLY: Cell phones locked up.
No children allowed.
Cash bar on a Thursday. Sounds like revenge.
-(grunts) -DONNELLY: Always a bridesmaid,
-always bitter. -I love being a bridesmaid.
No surprise.
And I don't understand what this party has to do
-with anything. -Oh. Kimberly RSVP'd no.
-So? -So...
if Rachel knew that Kimberly wasn't gonna come to her party,
why would she send her a text checking in?
Didn't she already know that Kimberly wasn't gonna show up?
Oh, you think that she was covering her tracks?
Captain, the husband is in custody. He said he did it.
Howie said he might have done it,
not that he did do it.
And he said that he and Kimberly
were in a good place before she died.
So what would be the motive?
DONNELLY: The neighbors said that they heard
them fighting almost every night.
But not on the night that Kimberly was murdered.
Could I please interview Rachel?
Judging from Kimberly's photos, they were really close.
I-I mean, at the very least,
she'll have more information on
Kimberly and Howie's relationship.
You just want to talk to Rachel about the party.
Daddy.
Oh, hi, Julia.
I need to talk to you. Alone.
ELSBETH: Oh.
You invited my ex to your anniversary?
I was gonna talk to you about that.
Your mother and I extended invitations
to several detectives,
and I couldn't just exclude him.
Well, you should have asked me first.
Well, I'm asking you now.
-Can I invite Detective Rivers? -No.
It's too uncomfortable.
Well, the world doesn't have to change
just because you don't want to feel uncomfortable.
Well, you could have at least considered my feelings.
Look, he hasn't RSVP'd.
Yet.
Maybe he won't come.
Well, you better make sure he doesn't,
or I won't be attending.
What? Seriously?
Dead serious. It's either him or me.
Hm.
-* -(indistinct chatter)
I honestly can't see my feet anymore.
(laughs) That is what it's come to.
Hon, are you lost?
Oh, hi. Yes, I'm looking for Rachel Withers.
Oh. (chuckles)
She didn't tell me she was bringing
a plus-one.
Wow, did she organize all of this?
It's the only reason I'm not kicking you out
for a dress code violation.
Here.
-Put this on. -Oh.
Thank you. And... (deep voice): congratulations.
-Ah. -(chuckles)
MAN: Yeehaw.
(country accent): What a beautiful party, ma'am.
Yeehaw.
Jojo's about to smash
the gender reveal piñata in just a few minutes,
so make sure to grab a Guess My Genitals Gimlet.
Uh, gee, thanks.
That sounds... anatomical.
(laughs)
(regular accent): No, I'm, uh,
actually here with the NYPD.
I'm Elsbeth Tascioni.
I'm on a consent decree,
which I can explain to you later.
I really should prepare a handout.
Uh, I had some questions for you
about Kimberly Brooks.
Oh, um... Of-of course.
Uh, I'm Rachel Withers.
I'm Kimberly's best friend. Uh...
Or I was.
Yeah, I-I know who you are.
I, um, I found the invite
for Jojo's gender reveal
on Kimberly's phone calendar.
It's so generous of you to still throw it,
considering what happened.
Thank you, but Kimberly
wouldn't have wanted me to cancel.
She knew how much I loved celebrating my friends.
It's-it's my passion outside of my job.
Wait, you're not a party planner?
Oh, I'm a data governance manager.
-That sounds impressive. -(scoffs) No.
But you're so good at party planning.
And you've done so many events,
including all three of Kimberly's bachelorettes
and bridal showers.
Oh, well, that's just the role of the maid of honor, or
sometimes, simply a good friend.
Plus, I'm, uh, great at Excel.
But giving so much without ever
asking for anything in return--
I mean, that must be tough.
I mean, that's what you alluded to in your email, right?
Sorry, I-I write a lot of emails.
You're gonna have to be more specific.
The one where you invited all of your friends
to a party at the Brooklyn Carriage House?
That whole registry thing-- it was-it was a joke.
-As was the email as a whole. -Really?
I mean, the email was jokey,
but it seemed really serious, underneath.
Oh, you just...
you don't know my friends and our sense of humor.
-I see. -Right.
So, did Kimberly
find the email funny?
Oh, yeah, we had a great laugh. She loved it.
Then why didn't she come to your party?
The night that Kimberly was murdered,
she was just by herself at her apartment,
waiting for Howie to come home from a bar.
Ha. That's all he ever does, isn't it?
Did you know that he has three DUIs?
Two of which were during congestion pricing?
That's terrible.
He's a terrible husband.
That's why, when Kimberly didn't show up to my party,
I-I texted her to make sure that everything was okay.
You know? Because I-I was really worried
that something was wrong.
And it turns out I was right.
But you weren't right.
Kimberly's time of death was 2:00 a.m.
That is long after your party ended.
I just meant I had an ominous feeling about the whole night.
Do you ever feel connected to your best friend like that?
When something's wrong, you just know?
Sure.
I, uh, worry about my friend Kaya all the time,
but, uh, if I think there's something actually wrong,
I reach out to her immediately, not the day after.
If I'm allowed to, while she's on assignment.
I actually couldn't reach out to Kimberly immediately
because my phone was in a lockbox all night.
Oh, that's right. You, uh, you banned them from your party.
How was it, by the way?
It looked beautiful.
And, uh, I thought I wouldn't have enough food,
but fortunately, I did.
-Oh. -(phone vibrates) -Oh. (chuckles)
Oh. If you'll excuse me.
Okay, everybody, it's piñata time, y'all!
Get over here, Jojo.
Okay. Three,
two, one...
(cheering)
They're on the affordability in general,
like we were talking about before,
and, uh, and it was a great to have...
to have this time...
But, uh, maybe next week we can catch up.
All right, take care.
You look awesome.
Alec, what are you doing here?
I, I have a-a meeting in the building,
but, uh, I wanted to make sure I saw you.
I told you I need space.
I know. I just
-wanted to ask you one thing. -(elevator bell dings)
(elevator doors open)
Fine.
(elevator doors close)
-W-Would you watch E.T. with me? -(gasps)
I know I lied about it when we were with Teddy and Roy.
I-I don't know. I just didn't want them to think
I was strange, and-and it just came out.
I'm sorry.
But, moving forward...
...I want to prove to you that I'm gonna do everything I can--
big or small-- to commit to the truth.
I can't.
Of course.
I just need you to know that...
...it could be days, weeks,
years from now.
I'll wait.
I can handle losing the election, but...
...I can't handle losing you.
(elevator bell dings)
(elevator doors open)
Excuse me.
So, tell us about Rachel Withers.
Rachel has, um...
-How do I put this nicely? -Mm.
Big student council president energy.
BLAIR: You just kind of tense up when you see her.
Why is that?
She makes deep eye contact,
but she only ever talks about herself.
Being trapped in conversation with her
is like listening to an endless podcast
you never subscribed to.
And the podcast has eyes.
-Crazy eyes. -EVANGELINE: Mm-hmm.
DONNELLY: So, you thought she was annoying.
That pretty normal for a toxic hot girl friend group.
Oh, thank you.
But why did so many people
let her throw them parties?
Rachel is a control freak who thinks she can do everything
better than you without realizing
she's the only one who volunteers
to do those very things.
Like, I wasn't even going to invite her to my bachelorette,
but she insisted on organizing it. (scoffs)
She also claims to love it.
Oh, I believe her. She's childless and wealthy.
It's, like, the only thing she has.
-She does give great gifts. -Uh, but
the gifts feel selfish, somehow.
Like she's showing off or keeping score
and only ever giving them to get something back.
I mean, she basically said that in her email. So rude.
I was so offended.
-BLAIR: Me too. -So was I.
But you all went to her party,
-right? -ALL: No.
Kimberly told us we didn't have to, so we all changed our RSVPs.
You did?
-When? -BLAIR: The day of.
Kimberly sent an email to Rachel's guest list
saying how we shouldn't indulge her behavior
and that she would take the bullet and talk to her.
Boy, that would make me want to kill someone.
Wait, is Rachel a suspect?
Uh, Kimberly's husband is in custody.
-Good. We hate that guy. -Hate.
He definitely did it. I mean,
Kimberly's always had horrible taste in men,
but Howie's by far the worst.
She even had to buy her own engagement ring.
Wait. The engagement ring found at the crime scene?
That's odd.
Why?
Well, it was thrown across the room.
-So? -ELSBETH: So
why would Kimberly throw something in disgust
that she picked out herself?
I found the email that Kimberly sent to Rachel's guest list.
It was in her trash folder instead of her sent folder.
-(gasps) -It seems to me like Kimberly
took an extra step to make sure that Rachel didn't find out
about that message,
which doesn't align with your motive theory.
Well, anyone could have forwarded
Kimberly's email to Rachel.
All those girls we talked to--
they were very loyal to the queen B.
They pulled out of that party on her command.
They also said
that Kimberly was gonna talk to Rachel
about everything.
So maybe that's what she did.
Everything in the crime scene
points to there being a heated argument, right?
Yes, with Howie.
Or Rachel.
The neighbors said they didn't hear the buzzer ring
at 2:00 a.m., which means
who was ever fighting with Kimberly
had a key to that apartment, and Howie lived there.
Rachel could have a key.
We don't have enough to merit a warrant,
and Rachel has a pretty solid alibi.
A lot of people working that party
saw her at the Carriage House late.
But the staff was let go at midnight.
Kimberly's time of death is 2:00 a.m.
It's a long commute from Brooklyn to Manhattan,
but it doesn't take two hours.
Sometimes it does, depending on the trains,
the weather, the traffic.
-Ooh, should we go run a test? -(phone dings, vibrates)
DONNELLY: No.
Why? It'll be so fun.
Because Rachel's phone records just came in.
Her cell pinged at the Brooklyn Carriage House.
-When? -All night.
Uh, Captain. Hi. You-you wanted to see me?
Detective Rivers, uh, please, close the door behind you.
Okay.
Uh...
am I in trouble?
Oh, not at all.
-Okay. -(laughs)
But I bet that's what you like
to get yourself into on your RDOs, isn't it? (laughs)
Yes, as a young man in the great city.
Trouble.
(weak chuckle)
Uh... No. No.
Oh, come on. You must love
-going to a rave -Rave.
with your, uh, your crew.
(both laugh)
Which is why you-you shouldn't be pressured into
attending a party at your boss' house in your spare time.
Oh, um, you know, I-I don't...
I don't have that many friends,
so I-I usually just stay at home
and chill on my days off.
Oh. That sounds...
Well, uh...
good for you, kid. You know, rest is crucial in our field,
which is why you should get plenty of it.
So, if you want to sit out my party, it's okay.
Uh, but I was-I was so honored to be invited.
Oh, it's no big deal.
But it is to me, so...
Uh, we cast a net wide.
Even still, you know.
Uh, don't worry about coming. I'm serious.
(sighs)
(clears throat) Yeah.
No, the... Yeah, I mean, what-what a relief. (laughs)
-You know? -Really?
Yeah, no. My, um...
My aunt died
last week.
Uh, so, you know, I was-I wasn't really feeling up to it.
Oh.
Aunts have a special presence in our lives.
-Yeah. -So, Detective Rivers,
I'm sorry for your loss.
Yeah. Yeah, me too.
Me too.
(door opens)
Thank you. Means a lot.
* *
(elevator bell dings)
Wow. Oh. Sorry. (laughs)
Oh, wow.
Hey. You.
(laughs) This is, um, actually a private event.
Right. Oh,
and it's so kind of you to put
so much care into it,
especially since all these girls skipped out on your party.
-Okay. -Oh.
Why did you lie?
It's not something that's easy to admit, okay?
-I... I was embarrassed. -Yeah, and mad, too, right?
I mean, I would be, especially at what Kimberly did.
What did Kimberly do?
She emailed your entire guest list,
told them all to change their RSVPS the night of, and because
everybody loved Kimberly, they listened.
Wow.
Kimberly, girl, you're breaking my heart.
So, you're not mad?
Hurt people hurt people.
Wow. I mean, she must have been in so much pain
to do something like that.
I...
I really wish I could have helped her.
It's just, it's so hard
when friends get swept up in bad marriages.
Mm. Oh, speaking of marriages,
I took a look at all three of Kimberly's registries,
and it looks like the Le Pótique
that I found in the dishwasher
was one of your many thoughtful gifts.
Are you sure? I...
Oh, I'm sorry, I can't seem to remember which one I got her,
and the Le Pótique pots-- they kind of all look the same.
Oh, no, they're actually all really different.
-How? -The colors.
See, for example,
the pot found on Howie was buttercream yellow,
whereas the lid found near the body
was lemon daffodil.
And that was the color of the pot that I found
in the dishwasher the morning after Kimberly was murdered,
by the way, lemon daffodil. So...
Shh, pop, boop! An exact match.
Wow.
To learn that a gift I gave Kimberly
was used during her last day on Earth...
Elsbeth, that's honestly a gift in itself.
Oh, yeah. It really made an impact on her.
Thank you so much
for telling me that, Elsbeth.
I, um... I'll carry this with me forever.
You really are a saint.
Because if Kimberly had left me alone on my big day,
I would have... I would have wanted to confront her.
Oh. (chuckles) Thank you,
but you're-you're giving me way too much credit. I, um...
As I said, I was just really embarrassed.
And-and a little hurt, too,
so I just sat in my pain
all night at the Carriage House.
Well, your cell phone did ping there all night.
Well, there you go, proof.
And those party workers
witnessed my lonely crash-out.
Oh, yeah, speaking of,
one of the members of the cleanup crew
told me that there were only two boxes of food left
at the venue the next morning.
If you were all alone, who ate all that?
Including the, uh, seafood tower?
Huh. I...
I actually have no idea.
(elevator bell dings)
-(elevator doors open) -I believe you.
And I promise I'll get to the bottom of it.
I'm sure you will.
According to Blaze, your catering manager,
you have a habit of taking home
uneaten food from events you work?
And Google tells me you're a volunteer
at Feed the People NYC.
I grew up food insecure.
Oh.
I'm so sorry to hear that.
And you worked Rachel Withers' party, right?
Must have been so upsetting to see so much food go to waste.
Did you know that 68% of all food in this city
that gets thrown out is still edible?
-(scoffs) -It would have been criminal
to let Blaze throw everything away
just 'cause that rich girl didn't have any friends.
And you thought you could do something
about that, didn't you?
Oh, Ben, you're not in trouble. You can tell me.
Uh, yeah, I...
I drove my truck back to the Carriage House
at around 2:00 a.m.
Picked up most of the steaks, the appetizers.
Desserts, too.
And did you see Rachel Withers at that time?
Oh, no. Place was completely empty.
Ah.
One last question.
What did you do with that seafood tower?
Oh, it was toppled on the ground.
But I-I have seven cats.
(chuckles): Oh.
(elevator bell dings)
Bye, Ben.
Say hey to all the kitties.
Rachel's alibi is kaput.
And she could have easily left her phone in the Carriage House
while she was in Kimberly's apartment.
And the luminol test on the pot you found in the dishwasher
had traces of protein.
From a chicken? A steak?
-Kimberly's blood. -Ooh. (gasps)
Wait, how?
'Cause it doesn't wash off as easily as people think,
and we tested the filter in the dishwasher
-and her blood was in there, too. -(chuckles)
What about the one found on Howie?
None, which means we don't have enough to keep him in custody,
and you were right to look at Rachel Withers.
But don't get a "swolled" head.
Oh, I wouldn't.
I have so many hats
-the right size. -WAGNER: Elsbeth.
Someone's here to see you.
ELSBETH: Who's she with?
A man named Carson Rogers.
He claims he was with Rachel
when Kimberly Brooks was murdered.
When exactly?
The entire night.
I was going to kill myself that night.
When nobody showed up for me,
I felt so...
unloved.
And so I walked to the bridge in this sort of
awful, hazy daze,
and before I knew it,
my body decided to jump.
If it weren't for this brave man
sitting next to me, I wouldn't be here.
And you can confirm this alibi?
Yes, sir.
I was riding my bike home from a late shift
at the coffee shop.
After I almost swerved into this gorgeous,
ethereal creature,
with these elegant
teardrops raining down her alabaster cheek.
As soon as I held her in my arms, I knew
I'd never let go.
RACHEL: When he almost hit me,
I backed into a crack on the sidewalk,
and my shoes were ruined.
But my heart was mended
the moment I looked into his eyes.
And we spent the rest of the night talking at his apartment.
He convinced me to live.
But we're in love now.
Yeah. You made that pretty clear.
(sighs) How convenient.
I don't trust any guy that drives a Cybertruck.
Wait, he was riding a bike home
from his job as a barista five days ago,
and now he drives a Cybertruck?
I saw it outside.
It still has the dealer plates on it.
Which means it's new.
Do we think that Rachel paid Carson
to give her an alibi?
DONNELLY: I'm not buying it.
All of these were posted in the last few days.
She must have decided to reach out to Carson
after I told her the food was missing from her party.
WAGNER: But that doesn't exactly prove
this relationship is fake,
or, if they swear to it, disprove Rachel's new alibi.
There must be something.
Can we pull up her tagged photos?
Ooh, good idea.
Hey. That's a picture from her party.
Ah, I guess that is what Regency chic means.
And it's gorgeous.
-Look at that dress. -I like the hair.
Got a great attention to detail.
DONNELLY: And the shoes?
Though I happen to know that round heels
are not strictly accurate to the period.
What did you just say?
ELSBETH: Ah.
I had a feeling we'd find you here.
RACHEL: Elsbeth. I have been meaning to thank you.
Since Kimberly's body has been released,
I can start to plan her final party,
a beautiful, upscale wake she would have just died for.
Complete with photos of us together.
Rachel, we released Kimberly's body
because we finally know exactly what happened to her.
Oh? And what's that?
You murdered her.
(laughs) How dare you.
Kimberly was my best friend.
Which is why everything you said about the hurt
that she caused was true. But Rachel,
at 2:00 a.m.,
when Ben confirmed that you weren't in the Carriage House,
you weren't on the bridge or with Carson.
You were here.
And Kimberly must have said something
that caused you so much pain
because you hit her over the head with the Le Pótique
that I found in the dishwasher.
I would never put a Le Pótique in the dishwasher.
I actually believe that, considering the small fortune
you paid for it, but you were desperate
to wash away Kimberly's blood,
which the luminol test found traces of anyway.
For someone who's so good at making plans,
that was flimsy.
But then, Howie
stumbled in here, drunk,
and you came up with a better plan.
You grabbed another Le Pótique
that you thought was the same color,
and then you planted it on him.
And then you left,
locked the door behind you
with the spare key that Kimberly gave you,
which I assume is how you're here right now.
(scoffs) Yeah.
You know, having a spare key
to Kimberly's apartment doesn't mean that I murdered her.
I have an alibi, remember?
Or you bought one.
The dealership confirmed
that you purchased Carson's Cybertruck for him.
But you're right.
That's not enough to prove it was a bribe.
So, we looked through all of your social media,
and we saw this stunning photo of you
from your party.
And when I saw the round heel,
I remembered that you said you damaged one of them
when you dodged Carson's bike,
which made me think about these odd marks
on the floor.
It turns out some of them are an exact match
to your broken,
Jane Austen-inspired...
shoe.
See, a bit of the heel
was sliced off, creating
a unique semi-circle imprint.
Proving that you were here the night that Kimberly died.
How did you get that from my apartment?
Oh, Carson.
He said...
(British accent): A fragile beauty, such as yourself,
could never commit such a heinous act,
and that you have nothing to hide.
Idiot.
You know, I really didn't mind being single.
I just wanted people to be there for me.
You know? Especially Kimberly.
Rachel Withers, you're under arrest
for the murder of Kimberly Brooks.
It's such a shame.
Judging from these photos, it seemed like
you two really cared about each other.
We did.
And I miss her.
But you know what I won't miss?
Planning another one of her frigging bachelorettes.
Maid of honor, my ass.
Whew.
Hey.
I'm so sorry to hear about your aunt.
Uh, thank you. Thank you. That means a lot.
Yeah, she was your only aunt, right?
The one who used to come to your Little League games?
The one you tragically lost
in a hit-and-run when you were 12?
The one whose untimely, unjust death
made you want to become a cop?
(chuckles softly)
That must have been tough the second time around.
Look, I'm sorry. I...
Over here.
I panicked.
It was clear that your dad didn't want me at the party.
You don't have to apologize.
I don't?
I...
told my dad I didn't want you there.
But I should have told you myself.
You should come to the party, though.
You sure?
You were considerate to back out like that.
But someone wise once told me
the world doesn't have to change
just so that I'm not uncomfortable.
I'll see you there?
Yeah.
And don't worry,
I will keep my distance.
That won't be necessary.
* *
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