Original subtitles

[elegant music]

[music fades out]

[soft tense music]

[soft dramatic music]

[knocks]

Reverend Dowding?

[switch clicks]

[mixer whirring]

Hey, Joyce, have you seen Reverend Dowding?

-[mixer whirring] -[Joyce humming]

[Darlene] Willa?

[Willa] Uh-uh.

[Darlene] That's great. Thanks.

Hey, Bob, have you seen the reverend?

-What's that? -It's almost 5:00.

People are gonna start getting here soon. Have you seen Reverend Dowding?

-Nope. Not this morning. -Okay.

Um, what about Duck or Don?

Duck got here before me.

Should be setting up at the amphitheater.

-Okay. Thank you. -Mm-hmm.

[soft suspenseful music]

Reverend Dowding?

[water running]

Reverend?

[water overflowing]

[screams]

[funky music]

[radio commentator] The Spartans opened at minus three and a half,

but that got quickly bet up a point

against the RedHawks of Miami of Ohio.

Respected money has come in heavily on at the Spartans.

Sparty has been one of the most profitable teams in the country,

boasting and against the spread record of 5 and 1.

Most recently, they covered last Saturday

as four-point favors on the road at Rutgers.

However, they haven't found much success in ball games.

Spartans have lost and failed to cover

in three consecutive postseason games.

[ad presenter on TV] Flagstone Farm Credit has served the Emmaus community

and their fellow Michiganders. Go see why Mid Michigan trust...

Hey. Welcome to the Warbler's Nest.

...all their financial needs.

Building faith, building loyalty.

Flagstone Farm Credit.

[news anchor] Welcome back. More layoffs

after construction spending fell again...

-[clears throat] -...resulting in a steep

-decline of commercial projects. -[mug thuds]

-How will this impact Mid Michigan... -[softly] Sorry.

Oh, uh, coffee?

-Yeah. -Oh. [clicks tongue] You know what?

We actually can't do refills unless it's a mug from our place.

-Yeah. I'll grab you some though. -I got my own...

[news anchor] But first, Emmaus mourns the death of a beloved reverend

-after an accidental drowning in the church baptismal pool. -[coffee pouring]

Reverend Edgar Dowding, an inspiring community leader and a man of faith...

-Here you go. -...was laid to rest in Emmaus Cemetery yesterday afternoon.

Service at Emmaus Holy has been suspended

until further notice.

[radio commentator] It's been the opposite tune for Miami of Ohio.

The RedHawks are 4-1 ATS

in their last five ball game, including three straight covers.

Halfway through the year, Michigan State has crept into the national title talk

as they're now 9 to 1 to make the College Football Playoff, but still...

-[beeping alert] -...a 75 to 1 long shot to win the national championship.

The only positive for the RedHawks is that they are coming off...

[beeping continues]

[Hobbins] What the hell is it? Where are you?

I got you, mother...

Tracking device?

Terrific.

[exhales] Okay--

[indistinct chatter, soft laughter]

[sighs in exasperation]

[sighs] Okay.

-[chatter continues] -Everybody.

-Uh, excuse me-- -Everyone,

Kyle's trying to speak.

-How long is this gonna take, Kyle? -[Kyle] We're almost ready

-for you. We, we'd like to see you all one by one. -[mouthing]

Well, Katie's covering my shift. She's an idiot.

-Hey, Kyle. Who's that? -[Hobbins clears throat]

[Kyle] Well, that's Investigator Hobbins.

-I thought we were talking to you. -Yeah, yeah, what is this?

-Some sort of bait and switch? -Oh, no, no, no. [chuckles]

This is strictly a courtesy, so the investigator here can make his report.

I'm first.

[whimsical guitar music]

[Hobbins] Mm.

[exclaims softly, clears throat]

I'm, uh, Investigator Leo Hobbins.

[papers rustling]

I'm conducting this interview

on behalf of my client-- Where is that thing?

On behalf of my client, Greater Lakes Insurance.

We buried our reverend only yesterday.

So I hope your little investigation

won't cause no more pain than is necessary.

Well, I'll do my best, Mrs. Metts.

[chuckles] It's Joyce...

...and I'm unwed.

-[soft chuckle] -So you're not police.

No. I'm a private investigator

with the deceased's insurance company,

Well, look, I don't know you from Adam,

-but I agreed to come down here to speak... -[Kyle] Thanks again, Don.

...because Kyle asked me nicely, and I'm here for him.

So I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt that you're a decent man.

Phew. I'm all sweaty.

Sorry.

Um, so how long is this gonna take?

-All right, we're here with Benjamin-- -Uh, call me Duck.

[Hobbins] Duck McIlrath.

Bob? Bob!

[claps] Bob!

Oh, w-- were you saying something?

-[Hobbins] Yes. -You're gonna have to speak up.

[Hobbins] Darlene Halsey...

...Emmaus Holy's secretary.

Uh, so you and the reverend had a close working relationship.

He trusted me.

Gave me a lot of responsibility.

Um, when I was, uh, trying to afford junior college,

he gave me a job when nobody else would.

Well, I idolized him.

Lord, we call upon you this morning for your mercy...

[Darlene] I'm not supposed to say it like that,

but you know what I mean.

He took a chance on me. Gave me a place where I felt needed.

Like I mattered.

He is...

...was an amazing person.

[Hobbins] You're currently a member of the Emmaus Holy congregation?

[Joyce] I've been to every Sunday service since I was born.

...for the blessings you've showered down upon us this morning.

We ask that--

[sighs] We ask that you continue to keep us in your care

and bless all of us.

Well, I guess it was a couple weeks back the reverend asked me

to come out and help with the setup for the sunrise service.

Uh, it's for the church's anniversary.

Reverend was planning on doing his sermon outdoors at sunrise.

I mean, that man'd say, "Jump," I'd say, "How high?"

[Joyce] We were prepping for the breakfast which was to follow the sermon,

uh, for about 50 or so.

See, I'm a waitress at the Warbler's Nest.

It's where the business in this town gets done.

How long you been there?

[Joyce] Since I was Willa's age.

She works there too, part-time,

until she goes away to college.

I really hate this place, and I cannot wait to leave.

She got herself a scholarship to LSU.

She is so talented.

Uh, well, that morning,

uh, I was loading the chairs up in the back of my truck,

and then I took 'em over to the amphitheater,

and I, uh, waited for Mr. Fulcher to show.

[Hobbins] Sounds like a lot to move by yourself.

Well, my GMC's got a 6-liter and a 6-inch lift to fit my 38s.

Mudder tires.

Oh, well, yeah.

Where'd you say you're from again?

When did, uh, Mr. Fulcher arrive?

Well, I pulled up about 4:00. Maybe a little later.

And, and I got keys, so it was no big deal for me

to open the garage and get started on work.

And Big Man showed up about 30 minutes later.

-[Hobbins] Big Man? -[Duck] Mr. Fulcher.

-[Hobbins] Why Big Man? -[scoffs]

'Cause he parades around like he owns the whole town. [laughs]

Let's just say if I could buy him for what he's worth

and then sell him for what he thinks he's worth,

well, I would be sitting pretty.

Let's start with the morning of the 2nd.

[whimsical music resumes]

Excuse me. Would you do us a favor and get us some coffee?

-Do I look like your errand boy? -You want me to answer that?

Kyle, I'd greatly appreciate it.

I'm not gonna like you, am I?

Ridiculous. Everyone likes me.

For you, Darlene.

[door closes]

-Are you here to help? -Doing my job, ma'am.

-I know why you're here. -Why all the secrecy?

I'm the beneficiary on the policy.

It wasn't suicide.

He was murdered.

[whimsical guitar music]

Yeah, okay. Look, this isn't how this kind of thing typically works.

You tell me a story, I write a report,

and my boss rubber-stamps "denied" on the cover.

Why do you think the claim came across your desk so quickly?

Reverend died less than a week ago.

I wouldn't have a clue, ma'am, because they tell me where to be and I go.

You were a cop, right?

I'm just trying to get out of here, okay?

So, uh, let's just make it easy--

I had the lawyer call the insurance company,

expediting an investigation.

What? Nolan Seeks?

-Yep. -Why did you do that?

Because I don't want the money. I need to know--

Well, that does make it easier.

My employers will be thrilled.

I need to know what happened to the reverend.

-Why not go to the police? -Of course, I did.

Nobody in this town seems to care.

I went to the insurance company out of desperation.

Yep.

That's right.

I lived my entire life in Emmaus.

I was, uh, actually one of the last babies delivered

in Emmaus Hospital before they stopped doing that.

-[chuckles] -Oh.

Thank you, Kyle.

[Hobbins] Did you happen to see Darlene Halsey

that particular morning when you came in?

I did. [sighs]

-How did she seem? -I don't know. Oblivious.

-How so? -Look, I don't think I'm alone here.

Darlene is a classic bimbo.

Oh. I, I didn't get that impression.

Well, that's because you're a man.

You should see the men in here on Sunday.

Every Sunday morning with her famous coffee cake.

They line up for it.

And it's not for the cake.

I promise you that.

That Darlene's a real peach, isn't she?

That coffee cake isn't homemade.

She brings a box in here,

and she's working everybody.

Known her ever since she started working in this church.

Real nice girl. Seems like the loyal kind.

[Hobbins] How's that?

Well, she'd do anything for the reverend.

She was his right hand and everything.

I knew it from the moment I met her.

She had her hooks in the poor reverend.

She is a temptress.

A Delilah.

So, um, I went

to the fellowship hall,

and I found Bob there setting up tables and chairs.

He said he was the first to arrive.

He had unlocked the door.

Hadn't seen Reverend Dowding.

-[Hobbins] Bob's the church organist? -Yeah.

[shouting] And you have been here

almost as long as the reverend was?

Yeah, I, I played organ.

Uh, it was after 5:00, so...

Uh, we were supposed to start the service at 6:00.

So I thought to check the sanctuary

in case he, I don't know,

snuck in without anyone noticing.

I walked into the sanctuary, and, um...

...all the lights were off. No sign of him.

[water running]

And that's when I heard what, um,

sounded like running water.

[organ somber music]

I haven't cried since I found him.

What do you make of that?

[Hobbins] Let's take a break.

[birds chirping]

[Kyle] Thank you for bringing the dessert.

[chuckling] It looks mighty good.

Thanks, Kyle. It's got sugar and spice

and everything nice.

[both chuckle]

Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

You ask me to bring all these good people back in for questioning,

go over it all again.

I don't get it.

See, the medical examiner

calls Reverend Dowding's death an accident,

but the insurance company isn't satisfied with their conclusions.

That's why they hired me.

-To prove it a suicide. -Oh, come on.

-An incontestable clause. -[scoffs] Yeah, sure.

You know, it's to, to prevent someone from purchasing coverage

-with the intent of killing himself. -I'm familiar.

-Okay. -[hesitates]

We had good people working on this.

If they say it was an accident, it was an accident.

How about that the reverend changed his primary beneficiary?

Now that's his prerogative, but, uh,

one day later, he's found dead,

that, that's gonna raise a few red flags.

Huh.

-Who did he add? -Hey.

Care for some coffee cake, Investigator Hobbins?

Um, all full on pork rinds. Thank you.

Okay. I'll try not to take it personally.

[funky music]

How well do you know her?

Darlene?

Well, um, she was a few grades behind me in school.

Uh, she might have a screw loose.

Uh... she's kind of the groupie type.

Always getting passed around like a party favor

behind the bowling alley after the punk rock shows.

You had a crush on her, I'm thinking, about the eighth grade.

So you grew up here in Emmaus?

Uh... [clicks tongue] believe me,

Emmaus was not my top pick for post assignment, but...

...this town is like a black hole.

-Well, Kyle-- -Trooper Gellis.

Yeah. His policy term stipulate that if it was a suicide,

the death benefits cannot be paid out.

You were a first responder.

Give me the highlights.

Well, a few local boys and I were the first to arrive,

followed by the EMTs and the Medical Examiner.

The reverend was pronounced dead, calling it an accident,

and that was corroborated by the on-scene investigation.

The ME concluded that, uh, Dowding,

while starting the water for the baptismal pool,

was holding a 50-pound fieldstone.

Right. I mean,

-perhaps he was using it to weigh himself down. -No.

Uh, he just slipped and cracked the back of his head.

Just, uh-- Okay, but that doesn't explain the rock.

Look, we did an autopsy.

Uh, granted, there was a bit of a disagreement.

-My bread and butter. -Uh, there was no melodrama.

-I'm sure. -The coroner report notes injuries consistent with trauma

along the lambdoid suture,

while the death certificate reads "death by drowning."

It's a slip and fall.

-It was a tragedy. -Yeah.

I'm guessing Emmaus doesn't see a whole lot of, uh,

-crime scenes. -[scoffs] No.

Uh, we have the, uh, occasional break-in,

uh, overdose, house fire.

Wait, y-- you're not suggesting...

-Holy sh-- -Shh.

Can you tell me about your credit union? Flagstone Farm Credit.

Why? City feller like you need a loan?

-Humor me. -All right then.

Well, uh, Flagstone is an institution around here.

Now, I am the owner, but, uh,

it goes back three generations in my wife's family.

We have over $100 million in assets.

Provide short, long-term loans,

equipment, building leases, crop insurance throughout the state.

And here's the thing.

We're old school. Hmm?

Hell, we'd lend on a handshake

-if we could. -Got it.

Can you walk me through that Saturday?

[Don] Well, I was down at the office on Main Street most of the day.

I said my goodbyes to the employees. Told them, "Have a good weekend."

And then I came out here to speak with Reverend Dowding.

Uh, what was the nature of the conversation with the reverend?

Well, we just discussed what needed to get done the following day.

[Hobbins] That's not a conversation you could have discussed

-over the phone? -No.

No, see, I like to look a man in the eye when I talk with him.

Well, it was Saturday, so I slept in.

I probably got to the church around noontime.

Uh, I gassed up the mower, and I got started on the lawn.

Takes about four hours when you factor in all the trim work.

That's your routine?

Um, well, yeah.

At least for the last two years now.

[scoffs] It, uh, it keeps me busy.

I'm in the program.

You know, AA. [scoffs] I actually, uh...

I actually got my two-year chip right here.

[chuckles]

Yeah. I had my very first meeting

in this, uh, this room.

The reverend, he got me on the right path

and also, I, uh...

...well, I owe him everything.

-[Hobbins] So you finished mowing? -[Duck] Yep.

[Hobbins] And what did you do afterwards?

I locked up the mower, grabbed some shag balls,

and I went to the softball field. That was about 5:00.

-Alone? -[scoffs]

Can you walk me through last Saturday night?

And I kno-- I know you were with Duck,

so you don't have to lie to me about that.

-Did he say that? -[Hobbins] Yeah.

Ugh. He's such a loser.

We're not even together anymore.

[Duck] I was helping her with her pitching.

She's gonna be pitching at LSU next fall.

Nice. Stop dropping your shoulder.

She's incredible. I mean, that girl has

a 74-mile-per-hour fastball.

I'm not kidding. I've, I've clocked it.

-Oh, my-- -I just, you know, I, I kept him around

'cause he was fun, you know?

But then he just got all weird and serious and...

[clicks tongue] I don't know. We broke up.

Okay.

All right. Well, can you, uh,

can you walk me through your day from the morning?

What did you do first?

I went to work.

Mm. What do you do there?

Well, no one really trusts me to do anything there,

so I, I kind of do the odd jobs.

Hmm. What kind of odd jobs?

[Willa] I clean the menus.

And I roll the silverware.

Yeah, stuff like that.

Well, how come they don't let you wait tables?

That's where the tips are.

Well... [sighs]

I had a couple incidents.

Few times, I gave the wrong change.

But it's not because I was stealing or anything.

It was just.... The numbers get flipped around for me.

Plus, I'm a really good drawer.

I decorate the specials board if you've seen it.

What did you do after your shift?

Uh, well, technically, I get off at 3:00.

But I had a tanning appointment at 3:00,

so I cut out a little bit early.

People are still tanning?

-Yeah. -Okay.

-So what did you do after tanning? -Nothing.

-[knocks] -[Hobbins] Must have done something.

[Willa] Oh, I met Duck.

-Hey. Come in. -[Hobbins] At five o'clock?

So what did you do between tanning and meeting Duck?

Kill time.

[coughing]

-[laughs] -It was a beautiful night. [chuckles]

Went to the dam. Uh, we got burgers, watched the sunset.

Man, she's so beautiful.

[mouthful] I love burgers.

And then...

[Hobbins] And then what?

What are you talking about?

[Duck] Um, she and I got into an argument.

Duck thinks that every conversation we have, uh, is an argument.

Would you mind telling me what the argument was about?

[scoffs] Uh, you know, the future.

She's, uh, she's going off to Louisiana and, uh...

[sniffles] well, it recently occurred to me that...

...I'm not invited. [chuckles]

He was talking about Louisiana,

about some card, the jeep that I'm gonna have.

And then I told him, "You know what, like,

it's not gonna happen," you know?

Everyone's got big dreams, and...

Then he got a phone call. I heard the voice.

It was a, it was a woman's.

And he went off and took the call.

When he came back, I, I, I pressed him on it, and...

...the stupid shit lied to me and said that him and Don were gonna go...

[inhales sharply] have plans in the morning or something.

[sniffles] So, it, it was, uh, maybe, you know,

after 10:00, 11:00, when I dropped her off

at her mom's house. And then I went home after that.

I had an early morning. [sniffles]

You-- I'm curious. Why the name Duck?

I don't know. I, I just like it.

I kind of thought other people were supposed to give you nicknames.

You can give yourself a nickname.

Sure. Why not?

You know, I'm of the mindset

that it's up to me

to change my circumstances.

[Hobbins] How do you mean?

Well, like, one day,

I'm gonna get Willa to marry me.

I'm gonna convince her that, that I'm not some loser.

You know, I, I, I ain't got any money now,

but someday I will, and...

...then I'm gonna ask her for her hand in marriage.

Saturday, I was reviewing

the contractor proposals on the new addition.

Did you notice the, uh, concrete slab behind the church?

-[Hobbins] Yeah. -[Darlene] Yeah. Um, it's supposed to be a, um,

gymnasium/rec center if it's ever finished.

The board's hoping to draw more young people.

Must have been a little after 4:00.

Yeah, that sounds right. I was packing up for the day.

Um, the reverend told me to call the security company.

Um, he's-- he'd noticed that one of the cameras was out.

We, we'd had a break-in the night before.

Someone broke in that Friday?

Yeah, Lester Sederland tried

to steal some AV equipment out of the sanctuary.

He was arrested. Nothing was taken, so...

This Mr. Sederland is a member of the congregation?

[laughs] Uh, no.

Put it this way. He's on a first-name basis

with the, uh, correctional officers at County.

My roommate, uh, is a nurse at County,

so she's got lots of stories.

How did they catch Sederland this time?

Reverend Dowding happened to be there.

-He caught him in the act. -[Hobbins inhales sharply]

So you were packing up, and the reverend asked you

to look into getting the cameras fixed?

Just the one. But yes.

And then after I left for the day.

I guess it was around 5:00, when I was walking to my car.

Yeah, I remember seeing Don Fulcher's car in the parking lot.

Why does that stick out?

I guess I thought it was odd.

His car was parked on the far side of the parking lot.

Some people will park far away to avoid a door dent,

but it was a Saturday.

The lot was empty.

Anyway, um, I drove home, and I was in for the night.

[Hobbins] How well do you know Duck?

Ben? Not all that well.

He, he had mentioned that he's done some work for you in the past.

I guess a little. Hmm.

Pay him to wax the car sometimes.

Climb up on the roof, fix a shingle, that sort of thing.

Once hired him to, uh, tear down a sheet metal hanger my father had built.

Duck works for you.

Like I said, here and there.

See, we've got a lot of property. Big farm.

There's a lot that needs to get done.

Like, for instance, uh, mowing our mile-long grass runway.

So tell me about this runway.

Fulcher Landing Strip. Yes, sir.

Planes have been a big part of my family my whole life.

You know, it's even on them video game flight simulators.

It was like any other Saturday.

I had a double at the Warbler's Nest,

but then something caught my ear.

It was that gal down at Nolan Seeks' law office.

-Is that the, the reverend's attorney? -[Joyce] Yes, that's him.

His assistant, Michelle, was in picking up his to-go order.

She said that she heard that Darlene was added

to the Reverend Dowding's will

as the primary beneficiary.

Do you think, uh, Darlene and the reverend

were in, uh, some kind of a relationship?

That was the sentiment.

[soft jazzy music]

I always knew that Darlene was no good.

You know, I hear reverend willed his farm to that gal.

Reverend didn't have any kin, and his wife died several years ago,

so I guess it makes sense.

-[Hobbins] Anything else notable? -Not really. [sighs]

Don Fulcher and his wife came in as I was leaving.

Why is that unusual?

She was going on another trip to Miami.

A shopping trip. Again.

Why'd you say it like that?

Well, everyone knows

that Don's over his skis in debt.

-What kind of debt? -Well, word at the restaurant is

he bought a bunch of properties, including the old forge.

[Hobbins] The old factory when you enter town, is that the--

[Joyce] Yes, the old Drop Forge. It's an eyesore.

The market went south. Well, that don't stop Jane.

Nope. Spend, spend, spend.

She's always going on trips.

She thinks she's entitled to do whatever she wants.

You said you were at home from 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m.

Yeah... [claps] that's, uh, that's right.

Do you have anyone to corroborate that?

To what?

Can anyone say that you were there?

Uh, no, I, I live alone.

[Hobbins] Are you sure you didn't stop anywhere?

You didn't speak to anyone?

No. I went straight home.

[Hobbins] And your roommate, was she home?

[Darlene] Yeah, she was home with me all night.

[Hobbins] She'd corroborate that?

Hey, baby.

How was your day?

[Darlene] Good. How was yours?

She would.

-Try this. -[Darlene] Ooh.

Might be hot.

-Mmm. -You like it?

You're a very sexy Italian grandma.

-[chuckles] -Mm-hmm.

[dark music]

[Hobbins] I have the reverend's phone records.

-He made a call to you at 7:00 p.m. -[cell phone vibrates]

That call lasted one minute, sixteen seconds exactly.

Why did he call you?

Last minute details about the service.

I have to go.

[Hobbins] How did he sound?

Fine. Totally normal.

[crickets chirping]

[car approaching]

[suspenseful music]

-Reverend? -Thank you for coming.

Is everything okay?

[sighs] Darlene, I, I'm in a bit of trouble.

-What do you mean? -I've been talking to the Lord,

and it's time I come clean. I, I want to be free of all this.

The details will come out, eventually.

And when they do, I, I want you to understand

-my involvement was for the right reasons. -Reverend,

-you're starting to scare me. -Oh, no, no, no.

Don't be frightened.

I need you to do something for me,

and you can't ask any questions.

[Hobbins] Is everything okay?

[music continues]

You didn't answer my question.

-What was that? -Are you here to help?

[vehicle passing by]

-[Darlene] Nobody in this town seems to care... -[Kyle] He just slipped--

...I went to the insurance company out of desperation.

-[Hobbins] If it was a suicide... -[Darlene] It wasn't suicide.

...the death benefits cannot be paid out.

[overlapping voices]

-Hey, uh... -[overlapping voices continue]

[sighs] Look, I, I played ball.

You, you got to ask your questions

and, and have your fun.

You want my job?

Do you want my job?

'Cause it's not all, what is it, bells and whistles, Kyle.

I'm a lackey.

I mainly follow around poor people claiming disability,

waiting outside of apartments, hanging in stairwells,

biding my time until they slip up.

And they always do.

And with the time I put in, I'm lucky if I break minimum wage plus mileage.

And wouldn't you know it, now they got a GPS

in my car ensuring not to spend a cent more.

-So maybe questioning those people in there is a-- -Oh. Oh,

I don't, I don't care.

-One day you will. -How's that?

One day you'll look in a mirror,

and nobody will be looking back.

[whistles]

[whimsical music]

So, Miss Halsey...

...told me she had Nolan Seeks contact the insurance company

pushing for an investigation?

-Is that right? -Uh, that is right.

She is the new benefactor on the reverend's life insurance policies, so...

Really? [scoffs] Look, th-- there's no reason to, to drag this out.

Mr. Fulcher, boastful in his exaggerations,

possibly even lying at times.

Granted they all seem to be withholding.

It came up that he's overleveraged.

Took a beating a few years ago,

taking on too much real estate debt in a bearish economy,

betting it would rebound, it hasn't.

Come on. O-- Okay, th-- that's enough.

Miss Betts, a jealous and...

...desperate gossip.

Is it possible she couldn't tolerate

the reverend's rejection of her advances?

You can't be serious about this.

Or did the reverend attempt to split up

McIlrath's amour fou with his high school girlfriend?

[clears throat] His bad nerves,

and the fact that he has keys to the building...

...and absolutely no alibi doesn't bode favorably for Mr. Duck.

It's an accident.

Not suicide.

[laughs]

Not a murder.

[music continues]

Someone...

...betrayed their beloved reverend,

and I intend to find out.

Oh, no. No, no, no, no. We, we are done.

I, I wasted my whole morning

so that you could come out here and, and play dress-up.

Oh, you know what's needed here?

-What's that? -Police work.

[scoffs]

You don't have my support.

And you won't have Emmaus PD's either.

There, there's nothing to find that we haven't already.

And if I do?

You can go door to door, Knock yourself out.

There are thousands of miles of road that need patrolling, so...

I'm done.

[grunts]

Yeah.

[birds squawking]

Quack, quack.

-[Kyle] Have you seen my keys? -Jeez.

Is there a set of, set of, set of keys over there?

Yeah. No, they're in the wheelbarrow.

[funky music]

[Joyce] Something caught my ear.

It was that gal down at Nolan Seeks' law office.

-[Hobbins] The reverend's attorney? -[Joyce] Darlene was added

to Reverend Dowding's will

as the primary beneficiary.

[bell chimes]

-[Michelle] Hello. How may I help you? -Nolan Seeks?

-He's taking his lunch. -I won't be long.

Uh...

[funky music]

Nolan Seeks?

You, you need to make an appointment.

Leo Hobbins, investigating Edgar Dowding's death.

Look, you know I can't give you anything, right?

[exasperated sigh]

[sighs] Fine.

Make it quick. What do you need to know?

How well did you know the reverend?

Ed? Ed, Ed and I go a while back.

Darlene Halsey?

She'd been here a few times.

Come on. A few times?

I take care of legal stuff.

Um, drafting documents,

setting up trusts for the church.

She sent over contracts for me to review. Things like that.

She did tell me you contacted the insurance company on her request.

Who are you again?

I'm the insurance investigator.

[laughs sarcastically]

I tried to tell her.

-Tell her what? -Take the money.

Look, that girl didn't get a fair shake from the get.

Her mother was an addict.

I came up with her aunt who raised her.

She was on dialysis and died when Darlene was a teen.

That house that she lives in now, that was hers.

But tell you what, it's more of a burden than it's worth

It's mortgaged to high heaven. Darlene had nothing.

When I heard that, that it was an accident--

You believe that?

[swallows]

What are you really asking?

Would he have killed himself?

No. He, he didn't.

Doesn't make any sense.

Why is Darlene Halsey so unpopular

with the Emmaus Holy Church folk?

I suspect some folks were concerned that she had Ed's ear.

-On what? -She... pushing back

on some of the church's changes.

So, Edgar was your friend.

We were both hobby farmers. We...

[inhales deeply] We'd visit, drink coffee,

and, and gripe about our problems.

[sniffles] I don't know what got bigger, the world or its problems.

Anyway... Emmaus Holy was voting to change the name,

make it more modern or something.

Ed came in with a copy of the,

the church's constitution.

He came in the next week

to make changes to his will.

He, he had me come in on...

That was last Saturday.

So not only did he... [stutters]

he change his life insurance policy,

but he changed his will to include her.

He came in.

He sat right where you're sitting.

He looked me clear in the eye,

and he stated his last testament.

I know it sounds out of the blue,

but you know people are frequently prompted

to make a will or change it for that matter.

You're right. But he left her everything.

If you do your job,

that girl gets nothing.

[soft suspenseful music]

Permits.

"Sign permit application."

[mumbling]

All right, buddy.

Thanks for the Xerox.

[Hobbins] Mr. Fulcher?

-Don, Don Fulcher. [laughs] Hey. -Hey.

You're not darkening my trail, are you, Inspector?

No, no, not at all. I just wanted to thank you

for your time earlier. Is this your bank?

-W-- -Uh, my bank, actually. Don just works here.

[chuckles] Inspector, let me introduce you to, uh, Jane Fulcher, my wife.

And she's correct. This is her family's bank.

-Hmm. -[Hobbins] Three generations...

-Uh, four. -...right?

[chuckles] I make four.

My great-grandfather started

Flagstone Farm Credit Union in 1910.

Is that right? It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Fulcher.

Uh... you're just coming back from a trip, are you?

-Yes, just off the plane. -Mm-hmm.

-Miami? -How did you know that?

[Hobbins] Huh, you packed a fur coat for Florida.

I was questioning some of the church members earlier this morning.

-Your husband included. It just came up. -[hesitates]

I was helping the man with his investigation.

Well, you know, small towns talk.

[laughs] I hope what they're saying is true.

Are you on the board of Emmaus Holy as well, Mrs. Fulcher?

Yes, I am.

But we prefer going by the new name.

Uh, you know what? We do need to get going.

You said "new name." What is it?

Long day of travel. You understand.

Not running away on me, Don, are you?

Run? Hell, run ain't in my constitution--

-[Jane] Don, now. -You have a great day.

[soft suspenseful music]

[knocks]

I'm just tidying up.

They haven't let me in here since it happened, so...

-What is all that? -[sighs]

Mock-ups for the new logo.

We were rebranding, so...

You don't sound too enthused.

Yeah. Well, the, uh... [scoffs]

the board was pushing for a worship band,

a light show and giant video screens.

More TED talk than a sermon from the pulpit.

Yeah. Look at this.

Graphic designer submitted this logo.

Just a lowercase letter "E."

You know, like Google.

Yeah, and, uh, another expert suggested a bird mascot

lead Sunday school for the kids.

-[pens clattering] -Consultant fees, designers.

It's just so much waste.

[scoffs]

So much money spent and for what?

I'm not even religious.

What the hell am I doing here?

I believe you.

I believe the reverend was murdered. I have to figure out why.

Uh, before we go any further, I gotta get something straight.

I never asked for a handout.

The insurance, the will.

I didn't ask for any of it.

Everything I have, I worked for.

So if we're gonna do this, i-- it's gonna be an uphill fight.

I mean, Trooper Gellis isn't gonna help us.

It's-- We'll be starting from scratch.

Okay.

[funky music]

-What are you doing? -[keyboard clacking]

Getting started.

-There wasn't a camera in the sanctuary? -No. Just what you see.

And there's no footage of the reverend

coming or going Saturday night to Sunday morning?

No, nothing.

-[Hobbins] Can I see the Sederland break-in? -Yeah.

West side of the building, parking lot,

all the entrances are well covered.

Which camera did you say went out?

[Darlene] This one over here.

-[Hobbins] Ah. -[Darlene] Camera 6.

Well, looks like it was working fine when Sederland broke in.

Mmm, what's in the safe?

Oh, uh, tithing from the weekly collection.

So why go for the sound equipment and not the money?

He might have if Reverend Dowding wasn't here.

Hmm.

Mm.

Let's, let it play.

[Darlene] Uh, yeah, sorry. This is Saturday. I can go back.

Oh, no, ho-- hold it. That's it. No, just, just watch that.

[Darlene] What do you see?

[Hobbins] Watch for the camera that went out.

[Hobbins] Hmm.

That's the only camera between this side of the building and that entrance?

Uh, yeah. I believe so.

-Hmm. -So, uh, how long were you a cop?

Detective.

Just shy of 25 years.

-What happened? -Ah...

I had a... have a gambling problem.

The department paid off my vig

and I got a cardboard box instead of a gold watch.

[whimsical guitar music]

[Hobbins] Mudder tires.

[door closes]

Cass!

Get out here, Cass!

[safety lock clicks]

[banging on door]

Are you crazy? What the hell are you doing here?

-Are you still selling-- -Get inside before somebody sees you.

[Duck] She shouldn't be smoking that stuff. She could lose her scholarship--

Duck, I don't care. You shouldn't be here. It's not smart.

Yeah. What would you expect? You, you, you're not returning my texts or my calls.

-Do me a favor. Delete my number. -What are we gonna do?

We aren't gonna do anything, Duck.

We aren't involved.

No, no, no.

You, you needed that money just as much as I did.

It's the only reason why I agreed to your crazy idea.

You're so stupid, you could screw up boxed mac and cheese.

-I don't like what you're implying. -You had one job, Duck.

Wheel the safe out. In and out. That's very simple.

-And now there is a dead body? -You don't think I know that?

What are you doing here? You should have skipped town.

Better yet, go kill yourself.

-[laughs] -And how would that look, huh?

Me, me leaving town after they found the body.

Who's the stupid one now, huh?

I mean, I spent all, all morning in a interrogation.

-What? -Yeah, they had, you know,

some private in-- investigator guy come in

and talk to all of us that were at the church on Sunday,

-questioning us. -What'd you tell him?

What'd you tell him, Duck?

All right. [sighs]

[sighs]

Oh, look at here.

"Breaking ground. Pouring cement."

Oh, yeah.

Wait, wait, what is this?

"Flag-- Flagstone Construction."

Well, okay.

[pensive jazzy music]

[Joyce] Well, word at the restaurant is he bought

a bunch of properties, including the old forge.

[Hobbins] The old factory when you enter town?

[Joyce] Yes, the old Drop Forge. Well, it's an eyesore.

The market went south. Well, that don't stop Jane.

She thinks she's entitled to do whatever she wants.

[music continues]

Hmm.

[indistinct conversation]

-Yo, you a cop? -None of your business.

I can make it my business.

You wouldn't like it. Pay's not enough.

Then what do you need?

You know, I got that good RedHawk shit.

Just in.

[bird squawking]

[soft suspenseful music]

Yeah, so we physically have to detox

about 40% of the population

as they come in off the street.

Sad. And it's getting worse.

But they're all hooked on opioids.

You know, he's probably gonna be out of it. He's been up puking

his guts out all night long, but he's on the back end of it.

[sighs] He should be cognizant though.

-Yeah. -Yeah. Will it be all right with you

if I just, just speak to him by myself?

[scoffs] Fine with me.

-I appreciate that. -Yeah, sure.

[background chatter]

Hey, Lester.

You got a guest.

[suspenseful music]

Oh.

Who are you?

I'm Hobbins. I'm, uh, investigating

the murder of Reverend Edgar Dowding.

I've been in here since before that old prick was killed.

So you believe he was killed?

You just said he was. Didn't you?

Can you tell me what happened that night? You broke into...

I'm ain't gotta speak to you.

But, I mean, but you should know that I'm...

I've been tracking your movements

the past couple of months, and I, uh...

[sighs] Okay.

Ah...

I'm not gonna lie to you.

I haven't been tracking your movements.

I don't know you, but if you want to gain favor with the judge...

If there's anything you can tell me that helps with my investigation,

I will personally have a conversation with the prosecutor.

You have my word.

What do you wanna know?

Tell me what happened that night.

[Lester] Came in through a window. It was unlocked.

Well, church folks are a trusting lot.

[thud]

[Hobbins] Why'd you break in? You needed to get high?

I can't really get high anymore.

I used to feel normal.

I, uh, I needed money.

[clatters]

They got some expensive AV equipment

in that sanctuary.

Mixer alone is worth a few grand.

-[indistinct conversation] -I just got the case pried open

when I heard voices...

...coming from down the hall, so, uh...

...I went to investigate.

[Hobbins] Well, what did you see?

I seen that preacher man, Ed Dowding...

...and cash. Shit load of it.

Never seen so much money.

All stacked up on that table.

Looked like a goddamn game show.

There was over $100,000 there. Maybe more, I don't know.

I'd have killed Dowding right then and there had it not been for the other guy.

You said voices. Someone was with him. Who, who was with him?

Who, who was with him? Who was it?

Oh. Uh, excuse me. I'll just, just be a minute. [exhales]

[Lester] Best part of my day.

Has anyone ever told you you have real pretty eyes?

[nurse] Yeah, you. Three times a day.

Careful with this one. He's a charmer.

Talks too much. Don't you, Lester?

Well, I can think of a few ways to remedy that.

No, thanks.

You look fine. You don't need an IV today.

Be nice to your new friend.

She likes me. But you should see the other one.

Real smokeshow, man. I'd do anything to get with her.

You said voices.

You said somebody was there. Who was it?

It was the Big Man.

Don Fulcher.

-Bingo, Columbo. -[news anchor] And still to come,

-why an Emmaus County Correctional spokesman... -[bell chimes]

-...said the jail's opioid... -[Don] Katie.

-Hiya, Mr. Fulcher. -How's my favorite waitress?

-Hmm, you know, quiet day, so... -Oh.

Is, uh, Joyce around?

[Katie] Uh, yeah.

Don.

-Hey. -Come on back here.

I want you to know... [sighs] this is a loan.

I don't like getting shaken down, Joyce.

-No, no, it's not like that. -Mm.

What happened to the money from before?

Oh, my mortgage.

This money is for Willa to go visit LSU.

The plane tickets, the hotels, it's all very expensive.

Well, happy to help. She's a good kid.

Don, thank you for understanding.

You bet.

Well, this is a lot more than I need.

Well, your brother just got out, didn't he?

Curtis? Yeah, a few weeks ago.

He's staying with you?

Till he can get on his feet.

Yeah, that's what I figured. There's two grand in there.

Okay? That should help him out.

And I want you to know it's not a loan.

It's a gift.

[chuckles]

-Thank you, Don. -You got it.

Thank you for understanding.

Of course I will need a favor.

[whimsical music]

[birds chirping]

[Don] Flagstone is an institution around here.

Hell, we'd lend on a handshake if we could.

[Hobbins] "Flagstone Construction."

Uh, what was the nature of the conversation with the reverend?

Well, we just discussed what needed to get done the following day.

[Hobbins] Why is Darlene Halsey so unpopular

with the Emmaus Holy Church folk?

I suspect some folks were concerned that she had Ed's ear.

-[Hobbins] On what? -[Nolan] She was pushing back on changes to the church.

It's just so much waste.

[scoffs] So much money spent, and for what?

[Nolan] Drafting documents, setting up trusts for the church.

[line ringing]

-[Darlene] Hello. -Hey, I need to see what you have on the books.

Make me a Xerox.

Uh, I can email the spreadsheet.

Yeah, I don't really do emails.

I'd like to see what you have on the trust

and anything on this new construction.

-Thanks, Darlene. -Okay.

[soft suspenseful music]

[engine stops]

[door shuts loudly]

[music continues]

[heavy rock music playing on car stereo]

[music stops playing]

[soft suspenseful music resumes]

[Hobbins] Duck?

What the hell are you doing here?

I was about to ask you the same.

I'm supposed to be here.

Yeah, the reverend, he, um, he pays me every week to mow his lawn.

Oh. Careful you don't get stiffed.

[laughs, snorts]

[Hobbins chuckles]

No, you know, it's, um...

...it's out of respect.

[bottle clatters]

What, um...

...what did you say you're doing here?

Is everything all right there, Duck?

Well, uh...

...Willa left me.

Oh. I'm sorry to hear that.

I don't need your sympathy.

[Hobbins] Sure you're gonna be okay?

[Duck grunts]

[grunts]

Look, why don't you just leave me be, all right?

I need to mow this whole lawn before sundown.

[mower clanking]

You never mowed a lawn in your life.

[Hobbins] All right.

Oh, one last question, Duck.

W-- why did you disable the security cameras at the church?

[chuckles, snorts]

Why don't you go to hell?

-Well, that's not very Christian-like. -[chuckles]

You should know that I found your tire tracks.

What'd you call them? Mudders?

[chuckles]

[snorts, hawks up]

-[spits] -Mm.

That don't mean shit.

Yeah?

Now you remember that big word from earlier?

-[scoffs] -Corroborate.

Corroborate. Yeah, well, hey, hey, hey,

-wait. What i-- -That's it.

-Corroborate. -[laughs] There you go.

[Duck] Corroborate.

[Hobbins] Corroborate.

[engine starts]

[whimsical music]

[tires screech]

[engine revving]

♪ Every time that I get stuck in traffic ♪

♪ I'm just gonna turn my sirens on ♪

♪ Then all of the cars will part like magic ♪

♪ Pedal to the metal and I'm gone ♪

-[cell phone vibrating] -[sighs]

Kyle?

[chews noisily]

Trooper Gellis.

I can hear you there.

How'd you get this number?

Darlene gave to me.

Now, listen, I'm heading over to Emmaus PD.

I have something you need to take a look at.

[sighs]

-Christ. -Yeah.

[dramatic music]

[car engine revving]

Hey. Go.

[horn blaring]

[horn blaring]

-[tires screech] -[car crashes]

[Darlene] Cassandra?

[whimsical music]

Cass?

You're home?

[Hobbins grunts]

[car hissing]

[groans]

[groans]

[grunting]

[sighs]

[breathing heavily]

Holy shit.

[small plane engine whirring]

[line ringing]

[sighs] That's half a million dollars.

I've never seen anything like it.

[automated message] Hey there, you've reached Greater Lakes Insurance.

Please leave a message and one of our agents will get back to you soon.

-[phone beeps] -Oh, oh, one sec. Sorry.

[grunts]

All right. Thank you.

Mind if I just hop in with you?

-How's the investigation going? -Well, other than being run off the road

by a goddamn lunatic, I got this.

[crickets chirping]

[Hobbins] "To my flock.

Nothing prepares you for how ministry

can drain you emotionally, leaving you in pain,

or even worse, feeling numb or in despair.

I chose to extinguish my physical body

so that my soul may return home.

I hope that you can move from this anguish and resentfulness

and find a place of peace and acceptance in my decision.

It is my wish that my actions might not scatter my flock,

but instead force a coming together of the congregation.

I pray they can move forward and accomplish great things

by building something higher than us for his glory."

[Kyle] What is it?

[Ungar] Suicide note.

Signed Edgar V. Dowding.

It looks like the real deal.

Well... [scoffs] look at that.

Police work.

-Can-- -Feel good about yourself?

Can I see the envelope again, please?

[shutter clicking]

Um... [exclaims]

That is, uh, postmarked the Monday after his death.

So what? He wrote it and put it in the box the Saturday night before.

No collections on Sundays.

If he left it in his mailbox with the flag up,

the next pickup would have been that Monday.

Okay, fine, but, uh, why mail a suicide note in the first place?

And, uh, this is "Return To Sender," and it bounced back.

Is that, is that the right address for this police department?

Well, actually, no.

We are 223 Main, not 322 Main.

I think that's the closed flower shop down the street.

So he made an error.

Big deal. The, the man clearly wasn't in the right frame of mind.

We have a note. I think we're done.

You don't want a handwriting comparison, forensic analy--

Hobbins, you did it.

You proved us all wrong.

[chuckles] You, you should be proud.

Your, your employer happy.

Well, all right, may-- maybe it's better this way.

-Yeah? -Of course not!

-What's wrong with you? -You know you're talking to police, right?

-Am I? 'Cause I don't see shit getting done here. -Okay, Poirot.

This sideshow is over.

-Go home. -Young guy like you needs to understand.

-To get respect, you have to earn it. -Yeah, keep talking--

-You can't just wear these bells and whistles. -I'll hit you with obstruction.

Everybody in this town calls you by your first name.

-You're like the little boy they grew up with. -Enough!

All right, I'm leaving.

[whimsical music]

What are you looking at?

What do you mean, turn it in?

The reverend trusted me with this.

He said if something bad were to happen to him,

I should bring this bag to Emmaus PD.

Well, something bad happened.

Yeah, that could be the right thing.

God, this is all just so crazy.

I know it is, baby. I know.

But what if we kept it?

What?

What if we kept the money?

We could get out of this town.

We can go to the beach, open a little B&B like you talked about.

[chuckles]

-N-- No, Cass, I can't. -Why?

There's nothing here for you. There is nothing here for us.

What are you holding on to?

This is my home.

[mower whirring]

[breathing heavily]

It's okay. I'm okay.

It's fine.

[hyperventilating]

-You know you mean the world to me, right? -Hmm.

Well... big things are happening.

You know, I'm making moves.

I want you to know

that I am gonna be able to provide for you.

What are you talking about?

I wanna take care of you.

You know, I'm, I'm, I'm fixing to move on out of here.

[sniffles] Down south.

Buy me and you a big house in Baton Rouge.

-Stop. -No, I'm serious, Willa.

I see, uh, a big backyard,

barbecues.

I'll buy you a little jeep.

Any color you want. [chuckles]

Hey.

You know that they eat alligators down there?

[laughs, snorts]

You're not moving to Louisiana.

Big things are happening, Willa.

You'll see. [sniffles]

-[cell phone ringing] -Oh.

[grunts]

[mower whirring]

[sobbing]

[gasping]

[mumbling a prayer]

[exhales]

[breathing loudly]

[sighs]

Baby, we have been treading water in this town for years.

-Now is our time to get out. -The reverend was killed.

[Cassandra] And he's gone now. You can't bring him back.

Besides, no one knows you have the money, right? Let's just disappear.

Nobody just forgets about half a million dollars.

Well, we'd be long gone before anyone realized it was missing.

Somebody's gonna come looking for it, babe.

We are too smart. They'd never find us.

Cass, the longer I have this on me,

the worst things are gonna get.

[Cassandra sighs]

You're not leaving with that money.

-What? -You're not leaving with that money, sweetheart.

-That's exactly what I-- -[clicks gun]

No, you're not.

Baby, I'm not gonna let you do something stupid.

[soft whimsical music]

You're planning on shooting me?

I just wanted this for us.

That was the whole idea.

Baby, let's just leave tonight.

We can leave all this behind us.

-[door opens] -[exhales sharply]

[door closes]

[thunder rumbling]

[dramatic music]

Yeah.

[Katie] Look, everybody knows why you're here.

-For the eggs. I'm here for the eggs. -[scoffs]

-Nope. That's not what I heard. -What's that?

I heard that somebody killed that reverend, and you're gonna find out who.

If it's any comfort to you, there's almost never a second shooter.

Wait. OMG.

-What? -He got shot? I didn't know that.

-[mouthful] Just a figure of speech. -Oh. [chuckles]

-Don't believe everything you hear. -Yeah, whatever.

I'll take a beer. Thank you.

Oh.

[tires screech]

[breathes shakily]

[cell phone ringing]

-[Darlene] Hello? -Well, as I live and breathe, I've been trying to call you.

-We found his note. -What?

[dramatic music]

Turns out he killed himself. I came from the police station.

I've been told to pack it up. I thought you should know.

No, no. Um, I, I'm coming to you. Where are you?

Warbler's Nest.

[Katie] Hey. Welcome to the Warbler's Nest.

You wanna say something?

We can't talk here.

This is as good a place as any. Besides, they have eggs.

What happened to your face?

What's in the bag?

Show me the note.

It's at the police station. You know what that means, don't you?

No. No, I don't know what that means because it's not real.

-It can't be real. -Doesn't matter. The police think it's real.

-He didn't kill himself. -[cell phone vibrates]

We bet wrong.

When you lose your money, learn to lose.

Yeah, funny you should say that.

I haven't been, um, completely honest with you.

Well, it might be a little late for that, don't you think?

[cell phone vibrates]

You gonna answer that?

You know how the reverend called me on Saturday night?

Yeah.

It wasn't to talk about the sunrise service.

[cell phone vibrates]

Who's it?

[Darlene] It's the reverend.

Hello?

There was panic in his voice when he asked to meet.

G-- um, yeah. Okay.

All right, I can, I can c-- I can come right over.

W--

-What does he want? -Um, I have, I have to go.

I'm really sorry. I'll, I'll be right back.

-Reverend? -Thank you for coming.

I've never seen him like that before.

He wasn't making any sense.

I've been talking to the Lord, and it's time I come clean. I...

I wanna be free of all this.

The details will come out, eventually.

And when they do, I want you to understand

my involvement was for the right reasons.

Reverend, you're starting to scare me.

Don't be frightened.

I'm leaving my farm to you, and, and my money.

-Everything. It's all yours. -[stutters] What?

Wait, what, what are you, what are you saying?

I need you to do something for me, and you can't ask any questions.

Of course. You know I'd do anything for you.

I know. That's why this pains me the way it does.

I want you to take this bag just for the night.

Don't open it.

If anything were to happen to me, anything,

I want you to take it to the police, understand?

-Oh, don't cry. -[sobbing]

It's better if I don't tell you anything else.

I'm so proud of you.

You'll do good. I know it.

He put me in this position.

So you looked inside.

Yeah. Up until an hour ago, it was hidden in my closet.

I had to know it.

It's not like I'm keeping it.

-Why should I care? -[loudly] He didn't k--

[softly] He didn't kill himself.

Well, the police have a suicide note

that says otherwise.

[cell phone vibrates]

Sure you don't wanna answer that?

Cassandra saw me with the duffel bag today.

So she looked in the bag. She saw it as well.

So, he gives you a hundred grand

-and expects you-- -Five.

-What? -[mouths] Five.

Half a million dollars. That's...

He expects you to walk into the police station

with no other information.

We emptied the bag. I didn't see anything like a note.

Doesn't make any sense. [stutters] Did you check all the pockets?

I don't know. I don't know. It, it was a little overwhelming

seeing... [whispers] ...half a million dollars on my bed.

Mm, that'll do it.

I just wanted this for us.

-That was the whole idea, baby. -[clicks fingers] Hey.

-Are you with me? -Yeah. Sorry.

So just, like, to understand this.

He gives you a bag full of money.

The next day, he's found dead.

[stutters] Let me show you something.

It doesn't, it doesn't explain this.

What, no Xerox?

Trying to embrace technology.

That's not his handwriting.

[cell phone chimes]

Did you hear me? It's not his.

[stutters] It's not enough.

Why not? We can, we can, we can go to the police station.

We can show them the money. We can show them the fake note.

It, it's gotta prove something.

Sure, turn yourself in.

-What? -Hmm? Yeah.

Just-- You got cold feet.

You killed the reverend, took the money, faked the suicide.

I mean, you said yours-- The note is-- It's just a fake, right?

Oh, my God.

Hey, hey, hey. Hey.

Well, I know you didn't kill the reverend. I know.

Look, just-- At least...

At least check the pockets.

[dramatic music]

There has to be something.

Okay. Okay.

[whimsical music]

Read this.

[clicks fingers]

I, I got an idea.

Oh, oh. Oh, yeah.

[sighs]

Katie, it's on the table.

Where are you going? What--

You definitely overpaid.

[Hobbins] Come on, keep up.

-Okay, so we're using the money to draw them out. -That's right.

-Great. What are we doing here? -I need you to shimmy up that fence.

Because somewhere in my car is a small black GPS tracer.

I need you to find that. I'll, I'll keep watch.

-No. -[car door closes]

[Hobbins] That didn't work.

-[grunts] -[dogs barking]

Great. Dogs.

-[panting] -[dogs barking]

-Did you get it? -[panting] A piece of cake.

[cloud rumbling]

[melancholic music]

[sobs]

[sniffles] It's okay.

[Hobbins] There, there. That's him.

Stay here.

RedHawk, I got a message I need delivered.

-This look like the post office? -More efficient.

All I need from you is a phone call.

Tell your distributor I've got something that belongs to him.

Tell him to meet me at Emmaus Holy Church.

Thirty minutes.

[Duck sniffling, softly] Okay. Okay.

[rain falling]

[thunder rumbling]

-[GPS turns on] -[Darlene] Do you really think this is gonna work?

-[GPS device beeps] -Bet the reverend's farm on it.

[zipper closes]

[sobbing]

[crying] Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay.

[breathing loudly]

[metal clatters]

[stool clatters]

-What was that? -What was that?

Come on.

[Duck choking]

-Duck. -Oh, my God.

-[sobbing] -[Hobbins] All right, come on. There are some questions,

there are some questions we have to ask you.

I'm gonna have to ask you some questions.

[Duck sobbing] Willa's right.

I can't do nothing right.

-[Hobbins] Oh, come on. -I can't even kill myself.

-[Hobbins] Duck, you're gonna get through this. -[sobbing]

-[Hobbins] You're gonna get through it. -[crying] Willa.

Oh, Willa.

Pull yourself together, Duck.

[gasping] I don't wanna live anymore.

I don't, I don't deserve it.

Oh, come on. No, no, hey.

L-- Let's, let's work the steps.

All right? What's that first one in the Big Book?

Uh, I, I am, um, I, I am powerless,

and, and my life has become unmanageable.

All right, well, under the circumstances, let's, let's skip ahead to the next--

Duck, Duck, we need your help, okay?

You, you need to tell us what happened the night

that the reverend died.

Bedside manner. But that's right.

What happened?

Cassandra, um...

Cassandra asked me in on a job.

How is she involved?

I met Cassandra through Willa.

Cass used to sell her weed.

I didn't approve of it, but it's what Willa wanted.

-[car door closes] -So sometimes I would drive her over.

[somber music]

Hey, she wants you.

-Uh, Cassandra, she, um... -[Lester panting]

-Knock, knock. -...she was on duty

when they brought in Sederland.

-[mumbling] -Wait.

Wait.

He was out of his mind.

Seeing shit, she said.

Dowding's office. There was a, there was a lot of money in his office.

-You're fine. -[Lester panting]

Cassandra, she, um...

Well, she's been talking to Willa.

So she knew exactly how to get to me.

[Cassandra] Duck, imagine this life that you could have with her.

Down in New Orleans.

You could buy her a house, Duck.

Said that we'd split it, 60-40.

Sounds pretty good, right?

[sniffles] She said it was enough

for me to start a new life in Louisiana.

That's what, that, that's what she said.

Well, after she said it...

It was the only way for me to keep Willa in my life.

It was her idea to disable the camera.

And all I had to do was wheel the safe out on the dolly.

She had the whole thing laid out.

It was supposed to be an easy job.

-[cell phone rings] -[Duck] Hello?

Yeah, we are.

You think I'm stupid? I got this.

And then she'd get Darlene to open it

-'cause she has the codes. -[Darlene] Are you insane?

What makes you think I would have even gone for this? Oh, and the, and the safe?

Yeah. The, the safe is bolted to the floor from the inside.

-Wait, really? -Yeah.

Oh, that...

That is a big oversight.

-You think? -Yeah. Then what happened?

[Duck] I seen a car pull into the parking lot, but I, I couldn't make him out.

They were driving around the edge of the parking lot skirting all the cameras.

And they, and they headed back to the construction site behind the church.

So I slipped out the back to see if I could recognize them.

[woman's voice] That was a grave misstep undermining us, Reverend.

[Dowding] I can't be a part of this anymore.

This isn't a negotiation.

You'll do as you're told.

-[thud] -We might have saved him,

you know, if, if, if we could have called an ambulance.

It's a goddamn slip and fall.

[sighs]

-[gunshot] -[groans]

[gunman] Where's the money?

[dramatic music]

Hey. Okay, don't, don't shoot. We contacted you.

-The money now. -[Duck] I, I don't know

-what you're talking about, man. -Hey, come out from behind there.

Curtis?

Ben?

-Hot damn, that is you. -[mouths] Oh, Ben.

-He wasn't supposed to be here. -Did, did you just get out?

What, wh-- what it's been? Like, six years?

I'm sorry. Do you two know each other?

Damn right we know each other. This man right here

is the best shortstop that ever graced the Emmaus fields.

Aw hell, man. Thanks, man.

[footsteps]

[turns on light]

Look, man, I, I...

-I don't know anything about any money though. -Shut up, Duck.

[snaps fingers, yawns]

Hey, you better start talking, missy.

-Now I won't play nice much longer. -We contacted you.

This was supposed to be a handoff. Why'd you have to shoot him?

I don't know. B--

But you better cooperate,

or you'll end up like your friend.

Okay. Okay.

Ben, sorry, I have to drag you into this.

Oh. I, I'm actually going by Duck now.

Duck?

That's a, that's a stupid name.

Okay. C-- Can we all just, like, calm down? I'm gonna get you the money.

[organ playing]

-Where is it? -[Darlene] It's in the safe.

Yeah, and also, it, it's bolted to the cement

-from the inside, so... -I can take you to it.

[Duck] Yeah, and you probably don't wanna shoot her 'cause

-she's the only one who knows the combination. -Thank you, Duck.

Now can you get that gun out of my face?

It's the second time today.

Ben, take the girl.

I told you...

...my name is Duck.

Do as you're told, idiot.

Okay. Come here.

-Get off. -Okay.

[dramatic music]

[hyperventilating]

[beeping]

[Curtis] Come on.

Thanks. [grunts]

Hey, oy. Hey, she ain't gonna say nothing, man.

Quack, quack.

Come on! Run! Run!

[gunshot]

[Duck grunts in pain]

[groaning]

Go! Go, go. [grunting]

[gasping]

Yeah, I thought we was friends.

You know what?

Screw you, Curtis.

-You never were good at baseball! -[gunshot]

[cell phone ringing]

[funky music]

You're only making things worse.

[car approaching]

[woman's voice] Find the girl. No loose ends.

[organ music playing]

[gasps, gulps]

[grunts]

[groaning]

[inhales sharply]

[grunting]

[exhales sharply]

-[line ringing] -[grunts]

-[Kyle] Yeah? -[grunts]

-So, you, you got something to say or-- -10-13. Officer down.

Emmaus Holy Church. [grunting]

Hobbins? Hobbins, are you there?

[car approaching]

Officer down. Need backup at Emmaus Holy.

[siren wailing]

[funky music]

I want the money, Darlene.

[pants] Darlene, give me the money.

It's too late, Cass. It's already gone.

[sobs] You ruined everything.

[tense music]

-[gunshot] -[gasps]

[police siren wailing]

[breathing heavily]

[funky music]

[Kyle] Hands! Hands where I can see them.

Drop the gun! On your knees.

Let me see your hands.

[officer] She's been shot.

She's not breathing.

Knowles, set a perimeter.

Drop the gun. On your knees.

[muffled radio chatter]

[Darlene sobbing]

-[organ music playing] -[police siren wailing]

[continues sobbing]

[muffled sobs]

-[siren wailing] -Show code four.

Suspect is in custody.

Requesting RA Unit.

-Curtis? -Hey, how's your mama doing?

[organ music playing]

Must have ricocheted.

You're one lucky duck.

[Duck groans softly]

[officer] Police!

[whimsical music]

Hey, uh, how is the case going so far?

[chuckles] Just as I was beginning to like you.

Oh, come on, everybody likes me.

-Everyone likes me, right? -Of course, Gellis. [chuckles]

Hey, is he gonna be all right?

Oh, I've never done this before.

Right.

The bullet will be removed at the hospital.

He'll be fine.

Why are you smiling?

It hurts like hell.

You see, I haven't been shot in a while, you know.

I saw them drive off with the money.

-It's gone. -Just as planned.

Is this gonna work?

[clicks tongue]

-Okay, ma'am, we need to clear the vehicle. -Yeah.

[car door closes]

[siren wailing]

-This is certainly unorthodox. -[chuckles]

Well, I appreciate the indulgence.

And... thanks for the ride.

-Hey. Thanks for the coffee. -Oh, you bet.

[indistinct conversations]

[Kyle] Attention, everyone. Investigator Hobbins has something he'd like to say.

[Hobbins sighs]

Hey.

Well, Emmaus is a small town,

so I figured we should do this in a small town way.

I believe the reverend's death was not an accident.

-What is this? -Somewhere in this room

is a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Your beloved reverend was murdered.

And his killer is in this room.

Duck... step forward.

[whimsical music]

[Hobbins] Duck, it's safe to say, was in the wrong place

at the wrong time, attempting to steal

the deposit safe from the reverend's office.

The safe was, one, bolted to the floor,

and, two, empty.

Whatever money he thought he was going to find was long gone.

The reverend had given it to Darlene earlier Saturday.

If anything were to happen to me,

I want you to take it to the police.

And she hid it in her closet.

Unbeknownst to Cassandra,

who had the grand idea to break into the church...

All you have to do is go get the money.

...after hearing a feverish story

-from Lester Sederland... -All that money, all that money in his office.

...jailed and detoxed after breaking into the church himself.

-This is too much too soon. -Witnessing the reverend

and Don Fulcher arguing over a pile of money.

Now, just a minute. That's a bunch of nonsense.

That's not even the best of it. I'll get back to you, Don.

So, our besotted friend Duck...

...thinking the spoils of Cassandra's ploy

could win back the young Willa, agrees to the heavy lifting.

As he was told, he cut the security camera cable and had a dolly at the ready.

But just as he made it to the safe,

an uninvited guest showed for the soiree.

But let us go back an hour earlier to the reverend's farm...

...where an unsuspecting Darlene

was just handed a heavy duffel bag.

[music continues]

Like two ships in the night, she passes Don Fulcher

who arrives at the house to bully the reverend.

Don wanted to reaffirm the reverend's loyalty, and there was a struggle.

You can't prove none of that.

I believe you were worried

that he was gonna pull out of your arrangement.

But... arrangement?

Well, I'll circle back to that in due time.

Don here had been intimidating the reverend for months,

and the reverend could no longer stomach it.

Things escalated that Friday...

-[metal clang] -...when Sederland overheard

you two arguing in the reverend's office.

The next day, Saturday afternoon,

Don met the reverend in the church parking lot.

What was it you said, Don?

You like to look a man in the eye when you're talking to him.

What, what was he doing with the money?

Oh, come on, Kyle. You're not buying his garbage, are you?

[woman] That was a grave misstep undermining us, Reverend.

I can't be a part of this anymore.

-This isn't a negotiation. -You do as you're told.

No, we're building something here.

-We'll do it with you or we-- -[thud]

Turns out it was an accident.

At least it started that way.

-Hey! -What the hell was that?

And Duck was there to see everything.

No, no, no. No. The reverend drownded. Fact.

[Hobbins] It's drowned.

-But no. -I've heard enough of this.

Kyle, do something about this twit.

It's true. I, I saw the whole thing.

The reverend wasn't dead yet.

-Hey, hey. Hey, he, he needs help. -No, no, no. All right.

-He needs help. We gotta call someone. -Just stop it.

-Call 911. Get an ambulance. -Stop. Jane.

-Come on. Get an ambulance. -She's-- Jane.

[Hobbins] Duck brought the reverend inside with his dolly

and placed him in the baptismal pool,

hoping it would look like an accident.

[Duck] The rock was my idea. I'd been using it

to weigh down the tarp in my truck

so it wouldn't fly off while I was driving.

[water running]

Yeah, that, that was that.

-[Hobbins] But that's not where he died. -You're out your damn mind.

And you ain't got a shred of evidence.

Not a shred, no. Just your word--

-Uh, and Duck's confession. -[Hobbins] We do have that,

but indulge me. I'd like to take it a bit further.

-Well, your brother just got out, didn't he? -Curtis?

Of course I will need a favor.

Curtis was hired to run me off the road yesterday,

which really knocked around the thoughts in my mind.

Round and round, remembering things that were said,

making connections that I might have otherwise missed.

-Airplane? -Fulcher Landing Strip.

Just that she was going on another trip

-to Miami. -[Hobbins] Jane said she was coming

from Florida. She was pale,

in a fur coat. That didn't add up.

People are still tanning? I don't bet anymore...

-Yeah. -...but I still like to follow the odds.

[radio commentator] ...against the RedHawks of Miami of Ohio.

You know, I got that good RedHawk shit.

[Hobbins] So I called an old FBI buddy in Cincinnati.

Dick is an old gambling buddy. Bets sports mostly.

-[cell phone vibrates] -[commentator] ...to the right side diving Tribe by the...

Leo, my man. Best time of the year, right?

[Hobbins] I was rambling, most likely in shock,

but... I managed to ask my question.

Yeah, there's a couple airports around there.

OXD used to be my old stomping grounds.

When a plane lands, there's gotta be some kind of a record of it, right?

Yeah. The FAA's been keeping records

for 75 years of the transponders of every plane.

I need the data on every plane coming into OXD out of Michigan.

You know how many flights come in and out

of a single airport on a given day?

Really need this favor, Dick.

-[commentator] Right back... -That's a double play ball.

-How the Hawks doing? -Why?

You want me to place a bet for you for old time's sake?

I got a new game.

Hmm. Leo, I mean, what's this all about?

Opioids.

Yeah. Yeah, I'll, uh, I'll get you all the information you need.

[cell phone chimes]

Go RedHawks.

[Hobbins] Like I said, big sports fan

who happens to be a Miami University alumni.

So Dick sends me an email with this.

"A twin engine Cessna registered to Don Fulcher

has been making bi-monthly trips to Ohio for nearly a year.

In and out of OXD Airport just outside of Miami University.

Not the one in Florida, but Ohio."

I don't even have a license, Sherlock.

No...

...but your wife does.

And like everything else, she's in charge.

It was your wife's idea to mule the drugs from Ohio.

[Joyce] Well, everyone knows that Don's over his skis in debt.

[Hobbins] She had to act fast to recover from your real estate debacle.

Before you ran her legacy into the ground.

Then business boomed.

More addicts meant more money.

Now, you just had to figure out how to launder the cash flow.

But here's the rub. You were pressuring the reverend to build a mega church.

You set up a construction trust fund

and made the reverend deposit the donations and tithes

that you forced on him with your dirty money.

I can't do this.

What?

-What'd you say? -No more.

-[Don] There's plenty more. -Then your bogus company, Flagstone Construction

would invoice Emmaus Holy

with the billing cost.

-Horseshit. -[Hobbins] It's all right here.

A handwritten letter in the reverend's book

that he put in Darlene's duffel bag.

I haven't been able to hear a word that man said.

-[Duck] Hey, he, he needs help. We gotta call someone. -[Don] No, no, no. All right.

-Just stop it. -[Duck] Call 911. Get an ambulance.

-Do something. Come on! -Jane. I've got it. Jane.

-Come on! -Jane, is he all right?

-Jane! -Do something.

No, no, no! Girl, what are you doing? What are you doing?

-[gagging] -[Jane breathing heavily]

[Duck] Come on. No, no.

[Dowding gasps]

[softly] Oh, okay. Okay.

Duck...

...take care of the body.

Make it look like an accident.

[Hobbins] It was Jane Fulcher

who murdered Reverend Dowding.

I am an esteemed member of this community.

I'm on the Chamber of Commerce.

I am chair of Emmaus Holy's board.

My family built this town.

You'd take some redneck's word against mine?

I don't have to.

[scoffs] Technology.

[sighs] Kyle.

It is Trooper Gellis.

[sighs] So, what did you do with the money?

We put my GPS tracer in a stack of bills in a duffel bag.

Curtis handed it off to someone in a parking lot.

And... it wound up here.

Flagstone Farm Credit Union.

[chuckles] What are the odds?

I never ought to have trusted you, you ingrate hayseed.

-It was never supposed to go this far. -Shut up, Don!

What about the sui--

What about the suicide note?

What difference does it make?

Now, you almost had me with that one.

We already heard the whole story.

-It was Willa. -Was not.

[Hobbins] You put her up to it.

She had addressed the envelope to the wrong number.

We are 223 Main, not 322 Main.

[Hobbins] Flipped it around just like her specials board.

Willa, I heard this town's a black hole.

-My mom made me do it! -No.

-Willa, Willa, Willa we'll get through this together. -Stop.

And it was purely out of spite. Joyce, you've always been jealous

-of Darlene's relationship with the reverend. -[sighs, clicks tongue]

You couldn't stand the idea of her getting his inheritance.

Really, Joyce?

[sighs]

[funky music]

[car door closes]

[exhales]

[breathing deeply]

I, uh, really looked up to him.

He was always there for me, you know?

Nothing about this feels good.

The reverend did his best.

Yeah, well...

...I don't know.

Oh, look, the right thing to do

isn't always the easiest,

and the easiest way

almost always ends the hardest.

All right. [clears throat]

[sighs] You know...

-...that book the reverend loved so much? -Yeah.

It's... [sighs] chock-full of epic tales

of fortunate men screwing up.

Adam eating the Apple,

Moses killing his overseer,

King David breaking just about every damn commandment.

Reverend might have lost his way...

...but he never lost faith in you.

Why did you believe me?

[scoffs]

What's that look? [laughs]

I never got a chance to thank you.

For what?

Yeah, giving me a real case to solve.

You got it, Detective.

Wait, you don't, you don't have a car.

How are you getting to Detroit?

[funky music]

[muted]

[muted]

[muted]

[muted]

[music continues]

[music fades out]

[whimsical music]

[music continues]

[music fades out]