Original subtitles

- Nice spot, Harry.

- Yeah, it's good to get some perspective sometimes. - Mm.

- How much damage do you think a concrete gargoyle would do falling from this height?

- Because you're curious, or...?

- Or a guy was killed by one six weeks back. - A falling gargoyle?

- Come with me.

Victor Townsend ― 70 years old.

He was having his nightly ablution stop near a lemon tree on his son's property.

- Ah, a big believer in nitrogen theory, huh?

- This night, there was a party

which didn't stop Victor from his usual ritual. - Mm-hm.

- And then he was hit by 80kg of mythical creature.

- I hope he managed to zip up first.

- That's what worries you? - Well, that and the fact you used the words 'usual' and 'nightly',

which implies you don't think this was some kind of weird accident.

- You think it's weird already?

This is Tish Willopee, the doll that made Townsend Toys their first million.

- Townsend Toys being Victor? - His son and daughter-in-law, Byron and Dyva.

On the night Victor died, they were celebrating the relaunch of this doll,

and on the guest list ― a dozen life-sized Tish Willopees.

- Harry, please don't tell me that― - You see where I'm going with this.

The Townsend security cameras caught one of the Tish dolls

running away from the house just before Victor's body was found.

- Harry, this is... an outstanding effort.

- Victor was a decent old bloke.

He lived with Byron and Dyva, helped take care of their daughter. He was a dad and a grandfather.

The higher-ups are starting to lean towards freak accident, but I can't see how. That thing was heavy.

So this is my last run at it.

- Harry, you had me at gargoyle and killer doll.

- The Tish Willopee doll is based on the toymaker's childhood imaginary friend.

- It's just a ragdoll. - No, no, that's what's so cool about her.

She's, like, old, retro, analogue ― except that she speaks.

She has a software system that needs constant, tiny upgrades

costing, like, 99c a time. It's microtransactions.

- And these microtransactions are what made the Townsends their millions?

- Genius, right? - Money for nothing? Sure

- No, Byron and Dyva started out selling toys at markets around Auckland,

and he wasn't wealthy growing up ― he was raised by a solo mum.

- And you know this how? - Cos my cousins were really into Tish,

and Byron's story was a big part of it.

You know, the lonely kid who's best friend is imaginary? A lot of people can relate to that.

- And then he reconnected with Victor after he became a father himself.

Sad ending to that story.

- The party was a launch for the updated doll ― Tish Willopee 2.

Now, she has AI capabilities so she can have an actual conversation. It's like talking to a real person.

- Or you could just talk to a real person.

- Harry and his team have located and spoken to all of the Tishes ―

it's mostly staff and people hired for the gig ―

leaving us pretty much with the Townsends' inner circle.

- What kind of a messed up kid plays with a creepy doll like that?

- So, Mrs Townsend was dressed up as Tish that night,

as was their personal assistant, Jeri. - Right.

- I'm coming too. You're gonna absolutely need me on site for this one.

- You just want to see the toymaker.

- OK. This place is quirky as.

- Tish gets her own car.

Fancy. - Mm-hm.

- Alexa Crowe― - Yes. - ...and Madison Feliciano?

I'm Jeri Woodruff, Byron and Dyva's PA.

Follow me, please.

- Jeri, you were one of the Tish dolls on the night of the launch, right?

- Location for Byron, please.

Escape room. Copy that. Travelling.

What?

'll be there in...

- Everything all right, Jeri?

So good.

Thanks for asking.

He's expecting you.

- Oh-ho!

Come. - Hello?

- Wow.

Byron Townsend. Alexa Crowe. - Stop touching things, Alexa.

- She's right. This room is set to self-lock.

Touch the wrong item, and it triggers the sequence.

It auto-resets to a new pattern each time. - Well, good to know.

- You wouldn't want to accidentally trigger it if you're on your way to the loo.

- Ah, that has actually happened once, which is why now I have this large vase over there.

I'm just kidding.

Byron Townsend. And you'd be Alexa. - Indeed.

- And...? - Uh, Madison.

- Ah. - Hi, Byron.

- Hey, has anyone ever told you that you would make a wonderful action figure?

- Anyway, we're very sorry to hear about your father,

and hopefully we can find some answers for you.

- That would be good. It's been a terrible time ― terrible.

- Mind if we look around? - Please do. My house is your house.

Not really. Uh, Jeri will have to accompany you ― trade secrets in every nook.

- Well, the incident happened during a launch of a new doll.

Could it have been someone who was trying to sabotage it or hurt sales?

- The first drop sold out in under 60 seconds, so if that was their plan, they failed.

- 60 seconds? - Mm-hm. - It's impressive.

- Pretty normal for Townsend Toys. could release a small bag of rubber bands,

and my fans would clamour over each other for it.

- What would they be called? Cos I'd probably be in.

- I like this girl.

- So, um, where were you when your father was killed? - I was here in my escape room.

- While there was a party going on? - Mm. That's why I chose to escape.

Unfortunately, I have a very limited capacity for social interaction.

- All right, so how long would you say you were in here?

- Well, I just came in for a breather, but accidentally locked myself in.

- So around 60 minutes? - 57.

I was pretty pleased with that time as I went through the door.

And that's when I found out my dad was gone.

- If it's all right with you, we'd like to get to know your father a little better.

- So, you've seen the bowling alley.

Home theatre here.

And, of course, '80s-themed arcade.

- Oh, amazing. - Dad's wing is through here.

Your cop mates have been through already, of course, but everything is as Dad left it.

Jeri will have to escort you.

Jeri!

- Victor was a rugby guy, huh?

- I guess.

- Looks like he had a great relationship with his granddaughter.

- Yeah. Gizmo adored him. They were pretty much best friends.

Yes. 'm with the private investigators.

Detectives. Whatever they are.

Uh, but I'm not meant to leave them by―

Understood.

I have to pop out.

Uh... do not go anywhere else.

I'll be right back.

- Victor must have liked being here, close to family.

- He just didn't eat meals with them. Check it out.

- He's got a lot of single person meals, just like you, Alexa.

- live with you.

- See, you'll never get a boyfriend if you're telling people that.

- I don't need a boyfriend.

I've got you. - That'll have the same effect.

- What's wrong with this picture? - Pass. Looks like a cute pic of grandpa and the kid.

- Yeah, just like all the others.

Byron and his wife don't feature.

I wonder how close Byron really was to his father.

- You get this read after being here for five minutes?

- Shall we? - They said not to go anywhere unaccompanied.

I don't know if we should break the rules, Alexa. - OK, Charlie Bucket.

Find Jeri and ask her where she was the time of. There's something a bit cold about her.

- Yeah. She doesn't love us being here, does she? - Catch you up later.

Someone pushed your friend, huh? Put some effort into it too.

Was it you?

Don't worry.

Just trolling ya.

All right.

- Understand this, Jeri ― we are in damage control mode.

- It's a functionality adaptation glitch.

What are the tech team saying? I don't want to be rude.

There's a whole floor of them and only one of me.

- I am looking to you to ring-fence the situation.

- Hello. What's your name?

- Gizmo, you're meant to be―

Can I help you? - Alexa Crowe, friend of the New Zealand Police.

- Oh, of course. Dyva Townsend.

- Oh. Yeah, in a second, darling.

Sorry. The au pair decided she wanted to pursue other opportunities

so off she went with no notice. - Oh, school holidays?

- No. Gizmo's homeschooled. She is not a fan of other children.

- I'm with you, Gizmo.

- Jeri?

Uh, can you sort this out, please?

- Uh, come on, Giz. I'll set you up with something fun.

- Oh, we're just a little busy. Is there anything I can help you with? - Actually, one question ―

what do you think happened the night Victor died?

- About a month before, we had the house-wash guys here. We have it done every year.

Anyway, one of them said that some of the― the masonry was a bit loose.

Oh, so what I think happened was that there was... a freak accident.

- Yeah. There's a difference between a bit loose and taking a flying leap off the roof.

I saw the space where the gargoyle sat.

- I understand the police have their theories, but this is my home, not a murder house.

And I really have to get back to work.

- Jeri?!

- Thoughts? - Many.

- Hm. Gonna share? - Well, there seems to be some kind of crisis going on.

- Well, maybe we're the crisis. - No, it's business related.

I heard the words 'damage control mode' and 'functionality glitch'.

- A glitch? OK.

Well, Byron turned a little cold on me after he caught me snooping around.

- Yeah, his wife's a bit uptight, and not to mention our outlier, eh.

- We have an outlier? - Don't look now, but she's staring straight at us.

- So, according to Harry's statements,

Dyva Townsend was watching a movie with Gizmo in the home cinema.

Byron was in the escape room.

- So these people throw a party and then don't attend the party?

- Well, it was a product launch, so more business than social, I guess.

Jeri handed the guest list over to the police.

Apart from the hired Tish dolls and the staff, it was only the family.

- So it was a product launch that no one was invited to.

- I'd say they were probably gonna release some of the footage, but then Victor died, so they can't.

- So either somebody wanted exactly that ― to disrupt the business ―

or they planned the whole thing just to kill Victor and not be picked out in a line-up.

- Hmm.

- Who organised this party, then? - The woman who organises everything in that place.

- Jeri...

who was also dressed as Tish Willopee.

- Phew, cos for a second there, I thought you were gonna investigate an 8-year-old kid.

- Let's rule out Jeri first.

- Oh, crap. - Well, good morning to you too.

- t's just― - ...some kind of crisis going on.

- Jeri?!

Oh. Are you here with an update?

- Well, actually, I was hoping that you could supply me with a Tish 2 doll.

- Oh, ― - Oh, it's fine, Jeri. Alexa has important work too.

Please. - Thank you.

- But no, this doesn't involve her. - Her?

- Not her. Tish. What does Tish have to do with anything?

- Oh, that's what I'm trying to find out.

You see, Victor died during her launch, so was somebody trying to stop her going to market?

Or was somebody trying to distract from the fact that there's something wrong with the doll?

Is there? - Of course not.

- Well, I only have your word for that.

- There is a consumer supply crush right now, so the best we can do is pre-order for you.

It's gonna be about four months, tops.

take another look around Victor's apartment?

Jeri can escort me, right? - Mm.

- Uh, Byron, no. - Of course she can.

Jeri, please take Ms Crowe to my father's lair.

Oh, and I really do appreciate your diligence.

Thank you.

- Were Byron and Victor close? - Sure.

- That seems like a non-answer.

read an article that said that they reconnected after Gizmo was born.

- Well, I wasn't working here then, but, yes, when Byron became a dad,

he put an effort into tracking down his own father.

- Heartwarming.

Was Victor a Hurricanes fan? - I wouldn't know.

- But you're from Wellington, aren't you?

Oh, it's OK. We look into everybody just to know who's who, you know?

- Yeah, I'm from Wellington.

So what? - I just thought you might be a Hurricanes fan too.

- Look, I don't mean to be rude, but you're actually taking the piss.

- That is rude. - I have so much to be getting on with, and I'm babysitting ― again.

- Oh, me?

Jeri, I get the feeling you're not happy in your work.

- It doesn't help when you're wasting my time.

- I'll speed things up. Where were you when the gargoyle fell on Victor?

- I've already been asked this, and I was in the kitchen doing the dishes.

- With the kitchen staff?

I thought you were an executive assistant. - 'm asked to.

- And somebody asked you to do the dishes?

- You are keeping me from my actual work.

- And you're giving me non-answers again.

Now, that's OK, Jeri, because sometimes, it's what we don't say that speaks volumes.

- Yes?

Yes, I know it's her morning tea time.

Look, I was pulled away. Byron said to―

- Hello again. - Hi.

- Who's your friend? - Flea Bear.

- Well, hello, Flea Bear. Nice to meet you.

- My grandpa died.

- Yeah, I know. I was very sorry to hear that.

- I'll have a new one soon.

- When you die, you get new people.

When I lived in a wooden house in the valley,

the iron caught the curtains on fire, and then I was me.

- Gosh, when did that happen? - A hundred years ago.

- Gizmo, morning tea's ready!

- Goodbye.

- Bye.

- I didn't realise you were still here. - I'm just on my way.

Question ― was Gizmo at the launch the night Victor died?

- Until she got bored with the adult conversation and went to watch a movie.

- Your statement said that you watched it with her. - Yeah, that's right ― The Shining.

- That's a very odd choice for an 8-year-old, isn't it?

- I have tried with all the princessy stuff, but Gizmo is quite a sophisticated 8-year-old.

She's an old soul.

- Oh my God. Gizmo has past life memories?

- Or she watches too many scary movies.

- One of my little cousins used to say that when he was an old woman, he drowned in the well.

Don't make that face. There is a study into children who remember details of their former life.

- Madison. - And the conclusion is that there's some kind of non-physical mechanism

which connects them to details that they can describe really accurately.

Well, you're the one who brought up past life memories.

- Could we just watch the CCTV Tish doll footage again, please?

Is it just me, or is that a little microphone under the wig?

- Oh, like Jeri wears. - Exactly like that.

Would Jeri have any reason to sabotage the doll?

- Well, you said that they mentioned a functionality adaptation glitch. - Mm-hm.

- Maybe something to do with the software updates. Let's take a look.

- You sourced the doll? - Next best thing.

Prithee, let us consult The Toy Boy.

- Tish 2 has finally dropped, and, wow, she is everything we could've dreamed she would be.

- You're showing me a grown man playing with dolls.

- Once activated, adaptive AI enables Tish to absorb and respond like a human.

And right now, this one is worth $3000 on the collector's market. Whoo!

- A first edition has to stay boxed or their value plummets.

- Then why are we watching this? - First, you complain about watching a grown man playing with dolls,

and now you're complaining because he won't?

- No, we cannot find a glitch if that thing stays in its box.

- Well, this is true.

- Whoa-ho-ho-ho-ho, Shadowfax, worthy steed!

Greetings, disciples.

Hey, if there's a red light on, it means I'm recording.

- Sorry, um, I'm Madison, and this is Alexa.

- Um, you messaged me about Tish Willopee 2? - Yes. We'd love a closer look.

- Oh, well, she's an icon ―

no plastic, doesn't look mass produced, which we love. - We do.

- Yeah. And then there's her backstory.

If only everyone's imaginary friends came to life.

- Told you. - Did you? - Mm-hm.

- Well, hello, dolly. Let's open her up.

- Oh, uh, this one stays NRFP. - Not removed from package.

- Oh, did Madison tell you that we're investigating a suspicious death?

- Uh, Victor Townsend ― yes. - And how we think that the new Tish doll has a technical glitch

which could have something to do with said death?

- If there is a glitch, that actually makes her even more valuable.

- Yes, but it's also important we find out what happened the night Victor died and why.

- We just want to hear her speak. - Uh, do not touch!

- No. Just no aggro. - These toys are my retirement fund.

have a '78 Obi-Wan Kenobi over there.

- With double telescoping lightsabre? - Yes.

- Amazing.

Alexa, I'll meet you outside.

Could you help us get our hands on another Tish Willopee 2?

OK. Neville went through his contact list for me, and he's got some leads.

- Great. Let's leave him to it.

- I may have agreed to go on the doll hunt with him tomorrow.

- You what? - Well, we've talked about us both needing

some more murder-life balance.

- Oh, is this, like, a date?

- We made a pact! - No, we didn't. - Yeah, a date a week.

- Since when? - And this week, it looks like I'm winning.

- OK, so this is Jeri Woodruff's Instagram account.

- Uh-huh. - Here she is at Eden Park last year

watching the Hurricanes play the Blues.

- Who won? - It doesn't matter who won―

The point is she implied to me that she was not a fan.

- So what's this got to do with anything?

- Well, she also told me that she was not caught on camera running from the house,

so I'm trying to find some connection between her and Victor.

I can't find any connection between Victor and anyone else in the house either.

There's something weird about those Townsends.

- Other than the fact they live in a toymaker's mansion surrounded by dolls and concrete gargoyles?

- They are not a normal, happy family, Harry, and I'm a Crowe, so I should know.

All right, then. Come on.

- I haven't finished my coffee. Go where? - The Townsends'.

- It's my day off, Alexa. - We can call it a date.

- Eh? - Yeah ― going someplace, talking to people, learning some stuff together.

- See, to me, a date is a nice dinner, some wine, maybe a movie.

- Nah! This will be much more fun. Come on.

Jeri. You remember my friend, Detective Henare. I just want to run a few things by him.

- I'm pretty sure a cop needs a warrant.

- No, it's not like that. No, it's Harry's day off.

You know? He's just keeping me company. - Alexa.

- Oh. Hello. - Oh, Dyva.

Hi. I just need to take another look around.

- Oh, goodness. This is gonna go on and on, isn't it?

- No, I really hope not. No, we want to get you some answers quick smart.

- Jeri, take Alexa and the detective where they need to go, hm?

- Come on in, then.

- You go with her. Find out why she was running from the house that night.

- Wait. Where are you going?

Is it true that Byron has an '80s game arcade?

- Oh.

- Alexa. I heard you were back. - Yes. Thanks so much for having me.

What are you working on?

- A new doll.

- Gizmo Townsend. - Tish was inspired by my childhood imaginary friend.

This new doll ― my real-life pride and joy.

- And how does Gizmo feel about being made into a doll?

- Oh, she is beside herself with excitement, of course.

- You do a lot of publicity with her ― birthday parties, holidays.

Everything's in the women's magazines.

- Dyva does like to share our lives with our fans.

- How did her grandfather feel about that ― the photoshoots, the stories?

- Oh, what? - They just seemed super close. I mean, was he a bit protective?

- Why would Gizmo need protecting from her own parents?

My child has everything she's ever dreamed of ―

a house full of wonders, two parents that absolutely adore her.

'm making her into a doll, for God's sake.

- A doll which is going to make you millions.

- I don't understand what any of this actually has to do with Victor.

- Well, you see, somebody killed him.

So an understanding of family dynamics would help me immensely.

- If you say so.

Will you carry on?

- Well? - Jeri still denies it was her caught on camera.

- Yeah, 'course she does. - But she did spend a bit of time with Victor ―

took him to appointments, watched the rugby.

- Byron palmed his dad off on her.

And his kid.

Well, how does Jeri feel about that? - She considered it part of the job.

- No, I said, how does shefeel,Harry?

- Probably like I do right now, Alexa. It's my day off.

So, how about that dinner and a movie, eh? - Sure.

OK, I'll go this way.

- Whoever it was is a fast mover. - Damn it!

- You OK? - Yeah. You? - Yeah.

So, who did you upset now?

- Uh, Harry...

- So, you're saying someone did it deliberately again.

- And this time, they left their crowbar.

- I've got a unit on the way. Just don't let anyone leave.

Tell your staff or whoever to stick around. I want to talk to everyone.

OK. You can take off now.

- Sorry? - This just turned into an active investigation, Alexa.

- Uh, can I remind you that I invited you here? - No, I haven't forgotten.

By the way, as far as dates go, I've had better. - Rude.

- Thank you for your help, as always. But I'll take it from here.

- Sure thing, Detective.

- Oh my gosh. Here's one.

- No, that's a Tish 1.

- What, and they're passing it off as a 2?

- Well, this business is rife with scammers, Madison.

- Um, Neville, I just got an eBay alert at retail price.

Is this also a scam?

- The vendor's a civilian.

They don't know what they have. Hit the 'buy now' button!

- Waiting, waiting... - Here you go.

- Yes, sold! - Yes, that is what I'm talking about!

- Cool! Love a happy customer!

- This is great. - That's awesome.

- Byron told me what happened. - It wasn't me!

- I know it wasn't you, sweetie.

As if a kid could push something that heavy.

- I never suggested that. - So why is Dyva saying Giz did it?

- Is she? She doesn't think it was you?

- Like I told the cop, I've never even been up there.

- I know what you told him ― a big fat lie.

It was you on the security camera footage running from the house that night.

I saw your headset. - Look, I was just having a moment.

They'd ask me to do the dishes, and I was just making a dramatic exit.

It's a bit over the top, isn't it? - Well, my friend and I were almost crushed by falling cement,

and we wouldn't have been the first, so... no, not that over the top.

Not when you have a killer in the house.

No one tells me I'm off a job.

- This is where she wanted to meet. Be right back.

Hey.

- Shit.

- Madison! Madison.

Meet Tish Willopee 2!

Mission complete! - Yay!

- Wow. Look at this.

Yes.

- Kia ora. - Alexa.

- Is she meant to be here? - Byron, I was wondering about the overseas trips you and Dyva take.

- Why is she asking me this? - It's just your dad never went with you. Why is that?

- He, uh... He didn't like flying.

- But he just applied for a passport.

- No. No, I... Hmm.

No, I'm very confused, actually. - Shall I un-confuse you?

- Alexa.

- Actually, I'll leave you to it.

Talk to you later. - Mm-hm. - Mm-hm.

Oh, you got one? - We did.

- How do you make this thing―? - Hi! I'm Tish. Want to be friends?

- Uh, unlikely. - Tell me your name, and I will never forget you.

- No, thank you.

I'm going back to my sourdough.

- The internal temperature of sourdough should be 205 degrees Fahrenheit.

- Well, a real little know-it-all, isn't she?

Hey, Tish. Who killed Victor Townsend?

- I need more information to answer that question.

- Yes. Me too, Tish ― me too. But I think we're getting closer.

You OK?

- I found a Tish wig in Neville's car.

- Ah.

Well, did you ask him about it? - I was locked in a car with him.

I didn't want to slip 'Are you a killer?' into conversation.

- Yeah. You usually want to cushion that one.

- And I wanted to check the party footage again, because maybe... maybe I've got the wrong idea.

- Oh, sure. There could be many reasons that he has the same wig that the killer wore.

- How did I not notice him before?

- And how did he evade the police checks?

- Because he's not on the guest list provided to them. Why not?

- That's a question for our friend Jeri.

She's gonna be real pleased to see me again.

But, Mads, go talk to Neville...

in a public place with a lot of people around.

- Your usual? - Uh, might wait for my...

the other person to get here.

- Same guy as yesterday? - Mm-hm.

- Bit of a spark, huh?

Or not.

Just let me know if you want me to boot him out, huh? - Thanks, Reuben.

- Good morning, beautiful.

So, did, uh, Tish 2 give you what you were after?

- No, Tish didn't, but hopefully you will.

Are you playing me, Neville?

- What?

- You were at the party the night Victor died

despite telling me that you've never been to the Townsends' place, which means you lied to me.

- wouldn't tell, and I never break a promise.

- Well, you're about to. Start talking.

- Oh, good ― you survived. - I did.

Are you going somewhere? - Yeah ― to ask our friend Jeri about that dodgy guest list.

- Oh, about that ― turns out The Toy Boy was personally invited by Jeri.

- Uh-huh. - She wanted to get some influencers there,

but she didn't tell Byron and Dyva, so Neville had to pretend to be one of the hired dolls.

- Go on. - And he's such a little fanboy he snuck off to have a look around,

and guess what ― he was recording on his phone when it happened.

- No! When the gargoyle fell? He got footage of that?

- Well, not actual footage, no.

- Oh my God.

Oh my God. This is the painting that Byron commissioned way back―

- Look at the timestamp, Alexa. - 1.13am. - Yep.

- And suspect Tish was caught running away from the house at 1am on the dot.

- Before the gargoyle was pushed.

So it's not Jeri. - Or Neville.

- Well, what do you know? Your wild doll chase paid off. - I do believe it did.

- Me again! Don't worry, Jeri ― you're in the clear.

The gargoyle fell after you were caught on camera taking off.

But you are guilty of one other thing.

That guest list that you gave to the police didn't have all the names on it.

- That wasn't intentional.

- Oh, you didn't intend to mislead the police?

- I was running two separate guest lists. - I know you were.

Byron and Dyva were uptight about leaks, but you had media pressure,

so you invited a few people without their sign-off.

People like Neville Sainsbury. - Who?

- The Toy Boy. - Oh. Yeah. - Yeah.

- And I gave the police the wrong list by mistake.

Did I invite a murderer to my boss' party?

Oh shit, I'm gonna lose my job. - Maybe I won't tell them that you let in some gate-crashers.

- Thank you.

Wait, 'maybe'?

- If you escort me somewhere else.

Show me Gizmo's room.

- Just so you know, this feels really wrong.

- Now, that is not a Townsend toy. All the rest are.

- Flea Bear was a gift from a family friend or something.

Byron doesn't usually like non-Townsend toys in the house.

Grubby as hell, but, um, Gizmo's very attached to it.

She used to sleep with it as a baby, apparently.

- She's a funny kid, isn't she? - Yeah. She's a great kid.

- Does she ever say any, kind of, spooky, ghosty things to you?

- Sometimes, but you know Dyva and Byron let her watch all kinds of movies.

- There's always a logical explanation for these things, isn't there?

- Tell me your name, and I will never forget you.

- Nope.

- You're not my real mom.

- Never said I was.

- You're not my real mom. - Oh, is this the glitch?

- Go, Hurricanes!

- What did you say? - You're not my real mom.

- So, Neville has intel that the Tish Willopee glitch is sorted.

- Did he say what it was? - Yeah, apparently it was saying random things,

but they've put out a new upgrade on the Tish app.

OK. You're doing that thing again where there's something going on.

What are you thinking, Alexa? - I was thinking about a conversation I had with Gizmo.

And also something you said about reincarnation. What was that?

- Oh, there are actual scientific studies into the―

- The conclusion. - The non-physical mechanism which connects these children

to their previous lives and allows them to―

- Non-physical ― we don't have that. We have the physical.

- Wait, so Gizmo somehow found something that used to be hers.

- Gizmo is not having previous life memories. She's having this life memories.

- What? - Think about it. There is not a single picture of her

with her parents till she's, like, a preschooler.

And she's got one toy ― a teddy bear that she's had since she was a baby.

And it's not a Townsend toy. - Wait, are you saying...

- Gizmo is not Byron and Dyva's daughter.

Victor Townsend was not Byron's dad. That's why he had to die.

- Ah. Alexa. What can I...?

I've got a Zoom in 20 minutes, and now you've just gone―

- I don't think you're going to make that Zoom, Byron.

- Well, not now that you've triggered the reset.

- Well, in any case, 20 minutes is plenty long enough for you to tell me how and why you killedVictor.

- Sorry? - You heard me.

- Well, I must have heard you wrong, because you're saying I killed my father, is that right?

- No, you didn't kill your father.

I said you killed Victor, who we both know was no relation to you whatsoever.

He was a stranger ― a stranger that you paid to be your family.

Really? You're madder than I am. - Oh yeah, but I'm on the money, aren't I?

Cos you are the genius toymaker, and Dyva is the business head ―

at least that's what all your publicity says

when it's not banging on about you being the perfect happy family unit.

I mean, this ― the perfect fantasy home for a child, and not a child in sight.

Nah, you'd have to fix that. A little junior Townsend would, uh...

it would really complete the fairy tale.

So when Dyva heard about the baby in Wellington who had lost her parents in a house fire

and was living with her only remaining family member,

you made the baby's grandfather an offer he couldn't refuse.

Except he did. Victor may have been on the bones of his arse,

but he wasn't about to sell his grandchild.

Instead, he made a counter-offer ― a two-for-one deal ― a baby daughter and your long-lostdad.

And so you made the announcement about this precious child you'd kept so private ―

the puff pieces, how you were this aspirational fantasy family.

But behind the scenes, you were putting up with a stranger who holds all the power.

Because all Victor had to do if you pissed him off was tell the world the truth.

- 'Buying a child' ― please!

- Victor Gene and his granddaughter, Avery Gene.

Little favour from a friend down at Births, Deaths and Marriages, and bingo ― name change documents.

Now, Victor and his granddaughter disappeared without a trace

from Wellington shortly after this fatal house fire.

Not that anyone was looking for them.

- Well done, Alexa ― very good.

But do you know what you've actually omitted? That we gave Gizmo another chance at life.

We've given her everything. And as for Victor, you should've seen where he was living when wemet him.

He got out. We gave him that. And, yes, we made a deal with Victor, but it was a win-win.

Nobody got hurt. - Oh, good one.

- Yes, all right. Victor may have died.

- And why did he die? I mean, you two didn't get on.

There was no love lost.

But that would've been fine until Victor decided that he wanted out of your arrangement.

Victor did order a new passport and one for Gizmo too cos he wanted to leave with her.

'This wasn't what he signed up for. His granddaughter was lonely here in the castle, and so was he.

'So they were gonna fly away and see the world.'

And what could you do? If you made a fuss, he'd expose your sham life.

- And if he did nothing, you'd lose your daughter. - Yes, well, thank you, Alexa.

But like I told the police the first time round,

I was in here when Victor died in this room ― the escape room.

No way out.

- Except there is.

There's always a bypass button.

You have to have an emergency exit by law.

Otherwise, this place could become a death trap.

So you set up your little alibi, and then you snuck out...

only Jeri was up there taking a break, which almost messed everything up for you.

And then Jeri left, probably when she saw Victor taking a pee.

And that was your chance.

- Are you finished yet, Alexa? Because I do have a short attention span.

- Almost there.

Now, the other day, you realised that I was getting close to the truth,

and maybe you didn't mean to kill one or both of us ― maybe you only meant to scare us off.

But I don't scare easily, Byron.

- Fear is a biological response designed to keep us safe, to identify danger.

- Oh, I know how to identify danger.

- Oh!

Did you think that was the bypass button for the emergency exit? Did you get that wrong, Alexa?

Now that I have your undivided attention for at least an hour,

let's have a chat about how you're not going to be telling anyone any of this.

Wrong again.

- How do we get in? - You can't ― not if Byron's triggered the sequence.

- 'm not wrong about ― you're a chicken.

- I beg your Perdon? - Yeah. Your MO is to throw heavy things off high places.

But face to face, you haven't got what it takes.

- Maybe we should test that theory.

Oh, wrong again! This is actually becoming quite fun, isn't it?

No!

- Well, that could've gone either way.

- Detective, I would like to lay an official complaint.

- We can chat about that down at the station.

- Right.

- Harry, don't touch a thing unless you want to be trapped in a small room alone with me.

- Another time.

- Hello. - Hello, Gizmo.

How's Flea Bear? - He's quite happy today. - Good.

How are you? - My name's Avery now,

and I'm gonna be living with Jeri. She's my favourite.

- Well, that is the cool thing about growing up. You get to choose your own family.

- Did you do that? - Yeah. Yes, I did.

- You know, when I took up my dream job,

'd end up adopting an 8-year-old. - Mm.

- Do you want to play too?

- Yeah, she's gonna start school next term, meet some real kids her own age.

- Overrated.

- How about you, Jeri?

- Me and Giz― sorry, Avery ―

we'll get settled, and then I'll look for another marketing position. - Great.

- Thank you for being... annoying

and rude and all up in everybody's faces.

- do.

- Come on, Avery. Let's all get some ice cream!

- Harry has a wife?! Who is she?

How did they meet? What is she like?

- Do you have any actual questions for me?

- Apparently, poor Margo's accident is no longer an accident. - Huh?

- Remember all of those dry ice deaths we found online?

- Hello? That's why I'm outside.

- Alexa!

- So, forgive me if I'm a little blunt, cos―

- Please, please, don't stop now.

- 'You already taught me so much as my professor.

'But now, in this new role, my body shivered.'