Original subtitles

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

Is it done?

Yes.

Our friend is fodder for the worms.

Good.

Let's go.

We're likely looking for a shallow grave.

Murderers never dig deep.

They're in a hurry to be rid of the body.

Or can't be bothered to dig any further.

Let's try by the river.

Why?

It just seems a restful place.

Higgins, we're looking for a burial site,

not a picnic spot, man.

JACKSON: Over here!

I don't believe it. [ Sighs]

Eureka. Hal.

Congratulations, Constable Jackson.

You've found our friend.

JACKSON: [ Groans ]

Hal.

Thank you, Doctor.

I believe you gents owe me 5 cents each.

DR. OGDEN: [ Chuckles ]

We made a little wager

as to who would find your cadaver first, Doctor.

Good.

You've embraced the first part of my training exercise

with enthusiasm.

Constables.

Miss James as well as Miss Baxter and Miss Roy

from the Medical College for Women.

They're joining us.

Once the constabulary finds a body

buried under suspicious circumstances,

medical inspectors or coroners are called to the scene

to give their opinion.

Definitely deceased.

Definitely.

Thank you, ladies.

Medical inspectors should always have an opportunity

to view the body before it is moved.

It is their responsibility to unlock the corpse's secrets,

some of which can only be ascertained at the crime scene.

As constables and doctors working together,

it is your task to determine identity and time of death.

To that end, collect whatever you need.

We should look for insect activity and patterns.

Yes, and consider the soil conditions.

What difference does it make where the fellow was buried?

The presence of microorganisms, moisture, and warmth

are all factors that help determine

the rate of decomposition and the time of death.

- Oh, God. - Ugh.

Perhaps we should work on the windward side.

That's a helpful idea.

[ Chuckles ] I wish you luck.

[ Exhales sharply ]

Ladies?

Come down.

[ Thunder rumbling ]

I see not even a decomposing corpse

could dampen your appetite.

I should say not.

Postmortems should never be conducted on an empty stomach.

Mm.

I must say, a joint forensics exercise on our land

is a brilliant idea, Julia.

Well, we'll see

what the constables and doctors come up with.

When are the builders arriving?

Sometime this week, they claim.

- Oh. We'll be long gone by then. - [ Horse neighs ]

Mm.

Whoa.

Oh.

Hello.

[ Exhales deeply ]

Good day.

Uh, good day.

Barry Biggs. Frank Walsh.

You the new people?

Yes. William Murdoch. My wife, Julia.

Hello.

Our family farms are over yonder.

[ Chuckles ] Farming accident.

Ah.

So were you planning on living in this tent, then?

[ Chuckles ]

No, no. We plan on building a house.

They the builders out there digging?

Uh, no.

That's an experiment the detective and I are conducting.

Oh, police, are you?

How much old Dawson soak you for?

I believe we settled fairly.

BIGGS: I don't know if this old place is worth much.

River overflowing the banks every spring.

Best watch that.

Oh, I intend to build a fair ways from the river.

Maples to the west there, they'll need some pruning,

else the wind will put a limb right through your roof.

Now, you are planning on building a roof, I take it.

[ Laughter]

Oh, why such a foul odor when it's a new corpse?

Well, Doc Ogden likely buried the body shortly after death.

And I believe, uh, decomposition doesn't begin in earnest

until it's exposed to oxygen.

Correct, Constable.

Can you take hold of this tape? We need one more measurement.

Oh, here. Allow me.

We can't let you ladies put us to shame here.

Oh, God! Oh!

I taste it! Oh! [ Spits ]

CRABTREE: Ugh.

Judging from the size of the larynx, the cadaver is male.

From the remaining muscularity,

we deduce he was likely a working man.

He was 5'11" in height.

- Are you sure? - Quite sure.

We took careful measurement of the long bones.

And his teeth suggest he was 35 to 40 years old.

So a tall man in his late 30s, likely a laborer.

Yes.

Well, that is a comprehensive description.

There's only one problem.

This is not the cadaver I buried.

But you marked the burial site, did you not, Doctor?

Of course.

Animals or weather likely moved it.

William, Detective Watts.

I heard you found an unidentified corpse.

I was hoping to take a gander.

- Male or female? - Male.

Oh. So I see.

Detective Watts has been on the hunt

for a number of missing women.

Some of them have been gone a considerable amount of time.

I'm sorry I can't help you.

That's all right.

It means people I am searching for may still be alive.

Youth and optimism.

It's a delightful combination, Detective Watts.

Though not helpful in this instance.

Good day.

So, ladies, who is this?

DR. OGDEN: I have no idea.

But it seems he was beaten to death.

Multiple fractures on his skull and defensive injuries.

He put up quite the fight,

judging by the severe blows to his hands.

From the size and shape of the contusions,

they were inflicted with some force,

likely with a hammer.

So we have an unidentified murdered man

buried on our land, Julia.

Any idea how long he's been here?

At least a year, I'd say.

We'll work on establishing a more accurate time of death.

We'll conduct the postmortem right away, Miss James.

Out here?

We may as well take advantage of the fresh air.

My students still have a body to find.

Mm.

CRABTREE: Indentations in the land

are a clear sign of the grave, but so, too, can be vegetation.

The detective once found a body...

Or skeleton, I suppose...

By observing a non-native plant amongst the wild species.

But the dead are dead, beyond help.

Caring for the living interests me far more.

Well, then why are you here, may I ask?

I needed an excuse to avoid a wedding.

Well, I'm telling you...

There's nothing more satisfying than solving a murder.

Just last year, we found these gold-plated statues

that turned out to be human bod...

Look here.

See these flowers?

They're the only ones of their kind in this area.

The soil here is richer,

possibly fertilized by organic matter.

Like a rotting corpse?

You're a quick study, Miss Baxter.

[ Birds chirping ]

I don't recall burying the body this close to the river, Julia.

Yes, well, according to the neighbors,

the shoreline changes every year.

Sir.

What have you?

Looking at the size of these boots,

I would say we're looking at a man.

It's not him. This is not my cadaver.

- Are you sure, Julia? - Yes.

The body I buried wasn't wearing boots.

What else are we gonna find?

What do you have there?

A bullet.

Murder, then.

Sir, it seems somebody is making foul use of your land.

DR. OGDEN: Indeed.

It seems we're harvesting bodies.

[ Birds chirping ]

Observations?

As this one is a pile of bones

and the first body much less decayed,

it would appear that they were killed months,

if not years, apart.

REBECCA: There are furrows in the soil

from the maggots leaving in droves

after polishing off the flesh of the corpse.

Two dead bodies, William.

Who did you say you bought this land from?

A man named Dawson. I never met him.

His lawyer handled the transaction.

George, I'll need your assistance at the station house.

Sir.

Let me know how you fare with an identity

and time of death, Doctor.

Oh, throwing down a rather large gauntlet,

wouldn't you say, Miss James?

Indeed.

Constable Jackson.

Yes.

Constable Crabtree suggests we keep looking

for Dr. Ogden's missing cadaver.

Yes. Great. I'm... Yeah.

I'm... I'm ready.

Excellent. Let's get going.

There you go.

Wait.

You're leaving me with a constable

who does nothing but leer?

Oh. Thank you very much.

JACKSON: He's not all that bad.

You just have to give him really clear instruction.

I have a better idea, Anne.

We work on the soil research

and use the constables to tramp around the land.

Sorry to desert you.

Shall we, Constable?

Yes, we shall.

[ Mid-tempo music plays ]

All of this area north of the city

would have been settled by farmers in the 1840s.

As the city began to encroach in the last decade,

developers started to buy up the land,

including, I expect, our Mr. Dawson.

From everything I hear, sir, he seems a slippery fish,

always hiding behind his lawyer.

Hm. How long did he own the land?

Three years.

He owes money left and right, Sir.

What's more, he skipped out on his landlord.

Right. Try to find him.

Sir.

Perhaps your neighbor would know something about him.

That would be...

...Alvin Nash.

Mr. Nash.

Detective William Murdoch, Toronto Constabulary.

Oh, you bought the place up the road.

- Yes, I did. - So we're neighbors.

Well, eventually.

Uh, we haven't broken ground yet.

Oh, this is, uh, this is my wife, Mavis,

my daughter, Dorothy.

- Afternoon, ladies. - Good day.

Mavis doesn't say much.

We're doing our best to keep her happy.

- Aren't we, Dorothy? - We are that.

Um, Mr. Nash, if I may...

What do you know about Mr. Dawson,

the previous owner of my land?

Dawson. Well, he kept to himself.

Why are you asking?

Well, we discovered two graves on the property.

You don't say. On the Dawson land?

Yes.

See, Dorothy? What did I tell you?

I always thought there was something funny about him.

What do you mean?

Dawson hardly ever came up here,

but when he did, it was at night.

We seen him one time, Dorothy and me,

lifting something heavy off a wagon.

What was it?

I don't know. It was wrapped in a tarpaulin.

When was this?

That would have been just after I got out of the sanitarium.

That was two years ago, maybe longer.

Did you not suspect anything?

His business, not mine.

Who ever thinks a neighbor is burying bodies?

[ Cow lows in distance ]

[ Door opens ]

That's, uh, Frank and Barry. They're good lads.

They help me keep the place going now.

[ Indistinct conversations ]

[ Vehicle approaching ]

WOMAN: Out of the way! Out of the way!

I'm walking here!

- Miss Cherry? - [ Engine shuts off ]

Oh, for the love of...

Hello, Constable Crabtree. Do you like it?

I do.

I'm the proud owner... Almost, that is.

I'm on a trial drive.

This must cost a fortune.

It does, but it's still a bargain.

The owner only wants $100.

$100?? That's far too cheap.

There must be something wrong with it.

I thought it was too good to be true.

Well, at least I got to take it for a spin.

I look pretty good behind the wheel, don't you think?

You do.

You know, maybe somebody could take a look at it,

take a peek under the hood.

Who?

I just might know someone.

Must be quite rewarding, you saving people.

I'm not quite a doctor yet.

I still have a residency to complete.

But my studies are finished.

Hm.

[ Birds squawking ]

- Can I ask you a question? - Certainly.

What do you know about dropsy?

Dropsy. Such an odd word.

Um, it's swelling

caused by accumulation of fluid in the body.

Usually happens because the heart isn't pumping efficiently.

Heart. I see.

Quite difficult to treat, unfortunately.

Hm.

Oh.

Clumsy oaf.

Wait. The...

An indentation is exactly

what Constable Crabtree said to look for.

Hand me that spade.

Fascinating.

Let me guess. This still is not your corpse.

Nope. Not mine.

This looks like a more recent burial, Doctor.

Puncture wounds to the abdomen.

A better name for your body farm might well be Murder Farm.

The bullet in the skeletal corpse was from a hunting rifle.

His left femur was broken in two places, likely premortem.

Really? Strange.

The next one to die was the very first body we found.

Beaten to death, but he put up quite a fight.

The third victim was only buried in the last month or so.

So after we purchased the land, Julia.

He was stabbed with a pitchfork, judging by the puncture wounds.

One of the tines was shorter than the others,

worn down by use, no doubt.

Hmm.

MAN: Unload here, lads.

What's that?

Oh. The builders.

MAN: That's good.

MURDOCH: Uh, excuse me.

I'm sorry, but, uh, there's a problem.

Well, you did book us to start today.

I understand that, but unfortunately,

this land has become the site of a police investigation.

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

So, why did you ask about dropsy?

You seem too robust to have heart problems.

Uh, no, it's not me.

My, um... my wife died some years ago.

Oh, no. I...

They said it was to do with her dropsy.

I didn't know what that was.

I suppose they didn't explain it to me

because they didn't think I'd understand.

What? [ Sighs]

That's no way to treat a bereaved husband.

She never did have a strong constitution,

so her passing wasn't a surprise.

Sweet girl, she was.

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

I'm so sorry.

Thank you for the explanation.

It's a comfort to know.

Constable Jackson.

JACKSON: Huh.

There appears to be a lot of animal activity right there.

I wonder what they're after.

[ Exhales deeply ] Finally.

Congratulations, you two.

If you don't mind me asking, Doctor,

where did you get him from?

The subject saw the value

of donating his body to scientific research.

So let's make good use of it.

You know, I'm not sure

that there are no more bodies yet to be found, Constable.

Then perhaps we should keep looking, Miss Baxter.

Please call me Anne.

Mr. Dawson.

Detective Murdoch.

Uh, has your lawyer explained

why you're being questioned today?

Something about the land I sold you.

Judging by your demeanor, maybe I should have brought him along.

You owned the property for three years.

Yet you never built on it.

The city's moving north.

I thought it was a good investment.

Land prices haven't increased significantly.

So why sell?

To be truthful, my vision tends to exceed my business acumen.

Is this why I'm here?

We're investigating three murders.

Three bodies were buried on that land.

Bodies?

And you think I had something to do with it.

Did you?

Look.

I've, uh, dodged the law... Taxes and that.

But I'm no murderer.

I hardly went near the place.

There have been reports that you were seen there late at night.

Explain that.

I'm a bit of an amateur astronomer.

Sometimes I'd drive up there with my telescope

to look at the stars without the lights of the city.

And while you were there, did you ever witness

any disturbances on the property?

It was usually dark as pitch.

Of course.

Can you think of any reason

why someone would bury bodies on my land?

Could have something to do with the Hobbins family.

Who are they?

They were one of the first families up there.

Had a place further north.

Thought they owned the whole county.

Liars and cheats by all accounts.

No reason to think they'd stop at murder.

Do they still live there?

I don't know.

But I'd stay clear if I were you...

...badge or no badge.

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

[ Birds chirping ]

[ Goat bleats ]

Excuse me.

What?

Detective Murdoch, Toronto Constabulary.

I have nothing to say to the police.

Is this the home of a William Hobbins?

Get a judge's warrant.

Sir, you likely met Minnie Hobbins, William's daughter.

By all accounts, she's a real chip off the old block.

I anticipate no shortage of color in their history, George.

Indeed not, sir.

Uh, they have cut a swath of violence and intimidation

since they arrived from England in 1870.

They set up house in the north part of the county

and just decided it was their own personal fiefdom.

Any arrest record?

Plenty of arrests, sir... Robbery, intimidation,

suspected in a number of violent homicides.

But no jail time until recently.

What happened?

Well, just 2 1/2 years ago,

William and his two sons, Patrick and Daniel,

were finally sentenced for illegal liquor running.

They're all locked up in Kingston Penitentiary now.

Well, it seems we may have found our murderers.

Off to Kingston, then.

Right.

Yes, George?

Sir, I was just wondering if you needed any further assistance.

Uh, Miss Cherry had asked me to assist her

in the purchase of an automobile.

Miss Cherry?

The reporter, sir. Surely you remember her.

Yeah. Of course I do.

She seems full of bright ideas and energy, George.

An auto suits her.

Yes. Indeed it does, sir.

Right.

[ Birds, insects chirping ]

There is a species of moth which hatches in open wounds.

In the process, it excretes a mucus which seals the lesion.

Preventing other insects from entering.

Which would explain why there's so little insect activity

in such a recent corpse.

Yes.

And yet it still gives us no further insight

as to when the third victim was killed or when he was buried.

I wonder if the students are having more luck.

I'll see.

Miss Roy.

We're testing each soil sample,

measuring the moisture retention of the different types of soil

in which the bodies were found.

Any results so far?

It's too premature to draw any conclusions.

Happy though I am to be working with you, Miss Roy,

I-I don't know why you're having me repeat this test.

What's the complaint now, Constable?

Well, this soil from Dr. Ogden's body site, it's... it's clay.

It's the same type of soil the first body was found in.

It's a waste of time to repeat the test.

So the two corpses were found in the same kind of soil?

That's what I just said.

Katherine, do you know what this means?

Yes.

We can work out a timeline for when the first body was buried.

What are you talking about?

I can find out from Dr. Ogden when her subject died

and the exact date she buried it.

That will give us a baseline

to calculate the rate of decomposition in clay soil.

And we may be able to find out

when the first victim was murdered.

[ Exhales deeply ]

We have covered the property several times over,

and I have dug up every indentation

and unusual piece of vegetation we have come across.

Perhaps there's a body in the river.

[ Chuckles ]

I'm sorry to disappoint,

but I don't think there are any more bodies to be found.

You know, I think forensic work could be my calling.

That would be a terrible waste, if you don't mind my saying.

You don't think I would be good at it?

No. No.

I think, given your determination and thoroughness,

I think you'd be quite excellent.

But you have a special way of dealing with the living.

How do you mean?

You talk to people like they're people.

It's a rare thing for a doctor.

Well, I will take that as a compliment, Constable.

My name's Augustus, but I prefer Gus.

So, Gus, you're sure there are no more bodies?

Quite sure.

LOUISE: Well, George, you really are a dark horse.

I had no idea you had such an entrepreneurial streak.

Oh, it's really just a sideline.

No, it's a stroke of genius on your part.

No one knows how to fix autos.

Well, Sam's the brains, really.

I'm just more of a silent partner.

Don't be so modest, George.

Bloom and Crabtree.

"Crabtree and Bloom" has more of a ring to it.

It's funny you should say that.

What do you think, Samuel?

How much is the seller asking?

$100.

[ Whistles ]

Am I being handed a lemon?

You found yourself a steal.

Runs like a top.

If you don't buy it, I'll snap it up myself.

Excellent.

- Thank you, Samuel. - My pleasure.

I'm just glad you brought this beaut by

for me to take a look at.

Is he always so forward with his customers?

I think he was actually talking about the automobile.

Oh.

Shop talk. I get it.

The secret language of mechanics.

You know, I believe this garage

could be the making of you, George.

It seems likely the Hobbins family

buried their victims on our property.

Where we're building our home? How charming.

Though there is some irony to it, don't you think?

That a detective and a city coroner should buy land

that's being used as a disposal site for bodies?

Ironic for us, yes.

And unfortunate for the perpetrators,

albeit ones already in jail.

Yes, and when I meet them,

I intend to find out just who their victims were.

Though there's something wrong with the timeline, William.

Of course.

If the Hobbins are securely behind bars

at Kingston Penitentiary...

Then how did they bury their last victim

only a few months ago?

[ Laughter, indistinct conversations ]

[ Door opens, closes ]

- Mr. Bruce. - What do you want now?

Still miss your wife?

I didn't... Until you brought her up again.

Sorry for that.

Now all I want is for her to come back.

Do you believe she's alive?

I don't know.

That's what I'm trying to find out.

She was seen with two other missing women.

So far I've had little luck

ascertaining any of their whereabouts.

Likely moldering in a grave somewhere.

Likely, but not definitely.

Mr. Bruce, are you still in possession

of your wife's belongings?

I haven't thrown out a thing.

I haven't had the heart.

Can I take a look?

I suppose so.

I miss her something terrible.

[ Knock on door ]

[ Bell tolling in distance ]

George. What brings you here?

Sir, I hate to bother you at home,

but there's no point in you traveling to Kingston.

What do you mean?

The Hobbins are not incarcerated in Kingston Penitentiary.

I spoke to the warden there.

What's more,

there's no record of them ever having been there.

Were they sent to a different prison?

Sir, there are no inmates by that name

in any prison in the province.

Well, George, there's a record of their conviction.

I know, sir. I don't understand, myself.

Unless they escaped before being transported.

Well, if that were the case,

we surely would have heard about it.

Yes. Surely we would have.

So you're telling me we have a family of criminals

on the loose.

Perhaps with plans on burying more bodies on your land, sir.

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

I believe Miss James and I have gleaned all that we can

from the bodies.

Are we interrupting?

We have the results of the soil testing.

Not at all. What have you?

We measured water retention in the soil from each grave.

The more water retained, the wetter the soil.

Creating an opportunistic environment

for tissue decomposition.

As I've learned from Miss Roy,

we discovered three distinct environments.

The first body was found in clay soil.

Clay holds water unless there's very good drainage,

which there was at the first burial site.

And the skeletal body was buried in very moist soil.

A cubic foot of that soil retained two gallons of water.

The third body, however, was found in sandy soil and subsoil,

much drier conditions.

And the grave was on higher ground and in full sun.

It was also wrapped in a blanket.

Dramatically different conditions.

Yes.

Ones that could substantially affect decomposition.

Good work. Thank you.

The body found in the wet conditions would have decomposed

faster than the one in the hot, dry environment.

Hot and dry would have slowed the process.

These victims could have been killed

within a much smaller window than we first thought.

Have you been able to establish their ages?

Yes. We examined the teeth.

Judging from the condition of the enamel

and the remaining molars,

the skeleton was that of an older man,

and the other victims were likely in their 30s.

Hm.

I believe the Hobbins family remains

at the center of this mystery...

...but perhaps in a different way than we first thought.

[ Birds chirping, goat bleating ]

You again.

You recognize these?

Pair of old boots, it looks like.

Yes. Do they belong to your father?

If you say so, I suppose they do.

Where are your father and brothers now?

Last time I saw them, they were getting hauled off

to the Kingston prison.

Did you ever visit them there?

Why would I do that?

Miss Hobbins, I'm sorry to say this,

but I believe your father and brothers are dead.

He die with those on or off?

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

George, the warden you spoke with at Kingston Penitentiary...

- How long had he been there? - Not that long, sir.

The previous warden had just retired.

That's who we need to speak with.

Find him.

Right.

Everything in here is Muriel's.

I kept it for when she came back.

I tried getting rid of it a number of times, and...

And you never could.

It's good to have faith.

I went to the police a couple of days after she disappeared.

They never did anything.

They said it was my fault she ran off.

Aside from her blond hair,

anything you can tell me to help identify her?

You think she might be dead.

I don't know.

[ Sighs]

Well, um, she has a birthmark on her right calf.

It's shaped like an hourglass.

What do you know about this?

It's her book.

She wasn't much of a reader.

It'd take her a couple hours to get through a page.

But the last few days I was with her,

she was never without it.

WATTS: What can you tell me about your wife's cousin...

Caroline McGovern, isn't it?

[ Sighs]

Well, not much.

Last I heard, she was working in some tavern.

May I keep this?

How much did the Hobbins offer you to let them go?

Enough to retire on?

Where did you get that idea?

You were the warden at Kingston Penitentiary

when William, Patrick, and Daniel Hobbins were sent there.

Yet there's no record of them whatsoever.

You were the only person who had access to those records.

You made a deal to let them go.

You're wrong.

I had as little to do with them as I could.

Then who did you take money from?

Money?

How dare you suggest?

I wouldn't take a penny from that poor man.

From whom?

Alvin Nash.

Alvin Nash. The neighbor?

-What does he have... -I was happy to help

any way I could after what he told me.

I-I'm afraid I don't follow, Sir.

Did you not know what they did?

Those Hobbins burned down Nash's barn.

Revenge over some old land dispute.

Nash's boy was killed in the fire.

Fourteen years old he was... Still a lad.

His wife was so grieved, it drove her mad.

But how did you know Alvin Nash?

We were both in a sanitarium near Peterborough.

When?

Two years ago.

We got talking.

He learned I was the warden at Kingston.

Terrible thing, losing a son.

Surely there was an investigation.

[ Scoffs ] Of sorts.

But those Hobbins covered for each other,

said they were nowhere near the place.

Nash got no satisfaction from the courts.

They got away scot-free. Can you believe that?

It was eating him up inside.

After many years, he finally found a way

to get justice the only way he could.

So you had the Hobbins released to Mr. Nash.

How?

I told them they were part of a special work detail,

and I escorted them out of the prison.

Nash's wagon was waiting for them outside the gates.

They climbed in. Never suspected a thing.

That was the last I saw of them.

I will be charging you, sir.

Go ahead.

I'll never see the courts.

I'm dying.

So it doesn't matter to me what you do.

I know I ended my life doing one good thing.

Mr. Nash.

The Hobbins were neighbors of yours for many years.

They were.

And there were disputes between the families

going back all the way to your father's days.

Is that correct?

Yes.

They were liars and thieves.

What do you know of William, Daniel,

and Patrick Hobbins' deaths?

What about them?

Theirs are the bodies that were buried on my land.

But then you already knew that, didn't you?

I spoke with Warden Smith. He told me what happened.

Whatever he did...

the burden should be on me, not him.

That will be for the courts to decide.

The Hobbins were vile, terrible human beings.

Yes, I got them out.

Why?

So I could kill them.

It had to be done.

Well, they were locked up behind bars, no danger to you.

[ Chuckles ] For two lousy years.

Then they'd be released

and back to making our lives a living hell.

It was my chance to be rid of them for good.

So you took the law into your own hands.

The law.

What'd the law do for my boy?

He was burned alive by those animals.

My wife went into a grief she'll never come out of.

Somebody had to stop them.

And it wasn't just the Nashes they picked on, either.

They were bullies to the whole county.

How so?

Frank's hand wasn't injured in any farming accident.

Hobbins boys crushed it.

Punishment for some supposed theft.

They crippled Barry's horse just for the fun of it.

He had to shoot her.

So you killed them to avenge your neighbors as well.

They got what they deserved. That's all I'm saying.

And where are the murder weapons?

Pitchfork's in my barn.

And what of the other weapons?

I used Frank's hammer, Barry's rifle.

Poetic justice for the injuries they suffered.

Their bodies were buried in three different graves.

Why not just one?

Took my time.

Locked them up.

Killed them one by one.

I'll be needing that pitchfork, Mr. Nash.

Just let it be.

We're all better off without them.

You murdered and buried three men, Mr. Nash.

You're in no position to judge.

There's no question the pitchfork matches

the wounds on the third body.

Then Mr. Nash's confession closes the case.

But still...

Is something wrong?

The Hobbins were a family of violent thugs.

Mr. Nash is an older man,

barely able to tend to his own farm.

Where did he find the strength

to kill and bury three grown men?

Revenge is a mighty fuel.

Dr. Ogden, Detective,

Miss Roy and I have done some calculations

based on the rate of decomposition.

The two corpses we found buried in clay...

Our baseline was the body you buried.

- Six months ago. - Yes.

So accounting for some physical differences

which might affect the result,

we've determined that the body was buried two years ago.

That's excellent work, Miss James.

That gives you your timeline for the Hobbins murders.

Two years ago. Are you sure?

It's actually quite a conservative estimate.

It could be two years and three months.

Why?

Well, Alvin Nash should thank you, Miss James.

You've just handed him an alibi.

MAN: Yes, sir.

Watch your step, old man.

Get your hands off me, sonny boy.

Is it common practice to let murderers out of jail?

You're no murderer, Mr. Nash.

Don't be ridiculous.

You may have persuaded the warden

to release the Hobbins men to you.

But you didn't kill them.

Of course I did.

You were in a sanitarium in Peterborough two years ago.

You're w ro ng!

I stuck that pitchfork in Patrick Hobbins as sure as day.

Then I took care of the other two.

Well, a pitchfork was used for one of the murders.

But it wasn't in your hands.

Who are you protecting?

Who's the real killer?

Leave him be.

What do you know about the Hobbins men, Miss Nash?

She doesn't know anything.

Miss Nash, you have something you'd like to say?

You don't know what they did to us...

Horrible things I'm not putting a name to.

- Hush, Dorothy. - No. I'm not staying quiet.

Look at her.

Look at my mother. She's hardly human.

And my brother.

After what they did to him,

there wasn't even a body left for us to bury.

Just ashes.

That's what they left us with... Ashes.

She doesn't know what she's talking about.

I'm not ashamed of what we did.

Who else, Miss Nash?

Gentlemen.

- What's going here, Alvin? - ALVIN: Just business.

It's between me and the detective.

Nothing to get involved in.

If you have a question for Alvin,

you have a question for all of us.

Severe blows to the hands.

Frank's hand wasn't injured in any farming accident.

Hobbins boys crushed it.

His left femur was broken in two places, likely premortem.

They crippled Barry's horse just for fun.

Three killers from three wronged families

exacting the same injuries.

DOROTHY: I should have done that.

I should have set Patrick Hobbins on fire.

The pitchfork was too quick.

Do you deny this, Mr. Walsh?

No one misses them.

Not even their girl, Minnie.

They would have terrorized us till we were all crazy or dead.

No court will punish us for doing what we did.

We did the right thing.

[ Mid-tempo music plays ]

[ Indistinct conversations ]

[ Doors close ]

Welcome to the neighborhood, Detective.

[ Growls ]

"Police constable runs auto garage you can trust.”

Hmm.

What do you think?

Uh, it... it's... It's very well written.

The publicity is sure to attract new customers.

What is it?

Well, it's not entirely true, is it?

I mean, I don't run the garage.

Of course you do.

But I don't always. As I said, I'm a... I'm a silent partner.

So you think Mr. Bloom could have pulled it off on his own?

No, probably not.

George, it's a good idea

for you to be the face of the business.

Everyone trusts a police constable to be honest.

There'll be autos lined up around the block.

You could even start another shop.

I don't know what my bosses will think about this.

Perhaps if it takes off, it won't matter.

How do you mean?

In a year, you might not even be a constable.

You could be running a string of auto garages,

Crabtree and Bloom's.

Do you think so?

Certainly, George...

If you would just stop hiding your talent.

Perhaps you're right.

And you're sure there are no more bodies.

[ Chuckles ]

I believe Miss Baxter and Constable Jackson

searched quite thoroughly.

Wouldn't want the builders to find anything untoward.

They start again tomorrow.

It's hard to believe this is the same idyllic setting you chose.

Given that we've found murdered victims buried on it.

And we arrested all our neighbors.

I don't think that we should live here.

I couldn't agree with you more.

I'm so relieved to hear you say that.

Oh, good. I'll put it on the market tomorrow.

- [ Laughter ] - WOMAN: Shh! Shh.

Hello?

- Uh... - Dr. Ogden!

Miss Baxter.

Doing some final research, I take it.

Yes.

Uh, sir, we, uh, we were inspecting behind, and, um...

Constable Jackson, I believe you may be needed

down at the station house.

- Mm. - Yes. Going.

- Sir. - With your clothes on.

Uh... [ Chuckles ]

I'm r... Mm.

[ Laughs ]

Well, I suppose a tent is a rather romantic place.

Even if it's served as a morgue?

Well, the dead will never tell.

[ Laughs ]