Last Scene Alive: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery (2018) - full transcript

[dramatic music]

- Sorry I forgot which
way I'm supposed to turn.

- Okay that's a
cut on rehearsal.

Everett you're
going to the right.

Okay?

Towards our heroine.

Ready to push her through
the breakaway railing.

- Okay.

All right got it sorry guys.

- Okay, that's what
rehearsals are for.

- Okay just we fight here?



- Yeah.

- And then we're over here
and she throws me over.

Glad it's the stunt
man and not me right?

- Okay.

- Everybody, are we all happy?

How's the shot looking?

Good.

Will, can you give
Celia the heads up?

We're shooting in 10 minutes.

- I got it.

- No, no, no, no, no no.

We already budgeted for those
flowers in the wedding scene.

Yes.

Well, I don't care if
they're not in season.



[gentle music]

Hey there Taylor.

- Hey Will.

- Meredith I didn't know you
were on the schedule today.

- I thought you knew everything
that goes on around here.

- Well, usually.

Mrs Shaw?

Mr. Parker wants you on set.

Celia, it's Will.

Coming in.

Celia?

Help!

Somebody help!

Something's wrong with Celia!

Call 911!

[dramatic music]

- Our mystery section
is right over here.

If you like the classics
we have Agatha Christie,

very intricate mysteries.

If you like something
more contemporary,

Charlaine Harris is fabulous.

- What about that mystery writer

who lived here in
Lawrenceton for a while?

- Oh, Robin Daniels,
he is my favorite.

If you really wanna
dig into mysteries

you should consider coming
to the Real Murders Club.

We have a meeting tonight.

Would you excuse
me for a moment?

- Oh, go.

- Hey.
- Hi.

- Sorry to interrupt
you here at work.

- No, you're never
an interruption.

- I'm afraid I can't make
dinner tonight after all.

- Oh.

- Yeah, unfortunately I got a
message from a CIA colleague

and he hinted at some bad
news about my old partner.

- Oh, the one that's
like a brother to you?

- Yeah, Rex.

So I've gotta make
some calls tonight,

see if I can figure
out what is going on.

- Yeah, of course.

But you know, you could have

just called me and
left a voice message.

- Oh, big fan of your
voice mail message

but I'll take the
real you any day.

Sorry about tonight.

- I better get a rain cheque.

- You get two.

- Oh.

- And you have two weeks.

Thank you.

- Martin canceled
dinner with me tonight.

- And you're
telling me this why?

- It's called sharing.

- Oh.

Well, you may continue then.

- Well, at least I can have
dinner at home with my mother.

- Ah, you're still
living with Aida?

- Yeah.

Sometimes I regret taking
that offer on my house.

- Selling that house was one of

your more intelligent decisions.

The odds of turning
up dead there

are much higher than
the statistical average.

I don't see why you'd regret it.

- Yeah, that house was
starting to feel cursed.

Although I wish I had lined up

a place to live
before I sold it.

- Nonsense.

With such a good offer out of
the blue why would you wait?

- Lillian, could you imagine
living with your mother again?

Hi, mother.

- I thought you were having
dinner with Martin tonight.

- He had to cancel.

So I was hoping that I
could take you to dinner

before the Real
Murders Club meeting.

- I don't need
you to babysit me.

I'm not going to collapse
because John wanted

to move closer to
his grandchildren.

- Oh, mother.

We both know that the
only reason John moved

was because you
wouldn't marry him.

- John Queensland
is a lovely man

and I really enjoyed
our time together

but I just never saw
him as my husband.

Oh, but here.

This is a new listing I think
that you will really like.

- Nice.

I like this neighborhood.
Can we go see it now?

- No, I haven't got time.

I'm showing rentals
to a movie director

who's coming to town.

Yeah, he's gonna be here
for a couple of months.

- Why would a movie
director wanna stay here?

- I can't say.

- What about dinner?

- I've made plans.

But I'm sure you'll find
something in the fridge.

And maybe a way to keep
the crumbs off the table.

- It was two crumbs!

One time!

- Aida.

Hey.

- Hello, again.

Mr. Weir, right?

- Please, call me Will.

- Well-

- Ms. Teagarden.

Joel Parker.

We meet at last.

- Mr. Parker.

I had no idea meeting me
was so high on the list.

- Well, I had Will
do some research

on real estate
agents in the area

and you seemed to be in
a class all by yourself.

- Well...

- Much like this town, actually.

It's in a class of its own.

It's absolutely gorgeous.

- Mmm.

- So, you think you can find
me a nice place to stay?

- I always do.

- Well, thank you.

Let's go.

- So glad you decided to
join the club again, Arthur.

- Oh, it's nice to be back.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

- It's good to have a
law enforcement angle

represented in our discussions.

- Yeah, how does
Lynn feel about it?

I know she isn't a
fan of real murders.

- Yes, which might be why I
never mentioned it to her.

- A man has to protect the
serenity of his pregnant wife.

- Man, it is so strange to
have this meeting without John.

- Yeah, he was one of
the founding members.

- I'm looking forward
to Sally talking about

this Chinatown trunk
murder tonight.

- Oh, actually Sally
had to leave town

to cover the Peterson story,

but I think Perry Dell's
gonna fill in for her.

- Oh, no I can't tonight.

- Perry, don't you look spiffy.

- Yeah, Sally got him
a job at the paper.

- Yes, it was my idea.

He did some writing on the
youth mentor newsletter

I edit for the city.

I was pretty impressed.

- Wow, Perry, a man
of many talents.

And you clean up
pretty nice, too.

- Oh, thanks.

I borrowed my dad's jacket

just in time for
my first interview.

Hey, I need to have
this story in tonight.

Can I give you Sally's stuff?

- Yes, of course.

- So Perry, who are
you interviewing?

- Oh, I brought him with me.
He used to be in the club.

- Hi, Ro.

- Robin Daniels.

- Hi.
- Hi.

You didn't tell me you
were coming to town.

- I wanted to surprise you.

And of course I arrive on the
day of a Real Murders meeting.

Hi, everyone.

I wish I could stay but
I've got this interview

and photos and all
kinds of stuff.

- Oh.

Okay, but why are you here?

- It's a long story.

Let's get together tomorrow.

I'll tell you everything.

- Okay, I'll be at work.

- Perfect.

I'll come by the library.

Hey, Perry you ready to go?

It's good to see you, Ro.

You look great.

- He's pretty famous, right?

- Pretty famous.

- Cool.

- He's also being
pretty mysterious.

- Alright, that's
the last of them.

Do you need any more help?

- Oh, no I've got it.

I'll lock up.

- Okay 'night, Ro.

- Night.
- Hey, Martin.

- Oh, in a day full of surprises
this one's my favorite.

- I couldn't let the day end

without seeing you again.

- Oh, did you find out any
news about your old partner?

- Not yet. I've got a bunch
of feelers out though,

I should know more soon.

You're not gonna ask me your
usual 50 questions about it?

- Huh?

What?

Sorry.

We had an unexpected visitor
tonight at our meeting.

Robin Daniels.

- Oh, the writer you dated?

- Oh, we went out a few times,
I wouldn't call it dating.

- Well, whatever you call it,

I hope he didn't come back
to town to ask you out again.

- No.

If anything, I think I was more
of an afterthought for him.

- Aurora Teagarden,
an afterthought?

Impossible.

- Come over for coffee?

- It's a little late, are you
sure your mother won't object?

- Not if you're a good boy.

- Scout's honor.

- You never were
a scout, were you?

- Nope.

[laughing]

- A movie based on the
book "Whimsical Murder"

by bestselling author
Robin Daniels will be shot

in and around Lawrenceton
starting next Monday.

According to Daniels,
Lawrenceton is the inspiration

for the story's setting.

The last thing we
need is Hollywood

descending on us creating
who knows what mayhem.

If Robin Daniels
likes Lawrenceton

it's a funny way to show it.

- Lillian, we should be happy
for Robin and his success.

- That's good of you to say, Ro.

Lillian, great to see you again.

- Hello, Robin.

- Hi.

- I am happy for you.

Your first book to be
turned into a movie?

- And maybe my last.

It's all been a bit maddening.

- Well, why is it
that I've never

heard of "Whimsical Murder"?

- I sold the rights when it
was still in manuscript form,

and then I got hired
to write the script.

Now they're rushing the
movie into production

so it'll come out
just after the book.

- Well, why wouldn't
you just call me

and tell me all this
before you came to town?

- I wanted to tell
you in person.

The main character in the
book is inspired by you.

- Me?

- Yes.

I named her Adelaide.

She's a mystery-solving
librarian.

I guess you got a hold
of my imagination, Ro.

- Thanks.

- Of course, I told the
actress playing Adelaide

about you and she
wants to meet you.

Says she'd love to come
by the library tomorrow

if that's alright.

- Oh.

I don't know if Lillian
would like that very-

- I just got a call from the
movie production company.

They want to rent
out the library

and shoot some scenes here.

They said I can be in the movie.

- Well, I guess that
solves that problem.

- So the lead character
is based on you?

- Yeah, I'm a
little bit flattered

and a little bit uncomfortable.

But everyone else seems
to be really happy

that the movie is in town

and Perry got Robin to give
him a little part in the movie

so he could write what it's like

being in a production
for the paper.

- Perry Dell, a
writer and an actor.

Interesting.

- Ro, we were just
talking about you.

This is Joel Parker,
the director.

- I finally get to
meet Robin's muse.

- Oh, yeah, hi.

[phone ringing]
- And this is her

accomplished beau,
Martin Vartel.

Joel Parker.

- I'm so sorry, I
have to take this.

- You know what?

I should call Will, get
him to bring a car around.

You know, you two
should drop by set.

I promise you, you'd
have a great time.

Yeah?

- I find him
incredibly charming.

- Mother.

Are you here on a date?

- Would it be so surprising
if he'd asked me out?

- Oh, no, of course not I just-

- No, I'm not ready to jump
into the dating pool just yet.

No, Joel liked the house
I found him so much

that he's asked me to
find other locations.

I'm a location scout.

- Wow.

You're the last person I thought

would get all swept up
in this Hollywood hoopla.

- I guess it's the
lure of the exotic.

- I'm so sorry.

I've gotta get
back to my computer

and I gotta make some calls.

- Is everything okay?

- My contact just told
me he's been briefed

that Rex has gone missing
while on assignment.

- Oh oh, I'm so sorry.

Yes, go, of course.

I'll get something to go.

- Okay.

- There we go.

- And you don't have to stamp
a return date in the book?

- No.

No, patrons check the due
dates online now, silly.

- That's not very
cinematic, is it?

- Hey.

- Hi.

- That's her.

Aurora Teagarden.

I'm so happy to meet you.

- Hi.
- Ro, this is Celia Shaw.

- I'm playing you.

Well, movie you.

What do you think?

Do I look the part?

- Sure.

I'm checking out some of
Robin's books for my trailer.

You think I would have read
one when we were going out.

- Oh, you two dated?

- Just for a couple months.

- Coincidentally, Celia got the
role while they were dating.

- You're only saying that
because you're jealous

you didn't get the part.

- Aurora, this is Meredith.

She plays the reporter.

- The librarian's best friend.

- Oh.

Let me guess, based on Sally?

- Yeah.

Hey, why don't you come
by the production office?

I'll give you a
copy of the script.

- I'm not sure I wanna read it.

- Oh, but you have to.

Then we can talk and you can

give me insight
into my character.

Can you show me how
you do your research?

Stupid heels.

- I didn't mean for you to get

dragged into helping
on this production.

Celia just really
wants to do a good job.

- Yeah, okay.

[gentle music]

- You should have seen it.

It was so obvious she had
no idea what she was doing.

But it's not my job to
tell her how to do her job.

[laughing]

It was so ridiculous.

- Okay bye.

- Hi.

Are you the receptionist?

- No, I'm Ellen Post.

Producer?

This is my production.

- Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm Aurora Teagarden.

- Oh.

The Aurora Teagarden.

- Yeah, I guess.

I came by to see Robin Daniels?

Well, he's just
finishing off a meeting

but you're more than welcome

to wait for him over
there, Miss Teagarden.

- Thank you.

Perry.

Are you here to write
another story for the paper?

- Yeah, sorta.

I'm waiting for Arthur.

- Arthur?

- What's he doing here?

- They hired him as a
consultant for the cop scenes.

He's supposed to
help me with my part.

- You're gonna be a cop?

- Two scenes.

Even got a line in one.

Hey, what's so funny?

- No, nothing.

So even our detectives have
been bitten by the movie bug?

- Yeah, pretty cool stuff.

Like this whole
craft service thing.

Have you heard about this?

They keep this constant supply
of food here all the time,

even here at the
production office.

Look.

- Wow.

Mmm, those cinnamon
rolls smell good.

Do you mind if I have one?

- Oh, please do. It drives
me crazy when too much food

is left over at
the end of the day.

- Oh, a Robin Daniels fan?

- How'd you know?

Oh!

I'm addicted to his books.

It's killing me I
haven't been able to read

"Whimsical Murder" yet.

I'm hoping I get to take
a peek at the script.

- I haven't read it, either.

- You haven't read the
script inspired by you

and your mind for murder?

- Wait, you're her?

The real life
crime-solving librarian?

- Yep, that's her.

I have read the script

and there's also a
character based on Sally.

You know, I was
a little offended

there wasn't one based on me.

- There isn't a detective?

It is a murder mystery.

- Oh, no.

There is, but he's
sorta dim, so,

you know, obviously not me.

- Oh hey, speaking of which,

I gotta ask you about something.

- Yeah.

So what's up?

- Aurora?

What're you doing here?

I thought you said something
about not being impressed

by all this Hollywood hoopla.

- Robin asked me to come by,

but I admit I was
a little curious.

- My daughter, curious?

How unusual for you.

- No!

I look ridiculous!

That horrible wardrobe woman

is trying to make
people laugh at me.

- Celia, please.

Just calm-
Don't yell at me.

I bet you she's the one.

The one that's been watching me

through my window.
- It's okay, it's okay.

Celia, look.

Look at this picture, okay?

See how gorgeous you look?

- Oh.

I thought it was
a different color.

Silly me.

I'm so sorry.

- See what I'm dealing with?

So, are we happy?

- Yes.
- Good.

- Aida!

Oh, I'm so glad you're here.

Hello, Aurora.

- [Aurora] Hi.

- I just dropped by to go
over the location photos.

- That would be perfect.

I just need a moment.

Can you wait?

- Sure, of course.
- Excellent, thank you.

Good to see you, Aurora.

- Sure you're okay?
- Will?

- Yes, sir.

- [Joel] Ellen,
come on upstairs.

- He's mad at me, isn't he?

- He'll get over it.

- Someone really has
been watching me.

Why doesn't anyone believe me?

- You're done for
the day, right?

Why don't you and I go
grab a coffee or something?

- That sounds nice.

- Okay.
- I'll just go change.

- Actresses can
be temperamental.

- Well, I don't think that
was normal actress behavior.

- I hope not.

- It wasn't.

Everyone knows Celia's
gonna ruin this movie.

Everyone.

Just wonder when someone's
gonna do something about it.

- Oh, I drove by that
house, the new listing,

I really liked it.

And if I can drag my mother away

from her location
scouting tomorrow

do you wanna come by
and see it with us?

Hello?

- Oh.
- Where'd you go?

- I'm sorry, I'll come back.

- Are you still
worried about Rex?

- I worked along
side him for years.

He seemed indestructible.

I find it really
difficult to believe

that he could have
been kidnapped.

- Oh, I'm so sorry.

- I'm trying not
to obsess about it.

- You?

Obsession's your middle name.

And it should be your first
name and your last name.

- Just tell me what
you're up to today.

- Well, today's the first day

of shooting "Whimsical Murder",

so I told Robin
I'd stop by the set

and give him my
thoughts on the script.

- Which are?

- Robin's a really good
writer but this mystery

isn't a very good one.

I figured out right
in the beginning

that the son-in-law
was the murderer.

- Well, you are kinda
special that way.

- Yeah, but then the
ending, the killer

confronts the librarian
in this old abandoned mine

and she's just so passive.

- I see.

Well, you are anything but
passive, Miss Teagarden.

[knocking]

- [Ellen] Come in.

- Oh

sorry to interrupt.

I just wanted to...

I'll come back later.

- [Meredith] So it's true?

You hang out with
Celia last night?

- [Will] Yeah only 'til
11:00. We were just talking.

- [Meredith] And
drinking, I'm sure.

- No, no Celia doesn't drink.

- Then why can't she
ever remember her lines?

Why does she have to rehearse

every scene over and over?

- Because I'm a professional
and I like to rehearse

every scene until
I get it perfect.

- Celia, honey,
you know I didn't

mean anything by that, right?

- I'll go tell Joel you're
ready to run some lines.

- Thank you.

- I was just-

- Excuse me, Miss Shaw?

Perry Dell from the
"Lawrenceton Times".

I was wondering if
you have a minute,

maybe I can get an interview?
- I'm sorry, I don't.

Maybe today after
we're done shooting?

- That whole I'm a
professional thing?

That was real acting.

You can interview
me if you want.

- Hey, Perry.

You ready for those
handcuff lessons?

- Yeah.

I'll catch you later, okay?

- Okay.

- Oh, hey Taylor.

I'm looking for Robin
Daniels, have you seen him?

- I wish.

- Oh, do you have any
of those cinnamon rolls?

- No, but how about
some banana bread?

- Oh.

Yeah.

- You're friends with
Robin, aren't you?

- Mostly email
friends now, but yeah.

- Do you think you
could introduce me?

I mean, I've met him sort of.

I've given him his
lunch twice now,

but I haven't met him, met him.

- Oh, sure.

I bet he'd be really
happy to know that you're-

- Celia!

- A big fan of his.

- Thanks.

I really wanna get
him to sign my book.

[phone ringing]

- Oh, speak of the devil.

- Celia!

- Hey, Robin.

Yeah, I'm at Craft Services.

Uh-huh.

Okay, I'll wait.

Oh!

Okay, if Robin gets here

before I come back
will you tell him

I'm running to my car
to get the script?

- Yeah, of course.

- No, you wanna bring it
down with a snap, okay?

Like this.

- Oh.
- Yeah.

- [Perry] It's
harder than it looks.

- Hey, Arthur?

- Yeah.

- Say you're trying to cuff
him and he tries to bolt.

- Well, you try to avoid
that by getting a feel

for whether the
suspect is cooperating.

If not, you wanna get him
down on the ground first,

then cuff him.

- Right.

Okay, but say he
tries to bolt anyway.

Then what, do you
chase him down?

Draw your weapon, what?

- Well I only draw my
weapon as a last resort.

Why do you ask?

- Well, I have this script
I'm trying to direct.

Yeah, and I have
a cop character.

Oh, just one sec.

Yeah, go for Will.

- Done like a pro.

- Well, not exactly.

- Copy that.

Sorry.
- Yeah.

- Everett?

Joel needs you for blocking.

- Okay.

Oh, no, I'm gonna...

There we go.

Alright, here we go.
- Thanks.

- It's okay buddy, scene's
not 'til after lunch.

- Hey, who's he playing?

- Detective Jones.

- The one based on me?

- Yeah, that's you.

- Okay let's do some more
work on those handcuffs.

And get it right this time.

You just arrested
yourself, so...

[gentle music]

- First day of shooting
and we're already

an hour behind schedule.

Guess who's fault that is.

- You know, my
mother always said

jealousy is not a very
attractive quality.

- Well, my mother always
told me to tell the truth.

[phone ringing]

- Hi.
- Wait, Robin, I'm supposed-

- [Robin] Yeah, scene 67.

- Good with the shot?
Alright.

Will, can you give Celia the
10-minute warning, please?

- Yes, sir.

- No, no, no, no, no.

We already budgeted for those
flowers for the wedding scene.

Well, I don't care if
they're not in season.

- Oh, Lynn.

Hey looking for Arthur?

- And I should be
telling you this why?

- I'm just making conversation.

- Sorry.

- That's okay.

How's the baby?

- The baby's fine.

This movie production's giving
me all sorts of headaches.

Parking problems,
traffic issues.

- I get it.

It must be hard to
be chief of police.

It's nothing I can't handle,

I just need to find the
producer of this whole circus.

What's her name?

- Ellen Post.

- Oh, there's Robin.

I'm sure he can
help you find her.

- Help!
[dramatic music]

Somebody help!

Something's wrong with Celia!

Call 911!

- Step aside!

Police!

She's dead.

It's an actress from the movie.

No, I don't know which one.

- Celia Shaw.

- Celia Shaw.

Ro.

Ro.

You need to leave
my crime scene.

I need a forensics team
out here right away.

I didn't check her pulse.

- I'm sorry she's gone.

- What happened?

- Robin, Celia's dead.

I think someone murdered her.

- What?

- What'd you do to her?

- Huh?
- What'd you do to her?

- Hey!

- What'd you do?
What did you do to her?

- Back off!
- He did something to her!

He did something!

He was jealous that Celia
wanted me and not him!

- Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!
- You're crazy.

- You. You need to
calm down right now

so you can help us figure out
what happened to your friend.

Can you do that?

Good.

You're gonna go
with Detective Smith

and you're gonna
answer his questions.

- Come on, let's go.

- You are gonna go
sit by the food table

where we can see
you and don't move

until we have a
chance to talk to you.

Ro, I need you to sit tight
until we have a chance

to get your statement.

And please, please at least
try to stay out of our way.

- Hey.

Are you okay?

- Yeah, I'm okay.

- I just heard.

I can't believe it.

The lead actress on
this movie was murdered

in broad daylight?

- Yeah.

And apparently all
kinds of people saw her

less than an hour before.

- Do you think that means...

- Somebody on this movie
probably killed her.

- This is horrible.

I'm just stunned.

I guess we're just gonna have to

shut down production for now.

- Of course, of course.

I just, I don't wanna
lose the crew, right?

- No, no, of course not.

Look, it's hard to
even imagine going on

but our investors are
gonna want us to get back

as soon as we can.

- Hey, Perry.

I need you to write down
everything you have seen

and heard today
on the set, okay?

Even if you think it's small.

- [Perry] Got it.

- It's just so unfair.

She was so sweet.

- What's with her?

- She must have been
close to the victim.

- That's the thing, she
couldn't stand Celia.

- Wait, I saw her
knocking at the door.

That's why you need to
write this all down.

These are all clues
as to how Celia died.

- Hey, did you see?

I talked to Robin Daniels.

I gave him some chamomile
tea, it's really soothing.

- Okay, that's great.

Listen, do you remember
giving me banana bread?

- Yeah.

- I need to know,
did you see Meredith

actually go inside Celia's
trailer around that time?

Remember we saw her knocking.

- Yeah, I remember
seeing her knocking.

- But you didn't see
her actually go inside?

- No.

- I thought you agreed
to stay out of the way.

- I was just asking-

- We will question the
witnesses, not all of you.

Ro, I think it's
time for you to go.

- But I thought you
told me to stay-

- Arthur will come and track
you down as soon as he's ready.

Go home.

- Madam Mayor.

- Chief, I'd like to get
an update on the situation.

- Kicked off the set, huh?

- Keep your eyes
and ears open today.

- You know it.

- Gotta go.

- I don't know,
about half an hour.

I was in the car on the
phone with my publisher

talking about an option
clause in the contract.

- Do you normally conduct calls
with your agent in your car?

- No, no.

That's just where I happen to
have a copy of the contract.

- Okay, well I will have to
confirm that with your agent.

- Absolutely.

- Listen, we'll probably
have more questions.

I'm sure I don't have to
tell you, don't leave town.

- I'll be here.

Listen, even though Celia
and I only dated a few weeks,

I really cared about her.

I don't know why Will
said what he said.

I just wanted her to be happy.

- Yeah.

- So you were in Celia's
trailer together at 9:45,

are you sure about the time?

- Yeah, I was keeping
track of the time

because we were running behind.

- Yeah, and you even spilled
coffee on your sleeve

when you handed it to her.

- Right.

We just wanted to
go over a scene

that we were gonna shoot
later on in the day

and then I had to
get back to set.

- You were with
Celia for how long?

- Fifteen minutes?

Twenty, tops?

- How did she seem to you?

- Same as always.

A lot of nervous
laughter, you know?

Celia had insecurities.

- She required a
lot of hand-holding.

But then most actors do.

I even had her in my trailer

just to calm her
first day jitters.

- So nothing seemed
out of the ordinary

during your time with her?

- No.

- She mention any calls
or anyone she planned

to meet up with or talk to?

- No, it was pretty
much run of the mill.

We ran the lines
and then we told her

we'd see her back on set.

- I assume you
have a list of all

the cast and crew members
who were on set today?

- I do.

Please, follow me.

- Joel, I came as
soon as I heard.

I am so sorry.

Is there anything I can do?

- I don't know what happened.

I mean, she was literally

20 feet away from
dozens of people.

- Oh, my heart breaks for
that poor girl and her family.

- Yeah.

- And of course for you
and your lovely movie-

- Thank you, but you know,

this is not a
sentimental business and

we'll probably halt
production for a few days

and see what we can
do for Celia's family

but the movie will go on.

- I don't see how it could
without your lead actress.

- Oh, we'd just re-cast.

- Oh.

- Hey, speaking of which,

sit down you gotta see this.

Did I show you the person I
cast as the librarian's mother?

- No.
- Look at this.

As soon as I met you I knew
I had to cast a real beauty.

- Thank you.

- I think it's a perfect fit.

- Hey.

Your mother called to
tell me what happened

down at the movie set.

Are you alright?

- Yeah, I'm fine.

I'm just, I'm
worried about Robin.

- Robin?

- Well, he is so upset
about all of this.

- Well you don't
seem fine yourself.

- Well, it's very unsettling.

Not only was someone
killed but that someone

was supposed to play a
character based on me.

- Yeah, I read the script.

It's all fiction, right?

- Oh, you mean the ending?

- Yeah.

The handsome mystery
writer based on Robin

falls in love with the beautiful
librarian based on you,

and he asks her to marry him?

- Martin, it is
definitely fiction.

Robin and I went out a few times

and we laughed but
it was never serious.

It was never love.

You are the only man
I have ever loved.

- Oh.

- Stay for dinner?

- I'd love to.

- I hope Martin enjoyed dinner.

He seemed a little distracted.

- Well, one of his best friends

from his CIA days went missing.

- That's terrible
he must be frantic.

- He's very concerned, but
Martin doesn't do frantic,

and he's doing all he
can to help from here.

- That man takes care
of the people he loves.

- Yes, he does.

- Alright darling, I'm
gonna go read my book.

I'll see you in the morning.

- What, you don't
wanna inspect my work,

make sure there are no crumbs?

- I trust you.

Goodnight.

- Goodnight.

[dramatic music]

- Right. Okay, yeah, Joel
said he wants the ropes

in the warehouse scene...

- Got any mustard?

- Oh, yeah over here.

- Great.

- Perry Dell, are you skulking?

- No, Ms. Teagarden,
I'm reporting.

I'm actually waiting to
interview the director

but a good reporter always
keeps his ear to the ground,

if you know what I mean.

- You've clearly been
around my daughter too much.

You Real Murders Club
people always skulk.

- I've told Joel ten times now.

I know all Adelaide's
lines, I could do the part.

If he would just let me
do one scene, he'd see.

- [Everett] Give it up already.

- This is why you're never
gonna make it big and I am.

Because I never give up.

[phone pinging]

- Press conference?

Yes.

[indistinct chattering]

- Excuse me.

Robin, what're you doing here?

- Arthur asked me to come
by and sign my statement

when I had a moment.

Looks like I picked
the worst time, though.

- Anyone here for
the press conference,

right this way please.

- Or the best time.

- Thank you.

Thank you.

No press credentials, no entry.

- No, isn't the
public supposed to-

- Press only.

- Thank you, Perry go ahead.

Okay, yep.

Sorry.

- Alright.

- I know another door.

- Alright, everyone let's
settle we're gonna get started.

The coroner has ruled
the official cause

of Miss Shaw's death
to be cardiac arrest

from a lethal dose of the
sleeping medication Sonazepam.

- Excuse me.

- Yes, Perry?

- So you're saying it
wasn't murder after all?

She just overdosed on
her own sleeping pills?

- No, we found high amounts
of the drug in her coffee cup

which led us to believe she
was ingesting it unknowingly.

She also suffered blunt
force trauma to the head

from a crystal lamp which
we found at her feet.

The blow was most
likely post-mortem.

- Wait.

- Yes, Perry, again?

- So someone tried to kill
her two different ways?

- That's correct.

It appears the assailant
wanted to make sure

the victim was truly dead.

This action will inform the
psychological profile that-

- Did she just say
that Celia was killed

by something in her coffee?

- I thought it was
trauma to the head.

- Actually, both.

- What?

Oh, Arthur, I'm sorry.

I know-

- Shh it's okay.

- What about physical evidence?

Things left at the scene?

Fingerprints, things
of that nature?

- We have found fingerprints
in Miss Shaw's trailer

that belonged to
several individuals

connected with the production.

We're still in the process
of figuring out exactly

where each of them
came from. Yes, Perry?

- Oh, I bet they
find fingerprints

from Joel Parker and Ellen Post.

- I'd lay money
on Will Weir, too.

I think that's why he was trying
to point the finger at me,

take suspicion off of himself.

- Arthur, why are you
standing here with us

and not up at the
podium with Lynn?

- Yeah, aren't
you supposed to be

the lead investigator
on this case?

- I had to recuse myself.

- What?

Why?

- Well, one because I was being
paid by the movie production

as a consultant and
two because my prints

were also found in
Celia's trailer.

I went in to ask her
for an autograph.

For my sister.

- Oh, I bet Lynn wasn't
too happy about that.

- No, she wasn't.

She really wasn't.

- [Lynn] Thank you,
that is all for now.

- It's kinda like
old times, isn't it?

Us turning up clues.

We made a good team back then.

- Yeah, we did.

- And look, I know Vartel
makes you happy and believe me,

that makes me happy.

- Oh, Martin, what a surprise.

- Arthur, I'd like to
share some information

about Celia Shaw's murder.

- Oh, well I'm not
working the case anymore

so you'll have to give
your information to Lynn.

- Alright, happy to do that.

- You're gonna wanna
hear this, too.

- [Ellen] So will this take
care of the permits we need

to be able to shoot in
the park and the library?

- It should.

I'm sorry to interrupt your
lunch but I wanted a chance

to assure you that our
police department is working

day and night to find out
what happened to Celia.

And to make sure that your set
will be a safe place to work.

- Diana Weldon's agent called,

wants to know if we're gonna
make her an offer today.

It's nearly two.

- Two? That means I missed
the press conference.

- The one the police
did about Celia?

It was just on in
the break room.

Yeah, it was pretty rough,

the way they were
talking about her.

How she died.

- Why what did they say?

- I guess her heart stopped
from too many sleeping pills.

- Sleeping pills?

- [Will] Yeah.

- What kind of sleeping pills?

- Sonaz something.

- Sonazepam?

They didn't say
Sonazepam, did they?

The sleeping pills
that I keep in my bag.

They're gone.

- Okay, I have said all
I need to say about this

at the press conference.

We're looking at a
number of people.

- But there's only one
person Celia dumped.

- Celia didn't dump me.

It was a mutual parting.

We remained friends afterwards.

- I was talking to
my CIA contact about
something different.

I had him run a background
check on Robin Daniels.

- Why?

- And?

- It turns out Celia
called the police on Robin

while they were dating.

- Martin.

- That was a misunderstanding.

- It was a pretty big
one if she felt the need

to call the police.

- What are you implying?

- My point is, Lynn,
that Robin should be

at the top of your suspect list.

- Are you kidding?

- I think you probably
killed Celia and,

until we know for
sure, I suggest

you stay far away from Aurora.

- Okay, Martin, it's not
that I don't appreciate

this information on Robin.

- But we already knew about
Celia's call to the cops.

- What?

I'm here as a concerned
citizen, just like them.

- You are not an
unbiased source.

Pointing a finger at
your girlfriend's ex-

- Woah, Woah, Woah.

- First off, Robin is not my ex

and Martin is not
the jealous type.

I don't think.

- Thanks for the
vote of confidence.

- And Celia was not
afraid of Robin,

I saw them at the
library yesterday

and the way she was teasing him-

- I'm waiting for Robin's
agent to call me back.

If she can verify his
alibi for the half hour

within which we know
the murder took place

and his phone records match,

then his past with Celia is
gonna become a moot point.

Until then, out of my
station, all of you.

- That's right.

- Especially you.

- Yeah.

- Listen, I know that
you wanna protect me-

- Let's not discuss
it here, okay?

We can talk it
through at dinner.

In the meantime, please
stay away from that guy.

- Martin's just
watching out for me.

- I respect that.

- Hey it is time for
the Real Murders Club

to get back to work.

You still in?

- You bet.

- Lynn, wait.

There's something I
should probably tell you

about my alibi.

- Perry and I were
both on the set

during the time of murder.

- Yeah, and I was there, too.

- I'm kinda surprised
to hear this now.

Just 'cause I can't investigate
this in a police capacity

doesn't mean I'm
sitting this one out.

I'm back in Real
Murders and I wanna help

and I also wanna make sure you
all don't get in Lynn's way.

- That's a fine line you'll
be walking detective.

- I'd say you're balancing

on a thin line
yourself, Madam Mayor.

- Okay guys, we
know that someone

drugged Celia's
coffee that morning

so the first question is
who gave her the coffee?

- That would be Joel Parker.

He brought her a cup of coffee
when he and the producer

went into Celia's trailer to
do some kind of rehearsal.

- So where'd he get the coffee?

- He said his assistant
fetched it for him, Will Weir.

- Who also found her body.

- I think I know where
the drug came from.

Ellen, the producer, says

her sleeping pills were
missing from her purse.

And yes, Lynn knows.

I told her.

- Does she know who took
the pills from her purse?

- She said repeatedly
it could be anyone,

to the point I started wondering

if she was protesting too much.

- Right, but with three
people in the trailer

it'd be hard for her to
slip something in the

coffee without being noticed.

- Still not impossible.

- But then there's the problem
of who had the opportunity

to go back to the
trailer to hit Celia?

Ellen Post can account
for every moment

after she left that trailer,
and so can the other two

who left fingerprints behind:
Joel Parker and Will Weir.

- No, Will was in there
a good 60 seconds alone

when he found her body
so he could have hit her.

- You said you saw Meredith
knocking on the trailer

before the body was found.

- And Meredith had a motive.

She wanted Celia's part bad.

She was bragging that
she had memorized

all her character's lines
before Celia was killed.

- And, Ro, Robin
can't be ruled out.

He's an ex of Celia's and
she did call the cops on him

saying she feared
he might hurt her.

I know he swears it was
a misunderstanding, but-

- Robin has an alibi and
if anyone's gonna find out

something more about
Robin it's gonna be Martin

so I think that we
should just concentrate

on these four people and see

what we can find out about them.

- Alright, well
I'm still working

as a consultant on the movie,

I can try and get
a handle on Will.

- And Meredith offered to let
me interview her for a story.

- I'm sure I can come up with

a reason to talk to Ellen again.

- Yeah, and I'll
start with my mother,

see if I can get any inside
information about Joel Parker.

She's on a location
scout with him.

- Aurora, I really appreciate
your filling the dishwasher

but next time do you
think you could rinse

the glasses a little bit better?

You know, before you stack them?

If I didn't know
any better I'd think

you were doing the dishes
with a book propped up,

just like when you
were a teenager.

And you're not acknowledging me,

just like when you
were a teenager.

- Yes, mother.

I vow to be a better
dish-rinser in the future.

But I cannot stop thinking about
what you told me about Joel

already re-casting Celia's
part in only two days.

- Yes, he said he's getting

a lot of pressure
from his investors.

They want him to resume shooting

so they're gonna be up in
production in a day or two.

- Do you know who they
got to play the part?

Is it Meredith Wear?

- No, it's

Diana somebody.

But Joel also told me that
she was his first choice.

He thought Celia was unreliable

and that maybe she'd
ruin his movie.

- Mother, do you
know what this means?

Joel Parker had a motive
for murdering Celia.

- Oh, please.

- Yes.

Joel's the one that brought
her the coffee that morning.

And the police are saying
that that's how the overdose

of drugs got in her system.

Through the coffee.

- No.

Joel Parker's a lovely man.

I'm sure he'd do absolutely
no harm to his lead actress.

- Oh, the lead actress he
thought could ruin his film?

Mother, you have
to call Lynn Smith

and tell her that Joel
wanted another actress.

[phone ringing]

Right after I get this.

Hi, Perry.

- Okay, so two minutes

into my interview with
Meredith the police show up.

They're bringing her
to the station now.

- What?

Why?

- Apparently her fingerprints
were all over the lamp

used to hit Celia Shaw.

Hold on, she's waving at me.

I gotta go.

- We'll have to do this
interview some other time, okay?

- Oh yeah, no problem.

Oh, hey you forgot your purse!

- Perry, don't you do it.

- It's Meredith's bag and I
can see a bottle of pills.

- Whatever you see, it needs
to be legally obtained.

It doesn't need your
prints all over it.

- I'll advise you
again, Meredith.

You have the right to have
your lawyer look this over.

- I don't need a lawyer because
I'm telling you the truth.

Celia didn't answer
when I knocked.

I was never in her
trailer that day.

You can ask Everett.

He came up to me when I
was waiting at the door.

And I really did give
her that lamp as a gift,

that's the reason my
fingerprints are on it.

Okay, I didn't like her.

That doesn't mean that I
didn't want her to like me.

We'll check your
credit card statements,

see if we can
verify the purchase.

Arthur, you know you're
not supposed to be here.

That's my backpack.

- [Robin] Well, maybe
she can explain to you

why there's an empty bottle
of sleeping pills in it.

- I lied about being on
the phone with my agent

at the time Celia was killed.

It was dumb to lie and I
admitted as much to Lynn.

- Then why'd you do it?

- Because I didn't wanna
say what I was really doing.

- Which was?

- Searching Will
Weir's hotel room.

I know, I know.

It's not honorable
but he'd been spending

so much time with Celia.

- Then you were jealous.

- No, it had nothing
to do with jealousy.

- I just, I don't trust him.

There's a guy on the crew,
said he had a girlfriend in LA

and I wanted to see
if I could find proof.

Also, I know that
he agreed with Joel

about hiring Diana
Weldon instead of Celia,

but I had cast approval
put in my contract.

It's my story.

I wanted a say in
who would play you.

I mean, who would play Adelaide.

- Well, that would explain
Will's resentment towards you.

- Yeah.

Also, he had no time for
Celia during pre-production

and suddenly, out of
nowhere, he's hitting on her.

- Well, maybe he broke
up with his girlfriend

and maybe Celia won him over.

She was very sweet.

- Yeah, she was.

- But I have to
ask, why did she say

that she was afraid of you?

She had a medical condition,
Huntington's Disease.

- Oh no.

Oh, I've read about that.

So that would explain her
stumbling and the odd behavior.

- She used to imagine things
that weren't happening

and then she'd apologize
about it afterwards.

That's why she called
the police that one time.

She knew she was getting
worse and this might be

her last movie and she
wanted to do a good job

and I wanted to help her.

I felt protective of her.

- So you searched
Will's hotel room?

- Yeah.

But I didn't find any
evidence of a girlfriend.

No pictures, no notes, nothing.

- Do you think he
could have killed her?

- I did, but now they're
holding Meredith and they found

an empty bottle of sleeping
pills in her backpack.

- I know, but Arthur
said they didn't find

any prints on that
bottle and she swears

she has no idea how
it got in her bag.

And really, I don't know how

she could have put the
drug in the coffee.

It was Joel Parker
who gave it to her.

- But who fetches
coffee for the director?

- Well, the
assistant, Will Weir.

- Right.

Now we're just

going in circles.

- Hi, have you
seen Taylor today?

- I heard she wasn't
feeling so hot.

I don't know.

That guy's covering, though.

- Okay, thanks.

- I guess there's a first
time for everything, right?

Fresh air.

That's what you are to me.

- You are all syrup.

Lucky for you, I've
got a sweet tooth.

- Why were you
spying on your boss?

- I wasn't spying.

- Well, it sure looked like it.

- No, I just didn't
want Joel to see me.

- Why?

You're his assistant.

- Right. His assistant,
not his fall guy.

You know the police
were here this morning

saying that Joel told
them I got the coffee

he gave to Celia when I didn't?

You know, for the first
time in recorded history

Joel Parker got
himself a coffee.

- Then why did he
say that you got it?

- That's what I'd like to know.

I think I'm the only
person on this set

who actually cared about Celia.

That's not right.

- Stay away from Robin
Daniels or you'll regret it.

- I think we all
agree that Aurora

should listen to that note and
stay away from Robin Daniels.

Celia was afraid of him.

- Yeah, because
Celia has a condition

that makes her imagine things.

- You believe that?

- The coroner did find
Huntington's Disease

which does affect balance and
perceptions, things like that.

- Well, Robin did
lie about his alibi.

- Only because Robin
was embarrassed

that he was searching
Will Weir's hotel room.

- Which we have now corroborated

with hotel security footage.

- So Robin has an alibi.

See he couldn't have
drugged Celia's coffee.

- Well, we are still
trying to get to the bottom

of the whole coffee thing.

- Wait, wait, wait.

So either Joel Parker
lied or Will is lying.

- [Martin] I hope you
haven't ruled out Robin.

- You can't stop
focusing on Robin.

- Neither can whoever
wrote that note.

They obviously know something
about him you don't.

- Mother!

- Aurora, did we have
plans to see a house today?

- No.

I'm here because I know you
had lunch with Joel Parker.

- Oh, yes.

We had a lovely time.

- He is a suspect
in a murder case.

- I happen to know
that the police

are holding that young actress.

- They haven't charged her yet

so it could still
turn out to be Joel.

And after all the
lectures you've given me.

- Before you return the favor,

I've spent a lot of
time with him now.

He is not a cold-blooded killer.

I can't expect you to
take my word on this

but I wish you would.

- I have been saying the
same thing to Martin.

I need him to trust my
instincts about Robin.

- See?

- Just promise me
you'll be careful, okay?

And maybe try not to
spend time alone with him?

- I've got this.

- I don't get it.

Why would someone wanna
warn you away from me?

- I think it must have something
to do with Celia's murder.

You dated her, you dated me.

- It never occurred to me
that what happened to Celia

had anything to do with me.

But if that's true then,

then I shouldn't even
be talking to you.

I'm putting you in danger.

I should go.

- Robin, wait.
- No no.

Just listen to that note.

I gotta figure this out.

- Hey I heard you had
to let Meredith go.

- We got proof that
she bought the lamp,

and we have nothing
to refute her story

that she doesn't know how those
pills got into her backpack.

And I shouldn't be
telling you any of this.

- Well, you called
me in so you must

need me back on
the case after all.

- I called you in because
you didn't finish typing up

all of those statements you
took on the day of the murder.

- Right, because
you suspended me.

But I left you all
my handwritten notes.

- Arthur, you know how I
always have you read to me

all those cute little
construction paper

birthday cards you make me?

- Yeah, it's kind of our thing.

- It's because I can't read
them. Your handwriting's awful.

- Ouch.

Okay, so what do
you need to know?

- I spoke with Ellen Post
about how Joel Parker

was the one who delivered
the coffee to Celia.

I need to make sure that
her story hasn't changed

from the one she gave you
on the day of the murder.

- Shoot, I didn't
ask her about that.

Sorry, I didn't
know how important

the coffee would turn out to be.

Why what did she say?

- She said the craft services
girl gave it to Parker,

but her and Parker assumed that

Will Weir was the
one who requested it.

But of course Weir said
that wasn't the case.

- So hang on.

Taylor Harden handed Parker
coffee meant for Celia

all on her own, unprompted?

Why would she do that?

She wouldn't, so
you're wondering

if Ellen Post is changing
her story because...

- I wanna rule out the
director and the producer

committing the murder together.

- Kinda feels like
I'm back on the case.

Just sayin'.

[dramatic music]

- Lillian!

- You don't have to shout,
you scared me to death!

Who is that man?

- I don't know, but whoever it
was, they were following me.

- So if Robin was here
at the library today

and in light of the
note that you found

on your windshield at
the production office,

I would say you're right.

That person was following you.

But you didn't see a face?

- No, no.

They just had on a big dark
sweatshirt with a hood.

- What about build?

Height?

- Not tall.

A short, stocky guy.

- Actually, I got the
impression that it was a woman.

- What would make you say that?

- Well, when I walked by
it smelled cinnamon-y,

like baked goods.

Like the cinnamon
rolls that they have

on the movie set
at Craft Service.

- That's not very nutritional.

You'd think a movie
production would hire someone-

- Taylor.

- Wait, what are you thinking?

- Well, Taylor works
at Craft Services

and she always has cinnamon
rolls for the crew.

- Well, I assume
she's at work today.

- No.

She called in sick.

And the day that Celia
Shaw was murdered-

- Her trailer was parked
outside of Craft Services.

- And she said she's a
huge Robin Daniels fan.

- I'm gonna get a background
check going on her.

Track her down right away
so we can talk to her.

Ro, please be careful.

- You really think that woman

was who we saw in
the parking lot?

- I have no idea, but
Lillian, I am so glad

that you came out to
the car when you did.

- Okay, well, if you
don't need anything else

I'm gonna go home again.

- Aurora.

- I know you're
probably mad at me

for not calling you
sooner to tell you what

was happening but...

- I'm not mad.

I'm just grateful you're okay.

- Thank you.

For caring about me so much.

- Let me get you home.

- No, no.

I'm gonna drive myself.

And before you say I can't,
Lynn is going to send a unit

behind me to follow me home to
make sure I get there safely.

But if there is something
that you wanna do

that would make
me really happy...

- I'll pick you some up and
bring it by your mom's later.

- What would I do without you?

Help me lock up the library.

- And a side of extra
cream cheese icing.

Hey, it's Vartel.

Has he gotten back to you?

Well, then he's dodging us.

No, no that doesn't make sense.

None of this is
making any sense.

- A big slice of carrot cake
with extra cream cheese icing.

To go, please.

- Let me call you back.

- I see you're familiar with
Ro's favorite comfort food.

- I heard someone gave
her a scare, so...

- Likely because of
her connection to you.

- I hope that's not true.

But if it is, I can't tell
you how terrible I feel.

- Let me buy you
a cup of coffee.

- Sure.

- Oh my gosh,

are you okay?

Oh, my goodness, do you
want something to eat

or some tea or something?
- No, no.

You don't have to
do that, I'm fine.

- Aurora, you're being stalked.

Fine is not the right word.

Come on, honey,
I am your mother.

You can tell me the truth.

- The truth is it
happened so fast

that it doesn't even
seem real to me.

But if it catches up I promise

I will come cry
on your shoulder.

- You're always
gonna be my baby.

I'm not sure I'm fine so I'm
gonna go take a hot bath.

But let me know if
you need anything,

okay honey?
- Yeah I'm fine.

- Alright.

[phone ringing]

- Hello?

- Ro, it's Lynn.

Listen, we ran priors
on Taylor Harden.

Turns out that she was arrested

two years ago for
stalking an actor

and assaulting his
wife with a vase.

Charges were dropped,
I'm not sure why.

- So she's the one.

The rabid Robin Daniels fan.

Well, if she came
after me today-

- She targeted Celia Shaw

probably because of
her romance with Robin.

- Wow, she seemed
so friendly on set.

- Well, she's not at her hotel.

I've got an APB out on her

but I wanna make
sure you're safe.

We're gonna send that unit
back to your mother's house

to keep an eye on it just until
we can get our hands on her.

- Okay, I'll set the
alarm system too.

- Good. I'll let you know
as soon as we find her.

- Taylor I am not your enemy.

I wanna help you,
if you'll let me.

- No.

You just wanna help
yourself to Robin again.

You won't stay away from him
even though I warned you.

- No I don't want Robin.

I have a boyfriend.

His name is Martin.

- You don't know how hard it
was for me to get this job

so I could meet Robin so we
could finally be together!

- I know what you did.

And the police are on to you.

In that time that no
one can account for

you slipped into Celia's
dressing room and you hit her.

- Yes, I hit her.

He's supposed to be with me.

- Don't you ever
touch my daughter!

[gentle music]

- Okay, I know that you don't
have a lot of respect for me.

- I practice a great
deal of caution

when it comes to
the woman I love,

and if there's any chance that
you were Celia Shaw's killer-

- Hey, I would never hurt Celia.

I cared about her.

Just like I care about Ro.

- That's the other problem.

You based the main character
in your novel on Aurora,

you turned it into a love
story between the two of you-

- You do realize that
the book and the script

are works of fiction, right?

Look, Aurora Teagarden
is a remarkable woman,

but she's made it
clear that she's

completely devoted to you.

I'm no threat to that.

[phone pinging]

Something wrong?

- I'm bracing myself
for some bad news.

A close friend has
disappeared in South America

and the story keeps
getting worse and worse.

His family's missing,
wife, kids...

- Oh.

- It's Aida.

Taylor Harden broke into the
house and tried to attack Ro.

- What?

- So let me see if
I have this right.

Ellen the producer saw
Taylor give Joel that coffee?

- That's how Celia was drugged,

through coffee poured by Taylor.

- Taylor admitted
to hitting Celia.

- It sounds pretty clear cut.

I'm gonna have to
question Taylor but

I think we have our murderer.

- I hope so.

For everyone's sake.

- But why do you suppose
Taylor would risk

going into the
trailer to hit Celia

if she'd already drugged her?

- [Aida] Well, maybe
she didn't know

exactly how much coffee
Celia would drink.

- [Martin] Aurora!

- Please don't hate me.

I had to do it.

Celia wasn't good
enough for you.

She could never make you
happy the way that I could.

- Last night she's a weeping
mess, this morning she's smug?

- Yeah.

It seems that she got a hold
of the newspaper this morning.

- That's right.

And now I know you can't
charge me with murder.

- As we told you before,
you've already been charged.

- But the newspaper said

Celia was already
dead before I hit her.

So how can that be murder?

- Well, I think the
massive dose of drugs

you put in her
coffee will suffice.

- I didn't put any
drugs in her coffee.

- We have witness
testimony saying

you poured the coffee then
gave it to Joel Parker

who then gave it to Celia.

- Yeah, I poured
it, that's my job.

Celia came by earlier
and asked for some

and I told her
she'd have to wait

because it was still brewing.

I admit, I wanted her dead,

but I did not put
anything in her coffee.

Someone else did that.

[laughing]

- Indeed.

Oh, good morning.

Honey, you know Joel, of course,

and this is his new lead
actress, Diana Weldon.

- Aurora, what a
pleasure to meet you.

- You too.

It's nice of you to
be here for the movie.

- And you know, the
pro that she is,

she's gonna start shooting
some scenes later on today.

- Well if you came
for some insight

about the character
that's based on me-

- Oh, no.

I like to put my own
interpretation on a character.

- They're here to pick me up.

Diana needs a place to
stay while she's here

and I'm gonna show
her some condos.

Actually, the one that
you used to live in.

- Maybe Aurora left behind
some librarian energy.

Soak it up.

- I've already been bathing in
book dust, Joel, don't worry.

- Are you alright, honey?

How'd you sleep?

- Great, thanks to you.

Yeah, go enjoy your day.

- Okay.

- Excuse me, Aurora,

Joel sent me to return the
books Celia checked out.

- [Aurora] I'll take them.

- Another Robin Daniels book.

I doubt that one will
be made into a movie.

- Why do you say that?

- He doesn't get
how Hollywood works.

He used up all his capital
getting Celia cast in the part

and we see how that worked out.

And that probably made
me sound like a jerk.

I'm sorry.

Well, thank you for that.

- Hey, Will,

Celia was never Joel
Parker's first choice,

it was always Diana
Weldon, right?

- I hate to say it but
she is a better actress.

- So then Joel was happy
that Diana got the part.

- Most everyone is.

- Even you?

You and Celia were getting
pretty close before she died,

that must have been hard
to see her be replaced.

- It is.

It's very hard.

I could have really
fallen for Celia.

But now my job is to help Joel
make the best movie possible.

And when I direct my movie
I'm gonna cast Diana too.

Or a star like Diana.

- Oh, you're making a movie?

- I will be, yeah.

If this movie's a success
Joel's gonna help me

find funding for mine.

- Well, I hope everything
works out for you.

- Thank you.

I think it will.

Thanks for your help.

- Bye.

- Hi.

So, the movie production is
going to be here on Sunday.

That was one of my conditions.

I don't wanna
inconvenience our patrons.

What is this?

- This looks like Celia's
shooting schedule.

The scenes she was supposed
to do her first day.

- [Lillian] I hate
it when people

leave garbage in our books.

- I need to go
look at my script.

- I guess I'll put away
all your books for you.

- [Diana] I want the
condo thank you so much.

- [Aida] You are so welcome.

- [Joel] Hair and
make-up, let's go.

We got a movie to shoot.

- Barking orders already.

- Want my driver
to take you home?

You know what, why
don't you stay and watch

us make some movie magic?

- Ooh, I like magic.

- I like the fact
that you choose me.

A suspect in a
murder investigation.

I'm sure a lot of people warned
you to stay away from me.

And yet, you chose me.

- I must be drawn
to dangerous men.

[dramatic music]

- Adelaide pours sugar from
the packet into the mug

then picks up the mug
and sips her coffee.

- [Perry] Hello?

- Perry, I think I
know who killed Celia

and it wasn't Taylor Hardon.

I'm gonna go to the set right
now and see if I'm right.

- You're in my chair.

- Pardon?

- You're in my chair.

I need it.

- Oh, I'm sorry
I didn't realize.

- Thanks.

I'll take care of that.

- Will, we're gonna
need a headset

for when Aida gets
here, alright?

- Sure.

[phone ringing]

- Come on, Perry.

Sorry Martin.

But I know you're
gonna try and stop me

and I have to find out
if I'm right about this.

- Hey, sorry it took a while.

Costume lady wouldn't let me go.

What's this about
the wrong person

being in jail for
Celia's murder?

- Yeah, maybe.

Here, look at this.

So it's the shooting schedule
for the day that Celia died.

Now, we know that
she was running lines

with Joel and Ellen for a scene
she was gonna shoot that day

so I looked up the scene
and here, read this.

- Adelaide pours sugar from
the packet into the mug,

then picks up the mug
and sips her coffee.

- Right.

So what if Celia asked
Taylor for the coffee

so she was ready to
rehearse the scene?

- And then Celia poured
the sugar in her coffee.

- Yes.

I think someone drugged
the sugar in the packets

in the trailer knowing she would

pour it into the coffee herself.

- I don't know.

How would you get drugs
into a closed sugar packet?

- Have you ever looked
at a sugar packet?

Most of them have
perforations on the side.

It would be very easy to
open them, empty it out,

refill it and glue it shut,

and you would never be able to
tell unless looking closely.

- Okay, but how will we know
if Celia really put sugar

in her coffee that morning?

- Ellen would know.

She's right there.

This might be our best
chance to talk to her.

She's headed to set
we have to catch her.

- Okay, if somebody switched

the sugar packets in her trailer

then why didn't the cops
find any empty packets

with traces of the drug in them?

I mean, it could have
been anyone at any time

and how could we
ever know who it is?

- There's only one
person who's fingerprints

were found all over the trailer

and who suddenly
cozied up to Celia

just days before her death,

and who could have made
those drug sugar packets

disappear when he
found her body.

- Will Weir?

But why?

- Well, Will said something
that made me think

he believes he can get this
new actress, Diana Weldon,

to be the lead in his movie.

- For the one he
wants to direct.

- Yes.

And if Diana is the
lead in this movie

then she becomes a bigger name

and then she can make sure
that Will's movie gets made.

- If she really
didn't drug Celia

then we're right
back at square one.

- And at square one we
ask who would benefit most

from the victim being gone?

- Yeah, but we've already asked

that of everybody connected
to the production.

Except the actress
who replaced her.

[dramatic music]

Looks like your typical actress.

No record, no skeletons
in her closet.

- Let me try an image search.

- Wait.

- Diana Weldon and friend.

- Friend?

They look pretty cozy to me.

- I think we need to
talk to Will Weir.

- Yep.

- [Aurora] Didn't
she go in here?

- I don't know, maybe
someone on the hill saw her.

- Ellen?

Ellen?

[door slamming]

Hey!

Hey!

Hey, I'm in here!

- You can't hide, Aurora.

There's nowhere for you to go!

It's an old mine,
there's only two exits.

They're both behind me!

Oh, and no cell
reception, either.

Too much steel.

- Hey, did you see Ellen
Post come this way?

- No.

Oh, hey, our scene's
up next, though.

- Yeah, sure.

Hey, Ro...

- You're smart,
Aurora Teagarden.

I'll give you that.

I see why Robin Daniels
based a character on you now.

But you should know
that I am much better

at plotting murder than he is.

You're running out
of real estate.

The only thing down there is
a 100-foot drop to the ground.

If you're gonna take the long
way I'll just meet you there.

As long as that gantry
doesn't give way first.

That would make
my job way easier.

- Have you seen Ro?

Her car is here.

- She was with me, we were
both looking for Ellen Post,

but then she just disappeared.

- Well, she's not
answering her cell, either.

When was the last
time you saw her?

- Near the mine entrance.

- Can somebody please
find me Will Weir!

Anybody seen him?

- Will's not here, either?

That's not good.

- No, it's not.

- You forget, I know
how the script ends.

Two leads grapple on the ledge,

one of them falls down to
the waiting air bag below.

Now, unfortunately,
there's no air bag today.

Now, honestly, if you fell

because you were snooping around

all by yourself,
who's gonna blame me?

- I already told the police
about the sugar packets

so they will
definitely blame you

if anything else happens here.

- You didn't tell the
police, you told Perry.

I heard you.

And when we're done here
he'll be the next to go.

See, I'll do anything to get
my movie made with Diana.

We're gonna be a power couple

like Hollywood has never seen.

- Ro's in the barn with
Will Weir. He's the killer.

- I got you!

I got you!

- We got him.

- Yeah come on, come on.

- Hey.

Easy.

Easy.

- Oh my gosh, and you thought

I was the one who was in danger.

Thank goodness you're okay.

And that you were there to help.

- She did very well
all by herself.

- That's my daughter.

- Robin, you were a
good friend to Celia,

and you were a good
friend to me, too.

- I'm not surprised you
figured this one out.

Thank you.

You should go find Martin.

[gentle music]

- Perry called me to fill me in.

- I'm okay.

I really am.

I'm sorry I didn't
call you sooner.

- You mean before risking
your life instead of after?

- I know you wanna protect me,
that's what I love about you.

- Yeah, but I can't really
protect you if you won't let me.

Will you at least let me
take you home this time?

- Yes.

Yes, you can.

You're going to South America?

- It's not just
Rex that's missing.

It's his whole family.

I have to try to find them.

Or at least find out
who's behind all this.

- It doesn't surprise me.

You take care of
the people you love.

- I don't know how
long I'll be gone for.

- But you'll let me know you're
okay every chance you get.

- I will.

I promise.

I love you.

- I love you, too.

[dramatic music]