Elementary (2012–…): Season 6, Episode 9 - Nobody Lives Forever - full transcript
Holmes' former sobriety sponsor asks for help with an illegal endeavor in order to save his brother. Holmes and Watson investigate the poisoning of a biology professor who was working on a secret project.
(engine shuts off)
Well?
It’s a fine automobile, Alfredo.
Fine?
Sunsets are fine.
Puppies are fine.
This car is exquisite.
Six-piston GT-R,
slotted brake kit,
5.4-liter
supercharged V8.
Not to mention
the unbeatable
security system
I designed for it.
"Fine."
Well, it’s just not
what I expected.
That’s all. I mean,
you said we’d be touring
in the most revolutionary
car out there.
You think some other car
is more revolutionary?
I don’t think it’s
a matter of opinion.
Charles Duryea’s
1893 Motor Wagon
represented the greatest
single advancement
in the history
of motor craft.
Fine, have it your way.
Oh, man.
Well, my spirits have been
elevated as you intended.
The setting is just right,
and I’m as ready as I’ll ever be
to entertain whatever request
you’ve been working up
the gumption to voice.
Okay, smart guy.
I need you to help
me steal $100,000.
How’d you get the
keys to the bio lab?
(chuckles) My best friend’s
a T.A. in the department.
Is it cool that
we’re in here?
It’s fine.
(grunts)
Seriously, is it?
Maybe you should stop
asking so many questions, huh?
Maybe I should stop
asking so many questions.
(both laugh)
Oh, my God!
(squeaking)
Is that a rat?
They’re all over the place.
They’re coming
from back there.
(clattering, squeaking)
What is that?
I don’t know,
but it’s-it’s awful.
I was talking
about the sound.
(squeaking continues)
(gasps quietly)
♪ ♪
BELL:
Victim’s name is Noah Fogel.
He was a biology professor.
Couple of students found
his body last night,
but decomp suggests
he’s been dead
four or five days.
How has he been
lying here that long?
This campus is very busy.
Usually, but everybody
was on midterm break last week.
Nobody around to find Dr. Fogel.
Except his rats, that is.
Looks like he collapsed
into the cages,
knocked them over,
the rats got out.
And they repaid the favor
by eating the guy.
So, what makes you think
this was a murder?
Dr. Fogel
wasn’t the only casualty.
CSU found four dead rats
in and around his stomach.
So he ate something
that was poisoned,
and then those rats ate him?
Hopefully the lab will be able
to tell us
what was in his system.
Hmm.
I think it was thallium.
What?
It’s a soft metal.
It’s odorless,
colorless, tasteless,
but extremely toxic.
What makes you think that’s
what we’re looking at here?
High doses of thallium
cause hair loss,
which would explain this.
Well, if you’re right,
the question is--
what did this guy eat
that was laced with the stuff?
Maybe those live rats
will be able to tell us.
If we compare their droppings
in the next few days
to what’s inside the dead ones,
we might be able to identify
what item of food was poisoned.
Disgusting, but I get
how it could lead us
to the person
who did the poisoning.
So, how do we take a bunch
of rats into evidence?
BELL:
We don’t.
Animal control
will come get them.
Standard procedure
for any animals
involved
in an investigation.
Guess I should warn them
these guys have a taste
for human flesh.
WOMAN:Noah kept to himself really.
He was studying the effects
of pesticides on small mammals.
That’s why he had
so many rats in the lab.
He also taught a section
of undergrad biology
every semester.
But his real passion
was research.
He hated teaching almost as much
as his students hated him.
They hated him?
Noah was tough.
They called him "No A"
behind his back.
He sank a lot of GPAs
over the years.
It’s hard to imagine anyone
would kill him over a C-plus.
Can you get us a list
of the kids
that he taught
the last few years?
Sure.
What about Dr. Fogel’s
personal life?
You said he kept
to himself.
He pretty much lived
his whole life
inside this building.
Perhaps his drug dealer
delivered.
What is it?
HOLMES:
Amphetamine, by the looks of it.
It appears that Dr. Fogel’s
rise to the top
was not entirely self-propelled.
There are 49 here.
I’d wager there
were an even 50
when he bought them--
likely the same day
he bought this newspaper.
They were inside it.
This is from last Thursday,
right around the time he died.
Perhaps he was poisoned
by a bad batch of speed.
Any idea who his dealer was?
No. Like I said, I hardly ever
saw him with anyone.
Might I suggest a good
old-fashioned witch hunt?
Richie Esposito,
I’m Captain Gregson.
This is Detective Bell.
Thanks for coming in.
Sure.
What am I doing here?
(chuckles)
Come on, Richie.
You can’t be
too surprised.
You’ve been selling
amphetamine and weed
to college kids
for two years.
Who told you that?
Pretty much everyone.
I walked around campus today.
Every kid I talked to
said you were
the guy to go to
for study buddies
with a witch on ’em.
That’s the downside
to good branding.
You made a name for yourself.
Okay, fine.
Wherever you got those pills,
they came from me.
But this is nuts.
You said this
is Major Cases, right?
And you’re a captain?
I’m just a guy who deals
a little speed
at the student union.
Don’t sell yourself short,
Richie.
You’re also a murder suspect.
What?
Noah Fogel’s dead.
Poisoned.
We know he was one
of your clients.
You sold those pills
to Noah right before he died,
didn’t you?
What’s the lab gonna tell us
about what’s in them?
Nothing. My stuff is clean.
But as far as Noah goes,
he was a great customer.
He paid up front, on time,
and never caused any trouble.
I was making a killing
off that guy,
especially lately.
What do you mean?
He was buying more pills
than ever.
He said, uh, he was staying
up late working on some...
secret project.
You need to find out
what it was.
Why?
Because he said it was
going to be the death of him.
I thought he was joking,
but...
I don’t know-- maybe it was.
You think someone killed him
over his research?
All I know is he’s dead
and I didn’t do it.
Figure out what
he was working on,
maybe you’ll find
the person who did.
HOLMES:
That "safest rides
in New York" sign
looks like it was
painted by a child.
Have you considered
the possibility that the owner
of this establishment
hasn’t paid you
because he’s an imbecile
and simply forgot?
No, it’s ’cause he’s
a piece of garbage.
I told you it
took me a month
to install security systems
in every car in his fleet.
And you haven’t been paid
for parts or labor?
98 G’s.
Owner said I did shoddy work,
refused to pay.
You ever know me
to do shoddy work?
Owner keeps a lot of cash
in a safe inside.
I’m only gonna take
what I’m owed.
Obviously, the alarm system’s
not a problem,
but I’m no expert when it
comes to cracking safes.
His is in a wall.
It’s got a dial
combination.
Think you can crack it?
As I told you before,
planning the perfect crime
is child’s play
compared to unraveling one.
But I’m just... I’m not
seeing the whole picture.
Oh, place backs up
into a warehouse.
There’s nobody
there after 6:00.
No, that’s not
what I meant.
I’ve heard no mention
of a civil lawsuit,
claims court,
Better Business Bureau.
There are any number
of non-felonious ways
that you could make
yourself whole.
Your willingness
to stoop to theft
suggests a dire crisis,
so... what’s going on?
It’s my brother.
Dante?
He put you up to this?
No, he doesn’t know
anything about it.
His silk screen
company went belly-up.
He owes his business
partners 85 grand.
If he doesn’t pay in three days,
it’s kneecaps-- at least.
Well, the good news is they
could never break his spine,
’cause we both know
he hasn’t got one.
Sherlock.
Come to think of it,
he hasn’t got a heart, either.
If he’s in trouble,
he no doubt deserves it.
He deserves more.
I’m not going to help him.
But you’re not helping him;
you’re helping me.
It’s my money, and
I want it back.
You in or out?
Out.
You serious?
When am I not?
(sighs)
(engine starts)
(cacophony of animal sounds
plays over stereo)
WATSON:
What is that sound?
Mating calls of the Serengeti.
A number of studies
have concluded
that exposure to nature sounds
can reduce stress
and improve focus.
Yeah, I think they were talking
about, like, rain
or ocean waves,
not horny wildebeests.
(turns stereo volume down)
What’s all this?
This is every bit
of research
that was available
at Dr. Fogel’s lab.
I had it sent over when Marcus
said his drug dealer
was a dead end.
Got the same message.
Guy was a sleaze,
but the speed he sold
tested negative for thallium.
So, you see anything
worth killing over?
So far, nothing that
might pertain to
the secret project
the drug dealer was alluding to.
It’s hard to imagine the news
that pesticides
should not be injected
directly into rat brains
would shock the world.
Everything okay with Alfredo?
As a matter of fact, no.
He is, uh, quite
keen on burglarizing
a used car dealership,
and he asked me to help.
What?
I-I’ve no qualms
in committing the crime.
The, uh, proprietor
owes him money.
The problem is
he revealed the heist
is to benefit
his brother, Dante,
who’s fallen
on hard times.
So...?
So, Dante’s a cancer,
and he deserves hard times.
He deserves more, actually.
You know him?
I know his story.
Growing up, Alfredo’s parents
were often absent,
so there was little
to prevent Dante
from dragging
his younger brother
into his burgeoning
criminal career.
Alfredo’s first fight,
his first shoplift,
his introduction to heroin--
all Dante’s handiwork.
Alfredo asked you
for a favor, you said no,
so why are you still angry?
’Cause after I turned him down,
he had the temerity
to say that was what
he expected.
That I have no idea what it
means to be a good brother.
He knows about Mycroft?
Well, he used to be my sponsor.
He remains one
of my closest confidants,
so yes, he knows
all about my brother.
I’m confused.
Are you mad at Alfredo
right now or Mycroft?
Because I thought
you made peace
with what he did
a long time ago.
Uh, respectfully, Watson,
I just... I need
peace and quiet
to finish this work, so...
I’ll let you know
if I find anything
that might lead us
to Noah Fogel’s killer.
(dogs barking, rats squeaking)
"The sex scandal
that rocked the statehouse
"took another turn Monday,
"when the lieutenant
governor’s office
disclosed
misappropriated funds."
These knuckleheads in Albany
can’t keep it
in their pants, Piper.
(explosions outside)
(dogs barking)
(explosions continue)
(dogs continue barking)
(vehicle door closes,
engine starts)
(tires squealing)
What the...?
Hey, boss, it’s Wade.
I’m sorry to call so late.
You know them lab rats
the cops brought over?
Yeah, the ones
from the crime scene.
Somebody just stole them all.
The rats were right here
when I went out to see who was
setting off the fireworks.
What about the gray van you saw
pulling away from the building?
Did you see the driver?
Sorry.
It was dark. I was far away.
I think the license plate
started with a "T" or "L."
You have security cameras?
Nah. There’s barely
enough money here
to feed the animals.
What’s so important
about these rats?
It’s not like
they’re witnesses, right?
Well, we think
the person
who stole the rats
might be our killer,
so we’re hoping
to find something here
that would lead
us to him.
Her.
I found this in the parking lot.
What is it?
It’s the edge of a shirt cuff.
Given the button and
the floral detailing,
I’d say it belonged
to a woman’s blouse.
Note the distinct aroma.
Hmm. Fireworks.
HOLMES: Black powder,
antimony trisulfide
and dextrin, to be precise.
The thief lit a
dozen Roman candles,
but I think this is the one that
gave her some problems.
As you can see, it misfired,
exploding from here
rather than at the top.
Now, if I’m right,
the woman who lit it was struck
by a flaming substance which
burns at 600 degrees centigrade.
Ouch.
Indeed.
And the odds are
quite good that after
absconding with the rats,
the thief went
to the nearest hospital
for treatment.
And if she did...
We can identify her.
HOLMES:
So you still have
all your fingers.
You’re very lucky.
Firework accidents
can be very serious.
I told you,
I burnt myself cooking.
I don’t know anything about any
animal shelter getting robbed.
BELL:
Stop.
Okay, we already confirmed
that you rented
a gray van yesterday,
same kind that was seen
peeling away from the shelter.
HOLMES: I’m curious--
did you set the rodents
you stole free, or...
did you murder them as well?
What?
WATSON: We know you
took Noah Fogel’s rats
so we wouldn’t figure out
how you poisoned him.
What we don’t know
is what you had against him.
No. No way.
I did steal the rats.
Okay, you got me.
But I had nothing to do
with Noah’s death.
You could see how that
would be hard for us to believe?
I’m a geneticist.
I was in Iowa last week
for a conference.
I got back yesterday morning.
I wasn’t even here
when Noah died.
Our lab found thallium
in a carton of milk
at Noah’s house.
You could have dosed it
before you left.
No. You can have
my fingerprints, my DNA.
I will give you
whatever you want.
HOLMES:
How about...
a reason that you
would have stolen
dozens of lab rats,
if not to cover up the murder?
Is $5 million
a good enough reason?
I was trying to win
the Galahad Prize.
As in the Galahad Institute.
It’s a nonprofit.
They’re trying to find
a cure for aging.
They offered
five million bucks
to the first person who could
genetically alter a rat
to double its life span.
How is creating a bunch
of geriatric rats
gonna stop humans from aging?
First, you work
toward everlasting rats,
then pigs and dogs,
then monkeys and apes,
and one day...
Everlasting us.
The Galahad Prize
was supposed to
inspire people
to take the first steps.
Noah Fogel had
taken quite a few.
One of his rats lived
to the age of six last month.
That is close
to hitting the benchmark.
When I heard Noah was dead,
I called around
to see what happened
to his animals.
I thought, if I could
reverse-engineer his process...
...I might win
the five million myself,
but I didn’t kill him.
I know we can’t
rule her out completely,
but I don’t think she did it.
I don’t think so, either.
But it’s easy
to imagine
someone like her did.
If winning the Galahad Prize was
the secret project
that Mr. Fogel
was involved in,
then their pool of contestants
could easily double
as our pool of suspects.
The institute she mentioned
is worth visiting.
Find out who else
is competing for the money.
All right. You guys go.
I’ll look into her story,
see if it holds water.
I’ll call you
if I find anything.
"Named after Sir Galahad,
the famed Arthurian knight
"who gained immortality
by touching the Holy Grail,
"the Galahad Institute
was established in 1991
"by Dudley Becket,
philanthropist, scholar
"and heir to the celebrated
Becket Medicated
Powder Company."
Their best-selling product
is rectal cream.
I’m not sure
who’s celebrating them.
Well, if it’s not you,
you should count yourself lucky.
"For more than 25 years,
the Galahad Institute
"has supported research
"to improve the human mind,
body and soul.
"From innovative
hypnotherapy techniques
"to cutting-edge
anti-aging science,
"the institute plans to someday
free mankind
from the tyranny of death."
A perfectly admirable quest
made to sound
like a delusion of grandeur
by an incompetent copywriter.
Last night, you asked
if I still harbored ill
feelings towards my brother.
I do.
A bunch of French mobsters
wanted to kill him.
Did he solve the problem
the way you would have?
No, but you’ve got
to get over it.
What?
Couple of months ago,
during my sabbatical in Vermont,
I read a story
in a French newspaper
about a particularly nasty
drug war in Andorra.
The leadership
of Le Milieu
was completely wiped out
by the Sicilian Mafia.
Are you saying
that all the people
that wanted to kill Mycroft
are dead?
As French doornails.
Did a bit of digging.
There is no longer
any threat against him.
There is also no
chance that he’s
unaware of this development.
He could be sitting here
with us now
at this very moment
if he so chose.
Why didn’t you tell me?
I suppose I was angry.
A little embarrassed.
My brother no longer has
a price on his head,
and I had to learn about that
from a newspaper.
Did you
reach out to him?
Why would I?
Because he’s your brother.
The dissolution
of our relationship
is a mess entirely
of his making.
Reestablishing
communication
is his responsibility.
Are you seriously keeping score?
It doesn’t matter
who calls who first.
You get to see
your brother again.
You’re taking his side--
understandably.
Perhaps if I’d have given you
three and a half orgasms,
you’d see things my way.
Excuse me?
MAN: Mr. Holmes. Ms. Watson.
I’m Hunter Becket.
This way, please.
(Holmes clears throat)
Dad, these are the
police consultants.
Mr. Holmes, Ms. Watson,
this is my father Dudley.
He’s the real brains
around here.
Well, if I’m the brains,
then, uh,
Hunter is the brawn.
He’s the one who’s kept
the Galahad Institute
pushing forward
since my surgery.
Titanium.
Last year. My joints
are the only part of me
the worms don’t get to eat.
That’s assuming the worms
get any of you.
The whole point
of this place is to extend
life indefinitely,
is it not?
Don’t think we’re gonna
get there in my lifetime.
Maybe Hunter’s.
But yes,
one day, the research we fund,
the scientists we support,
it’s going to change life
on this planet.
WATSON:
Actually, we’re
here to talk about
one of your scientists.
Are you aware
of what happened to Noah Fogel?
It’s tragic.
He was such a smart guy.
DUDLEY: I can’t
tell you how much
I wanted to write a check
for $5 million to that man.
He was close.
We’re exploring the possibility
that one of his competitors
killed him.
They wanted to buy time
so they could get
the $5 million.
I’m-I’m sorry.
The entire point of this contest
is to preserve life.
To think that someone
would kill over it...
Have you talked to his partner?
We weren’t aware
he had a partner.
Elijah Robinson.
Brilliant geneticist, but, uh...
troubled.
He had a chaired position
at one of those
Oxbridge places, right?
They gave him the boot.
He slept with a student
and beat up her boyfriend.
Nobody we spoke to
mentioned Elijah.
Are you sure they
were working together?
Well, I couldn’t speak to how
they divvied up their research,
but, uh, they cosigned
their grant requests
and status reports.
So you think that Elijah is the
person we should be looking for?
Like I said, he’s troubled.
I don’t suppose you’d have
his address on file, would you?
Seems a little excessive,
don’t you think?
Mr. Robinson’s a research
biologist, not a commando.
BELL: He’s a person of interest
in a homicide.
In a poisoning.
I mean, as long as we
turn down the tea service,
I think we’ll be fine.
BELL: Mr. Robinson has three
semiautomatic rifles
registered to his name and
two priors for violent assault.
So last time, he used poison.
This time, he might use
his Smith & Wesson.
MAN (over radio):
Marcus, we found him.
Looks like he’s
been dead over a week.
Yeah, smells like it, too.
That would mean he died
before Professor Fogel.
Doesn’t mean he
isn’t our poisoner.
Given his own
murder, though,
his culpability does
seem less likely.
Hmm. Someone hit him
with something heavy.
I can feel a major fracture
between his spine
and occipital bone.
Probably what
killed him.
HOLMES: That may be, but
I don’t think that was
the killer’s plan.
I think he had an entirely
different modusin mind.
What are you talking about?
This.
Is that paint?
Pigment, actually.
Prussian blue,
to be exact.
Which also doubles as the
antidote for thallium poisoning.
You saying, if Noah Fogel
got to an art store in time,
he could’ve saved himself?
Prussian blue
is an ion exchange material.
You swallow it,
it pulls the toxin
out of your system
so you expel it.
I submit the killer brought it
with him as a safety precaution.
His original plan
was to lace Elijah’s milk
as he did with Dr. Fogel.
The Prussian blue was
in case he exposed himself.
So he broke in, he’s in here
monkeying with the milk
when Elijah
comes home from
the grocery store.
And then they fought
to the death.
At some point, I’d say Elijah
was felled with a...
a blow from perhaps
this rolling pin.
Which is a weapon
of convenience.
I mean, we can, uh,
test it for prints,
but it’s likely the killer wore
gloves to handle the poison.
Well, then he should’ve
done a better job
cleaning up before he left.
This is not pigment.
It’s dried blood.
You think it’s
from the killer?
Well, it didn’t come
from Elijah.
Even with the decomp, I can tell
he doesn’t have any open wounds.
The fight didn’t leave him
bleeding.
The killer must have gotten cut.
Well, if
you’re right,
let’s hope he’s
in the system.
BELL:
Hey, Captain.
Sorry to catch you
on your way out,
but you know that blood we found
at Elijah Robinson’s house?
Yeah.
Well, we got a hit.
I’m pretty sure
you’re gonna want to see it.
GREGSON:
You gotta be kidding me.
BELL:
No, I had the lab double-check.
She’s a perfect match
for the blood.
A 15-year-old girl?
Her name’s Lacey Evans.
She’s a freshman at
Saint Matthew’s Academy.
She’s on the honor roll.
She does field hockey.
And now she’s a suspect
in two murders.
Mom, where’d you put
my field hockey stuff?
What?
Why would you think
that was my blood?
Well, when your father
was stationed in Riyadh,
everyone in your family
got put into the Army’s
DNA registry
in case of a kidnapping.
That’s why your DNA’s
in the system.
What we don’t know is why
it was in the home
of a murder victim.
Say something, honey.
Please.
Look, we don’t think you did it.
Okay? Elijah Robinson
was twice your size.
It’s hard to imagine you’re
the one who bashed in his skull.
But you were there, right?
You saw who did?
No.
But...
I did know Elijah.
How?
Ma’am.
Can you tell us
how your blood got on the door
to his refrigerator?
That is where he was storing it.
My blood, I mean.
Uh, I-I was selling it to him.
That’s how I knew him.
What do you mean, you were
selling your blood to him?
Last year, my friend
Jenna told me
that her uncle would
pay cash for it.
A hundred bucks
every donation.
Sounded sketchy,
but she said that Elijah--
that’s her uncle--
he knew what he was doing.
She said it would be
safe and clean.
What exactly did he want
with your blood?
He was selling it.
Mine and Jenna’s.
To, like, old people.
They-they’d
inject blood
from teenagers to feel young.
I’ve heard about this.
There’s a growing market
for young blood.
But it is unregulated.
Probably how Elijah
was paying his bills.
Mom...
I stopped
doing it, okay?
If I hadn’t,
maybe I’d be dead, too.
What do you mean?
This one time,
Jenna and I showed up
at Elijah’s house, and...
he was fighting
outside with some guy.
They were, like,
pushing and shoving.
It was, like, a legit fight.
When was this?
Few months ago.
It totally
freaked us out.
That’s when we stopped going.
Who was this guy?
I-I don’t know.
But I got the whole thing
on my phone.
I can send you the video
if you want.
HOLMES:
There was $114,000 in the safe.
I didn’t heed your advice.
I took it all.
Donated the, uh,
remainder to charity.
I didn’t ask you to rob
the dealership by yourself.
I didn’t think you
were gonna help at all.
Well, I reconsidered.
Dante may not have cared
that you would’ve ended up
in prison again, but...
I would have.
You didn’t rob anyone.
I just told you I did.
I was your sponsor
for two years.
I can tell when you’re lying.
This is your money.
Does its provenance
really matter?
You wanted to help
your brother.
Now you can.
Thanks, but no, thanks.
If I’ve wounded your pride
in some way,
just consider it payment
for services rendered.
You’ve lent me your expertise
on many of my cases.
It’s not about pride, okay?
It’s about you,
how you treat people
who make mistakes.
(sighs) How many second and
third chances have you gotten?
Plenty, right?
Now, how often
do you give ’em?
I’ve forgiven many people
their sins
over the years.
Is that right?
Yeah.
’Cause I haven’t seen it.
I mean, don’t get me wrong.
If it was someone
from the program
and they were going
through the steps
and they asked for forgiveness,
you’d give it in a second,
but come on, man,
my brother, yours, it’s like...
you want them to find
the deepest hole they can
and jump in.
Let’s leave my brother
out of this.
I’d love to, but he’s obviously
part of the problem.
You hold grudges.
It’s not good.
(sighs)
Just take the check, Alfredo.
(sighs)
You know, it’s funny--
you can, um...
you can be really generous
when you want to be.
You should think about
being that way
more often.
Looks good on you.
WATSON:
You’re still watching that video
that Lacey Evans gave us?
I told you, you can’t
see the guy’s face
who’s fighting
with Elijah Robinson.
Marcus and I went over it
a hundred times.
Well, I’m at 203.
You can join me for 204.
What did you do to it?
When we watched it,
there was this weird pink tint.
Yes, Miss Evans ran her
little Zapruder film
through this
grotesque filter
called "Cozy Rosy."
I couldn’t bear it, so I
corrected the chroma scheme.
I’ve been trying to read
the late Mr. Robinson’s lips,
but the shaky camera work has
made it a little bit difficult.
I was wondering
why he kept saying,
"You go," to his assailant.
But then I realized
he wasn’t saying, "You go."
He was saying, "Hugo."
He knew his attacker,
and his name is Hugo.
Unfortunately, that’s not
enough to identify him.
We do need more.
You can stop.
He works at Burrito Land.
It’s a fast food chain.
You would hate it.
Um, I couldn’t tell
the color of his shirt
when everything was pink,
but now that
you got rid of
the filter, I can see
that the stripes on his
shirt are mauve and orange.
Nobody would put
those two colors together
except Burrito Land.
I mean, there can’t be that many
employees there
named Hugo, right?
Mr. Irving, I’m Captain Gregson.
This is Detective Bell.
I don’t care who you are.
I just want you to tell
me what I’m doing here.
Noah Fogel and Elijah Robinson
were both found dead this week,
and we think you killed them.
They’re dead?
Both of them?
You’re going to tell us
you didn’t know?
(chuckles) I didn’t.
But I can tell you
it’s a good thing.
A blessing, in fact.
You shouldn’t arrest
whoever did it.
You should thank them.
How is that?
There’s a natural order
to the world.
A way things are meant to be.
Noah Fogel and Elijah Robinson
were interfering with that.
The work they were doing,
trying to subvert nature...
...it was depraved.
I tried to warn them,
both of them,
but they didn’t stop.
So you stopped them?
No.
Wouldn’t be the first time
you went after
scientists, Hugo.
You did 23 months upstate
not long ago
for sending fake anthrax
to stem cell researchers.
We have video evidence
that you knew where
Elijah Robinson lived.
All that makes you
a pretty strong suspect.
And in a way,
I’m flattered.
It would make me a hero.
But I didn’t do it.
Elijah Robinson was beaten
to death Saturday before last.
We know because he had
a grocery receipt in his pocket.
Can you account for
your whereabouts on the 17th?
Saturdays,
I always work a double shift.
There are cameras
at the restaurant.
If you check ’em, you’ll see.
I didn’t kill anyone.
(waves crashing)
"When anxious, uneasy
"and bad thoughts come,
I go to the sea,
"and the sea drowns them out
with its great wide sounds,
"cleanses me with its noise
"and imposes a rhythm
upon everything in me
that is bewildered
and confused."
It’s also good for swimming.
I was quoting
Rainer Maria Rilke,
the German poet.
He was consumed by
a need to understand
the, uh, fundamental
essence of the world.
And himself.
Think I would’ve gotten on
quite well with him.
Said you wanted to talk,
so talk.
You said earlier that, um,
you know, forgiveness
should be encouraged.
Well, I’d ask
that you forgive me now.
’Cause I went to see
your brother
earlier on.
I gave him the check
that I tried to give you.
Sherlock, that’s not
what I wanted...
No, I told him exactly
what I thought of him.
That his treatment of you
over the years
was reprehensible, and...
and then I forgave him.
How’d it feel?
Well, it was more of a
practice run than anything else.
What do you mean?
I reached out
to this banker I know
in the Cayman Islands.
I’m reasonably sure that he’s
facilitated Mycroft’s life
on the lam.
And it might take
some time, but, uh,
I think he can connect me
with Mycroft.
You know, it’s hard
to pinpoint the exact moment
that my resentment
towards my brother began.
But if I had to bet, I’d say...
sometime in the days or weeks
following my birth.
He has this tremendous capacity
for joy,
and I just...
He has wronged me.
But I-I will...
I will forgive him.
And then?
Well, then perhaps
he’ll forgive me.
And then I’ll have
my brother back.
(footsteps approaching)
You look repulsed,
and there’s tarragon in the air.
Are you back on that cleanse?
I like this tea.
I’m repulsed by this.
I printed out a bunch of posts
from Hugo Irving’s
favorite message boards.
He hasn’t cracked yet?
He’s not going to.
His alibi checked out.
But I read
the interview transcript,
and he said something
to the captain and Marcus
that made me think.
He told them that killing Fogel
and Robinson would
have made him a hero.
Which made me wonder--
a hero to who?
Who... who cheers a couple
of scientists getting killed?
If such creatures exist,
surely they exist online.
Hugo’s made tracks
all over the Dark Web.
Especially in a few
anti-science,
fundamentalist chat rooms.
So, you think we had
the wrong man
but the right motive?
It’s a worthy theory.
I’ll help you test it.
As long as you leave
that wretched brew behind.
Watson.
(gasps quietly)
Oh, my God.
Am I dreaming, or...
did you just wake me up
with no theatrics?
Well, you were quite
understanding of the extra sleep
I required during my bout
with PCS.
I thought I’d return
the favor... once.
Mmm. What’s up?
Plup.
Plup?
After you went to bed,
I dug through the ramblings
of several dozen
discussion board denizens,
and I came across
a friend of Hugo’s
who calls himself Plup.
His posts were very troubling.
How so?
Well, he knows things
about the Galahad Prize
that he shouldn’t know.
Names of the geneticists,
addresses of their laboratories,
statistics
from their progress reports.
And he’s been giving this
information out on the boards?
Freely and abundantly.
To Hugo, to various crackpots,
offering all of them
sensitive data
on those who chase
the Galahad Prize,
and urging them to act on it
violently.
Have a look for yourself.
"You should pull
this guy’s eyes out
and introduce them to his..."
Sounds like Noah Fogel
got off easy
swallowing thallium
and getting eaten by rats.
The point is it was Plup
who told Hugo
where to find Elijah Robinson.
He was sabotaging
the competition.
More precisely, he was provoking
others to do it for him.
And when they failed to act,
he took matters
into his own hands.
Are you saying that Noah Fogel
and Elijah Robinson
were killed by some anonymous
discussion board troll?
Troll, yes. Anonymous, no.
Not anymore.
The person who tried
to sabotage the Galahad Prize
is one of the men
who organized it.
This guy you went and
talked to the other day--
you think he’s the killer?
Yeah.
Hunter Becket killed Noah Fogel
and Elijah Robinson.
But not for lack of trying
to delegate their deaths.
WATSON: Hunter uses
the screen name Plup
on fundamentalist
message boards.
And most of the
people on there think
that Western medicine
is an affront to God.
So the idea that
someone would alter DNA
to extend human
life, they would do
almost anything
to stop that.
Except, to their minimal credit,
murdering scientists.
Now, you can see here
quite clearly
that Hunter’s Plup
alter ego
is trying to rally
these zealots
into doing
his dirty work for him.
When they balked,
he did it himself.
What I can see
is this Plup guy
has a lot of
sensitive information
about the inner
workings of Galahad.
How do you know he
wasn’t some hacker
who broke
into their servers?
Their servers
are nigh impenetrable.
We reached out
to some hacker acquaintances.
They didn’t see
how anyone
could break
into Galahad’s network.
Plup is a leaker, not a hacker.
The Galahad Institute has,
what, 30 employees?
What makes you so sure
Hunter’s our guy?
Look at the time stamps
on the posts from Plup.
Every one of them is between
4:30 and 5:00 in the morning.
Yeah, he’s an early riser.
Yep. Hunter Becket goes...
sculling every morning
at sunrise on the Hudson.
His social media posts are awash
with his rowing exploits.
It’s not just the timing
of the messages
that points to Hunter.
It’s his motive also.
If no one collects the prize,
he keeps the $5 million.
But he’s the one
hosting the contest,
and he’s already filthy rich.
Not quite as well-off
as he once was.
Before his father
drank the anti-aging Kool-Aid,
Hunter was in line to inherit
the Becket Medicated Powder
fortune.
But then his father
emptied the family piggy bank
into his institute.
The old man still calls
all the shots.
So now this guy’s
a trust fund brat
with no trust fund.
Mm-hmm. And much
as he would like to,
Dudley Becket is not going
to beat death.
When he dies, Hunter
will take control of Galahad,
and then he can eliminate
the prize
and reclaim his inheritance.
Noah and Elijah
were getting close to doubling
the life span of a rat,
so they had to go.
GREGSON:
Even if you’re right,
we can’t arrest somebody
for weird screen names
and their rowing schedule.
Yeah, CSU didn’t find anything
useful at either crime scene,
so how are we supposed
to nail this guy?
Well, it’s funny
you should mention nails.
This is a joke, right?
I didn’t kill anyone.
You didn’t want to,
but Noah and Elijah
were getting close
to taking a big bite out
of your inheritance.
HOLMES: You’re not a
scientist, but you know
a bit about powders--
thallium, for example.
The first time you tried
to use it to poison someone
didn’t go quite
according to plan.
You were caught
in the act of trying
to dose Elijah Robinson’s milk,
so you hit him
with a rolling pin instead.
Dr. Fogel’s murder
went much more smoothly.
Dad, this is nonsense.
BELL:
Is it?
We identified
a chemical plant in Manila
that does business
with Becket Medicated Powder.
They process and store
elemental thallium.
They’re going through
their shipping records for us.
What are the odds you had
a package of thallium
sent to yourself sometime
in the past couple months?
No, this must be
some kind of mistake.
No, I’m sorry, the only mistake
was made by him.
The first time we met,
I couldn’t help
but notice you kept picking
your fingernails all the way
through our conversation. Two
of them were still bleeding.
You’d obviously
just clipped them.
I was wondering,
why did he clip them so low?
It was only when you became
a suspect that that made sense.
We found a pigment
called Prussian blue
on Elijah Robinson’s
kitchen counter.
It’s an antidote for
thallium poisoning.
You brought some with you
when you went to the house.
We think you spilled it
when the two of you fought.
HOLMES:
Anyone working
with thallium
would keep Prussian
blue nearby.
At some point during
your preparation
to kill two people, you got it
under your fingernails.
It was still there when we came
to talk to you the other day,
so you clipped your nails
before you greeted us. Look.
WATSON:
We found those in the trash.
A DNA test will prove
they’re yours, won’t it?
Son, is this true?
Did you kill those men?
WATSON:
Hey, I just heard
from Marcus.
Hunter’s lawyers
are already talking
to the D.A.
about making a plea deal.
What’s happened?
Uh...
so, uh, yesterday,
I reached out to a...
a banker in the Cayman Islands.
I felt... I felt quite certain
that he’d be able to help me...
locate Mycroft, and, uh...
I was right.
That’s great. Where is he?
Leffen Trust Hospital?
It’s in, uh...
Timaru, on the east coast
of New Zealand.
When did this happen?
Uh, nearly ten months ago.
Apparently, an intracranial
hemorrhage is, um...
not unheard of in, uh,
leukemia survivors.
They say it was,
uh, instantaneous.
One minute, he-he was all right,
and the next minute, he wasn’t.
So... he-he wouldn’t have
suffered before he died.
He’s faked his death before.
I mean, maybe...
No.
♪ Slow September falling ♪
No.
♪ We’ve seen another year ♪
♪ Wild wind comes a-calling ♪
♪ But you’re no longer here. ♪
Well?
It’s a fine automobile, Alfredo.
Fine?
Sunsets are fine.
Puppies are fine.
This car is exquisite.
Six-piston GT-R,
slotted brake kit,
5.4-liter
supercharged V8.
Not to mention
the unbeatable
security system
I designed for it.
"Fine."
Well, it’s just not
what I expected.
That’s all. I mean,
you said we’d be touring
in the most revolutionary
car out there.
You think some other car
is more revolutionary?
I don’t think it’s
a matter of opinion.
Charles Duryea’s
1893 Motor Wagon
represented the greatest
single advancement
in the history
of motor craft.
Fine, have it your way.
Oh, man.
Well, my spirits have been
elevated as you intended.
The setting is just right,
and I’m as ready as I’ll ever be
to entertain whatever request
you’ve been working up
the gumption to voice.
Okay, smart guy.
I need you to help
me steal $100,000.
How’d you get the
keys to the bio lab?
(chuckles) My best friend’s
a T.A. in the department.
Is it cool that
we’re in here?
It’s fine.
(grunts)
Seriously, is it?
Maybe you should stop
asking so many questions, huh?
Maybe I should stop
asking so many questions.
(both laugh)
Oh, my God!
(squeaking)
Is that a rat?
They’re all over the place.
They’re coming
from back there.
(clattering, squeaking)
What is that?
I don’t know,
but it’s-it’s awful.
I was talking
about the sound.
(squeaking continues)
(gasps quietly)
♪ ♪
BELL:
Victim’s name is Noah Fogel.
He was a biology professor.
Couple of students found
his body last night,
but decomp suggests
he’s been dead
four or five days.
How has he been
lying here that long?
This campus is very busy.
Usually, but everybody
was on midterm break last week.
Nobody around to find Dr. Fogel.
Except his rats, that is.
Looks like he collapsed
into the cages,
knocked them over,
the rats got out.
And they repaid the favor
by eating the guy.
So, what makes you think
this was a murder?
Dr. Fogel
wasn’t the only casualty.
CSU found four dead rats
in and around his stomach.
So he ate something
that was poisoned,
and then those rats ate him?
Hopefully the lab will be able
to tell us
what was in his system.
Hmm.
I think it was thallium.
What?
It’s a soft metal.
It’s odorless,
colorless, tasteless,
but extremely toxic.
What makes you think that’s
what we’re looking at here?
High doses of thallium
cause hair loss,
which would explain this.
Well, if you’re right,
the question is--
what did this guy eat
that was laced with the stuff?
Maybe those live rats
will be able to tell us.
If we compare their droppings
in the next few days
to what’s inside the dead ones,
we might be able to identify
what item of food was poisoned.
Disgusting, but I get
how it could lead us
to the person
who did the poisoning.
So, how do we take a bunch
of rats into evidence?
BELL:
We don’t.
Animal control
will come get them.
Standard procedure
for any animals
involved
in an investigation.
Guess I should warn them
these guys have a taste
for human flesh.
WOMAN:Noah kept to himself really.
He was studying the effects
of pesticides on small mammals.
That’s why he had
so many rats in the lab.
He also taught a section
of undergrad biology
every semester.
But his real passion
was research.
He hated teaching almost as much
as his students hated him.
They hated him?
Noah was tough.
They called him "No A"
behind his back.
He sank a lot of GPAs
over the years.
It’s hard to imagine anyone
would kill him over a C-plus.
Can you get us a list
of the kids
that he taught
the last few years?
Sure.
What about Dr. Fogel’s
personal life?
You said he kept
to himself.
He pretty much lived
his whole life
inside this building.
Perhaps his drug dealer
delivered.
What is it?
HOLMES:
Amphetamine, by the looks of it.
It appears that Dr. Fogel’s
rise to the top
was not entirely self-propelled.
There are 49 here.
I’d wager there
were an even 50
when he bought them--
likely the same day
he bought this newspaper.
They were inside it.
This is from last Thursday,
right around the time he died.
Perhaps he was poisoned
by a bad batch of speed.
Any idea who his dealer was?
No. Like I said, I hardly ever
saw him with anyone.
Might I suggest a good
old-fashioned witch hunt?
Richie Esposito,
I’m Captain Gregson.
This is Detective Bell.
Thanks for coming in.
Sure.
What am I doing here?
(chuckles)
Come on, Richie.
You can’t be
too surprised.
You’ve been selling
amphetamine and weed
to college kids
for two years.
Who told you that?
Pretty much everyone.
I walked around campus today.
Every kid I talked to
said you were
the guy to go to
for study buddies
with a witch on ’em.
That’s the downside
to good branding.
You made a name for yourself.
Okay, fine.
Wherever you got those pills,
they came from me.
But this is nuts.
You said this
is Major Cases, right?
And you’re a captain?
I’m just a guy who deals
a little speed
at the student union.
Don’t sell yourself short,
Richie.
You’re also a murder suspect.
What?
Noah Fogel’s dead.
Poisoned.
We know he was one
of your clients.
You sold those pills
to Noah right before he died,
didn’t you?
What’s the lab gonna tell us
about what’s in them?
Nothing. My stuff is clean.
But as far as Noah goes,
he was a great customer.
He paid up front, on time,
and never caused any trouble.
I was making a killing
off that guy,
especially lately.
What do you mean?
He was buying more pills
than ever.
He said, uh, he was staying
up late working on some...
secret project.
You need to find out
what it was.
Why?
Because he said it was
going to be the death of him.
I thought he was joking,
but...
I don’t know-- maybe it was.
You think someone killed him
over his research?
All I know is he’s dead
and I didn’t do it.
Figure out what
he was working on,
maybe you’ll find
the person who did.
HOLMES:
That "safest rides
in New York" sign
looks like it was
painted by a child.
Have you considered
the possibility that the owner
of this establishment
hasn’t paid you
because he’s an imbecile
and simply forgot?
No, it’s ’cause he’s
a piece of garbage.
I told you it
took me a month
to install security systems
in every car in his fleet.
And you haven’t been paid
for parts or labor?
98 G’s.
Owner said I did shoddy work,
refused to pay.
You ever know me
to do shoddy work?
Owner keeps a lot of cash
in a safe inside.
I’m only gonna take
what I’m owed.
Obviously, the alarm system’s
not a problem,
but I’m no expert when it
comes to cracking safes.
His is in a wall.
It’s got a dial
combination.
Think you can crack it?
As I told you before,
planning the perfect crime
is child’s play
compared to unraveling one.
But I’m just... I’m not
seeing the whole picture.
Oh, place backs up
into a warehouse.
There’s nobody
there after 6:00.
No, that’s not
what I meant.
I’ve heard no mention
of a civil lawsuit,
claims court,
Better Business Bureau.
There are any number
of non-felonious ways
that you could make
yourself whole.
Your willingness
to stoop to theft
suggests a dire crisis,
so... what’s going on?
It’s my brother.
Dante?
He put you up to this?
No, he doesn’t know
anything about it.
His silk screen
company went belly-up.
He owes his business
partners 85 grand.
If he doesn’t pay in three days,
it’s kneecaps-- at least.
Well, the good news is they
could never break his spine,
’cause we both know
he hasn’t got one.
Sherlock.
Come to think of it,
he hasn’t got a heart, either.
If he’s in trouble,
he no doubt deserves it.
He deserves more.
I’m not going to help him.
But you’re not helping him;
you’re helping me.
It’s my money, and
I want it back.
You in or out?
Out.
You serious?
When am I not?
(sighs)
(engine starts)
(cacophony of animal sounds
plays over stereo)
WATSON:
What is that sound?
Mating calls of the Serengeti.
A number of studies
have concluded
that exposure to nature sounds
can reduce stress
and improve focus.
Yeah, I think they were talking
about, like, rain
or ocean waves,
not horny wildebeests.
(turns stereo volume down)
What’s all this?
This is every bit
of research
that was available
at Dr. Fogel’s lab.
I had it sent over when Marcus
said his drug dealer
was a dead end.
Got the same message.
Guy was a sleaze,
but the speed he sold
tested negative for thallium.
So, you see anything
worth killing over?
So far, nothing that
might pertain to
the secret project
the drug dealer was alluding to.
It’s hard to imagine the news
that pesticides
should not be injected
directly into rat brains
would shock the world.
Everything okay with Alfredo?
As a matter of fact, no.
He is, uh, quite
keen on burglarizing
a used car dealership,
and he asked me to help.
What?
I-I’ve no qualms
in committing the crime.
The, uh, proprietor
owes him money.
The problem is
he revealed the heist
is to benefit
his brother, Dante,
who’s fallen
on hard times.
So...?
So, Dante’s a cancer,
and he deserves hard times.
He deserves more, actually.
You know him?
I know his story.
Growing up, Alfredo’s parents
were often absent,
so there was little
to prevent Dante
from dragging
his younger brother
into his burgeoning
criminal career.
Alfredo’s first fight,
his first shoplift,
his introduction to heroin--
all Dante’s handiwork.
Alfredo asked you
for a favor, you said no,
so why are you still angry?
’Cause after I turned him down,
he had the temerity
to say that was what
he expected.
That I have no idea what it
means to be a good brother.
He knows about Mycroft?
Well, he used to be my sponsor.
He remains one
of my closest confidants,
so yes, he knows
all about my brother.
I’m confused.
Are you mad at Alfredo
right now or Mycroft?
Because I thought
you made peace
with what he did
a long time ago.
Uh, respectfully, Watson,
I just... I need
peace and quiet
to finish this work, so...
I’ll let you know
if I find anything
that might lead us
to Noah Fogel’s killer.
(dogs barking, rats squeaking)
"The sex scandal
that rocked the statehouse
"took another turn Monday,
"when the lieutenant
governor’s office
disclosed
misappropriated funds."
These knuckleheads in Albany
can’t keep it
in their pants, Piper.
(explosions outside)
(dogs barking)
(explosions continue)
(dogs continue barking)
(vehicle door closes,
engine starts)
(tires squealing)
What the...?
Hey, boss, it’s Wade.
I’m sorry to call so late.
You know them lab rats
the cops brought over?
Yeah, the ones
from the crime scene.
Somebody just stole them all.
The rats were right here
when I went out to see who was
setting off the fireworks.
What about the gray van you saw
pulling away from the building?
Did you see the driver?
Sorry.
It was dark. I was far away.
I think the license plate
started with a "T" or "L."
You have security cameras?
Nah. There’s barely
enough money here
to feed the animals.
What’s so important
about these rats?
It’s not like
they’re witnesses, right?
Well, we think
the person
who stole the rats
might be our killer,
so we’re hoping
to find something here
that would lead
us to him.
Her.
I found this in the parking lot.
What is it?
It’s the edge of a shirt cuff.
Given the button and
the floral detailing,
I’d say it belonged
to a woman’s blouse.
Note the distinct aroma.
Hmm. Fireworks.
HOLMES: Black powder,
antimony trisulfide
and dextrin, to be precise.
The thief lit a
dozen Roman candles,
but I think this is the one that
gave her some problems.
As you can see, it misfired,
exploding from here
rather than at the top.
Now, if I’m right,
the woman who lit it was struck
by a flaming substance which
burns at 600 degrees centigrade.
Ouch.
Indeed.
And the odds are
quite good that after
absconding with the rats,
the thief went
to the nearest hospital
for treatment.
And if she did...
We can identify her.
HOLMES:
So you still have
all your fingers.
You’re very lucky.
Firework accidents
can be very serious.
I told you,
I burnt myself cooking.
I don’t know anything about any
animal shelter getting robbed.
BELL:
Stop.
Okay, we already confirmed
that you rented
a gray van yesterday,
same kind that was seen
peeling away from the shelter.
HOLMES: I’m curious--
did you set the rodents
you stole free, or...
did you murder them as well?
What?
WATSON: We know you
took Noah Fogel’s rats
so we wouldn’t figure out
how you poisoned him.
What we don’t know
is what you had against him.
No. No way.
I did steal the rats.
Okay, you got me.
But I had nothing to do
with Noah’s death.
You could see how that
would be hard for us to believe?
I’m a geneticist.
I was in Iowa last week
for a conference.
I got back yesterday morning.
I wasn’t even here
when Noah died.
Our lab found thallium
in a carton of milk
at Noah’s house.
You could have dosed it
before you left.
No. You can have
my fingerprints, my DNA.
I will give you
whatever you want.
HOLMES:
How about...
a reason that you
would have stolen
dozens of lab rats,
if not to cover up the murder?
Is $5 million
a good enough reason?
I was trying to win
the Galahad Prize.
As in the Galahad Institute.
It’s a nonprofit.
They’re trying to find
a cure for aging.
They offered
five million bucks
to the first person who could
genetically alter a rat
to double its life span.
How is creating a bunch
of geriatric rats
gonna stop humans from aging?
First, you work
toward everlasting rats,
then pigs and dogs,
then monkeys and apes,
and one day...
Everlasting us.
The Galahad Prize
was supposed to
inspire people
to take the first steps.
Noah Fogel had
taken quite a few.
One of his rats lived
to the age of six last month.
That is close
to hitting the benchmark.
When I heard Noah was dead,
I called around
to see what happened
to his animals.
I thought, if I could
reverse-engineer his process...
...I might win
the five million myself,
but I didn’t kill him.
I know we can’t
rule her out completely,
but I don’t think she did it.
I don’t think so, either.
But it’s easy
to imagine
someone like her did.
If winning the Galahad Prize was
the secret project
that Mr. Fogel
was involved in,
then their pool of contestants
could easily double
as our pool of suspects.
The institute she mentioned
is worth visiting.
Find out who else
is competing for the money.
All right. You guys go.
I’ll look into her story,
see if it holds water.
I’ll call you
if I find anything.
"Named after Sir Galahad,
the famed Arthurian knight
"who gained immortality
by touching the Holy Grail,
"the Galahad Institute
was established in 1991
"by Dudley Becket,
philanthropist, scholar
"and heir to the celebrated
Becket Medicated
Powder Company."
Their best-selling product
is rectal cream.
I’m not sure
who’s celebrating them.
Well, if it’s not you,
you should count yourself lucky.
"For more than 25 years,
the Galahad Institute
"has supported research
"to improve the human mind,
body and soul.
"From innovative
hypnotherapy techniques
"to cutting-edge
anti-aging science,
"the institute plans to someday
free mankind
from the tyranny of death."
A perfectly admirable quest
made to sound
like a delusion of grandeur
by an incompetent copywriter.
Last night, you asked
if I still harbored ill
feelings towards my brother.
I do.
A bunch of French mobsters
wanted to kill him.
Did he solve the problem
the way you would have?
No, but you’ve got
to get over it.
What?
Couple of months ago,
during my sabbatical in Vermont,
I read a story
in a French newspaper
about a particularly nasty
drug war in Andorra.
The leadership
of Le Milieu
was completely wiped out
by the Sicilian Mafia.
Are you saying
that all the people
that wanted to kill Mycroft
are dead?
As French doornails.
Did a bit of digging.
There is no longer
any threat against him.
There is also no
chance that he’s
unaware of this development.
He could be sitting here
with us now
at this very moment
if he so chose.
Why didn’t you tell me?
I suppose I was angry.
A little embarrassed.
My brother no longer has
a price on his head,
and I had to learn about that
from a newspaper.
Did you
reach out to him?
Why would I?
Because he’s your brother.
The dissolution
of our relationship
is a mess entirely
of his making.
Reestablishing
communication
is his responsibility.
Are you seriously keeping score?
It doesn’t matter
who calls who first.
You get to see
your brother again.
You’re taking his side--
understandably.
Perhaps if I’d have given you
three and a half orgasms,
you’d see things my way.
Excuse me?
MAN: Mr. Holmes. Ms. Watson.
I’m Hunter Becket.
This way, please.
(Holmes clears throat)
Dad, these are the
police consultants.
Mr. Holmes, Ms. Watson,
this is my father Dudley.
He’s the real brains
around here.
Well, if I’m the brains,
then, uh,
Hunter is the brawn.
He’s the one who’s kept
the Galahad Institute
pushing forward
since my surgery.
Titanium.
Last year. My joints
are the only part of me
the worms don’t get to eat.
That’s assuming the worms
get any of you.
The whole point
of this place is to extend
life indefinitely,
is it not?
Don’t think we’re gonna
get there in my lifetime.
Maybe Hunter’s.
But yes,
one day, the research we fund,
the scientists we support,
it’s going to change life
on this planet.
WATSON:
Actually, we’re
here to talk about
one of your scientists.
Are you aware
of what happened to Noah Fogel?
It’s tragic.
He was such a smart guy.
DUDLEY: I can’t
tell you how much
I wanted to write a check
for $5 million to that man.
He was close.
We’re exploring the possibility
that one of his competitors
killed him.
They wanted to buy time
so they could get
the $5 million.
I’m-I’m sorry.
The entire point of this contest
is to preserve life.
To think that someone
would kill over it...
Have you talked to his partner?
We weren’t aware
he had a partner.
Elijah Robinson.
Brilliant geneticist, but, uh...
troubled.
He had a chaired position
at one of those
Oxbridge places, right?
They gave him the boot.
He slept with a student
and beat up her boyfriend.
Nobody we spoke to
mentioned Elijah.
Are you sure they
were working together?
Well, I couldn’t speak to how
they divvied up their research,
but, uh, they cosigned
their grant requests
and status reports.
So you think that Elijah is the
person we should be looking for?
Like I said, he’s troubled.
I don’t suppose you’d have
his address on file, would you?
Seems a little excessive,
don’t you think?
Mr. Robinson’s a research
biologist, not a commando.
BELL: He’s a person of interest
in a homicide.
In a poisoning.
I mean, as long as we
turn down the tea service,
I think we’ll be fine.
BELL: Mr. Robinson has three
semiautomatic rifles
registered to his name and
two priors for violent assault.
So last time, he used poison.
This time, he might use
his Smith & Wesson.
MAN (over radio):
Marcus, we found him.
Looks like he’s
been dead over a week.
Yeah, smells like it, too.
That would mean he died
before Professor Fogel.
Doesn’t mean he
isn’t our poisoner.
Given his own
murder, though,
his culpability does
seem less likely.
Hmm. Someone hit him
with something heavy.
I can feel a major fracture
between his spine
and occipital bone.
Probably what
killed him.
HOLMES: That may be, but
I don’t think that was
the killer’s plan.
I think he had an entirely
different modusin mind.
What are you talking about?
This.
Is that paint?
Pigment, actually.
Prussian blue,
to be exact.
Which also doubles as the
antidote for thallium poisoning.
You saying, if Noah Fogel
got to an art store in time,
he could’ve saved himself?
Prussian blue
is an ion exchange material.
You swallow it,
it pulls the toxin
out of your system
so you expel it.
I submit the killer brought it
with him as a safety precaution.
His original plan
was to lace Elijah’s milk
as he did with Dr. Fogel.
The Prussian blue was
in case he exposed himself.
So he broke in, he’s in here
monkeying with the milk
when Elijah
comes home from
the grocery store.
And then they fought
to the death.
At some point, I’d say Elijah
was felled with a...
a blow from perhaps
this rolling pin.
Which is a weapon
of convenience.
I mean, we can, uh,
test it for prints,
but it’s likely the killer wore
gloves to handle the poison.
Well, then he should’ve
done a better job
cleaning up before he left.
This is not pigment.
It’s dried blood.
You think it’s
from the killer?
Well, it didn’t come
from Elijah.
Even with the decomp, I can tell
he doesn’t have any open wounds.
The fight didn’t leave him
bleeding.
The killer must have gotten cut.
Well, if
you’re right,
let’s hope he’s
in the system.
BELL:
Hey, Captain.
Sorry to catch you
on your way out,
but you know that blood we found
at Elijah Robinson’s house?
Yeah.
Well, we got a hit.
I’m pretty sure
you’re gonna want to see it.
GREGSON:
You gotta be kidding me.
BELL:
No, I had the lab double-check.
She’s a perfect match
for the blood.
A 15-year-old girl?
Her name’s Lacey Evans.
She’s a freshman at
Saint Matthew’s Academy.
She’s on the honor roll.
She does field hockey.
And now she’s a suspect
in two murders.
Mom, where’d you put
my field hockey stuff?
What?
Why would you think
that was my blood?
Well, when your father
was stationed in Riyadh,
everyone in your family
got put into the Army’s
DNA registry
in case of a kidnapping.
That’s why your DNA’s
in the system.
What we don’t know is why
it was in the home
of a murder victim.
Say something, honey.
Please.
Look, we don’t think you did it.
Okay? Elijah Robinson
was twice your size.
It’s hard to imagine you’re
the one who bashed in his skull.
But you were there, right?
You saw who did?
No.
But...
I did know Elijah.
How?
Ma’am.
Can you tell us
how your blood got on the door
to his refrigerator?
That is where he was storing it.
My blood, I mean.
Uh, I-I was selling it to him.
That’s how I knew him.
What do you mean, you were
selling your blood to him?
Last year, my friend
Jenna told me
that her uncle would
pay cash for it.
A hundred bucks
every donation.
Sounded sketchy,
but she said that Elijah--
that’s her uncle--
he knew what he was doing.
She said it would be
safe and clean.
What exactly did he want
with your blood?
He was selling it.
Mine and Jenna’s.
To, like, old people.
They-they’d
inject blood
from teenagers to feel young.
I’ve heard about this.
There’s a growing market
for young blood.
But it is unregulated.
Probably how Elijah
was paying his bills.
Mom...
I stopped
doing it, okay?
If I hadn’t,
maybe I’d be dead, too.
What do you mean?
This one time,
Jenna and I showed up
at Elijah’s house, and...
he was fighting
outside with some guy.
They were, like,
pushing and shoving.
It was, like, a legit fight.
When was this?
Few months ago.
It totally
freaked us out.
That’s when we stopped going.
Who was this guy?
I-I don’t know.
But I got the whole thing
on my phone.
I can send you the video
if you want.
HOLMES:
There was $114,000 in the safe.
I didn’t heed your advice.
I took it all.
Donated the, uh,
remainder to charity.
I didn’t ask you to rob
the dealership by yourself.
I didn’t think you
were gonna help at all.
Well, I reconsidered.
Dante may not have cared
that you would’ve ended up
in prison again, but...
I would have.
You didn’t rob anyone.
I just told you I did.
I was your sponsor
for two years.
I can tell when you’re lying.
This is your money.
Does its provenance
really matter?
You wanted to help
your brother.
Now you can.
Thanks, but no, thanks.
If I’ve wounded your pride
in some way,
just consider it payment
for services rendered.
You’ve lent me your expertise
on many of my cases.
It’s not about pride, okay?
It’s about you,
how you treat people
who make mistakes.
(sighs) How many second and
third chances have you gotten?
Plenty, right?
Now, how often
do you give ’em?
I’ve forgiven many people
their sins
over the years.
Is that right?
Yeah.
’Cause I haven’t seen it.
I mean, don’t get me wrong.
If it was someone
from the program
and they were going
through the steps
and they asked for forgiveness,
you’d give it in a second,
but come on, man,
my brother, yours, it’s like...
you want them to find
the deepest hole they can
and jump in.
Let’s leave my brother
out of this.
I’d love to, but he’s obviously
part of the problem.
You hold grudges.
It’s not good.
(sighs)
Just take the check, Alfredo.
(sighs)
You know, it’s funny--
you can, um...
you can be really generous
when you want to be.
You should think about
being that way
more often.
Looks good on you.
WATSON:
You’re still watching that video
that Lacey Evans gave us?
I told you, you can’t
see the guy’s face
who’s fighting
with Elijah Robinson.
Marcus and I went over it
a hundred times.
Well, I’m at 203.
You can join me for 204.
What did you do to it?
When we watched it,
there was this weird pink tint.
Yes, Miss Evans ran her
little Zapruder film
through this
grotesque filter
called "Cozy Rosy."
I couldn’t bear it, so I
corrected the chroma scheme.
I’ve been trying to read
the late Mr. Robinson’s lips,
but the shaky camera work has
made it a little bit difficult.
I was wondering
why he kept saying,
"You go," to his assailant.
But then I realized
he wasn’t saying, "You go."
He was saying, "Hugo."
He knew his attacker,
and his name is Hugo.
Unfortunately, that’s not
enough to identify him.
We do need more.
You can stop.
He works at Burrito Land.
It’s a fast food chain.
You would hate it.
Um, I couldn’t tell
the color of his shirt
when everything was pink,
but now that
you got rid of
the filter, I can see
that the stripes on his
shirt are mauve and orange.
Nobody would put
those two colors together
except Burrito Land.
I mean, there can’t be that many
employees there
named Hugo, right?
Mr. Irving, I’m Captain Gregson.
This is Detective Bell.
I don’t care who you are.
I just want you to tell
me what I’m doing here.
Noah Fogel and Elijah Robinson
were both found dead this week,
and we think you killed them.
They’re dead?
Both of them?
You’re going to tell us
you didn’t know?
(chuckles) I didn’t.
But I can tell you
it’s a good thing.
A blessing, in fact.
You shouldn’t arrest
whoever did it.
You should thank them.
How is that?
There’s a natural order
to the world.
A way things are meant to be.
Noah Fogel and Elijah Robinson
were interfering with that.
The work they were doing,
trying to subvert nature...
...it was depraved.
I tried to warn them,
both of them,
but they didn’t stop.
So you stopped them?
No.
Wouldn’t be the first time
you went after
scientists, Hugo.
You did 23 months upstate
not long ago
for sending fake anthrax
to stem cell researchers.
We have video evidence
that you knew where
Elijah Robinson lived.
All that makes you
a pretty strong suspect.
And in a way,
I’m flattered.
It would make me a hero.
But I didn’t do it.
Elijah Robinson was beaten
to death Saturday before last.
We know because he had
a grocery receipt in his pocket.
Can you account for
your whereabouts on the 17th?
Saturdays,
I always work a double shift.
There are cameras
at the restaurant.
If you check ’em, you’ll see.
I didn’t kill anyone.
(waves crashing)
"When anxious, uneasy
"and bad thoughts come,
I go to the sea,
"and the sea drowns them out
with its great wide sounds,
"cleanses me with its noise
"and imposes a rhythm
upon everything in me
that is bewildered
and confused."
It’s also good for swimming.
I was quoting
Rainer Maria Rilke,
the German poet.
He was consumed by
a need to understand
the, uh, fundamental
essence of the world.
And himself.
Think I would’ve gotten on
quite well with him.
Said you wanted to talk,
so talk.
You said earlier that, um,
you know, forgiveness
should be encouraged.
Well, I’d ask
that you forgive me now.
’Cause I went to see
your brother
earlier on.
I gave him the check
that I tried to give you.
Sherlock, that’s not
what I wanted...
No, I told him exactly
what I thought of him.
That his treatment of you
over the years
was reprehensible, and...
and then I forgave him.
How’d it feel?
Well, it was more of a
practice run than anything else.
What do you mean?
I reached out
to this banker I know
in the Cayman Islands.
I’m reasonably sure that he’s
facilitated Mycroft’s life
on the lam.
And it might take
some time, but, uh,
I think he can connect me
with Mycroft.
You know, it’s hard
to pinpoint the exact moment
that my resentment
towards my brother began.
But if I had to bet, I’d say...
sometime in the days or weeks
following my birth.
He has this tremendous capacity
for joy,
and I just...
He has wronged me.
But I-I will...
I will forgive him.
And then?
Well, then perhaps
he’ll forgive me.
And then I’ll have
my brother back.
(footsteps approaching)
You look repulsed,
and there’s tarragon in the air.
Are you back on that cleanse?
I like this tea.
I’m repulsed by this.
I printed out a bunch of posts
from Hugo Irving’s
favorite message boards.
He hasn’t cracked yet?
He’s not going to.
His alibi checked out.
But I read
the interview transcript,
and he said something
to the captain and Marcus
that made me think.
He told them that killing Fogel
and Robinson would
have made him a hero.
Which made me wonder--
a hero to who?
Who... who cheers a couple
of scientists getting killed?
If such creatures exist,
surely they exist online.
Hugo’s made tracks
all over the Dark Web.
Especially in a few
anti-science,
fundamentalist chat rooms.
So, you think we had
the wrong man
but the right motive?
It’s a worthy theory.
I’ll help you test it.
As long as you leave
that wretched brew behind.
Watson.
(gasps quietly)
Oh, my God.
Am I dreaming, or...
did you just wake me up
with no theatrics?
Well, you were quite
understanding of the extra sleep
I required during my bout
with PCS.
I thought I’d return
the favor... once.
Mmm. What’s up?
Plup.
Plup?
After you went to bed,
I dug through the ramblings
of several dozen
discussion board denizens,
and I came across
a friend of Hugo’s
who calls himself Plup.
His posts were very troubling.
How so?
Well, he knows things
about the Galahad Prize
that he shouldn’t know.
Names of the geneticists,
addresses of their laboratories,
statistics
from their progress reports.
And he’s been giving this
information out on the boards?
Freely and abundantly.
To Hugo, to various crackpots,
offering all of them
sensitive data
on those who chase
the Galahad Prize,
and urging them to act on it
violently.
Have a look for yourself.
"You should pull
this guy’s eyes out
and introduce them to his..."
Sounds like Noah Fogel
got off easy
swallowing thallium
and getting eaten by rats.
The point is it was Plup
who told Hugo
where to find Elijah Robinson.
He was sabotaging
the competition.
More precisely, he was provoking
others to do it for him.
And when they failed to act,
he took matters
into his own hands.
Are you saying that Noah Fogel
and Elijah Robinson
were killed by some anonymous
discussion board troll?
Troll, yes. Anonymous, no.
Not anymore.
The person who tried
to sabotage the Galahad Prize
is one of the men
who organized it.
This guy you went and
talked to the other day--
you think he’s the killer?
Yeah.
Hunter Becket killed Noah Fogel
and Elijah Robinson.
But not for lack of trying
to delegate their deaths.
WATSON: Hunter uses
the screen name Plup
on fundamentalist
message boards.
And most of the
people on there think
that Western medicine
is an affront to God.
So the idea that
someone would alter DNA
to extend human
life, they would do
almost anything
to stop that.
Except, to their minimal credit,
murdering scientists.
Now, you can see here
quite clearly
that Hunter’s Plup
alter ego
is trying to rally
these zealots
into doing
his dirty work for him.
When they balked,
he did it himself.
What I can see
is this Plup guy
has a lot of
sensitive information
about the inner
workings of Galahad.
How do you know he
wasn’t some hacker
who broke
into their servers?
Their servers
are nigh impenetrable.
We reached out
to some hacker acquaintances.
They didn’t see
how anyone
could break
into Galahad’s network.
Plup is a leaker, not a hacker.
The Galahad Institute has,
what, 30 employees?
What makes you so sure
Hunter’s our guy?
Look at the time stamps
on the posts from Plup.
Every one of them is between
4:30 and 5:00 in the morning.
Yeah, he’s an early riser.
Yep. Hunter Becket goes...
sculling every morning
at sunrise on the Hudson.
His social media posts are awash
with his rowing exploits.
It’s not just the timing
of the messages
that points to Hunter.
It’s his motive also.
If no one collects the prize,
he keeps the $5 million.
But he’s the one
hosting the contest,
and he’s already filthy rich.
Not quite as well-off
as he once was.
Before his father
drank the anti-aging Kool-Aid,
Hunter was in line to inherit
the Becket Medicated Powder
fortune.
But then his father
emptied the family piggy bank
into his institute.
The old man still calls
all the shots.
So now this guy’s
a trust fund brat
with no trust fund.
Mm-hmm. And much
as he would like to,
Dudley Becket is not going
to beat death.
When he dies, Hunter
will take control of Galahad,
and then he can eliminate
the prize
and reclaim his inheritance.
Noah and Elijah
were getting close to doubling
the life span of a rat,
so they had to go.
GREGSON:
Even if you’re right,
we can’t arrest somebody
for weird screen names
and their rowing schedule.
Yeah, CSU didn’t find anything
useful at either crime scene,
so how are we supposed
to nail this guy?
Well, it’s funny
you should mention nails.
This is a joke, right?
I didn’t kill anyone.
You didn’t want to,
but Noah and Elijah
were getting close
to taking a big bite out
of your inheritance.
HOLMES: You’re not a
scientist, but you know
a bit about powders--
thallium, for example.
The first time you tried
to use it to poison someone
didn’t go quite
according to plan.
You were caught
in the act of trying
to dose Elijah Robinson’s milk,
so you hit him
with a rolling pin instead.
Dr. Fogel’s murder
went much more smoothly.
Dad, this is nonsense.
BELL:
Is it?
We identified
a chemical plant in Manila
that does business
with Becket Medicated Powder.
They process and store
elemental thallium.
They’re going through
their shipping records for us.
What are the odds you had
a package of thallium
sent to yourself sometime
in the past couple months?
No, this must be
some kind of mistake.
No, I’m sorry, the only mistake
was made by him.
The first time we met,
I couldn’t help
but notice you kept picking
your fingernails all the way
through our conversation. Two
of them were still bleeding.
You’d obviously
just clipped them.
I was wondering,
why did he clip them so low?
It was only when you became
a suspect that that made sense.
We found a pigment
called Prussian blue
on Elijah Robinson’s
kitchen counter.
It’s an antidote for
thallium poisoning.
You brought some with you
when you went to the house.
We think you spilled it
when the two of you fought.
HOLMES:
Anyone working
with thallium
would keep Prussian
blue nearby.
At some point during
your preparation
to kill two people, you got it
under your fingernails.
It was still there when we came
to talk to you the other day,
so you clipped your nails
before you greeted us. Look.
WATSON:
We found those in the trash.
A DNA test will prove
they’re yours, won’t it?
Son, is this true?
Did you kill those men?
WATSON:
Hey, I just heard
from Marcus.
Hunter’s lawyers
are already talking
to the D.A.
about making a plea deal.
What’s happened?
Uh...
so, uh, yesterday,
I reached out to a...
a banker in the Cayman Islands.
I felt... I felt quite certain
that he’d be able to help me...
locate Mycroft, and, uh...
I was right.
That’s great. Where is he?
Leffen Trust Hospital?
It’s in, uh...
Timaru, on the east coast
of New Zealand.
When did this happen?
Uh, nearly ten months ago.
Apparently, an intracranial
hemorrhage is, um...
not unheard of in, uh,
leukemia survivors.
They say it was,
uh, instantaneous.
One minute, he-he was all right,
and the next minute, he wasn’t.
So... he-he wouldn’t have
suffered before he died.
He’s faked his death before.
I mean, maybe...
No.
♪ Slow September falling ♪
No.
♪ We’ve seen another year ♪
♪ Wild wind comes a-calling ♪
♪ But you’re no longer here. ♪