Westing Resort, Napa Valley

A cooking competition takes place at a fancy resort. 

Host: Welcome to the 23rd annual Westing Resort best chef challenge. I'm Bertram Duesterberg, your host. Our competing chefs today are— - First, from restaurant 182 in Sonoma...

[In the kitchen

- Salt!

Host: the youngest winner ever of the Schilling palm d'cuisine, chef Hannah Diaz. From San Francisco, where they host the acclaimed public radio show "Two top, " chefs Arliss and Julia St. Germain.

[In the kitchen

- Hurry up, people.

Woman: Jeff, do you want the mousse? Jeff? Yeah, yeah.]

Host: Trained in Paris, he is executive chef at la petite maison, Chef Adrien Ludo!

[In the kitchen

- Where's my chives? Let's go, people!

Host: And first up before our judges today...

[In the kitchen

- Okay, let's move! Come on, go, go! Hurry up, people.

Host: Jeffrey Barge.

Jeffrey: Thank you. My... My first... dish today... is... Is, uh...

He collapses on the floor.

Host: Is there a doctor in house, please?

Hannah: Somebody call 9-1-1! Jeffrey! Jeffrey! Somebody! Jeffrey, say something!

Julia: Can you hear me? Jeffrey?

Host: Doctor, he's not moving.

Enter the CBI.

Lisbon: Anything from the deputy coroner?

Rigsby: Just that he can't tell us anything yet.

Lisbon: Tell him we need to know. If this guy died of natural causes, we're going home.

Jane: Why so grumpy?

Lisbon: I'm not.

Rigsby: Why are we here? We don't even know if it's a m*rder.

Lisbon: One of the chefs called her daddy who's a state senator, who called the AG, who called the assistant AG, who called me. So we're here. I hate politics.

Cho: This might go quick. Victim had a fistfight with the event organizer.

Jane: Happy days.

Bertram: I want to be very clear. What happened was sheerest accident. I did nothing wrong.

Lisbon: Let's just stick to the facts, Mr. Duesterberg. You said you had a fight with the victim. About what?

Bertram: Truffles.

Lisbon: Truffles?

Jane: Yes. They— they're very pricey fungus.

Lisbon: I know what a truffle is.

Bertram: Uh, Jeffrey ordered a bundle and he paid for them himself. A few hours before the competition, he couldn't find them. He demanded replacements, which would have cost thousands. I said no. He started yelling and then shoving. Naturally, I defended myself.

Jane: Very gently, of course.

Lisbon: And then he... fell on his head? Something like that?

Bertram: It's as I said it wa— it was an accident.

Lisbon: Oh, we'll see.

Jane: Jeffrey sounds like a scrapper. Quick with his fists?

Bertram: No, not really. He was— he was a genius. Genius can be noisy. But he— he's never laid hands on me before.

Jane: Genius, really? Hmm.

Rigsby arrives with a dish.

Rigsby: Hey, is he good for it?

Cho: Not sure yet. What's that?

Rigsby: I don't know. Some hors d'oeuvre thing they're handing out. Want one?

Cho: No, thanks. I don't eat anything I can't identify.

Jane: Excuse me. Is this the victim's dish?

Bertram: Yes.

Jane: Mmm. Mnh-mnh. Excuse me. Pardon. No genius there. Way too much salt. Hmm. Dr. Steiner. Long time. New threads. Sharp.

Dr. Steiner: Yes. The move from Sacramento has been quite pleasant. Fine wine, lovely weather, no Patrick Jane... Or so I hoped.

Jane: Cheeky. Have you checked his mouth?

Dr. Steiner: For a possible head injury? I don't think so.

Jane: Don't be alarmed, I am going to touch you.

Dr. Steiner: Mr. Jane, please, I am in the—

Jane: Yuck. Lisbon!

Lisbon: Excuse me.

Dr. Steiner: What— what made you think to look there?

Jane: Well, bad-tasting food means bad taste buds.

Lisbon: So much for the head wound. Duesterberg's off the hook. He didn't die from a fall. Let's huddle together, divvy up the interviews.

Cho: What did k*ll him?

Jane: Poison.

Later, Westing Resort

Lisbon: Deputy coroner says that the poison is probably ricin. Victim either ate it or drank it.

Rigsby: Well, it makes sense. If it was airborne, people would be dropping like flies.

Cho: And ricin's easy enough to make. Grind up some castor beans. Makes for a broad suspect pool.

Lisbon: They tested the victim's food. There's no sign of it there or in the kitchen.

Rigsby: And ricin takes hours to work. Must've been something he ingested a while ago.

Lisbon: No need to get your stomach pumped then, huh?

Rigsby: Ha, funny.

Lisbon: You search the room. Test any liquid or food that you find.

Rigsby: Yeah, you got it.

Cho: Thanks. The victim's wife just arrived.

Lisbon: I'll handle it. You talk to the other chefs. Duesterberg says that the winner of the contest gets 100 grand.

[Cho leaves ans Jane arrives.]

Lisbon: What are you doing?

Jane: Oh, um... Trying to get the taste of salty food out of my mouth. Pot de creme. It's basically a pretentious chocolate pudding. Very nice. You want some?

Lisbon: No. We have to go and talk to the victim's wife.

Jane: Mmm. Well, maybe she'll want some. Comfort food.

Cho talks to the other chefs in the kitchen. 

Arliss: Jeffrey was a dear friend. We'd known each other for years.

Julia: Which is why I had my father bring you on.

Cho: We want to find out who did this. Interesting that you called us in before anyone knew it was poison. You know something everyone else didn't?

Julia: No, I just knew that something was wrong.

Cho: Now you're all in competition for a large cash prize. Helps that one of you is d*ad, doesn't it?

Julia: Helps?

Arliss: We eat together. We work together. We're comrades.

Cho: Something to add, Miss Diaz?

Hannah: Dude, if we're all such comrades, why'd you try and steal Jeff's sous-chef?

Arliss: Not true. Inquiries were made, that's all.

Hannah: Yeah, right.

Cho: How'd you feel about the victim?

Hannah: I hated his guts. Egotistical, manipulative, maybe half as good as he thought he was.

Julia: Which would still make him twice the chef that you are. Why don't you go get another tatoo?

Hannah: Bite me, Julia.

Cho: The delivery guy says he left Jeffrey's truffles on his station this morning, then they vanished. So who stole the truffles?

Adrien: Well, stealing truffles makes one of us a m*rder?

Cho: It's a start.

Adrien: Oh. What?

Julia: That is exactly the kind of thing that he would do.

Arliss: He and Jeffrey never really got along.

Adrien: You fat bastard.

Cho: And truffles are very expensive, aren't they? And you wouldn't throw them out. Where does he keep his food?

Julia: Down on the left side of the pantry.

Adrien: You know who would stop at nothing to win? Those two. Ask them about the book deal they've been chasing. A competition prize would help that, no? Ah, truffles. Okay, fine. Arrest me. But I didn't steal the truffles, okay? I rescued them from a terrible, terrible fate.

Cho: I see.

Lisbon and Jane talk to Barge's wife, Abigail. 

Lisbon: Did Jeffrey have any problems that you knew about, personally or at work?

Abigail: Well, um... We were a problem. We're separated. I haven't spoken to Jeffrey in months.

Lisbon: What was the breakup about?

Abigail: Oh, god, what wasn't? Um... drinking, mostly.

Jane: Occupational disease for chefs. It's the pressure. It wants a release.

Abigail: That, and, um—

They're interrupted.

Kevin: Don't listen to her, whatever she says. She hates Jeff.

Lisbon: And you are?

Jane: Victim's brother. Cheekbones. Come on. You can see that.

Abigail: Uh, Kevin, why don't we talk later?

Kevin: Yeah, I-I don't think so, Abigail. My brother was a freakin' genius, all right? You think anybody in my family taught him how to cook? Please. He wanted to be a great chef, and that's what he was. Did it all by himself. And you? You were perfectly happy to spend his money, weren't you, Abigail?

Jane: Your brother was a great man. He elevated himself, didn't he? But you didn't. That must've been cause for some friction, I would think. Did he leave you anything— your brother? Or did he leave it all to the hated sister-in-law? The money, the restaurant—

Kevin: Why don't you step back?

Abigail: Kevin, that's enough, all right?

Kevin: No, you don't tell me what to do, okay?

Abigail: As you can see, drinking— it runs in the family.

Kevin: Oh, s-see, that's how wrong you are, actually. Jeff was sober. He was in the program for two weeks.

Abigail: Right. I've heard that before. It's probably why he called.

Lisbon: You said you hadn't talked to him.

Abigail: I- I didn't talk.

Jane: Whoa. Two weeks sober. That's impressive. And what else are you hiding from us?

Abigail: Look, he called last night at 12:30. I hung up.

Lisbon: What'd he say?

Abigail: He said... He said he was sorry.

In the victim's room.

Jane: Hey.

Rigsby: Test for ricin. "Yellow" means positive, "Nothing" means... Nothing.

Jane: This place is quite a mess.

Rigsby: What do you think the intruder wanted?

Jane: Nobody was looking for anything. Jeffrey did this himself.

Rigsby: And you know this, how?

Jane: The punched-in mirror is an act of self-hatred. Plus, all these drawers are closed. A thoughtful ransacker would close maybe one, but all of them? No.

Rigsby: Anyway... Room's eared. No poison. We're moving on. That's nice. Except you're not. What's up?

Jane: Well, Jeffrey was recently sober, but acting erratically. Demolishing his room, picking fistfights, calling his estranged wife in the middle of the night— You know what that's called?

Rigsby: Relapse?

Jane: Yes. And an addict on a relapse will hide his stash. Ah. What better way to poison a drunk than through his drink?

Rigsby: Let's check it out.

Jane: Let's.

Rigsby: There we go.

Jane: Hold the applause.

Rigsby: Bingo.

Westing resort 

Jane shows the chefs the poisoned gin.

Jane: Poison gin. A smart way to eliminate a rival. But not the act of a gentleman, is it... monsieur Ludo?

Adrien: Are you joking?

Jane: Rigsby, take him in.

Adrien: This is not right. I have done nothing. I have done nothing.

Jane: Hang on. Come on, let's— she's the one we need to talk to.

Hannah: Me? Wh—

Jane: You should've seen your reaction when I accused Ludo— Pure relief. Oh, come on, please. At least attempt denying it.

Hannah: I didn't do it.

Jane: She's the one. Thank you. Merci.

CBI HQ

Cho interrogates Hannah.

Hannah: Why would I want to k*ll Jeffrey?

Cho: Winning a contest like this would do a lot for a young woman trying to prove herself.

Hannah: I don't have anything to prove.

Cho: You're a good cook. Making ricin out of castor beans wouldn't be hard, would it?

Hannah: No. But I didn't.

Cho: Take a look at this Hannah. That's your credit card statement. You bought gin.

Hannah: I'm over 21. It's not a crime.

Cho: You just happened to buy yourself the same type of gin we found in the victim's room?

Hannah: Look, can I go or what? I—

Cho: Hannah, we have enough to charge you with m*rder right now. You need to talk to us, tell us your side of the story.

Hannah: I'm 28. I run my own kitchen. I don't have any... food channel connections, no cookbook with my name on it. The westing is my way up. Jeffrey was the one to b*at. We all knew it. So I figured... Get him a drink. Why not? Level the playing field. So, yeah, I bought him the gin. But I have no idea how the ricin got in there.

Cho: Okay.

Hannah: I just tried to get him drunk, that's all. No poison.

Lisbon: Without anything else, we can't hold her. What do you got?

Van Pelt: Jeffrey's phone records. Confirmed the call with his wife.

Lisbon: How long did they talk?

Van Pelt: About five seconds. Guess she did hang up. But there's a second call at 2:00 a. m. That one lasted over an hour.

Lisbon: Who'd he call?

Van Pelt: His restaurant.

Jeff's restaurant

Lisbon: Miss Barge, you have a minute?

Abigail: Yeah, sure. What's up?

Jane: Money troubles?

Abigail: How'd you guess?

Jane: Well, it's a restaurant. They always have money troubles.

Abigail: Well, this restaurant's drowning in debt. Jeffrey was driving this place off a cliff.

Eliza: It was all about the food.

Abigail: This is Eliza Greene— Jeffrey's sous-chef. She's keeping things afloat while I get my bearings... Now that I own a failing restaurant.

Eliza: Oh, sorry. Um, people would say that the place is failing, and, uh, Jeffrey would say, "Yes, but failing with style."

Jane: Eliza, you're the one the others wanted to hire. You must be very good.

Eliza: I guess. I wouldn't know.

Jane: False modesty?

Lisbon: Jeffrey called the restaurant last night at 2:00 a. m. Do you know who he spoke to?

Eliza: Me. Oh, uh, he was considering changing the menu for the contest, wanted to talk about it.

Lisbon: Couldn't that have waited till the morning?

Eliza: That was just Jeff being Jeff. He was always after perfection.

Jane: Irritating, getting a phone call like that when you're on your way home from work, isn't it?

Eliza: Not at all. If you want to make something great, that's the job.

Abigail: You know, you should really get these, uh, deposits posted, or the checks are gonna bounce.

Lisbon: Thanks for your time.

Jane: Thank you.

Abigail: Night.

Jane: Bye.

Outside

Lisbon: Where are my keys? You picked my pocket?

Jane: My turn to drive.

Lisbon: Jane!

Jane: Oh, don't be such an old lady. Get in. Your fears are groundless.

Lisbon: You're right. The car has air bags.

Jane and Lisbon are in their car when they see Eliza leave the restaurant with the nightly deposits. Then a man with a mask knocks her down and grabs the bag and takes off running. He runs down the sidewalk next to their car. 

Jane: Oh, no. Oh, bad move. Oh.

Lisbon takes him out with a well-opened car door.

Lisbon: The victim's brother?

Jane: Kevin. Oh, I can't tell you how happy I am that wasn't my car.

CBI HQ

Kevin: You're out of your freakin' mind. I would never, ever harm my brother, ever.

Lisbon: You as*ault and robbed a girl, Kevin, who ran your brother's restaurant. You don't think that makes you a little suspicious?

Kevin: That had nothing to do with what happened to Jeff.

Lisbon: I don't believe you.

Kevin: I can tell you why I went after the money, all right, but I'm gonna need some guarantees.

Lisbon: Oh, so we're negotiating now, are we?

Kevin: I have valuable information. I can help you solve Jeff's m*rder.

Lisbon: But you're not gonna tell us anything unless we cut you a deal? We're talking about your brother here, Kevin. That's pretty low. You know what? You're going to jail. You'll have plenty of time to think about how you could've done things differently.

Kevin: Wait. Sean Horlick. Jeff owed him money. He needed it for the restaurant. Guy's a loan shark. I actually put them in touch five months ago. I get a call yesterday from Horlick, and he says unless I want to end up like Jeff, I'd better get him the money he owed.

Lisbon: So you rob your d*ad brother's wife?

Kevin: She was always trying to turn Jeff against me. Said I was a bad influence or somethin'.

Lisbon: Imagine that, huh? Crazy.

Kevin: I knew their deposit schedule, and they don't keep a g*n. I figured she screwed me before, I screw her back.

Lisbon: Sean Horlick. What else do you know about him?

Van Pelt: Fraud, racketeering, extortion, couple of violent crimes sprinkled in. Charges never seem to stick. Horlick's smart.

Lisbon: Track him down. Take Rigsby.

Van Pelt: Okay.

Lisbon: Cho, look into Jeffrey's restaurant— The financial records, see who else he owed money to.

Jane: I'll come with. I'm a mite peckish.

Cho: What does that mean?

Jane: It means I'm hungry.

Jane, Cho and Rigsby go to Jeff's restaurant. 

Cho looks over the books. 

Cho: I can't read this. No?

Eliza: Oh, that says, "March '09 accounts payable."

Jane tries Eliza's food.

Jane: Oh! Hmm? This— this is just ridiculous. This is delicious.

Eliza: Thank you. Let's hope you can keep the quality up wth the new boss. Abigail seems more concerned about the money than the menu.

Jane: Won't be a problem, I promise.

Eliza tries a new dish.

Eliza: For god's sake. Did you try this?

Jane: You don't like Abigail much, do you?

Eliza: Do it over.

Jane: You're obviously very talented. You should've struck out on your own a long time ago, unless there was some reason to stay.

Eliza: I did try to strike out on my own, actually, couple months ago.

Jane: Failed with style?

Eliza: I wish. State wouldn't grant me my liquor license. No license, no investors, so... Luckily, Jeffrey took me back again.

Jane: So why not hook up with him? He was separated, available.

Eliza: I've never liked waiting in lines. Excuse me. I've got prep work to do.

Jane: Thanks for lunch.

Eliza: Uh-huh.

Cho: I didn't see any other loans on the books. It's a good thing. Jeffrey wasn't even taking a salary the last few months.

Jane: He wasn't? Hmm. We're gonna have to make a stop on the way back.

Van Pelt and Rigsby visit Horlick at his medical marijuana dispensary.

Rigsby: Huh. Magic brownies.

Van Pelt: This is more... clean-cut than I'd expected.

Rigsby: Yeah, medical pot— it's a growth industry.

Salesperson: First timers, huh? I'll tell you the same thing I tell all the newbies— Go for today's specials. Sure, they're a couple bucks more, but between you and me and the wall, it's the freshest herb we got. Plus it's locally grown. Who doesn't wanna support local formers?

Van Pelt: CBI. Where's your boss?

Salesperson: Uh... Mr. Horlick? I couldn't say. But, uh, our permits are all up to date by the book, 100%.

Rigsby: Well, Mr. Horlick's a suspect in a m*rder investigation, Josh, so you if you know where he is, you should tell us right now.

Sean: Is, uh, there a problem here?

Rigsby: We're here about Jeffrey Barge.

Sean: Who? Oh. Oh, yeah. Yeah, Jeff. Sure. Sure. What about him?

Rigsby: Jeffrey died yesterday.

Sean: Yeah. Yeah, I know. I saw that on the news. Wow. Heavy. I mean, boom, he's here. He's gone. And how about that? Life, huh?

Van Pelt: We know you lent him money, Mr. Horlick.

Sean: Well, how do you know that? I mean, who says?

Van Pelt: I'll take that as a "Yes."

Sean: Frosty one, aren't we? I like it.

Rigsby: You like jail, too? Yeah, that's right. Kevin told us everything. It's about time you did as well.

Sean: Fine. I called him about the money. Obviously, he drew some sinister and incorrect implications brom our conversation, but it was all a big misunderstanding. Chalk it up to my— my poor communication skills.

Van Pelt: I think you communicate very well.

Rigsby: Yes, you do. You have "sleazebag" written across your forehead in big letters.

Sean: Why would I k*ll Jeff? You don't off someone who can pay you back. I mean, the guy practically lived at the Ritz.

Rigsby: What are you talking about? Jeff was broke.

Sean: Yeah, that's what he wanted me to think, too. But I got a buddy who works security at the hotel. He saw the deadbeat staying there a bunch of times. You don't stay there unless your pockets are padded. I'd like to take you sometime, thaw you out a little bit.

Van Pelt: Yeah, that'll happen.

CBI HQ

Van Pelt: We got something.

Rigsby: Jeffrey stayed at the Ritz over a dozen times in the past two months, paid in cash every time.

Lisbon: Looks like an affair. But Jeffrey and his wife lived separate lives. Why would he care if there was a record of it?

Van Pelt: Maybe his partner cared.

Lisbon: Because she's married.

Rigsby: She had the money. She paid for the room, but she paid in cash so her husband wouldn't find out.

Lisbon: Keep digging. Find out who the woman was.

Westing resort

Back at the competition, Jane wanders around the kitchen bothering the chefs.

Jane: Mmm. Next round's tomorrow, huh? Keep workin'. You'll get there.

Adrien: Merci beaucoup.

Jane: Careful, careful. Oh, that smells good. What is that?

Julia: Knock yourself out. It's not for the competition. It's my lunch.

Arliss: I'd advise against that.

Julia: Don't listen to him. He's a coward.

Jane: Is he?

Julia: It's the Red Savina pepper. It's kinda spicy.

Arliss: Kind of? It's the hottest pepper known to man. Trust me. Leave it alone.

Julia: It's good on everything— meat, fruit, soups. Not that any of the people would know. Babies.

Jane: Well, I'd love a little try of that. Thank you—

Bertram: Mr. Jane, our chefs are extremely busy. Would you mind coming back another time?

Jane: You're quite the ghoul, aren't you, Duesterberg? Dragging on this meaningless contest after a man has been k*lled.

Bertram: This contest, Mr. Jane, is an affirmation of life. It's a testament that appetite still exists, even in the face of death.

Jane: And you need the money.

Bertram: Time for you to go.

Jane: Fine. I have all the information I need, thank you very much.

Adrien: He lies. He hasn't asked one single question.

Jane: Why would I? I can learn everything I need to learn from watching you all cook. You, for example, use lemon to the point of excess— Tart, aggressive flavors, sublimated agression toward an important figure in your life. Obviously, you're a daddy's girl, so I'm gonna go with mother. No, let me correct that... stepmother.

Ludo! You were adopted... no?

Adrien: No. I wasn't.

Jane: Took a sh*t. Moving on. You were having an affair with Jeffrey. Weren't you?

Julia: What?

Bertram: You can tell all this by the food?

Jane: Well, they cooked together every day, yet their kitchen rhythms are off. They're bashing into each other, getting in each other's way. You're not paying enough attention to her, Arliss. No wonder she strayed.

Arliss: That's nonsense.

Jane: Really? Then why did your wife have her father put the state's best police force on this case? Look at her, Arliss. She's made no attempt— no attempt at all to deny it.

Arliss: Is it true?

Rigsby arrives.

Rigsby: So I take it you know about Julia's affair with the victim now.

Jane: Oh, roger that.

CBI HQ

Julia: Jeff and I got together about five months ago, after he separated from his wife.

Jane: But he ended it.

Julia: Yes.

Lisbon: When?

Julia: The night before he died. I went to his room at the resort. He was drunk. I thought he was trying to get sober, but I guess not that night. Jeff didn't handle stress well.

Lisbon: Must have made you angry.

Julia: No. I accepted it. I loved him. But he was a drunk. Better left alone.

Lisbon: Wise of you.

Julia: I asked for a glass of water.

Lisbon: I'm sure it'll be here in a minute.

Julia: You think I'm entitled and snippy and rich. My father's a senator. I don't have to take crap from people like you.

Lisbon: I'm just trying to figure out who k*lled Jeffrey Barge, that's all.

Julia: I didn't k*ll him.

Lisbon: I don't believe you, Julia, not yet.

Julia: I really need that glass of water.

Jane: I'll get it.

Lisbon: We still have a few more questions for you.

Jane: Lisbon! 9-1-1.

Lisbon: Julia? Julia? Julia. Can you hear me? Are you on medication?

Jane: Come on. Answer.

Lisbon: Julia?

Lisbon nervously straightens her desk while on the phone with someone. 

Lisbon [phone]: Yes. Uh-huh. I know. Yes. Mr. Attorney general, sir, I... I-I understand completely. I will.

Rigsby: She's straightening. She's straightening her desk.

Lisbon [phone]: Absolutely.

Van Pelt: Coroner's office says it was ricin poisoning, uh, just like Jeffrey. Guess they were both poisoned at the hotel. Oh, crap. Is she straightening?

Rigsby: Victim was a senator's daughter. AG must be livid.

Van Pelt: Ugh. It's not our fault. Ricin takes hours to kick in.

Rigsby: Yeah, tell it to the AG.

Van Pelt: What's going on with the search?

Cho: Local sheriff's working on it, taking every food and liquid off the resort to be tested.

Rigsby: Resort, the contest— it's all been shut down.

Lisbon: News flash— the AG wants this case closed now. Well, we've got two d*ad married lovers.

Cho: I'd say the k*ller's a spouse.

Lisbon: Let's start with that.

Cho and Rigsby go talk to Julia's widow, Arliss. 

Cho: There he is.

Arliss: [phone] Cinnamon, sage and coriander, a squeeze of lemon, then butter. No, no garlic. Not at all. Ciao. Idiot.

Rigsby: Your wife just died, and you're talking about recipes?

Arliss: What would you have me do?

Cho: Sir, we'd like to discuss your wife's estate.

Arliss: Yes. Sorry. Idiots. Garlic. So Julia had money. So what?

Rigsby: Well, you stand to inherit all of it, isn't that right?

Arliss: Yes. So?

Cho: Your wife and her lover are now both d*ad, k*lled the same way. That makes you our number one guy.

Arliss: Or number two, I'd say. Have you talked to Abigail yet?

Rigsby: Why?

Arliss: Ask her about the fight she and Jeffrey had at the Fairplex market two weeks ago. It was quite a scene.

Rigsby: You didn't think to mention this earlier?

Arliss: Interrogation focuses the mind. What can I say?

Cho: Except you're lying. Jeffrey hadn't seen his wife in months.

Arliss: If Abigail said that, she's the liar.

Jeff's restaurant

Lisbon and Jane talk to Abigail.

Lisbon: The market clerk confirmed the story. You were in contact with Jeff, and you were fighting.

Abigail: I did not k*ll Jeffrey, if that's what you're getting at. I didn't even know about this thing with Julia.

Lisbon: What were you fighting about?

Jane: You've really changed your look, Abigail. Haven't you? Not that you don't look lovely now. It's just this old look, uh, accentuated your assets.

Abigail: My husband just died, okay?

Jane: You're still putting in time with the makeup though, I see. So appearance is important to you.

Lisbon: What are you getting at?

Jane: She's put on 5 or 6 pounds, doesn't fit into the sleek outfits anymore, so she wears this. She's pregnant. Congratulations. First trimester. Jeff's child, right? Right?

Abigail: A few months ago, he came by to pick up some stuff. Things happened. And two weeks ago, I took a pregnancy test.

Jane: How did he take the news of impending fatherhood? Oh. Okay.

Lisbon: That's what you were fighting about.

Abigail: I don't know why I didn't tell you. I've been, uh... confused. My parents don't even know.

Lisbon: Do us a favor, Abigail. We're gonna need to search your house. Save us all some time and grant us permission.

She gives them permission to search her house.

Jane: Did you know a full-grown éléphant can eat up to 495 pounds of food per day?

Lisbon: Could you at least pretend to be helping?

Cho: Got somethin'. Found this in the garage.

Lisbon: Nice work.

Jane: And we care about a bag of beans why?

Lisbon: Castor beans. They're used to make ricin.

Jane: Ah, of course. Naughty Abigail.

CBI HQ

Lisbon: We found traces of ricin in Julia's favorite red pepper. Her death was not accidental. Both her and your husband were specifically targeted. Together with the castor beans we found, it's not looking good for you.

Lawyer: My client denies any involvement in these killings. She bore no malice towards her husband or Ms. St. Germain.

Lisbon: No malice toward her alcoolique and fiscally irresponsible husband and his lover?

Lawyer: She was not aware of that relationship, nor did she ever set foot in that resort.

Lisbon: Which you can't prove.

Abigail: I didn't do this—

Cho: Then how do you explain the castor beans in your house?

Lawyer: She had no knowledge of them.

Cho: That's convenient.

Lawyer: This is a grieving widow— a pregnant, grieving widow. You think that a jury is going to convict on this circumstantial traif?

Lisbon: We can make this stick, and you know it. Believe me, you will feel much better if you-[Lisbon's phone rings.] Would you excuse me? [on phone] What? You're where?

Westing resort 

Lisbon joins Jane.

Lisbon: What emergency?

Jane: Follow me.

Lisbon: Jane, I don't really have time for this. I was working on getting a confession.

Jane: This is far more important.

Lisbon: What is?

Bertram: Agents, welcome. It's such a relief to know that the k*ller has been caught.

Jane: Just doing our job.

Bertram: And thank you for coming to this little memorial dinner.

Lisbon: Dinner?

Bertram: Honoring Jeffrey and Julia.

Lisbon: We're having dinner?

Jane: Gotta eat.

Bertram: I certainly hope you enjoy yourself. It should be delicious. Excuse me. Those serviettes are horrifying.

Lisbon: You have five seconds to tell me what's going on.

Jane: First, we need a drink.

Lisbon: Is it that bad?

Jane: It's lovely.

Jane wanders back into the kitchen.

Hannah: Not bad, Ludo. Can we get the bowls ready?

Jane: Hurry up, people.

Adrien: You shouldn't be here.

Jane: Yeah, you're probably right. You gonna make me leave? I hope not.

Hannah: Excuse me.

Jane: Oh, excuse me. I thought you'd be a little more grateful. I did just catch your friend's k*ller.

Hannah: We're grateful. Just a little busy.

Jane: Is that it? Oh, that smells good. Jane starts a grease f*re as a distraction to load up a dish with fiery hot pepper polder.

Jane: Oh, oops! Whoa! Oops! f*re! f*re! f*re! Quick! Aah! Whoa! Aah! You know, I-I'm just gonna leave you guys with that. Around the table, Jane and Lisbon join the chefs to remember Jeff and Julia.

Bertram: All right, everyone, please. Lift your glass. To Jeffrey and Julia, friends, colleagues, Titans in the culinary world, you will not be soon forgotten. Salud.

Adrien: Cheers.

Jane: Cheers.

Hannah: To begin, we have a melon soup, prosciutto di Parma, mint and basil.

Adrien: A reinterpretation of one of Julia's specialites. Bon appétit.

Jane: Thank you. Come on. Don't let your midwestern taste buds hold you back.

Bertram: Oh, chef. What is this spice?

Hannah: Spice?

Bertram: I like a little heat, but this is overpowering.

Hannah: We didn't add any heat.

Jane: Whew! That would be me. Sorry. f*re! f*re! The Red Savina pepper— ah, I got it from Julia's pantry. I thought it would be appropriate, and I'm just mad for heat, so... Obviously, I was a little heavy-handed. My— my apologies. What's the trouble, Eliza?

Eliza: I don't, um... I don't feel well. I should go.

Lisbon: What's the problem?

Eliza: Uh, the peppers— it didn't go down well.

Lisbon: The pepper? What's wrong with the pepper? If you don't wanna talk about it here, we can take it down to headquarters.

Jane: How long can we keep her there?

Lisbon: 48 hours.

Jane: Wow, that's a stretch of time.

Eliza: I have to leave. I have to leave right now.

Jane: No, that would be rude. I don't think so.

Bertram: What is wrong with you?

Eliza: We all... have to go to the hospital right now.

Hannah: What for?

Eliza: The pepper... I think it was poisoned. I- I-I saw Ludo put something into it.

Adrien: I did not. How dare you!

Jane: Maybe you're just cramping a little? Just a little—

Eliza: All right, all right. I poisoned Julia's pepper.

Lisbon: And Jeffrey's gin.

Eliza: Yes, yes! Just bring me to a hospital.

Jane: No, hospitals are terrible germ factories. You don't wanna go there.

Eliza: Are you insane?!

Lisbon: Relax. We knew about the ricin in the pepper. We just didn't know who put it there.

Bertram: I don't understand. Are we poisoned?

Jane: No. I switched the peppers. Clever of me.

CBI HQ

Jane: Okay, so we know that your restaurant didn't fail, Eliza. Jeffrey and Julia— they k*lled it. We did some digging on Julia's father.

Lisbon: He's the one who squashed your liquor license.

Jane: Jeffrey was a drunk. He needed you in his kitchen, so he asked his if he could have her big, powerful daddy do her a favor. He didn't call you that night to talk about recipes, did he? He called to apologize for sabotaging your liquor license, for ruining any chance you had at opening your own place.

Flash back 

Jeffrey's room

Jeffrey: [phone] But I... I am trying to become a better man. I am.

CBI HQ

Jane: He told you what he did, and then you... decided to take your revenge.

Lisbon: So you got some castor beans, mixed up a batch of ricin and went to the resort to find him.

Eliza: Yeah. I went to his room.

Flash back 

Jeffrey's room

Eliza: Oh, Jeff. I accept your apology.

Jeff: Let me just... wash up.

CBI HQ

Eliza: He was such a fool. Like I was gonna let that go? Like we were just gonna make up and all be friends again? That's... ridiculous.

Lisbon: And then you went to the pantry and, uh, you found Julia's pepper and you dosed that, too.

Eliza: One time I was cleaning shrimp for Jeffrey. There were, like, 40 pounds of it, and it was still half frozen, but that was the job. I couldn't feel my hands. It was so cold. I realized I was cutting the flesh off my own fingers. Carving it off. And I didn't mind... Because Jeffrey had a vision. I had a vision. And he said, "Go, babe. You deserve your own place." But he was lying. Him and his... rich bitch girlfriend. Like I was gonna let that go. He said, "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry"? What good is that?

Abigail confronts Lisbon.

Abigail: Agent Lisbon. A word?

Lisbon: How can I help you?

Abigail: You framed me. You put those castor beans in my house, didn't you?

Lisbon: Ma'am, on my word of honor, I did not know that those beans were planted. Mr. Jane was responsible. I should've known. I should've stopped him, and I didn't, and for that, I am really sorry.

Abigail: Why?

Lisbon: He thought in order to catch the k*ller, that somebody else had to be suspected of the crime. He's probably right. I know you must be angry.

Abigail: Trying to leave the anger behind. Though that's pretty much impossible, isn't it?

Lisbon: It's hard.

Abigail: Anyway, thank you for being honest with me. Tell Mr. Jane he's a mean, irresponsible sadist.

Lisbon: Oh, I will. Ms. Barge? Living with an alcoholic is hard. Some never change. They don't even want to. But your husband checked into treatment two weeks ago right after you told him about the baby. I think he wanted to be there for you and your child. That's why he ended the relationship with Julia. For what it's worth, it seemed like he wanted to change.

Abigail: Thank you.

Lisbon enters in her office.

Lisbon: It's okay. She's gone.

Jane: Who's gone?

Lisbon: Oh, please. Your guilty conscience is obvious and well deserved.

Jane: Meh. Justice can be a harsh mistress. Omelets and eggs, ends to means, all's well that ends well.

Lisbon: A glib answer's no excuse. Oh, and Abigail said to tell you that you are a mean, irresponsible sadist.

Jane: Well, that's pretty accurate. You okay? No point denying it to me.

Lisbon: I'm fine.

Jane: Okay. Good night.
{"type": "series", "show": "The Mentalist", "episode": "02x15 - Red Herring"}