This episode has Alan Ruck of “Succession” and Ethan Herschenfeld of “Manifest, Blue Bloods” appearing. It begins with Bill Hepson telling his twin brother he’s resigning from their firm, Hepson Capital. He was shaken after his private jet almost crashed, and it changed him. He was giving away all his material things. Peter is in disbelief. He tells his brother he won’t last a week, and practices his golf swing in his office. Later, Peter Hepson is being interviewed on a Financial News Show, and he tells Ava Mornier about his brother, Bill, retiring. He didn’t want to discuss his brother. She shows a photo of his brother on a city bus, and tells him he also donated money to help others. Peter gets upset and leaves. Peter meets a man on the street who mistakes him for his brother Bill. He thanks him for a shelter he built there in town. Pete tells him to “Buzz off!”. His angry attitude continues when he has a bad golf game with office friends.
They tell him the latest thing his brother did. The next day, Pete is dressed like his brother, and enters the apartment building where he lived. He goes to see him and they fight in the hallway. Peter pushes Bill out the hallway window. All the while he continues on a business call. He takes his brother's wallet and returns to the office to play golf. Meanwhile, Elsbeth is in a van talking about the big Van Ness divorce case she was on, while Officer Blanke sat in the front seat with headphones on. That way Elsbeth didn’t violate the attorney-client privilege. Blanke tells her she should be able to defend herself, since someone in that previous case hid her client’s abuse police report. They broke the law. Detective Smullen interrupts them and asks them to come in and help with the murder investigation.
Officer Blanke promises Elsbeth she won’t say a word about what she told her.They go see Bill Hepson’s body, and Elsbeth looks around doing her investigative thing. Smullen gives them a background on Bill. Officer Blanke shows them a ten dollar bill that was stuck to the body. It is a little strange, and Smullen pulls one from his wallet to compare. At that moment, Pete Hepson drives up and angrily pushes his way into the crime scene area. He yells and asks who’s in charge. Detective Smullen addresses his irate attitude. Elsbeth and Officer Blanke observe and remark on his terrible temper. Officer Blanke goes to talk with him, while Elsbeth goes to the nearby donut vendor, Duncan’s Donuts. She tells him about Bill’s death, and Duncan (played by Ethan Herschenfeld) knows him and tells her what a nice guy Bill was. He always talked to him, but that morning he didn’t, and acted like he didn’t know him and seemed very angry yelling into his cell phone. Elsbeth watches Pete Hepson yelling into his cell nearby. Smullen and Officer Blanke come to tell her about a potential suspect.
Detective Smullen updates CPT Wagner on the Bill Hepsen murder in his office. He thinks the suspect lived in the area, and may have robbed him. Elsbeth is sitting in the office, but doesn’t believe the theory. She’s reading a book on the Hepson Brothers. She found it odd that Bill’s tv was on. So, she questions when the killer killed Bill. She’s curious about the brothers’ relationship. She suddenly leaves when she sees her old lawyer friend, Carter, go to her office. He tells her Van Ness is in town. The firm is accusing her of burying the abuse police report. She could lose her job.
Officer Blanke comes in to tell Elsbeth Detective Smullen wants them to visit the brother, Pete Hepson, while Smullen talks to the suspect. She notices Elsbeth’s not listening and asks what’s wrong. Elsbeth tells her what just happened with Carter, while they wait to speak with Pete. Pete takes them to the conference room. Smullen contacts Officer Blanke that the suspect had an alibi. Elsbeth asks Pete why anyone would want to kill his brother. He tells her about himself and his brother, and how they got rich. Elsbeth asked about the dollar bills in a case on the wall. It was from the Grant administration. He said his brother collected rare paper currency. Elsbeth asked about Bill’s transformation, and shared her experience with a twin. She told him about the donut cart vendor and that he might have seen him there. Peter says he didn’t spend time at Bill’s place.
Officer Blanke tells Peter his brother’s time of death, and asks him for his whereabouts. She has more questions, but he rushes out and tells her to leave them with his assistant. In CPT Wagner’s office, Smullen tells everyone that the neighborhood loved Bill, and no one would harm him. If they did, the neighborhood people would turn them in. Elsbeth suggests it could have been his brother. CPT Wagner says Peter’s alibi is Ava Mornier, Financial News. He was on tv giving her a live interview. They find another possible suspect, Conrad Deckels, Telnon Technology. Elsbeth’s in investigative mode, and asks if Peter was really on live tv, or was the episode pre-recorded. They go to talk with Ava. Elsbeth questions Peter’s manipulation of the market or activist adventure. Back at the station, Smullen interrogates Conrad. Officer Blanke tells Elsbeth Carter issued the press release, and LT Connor says it doesn’t look good. She volunteers to resign, but CPT Wagner stops her. Elsbeth reviews Peter Hepson’s interview with Ava in her office.
Officer Blanke offers to help her with the Van Ness case problem, but Elsbeth tells her no. She pivots back to Bill Hepson’s murder, and tells Officer Blanke she’s been watching Peter’s interviews with Ava. She tells her what she found out. She theorizes that he may be guilty. She walks into Peter’s office and asks him about his alibi. She thinks he took his brother’s life change personally. Elsbeth goes to the office poker game and announces Peter wasn’t in his office, but called Ava when Bill died. CPT Wagner and LT Connor want to brainstorm to help Elsbeth with her Van Ness case problem. Elsbeth asks Detective Smullen to meet her at the crime scene, and she recreates what may have happened with Bill and his murderer. Officer Blanke is there, too, and has figured out the motive.
It has to do with Virtual Private Network (VPN). Hepson Capital invested in the company. They explain how it worked, and how Peter murdered his brother.Ava and Pete are having dinner at a restaurant, and the waiter mistakes him for his brother Bill. Ava tells him the police came to review her metadata on his interview. She unsuccessfully tries to blackmail him. He doesn’t give in, and threatens her. Elsbeth comes to speak with Ava after he leaves. She asks her why Bill’s death affected the cost of cobalt. Ava explains the price spike. Ava showed Elsbeth the money Peter left to pay for his half of the meal. Elsbeth took the $5 bill as evidence.Peter and his company celebrate acquiring Telnon Technology. Hepson’s stock prices soar, then suffer a sudden drastic drop in price. Ava texts his assistant about a heavy law enforcement presence outside her office.
Detective Smullen, Elsbeth and Officer Blanke enter Peter’s office to arrest him. Elsbeth proves why and shows him the $5 bill he left Ava. Bill collected rare bills, and that was one of his. Peter resented his brother for the attention he always got from their mother, and everyone. He taunts Elsbeth as he’s taken away.Elsbeth goes to meet Van Ness to discuss his old divorce case and police report. He threatens her. Hearing it all, Officer Blanke walks over to arrest him for menacing and threatening Elsbeth. She’s no longer bound by attorney-client privilege and can now defend herself. Carter gives her an approving look. Van Ness goes down. LT Connor gives Elsbeth a nod of approval at the station. Officer Blanke reminds Elsbeth she has more work to do, which includes taking down Judge Milton Crawford.This episode is quite good! It had lots of twists and turns with interesting mini-plots.
There were times when I thought Elsbeth wasn’t going to get Pete, but of course she figured it out with the help of her partners Blanke and Smullen. Loved how they also showed the closeness and camaraderie of the police station team. Alan Ruck played the duo roles perfectly! Could really believe there were two brothers. Ethan Herschenfeld actually made you want to buy a donut, a real believable character! Elsbeth’s donut looked yummy! This was one of the best episodes this half of the season.
Funny Side Note: Elsbeth was carrying an awful lot of bags, don’t have a clue why!
What did you think?
Loved it
Hated it
So/So
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