This episode begins with a saddened Phyllis telling Marilyn that George, her husband, has been gone for two years. Marilyn commiserates with her. Phyllis’ stepson, Tim, is often unavailable, and she’s left at home alone. She misses her husband. Marilyn gives her a hug and they sit. Marilyn’s a professional psychic and can feel the presence of those who have passed away. She feels George’s presence and says he’s very talkative. He tells her about a briefcase and something about a moat. He tells Phyllis to let it go. Phyllis takes that to mean he’s not against selling the company, and the sign refers to the Butterwell Board Meeting next week. Tim sends her to the car while he asks Marilyn some questions. Phyllis tells Marilyn she’s a gift from Heaven before leaving.
Tim tells Marilyn to stop with his stepmother. Marilyn says she won’t turn Phyllis away if she comes back. At home, Tim tells Phyllis that his dad’s not talking to her from beyond. He tells her Marilyn is a con artist. Tim doesn’t want to sell the business. Tim says not to sell the company. He forbids her from seeing the therapist. Tim leaves. Phyllis thinks George is trying to give her a sign when the lights flicker.Out in the park, Tim texts Kristy Brown, letting her know he’s at their meeting spot. Suddenly, she blocks his number. He hears a noise in the bushes. He walks towards it and is shot in the chest by an arrow. He dies, and someone drags his body away.
Thirty-six hours later Phyllis goes to the police station to report him missing.Phyllis sits at a table giving Officer Blank, Elsbeth and CPT Wagner details of Tim’s disappearance. He never called Renaldo, the chauffeur, to pick him up from his date. His housekeeper says his bed hasn’t been slept in. CPT Wagner interjects that Tim is a grown man, and he might still be on a date. Phyllis tells them her stepson missed his usual squash game and hasn’t used his family gold card recently. Elsbeth tells her to trust her instincts. Marilyn bursts in to support Phyllis. Officer Blanke asks who she is. She introduces herself. Elsbeth asks why she didn’t come to Phyllis before Tim disappeared. Marilyn ignores the question. Phyllis introduces the police to Marilyn. CPT Wagner leaves.
Marilyn stops him and tells him there’s a spirit around him. She asks if he knows anything about a blue station wagon. It means nothing to him.Phyllis volunteers Marilyn to help the police with the case. She worked with the FBI in a few cases. Phyllis begs her to help. Outside, Elsbeth and Officer Blanke follow Marilyn around the park as she mumbles stuff, looks upward and slowly walks around. Elsbeth and Officer Blanke are unsure about what she’s doing. They talk and laugh but are admonished by Marilyn. She stops and says something’s clouding her third eye. Marilyn can’t hear him anymore, and suggests they return to the precinct. Elsbeth sees a murder of crows flying above, and they go towards the area. They found Tim’s body. Officer Blanke is still unsure about Marilyn’s ability.
In CPT Wagner’s Office, CPT Wagner tells Officer Blanke and Elsbeth he’s officially reclassifying the missing person’s case to homicide. He asks Officer Blanke if she took thorough notes at the crime scene. She asks who she should give them to. LT Connor enters the office, and CPT Wagner tells her to keep the notes for herself, because Officer Blanke is being promoted to Detective. CPT Wagner shakes her and Elsbeth jumps up and down and hugs her. Elsbeth tells Kaya she has the perfect Congratulations gift for her. They chat and CPT Wagner breaks them up to get an update on the murder. She suggests this may be a case of someone in the wrong place at the wrong time. There were reports of vigilante rat hunters using bows and arrows in the park. She already put in a call to Parks and Rec for more information on the rat people. CPT Wagner asks if there is anything else, but Elsbeth keeps what she’s about to say to herself.
Detective Blanke says they should talk to the psychic again, after they visit Parks and Rec. LT Connor approves of all Detective Blanke has done. Detective Blanke tells Elsbeth to go see Marilyn while she goes to Parks and Rec. Elsbeth asks who she should go with. Detective Blanke shows Elsbeth her new badge, when LT Connor brings in Officer Nikki Reynolds (b). Elsbeth sadly leaves Detective Blanke. At Marilyn’s house, Elsbeth looks around at some of the items in the waiting room. She tries to converse with Officer Reynolds and get to know her. But she is reticent and says little. It’s a little awkward. Elsbeth goes to ask Regan, Marilyn’s Assistant, what she does. She tells Elsbeth Marilyn’s for real. They see Phyllis coming out, and she tells Elsbeth Marilyn’s helping her through the loss of Tim. Marilyn gives Phyllis some instructions before leaving. Officer Reynolds questions Marilyn, that makes her feel like a suspect. Elsbeth says it’s just standard police work. She tells Regan to give the police what’s needed. Elsbeth asks Marilyn for more information, and to check in for Phyllis.
At the precinct, Detective Blanke questions two members of the Rodent Death Society. They explain why they use bows and arrows. The arrows they use are blunt-tipped and couldn’t penetrate a human breast plate. They all use the same equipment. They also have footage of the park. Detective Blanke asks to see it. She later ruled them out as suspects. The arrow that pierced Tim’s chest was different, and Detective Blanke gave it to their weapon specialist for more information. Elsbeth tells her Marilyn has an alibi. They decide to check Tim’s dating app. Officer Reynolds and Elsbeth review his dating app. Elsbeth shares information about her personal life with Officer Reynolds. Officer Reynolds likes keeping her personal and professional life separate. She found something in his archive files. They find Kristy Brown.
They see she has the same interests as Tim, and is deliberately trying to attract Tim. Officer Reynolds finds the picture was taken from someone else’s profile. Tim was catfished. Things are still a little awkward between Officer Reynolds and Elsbeth.Detective Blanke and Elsbeth visit Phyllis who gives them a rundown of Tim’s history. Phyllis compliments Detective Blanke’s suit. Tim had a production company that got shut down, because no one liked his films. Phyllis assures them Tim’s ex-wife’s no killer. She got everything in the divorce. Tim came back to run Butterwell Treats. Phyllis tells them George told them to sell the company, according to Marilyn’s psychic connection. Phyllis tells them he talks to her through the lights, too. They flicker and send messages to her. Elsbeth thinks Phyllis and George were made for each other. Phyllis talks about him in an endearing way. They met later in life, and she was lost when he died. It’s interesting that Marilyn helped her through the loss. Tim didn’t approve of her. They go see Marilyn again.
She tells them how Tim felt about her. She tells them about George and shows them how she does her thing. She does a reading of Elsbeth and tells her about her grandmother. She reduces Elsbeth to tears. Marilyn gives them a tour of her place and tells them about her background. Back at the precinct, Elsbeth tells CPT Wagner she’s not a believer of that wuwu stuff, but it affected her this time. He agrees. Detective Blanke walks up and shows Elsbeth the weapons specialist’s report on the arrow. They found a serial number that can be traced. They talked to the owner. He gave them detailed information. Detective Blanke asked him about anyone named Gladwell, and he said they didn’t have anyone there by that name.
Officer Reynolds showed Elsbeth and Detective the park footage from the rat killers and found nothing. Elsbeth spotted a moving bush. Elsbeth rushes out and tells Blanke and Reynolds to meet her at the crime scene in an hour. LT Connor goes to see CPT Wagner in his office and finds him a little rattled. LT Connor gets him to talk. CPT Wagner is upset about the psychic lady, Marilyn. He was thinking about the thing she mentioned in the office earlier. He shows LT Connor the old case. He tells him about it. CPT Wagner thought he should have followed his hunch at that time, but LT Connor said their work is more complicated. CPT Wagner asked him if people can communicate with people who have passed on. LT Connor says he does.
Out in the park, Elsbeth startles Detective Blanke.
Elsbeth’s dressed in camouflage and leaves, a gilly suit. Blanke tells her she’s still wearing a gun. The killer was wearing one and hunting Tim. A rat runs by their feet.Detective Blanke called Regan in for questioning. She found she had a criminal background. Her accent tipped her off. Blanke took a crystal from Marilyn’s office to test prints and got Regan’s fingerprints. They ask her about her and Marilyn’s background. Elsbeth thinks Marilyn’s lying about her alibi, when Regan confesses to doing phone readings the night Tim was killed. They update CPT Wagner on their findings. He congratulates them on their progress. They tell him about Officer Reynolds' find, and he’s glad she’s benefiting from Detective Blanke and Elsbeth’s expertise. Elsbeth opens up about the awkwardness between her and Officer Reynolds. Blanke and Elsbeth think the motive is a financial one, but CPT Wagner thinks there’s more. Elsbeth returns to Marilyn’s office. She gives her mail. She is there for a session. Elsbeth notices a lighting app on Marilyn’s phone.
Marilyn pulls it away and begins the psychic reading. Elsbeth asks her to connect her to Tim Pearson. Marilyn says she’s still having trouble connecting to him. Elsbeth suggests she try another way. Elsbeth mentions Pennsylvania and Marilyn immediately knows Elsbeth knows her secret. Marilyn angrily tells Elsbeth she was destined for greatness, and she doesn’t waste her gift on non-believers. Elsbeth tells her about a letter from Snackerdoodle to investors in her mail. She tells her that it was a lucrative investment. Elsbeth likes their cookies. Marilyn looks worried as Elsbeth leaves. Detective Blanke and Elsbeth go to see the Financial News Anchor, Ava, who tells them Snackerdoodle's product is better than Butterwell’s. Snackerdoodle has been trying to buy Butterwell for years, but George refused. The Snackerdoodle CEO also passed away after George. They now call it the Battle of The Widows. Both companies are run by eccentric widows. Elsbeth asks Ava if the Snackerdoodle Widow, Mrs. Finch, sees a psychic.
Ava’s not certain.Phyllis goes to see Marilyn and asks her about the vote to sell Butterwell Treats. She had a dream that Tim came to her in a dream telling her not to sell. Marilyn connects with George’s sister, Bitsie. Detective Blanke thanks Phyllis for helping them. Elsbeth and Officer Reynolds enter the room, too. Elsbeth tells her how Marilyn, knowing about Aunt Bitsie, gave her away. Blanke tells Marilyn Aunt Bitsie that it isn’t real. Aunt Bitsie was mentioned in Tim’s dating pick up line. Elsbeth also tells Marilyn that Regan did the phone readings the night of Tim’s death. Her alibi was a lie. Elsbeth walks through all the facts leading to Tim’s murder, but Marilyn denies killing him.
The final defining proof point was the fact that Mary Lou Grunderson, Woodchuck Festival Archery Champion, could hit her target dead center with an arrow, the Warner 300. They showed Marilyn the article. Marilyn doesn’t believe it! Elsbeth asks if it was because she got caught or she didn’t see it coming. They take Marilyn away. Elsbeth offers empathetic words of kindness to Phyllis who wonders if everything with Marilyn was a lie. She tells her George is always with her. Phyllis says her astrologer predicted this.At the precinct, Officer Reynolds, is impressed with Elsbeth’s know-how. Elsbeth tells her Detective Blanke did the hard work, and Officer Reynolds helped to.
They find something in common, they both love dogs. Officer Reynolds is trying to get in the canine unit. Elsbeth shows her Gonzo and invites her to go walking with them. Officer Reynolds accepts. In the precinct interrogation room, CPT Wagner tells Marilyn her attorneys on their way. He knows she has a gift and asks her a personal question about Scotty and the blue station wagon. Marilyn does a psychic reading for CPT Wagner and tells him Scotty has peace and moved on. She suggests he should as well. Suddenly, Marilyn cries out at Ms. Tascioni. She says she needs to be careful because she sees blood. There’s an evil figure in a dark room, and silence. Elsbeth hears it all!
This episode was a little spooky, but it all worked out. Hope Marilyn’s last prediction doesn’t come true. Congratulations to Officer Blanke for finally getting her promotion! Detective Blanke worked on this case skillfully and meticulously. This was Wonderful. Welcome to the new character, Officer Nikki Reynolds (b)! It was nice to see how LT Connor continues to become an integral character to the show. The guest stars were Great! Tracy Ullman was so realistic.
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