Murder in a Small Town

Describe today.

One word.

Well, not that game again.

Wednesday.

Good one, Alberg.

Well, it's better than Monday.

Ha!

Budget.

That's my word.

Votes tonight.

You read it?

I got some of what I wanted.

Kristy got some of what she wanted.

End of the day, I can live with it.

There's a 30% increase to police funding.

Five new officers so that you can solve everyone's crimes without killing yourself.

Don't get so emotional.

Well, no, it's just...

Finally.

Really need this budget to pass.

It will.

I was the last holdout and I'm on board now, so...

Thank you.

It was never personal.

Not between you and me.

Yeah, well... Thank you anyway.

You ready?

Let's do it.

Ready?

Yeah, I just pulled up to the clinic.

Did you?

Yes.

You don't have to keep checking up on me.

Maybe getting old, I can still tell a doctor.

It's hard to pee.

P-M-I, Uncle Fred.

There they are.

Let's do it.

I'm so hungry.

I'll leave you a crumb!

Now, let's go.

Hey, stop right there!

Hey, hey!

Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

Close it up!

Close it up!

Stop!

Uncle Fred?

What is it?

What's happening?

Isabella, you are not going to believe this.

That's the way you saw the Van go.

East, yeah.

All went down pretty fast.

Let's go over it again.

Tell me what you saw.

Three guys, one driving, two guys jumped out.

Black ski mask, blue coveralls, average height, average weight.

Drove up, grabbed the kids and took off.

I tried to take a pic, but they were too fast.

I'll go talk to the pizza guy.

I got a BOLO out on the Van and units heading for the ferry.

Good thing you were here.

I just got the tail end.

Pretty scary.

I need an official statement.

I'll call you later for that.

Let's barricade the lot for evidence.

Station units up and down the coast, no more than ten miles apart.

We don't have enough people for that.

We'll improvise.

Call the fire department.

The pizza joint has three cameras.

The manager is sending over the footage.

Good.

The little boy is Benji.

The girl is Paulina, the babysitter.

They eat here almost every day.

Let's grab CCTV footage of all the establishments in the area.

What's with all the sirens downtown?

I'm not sure.

Carl got a call and away he went.

Someone said there was an abduction.

God, I hope not.

Flowers?

It's just something I'm looking into.

I'm going to go to the police station.

It won't be very long.

If Todd shows up before I get back... He's an hour late.

He practically lived at the library, but now that he works here...

He is here two afternoons a week, helping out.

Maybe we could use the Grant money to fix the Wi-Fi instead.

I mean, you could call him if he had a phone, but...

Yes, this might be a challenge.

Fine.

It's hard to help people who don't want to be helped.

Just saying.

Benji's a quiet kid, but he lights up when Paulina's around.

Does she always pick him up from school?

Every day.

For the past two years...

She takes him for a snack or to soccer practice and then right home.

So what happens next?

You know, you have no idea where they could be?

Most abductions involve family members.

Any ongoing disputes in yours, Mr. Norwood?

No, no.

Nobody like that.

An associate, maybe.

You own Coast Canyon.

You hire a lot of people.

You must fire a few.

In a hostage situation, every second counts.

We let one of our managers go.

Six months ago.

Curtis Penner.

He threatened me.

Threatened you?

How?

He said, I'll get what's coming to me.

That kind of thing.

I mean, he was upset, so I didn't really think much of it at the time.

He was nice enough.

Usually extremely smart.

Just his people skills.

They're not gonna hurt them, are they?

We'll do everything we can.

Meantime, stay here.

Make sure your phones are charged.

Kidnappers will make contact soon.

My God.

I have an office shoot just outside the door, okay?

I'll be right back.

Turns out Paulina Rauch isn't your typical au pair.

Her dad builds custom speedboats.

So she could have been the target.

Absolutely.

Tracked down a Curtis Penner.

Used to work for the Norwoods.

They let him go six months ago.

Okay.

Paulina's mom's in the interview room.

Hey, Dad.

Soph, what are you doing here?

Liza was supposed to walk me home from hockey.

She never showed up.

So I came to see you.

That's great, sweetheart.

Give me a minute and I'll give you a ride home.

I can take her home, Sarge.

No, no, no.

I'll just... No, it's okay.

I got it.

You focus on the case.

We might be able to grab a milkshake at the drive-thru.

That's okay with you?

Totally.

And you?

Thank you.

No problem.

Let me grab my purse.

Bye, Dad.

See you later, sweetheart.

Isabella, you're busy.

I am, crazy day.

I got this.

Hey, Cassandra.

Hi.

Did you see the chief?

Yeah, I was.

I ran across something.

I know this is a weird ask.

And it is an urgent.

I probably shouldn't bother you with this at all.

Enchanter's Nightshade.

Yeah, it symbolizes vengeance.

I keep coming across this flower at different memorial sites.

I got curious.

Just tell me it's a coincidence.

Okay.

I'll take a look into it.

Thank you.

The babysitting.

My husband hates it.

He thinks Paulina should be getting ready for college, but she loves that little boy.

Your husband, where is he now?

He's in Portland, on business.

I called him.

He's horrified and he's on the next plane home.

Anyone have a beef with you?

With your husband?

With your daughter?

No.

She's a wonderful girl.

Who would do this?

CCTV footage matches the description of a Van stolen in Olympia a few months back.

Call Olympia police.