Hudson & Rex

Yeah I know, I know.

You got me again.

You're getting pretty good at this hiding thing, Rex.

At least somebody's enjoying the rain.

No, I haven't seen any whales, yet.

Why is it only sunny when we're working?

Joe! What's up?

Charlie, your private investigator buddy,

David Mason, is here to see you.

Joe, what did Mason do this time?

I don't know. But he says it's an emergency.

Hudson.

Get your ass down here.

Mason.

Can't this wait?

I'm at the...

beach.

- No, it can't. - Let me guess.

You got into trouble in a case again?

It's more complicated than that.

I'm trying to find a murderer here.

Who's the victim?

Me.

I've been poisoned.

The hospital diagnosis is correct.

Your organs are rapidly shutting down.

You've been dosed with some form of deadly toxin.

Can you identify what it is?

It's not just one poison.

It's a hybrid of multiple plant and animal-based toxins,

the most recognizable coming from the dart family of frogs.

Whoever did this wants to make it hard to figure out.

Before you ask, I don't know who's poisoning me,

or how.

Mason. You're a private investigator.

You've got to have some theories.

I've been wracking my brain.

I don't know who wants me dead.

At least, not currently.

Well, I'd like to do more research.

But I need you to sign off on allowing me access

to your patient file.

Yeah. The doctor made it clear.

I'm a walking dead man.

There's nothing they can do to slow the process?

Ohh no.

They're on the pain management stage.

So no.

How much time did they give you?

Forty-eight hours.

So let's stop talking.

Let's get to it.

No offense. But it's not you I need. It's him.

Rex is trained to sniff out poisons, right?

You're hoping he'll lead you back to the source.

Look, man.

I don't want to die without knowing the truth.

So can Rex do it or not?

Yeah, Rex is trained to find various poisons.

But in your case,

we'd need something to track.

Wait. That's not a problem.

Hold on.

Trace amounts of diluted toxin can be found in his sweat.

Mmm.

But not enough to be harmful.

Mason's poisoned. But he's not contagious.

But there should be still enough

that Rex should be able to pick up the scent.

Alright. Let's go!

Rex!

Clock's ticking.

Find it, pal.

I doubt whoever poisoned me is hiding in my office.

If someone poisoned your food or drink, it might still be here.

Sarah said you would have had to have been poisoned

in the last forty-eight hours.

Yeah, well it couldn't be the pizza.

Because it's been here a few days.

Ughh.

Well, Rex isn't reacting to anything.

So I'd say,

there's no sign of the toxin here.

I suggest we check your home next.

I mostly sleep here, Charlie.

I had a disagreement with my landlord over back rent.

It's a good thing

I didn't rush to put a down payment on a new place, huh?

Don't lose hope yet, okay?

Rex and I are doing everything we can.

It has to have something to do with one of your cases.

It wouldn't be the first time

you ran into trouble with a client, right?

I've got a couple of cases on the go.

Mostly small potatoes.

Tell me about them.

Mason has two clients.

Case number one:

Mason was hired by this man,

a bestselling author named,

Carson Bishop.

Yeah, he writes horror novels.

Yeah.

I've read one or two of his books.

Okay, maybe a half dozen. Ten.

- I've read all ten. - Okay.

- I'm a big fan. - Yeah.

What does he need Mason for?

Well, Carson Bishop started receiving anonymous gifts

of a macabre nature.

Melted dolls heads is how it all began.

Then variations started coming in,

like dead birds in a noose,

or a fake severed thumb.

They were all left where Carson could find them,

and presented in the same way.

In a black box, with a red ribbon,

like that one over there.

- That's creepy. - Agreed.

Okay, what's the second case?

Tim Vanderholt, who hired Mason

to find out if his wife was having an affair.

Mason has already recorded his wife acting suspiciously,

leaving the office for long periods of time,

not telling her staff where she was going.

That kind of a thing.

Unusual behaviour for a city councilor,

like Charlotte Vanderholt.

Okay, where do you want to start?

I'm going to talk to the author.

He's got some kind of a

limited book signing scheduled for this afternoon

- for some of his most devoted fans. - That is fantastic.

Why don't you take fanboy here with you?

He'll fit right in.

Yeah! That's...

I'm totally happy to help.

Just remember you're on the clock, Jesse, okay?

Keep your sights on what it is you're there for.

Yeah, our friendly gifter might be there.

And be careful.

If Mason was poisoned without knowing it,

- it could happen to you. - Not with Rex there, right buddy?

I'm going to meet Carson Bishop?

- Jesse! - Yeah! Coming!

Welcome! Welcome!

Welcome uber-fans!

And congratulations!

You 25 die-hard fans

have earned your spot here this evening

with the exclusive meet and greet with Carson Bishop!

Whoo!

Carson has fans all over the world.

But you... You are all cream of the crop.

And I want to thank you so much

for helping us spread the word

on Carson's latest novel, Choir of Bones.

If you all just want to settle in,

Carson will be out momentarily!

That's a nice shirt.

Thanks. It's from his third book.

Fourth book, actually.

I should know better

than to second guess a fellow Bishop-head.

Well,

that's... that's me.

I'm... just going to... sit.

Okay! Yeah!

That... Nice to...

Okay.

I think this whole thing

is being blown way out of proportion.

No, from what I've seen,

you have legitimate cause to be concerned.

I'm a horror writer.

The genre attracts a certain kind of fan.

It comes with the territory.

Wait, then why did you call a private detective?

That was my agent's idea.

Isn't that right, Haley?

The gifts freaked her out.

Yeah, well... That's putting it mildly, Carson.

We really need to go.

You should have called the police

instead of a private investigator.

You may've put Mason's life in jeopardy as a result.

I see that now.

I just wanted to handle this whole thing quietly.

Hey there!

Looks like your dog likes my first book.

Man's Best Friend.

It was about a dog with a taste for human flesh.

This one prefers chicken.

Chicken isn't scary.

Okay, Carson.

We really need to go.

Okay, come on.

That was weird.

We're looking for a killer, Jesse.

Might want to widen your focus a little bit, huh?