The Mentalist

Hey, Jerry.

Let's do it.

Thank you, Sadie. Mm-hmm.

My friends,

I am so proud and happy to welcome you

to this celebration of my son Xander--

the new C.E.O. of Harrington Media.

Where is the little cuss, anyway?

Late for work already-- not a good sign.

Elizabeth, text him, would you? You got it.

Um, I am sure my husband

has a very good excuse for his...

Ah, there you are, Xander.

That's what killed Xander Harrington,

and this is where he was attacked. Now the blood trail

starts here, right where the letter opener was found.

The deputy coroner says it was a single stab wound to the neck. Mm.

Now the blow sends him backwards. He slams his head,

goes down. He's dazed, slowly bleeding out

for a good 20 minutes or so, then somehow gathers himself up

and goes for help. Coroner couldn't believe he even made it

out to the party.

Party which was for him. Guy just got a big promotion.

Had a wife and kid. How sad is that?

Sad. Anything else?

Well, according to the victim's father, there was

a confidential business file on this desk that's gone missing.

Nothing else taken. What was the file about?

Plans for the "Daily Observer"-- newspaper.

Debt restructuring, cost cutting, layoffs.

Layoffs?

Any "Observer" employees invited to the party?

So you're reporters for the, uh, "Observer."

Xander Harrington-- man of the people, huh?

Inviting the ink-stained wretches.

Xander was a good guy.

Did any of you hear about the layoffs

that were coming up soon?

Layoffs? What layoffs?

Well, actually, there's, uh, quite a long list.

Yeah. It appears that no one is safe. Must be very scary

in the newspaper business these days.

That's a very lovely dress.

Great color.

Well, thank you. (Chuckles) I'm Heather Evans.

Hello, Heather Evans. You're very attractive. Mm.

It's probably why your name's not on that list.

Good-looking women live in a different world.

Excuse me? What's this list you keep mentioning?

Oh, come on, Heather.

The list that was in the file

that you took off Xander Harrington's desk.

Everyone here--

we mention layoffs, and everyone here reacts except you,

because you have read the list.

Oh, that's ridiculous.

I didn't go anywhere near Xander's desk.

Bravo. Very well played,

considering the stress you must be feeling right now.

You know, I was hoping to dazzle you all

with my uncanny Detective skills, but you force me--

you force me to just reveal the humdrum facts

and point out that you have blood on your shoes, Heather.

Wha--

Could you step out of your shoe, ma'am?

"Stop the presses"? That's the phrase, right?

"Stop the presses." Yeah. Got it.

Always wanted to say that.

Xander Harrington caught you snooping in his office,

and you killed him.

Now maybe you didn't mean to do it.

You were surprised, scared-- no. I didn't even see him.

It was dark. No lights.

Curtains were drawn.

I went to the desk,

i took the file,

and I ran.

If I'd known he was...

My God, I would never have...

How'd you know that there was a list at all?

Someone told you. Who?

A confidential source.

And you'll go to jail to protect this source?

Ed. Edward Harrington-- Xander's brother.

He, um...

He said there were gonna be layoffs on Monday.

I just-- i just wanted to know

whether or not i still had a job.

It's a very good job. Not anymore, it's not.

Tell me exactly what happened from the beginning.

Ma'am? Is there, uh,

I-is there something specific that you wanted?

No. No. Just keeping apprised.

Huh.

Alex Harrington is the owner

of the seventh largest media conglomerate in the world.

Yes, ma'am.

And you don't want to disappoint a man

who owns 200 tv stations and a national newspaper.

No, ma'am.

Looks like Heather's cleared.

Timeline puts her at the bar at the time of the attack.

That's according to several male guests who remember her well. Figures.

Only leaves 196 party guests and 42 staff

as potential suspects. Start with the brother.

Okay.

Take Rigsby.

Problem?

Nope. Not at all.

Ma'am? You're giving my team assignments?

I know. I'm sorry. Should've been your call.

I just want to make sure those two can hack it.

Fair enough.

The head of your security said that

the house is fully wired, but the family asked

the cameras inside be turned off? Why's that?

I take responsibility for that.

No, it's my fault. I'm Tara-- Alex's wife. This is Ella.

And I'm the one who had the cameras disconnected.

It's my fault. It's nobody's fault, dear. Hush.

Why'd you do it?

Cameras and panic rooms and armed guards--

it's a lot to take.

I hated feeling watched in my own home.

Seems so silly now.

I'm sorry. How long until you take that horrible stuff down?

Forensics has promised to release the crime scene

as soon as possible. I am so sorry for any inconvenience.

Excuse me.

Uh, I'm too upset.

Uh, m-m-may I? Oh. (Chuckles)

Thank you.

So, uh, you and Xander were close?

He and Sadie were my only true friends.

People seem more interested

in befriending your money and connections

when you're married to the C.E.O. of Harrington Media.

Yes, I suppose it can be difficult at times.

By the way, it's former C.E.O.

Xander forced me out. Really?

Really.

He convened the board, secured the necessary votes.

Son staged a coup.

Yes.

You have any idea the guts it takes to pull that off?

Xander proved he could lead. I've never been prouder of him.

Proud of, uh, Eddie, too-- my other son.

Well, of course.

But Xander had the strength to lead, the guts.

That's important to you, isn't it--guts?

Of course. Guts, heart. What else is there?

Spleen, liver, kidneys, uh, genitalia.

Lot of important stuff there.

Are you being flippant with me?

My son is dead.

Forgive me. I-I was.

Lost myself for a second. Forgot where I was.

But, you know, that--that's a very beautiful painting.

Very nice work, yeah. Can I talk to you for a moment?

Quit that! What?

Poking the bigwig.

"Poking the bigwig."

Ah, I like it. It's got a nice ring to it.

I understand it's compulsion you're not fully in control of,

but I wish you would try.

It would make our work a lot easier if you did... try.

Did you see that? What?

Right outside that window.

There's a pink unicorn. Amazing!

Now you're hallucinating.

No. No, no, look. It's right outside the window.

Seriously, look. It's a unicorn!

I want to see!

I don't see a unicorn. It's right there.

I'm trying to trick her.

Oh. Yes. Yeah.

What a nice unicorn.

Yeah, very nice unicorn.

So you like to have secret tea parties?

How did you know about the tea party?

Oh, you know, I kind of like secret tea parties, too.

I'm Patrick. That's Teresa. Hi.

I'm Ashley Harrington.

It's a pleasure to meet you. You, too.

Now who's your mom and dad?

Xander Harrington and Sadie Cardozo Harrington.

I know my address and phone number, too.

Very good. Patrick and I are actually looking for your mommy.

Do you know where she is?

Outside. We could go cheer her up.

Is she sad, sweetie?

She misses daddy. He went away on a trip.

Mr. Harrington, you prodded Heather Evans into going

into your brother's office, didn't you?

I told her the file was on the desk.

What she did with that information is her problem.

You're the West coast head of media operations,

and you tell an employee about a confidential layoff list?

Well, I had a feeling she'd be grateful.

And she was.