The Savage Bees

[Okay, we're bringing you in now.

Sir, here's the confirmation from the owners.

SS Carolina Rios is expected New Orleans this date 1000 local

coming from Brazil Central America.

Small reefer 700 tons, captain and crew of 10.

And want to know how many survivors.

So do I.

You telling me my first maiden quartermaster have disappeared?

Yes, sir.

We have only one answer, overboard.

Coast Guard Cutter, Point Spencer.

Request confirmation to come alongside.

The Maid and the Quartermaster were at the bow.

We were in forward steering

because from the bow to the bridge it's more than an eighth of a mile.

They were all the way across on the wrong side of the channel.

Why?

Something happened.

Something strange.

The last thing I could make out from the Maid was a kind of cry.

Scared and muffled.

He had something in his mouth.

Get away, he said.

Get away.

From what?

Don't know.

Don't think I want to know.

Do I still get the men sure they're kept?

No freedom.

Then I want every available hand outside in look out.

We've still got two men out there...

Julie!

You put that away and get yourself over to the church.

Mom, I'm scared.

Of course you're baby, is only natural.

You got a pretty voice.

All you got to do is practice.

Now go on, and mind that dress.

Yes Mom.

Daddy, what are you doing out?

What's wrong?

What is that?

What's the matter?

Don't look.

They killed Seth.

Poisoned him.

They killed my dog.

Oh, I don't believe it.

You would believe it if you could see him all puffed.

I'm going to New Orleans.

During Mardi Gras?

That Coroner is going to do an autopsy.

We're going to have Seth's blood analyzed

to find out what kind of poison killed him.

Then I'm coming back here and take every store in this delta apart

till I find out who bought that poison.

And I'm going to feed them some of it.

In close to the bank.

Yes, I see it.

Bring out the launch.

Mama!

Mama!

Sheriff, I'm not going to tell you this again.

Would you take this thing off my desk?

Drop it, sir.

This man wants us to do an autopsy on a dog.

It's not "a" dog. It's "my" dog.

And?

And what?

And what makes you think we should do this for you

when we don't do it for the man on the street?

Cause you're the sheriff?

Because he was poisoned, that's why.

Well, a lot of dogs get poisoned, Sheriff.

Well, look, I didn't mean to bully you, but...

I'd sure appreciate it if... if you could help me.

Just how old are you anyway?

31.

Isn't that kind of young to be the Coroner?

I'm not the Coroner.

I'm an assistant MD.

I'm stuck here on this terrific holiday.

Your friendly neighborhood just made the great doctor.

Are you sure you know what you're doing, Doc?

Well, very few of my patients ever complain.

Can you see the transport of this body yourself?

We'll do our best. If there's any problem, we'll call you.

All right, fair enough.

We'll alert the morgue and let them know you're on your way.

In your opinion, uh, would you say this man died from drowning?

No. Spaces in hands are covered with some kind of rash or sores.

All right, thank you for your cooperation.

Out.

Morgue line's busy, sir.

Keep trying.

Chief! Hold the crew, Chief.

The animal's approximately five years old.

- Six. - Correction, six years old.

External evidence indicates toxic paralysis.

Eyes and head very puffed, even disfigured.

Close examination reveals...

Funny.

What?

Where you live, do you have any...

Spiky plants and nettles?

Yeah.

Got some bushes around there with thorns on them.

They grow wild.

My wife knows the name of them.

I could call her.

Well, wait a minute. We'll see what we've got.

Well...

You can forget about calling your wife.

It's a stinger.

Insect.

You mean some kind of bugs killed Seth?

You really want to watch this?

Bees.

Your dog's stomach is full of bees.

What time is it and I'll bet you've got the wrong number?

It's Jeff.

Oh, this better be good.

Well, I didn't want to call you anymore and you didn't want me to.

No?

You obviously have no idea how much I don't want to hear your voice.

I think I get the picture.

- So? - Jeannie, I'm on duty.

All I need from you is a technical opinion.

Oh, I'm glad you're disturbing my sleep

for the use of my brain instead of my--

Jeannie,

could bees kill a dog?

What?

Could bees kill a dog?

Well, they could, but they wouldn't.

Well, they did.

Just bees?

Just bees.

What, did the dog get into the hive and start eating the honey?

No. There was no hive near where they found it.

So what makes you so sure it was bees?

Because the dog's stomach was filled with them.

Do you have a specimen of these bees that killed the dog?

Dozens.

I'll be in my laboratory in an hour.

- Same one? - Yeah.

Not everything's changed.

Doctor, I hate to interrupt you again, but you're the only one here.

It's all so irregular. I don't know what gets into people.

You have to have paperwork when you go to the morgue.

There's a death certificate, then there's a police clearance.

And then the--

Is this yours?

Not anymore.

They're lots of papers.

Anything you say, doctor, as long as we don't have to keep them.

You have data?

Nobody knows for sure.

Sheriff.

My God.

One, two, all together, three.

That's the eeriest, most frightening thing I ever heard.

- But... - But?

- But, but... - Look, you guys are right.

These bees could be a disaster.

But what do you want from the police department?

Well, the court is out to force you, doesn't it?

- Yeah. - Well...

Lieutenant?

- Yeah. - It's Brown again.

Tell him no.

Look, report to somebody else. Go over my head.

Deputy Mayor Pelligrino will be here this afternoon.

- Oh, this afternoon? - Yeah.

Well, the bees have already killed possibly 13 people.