At a mansion somewhere.
Butler: (knocking on a door) Sir, is everything all right? I thought I heard something. (No response). Sir? (opens the door to find his master beside the bed clutching at his chest) Oh my goodness! Cynthia, call for a doctor! (rushes over to his masters aid and the man tries to say something but he is unintelligible). I'm sorry, sir but I can't understand you! (The man gives him one last wide-eyed stare and slumps over dead).
At a fancy restaurant.
The Murdoch's and The Brackenreid's are enjoying a meal together.
Julia: What a lovely production. I quite enjoyed it.
Murdoch: Indeed. Romeo and Juliet is always enjoyable.
Brackenreid: (scowling) I know you two just got back from your honeymoon and you're both still outrageously happy but that was a bunch of bollocks! It was without a doubt the worst goddamn version I've ever seen!
Margaret: (scolds) Thomas please watch your language if you're going to be so loud. You're disturbing the other customers.
Brackenreid: (grumbles) Of course dear. (sees Murdoch smiling at him) Just you wait, me old mucker, your time will come!
Margaret: Now really!
George: (approaches the table holding his hat under his arm) I'm terribly sorry to interrupt sirs and ma'ams but a body has just been called in at the Rochestor place.
Brackenreid: (very annoyed) Bloody hell! Of all places! Just once I'd like to have a goddamn outing that didn't end in murder! (sees Margaret glaring at him) Oh right! Sorry Margaret. Well I guess we'd best be going. (kisses her) Don't wait up.
At Rochestor mansion.
Julia examines the body as household staff and other family members watch from outside the room. George is questioning the butler at the moment.
Murdoch: What have you, Julia?
Julia: Very little I'm afraid. There aren't any physical signs of trauma.
Murdoch: Could it simply have been a heart attack? He is an elderly man after all.
Julia: It's possible but I'll need to take him back to the morgue for further analysis in order to confirm cause of death.
Murdoch: Of course. (signals to some constables in the room and they begin putting Mr. Rochestor on a stretcher)
Brackenreid: (whispers to Murdoch) Let's hope she doesn't turn up anything devious. I want to get some bloody rest tonight!
Julia leads the constables out of the room.
Sylvia: (forced calm) Oh poor father. Did he suffer?
Julia: (uncomfortable) I believe it was over very quickly. (leaves the second floor with the constables in tow)
George: Sirs, (pointing) the butler there, Mr. Milton is the one who found the body, or rather, his dieing master.
Murdoch: When, George?
George: Just before eight o'clock this evening.
Brackenreid: What else, Crabtree?
George: He says he heard a loud thumping sound, which he now assumes was Mr. Rochestor falling out of the bed, and he came to check on the situation. Mr. Rochestor was attempting to communicate something to him and then died seconds later.
Murdoch: I'll take it from here, George.
George: (nods slightly) Sir.
Murdoch: (to the two Rochestor daughters) I'm terribly sorry for your loss.
(They are holding their emotions in the best that they can)
Sylvia: (shakes head disbelievingly) I just don't understand it. He seemed perfectly healthy earlier today.
Murdoch: These are unfortunate times indeed.
Patricia: Oh where is he? He should have been here by now!
Murdoch: Who are you referring to miss?
Patricia: Donald, my fiance. I called him awhile ago and he still hasn't arrived!
Murdoch: Would you excuse me for just one moment. (she nods) Sir, one of the Rochestor daughters is claiming that her fiance is being unusually tardy in getting here.
Brackenreid: (raises eyebrows) Are you saying that you think he's involved in this?
Murdoch: No but it would be remiss of us not to ascertain his whereabouts.
Brackenreid: All right, I'll get some men on that right away.
At the morgue.
Murdoch and Julia are standing over Mr. Rochestor's dissected corpse.
Murdoch: What have you determined?
Julia: You were right. He suffered from a rather massive heart attack.
Murdoch: Oh? Were there any signs of foul play?
Julia: See for yourself (moves over to his feet and holds up a magnifying glass for Murdoch)
Murdoch: It's a needle mark. Someone injected him with something deadly.
Julia: Yes and no, William. (moves the magnifying glass to other locations on his feet) As you can see, there are injection sites all along his feet.
Murdoch: (looks up) What is it?
Julia: Judging by the toxicology results, Mr. Rochestor was a frequent heroin user.
Murdoch: But why did he inject himself there? It's almost as though he was trying to hide his habit even though heroin is perfectly legal.
Julia: (exasperated) William, he was a Rochestor. They don't let the world see the real them. One of the burdens of high society.
Murdoch: Was his heroin use his undoing?
Julia: Yes. (smiling) I'd say a massive overdose of heroin would cause a massive heart attack.
Murdoch: (also smiles) I see spending time away hasn't dulled your intuitive grasp of things.
Julia: Did you just poke fun at me, William? (feigns outrage) Why I never!
Murdoch: (playing along) No, of course not! I'd never dream of such a thing.
Julia: Good. (kisses him) It's good to be back.
Murdoch: Indeed. (kisses again).
In Brackenreid's office.
Brackenreid: So was it murder or not?
Murdoch: Julia believes so. It's extremely unlikely that he would have knowingly injected himself with such a large dose.
Brackenreid: Oh bloody hell!
George: (knocks on door) Sirs?
Brackenreid: What is it, Crabtree?
George: We checked Mr. Kimble's residence and he's nowhere to be found. It looks like he left in a hurry.
Murdoch: Are you sure it wasn't ransacked?
George: Yes, sir, only his clothing was missing.
Murdoch: Did you widen the search for him?
George: Yes, of course. We looked everywhere but couldn't find him.
Brackenreid: Goddamn it! It looks like Mr. Kimble is on the lam!