When the three of them were alone, Monk started with, "How did you and your
brother both come to be working here?" Ira replied, "I've been here a
while, he just started a couple months ago. He'd been struggling for a
while, and was begging me to help him out. I put in a good word for him,
and apparently that was enough. He wasn't that good a cook, really, but
apparently my word is good enough for the people that run this place."
"I noticed you're wearing a wedding ring, Mr. Jones. Are you still married?" "Well, I don't see what that has to do with this thing, but yes," he replied. Monk said, "It may have everything to do with it. Let me get my assistant."
Sharona and Michelle were both deep in thought about the situation. When Monk came over, they were both startled momentarily. Monk asked Sharona to come to the questioning with him. "You need me?" Michelle asked. "No," he said. "I'll let you know if I need you, trust me."
Back at the interrogation, Monk presented Sharona. "She's been watching you two, and she noticed something odd." Monk privately asked Sharona, "Just how sure are you of this?" "What, you want a percent?" she said. "Yes, that would be nice." "Okay, 60." Monk was taken aback. "That's it? Why'd you tell me about it then?" "It was good enough for me." Somewhat embarrassed, Monk turned back to the suspects and asked Sharona to elaborate. "I saw the looks you two were giving each other the whole time. I know those looks. You're sneaking around, aren't you?"
Sheila exploded. "How dare you make insinuations like that? We work together and that's all! Ira is happily married; even if I was interested I wouldn't approach him because of that." Ira stepped in, saying, "I think that's about all the questions I'm going to answer from you." They walked away, but Sharona still looked accusingly at them. "They are, I just know it." Monk tried to bring her down. "Come on, sixty percent? That might as well be nothing. You heard how upset Sheila got." "Yeah, maybe a little too upset," Sharona replied.
Just then Michelle walked up to them. "You were listening," Monk said. "Yes, and I have to wonder, if I have a hunch like that would you give it that much consideration?" "Well, Sharona and I have known each other for a while. I've come to trust her instincts a little as she's gotten more experienced. Maybe if we knew each other that well, I would." "So that's a no, then?"
Stottlemeyer then showed up, and Monk mouthed "Thank you" at him. "One of these people tells me you're harassing him. Is that true?" Sharona stepped in. "It's really my fault, captain. I thought I saw something suspicious, and maybe I didn't, but he was just following my lead." Stottlemeyer responded, "Okay. But if you're going to be helping, antagonizing a suspect isn't a smart thing to do. Gives him some ground if he wants to get us on brutality. The guy's going on about paying his way through college and stuff."
Suddenly Monk seemed frozen in place. After a few attempts to break through to him by the others, he smiled and said, "I remember where I know Ira Jones from. And I solved the case."
"I noticed you're wearing a wedding ring, Mr. Jones. Are you still married?" "Well, I don't see what that has to do with this thing, but yes," he replied. Monk said, "It may have everything to do with it. Let me get my assistant."
Sharona and Michelle were both deep in thought about the situation. When Monk came over, they were both startled momentarily. Monk asked Sharona to come to the questioning with him. "You need me?" Michelle asked. "No," he said. "I'll let you know if I need you, trust me."
Back at the interrogation, Monk presented Sharona. "She's been watching you two, and she noticed something odd." Monk privately asked Sharona, "Just how sure are you of this?" "What, you want a percent?" she said. "Yes, that would be nice." "Okay, 60." Monk was taken aback. "That's it? Why'd you tell me about it then?" "It was good enough for me." Somewhat embarrassed, Monk turned back to the suspects and asked Sharona to elaborate. "I saw the looks you two were giving each other the whole time. I know those looks. You're sneaking around, aren't you?"
Sheila exploded. "How dare you make insinuations like that? We work together and that's all! Ira is happily married; even if I was interested I wouldn't approach him because of that." Ira stepped in, saying, "I think that's about all the questions I'm going to answer from you." They walked away, but Sharona still looked accusingly at them. "They are, I just know it." Monk tried to bring her down. "Come on, sixty percent? That might as well be nothing. You heard how upset Sheila got." "Yeah, maybe a little too upset," Sharona replied.
Just then Michelle walked up to them. "You were listening," Monk said. "Yes, and I have to wonder, if I have a hunch like that would you give it that much consideration?" "Well, Sharona and I have known each other for a while. I've come to trust her instincts a little as she's gotten more experienced. Maybe if we knew each other that well, I would." "So that's a no, then?"
Stottlemeyer then showed up, and Monk mouthed "Thank you" at him. "One of these people tells me you're harassing him. Is that true?" Sharona stepped in. "It's really my fault, captain. I thought I saw something suspicious, and maybe I didn't, but he was just following my lead." Stottlemeyer responded, "Okay. But if you're going to be helping, antagonizing a suspect isn't a smart thing to do. Gives him some ground if he wants to get us on brutality. The guy's going on about paying his way through college and stuff."
Suddenly Monk seemed frozen in place. After a few attempts to break through to him by the others, he smiled and said, "I remember where I know Ira Jones from. And I solved the case."