- Citizens of Middleton,
my many, many supporters...
...friends and well-wishers,
today, I commence my first term
as your newly elected mayor.
I shall bring the same dedication to this office
as our previous mayor,
Ms. Cassie Nightingale... with perhaps
a tad less mystery. Ha, ha, ha!
But before we begin a new era for Middleton,
let us welcome to the podium
a woman who has given us all
so very, very much...
Our former mayor... Cassie?! Oh!
Why must you always pop up like that? My heart!
- Mine too, Martha.
It's so full at this special time.
- What? Oh, yes!
Um... Let's start again from the beginning.
- It is a new beginning.
For both of us.
I thought that rehearsal went well.
And thank you for the lovely tribute, Martha, and for all the things you did for me
when I was mayor. - Well, it is a big job, Cassie. Too much for most women.
- If you need anything at all, I will be there for you.
Now that the kids are growing up...
- Yes, yes, I'll be sure to keep that in mind. - Madame Mayor.
We have a problem.
- Well, that's why I was elected!
- Your Middleton Botanical Gardens project...
It's going to cost more than you thought.
- Oh. Well, a thousand dollars more here and there is--
- $177,000.
- What? Are you sure they didn't misplace the decimal point?
- Perhaps it's that waterfall you wanted. - It's mostly the waterfall,
because the park is totally flat.
- I will raise that money at our fundraiser
next week. - Spoken in the spirit of a true leader.
In honor of your leadership, Martha,
I'd like you to have this.
It's from my shop.
- How very... cute. - It's a Kachina Doll.
Made by the Hopi Indians. It's a carving of one of their old great chiefs.
- "Old"?
- The Chief will inspire you to great leadership and good will.
- Well,
where am I going to put this lovely little...?
Oh, I know! Maybe right in here,
just for safekeeping. - I'll let you get back to work.
There is one other official I'd like to thank before I go.
- She was a great mayor.
I'm gonna miss her.
- Cass! What are you doing here?
- I just dropped by to say thank you
for all the great things you did for me when I was mayor.
- What kind of thank you did you have in mind?
- Hmm...
- It's great to be appreciated. Appreciate me more.
- I would love to but I've got to get back to my shop.
- Did you find anybody to hire yet? - Not yet,
but I'm sure the right person will come along soon.
- I hope so, because you're going to be busy
with Brandon and Tara and the...
Oh... Martha. - Oh.
- Hello, Martha.
Okay. Yeah.
I'll be there in a minute.
Her first day as mayor, and she's already driving me crazy.
What was I saying? - About Brandon?
It seems like yesterday he was our little boy.
- I know. I know. And now he's getting married in four months?
- It'll be here sooner than we think.
Look at Grace,
how fast she's growing, already off to school. - Do you remember her first day,
how excited she was to go? - And how misty-eyed I was.
I didn't want to let her go. I just wanted to hold her and hug her forever.
- She just walked in there, head up, little Miss Independent.
- She never even looked back! - Yeah.
And we were a wreck.
- With everyone doing their own thing,
there are times lately when the house feels so lonely.
- This family will always be close.
And you know why? It's because of you, Cassie.
- I shouldn't be so melancholy.
After all, things change.
- For the better. Like your new haircut.
- Not a chance,
no way! It's not happening, Martha.
- This is the new look for our police department.
- New? No cop
has worn that in 100 years. - Perfectly in keeping
"Moving Forward,
Looking Back". - Martha,
a police uniform has to command respect.
- Not laughter. - Well, maybe you could--
- Ah, ah, ah! This is strictly
between me and my Chief of Police.
- I don't understand. Our uniforms were fine for every other mayor.
- Chief Russell, I am not "every other mayor".
- You can say that again. - I'm sorry, what did you say?
- I said... nothing, Madame Mayor.
- Grace?
Grace?
Come out, come out, wherever you are.
- Hi, Ms. Bryson!
- There you go again.
Always popping up out of nowhere. Just like your mother.
Come in.
- Grandpa!
- Ha, ha, ha!
Sorry I'm late. - That's all right,
Mr. O'Hanrahan. I had some paperwork.
And apparently Grace wanted to play hide and seek.
- Grace, you can play when you're at home.
When you're at school, you have to learn your lessons.
- Why?
- Because that's what you do at school.
- Actually, I do encourage the children
to play as much as possible. - You do?
- Yes. Kindergarten is a place where learning should be fun.
- But they are learning-- reading? Writing?
- And arithmetic. But the way we teach it now is very different.
- I see.
- Actually, Grace has been very interested in numbers lately.
- Ask me a numbers question.
- All right.
Pretend you have two cookies.
The teacher takes one cookie.
I take one cookie.
What's left?
- Tears.
- Well, she is correct,
in a creative kid's kind of way.
- But 2 minus 2 is still zero.
I know teaching methods have changed...
- And I need to change with the times.
- What I need is the best possible education for my granddaughter.
- And that's exactly what I'm here for.
Grace, honey, I'll see you in a few days, okay?
- How come? - We're closed for our Professional Development Days.
- I see.
Grace, come on, sweetie.
- Bye!
- Hey, Lori. Congrats on your first article.
- Thanks, Jim. Did you like it? - Like it? Yeah.
It was great. I really didn't have to do any editing at all.
You've been here a week and you hardly need me anymore.
- Well, I'll try to make more mistakes next time.
- I guess you had to do a lot of research on it.
- For online dating disasters?
I didn't have to any research, I'm living it.
- Why? I mean, are you looking for a boyfriend?
- Well, my brother's wedding's coming up
and it'd be nice to have someone to go with.
- I'm sure you'll find someone.
- Yeah, four months and ticking.
- Well, if there's one thing I've learned about you already,
you work well on a deadline.
- Tibetan finger cymbals?
Let me check in the back for you.
The stones are merlinite quartz.
I'll be right with you.
I have it on order. I'll call you as soon as they come in.
You're welcome.
Pardon me.
Brandon. How's it going?
- Hey, Cassie. I'm pretty good. How are things with you?
- Well, at the moment,
I have a new customer.
And I have a double batch of my chicken vindaloo cooking back at home.
- Mm, my favorite.
Hey, Tara and I are coming to visit tonight, along with her aunt Beverly.
Oh, what a nice surprise!
Tara has this business conference in town. So we'll probably be there
Wait. Didn't you just say
you were cooking a double batch of my favorite dish?
How did you...?
Thank you, Cassie.
- I can't wait to see you.
Isn't that precious?
You can open it.
It's an antique silver set. - Wow...
Solid silver...
Beautiful oak leaf design.
- You know, you're the first person to ever notice that.
Cassie Nightingale. - Audrey.
I'm Audrey... Bennett.
- The same name as the Boston company that forged this silver.
- What a coincidence.
- Perhaps.
Are you here to visit family?
- No, I... don't have any family.
- I didn't either when I first arrived.
I found my family here in Middleton,
and I've been here ever since.
- I have been moving around a lot, and that gets lonely too.
- I know what that's like.
But it's, uh, motivation to make new friends.
- I was looking for a nice place to settle down,
so I did a web search for "charming towns",
and this town, your town,
came up, top of the list.
- Middleton? What a coincidence. - Perhaps.
What a strange little bottle.
- Root extract.
Builds confidence and concentration.
- Do you drink it? Like medicine?
- Aromatherapy. The sense of smell connects directly to the brain,
and channels your chi.
Interested?
- Yeah. I've always been interested in medicine.
I wanted to be a veterinarian, but,
you know, life.
- It pulls us in so many directions.
- Exactly.
- Well, it's on sale.
- I could probably use it, but the truth is,
what I really need right now is a job so that I can pay for it.
- Hm, well, it is your lucky day.
When can you start?
- Uh, first thing tomorrow?
- I'll see you then. - Thank you.
This is... just what I needed.
- Me too.
What can I do for you, Martha? - Upon further reflection,
I have decided to take you up on your offer to help with my fundraiser.
- It's very sweet of you to think of me.
- The event is one week from tomorrow. - Oh.
- We need to raise $47,000 immediately. Otherwise, we won't be able
to get our plantings in the ground before the winter freeze.
- 47? This morning, the budget was 177,000?
- I managed to whittle it down by replacing
the waterfall with a stone fountain
modeled on one I discovered on my trip to Sorrento.
- Looks lovely. - It is.
It will be. And here's where you come in.
The leader of our Chamber of Commerce,
Adam Berger, is on the fence, and I need you to use your...
"black magic"
to get him on our side. - Martha, it doesn't quite work that way.
And besides, you didn't need
any magic during your bid for mayor.
- Bid.
Bid. We could ask people
to bid at a silent auction.
- What a wonderful idea! - Oh, Cassie, I'm bursting
with fresh ideas! I'll go after the cash donations
while you put together the items for the auction.
- Glad to.
Here's our very first item.
- Ooh!
- Hmm...
Must have left my keys in the car.
- Thank you.
- Do I get a popsicle?
- No popsicles. We're gonna have dinner
as soon as Brandon gets here. But maybe you could draw him a picture?
Hey. How was your first day
with Martha? - Very difficult.
She wants us to dress like clowns.
- I'm sorry. I...
I hope you don't mind, I just can't take you seriously.
You can't imagine
how hard it is to work for that woman.
- Oh, yes, I can.
I agreed to run her silent auction.
- With Martha, it won't be very silent.
- Walk with me. I gotta check on my vindaloo.
- Hey, Lori! Whew, you are a fast walker.
- Well, it's a warm-up for my field hockey practice.
- Cool. When's your next game? I'd love to watch.
- Uh... cool!
We need the support.
More people show up to archery than us.
- Well, there's nothing more thrilling than a bull's-eye, right?
- Um, by the way,
did you see all the comments on my online dating article?
- Yeah, most of them were from guys who wanted to date you.
- Well, I was thinking I could do a follow-up.
- About what? - Well, go on blind dates
with some of the guys and then write about the experience.
- Oh.
So you're still looking for a date to the wedding?
- No. Why? Jealous?
- No.
- 'Cause if you weren't my editor,
then maybe you could come with me.
Just kidding.
- Oh. Well, then maybe I should resign.
I'm kidding.
Kidding too. - Well, I have to get to my practice.
- Yeah.
- Oh, I hired someone for the shop today.
- That's good. Anybody I know?
- No. Her name is Audrey Bennett.
She's new in town. - Sounds good.
- Aren't you going to ask me to run a background check?
- A background check. Come on!
We're partners, right?
Every good cop knows he has to trust his partner.
And I trust you. - 10-4, Chief.
- Cassie! - Beverly, it's so good to see you again!
- Jake! - Hi! So,
where's the future bride and groom?
- They're unpacking the car. - Let me help.
- You look so fresh for someone who's traveled such a long way.
- Well, I'm so excited! - Me too.
- We're going to have so much fun helping the kids with this wedding.
- I can't wait to hear some of your ideas. - My head is spinning with them.
On the way here, Tara and I saw an island on the river,
and we thought
perhaps we could ferry the guests over for a reception?
- Sounds like you both envision a fairly grand affair.
- Ah, just a thought.
- What smells so good?
- That's Cassie's chicken vindaloo.
Feels like I never left home.
- There's the happy couple! Tara!
- Hi! - So, Brandon,
how's the job going? - It's terrific.
- Tell them!
- The label wants me to be their rep for their festival tour.
- Congratulations, Brandon!
- I am proud of you, son.
- Isn't that cool? It starts in just two weeks. - Yeah,
and it goes nonstop for six months.
- What about the wedding?
- Um...
Aunt Beverly,
we wanted to wait until we had everyone together to let you know.
- Know what?
- We have to postpone the wedding.
- Hi!
Uh, can I help you?
- Well, yes.
Hello, Officer... - Please, Derek.
- Officer Derek. I'm Audrey. I'm new in town, on my own...
- Oh?
I mean, oh.
- My new landlord wants proof of my prior residence,
but my license has expired.
- He probably just needs a reference.
That's pretty common. I could help you out. - Great.
The owner of the Bell, Book & Candle where I work suggested I come here.
- Cassie.
- Yeah.
- She usually knows what she's doing.
Um...
Well, if you give me your name and social,
I can probably pull up your prior address on some kind of document.
- My name is Audrey...
Bennett. - All right.
Bennett.
There's a few Audrey Bennetts.
What's your social security number?
- You know what? It's okay. I don't want to trouble you.
- No, no, no, it's no trouble.
Uh, sorry. - Sure. - Hello,
Derek Sanders.
Because the uniforms you gave us
got dirty, Martha. Madame Martha.
Madame Mayor.
I sent them out for cleaning.
Uh, five weeks?
- Yes. Right away.
Sorry.
I'll be right back. - Sure.
Okay.
- My father's pocket watch.
And his father's before that.
I plan to give it to Brandon
on his wedding day. I found just the chain for it.
- Wow. Sounds like you guys are pretty close.
Must be nice
to always have someone you can turn to.
- It's wonderful to have family,
but there are some things that family members have a hard time understanding,
- Well, that's why it's great to have a friend
you can talk to, someone who really listens.
- I already feel like we can tell each other anything.
Here, hide the watch. In that drawer. - Okay, sure.
- Well, hello.
Tara, I thought you had a conference today?
- The keynote speaker got sick so it was canceled.
- Well, now you have a little free time to do whatever you want before the tour.
- And I just thought of exactly what we could do.
Tara, let's get married.
- Right now?
- No, no... next Sunday, before I hit the road.
- That's in eight days,
we couldn't possibly... could we?
- Why not? Cassie and my dad got married on short notice.
Cassie did it in no time, like magic.
- Well, it was a magical day.
- We don't have to go over the top.
We can do something small,
casual.
The important thing is we're getting married!
- Tara, honey, are you sure you want to give up
all those special things you've always wanted for your wedding?
- Well,
maybe...
- I'll be glad to help, whatever you choose.
- Cassie, don't you have the mayor's fundraiser
the day before? - I could help with that, Cassie.
Whatever you need.
- Let's go for it. - Okay.
Let's go to the cafe right now and start making lists.
- Okay. - Cassie?
- Oh... The shop.
- I'll cover for you.
Not a problem.
- Thanks, Audrey. For everything.
- The office looks...
different. - Thank you.
- Who's your decorator, Marie Antoinette?
- Uh, no, sadly she wasn't available.
I did it myself.
To reflect a new era in Middleton leadership.
- Cassie is a tough act to follow.
- Back to business,
shall we?
Ahem!
As you can see, our European fountain is the focal point
of the Middleton Botanical Gardens. - Should bring in the tourists.
- Well, Middleton is getting a lot of bang for its buck.
And with your leadership in the business community, you ought to be able
to raise that kind of money in no time.
- Who's your plumber?
- Pardon? - You can't have a fountain without water.
Or electricity. - Well, I just assumed
that was included in the cost of the fountain.
- First rule of sound investing.
Never assume anything.
- But...
- Have another look at these figures,
then get back to me.
- But I...
But there's so little time.
- It'd be a huge help if you could drop by Foster's Hardware and grab the garden tools
that he's donating.
Great. And Audrey...
thank you for being there.
Okay.
- I guess things are working out with Audrey? - Honestly, I don't know
what I'd do without her. Especially with Brandon getting married on such short notice.
- I'm glad he's found his soul mate.
- How's your article coming along?
- I'm not too sure,
about any of it.
But I have my first date today, so...
who knows? - You know how it is--
you really want someone in your life, and then, when you least expect it,
there they are.
- Well, I hope whoever he is shows up before the wedding.
- This might help.
- A wood box?
- Careful. Don't open it. You'll expose the film.
- It's a camera? - A camera obscura.
- Cool. - A long time ago,
it was owned by a Parisian photographer who took candid pictures
of couples in love.
All you need to do is wind it three times...
...and then find your focus.
- Thanks.
Smile.
- Is there a problem, Officer?
- I thought you promised
to call me Derek. - Oh!
Sorry, right. Derek.
It's just that when I see a uniform, I assume there's trouble.
- If there's trouble, then I'm not doing my job right.
Listen, I was thinking, you being new in town,
maybe I could show you around?
- That would be great.
- Dinner?
- Sure. I'd love to hear about your job.
- Well, it's not that exciting.
Parking tickets, shoplifting,
the odd drifter who gets up to no good, fraud.
- F-fraud?
- Well, you meet all kinds of characters. - Right.
- But I always get my man. Or my woman.
Not that I... you know, I didn't... - Right.
Uh, one sec.
Fender bender at Grove and 3rd.
We'll have to continue this conversation.
On... Tuesday?
- Sure. What time? - Seven?
- Can we make it eight?
I'm volunteering at the South Street Animal Shelter.
- Eight PM. Maybe there's a good crime movie.
- Right.
- Boo! - Oh my goodness!
You are so scary!
- I thought we'd find you out here.
- Can I have a cookie? - Hmm... one.
- Two? - I said... one.
- Bye, Grandpa!
- See you, sweetie.
I wonder what the weather is going to be next weekend.
- Sixty percent chance of showers on Saturday.
- Well, nothing you can do about the weather.
- Oh, yes I can. - Really?
- I can order tenting for the auction in case it pours.
- It's from Gwen. - Ah...
- She's spending the week out west, visiting our grandchildren.
- Please tell your wonderful wife we all miss her.
- I can't seem to open these pictures.
- Here.
Oh, what a beautiful shot of those mountains!
Wow!
- These new phones drive me crazy.
All this moving so fast. Kids are growing up
so fast these days.
One of these days Grace won't even be able to relate to me.
- Where did you get that idea?
- At her school.
The way she's being taught... I don't get it.
- Well, you can be sure of one thing.
She is learning whenever you're together.
- Cassie,
her school is not in session the next few days.
What do you say I give her some old-fashioned tutoring?
- I think that'd be a great learning experience.
- Really help Grace
get down to the basics.
- I meant for the both of you. The best teachers
always learn from their students.
- We think this could be fun.
Besides, we're just going casual.
- Casual? What happened to your plans
for an elegant southern French supper? With your names
stenciled on the napkins. - Because it's in six days, Aunt Beverly.
- Well, he could say no to the tour.
- It's what he's dreamed of his whole life.
- At least take a week off. - The tour is a 24/7 job.
- What about your dreams, Tara, hmm?
The wedding you've always wanted since you were a little girl.
Have you shared those with Brandon?
It's got to be a partnership.
What's best for both of you.
- Maybe I will insist on a sit-down dinner.
- Insist on the wedding you always wanted.
- Ah, poor Ms. Bryson thought she had lost Grace for good at the petting zoo,
and then she found her riding the goat.
- No! Oh my goodness,
you must have your hands full.
- Yes, Grace is very fulfilling.
- I know it's only been three days,
but this is the beginning of a lot of things for me.
Thanks to you.
For all your support. You have been so great.
- That's what friends are for.
- Friends?
From the minute I walked into Middleton,
I felt... renewed.
And...
welcome.
- This town has a way
of welcoming wandering spirits and changing their lives.
I'm proof of that.
- Cassie! - Oh!
Martha, I had no idea it was you!
- Hello, Cassie, Audrey.
- Hello.
- That's a beautiful scarf. I have one just like it at home.
- Ahem! You know what I always say!
Uh, loveliness is like a...
compost for the soul!
- Uh, I'm not quite sure I follow.
- How did it go with Adam and the business associates?
- Not well. In fact, not very well at all.
I thought a change in style...
-your style-
might be able to raise funds,
and my approval rating. I've raised less than a $100.
You know what? Here.
You take it. And Audrey,
could you please get all of the auction items into the display case at City Hall
ASAP? - Certainly. We have so many great things.
- Well, right now they're our only hope to raise the money.
- Once people see these items,
they'll be sure to loosen their purse strings.
- Excuse me.
Hello, Bruce.
I'm going to be sending you a customer. I was wondering
if you could show her some floral options for the wedding.
- Oh, that wedding! - I know. - Five days from now?
I used to be in the wedding business, and all I can tell you is--
good luck.
However,
speaking of loosening my own "purse strings"...
Please put this with the auction items.
- Is it worth a lot?
- My home decor is more Chesapeake Bay than Hopi Indian.
- Hey. Thought you were on a lunch date.
- I am. Can't you tell?
- Where's the date? - He's running late.
By about 35 minutes.
Ahem!
Can I help you, sir? - Maybe I can help you with something.
Your assignment. Why don't you let your editor buy you lunch?
- But what if our lunch doesn't go well
and I write about it?
- Okay, well, then I will take my chances.
- I guess I could go for a little bite.
- All right. - But I don't want to spoil my dinner.
I've got a date later, and he seems like a winner.
He's into photography, Thai food, and...
he's pretty cute.
- Right.
- Come in.
- Thank you for seeing me,
Madame Mayor. - I like to make myself available
for my constituents, Mr., uh... Dressel.
- Call me Grant. I'm a marketer, and I read about your auction in the paper.
- And you have a contribution? - Not exactly, but for a reasonable price,
I can make an online catalogue of all the items up for auction. Get the word out.
- I need to raise money, not spend it. - But seeing the items
would really peak interest, get people to, uh...
...loosen their purse strings.
- Cassie. - Pardon?
- Nothing.
A little voice tells me that I should hire you.
- I put all the items in the showca...
Showcase. And I locked it.
- Audrey, this is Grant Dressel.
- Hello.
- Hi.
- He's going to be making an online catalogue of all of our auction pieces.
Ooh! Perhaps you could work with him?
- Of course.
Excuse me.
- Now, I should warn you, we have limited funds,
and I'm a tough, tough negotiator,
so what will the webpage look like, and how much will it cost?
- Yes, if that's the next one available.
And is it nonstop? Great.
I'll take it. My name?
My name is Cassie.
Cassie Nightingale.
- That was a busy morning. - Yeah, but look at all we got done!
- Yeah.
I love it here.
- Me too.
Brings back a lot of good memories.
- What is it?
- We forgot to order the embroidered napkins.
They're never gonna be ready in time.
- We can use these. I have extras.
Tara...
what's wrong?
I thought you liked the casual wedding idea. - I do.
But a few traditional touches would be nice.
- Tradition takes time.
We have five days.
- I said traditional touches.
I didn't say a full symphony with half a dozen bridesmaids.
What about your wedding vows? Have you written them yet?
- I thought I would wing it.
- Wing it?
Brandon,
these are our vows to each other.
For life. How can you even think
of just saying any old thing that pops in your head?
- I thought that you liked that I was spontaneous.
I thought that was something that we had in common.
- Well, maybe we don't have as much in common
as we thought.
- Tara.
Tara!
- OK, "A" is for apple.
"B" is for boy.
What is the "C" for? - Swimming.
- No. Well, yes, sort of.
The sea you're talking about,
the ocean, starts with an "S".
- Ocean starts with an "O".
"C" is for...
cat?
Grace?
- Grandpa!
- Sweetheart...
Pumpkin, you have to take your schoolwork seriously.
- Okay.
- School time is learning time.
How'd you like to learn how to tie that shoe?
- I already know. - Really?
How did you do that?
- Ms. Bryson showed me.
- Well, that's a fine job.
- Take a picture, Grandpa.
- I think we'd better move on to numbers.
Besides, Grandpa's doesn't know where there's a camera.
- Please, Grandpa?
- My phone is a camera, yeah.
- Your painting is the perfect auction item
for our new park. No?
Oh, I apologize, I'd have thought for sure
that Audrey would've picked it up by now.
You know what? I'll have it off your hands within the hour.
Thank you, Mr. Levine.
Audrey?
Hello?
- Derek has a date with her tonight, and she's not answering her phone.
- Jake, I'm really worried for her.
- Well, I'll find her.
Cassie...
I will. I'll find her.
- That's not all.
My great-grandfather's pocket watch,
the one for Brandon. It's missing.
Martha, Audrey's gone.
- Well, that's not all that's gone.
We are missing every last auction item from the display.
- No... - And I believe
that you entrusted Audrey with the only key.
- Did you have trouble getting Grace to bed?
- No trouble at all. Not a care in her world.
I was up in my sitting room, thinking.
- I've checked the airports, the trains, the buses.
If she is gone, she hasn't gone far. Not with all those auction items.
- Well, if we can't find her,
maybe she's lost.
- I need to go back to the station and review those surveillance videos.
Maybe you should go to the store and see if anything else is missing.
- A friend is missing.
- Cassie, a friend? You hardly know her.
- Well, there are some people you know really well right away.
- Like when I met you.
- I just want to find her.
- We will.
- Everything's been so rough for all of us lately, with you and Martha...
- George...
Grace hasn't exactly been a model student.
- Lori's feeling down, and now Brandon and Tara.
- Yeah, well, they'll be okay.
- They haven't been seeing eye to eye.
Even if it all comes together, there won't be a wedding
unless the two of them are together in spirit.
- They have been under a lot of pressure lately.
- No, it's more than that.
- Dad, Cassie.
You got a minute? - Sure.
What is it?
- There's... there's no other way to say this, but...
Tara and I have broken up. The wedding's off.
- So I used to date this girl,
and she would always bring her own salt and pepper shakers
to restaurants. So when you put this on the table, I...
- What did you think it was? - I wasn't sure.
Like a box of fried chicken in case you didn't like your entree.
Well, I never dine
without my camera obscura.
- That's a little weird.
But cute.
- Care for dessert this evening? - Uh, yeah. Definitely.
- But first, would you mind taking our photo?
- Sure.
- You just wind it three times and then shoot.
- Hold it.
Nice.
- Thanks. - I think that's a keeper. - Lori?!
Hey! I didn't think I'd find you here.
- Jim, what are you doing here?
- I was having coffee with a friend...
of mine.
- Right.
- What, you think I came here just to see you?
Hey, thanks for the latte.
Mind if I sit down?
- Yeah, uh, sure. - Thank you.
- Excuse me.
- Where are you going?
- I need to use the ladies room. Do you want to follow me?
- No.
Hey. - Hey.
- How's it going?
- It was going really well.
- You need to see this right away.
I put an APB out with every pawn shop within a 150-mile radius
and I asked them for copies of their video surveillance tapes
over the past 24 hours. - I couldn't believe it myself till I saw it.
- OK, Derek, stop the tape. Zoom in.
That's Audrey!
I knew there was something off about that woman.
- She fooled me too, Cassie.
- Cassie, are you okay?
- No, I'm not.
- Don't worry, I'll finish by deadline.
- Lori,
do I look worried?
You've never let me down before.
I mean, you're cutting it a little close on this one.
- I know. I was hoping I'd hear from Sean by now.
For the article. - Uh, Sean?
- The guy from the dinner date you crashed?
He hasn't called.
- Well, I'm sure he will.
- Yeah? What makes you so sure?
- Are you kidding?
Lori, come on, you...
you're smart.
You're so smart, you're so funny...
- Don't stop. Keep it coming.
Keep it coming.
- So pretty.
And, uh... you have this certain way
that you bite on your lower lip...
That's the one.
Uh... what were we talking about?
- My lower lip.
- OK. So, I gotta... I've gotta go scan some homecoming posters.
- What kind of tea was that? - Lapsang souchong.
You liked it? - Yeah.
Pretty good.
- From the way you're looking into your cup, I thought you were reading your tea leaves.
May I?
The leaves that are left
form shapes. What do you see?
- I don't know, sticks?
No, bones.
- Bones suggest doubt.
It's not the rush or the different plans
that have come between you and Tara.
It's doubt.
- I don't want to lose her, but if we can't manage a wedding,
how are we going to manage a lifetime of marriage?
- It's normal to have doubts.
I have some terrible doubts of my own right now.
- About me? - No, no. Someone else.
You know, when your father and I first announced our wedding, Brandon, I was so nervous.
A free spirit like me,
marrying a policeman? How was that ever gonna work?
- But it did.
It's just, the music business is intense, and...
I want to give 100% to my job and 100% to Tara.
It doesn't add up.
- Your problems aren't doubled when you get married.
With the right partner, they're cut in half.
- I love her, Cassie.
- Then the two of you can do things
you never dreamed possible, with love.
- Based on the transaction pattern,
she's working her way north. That could take her
through Chester, and we're working with the sheriff there, so...
- Nothing else?
- We've recovered her fingerprints
off of every item from the auction, and matched them
to the fingerprints of hers taken from your shop.
Other than that, it's all I know.
- Jake, I'm sorry to ask so many questions,
but you've gotta find a suspect.
I've lost a friend, and I miss her.
- You miss her? After what she's done to you,
to this town? You know, I found out
Bennett isn't her real last name.
- Jake, Cassie Nightingale wasn't my real name either.
- I know you want to give Audrey the benefit of the doubt, but I'm a cop.
I have to follow the evidence.
And I have to file all these status reports
because Martha keeps checking in with me every minute.
That's why I wanted to come for lunch, just so I could get away from her.
- That does sound like a problem. - You know what the problem is?
The problem is you trusted Audrey.
And of course, I trusted you.
And then Audrey robbed us blind,
and now Martha doesn't trust me.
- Just give it time.
- We are just from two different planets.
- Kind of like the two of us.
Sometimes,
opposites attract. It's the law of magnetism.
Ah, ah, ah...
Martha. Again!
- Hey. Take this in.
We should get a lot for it.
- I can't. - Sure you can.
You can, and you will.
- Look, it's bad enough that you forced me to steal
those auction items, but this is...
this is Cassie's watch. I can't. I can't do that to her.
Haven't I paid you enough?
- No.
You stole from me.
I could file charges.
- Those things I took
from the house, they... they were mine.
You promised me
that if I stole those showcase items and gave you the money,
you would let me go.
- What makes you think
that I will ever let you go?
Either you come home with me,
or I'll have the police throw you in jail where you belong.
- Why can't we just end this?
- Because you're my wife.
And don't get any ideas about running to your friend Cassie.
I know how to deal with her as well. Did you really think that I wasn't gonna find you here?
All I had to do was look in your computer's cache. It was loaded with searches for Middleton.
- Please... - Now you're wanted in Middleton too.
You've got a choice.
Either you go to prison,
or you stick with me,
like a good little girl.
I'll protect you.
- Okay.
You win.
- Audrey! Get back here!
You can't run fast enough, Audrey!
You know I'll find you!
- Hello, Audrey.
- I'm sorry, Cassie.
You've been such a good friend to me,
and I've let you down.
- Audrey, seeing you here
has brought me right back up again.
- Here.
I was about to pawn it,
but I couldn't do it,
not to you.
- Thank you for keeping it safe.
I was worried.
- I never let it out of my sight.
- I meant worried about you.
- Don't be.
I'm going someplace that I can be safe.
- Hi, Audrey. It's nice to see you again.
- I'm sorry, Derek.
Chief Russell,
I stole the auction items from the showcase.
- Audrey, don't say any more. You know, you have the right to an attorney.
- I don't want one. I came back to confess everything.
- Audrey, I haven't known you long,
but I hope I know you well.
And you're not telling us something.
- I pawned all I could for cash.
But I came back,
because of you.
- Well, you're doing the honorable thing, Audrey,
but... these are serious charges.
- I know. It's only right I get what I deserve.
- Well, that'll be for our judge to decide, and he's not available until tomorrow,
so until then, I have no choice--
Derek.
Could you place Audrey in custody, please?
- Come on.
- I can't help but feel she deserves better.
- Maybe so, but...
it doesn't look good. - No, it doesn't.
- Maybe you didn't know her as well as you thought you did.
- Perhaps I should get
to know her better.
- Jim?
We need to talk. - I know.
I crossed the line and I shouldn't have. - It's about Sean.
My date. I just got an email from him.
- Oh. How's that going?
- Not well. - Why not?
I made him think I was only on the date for the article, and not because
I actually liked him. - Okay, Lori, I-- - And I know why.
You thought the article would be more interesting if the dates didn't go well.
- No, Lori, that's-- - And the worst part is you acted like you liked me.
- Lori, I do like you! - You kissed me,
and then you turned and walked away.
- No. No, there's more than that. You don't understand-- - No, I get it. I got it.
And this time, I'm walking away.
- I'm sorry to hear about Audrey.
- I'm just relieved she's okay.
How about you? Are you okay?
- I've been better.
But just I wanted to thank you so much for all your hard work.
I'm sorry it's all gone to waste.
- Nothing we do in life is ever wasted.
Even the worst things can lead to something better.
- I wish I could believe that,
but right now...
- You're being pulled apart.
- By Brandon and Aunt Beverly,
the two people I care about most, and... it hurts.
- Sometimes, when Jake and I have troubles,
I go to a quiet place and remember how it all began.
All the reasons we fell in love
and all the reasons we love each other now more than ever.
- It's hard to remember the good memories right now.
- Then that's the best time to make new ones.
I brought you some of my homemade almond cookies dipped in chocolate.
I call them Harvest Moons. I think you'll like them.
We have similar tastes.
- Thank you, Cassie.
- How long have you been running?
- I don't know what you're talking about.
- Audrey, I came here to listen.
- A long time.
And I'm tired of running.
- That's why you're here,
safe but lonely.
- I married Grant.
He was such a great guy at first.
But then he started telling me who I could see,
and where I could go.
Eventually he didn't want me going anywhere,
and when I did, he got very,
very angry.
So, I went out anyway.
Far away as I could go.
I tried to change my name and...
He found me.
He always finds me.
I wish I could just disappear.
- But then I wouldn't be able to see you.
- The reason that I stole those things is because he threatened me,
and you.
He promised me a way out.
He lied.
- You need to tell Jake everything you just told me.
- The police do not see that side of him. They are no help.
- Jake will help. We all will, working together.
- You don't understand, Cassie.
He's a dangerous man. He will come after me.
He always does. No matter where I go,
he finds me, and he will come after you and your family
if you get in his way. - I'm not afraid.
- I won't take that chance.
I'm safer here.
We all are.
Besides, I think
I've done enough damage.
- Not to me.
Just the opposite. Audrey,
I'm better for knowing you. A friend
is someone who understands you, who listens to you.
Someone who is there for you. You were all those things for me
this past week. I just hope you'll let me
repay the favor. One friend to another.
Hang in there. It's gonna get better.
- Yoo-hoo!
Yoo-hoo! Mr. Dressel!
I have to apologize for canceling your catalogue. - No harm done.
- Oh, I wish that were true.
- I'm really sorry about your fundraiser
and your park.
It was really nice having met you.
- And to think we had all the money we needed all along.
- How so?
- One of the items that was stolen, that little wooden doll?
Mr. Tyler,
our museum curator, saw all of the auction items when they were in the display case.
It's a Kachina Doll.
- So?
- A hand-carved Hopi Indian Kachina Doll.
Apparently a rare one.
He says it could be worth up to $50,000.
Of course, Cassie had no idea. And now it's gone,
likely forever. Can you imagine?
$50,000 would have paid
for all of the Middleton Botanical Gardens.
- Brandon.
- Tara?
How'd you know I was here?
- I didn't.
I was just thinking about what Cassie told me, and...
I don't know, I just...
wanted to go to a quiet place and think about us,
how this all started.
Then I remembered it all started here.
- This is where I proposed to you.
- Sorry, did I interrupt your phone call?
- I was about to call the music company.
I'm going to walk away from this tour.
- You can't give that up.
Brandon, every time you talked about that job, you were so excited.
- I was more excited about us.
About starting our lives together.
That's why I wanted to rush this wedding.
The tour means nothing to me without you.
- Are you sure?
- I've never been more sure
about anything in my life.
Tara,
will you marry me?
Tara, if you want a more traditional wedding,
I'll find some way to do it. Even in a day and a half.
I'll do it.
- I think as long as we're together,
we can do anything.
- I'm glad the wedding's back on.
It'll be fun.
Even if I do go alone.
- You'll find him, Lori. - Who?
- The right one.
- Yeah, but when?
- You just have to picture
that it will all work out.
- Oh, that reminds me.
My pictures for the article. I have to pick them up from the lab tomorrow.
- Oh, hello,
Mr. O'Hanrahan. How is Grace
enjoying her break? - I decided to use the time
to go over a few of the basics with her.
- I bet she enjoyed that. - I'm not so sure.
- Well, Grace is a very loving child, and eager to learn.
- I know that now.
She gets it from her parents.
- Not just her parents. Let me show you something.
Here. - Grace drew this?
- Mm-hmm.
- Is that supposed to be me?
- She has a very high opinion of you.
- I'm in a lot of these. - Mm-hmm.
Fishing, hiking, fixing her bike.
- I had no idea.
- Looks like you've shared a lot of things she thinks are worth drawing.
And I have a feeling you will always be
a big part of her life.
- Thanks for these.
- Don't thank me, thank the artist.
- You know, I only want what's best for her.
- Of course, so do I.
- You know, your method,
with fun and freedom,
is what's best for her right now.
- Really? What changed your mind?
- I found out that she learned a lot from you.
- Well, the best teachers are always learning from their students.
- Funny. That's exactly what her mother told me.
Cassie.
- Come in.
- You must be the curator. - Yes.
- Grant Dressel. - Hi.
- Thanks for agreeing to see me on a Saturday. - Did you bring it?
Oh...
oh my...
- Yes? - Yes, indeed.
It's authentic. You can tell that it's been carved
from a single block of wood.
Perfect condition.
- How much do you think it's worth?
- I'd say 15 to 20 years in jail.
You're under arrest.
Great job, thank you.
- This week has been a blur all right.
Hey, it's Lori. Is Jim there?
Are you kidding? When?
But why would he quit?
Yeah.
Right, okay. Thanks.
- What a glorious turn of events.
- I can hardly believe it. - Well,
there's one person who never stopped believing in me...
- A lot of people here played a part.
- Especially Martha.
Job well done, Madame Mayor.
- I could say the same about you.
Oh, and I will. Very well done, Chief.
I must say that it was a very clever scheme on my part.
Our part.
- You know,
despite your differences, you two really came together on this one.
- We sure did. We were like a magnetic force.
Who'd a thought?
- When Martha told Grant that the Kachina Doll was worth 50 grand,
we knew he couldn't resist.
- But weren't you worried that he would make off with it?
- Audrey, this doll Cassie gave me is a flawed replica.
Cute, but worth less than $15. - I'd say it was worth
more than that. It put Grant behind bars,
and it bought Audrey her freedom.
- And now you can have your auction. - We will,
but obviously not today. Gentlemen, come with me.
I want to take official inventory of all that we've recovered. Come on.
- I don't know what to say.
- You don't have to say a thing.
That's the beauty of real friendship. You just know.
- Still,
if there's anything I can do for you, Cassie...
- There is. There's lots to do.
My son is getting married tomorrow.
- Jim?
- You found me. - I figured it was you
hiding behind Edgar Allan Poe. - Yeah, well, like they said,
he was the master of suspense.
- And romanticism.
- Did you know he was actually a really good journalist?
- Hm! - Just like you.
- I guess I have a knack for finding a good story.
You know, you didn't have to quit the paper.
- Yeah, I did.
- Well, I want you to reconsider, because you're a great editor,
even though we've had our problems recently-- - Lori,
I didn't crash your dates in the hopes of getting a better story.
I didn't.
I did it because I like you. - That's a funny way to show it.
- No, like, I really like you.
A lot.
- Well, I really like you. A lot.
- That's why I quit.
Editors can't date
their writers, so...
I thought maybe if I gave up being editor, hopefully...
maybe I could be your date at the wedding?
- My date?
That's not what I want.
- Oh...
It's not?
- No.
I want you to be my boyfriend.
- George, I'm really sorry Gwen couldn't make it.
- With one day's notice, all the flights were booked.
But that's okay...
I'm recording it for her on my phone.
This new technology is unbelievable.
- But seriously, I mean,
who'd have thought something as strange as a camera obscura
would've brought us together? - Cassie thought it.
- Oh, Cassie.
You've been right all along. Look at all the happy faces.
- With a loving aunt like you, Tara could never be disappointed.
- Well, she did get the wedding she always wanted,
after all, because she's marrying the perfect guy.
Oh, excuse me.
I have a short walk to take.
Oh, you look so happy.
I couldn't ask for anything more.
Shall we? - Yes.
- Aw...
- Nice boots.
- Yours too.
- You're being a very good girl. - I know.
- Dearly beloved
friends, family and well-wishers.
We are gathered together to celebrate the marriage
of Tara and Brandon.
Isn't it amazing
how the good people of Middleton never fail
to rise to the occasion and come together
just when we need each other most?
In fact,
it reminds me of my own wedding, actually,
on a summer afternoon right here in Middleton when--
- Excuse me, Martha.
Could I say something? - Yes, yes, of course. I'm so sorry. Go.
- Your vows?
- Yeah.
- I thought you were going to wing it.
- I've been thinking about it since the day I met you.
Tara, from the first moment we met,
I knew you were someone special.
It was magic that brought us together.
And since then,
the times we've spent together
have been the best times of my life.
We're standing on almost the exact spot
where I proposed to you that summer night.
And it feels so right
to stand here again, sharing our vows,
because just like
this beautiful green garden that's all around us,
I know that we've found a love
that can only grow with time.
Tara,
I promise
I will always love you
for the rest of our lives.
- Sweetie, it's too early to clean that up.
Grace...
where did you get that?
- What's that delicious smell?
- Your wedding cake. - Spice cupcakes?
- Cinnamon. That's the same spice
that was in Brandon's cookies the first day we met.
- Hello, Cassie. - Martha,
you did a beautiful job up there.
- Thanks to this wedding, we now have a beautiful showcase that will inspire
the business community to help make Middleton Gardens a reality.
All because of you.
- Martha, it was you who inspired me.
You recovered all the auction items.
You designed Middleton's Botanical Gardens.
And you married Brandon and Tara
with an elegant speech,
all in your first week as mayor.
- Imagine what I can do during my full term!
- I think you'll do an outstanding job as mayor.
- Well, you haven't been wrong yet.
Thank you, Cassie.
- Cassie. I have some good news. - Oh?
- I told you how I've always wanted to care for animals.
I'm going to veterinary school. - Wow!
Will that take you far from Middleton? - The school's between here
and Maddox, so I'm going to be working at your animal shelter to help pay for tuition.
- I am so happy for you. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help.
- Of course. But, Cassie...
you've already helped me,
more than I can say.
- When did you decide to do this?
- In my cell.
I had a lot of time to think.
And this...
helped to give me focus.
And courage.
But I won't be needing it anymore.
- No, I don't believe you will.
- To think, if I'd never found that website for Middleton...
I would never have found you.
- Friends always have a way of finding each other.
***
- You put the bubbles in my champagne.
- They did that in France. I had nothing to do with it.
- I don't believe you.
Look at all this.
- Well. Maybe a little.
- I think I was right to trust my partner.
- * I can take you... - Finally.
A slow song. - What, you don't like rock n roll?
- I love it. But slow songs
let me get close to the love of my life.
- I've never felt closer to you.
***
- Have you ever seen so many happy faces?
- There's nothing like the joy of two people
finding their perfect partner.
- Come on, let's move to the dance floor. I think the footing will be better.
- Jake, I am dancing on air.