Episode 9 of Season 3 of "Only Murders in the Building" kicks off with a haunting nightmare that engulfs Mabel's restless slumber in the hospital, where Oliver, her beloved friend, has been recuperating for half a week. Despite his imminent discharge, Mabel's dreamscape mirrors her own anxieties—the looming milestone of turning 30 and the elusive prospect of a settled life with a family.
And speaking of absences, where has Tobert vanished to? His sudden disappearance from the narrative feels like a cliffhanger, leaving us all in suspense. But fret not, as this episode promises to unravel the mystery surrounding his whereabouts.
With Oliver's heart scare now a distant memory, Loretta confined to prison's walls, and the inseparable trio reunited, they eagerly embark on solving the enigmatic murder of a once-glorious movie star. The air crackles with nostalgia as they step back into Charles' cozy abode, where an unexpected package from Joy's mother awaits. Inside lies the exquisite wedding gown, a symbol of the union Joy was meant to forge, now a poignant reminder of the path not taken.
Shifting gears from Charles' emotional reverie, the trio dives into their investigation, interrogating Dickie for clues. Despite his shady past, Dickie manages to clear his name, recounting his whereabouts the fateful night Ben met his demise. Terrified by Ben's uncanny resurrection, Dickie donned his CoBro attire and fled to a haunt frequented by Ben, nestled between 35th Street and Broadway. "I summoned the services of five ladies of the night and found solace in slumber on the very doorstep," Dickie confesses, producing a grainy photo on his phone as proof. Though he shared this with the police as an alibi, they dismissed it, his face obscured by shadows. Dickie's confusion deepens as he ponders Loretta's selfless sacrifice, unaware of the intricate web that binds her to their investigation.
The trio eagerly ventures forth to unravel the enigmatic veil shrouding this peculiar locale. Little do they know, "Snitches Get Stitches" is but a fabric emporium, where the enigmatic "five whores" reveal themselves as a quintet of elderly, demure dames who ply their trade in the art of tailoring. Seamstresses, indeed! Among them, Ben was a regular in a sewing circle that convened weekly within the shop's cozy confines. Their last sighting of him coincided with the curtain's maiden rise on opening night. Intriguingly, these skilled fingers stitched every handkerchief Ben doled out to his fellow cast members.
Trixie, one of these proficient seamstresses, unearths a haunting audio clip—a voicemail from Ben, transmitted mere moments before the stage lights dimmed. His voice, laced with desperation, echoes through the air: "They're all gunning for me!" The conundrum now looms large: what transpired during those fateful "thirty minutes," sandwiched between Ben's pristine arrival at the theater and the transmission of that chilling message?
Charles, ever the strategic thinker, proposes constructing a meticulous timeline, piecing together snippets from the covert camera's interviews with Williams. The footage reveals Ben's tardy entrance, much to KT's disappointment. Cliff was the next to cross paths with him, revealing that Ben had been observing a strict fast until the show's conclusion.
Dickie's confession unravels another layer: Ben discovered Dickie's intention to relinquish his managerial duties, a move instigated by Loretta. This revelation sparked a fiery confrontation between Ben and Loretta. Soon after, Howard's eavesdropping leads him to KT's office, where the sound of a shredder echoes ominously. The altercation between Ben and Loretta escalates, with Charles' impulsive punch leaving a mark on Ben's face. Joy, ever the caretaker, tends to the bruise in Ben's dressing room.
Donna's pep talk to Ben is a testament to a mother's unwavering support. She refuses to let her son's maiden production falter. Yet, Ben's already frayed emotions lead him to dismiss Tobert and retreat to his dressing room, camera in hand. The footage from Tobert's lens captures a haunting scene: Ben engaged in a mysterious conversation with an unseen figure, or perhaps, with himself. The question lingers: who, or what, shares that room with him? Is he truly alone, or merely speaking to the void?
Loretta's arraignment looms at the stroke of five that fateful day, and Mabel, her spirits sagging, informs them grimly that unraveling the murder mystery before then seems an insurmountable task. The trio finds themselves immersed in introspection, each grappling with the solitude that enshrouds their lives, devoid of a comforting embrace. Suddenly, Mabel's revelation that it's her thirtieth birthday startles both Charles and Oliver, casting a new light on their melancholic gathering.
Enter Howard, his gait unsteady, a blur of vision, brandishing a makeshift patchwork of shredded paper that somehow holds together the words of Maxine's scathing review. Oliver's eyes light up with recognition; the text lambasts Ben as the play's Achilles' heel. A chilling thought crystallizes: could someone, privy to this critique, have sought to preemptively eliminate him, fearing the repercussions on numerous careers?
Defying his doctor's orders for a healthier diet, Oliver concocts a hasty birthday cake for Mabel, indulging in forbidden delights from Charles' fridge, his mischievous remarks about the food only serving to enlighten Mabel on Ben's fateful evening. It was the Schmackery's cookie, a gift from Cliff, that Ben consumed in its entirety, triggering a spiral of self-loathing. The scathing "F*cking Pig" etched on the mirror was Ben's own bitter retribution, followed by a desperate voicemail to Trixie.
Oliver's deduction unmasks Donna as the orchestrator. Her motives were clear—to safeguard Cliff's maiden production from failure. She had whispered the review's damning line to Oliver during Sitzprobe, her connections granting her access to an advance copy. Donna, the shredder of the review found amidst KT's office, where rat poison and the cookie lingered, had planted the latter, hoping Ben's demise would seal her scheme. Thus, Donna emerges as the culprit.
Yet, time ticks mercilessly towards Loretta's arraignment. Mabel, in a stroke of ingenuity, dons Joy's wedding gown, a disguise that grants her unfettered access to the courtroom. Oliver, his charm on full display, maneuvers his way to Loretta, whispering the truth amidst flirtatious banter. Loretta stands poised on the brink, uncertain if she can reverse the course she's charted, her gaze lingering on Donna's presence, a stark reminder of the web of deceit that entangles them all.
