Original air date: May 1, 1999

Written by: Tommy Thompson

Directed by: Michael J. Klick

Both Jarod and Miss Parker are certain the Centre is behind the murder of Miss Parker’s boyfriend.

Jarod’s Discoveries:

Jarod’s Occupations: Coroner

Jarod’s Aliases: Jarod

Behind the scenes insights and the Creator’s Take

Official Synopsis

Jarod suspects Centre involvement when Miss Parker’s boyfriend is murdered.

Miss Parker experiences a dream in which her mother assures her that, someday, she will find someone to love.  When Miss Parker awakens, she hears the sound of the shower running.  She enters the bathroom to check on Thomas, but finds the stall empty.  A short time later, she discovers Thomas’ body on the front porch, his eyes wide open, a bullet hole in his temple.  Miss Parker calls to a nearby trash man for help.  The trash man telephones police about the murder, then speeds away in his pick-up truck.

Detective Miller questions Miss Parker about the murder.  As first, police view her as a possible suspect.  Miss Parker admits that she owns a 9 millimeter Smith & Wesson.  She also informs Miller about her work at the Centre, which she dubs “a think tank.”  During the interview, Miller reveals that Thomas was killed with a 9 millimeter handgun.  Later that day, Sydney, Broots and Lyle pick up Miss Parker at the police station.  She assures them that she played no role in Thomas’ murder.  Meanwhile, Jarod learns about the murder while viewing a television news program.  He telephones Miss Parker and suggests that she take a closer look at the people around her…and search for the missing pieces.  Later, Detective Miller informs Miss Parker that a suspect was taken into custody—a man carrying a 9 millimeter weapon who was covered in Thomas Gates’ blood.

The suspect turns out to be Wade Dawson, a small time drug dealer who lives in a shack near Thomas’ home.  Miller shows Miss Parker photographs discovered amongst Dawson’s possessions, shots of Parker and Thomas in romantic moments.  Miss Parker observes as Detective Mitch Calvin questions Dawson inside a police interrogation room.  Dawson, who is going through the first stages of a narcotics withdrawal, can only think about his next fix.  He insists he had nothing to do with the murder.  But when Calvin pressures him, he asks if they have the Playboy Channel in prison.  Furious, Miss Parker storms into the interview room and threatens to kill Calvin.  The detectives must pull her off the suspect.

After Thomas’ funeral, Miss Parker gets drunk at a bar.  Jarod pays her an unexpected visit.  He tells her that Calvin died of a drug overdose inside his jail cell.  Miss Parker begins to suspect Centre involvement.  She, Sydney and Broots search through Calvin’s shack, where they come upon pharmaceutical grade morphine.  No one can explain how a small time dealer came to possess the drug.  Miss Parker instructs Broots to check the vials for fingerprints.  But Broots is unable to find any prints other than Calvin’s.

Jarod infiltrates the county coroner’s office and accesses Calvin’s body.  He telephones Miss Parker with word that traces of strychnine were discovered in his body.  Miss Parker realizes Calvin was murdered before he could talk.  She arranges a meeting with Detective Miller, who, with twenty-three years on the force, seems the only person involved in the situation who is operating without an agenda.  But on her way to the meeting, Miss Parker happens upon the scene of a car accident.  She discovers that Miller died in the mishap.

Jarod follows Miss Parker to an automobile impound area.  He tells her that Miller’s brake line has been intentionally severed.  Both Jarod and Miss Parker are certain of the Centre’s involvement.  Later, Broots taps into the Blue Cove Police Department’s videotape archive.  He and Miss Parker scrutinize surveillance footage of the jail’s prisoner visiting area.  They watch as a figure, his back to the camera, passes a small packet to Calvin.  As Broots freezes the tape, Miss Parker realizes the figure is none other than the Trash Man (who had earlier telephone police about Thomas’ murder).

Broots uses his computer resources to pinpoint the Trash Man’s place of employment.  Co-workers identify the man as Lester Carmichael.  Parker finds Lester and places a gun to his neck.   Frightened, Lester reveals how he was paid to telephone police about the body.  He also admits that he gave Calvin a packet of drugs.  Lester agrees to cooperate with Miss Parker’s investigation—with the proviso he be given a half a million dollars.

Miss Parker informs her father about the developments.  Mr. Parker agrees that half a million dollars would be a small price to pay for his daughter’s peace of mind.  He then instructs his daughter to find Lester and bring him to the Centre.  But when Miss Parker, Sydney and Broots return to the automobile repair shop, they discover a car idling in the garage, a hose running from the exhaust pipe to the trunk.   Lester’s body is discovered in the trunk of the car, an apparent suicide victim.  Suddenly, the garage lights come on, and Mr. Parker, Lyle and Brigitte step forward.  Mr. Parker arranges for a sweeper team to clean up the situation.

As Miss Parker visits Thomas’ grave, she receives a phone call from Jarod.  Miss Parker assures Jarod that she will wait until the incident is seemingly forgotten… and then make those responsible pay for their actions.  Jarod then alerts Miss Parker about a nearby present, left under a tree.  Miss Parker unwraps the package, finding a portrait of herself in broken glass.  The only piece missing is where her heart should be.  Jarod reminds her not to stop looking until all the missing pieces have been found.  A short time later, Miss Parker recalls what her mother said to her about someday finding someone to love.