Eye of the Needle

**\* GALLERY**

## Synopsis

Jessica continues to search for more information on the "Girl in the Box," but is confronted by the "Carousel Killer," who has a very public vendetta against The Whitlys. While the NYPD investigates families tied to Martin's victims, it's ultimately up to Malcolm and Jessica to track down the tip-line caller - turned killer - who is blackmailing her. Meanwhile, Ainsley receives a big promotion at work, but quickly realizes she may never escape the high demand for serial killer reports.

## Plot

*2007*

Inside Claremont Psychiatric Hospital, Malcolm was approximately 17 before entering Harvard while visiting his dad they were discussing possible ways to kill someone, even escalating to possible ways to kill each other. Martin even became a little cold and direct in his explanation towards Malcolm.

The Whitly Family were celebrating over breakfast Ainsley's new job promotion, as she would now be an on-screen anchor instead of in the field. She excused herself not wanting to be late to work. Jessica explained she had errands to run, but upon further investigation by Malcolm, found that she was meeting someone with potential information about the woman in the box. Malcolm insisted on accompanying her to the park, and meet this person outside the merry-go-round. After waiting they entered the abandoned theme section and it immediately turned on. Malcolm was the first to see the body and yelled for his mother to shield her eyes. A man in a blue sweater who she was supposed to me, was tied to one of the horses with his throat slit. Malcolm called his entire team, and Dr. Edrisa Tanaka was able to examine the body and come to the conclusion that he had died most likely the night before. Meaning Jessica had been talking to the Keller on the phone when she received the tip.

Ainsley was getting ready for her first in-house news program when her producer Leslie informed her she was going on now as in the legend killer had called with information and only wanted to release it to her. Ainsley was a little hesitant but decided to go through with it. She greeted at the collar on air as requested, to which he accused both her parents for allowing people to die. Ainsley defended her mother, before the man confirmed more people would die unless he received a ransom of $1 million, before hanging up on her. Unbeknownst to her, her mom, Malcolm and his team were all watching it from the precinct. Jessica offers they wanted to pay the money but Gil insisted it was a bad idea, and try to convince her to go home and let them handle this.

Martin was in his room making a clay sculpture when Mr. David turned on the TV and they were greeted with his daughter’s recap of the carousel killer. Meanwhile Malcolm and his team went down to the new station, where he tried to coach his sister what to say that she reminded him she knew what she was doing. While Gil and JT went to interview the *Lehrer brothers*. Two men that had been accused of killing their mother before it was discovered the surgeon was responsible. Only *Ari Lehrer* was there, and admittedly at the weather had been acting a rather strange, but he was currently out sick.

Ainsley was again put on life TV and was greeted by a phone call from her father the surgeon. There he boasted that the killings all had to do with him, to which Ainsley reminded him he was a narcissist and would think that no matter what. He agreed but laid out his reasoning anyway. Well talking it was revealed the sculptor he had been molding was of himself. He admitted profit motivated killers had always been a bit of a mystery to him, and that he didn't think he was actually motivated by money, but his motivations were all about him, The Surgeon. Convinced the carousel Keller is connected to one of his victims. Believing everything he's done as a distraction, and he wants something else. But before answering what, claims to be out of phone time and swiftly hangs up. They received another call from the killer who demands the money where Mr. and Mrs. Whitley first met. Malcolm calls his mom demanding to know where they met. She had been watching the news cast the entire time, and claims she doesn't remember, but secretly has every intention of paying the million dollars.

Jessica goes to the park and after sitting down on a bench finds the phone taped to the bottom. She answers and soon locates him on top of the roof holding another man, threatening to push him if she has a follow orders. He demands she really saw the money, and as it blows in the wind strangers come from all around to grab $100 bills. In the chaos he has disappeared from the roof but pushed the man off. Gil finds her and her escorts her away, as JT runs to the body, but confirmed he is dead.

Gil and make a score Jessica to her car she is traumatized that the man still died even though she paid him and did what he wanted. Make confirms it was never about the money, and it's good that she doesn't understand, because she is a good person. Inside the car Jessica finds her person she previously lost at the carousel, inside is another phone. Choose answers are and is instructed to use the plastic weapon he put inside to kill her husband. It is a company with a photo, insisting that the woman in the photo will die if she does not.

Malcolm is already at the Claremont Psychiatric Hospital and questions his father with a photo asking if he knows who it is that he d does not. Mica demand to know if there was more than 23 victims, as so far none of the other family members match, or could possibly be the carousel Keller. He avoids the question and asks if he saw him on Ainsley show. Malcolm was about to leave angry but is interrupted when he sees his mom. She asks Malcolm to leave that she wants to talk to her ex-husband and private. Martin makes a joke but Malcolm realizes something is wrong. Marchand oh he doesn't know what's happening is rather entertained by the entire situation. They both know something is amuck as Jessica is acting oddly. She finally admits she has to kill a Martin, to which he begins paying closer attention. She shows off the photo of the woman being held captive and Martin recognizes her as, *Cathy Paul* from *Tarrytown Medical Center* one of his OR nurses. After looking at the foot of the dead man he realizes he is *Dr. Jack Weaver*. he then remembers the only person to ever die on his operating table was named *Amelia Wheaton*, her heart was too damaged and he could not save her. Malcolm questions if he did it on purpose but he insists he never killed a patient. Jessica and Malcolm began arguing on what to do. If they should kill Martin to save her life. Bike gets the weapon away from his mother, and decides to confront his dad about wanting him dead as a child. Martin admits he did, but it is clear he's possibly offering himself up as a martyr. Something his ex-wife calls about for. Malcolm builds up his courage and stabs his father through the chest with the makeshift weapon. They are both surprised as he falls to the ground.

Ainsley and her producer Leslie terror in her change them after her first day. She questions if every time a killer calls if they will just put them on the news. Leslie reminds her she was just doing her she was told. She is also concerned that no inner family of answering her phone calls.

Malcolm is in the view room of the hospital watching his father undergo heart surgery. He is reminded back to one of their last conversations before he went off to Hartford. Did they discuss the case of *The St. Paul's Stabber* who was stabbed in the heart and somehow survived. Martin explained that it is possible. It is clear this is what Malcolm was hoping for when he stabbed his father. He is also able to pick out the killer and follows out one of the scrub up doctors. He tries to run away but is punched out by JT. There he confronts Cory Wheaton. He admits he was never able to get over the death of his wife, and after finding out Dr. Martin Whitley was a serial killer believed he killed his wife. My confirms for what it's worth he never heard a patient. And his anchor Gil notices Malcolm's hand begin to tremble again.

Back in the viewing area Gil confronts Malcolm about the situation at *Claremont Psychiatric Hospital*. Jessica is down at the precinct giving her statement that she was forced into stabbing her ex has been after being threatened by *Cory Wheaton*. because Jessica confirms she is the one to stab Martin under duress, she will not be facing any charges.

## Quotes

**Jessica Whitly:** I want to pay. It is a small price to ensure that no more lives are lost.
**Gil Arroyo:** NYPD policy is firm. We do not cooperate with extortionists.
**Jessica Whitly:** I don't give a flying-
**Malcolm Bright:** -Mother!
*(After waching someone die)*
**Jessica Whitly:** Why? Why would anyone do that? You'd think I'd understand after all these years, but I don't.
**Malcolm Bright:** That's a good thing. You're not supposed to.
**Martin Whitly:** Jessie, darling, we were not expecting you. Not that I'm complaining. Oh, gosh, when was the last time the three of us were together like this? Could it be at that pumpkin patch in Ossining?
**Jessica Whitly:** It was your murder trial.
**Martin Whitly:** Ah, yes. You're right.
**Malcolm Bright:** What's in there?
**Martin Whitly:** I'm quite certain, son, you're not supposed to ask a lady that.
**Malcolm Bright:** You're here to kill him.
**Martin Whitly:** Sorry- what's that now?
**Malcolm Bright:** Did anybody ever die on your table there?
**Martin Whitly:** Only one. Amelia Wheaton. Congenital heart defect. She never had a chance.
**Malcolm Bright:** Did you purposely kill her?
**Martin Whitly:** I never hurt a patient on purpose! I followed the Hippocratic Oath to the letter. Albeit with one small asterisk.
**Jessica Whitly:** A good woman dies so that a bad man can live?
**Martin Whitly:** You know, I consulted on three operations this week. Three. Saved lives. I mean, maybe I'm the good person.
**Malcolm Bright:** You're not a good person.
**Malcolm Bright:** He tried to kill me when I was ten years old. I found the girl. I'd learned what he was. And he wanted to silence me.
**Martin Whitly:** John Watkins told him this! He's taking the word of a serial killer over-
**Jessica Whitly:** Over who?! A serial killer?

## Notes

* Ainsley Whitly went to *Columbia Journalism School*.
* Martin Whitly admitted to attempting to kill his son, Malcolm Bright.
* In 1996 *The Surgeon* killed *The Lehrer* brothers' mother, but he wasn't connected with the crime for 3 years. In the meantime, they went to jail for it. Jessica Whitly offered them a settlement. They insisted on a jury trial and lost.
* Title reference.

**Malcolm Bright:** He stabbed a No. 2 pencil into the heart of a local sheriff. He pierced the cop's myocardium a centimeter beneath the seventh intercostal. And the cop lived. I still can't believe he was okay.

**Martin Whitly:** You know, there is a, there is a point where you can pierce the heart, uh, and not disrupt a single coronary artery. So, in effect, you know, you can be stabbed right here and somehow emerge perfectly fine...But, naturally, the margin for error is nil. I mean, if you miss the target, the heart will fail, and no surgeon, not even me, can save you then. It's like, uh, threading the *eye of a needle*.

## Cast

* Tom Payne as Malcolm Bright
* Michael Sheen as Dr. Martin Whitly
* Bellamy Young as Jessica Whitly
* Lou Diamond Phillips as Gil Arroyo
* Halston Sage as Ainsley Whitly
* Aurora Perrineau as Dani Powell
* Frank Harts as JT Tarmel
* Keiko Agena as Dr. Edrisa Tanaka
* Esau Pritchett as Mr. David
* Hettienne Park as Leslie
* Jeremy Holm as Cory Wheaton
* Saul Stein as Ari Lehrer