 In Cabot Cove, Seth treats Jessica and her New York re-migrant friend Imogene Shaughnessy to a dinner at the bowling alley, where bad looser Sam Bryce openly tricks Al s foot. The girls decide to take a look the next morning at his friend Terry Deauville s fine, grand home; she considers moving to New York; she calls Sam it s over now he stood her up, and cries loudly after the girls have gone. Impopular wino Sam s daughter Gloria Bryce and her lover Ollie Rudman are happier. Jessica praises Seth s poem  Ode to Literature ; they hear Sam jell to his bowling teammate to return his saber-saw and deny they ll both be at the game; the sheriff got a report on a break in at that place but nothing of value was stolen. Sam complains to Ron about he state of the saw while he s at poker with the sheriff; the saw electrocutes Sam to death, while standing in water. Miss Medora Finney reports another break-in during Sam s funeral, only her journal was stolen, according to her the key to Sam s murder she blames on Terry Deauville. Forensics confirm Sam s garage was rigged multiply, and finds Terry s fingerprints on some. Medora s diary is found in Terry s place. Ollie is the only one who seems offended by everyone considering Sam is no loss, not even his own family. Back at the mansion, Jessica finds the phone off the hook and Terry hanged, Seth presumes suicide, yet Imogen s bid was already signed, startling Jessica, just as her frock which seems better fitting to go out on a date. Seth is invited by Mort to take Sam s poker seat; Jessica urgently asks him along. Mort verifies Harvey Hoffman, another bowling team member, has Terry s order for the rope, but the signature is forged- Harvey says it s just his scribble to whom he delivered it. Measurements mean Terry couldn t hang herself, the coroner concludes she died before the hanging. The journal, written in initials and grim Apocalypse-language, includes Sam s failed attempt to stop the fire in Al Wallace s pharmacy, but he didn t tell anyone, perhaps because he started it. The bartender recalls Ron Frendly used the pay phone to call Terry; he admits he was at her place, claims nobody was home and spills the beans on Al Wallace s plan to buy a condo together with Sam. Jessica suddenly realizes how both murders connect...