Jon Sheasby
New Evidence:
We open on Bennet laying beaten in the rain. A bloodied Stan arrives home to a distressed Mitch, who’s holding Rosie’s missing shirt. Linden and Holder explain to Lieutenant Oakes why Bennet is no longer a suspect, and he informs our detectives that Bennet is currently in a critical condition in Seattle General, because someone almost beat him to death. After discussing their guilt, Linden and Holder receive a call that tells us Stan has turned himself into the police. We then see Stan’s arrival at the jail. Later in the evening, Linden visits Councilman Richmond at his home, and she tells him that Bennet is no longer a suspect. The next morning, Richmond calls a press conference to defend himself, Bennet and the campaign against their connection with Rosie’s case. Linden and Holder revisit the evidence, looking for a new angle. They decide to visit Stan and Belko, respectively, about their connection to the mob. A remorseful Stan dismisses his mob past and asks Linden about Bennet’s situation.
Holder finds Belko at the Larsen home, then questions him about Bennet, Janek Kovarsky and any enemies Stan might have made in the past. In court, Stan initially pleads guilty to the crimes of which he’s accused, but his lawyer decides to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf. Linden talks to a taxi driver who picked up Rosie on the night of her death. He tells Linden that he took her to 235 Ballard Ave (the Larsen home). The footage from the taxi camera confirms Rosie’s arrival home at 10:37 p.m. Holder notices that the lights in the garage were on as the taxi arrived, but they were quickly turned off before Rosie saw. He reminds Linden that apart from Rosie, the Larsen family were away that weekend. Linden and Holder go to the Larsen home, looking for Belko. They find Terry, who reveals her disdain towards Stan’s friend/co-worker. Belko claims he was at home, with his mom, on the night of Rosie’s death. Holder interrogates Belko about his relationship with the Larsen family.
Linden and Holder visit Belko’s mom, who gives him an alibi for the crime. Though, in Belko’s bedroom, Linden and Holder find pictures of Rosie and the Larsen family thumbtacked to the ceiling above his bed. After calling Belko to the station, Linden and Holder grill him for information. He admits to being with Stan, whilst he beat Bennet. An intern at the Richmond campaign finds a clip of the Councilman and Rosie shaking hands at one of his events. Gwen and Jamie agree to hide the discovery. Back at the station, Linden and Holder try to get under Belko’s skin. After breaking his façade, Belko admits to being at the Larsen home on the night of Rosie’s death, but he continues to protest his innocence. Belko claims that while Rosie was rummaging around the house, gathering clothes and such, he hid out of sight, and heard her say the name “Adela.” Linden believes Belko’s truth and tries to pinpoint the Adela connection.
The morning after, Linden goes for a jog and happens upon a Seattle ferry called the Adela, which has a regularly scheduled departure at 11:45 p.m. The episode ends on the top deck of the ferry, focussing on a sign for the Wapi Eagle Casino. The casino’s logo is an exact match for the keychain found belonging to Rosie, way back towards the beginning of the season.
The Suspects:
So, after Episode 10, both Bennet and Muhammed are no longer suspects. After the revelations in the previous episode, Linden and Holder are confident that someone else is responsible for Rosie’s death. Because of their guilt, they also don’t tell Lieutenant Oakes about Aisha, as Holder suggests, “Yes. Ahmed was hiding a girl that night, but it wasn’t Rosie. It was a 12-year-old Somali girl.” After Oakes asks where she is, Linden simply replies, “We don’t know.” Yes, Linden and Holder should feel some guilt for the way the investigation into Bennet was handled, but Holder is also right when he tells Linden, “He [Bennet] was a good suspect. You know, any cop would have done what we did…He lied to us…If he had been straight with us, things would have turned out different.” I must agree with Holder on this occasion. After all, they are cops, and it’s their job to investigate any suspects they think might be connected to the case.
It’s unfortunate, however, that Bennet ended up fighting for his life in hospital before any of the newly discovered information came to light. Stan is an unpredictable character at the best of times, so no-one could’ve predicted when/if he was going to attack Bennet. So, if neither Bennet or Muhammed are guilty of Rosie’s murder, who is? Let’s have a look at some other potential suspects, shall we? Despite the fact Bennet is laying in the hospital, a gleeful Jamie is more than happy about how Bennet’s exoneration will impact the Richmond campaign against their battle with Mayor Adams. Richmond, too, has found a spring in his step, but the good news could soon come crashing down as an intern has found a clip of Richmond shaking hands with Rosie, which contradicts his previous assertion that they had never met. “Isn’t it ironic that she was found in his campaign car, and there he is, shaking her hand?” says the intern.
Gwen and Jamie quickly realise they must bury the discovery, and agree not to tell Richmond, as it could be damaging information. Just as Richmond thought his fortune had changed, he could potentially be sucked right back into the investigation, should the clip leak. Did he lie about meeting Rosie or did he just forget? Belko is briefly thought of as being the potential killer when several elements link him to the crime. After telling Linden that Belko has keys to the house, Terry is quite happy to reveal her contempt for Belko, when she states, “I mean, he has no life. He sleeps in the garage half the time…He’s just weird.” And, after interrogating Belko, Holder tells Linden, “Rat boy’s a liar. He lied about running with Kovarsky, and I’m betting he lied about that beat-down too. His hands are shredded.” Linden and Holder later find pictures of Rosie and the Larsen family thumbtacked to the ceiling above Belko’s bed, which is beyond creepy, right? But, Linden thinks Belko isn’t their guy upon the reveal that he heard Rosie say, “Adela, I’ll be there.”
What Year Is This?
Speaking of which, the final seconds of the episode finds Linden aboard the ferry that is taking her to the Wapi Eagle Casino. A potential casino subplot? In a show heavily inspired by Twin Peaks? Who’d have thought it? In all seriousness, what do you think Linden will find upon her arrival at the casino? If we imagine The Killing follows Twin Peaks’ narrative structure in this regard, it’s certainly possible that Rosie Larsen could’ve been a working girl at Wapi Eagle, just like Laura Palmer was briefly a prostitute at One Eyed Jacks. But, if that is indeed the case, did Rosie meet someone at the Wapi Eagle Casino who ultimately led to her downfall? Let’s hope we find some answers in Episode 11.
The next article in “The Autopsy of The Killing” will focus on the 11th episode of The Killing, written by Veena Sud and directed by Nicole Kassell, respectively. And, if you’re enjoying this series, I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment below, and/or give me a follow on Twitter (@JonSheasby), and we’ll continue the conversation over there.
