Kraus reads Josephine's suicide note as the children look at the hole in the wide window. She leaves the Baudelaires in the care of Sham. Violet then calls Poe and reads him the letter, who helpfully says that they can always count on him. Kraus figures that there's something funny about the note, and points out the grammatical errors n the note that Josephine would never have made. Sunny suggests that it's Olaf's handwriting.
The next morning, Poe comes to Josephine's house and the Baudelaires explain their theory to him. Poe insists that there was no murder involved, and he suggests that they compare it to a sample of Josephine's handwriting. Violet leaves Sunny in the kitchen and brings back Josephine's shopping list, and they realize the note isn't a forgery. Poe figures that Kraus and Violet are imagining things, and Klaus shows him the troupe parked outside the house watching the children. However, the troupe's car is there but there's no sign of the troupe. Poe says that Sham has invited them to a restaurant for brunch to talk it over, and explains that Sham accidentally called him trying to reach a knife store to buy a surprise for some children he knows. Violet and Klaus refuse to go with Brunch with Olaf, but Poe says that he's going to settle the matter quickly before Hurricane Herman hits.
Poe drives the Baudelaires into town and assures them that he will investigate Olaf. At the Anxious Clown restaurant, an anxious Larry takes their order. Olaf claims that Josephine was his oldest and dearest friend, claiming that they met at cooking school many years ago. She made him promise to raise any orphans that she might be taking care of when she committed suicide. Larry is shocked to hear that Josephine is dead, and Larry suggests the Cheer-Up Cheeseburgers and tells the children to look inside before they eat it. Olaf sends him to get the cheeseburgers, and the troupe is waiting for Larry when he goes to the kitchen. They tell him to do what he's told or they'll throw him to the leeches.
Poe assures Olaf that the Baudelaire fortune will still be under his supervision until Violet comes of age. Olaf claims that he has no interest in the fortune, and Larry comes back with beverages. The Baudelaires when Larry calls them the Baudelaires, and he quickly denies that he knows their names and goes back to the kitchen. The children insist that Olaf killed Josephine and is trying to get the fortune, but Poe doesn't believe them. He complains that they're spouting wild accusations and starts pointing out the differences between Olaf and Sham. Meanwhile, Larry brings the cheeseburgers and emphasizes that he doesn't want anyone to have an allergic reaction that would force them to leave the restaurant. Violet picks up on Larry's hint and says that they're allergic to peppermints, and he goes back to get the bill while Poe has Olaf sign the paperwork.
Larry comes back with peppermints on the bill, and Krause quickly grabs them. He and Violet secretly eat them. They quickly have allergic reactions and Violet says that they should go home and rest. Poe agrees over Olaf's objections and Violet says that they can go home themselves. The banker agrees with her and the children quickly leave as the townspeople prepare for the coming hurricane. The taxi driver offers them a ride up to the house.
The driver drops them off at Josephine's house and goes back to town. Klaus begins his research while Violet and Sunny take baking-soda baths for their hives.
At the restaurant, Poe reviews the terms of the fortune with Olaf. In the kitchen, the phone rings. When Larry answers it, he receives news that the parents are alive in Peru. The Hook-Handed Man takes the phone from Larry before he can utter a warning.
Overhead, Mother and Father realize that the restaurant has been compromised. They prepare to fly down into the hurricane.
At Josephine's house, Violet checks with Klaus. He's worked out that the note contains a secret message: "Curdled Cave." Violet figures that Josephine faked her death and is hiding at Curdled Cave. They check a map and discover that the Fickle Ferry goes near the cave, and prepare to leave. A lightning bolt hits the house, tilting the library. Klaus slides toward the wide window but stops on the ledge. A book with a picture of the spyglass slides by and out the window. The library tilts back momentarily and Violet grabs Sunny and gets to safety. It tilts back and Klaus falls toward the window, and sees a group photo. He grabs it and falls out the window, hanging on by a rug. The wind blows the library wing back, swinging Klaus back in, and he runs to safety. A lime falls off the kitchen table, rolls into the library, and the extra weight causes it to fall into the lake. The Baudelaires run out as the rest of the house falls into the lake as well.
At the restaurant, Poe has Olaf fill out all the forms.
The Curdled Cave is near the Lavender Lighthouse, and the ferry schedule says "weather permitted" at the bottom in fine print. The Baudelaires read the schedule when they get to the ferry dock, and they decide to steal a nearby skiff. The Hook-Handed Man is in the rental office and sees them go. The Baudelaires try to work out how to sail, and narrowly avoid the Wicked Whirlpool, the Rancorous Rocks, and the craggy entrance to Curdled Cave. The hurricane breaks and the Baudelaires spot the Lavender Lighthouse, and they discover that Curdled Cave is for sale. There's a howling noise and Klaus figures that it's the wind.
The children enter the Cave and find Josephine, alive and well. She knew that they would decode her message, and hopes that they brought food. Josephine is surprised that they didn't bring food, and Violet explains that Olaf almost got them and everyone thought Josephine was dead. Their aunt explains that Olaf forced her to write the note after he revealed who he was. She agreed but hid a secret message in the note. When Olaf took her back to her house, Josephine went ahead to the library and threw a life-size statue through the window to fake her own death. When Olaf came in, he saw the hole and assumed that she had killed herself. Josephine climbed down the cliff to her recreational water craft and went to Curdled Cave.
Josephine figures that Olaf will never find them there and they can stay in the Cave for the rest of their lives. The children refuse and Josephine refuses to go back with them and confront Olaf because she's too afraid. Violet points out that they have been frightened all along but it didn't stop them, but Josephine refuses to go. Klaus says that Curdled Cave is for sale and real estate agents will come to look at it. Terrified of real estate agents, Josephine agrees to go.
As the group sails back to town, Violet assures Josephine that there's nothing to worry about. Klaus shows her the group photo outside of the nearby Lucky Smells Lumbermill and remembered how brave she used to be. Ike, Monty, and the Parents are in the photo with a young Josephine. Josephine says that their parents wanted to raise their children in a quiet world. Before she can explain further, Josephine realizes that they're entering the territory of the Lachrymose Leeches. They're harmless unless someone has recently eaten. Josephine admits that she ate a banana just before the children arrived, and a school of Leeches slams into the boat and then move off.
The Leeches come back and start boring through the sides of the boat, The boat starts sinking and Josephine grabs a paddle to row. The Leeches soon eat the paddle and Violet says that they need a signal. She says that they need to start a fire and hit a bucket to attract attention. Everything is wet from the storm... except Josephine's scarf. Violet grabs it from Josephine and tells her aunt to sit down, and Klaus remembers that the binoculars have mirrors and lenses that they can use to start a fire using the light from the lighthouse. However, the angle is wrong and they don't have another mirror to refract the light.
Mother and Father fly overhead and spot the boat. Father peers down with a pair of binoculars, which refract the lighthouse beam down to Klaus' binoculars. The beam starts the scarf on fire and Violet waves the makeshift torch while Klaus bangs a bucket. Father sees them and spots the ferry approaching, just as the plane engine goes out. The couple brace for a rough landing.
The ferry pulls up along the boat and they go up the stairs just as their boat sinks. However, Olaf and his troupe have commandeered the ferry. The actor says that Poe is putting the finishing touches on the adoption papers and in a few hours, he will be their guardian. Olaf is furious that Josephine was going to betray him, and Josephine defiantly admits that she was and the children gave her the courage to do so. She says that she's ready to be fierce and formidable again, and corrects his grammar. Olaf shoves her overboard and the leeches eat her, and the troupe set sail for Damocles Dock.
The ferry arrives at the dock where Poe is waiting. Olaf orders everybody off, and Klaus points out the Lucky Smells Lumbermill in the distance before they disembark. Poe complains that the children stole a sailboat and pushed Josephine's house into the lake. The Baudelaires refuse to go with Olaf, and explain that he murdered Josephine. Poe warns that there's nothing that will convince him of their story, and Sunny gnaws through Olaf's peg-leg. It breaks off and his real leg drops down, complete with an eye tattoo on the ankle.
Nearby, a truck with Lucky Smells loads up. While Olaf and Poe argue, the children sneak into the back of the truck just before it drives off. Poe realizes that the Baudelaires are gone and while he calls to them, Olaf and his troupe sneak off. By the time Poe realizes that they're gone, it's too late.
In the truck, Klaus wonders if they made the right choice. Violet says that what matters is what happens.
Written by Gadfly on Feb 2, 2017