Jay arrives at the station and finds Angie bringing in a couch for the break room that her dead neighbor left her. She refuses to let Jay help her, picks it up, and carries it away.
Pritkin is being checked by a doctor for his insurance physical when he calls Angie and Jay in. He says that they have a killing spree on their hands. There’s been a murder on the last three Thursday night evening flights from NYC to LA, all in first class. Pritkin tells them to go over to LAX to check it out.
At the airport, the detectives check out the most recent victim. Monica is there and says that the victim is Nathan Prickley, and proves he’s dead by hitting him repeatedly over the head with a board. They talk to the first-class flight attendant, Vivian Tribeca, and Angie realizes that it’s her second cousin once removed. Vivian flirts with Jay and insists that she didn’t think ill of Prickley. She conveniently faints and Jay catches her, and offers her a ride home. Jay drives her home and reminds Angie that she’s fine on her own and doesn’t need help.
Later, Danny and Angie discuss the case. Danny has narrowed the list of suspects down to people who were on all three flights, and come up with two names: Julia Gaffney and Gordon Manhattan. Angie takes Gordon once she finds Jay, and Danny will interview Julia. Danny wonders if she’s jealous, and Angie insists that she doesn’t need anyone.
At the Gaffney home, Julia juggles her children and answers Danny’s questions. She remembers Prickley as a guy who yelled at her kids, but says that she doesn’t have time to kill anyone. Danny and Hoffman quickly leave.
Jay joins Angie and they talk to Gordon at the garage where he works. Gordon says that Prickley bought the last seat in first class before he could get it, and whoever killed him deserves a medal. However, they don’t let people in coach kill people in first-class.
With three hours until the next murder flight, the detectives go to the morgue. Edelweiss tells the detectives that there were feathers in Prickley’s lungs. They belong to an airplane pillow, He tests one of the feathers in the chromatograph and discovers that the murder is an asthmatic who used an inhaler. The detectives tell Pritkin that they want to be on the next flight, and Pritkin warns that it’s too risky. Jay is worried about Vivian and tells Angie that he likes her because she’s not afraid to admit that she needs someone. Pritkin says that he’ll go undercover with Danny and Jay on the flight and they head for LAX.
Pritkin and Jay work as pilots with Angie as a flight attendant. Danny goes undercover and as a passenger and finds himself sitting next to Julia and all of her children. Angie deals with the first-class passengers, and Vivian tells her not to let the passengers impose on her.
Pritkin and Jay prepare to take off, and realize that neither one of them has flown a plane. Jay finally locates the keys and starts it up. They take off and Jay joins Angie. She hasn’t spotted anyone with an inhaler yet, and hesitates. He wonders if she needs help, and Angie just tells him to be careful. He demands the can and tells Vivian that she’s a glorified waitress. Furious, Vivian smothers him with a pillow and uses her inhaler. Angie sees it all and realizes that she’s the murderer, and Vivian says that she won’t tolerate rude passengers.
Vivian throws the pillow at Angie and runs with her cart. Angie chases her with her cart, and they help the passengers as they go. When they get to coach, Angie draws her gun and tells Vivian to surrender. She runs and Angie goes after her.
Jay and Pritkin are playing I Spy when they hear gunshots. Angie calls and says that Vivian is the killer, and that she doesn’t need backup. Jay goes back anyway, gun drawn. Meanwhile, Vivian locks herself fin the lavatory and Angie waits outside until the green light is on. She goes in just as Jay arrives, and Jay asks if Angie needs her help. Angie struggles with Vivian and Jay finally comes in to help. Pritkin comes in and they finally manage to arrest Vivian.
The next day at the station, Jay congratulates Angie and offers to help her with her sack. She agrees and Jay discovers that it’s heavier than it looks.
Written by Gadfly on Jul 9, 2016