Mr. Monk and the Genius - Recap

Monk is (very slowly) paying Natalie, who discovers that he isn’t paying her for overtime. He still owes her $1,800 and she isn’t happy, but they’re interrupted when a Linda Kloster arrives. She introduces herself as the wife of grandmaster chess player and genius Patrick Kloster. Linda then asks for help, saying her husband plans to kill someone: her.

Linda, a former alcoholic explains that her husband has been threatening her regularly, can anticipate her every move, and has a $10 million insurance policy on her. However, she has no evidence to take to the police. Patrick is in Vancouver at a chess match until Tuesday and she thinks she’s already dead, but she pays Monk $5,000 to solve her murder after she’s dead. She takes Monk’s hand and makes him promise to take the case.

Linda returns home and after watching Patrick on TV, talks briefly to her concerned housekeeper Paulina who leaves to make her a sandwich. Paulina talks briefly to the cook, Michael, then returns to find Linda dead on the bed.

Monk and Natalie go to see Stottlemeyer to have him put a guard on Linda’s house. They’re interrupted when Randy brings word that Linda is dead. They go to the house and Monk checks out the bedroom while blaming himself. The paramedics say she died of a heart attack but Monk believes its murder. Paulina has confirmed Linda hadn’t eaten all day so it can’t be murder, and even Monk is stumped.

They go to the airport as Patrick arrives, and the ME has confirmed that Linda died of natural causes and has released the body. They confront Patrick and ask him to give a statement, but he apologizes that his schedule has tight but will talk to them at an office he’s already reserved at the airport. They go over the fact that Patrick finished the match after he received word of his wife’s death. Monk explains that Linda came to see him saying she was to be murdered, but Patrick denies any involvement while saying the only thing he knows about poison is a poison pawn maneuver in chess.

Monk, Natalie, and Julie track down a chess expert, Eric Tavala, who insists they have to pay $20 to play a game while talking to him. Julie agrees to play for the discount rate. Eric explains that the poison pawn is a trap that an opposing player can’t resist. Monk realizes what it means and goes to the funeral home to confront Patrick. He explains that there was a recently-washed glass, breath mints, and eye drops in Linda’s bedroom. Monk realizes that Linda had started drinking again but kept it secret. Patrick knew what she was doing and poisoned her hidden stash of liquor. Monk figures Patrick has deposed of the poisoned alcohol but they can run a thorough toxicology test on Linda’s body. However, Patrick notes that Linda was cremated two hours ago, noting he has anticipated Monk’s every move.

Monk and Natalie park outside Patrick’s house and start going over Patrick’s chess books so he can get into the grandmaster’s head. Natalie finds Monk’s unsigned check but he refuses to cash it, having failed her. Patrick comes out and brings them drinks and wishes them well. As they start to leave, Monk checks out Patrick’s garden and finds some oleander, which can be used to make a poison that induces a heart attack. Stottlemeyer is skeptical and wonders at Monk’s obsession, particularly when Monk suggests faking some evidence. Stottlemeyer talks to Monk in private and tells him not to do anything crooked, and to let it go. Monk talks about how when Trudy was dying, he almost got there too late and she grabbed his hand. Linda grabbed his hand the exact same way, and he refuses to move on.

Monk ponders the case long into the night, and then starts grinding up the oleander to make poison. He then sneaks into Patrick’s house and hides the bottle of poison on the bookshelf. As he leaves, Monk hesitates… then takes the poison. However, Patrick turns on the lights, saying he noticed the branch missing in his garden. Patrick says he won’t be pressing charges but Monk is more interested in his wedding silverware. Monk realizes that Patrick was married before and Patrick admits his first wife died.

After determining that Patrick’s first wife died, Monk gets Stottlemeyer to go to the judge to get an exhumation order for Kloster’s first wife. The next day they go to the cemetery and get the body. They wait for the analysis and Patrick tells them they’re making a mistake. The examiner informs them that there’s no trace of poison, and Patrick thanks Monk for the “game.”

Later, Monk, Natalie, and Julie go to an exhibition match where Patrick is playing four opponents simultaneously, including Eric Tavala. Monk figures he can confront Patrick by playing against him, and Julie flirts with Eric to convince him to let Monk play as his proxy. The game begins, with Monk obsessing over his pieces and his name tag number. Patrick plays his other three games… while Monk still hasn’t moved. Monk finally passes, driving Patrick to distraction. Monk tries to offer him a deal if he wins or plays to a draw, but Patrick refuses. Monk notices that Patrick has castled, switching two pieces, and Patrick admits it’s the best way to get out of trouble.

Monk and Natalie go to the cemetery and Monk examines the tombstones. He finally finds what he’s looking for: fresh dirt on a nearby gravestone. Monk confronts a waiting Patrick and informs him that he switched headstones. Patrick congratulates him on the end game and Monk tells him he’s sick of the chess analogies… then announces checkmate.

Later, Monk is at home and Natalie expresses her admiration for him, saying he’s her hero. She asks for his autograph and he obliges… until she reveals that it’s Linda’s check and he’s just endorsed it.

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