Facets
Directed by Kim Manners
Written by Diane Saunders
Synopsis: A jeweler, Leo, goes to London to purchase a 16 carat diamond and as it shipped home to his store. When the package arrives, however, it has been replaced by an inferior stone.
Leo hires the Simons to find out what happened. He's sure his competitor, Carton, set up the switch to ruin his reputation.
The Simons bring in their friend, Ditto, to check the envelope the diamond arrived in to see if it had been tampered with, which it had. It was obviously not the same envelope that had left
London, and since the paper on the seal came from New Jersey, it had to have been switched here.
Leo's daughter, Andrea, is having a Romeo/Juliet affair with Carton's grandson, Jerry. She suddenly suspects he knows something he's not telling her and dashes off feeling betrayed.
The Simons, who are staking out Carton's place, see Jerry leave the store and heads into the back alley. They follow and find themselves targets to
gunfire. AJ shoots back reflexively, but when they go to where the shots had come from, they find Jerry wounded and unarmed.
AJ is horrified by the thought that he'd shot an innocent young man, despite the fact that someone else in the alley had fired at them. Jerry's parents and Andrea blame AJ, too. The
Carton's family preacher talks to the guilt-ridden AJ. As he tries to give a little comfort, he tells AJ that if he's so troubled, maybe he should find another profession.
The next morning, AJ is still deeply troubled, which sends Rick into mother hen mode. When AJ is obviously looking for an argument, Rick tries to be as inoffensive as possible, but AJ starts one
anyway. Rick tries to get to the bottom of the real problem, his brother's feelings of guilt,but AJ can't stop blaming himself.
Through their connections, the Simons arrange a meeting with the person who is trying to sell the stolen diamond. Rick goes in first, but the seller
cunningly hides in shadow so Rick can't see his face. When he tries, the seller pulls out a gun and starts firing. Rick calls desperately to AJ, but AJ is
terrified and doesn't go in. He manages to fire a shot randomly that scares the seller off. Rick charges out to find out why AJ wasn't there when
he needed him, but AJ can't answer. He locks his gun away and withdraws into himself.
Cecilia arrives at AJ's house to talk to her hurting son. AJ is hitting a punching bag like a man possessed, and Rick tells her to let him work through it alone.
When AJ is ready, he appears at Mom's house, ready to talk. He's thinking about quitting the p.i. business. Cecilia has always worried about her
sons' professions, but she knows that AJ is talking out of pain, not desire. She urges him to let go of the guilt and tells him to visit Jerry.
When AJ arrives, Jerry is quick to tell him it wasn't AJ's fault. It was just a stretch of bad luck - he'd been mugged in the alley and the mugger had shot at the Simons.
AJ still wrestles with his conscience, but when Rick gets a lead on a smaller diamond cut from the 16 carat diamond, AJ insists he go along. They
bring Leo and can tell by the cutter's mark on the stone that Leo's own employee, George Caesar had cut the stolen stone.
The Simons head back to the jewelers; stores and once again see Jerry heading to the alley alone. With his heart in his throat, AJ accompanies Rick
into the alley to see what's going on.
Jerry, meanwhile, is meeting with Carton and Caesar to tell them they have to give the diamond back, unaware it's already been cut and sold. When the Simons show up, Carton and Jerry dive
for cover, but Caesar pulls out a gun. When told to put the weapon down, he swears he's not going to jail and starts to fire. AJ wounds him, saving
not only Rick's life, but also Carton's and Jerry's lives.
AJ releases his guilt, Carton and Leo make peace and Andrea and Jerry are finally free to be together.
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