This post contains spoilers from Only Murders in the Building season 5 episode 5 from this point forward.
Last week on Only Murders in the Building season 5, the trio were hit with the unfortunate news that their podcast deal with Wondify came with strings attached. Since Bash, Camila, and Jay became stakeholders in the media company, they can't speak about the billionaires in relation to the latest Arconia murder. If you were hoping for a development on that front, episode 5 doesn't deliver.
Only Murders in the Building season 5 episode 5 doesn't address what comes next for Charles, Oliver, and Mabel's podcast, but they continue to investigate the deaths of Lester and Nicky. They join their old pal Detective Donna Williams (Da'Vine Joy Randolph) in the Velvet Room for another look at the crime scene, but they discover that someone has cleaned up since their last visit.
Donna suggested that the billionaires are working with someone in the building to cover their tracks, which sends Oliver and Mabel to question some of the Arconia workers as Charles connects with Sofia to see what she knows. After talking to Ursula, they learn about someone named Tommy the Tongue who was in charge of service work. Their next stop is the garbage worker.
The Arconia employees aren't happy with LESTR the robot
While talking with the new trash guy, Mabel finds out that Oliver received and was considering an offer on his apartment. She asks him not to move, and Oliver vows that he isn't moving (for now). Their poking around in the employee locker room leads them to see the carving "DIE LESTER DIE" on the table. The employees catch them, and Randall claims he wrote that about the robot doorman.
Charles has dinner with Sofia and runs into Mayor Tillman (Keegan-Michael Key), who still wants to appear on the podcast. But that's not the most surprising moment from his date. Sofia brings her gaggle of adult manchild sons, who are humorously incapable. Charles asks Sofia about the playing card key and what Nicky was up to, but she changes the subject and claims ignorance.
She also takes advantage of Charles' fragile romantic state and seduces him out of the restaurant. Meanwhile, the Arconia employees are all frustrated about LESTR potentially taking over their jobs and driving them out of the building. To save face, Oliver agrees to stand up for them during a building meeting the next day. Charles rolls in late and still buzzed after a walk of shame.
Charles, Oliver, and Mabel learn who Tommy the Tongue is and who could be behind killing Lester and Nicky
The residents are all pro-LESTR, but the staff members protest its existence. The new garbage man steals LESTR during an uproar, and he later pushes the robot off a high floor to the ground. Mabel takes Charles to his apartment and is frustrated that he gained no new information from Sofia about Tommy the Tongue. Mabel theorizes that Lester's notes could hold the key to the reveal.
Howard mourns the loss of his beloved LESTR, but there's another robot on the way to the Arconia. Charles realizes his phone is missing, and Mabel uses "find my phone" to track it down at Sofia's. On the way to catch up with Sofia now that she's on the move, in Lester's garbage portrait, they find invoices made out to Tommy with a specific address. The address leads to Charles' phone.
But a call from Donna reveals that Tommy the Tongue isn't a person. It's a company that holds a very significant monetary value. All of the company's money was withdrawn earlier in the day. The address on the invoices match the address Donna has for the company. She tells them not to go there, but when they pull up, they see Sofia meeting Lorraine. Are the wives behind the murders for money?
Only Murders in the Building season 5 releases new episodes Tuesdays on Hulu.