Private Eyes West Coast -- “Where There's Smoke” -- Image Number: PEWC103_0012 -- Pictured: Jason Priestley as Matt Shade. Photo: Darko Sikman/The CW -- © 2026 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Private Eyes West Coast Recap for Where There’s Smoke
This week’s episode of Private Eyes West Coast on CW opens with Matt showing Declan mementos from his career while saying the room will now be Uncle Will’s room.
Will, for his part, shows up thinking he will be in Nanny duty, but Matt and Angie are taking Declan to a playdate meetup. He is like, ‘WTF? This is what you hired me for? At least bring me some food!’
Angie wants to impress the mommies in the group while Matt remains chill.
As they arrive, there is a fire nearby, which means they will soon be on the case.
The meetup is awkward AF, but then the owner of the restaurant hires them to look into the fire, which was at a nearby salon.
Tze Ping offers them free food, while Kimber the owner offers them free haircuts to find Broccoli Cut Dude, who robbed the salon a few days prior.
Violet is not happy to see them, but Detective Fiona Rios thinks they can help. She also points out it could be an inside job and says the sprinklers and smoke detectors were disabled. Her kids are also no help since they are young and have toxic rooms.
The gallery next door was also hit due to the salon fire and the owner seems upset while trying to hold it all together. Paintings, including an Ether Ng, were destroyed.
Will is teaching Declan the drums….but also driving Matt crazy.
Angie is looking to see if any of the supplies stolen from Kimber are being sold online while stalking Fiona’s social media page.
Angie, Matt and Raine go on a sting operation to catch Broccoli Head Dude….with Angie trying to buy a hair dryer….there is a chase scene and Raine hits him with Matt’s car.
It turns out Tony, alias Broccoli Head Dude has an alibi for the night of the robbery. He was just selling it for cash? Kimber is glad to have her stuff back, but upset since the insurance company won’t pay her and because the gallery guy is suing for damages.
There are also holes in the walls connecting the salon and gallery….but only those walls, taking the case into a whole new direction.
Gerhard tells them there is a guy named Earl who is a rival….and whose work may be at the gallery. His protege Kai got into a fight with Gerhard, giving him motive, but they both have alibis as well. Earl has suspicions of a criminal underworld involving Gerhard….leading to Angie and Matt going on another spying mission.
It turns out Gerhard is broke, but not desperate enough to commit arson, saying the gallery was worth more open due to the upcoming show.
Another fire takes place, putting Gerhard in the clear.
Fiona tells Angie it is a family on vacation with B minus skilled baby proofing. They exchange numbers ‘for the case.’
There is an acetone smell similar to the one found at the previous fire and it leaves them all confused.
Now Will thinks Declan is an artist in the making….and keeps driving Matt crazy. He thinks Matt may be jealous, but Angie tells him to calm down.
An Esther Ng painting was found at the house…..just like one at the gallery. Now they think Esther is the target.
Turns out Esther work wasn’t worth much when she was alive, but skyrocketed in value after she died. But why, oh, why does someone want to burn them? Is Esther back from the dead and getting revenge on people not liking her when she was alive? A disgruntled family member?
As Angie and Matt continue to investigate, they realize one of Esther’s paintings is at Tze Ping’s restaurant, so they take it for safekeeping and to lure the arsonist out of hiding.
Angie is trying to get a friend date with Fiona while Will and Matt fight. It starts off about Declan but then everything that drives Matt crazy starts coming out, making Will feel like Matt doesn’t care about him.
Angie and Matt crash the gallery event to find the arsonist. Matt talks to a broker named Sophia, who says Esther’s art will go for two million today in light of the arsons….and she lets it slip that Kai is Ether’s son. The whole time Gerhard makes things awkward.
Matt tries to talk to Kai about it and he says he had nothing to do with the arson, but Earl helped him channel his anger into his own art.
Angie is spying in a closet and finds a fake Esther painting.
The auction begins and of course both Angie and Matt accidentally bid on a painting. They think Sophia may be in on the plan and tell her about the fakes. She plays dumb and denies having any knowledge of it.
Fiona agrees to have dim sum with Angie.
After a few calls, they realize Kai is the forger, which is why he is burning them. They question him, but he denies everything and then lets it slip Earl connected him to Sophia….and they realize Earl is the forger and the arsonist.
Time for another sting….where they find Sophia knocked out and her house on fire. They drag her in the car as they chase down Earl. Sophia is like ‘WTF? Let me go! He’s the bad guy, not me! I’m just an innocent art history major!’
Between random movie references, backseat driving, property damage and Matt calling his Porsche a business expense, like the Mounties, they finally got their man. Earl is going to jail!
Violet tries to yell at them but is then like ‘eff it, your check is in the mail.’
Kimber can rebuild her salon and Tze Ping has his painting back. He reflects on his friendship with Esther fondly.
Matt brings Will blankets for the pool table and they make up with reluctant hugs.
Angie is stood up by Fiona, but ends up making a playdate with Meg and her daughter for Declan.
Kimber prepares for her salon reopening, Tze Ping and Kai bond, Will and Matt play pool and the playdate takes place!
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