Monk discovers that the mugging was a reenactment of a real event from Teal’s college days. Years earlier, Modine and Teal were fraternity brothers; Modine had "mugged" Teal as a prank so Teal could look like a hero to his date.
In the present, Modine and Teal's wife, , were having an affair and conspired to kill him. Modine convinced Teal to "return the favor" by playing the mugger for Modine’s date. Instead of a staged fight, Modine used the opportunity to legally shoot Teal, claiming self-defense. Secondary Storylines Episode 06: Mr Monk and the Billionaire Mugger
The episode begins with billionaire computer mogul (played by J. C. MacKenzie ) dressing in black, donning a mask, and attempting to mug a couple outside a movie theater. The victim, an ex-cop named Archie Modine ( Peter Onorati ), draws a gun and shoots Teal dead in what appears to be self-defense. Monk discovers that the mugging was a reenactment
A major subplot involves Sharona Fleming (played by Bitty Schram ) threatening to quit after her paycheck bounces. She briefly takes a job at a lamp store, which Monk finds unbearable as he cannot function without her assistance. Modine convinced Teal to "return the favor" by