>> i thought that might have been plan a. he didn't use it so he went to plan b. >> reporter: which he believed was to push or throw jody from the cliff. so detectives asked stephen the obvious. what was a hammer doing in the picnic bag? >> he said he fixed a draw in the kitchen with the hammer. he just forgot to put it back in the garage. he put it in the bag with the picnic items. it was just convenient. it was a convenient excuse for having the hammer. >> reporter: detectives asked if they could check out the drawer and the rest of stephen's house that night. he agreed. but something potentially far more telling was happening away from the action. >> i said, look, i'm your local police department. >> reporter: ted aaronburg was a local officer told to keep an eye on stephen that night as detectives combed through the house. the officer said he began