Innocent (2011) - full transcript

Mom? Dad?

I've been trying
to reach you all day.

She's gone.

State coppers just foundBarbara Sabich dead in her bed.

Chief Justice's wife?

We should send flowers.

We're hearing Judge Sabich

didn't report his wife's death
for 24 hours.

What? Channel 8 has specialdispensation from the Pope?

Not now, Elaine.

I was talking
to your boss.



Cops in the burbs are
bringing in detectives.

Their whiskers are twitching, Tommy.
Any comment?

I say this with the
utmost respect, Elaine--

get out of my office!

Oh, come on, Tommy!

You prosecuted Rusty Sabich 20 years ago

for the murder of his lover-- unsuccessfully.

There's gonna be
questions.

Do you suspect
foul play?!

What is she doing,
inventing a story?

Is she?

But, your honor,
if you just look at the rec--

Mr. Molto, please, please.You arethe prosecutor,

and you're certainly free



to interpret the record
as you please.

However, there is no proof
Mr. Harnason could know

that arsenic
wouldn't be detected

by a routine tox screen.

In fact,
there's no clear evidence

howMr. Harnason could have
even poisoned his partner.

There are several friends
of his who have testified

that it was the partner who did the cooking.

Yes, your honor,
that istrue.

Mr. Molto, please,
you will have our decision

in due course.

Your honor,
with all due respect,

I know that you granted
the appellant bail--

Excuse me.
Excuse me, Mr. Molto.

- Based on the precedent--
- Mr. Molto--

do you have an issue, sir,

with the court's decision
on bail?

No, your honor.

Court adjourned.

Well, he says he took five
strokes off his handicap.

Yeah, but can he
break 100?

I know thatlook.

Chief prosecutorThomas Moltowishes you to know

he'd like to eatyour internal organsfor lunch.

Well, he's only
here in the flesh

to try to move the dial
on you and Marvina.

You don't really expectto convince us to reverse,

do you, Rusty?

They found traces of arsenicin this man's shed.

I don't know, George.

It's just every once
in a while I remember

what it was like
to sit in a courtroom

as a criminal defendant.

But you were innocent.

Tommy didn't think so.

He probably doesn't
think so now.

I don't think he should be
so certain about this case.

Surprise!

Oh, my God.

Where didyou put your
Social Security card?

I'm 60.
Don't rush me.

- Happy birthday.
- Thank you.

- Happy birthday, Dad.
- Aww.

Nat.

60's the new 40.

Tell thatto my knees.

Please don't recite
your journal of ills.

I assure you my
list is longer.

Sandy, you are
the only lawyer

I enjoy seeing
in my office.

Marta!

I merit Stern and Stern!

Happy birthday, Rusty.

Oh, I'm honored.

I really am.Who put
thistogether?

Oh! Don't look at me.

Wow! I don't know what to say.

Oh, please, just blow, Judge.
You have a conference in 10 minutes.

Anna made the cake.
Be sure to thank Anna.

Bravo!

Good Lord,
clerk of all trades.

Isn't she in her last week with you, Rusty?

Yes, she's off
to Ray Horgan's firm next week.

- Hi!
- That's a pity.

Yes.

Very eloquent for the world'smost famous pit bull.

Why, thank you.

No, no, no. Just halfa piece for Rusty.

We're having a familybirthday dinner tonight.

Oh, okay.

Hey, hey.

Your pills.

Why, thank you...

said the lab rat.

Looks good.

I picked up a bottle
of the Chateau Tour Maillet.

My God, you're gonnamake a fine lawyer.

Yeah, if I can just finish
clerkship hell.

What's that?

Oh, this-- this is a birthday
gift from George Mason

in honor of my "commandpresence" on the bench, he says.

Hmm.

Beats a knit tie.

I let Harnason outon bail today.

The poisoner? Why?

W-who's Harnason?

He's a lawyer, gay,

who was convicted ofmurdering his lover.

The guy's on appeal and
you granted him bail? Why?

I was the prosecutor. I senthim to prison decades ago

for a different offense,

and there were elements of doubt and...

maybe one of them
was me.

I wonder if I sent a man to jailfor prejudices

that I am now ashamed of.

See, you hit 60, and you start
penciling your memoirs.

Mmm.

This cake is still great.

Yes, Anna
worked very hard

to put your little
party together.

Yeah, she is a hard worker,
that's for sure.

Everybody in my building
thinks she's way hot.

Well, youshould
ask her out, Nat.

She's a little old for Nat,
don't you think?

I mean, she had-- what--
three or four careers

before going to law school.

That's right, Nat.
I forgot.

Your father wants to
save her for himself.

Barbara, that's not even funny.

What?

What's the matter?

Hmm?

Hey.

I wasn't...

being "funny"...

about Anna...
earlier.

She has a thing for you.

Oh, come on.Don't be silly.

She looks like
she's gonna pass out

every time she sees you.

- Barbara, you're...
- Crazy?

- No.
- Say it.

- No. I wouldn't.
- Say it.

That's not what I was gonna say.You're talking about somebody

who's 25 years youngerthan I am.

She happens to look upto me as a mentor.

She's got all
these young guys

just panting after her
in the courthouse, all right?

So she's gonna be
gone next week.

It's no--

That's good.Just play the role.

Just play
the role, Rusty.

You know, Saint Rusty.Just too pure to notice.

Does this mean
you're screwing her?

- Oh, for Christ's sake.
- Hmm?

No, because we all know that you would neverdo anything like that.

You're hardly one to throwthe past in my face.

That was before...

I was diagnosed.

I was a different
person then.

But you, not you.

Oh, you're the
same old Rusty.

You know, you just play

the mighty Chief
Appellate Judge...

but it's all an act.
It's all an act!

And the person who knows
that the best is you!

You are 60 years
old, Rusty,

and you are still
not satisfied.

You're not satisfied with
being Captain Courageous!

You're not satisfied...

with your nutjob wife!

You hate everything!

And most of all,

- you hate me!
- No. No.

- Yes, you do.
- Barbara--

- Yes, you do.
- No, I don't.

There.

There you go.

This memorial service
for Barbara Sabich

follows her death one week ago.

Now, those attending
may or may not have heard,

but the Kindle County
Coroner's office

has just ruled--

as Judge Rusty Sabich
has maintained all along--

that Mrs. Sabich's death
was due tonatural causes.

Yeah?

Woman worked out every day, looked half her age.

How is it Barbara Sabichdies of a heart attack?

10 bucks says she worked out
every day of her life

because no one in her family
lived past the age of 65.

It's all in the genes,
my friend-- sadly.

What's the blood chemistry?

They did an immunoassay.Routine on the tox.

Anything show up?

A lotshowed up.

This lady had a medicine cabinetbig as a steamer trunk.

A lot of crapfor manic depression.

Crap can cause
heart failure, right?

Not in clinical doses.

It's hard to measurethat stuff postmortem.

Okay, let's just say she didn't
die of natural causes,

which is like one chance
in 50...

it's because she accidentally
O.D.'d on her meds.

What's with the judge
sitting there for 24 hours?

Wife dead--

not a phone call,
not a yodel.

Who does that?

I don't know, Jimmy.
He was in shock.

Look, there's nothing
to investigate!

You're looking out for me.I appreciate it. I get it.

I had my chance to nailRusty Sabich 20 years ago.

He kicked my ass,

he hung it out
on the town square

for everybody
to take a poke at,

and then he danced
away scot-free!

I got a 3-year-old.
I got a future.

I can't afford to wearthe black hat all over again.

Let me dig.

No, Jimmy, come on!

On my own.
Really careful.

Let me be sure
this really is nothing.

Anything leaks,

and you're gonna writemy obit. You understand me?

You're screwing aroundwith the rest of my life!

Quiet as
Little Bo Peep.

Yeah. Crap.

Thank you.
They're perfect.

Perfect.

Re-- really? For the Horgan office?

Uh, I'll be
right at home there.

They're two sizes too big, by the way, Chernoff.

Thanks a lot.

Leave them for
the next clerk.

He's gonna have
big shoes to fill.

It's true. Yeah.

You see. I...

I read all theself-empowerment books, lose 10 pounds...

...convince yourself

you're moving on up
to the east side, and I still get mushy,

'cause I know I'm leaving thebest teacher a girl ever had.

Now I'mgonna cry.

Can't believe I actually
have all the keys.

- Are you sure?
- Oh, yeah.

I'd say you're gonna move

two years' worthof stuff on your own.

I'll check this.

I take it
you've muted your cellphone.

Give me a call if you're gonna
be home later than 10:00.

Maybe one day, you too
will find wedded bliss.

Done that.
I was married at 22.

Oh, really?

It ended quick,
and I thought,

I got plenty of timeto find the right man.

Now I'm 34, the lastguy I dated is 40.

He can't even pick uphis own laundry.

I'll just have to, uh, get more creative.

Geeks? Gurus?
Bring 'em on.

I'll just have to...
stay open.

Uh...

this is for you.

For me?

It's just
a little thing.

Like 'em?

You mean so much
to me, Judge.

You're the brightestclerk I've ever had.

Ohh.

- Hey.
- Aha.

Hey, uh, here you go.

It's all right.

Hey...

Anna...

uh...

you can't imagine how muchI would like to do this.

Are you letting me down
easy, Judge?

Hardly.

60 is a tough
age to reach,

knowing that love
is for other people.

I would love you, Rusty.

I know you'd try.

But nothing good
would come of it.

Try, Rusty.

Try to be happy.

You didn't want
this, did you?

I used to feel you
resisting so hard.

No, I didn't want itfor either of us,

but I'm here.

I only think
about something once,

and then I decide.

It's a gift.

We have fundamentaldifferences.

Age, you mean?

You're a man,
I'm a woman.

Don't tell me I'm young.

I can't leave Barbara.

Don't say that.

Why?

For one thing, my sonwould never forgive me.

And for another,
my wife is ill.

She's damaged,
and I knew that,

and still I took her back.

You mean after
your trial.

All right, okay. Let's putthat on the table.

Right?

After all, the last woman I hadan affair with ended up dead.

Should I be afraid
you'll kill me?

Some people think so.

I was a prosecutor.

I had an affair
with a colleague,

and she was murdered.

And I'll tell you whatI've rarely said to anybody,

as a matter of principle, for 20 years.

I...

I didn't do it.

I read all about
your trial.

And I believe in
your innocence...

with all my heart.

If Barbara weren't around,

you'd want me
forever, right?

God.

Judge steps outof the elevator,

I see him and this young chick split up--

I mean, she's literally tucking in her blouse...

...as she trots off.

So the judge is catching
a nooner?

How it looked to me.

- When was this?
- Last year.

I, uh...

I see the girl againthe next week at the desk.

There's lots of reasons why
this woman and the judge

would meet at
a hotel-- lunch.

He's been head of security atthe Gresham a couple of years.

Ex-cop, lazy bastard.

But if the guy's right...

Gives the judge reason
to kill his wife-- I get it.

The affair
was last year--

too long ago to be
relevant in court.

And by the way,
have we ever heard of divorce?

Maybe Rusty thought divorcewould disagree with his image.

Maybe the girl's pregnant
and starting to show.

You said,
"bring me something."

How did you come bythis information?

Who pointed youat Cantu?

One of the Nearing cops
shoots pool with Cantu.

Oh, great.That's all we need.

Half the Nearing stationstrutting around,

asking the alumniif they think Rusty Sabich

had any reasonto off his wife--that's great.

I say it's time we pull Rusty's
bank records, phone records.

We can put a 99-day
letter on it.

We get three months before he even knows we're investigating.

Boss, we're
the public prosecutor.

You want some Nearing cop
crying in a reporter's beer

down the road about how
they turned up some good dirt

on the Chief
Appellate Judge,

but you didn't want to chance
big, bad Rusty Sabich

whipping your ass again?

Jimmy, you're givingme buckshot.

We need one bullet.
Find me one bullet.

If you want to shoot at theking, you gotta killthe king.

I just realized
Merrick's closes at 5:00,

and I have no idea what to get
Nat for his birthday.

You worry about
him too much.

I know a lot of people who wentto law school with him.

They all say
he's brilliant.

Yeah, despite
everything...

sometimes I do worry

that he inherited
Barbara's depression.

I think it would have been
better if he had a sibling.

I used to want a daughter.

Great.
Let's get busy.

But Barbara said that she
could only love one child,

and that would be Nat.

And I went along with it.

Rusty...

don't ever doubt.

You're a great father.

Mm.

You are also...

a great...

man.

Oh... Anna...

I don't have
another condom.

I don't care.

Judge.

Imagine meeting youhere.

Imagine.

My appeal.I just need to know.

I can't discuss your appeal
with you, Mr. Harnason.

- I think you know that.
- I-I can't stand it--

not knowing if I'm goingback to prison.

It's like--it's like a trap door.

Please.

You should prepare
yourself for bad news.

No hope?

Look... you did it,
didn't you?

So did you, and you're here, Judge.

I was acquitted,
as I deserved to be.

I'm sorry.

What's it like
to poison someone?

Where was the arsenic?
Was it in the drinks?

I bake.

That looks perfect.

You think?
Seems flat.

Tell her it's perfect, Dad.

It's perfect.

No, I always said, you're the Jewish Pillsbury.

Where are you going?

Glennwood,
to look at an apartment.

Well, when are you
gonna be back?

You shouldn't be
riding after dark.

And you're the perfectJewish mother. Mwah!

Clerkship's over.
I've got to move.

And, no, I'm notmoving home.

Even if you and your breadare irresistible.

Wait, wait.

You need the gloves with thelittle fluorescent thing on them

if it's gonna be darkwhen you come home.

You took a walk?

In the middle of the night?

I couldn't sleep.

Come here and sleep.

Why can't you sleep?

I don't know.

I realized today

Nat's heading
out into the world.

He's really actually

moving on
with his life.

Why don't you do the same?

Rusty?

Hey, George.

Bad news, don't you think?

News?

You haven't heard?

Harnason.
The poisoner.

No. Just Monday's
announcement

that his appeal
was denied.

I bumped into Lou Mertz.

They called Harnason's lawyerto arrange for his surrender.

Lawyer hasn't seenHarnason in two weeks.

Great. He's
jumped bail.

I thought
you should know.

Before the press.

Let me see if I can surmise.

You were seeing... someone.

You were followed
by Harnason.

He caught you off guard,

you informed Harnason that
his appeal would be denied,

and the man has fled
to the four winds.

As I said, I've donesomething stupid.

Oh, it's these things
that keep me in business.

You know, I miss
these things.

Thank you.

What for?

Well, thanks for
not reminding me

that in the 20 years sinceyou stood by me at trial,

that I'm still the same foolthat I've always been.

Who am I to judge?

With the wrong prosecutor,

and Tommy Molto
is certainly that,

am I going to
end up in jail?

If Harnason turns up,

he's hardly
a credible witness.

I'm not too concerned about
the criminal prosecution,

but you know,
informing an appellant

of the court's decision
in advance...

It's a serious--

serious violation
of judicial conduct.

Here's my advice.

Your transgression
is debatable.

Say nothing
to your colleagues.

Soldier on.

Now, as for
this affair...

What?

We have toend this-- now.

It's only gonna
get harder.

I've tried to imagine
how I'd feel

when you said this.

And now...

I can't believe it.

Is it Barbara?

You're choosing her
over me?

Yes.

You pull me out of a meeting
with the deputy mayor.

I hope you have news
of the second coming.

John Harnason.

Doesn't sound
Christ-like to me.

Harnason, the homo poisoner.

Back before Barbara Sabichdied, Rusty gave him bail, which he jumped.

So?

They finally grabbed Harnasonyesterday in Coalville

on a D.U.I.

Oh, Jimmy,
for the love of God,

I don't have time
for this crap.

His lawyer is looking
for a smooth ride,

wanted a meeting.

About what-- based onHarnason's good looks?

Harnason says he was toldhe was going to lose his appeal.

- That's why he skipped.
- "Told"? By whom?

Judge... Rusty... Sabich.

Jimmy, are you kidding me?

Do you not see the angle?

What, Harnason was
the only witness, I suppose.

We got at least one bellman
at the Hotel Georgia

who saw them talk.

Any girlfriend in sight?

Harnason says
he's convinced

Sabich was at the hotel
to get his pipes flushed,

but that's not
the third act.

Sabich worked Harnason,

got him to admit
he killed his pants-pal.

And just before
Sabich walks away,

he turns to Harnason
and says,

"What is it like
to poison someone?"

Remind me again.

How was it this weirdo
got away with it?

Which weirdo, boss? Our cup runneth over.

Harnason. He poisoned his
boyfriend with arsenic, right?

Right. But it's nota common poison these days.

It's hard to get, andit doesn't show up ona routine tox screen.

Sabich was one of
the judges on the case,

which means he knows
all about this.

What is and what is not
on the usual tox screen.

Full mass spectrometeron Barbara's blood?

Just talk to
the toxicologist.

Come on, boss. Full mass.We have to do it.

Strange behavior after death.
A skirt on the side.

Questions aboutkilling somebody?

We're just doing our job.
We have to do that.

We haveto.

Full mass.

- Excuse me. Just a minute.
- Okay.

Anna?

I need to see you.

It's been months.

Meet me at The Matchbox at 8:00.

A married man can run
into an old friend

at a bar, Rusty.

I need to talk to you.

8:00. Fine.

- Here you go.
- Thank you.

Hey.

You changed your hair.

Excuse me.

- Scotch on the rocks.
- Okay.

- Less maintenance.
- I like it.

More time to work.

Confessions of a
high-priced slave.

I really--
I really like it.

Thanks.

Now, what are youdrinking?

Just...

fizzy water.

You used to be
a vodka girl.

I have something
to finish at work.

Oh, have you?

Rusty, I don't know
how to say this.

I'll just
come out with it.

Two months ago,
I bought a condo.

So I needed to sublet
my apartment.

By chance,
I ran into Nat.

And he was interested...

in the apartment.

He didn't take it
in the end, but...

But what?

He wanted to see me.

Hmm.

I tried t-to avoid it.

I told him "no"
over and over.

He kept asking why,

to the point where,

I guess I was seeinghim...

and falling for him.

Are you out of your mind?

I think I love him...

and he loves me.

I can imagine that youwant to get back at me.

This has got to stop.

I tried to make this
not happen.

I put him off for weeks.

Does he know about us?

Of course not.
And he never will.

But...

Rusty, you don't
want me.

No, no.

Don't tell me
what I want.

Don't preach...

sincerity to me.

Hey. You...

you're putting
the screws to me...

in the worst way,
right?

Get rid of Barbara, or
you'll destroy my home?

No. This is not about you.It's about Nat.

I never felt
this way about--

...anyone.

Ah, God.

I should be a case studyat Bellevue, I know that,

but please...

let us be?

You arecrazy...

and you can go to hell.

A sampling of cardiac
blood shows a toxic level

of an antidepressant called Phenelzine.

So Barbara Sabich did not
die of natural causes?

I can tell you, the symptoms reported--

death by arrhythmia

with a possible
hypertensive reaction--

are classically associated with
an overdose of Phenelzine.

Could she have
O.D.'d accidentally?

Probably not.

The concentration was four times the normal dose.

Patients who take this drug are warned repeatedly about its dangers.

There's a whole list of stuff you shouldn't
eat when you're on Phenelzine--

red wine, aged cheeses,
any kind of dry sausage.

They all increase
the drug's toxicity.

So she could havetaken a pill

and then cheated
and had a pepperoni pizza.

- That couldhave happened.
- What about suicide?

This woman had prescriptions
for half a dozen drugs

that would have been
a lot more reliable.

Excuse me.

- No note.
- So? Could still be an accident.

Hell, accident, murder...

she expired
on her treadmill.

Boy, we really have Sabich bythe short hairs now, don't we?

Hey.

Hey.

A good day?

Will be, after threefingers of scotch.

Ahh. There's a
quiche in the oven.

Oh, I invited Nat

for dinner
tomorrow night.

- Good.
- Yeah. With his new girlfriend.

He finallyagreed.

I mean, it's not likewe both don't knowAnna, right?

I mean, I don't know whatthe big deal is.

You boys can barbecue!

Hey, you're gonna be

at the drugstoreanyway, right?

Get my meds?
Mm-hmm.

So can you please
pick me up

some of that nice cabernet
and some salami

that we love so much?
Thanks.

This is the pharmacy'sprescription log

from the evening beforeBarbara Sabich died.

Lists aprescription for her--

was picked up
by Rusty Sabich--

for Phenelzine.

Show him the cashregister receipt.

The same night...

the judge boughta bottle of red wine,

pickled-herring,
Italian salami.

All no-no food groups

that trigger a toxic reaction
with Phenelzine.

And by the way,
Rusty's personal computer,

taken in evidence by the Nearingcops after Barbara croaked,

shows multiple searches
for Phenelzine.

Oh, and I have abonus point for you,

from Rusty Sabich's
bank records.

Cashier's check.

Made out to William Rapini,
the divorce attorney?

Touchdown, boss.

Judge was seeing a lawyer
and hiding it from his wife.

And we knowSabich
had a girlfriend.

Who is the girlfriend?

She could tell us everything.
Who isshe?

Here.
Take your Advil.

Whenever he works
in the garden

his knees
file for bankruptcy.

So, do you have
any siblings?

Only child.

Just like Nat.

It wasn't thatbad of a childhood.

It's the onions.
It's the onions, Nat.

Help her chop the onions.

Rusty, did you get
the appetizers?

Mm. For you?

Ah, yes,
the "horse deserves."

Old family joke.

Most of his jokes are old.

My God.

You're absolutely right.

I need new material.
Please.

Oh, my favorite.
Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you.

Barbara?

Yes.

But after I show Anna
Nat's room.

- Mmm.
- Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Mmm.

Go on. I asked her
to give you the tour

while Dad and I
grill the steaks.

I'm coming.

I got four clear prints
on the bottle of Phenelzine.

I compared them
with the decedent's.

With predictable
problems, by the way.

Mo, please tell uswhose prints are on the vial.

I can tell you that they didn't come from the victim.

All four prints on that bottle come from somebody else.

- And that is?
- Rusty Sabich

How do we know Sabichdidn't take the pills

out of the vial himselfjust to help his wife?

The scrip was
for 10 pills.

But when the copsinventoried the bottle, there were only 6.

Somebody took 4 out.

And the only printsare the judge's.

Head, heart, and groin, boss.

He is as smartas a snake.

He knew the drug. He had a lover.

It's allthere.

I don't believe it.

He did it again.

And... court adjourned.

The court's opinion will follow
in due course.

Please coordinate with the clerk--
- Move. Step aside.

- Rozat K. Sabich?
- Yes.

You're under arrest
for the murder

of Barbara Bernstein Sabich.
Stand up, please.

You have the right
to remain silent.

You have the right to
an attorney.

Anything you say can be used
against you in a court of law.

22 years after his acquittal
in the Carolyn Polhemus case,

Judge Rusty Sabich
is again on trial

for murdering a woman
close to him--

not his lover this time,
but his wife.

So, you went to the
bedroom and saw your mother.

What did your father say?

He said he had been
sitting there for 24 hours.

He just sat there
for 24 hours.

Did he say why he didn't
call the police?

She died from
an overdose of Phenelzine.

And why was
this cause of death

not detected in the original
autopsy, Dr. Stack?

Well, after 24 hours, the tablets were undetectable

on a routine toxicology screening.

Correct.

It's Judge Sabich's
fingerprints

on the vial of Phenelzine,
and no one else's.

Thank you.

It was like,
who brought thatup?

Out of nowhere
Judge Sabich asked me,

"what's it like
to poison someone?"

After two weeks
of evidence from the state,

from the same man
who prosecuted Sabich

over two decades ago,

tomorrow it's time
for the other side.

And we are hearing
that the defense

may take the unusual step
of making its first witness

the defendant himself.

You understand, Rusty,

that the Constitutionof the United States

protects you from being forcedto testify in your trial?

I understand that.

And yet here you are.

You've heard the paradeof witnesses

for the prosecution.

And you understand
that you are accused

of murdering your wife.

Yes, I do
understand that.

And did you do this, Rusty? Murder your wife?

No.

Mr. Molto?

Are you gonna askabout the girl?

Your honor,

may we be heard
before I begin?

What's he doing?

Resequester the jury.

Jurors, this way, please.

Your honor...

since the defendanthas chosen to testify,

I would like to ask himabout the affair he had

in the prior year.

Objection. Your honor,
this was dealt with

in our pretrial motion,
which you granted.

Now, regardless of
the state's iffyevidence

of hotel sightings,
any alleged affair ceased

months before
Barbara Sabich's death.

You've already ruled
any proof irrelevant.

- It shows motive, your honor.
- How?

How? Because he may havewanted to be with this woman.

Now.

I'm sorry?

Ask now, with no
jury present. Ask.

Judge Sabich, did you have an affair

in the spring of 2010?

You know, it's better
if I ask, Mr. Molto.

It'll be faster.

Judge Sabich, when your wife died,

were you having an affair, a romance, whatever--

were you involved
with another woman?

No, I wasn't.

And going back, say,
three months before her death,

any affair?

No.

Did you hope to seeany woman romantically?

No, no, Mr. Molto.
Not in America.

No prison forwhat's in a man's head.

Same ruling, Mr. Molto.

But, your honor, the possibility exists--

Irrelevant, Mr. Molto!

Nothing about affairs.
That's my ruling.

Yes, your honor.

A good morning.
A very good morning.

Oh, by the way,
why don't you join us?

My office has made reservations
for lunch across the street.

Sounds good.

I can't stay.
I have work.

Really? I thought
you had the day off.

I can't stay here.

I'm sorry.
Good luck, Rusty.

Uh, Nat...

can we talk for a minute?

We'll meet you
over there.

Of course.

Nat...

you can't listen to the
prosecution allude to an affair

and not wonder...

Yeah, well, just tell me
that it's bullshit...

Dad.

That it was just
their tactic.

Last year, I was
seeing someone else.

- Did mom know?
- I never told her.

I won't even try
to explain.

- This is unbelievable.
- Nat...

I mean, God,
who was it?

Really doesn't matter.She was younger.

I guess I was
chasing my youth.

Is it anyone I know?

It was...

over and done long beforeyour mother died.

- Are you familiar with a drug called Phenelzine?
- I am.

Phenelzine is an antidepressantthat my wife took

for many years.

Now, during the testimony

of our computer expert
last week,

he described
a forensic examination

of your personal computer
after it was removed

by police from your house.

Do you recall that?

I recall my computer
was seized, yes.

And you recall
that on the cache

of your computer's
web browser,

in a matter of days
before your wife's death,

there were repeated searcheson two different sites

that describe Phenelzine--do you recall that?

I recall hearing
that testimony, yes.

Let's look at
the pages visited.

People's exhibit 47,
please.

"Phenelzine isan M.A.O. inhibitor."

Do you recall
reading that?

I do not,
but I take your point.

People's exhibit 41,
please.

Now, as you can
plainly see

from Mr. John Harnason's
trial transcript,

which you
personally reviewed,

it clearly states
that in addition

to arsenic,
M.A.O. inhibitors

are not tested for.

So you knew, Judge, thatan overdose of Phenelzine

could not be detected.Right?

Just like the arsenicused by Mr. Harnason

to kill hislover.

- Objection. Argumentative.
- Sustained.

Speaking of yourpersonal home computer

and the forensic evidence
introduced, Judge,

you recallthat several messages

from your personal
e-mail account were deleted

the day before
your wife died?

I recall that.

Not just deleted, in fact, but electronically shredded?

I do remember
that, yes.

- Did you do that, sir?
- I did not.

Anyone else
live in your house?

My wife.

Are you suggesting
that your wife

went into your personal
e-mail account

and deleted
those messages?

Possibly.

Did your wife have
her own computer?

She did.

Did she routinely use your computer?

Not routinely.
It was outside our bedroom,

and occasionally she'd tell meand use it for a second.

Did she ask you in
the week before she died

to use your computer?

I don't remember that.

Well, then, Judge,

your testimony doesn't make
a whole lot of sense,

now, does it?

Frankly, Mr. Molto, none of this makes sense.

You suggestedthat I shredded e-mails

so they couldn't be
reconstructed,

but at the same time,

I failed to removethe searches for Phenelzine.

And on top of that,

I left my fingerprints, foolishly, on the pill bottle.

So your argument doessound

desperate and
ridiculous, yes.

Move to strike,
your honor.

The defense will get
their closing argument.

Sustained.

You know what?
You brought up the pill bottle.

Let's talk
about the pill bottle.

Now, we know from the testimony
of your wife's doctor

that Mrs. Sabich
was warned repeatedly

about certain foods to avoidwhile taking Phenelzine--

foods like wine
and cheese and salami.

And in fact,

the doctor testified
that he warned you, as well.

Do you remember your wife's
physician warning you, Judge?

It's vague,
but I think so.

And so you want us to accept
that your wife asked you

to get the wine and
the cheese and the salami,

knowing that these were foods
she was ordered to avoid,

and what happened?

She forgot. And then
she just drank the wine?

I did not see Barbaradrink the wine.

Then Nat and I
went outside.

I don't know
who drank what.

But let's just be
clear here, Judge.

Your wife was
taking Phenelzine.

Does it make sense to you

that she would send
you to the store

for a list of items
that would kill her,

that she intended to eat?

Are you asking me to guess?
I would say "yes."

Like most people on meds,

Barbara knew how much
she could cheat

without having
an adverse reaction.

Yes, I'd have to
bet on that, yes.

Thank you, Judge.

But if your wife...

didn't drink wine...

or eat beyond her limit,

then she could not
have died accidentally.

Could she?

It had to be murder.

Objection!

Didn't it?

Order. Order!

Nothing further, your honor.

That stuff about my dad having an affair...

- It's irrelevant.
- It's true. He admitted it.

It makes me sick.

Why didn't he tell mea long time ago?

I'm sure he was
embarrassed.

I can't help thinkingthat he couldbe guilty.

- He's not guilty.
- How do you know?

I know him.

Not as well as you
think, apparently.

He's just
so damned selfish.

People aren't
perfect, Nat.

I didn't wantto
fall in love with you.

It was just
wrong for me.

Wrong time, wrong guy
for a million reasons.

Strange stuff
happens with love.

You've told me some
pretty bizarre stories

from when
you were younger.

Yeah, I was screwed upfor a long time.

Maybe your dad was
feeling screwed up.

Maybe the girl
was, too.

You don't know who
it was, do you?

My mom seemed to think thatyou had some thingfor my dad.

Or him for you.

She thought
some strange stuff.

Whatever couldmake her unhappy.

You want to stop
for sushi?

Judge Sabich, apartfrom the crime of homicide,

this trial has revealedvarious possible explanations

for the death
of Mrs. Sabich--

natural causes, accidental overdose,

drug interaction.

All of which
begs the question,

how do youbelieveyour wife died?

I believe my wife
killed herself

with a deliberate
overdose of Phenelzine.

There was no note.

No, I believe that
Barbara wanted her death

to looklike it was
of natural causes.

Just as the coroner
first ruled.

- Objection.
- Sustained.

And why would Mrs. Sabichwant to obscure the fact

that she took
her own life?

For my son's sake.

My wife had
psychiatric problems,

but she was always
very protective of him.

She'd want to limit
his anguish.

Did your wife have a historyof suicide attempts?

Yes.

When we were separated
20 years ago--

Move to strike, your honor.

If the attempt took place
while they were separated,

Judge Sabich cannot be testifying from personal knowledge.

Sustained.

Well, we will have tocall another witness.

I was nine.

I cut my elbow.

I ran home to my mother.

My father and she
weren't together at the time.

It was right after...

um...

I found my mother
in the bathroom.

In the tub.

She had this smalllamp in her hand.

It was plugged inacross the room.

And she saw me.

It took her forever
to put the lamp down.

And she said...

..."it's okay.

I was just going to read."

It wasn't okay.

Judge, on whose computerhave we established

that searches of Phenelzine
took place?

Mine.

Any searches of Phenelzineon your wife's computer?

None, according to
testimony.

Now, since thatfirst episode,

all the way to, say, last year--

that's what, 20 years--

your wife made no furtherattempts on her life, correct?

Not to my knowledge.

Well, then, Judge,

had anything changed inthe past year with Mrs. Sabich,

as far as you know?

Yes, Mr. Molto.

There had been
a significant change.

So, Ms. Belanquez,

you were seated at your usual desk at the bank,

having a conversation with a customer

who identified herself to youas Mrs. Barbara Sabich,

is that correct?

I did.

And just to verify,

that was September
the 28th, yes?

Yes.

The day beforeBarbara Sabich died.

Did Mrs. Sabich bring anythingwith her to the bank?

She had a receipt
from a lawyer's office.

Calling your attention todefense exhibit 24, your honor.

This is a copy
of a paid receipt

for the services
of Mann & Rapini,

attorneys who practicematrimonial law,

made outto Rozat K. Sabich.

I don't get it.How does it help them

to show their client
looked into divorce?

Rusty paid the lawyer
with a cashier's check.

How's his wife even know?

So, what happened next,
Ms. Belanquez?

I got the impression
from Mrs. Sabich

that this receipt had been
mailed to her home by mistake.

Objection--
hearsay.

Sustained.

After presenting youwith the receipt,

what did Mrs. Sabichask for?

She wanted to find out

if the check number
on the lawyer's receipt

matched her joint account
with her husband.

She couldn't find any record
of it on her statement.

And how did you respond?

Well, I had to ask
my manager.

About what,
Ms. Belanquez?

We're very careful
about disclosure.

I was just needing
confirmation on policy.

If Mrs. Sabich
was on the account,

then she was entitled
to any records.

And so did you shareany information

regarding this joint accountwith Mrs. Sabich?

Yes, I gave her a copy
of the cashier's check

that her husband bought
with cash from his ATM card...

to pay for this law firm.

Thank you,
Ms. Belanquez.

No further questions, your honor.

So, the wife knew Rustywas looking into divorce.

Barbara and Rustyfought like sumos.

He ended up icing her!

So what if the defense provedshe knew he went to a lawyer?

We're not losing
this damn case.

It was uphill
from the start, Jimmy.

There's a flaw.

Why does she wipe
his computer?

If she's planning to kill
herself quietly,

why leave tracks behind
by deleting his e-mails?

So Rusty will know.

That's maybe why she searched
the Phenelzine

on hiscomputer, so he'll realize how she did it.

The kid,
the rest of the world,

they'll all think she died
of her bumpy heartbeat.

But Rusty will rot
with guilt.

We are not
going to lose!

So, when it came to usinghis home computer,

your father was a novice.

What about you, Nat?

Would you say that youwere computer literate?

I'd say yes.

And what aboutyour mother?

She was like a genius.
She was a Ph.D. in math.

Her colleagues would call her
to answer computer questions.

Did you know the passwordon your father's computer?

Yes.

The worst kept secret
in the family.

It's "Rohzat,"
but with an "h."

And so, would your motheralso have known the password?

Absolutely.

He would ask herwhen he couldn't remember.

Now, Nat,

you knew that I was goingto ask you to demonstrate

your father's computerhere today, yes?

But did you know
in what way?

I do not.

I would like you, please,

to enter the password
"Rohzat,"

and if that works,

try and downloadthe shredding software

the prosecution mentioned earlier.

No, there's no point.
Maybe it won't work.

Order!

- Order!
- Sit down.

- Order!
- We need you to calm down. Sit down. Please.

Jimmy, our computer
expert, what's his name?

Gorvetich. The best.I had him in college.

We've had that computer
under lock and key

- since before Christmas, right?
- Yeah.

We got it after it was
at Judge Mason's

after we hassled
about what we could look at.

You remember.

But if that card
turns out to be real...

- It's not real.
- Jimmy, I love you to death,

but you confuse
fact with hope.

If that card turns out
to be a plant, then great,

Rusty Sabich is dead meat.

If it's real,
we are in big trouble.

It's not real.

Yeah?
It's Gorvetich.

The card was created the daybefore Barbara Sabich died.

It's real.

Another reporter.

All asking
the same question --

if we think
Molto will dismiss.

Will he?

No.

Molto isn't
gonna give up.

They'll gin up
some screwy theory

about Rusty planting thison his own computer.

Rusty has not had his
hands on a computer

since prior
to the indictment.

Any such theory would only be
an embarrassment to them.

Why didn't she
sign her name?

If Barbara was trying to frame me.

Why did she bother
to bail me out

with a silly little
greeting card?

Because putting you
on trial, Rusty,

is a fine repayment
for your infidelity.

Leaving you in prison

for the rest of your
life goes too far,

especially when you
consider Nat.

There he is!

Mr. Molto, will you ask
for a dismissal this morning?

We try our casesin court, Elaine, not on the street.

Has your office been duped,
sir, by the victim, no less?

No comment.

Please, I need you to back up.

I love it
when they bite back.

Rusty gone down!
Rusty gone down!

Rusty gone away!
Gone to the big house!

You go, girl!

Last night, Gorvetich
had this brilliant idea.

- I just talked to him. He said it was youridea.
- Not even close.

You remember when the appellatejudges were giving us hell?

They didn't want us looking attheir internal court documents

on Rusty's computer?

Right, we had to turn over the computer to Judge Mason, yeah?

Yeah, so we made a copy,
of Rusty's hard drive,

before we gave his computer
over to the chief judge.

So Gorvetich says, why don't we lookat the copy,

to be sure the greeting cardwas on Rusty's computer,
before we gave it over?

The copy was preserved on
a server in the evidence room.

Jim burned a dupe last night,
personally drove it to Gorvetich.

Tell me--
please, please--

that someone from Sandy Stern's
office was with you.

If you're worried they'll claimwe screwed with the image,

we gave them a copywhen we made it.

Let 'em lookat their copy.

The greeting cardfrom hell won't be there,

I guarantee it.

Your honor, our expertshave reviewed the imaged copy

made last Novemberby the prosecutor's office.

They agree that the carddoes not appear to be there.

Our experts will need at least24 hours to determine why.

Why?!

With all due respect
to Mr. Stern, Judge,

there's an
obvious answer.

This was a fraud, pure and simple.

That is not nearly
as simple and clear

as Mr. Brand would
wish, your honor.

Everybody has experts.I need to talk to myexperts.

Recess. 15 minutes.

If the cardwas planted,
it had to have been

when the computer
was in the possession

of the Chief Judge's office.

Our experts say it would havetaken at least an hour

to create the card.

- Did George send you a copy of the access log?
- Yes.

Only four people had accessto the impounded computer.

- You, Rusty.
- It's true.

I was there for a few minutes
to copy some cases.

28 minutes to be exact.

And two visits from
you, Nat. Under an hour.

He was there to copysome transcripts for me.

I asked him to.

And a visit of one hour andsix minutes from Anna Vostik.

She was filling in for me.
Judge Mason okayed it

because Anna was my dad's
former clerk.

One hourand six minutes?

But I remember, she told mewhile she was there,

her boss plugged herinto a conference call.

Mr. Stern.
Judge Malek would like to see the attorneys in her chambers.

Here's what I'm thinking.

This trial is about
who murdered Mrs. Sabich,

not about whether someone fooled with the judge's computer.

The jury will be told to
disregard the message they saw.

- Judge!
- Your honor...

the jury has alreadyseen that message.

The defensewill be able to argue

that Mrs. Sabich
killed herself,

that she intended to frame
her husband.

If we could just present
some witnesses...

Oh, we'll have
our own witnesses.

I'm sorry, your honor,
but you're asking us to finish this trial

with our hands tied
behind our backs!

There's no other way
to look at it.

Excuse me.

I'll think
about it overnight.

But tomorrow morning,
we try this case.

I hope your attorney canmake it through this trial.

Sandy's not lookingvery good.

He's fighting lung cancer.

Scrapping with you againafter all these years

has been a really greattonic for him.

Nice of you to give
him another shot.

I'm no angel, Tommy, but I'm not a murderer.

Yet these women keep
dying all around you.

I've made a lotof mistakes--

vanity, lust, pride.

I'm not saying I didn't
go looking for this.

Yeah.

But Barbara
killed herself.

How about we end
this thing?

You and I both know

this trial could
go out of control.

I'd plead guilty
to obstruction

for messing
with the computer.

The other charges
are dismissed.

You mean, keep the peasand throw away the steak?

You walk on murder?

Which I didn't commit.

Take what you can
get, Tommy.

He gets away
with two murders?

He's got a good chanceof doing that anyway.

Better than we haveof convicting himof anything else.

He'd only plead to obstruction if he killed his wife.

Why do we alwaysassume that?

That if a guy tries to run orlies, that proves he's guilty?

I think Rusty Sabich has seenjustice fail so many times,

he'd rather not trustthe system at all.

We should take his deal.

And I'll tell you why.
Because you deserve this.

He walks, you're never
gonna hear the end of it.

But if he admits
obstructing justice,

a judge,
for God's sakes,

people will say you
finally got Rusty Sabich

where he belongs,
in prison.

You can finally get
that seat on the bench

you've always wanted.

You know I havea 4-year-old...

another one on the way--did I tell you that?

You see?
You deserve this.

You should know that
Marta and I have been

plea bargaining
with Molto all morning.

The murder charges
will be dropped.

Your father will plead guilty
to obstruction of justice.

He will serve
two years in prison

and then be free
to live his life.

Obstruction?
What did he do?

He won't say.

Frankly, I suspect
there is someone

he doesn't want to implicate,
but he won't say.

Tell me the truth!

The truth is, I did
obstruct justice.

That's bullshit!

You don't know a computerfrom a weed whacker.

It's a felony.

You'll lose your pension, your law license. I mean...

everything.

Not my son,
I hope.

I was across town
when I got your text.

Court will come to order!

Mr. Sabich, you agree with your attorney about your plea?

Yes, I do.

The court finds there is
sufficient basis

for a guilty plea

by Rozat K. Sabich

to information 09-0872.

Mr. Sabich, you are remanded
to the Kindle County Sheriff

for a period of two years.

Court adjourned.

It's okay.

Let's go.

Oh, no, no, no,
Tomaso.

Pazzo ragazzo!
Come here.

Here, come on.

Go back and play withyour friends. Here you go.

Clean up your act
a little bit.

- Tommy?
- Yeah.

Hey. Elaine.

Hey.

That your,
uh, grandchild?

My son, actually.I got a late start.

Is that your daughter?

My niece.

I get to play at mommy without the car pools or insomnia.

Geez, I haven't seen you
since the Sabich trial.

The secondone?

Very funny.You know what they say--

a little justice is better
than no justice at all.

Now, you see,
that is a good quote.

I should have come to you
after the verdict,

instead of spending
the night with Brand.

At the Matchbox.
At the bar. In a group.

Ah, well, you missed
a world-class drink-off.

Jimmy Brand
trounced us all.

- Jimmy's got a well-lubricated elbow.
- Uh-huh.

Actually, he did
mumble one thing

that was very interesting.

See, I was giving him
an ear-load

about how it must suck
to work so hard on a case

and end up with
such a lameresult.

And he laughs.

He says, "hey, seeing somebody
who planned the perfect murder

"end up punished for a crime
he had no role in,

now, that'shilarious."

What'd he mean by that?

No idea.

Well, I wondered if...

Jimmy thought Rusty's
computer accomplice

wasn't an accomplice
after all,

but someone who
acted on his own.

You know what? Alcohol isnot a friend of Jimmy's.

Mm-hmm.

Arianna! Honey, no.
Come here.

Stay here.
Come here.

Hey, Molto, you piece of garbage!

Hey, stop screaming
over there. Stop screaming.

Shut the hell up!

Rusty.

I like your whiskers.

How are you
doing here?

I don't care for
the health club,

but at least
there's room service.

There's a theoryrunning around my office

that you pled guiltyto a crime you didn't commit.

Tommy, who's putting
out that crap?

Doesn't matter.

But I got to tell you,

the idea's been peckingat me, you know?

Got me up again inthe middle of the night.

You were bothered
in the middle of the night.

I'll tell you
what's bothering me.

I have a son.

If someone came to me

and said I could spend
two years in the hole

to save my kid's life,

man, I would do that.

I'd do that
in a heartbeat.

Good for you.

So if I was you...

and I was convinced
that somebody I loved

had monkeyed
with that computer,

I'd have fallen on my sword
and pled guilty,

just to end
the whole thing.

Hmm.

Yeah, but...

that way I'd be innocent,

and I already told
you I'm guilty.

Okay.

Just explain to me

how you messed withthat computer, okay?

Just you and me.

It could get you out
of here, Rusty.

All right.

Here's the truth.

Once and for all,
you and me.

I obstructed justice.

Leave it be.

Screw you, Rusty.

Orestes?

Orestes!

I need to review
the Cavanaugh jacket.

Can you find it
for me, please?

Boss man! Is itraining out there?

- Yeah.
- Where you been?

Corrections meeting,
checking out Sabich,

you know, drivingthrough Hades.

Uh, the judge!

Man, that whole thing

is just tooscrewed up.

I'm still trying
to figure that out.

How that computer
got messed with.

Wasn't me, man, I know that.

- What do you think?
- Me?

Yeah, what do
youthink?

You rememberthat big brouhaha

after you guys figured outthat the card was phony?

And Detective Gissling wastripping about how no one

who was on the computerup in Judge Mason's chambers?

Not Sabich or the kidor the former clerk--

how none of them had timeto do what it took

- to get the card on there-- remember?
- Sure.

But here's the thing.What if it was all of them?

One downloaded from theflash drive, another ran spy,

and then the next editsthe directory. Together, man.

Even just two of them, they would have the time, right?

That's how you would
have done it?

I could have done it solo.But that's my job, man.

I got to make sure the evidence is tamper-proof.

And?

I mean, that's--
that's what I do.

Look, I remember
one night

I go get the wrapping
off of Sabich's computer

for court
the next morning.

It was on the trial cart
up in Jimmy B.'s office.

- So I go up there, and I'm like --
- Wait, wait, wait, wait.

Wasn't the computer unwrappedin the morning, right before?

Hey, man, 12:00 p.m.
to 8:00 a.m.

I got to go to school
in the morning.

Anyways, Jimmy B. And I,
we unwrap this computer,

and I finally see the evidence
tape across the power button,

and I'm like,
"man, this is messed up!"

Meaning?

There's this itty-bitty
space underneath the tape.

So I grab a tool, and Brand,
he just about chokes me at that point.

Right? He thinks
I'm gonna do it.

This was the night of the day
that the bank lady testified.

So Brand, he's like, "whoa, Coolio.
It's bad enough as it is."

I didn't push
the button, though.

Just scared him. But see,
that's what I'm saying.

I got to try and
figure out what evidence

can and can't
be messed with.

But even if the computeris powered up,

don't you have to breakthe other seals?

Get accessto the keyboard?

No. Just get
a new keyboard,

and you plug it in. I mean,
on the side of the computer,

there was a port that
the tape didn't cover.

Sabich evidence cart.

What, are you keeping it
around for good luck?

More like a trophy.

I ran into Elaine Reese.

She said you two got
ripped after the trial.

That you told her
you thought

Rusty had copped to
something he didn't do.

And it finally came to me,

you were thinking that he was
fronting for his son.

Who knows
what I was thinking?

Yeah, but I still
can't figure out

what gave you the idea

that he was taking
the weight for his kid.

Just a feeling.

But why?

Who cares, boss?

Rusty's in the can,
where he should be.

What are you afraid of?

Tell you what
I'm afraid of, Jimmy.

I'm afraid that you know

that Rusty did not put
that card in that computer.

Why would you
think that, boss?

Well, the fact that you
were in this office

all night long after the
computer had been unwrapped.

After Orestes showed you
how to turn it on.

You're a computer guy,
Jimmy.

You took programming
with Gorvetich.

So I have to ask you.

You didn't put that card
in that computer, did you?

He killed somebody, boss.

Two somebodies.

He didn't deserve to walk.

Now you've won.

Yeah, but it kind of
works out for you, too,

doesn't it, Jimmy?

I mean, uh,
you arethe guy

who's running to be
the next P.A.

Look...

it's the middle
of the night.

And you get this half-assedidea, and then you get started,

mostly because you know you can do it.

And then it takes ona life of its own.

To tell you the truth,

I was laughing out loud
the whole time.

I'm not gonna let anyone
sit in the can

for a crime
they didn't commit.

You're crazy.

I'm gonna call
Sandy Stern.

Isn't he dead yet?

No, he's not dead yet.

As a matter of fact,
he's rallying just a little bit.

You know what? This is gonna
be a nice little pick-me-up.

And after I'm done with Stern,
I'm gonna call Judge Malek.

I just have to figure out
what to say

and what to do with you.

I didn't testify falsely.

All I ever said to the courtwas, the card is a fraud.

You can't prosecute me, and even if you tried,

people would just
blame you, Tommy.

I think I just figured it out.

You're gonna resign from this
office in the next 30 days.

It was your fault that
that computer was not secured.

You're gonna take the blame
for Sabich skating.

You're gonna wear
the black hat.

Which will screwmy candidacy.

I'm supposed tothank you for that?

Yes.
Yeah, you should.

I'll get the car.

You lost weight.

Yeah, well, it's nota diet I'd recommend.

Anna, before he gets back...

I need to be sure... Nat doesn't know about...?

No.

I've started to tell him
a thousand times,

but I always stop myself.

I think that's... right.

Nothing to gain.

You are in lovewith him, right?

Madly.

Insanely.

Because he's the sweetest
man in the world.

Good.

That's what
I wanted to hear.

And one more reason.

There are ways
he's a lot like you.

Great. Great.

No, no, no.

Just-- just don'tcatch all the fish

before I getthere, please?

Thank you. Oh.

No, no. I promise.

All right. Bye, Lorna.

Lorna! Lor-na.

That's the, uh,
classmate with the lake?

Don't go jumping
to conclusions.

She's been inviting meup to her place for years.

- To fish.
- Oh, right. Right.

Then you'd better bring
back some actual trout.

I will, if I can justfind a store out there.

Well, here it is.
Here's your rod.

Sorry I had it
so long.

It's okay.
No problem.

I just didn't knowI'd need it again.

- Hey, Dad?
- Yeah.

I want you to tell me
the truth.

- Look, Nat...
- No, no, about Mom.

- Please.
- The thing I hated about growing up in this house

is that everyone
had secrets.

Just... please.

End it.

The day that you and Annacame over for dinner,

I had been workingout in the backyard,

and my kneeswere killing me.

Your mom broughtmy four Advil

here into the kitchen.

Take your Advil.

Yeah, I remember that.

I didn't take them.

I was distractedby the whole situation

with you and Annaor something.

I forgot.

And then after you left,

she brought me
the pills...

up in the bedroom.

Here, take these.

You'll never
be able to get out

of bed in the morning
if you don't.

I don't know, Nat.
The Phenelzine tablets--

they look just like
the ibuprofen.

They're the same size
and the same color.

Are these Advil?

Some generic.

She was glad I knew.

Knew what?

She tried to kill you?

Yes.

I didn't realize it
at the time.

She'd been to the bank.
She'd been in my e-mail.

Can you show methe bottle?

So she would
rather die than...

get caught?

When I woke up, the sheets
were soaked with sweat.

She was gone.

My first thought
was heart failure.

She'd obviously put it there

after I went to sleep.

It was the equivalent of a note.

She wanted meto know that she knew.

I spent the rest
of the afternoon

putting it all together.

How she'd used rubber glovesto handle the Phenelzine bottle.

How she'd gone
into my e-mail

and erased all the evidence
of the affair

so that it would
incriminate me.

What did you do with
the lawyer's receipt?

I flushed it
down the toilet.

So, you see, I did obstruct justice.

Hey. Nat.

Dad, it could
have been worse,

how it turned out.

You get your pension back,
you can practice law.

Yeah, maybe someday.

I'm due back
at the office.

We'll talk more when you
get back from your trip?

Yeah.

I hope you don't mind mesaying this, but...

I still feel like you're not
telling me everything, Dad.

I love you, Nat.

I love you, too.

Hi to Anna.