Body of Proof (2011–2013): Season 1, Episode 9 - Broken Home - full transcript

(thunder crashing)

( melancholy theme playing)

Mr. Weaver, I apologize.

I've had this conversation
more than once with Lacey.

She knows she's not supposed
to use a cell phone in class.

WEAVER: My real concern
is what she's using it for.

I know these types of
websites are out there,

but a 12-year-old looking
at paparazzi photos

of a dead body.

And you see why I
find that disturbing.

Actually, I don't.



Death is a normal part of life.

My ex-wife is a
medical examiner.

Dead bodies are what she does.

It's still inappropriate
material for school.

LACEY: Everybody's been
looking at these photos.

The body, it's Nikki Parkson.

Parkson Financial
of Parkson Library?

TODD: Yeah, their daughter.
She used to be in magazines.

She's really big into the
environment and the rainforests.

She's really cool.

And she died? Why
didn't I know about this?

She was sick or something.
Her funeral's today.

WEAVER: Cell phones are
here to stay, but we do have rules.

And as parents, I expect
you to help enforce them.



I agree, Mr. Weaver.

And we have wasted
enough of your time.

I'm sure you have
important issues to deal with.

Lacey's father and I will find
the appropriate punishment.

So nice to meet you.

Well, I'm always available.

Megan, what are you doing?

Talk to you later, Lacey.

This is Nikki Parkson's
death certificate.

Is that your signature
down at the bottom

as the witnessing physician?

Obviously, you know it is.

I'm just wondering

why you didn't call
the medical examiner

after Nikki's death.

I treated Nikki for a familial
paroxysmal polyserositis

for over two years.

She had severe renal
and cardiac amyloidosis.

It's really just
a matter of time.

Would you mind describing
for me how Nikki passed away?

I got a call from Lillian
Parkson, night before last.

I went to the house.

Nikki was supine in her bed.

Checked her vitals, there
were none. I pronounced it.

You should have called it in.

The Parksons have
suffered enough, Dr. Hunt.

I did what I thought was best
for Nikki and for the family.

Now, if you don't mind,

I really do have
better places to be.

Looks like you
charmed another one.

What was that all about?

Nikki Parkson died two days ago.

He signed off
on her certificate.

Yeah, so?

Look at this.

The trail of blood.

The doctor just said
Nikki was supine

in her bed, on her back.

The blood should
have run down her neck.

That blood runs
forward, toward her chin.

So either gravity failed
or someone's lying.

We need to stop that funeral.

Curtis. Where's Kate?

Do I have to remind you again
that I am not her assistant?

You can try. Not sure
it will do any good.

Why do you need her?
About to dive into something

that could ruffle some
feathers. Just checking in.

Whoa, stop the train.

You're gonna check in with the
chief before you get in trouble?

But since the
chief isn't here...

You're gonna dive right
on in anyway, aren't you?

You're the deputy
medical examiner.

You wanna make the call? Me?

Approve one of your
schemes? Oh, no.

Mm-mm. This conversation
never even happened,

understand me?

( mellow theme playing)

Hey. One question.

Do you wanna be involved
in Lacey's life or not?

One asinine question.

You know I do. Okay, that...

Back at the school there,
that's not involvement.

That's the same work-comes-first
attitude that got us here.

I'm sorry. But
there was no reason

both of us had to stay there.

You can handle it. No, no, no.

No, see, that's just it.

I don't wanna be the
bad cop all by myself.

I know how that
ends, she turns 16

and then she wants to
move in with her mother.

Maybe that's my plan.

I did take her phone
away from her.

All right. I will talk to
her. I will play bad cop.

But right now, I gotta go.

Don't you think we should
talk to the family first?

Parksons are very rich
and wield a lot of power.

Well, that's kind of
what I'm talking about.

If they're covering
something up,

they'll only make things harder.

Besides, I'm not here for them.

I'm here for Nikki.

MEGAN: You do nice
work. She looks beautiful.

You know, service doesn't
start for another hour.

I'll go get my boss.

PETER: Young, wasn't she?

MEGAN: Twenty-two.

Her whole life ahead of her.

All the blood's gone now.

You see something?

Give me a tissue, will you?

PETER: A ligature mark?

So much for natural causes.

What are you doing
to my daughter?

I am terribly sorry,
Mrs. Parkson,

I know that this is a
difficult time for you.

And I'm afraid I'm going
to make it a lot worse.

You can't bury Nikki today.

BAKER: You can't wait
for me to find the bodies.

You gotta go find them
on your own now, huh?

You'll have to take
that up with Megan.

I'm guessing Megan's got
enough on her plate right now.

LILLIAN: Have you thought at all

about what you're doing
to my family, Dr. Hunt?

I understand.

Mourners are due here.

Any idea how embarrassing
this is going to be?

This has to be
some kind of a joke.

I'm sitting writing a
eulogy for my sister,

and I get a call you're
seizing her body?

I'm sorry, but there's
now a question

about the cause of death.

I don't care what the excuse.

My sister deserves better

than to be paraded out
there for the cameras.

Mr. Parkson, Mrs. Parkson,

I'm Dr. Murphey. I'm the
chief medical examiner.

I assure you we are
doing everything possible

to protect Nikki
and your family.

Don't you wanna know the truth?

BILLY: You really think we
don't already know the truth?

Nikki killed herself.

And you thought
it would be all right

to just cover up her suicide?

To protect her
memory, her dignity.

BILLY: You've seen
the press out there.

You think they care
about my sister?

We wanted to keep this private.

Now, thanks to you, this is how
she'll be remembered forever.

MEGAN: This is Dr. Megan Hunt

performing the autopsy
of Nikki Parkson.

There is a linear mark,
2.5 centimeters in width,

situated horizontally
on the upper neck.

It extends obliquely
upward and backward.

Present within the mark is
a pattern of a braided cord.

An elliptical impression is
present behind the left ear,

bearing the same corded pattern.

All indications

are consistent with a
suspended hanging.

Well, you made the
headlines. You wanna see?

Not particularly. Oh, okay.

Lacey looked up to this girl.

Well, it's not a bad role model.

Franklin School, Princeton.

Always top of her class.

Tons of charity work.

And uniquely enough,
in this day and age,

no sex tape, no scandals.

Seems like she was
something special.

What do you know about
paroxysmal polyserositis?

Symptoms include inflammation,

repeated fevers,
uh, abdominal pain,

chest pain, joint
pain, skin lesions,

all treatable with colchicine,

which, incidentally, is
derived from the crocus flower.

Ethan, I am impressed.

Thank you.

I'm on the Internet.

But you're right.

She really was
something special.

LILLIAN: Please sit down.

Nikki knew she was dying.

Her heart and
kidneys were going.

That's how it finally gets you.

And she was taking colchicine?

Every day. It just
wasn't very effective.

Nikki got depressed
and discouraged.

She had seen her father waste
away from the same disease.

She always said she
didn't wanna die like that.

And before you
go digging him up,

he died in the hospital
surrounded by doctors

almost five years ago.

Who actually found Nikki?

I did.

It was around 11:00.

My mother went
up to check on Nikki.

I heard her scream.

I ran upstairs to see,

and I saw Nikki hanging there.

I thought maybe I
could save her. I tr...

But she was beyond saving.

Whose idea was it to
cover up the suicide?

Mine.

And I'd do it again.

Nikki spent her life doing
things to help other people.

That's how I wanted her to
be remembered, not like this.

So I cut her down,

I put her in her own bed
and called the doctor.

LILLIAN (sobbing): I just...
I can't believe she's gone.

I spent every day of the
last two years caring for Nikki.

I gave up everything
to be at her bedside.

I don't know what I'll...

KATE: I'm really, really sorry.

LILLIAN: Thank you.

BAKER: I'm sorry, Mrs.
Parkinson, but we need...

Hi.

I didn't know there was
someone else in the house.

Doesn't surprise me. I'm the
one they don't talk about here.

I'm Sara, Nikki's sister.

Peter Dunlop. I'm
with the ME's office.

I don't suppose I
could see Nikki's room?

Sure.

So you live here as well?

Me? Ha. No. I escaped
this house five years ago.

This is my first time back.

And as soon as the funeral's
over, I'll be gone again.

Troubles with your mother?

I saw the way you
looked at her in the hall.

I must seem like
a total bitch, huh?

It's just, with Lillian,
everything's about Lillian.

You heard her, how
she lost everything,

what's she gonna do now.

You said that you
left five years ago.

That was the same
time your father died.

Once he was gone,
there was no buffer

between me and my mom.

So you left.

I was thrown out, actually.

I got caught with some
coke, embarrassed my mother,

which was the real crime.

So she threw me
out, cut me off entirely.

That must have been rough.

Best thing that ever
happened to me.

Nikki's room.

( mysterious theme playing)

That's what she used.

She tied a piece of it
on the beam in there.

Nikki was amazing.

Best of the three of us, by far.

The only regret I
had about leaving

was that I couldn't
take her with me.

Did you keep in touch?

I tried. We e-mailed, talked
on the phone sometimes.

Last few weeks, she was sounding
really depressed, despondent.

That's why I came
back from London.

I was hoping I
could cheer her up.

I thought I had.

We're back. I'm just
finishing up the neck.

We brought you a present.

Is it eggplant Parm
from Remmy's?

Not exactly.

PETER: We pulled
this from the trash.

Oh, I'll pull the skin flap down.
We can make a comparison.

That looks like a perfect match.

We got a lot of e-mails
from Nikki to her sister.

There was no mention of suicide,

but the girl was
clearly depressed.

Yeah. Family interviews
also support suicide.

I'm ready to sign off
as soon as you're ready.

Just about.

Hold on a second.

There is bruising

on the strap muscles.

Bruising? From the rope?
MEGAN: Below the rope.

No question.

Then what bruised
them? KATE: Hands.

Around her neck.

The hanging was only meant
to make it look like a suicide.

Nikki Parkson was murdered.

( dramatic theme playing)

What the hell is all this?

We have a warrant, Mr. Parkson.

Nikki's bedroom is
now a crime scene.

A crime scene?

Your sister didn't
commit suicide.

She was murdered. This is crazy.

Have you completely
lost your minds?

Nikki was sick.
She killed herself.

No. This is insane.
You're not going in there.

Well, I can arrest
you if you'd like.

This is pointless.

I mean, how am I supposed
to gather evidence?

She's been embalmed.

I don't even have the
clothes she was wearing.

She's had a manicure,
for Pete's sake.

When you're done with that,

I need a revised
death certificate.

Cause of death:
manual strangulation.

Are you sure?

I'm only asking just
because you just...

You don't seem a
hundred-percent sure.

Yes, I'm sure.

I just don't understand it.

I'm looking at her
heart and kidneys,

there's advanced amyloidosis.

She was already dying.

Why would somebody
wanna murder her?

A mercy killing, maybe?

Somebody couldn't
stand to watch her suffer.

There's a lot more merciful
ways to end somebody's life.

Well, I don't claim to
have all the answers.

I just came in to tell
you your daughter called.

She's on her way
over to see you.

Oh, she must be going
crazy without her phone.

A little young to
have gout, isn't she?

She had beta thalassemia
minor, so age is not a factor.

Prep that. Get it on a slide.

Wait, you think she meant me?

You think she didn't mean you?

(chuckles)

All right, so let's
say you're the killer.

Nikki's in bed or she's
in the chair reading?

One way or another, my
hands end up around her throat,

and I strangle her.

Then I grab a piece of
cord from the curtain...

All right, question is, though,

do you tie it around
the beam first,

or do you put it around
her neck and hoist her up?

If I wanted to make it
look like a true suicide,

I have to go with the
tying over the beam first.

And then I make a noose

and lift Nikki up
into it. Suicide.

Who else had access to the
room apart from family and doctor?

No one was here that night.

The help was all gone by 7.

I mean, that's the "who."

The other big
question is the "why."

That's easy.

Rich people like this,

it's always about money.

Okay, this is new territory
for both of us, so bear with me.

Can't we just tell
Dad you yelled at me?

No. And I'm not
gonna yell at you.

You need to understand
that what you did was wrong.

And your father and
I both agree on that.

What's so funny?

I'm sorry, it's just this whole
tag-team parenting thing.

You guys both
being at my school.

Why do you guys think
you have to keep it a secret?

What do you mean a secret? What?

You and Dad
getting back together.

Uh, ha, ha...

Where did you get that idea?

Please. Dad's been out,
like, almost every night.

And the caller ID
at home has logged

a ton of calls from your office.

It doesn't take a genius.

Okay, I think we're done here.

Mom, are you okay?

I am sorry to
disappoint you, Lacey,

but your father and I are
not getting back together.

Here's your phone.

I'll talk to you soon.

I love you.

Go.

Todd, I just had a
nice talk with Lacey.

You need to call me.

Soon.

Bastard.

(phone buzzing)

(sighs)

You know, it's ridiculous we
gotta sneak around like this.

We're both adults.

Single.

I'm not the only one who
wanted to keep things quiet.

No, I know. I wasn't...

Didn't mean it like that.

I just... It...

It shouldn't feel sleazy
and it still kind of does.

Maybe it's time to get
this out in the open.

Mm.

It's gonna have to
happen sometime,

assuming we keep
doing whatever this is

that we're doing.

But, um, this was nice.

And I didn't think
it was sleazy.

Really?

Sexy, definitely,
but not sleazy.

Mm. Wow.

Mm.

PETER: You're not
gonna believe this,

but Sam's crime techs found
semen on Nikki's sheets.

They're running
the DNA right now.

Why wouldn't I believe

a beautiful young
woman was having sex?

Well, it's... I mean,

was sex even a
possibility in her condition?

She was weak, but not that weak.

Okay.

I have what you wanted.

What did I want?

I made up a slide of
what Curtis thought

might be gout in
Nikki Parkson's toe.

Turns out he was right.
That doesn't make sense.

Why not? Ethan.

I know I should
know because this...

Nikki was on colchicine.

Colchicine's used to treat gout.

There is no way she could
develop a gout flare like that.

Are we sure she
was on colchicine?

According to her medical
records, 3 milligrams a day.

We do have her pill dispenser.

Get it.

You're gonna hate me.

I already hate you, Dryer.

Ha, ha. You say that.

But every April, when
you want your taxes done,

you are loving me.

What did you dig up on
Nikki Parkson's finances?

Money is not your motive.

The only real funds
that she controlled

are in a charitable trust.

They have to be donated.

To the rainforests,
to be specific.

So unless you're an
endangered tree frog

or a golden tamarind...

Nobody profits from her death.

Keep digging on it, will you?

(sighs)

ETHAN: Man, Nikki
took a lot of pills.

PETER: Which one was colchicine?

MEGAN: This one
is supposed to be.

But...

You're gonna light it?

( mysterious theme playing)

Smells like crème brûlée.

(chuckles)

Actually, he's right.

That's sugar.

They're placebo pills.

No wonder the
poor girl was dying.

She wasn't getting her medicine.

( suspenseful theme playing)

Mother, what are you doing?
What are they doing here?

We have some questions
for your mother, Mr. Parkson.

Well, she doesn't
have to answer them.

I want to.

The sooner this is done,

the sooner we'll
have Nikki back.

We need to have her funeral.

So, what can I
tell you, Dr. Hunt?

Are you familiar with
Munchausen by proxy syndrome?

I'm sure I've heard of it.

I couldn't say
exactly what it is.

In some cases, parents
actually make their children sick

in order to get attention.

Are you gonna say my
mother gave Nikki F.P.P.?

It's a genetic disease.
She was born with it.

No, that's not what I was
going to say, not exactly.

But you did get quite a lot
of attention from your circle

because of Nikki's illness?

I'm blessed with
supportive friends,

if that's what you mean.

BAKER: I checked with
the pharmacy, Mrs. Parkson.

You personally signed
for Nikki's medication.

So why didn't she
ever receive it?

BILLY: Well, that's ridiculous.

Mother was religious
about Nikki's medication.

I saw her dole out
the pills every night.

MEGAN: She gave her pills, yes,

but not the colchicine. They
were sugar pills. Placebos.

How could you do that?
You don't understand.

MEGAN: Oh, I understand.

As long as Nikki stayed
sick, you felt important.

Mom, what are
they talking about?

I'm putting an end
to this. We're done.

Nikki find out?

Did she threaten to tell
all your society friends

what you did to her? Did
you hear me? We're done.

Just imagine the embarrassment.

Is that why you killed
her? BILLY: Stop it!

I want you out of here. Now!

All right. We're leaving.

Thank you for the tea.

Two years that woman
watched this girl suffer.

Her own daughter.

If Nikki had gotten
her colchicine,

the attacks could've
been prevented.

She would have lived
a fairly normal life.

Do you really think
her mother killed her?

Believe me, I've known
women like Lillian.

All they care
about is their image,

more than anything
else. It's possible.

Megan? What's going
on? I just got your message.

Let's go in my office.

So, what's so urgent?

What happened with Lacey?

Our daughter thinks
we're getting back together.

Why in the world
would she think that?

Maybe it has something
to do with the fact

that you're screwing my boss.

Oh, you're unbelievable.

Unbelievable.

Of all the women in the
city, you have to pick her?

Kate was an expert witness
on one of my cases and I...

We just hit it off.

I'll just bet you
did. It happened.

Lacey doesn't know about this?

There haven't been
any sleepovers yet?

When are you planning

on passing that milestone?
You are out of bounds.

Out of bounds? You have
put me in an untenable position.

We're all grown-ups here.

We have done nothing wrong.

You don't see me
sleeping with your partners.

You should. It's
been five years.

You can't tell me
you've been a nun.

(scoffs)

But, thank you, though.

You know what? You do make
me realize one thing, at least.

It's time to tell Lacey.

( suspenseful theme playing)

We found your DNA
on Nikki's bed sheets.

No offense, but
you're not exactly

in Nikki's league, are you?

Auto theft, burglary.

You pled out to pot possession
in Costa Rica a few months ago.

Makes us think you
might've been up to no good.

Maybe tried to take
advantage of Nikki's condition,

or even worse, rape.

Rape? Nikki and I were in love.

Did Nikki know
that? I'm serious.

I delivered a
get-well basket to her

a couple of months ago.

I had a copy of Catcher in
the Rye in my back pocket.

Turns out it was
her favorite book.

I ended up staying for a
while and reading to her.

We hit it off.

Well, that's you and
Nikki sitting in the parlor.

Long way from
messing up her sheets.

I kept going back.

Nikki was cool. We
liked the same stuff.

And she didn't care if I
wasn't rich or anything.

How did her family react

to you being
around all the time?

SHANE: They didn't like it.

Her mother tried to
bar me from the house.

But that didn't stop you, right?

I told you, me and
Nikki were in love.

That's a beautiful story,
Shane, but I don't buy it.

Believe what you want.
BAKER: You strangled Nikki

and tried to make
it look like a suicide.

No, no, no. No way.
Never happened.

You were in her room.

And right after
that, she's dead.

She was alive
when I left, I swear.

You don't believe me?
Ask the sister, Sara.

She was there,
she walked in on us.

It's true. I was out
for the evening.

When I got back home,
I went up to Nikki's room.

What time was that?
I'm not sure. Close to 10.

Anyway, when I got to
Nikki's door, it was closed.

I didn't think for a minute
anything was going on,

so I walked in.

And Shane was there?

SARA: At first, I was angry.

But then I saw Nikki's
face. She looked so happy.

What did you do after that?

I gave Shane a minute to dress,

and then I walked
him out of the house.

Why didn't you mention
him when we talked before?

I threw him out. He
couldn't have done it.

So you said that
happened around 10.

What happened after that?

SARA: I don't wanna
get my brother in trouble.

Sara, you need
to tell us the truth

about what happened that night.

Billy must've seen
me leading Shane out,

because when I came
back inside, he was upstairs.

He was yelling at Nikki.
He sounded really pissed.

( dramatic theme playing)

We're not gonna get
anywhere near Billy now.

He's totally lawyered up.

Listen to this.

"The Parksons have made
every effort to cooperate,

but they no longer see a
benefit to continuing a dialogue."

They're hiding. The
question is, which one did it?

Billy or Lillian.

I mean, she had the motive,
trying to protect her image.

Yeah, but Billy
had a motive also.

Last week, he inquired
about amending Nikki's trust.

He wanted to change
her choice of charity.

Where did Nikki want
her money to go to?

An environmental fund.

Rainforests?

Something Lacey said.

Point is, maybe Billy couldn't
stand to see all that money

going to frogs and trees.
Might've led to a fight.

Which means this could
be about money, after all.

BAKER: Either way, I
need you two to help me

link one of them to this crime.

MEGAN: So much happened
to Nikki's body before we got it.

Megan, would you mind

stepping into my
office for a minute?

Can it wait?

I just think that
we should talk.

Funny.

Weren't in any
hurry to talk before.

Funny thing. You always
go straight to the bodies.

What are you talking about?

Whenever something
is bothering you,

this is where you're drawn
for solace. To the dead.

Maybe because they don't
make annoying observations.

Ha, ha. Okay, so you
care to share what's wrong?

Kate is sleeping
with my ex-husband.

And this bothers you?

You need to ask?

You and Todd have been
divorced for five years.

You figure he'd be
seeing somebody.

Yeah, but Kate?

What have you got against Kate?

She's screwing my ex-husband.

Unless you still
have feelings for him,

I don't see the problem.

Forget it. You see,
you're doing it again.

The dead thing.

(sighs)

( suspenseful theme playing)

You see something? Her manicure.

It doesn't match her pedicure.

Color's completely
different. Okay. So?

So the mortuary
didn't touch her toes.

That makeup artist
was only worried

about making her look pretty

from the waist
up for the viewing.

Ethan. Yeah?

Did you scrape Nikki's
toenails for evidence?

Uh, I told you, it was
pointless, you know.

They were all cleaned, cut
and painted for the funeral.

Not her toenails.

Um...

Look, I hate to be a downer,

but Billy Parkson's DNA is
not necessarily in the system.

And there is no way in hell

that he's gonna give
us a sample voluntarily.

We don't need Billy's
DNA. We have Nikki's.

We can do a sibling
comparison to get a match.

Right away.

(sighs)

KATE: Well, this is nice.
I've never been here.

Thought you'd
like it. Thank you.

You're welcome.

I'm sorry this has all Ahem.

Blown up the way it has. No.

There's nothing
to apologize for.

I know. I just don't want to
cause you any grief at work.

You know what, we're all adults.

It'll be fine. We'll
just soldier through.

Just know I may need
to call you for support.

Have you talked to her yet?

I approached it. But
I didn't wanna push.

That's probably smart.

Megan can be a little difficult
sometimes, to put it nicely.

Okay, but let's
not do that, okay?

I don't wanna talk about her
like she's the enemy in this.

Look, this is still so
new, you and me.

So how about we just accept

that it's gonna be a
little clumsy at first,

and, um, the rest,
we'll figure out as we go.

Right.

We don't have to
hide it anymore,

right? Yeah.

( mellow theme playing)

All right, I think we just need

to get this whole
thing out in the air.

What thing? Todd and me, dating.

You see how easy that was?

Why didn't you have the decency
to come tell me five weeks ago?

The reason I didn't say anything
about the relationship before

is because I don't even
know yet if it is a relationship.

The bottom line is, I
don't want anything

to affect our work here.

Maybe you should've
thought of that

before you jumped into
bed with my husband.

Your ex-husband. And
we didn't jump into anything.

You know, I don't care
anymore. Let's just move on.

I would love to move on...
You know what I found? I...

I just walked into the
middle of something, didn't I?

Um, the DNA results
came back from the tissue

under, uh, Nikki's toenail.

The sibling
comparison is positive.

So it is Billy's. No.
It's a female sibling.

The DNA is Sara's?

( dramatic theme playing)

BAKER: Just got your message.

So Sara Parkson. Yeah.

Her tissue was deeply
embedded under Nikki's nail,

and it wasn't from any
casual contact. It was violent.

ETHAN: Okay, this is weird.

Bizarre, actually. I just
got the full DNA report.

The lab found a second
DNA mixed in with Sara's.

And it's not human.

PETER: Then what is it?
ETHAN: Some sort of organism?

Tripana... Trypanoso...
CURTIS: Trypanosoma cruzi?

That's right.

It's a parasite. Your girl
was bit by a kissing bug.

So Sara has Chagas disease.
The parasite's in her blood.

Bingo. It's pretty common
in certain parts of the world.

The transmission
vector is an insect.

Probably Rhodnius prolixus
or Rhodnius pallescens.

Is Chagas something she
could've picked up in London?

Not hardly. If the
bug was R. prolixus,

we're talking about Guatemala
or Honduras, probably.

If it was R. pallescens,

then she spent some
time in Costa Rica.

Our delivery boy, Shane,
was just in Costa Rica.

Got back three months ago.

A coincidence?

They're in this
together. Gotta be.

Well, still, why kill Nikki?
We don't have a motive.

Maybe we do.

Nikki's charity was
rainforests, right?

What do you wanna bet it
was started in Costa Rica?

BAKER: We made
the connection, Shane.

You and Sara, Costa Rica.

See, right now, Sara's family's

getting her a big fancy lawyer.

The lawyer's gonna
call his friend, the judge,

and the two of them are gonna
offer Sara a real sweet deal

to lay this whole thing on you.

You're done.

And you're just gonna
sit there and take it.

No.

No way I'm taking the
blame. It was her damn plan.

BAKER: All right,
so walk me through it.

I met Sara on a beach in
Costa Rica four months ago.

She told me about
her rich little sister

back home who was dying.

Sara had a plan
to use the sister

to get a share of
the family's money.

She was pretty bitter
about scraping by

when her family
had so much cash.

And your job in this was what?

Just to cozy up to Nikki.

And convince her
to will her money over

to the fake rainforest
foundation that Sara set up.

Sara told me everything I
needed to know about Nikki.

Her favorite books and foods,

the kind of music
she liked, all that stuff.

So getting in tight
with her was easy.

And the environment
was already her thing,

so piece of cake.

I don't get it.

All you had to do was sit
back and wait for Nikki to die.

The money would've
gone straight to Sara.

What happened?

Nikki changed her mind.

She wanted to switch charities.

That's why Billy was looking
to reassign the beneficiary.

I know why you killed her.

You're wasting your time.

You knew Nikki
better than anyone.

You knew just how
to manipulate her.

But she surprised
you, didn't she?

She changed her mind.

Picked a new charity over yours.

That's why you
came rushing home.

Not to comfort her,

to talk her out of it.

You always cared
about rainforests.

MEGAN: She wouldn't
listen, would she?

This is just more
important to me now.

I don't know why that's
hard to understand.

MEGAN: So one night, when you
knew that Shane would be there,

you walked in on them.

What are you
doing here? Shut up.

Maybe you gave
her a second chance,

or maybe you just
wanted to kill your sister.

But even sick and dying,
Nikki struggled to stay alive.

She fought back. She kicked you.

We have your DNA
from under her toenail.

You took a cord from her window,

threw it over the rafter,

and then made it look
like she hanged herself.

Tell me,

what's it like to
watch your sister die?

It took you longer than
you expected, didn't it?

Did her body convulse,
did she struggle?

It was just supposed
to be a con.

But she had to ruin it.

She was gonna give her money
to her disease. To research.

She wanted to help people,

so they wouldn't have
to suffer like she did.

People she didn't even
know. I'm her sister.

Do you have any idea how
much money my family has?

And they cut me off
like I never even existed.

Besides, she was dying, anyway.

Déjà vu. We're back to
where we started from.

No. Nikki got justice.

She can rest in peace now.

You must think I'm a monster.

You're right. I do.

You have to know, I
loved Nikki very much.

I'd do anything I
could to have her back.

Honestly, Mrs. Parkson,
I'm not interested.

We're here for
Nikki, not for you.

They, however, are here for you.

What is this?

BAKER: You're under
arrest, Mrs. Parkson,

for interfering with your
daughter's medical care.

You're doing this here? Now?

You have no proof.
BILLY: Yes, they do, Mom.

I found Nikki's medicine.

All the pills you
never gave her.

You did this to me?
POLICEWOMAN: Ma'am.

What about our family?

When have we ever been a family?

POLICEMAN: This way.

So you know, Nikki's
money is gonna go

to help fight her disease,

just as she wanted.

That's what she'll
be remembered for.

Thank you, Dr. Hunt.

( tender theme playing)

Mom? Ha, ha.

I noticed that your other
cover was pretty beat up.

Aren't you supposed to be
punishing me or something?

I mean, we're at my
favorite restaurant,

and you got me a gift.

It's a thank you.
If it wasn't for you,

we would never have found out

the truth about Nikki Parkson.

I guess that's
kind of true, huh?

I know that your father talked
to you about Dr. Murphey.

Yeah.

We're not getting back together.

I don't know if you'd gotten
your hopes up about that.

I'm fine.

How are you, though?

I mean, Dad's dating your boss.

I'd be going crazy right now.

Thank you.

You are the first person to
acknowledge how hard this is.

(chuckles)

I promise I'll hate her. No,
no. That won't help anyone.

Just promise that
you'll respect her,

(sighs)

and give her the benefit
of the doubt once in a while.

Okay? Okay.

Let's have another dessert. I
thought the rule was just one.

Oh, who cares about rules?

( mellow theme playing)