Diagnosis Murder (1993–2001): Season 1, Episode 14 - Guardian Angel - full transcript

Norman? Norman.

- Thanks a lot, Tommy.
- You bet, Doc.

Might I remind you this is the major
political fundraiser of the season,

not the demolition derby.

My car broke down
about halfway here.

I... I would have taken a cab.

Did you ever call an LA cab?

They don't ask you what
time. They ask you what day.

I embarrassed you, didn't I?

You didn't have to wave.
Everybody was looking at me.

I'm sorry. I'll buy
you a cup of coffee.



Well, at... at least the
Mayor didn't see us. No.

Did he?

No. Don't worry about it.

So he didn't see us, right? No.

Okay.

Ridgeway all the way!

Hey!

Hey, George, over here!

Come on!

There's the Mayor.
There's the Mayor. What?

The Mayor. He's coming this
way. Try not to act nervous.

Mark! I thought that was you.

It's good to see you again.
Mr. Mayor. How's the shoulder doing?

Oh, not bad. Uh, don't think my jump
shot will ever be the same, though.



Oh, it'll probably be the same,

because it couldn't
get any worse.

I hear you had car
trouble on the way down.

Uh, nothing
unusual with that car.

Oh, George Ridgeway,
this is Norman Briggs,

our administrator
at the hospital.

Thanks for coming, Mr. Briggs.
It's an honor, Your Honor.

Nice day to meet you.

It's an honor.

Mark! What a surprise.

Lauren.

I don't mean to interrupt,
but I need to leave.

I have a terrible migraine.
It's been coming on all day.

Oh, I'm very sorry, darling.
I... Can you do something?

Yeah, I can call the hospital,
have some sumatriptan sent over.

Oh, no, M-Mark. Thank
you, but I have some at home.

Oh. I'll have the driver
take you right away.

Okay. Bye-bye. Aw, bye.

You're turning blue, Norman.

You didn't tell me
you knew the Mayor.

You didn't ask me.

Buy an American car.

One more together, please.

That's it. Thank you, Mayor.

Very good! Uh, one more
shot, one more shot, please.

This way. That's
great. That's great.

Over here, please.
Thank you very much.

Lauren?

Turn it off, please.

Sorry. I forgot.

How's the migraine?

Mmm. Not good.

Is Melissa home?

She's spending the
night at a friend's house.

I'm going to the office for
about an hour. I'll leave at 11:00.

You gonna be okay?

Yes.

Mr. Strand?

This is Jill Hewlitt
of the City News.

I can't talk now. Somebody
broke into my house.

Why would they do that?

I wanted to meet with you and talk
to you about the letters you sent me.

They're fascinating.

But perhaps now
isn't a good time.

No, no, no. I...
I... I can meet you.

Tonight. 11:00.

I'll meet you in
the parking garage

at the corner of Federal
and Western. Second level.

Sure. Okay.

I'll see you soon, Mr. Strand.

Well, I'm beat.

Uh, why don't you two take over,

and I'll see you in the morning?

Okay, George.

George.

Lauren.

What is this?

Exactly what you deserve.

Get out of the way, please.

Hang in there, Mr. Mayor.
Dr. Sloan is on his way.

Lauren.

Uh, we called her, sir. Put
him in Examining Room A.

I need an x-ray, stat.

Yes, Doctor, right away.

Mark. MARK: Lauren.

What happened? How is he?

He... He was shot
twice at, uh, close range.

We were able to stabilize him
enough to get him into surgery.

Oh, my God! Well,
he's in good hands.

You still have
that, uh, migraine?

Yes. Yes. I'm sorry. The light.

The sumatriptan should
have worked by now.

Steve, take her in and let her
lay on the couch in my office.

Sure. Don't worry, Lauren.
We'll find whoever did this.

Lauren.

He'd lost too much blood, honey.

Did he... he say
anything before?

He said your name
once. That's all.

Excuse me.

Mrs. Ridgeway, I'm very
sorry about your husband.

But I thought you'd wanna
know we have arrested a suspect.

Who?

A Benjamin Strand.

♪

What?

Lord have mercy. I
thought you were dead.

Nobody could have stayed
dead through that. Delores!

Excuse me, what are you
doing sleeping on this floor?

Oh, it feels better on
my back than that couch.

You don't have floors at home?

Uh, a, uh, hit-and-run came in
last night as I was about to leave.

Or was that this
morning? What time is it?

Almost 8:00. Uh,
Mr. Briggs is looking for you.

Big mug of coffee?

Yeah. You got it.

Hmm.

Morning. Mark.

Listen, I heard about last
night. How are you doing?

Oh, it hurts to lose anyone,

but I think George Ridgeway could
have done some great things for the state.

Yeah. Well, at least they
caught the nut who did it.

How's Mrs. Ridgeway taking it?

Well, sh-she's showing remarkable
courage under the circumstances.

But to tell you the truth,
there's something puzzling

about her behavior
all night long.

What's that?

Well, at the... at the hotel, she
complained of having a migraine,

but she didn't show
any symptoms at all.

Then later, here, after she
supposedly took the medication,

she definitely had a migraine.

Doesn't make any
sense. Not to me, either.

How's our, uh,
hit-and-run victim?

Mr. Lomax? He came
to about an hour ago

and the guy hasn't
stopped complaining since.

He's feeling great.

Hey, what are you doing?
Mr. Lomax, what are you doing?

I felt the sudden
urge to go dancing.

What do you think I'm trying
to do? I'm getting out of here.

Oh, no, you're not, Mr. Lomax.
No, you're not. Take it easy.

Lay down. Lay down.
Shh. Easy. Easy.

Goodness, just relax, Mr. Lomax.

I'm, uh, Dr. Sloan.
Remember me from last night?

No.

Do you remember anything at all?

You mean after that crazy
lady in the red four-wheel drive

sends me ricocheting down the
alleyway like I was some pinball,

I'm supposed to
remember something?

Oh, no, I don't
remember nothing.

Mr. Lomax, you sure it
was a red four-wheel drive?

Let me tell you something, boy.

I've been a mechanic
for over 40 years.

The car ain't been built
that I ain't been under.

So when I say it
was a red four...

One, two, three, four-wheel drive
vehicle, that's exactly what I mean.

Now you all have a nice day.

But, Mr. Lomax,
Mr. Lomax... Mr. Lomax.

What's your rush, Mr. Lomax?

Mr. Lomax, about
what time was that?

What time was it?
It was before 9:00,

before Mr. Montero
came by walking his dog,

because he always
comes by at 9:00

every single night
to walk his dog.

We stop, we have a little
chat about automobiles

because I was a mechanic for
over 40 years, and I'd like to go.

M-Mr. Lomax, please.
What is your hurry?

Sweetheart, I got to
go and get my bag.

I got my life savings in my bag,

so I don't want you all looking at
me like I am some charity case.

Mr. Lomax, in this hospital,
there are no charity cases.

There are only patients.

Now all you have to do is just lay
back, relax and get better, all right?

Now, you listen to him.

What about my bag?

Tell you what, Mr. Lomax. If
it makes you feel any better,

we will go down
on our lunch hour

and find your bag for you, okay?

We'll what?

Right.

Um, I really didn't have any
lunch plans worth keeping, anyway.

Amigo, we're...
we're ready for you.

Huh? The photo shoot
for the hospital brochure.

Didn't you read my memo?

You didn't read
my memo, did you?

Norman... You... you
never read my memos.

Norman, I have
been up all night long.

I haven't shaved,
I haven't changed.

Can we... Can't we do it
some other time? When?

Well, I don't know.
Uh, send me a memo.

Thought you might wanna see a
photo of Mayor Ridgeway's assassin.

Ooh. Yeah. All right, thank you.

Our guys found that
in Strand's apartment.

Add that to the
fingerprints on the gun

and the death threat
letters to Mayor Ridgeway,

sounds pretty airtight.

What about Strand's story
that some reporter called up

and arranged a meeting with him?

Jill Hewlitt? We checked. Yeah.

She's out of the
country on assignment.

Well, couldn't it be some other
woman just claiming to be her?

Ah, it's not likely.

Why? You having
doubts about Strand?

Well, I... The whole
thing's a little...

Too neat. Yeah.
Don't you think so?

Uh-huh.

Listen, thanks for the
picture. Can I keep it?

Yeah. Be my guest. It's a copy.

Listen, you're not onto something
I should know about, are you?

No, no.

Okay, well, I gotta
go. Dinner tonight?

Yeah. I'll see you
then. Okay, see you.

Dr. Mark Sloan. Mrs.
Ridgeway is expecting me.

Go ahead, sir.

What's with the, uh, black
bag, Mark? Do I look that awful?

No, you look wonderful.

But I've been a little
worried about you.

You mind if I make
sure you're okay?

Not at all.

I didn't thank you last night

for what you did,
did I? I'm sorry.

You have absolutely
nothing to apologize for.

It was all such a horrible
blur. I... You know.

Is your head hurting now?

Mmm, no. The
medicine really did help.

You took it when you
got home from the hotel?

That's right.

Okay, just relax
and follow the line.

You know, Lauren, I've seen you
with these migraine headaches before.

It struck me as a little odd that
the bright lights at the reception

didn't bother you.

Oh, but they did.

Hmm. Didn't look like it.

Really?

To tell you the truth, the
whole evening is a blur.

How about later,
at the hospital?

What about it?

Well, you were having a migraine
attack during that time, weren't you?

Was I? I... I don't remember.

You know, that concerns
me a little bit, Lauren.

I mean, that
short-term memory loss.

Why don't you come in and let
me give you an EEG, CAT scan?

I mean, just to rule out, you know,
anything beyond simple migraine.

Mark, this is not a
good time for me.

No hurry. Give me your hand.

Oh, uh, one more thing.

When you came
home from the rally,

did you see or,
uh, talk to anyone?

No, not that I can remember.

But, then again, you've got me
doubting just about everything.

Don't you remember,
Mom? We spoke.

I called her from
the slumber party

and we talked at about
9:00 for 10 minutes.

Well, I guess that answers that.

Listen, be sure and call me about
setting up those tests, will you?

Mmm. Yes, I will. Okay.

Oh, and one more thing.
You did thank me last night.

Oh, well... Good.
I'll show myself out.

Bye, Melissa.

The doctor thinks that your
mother is losing her mind.

Where did you go last night?

Because no one
answered when I called.

I went for a walk
to get some air.

Come here, baby.

Everything is
going to be all right.

It is.

Excuse me, is, uh, that
Mrs. Ridgeway's car?

Yeah. She and her
husband both used it. Why?

Oh, no. No reason. Nice car.

This is where Lomax lives?

I can't believe I let you talk
me into coming down here.

You gonna start complaining?
Just tell me so I know.

Hey! Thank you.

Now, Lomax said, uh, he hid
his bag behind this dumper.

What?

Come on.

Give me a hand.

You must be kidding.

Do I look like I'm kidding? Come
on, Amanda, it's heavy. Help me out.

You gotta be kidding. What?

You cut up stiffs all day long

and you're worried
about a couple of germs?

I told you I'm thinking
about changing my specialty.

Besides, these germs,
I can smell. Let's go.

Yeah, well, just plug your
nose and help me push it.

All right, there it is.
On your side. Get it.

You grab it.

But you're wearing the gloves.

You owe me bigtime
for this, Jack Stewart.

Oh, God.

Disgusting.

Mmm.

Jack, it's full of cash!

Jack! Jack?

Jack?

And make sure you catalog that.

Right, can we get
a shot over here?

Hey, what's the big idea,
leaving me back there like that?

You know, that dumpster
could have rolled.

I could have been
mangled, crushed.

There were rats.

Are you listening to me?

Take a look.

Fascinating.

I see a run-down,
rat-infested apartment.

You know what, Jack Stewart?

You really know how to
show a girl a good time.

It's not just any run-down,
rat-infested apartment.

I recognize this
place from the news.

Benjamin Strand lived here.

And thanks to you,

a possible valuable,
key piece of evidence

is laying right over there.

Oh.

I was out with Amanda looking
for Mr. Lomax's bag, right?

Right. Well, we found it.

You ready for this?

Guess who lives no more than 20
yards away from where we found the bag?

Benjamin Strand.

That's right.

You know, that's
very interesting,

because I was at
Lauren Ridgeway's house.

Guess what kind
of a car she drives?

Don't tell me. She drives
a red four-wheel drive.

Coincidence? I doubt it.

Well, I just gave
Mr. Lomax his bag

and I helped count
out his life savings.

He had a little over $500.

Some life. AMANDA: Hmm.

Well, not much to retire on.

No, but I think Mr. Lomax would be a prime
candidate for our Senior Life Program.

I was thinking the
same thing. Mmm-hmm.

Jack, would you walk
him through the papers?

Absolutely, no problem.

He's such a
character, that Lomax.

Just got a call from ER. It's
Lauren's daughter, Melissa Ridgeway.

Paramedics brought
her in. She collapsed.

- Hello. I'm Dr. Bentley.
- Hi.

Are you feeling any better?

I think so. Good.

Listen, honey, if you don't
eat, it makes you weak.

You can become anemic
and faint and sometimes worse.

But you're gonna be just fine.

Where's my mom?

I think I saw her going
down to the cafeteria.

I can find her for
you, if you want.

Thanks. Okay. No problem.

Lauren, your office told
me where I could find you.

I got here as soon as I could.

I can't be seen with you here.

I'll meet you in your
hotel room in half an hour.

Okay.

Do you guys honestly
know what you're saying?

Steve, the alley
where Lomax was hit

is right behind Benjamin
Strand's apartment.

And he was hit by a
red four-wheel drive

like the one Lauren
Ridgeway drives.

And so do a lot of other women.

And how do we know that it
was the person who broke in

that cut themselves
on the broken glass?

How do we know it
wasn't Strand himself?

Look, guys, I don't
mean to be obstructive,

but I think we better
have something concrete

before we go after
the Mayor's widow.

I know, Steve, but, uh, there's
something very, very odd about it.

And what about a motive?

What did Lauren Ridgeway have
to gain by murdering her husband?

I mean, she was wealthy
before she ever met him,

and there was never
even a hint of scandal.

Yeah, I know. I know.

But I just can't get rid of this
funny feeling in my stomach.

Uh-huh. The kind that gives
me knots in my stomach.

All right, what do
you want me to do?

I just want you
to drive out there,

maybe have a look at the car.

All right. Well, I
hope I find something,

or else I'm gonna be
looking at a lot of cars

when I'm busted to traffic cop.

See you later. See you.

Oh, hi. Hello, Amanda.

I just saw something
very interesting.

I won't be long, I promise.

Where are you going?

To take care of you.

I won't let anybody hurt you.

Lauren, how's Melissa?

Oh, she's doing much better.

Oh, good. You
know, she is anemic.

Frankly, I'd like to run some
more tests. I think she's anorexic.

Oh, I doubt that.

Mark, uh, look, I
appreciate your concern,

but I can't talk about this now.

I've got an appointment. If
you'll excuse me. All right.

Oh, did your friend,
uh, find you? Who?

Oh, I didn't get his name.

A distinguished-looking
fellow, salt-and-pepper hair.

Doesn't sound like anyone
I know. Sorry. All right.

She's lying.

You know, I think
you two need a break.

Why don't you go
get some fresh air?

Wanna go for a ride? Mmm-hmm.

Exactly.

You wait here.

Hi. Ah. Lauren, hi.
Come on in. Yeah.

Hi, reception, please. Thanks.

Hi. What's your name?
Wendy, how you doing?

Listen, I... I'm
a little confused.

Um, I'm in room 322, and I
can't remember how I registered.

Did I register under
my corporation?

The... the Skidmore Corporation.

I didn't. Huh.

How did I register?

Just Dr. Harris. That's what I
thought. Thank you so much, Wendy.

No, no problem at all. I'll come
down and take care of it later.

All right, thanks a lot.

Where's Dr. Sloan?

Lauren?

Mark, I'd like you
to release Melissa.

I wanna take her to her
aunt's house in Scottsdale,

away from all this stress. Hmm.

Look, why don't we, uh, take
care of you first, huh? Come on.

Okay. That sumatriptan should
take effect in just a few moments.

Thank you, Mark.

Let me have a look at
that wrist, if I can. Here.

See that.

Oh, it's... it's nothing.

It's just a kitchen
accident, is all.

Well, you know, I didn't notice it
the other night at the campaign rally.

Uh, well, it happened the next
day, I think. I scraped it at home.

Shaky hands with my migraine.

You know, it looks more like
a puncture with a sharp object.

Well, I cut it with a knife.

Well, that... that would do it.

You know, I have a, uh, patient
who was hit by a four-wheel drive

in the same alley
where, uh, Strand lives.

You, uh, own one, don't you?

Yes. Is he all right?

He swears he can recognize
the woman driving the car.

Mark, why are
you telling me this?

No, I was just wondering if
you might know of a woman

who would wanna
kill your husband.

Someone who was
obsessed with him,

angry at him, in
love with him, maybe.

But why a woman? I
thought Strand confessed.

I think Strand would confess to
shooting Lincoln if somebody asked him.

No, I think it was someone
else. A woman, probably.

A woman who lured him into that
parking garage driving a red four-wheel.

Why do I get the
distinct impression

that you think that
I am that woman?

How could it be you?

Uh, you were on the
phone with Melissa

when all this was
happening, weren't you?

That's right, I was.

Um, will you sign
Melissa's release now?

Oh, of course.

Yeah. That's a heart. Yeah.

Mr. Lomax.

Dr. Feelgood.

This is the gentleman
I was telling you about,

the one who was hit
by the car in the alley.

Yeah. I seen you before.

Oh, you was on the TV.

Your husband, the boy,
was the Mayor who got shot.

He was murdered.

Oh, God bless him, honey.
I'm sorry, and tell him I said so.

Thank you and God bless you.

Was that a setup to see
how he would react to me?

No, that was a setup to see
how you would react to him.

Well, I hope I didn't
disappoint you.

Hi. Hi. Find anything?

Yes, I did.

I pulled some thread fragments

from the bumper of Lauren's car.

They didn't come
from cleaning rags.

There's a good chance they
came from Leon's clothes.

Oh, great.

Not so great?

Delores tells me that
Leon's clothes were so filthy,

an orderly took them
out and burned them.

Oh!

So there's no way we
can prove Lauren hit Leon.

Nope. And it gets worse.

On my way over here, I
got a call from Headquarters.

About an hour ago, Benjamin
Strand confessed to the murder.

Oh, God.

You upset? Well, I
would be if it were true.

You still think Lauren
Ridgeway did it, huh?

Yes, I do.

How are you gonna prove
it? I haven't got a clue.

Oh, I see. Mark.

He's on the phone.

A-All right. Yes.
Thank you very much.

What's wrong?

Well, Lauren just checked
Melissa out of the hospital,

presumably to take her to
Scottsdale to her sister's.

I just called the sister to
give her the name of a doctor,

in case Melissa needed any help.

The sister didn't know what I was
talking about. Isn't that a little odd?

Maybe it has something to do
with the man Lauren met in the hotel.

Dr. John Harris.

John Harris.

He apparently heads the Meridian
Psychiatric Clinic for Adolescents

in Ojai.

Oh.

You know, they say the flowers
in Ojai are lovely this time of year.

Hi, Melissa.

Dr. Sloan, what
are you doing here?

You left your CD
at the hospital.

Brought it back to you.

You know, I'm a little confused.

Is his first name Meat Loaf
or is his last name Meat Loaf?

Or is his first name Meat
and his last name Loaf?

Is there a... a Mrs. Meat Loaf?

Yeah, actually, there is.

That's what I like to
see. How you doing?

I'm, um... I'm fine.

Mom's taking care
of me and stuff.

I wanted to ask you something.

That wasn't the first time
you collapsed, was it?

Why did you stop eating?

I'd like to know, but...

Was it because of
your stepfather's death?

You know, it's hard to
have to protect your parents.

Your parents are
supposed to protect you.

You weren't telling
the truth when you said

you talked to your mother from
the slumber party, were you?

Uh, I didn't want
to get her in trouble.

But she wasn't home
when you called, was she?

Did, um...

Did my mother really shoot him?

Honey, what makes
you think that?

Was... was she angry with him?

Did they have a fight?

Did she... Don't.

Melissa, did your
stepfather ever...

Dr. Sloan, how the
hell did you get in here?

How dare you interfere
with my daughter?

Mom, I didn't tell him anything.

Melissa, it's okay.

You have no right to be here.

But the only thing that is
ever gonna cure Melissa

is to let her tell the truth
about everything she knows.

My daughter is very ill.

Despite what you
may think you know,

you don't know anything.

Goodbye, Mark!

Well, Steve, you said you
needed a motive for Lauren.

I think your dad just gave
you a pretty strong one.

And if you ask me, this guy
Ridgeway got just what he deserved.

Look, even if what
Dad said is true...

And it is true.

I saw the pain on
that girl's face, Steve.

You still need
proof. Hard evidence.

Something that ties
Lauren to Strand.

Did she know him?
How did she know him?

How did she get his
gun and that letter?

And without a positive
ID from Mr. Lomax,

we got nothing.

I can't believe this.

Th-there's no way she's
gonna get away with this, Mark.

Well, Steve's right, though.
We don't have any proof.

There's no way to connect
her to Benjamin Strand.

Or with Lomax.

And without any proof,
we don't have anything.

Amigo, the photographer's ready.

Oh, is that now? I
completely forgot.

It was all in the memo. You... you
did read the memo, didn't you, amigo?

Oh, every thrill-packed
word, Norman. Yes.

Good.

Very good, compadre. Very nice.

Okay, very doctoral.

Very... Hold that. Hold that.

I got it. And we will have
photographic history.

I like it. Shoot.

Very nice.

That's it.

What? That's it.

What are you doing? You're
messing up the composition.

And the light is
so beautiful, Mark.

Staring me right in the
face the whole time. What?

I'll be back, Norman.

Mmm.

Mmm.

I'd like to talk to
you about an angel.

I beg your pardon?

It all comes down to, uh,
Benjamin Strand, doesn't it?

A sick young man you knew
was obsessed with your husband.

So you found out where he lived,

broke into his apartment
and took his gun.

Then you lured him
into that parking garage,

shot your husband,

and just as you expected,
Strand confessed, didn't he?

That is absurd.

I have not even
met this man, Strand,

let alone broken
into his apartment.

Oh, I think this
will prove you did.

According to the
police report on Strand,

on February 23rd, he
crashed the fundraiser here.

However, no, uh,
charges were ever pressed.

I'll bet it was a long time before
you finally realized that it was Strand

who stole the sculpture.

But, Dr. Sloan, the
sculpture is here,

so I suggest that one
of us is rather confused.

Well, I admit, for a
while, that was me.

But then I remembered
this, uh, photograph

was taken by Strand
in his apartment

on August 15th.

That was when your, uh,
husband filed his candidacy.

You can see the headline right
there on the, uh, newspaper.

What is the point?

Well, if you look closely,
on the table beside him,

you'll see the
sculpture, two angels.

But, you know, when I
checked with the police,

there was no, uh, record
of the sculpture being found

anywhere in Strand's apartment.

It wasn't there

because you took
it when you broke in.

"To Mom, my guardian
angel. Love, Melissa."

That was too precious
to leave, wasn't it?

Melissa made this

in art class at school.

She gave it to
me on my birthday.

Our children do
such precious things.

Little surprises.

This was beautiful
and from the heart.

That man, Strand,
had no right to take it.

Just as George had no right
to take Melissa's childhood.

Did you ever keep a diary
when you were a little boy?

No.

No, I suppose
not. It's more of a...

It's more of a girl thing.

Last year, I gave
Melissa a diary.

You know, one with a...

The little lock and key
for secrets of the heart.

A couple of months ago,
something happened.

Melissa stopped eating.

She became quiet,

depressed.

At first, I... I
blamed our lifestyle.

The campaigning, the...
the living in this fishbowl.

But she got worse.

She totally
retreated into herself.

I begged her to talk
to me, but she wouldn't.

I was going crazy. I... I
didn't know what to do.

I just couldn't sit around
and watch my little girl

in so much pain.

And then

I read her diary,

and then I knew.

She was so scared

and so full of
guilt and loathing

for every time that he

touched her.

So you killed
him to protect her.

Yes.

And

I would do it again.

Steve's waiting outside, Lauren.

Somehow I wish things could
have turned out differently, Lauren.

Okay.

For what it's worth, I'm sorry,

but I'm afraid I
have to arrest you

for the murder of your husband.

You have the right
to remain silent.

Anything you say can and
will be used against you

in a court of law.

Dr. Sloan. You have a visitor.

Melissa.

What a nice surprise.
How are you? Hi.

Much better.

You look better. Yeah.

You've been, uh, eating
again, haven't you?

Um, Dr. Harris says that... that
the reason why I stopped eating

was because, um, I didn't
have any control over my life,

except what I ate, or didn't.

Dr. Harris was right.

This is for you.

Oh, you shouldn't have.

Oh, no, it's because you helped
me and my mom face the truth.

Is that your aunt
waiting outside?

Yeah. Yeah, she's, um... She's
staying with me until the trial's over.

Good. Good.

So, open it. Oh, yeah.

This is nice.

What is this?

Glenn Miller. My favorite.

Yeah. Well, I... I was gonna
get you that or, uh, Blind Melon.

I didn't know which
one. "Blind Melon"?

A good choice. Good.

Oh, thank you so much.

You know, Melissa,

right now you probably feel that
nothing will ever be right again.

How do you know?

Most people feel that way
when bad things happen.

But bad things pass,
as hard as they are,

and they make you stronger.

And you're gonna grow up to
be a very strong woman, Melissa.

I promise you.

I believe you.

Look, I'm always here.

Any time you wanna
see a friendly face,

or, you know, talk,
or listen to Glenn...

Glenn Miller. I
know where to go.

I'll be happy to see you.

Can I hug you?

Sure.