Frenemies (2013–…): Season 2, Episode 2 - Thick as Thieves - full transcript

Narrator:
THEY START OUT AS CO-WORKERS

AT A SWANKY LAS VEGAS CASINO...

[ SLOTS RINGING ]

...AND BECOME
THE BEST OF FRIENDS.

THEY REALIZE
THEY HAD SO MUCH IN COMMON.

Narrator:
UNTIL JEALOUSY SETS IN MOTION

A HORRIFIC PLOT
TO EXACT REVENGE.

THAT'S WHEN ALL OF HER SKELETONS
CAME OUT OF THE CLOSET.

SHE WAS PRONE TO THIS VIOLENCE.
VICIOUS VIOLENCE.

I DON'T REALLY THINK SHE MEANT
TO COME OUT OF THERE ALIVE.

[ LAUGHS ]



[ SCREAMS ]

Narrator:
KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE
AND YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER.

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

BRENDA STOKES
IS A SINGLE MOM OF THREE

WHEN SHE ARRIVES IN LAS VEGAS.

RAISED IN RURAL MISSISSIPPI,
SHE STRIKES OUT ON HER OWN

WITH HER THREE KIDS IN TOW

SEEKING EXCITEMENT
AND A NEW LIFE.

BRENDA WAS REALLY NICE.

SHE CAME FROM A GOOD FAMILY.

BRENDA WAS ALWAYS LIVELY AND SHE
WAS ALWAYS IN THE MOMENT.

THIS WAS A WOMAN
WHO WAS WELL COIFED,

BEAUTIFUL CLOTHES, SHOES.

Narrator:
THE 43-YEAR-OLD WORKS HARD



TO AFFORD THE LUXURIES
SHE CRAVES

AND TO GIVE HER KIDS
A GOOD LIFE.

SHE WAS USED TO BEING
INDEPENDENT

AND TAKING CARE OF HERSELF
AND OTHER PEOPLE.

Narrator: BRENDA KNOWS THERE'S
MONEY TO BE MADE IN VEGAS,

AND SHE LANDS A JOB
IN THE HEART OF THE STRIP.

SHE GOT THIS GREAT JOB
AS A BLACKJACK DEALER

AT THE BELLAGIO HOTEL.

Stokes:
HERE WE GO, LADIES AND GENTS.

Narrator:
ONE EVENING WHILE ON A BREAK,

BRENDA STRIKES UP A CONVERSATION

WITH FELLOW BLACKJACK DEALER,
JOYCE RHONE.

LIKE BRENDA, 37-YEAR-OLD JOYCE
IS ALSO A SINGLE MOM.

SHE HAS FOUR CHILDREN.

Coombs:
SHARING ABOUT THEIR LIVES,

THEY REALIZED THEY HAD SO MUCH
IN COMMON.

JOYCE LOVED HER JOB
AND SHE WAS DEDICATED TO IT.

JOYCE IS A WONDERFUL PERSON,
A VERY SPIRITUAL PERSON.

Narrator:
JOYCE MOVED TO LAS VEGAS FROM
A SMALL NEVADA TOWN IN 1988.

SHE ALWAYS DREAMED OF WORKING
ON THE FAMOUS STRIP.

Gewerter:
SHE WENT TO GAMING SCHOOL,
AND SHE BECAME A CARD DEALER.

AND THEN SHE GOT A JOB
FOR THE BELLAGIO.

Narrator:
WHEN SHE'S NOT IN THE CASINO,

JOYCE IS A HOMEBODY
AND LOVES TO ENTERTAIN.

FAMILY IS HER LIFE.

BETWEEN WORKING FULL TIME
THE WAY SHE DID,

TAKING CARE OF KIDS,

AND SHE HAD
VERY LITTLE TIME LEFT

FOR ANYTHING
OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE.

Narrator:
BUT WHEN SHE MEETS BRENDA,

THE TWO IMMEDIATELY HIT IT OFF,

AND BEFORE LONG, ARE SOCIALIZING
OUTSIDE OF THE CASINO.

Coombs: THEY WOULD SHOP,
THEY WOULD GO TO LUNCH,

AND THEY ENDED UP
BECOMING BEST FRIENDS.

Narrator: ONE OF THE MANY THINGS
BRENDA SHARES WITH JOYCE

IS THAT SHE IS LOOKING FOR LOVE.

LITTLE DO THE BEST FRIENDS KNOW
THAT YEARS LATER,

THEIR DESIRE FOR LOVE
AND HAPPINESS

WILL LEAD
TO A HORRIFIC SHOWDOWN.

TWO YEARS INTO THEIR FRIENDSHIP
IN 2007,

JOYCE AND BRENDA
ARE OUT TO LUNCH

WHEN BRENDA BLURTS OUT
THAT SHE'S GOT SOME BIG NEWS.

SHE'S MET A MAN AND IS SMITTEN.

HIS NAME IS PHILLIP MORRIS,

AND HE'S RECENTLY SEPARATED
FROM HIS WIFE, TE'JUANA.

Reeves: BRENDA SAW A
GOOD-LOOKING MAN. HE WAS FUN.

ALWAYS WANTING TO GO OUT
AND DO THINGS AND TRAVEL.

SOMEONE THAT COULD KEEP HER
FEELING YOUNG

AND SOMEONE THAT SHE COULD
SHOW OFF TO HER FRIENDS.

Narrator:
WHEN BRENDA IS WITH JOYCE,

ALL SHE CAN TALK ABOUT IS

THE FUN SHE'S HAVING
IN HER NEW RELATIONSHIP.

SHE BELIEVES
SHE'S FINALLY FOUND THE ONE.

I THINK THAT BRENDA AND PHILLIP
COMPLEMENTED EACH OTHER.

THE TWO OF THEM BOTH LIKED
PARTYING AND BEING OUT,

AND THEY LIKED THE NIGHT LIFE.

Narrator: BRENDA'S RELATIONSHIP
WITH PHILLIP RAMPS UP QUICKLY,

AND AFTER SIX MONTHS,
HE MOVES IN WITH HER,

AND TO ILLUSTRATE
HIS COMMITMENT,

PHILLIP SHOWS UP ONE DAY

WITH A VERY MODERN-DAY SYMBOL
OF HIS DEVOTION.

OOH.

HE DOES HAVE HER FULL NAME
TATTOOED ON HIS ARM.

IT GOT PRETTY SERIOUS.

WHEN PHILLIP FIRST GOT
THE TATTOO, I THOUGHT,

"WELL, MAYBE HE'S FOUND
HIS GIRL, FINALLY."

Narrator: JOYCE IS
GENUINELY HAPPY FOR BRENDA,

BUT SHE ALSO MISSES HER FRIEND

AND THE TIME
THEY USED TO SPEND TOGETHER.

Coombs: IT USED TO BE ALL ABOUT
BRENDA AND JOYCE,

BUT NOW BRENDA IS TOTALLY
INFATUATED WITH PHILLIP.

NOW JOYCE IS FEELING LEFT OUT
AND SHE'S FEELING LONELY,

AND SHE'S TRYING HARD
NOT TO BE JEALOUS.

Narrator:
JOYCE SHARES HER FEELINGS,

BUT BRENDA GETS DEFENSIVE.

BRENDA IS SO TAKEN UP
BY THIS NEW ROMANCE,

AND SHE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND

WHY JOYCE ISN'T
JUST TOTALLY HAPPY FOR HER.

Narrator: BUT ULTIMATELY,
BRENDA WANTS TO PLEASE JOYCE,

SO SHE STARTS INVITING HER OUT
ALONG WITH PHILLIP.

BRENDA'S TRYING
TO MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY,

SO ALL THREE OF THEM
GO SHOPPING,

GO OUT TO DINNER,
SPEND SOME TIME TOGETHER.

Narrator: BRENDA FEELS LIKE
SHE HIT THE JACKPOT.

HER BEST FRIEND AND HER
BOYFRIEND GET ALONG SO WELL.

Reeves: PHILLIP WAS
THE LIFE OF THE PARTY.

ALWAYS UPBEAT.
"LET'S GO OUT.

BRING YOUR GIRLFRIENDS.
I'M TREATING THEM, TOO."

Narrator:
JOYCE IS IMPRESSED WITH BRENDA'S
FUN-LOVING BOYFRIEND.

THEY SEEMED TO HIT IT OFF
AND ENJOY EACH OTHER'S COMPANY.

Narrator:
EVEN THOUGH SHE TRUSTS JOYCE,

THERE'S A SMALL PART OF BRENDA

THAT FEELS INSECURE
ABOUT HAVING PHILLIP AROUND HER.

AND GIVEN PHILLIP'S PAST,
SHE MAY HAVE REASON FOR CONCERN.

SERIAL WOMANIZING
ENDED HIS MARRIAGE.

Reeves:
HE WAS SEEING OTHER WOMEN.

THERE WERE PHONE CALLS,
TEXT MESSAGES THAT I WOULD SEE,

AND I WOULD TRY TO IGNORE IT.

Narrator:
BUT THERE IS NO IGNORING

PHILLIP AND JOYCE'S CONNECTION.

THEY HAD A VERY GOOD RAPPORT
BETWEEN THEM.

Narrator: AND SOON,
JEALOUSY AND BROKEN TRUST

WILL SEND THESE FRIENDS DOWN
A SHOCKING AND DEADLY PATH.

THIS IS NOT THE SAME WOMAN THAT
SHE KNEW FOR ALL THESE YEARS.

SHE HAD ALREADY MADE UP HER MIND
WHAT SHE WAS GOING TO DO.

Narrator: BRENDA STARTS
INCLUDING HER FRIEND JOYCE

WHEN SHE AND HER BOYFRIEND,
PHILLIP, GO OUT ON THE TOWN.

BUT ONE EVENING
WHEN JOYCE AND PHILLIP

HOLD GAZES A LITTLE TOO LONG

AND LAUGH
A LITTLE TOO LOUDLY,

BRENDA STARTS TO GET JEALOUS.

JOYCE AND PHILLIP
HAD A VERY EASY RAPPORT.

Narrator:
LATER, BRENDA CONFRONTS JOYCE

ABOUT FLIRTING
WITH HER BOYFRIEND.

WHY WOULD YOU ACCUSE ME
OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

I'M YOUR FRIEND.

JOYCE IS OFFENDED AND REACTS.

"HOW COULD YOU ACCUSE ME
OF THAT?"

AND SHE GETS UPSET.

Narrator: BRENDA BACKS DOWN,
AND IT APPEARS

THE LONGTIME FRIENDS
HAVE SMOOTHED THINGS OVER.

Coombs:
JOYCE THINKS EVERYTHING'S OKAY,

BUT WHEN THEY'RE
AT WORK TOGETHER,

THEY'RE NOT AS FRIENDLY
AS THEY USED TO BE.

THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF TENSION
BETWEEN THE TWO WOMEN.

Narrator: THREE YEARS
INTO THEIR RELATIONSHIP,

BRENDA IS SO HAPPY
TO HAVE PHILLIP,

SHE DOESN'T WANT TO RISK
LOSING HIM,

SO SHE BEGINS LAVISHING HIM
WITH ATTENTION.

BRENDA WAS SUPPORTING PHILLIP.

HE LIKES TO BE CATERED TO
AND TAKEN CARE OF.

Narrator:
BRENDA ALSO HELPS TAKE CARE

OF PHILLIP'S YOUNG DAUGHTER,
JADE.

JADE SAID
BRENDA WAS REALLY NICE.

THEY WENT TO CARNIVALS, AND THEY
WOULD ALWAYS GO SHOPPING.

Narrator:
BUT THINGS STILL AREN'T THE SAME

BETWEEN JOYCE AND BRENDA

SINCE BRENDA ACCUSED HER
OF FLIRTING WITH HER BOYFRIEND.

Coombs: JOYCE IS UPSET
ABOUT BRENDA'S ACCUSATIONS

TO THE POINT WHERE SHE STARTS
TO PULL BACK A BIT AT WORK,

SPENDING MORE TIME
WITH THE OTHER EMPLOYEES.

Narrator:
AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE,

BRENDA SUSPECTS JOYCE
IS GOSSIPING ABOUT HER

TO THEIR FELLOW CO-WORKERS.

BRENDA, SHE KEEPS HAVING
ALL THESE DOUBTS

BUBBLING INSIDE HER.

Narrator: BRENDA BECOMES
MORE AND MORE PARANOID,

AND THE GAP
BETWEEN BRENDA AND JOYCE WIDENS.

FUELING HER ANXIETY,

PHILLIP OFTEN ASKS BRENDA
TO INCLUDE JOYCE IN THEIR PLANS.

SHE CAN'T SHAKE
THE GNAWING FEELING

THAT SOMETHING IS GOING ON.

Coombs: THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN PHILLIP AND JOYCE

PLAYS ON
ALL OF BRENDA'S INSECURITIES.

SHE'S OLDER.

BRENDA'S STARTING TO WONDER,

"MAYBE THEY'RE A BETTER COUPLE
THAN PHILLIP AND I."

Narrator:
AS BRENDA'S INSECURITIES GROW,

BACKSTABBING AND LIES
WILL SET IN MOTION

A VIOLENT CHAIN OF EVENTS.

THERE'S A DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN CRAZY AND EVIL.

CRAZY DOESN'T KNOW
HOW TO PLAN THINGS OUT.

EVIL DOES.

Narrator:
BRENDA CAN'T ESCAPE THE FEELING

THAT HER FRIEND JOYCE
IS MESSING AROUND

WITH HER BOYFRIEND, PHILLIP.

Coombs: SHE'S WONDERING,

"IS THERE SOMETHING GOING ON
BEHIND MY BACK?

"CAN I REALLY NOT TRUST
MY BOYFRIEND

WITH MY FRIEND, JOYCE?"

Narrator: ONE EVENING
WHEN PHILLIP COMES HOME LATE,

BRENDA DECIDES TO CONFRONT HIM

REGARDING HER SUSPICIONS
ABOUT HE AND JOYCE.

ARE YOU HAVING AN AFFAIR
WITH JOYCE?

NO.

WHEN SHE DOES, HE'S SHOCKED.

HE SAYS,
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

"I CARE ABOUT YOU.
YOU'RE MY GIRLFRIEND.

LOOK AT THE TATTOO ON MY ARM."

Narrator: WORRIED
HE MIGHT BE LOSING BRENDA,

PHILLIP SUDDENLY ASKS HER
TO MARRY HIM.

WILL YOU MARRY ME?

REALLY?

YES. OF COURSE.
YES.

BRENDA IS ELATED.

SHE'S FINALLY GETTING
THE COMMITMENT SHE WANTS

AFTER FIVE YEARS OF DATING.

SHE IS EQUALLY EXCITED

ABOUT OFFICIALLY BECOMING
JADE'S STEP-MOM.

Flanagan-Jones: THEY HAD
SO MUCH FUN WITH EACH OTHER

THAT EVEN WITHOUT PHILLIP,

BRENDA WANTED
TO COME PICK JADE UP,

AND JADE WANTED TO TALK
TO BRENDA.

Narrator: BRENDA SHARES
THE GOOD NEWS WITH JOYCE.

NOW THAT THERE'S A RING,

THAT GIVES HER THE SECURITY
SHE'S BEEN LOOKING FOR,

AND SHE HOPES
THEIR RELATIONSHIP CAN RETURN

TO WHAT IT USED TO BE.

JOYCE SEEMS ECSTATIC FOR HER
AND SAYS CONGRATULATIONS.

Narrator: JOYCE APPEARS HAPPY
ON THE SURFACE.

INSIDE, SHE WONDERS
IF MARRYING PHILLIP

IS THE RIGHT STEP
FOR HER FRIEND TO TAKE,

ESPECIALLY KNOWING
HIS CHEATING WAYS

AND BRENDA'S
OBVIOUS INSECURITIES.

JOYCE NOW REALIZES
THIS IS ONE STEP FURTHER AWAY

AS BRENDA'S GETTING MARRIED,

AND ALL OF THESE UNSPOKEN
FEELINGS ARE NOT SAID OUT LOUD.

[ SLOTS RINGING ]

Narrator:
IN THE FALL OF 2012,

SEVEN YEARS
INTO THEIR FRIENDSHIP,

THINGS SEEM BACK TO NORMAL
BETWEEN THE TWO WOMEN

WHEN ONE DAY AT WORK,
BRENDA TELLS JOYCE

SHE'S PLANNING A BIG BIRTHDAY
PARTY FOR HERSELF.

COMING TO THE PARTY,
RIGHT?

ABSOLUTELY.

Gewerter:
IT WAS BRENDA'S 50th BIRTHDAY,

SO SHE THREW A PARTY FOR HERSELF

AND INVITED
A BUNCH OF HER FRIENDS.

Narrator:
THE AFTERNOON OF THE PARTY,

JOYCE IS ONE OF THE FIRST GUESTS
TO ARRIVE.

SHE BRINGS BRENDA A GIFT
AND GOES OFF TO ENJOY THE EVENT.

LATER ON, BRENDA NOTICES

PHILLIP AND JOYCE ARE TALKING
ATTENTIVELY ACROSS THE ROOM.

PHILLIP AND JOYCE
KIND OF, YOU KNOW,

WERE IN CORNERS TOGETHER
TALKING, AND HE WAS FLIRTING.

Narrator: BRENDA'S INCENSED.

DESPITE HER ENGAGEMENT,

SHE'S NOW CONVINCED
THEY ARE SLEEPING TOGETHER.

AND SHE FEELS BETRAYED
BY HER BEST FRIEND.

Coombs: THEY HAD BEEN BEST
FRIENDS FOR ALL THESE YEARS,

AND NOW
IT MIGHT BE ALL IMPLODING.

Narrator:
BRENDA MARCHES STRAIGHT OVER
TO JOYCE AND PHILLIP

AND MAKES A BIG SCENE,

ACCUSING THEM
OF CHEATING ON HER.

WHAT IS GOING ON
BACK HERE?

SERIOUSLY?

IT'S YOUR OPINION.

I KNOW IT'S MY OPINION.

DON'T DO THIS HERE.
DON'T DO THIS HERE.

Coombs:
JOYCE CANNOT BELIEVE

THAT BRENDA IS STILL HOLDING
ONTO THIS.

HOW COULD BRENDA KEEP ACCUSING
HER, HER BEST FRIEND,

OF TRYING TO TAKE HER BOYFRIEND
AWAY.

Narrator: PHILLIP GETS ANGRY

AND LEAVES
BRENDA'S BIRTHDAY PARTY...

...WHILE JOYCE TRIES HARD
TO CONVINCE HER FRIEND

IT'S ALL IN HER HEAD.

LISTEN TO YOURSELF!

YOU'RE ACTING
LIKE A CRAZY PERSON.

YOU'RE GONNA LOSE HIM
OVER THIS.

FINALLY, BRENDA BACKS DOWN
AND WALKS AWAY,

BUT INSIDE, SHE IS SEETHING.

PHILLIP IS SICK AND TIRED
OF BRENDA'S ACCUSATIONS,

AND A FEW DAYS LATER,
CALLS OFF THEIR ENGAGEMENT.

I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE.

NO, DON'T DO THIS.

DON'T DO THIS, PHILLIP.

Coombs:
BRENDA CANNOT BELIEVE THIS.

HER LIFE IS NOW RUINED.

Narrator: BRENDA IS CONVINCED
JOYCE IS THE REASON,

BUT SHE NEEDS PROOF.

BEFORE PHILLIP MOVES OUT,
SHE SEARCHES FOR EVIDENCE.

SHE FINDS A COPY
OF HIS CELLPHONE BILL

AND IS SHOCKED BY WHAT SHE SEES.

PHILLIP AND JOYCE WERE TEXTING
EACH OTHER BACK AND FORTH.

IT WAS ABOUT FOUR PAGES
OF A PHONE BILL OF TEXTS

BETWEEN JOYCE AND PHILLIP.

Narrator:
NOW BRENDA THINKS SHE FINALLY
HAS ALL THE PROOF SHE NEEDS.

CONSUMED WITH RAGE
OVER HER BEST FRIEND'S BETRAYAL,

BRENDA HATCHES A VICIOUS PLOT
TO EXACT REVENGE.

SHE THOUGHT THAT NOBODY
WOULD HEAR HER SCREAM.

THIS WAS THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL.

[ DOORBELL RINGS ]

[ SCREAMS ]

Narrator: BRENDA IS FURIOUS
AFTER DISCOVERING

THAT HER FIANCé HAS BEEN TEXTING
BACK AND FORTH

WITH HER BEST FRIEND, JOYCE.

SHE IS ALL BUT CERTAIN
THEY HAVE BEEN HAVING AN AFFAIR.

SHE'S TOTALLY SHOCKED THAT HER
FRIEND WOULD JUST TURN ON HER.

Narrator: ON DECEMBER 21, 2012,
AT 9:30 P.M.,

JOYCE IS HARD AT WORK
AT THE BELLAGIO.

IT'S BRENDA'S NIGHT OFF,
AND SHE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE

ANYWHERE NEAR
THE BLACKJACK TABLES.

Narrator:
JOYCE SEES HER FRIEND SLOWLY
MAKING HER WAY TO HER TABLE

BUT HAS NO IDEA WHAT'S IN STORE.

BRENDA HAS COME TO THE BELLAGIO
ARMED FOR BATTLE.

Gewerter:
SHE HAD THE RAZOR BLADES
LINED UP BETWEEN HER KNUCKLES

IN BOTH HANDS,
WENT INTO THE PIT AREA.

LITTLE DID
ANY OF THESE PEOPLE KNOW

THAT BRENDA HAD HORRIBLE ANGER
INSIDE HER.

[ SCREAMING ]

Gewerter: AT FIRST, JOYCE DID
NOT KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

[ SCREAMING ]

SHE ATTACKS JOYCE VICIOUSLY,

CUTTING HER FACE
FROM EAR TO MOUTH

AND ALL AROUND HER EYES.

[ SCREAMING CONTINUES ]

THE FIRST PERSON TO ACTUALLY GET
TO THE TWO WOMEN WAS A PATRON.

AS HE PULLED THE WOMEN APART,
HE COULD NOT BELIEVE

HOW MUCH BLOOD WAS POURING
FROM JOYCE'S FACE.

Flanagan-Jones: IF THAT MAN
HADN'T JUMPED ON BRENDA,

SHE WOULD'VE KILLED JOYCE.

SHE WAS NOT GONNA STOP.

WHEN JOYCE REALIZED
THAT IT WAS BRENDA,

SHE WAS IN A BIGGER SHOCK.

SHE NEVER EXPECTED
HER FRIEND TO ATTACK HER,

AND JOYCE HAD NO CLUE
WHY BRENDA WAS ATTACKING HER.

[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]

Narrator: AS THE BRAVE PATRON
HOLDS ON TO BRENDA,

JOYCE IS IN A DAZE,
BLEEDING PROFUSELY.

A COCKTAIL WAITRESS RUSHES TO
HER AID UNTIL PARAMEDICS ARRIVE.

[ SIREN WAILING ]

THE SLASHES TO HER FACE
WERE JUST GRUESOME.

JOYCE'S FACE
WAS JUST SLICED OPEN.

SHE WAS ABOUT SECONDS AWAY
FROM BEING KILLED.

Narrator: POLICE ARRIVE
AND TAKE BRENDA INTO CUSTODY.

THEY CHARGE HER WITH
ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON.

WHEN THE POLICE CAME,
BRENDA SAID,

"IF YOU DIDN'T STOP ME,
I WOULD'VE KILLED HER."

Narrator: THE FOLLOWING DAY,
AS POLICE QUESTION BRENDA,

PHILLIP'S EX-WIFE, TE'JUANA,
ARRIVES AT THE STATION.

SHE'S FRANTIC.

I'M HERE TO REPORT
MY DAUGHTER MISSING.

SHE TELLS POLICE
HER 10-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, JADE,

HAD BEEN PICKED UP BY BRENDA THE
DAY BEFORE AND NEVER RETURNED.

Reeves:
FOR, LIKE, THREE YEARS IN A ROW,

BRENDA WOULD COME AND GET JADE

AND TAKE HER CHRISTMAS SHOPPING,
YOU KNOW.

BUT THIS PARTICULAR DAY, SHE
DIDN'T CALL ME BEFORE SHE CAME.

NORMALLY, SHE WOULD CALL OR I
WOULD GET A CALL FROM PHILLIP,

AND SHE WOULD SAY, "I'M
GONNA TAKE HER TO THE
MALL UP THE STREET.

I SHOULD HAVE HER BACK
ABOUT 9:00."

Narrator: BUT WHEN 9:00 P.M.
COMES AND GOES

WITH NO SIGN OF JADE,

TE'JUANA HAS AN UNEASY FEELING.

Flanagan-Jones: THERE'S
NO ANSWER ON BRENDA'S PHONE.

BRENDA'S NOT CALLING BACK.

BY 10:00, 11:00
THE NEXT MORNING,

I STILL HADN'T HEARD FROM THEM.

I STARTED CALLING HOSPITALS.

I JUST WAS WORRIED
THAT MAYBE THEY HAD AN ACCIDENT.

Narrator: WHEN POLICE TELL HER
BRENDA STOKES IS IN CUSTODY

FOR THE ATTEMPTED MURDER
OF HER BEST FRIEND,

TE'JUANA IS TERRIFIED FOR
THE SAFETY OF HER LITTLE GIRL.

IT REALLY SHOCKED ME
'CAUSE I HAD NEVER GOTTEN

A VIOLENT FEELING FROM BRENDA
AT ALL.

Narrator:
POLICE INTERROGATE BRENDA
ABOUT JADE'S WHEREABOUTS.

BRENDA SAYS,
"I DON'T KNOW A JADE.

I DON'T KNOW A TE'JUANA."

Reeves: THE ONLY THING BRENDA
WOULD SAY TO THE POLICE

WAS THAT SHE WAS HAPPY
SHE ATTACKED JOYCE

AND SHE WAS TRYING TO KILL HER.

BUT IF YOU BROUGHT JADE'S NAME
UP, SHE WOULD BE QUIET.

Narrator:
POLICE LAUNCH A MASSIVE SEARCH
FOR THE LITTLE GIRL.

THEY ALSO DO A BACKGROUND CHECK
ON BRENDA

AND FIND DISTURBING INFORMATION.

IN 1993, BRENDA WAS ARRESTED

FOR ATTACKING A BOYFRIEND
WITH RAZOR BLADES.

Narrator: THIS NEW DISCOVERY
RAISES GREAT CONCERN.

IMMEDIATELY,
POLICE EXECUTE SEARCH WARRANTS

ON BRENDA'S HOME AND CAR.

WE'RE THINKING SHE'S HIDING
OR JUST BEING MEAN TO PHILLIP.

BRENDA LIKED JADE
AND JADE LIKED BRENDA.

BRENDA WOULDN'T HURT JADE.

THIS IS HOW MUCH THESE
TWO PEOPLE LIKED EACH OTHER.

Narrator:
BUT TO EVERYONE'S HORROR,

POLICE DISCOVER BLOODY CLOTHES
IN BRENDA'S HOME

AND BLOOD THROUGHOUT HER CAR.

THE AGONIZING SEARCH
FOR THE MISSING 10-YEAR-OLD

GOES ON FOR NEARLY A WEEK.

MEANWHILE,
BRENDA IS ARRAIGNED ON CHARGES

FOR HER ASSAULT AGAINST JOYCE.

BUT IN THE COURTROOM,
THE FOCUS IS ON JADE.

WHERE'S JADE AT?
SIT DOWN.

WHERE'S JADE? COME ON, MAN.
THAT'S FOUL.

WHEN PHILLIP GOT UP
AND WAS ASKING HER,

"WHERE'S MY BABY,"
IF YOU LOOK AT HER FACE,

THERE'S A GOTCHA LOOK
ON HER FACE.

Narrator: THEN SIX DAYS LATER,
TWO DAYS AFTER CHRISTMAS,

A WOMAN WALKING HER DOG FINDS
THE LITTLE GIRL

IN A DESERTED AREA
JUST 10 MILES FROM THE MALL

WHERE BRENDA SAID
SHE WAS TAKING HER SHOPPING.

HORRIFICALLY,
JADE HAS BEEN STABBED TO DEATH.

BRENDA WAS THINKING
THE ULTIMATE REVENGE.

I THINK HER HATRED OR ANGER
FOR PHILLIP

JUST TOOK OVER HER
WHEN IT CAME TO JADE,

AND SHE FIGURED
THAT WOULD BE THE THING

THAT WOULD HURT HIM THE MOST.

Narrator: THE NEXT DAY,
ON DECEMBER 28th,

DNA RESULTS REVEAL THE BLOODY
CLOTHES TAKEN FROM BRENDA'S HOME

ARE A MATCH
FOR 10-YEAR-OLD JADE.

BRENDA STOKES IS CHARGED

WITH THE KIDNAPPING
AND MURDER OF JADE MORRIS.

JADE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
A PART

OF WHAT WAS GOING ON
BETWEEN THE ADULTS AT ALL.

JADE WAS JUST A LITTLE GIRL
WHO WAS SO CRAZY ABOUT BRENDA,

AND SHE THOUGHT BRENDA
WAS CRAZY ABOUT HER.

[ Voice breaking ]
I CAN'T BELIEVE

THAT SHE DID THIS TO MY BABY.

I JUST WANT JADE
TO BE REMEMBERED

AS THE, YOU KNOW,
BRIGHT LITTLE GIRL.

EVERYONE SHOULD JUST REMEMBER
HER UPBEAT LITTLE PERSONALITY

AND HER SWEET LITTLE VOICE.

Narrator: THOUGH JOYCE'S LIFE
WAS SPARED IN THE ATTACK,

HER RECOVERY HAS BEEN A SLOW
AND ARDUOUS PROCESS.

SHE GOT
AN EXCELLENT PLASTIC SURGEON

WHO SEWED HER FACE
BACK TOGETHER,

BUT SHE WILL NEED
ADDITIONAL SURGERY.

SHE DOESN'T WANT TO GO
BACK IN THE BELLAGIO.

SHE CANNOT WORK THERE
OR ANYWHERE AT THE PRESENT TIME.

JOYCE MAINTAINS
THERE WAS NEVER AN AFFAIR

BETWEEN HER AND PHILLIP.

AND FOR JOYCE,
RECOVERY IS EVEN MORE DIFFICULT

WITH THE KNOWLEDGE
THAT HER BEST FRIEND

IS RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT JUST ONE
HEINOUS ACT, BUT TWO.

SHE IS EMOTIONALLY TRAUMATIZED,
BY NOT JUST THE INCIDENT,

BUT BY THE FACT IT WAS A FRIEND
WHO DID THIS MAYHEM

AND TRIED TO KILL HER.

I DON'T THINK ANYONE HERE
IN LAS VEGAS

KNEW WHAT KIND OF PERSON
BRENDA WAS.

THEY HAD BEEN BEST FRIENDS
FOR SO MANY YEARS.

IT'S HARD TO THINK
THAT THE PEOPLE CLOSEST TO YOU

COULD BETRAY YOU LIKE THIS.

Narrator: BRENDA STOKES REMAINS
IN JAIL AND IS AWAITING TRIAL.