Home Before Dark (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 5 - The Green Bike - full transcript

Convinced that the wrong person was convicted in the Richie Fife case 30 years ago, Hilde sets out to prove it.

Hey, good morning.

You guys, can you comeand
sit over here for me, please?

Come on. Sit down.

Dad, what is all this?

Look, I realize it was upsetting,
what happened last night.

So I pulled a few things out of
Pop-Pop'sgarage just in case of an emergency.

Like if we're home-invaded and
we'revictims of a heinous act of violence?

What's a "heinous act of violence"?

It's-It's nothing, all right.

This is purely precautionary. All
right? It's nothing to worry about.

No, yeah, of course.



I mean, you got drunk, got
into a fistfight, got a concussion,

had a public meltdown, and
Hilde got her bike set on fire.

Everything's amazing.

Look, I'm just sayingwe
need to be prepared. Okay?

Okay.

Okay, we got Maglites, we got
a baseball bat, fire extinguisher,

uh, bear spray, crowbars,

various other equipment,
and, uh, an air horn.

We wouldn't need any of this
stuffif I hadn't started the paper here.

Oh, that finally sunk in, Sherlock?

Maybe I should stop writing.

-No.-Yes.

N-No. Absolutely not. No.

No, that's exactly what these people want.



No, what we need to do is we need to
beprepared, and we need to be alert. Okay?

Guys, listen to me.Like...
some fear is... is good fear.

Yeah, it tells you when
it's timeto put up your guard.

People are always gonna
tell youthat you're overreacting,

that you don't know what you'retalking
about, and it's worse for girls.

Right? So you gotta-gotta
think with your gut.

-You understand?-Yeah.

Okay. And if someone like Frank
Briggsshows up here when we're not home...

Yeah. Yeah, I know about that.
So next time, you gotta tell us, okay?

I feel like I should ask about that, but
Ialso feel like it's gonna ruin my day.

So can I just pretend I didn't see it?

Yeah. Yeah, totally.

Are you going back to work?

No. Yes. Uh, sort of. I
have... I have a meeting.

Mmm.

Go get 'em, counselor.

Hey, can you make sure that Ginny doesn'tplay
with the fire extinguisher? Thanks.

Oh.

Ginny, no. Come on. Don't touch that.

Okay. Self-defense.

Hey, I heard about the fire. Are you okay?

You Liskos are so... broken.

Yeah, 'cause the Fife familyseems
so uncomplicated and delightful.

Yeah, well, at least we're
not a bunch of losers.

You know the whole bitchy girl
thing, it's just a little on the nose.

You ever think about, you know,

saying something nice for once,
just to keep people on their toes?

Let's go.

-I'll be fine.-Okay.

Jeez.

Hey, hey, it's gonna be
okay. It's okay, it's okay.

All right. Don't let it get to you.

Mr. Secretary, Sam Gillis is
notrequesting a reward for good behavior

or a... truncated...

My God.

Ah, come on.

Mr. Secretary... Okay.

Mr. Secretary, Sam Gillis is
notrequesting a reward for good behavior

or a shorter criminal sentence,

but an authorized absence from prison

under escortof a state
correctional officer.

Yeah, all right.

Therefore, I urge you to... Wait. What?

That's a yes. My office will
grantinmate 35291 the 48-hour furlough.

Great. Thank you.

Your daughter, she's-she's
quite the little reporter.

Yes, she is.

That exposé she wrote,
everyone's talking about it,

inside the prison, out in the world.

Well, it's big news.

I mean, a prison officialabused
an inmate for years,

extorted his sister forprescription
drugs, and then killed her.

Reforms are being implemented.

I feel like there's a
reasonyou're not signing that.

I want to give Sam Gillis a
furloughfor his sister's funeral.

I really do. But I need youto
convince him of something first.

I need your permission slips by tomorrow.

I'm not kidding.

As you know, I have no sense of humor.

If you don't give meyour
signed permission slips,

- you will not be able to go
on the trip.- Check it.

We got
20,000 views on that website

where we posted the Richie Fife video.

In one night.

It went viral.

We're like celebrities.

I don't knowif I can handle
the pressure of fame.

I hope I don't crack.

Ms. Parker, sorry to interrupt.

I need Hilde Lisko to come with me.

Wow.

She's such a freak.

Someone would like to speak with you.

Have a seat, Hilde.

It's gonna
affect the rest of your life.

Hey.

Hey.

Why are we bringing him in?

Drug rap.

We'll probably let him go.

Have you seen it?

The video?

Frank, I know where you're
goingwith this, and you can't.

You just can't let these
thingscreep into your head.

Maybe it's just hard for you to remember.

It's not.

Well, it is for me.

Well, I wouldn't say that
to anyone elseif I were you.

I need to know. Did you...

Did you tell me to saythat I saw Sam's van?

Frank. You saw Sam Gillis' van.

I know you're
scared, Frankie. But you gotta be brave.

You gotta help usfind the guy who did this.

Now... is that the van that took Richie?

Maybe.

Do you know who owns that van?

Sam Gillis.

That's right, Frankie. Sam Gillis.

And you... know a few things about him.

What do you mean?

Well, like he's a little
bitof a creep, right?

What do most kids in
town call him? A weirdo?

Well, they say he likes to spend
his timehanging around younger boys

like you and Richie.

He bought you boys a beer, didn't he?

Yeah.

Well, most grown-ups don't
do that. Buy beer for kids.

Now, it may have felt normal, but it's not.

He's not normal.

And no one should be protecting him.

We need to be protecting
kidslike you and Richie.

Make sense, son?

Okay. So, take a breath.

Look at the photo. Is that
the van that took Richie?

I think so.

What did I do?

Nothing, sweetie. It's okay.

It's just that there can't be
any doubtor Gillis goes free.

And he can do it again to any other kid.

Do you want that to happen?

Don't push him so hard.

All right.

It... It was Sam's van.

You sure about that, Frankie?

Yeah, I didn't
see his face, but I heard his voice.

Whose?

Sam Gillis'.

He... He took Richie, and then
he looked at us and said, "Run."

And then he slammed the door...

Okay, son. You did good, Frank.

I want you to look at this license plate.

I wanna see if you can
rememberany of the numbers on it.

Yeah, Dad. I remember the last three here.

"L-G-E."

All right, son. Good.

Hey. It's what you saw.

Then I saw it wrong.

Hey, hey, hey, hey.

Gillis could've taken those plates off.

And anyone, goddamn
anyonecould've doctored that video.

Now, what we knowis that
Sam Gillis killed that boy.

I'll come back later.

No, it's no problem, Trip.

Frank was just leaving.

Sorry, Mayor, but I
can't take the video down.

Can't or won't?

Technically, according
to the First Amendment...

I know the damn Constitution.

Mayor, please.

Her parents trusted
meto let you speak to her.

All right. I apologize. I have
been under a lot of stress lately.

You know, Hilde, this isn't
just a story for Mayor Fife.

It's his son on that video.

This was very traumatic. For
all of us. For this whole town.

I'm really sorry for your
loss, Mayor. I really am.

But I think we both want the same thing,

for the person who took
Richieto end up behind bars.

And you don't think Gillis did it?

No. Do you?

This is crazy, having this
conversation with a child.

I know.

I am almost getting used to it. Almost.

Sir, I know I might be a kid,

but I uncovered the first leadabout
your son's murder in 30 years.

What I wanna knowis how
Penny Gillis got that VHS tape

and where the hell was itwhen
we were looking for Richie?

Why don't you ask
your friendSheriff Briggs?

Well, he assured me he never saw it.

Yeah. No kidding.

I don't like your tone, young lady.

You have no idea what you're getting into.

I feel like being called a young
ladyshould be a compliment,

but it never sounds like it is.

Why would the sheriff admitto
losing a crucial piece of evidence,

especially before an election?

Sheriff Briggs will never listen to me.

But he has to listen to you.

So if you could just
reopenthe investigation...

This thing...

we put it away, kid.

It was done.

But what if it was done wrong?

What if the person who
murdered Richieis still out there?

What if he's walking the
streetsof Erie Harbor right now?

Don't take it. Don't take the deal, Sam.

It's Penny's funeral. I have to be there.

I understand, but what they
are asking youto sign, it's...

It's the only wayl can say goodbye to her.

They want you to waiveany charges of abuse

and not hold the prison
responsiblein any way.

If that's what I have to do. They
still get the guy on murder, right?

-Yes, but... So he'll pay for what he did?

But the prison won't.

And I mean pay, literally.

If we win our case against them,

even if we settle, I could get you
enoughmoney to get you back on your feet

when you get out of here.

I have to say goodbye to Penny.

Sam.

Look, I-I know you're in pain,
but this isn't just about you.

If you waive your rightto sue the prison...

you make it that much harder for all
theother guys in here who have been abused.

It'll just keep happening.

You can't put that on me.

It's not fair.

I wish I didn't have to...

but what they're asking
you to signis totally unethical.

I think you should fight it.

We should fight it.

Yeah?

And how long is that gonna take?

'Cause Penny...

my baby sister...

we're burying her ashes tomorrow.

Yup!

- What the hell you doing,
Matty?-Yeah, what does it look like?

Electrocuting yourself.

Well, it turns out we need extra security.

You want some help with that?

Did you burn Richie's bike last night?

Yeah. Yeah, and I got off on it too.

No, man, I didn't burn his bike.
I'm here to figure out who did.

Report said it happened after midnight?

Wait, Holmes County sent you?

You're the investigator? God.

What do you want me to say, Matt?

Oh, my God.

You gotta do the black wires first. All
at once. Then the green, then the red.

What has city living done to you, man?

Yeah, well, I know what
living here has done to you.

It's a little early, don't you think?

Yeah, it's been a rough week.

Hey.

No, I'm on duty.

Oh, hey, Daddy's gonna get mad at you?

I do so solemnly swear...

I do so solemnly swear...

that I will not, cannot, shall not...

that I will
not, cannot, shall not...

speak of the consumptionof
this alcohol to anyone,

or I will acquire a venereal disease.

What's a venereal disease?

You don't wanna know.

Yeah, I think I'm buzzed.

-From like, what? Two sips?-Yeah.

What the hell is this thing?

Wait. Have you not seen the movie?

No. My parents don't allow
meto watch R-rated movies, so...

God, it's PG, nerd.

It's a flux capacitor. It's a machinethat
allows you to travel through time.

Cool.

You turn the time circuits
on. Pick your year of choice.

Then drive 88 miles an hour,

while harnessing 1.21 gigawatts of powerfrom
a plutonium-powered nuclear reactor.

It's either that, or you
gotta know exactly when

and where lightning will
strike, which is a pain in the ass.

Can I have another sip of that beer?

Whoa.

Yeah, Gillis was a weirdo.

Yeah, maybe. But he's not a criminal.

Yeah, I don't know about that.

His dad went crazy,
committed suicide in that plane.

His mom went way off the
rails. I mean, that whole family...

That whole familywas
railroaded by this town.

Yeah, all of them.

You know, the only thing that links
Samto that crime was your testimony

and a whole bunchof
circumstantial evidence.

That's not what the jury thought.

Yeah, no shit. They just wantedwhat
the rest of Holmes County wanted.

Yeah, justice.

No, to stop worrying aboutwhat
might happen to their kid.

Why do you hate us so much, Matty?

Why do you look down your nose at us?

I don't.

Yeah, you kinda do.

Look, I just... I just hate
what this town does to people.

You know, what it did to the Gillises?

Come on. Like, Mr. Gillis was mentally ill.

And Sam? Come on, man.
He w... He wasn't a monster.

He looked out for Richie and
our crew. He was like a friend.

Let me ask you something.

Say some 18-year-old misfit offers
Izzya beer in the back of his panel van.

You good with that?

Yeah. I didn't think so.

What is this? Blood?

What?

There's more.

What?

Look, I'm sorry. I
just... I just need to...

I just need to ask you again.

Are you sure?

Hm? Are you absolutely sureyou
never saw that tape until yesterday?

Jack, I told you. No.

Are you lying to me, Frank?

Have you been drinking?

I had some whiskey earlier.

Look, I am sorry you
gottago through this again.

But the monster who did this,
we put him in prison for life.

Are you sure about that, Frank?

Are you sure that you didn't...

That the way this townfelt
about Sam and the Yakama community,

didn't have anything to dowith
the way things played out?

Is your daughter marrying a black man

making you see smokewhere there's no fire?

His race had nothing to do with it.

Can you imagine how this...

What this is like for me?

Seeing my son taken in that van like that.

Listen...

you gotta take a step back.

Getting drunk isn't gonna
do you any good. It never did.

And listening to these Liskos andall
the crazy stories about new evidence?

That's not gonna help either.

- But you know what is
gonna help?-I don't know.

Moving forward with your life, Jack.

Focusing on the coming election.

The only reason I got elected in the
firstplace is that people felt sorry for me.

-No.-Dead kid's dad.

Let's give him a sympathy vote.

- No!- Hi.

Hi, hon. Go back to your room.
We-We need some privacy here.

Everything okay?

Yeah, everything's
fine, sweetie. Thank you.

Hey.

Hey, look at me.

You need to move on, Jack.

Now, we barely survivedlosing
mining and logging.

And now people are gonna be
talkinglike there's a killer running loose?

Families fleeing like
it's 1988all over again.

Be a leader.

Calm people down.

Show them that Erie Harboris
a good place to raise a family.

Can you do that? You owe it to your boy.

What's the matter?

What, you don't like it?

I... No, it's red.

Red's your favorite.

No, Dad, red's your
favorite.Mine's... green.

It's okay, it's okay. Um...

It's... I mean, it's great,
Dad. Thank you. I love it.

It's the most expensive bike in the shop.

Does it come in green, Syl?

Uh, sorry, no. Just the red. Or sky blue.

You could get a cheaper one.

I have an idea.

How about no present?
What do you think about that?

Thank you so much. Have a great day.

You sound super perkywhen
you talk to customers.

No, I don't.

Wait. Do I?

Yeah, but I like it. It's very friendly.

It's just... not the guythat
I thought I was dating.

Oh, we're dating? That's official?

What? No! I'm...

- Sorry! No, it's okay.
It's just... I'm sorry.

- I didn't mean...-No,
it's okay. It's just...

I mean, I guess we're not not dating.

So we are dating?

Apologies for interrupting your
sexy time, but we need assistance.

Oh, my God, am I dead
yet? Please tell me I'm dead.

- What are you guys doing
here?-Um, my bike burned.

She's in the marketfor
something budget-friendly,

fashionable and performance-driven.

And, oh, can it have a bell?

The Chronicle's revenue isabout
45 bucks minus 50% for overhead.

What can we get with $22 and 74 cents?

You know what? I may have
somethingthat you can borrow. Let me check.

Something's been bugging me.

People keep sayingthat the
abduction video proves nothing.

That Sam could have removed
the platesbefore he abducted Richie.

-Is that what you think he did?-No.

- But I don't have any way of
proving it.-We don't need to.

We just have to prove that Sam's vanwasn't
the same van that was in the video.

But how are we supposed to find it?

It's from the '80s.It's, like, prehistoric.

We could call the DMV.Or
search police auction records.

Or you could just head
overto Sally's Salvage.

It's the junkyard.

Every old beater ends up there.

I'd thank you in the paper, but
it might be a conflict of interest.

Come on, guys. Let's go.

Sally's not gonna let
kidsjust walk onto her lot.

That place is dangerous.

We'll figure something out.

Thanks.

Whoa.

That's a lot of dry blood.

Garibaldi!

Good boy.

Is that Kim's dad?

Is that you, Lisko?

Mr. Collins?

That's right.

Hey, how are ya?

Like you give a shit.

You come back to Erie Harborto
ruin everyone's life again?

This dog belong to you?

He's more wolf than dog.

Yeah, you know my kids play around here.

It's not like I let him loose.
That could get litigious.

Yeah, hicks like us, we
know city words too, hotshot.

Like causation. Isn't that
what it's called, Frank?

Yeah, Roger...

Penny's murder happening at the exactsame
time the Liskos move back to town.

Yeah, one had nothing to dowith the other.

Oh, yeah. Sure, sure.

And there's no government plot to poisonthe
American water supply with fluoride,

red dye number 40, PCB's,
rBGH'sand diet cola either, right?

Roger, you wouldn't happen to know anything

about the Lisko shed
being set on fire, would ya?

Yeah, I saw that lightfrom
my porch last night.

Then Garibaldi came
homewith his snout all bloodied.

So I figured he must have
caughtthe guy in the act.

And you didn't think a follow-up
callto the authorities was in order?

- -Hey!
Garibaldi! Come back here!

Garibaldi!

Well, let's keep moving.

Man, Kim's dad got weird.

Look how
amazingit looks with your bracelet.

Whoa. Look at this place.

The court documents said the
vanwas a blue 1982 GMC Vandura.

So... where do we even start?

It's gotta be around here somewhere.

Come on, guys.

Hey, what the hell is
going onwith Kim's dad?

Well, he went kind of crazy.

I don't know if it was after her
mom splitor if he went crazy after.

No, Kim never mentioned anything.

She wouldn't.

You left her.

You think after 25 years,

she's gonna open up about her
folks'marriage or her mentally ill dad?

I'm not saying you were
wrongto leave, but...

All right, kind of feels likethat's
exactly what you're saying.

Wait, wait.

Is that my dad?

Oh, Jesus.

Hold up.

Guys, there it is.

You sure that's it?

Yeah.

What's that?

I think we need to move.

Dad!

- Sylvester!-Dad!

-Syl!-Goddamn it. Dad!

I might know where he's going.

There's a lake a half
mile up. He likes to fish.

Syl!

Yeah, I heard about your fishing trips.
He made you into the son he never had.

What are you trying to say, Frank?

I don't know. I don't know what I saw.

I'm pretty sure Matty was right.

My dad just kept saying that I saw it.So...

I thought I did.

That might have been whyhe
started to look into the case.

That's what he was trying to tell me.

There he is. Come on.

Wait, something's different.

What do you mean?

That's definitely not
the vanthat took Richie.

How do you know?

The gas cap's on the wrong side.

So the van in the video wasn't Gillis'.

Sam didn't take Richie.

My dad was right. The killer
is still out there somewhere.

- Yeah. That's the one.-

Why is Sheriff Briggs here?

I want you to crush that thing.

Here.

All right.

What are they doing?

Oh, no! Izzy has my camera.

Oh, my God.

What?

Dad?

Dad.

No.

It's okay. It's Matt.

Daddy, it's Matt. Okay?

I know. It's okay. It's okay.

You two! Do not move!

-Run!-Run! Come on!

- Hey! Sheriff!-

Dad. Dad, I don't understand.

Look, I'm not mad.

It's just, why did you
burn Hilde's bike? Huh?

You know he's not gonna answer you.

Yeah, I know.
And I keep trying anyway.

You know, it makes me wonderwhich
one of us is clinging onto sanity.

It was cursed.

I didn't want Hilde riding it. I
didn't want anyone riding it.

What do you mean? What was cursed?

It was me.

What was you?

It was my fault.

I was the one who gave it to him.

How about no present?
What do you think about that?

I may have a bike for you.

It's older, but it should
still be a good ride.

You know, sometimes dads...

we don't get it right.

How much does this cost?

For you, kiddo, no charge.

Happy birthday.

- Thank you.-

I read about what you
did at the meeting, Matty.

You gotta stop. They're gonna
tryand run you outta town again.

Tell him, Frankie.

Dad, I found it.

I opened the safe.

Do you believe me?

You believe me. I know you do.

So, I don't understand.
Why do you want me to stop?

Come on. I'm sorry.

I really am. I'm so sorry.

You know, I'm sorry for being out of touch

and sorry for never going
fishing with youor calling you.

I'm even sorry that I wouldn't
stoptalking about Richie back then.

I...

Could you just say you believe me, please?

If it makes you feel any better...

my relationship with my father is worse.

Yeah.

It was a human error. A day nursepropped
a back door open on a smoke break.

Apparently, Sylvester
waited for himto turn his back.

It's, uh, that easy, huh?

This has happened twicein, like, a week.

Yes, and we are sorry.

Look, we fired the nurse, and we
plan on implementing new protocols.

It'll never happen again.

Well, that's what you said last time.

Look, I want my father's release paperwork.

And we'll be back tomorrow to sign it.

Mr. Lisko, your father
has specific medical needs.

All due respect, you haven't
been here long enough to...

You're not equipped to handle his care.

Look, I'm his
goddamn son. All right?

And that is what he needs right now.

Come on, Dad. We're going home.

I don't know how it worksback in New York.

Maybe little girlscan make
all the trouble they want

without anybody saying anything.

But here... you get taken
awayfrom your parents.

-Ah, Ms. Lisko.-It's Jensen.

I'm Sheriff Briggs.

I know who you are.

Are you okay? Okay.

Hilde and some of her friends

were trespassing in an industrial
areawith heavy machinery.

She could've been seriously injured.

Isn't that right, Hilde?

Well, anyway. No charges this time,

but please make it clear to your daughterthat,
uh, private property, trespassing,

these are things we take
seriouslyin Erie Harbor.

Thank you, Sheriff. I will
make sure to talk to her.

Come on.

You okay, honey? That
must've been scary today.

Oh, honey. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...

Sorry. Hey, honey, we don't...

No, we don't have to talk about
itright now if it's too hard, okay?

It's not about Sheriff Briggs.

I lost the only evidencethat
proves Sam Gillis is innocent.

And we have no proof. We
can't help Dad or fix our family.

Honey. Hilde. It's okay. Listen to me.

It is not your job to fix
Daddy. That is... That is on him.

But... he's not doing anything.

It's like he's... he's just stuck.

I know. I know.

But our family, we work out
our problems together. Okay?

How 'bout that?

-Mom.-Yeah?

Is Dad gonna be okay?

I don't know.

I hope so.

Hey, guys.

This is, uh, Kathryn. Frank Briggs' sister.

-Hi.-Hi.

You know, Hilde,

Kathryn walked all the way over
herebecause she read your paper.

And she's got something to tell
youl think you're gonna wanna hear.

Here, come on. Sit down.

A memory haunts
the town of Erie Harbor.

The memory of Richie Fife's murder.

Important people,

like our sheriff, Frank Briggs
Sr., have tried to erase him.

In 1988,soon after the
conviction of Sam Gillis,

Erie Harbor resident Al
Wergeles, aka Birdman,

brought Sheriff Briggs a
videotapeof Richie Fife's abduction.

According to his daughter, Kathryn,

Sheriff Briggs watched
this tapeand threw it away.

Kathryn brought it to her
mom, Annemarie Briggs,

who kept it for decades

and never had the
courageto do what was right.

That is until last year, when
Annemarie was battling cancer.

She gave the tape to Penny Gillis.

Annemarie did not want to leave this world

knowing that her husbandhad
put an innocent man in prison.

Penny's last wish.

To be buried in the middle of townso
people can't avoid her anymore.

I miss her.

I know.

I'm sorry, Ms. Jensen.

I had to do it. For Penny.

-And for me.-I understand.

Hey, Sam.

I'm so sorry.

For years, I didn't have people on my side.

But I had Penny.

She protected me.

Always.

Even though I couldn't protect her.

She said she wanted a
tree plantedin her name.

And with stones in the Yakama tradition.

This was her favorite kind of tree.

We used to play under one
just like itwhen we were kids.

After what happened in this town...

nobody would look Penny in the eye.

And eventually... nobody
would look at her at all.

With this tree...

I hope everyone can
see... how beautiful she was.

How beautiful she is.

Hang up.

I gotta call you back.

-In your office. Let's talk.-No, no.

No more chats, Dad. It's
over. Destroying evidence?

- Kathryn is confused.-I'm
talking about the Gillis van.

- There's no proof of any of
that.-You always have an answer.

How 'bout this? I'm running against
youfor sheriff of Holmes County.

You're done here.