Mosaic (2018–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Zebra-itis - full transcript
[HBO] HD. 'Zebra-Itis.' Eric's sister Petra queries police about Olivia's case, and heads south to appeal to Joel for help.
It's over. Olivia and I are engaged.
- Is this real?
- It is.
'Till she finds out the truth.
'Bout how it all started.
We should just square up the rent
and move forward.
It's not really gonna happen
for you, Joey...
Ah, now you want me to give up, too, just
so you can feel better about yourself?
Are you available to, uh, talk?
Who sent you here? How did you get here?
Okay. Everything that we have
right now is real.
Is it real?
It was you, wasn't it?
You are not coming back here.
Joe, you're kind of scaring me.
What did Eric do this time?
You don't understand,
you're not alone in this.
I don't even know who you are!
What I don't understand
is why you changed your story... twice.
No, I don't want you to talk this time.
First, I just want you to listen.
- Why don't you...
- Because I don't want you
to tell me something, again,
that closes off another avenue
of defense for you, all right?
I know your side, you hear mine.
Okay, I couldn't find Cliff Jones.
I know, I know. I know.
You sat with him face-to-face.
But the fact that I couldn't
locate him anywhere
means probably Dick
Andreesen couldn't either.
And we're already dealing with priors...
the Toledo thing, the New Orleans
insurance thing with FEMA.
I looked this up.
None of that pertains to the case.
They are going to use it
to impeach your credibility.
And not just because
this is Salt Lake City,
but because you are a professional liar.
It will be the first thing that
Andreesen brings up, I promise you.
Unless... unless he
brings up Eloise Brand.
Which he can't.
Which will appear to be very similar.
Which is not similar. It is not
similar at all, you understand.
There's nothing similar about those two.
I didn't love Eloise Brand.
You understand that I
didn't love Eloise Brand?
Besides which, it's inadmissible.
I know this.
It's inad... good, okay.
So then we'll just rely
on the jurors to unhear it
if Dick slips and it
accidentally comes out, right?
The point is, Eric, there is what you
would like the playing field to be
and there is what it is.
Which one do you want to play on?
- Okay. So...?
- Okay.
What is the reality here?
The will.
Your argument with Olivia,
overheard just minutes before the murder
by a guy who was going
to check on a sketch
she was apparently drawing for his kid.
Your fingerprints are on the hammer.
I was remodeling.
Eric.
The valets in the lower parking lot
describe your exit as "rattled."
And when the police found
you in Truckee, you fled.
You changed your story twice.
And I know, I know... Eric, I know
you didn't know she was dead,
but the fact is you lied,
for whatever reason.
And when you agreed
to take a polygraph...
- Volunteered.
- That's right. Yes, thank you.
When you volunteered against the advice
of your arresting officer...
I was innocent.
You failed your test.
Because I was feeling guilty,
but not about what they thought.
I was a mess,
which is why, I know,
I should have listened.
Okay. So, I'm sorry.
Please, I'm sorry, okay?
So, what... what are you suggesting?
Please tell me
this isn't your full lunch.
Yep. Hammersmith had me until 2:00
- bitching about the new parking.
- Oh, God. I know, right?
Honestly I don't think
anybody likes it better.
Right? Then he wants us to
support him on the team jerseys.
I assume you're coming here for a
plea 'cause you don't have a case.
Actually, I have a great case.
You don't have a body.
You think the
jury's gonna look at one photo
from the crime scene and think otherwise?
Even you don't think otherwise!
- I believe my client.
- Ha!
Did they fix this or not?
It's still cold.
Yeah, that's the new one, so
I don't think you're having,
whatever, Cream of...
- Leukemia?
- Gross.
It's first-degree murder. You know that.
Without a body? Good luck.
What don't you like
about the new jerseys?
The whole "retro" thing? It's tired.
Look, I can agree to allocute
for no more than 24 years.
That's never gonna happen.
The will? The witnesses? Even if
I drop to second, 24 is a gift.
You know that. Great, now it's too hot.
We're gonna get less than that
with a jury, even in Salt Lake.
Okay, I'll agree to not oppose
a request for no more than 20.
I'm going in at manslaughter, 10.
- With his priors? Really?
- Yeah.
Will you do me a favor? Will you
taste this? Smell it at least?
It smells like soup and chemicals.
I don't know what you want from me.
We get a jury, I'll roll we get first.
I'll risk a trial.
I will accept second, but
we have to allocute for 12.
18, he's out in 12.
Seriously, that is the most disgusting
thing I think I've ever tasted.
That's because you have to
add hot water to it, Dick.
You can't just put cold water
in it and then microwave it.
- Right. I put cold water in?
- Yes. 14.
Aggravated, 16. That's it.
That's all I'm doing.
Oh. There they are, by the way.
Yeah, there is kind of a "Damn
Yankees" thing going on there.
- Right?
- All right, 16.
But we're gonna have
to do this as an Alford.
That's fine by me. It's all guilty.
Hey. Hi, Alan.
Hey, so I still cannot get Eric Neill
to make any sort of a statement
other than a flat-out denial.
And I know you're gonna
think that I'm crazy,
but I'm kind of actually...
I'm starting to believe him.
- You know, Nate...
- And he gave me a name.
Actually, he gave me a bunch of names,
but the one that stands out
is this Cameron Morgan.
He's this thuggish, young guy.
Apparently, Olivia loved to
surround herself around young guys.
Nate, Amy and Dick
have come to an agreement.
Who's Amy and Dick? Dick Andreesen?
Wait, the prosecutor Dick Andreesen?
Yeah, and Amy Lambson, that new
public defender up out of Provo.
Nice gal. Probably not that
new anymore, actually.
Wait, whoa, whoa, whoa.
This isn't possible.
I've still got
some more stuff to lay out.
Listen to this... this guy,
Cameron, he's got a list...
Take yes for an answer, Nate.
We have the guy.
- No.
- You arrested him.
No, I need a few more...
Please, can we have a few more days?
- Please?
- It's over.
You done good.
Excuse me, Petra.
Sorry.
There's a guy to see you
from the TV show "Heart of Homicide."
- Oh, thank you.
- Sure.
It must have been very, very traumatic.
To put it mildly, yep.
The FBI storming your kitchen.
Christmas Eve, right in
the middle of dinner.
What was that like?
Seeing your own father
dragged off like that?
Right.
Okay, so flash forward
10 years, here we are.
Your brother's been arrested.
Does it bring up any memories?
You know, we're gonna ask you
a lot about your brother.
You're okay talking about all this?
Yeah, I think it...
it's gonna get out there anyway.
That's what you tell a reporter
when they ask you about
your brother's arrest?
Well, I wasn't surprised.
I mean, it's a pattern.
And I really don't see
how it matters now anyhow.
It matters because your brother's
case is flimsy at best.
And pre-trying him
in the court of public opinion
doesn't exactly do him any favors.
Well, there's something else I told him
that I guess you're really gonna like.
Oh, God.
I'm the one who told the
police where he was.
When the detective came
to Mom's hospice room,
I told them he was at our
family's cabin in Truckee.
Great.
Okay, actually, maybe you should
be standing with the prosecutor.
This is him in here.
His name is Dick Andreesen.
And I'm happy to introduce
you if you like.
If not, I'll just see
you in the courtroom.
On the docket is case number
2013-0009.
State of Utah versus Eric Neill.
It's my understanding the parties
involved have come to an agreement.
Yes, sir, Your Honor.
We have indeed reached an agreement.
The defendant has agreed
to a change of plea
to the reduced charge
of aggravated manslaughter.
Christmas in February.
Excuse me.
- Cheers.
- Cheers, man, cheers.
- Tom Davis.
- Alan Pape.
I know, the man himself.
Uh, listen, I'll get right to the point.
It was really impressive work
with Eric Neill.
- Really good stuff.
- Mmm.
Now, I understand,
if this doesn't fly for you,
I totally get it,
but this crime, this...
this Eric Neill intrusion,
it has spooked the heck
out of a lot of folks up here.
The consensus is we need new security.
A new private firm,
one we can count on,
headed by a real pro.
Oh, gosh, we already got some
pretty top-notch outfits here.
You're...
a very gracious man, as I've heard.
But I have not heard this
bunch agree on anything
as simple as setbacks from mailboxes
like they agree on this one big thing.
The person for the job...
is Alan Pape.
Oh, well...
Well, I, uh...
honestly, I... I've been
with the department...
32 years.
I hope you don't mind,
a couple friends of mine at
county let me know your salary.
Oh.
You decide to accept this,
we're prepared to triple it.
Bring in a couple guys... your pick.
It's all your call.
Well, give it some thought.
I'll give you a call in a couple of days,
just check back in.
Again, it's really...
stellar work.
It's really impressive.
Thank you.
_
Lookin' at ya.
Got it.
- Okay, .147.
- 147.
Edge of water.
Other side.
Authorities say what could be the hand
of famed children's book
author Olivia Lake
has been discovered in a stream
a half mile from her property,
adding both closure as well
as renewed attention
to the events surrounding
her now four-year-old murder.
Investigators are swarming
the abandoned mine shafts
that dot the estate surrounding Lake's...
This call is subject
to monitoring and recording.
So many, whatever, pithy lines I wrote
for this very moment.
Was that one of them?
No, but this is.
Unless I'm wrong, which I doubt,
because I have nothing else to do
but go over this ad infinitum,
the last I heard, it was you
who turned me over to the fucking police.
Why are you here now?
State law says that conditional gifts
when the condition's precedent
go unfulfilled
become the property of the giver,
the condition in this case
being "Will you marry me,"
the nonfulfillment being
"I can't, I'm dead."
The fucking police gave it to me.
What would you like me to do with it?
So, you're here 'cause you wanna know
what to do with Aunt Beth's ring.
What happened?
Since Mom died, you don't
have any other projects?
You know what?
This will be in Salt Lake in storage.
You can get it in 2032.
I'm not interested in being the rudder
that keeps you from
free-forming around your life.
Are you serious?
Or one of your books you
get 600 pages in writing
and then abandon completely.
Okay, you know what?
I was wrong to think that
you might not deserve this.
W-Wait!
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry!
I'm sorry.
Don't abandon me.
- There you go.
- Great, thank you so much.
You're welcome.
Hey, Jim, take care of this for me, okay?
Yeah, I'm back. So, when?
Monday?
No, no, no, what do you mean Monday?
This is mining country, man.
There are more geologists
than there are Starbucks.
Then you call someone else.
No, hold on, there has to be
something that can dig that deep
in the amount of time that we need it.
Then... then you make new
connections, thank you!
- Detective Henry. Hi. Nate.
- What? Hi.
- We met a few years ago. I'm Petra.
- Petra.
You're familiar
with the Government Records
Access and Management Act, I assume.
I'm not, but I am with you.
What department did you say
you were with again, Petra?
Actually, I'm not with a department.
I'm Petra Neill.
Oh, Jesus. No, no, you
can't be here, then.
- Please, just give me a moment.
- No, no, no, you can't be here.
A GRAMA request makes
cops' notes available...
GRAMA?
- G-R-A-M-A...
- GRAMA.
...makes cops' notes
available to the defense,
which makes them
part of the trial record.
Okay, which means you have my notes,
and I need you off the property now.
I have copies, which is why I
have a few questions for you.
On the night of the murder,
you interviewed Joel Hurley.
That's what this is, right?
Then you also interviewed
his friend, Frank Scott.
Uh, yeah.
What I noticed was when referring
to the night Olivia was killed,
Joel said, "We took El
Camino to Arroyo Parkway
to the Eastridge Mall
and saw the 10:20 'Hobbit 2.'"
- Yeah, if you say so.
- Now listen to what Frank said.
No comment.
"We went to Eastridge Mall.
We took El Camino to Arroyo,
and we saw the 10:20 showing
The Desolation of Smaug.'"
Go to two. I don't understand your point.
They both almost said
exactly the same thing.
They were going to see the same movie.
Okay. Okay, sure, fine.
But here's my question.
Who says which road they took
and the exact time of the show
when they're talking about
where they were one night?
Two people who are talking
to a police detective
the day after a murder was discovered.
Hey, if you're suggesting
that two guys that I've known,
one I knew for two years, one
I've known for well over 30,
are lying for some reason...
No, what I'm saying is that every
other person in your notes
spoke a certain way,
and these two didn't.
And honestly, I'm surprised
you didn't notice.
You ever heard of zebra-itis?
- No.
- Okay, here's what zebra-itis is,
and then I'm gonna need you to step back
and stop contaminating my crime scene.
If it smells like a horse and it
leaves a trail of horse prints
and a big pile of horse manure,
it's a horse.
But amateurs and rookies,
they think they're so smart.
Web sleuths spend all day
poking through rainbows,
looking for zebras.
- Unicorns.
- I'm sorry?
Which still would work as a metaphor,
but rainbows is unicorns, even
though I totally get your point.
I need you to move now.
- You didn't think it was a horse.
- Yo, Adam!
- Please.
- "All signs point to Eric,
but in my gut, hmm, it just
doesn't feel like Eric to me."
Emphasis mine, but you
said it to yourself
in your own case notes
right here, page 31.
You didn't think it was Eric at the time.
I got this, Adam. Thanks, anyway.
Look, I'm just one guy.
I'm not the system, so...
But you got angry at the system.
Your letter to the prosecutor, Dick
Andreesen, asking for more time,
it's in the discovery.
Even though he had already
closed down the investigation.
You were looking for
the elusive zebra, perhaps?
Unicorn maybe, even?
My issues with what went
down four years ago
have nothing to do with
what's happening here now.
Olivia's friend JC said Joel
owed her 10 months' back rent
by the night of the murder.
And Horacio, the gardener,
said that Joel sold him his truck
for a quarter of what it was worth
and then split town three
days after the murder.
What are you trying to say?
I want to talk to Frank Scott.
You don't think it's
weird that you found the hand
on Michael O'Connor's property?
And on the day Olivia was murdered,
she called Michael O'Connor and
talked to him for, like, a minute...
- 52 seconds.
- ...just before she died.
Yeah, I did find that weird at the time.
And?
Believe it or not, you know,
I followed up on that.
There were witnesses to the call.
Olivia was upset.
She had had a fight with your brother.
Michael tried to console her.
He couldn't.
Okay, don't you think
it's weird that she...
that Michael and his
associate, Tom Davis,
flew to Turks and Caicos
the very next day?
As they did every New Year's.
Same destination, same flight.
You know what would've been weird?
If they didn't leave.
Have you re-interviewed him?
- No.
- Because?
Because...
because of what you've
already read in my notes.
He never left the house.
His cell phone never left the house.
- There were...
- Witnesses, I get it.
- Wait, was the hand...?
- What, cut off in the murder?
Not unless she was killed
by a dozen tiny rodents
over a period of 8 to 10 months, no.
And, yes, we are checking
all the old mine shafts
that feed into that stream.
I got a question for you.
You care so much
about your brother Eric...
Where were you when he needed you most?
Hmm?
And why now, four years later,
are you suddenly all over this?
I think I might have
been wrong about Eric
in this specific situation.
Ah, oh.
Okay.
Hmm.
Okay.
So, this is about you.
I mean, yeah.
What? We went to the movies.
"Hobbit."
"Hobbit 2." 10:20 show.
You took El Camino to Arroyo
Parkway to the Eastridge Mall.
It's all in the case notes.
- Do you wanna stick with that?
- Would you let me...?
I'll ask the questions.
Hey, so, all we need to know
is if you and Joel,
for whatever reason,
made up that story.
I can find out now or we can talk later.
I can find out then.
Okay.
Okay.
- If you're really asking me.
- Yeah.
I've got this to say about Joel.
There's the Joel that everyone sees...
and then there's the other Joel.
I don't understand
why that's emasculating.
Oh, co... at the crime scene?
In front of everybody?
And making me have no choice about it?
Uh, where's Morgan?
At Owen's. I'll text Marney.
And you know Frank. I mean...
like I'm going to empower
her to talk to him?
To Frank?
You're not empowering her.
She already has the power.
She's a private citizen.
She can talk to whoever she wants.
You're just afraid that...
'cause Frank is...
- The loosest cannon ever.
- That you're gonna lose control.
I don't even know what it's control of.
But this hand comes up,
and then this girl shows up,
and suddenly I have no choice
but to follow somebody
else's agenda and it's not mine.
It sounds like she was right.
- Which is beside the point.
- Which is exactly the point.
- No, it's not.
- Yes.
You had the case completely yanked
away from you four years ago.
You never liked the result,
and if it was some dude who just
suddenly showed up out of the blue,
you would be saying to me,
"Mel, oh, my God,
the luckiest thing happened."
I don't see where this is going.
You were emasculated
because it was a woman,
is what I'm saying.
Okay. I believe you're correct.
Yeah, I know.
You'll be fine. You can handle her.
You know who I would
be worried about is Alan.
Assuming she can get Joel back,
when do you think that would be?
Oh! And that's another thing.
She's so supremely confident that
she can get Joel to come back.
I mean, Joel?
Joel freaking hated it here by the end.
I mean, come on,
you saw his Facebook posts.
He's a totally different guy down there.
I say there's no way
she'll get him to come back.
What?
I think you're
underestimating this person.
We'll go right up these lilies here.
All right! Whoo-hoo!
Here we go!
Oh, yeah!
Whoo!
- Whoo-hoo!
- Whoo!
What can kill an alligator?
Let's see. What can hurt
one of these things?
What can harm an alligator?
Nothing.
Well, scratch that. We can.
We're its only predators.
Unless you keep leaning over
the edge like that, Junior.
Then things are gonna change.
Uh, uh, Junior...
- You see that out there?
- Where?
- Straight?
- That's our little trophy.
Straight ahead, right there!
- Right there.
- Let's not spook this one.
See him right there
- just beyond that tree?
- Yeah.
All right, the next job is
get that sucker on the boat.
Who's gonna do the deed? Ava?
Thanks, but, no, thanks.
Okay, definitely not Ava.
How about you, Dad?
- Taylor?
- Oh, Junior?
You gonna do it?
- Huh?
- I think so.
All right.
I thought you might be unsure,
but you're gonna give her a go, huh?
Put it on your shoulder, son.
You ever handle one of these before?
Not too many times.
I know it's hard
with that life preserver,
but you just put her right
up there on your arm there.
Make sure it's on safety until
you get that sucker ready.
You're gonna wanna hit it
just between the eyes here.
That's the sweet...
that's the sweet spot.
Nice, deep breath.
Nice, deep breath.
You don't wanna ruin that trophy.
Yeah!
There you go, Junior!
Skin's all rolled up.
Tell Ty I sent you. He'll cut
you a deal on that taxidermy.
- Sounds good.
- I got your meat on the ice here.
Keep these "not for sale"
stickers visible
in case the DWF stops you.
You are good to go.
- Thanks, Joel.
- My pleasure.
Buckshot, hold onto that.
Bye.
Hope you had a great time.
If you did, we're Big Bayou Gator Guides.
If not, we're Outdoor
Adventures, as the joke goes.
Thanks, Pat.
Hope they got the sizes right this time.
Bobby.
Oh, hi.
I didn't see you there. Can
I help you with something?
- Are you Joel Hurley?
- I am.
Oh, thank God.
Can we go somewhere and talk?
Ugh!
Bobby! Sorry.
They got the kids large again.
You gotta call them about next week.
I still haven't gotten their thing.
I'll give them
a shout and get it straight.
Sorry.
Is this your art?
It is.
Do you recognize me?
Should I?
I'm Petra Neill. I'm Eric Neill's sister.
- Please, just hear me out.
- Look, I hardly knew him.
- And from what I did know...
- I know he could be complicated.
No, he could be an asshole is
what he could be, to be honest.
Well, he said that you were a good guy.
He said you might be the
only one who could help me.
He said you'd at least listen.
Please.
Do you mind if we change the music?
- Sure. To what?
- Silence.
Okay, the music is now silence.
What's up?
Do you remember one night, maybe
a week or two before the murder,
when you saw someone on the
property and you chased him off?
Why?
You told Eric about it that night.
You said his name was Cameron.
I think, uh...
someone told me then
that it would've been Cameron,
so, sure, Cameron.
I need to find him.
Well, I saw him for about 10 seconds.
It was in the dark. It was the woods.
He got in the car and drove off, so I'd
have no idea on how to locate him.
So he could... he said those will
work until we get the 400s.
There was someone in that car
that Cameron got into.
And you told Eric back then
that you might know him.
I think I said that he might have
looked vaguely familiar, yeah.
You said he was a bartender.
Look, I don't know.
It was four years ago.
Do you remember which bar?
Oh, God, I... I really don't know.
Please don't tell me this is what you
flew all the way down here to find out.
Keep going. I'm listening.
I believe my brother is innocent.
Of the crime that
he confessed to committing?
He pled out without admitting guilt.
He had no other choice.
The media, his lawyer,
everyone rushed to judgment.
But they never found a body.
And I believe that if I can prove
there were other suspects,
people that the attorney overlooked,
then I believe I can get him an appeal.
Now, after all this time?
There's new information.
In prison, someone told
Eric that that guy Cameron
was talking about a safe
in Olivia's studio
and how she kept cash
and drawings in there.
And Eric has been writing
to his lawyer, but...
don't get me started on her.
So, please...
do you think maybe
you can remember which bar?
If I can find out who that bartender is,
I think maybe I can find Cameron.
You know the town.
There are a lot of bars.
Could you point it out
if you were standing there?
I don't know. Possibly.
Would you know him if you saw him?
What are you asking me?
No, I can't go back there.
Just for a day or two. That's all I need.
Please. You know the area.
You lived on the property.
You know the town, you know the people.
Knew.
Please, just think about it?
Here's my number.
I have no one else I can turn to.
You're literally the only person
on the planet who could help me.
Please.
I'm sorry. I can't.
- Hey, babe.
- How was work, honey?
Fine.
What's going on?
So, this is all just about
finding Cameron, really?
Yeah.
You... I mean, the weird thing
is that I was gonna tell the
police back then about Cameron,
but, you know, I just got caught up
in the whole "Eric, Eric" thing
with everybody else, and...
I mean, even when we got here,
it just... it still kept eating at me,
that look on Cameron's face that night.
It was... like, you know how crocodiles,
they have that lower row of teeth
like they're smiling at you, like
they know something about you?
That was Cameron.
Then Eric confesses and four years go by
and Olivia's hand shows up
and his sister flies down to Louisiana,
and now, fuck.
So, what's the problem?
There's a reason we left there,
and it wasn't just Olivia.
To be honest, I don't
think I can go back there again.
Why are you looking at me like that?
Well, of course you can.
I swore to myself I never would.
Yeah, but you're different now.
Everything's different now.
I know you don't
believe in the universe...
Well, I believe it exists.
But you don't believe
it gives you opportunities.
Oh, it really hasn't.
Well, what if the one thing between...
- How long is it total?
- 15 to 20.
Yeah, well, what if the difference
between 16 more years of jail
and his sudden freedom is you?
How come you get to be so perfect?
- Because I don't.
- Because you do.
And you are.
I still can't believe we made it here.
Come here.
I love you.
I love you, too.
It's kind of okay, actually.
In my mind, Summit had
morphed into this Arkham,
Hellboy, Lovecrafty, Salem,
Hall of Ghosts thing,
and then I get here and it's like,
"Oh, right, it's just
craft stores and galleries
and... here's a word
I don't use that often...
it's quaint."
And she is in a pipe dream.
I don't wanna say
I feel sorry for her, but...
Uh, all right. Speak to you soon, love.
We're off to go track down a ghost.
Yeah. Love you, too. Bye.
- Sorry.
- Got you one anyway.
- Thanks.
- It's okay.
Oh, here. Also if you need it.
I need to step away for a few minutes.
I have some things
I need to take care of.
Uh, wait, seriously?
Yeah, I... I, uh...
I gotta follow up on some stuff
that I started the other day.
But if you find anything, just text me.
- All right.
- Otherwise, an hour, hour and a half?
Yeah, all right.
I'll, uh...
I'll just go track down
the dude that knew Cameron.
Great.
Yeah, should be easy.
- All right.
- Okay.
- Hour.
- Oh, and, Joel?
- Yeah?
- Seriously, thank you.
Yeah, of course.
- All right, I'll see you soon.
- Okay.
Yeah, shit, I remember that clown.
If you do find him, tell him he
still owes me for two months.
Better yet, bring him here.
I'll tell him myself.
Well, he was here
with a girl, though, right?
Yeah, poor little señorita.
She didn't know what hit her.
Then that guy, pfft, bolts
day before Christmas.
Any idea where she is?
Mmm, I wanna say she was
gone about a week later.
She's Mexican.
Could be anywhere.
She got a name?
Yeah, Leticia.
I can't remember the last name,
but I remember Leticia.
Pretty name.
_
Don't blame our town.
I'm told you need suffering to make art.
Yeah, but it's the artist
who's supposed to suffer.
- Ah.
- You owe me a dollar.
Yes, I do.
Did he put up a fight?
Mmm, a bit, but not.
Hey, how did he seem?
How are things with him and Laura?
Seemed like he had a good
thing going down there,
if that's what you mean.
Sweet girl, Laura.
We used to joke that
she'd need a neck brace
the way that she would look up to him.
_
- Hi.
- Hey.
Two beers, please.
Whatever's your local best.
She'll have a Polygamist Porter
and I'll have a Diet Coke, please.
- You guys have Advil?
- No. Sorry.
- Thanks.
- Oh, sure.
And thank you for your message
about Cameron's old apartment.
There's a guy checking on the bills
and hoping to get something
about the old girlfriend...
- Great.
- ...and maybe a forwarding address.
- So, well done.
- Great.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
And congratulations to me, too, I guess.
- For?
- Being smart enough to bring you here.
You did more in 60 minutes than I
did in three days, so thank you.
Aw, thanks. Just trying to help.
So, I, uh... I just have a few questions,
mostly about the property.
Oh, uh, one sec. Um...
Sorry. Wife has a question
about a house thing.
Sha, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.
Uh, sorry.
We know the murder happened
somewhere between 10:15 and 11:45.
Do we know that for sure?
Well, Olivia was seen
leaving the party at 10:04.
And then a guy overhears her and Eric
having an argument
at the studio at 10:10.
Then she calls her neighbor up the hill,
and then her friend JC at 10:16,
the last anyone ever heard from her.
Oh, sidebar...
you know the people
up the hill, O'Connor?
Do you know that they own the Red Room?
Oh, please, please don't tell me
you don't know what the Red Room is.
Is that like a "50 Shades of Grey" thing?
It's a private art collection.
Individually, some incredible pieces.
Overall, no unifying aesthetic.
They had a piece from... from it
on loan at the Denver Art Museum,
this obscure French Impressionist,
Henri-Edmond Cross.
When I was 12, my mother and I sat
in front of it for literally six hours.
Well, if you would've told me they had,
like, a Brian Bolland or a Will
Eisner or something, then...
Don't tell me you don't know
who the father of the graphic novel is.
My interest in American art
ended with Hopper's "Intermedio" in 1963.
Well, Eisner was before,
but, you know, whatever.
Anyhow...
- Her wounds.
- Her wounds.
Yes, her wounds were...
they were from a variety of things,
but they believe the death blow to be
from multiple hammer strikes.
And there was some flesh...
piece of flesh they found
on the wall, a tiny speck,
and in it were bug eggs.
Sorry. Uh, wife thing.
- Bug eggs.
- Blowflies.
Which puts it no later than 11:45.
So I'm trying to figure out
who was where between
10:15 and 11:45 p.m.
Well, I can't really be
of any help on that
because I was at a 10:20 movie
that was at Eastridge.
So I left the property about 9:45...
or 9:46, which I weirdly remember.
Wow, a movie New Year's Eve.
Crazy.
I know, right? And trust me, I, uh...
I wasn't one to avoid a party.
It's just the truth is
me and my then girlfriend, now wife,
had had a little fight.
You weren't texting her enough?
Sorry.
Let me turn this thing off.
Uh, yeah, so.
So, yeah, you said that, you, uh,
once saw Cameron on the property
out by the studio?
It was actually by the, uh,
story trail, actually.
Could you show me exactly?
Sure.
Look, it's simple.
All you do is find a way
to get him alone.
Then you casually bring it up
and let him do the rest.
Should I wear a wire?
Wha... no.
Why?
- Wha... are you joking?
- Well, I don't know.
- Whenever this happens on "The Wire"...
- "The Wire."
It's called "The Wire,"
so, yes, of course they have wires.
But this is Summit, man.
We don't have wires.
We just have one guy says something
and another guy tells a third guy.
Okay.
Hey!
All you need to do is this.
If he asks you to stick to the story
or to continue the lie in any way,
you just tell me.
Frank, what's the matter?
We didn't even know about the murder
when we agreed to this.
Ah. Dude, you're not in trouble.
Okay.
You swear to God?
- Yes.
- Is Joel?
I don't know.
Maybe not.
Hopefully not. Hey, hopefully not.
Enough to get this girl
to bring him back up here.
Doesn't mean that he's in trouble.
He's just... he's...
he's of interest.
How the fuck did she get
him to come back anyway?
Oh, you gotta be freaking kidding me!
She brought him to the site.
I gotta go.
Hold on. What do I do?
What do you mean? Stay, eat.
But no acting, all right?
Don't act, just...
just be normal, man, all right?
So, her one big book...
well, I'm sure you read it.
Everyone's read it.
Mm-mm.
No?
"Whose Woods These Are."
You read it one way, it's the
story of this poor hunter
who tries to protect his family
from this evil monster bear.
You turn it over
and read it the other way,
it's the story of this poor bear
who tries to rescue his mom
from the trap
of this evil monster hunter.
- Hmm.
- Not a bad idea, right.
- Pick a direction.
- Wherever Cameron was.
Well, it's a circle. They both
end up at the same place.
Good choice.
So anyway, she'd lead these "story
walks," she'd called them...
Cub Scouts, field trips, Girl Scouts.
_
It was like she'd never tire
of telling her one story.
- Well, that's sweet.
- Well, I guess.
Or she just couldn't move on, maybe.
Anyways, at night when I'd
just need to clear my head,
I'd come out here
and I'd walk the property.
So, on that night, I'm walking
along, and all of a sudden... boom...
he and this other guy, like I just
caught them at something, right here.
Then they just disappeared
off into the dark.
And so you...
Went to the main house,
which is right over here,
and I told your brother.
Where'd you live?
In the barn.
I was there with all the other strays.
She was always picking up strays...
cats, dogs, people.
You lived in a barn?
Well, I grew up on a farm.
She had horses.
Seemed like a good idea.
And then the reality was I was
just a guy living in a barn.
Not the idea you had when you
first got here, I assume.
It's a long story.
You ever meet her?
Once, at Thanksgiving.
Not so fun?
It was an attempt.
But I can tell there is no chance
this Dennis Klein guy
is legit.
One thing we know
is what a scam artist looks like.
Am I right? So, I'm like...
He says, "If I'm not absolutely right,
you have to buy me a drink."
And whammo, to a tee.
So, then he starts
telling me why he's here.
Why was Eric here?
Wanted to change his life, didn't
want to be the Grim Reaper...
Actually, hon, I feel like I'm
monopolizing this whole thing.
Petra, what do you do?
- She is...
- I do many things.
- ...major into the art world.
- Peripherally.
She restores art,
she teaches, she writes books.
About?
She got 600 pages
into one about
the Italian Divisionists...
see, I read your e-mails...
and then she's like, "Wait a minute,
maybe those critics back at the"...
- whatever they're called...
- Salons.
"The ones who trashed the Divisionists
back in the day, maybe they were right."
And she throws her book
away and starts again.
Well, they were right, right?
I mean, when was that? Like, 1894?
- '96.
- '96.
Well, they were spot-on.
Well, my beef was the
overt social overtones...
Oh, I get your beef.
I'm totally with you. I get it.
I mean, the powerful are corrupt.
Art is needed by the disinherited.
I mean, if I want a message,
send me a fucking telegram.
Yeah, Olivia, 1943 just called.
They'd like their once topical
"send me a telegram" reference back.
Hello, JC.
Hello, 2007 called,
and they want their
fill-in-the-blank call joke back.
It's all overrated...
the neos, the pointillists.
Really? You don't think
understanding the science
of how the eye perceives light is...
Has nothing to do with art.
I mean, come on.
Yeah, can we measure human emotions
through the chemical, the synaptical,
the sciency-wiency... whatever... events?
Sure.
But at the core of it,
end of day, you have to feel it.
You can't think art...
...teach art, write about it.
Um, didn't we just establish
she thinks, teaches,
and writes about art?
The most beautiful
piece of art I've ever seen
was drawn by an 11-year-old
girl in 15 minutes.
It... it's no technique.
But it was raw, it was pure.
Of course, it was about me,
so, maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit.
Just eat your pie. Sorry.
- Is this real?
- It is.
'Till she finds out the truth.
'Bout how it all started.
We should just square up the rent
and move forward.
It's not really gonna happen
for you, Joey...
Ah, now you want me to give up, too, just
so you can feel better about yourself?
Are you available to, uh, talk?
Who sent you here? How did you get here?
Okay. Everything that we have
right now is real.
Is it real?
It was you, wasn't it?
You are not coming back here.
Joe, you're kind of scaring me.
What did Eric do this time?
You don't understand,
you're not alone in this.
I don't even know who you are!
What I don't understand
is why you changed your story... twice.
No, I don't want you to talk this time.
First, I just want you to listen.
- Why don't you...
- Because I don't want you
to tell me something, again,
that closes off another avenue
of defense for you, all right?
I know your side, you hear mine.
Okay, I couldn't find Cliff Jones.
I know, I know. I know.
You sat with him face-to-face.
But the fact that I couldn't
locate him anywhere
means probably Dick
Andreesen couldn't either.
And we're already dealing with priors...
the Toledo thing, the New Orleans
insurance thing with FEMA.
I looked this up.
None of that pertains to the case.
They are going to use it
to impeach your credibility.
And not just because
this is Salt Lake City,
but because you are a professional liar.
It will be the first thing that
Andreesen brings up, I promise you.
Unless... unless he
brings up Eloise Brand.
Which he can't.
Which will appear to be very similar.
Which is not similar. It is not
similar at all, you understand.
There's nothing similar about those two.
I didn't love Eloise Brand.
You understand that I
didn't love Eloise Brand?
Besides which, it's inadmissible.
I know this.
It's inad... good, okay.
So then we'll just rely
on the jurors to unhear it
if Dick slips and it
accidentally comes out, right?
The point is, Eric, there is what you
would like the playing field to be
and there is what it is.
Which one do you want to play on?
- Okay. So...?
- Okay.
What is the reality here?
The will.
Your argument with Olivia,
overheard just minutes before the murder
by a guy who was going
to check on a sketch
she was apparently drawing for his kid.
Your fingerprints are on the hammer.
I was remodeling.
Eric.
The valets in the lower parking lot
describe your exit as "rattled."
And when the police found
you in Truckee, you fled.
You changed your story twice.
And I know, I know... Eric, I know
you didn't know she was dead,
but the fact is you lied,
for whatever reason.
And when you agreed
to take a polygraph...
- Volunteered.
- That's right. Yes, thank you.
When you volunteered against the advice
of your arresting officer...
I was innocent.
You failed your test.
Because I was feeling guilty,
but not about what they thought.
I was a mess,
which is why, I know,
I should have listened.
Okay. So, I'm sorry.
Please, I'm sorry, okay?
So, what... what are you suggesting?
Please tell me
this isn't your full lunch.
Yep. Hammersmith had me until 2:00
- bitching about the new parking.
- Oh, God. I know, right?
Honestly I don't think
anybody likes it better.
Right? Then he wants us to
support him on the team jerseys.
I assume you're coming here for a
plea 'cause you don't have a case.
Actually, I have a great case.
You don't have a body.
You think the
jury's gonna look at one photo
from the crime scene and think otherwise?
Even you don't think otherwise!
- I believe my client.
- Ha!
Did they fix this or not?
It's still cold.
Yeah, that's the new one, so
I don't think you're having,
whatever, Cream of...
- Leukemia?
- Gross.
It's first-degree murder. You know that.
Without a body? Good luck.
What don't you like
about the new jerseys?
The whole "retro" thing? It's tired.
Look, I can agree to allocute
for no more than 24 years.
That's never gonna happen.
The will? The witnesses? Even if
I drop to second, 24 is a gift.
You know that. Great, now it's too hot.
We're gonna get less than that
with a jury, even in Salt Lake.
Okay, I'll agree to not oppose
a request for no more than 20.
I'm going in at manslaughter, 10.
- With his priors? Really?
- Yeah.
Will you do me a favor? Will you
taste this? Smell it at least?
It smells like soup and chemicals.
I don't know what you want from me.
We get a jury, I'll roll we get first.
I'll risk a trial.
I will accept second, but
we have to allocute for 12.
18, he's out in 12.
Seriously, that is the most disgusting
thing I think I've ever tasted.
That's because you have to
add hot water to it, Dick.
You can't just put cold water
in it and then microwave it.
- Right. I put cold water in?
- Yes. 14.
Aggravated, 16. That's it.
That's all I'm doing.
Oh. There they are, by the way.
Yeah, there is kind of a "Damn
Yankees" thing going on there.
- Right?
- All right, 16.
But we're gonna have
to do this as an Alford.
That's fine by me. It's all guilty.
Hey. Hi, Alan.
Hey, so I still cannot get Eric Neill
to make any sort of a statement
other than a flat-out denial.
And I know you're gonna
think that I'm crazy,
but I'm kind of actually...
I'm starting to believe him.
- You know, Nate...
- And he gave me a name.
Actually, he gave me a bunch of names,
but the one that stands out
is this Cameron Morgan.
He's this thuggish, young guy.
Apparently, Olivia loved to
surround herself around young guys.
Nate, Amy and Dick
have come to an agreement.
Who's Amy and Dick? Dick Andreesen?
Wait, the prosecutor Dick Andreesen?
Yeah, and Amy Lambson, that new
public defender up out of Provo.
Nice gal. Probably not that
new anymore, actually.
Wait, whoa, whoa, whoa.
This isn't possible.
I've still got
some more stuff to lay out.
Listen to this... this guy,
Cameron, he's got a list...
Take yes for an answer, Nate.
We have the guy.
- No.
- You arrested him.
No, I need a few more...
Please, can we have a few more days?
- Please?
- It's over.
You done good.
Excuse me, Petra.
Sorry.
There's a guy to see you
from the TV show "Heart of Homicide."
- Oh, thank you.
- Sure.
It must have been very, very traumatic.
To put it mildly, yep.
The FBI storming your kitchen.
Christmas Eve, right in
the middle of dinner.
What was that like?
Seeing your own father
dragged off like that?
Right.
Okay, so flash forward
10 years, here we are.
Your brother's been arrested.
Does it bring up any memories?
You know, we're gonna ask you
a lot about your brother.
You're okay talking about all this?
Yeah, I think it...
it's gonna get out there anyway.
That's what you tell a reporter
when they ask you about
your brother's arrest?
Well, I wasn't surprised.
I mean, it's a pattern.
And I really don't see
how it matters now anyhow.
It matters because your brother's
case is flimsy at best.
And pre-trying him
in the court of public opinion
doesn't exactly do him any favors.
Well, there's something else I told him
that I guess you're really gonna like.
Oh, God.
I'm the one who told the
police where he was.
When the detective came
to Mom's hospice room,
I told them he was at our
family's cabin in Truckee.
Great.
Okay, actually, maybe you should
be standing with the prosecutor.
This is him in here.
His name is Dick Andreesen.
And I'm happy to introduce
you if you like.
If not, I'll just see
you in the courtroom.
On the docket is case number
2013-0009.
State of Utah versus Eric Neill.
It's my understanding the parties
involved have come to an agreement.
Yes, sir, Your Honor.
We have indeed reached an agreement.
The defendant has agreed
to a change of plea
to the reduced charge
of aggravated manslaughter.
Christmas in February.
Excuse me.
- Cheers.
- Cheers, man, cheers.
- Tom Davis.
- Alan Pape.
I know, the man himself.
Uh, listen, I'll get right to the point.
It was really impressive work
with Eric Neill.
- Really good stuff.
- Mmm.
Now, I understand,
if this doesn't fly for you,
I totally get it,
but this crime, this...
this Eric Neill intrusion,
it has spooked the heck
out of a lot of folks up here.
The consensus is we need new security.
A new private firm,
one we can count on,
headed by a real pro.
Oh, gosh, we already got some
pretty top-notch outfits here.
You're...
a very gracious man, as I've heard.
But I have not heard this
bunch agree on anything
as simple as setbacks from mailboxes
like they agree on this one big thing.
The person for the job...
is Alan Pape.
Oh, well...
Well, I, uh...
honestly, I... I've been
with the department...
32 years.
I hope you don't mind,
a couple friends of mine at
county let me know your salary.
Oh.
You decide to accept this,
we're prepared to triple it.
Bring in a couple guys... your pick.
It's all your call.
Well, give it some thought.
I'll give you a call in a couple of days,
just check back in.
Again, it's really...
stellar work.
It's really impressive.
Thank you.
_
Lookin' at ya.
Got it.
- Okay, .147.
- 147.
Edge of water.
Other side.
Authorities say what could be the hand
of famed children's book
author Olivia Lake
has been discovered in a stream
a half mile from her property,
adding both closure as well
as renewed attention
to the events surrounding
her now four-year-old murder.
Investigators are swarming
the abandoned mine shafts
that dot the estate surrounding Lake's...
This call is subject
to monitoring and recording.
So many, whatever, pithy lines I wrote
for this very moment.
Was that one of them?
No, but this is.
Unless I'm wrong, which I doubt,
because I have nothing else to do
but go over this ad infinitum,
the last I heard, it was you
who turned me over to the fucking police.
Why are you here now?
State law says that conditional gifts
when the condition's precedent
go unfulfilled
become the property of the giver,
the condition in this case
being "Will you marry me,"
the nonfulfillment being
"I can't, I'm dead."
The fucking police gave it to me.
What would you like me to do with it?
So, you're here 'cause you wanna know
what to do with Aunt Beth's ring.
What happened?
Since Mom died, you don't
have any other projects?
You know what?
This will be in Salt Lake in storage.
You can get it in 2032.
I'm not interested in being the rudder
that keeps you from
free-forming around your life.
Are you serious?
Or one of your books you
get 600 pages in writing
and then abandon completely.
Okay, you know what?
I was wrong to think that
you might not deserve this.
W-Wait!
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry!
I'm sorry.
Don't abandon me.
- There you go.
- Great, thank you so much.
You're welcome.
Hey, Jim, take care of this for me, okay?
Yeah, I'm back. So, when?
Monday?
No, no, no, what do you mean Monday?
This is mining country, man.
There are more geologists
than there are Starbucks.
Then you call someone else.
No, hold on, there has to be
something that can dig that deep
in the amount of time that we need it.
Then... then you make new
connections, thank you!
- Detective Henry. Hi. Nate.
- What? Hi.
- We met a few years ago. I'm Petra.
- Petra.
You're familiar
with the Government Records
Access and Management Act, I assume.
I'm not, but I am with you.
What department did you say
you were with again, Petra?
Actually, I'm not with a department.
I'm Petra Neill.
Oh, Jesus. No, no, you
can't be here, then.
- Please, just give me a moment.
- No, no, no, you can't be here.
A GRAMA request makes
cops' notes available...
GRAMA?
- G-R-A-M-A...
- GRAMA.
...makes cops' notes
available to the defense,
which makes them
part of the trial record.
Okay, which means you have my notes,
and I need you off the property now.
I have copies, which is why I
have a few questions for you.
On the night of the murder,
you interviewed Joel Hurley.
That's what this is, right?
Then you also interviewed
his friend, Frank Scott.
Uh, yeah.
What I noticed was when referring
to the night Olivia was killed,
Joel said, "We took El
Camino to Arroyo Parkway
to the Eastridge Mall
and saw the 10:20 'Hobbit 2.'"
- Yeah, if you say so.
- Now listen to what Frank said.
No comment.
"We went to Eastridge Mall.
We took El Camino to Arroyo,
and we saw the 10:20 showing
The Desolation of Smaug.'"
Go to two. I don't understand your point.
They both almost said
exactly the same thing.
They were going to see the same movie.
Okay. Okay, sure, fine.
But here's my question.
Who says which road they took
and the exact time of the show
when they're talking about
where they were one night?
Two people who are talking
to a police detective
the day after a murder was discovered.
Hey, if you're suggesting
that two guys that I've known,
one I knew for two years, one
I've known for well over 30,
are lying for some reason...
No, what I'm saying is that every
other person in your notes
spoke a certain way,
and these two didn't.
And honestly, I'm surprised
you didn't notice.
You ever heard of zebra-itis?
- No.
- Okay, here's what zebra-itis is,
and then I'm gonna need you to step back
and stop contaminating my crime scene.
If it smells like a horse and it
leaves a trail of horse prints
and a big pile of horse manure,
it's a horse.
But amateurs and rookies,
they think they're so smart.
Web sleuths spend all day
poking through rainbows,
looking for zebras.
- Unicorns.
- I'm sorry?
Which still would work as a metaphor,
but rainbows is unicorns, even
though I totally get your point.
I need you to move now.
- You didn't think it was a horse.
- Yo, Adam!
- Please.
- "All signs point to Eric,
but in my gut, hmm, it just
doesn't feel like Eric to me."
Emphasis mine, but you
said it to yourself
in your own case notes
right here, page 31.
You didn't think it was Eric at the time.
I got this, Adam. Thanks, anyway.
Look, I'm just one guy.
I'm not the system, so...
But you got angry at the system.
Your letter to the prosecutor, Dick
Andreesen, asking for more time,
it's in the discovery.
Even though he had already
closed down the investigation.
You were looking for
the elusive zebra, perhaps?
Unicorn maybe, even?
My issues with what went
down four years ago
have nothing to do with
what's happening here now.
Olivia's friend JC said Joel
owed her 10 months' back rent
by the night of the murder.
And Horacio, the gardener,
said that Joel sold him his truck
for a quarter of what it was worth
and then split town three
days after the murder.
What are you trying to say?
I want to talk to Frank Scott.
You don't think it's
weird that you found the hand
on Michael O'Connor's property?
And on the day Olivia was murdered,
she called Michael O'Connor and
talked to him for, like, a minute...
- 52 seconds.
- ...just before she died.
Yeah, I did find that weird at the time.
And?
Believe it or not, you know,
I followed up on that.
There were witnesses to the call.
Olivia was upset.
She had had a fight with your brother.
Michael tried to console her.
He couldn't.
Okay, don't you think
it's weird that she...
that Michael and his
associate, Tom Davis,
flew to Turks and Caicos
the very next day?
As they did every New Year's.
Same destination, same flight.
You know what would've been weird?
If they didn't leave.
Have you re-interviewed him?
- No.
- Because?
Because...
because of what you've
already read in my notes.
He never left the house.
His cell phone never left the house.
- There were...
- Witnesses, I get it.
- Wait, was the hand...?
- What, cut off in the murder?
Not unless she was killed
by a dozen tiny rodents
over a period of 8 to 10 months, no.
And, yes, we are checking
all the old mine shafts
that feed into that stream.
I got a question for you.
You care so much
about your brother Eric...
Where were you when he needed you most?
Hmm?
And why now, four years later,
are you suddenly all over this?
I think I might have
been wrong about Eric
in this specific situation.
Ah, oh.
Okay.
Hmm.
Okay.
So, this is about you.
I mean, yeah.
What? We went to the movies.
"Hobbit."
"Hobbit 2." 10:20 show.
You took El Camino to Arroyo
Parkway to the Eastridge Mall.
It's all in the case notes.
- Do you wanna stick with that?
- Would you let me...?
I'll ask the questions.
Hey, so, all we need to know
is if you and Joel,
for whatever reason,
made up that story.
I can find out now or we can talk later.
I can find out then.
Okay.
Okay.
- If you're really asking me.
- Yeah.
I've got this to say about Joel.
There's the Joel that everyone sees...
and then there's the other Joel.
I don't understand
why that's emasculating.
Oh, co... at the crime scene?
In front of everybody?
And making me have no choice about it?
Uh, where's Morgan?
At Owen's. I'll text Marney.
And you know Frank. I mean...
like I'm going to empower
her to talk to him?
To Frank?
You're not empowering her.
She already has the power.
She's a private citizen.
She can talk to whoever she wants.
You're just afraid that...
'cause Frank is...
- The loosest cannon ever.
- That you're gonna lose control.
I don't even know what it's control of.
But this hand comes up,
and then this girl shows up,
and suddenly I have no choice
but to follow somebody
else's agenda and it's not mine.
It sounds like she was right.
- Which is beside the point.
- Which is exactly the point.
- No, it's not.
- Yes.
You had the case completely yanked
away from you four years ago.
You never liked the result,
and if it was some dude who just
suddenly showed up out of the blue,
you would be saying to me,
"Mel, oh, my God,
the luckiest thing happened."
I don't see where this is going.
You were emasculated
because it was a woman,
is what I'm saying.
Okay. I believe you're correct.
Yeah, I know.
You'll be fine. You can handle her.
You know who I would
be worried about is Alan.
Assuming she can get Joel back,
when do you think that would be?
Oh! And that's another thing.
She's so supremely confident that
she can get Joel to come back.
I mean, Joel?
Joel freaking hated it here by the end.
I mean, come on,
you saw his Facebook posts.
He's a totally different guy down there.
I say there's no way
she'll get him to come back.
What?
I think you're
underestimating this person.
We'll go right up these lilies here.
All right! Whoo-hoo!
Here we go!
Oh, yeah!
Whoo!
- Whoo-hoo!
- Whoo!
What can kill an alligator?
Let's see. What can hurt
one of these things?
What can harm an alligator?
Nothing.
Well, scratch that. We can.
We're its only predators.
Unless you keep leaning over
the edge like that, Junior.
Then things are gonna change.
Uh, uh, Junior...
- You see that out there?
- Where?
- Straight?
- That's our little trophy.
Straight ahead, right there!
- Right there.
- Let's not spook this one.
See him right there
- just beyond that tree?
- Yeah.
All right, the next job is
get that sucker on the boat.
Who's gonna do the deed? Ava?
Thanks, but, no, thanks.
Okay, definitely not Ava.
How about you, Dad?
- Taylor?
- Oh, Junior?
You gonna do it?
- Huh?
- I think so.
All right.
I thought you might be unsure,
but you're gonna give her a go, huh?
Put it on your shoulder, son.
You ever handle one of these before?
Not too many times.
I know it's hard
with that life preserver,
but you just put her right
up there on your arm there.
Make sure it's on safety until
you get that sucker ready.
You're gonna wanna hit it
just between the eyes here.
That's the sweet...
that's the sweet spot.
Nice, deep breath.
Nice, deep breath.
You don't wanna ruin that trophy.
Yeah!
There you go, Junior!
Skin's all rolled up.
Tell Ty I sent you. He'll cut
you a deal on that taxidermy.
- Sounds good.
- I got your meat on the ice here.
Keep these "not for sale"
stickers visible
in case the DWF stops you.
You are good to go.
- Thanks, Joel.
- My pleasure.
Buckshot, hold onto that.
Bye.
Hope you had a great time.
If you did, we're Big Bayou Gator Guides.
If not, we're Outdoor
Adventures, as the joke goes.
Thanks, Pat.
Hope they got the sizes right this time.
Bobby.
Oh, hi.
I didn't see you there. Can
I help you with something?
- Are you Joel Hurley?
- I am.
Oh, thank God.
Can we go somewhere and talk?
Ugh!
Bobby! Sorry.
They got the kids large again.
You gotta call them about next week.
I still haven't gotten their thing.
I'll give them
a shout and get it straight.
Sorry.
Is this your art?
It is.
Do you recognize me?
Should I?
I'm Petra Neill. I'm Eric Neill's sister.
- Please, just hear me out.
- Look, I hardly knew him.
- And from what I did know...
- I know he could be complicated.
No, he could be an asshole is
what he could be, to be honest.
Well, he said that you were a good guy.
He said you might be the
only one who could help me.
He said you'd at least listen.
Please.
Do you mind if we change the music?
- Sure. To what?
- Silence.
Okay, the music is now silence.
What's up?
Do you remember one night, maybe
a week or two before the murder,
when you saw someone on the
property and you chased him off?
Why?
You told Eric about it that night.
You said his name was Cameron.
I think, uh...
someone told me then
that it would've been Cameron,
so, sure, Cameron.
I need to find him.
Well, I saw him for about 10 seconds.
It was in the dark. It was the woods.
He got in the car and drove off, so I'd
have no idea on how to locate him.
So he could... he said those will
work until we get the 400s.
There was someone in that car
that Cameron got into.
And you told Eric back then
that you might know him.
I think I said that he might have
looked vaguely familiar, yeah.
You said he was a bartender.
Look, I don't know.
It was four years ago.
Do you remember which bar?
Oh, God, I... I really don't know.
Please don't tell me this is what you
flew all the way down here to find out.
Keep going. I'm listening.
I believe my brother is innocent.
Of the crime that
he confessed to committing?
He pled out without admitting guilt.
He had no other choice.
The media, his lawyer,
everyone rushed to judgment.
But they never found a body.
And I believe that if I can prove
there were other suspects,
people that the attorney overlooked,
then I believe I can get him an appeal.
Now, after all this time?
There's new information.
In prison, someone told
Eric that that guy Cameron
was talking about a safe
in Olivia's studio
and how she kept cash
and drawings in there.
And Eric has been writing
to his lawyer, but...
don't get me started on her.
So, please...
do you think maybe
you can remember which bar?
If I can find out who that bartender is,
I think maybe I can find Cameron.
You know the town.
There are a lot of bars.
Could you point it out
if you were standing there?
I don't know. Possibly.
Would you know him if you saw him?
What are you asking me?
No, I can't go back there.
Just for a day or two. That's all I need.
Please. You know the area.
You lived on the property.
You know the town, you know the people.
Knew.
Please, just think about it?
Here's my number.
I have no one else I can turn to.
You're literally the only person
on the planet who could help me.
Please.
I'm sorry. I can't.
- Hey, babe.
- How was work, honey?
Fine.
What's going on?
So, this is all just about
finding Cameron, really?
Yeah.
You... I mean, the weird thing
is that I was gonna tell the
police back then about Cameron,
but, you know, I just got caught up
in the whole "Eric, Eric" thing
with everybody else, and...
I mean, even when we got here,
it just... it still kept eating at me,
that look on Cameron's face that night.
It was... like, you know how crocodiles,
they have that lower row of teeth
like they're smiling at you, like
they know something about you?
That was Cameron.
Then Eric confesses and four years go by
and Olivia's hand shows up
and his sister flies down to Louisiana,
and now, fuck.
So, what's the problem?
There's a reason we left there,
and it wasn't just Olivia.
To be honest, I don't
think I can go back there again.
Why are you looking at me like that?
Well, of course you can.
I swore to myself I never would.
Yeah, but you're different now.
Everything's different now.
I know you don't
believe in the universe...
Well, I believe it exists.
But you don't believe
it gives you opportunities.
Oh, it really hasn't.
Well, what if the one thing between...
- How long is it total?
- 15 to 20.
Yeah, well, what if the difference
between 16 more years of jail
and his sudden freedom is you?
How come you get to be so perfect?
- Because I don't.
- Because you do.
And you are.
I still can't believe we made it here.
Come here.
I love you.
I love you, too.
It's kind of okay, actually.
In my mind, Summit had
morphed into this Arkham,
Hellboy, Lovecrafty, Salem,
Hall of Ghosts thing,
and then I get here and it's like,
"Oh, right, it's just
craft stores and galleries
and... here's a word
I don't use that often...
it's quaint."
And she is in a pipe dream.
I don't wanna say
I feel sorry for her, but...
Uh, all right. Speak to you soon, love.
We're off to go track down a ghost.
Yeah. Love you, too. Bye.
- Sorry.
- Got you one anyway.
- Thanks.
- It's okay.
Oh, here. Also if you need it.
I need to step away for a few minutes.
I have some things
I need to take care of.
Uh, wait, seriously?
Yeah, I... I, uh...
I gotta follow up on some stuff
that I started the other day.
But if you find anything, just text me.
- All right.
- Otherwise, an hour, hour and a half?
Yeah, all right.
I'll, uh...
I'll just go track down
the dude that knew Cameron.
Great.
Yeah, should be easy.
- All right.
- Okay.
- Hour.
- Oh, and, Joel?
- Yeah?
- Seriously, thank you.
Yeah, of course.
- All right, I'll see you soon.
- Okay.
Yeah, shit, I remember that clown.
If you do find him, tell him he
still owes me for two months.
Better yet, bring him here.
I'll tell him myself.
Well, he was here
with a girl, though, right?
Yeah, poor little señorita.
She didn't know what hit her.
Then that guy, pfft, bolts
day before Christmas.
Any idea where she is?
Mmm, I wanna say she was
gone about a week later.
She's Mexican.
Could be anywhere.
She got a name?
Yeah, Leticia.
I can't remember the last name,
but I remember Leticia.
Pretty name.
_
Don't blame our town.
I'm told you need suffering to make art.
Yeah, but it's the artist
who's supposed to suffer.
- Ah.
- You owe me a dollar.
Yes, I do.
Did he put up a fight?
Mmm, a bit, but not.
Hey, how did he seem?
How are things with him and Laura?
Seemed like he had a good
thing going down there,
if that's what you mean.
Sweet girl, Laura.
We used to joke that
she'd need a neck brace
the way that she would look up to him.
_
- Hi.
- Hey.
Two beers, please.
Whatever's your local best.
She'll have a Polygamist Porter
and I'll have a Diet Coke, please.
- You guys have Advil?
- No. Sorry.
- Thanks.
- Oh, sure.
And thank you for your message
about Cameron's old apartment.
There's a guy checking on the bills
and hoping to get something
about the old girlfriend...
- Great.
- ...and maybe a forwarding address.
- So, well done.
- Great.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
And congratulations to me, too, I guess.
- For?
- Being smart enough to bring you here.
You did more in 60 minutes than I
did in three days, so thank you.
Aw, thanks. Just trying to help.
So, I, uh... I just have a few questions,
mostly about the property.
Oh, uh, one sec. Um...
Sorry. Wife has a question
about a house thing.
Sha, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.
Uh, sorry.
We know the murder happened
somewhere between 10:15 and 11:45.
Do we know that for sure?
Well, Olivia was seen
leaving the party at 10:04.
And then a guy overhears her and Eric
having an argument
at the studio at 10:10.
Then she calls her neighbor up the hill,
and then her friend JC at 10:16,
the last anyone ever heard from her.
Oh, sidebar...
you know the people
up the hill, O'Connor?
Do you know that they own the Red Room?
Oh, please, please don't tell me
you don't know what the Red Room is.
Is that like a "50 Shades of Grey" thing?
It's a private art collection.
Individually, some incredible pieces.
Overall, no unifying aesthetic.
They had a piece from... from it
on loan at the Denver Art Museum,
this obscure French Impressionist,
Henri-Edmond Cross.
When I was 12, my mother and I sat
in front of it for literally six hours.
Well, if you would've told me they had,
like, a Brian Bolland or a Will
Eisner or something, then...
Don't tell me you don't know
who the father of the graphic novel is.
My interest in American art
ended with Hopper's "Intermedio" in 1963.
Well, Eisner was before,
but, you know, whatever.
Anyhow...
- Her wounds.
- Her wounds.
Yes, her wounds were...
they were from a variety of things,
but they believe the death blow to be
from multiple hammer strikes.
And there was some flesh...
piece of flesh they found
on the wall, a tiny speck,
and in it were bug eggs.
Sorry. Uh, wife thing.
- Bug eggs.
- Blowflies.
Which puts it no later than 11:45.
So I'm trying to figure out
who was where between
10:15 and 11:45 p.m.
Well, I can't really be
of any help on that
because I was at a 10:20 movie
that was at Eastridge.
So I left the property about 9:45...
or 9:46, which I weirdly remember.
Wow, a movie New Year's Eve.
Crazy.
I know, right? And trust me, I, uh...
I wasn't one to avoid a party.
It's just the truth is
me and my then girlfriend, now wife,
had had a little fight.
You weren't texting her enough?
Sorry.
Let me turn this thing off.
Uh, yeah, so.
So, yeah, you said that, you, uh,
once saw Cameron on the property
out by the studio?
It was actually by the, uh,
story trail, actually.
Could you show me exactly?
Sure.
Look, it's simple.
All you do is find a way
to get him alone.
Then you casually bring it up
and let him do the rest.
Should I wear a wire?
Wha... no.
Why?
- Wha... are you joking?
- Well, I don't know.
- Whenever this happens on "The Wire"...
- "The Wire."
It's called "The Wire,"
so, yes, of course they have wires.
But this is Summit, man.
We don't have wires.
We just have one guy says something
and another guy tells a third guy.
Okay.
Hey!
All you need to do is this.
If he asks you to stick to the story
or to continue the lie in any way,
you just tell me.
Frank, what's the matter?
We didn't even know about the murder
when we agreed to this.
Ah. Dude, you're not in trouble.
Okay.
You swear to God?
- Yes.
- Is Joel?
I don't know.
Maybe not.
Hopefully not. Hey, hopefully not.
Enough to get this girl
to bring him back up here.
Doesn't mean that he's in trouble.
He's just... he's...
he's of interest.
How the fuck did she get
him to come back anyway?
Oh, you gotta be freaking kidding me!
She brought him to the site.
I gotta go.
Hold on. What do I do?
What do you mean? Stay, eat.
But no acting, all right?
Don't act, just...
just be normal, man, all right?
So, her one big book...
well, I'm sure you read it.
Everyone's read it.
Mm-mm.
No?
"Whose Woods These Are."
You read it one way, it's the
story of this poor hunter
who tries to protect his family
from this evil monster bear.
You turn it over
and read it the other way,
it's the story of this poor bear
who tries to rescue his mom
from the trap
of this evil monster hunter.
- Hmm.
- Not a bad idea, right.
- Pick a direction.
- Wherever Cameron was.
Well, it's a circle. They both
end up at the same place.
Good choice.
So anyway, she'd lead these "story
walks," she'd called them...
Cub Scouts, field trips, Girl Scouts.
_
It was like she'd never tire
of telling her one story.
- Well, that's sweet.
- Well, I guess.
Or she just couldn't move on, maybe.
Anyways, at night when I'd
just need to clear my head,
I'd come out here
and I'd walk the property.
So, on that night, I'm walking
along, and all of a sudden... boom...
he and this other guy, like I just
caught them at something, right here.
Then they just disappeared
off into the dark.
And so you...
Went to the main house,
which is right over here,
and I told your brother.
Where'd you live?
In the barn.
I was there with all the other strays.
She was always picking up strays...
cats, dogs, people.
You lived in a barn?
Well, I grew up on a farm.
She had horses.
Seemed like a good idea.
And then the reality was I was
just a guy living in a barn.
Not the idea you had when you
first got here, I assume.
It's a long story.
You ever meet her?
Once, at Thanksgiving.
Not so fun?
It was an attempt.
But I can tell there is no chance
this Dennis Klein guy
is legit.
One thing we know
is what a scam artist looks like.
Am I right? So, I'm like...
He says, "If I'm not absolutely right,
you have to buy me a drink."
And whammo, to a tee.
So, then he starts
telling me why he's here.
Why was Eric here?
Wanted to change his life, didn't
want to be the Grim Reaper...
Actually, hon, I feel like I'm
monopolizing this whole thing.
Petra, what do you do?
- She is...
- I do many things.
- ...major into the art world.
- Peripherally.
She restores art,
she teaches, she writes books.
About?
She got 600 pages
into one about
the Italian Divisionists...
see, I read your e-mails...
and then she's like, "Wait a minute,
maybe those critics back at the"...
- whatever they're called...
- Salons.
"The ones who trashed the Divisionists
back in the day, maybe they were right."
And she throws her book
away and starts again.
Well, they were right, right?
I mean, when was that? Like, 1894?
- '96.
- '96.
Well, they were spot-on.
Well, my beef was the
overt social overtones...
Oh, I get your beef.
I'm totally with you. I get it.
I mean, the powerful are corrupt.
Art is needed by the disinherited.
I mean, if I want a message,
send me a fucking telegram.
Yeah, Olivia, 1943 just called.
They'd like their once topical
"send me a telegram" reference back.
Hello, JC.
Hello, 2007 called,
and they want their
fill-in-the-blank call joke back.
It's all overrated...
the neos, the pointillists.
Really? You don't think
understanding the science
of how the eye perceives light is...
Has nothing to do with art.
I mean, come on.
Yeah, can we measure human emotions
through the chemical, the synaptical,
the sciency-wiency... whatever... events?
Sure.
But at the core of it,
end of day, you have to feel it.
You can't think art...
...teach art, write about it.
Um, didn't we just establish
she thinks, teaches,
and writes about art?
The most beautiful
piece of art I've ever seen
was drawn by an 11-year-old
girl in 15 minutes.
It... it's no technique.
But it was raw, it was pure.
Of course, it was about me,
so, maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit.
Just eat your pie. Sorry.