American Crime (2015) s03e05 Episode Script

Season 3, Episode 5

1 We're just so happy that you're here to help take care of Nicky.
Gabrielle: Un cochon.
Nicholas: I-I-I don't see the point of getting a nanny from Haiti who doesn't speak English.
We need to look at cutting back on staff.
Cut back on more staff.
What am I supposed to be doing? Those people are our responsibility.
I don't want all of this to come between us.
Shae: How come you never say anything during group? Dustin: Just don't have nothing to say.
Shae: I'm pregnant again.
And I'm not gonna keep it.
Kimara: The judge will grant the abortion if you're under 20 weeks.
Just in case.
Luis: My son.
You killed him.
Amanda: Tell us about the farm.
Why you care so much about the farm? Tell us about the workers, their conditions, housing.
My brother is dead! Somebody killed him.
You don't give a damn about that? [Scoffs.]
[Breathing shakily.]
People die all the time on that farm.
Nobody cares.
Women get raped regular.
The workers Sometimes we got like 15 or 20 of them living in a trailer, no air.
Everybody knows they're firetraps.
Farm owners know.
That's why they They make us house them off property.
[Sighs.]
So if anything happens, they don't have to take any of the blame.
It's all set up so the people up top don't get dirty.
Tell me about the river.
Diego, tell me about the river.
Did your brother kill Teo Salazar? [Scoffs.]
Did your brother put his body in the river? We put a lot of bodies in that river.
[Train running.]
Shae: So, how does it work? Customers buy tokens online.
There's a flat fee for them to log on to the site.
And they like what you're doing, they'll tip you.
It's all about earning tips.
All right? They get off just talking, talking's all you need.
They want other stuff it's just what you what you want to do to get tipped.
- You over 18? - Yeah.
Okay.
- Good to go.
- Then you're all good.
- Yeah, we could.
- Okay.
- I got to get - [Indistinct conversation.]
Is he cool? Everett? He's real cool.
Pays on time.
Soon as you make your tips, he pays.
Have to help out around the house, do, uh, chores and stuff, but that's about it.
Doesn't want any nonsense.
Just wants money.
It's not like that hoin' you did before.
It's like having a regular arrangement Log on, do your thing, log off.
[Indistinct conversation.]
Just sayin', you want to make money You don't do it like this.
You can't go name by name.
The cuts we have to make, we've got to do them wholesale.
We've got to cut departments.
We've got to cut entire shifts.
[Paper rustles.]
[Sighs.]
[Soft music plays.]
[Sighs.]
[Pen tapping.]
[Sighs.]
Oh, my.
[Papers rustling.]
[Sighs.]
[Music continues.]
[Papers rustling.]
[Sighs.]
[Music continues.]
Woman: You guys take care of him right? - [Children shouting indistinctly.]
- Man: You better share! [Shouting continues, indistinct conversations.]
Nicky.
[Speaking French.]
[Shouting, conversations continue.]
Man: Just gonna bump it to next week.
[Speaking French.]
- Not so high! - [Conversing in Spanish.]
- No.
- No sé, pero [Conversing in French.]
Oui.
Well Uh Ça va.
Ça va aller.
Bien.
[Footsteps depart.]
[Footsteps approach.]
Nicky: Mom, why don't we teach Gabrielle English? Because I want Gabrielle to teach you French.
Gabrielle, tell tell Nicky a little bit about your family.
Uh, tu Uh [Speaking French.]
Non.
Non.
[Speaking French.]
Yves.
Oh, so she has a son in Haiti.
His name's Yves.
[Conversing in French.]
Je [Indistinct conversation.]
- Same game every time.
- [Speaking indistinctly.]
- Yeah.
I'm telling you, right? - [Speaking indistinctly.]
[Elevator bell dings, indistinct conversations.]
Man: Just going up to the room real quick.
Jeanette: Uh, I would like a room.
Naomi: Okay.
I just need a credit card to secure the room and to cover any incidentals.
Yeah.
[Indistinct conversations, elevator bell dings.]
- There you go.
- Okay.
[Rustling.]
[Sighs.]
[Telephone ringing.]
Hello.
Carson: What are you doing? H-How did you find me? What What is it that you think you're Who told you? Who told you where I'm a where I'm at? Nobody told me.
You checked in with the credit card.
But why the hell are you staying at a hotel? What What is with With all the food? I left you a note.
[Sighs.]
I couldn't understand the note.
Well it was very clear what I was saying.
Okay, you need to breathe.
I mean, what the hell does that mean? Well, I-I need to figure some things out, separate from you, separate from the family.
I don't understand what I did.
No.
You didn't do anything.
- Then come home.
Just come home.
- No, you didn't do anything.
Hello? Hello, Jeanette? Just come home.
[Receiver clicks.]
[Sighs.]
[Telephone ringing.]
[Elevator bell dings.]
- I'll meet you there.
- All right.
Sounds good.
Uh, I need to check out.
Naomi: Was there something wrong with the room? - Just get the car - I c I can't stay here.
[Man speaking indistinctly in distance.]
[Airplane engine roaring overhead.]
[Man speaking indistinctly in distance.]
Woman: Oh, yeah, well, I guess we will.
Volunteer: Please consider adoption.
There are so many families who are looking for a child to love.
Volunteer #2: If it's an option for you, please call us at this number.
- We'll do everything we can to help.
- We're happy to talk if you choose to.
[Man speaks indistinctly.]
[Muffled, indistinct conversations.]
- Okay.
Thank you so much.
- You're welcome.
Woman: Uh-huh.
So you'll Yeah, so you'll Woman #2: Okay.
I found the right room.
Sorry about that.
- Oh, no problem.
- [Sighs.]
Woman #3: Thank you.
I don't want to do this.
You don't want to do I don't want to do this.
[Sighs.]
If you have the baby, how are you gonna take care of it? What are you gonna do for food, for clothes? I have the right to have a baby.
I'm not saying you don't have the right.
I'm just asking, how are you gonna provide? If you go past 20 weeks, you can't have the abortion.
It's not your business what I do.
It's not.
[Sighs.]
[Indistinct conversations.]
If you want me to take you to the shelter, I will.
[Crickets chirping.]
[Door opens.]
[Speaking French.]
Hmm? [Door closes.]
Ok [Sighs.]
Okay.
[Speaking French.]
Okay.
[Birds singing.]
- Uh - Is there a problem? Well, it it asks for work history.
What if I don't have a history? None? Oh, I've been a housewife for 23, 24 years and Alice: You can put "housewife.
" - No shame in that.
- Well, I could I could put down I mean, I-I would do a lot for Carson.
Looking Looking after a house and a husband, it is a full-time job.
I know that from personal experience.
Um [Pen scratching.]
And [Paper rustles.]
Oh, well, "pay stubs.
" Leave that blank.
Just put your bank information.
[Sighs.]
Well, it's, um It's a joint account.
I-It's just to establish a credit history for the rental agreement.
No, my husband and I, we're Well, I-I I need some time away, and I'm not sure he, uh he understands that yet.
[Sighs.]
If you don't have some kind of a personal account, you're not gonna be able to rent a room.
Well, I ne I need someplace to stay.
If your husband is Is he abusive to you? - There are shelters that you can - No, it's not It [Chuckling.]
It's not like that.
[Laughs.]
- No.
- Well maybe you just want to work it out.
My husband and me, we have all kinds of things we have to deal with, but, uh, sometimes you just have to deal with things.
[Chuckles.]
[Sighs.]
I don't want to start a battle.
I-I don't want to fight about money or anything.
I just want enough from Carson to live on.
You want a settlement? No.
[Chuckling.]
No.
We've been married for Oh, goodness, forever.
We We share everything.
You want a divorce? No.
I don't want a divorce.
I want 24 years.
You want a temporary separation? Mm Yeah.
Now, with a separation, your husband isn't required to give you any support.
- 24 years? How is he not required? - Mrs.
Hesby.
Now, you can't file for divorce until you and your husband have had a full year of formal separation.
That's the law in North Carolina.
And if you formally separate, you can file for post-separation support.
But it could take three to four months to get a hearing.
Would you like to start the process of formal separation? [Sighs.]
I'd be willing to do the work on a contingency basis.
I wouldn't bill you until you settle with your husband.
Oh, my.
[Sighs.]
[Door opens.]
[Reading in French.]
Nous ne serons sortis que quelques heures.
Sinon, je t'enverrai un texto - [Conversing in French.]
- Let's go, please.
Clair: You gonna be good tonight, yeah? Clair, let's go.
Okay.
Okay.
Oh, bonsoir.
[Crickets chirping.]
[Reading in French.]
How long this thing supposed to be tonight? - Clair: Just a couple hours.
- Okay.
Well, you know, I don't want to be closing up the place, as usual.
[Chuckles softly.]
It will only be a couple hours.
Okay, good.
You didn't say good night to Nicky when we left tonight.
[Lapsley's "Falling Short" plays.]
long time comin' but I'm falling short [Indistinct conversations.]
'Cause you could say This is not too far to carry this Woman: Well, I just think you needed [Indistinct conversations continue.]
'Cause you could say It's not too far to carry this Woman #2: Well, you're doing good, too.
I mean Maybe she'll come back.
[Indistinct conversations continue.]
Kimara: People who've spent most of their lives being exploited, it is very easy to return to exploitation.
I mean, even while being exploited, for a lot of the victims, it's like they have some false sense of liberation.
People who've been abused most of their lives, they're led to believe that there's at least a benefit to their circumstances.
O-our organization has partnered with Polaris.
They're a nonprofit NGO Established to combat modern-day slavery and human trafficking.
[Indistinct conversations.]
I don't need you no more - Let me get another one.
- Sure.
These.
- Thank you.
- [Laughs.]
- All right! - You came! - [Laughing.]
I did.
- So good to see you.
Man: Good to see you, too.
Modern-day slavery.
Brent: In the rest of the world, it's called a job.
Drinking alone, or just drinking? Nick: Oh, uh, I got another 40 minutes to kill while my wife makes friends with everybody here.
Mm.
Getting divorced added an extra three hours back into my day.
- [Laughs.]
- Yeah.
I'll take you.
Brent Welch.
Uh, Nick Coates.
- Coates? - Mm-hmm.
You, uh You related to the furniture company? Yeah, that's mine.
No lie? "America's most comfortable furniture.
" I used to have a bunch of your stuff.
Used to, huh? Wife took 'em.
Put it in the settlement.
That's how good your stuff was.
Mm.
Was.
And that's for damn sure.
Eh outsourcing, yeah, it forced my hand.
Regulators, uh, unions' taxes I spent the last six years bleeding jobs to the other side of the planet.
The minute you start talking about trying to turn a profit, you everybody accuses you of corporate greed.
Hell if they'll ever have a night like this for us.
[Chuckles ruefully.]
Now Now, to give you an idea of the numbers that they're dealing with, 21,000 calls came in to their hotline last year nationwide.
5,500 of those cases, they were identified as human trafficking.
[Stammers.]
75% of those involve sex trafficking, and a third of those involve minors.
My daughter lives with her mother.
No matter if she wants me to pay for every damn thing she can right-click online.
When she talks to me at all, she's riding me about white male privilege.
The myth of white male privilege.
You got kids, Nick? Mm-hmm.
One.
He's five.
Oh, that's great! Yeah, my, uh My wife [Chuckles.]
Running around here somewhere.
Anyway, she She had her baby, and then, she, uh Basically left the business.
Should have another platter for your bag.
My wife never worked.
It's beneath her.
She's "Old South.
" Man #2: Yeah.
Do you want in? Yeah, wouldn't that be something? Yeah, you just You just drop out and kick back at home.
Woman: Okay.
I should be able to retire by the time I'm 89, 90.
[Indistinct conversations continue.]
It's our burden except we don't get a hashtag.
- [Chuckles softly.]
- Yeah, he's just starting.
- [Laughs.]
- Yeah.
Good to meet you.
- Got her signals crossed.
- [Laughs.]
You're right.
[Indistinct conversations.]
- Great to see you.
- So, how about [Indistinct conversations continue.]
Clair: Oh.
Hello.
Hi.
Thank you so much for your presentation.
Oh.
Thank you.
I just appreciate having the chance to talk about the issue.
Clair Coates.
- Kimar Kamar - Kimara.
- Kimara.
- Kimara.
Yeah, nice to meet you, Clair.
Nice to meet you.
- Do you mind if I take a little seat? - Oh, please.
- Not at all, not at all.
- Thank you.
[Indistinct conversations, laughter.]
You know I was curious, what you were talking about, about people being exploited.
- Mm.
- It's not like it was I mean, in Like it was.
I me They have a choice.
Mm-hmm.
Um, uh, now, they don't always have a choice.
If your choice is between starving and selling yourself, what do you do? If your choice is between getting beaten or listening to what your abuser tells you dying or living We're the ones that have the choice because we actually can do something.
- [Laughs.]
- But I do.
I see your Yeah, I know.
This, um, can be depressing.
Oh, no, no! No, my nanny I th I thought my nanny had texted, 'cause she's home with my son.
She's new.
Oh.
How old is he? Nicky.
He's five.
He's five.
It's It's a great age.
It's so great.
Do you have children? No.
No, no kids.
Well, Nicky's my miracle baby.
How so? I could not get pregnant.
I tried for years Third opinion, fourth.
They told me I had to adopt.
I just kept trying.
I found a fertility clinic in Charlotte.
Expensive.
- Yeah.
- Mm-hmm.
It took nine IVF procedures to conceive Nicky.
Wow.
That many? Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
It cost.
It really did.
It cost.
But it was It was worth every penny.
[Indistinct conversations continue.]
Uh, you know, I'd like to make a donation.
I would like to make it in the name of my son.
Oh.
Well, that That's much appreciated, Clair.
What is the name of your organization? Project Open Road.
Project Open Road? Yeah.
[Laughs.]
Open road.
[Inhales deeply.]
Uh, well, you are doing You're doing important work.
Yeah, we like to think that we are.
Well Here to tell you you are.
Mm.
God bless.
- Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.
Bye-bye now.
[Indistinct conversations.]
Right.
[Laughter.]
Looking good! Woman: I know, right? Thank you.
[Indistinct conversations, laughter.]
- Yeah.
- Well, that was nice.
Well, the drinks were overpriced.
- Oh, it's a fundraiser.
- And watered down.
Well, I think it's nice getting together.
- Take care, okay? - Thanks, guys.
Um, now aren't you glad I hired Gabrielle, right, so we didn't have to scramble for a sitter? Yeah, because it's impossible to find a sitter unless you fly one in from another country.
I made a donation.
What kind of donation? In Nicky's name.
What kind of donation? $5,000.
Are you Are you kidding me, Clair? Well, it's a tax deduction.
Y-You're an You're an accountant, for God's sake.
You know that a business, i-it has to show a profit to To take a write-off, don't you? What do you mean, to show you a profit? It's it's just it's not the best time, all right? If you need help with accounting, I can help.
No, the the What's happening with the business is about more than creative bookkeeping.
Wh What's happening with the business? It's, uh, what's going on with any business.
W-We need to compete.
Is it bad? No, it's not bad.
It's just It's It's not a good time.
[Sighs.]
Well, if you need help, I can help.
- Uh, how? - I H-H-How are you gonna help? What are you gonna do? What are you, gonna wave a magic wand, Clair Is that what you're gonna do? And fix it? Y-You had your miracle baby, so, what, now you're capable of miracles, is that it? You know, I hear you telling your silly little miracle-baby story to anybody who's gonna listen, and I'm gonna tell you something.
You It makes you like a fool.
You look like a damn fool.
Well, it's It's heartwarming how you've taken to fatherhood.
Oh, is it really heartwar Well, I'm killing myself seven days a week in that office.
What the hell are you doing? Huh, what are you doing all day, Clair? Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
We hired a nanny so you can just sit around and write checks.
I hired a nanny so there'd be somebody else in the house to help take care of our son.
[Chuckles.]
[Indistinct conversations, crickets chirping.]
[Crickets chirping.]
[Indistinct conversations.]
[Bell jingles.]
[Buzzer.]
- Hey, Kimara.
- Hey.
Uh, I can't let you in.
It's after curfew.
Oh, I know.
I just came to drop something by for Shae.
Shae? She's not here.
But it's past curfew.
Yeah, she checked out a couple hours ago.
Checked out and went where? Didn't say nothing.
Just left.
Kimara: She's not at the shelter.
Amanda: [Sighs.]
I understand, but I can't spare anyone.
I did for you.
I g I-I tried to get her to testify against her pimp for you.
You did your job.
Then do your job and find her.
With who? My whole staff got shifted.
Now the D.
A.
is doubling down on abuses in the local ag business.
Shae is 17.
She's a minor.
There are minors on the farms, too.
There's There's forced labor, there's rape, there's murder.
Sex trafficking takes a back seat to all of that.
And I've got a missing child.
That's my priority.
[Sighs.]
Look, the D.
A.
decides which cases to build.
He doesn't ask what I want to chase.
I just do what they tell me to do.
[Crickets chirping, dog barking.]
[Indistinct conversations.]
[Keyboard clacking.]
Dustin: All right.
Come see? What's a good name to use? Uh, Brandy.
Brandy? [Laughs.]
Come on, that sounds like an alcoholic.
Do "Cassi.
" Who's Cassi? I don't know.
Just sounds like some girl I'd like to have sex with.
[Chuckles.]
[Keyboard clacking.]
[Computer beeps.]
[Country music playing.]
Jeanette: You doing okay? [Indistinct conversations.]
Carson: There's food in the freezer.
I'm getting by.
Did you plan all this? No.
I don't want to argue.
I don't want to argue, but I'm not the one who walked out.
I'm not the one who decided that leaving a bunch of food behind was gonna I I don't understand what is going on.
This all because I wouldn't let you help those people? They died, and you don't care.
If you if you want to help, we can go to a shelter.
We could I want Can you I [Exhales.]
I need some money, Carson.
To live on.
For the time being.
Well, what's the time being? [Sighs.]
I just want to be on my own.
If you want to be in our own, be on your own.
Did I ever treat you badly? Did I ever cheat on you? Do you even understand why I left you? I gave you everything I had.
- I don't have anything.
- Geez.
I don't I don't have anything that's mine.
[Chuckles.]
Oh, is that Is that the problem? I treated you too good? I was I was too good a husband to you? People died, and you denied it.
I tried to do right, and you stopped me.
You sat across from your sister My father is dying.
Our father is dying.
And treated me like a stranger.
That's what hurts the most.
[Scoffs.]
[Breathes deeply.]
We should've had kids.
We didn't want children.
We should've should've given ourselves something.
Something so that our lives weren't just about us.
And we We we did.
We let ourselves get too selfish.
- Stop it.
- It was all about the farm.
And I don't know that the farm's gonna be around much more.
We got police coming by every day now.
We got Spanish-speaking investigators coming by to talk to the workers.
They're looking to pin this on somebody.
[Exhales sharply.]
This nonsense.
Nonsense? You and JD.
You stirred this up, and now you want to walk away and leave me and Laurie Ann holding the bag.
Then send me an address, and I'll write you monthly allowances until you get over yourself.
I don't want a handout.
I want what's owed me.
Owed? For what? It's If this is about who owes who, the judge can sort that out.
[Door closes.]
[Car door closes.]
[Birds chirping.]
[Knock on door.]
- Hey.
- Hey.
I left him.
I I left Carson.
[Sighs.]
Can I stay with you and the girls? Come on in.
Okay.
[Suitcase thuds.]
Oh.
[Speaking French.]
Les mains en bas.
Tape, tape.
[Speaks French.]
Okay, très bien.
Maintenant on fait la chanson.
Papa, doh-doh-doh Maman, go-go-go Ti sé, yi-yi-yi Ti fré, ee-ee-ee [Gasps.]
You okay? Gabrielle Nicholas: So, I need lay-off notices for Burlington and Charlotte to go out.
Eckles: I'll get them out today.
Make sure that HR at both plants understands that we can't offer a severance package none.
Yeah.
Uh, now, should we plan on any pushback from the union? They'll picket the shuttered plants.
Week or so of that, they'll get bored and go home.
Hm.
You're doing the right thing.
Hm.
The right thing.
[Cellphone rings.]
[Cellphone beeps.]
Kimara: Hello.
Vanessa: I need help.
Who am I speaking with? Vanessa.
Vanessa, this is Kimara.
Talk to me.
What's going on? My john's in the other room.
He hit me.
I'm bleeding.
Is he threatening you now? I think he's passed out, but I'm afraid to go out there.
Kimara, the phone's dying.
Okay, okay.
Did you call 911? They won't come.
I don't want to do this.
I don't want to do this anymore.
I want to go home.
All right, all right.
Well, where are you? A motel.
Okay, look, I I want you to look around the bathroom and try to find something with the motel's name on it.
Pine Ridge.
- Kimara? - Yeah? - Are you there? - I'm I'm here.
I'm gonna stay on the phone with you.
I'm scared.
I know you are.
[Beeping.]
Kimara, the phone's dying.
Okay.
- All right, listen.
- It's dying.
When I get to the parking lot, I'm gonna honk my horn three times.
[Line clicks.]
Vanessa.
Vanessa.
[Insects chirping.]
[Horn honks.]
Man: Hey! Hey, you're not done! Kimara: Keep moving.
Keep moving, come on.
Come on, get in the car.
Man: What'd you say? [Tires screech.]

Previous EpisodeNext Episode