Damages s02e01 Episode Script

I Lied, Too.

Previously on damages: Uh, I'm ellen parsons.
I'm here to interview.
You're hired.
A young lawyer with a fantastic new job and a dreamy doctor fianc? Arthur frobisher told his employees to invest in the company, and then sold his own stock.
It's classic pump-and-dump.
Let her depose me.
We're going to trial, ray.
There are 5,000 people who lost everything.
They deserve justice.
I mopped your floors 34 years.
I cleaned your shit! You watch what you say.
******* I'm done here.
******** You're blackmailing me, patty.
No one can ever know what he was doing here.
You're a lawyer.
Lies come with the territory.
Make up your mind, ellen.
Do you want to play mind games like these people, or do you want to be yourself? We crossed a line.
Do you regret what we did? Because I do.
You do? While I'm gone, you're welcome to stay here.
It's done.
I'm agent harrison.
This is agent werner.
We're with the fbi.
What is this about? It's about patricia hewes.
Mr.
Nye tells us you might have reasons of your own for wanting to take down ms.
Hewes.
She tried to kill me.
Come back, ellen.
I'll come work for you again on one condition.
Let me use the firm's resources to prove that frobisher had david killed.
It's a deal.
You want me to go back and work for her? Miss parsons you will be working for us.
See you on monday.
What's the matter? You shouldn't be scared.
Actually I take that back.
You should be scared.
You should be terrified.
It would just be so much easier if you said the words.
I can never remember the name of this song.
All I want you to do is tell the truth.
But I know that can be hard for you so I brought something that i thought might help.
And who knows? Maybe the truth will set you free.
6 MONTHS EARLIER And now, here's one of our good friends, just off a big courtroom win.
- Please welcome back patty hewes.
- Yes! Yes, look who's here! - Patty, it's so good to see you.
- You're gorgeous.
- You're stunning.
Good to see you.
- It is great to be here.
- Congratulations.
- Thank you.
- You look good, patty.
- Thank you.
Oh, boy.
So, be honest now.
- How much did you rake in on this latest case of yours? - Oh, regis! What? Really, what was it, two-billion dollar settlement? People want to know how rich she is-- you know that.
Well, I'll tell you if you tell me.
Gelman, gelman, what do I make? What do I make, the union scale? Of course, that's all.
That's all I got.
Oh, please.
So, tell us about this arthur frobisher.
Pretty wealthy guy, right? Not anymore.
our plaintiffs were very well taken care of.
So, what are you gonna do with all that money? Well, actually, I'm gonna use a good portion of the money to fund a foundation to fight hunger in new york city.
It's very important to give back to the community.
Yeah, I think so, and I'm also partnering in the charity with my good friend, sam arsenault.
Saving the world's great, but you've got to be chomping at the bit to take your next case, huh? Not at the moment.
It's my son's last year in high school, and this charity is keeping my hands pretty full.
Wow, that's amazing.
I mean, you know, a high-profile attorney, of course, but committed mother working full-time.
I don't know how you manage to balance it all.
Well, I mean, you you do the same thing.
It is difficult, but I have a fantastic team at the firm.
You know, I believe i chatted with one of your associates backstage in the green room.
Ellen parsons, yeah.
She's fantastic.
Isn't she standing in the wings? You want to say hello, ellen? - Ellen! - There she is.
Ellen's been with, uh she's been with the firm not even a year.
And I can tell you, I would be absolutely lost without her, so she deserves a lot of credit.
The woman's full of shit.
A month ago, she tried to kill me, and now she's acting like my best friend.
The bureau's putting together a case we'll want patty to take.
We're gonna need you to pitch it to her.
Okay.
What is it? A setup.
We'll use you to monitor it from the inside.
Great.
When do we start? Soon, ellen.
We're just working out a few details.
How soon? You got to relax, okay? Lay low.
That's easy for you to say.
You just want to arrest patty hewes.
- And you don't? - I want to destroy her.
proudly presents sync:ßÇÈâÈâ Season02 Episode01 Oh, no.
No.
Please.
Revenge fantasies are normal when we're dealing with posttraumatic stress.
See, the right side of the brain tries to process our trauma to help us understand what we've been through.
Ellen, how about you? Have you had any more revenge fantasies about the man that you think killed your fianc? No! Nothing comes to mind.
Ellen is in counseling three or four times a week.
She's moving to the sullivan grand hotel.
You don't need to watch her anymore, pete.
Are you sure you can trust her? Maybe it's best if I keep an eye on her.
No.
That's all in the past.
Okay.
Fine.
Watch her.
I'm concerned about her well-being.
Tommy.
So, you gonna make me say it? How about today? You ready to jump back in? The firm is trying plenty of cases.
But you aren'T.
I hear what you're saying.
Good.
All right, I'll bring you the top three cases, and you just you pick the one you like.
Excuse me.
We're hearing rumors their findings could come out as soon as next month.
The kentucky operations have been calling in nonstop.
They're getting nervous about new york.
Tell them to relax.
We're prepared.
Assure them that there's nothing to worry about.
Mr.
Purcell? Mr.
Purcell.
This isn't my work.
Mr.
Purcell, calm down.
This is horseshit.
I'm not gonna sign off on this.
We're in a meeting here.
A very important meeting? This ends today.
You hear me? Where are we with the irs? They expedited our charitable tax-exempt status based on sam arsenault's verbal commitment, so as soon as he makes it official, we're off to the races.
With any luck, we can start doing some good.
That's the general idea.
- What, ellen? - Nothing.
I think the foundation's great.
It will leave an imprint for generations.
No.
You think I'm just creating this to clear my conscience.
Why would you need to clear your conscience? Because of what we did to win the frobisher case.
You mean, ray fiske's suicide? My conscience is clear about that.
So how are you doing? - Counseling - No, I'D rather not talk about it.
Well, I just want you to know you can have time off if you ever need it.
Work's the best thing for me right now.
Where are you on frobisher? Is there anything new on david's murder? Has my investigator been helpful? He found out frobisher was in critical condition after the shooting.
A construction crew found him and had him airlifted to st.
Anthony'S.
He had abdominal surgery there.
- Last week, he was transferred.
- Where? Your guy doesn't know.
There's been a total press blackout.
Frobisher doesn't want anyone to find him.
Mr.
Frobisher? How you feeling? Like shit.
Yeah, well, four surgeries in a month will do that to you.
How am I doing? The doc says the kidney should take.
I'm parched.
Thank you for taking care of me like this.
Just doing my job.
You don't know who I am, do you? Of course I do.
Why do you ask? 'Cause I'm the most hated man in america.
And you're being nice to me.
I want you on the board of directors.
Of course you can say "no.
" But these things have a way of coming to bite you on the ass.
We have a big problem.
Think about it, senator.
You've got 24 hours.
What is it? Sam arsenault's people just called.
He's backing out.
They didn't want to tell me over the phone, but I forced their hand.
He's withdrawing his entire contribution from the foundation.
Hey, what can i get you? Coffee? Latte? - Too early for bourbon? - Never.
Ah, girls today could learn something from you, patty.
You know how to wear a skirt, but you're one of the boys, always have been.
Ah, except for the vagina.
I was just about to have one myself.
Explain it to me, sam.
The republican party is going to back me for governor.
But you're an independent.
Not anymore.
So I got party politics to worry about.
The elephants don't like you, patty.
I can't be pissing these people off right now.
I need your pledge, sam.
Why are you doing this? Let me tell you a story.
Back in '83, I was negotiating the syntec merger.
Neither side would budge.
The clock was running down.
Okay.
So I toss all the lawyers out of my office.
I tell herb weiss to stop over, hash it out mano a mano.
The whole time herb was in there with me, I've got this sizzling slice of ass from the temp services under the desk taking dictation, if you get my drift.
Yeah, it just wafted my way.
Hey, relax.
I married her.
Jeanine? No.
No, it was the one before that.
Anyway, in the '80s, we all did shit like that.
The point is, why did I do it? Because I'm an asshole? Because I want to feel powerful? All of the above? Nah, I don't give a shit about power.
I'm just an old, free love hippie who made a good bet on soybean options.
I did it because I wanted to see if I'd get away with it.
Sam, you're making a big mistake.
We could leave a real mark with this foundation.
Your daughter's here, mr.
Arsenault.
Great! Send her in.
Sorry, patty.
We're grabbing lunch.
There's plenty of time for charity.
We can save the world another day.
Ms.
Hewes.
I'm sorry to interrupt.
Oh, it's nice to see you, lily.
I just ran into michael at this, uh, college admissions thing.
Lily's earned herself a spot at yale.
Well, that's quite an accomplishment.
Yeah, I can't wait.
You want to join us for a quick bite? Oh, I'd love to.
No, thanks.
Hey, I'm sorry, patty.
But, uh, I always wanted to run off and join the circus.
Well, be careful out there, sam.
There are a lot of clowns under the big top.
Good luck at yale.
This was hand-delivered.
No return address.
Security x-rayed it.
It's clean.
You open it.
What is it? Charts, graphs I have no idea.
Let me see.
Ms.
Hewes, I have a daniel purcell on the phone for you.
Danny purcell? When's the last time you talked to him? Ten years at least.
All right, put him through.
Daniel? Did the package arrive? Yes.
What is it? Just keep it.
Why did you send this to me? You're the only one I can trust.
Please.
Keep it safe.
Daniel, I So you want me to get patty to take this case? Yeah.
It's all in here.
Researched and vetted, everything you need to present a legitimate infant mortality case.
Sounds right up patty's alley.
Built in social cause, persuasive lead plaintiff billions in damages at the end of the rainbow.
It's great bait, but how are you going to use this to arrest patty? One step at a time, ellen.
First you get her to bite, then we'll fill you in on the rest.
Any questions? Bad car tires made in china, deep pockets is a major distributor out of jersey.
And it's wide: Over 14 million units and 260 traffic deaths so far.
Could be bigger than bridgestone.
In this climate? Public hears china, they scream bloody murder.
We think the complaint can survive a twombly motion.
All we have to I-I-I I'm sorry, patty.
What's going on? Are we wasting our time? No.
No, no, go on.
I'm listening.
Okay.
We'll aim, aim a little higher.
Ellen brought this in, and i think she found a grand slam: Infant mortality.
The first time in decades it's going up.
- Why? - Hmos.
Caesarean births cost them a fortune.
Insurance companies don't want to pay, so at-risk, low-income women are being forced into natural birth, and their babies are dying.
There are billions of dollars worth of damages here.
Interesting.
We can take on the insurance industry.
We already have a lead plaintiff lined up.
She'd make an ideal front person for a class action.
Her name's monique bryant.
She's sympathetic.
She has a story to tell.
It's all in the file.
All right.
I'll look at it.
I truly, truly believe that this is the one.
There are people in need here.
There are people we could help.
Let me know what you think.
You're not even going to read it? Patty, come on.
I have a foundation to launch and I have no funding.
We have our work cut out for us.
Do you have a meeting tonight? I can cancel.
No-no-no-no, that's more important.
- What's that? - This? It's personal.
And the last time I checked, we are in my office.
So I find the guy just laying there.
Still drunk.
So I take a few steps back, like I'm going to kick a field goal, and I kick his head right here.
Right under his chin.
Well, his neck snaps back.
The back of his head smacks between his shoulder blades.
And so I kick him again.
Again.
Over and over.
And I'm wondering, "how many kicks is it going to take before his head rips off?" but I never found out 'cause I woke up.
That's very powerful, wes.
Ellen, how about you? Have you had any dreams this week? I can't sleep.
Her fianc? was murdered a month ago.
How's she supposed to sleep? It's done.
Mom? You fell asleep.
oh, boy what time is it? Almost 1:00.
Dad called.
He has to stay another week in dubai.
You going to go up to bed? Yeah.
Everything all right? Yeah I'm fine, michael.
Dad? Dad, I think someone's here.
Hey, baby.
I think someone's here.
Where? Downstairs.
I heard him in the living room.
What's going on? - Daniel! - Call the police.
- Daniel - Do it! you stay the hell away from my family! I'll kill you, you son of a bitch! Daniel, he was in your office! What were they looking for? You hear about lily? My god, sam, I am so sorry.
Cops don't have anything else to do? They only went after her because she's my daughter.
You're right.
The one time she tries cocaine, she gets arrested and splashed all over the front pages.
You got to help me, patty.
Uh, she's just a kid.
This kind of thing could sink her for life.
What can I do? Call the da.
Get him to drop the charges.
Why don't you call him? Ah, he hates me.
I refused to testify in that insider-trading thing.
look, I know that he's your friend, patty.
He'll listen to you.
look, we both know that you got me by the short and curlies.
But it's impossible for me to join your foundation right now, so if that's what it's going to take God, no, sam.
I would never hold you hostage like that.
Our kids have known each other since kindergarten.
Oh, I'll make the call, see what I can do.
Thank you, patty.
Thank you.
No need to thank me, sam.
This is family.
Sorry to interrupt.
Frobisher is at the riveredge clinic.
- What room? - No that won't help.
He's under tight security.
Only his family's allowed in.
Listen, ellen if I were you, I'd want to look him in the eye myself.
But give it time.
You'll get your shot to prosecute him.
Thanks, pete.
So, did they ever arrest the guy who shot you? No, no.
I left the police out of it.
It's complicated.
I knew the guy.
Anyway, I tell you, that bullet was like a wakeup call for me, rudy.
It was a correction.
Silver lining, huh? Lemons into lemonade? No, I'm serious.
Man, that - most people out there thought I was a real asshole.
- Yeah? My wife wouldn't have anything to do with me.
She filed for divorce.
Took our daughter.
Sent sent my kid out west someplace.
- Night nurse said she called.
- When? This morning.
it says she wants to visit.
Fantastic.
Now I got a chance to put things right with her.
You know, maybe we could start over.
What? I don't want her to see me like this! I'm a goddamn cripple! For christ's sake, I'm pissing myself! I can't even eat solid food Relax.
Hey, come on.
You got to calm down, man.
Calm down.
I'm sorry.
I'm pathetic.
maybe, I tell you what.
Let's not shave.
Let's not shave.
And you know those tubes? Like, I know, I know I don't need them anymore, but maybe when she comes, we could stick a couple up my nose.
Yeah, let's not shave.
The alarm people called.
They're going to activate the new system tomorrow.
That's good.
- You have to make a decision, daniel.
- I know.
If that company is making people sick, you have to stop them.
You think I'm not grieving? My concern is that clinging to david's killer is your way of clinging to david.
The type of violence you experienced could make a person retreat and collapse, or be consumed with rage.
Neither one is healthy.
Let me ask you something.
What do you think would make you feel better? Seeing david again.
And you know what? Ellen That's not going to happen.
Ellen ellen! Let's talk about this! Thank you, perry.
Low 70s, lovely night for a walk.
Patty? I need to talk to you.
I've come because I need your help, patty.
I'm in trouble.
Really? What kind of trouble? I have information.
And I'm being threatened.
I've come because you know people who can protect me, discretely.
Daniel My family isn't safe.
Patty, my wife my kid.
The other night, they broke in.
Call the police.
I did.
They filed a report.
I feel much safer now.
How is any of this my problem? Jesus, patty, you think I want to be here? You think I enjoy begging you for help? If I go public with what I know, it could bring down an industry.
Patty I don't want anything to do with you, daniel.
You made that perfectly clear.
I respected your wishes, but now, goddamn it, I need you.
Too bad.
Don't you turn your back on me.
You owe me.
I owe you nothing.
Another whiskey.
Couple more and you'll have to change one group for another.
That's funny.
Please leave me alone.
I'M I'm done with therapy.
You made that clear.
So, you followed me? Well, it was only 15 blocks.
Yeah, well, I'm not interested.
In what? In you and whatever bullshit line you're gonna feed me.
The only bullshit I was gonna feed you is you left that on your chair.
Thanks.
Thank you.
Well, it was only 15 blocks.
My girlfriend hated whiskey.
Which is ironic because the guy that ran her over was shit-faced on the stuff.
you have a good night.
- the guy who killed your girlfriend? - Yeah.
- Do you know where he is? - Attica.
But with good behavior, he'll be out march 16, 2011.
You know the date? It's a wednesday.
I know how you're feeling.
It took me five months before I could sleep again.
What changed? I realized something.
People like you and me-- we only have two options.
Got, uh, forgiveness, revenge.
Which did you choose? Neither yet.
You take it easy, parsons.
I'm over here, patty.
Oh, quit wallowing.
Stop worrying about all that.
What's done is done.
Come on, patty.
A charity? Hungry children ain't gonna cut it.
You want to make amends, start by telling the truth and confess to ellen what you did to us.
- Patty? - Yeah? Is everything okay? Yeah, just fine.
Actually we need to talk.
Sure.
Fire away.
Not in the office.
It's, um it's personal.
Okay.
If you're not busy friday after the gala, there's a little place near the waldorf I'd love to have a drink.
Look forward to it.
Can you give me the headlines? It's about you and the frobisher case.
I didn't explain everything that happened.
Okay.
I want to wear a wire.
This is a big step.
You do this, you become a cooperating witness.
We can't keep your name confidential.
You'll have to appear in court.
Testify against her.
I'm fine with that.
Ellen, there is no reason to jump the gun.
She wants to talk to me about the frobisher case.
You don't want to hear it? What, uh, what exactly did she say? She said she didn't explain everything that happened.
I told you she tried to kill me.
Her guilt is eating at her.
How do you know that? I can see it.
She's not in a good place.
- When is the meeting? - Friday after the gala.
- Where? - A restaurant in midtown.
All right.
It's what we signed you up for.
It's time, mr.
Purcell.
You ready to be reasonable? Did you find anything interesting? Yeah, very.
At least the parts I could understand.
Purcell was doing some sort of chemical analysis.
- Get this to our guy at columbia.
- Will do.
Yeah? Thanks.
Send him up.
it's sam arsenault.
So, where are you on the charity foundation? Nowhere.
Without arsenault's money, there is no foundation.
Your visit's gonna do him a world of good.
His painkillers are pretty strong.
But he's going to do just fine.
He'll be happy to see you when he wakes up, mrs.
Frobisher.
Baby.
david! People like you and me-- we only have two options.
Forgiveness.
Revenge.
It's time for his lunch.
Mrs.
Frobisher, you could sit with him if you mrs.
Frobisher? Mr.
Frobisher? Is she here yet? So, despite your best efforts, the da wouldn't drop the charges.
Can you believe it? If lily's name wasn't arsenault, this never would've happened.
You're goddamn right.
She was set up.
What happened to your campaign? It's dead in the water.
Republican chairman sees lily on the news, dumps me, decides to back another horse.
Oh, sam.
Look, patty, uh it's hard for me to ask, but, um, I want back in.
To my foundation? I know, it's embarrassing.
I'm standing here with my pants down around my ankles.
But I've always been a big fan of the cause, you know that.
And after lily, I could sure use the pr.
We'd be happy to take your money, sam, but I've promised away the naming rights.
It can't be the arsenault-hewes foundation? Patty, I want my name up there.
I wish I could help you.
Come on.
There's gotta be something i could do.
HEWES/ARSENAULT CHILDREN'S HUNGER INTIATIVE I will be eternally grateful to patty hewes.
No, no.
Sam is the real hero here.
At the last moment, he generously decided to double our endowment.
Well, I'm thrilled that I can make a difference with just the stroke of a pen.
Hey, mom.
Look at that guy.
He's out here celebrating and his daughter's being sent to juvie.
Such a shame about lily.
I told you she was a cokehead.
Yeah.
Yeah, you did.
God help you if I ever find out you're doing anything like that.
I tried it, mom.
Coke's not my thing.
- Patty, congratulations.
- Thank you.
Incredible evening.
Oh, it's amazing.
Well So now that you've launched this, uh, maybe we can Take a case? It's just a thought.
I like ellen's infant mortality case.
That is just the kind of cause that we should be advancing.
Well, then, let's do it.
Set up a meeting with the plaintiff tomorrow.
Fantastic.
Nice find, ellen.
It's a great case.
I'm glad you think so.
Patty.
Daniel, I had no idea you were here tonight.
An important cause like this, we didn't want to miss it.
I don't believe you know my wife christine.
Christine, come say hi! Uh, will you excuse me? I really should go say hi.
Um, two minutes and we'll go, okay? It's really nice to meet you.
I admire your work so much.
Thank you for your support.
She's lovely.
Listen, patty.
I'm sorry about the other night.
I don't want to drag you into this.
I can handle it myself.
Glad to hear it.
I should really get those materials back from you.
I'll have them messengered over to your office tomorrow.
Better to send them to my home.
Daniel, come say hello.
I promise you-- you never have to see me.
Jesus! I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to scare you.
What, you're stalking me now? No.
You just didn't come back to group.
Yeah, that's kind of what I had in mind when I quit.
What do you want from me? I don't want anything.
I nothing.
I don'T I was just concerned.
And, and, look, I-I-I thought this might help you.
What's that? It's a phone number.
Don't worry; it's not mine.
Call after midnight.
Just ask for frank.
But if a woman answers, you should hang up.
I don't do drugs.
Well, that's good 'cause he doesn't sell any.
And they're bad for you.
Well, then, what am I calling him for? Because frank's not the kind of guy who gets hung up on permits.
A permit? For what? - A gun.
- A gun? You know what What.
what the hell would make you think that I want a gun? Because I think you're scared.
Because I think you feel helpless and alone.
Now, if you tell me I'm wrong, then I'm wrong.
And I apologize-- my mistake.
I've been thinking about this whole revenge thing.
Yeah? It's not me.
It's not who I am.
A gun's not gonna help, so i guess I'm just gonna have to find a way to forgive.
It functions like a normal telephone, but there's a microphone right here.
To activate it, you just turn it on.
Think I can handle that.
It records in and out of the case, but out is better if you can manage it.
You don't want to talk too much.
That's the biggest mistake people make.
When they get nervous, they talk.
If patty's gonna give us anything, we don't want you speaking over her, so you can prompt her with questions, but then you got to back off and you let her talk.
- I got it.
- You ready? I'm fine.
You guys are more nervous than I am.
Okay.
This is agent randall harrison.
The date is june 14.
The time is 11:27 P.
M.
Ellen parsons, do you give your voluntary consent to have this recording device placed on your person? Yes.
Well, sorry about that.
Fox news.
Oh, you you've got another bottle? what is it? Château lafitte something french.
I just picked the most expensive one on the list.
so, you wanted to tell me something.
Ellen, I didn't explain everything to you during the frobisher case.
That's all in the past.
No, no, it's important that you know this.
Patty, I think we both need to move on.
The frobisher case was chaos, and we weren't thinking clearly.
Still, I I want to apologize.
Apologize? Apologize for what? The weekend after fiske committed suicide, his death had a profound effect on me.
It, um, pushed me to a place that I had never to been before.
I didn't know that.
I I became too emotional.
I was afraid of being exposed, of losing the case.
I lost control.
I had to leave the city.
While I'm gone, you're welcome to stay here.
Ellen everything's gonna be all right.
You said you went to visit family.
Well, that wasn't exactly true.
No? Years ago, I had a child.
I've never told anyone.
The baby, was, um, unhealthy.
The doctors said it was, stillborn.
It was a little girl.
I named her julia.
Sometimes, I think, if she'd lived I'd be another person.
So, when you went away, you I went to visit her.
I hadn't been to that cemetery in 30 years.
And while I was there, someone attacked you in my apartment.
Whoever broke in was looking for me.
It's done.
I wish to god it had been me.
I want you to know that if my daughter had survived-- if julia had lived-- I'd want her to be just like you.
How did it go? Hello? This is she.
I was wrong.
I didn't get anything.
It's just more lies.
What did she say? She told me someone was coming to kill her that night and some bullshit about me being the daughter she never had.
Well, you're building a relationship, establishing intimacy.
These things take time.
I don't have time.
- Miss hewes? - Yes.
- This way, please.
- Thank you.
Patty? Now will you help me? The important thing is she took the infant mortality case.
Where are we on that? Patty's meeting the lead plaintiff tomorrow.
Good.
We'll get her, ellen.
How long do these things usually take? Could be two, three years before we have enough.
You got to be patient.
Can you do that? 6 MONTHS LATER So, it's just the two of us.
Face to face.
It seems like you're not gonna tell me the truth after all.
Well, that's okay.
I lied, too.
proudly presents sync:ßÇÈâÈâ
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