Medium s04e02 Episode Script

But for the Grace of God

Ooh! JOE: Crisis averted.
All eyes under the age of nine are closed.
And, miracle of miracles, the children they belong to are asleep.
What about Ariel? What about Ariel? Let's leave Ariel alone.
She's 14.
She's in her room simultaneously doing homework, listening to music, texting her friends and counting the hours until she's 18.
Let's not unnecessarily tax her concentration.
How long was I asleep? I was only gone ten minutes.
You fell asleep? I had a dream.
This girl, she was in a car.
She hit a deer.
She was trapped inside.
Is there anyone to notify? Did you catch the plate number? You have any idea where the accident might have taken place? No.
Nothing.
I didn't even see the girl's face.
Okay.
Well, I guess there's not much to do about it right now, then.
(groaning) A little help.
Anyway, you were telling me about this woman.
From Ameritips.
Cynthia Keener.
Why is she paying you? Why isn't the company that she works for paying you? Because I don't work for that company.
She doesn't want the company knowing anything about me.
You know, in a lot of ways, it's kind of like what I used to do for Devalos.
That was secret.
This is secret.
But why? I think the job is all she has.
I think she wants to impress the people that she works for.
I guess she's hoping I'll be able to help her with some of her cases.
Give her a leg up.
She'll get the glory, I'll get the 800 bucks a week.
omm.
m! panting) ·­Ò룺¸öÈËID У Ô£º¸öÈËID ʱ¼äÖ᣺¹Ûº£ÎÀ ƬÃûMEDIUM µÚ4¼¾µÚ2¼¯ Allison, look.
Whatever you saw Our daughter, Joe.
The danger is not imminent, if it's even real.
What does that mean? Come on.
The reality is, Ariel does not dri.
Yet! Exactly.
Whatever you saw, it has nothing to do with the here and now.
I mean, you know as well as I do she's a good two-and-a-half years away from getting behind the wheel of a car.
So? So there's still time to make sure that it doesn't happen.
In fact, we can guarantee it.
What do you mean, guarantee it? What kind of car did she have the accident in? I have no idea.
Okay.
Well, hopefully, sometime in the next two-and-a-half years, you'll have this dream again.
And maybe then you'll make it a point to notice what make and model the car is.
Then we'll make it a point never to buy that make or model car.
Well, maybe it's not our car.
Maybe she borrows it from a friend or a boyfriend.
Okay, fine.
Fine.
Look.
When and if you know what kind of car it is, then we'll both just go to Ariel and we'll tell her.
And she'll make it her business never to get in one, much less drive one.
See? It's a lock.
It's a guarantee.
Come on.
Let's get some rest.
CYNTHIA KEENER: She's 16 years old.
Her name's Melanie Daniels.
Apparently, she's a very good kid.
No history of trouble or drugs.
She's a junior at Hilldale High School across town.
She's been missing since yesterday morning.
She caught the bus to go to school but never showed up at school.
This happened yesterday? Why? Is something the matter? I guess I'm just surprised that her parents called you before the police.
Oh, no, no.
They-They didn't call me.
I called them.
I went over to their home, actually.
Just as soon as the missing child report came through on my e-mail, I drove over and talked to the mother, and explained that while there were several hundred cases the police were tracking, for me, this would be the only one.
That's quite a look on your face, Mrs.
Dubois.
I'm not an ambulance chaser, but this is how I make my money, and I need to strike while the iron's hot.
Okay.
Um forgive me.
I'm not certain how this works.
But I've read online that people like you, when they touch something that belongs to a missing person or, for instance, a dead person, um, sometimes you you might get vibes or signals.
Yes? No? Sometimes.
It depends.
Here's the entire contents of Melanie's locker.
Her mother gave me permission to borrow it.
I was wondering if you could do, uh whatever it is that you do, and give me a call.
Hey, Ariel.
Are the Suns going to make the playoffs this year? I don't know.
I don't really follow sports.
Well, maybe you could ask your mom.
I mean, she knows the future, right? Come on, man.
No, no.
no.
Just ask her if she could check her crystal ball.
Leave her alone, Jeremy.
Just ask her.
Ariel! Ariel, wait.
What do you want, Connor? I don't know.
He's a jerk.
And I'm a jerk for hanging around him.
I'm really sorry.
Okay.
I heard you.
So, are you going to that KHBX thing? What? KHBX.
The radio station.
They have that concert at the Orpheum every year.
There's, like, a dozen different groups.
It's on Saturday during the day.
Did you maybe want a ticket? No.
That's okay.
I actually don't have the money for that right now.
No.
No.
I I mean, I would buy it for you.
We'd we'd go together.
I'm just warning you.
We're back from school, and I need your help with something.
What are you talking about? Mom? Did Dad tell you? The most amazing thing happened to me at school today.
Well, tell me.
This really cute guy-- I think he's in the 11th grade-- asked me to go to a concert with him on Saturday at the Orpheum downtown.
Are parents going to this concert? No.
And who is this boy again? Connor.
He's really nice.
Yeah? But we don't even know him.
And you want to go downtown into the city? It's during the day.
And how are you going to get there? I don't know.
We haven't figured that out yet.
Oh, honey, I don't know.
I think that your mommy and I are going to have a problem with this.
I'm 14.
And he's 16.
So? So we don't know him.
He's so nice.
Honest.
And you know this how? Because I know it! And, besides, it's a concert! They'll be tons of people.
Nothing is going to happen.
And you know this because you've been to so many concerts? You two are crazy! Crazy? Really? You know what I've been doing all day? I've been trying to find a missing girl, a couple of years older than you.
Gone.
Vanished into thin air.
Okay.
So? I'm not her! And how did it happen? Was she going to a concert? No.
Actually, she was going to school.
Okay.
Fine.
I'll stop going to school.
Hey! You're not gonna get your way by being a wise guy.
What difference does it make? I'm not going to get my way anyways.
Ariel? Ariel.
You know, no one is saying you can't ever go to a concert without an adult.
No one is saying that you can't ever go out with boys.
Just not this boy.
Just not this Saturday.
Honey, I know how you feel.
(phone rings in distance) My mom wouldn't let me go to a concert alone until I was 16.
And you know what? When I finally went, I realized she was right.
Hey, it's Cynthia Keener.
She wanted to know if you had anything for her.
She said you'd know what that meant.
Yeah.
Tell her I'm still working on it.
Tell her I need to call her back, please.
Ariel (sniffles) Fine.
TEACHER: Rose Pelligrini? ROSE: Here.
TEACHER: Tommy Radford? TOMMY: Present.
TEACHER Allison Rolen? Here.
TEACHER: Judd Ruben? JUDD: Here.
TEACHER: Craig Sampson? CRAIG: Present.
TEACHER: Jeffrey Simon? JEFFREY: Here.
TEACHER: Gail Simms? Ari Steinberg? Present.
Eric Tang? Right here.
Cassandra Tunstell? Casey Tunstell? Tell him you're here, dufus! Here.
TEACHER: Gary Pettit? TEACHER: David Tomsinni? Here.
Jeff Vanderhagen? Present.
TEACHER: Kevin Vanderdos? Here.
Teresa Vennali? Here.
Regina Watanabe? Present.
TEACHER: Steve Zennon? Yup.
Reaction? Uh, what do you mean? Jordan Spence! Come on, pretty great, huh? Well, I don't know.
I mean, what does he look like? Okay, don't do that.
Don't take a poop all ovover my good news just to be funny.
I'm sorry.
It's great.
It's better than great.
It happened just the way I dreamed it.
Right in front of my locker.
He was even wearing the shirt I told you he'd be wearing.
I'm really happy for you, Mo Ally.
Did you pick up your yearbook yet? Did you see the pictures of us? There we are.
Al? You okay? What's going on? It's Ariel.
It's that damn dream.
She can't reach the phone.
She's trapped in that car, bleeding to death.
Okay No, I didn't see the kind of car.
I didn't see anything.
Just our daughter suffering.
Wh-Wh-What are you doing? Oh! Why do I keep seeing that dream? I'm not learning anything from it.
I'm not seeing anything that I haven't seen already.
Okay, well, call me crazy, but, you know, she's not speaking to you,you just had a big fight with your daughter.
so maybe you're bringing that anxiety back into bed with you.
You know what the irony is? There is a girl out there who really needs my help, who really is in trouble, and I have nothing for her.
I touch her things, I get nothing.
I touch her hairbrush, I see her hair.
I touch her contact lens case, I see her eyes.
I'm not even sure any of it is real.
I so badly want to see something.
Did you call that Keener woman back? No.
I'm gonna see her tomorrow.
I'm not looking forward to it.
You know, I have nothing for her.
CYNTHIA: Well, I don't understand.
I gave you all those things that belong to her, and you come up with nothing? It doesn't work that way; I'm not a Geiger counter.
You can't just flip a switch and turn it on.
Sometimes it just doesn't happen.
Still, you do expect to get paid.
I don't work for charity.
Neither do you.
I mean, how did it work with the District Attorney? Surely there must have been some level of reliability.
He wouldn't have kept you around all that time if there weren't.
It was completely different.
He didn't keep me at home hiding.
I got to go to the crime scenes, talk to the victims, to their families.
Well, that would rather seem to defeat the purpose, wouldn't it? I mean, this is supposed to be about me, not you.
Who are you going to see? You're going to see someone.
It has something to do with this case.
Take me with you.
Are you playing me? You've already paid me for the week.
Why wouldn't you want to get your money's worth? All Right ??? The polygraph seems to back that up.
The police seem to think she was on her way to his apartment.
What do you mean? Oh, come on, it's not The DaVinci Code.
She told everyone she was going to school that day, and, in fact, she got off the bus, made her way towards his apartment.
At least that's the theory du jour.
I've talked to Melanie's parents.
I've asked them to call the boy, and find out if I can interview him.
It's not a sure thing; they haven't said yes.
After all, I haven't given them a lot for their money so far.
It's going to happen.
You should take me with you.
You're completely playing me.
Fine, if it doesn't happen, don't take me with you.
I'm just trying to earn my keep.
You said he was 18.
He's not going to know who I am.
You can introduce me as whoever you want.
I'll think about it.
ARIEL: See this picture? That's my mom.
And the girl next to her, that's the girl that I was in my dream.
Okay but it's still just a dream.
No, you don't understand.
I saw this picture in this yearbook, only that was me where that girl is now, in the exact same pose, in exactly the same clothes.
Well, maybe you've seen this book before.
Maybe you saw that picture, and it just got stuck in your head.
But I haven't; I've never even heard my mom mention a girl named Casey before.
Well maybe you should tell her.
Maybe you should tell your mom about your dream, about this yearbook.
No.
No, no no way.
I'm so mad at her.
It's weird.
She was so cool in my dream.
So into the boy who asked her to the dance.
She would be so disappointed if she could see how she turned out.
JOE: Okay, here's my strategy.
I'm paying the mortgage.
Everything else I'm paying, but I'm paying with a credit card, which I'm not paying.
You listening? It's important that you know these details so that you can testify in my defense when they throw me into debtor's prison.
Well, I look at these things, I see nothing.
Well, I see things.
(sighing): You know what? We'll live without the 800 bucks.
No, it's not that.
It's this girl.
Well, I want to help her.
I want to help her parents.
I don't know what to say, Al.
You know, if you were meant to be of help, you'd be of help.
You keep telling me what a jerk this Cynthia woman is.
Huh.
So maybe that's the news here.
Maybe you're not supposed to be working with her on this or any other case.
(sighs) (sighs) Al, it's 11:00.
Would you go in? I'll be in in a second.
Ariel? Hey, Ariel, I know you're not asleep.
I know you're still mad at me I don't know what to tell you.
You're 14.
There'll be other concerts.
There'll be other boys.
I just I can't.
(singing along): * There is freedom within * * There is freedom without * * Try to catch the deluge in a paper cup * * There's a battle ahead * * Many battles are lost * Come on, Casey, sing along.
* the road while you're traveling with me * * Hey now, hey now * WOMAN: Allison! (knock at door) Okay, I'm shutting it off! * Hey now * I hate my mother.
Don't say that.
Why not? You say it all the time about your parents.
I do? I hate my parents and I hate Jordan Spence.
How could he break up with me just before summer vacation? I don't know.
How could he break up with you just before summer vacation? You know what I was gonna get him for his birthday? Know what my big surprise was gonna be? Tickets to Crowded House, his favorite band.
I've never heard of them.
Really? Jordan turned me on to them and now they're like my favorite.
They're coming to the Orpheum downtown.
I've been saving up money for months.
You want to go anyway, you and me? What are you talking about? I can't afford that.
I'll lend you the money, I've got it right here.
Wait a minute, you're not allowed to go to concerts.
Not until you're 16.
I know.
And neither are you.
What did your father say the last time they caught you sneaking out of the house? One more time and they're sending you to live with your aunt in Germany.
Well, I'm not waiting a whole other year to live my life.
I'm not.
The tickets go on sale tomorrow and I know that they're gonna sell out in no time.
We should definitely go.
But it's the Orpheum downtown.
And if our mothers don't take us, then how are we gonna get there? This is downtown.
And here's the Orpheum box office right on Adams.
Okay.
Well, according to this, the M-14 bus runs right up and down Adams.
And what just happens to be at the other end of Adams? Why, the Moonlight Roller Rink, of course.
Okay, but I still don't get it.
Sure you do.
I get my mom to drop us off in the morning, we hop the bus downtown, buy the tickets, then hop on the bus back in time for your mom to pick us up at the roller rink.
Oh, my God, I think that could work.
Of course it'll work.
Why wouldn't it work? Oh, my God, that could work.
Oh, my God,???? Hey, you see that? All bad things don't necessarily come to an end.
It's Cynthia Keener for you.
I'm taking the girls to that matinee.
No candy.
No money.
Hello? Any dreams? Any breakthroughs? Afraid not.
Melanie's parents called the boyfriend.
He's agreed to meet me tonight.
You still interested in being there? You still interested in having me? Well, like you said, I already paid you.
I might as well get my money's worth.
I'll tell him to come around to that little coffee shop we meet at.
Can you be there at 7:00? Oh, wait.
That's about the time I'm supposed to pick up my daughter and her friend from the roller rink.
And my husband just left.
You know what? I'll just pick them up a little early.
I can get them both back here and still be able to get there.
ARIEL: Thank you for doing this.
That's the third time you've thanked me.
Do you think I'm awful? No.
I think you've got a date with Connor Widomski.
That says it all.
And besides, your mom lied to you.
I wish you could've seen her.
She was so cool.
Didn't care when her parents told her no.
See? You're just doing what she would've done.
You're just doing what she did.
I know I'm a little early; something came up.
Where's Ariel? Ariel! Ariel! I just want to let you know I'm probably not going to be able to make it.
Something came up that's out of my control.
I am truly sorry.
CYNTHIA: I don't understand.
Well, to be honest, I don't really understand myself.
Cynthia, I don't know what to say.
Well, neither do I.
JOE: You lied to us? Yeah, well, she lied to me.
Excuse me-- lie to you?! It wasn't me who got on a bus and went downtown when they were told not to.
Yeah, well, as a matter of fact, it was.
What is she talking about? What are you talking about? You.
You're such a liar.
No concerts until you were 16? Yes, I did not go to a concert by myself until I was 16-- what is your point? There it is-- you're doing it again.
You're lying.
I happen to know that you did go to a concert with your best friend Casey, and you did it when you were in the ninth grade.
Even though you weren't 16, even though your parents said you couldn't.
What?! And you want to know how you bought the tickets? Your told your mom you were going to go skate, and you took a bus downtown.
What is going on here? Is any of this true? Who told you that? Nobody told me anything.
I saw it.
I dreamt it.
You had a dream about me and Casey? Yeah.
Only I was her.
I was Casey.
And you were so cool, Mom.
??? Is she still crying? No.
She's finally asleep.
And you can't sleep and cry.
She said it had been the best day of her life and I made it the worst day of her life.
Want to hear the funny part? Mm.
You know that concert she's talking about-- I never even made it there.
No? We got a ride with this senior who had a car.
He and his buddies were drinking and smoking the whole way.
We finally got there, we were about to go into the Orpheum, and there's this cop at the window.
And when he saw how young Casey and I were, he put us in his squad car and drove us home.
So you really were 16 when you went to your first concert.
Mm-hmm.
Oh.
So who is this friend-- the one that she's dreaming about? Casey Tunstell.
I haven't spoken to her since, well pretty much since the night of that concert, practically.
We stopped hanging out after that.
I figure her parents must've found out it was all my idea.
She just started avoiding me.
I guess they forbade her to see me.
You know how that goes.
Last chance before the main event.
We told you "no.
" What's the problem? Don't you girls know how to have fun? Look at her-- she's shaking.
I told you she just doesn't want to get in trouble.
Her parents are really strict.
Come on, we're here.
Let's just go inside.
OFFICER: My goodness.
That's a fragrant aroma coming from your vehicle.
Can I see your license, please, sir? Says here you're 17, young man.
How about you two in the back? You sure look young to me.
Either of you old enough to have a license? OFFICER: Huh? I didn't think so.
Your parents know that you're hanging out with boys, drinking and smoking? We didn't drink or smoke anything.
We just needed a ride.
You two planning on going to the concert tonight? Yes, we were, sir.
All right, I'm gonna cut you some slack.
Get out.
What I want you to do is go in there and sober up.
And I'm gonna be out here waiting for you when the concert's over.
And if either one of you looks the least bit squirrelly to me, not only will you not be getting behind the wheel of this car tonight, but I will see to it that neither one of you ever gets behind the wheel of a motor vehicle ever again.
You read me? Yeah.
Thank you, Officer.
Okay.
Now, ladies, one more time, do your parents know that you're here, either of you? Yeah, they know.
Okay, well, give me their phone numbers, each of you, and I'll give 'em a call and confirm that.
I thought so.
Why don't you hop out there? Get in my car.
I'm taking you ladies home.
Are you gonna be okay? Are your parents gonna be okay? I remember how they got that last time.
I'm so sorry, Case.
I can't believe this.
Who knows? Maybe it's just a dream.
Maybe I'll just wake up.
You poor thing.
Briarwood Place, you said? Uh-huh.
What I should do right now is walk up to that door, knock on it and tell your folks where it is I found you tonight, but I'm not gonna do that 'cause I suspect you're smart enough to know when you've dodged a bullet.
Now get out of here.
Can my friend come with me? Her parents, they're not gonna understand.
Why don't you let me worry about that? Or would you rather I escort you to your door? No, that's okay.
What'd you say your name was, young lady? Casey.
Well, it sounds like your parents are real strict, huh? Yeah, that's what I hear.
Yeah.
They wouldn't be too happy if they found out what you were doing tonight, would they? Yeah, but you're not really gonna tell them.
(sighs) Well, that depends.
There's my street.
I suppose I could do you a favor and not say anything.
You're passing it.
First, you have to do me a favor.
I'd really like to wake up now.
Pardon me? Did you say something? You missed my street.
It's okay.
We're just talking, getting to know each other.
Okay, I'd really like to wake up now! You're a pretty girl, Casey.
Know that? A really pretty girl.
Ariel! You okay? What is it? What is it?! I couldn't wake up! I couldn't wake up! It was so horrible! ??? She's asleep in our bed.
Well, I'm grateful that someone is.
Um, I got to ask.
How much of that actually happened? Want to hear something scary? All of it.
At least all of it I was there for.
It happened just like that.
I never heard about Casey being attacked.
You did say you didn't see that much of her after that night.
You know, I don't think I ever spoke to her after that.
I always assumed it was her parents.
You know what? I have to find her.
I have to talk to her about this.
Tunstell.
T-U-N-S-T-E-L-L.
You know, she could be married by now.
Her first name, you know, could be Cassandra, for all I know.
I found her, I think.
Well, what took you so long? Okay, this is from the Flagstaff Examiner.
"Pinecrest resident Casey Tunstell" What? What? Why'd you stop reading? Ah, she's dead, Al.
Killed in a car accident almost 12 years ago.
Oh, my God, Casey According to this, she hit a deer.
You know, in all those dreams, Ariel was Casey.
in the car wreck dreams that I had and the high school dreams that Ariel had.
I just, I can't figure out the why of it.
I mean, why show us these things now? What does it have to do with anything? I don't know.
It doesn't make any sense.
A guy attacked her and she didn't say anything then when she was alive.
I mean, why now? That cop was some judge of character.
He knew the only way that Casey could accuse him of anything would be for her to tell her parents, to admit to them that she snuck out again, that she disobeyed them again.
And he could sense she would never do that.
What I don't get is why I didn't see it.
I was in that car with him, too.
I let him drive off with her.
Come on, Allison.
You're a teenager.
He's a police officer.
I mean, how do you not get in that car? Wait a minute.
Say that again.
When you're that age, when you're in high school, I mean, how do you not get into a police officer's car when he tells you to? Good morning.
Good morning.
I appreciate you coming over so quickly.
Oh, that's all right.
I needed to see you anyway.
Now's as good a time as any.
This, uh, obviously isn't working out.
It's certainly not working out for me, for my clients.
Melanie's parents have called in the FBI.
I'll need her books and things back.
I've been asked to surrender them to the federal authorities.
As for the money I've paid you to date, well But, uh, going forward, I don't really believe there is any going forward.
(sighs) Well, I am sorry that you feel that way, especially now that I have a pretty good idea how to find her and I was counting on you for your help, but let me go get those books.
Um, Allison Uh, let me see if I understand this correctly.
You want a copy of the I.
D.
photos of every officer working in 1987.
I do.
Wouldn't it just be simpler to bring whoever this secret informant is into the station here and have him or her just look over the files? It's not gonna happen, Detective.
And time is of the essence.
It's our guy.
Can I help you? Ben Talmadge? Officer Ben Talmadge.
What can I do for you, Detective? I was wondering if I might take a look inside your house.
You have a warrant? No, but I can get one.
We can all wait around till it arrives, or you can invite me in to take a look around.
You know, I retire a week and a half.
Made a lot of, a lot of plans.
A lot of preparations.
You're not gonna do anything to screw that up, are you, Detective? That'd be up to you, sir.
That'd be up to you.
REPORTER: 16-year-old Melanie Daniels was rescued late this evening after being missing for four days, based on information supplied by Ameritips, which aided in the investigation at the parents' request.
Her abductor, a policeman, is believed to have lured the 16-year-old into his patrol car and kept her prisoner in the basement of his home Come on.
Time to get up, go to bed.
It's 2:00 in the morning.
Wait a second.
I was watching that.
No, you weren't.
That's the 2:00 a.
m.
rebroadcast of the You've seen it already.
To hear them tell it, Ameritips did the whole thing by themselves.
Your friend Cynthia's gonna be very happy.
No mention of you, no mention of Ariel.
Well, that's fine with me.
I'm just happy that the girl's safe and I'm still on the payroll.
You go ahead.
I'll be in in a minute.
* There is freedom within * * There is freedom without * * Try to catch the deluge in a paper cup * You know, I'm really glad we're doing this.
You don't hate me? Come on, Mom.
I wouldn't be having this dream if I hated you.
* Many battles are lost, but you'll never see * * The end of the road while you're traveling with me * * Hey now, hey now, don't dream it's over * » Ó­¼ÓÈë
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