Stalker (2014) s01e10 Episode Script

A Cry for Help

Who's up there? Who is that? Ugh! Hey! - Hey.
- Hey.
Thanks for coming.
Kind of freaked me out on the phone.
What's going on? We have to talk.
OK.
You know how much I care about you.
OK.
Just whatever it is, just tell me, OK? I went by your restaurant last night, and I saw you with Brody.
Why didn't you come in? I would have introduced you to him.
I've already met him, Tracy.
His real name is Perry Whitley.
He's a second-year art major at Alcott University.
The university called me into assess a threat, and I made contact with him, and he became fixated on me.
But I know.
It's a lot to process.
You think he sought me out to get close to you? Stalkers invade the world of the people they stalk to feel closer to them, to feed their obsession.
We've seen this before.
I found these on his dorm room wall.
He's escalating, Tracy.
He's dangerous.
What is wrong with me? Nothing is wrong with you.
This has nothing to do with your past.
You're a strong woman who was lied to.
That is it.
He asked me about you.
He got your alarm code from my phone, didn't he? I believe so.
And he was the one that left the Teddy bear.
So he knows about your family, your real name.
I never said anything, I swear.
I know.
He found out some other way.
You know how insidious this gets.
There's no room for apology, Trace.
There's only room for the correct response because as survivors as stalking we know that our reaction is everything.
I need you to make minimal contact and not tip him off.
Do you understand? I'm sorry.
God.
A woman did all this? She knew how to fight.
Martial arts, Judo? I don't know.
Some kind of karate chop mess.
She surprised me.
I thought she was gonna kill me.
If that guard hadn't have come when he did how long has she been stalking you? About two months? Why didn't you report it? I was too embarrassed.
Told some of the guys at work.
They laughed at me, said I should be flattered like I can't get a woman.
You told the responding officer that you couldn't see her face.
Yeah.
She was wearing a hat.
In your report, you said that a female passenger's been stalking you.
Tell me about her.
Her name is Nora.
Um, I don't have a last name.
She rides every day, gets off at 3rd and Wilcox.
Works at a dry cleaners nearby.
She's been hot for me for a while.
Explain what you mean.
What? A woman can't be hot for me? Look.
I know I'm just a bus driver that's not what I mean, sir.
Describe her behavior towards you.
She always sits in the first 3 rows, makes eyes at me in the mirror, and that's how it started.
Then one day, she got on the bus, and right at the front, she dropped her purse, and when she went to pick it up, she touched me.
Touched you how? She fondled me.
How? Do you really want me to say it? She grabbed my junk.
On a crowded bus? It was a third full.
Anyway, she rode the bus all day long.
She never got off, and finally, I said, "ma'am, this bus is done for the night.
" And? And she rode with me back to the bus yard, and we did it.
In the bus? Yeah.
Just hot sex.
Just the one time? Yeah.
It was just sex, and then she asked for my number, and I gave her a fake one, which was stupid because she called it and got mad.
She knew I was blowing her off.
Why did you blow her off? She was mean.
Mean how? The sex was way too rough for me.
I like it tender.
She kept slapping me, pinching me.
It hurt.
So you think Nora knew martial arts? Yeah.
It had to be her.
Same weight, same size.
She tried to hide her face, but it was Nora.
Sounds like Nora's a rejected stalker angry, aggressive.
Likes to have sex on a bus.
You've never had sex on a bus? One dry cleaner near 3rd and Wilcox.
I called and asked for Nora.
She is working today.
- Field trip? - Let's do it.
Somebody had a late night.
Morning.
You and Jack on the bus driver? Yeah.
We're just heading out now.
OK.
I'll have Ben update me.
Everything OK? Yeah.
Why? You're late.
So? You're never late.
I'm fine.
Thanks, Janice.
Los Angeles Police Department.
You're not supposed to be back here.
Nora Garcia? Detective Lawrence and Detective Larsen.
We need to speak to you about Henry White.
The bus driver? He was attacked last night, got beaten up pretty badly.
Big Guero like that should be able to handle himself in a fight.
What happened to your hand? I burnt it on a steam iron.
I do it all the time.
So? Where were you last night? Wait.
Are you accusing me of something? No.
Henry is.
He thinks that you attacked him because he rejected you.
That fat-ass.
Where were you last night? I was here, working.
Was anyone with you? Yeah.
Leon was here.
He's in the back if you want to talk to him.
Nora, we know you had sex with him and he rejected you.
Come on.
It happens to all of us at one time or another.
Admit it.
OK, OK.
But usually, I'm the one who dumps the guy.
I don't get Henry.
He's no prize.
Anyway, he changed his routes.
I haven't seen him since.
We'll need to verify your alibi.
Where's Leon? Leon! She's a live wire.
No.
No.
Agh! Aah! Ugh! Help! No! No! No! Aah! - Hey.
- Hey.
She nailed the door shut.
Yeah.
She made entry and exit through the window.
The guys lifted her prints.
- Who found him? - The neighbors.
Heard him yelling for help, called it in.
She was interrupted at the bus yard.
She trapped him in here so she could finish what she started.
She nailed his hands to the headboard, too.
Impalement is a forceful and violent release of repression.
Maybe a sadistic stalker, deriving power and control by inflicting pain, but why his hands? She was taking ownership.
He had nothing to fight back with.
She wanted him to feel helpless.
He's gonna have scars.
People will notice and ask what happened.
He'll have to relive the attack over and over again.
If she wanted him dead, he would be.
Her M.
O.
is to maim, not kill.
The attacks were a day apart.
After the first one, wouldn't you lay low, let some time pass since you know the cops are looking for you? She couldn't wait.
She needed a fix.
She got sloppy and left prints behind.
But why is she targeting Henry? I didn't even know she was in the room.
She came up behind me, she put me in a choke hold.
I couldn't breathe.
I thought she was gonna kill me.
Then what happened? She spun me around, and I saw her face, but it wasn't Nora.
She looked crazed.
Can you describe her? About 5'5", same size as Nora.
She was wearing all black.
Do you know her? Yeah.
I don't know her name, but she rides the bus.
For how long? I don't know.
Sometimes, she sat next to Nora.
On your route, where did she get on and off the bus? She never really had a specific stop.
She always just rode all over the city.
Why is she doing this to me? We're gonna find out, I promise.
Henry's got a clean record.
Any beef with co-workers? No.
No complaints from anybody.
Everyone seems to really like him.
He played baseball in junior college and went out on an injury, but he's been a bus driver ever since.
Never been married, no whack job ex-girlfriends that we know of? No.
I talked to his family and friends.
He doesn't come across as someone with enemies.
We ran her prints from the crime scene, but nothing came up in the database.
Most female stalkers don't target strangers.
It's usually someone they've had previous contact with.
She concealed her identity during the first attack, but then showed her face during the second one.
That was a brazen thing to do.
Gave her a bigger high.
Maybe she doesn't care about getting caught.
Maybe she wants to get get caught.
I went back and looked at Henry's wounds from the first attack.
She knew where to land the punches and kicks.
I mean, she hit him right in the solar plexus.
That knocks the wind out of you.
Anything from the bus yard surveillance cameras? They were cut, but I'm getting the daily footage from inside Henry's bus.
Now that we have her description, let's go through the footage and see if we can establish any kind of pattern or routine.
How's it going, Danielle? A very uneventful day.
Oh.
Well, let's change that.
What are we gonna do with your hair today? Something fun, something drastic.
Blond.
Please.
You must.
Blond will make your eyes pop.
You think? I was blond once a long time ago.
It wasn't much fun.
Oh.
Well, all the reason to try it again.
OK.
Talked me into it.
I found our stalker on the bus footage.
Both Henry and Nora confirm it was her.
She always sits in the same seat a few rows back behind Henry.
Wait.
Zoom in.
She sat there so she could be in his eye line.
What does that mean? She was stalking him overtly.
Ben, fly her picture.
Let's get a BOLO broadcast out on her.
Ohh! Yaah! Oh, my God Danielle, you scared the hell out of me.
What are you doing here? My name isn't Danielle.
Aah! Ow! What are you doing? Aah! No.
Ohh.
No, no.
Aah! Ohh! Aah! No! Aah! Thanks.
- Morning.
- Good morning.
I got a call from Central Station.
A hair stylist was attacked by a woman matching our stalker's description last night.
Looks like we have a serial stalker.
But she's gone from male victim to female victim.
There's no pattern.
Her psychology doesn't track.
Janice and I will take the interview.
Sure.
You OK? Yeah.
You seem distracted.
All good here.
Hey, beautiful.
Hey, Brody.
I called you, left a couple of messages.
I'm sorry.
It's been crazy busy today.
I've been thinking about you.
I've been thinking about you, too.
I miss you is all.
You free tonight? Um, one of our managers called in sick, so I'm gonna be here late.
We've had late nights before.
Not tonight.
I've got early morning shift, too.
Please understand.
I'll call you later.
Is this the woman who attacked you? Yes.
She's a client of mine.
What's her name? Danielle, but last night, she said that wasn't her name.
It was so creepy.
Tell us what happened.
I was leaving the salon last night when she came out of nowhere.
She attacked me, and she ripped off all my clothes.
It's OK, baby.
She threw disinfectant in my face, and she strapped me to the chair.
She grabbed a pair of scissors.
I was terrified she was gonna stab me, but she was crazy.
She said she wanted to give me a new look.
I couldn't see it burned so badly.
How long has she been a client? I don't know why she would do this to me.
You're her second victim.
She was talking you both in plain sight, getting to know you, sitting in your chair, figuring out your schedule.
First victim was a bus driver Henry White.
Do you know him? No, I don't.
Why'd you look away just now? I was just thinking, um, if I knew him, but I don't.
His name's not familiar.
So you don't know Henry White? She already said she doesn't.
I think my wife's been through enough.
Scott, it's OK.
You think you'll find her? We're doing our best.
I spoke to the gal at the salon who does the books.
She said her stalker always paid in cash.
There's no credit card on file we can trace back to her.
I followed up with Henry.
He claims not to know Sophia either.
I think Sophia's lying.
I think she knows Henry, which means there's a connection between our two victims.
Let's find it.
Excuse me.
Did something happen? He came to the restaurant.
Come on.
Who's that? I don't know.
A friend? Beth has a friend? I never returned his calls, so he stopped by to see me.
I tried to hide it, but I can tell he knows.
You're not going home.
You're gonna stay with me.
Beth, I'm scared.
He won't come to my house.
It's too risky.
I'll get a patrol car, have him stay with you till I get home.
Yeah.
This is Lieutenant Beth Davis.
I need to request a patro We got hit on a photo in the missing persons database.
I think it's her.
All right.
I'll get back to you.
Excuse me, Trace.
What's her story? Cori James, 30, born and raised in L.
A.
She's been missing for two months.
Who filed the report? Her mother Barbara James.
Is this a new case? It's a friend of mine.
Oh.
Do you need help with anything? I need 5 minutes.
I'll check this out.
So you haven't found Cori? Not yet, I'm afraid.
Take a look at this picture.
It was pulled from an L.
A.
bus security video.
It was taken last week.
That's Cori.
Oh, I'm so glad she's OK.
Ms.
James, your daughter's wanted for questioning in an ongoing investigation.
When was the last time you saw her? About two months ago.
She used to come over every other Sunday for dinner, and one week, she didn't show up.
I called, I left a message.
She didn't call back.
She stopped showing up for work.
She disappeared.
What was Cori's mood like on her last visit? She was upset.
Her friend Meg from high school recently died of a drug overdose.
Cori took it hard.
They were close.
How close? Like sisters.
Cori always took care of Meg.
Is this them? That was taken freshman year before Meg got into drugs.
Cori's changed a lot over the years.
Well, she took up karate in tenth grade and threw away all her dresses, stopped wearing makeup or caring about her appearance.
Did you ever talk to her about that? I tried a few times, but she had her walls up.
I knew she was going through something, and it killed me that I couldn't help her.
Would you mind showing us your daughter's old bedroom? Did Cori date much? She only went to one dance the whole I tried to encourage her to go out more often, but she wasn't interested.
It made me said she didn't have more friends.
Would you mind if we borrow Cori's yearbook? It might help us figure out where she is.
Sure, and if you find her, will you please tell her how much I miss her? Of course.
Two faces were blacked out in Cori's yearbook.
They belong to Henry White and Sophia Logan, her maiden name, which is why I couldn't find a connection.
So our stalker went to school with both of her victims.
Scribbling or blacking out someone's photo she's angry.
Cori was mad because of something that happened back in high school.
Well, judging by the dramatic shift in personality and appearance, sudden social withdrawal, interest in self-defense, Cori may have suffered some kind of traumatic event.
Or rape.
Poor performance in school, hypervigilance these are all common behavioral side effects of rape trauma syndrome.
So Cori attacked Henry because he raped her? Psychologically, it doesn't make any sense.
Rape victims usually go for the genitals.
Henry was nailed through the hands.
What was Sophia guilty of? We need to get them both in here, find out what they're hiding.
Has there been a break in the case? Yes.
We believe you're being targeted by someone you went to high school with.
High school? Really? Your stalker's name is Cori James.
These are a couple pages from her yearbook.
As you can see, your photo has been blacked out.
Along with Henry White's, but you said you didn't know him, right? That's right.
I don't.
I think you're lying, Sophia.
I think you do know Henry and Cori James.
You obviously went to high school together.
Were you friends, enemies? I told you I don't know them, and if we did go to school together, we never met.
You were voted most popular and student body secretary.
Still, never met? Well, I'm gonna go talk to Henry, see what he has to stay.
How's it going? Henry still claims he doesn't know Sophia.
It's OK.
Sophia already told us everything.
What are you talking about? She told us about how you raped Cori James back in high school.
You're going to jail for a very long time, Henry.
Bitch.
She's lying.
She's lying.
It wasn't me.
It was Scott Mason.
Sophia's husband? Yeah.
On it.
Ha! You're funny.
You've got a really dark sense of humor.
That's what all the girls tell me.
Have we met before? I don't know.
You tell me.
No.
No.
We haven't met because I would have remembered a pretty face like yours.
Do you want to get out of here? Let's go.
I can't reach Scott Mason.
There's no answer on his mobile or home phone.
Get a warrant to ping his cell.
We have to find him.
You want to stay out of jail, Henry? You better tell me everything that happened now.
Time to come clean, Sophia.
I know Scott raped Cori, and I know you and Henry helped.
I'm not saying anything without a lawyer.
The statute of limitations on rape in California's 10 years.
You can't be charged with anything.
Neither can your husband.
Come on.
Sophia, I see the shame and the guilt.
It's right there just beneath the surface.
It wants to come out.
It's time.
Scott and I were hot and heavy in high school.
After he left for college, I could tell he was losing interest.
It was homecoming.
Scott was back, and were partying at the botanical gardens.
He was bragging about some deal he signed with a minor league team.
He kept flirting with Cori and Meg.
I was so jealous.
I couldn't stand the thought of losing him.
It was late.
Cori and Meg, they kept hanging around.
I mean, they were in awe of Scott.
We were all in awe of him, you know? He said to me that they were asking for it and that he was gonna give it to them.
Then Scott and Meg were making out.
He was groping her.
She said, "no," but he forced her down.
And the Cori tried to run.
And I grabbed her, and I held her down until he could finish.
That explains the nails in your hands.
She wanted you to feel her pain.
You stood there, watched, did nothing.
That's why Cori burned your eyes.
I didn't know what else to do.
I loved him so much.
I still do.
Ooh.
Someone's in a hurry.
Now don't be coy.
I know you didn't drag me out here just to dance.
That is true.
I do have something else in mind.
Ooh.
All right.
Well, I can't wait forever.
Oh, but there's something that you should know.
What is it? Well, see we have met before.
It was 16 years ago.
Homecoming, the night that I gave it to your and your friend.
You little slut, I know what you've been up do.
Did you really think that you could take me? Unh! Meg died because of what you did to her.
This is for her.
Unh! You were right about the rape.
This is all about retribution.
Meg's death was the trigger.
It's what drove her to seek justice for her friend.
I hate that Henry and Sophia both get to walk.
They're the victims.
This one's not so black and white.
Hey.
Whatever's going on, if you need anything nothing's going on.
I get it.
You're my boss, and I've worked under you for but I also care.
I know we have no real personal relationship, but if you need anything Yeah.
That's very, very sweet of you, Janice, but, uh, everything's fine.
Something is going on with you.
Let me in.
I want to help.
I pinged Scott Mason's phone.
His GPS shut off near the end of Candle Drive.
Isn't that near the Botanical Gardens? She's taking him back to the scene of the crime.
Jack.
Please.
Stop.
Oh, remember? I said that very same thing, and you said, "don't worry.
It will all be over soon.
" What are what are you gonna do? Oh, my God.
What are you no, no! You took something from us that night.
Now I'm gonna take something from you.
You are never gonna hurt anyone ever again.
No, no! What are you doing? Please.
No.
Don't do this! Oh, my God! No! No! Please! Cori, please, no.
I-I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Yeah.
Meg is dead.
I'm sorry.
Let him go, Cori.
I got her.
Cori? Cori, it's over.
I know about Meg.
I know what he did to the both of you.
I could help you if you let me.
When's the last time you let someone help you? You don't want to fight me, Cori.
I don't I don't want to hurt you.
You won't.
Let's go.
Get her out of here.
Yes, ma'am.
Move.
She's lying.
I never raped anyone.
She and her friend were totally into it.
Why would Cori make something like that up? She and Meg were freshman wannabes.
They would have done anything to be part of the cool crowd.
Look.
Maybe they were ashamed and decided to blame someone else.
I mean, obviously she's mentally unstable, right? She did try to cut off my penis.
We've got two witnesses who can corroborate Cori's story.
One of them is your wife.
Sophia has always been insecure, OK? She had convinced herself that that's what happened because she couldn't accept that I lost interest in her and hooked up with the other girls.
I'm the victim here.
No one's saying you aren't.
But you don't believe me.
Well, it doesn't matter what you think because there's nothing you can do.
Statute of limitations ran out years ago.
I gave them every opportunity to apologize.
I rode Henry's bus, sat in Sophia's chair, hung out at Scott's favorite bar.
Not one of them ever recognized me.
You've changed, Cori.
I know that No, you don't.
No one does.
I know it never goes away, that it's always there like a rock you carry in your pocket.
Weighs you down, and it holds you back, keeps you in your past.
Meg is dead because of them.
Why didn't you go to the police all those years ago? I was afraid of what my mom would think.
We were out past curfew, drinking.
I wanted to forget it ever happened.
Now Meg's dead because of them, because of me.
I wouldn't ask for help.
You were kids, and you went through a serious trauma.
No one can blame you for how you reacted back then.
I took karate so I wouldn't be a victim again, but Meg was fragile.
I got her into rehab, and she'd relapse.
After she died, I tried to file a report, but the cop at the front desk told me I was wasting my time.
He referred me to a self-help group.
I walked out.
I took things in my own hands.
What happens now? You're an adult.
There are consequences for your actions.
I know that, but Scott, he gets to go free, doesn't he? Where's the justice in that? S.
I.
D.
just sent this over.
It's marked "urgent.
" Good news? Cori.
What's going on? There's something I want you to see.
- Ben.
- Right this way.
What is this? We collected your DNA from the Botanical Gardens.
We ran it through our database, and we got a hit.
A 15-year-old Northridge girl was raped after a high-school baseball game.
That's your thing, right, raping underage girls, and this one falls within the statute of limitations, and I'm guessing that if I keep digging other girls will surface and more changes will be brought against you.
You are done.
We got you.
Why the long face? This case bugs.
I'll second that.
The victims were guilty, the stalker was a victim.
I don't like it when it's gray.
Keeps me up at night, end up watching reality TV, eat too much, it gets ugly.
I know the feeling.
Good night.
I'll walk out with you.
Janice? Eh, I have to finish the paperwork.
I'll be here awhile.
- Tomorrow.
- Good night.
- Hi.
- Hey, Tracy.
I picked up takeout.
I'll be there in 15 minutes, OK? I'm here, guard at the door.
I know it seems like overkill.
Not at all.
I'll see you soon.
Can I help you with that? It's nice to see you, Lieutenant Davis, but then, I mean, you always stop off here for dinner.
You love their deli salads.
The, uh, kale and butternut squash, that's your favorite, right? Why are you following me, Perry? Come on.
You know the answer to that.
I'm obsessive.
I have a severe obsessive personality disorder that can't be treated.
One doctor even diagnosed me as psychopathic.
You need help.
That's what they say, but my dad seems to think that I'm perfect, so I'm just going with that for now.
How's Tracy? I know you know.
You'll never see her again, Perry.
That's too bad.
She was nice.
Sad but tragic like you.
Get away from my car.
Or what? You gonna hit me again? No one has ever touched me like that.
Why did you smack me around? Was it because I remind you of Ray? I can understand that.
Both rich kids, protected by money.
He really did a number on you, didn't he? Killed your whole family? How do you survive something like that? Change your name, become a detective, help others, but does it ever get better, Michelle? Please.
I want to know.
You want to hit me right now, don't you? People are watching.
They won't always be.
I can't wait.
What is it? I messed up.
I need your help.
You got it.

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