The Hunting Wives (2025) s01e04 Episode Script

1
Previously on
The Hunting Wives
What are you sending
encrypted messages for?
You're fucking crazy.
Right now, Brad feels
like your whole world.
But it's not gonna
be that way forever.
Why would I take
advice from you?
You can't afford a
pair of new boots.
Pretty, aren't they?
Yeah.
It's a .380,
But don't be fooled.
It's got stopping power.
Some of y'all may
have heard rumors
that I was considering
throwing my hat
in the ring for governor.
If you run, everything changes.
You really want people looking
at the way we have fun?
We should talk. In person.
Where are you?
Sounds like you're at a party.
Are you at the lake?
-Someone order a pizza?
-Hey, boys.
Hey, honey.
I love
spin the bottle.
But you don't have
to do anything
you're not comfortable with.
Sorry.
Girl's name
is Abby Jackson.
If I had to guess, I'd
say it's a .380 caliber.
Pills to feel
calm Pills to get high ♪
It's a little too
late To be on time ♪
Gin that smells
Of turpentine ♪
All I wanna do Is
have a good time ♪
All I wanna do
Is roll the dice ♪
Guess what today was?
Today was the second to last
gym day of our junior year.
Yeah, we're gonna be
seniors.
-That's crazy.
-Happy but sad.
-That's crazy. Yeah.
-Happy but sad.
It's been
storming Since you left ♪
It's gonna be fun.
It's gonna be good.
Yeah.
Draw the
curtains closed ♪
Scatter photos all around ♪
-Go, team!
-Whoo! Let's go, Brad!
Since
you've been gone ♪
Since you've been gone ♪
Every corner, every room ♪
Holds a memory of you ♪
Could you at least
turn the volume down?
Sorry. Sorry, sorry, sorry.
of our junior year.
It's just so shocking.
You didn't even know her.
Well, it's a small town.
She went to our church.
Our church?
Yeah, you know what I mean.
Well, it's morbid.
Hey, Jack.
Uh, it's time for camp, bud.
I guess I'll leave you
to your two-day hangover.
I told you I didn't
drink at Margo's.
You were gone all night.
You didn't answer my calls.
I thought you were dead
in a ditch somewhere.
And Jack kept asking for you,
and I didn't know
what to tell him.
I I told you I
got too much sun.
-I fell asleep.
-Ready.
Oh, yes.
But you're right.
I'm sorry I made you worry.
And I'm sorry that
I'm being morbid.
I will take a break
from the news cycle.
Thanks.
I'm leaving in
five minutes, bud.
Say goodbye to Mommy, OK?
You ready for camp?
Daddy told me what you did.
What?
You killed a pig.
Yes.
I mean, remember I went hunting?
I thought hunting meant you
were just looking for them.
Hmm. Right. Well, I'm sorry.
But I didn't kill a pig.
I killed a boar.
And boars are big and scary.
And in Texas, there's
too many of them.
They're bad.
But still, you shouldn't kill.
That is very true.
You got it. No more killing.
Let's get you ready
for camp, bud.
Come on.
Hi, honey.
-These are for you.
-Oh, thank you, dear.
-It's just so awful.
-Yeah.
I'm just still so
shell-shocked, you know?
Thinking about the
last time I saw her.
She was such a polite
and sweet girl.
Oh, Jillie Bean, seriously,
how are you doing?
I'm OK.
-Shaken up, obviously.
-Yeah.
How's Brad?
Oh, he is a mess.
-You know, he loved that girl.
-Yeah.
He was practically catatonic
after we told him yesterday,
just crying and moaning.
Poor baby.
I know.
And today, they want him
to go in for questioning.
I mean, it's ridiculous.
He's going to Baylor,
for gosh sake.
Jill
you do have a lawyer, right?
Of course. Mel Osborn.
He does small group on Mondays.
Sweetie, this is a murder case.
You might want someone
a bit more aggressive.
But why?
Bradley didn't do
anything wrong.
No, no, of course not.
Just might as
well lawyer up.
Better be safe than sorry.
Of course.
You're right.
Whatever we need to do to
get it over with quick.
I mean, the good news is,
he was home all night.
Is he home now?
I've got this for him.
You know, teenage boys, they
just feel so much better
with something in their stomach.
Mm. Go ahead and try.
He hasn't eaten a thing
since we heard the news.
OK.
Brad, it's Mrs. Banks.
I tried calling yesterday.
I'm so sorry for your loss.
Oh.
Yeah. It's OK.
Brad, sweetie,
look at me.
I need to know what
happened that night
with Abby.
Are you really fucking
asking me that?
You think I killed her?
No, I didn't say that.
I just need to
know where you went
after you left my place.
Jamie drove me straight home.
Fuck you for asking.
Brad, I believe you.
I know you.
Of course you had
nothing to do with it.
But I'm just trying to have
your back here by telling you
these are the type of questions
people are gonna be asking you.
They're gonna ask you questions
about where you were that night.
So I need you to
have my back too.
Fuck.
Maybe if I'd been
there that night,
I could've saved her.
Coulda. Shoulda. Woulda.
Stop torturing yourself.
You loved Abby, and I
know you would have done
anything to protect her.
But right now, we
gotta think about
who else needs protecting.
You know, I love your mother.
She's my best friend.
I just can't help to
think, God, what if
I would just appreciate
if she never found out
where you were that night.
It's not like I go around
telling her when I sneak out.
OK, good.
And if anyone else asks, you
know, like the police or
I got it.
OK?
I'm not trying to put
you through all that,
or my mom.
And you'll tell Jamie too?
Whatever. Yeah.
Come the fuck on.
This is Margo.
Go on and say
something sweet now.
Hi. Um, holy shit.
Uh, this Abby
Jackson thing is
is so weird and
and awful and sad.
And I'm so sorry.
I know that you knew her.
Um, anyway, I think, uh, I
left something at your house.
And I'm just gonna
pop by and grab it.
I hope that's OK.
And this is Sophie, by the way.
Let me guess.
She's calling to complain
about what a bitch I am.
Well, you were a
little hard on her.
Oh, come on.
Who gives a shit about that?
This whole Abby
situation is crazy.
I know, right?
First that Kaycee
girl gets kidnapped,
and now this?
I mean, who would have
thought that Maple Brook
was gonna become one of
those true crime towns?
It's all over the news.
Jonny better get a hold on this.
Oh, yeah, believe me,
he's working on it.
I've never seen him so fired up.
The whole department's
working overtime.
Well, they have any suspects?
Mm, it's early days.
Well, Jill's worried sick,
as any mother would be.
You don't think that Brad
Oh, God. No.
Absolutely not.
I mean, I don't think so.
He's heartbroken.
If I were Jonny, I'd focus
a little further south,
if you know what I mean.
OK, OK. You're right.
You are so right.
The way I see it, it's just like
Jed and Jonny have
been going on about.
Crime is skyrocketing.
Who knows what's coming
across the border?
It is just not
safe here anymore.
And with Jonny's reelection
coming up, I hate to say it,
but catching the right guy
could be an opportunity.
-Hey, hey, busy boy.
-Hey, baby.
I brought you a fresh shirt.
Want the blue tie or the red?
Well, what in the world
is this for, exactly?
Murder of a cheerleader is huge.
You're gonna be on
the news, mister.
Well, I guess blue goes
better with my eyes,
but it's not like I'm trying
to make this about me, you know?
No. Baby, you care.
That's why if this had
to happen anywhere,
she's lucky, we're all lucky
it happened on your watch.
Why do I get the feeling
that you're buttering
me up for something?
No. It's just like you said.
All-American town haunted
by two violent crimes,
Kaycee Krummell and
now sweet Abby Jackson.
National news is gonna
be all over this.
So this could be an opportunity
to deliver a message.
What message?
They want to open
up our borders, OK.
Don't say we didn't warn 'em.
You think the immigration
angle plays here?
It plays if you play it.
-Mm.
-Hmm.
Oh, I got your meds.
Drop 'em, baby.
Here comes your muscle juice.
All done.
Wah-sah!
Well, shit don't fire
you know that hunter
who found Abby's body?
Yeah.
Undocumento.
Well, there you go.
Oh, for heaven's sake.
You have to cut
at the five-leaf.
Clint, are you listening to me?
We need to do something
about the situation.
I am organizing the
candlelight vigil.
What else do you
want me to do, Jill?
I am not talking about Abby.
She's in God's hands now.
I am talking about Brad.
You know the boyfriend is
always the first suspect.
Yeah, on TV, Jill.
Margo was here earlier, said
we need a better lawyer.
That means she thinks he did it.
Or at the very least, she thinks
other people think it.
Look, we need to get
ahead of this thing,
or Brad's gonna be a victim too.
If Brad had anything
to do with this,
may the Lord have mercy
'cause I certainly will not.
How could you even think that?
Mom?
Oh, hey.
Honey, I'm so glad to see
that you're out of bed.
Listen, I didn't want
to bother you yesterday
because you were so upset.
But now we need to talk
about the other night.
What about it?
Well, obviously,
you know, about
where you were.
I was grounded, home
in my room all night.
Of course.
It's just
maybe it sounds a little better
if we were more together.
OK, yeah.
You were here with me.
We had tacos.
We binged Outer Banks.
You made muddy buddies.
That's right.
Now, get dressed.
Let's head to the station
and tell the sheriff
just how good my
muddy buddies are.
Honey, I know it's hard,
but you have to keep
your strength up.
Carol brought sandwiches,
and someone sent over some fruit
cut up to look like flowers.
Could you just eat some fruit?
I don't want fruit.
I want justice.
Margo, it's Sophie.
-Flynn.
-Detective Neilson
calling about the
shooting in Winnsboro.
-What's that?
-At the Penny Pantry.
A shooting at the Penny
Pantry in Winnsboro.
-No, I haven't heard anything.
-Well, no shit.
You haven't returned
any of my calls.
Well, believe it or not,
we got enough going on
here in Maple Brook.
Look, I've got some
information on the gun used.
Can I call you back?
We can help
each other out
Dang it, Salazar.
-Aren't you supposed to be at
-Home. I know.
But something's
been bothering me
since the crime scene.
What am I looking at?
Abby Jackson's ring finger.
Now, you see that?
That little dent and tan line?
It's like she had a ring she'd
been wearing for a long time.
And so what? What, the
killer took the ring?
But not her wallet? No. I
think she took the ring off.
So was she secretly
engaged and called it off?
Or was it a a
Purity ring, promise ring
Yep. Yep. One of those.
Points to love interest,
don't you think?
Hmm.
Well, I spoke to Abby's
best friend this morning.
She was the last one to see
Abby alive at the party.
And she said that
Abby was looking
for her boyfriend that night.
And she was royally PO'd.
Well, there you go.
Guess who's coming in
for a little interview
right about now.
Let me guess.
The boyfriend.
Lucky me. Maybe I'll sit in.
Look, Salazar,
doctor said if you
push yourself too hard,
you'll end up having a seizure.
Alright, and I for one
don't want to be pulling
your tongue out of your
mouth, or whatever it is.
How are you gonna find
my tongue when you can't
find your ass with two hands?
What's that supposed to mean?
You have no witnesses.
The power outage knocked out
all the cameras by the lake.
And the body was moved.
So you don't even have
a real crime scene.
But tell me again how
you don't need my help.
How do
you know all that?
I'm still in the
office text chain.
Now, come on, let's
go get some snacks.
Fuck.
See anything you like?
Oh, uh, hi.
Sorry. Um, I'm so sorry.
This is
I'm mortified.
What are you doing here?
I left you a voicemail, um,
'cause I I thought I left
something here the other night.
And, um, I've looked everywhere.
I can't find my fucking gun.
Jesus, are you kidding me?
I know. I know, I
know. I'm so fucked.
I'm I'm fucked.
And and with Abby
What, you think your gun had
something to do with that?
No. God, no. I just
I don't I don't know.
I don't I barely remember
the other night at all,
so I don't I don't know.
But you don't think
that Brad or Jamie
had anything to do with it?
No.
I mean, I don't think so.
Brad did mention once that
Jamie had a thing
for Abby, but
What? What the fuck
does that mean?
Wait, do you think that Jamie
had something to do with this?
Probably not.
I don't think so.
I mean
Jesus, listen to us.
We gotta stop. We sound
like crazy people.
Of course they had
nothing to do with it.
Jamie took Brad straight
home from my place.
And Abby probably got killed
by some crazy
person in the woods
that had nothing to do
with you or your gun
or any of us, OK?
Yeah. No, you're
right, of course.
Yeah.
You really don't remember
anything from that night?
I mean, uh, between the
Xanax and the tequila
and the beer, there's
there's not a lot
left, and and
It's OK.
Everything's gonna
be OK, all right?
Just breathe.
Breathe.
Deep breaths.
In and out, OK?
Just you and me, all right?
Say it.
-Just you and me.
-That's right.
It's just us.
It's just us.
Good girl.
Now look at me.
I know you don't remember
much from that night.
Do you remember this?
I remember.
Just want to grab a seat.
Thank you for coming in today.
Just so you know,
I have briefed Mr. Thompson
on what he will and
will not talk about.
Yeah, of course. That's
fine. That's fine.
Brad, last time I
saw you was the night
you played Southlake Carrol.
How many points you
have that night?
What was it, 30?
You can answer that.
I think it was 33.
Amazing.
So basically, what
we're doing here today
is constructing a timeline
of Abby's last night.
So she was last seen leaving
the Whitaker residence.
You know it?
Yes, sir. That's
Creampie's house.
Do you know why
Abby would have been walking
the woods alone at night?
No, but
No, and that is all
you have to say.
But it's my fault.
-No, no. Brad
-No, it is.
I should have been there.
I was supposed to be there.
And if I was there,
she never would have left.
Instead, she was all alone
when she needed me most
'cause I was
grounded for cussin'.
Poor Abby.
Hey, man, listen,
anyone with eyes
could see how much you
two loved each other.
And I know you want to help.
But right now, helping
means I gotta ask
all the basic questions.
OK?
So, Brad, you said
that you were grounded.
Does that mean
that you were home?
Yes, sir.
I was home all night
with my mom, watching TV.
Oh, and
she made muddy buddies.
It was her cheat day.
I know all about that.
But there's not
anybody or anything
that's gonna tell me different,
put you someplace else?
Friends, enemies,
smartphone data?
Nope.
I mean, no, sir.
Well, that's that.
Thank you.
Thanks for coming down today.
What the fuck?
He's not gonna press him?
He's just he's just
sending him on his way?
Admittedly,
that was not
the most thorough
investigation I ever seen.
I'm surprised he didn't
ask him for an autograph.
Now, what'd I tell
you? Wasn't that easy?
-Painless.
-Oh, good.
Now, listen, I want you
to focus on healing up
because you got a big
future ahead of you.
-That's right.
-Thank you, sir.
That's what Abby
would have wanted.
-Ain't that right, son?
-Yes, sir.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
What the hell is going on here?
Why isn't he in handcuffs?
Ms. Jackson, this
is police business.
I'm gonna need you to just
go ahead and calm down.
Business?
It looked like you two
were gonna crack open
a couple of beers.
That boy killed my daughter.
Now, hold on a minute.
That's not what this is.
My baby girl is dead,
and you're telling
me to hold on?
Can't you just get off your
asses and do something?
Can he go, please?
-Yes.
-OK. Yeah, of course, right?
'Cause Mama will fix everything.
-Starr, please.
-No!
You people think that you
could do whatever you want,
right, 'cause your
fancy little friends
and your fancy little lawyers
are gonna protect you.
The truth is gonna come out.
And you can't lie to God.
We're all praying
for you, Starr.
How about I buy you a coffee?
All right.
Yeah, come on.
So you're
that detective
trying to find that girl?
Kaycee Krummell? Yeah.
Right. Well, are
there any leads?
Just about the only
thing I remember
is the way he smelled.
I swear it burned
right into my nose.
Vodka and cinnamon gum.
One to cover up the
other, you know?
My dad used to do
the same thing,
try to mask the
tequila with Tic Tacs,
but instead, you could smell
him coming a mile away.
I just feel like no one
is trying hard enough.
You have to trust the process.
We're gonna check the
kid's alibi, run his phone.
I know it's hard.
And I know what I saw that day.
What'd you see?
Well
they were fighting
in front of my house,
Brad and Abby.
Oh, he has a temper, and
not like a boy, mind you.
There is a darkness there.
I've I've seen it before,
and I see it in him, and
and I just stood there,
watching her take it.
Promise me that you will
find out who did this.
I can't make promises,
but I'm gonna do my best.
I know you will.
And I have faith in you.
OK.
Seems like
you've done that before.
Once,
like a million years ago.
I want to know all your secrets.
What happened here?
Um
a couple years ago, um,
Graham and I were
trying for a second.
But there was,
um, complications.
And when I wouldn't
stop bleeding,
they said that there was
nothing they could do,
so
they had to give me an
emergency hysterectomy.
Oh, honey.
I don't know, I just
I lost it.
'Cause, you know,
that's that.
And Graham, he tried to help me.
He tried to understand,
but he didn't get it.
I don't think he ever did.
And so I started drinking a lot.
And the night of the
accident, I was
I was really fucked up.
And I know that what I lost
doesn't make me any
less of a woman.
But I can't help feeling like
I don't know
I'm broken.
No.
Sophie,
you're perfect just
the way you are.
You hear me?
There's something about you that
makes me want to protect you.
That's why it scares me.
People are gonna
be asking questions
about that night,
about Brad and Abby.
And so I'm just worrying about
how it's gonna look to people
you know, Jed, Graham
that the boys were here.
Oh, fuck.
Yeah, the boys, I know.
So maybe if anyone asks,
it was just us here that night.
Just us.
How you holding up, Pete?
It's been hard.
The kids are upset.
Bev saw you drinking.
Drinking something
out of a paper bag
is what she said.
I won't deny you your grief,
but there is a feeling
that maybe you were
too close to Abby.
OK Clint, I would never.
These kids look up to you.
How are you going to
guide them through this
when you're too
broken up yourself?
Come on now
look, I'll pull it together.
But these kids have questions.
And no offense, but
it is me, not you,
that they come looking
to for answers.
You are too familiar with them.
And this is not Louisiana.
Louisiana.
You know, when you
brought me here,
you said fresh start.
And I thought all that
Louisiana nonsense
There's not going to be a
third act for you here, Pastor.
Now, this is not
me casting you out.
This is me asking
you to step aside
for the greater good.
Do you understand me?
I understand you
clear as a damn bell.
Hi.
This was out here for you.
I just wanted to
see how you're doing
away from all the chaos.
Looks like you've had
plenty of visitors, though.
I did send over an
edible arrangement.
Did you get it?
Uh-huh.
Look, I understand
why you were so
protective earlier.
I get it.
You and me aren't so different.
I'm a mama bear too.
So anyway, I spoke to Clint,
and the church is going
to put up a reward.
A reward?
I know the police
are doing their job,
but maybe they could
use a little help
encouraging the public.
I mean, whatever it takes
to find whoever did this
and bring them to justice.
As long as whoever isn't Brad.
Well,
anything you need,
you just let us know.
Yeah, sure.
Well, that was really something.
Yeah, it was, wasn't it?
Yeah.
So I guess I'll see you.
Not if I see you first.
-Bye.
-Bye.
Hey, everything's gonna be OK.
So how was your day?
-It was good.
-Mm.
It was really good. It's fine.
What'd you do?
I I went through some
of the boxes in the garage.
Great.
Well, how was camp, bud?
Wyatt K. is mean.
Oh, no.
What happened?
He called me stupid.
Well, that wasn't
very nice of him, was it?
Maybe he was just
having a bad day.
Hey, Mom, no phones
at the table.
Mom.
Sorry, baby. You're right.
Who was that?
Uh, just Margo.
She was just telling me
about the vigil tonight
for Abby Jackson.
The whole town is
gonna be there.
Shit. You're right.
I guess I should
make an appearance,
get some face time with Jed.
I'll call the babysitter.
You want to watch a
movie tonight, bud?
Yeah.
There you go.
Good. Great.
That works out well.
Everybody's making
hay about this, huh?
This is not how I
expected the spotlight
to come to Maple Brook.
I can already tell I'm
gonna be sick of Jonny
preening around on Fox News.
You hear what Clint's doing?
He's putting up a reward.
Yeah, well, it's
not a competition.
A girl is dead.
I know that,
obviously. Obviously.
It's just, everybody else
is pitching in and helping.
Is it wrong of me to hear
the call to serve as well?
No, it's not wrong.
Well, thanks for that.
Appreciate you being supportive.
Thou my best thought ♪
By day or by night ♪
Waking or sleeping ♪
Thy presence my light ♪
Be thou my wisdom ♪
And thou my true word ♪
I ever with thee ♪
There you go.
And we're gonna
be lighting these
soon as the sun goes down,
so thank you all for coming.
Hi.
Hey.
So glad you made it.
Oh.
I'm sorry for your loss.
-Thank you.
-Uh, excu excuse me.
Uh, do you two know each other?
Oh, um, Graham, this is Jamie.
Jamie is a family
friend of the Banks's.
Oh, OK.
It's nice to meet you, Jamie.
I'm sure we'll, uh
we'll see you around.
Yeah, dude.
Sophie, Graham, come over here.
Guess the gang's all here.
Uh, where did you meet that kid?
Oh, um, you met him
too, at the car wash.
-Oh.
-Remember?
-Hi.
-Hi.
Graham.
Good of you to come.
Yeah, of course, of course.
-Hi, Margo.
-Hi, Graham.
Let's follow up
in the morning, though.
Oh, Detective Flynn, I
know you're headed out.
Oof!
Just about gave
myself a Charley horse
running over here.
But that detective over
in Winnsboro called again
about the shootout
at the Penny Pantry.
-Mm-hmm.
-There's something about a gun.
Abigail Lynn Jackson.
Abby's going home now.
And I look out at this crowd,
all these people who
loved her so much.
And I want to tell
you something.
My family,
Jill and Brad and I,
we are hurting just like you.
Now, grief isn't the
only thing we're feeling.
We're also feeling anger.
Impatience for
justice to be served.
And that is why
Holy Horizon will be putting up
a $100,000 reward for
information that leads
to the arrest of Abby's killer.
Showtime.
So so
that means, y'all,
if you know something,
if you see something,
tell the police.
-So sorry, Starr.
-Let the authorities know.
-Ms. Jackson.
-Mr. Banks.
Thank you, Reverend.
I believe Jed Banks
has a word to say.
Thank you, Reverend.
Your generosity of spirit
will not be forgotten.
A beautiful girl like Abby
with a future brighter
than the stars at night
should be able to
walk home safely
without fear in her heart.
But that ain't the
world we're living in.
Living in a dangerous world
among dangerous people.
Porous borders.
Statehouse chickens
that don't give a damn.
No, they don't.
I see crime as a cancer.
And you can't stop a cancer till
you dig it out from the root.
That's why every
God-fearing American
must have the right to bear arms
the way they see fit.
And that's a right that
needs to be protected
and exercised.
And I'll make damn
sure that it is
when I become the next governor
of the great state of Texas.
That's right.
Now, Margo, will you
come up, please, darling?
Come on up.
Ladies and gentlemen,
my wife, Margo Banks.
The next First Lady of Texas.
Thank you all. Thank
you, everybody.
I know I can count
on your support.
I'm gonna need every
single one of you.
Thank you all and God
bless Abby Jackson.
What's going on?
Maybe they found
something out about Abby.
Evening, folks.
Sophie O'Neil,
I'm gonna need you to come
down to the station with us.
What? Why?
Sir, we'd rather not get
into all that out here.
Well, uh well, she's
not going anywhere.
So what the hell is this?
Your wife's handgun was used
at a robbery down in Winnsboro.
And we need to speak
with her about it.
No, no.
That's ridiculous.
She doesn't she
doesn't have a gun.
We're not gun people.
I don't even know
where Winnsboro is.
Ma'am, if you can
just come with us.
No, no, no. This is insane.
You cannot just come
up to people and
Sir, I need you to step aside.
You need me to step aside?
Sir, we ran the ballistics.
I I don't I
don't understand.
Your gun was used to
kill Abby Jackson.
What is
he talking about?
I just need you to come with us.
We're just gonna
talk about it, OK?
No, that's ridiculous.
Everything's
gonna be OK.
-Sophie, just
-Get me a lawyer.
Yeah, yeah, I will.
Excuse me, sir, do not
put your hands on me, sir.
Soph, I will take care of it.
Agony
seems to follow me ♪
Why won't it let me be? ♪
Dragging me down ♪
Memories always find a way ♪
In the end they stay ♪
Dragging me down ♪
It won't be long now ♪
So hold fast ♪
Go down with the ship ♪
Letting go Gets the
crack of the whip ♪
The only constant
Now is change ♪
Hold fast ♪
Go down with the ship ♪
The only constant
Now is change ♪
Break the chain ♪
Break the chain ♪