The Better Sister (2025) s01e06 Episode Script

1
Previously on The Better Sister
- [Hank] What's the matter?
- [tires screeching]
[Willis] Keeping secrets
and leading double lives.
This is what your family is about.
[Chloe] Baby, what is it?
Nicky gave me a flip phone.
[Chloe] Then you sat in my car, lying.
[Nicky] I was protecting him.
You taught Ethan to lie to me.
Your life is a lie!
[Nicky] How do you make peace
with all the terrible things you've done?
[Adam] Ethan!
[man] You bear the burden
of your choices and you move on,
because sitting still will kill you.
- [cries out]
- [Ken] Anyone counting days?
Hours, actually.
Well, welcome back.
[Guidry] We found the supposedly
stolen items hidden in the suspect's room.
[Clark] I can't have any bullshit
on this one, Nan.
You bludgeon someone with
a phone book, I cannot bury it.
The boss, Braddock, he got cagey
when we asked him about the Gentry Group.
Why would we undermine our case
by looking like we were searching
for additional suspects?
Ms. Taylor. Special Agent Edward Olivero.
My husband, he told me
he was working with you.
[Willis] We know threats were coming
from a computer that was registered
to The Real Thing magazine.
It was you, wasn't it?
But some of these posts
were actually about your father.
Would you mind reading this for me?
"She'd be better off if he were dead."
[Willis] Did you make these comments?
Yes.
- [gallery murmuring]
- [Willis] Why?
I wanted him gone.
[Adam] I'm-I'm-I'm sick,
about my son.
No matter what I do, he just seems
to disappear right in front of me.
[priest] Children are mercurial.
[door closes]
[Adam] He's not a child.
He's a young man,
making one mistake after another.
Completely unprepared to fend for himself.
He doesn't know who the hell he is, and
that's our fault, I know, I know this.
[priest] Looking to be defined?
Maybe for approval?
Yeah, no, he smokes pot,
he's on his computer all day.
I mean, wow, the sedentary
He eats too much, and at the same time,
starving for all the right things.
Leaves all my good stuff on the table.
[Adam sighs]
He thinks I'm a bad guy.
[priest] Hmm.
And you?
You're in pain.
My son doesn't appreciate
a goddamn effort that I make.
It's the access to everything,
and his boredom after we spend
hundreds of dollars on whatever.
I mean, I would get--
uh, once in a while-- a quarter
to play pinball at a candy store,
if I was lucky.
My wife's solution? Give more.
She thinks it makes up
for how busy she is.
She's dragging him to this big event
tomorrow like he's a show dog.
[exhales]
I feels like I'm all alone trying to get
through to him about the important things.
It makes me so angry.
[tense music playing]
♪
What is your confession?
Have you done something you regret?
He stole my gun.
[Adam scoffs]
What was he gonna do with it?
I can't get a straight answer
out of this kid.
What's he capable of?
My-my old man?
He was into all kinds of things.
Maybe, maybe we can't escape it.
I grant absolution
in the name of the Father, the Son,
the Holy Spirit.
For what?
You can name it, son.
♪
[low, indistinct conversations]
[door opens]
What the hell was that?
He was so desperate for your attention,
had to go online to get it?
- Nicky, please, let's do this in private.
- I'm sorry, what?
[Nicky] You just left him alone.
- Lower your fucking voice.
- No, you
Stop.
[Bowen] Ms. Taylor, take it easy.
- No, you guys, you guys--
- Get off.
- [Bowen] Whoa, whoa, whoa. Ladies.
- Oh, my God.
- [Chloe grunts]
- [Bowen] Hey.
Hey, whoa, whoa. Ma'am, come on.
[Nicky cries out]
[Guidry] Take her out of here, Bowen.
Take her out of here.
- [Nicky grunting]
- [Bowen] Come on.
- [handcuffs clicking]
- [panting]
- [officer] No.
- [officer 2] Step back.
- How's your face?
- [Guidry] What?
It's fine.
Eh, it's gonna swell.
It was quite the elbow.
- You been arrested before?
- Yeah, I got picked up
for shoplifting a dishwasher once.
- Oh, that's no tube of lipstick.
- No, it was a Mother's Day gift.
You lost your son once,
you're gonna lose him again
after that courtroom revelation.
I'd have decked her, too.
- You're the one got decked.
- Violent threats,
brawls, that kind of
unhealthy communication,
it gets passed down,
in my professional opinion.
You've got a bit of a temper
there yourself, Nan.
Even in anger,
my kids know that they have me.
[sighing heavily]
Hey, Nan?
I don't give a fuck
about your stupid kids.
Charge me or shut the fuck up.
[laughs] Oh, my God.
You still think you're in control.
[Chloe] Thank you.
- [sighs]
- I imagine that was tough for you?
[scoffs] Well, it wasn't fun.
Oh, I-I wasn't talking about your sister.
What happened in court,
how Ethan felt about Adam,
the things he was doing
in those online rooms.
Well
fathers and sons.
Complicated, right?
Yeah.
Still bleeding?
No.
- Were you aware that Ethan felt that--
- [Sanders] Hey.
Not another word to him.
Come with me.
Come on, you know better than that.
Ms. Taylor won't be pressing charges.
[Guidry] Lucky, I'm also declining
to file charges against Ms. Taylor
for assaulting a peace officer.
I'm-I'm so sorry.
I was trying to hit my sister.
- Detective knows that it was an accident.
- [laughs] Oh, please.
Counselor,
nothing these two do's an accident.
Just take the cuffs off Ms. Macintosh
and let her out of your car.
[somber music playing]
♪
[car door opens]
[handcuffs clicking]
You know, they got classes for that--
anger management.
Hmm.
You should sign up.
[Guidry] That was a real
estrogen shit show.
[Bowen] Yeah.
I got some things to attend to.
- You okay?
- Yeah.
Okay.
[Nicky] Can we fire her already?
Maybe replace her with a man,
someone competent?
I don't work for you. She's paying me.
But if you think you can do better,
I'll walk right out that door.
- Oh, great, let's play this game.
- [Chloe] Stop.
Nobody is getting fired.
[Sanders] Ethan is in real trouble now.
The new boy emerged
in that courtroom today.
And in their eyes, he harbors
serious rage against his parents.
His father in particular.
So, at this point,
I need to introduce
the possibility of another suspect.
- Who?
- We are going through Adam's old cases,
his work as an assistant
district attorney,
see if any grudges turn up there.
You two are on the witness list.
I added Braddock and Rodriguez
in case we need to nail down
the time of that Gentry meeting.
So Nicky,
your role is to remind everyone
that you were the mess.
You're good at that.
[scoffs]
Any tension between Adam and Ethan,
it was typical.
They were so close, there's no way
that Ethan could've murdered him.
Got it.
I almost killed the kid,
Adam was a great dad.
- Cool.
- [Sanders] Exactly.
[Sanders] Chloe, you take the day,
you search your soul,
you search your bedside table,
you search your hard drive,
wherever you might find something
that we can use.
What if we don't find anything?
Then Ethan's best shot is a plea bargain.
- Oh, my God.
- [Nicky] Okay,
he is not going to jail for a crime
he didn't commit.
[Sanders] What the fuck
are you talking about?
Every day, people are locked up
for crimes they didn't commit.
People I grew up with,
a cousin in my family.
You understand what I'm saying?
This is fucking real!
[departing footfalls]
[door opening, closing]
You need to call
that secret connection of yours.
- It's not that simple.
- Make it simple, then, Chlo.
You got to get out there
and shake a fucking tail feather.
I don't know these people, and you do.
[TV playing low, indistinctly]
Heard you were moonlighting.
[Clark] My passion project, this place.
Think you'd rest on your day off.
- Did we just meet?
- [laughs]
I saw you on the TV hip-checking
the perp's mom into the boards.
That's why I'm here. Think the whole thing
is an act on her part.
Yeah, your part's genuine.
Even the choppy footage,
- I could see that.
- She's trying to steal focus.
Trying to paint herself
as the disturbed, violent one.
Yeah, to whose benefit?
Jury didn't see it,
being sequestered and all.
It's not like
she's thinking things through.
She's not the most measured one.
And you?
[breathes deeply]
You went too far, kiddo.
I'm not proud of my behavior.
[Clark] Eh.
Anyone else gets hit,
pushes back, gets a nod.
You lost those privileges, Nan.
The brass has got a long memory
about some things.
- Especially these days.
- Thanks.
The widow really connected.
[exhales]
Where's your partner?
Taking some me time.
What do you think your bride will say
about your flare-up at the courthouse?
Oh, come on, Lieu.
Might could be a steadying hand.
Not something I'm prone
to confiding about.
Oh, what the fuck
did you marry her for, then?
[laughs] You don't need
to want to hear about that.
[laughs softly]
Ah, if not her, then who?
[phone buzzing]
I am getting it from all corners.
Oh, the prosecutor.
It's the third time he's called me.
That can't be good.
- [drops phone on bar]
- Another talking to, I assume.
Hmm.
You came to me.
Yeah, I did.
I'm gonna make an appointment
for you for a psych eval.
If nothing else, it'll look good on paper.
[sighs]
[exhales] All right.
[somber music playing]
♪
[keys jingling]
- [woman] Whoa.
- [woman 2] That's her.
[low chattering, laughing]
Oh, yeah, that's her.
[camera shutters clicking]
[low chattering continues]
[elevator bell dings]
[indistinct chatter]
Ms. Taylor.
Is there anything I could help you with?
- [beeps]
- I'm here for my husband's things.
Thanks.
[door closes]
[somber music playing]
♪
That view gave me vertigo. Made me sick.
[distant siren wailing]
Better hurry up.
[suspenseful music playing]
[sighs]
[mysterious music playing]
♪
What the fuck, Jake?
♪
[keypad beeps]
[Bill] You didn't have to make the trip.
We would've messengered.
Oh, well, I've waited long enough,
and my apologies for that.
How have you been holding up?
Well, not the best day.
But, you know,
I've had a run of shitty days.
You know, I just thought about
all the things that were here, and
I just really wanted to do it myself.
I need to ask you
to step away from the computer.
Attorney-client privilege.
I know the instinct, darling,
but you both led separate lives.
What does that mean?
Sometimes we dig,
we don't like what we find.
Oh. Right.
Come on now, don't be foolish.
You've already got too much on your plate.
Anything more might break you.
[keypad beeps, door opens]
[Bryce] Happy to lend a hand.
Thanks so much, Bill.
It means so much to have his things back.
It's great to see you.
[door closes]
[inhales]
- Anything I can do?
- [Bill] Yes.
Weed treatment for Gentry.
Full spray.
[exhales, pants]
[sighs]
[line ringing]
[phone beeps]
Come on, Nicky, call me back.
[sighs]
[Nicky] Come on, just
[annoyed grunt]
Shit.
[Nicky groans]
[sighs] Mom, I didn't mean to wake you up.
- As if I could sleep.
- [Nicky sighs]
I called three times
and you never picked up.
Well, the car broke down.
Yeah, it's making like
[imitates ticking]
- This noise.
- How'd you get home?
[sighs] What?
If you didn't drive
What? No, I didn't.
The baby was awake till midnight.
Okay, what time is it? [sighs]
It's after 5:00.
5:00? [laughs] Fuck.
Wow. Okay.
- Okay.
- Honey
- Come on.
- Mom, stop. I just need a little.
God, stop it.
- Adam called last night.
- Mm.
I said you were sleeping.
- He's coming back today.
- Mm.
[Nicky groans]
Ugh.
[groaning]
[retches]
[coughing]
[intense music playing]
♪
[retching, coughing]
[whimpers]
[Nicky] When they took my son away
I thought they were saving him from me.
But I was [chuckles]
but I was wrong.
[sighs]
So
Now, here I am. Again.
On the edge of losing him
for a very long time.
- Thanks for sharing.
- What the fuck, Ken? I wasn't done.
Oh, my apologies.
Well, I--
All right, thank you for letting me share.
Thank you. All right.
Thank you, Ken. Sorry.
Hi. My name's Ken.
[man] Hi, Ken. Hi.
I'm a drug addict, and an alcoholic.
I was a self-centered shit
for most of my life, too.
[attendees chuckling]
Moving place to place.
You know, doing research for my books.
It just so happened
that all my research was about drugs.
- [laughter]
- And alcohol.
Finally, I ended up living
in Garage Door Tijuana.
Uh, surfing drunk in polluted water.
Swallowing sewage. I got dysentery.
I was fucking hallucinating,
shitting rivers of blood, nearly died.
And I thought,
you know that's so fitting.
That's what I deserve.
Finally, me
in a Tijuana urgent care.
My mommy had to come get me.
[chuckles]
- I was 50 years old.
- Well, now you're just showing off, Ken.
- [others chuckle softly]
- Look at us.
Two pieces of shit,
- at the center of the universe.
- [laughing]
[Ken groans]
- Fucking fuse box.
- [man] I got it, I got it.
- I got it.
- Wait, no, wait. It can wait.
"God, grand me the serenity
[others join in] to accept the things
I cannot change."
[man] "God grant us"
[Nicky] No, but the deliveries are gonna
come every Monday and Thursday.
Yeah.
Back home to Cleveland.
I'm not sure, Debbie.
It's okay, you can call me. No, I'm sorry.
All right. Miss you, too.
Bye, Debbie.
- I didn't mean to cut you off.
- Oh, I was rambling.
- No, you weren't.
- Yes, wallowing and rambling.
We could take a walk.
If you've got some more.
[mysterious music playing]
♪
[elevator bell dings]
Hello. Detective Matt Bowen,
East Hampton PD.
I was wondering
if you could help me find this gentleman.
- Do you know his name?
- No.
- Where'd you get the photo from?
- I took it.
It's part of an investigation.
Leave your name and number.
If I can identify the person in the photo,
I'll have him give you a call.
Okay.
Thank you for all your help.
I like your eye shadow.
[door opens]
[intriguing, ominous music playing]
♪
[vehicle approaching]
[Olivero] It's better in here.
[keys jingling]
So is this your usual meet-up spot?
[both chuckle]
The only people parked here
are getting blowjobs at lunchtime.
No, you said y-you had something for me?
Yeah, yeah.
This your husband's files?
Uh, yeah, just the Gentry Group company,
the one he was talking with you about.
All right, this is not ideal.
Well, it's the best I could do
because Braddock interrupted me.
Yeah, which means
he's torched everything by now.
- He doesn't fuck around, that guy.
- Well, Adam's calendar is on that.
Appointments, with who, where, when.
Okay, that's that's something.
Okay, so t-the defense
will put you on the witness list,
you can testify--
I'm not participating
in your family drama.
This happened
because of your investigation.
What investigation?
Yeah, fuck this.
Whoa, hey.
Assaulting a federal agent?
That's eight years in prison.
Motherfucker, let go.
You got to give me something.
No, I don't.
[Olivero grunts]
I could ruin you.
Get the fuck out of my car.
[intense music playing]
[panting]
Michelle, there's something
I need to tell you.
[Nicky] After Adam made me
stop breastfeeding,
then everything changed.
[Ken] Why'd he do that?
[Nicky] Eh, who knows
the shit men go through.
Maybe he was jealous Ethan needed
something from me only I could give.
We probably should've got a dog,
even out the odds.
My second ex-wife left me for a dog.
- What about your fourth?
- [sarcastic laugh]
Funny.
Anyway
everything just got
uglier after I stopped, especially me.
Adam smelled booze on me one afternoon
that was it.
You ever tell your sister that
he hit you when you drank?
[sighs] No.
Why not?
Because you liked it?
Is that a joke?
No, I'm just trying to dig you out.
What story you want to tell?
Listen to me.
There is nothing sexy
about getting your nose broken.
There you go. Clarity.
So let me get this straight.
You had a husband
who should've been there for you,
not parlaying your addiction into a reason
to take everything away from you.
Including your sister.
They left you behind.
This was done to you.
Nobody's ever been there for you.
And how do you feel about that?
It's in the past.
Yeah, okay, but how do you feel about it?
It is what it is, Ken.
But how do you feel about it?
I am fucking furious.
[tense music playing]
♪
[young Ethan laughing]
♪
[young Ethan babbling]
♪
[Ken] Nicky!
What are you trying to do?
Get your clothes and go home.
[mutters]
[exhales]
♪
[knocking]
Hi.
You were in every one
of those Gentry Group meetings.
[Jake sighs]
Why didn't you tell me?
I couldn't tell you.
[scoffs]
- What were they doing?
- Come on, Chloe.
You know I can't say.
It's attorney-client privilege.
Even though he was murdered?
Doesn't matter.
Well, it matters to Ethan.
And to me.
Okay, look,
why don't you sit for a second?
Okay? Maybe we could talk about it--
You think that you could
take the stand for us?
- No.
- You don't have to say anything
about the actual work.
You could just say
it was going sour
and-and Adam was stressed.
And that these are the type
of people that could have been involved
- in-in the thing that happened to him.
- People?
Gentry Group isn't people.
It's LLCs.
It's shell corporations.
It's a maze of unending paperwork
built up in every direction.
It all leads nowhere and to no one.
Maximum protection.
Zero accountability.
This is
This is not some shady guy in a back alley
that just breaks legs
to keep secrets, okay?
Th-They're not driving to the Hamptons
to murder your husband in his own home.
And you suggesting that they did,
that doesn't help Ethan.
It could hurt him, a lot.
But Adam was a threat to them.
Threats to the Gentry Group
are much bigger than Adam.
I'm sorry.
[pensive music playing]
♪
I'm really sorry, I wish
I wish that I could.
♪
[chuckles] You know
[sighs]
I imagined this before.
I imagined waking up one day and
Adam
being gone.
Being able to hold your hand.
In my fantasy we were
out at a restaurant.
- You weren't so pissed at me.
- [Chloe scoffs]
When I'd think about that
I was so happy.
Imagining not having to hide
how much I wanted to be with you.
And now?
Now that it's real and he's gone?
I don't--
I can't even picture tomorrow anymore.
I can't picture tomorrow either,
but I want you now.
[Jake moaning]
♪
[Jake moans]
[Chloe breathing heavily]
Not sure where you are, or have been,
whereas I'm at our place of work,
where one might imagine you'd be,
given all we got going on.
[whispers] This asshole.
Call me the fuck back.
Dom Willis.
Got an anonymous call
warning me a shit storm was coming.
One of these sisters
is dropping a bomb on us.
Any idea what that's about?
Well, maybe the information
my partner gave you
about Adam Macintosh's
shady boss Bill Braddock--
maybe it came from that camp.
- No one shared shit with me.
- Oh, that's convenient.
How anonymous was the call?
Someone hired to do dirty work.
Did they say which sister it was?
Defense may call both.
Whew! I am gonna bring the popcorn.
[laughs] Everything's
a big joke around here.
It's your ass, too.
[scoffs] And you had time
for that stupid fucking poster.
I always felt dark moments,
helps to not have humor
go all the way out the window.
But I can tell we disagree on that.
Well, if anything turns up in the course
of you doing your fucking job,
let me know.
[pounds desk]
What are you doing here?
Well, you didn't pick up your phone
all goddamn day.
Mama's boy like you,
I figured I'd come to the womb.
It's her birthday.
You have to greet, she'll be offended.
Oh, while you were stuffing
your face with kabobs,
I was getting yelled at by Willis
about what we might've missed.
He got word the Bobbsey Twins are
dropping a major bomb tomorrow.
[Bowen's dad] Nancy, Nancy.
I kind of miss the mustache
now that I see it.
Hi.
- Sit, some fesenjoon for you.
- Oh, no, no, no, no.
I just came to pay my respects
to your beautiful wife.
My son, he likes you.
Not enough to pick up his phone.
We'll be right back, Maman Joon.
I followed the path
of thoroughness on this.
Yeah, not well enough.
Yeah, we wanted to poke around
at Adam's files at the office.
Willis wouldn't let us.
Exactly, because he's an arrogant prick.
What can we do for tomorrow?
Prepare to be caught holding our johnsons.
Go eat your mother's birthday lamb.
[hammer banging]
Hi.
Did you get it done?
Yeah, I called you, like, eight times.
Did you?
Yeah. What were you doing?
[exhales] Getting baptized.
Okay.
What's this?
I found these in Adam's office.
Just gonna
Damn it.
- Shit!
- Okay, okay, watch, watch, watch, watch.
Locksmith.
What the hell is this?
That's where that was.
I never would've trusted him with it.
- I didn't.
- Neither did Ethan.
He was fucked up, Chlo.
So what if people know?
Because it would
just make Ethan look worse.
And would give him
another reason to hate Adam.
Or give one of us a motive.
Can we just please,
please listen to Sanders?
For me.
That is the way
that we bring him home to us.
Us?
[dramatic music playing]
♪
You should've been here all along.
It was wrong what we did.
Cut you out like that.
Let's bring him home.
Yeah.
Um, does this
this look okay?
Yeah, your tie,
it's just a little
I got you.
My fingers aren't working.
It's all good.
I know it was messed up
all the stuff I said online.
But it helped me get it out.
Made me less angry, just having my say.
I never would have hurt my dad.
I kind of wish
I was the kind of guy who could.
No, no, hey.
You are exactly
who you're supposed to be.
My hope is the jury
can understand that whatever
kind of other relationships your dad had,
yours was good.
Most of the time.
Right.
Ethan, do you know what a plea bargain is?
Say I did it.
Even though I didn't.
More or less, yeah.
It just gives us more say
in your sentence.
But could also still mean
serious jail time.
- They think I did it.
- No, it just
Sometimes people just want things tidy.
The truth is a big old mess.
[dramatic music playing]
♪
Thought you might be, uh,
sick of me. [chuckles]
I just wanted to make sure
you'd dried off.
Look who made the trip this time.
Wanted you to know that we were here
before you went in.
- It means a lot.
- Of course.
- I know you're both on the witness list.
- Hopefully it won't come to that.
- Yeah.
- Well, see you inside.
Okay.
This way, ladies.
The Women Are Essential have arrived.
I took the liberty.
- You really shouldn't have.
- [Catherine] I know.
Things always go better
when you do as I say.
You didn't have to come. But thank you.
There were a lot of things
you didn't have to do.
And you did.
Well, I better head in.
Remember, you have assigned seats.
[chuckles] Shall we?
Oh, no, my dear. Not me.
Ill-advised.
But I'm with you.
Go on.
Do what you came here to do.
Nicole.
- [Nicky] Cathy.
- Nope.
I did my part.
[sighs]
So you tell it one more time.
Then you get to give it up forever.
[chuckles softly]
So, how did you and Adam meet?
Uh, we-we, uh,
knew each other in junior high,
actually, and reconnected later on.
What drew you to him?
Objection. Relevance?
Overruled.
Please answer the question.
What drew me to him?
I mean, you've seen the pictures.
He was hot.
[laughing]
What was Adam like?
He was very ambitious.
Like, if he decided he wanted something,
it went on the to-do list.
You know, very type A,
very much like my sister.
Not like me at all.
He was everything that I was not.
He was organized,
disciplined, he wanted me to be better,
and thought
that I could change, but I was
I was just always gonna be what I was.
And what was that?
A drunk.
- [murmuring]
- [Nicky] A drunk.
I
really tried,
um, after Ethan was born.
For him, at first, I really tried.
And it just got harder and it got worse.
The last thing any mom wants is
for her kid to get taken away.
But then, you realize
they're better off without you, that was
something I had to admit to myself.
And I knew Adam wouldn't fail at being
a good dad, you know,
he-he cared way too much
about what other people thought of him.
Would you describe his relationship
with Ethan as a good one?
I don't know. I wasn't there.
You were in touch with Ethan, though.
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
What did you talk about?
Cooking.
Baking shows
and Pasta Grannies on YouTube.
[gallery laughs]
No insight into the dynamic
between father and son?
I was just so happy to be talking.
I did not want to make any waves.
Okay.
I see.
No further questions.
Would the prosecution
like to question the witness?
So let's backtrack here.
- You're in Cleveland. They're in New York.
- That's right.
And you and your son were in touch, how?
[Nicky] I gave him a flip phone
just so that we could
talk or text if he wanted,
when he wanted, about five years ago.
[Willis] And during
which occasion was this?
[Nicky] At my father's funeral.
[Willis] Your father's funeral.
With his parents' permission, I assume.
No, they didn't know.
[scoffs] So, unbeknownst to his parents,
you made a boy of what-- 11--
betray his parents by keeping that secret.
You gave him a lie to hold. And he did.
He kept that fact and face
from his mom and dad for years.
He's capable of that.
Lying. Hiding.
You taught him that.
This kid had no shot.
You made sure of that, didn't you?
W-- I, yeah, I mean,
I'm a fucking alcoholic.
That was real drunk behavior, wasn't it?
Please refrain from using
foul language in my courtroom.
Okay. It's just not a revelation.
I was a shit mom.
So, uh, what else you got?
Ethan ever mention any other issues?
The Poppit message boards?
Bringing firearms to school?
- Things of that nature?
- No.
So you don't really know your son.
No further questions.
[sighs] Cunt.
[Sanders] Would you outline
for the court your understanding
of where you and each member
of your family were
the night in question?
[Chloe] Yeah, sure. Um
my son Ethan was with his friend, Kevin.
My, um, husband Adam was
at a work meeting near JFK,
with some clients of his,
the Gentry Group.
And I was at my mentor
Catherine Lancaster's home
for a small gathering.
Celebrating the success
of the Women Are Essential movement,
some members of which are here
in the courtroom with us now.
[Chloe] Yes.
[chuckles softly] Um, the original plan
was for Adam to, um, meet me
at Catherine's, but his meeting went late,
so he just went straight to our home.
- While you were still at the party.
- Yes.
Did you convey to your son
that Adam's meeting went late?
- No.
- Did anyone else
know that Adam wasn't with you?
Um, Bill Braddock, Adam's boss
was there at the gathering, so he knew.
And Adam's colleague, Jake Rodriguez,
who was usually included
in Gentry Group meetings,
um, would've also known.
And how would you describe your marriage?
S--
More recently
strained.
[Sanders] How so?
A few years ago, I encouraged Adam to move
from prosecution to a private practice.
I thought more rewards,
less frustration.
But Adam didn't like it.
He wanted out of that practice,
but he felt trapped.
And because I had encouraged
the switch, he blamed me for it.
[sighs] Adam hated the life that we built.
It was
It was like I'd
I'd failed him in some way
and he resented me for it.
And he started taking it out on me.
Uh, he started hurting me.
Objection. Your Honor, we received
no witness statement
to this effect during discovery.
Overruled. Counselor, really?
[Sanders] Hurting you how?
Once he was at the firm,
we were just arguing a lot
and then it just took a turn.
I mean, he'd always had a temper,
but one day he pushed me.
Hard.
And I fell and slammed my head.
And I thought it was just
an isolated incident,
and hoped we'd get through it.
But we didn't.
And it got worse.
And it kept going.
And I
I hid it from everyone.
I think I even hid it from myself.
'Cause it was just so humiliating.
And I felt like I was such a hypocrite.
Was your husband ever violent
toward you in front of Ethan?
No.
[Sanders] Did you ever tell Ethan
that his father was abusing you?
[Chloe sniffles]
Never.
Is there anybody who did know
Adam was abusing you?
Adam's colleague Jake Rodriguez.
[Sanders] What makes you think
that he knew?
[Chloe] We would run
on the beach together.
We
got close,
and he would ask me
about bruises on my body.
And what do you mean when you say "close"?
We became more than friends.
[gallery murmuring]
It started about a year ago,
when Adam became violent towards me.
Did you tell Mr. Rodriguez
where the bruises came from?
No. No, I lied about that for a while.
I told him it was from
boxing class, that I bruised easily.
[scoffs]
I eventually told him.
[Sanders] Was Mr. Rodriguez upset
when you told him?
- Very.
- Did Mr. Rodriguez ever express
his wish for you to be with him
instead of with Mr. Macintosh?
Yes.
And when were you last with Mr. Rodriguez?
We were together yesterday.
[galley gasping]
[Sanders] You slept together, you mean?
You had sex?
Yes.
[Sanders] You were having an affair?
Yes.
[somber music playing]
[Sanders] No further questions.
Your Honor, I'd like to call
Jake Rodriguez to the stand.
Objection.
Your Honor, we need time to process
- this new information.
- There are no grounds.
Mr. Rodriguez has been
on the defense witness list.
Overruled.
[Sanders] How did you know Adam Macintosh?
Uh, we worked together at the law firm,
Braddock and Braddock.
[Sanders] Do you have a house
in East Hampton?
[Jake] Yes.
Had you been to the Macintosh home
in East Hampton?
[Jake] Yes.
Would you estimate the distance
between those two homes?
Uh, less than a mile.
And how would you describe
your relationship with Chloe Taylor?
[suspenseful music playing]
♪
Uh
I
refuse to answer
on the grounds that it may incriminate me.
[Sanders] Do you have romantic feelings
for Ms. Taylor?
I refuse to answer on the grounds
that it may incriminate me.
Were you aware that her husband
was abusing her?
[Jake] I refuse to answer on the grounds
that it may incriminate me.
[Sanders] Did it upset you
that he was abusing her?
I refuse to answer on the grounds
that it may incriminate me.
Did you purchase
a prepaid cell phone for Ms. Taylor,
to engage in private communication?
I refuse to answer on the grounds
that it may incriminate me.
[Sanders] Did you call Ms. Taylor on that
cell phone the night of Adam's murder,
twice in the hour after he was killed?
I refuse to answer on the grounds
that it may incriminate me.
Did you kill Adam Macintosh?
Does witness need a break
to confer with counsel?
I do not.
I refuse to answer on the grounds
that it may incriminate me.
[gallery murmuring]
[slow, dramatic music playing]
No further questions, Your Honor.
Does the prosecution
have any questions for the witness?
Not at this time, Your Honor.
We reserve the right to recall.
You are dismissed.
- [The Rolling Stones singing
"You Can't Always Get What You Want"]
- I saw her today ♪
At the reception ♪
A glass of wine in her hand ♪
I knew she would meet her connection
[Sanders] The prosecution
wished to make a case
based on motive and general proximity.
Her footloose man
The defendant was near enough by,
with potentially enough reason to murder
the victim on the night in question.
Even though there was no murder weapon,
none of his blood was at the scene,
no witnesses place the defendant
at the scene of the crime.
What you want
They argued that knowledge of the victim's
whereabouts the night of the crime,
and knowledge of the inner workings
of the family home
meant the defendant was capable
of committing this crime.
[adjacent stall door closes, locks]
But according to those qualifications
[exhales]
there is no difference
between Ethan Macintosh
and Jake Rodriguez.
In fact,
one might argue Jake Rodriquez
has more reason,
more information necessary,
to commit the crime in question.
For instance, while he was
under the spell of high emotion
and deep desire for Ms. Taylor,
Jake Rodriguez purchased
a prepaid phone for her to contact him
when she was in need.
Let that sit.
[sighs]
I saw her today ♪
At the reception ♪
A glass of wine in her hand ♪
I knew she was gonna meet
her connection
[Sanders] The prosecution
attempted to do their job.
Her footloose man
Now it's your job
to decide if they succeeded.
You can't always get what you want
[Edelman] Mr. Foreperson,
as to the sole count,
charging Ethan Macintosh
with murder in the second degree,
has the jury reached a unanimous verdict?
We have, Your Honor.
You get what you need ♪
For the murder of Adam Macintosh
the jury finds Ethan Macintosh not guilty.
[indistinct chatter and gasping]
[Nicky shouts]
[gasping]
♪
[laughing]
I went down to the Chelsea drugstore
[Edelman] Members of the jury,
I appreciate
your attention and your hard work.
- Thank you for your service.
- [gavel bangs]
With Mr. Jimmy ♪
And, man, did he look pretty ill ♪
I said to him ♪
You can't always get what you want
[Sanders] Showtime. Chin up.
Be proud.
[reporters clamoring]
[reporter] Ethan!
H-How do you feel about your freedom?
- Ethan!
- What are you gonna do next?
[Andrea] Ethan.
- Chloe, we got you.
- Thank you.
Hey, back the fuck up.
- I'm serious. Move.
- Back the fuck up.
[reporter] Counselor,
statement on the win?
I'm not going to comment
on the shoddy police work.
The jury did the right thing,
reaching this verdict.
However, there's still
a murderer on the loose,
and I hope that justice is served
when Adam Macintosh's killer is found.
Now, I'm going to have a martini.
- [laughter]
- [camera shutters clicking]
[crying]
[laughs]
[exhales sharply]
You get what you need ♪
Yeah ♪
Ow, baby ♪
Ah, yeah ♪
[gasps] Baby.
You're home. [laughs]
[chuckles] Glad you're here.
I wasn't sure.
[Nicky] Of course I'm here.
Are you kidding?
I just wanted to have
a-a good meal waiting for you
and I couldn't decide between the
Bolognese and the steak so I made both.
- Well, I'm a-a "both" guy myself, s
- [exhales]
[Nicky] Oh, God.
You're home.
[exhales]
Hey, do you want to, um,
wash up before dinner?
[chuckles] Do I smell that bad?
- You don't smell great.
- [both laugh]
Okay.
[sighs]
[laughs softly]
[knocking on door]
Come in.
[Chloe] Hey.
Um
- they dropped these off.
- Oh.
I was kind of thinking Goodwill.
Or eBay.
Might be collector's items at this point.
- All those true crime freaks online.
- Yeah.
I shouldn't have written
those things about you.
I am so sorry.
My guts hurt when I think about it.
You should be able
to call me a hypocrite
[inhales]
maybe not a bitch--
- to my face.
- [laughs softly]
You were right, though.
- And all of this Jake stuff
- We don't have to
Is he okay?
I don't know.
Why did you take that stuff to begin with?
[contemplative music playing]
[stammers]
Same reason I broke the glass.
I was trying to protect you.
Because I thought you did it.
[atmospheric music playing]
♪
♪
[tense, intriguing music playing]
♪