Cape Fear (2026) s01e09 Episode Script

1
[dramatic music playing]
[mysterious music playing]
[unsettling music playing]
[flies buzzing]
[sighs]
Fuck.
[intense, ominous music playing]
[dogs barking]
Hey.
I'm looking for Robert Cady.
[sighs]
- Am I in the right place?
- Oh, sure, ma'am. [chuckles]
Follow me. [chuckles]
That's him right there.
[blows]
Max's lady lawyer.
Let me guess. You were
in the neighborhood and got a little lost?
I'm looking for Crystal.
[unsettling music playing]
- Oh?
- Yeah.
Are you now?
Yeah.
[Hester] Who's that?
Little Anna Deveraux, Mama.
- What's she doing here?
- Mm-hmm.
Do they know about Crystal?
[Robert] Now, now, now.
Don't get your panties twisted.
Nothing burning here but the daylight.
Here's Crystal.
Aw, there's my baby.
Yeah.
Here you go, my lovey.
Yeah, good job.
Mmm. Uh-huh.
Look, if you just tell me where I can
find her, then I'll be on my way.
You leave Crystal be.
Took that girl half her life
to get her demons on a leash.
I swear to God,
I will make you sorry you agitate her.
[menacing music playing]
You best be on your way, ma'am.
Okay.
It's all right.
It's all right, it's all right.
Got nothing for you here.
[eerie music playing]
Just a few more things to do…
and then I will join you.
[intense, ominous music playing]
["Waitin' for the Bus" playing]
[Anna] You know this girl?
- Crystal Cady.
- [bartender] Nope.
You know the family though, right?
They live just down the road.
You a paying customer or not?
Well, devil's already in the door.
Whiskey. Make it neat. [sighs]
[music stops]
[inhales sharply]
[patrons chattering]
Hey, sunshine.
I heard you were looking for me.
[sinister music playing]
Oh, fuck.
Hello?
Hey, bud.
Hey.
Uh, Zack?
Is that you?
Yeah, it's me.
[sighs]
[chuckles]
Well, how you doing?
[Zack] I'm okay.
How… How are you guys?
Uh, you know, taking it day by day.
We miss you.
I wanna come home.
[ominous music playing]
I know, bud. You will.
Soon.
Just hang in there a little while longer.
Then we'll all be home together.
Hey. Group's starting.
- I gotta go.
- Zack…
[inmate 1] Give me your biscuit.
- What?
- You ain't gonna eat it.
Give it to me.
I might.
[inmate 1] Really?
I think you're too afraid to eat.
Everyone in here knows
that she's gonna fuck you up.
[ominous music playing]
But she's making you wait
so that me and everyone in here
can get a piece of you first.
Now give me the fucking biscuit.
Fuck you.
- [sinister, tense music playing]
- [both grunting]
- [inmate 2] Holy fuck.
- [inmate 3] Get her bitch ass!
[inmate 4 shouting indistinctly]
[inmate 5] Little white girl!
- [Nevaeh shrieks]
- [inmates groan]
[panting]
- [grunting, whimpering]
- [inmate 6] Oh, shit!
- [door lock buzzes]
- She's mine.
[officer] Shit! Shut up.
Goddamn it.
Get down. All right.
[chuckles]
[breathing shakily]
Shit. [breathing shakily]
- [breathing heavily] Hey.
- [recording tone plays]
Um, Noa, I'm fine.
[stammers] I'm, um…
Look, I know this sounds insane,
- but I'm with Crystal Cady…
- [shuffling]
…and I need you to dig up
everything you can on her.
I'll do the same.
Will you tell Tom
that I'm gonna make this right?
- Okay? [breathing heavily]
- [message sent tone plays]
- [glass clinking]
- [breathing shakily]
Okay. [inhales sharply]
[breathing shakily]
[Crystal] Well, good morning, princess.
Morning.
I hope my humble abode
was up to your standards.
I survived.
You want a beer?
Thanks.
[Crystal chuckles]
What, did you learn that
from your sorority sisters?
Well, who's to say they taught me?
Maybe I taught them.
Maybe I taught their boyfriends
and boyfriends taught them.
- You're mouthy.
- Mmm.
Where's my gun?
Safekeeping.
So…
tell me about you and Max.
You first.
[ominous music playing]
[officer] Bowden, you got a visitor.
[breathes shakily]
Wow. It's very impressive,
the way you look.
[chuckles]
Hey, are you making any friends here?
I worry about you.
How do your… your fellow inmates
feel about prosecutors?
They're… They're tricky with that, no?
They don't know yet?
Wow. They don't know yet.
Well, it won't be long
until they find out.
Are you just here
to run your fucking mouth, man,
or do you have anything worthwhile
to say to me?
Yes, actually.
Well, I want to tell you something
that is very important.
Make sure you save
all the Kikkoman soy sauce packages
- from the commissary.
- [laughing]
Because then you mix
the soy sauce with the mayo
and you can create this sauce
- that'll really fix the most bland meal.
- Fuck you.
- [knocks on glass]
- Hey!
[laughing] It's true though.
Sorry, sorry.
You're gonna wanna hear this.
[blows] How does it feel?
How does it feel, Tom?
Being in there.
You need permission
to go and eat or sleep or take a shit.
You need permission for everything.
[sinister music playing]
How are you feeling
with the experience of losing, totally,
the control and the will
of doing what you want when you need?
You don't have that in there, right?
It's hard.
But I'm giving you the possibility
to become the man your family needs.
One of my friends is going to send you
a gift to your cell. Today.
So… [inhales deeply]
…a gift.
In your cell.
It will be your salvation.
[Crystal] Sounds like
he did a real number on you.
Fucked up your whole life.
Fucked up your family.
That's Max.
That's gotta sting,
but I guess you were really into him, huh?
No. No, course not.
I told you, what you saw…
He kissed me…
Against your will.
Yes, against my will.
[chuckling] But you sure looked willing.
What about you?
Why are you following him around?
Stalking him, taking pictures.
Seems to me
like you're the one infatuated.
- Oh, I'm not infatuated.
- Mmm.
It's because I know Max Cady
and I know what he's up to.
That's why I have those pictures,
because as long as he knows that
I have pictures of him doing bad stuff,
then he won't come after me.
And no, you cannot see them
because they're mine.
What about Amy?
And Melissa?
What did he do to them?
I'm just saying that when Max
wants to make something happen,
he just makes it happen.
He'll make people do anything he wants.
Anything, like…
kill themselves?
Amy Brancato, she had moved to Asheville.
She got a new man,
she was getting her life back together
and then Max comes calling
and that's all it took.
She came here and she started
living with her stepmom again.
And that's where she was
when they found her.
What else do you know?
[sniffs]
[line ringing]
Hey.
[Nevaeh] I gave her a taste.
She knows I'm gonna make her life hell.
I'm so lucky to have you.
[chuckles] My little girl.
I could help more, you know.
Um, if I was with you.
Have you figured out how to get me out?
Nevaeh, you are my eyes and my ears,
and I need you.
- I can't get you out yet.
- [unsettling music playing]
- You said it would be soon.
- And it will be.
I just need one more thing.
I need you to find out
from Natalie where her mother is.
Can you do that for me?
Yeah.
Good.
Great.
And then…
[whispers] …finish it.
Like, kill Natalie?
Like, for sure?
Before Anna dies,
I need her to feel the pain of…
losing a child.
Just like I did.
I need her to feel that.
Think of what she did to me,
of what she did to you.
Sixteen years we could have been together.
Father and daughter.
Can you do that for me?
And I'll be so proud of you.
And then you'll get me out…
[breathing shakily] …right?
Right? [panting]
Dad?
Daddy? [panting continues]
Yes.
I love you so much.
Bye. I love you.
Bye.
[breathing heavily]
[ominous music playing]
Why'd you stop that girl
from attacking me?
Same reason I save tuna pouches
from commissary. To eat later.
Don't do that.
You opened up to me.
We both know that was real.
It's called acting, babe.
Or did you forget
I was fucking your brother?
[Crystal] Amy's stepmom,
Brenda, is a real hoot.
She had a pet raccoon for a while
until one of the neighbors ran it over.
Jesus Christ.
Have you ever driven a car before?
Oh, well, that's nothing.
One time, I did 16 donuts
in a Piggly Wiggly with a blindfold on.
It was a dare.
I'd had, like, a 12-pack,
but I… I'd do it anyway.
[mysterious music playing]
So this is the house.
Hopefully Brenda's home.
[Anna] How'd you get that scar?
On your face.
Oh, I was escaping from the clinic
and I got in a fight with a windowpane.
Seriously?
Oh, yeah. They fight dirty. [chuckles]
One time, I dated a guard.
That was an easier way to come and go.
What? I'm hot.
Yeah, and crazy.
Yeah, well, takes one to know one.
[dramatic, tense music playing]
[both grunting, straining]
[both panting]
[panting]
[both moaning, panting]
[breathes shakily]
Did Max make you do all of it?
[sighs]
He…
He told me to break into your house
and to…
spike the tea with acid
and to seduce your brother
and make him bite off his own toe.
But he didn't tell me to hook up with you.
I just wanted to.
What does he want you to do now?
He wants me to kill you.
And he's not gonna stop
until he destroys your whole family.
Yeah, well, he can't get to you in here.
My mom can help. We can go to the cops.
Yeah, I will not kill you,
but I'm definitely not turning on Max.
[Crystal] Well,
I don't think anyone's here.
You know, Brenda works down
at the bait shop sometimes.
Uh, we could try to find her there.
[eerie, mysterious music playing]
Is that Amy's trailer?
Where she shot herself.
Wait! I don't think
we should go down there.
It's a crime scene.
It's fine.
I'm just gonna have a quick look.
Well…
[stammers] …it doesn't feel right.
Oh. Wait.
No, it's fine.
Seal's already broke.
[dramatic sting plays]
[eerie, mysterious music continues]
[intriguing music playing]
[Crystal clears throat]
[Anna] That's you. With Amy.
You and Amy Brancato were friends?
[stammers] So, uh, we knew each other.
Who's this?
The boy. With the scar, in the photo?
That one.
We really shouldn't be here.
[door opens, closes]
[ominous music playing]
[exhales sharply]
[exhales shakily, panting]
[phone buzzing]
[gasps]
[Max] Hey.
Did you get my gift?
Fuck you.
Do it…
and your children will be safe.
I'm not gonna kill myself.
- [sinister music playing]
- Be brave, Tom.
You can't get to my kids.
[sighs] I mean,
Natalie is locked in with Nevaeh
and Zack is on the second floor
of the east wing.
For now at least.
That's bullshit.
Listen, I don't wanna
punish your children for what you did.
Your boy is like a son to me.
[chuckles] And your girl…
Mmm. Well, our girl. [chuckles]
Look… [sighs] …enough.
I'm giving you a…
a chance at redemption.
Father to father.
Take back control, Tom.
Save Zack and Natalie.
Isn't it what your brother would do?
[chilling music playing]
[distorted screeching]
Fuck you. Just…
[gasps] …fuck you, Max! Fuck you!
I'll fucking kill you!
I'm gonna find you
and I'm gonna fucking murder you!
Oh, God.
Oh, oh, whatever.
Max…
he told me a story
about this girl named Lila
that he seduced and abused…
Crystal Delilah Cady.
That's you, right? It was you?
That boy in the picture, that's your son?
With Max?
Well, you don't know anything.
What happened to him? Did he, uh…
Well, I gave him away. What do you think?
'Cause I'm a mess.
[stammers] I don't wanna talk about it.
You're not gonna win him back.
You don't have anything he wants.
Wait.
Can I be honest with you?
I've been here before.
I broke in…
because Amy, she told me that Max,
he used to talk to her at night
and she would fall asleep
listening to his voice.
And so, I looked
and I found recordings of them.
Wow.
There are recordings?
Yeah, all on a USB thing.
Where are they?
[exhales sharply]
They're back at the boat.
[Noa] You should submit it
before the deadline,
- so you'd better get your shit in order…
- Um, she's on the phone right now.
[Noa] And that girl is not
spending the weekend
- in youth detention.
- [Max] Hi, Noa.
I'll call you back.
Hope, leave us.
Are you sure? I… [breathes heavily]
How are you?
What do you want, Max?
Honestly, I want a friend.
Because… [sighs] …I thought Anna felt bad
about sending me to prison.
And Tom too.
But no, they-they tried to frame me.
And you know what?
I can't understand that.
So, you're here for sympathy?
Y-Y-Y-Yeah. Kind of.
Because I don't…
[smacks lips] I try to think…
Like for example, do you think…
No, not that. No.
- What?
- No, do you think that…
[sighs] …maybe Anna didn't know
what Tom was doing?
Because that will make me feel better.
Do you think that's the case?
[sighs] Let me guess.
You wanna know where she is
so you could ask her?
Yeah. That would be
the right thing to do, Noa, yeah.
You think I'm so dumb
that I'll tell you where to find her?
I guess I was dumb enough
to let you into our lives,
so you could kill my friend Ray,
torture my friend Anna.
Both of which will be on me
until the day I die,
but I see you now.
I'm not scared of you.
I've taken on the State of Georgia,
I've taken on the US government,
and I damn sure can take on
Max fucking Cady.
I missed that.
Do you have an address for Anna?
[ominous music playing]
Where the fuck is Anna?
Noa?
Where the fuck is Anna?
[phone buzzing]
Uh, actually, never mind.
[chuckles] See you around.
You look beautiful.
Thank you.
[line rings]
[receptionist] Oak Grove Psychiatric.
It's Tom Bowden. I'd like to speak with…
[receptionist]
Um, one moment, I'll get him.
[doctor] Mr. Bowden? Uh, hello.
We, um, we've been trying
to reach you and your wife.
There's been an incident with Zack.
What incident?
Just let me speak to my son.
Yeah, I-I don't know how it happened but,
somehow, he managed to get past security
and we haven't been able
to find him anywhere nearby
so perhaps, uh, someone gave him a ride
or he had help…
- You-You fucking idiot.
- Listen, if this is…
He's got my son! [exhales sharply]
Jared, you gotta call me back.
Uh, Zack's missing. I think Max has him.
And you gotta let me know
if Natalie's safe, all right?
Uh, call me back.
I've only got a little battery left.
As soon as you get this, Noa,
whatever it takes.
[Anna] Please leave a message
after the tone.
[tone beeps]
Hey, it's me.
I don't know where you are, um,
and I don't know where the kids are.
I love you.
[ominous music playing]
[phone beeps]
[grunts]
[grunts]
[suspenseful music playing]
Your girlfriend got bailed out.
[Nevaeh] No. No! No! No! No! No!
- [door buzzes]
- Natalie.
What did you do?
- Wait, what did you do?
- [door buzzes]
What did you do?
Wait, wait, wait, wait!
Don't leave, don't leave.
Don't leave, don't leave,
don't leave. Wait.
Fuck you! Fuck you!
- [cries] No.
- [door closes]
[suspenseful music playing]
[Anna] So where are these recordings?
It's just right there. The…
You lift the latch up.
It's a little heavy, but…
And then, yeah. That's it.
And there's a few boxes.
The… I think the box down on the right.
Why don't you show me?
What, are you afraid of small spaces?
- I know. Just…
- No.
No, I just want you to show me.
- Okay.
- [gun clicks]
You looking for this?
[suspenseful music continues]
Why were you wearing Melissa's necklace?
What necklace?
Oh, come on.
- I don't know…
- And I saw you wearing it.
- [chuckles]
- What did you do?
[chuckles] I don't know.
Did you kill her?
Did you kill Melissa?
[inhales deeply]
I really understand.
I really do.
I mean, he was so good to her.
And you were just…
trash.
She didn't deserve that life.
So what?
Fuck.
[inhales sharply]
Get in the hold.
[suspenseful music intensifies]
[phone buzzes]
Anna. Hey.
Hello. Where are you?
I know you didn't kill Melissa.
[inhales sharply]
You didn't kill your wife.
Yeah, that's right.
Amy Brancato killed Melissa, yes.
No, no. I know that you got Amy to confess
but not because you were guilty.
Okay.
So, who killed Melissa?
Crystal.
No, Crystal was in an institution.
No. Crystal got a guard to let her out.
I can prove it.
And I've got Crystal.
Look, Crystal was pregnant with your child
and she was watching you
play house with Melissa,
and she just snapped.
Wait, wait, wait. [chuckles]
What did you just say?
Crystal was carrying my child?
[Anna] Yeah, your kid.
The one that she said
she gave up for adoption.
I don't know what she told you.
But Crystal had a son.
And he's out there somewhere
and you can probably find him.
I'm gonna text you an address
of a public place and we'll talk.
Then you are gonna leave me alone.
You hear me? You're gonna leave me
and my family alone.
We didn't do this to you.
Okay. Send the address.
[chimes]
[menacing music playing]
[menacing music intensifies]
Is that your big plan, huh?
Just turn me over to Max?
You think that's gonna win you back?
[Crystal] He wants you even more
than he wants me, you bitch!
[Anna gasps, yelps]
[Robert] Get going.
What now, Crys? Huh?
How many times I gotta
wipe your shit off of my boot?
I have a plan! Put her in the hold.
- [Anna] No, please.
- [Robert] Get down there.
- Get her in here. You need to go.
- [Anna] Don't do this. We can talk.
[Robert] Close it up, boy.
[Robert, Crystal
shouting indistinctly, muffled]
[Crystal] Get out of here!
[Robert] What were you planning on doing
if we ain't showed up?
What, you think you were gonna
bash her on the head?
[Crystal] Just leave me alone.
[phone beeps]
[line ringing]
Don't hurt my son.
[Max] Tom. Set yourself free.
[call ends]
[phone chimes]
[ominous music playing]
[breathing heavily]
[sniffs]
[breathing heavily]
[knocks on door]
Hey! I just need some air.
I'm having trouble breathing down here.
- Please?
- Ma'am? [gasps]
Oh, fuck.
[gasps, yelps]
Look, whatever the Cadys have done
for you, it is not worth it.
[gasping]
You keep running your mouth like that
and watch what happens to you.
- Luke…
- [Luke groaning]
…you don't wanna spend
the rest of your life in prison, do you?
It'll be much easier
if you just shut up, ma'am.
Oh, my God. [panting]
- Are you okay?
- [Luke groans]
Yeah. Yeah, I'm good.
I've seen that scar before.
In your baby photo.
[scoffs]
What?
[chuckles, pants]
Does Max know you're his son?
- What?
- [Crystal] That's not true.
- I'm Crystal's son, ma'am.
- That's right.
You're a lying bitch.
- Max Cady is your dad, Luke.
- [Robert] She's lying, Luke.
[Crystal] You shut the fuck up, bitch.
- [Robert] Talking nonsense. Goddamn it.
- Why would you say that?
- Nonsense, I'm telling you.
- She's a lying little bitch.
- But Max is my mama's brother?
- Yeah.
- [Robert] Son, goddamn it.
- She's a lying, deceitful little bitch!
Shut her up, Luke!
Yeah, but what about my dad, Mama?
Your dad is… [stutters]
…exactly who I said he was,
- he's a zero, he left a long…
- She's lying.
You can tell she's lying, right?
Look at her.
Don't you let her talk to that,
she's saying lies to you!
[Robert] It's like I told you, Crys.
Sins of the daughter
visit the whole goddamn family!
Hold on, you're working yourself up.
I can see it.
You settle down, boy,
or you gonna get some crate time.
Am I gonna get fucking crate time? Huh?
Fuck you and your fucking crate time.
- Don't talk to your grandpa like that.
- Huh?
Tell me. Mama.
I love you.
- Don't fucking…
- I would never hurt you.
- [Luke] Don't fucking tell me that!
- No, I would never hurt you.
- She's a stranger, I'm your mother.
- Tell me the truth.
She can't tell you the truth, huh?
She's lying to herself.
- Would you shut up?
- [gasps, grunts]
- [exclaims]
- Oh, Ma.
[Crystal] Shut up!
[grunting]
[grunts]
[Luke] Fuck you, you fucker!
I fucking hate you. I fucking hate you!
- Fuck you, you fucker! [grunts]
- [Crystal] Oh, God. Stop it!
- You're gonna kill him!
- Get the fuck off me!
- You lied to me, you fuck!
- [Crystal] Stop it! [groans]
- [Crystal] Don't!
- Why did you lie to me? What the fuck?
[shouting indistinctly]
Fuck you! Fuck you!
Why the fuck did you lie to me?
[Crystal] Stop it, you're gonna kill him!
[Luke] Get the fuck off of me!
[Crystal] Luke, stop,
you're gonna kill him.
- [breathing shakily]
- [Luke screams]
- [Crystal] Calm down.
- [Luke] What the fuck am I doing here?
I wanna fucking kill myself.
You're a bad mother!
[Crystal] Calm down!
[dramatic music playing]