Matlock (2024) s01e10 Episode Script
Crash Helmets On
1
Previously Autry, my
name is Madeline Matlock,
- like the old TV show.
- Oh, I love that show.
MATTY: The law firm
Jacobson Moore hid documents
that could have taken opioids
off the market ten years earlier.
Think of how many lives
that could have saved.
Including our daughter's.
So I'm gonna figure out
who know what, when.
The email attachment,
it's a photograph
of Senior in Sydney.
Senior had an alibi, so
His signature was forged
by Julian or Olympia.
We'll see if this pen was worth it.
OLYMPIA: I need to know
who you slept with.
I told Shae that I felt
guilty, and she said
you had a thing with Elijah.
OLYMPIA: There was no affair.
You're comparing an actual something
to a theoretical nothing.
It's way too messy here now.
I don't think we should
work together anymore.
Why don't we ask the
managing board to pick
only one of us for
partner? The other leaves.
I trust you, and I hope you
know you can trust me, too.
She didn't do it. Julian did.
I don't have proof just
my gut, and I trust it.
♪
EDWIN: Ruling out
Olympia is a mistake.
There's no definitive proof.
Hon, I love you, I hear you,
but you're dead wrong.
Oh, I feel so heard.
No, I haven't lost my way, Edwin.
I'm just pivoting.
And my friendship with
Olympia is gonna be useful.
It's gonna get us our man, Julian.
He must have forged
Senior's signature.
He hid the documents.
Matty.
Where's Olympia?
Oh, I haven't seen her.
I was in the café
Is Olympia with Blake Ellison?
Who, now?
Slow down, son.
[CHUCKLING]: I haven't even had a sip.
The CEO of Tranquil Pines
who Olympia just escorted in,
according to the front desk.
MATTY: We need Julian's financials.
Olympia said he got a chunk of
money to buy their brownstone.
And that was right about the time
those documents went missing.
Well, maybe from his
dad, not from Wellbrexa?
Or from Wellbrexa, not his dad.
I need that divorce to get ugly
so Olympia forces forensic accounting.
Yep, then he calls his
lawyer, the pen picks it up
and we have new leads.
You sure you don't
know where Olympia is?
Fine.
She's in the fancy conference room.
Her office is being cleaned.
Mm. Heading to her office.
You're a really bad liar, Matty.
♪
OLYMPIA: The fact is,
Walter Higgins would be alive today
if your nursing home
followed protocol.
I'm looking at code violations,
health and safety citations,
procedural oversight.
Let's not forget staff shortages,
which is why Walter Higgins
fell and broke his hip
six months before dying alone
from a stroke in his bed.
- Our population is very fragile.
- Okay, well,
how about, uh, uh, broken elevators,
broken door sensors, broken showers?
Does anything work in your facilities?
[CHUCKLING]: We are
constantly fixing things,
and the residents break them.
Oh, so now you're blaming
your elderly residents?
No, look, I
Did Walter steal
his own class ring, Blake?
Because his son said that his ring
was stolen by your
staff off his dead body.
Who do you think you are?
Look, I don't have to listen to this.
I don't pay this firm to insult me.
No, you pay us to anticipate
bad facts and neutralize them
so your chain of nursing
homes doesn't get slammed
with a wrongful death judgment.
As for me, I'm your
new defense lawyer.
If you're smart.
Well done, sister.
Great idea to poach
Blake Ellison and Tranquil Pines.
I didn't think you were
that crafty, Ms. Matlock.
Oh, you're racing for partner,
- I'm in the sidecar.
- Oh, there he is.
Crash helmets on,
brace for impact.
- She stole my client.
- No, I pitched
- to Blake Ellison.
- Violating the firm's
strict no-poaching policy.
Tranquil Pines was Larry's client.
Larry had a heart attack.
May he rest in peace,
but his clients are up for grabs.
JULIAN: I worked on multiple
Tranquil Pines actions.
Blake came here to meet with me.
Exactly, and he still chose me.
This sets a bad precedent.
Agreed. We don't overrule clients.
Let's not start now.
If Blake Ellison wants
Olympia, not much I can do.
[SCOFFS] You're late, Billy.
I've got the time line prepared
and all laid out and
What is that?
It's my cool new belt.
And what is that smell?
It's cologne. It's me. Calm down.
I can't. I'm a super smeller,
and my eyes are tearing up.
Well, then breathe out
of your mouth, okay?
Because I'm in my
post-Claudia glow-up.
I need to rip off the
Band-Aid and date again.
So I'm not on one but
three dating apps.
Well, if you find a woman who
likes that belt, marry her.
Ha. Seriously.
And at least your cologne will
mask the smell of old people.
I hate nursing homes.
Okay, let's see the time line.
Cute belt.
Here we go.
Walter felt fluish
Wednesday afternoon.
The staff offered to call his doctor.
He refused and said
it was just a cold.
By Friday, he was lethargic
with a fever, turned in early.
The staff made a doctor's
appointment for Saturday,
but he died that night.
The nurses made standard check-ins
10:00 p.m., 4:00 a.m
and then found him dead from a stroke
when she went in the next
morning at 10:00 a.m.
Family's arguing that if
they checked more frequently,
he'd still be alive,
due to the crucial
three-hour window you
get with stroke victims.
Help during that time, you live.
If not, you Walter.
Check-ins go from every six
hours to every four hours
if the fever is over 102.
Walter's hovered
between 100 and 101.5,
so technically
Who cares? A jury's gonna
side with the family
over a fraction of a degree.
Agreed. New strategy?
- Well, uh
- MATTY: Ooh-wee!
We got ourselves a rebel here.
All right, let's hear
whatever you're thinking.
Well, I'm not thinking anything.
I'm learning about Walter.
Secret poker nights.
Caught with illicit Viagra.
Oh.
Maybe I am thinking about something.
Walter was on nitrates.
And everybody knows
nitrates plus that little
blue pill equals stroke.
Uh, well, everybody in the AARP.
So blame Walter for his own death?
BILLY: I believe the legal term is
"contributory negligence."
Ugh. Ugly way to go.
Well, who cares?
Look, I'm just gonna say it.
Everyone in the office heard about
the whole partner race
with you and Julian,
so this is no time for morals.
You got to win, because
I have student debt.
And, um, uh, an immense
amount of respect for you.
Okay.
So, if we can prove
Walter took Viagra the night he died,
he could've been
responsible for his own stroke.
I'll start settlement talks,
just to hold the family off,
and you three head down
to the nursing home
and talk to the staff.
Try to find someone to rat Walter out.
They could lose their jobs.
Ugh. Good point.
Although residents are more likely
to talk to us about his sex life.
Are you suggesting that
I should try to blend in
because of my age?
Because that'd be offensive
to my sensibilities.
I'm just kidding.
If Walter had a sweetie,
- I'll smoke that bitch out.
- [CHUCKLES]
SARAH: All right,
let's make this quick.
Not really an "old people" person.
You don't say.
Billy will deal with the front desk.
If anyone asks, you're my grandmother.
Is that another Gen
Z way of trolling me?
I mean, you and I don't exactly
swim in the same gene pool.
And yet you look exactly
like my grandmother.
I'm adopted.
And here is the answer
to your next five questions.
I was adopted when I
was six months old.
Yes, my adopted parents are white.
No, I do not speak Chinese.
No, I've never been back.
And no, I have never
looked for my birth parents.
♪
SARAH: Me and my grandma
are just gonna look around.
That's Walter.
Hi. I'm Gladys.
- You new?
- Well, not yet,
but I'm thinking about
moving in, Gladys.
My name is Matty, and this
is my granddaughter Sarah.
- Adopted.
- Oh.
So, my old granny here keeps
asking about the social scene.
Anything you can tell us about that?
Oh, I can do you one better.
You want to meet some of the girls?
And here are my Shayna Maidels
of the Garden Girls Club.
Ah, they are beautiful girls.
You speak Yiddish?
Three phrases.
And now I'm gonna sit on my tuchus
so we can kibitz.
[LAUGHTER] And I'm out.
Nice slacks. Ann Taylor?
Good eye.
Outlet version.
Problem with outlets is you miss out
on the mail-order delivery guys,
and they are so cute these days.
I'm glad you said it, not me.
Oh.[LAUGHTER]
So, uh, what's the social
scene around here, ladies?
'Cause if these years
are gonna be golden,
then I'm gonna be grinding.
[LAUGHTER, OOHING]
Well, I can confirm
there's action to be had.
CHICKIE: That's Howard Roth,
ex-philosophy professor.
His legs don't work so well,
but his tongue
- EDITH: Oh, Chickie.
- [LAUGHTER]
What she's trying to say
- is he's a generous lover.
- Mm-hmm.
You just don't want him
prattling on about Nietzsche,
or you'll never get Foucault'd.
[LAUGHTER]
And you all know this about Howard?
GLADYS: We've got to share.
I mean, the numbers just don't add up.
There's six gals to every
old buck around here.
Yeah.
I saw you recently lost one.
I was looking at the
memorial for Walter?
Yeah. Great guy.
- Strong hands.
- [OTHERS MURMURING IN AGREEMENT]
The problem was Lucille.
She begged to be part of
our Garden Girls Club.
EDITH: Seemed like GGC material.
Attractive, funny, played
a decent hand of bridge.
But as soon as she started
seeing Walter, she ditched us.
Despite the golden rule,
- which we made very clear.
- Oh, yes.
And what's the golden rule?
ALL: Garden hoes before bros.
[LAUGHTER]
Um
I'm on a bit of a self-guided tour,
and I got lost.
Front desk is down that way.
Thank you.
You really have a nice room.
Take a look.
You know, basic studio.
MATTY: Good layout.
- Nice little patio.
- Mm-hmm.
Oh, look at that.
You got Janis Joplin?
[CHUCKLES] Live at Woodstock.
That festival changed my life.
I was gonna become a nun,
and then, I did not. [LAUGHS]
Were you there?
The real question is:
was I having sex in
the river with a boy
who thought he'd
turned into a sunbeam?
[LAUGHS] Me, too.
Different details, same lifetime.
This is me.
Look at you.
I know it sounds kind of
crazy, but I feel exactly
like that 19-year-old sometimes.
I know exactly what you mean.
Sometimes I look in the mirror,
and I feel like somebody
put me in an old lady costume.
Exactly.
Is that your husband?
Uh, no.
No, I kissed a few frogs.
Divorced a couple.
And then I found Walter.
We weren't married, but
he was the love of my life.
We found each other in the end.
- "Was"?
- Yeah, he fell.
He shattered his hip and his femur.
It's crazy how fast he
went downhill after.
Then he got a cold and, uh,
two days later, he was gone.
I'm sorry.
Were you with him when he passed?
No.
We went to the movie matinee together.
Uh, I'm in charge of programming.
- Mm.
- And then we had,
uh, tea out on the balcony.
Did that every night.
Then ate dinner.
He said he wasn't feeling well.
So I, uh
I came back here.
And then, when I woke
up in the morning,
he was
And now I'm alone.
That's so fast.
Sick on a Wednesday, gone on Friday.
How did you know he
got sick on Wednesday?
I never said that.
Uh
- I'm a lawyer for-for Tranquil Pines
- [GROANS]
and we're trying to get to the bottom
of what happened to-to Walter.
Mm-hmm, well, you
can see yourself out.
MATTY: Bad news.
No evidence Walter took anything
that would've caused a stroke.
He went to bed after dinner,
didn't see his girlfriend.
- Damn it.
- SARAH: Wait, there's more bad news.
Yep. I did a whole perjury speech.
Pulled out some cop language.
Floor nurse came clean.
She never did the 4:00 a.m. check-in
on Walter the night he died.
OLYMPIA: No Viagra means
our contributory negligence defense
just went down the tubes.
And no 4:00 a.m. check-in
means our liability
Just went through the roof.
Come on, guys.
There has to be a way
to neutralize these bad facts.
Do we have to tell the other side?
Of course we have to disclose it.
We've turned over
discovery that we now know
- is fraudulent.
- BILLY: Okay, what if we can make it
irrelevant?
MATTY: Heck yeah.
How so, kiddo?
Lean into the gray area
surrounding time of death.
It's not an exact science,
so if we can get an expert
to credibly say that Walter
died before 4:00 a.m.,
then it wouldn't matter if
they did the check-in or not.
That's really smart, Billy.
Okay, I'll get us the expert witness.
You guys research everything
you can about time of death.
Okay.
[EXHALES]
Any retaliation from Julian?
No, not yet, but it's coming.
He hits you, you hit him right back.
But let's just hope it
doesn't come to that.
ASSISTANT [OVER INTERCOM]:
Matty, somebody's here for you.
What kind of glass
cleaner do y'all use?
I can't see a single streak.
No one's ever asked.
Well, it's got to be Sprayaway.
That's exactly right.
Fine skill you got there.
Would it work on my perfume?
If you were wearing
perfume, but you got
eau de toilette, with
lovely notes of lilac.
[CHUCKLES]
I-I-I
um, um, have
to finish gathering these signatures
for a partner's widow.
I got some holdouts to chase down.
And I don't mind watching you go.
[LAUGHING]
Autry. What on earth?
I need your help, Matlock.
What's going on?
Well, the co-op is trying to evict me.
Some bull-hooey
about me blasting the TV late at night.
And it's a flat-out lie.
Any chance you left
it on here or there
after you took your hearing aids out?
- Oh, no, I got a routine.
- Mm-hmm.
Any theory as to why
they want to evict you?
My neighbor.
About six months ago,
he come over here,
and wants me to sell my unit to him.
And he's on the co-op board.
Mm-mm. And when is the vote?
Tomorrow.
Hey, I wanted to ask you
No need. Your ex just left,
asking me the same thing.
And I'm gonna tell
you what I told him.
Yes, I'm on the partner board, and no,
my personal feelings
towards either of you
will not affect my vote.
- Because I'm not petty like that.
- Elijah
And frankly, I don't appreciate
the implication that I would be
- anything other than professional.
- Understood.
I actually was coming to ask you
for the expert witness you
used on the Underwood case.
Uh, let me make some calls
and see what I can do.
And sorry.
BILLY: There are a lot of factors
that go into time of death.
We need to simplify it for the jury.
Smart thinking from my buckle buddy.
Uh, I-I don't think
that's a, that's a thing.
Hey, I'm just saying,
it's a lady-killer.
Oh, my God.[LAUGHS]
Are all your HOA membership dues paid?
- Like clockwork.
- SARAH: Okay, here's something.
Your co-op board violated
their own regulations.
Their last notice was
delivered less than a week
after the prior one and
their rules clearly state
there must be two
weeks between notices.
- So I get to stay?
- SARAH: No.
You get to delay, and delay
is your friend right now.
I once saw a documentary
on the honey badger.
Definitely got honey badger DNA.
SARAH: Take your bylaws
back to the board.
They'll be forced to
reissue another warning.
Great, that will give
us two weeks to come up
with a way to help you
stay in your apartment.
Okay.
Why don't I walk you out?
Oh, I get it.
It's time for her to feed.
[LAUGHS]
There you are, Matty.
Been looking for you.
Here, sign this.
- For Larry's widow.
- Oh, okay.
Hey, Mr. Sprayaway.
Fancy bumping into you again.
Hey, Ms. Eau De Toilette.
You know, I served in the Marines.
BELVIN: I love a man in uniform.
I thought I was bad.
I'll ride down with you, Autry.
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
I thought of something else
to say to Larry's widow.
Don't over think it.
I want to be thoughtful.
She's not gonna read it anyway.
I can write it on the way down.
Or not. Wait!
Oh.
EDWIN: So I listened to the
whole day. It all started
with Julian signing a bereavement card
for some guy named Larry?
Oh, bad heart, worse temper.
Oh. So
Mrs. Belvin took the pen
from Julian's office.
Right, and then it made its way
around the litigation floor.
I'll try to get it.
No, you don't have to.
But what if somebody realizes
it's a recording device?
They won't.
It looks just like a regular pen.
That's why we bought it.
Just let that go.
All right?
What?
I don't want to get older.
We are older.
You know what I mean.
And Alfie's so young, I mean,
what if something happens to us?
We're in good health.
We take great care.
No more ice cream.
- What?
- We have to stay healthy
at least for the next 40 years.
Just kale from now on.
[LAUGHS] No, I'm serious.
That's what I'm afraid of.
- Look over there.
- What?
- Oh, come on, Edwin!
- [LAUGHS]
When it comes to determining
the time of death,
the most accurate
factors are rigor mortis,
algor mortis, livor mortis.
Let's start with rigor mortis.
Stiffening of the body muscles.
Walter's degree of
advancement indicates
he'd been dead since around 1:30 a.m.
OLYMPIA: Which means
even if my client's staff
had checked on Walter at 4:00 a.m.,
- it would not have mattered.
- Correct.
Walter Higgins died at 4:30 a.m.
Oh, my. Oh, my.
But that means the
4:00 a.m. check-in
the one Tranquil Pines failed
to do would've been crucial.
- I believe it could've saved his life.
- Oh, my!
But what about his
degree of rigor mortis?
MEDICAL EXPERT: Well, Walter was
elderly, so he had low muscle mass.
Also, he had been sick.
Both factors accelerate
the rate of stiffening.
Tell me about algor mortis, the
cooling of the body after death.
The Glaister Equation is
our industry standard.
The formula supports my
4:30 a.m. time of death.
Numbers don't lie.
But they can be influenced,
is that what you're saying?
Walter liked to keep his
room at a balmy 78 degrees
and wore warm clothing to bed,
which artificially slows
the rate of cooling.
Hmm.
Finally
livor mortis. What is it?
The pooling of the blood in
the lower portion of the body.
Walter barely had any.
Which means he died at 4:30.
His medical-grade bed was designed
to automatically tilt as he slept,
thereby affecting his circulation,
supporting 1:30.
No way. The bed could've flipped him
like a pancake and he
still would've had more
if he had died as early
as the defense claims.
SARAH: Started off so good.
Ended so bad.
Sort of like my date last night.
[EXHALES]
I'm back with news.
You got the two weeks?
I did, but then, uh
Let me guess, you created
an even bigger problem?
I guess my victory dance
offended the snowflakes.
They evicted me right on the spot.
BILLY: Ugh, my man, that's awful.
And possibly illegal,
if they didn't give it to
you in writing. Did they?
What do you think that F-16 Falcon is?
[CHUCKLES] It is a Falcon. Nice.
Okay, guys, come on, team,
what's our next move?
Oh, Autry, I think Uh
Come on, guys. I got nowhere to go.
And I don't want to end up in a
in a place like this hellhole.
It's not that bad.
It's depressing, it's
dirty, it's broke down.
The tenants are even disabling
their own door sensors
so they can jump off the balcony.
What do you mean, disabling?
You see this black tape right here?
Somebody deliberately put that
there to jam the circuits.
Are you sure?
Does a honey badger stun its prey
with its potent anal glands?
Hell yes, I'm sure.
I was a member of the
425 Electrician's Union
for 46 years.
Okay, but why would Walter
tamper with his own door sensor?
- So we think he did it
- He probably wanted
Uh, sneak across the
balcony after curfew
to Lucille's room for some nookie.
Which means he would've
popped a little blue pill.
Which means he is responsible
for his own death.
SARAH: Exactly. And
since Autry helped,
we thought we could represent
him in housing court.
Olympia's tied up,
she needs you, and we need experience.
- Sounds great.
- Great. Uh, can you text Olympia?
- She trusts you.
- And ask her who gets to argue it.
[TYPING]
[TEXT WHOOSHES]
[PHONE CHIMES]
She said I get to choose.
- If I may start the pitch by saying
- you know, Matty, I was actually thinking
First, we need to get
back to Tranquil Pines,
follow up on those sensors,
one of you will come with me,
and the other one will make sure
Lucille stays in that movie matinee.
SARAH: I just I love it here.
There's so much
wisdom among the very, very old.
That's a little heavy-handed, darling.
Problem is, Autry doesn't like you.
That's not true.
He called me a honey
badger. That sounds sweet.
Sweet? Oh, no. Y-You
better look 'em up.
Whatever. I don't have to be likable
to be the best at my job.
Far be it from me to
be the woman to say,
"You should smile more,"
but you do have to be able to connect
with your client a little bit.
GLADYS: Louis?
Gladys.
Uh
It's It's Matty. We met yesterday?
Who?
Where's my husband?
Have you seen Louis? Where is he?
You don't know where he is?
[WHISPERS]: Dementia.
Do you know where he is?
No, I don't. I-I'm sorry.
You're lying to me.
You're lying.
- I'm not, I
- Where did you take him?
- I-I don't know, I'm
- Louis?
- I'm sorry.
- Yes, you do.
You do know, you must.
Hey, I can help you find him.
You can?
Yeah.
Right this way, come with me.
I go a-walkin' ♪
After midnight ♪
Out in the moonlight ♪
Just like we used to do ♪
I'm always walkin' ♪
After midnight ♪
Searching for you. ♪
♪
[SIGHS]
Gotcha.
[TEXT WHOOSHES]
[SNIFFS]
Did you get the pictures?
Yeah, sensor's been taped,
Lucille's got Walter's ring.
Time to get your shovel.
Okay, the judge agreed
to exhume Walter.
Digging up dead bodies,
the faint whiff of adult diapers
Not gonna lie, might be my least
favorite day at work so far.
Who did you know with dementia?
My grandma.
A real classic Midwestern queen,
who would kill you with
kindness and a casserole.
Unless you questioned
if we were related.
Then, she was ready to cut
you with her knitting needles.
[CHUCKLES] Sounds
like a real cool lady.
Actually, notoriously
uncool. But awesome.
And then I
[SIGHS]
I came back from college and she
She didn't recognize me.
I told her I was her granddaughter,
and she screamed,
"Get this Chinese
girl out of my room."
- I'm so very sorry.
- Yeah.
I just stopped introducing
myself as her granddaughter,
and then I was able to
spend time with her.
And when she was disoriented
I sang.
You know, if you showed that
kind of compassion to Autry,
you'd crush that housing case.
Does this mean what I think it does?
I got it?
Yeah.
[LAUGHS] Yes.
I can't imagine it, Edwin.
I mean, out of nowhere,
I don't recognize Alfie?
That's a very scary thought,
and it's not happening.
But it could.
And no amount of kale can stop it.
Even if you massage it.
Well, there would be warning signs.
A-And worst-case scenario:
we have a plan.
My niece has a big
family, lots of kids.
But they're sports kids.
Alfie's not a sports kid.
[DOOR RATTLES] Alfie?
It's a little late for
screens, sweetheart.
I was going to check the
pen transcript before bed.
Oh. There was a snafu at the
office and it's in the wind.
But don't worry.
But what if someone figures
out it's a recording device?
I paid cash.
Yeah, but I had to
connect it to an email address.
- Which could eventually be traced to us.
- No one panic.
Ugh.
EDWIN: Alfie, what's the
last thing the pen recorded?
It was on your floor, Matty.
OLYMPIA: I'm heading out
for the night, Mrs. Belvin.
Leave it here.
Do you know who that is?
I sure do.
EDWIN: Hm.
When do we get the
results of the exhumation?
Couple hours. We're lined up?
SARAH: Yup, motion's done.
Results in our favor,
we move to dismiss.
And while we wait, we prep Autry.
OLYMPIA: Nice.
Are you blacked out from your cologne?
That pen is a recording device.
Well, was a recording device.
See that teeny, tiny black dot on top?
That's the microphone.
My sister uses one when
taking witness statements.
OLYMPIA: Do you think
it's case-related?
BILLY: I could take it to security.
Let's all just take a beat.
I haven't exactly been doing
the kind of high-profile cases
that would merit espionage.
Yeah. That's what I was thinking.
But then I thought
But no, it can't be.
Julian?
The partner race.
The divorce. But come on.
Julian would never.
He recorded me once.
During a fight, I caught him.
Said he wanted me to hear my tone.
- Oh, I don't like that.
- Neither do I.
Let's see what he
has to say for himself.
No. Wait. It Just hold on now.
Slow down.
He's just going to deny it.
Ugh. You're right.
All right, I'll get
confirmation that it's him.
Then I'll decide what to do.
Ooh, I'll give it to Billy.
He can use his cop connections.
See if it's traceable.
Good thinkin'.
- OLYMPIA: Billy.
- BILLY: Yeah?
♪
The goal is to prove that it would be
an "extreme hardship" for you to move.
Let me guess, because I'm old?
When a honey badger finds
itself in a lion's jaws,
it squirms around in
its weird, loose skin
until the lion is left
with a mouthful of blubber.
We got to use what we got.
And in your case, that
means a very impressive
number of years on this planet.
Now, let's go over reasons
why moving would create real hardship.
Well, for starters, I have a
real hard time with change.
- Could you give an example?
- My clicker.
I lost it months ago.
I could buy another new TV, but
too much change.
Um, I was actually thinking
more like how hard it would be
to find a comparable
apartment for the same price.
Another problem with my TV,
it turns itself on whenever
it damn well pleases.
[CHUCKLES THINLY]
I'm gonna need more backup.
Please tell me that you
Shepardized the case law
on extreme hardships.
Totally, but I left it at my desk.
Thank you.
Hey.
Matty?
[GASPS] Oh.
I thought you were, uh,
interviewing Autry with Sarah.
Just needed to grab
some research. Um
Why are you going through my desk?
Well, I just wanted to
see what the view was like
behind the desk of a young man
about to argue his first case.
Wait, what?
Ta-da.[LAUGHS]
Congratulations.
Actually, I was just
looking for a Post-It.
I was gonna slip into the
meeting to let you know.
But here you are.
Matty, I-I thought you
gave the case to Sarah.
Well, you know, I just kept waking up
in the middle of the night
with an uneasy feeling.
That usually means
I've had day-old gumbo
or made a bad decision.
Autry likes you more.
I think the judge will, too.
Are there things you currently
rely on in your apartment?
Is it close to relatives
that can look in on you?
Uh, my granddaughter.
We talk every Tuesday night.
Have you seen your texts?
That's so sweet.
Little busy here.
Do you mind taking notes?
She told me she's moving to Queens.
I really think you should
take a peek at those texts.
You got one from Matty.
SARAH: Sorry, Autry.
BILLY: Yeah, so, um,
actually, maybe,
you can take the notes?
[OVER HEADPHONES]: ♪
That love the Lord ♪
And I thought they
were singing to me ♪
Something hit me ♪
A bolt of lightning ♪
Hey, boss, we're due in court
in less than an hour.
One more ♪
Are you all right?
Just comfort music.
And we're seeking comfort because
No male sex-enhancement drug
of any kind in Walter's system.
Just
dug someone's dad up for no reason.
Okay, so we got this one wrong.
This one?
How about, uh, Julian?
Elijah, Shae,
my marriage, my judgment?
You ever just feel
the walls closing in?
Every day.
Maybe I should just call it.
Yeah, hand the partner
race over to Julian.
Sweet girl
I'm going to give you some advice
my mother gave me:
Snap the hell out of it.
Life isn't fair or easy.
It's a long, uphill
marathon in the rain,
and we're expected to
run it in high heels.
But trust me,
when you get close to the finish line,
you look back
and you realize what
a privilege it was.
This is nothing.
It's just a a leg cramp.
Keep running.
What if I lose?
You start over. Big whoop.
At least you got your
cartilage in your knees
and your boobs above
your belly button.
[LAUGHS]
And what if you win?
That's just as likely,
and for my money,
I bet you'll still be here
for the next 40 years,
probably running the place.
If I am still here in 40 years,
promise me
that you will spike my
coffee with something
stronger than Red Bull.
Well, I'll be long gone, girl.
You'll have to get Sarah
or Billy to do that.
Slowly, so they don't end up in jail.
[CHUCKLING]: Yeah.
Oh, I know that face.
What are you thinking?
That it wasn't Viagra.
But it was Lucille.
♪
OLYMPIA: Hello, Ms. Morris.
This is the toxicology report
performed on Walter Higgins.
It's already been
entered into evidence.
Could you kindly read
the section there
highlighted on page five?
LUCILLE: "Elevated levels
"of arsenic detected
in decedent's tissue."
OLYMPIA: Thank you.
Lucille, would you be
surprised if I told you
the true cause of Walter's
death was arsenic poisoning?
Objection. Everyone has varying
levels of arsenic in their body.
Well, that's just not true.
Not everyone has a place to go,
especially when you're
almost 90 years old.
Additionally, my client
has medical conditions
that require different specialists.
There are plenty of fine doctors
in the tri-state area
who Mr. Tucker could see
once he settles into a new place.
Shut the front door, Alan!
LAWYER: New York is also
well-known for its cheap
and convenient public
transportation system,
should he prefer to
remain with his doctors.
This is true.
BILLY: It would place an undue burden
on him to travel, Your Honor.
If Mr. Tucker is so
desperate to stay local,
he could just move in with
his granddaughter in Queens.
Your Honor, could I
consult with my client?
Yes, I was in the gardening club.
And why did you join?
To meet other people.
But I left because
I wanted to spend
more time with Walter.
We weren't getting any younger.
So you didn't join
to get to the rat poison?
- Objection. Relevance?
- JUDGE: Overruled.
OLYMPIA: You two had
tea on your balcony
every night.
You never missed it, correct?
Is it a crime to drink tea?
No, but it is a crime to microdose it
with arsenic from rat poison
so it only registers
in trace amounts on
toxicology reports.
Objection. Prejudicial.
Where's the question?
OLYMPIA: Did you intentionally
disable the sensor to your patio door
so you could enter
Walter's room undetected?
[SCOFFS]
We may have done a few things
to avoid gossip.
So sue me.
I don't want to sue you, Lucille.
But I can't have my
client sued either,
which is why I need the truth.
Did you know we found Walter's ring
in your room?
He wanted me to have it.
OLYMPIA: Why?
Please.
Walter's children
and grandchildren
deserve the truth.
When did your granddaughter
tell you she was moving to Queens?
This week.
- Again, that was - on the phone?
- Yeah.
Did you share this information
with anyone from your co-op?
Opposing counsel, for instance?
Oh, hell no. I don't
talk to those bozos.
Chapter 11 of the New York
Housing Code, which
was enacted in 1968,
first required residential buildings
to be constructed with insulation.
My client's building was
built 20 years prior,
so the walls are very thin.
Did you crank up the volume
to watch TV at night, sir?
No, I'd fall asleep with it off,
but at some point, I'd
wake up and it's blaring,
so I'd have to get out of
my damn bed and turn it off.
Why not use the remote?
It's been missing for six months.
This is the distance
from the TV to your bed.
And this is to your living room.
TV ANNOUNCER: He's forcing a
[TV TURNS OFF]
BILLY: And this is to the hallway.
And this is to
your neighbor's living room!
TV ANNOUNCER: fast
into the penalty box!
Just the keeper to beat
A fantastic ball through the midfield.
A stunning I think
you've made your point,
Counselor!
[TV TURNS OFF] The only
way opposing counsel
could've known my client's
granddaughter moved to Queens
was if some neighbor
heard Mr. Tucker
through the thin walls.
I submit, Your Honor,
that that neighbor stole
Mr. Tucker's remote
and used it to raise the
volume while he was sleeping
so he would get dinged for
noise complaints. And why?
Because that same neighbor
wants to buy Mr. Tucker's apartment.
These are bogus charges, Your Honor.
Autry Tucker
has done nothing wrong.
We didn't do anything wrong.
And I don't care what the law says,
and neither did Walter.
He was ready,
especially after he fell
and broke his hip.
He hated it there at the nursing home,
but he didn't want to be
a burden to his family.
You're saying you assisted
Walter in ending his own life?
LUCILLE: I'm saying
that I went into Walter's room
to hold him
while he took his last breath.
And I stayed there for hours,
just holding him
until my arms ached
and my heart broke.
It was almost impossible
for me to let him go.
[SNIFFLES]
But I would do it all over again.
[CHEERING, APPLAUSE]
[CHANTING]: Billy! Billy!
You should have seen him in there.
So much dip on his chip.
OLYMPIA: Congrats, Counselor.
First notch on your belt.
And it's a hell of a belt.
What the hell happened?
I know you're upset
Upset?
I had a full-on D.J.
Tanner Full House reboot
moment with you, and you told me
that this case was mine.
Why would you take it away?
In the middle of the
night, I got to thinking.
Oh. And, yes,
I saw compassion from you,
but that's how Billy
lives his whole life,
and I just thought
he'd be better for Autry,
and, in the end, he was.
I'm sorry.
You will be.
Because you will regret
making an enemy out of me.
Need another expert witness?
No.
This time, I do want to
talk about the partner race.
Don't vote for me.
In fact, vote for anyone except me,
because I don't want
to give anyone a reason
to discredit my win.
And if you don't win?
Then I start over.
I still got cartilage in my knees.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
I'm young,
the road is long.
Jobs come and go.
But friendships,
real ones, don't.
And if there's any chance of us
working our way back to friends
it starts right here.
EDWIN: We have no idea who he is.
MATTY: Because we decided not to look.
I'm just saying, your niece, my sister,
they're not our only options.
We could look for Alfie's father.
Hon, it's too risky.
Chances are, he's also an addict.
We didn't want to bring
that kind of chaos into Alfie's life.
Because it would make
things harder for us.
But what about for Alfie?
Let's at least think about it.
- [PHONE RINGS]
- Okay.
It's Olympia. Shh.
Olympia, hi.
Billy just texted me. The pen is
connected to a random email.
So we can't trace it any
further without a warrant.
OLYMPIA: Mrs. Belvin, leave it here.
What if we use this to our advantage?
Get a second pen and switch it
so Olympia thinks it's Julian.
That's crafty, Edwin.
You two thugs
are beginning to rub off on me.
Matty?
You still think it's Julian?
OLYMPIA: Gotta be.
I mean, we just started negotiating
the divorce, he wants
the upper hand. Leverage.
So, what's your next move?
Besides beating him for partner?
I'm going to demand
forensic accounting.
Every lie he's ever told,
every penny he's hidden.
I'm gonna find 'em.
Sounds like we're going to war.
Like I said, I'm in the sidecar
crash helmet on.
Previously Autry, my
name is Madeline Matlock,
- like the old TV show.
- Oh, I love that show.
MATTY: The law firm
Jacobson Moore hid documents
that could have taken opioids
off the market ten years earlier.
Think of how many lives
that could have saved.
Including our daughter's.
So I'm gonna figure out
who know what, when.
The email attachment,
it's a photograph
of Senior in Sydney.
Senior had an alibi, so
His signature was forged
by Julian or Olympia.
We'll see if this pen was worth it.
OLYMPIA: I need to know
who you slept with.
I told Shae that I felt
guilty, and she said
you had a thing with Elijah.
OLYMPIA: There was no affair.
You're comparing an actual something
to a theoretical nothing.
It's way too messy here now.
I don't think we should
work together anymore.
Why don't we ask the
managing board to pick
only one of us for
partner? The other leaves.
I trust you, and I hope you
know you can trust me, too.
She didn't do it. Julian did.
I don't have proof just
my gut, and I trust it.
♪
EDWIN: Ruling out
Olympia is a mistake.
There's no definitive proof.
Hon, I love you, I hear you,
but you're dead wrong.
Oh, I feel so heard.
No, I haven't lost my way, Edwin.
I'm just pivoting.
And my friendship with
Olympia is gonna be useful.
It's gonna get us our man, Julian.
He must have forged
Senior's signature.
He hid the documents.
Matty.
Where's Olympia?
Oh, I haven't seen her.
I was in the café
Is Olympia with Blake Ellison?
Who, now?
Slow down, son.
[CHUCKLING]: I haven't even had a sip.
The CEO of Tranquil Pines
who Olympia just escorted in,
according to the front desk.
MATTY: We need Julian's financials.
Olympia said he got a chunk of
money to buy their brownstone.
And that was right about the time
those documents went missing.
Well, maybe from his
dad, not from Wellbrexa?
Or from Wellbrexa, not his dad.
I need that divorce to get ugly
so Olympia forces forensic accounting.
Yep, then he calls his
lawyer, the pen picks it up
and we have new leads.
You sure you don't
know where Olympia is?
Fine.
She's in the fancy conference room.
Her office is being cleaned.
Mm. Heading to her office.
You're a really bad liar, Matty.
♪
OLYMPIA: The fact is,
Walter Higgins would be alive today
if your nursing home
followed protocol.
I'm looking at code violations,
health and safety citations,
procedural oversight.
Let's not forget staff shortages,
which is why Walter Higgins
fell and broke his hip
six months before dying alone
from a stroke in his bed.
- Our population is very fragile.
- Okay, well,
how about, uh, uh, broken elevators,
broken door sensors, broken showers?
Does anything work in your facilities?
[CHUCKLING]: We are
constantly fixing things,
and the residents break them.
Oh, so now you're blaming
your elderly residents?
No, look, I
Did Walter steal
his own class ring, Blake?
Because his son said that his ring
was stolen by your
staff off his dead body.
Who do you think you are?
Look, I don't have to listen to this.
I don't pay this firm to insult me.
No, you pay us to anticipate
bad facts and neutralize them
so your chain of nursing
homes doesn't get slammed
with a wrongful death judgment.
As for me, I'm your
new defense lawyer.
If you're smart.
Well done, sister.
Great idea to poach
Blake Ellison and Tranquil Pines.
I didn't think you were
that crafty, Ms. Matlock.
Oh, you're racing for partner,
- I'm in the sidecar.
- Oh, there he is.
Crash helmets on,
brace for impact.
- She stole my client.
- No, I pitched
- to Blake Ellison.
- Violating the firm's
strict no-poaching policy.
Tranquil Pines was Larry's client.
Larry had a heart attack.
May he rest in peace,
but his clients are up for grabs.
JULIAN: I worked on multiple
Tranquil Pines actions.
Blake came here to meet with me.
Exactly, and he still chose me.
This sets a bad precedent.
Agreed. We don't overrule clients.
Let's not start now.
If Blake Ellison wants
Olympia, not much I can do.
[SCOFFS] You're late, Billy.
I've got the time line prepared
and all laid out and
What is that?
It's my cool new belt.
And what is that smell?
It's cologne. It's me. Calm down.
I can't. I'm a super smeller,
and my eyes are tearing up.
Well, then breathe out
of your mouth, okay?
Because I'm in my
post-Claudia glow-up.
I need to rip off the
Band-Aid and date again.
So I'm not on one but
three dating apps.
Well, if you find a woman who
likes that belt, marry her.
Ha. Seriously.
And at least your cologne will
mask the smell of old people.
I hate nursing homes.
Okay, let's see the time line.
Cute belt.
Here we go.
Walter felt fluish
Wednesday afternoon.
The staff offered to call his doctor.
He refused and said
it was just a cold.
By Friday, he was lethargic
with a fever, turned in early.
The staff made a doctor's
appointment for Saturday,
but he died that night.
The nurses made standard check-ins
10:00 p.m., 4:00 a.m
and then found him dead from a stroke
when she went in the next
morning at 10:00 a.m.
Family's arguing that if
they checked more frequently,
he'd still be alive,
due to the crucial
three-hour window you
get with stroke victims.
Help during that time, you live.
If not, you Walter.
Check-ins go from every six
hours to every four hours
if the fever is over 102.
Walter's hovered
between 100 and 101.5,
so technically
Who cares? A jury's gonna
side with the family
over a fraction of a degree.
Agreed. New strategy?
- Well, uh
- MATTY: Ooh-wee!
We got ourselves a rebel here.
All right, let's hear
whatever you're thinking.
Well, I'm not thinking anything.
I'm learning about Walter.
Secret poker nights.
Caught with illicit Viagra.
Oh.
Maybe I am thinking about something.
Walter was on nitrates.
And everybody knows
nitrates plus that little
blue pill equals stroke.
Uh, well, everybody in the AARP.
So blame Walter for his own death?
BILLY: I believe the legal term is
"contributory negligence."
Ugh. Ugly way to go.
Well, who cares?
Look, I'm just gonna say it.
Everyone in the office heard about
the whole partner race
with you and Julian,
so this is no time for morals.
You got to win, because
I have student debt.
And, um, uh, an immense
amount of respect for you.
Okay.
So, if we can prove
Walter took Viagra the night he died,
he could've been
responsible for his own stroke.
I'll start settlement talks,
just to hold the family off,
and you three head down
to the nursing home
and talk to the staff.
Try to find someone to rat Walter out.
They could lose their jobs.
Ugh. Good point.
Although residents are more likely
to talk to us about his sex life.
Are you suggesting that
I should try to blend in
because of my age?
Because that'd be offensive
to my sensibilities.
I'm just kidding.
If Walter had a sweetie,
- I'll smoke that bitch out.
- [CHUCKLES]
SARAH: All right,
let's make this quick.
Not really an "old people" person.
You don't say.
Billy will deal with the front desk.
If anyone asks, you're my grandmother.
Is that another Gen
Z way of trolling me?
I mean, you and I don't exactly
swim in the same gene pool.
And yet you look exactly
like my grandmother.
I'm adopted.
And here is the answer
to your next five questions.
I was adopted when I
was six months old.
Yes, my adopted parents are white.
No, I do not speak Chinese.
No, I've never been back.
And no, I have never
looked for my birth parents.
♪
SARAH: Me and my grandma
are just gonna look around.
That's Walter.
Hi. I'm Gladys.
- You new?
- Well, not yet,
but I'm thinking about
moving in, Gladys.
My name is Matty, and this
is my granddaughter Sarah.
- Adopted.
- Oh.
So, my old granny here keeps
asking about the social scene.
Anything you can tell us about that?
Oh, I can do you one better.
You want to meet some of the girls?
And here are my Shayna Maidels
of the Garden Girls Club.
Ah, they are beautiful girls.
You speak Yiddish?
Three phrases.
And now I'm gonna sit on my tuchus
so we can kibitz.
[LAUGHTER] And I'm out.
Nice slacks. Ann Taylor?
Good eye.
Outlet version.
Problem with outlets is you miss out
on the mail-order delivery guys,
and they are so cute these days.
I'm glad you said it, not me.
Oh.[LAUGHTER]
So, uh, what's the social
scene around here, ladies?
'Cause if these years
are gonna be golden,
then I'm gonna be grinding.
[LAUGHTER, OOHING]
Well, I can confirm
there's action to be had.
CHICKIE: That's Howard Roth,
ex-philosophy professor.
His legs don't work so well,
but his tongue
- EDITH: Oh, Chickie.
- [LAUGHTER]
What she's trying to say
- is he's a generous lover.
- Mm-hmm.
You just don't want him
prattling on about Nietzsche,
or you'll never get Foucault'd.
[LAUGHTER]
And you all know this about Howard?
GLADYS: We've got to share.
I mean, the numbers just don't add up.
There's six gals to every
old buck around here.
Yeah.
I saw you recently lost one.
I was looking at the
memorial for Walter?
Yeah. Great guy.
- Strong hands.
- [OTHERS MURMURING IN AGREEMENT]
The problem was Lucille.
She begged to be part of
our Garden Girls Club.
EDITH: Seemed like GGC material.
Attractive, funny, played
a decent hand of bridge.
But as soon as she started
seeing Walter, she ditched us.
Despite the golden rule,
- which we made very clear.
- Oh, yes.
And what's the golden rule?
ALL: Garden hoes before bros.
[LAUGHTER]
Um
I'm on a bit of a self-guided tour,
and I got lost.
Front desk is down that way.
Thank you.
You really have a nice room.
Take a look.
You know, basic studio.
MATTY: Good layout.
- Nice little patio.
- Mm-hmm.
Oh, look at that.
You got Janis Joplin?
[CHUCKLES] Live at Woodstock.
That festival changed my life.
I was gonna become a nun,
and then, I did not. [LAUGHS]
Were you there?
The real question is:
was I having sex in
the river with a boy
who thought he'd
turned into a sunbeam?
[LAUGHS] Me, too.
Different details, same lifetime.
This is me.
Look at you.
I know it sounds kind of
crazy, but I feel exactly
like that 19-year-old sometimes.
I know exactly what you mean.
Sometimes I look in the mirror,
and I feel like somebody
put me in an old lady costume.
Exactly.
Is that your husband?
Uh, no.
No, I kissed a few frogs.
Divorced a couple.
And then I found Walter.
We weren't married, but
he was the love of my life.
We found each other in the end.
- "Was"?
- Yeah, he fell.
He shattered his hip and his femur.
It's crazy how fast he
went downhill after.
Then he got a cold and, uh,
two days later, he was gone.
I'm sorry.
Were you with him when he passed?
No.
We went to the movie matinee together.
Uh, I'm in charge of programming.
- Mm.
- And then we had,
uh, tea out on the balcony.
Did that every night.
Then ate dinner.
He said he wasn't feeling well.
So I, uh
I came back here.
And then, when I woke
up in the morning,
he was
And now I'm alone.
That's so fast.
Sick on a Wednesday, gone on Friday.
How did you know he
got sick on Wednesday?
I never said that.
Uh
- I'm a lawyer for-for Tranquil Pines
- [GROANS]
and we're trying to get to the bottom
of what happened to-to Walter.
Mm-hmm, well, you
can see yourself out.
MATTY: Bad news.
No evidence Walter took anything
that would've caused a stroke.
He went to bed after dinner,
didn't see his girlfriend.
- Damn it.
- SARAH: Wait, there's more bad news.
Yep. I did a whole perjury speech.
Pulled out some cop language.
Floor nurse came clean.
She never did the 4:00 a.m. check-in
on Walter the night he died.
OLYMPIA: No Viagra means
our contributory negligence defense
just went down the tubes.
And no 4:00 a.m. check-in
means our liability
Just went through the roof.
Come on, guys.
There has to be a way
to neutralize these bad facts.
Do we have to tell the other side?
Of course we have to disclose it.
We've turned over
discovery that we now know
- is fraudulent.
- BILLY: Okay, what if we can make it
irrelevant?
MATTY: Heck yeah.
How so, kiddo?
Lean into the gray area
surrounding time of death.
It's not an exact science,
so if we can get an expert
to credibly say that Walter
died before 4:00 a.m.,
then it wouldn't matter if
they did the check-in or not.
That's really smart, Billy.
Okay, I'll get us the expert witness.
You guys research everything
you can about time of death.
Okay.
[EXHALES]
Any retaliation from Julian?
No, not yet, but it's coming.
He hits you, you hit him right back.
But let's just hope it
doesn't come to that.
ASSISTANT [OVER INTERCOM]:
Matty, somebody's here for you.
What kind of glass
cleaner do y'all use?
I can't see a single streak.
No one's ever asked.
Well, it's got to be Sprayaway.
That's exactly right.
Fine skill you got there.
Would it work on my perfume?
If you were wearing
perfume, but you got
eau de toilette, with
lovely notes of lilac.
[CHUCKLES]
I-I-I
um, um, have
to finish gathering these signatures
for a partner's widow.
I got some holdouts to chase down.
And I don't mind watching you go.
[LAUGHING]
Autry. What on earth?
I need your help, Matlock.
What's going on?
Well, the co-op is trying to evict me.
Some bull-hooey
about me blasting the TV late at night.
And it's a flat-out lie.
Any chance you left
it on here or there
after you took your hearing aids out?
- Oh, no, I got a routine.
- Mm-hmm.
Any theory as to why
they want to evict you?
My neighbor.
About six months ago,
he come over here,
and wants me to sell my unit to him.
And he's on the co-op board.
Mm-mm. And when is the vote?
Tomorrow.
Hey, I wanted to ask you
No need. Your ex just left,
asking me the same thing.
And I'm gonna tell
you what I told him.
Yes, I'm on the partner board, and no,
my personal feelings
towards either of you
will not affect my vote.
- Because I'm not petty like that.
- Elijah
And frankly, I don't appreciate
the implication that I would be
- anything other than professional.
- Understood.
I actually was coming to ask you
for the expert witness you
used on the Underwood case.
Uh, let me make some calls
and see what I can do.
And sorry.
BILLY: There are a lot of factors
that go into time of death.
We need to simplify it for the jury.
Smart thinking from my buckle buddy.
Uh, I-I don't think
that's a, that's a thing.
Hey, I'm just saying,
it's a lady-killer.
Oh, my God.[LAUGHS]
Are all your HOA membership dues paid?
- Like clockwork.
- SARAH: Okay, here's something.
Your co-op board violated
their own regulations.
Their last notice was
delivered less than a week
after the prior one and
their rules clearly state
there must be two
weeks between notices.
- So I get to stay?
- SARAH: No.
You get to delay, and delay
is your friend right now.
I once saw a documentary
on the honey badger.
Definitely got honey badger DNA.
SARAH: Take your bylaws
back to the board.
They'll be forced to
reissue another warning.
Great, that will give
us two weeks to come up
with a way to help you
stay in your apartment.
Okay.
Why don't I walk you out?
Oh, I get it.
It's time for her to feed.
[LAUGHS]
There you are, Matty.
Been looking for you.
Here, sign this.
- For Larry's widow.
- Oh, okay.
Hey, Mr. Sprayaway.
Fancy bumping into you again.
Hey, Ms. Eau De Toilette.
You know, I served in the Marines.
BELVIN: I love a man in uniform.
I thought I was bad.
I'll ride down with you, Autry.
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
I thought of something else
to say to Larry's widow.
Don't over think it.
I want to be thoughtful.
She's not gonna read it anyway.
I can write it on the way down.
Or not. Wait!
Oh.
EDWIN: So I listened to the
whole day. It all started
with Julian signing a bereavement card
for some guy named Larry?
Oh, bad heart, worse temper.
Oh. So
Mrs. Belvin took the pen
from Julian's office.
Right, and then it made its way
around the litigation floor.
I'll try to get it.
No, you don't have to.
But what if somebody realizes
it's a recording device?
They won't.
It looks just like a regular pen.
That's why we bought it.
Just let that go.
All right?
What?
I don't want to get older.
We are older.
You know what I mean.
And Alfie's so young, I mean,
what if something happens to us?
We're in good health.
We take great care.
No more ice cream.
- What?
- We have to stay healthy
at least for the next 40 years.
Just kale from now on.
[LAUGHS] No, I'm serious.
That's what I'm afraid of.
- Look over there.
- What?
- Oh, come on, Edwin!
- [LAUGHS]
When it comes to determining
the time of death,
the most accurate
factors are rigor mortis,
algor mortis, livor mortis.
Let's start with rigor mortis.
Stiffening of the body muscles.
Walter's degree of
advancement indicates
he'd been dead since around 1:30 a.m.
OLYMPIA: Which means
even if my client's staff
had checked on Walter at 4:00 a.m.,
- it would not have mattered.
- Correct.
Walter Higgins died at 4:30 a.m.
Oh, my. Oh, my.
But that means the
4:00 a.m. check-in
the one Tranquil Pines failed
to do would've been crucial.
- I believe it could've saved his life.
- Oh, my!
But what about his
degree of rigor mortis?
MEDICAL EXPERT: Well, Walter was
elderly, so he had low muscle mass.
Also, he had been sick.
Both factors accelerate
the rate of stiffening.
Tell me about algor mortis, the
cooling of the body after death.
The Glaister Equation is
our industry standard.
The formula supports my
4:30 a.m. time of death.
Numbers don't lie.
But they can be influenced,
is that what you're saying?
Walter liked to keep his
room at a balmy 78 degrees
and wore warm clothing to bed,
which artificially slows
the rate of cooling.
Hmm.
Finally
livor mortis. What is it?
The pooling of the blood in
the lower portion of the body.
Walter barely had any.
Which means he died at 4:30.
His medical-grade bed was designed
to automatically tilt as he slept,
thereby affecting his circulation,
supporting 1:30.
No way. The bed could've flipped him
like a pancake and he
still would've had more
if he had died as early
as the defense claims.
SARAH: Started off so good.
Ended so bad.
Sort of like my date last night.
[EXHALES]
I'm back with news.
You got the two weeks?
I did, but then, uh
Let me guess, you created
an even bigger problem?
I guess my victory dance
offended the snowflakes.
They evicted me right on the spot.
BILLY: Ugh, my man, that's awful.
And possibly illegal,
if they didn't give it to
you in writing. Did they?
What do you think that F-16 Falcon is?
[CHUCKLES] It is a Falcon. Nice.
Okay, guys, come on, team,
what's our next move?
Oh, Autry, I think Uh
Come on, guys. I got nowhere to go.
And I don't want to end up in a
in a place like this hellhole.
It's not that bad.
It's depressing, it's
dirty, it's broke down.
The tenants are even disabling
their own door sensors
so they can jump off the balcony.
What do you mean, disabling?
You see this black tape right here?
Somebody deliberately put that
there to jam the circuits.
Are you sure?
Does a honey badger stun its prey
with its potent anal glands?
Hell yes, I'm sure.
I was a member of the
425 Electrician's Union
for 46 years.
Okay, but why would Walter
tamper with his own door sensor?
- So we think he did it
- He probably wanted
Uh, sneak across the
balcony after curfew
to Lucille's room for some nookie.
Which means he would've
popped a little blue pill.
Which means he is responsible
for his own death.
SARAH: Exactly. And
since Autry helped,
we thought we could represent
him in housing court.
Olympia's tied up,
she needs you, and we need experience.
- Sounds great.
- Great. Uh, can you text Olympia?
- She trusts you.
- And ask her who gets to argue it.
[TYPING]
[TEXT WHOOSHES]
[PHONE CHIMES]
She said I get to choose.
- If I may start the pitch by saying
- you know, Matty, I was actually thinking
First, we need to get
back to Tranquil Pines,
follow up on those sensors,
one of you will come with me,
and the other one will make sure
Lucille stays in that movie matinee.
SARAH: I just I love it here.
There's so much
wisdom among the very, very old.
That's a little heavy-handed, darling.
Problem is, Autry doesn't like you.
That's not true.
He called me a honey
badger. That sounds sweet.
Sweet? Oh, no. Y-You
better look 'em up.
Whatever. I don't have to be likable
to be the best at my job.
Far be it from me to
be the woman to say,
"You should smile more,"
but you do have to be able to connect
with your client a little bit.
GLADYS: Louis?
Gladys.
Uh
It's It's Matty. We met yesterday?
Who?
Where's my husband?
Have you seen Louis? Where is he?
You don't know where he is?
[WHISPERS]: Dementia.
Do you know where he is?
No, I don't. I-I'm sorry.
You're lying to me.
You're lying.
- I'm not, I
- Where did you take him?
- I-I don't know, I'm
- Louis?
- I'm sorry.
- Yes, you do.
You do know, you must.
Hey, I can help you find him.
You can?
Yeah.
Right this way, come with me.
I go a-walkin' ♪
After midnight ♪
Out in the moonlight ♪
Just like we used to do ♪
I'm always walkin' ♪
After midnight ♪
Searching for you. ♪
♪
[SIGHS]
Gotcha.
[TEXT WHOOSHES]
[SNIFFS]
Did you get the pictures?
Yeah, sensor's been taped,
Lucille's got Walter's ring.
Time to get your shovel.
Okay, the judge agreed
to exhume Walter.
Digging up dead bodies,
the faint whiff of adult diapers
Not gonna lie, might be my least
favorite day at work so far.
Who did you know with dementia?
My grandma.
A real classic Midwestern queen,
who would kill you with
kindness and a casserole.
Unless you questioned
if we were related.
Then, she was ready to cut
you with her knitting needles.
[CHUCKLES] Sounds
like a real cool lady.
Actually, notoriously
uncool. But awesome.
And then I
[SIGHS]
I came back from college and she
She didn't recognize me.
I told her I was her granddaughter,
and she screamed,
"Get this Chinese
girl out of my room."
- I'm so very sorry.
- Yeah.
I just stopped introducing
myself as her granddaughter,
and then I was able to
spend time with her.
And when she was disoriented
I sang.
You know, if you showed that
kind of compassion to Autry,
you'd crush that housing case.
Does this mean what I think it does?
I got it?
Yeah.
[LAUGHS] Yes.
I can't imagine it, Edwin.
I mean, out of nowhere,
I don't recognize Alfie?
That's a very scary thought,
and it's not happening.
But it could.
And no amount of kale can stop it.
Even if you massage it.
Well, there would be warning signs.
A-And worst-case scenario:
we have a plan.
My niece has a big
family, lots of kids.
But they're sports kids.
Alfie's not a sports kid.
[DOOR RATTLES] Alfie?
It's a little late for
screens, sweetheart.
I was going to check the
pen transcript before bed.
Oh. There was a snafu at the
office and it's in the wind.
But don't worry.
But what if someone figures
out it's a recording device?
I paid cash.
Yeah, but I had to
connect it to an email address.
- Which could eventually be traced to us.
- No one panic.
Ugh.
EDWIN: Alfie, what's the
last thing the pen recorded?
It was on your floor, Matty.
OLYMPIA: I'm heading out
for the night, Mrs. Belvin.
Leave it here.
Do you know who that is?
I sure do.
EDWIN: Hm.
When do we get the
results of the exhumation?
Couple hours. We're lined up?
SARAH: Yup, motion's done.
Results in our favor,
we move to dismiss.
And while we wait, we prep Autry.
OLYMPIA: Nice.
Are you blacked out from your cologne?
That pen is a recording device.
Well, was a recording device.
See that teeny, tiny black dot on top?
That's the microphone.
My sister uses one when
taking witness statements.
OLYMPIA: Do you think
it's case-related?
BILLY: I could take it to security.
Let's all just take a beat.
I haven't exactly been doing
the kind of high-profile cases
that would merit espionage.
Yeah. That's what I was thinking.
But then I thought
But no, it can't be.
Julian?
The partner race.
The divorce. But come on.
Julian would never.
He recorded me once.
During a fight, I caught him.
Said he wanted me to hear my tone.
- Oh, I don't like that.
- Neither do I.
Let's see what he
has to say for himself.
No. Wait. It Just hold on now.
Slow down.
He's just going to deny it.
Ugh. You're right.
All right, I'll get
confirmation that it's him.
Then I'll decide what to do.
Ooh, I'll give it to Billy.
He can use his cop connections.
See if it's traceable.
Good thinkin'.
- OLYMPIA: Billy.
- BILLY: Yeah?
♪
The goal is to prove that it would be
an "extreme hardship" for you to move.
Let me guess, because I'm old?
When a honey badger finds
itself in a lion's jaws,
it squirms around in
its weird, loose skin
until the lion is left
with a mouthful of blubber.
We got to use what we got.
And in your case, that
means a very impressive
number of years on this planet.
Now, let's go over reasons
why moving would create real hardship.
Well, for starters, I have a
real hard time with change.
- Could you give an example?
- My clicker.
I lost it months ago.
I could buy another new TV, but
too much change.
Um, I was actually thinking
more like how hard it would be
to find a comparable
apartment for the same price.
Another problem with my TV,
it turns itself on whenever
it damn well pleases.
[CHUCKLES THINLY]
I'm gonna need more backup.
Please tell me that you
Shepardized the case law
on extreme hardships.
Totally, but I left it at my desk.
Thank you.
Hey.
Matty?
[GASPS] Oh.
I thought you were, uh,
interviewing Autry with Sarah.
Just needed to grab
some research. Um
Why are you going through my desk?
Well, I just wanted to
see what the view was like
behind the desk of a young man
about to argue his first case.
Wait, what?
Ta-da.[LAUGHS]
Congratulations.
Actually, I was just
looking for a Post-It.
I was gonna slip into the
meeting to let you know.
But here you are.
Matty, I-I thought you
gave the case to Sarah.
Well, you know, I just kept waking up
in the middle of the night
with an uneasy feeling.
That usually means
I've had day-old gumbo
or made a bad decision.
Autry likes you more.
I think the judge will, too.
Are there things you currently
rely on in your apartment?
Is it close to relatives
that can look in on you?
Uh, my granddaughter.
We talk every Tuesday night.
Have you seen your texts?
That's so sweet.
Little busy here.
Do you mind taking notes?
She told me she's moving to Queens.
I really think you should
take a peek at those texts.
You got one from Matty.
SARAH: Sorry, Autry.
BILLY: Yeah, so, um,
actually, maybe,
you can take the notes?
[OVER HEADPHONES]: ♪
That love the Lord ♪
And I thought they
were singing to me ♪
Something hit me ♪
A bolt of lightning ♪
Hey, boss, we're due in court
in less than an hour.
One more ♪
Are you all right?
Just comfort music.
And we're seeking comfort because
No male sex-enhancement drug
of any kind in Walter's system.
Just
dug someone's dad up for no reason.
Okay, so we got this one wrong.
This one?
How about, uh, Julian?
Elijah, Shae,
my marriage, my judgment?
You ever just feel
the walls closing in?
Every day.
Maybe I should just call it.
Yeah, hand the partner
race over to Julian.
Sweet girl
I'm going to give you some advice
my mother gave me:
Snap the hell out of it.
Life isn't fair or easy.
It's a long, uphill
marathon in the rain,
and we're expected to
run it in high heels.
But trust me,
when you get close to the finish line,
you look back
and you realize what
a privilege it was.
This is nothing.
It's just a a leg cramp.
Keep running.
What if I lose?
You start over. Big whoop.
At least you got your
cartilage in your knees
and your boobs above
your belly button.
[LAUGHS]
And what if you win?
That's just as likely,
and for my money,
I bet you'll still be here
for the next 40 years,
probably running the place.
If I am still here in 40 years,
promise me
that you will spike my
coffee with something
stronger than Red Bull.
Well, I'll be long gone, girl.
You'll have to get Sarah
or Billy to do that.
Slowly, so they don't end up in jail.
[CHUCKLING]: Yeah.
Oh, I know that face.
What are you thinking?
That it wasn't Viagra.
But it was Lucille.
♪
OLYMPIA: Hello, Ms. Morris.
This is the toxicology report
performed on Walter Higgins.
It's already been
entered into evidence.
Could you kindly read
the section there
highlighted on page five?
LUCILLE: "Elevated levels
"of arsenic detected
in decedent's tissue."
OLYMPIA: Thank you.
Lucille, would you be
surprised if I told you
the true cause of Walter's
death was arsenic poisoning?
Objection. Everyone has varying
levels of arsenic in their body.
Well, that's just not true.
Not everyone has a place to go,
especially when you're
almost 90 years old.
Additionally, my client
has medical conditions
that require different specialists.
There are plenty of fine doctors
in the tri-state area
who Mr. Tucker could see
once he settles into a new place.
Shut the front door, Alan!
LAWYER: New York is also
well-known for its cheap
and convenient public
transportation system,
should he prefer to
remain with his doctors.
This is true.
BILLY: It would place an undue burden
on him to travel, Your Honor.
If Mr. Tucker is so
desperate to stay local,
he could just move in with
his granddaughter in Queens.
Your Honor, could I
consult with my client?
Yes, I was in the gardening club.
And why did you join?
To meet other people.
But I left because
I wanted to spend
more time with Walter.
We weren't getting any younger.
So you didn't join
to get to the rat poison?
- Objection. Relevance?
- JUDGE: Overruled.
OLYMPIA: You two had
tea on your balcony
every night.
You never missed it, correct?
Is it a crime to drink tea?
No, but it is a crime to microdose it
with arsenic from rat poison
so it only registers
in trace amounts on
toxicology reports.
Objection. Prejudicial.
Where's the question?
OLYMPIA: Did you intentionally
disable the sensor to your patio door
so you could enter
Walter's room undetected?
[SCOFFS]
We may have done a few things
to avoid gossip.
So sue me.
I don't want to sue you, Lucille.
But I can't have my
client sued either,
which is why I need the truth.
Did you know we found Walter's ring
in your room?
He wanted me to have it.
OLYMPIA: Why?
Please.
Walter's children
and grandchildren
deserve the truth.
When did your granddaughter
tell you she was moving to Queens?
This week.
- Again, that was - on the phone?
- Yeah.
Did you share this information
with anyone from your co-op?
Opposing counsel, for instance?
Oh, hell no. I don't
talk to those bozos.
Chapter 11 of the New York
Housing Code, which
was enacted in 1968,
first required residential buildings
to be constructed with insulation.
My client's building was
built 20 years prior,
so the walls are very thin.
Did you crank up the volume
to watch TV at night, sir?
No, I'd fall asleep with it off,
but at some point, I'd
wake up and it's blaring,
so I'd have to get out of
my damn bed and turn it off.
Why not use the remote?
It's been missing for six months.
This is the distance
from the TV to your bed.
And this is to your living room.
TV ANNOUNCER: He's forcing a
[TV TURNS OFF]
BILLY: And this is to the hallway.
And this is to
your neighbor's living room!
TV ANNOUNCER: fast
into the penalty box!
Just the keeper to beat
A fantastic ball through the midfield.
A stunning I think
you've made your point,
Counselor!
[TV TURNS OFF] The only
way opposing counsel
could've known my client's
granddaughter moved to Queens
was if some neighbor
heard Mr. Tucker
through the thin walls.
I submit, Your Honor,
that that neighbor stole
Mr. Tucker's remote
and used it to raise the
volume while he was sleeping
so he would get dinged for
noise complaints. And why?
Because that same neighbor
wants to buy Mr. Tucker's apartment.
These are bogus charges, Your Honor.
Autry Tucker
has done nothing wrong.
We didn't do anything wrong.
And I don't care what the law says,
and neither did Walter.
He was ready,
especially after he fell
and broke his hip.
He hated it there at the nursing home,
but he didn't want to be
a burden to his family.
You're saying you assisted
Walter in ending his own life?
LUCILLE: I'm saying
that I went into Walter's room
to hold him
while he took his last breath.
And I stayed there for hours,
just holding him
until my arms ached
and my heart broke.
It was almost impossible
for me to let him go.
[SNIFFLES]
But I would do it all over again.
[CHEERING, APPLAUSE]
[CHANTING]: Billy! Billy!
You should have seen him in there.
So much dip on his chip.
OLYMPIA: Congrats, Counselor.
First notch on your belt.
And it's a hell of a belt.
What the hell happened?
I know you're upset
Upset?
I had a full-on D.J.
Tanner Full House reboot
moment with you, and you told me
that this case was mine.
Why would you take it away?
In the middle of the
night, I got to thinking.
Oh. And, yes,
I saw compassion from you,
but that's how Billy
lives his whole life,
and I just thought
he'd be better for Autry,
and, in the end, he was.
I'm sorry.
You will be.
Because you will regret
making an enemy out of me.
Need another expert witness?
No.
This time, I do want to
talk about the partner race.
Don't vote for me.
In fact, vote for anyone except me,
because I don't want
to give anyone a reason
to discredit my win.
And if you don't win?
Then I start over.
I still got cartilage in my knees.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
I'm young,
the road is long.
Jobs come and go.
But friendships,
real ones, don't.
And if there's any chance of us
working our way back to friends
it starts right here.
EDWIN: We have no idea who he is.
MATTY: Because we decided not to look.
I'm just saying, your niece, my sister,
they're not our only options.
We could look for Alfie's father.
Hon, it's too risky.
Chances are, he's also an addict.
We didn't want to bring
that kind of chaos into Alfie's life.
Because it would make
things harder for us.
But what about for Alfie?
Let's at least think about it.
- [PHONE RINGS]
- Okay.
It's Olympia. Shh.
Olympia, hi.
Billy just texted me. The pen is
connected to a random email.
So we can't trace it any
further without a warrant.
OLYMPIA: Mrs. Belvin, leave it here.
What if we use this to our advantage?
Get a second pen and switch it
so Olympia thinks it's Julian.
That's crafty, Edwin.
You two thugs
are beginning to rub off on me.
Matty?
You still think it's Julian?
OLYMPIA: Gotta be.
I mean, we just started negotiating
the divorce, he wants
the upper hand. Leverage.
So, what's your next move?
Besides beating him for partner?
I'm going to demand
forensic accounting.
Every lie he's ever told,
every penny he's hidden.
I'm gonna find 'em.
Sounds like we're going to war.
Like I said, I'm in the sidecar
crash helmet on.