Matlock (2024) s02e05 Episode Script
Mousetrap
1
MATTY: I'm Madeline Matlock.
I'm a lawyer.
Like the old TV show.
Most of what you know
about me is based in truth,
- but it's also a lie.
- Good evening, Mrs. Kingston.
Who the hell are you?
I wasn't like this before your firm
protected the pharmaceutical company
that killed my daughter.
No more collateral damage.
You and I have to find a way
to work together,
despite our trust issues,
to bring down Senior.
A so-called whistleblower
reached out to a reporter.
JULIAN: Mrs. Belvin was the leaker.
With the NDA, we are safe.
We need to build our case
and prove Senior gave the order.
JULIAN: I found something big.
The laptop belonging to Mrs. Belvin.
We have a problem. Julian saw
text messages between
you and Mrs. Belvin.
He thinks you're involved with
Belvin and the Wellbrexa leak.
MATTY: Still out like a light.
EDWIN: I could get my Scout bugle.
Blare some "Reveille"
right into the ear.
Cool your pits.
- Wakey, wakey.
- (GROANS)
You fell asleep while
I was sending the message.
Oh, wow. Hi, Edwin.
- Morning.
- Need coffee?
(SIGHS) Please. Black, no sugar.
Hm, bitter. No surprise.
Last he heard, we were negotiating
a tense peace treaty.
And you did leave him
on the side of the road with
- three Twizzlers.
- (SIGHS) I know,
- and I am so sorr
- (PHONE VIBRATING)
Hey, Julian, how was drop-off?
JULIAN: It was good. Where are you?
Uh, still at the brownstone.
Didn't sleep much last night.
Figured.
So
- OLYMPIA: No.
- Olympia
Matty wasn't working with Mrs. Belvin.
Those text messages you saw
were just friendly.
"I have news about the plant."
- That has to be about Wellbrexa.
- Matty brought in a plant.
Mrs. Belvin was all about rules
and regulations.
The firm ran a huge
forensic audit.
If there was anything suspicious,
they would have brought Matty in.
I'm the only one who saw her
leaving Belvin's office
while Belvin was being interviewed.
And according to IT, at 11:56,
Belvin printed
a Wellbrexa expense report,
which they didn't find in her office
- or on her.
- She could've tossed it.
Or maybe Matty took it out of
the building to go to the press.
You're the one who said
we had to make sure
Belvin wasn't working
with anybody else.
Are you saying it's beyond
a reasonable doubt?
No.
I'm saying Matty's my friend.
I know, but I also know
your legal mantra:
no stone unturned, right?
Yeah, right.
And Matty did
What?
Just say it, please.
I have to get dressed.
We'll talk at the office.
(DOOR OPENS)
She gonna need breakfast, too?
OLYMPIA: Edwin, I am so sorry.
Taking your phone and leaving you
on the side of the road was wrong.
I feel really, really badly.
EDWIN: Oh, is your coffee cold?
- I feel really badly.
- All right,
the point is, we want to wrap this up,
so I need Julian off my back, and
I could use your opinion
on the last line of this text chain.
I can't decide if it's harsh enough.
- It would be from me to Belvin.
- Oh.
Okay.
"I'm angry. You asked me
"to pick up a picture of your dog.
"Next thing I hear, you're fired
"because you called a reporter
and made up lies about the firm.
"I feel used.
Just leave me alone, Emmalyn." Okay,
uh, what about,
"Emmalyn, leave me alone."
Uh, little stronger finish?
Much stronger.
And we still have time to adjust it
'cause Carl hasn't written back.
Excited to meet the man who
disappeared Madeline Kingston.
You told her about Carl?
We needed a top-notch hacker
who can be trusted to stay quiet.
Unless you'd like to embed
a text chain into my phone
with back-dated time stamps?
Yeah, Carl is better for that.
But, when he calls, you better pick up
because you'll lose him for a year.
- Ooh, mad respect for Carl.
- Right?
And after he confirms,
I'll text a hamburger. (LAUGHS)
(BOTH LAUGHING)
Should I ask about hamburger?
- Funny story
- Actually, that's okay. I-I don't
Last night, Olympia kept calling
him Kyle instead of Carl.
- It was 2:00 a.m., I was punchy.
- So I said,
"Think of Carl from Carlsbad,"
- which she found confusing.
- Deeply confusing.
- Even though it isn't.
- Well, because apparently nobody knows
- where Carl lives.
- Which led to Carl
- as in Carl's Jr.
- Carl's Jr.
Which is a West Coast restaurant.
- I get the reference.
- Code name
- Hamburger.
- Hamburger.
- (MATTY LAUGHS)
- Huh.
I should grab my things.
(CHUCKLES)
What is going on?
You're acting like a
seventh grader with a crush.
- No, I'm not.
- Liar.
We've been on opposite sides
for a while,
and it just felt good
to laugh with her again.
Who knows what'll happen
in the future.
And for the record,
my middle school boyfriend
came back to me three times.
(GASPS)
- ♪
- (CLICKS TONGUE)
OLYMPIA: So, I have to go home,
then I'll get Julian to help us
with our 440 hearing.
How are we gonna sell this
to Billy and Sarah?
We just got the case three days ago,
so it's all hands on deck.
Plus, Julian used to work
at the public defender's office
during law school.
Julian?
Yes, Julian.
I mean, it was one summer for credit.
I mostly made copies.
So, say it's about résumé building,
for when you leave Jacobson Moore.
Look, the point is,
with two of us in the room,
one of us can get Matty's PIN,
then we grab her cell phone,
see what she texted Belvin.
Badass idea, but how will that help?
Won't security
have already read the texts?
Not the ones Matty sent
after Belvin was fired.
If she sent any.
What aren't you saying?
Just tell me.
The day after Belvin left,
I saw her name come up
on Matty's cell phone.
I assumed it was
because they were friends,
but now you've got me all paranoid.
Let's go with résumé building.
You're helping me round mine out.
I'm sorry, are you loving or
hating my updo today? (LAUGHS)
You're staring, honey.
Oh, sorry, just getting
my bearings. Um
Fill me in on Daniel Pearson.
When Daniel was 15,
he pushed his foster father
down the stairs and killed him,
after suffering years of abuse,
but in his sentencing,
his lawyer didn't bring up
any mitigating factors.
And there were a lot of them.
Foster father,
Clarence Starachi, was a monster.
OLYMPIA: That's why we were
granted the 440 hearing.
Daniel should've been
sentenced for 25 years,
not life. We got to get
his sentenced reduced because
Daniel's last attorney was a clown.
Look him up, Matty. Robert Flynn.
Ooh. Disbarred
and serving time for fraud.
Also happens to look like
my great-uncle Fred,
not a compliment, believe you me.
Well, Uncle Fred's doppelgänger
screwed Daniel,
so the judge granted our motion.
And who are those people waving?
SARAH: Oh, no.
They're mine. One is my mother,
and the other is the source
of all my therapy.
Sarah's mom's boyfriend Gary.
They were supposed to meet me
in the lobby.
This was a last-minute trip.
They're a half an hour early
because of course they are.
Oh, maybe we should go say hello.
Just say hi to my mom. Ignore Gary.
Not gonna happen, psycho. Hey.
(PHONE VIBRATES)
Like what you've done with the place.
What's going on, Dad?
How's the job search going?
Rebuilding my résumé,
since you won't let me
take any clients.
Oh, that's why you were trying
to get into Belvin's files last night.
Uh
Wolf set a mousetrap.
Any attempt
to remotely access Belvin's files
triggers an alert.
Caught our first mouse.
What were you looking for, son?
I wanted to know
how much Belvin knew.
Emmalyn Belvin
was a disgruntled employee
who made up a lie.
So she didn't know anything about
About what?
Dad.
The Wellbrexa study.
What Wellbrexa study?
(ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
Actually, let's take the next one.
(LAUGHING): No way.
Elevator took forever.
I thought you said
this was a fancy building.
(LAUGHS)
(SIGHS)
Ah, nice shirt. (CHUCKLES)
What do you do around here?
Oh, he's the managing partner.
Oh, hey now. (LAUGHS)
Nice flex, as the kids say.
I'm Gary Blest, and yes, I am.
And this is my better half,
Joanne Franklin.
- Hi.
- Hi, there.
- Uh, I'm Sarah's mother.
- I'm Sarah.
Hi, Sarah.
- Hi.
- Listen,
you may not know her yet, but Sarah
is smart as a whip
and ambitious as all get-out.
(CHUCKLES) -It's true. She
already won her own case.
He really doesn't care.
Oh, you'd be surprised
- what I care about.
- (ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
- Good to meet you, Gary.
- Yeah.
- Joanne.
- That's great. (LAUGHS)
Nice guy, huh? Yeah.
Now, uh, Joanne,
do you want to use the commode
before we visit Lady Liberty?
Good idea, sweetheart.
As you know,
she is a rapid-fire tinkler,
so I'm just gonna spit this right out.
Now, we haven't always
seen eye to eye,
but we both agree on one thing, Sarah.
We love your mother.
So, I'd like your permission
to ask for her hand in marriage.
I'll think about it.
What?
Unless it was a rhetorical question?
- Uh, no.
- Then I'll let you know.
I have to focus
on this afternoon's hearing.
Just got a big assignment.
Extra-long hoagie,
double turkey, no pickles.
Thank you.
Are they gonna ask
about the night Clarence died?
'Cause I don't want to talk
about what happened.
OLYMPIA: You won't have to.
The hearing is about
what led up to that day.
We call those mitigating factors.
You had no history of violence,
past or present,
you were 15 years old,
and the altercation
was a culmination of years of abuse
that should have been brought up
in sentencing.
And saying all that in court
will be enough?
To reduce this from life?
Not a guarantee, but it should.
What if I mess up in there?
You can't. It's your story.
So should the judge just read it?
I talked to that therapist lady
back when I was convicted.
It's better from you. More emotional.
Which means I could mess it up.
And this is my last chance, right?
I mean, you said it.
Between life and 25 years.
That's a lot of pressure,
and I'm not good with pressure,
especially with my memory issue.
Keep telling yourself
that story, Daniel,
and that's what you'll believe.
I saw you were wearing
a Yankees jersey
in your foster placement photos.
Best Yankee of all time?
Jeter.
No, I said of all time, son.
- No newbies.
- DANIEL: Fine.
- Babe Ruth.
- MATTY: What about Lou Gehrig?
The Iron Horse. He had longevity,
and I'm a big fan of longevity.
(LAUGHS)
In 1927, Babe Ruth had
MATTY: Sixty homers.
Yeah, no, I hear you.
But do you think that Babe and Gehrig
won the World Series
all by themselves?
What about Earle Combs?
Mark Koenig? Tony Lazzeri?
All every one of them, hall of famers.
My dad was a baseball fanatic.
He made me memorize stats.
But my point is,
it takes a team, Daniel.
And you've got a big one.
First time I've ever been
in a hearing room
with five lawyers.
You don't have to hit a home run, son.
Just lay down the bunt.
Let your team carry you home.
Yeah. Okay.
- Thanks.
- (PHONE VIBRATES)
Oh. Sorry, this, um,
about my grandson.
I'll be right back.
(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)
Can I ask a few more questions
while I eat?
- Of course.
- I'll get you some water.
Confirming you got the data
and can upload it remotely?
CARL: Yeah, just restart your phone.
- Understood.
- And the wire?
Yup, payment forthcoming.
Talk soon, Carl. I'm at work.
Who's Carl?
Oh, hey. Um, is Daniel okay?
He's eating. Important call?
It was, yeah.
(CHUCKLES)
Julian, what is going on?
You've been staring at me all morning,
and now you're following me
into hallways,
and not in a fun way.
Mind telling me who was on the phone?
Uh, my grandson's tutor.
And what data does he need
to upload remotely?
Alfie's assignments.
- Oh.
- What's with the third degree?
This is feeling downright invasive.
Everything all right?
Well, I'm not sure.
Julian here thinks I'm lying
about my grandson needing
extra help, and believe you me,
I wish I was.
I'd be sipping daquiris
on the island of Jamaica,
instead of sweating it out
in Jamaica, Queens.
JULIAN: That's actually not
what I'm concerned about.
So what, then?
I saw you leaving
Belvin's office with a bag,
while she was being fired
for reaching out to a reporter
and spreading lies about the firm.
I'm sure there's an explanation
for that. Right, Matty?
No. Just the plain as day truth.
He's right.
Emmalyn asked me for a favor.
I should've known
it was against protocol,
but, um, I acted before
my brain caught up with my heart,
and I went in and-and
took her favorite photo
of Barry Manilow,
- her dog. And after I found out
- Oh
what she did, I panicked, and
told her stop texting me.
And I'm just supposed to believe that?
You you want to see my phone?
Uh, yeah. Yes.
- Yes, I would, actually.
- Uh, yeah.
(SCOFFS) Okay.
Thank you.
(JULIAN CLEARS THROAT)
We'll talk about this later.
Uh, please go to the courtroom.
- We had a plan to get her PIN.
- I know,
but she was talking
about uploading data,
and we know Belvin called the Times,
and it felt suspicious.
This is my life
that we're talking about.
I get it,
but now you know
Matty wasn't conspiring with Belvin.
(SIGHS) -Now, let's focus
on Daniel's life, okay?
Tell us about your foster father.
DANIEL: The first thing Clarence
told me when I got placed with him
was that he didn't want to
waste any money on me,
which meant I only ate at school,
got clothes from the lost and found.
He didn't even like
when I used hot water.
I read about a padlock?
Yeah, uh, on my door.
He would keep me in there for days,
even if I had to use the bathroom.
OLYMPIA:
That's pretty significant abuse.
Did you ever fight back?
- DANIEL: No.
- OLYMPIA: Were you ever violent?
No. Never in my life
until that day with Clarence.
Your Honor, I'd like to call
an impeachment witness
who will testify to a separate episode
of violence by the defendant,
after the murder.
I don't know what she's talking about.
ARIANNA:
State your name for the record.
Pedro Varga.
I've been a paramedic
in New York for 13 years.
Did you respond to a call at
Passion Palace Gentlemen's Club
- on June 10th, 2022?
- I did.
Treated four people.
One with a fractured clavicle,
the others with more minor injuries.
The 911 call said that the
defendant was on a rampage,
ranting about his foster dad
- stealing money. -What?
- OLYMPIA: Objection.
This is hearsay.
Where are the witnesses?
Found this through EMS records.
Names were redacted
in compliance with HIPAA.
Your Honor, my client
has a constitutional right
to confront the witnesses against him.
This isn't a trial, Ms. Lawrence.
It's a resentencing hearing.
The rules of admissibility
are relaxed. Overruled.
- And then what happened?
- PEDRO: Caller said
three women were injured
as the bouncer restrained him.
ARIANNA: Your Honor,
the defense's claims that
this was an isolated incident
of violence are pure fiction.
This man is a danger to society.
Just because you say it
doesn't make it true.
My client remembers
none of this. We need a recess.
Why? If he doesn't remember now,
he's not going to.
Not true.
I'm gonna turn this over
to my colleague.
(CLEARS THROAT) We'd like to
bring in a neuropsychologist,
Your Honor. One who has had success
in recovering repressed memories.
That's bunk science.
Depends on the neuropsychologist.
Ours is great. In fact,
you used her last year.
- Dr. Camille Mitchell.
- This is completely different.
JULIAN: Well, the science isn't.
A quote, from your argument,
"Memories are sensory data that
"travel through our amygdala
and into the hippocampus,
"where they become
a cohesive narrative.
"But sometimes,
fragments of data get stuck.
Neuropsychology is a tool
to dislodge the data."
It's nicely worded. And in fact,
you got Dr. Mitchell
admitted as an expert.
And we'd like to as well.
Your Honor, Daniel Pearson
did something terrible,
but he was a child
without a childhood.
This is his last chance
at a reduced sentence.
We owe it to him
to leave no stone unturned.
Nice work. How did you know
that we'd end up there?
Anticipation of arguments and
a little opposition research.
Read Daniel's file,
he had gaps in his memory.
Forgot what a great lawyer you are.
- Over-prepared and under-resourced.
- (PHONE CHIMES)
That was the, uh, motto
at the public defender's office.
(LAUGHS)
Um, I have a call in
to Dr. Camille Mitchell.
You and Matty talk to Daniel,
I'll have Sarah and Billy start
compiling anything - (PHONE CHIMES)
In his file that can help.
I'm the one that gives out the orders,
and I have none left.
Go ahead and quote that
on your résumé.
- I'll, uh, I'll get Daniel on board.
- Okay.
(ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
Hey, Isaac. I just got thrown
a legal curveball,
figured I'd use my
IT compliance connection.
Yeah, this guy conveniently
produced a text chain in court,
so I was just wondering,
is there a way to verify
something like that?
All right, they put in a pinch hitter,
but we are still in the game.
And in full fight mode.
We just need to find out
what happened in the strip club.
How? My memory from that night
is just all black.
The neuropsychologist will start
with what we know
from the police report.
You were picked up
four hours after the murder,
pacing in an alleyway,
with defensive wounds.
When you were interrogated
by the police,
you kept mumbling "Gregory."
I was in foster care
with a Gregory when I was six.
I haven't seen him since then.
I was drunk.
Talking crazy, I guess.
OLYMPIA: Maybe. Or maybe he was there.
Or maybe another guy
named Gregory was there
who knows exactly what went down
in that club.
You could've been provoked.
Now, that would be
a mitigating factor.
DANIEL: Yeah, maybe.
Or maybe the more
I find out about myself,
the worse it'll get.
OLYMPIA: Sure, that's a risk.
And look (SIGHS)
I don't know anything about
baseball, but what I do know
is that you don't win
by sitting on the bench.
Right?
Right.
Great work.
And I locked in Dr. Mitchell,
she'll meet with Daniel tomorrow.
Billy and Sarah are looking
for the mysterious Gregory.
Ask Matty if she can identify
any of the injured parties
from the club.
Talk soon. Sorry.
- I am listening.
- Are you sure?
'Cause it kind of feels like
you're fielding a lot of phone calls.
JULIAN: Totally focused, man.
Heard there was a search
for the new James Bond,
tell the people to look no further.
- I'll let them know.
- (LAUGHS)
But why did you need Isaac's password?
Anticipation of arguments.
Matty was too ready
to show us her phone.
What if she anticipated the ask
and that's a fake text thread?
She was talking about uploading data.
- What?
- No stone unturned, right?
And it's not hard to verify
because Mrs. Belvin's old laptop
is still sitting in refurbishment.
I'll go tomorrow
when the desk guy's at lunch.
If Matty's texts are real,
they'll pop up on Belvin's laptop
when the computer is turned on.
- If they don't
- Hold on, Mr. Bond.
(CHUCKLES) Yes.
(LAUGHS) So you believe
that 76-year-old Matty,
who believes AirDrop is a scam,
faked the text threads?
With help. Who knows?
- And why would she do all this?
- I don't know. Maybe
- Belvin read her into the plan
- Mm-hmm.
And she took the document
out of the building
to bring it to the Times
and put me in jail.
- So now Matty knows everything?
- I-I don't know,
but Belvin has an NDA, Matty
doesn't, I need to be sure.
Something is off, Olympia.
I-I feel it in my gut.
And
I haven't felt my gut in a while.
I need you to trust me.
No stone unturned.
Thank you.
I-I know how much this hurts.
You don't let people in easily.
Yeah. Well
maybe I shouldn't have.
BILLY: I'm not complaining,
but we're looking up guys
named Gregory
and you're looking up boobs?
I am not looking up boobs.
I'm looking for
a specific pair of boobs
that took a leave of absence
due to a fractured clavicle
that occurred during a bar fight.
And according to Instagram,
Gregory from foster care
was in California
the night of the murder.
Are there any club patrons
named Gregory?
Oh, for goodness sake.
They just sit up like that
on their own?
BILLY: Not going to engage.
Don't say "engage." It's triggering.
My poor mom.
Well, she seemed pretty happy,
I got to say.
Stockholm syndrome.
Gary swooped in post-divorce
when she was at her most vulnerable.
I need to deprogram my mom,
not give Gary permission
to marry her, right?
I really need to say yes?
- Hours ago.
- Obviously.
(SIGHS) Fine.
Going outside, so I can scream after.
MATTY: HR's gonna have
to clear my search history,
but I found our gal.
Stage name, Cherry Rose.
Actual name, Christina.
Allegedly attacked
in the bar by Daniel.
Julian thought you gave up
your phone too easily.
Tomorrow at 1:00, he wants to search
Belvin's old computer,
in refurbishment.
The text messages need to be on there.
Okay, I'll contact Carl.
And the computer has to be
physically turned on,
which means one of us needs to go
into the refurbishment room
before Julian.
And we need an admin password
to get into the laptop.
Julian has a video
of the password on his phone,
and I don't have his PIN,
and if I ask, it's suspicious.
Is that all?
- That's all.
- Okay.
Age-old question: your place or mine?
I mean, we can solve this,
but it's gonna take time,
so if you're coming over,
bring your PJs and Twizzlers
for you-know-who.
- Nah.
- Okay. We can brainstorm here.
Send Julian to the strip club
with me tomorrow.
- Lots of distractions.
- (SIGHS)
What?
Lying to Julian
feels really bad.
I know it does.
I have very different feelings
about your ex-husband,
but I was being insensitive.
And you're acting like
we're friends again.
Because that's what I want,
if I'm being honest.
You? Honest? (SHORT CHUCKLE)
We both lied for our families.
We're completely different.
I just lied longer.
Does Alfie have a tutor?
Do you have an Uncle Fred?
Are you a single grandmother?
Do you live in Jamaica, Queens?
Did you watch baseball with your dad?
Did Ellie get injured swimming
or did she win?
You know the truth there.
But I don't. That's the problem.
I lied,
but you're a liar, Matty.
It's who you are.
I am not a liar. I've had to lie
- due to mitigating factors.
- I know.
Stop lurking.
I am looking at the mirrors
trying to craft your approach
to the strip club.
(LAUGHS) Who's the liar now?
You're looking at the boobs,
not the mirrors.
No, I'm looking at the boobs
in the mirrors.
Specifically, the ones by that sign.
- Oh.
- Mm.
Nice work, darling.
Thank you.
And don't take your anger
at Olympia out on me.
I just want her to understand
I'm in the law firm
under a false identity,
so of course I'm gonna lie.
It's a mitigating factor.
Our child was an addict.
Mitigating factor.
Your mother was an alcoholic,
yet another.
Yes. I've done it for a long time.
But it's not who I am.
Never lied to you.
Well, there was that once.
About what? And can I have
an hour more screen time?
Half an hour, that's it.
When we first met,
your grandmother told me
she was in nursing school.
What?
I wanted a second date.
- It was the '70s.
- EDWIN: Yeah, and then
I got a cut and she flipped out.
MATTY: It was gushing blood.
So, I told her either nursing schools
had lost their standards,
or she wasn't
- telling me the truth.
- (LAUGHS)
But then, she litigated
the word "truth."
- You thought it was sexy.
- (WHISTLES)
And I'm out. Good night.
- Good night. Love you.
- Love you.
- Good kid.
- Great kid,
despite some pretty big
mitigating factors.
And then there's Julian.
- Ugh.
- Handed every single thing in life.
I may lie, but that man doesn't
have an ounce of integrity.
Olympia shouldn't feel bad.
He deserves to be gas lit.
Matty mentioned a last-minute
appointment this morning.
What? With who?
Do you think she's feeling the
pressure, going to the press?
No. She said eye doctor,
but I told her to cancel it
because I knew you would think that.
And I said that you both
should go to the strip club
this morning.
Perfect. I can keep an eye on her
until the computer guy goes to lunch.
And I can get Annie's key card,
so you don't have to swipe your own.
Thank you.
The fact that you're helping me,
after everything I did, uh,
I'm just really grateful, Olympia.
We're family.
Just try to act normal with Matty.
- No more going rogue.
- (CHUCKLES)
And get photos at the strip club,
in case it jogs Daniel's memory.
MAN: Stay here, I'll go get
Cherry Rose.
Look, I'm just gonna say it.
I'm feeling awkward.
And not because
my late not-great husband
got caught with a couple of
strippers and a rubber chicken.
True story. Do not ask for details.
Look, I know I came on strong.
You didn't come on strong,
you made me feel like a criminal
for talking to my grandson's tutor.
- You took Belvin's belongings.
- And I shouldn't have. And when
I found out what she did,
I should've told Olympia,
but I'm a 76-year-old woman
raising a teenager,
and I just got back
on my feet, and
and I'm scared.
I don't have a huge cushion
like you do.
Why don't you get pictures
of the stage?
I don't have a huge cushion.
- I'm
- Hey.
- No photos in here.
- Oh.
Sorry. I didn't Um
Unlock your phone and delete those.
- I'll be taking that.
- Oh, seriously?
You can pick it up on your way out.
You wanted to talk to me
about the night
the kid went crazy and I got
a fractured collarbone?
Come on back.
- I hate the waiting.
- (SCOFFS)
Yeah, it's torture.
But hopefully the forensic
memory retrieval is working,
and Daniel will remember something.
- Oh, you were talking about
- No, same,
I was thinking about Daniel's
session with Dr. Mitchell.
Fine, I was talking
about the proposal,
but I've come to peace with it.
(SIGHS)
- I've been practicing my excited voice.
- (PHONE CHIMES)
- Oh, I know, we share an office.
- Oh, my God.
- They're engaged?
- Daniel remembered something.
The sound of ice crunching.
Ice crunching? It was summer.
He was a hot, sweaty mess.
Busted in screaming about money.
- Then it turned violent?
- No.
The kid came in swinging.
We were just trying to
restrain him, and then
ANGELA: Not true.
It didn't get nasty
until you got involved.
CHERRY ROSE: I saw a
dangerous situation and acted on it.
He was just a kid,
same age as my oldest.
Angela, your kid
does homework upstairs,
this one put me in a hospital.
Because you fell into the bar.
Kid was looking for someone.
- He got jumped by the bouncer.
- MATTY: He was jumped?
Uh, Cherry, thank you so much.
Uh, Angela, we would love
- to speak with you more.
- ANGELA: Okay.
I got to sneak off to the
ladies'. I'll be right back.
Uh, so you think Daniel was provoked?
LITTLE GIRL: I'll call you later.
I'm at the park with my mom.
MATTY: It's okay.
My friends don't know I'm here either.
It's not a big deal. You don't
have to get all weird about it.
Okay, new lead.
Angela said Daniel had stains
on his clothes, like an orange color.
We need to tell Olympia so
the therapist can bring it up.
And he was screaming
about Gregory here, too.
Uh, can we get our phones?
Orange stains. And Gregory.
Yeah.
Olympia said Daniel
mentioned crunching ice.
Cherry Rose went to the hospital
after she fell into the bar,
so bar ice?
- For drinks?
- A hospital.
Daniel had wounds,
were they treated with
Iodine. That's the orange.
And they give patients ice chips
in the hospital.
Oh, my God, what if Gregory
isn't a person?
OLYMPIA: St. Gregory's Hospital?
A mile away from Passion Palace.
Daniel got injured
during his altercation with Clarence.
If he went to the hospital
before he went to the strip club,
maybe they gave him meds
and he had a bad reaction?
Could be why some of the strippers
saw him as so aggressive.
We'll call St. Gregory's, see
if they have a record of Daniel.
- Or find a John Doe that matches Daniel.
- Perfect.
Go. Uh, Julian,
hang back for a sec.
I have a question
about the kids' schedule.
- Yeah, uh, Kat said
- (DOOR CLOSES)
Did you get Annie's key card?
Yes. Uh Shoot, where did I put it?
Can you check my briefcase?
- It's on a blue lanyard.
- Yeah.
(SIGHS)
JULIAN: It's-it's not in here.
Hm
Strange. It's not in my closet either.
Give me a second to think.
Okay, Carl, I'm in.
CARL: Good. Can you share the screen?
Yeah. Hold on.
Sharing my screen. You see it?
Take my card. At least
it won't trace back to you.
- (SIGHS)
- Thank you.
Julian, wait.
Yeah?
I'm sorry, it's just
You were right.
It is hard for me to let people in.
And if it's true
that Matty has been lying
and is gonna go to the press
for Belvin, I just
I don't know what to do with that.
I'm sorry this is happening,
and I will be here for you
whatever happens next,
but this is our one chance
to get the truth. I have to go.
Okay.
(LINE RINGING)
Get out.
MATTY: Almost done.
OLYMPIA: Julian's on his way.
Okay, I'm in.
It's syncing. Hang on
OLYMPIA: Julian?
The texts match.
(SIGHS)
I can't believe I was wrong.
- I I got to go.
- (DOOR OPENS)
Are we good?
Glad you're both here.
We got something.
The hospital gave Daniel psych meds?
They did, but that's not all.
(GASPS) This just went from
a mitigation case
to an innocence project.
I was so angry and so drunk.
All I remember is going to Clarence's
and fighting with him.
OLYMPIA: Where did you go
after leaving Clarence's house?
- DANIEL: I can't remember.
- OLYMPIA: Did you go to the strip club
where he frequented at 7:00 p.m.?
Looking for him,
even though he was dead?
DANIEL I guess I went,
you know, because I was seen
by eyewitnesses, but
you know, there's so much
that I-I just don't remember.
Do you remember killing Clarence?
Objection, Your Honor.
This is a resentencing hearing.
And this is all relevant
to Daniel's resentencing.
Besides, what do you care?
If he lies now, Judge Chen
isn't gonna cut him a break.
Agreed. Glad everyone's clear.
- Overruled.
- Daniel, why did you confess?
Well, I was arrested by the cops, and
eyewitnesses heard me
screaming at Clarence.
You know, they found
DNA and prints all over.
And the cops kept telling me
I'd get a better sentence
if I confessed.
And when you were first arrested,
you were mumbling, "Gregory," right?
- Your Honor
- CHEN: I'm losing patience.
OLYMPIA: And I am getting to my point.
Daniel and Clarence
had a physical altercation
at 1:00 p.m.,
but he did not kill Clarence between
- 3:00 and 4:00 p.m
- This is ridiculous.
Because he was
at St. Gregory's Hospital,
and I have video footage.
That's Daniel,
and that timestamp reads 2:25 p.m.
Now, if you keep watching
Here's Daniel,
walking himself out at 5:30 p.m.
He was in the hospital
when Clarence Starachi died.
Likely because Clarence fell down
while drunk and hit his head,
which Daniel didn't even know.
That is why he was looking
for Clarence
at the strip club at 7:00 p.m.
The stories that we tell
about ourselves are powerful.
They protect us.
In Daniel's case,
believing that he killed
his foster father
was less painful than the truth.
That he was in prison for
a crime he didn't even commit.
JULIAN: You just gave that kid
his life back.
Haven't felt this proud
in a long time.
Couldn't have done it without you.
Glad to be helpful again, finally.
And I wanted to wait until after
the case was resolved because
I have a request, and, uh,
I know it's gonna sound crazy, but
Not Matty again?
When I closed Belvin's laptop,
I realized it was hot,
like someone had been using it.
- You were using it.
- Not long enough for it to be hot.
And then I thought, "What if
Matty was there before me,
covering her tracks?"
- Julian, stop. This is too much.
- (SIGHS)
Or it's the last stone,
and I'm turning it.
The firm had new
security cameras installed
after the leak.
There is one in the hall
right outside the storage unit.
I just need one thing
to access the footage,
besides the admin password
a partner code.
Julian
I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important.
(SIGHS)
Just watch, we are gonna see Matty
in that hallway, I know it.
Okay, if I'm right,
Matty should walk in
right about
now.
(WHISPERING): Carl, I saw a
new camera outside the door.
Can you take me out of the footage?
Um
I was so sure. I-I felt it in my gut.
What is wrong with me?
- Nothing's wrong
- I mean, you say that,
but it's not true. I-I mean, I-I
went after a 76-year-old grandmother.
Your friend.
I-I followed her, I read her texts,
I made up a whole story in my head.
- Julian
- No, no.
It's okay. There's-there's
You don't have to say anything.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I'm so happy for you.
(LAUGHS) Liar.
- But I appreciate the effort.
- (SIGHS)
And I appreciate
that you've toned down
the intense dislike of Gary.
"Intense dislike" is strong.
"Toned down" is light.
Fair.
And I'm going to tone it down
even more
because
the intense dislike
is less about him
and
more about how
you disappeared once you met him.
I didn't disappear.
You went to college.
- And then law school
- Emotionally.
You disappeared emotionally.
You used to tell me things.
And what?
Then, you're getting a divorce,
and Gary swoops in
right after, and I
I don't even know how you met, Mom.
Honestly
I was embarrassed.
Because you were vulnerable?
Because I was still
married to your father.
(DOOR OPENS)
I got your text.
Are you okay?
Not really, no.
But there's no one else I can talk to.
And I just crushed Julian
in a way that feels lasting.
So I wanted to know
when does lying get easier?
I don't think it will for you.
And that's a good thing.
Trust me, it's not.
So, let's get evidence on Senior
and end this quickly.
Yeah. I agree.
In in answer to your questions
My father didn't teach me
about baseball.
He took off a week
before I started kindergarten,
and I told my class that he died.
It was less painful than the truth,
that he
knew me
and he decided
that he didn't like me, I guess.
And
baseball came from my mother.
Sitting in bars while she got wasted
trying to pick up men.
And one of 'em gave me a stats book.
(CHUCKLES)
And I would read it
sitting in the booth,
trying to block everything else out.
Said none of that changed me,
but
you're right.
It did.
It's how I protected myself.
And the first person I chose
to be honest with
about everything,
I married.
And
the first time that lying
was really hard
was with you.
And I will not do that again
if we move forward
with our friendship.
Because I really want that.
I don't know if I can.
You really hurt me, Matty.
And I need to protect myself.
sync & corrections awaqeded
MATTY: I'm Madeline Matlock.
I'm a lawyer.
Like the old TV show.
Most of what you know
about me is based in truth,
- but it's also a lie.
- Good evening, Mrs. Kingston.
Who the hell are you?
I wasn't like this before your firm
protected the pharmaceutical company
that killed my daughter.
No more collateral damage.
You and I have to find a way
to work together,
despite our trust issues,
to bring down Senior.
A so-called whistleblower
reached out to a reporter.
JULIAN: Mrs. Belvin was the leaker.
With the NDA, we are safe.
We need to build our case
and prove Senior gave the order.
JULIAN: I found something big.
The laptop belonging to Mrs. Belvin.
We have a problem. Julian saw
text messages between
you and Mrs. Belvin.
He thinks you're involved with
Belvin and the Wellbrexa leak.
MATTY: Still out like a light.
EDWIN: I could get my Scout bugle.
Blare some "Reveille"
right into the ear.
Cool your pits.
- Wakey, wakey.
- (GROANS)
You fell asleep while
I was sending the message.
Oh, wow. Hi, Edwin.
- Morning.
- Need coffee?
(SIGHS) Please. Black, no sugar.
Hm, bitter. No surprise.
Last he heard, we were negotiating
a tense peace treaty.
And you did leave him
on the side of the road with
- three Twizzlers.
- (SIGHS) I know,
- and I am so sorr
- (PHONE VIBRATING)
Hey, Julian, how was drop-off?
JULIAN: It was good. Where are you?
Uh, still at the brownstone.
Didn't sleep much last night.
Figured.
So
- OLYMPIA: No.
- Olympia
Matty wasn't working with Mrs. Belvin.
Those text messages you saw
were just friendly.
"I have news about the plant."
- That has to be about Wellbrexa.
- Matty brought in a plant.
Mrs. Belvin was all about rules
and regulations.
The firm ran a huge
forensic audit.
If there was anything suspicious,
they would have brought Matty in.
I'm the only one who saw her
leaving Belvin's office
while Belvin was being interviewed.
And according to IT, at 11:56,
Belvin printed
a Wellbrexa expense report,
which they didn't find in her office
- or on her.
- She could've tossed it.
Or maybe Matty took it out of
the building to go to the press.
You're the one who said
we had to make sure
Belvin wasn't working
with anybody else.
Are you saying it's beyond
a reasonable doubt?
No.
I'm saying Matty's my friend.
I know, but I also know
your legal mantra:
no stone unturned, right?
Yeah, right.
And Matty did
What?
Just say it, please.
I have to get dressed.
We'll talk at the office.
(DOOR OPENS)
She gonna need breakfast, too?
OLYMPIA: Edwin, I am so sorry.
Taking your phone and leaving you
on the side of the road was wrong.
I feel really, really badly.
EDWIN: Oh, is your coffee cold?
- I feel really badly.
- All right,
the point is, we want to wrap this up,
so I need Julian off my back, and
I could use your opinion
on the last line of this text chain.
I can't decide if it's harsh enough.
- It would be from me to Belvin.
- Oh.
Okay.
"I'm angry. You asked me
"to pick up a picture of your dog.
"Next thing I hear, you're fired
"because you called a reporter
and made up lies about the firm.
"I feel used.
Just leave me alone, Emmalyn." Okay,
uh, what about,
"Emmalyn, leave me alone."
Uh, little stronger finish?
Much stronger.
And we still have time to adjust it
'cause Carl hasn't written back.
Excited to meet the man who
disappeared Madeline Kingston.
You told her about Carl?
We needed a top-notch hacker
who can be trusted to stay quiet.
Unless you'd like to embed
a text chain into my phone
with back-dated time stamps?
Yeah, Carl is better for that.
But, when he calls, you better pick up
because you'll lose him for a year.
- Ooh, mad respect for Carl.
- Right?
And after he confirms,
I'll text a hamburger. (LAUGHS)
(BOTH LAUGHING)
Should I ask about hamburger?
- Funny story
- Actually, that's okay. I-I don't
Last night, Olympia kept calling
him Kyle instead of Carl.
- It was 2:00 a.m., I was punchy.
- So I said,
"Think of Carl from Carlsbad,"
- which she found confusing.
- Deeply confusing.
- Even though it isn't.
- Well, because apparently nobody knows
- where Carl lives.
- Which led to Carl
- as in Carl's Jr.
- Carl's Jr.
Which is a West Coast restaurant.
- I get the reference.
- Code name
- Hamburger.
- Hamburger.
- (MATTY LAUGHS)
- Huh.
I should grab my things.
(CHUCKLES)
What is going on?
You're acting like a
seventh grader with a crush.
- No, I'm not.
- Liar.
We've been on opposite sides
for a while,
and it just felt good
to laugh with her again.
Who knows what'll happen
in the future.
And for the record,
my middle school boyfriend
came back to me three times.
(GASPS)
- ♪
- (CLICKS TONGUE)
OLYMPIA: So, I have to go home,
then I'll get Julian to help us
with our 440 hearing.
How are we gonna sell this
to Billy and Sarah?
We just got the case three days ago,
so it's all hands on deck.
Plus, Julian used to work
at the public defender's office
during law school.
Julian?
Yes, Julian.
I mean, it was one summer for credit.
I mostly made copies.
So, say it's about résumé building,
for when you leave Jacobson Moore.
Look, the point is,
with two of us in the room,
one of us can get Matty's PIN,
then we grab her cell phone,
see what she texted Belvin.
Badass idea, but how will that help?
Won't security
have already read the texts?
Not the ones Matty sent
after Belvin was fired.
If she sent any.
What aren't you saying?
Just tell me.
The day after Belvin left,
I saw her name come up
on Matty's cell phone.
I assumed it was
because they were friends,
but now you've got me all paranoid.
Let's go with résumé building.
You're helping me round mine out.
I'm sorry, are you loving or
hating my updo today? (LAUGHS)
You're staring, honey.
Oh, sorry, just getting
my bearings. Um
Fill me in on Daniel Pearson.
When Daniel was 15,
he pushed his foster father
down the stairs and killed him,
after suffering years of abuse,
but in his sentencing,
his lawyer didn't bring up
any mitigating factors.
And there were a lot of them.
Foster father,
Clarence Starachi, was a monster.
OLYMPIA: That's why we were
granted the 440 hearing.
Daniel should've been
sentenced for 25 years,
not life. We got to get
his sentenced reduced because
Daniel's last attorney was a clown.
Look him up, Matty. Robert Flynn.
Ooh. Disbarred
and serving time for fraud.
Also happens to look like
my great-uncle Fred,
not a compliment, believe you me.
Well, Uncle Fred's doppelgänger
screwed Daniel,
so the judge granted our motion.
And who are those people waving?
SARAH: Oh, no.
They're mine. One is my mother,
and the other is the source
of all my therapy.
Sarah's mom's boyfriend Gary.
They were supposed to meet me
in the lobby.
This was a last-minute trip.
They're a half an hour early
because of course they are.
Oh, maybe we should go say hello.
Just say hi to my mom. Ignore Gary.
Not gonna happen, psycho. Hey.
(PHONE VIBRATES)
Like what you've done with the place.
What's going on, Dad?
How's the job search going?
Rebuilding my résumé,
since you won't let me
take any clients.
Oh, that's why you were trying
to get into Belvin's files last night.
Uh
Wolf set a mousetrap.
Any attempt
to remotely access Belvin's files
triggers an alert.
Caught our first mouse.
What were you looking for, son?
I wanted to know
how much Belvin knew.
Emmalyn Belvin
was a disgruntled employee
who made up a lie.
So she didn't know anything about
About what?
Dad.
The Wellbrexa study.
What Wellbrexa study?
(ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
Actually, let's take the next one.
(LAUGHING): No way.
Elevator took forever.
I thought you said
this was a fancy building.
(LAUGHS)
(SIGHS)
Ah, nice shirt. (CHUCKLES)
What do you do around here?
Oh, he's the managing partner.
Oh, hey now. (LAUGHS)
Nice flex, as the kids say.
I'm Gary Blest, and yes, I am.
And this is my better half,
Joanne Franklin.
- Hi.
- Hi, there.
- Uh, I'm Sarah's mother.
- I'm Sarah.
Hi, Sarah.
- Hi.
- Listen,
you may not know her yet, but Sarah
is smart as a whip
and ambitious as all get-out.
(CHUCKLES) -It's true. She
already won her own case.
He really doesn't care.
Oh, you'd be surprised
- what I care about.
- (ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
- Good to meet you, Gary.
- Yeah.
- Joanne.
- That's great. (LAUGHS)
Nice guy, huh? Yeah.
Now, uh, Joanne,
do you want to use the commode
before we visit Lady Liberty?
Good idea, sweetheart.
As you know,
she is a rapid-fire tinkler,
so I'm just gonna spit this right out.
Now, we haven't always
seen eye to eye,
but we both agree on one thing, Sarah.
We love your mother.
So, I'd like your permission
to ask for her hand in marriage.
I'll think about it.
What?
Unless it was a rhetorical question?
- Uh, no.
- Then I'll let you know.
I have to focus
on this afternoon's hearing.
Just got a big assignment.
Extra-long hoagie,
double turkey, no pickles.
Thank you.
Are they gonna ask
about the night Clarence died?
'Cause I don't want to talk
about what happened.
OLYMPIA: You won't have to.
The hearing is about
what led up to that day.
We call those mitigating factors.
You had no history of violence,
past or present,
you were 15 years old,
and the altercation
was a culmination of years of abuse
that should have been brought up
in sentencing.
And saying all that in court
will be enough?
To reduce this from life?
Not a guarantee, but it should.
What if I mess up in there?
You can't. It's your story.
So should the judge just read it?
I talked to that therapist lady
back when I was convicted.
It's better from you. More emotional.
Which means I could mess it up.
And this is my last chance, right?
I mean, you said it.
Between life and 25 years.
That's a lot of pressure,
and I'm not good with pressure,
especially with my memory issue.
Keep telling yourself
that story, Daniel,
and that's what you'll believe.
I saw you were wearing
a Yankees jersey
in your foster placement photos.
Best Yankee of all time?
Jeter.
No, I said of all time, son.
- No newbies.
- DANIEL: Fine.
- Babe Ruth.
- MATTY: What about Lou Gehrig?
The Iron Horse. He had longevity,
and I'm a big fan of longevity.
(LAUGHS)
In 1927, Babe Ruth had
MATTY: Sixty homers.
Yeah, no, I hear you.
But do you think that Babe and Gehrig
won the World Series
all by themselves?
What about Earle Combs?
Mark Koenig? Tony Lazzeri?
All every one of them, hall of famers.
My dad was a baseball fanatic.
He made me memorize stats.
But my point is,
it takes a team, Daniel.
And you've got a big one.
First time I've ever been
in a hearing room
with five lawyers.
You don't have to hit a home run, son.
Just lay down the bunt.
Let your team carry you home.
Yeah. Okay.
- Thanks.
- (PHONE VIBRATES)
Oh. Sorry, this, um,
about my grandson.
I'll be right back.
(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)
Can I ask a few more questions
while I eat?
- Of course.
- I'll get you some water.
Confirming you got the data
and can upload it remotely?
CARL: Yeah, just restart your phone.
- Understood.
- And the wire?
Yup, payment forthcoming.
Talk soon, Carl. I'm at work.
Who's Carl?
Oh, hey. Um, is Daniel okay?
He's eating. Important call?
It was, yeah.
(CHUCKLES)
Julian, what is going on?
You've been staring at me all morning,
and now you're following me
into hallways,
and not in a fun way.
Mind telling me who was on the phone?
Uh, my grandson's tutor.
And what data does he need
to upload remotely?
Alfie's assignments.
- Oh.
- What's with the third degree?
This is feeling downright invasive.
Everything all right?
Well, I'm not sure.
Julian here thinks I'm lying
about my grandson needing
extra help, and believe you me,
I wish I was.
I'd be sipping daquiris
on the island of Jamaica,
instead of sweating it out
in Jamaica, Queens.
JULIAN: That's actually not
what I'm concerned about.
So what, then?
I saw you leaving
Belvin's office with a bag,
while she was being fired
for reaching out to a reporter
and spreading lies about the firm.
I'm sure there's an explanation
for that. Right, Matty?
No. Just the plain as day truth.
He's right.
Emmalyn asked me for a favor.
I should've known
it was against protocol,
but, um, I acted before
my brain caught up with my heart,
and I went in and-and
took her favorite photo
of Barry Manilow,
- her dog. And after I found out
- Oh
what she did, I panicked, and
told her stop texting me.
And I'm just supposed to believe that?
You you want to see my phone?
Uh, yeah. Yes.
- Yes, I would, actually.
- Uh, yeah.
(SCOFFS) Okay.
Thank you.
(JULIAN CLEARS THROAT)
We'll talk about this later.
Uh, please go to the courtroom.
- We had a plan to get her PIN.
- I know,
but she was talking
about uploading data,
and we know Belvin called the Times,
and it felt suspicious.
This is my life
that we're talking about.
I get it,
but now you know
Matty wasn't conspiring with Belvin.
(SIGHS) -Now, let's focus
on Daniel's life, okay?
Tell us about your foster father.
DANIEL: The first thing Clarence
told me when I got placed with him
was that he didn't want to
waste any money on me,
which meant I only ate at school,
got clothes from the lost and found.
He didn't even like
when I used hot water.
I read about a padlock?
Yeah, uh, on my door.
He would keep me in there for days,
even if I had to use the bathroom.
OLYMPIA:
That's pretty significant abuse.
Did you ever fight back?
- DANIEL: No.
- OLYMPIA: Were you ever violent?
No. Never in my life
until that day with Clarence.
Your Honor, I'd like to call
an impeachment witness
who will testify to a separate episode
of violence by the defendant,
after the murder.
I don't know what she's talking about.
ARIANNA:
State your name for the record.
Pedro Varga.
I've been a paramedic
in New York for 13 years.
Did you respond to a call at
Passion Palace Gentlemen's Club
- on June 10th, 2022?
- I did.
Treated four people.
One with a fractured clavicle,
the others with more minor injuries.
The 911 call said that the
defendant was on a rampage,
ranting about his foster dad
- stealing money. -What?
- OLYMPIA: Objection.
This is hearsay.
Where are the witnesses?
Found this through EMS records.
Names were redacted
in compliance with HIPAA.
Your Honor, my client
has a constitutional right
to confront the witnesses against him.
This isn't a trial, Ms. Lawrence.
It's a resentencing hearing.
The rules of admissibility
are relaxed. Overruled.
- And then what happened?
- PEDRO: Caller said
three women were injured
as the bouncer restrained him.
ARIANNA: Your Honor,
the defense's claims that
this was an isolated incident
of violence are pure fiction.
This man is a danger to society.
Just because you say it
doesn't make it true.
My client remembers
none of this. We need a recess.
Why? If he doesn't remember now,
he's not going to.
Not true.
I'm gonna turn this over
to my colleague.
(CLEARS THROAT) We'd like to
bring in a neuropsychologist,
Your Honor. One who has had success
in recovering repressed memories.
That's bunk science.
Depends on the neuropsychologist.
Ours is great. In fact,
you used her last year.
- Dr. Camille Mitchell.
- This is completely different.
JULIAN: Well, the science isn't.
A quote, from your argument,
"Memories are sensory data that
"travel through our amygdala
and into the hippocampus,
"where they become
a cohesive narrative.
"But sometimes,
fragments of data get stuck.
Neuropsychology is a tool
to dislodge the data."
It's nicely worded. And in fact,
you got Dr. Mitchell
admitted as an expert.
And we'd like to as well.
Your Honor, Daniel Pearson
did something terrible,
but he was a child
without a childhood.
This is his last chance
at a reduced sentence.
We owe it to him
to leave no stone unturned.
Nice work. How did you know
that we'd end up there?
Anticipation of arguments and
a little opposition research.
Read Daniel's file,
he had gaps in his memory.
Forgot what a great lawyer you are.
- Over-prepared and under-resourced.
- (PHONE CHIMES)
That was the, uh, motto
at the public defender's office.
(LAUGHS)
Um, I have a call in
to Dr. Camille Mitchell.
You and Matty talk to Daniel,
I'll have Sarah and Billy start
compiling anything - (PHONE CHIMES)
In his file that can help.
I'm the one that gives out the orders,
and I have none left.
Go ahead and quote that
on your résumé.
- I'll, uh, I'll get Daniel on board.
- Okay.
(ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
Hey, Isaac. I just got thrown
a legal curveball,
figured I'd use my
IT compliance connection.
Yeah, this guy conveniently
produced a text chain in court,
so I was just wondering,
is there a way to verify
something like that?
All right, they put in a pinch hitter,
but we are still in the game.
And in full fight mode.
We just need to find out
what happened in the strip club.
How? My memory from that night
is just all black.
The neuropsychologist will start
with what we know
from the police report.
You were picked up
four hours after the murder,
pacing in an alleyway,
with defensive wounds.
When you were interrogated
by the police,
you kept mumbling "Gregory."
I was in foster care
with a Gregory when I was six.
I haven't seen him since then.
I was drunk.
Talking crazy, I guess.
OLYMPIA: Maybe. Or maybe he was there.
Or maybe another guy
named Gregory was there
who knows exactly what went down
in that club.
You could've been provoked.
Now, that would be
a mitigating factor.
DANIEL: Yeah, maybe.
Or maybe the more
I find out about myself,
the worse it'll get.
OLYMPIA: Sure, that's a risk.
And look (SIGHS)
I don't know anything about
baseball, but what I do know
is that you don't win
by sitting on the bench.
Right?
Right.
Great work.
And I locked in Dr. Mitchell,
she'll meet with Daniel tomorrow.
Billy and Sarah are looking
for the mysterious Gregory.
Ask Matty if she can identify
any of the injured parties
from the club.
Talk soon. Sorry.
- I am listening.
- Are you sure?
'Cause it kind of feels like
you're fielding a lot of phone calls.
JULIAN: Totally focused, man.
Heard there was a search
for the new James Bond,
tell the people to look no further.
- I'll let them know.
- (LAUGHS)
But why did you need Isaac's password?
Anticipation of arguments.
Matty was too ready
to show us her phone.
What if she anticipated the ask
and that's a fake text thread?
She was talking about uploading data.
- What?
- No stone unturned, right?
And it's not hard to verify
because Mrs. Belvin's old laptop
is still sitting in refurbishment.
I'll go tomorrow
when the desk guy's at lunch.
If Matty's texts are real,
they'll pop up on Belvin's laptop
when the computer is turned on.
- If they don't
- Hold on, Mr. Bond.
(CHUCKLES) Yes.
(LAUGHS) So you believe
that 76-year-old Matty,
who believes AirDrop is a scam,
faked the text threads?
With help. Who knows?
- And why would she do all this?
- I don't know. Maybe
- Belvin read her into the plan
- Mm-hmm.
And she took the document
out of the building
to bring it to the Times
and put me in jail.
- So now Matty knows everything?
- I-I don't know,
but Belvin has an NDA, Matty
doesn't, I need to be sure.
Something is off, Olympia.
I-I feel it in my gut.
And
I haven't felt my gut in a while.
I need you to trust me.
No stone unturned.
Thank you.
I-I know how much this hurts.
You don't let people in easily.
Yeah. Well
maybe I shouldn't have.
BILLY: I'm not complaining,
but we're looking up guys
named Gregory
and you're looking up boobs?
I am not looking up boobs.
I'm looking for
a specific pair of boobs
that took a leave of absence
due to a fractured clavicle
that occurred during a bar fight.
And according to Instagram,
Gregory from foster care
was in California
the night of the murder.
Are there any club patrons
named Gregory?
Oh, for goodness sake.
They just sit up like that
on their own?
BILLY: Not going to engage.
Don't say "engage." It's triggering.
My poor mom.
Well, she seemed pretty happy,
I got to say.
Stockholm syndrome.
Gary swooped in post-divorce
when she was at her most vulnerable.
I need to deprogram my mom,
not give Gary permission
to marry her, right?
I really need to say yes?
- Hours ago.
- Obviously.
(SIGHS) Fine.
Going outside, so I can scream after.
MATTY: HR's gonna have
to clear my search history,
but I found our gal.
Stage name, Cherry Rose.
Actual name, Christina.
Allegedly attacked
in the bar by Daniel.
Julian thought you gave up
your phone too easily.
Tomorrow at 1:00, he wants to search
Belvin's old computer,
in refurbishment.
The text messages need to be on there.
Okay, I'll contact Carl.
And the computer has to be
physically turned on,
which means one of us needs to go
into the refurbishment room
before Julian.
And we need an admin password
to get into the laptop.
Julian has a video
of the password on his phone,
and I don't have his PIN,
and if I ask, it's suspicious.
Is that all?
- That's all.
- Okay.
Age-old question: your place or mine?
I mean, we can solve this,
but it's gonna take time,
so if you're coming over,
bring your PJs and Twizzlers
for you-know-who.
- Nah.
- Okay. We can brainstorm here.
Send Julian to the strip club
with me tomorrow.
- Lots of distractions.
- (SIGHS)
What?
Lying to Julian
feels really bad.
I know it does.
I have very different feelings
about your ex-husband,
but I was being insensitive.
And you're acting like
we're friends again.
Because that's what I want,
if I'm being honest.
You? Honest? (SHORT CHUCKLE)
We both lied for our families.
We're completely different.
I just lied longer.
Does Alfie have a tutor?
Do you have an Uncle Fred?
Are you a single grandmother?
Do you live in Jamaica, Queens?
Did you watch baseball with your dad?
Did Ellie get injured swimming
or did she win?
You know the truth there.
But I don't. That's the problem.
I lied,
but you're a liar, Matty.
It's who you are.
I am not a liar. I've had to lie
- due to mitigating factors.
- I know.
Stop lurking.
I am looking at the mirrors
trying to craft your approach
to the strip club.
(LAUGHS) Who's the liar now?
You're looking at the boobs,
not the mirrors.
No, I'm looking at the boobs
in the mirrors.
Specifically, the ones by that sign.
- Oh.
- Mm.
Nice work, darling.
Thank you.
And don't take your anger
at Olympia out on me.
I just want her to understand
I'm in the law firm
under a false identity,
so of course I'm gonna lie.
It's a mitigating factor.
Our child was an addict.
Mitigating factor.
Your mother was an alcoholic,
yet another.
Yes. I've done it for a long time.
But it's not who I am.
Never lied to you.
Well, there was that once.
About what? And can I have
an hour more screen time?
Half an hour, that's it.
When we first met,
your grandmother told me
she was in nursing school.
What?
I wanted a second date.
- It was the '70s.
- EDWIN: Yeah, and then
I got a cut and she flipped out.
MATTY: It was gushing blood.
So, I told her either nursing schools
had lost their standards,
or she wasn't
- telling me the truth.
- (LAUGHS)
But then, she litigated
the word "truth."
- You thought it was sexy.
- (WHISTLES)
And I'm out. Good night.
- Good night. Love you.
- Love you.
- Good kid.
- Great kid,
despite some pretty big
mitigating factors.
And then there's Julian.
- Ugh.
- Handed every single thing in life.
I may lie, but that man doesn't
have an ounce of integrity.
Olympia shouldn't feel bad.
He deserves to be gas lit.
Matty mentioned a last-minute
appointment this morning.
What? With who?
Do you think she's feeling the
pressure, going to the press?
No. She said eye doctor,
but I told her to cancel it
because I knew you would think that.
And I said that you both
should go to the strip club
this morning.
Perfect. I can keep an eye on her
until the computer guy goes to lunch.
And I can get Annie's key card,
so you don't have to swipe your own.
Thank you.
The fact that you're helping me,
after everything I did, uh,
I'm just really grateful, Olympia.
We're family.
Just try to act normal with Matty.
- No more going rogue.
- (CHUCKLES)
And get photos at the strip club,
in case it jogs Daniel's memory.
MAN: Stay here, I'll go get
Cherry Rose.
Look, I'm just gonna say it.
I'm feeling awkward.
And not because
my late not-great husband
got caught with a couple of
strippers and a rubber chicken.
True story. Do not ask for details.
Look, I know I came on strong.
You didn't come on strong,
you made me feel like a criminal
for talking to my grandson's tutor.
- You took Belvin's belongings.
- And I shouldn't have. And when
I found out what she did,
I should've told Olympia,
but I'm a 76-year-old woman
raising a teenager,
and I just got back
on my feet, and
and I'm scared.
I don't have a huge cushion
like you do.
Why don't you get pictures
of the stage?
I don't have a huge cushion.
- I'm
- Hey.
- No photos in here.
- Oh.
Sorry. I didn't Um
Unlock your phone and delete those.
- I'll be taking that.
- Oh, seriously?
You can pick it up on your way out.
You wanted to talk to me
about the night
the kid went crazy and I got
a fractured collarbone?
Come on back.
- I hate the waiting.
- (SCOFFS)
Yeah, it's torture.
But hopefully the forensic
memory retrieval is working,
and Daniel will remember something.
- Oh, you were talking about
- No, same,
I was thinking about Daniel's
session with Dr. Mitchell.
Fine, I was talking
about the proposal,
but I've come to peace with it.
(SIGHS)
- I've been practicing my excited voice.
- (PHONE CHIMES)
- Oh, I know, we share an office.
- Oh, my God.
- They're engaged?
- Daniel remembered something.
The sound of ice crunching.
Ice crunching? It was summer.
He was a hot, sweaty mess.
Busted in screaming about money.
- Then it turned violent?
- No.
The kid came in swinging.
We were just trying to
restrain him, and then
ANGELA: Not true.
It didn't get nasty
until you got involved.
CHERRY ROSE: I saw a
dangerous situation and acted on it.
He was just a kid,
same age as my oldest.
Angela, your kid
does homework upstairs,
this one put me in a hospital.
Because you fell into the bar.
Kid was looking for someone.
- He got jumped by the bouncer.
- MATTY: He was jumped?
Uh, Cherry, thank you so much.
Uh, Angela, we would love
- to speak with you more.
- ANGELA: Okay.
I got to sneak off to the
ladies'. I'll be right back.
Uh, so you think Daniel was provoked?
LITTLE GIRL: I'll call you later.
I'm at the park with my mom.
MATTY: It's okay.
My friends don't know I'm here either.
It's not a big deal. You don't
have to get all weird about it.
Okay, new lead.
Angela said Daniel had stains
on his clothes, like an orange color.
We need to tell Olympia so
the therapist can bring it up.
And he was screaming
about Gregory here, too.
Uh, can we get our phones?
Orange stains. And Gregory.
Yeah.
Olympia said Daniel
mentioned crunching ice.
Cherry Rose went to the hospital
after she fell into the bar,
so bar ice?
- For drinks?
- A hospital.
Daniel had wounds,
were they treated with
Iodine. That's the orange.
And they give patients ice chips
in the hospital.
Oh, my God, what if Gregory
isn't a person?
OLYMPIA: St. Gregory's Hospital?
A mile away from Passion Palace.
Daniel got injured
during his altercation with Clarence.
If he went to the hospital
before he went to the strip club,
maybe they gave him meds
and he had a bad reaction?
Could be why some of the strippers
saw him as so aggressive.
We'll call St. Gregory's, see
if they have a record of Daniel.
- Or find a John Doe that matches Daniel.
- Perfect.
Go. Uh, Julian,
hang back for a sec.
I have a question
about the kids' schedule.
- Yeah, uh, Kat said
- (DOOR CLOSES)
Did you get Annie's key card?
Yes. Uh Shoot, where did I put it?
Can you check my briefcase?
- It's on a blue lanyard.
- Yeah.
(SIGHS)
JULIAN: It's-it's not in here.
Hm
Strange. It's not in my closet either.
Give me a second to think.
Okay, Carl, I'm in.
CARL: Good. Can you share the screen?
Yeah. Hold on.
Sharing my screen. You see it?
Take my card. At least
it won't trace back to you.
- (SIGHS)
- Thank you.
Julian, wait.
Yeah?
I'm sorry, it's just
You were right.
It is hard for me to let people in.
And if it's true
that Matty has been lying
and is gonna go to the press
for Belvin, I just
I don't know what to do with that.
I'm sorry this is happening,
and I will be here for you
whatever happens next,
but this is our one chance
to get the truth. I have to go.
Okay.
(LINE RINGING)
Get out.
MATTY: Almost done.
OLYMPIA: Julian's on his way.
Okay, I'm in.
It's syncing. Hang on
OLYMPIA: Julian?
The texts match.
(SIGHS)
I can't believe I was wrong.
- I I got to go.
- (DOOR OPENS)
Are we good?
Glad you're both here.
We got something.
The hospital gave Daniel psych meds?
They did, but that's not all.
(GASPS) This just went from
a mitigation case
to an innocence project.
I was so angry and so drunk.
All I remember is going to Clarence's
and fighting with him.
OLYMPIA: Where did you go
after leaving Clarence's house?
- DANIEL: I can't remember.
- OLYMPIA: Did you go to the strip club
where he frequented at 7:00 p.m.?
Looking for him,
even though he was dead?
DANIEL I guess I went,
you know, because I was seen
by eyewitnesses, but
you know, there's so much
that I-I just don't remember.
Do you remember killing Clarence?
Objection, Your Honor.
This is a resentencing hearing.
And this is all relevant
to Daniel's resentencing.
Besides, what do you care?
If he lies now, Judge Chen
isn't gonna cut him a break.
Agreed. Glad everyone's clear.
- Overruled.
- Daniel, why did you confess?
Well, I was arrested by the cops, and
eyewitnesses heard me
screaming at Clarence.
You know, they found
DNA and prints all over.
And the cops kept telling me
I'd get a better sentence
if I confessed.
And when you were first arrested,
you were mumbling, "Gregory," right?
- Your Honor
- CHEN: I'm losing patience.
OLYMPIA: And I am getting to my point.
Daniel and Clarence
had a physical altercation
at 1:00 p.m.,
but he did not kill Clarence between
- 3:00 and 4:00 p.m
- This is ridiculous.
Because he was
at St. Gregory's Hospital,
and I have video footage.
That's Daniel,
and that timestamp reads 2:25 p.m.
Now, if you keep watching
Here's Daniel,
walking himself out at 5:30 p.m.
He was in the hospital
when Clarence Starachi died.
Likely because Clarence fell down
while drunk and hit his head,
which Daniel didn't even know.
That is why he was looking
for Clarence
at the strip club at 7:00 p.m.
The stories that we tell
about ourselves are powerful.
They protect us.
In Daniel's case,
believing that he killed
his foster father
was less painful than the truth.
That he was in prison for
a crime he didn't even commit.
JULIAN: You just gave that kid
his life back.
Haven't felt this proud
in a long time.
Couldn't have done it without you.
Glad to be helpful again, finally.
And I wanted to wait until after
the case was resolved because
I have a request, and, uh,
I know it's gonna sound crazy, but
Not Matty again?
When I closed Belvin's laptop,
I realized it was hot,
like someone had been using it.
- You were using it.
- Not long enough for it to be hot.
And then I thought, "What if
Matty was there before me,
covering her tracks?"
- Julian, stop. This is too much.
- (SIGHS)
Or it's the last stone,
and I'm turning it.
The firm had new
security cameras installed
after the leak.
There is one in the hall
right outside the storage unit.
I just need one thing
to access the footage,
besides the admin password
a partner code.
Julian
I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important.
(SIGHS)
Just watch, we are gonna see Matty
in that hallway, I know it.
Okay, if I'm right,
Matty should walk in
right about
now.
(WHISPERING): Carl, I saw a
new camera outside the door.
Can you take me out of the footage?
Um
I was so sure. I-I felt it in my gut.
What is wrong with me?
- Nothing's wrong
- I mean, you say that,
but it's not true. I-I mean, I-I
went after a 76-year-old grandmother.
Your friend.
I-I followed her, I read her texts,
I made up a whole story in my head.
- Julian
- No, no.
It's okay. There's-there's
You don't have to say anything.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I'm so happy for you.
(LAUGHS) Liar.
- But I appreciate the effort.
- (SIGHS)
And I appreciate
that you've toned down
the intense dislike of Gary.
"Intense dislike" is strong.
"Toned down" is light.
Fair.
And I'm going to tone it down
even more
because
the intense dislike
is less about him
and
more about how
you disappeared once you met him.
I didn't disappear.
You went to college.
- And then law school
- Emotionally.
You disappeared emotionally.
You used to tell me things.
And what?
Then, you're getting a divorce,
and Gary swoops in
right after, and I
I don't even know how you met, Mom.
Honestly
I was embarrassed.
Because you were vulnerable?
Because I was still
married to your father.
(DOOR OPENS)
I got your text.
Are you okay?
Not really, no.
But there's no one else I can talk to.
And I just crushed Julian
in a way that feels lasting.
So I wanted to know
when does lying get easier?
I don't think it will for you.
And that's a good thing.
Trust me, it's not.
So, let's get evidence on Senior
and end this quickly.
Yeah. I agree.
In in answer to your questions
My father didn't teach me
about baseball.
He took off a week
before I started kindergarten,
and I told my class that he died.
It was less painful than the truth,
that he
knew me
and he decided
that he didn't like me, I guess.
And
baseball came from my mother.
Sitting in bars while she got wasted
trying to pick up men.
And one of 'em gave me a stats book.
(CHUCKLES)
And I would read it
sitting in the booth,
trying to block everything else out.
Said none of that changed me,
but
you're right.
It did.
It's how I protected myself.
And the first person I chose
to be honest with
about everything,
I married.
And
the first time that lying
was really hard
was with you.
And I will not do that again
if we move forward
with our friendship.
Because I really want that.
I don't know if I can.
You really hurt me, Matty.
And I need to protect myself.
sync & corrections awaqeded