Cold Case s03e13 Episode Script
Debut
The following story is fictional and does not depict any actual person or event.
December 14, 1968 # BJ Thomas' "Hooked on a feeling" # Aren't these gloves the most? I feel like princess Grace.
They're lovely, Landon.
Sorry.
I'm so sorry.
- Emma, put those back on.
- They hurt my feet.
A young lady must learn how to walk gracefully in heels.
Okay, okay.
Do you have your pocketbook and gloves? - I'm not going to wear the gloves.
- Emma I don't want to cover up your ring.
- Isn't this exciting? - Sure.
Just think.
You'll walk through that arch and everyone will clap when they announce your name.
But it's not for doing anything.
It's just for being a girl and wearing a dress.
Emma, we've talked about this.
What being part of this society will mean for you, for your future.
You may not appreciate it now, but you've made me very proud.
I want to make you proud by doing things.
- You will.
You'll do things I've never dreamed of.
Like go to the moon.
- Emma, you are such a modern woman.
- Thank you.
Now how about if I apply just the teeniest bit of mascara? Mother Introducing miss Claire Brixton Henley.
Introducing miss Landon Antoinette Ridgely.
Introducing miss Emma Elizabeth Vine.
Introducing miss Emma Elizabeth Vine.
So who's coming to the Sixers game on Wednesday? Sorry.
I'm not into hockey.
Basketball.
No, thanks.
What about you? They're cheap seats, but it's a good time.
Thanks, but I got something Wednesday.
Like what? It's personal.
Detective Rush, Lillian Vine.
Pleasure to meet you.
Mrs.
Vine is here about Travis Whitman, the art dealer.
His wife died last month.
Fell down the stairs at their home.
Well, that's his story, at least.
But now he's been charged with her murder.
Really? Lillian thinks he could be responsible for another death.
Whose? My daughter's in 1968.
They were both 18.
What happened? Travis escorted Emma to her debutante ball.
She died that night.
From a fall down the stairs.
That doesn't happen twice in a lifetime.
It's the same death.
Emma's case was put on a shelf pretty quick after it came in.
Was it ruled an accident? No, it was handled as an S job, suspicious death.
It meant no one looked at it too closely in '68.
Well, it's 2006 now, and we like to look.
What do you got, a dead bride? Debutante.
Emma Elizabeth Vine.
Found at the base of a flight of stairs at the Edgecomb hotel, December, '68.
Spinal fracture, cracked skull.
- That's a bad fall.
- Or a good shove.
Cops couldn't get traction on the case.
No one would talk.
A white glove conspiracy? Society people didn't want a scandal on their hands.
Closed ranks.
- We got a suspect now? - Travis Whitman.
He was Emma's escort that night.
And just last month, wound up with another dead woman at the bottom of his stairs.
His wife.
He trying to sell that as a coincidence? Not too many takers, though.
He was arrested for murder.
Out on bail at a cool million.
There's one other thing.
Lillian said Emma was wearing a ring that night.
A gold swan with a diamond eye.
But it was missing from the body.
A lot of people could have taken it.
Hotel staff that found the body, paramedics They put out feelers to pawnshops at the time, seeing if someone tried to move it.
Came up empty.
Maybe they waited until the heat died down? I'll check sale records.
At the time of the murder, Emma was living in Fishtown.
That's not deb recruiting territory.
I don't know, some kind of Philly Cinderella? Handsome, wasn't he? Even in that marshmallow.
Your husband? Timothy.
This is the album from Emma's debutante season.
Pretty important to Emma, debuting? To tell you the truth, I was the one who really wanted it.
Yeah? I grew up fascinated by debs.
They seemed so perfect.
Like the whole world was theirs.
You know, my sketchy understanding of this world, it's wealthy girls, right? From the main line, Chestnut hill.
- But your family was from Fishtown.
- Yes.
- So how do you go from there to - Having my own daughter debuted? Uh, yeah.
We had a different cache.
Timothy.
In '68, astronauts were bigger than the Beatles.
And my husband was on the list to go the moon.
All of a sudden, we were society.
- Is there a date yet for the landing? - Not yet.
But think.
Your husband is going to walk on the moon.
I think it will be next August.
They're sticking by Kennedy's timetable.
My, you're well-informed.
Emma know more than I do.
She loves flying.
You could be stewardess.
Or a pilot.
You must be so glad to have this club, Irene.
Someplace your children can go and And not be running wild on the streets with hippies? Yes.
There's something I've been meaning to ask you.
Our debutante season starts soon.
How would you like Emma to make her debut? But Irene, we're just The wife and daughter of an astronaut.
It would be an honor for us.
What would I have to do? You go to parties all season.
And you bow to your father in a gorgeous white dress when you're presented at the ball.
It's very prestigious.
And you'll meet everyone.
And you can take Travis as your escort.
Isn't he your boyfriend? But I have to take chip.
It's a business thing between our dads.
This way, Travis can come, too.
Oh, this is so lucky.
I would think the girls had all been chosen by now.
I have some pull in that area.
After all, I am the mistress of the robes.
Mistress of the what? The titles are from centuries ago.
It means she was in charge.
Well, it doesn't sound like this ball was Emma's type of thing.
She only agreed after I pointed out the opportunities it could mean, the people she'd meet.
She wanted to go to college.
So you were glad when she said yes? Took Travis as her escort? It was the mistake of my life.
Emma have trouble with Travis? If she did, I was blind to it.
I thought those people could do no wrong.
I wanted to help her.
Instead, I handed her over to a murderer.
So that's the one, huh? - The one? - Painting you like.
It's my job, figuring out what people like, what they're attracted to.
I learn a lot in this room.
Hope the same goes for us.
Detective Rush and Jeffries, homicide.
Is this about Sadie? Oh, I've already got a javert watching my every move.
That's for your wife's murder.
This is about Emma Vine.
- Emma? She died - 38 years ago.
It came up again since she died exactly the way your wife did.
Respectfully, no.
She didn't fall down a flight of stairs? That much is true.
But it's my belief that Sadie had a seizure and fell.
She was epileptic.
It's the only thing that makes any sense.
What about Emma? She have a medical condition too? I hardly knew Emma.
I escorted her to the ball as a favor to my girlfriend.
- Landon.
- That's right.
I had no motive.
And no clue why she died? Well, these girls took the debutante season very seriously.
- Right.
There was a bit of talk about the fact that Emma got someone else's spot.
Who was this someone else? Sloane Kinny.
Big boozer.
All-around floozy.
Did Sloane have it out for Emma? Like Emma had yanked the golden ticket right out of her hand.
I hope you like it.
It's Tricia Nixon's recipe.
So, Sloane, Emma's dad is an astronaut.
That's the mostest.
Pretty neat.
Thanks.
He's gonna be the first man on the moon.
And Emma wants to be the first girl to go to Harvard.
They don't let girls into Harvard.
Sure they do.
Right after they get off the bus from Wellesley.
It's just that Harvard has the best physics program.
You mean, like, P.
E.
? You know, if you're interested, there's an echo thing in the ballroom.
- Really? - I'll show you when we're there.
You're going to the ball? Yes.
- The roses came? - This morning.
I didn't get mine.
I'm not debuting? Sorry, Sloane.
Did I get bumped for her? We don't even know her! Sloane was new money.
Which made her a bad person? No, what I mean is she was expendable so Irene cut her out.
For Emma.
So Sloane had an axe to grind with Emma, but Emma died at the ball.
Yeah, but Sloane was there.
And she was angry.
Why would she be there? She wasn't a debutante.
True, but I know I saw her.
Any proof of that? Ask Chip if you can find him.
Your best friend.
But why would we believe him? You probably wouldn't.
Just like you don't believe me.
You're right, Travis.
I don't.
Well, join the club.
That's why I have to hire all these fancy lawyers.
To help the guy that nobody believes.
Travis points to Sloane, a girl that got knocked out of being a deb because Emma took her place.
Got Sloane's mug shot from a DUI in '69.
Comparing it to the benevolent society's photos from the ball.
This Travis talks a good game, huh? Well, smooth, but I still say lightning doesn't strike twice.
Miller have any luck tracking the swan ring? She put the word out to every pawn shop and auction house in Philly.
Remembering a sale from 38 years ago.
That's one long shot.
Here, take a look.
Ain't that Sloane? Staring daggers at Emma.
Feel like I should've polished my shoes for this neighborhood.
No kidding.
Nice cribs out here.
You're coming to the Sixers game, right? Jeffries got tickets? Who's going? You, me and him? Well, I invited Miller but she's got her other thing.
Something to do with Veronica? This morning I heard her ordering flowers for Wednesday night.
Sounds special.
- Why didn't she just tell us? - Because it's none of our business.
We're coworkers.
We should share our lives with each other.
Yeah.
Good luck with that.
This is it.
I wanted to be a debutante more than anything in the world.
So it must've hurt something awful when Emma took your place.
Oh, it did.
I thought I'd actually die.
I could hardly get out of bed.
Well, you got up to go to that ball.
Why, Sloane? For Chip.
But Chip was Landon's escort.
But they were just friends.
Chip wanted me around for after.
If you get my drift.
I get it.
I was always good for that.
So you hung around the ball till he did his escort duties.
I watched a little, but I was mostly upstairs in our hotel room.
So Emma just got a free pass, even though she's in the big white dress and you're not? I'd lost by that point.
I'd already done the worst I could.
And what was that? Found something out.
And ran with it.
It may be your night, girls, but please, try to let the boys lead.
Oh, darn it.
I stepped on you again.
I didn't notice.
- But, for you, it's back on one.
- Okay.
- Can I ask you something? - Sure.
Why are you debuting? My mother says it's an opportunity.
What do you say? It's all right.
Actually, today's been pretty fun.
Why? I've been watching you at all the parties.
You don't seem as excited as the other girls.
It's not really my thing.
Like physics.
Well, this is physics.
Everything is physics.
My foot describes a vector with force - going in a direction - Tracing a closed system.
I hadn't really thought of it that way.
Maybe you two should find some empty space.
In another building.
I'm sorry.
- I'm hopeless, I'm afraid.
- Don't, don't look at them.
Dance with me.
Dance with me.
You think Travis was falling for Emma? And vice-versa.
Landon wouldn't like that.
When I told her, she was extremely upset.
You told her.
Well, I guess I thought I could get my place back.
It didn't work.
So how ticked off was Landon? Ever seen a child throw a tantrum, take something that's theirs when they're not used to hearing "no"? Yeah.
Travis was Landon's, until Emma showed up.
And Landon had gone 18 years without ever hearing "no.
" So what do they call you? Coach? My formal title is "mistress of the robes," but the one at the end, she calls me "mom.
" She looks like you.
Well, hopefully, no one steals her boyfriend, like Emma stole yours.
Excuse me? Emma Vine? Travis Whitman? Sloane said they were getting close, and that you didn't like it.
That was a long time ago.
So was the murder we're working.
Sloane told me what she'd seen at dance practice between those two.
And you got angry.
A lady doesn't get angry.
Although, sometimes what she does instead is worse.
Okay, we'll see you all tomorrow at the hotel, no later than 6 o'clock.
Couldn't your father make it, dear? This is the last rehearsal.
He had to fly down to cape Canaveral.
He's coming back tonight.
You know how much we're all looking forward to seeing you bow to him.
Emma, do you need a ride home? - I was gonna catch the bus.
- In that? I have street clothes and a book.
- What are you reading? - Feynman's lectures.
On physics? Impressive.
How about I get the car and I'll meet you two girls out front.
Travis has that book.
Is it his? We were talking about it, so Your bow is really graceful, Landon.
I've been practicing it my whole life.
- Nervous about tomorrow? - A little.
But I hear there's this acoustic anomaly in the ballroom.
That Travis said he was going to show you.
There's something about Travis you don't know.
He's Jewish.
- He is? - He hides it well.
His whole family does.
But that's the dirty little Whitman secret.
But I thought Jews weren't allowed.
I guess it was like spitting on your food before someone else could take it.
That was your way of trying to keep Travis.
I loved him.
Even though I could see that he liked Emma.
So what would've happened if Travis's secret got around? Would've been the end of him at the club.
- Him, his whole family.
- Socially? People had a lot of, um, business connections through there, too.
And they would've lost them because they were Jewish.
I'm telling you how it was.
Not how I thought it should be.
Excuse me.
So Travis has got a secret and Emma knows it.
Sounds like the escort had motive, after all.
Really pushing that sale, huh, Travis? Guess you got hungry lawyers to feed, huh? Why are you back here? You said you barely knew Emma, when really you were falling for her.
- It's no reason to kill her.
- No.
There is a another reason.
Well, you seem to know more than I do.
Your family secret.
The one you told Landon.
Our secret.
Well, your name, Weissman.
In 1955 your family changed it to Whitman because back then, there was only so high a Jewish family could climb.
Our name was changed, it's true.
And Emma found out, threatened to expose you.
- No.
Now I don't need any pictures to read you, Travis.
You're practical, you need cash.
You sell some paintings.
You need to guard a secret It wasn't like that.
There were no threats.
It's more like we both just came clean.
- I rang the bell, but - I just came out to I'm trying to see Saturn's rings.
You left this at the club.
I took it off to try on those gloves.
This ring, it's it's special to me.
I found it before you left.
Tried to flag you down, but I think you were avoiding me.
Landon told me something about you.
Your family That we're Jewish? - Is that a problem? - No.
But I wonder why you hang around with people who don't like who you really are.
Why do you? Right.
Because I'm keeping a secret, too.
My dad got pulled from the moon shot yesterday.
My mom won't let me tell anyone.
She wants us to keep up appearances.
Like my family.
Appearances are the only thing that matters to these people.
You already knew that.
I guess I've been trying not to notice.
For your mother? More because I don't want to stop being around you.
Did Landon know this was going on? No, we were gonna deal with it after the ball.
Then Emma died.
So why not tell me this before? You didn't want to hear it.
You just wanted me to hold out my hands for the cuffs.
Like everybody else in this city.
Come on, Travis, you expect people to believe two women in your life end up dead at the bottom of the stairs and that's just chance? It sounds unbelievable, but it's what happened.
Right.
I had a piece of news today.
Second autopsy shows Sadie did have a seizure moments before she fell, like I thought.
Is that according to a doctor you're paying to testify? No, it's according to your medical examiner.
So maybe this Travis isn't such a monster.
Maybe terrible coincidences can happen.
I'll be in touch.
My lawyer says the charges may be dropped.
But it must be a mistake.
I'm sorry.
The M.
E.
's report was pretty clear about his wife's seizure.
But I know he killed Emma.
I know it.
I spent 38 years not knowing, and then I opened that paper.
I can't walk away now.
You have children? A daughter.
You know, right? You know in your heart when something happens to them, don't you? Yeah.
Please, don't drop her case.
Lillian, if we do continue, you have to be honest with us.
Haven't I been? You didn't tell us about your husband.
- That he couldn't go to the ball.
- No.
The day before the ball, he was in the hospital.
- Yes.
So what was your plan? I know you wanted Emma to debut more than anything.
What could we do? On the day of the ball, we went to Irene to tell her.
I frankly thought we'd be kicked out.
- But you weren't.
- No.
Because instead, we found Matthew, and he was our angel.
Hello, ladies.
Are you excited about tonight? I'm afraid that's why we're here.
We won't be coming.
What? Timothy's not well.
He's in the hospital.
- Lillian - He's all right, but he's not going to the moon.
Honestly, I don't know what's gonna happen to him.
Mom, he's strong.
I'm sure Emma's right.
Anyhow, I hate to embarrass Irene, but without her father, Emma won't be able to debut.
Emma could make her bow to me.
- Oh, no, we couldn't.
- Why not? I'd be proud to present the first woman astronaut.
But dad, aren't we walking together? I could walk with you both.
No.
If her father can't come, she shouldn't either.
Landon, don't be like that.
Dad, this is for you and me.
She's not your daughter, I am.
- Landon, I would never want - I wish you'd never shown up.
Because you're ruining everything! Sounds like Landon bared her claws.
She was just upset.
I wonder how upset.
Lillian, did Matthew have a special reason for helping you? We'd known each other growing up.
My mother and I used to clean his family's house.
That's why it meant so much to you that Emma was a debutante.
That you'd grown up your whole life with your face pressed against the glass.
I didn't envy the material things.
I envied how safe they were.
How protected.
You wanted that for your daughter.
Maybe I thought it was possible, because I grew up with Matthew.
He made you feel like you belonged.
Around everyone else, we were what we were.
By ourselves, we were friends.
I can't wait until I'm reading the sports page again instead of society news.
Hear that.
Robes, gloves, bows, gowns.
The Sixers game can't come quick enough.
Does anyone know where Quaker hall is? Near the sports complex.
Off of south? Thanks.
Good night, guys.
- Night.
- Night.
What? Bet you that's where she's going with her date tomorrow.
And that has nothing to do with us.
Don't even think it, man.
Well, look at this.
What do you got? Landon's daughter in this year's crop of debs.
Yeah? Look at her hand.
She's wearing Emma's ring.
It belongs to Emma Vine.
She wore it the day she died.
It came from my father's family.
We know the problem you had with your dad reaching out to Emma.
That's immaterial.
We also know that your boyfriend's eye was wandering toward her.
Put that together, I can see you deciding she needs a trip down the stairs.
You didn't think it would kill her.
I have been open and helpful with you.
Not really, Landon.
Any secrets I kept didn't have anything to do with Emma's death.
Secrets, huh? Unless you want your daughter to debut tonight while you're sitting in a jail cell? better start dishing.
What my father said to Emma upset me.
Is that surprising? He was my father.
I didn't want to share.
So what'd you do about it? Went crying to my friends.
Said they had a way to cheer me up.
Sure you don't want the acid? Sloane's digging it.
I have to bow in 20 minutes.
How many debs does it take to change a light bulb? I think this ball is all in my head.
Four.
Three to complain, one to tell the maid to do it.
No, seriously, I can feel the ballroom here.
Emma.
Sorry, Fishtown, private party.
Landon, I heard you came up here.
Yes, to get away from you.
I'll say no to your dad if you want.
No to walking with him or to being his new daughter? You're his daughter.
He loves you.
How would you know? He's proud of you.
He's never been proud of me for anything.
We have nothing in common.
There's just this.
And I can't cryI'm wearing mascara.
- Landon - Don't.
Just don't.
How many Jews does it take to change a light bulb? Jews are too cheap to change a light bulb.
They'd rather sit in the dark.
A few minutes later we all went downstairs.
Travis was with you? He, uh, slipped off to find Emma.
Right before the bows started? That's when she got killed.
You should have told us, Landon.
He's a friend.
We know him.
Guess who put two lots of jewelry up for auction on the quiet.
Swan ring among the pieces.
Dug through a lot of baubles to find this, Travis.
So you had Emma's ring.
Got an explanation to go with it? It's a ring.
There's probably a thousand.
No.
Just two.
Landon's grandfather had them made.
One for his daughter, and one for the daughter of his housekeeper.
Lillian.
They're the girls' Christmas presents.
The year they turned 18.
I know.
Why'd you take Emma's ring, Travis? Little souvenir from your first murder? - No.
- No? I loved her.
Funny, because the first time we asked, you said you hardly knew her.
Now you hock her ring to free up some cash.
Doesn't sound much like love to me.
If that ring was in there, it was a mistake.
It was the only piece of Emma I had.
Because it was the only piece of her you could take.
You think you see into people? She saw into you.
The pleaser, the guy who's everything to everyone.
The guy who's really nothing at all.
How'd it make you feel, Travis, knowing you were a fraud? Knowing Emma knew, too? Emma was like a comet.
She just lit up everything.
I was trying to change.
But you couldn't.
Not fast enough.
She was up there in the sky.
I was just left there standing on the ground.
- That's some moon.
- Yes.
There is the sea of tranquility.
It's beautiful.
When I was little, I used to think I'd have a house on the moon.
My mom said I'd spend all of my time flying, just to go there and back.
I said it was fine with me.
- Emma, back there, with Chip - It's okay.
I just laughed - Because you're g oing along for your family.
- I understand.
- No, Emma.
It was wrong.
I know it.
I know it because of you.
That's a waltz.
I know that because of you.
So dance with me.
- The bows will start soon.
- Not yet.
You don't want me, Travis.
- You'll find someone else.
- No.
Someone who fits in here.
You'll teach her to dance.
I want you.
- It can't be me.
- Why not? I can't trade who I am to get what I want.
But I'm doing all this for my family.
No, you're doing this for you.
Emma, you know how I really feel.
You didn't say anything upstairs because you're never going to say anything.
- Are you calling me a liar? - I I just don't want to be like that.
Like me, you mean? Say it! Say it if you mean it! Like you.
I don't want to be like you.
Emma No # "Moon River" composed by Henry Mancini # # Moon river, wider than a mile # # I'm crossing you in style someday # # Old dream maker # # you heartbreaker # # wherever you're going # # I'm going your way # # Two drifters # # off to see the world # # there's such a lot of world to see # # we're after the same # # rainbow's end # # waitin' round the bend # # my huckleberry friend # # moon river # # and me #
December 14, 1968 # BJ Thomas' "Hooked on a feeling" # Aren't these gloves the most? I feel like princess Grace.
They're lovely, Landon.
Sorry.
I'm so sorry.
- Emma, put those back on.
- They hurt my feet.
A young lady must learn how to walk gracefully in heels.
Okay, okay.
Do you have your pocketbook and gloves? - I'm not going to wear the gloves.
- Emma I don't want to cover up your ring.
- Isn't this exciting? - Sure.
Just think.
You'll walk through that arch and everyone will clap when they announce your name.
But it's not for doing anything.
It's just for being a girl and wearing a dress.
Emma, we've talked about this.
What being part of this society will mean for you, for your future.
You may not appreciate it now, but you've made me very proud.
I want to make you proud by doing things.
- You will.
You'll do things I've never dreamed of.
Like go to the moon.
- Emma, you are such a modern woman.
- Thank you.
Now how about if I apply just the teeniest bit of mascara? Mother Introducing miss Claire Brixton Henley.
Introducing miss Landon Antoinette Ridgely.
Introducing miss Emma Elizabeth Vine.
Introducing miss Emma Elizabeth Vine.
So who's coming to the Sixers game on Wednesday? Sorry.
I'm not into hockey.
Basketball.
No, thanks.
What about you? They're cheap seats, but it's a good time.
Thanks, but I got something Wednesday.
Like what? It's personal.
Detective Rush, Lillian Vine.
Pleasure to meet you.
Mrs.
Vine is here about Travis Whitman, the art dealer.
His wife died last month.
Fell down the stairs at their home.
Well, that's his story, at least.
But now he's been charged with her murder.
Really? Lillian thinks he could be responsible for another death.
Whose? My daughter's in 1968.
They were both 18.
What happened? Travis escorted Emma to her debutante ball.
She died that night.
From a fall down the stairs.
That doesn't happen twice in a lifetime.
It's the same death.
Emma's case was put on a shelf pretty quick after it came in.
Was it ruled an accident? No, it was handled as an S job, suspicious death.
It meant no one looked at it too closely in '68.
Well, it's 2006 now, and we like to look.
What do you got, a dead bride? Debutante.
Emma Elizabeth Vine.
Found at the base of a flight of stairs at the Edgecomb hotel, December, '68.
Spinal fracture, cracked skull.
- That's a bad fall.
- Or a good shove.
Cops couldn't get traction on the case.
No one would talk.
A white glove conspiracy? Society people didn't want a scandal on their hands.
Closed ranks.
- We got a suspect now? - Travis Whitman.
He was Emma's escort that night.
And just last month, wound up with another dead woman at the bottom of his stairs.
His wife.
He trying to sell that as a coincidence? Not too many takers, though.
He was arrested for murder.
Out on bail at a cool million.
There's one other thing.
Lillian said Emma was wearing a ring that night.
A gold swan with a diamond eye.
But it was missing from the body.
A lot of people could have taken it.
Hotel staff that found the body, paramedics They put out feelers to pawnshops at the time, seeing if someone tried to move it.
Came up empty.
Maybe they waited until the heat died down? I'll check sale records.
At the time of the murder, Emma was living in Fishtown.
That's not deb recruiting territory.
I don't know, some kind of Philly Cinderella? Handsome, wasn't he? Even in that marshmallow.
Your husband? Timothy.
This is the album from Emma's debutante season.
Pretty important to Emma, debuting? To tell you the truth, I was the one who really wanted it.
Yeah? I grew up fascinated by debs.
They seemed so perfect.
Like the whole world was theirs.
You know, my sketchy understanding of this world, it's wealthy girls, right? From the main line, Chestnut hill.
- But your family was from Fishtown.
- Yes.
- So how do you go from there to - Having my own daughter debuted? Uh, yeah.
We had a different cache.
Timothy.
In '68, astronauts were bigger than the Beatles.
And my husband was on the list to go the moon.
All of a sudden, we were society.
- Is there a date yet for the landing? - Not yet.
But think.
Your husband is going to walk on the moon.
I think it will be next August.
They're sticking by Kennedy's timetable.
My, you're well-informed.
Emma know more than I do.
She loves flying.
You could be stewardess.
Or a pilot.
You must be so glad to have this club, Irene.
Someplace your children can go and And not be running wild on the streets with hippies? Yes.
There's something I've been meaning to ask you.
Our debutante season starts soon.
How would you like Emma to make her debut? But Irene, we're just The wife and daughter of an astronaut.
It would be an honor for us.
What would I have to do? You go to parties all season.
And you bow to your father in a gorgeous white dress when you're presented at the ball.
It's very prestigious.
And you'll meet everyone.
And you can take Travis as your escort.
Isn't he your boyfriend? But I have to take chip.
It's a business thing between our dads.
This way, Travis can come, too.
Oh, this is so lucky.
I would think the girls had all been chosen by now.
I have some pull in that area.
After all, I am the mistress of the robes.
Mistress of the what? The titles are from centuries ago.
It means she was in charge.
Well, it doesn't sound like this ball was Emma's type of thing.
She only agreed after I pointed out the opportunities it could mean, the people she'd meet.
She wanted to go to college.
So you were glad when she said yes? Took Travis as her escort? It was the mistake of my life.
Emma have trouble with Travis? If she did, I was blind to it.
I thought those people could do no wrong.
I wanted to help her.
Instead, I handed her over to a murderer.
So that's the one, huh? - The one? - Painting you like.
It's my job, figuring out what people like, what they're attracted to.
I learn a lot in this room.
Hope the same goes for us.
Detective Rush and Jeffries, homicide.
Is this about Sadie? Oh, I've already got a javert watching my every move.
That's for your wife's murder.
This is about Emma Vine.
- Emma? She died - 38 years ago.
It came up again since she died exactly the way your wife did.
Respectfully, no.
She didn't fall down a flight of stairs? That much is true.
But it's my belief that Sadie had a seizure and fell.
She was epileptic.
It's the only thing that makes any sense.
What about Emma? She have a medical condition too? I hardly knew Emma.
I escorted her to the ball as a favor to my girlfriend.
- Landon.
- That's right.
I had no motive.
And no clue why she died? Well, these girls took the debutante season very seriously.
- Right.
There was a bit of talk about the fact that Emma got someone else's spot.
Who was this someone else? Sloane Kinny.
Big boozer.
All-around floozy.
Did Sloane have it out for Emma? Like Emma had yanked the golden ticket right out of her hand.
I hope you like it.
It's Tricia Nixon's recipe.
So, Sloane, Emma's dad is an astronaut.
That's the mostest.
Pretty neat.
Thanks.
He's gonna be the first man on the moon.
And Emma wants to be the first girl to go to Harvard.
They don't let girls into Harvard.
Sure they do.
Right after they get off the bus from Wellesley.
It's just that Harvard has the best physics program.
You mean, like, P.
E.
? You know, if you're interested, there's an echo thing in the ballroom.
- Really? - I'll show you when we're there.
You're going to the ball? Yes.
- The roses came? - This morning.
I didn't get mine.
I'm not debuting? Sorry, Sloane.
Did I get bumped for her? We don't even know her! Sloane was new money.
Which made her a bad person? No, what I mean is she was expendable so Irene cut her out.
For Emma.
So Sloane had an axe to grind with Emma, but Emma died at the ball.
Yeah, but Sloane was there.
And she was angry.
Why would she be there? She wasn't a debutante.
True, but I know I saw her.
Any proof of that? Ask Chip if you can find him.
Your best friend.
But why would we believe him? You probably wouldn't.
Just like you don't believe me.
You're right, Travis.
I don't.
Well, join the club.
That's why I have to hire all these fancy lawyers.
To help the guy that nobody believes.
Travis points to Sloane, a girl that got knocked out of being a deb because Emma took her place.
Got Sloane's mug shot from a DUI in '69.
Comparing it to the benevolent society's photos from the ball.
This Travis talks a good game, huh? Well, smooth, but I still say lightning doesn't strike twice.
Miller have any luck tracking the swan ring? She put the word out to every pawn shop and auction house in Philly.
Remembering a sale from 38 years ago.
That's one long shot.
Here, take a look.
Ain't that Sloane? Staring daggers at Emma.
Feel like I should've polished my shoes for this neighborhood.
No kidding.
Nice cribs out here.
You're coming to the Sixers game, right? Jeffries got tickets? Who's going? You, me and him? Well, I invited Miller but she's got her other thing.
Something to do with Veronica? This morning I heard her ordering flowers for Wednesday night.
Sounds special.
- Why didn't she just tell us? - Because it's none of our business.
We're coworkers.
We should share our lives with each other.
Yeah.
Good luck with that.
This is it.
I wanted to be a debutante more than anything in the world.
So it must've hurt something awful when Emma took your place.
Oh, it did.
I thought I'd actually die.
I could hardly get out of bed.
Well, you got up to go to that ball.
Why, Sloane? For Chip.
But Chip was Landon's escort.
But they were just friends.
Chip wanted me around for after.
If you get my drift.
I get it.
I was always good for that.
So you hung around the ball till he did his escort duties.
I watched a little, but I was mostly upstairs in our hotel room.
So Emma just got a free pass, even though she's in the big white dress and you're not? I'd lost by that point.
I'd already done the worst I could.
And what was that? Found something out.
And ran with it.
It may be your night, girls, but please, try to let the boys lead.
Oh, darn it.
I stepped on you again.
I didn't notice.
- But, for you, it's back on one.
- Okay.
- Can I ask you something? - Sure.
Why are you debuting? My mother says it's an opportunity.
What do you say? It's all right.
Actually, today's been pretty fun.
Why? I've been watching you at all the parties.
You don't seem as excited as the other girls.
It's not really my thing.
Like physics.
Well, this is physics.
Everything is physics.
My foot describes a vector with force - going in a direction - Tracing a closed system.
I hadn't really thought of it that way.
Maybe you two should find some empty space.
In another building.
I'm sorry.
- I'm hopeless, I'm afraid.
- Don't, don't look at them.
Dance with me.
Dance with me.
You think Travis was falling for Emma? And vice-versa.
Landon wouldn't like that.
When I told her, she was extremely upset.
You told her.
Well, I guess I thought I could get my place back.
It didn't work.
So how ticked off was Landon? Ever seen a child throw a tantrum, take something that's theirs when they're not used to hearing "no"? Yeah.
Travis was Landon's, until Emma showed up.
And Landon had gone 18 years without ever hearing "no.
" So what do they call you? Coach? My formal title is "mistress of the robes," but the one at the end, she calls me "mom.
" She looks like you.
Well, hopefully, no one steals her boyfriend, like Emma stole yours.
Excuse me? Emma Vine? Travis Whitman? Sloane said they were getting close, and that you didn't like it.
That was a long time ago.
So was the murder we're working.
Sloane told me what she'd seen at dance practice between those two.
And you got angry.
A lady doesn't get angry.
Although, sometimes what she does instead is worse.
Okay, we'll see you all tomorrow at the hotel, no later than 6 o'clock.
Couldn't your father make it, dear? This is the last rehearsal.
He had to fly down to cape Canaveral.
He's coming back tonight.
You know how much we're all looking forward to seeing you bow to him.
Emma, do you need a ride home? - I was gonna catch the bus.
- In that? I have street clothes and a book.
- What are you reading? - Feynman's lectures.
On physics? Impressive.
How about I get the car and I'll meet you two girls out front.
Travis has that book.
Is it his? We were talking about it, so Your bow is really graceful, Landon.
I've been practicing it my whole life.
- Nervous about tomorrow? - A little.
But I hear there's this acoustic anomaly in the ballroom.
That Travis said he was going to show you.
There's something about Travis you don't know.
He's Jewish.
- He is? - He hides it well.
His whole family does.
But that's the dirty little Whitman secret.
But I thought Jews weren't allowed.
I guess it was like spitting on your food before someone else could take it.
That was your way of trying to keep Travis.
I loved him.
Even though I could see that he liked Emma.
So what would've happened if Travis's secret got around? Would've been the end of him at the club.
- Him, his whole family.
- Socially? People had a lot of, um, business connections through there, too.
And they would've lost them because they were Jewish.
I'm telling you how it was.
Not how I thought it should be.
Excuse me.
So Travis has got a secret and Emma knows it.
Sounds like the escort had motive, after all.
Really pushing that sale, huh, Travis? Guess you got hungry lawyers to feed, huh? Why are you back here? You said you barely knew Emma, when really you were falling for her.
- It's no reason to kill her.
- No.
There is a another reason.
Well, you seem to know more than I do.
Your family secret.
The one you told Landon.
Our secret.
Well, your name, Weissman.
In 1955 your family changed it to Whitman because back then, there was only so high a Jewish family could climb.
Our name was changed, it's true.
And Emma found out, threatened to expose you.
- No.
Now I don't need any pictures to read you, Travis.
You're practical, you need cash.
You sell some paintings.
You need to guard a secret It wasn't like that.
There were no threats.
It's more like we both just came clean.
- I rang the bell, but - I just came out to I'm trying to see Saturn's rings.
You left this at the club.
I took it off to try on those gloves.
This ring, it's it's special to me.
I found it before you left.
Tried to flag you down, but I think you were avoiding me.
Landon told me something about you.
Your family That we're Jewish? - Is that a problem? - No.
But I wonder why you hang around with people who don't like who you really are.
Why do you? Right.
Because I'm keeping a secret, too.
My dad got pulled from the moon shot yesterday.
My mom won't let me tell anyone.
She wants us to keep up appearances.
Like my family.
Appearances are the only thing that matters to these people.
You already knew that.
I guess I've been trying not to notice.
For your mother? More because I don't want to stop being around you.
Did Landon know this was going on? No, we were gonna deal with it after the ball.
Then Emma died.
So why not tell me this before? You didn't want to hear it.
You just wanted me to hold out my hands for the cuffs.
Like everybody else in this city.
Come on, Travis, you expect people to believe two women in your life end up dead at the bottom of the stairs and that's just chance? It sounds unbelievable, but it's what happened.
Right.
I had a piece of news today.
Second autopsy shows Sadie did have a seizure moments before she fell, like I thought.
Is that according to a doctor you're paying to testify? No, it's according to your medical examiner.
So maybe this Travis isn't such a monster.
Maybe terrible coincidences can happen.
I'll be in touch.
My lawyer says the charges may be dropped.
But it must be a mistake.
I'm sorry.
The M.
E.
's report was pretty clear about his wife's seizure.
But I know he killed Emma.
I know it.
I spent 38 years not knowing, and then I opened that paper.
I can't walk away now.
You have children? A daughter.
You know, right? You know in your heart when something happens to them, don't you? Yeah.
Please, don't drop her case.
Lillian, if we do continue, you have to be honest with us.
Haven't I been? You didn't tell us about your husband.
- That he couldn't go to the ball.
- No.
The day before the ball, he was in the hospital.
- Yes.
So what was your plan? I know you wanted Emma to debut more than anything.
What could we do? On the day of the ball, we went to Irene to tell her.
I frankly thought we'd be kicked out.
- But you weren't.
- No.
Because instead, we found Matthew, and he was our angel.
Hello, ladies.
Are you excited about tonight? I'm afraid that's why we're here.
We won't be coming.
What? Timothy's not well.
He's in the hospital.
- Lillian - He's all right, but he's not going to the moon.
Honestly, I don't know what's gonna happen to him.
Mom, he's strong.
I'm sure Emma's right.
Anyhow, I hate to embarrass Irene, but without her father, Emma won't be able to debut.
Emma could make her bow to me.
- Oh, no, we couldn't.
- Why not? I'd be proud to present the first woman astronaut.
But dad, aren't we walking together? I could walk with you both.
No.
If her father can't come, she shouldn't either.
Landon, don't be like that.
Dad, this is for you and me.
She's not your daughter, I am.
- Landon, I would never want - I wish you'd never shown up.
Because you're ruining everything! Sounds like Landon bared her claws.
She was just upset.
I wonder how upset.
Lillian, did Matthew have a special reason for helping you? We'd known each other growing up.
My mother and I used to clean his family's house.
That's why it meant so much to you that Emma was a debutante.
That you'd grown up your whole life with your face pressed against the glass.
I didn't envy the material things.
I envied how safe they were.
How protected.
You wanted that for your daughter.
Maybe I thought it was possible, because I grew up with Matthew.
He made you feel like you belonged.
Around everyone else, we were what we were.
By ourselves, we were friends.
I can't wait until I'm reading the sports page again instead of society news.
Hear that.
Robes, gloves, bows, gowns.
The Sixers game can't come quick enough.
Does anyone know where Quaker hall is? Near the sports complex.
Off of south? Thanks.
Good night, guys.
- Night.
- Night.
What? Bet you that's where she's going with her date tomorrow.
And that has nothing to do with us.
Don't even think it, man.
Well, look at this.
What do you got? Landon's daughter in this year's crop of debs.
Yeah? Look at her hand.
She's wearing Emma's ring.
It belongs to Emma Vine.
She wore it the day she died.
It came from my father's family.
We know the problem you had with your dad reaching out to Emma.
That's immaterial.
We also know that your boyfriend's eye was wandering toward her.
Put that together, I can see you deciding she needs a trip down the stairs.
You didn't think it would kill her.
I have been open and helpful with you.
Not really, Landon.
Any secrets I kept didn't have anything to do with Emma's death.
Secrets, huh? Unless you want your daughter to debut tonight while you're sitting in a jail cell? better start dishing.
What my father said to Emma upset me.
Is that surprising? He was my father.
I didn't want to share.
So what'd you do about it? Went crying to my friends.
Said they had a way to cheer me up.
Sure you don't want the acid? Sloane's digging it.
I have to bow in 20 minutes.
How many debs does it take to change a light bulb? I think this ball is all in my head.
Four.
Three to complain, one to tell the maid to do it.
No, seriously, I can feel the ballroom here.
Emma.
Sorry, Fishtown, private party.
Landon, I heard you came up here.
Yes, to get away from you.
I'll say no to your dad if you want.
No to walking with him or to being his new daughter? You're his daughter.
He loves you.
How would you know? He's proud of you.
He's never been proud of me for anything.
We have nothing in common.
There's just this.
And I can't cryI'm wearing mascara.
- Landon - Don't.
Just don't.
How many Jews does it take to change a light bulb? Jews are too cheap to change a light bulb.
They'd rather sit in the dark.
A few minutes later we all went downstairs.
Travis was with you? He, uh, slipped off to find Emma.
Right before the bows started? That's when she got killed.
You should have told us, Landon.
He's a friend.
We know him.
Guess who put two lots of jewelry up for auction on the quiet.
Swan ring among the pieces.
Dug through a lot of baubles to find this, Travis.
So you had Emma's ring.
Got an explanation to go with it? It's a ring.
There's probably a thousand.
No.
Just two.
Landon's grandfather had them made.
One for his daughter, and one for the daughter of his housekeeper.
Lillian.
They're the girls' Christmas presents.
The year they turned 18.
I know.
Why'd you take Emma's ring, Travis? Little souvenir from your first murder? - No.
- No? I loved her.
Funny, because the first time we asked, you said you hardly knew her.
Now you hock her ring to free up some cash.
Doesn't sound much like love to me.
If that ring was in there, it was a mistake.
It was the only piece of Emma I had.
Because it was the only piece of her you could take.
You think you see into people? She saw into you.
The pleaser, the guy who's everything to everyone.
The guy who's really nothing at all.
How'd it make you feel, Travis, knowing you were a fraud? Knowing Emma knew, too? Emma was like a comet.
She just lit up everything.
I was trying to change.
But you couldn't.
Not fast enough.
She was up there in the sky.
I was just left there standing on the ground.
- That's some moon.
- Yes.
There is the sea of tranquility.
It's beautiful.
When I was little, I used to think I'd have a house on the moon.
My mom said I'd spend all of my time flying, just to go there and back.
I said it was fine with me.
- Emma, back there, with Chip - It's okay.
I just laughed - Because you're g oing along for your family.
- I understand.
- No, Emma.
It was wrong.
I know it.
I know it because of you.
That's a waltz.
I know that because of you.
So dance with me.
- The bows will start soon.
- Not yet.
You don't want me, Travis.
- You'll find someone else.
- No.
Someone who fits in here.
You'll teach her to dance.
I want you.
- It can't be me.
- Why not? I can't trade who I am to get what I want.
But I'm doing all this for my family.
No, you're doing this for you.
Emma, you know how I really feel.
You didn't say anything upstairs because you're never going to say anything.
- Are you calling me a liar? - I I just don't want to be like that.
Like me, you mean? Say it! Say it if you mean it! Like you.
I don't want to be like you.
Emma No # "Moon River" composed by Henry Mancini # # Moon river, wider than a mile # # I'm crossing you in style someday # # Old dream maker # # you heartbreaker # # wherever you're going # # I'm going your way # # Two drifters # # off to see the world # # there's such a lot of world to see # # we're after the same # # rainbow's end # # waitin' round the bend # # my huckleberry friend # # moon river # # and me #