Elsbeth (2024) s02e18 Episode Script
Season 2, Episode 18
- [WOMAN GIGGLES]
- [MAN SHUSHES] Watch it.
So, do we think we'll get
jail time when we're caught
or are they just going to demote you
from snack shack to urinal duty?
We're fine.
One of the gas dock guys said
employees do this all the time.
Plus, my father's an equity member.
You can do whatever you want
as long as you're with me.
See? I'm just a good employee
just making sure
that the VIP members are happy.
Smart boy. That's how
you move up in the world.
Exactly.
- Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh.
- Oh, yeah.
- [CHORTLES] Boom!
- [BOTH LAUGH]
Oh, yeah. How's this for an after-party?
[WHOOPS] Let's go.
- Hmm?
- I'm good.
You sure? It's expensive.
It's from my father's supply.
What's the matter?
You forgot how to smile?
- [CHUCKLES]
- [WEAK CHUCKLE]
[WHOOPS]
Last one in sucks eggs. [EXCLAIMS]
[LAUGHS]
- Hey.
- What's up?
Listen, man, Sherry and I
were talking out in the hall
and, well
she thinks you should
clear out for a bit.
No one likes a third wheel.
Come on in.
Third wheel?
Oh. Oh.
[CHUCKLES]
I didn't realize that
Sherry liked you like that.
- [SCOFFS]
- Yeah, no. Sorry, man.
- It's my bad.
- Why don't you take a drive?
I thought you wanted
to move up in the world.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
Oh.
Hi. Where's
Oh. Uh, he left.
Left?
Left for where? Why?
Not sure. Uh, he said something
about feeling like a third wheel.
- Can't say I blame him.
- Oh.
Uh [SHORT CHUCKLE] Sorry, no.
No, I think you misread.
Come on. Relax.
Hey. Back off.
- [GASPS]
- Like I'd ever want you anyway.
Townie trash.
[GROANS]
Oh, my God.
My nose.
You bitch!
[GRUNTS] I knew you were a creep.
Following around a bunch
of teenagers all summer.
You know what we call you? The lurker.
[SHOUTS]
[GRUNTING]
Hey, guys, I'm back. I'm sorry. [LAUGHS]
I, uh, hope everyone's got
Hey, hey [EXHALES]
Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa,
whoa, whoa, hey, hey.
Hey!
What did you do?!
I think you mean
what did we do, Andy.
Thank you again for taking the time
to meet in person, Milton.
I understand that
this vetting process can feel
a bit like a colonoscopy.
[SHORT CHUCKLE]
But the more
thorough we are, the better.
Well, I would expect
nothing less, Victor.
Oh. Or should I say Mr. Landis?
[CHUCKLES]
Before I start my process,
I always like to ask.
Is there anything that I need to know?
I assure you, I'm really very boring.
You need to be bulletproof.
People will come out of the woodwork
with nasty rumors,
petty grudges, hearsay.
It's all fair game now.
The process has gotten
to be so unseemly.
Once the White House officially
nominates you, we go to war.
And I don't like going to war
without all the information.
So if there's anyone from your past
that you think we might be hearing from,
I need you to tell me now.
- Hello, Andy. It's been a long time.
- [GRUNTING]
[THUMP]
No.
You're not going to hear from anyone.
I'm quite sure of it.
KERSHAW: You better be damn sure
about this.
Because if I'm gonna help you accuse
a sitting judge of murder
which is basically career suicide
I'm gonna need a damn good reason
you think he did it.
With all due respect, Captain,
we do have a damn good reason
we think he did it.
Elsbeth. Give the woman
the damn good reason.
- Donna Summer.
- Oh, my God.
Detective Rivers,
when you examined the crime scene,
did you happen to notice
what record was on the turntable?
Do I look like a DJ?
Well, it was Donna Summer.
This is the transcript
for Delia Kirby's trial.
Delia's defense was that
she didn't hear Andy's attacker
because someone turned
the stereo up too loud.
But nobody not Detective Rivers,
not the prosecution, not the defense
ever mentioned what that music was.
And this matters because
Because Crawford slipped.
After the verdict, he taunted me
by calling Andy
a "disco-loving pervert."
But it would be impossible for him
to know that Andy liked disco unless
Unless he was there for the murder.
And Bingo was his name-o.
- Mm-hmm.
- Tascioni,
this is a reach, okay? Even for you.
Crawford railroaded Delia
at every turn of that trial.
He was desperate to put her
away for Andy's murder.
And the second that Elsbeth
started asking questions,
Crawford was a thorn in our side,
making threats, interfering
in our investigations.
- He's scared.
- Detective Blanke, I want you to
personally reexamine the Mertens case.
This time, with Crawford in mind
as a person of interest.
No, no. But that was my case.
- Sir.
- Good point.
Well, you can assist Detective Blanke.
- Oh, no, I think that's a
- Oh. No, I don't really like
You are lucky you're getting
a second chance at all,
let alone a chance
to work with a detective
that you could actually
learn something from.
If I were you, I'd shut up.
Just make sure we get this guy.
Otherwise, it's all our asses.
I just think our first
question has to be motive.
Why would a judge murder
a financial analyst
and frame his girlfriend?
Yeah. Explain that.
I don't know. Yet.
But
we might have a lead.
Excellent. Who's we?
Hello.
Elsbeth!
ELSBETH: Delia and I have been
doing a little digging of our own.
DELIA: Andy didn't really like
to talk about his life
before he moved to New York.
- And he gave you all of this?
- DELIA: Well,
sometimes Andy and I would do
a sexy burglar role play.
I'd sneak in and he'd catch me.
I think I was a little
too good at it. [CHUCKLES]
I stole a lot of his stuff.
And actuall
Okay. You see this, um, logo?
- This is from the Stockport Yacht Club.
- RIVERS: Okay. So?
Andy lived a town over and only worked
there one summer.
ELSBETH: And I'll give you one guess
whose family has a summer home
in the same town as the club.
Who?
Oh. Crawford.
Uh, wait, he does?
- Could be a coincidence, no?
- I don't think so.
I think something happened
at that yacht club
that cost Andy Mertens his life.
Well sounds like
a little road trip is in order.
Aye aye, Captain.
Can you not stand right behind me?
It's like we're in one of those videos
where people pretend
they got into Harvard
because they're bored.
Well, maybe if your
LSAT score is high enough,
- you won't have to pretend.
- Mom.
Sorry, sorry. I am cool.
I'm cool.
Come here. Gonzo.
- Good girl.
- Oh. Okay, they posted it.
Oh. Wow.
Let me see.
Oh. Wow.
That is much higher than I
was expecting. [CHUCKLES]
Seriously.
Your LSAT score
is higher than Elle Woods'.
Wait. No, it isn't.
In the musical, not the movie.
I guess "five" was
easier to rhyme than "nine."
What it must be like in your brain.
Teddy, this is so amazing.
How do you feel?
Well, to be honest, I was still
sort of on the fence about applying,
but after these scores, I
I guess I'm going to law school.
[SQUEALS, LAUGHS]
[SIGHS] But now I feel bad
that you have to stay here
this weekend with Gonzo.
You probably want to go out
with Roy and celebrate.
Oh, that's okay.
Gonzo and I will take the time
to research schools.
Besides, you have more
serious matters to attend to.
Oh, yeah.
You know we're not
moving to Cape Cod, right?
[IMITATES JKF]: "Ask not
"what your captain can do for you,
ask what you can do for your captain."
Was that supposed to be John F. Kennedy?
[REGULAR ACCENT]: Yes! [GIGGLES]
I usually get Little Edie.
We're going there to
discreetly ask around
to see if we can connect
Judge Crawford with Andy Mertens.
What could you possibly
need with this much stuff?
Well, it's a long drive.
Two of these are just snacks.
- Yeah.
- Oh, and also
I downloaded this podcast
to pass the time.
Nutjob Sluts Who Kill.
I know. But the new season
on Joan of Arc
is actually really informative.
Just a few more of these.
Your housekeeper
at your co-op she gets a W-2?
- Of course.
- Excellent.
Next item.
You received a speaking fee
from a "TTR Worldwide."
I looked them up,
but they don't have a website.
It's a private defense contractor.
I gave a talk at their annual meeting
about the Fifth Amendment.
Got it. Next.
You make a recurring annual payment
to a nonprofit
in Stockport, Massachusetts?
Oh.
That's a yacht club
to which Winnie and I belong.
My family has had a cottage on the Cape
for generations.
I see.
You don't list a second
residence on your forms.
An oversight. We're barely
up there these days,
- and I just [SCOFFS]
- But all the taxes are paid?
No neighborly disputes
over property lines
or ideological flags?
No, nothing like that.
All we do there is loaf around the club.
Look, if this is the level
of minutiae that
you're gonna quiz me on,
I think we might be here for a while.
Why don't I see if my clerk
can order us some food?
Sure you don't want any taffy?
- Remember, we're blending in.
- Oh.
If Crawford hears that a
couple of New Yorkers are
asking questions about him,
things could get really tricky for us.
Okay, but don't worry. I'm a chameleon.
- 1Can I help you?
- [BOSTON ACCENT]: The name's McCarthy.
My friend here got us wicked lost
back at the rotary,
so we parked the car and came in here.
C.W. Wagner. We spoke on the phone?
Ah, Captain. Good to meet you.
Yeah. Thanks for seeing us.
And excuse Elsbeth.
Uh, she had about 30 Munchkins
in the car.
Ah. [LAUGHS]
Andy only worked here
that one summer.
Snack shack. [SHORT CHUCKLE]
I was still a deckhand back then.
- I'm surprised you remember him.
- Mm.
Not that many people
live here year round.
Everyone kind of knows each other.
Did you know Andy well?
Nah.
He was a year below me in school.
Last we spoke, he was planning
on sticking around here,
going to the local community college.
But last minute, he got
some big scholarship,
went to private school in New York.
Guess he got all fancy,
'cause we never saw him back here again.
Captain Wagner.
JORDY: Oh, you know the Crawfords?
They're longtime members.
Uh, Milton is a judge in the city.
Uh, yeah, you know,
New York justice system.
Everyone kind of knows each other.
[CHUCKLING]
Um,
would Andy have known Judge Crawford?
Doubt it.
Staff isn't encouraged to
socialize with the members.
Ooh, a pool.
JORDY: Uh,
they filled it in in the '90s.
Too big a liability.
Huh. That's odd.
It's a club dedicated
to sailing giant lightning rods
into the open ocean
during thunderstorm season,
and indoor pool was
your biggest liability?
Fair point, I guess.
So why close it?
Did something happen?
Sherry was, like, insane,
if I'm being honest.
I mean, who knows how
she got it in her head
to break into that country
club pool by herself
with a bottle of booze?
I loved her, she was my big sister,
but she was always doing crap like that.
Oh, sorry in advance
if you step on a Cheerio.
My terrorist kids are, like, disgusting.
Mm. They seem pretty quiet.
Oh. Taffy?
Oh, no.
- For the kids.
- Uh, they're at the movies.
I told my husband,
"If you don't get out
of this house for, like,
at least two hours today,
I'm gonna lose it."
Gah! Cheerio.
- I swear to God.
- [WHIRRING]
WAGNER: So, Andy
was friends with your sister?
- [TOY SQUEAKS]
- Friends?
More like she was in love with him.
She followed him around that
whole summer hoping he'd notice.
How did he take her death?
Who knows?
Really pissed me off,
to be quite honest.
I mean, she liked him so much,
he didn't even show up to the funeral?
Hmm.
Uh, did Sherry know someone
named Milton Crawford?
No idea. Oh, but you know what?
Let me go get something for you.
God, is that another Cheerio?
[GROANS] Got to look
at boarding schools.
- Elsbeth.
- Hmm?
What are we doing here?
We're supposed to be
connecting Crawford with Andy,
not investigating
some sad girl's drowning.
Yeah, but Sherry and Andy
they hung out all the time.
Sherry dies, Andy skips her funeral,
changes his college plans
and never comes home again?
This is everything my
mother kept of Sherry's.
Uh, maybe there's a yearbook in there
- or something that could help.
- Great.
Oh, no, we, uh,
can't take this from you.
Oh, please, I've literally
never looked at it.
My mother would be thrilled
anyone still cared.
Sherry's death broke her heart.
I never forgave my sister for that.
These kids
they don't realize
the power they have over us.
And there's a Cheerio on your elbow.
I'm so sorry.
What's this?
Uh, everything of hers
left at the scene.
Cops gave it to my mom,
but she couldn't bring herself
to open it.
Ooh.
A fanny pack?
Sherry had style.
- [CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
- Detective Hanes.
You think he's still kicking around?
You never forget a
dead teenager, Captain.
We don't get a lot of
them in a town like this.
Okay, so she stripped down
to her bathing suit
here.
No, no, she was found in an indoor pool.
Well, you're standing in it.
Uh, the club tore it town.
Ah, that's right. It's been a while.
Okay. And then she
drank her scotch
glug, glug, glug
as she walked toward the pool edge.
And then, whoop,
she slipped, and fell
[GRUNTING]
here.
- I'm sorry about this.
- Not at all.
I'm 20 years retired
and I hate pickleball.
This is exciting.
I mean, did you really think
that she came here alone?
It was a little weird
that the bottle of scotch
they found was nearly empty,
but her blood alcohol level
was pretty low.
Ooh, good point. Plus,
look at what she was drinking.
Uh, Bannerdale 18.
That's a $700 bottle of scotch.
How did an underage girl
get her hands on that?
ELSBETH: Exactly. It's not
the kind of thing
that a high schooler would drink
during an illicit night swim.
Unless
she knew someone whose dad has money.
- We just figured she stole it.
- ELSBETH: Okay.
So, the fanny pack.
I know. It's so chic, right?
Are you sure that's
what that word means?
But this one has
a teeny spot of blood on it.
Did your guys notice that, Detective?
There was a lot of her
blood at the scene.
But if she had her clothes
way over here
and she fell and hit her head
and drowned here,
how did the blood get on the fanny pack?
You don't think it's hers?
Well, did they ever test it?
W-We were a rural
police department in 1992.
If you showed us an episode of CSI,
we would have thought it was Star Trek.
ELSBETH: Right.
Not a lot of DNA testing back then.
Interesting.
There's no way the blood on
that fanny pack was Sherry's.
She wasn't alone.
So, what if Crawford
was with her that night
and what if Andy knew?
Look, we need a motive
for Andy's murder,
and covering up a different
murder is a good one.
But you're gonna need something concrete
to connect Crawford to all of this.
Thank you, kind sir.
VICTOR: Why are a man and woman
with New York plates here
asking questions about you?
CRAWFORD: The woman.
How is she dressed?
All right, we scrubbed
Andy's emails, his calls,
his search history, there's just
nothing linking him to Crawford.
But traffic cams
picked up Crawford's plates
three blocks from Andy's apartment
just two hours before Delia's 911 call.
Yeah.
But we have nothing placing Crawford
inside Andy's apartment.
You know, where the murder happened?
Maybe if you had done your job
right the first time
- I heard that.
- [SIGHS]
Find anything interesting
in Sherry's diary?
Huh? Oh! Yes, tons.
Heather H. cut Becky C.
Out of the friend group
because Becky invited Molly P
of all people to her beach bonfire.
And then Heather G
Okay, how about anything relevant?
I was getting to that.
There are pages and pages
mentioning Andy.
Sherry was head over heels.
He was oblivious.
- Ugh. Men.
- Men.
But then
the last few entries of the summer
mention someone else. Get this.
"You'll never guess who
showed up to Heather's bonfire,
"dot, dot, dot, Andy, exclamation point.
"We talked alone for a while, finally,
"but we got interrupted
"by his new friend from the club,
"dot, dot, dot, again,
exclamation point.
"It's like wherever Andy goes,
this rich creep follows.
"I get why Becky calls him the lurker.
She is so funny,
even if she did tell Molly"
Okay, you get the idea. You're thinking
Crawford is "the lurker"?
[SIGHS] What kind of a nickname is that?
An apt one. Teen girls very literal
about their mean nicknames.
I wore driving gloves one time
and then I was "glove girl"
for the rest of sophomore year.
The lurker
is Crawford. I can feel it in my gut.
RIVERS: Well, unless something
in this diary proves that,
your gut feeling's not
gonna hold up in court.
Ugh, I hate that you're right.
Okay.
I'm gonna call it. It's late.
And this
this, uh, dead end
will still be here in the morning.
Hey, why do you look like
the Morton's Salt girl?
Ugh.
Something tells me
we wouldn't have gotten along
in high school.
Captain Wagner. To what
do I owe the pleasure?
WAGNER: I'm afraid this isn't
a particularly pleasurable call.
Oh, no. Is this about
the saltwater taffy
I left in your glove box?
Because I didn't think
it would melt so fast.
What? No.
I just got off the phone
with the commissioner.
And he's pissed.
Someone brought our little
road trip to his attention
and he's coming at me hard.
Internal Affairs.
Punishment pending.
Oh, no, Captain, I'm so sorry.
Well, tell them it was all me.
Tell them, um, I boss-napped
you to Cape Cod.
Just let me take the blame.
Ah, I don't care about that.
I've handled much worse from the brass.
I'm more concerned with
how the commissioner found out.
Do you think
someone at the precinct let it slip?
Worse. Crawford.
I think he knows we're looking into him.
We need to watch our backs.
We'll talk in the morning. But, Elsbeth,
be careful.
Same to you.
Have a good night, Captain.
Oh. Shoot. [GASPS]
CRAWFORD: Well,
good evening, Ms. Tascioni.
Peter, Paul and Mary. You scared me.
Are you following me?
Tell me, did you have
a relaxing trip to the Cape?
[WEAK CHUCKLE] It was lovely.
And very informative.
For example, did you know
that Andy Mertens worked
at the yacht club
your family belongs to?
You don't say.
What a small world.
Feeling smaller and smaller
with every passing second.
And yet you didn't
recuse yourself from Andy's case.
Well, I can't be expected
to remember every waiter,
caddie and bathroom attendant, can I?
What about Sherry Mitchell?
Remember her?
Thought so.
Well, who could forget
that tragic accident?
The club had to shut down the pool.
Right. A tragic accident.
I guess you never know
when danger is lurking.
It's a shame, really.
So much life snuffed out.
One clumsy slip was all it took.
I guess that's the risk you take
when you trespass
where you don't belong.
You don't intimidate me.
Who said anything about intimidation?
The time for threats is over.
[PHONE VIBRATES]
You'll want to take that.
I imagine it's bad news.
It's my boss from the DOJ.
Ah. Agent Celetano.
He's probably calling to let you know
that he's been fired.
Or so I've heard.
I assume that means
that your little consent decree job
is soon to follow.
Do get home safe, Ms. Tascioni.
TEDDY: Mom? That you?
Yes. [EXHALES]
Hi. Aw.
I hope you guys haven't been
having too much fun without me.
Gonzo was a very good girl, as always.
- Hi, sweetie.
- [CHUCKLES]
Wow, is that the time?
Um, I should get going.
Roy's probably waiting for me, so
What's wrong?
Wow. Okay, Miss Marple.
Do you ever turn off
the high-powered perception?
This is just mother's instinct.
What's going on?
Um I got
kind of a weird call earlier, from Dad.
He-he told me not to say
anything to you just yet, but
Teddy. What is it?
He's being investigated
by the Illinois state bar.
What? Why?
He said some sort of ethics violation.
He said it came completely
out of the blue.
He's still a little fuzzy
on the details.
But, uh, he's
he's facing disbarment.
All right, now it's my turn.
What's wrong?
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Why does it feel like the
deck of the Titanic in here?
- Oh, you haven't heard?
- No.
Wagner got a mandate
from the commissioner's office.
They are cutting 25% of our personnel,
effective immediately.
What? For what reason?
I don't know.
Captain Wagner's been in the
conference room with Connor all morning.
Browner has already been
relocated to the 27th.
It's a bloodbath.
Okay, well, I am sure
that Captain Wagner
- and Lt. Connor will sort this out.
- Elsbeth. Elsbeth.
- Don't worry.
- I was the last detective hired.
I'm sure that means
I'm one of the first out.
Well, we're not gonna let that happen.
Do you hear me?
Ms. Tascioni.
Chin up.
WAGNER: I'm guessing this is the
work of our friend Judge Crawford.
He followed me into the subway
last night, after our call.
He told me the time
for threats was over.
He did what?
Celetano is out at the DOJ.
My ex-husband is facing disbarment.
You're being investigated
by Internal Affairs.
- And now this.
- Well, this is a good sign.
The noose is tightening and he's
running scared. Yeah, he wouldn't
- be making these moves if he wasn't.
- They're not moves.
They're a message.
As long as I keep going after him,
he'll keep going after everyone I love.
This is just the start.
Well, whatever he comes at us with,
we're gonna be ready. You'll be okay.
I'm not worried about myself.
But I can't watch my friends
become collateral damage
because of me.
What are you saying?
I roped you and Kaya into this.
Oh
I begged Delia for her help,
I pushed and I meddled
like I always do, and now this time
this time people are getting hurt.
No, Elsbeth, you didn't force anybody
to do anything they didn't want to do.
I know this may look scary,
but we always get our man.
I think we need to ask
ourselves if maybe,
just this once,
we need to let this one go.
Byron, good to see you.
- Ah, Congressman.
- How are you?
Thank you for coming.
Winthrop, old friend.
You're looking trim.
Well, if it isn't the Wagners. Welcome.
The Historical Law Society
is honored to have you.
Are they?
It really is a beautiful party, Milton.
And hopefully it's not too late
to start building goodwill
between our foundations.
Is that true, Charles?
Is this a goodwill visit?
I'm going to get a drink.
Oh, Milton, can I fetch you a refill?
You're a peach, Claudia.
It's Bannerdale 18. Neat.
Mm.
Behave.
That's quite a woman you have there.
We need to talk. Man-to-man.
I'm listening, but I'm
a very busy man, Captain,
so cut to the chase.
After careful consideration
we've decided to close our investigation
into the death
of Andrew Mertens.
Have you, now?
We're waving the white flag.
Call off your dogs.
No one else has to get hurt.
I'm impressed, Captain.
This is the most intelligent
decision I've seen
come out of your precinct
in a long time.
We have an understanding?
I think we do.
Ah.
Perfect timing, my dear.
[SNIFFS]
Well, to justice.
- Well?
- Oh. [GASPS]
[CHUCKLES] I told you.
A man like that
never suspects the doting wife.
Ah Th-This is totally unorthodox.
I wouldn't usually allow you
within a thousand miles of this work.
Nothing about this case
is orthodox, Charles,
and Crawford needs to face consequences.
Yeah. Well, he was
right about one thing.
You are quite the woman.
I hate to interrupt
this is adorable
but we need to get this
to the lab, stat.
Yeah. Didn't I tell you?
- We always get our man.
- Yeah.
God, when you first
told me that you thought
that Crawford killed Andy, I thought
"Oh, no, this woman's
more of a loon than I am."
Aw. But now it's really sinking in.
God. He was so smug.
The whole trial. So morally superior.
You have to nail this creep.
If Crawford's DNA matches
the blood on that fanny pack,
it puts him at the scene of the crime
and it confirms his motive
for Andy's murder.
No wonder Andy was always so paranoid
that he was being watched.
I don't blame him.
Exactly.
Delia. Crawford knows
what we're doing here.
You got to be careful, too.
[LAUGHS] Elsbeth,
the whole world thinks
that I'm a murderer.
I can't get a job. An apartment.
I-I'm sharing a room
with my brother's cat.
So, Judge Crawford can do his worst,
because you're looking at a woman
with nothing left to lose.
Ah. Victor, Victor,
fresh from the beach.
But you don't look tan or rested.
I'll rest when you're on the bench.
Can I take that as good news?
Well, as far as I can tell,
you're clean as a whistle.
But my only concern
is those folks from the city.
Surely you can't be so naive as to think
that you're the only person
digging into my background?
Of course not.
As long as you're certain
that there's nothing there
for them to find.
Oh. They're not going to be
any more trouble.
In that case,
I'll let the committee know
that they can schedule the announcement.
No, thank you. That was so helpful.
Well, that sounds promising.
Finally found an admin
from Andy's alma mater willing to talk.
Turns out that scholarship
Andy got was funded
by the Historical Law Society.
- No kidding.
- Mm-hmm.
RIVERS: So, Crawford was
in law school when he killed Sherry.
Now, his father and uncle were
members of the Boston chapter.
So, we're thinking that
they funded the scholarship
to buy Andy's silence.
That is fantastic
detective work, both of you.
But it still doesn't prove
that Andy had dirt on Crawford.
It's a 30-year-old case. I'm just
not sure how we do much better
[PANTING]: I do.
Sorry. I was running. [CHUCKLES]
- Elsbeth, what is it?
- Ooh, gosh, I'm winded.
Okay, so,
Detective Rivers
couldn't find any evidence
linking Andy to Crawford
on Andy's computer or his phone.
But Delia
always described Andy as paranoid.
So that got me thinking WWAPPD?
Wow, I wanted that
abbreviation to save time,
but I think it actually
took longer to say.
What would a paranoid person do?
Uh, slowly
- go insane?
- ELSBETH: Sure.
Or he might use his secret
girlfriend's devices
- instead of his own.
- RIVERS: Wait. So, so,
he used Delia's phone
- to surveil Crawford.
- No, better.
He was using it to research
members of the Senate
judiciary committee.
We found their contact pages
in Delia's search history.
You think he was trying to blow
the whistle on Crawford?
ELSBETH: Exactly. And luckily,
the Senate's offices keep records
of their voicemails. So
ANDY: Hi, Senator.
I have important information
about Judge Milton Crawford.
I'd like to remain anonymous,
so if you can reach out to me
on Telegram, my information is, uh
- KAYA: Is that
- Andy Mertens.
- Whoa.
- Wh Did they call him back?
It wouldn't matter if they did.
Andy was dead a week later.
He had to be talking about
Sherry. I mean, this is
certainly starting
to feel like a motive.
Yeah, all we need is some
forensic evidence to back it up.
I'm gonna try calling Cameron again
- to see if he heard back from the lab.
- Yes.
[BOTH CHUCKLING]
[KNOCKING]
Food delivery.
So, you get him yet?
Oh, no, not yet.
But
I read your application essay.
Oh. Already?
- Mm-hmm.
- Well, I just know you're so busy,
I-I didn't think that I
Okay, I'm vamping, sorry. You talk.
- It's good.
- Oh, my God.
You think I don't know
when you're lying?
No, it is good. It is. I just, um,
I have just a few
"Generic"?
Generic? Mom, this is why
I never let you
read my essays in high school.
Okay, maybe I just know you so well,
I want all the admissions committees
to see everything that I've seen.
- Everything?
- Mm-hmm.
You saw me after
my wisdom teeth surgery.
Yes, and you were so cute and loopy.
- Mom.
- Well, I just want more
you.
Just tell them the truth, honey.
Like what?
"Well, I was the son
of two high-powered attorneys
"and I never thought
once about law school.
"But then my mom pivoted
to taking down people
"who thought they were above the law.
"You know, murderous
millionaires, corrupt judges.
"And suddenly I was
studying for the LSA
"because I wanted to do
something powerful like that"?
Teddy
I definitely think you should say that.
- [LAUGHS]
- KAYA: Elsbeth.
Kaya.
- What's going on?
- Cameron called,
and, uh, there's a problem.
Oh, no. The DNA didn't match?
Worse.
- Gone? What do you mean, gone?
- According to the lab,
they have no record whatsoever
of evidence submitted for testing.
That's the fanny pack,
the blood sample it's gone.
We should have known
he'd be ahead of us.
Damn it.
Without the blood tying
Crawford to Sherry's death,
everything we have on him is worthless.
There has to be another
way to get him, right?
I mean, they got Al Capone on taxes.
This man has spent the past 33 years
covering his tracks.
He kept tabs on Andy Mertens
until it was too risky
to keep him alive.
He's connected to the most
powerful offices in this city.
As of 40 minutes ago, he's a nominee
for the federal bench, with
the full support of his party.
Even if we did build a case against him,
he's untouchable.
He's outplayed us.
I have to go.
Where are you going?
Elsbeth.
- You.
- Ms. Tascioni.
Oh, if you're here for
the ceremony, you're too late.
You think you've gotten away with it,
but you're sorely mistaken.
Mark my words.
Sorry.
Did you see that?
How unfazed my colleagues were
seeing a hysterical woman
hurling harmful allegations around?
Just another day around here.
Oh, I see.
You're still upset because I didn't fall
for the Wagners' goodwill visit.
[IMITATES WAGNER]:
"We're waving the white flag."
[REGULAR VOICE]: In fact,
it was that little stunt
that tipped me off that you
had sent something to the lab.
You see, I'm always
a step ahead.
Well, if there's one thing I've learned
since coming to New York,
you can't escape your past.
It'll catch up to you, eventually.
I'm gonna prove, once and for all,
that you killed Sherry Mitchell,
and then you killed
Andy Mertens to cover it up.
Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow,
but I will prove it.
See, I don't think that you will.
Let's say
hypothetically speaking, of course
that you're right,
that I did kill Sherry Mitchell
in that pool.
That I bashed her head in
and held her underwater
until she stopped fighting.
Any physical evidence
for example, my blood on a fanny pack
or fingerprints on a scotch bottle
well, all of that
is long gone.
And I suppose
if I did it, that is
that the only person
who could have placed me
at the scene of the crime
would have been Andy Mertens.
Such a shame that woman killed him
before you had a chance
to ask him yourself.
Face it, Ms. Tascioni.
You lost.
If you think I'm just
gonna let this go
Oh!
I would never think that.
I admit, that first day in court,
I underestimated you.
You're clever, but so naive.
You still think
that the world marches inexorably
toward righteousness.
But it doesn't.
The world rewards might.
And I am
a mighty man, indeed.
WOMAN: Judge Crawford.
Uh, sorry, no questions
until after the hearing.
Senator's orders.
[PEOPLE SCREAMING, SHOUTING]
OFFICER: Gun, gun!
OFFICER 2:
Drop the gun! Drop the gun right now!
- That was for Andy.
- OFFICER: Come on, hurry up!
- Hands behind your back.
- No, wait. No, no, no, no, no.
No. No, no, no. Hang on, hang on.
There's help, there's help.
[GROANS]
OFFICER: Clear the area!
[EXCITED CHATTER CONTINUING]
- [THUNDER RUMBLING]
- [SIRENS WAILING IN DISTANCE]
We would have gotten him.
We could have
Someone had to do something.
But we would have gotten him.
Now we have.
No.
No!
OFFICER: We need a bus forthwith.
Someone's shot on the court steps.
REPORTER: A bipartisan group
of lawmakers and mourners
gathered to honor Judge Milton Crawford
after an aggrieved former defendant
assassinated the federal nominee
earlier today.
Least he got what he deserved.
No, sir.
Not this.
This isn't justice. This is lawlessness.
The mayor's expected to speak
at any moment.
Look, now the mayor's gonna speak.
Course he is.
There's a microphone available.
Can someone turn it off?
Mom.
Oh, Teddy.
I'm okay.
Oh, I can't believe this.
No one can.
KAYA: Everyone's acting like
he's some kind of martyred hero.
It's like, even in death, he's won.
This is just the world, isn't it?
This is how it's always been.
Now I remember why
I don't want to do this.
What are you saying?
I changed my mind. I can't be a lawyer.
I'm sorry.
What? Why?
I can't I won't
participate in a system
that offers a veneer of fairness
just to give cover
to the privileged and powerful.
I mean, what's the point?
To try.
The point is
we do what we can every day
to try to make this system
a little better.
The point is to try.
Right, Elsbeth?
[REPORTER CONTINUING INDISTINCTLY]
I
Um
I don't know.
But, Teddy, it's okay.
I understand.
Elsbeth
Just turn that off, please.
- Maybe we can try
- I said turn it off.
- [MAN SHUSHES] Watch it.
So, do we think we'll get
jail time when we're caught
or are they just going to demote you
from snack shack to urinal duty?
We're fine.
One of the gas dock guys said
employees do this all the time.
Plus, my father's an equity member.
You can do whatever you want
as long as you're with me.
See? I'm just a good employee
just making sure
that the VIP members are happy.
Smart boy. That's how
you move up in the world.
Exactly.
- Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh.
- Oh, yeah.
- [CHORTLES] Boom!
- [BOTH LAUGH]
Oh, yeah. How's this for an after-party?
[WHOOPS] Let's go.
- Hmm?
- I'm good.
You sure? It's expensive.
It's from my father's supply.
What's the matter?
You forgot how to smile?
- [CHUCKLES]
- [WEAK CHUCKLE]
[WHOOPS]
Last one in sucks eggs. [EXCLAIMS]
[LAUGHS]
- Hey.
- What's up?
Listen, man, Sherry and I
were talking out in the hall
and, well
she thinks you should
clear out for a bit.
No one likes a third wheel.
Come on in.
Third wheel?
Oh. Oh.
[CHUCKLES]
I didn't realize that
Sherry liked you like that.
- [SCOFFS]
- Yeah, no. Sorry, man.
- It's my bad.
- Why don't you take a drive?
I thought you wanted
to move up in the world.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
Oh.
Hi. Where's
Oh. Uh, he left.
Left?
Left for where? Why?
Not sure. Uh, he said something
about feeling like a third wheel.
- Can't say I blame him.
- Oh.
Uh [SHORT CHUCKLE] Sorry, no.
No, I think you misread.
Come on. Relax.
Hey. Back off.
- [GASPS]
- Like I'd ever want you anyway.
Townie trash.
[GROANS]
Oh, my God.
My nose.
You bitch!
[GRUNTS] I knew you were a creep.
Following around a bunch
of teenagers all summer.
You know what we call you? The lurker.
[SHOUTS]
[GRUNTING]
Hey, guys, I'm back. I'm sorry. [LAUGHS]
I, uh, hope everyone's got
Hey, hey [EXHALES]
Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa,
whoa, whoa, hey, hey.
Hey!
What did you do?!
I think you mean
what did we do, Andy.
Thank you again for taking the time
to meet in person, Milton.
I understand that
this vetting process can feel
a bit like a colonoscopy.
[SHORT CHUCKLE]
But the more
thorough we are, the better.
Well, I would expect
nothing less, Victor.
Oh. Or should I say Mr. Landis?
[CHUCKLES]
Before I start my process,
I always like to ask.
Is there anything that I need to know?
I assure you, I'm really very boring.
You need to be bulletproof.
People will come out of the woodwork
with nasty rumors,
petty grudges, hearsay.
It's all fair game now.
The process has gotten
to be so unseemly.
Once the White House officially
nominates you, we go to war.
And I don't like going to war
without all the information.
So if there's anyone from your past
that you think we might be hearing from,
I need you to tell me now.
- Hello, Andy. It's been a long time.
- [GRUNTING]
[THUMP]
No.
You're not going to hear from anyone.
I'm quite sure of it.
KERSHAW: You better be damn sure
about this.
Because if I'm gonna help you accuse
a sitting judge of murder
which is basically career suicide
I'm gonna need a damn good reason
you think he did it.
With all due respect, Captain,
we do have a damn good reason
we think he did it.
Elsbeth. Give the woman
the damn good reason.
- Donna Summer.
- Oh, my God.
Detective Rivers,
when you examined the crime scene,
did you happen to notice
what record was on the turntable?
Do I look like a DJ?
Well, it was Donna Summer.
This is the transcript
for Delia Kirby's trial.
Delia's defense was that
she didn't hear Andy's attacker
because someone turned
the stereo up too loud.
But nobody not Detective Rivers,
not the prosecution, not the defense
ever mentioned what that music was.
And this matters because
Because Crawford slipped.
After the verdict, he taunted me
by calling Andy
a "disco-loving pervert."
But it would be impossible for him
to know that Andy liked disco unless
Unless he was there for the murder.
And Bingo was his name-o.
- Mm-hmm.
- Tascioni,
this is a reach, okay? Even for you.
Crawford railroaded Delia
at every turn of that trial.
He was desperate to put her
away for Andy's murder.
And the second that Elsbeth
started asking questions,
Crawford was a thorn in our side,
making threats, interfering
in our investigations.
- He's scared.
- Detective Blanke, I want you to
personally reexamine the Mertens case.
This time, with Crawford in mind
as a person of interest.
No, no. But that was my case.
- Sir.
- Good point.
Well, you can assist Detective Blanke.
- Oh, no, I think that's a
- Oh. No, I don't really like
You are lucky you're getting
a second chance at all,
let alone a chance
to work with a detective
that you could actually
learn something from.
If I were you, I'd shut up.
Just make sure we get this guy.
Otherwise, it's all our asses.
I just think our first
question has to be motive.
Why would a judge murder
a financial analyst
and frame his girlfriend?
Yeah. Explain that.
I don't know. Yet.
But
we might have a lead.
Excellent. Who's we?
Hello.
Elsbeth!
ELSBETH: Delia and I have been
doing a little digging of our own.
DELIA: Andy didn't really like
to talk about his life
before he moved to New York.
- And he gave you all of this?
- DELIA: Well,
sometimes Andy and I would do
a sexy burglar role play.
I'd sneak in and he'd catch me.
I think I was a little
too good at it. [CHUCKLES]
I stole a lot of his stuff.
And actuall
Okay. You see this, um, logo?
- This is from the Stockport Yacht Club.
- RIVERS: Okay. So?
Andy lived a town over and only worked
there one summer.
ELSBETH: And I'll give you one guess
whose family has a summer home
in the same town as the club.
Who?
Oh. Crawford.
Uh, wait, he does?
- Could be a coincidence, no?
- I don't think so.
I think something happened
at that yacht club
that cost Andy Mertens his life.
Well sounds like
a little road trip is in order.
Aye aye, Captain.
Can you not stand right behind me?
It's like we're in one of those videos
where people pretend
they got into Harvard
because they're bored.
Well, maybe if your
LSAT score is high enough,
- you won't have to pretend.
- Mom.
Sorry, sorry. I am cool.
I'm cool.
Come here. Gonzo.
- Good girl.
- Oh. Okay, they posted it.
Oh. Wow.
Let me see.
Oh. Wow.
That is much higher than I
was expecting. [CHUCKLES]
Seriously.
Your LSAT score
is higher than Elle Woods'.
Wait. No, it isn't.
In the musical, not the movie.
I guess "five" was
easier to rhyme than "nine."
What it must be like in your brain.
Teddy, this is so amazing.
How do you feel?
Well, to be honest, I was still
sort of on the fence about applying,
but after these scores, I
I guess I'm going to law school.
[SQUEALS, LAUGHS]
[SIGHS] But now I feel bad
that you have to stay here
this weekend with Gonzo.
You probably want to go out
with Roy and celebrate.
Oh, that's okay.
Gonzo and I will take the time
to research schools.
Besides, you have more
serious matters to attend to.
Oh, yeah.
You know we're not
moving to Cape Cod, right?
[IMITATES JKF]: "Ask not
"what your captain can do for you,
ask what you can do for your captain."
Was that supposed to be John F. Kennedy?
[REGULAR ACCENT]: Yes! [GIGGLES]
I usually get Little Edie.
We're going there to
discreetly ask around
to see if we can connect
Judge Crawford with Andy Mertens.
What could you possibly
need with this much stuff?
Well, it's a long drive.
Two of these are just snacks.
- Yeah.
- Oh, and also
I downloaded this podcast
to pass the time.
Nutjob Sluts Who Kill.
I know. But the new season
on Joan of Arc
is actually really informative.
Just a few more of these.
Your housekeeper
at your co-op she gets a W-2?
- Of course.
- Excellent.
Next item.
You received a speaking fee
from a "TTR Worldwide."
I looked them up,
but they don't have a website.
It's a private defense contractor.
I gave a talk at their annual meeting
about the Fifth Amendment.
Got it. Next.
You make a recurring annual payment
to a nonprofit
in Stockport, Massachusetts?
Oh.
That's a yacht club
to which Winnie and I belong.
My family has had a cottage on the Cape
for generations.
I see.
You don't list a second
residence on your forms.
An oversight. We're barely
up there these days,
- and I just [SCOFFS]
- But all the taxes are paid?
No neighborly disputes
over property lines
or ideological flags?
No, nothing like that.
All we do there is loaf around the club.
Look, if this is the level
of minutiae that
you're gonna quiz me on,
I think we might be here for a while.
Why don't I see if my clerk
can order us some food?
Sure you don't want any taffy?
- Remember, we're blending in.
- Oh.
If Crawford hears that a
couple of New Yorkers are
asking questions about him,
things could get really tricky for us.
Okay, but don't worry. I'm a chameleon.
- 1Can I help you?
- [BOSTON ACCENT]: The name's McCarthy.
My friend here got us wicked lost
back at the rotary,
so we parked the car and came in here.
C.W. Wagner. We spoke on the phone?
Ah, Captain. Good to meet you.
Yeah. Thanks for seeing us.
And excuse Elsbeth.
Uh, she had about 30 Munchkins
in the car.
Ah. [LAUGHS]
Andy only worked here
that one summer.
Snack shack. [SHORT CHUCKLE]
I was still a deckhand back then.
- I'm surprised you remember him.
- Mm.
Not that many people
live here year round.
Everyone kind of knows each other.
Did you know Andy well?
Nah.
He was a year below me in school.
Last we spoke, he was planning
on sticking around here,
going to the local community college.
But last minute, he got
some big scholarship,
went to private school in New York.
Guess he got all fancy,
'cause we never saw him back here again.
Captain Wagner.
JORDY: Oh, you know the Crawfords?
They're longtime members.
Uh, Milton is a judge in the city.
Uh, yeah, you know,
New York justice system.
Everyone kind of knows each other.
[CHUCKLING]
Um,
would Andy have known Judge Crawford?
Doubt it.
Staff isn't encouraged to
socialize with the members.
Ooh, a pool.
JORDY: Uh,
they filled it in in the '90s.
Too big a liability.
Huh. That's odd.
It's a club dedicated
to sailing giant lightning rods
into the open ocean
during thunderstorm season,
and indoor pool was
your biggest liability?
Fair point, I guess.
So why close it?
Did something happen?
Sherry was, like, insane,
if I'm being honest.
I mean, who knows how
she got it in her head
to break into that country
club pool by herself
with a bottle of booze?
I loved her, she was my big sister,
but she was always doing crap like that.
Oh, sorry in advance
if you step on a Cheerio.
My terrorist kids are, like, disgusting.
Mm. They seem pretty quiet.
Oh. Taffy?
Oh, no.
- For the kids.
- Uh, they're at the movies.
I told my husband,
"If you don't get out
of this house for, like,
at least two hours today,
I'm gonna lose it."
Gah! Cheerio.
- I swear to God.
- [WHIRRING]
WAGNER: So, Andy
was friends with your sister?
- [TOY SQUEAKS]
- Friends?
More like she was in love with him.
She followed him around that
whole summer hoping he'd notice.
How did he take her death?
Who knows?
Really pissed me off,
to be quite honest.
I mean, she liked him so much,
he didn't even show up to the funeral?
Hmm.
Uh, did Sherry know someone
named Milton Crawford?
No idea. Oh, but you know what?
Let me go get something for you.
God, is that another Cheerio?
[GROANS] Got to look
at boarding schools.
- Elsbeth.
- Hmm?
What are we doing here?
We're supposed to be
connecting Crawford with Andy,
not investigating
some sad girl's drowning.
Yeah, but Sherry and Andy
they hung out all the time.
Sherry dies, Andy skips her funeral,
changes his college plans
and never comes home again?
This is everything my
mother kept of Sherry's.
Uh, maybe there's a yearbook in there
- or something that could help.
- Great.
Oh, no, we, uh,
can't take this from you.
Oh, please, I've literally
never looked at it.
My mother would be thrilled
anyone still cared.
Sherry's death broke her heart.
I never forgave my sister for that.
These kids
they don't realize
the power they have over us.
And there's a Cheerio on your elbow.
I'm so sorry.
What's this?
Uh, everything of hers
left at the scene.
Cops gave it to my mom,
but she couldn't bring herself
to open it.
Ooh.
A fanny pack?
Sherry had style.
- [CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
- Detective Hanes.
You think he's still kicking around?
You never forget a
dead teenager, Captain.
We don't get a lot of
them in a town like this.
Okay, so she stripped down
to her bathing suit
here.
No, no, she was found in an indoor pool.
Well, you're standing in it.
Uh, the club tore it town.
Ah, that's right. It's been a while.
Okay. And then she
drank her scotch
glug, glug, glug
as she walked toward the pool edge.
And then, whoop,
she slipped, and fell
[GRUNTING]
here.
- I'm sorry about this.
- Not at all.
I'm 20 years retired
and I hate pickleball.
This is exciting.
I mean, did you really think
that she came here alone?
It was a little weird
that the bottle of scotch
they found was nearly empty,
but her blood alcohol level
was pretty low.
Ooh, good point. Plus,
look at what she was drinking.
Uh, Bannerdale 18.
That's a $700 bottle of scotch.
How did an underage girl
get her hands on that?
ELSBETH: Exactly. It's not
the kind of thing
that a high schooler would drink
during an illicit night swim.
Unless
she knew someone whose dad has money.
- We just figured she stole it.
- ELSBETH: Okay.
So, the fanny pack.
I know. It's so chic, right?
Are you sure that's
what that word means?
But this one has
a teeny spot of blood on it.
Did your guys notice that, Detective?
There was a lot of her
blood at the scene.
But if she had her clothes
way over here
and she fell and hit her head
and drowned here,
how did the blood get on the fanny pack?
You don't think it's hers?
Well, did they ever test it?
W-We were a rural
police department in 1992.
If you showed us an episode of CSI,
we would have thought it was Star Trek.
ELSBETH: Right.
Not a lot of DNA testing back then.
Interesting.
There's no way the blood on
that fanny pack was Sherry's.
She wasn't alone.
So, what if Crawford
was with her that night
and what if Andy knew?
Look, we need a motive
for Andy's murder,
and covering up a different
murder is a good one.
But you're gonna need something concrete
to connect Crawford to all of this.
Thank you, kind sir.
VICTOR: Why are a man and woman
with New York plates here
asking questions about you?
CRAWFORD: The woman.
How is she dressed?
All right, we scrubbed
Andy's emails, his calls,
his search history, there's just
nothing linking him to Crawford.
But traffic cams
picked up Crawford's plates
three blocks from Andy's apartment
just two hours before Delia's 911 call.
Yeah.
But we have nothing placing Crawford
inside Andy's apartment.
You know, where the murder happened?
Maybe if you had done your job
right the first time
- I heard that.
- [SIGHS]
Find anything interesting
in Sherry's diary?
Huh? Oh! Yes, tons.
Heather H. cut Becky C.
Out of the friend group
because Becky invited Molly P
of all people to her beach bonfire.
And then Heather G
Okay, how about anything relevant?
I was getting to that.
There are pages and pages
mentioning Andy.
Sherry was head over heels.
He was oblivious.
- Ugh. Men.
- Men.
But then
the last few entries of the summer
mention someone else. Get this.
"You'll never guess who
showed up to Heather's bonfire,
"dot, dot, dot, Andy, exclamation point.
"We talked alone for a while, finally,
"but we got interrupted
"by his new friend from the club,
"dot, dot, dot, again,
exclamation point.
"It's like wherever Andy goes,
this rich creep follows.
"I get why Becky calls him the lurker.
She is so funny,
even if she did tell Molly"
Okay, you get the idea. You're thinking
Crawford is "the lurker"?
[SIGHS] What kind of a nickname is that?
An apt one. Teen girls very literal
about their mean nicknames.
I wore driving gloves one time
and then I was "glove girl"
for the rest of sophomore year.
The lurker
is Crawford. I can feel it in my gut.
RIVERS: Well, unless something
in this diary proves that,
your gut feeling's not
gonna hold up in court.
Ugh, I hate that you're right.
Okay.
I'm gonna call it. It's late.
And this
this, uh, dead end
will still be here in the morning.
Hey, why do you look like
the Morton's Salt girl?
Ugh.
Something tells me
we wouldn't have gotten along
in high school.
Captain Wagner. To what
do I owe the pleasure?
WAGNER: I'm afraid this isn't
a particularly pleasurable call.
Oh, no. Is this about
the saltwater taffy
I left in your glove box?
Because I didn't think
it would melt so fast.
What? No.
I just got off the phone
with the commissioner.
And he's pissed.
Someone brought our little
road trip to his attention
and he's coming at me hard.
Internal Affairs.
Punishment pending.
Oh, no, Captain, I'm so sorry.
Well, tell them it was all me.
Tell them, um, I boss-napped
you to Cape Cod.
Just let me take the blame.
Ah, I don't care about that.
I've handled much worse from the brass.
I'm more concerned with
how the commissioner found out.
Do you think
someone at the precinct let it slip?
Worse. Crawford.
I think he knows we're looking into him.
We need to watch our backs.
We'll talk in the morning. But, Elsbeth,
be careful.
Same to you.
Have a good night, Captain.
Oh. Shoot. [GASPS]
CRAWFORD: Well,
good evening, Ms. Tascioni.
Peter, Paul and Mary. You scared me.
Are you following me?
Tell me, did you have
a relaxing trip to the Cape?
[WEAK CHUCKLE] It was lovely.
And very informative.
For example, did you know
that Andy Mertens worked
at the yacht club
your family belongs to?
You don't say.
What a small world.
Feeling smaller and smaller
with every passing second.
And yet you didn't
recuse yourself from Andy's case.
Well, I can't be expected
to remember every waiter,
caddie and bathroom attendant, can I?
What about Sherry Mitchell?
Remember her?
Thought so.
Well, who could forget
that tragic accident?
The club had to shut down the pool.
Right. A tragic accident.
I guess you never know
when danger is lurking.
It's a shame, really.
So much life snuffed out.
One clumsy slip was all it took.
I guess that's the risk you take
when you trespass
where you don't belong.
You don't intimidate me.
Who said anything about intimidation?
The time for threats is over.
[PHONE VIBRATES]
You'll want to take that.
I imagine it's bad news.
It's my boss from the DOJ.
Ah. Agent Celetano.
He's probably calling to let you know
that he's been fired.
Or so I've heard.
I assume that means
that your little consent decree job
is soon to follow.
Do get home safe, Ms. Tascioni.
TEDDY: Mom? That you?
Yes. [EXHALES]
Hi. Aw.
I hope you guys haven't been
having too much fun without me.
Gonzo was a very good girl, as always.
- Hi, sweetie.
- [CHUCKLES]
Wow, is that the time?
Um, I should get going.
Roy's probably waiting for me, so
What's wrong?
Wow. Okay, Miss Marple.
Do you ever turn off
the high-powered perception?
This is just mother's instinct.
What's going on?
Um I got
kind of a weird call earlier, from Dad.
He-he told me not to say
anything to you just yet, but
Teddy. What is it?
He's being investigated
by the Illinois state bar.
What? Why?
He said some sort of ethics violation.
He said it came completely
out of the blue.
He's still a little fuzzy
on the details.
But, uh, he's
he's facing disbarment.
All right, now it's my turn.
What's wrong?
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Why does it feel like the
deck of the Titanic in here?
- Oh, you haven't heard?
- No.
Wagner got a mandate
from the commissioner's office.
They are cutting 25% of our personnel,
effective immediately.
What? For what reason?
I don't know.
Captain Wagner's been in the
conference room with Connor all morning.
Browner has already been
relocated to the 27th.
It's a bloodbath.
Okay, well, I am sure
that Captain Wagner
- and Lt. Connor will sort this out.
- Elsbeth. Elsbeth.
- Don't worry.
- I was the last detective hired.
I'm sure that means
I'm one of the first out.
Well, we're not gonna let that happen.
Do you hear me?
Ms. Tascioni.
Chin up.
WAGNER: I'm guessing this is the
work of our friend Judge Crawford.
He followed me into the subway
last night, after our call.
He told me the time
for threats was over.
He did what?
Celetano is out at the DOJ.
My ex-husband is facing disbarment.
You're being investigated
by Internal Affairs.
- And now this.
- Well, this is a good sign.
The noose is tightening and he's
running scared. Yeah, he wouldn't
- be making these moves if he wasn't.
- They're not moves.
They're a message.
As long as I keep going after him,
he'll keep going after everyone I love.
This is just the start.
Well, whatever he comes at us with,
we're gonna be ready. You'll be okay.
I'm not worried about myself.
But I can't watch my friends
become collateral damage
because of me.
What are you saying?
I roped you and Kaya into this.
Oh
I begged Delia for her help,
I pushed and I meddled
like I always do, and now this time
this time people are getting hurt.
No, Elsbeth, you didn't force anybody
to do anything they didn't want to do.
I know this may look scary,
but we always get our man.
I think we need to ask
ourselves if maybe,
just this once,
we need to let this one go.
Byron, good to see you.
- Ah, Congressman.
- How are you?
Thank you for coming.
Winthrop, old friend.
You're looking trim.
Well, if it isn't the Wagners. Welcome.
The Historical Law Society
is honored to have you.
Are they?
It really is a beautiful party, Milton.
And hopefully it's not too late
to start building goodwill
between our foundations.
Is that true, Charles?
Is this a goodwill visit?
I'm going to get a drink.
Oh, Milton, can I fetch you a refill?
You're a peach, Claudia.
It's Bannerdale 18. Neat.
Mm.
Behave.
That's quite a woman you have there.
We need to talk. Man-to-man.
I'm listening, but I'm
a very busy man, Captain,
so cut to the chase.
After careful consideration
we've decided to close our investigation
into the death
of Andrew Mertens.
Have you, now?
We're waving the white flag.
Call off your dogs.
No one else has to get hurt.
I'm impressed, Captain.
This is the most intelligent
decision I've seen
come out of your precinct
in a long time.
We have an understanding?
I think we do.
Ah.
Perfect timing, my dear.
[SNIFFS]
Well, to justice.
- Well?
- Oh. [GASPS]
[CHUCKLES] I told you.
A man like that
never suspects the doting wife.
Ah Th-This is totally unorthodox.
I wouldn't usually allow you
within a thousand miles of this work.
Nothing about this case
is orthodox, Charles,
and Crawford needs to face consequences.
Yeah. Well, he was
right about one thing.
You are quite the woman.
I hate to interrupt
this is adorable
but we need to get this
to the lab, stat.
Yeah. Didn't I tell you?
- We always get our man.
- Yeah.
God, when you first
told me that you thought
that Crawford killed Andy, I thought
"Oh, no, this woman's
more of a loon than I am."
Aw. But now it's really sinking in.
God. He was so smug.
The whole trial. So morally superior.
You have to nail this creep.
If Crawford's DNA matches
the blood on that fanny pack,
it puts him at the scene of the crime
and it confirms his motive
for Andy's murder.
No wonder Andy was always so paranoid
that he was being watched.
I don't blame him.
Exactly.
Delia. Crawford knows
what we're doing here.
You got to be careful, too.
[LAUGHS] Elsbeth,
the whole world thinks
that I'm a murderer.
I can't get a job. An apartment.
I-I'm sharing a room
with my brother's cat.
So, Judge Crawford can do his worst,
because you're looking at a woman
with nothing left to lose.
Ah. Victor, Victor,
fresh from the beach.
But you don't look tan or rested.
I'll rest when you're on the bench.
Can I take that as good news?
Well, as far as I can tell,
you're clean as a whistle.
But my only concern
is those folks from the city.
Surely you can't be so naive as to think
that you're the only person
digging into my background?
Of course not.
As long as you're certain
that there's nothing there
for them to find.
Oh. They're not going to be
any more trouble.
In that case,
I'll let the committee know
that they can schedule the announcement.
No, thank you. That was so helpful.
Well, that sounds promising.
Finally found an admin
from Andy's alma mater willing to talk.
Turns out that scholarship
Andy got was funded
by the Historical Law Society.
- No kidding.
- Mm-hmm.
RIVERS: So, Crawford was
in law school when he killed Sherry.
Now, his father and uncle were
members of the Boston chapter.
So, we're thinking that
they funded the scholarship
to buy Andy's silence.
That is fantastic
detective work, both of you.
But it still doesn't prove
that Andy had dirt on Crawford.
It's a 30-year-old case. I'm just
not sure how we do much better
[PANTING]: I do.
Sorry. I was running. [CHUCKLES]
- Elsbeth, what is it?
- Ooh, gosh, I'm winded.
Okay, so,
Detective Rivers
couldn't find any evidence
linking Andy to Crawford
on Andy's computer or his phone.
But Delia
always described Andy as paranoid.
So that got me thinking WWAPPD?
Wow, I wanted that
abbreviation to save time,
but I think it actually
took longer to say.
What would a paranoid person do?
Uh, slowly
- go insane?
- ELSBETH: Sure.
Or he might use his secret
girlfriend's devices
- instead of his own.
- RIVERS: Wait. So, so,
he used Delia's phone
- to surveil Crawford.
- No, better.
He was using it to research
members of the Senate
judiciary committee.
We found their contact pages
in Delia's search history.
You think he was trying to blow
the whistle on Crawford?
ELSBETH: Exactly. And luckily,
the Senate's offices keep records
of their voicemails. So
ANDY: Hi, Senator.
I have important information
about Judge Milton Crawford.
I'd like to remain anonymous,
so if you can reach out to me
on Telegram, my information is, uh
- KAYA: Is that
- Andy Mertens.
- Whoa.
- Wh Did they call him back?
It wouldn't matter if they did.
Andy was dead a week later.
He had to be talking about
Sherry. I mean, this is
certainly starting
to feel like a motive.
Yeah, all we need is some
forensic evidence to back it up.
I'm gonna try calling Cameron again
- to see if he heard back from the lab.
- Yes.
[BOTH CHUCKLING]
[KNOCKING]
Food delivery.
So, you get him yet?
Oh, no, not yet.
But
I read your application essay.
Oh. Already?
- Mm-hmm.
- Well, I just know you're so busy,
I-I didn't think that I
Okay, I'm vamping, sorry. You talk.
- It's good.
- Oh, my God.
You think I don't know
when you're lying?
No, it is good. It is. I just, um,
I have just a few
"Generic"?
Generic? Mom, this is why
I never let you
read my essays in high school.
Okay, maybe I just know you so well,
I want all the admissions committees
to see everything that I've seen.
- Everything?
- Mm-hmm.
You saw me after
my wisdom teeth surgery.
Yes, and you were so cute and loopy.
- Mom.
- Well, I just want more
you.
Just tell them the truth, honey.
Like what?
"Well, I was the son
of two high-powered attorneys
"and I never thought
once about law school.
"But then my mom pivoted
to taking down people
"who thought they were above the law.
"You know, murderous
millionaires, corrupt judges.
"And suddenly I was
studying for the LSA
"because I wanted to do
something powerful like that"?
Teddy
I definitely think you should say that.
- [LAUGHS]
- KAYA: Elsbeth.
Kaya.
- What's going on?
- Cameron called,
and, uh, there's a problem.
Oh, no. The DNA didn't match?
Worse.
- Gone? What do you mean, gone?
- According to the lab,
they have no record whatsoever
of evidence submitted for testing.
That's the fanny pack,
the blood sample it's gone.
We should have known
he'd be ahead of us.
Damn it.
Without the blood tying
Crawford to Sherry's death,
everything we have on him is worthless.
There has to be another
way to get him, right?
I mean, they got Al Capone on taxes.
This man has spent the past 33 years
covering his tracks.
He kept tabs on Andy Mertens
until it was too risky
to keep him alive.
He's connected to the most
powerful offices in this city.
As of 40 minutes ago, he's a nominee
for the federal bench, with
the full support of his party.
Even if we did build a case against him,
he's untouchable.
He's outplayed us.
I have to go.
Where are you going?
Elsbeth.
- You.
- Ms. Tascioni.
Oh, if you're here for
the ceremony, you're too late.
You think you've gotten away with it,
but you're sorely mistaken.
Mark my words.
Sorry.
Did you see that?
How unfazed my colleagues were
seeing a hysterical woman
hurling harmful allegations around?
Just another day around here.
Oh, I see.
You're still upset because I didn't fall
for the Wagners' goodwill visit.
[IMITATES WAGNER]:
"We're waving the white flag."
[REGULAR VOICE]: In fact,
it was that little stunt
that tipped me off that you
had sent something to the lab.
You see, I'm always
a step ahead.
Well, if there's one thing I've learned
since coming to New York,
you can't escape your past.
It'll catch up to you, eventually.
I'm gonna prove, once and for all,
that you killed Sherry Mitchell,
and then you killed
Andy Mertens to cover it up.
Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow,
but I will prove it.
See, I don't think that you will.
Let's say
hypothetically speaking, of course
that you're right,
that I did kill Sherry Mitchell
in that pool.
That I bashed her head in
and held her underwater
until she stopped fighting.
Any physical evidence
for example, my blood on a fanny pack
or fingerprints on a scotch bottle
well, all of that
is long gone.
And I suppose
if I did it, that is
that the only person
who could have placed me
at the scene of the crime
would have been Andy Mertens.
Such a shame that woman killed him
before you had a chance
to ask him yourself.
Face it, Ms. Tascioni.
You lost.
If you think I'm just
gonna let this go
Oh!
I would never think that.
I admit, that first day in court,
I underestimated you.
You're clever, but so naive.
You still think
that the world marches inexorably
toward righteousness.
But it doesn't.
The world rewards might.
And I am
a mighty man, indeed.
WOMAN: Judge Crawford.
Uh, sorry, no questions
until after the hearing.
Senator's orders.
[PEOPLE SCREAMING, SHOUTING]
OFFICER: Gun, gun!
OFFICER 2:
Drop the gun! Drop the gun right now!
- That was for Andy.
- OFFICER: Come on, hurry up!
- Hands behind your back.
- No, wait. No, no, no, no, no.
No. No, no, no. Hang on, hang on.
There's help, there's help.
[GROANS]
OFFICER: Clear the area!
[EXCITED CHATTER CONTINUING]
- [THUNDER RUMBLING]
- [SIRENS WAILING IN DISTANCE]
We would have gotten him.
We could have
Someone had to do something.
But we would have gotten him.
Now we have.
No.
No!
OFFICER: We need a bus forthwith.
Someone's shot on the court steps.
REPORTER: A bipartisan group
of lawmakers and mourners
gathered to honor Judge Milton Crawford
after an aggrieved former defendant
assassinated the federal nominee
earlier today.
Least he got what he deserved.
No, sir.
Not this.
This isn't justice. This is lawlessness.
The mayor's expected to speak
at any moment.
Look, now the mayor's gonna speak.
Course he is.
There's a microphone available.
Can someone turn it off?
Mom.
Oh, Teddy.
I'm okay.
Oh, I can't believe this.
No one can.
KAYA: Everyone's acting like
he's some kind of martyred hero.
It's like, even in death, he's won.
This is just the world, isn't it?
This is how it's always been.
Now I remember why
I don't want to do this.
What are you saying?
I changed my mind. I can't be a lawyer.
I'm sorry.
What? Why?
I can't I won't
participate in a system
that offers a veneer of fairness
just to give cover
to the privileged and powerful.
I mean, what's the point?
To try.
The point is
we do what we can every day
to try to make this system
a little better.
The point is to try.
Right, Elsbeth?
[REPORTER CONTINUING INDISTINCTLY]
I
Um
I don't know.
But, Teddy, it's okay.
I understand.
Elsbeth
Just turn that off, please.
- Maybe we can try
- I said turn it off.