Lisey's Story (2021) s01e02 Episode Script

Last night, in the hotel,
I was-- I heard Good Ma
talking to Dandy Dave,
and she said, "You're gonna be
supporting that useless son of a bitch
-for the rest of your life!"
-What did Dad say?
Said that the two of you were in love
-and that was good enough for him.
-Okay.
Good Ma thinks he's weird,
as well as useless.
Scott and I talked. A lot.
And you could say that
we speak the same language.
Did you know he was a cutter too?
Yeah.
This is why loving him
isn't enough, Lisey.
You're gonna have--
Just, not-- Not for him. He's so fragile.
You are gonna have to protect him
and you are gonna have to keep him
connected to the world.
You know, you just-- Do not--
Do not let him leave it.
Guys, it must be an adventure.
Not everything is an adventure, Amanda!
You know, guys,
I really have no idea where we're going.
I know, ask Amanda.
Look at the island!
Okay, that's the sand dunes.
-It's a little scary.
-We should go there!
Darla, Lisey, get over here.
Boyfriends and gold!
Boyfriends and gold!
Boyfriends and gold!
Boyfriends and gold! Boyfriends and gold!
Boyfriends and gold!
Boyfriend.
Gold.
Hey.
Amanda.
Honey?
Amanda, are you in there?
It's me. It's Darla.
Quiet, quiet. Be quiet. Come on,
I wanna watch the Hollyhocks.
Where are you, honey? Is that where you--
The long boy could hear us.
Who's that?
It's hun-- hungry. It's very hungry.
-It's very hungry.
-Okay.
It takes the bodies,
it keeps the souls. It's--
Okay, honey.
The-- The long
I'm a double. That's why you can see me.
That's why I'm still here.
That's why. Yeah.
-Hello?
-Hello.
Is that you, Dashmiel?
It is indeed. What a pleasant surprise,
Mrs. Landon.
No, no, it's not gonna be pleasant.
It's not gonna be pleasant at all.
I was gonna chalk it up to the usual
academic craziness and let it go.
But that was before your friend called me.
Oh, Mrs. Landon,
I don't know what you're talking about.
Oh, you don't know?
You don't know that your friend called
and threatened to hurt me
unless I turned Scott's papers over to him
so he could give them to you?
Miss Landon, I--
You don't know
that he threatened to hurt me?
Well, I didn't authorize--
Is his name Dooley?
Well, he called himself Jim Dandy.
But I'm gonna assume that's an alias.
I assure you, I told him I--
He said-- I met him
at a bar near the campus.
He said he was a big fan of your husband's
and said he could persuade you
to give them up.
The papers and unpublished fiction.
But I specifically said no violence.
Did it occur to you that just having to
say that might've told you something?
You know, I've dealt with
a lot of crazies since Scott died,
and the academics
put the collectors to shame,
but you really take the cake.
Miss Landon,
if you'd just let me explain--
Spare me. Just please spare me
the explanations. Just call your guy off.
Now, I'm gonna go
to the local police again--
Oh, no, no, no, please,
Miss Landon, don't do that.
Now look, just take a breath
and let's just discuss this rational-like.
I am gonna suggest to them that they
not contact the Tennessee State Police yet
to have you arrested for harassment.
But if I don't hear from you
that your guy is standing down
-Look, I--
-then that's exactly what I'll do.
He was just supposed to persuade you.
I specifically said no violence.
Yeah, I don't think he heard you.
So call him off. Or a police visit
will be the last of your problems.
Fuck.
We're sorry.
You have reached a number
that has been disconnected--
Are you kidding me? Sh--
Professor Dashmiel.
Mr. Dooley.
You look just like your picture.
-Do I?
-Same smart face.
-Really?
-Really. Same smart face.
Would you like some fried chicken?
White meat.
I beg your pardon.
White meat is the best.
It's noncontentious.
Really?
Pork is the other white meat,
but I don't eat pork.
Too much like human flesh.
I read that someplace.
Would you mind
if I record our conversation?
"Everything is recorded."
Battle Flags. Lieutenant Clark says
"Everything is recorded," remember?
Right, yes, yes, right.
To Scott Landon.
May he never be forgotten.
Amen.
Your comments on Landon's fan site,
your insights, extraordinary.
Especially for someone
who's not an academic.
And yet you see Landon for what he was.
What he still is, the greatest fiction
writer of all time.
Taken from us too soon.
Amen.
I thought if I interviewed you, it would
add some texture to my forthcoming book.
A certain feel
for what Scott Landon meant to--
and I hope you don't find this offensive--
the common man.
There's rumors he left behind a bunch
of material, stories and books and such.
Any truth to that?
Yes, I fear there is.
His wife, she won't let them go.
-Is that so?
-She has stonewalled my best efforts.
We could do something about that.
If you have any ideas, Mr. Dooley,
I'd be glad to hear 'em.
You got a wife?
I do.
Be careful.
-So she spoke to you?
-Didn't really make sense.
She said she was a double
and that's why I could see her.
And that she
wanted to watch the Hollyhocks?
That I understood.
It's a game we played when we were kids.
We used to pretend to be pirates.
Our ship was the Hollyhocks.
We'd set sail from this big elm
in our backyard,
searching for pirates and gold.
I know how silly it sounds.
Not at all.
That's how imagination develops.
Do you think Amanda's reverted back
to childhood because Charlie dumped her?
That she spoke at all is a good sign.
What about the other thing
she talked about? This long boy.
No clue. She looked scared.
Lost and afraid.
Scott used to look like that sometimes.
She used to say,
"He's my brother from another mother."
Well, did Scott ever talk to Amanda
about his childhood?
Well, if the Hollyhocks came from hers,
maybe this long boy came from his.
The only person Scott talked to
about his childhood was Lisey.
And what does she say about it?
She doesn't.
I don't wanna talk about Scott.
Okay.
But Scott and Amanda were close.
Yes, they were close.
Not close like Scott and Lisey, but close.
She may come back.
Or she may sail away, on the Hollyhocks.
Hi, campers.
Lisey, I sold The Coaster's Daughter.
I mean, the advance isn't much, it's just
$2,500, but it's gonna be published.
We're going out to dinner.
No pizza. Real food, real wine.
I sold it! I love you, honey.
But once they're on
the attack, the spotted hyenas are rem--
Hey, Scott.
No, just your boring old sister.
Oh, hey, Darl, what's up?
I'm just getting ready to go out.
Oh, yeah? Young Hemingway
picking you up in his limo?
No limo, but he sold his book.
Oh, my God. Sold a book. That's amazing.
Amazing! How much did he get?
$2,500. I mean, he says it's not much,
but, my God, that's--
that's more than I make in three months.
They must not think
it's gonna sell very well.
Did you want something?
Oh, yeah. Just to tell you
that you forgot Amanda's birthday.
Yeah, yeah.
I know, and-- and-- and I told her,
I-- I didn't trust my car as far
as Waterville, let alone Harlow.
You think maybe one
of those "Sorry I'm late" cards--
Do you think you can manage that?
Well, she's not ten.
Oh, my God. It's always about you.
You know, you have a family,
aside from this writer boyfriend
you are so besotted with.
Would it kill you to spend a buck on
a damn Hallmark card for your sister?
No, no, no, please, please. Don't-- Don't
start with me about this family stuff.
-I gave up a scholarship to UMass
-A partial scholarship.
-A partial scholarship!
-to take care of Good Ma
-because she had a stroke.
-And I did my part with Mom!
Stop with that. Oh, oh, wait.
I think that's Scott. I gotta go.
-Hey. No, no. Don't hang up on me. Lisey!
-Bye, bye, bye. Goodbye.
Hey, Lisey. Sorry I'm late.
I
I stopped by the English department
and I ran into Mort Tolliver.
I, I told him the news, and he
strong-armed me for a couple of beers.
Just a couple?
Well, four or five.
We got to talking.
I kinda lost track of time.
I-- I'm really sorry.
But we'll do dinner tomorrow night.
Did you eat?
No, 'cause I was waiting for you.
And in the meantime, I got treated
to a guilt trip from my sister, Darla.
And I watched a hyena eat a gopher on TV.
That looked pretty tough.
Oh, God, you smell.
Oh, come on.
I-I'll take you out for a burger.
No, do-- do you not get it?
I spent the whole day on my feet, followed
by a night in this shitty apartment
while you celebrated your news
with someone I don't know.
Don't do that! I hate it
when you fucking bite your nails!
You look like a rat
chewing a piece of cheese.
Just-- Clean yourself up
and sleep on the couch,
'cause I don't need this.
I don't need a creative drunk in my life,
because I have enough problems as it is.
Wait.
Wait for what?
Two minutes. I can fix this.
Oh. Look,
I'm happy you sold your book. And
I'm glad you got home without getting
into an accident or-- or getting arrested.
Look, I'm just mad, I'm just mad!
Two minutes.
Long as I got my plastic Jesus
Jesus Christ. I hear people take
Sitting on the dashboard of my car
I could go a hundred miles per hour
Long as I got the almighty power
The devil delights
in the sins of the flesh
the way pig delights in the wallow!
-Can I get a hallelujah?
-Hallelujah!
-Can I get an amen?
-Amen!
Thank you.
Scott!
What is that place?
Some place you can hide?
I know you're gonna leave me.
I made you boys.
I made you what you are.
your entire body, but for all eternity.
I love you.
Let me go!
But the devil says,
"No! Not now. Not in a thousand years.
Not in a million years. Not ever."
You are burning, brothers and sisters,
and you could be walking
the halls of heaven
hand in hand with Jesus Christ.
Can I get a hallelujah?
Hallelujah!
Scooter.
Ask Jesus into your heart.
That's all you need to do.
Fucking look at me!
You're just like your mother.
Go to Booya Moon
or whatever that is you call it.
They just don't shut up.
They just don't shut up.
They just don't shut up.
They never stop.
You think I like it?
I don't like it,
I don't like it, I don't like it.
No, no, no!
No, no! God, no!
My brave boy.
My brave, brave, brave boy.
I fixed it.
It's okay now.
It's for you, Lisey.
To say I'm sorry I forgot.
And it won't happen again.
It's a blood-bool. These are special.
They're mostly for letting out the bad
but also for sorry. Will you take it?
Because if you take a bool,
especially a blood-bool,
then-- then sorry's okay.
-Please take it.
-Okay, okay, I'll take it.
I don't-- I don't understand
what you're talking about.
I wouldn't have been able to eat anyway.
Darla took my appetite.
I get it. Families suck.
Yeah, they do.
Sometimes I suck. Just ask my family.
Well, you don't suck to me.
You never will.
You're my heart, kiddo.
And listen.
This is our time now. You and me.
Okay.
Okay. Look, you're--
you're gonna need stitches,
so we're gonna have to go to the ER,
and if you're worried about what they
might say, you can just make up a story.
That's what you do, right?
You make up stories.
No. No, because the bleeding's
almost stopped already.
And besides, all Landons are fast healers.
We had to be.
Should have seen Paul.
Paul's-- Paul's your brother, right?
Where-- Where does Paul live?
Paul's dead.
Long time.
Okay. Let's go to the ER now.
Oh, no, no, no, don't do that!
Don't, don't--
I have to make sure
it's clean before I go.
You know, Coaster's Daughter
might not sell a lot of copies,
but the one I'm working on now
is a firecracker.
It's best-seller stuff.
Do you believe that?
Yeah. Actually, I do.
-Good. Cigarette me, babyluv.
-No, no.
You shouldn't be smoking
with your arm-- arm like that.
No, it's fine. It's fine.
Okay.
They're hard memories.
Are you crazy?
Am I living with a crazy person?
Lisey.
We can't go on living like this.
Why?
We ought to get married.
If-- If my book sells like I think it
will, we should buy a new house.
-Lisey?
-Yeah, I'm thinking.
I love you.
Oh, I love you too. I love you.
That's not the point.
It might be.
See, nobody's ever loved me since Paul.
And Daddy, I guess.
A lot of people are gonna love you.
You are so talented.
You're gonna be so successful.
The issue is whether or not
you'll still love me.
Yeah, but you care about my stories,
but you also care if I brush my teeth
or if I bite my fingernails
like a rat chewing
on a piece of cheese.
-Okay, that was mean.
-No, Lisey, it's true. I'm gonna stop.
When you look at me,
you see me top to bottom, side to side.
Everything weighs the same.
When the door closes, we're eye to eye.
It's just you and me, Lisey.
Hey, babe. I gotta get in there.
Scott?
Where'd you go?
Oh, my God.
Still think I need to go to
the emergency room? Because I don't.
Looks good, huh?
One egg or two?
Two, I guess.
Over easy or want 'em looking at you?
Over easy.
So
will we marry?
Are you sure?
Sure shot.
What do you think, babyluv?
Babyluv thinks it's a plan.
Good.
That's good.
Did you get up in the middle
of the night last night?
No.
I must have dreamt it.
That's 5:30. Okay, right this way.
All right, you two. Stay close.
Scott, hold up that check
from the publisher so we can see it.
I said Doctor
Mr. M.D.
Tell me what's wrong with me
I said Doctor
Mrs. Landon. Lisey.
Your sister's condition
hasn't changed,
but I do think a visit from you
would help things.
Oh, I'm-- I'm-- I'm coming in tomorrow,
but that-- that's not why I'm calling.
I, I wanted to,
I wanted to ask you about something.
You said that when-- when Scott came--
came in to talk about Amanda
that he-- that he signed your books?
Yes. It was very kind of him.
Did you
Did you tell him that you had a favorite?
As a matter of fact, I did.
Battle Flags. I've always been partial
to stories of love and--
Would you--
Would you do me a favor and look inside?
Because I think Scott
may have left me, um, a message.
Would-- would you-- would you check?
If you like.
Lisey, there is something.
What does it say?
"Cedar box," "Fourth clue" and "Bool."
Remarkable. But, you know,
he was a remarkable man.
He keeps pushing me.
I mean, he's-- he's dead, but he just--
He keeps pushing me.
Toward what, Lisey?
-My past. Family. Memories. Anyway.
-But
Thank you. Thank you so much.
Thank you for your help, and I'll see you
tomorrow. Thanks. Bye.
Stop pushing me, Scott.
You're dead, so stop.
Is this your house?
Excuse me?
Just Scott Landon used to live here.
Who?
Scott Landon, famous writer.
Battle Flags, Empty Devils,
Coaster's Daughter.
I don't read books. I watch TV.
Oh. TV, do you?
Yeah. Not that it's any business of yours.
Okay. Yeah, TV, sure.
The great electronic tit.
The what?
I should've known. You got TV eyes.
You got a little TV in each one.
What are you talkin' about?
When you open your mouth,
I can see TV light shining down through
your eyes and coming out from your teeth.
Why don't you get out of here?
I'm tellin' you to get out of here.
Why don't you go to the library and read
about Scott Landon and leave the TV eyes?
I think that's what you should do,
don't you?
You're living in the cradle of greatness.
You got a wife?
-No.
-Good.
Why don't you go microwave yourself
a TV dinner or somethin'?
No wife.
Stay single.
Lisey?
Yeah?
Hi. Chief's expecting you.
Come with me.
The professor claims he tried to get in
touch with Dooley right after you called
but got a message saying Dooley's phone
had been disconnected.
My husband would have called that
an ominous plot twist.
He says Dooley's email address
worked until today,
but now his emails just bounce back.
Like he doesn't want to be called off.
Dashmiel says Dooley drives
a Toyota sedan with Tennessee plates.
An old bumper sticker on the back
that says, "Scott Landon for President."
You know what a small force this is, but
all my guys have a description of the car.
-State police too.
-Good.
I'll have an officer swing by every hour
or two starting at 5:00 this afternoon.
And there'll be a unit parked down the
road tonight, unless there's a callout.
This-- This seems above and beyond.
I don't know. I'm
This is what we call a credible threat.
Besides, the library, the rec,
rebuilding the town square bandstand
after the fire, that was you guys.
This town owes you.
Do you think that there's any
way that Scott could have
foreseen someone like Dooley,
try to warn me in advance?
Scott almost got killed by a lunatic.
If not for you, he would've been killed.
Course he'd wanna return the favor.
Yeah, that's-- that's true.
Not that even Scott Landon
could see the future.
He was talented, but not that talented.
Right.
You know, Dashmiel isn't gonna
show up at your place again.
He's learned his lesson.
But Dooley's worrisome.
If we spot him, he'll be arrested
for criminal threatening.
Usually these guys are just
puff and blow, but stay alert.
And all doors locked, right?
Right.
-Do you have a firearm?
-I hate guns.
But I do have something
that worked before.
Fuck.
Oh, fucking fuckwad fuck!
"Missus, wasn't nice
the way you yelled on the phone.
Yelling is easy. It's being nice
that's tough. I love animals.
My mama would say I love them too much.
Well, she loved me too much.
Everything deserves to be hurt sometimes.
Guess it was the bird's turn.
Scott Landon's papers don't belong to you.
You need to call The Man and tell him
you're turning over those papers.
You have sat on them long enough.
You are a bad woman.
I'd like to put you in the microwave.
But let's not let any grass grow
under our feet so no one gets hurt.
Except your pet."
"Your friend, Jim."
You were right
to put it in the freezer, Miss Landon.
That was smart.
There's signs of strangulation
and it smells like it was cooked.
Relocating temporarily
might not be a bad idea.
There's that hotel in Lewiston.
It looks nice. You'd be close to Amanda.
Nah.
If he shows up, I'll clock him.
Don't be ridiculous, Lisa.
If you really mean to stay,
I'd feel more comfortable
if you had a firearm.
You might. I wouldn't.
-Oh, Ama-- Amanda has a gun.
-What?
Yeah, she's got that little .22.
She's had it for years.
Our suicidal sister has a gun
and you didn't tell me?
Well, she's a cutter. She's not a shooter.
There's a first time for everything.
Okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. You're
the expert. Ugh, what was I thinking?
She-- She knows everything. She does.
I mean, she learned most of it
after she got rich. Sad.
Where is your sister?
She's-- I'm sorry,
she's not in the area, Chief Richards--
She's in Lewiston.
Greenlawn. It's a hospital.
Yeah, I-I know what it is.
Guess she's safe enough there.
Have you ever shot anyone?
Seen anyone shot?
Fortunately, no.
I have. Up close.
So, no gun.
There'll be a unit parked
outside your house tonight
and every night till we nail this guy.
Thank you.
Is he gonna stand guard all night?
-I don't know. Probably.
-Probably? That's not good enough.
I'm gonna go to that hotel.
Okay, get something nice.
Book yourself a suite.
Oh, yeah? You payin'?
Yes, I will.
Well, you can certainly afford it.
How much money have you got?
A lot.
Okay. You're crazy to stay here.
He's not gonna come back tonight.
I can feel it.
Oh, you can feel it?
Well, yeah. Keep talking like that,
you're gonna end up like Amanda.
Hey, do you know if Amanda
has Ma's cedar box?
Wasn't that one of the things
that she took
when we cleaned out the house
after the funeral?
Jesus, what made you think of that?
I don't know, I liked it.
I was just thinking about it.
Like, I liked how it smelled.
Will you ask her about it?
Yeah.
Yeah, that's the first thing I'm gonna
ask her about tomorrow when I see her.
-Are you coming?
-Yeah, I'm coming. Will you ask her?
-Are you coming?
-Yes, I'm coming.
-Yes, I'll ask her.
-Thank you.
Be careful.
It's not real.
It's not real.
It's not real.
-What is that?
-It will hear you.
I don't-- I don't wanna be here.
I don't-- I don't like this place.
I don't wanna be here.
It will hear you.
I don't wanna be here.
Be quiet.
I need to think about why I did it.
I don't wanna be here.
I need to think about why I killed them.
I killed them all.