Secrets and Lies (2015) s01e04 Episode Script
The Sister
Previously on "Secrets And Lies" - My flashlight came back.
- Do you even know - if the flashlight is the murder weapon? - It is.
Why do you have the pregnancy test? I've never cheated on you.
- Whose is it? - Process of elimination.
It's not Christy's.
It's not Abby's.
- Okay.
- No! You come near my daughter again, and I will kill you.
I hate you.
That's enough.
Little drunk.
What up, G? It's not what you think, all right? You're making a really big mistake here.
Biggest mistake I ever made was having you for a friend! You need a ride, Mr.
Lindsey? The boy lived on a dead-end street, no forced entry, killed not far from home, with boots and jacket on.
Think a 5-year-old left in the middle of the night, without making a sound, with someone he didn't trust? You've profiled cases like this before at the FBI.
What possible motive could anyone have for killing his young boy? Jealousy or sex.
Really? Over a 5-year-old? About half of child-abduction homicides turn out to be sexually motivated.
Pedophiles avoid detection by appearing normal.
They're your babysitter, teacher, next-door neighbor.
Why wouldn't police tell us if there was evidence of sexual abuse? You don't always find trace evidence.
If Tom Murphy was groomed into sex acts by a family friend Why are you watching that? How's Nat? I've got her phone and her laptop.
If she won't talk to us, she doesn't get to talk to her friends.
As far as I know, she hasn't taken the pregnancy test yet.
Why aren't you running today? I'm gonna go later.
Every time I follow my routine, Cornell shows up to paw through my stuff.
I'll get it.
Ready? - Yeah.
- For what? Taking my sister to breakfast.
Is this why you're rushing me out? Mom! I'll be right back.
Where's the hair dryer? So, how you holding up? Been hard on Christy and the girls.
What's worse, they could lose everything.
- What are you talking about? - Well, a civil suit usually follows a criminal investigation.
This is none of your business.
I can take care of my family just fine.
Then do the decent thing put your assets in a trust fund before it's too late.
You think I'm going to prison? Everybody thinks you're going to prison.
How could you?! This is Malcolm's! Stop just doing things like this! Vanessa, we have to try to get over this at some point! How dare you! 13 days.
You'd have thought they'd moved on by now? Yeah.
What happened? I got in the middle of something.
Didn't work out too well by the looks of it.
Why don't you drop by the office? I'll fix it up for you.
Okay, I'll come by after work.
Here come the vultures.
See ya.
Nat I'm an idiot.
The first thing I should have said is, it's gonna be okay, that your mother and I love you That we'll believe whatever you tell us.
Okay.
Honey, if Dave touched you I need to know! Nat! Natalie! At this rate, you're gonna run out of people to accuse.
Dave's a jackass, not a pervert.
I know what I saw.
You've known him since high school.
People change.
So, he did it, just like that? Mrs.
Crawford.
I was just starting to miss you.
Shame, I'm not here for you.
Go away.
There's someone here to see you.
Hi, Natalie.
Can we talk? Okay.
Do they have to be here? You're a minor, so, yes, they do.
Now, where were you two nights before Tom Murphy was killed? Why does that matter? Everything matters.
Tom's murder was premeditated, so I need to know who had access to him, when they had it, and how often.
It's a simple question.
Were you baby-sitting Tom that night? - Of course she was.
- Really? Actually, she wasn't.
Right? Now, as I said to your parents, you can answer questions here or go downtown with me.
It's not like I abandoned Tom.
Vanessa was watching him.
- Mrs.
Richardson.
- What? Where the hell were you?! After Tom fell asleep Vanessa came over to watch him so I could go to a concert with Cooper.
Satisfied, detective? Absolutely.
Detective, any statement? Help us out here! Yeah, we're still waiting.
What did Nat say? She apologized for everything.
She didn't say a damn thing.
Clammed up the minute Cornell walked out.
Do you think is Nat a suspect? No.
I'm pretty sure Cornell's just screwing with me.
Again.
What? Where are you going? I'm gonna find out what else our daughter lied about.
Scott Murphy's been cleared by police for Tom's murder.
Have you? Why did they question your friend Dave? What can you tell us, Ben? Hey, Ben! Come on! - Ben? - Hey.
We need to talk.
You know, it is hard enough raising a teenager without your neighbors covering for them.
You watched Tom so Natalie could sneak off to a concert.
I'm sorry.
I thought you knew.
Next time, check with us first.
There won't be a next time.
Are you okay? Just peachy.
You? That was at Tom's shrine.
It didn't belong there.
It was our son, Malcolm's.
I Didn't know you had a son.
Today is his birthday.
He was taken from us.
I'm sorry.
Would you like to see Malcolm? I need another.
Would you like one? No, I'm okay.
Vanessa, I think I will have that drink.
Okay.
You said we were gonna paint.
We are.
Just a quick stop at Dr.
Richardson's.
I thought you were okay.
I am.
He just wants to treat my cut right away so it heals faster.
All right.
Yeah.
You're probably the oldest patient Dr.
Richardson's ever had.
Probably.
You don't need to be nervous.
You just have to hold still.
All right, big boy, hold still.
Hold still, and Nice! The fish is a keeper.
I'm not sure about the picture.
Let me get him off the line here.
What happens if we don't put him back? Well, he'll die.
Will he go to heaven? No, silly! It's dinner! Hey, Abby, careful there! If you fell in, that current's strong.
It could wash you away.
Hey he's not ready to be dead.
All right.
All right, that's good.
Well, no floaters.
No sign of concussion, but I'm glad you came in.
Do you think I saw on the news It could have been a neighbor that killed Tom? Well The press know even less than the police do.
They just make things up as they go along Hurting innocent people, ruining lives.
Did you know Tom was yours? I'm sorry.
Um, I have no business asking that question.
It's okay.
I didn't Until after.
It must have been devastating.
You probably have some idea.
I mean, after Malcolm was taken from you.
Vanessa told me.
Malcolm wasn't taken, Ben.
He died.
I'm sorry.
I wish I could tell you that the pain of losing a child goes away But it doesn't.
Vanessa and I just have different ways of dealing with it.
So, you put the bunny at Tom's shrine? Leaving it for Tom made sense to me another step towards letting go.
But Vanessa's not ready.
You're a soccer fan? No, Ben.
That Is football.
Right.
All right, steady, steady.
No, no, that wasn't the deal, Chloe.
I gave you Christmas day so that I could have - That's good, that's good.
- Fine.
Fine.
Just like I'm gonna let go.
All right, you're on your own.
Abby.
Abby, I've got some snacks out front if you're interested.
Go on.
No but no, but that's not What Happened.
Y Chloe.
Chloe.
Fine.
Fine! Guess I'll be going back to family court.
Man, no doubt my ex will lie her ass off to win custody.
And who will suffer? My kids, my reputation.
Guilty whether you did it or not.
Yeah, well, that's why I'm going to court fight the good fight.
Look, you should go to the press, set the record straight.
The press don't want the truth.
They want a good story.
Then give them yours.
No one knows you're innocent until you tell them.
The police do.
My dad took a lie-detector test to prove it.
He didn't do anything.
Well, good for you, sticking up for your old man.
Someone has to.
Everywhere we go, people stare at us so mean.
Okay, Abby, Mr.
Fenton's a busy man.
He's got work to do.
And so do you, missy.
Come on.
How did you know about the lie-detector test? - I heard you and mom.
- Abby I know.
I shouldn't listen to other people's conversations.
And repeating it, especially to strangers, that's worse.
I just want everyone to know the truth, daddy.
You didn't kill Tom.
They will, monkey.
Soon enough.
But some things you just don't repeat, okay? Mom, did you get the tickets? We'll get them there! Sure you don't want to come, dad? Nah, you and mom go.
Have a girls' night.
Nat's still up there? Yeah, locked in her room.
How many more years of teenagers do we have? I don't even want to think about what this one's gonna be like.
Hey.
I'm the good one.
I don't have sex or sneak Cooper into my room or drink beer with my stupid friends in the woods.
That was before When she Yeah, never mind.
Let's get going.
Have fun.
I took your call because your story's gaining momentum, even across the pond here, and I am sure that The Guardian would be very interested in hearing whatever it is that you have to say.
Yeah, no comment.
I'm not really in the habit of sharing my research with my peers.
Mr.
Crawford, I'm sure you'll agree that's bad business.
I'm not a peer.
I'm a worried father.
Mr.
Hardwicke, please Your articles say he was fired for sexual misconduct, but you never say exactly what Dr.
Rawlings did.
I didn't specify the nature of the sexual misconduct because I didn't know it.
He was sacked after a closed hearing in family court.
Magistrates ordered the record sealed.
Is that unusual? Actually, it's mandatory in certain sensitive cases.
Cases involving children.
Is there anything else you can remember? Rumor was, whatever it was Rawlings was into, so was his wife.
Their social services got involved.
There's only one reason they seal the record it's child sexual abuse.
So you think the doctor abused kids overseas? I think his wife might be involved, too.
I'm gonna contact the Brits, pull the sealed files off the system.
You need anything? You trying to go around me? I was hoping someone in sex crimes might actually listen.
Well, you have my undivided attention.
Yeah, that's the problem.
You're so focused on me, you're not looking for anyone else.
Richardson was fired for sexual misconduct.
His dead son was beaten.
He moves here, he changes his name, and then Tom's beaten to death, and you don't think that's worth looking into?! What makes you think I haven't? I'll tell you this the receipt that your wife so graciously provided shows that your missing flashlight is the exact same make and model as the murder weapon.
Unless I'm the only one who owns one, it doesn't prove a thing.
All we want are answers.
You're going after me.
Meanwhile, Joe and Vanessa are lying about who they are.
Everybody lies.
You should know that.
Natalie, for instance.
Leave my daughter out of this.
Have I done something to you? Me? No.
This is a friendly conversation.
You're free to leave.
She wasn't with Cooper the night of the concert.
Who was she with? You should ask your friend Dave.
He's still your friend, right? Hey, Mrs.
Lindsey.
25 years, you still won't call me "Ellie"? God, you look awful.
I'm okay.
I need to talk to Dave.
Is he around? Yeah.
No surprise that Crystal of yours ain't been taking good care of you.
It's Christy.
Whatever happened to Kelly, that one you used to run with? Always liked that one.
I'd rather pass a gallstone than believe any of that trash they're saying about you on TV.
What did I do now?! You have a visitor.
Hurry up.
Best stand back.
What's going on with you two? We had a fight.
As if I couldn't have figured that out myself.
He is an idiot and you're an idiot, so makes perfect sense you're best friends.
What, man? You want to apologize? No.
You took Natalie to a concert.
No.
Okay, she asked me to score her tickets for the concert.
Cooper flaked at the last minute.
She was gonna go alone, so I took her 'cause I'm looking out for her.
Like you did in my guesthouse? Man, if you talked to Natalie, then You know about the concert and you know that nothing happened.
Cornell told me about the concert, and I came here to see what else you told her! So I'm a pervert and a snitch and what else? Dude, I'm not kidding! Tell me what you told Cornell! You're crazy, man.
You're going around, you're accusing everybody like a lunatic.
Can't you see what you're doing to everybody? What the hell is happening to you? You don't get it.
Yeah, no.
How can I understand what it's like to be accused of something I didn't do? I held Natalie in my arms the day she was born, man.
I don't get how you think that I could even do something like that to her, that I could do something like that to you.
You're my You were my best friend.
You were my only friend.
And now we're done.
Just get out of here, please, before I really get angry.
Get out! Get out of here.
Just get out of here! When we were did you take a home pregnancy test? The first time.
The second time, I just Knew.
Are they accurate? Thank God I'm not the only one obsessing over this.
Remember when they were little and all I had to do was just hold them down and make them do it? So easy then.
Yeah.
Why won't she just get it over with? Probably because she's as terrified of the answer as we are.
She's acting like everything's fine, so who knows? Maybe it is.
Or maybe we have to raise another kid.
Changed my mind.
I don't want to know.
We'll figure it out.
We always do.
When it comes to the kids, we almost know what we're doing.
Well, I guess there's no point in worrying until we know.
I almost forgot Vanessa invited us to a dinner party tonight.
She helped Natalie lie to us.
Dinner party's not gonna fix that.
Joe and Vanessa are the only ones who have supported us since this whole nightmare started.
I'll get over it, but not by tonight, no.
Sorry.
The one time I'm not procrastinating.
- I'm sorry, man.
- No, no, it's fine.
How good are you at finding out stuff about people? What do you want to know? No, I mean, if you could just give me some pointers and Probably easier if I just did it.
There's this doctor, Joseph Rawlings, but he changed his name in 2007 when he came here from England.
Now it's Richardson.
So, what are you looking for? I want to find out about a family court hearing in Manchester, but it's sealed.
Well, not even prosecutors can untie tape that red.
What did he do? I'm not sure.
He and his wife were involved in some kind of sexual misconduct.
I know he was fired because of it.
Then he changed his name, he moved here, and He was Tom Murphy's doctor.
You want to find out if he did anything to your kid.
The court hearing may be sealed, but medical-board hearings aren't.
Now, it won't be easy doctors protect each other.
But Let me see what I can dig up.
Are you sure? Yeah, no, it's no trouble at all.
Listen How well do you know this guy? He's a neighbor.
Two weeks ago, I would have called him a friend.
So you've been inside his house? Sure.
Here's the thing if he has a history of sex with kids, then he's probably collected stuff, you know, locks of hair, small toys, clothes some kind of trophy.
Christy, it's me.
I changed my mind about dinner.
I'll be home soon.
Stunning.
Just give me 10 minutes.
Everyone, Ben and Christy.
Hey! We're on the red.
Is that okay? Yeah, it's great.
Julie and Bryan, Raquel and Andrew.
Hi.
- Good to meet you, Ben.
- You too.
Terrible what the, press is doing to you.
They thrive on witch-hunts.
Bryan, you could at least ramp up.
Talk about this unseasonable weather.
It's okay.
It's better than the usual stares and hushed gossip.
Thank you.
So, Ben How about this heat wave? Yeah.
We've been together two years.
It just feels like 30.
Easy.
Can't be 30.
Raquel's not old enough.
Bryan! So, Ben, how long have you two been together? 20 years.
Wow.
How did you meet? You want to tell it? You always say I mess it up, so you tell it.
Come on.
Okay, fine.
Freshman year, I found this restaurant that had a meal that was really great for under 20 bucks, and there was this waiter that kept screwing up my order.
I wasn't screwing up.
I was stalling.
You had to work up the nerve to ask me out.
I went back four times.
Persistent I like it.
Well Would you excuse me? Upstairs on the left-hand side.
I mean We couldn't have invented this story.
Wow! Yeah.
What are you doing? Why did you and Vanessa leave England? That's an odd question for someone who's rifling through my desk.
Why did you change your name? Leave.
Not until I get answers.
Have you lost your mind?! You were fired for sexual misconduct.
You're my kids' doctor.
What did you do, and what are you running from? Get out of my house.
Why did you lose custody of your son? I saw the pictures and the bruises.
If you kept quiet, Vanessa, you're no better! That was your son! Ben, what are you doing?! What happened to Malcolm? I loved my son, and I never hurt him! What about Tom? Did you touch him, and he threatened to tell so you had to beat him?! - Ben! - How dare you? I never touched Tom.
You're a liar.
You murdered my son, and you used my flashlight to do it! I'm so sorry! First Scott killed Tom, now Joe did it! You're acting like a lunatic, Ben! You don't have all the facts! You don't know! - What are you talking about?! - Christy, you okay? - I'm fine! - Stay out of it, Elaine! They had a son Who died.
I saw the pictures.
He was beaten and bruised.
I still sound crazy? No, you sound like the same lying son of a bitch who never tells me what I need to know.
You don't want to know! That He bruised easily, but we didn't know anything was wrong.
He didn't complain once.
Your husband's a doctor, Vanessa.
Yeah, sometimes doctors get it wrong.
He had undiagnosed hemophilia.
He'd been slowly bleeding internally for months.
The doctor at the hospital, he thought we had abused him, just like you, and He called the police.
They just took him! Why didn't you get him back? No one changes their mind once they think you're guilty.
They placed Malcolm in a group home till we could sort it out.
The man in charge He beat him repeatedly.
The photo you saw was evidence that we gathered to try and get our son back but we were too late.
He died two weeks before the hearing.
Vanessa, I am so sorry.
Wait.
You know who killed your son.
I want to know who killed mine.
Well, it wasn't me, and it wasn't Joe.
He's a good man.
Then why did he lose his job? What was the sexual misconduct? That has nothing to do with Tom's murder.
I promise you.
It's just me asking now, Vanessa.
Soon, it'll be the cops.
Natalie.
We eat here.
It says "minus.
" That's good, right? - So, we're done now? - No.
We still have plenty to say.
"Do as I say, not as I do" got it.
What's that supposed to mean? Mom was knocked up when you got married - and not much older than me.
- I was ready.
I'm going to college in a year! So? What did you plan to do if you were pregnant? Do you even think about birth control? I don't want you to make the same mistake I did.
And which mistake was that having me or marrying dad? Neither of those decisions was a mistake.
Natalie, you're angry, but you have no right to blame your mother for anything.
But I can blame you.
Yeah, you can.
You can.
I did this to our family.
You had help.
What did you do, mom? Nothing.
She didn't do anything.
This is on me, Abby.
All of it.
But here's the thing, Nat.
You can scream and slam your door and fight all you want, but I'm gonna stay in your face.
And I'll continue to make rules, and I'll continue to embarrass you in public Because I care.
And I'd do anything to protect you, even if it's from yourself.
Okay.
Okay.
Dave didn't do anything.
After Cooper's party, I was drunk and crying and mad at you, so Dave gave me a hug.
Seriously, he's like my uncle gross.
You were right definitely something hinky about the Richardsons.
What did you find out? Well, their son, Malcolm, had hemophilia, and when the hospital ran the blood, they found out that mom and dad both had the same mitochondrial DNA.
What does that mean? Joe and Vanessa had the same mother.
They're brother and sister? Half, but yes.
Turns out hemophilia is a nasty by-product of incest.
Of course, the Richardsons or should I say Rawlings claimed they didn't know that they were related.
Hell of a juicy story, don't you think? You're a reporter? Which makes you my unnamed source.
Care to comment? You can't print that.
Sure I can.
But you just said they have nothing to do with Tom's murder.
Well, that doesn't matter.
It's so easy to spin.
Sexual deviance to child killer not a huge leap.
You made it, and so will the public.
Ben, this could help you botch the investigation, Cornell she gets a black eye.
No, I'm not gonna ruin their lives to save mine! Okay.
I could be convinced not to run the story if I had a better one.
Like your exclusive.
There is no story.
I'm not guilty.
There's always a story.
It just depends if you want to look good or bad.
I mean, you took a polygraph.
Now, I'm guessing if you passed, you would have released the results to the press.
Why are you doing this to me? It's not about you.
You're just a casualty of war.
Joe, Vanessa, there's a reporter.
He found out about your story.
And I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
You want to talk to us today? What's the situation? - Ben! - Ben! Mr.
Crawford, what is your connection to the Richardsons? Mr.
Crawford? Come on! Excuse me.
I'll be out of your hair in a minute, if that's cool.
Dude, is there any way I can get you to forgive me? More.
I've been a total ass.
Go on.
I swear to God, if there's anything I can do, - Yeah - Anything I can get you I made a list.
Okay.
Seriously? How many different ways do I die? Several.
Is that a hatchet? It's a viking battle ax, Ben.
It's a long list.
So, read the top four.
Number one, beer.
- Number two, beer.
- Yeah.
- Number - Keep reading.
It's all beer.
I'm kidding.
And I didn't say squat to Cornell, okay? She was like, "spill it," and I was like, "naw, pig.
" Actually, it didn't go down like that at all, but She wanted to know if you had a blue jacket.
Woman's an oyster, but I'm thinking that the killer had a blue jacket.
- Thanks.
- Yeah.
Man, I know I've been acting crazy.
Yeah.
But I still can't remember that night.
Cornell's all over me.
Maybe I'm just paranoid.
No, man, she definitely has wood for you, but I got your back, okay? Remember that.
You don't have to go.
Yeah, I do.
I got a studio.
I'm ready for my close-up, parasites! - Where do you want me here? - Yeah.
Right here? You got me? Great.
Back off! They're gone, you know? I wasn't trying to hurt them.
Yet you did.
I was intrigued by the choice of words you used, though.
With the doctor.
"You murdered my son, and you used my flashlight to do it.
" You came all this way to say that? Did you call Jess Murphy the night Tom was killed? No.
- You sure? - Absolutely.
I only ask again because your memory seems to be so conveniently unreliable.
Do you know a Sarah Jenkins? No.
Well, Jess and Sarah share almost the same telephone number.
What does that have to do with me? Well, I pulled your cellphone records, and on Sarah Jenkins' voice-mail the night Tom was murdered You left this message.
Jess, it's me, Ben.
Listen, I don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow.
I just wanted I just wanted to say I'm sorry.
Can you explain that, Mr.
Crawford?
- Do you even know - if the flashlight is the murder weapon? - It is.
Why do you have the pregnancy test? I've never cheated on you.
- Whose is it? - Process of elimination.
It's not Christy's.
It's not Abby's.
- Okay.
- No! You come near my daughter again, and I will kill you.
I hate you.
That's enough.
Little drunk.
What up, G? It's not what you think, all right? You're making a really big mistake here.
Biggest mistake I ever made was having you for a friend! You need a ride, Mr.
Lindsey? The boy lived on a dead-end street, no forced entry, killed not far from home, with boots and jacket on.
Think a 5-year-old left in the middle of the night, without making a sound, with someone he didn't trust? You've profiled cases like this before at the FBI.
What possible motive could anyone have for killing his young boy? Jealousy or sex.
Really? Over a 5-year-old? About half of child-abduction homicides turn out to be sexually motivated.
Pedophiles avoid detection by appearing normal.
They're your babysitter, teacher, next-door neighbor.
Why wouldn't police tell us if there was evidence of sexual abuse? You don't always find trace evidence.
If Tom Murphy was groomed into sex acts by a family friend Why are you watching that? How's Nat? I've got her phone and her laptop.
If she won't talk to us, she doesn't get to talk to her friends.
As far as I know, she hasn't taken the pregnancy test yet.
Why aren't you running today? I'm gonna go later.
Every time I follow my routine, Cornell shows up to paw through my stuff.
I'll get it.
Ready? - Yeah.
- For what? Taking my sister to breakfast.
Is this why you're rushing me out? Mom! I'll be right back.
Where's the hair dryer? So, how you holding up? Been hard on Christy and the girls.
What's worse, they could lose everything.
- What are you talking about? - Well, a civil suit usually follows a criminal investigation.
This is none of your business.
I can take care of my family just fine.
Then do the decent thing put your assets in a trust fund before it's too late.
You think I'm going to prison? Everybody thinks you're going to prison.
How could you?! This is Malcolm's! Stop just doing things like this! Vanessa, we have to try to get over this at some point! How dare you! 13 days.
You'd have thought they'd moved on by now? Yeah.
What happened? I got in the middle of something.
Didn't work out too well by the looks of it.
Why don't you drop by the office? I'll fix it up for you.
Okay, I'll come by after work.
Here come the vultures.
See ya.
Nat I'm an idiot.
The first thing I should have said is, it's gonna be okay, that your mother and I love you That we'll believe whatever you tell us.
Okay.
Honey, if Dave touched you I need to know! Nat! Natalie! At this rate, you're gonna run out of people to accuse.
Dave's a jackass, not a pervert.
I know what I saw.
You've known him since high school.
People change.
So, he did it, just like that? Mrs.
Crawford.
I was just starting to miss you.
Shame, I'm not here for you.
Go away.
There's someone here to see you.
Hi, Natalie.
Can we talk? Okay.
Do they have to be here? You're a minor, so, yes, they do.
Now, where were you two nights before Tom Murphy was killed? Why does that matter? Everything matters.
Tom's murder was premeditated, so I need to know who had access to him, when they had it, and how often.
It's a simple question.
Were you baby-sitting Tom that night? - Of course she was.
- Really? Actually, she wasn't.
Right? Now, as I said to your parents, you can answer questions here or go downtown with me.
It's not like I abandoned Tom.
Vanessa was watching him.
- Mrs.
Richardson.
- What? Where the hell were you?! After Tom fell asleep Vanessa came over to watch him so I could go to a concert with Cooper.
Satisfied, detective? Absolutely.
Detective, any statement? Help us out here! Yeah, we're still waiting.
What did Nat say? She apologized for everything.
She didn't say a damn thing.
Clammed up the minute Cornell walked out.
Do you think is Nat a suspect? No.
I'm pretty sure Cornell's just screwing with me.
Again.
What? Where are you going? I'm gonna find out what else our daughter lied about.
Scott Murphy's been cleared by police for Tom's murder.
Have you? Why did they question your friend Dave? What can you tell us, Ben? Hey, Ben! Come on! - Ben? - Hey.
We need to talk.
You know, it is hard enough raising a teenager without your neighbors covering for them.
You watched Tom so Natalie could sneak off to a concert.
I'm sorry.
I thought you knew.
Next time, check with us first.
There won't be a next time.
Are you okay? Just peachy.
You? That was at Tom's shrine.
It didn't belong there.
It was our son, Malcolm's.
I Didn't know you had a son.
Today is his birthday.
He was taken from us.
I'm sorry.
Would you like to see Malcolm? I need another.
Would you like one? No, I'm okay.
Vanessa, I think I will have that drink.
Okay.
You said we were gonna paint.
We are.
Just a quick stop at Dr.
Richardson's.
I thought you were okay.
I am.
He just wants to treat my cut right away so it heals faster.
All right.
Yeah.
You're probably the oldest patient Dr.
Richardson's ever had.
Probably.
You don't need to be nervous.
You just have to hold still.
All right, big boy, hold still.
Hold still, and Nice! The fish is a keeper.
I'm not sure about the picture.
Let me get him off the line here.
What happens if we don't put him back? Well, he'll die.
Will he go to heaven? No, silly! It's dinner! Hey, Abby, careful there! If you fell in, that current's strong.
It could wash you away.
Hey he's not ready to be dead.
All right.
All right, that's good.
Well, no floaters.
No sign of concussion, but I'm glad you came in.
Do you think I saw on the news It could have been a neighbor that killed Tom? Well The press know even less than the police do.
They just make things up as they go along Hurting innocent people, ruining lives.
Did you know Tom was yours? I'm sorry.
Um, I have no business asking that question.
It's okay.
I didn't Until after.
It must have been devastating.
You probably have some idea.
I mean, after Malcolm was taken from you.
Vanessa told me.
Malcolm wasn't taken, Ben.
He died.
I'm sorry.
I wish I could tell you that the pain of losing a child goes away But it doesn't.
Vanessa and I just have different ways of dealing with it.
So, you put the bunny at Tom's shrine? Leaving it for Tom made sense to me another step towards letting go.
But Vanessa's not ready.
You're a soccer fan? No, Ben.
That Is football.
Right.
All right, steady, steady.
No, no, that wasn't the deal, Chloe.
I gave you Christmas day so that I could have - That's good, that's good.
- Fine.
Fine.
Just like I'm gonna let go.
All right, you're on your own.
Abby.
Abby, I've got some snacks out front if you're interested.
Go on.
No but no, but that's not What Happened.
Y Chloe.
Chloe.
Fine.
Fine! Guess I'll be going back to family court.
Man, no doubt my ex will lie her ass off to win custody.
And who will suffer? My kids, my reputation.
Guilty whether you did it or not.
Yeah, well, that's why I'm going to court fight the good fight.
Look, you should go to the press, set the record straight.
The press don't want the truth.
They want a good story.
Then give them yours.
No one knows you're innocent until you tell them.
The police do.
My dad took a lie-detector test to prove it.
He didn't do anything.
Well, good for you, sticking up for your old man.
Someone has to.
Everywhere we go, people stare at us so mean.
Okay, Abby, Mr.
Fenton's a busy man.
He's got work to do.
And so do you, missy.
Come on.
How did you know about the lie-detector test? - I heard you and mom.
- Abby I know.
I shouldn't listen to other people's conversations.
And repeating it, especially to strangers, that's worse.
I just want everyone to know the truth, daddy.
You didn't kill Tom.
They will, monkey.
Soon enough.
But some things you just don't repeat, okay? Mom, did you get the tickets? We'll get them there! Sure you don't want to come, dad? Nah, you and mom go.
Have a girls' night.
Nat's still up there? Yeah, locked in her room.
How many more years of teenagers do we have? I don't even want to think about what this one's gonna be like.
Hey.
I'm the good one.
I don't have sex or sneak Cooper into my room or drink beer with my stupid friends in the woods.
That was before When she Yeah, never mind.
Let's get going.
Have fun.
I took your call because your story's gaining momentum, even across the pond here, and I am sure that The Guardian would be very interested in hearing whatever it is that you have to say.
Yeah, no comment.
I'm not really in the habit of sharing my research with my peers.
Mr.
Crawford, I'm sure you'll agree that's bad business.
I'm not a peer.
I'm a worried father.
Mr.
Hardwicke, please Your articles say he was fired for sexual misconduct, but you never say exactly what Dr.
Rawlings did.
I didn't specify the nature of the sexual misconduct because I didn't know it.
He was sacked after a closed hearing in family court.
Magistrates ordered the record sealed.
Is that unusual? Actually, it's mandatory in certain sensitive cases.
Cases involving children.
Is there anything else you can remember? Rumor was, whatever it was Rawlings was into, so was his wife.
Their social services got involved.
There's only one reason they seal the record it's child sexual abuse.
So you think the doctor abused kids overseas? I think his wife might be involved, too.
I'm gonna contact the Brits, pull the sealed files off the system.
You need anything? You trying to go around me? I was hoping someone in sex crimes might actually listen.
Well, you have my undivided attention.
Yeah, that's the problem.
You're so focused on me, you're not looking for anyone else.
Richardson was fired for sexual misconduct.
His dead son was beaten.
He moves here, he changes his name, and then Tom's beaten to death, and you don't think that's worth looking into?! What makes you think I haven't? I'll tell you this the receipt that your wife so graciously provided shows that your missing flashlight is the exact same make and model as the murder weapon.
Unless I'm the only one who owns one, it doesn't prove a thing.
All we want are answers.
You're going after me.
Meanwhile, Joe and Vanessa are lying about who they are.
Everybody lies.
You should know that.
Natalie, for instance.
Leave my daughter out of this.
Have I done something to you? Me? No.
This is a friendly conversation.
You're free to leave.
She wasn't with Cooper the night of the concert.
Who was she with? You should ask your friend Dave.
He's still your friend, right? Hey, Mrs.
Lindsey.
25 years, you still won't call me "Ellie"? God, you look awful.
I'm okay.
I need to talk to Dave.
Is he around? Yeah.
No surprise that Crystal of yours ain't been taking good care of you.
It's Christy.
Whatever happened to Kelly, that one you used to run with? Always liked that one.
I'd rather pass a gallstone than believe any of that trash they're saying about you on TV.
What did I do now?! You have a visitor.
Hurry up.
Best stand back.
What's going on with you two? We had a fight.
As if I couldn't have figured that out myself.
He is an idiot and you're an idiot, so makes perfect sense you're best friends.
What, man? You want to apologize? No.
You took Natalie to a concert.
No.
Okay, she asked me to score her tickets for the concert.
Cooper flaked at the last minute.
She was gonna go alone, so I took her 'cause I'm looking out for her.
Like you did in my guesthouse? Man, if you talked to Natalie, then You know about the concert and you know that nothing happened.
Cornell told me about the concert, and I came here to see what else you told her! So I'm a pervert and a snitch and what else? Dude, I'm not kidding! Tell me what you told Cornell! You're crazy, man.
You're going around, you're accusing everybody like a lunatic.
Can't you see what you're doing to everybody? What the hell is happening to you? You don't get it.
Yeah, no.
How can I understand what it's like to be accused of something I didn't do? I held Natalie in my arms the day she was born, man.
I don't get how you think that I could even do something like that to her, that I could do something like that to you.
You're my You were my best friend.
You were my only friend.
And now we're done.
Just get out of here, please, before I really get angry.
Get out! Get out of here.
Just get out of here! When we were did you take a home pregnancy test? The first time.
The second time, I just Knew.
Are they accurate? Thank God I'm not the only one obsessing over this.
Remember when they were little and all I had to do was just hold them down and make them do it? So easy then.
Yeah.
Why won't she just get it over with? Probably because she's as terrified of the answer as we are.
She's acting like everything's fine, so who knows? Maybe it is.
Or maybe we have to raise another kid.
Changed my mind.
I don't want to know.
We'll figure it out.
We always do.
When it comes to the kids, we almost know what we're doing.
Well, I guess there's no point in worrying until we know.
I almost forgot Vanessa invited us to a dinner party tonight.
She helped Natalie lie to us.
Dinner party's not gonna fix that.
Joe and Vanessa are the only ones who have supported us since this whole nightmare started.
I'll get over it, but not by tonight, no.
Sorry.
The one time I'm not procrastinating.
- I'm sorry, man.
- No, no, it's fine.
How good are you at finding out stuff about people? What do you want to know? No, I mean, if you could just give me some pointers and Probably easier if I just did it.
There's this doctor, Joseph Rawlings, but he changed his name in 2007 when he came here from England.
Now it's Richardson.
So, what are you looking for? I want to find out about a family court hearing in Manchester, but it's sealed.
Well, not even prosecutors can untie tape that red.
What did he do? I'm not sure.
He and his wife were involved in some kind of sexual misconduct.
I know he was fired because of it.
Then he changed his name, he moved here, and He was Tom Murphy's doctor.
You want to find out if he did anything to your kid.
The court hearing may be sealed, but medical-board hearings aren't.
Now, it won't be easy doctors protect each other.
But Let me see what I can dig up.
Are you sure? Yeah, no, it's no trouble at all.
Listen How well do you know this guy? He's a neighbor.
Two weeks ago, I would have called him a friend.
So you've been inside his house? Sure.
Here's the thing if he has a history of sex with kids, then he's probably collected stuff, you know, locks of hair, small toys, clothes some kind of trophy.
Christy, it's me.
I changed my mind about dinner.
I'll be home soon.
Stunning.
Just give me 10 minutes.
Everyone, Ben and Christy.
Hey! We're on the red.
Is that okay? Yeah, it's great.
Julie and Bryan, Raquel and Andrew.
Hi.
- Good to meet you, Ben.
- You too.
Terrible what the, press is doing to you.
They thrive on witch-hunts.
Bryan, you could at least ramp up.
Talk about this unseasonable weather.
It's okay.
It's better than the usual stares and hushed gossip.
Thank you.
So, Ben How about this heat wave? Yeah.
We've been together two years.
It just feels like 30.
Easy.
Can't be 30.
Raquel's not old enough.
Bryan! So, Ben, how long have you two been together? 20 years.
Wow.
How did you meet? You want to tell it? You always say I mess it up, so you tell it.
Come on.
Okay, fine.
Freshman year, I found this restaurant that had a meal that was really great for under 20 bucks, and there was this waiter that kept screwing up my order.
I wasn't screwing up.
I was stalling.
You had to work up the nerve to ask me out.
I went back four times.
Persistent I like it.
Well Would you excuse me? Upstairs on the left-hand side.
I mean We couldn't have invented this story.
Wow! Yeah.
What are you doing? Why did you and Vanessa leave England? That's an odd question for someone who's rifling through my desk.
Why did you change your name? Leave.
Not until I get answers.
Have you lost your mind?! You were fired for sexual misconduct.
You're my kids' doctor.
What did you do, and what are you running from? Get out of my house.
Why did you lose custody of your son? I saw the pictures and the bruises.
If you kept quiet, Vanessa, you're no better! That was your son! Ben, what are you doing?! What happened to Malcolm? I loved my son, and I never hurt him! What about Tom? Did you touch him, and he threatened to tell so you had to beat him?! - Ben! - How dare you? I never touched Tom.
You're a liar.
You murdered my son, and you used my flashlight to do it! I'm so sorry! First Scott killed Tom, now Joe did it! You're acting like a lunatic, Ben! You don't have all the facts! You don't know! - What are you talking about?! - Christy, you okay? - I'm fine! - Stay out of it, Elaine! They had a son Who died.
I saw the pictures.
He was beaten and bruised.
I still sound crazy? No, you sound like the same lying son of a bitch who never tells me what I need to know.
You don't want to know! That He bruised easily, but we didn't know anything was wrong.
He didn't complain once.
Your husband's a doctor, Vanessa.
Yeah, sometimes doctors get it wrong.
He had undiagnosed hemophilia.
He'd been slowly bleeding internally for months.
The doctor at the hospital, he thought we had abused him, just like you, and He called the police.
They just took him! Why didn't you get him back? No one changes their mind once they think you're guilty.
They placed Malcolm in a group home till we could sort it out.
The man in charge He beat him repeatedly.
The photo you saw was evidence that we gathered to try and get our son back but we were too late.
He died two weeks before the hearing.
Vanessa, I am so sorry.
Wait.
You know who killed your son.
I want to know who killed mine.
Well, it wasn't me, and it wasn't Joe.
He's a good man.
Then why did he lose his job? What was the sexual misconduct? That has nothing to do with Tom's murder.
I promise you.
It's just me asking now, Vanessa.
Soon, it'll be the cops.
Natalie.
We eat here.
It says "minus.
" That's good, right? - So, we're done now? - No.
We still have plenty to say.
"Do as I say, not as I do" got it.
What's that supposed to mean? Mom was knocked up when you got married - and not much older than me.
- I was ready.
I'm going to college in a year! So? What did you plan to do if you were pregnant? Do you even think about birth control? I don't want you to make the same mistake I did.
And which mistake was that having me or marrying dad? Neither of those decisions was a mistake.
Natalie, you're angry, but you have no right to blame your mother for anything.
But I can blame you.
Yeah, you can.
You can.
I did this to our family.
You had help.
What did you do, mom? Nothing.
She didn't do anything.
This is on me, Abby.
All of it.
But here's the thing, Nat.
You can scream and slam your door and fight all you want, but I'm gonna stay in your face.
And I'll continue to make rules, and I'll continue to embarrass you in public Because I care.
And I'd do anything to protect you, even if it's from yourself.
Okay.
Okay.
Dave didn't do anything.
After Cooper's party, I was drunk and crying and mad at you, so Dave gave me a hug.
Seriously, he's like my uncle gross.
You were right definitely something hinky about the Richardsons.
What did you find out? Well, their son, Malcolm, had hemophilia, and when the hospital ran the blood, they found out that mom and dad both had the same mitochondrial DNA.
What does that mean? Joe and Vanessa had the same mother.
They're brother and sister? Half, but yes.
Turns out hemophilia is a nasty by-product of incest.
Of course, the Richardsons or should I say Rawlings claimed they didn't know that they were related.
Hell of a juicy story, don't you think? You're a reporter? Which makes you my unnamed source.
Care to comment? You can't print that.
Sure I can.
But you just said they have nothing to do with Tom's murder.
Well, that doesn't matter.
It's so easy to spin.
Sexual deviance to child killer not a huge leap.
You made it, and so will the public.
Ben, this could help you botch the investigation, Cornell she gets a black eye.
No, I'm not gonna ruin their lives to save mine! Okay.
I could be convinced not to run the story if I had a better one.
Like your exclusive.
There is no story.
I'm not guilty.
There's always a story.
It just depends if you want to look good or bad.
I mean, you took a polygraph.
Now, I'm guessing if you passed, you would have released the results to the press.
Why are you doing this to me? It's not about you.
You're just a casualty of war.
Joe, Vanessa, there's a reporter.
He found out about your story.
And I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
You want to talk to us today? What's the situation? - Ben! - Ben! Mr.
Crawford, what is your connection to the Richardsons? Mr.
Crawford? Come on! Excuse me.
I'll be out of your hair in a minute, if that's cool.
Dude, is there any way I can get you to forgive me? More.
I've been a total ass.
Go on.
I swear to God, if there's anything I can do, - Yeah - Anything I can get you I made a list.
Okay.
Seriously? How many different ways do I die? Several.
Is that a hatchet? It's a viking battle ax, Ben.
It's a long list.
So, read the top four.
Number one, beer.
- Number two, beer.
- Yeah.
- Number - Keep reading.
It's all beer.
I'm kidding.
And I didn't say squat to Cornell, okay? She was like, "spill it," and I was like, "naw, pig.
" Actually, it didn't go down like that at all, but She wanted to know if you had a blue jacket.
Woman's an oyster, but I'm thinking that the killer had a blue jacket.
- Thanks.
- Yeah.
Man, I know I've been acting crazy.
Yeah.
But I still can't remember that night.
Cornell's all over me.
Maybe I'm just paranoid.
No, man, she definitely has wood for you, but I got your back, okay? Remember that.
You don't have to go.
Yeah, I do.
I got a studio.
I'm ready for my close-up, parasites! - Where do you want me here? - Yeah.
Right here? You got me? Great.
Back off! They're gone, you know? I wasn't trying to hurt them.
Yet you did.
I was intrigued by the choice of words you used, though.
With the doctor.
"You murdered my son, and you used my flashlight to do it.
" You came all this way to say that? Did you call Jess Murphy the night Tom was killed? No.
- You sure? - Absolutely.
I only ask again because your memory seems to be so conveniently unreliable.
Do you know a Sarah Jenkins? No.
Well, Jess and Sarah share almost the same telephone number.
What does that have to do with me? Well, I pulled your cellphone records, and on Sarah Jenkins' voice-mail the night Tom was murdered You left this message.
Jess, it's me, Ben.
Listen, I don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow.
I just wanted I just wanted to say I'm sorry.
Can you explain that, Mr.
Crawford?