﻿1
[music playing]
[door opens]
[woman] Mom!
[door closes]
How was your shift?
Ugh. Long.
[sighs] Boring.
I'm tired.
I got you guys hamburgers.
[gasps] With sweet potato fries?
Heh. Yes, a double order, of course.
Bless you.
Showed three houses on the west side today.
I haven't eaten since breakfast.
Well, just start without me.
I'm gonna have a quick shower, okay?
Before you race off, you might want to check the table.
Aren't you going to open it?
I can't. Can you?
Go on.
What if I didn't get a high enough score
to get into any law school?
Then you'll try again.
It took your father three tries before he passed his LSATs.
160. [laughs]
It just doesn't feel right
celebrating without Dad.
I know. Once the Manzotti case is over,
maybe we could convince him to take some time off.
The three of us could take a little vacation
-before you head off to law school. -[giggles]
[car door closes]
[gasps]
Maybe he had a break in the case.
Okay, you wait here.
Nick?
Laura, there's been an accident.
What happened?
Is he okay?
Let's step inside.
[softly] No.
Damn it.
[groans]
[door opens]
I forgot my... I left my...
I couldn't find my house... The key.
I think I left it at the bar.
How much have you had to drink?
Mmm...
I don't know.
Where is your car?
Did Ethan drive you home?
- You know how I feel about him. - Yes, Mom, I know.
The whole town knows how you feel about Ethan.
No, I walked home from the bar,
because I'm a responsible adult.
Natalie, you have to get yourself together.
It's been almost a year, and you're still...
Still what? I am getting myself together.
Me hanging out with my friends is getting myself together.
Okay? It's better than, what,
going to sleep with dad's case files every night?
What are you even hoping to find?
I'm trying to help you.
I don't need your help, okay?
You're the one who can't even close the deal on a house.
You're all like, "Hey, do you wanna buy a house?
It comes with a conspiracy theory. Do you care?"
I mean, that's weird, Mom. You're the one who needs help!
[woman] Laura.
Hey, is everything okay?
[scoffs]
Yes. Thank you, Betty.
[Natalie] She's so annoying.
She needs to mind her own business.
Natalie, if you're gonna stay here,
you cannot act like this.
It's embarrassing for both of us.
Oh, it's embarrassing? You know what, then?
In the morning, I won't be here.
I'll be gone, and you can just live here alone in the past.
It's your dream situation.
- That's not what I meant. - [scoffs]
This isn't over, Natalie.
Oh. Found them,
so it is.
Goodbye, Mom!
[slams door]
[sighs]
Mom?
Mom?!
[camera clicks]
Appears to be a break-in, Chief.
Window over there is smashed.
Best we can figure is it was a burglary gone wrong.
Vic came into the kitchen,
scared 'em in the act.
They panicked.
Oh, Laura, I'm so sorry.
There's no jewelry.
Looks like they yanked it right off of her neck.
[sighs]
She has a daughter, Natalie.
I'm a friend of the family,
so I should probably call her and break the bad news.
Uh, sir, Monroe's got her out back right now.
She was upstairs when it happened.
She's the one that called it in.
I want a report on my desk A.S.A.P.
Make sure you get a picture of the neck and the wrist.
Yes, sir.
[Monroe] And what time did you go to bed last night?
[Natalie] Um, I don't remember, 'cause I wasn't feeling very well.
And as far as you know, did your mother
have any, uh, plans for last night?
Was she going to have anybody else over?
No, sh-she didn't talk to anybody like that since...
My God, Nick. Thank God you're here.
You have to find out who did this.
I mean, who would do this to her?
I know, Natalie. I know.
- Monroe. - Chief.
I just have a few more questions for her, and then...
You know, I would appreciate it if you'd
go and ask the neighbors some questions.
See if they have anything to add.
Nat...
I can't even begin to imagine what you're going through,
but if you're up for it,
you know, any little detail
may very well help us catch who killed her.
Your car isn't here.
Is it possible that whoever...
I walked home. I...
I'd had a bit to drink.
My mom let me in,
and then we talked for a bit,
- and then I went to bed. - And after that?
Did you hear anything?
Any noises? Any voices?
I-I guess I'd had a little bit more
than a little bit to drink.
You have somebody to call?
Someplace safe that you can go tonight?
I could call Ethan, but, uh...
Don't worry.
I know the folks that own the Sleep 'n Stay.
They'll put you up.
Natalie, I'm not going to rest
until I know who did this.
I promise.
[cell phone chirps]
[chirps]
[cell phone buzzes]
Oh, okay. So I wasn't sure exactly what to get, so...
kinda got everything.
Um, toothbrush and shampoo.
You need towels,
because I don't trust the ones in that bathroom.
Oh, and I know you said you weren't hungry,
- [cell phone buzzing] - but I always say that,
and then I end up wishing I had food.
You, uh, gonna answer that?
No, because it's Ethan, and I don't want to talk to him.
Ugh. Hallelujah.
I was worried your moment of clarity last night
would have faded away, but...
well, I never liked him.
Yeah, you made that very clear,
you and my mom both.
Shelby, what am I gonna do?
I don't have anyone left.
Hey...
come on. That's not true.
When my dad died, I was devastated,
and I kept thinking, "This is so unfair,"
but accidents happen, and...
now with both of them gone,
I feel like it's like some cosmic punishment,
and I don't know what I did to deserve it.
Nothing.
Hey, you did nothing.
I just need to leave town, I think, after the funeral.
I can't... I can't be here.
I can't live in that house.
You can't just run away
from what you're feeling, Natalie.
I know you know that.
But my mom, even after the accident, she wanted me to go.
She was like, "Even if you aren't in school",
I think it would be good for you to clear your head."
- But that... that wasn't... - I know. She was mad
that you convinced me to stay.
No, she was wrong.
If you'd gone,
you might have missed your last months together with her.
Or maybe not.
But you can't know that.
I'm all alone.
No, you're not.
But what you probably are is... is hungry,
so come to the bar. I've got a shift,
and I know that you could use a tray of comfort fries.
No, not tonight. I'm good.
If it tastes like there's no rum in that one,
it's because there isn't.
We don't want a repeat of last week? Do we, Norris?
[gasps]
And speaking of unwelcome repeats...
Where is she, Shelby?
Not here,
and neither should you be.
- Don't lie to me. - Okay.
You're a creep, and you should leave.
Her car is outside, Shelby.
You can't try and tell...
Because she walked home, just like you should.
Okay? You don't want to wreck that pretty little car of yours.
- But my phone won't... - Your phone?
Okay, you're right. I was wrong.
You're not a creep. You're a super creep,
and you don't work here, so get out from behind the bar.
I-I just want to make sure she's okay.
Of course she's not. Her mother died.
I-I want her to know that I'm here for her.
Wonderful.
But not here, okay?
Natalie needs me,
and you know why?
Because I'm the only one who treats her like an adult.
Yeah, real adult.
I'm about to get Rudy,
and I don't think he's gonna be as nice to you
as he was last night.
I hope you and Rudy and everyone
understands that she needs me, okay?
She needs me.
[laughs]
Well, that was fun.
Thanks for the help, guys.
All right, who wants a shot?
Bit of rum, please.
[soft piano music playing]
Natalie, so sorry for your loss.
Poor girl.
Your mom was a great woman.
Mm-hmm.
Honey, I'm gonna go...
Chief, it's good to see you.
- Just paying my respects. - I know.
I know what's up.
Okay. What's up?
You're looking for the killer.
I heard they always come to their victim's funeral.
Yeah, I don't think that's true.
Well, don't worry. I'll stand...
Think you could do me a favor, Chief?
Who's the guy in the car?
Ethan, Natalie's ex. Super creeper.
And look where he is. Just saying.
I got him.
[chuckles]
Bye, Ethan.
[soft music playing]
E-Excuse me.
Um, would it be cliché
to ask you if you come here often?
It's not a line. I'm just wondering
if you know what's good here.
The alcohol.
It's a bit early for me.
All right. Suit yourself.
Hey. Can I help you?
Uh, yeah. Um, can I get a burger, medium rare,
and a refill for whatever she's having?
Oh, it's okay. You don't have to buy me a drink.
Oh, I know, but I heard they're really good here.
Who told you that?
- [chuckles] - Hey, Rudy,
uh, can you add a side of sweet potato fries
- to his order? - Sure.
They're worth the whole trip.
Uh, thanks.
Play your cards right, I might even share 'em with you.
So is this a-an everyday look for you?
Not that you look bad.
I mean, you look really beautiful. I just...
Was my mother's funeral today.
I-I'm sorry.
It's okay. You didn't know.
Still, uh, I'm sorry, Natalie.
Do they, uh, serve good apologies here?
I never told you my name.
You didn't? Oh.
Well, um, I think Rudy said it.
- No. - It was Natalie, wasn't it?
No? Oh, then, what is it?
[clears throat] I-I know who you are,
but if you'll just listen to me. My name is Brody,
Brody Long. I'm a... I'm a writer, a crime writer.
I'd really like to talk about everything that's been going on.
I knew your father.
Before he died, I was writing a book
about the case he was working on,
the Manzotti family ties to organized crime.
I reached out to your mother...
Oh, but now they're dead, so you need a new source to exploit?
No. I... Look, I want to help,
if you'd just hear me out.
Look, I know you have no reason to trust me,
but trust this.
You're in danger.
Stay away from me.
[sighs]
Right there.
Oh, God. Mom, I'm so sorry.
She said it away from the phone.
I don't think she realized it would be picked up by the recording.
Monroe, people react to trauma in all kinds of ways.
You can't take "I'm sorry"
as an admission of guilt.
There's more. Some drawers were opened,
some were dumped out on the ground,
and then there's this table lying on its side,
but what's weird here are the chairs.
If someone was looking for something and panicked,
it would have been impulsive,
so the chairs would have scattered
when the table was flipped,
but these look like they've been pulled out,
- suggesting that... - "Suggesting"?
You're suggesting that this is staged.
The only items that are missing
are a wedding ring and a necklace, both on her person.
No other attempt to loot the house.
Maybe that's when he was interrupted.
Or she.
You heard what Natalie said.
Hell, we knew Laura.
I mean, the woman was harmless.
If you can see a motive
beyond her big house and her nice car,
then I'd appreciate if you'd share it.
It just seems odd that Natalie didn't hear anything.
If a table is thrown across the room...
it's kinda hard not to hear it.
She was drunk.
And that makes her less of a suspect?
Look, I know you have a personal relationship with this family,
but this is worth pursuing.
It may be nothing, but...
[sighs] I have questions.
Okay.
[door shuts]
[knock on door]
Nick.
Did you find him?
No, not yet.
I just wanted to check on you.
Tried calling.
Yeah, my phone's been off.
I'm not really in a chatty mood.
Well, yeah. Understand that.
Well, I'm sorry that I can't be the bearer of good news,
but I can be the bearer of lunch.
It's from Rudy's, so...
Thank you for this.
Nat, I know this is a lot.
I hope you know that we're doing all that we can.
We're looking into every possibility.
Actually that's the other reason I stopped by.
Um, a few days, I'm gonna need you to come in
and answer a few more questions, just a formality.
Okay, yeah, but I already told you everything I know.
I know. Like I said, formality.
Do you think this could have something to do with my father's death?
I mean, do you think they could be connected?
[sighs]
Look, Nat...
when your dad died,
all I could think was, "No, no, not Andy,
not like this. It's not an accident."
But it was.
Yeah, my mom never believed that.
She said the Manzottis were the kind of people
that could shut somebody up if they wanted to.
None of us believed that your dad had started drinking again,
but the toxicology report was pretty clear.
I'm not trying to upset you.
We need to get into the future,
and we don't do that by dwelling in the past, do we?
So you do me a favor, and you stay in the present.
Mm-hmm.
Okay. You call if you need anything.
[water splashes]
Oh. I'm sorry.
[ice rattling]
Why are you ignoring me?
Ethan, how did you get in here?
[sighs] Door was cracked.
Oh, I-I brought you these.
I'm sorry I couldn't make it to the funeral.
I know you were there.
I mean, to see if you were okay,
but your control-freak friend unleashed that cop on me.
I-I just wanted to pay my respects.
No, you didn't. You hated my mom.
[chuckles] Doesn't mean I can't feel bad.
I mean, it's not like I wanted her dead.
I didn't kill her.
You can't really think I killed her.
I believe you.
I don't want you to just believe me.
- I want you to trust me. - I do. I... Same thing.
No, Natalie, it isn't.
Hey, don't shut me out.
[gasping]
I-I didn't mean to.
Ethan, do you want me to trust you?
I-I just need some space, okay?
Fine.
[door closes]
[Monroe] Stop me if I start to go astray.
You went to Rudy's at about 6:00 p.m.,
not for work, but for a drink with friends,
and at 9:15, you walked home,
where you were greeted on the front porch by your mother,
and you two had a fight.
Well, I wouldn't say it was a fight.
We spoke with your neighbor, Betty Ledbetter, and she stated
that you were yelling so loudly she could hear you from across the street.
You had an argument, right?
Did you have these arguments regularly?
What does this have to do with the break-in?
- It doesn't. - You were the
last person to see her alive.
The details of that interaction are extremely pertinent.
Hey.
Did you recently come back from a trip, a vacation?
- Were you planning one? - No.
You had a suitcase out in your room
that was hurriedly packed from the looks of it.
If you didn't have any plans, what were you packing for?
I don't think I want to answer any more questions right now.
Um, Detective, why don't you get Natalie a little more water.
Please?
This is uncomfortable, I know, Natalie.
Does she think that I was involved or something?
We have to be thorough
so we make sure that we don't overlook anything.
That would have been nice a year ago.
Fair.
So let's say your mom was right.
Let's assume that we missed something
in the investigation of your father's death.
We don't really want that to happen again, do we?
Then I need you to trust me.
Yeah, everybody wants me to trust them,
but nobody trusts me.
Have you talked to Ethan?
Your ex?
You should.
He was really drunk that night, and he was angry,
and he did not like my mom at all, and he was at the funeral,
which Shelby says is like a very common...
Yes. I know what Shelby says.
[Shelby] And I told her, "You know, Crystal,
real producers don't use Tinder,"
at least not in the casting.
But guess what. Now she's in some huge monster movie,
so what do I know?
Hey. See you later, Rudy.
See you, Shelby.
It's Shelby, right?
Uh, it is,
but I'm off duty.
If you are, too, uh, drinks are over there,
and Rudy will take care of you.
If not, Natalie's not here,
and also she's grieving,
so how 'bout give it a break?
I'm looking for Ethan James.
I was told I could find him here.
Not anymore, you can't.
Rudy finally kicked him out a few nights ago
and the night before that.
Drunk and belligerent both times.
Do you have any idea where he might be?
Yeah. Right over there.
He's been brooding on the nearest strip of public property
just itching to catch Natalie out and about.
He's the one who's about yay high and yay douchey.
Got it.
[Monroe] Ethan James...
Ugh. This is the worst idea.
Yeah, I know it seems weird,
but I read that the healthiest thing to do
is separate yourself from material residue.
What does that even mean?
I'm not sure.
Look, there is a lot of stuff in this house,
and with it sitting here empty,
what if the robber comes back?
So you agree that it's a robber?
'Cause the police don't seem sure.
I mean, yeah. Who else would it be?
Who do they think it is?
They don't know.
Well, that's the problem with the police.
- Never sure... - [clatter]
What was that?
[clattering, thumping]
[whispering] Someone's in here.
I heard that criminals often return to the...
- [thump] - [gasps]
Okay, we're calling the police.
No, no, no, no, no. Wait.
Wait.
[squeals] What are you doing here?!
Do you know this guy?
Yes. It's that "writer" guy I was telling you about.
Oh, him.
Yeah, him, I think.
Uh, what's with the air quotes?
- I'm published. - [Shelby] So what?
I thought she told you to stay away.
Yeah, and I did.
You're in my house right now.
Hey! Stop that.
You're disturbing the crime scene.
Calm down, CSI.
The real police have already been over it.
And speaking of, Natalie,
I still think we should give them a call.
No, you shouldn't.
I'm sorry. Is your name Natalie?
You had a meeting with them, right?
And let me guess. They're starting
to ask a lot of questions
about how you and your mom
got in a big fight the night she died,
how the neighbors heard.
You don't even know what you're talking about.
I know they don't have a suspect or a murder weapon.
- They're looking. - Yeah...
at you.
'Cause when they don't have a suspect,
they invent one.
Now, I don't have a suspect either,
but I do have a weapon.
Your mom was a big reader, right?
I figured.
Great collection.
And what's missing from this bookshelf?
What?
One of your books?
What's that?
This is a start.
There were two of these.
Obviously.
[gags]
[groans]
When you say you want an ending,
I hope you mean a happy one.
Well, yeah. I'm not keen on the sort of stories
where the heroes get shot and dumped in the bay.
I mean, they sell, but I want answers.
Did you know your Deadly Affair book
only has a 2 1/2 star rating on Goodreads?
It was my first book.
NovelGal54 says it's boring and predictable.
Why not let the police just find the answers?
- There's the ones... - They said your father
had been drinking. You believe that?
No.
Neither do I.
They settled for the easy explanation.
I don't want to see the same mistake
get made again, if it was a mistake.
Why, 'cause easy explanations don't make for good books?
No, because easy explanations reek of laziness,
and laziness is the enemy of justice.
Really? I heard that "the mystery is the best part",
and the beginning and conclusion is ho-hum."
I've gotten better.
Hey, I don't write the reviews.
I just read them aloud.
I think we're good on our own.
[sighs]
Suit yourself.
[clears throat]
But a word of warning.
Your dad was investigating
some very dangerous people before he died.
Your mom may have been killed 'cause she was considered a loose end.
What are you saying?
I'm saying you might be a loose end, too.
And loose ends meet bad ends.
That's the end of that.
[laughs] You think so?
No, hell, no.
I have read too much pulpy crime fiction
to think we've seen the end of Brody Long.
But when we do see him again,
don't tell him I read that trash.
Yeah, I just wish they cuffed him.
But, no, he just followed him in that stupid yellow ride.
If they were charging him, they would have told me.
Who do you think's gonna pop back up first,
- Ethan or Brody? - I have no idea.
I would not be surprised at all if...
God. That was quick.
- We told you no. - Yeah, I-I heard that.
But you listened to us even less than you listen to your editors.
Um, no.
Um, well, maybe,
but also, uh...
this is my room.
[knocks]
I'm headed out.
Call if you come up with anything that holds water.
Will do.
Thing about comfort food is it only works if you eat it.
Heh. I know. I just don't really wanna be comforted.
I got a little too comfortable after my dad died,
and look where that got me.
This place isn't so bad.
The fries are delicious.
And free for employees.
Okay, let's play a game.
I know what you're doing and that you're trying to distract me,
but I don't wanna be distracted.
I think I just need to process everything.
I know. It's about that.
- What, like Clue? - No.
Well, actually, yeah, kinda.
Let's say we were in a Brody Long novel.
Who are the possible suspects,
and what are their motives?
Okay. Um...
Ethan.
My mom was trying to keep me away from him.
Good. Too obvious, but good.
What about Brody?
The case was cold, and he had to force it to reopen?
The police?
Maybe my mom proved that they botched
the investigation of my dad,
and that could be embarrassing.
Would Nick allow that?
I don't know. We're open to every possibility, right?
Okay. Me.
Your mom was trying to convince you to go to law school,
and I would have missed you too much.
Or me.
Inheritance?
What? No. I was...
I was gonna say drunken fight,
but is that what you think...
Is that why you wanted to play this game?
No, I wasn't...
It's just a stupid game.
Yeah, it's really stupid.
And it's probably just a robber.
Maybe.
I mean, who else could it be?
[woman] You know, it's just really hard to say.
I only wish I had paid a bit more attention.
I think I told you before I always felt
like a real closeness to that family.
Yeah, you mentioned that.
Not like I was actually a part of it.
I mean, Laura was her mother,
and let me tell you, she was a saint.
Yep. You mentioned that...
The way Natalie would speak to her sometimes,
I would never...
But I cared.
Uh, you wrote that down, right?
- Uh, yep. - Oh, you got it?
Got it all right here. Bye.
I wish I could help. I really do,
but I think she always found me kind of...
annoying. [laughs]
I find that hard to believe.
Anyways, thank you so much for your time.
Oh, my pleasure.
And if you do find that copy of my book,
I'd be happy to come back and sign it for you.
Oh, absolutely. It was a pleasure.
- Always nice to meet a fan. - Nice to meet you, too.
Good luck!
Hmm.
[Nick] Afternoon, Mrs. Ledbetter.
Chief Nick. Nice to see you.
Is Natalie doing all right?
Oh, all things considered.
[sighs]
Betty, I had a few follow-up questions,
but if you don't mind me asking, who's that?
Oh, him?
Ah, he's a true-crime novelist
in town covering Laura Romero's murder.
Seems a little sweet on Natalie.
You know, he knew Mr. Romero.
Apparently he was working on a book about him, too.
Really hope this book's better than his last.
It was a real... [snorts] snoozefest, you know?
Mm.
[chuckles]
Excuse me.
[Brody] Had the nosy neighbor only been
as attentive through the night as she was to the fight,
might she have se...
"Night," "fight"...
"might."
[clears throat]
[chuckles] Is there a problem, Chief?
I don't know. Might be.
Did you know that you could be charged
with obstruction of justice
for threatening or interfering with the witnesses
of an ongoing investigation?
Uh, just asking questions.
For your book?
For my book.
See, that's the thing.
This murder isn't a story.
It isn't entertainment.
Lot of people were hurt by it,
people that are and were very dear to me,
and I just don't take kindly to other people
trying to exploit that pain.
Making myself clear, right?
I think so.
I think we want the same thing here,
for justice to be served and to honor Andrea Romero.
No, we don't want the same thing.
See, you want to protect your Amazon sales.
I want to protect grieving survivors from your harassment.
What I don't want...
is to see you around this town again.
Drive safe.
Ethan, what are you doing?
[sighs] What are you telling the police about me?
- Nothing! - They came to talk to me.
They wanted to know where I was the night your mother died.
They're talking to everyone that's connected.
Oh, so... so now I'm connected?
You were with me the...
Don't lie to me, Natalie!
Everything okay?
Ah.
Oh, so I guess it's you.
I guess you're what needing space looks like.
Well, I hope she's warned you, buddy,
but people that get close to her,
they don't last very long.
Better you than me.
Good luck.
You good?
Yeah.
I assume he's a suspect, right?
And now he's been threatening me.
Threatening you? How's that?
I mean, he showed up at my motel.
He showed up at my car.
I thought you said you were gonna talk to him.
I did. He's not the most stand-up guy,
but he has an alibi for the time of death, and it checks out,
so as far as we're concerned, he's not a suspect.
But if you feel threatened, we can...
No, no. It's... It's okay.
Thank you for your time.
Actually, Natalie, uh, I'm glad you stopped by.
There's something I wanted to run by you.
Okay, well, do I need a lawyer?
You're entitled to one if you want.
It's up to you.
No, it's fine. What is it?
I've been reviewing your statement,
and you said that you came home and went straight to bed.
Is that correct?
I mean, I... I packed a little bit.
I was upset. You know that.
Of course.
And then you woke up the next morning,
and you went downstairs and found your mom, right?
Mm-hmm.
Do you recognize this room?
Yeah. That's my bedroom.
And do you see what's here on the nightstand?
The glass of water.
You see, what's weird about this glass of water
is that it's fresh.
There's still condensation on it.
I don't understand.
If you went straight to bed,
how do you explain this glass of water?
I don't know.
I was really drunk.
- Maybe I went down to... - The kitchen?
I was really drunk. I don't really...
You don't remember?
Right.
Look, I'm just trying to get your story straight.
If you don't remember going downstairs for a glass of water,
I'm just curious what else you might not remember seeing
or doing.
Sir, you can step over here.
Remind me again why you're not on this case.
[officer] Everybody makes mistakes, Chief.
[Monroe] Chief.
[sighs]
Detective.
I just had Natalie Romero in here.
Thought I told you not to...
She came in on her own.
She wanted to accuse her ex-boyfriend again.
Still stuck on that?
She's trying to throw us.
Now hear me out.
I asked her about the glass of water,
and just like the suitcase, she had nothing.
Neither do we.
That is not true.
Anyone can tell that that scene was staged,
and nothing that this girl has said adds up.
We need to start seriously investigating
the possibility that Natalie Romero is her mother's murderer.
Yeah, I know.
[knock on door]
Hi. Natalie.
Uh, I was gonna leave...
Uh-huh.
I have something you need to see.
What are these?
You're not the only one with investigative skills.
Wait. Detective Monroe
was the officer on scene the night your father died?
That's a hell of a coincidence.
Or is it? Go to the last page, toxicology.
Redacted?
Yeah, entirely.
What are the legal ramifications?
I thought you were in law school.
Your dad mentioned that you were prepping for your LSATs.
You passed, I assume.
It was over a year ago.
Look, you're right. I can't just sit with my hands tied
while the police are just connecting all the wrong dots.
What do I do?
You connect the right ones.
Let's go.
[Brody] When you're writing,
you gotta try and get in the heads of all your characters.
The same way police want to get in the heads of criminals,
we want to get in the heads of police.
We wanna know what they're thinking,
and we want to know why.
The police think the crime scene was staged.
Very good.
How can you tell?
Because I heard them say it at the station.
Huh.
And because the drawers were all open,
and there was nothing taken other than what was on her.
This table was flipped. I mean, how would that even happen?
Exactly. See?
I, um...
What about the window?
What about it?
The Smiths a few houses down
had a robbery a few months ago,
and they did the same thing,
broke a piece of glass on their door, too.
We call this the point of entry,
except in this case, it wasn't.
So you think that robbery was staged, too?
No. I think this murder was staged
to look like that robbery.
Here. Look at this.
Glass.
Clearly.
Take a closer look.
It's on the blanket...
which could only be true if it was broken in
after the place was being ransacked.
You think the police caught that?
I don't know, but it means that whoever did this
had to come in from one of the other doors.
Or they were already in the house.
[sighs]
This is a lot.
Maybe we should take a break.
You want to get something to eat?
I mean, I never did get to try those fries.
Um, I think I want to spend a little more time here...
- Okay. - Alone.
Are you sure that's a good idea?
Yeah, Shelby's about to get off work.
She can come by and pick me up.
I just kinda want to spend some time here by myself.
Well, I get it. I don't like it, but I get it.
Actually, I don't get it.
I'll text you the second I leave.
I promise.
You better.
[clears throat] Oh, and, hey,
just so you know,
you make a great heroine.
Thanks.
And thank you for trusting me.
Hmm.
But how could...
[glass shatters]
Brody?
Shelby?
Ethan?
[panting]
[gasps]
[Nick] Can you tell me anything else about your assailant?
Identifying marks?
No. His face was covered.
- With this, right? - Yeah.
I cut his arm, though, and it was pretty deep.
No blood. Seems clean.
Natalie, have you been drinking today?
[laughs]
Excuse me?
I'm sorry, but I have to ask.
[Shelby] Well, I have to ask, too.
Why don't you start treating her
like the victim that she is instead of a suspect?
She was almost just killed,
no thanks to your handy police work.
Shelby.
Natalie, what were you doing in there all alone?
What does it matter?
- I am on your side here. - Are you?
'Cause kinda starting to feel like maybe you're not.
Natalie, I got you a room so that you wouldn't have to be here.
Yeah. Thank you.
I think I'm gonna head there right now, actually.
- Shelby. - Gladly.
I think you need to take a look inside.
That's from the shirt you were wearing the night of the murder.
How'd you know that?
I-I watched the, uh, surveillance footage at the bar.
God, there's cameras everywhere now, isn't there?
Yeah.
Yeah, there are.
So this was stuck in the window frame,
which is the point of entry, but we know it isn't.
No. I would have seen it.
So would the police.
If someone's trying to frame me,
they're not gonna fall for it, right?
I don't know. They seem to be missing a lot lately.
Oh, uh, I talked to Mrs. Ledbetter, your neighbor.
Every question they were asking her was leading.
They basically wanted her to say that you were awful.
But she... she didn't, though.
She seems to really care,
and, mm, because you're not awful.
No, I am.
I was awful that night.
I was just so frustrated and confused and sad,
and I feel guilty even though I didn't...
- I get it. I do. - I know.
Everyone says they get it. Everyone says they understand,
but you can't... You can't understand unless...
Unless you've been through it yourself.
I lost both my parents
in a car accident when I was 19.
I'm so sorry.
The last thing I said to 'em
was that I wouldn't pay for the window I broke
when I was mad about a rejection letter.
I came here looking for a story.
That's true, but...
I feel a real connection to you.
And I know that sounds weird, but, I mean, I just...
I-I feel like I knew exactly what you were feeling,
th-the loneliness a-and the confusion, the guilt.
Everything I want to say to you right now
sounds kind of like the annoying stuff everyone was saying to me.
Well, maybe some of them are right.
Yeah. Doesn't make it easier to hear.
Ah, but sometimes we have to hear it.
Yeah.
When I interviewed your father...
he talked about you.
Uh, this may be hard to hear,
but I think it might make things easier, too.
Okay. Where'd we leave off?
[Brody] You were telling me about the night of the 16th.
Right. So I had just met with...
[cell phone buzzing]
Sorry. Thought I had turned that off.
[chuckles]
It's my daughter.
She's quite a character.
Look.
This is your face.
[Brody] Natalie, right?
Oh, I mentioned her, huh?
Mm. Once or twice or 20 times.
She's pretty.
She's remarkable.
I'd tell you she was single,
but she typically goes for guys that are a little more...
you know.
Besides, next year, she'll be away at law school,
so even if...
I'm really gonna miss her.
To be honest,
this case has kind of gotten to me.
You know, you... you think you can trust someone, and then...
I know I can always count on her,
no matter what,
and I cannot wait to see what she becomes.
I failed him.
- N-No. No, that doesn't... - He can't count on me.
I'm not in law school.
I'm literally not doing anything with my life.
Yet.
Natalie, he had faith in you,
a-and he wasn't wrong.
You are remarkable, no matter what.
Is there more?
Hours.
[Natalie] Thank you.
My dad was saying this case made him distrust people.
I wonder who he was talking about.
That's what I intend to find out.
Thank you for helping me.
I feel like it's been really hard,
but having you here has kind of made me feel like I can get through it.
But I feel like my dad was definitely wrong about one thing.
[car door opens]
What's going on?
[indistinct conversation]
I don't know.
[Natalie] That's my car.
Detective, what are you doing?
Natalie, I need you to stay back.
Do you have a search warrant?
[Natalie] I don't understand.
Detective, I have something here.
Recognize this?
- It's the... - Just a bookend.
Log it.
Natalie Romero, you are under arrest
for the murder of your mother, Laura Romero.
You have the right to remain silent.
Put your hands behind your back.
- Please... - Anything you say
can and will be used against you in a court of law.
You have the right to an attorney.
If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed for you.
You understand the rights as I have read them to you?
Natalie...
no matter what.
Before you say anything, Natalie, I need to remind you
that we are not talking friend to friend.
Yeah, it's pretty obvious you're not on my side,
but, uh, question. Are you on hers?
The bookend matches
the contusion on your mother's head,
and it's covered in prints,
all of which, I suspect, are yours.
[Natalie] Because you wore gloves.
That's not the bookend that killed my mother.
It just looks like it. That's how bookends work.
There's two of them. You took that one after the fact
and just got lucky that I already touched it.
What are you talking about?
You knew my father, didn't you?
You know we did. We were friends.
Yeah, but something happened, didn't it,
and you redacted his toxicology report.
This is ridiculous.
Is it?
She handled my father's case,
just like she's handling my mother's case.
I heard about all the questions you asked Betty,
how you found every piece of evidence.
And if I'd aimed my knife better and it ended up in your stomach,
that bookend never even would have been in my car.
[laughs]
Nick, you can't...
- You can't seriously... - Let me see your arm, Monroe.
The other arm. Take off the jacket.
Get out of my way.
I'm sorry. I'm sor...
Natalie.
Hey. You okay?
Th-They're not charging you?
Not yet, but they won't let me leave town.
Which is the exact opposite of what I told you, I think.
Well, she needs someone she can trust.
Obviously your department isn't doing the trick.
So I take it she got this ridiculous conspiracy theory
in her head from you.
Oh, kidding.
This is all a literary exercise for you.
The thing is, out here in the real world,
what you're doing is dangerous.
Right.
You've got experience being dangerous, don't you?
Did your friend tell you that he'd been arrested
for breaking and entering...
and assault?
Is that true?
Yeah, see, if you had stolen his file
and not your father's,
you would have seen a lot more
than a toxicology report that had been redacted
to protect the reputation of a good man.
Why don't I walk you out, Natalie?
Excuse me!
Hi. Can I help you?
I was just wondering if you'd turned up anything new.
I'm sorry. Who are you?
Oh, how rude. Greg.
Greg Wilson.
Anyway, I know how annoying it must be
when people play amateur detective,
but my wife's been dying to know
if you turned up anything on those tapes.
Uh, I'm sorry. Let's, um, just pretend
that I'm new to this case.
Which tapes are we talking about?
Oh, I'm sorry. I live just down the street.
I told the other officer my camera doesn't see the Romero house,
just the street, but he said they might be valuable anyway
to paint a full and vibrant picture.
Guy had a pretty good vocabulary for a cop,
actually sounded more like a writer.
Uh, I hope I didn't offend you.
Uh, no. You've been extremely helpful.
It's just that that other officer
is going to be in a lot of trouble.
Okay, look, I'm the first to admit it.
I haven't always been a nice guy.
Except you didn't admit it, so...
What do you want to show me?
I-I used to have some anger issues.
I'm not gonna say it's, you know,
from what happened to my parents,
but you know where I'm coming from, right?
Anger? Yeah, I'm familiar with the emotion.
What do you want to show me?
Yeah, of course. I just wanted to make sure we're cool.
- We're not. - Wait.
Okay, wait, wait. All right, look.
Remember how I said the cops talked to your neighbors?
- Yeah, Mrs. Ledbetter. - Right.
And I talked to the neighbor next-door to her.
Guess what.
What is this?
The night of the murder.
Does it show anything?
I don't know. Shall we?
Yeah.
Hey, that's Ethan's car.
He was there.
Wait. Let it play.
[pounding on door]
[pounding]
[gasps] You're alive.
What are you still doing talking to this creep?
"This creep" is the only one making progress
- towards figuring out... - Natalie, I thought I told you
that if you wanted to move on, you have to stop...
She doesn't have to do anything.
She can make her own decisions.
Obviously, because right now she's making a pretty crappy one.
Trying to solve her mother's murder?
Spending time alone with a convicted...
Whatever you call a person who assaults people.
- Well said. - Come on, Natalie. Let's go.
No, wait. No, Brody has new evidence.
New evidence?
How long have you been waiting to show her that, Brody?
Little while.
Hmm.
Well, I have old news for you, too, Natalie.
I was actually interested in this clown,
so I e-mailed myself his manuscript from his computer.
Look at the title.
"A Daughter's Betrayal."
- You're his main suspect. - You were.
Obviously. How could you not be?
Oh, but you've cleared me now?
There's video of...
It's your boyfriend.
I mean, what other motive could he have had?
What motive could I have had?!
Well, an inheritance.
Look, Natalie, she's just trying
to play us against each other
to keep you from getting back on your feet
and leaving her to waste away in some neighborhood bar.
Are you kidding me?
No, get this.
He was at the funeral.
I told you what that means, right?
- What does that mean? - What that means
is I'm sick of your games.
- Finally. Let's just... - No, both of you.
I'm sick of being steered around.
If this is gonna go badly for me,
I want it to be because I made a mistake,
- not because of someone else's. - Natalie, trust me. I...
Trust, yeah. I'm having a hard time with that lately.
I need to take some time to figure out how to trust myself.
That's a bad choice of words.
[scoffs] And so are these.
Maybe so.
[knocks on door]
Natalie?
Nat?
Natalie?
This was the last place I saw my mother alive.
And I was really mean to her.
And I blame myself, but shouldn't...
because somebody took her.
Natalie, you said that you had new evidence to show me.
You know, Ethan does a lot of creepy things.
Natalie, I think that accusation's
pretty played out. Don't you?
I mean, I'm glad you're not accusing
Monroe anymore, but...
He used to just sit in his car
after he was dropping me off and wait
for my bedroom lights to turn off.
I kind of used to like looking out and seeing his car.
But I wasn't the only one that could see him.
There's a camera.
[Nick] You have a security camera?
[Natalie] No, we don't.
The Wilsons down the street do.
And you're saying this camera caught something.
Ethan. He was here a little earlier
than the coroner thought, but...
I would love to get a look at that footage.
[knock on door]
[Natalie] It's him.
I want you to stay up here.
[Ethan] You know, I'm starting to think it's a little funny
that everywhere she is, there you are.
- [Nick] I think it's funny... - Just because you have a gun
doesn't mean you can protect her.
- Ethan, calm down! - I can protect her!
- Calm down. - That's my job!
- [blow thumps] - [gunshot]
Nick?
Ethan?
[gasping]
Oh, my God.
[Nick] He hit me.
He hit me. I was holding my gun on him,
and he hit me.
He was probably drunk.
Yeah. Well, he was probably drunk that night, too.
Yeah. At the bar, there's surveillance footage of it.
- So... - So I was wrong, Natalie.
Looks like you've made your case.
Let's go out to my car. I can call this in,
and then we can go get the video of the street.
Nick, you're bleeding.
Must have hit me harder than I thought.
Natalie Romero, you are under arrest
for the murder of your mother, Laura Romero.
You...
I advise you not to resist.
[pounding on door]
Brody Long?
Oh, thank heavens.
- You're under arrest. - That's fine.
Wait. What? For what?
Impersonating an officer and obstruction of justice.
Fine. I plead guilty. You need to see this.
Help!
Mrs. Ledbetter!
Help! Mrs. Ledbetter!
No. No.
[pounding] Mrs. Ledbetter!
Mrs. Ledbetter!
Help! Mrs. Ledbetter!
- [pounding] - [Nick] Nice dog.
Thanks.
Let's go, Lady. Good girl.
Betty! Mrs. Ledbetter!
Help! Mrs. Ledbetter!
No. No.
She's not back at the crime scene, is she?
Knowing her, probably. Why?
Nick said he was going there to follow up on a hunch.
Wait. I'm coming with you.
Obviously. You're still under arrest.
Hey, hey, let me out.
Hey, I could be your backup.
I-I'll watch your six or something.
Natalie!
- Oh, God. - Natalie!
He's dead. It's too bad.
We really could have used his sixth sense for stalking Natalie.
What are you doing? Stop. You're gonna...
He doesn't have a sixth sense. He has a tracking app.
A tracking app?
It's how insecure people date these days.
No pass code. Idiot.
Sorry.
There. South shore, Vernon Bay.
What's there?
Just marsh. It's where the Manzottis used to...
Oh, God.
But I'm supposed to be under arrest!
[grunting]
You're never gonna get away with this.
Too many people saw you.
Yeah. Well, that's the thing about trust.
People trust you, you can get away with anything.
Is that what you told my father?
I didn't have to tell your father anything,
because he trusted me.
See, your dad, he wasn't an idiot.
As a matter of fact, I think he probably would have rolled over
if the Manzotti had asked him,
just like I did.
[grunts]
But they couldn't risk asking him,
because they didn't trust him...
or you and your mom.
You're just not so stacked
in the brain department, are you?
I give you this. You got bigger balls than your dad did.
[car approaching]
[groaning]
Come back here.
Oh, you...
Natalie. Natalie!
[Monroe] Put the gun down, and put your hands up!
Monroe...
look, you... you were right all along. Natalie did it.
Chief, do not make me pull this trigger.
Put the gun down.
All right. Just, uh, calm down, all right?
Put it down, Nick.
Put your hands behind your back.
Listen, I don't know what that squirrely little writer said...
I saw the tape, Nick.
[gasping]
Who else saw the tape?
Everybody.
Monroe, you're a decent detective,
but you are one lousy liar.
Goodbye, Monroe.
[gunshot]
Natalie. Natalie.
Thank you.
Oh, God.
- Drop the gun, Natalie. - Don't do it.
Or what? You're gonna kill me anyway.
Drop the gun,
or I'm gonna kill Shelby, too.
That the same deal you offered my mom?
Would you just have come upstairs...
You really think I wanted to do any of this?!
Your dad...
Killing your dad hurt me,
but it solved too many problems.
And to have those problems resurface again
just because Laura wanted to play amateur detective,
I couldn't let it happen. I couldn't...
Nick. Thank you for coming over so late.
Of course, Laura.
You got me thinking of Andy, too.
Come in.
I tried for months now not to think about it, but the truth is,
I just can't stop.
Yeah, I know the feeling, trust me,
but I just think that now you should...
Andy hadn't had a drink in five years.
All right, so maybe he slipped, huh?
I mean, I know it's hard to believe...
I requested his case file.
Yeah, I heard.
Oh, but my request was denied.
Laura...
it is not healthy to keep digging up the past.
- [laughs] - What?
It's just funny you used that phrase.
I filed a request with the Coroner, too.
You did what?
When he died, I didn't want to look at the reports,
the autopsy and everything.
Everyone said I shouldn't. Even you said it.
But now I need to, Nick.
And Natalie?
What does she say about what you're doing?
I haven't told her any of the details,
but she disapproves, thinks it's a waste of time.
The truth is Natalie and I have been going through a bit of a rough patch.
[Nick] And now you.
Why couldn't you just let this be?
Because it's in my blood.
That's too bad.
I'm sorry, Andy.
[car horn honks]
Game over!
[gunshot]
- [Natalie panting] - [Nick grunts]
Nat?
Natalie, are you hurt?
That's okay. You're okay.
You're... You're okay.
I'm here.
We're here.
It's over, Nick.
Finished.
And?
I have questions.
[Brody] Okay. That's good.
Did you only yell, "Game over,"
so it could be the title of the last chapter?
Totally.
And why didn't I get to be in it anywhere?
I drove you to the finale.
Yeah, how did you get there in the book?
He drives Ethan's Camaro.
Hey, why didn't you drive his Camaro there?
I, um, maybe sort of don't know how to drive a stick.
[door closes]
Mm, mm, mm.
Somebody ordered Rudy's?
I'll get that for you. Thank you.
[laughs]
You're really gonna miss this stuff
while you're away at school.
Yeah, you were right about these fries.
Better get some before I take 'em all.
- [Natalie chuckles] - And this is for you.
Mm. Thanks, Mrs. Ledbetter.
You're quite welcome.
More like Ledbest. Here you go.
Oh, thank you.
[ice clinking]
I'm not that drunk.
I know,
but it's good for you.
I'm sorry, Mom.
I know,
and I love you no matter what.
I love you, too,
no matter what.
[Brody] Natalie.
You okay?
I am.