Cruel Summer (2021) s01e03 Episode Script

Off with a Bang

1
We should make a list of all the
things we wanna do this summer.
Ooh, we have to do them all.
Previously on "Cruel Summer"
- Jeanette.
- Jeanette. Martin.
But you should probably
call me Mr. Harris.
I'm the new assistant principal there.
Welcome to the neighborhood,
Mr. Harris.
- She discarded us.
- She didn't do that.
We all changed.
We went our separate ways.
Why can't that be good enough?
- Cool necklace.
- Thanks.
I-I got it for my birthday.
When I saw you, uh
They found Kate.
- She's alive.
- Oh, my God.
- Bitch!
- (screams)
- Get her out of here, go!
- (sobbing)
VINCENT (on phone):
Jamie's parked outside your house again.
I know.
You know I didn't do the things
Kate's saying I did, right?
I just don't know what to think.
You know I would never lie to you.
I would never lie to you, okay?
Jeanette Turner saw me
while I was held captive.
Greg and Cindy's little girl.
If she wasn't there,
then how would I have this?
We want the jury to root for you.
I have nothing, and you want me
to be more likable?
REPORTER: A strange twist
in the shocking
story of Jeanette Turner,
the young Texas woman accused
of failing to report
Kate Wallis missing last year,
is that these two will now
face off in a legal battle.
Vindictive, lying little worm
is gonna sue us?
(screaming)
(modem beeping, buzzing)
(rock music playing)
It's not what I can see ♪
It's not what I can hear ♪
It doesn't trouble me ♪
But still it's around ♪
You know what I'm thinking ♪
And when I'm celebrating ♪
I feel your eyes on me ♪
Eww!
Ah! Thanks, Mom.
What?
I just love seeing
your whole face, honey.
What do you say we give
contact lenses another try?
No. You know how much
I hate touching my eyes.
NEWS ANCHOR:
Let's go live to Molly Green.
Locals will be gathering
for Skylin's Annual
Fourth of July celebration
and city officials are saying,
"Get ready for lots of fireworks."
- Reporting live from
- (bottle rocket whistles)
- Holy shit!
- Jeanette!
Reporting live from Skylin,
I'm Molly Green,
and the Fourth
is starting off with a bang.
The police would only say
that Kate Wallis has,
at this point, been interviewed
and an investigation
into her abduction is underway.
Her parents have released a
statement suggesting that Kate
will likely come forward
and share her story publicly
in the near future.
Meanwhile,
this once sleepy town prepares
for its annual
Fourth of July celebration.
Mom
They're saying
They're saying that Kate Wallis
is gonna share her story.
The things she's saying
about Jeanette
if she, if she shares
those things publicly,
then more people are gonna
find out and then
Well, half the town already knows.
- Don't say that!
- Mom, it's true.
I've gotten uninvited
from two parties already.
Dad said Hank Stevenson had
a "change of heart"
- about Dad listing his house
- No, no, no, stop, stop. This is crazy!
These are these are rumors.
These are ridiculous,
- baseless teenage rumors.
- Yeah.
Jeanette would never do anything
like what Kate is accusing her of!
- I know.
- Okay, well,
then you should tell your friends that.
That's a good idea.
Well, then tell their parents.
(door closes)
(hard rock playing on radio)
Hello, come here ♪
Come on ♪
You know I love ♪
(discordant soundtrack echoing)
You!
Shit, shit.
How dare you?
Get out of the car.
Get out!
Come on, light, turn green.
You stole my life because
yours was pathetic.
- Come on.
- But you're seriously
- gonna come after my family's money
- Turn green, turn green. Come on!
with this lawsuit?
What other sloppy seconds
of mine do you want, huh?
Speak! Get out of the car,
you chickenshit coward!
Get out!
- (tires screeching, horn blaring)
- Where are you going?!
Stop! Get back here!
(horn honks)
You are actual trash, Jeanette Turner.
(discordant soundtrack playing)
- Hey, Dad.
- Good news.
- The problem's not the connector cables
- Yeah, we got another problem.
I just heard some guys at the gym
say Jamie gave Jeanette her black eye.
- Why would Jamie
- Because of the Kate Wallis thing.
People are really taking
that seriously, huh?
I keep telling you and Mom,
this is not going away.
Jamie hit your daughter.
My sister.
Relax.
- Greg.
- I need to talk to Jamie, Paola.
Is something wrong?
(speaking Spanish)
Did you hit my sister?
I'm gonna need an answer.
Look, sir, I know what I did
was wrong, but what Jeanette
You like punching people? Let's go.
- Stop. You're gonna make things worse!
- Try me, huh?
What's going on out here?
Jamie, care to answer?
You will not hit my daughter.
PAOLA: Who hit Jeanette What?
You don't talk to her,
you don't even look at her.
(speaking Spanish)
Do you understand?
You need to leave, Greg.
Jeanette's not who you think she is.
- What was that, huh?
- Get in the car.
Touch her again
and you and I are gonna
have a very serious problem.
Inside.
Thank you for bringing him home.
We talked about loitering
"Stalking" is the actual term,
at least that's what
Greg Turner's calling it.
It's a public street.
Pick another one.
I don't wanna get another call
about you, Jamie.
- Do you understand?
- Yes, sir.
Lookie what I got!
Contraband.
Wh What are we supposed
to do with that?
We're gonna get high.
List item number nine.
Swipe contraband
from our respective homes.
From Janis's not-so-secret stash
in the tampon box
under the bathroom sink.
I snagged my grandma's cooking sherry.
But it kinda tastes like salt and ass.
- Huh.
- I swiped my brother's dirty magazine.
It has boobs in it,
and you brought drugs?
Well, if this were a contest,
I guess I would be
declared the winner then, right?
Wait. Mallory, have you
ever smoked pot?
No.
But my Uncle Rick did take me
to a Hole concert last summer
and I got a contact high.
It was mad crazy.
Wait, have you?
Me?
- No way.
- We're not smoking it.
- Would you chill, please?
- No.
The list item was swipe
contraband, not consume it.
Look, I'm gonna have to agree
with Jeanette on this one, okay?
- It just feels wrong.
- Yeah.
Since when are you guys the arbiters
of what's right and wrong in this world?
This list is filled with "wrong"
things, that's the point.
(knock on door)
(door opens)
Hey, guys, sorry to spoil the fun,
but, Mallory, your mom called.
She wants you home.
MALLORY: Janis?
Oh, um, okay. Cool.
Totally cool.
I will be right back.
(door closes)
(sighs)
(sighs)
Oh, my God, that was too close.
I'm sweating.
The pot is over the line, right?
It's pushing it, for sure.
What are we supposed to do?
Give it away?
Pretty sure that's drug dealing.
We can bury it in the yard?
What if it takes root
and pot plants start to grow?
Good point.
Wait, I know.
I can tear it into little pieces
and flush it down the toilet.
No evidence, no crime.
She's gonna be super pissed at you.
It's for her own good, Vincent. Okay?
I got this.
Respect yourself ♪
(hip-hop music playing)
- To stay with the livin' ♪
- You got to be forgivin' ♪
- You got to be forgivin' ♪
- To stay with the livin' ♪
- To stay with the livin' ♪
- You got to be forgivin' ♪
COMMENTATOR: Wow. Jeanette Turner
is suing Kate Wallis?
Now that's a bombshell.
You know, as someone who's covered
this story for over a year,
I'll say that some people have
little to no moral compass.
They're able to blur the lines
between right and wrong
to suit their needs.
It's not that they're evil.
They're just simply wired differently,
in a way that can be detrimental
to those around them.
At every turn, Jeanette Turner
seems to be one of those people.
- (doorbell rings)
- Well, thank you so much
Jeanette Turner, I'm Detective Anderson.
This is my
Officer William.
Jeanette, this is serious.
- Hey, Will. What's going on?
- It's, uh, Officer Kingsley.
Sure, Officer Kingsley.
Is this about Henson?
I didn't touch him.
Jamie? What about him?
- This is not about Jamie Henson.
- Then what's it about?
We have some questions
about Kate Wallis.
We'd like for Jeanette
to come down to the station.
Is she obligated to?
No but it would be
helpful if she did.
Uh
Anything to help. Right?
Let me get my wife.
ANDERSON: You'll be joining us?
You're questioning
my underage daughter.
You bet your ass I'll be joining you.
See ya.
(doorbell chimes)
(dramatic video soundtrack
playing in background)
(dialing phone)
(line ringing)
BEN: Hello?
Hey.
It's me.
Vince.
BEN: This is why I need my
dad to invest in Caller ID.
I'm being deposed tomorrow
and
I'm kinda freakin' about it.
And I know you already talked
to Jeanette's lawyer, so
BEN: We've been over this.
You gotta stop calling me.
I don't want to.
How did we get here?
BEN: Hey, Vince?
Yeah.
BEN: I need you to understand that
every time you call me,
it brings me pain.
Please stop.
(dial tone buzzing)
(hard rock music playing)
Cruel love ♪
You can't fight back ♪

What in hell is a "slam pig"?
It's a term designed
to disparage women,
and in this case, falsely equate lying
with loose sexual and romantic choices.
It's slang for "slut."
Wonderful.
(music continues through headphones)
- Look.
- VINCENT: No.
Yes. Yes!
- VINCENT: No way!
- Yes!
- MALLORY: Thanks, Mr. Turner.
- (door opens)
- Hey.
- Janis seriously called me home
because she couldn't find the remote.
And now she's watching old movies,
which means she is for sure
going to need her stash,
so, uh can I have some of it back?
It's too late.
What What do you mean
Did you smoke it?!
No! No.
Um
I
(giggles) Uh
We I
I flushed it.
All of it?
- Yeah.
- Let me get this straight.
I complete a list item,
which is supposed to be fun,
and you repay me by flushing
my mom's bag of joints!
Sounds pretty bad
when you put it that way.
Yeah, because it is bad!
Why didn't you just talk to me?
I did, but, but you weren't listening.
I was trying to help.
Help me get grounded.
Thanks a lot.
Mallory Mallory, wait!
Vincent!
I told you.
What are the charges, exactly?
We're not charging anyone, ma'am.
'Cause you can't just hold
a minor here for no reason.
We're not holding anyone, ma'am.
(sighs) In here?
This looks like the place where
you chop off people's fingers.
It smells like blood and sweat
- and urine.
- JEANETTE: It doesn't smell
- Calm down, Mrs. Turner.
- Excuse me?
- Mom.
- You know, in my experience,
telling someone to "calm down"
usually has the opposite effect.
We're just gonna ask questions
with Jeanette's consent.
See? It's fine.
I'm sure it's no big deal, right?
WOMAN ON TV: A lot of women struggle
with the push and pull of
ANNOUNCER: Come and try our
mouthwatering cheeseburger.
ANNOUNCER 2: When the migraine
headache just won't stop
and you want relief,
reach for the proven choice.
- (audience jeering)
- Hmm.
Yes, and then
Jeanette announced that she's
suing the kidnapping victim.
But, honestly, I think
we can all relate
to Jeanette Turner.
- I'm kidding, no one can relate.
- (audience laughing)
- (gavel rapping)
- JUDGE: Order, order!
WOMAN: You don't understand.
Everything this boy said
about me are lies.
I am not the villain here.
I am the victim!
(sobbing) It isn't fair.
JEANETTE: So that's likeable.
You don't understand.
Everything Kate Wallis
said about me is a lie.
I'm not the villain here,
I'm the victim.
This isn't fair!
Okay, you are very adamant
that you did not see Kate Wallis
at Martin Harris's house.
Because she didn't.
But here's where we're confused.
How then did she end up with this?
This is yours, correct?
Uh I had one like it.
- Let me see.
- No touching the evidence.
"Had," meaning no longer
in possession of?
Um, yeah. I threw it away.
ANDERSON: You threw it away?
If Jeanette said she threw
it away, she threw it away.
May I ask why you did that?
It was given to me by an ex-friend.
Uh, we had a falling out.
It's probably one
of the bajillion others
that they sell at the mall.
It's not mine.
Jeanette, why would Kate Wallis
lie about something so serious?
I don't wanna be mean,
I'm sorry, but
I think it might be
because I'm dating her ex.
Or I was.
We had a fight, but
couples fight, you know?
Jamie Henson I presume
you're talking about?
- Yeah.
- Is the fight about Kate Wallis?
Um
Uh
Will you excuse us for a moment?
Everything Kate Wallis
said about me is a lie.
I promise.
That's what this lawsuit is about.
I'm not the villain, I'm the victim.
I'm the victim.
You might both know
that necklace belongs to Jeanette.
I don't know, she said
it was a similar one.
It is the exact same necklace,
and our daughter just lied about it!
To the police!
Which makes me wonder what
else has she been lying about?
Stop, stop, stop.
You're letting these rumors get to you.
They're not getting to you?
No, because they're just rumors.
Spread by a bunch of people who
are bored with their own lives.
(sighs) I hope so.
I really do, but
You ready for the fireworks?
Yeah, let me just go get my purse.
Okay.
Hey, Dad.
Take a seat. I wanna talk
to you for a second.
What's wrong?
I went by Jamie's house today.
What?
Please say you didn't embarrass me.
I had to make him understand that
no one puts hands on my daughter.
What are you talking about?
No.
I told you it was
a volleyball accident.
Honey, I know you're
you're becoming a young woman.
Oh, Dad, can we not?
But you're still trying to
figure out the world, kiddo.
And it can be confusing.
But this
it is never okay for anyone
to lay a finger on you like that.
What Jamie did was wrong.
He didn't
Jeanette, it's me you're talking to.
Come on, we don't lie to
each other in this house.
And I know you don't wanna hear this,
but I don't want you
anywhere near Jamie.
You understand?
Did you tell Mom?
Are you kidding me? I better
wait till after the fireworks.
Otherwise I'm afraid
she'll shoot a Roman candle
straight at the Hensons.
(muted screaming on video)
(doorbell chimes)
We're gonna be closing soon
for Fourth of July.
I'll be quick.
Yeah, no, take your time.
Dude, I need a bad movie
in the worst possible way.
All set?
Yep.
Cool.
(Vincent raps counter)
Silence of the Lambs.
Misery.
Oh, and Groundhog Day.
Yeah, that one's for my dad.
Sweet.
(punching register)
That'll be $9.50.
Thanks.
(door bell chimes)
I'm no expert, but
shouldn't she be renting
like Care Bears
or Sleepless in Seattle,
and not terrifying movies
where people are
kidnapped and tortured?
I don't know. Maybe, um
Maybe it's comforting.
Like looking under the bed,
seeing the monsters or
staring them down or something? I, I
Really?
What, no mocking whatsoever?
She went through something.
I'm not heartless.
Yeah, but you're you.
Look, I find her movie
selection to be creepy.
Speaking of creepy,
my mom is going on a date
with that Edgar guy.
So, wanna come over,
watch something terrible
and stuff our faces?
I can't.
Um helping a friend.
Please do not tell me
that friend is Jeanette.
Don't worry about it.
All right, come on, I'm closing up.
MALLORY: Fine, more pizza rolls for me.
Flushing those illegal drugs
was being a good friend.
But now Mallory hates me.
Sometimes even
best friends grow apart.
We're not growing apart.
I'm just saying
that it would be normal if you were.
Maybe it's time to branch out.
It's not like there's a line of
people waiting to be my new friend.
I don't believe that for a second.
I'm
Kate Wallis was complimenting
your style after step class.
Y'all could be really close,
like her mom and I used to be.
You were?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, back in high school,
she used to follow me
around like a puppy.
She was a little awkward back then.
And you were homecoming queen.
And cheerleading captain.
I had a line of boys
begging your grandma
and grandpa to take me out.
Including Kate's daddy,
just between you and me.
May he rest in peace.
I even think Rod Wallis
had his eye on me
when he moved to town.
Of course I wasn't available.
But you were pretty
and popular in high school.
I I'm not.
Honey
I was.
And that means that you have
those good genes.
You know?
And pretty soon
those braces will be off
and everybody's gonna see
that gorgeous smile.
You are gonna be dynamite, kiddo.
Promise?
Yes! (laughing)
Look, honey, if you're still
worried about Mallory
- I am.
- I don't think you should be.
Best way to make peace
is a peace offering.
Everybody likes presents.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
Now, come on.
We're gonna be late for the fireworks.
Wait, do you think
maybe I can skip this year?
- But everyone will be there, honey.
- Please.
I, I don't really feel like going out.
- Later.
- See ya.
(sighs)
Hey.
You ready?
Yeah.
You think she knows?
Your friend. Mallory.
Knows what?
Where we're going.
What we're gonna do there.
(scoffs) No way.
Let's roll.
(starts engine)
(knocks on door) What up?
You're home.
You're never home.
Well, free laundry, you know?
I saw Kate today.
In traffic.
Shit.
JEANETTE: Yeah.
And even worse, she saw me.
She looked like she wanted me dead.
Jeanie, I'm sorry.
(chuckles)
Oh, I miss the days when
no one wanted me dead.
Well, at least you have
a devastatingly handsome older bother
who does not want you dead.
No.
I have a delusional older brother.
(laughs)
DEREK: I'm gonna go get the wash going.
Oh, um
some girl called for you
from, from physics class.
Claire, I think.
Got it.
Yeah.
And, hey, speaking of phone calls
maybe take Mom's call once in a while.
COMMENTATOR: Paxton, a good hitter.
Left-hand-hitting shortstop
Where are you going?
Out.
You really think that's a good idea?
Yeah.
A good idea like leaking
the lawsuit to the press
before we even serve Kate?
'Cause
that didn't go too well, now, did it?
Everyone's gonna be
at the fireworks, okay?
Not everyone.

- (attendees laughing)
- (country music playing)
I'm on my way back home again ♪
Oh, come on, Hilmore. You're not
gonna let him beat you, are ya?
(mysterious soundtrack echoing)
Yeah, I heard that she
(crowd murmuring)
Ben, I've known Jeanette
my entire life,
and there's no way she'd ever
do something like that.
But you're sure? You have zero doubts?
I mean, you would never like lie
for her or anything, right?
I mean I don't have to.
Okay? I believe her.
Okay, then.
If you believe her, then so do I.
No matter what.
(fireworks bursting)
(skyrockets whistling)
Mr. Harris?
(muffled rhythmic music playing)
(sighs)
I can't believe we're doing this.
That one forum said
that this is the place.
It's now or never.
You ready?
With you?
Yeah.
I'm ready.
(bluesy ballad playing)

I wanna hold the hand ♪
Inside you ♪
I wanna take a breath ♪
That's true ♪
I look to you ♪
And I see nothing ♪
I look to you ♪
To see the truth ♪
I feel like anything I say
is gonna sound like a bad
line from a teen movie.
You don't have to say anything.
Thanks.
You'll come apart ♪
And you'll go black ♪
Some kind of night ♪
Into your darkness ♪
You know those kids
are underage, right?
You want me to?
Nah. This is a safe space.
For us, for them.
And there ain't too many of those.
Let 'em dance.
I just won't serve 'em.
Fade ♪
Into you ♪
Strange ♪
You never knew ♪
Fade ♪
Into you ♪
(fireworks bursting,
skyrockets whistling)
Hey.
If your dad sees us talk,
he's gonna throw me through a wall.
I can handle him.
I don't want you to.
Please don't make this
harder than it already is.
JEANETTE: Jamie.
I got questioned by the police.
Yeah. Welcome to the festivities.
I got questioned too, but
it wasn't any sweat because
I don't have anything to hide.
Neither do I.
Come on.
You have to believe me.
Even if I did
Kate's back now.
I can't abandon her, I won't.
Can you at least ask her to talk to me?
You know I can't do that.
What about our kiss last week?
Look, Kate can't ever find
out about what happened.
Jeanette, I'm serious, please
If Kate does find out
Haven't you heard?
I'm really good at keeping secrets.
Jeanette.
You were the one who told me that
Kate went missing, remember?
How it seemed like at the time
you were the only person who knew
before anybody else did.
How was that?
Screw you.
JEANETTE: Mr. Harris?
Are you home?
Of course not.
You're at the fireworks
like everyone else.
Widow Falls.
Huh.
So, that's where you're from.
(banging noise)
(fireworks popping)
(skyrockets whistling)
(ringing doorbell)
Hey.
I'm still pissed.
I'm sorry about your mom's joints.
I brought you something.
What's this?
Um, list item number 13.
"Steal something."
It's, the, um the yearbook
from Martin Harris's old school.
How did you
- You went back?
- Mm-hmm.
- No way.
- (Jeanette giggles)
I wanted to show you that I
take the list seriously.
I really do.
I'm
trying to pretend
that I'm not impressed.
(laughs)
Can we not be in a fight anymore?
I really, I really hate it.
I mean
yeah, of course.
Fight over.
Okay. Great.
Wait.
Uh, Janis isn't home.
- You wanna hang? I have pizza rolls.
- (Jeanette giggles)
Yeah!
- JEANETTE: Pizza rolls?
- Yeah.
- Hello?
- Hello?
Jeanette?
Vincent?
What the hell are you doing here?
I'm just
Can you just go with me on this?
The first time we were
ever in this house
when we were playing hide-and-seek
I came down here.
And I got this sort of weird sensation.
You know, not that something
bad had happened, but
maybe that something bad
was going to happen.
VINCENT: That's not an explanation
for why we're in this torture chamber.
I thought that
maybe I unleashed something down here.
Something bad.
Something really bad.
Okay.
And if I did set into motion
some evil forces, then
don't I have the
responsibility to undo that?
Or try?
By coming back here?
I thought that maybe
I could reverse things.
Make them go back to
the way they used to be.
Before people wanted me dead.
Well, is it working?
No.
It was all just magical thinking.
I called Ben today.
I thought you quit that.
Guess I was hoping
that time heals all wounds.
Does it?
No, I guess that was, um
magical thinking, too.
I'm sorry.
I'm really sorry.
Mr. Fuller, could you
tell us for the record
how long you've known Jeanette Turner?
Um
We lived next-door since we were born.
So
my whole life.
And what is the nature of
your current relationship?
You're not in trouble here.
She just
mostly keeps to herself these days.
Understood.
From the moment you met Jeanette
to the last time you spoke,
have you ever known her to lie?
Not that I can recall.
No further questions.
Counsel?
So
Jeanette Turner
is George Washington, huh?
She cannot tell a lie?
I mean, I don't know if she cannot
And you and Mallory Higgins
were with Jeanette
the first time she entered
Martin Harris's home
in June of 1993, isn't that correct?
Yes.
Yes, it's correct.
And to your knowledge, has Jeanette
ever gone back into that house?
D-Did Mallory say something?
We ask the questions here.
I need to ask you something.
And you need to tell me the truth.
Jeanette, how many times
have you been in this house?
A lot.
I got addicted to the rush of it.
And to your knowledge,
has Jeanette ever gone
back into that house?
No.
To my knowledge, she did not.
(bluesy rock band playing)
Is there something else
you wanna ask me?

(discordant soundtrack playing)
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