Without a Trace s01e03 Episode Script

It was the first fancy party you had ever taken me to.
- I wanted my hair to look nice.
- It looked more than nice.
It was big.
You said I looked beautiful.
What can I say, I was young, and in love, and the rest of you looked beautiful.
You have never been a good liar.
- I left my credit card at Bloomingdale's.
- You did not.
You want to return those plaid boxer shorts I made you buy.
- Yes, but I won't.
- Okay.
- I'll be right back.
- I'll meet you at the car.
Let her go! Emily? Emily Muller, 36.
Lives in Harbor City with her husband.
He didn't see anything.
Four witnesses say a male assailant forced her into the car and drove away.
We've got an APB out on the car and the plate, a silver BMW X5.
- Nice car.
- Fast.
Very.
He's topping it out, they could be a 100 miles away.
Fast car, you want a fast road.
Odds are he heads straight for the thruway.
Choppers are on it.
We set up a concentric search flaring inward from Exit 13 West and Exit 26 East.
Media's got it already, which will help.
- Anything else? - She's got a cell phone.
Hopefully it's with her and on.
Nynex is tracking it.
Also, her husband said she has an E-ZPass for tolls.
A couple of dishtowels, three pairs of boxers, and a blouse.
Just another day at the mall.
Just as soon as we find out what happened, we'll go live.
All right? Did you get a look at the assailant? See, by the time I had turned around, they were out of the parking lot.
When you were inside the mall, did anything seem strange? Did you notice anyone out of the ordinary? No, none at all.
You know, we were just running errands.
She didn't do anything.
Now, how could this happen? They're in a silver BMW.
I had been shopping in the mall for about an hour.
I started to walk into the parking lot.
I heard a scream.
They were struggling.
He had her by the arm.
Let her go! By the time I got to them.
You didn't get a good look at him? No, I'm sorry.
I was trying to get it closed, but this thing sticks all the time.
That's when I heard her hollering.
Let her go! - Green coat, wearing a baseball cap? - Yeah.
- You sure? - Yes, ma'am.
Because the guy that you're describing sounds a lot like that guy over there.
I don't know how I got mixed up.
Do you remember anything else? Anything? You never know what could help.
I know Emily a little.
So, I can't be sure but for a moment, when she first turned around I thought she knew him.
The assailant? - That's when she screamed? - No.
It wasn't until he was pushing her into the car.
Stay in contact with the news stations, get breaking.
We have a lead-in at 5:00.
I've got three composites on our suspects.
White, maybe not white, brown-haired or balding, bearded man with a moustache? You got to love eyewitnesses.
Me, I'll take an old-fashioned grainy security video any day of the week.
One witness is unaccounted for the homeless lady crossing the parking lot with a cart.
- She's missing, too? - Yeah.
Apparently she took off after the carjacking.
Guess she was freaked.
Tell me about the witness who knew the victim.
- She says Emily recognized the assailant.
- Maybe.
He probably just charmed that out of her.
Wife goes missing, husband's the last to see her.
We don't need to talk about those percentages, do we? I love the way your brain works.
Always goes to the dark side.
The husband mysteriously walks off at just the right moment somebody nabs the wife, somebody she recognizes.
- Suspicious, would you say? - Yeah, if there's a motive.
Let's go and find one.
Besides her husband, you're the last one to see her.
Did you usually go to her house for appointments? She called me early and asked if I could come by on my way to work.
I do that sometimes to make a little extra money.
- How'd she seem to you? - Good.
Actually, better than she had in a long time.
She seemed really happy.
- Now, are you sure about this? - Very.
I've been trying to get you to do this forever.
What's the occasion? - It's just time for a change.
- Yeah? Okay, so - above the shoulder, couple of highlights.
- Above the shoulder's great.
Let's hold off on the highlights.
- Come on.
- One thing at a time.
- You ready? - I'm ready.
Why this morning? She really wanted me to finish before Duncan got back from the gym.
I sort of assumed she was doing it for him.
Did Duncan have a preference for short hair? I think she wanted to do something new.
You know, give him a change.
- They had a rough go of it.
- How so? Duncan didn't mention it? I guess he doesn't like to talk about it.
They lost a daughter.
Celia.
Must be almost two years.
- How? - Leukemia.
The poor thing, she was sick most of her little life.
That must've been tough on their marriage.
It was, but they stuck together.
And that morning, when Duncan got back, how did they seem? See, that's what's so hard.
They seemed really happy.
For the first time in so long, she seemed happy.
- Do you have news? - The police found your wife's car.
- Where? - It was on the shoulder of a thruway.
Why would a kidnapper abandon a car in the middle of nowhere? That's what we want to talk to you about.
I'm sorry.
Agent Malone, FBI.
This is Agent Spade.
Jeff Blye, a business associate of Duncan's.
Please, sit down.
So, you said that the kidnapper left the car? There may have been another car stashed near the thruway or maybe he had a partner.
Nothing was taken.
Her purse, cell phone, PalmPilot, were all still in the car.
So now what? One of our witnesses thinks Emily may have recognized her assailant.
- What does that mean? - It means this may not have been random.
Is there anyone you can think of who wanted to hurt you or your wife? No.
Did your wife seem distracted or agitated at all in the last few days? No, not at all.
How's everything in your marriage? It's fine.
We're fine.
Mr.
Muller, all we care about is getting your wife back.
Anything you tell us would be kept confidential.
There's nothing, really.
I wish there were.
His wife's abducted and he goes to the office? Yeah, and when we talked about the car you noticed how he went straight to kidnapping, not carjacking.
And he never asked if there was any sign of a struggle.
How about that business associate of his? Mr.
Blye.
- He seemed a little nervous to me.
- You can be very intimidating.
So you think they arranged a kidnapping? What's the motive? Money, another woman, revenge.
Call me old-fashioned but when a marriage isn't working, divorce is probably the answer.
- You want to put someone on them? - Absolutely.
- There's Frick and Frack now.
- Looks like we'll have to do it ourselves.
Here we go.
Jeff Blye.
Attorney at law, Thompson and Blye.
What kind of lawyer? Estate planning.
How's the situation with the homeless woman? Locals are all over it.
Guess they're tough to find when they got no address.
Okay.
- Divorce lawyer? - Estate planning.
Think he's here to mail his will? Damn it, it's a ransom.
You got a ransom note, didn't you? What are they asking for? You know you can't prevent my client from paying a ransom.
If you do this alone, you'll create more danger for Emily.
Come on, we've got to be going.
At least tell us where you're sending the package.
I can't.
I knew it right from the beginning.
This is not a carjacking.
But if it was premeditated, why do it in a crowded shopping mall? They're trying to throw us off? You say "they.
" Does that include the husband? I feel bad for this guy, that his daughter died, but he's hiding something.
I say we put him on the box.
He's lawyered up.
No interview, no polygraph.
Maybe it's time we start digging through his dirty laundry.
Her sister just got back in town.
Maybe she'll give us something.
Can't you make him cooperate? Isn't it illegal to pay ransom? No.
And, unfortunately, he doesn't have to include us in any way.
- But you're going to stay involved, right? - Absolutely.
We're doing out best to try and figure out who may have taken your sister but Duncan is making it very difficult for us.
God, he's stubborn.
I like Duncan.
I feel terrible for him about everything.
But he just always has to do things his own way.
How would you describe their marriage? Celia was sick for so long.
That's what their life was about.
And then when she died, I think that they didn't know how to be with each other.
Or anyone else, for that matter.
Is there anyone you can think of who would want to hurt them? There are a lot of unhappy people since Spring Hollow.
Spring Hollow? What's that? It's Duncan's big mall project.
It's going under.
And there are a lot of people who lost a lot of money.
Emily didn't even know about it until the day before she was taken.
She was really upset.
I'm sorry to be the one to tell you.
I assumed you knew.
No, I did.
I knew there were problems.
I just.
- What about your investment? - Don't worry about me.
The good news about not having a lot to invest is you don't have a lot to lose.
I just can't believe he wouldn't tell me.
- What's going on between you two? - I don't know.
Is Duncan having an affair? I almost wish he was.
Then at least I'd know he was actually alive.
Are you? Yeah.
That's really my style.
I wouldn't judge you.
I see what's happened.
I need to talk to him.
She stormed out of the house and headed over to his office.
I called her that night and left a message.
But she never called me back.
Sister says they were miserable, the hairdresser says they were happy.
Sister, hairdresser.
Almost equal levels of intimacy.
There's a lot more than pain here.
There's a lot of secrets in this marriage.
Aren't there secrets in every marriage? - Hey, Samantha.
- Yeah? Did Duncan Muller tell us why he took his wife to a fancy dinner - the night before she was kidnapped? - No, he never mentioned it.
Why? I've been going over his personal credit card records.
In the last six months, this guy never dropped more than $84 on a meal.
That night, he drops $250 at the Augusta Grill.
- That's a lot of cheeseburgers.
- Yep.
Especially for someone who's going bankrupt.
Thanks.
Did they come here often? Maybe once before.
Alex can check the book for you.
- Was there anything out of the ordinary? - They brought their own wine.
It was a pretty old Cabernet, I think.
Is that what you mean? How did they seem to be getting along? Great, I guess.
They talked all night.
He held her hand.
She got up to go to the ladies'room and I remember he stood up and he gave her a kiss.
Did you overhear any of their conversation? Not really.
The loudest thing to me was the 30% tip.
Sorry, excuse me a minute.
That dinner? Emotional alibi.
He was trying to establish the state of their happy marriage.
The big tip guaranteed that the waiter would remember to give it to us.
How long have you and Duncan worked together? We put together our first real estate project 15 years ago.
A strip mall in Hastings.
Nine retail units and the best damn falafel north of Times Square.
- How about Emily? - I introduced them.
Well, sort of.
Emily and I were set up on a blind date.
That was nine years ago.
I was pretty smitten.
But we ended up running into Duncan.
Of course, the rest is history.
- When's the last time that you saw Emily? - She was in here the other day.
The day before what happened at the mall.
She was looking for Duncan.
I kind of got stuck running interference.
I don't want to be in the middle of this.
You should really talk to Duncan.
He's not here, so I'm asking you, Peter.
I'm not comfortable being put in the middle.
I just don't understand.
When did this start happening? It's been happening, Emily.
After the rezoning, they hung us up over the El statements - and then it was one thing-- - How bad is it? Bad.
Remember the Wescott Hotel? Duncan and I had dated about six months he brought me up here to see the big faux model.
He asked me what colors I would pick for the interior.
I thought he was showing off, wanted me to know what a big shot he was.
But when I went to the opening of the hotel, there they were.
All the colors I had suggested.
I always hated those colors.
She waited here for Duncan, and they had it out.
You heard the conversation? No.
But anyone could tell by their body language.
Have you had threatening letters, phone calls anything from angry investors? Threatening, no.
Angry.
We'd like a list of those names.
I'll have my secretary look into the phone logs.
You have kidnap insurance, right? Of course.
It's included in the basic package for all investment companies.
How extensive is it? Just the basic coverage for reimbursement of ransom payments.
You can't think after all they've been through that Duncan could possibly do something like that? I doubt he even knew we had the coverage.
I knew.
- He's in love with her.
- Probably.
- Think Duncan knows? - Probably.
May be a safe place for her to land.
He's familiar, he's got as much to lose as she does.
I don't know.
She lost a child.
If she was looking for an escape she'd probably pick somebody that was completely separate from her real life.
- Is that from your Infidelity Handbook? - Chapter 3.
I hate to contradict the book, but if you're wrong it leaves Duncan plenty of motive.
Agent Malone, I would like it to be noted that my client is cooperating fully in this investigation.
Apart from hiding every crucial piece of information your client has been very cooperative.
We'll be sure to make a note of that.
Now, Mr.
Muller I would really like to believe that you have nothing to do with this.
I really would.
But you have to look at this from our perspective.
You have a failing business, and you have a kidnap policy.
- Wait a minute-- - You and your wife were having problems.
Yet, the night before her abduction, you had a romantic dinner with her.
And before she's taken, you turn and go back into the mall.
- Okay, that's it.
- You hide the ransom note - we have no idea what's in that package.
- It's over.
If you're saying my client is a suspect.
I'm saying that your client has been less than candid and has every reason to stage a kidnapping to save his company! No, there is no way to save my company! The money I sent them, that's all that I had left.
It was a loan against my retirement accounts.
I was going to put it into Spring Hollow.
Now, I don't care.
I just want to get her back.
If you want to get her back, tell us everything that you know.
They told me I wasn't supposed to say anything.
- They said they'd kill her.
- They might kill her.
But you can stop it if you tell me the truth now.
You want the truth? Everything that me and Emily were about is buried in a three-foot grave.
That's why every time I would look at her all I could see was our pain.
Until that day.
She came to my office, she faced me down, and we had it out.
And that night, at that dinner it started to feel that for the first time we might have a second chance.
Now she's gone again.
She's not gone, Mr.
Muller.
And we want to bring her home.
But we need your help.
Jeff got the ransom call.
I think that Emily must've given them the numbers.
They asked for a $100,000.
This is where they told us to mail it.
Thank you.
When would the package have been delivered? It was mailed at Harbor City yesterday.
It would've been delivered here this morning.
- In the box by noon.
- It's 12:40.
- Great, it's empty.
- That box belongs to Ethel Robbins.
- I'm Samantha Spade.
FBI.
- You here about the box I got? And so fast.
I only called a few minutes ago.
- You called? - Sure I did.
As soon as I got home and saw that it didn't have my name on it.
No name, just an address.
Who sends a package like that? I thought Turley Jenkins, she always forgets things, but she's on a cruise.
That's why I figured it must be one of those Unabombs.
- Mrs.
Robbins, we-- - Why they picked me I have no idea.
We don't think anyone sent you a bomb.
You think that's such a good idea? Maybe I should wait in the yard or something? That's it.
We got no connection between the old lady and the Mullers.
Why would somebody take the money out and send the old lady an empty box? Maybe Duncan never put the money in.
Maybe his lawyer took it out without Duncan knowing.
Or the kidnappers somehow got to it after the old lady picked it up.
Or maybe they sent the empty package because they knew we'd be sitting around with 18 different theories.
That's the point.
If the package never arrived, then we'd be left with one theory: that somebody nabbed it en route.
- Post office.
- Or between post offices.
That narrows it down to about 1,000 disgruntled postal workers.
If I'm right.
Forensics says the package was covered in partials.
No clean hits.
I got the E-ZPass info on Emily's car.
In the last six months, she's traveled up the thruway at least once each week and gotten off at Exit 9.
- Tarrytown.
- What's in Tarrytown? Who's in Tarrytown? There's nothing in her PalmPilot or credit card statements to explain the trips.
- She's having an affair.
- Has to be.
I'll see if the business partner crosses with Tarrytown.
Westchester Sheriff found our homeless woman.
She's back at the mall.
It's 27 hours.
I'll do a Jane Doe tap at the morgue.
That's a good idea.
If our guy's got his money, he'll have no more need for Emily.
But if he doesn't, he's panicking, and hopefully he'll make a mistake.
- What was that about? - Nothing, just a little something at home.
- Let's go to the post office.
- Sure.
Want a bite? It's got jimmies.
No, I'm lactose intolerant, but thanks.
So you were saying.
I was pushing my cart, minding my own business and then all of a sudden, it was just crazy.
Let her go! So he bumped into you? Are you sure? Yeah.
He gave us a pretty good dent.
But what are you going to say? He was trying to save that lady, right? I guess.
Here you go.
All my people, all the shifts.
- If you told me more what this is about-- - Thank you.
This will be very helpful.
Martin, why am I here? I have a hunch and need your help proving it.
You thought you'd call me because if it didn't pan out, I'd go easy on you? Exactly.
Okay, that cone over there was where Emily's car was.
And right here is where Brad Dunsmore, our Good Samaritan, was standing.
He told me he heard the scream, turned, and ran straight at the assailant.
All the other witnesses said Brad grabbed the guy before he ever got in the car.
Yeah, and got a bloody nose for the effort.
So he hears the scream and off he goes.
By all accounts Emily struggled with her assailant for no longer than 10 seconds, at some point during which she screamed.
That means, best case, Brad had 10 seconds to get to her.
So, time me.
I'll start over here where Brad was.
You're not going to ask me to scream, are you? Scream.
- Eight seconds, it's doable.
- Yeah, that's what I thought.
So what are you saying, Brad had a limp? No, it's better.
Our homeless lady had a very clear recollection of what happened yesterday.
According to Wilma, Brad tripped over her cart, stumbled then got up and ran toward Emily's car.
- So you're saying he didn't get to the car? - We know he did.
Here's what I am saying.
Will you time me again? Go.
Twelve seconds.
Brad never mentioned Wilma to me.
And if he did bump into her cart like she told me he couldn't have made it to her car in time.
She would've been out of the parking lot, unless-- Unless he started running before Emily screamed.
Which means he knew what was happening.
He was part of it.
Right.
- You do a background check on this guy? - It's on its way.
Good.
I get the feeling you think it was one of my people who took that package.
Just trying to be thorough, ma'am.
- Yeah? - Jack, it's Martin.
I just got this: Brad Dunsmore, our Good Samaritan, he works at the Greendale Post Office.
Okay, thanks.
Excuse me, ma'am.
Did Brad Dunsmore have access to that package? - Yes, but-- - Where is he now? He was in the back.
Said he wasn't feeling good.
- Took off to go home.
- He's our guy.
Let's go.
Make sure the patrol cars stay out of the way.
I don't want my suspect getting spooked.
Two unmarked Bureau cars will be there to pick up the surveillance in six minutes.
I still don't know why he tried to stop it.
There was that eyewitness who thought Emily knew her assailant.
What are you thinking? It wasn't the assailant Emily recognized, it was Brad.
- Then how do they know each other? - I'm working on it.
Copy that.
Yeah.
No, thanks.
Looks like our little Good Samaritan is on the run.
Go get him.
We believe there were two people involved.
One of them may have got cold feet.
- My God.
- Do you recognize him? This is the guy from the parking lot, right? I don't understand.
I thought he tried to save her.
All right, thanks.
Jack? Suspect's on the move.
Staties picked him up, heading north toward Tarrytown.
- Emily and the Good Samaritan.
- You want to tell him? No, we have plenty of time for that later.
- What's the situation? - He went in 25 minutes ago.
Audio picked up activity at first, but it's dead now.
- Is he in there alone? - Unclear.
- Everybody in position? - Back door and window all covered.
Let's go! FBI, down on the ground! Get down, now! All clear.
- Okay, where is she? - I don't know.
She's not here.
She's supposed to be here.
His name is Stan Watkins.
We went to high school together.
We planned to meet here after my shift today, split the money.
Why Emily? Stan was always coming up with these ideas.
Get-rich-quick stuff.
One day, he figured out this way for sending ransom through the mail.
We thought it was brilliant.
I'd just pick it up somewhere along the route.
I'd seen Emily at the post office.
We picked her because she was rich.
Was the plan always for you two to get involved? No.
I was only supposed to follow her, track her habits.
That kind of thing.
Then one day, we sort of bumped into each other.
We started talking.
A couple days later, I decided to bump into her again.
I asked if she wanted to have some coffee.
Truth is That's good.
I never met anyone like her.
She was beautiful and smart.
She made me feel needed.
I don't know what I was thinking.
The sweep on his phone came in.
Night before the abduction he got a call from a pay phone at the Augusta Grill.
She called you that night.
She ended the relationship, correct? Brad, I'm sorry, I can't talk about it right now.
Okay, that's fine.
How about Thursday? I can't.
Is there something going on? - Emily, are you okay? -I'm sorry.
- I can't do this anymore.
- Wait a minute-- I can't see you anymore.
I'm sorry.
I don't get it.
Where did all this come from? - I have to go.
- Wait.
I'd been putting Stan off for months.
I kept telling him the timing wasn't right.
- When she called, I guess I sort of lost it.
- You triggered the kidnapping.
I followed her to the mall to make sure everything went okay.
When I saw her, I couldn't go through with it.
Have you had contact with Watkins since the parking lot? Yeah, he called a couple of hours later.
He was pretty pissed off.
Told me if I didn't go through with things, he would hurt her.
Honor among thieves, right? Is there another cabin or remote place he might take her? I don't know.
- It's him.
It's Stan.
- Answer it.
Tell him you've got the money.
- I won't talk to him.
- Say you'll do anything to get her back.
- I won't talk to him! - Answer it! Yeah? Yeah, I've got it.
Just tell me what you want.
Hartsdale Train Station, 5:00 a.
m.
Good.
Don't hurt Emily, all right? Okay.
We've got 11 hours.
First break we've had all day.
Let's go, brother.
Come on.
We want Brad to make the exchange and he's agreed to do it.
- He kidnapped my wife.
- They're friends.
If we put one of our agents out there, Watkins could panic and hurt Emily.
How do you know that he won't double-cross you? That's not going to happen.
We need Brad to lure Watkins into the open so that we can apprehend him.
No, it's my money.
I'm not going to do it like that.
Duncan, please.
This man could kill Emily.
I want to meet him.
- I don't think that's a good idea.
- How can I decide what to do if the only thing that I know about him is he was screwing my wife? My name is Duncan Muller.
Emily's my wife.
I want to help you get her back.
Why should I believe that? You got her into this.
I'm sorry.
Did she say why? Why? Why she's with you? She didn't talk about that.
Wait, was it because of Celia? Did she say that? - Was it? Was that why? - I don't know! I don't even know who Celia is.
She's our daughter! I didn't even know you had a daughter.
Just tell me something.
Why do you want to do this? I don't really think you want me to answer that question.
I'll get her back.
Let him do it.
- Anything? - Nothing from one.
Nothing from two.
Watch three reporting, zip.
We got him.
Walked onto the platform.
Visual contact.
Moving along platform.
Blue jeans, brown jacket.
Can't see if he's carrying.
Martin, Danny, take an angle on him.
Don't intercept.
Vivian, cut off the back door.
Sam, now.
FBI, get down! Get on the ground! - Come on.
- Get on the ground! - Get down! FBI! - Stay down! Hostage secured.
Suspect disarmed.
I'm sorry, Duncan.
No, Emily.
Please, not now.
I was so lonely.
I missed her so much.
I missed you.
We'll talk about this at home, okay? - We need to take your statement.
- Okay.
So, what do you think their odds are? Are you all right? Maria and I separated.
When? Three months ago.
Three months? Yeah.
I don't know what to say.
We're trying to work it out.
We're in kind of a limbo.
- I'm going to go home.
- Okay.
- Good night.
- Good night.