Cruel Summer (2021) s01e04 Episode Script

1
Previously on "Cruel Summer"
I'm sitting here with Kate Wallis,
who was abducted and,
thankfully, rescued.
Jeanette Turner, I hope you rot in Hell.
The last thing in the world
that this shithole town needed
was another Kate Wallis.
- Thanks.
- When you make false allegations
about sins like adultery,
that is very unflattering.
We have to be careful.
She's starting to nose around.
JAMIE: Kate's back now.
I can't abandon her. I won't.
If she wasn't there,
then how would I have this?
REPORTER: A strange twist
in the shocking story
of Jeanette Turner,
Texas woman accused of failing
to report Kate Wallis missing,
is that these two will now
face off in a legal battle.
The defendant is Kate Wallis.
What other sloppy seconds
of mine do you want, hmm?
- (tires squeal)
- You are actual trash, Jeanette Turner!
(modem beeping, buzzing)
(suspenseful music playing)
ASHLEY: OCD as usual.
From the looks of your barrel,
you could learn a thing or two.
Keep your eyes out of my barrel.
(laughs) Look, we respect the gun.
- Safety first
- BOTH: Cleanliness second.
Okay, smart ass. (chuckles)
- Katie Kat.
- Hi.
Clean as a whistle, huh?
Well yeah, 'cause you're OCD.
(laughs) Do my girls
think alike or what?
Yeah, I guess we do.
I am going to go grab my bags.
(door opens, closes)
She always takes a minute to warm up
when she comes back from her mom's.
You know that.
(suspenseful music playing)
No, no! No, no, no, no, no!
(door closes)
I don't want any more trail mix!
I wanna go home.
They redecorated the dining room.
Yeah.
Couple months ago.
They were looking at wallpaper samples
while I was locked in a basement.
I'm sorry, I
I don't know.
I'm actually here to see you.
LAWYER: What tasteful wallpaper.
I'm paying you for your legal expertise,
not your uninformed
opinions about home decor.
(lawyer clears throat)
I need to impress upon you all
what is at stake here:
Kate's reputation,
meaning the Wallis reputation,
nationwide
and a very large sum of money.
I don't want to hear about
what we could lose.
I want to hear that the best
lawyers money can buy
will ensure that we win.
How do I prepare, exactly?
Baby, that's what the lawyers are for.
Then why don't you let them speak?
Jeanette's been preparing and building
her case in secret for months.
Yes, like a venomous snake.
She was smart to do that.
Sociopathic and no conscience
or soul, but smart.
Lucky for us, I'm smarter.
And I don't go hunting
without arming up first.
So I am asking, how do I prepare?
Uh, Jeanette's alleging that
you knowingly spread false information
which caused her to suffer damages.
Her lawyers will try to paint Kate
as an unreliable narrator.
I don't lie.
You can ask anyone.
That's good, because they
will ask just about anyone.
But they're also going to ask you.
It's not just your
integrity in question,
it's your memory.
They're gonna try to poke holes
in all the details of your story.
Your legal victory lies
within the consistency of those details.
Now
we'll go over those details together.
And that is how we prepare.
(discordant soundtrack playing)
(country rock playing on radio)
You're gonna be late for therapy.
Hey, I never asked you
what did you and the guys end up
doing after the garden club party?
That That was like two weeks ago.
I just kicked it with Ben.
Gotcha.
Why'd you ask?
Like you said, I'm gonna be late.
My parents made me do this,
so I don't really know
what to talk about.
You're not supposed
to talk about anything.
This is a it's a safe space.
It's kind of hard to believe
in safe spaces anymore.
When was the last time you were
somewhere that you truly felt safe?
I mean, I used to think
that the world was safe.
I don't know, I liked my bedroom a lot.
SYLVIA: This was before your trauma?
KATE: It's meticulously decorated.
Each piece carefully curated.
God, I loved it so much.
But now it just feels like
a different kind of cage.
I belonged to it once.
Now I don't anymore.
of self-control ♪
Are you locked up in a world ♪
That's been planned out for you? ♪
And are you feeling like ♪
A social tool without a use? ♪
Scream at me ♪
Until my ears bleed ♪
KATE: It's like the world
kept on spinning without me,
and now that I'm back,
everything looks spoiled.
Can you help me fix that?
Well
there's not a magic pill
that fixes things.
We can do the work.
Wade through your memory,
your trauma, together,
and we can process it.
So that's a no, then.
Pretend I'm Jeanette's lawyer.
Tell me about the day in question.
Um, I was being held against my will
Precisely how long had you been
in captivity at that point?
Precisely? I
I'm not sure.
Well, if you're not sure about that,
then what else aren't you sure of?
Nothing. I was in captivity for months
when I heard someone break in, but
the intruder
left before I could see them
and I went to the windows to
The windows weren't covered?
I-I I peered through the cages
that he placed on the windows
and I saw Jeanette fleeing the scene.
And you're sure it was Jeanette?
Yes.
I saw her, she saw me.
We held eye contact.
I'm sure of it.
Jeanette's lawyer is good.
She's no me, but she's good.
She will
dig deeper.
Dig deeper how?
Your entire time
in captivity is fair game.
They'll try and remind the jury
that you were traumatized
in a way that could affect your memory.
Here's an easy one.
Why don't you tell me
about the day you were rescued?
I was rescued.
What else is there to say?
(Mallory giggles)
(Kate giggles)
I mean, it's hilariously unbelievable,
this lawsuit.
(Mallory coughing)
It's bullshit is what it is. (coughs)
You should not have to defend yourself
against that malicious
little weenie weasel.
Oh, man (laughing)
a weenie weasel?
Hey, man, it's not funny.
No, no, no, you're right. You're right.
It's not. It's terrible.
But your mom's stash
makes it really funny!
(both laughing)
(inhales deeply)
I know what to do.
What?
We should go get Dunkaroos.
(giggling)
(car door slams)
Why don't we do this more often?
Well, for starters,
we didn't even "do" this,
until Joy asked for the Hartwood
membership as a wedding gift.
Ten years ago, can you believe that?
(scoffs) That woman was born
frothing at the mouth
for a chance to kill Bambi.
Hey, now.
Where is Mama, anyway?
Uh, she's chatting with Scott.
Something about the roses.
Hey.
Um, do you think maybe
we could talk later,
you know, without the
parents, about something?
Your mother is not my parent.
Dad, did you remember the earplugs?
ROD: Got 'em.
Well, hot damn.
If I didn't know any better,
I'd say y'all look like you're
going on a huntin' trip.
Let's shoot somethin'.
Dude, your house has the dopest snacks.
JOY: Hey!
Uh-oh. It's the Calorie Police.
(snorts)
This was taped to the front door.
Okay.
What the hell is this?
It's pretty self-explanatory.
Now that news is out about the
lawsuit, the tides are changing.
Who would possibly send that?
Exactly. Who?
Hi.
Hey, Babe! Hi.
So, you think your mom'll
let me sleep in your cabin?
I wish. She doesn't even let us
shut my bedroom door.
A man can dream, right?
(laughs) Let's talk later.
I'm gonna get my bag, okay?
Okay.
D.T., phooone hoooome.
When will you give that a rest?
When it stops pissing you off.
Derek Turner! What a surprise.
You say that every year.
It is no longer a surprise.
Race you boys to the back cabin.
Yeah, loser builds the campfire!
Well, go on.
Nobody likes a loser.
Nobody likes a snob, either.
Oh!
Oh. I hope y'all don't mind,
I added another shooter this year.
Hoo-hoo, I certainly do not mind.
Kate!
Welcome to Hartwood,
our home away from home.
This place is really something.
Even the air smells fresher.
Kate, I invited Mr. Harris
to say thank you
for escorting you home safely after
the garden party the other night.
Hoping we can keep that
between us and the clay pigeons?
- Of course. It was no trouble.
- Okay.
Okay, skeet shooting in 40 minutes.
Hustle your butts!
- Go!
- (guys laughing, joking)
Yo!
I was just in seeing Sylvia
as a formality,
in case you were wondering.
I-I I'm also here
to see Sylvia, so
your secret's safe with me.
Thanks.
Not that therapy should be a secret.
I used to think it was, but, um
Sylvia's cool.
She helps.
Can I ask you what you see her for?
Or is that, like, against the rules?
Oh, I'm in for being
the child of divorce,
which is very scandalous,
depending on who you ask.
That's it?
Divorced parents?
No.
Uh, but the other stuff is pretty heavy.
Not heavy like what
happened to you heavy.
More run-of-the-mill verbal abuse heavy?
Uh
Not that it's a trauma competition.
Uh okay, um
I'm Mallory.
Yeah, I know who you are.
You came to my third-grade
birthday party.
The one with the pony.
I'm Kate.
The only girl in town with a pony.
Are you even supposed
to be talking to me?
Aren't you and Jeanette
like best friends?
Oh, uh, we're not friends
anymore at all, actually.
Can I tell you something?
Free country?
I saw Jeanette kissing
Jamie the other day.
- What?
- Thank you.
Are you gonna call her out?
Why call her out when I can just
let the police deal with her?
Are the police dealing with her?
Well
let's just say there's
some irrefutable evidence
that's gonna bite her any minute now.
Can I confess something?
Sure.
I used to really dislike you
like a lot.
I don't hear that very often.
Yeah, I'm starting to get why.
This town is literally
the Kate Wallis Fan Club.
With the exception of one person,
this psycho bitch from hell.
Jeanette.
Yes, I picked up on that
very subtle nickname.
Well, that's comforting.
We already know she hates me.
What if it wasn't her?
Who else would it be?
- Baby doll.
- Yeah, sugar pie?
(crunching)
I know you don't want it to be true,
but there may be a cockroach
or two who believe Jeanette,
and if one of those
roaches gets deposed,
if they undermine your integrity
and it loses us this case,
we may as well kiss this house goodbye.
Hmm, okay, yeah.
So it is about the house.
And you can kiss your college
fund goodbye with it.
And then you'd be stuck in a
town that's turned on you
without two pennies to rub
together for a bus ticket.
You really think that?
The lawyers think so, too.
Come to Hartwood tomorrow.
I see, so that's your end game.
You wanna keep the whole
hunting team on our side.
Yes! To have the people
pledge their allegiance.
With what, blood oaths?
If necessary.
You know Babs Stevenson has a big mouth.
Let's fill it with the correct narrative
and have her sprinkle that around town.
- Mal
- Huh?
- You have to come with me.
- No, over my dead body.
Mm-hmm?
Yeah?
Yeah!
- (gun fires)
- I just want to say for the record
that I'm a pacifist.
You mentioned.
Me too. No shooting for me.
Since when?
Since now.
- ROD: Pull!
- (fires)
Well, you don't hunt, you don't eat,
and Rod makes a venison
dish that is to die for.
God, yes.
- I'm a vegetarian.
- Me, too.
Since when?
HANK: Pull!
- (fires)
- (Joy laughs)
Well, it's a disgrace
they disallowed women
from skeet shootin' in
the Olympics last year.
I'd have been a shoo-in.
Pull!
You get used to it.
What's that?
The startle, you get used to it.
Pull!
- (gunshot)
- (target clatters)
You know, our lawyers told us
just the most unsettling thing.
Pull!
- (gunshot)
- They're gonna depose folks.
I heard they deposed Vince Fuller.
Pull!
(fires)
Well, no one's safe.
We felt obligated to
warn you, as our allies.
Would we be under oath?
Well, that should be okay, right?
There's nothin' juicy to spill.
You've always known
our Kate to be honest.
So just say so.
Pull!
(gunshot)
Wow, you're a really good shot.
Pull!
(fires)
(peaceful music playing)
(ominous soundtrack plays)
Hey, there you are.
Derek spilled soda on my shoes.
Dude's a riot, but also a klutz.
I think he likes you.
Ash, I really do need to talk to you.
Okay.
It's family stuff so I can't
really talk about it with Jamie
or my friends, you know?
For the record,
the Wallis family "cone of
silence" is your mom's doing.
Yeah, I know, I tried to talk to her.
It just turned into this massive fight.
Wow. The perfect mother-daughter
duo had an actual fight.
(sighs) God, it was
it was awful.
Kind of overheard something that
made me think that Dad was
I thought that he was having an affair.
He would never.
Of course not.
The fact that you would
even say that out loud,
to anyone, is just
No, and I know that now, and I'm sorry.
A rumor like that could
tarnish his integrity,
his entire legacy, everything
he worked so hard for.
I didn't really think about that.
Of course not.
Dad and I don't have
the bullshit privilege
that comes with looking
like you and your mother.
- I know.
- ASHLEY: No
you don't.
You couldn't.
And if anyone is stepping out
in that house, it's Joy.
Shh! If she hears you,
she'll kill us both.
I don't care. That woman should come
with a "gold digger" warning
sign for unsuspecting bachelors.
She's not a gold digger! She loves Dad.
They love each other.
Yeah.
This "sister" thing you're after?
I'm not into it.
Stop trying.
A distortion in reality,
like a nightmare, yeah,
that can be very startling.
I mean, I don't usually confuse things.
It's common
especially after a traumatic experience,
we try to protect ourselves
from ugly truths.
We can misremember things,
we can replace a memory
with a version that makes
us feel more comfortable,
more secure.
I wish that I could shake
off what happened to me,
but unfortunately I remember
every second of it.
Do you want to talk about it?
(shower running)
KATE: In the beginning,
we were both learning.
SYLVIA: Learning?
KATE: Our roles.
It's not like the basement
came with a welcome guide.
I was completely in the dark
(shower continuing)
left to wonder
what he was planning
what his intentions were,
how twisted his mind was.
That was almost the worst part.
No!
(Kate sobbing, gasping)
Please talk to me.
Please.
Why are you doing this?
What do you want from me?
I want you to eat.
KATE: Eventually it was
clear what our roles were.
(Kate gasps)
I realized I was a lion in a
cage and he was the lion tamer.
He stood between me and my freedom.
And he realized that I'd claw him
to death if I had the chance.
(panting)
After I took a chance
at freedom, things got worse.
Much worse.
JOY: We'll be right there.
(landline hangs up)
You will never guess what.
You're right, I won't.
The police just called about the case.
And?
They want us to come down
to the station right away.
You and me, us?
Not now with that.
The police have news. Let's go.
I bet they found Jeanette's
fingerprints on the necklace.
The truth shall set you free
and throw that little bitch in jail.
Just gotta grab my lipstick.
(crickets chirruping)
Let me guess, sneaking out?
Your secret's safe with me.
Was it you?
Were you just waiting out here
for me like a serial killer?
- Was it?
- Was what me, Michael Myers?
The letter.
In what world would I
send my best friend
a letter accusing her of lying?
In a world where the more she
relies on you, the happier you are.
My meat-loving, gun-slinging little girl
is suddenly eating granola
and burning incense.
Wow. You really are just somehow
worse than you even seem.
Oh, I'm as bad as I need to be
when it comes to protecting my family.
And Kate may trust you, but I don't.
And if I ever find out that
it was you who sent that
you will be held responsible.
Well, good thing I didn't
send it then, right?
Message received,
so, I'm gonna go, okay?
You know, you're not
a very nice young lady.
And you're not a very nice old one.
What do you think
they'll charge her with?
Failure to report?
From where I'm sitting, she's
an accomplice to kidnapping.
Well, let's see how she likes
being the one held behind bars.
ANDERSON: Thank you for coming in,
Mrs. Wallis, Kate.
Of course. Our family
is eager for justice
so we are willing to do
whatever it takes to
We don't have a case against
Jeanette Turner.
What? Y'all aren't charging
that mousy little wannabe with anything?
What kind of rinky-dink
operation are you running here?
This police department is
an embarrassment to Skylin.
Is the chief of police aware of this?
Because I will call him myself.
What about the necklace?
Fingerprint analysis was inconclusive.
And Jeanette denied it's hers.
Then fire up a lie detector test
Mrs. Wallis, we can't go after a
teenage girl without hard evidence.
Even if we did, the worst we could
slap her with is community service.
So she just gets away with it?!
She'll be begging for community service
when the court of public opinion
is done with her,
I'll make sure of it.
How come I'm the only one?
The only one of what, baby?
The only one that suffers
consequences around here.
For anything.
- What the hell are you doing?
- Nothing.
Just, um
uh, nothing.
Doing "nothing." That's like
a strong suit for you?
- Come on.
- No.
No, remember last year's hunting trip?
I was a crappy sister.
Okay, so now we're sisters?
Yes. I'm trying to be.
Well, I tried for years.
And then you twisted my words
and you left me alone
to fend for myself.
I am so sorry I left you alone.
Well, I wasn't alone for long.
What?
KATE: The Big Dipper, but
- come on, that's a gimme.
- (Martin chuckles)
- The Little Dipper
- Mm-hmm.
KATE: Oh, Ursa Major.
Impressive.
(sighs)
Do you know what an antipode is?
Sounds like something I learned
about in college, but remind me?
It's the opposite point on the globe
from any given point.
So, the antipode of Skylin
would be an island in the Indian Ocean
called Port-aux-Français.
Hmm.
I wonder what the
constellations look like there.
MARTIN: Southern hemisphere?
It'll all be different.
(owl hooting)
Different sounds like a dream.
Are you cold? Here.
Okay, I've got one for you.
Cassiopeia. She's a W, five points.
See it?
- KATE: It's awesome.
- (Martin chuckles)
In Greek mythology, Cassiopeia,
she bragged about her beauty,
ticked off Poseidon,
sacrificed her daughter.
A lotta family drama back then.
(chuckles) Back then.
Right. 'Cause everything
is real peachy now.
You know, family can be difficult.
Or they can super suck, too.
You wanna talk about it?
Family business isn't really supposed
to be discussed outside the family,
but no one inside the family
really wants to talk about it,
so
There's just this thing eating at me.
I know that feeling.
You do?
Yeah, uh
Something really tragic
happened to my family
when I was about your age.
And, uh you know,
some big family secret.
So I stuffed it down and I
never ever talked about it.
- Well, that is very mature.
- (Martin chuckles)
Incredibly.
Can I ask what it was?
The tragic thing?
Or is it family business?
My dad
he committed suicide.
- Oh my God.
- I just don't
I don't normally talk about it.
But, um
that's why I'm so jumpy around guns.
Yeah.
Yeah, no, I'd be, too.
He and I had this fight.
It wasn't anything huge, but
that was the last
conversation he and I had.
So I guess my advice would be
with family stuff
choose your battles.
I think I can finally fall asleep.
Sleep tight.
Don't let the bed bugs bite.
I had no idea.
How would you?
You're a ghost in this house.
Our parents have been basically
married for a decade
and we're pretty much strangers.
I want to change that.
Talking might help. I can listen.
I have a therapist for that.
A therapist is not a sister.
Well, neither are you.
(Kate keying rapidly)
(ominous soundtrack echoing)
MARTIN (voice echoing):
This part will be over soon.
(country music playing)
I just love the smell
of meat in the morning.
You and me both, friend.
- You got it there. Right, hon?
- Mwah!
HANK: Thank you, baby.
- Good morning, gorgeous.
- Good morning.
- Sorry.
- HANK: Hey. Grab a plate, Harris.
ROD: Hey!
Hey, where'd you
disappear to last night?
Oh, I just crashed way early.
Couldn't have been too early.
Your sister was
blasting music loud enough
to shake the cabin walls.
Yeah, and I tapped on your
window, and your bed was empty.
Right, I went for a walk first.
I thought you were scared
of the woods in the dark.
Oh, well, I guess not anymore.
HANK: Hey, y'all want some eggs?
It's some good living around here
KATE: Okay, do you think
Babs Stevenson has been,
like, staring at me?
I think that dumb letter
is getting to you.
It's for sure getting to your mom.
Wh-What do you mean?
Um
I wasn't gonna tell you, but
you're like my favorite
person, maybe ever
Aww! You're mine.
Good, good.
Um
I just don't want to keep any secrets.
God, no. No more secrets.
Um
Your mom accused me
of sending that letter,
which I would never
Are you kidding me?
(campers laughing,
chatting indistinctly)
KATE: This has to stop.
Come on, girls, hunker down.
Enjoy this nice warm fire. Have a seat.
All right, Tucker, you always have
the best ghost stories, hit us.
Actually, I may have one that'll
send shivers down your spine.
- All right.
- BABS: Hey, girl.
(Kate laughs softly)
It's about a girl
called Anabelle.
Found herself in the woods
one dark night.
All alone and vulnerable.
See, they were on a hunting trip.
Pretending they could
love their pets at home
while they shoot animals on vacation.
Oh, snap.
Pretending that their
marriages are perfect.
Hypocrites, basically.
Okay, I think this story's
a little too scary.
- Oh, it's terrifying.
- ROD: Maybe we shouldn't.
Secrets.
Wild accusations.
A desperate thirst for gossip.
But back to little Annabelle
all alone.
'Till she wasn't.
- Who's Annabelle?
- (Babs raps chair)
Okay.
A man joined her.
A man the grownups trusted.
Now, of course, Annabelle
trusted him, too, because
I mean, why wouldn't she, right?
She was just a child.
And that trust
led to something unspeakable
Then I think that puts blood
all over the grownups' hands,
don't you think, too?
That they were all responsible
for what happened to her?
Now, they'd better have
all their stories straight,
because Annabelle sure has hers.
Secrets are scary because
everybody has them.
Well, sleep tight.
Don't let the bed bugs bite.
(Derek sniffles)
- D.T.!
- (Derek chuckles)
'Sup, Ash?
Oh, or should I say "Claire
from physics class"?
I needed an alias.
A Wallis cannot be calling
a Turner right now.
Tell me about it.
How's Kate?
Hates me.
Hates Jeanette.
Yeah.
Sorry.
Well, the police cleared Jeanette,
so hopefully that puts an end to it.
You believe your sister?
I just know Jeanette wouldn't lie
about something so serious.
(sighs) I
I wish I knew Kate like that,
but I don't.
And
she's shutting me out.
You know, when Jeanette was little
(distant train horn blowing)
she went through this stage
where she was like scared of me
for some reason.
(Ashley laughs)
So for about a month, I talked to her
using this dolphin puppet we had?
You know, like popping it
around corners,
doing this funny voice.
(falsetto) "What's up, Jeanette?
Give me some fin."
(laughs)
Yeah, she talked
to that thing for hours.
Maybe get a puppet?
Yeah, okay, that was dumb.
Have you ever heard of Berenice IV?
No.
ASHLEY: She was heir
to the last pharaonic family
in ancient Egypt.
(computer chimes)
- DEREK: Like Cleopatra?
- ASHLEY: Hmm-mm.
ASHLEY: She was actually
Cleopatra's cunning older sister.
- But history forgot her.
- (Kate keying)
- She's become invisible.
- (computer alert chirps)
(Kate keying)
(alerts chirping)
She was a risk taker.
She was subversive.
But she paid a price.
DEREK: How so?
She was beheaded.
Nicky's in the corner ♪
With a black coat on ♪
Runnin' from a bad home ♪
And where did you find her? ♪
Among the neon lights ♪
That haunt the streets outside ♪
She says ♪
Stay with me ♪
Beautiful girl ♪
Stay with me ♪
Beautiful girl ♪
Stay with me ♪
She wanna go home ♪
(music stops, echoes)
MALLORY: You've never listened
to your therapy session tapes?
I mean, would you want to revisit
your own recap of the worst
months of your life?
Are you sure you're ready now?
Don't let that stupid letter push you.
It's not just about the letter.
People are gonna start doubting me.
Apparently they already have.
And I told my lawyers that
I had my story straight.
I don't know, I think I need to
revisit to feel totally
confident, you know?
Sylvia says listening to your
own tapes can be really scary.
Then I guess I just need to be brave.
My own memory of my time down there
is the only reference I got.
The other person didn't
make it out alive.
KATE: My parents made me do
this so I'm not really sure
SYLVIA: Wade through your memory,
your trauma, together,
and we can proc
(switch clicks, tape forwarding)
KATE: Things got worse. Much worse.
He came downstairs
right before I was rescued and
something was different.
Something was wrong.
And that was when I met Annabelle.
SYLVIA: Who is Annabelle?
(somber rock ballad playing)
(voice muted)
KATE: I don't
I can't I can't remember.
(rock ballad swells)
(gasps)
- (song ends)
- (switch clicks)
(somber music playing)