Grotesquerie (2024) s01e05 Episode Script

1
♪
[WIND WHISTLING]
♪
[CROW CAWS]
[PREACHER ON RADIO]
he's coming with fire,
the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the elements are gonna melt.
[MAN] Tonight on Channel Four,
a true-crime event series.
[MAN 2] The sand is literally on fire
is what I'm trying to say.
- [CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY]
- [SIREN WAILING]
Hey, kid, what happened to you?
- I got hit.
- [DISTANT HORN HONKS]
It was an accident.
Was it?
We can help you.
I know a place up
ahead, a motel. Please?
- I need to clean up.
- [MAN 2] Crime is up,
murders are up, war is up.
What's your name?
It's Andrea.
Get out of the way.
[PREACHER ON RADIO] Yeah,
but God's not too happy
- [TIRES SQUEALING]
- [HORN HONKING]
["UNFRIENDLY WOMAN" BY
JOHN LEE HOOKER PLAYING]
Say unfriendly woman ♪
This place looks like it was built
for some good,
old-fashioned fornicating.
Don't it?
♪
[SIREN WAILING]
[ANDREA] That's Nick's
car, parked over there.
- I know him.
- [LOIS] Nick?
[ANDREA] He-he works here. He's okay.
[LOIS] Andrea, listen, someone
beat you and beat you bad.
[ANDREA] Really, I don't need anything.
Thank you. You're kind.
You should stay here
until the fires are out.
You'll be safe here.
♪
[DOOR OPENS, SLAMS CLOSED]
Should she be alone?
Well, she is not a baby in a basket.
You heard the girl. She
doesn't want a sitter, so
Dear Lord, what is happening?
I feel like everything is tilted,
like some kind of
hallucinogen is in that smoke.
Well, maybe there is some kind
of hallucinogen in the smoke.
Look at the fucking pool.
[PANTING]
Should we keep going?
[LOIS] Where?
This is the safest place
for us to be tonight.
Come on.
Okay. [CLEARS THROAT]
[LIGHT BUZZING]
- Hello, ladies.
- [LOIS] Hey.
Need a room? We have plenty.
Fire drove out all the tourists.
[LOIS] I feel like this
fire is never gonna go out.
They always go out.
Head on in. I'll be right there.
Come on.
[DOOR BELLS JINGLE]
This part of the world, we get it all
fires, floods, locusts, all of it.
- [COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING]
- But a couple times a year,
when the wildflowers
bloom and the birds migrate
and the butterflies
stop here, it's heaven.
Though it can seem like hell.
Why is the pool that color?
Ah, it's the, uh, the ash from the fire.
It has copper in it, and, uh,
copper will turn pools purple
if they have a lot of chlorine.
They interact with those chemicals.
- I mean, that's-that's what Nick says.
- [DOOR CLOSES]
He's kind of our
everything guy around here.
♪
Anyways, don't go in it.
It's acidic.
The color reminds me of
this cocktail I used to have
at this bar called
"The Five Spot," the
Aviation! Yeah, doesn't it?
Gin, lemon juice, maraschino
liqueur and crème de violette.
I'll meet you at the room.
I was a I was a barback in Amarillo.
Mm-hmm.
Let me talk to you for a second.
Listen, just a little tip.
Next time, put some lipstick on that
before you put the concealer.
The red neutralizes the green.
What green?
Somebody did that to you?
A man? A boyfriend? Nick?
Nick? No, no. He's he's okay.
I mean, he's-he's Nick, but
he's he's not a bad guy.
Okay, is he is he here?
- Are you afraid?
- Uh-uh.
We can protect you. I
can get you somewhere.
Don't concern yourself.
Not any concern of yours, is it?
I'm fine. It's fine. Really.
- Okay.
- Can I interest you in a souvenir?
- We make our own snow globes.
- No, you cannot.
[DOOR BELLS JINGLE]
This girl in here is being beaten, too.
She was using makeup
to cover up a black eye.
We got two abused women
running around here.
Let's find Andrea.
Did you tell her you're a cop?
No. There's only so much you can do.
I mean, you can't force people to leave.
I've seen it so many times
in my career, you know?
Andrea, you okay?
The-the women that stay end up dead.
- I'm coming in, okay?
- What can you do?
You cannot get involved
unless they ask for help.
- That's a fact.
- Andrea, we just want to make sure you're okay.
[LOIS] Oh, my God.
I knew we shouldn't have left her alone.
You trying to say this is my fault?
Do not look at me like that.
I pulled over, I picked the girl up.
What you want me to do,
put her on a fucking leash?
[DOOR CREAKS]
Y'all just saw a bloody
girl running through here
with no reaction, huh?
Look at this.
- Afternoon, ladies.
- Yes, it is.
Look, I got to get out
of this fucking smoke.
- I got a migraine.
- [NICK WHISTLES]
My eyes hurt so bad, I can't even see.
[NICK CONTINUES WHISTLING]
I hate it here.
Something is so off about this place.
Yes. It is.
[MEGAN] You think we're safe here?
Safe? Very. There's
only ash raining down
and bloody women running
all around the place.
But sure, we are so safe.
[MEGAN PRAYING QUIETLY]
You drop a contact lens or something?
You're welcome to join me.
You don't even have to say anything.
Oh. No.
I'd just feel silly.
So what? Feel silly. I dare you.
Fuck off. Read the room.
I'm not gonna hold your hand
while you write a letter to Santa.
I understand this is a reflex
for you, a reaction to stress
to be sharp
but this is how I deal with stress.
You can't speak to me that way.
[SIGHS] You are absolutely right.
It is how I deal with stress.
I get sharp.
I mean, I have done it
for 35 years in my career.
And that's how I survived, okay?
So you don't get to tell me how to be,
'cause, mm-mm, you are not my partner.
Actually, I am your partner
today.
In this, I am.
Does anything around
this fucking place work?
[NEWSMAN] This is now the
fourth day of civil unrest
as clashes between protesters
and the National Guard
have only escalated.
Most Christians haven't read it.
They've never read it through
from Genesis to Revelation.
[LOIS] This fucking asshole.
[NEWSWOMAN] A raging
fire that have engulfed
- more than 20,000 acres.
- [LOIS] Jesus.
[MAN 2] Another one in a thousand
[MAN 3] Less than five percent
[WOMAN] We're not even safe
in our own communities anymore
- because
- [LOIS SIGHS]
It is the same goddamn
thing on every channel.
- [PHONE BUZZING]
- Where's my phone?
That man at the gas
station had the right idea.
What? Dig fire lines?
We should at least clear away the brush,
the debris from the
side of the building.
Lord knows Nick ain't gonna do it.
It only takes one ember to
catch the wind, to blow our way.
- You want to give me a hand?
- I do not.
- I want to take a shower.
- [SCOFFS]
- [LINE RINGING]
- For Christ's sake.
I am, uh, so sorry I
couldn't get back to you.
I'm in the middle of nowhere,
and the reception here is shit.
Um, they're really bad
wildfires. You heard about it?
We are right in the middle of it.
[REDD] Lois, I wonder if
you've given any more thought
to our conversation.
- What conversation is that?
- [PIPES GROANING]
The one we had a couple of weeks ago.
Shit.
Remind me.
The resources at our
facility, like I said,
we can't just keep somebody
on life support in perpetuity.
I can't legally make any
changes to Marshall's status
without you giving the go-ahead,
- but we do need these beds.
- [WIND WHISTLING]
If I didn't know any better,
I'd think you were telling
me to end my husband's life.
♪
Lois? I think there's
somebody out there.
- [HORN BLARING]
- [LOUD CAR CRASH]
- [MAN] What the fuck?!
- [BABY CRYING]
You came in my lane!
- [SPEAKS SPANISH]
- What are you, fucking stoned?
This is America we
speak English in America!
- I'm coming!
- I can't understand you, either!
Nicholas, you're fucking stupid!
- Who do you think you're talking to?
- Are you okay?
- I'm sick of this!
- Do you know why we're here?
[WOMAN] You're just talking,
and I'm trying to have a conversation.
- You came in my lane!
- [SPEAKING SPANISH]
It's okay. Is anyone
hurt? Is anyone hurt?
- [SPEAKING SPANISH]
- I can't understand you.
- [MAN] You came in my lane!
- [SPEAKING SPANISH]
- [BABY CRYING]
- Okay. Okay.
You okay? Are you okay?
Okay. Okay. I'm gonna help you.
- [NICK] This is you!
- [WOMAN] Nick!
[GASPING, CRYING]
- Hey!
- [OVERLAPPING ARGUING]
I'm gonna come back in just a second.
I'm sorry.
Stop it!
You're hurting her!
What are you doing?!
[PANTING]
Just You're gonna make it worse.
You're gonna make it worse.
Get the fuck out of here.
[MEGAN] You're awful.
[REDD OVER PHONE] You're
not getting any better.
Wait, what do you mean I'm
not getting better? I
[LINE BEEPING]
- What? Hello? Hello?
- Lois. Lois.
We have to get out of here.
Nick is drowning her in the
pool, in the acidic pool.
- He's dangerous.
- I I need a phone now.
- It's dead. It's
- Shit.
- I'll be right back.
- Where are you going?
- I need a fucking phone.
- Lois.
Afternoon.
[WHISPERS] I just need
a phone. I need a phone.
[DOOR BELLS JINGLE]
Would you like us to open
the restaurant for you?
Nick can make you some food.
What the fuck is going
on? Did you get beat again?
- No, I-I bruise easy.
- Uh, you know what? Phone.
Let me get the phone.
[LINE BEEPING]
[NICK] Andrea! Get back here now.
[LINE BEEPING]
♪
- [GUNSHOTS]
- [GASPS, SCREAMING]
[GUNFIRE CONTINUES]
Grab that box of shells.
Get in the bathroom now.
He is out there. He just
tried to kill me. Shells.
- Give me shells.
- Here. Here.
- Dear Lord
- He is stalking us.
- He is hunting us.
- [MEGAN CONTINUES PRAYING]
Please, stop praying.
I fear we are near the end.
- I trust in you
- Do you feel that energy?
I've felt it around me
all day. Do you feel it?
Yes, I felt something.
Why do you think I've
been praying so much?
We got to get out of here. Okay, um
We will wait until it's dark,
and then we'll make a move.
Heavenly Father, touch us
now with your healing hands,
- for I believe it is your will for Lois to be
- Stop it.
well in mind,
body, soul, and spirit.
Cover us with the most precious
blood of your Son, our Lord.
It's enough bloody people running around
- here already, Sister.
- Who else am I supposed to speak to?
- I don't know. What is this, the last fucking rights?
- No one else is listening.
- Stop it.
- Shh! Shh!
[NICK] Get your skinny
ass back inside like I
[WOMAN] There's nobody
out there, please.
[NICK] The fuck do you know?
[WHISPERING] Come here.
[INDISTINCT ARGUING]
Listen.
[WOMAN CRYING]
She needs help.
- [NICK] Hey! Who is that?
- [WOMAN] Nick, please, don't.
- It's Andrea.
- [WOMAN] Please help me!
- [LOIS] You stay behind me.
- [NICK] Fucking stop!
Stop! Don't shoot her, please!
- Stop!
- Please don't shoot me, please.
- Please don't
- [RACKS SHOTGUN]
You stay behind me and
do exactly what I say.
- She needs help.
- Go get a blanket. Hey!
Put the gun down! She's with us!
I don't trust any of you bitches.
No, no, no. No, no, no. Andrea!
Can you come to us? Come here, baby.
- Everybody, calm down!
- Stay the fuck down!
- We have to go to her.
- We cannot. We will be exposed on all sides.
[ENGINE REVVING]
- Shit.
- [NICK] Who's that?
Stay in your car!
- [GUNFIRE]
- [SCREAMING]
Lois.
I'm out.
- Shit. Don't you move.
- [GUNFIRE CONTINUES]
Andrea!
[GUNSHOT BLASTS]
♪
[LOIS] Megan!
[GASPS]
Okay. Okay. It's okay. You're okay.
You're gonna be okay.
Don't try to talk, baby.
- Don't try to talk.
- Pray with me.
You gonna try to get your way, huh?
- Okay. Come on.
- [MEGAN] Angels watch me
- [LOIS] Angels watch me
- [MEGAN] Through the night.
[LOIS] Through the night.
[MEGAN] Keep me safe till morning light.
[LOIS] Okay. Keep me safe till
morning light. Shh, shh, shh.
It's okay, baby. It's okay.
- [CONTINUES QUIETLY]
- [HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING]
Call for help!
♪
[MUFFLED SIREN WAILING]
[MEDIC] One GSW, through and through.
[LOIS] Is she gonna be okay?
[MEDIC] She's bleeding
out. Definitely have a hemo.
[LOIS] She's gonna be okay, right?
Hang in there, Sister.
- Hang in there.
- [MEDIC] Tachy at 144.
[CHATTER CONTINUES]
[MONITOR FLATLINING]
[MONITOR BEEPING STEADILY]
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]
Don't hover in the doorway. In or out.
[CHARLIE KISSES]
Who gave her carnations?
These, uh depress her.
Picked these for you.
They're wildflowers.
They smell great.
She used to take me
on these little trips
off the beaten path,
on the, uh, Palms to Pines Highway.
We'd pick flowers just like that.
We would make fun of the names.
"Hoary tansy aster."
She said it was like something
like a pickpocket out of a Dickens book.
[CHUCKLES]
How are you doing, Father?
What are they saying?
They do not want to set up false hope.
What the fuck was she
doing out there with you?
Covering murders, that was
your brilliant idea, right?
Kind of like the Catholic
National goddamn Enquirer, right?
Do you have any idea who shot her?
They were following you. Hey.
Hey.
You were hunted.
Yes.
Yes, I was, and clearly, it was personal
and has been from the beginning.
So you think that
somebody wants you dead?
Yes, I do.
You used her for bait.
Wingman and bait.
- Excuse me.
- Do you think this is easy?
[SIGHS]
God, you fucking use people.
And you have no idea who this is.
You have no idea who's
lying in this bed.
You need to find this person,
and I will be here alone with her.
So, go.
Go, go, go, go, go.
Go now, please.
Yeah, well, I guess I'll save
my critique of you for later,
so it doesn't just piggyback
onto the prior one in a blur.
I do need help, though. I
I need another set of eyes.
Already ahead of you.
Your ten most likely cases
to come back and haunt you,
someone who wants
revenge, to make you pay.
Not easy winnowing down
that fucking rogues' gallery.
- Want to play three guesses?
- Um
[SNAPS FINGERS] Butch DeGrot.
He's still at Pelican Bay.
- He's in solitary forever.
- Mm.
Then there's Liam Mabuto.
He got a law degree inside.
He's a Buddhist lawyer
- with rheumatoid arthritis.
- [SIGHS]
Also, no chance of parole.
Then there's, uh, Donny O'Malley.
OD'd on fentanyl
during a bank robbery,
and he's on life support in Vacaville.
During? Dumb fucker. Who else?
So, that leaves Oldham
Haynes and Marco Mardigian.
And Glorious McKall,
but she's got life in prison.
W Glorious got out?
She was released two months ago.
How come no one told me?
That's right around the
time the murders started.
The timeline fits.
W
Jesus.
How did she get out?
What can I say?
Strange days.
Strange days, indeed.
- [WIND BLOWING]
- [CRICKETS CHIRPING]
[THUNDER RUMBLING]
[SIRENS WAILING]
[SIRENS APPROACHING]
[PHONE RINGING]
Mm.
[GROANING]
- [PHONE CONTINUES RINGING]
- [THUNDER RUMBLING]
This is Lois.
Yes.
[STAMMERS]
Can you repeat that?
- [THUNDER RUMBLING]
- [MAN RETCHING]
♪
- What is this place?
- It's a maternity house,
connected to Saint Agnes Church
where pregnant women can decide
whether they want to give
their children up for adoption.
It's right down this way.
Over here.
♪
♪
[LOIS] "Follow me, Detective Tryon."
She was 30 weeks,
she was 32 weeks, and this one
made it all the way to 40 weeks.
He used C-section retractors.
They bled out.
Good cesarean work, though.
No sign of the babies.
All he had to do was stitch
them up and they would've lived.
They died of shock and blood loss.
He waited until I was out
of town to do this, Jack.
Yep.
The governor just asked
the FBI to take over.
- Wh ?
- I don't think I'll have my job
by this time tomorrow.
And Lo, they're probably
gonna ask you to retire, too.
- We're out.
- I won't do it.
I'm not going out on this
fucker beating me like this.
The Daily News has an editorial
insisting on federal intervention.
They reluctantly conclude
that, "This is too much for us."
He's
he's taunting you.
You're his fucking mouse, his
his lab rat.
I don't know, maybe
maybe if you're not on the case,
he won't kill anybody else.
Jack, are you fucking delusional?
He's never gonna stop. Not ever.
He or she
wants me to hunt them.
And for some reason, it has to be me.
Yeah, maybe.
Okay, look. I want every street camera,
security, uh, uh, door front,
everything within a three-mile radius.
In the meantime, until we're fired,
"let the dead bury the dead."
[CRANBURN] What does
that phrase even mean?
It means our killer is
inviting me to be a follower.
[PHONE RINGING]
This is Cranburn.
Yeah.
Where? Hey, Lo.
We got something.
[THUNDER RUMBLING]
[FRANKLIN] You know what I find?
If you scratch them right
behind the ear, just like this,
they won't even move an inch. See?
Works every time. My dog's the same way.
You know what kind I
have? He's a black lab.
- Name's Carl.
- [CAR DOOR CLOSES]
He's got this big tail.
When he gets excited, he wags it
and just knocks everything over.
[BOTH LAUGH]
You called like there was an emergency.
I was expecting the cavalry.
Give me one sec.
Uh, nothing like that.
The oldest, the girl.
She went and knocked
on the neighbor's door.
Neighbor came over and found
the boys hiding under the bed.
- Mom nowhere to be found.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa.
I know I'm not here 'cause these
kids don't have a babysitter.
Finally, the girl said that
a man stopped by last night.
Mom left with him.
Uh, forced entry?
You're good with them.
I don't know why you
want to be a goddamn cop.
It's a waste.
Hey, pretty girl.
What do you say we crack
open a bag of these M&Ms?
- [FRANKLIN] What's up, guys?
- Peanut are my favorite.
It's not for us. Mom will be mad.
Okay. Well, we don't
want Mom to get mad.
My name is Lois.
And my job is to get Mommy
back home as soon as possible.
And Clancy.
Who's Clancy, baby?
Mommy was pregnant? She
had a baby in her stomach?
Okay, you know what?
I'm gonna get Mom and Clancy back home.
Like that. [SNAPS FINGERS]
You told my friend over there
that, um, a man came.
Can you tell me about the man?
Can you tell me what he looked like?
No, no, no. No, no, no.
Shh, shh, shh. Don't cry, baby.
Hey, hey, hey. Hey. I'm
gonna take care of it, okay?
I promise.
Kid.
You're Franklin.
Good job. You saw something.
I can use you.
♪
[CHATTER IN SPANISH]
♪
[SHUTS OFF ENGINE]
♪
♪
♪
[WOMAN CRYING]
[PANTING RAPIDLY]
[WOMAN CRYING]
Is the baby breathing?
[SNIFFLES] Please,
ma'am, you got to get us
- to a hospital.
- Okay.
I will make sure you both
get to a hospital, okay?
He's-he's gonna kill me.
- [SHUSHING] Calm down.
- [WHIMPERS]
- [PANTING]
- Calm Here, give me the baby.
- [CRYING]
- Come on. Give me the baby.
Give me the baby.
[CRYING] He's coming.
[TREMBLING] He's coming.
[COOING]
He's coming. He's coming!
[CRYING]
He's coming!
♪
♪