Emperor of Ocean Park (2024) s01e07 Episode Script

1
[PERSON] Previously on
Emperor of Ocean Park
The judge left some sort
of arrangements behind,
contracts, maybe files.
Could be nuclear codes, for all we know.
[MAXINE] A handsome guy
like you, I bet you got
some rhythm to go with
all those good looks.
I'm Maxine, by the way.
[TAL] Has anyone been following you?
I haven't seen anybody. Why?
It is over. No more research.
Good luck to Sharik, 'cause
I'm pulling his retainer.
I'm protecting our family, Mariah.
You need to try it sometime.
Truth. I am chasing the truth.
Oh, the truth? You gave up.
You glommed on to some rich white dude
and found yourself a mansion to hide in.
Fuck you, Tal.
Something's going on between you
and somebody else.
End it, or end us.
- To Abby.
- To Abby.
[ADDY] None of us went
off the deep end like Dad.
Losing Abby tore him up.
Abby was his baby.
[TAL] Still hits me sometimes,
this rage that they
never caught the guy.
The judge had this scrapbook.
It was filled with hit-and-runs.
If you would join us,
together with your help
Stop!
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]
I didn't destroy the judge's scrapbook.
I figured if Addison wanted
me to get rid of it that bad,
it must be important enough to keep.
♪
[BELLS JINGLE]
- [MUSIC BLARING]
- [RAPPER] Get to the floor ♪
- No.
- [VOLUME LOWERS]
- [VOLUME RISES]
- Abigail.
[MUSIC STOPS]
So are we just supposed
to sit in silence or
Let's talk schools.
Which way you leaning?
Harvard?
Howard?
Princeton?
I was thinking UNC.
[LAUGHS]
What's in North Carolina?
This better not be about some boy.
Actually,
it is about a boy.
He went to UNC, and he's
going to be the next president.
Is that what this is
about, John Edwards?
He hasn't even announced he's running.
[ABBY] Oh, any day now.
And when he does, we're ending poverty
and getting universal health care,
all by redistributing your wealth.
We've been driving all over New England
visiting schools.
How did I end up with you
as a daughter?
Karmic punishment for all
your evildoing, obviously.
[LAUGHTER]
[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYS]
[OLIVER] Excelsior, my son, Excelsior.
♪
Uncle Mal.
Sorry for calling so late.
Can you get me the phone number
for Representative Paul Derry?
Yeah, from Wisconsin.
Actually, you know what?
Can you just get me his address?
Morning.
Did you poison this?
Arsenic with half-and-half.
Mm. Mm.
You were right, and I'm sorry.
A Mariah Garland-Denton apology.
What's the weather
like in hell right now?
Stop. I'm serious.
I was having a hard time
accepting my dad's death, and
I may have taken things
a little too far.
And I took time away from
you and the kids and our home,
and that wasn't fair, and I'm sorry.
But all that's done now,
and all of my attention
is back here at home.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]
[DISTANT CHATTER]
[PLUCKY MUSIC PLAYS]
[MARIAH] Morning.
Mom?
Szuza, where's the, uh, olive oil spray?
♪
And, uh, the onion powder?
♪
Thank you. And the cheese grater?
♪
I am making omelets.
Omelets? Tuesdays we
usually have smoothies.
[MARIAH SIGHS] OK.
We can do smoothies.
Smoothies, smoothies, smoothies.
Smoothies coming up.
[OLIVER] If we want the kids
to come visit us this winter,
we have to convince
them that they're not
stepping into a frozen tundra.
I'll have a contractor come take a look.
Where do you think you're going?
[ABBY] To hang out with Vanessa.
Claire, honey, I'll
ring you back tonight.
Love you.
What about all that talk about
coming back from your college tour
so we could spend some time
together before school starts?
That's still the plan,
after I hang out with my friends.
Abby.
This is my last free
weekend before senior year.
I just want one last fun weekend
before I'm drowning in college
applications and school again.
So can I go?
Please?
No.
We can go get some ice cream.
That'll be fun, right?
Come on.
[DOORBELL RINGS]
[PAUL] Can I help you?
[TAL] Hello. Hi.
I'm hoping to speak with
Congressman Paul Derry.
[PAUL] This is he.
What does this concern?
It concerns your daughter Bethany.
Best I could do on short notice.
Thanks.
I was sorry to learn about your dad.
He was a good man. I always admired him.
Did you two know each other pretty well?
The world of politics is small.
We'd met a few times.
We were friendly but
not exactly friends.
I was under the impression that you two
might have been pretty close.
Really?
I found a clipping about your daughter
Bethany's accident in
my dad's belongings.
I assumed it was
because he knew you well.
Abby and Bethany had a lot in common,
unfortunately, including
the way they died.
If I had to hazard a guess,
I think that's why he
may have had that clipping
and came to the funeral.
[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYS]
I'm sorry, my father
came to Bethany's funeral?
Came, stood respectfully
near the back, shook my hand,
offered his condolences, and left.
♪
Congressman, does the
phrase "Excelsior, Excelsior"
mean anything to you?
No. Should it?
[CHUCKLES] Just something
my dad used to say.
[TEAKETTLE WHISTLING]
I wish I could help
you, but I don't know.
- Still want that cup of tea?
- [CHUCKLES]
♪
Call me when school's out,
and walk directly
from class to practice.
And under no circumstances
are you to walk alone.
OK, you don't have to walk me
all the way to the classroom door.
Malcolm, I'm serious.
I said OK, Mom. Chill.
Judy.
Hi.
Don't you look nice today, Mariah?
- You holding up OK?
- I am.
I'm feeling much more like myself.
- Aw.
- Um, how are you?
How's Spring Gala planning going?
I know I've missed a couple meetings.
Oh, we understand.
You've been through a lot.
That date just keeps
getting closer and closer,
and there is still so much to do:
the decorations,
finding a photographer, sponsors.
Well, I am all freed
up and available to you.
You just tell me what
you need, and I'll do it.
- [JUDY SIGHS]
- [MARIAH] Oh, mm.
You are a lifesaver.
I don't know how you do it all.
Ugh, you would be surprised
what you can accomplish
when you suppress your own ambitions
and deny your hopes and dreams.
[LAUGHS]
Oh, you're so funny. [LAUGHS]
I'll sample cake batter, please.
All right, here you go.
- Anything for you?
- No, thank you.
I know what I want.
Dad, you have to try this one.
Old reliable butter pecan for me.
He'll try cake batter.
[CLERK] Here you go.
And?
It's good.
I'll still take butter
pecan, but it was good.
[PHONE RINGING]
[LINE RINGS]
- [ABBY] Hey, what's up?
- Where are you?
Stuck getting ice cream with my dad.
- I'll be there soon.
- [VANESSA] Mm, cute.
Hurry up.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER, LAUGHTER]
- [OLIVER] Here you go.
- [ABBY] Thanks.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]
Wasn't so long ago that
was me and your mom,
taking our little family into this shop.
Now my little girl is a senior,
soon to be a college student.
♪
What are the odds?
That's Bradford Ellis.
Who?
Dean at Princeton.
He's also on the admissions committee.
- We should call him over.
- Dad, no, please.
Bradford! Bradford.
[BRADFORD] Oliver. How's it going?
Excellent.
Just taking a quick break
from touring colleges
with my youngest, Abby.
Ah, does this tour plan on
coming through New Jersey?
Absolutely. Princeton
is on her short list.
[BRADFORD] That so?
It's one of the schools
I'm considering, yes.
And why do you think you'll
make a good Princeton student?
I'm in my final year
at Lake Forest Academy.
I have a 4.1 GPA,
co-captain of the
varsity basketball team.
I scored a 5 on four APs,
and I'm taking three more this year.
And every other weekend, I volunteer
at a women's shelter in the city.
You're a Garland, so I'm certain
you look impressive on paper.
But tell me who you are,
the Abby Garland I can't
know from reading a résumé.
If I remember correctly,
Princeton's motto is
"In the nation's service
and in the service of all nations."
I don't know exactly what
I want to do when I'm older,
but I know whatever it is,
I want to be of service.
And even though the university has yet
to divest from the fossil fuel industry,
it would be an honor and
privilege to study there.
Well, I can't wait to
read your application.
You got a good one, Oliver.
Don't I know it?
Dr. Ellis, it was a pleasure
getting to chat with you.
- Pleasure.
- I'm actually leaving myself.
[LINE RINGS]
[KAY] Hello.
Mrs. Trellis? It's Talcott Garland.
[KAY] Who, now?
Talcott Garland, your
neighbor from Oak Bluffs.
My family lived down the road from you.
[KAY] Oh, Oliver and
Claire's boy, of course.
Of all the things I
thought might happen today,
I never expected to hear from
a famous TV news reporter.
[CHUCKLES] That's
actually my older brother,
Addison, you're thinking of.
I'm Talcott, the lawyer.
[KAY] OK, now I got you.
Talcott, the lawyer. How are you?
Fine, I guess.
I was calling to ask if
my dad, Oliver Garland,
might have come to your
son Jovan's funeral.
[KAY] Yes, he did, came
all the way to Charlotte.
It was very kind of him.
I thought so.
Have you ever heard the
phrase "Excelsior, Excelsior"?
[KAY] I hadn't, not until I heard
your dad say it in the eulogy.
The judge spoke at Jovan's funeral?
[KAY] Oh, my goodness, yes.
Very moving.
Wasn't a dry eye in the church.
♪
[GAMES BLIPPING]
I'm not even gonna lie to you, girl.
These college classes
are kicking my ass.
Last semester, I stayed up all night
writing a paper on
determinative linguistics
and then went straight
into my o-chem final,
which I bombed.
OK, what is determinative linguistics?
I don't know. That's
probably why I got a D.
Ooh, but the parties,
especially after finals,
off the chain.
Y'all be getting crazy?
[SIGHS] Too crazy.
[SIGHS] I can't wait.
I am over these high school boys.
Oh, but your summer
Vineyard boo, Anthony.
Whatever happened there? Did y'all
A lady does not kiss and tell.
[LAUGHS] Lady? Lady where?
- All I see is a ho.
- Shut up.
[VANESSA] I'm just playing.
I don't know.
Maybe it'll happen again
at the party tonight.
You didn't hear?
What?
Anthony left yesterday.
Family emergency.
I think his grandma died or something.
He's on his way back to New York City.
I come back to the Vineyard
just so we can hang out,
and then I find out you left
and couldn't even tell me yourself.
Like, who does that?
My condolences to you and your family.
We've just got to find
you another weekend fling.
Where? The summer's done,
and everyone's either booed up or ugly.
- [CHUCKLES]
- [PERSON LAUGHING]
[VANESSA] Jovan would bring
a white girl to the Vineyard.
[ABBY] You know there's always one.
I bet you she dances like this.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ah.
[LAUGHTER]
Who's that?
[VANESSA] I don't know. But he is fine.
He looks just like Nick Cannon.
- I love Nick Cannon.
- [VANESSA CHUCKLES]
Girl, if you won't do it, I will.
You know I will. Go.
Thought I was doing my thing,
and then here you come, showing me up.
You know, if basketball
doesn't work out,
heard they need a bricklayer
at the construction
site down the street.
[LAUGHS]
OK, you got jokes, huh?
I'm Marcus.
Abby.
[DOOR CLICKS SHUT]
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYS]
What are you doing in my house?
I'm here for the arrangements, Talcott.
Where are they?
I'm trying.
[JACK] Try harder.
The longer this takes,
the harder it is to protect you.
Protect me?
I've been followed, chased, arrested,
had my home broken into.
I got beat up.
Oh, yeah, and almost got
blown up in a car bomb.
You're protecting me?
The men who beat you
up, where are they now?
Dead.
♪
Well, look, if you want
to make it easier for me
to find the arrangements,
you could start
by getting Foreman off my back.
Who's Foreman?
[TAL] McDermott's partner.
Tall Black dude, fake FBI agent.
Impossible.
He's been following me in a gray Audi.
I've seen him with my own eyes.
The man you call Foreman
was actually Kendrick Haynes.
He washed up on the shore
of Lake Huron ten days ago.
♪
Can you tell me anything
about this scrapbook?
What scrapbook?
My dad had a scrapbook with
all these hit-and-run accidents.
Uh, it seems like he's been
trying to leave me clues.
That's not the arrangements.
My only concern is the arrangements.
But I think it has
[COUGHING]
♪
You're thinking too much,
you and your sister both.
I need the arrangements,
Talcott, before it's too late.
♪
[OLIVER] Thank you for coming
to our side of the island.
I've always been a firm
believer in integration.
[LAUGHTER]
This house never felt big until now,
now that it's almost empty.
I'm not sure I'll ever
get used to the silence.
I mean, you don't
have to get used to it.
An empty nest means new opportunities.
Sending my boys off to college
opened me up for the
second half of my career.
You could easily work for another 20.
If there was ever a time to pivot
I feel like you have
something specific in mind.
Why not just come out and say it?
- The Supreme Court.
- [LAUGHS]
[MAL] If Bush wins reelection,
he's gonna get another
nomination or two.
Why shouldn't one of
those go to Oliver Garland?
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]
I was thinking I might be better suited
for something else.
Such as?
I don't know, teach, perhaps.
I always wanted to write a book.
[SCOFFS]
Or public policy I could
do something bipartisan
where I can make some actual change.
Have you been following the news?
What public policy is bipartisan?
How about criminal justice reform?
Abby would like the sound of that.
You don't think you
could effect more change
by being a member of the
nation's highest court?
I don't mind poking around
to see if your name's
appeared on any short lists.
Would you really pass up
a shot at that much power?
♪
Huh.
[MAL] People have died for much less.
Hmm.
[MARIAH] We can't use
any of this for the gala.
I mean, definitely not this shit.
It's giving Dollar Tree.
- Mm.
- [PHONE RINGING AND BUZZING]
That's fine.
What do you want?
The scrapbook that
Addison had Sally take?
[MARIAH] Mm-hmm.
She didn't destroy it. I have it.
And Uncle Jack just rolled
up on me in my own house
to tell me that Foreman,
the fake FBI agent,
- is dead and his body
- [MARIAH] I'm done.
- [TAL] Excuse me?
- I am done.
I am done with the threats.
I'm done with the people dying.
- I'm giving up.
- What?
[MARIAH] I'm retreating to my mansion
with my rich white husband
that I glommed on to because
I'm a failure and a coward.
- Did I get that right?
- [TAL] Listen, fine.
You were right, like always.
You can't just tap out now.
I'm not tapping out.
I'm focusing on my family,
like everyone thinks that I should.
Please, just listen.
This scrapbook has
some weird shit in it.
It's not a bunch of
accidents like Abby's.
There were two he was focused on.
- He left clues.
- What clues?
"Excelsior" he wrote it
next to their obituaries.
So the letter that he left
is connected to the scrapbook?
What do you
Mariah, you there?
♪
Actually, I don't care.
You were right.
This shit is wrecking all of our lives.
My children's lives were threatened.
I don't want to hear
shit about this anymore.
What happened to the truth?
You want to get to the bottom of this
as much as I do, Mariah. I don't
♪
Fuck.
You having fun?
I am now,
now that I beat your ass in Skee-Ball
and got some tickets with it.
This got to be, like, 300 or 400.
- What that get me?
- [CLERK] Top shelf.
Oh, yeah, that one right there.
Oh, yeah.
- Thank you.
- Of course.
For me?
It's so cute.
Yeah, not as cute as you.
[PHONE DINGING]
Damn. That's my boys.
I gotta dip.
Um, my friend was saying something
about a house party tonight.
You know anything about that?
Yeah, at the Johnsons'.
I'll be there.
Bet.
I'll see you later, then.
[SOFT MUSIC PLAYS]
This mean you're over Anthony?
Who's that?
- [LAUGHTER]
- [VANESSA] Let's go.
[POUNDING ON DOOR]
- What?
- What?
What do you mean, what?
Why are you here? I'm busy.
I wouldn't be here if you
just picked up your phone.
Well, obviously I'm avoiding you.
Obviously.
Why?
[DOOR CLICKS SHUT]
Because I've run out of
ways to tell you and Mariah
I don't want to be
in your investigation.
I don't to be involved
in your investigation.
I don't want to hear
any of your theories.
Y'all go be Nancy Drew somewhere else.
I have the scrapbook.
Sally didn't burn it.
Yeah, I got your voicemail
and your text messages.
You've successfully
established that Sally
is an unreliable drunk.
Jovan Trellis, Bethany Derry.
Dad was fixated on them.
He left me clues to let me
know he went to their funerals.
He gave a eulogy at Jovan's.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]
He went to their funerals?
This scrapbook isn't random.
It's not just some weird
obsession of some madman.
There's forethought. There's planning.
Well, sounds like you
got it all figured out.
I don't.
But I think you already
figured it all out.
You didn't try to get
rid of the scrapbook
because you thought the judge was crazy.
You tried to get rid of it
because you knew he wasn't.
♪
Yeah, all right.
Yeah.
♪
I know more than what I've said,
but I haven't told you for good reason.
And what reason is that?
Because I'm trying to
protect you and Mariah,
to keep y'all out of this shit.
Keep me out of it?
Do you understand what's going on here?
I'm already in it up to my neck.
I'm fucking drowning.
- Man, listen to me.
- No, you listen.
People have died because of
whatever the judge was into.
You keeping his secret
isn't keeping me safer.
It's putting me in more danger.
So no more spinning,
no more explanations,
no more rationalizing.
Tell me what you know.
♪
- I can't.
- Tell me!
Oh, did you just
Fucking tell me now.
You don't want to do this, bro.
Trust me. Fuck, man.
Stop!
[GROANS]
Shit.
♪
Something happens to me it's on you.
My blood will be on your hands.
♪
[OLIVER] I try to be a humble man,
but I don't think a better-looking steak
has ever been cooked.
If you're watching this,
you're watching perfection.
Dinner's ready!
[JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING]
Oh, we have a third dinner guest?
Yes. This is John Edwards.
He'll need his own table setting,
thank you very much.
You want me to serve John Edwards?
- Yeah.
- I don't think so.
With extra potatoes.
[CHUCKLES]
Mmm.
This is really good, Dad.
I'm glad you like it.
Oh, gosh, the asparagus is so delicious.
What did you season it with?
Salt and pepper.
I thought you didn't
really like asparagus.
I like yours.
Guess you got the Midas touch.
[LAUGHTER]
How was the arcade? Did
you have a good time?
Yeah, it was fun.
You know, I was thinking,
we haven't been clamming in a long time.
Maybe we can go down to
the beach later and
or we could go into town and rent a DVD.
[CLEARS THROAT] No, actually, I was
hoping to go hang out.
With who?
Just some friends my age.
Is that why you insisted on coming here?
None of this was about us
spending time together, was it?
No, Dad, I just
Abigail, at least have
the courtesy to be honest
and say that coming here was all a ploy
for you to hang out with your friends.
Fine.
I want to hang out with my friends.
- Can I go?
- No.
For, like, an hour?
When I say, no, I mean no.
[TENSE MUSIC PLAYS]
And take that damn thing with you.
His name is John Edwards.
He'll be the first
person I ever vote for,
and it'll cancel out the vote
for whatever Republican
asshole you're supporting.
♪
Damn it.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS]
[TIRES SQUEALING]
[TAL YELLING] Who are you?
♪
So do I push the deadline,
or do I cave and give him more money?
Oh, fire him.
I have a list of balloon guys
that I work with that I love.
Ah, I knew you would have an answer.
- [PHONE DINGS]
- I'll give you the number.
- [JUDY] Is everything OK?
- You know what?
You want to go on in and save me a seat?
- I'll meet you in there.
- Sure.
♪
[LINE RINGS]
[PERSON] Cook County Correctional.
Hi, may I speak to
Sharik Deveaux, please?
[PERSON SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]
An inmate.
[PERSON] Ma'am, this isn't a hotel.
Yes, I am aware that this isn't a hotel
and I can't just call
and speak to an inmate.
But this is an extenuating circumstance.
[PERSON] I'm sorry, but our
policies don't allow
Listen, if you deliver
a message to Sharik,
I will pay you your
month's salary right now.
[PERSON] Uh, that's not
Two months.
Yeah, I'm fucking serious.
What's your routing number?
[PERSON SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]
Fine, three months.
[SINGER] Say my name ♪
[RAPPER] A lot of others done tried ♪
But they just ain't The same ♪
[SINGER] Ain't the same ♪
[RAPPER] Let's be honest ♪
Alive is to play the game ♪
[SINGER] Ah, ah, ah, play the game ♪
[RAPPER] Not gon' lie ♪
Sometimes I sit and wonder ♪
Trying to do what I gotta
to keep from going under ♪
Just can't let the
reaper call my number ♪
I'm bending corners ♪
Trying to keep them
people off my bumper ♪
You know my steelo ♪
Zero degrees cold ♪
Streets losing amigos ♪
Everybody looking for cheat codes ♪
Got to beat the system ♪
Wake up early in the morning ♪
Like the King is risen ♪
If you from where I'm from ♪
Then you can beat the isms ♪
Package up this game for the low-low ♪
Been in the dojo ♪
World moving in slo-mo ♪
[OLIVER SNORING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]
[INSECTS CHIRPING]
♪
[TAL] What's that gonna be, a barn?
- A castle.
- [TAL] Wow.
Yeah, I see it, a castle
for a prince named Bentley.
Daddy, I miss you.
Daddy misses you too.
You're gonna be back home real soon.
And Mommy and Daddy are
gonna work something out, OK?
I'll talk to you tomorrow, buddy.
Love you.
[BENTLEY] Bye, Daddy. Love you.
[COMPUTER CHIMES]
[TEXT MESSAGE SWOOSHES]
[DOORBELL RINGS]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS]
If I was gonna hurt you,
I wouldn't have rang the doorbell
or brought all the
ingredients for pad thai.
♪
So you gonna invite me in or what?
♪
- This seems stupid.
- [MAXINE] What seems stupid?
Letting you into my house,
the woman that's been chasing
and following me for weeks.
Like, I'm trying to figure
out if I'm really this dumb.
I'd say you're pretty smart if
you like delicious Asian food.
Can you open that bottle of wine?
Look, I'm sure you
have a ton of questions,
and I'm gonna answer what I can,
but I'd just rather do it with
a glass of pinot in my hand.
- Thanks, handsome.
- All right.
Who are you?
I'm someone people hire
when they want something very badly
but they'd like to remain
anonymous while they get it.
The arrangements.
It's my job to convince
you to hand them over.
Who hired you?
Let's call them foreign interests.
They're kind of like the good guys.
I mean, not like the great guys,
but they're a lot better
than everybody else,
better than Jack
Ziegler, that's for sure.
What are the arrangements?
I can't say too much
without compromising
my employer's identity.
Thought you were gonna
be straight up with me.
I'm trying.
I'm sorry if I'm being cagey.
But truthfully, I don't know that much
in the first place, Talcott.
You can just call me Tal.
Tal.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]
[CHUCKLES]
♪
The arrangements are
information, I think,
secret information that
your dad had collected.
I get the impression he
was using it as collateral.
Collateral? Like blackmail collateral?
Possibly. I don't know.
♪
Feels like I don't even know
who my father was anymore.
Hey.
Maybe I never really did.
Hey, look at me.
Don't let this shit change
how you feel about your family.
The arrangements issue is temporary.
But family is forever.
In the end, all you'll have
are memories of your dad.
That's what matters.
♪
Now, go on and set the table.
This comes together pretty quick.
♪
[SEAN PAUL] Yo, shake ♪
Dat ting, Miss Cana, Cana ♪
Shake dat ting ♪
Yo, Annabella ♪
Shake dat ting ♪
Miss Donna, Donna ♪
Yo, Miss Jodi ♪
An' di one named Rebecca ♪
Yo, shake dat ting ♪
Yo, Joanna ♪
Shake dat ting ♪
Miss Cana, Cana ♪
Dutty, yeah, yo ♪
Yo, ayy, waan mi go so den ♪
Sexy ladies want par with us ♪
In a the car with us ♪
Them nah war with us ♪
In a the club ♪
They want flex with us ♪
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]
[JUDY] We do need to take
a majority vote, so
[PHONE RINGING AND BUZZING]
[PERSON] Cook County Correctional.
I'll accept the charges.
[SHARIK] Hello.
Hey, Sharik. It's me, Mariah Denton.
How's it going?
How the fuck you think it's going?
Why did you plead guilty?
This new court-appointed
lawyer said it was
the only shot I had at not spending
the rest of my life up in here.
But you didn't do it.
[SHARIK] What the fuck
else I was supposed to do?
You stopped paying for the other lawyer.
Sharik, listen, I can
I can I can come see you.
We can figure something else out.
Hold up, there ain't no we.
You ain't up in here. I am.
And the day y'all walked up in here,
I actually let myself believe
that y'all was trying to help me.
And I should've known
better, 'cause rich people
only give a shit about theyself
or other rich people.
Sharik, I was trying to help you.
I believe in your innocence.
OK, we can I mean I can
- let me think.
- Goodbye, Ms. Denton.
[LINE BEEPS]
[JUDY] Is everything all right?
♪
So that wasn't you.
- Seriously?
- [MAXINE] Seriously.
I didn't even know the pawn
was a thing until just now.
Well, some secret agent you are.
Yeah, I know. I totally missed it.
[LAUGHTER]
You really have no idea
who that could have been?
Mm-mm.
What about the silver Audi?
What about it?
[TAL] I mean, I know it wasn't you.
I definitely saw a guy driving.
You know anything, or
did you miss that too?
No, I didn't miss it.
So who is it?
It's not really my place to say.
- [TAL] What about the
- I see you hated it.
Oh, it was very good. Sorry.
[LAUGHS] Don't apologize.
I was fishing for compliments,
so I appreciate it.
I was a latchkey kid.
Figured if I was gonna
have to fend for myself,
I might as well learn
to make something better
than boxed mac and cheese.
[CHUCKLES]
Where were your parents?
My dad was in the
military, deployed a lot.
My mom was an English professor,
night classes mostly.
I was really happy to get an assignment
that involved an academic
who reminded me of her.
That's what I am, an assignment.
What, you thought you were a date?
[LAUGHS]
Anyway, you've heard my pitch.
You've eaten my food.
I really hope you bring
us the arrangements.
I'm not just blowing smoke
when I say I really do believe
we're your best option.
So what happens now?
I clean up and get the hell out of here.
No, no, I mean,
we just go back to cat and mouse,
you chasing me?
Don't think of it as chasing.
You literally chased
me throughout the city.
OK, that was a
miscalculation on my part.
I probably should have approached you
- like this earlier.
- [TAL] Yeah.
Making dinner would have
been a much better start.
Lesson learned. [LAUGHS]
In terms of me chasing you,
think of it more like
me having your back.
I don't want to see
you get hurt any more
than you already have been.
Yes, I want the arrangements
but not at the expense of your safety.
Will I see you again?
If you find the
arrangements, I'll be there.
Otherwise, if I'm doing
my job right, you won't.
There's still a whole 'nother
bottle of wine right there.
I don't think so. [CHUCKLES]
One more glass.
♪
One more glass.
♪
OK, moving on.
Next on the agenda is sponsorships.
[GROANS]
Is something wrong, Mariah?
Why are we talking about sponsors?
[CHUCKLES]
Your husband is the CFO
of a Fortune 500 company.
You are on the board at Boeing.
And you are literally
a fucking Vanderbilt.
♪
Through marriage.
We we spend all of
the time at these meetings
going over the most vapid,
inconsequential bullshit
when we could be spending this time
doing real, important work.
And you want to talk about sponsors?
Sponsors?
We're rich! Write a motherfucking check!
I'm finished.
Good luck with the gala.
I'm sure it'll be mediocre,
just like your children.
[PEOPLE GASP]
[JUDY] I am I am so sorry.
She's had a lot going
on personally, so
[DOOR SLAMS]
[MUFFLED SCREAM]
[MAXINE] Oh. [CHUCKLES]
Tapped.
That might be a good thing.
We are way past one
more glass at this point.
You turned out to be
pretty strange, Talcott.
- Strange?
- No
OK. Well, wow.
- No, I meant as an assignment.
- [TAL SCOFFS]
As an assignment, you're strange.
It's a compliment.
- No.
- [LAUGHS] OK.
Most of my assignments aren't people
I'd ever want to spend time with,
so it's nice to be around
someone whose company I enjoy.
For me, that makes you strange.
[CHUCKLES]
I wasn't gonna say anything before,
but two bottles of wine later,
why did your wife leave?
I'm sorry.
- That's none of my business.
- No. No, it's fine.
I think the best way to put it is,
- she chose herself.
- [MAXINE] Mm.
Her career, her goals, her desires.
Um, she cheated.
And after it finally
drove me a little crazy
and I started standing
up for myself, she
used that as an excuse to leave.
How are you holding up?
- It's weird.
- Hmm.
I feel abandoned, but I
also feel a little relieved.
Hmm.
I spent so long letting her lead.
Might be kind of cool to
figure out my own shit again.
Who knows what the future holds, right?
The future.
Past.
What about right now?
[R&B MUSIC PLAYING SOFTLY]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]
Mm
You're using me, aren't you?
Does it matter?
♪
[GASPING]
♪
[SINGER] How could I tell you no ♪
You know you get
anything you want ♪
[PERSON] Hey, turn those off.
[VANESSA] We're going to the Circuit.
You don't have to come,
but y'all need to get
the hell up out of here.
- Let's go.
- [PERSON] Aw, come on.
What's the Circuit?
It's the street with
all the nightclubs on it.
You going?
[VANESA] You too. And you.
Mm-hmm. Thank you.
Actually, I should probably head home.
If my dad noticed I snuck
out, he's gonna be worried.
Mm.
But if you're around tomorrow,
maybe we can get some ice cream
or go to the beach or something?
Yeah, that sounds fun.
Give me your phone.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Call me.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]
This was nice.
It was.
I got to go, for real this time.
Are you sure there's nothing I can say
to make you stay a little longer?
[LAUGHS]
I'm onto you.
You play the quiet
college professor, but
- you got game.
- [TAL CHUCKLES]
I'm not falling for it twice.
[PHONE RINGING AND BUZZING]
[ADDY] It's me.
[TAL] OK.
I thought about what you said.
- [TAL] And?
- And let's meet.
- When?
- Now.
I'm at a diner down the street.
I'll text you the address.
[MAXINE] You good?
Yeah, but I got to go now.
What's up?
Family stuff.
Uh, I'm sorry to rush you.
I was on my way out.
You gonna follow me?
Yeah, I'm definitely gonna follow you.
[SIGHS]
I mean, since we're
headed to the same place,
would it be crazy just to ride together?
Did you wire someone $14,500 today?
I did.
[HOWARD] Why?
Because I needed to bribe
a corrections officer
in order to speak with Sharik Deveaux.
What the hell, Mariah?
What did we just talk about?
Howard, I tried.
I really did.
But I need to finish this.
This is who you are,
someone who puts themselves
and their family in danger?
Whatever trail Tal and I
are on has them spooked.
They are scared of what it is
that we are going to find out.
They want me to stop.
I can't let them.
They threatened our kids.
Yes, and if they killed my father,
then we might still be in danger.
[SIGHS]
The only way for this to end
is for me to uncover the truth.
How does it end?
I'm not asking you.
I'm telling you.
I'm not done.
♪
We can upgrade the security system,
we get a bodyguard for the kids.
But I'm gonna finish this.
I got to go.
Mariah.
♪
Please be careful.
I will.
[BELL CHIMES]
I'm gonna give you guys some privacy.
Mm-hmm.
Who's that?
[TAL] A friend, sort of.
I don't know. It's complicated.
What did you want to tell me?
[SIGHS] We're waiting for one more.
[CLEARS THROAT]
[SIGHS]
[BELL CHIMES]
Please tell me that is not the bitch
that was chasing us
all through the city.
She's not a bitch.
[SIGHS] Jesus. Of course.
Leave it to Tal to be caping for a woman
who tried to kill him.
She tried to kill you?
I thought you said she was a friend.
I said it was complicated.
[MARIAH SCOFFS]
Still an improvement
over Kimmer, though.
[MAXINE AND TAL CHUCKLE]
I'm just saying.
Look, I want to apologize to you guys.
I thought I was doing something good
by keeping you out of this.
I'm just gonna say this one time,
and you all can do
whatever you want with it.
But a few years ago,
the judge invited me to dinner,
and he put that scrapbook
you know, the one
with all the hit-and-run clippings.
He put it on the table.
And he handed me a folder
and wanted me to read it.
[TENSE MUSIC PLAYS]
I read it, and
♪
And it freaked me out.
Why? What did it say?
It was some kind of private eye report.
The judge was working with somebody
to find Abby's killers.
♪
Well, that's not
necessarily a bad thing.
Why? Why did it freak you out?
'Cause he figured out who killed Abby.
- [MARIAH] What?
- [TAL] Who?
Just wait.
I'll get into all that.
♪
No, I wasn't freaked out because
the judge was looking
for Abby's killers.
I wasn't even freaked out because
he found who killed Abby.
♪
Why, then?
I was freaked out
because the judge had them killed.
[TENSE MUSIC HEIGHTENS]
[TRAIN RATTLING]
[INSECTS CHIRPING]
Oh.
[TIRES SQUEALING]
[OUTKAST'S "THE WAY YOU MOVE" PLAYING]
[BIG BOI] But I know
y'all wanted that 808 ♪
Can you feel that B-A-S-S, bass ♪
[SCREAMS]
[ARGUING INDISTINCTLY]
[SLEEPY BROWN]
I like the way you move ♪
I like the way you move ♪
Whoo-ooh-ooh ♪
I love the way you move ♪
[CAR DOORS SLAM]
[ENGINE REVVING]
[ABBY GASPING]
[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYS]
[DOORBELL RINGS]
♪
[OLIVER] I hope you had a damn good time
doing whatever in God's name you
♪