Elsbeth (2024) s01e08 Episode Script

1
I always felt safe in my neighborhood.
A tree-lined street in
the middle of a big city.
It's where my dad put me on
a school bus for the first time,
where he taught me how to ride a bike.
God, I miss my dad.
But then, my senior year of high school,
something terrible happened.
Something that would
change my life forever.
Something that even my daddy
couldn't protect me from.
I was attacked by a serial mugger
on the street I grew up on.
After he took my things,
he violently pushed me down,
shattering the bones in my left foot.
I have to use this cane
for the rest of my life.
But what hurt me the most
isn't that I'll have to
limp down the aisle
when I get married someday,
or that I can never go
jogging in Central Park.
It's that the man who did this to me
had mugged five people within a
one-mile radius that same week,
and law enforcement didn't
send a single warning.
That's why I created Cerberus,
the neighborhood guard dog.
Our app lets users send
location-based crime alerts
in real time.
And guess what our five million users
are reporting thousands of crimes daily,
preventing bad guys from
attacking good people.
And with our IPO just around the corner,
the time to invest is now.
Quinn Powers. Hey.
Josh Johnson from the New York View.
That's so sweet. All interview requests
have to go through my publicist.
Oh, I don't think you're gonna
want to tell your publicist
about this, except for damage control.
But I do think it's too late for that.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Oh, I-I've been working on a piece
for a while now, about you.
About Cerberus.
And it's gonna be big.
I think you know why.
This is harassment.
Oh, no, you can't play the
victim with me, Quinn.
See, I know everything.
And this article it goes
to my editor in a week.
I would love to get a
statement from you.
I mean, just think about all those
people inside that building.
They'll want to know why this company
they poured their hopes and dreams into
just went down the drain.
Quinn, is this man bothering you?
It's fine. I'm fine.
He and his dog just frightened me.
I was just leaving, but take my card.
That's a great dog.
Oh, yeah, her name's Gonzo.
- She's a purebred border terrier.
- Purebred?
Must have cost a fortune.
Well, it's a good investment.
Come on. [CLICKS TONGUE] Let's go.
I think Cerberus is a
good investment, too.
If it works.
Oh, it'll work.
Someone is stealing dogs in Park Slope.
Put it at the top of the feed.
I haven't seen anything about a
dognapper on the police scanner.
[SCOFFS] Well, this guy
is clearly dangerous.
Look at all these flyers. And see that?
Wears a long black coat
and steals purebreds.
- What for?
- For the money,
or something worse.
The scariest part:
he uses a cattle prod
to subdue the owners.
Should we ask around for
some witness accounts first?
We usually have at least ten
before anything goes into the system.
Lina, this app was built on trust.
We have to warn the people.
If someone had warned me
about the serial mugger,
I would have never walked home alone
after the One Direction concert.
You're right. Sorry.
Thank you for the accountability.
[COMPUTER DINGING]
Hello, everyone.
Before we begin, I would
like to acknowledge
we're in New York City,
the ancestral and unceded territory
of the Lenape people.
LINA: Quinn, you're on mute.
Were you doing the land acknowledgement?
[BEEP]
It's fine. I should just dive in.
Okay, so, as predicted,
our IPO is still on schedule.
- Mm!
- Yay!
Our numbers are up. Churn rate is down.
The board is happy and
brand trust is better than ever.
Oh, and we are crushing our
trial partnership with the NYPD.
[CHEERING, WHOOPING]
I've prepared a 90-minute presentation
about our expansion plan,
and it would be so great
if you could hold all
questions until the end.
Seriously, don't interrupt me.
I'm looking at you, Toby.
Men are 33% more likely to interrupt
when a woman is speaking
as opposed to another man.
Don't be that guy.
I will stop the meeting.
Okay, so, I'm sharing my screen.
Don't read my texts.
[CHUCKLES]
[TAPS KEY]
QUINN [ON RECORDING]:
Can everyone hear me?
- TOBY: Sure, yeah.
- LINA: Yup.
QUINN [ON RECORDING]:
Expansion is exciting.
It's rewarding.
It's goals. But leading up
to it is a sensitive time.
Cerberus is about to
take over the country,
and you are on the ground floor.
You are the dream.
My dream.
I trust you, authentically,
with my whole heart.
And I know that you'll be mindful
for the sake of our collective success.
But as a gentle,
- well-intentioned, humble reminder:
- [DOG BARKS]
do not talk to the press.
Thank you for giving me a
chance to speak my truth.
I think you're making
the right decision.
QUINN: Do not give them our truth.
Do not let them in on our
special, unique journey.
Do not leak information.
Until we make a killing.
- [CRACKLING]
- Oh!
[GONZO WHIMPERING]
[GRUNTING]
Listing Cerberus on the New York
Stock Exchange will be seminal.
It's everything we've
been working toward.
Hell, it's everything every
start-up works toward.
But only the bravest and the
most resilient ever succeed.
I believe, earnestly,
that we are the bravest.
Where is it?
We are the most resilient.
Where is it?
[WATCH BEEPS]
And, without a doubt, we will succeed.
Seriously?
I am humbled whenever I think
about how we will soon show the world
that good can prevail
in a sea of darkness.
Subtle.
The world needs Cerberus,
especially now.
Our work is imperative,
and our light will burn bright.
Come on, sweetie.
- [GRUNTS] It's okay.
- [WHIMPERS]
And as we illuminate the
world with our positivity,
- I promise I will foster a joyful space
- [GROWLING]
free of harm.
- [BARKING]
- Cerberus is and always will be
a beautiful family.
- [BARKING]
- Come Come on.
Get out, you stubborn little bitch.
[BARKING]
And I know it's kind of ick to
talk so much about money,
but take solace in the fact
that even though we'll be mega-rich,
we'll still be doing mega-good.
All right, hit me with your questions.
- [SIREN CHIRPS]
- [INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Oh
Sorry.
Wow.
Oh, my gosh.
This is the best tomato I've ever eaten.
It better be, considering how they
chased you out of that co-op.
Oh, yeah, thanks for saving me.
Why were they so mad?
You have to be a member to shop there.
Oh, well, that seems exclusive.
Mm. Well, Park Slope
is bougie like that.
I thought Brooklyn was supposed
to be edgy and grimy.
Well, back in the day, people
couldn't afford Manhattan,
so they moved to Brooklyn,
but now they can't
afford Brooklyn, either.
Oh, no. So, where do they go?
To their parents.
- Oh.
- You better get rid of that.
Aw, but it cost $12. Mmm.
Mmm.
This place is gorgeous.
Everything is so precise.
Hmm.
That's weird.
Hmm.
Why would someone this organized
rip something so carelessly
from the bulletin board?
See how the torn paper
is left under the pushpin?
Well, maybe the dognapper ripped it out.
Dognapper?
Struck multiple times
in the neighborhood.
Edwards says there were witness accounts
of him entering the apartment
late last night on some crime app.
Aw. So cute.
Hey. Come here.
Is that the young woman
from all these articles
- on the bulletin board?
- Hmm. Looks like it.
So, nothing was found
that could identify him?
Culprit left no trace.
- Are you absolutely sure?
- EDWARDS: Sorry, yeah.
I love your app, by the way.
I really think it's gonna
change our field.
Oh, thank you. That is so sweet.
I can work my way around any UI,
but some of these dinosaurs
better start taking lessons.
Well, I hope it just helps
you catch the dognapper.
This is all so scary.
- Hi.
- Oh!
Are you a witness?
- Don't mean to interrupt.
- Sure you don't.
No, not a witness.
I've never been here before.
I'm a friend of Josh's.
He was writing a profile on me.
When I saw what happened
on Cerberus, I-I rushed over.
Yeah, how does that work?
You get a crime alert and location pin.
Oh, wow.
That's lot of alerts
about long, black coats.
Which makes sense, because everyone
in New York seems to wear one.
Well, except for me.
I prefer a little color.
I'm sorry, do I know you?
I-I meet so many people these days.
Oh, I meet so many
people these days, too.
I just moved here from Chicago.
Elsbeth Tascioni.
The consent decree.
Love consent. So important.
Thank you.
Um, and judging from all the articles
on Josh's bulletin board,
you're important.
Quinn Powers is the CEO of Cerberus.
The app was the first to report
the dognapper in Park Slope.
Oh, you live in Park Slope, too?
I live downtown.
That's where Josh and I would
meet for our little interviews
because he was always
walking his darling little dog.
Oh, because like you said,
you've never been here before.
WOMAN: I found it!
I found the murder weapon.
That dognapping devil dumped
it in a trash can two blocks over.
A cattle prod. Just like Cerberus said.
Take this into evidence.
- OFFICER: Yes, ma'am.
- Oh, sorry.
So, that dognapper used
the cattle prod to do what?
Subdue owners and steal purebreds.
ELSBETH: Huh. But why
would they throw it away?
I mean, wouldn't they
need it for the next time?
- Oh, there won't be no next one.
- And who are you?
Mimi Bladmire. I walk
the dogs around here.
And I'm gonna find Gonzo. Mark my words.
You must really love dogs.
Well, they're so much
better than people.
ELSBETH: This must be so hard for you,
with so many of them being stolen.
Well, Gonzo's the only one
that I know that got taken,
but when I see those posters,
I feel sick over every
little missing angel.
I mean, you seem like you would know
all the dogs in the neighborhood.
It's strange that you don't
recognize the others.
Not necessarily.
There's more dogs than people
in New York these days.
Especially since the pandemic.
Oh, look your cane is the
same size as that cattle prod.
Huh.
I feel triggered. I
She survived an attack
when she was a teen.
- Oh.
- Can I get you water?
I-I think I need a safe room.
I'm sorry. I have to go.
Kind of a weird life choice
inventing a crime-focused app
if she's triggered by violence.
- I think it's brave.
- I hope she's okay.
I would love to talk to her some more,
once she's had time to recover.
♪
♪
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
- Court appearance on Thursday.
- Yeah, I know.
Hey.
[DOOR CLOSES]
So this is what Lieutenant
Noonan was hiding.
Every single FlairAll document
has my signature on it.
And only yours.
This makes you accountable.
How close is Celetano to launching
a full investigation on me?
Oh, gosh. I don't know.
I mean, as a lawyer,
in your professional opinion.
In my professional opinion,
you don't have much time.
- I can't let that happen.
- Well, if you didn't do this,
- then the truth
- Won't matter.
An investigation alone will tank
Payne Wagner's Foundation.
It'll tank all the hard work
that we've done to help those kids.
It'll tank Claudia's career.
[SIGHS]
- I understand.
- No, you don't.
You talk about the truth?
Well, that's not enough for
people like Claudia and me.
We need to be perfect to be trusted.
Especially by those people we need
to be around to do what we do.
And she did that, she's perfect.
And she's doing her life's work.
And I'm not gonna let him ruin it.
I need to get ahead of this.
Maybe you should talk
to Lieutenant Noonan.
You've known him for so long.
I do not know who that man is.
The man I thought I knew
the one who was the
best man at my wedding,
the one who held my kids in his arms
when they were born,
the one who stood by my
side when my father died
that man doesn't exist.
Is there anything I can do to help?
You've been spying on me the whole
time and now you want to help?
[KNOCKING]
Edwards is here.
Says she wants to talk to you
about this dognapper case.
Thank you, Lieutenant.
Let me introduce you to Cerberus Blue,
currently being tried out by
qualified members of the NYPD.
- That's me.
- This is what now?
This advanced version of Cerberus
not only reports crimes onto a feed
based on witness accounts,
it has the ability to analyze
thousands of crime scene images,
data and soundbites in
a matter of seconds.
Great. I can get rid of my entire staff
and finally live in peace.
[LAUGHING]
It's not funny. If you don't
keep up with new tech,
you won't have a job in five years.
Well, that's okay,
as long you let me ride
in your flying car.
Ooh, is it self-driving, 'cause we
should really have that by now.
Captain, Cerberus Blue has already
made a rendering of the dognapper.
Impressive. Let's see.
[GASPS]
KAYA: So, his neck is a different
texture from his face.
WAGNER: And it says he's between
five, four and six, eight.
It's not perfect yet. But it's a start.
And I was able to upload
all the information
on the other missing dogs.
Oh, those dogs are fake.
- Excuse me?
- Mimi.
She said she walks all
the dogs in Park Slope,
but she only recognized Gonzo,
so where did the other dogs
on the flyers come from?
If they were from Park Slope,
Mimi would have known them.
You go hang with the crazy dog lady.
I'll focus on the data.
Let's see who finds the suspect first.
Ooh, a challenge. How fun.
Uh-uh. I don't have time for this.
Hey.
So, I noticed something.
This morning, there
was a garage collapse
in Park Slope with multiple injuries.
Plus two manhole fires.
- Ouch.
- No, it's terrible.
But the dognapper story is still
at the top of the Cerberus feed.
Huh.
It's like Cerberus is pushing
the dognapper story.
Mm-hmm.
♪
[PING-PONG BALL BOUNCING]
Oh!
Elsbeth, right?
What a surprise.
Quinn. I-I'm surprised you
retained my name. [LAUGHS]
Most people don't.
Ooh, I love your headband.
That pattern is so colorful,
like fireworks.
Do you always wear one?
Oh, this is probably a
generational concept.
It's a branding thing.
How so?
I was wearing a headband like
this the night that I was attacked.
That's why I always have one
on when I talk about Cerberus.
It reminds people how
important the work is.
What a powerful story. And brand.
I went through a long winter
where I tie-dyed all my socks.
It ruined my washer,
but I learned that the magic of tie-dye
is that it never comes out the same.
True. I have a rotation.
Fans make them for me.
Oh, fans. Wow! That's so fun.
Well, I love your office.
I mean, look at all this cool stuff.
It's good for morale.
Everyone's working long hours
for low pay until the IPO.
Oh, I guess you have a
lot riding on the growth
- ooh of the company.
- Well, we all do.
Cerberus is more than
a business, it's a family.
We authentically believe in our mission.
That's what, um, I came
here to talk to you about.
Detective Edwards showed
me all the great things
- that you're doing here.
- Oh, that is so sweet.
But the Cerberus Blue trial is for
law enforcement evangelists.
You have to pass a technology
proficiency exam to qualify.
Do you have to pass an exam
- to be an investor, too?
- You?
- Mm-hmm.
- Oh, well, um, gee, thanks,
but at this stage,
we're really only courting
major institutional investors.
Investment firms, banks,
major pension funds, that sort of thing.
Well, that's great, because
I have a lot of connections
in finance, especially in Chicago.
Chicago?
That's an untapped pool.
We have been trying
to break in for ages.
- Oh, well, maybe I can help you with that.
- [PHONE CHIMES]
Shoot. I have to go to a meeting.
But Toby, our investment coordinator,
would love to talk to you.
He is right over there on the yoga ball.
You're all so young.
Thank you.
Can I can I try this?
- Just don't hurt yourself, okay?
- Okay.
I'm looking forward to
continuing this conversation.
Oh, yeah, me too.
Oh, and, uh, Quinn, before I forget.
Why did you make the
company meeting virtual
on the night of Josh Johnson's murder?
Why do you ask?
You're so charismatic in person.
Someone on the team had COVID.
Aw.
Okay.
I'll see you in a little while.
Hi, Toby.
Beep, beep, beep.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
- Hi, I'm
- Elsbeth.
I know. Quinn texted me already.
I heard you can hook us up in Chicago.
And if you don't mind,
please sanitize before contact.
Oh, wow.
- Thanks for the reminder.
- All good.
All hands need to be on deck right now,
so we're taking every precaution.
Well, that must have
been extra stressful
when someone on your team got COVID
right before the last company meeting.
What?
Oh, oh, yeah.
I mean, everyone on the
team tested negative
that day, so we figured it had
to be the janitor or something.
We did all still go out
for kombucha after,
but we masked between sips.
- Oh, that sounds refreshing.
- [SOFT CHUCKLE]
Do you happen to have a
recording of that meeting?
I used to represent a lot of
big Chicago hedge funds,
and I would love to show them
Cerberus' exciting,
youthful energy in action.
Did you say hedge funds?
Okay, look, I did secretly
record the meeting
because I'm making a documentary
about Cerberus' rise.
I'm gonna sell my stocks after the IPO
and pursue my dream of becoming
an important voice in film.
[GASPS]
Like the Wayans brothers.
I'll send it to you,
but you can't tell Quinn.
I won't.
Can we shake hands now?
QUINN: Expansion is exciting.
It's rewarding. It's goals.
- But leading up to it
- KAYA: Hey. So, I noticed something else.
I love it when you notice things.
I have read all of Josh Johnson's
articles in the New York View.
I liked his style. I mean,
he was a little mean sometimes,
but always honest, had real integrity.
But something felt off
about his profile on Quinn.
The one that was found on his computer?
- What was wrong with it?
- Well, it sounded exactly like him,
it just didn't feel like him.
- Does that make sense?
- Yeah, like those AI remixes
of pop songs.
They lack ooh, what's
the word a soul.
Yep. So, I ran Josh's article
through an AI detector
and, sure enough, SmartCheat was used.
- He plagiarized?
- Not in any of his other articles,
just this one.
The man was a Pulitzer
finalist. I trusted him.
- But her, I don't trust.
- Me either.
She said she would stop the meeting
if she was interrupted,
but Toby tried to three times.
Who's Toby?
Oh, he's an aspiring filmmaker.
- Hm.
- But Quinn didn't even flinch.
- Uh, Quinn
- It's like she didn't hear him.
Something's off.
Yeah, she seems a little fake.
Like a girl in a commercial.
- Like a brand.
- QUINN: We'll still be doing
[GASPS]
- The headband.
- What headband?
Exactly.
She had one when the meeting
started and now it's gone.
And it looks like she knew it.
- Hi.
- [GASPS] Oh.
[CHUCKLES] I thought the "family"
could use a little snack.
It's banana bread. I don't know
why it turned out so green.
Were the bananas green?
No. But that is a good question.
I found the recipe on a website.
Ooh! Maybe it was written by AI.
You can't always trust
information you find online.
Hmm.
How can I help you, Elsbeth?
Oh, I just had a question
followed by a revelation.
Um, are you familiar with SmartCheat?
Sure. I wouldn't know how to use it.
I actually loved writing my
own papers in college.
Oh, good for you.
Well, the revelation is
Josh Johnson's article
was written by SmartCheat.
Oh, my God. Are you sure?
The writing on that was incredible.
Oh, you've read it?
He showed me a draft.
Out of all the profiles written on me,
it's actually my favorite.
- Don't tell The Times.
- Oh, I won't.
Um, but didn't you think it
was a little too glowing?
No, I've worked very hard
to get to where I am.
I took my trauma
and I turned it into
something beautiful.
That's exactly what the article said,
almost word for word.
Probably because everyone
writes that about me.
SmartCheat produces content
by collecting vast data
and analyzing patterns online.
I thought you didn't know how to use it.
I don't. Everyone knows that.
Everyone young.
You know, I've dated men
in the media space.
A lot of them are drug addicts.
Maybe Josh was involved
with some bad people.
Like the dognapper.
You think the dognapper
was Josh's drug dealer?
Well, the police didn't find
anything in his apartment
to indicate he had a problem.
Well, they didn't find
any evidence right?
So frustrating. Poor Josh.
Obviously in a bad place,
cutting corners in his work.
Or maybe Josh was on to something.
Like a dog with a bone.
His office had all this meticulous
research about Cerberus.
About you.
It's almost as if he was
working on something big
right up until the moment he died.
I wouldn't know.
I've never been inside his apartment.
Yeah, you mentioned that.
Twice, I think.
Oh, three times, now.
I don't remember doing that,
but if I did, I have been in shock
over the loss of a friend.
I could have said anything to you.
Well, I'm gonna go back and
see if I can find anything else.
And I will keep you updated,
since you were friends.
I appreciate it.
Violent crime has taken so much from me.
- Hey, Mimi.
- Hey.
- Justice for Gonzo.
- Yes.
So, I think Quinn came back here
the day after the murder
to see if her headband had
been collected as evidence.
- If we can get it
- We can get her.
I'll start with the bedroom.
♪
Hey, is there a way to get into this?
No, it's an IR camera,
so it's protected with a
facial recognition scanner.
- Yeah. See?
- So, hypothetically,
if Quinn wanted to replace
Josh's original article
with her plagiarized one,
could she have scanned Josh's face
even if he was [EXHALES]
Easily. I mean, this thing isn't heavy
and his body was right here.
- Ew.
- Yuck.
Any luck with the headband?
No, but I did find this yearbook.
Ooh, that's where Quinn went to school.
He was really thorough
with his research.
What is the sticky?
Oh, he cut out half of page 87.
This paper
looks like the piece
left under the pushpin.
The missing page must have been
pinned to the bulletin board.
Whoever was here
that night tore it down.
But why?
Do you like a field trip?
We have every yearbook
preserved in the archives
dating back to 1901.
- Well, that's incredible.
- Well, if you need something,
ask a librarian.
- Page 87. There.
- Ooh. Ooh!
I recognize this photo.
It was hanging up at Cerberus.
Except in that one,
there was no Ellen Davis.
Like she was photoshopped out?
Yes. Photoshop. Good call.
But why would Quinn want
to make this girl disappear?
And why would a dognapper
want to hide this picture?
Um, excuse me, Agnes?
Um, do you remember
anything about these girls?
Hmm. Oh, yes. [SHORT CHUCKLE]
They were an odd pair.
Yeah, they were always together.
You know, best friends.
I heard they hate each other now.
- Why? What happened?
- Well, I'm not too sure,
but you should ask Ellen.
Well, we would love to.
Do you know where we can find her?
Well, if you need something,
- ask a librarian.
-
Funny. This is the
second time this month
that someone's contacted
me about Quinn Powers.
We're so sorry to bother you, Ellen.
I mean, we don't talk
anymore for a reason.
Do you mind telling us
what that reason is?
I'm the one who created Cerberus.
I came up with the idea
after Quinn was attacked.
I mean, she has this quality
that makes you feel like
you want to protect her.
I've noticed.
Have you seen her get triggered?
- Yes.
- Sure did.
Well, I think it's intentional,
but whatever.
I felt so angry on her behalf,
angry that the law
enforcement failed her,
angry that nobody in her neighborhood
was warned about her attacker.
I mean, how careless and incompetent.
- No offense.
- None taken.
I worked out all the coding
while Quinn perfected the pitch.
But by August, I realized that
Cerberus' data system was flawed.
It could never distinguish
good information from bad.
Garbage in, garbage out.
That's a great way to
put it. You're so smart.
Thanks. But the app wasn't.
It could quickly raise
awareness about crimes,
but there was no way
to actually verify them.
Anyone can leave a witness account.
People could send in warnings
about real crimes,
but they could also create
hysteria over fake ones.
Like a dognapper.
I decided to scrap it
for ethical reasons.
Good for you. And how did Quinn react?
Disappointed. She really thought
that she was gonna be a star.
And then she ran off to Stanford,
like rich girls do, and stopped
returning my texts.
And now she is a star
for an app you created.
That limp, by the way?
Super exaggerated.
She only needed that cane
for a couple of months.
I guess she just liked the attention.
And did you tell Josh all this
when he came to see you?
I have no interest in being branded
a sour grapes whistle-blower,
so no.
But he didn't need me.
He was already onto everything.
Too bad he died.
I was really looking forward
to watching her go down.
But I guess people
like Quinn always win.
So far.
- Namaste.
- [GASPS] Elsbeth. Hi.
Again.
- This is my only break the entire day.
- Oh!
Well, I'm glad I caught you, then,
because I wanted to
tell you this in person.
So, Toby and I have been
setting up meetings
in Chicago with my former clients
and I've decided to invest myself
when you go public.
That's great.
How did you decide?
Oh, I just found out there's an ex-con
living in my building.
A former circus clown
who did despicable things to acrobats.
That is so scary.
And not just the clown part.
I know. And I had to
find out from a neighbor
after I'd already moved in.
But Cerberus would have
warned you immediately.
Exactly.
Oh, I really, really believe
in your mission, Quinn.
I think you're a star.
Thank you. That is so sweet.
Will you put the clown guy on the app?
I just think people need to know.
Sure. After everything is checked
and verified, of course.
Great. And, um, my accountants
will be in touch with Toby.
- [EXCLAIMS] I can't wait.
- [CHUCKLES]
By the way
you said you were going
back to Josh's apartment.
Did you find anything else?
Ugh. Nothing that would
identify the killer. Yet.
So frustrating.
I fed Quinn fake information
about an ex-con clown
and she put it on the
app within five minutes.
- Ellen was right.
- Ex-con clown? Ellen who?
[SHORT GRUNT] What is happening?
I read the fine print in the
Cerberus agreement.
They say they need at
least ten witness accounts
or police verification before
it even goes in the system.
But the "criminal"
displayed here isn't real.
I made him up.
So, who's this supposed to be?
This also looks like AI.
See how the texture of his
face is different from his neck?
Like the rendering of the dognapper.
- Wait, was this behind a paywall?
- Mm-hmm.
[GASPS SOFTLY]
Cerberus is amplifying
crime data and profiting
by having users pay
to see fake criminals.
That's exactly what I was thinking.
Well, this proves that Cerberus
was running a scam,
which Josh knew about
weeks before the IPO.
- Guess the app is a flop.
- Mm.
- You were right.
- I was what?
You were right about the
other dogs being fake.
I wouldn't be surprised if Josh's
dog never existed either.
[DOG BARKS IN DISTANCE]
- Oh. Who's that?
- I d I don't have time for this.
Shut the door on the way out.
I found her! I found Gonzo!
She was safe in the brambles.
I gave her all the food
I had in my pants,
but she needs love and
shelter for the night.
I can't take her home.
I already have five dogs.
I'd happily take a sixth, but my
partner said she'd move out.
I considered it, but
I think I have to choose her this time.
Well, I don't think I can look
at another dog ever again.
I would love to,
but I-I got a new couch.
- [SINGSONGY]: Welcome home.
- [WHIMPERING]
Mwah. [CHUCKLES]
Oh, you're such a good girl.
Who's a good girl?
Oh, yeah, Tom would have been so jealous
if he saw me petting you.
He was my chihuahua.
Yeah. Ah.
You must be hungry.
- Let's see what I have for you.
- [FRIDGE DOOR OPENS]
I hope you like rotisserie chicken.
- Hey. Where'd you go?
- [GROWLING]
What are you doing with that?
Where are you going?
Oh [CHUCKLES]
You like to hide things.
Do you? Do you?
Let me have that. Give it to me.
As for our run, it continues
to be impressive.
And as you can see,
- we've already surpassed our goal.
- [DOOR OPENS]
Elsbeth.
Okay, I'm gonna need to draw a boundary.
I'm in the middle of
something pretty important.
Oh, I'm so sorry to interrupt.
But I have something pretty
important to share, too.
Oh, hi, Toby!
Do you mind playing the recording
of the company meeting that you gave me?
You know, the virtual one that Quinn had
on the night Josh Johnson was murdered?
You gave her what?
ELSBETH: Oh, no. Don't be mad at him.
I made him do it. Go ahead.
It's all right. And could you give
Officer Blanke the remote, please?
What is happening?
You can't just march in here
- and take over.
- I'm looking at you, Toby.
Men are 33% more likely to interrupt
when a woman is speaking
as opposed to another man.
Don't be that guy.
I will stop the meeting.
You made a really big deal about
not wanting to be interrupted
- during your presentation.
- QUINN: Do not let them in
Uh, Quinn, about the cap table, I
- QUINN: Do not leak information
- ELSBETH: But there
Toby interrupted you for the third time,
and you were completely unbothered.
As if you didn't even hear him.
- I noticed that, too.
- Shut up, Chad.
[EMPLOYEES MURMURING]
I turned the sound off on
my computer to focus.
Oh, come on. We both know you're lying.
And you are very good
at not telling the truth.
Like when you said that
someone had COVID
during the meeting.
That was very clever.
Seriously?! I took Paxlovid for nothing.
[MURMURING CONTINUES]
Okay, fine. I take full accountability
for the COVID fib.
And I want to sincerely apologize
for the harm I may have caused.
Please, let me explain
in the spirit of honesty
and authenticity.
The stress of the IPO was getting to me.
I wasn't sleeping. I was
losing clumps of my hair.
I needed a mental health break.
So I prerecorded the meeting,
pressed play and took a bath.
I am so sorry.
Feel free to check the
location on my phone
to verify I was at my apartment.
So you're saying you prerecorded
the entire meeting.
And meditated in the water.
So, why was the intro live?
Quinn, you're on mute.
Were you doing the land acknowledgement?
It's fine. I should just dive in.
- [VIDEO PAUSES]
- ELSBETH: See that?
That's a time stamp.
The Q and A in the outro was live, too.
Well, of course the Q and A was live.
I never said it wasn't.
Um, you kind of did.
Okay. Here's my theory.
I think you used your own app
to create a fake villain: the dognapper.
This was very smart,
because it made Cerberus
seem very credible.
But it's not credible, is it?
And Josh knew that.
So you bought the same weapon
that you'd created hysteria around:
the cattle prod.
You knew you could handle it well
after years of carrying
this cane around.
Then, to create a fake alibi,
you held a virtual meeting,
switched to a prerecorded presentation,
left your apartment,
- murdered Josh bzz !
- [EMPLOYEES EXCLAIM]
replaced his article exposing
Cerberus' data flaws
with your AI-generated version
nice touch, by the way
and then got back to your apartment
just in time for the Q and A.
LINA: You made me put the
dognapper in the system.
- You lied to me.
- No, I didn't.
This is so offensive.
Do people really believe
I could kill a man?
With my injury?
Wow.
I will say it again.
You are very, very good at telling lies.
But you made one mistake.
You told the wrong lie.
You said that you had never
been to Josh's apartment.
But you left your headband there
the night of the murder, didn't you?
See how you're wearing it
at the start of the lecture
- and how it's gone at the end?
- [EMPLOYEES GASP]
I misspoke because this
unmerited interrogation
is causing me trauma.
You're absolutely right.
I only prerecorded the presentation.
And then I took my
headband off in the bath.
ELSBETH: So you can show me
where your tie-dye headband is,
the one you were wearing that night,
when I search your apartment?
You need a warrant to
search my apartment.
Oh! I have one.
How?
[WHISTLES, KISSES]
[GASPS] Come here! Oh, good girl!
All I had to do was let Gonzo
show me where she hid things.
That's right.
Underneath Josh's stove,
in case you're interested.
I think she must have taken it
when you were using Josh's face
to get into his laptop
- after you killed him.
- Yuck.
How do you know it's even mine?
The headband was an exact match
to the one in the recording.
Tie-dye never comes out
the same, remember?
Well, Josh probably stole it.
He was obsessed with me.
Why would I say I'd never
been to the apartment
if I knew my headband might be there?
Because you didn't know that
Toby recorded the meeting.
But he did. Oh, and, Quinn, the
headband had Josh's blood on it.
[EMPLOYEES EXCLAIM]
That could only have happened
the night of the murder.
EDWARDS: Quinn Powers,
you're under arrest
for the murder of Josh Johnson.
You have the right to remain silent.
This is the footage of a lifetime.
I'm going to Sundance.
[EMPLOYEES CLAMORING]
I don't think I'm interested
in Cerberus anymore.
- Seems like a bad investment.
- Oh, shut up.
If I can convince a bunch of strangers
to give me millions of dollars,
I can convince a jury I'm innocent.
- I am a star.
- Oh, well, um
You might need this, then.
[SIRENS WAILING IN DISTANCE]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
- So, you really didn't know?
- No.
I tried to blow the whistle
on FlairAll for months,
but you never believed me.
- Why should I believe you?
- Mr. Wali, I worked hard
to get where I am.
I will not put my future, my foundation
or my family in jeopardy.
- Not for anyone.
- Then why did you turn me away?
Because I was being lied to.
By someone I thought I could trust.
Now, look, I know you're looking at me
like I must be one of two
things: a liar or a fool.
I will look you in the eye right
now and tell you I was a fool.
I couldn't see what was right in
front of me, and I'm a detective.
I should have known.
I'm sorry.
But I'm gonna listen to you now.
I'll fix this.
Just tell me everything
that's happening.
The FlairAll warehouse is a sweatshop.
The clothes that you give
away at your fancy galas?
They're made from synthetic scraps.
It's garbage in, garbage out.
People are working long hours
for low, illegal wages.
There's no heat in the winter,
there's no cool air in the summer.
It's all misery.
It's being covered up in your name.
That all gonna end right now.
I give you my word.
So, you'll back me up at the DOJ?
It's not that simple. But I have a plan.
And Lieutenant Noonan is going down.