The Irrational (2023) s01e08 Episode Script
Scorched Earth
1
People are irrational
but predictably so.
I'm Alec Mercer.
Welcome to Applied Psychology.
- You're the science guy.
- That's Bill Nye.
I'm actually the behavioral science guy.
After 19 years, the FBI is
officially reopening the case.
Wes made the bomb.
Peter planted the bomb.
But this third guy, Matthias,
was behind it all.
The bomber met Matthias
in an online chat room.
Who is Rose?
Another client emergency.
Mm.
I'm off to Paris.
I am a yes to the dean's brunch,
a no to TED Talks.
And, oh, call Cuban's people back
and just tell them[SIGHS]
I'm too slammed.
Oh, finally, if you want feedback
on your Fesmekker Grant proposals,
in hopes that one of you
will be the pride of Wylton,
I need them by lunch tomorrow.
- Check your desk.
- Teacher's pet.
Rizwan, how's yours?
It's great, only, point of order,
given I'm still newish.
Since the Fesmekker Endowment
doesn't need our proposals
for over a month,
wouldn't it be a bit early
to show them to you?
If they were due in a month,
it would be.
But they're due in 48 hours.
48 hours? No.
Yes?
No. How did I mess that up?
I really wanted to win.
Last night, I even landed on
the experiment I'm gonna run.
Yeah, it's OK. Mistakes happen.
Maybe you'll learn something
from this negative feeling.
There it is, Fesmekker Proposal due.
One month, 48 hours from now.
I am so paying to upgrade
my calendar app.
I'll never get this done in time.
[PHONE RINGS AND BUZZES]
[SIGHS]
Professor Mercer's office.
Dr. Choi.
Oh.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Dr. Choi.
Who's Dr. Choi?
His burn specialist.
It's about his burns?
No, most likely,
it's about someone else's.
[SIREN WAILING]
♪
Thanks for coming all the way here.
I know it's a long drive
out to the boonies.
How severe are her burns?
I'd say "you" severe, give or take.
Plus, she lost someone.
Thought you might be able
to do your thing.
You want me to give her
the "it's gonna be all right" speech.
She's gonna need any piece
of hope we can give her.
♪
Izzy, this is my old friend
and patient Dr. Alec Mercer.
Doctor as in minds, not bodies.
It's nice to meet you, Izzy.
So you're the one who's gonna
make everything OK, huh?
That's the plan.
By the time I leave here,
it'll be like I waved a magic wand.
[CHAIR CLATTERING]
♪
You mind if we get real for a minute?
First, I'm sorry
for what happened to you,
your boyfriend.
I understand he didn't make it.
I had a similar thing
happen to me a long time ago.
I had up to fifth-degree burns
on 60% of me.
Got a couple sixes.
It's, like, to the bone.
Ouch.
The point is, I survived.
You will too.
Plus, since that bomb got me,
the care's gotten 20 years better.
If you can, feel.
♪
Your scars won't have to feel like this,
and that's just one example.
You can come through this
with a good life.
I don't deserve to.
I did this.
It's my fault Chris is dead.
[SIGHS]
♪
You want to tell me what happened?
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
Me and Chris, we were supposed to go
to some dumb house party.
But I was all,
let's go be alone somewhere,
which is pretty much
impossible in this town,
where everyone knows everyone.
But Mr. Rixton died, and that
house was sitting there empty
while they were fixing it up.
We got in.
I lit some candles.
I don't know, we must have must have
knocked one over, 'cause next I knew
[FIRE WHOOSHING]
♪
I killed Chris.
It was that drink I spilled.
It must have hit one of the candles,
and that's how the room went up so fast.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[SIGHS] Except there wasn't
nearly enough alcohol
in your vodka soda to catch flame.
I don't I don't understand.
You said the fire
blasted up from the floor.
Did you tell the authorities that?
No, I said it was the candles,
that it was my fault.
Of course you did.
With a trauma like yours,
the mind wants to regain
some sense of control,
power over an uncontrollable world.
I think that's why
you're feeling so guilty.
Your mind wants to tell a story
that at least makes sense,
so it's blaming you for the fire.
So are you saying I didn't do this?
I'm not sure what happened here,
but I do know a little bit more
than I'd like to
about how fire behaves.
♪
And this
this doesn't add up.
You're worried there's a crime here?
That's what you can help me figure out.
There is a chance
that my empathy for Izzy
is skewing my point of view.
Plus, since I never
got closure in my bombing,
it's possible I've got
a touch of patternicity.
Patternicity,
that's minds making connections
that aren't really there.
Conspiracy theories are
partly built on the phenomenon.
Maybe we should look
at the physical evidence
they sent over.
Says here the gas and power were off.
And the accelerant was paraffin.
Could point to Izzy's candles, but
if it started on
the main floor, like she said
Fire spreads out and up.
But look at the upper story.
It's nearly untouched
versus the basement,
which looks like
My old charcoal grill.
That's why the fire shot up
through the floor at them.
It must have started down below.
Poor Izzy.
Paraffin could also be camp fuel.
I think it was poured out
and lit in the basement.
That'd be arson, then.
And since Chris died,
that would also make it a homicide.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Sorry about the
everything.
Puck County's been renovating
the old municipal building
for two years, so we've learned
to walk sideways.
That is, when my boss is here.
Who's also your dad, right?
You hesitated on "boss,"
and this guy here at the Nirvana concert
looks like you but with different hair.
Yeah, that's Dad.
Fires are the family biz.
I only moved from fighting
to investigating them
six months ago, which is no excuse.
My dad was unreachable on a scuba trip,
so I handled Izzy's fire.
Her candle story seemed straightforward.
Room for one more?
Marisa, thanks for coming.
Deputy Fire Marshal Ford, this is
Special Agent Marisa Clark.
Please call me Tyler.
- I'm with the FBI.
- FBI?
How much trouble am I in?
You're not in any trouble, Tyler.
The bureau consults
on arsons all the time,
and I've opened this case
as an official arson homicide.
So you did agree with my take.
Mm-hmm.
That said, it does help
when local authorities
ask for the bureau's support,
kind of how you
have to invite a vampire
into your house.
I clearly need all the help I can get.
I still want to fix it.
So before you guys got here,
I reexamined the scene.
Izzy's candles didn't start the fire.
They were soy-based.
I made a bad assumption,
given the paraffin residue
that I found around the house.
So we were right about the accelerant?
Yeah, there was a heavy
debris pile in the basement.
The floor underneath was soaked
with liquid paraffin.
I'm sure you guys
are five steps ahead of me.
But anytime I've seen arson, it's been
the owner chasing insurance money.
No, it's a good point.
Izzy said the house's owner died.
Any idea who inherited it?
That'd be the Rixton sisters.
I admit I felt real anger
towards Izzy and Chris,
and I know they paid a horrible price.
I rounded in the burn unit
on my surgical residency.
But I had thought that this was on them
for busting into our dead father's
our house.
- But if it's arson
- They weren't at fault.
I'm sure this is an emotionally
confusing time for you.
If it wasn't their fault, then
I told you this was on me.
Molly, you have to let that go.
Why would you blame yourself?
Because it was me
living in that house
for the last five years.
Dad had late-stage Parkinson's.
Caring for him was an all-hours job.
So when the fire code got updated,
I punted on making
the required upgrades,
like sprinklers.
And and maybe if they had
been in there, then
Caroline, what the hell?
You said someone else
wanted to talk to us,
not the flipping' Men in Black.
You must be Anna.
Special Agent Clark, FBI.
Dr. Mercer consulting.
I'm confused.
Izzy and Chris burned down the house.
Actually, we believe it was arson.
And as a matter of course,
we have to ask
about the insurance money.
Well, that's easy.
There is none.
Assessor had the value
of the home pegged at $600,000?
True. But it wasn't insurable.
We get a lot of wildfires.
Insurance wouldn't cover us
until we got the upgrades,
which is never gonna happen now.
Dad wanted it split evenly.
We couldn't all live there.
So it made sense to sell.
Of course, we'll only get
land value now.
With a three-way split, we each
lost a big chunk of change.
- Awesome.
- Then I'll throw it to you.
Any idea who might have
burned your house?
A couple weeks ago,
I found a spent campfire
in the basement, a squatter.
Then some local teens got in one night.
They threw a party.
It could be someone came back,
set the fire by accident or maybe
Anna, I'm pretty good
at reading micro-expressions.
When she said "teens,"
your lower lip tensed.
That's anger.
Do you suspect someone?
No, I'm good.
Fine. [SIGHS]
Have you looked into Kat Schmitt?
She's Chris' ex.
I was working a couple
weeks back at my diner
when she and him got into it.
What about?
Chris dumping her for Izzy.
Clearly, she's not over it,
since she kind of threatened
to kill him.
♪
I bring sustenance and orders.
The professor needs us
to check Kat Schmitt's socials.
He called them "the Insta."
Yeah, looking for threats, boasts,
anything that links to the fire.
He called me too.
[SNIFFS]
Did you let mayo touch this bread?
You know, some theorize food aversions,
like your little mayo thing,
can be overcome
by slowly adding those foods
into your diet.
So interesting.
Maybe you should write
your grant proposal on that.
Oh, wait, you already did.
- You read my grant proposal?
- Oh, come on.
You tried to use me as a guinea pig.
No I didn't. I mean, I guess I did.
But I wasn't thinking of it that way.
So dare I ask, how was it?
I'd say, given the rush, it was solid.
Solid?
- Oh, no.
- What?
Solid is solid.
Seriously, come on.
Let's check out that Insta.
♪
[KNOCKING]
Hey, stop!
♪
There's another one? What the hell?
- FBI! Stop!
- Come on.
- Don't move.
- [GRUNTING]
I said don't move.
Wait a sec. Kat?
Who's your blonde friend?
[SPITS] Eat it, pig!
All cops are bastards!
So am I going to jail or what?
Well, yeah, Kat.
You just assaulted a fed.
Maybe worse.
We're still trying to decide
where to book you,
here with the cops
or in D.C. with the FBI.
My vote's FBI all day.
D.C.'s a long drive.
You'd prefer two hours in those zip ties
over a five-minute trip to the cops?
You don't want the local
authorities involved,
and I think I know why.
You created a distraction
so that that other young woman
could get away.
You were protecting
someone you cared about.
The other girl, the blonde
she's your girlfriend, isn't she?
Wait, is that why you've been
showing up in the stands
at lacrosse games?
You're dating Dara Deacons?
Tyler, shut up.
Please, you cannot tell
anybody that Dara's gay.
OK, if her parents find out,
she's gonna get kicked out of the house.
Dara's secret is safe with us,
but you've been ranting
about how you want Chris and Izzy dead.
That fire has made
half your wish come true.
What? Chris and Izzy are my
were my friends.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
OK, truth
Chris didn't dump me.
I broke up with him when Dara happened,
but we stayed friends.
And it was, like, totally his idea
that I troll him online
like some crazy ex-girlfriend,
you know, so that no one would suspect
that Dara and I were a thing.
Dara's family is super traditional.
Makes sense.
You ask me, I think some pyro
just wanted to torch the place.
[SIGHS]
♪
[MELLOW MUSIC PLAYING OVER STEREO]
[CHUCKLES] This mess is not gonna help
your houseguest user rating.
Sorry. Izzy hit a big low.
She got her first look in a mirror.
So I pulled some newer
burn and stem cell studies
from our med library to share with her.
Is this good for you,
seeing how much better
they can do for Izzy
than they did for you?
Maybe not, but it's not about me.
You look stressed,
and we don't want you falling
prey to compassion fatigue.
Nice use of "compassion fatigue."
♪
You know, those first weeks
after the bomb,
we practically lived in the burn unit.
But you were so
I'm not sure anything
I did or said helped.
I feel like I let you down, failed.
Sis, you in no way failed me.
If I had to face that alone,
I don't know if I'd be here
at all.
♪
So proof.
But with Izzy,
what's the point of going
through all that if I can't do more?
I need to find a way to give her hope.
I just don't know how.
♪
No, Chris and I didn't tell anyone
where we were going that night.
Because you wanted some alone time?
To make things dumber,
we parked up a side road
and walked into the house to guarantee
- the horror movie ending.
- [LAUGHS]
So there's no way you could
imagine someone followed you?
Far as I know, our only stalker was Kat.
And that was fake, like she said.
That was admirable, by the way.
You're a good friend.
Did you tell her that?
Did she tell you why she
hasn't come to see me?
Well, we had her preoccupied.
But now that her story's clear,
I'm happy to.
It's just, I don't get it.
Like, where is everybody?
A handful of my friends
came right away for, like,
ten minutes, and that was it.
People have a natural tendency
to exhibit disease-avoidant behavior,
even with something like burns.
But give it time.
Listen, when I was in a world of hurt,
one thing that helped was
working to catch whoever did that to me.
So you maybe want to keep
going over this stuff?
[DOOR CLICKS OPEN]
Excuse us.
We're gonna need to borrow
the amazing Ms. Coldby.
Oh, bandage change, right?
I'll come back afterwards.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Hey, you see Kat, tell her don't come.
I don't want to see her.
OK.
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
[SIGHS]
- Hey.
- Caroline, hey.
Is it true? You arrested Kat?
[SIGHS] She was released.
We don't think she did it.
Released fantastic.
Oh, don't get me wrong.
I can sleep just fine with or
without someone's head on a spike.
I get the sense that something's
- been keeping you up.
- The estate.
The sooner we're allowed
to clear the rubble,
the sooner we can sell.
We're not gonna get much,
but it'll be worth it
to finally move on from all this.
In other words,
someone could get this land
for less than it's worth.
You think that could be the motive?
They'd need to know
about the insurance lapse.
Well, you met Anna no filter.
She probably told
everyone in the county.
You know, there was
this one thing my dad told me.
A local church dogged him a while back
about selling to them.
They wanted to build a big
retreat center on the land.
Do you know which one?
The Presbyterian on 2nd.
They were super aggressive.
I told Reverend Snyder,
leave the man alone.
He's sick.
So it was Reverend Snyder who
was pushing to buy the land?
Mm-hmm.
And how'd he take the rejection?
He was sore until I found him
this parcel of land a few towns over.
Just put the foundation in for
the retreat center last week.
So no need to resort to arson.
[LAUGHING] Heavens, no.
Not that he ever would.
By any chance, are you
aware of the situation
- with the unhoused?
- No, why?
We've had some issues,
fires getting out of hand.
Last one was a few months ago.
Burned the Riveras' stable.
It's right by the local unhoused camp.
Six horses died.
Do you know if anyone specific
was seen setting fires?
Sorry, wish I could help more.
All I know is what I've heard
from our Mercy Meadow volunteers.
Mercy Meadow?
They're a multi-church
community outreach group,
do a lot of work with the unhoused.
I can get you their card.
That would be helpful. Thank you.
[PHONE RINGING AND BUZZING]
This is Jace. I should take it.
What's the latest
on the Wes Banning case?
- Did Cyber finally deliver?
- Oh, yeah.
Headline is, over a few short days,
Matthias systematically chipped away
Peter Shelby's reservations
and convinced him to set that bomb.
So Matthias was driving the
train on the whole damn plot.
The guy was careful, too,
broke the talks up
over multiple chat rooms.
If we're right and Matthias was the one
who scared Wes Banning
at his parole hearing
At the least, Wes can describe the guy.
Thanks, Jace.
Got to go.
- Did I hear "Wes Banning"?
- It's been confirmed.
Matthias is our mastermind.
I'm hoping, now that I have more ammo,
Wes will see his only play is
Another fire?
[SIRENS WAILING]
Make that two fires.
[HORN BLARING]
♪
And a third.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
[SNIFFS]
Liquid paraffin.
Makes three for three.
Thankfully, no casualties.
Same as the scrapyard
and that railroad outbuilding.
If we're dealing with a serial arsonist,
they've gone hot.
That church secretary sent a location
on the local unhoused encampment.
Center of the fire triangle.
Guess we go check out that camp?
I might have a better idea.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
You're welcome.
- Thank you.
- Thanks.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Well, I appreciate it.
What are you up to?
You think I can't see you
with your case face on,
floating questions with that
soothing voice of yours?
Soothing? I'm touched.
I'm serious.
You said this was a day of outreach.
I even got my boy Spiro
to discount the food for Mercy Meadow.
Fess up.
Are you manipulating these folks?
- Is that what it looks like?
- Yes.
I can see how it might be mistaken
for a reciprocity play,
giving in hopes of getting back.
You're right.
Thank you.
Excuse me, folks.
I've been made aware
that it might look like
there's a catch here,
that we're only here
to get you to answer questions.
The truth is, we are looking
for an arsonist.
And we would like you to share.
I just thought we should earn the right
to take up your time.
Either way, thank you.
And dinner is on us.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Hey.
Look at you, feeding people and pets.
I get you have no reason to trust me,
but there's a girl
that's going through hell
with burns like mine.
And word is, your community
might have a problem with fire.
What's that got to do with me?
The church told every
other person with an animal
to eat outside, but they let
you and your friend right in.
Clearly, you have sway with this group.
So you want me to tell you
which one of us crazies is your firebug?
I bring no judgments.
After I was burned, I volunteered
with a lot of people
in hard circumstances,
and they never made me feel judged.
I'm Alec, by the way.
They call me King.
Look, you're wrong about one thing.
Folks around here, they don't
have a problem with fires.
We had a problem with Pinter.
Who's Pinter?
He's a dark seed, hates everyone,
beats on animals.
Only people he'd talk to
were them church ladies.
Guess what he likes.
Fires and matches.
Guy was obsessed with matches.
That's why this camp,
we booted his scrawny ass.
Any idea where he went since?
He lives in a leaky old RV,
parks on the back roads.
Can't miss it.
Whatever Pinter might have done in life,
no one deserves to go like this.
Fire started here.
Looks like Pinter was burning some rags
when he knocked over
a jug of liquid paraffin.
And ignited a few other jugs.
It all points to him
as our fire starter,
but it's too neat.
Even if he couldn't get to the door,
there would have been a window here
big enough to squeeze through.
Then there's this.
His burn pit.
Guy's careful enough
to set up a fire break
but accidentally lights up his own van?
Alec, did King say that Pinter
starts his fires with a lighter?
No, matches, specifically matches,
which is no small thing.
With pyromaniacs like Pinter,
the specific tools they use
to start the fires
can become an inseparable part
of the compulsion.
I think this lighter was planted,
and there's empty liquor
bottles next to the body.
Could be he's passed out drunk
when the real arsonist showed up,
lit some rags, dumped the jug.
And staged his death, which
means that Pinter was framed.
Chris' death
might have been an accident.
The arsonist might not have known
that Chris and Izzy
were there, but this
this was straight-up murder.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Who benefits?
That is the question.
The FBI techs combed Pinter's van.
There were no prints.
There were no tire tracks.
Place was wiped clean.
FBI's still looking
into liquid paraffin purchases.
But in camp areas like Puck County,
lots of folks stock up on it.
- We ask again, who benefits?
- [COMPUTER CHIMES]
I can tell you one person
who benefits
because she won
the Fesmekker Grant, that is.
- Phoebe.
- Oh, my God.
- They just announced?
- Yeah.
Amazing.
- I had every confidence.
- Thank you.
And happily,
Phoebe's not the only person
who benefits today.
I had a chance to look through
Mr. Asadi's proposal.
Wait, I mean, you did?
Your central premise is great.
Rookie mistakes in structure.
Tell you what.
If you're up for some revisions,
I will fund your work through
the "Alec Mercer Endowment."
Is this serious?
Do you want me to be joking?
No, no, just, I can't believe it.
Thank you.
[QUIRKY MUSIC]
♪
[KNOCKING]
You got a minute?
[SIGHS]
I couldn't help but sense
that my offer to Rizwan
didn't land well with you.
What? No, it's great. [CHUCKLES]
I didn't mean to steal your thunder.
Winning Fesmekker is big.
I'm so very proud of you.
Thanks.
I appreciate that.
It's just
[SIGHS] I worked so hard for that prize.
Makes me feel like
You didn't need to do any of that?
I know it's petty and irrational.
And I really like Rizwan
and want to be happy for him, but
Not everybody who plays
should get a trophy, you know?
Doesn't feel fair.
- [SIGHS]
- What?
Phoebe, I'm sorry.
I hate to do this to you.
But can we pause for a second?
Because your very valid feelings
may be the key
to us finding this arsonist
before they strike again.
Cui bono who benefits
that's the wrong question for this case
because no one benefits.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
The right question to ask is, cui malo?
Who was harmed?
We've been looking at
the house itself as the target.
Since no one benefited from its burning,
we've turned to asking
who that would have hurt most.
That would be you three.
Is there anyone that you can think of
that would want to make you suffer?
Maybe my ex. He's not a good guy.
Lord, it's not Aaron.
He's in Maui on some bro trip,
posting nonstop.
Wait, you didn't unfriend him?
Caroline, you said you agreed
to sell after the fire,
implying you disagreed before.
What did you disagree over?
What to do with it.
Anna had the wild idea
to convert it into a B&B,
and Molly wanted to live there
and open an animal refuge.
Rescue.
It's been a dream for years,
but I had to put it on hold for Dad.
Course, neither my pick or Molly's
could happen without those upgrades.
But sawbones here
wouldn't pony up for those
until we called a realtor.
Because selling and splitting the money
was the only fair move.
And how did that make you feel?
Pissed, obviously.
- I mean, she doesn't
- Anna.
I don't know what this is,
but we're not continuing
without a lawyer.
Mm-hmm.
You clearly think one of them did it.
Which one?
It depends.
That's a Mercy Meadows sticker.
Whose car is this?
That car is Molly's.
It's her.
Just got off with Mercy Meadow.
Molly knew Pinter.
She volunteered with him,
teamed up with a social worker
to help Pinter stop setting fires.
But when that horse stable burned down,
she physically attacked the guy
for murdering innocent animals.
She always seemed so even-keeled.
Everybody's got a breaking point.
Pinter with his cruelty to animals
he must have felt like
the morally tolerable option
to scapegoat and kill.
And a convenient one.
After spending all that time with him,
Molly must have thought that she saw
enough details of his
fire setting to frame him.
That tracks.
But the first fire I don't understand
why she would do that
to her sisters or herself.
Mm.
[QUIRKY MUSIC]
- Marisa?
- Hmm.
I want you to divide this
$500 between you and Tyler,
any way you like.
If he accepts your proposal,
you each keep your share.
If he rejects it, I keep it.
- Seriously?
- Mm.
- 500 bucks?
- Yes.
All right, I'm game.
20 bucks sound good to you?
- 20 bucks?
- Mm.
2-0 and you get 480?
Mm.
Is that your final answer?
Mm-hmm.
♪
Then you keep it.
Burn it, for all I care.
[CHUCKLES] Exactly.
Humans have an innate fairness instinct.
If you treat someone unfairly,
they'll feel the need
to balance the scales,
even if it means
they suffer a loss themselves
in the process.
It's irrational,
but it's what makes us human.
Then I guess Molly felt like her sisters
treated her super unfairly.
She torched the house to punish them.
Now we just need
the evidence to prove it.
You think another visit to Molly?
[PHONE DINGS]
You're getting good at this.
Uh-uh. It's Izzy.
She's not doing well.
You guys go ahead.
This is gonna take time.
No, no, no, no, I hear you.
Why don't we try
how about distraction?
I can update you on the case.
I can't take it. The pain is so bad.
[SIGHS]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
I don't think I can do this.
I'll come back as soon as possible.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
We'll figure it out together.
♪
[FIRE WHOOSHING]
Are you OK?
I'm fine.
I'll call you back soon.
♪
Molly! Is that you out there?
Don't do this! Let me out!
[TIRES SQUEALING]
Molly!
Damn it!
[FIRE CRACKLING]
[COUGHING]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
[ALARM RINGING]
[GASPS, COUGHS]
♪
Damn it.
♪
[COUGHING]
♪
[METAL GROANING]
♪
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
[BREATHING DEEPLY]
- [COUGHING]
- Dr. Mercer.
Dr. Mercer. Cops got Molly.
I figured you'd want her
transferred into FBI custody.
Is Agent Clark here yet?
More importantly, are you OK?
Am I?
Your vitals look good.
Just take it easy the next day or two.
Don't you worry about me.
Did you get that hard evidence on Molly?
Paraffin residue in her car.
- We got her.
- Good work, Tyler.
I'm sure your boss will be proud.
Thank you.
Molly!
Lack of eye contact is an indication
that you feel guilty,
and that's a good thing.
It means you're not a psychopath.
My sister's getting me a lawyer.
Better be sure it's a good one,
because I think
you're going to go to prison
for a very long time.
I know the deck was stacked against you,
but you could have made
better decisions.
I just heard there was a fire.
I didn't know if you were alive or dead.
[LAUGHS]
For a minute there, neither did I.
- Are you
- I'm OK, Marisa.
What about the sensitive area?
Mm.
I mean, with all that heat,
maybe the paramedics
need to take a second look.
You know it's not your job anymore.
[SCOFFS]
You want me to call Rose?
Rose is in Paris on a case.
Anyways, it doesn't matter.
Paramedic says I'm fine, couple scrapes,
little smoke inhalation.
It's nothing, right?
Hey, you fool, it's me.
I promise, when I have something
to say about all this, I will.
♪
I better go deal with her.
♪
[SIGHS]
♪
I wanted you to know
I'm turning down the money.
You're what? Why?
'Cause I didn't earn it.
That's why.
[CHUCKLES]
You won the Fesmekker Grant
because you were organized and prepared
and delivered great work.
I didn't live up to that.
It's still a really good
opportunity, Rizwan.
I'm gonna take his notes
so I can keep learning.
Maybe next time, I'll make sure
to plan better, like you did.
So you don't have to be mad at me.
I'm not mad at you.
I'll admit, I was a little
upset for a minute.
But that was about me needing to be
seen and recognized.
Trust me, everyone sees you.
It's probably why I've felt
even more imposter syndrome
than usual lately.
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]
Are we overanalyzing our behavior?
♪
BOTH: Nah.
[LAUGHTER]
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
Heard about the fire.
Is Alec OK?
- Yeah, he will be.
- I'm glad.
Speaking of, Wes Banning
is too scared to make a peep.
So could another run at motive
be the path to Matthias?
OK, what's your angle?
Well, there's one exchange in the chats
from Matthias to Peter that
just won't leave me alone.
"It has to be in three days,
an hour after Sanford speaks."
I saw that too.
It verifies what Peter Shelby's
mom told us,
that Peter set the bomb off
early by mistake.
And it was never their plan
to hurt anybody at the event.
But that just makes
the motive less clear to me
because it obviously
rules out assassination.
Along with hate crime, I'd say.
Matthias is way too insistent
on the when.
Right, if you want to send
a political message
without the bloodshed,
why risk the body count
of doing it that night?
Oh, I see I have you hooked.
Go with me.
With our best rational
theories of the crime out,
what if I pull an Alec
and pitch something irrational?
Before the bomb, the best polls
had Sanford at a dead heat
with his opponent,
and the worst, three points down.
Jace, no.
But after the bomb,
the Black community turns out huge,
and the man wins by five points.
You honestly think that
Sanford would set off a bomb
at his own campaign event?
I mean, I know politicians
will do anything to win,
- but that's a little
- Far-fetched?
- Yeah.
- Of course.
But 20 years on,
with all of our other theories
in the trash,
how do we not pursue?
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
All right.
You're right. I'm in.
But if we're gonna go down this road
with a four-term sitting Senator,
best buy some tap shoes.
So it really wasn't my fault.
No.
You and Chris were simply
in the wrong place
at the wrong time, just like I was.
Then why do I still feel guilty?
[SIGHS]
Survivor's guilt.
You survived when someone else didn't
and for no good reason.
But that's not what I came here to say.
I came here to say I'm sorry.
Why?
You are the only person
besides my parents
who actually comes by.
I have been trying to give you hope.
In doing that, I haven't
been honest with you,
not because I wanted
to spare your feelings but
because I wanted to spare mine.
I guess I didn't
think that I could
go through this again,
reliving the
the pain
and the fear and
this helplessness.
It was easier to
placate you with promises
that it gets better.
♪
So what does that mean?
It means that 20 years on,
I still have a lot
of emotional ground to cover.
♪
That's how hard it is,
and I know that's not
what you want to hear.
But the truth is,
what you're going through right now
♪
it was
it's the worst I've ever felt.
Ooh, child ♪
And on top of that
Things are gonna get easier ♪
The person that you were,
the old Izzy
she's gone, and you have to grieve her.
But what if I don't want to?
Doesn't matter.
You don't have a choice.
The thing is, once I accepted that,
I realized something.
The worst thing that could happen to me
already happened.
And in a way,
that's a superpower.
[CHUCKLES]
It's true.
I had nothing to lose.
The old Alec was gone.
And the new Alec
♪
Tried things the old Alec
would never have tried,
took risks the old Alec
never would have.
It made me love my life again,
the wonder of it all.
♪
So if I can get through
the hard part
Ooh, child ♪
You can too.
Get easier ♪
But what if I can't?
You can.
Ooh, child ♪
If you can get
to the other side of this,
you can do anything you want.
Ooh, child ♪
I want to get out of this bed.
Things are gonna get easier ♪
Ooh, child ♪
Get brighter ♪
People are irrational
but predictably so.
I'm Alec Mercer.
Welcome to Applied Psychology.
- You're the science guy.
- That's Bill Nye.
I'm actually the behavioral science guy.
After 19 years, the FBI is
officially reopening the case.
Wes made the bomb.
Peter planted the bomb.
But this third guy, Matthias,
was behind it all.
The bomber met Matthias
in an online chat room.
Who is Rose?
Another client emergency.
Mm.
I'm off to Paris.
I am a yes to the dean's brunch,
a no to TED Talks.
And, oh, call Cuban's people back
and just tell them[SIGHS]
I'm too slammed.
Oh, finally, if you want feedback
on your Fesmekker Grant proposals,
in hopes that one of you
will be the pride of Wylton,
I need them by lunch tomorrow.
- Check your desk.
- Teacher's pet.
Rizwan, how's yours?
It's great, only, point of order,
given I'm still newish.
Since the Fesmekker Endowment
doesn't need our proposals
for over a month,
wouldn't it be a bit early
to show them to you?
If they were due in a month,
it would be.
But they're due in 48 hours.
48 hours? No.
Yes?
No. How did I mess that up?
I really wanted to win.
Last night, I even landed on
the experiment I'm gonna run.
Yeah, it's OK. Mistakes happen.
Maybe you'll learn something
from this negative feeling.
There it is, Fesmekker Proposal due.
One month, 48 hours from now.
I am so paying to upgrade
my calendar app.
I'll never get this done in time.
[PHONE RINGS AND BUZZES]
[SIGHS]
Professor Mercer's office.
Dr. Choi.
Oh.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Dr. Choi.
Who's Dr. Choi?
His burn specialist.
It's about his burns?
No, most likely,
it's about someone else's.
[SIREN WAILING]
♪
Thanks for coming all the way here.
I know it's a long drive
out to the boonies.
How severe are her burns?
I'd say "you" severe, give or take.
Plus, she lost someone.
Thought you might be able
to do your thing.
You want me to give her
the "it's gonna be all right" speech.
She's gonna need any piece
of hope we can give her.
♪
Izzy, this is my old friend
and patient Dr. Alec Mercer.
Doctor as in minds, not bodies.
It's nice to meet you, Izzy.
So you're the one who's gonna
make everything OK, huh?
That's the plan.
By the time I leave here,
it'll be like I waved a magic wand.
[CHAIR CLATTERING]
♪
You mind if we get real for a minute?
First, I'm sorry
for what happened to you,
your boyfriend.
I understand he didn't make it.
I had a similar thing
happen to me a long time ago.
I had up to fifth-degree burns
on 60% of me.
Got a couple sixes.
It's, like, to the bone.
Ouch.
The point is, I survived.
You will too.
Plus, since that bomb got me,
the care's gotten 20 years better.
If you can, feel.
♪
Your scars won't have to feel like this,
and that's just one example.
You can come through this
with a good life.
I don't deserve to.
I did this.
It's my fault Chris is dead.
[SIGHS]
♪
You want to tell me what happened?
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
Me and Chris, we were supposed to go
to some dumb house party.
But I was all,
let's go be alone somewhere,
which is pretty much
impossible in this town,
where everyone knows everyone.
But Mr. Rixton died, and that
house was sitting there empty
while they were fixing it up.
We got in.
I lit some candles.
I don't know, we must have must have
knocked one over, 'cause next I knew
[FIRE WHOOSHING]
♪
I killed Chris.
It was that drink I spilled.
It must have hit one of the candles,
and that's how the room went up so fast.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[SIGHS] Except there wasn't
nearly enough alcohol
in your vodka soda to catch flame.
I don't I don't understand.
You said the fire
blasted up from the floor.
Did you tell the authorities that?
No, I said it was the candles,
that it was my fault.
Of course you did.
With a trauma like yours,
the mind wants to regain
some sense of control,
power over an uncontrollable world.
I think that's why
you're feeling so guilty.
Your mind wants to tell a story
that at least makes sense,
so it's blaming you for the fire.
So are you saying I didn't do this?
I'm not sure what happened here,
but I do know a little bit more
than I'd like to
about how fire behaves.
♪
And this
this doesn't add up.
You're worried there's a crime here?
That's what you can help me figure out.
There is a chance
that my empathy for Izzy
is skewing my point of view.
Plus, since I never
got closure in my bombing,
it's possible I've got
a touch of patternicity.
Patternicity,
that's minds making connections
that aren't really there.
Conspiracy theories are
partly built on the phenomenon.
Maybe we should look
at the physical evidence
they sent over.
Says here the gas and power were off.
And the accelerant was paraffin.
Could point to Izzy's candles, but
if it started on
the main floor, like she said
Fire spreads out and up.
But look at the upper story.
It's nearly untouched
versus the basement,
which looks like
My old charcoal grill.
That's why the fire shot up
through the floor at them.
It must have started down below.
Poor Izzy.
Paraffin could also be camp fuel.
I think it was poured out
and lit in the basement.
That'd be arson, then.
And since Chris died,
that would also make it a homicide.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Sorry about the
everything.
Puck County's been renovating
the old municipal building
for two years, so we've learned
to walk sideways.
That is, when my boss is here.
Who's also your dad, right?
You hesitated on "boss,"
and this guy here at the Nirvana concert
looks like you but with different hair.
Yeah, that's Dad.
Fires are the family biz.
I only moved from fighting
to investigating them
six months ago, which is no excuse.
My dad was unreachable on a scuba trip,
so I handled Izzy's fire.
Her candle story seemed straightforward.
Room for one more?
Marisa, thanks for coming.
Deputy Fire Marshal Ford, this is
Special Agent Marisa Clark.
Please call me Tyler.
- I'm with the FBI.
- FBI?
How much trouble am I in?
You're not in any trouble, Tyler.
The bureau consults
on arsons all the time,
and I've opened this case
as an official arson homicide.
So you did agree with my take.
Mm-hmm.
That said, it does help
when local authorities
ask for the bureau's support,
kind of how you
have to invite a vampire
into your house.
I clearly need all the help I can get.
I still want to fix it.
So before you guys got here,
I reexamined the scene.
Izzy's candles didn't start the fire.
They were soy-based.
I made a bad assumption,
given the paraffin residue
that I found around the house.
So we were right about the accelerant?
Yeah, there was a heavy
debris pile in the basement.
The floor underneath was soaked
with liquid paraffin.
I'm sure you guys
are five steps ahead of me.
But anytime I've seen arson, it's been
the owner chasing insurance money.
No, it's a good point.
Izzy said the house's owner died.
Any idea who inherited it?
That'd be the Rixton sisters.
I admit I felt real anger
towards Izzy and Chris,
and I know they paid a horrible price.
I rounded in the burn unit
on my surgical residency.
But I had thought that this was on them
for busting into our dead father's
our house.
- But if it's arson
- They weren't at fault.
I'm sure this is an emotionally
confusing time for you.
If it wasn't their fault, then
I told you this was on me.
Molly, you have to let that go.
Why would you blame yourself?
Because it was me
living in that house
for the last five years.
Dad had late-stage Parkinson's.
Caring for him was an all-hours job.
So when the fire code got updated,
I punted on making
the required upgrades,
like sprinklers.
And and maybe if they had
been in there, then
Caroline, what the hell?
You said someone else
wanted to talk to us,
not the flipping' Men in Black.
You must be Anna.
Special Agent Clark, FBI.
Dr. Mercer consulting.
I'm confused.
Izzy and Chris burned down the house.
Actually, we believe it was arson.
And as a matter of course,
we have to ask
about the insurance money.
Well, that's easy.
There is none.
Assessor had the value
of the home pegged at $600,000?
True. But it wasn't insurable.
We get a lot of wildfires.
Insurance wouldn't cover us
until we got the upgrades,
which is never gonna happen now.
Dad wanted it split evenly.
We couldn't all live there.
So it made sense to sell.
Of course, we'll only get
land value now.
With a three-way split, we each
lost a big chunk of change.
- Awesome.
- Then I'll throw it to you.
Any idea who might have
burned your house?
A couple weeks ago,
I found a spent campfire
in the basement, a squatter.
Then some local teens got in one night.
They threw a party.
It could be someone came back,
set the fire by accident or maybe
Anna, I'm pretty good
at reading micro-expressions.
When she said "teens,"
your lower lip tensed.
That's anger.
Do you suspect someone?
No, I'm good.
Fine. [SIGHS]
Have you looked into Kat Schmitt?
She's Chris' ex.
I was working a couple
weeks back at my diner
when she and him got into it.
What about?
Chris dumping her for Izzy.
Clearly, she's not over it,
since she kind of threatened
to kill him.
♪
I bring sustenance and orders.
The professor needs us
to check Kat Schmitt's socials.
He called them "the Insta."
Yeah, looking for threats, boasts,
anything that links to the fire.
He called me too.
[SNIFFS]
Did you let mayo touch this bread?
You know, some theorize food aversions,
like your little mayo thing,
can be overcome
by slowly adding those foods
into your diet.
So interesting.
Maybe you should write
your grant proposal on that.
Oh, wait, you already did.
- You read my grant proposal?
- Oh, come on.
You tried to use me as a guinea pig.
No I didn't. I mean, I guess I did.
But I wasn't thinking of it that way.
So dare I ask, how was it?
I'd say, given the rush, it was solid.
Solid?
- Oh, no.
- What?
Solid is solid.
Seriously, come on.
Let's check out that Insta.
♪
[KNOCKING]
Hey, stop!
♪
There's another one? What the hell?
- FBI! Stop!
- Come on.
- Don't move.
- [GRUNTING]
I said don't move.
Wait a sec. Kat?
Who's your blonde friend?
[SPITS] Eat it, pig!
All cops are bastards!
So am I going to jail or what?
Well, yeah, Kat.
You just assaulted a fed.
Maybe worse.
We're still trying to decide
where to book you,
here with the cops
or in D.C. with the FBI.
My vote's FBI all day.
D.C.'s a long drive.
You'd prefer two hours in those zip ties
over a five-minute trip to the cops?
You don't want the local
authorities involved,
and I think I know why.
You created a distraction
so that that other young woman
could get away.
You were protecting
someone you cared about.
The other girl, the blonde
she's your girlfriend, isn't she?
Wait, is that why you've been
showing up in the stands
at lacrosse games?
You're dating Dara Deacons?
Tyler, shut up.
Please, you cannot tell
anybody that Dara's gay.
OK, if her parents find out,
she's gonna get kicked out of the house.
Dara's secret is safe with us,
but you've been ranting
about how you want Chris and Izzy dead.
That fire has made
half your wish come true.
What? Chris and Izzy are my
were my friends.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
OK, truth
Chris didn't dump me.
I broke up with him when Dara happened,
but we stayed friends.
And it was, like, totally his idea
that I troll him online
like some crazy ex-girlfriend,
you know, so that no one would suspect
that Dara and I were a thing.
Dara's family is super traditional.
Makes sense.
You ask me, I think some pyro
just wanted to torch the place.
[SIGHS]
♪
[MELLOW MUSIC PLAYING OVER STEREO]
[CHUCKLES] This mess is not gonna help
your houseguest user rating.
Sorry. Izzy hit a big low.
She got her first look in a mirror.
So I pulled some newer
burn and stem cell studies
from our med library to share with her.
Is this good for you,
seeing how much better
they can do for Izzy
than they did for you?
Maybe not, but it's not about me.
You look stressed,
and we don't want you falling
prey to compassion fatigue.
Nice use of "compassion fatigue."
♪
You know, those first weeks
after the bomb,
we practically lived in the burn unit.
But you were so
I'm not sure anything
I did or said helped.
I feel like I let you down, failed.
Sis, you in no way failed me.
If I had to face that alone,
I don't know if I'd be here
at all.
♪
So proof.
But with Izzy,
what's the point of going
through all that if I can't do more?
I need to find a way to give her hope.
I just don't know how.
♪
No, Chris and I didn't tell anyone
where we were going that night.
Because you wanted some alone time?
To make things dumber,
we parked up a side road
and walked into the house to guarantee
- the horror movie ending.
- [LAUGHS]
So there's no way you could
imagine someone followed you?
Far as I know, our only stalker was Kat.
And that was fake, like she said.
That was admirable, by the way.
You're a good friend.
Did you tell her that?
Did she tell you why she
hasn't come to see me?
Well, we had her preoccupied.
But now that her story's clear,
I'm happy to.
It's just, I don't get it.
Like, where is everybody?
A handful of my friends
came right away for, like,
ten minutes, and that was it.
People have a natural tendency
to exhibit disease-avoidant behavior,
even with something like burns.
But give it time.
Listen, when I was in a world of hurt,
one thing that helped was
working to catch whoever did that to me.
So you maybe want to keep
going over this stuff?
[DOOR CLICKS OPEN]
Excuse us.
We're gonna need to borrow
the amazing Ms. Coldby.
Oh, bandage change, right?
I'll come back afterwards.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Hey, you see Kat, tell her don't come.
I don't want to see her.
OK.
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
[SIGHS]
- Hey.
- Caroline, hey.
Is it true? You arrested Kat?
[SIGHS] She was released.
We don't think she did it.
Released fantastic.
Oh, don't get me wrong.
I can sleep just fine with or
without someone's head on a spike.
I get the sense that something's
- been keeping you up.
- The estate.
The sooner we're allowed
to clear the rubble,
the sooner we can sell.
We're not gonna get much,
but it'll be worth it
to finally move on from all this.
In other words,
someone could get this land
for less than it's worth.
You think that could be the motive?
They'd need to know
about the insurance lapse.
Well, you met Anna no filter.
She probably told
everyone in the county.
You know, there was
this one thing my dad told me.
A local church dogged him a while back
about selling to them.
They wanted to build a big
retreat center on the land.
Do you know which one?
The Presbyterian on 2nd.
They were super aggressive.
I told Reverend Snyder,
leave the man alone.
He's sick.
So it was Reverend Snyder who
was pushing to buy the land?
Mm-hmm.
And how'd he take the rejection?
He was sore until I found him
this parcel of land a few towns over.
Just put the foundation in for
the retreat center last week.
So no need to resort to arson.
[LAUGHING] Heavens, no.
Not that he ever would.
By any chance, are you
aware of the situation
- with the unhoused?
- No, why?
We've had some issues,
fires getting out of hand.
Last one was a few months ago.
Burned the Riveras' stable.
It's right by the local unhoused camp.
Six horses died.
Do you know if anyone specific
was seen setting fires?
Sorry, wish I could help more.
All I know is what I've heard
from our Mercy Meadow volunteers.
Mercy Meadow?
They're a multi-church
community outreach group,
do a lot of work with the unhoused.
I can get you their card.
That would be helpful. Thank you.
[PHONE RINGING AND BUZZING]
This is Jace. I should take it.
What's the latest
on the Wes Banning case?
- Did Cyber finally deliver?
- Oh, yeah.
Headline is, over a few short days,
Matthias systematically chipped away
Peter Shelby's reservations
and convinced him to set that bomb.
So Matthias was driving the
train on the whole damn plot.
The guy was careful, too,
broke the talks up
over multiple chat rooms.
If we're right and Matthias was the one
who scared Wes Banning
at his parole hearing
At the least, Wes can describe the guy.
Thanks, Jace.
Got to go.
- Did I hear "Wes Banning"?
- It's been confirmed.
Matthias is our mastermind.
I'm hoping, now that I have more ammo,
Wes will see his only play is
Another fire?
[SIRENS WAILING]
Make that two fires.
[HORN BLARING]
♪
And a third.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
[SNIFFS]
Liquid paraffin.
Makes three for three.
Thankfully, no casualties.
Same as the scrapyard
and that railroad outbuilding.
If we're dealing with a serial arsonist,
they've gone hot.
That church secretary sent a location
on the local unhoused encampment.
Center of the fire triangle.
Guess we go check out that camp?
I might have a better idea.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
You're welcome.
- Thank you.
- Thanks.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Well, I appreciate it.
What are you up to?
You think I can't see you
with your case face on,
floating questions with that
soothing voice of yours?
Soothing? I'm touched.
I'm serious.
You said this was a day of outreach.
I even got my boy Spiro
to discount the food for Mercy Meadow.
Fess up.
Are you manipulating these folks?
- Is that what it looks like?
- Yes.
I can see how it might be mistaken
for a reciprocity play,
giving in hopes of getting back.
You're right.
Thank you.
Excuse me, folks.
I've been made aware
that it might look like
there's a catch here,
that we're only here
to get you to answer questions.
The truth is, we are looking
for an arsonist.
And we would like you to share.
I just thought we should earn the right
to take up your time.
Either way, thank you.
And dinner is on us.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Hey.
Look at you, feeding people and pets.
I get you have no reason to trust me,
but there's a girl
that's going through hell
with burns like mine.
And word is, your community
might have a problem with fire.
What's that got to do with me?
The church told every
other person with an animal
to eat outside, but they let
you and your friend right in.
Clearly, you have sway with this group.
So you want me to tell you
which one of us crazies is your firebug?
I bring no judgments.
After I was burned, I volunteered
with a lot of people
in hard circumstances,
and they never made me feel judged.
I'm Alec, by the way.
They call me King.
Look, you're wrong about one thing.
Folks around here, they don't
have a problem with fires.
We had a problem with Pinter.
Who's Pinter?
He's a dark seed, hates everyone,
beats on animals.
Only people he'd talk to
were them church ladies.
Guess what he likes.
Fires and matches.
Guy was obsessed with matches.
That's why this camp,
we booted his scrawny ass.
Any idea where he went since?
He lives in a leaky old RV,
parks on the back roads.
Can't miss it.
Whatever Pinter might have done in life,
no one deserves to go like this.
Fire started here.
Looks like Pinter was burning some rags
when he knocked over
a jug of liquid paraffin.
And ignited a few other jugs.
It all points to him
as our fire starter,
but it's too neat.
Even if he couldn't get to the door,
there would have been a window here
big enough to squeeze through.
Then there's this.
His burn pit.
Guy's careful enough
to set up a fire break
but accidentally lights up his own van?
Alec, did King say that Pinter
starts his fires with a lighter?
No, matches, specifically matches,
which is no small thing.
With pyromaniacs like Pinter,
the specific tools they use
to start the fires
can become an inseparable part
of the compulsion.
I think this lighter was planted,
and there's empty liquor
bottles next to the body.
Could be he's passed out drunk
when the real arsonist showed up,
lit some rags, dumped the jug.
And staged his death, which
means that Pinter was framed.
Chris' death
might have been an accident.
The arsonist might not have known
that Chris and Izzy
were there, but this
this was straight-up murder.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Who benefits?
That is the question.
The FBI techs combed Pinter's van.
There were no prints.
There were no tire tracks.
Place was wiped clean.
FBI's still looking
into liquid paraffin purchases.
But in camp areas like Puck County,
lots of folks stock up on it.
- We ask again, who benefits?
- [COMPUTER CHIMES]
I can tell you one person
who benefits
because she won
the Fesmekker Grant, that is.
- Phoebe.
- Oh, my God.
- They just announced?
- Yeah.
Amazing.
- I had every confidence.
- Thank you.
And happily,
Phoebe's not the only person
who benefits today.
I had a chance to look through
Mr. Asadi's proposal.
Wait, I mean, you did?
Your central premise is great.
Rookie mistakes in structure.
Tell you what.
If you're up for some revisions,
I will fund your work through
the "Alec Mercer Endowment."
Is this serious?
Do you want me to be joking?
No, no, just, I can't believe it.
Thank you.
[QUIRKY MUSIC]
♪
[KNOCKING]
You got a minute?
[SIGHS]
I couldn't help but sense
that my offer to Rizwan
didn't land well with you.
What? No, it's great. [CHUCKLES]
I didn't mean to steal your thunder.
Winning Fesmekker is big.
I'm so very proud of you.
Thanks.
I appreciate that.
It's just
[SIGHS] I worked so hard for that prize.
Makes me feel like
You didn't need to do any of that?
I know it's petty and irrational.
And I really like Rizwan
and want to be happy for him, but
Not everybody who plays
should get a trophy, you know?
Doesn't feel fair.
- [SIGHS]
- What?
Phoebe, I'm sorry.
I hate to do this to you.
But can we pause for a second?
Because your very valid feelings
may be the key
to us finding this arsonist
before they strike again.
Cui bono who benefits
that's the wrong question for this case
because no one benefits.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
The right question to ask is, cui malo?
Who was harmed?
We've been looking at
the house itself as the target.
Since no one benefited from its burning,
we've turned to asking
who that would have hurt most.
That would be you three.
Is there anyone that you can think of
that would want to make you suffer?
Maybe my ex. He's not a good guy.
Lord, it's not Aaron.
He's in Maui on some bro trip,
posting nonstop.
Wait, you didn't unfriend him?
Caroline, you said you agreed
to sell after the fire,
implying you disagreed before.
What did you disagree over?
What to do with it.
Anna had the wild idea
to convert it into a B&B,
and Molly wanted to live there
and open an animal refuge.
Rescue.
It's been a dream for years,
but I had to put it on hold for Dad.
Course, neither my pick or Molly's
could happen without those upgrades.
But sawbones here
wouldn't pony up for those
until we called a realtor.
Because selling and splitting the money
was the only fair move.
And how did that make you feel?
Pissed, obviously.
- I mean, she doesn't
- Anna.
I don't know what this is,
but we're not continuing
without a lawyer.
Mm-hmm.
You clearly think one of them did it.
Which one?
It depends.
That's a Mercy Meadows sticker.
Whose car is this?
That car is Molly's.
It's her.
Just got off with Mercy Meadow.
Molly knew Pinter.
She volunteered with him,
teamed up with a social worker
to help Pinter stop setting fires.
But when that horse stable burned down,
she physically attacked the guy
for murdering innocent animals.
She always seemed so even-keeled.
Everybody's got a breaking point.
Pinter with his cruelty to animals
he must have felt like
the morally tolerable option
to scapegoat and kill.
And a convenient one.
After spending all that time with him,
Molly must have thought that she saw
enough details of his
fire setting to frame him.
That tracks.
But the first fire I don't understand
why she would do that
to her sisters or herself.
Mm.
[QUIRKY MUSIC]
- Marisa?
- Hmm.
I want you to divide this
$500 between you and Tyler,
any way you like.
If he accepts your proposal,
you each keep your share.
If he rejects it, I keep it.
- Seriously?
- Mm.
- 500 bucks?
- Yes.
All right, I'm game.
20 bucks sound good to you?
- 20 bucks?
- Mm.
2-0 and you get 480?
Mm.
Is that your final answer?
Mm-hmm.
♪
Then you keep it.
Burn it, for all I care.
[CHUCKLES] Exactly.
Humans have an innate fairness instinct.
If you treat someone unfairly,
they'll feel the need
to balance the scales,
even if it means
they suffer a loss themselves
in the process.
It's irrational,
but it's what makes us human.
Then I guess Molly felt like her sisters
treated her super unfairly.
She torched the house to punish them.
Now we just need
the evidence to prove it.
You think another visit to Molly?
[PHONE DINGS]
You're getting good at this.
Uh-uh. It's Izzy.
She's not doing well.
You guys go ahead.
This is gonna take time.
No, no, no, no, I hear you.
Why don't we try
how about distraction?
I can update you on the case.
I can't take it. The pain is so bad.
[SIGHS]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
I don't think I can do this.
I'll come back as soon as possible.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
We'll figure it out together.
♪
[FIRE WHOOSHING]
Are you OK?
I'm fine.
I'll call you back soon.
♪
Molly! Is that you out there?
Don't do this! Let me out!
[TIRES SQUEALING]
Molly!
Damn it!
[FIRE CRACKLING]
[COUGHING]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
[ALARM RINGING]
[GASPS, COUGHS]
♪
Damn it.
♪
[COUGHING]
♪
[METAL GROANING]
♪
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
[BREATHING DEEPLY]
- [COUGHING]
- Dr. Mercer.
Dr. Mercer. Cops got Molly.
I figured you'd want her
transferred into FBI custody.
Is Agent Clark here yet?
More importantly, are you OK?
Am I?
Your vitals look good.
Just take it easy the next day or two.
Don't you worry about me.
Did you get that hard evidence on Molly?
Paraffin residue in her car.
- We got her.
- Good work, Tyler.
I'm sure your boss will be proud.
Thank you.
Molly!
Lack of eye contact is an indication
that you feel guilty,
and that's a good thing.
It means you're not a psychopath.
My sister's getting me a lawyer.
Better be sure it's a good one,
because I think
you're going to go to prison
for a very long time.
I know the deck was stacked against you,
but you could have made
better decisions.
I just heard there was a fire.
I didn't know if you were alive or dead.
[LAUGHS]
For a minute there, neither did I.
- Are you
- I'm OK, Marisa.
What about the sensitive area?
Mm.
I mean, with all that heat,
maybe the paramedics
need to take a second look.
You know it's not your job anymore.
[SCOFFS]
You want me to call Rose?
Rose is in Paris on a case.
Anyways, it doesn't matter.
Paramedic says I'm fine, couple scrapes,
little smoke inhalation.
It's nothing, right?
Hey, you fool, it's me.
I promise, when I have something
to say about all this, I will.
♪
I better go deal with her.
♪
[SIGHS]
♪
I wanted you to know
I'm turning down the money.
You're what? Why?
'Cause I didn't earn it.
That's why.
[CHUCKLES]
You won the Fesmekker Grant
because you were organized and prepared
and delivered great work.
I didn't live up to that.
It's still a really good
opportunity, Rizwan.
I'm gonna take his notes
so I can keep learning.
Maybe next time, I'll make sure
to plan better, like you did.
So you don't have to be mad at me.
I'm not mad at you.
I'll admit, I was a little
upset for a minute.
But that was about me needing to be
seen and recognized.
Trust me, everyone sees you.
It's probably why I've felt
even more imposter syndrome
than usual lately.
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]
Are we overanalyzing our behavior?
♪
BOTH: Nah.
[LAUGHTER]
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
Heard about the fire.
Is Alec OK?
- Yeah, he will be.
- I'm glad.
Speaking of, Wes Banning
is too scared to make a peep.
So could another run at motive
be the path to Matthias?
OK, what's your angle?
Well, there's one exchange in the chats
from Matthias to Peter that
just won't leave me alone.
"It has to be in three days,
an hour after Sanford speaks."
I saw that too.
It verifies what Peter Shelby's
mom told us,
that Peter set the bomb off
early by mistake.
And it was never their plan
to hurt anybody at the event.
But that just makes
the motive less clear to me
because it obviously
rules out assassination.
Along with hate crime, I'd say.
Matthias is way too insistent
on the when.
Right, if you want to send
a political message
without the bloodshed,
why risk the body count
of doing it that night?
Oh, I see I have you hooked.
Go with me.
With our best rational
theories of the crime out,
what if I pull an Alec
and pitch something irrational?
Before the bomb, the best polls
had Sanford at a dead heat
with his opponent,
and the worst, three points down.
Jace, no.
But after the bomb,
the Black community turns out huge,
and the man wins by five points.
You honestly think that
Sanford would set off a bomb
at his own campaign event?
I mean, I know politicians
will do anything to win,
- but that's a little
- Far-fetched?
- Yeah.
- Of course.
But 20 years on,
with all of our other theories
in the trash,
how do we not pursue?
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
All right.
You're right. I'm in.
But if we're gonna go down this road
with a four-term sitting Senator,
best buy some tap shoes.
So it really wasn't my fault.
No.
You and Chris were simply
in the wrong place
at the wrong time, just like I was.
Then why do I still feel guilty?
[SIGHS]
Survivor's guilt.
You survived when someone else didn't
and for no good reason.
But that's not what I came here to say.
I came here to say I'm sorry.
Why?
You are the only person
besides my parents
who actually comes by.
I have been trying to give you hope.
In doing that, I haven't
been honest with you,
not because I wanted
to spare your feelings but
because I wanted to spare mine.
I guess I didn't
think that I could
go through this again,
reliving the
the pain
and the fear and
this helplessness.
It was easier to
placate you with promises
that it gets better.
♪
So what does that mean?
It means that 20 years on,
I still have a lot
of emotional ground to cover.
♪
That's how hard it is,
and I know that's not
what you want to hear.
But the truth is,
what you're going through right now
♪
it was
it's the worst I've ever felt.
Ooh, child ♪
And on top of that
Things are gonna get easier ♪
The person that you were,
the old Izzy
she's gone, and you have to grieve her.
But what if I don't want to?
Doesn't matter.
You don't have a choice.
The thing is, once I accepted that,
I realized something.
The worst thing that could happen to me
already happened.
And in a way,
that's a superpower.
[CHUCKLES]
It's true.
I had nothing to lose.
The old Alec was gone.
And the new Alec
♪
Tried things the old Alec
would never have tried,
took risks the old Alec
never would have.
It made me love my life again,
the wonder of it all.
♪
So if I can get through
the hard part
Ooh, child ♪
You can too.
Get easier ♪
But what if I can't?
You can.
Ooh, child ♪
If you can get
to the other side of this,
you can do anything you want.
Ooh, child ♪
I want to get out of this bed.
Things are gonna get easier ♪
Ooh, child ♪
Get brighter ♪