Will Trent (2023) s01e08 Episode Script
Two Hundred Dollars and a Bus Pass
1
Previously on "Will Trent"
Any chance the two of you are expecting?
Ha! We're not together.
And I am definitely not having sex,
so unless God Himself is
cooking up a plan, then
not pregnant.
I got cigarette burns
for fetching the wrong
kind of soup from the pantry.
Every step of the way,
there was someone there
to tell me that I was broken, worthless.
- Alison.
- Jason, please. Look, I'm tired.
I've been studying all
night. I just want to go home.
I'm not doing this right now.
Hello?
Jason?
Who's there?
Look, I have pepper spray.
That's all I needed, Detective.
Alison Schooner.
They pulled her out of the water.
She was weighted down by a cinder block.
- Who reported it?
- Couple of professors,
out for their morning nine.
They saw the shoes.
ID and suicide note inside.
"I want it to end."
Well, that's pretty direct.
Excuse me, agents.
I'm Vera Kuo, University Chancellor.
Thank you for coming.
A campus suicide is a terrible tragedy.
My hope is that we can
stay ahead of the narrative.
I'm not convinced this is suicide.
I thought she left a note.
The note's one sentence long,
written on a torn piece of paper.
Women usually take more
care for their last words.
Their letters are longer,
written with much more detail.
They want to explain themselves.
That's a generalization, right?
Can't suicide be a rash decision?
Well, sometimes, yeah,
but carrying a cinder block
to the middle of a golf
course to drown yourself,
that's not rash.
That shows planning.
Hang on. Unzip the bag.
I'd like to take another look.
See anything?
There's something on her neck.
What the hell?
Something got under the skin.
Oh, my God.
I'm gonna faint.
Somebody tend to the chancellor.
We're on it.
Stab wound is barely visible.
Weapon must've been sharp.
Over there. On the bark. You see it?
Bark can act like a sponge.
The tree's still soaking wet
from the sprinklers this morning,
but blood really is thicker than water.
Whoever did this probably thought
the, uh, the sprinklers, the pond
would wash away any evidence.
They had the note, the
cinder block, all of it.
They were waiting for her.
Well, only cameras are at
the entrances and exits.
All visitors and staff
have to sign in and out,
and no one has signed
out since last night.
So the killer's still here?
This is like an Agatha Christie novel.
Yeah, with very soft
food. And hearing aids.
So, forensics didn't find
any prints on the sword,
wallet's still in his pocket,
but no phone, not even in his car.
Yeah, send a team to his house.
Eh, Ms. Hernandez?
So, when you found him,
he was just like this?
He was setting up.
Um, Steve's a regular entertainer here.
"Morning Magic with Steve
Susperio," every Thursday.
He was fine when I left him,
and when folks started
coming in to the performance,
he was gone.
Poof.
Poof.
What could the motive possibly be?
He was here to do magic.
That's motive enough for me.
He's still here?
Does that mean there's not
gonna be any figure drawing?
Oh. Barry, Linda, go
back to your rooms, okay?
I don't want you to see this.
- Well, that one can take his shirt off.
- Linda.
They didn't seem particularly phased.
I'm guessing this
won't be the first body
they've seen wheeled out of here.
Hey. What's that?
What is it? A tripod?
His phone was here.
We gotta search the place.
I'll start on the warrant.
Nancy? Can I keep him?
Is this her room?
Yeah, right here.
There are seven of you in this house?
Helps keep it affordable.
The lease is under my name.
Dwayne Gilbert.
This is so surreal.
I'm actually a criminal justice major.
Isn't that weird?
Third year. 4.2 grade point average.
Impressive. Stay at the
threshold, please.
Yep.
What's with all the padlocks?
She grew up in the system.
You mean foster care?
This is just how my rooms used to be.
Kept all my stuff close.
Always sure someone was
gonna try to take my things.
Treated every home
like it was temporary.
Wow. That makes so much sense.
I really didn't know much about her.
She was quiet, clean,
mostly kept to herself, studied a lot.
Do you know if she had a boyfriend?
Oh, yeah, 'cause it's
always the boyfriend, right?
You want to be an investigator?
Here's a tip pay attention.
Learn about the people
you're living with.
Y You're right. Good advice.
We can take it from here, Dwayne.
We'll let you know if we need anything.
Handwriting's the same
as the suicide note.
Killer must have ripped it out
from something the victim wrote.
Explains why the note was torn.
Can I help you?
Oh, he's running.
Get up. Get up.
Hands on the fence. Don't move.
What's with the knife, huh?
It's a fettling knife.
For sculpting!
Did you use it to kill Alison?!
- No! Let go of me!
- Why'd you run, then?
- Will!
- Why'd you run?
Aah! I wasn't
Oh, my God.
Keep him on his side.
I need an ambulance, now.
We have witnesses that say
you were out of control.
What, you hit his head? Help him
"fall to the ground" a few times?
What? Of course not.
The kid's name is Milo Braham.
He's a senior from Savannah,
and his very wealthy parents
have luckily decided not to sue.
You were right. Victim
grew up in the system.
Doesn't give you permission
to put a boy in the hospital.
I don't know what caused that
seizure, but it wasn't me.
Well, let's hope the kid
makes a full recovery
or he's the killer.
I'm fine either way.
Jeremy, you know I can't
talk about the case.
But listen to me. It
was an isolated event.
The only thing that
could put you in danger
is me finding out that
you're not going to class.
Yeah.
I gotta go now. Be good, please.
You're Agent Mitchell.
I was sent to find you.
- Hi.
- How have you been? Numbers okay?
You find a good endocrinologist?
You remember that?
I remember you.
Uh, the young man we brought
in today, Milo Braham?
Yes. Right.
Uh, he's stable but
suffered some head trauma
when he hit the concrete.
He's been put in a
medically induced coma
to prevent brain swelling.
No history of epilepsy.
We're trying to figure out
the cause of the seizure.
Gotcha. He is a person of
interest in a murder case.
I'll leave a guard
out front of his room,
but would you please let me know
if anything changes in his condition?
Of course. Of course. In fact
this is my personal mobile number.
How's your, uh, diabetes?
You taking regular meals?
I'm sorry. What does that mean?
It means I'm an idiot.
I'm trying to ascertain if
you'd like to get a meal with me.
Oh! Right. Yes.
I eat dinner. I do.
Um, and, yes, that would be great.
I'm eating dinner with my son tonight,
but sometime, yes. Yes, yes.
You have a son?
- He's 18.
- Oh.
But I'm 33.
- Great.
- I had him when I was young.
- Okay.
- But it was consensual.
Well, that's a relief.
Yeah, we were young and dumb,
and it was the first time, too.
Can you believe that?
But everything's good now.
No more accidental pregnancies for me.
Okay. I'm gonna go now, Doctor
- Farhad, please.
- Mm. Yeah.
- Looking forward to speaking again.
- Are you sure?
Mnh.
I did a basic tox screen.
Nothing showed up, but I did notice
her liver enzymes were elevated.
Although, elevated
liver enzymes can also be
a side effect of heavy drinking,
so it's not that unheard
of for a college student.
You're gonna let him say that?
You know I wasn't a
partier. I had two jobs.
I had a partial scholarship,
so my grades couldn't slip.
No one was helping me.
No one was helping me.
I need that plastic
container we, uh, bagged
brought down to autopsy
as soon as possible.
Alison Schooner wasn't a drinker.
Whatever you say. Also, see this?
Knife entered here, went
directly to the carotid artery,
and then was twisted to
ensure the artery was severed.
This killer knew what
they were doing. I think
- They were a hunter.
- Aww.
I love it when we finish
each other's sentences.
That's how you drain a deer.
Well, this is Georgia.
It doesn't narrow it down much.
- Here you go.
- Thank you.
Found this in the victim's backpack.
Water dissolved whatever was
inside, messed up the label,
but it's still not from
the student health center.
No name, no words.
Just a bunch of numbers.
This is from a pharmaceutical trial.
- You sure?
- Yeah, pretty sure.
Universities are a
hub for drug research.
Studies need healthy,
young participants.
Students need money.
Well, our victim did need money.
How much do participants get paid?
Sometimes as much as a
few thousand, depending.
Respectfully, I did
not stab the magician.
Sure. Uh, how long has
Steve been coming here?
A few years, at least.
Any chance he started up a relationship
with one of the residents?
Linda, maybe?
- Linda?
- She's very flirty.
I sincerely doubt that.
What about the staff?
Uh, does anyone have
a history of violence,
a criminal record?
- Yes.
- So, Ernesto, disorderly conduct, 2019.
You want to tell us about that?
Got a little too rowdy
at a bar one night.
I mean, what can I say?
The Falcons were winning.
Someone heard you shouting at
Steve last time he was here.
Yeah, I was shouting at Steve.
Uh, he made my wedding ring reappear
inside of a sealed bag of
Pepperidge Farm cookies.
- I mean, geez.
- Chessmen or Milanos?
Oh. Milano.
That's pretty good.
Yeah, I kept telling him
I was like, "Steve,
you have got to get on
'America's Next Great Entertainer.'"
I mean, the guy can do anything
sleight of hand, close magic.
I mean, he even hypnotized
me to help me quit smoking.
Psch!
You guys do know I'm not the only one
with a record here, right?
Is there some specific
employee you were thinking of?
No, not employee.
I'm talking residents.
Alison didn't have too
much of an online footprint.
Too busy to curate her life.
Yeah, well, I interviewed
the rest of her housemates.
Turns out, she did have a boyfriend.
A guy named Jason Howell,
and listen to this.
He's a research assistant
for a new drug trial
for a high blood pressure med.
This guy?
Yeah, that's him. They
broke up a few months ago.
He took it hard.
So far, no photos of Milo.
Yeah, he's still a mystery,
but maybe that's why he was
creeping in Alison's window.
They had a little
sneaky-link thing going on.
So Jason gets Alison
into the drug trial.
She needs the money, plus he
gets to see her all the time.
Yeah, he probably
thought she'd be grateful,
want to get back together.
Why do boys always want to fix things?
Well, look at this.
That's a hoist, right? For deer?
We're looking for a hunter.
Jason might be our guy.
Jason just went to get some fresh air.
He's been really upset.
But he should be back soon.
What's your name?
Darla. Wall.
I'm Dr. Tilda's other
research assistant.
Can you tell us a little
about this research?
It's a Phase One trial for a
new hypertension medication.
We're simply observing side effects,
making sure the drugs are
fit for human consumption.
Hi, Jason.
Oh. Jason?
Um, these people are
here to talk to you.
I'll leave you.
That was the weekend I took Alison
to my family's cabin to meet everyone.
Parents, grandparents,
cousins. They were all there.
That's like a, what,
300-, 400-pound hoist?
You hunt with rifles, bows?
I don't hunt at all.
It's more my brothers.
Alison hated the hunting.
Where were you last night?
Here, at the lab.
Darla and I were compiling research.
All night long?
We're on a deadline.
Our advisor, Dr. Tilda
she she doesn't like excuses.
Alison was a part of
this drug trial, right?
Mm-hmm.
Because of you.
She needed money.
She was always working so
hard, but it was never enough.
I was afraid she was
gonna drop out of school.
This seemed easy.
Did the drugs affect
her? Any side effects?
She never mentioned any.
Why did you and Alison break up?
I don't know.
She got all weird and
shut-down and serious.
She had this outsider mentality,
like she didn't deserve to be loved.
Maybe she just wasn't that into you.
"Maybe she wasn't that into you"?
- The kid was in mourning.
- Or he's the killer.
"She felt like she didn't
deserve to be loved"?
What is he some kind
of psychological genius?
It feels like you're over-identifying.
Actually, I'm applying my
lived experience to the case.
What's up with this one?
- Hi.
- Are you okay?
Oh. Yeah.
I was just trying to stay
awake, keep the blood moving.
You know, sitting is the new smoking.
Right. Right. Jason mentioned
you two were working together all night.
W
That's a very long,
dramatic pause, Darla.
No, I No.
Um, the important thing is that
Jason is, like, the sweetest guy I know.
I've I've known him for years,
and I know that he really loves Alison,
and there's nothing he
would ever do to hurt her.
Right. We get it. Great guy.
What are you trying to say?
Um, I wasn't with him, like, all night.
I went to the gym and
worked out and took a shower,
and then at some point, I
think around, like, midnight,
I took a nap on the couch
in Dr. Tilda's office.
But, please, don't tell
her I did that, okay?
She really does not
like me on her couch.
Thank you, Gus. Very nice ceramics.
How many more rooms are there?
That was just the first wing.
Seriously?
- What's that noise?
- What's going on?
You go help Mr. Casey.
What's happening? Is there a fire?
I'm sure it's just a false alarm,
but we do need everyone outside
and accounted for just in case.
- Yeah.
- Think someone pulled it?
Heard we were searching rooms?
Absolutely. These old people
are cagier than they look.
- Oh.
- This way, please. I'm sorry.
The Fire Department
will clear it shortly.
No. You know what? Grab a
resident list and meet us outside.
We're gonna go on a field trip.
Yep, just follow
me. We're gonna get there.
Good job.
It's the hospital.
This is Agent Mitchell.
Faith, it's Farhad. I
have an update on Milo Braham.
I'm afraid it's not good.
His seizure's the result
of a drug interaction.
He'll have to be kept in a medically
induced coma a few days more.
Was one of the drugs in his
system an anti-hypertensive?
Actually, yes. How'd you know?
Our victim was a part of a drug trial.
Maybe Milo was, too.
That could explain it,
but Milo had numerous
pre-existing conditions.
He should never have been
allowed in a drug trial.
You know, my shift's ending soon.
I was gonna grab a bite to eat,
if you're available.
You're on speaker with
my colleague, Agent Trent.
She's wide open.
Oh.
I am not "wide open".
What do you mean by that?
It Okay.
Thank you for the
update, Dr. Pournazeri.
- Farhad.
- Farhad. Right. Yes.
Farhad. I'll be in touch. Goodbye.
You shut your mouth.
You know what they say if
you don't use it, you lose it.
Alright? This could be a good thing.
You know, he's a
doctor, he's handsome
Can we get back to the case?
- Yes.
- Thank you.
Milo's parents are wealthy.
He didn't need the money.
No reason to join a drug trial,
especially if it's risky for him.
So why go out of his way
to take blood pressure meds?
Maybe this whole thing
is about side effects
not the bad ones, but good ones.
You know, think Viagra, Rogaine
drugs that were developed for one thing
and now are being sold for
something else entirely.
We need to talk to other participants,
find out what those drugs do.
Well, I know how to get college
students to talk, so come on.
Do we get pizza?!
Come on!
I'll tell you whose room
you should search Milly's.
I've seen Steve the
Magician going to visit her.
Were you jealous?
No.
Come on. Pretty young lady like you?
Do you think Linda was jealous?
Of course Linda was jealous.
Always had her cloudy eyes on him,
and he rejected her.
He did not reject me.
He simply valued our friendship
too much to tarnish it.
Are you saying these
relationships were physical?
Oh, God, no.
H He'd just flirt with
them, make them happy.
And what about you? Did you do it?
- What? No.
- You could have. I see those muscles.
I could Well, I have been
using the resistance bands.
Mmm.
You know they got pizza upstairs, right?
Here's the thing. It helps
you study, get stuff done.
Like Adderall times ten.
You sure it's safe?
Oh, I have no idea.
I am a laser.
Laser-focused. See my eyes?
- Lasers.
- Helps me with my memory.
Lets me study all night, no crash.
Have you heard anybody
selling the pills?
Impossible. Every time
you pick up your pills,
you have to give a blood sample,
prove you've been taking them.
Are you on it right now?
Pssh. There's totally a black market.
One time, I took double the dose,
just as an experiment.
It did not go well.
Do you know Milo Braham?
Milo? Oh, yeah. Sure.
Yeah, he was definitely buying, yeah.
Used them to stay up all
night, make art or whatever.
Kind of a waste.
The girl who died? I heard
rumors she was selling.
Really? You know what it's like
to go and visit your elderly father
and find out the place is empty?
And a firefighter is there telling you
that everybody's at the police station
- because there's been a murder?!
- I'm so sorry.
Ma'am, I I really can
imagine that must have been
very upsetting, but Ms. Hernandez
was just following our orders, so
Doesn't even matter,
because I was coming
to take him out anyway.
Dad! Come on!
- Where is the pizza?!
- Come on, Dad.
And I specifically asked you to
help him control his spending,
and you didn't do that, so we're
finding a new place for him.
I'm sorry. What were you
saying about his spending?
He goes online and charges a fortune.
I cancel the card, and he
just orders another one.
They told me they would put
passwords on his computer
to stop him
but obviously, they lied.
Gus, it's so easy to get sucked in.
I I get it, man. Is it
For me, it's jewelry.
Is it Is it art supplies for you?
I don't even use the Internet.
Said she was gonna call you.
She's gonna be there. You
know we got to study, though.
Hey. Should I ask?
Should I?
Probably not.
Uh, hey, can you hook me up with someone
in the GBI's financial crimes division?
Sure. Um, Eric Peterson. He's the best.
Great. Thanks.
Tell me.
The case I'm working. The dead girl.
She's one of us, Ange. She had no one.
Put herself in harm's way
just trying to support herself,
make it through college.
Shouldn't have happened.
No, it shouldn't have,
but she's got you now.
- Eric Peterson.
- Yeah.
Selling drugs puts you at risk.
You could have been killed
for the drugs, Alison.
- You're disappointed in me.
- No.
Good people make bad choices.
And I understand what
you were up against.
You know what they give you
when they kick you out
of the home at 18, right?
$200 and a bus pass. I know.
I was so hungry, I shoplifted
for food when I was 19.
Got caught, too.
I was lucky.
The captain of the police precinct
her name's Amanda Wagner
and for reasons I'll never understand
she took an interest in me.
You were so close, Alison.
You just needed one more
thing to break your way.
So, no.
No judgment.
None at all.
I'm gonna find who did
this to you, Alison.
I promise.
If Alison was selling,
someone inside the study
had to be helping her
get the extra pills.
Yeah, it must have been
her ex, right? Jason Howell?
That's what I thought, then
I talked to Chancellor Kuo
this morning, and she
says that the rules
for drug trials on
campus are crystal clear,
specifically to prevent
this sort of thing.
No pills without a blood test
proving that the subject's
actually taking them.
Okay. Well, who signs
off on the blood test?
The head researcher. In
this case, it's Dr. Tilda.
- Any way she could get extra pills?
- Maybe.
And she could falsify data,
claim there are more participants
than there really are,
pass on the extra pills
for Alison to sell.
That note Alison wrote
"I want it to end."
You think she was talking about
her arrangement with Dr. Tilda?
Let's go find out.
You think I would
jeopardize my reputation,
my entire academic career,
for a few extra dollars?
Maybe it was a lot of extra dollars.
You're going through
a nasty divorce, right?
Every penny counts.
Oh, and a non-tenure faculty position
isn't exactly a lottery ticket.
Probably why you were shifting over
to pharmaceutical research
in the first place.
I would never falsify research.
How many participants do
you claim are in the trial?
I can't discuss any of
the details of my work
without a warrant.
Oh.
Good thing we have one.
Should we, uh, take a
walk over to your lab?
What'd the GBI guy say?
Alright. Dead magician
guy, Steve Susperio
real name, Steven Gary Carmichael.
He was already under investigation
by the GBI for identify theft.
He's been siphoning away money
- from elderly residents all over the state.
- How?
No. Really?
Hypnotizing them?
Social Security numbers, passwords,
anything he could get.
Wow.
- What a scumbag.
- Yeah.
So you think a bunch of
the residents figured it out
and ganged up on him?
Now they're keeping a code of silence?
I think that's a little elaborate,
considering the crowd we just met.
Ormewood. Yeah?
Okay. Thank you.
Well, they finished the search.
Someone conveniently poured water
all over their computers
on their way out.
- That was the fire drill.
- Yeah.
- Remember Sheila?
- Yeah.
Well, it turns out a rabbit
wasn't the only thing
she took from Steve.
Did she take his phone?
They're bringing it in right now.
Jackpot!
Just so you know, I'm
calling my attorney.
Well, that's gonna be very expensive
- for you, and it's not gonna help.
- Will, the door!
Ohh! Oh, my God. No.
No, no, no, no. No! Oh!
Oh, my God. Ohh!
- I'll get the paramedics.
- It's Darla.
You're okay. Just stay with us, Darla.
You're gonna be okay.
Hello. My name is Steve Susperio.
I'm a magician, and
this is my audition tape
for "America's Next Great Entertainer."
- No way.
- Yeah.
This is the last time he uses the phone.
I think it's all you're gonna need.
Today, I want to share with you the joy
I bring to seniors,
a childlike wonder
The Bahamas?! When
were you gonna tell me?
What? Nancy? I I I
No, I'm not trying to
leave you. That's not true!
You're lying! You are greedy!
So we got everything on camera?
Yep. That's the truth!
They argue, things get out of hand
This is no money.
- Oh, great. Yeah, that's just great.
- Show me the money.
What are you gonna do? Stab me now?
I've got a show to do, you crazy loon!
Don't call me crazy!
Aah!
- Ohh!
- Wow!
Well, you know, I gotta
say, I ruled her out
- because, I mean
- Tiny.
- Look. She's tiny.
- Yeah.
Nancy wipes things off and
gets the hell out of there.
Never even notices the
phone across the room.
The phone just keeps recording until
Hey, look. There's Sheila.
Sheila. Wow.
Well, I gotta give it to him.
That was pretty entertaining.
- We're terrible people.
- Yeah.
Do you remember what happened?
I went into the lab early.
Uh, Jason was
was getting really
behind on his reports,
which was totally understandable,
so I thought I'd catch
up his work for him.
And as I did, I I
noticed something strange.
Strange like what?
The bloodwork for
multiple participants
it was identical.
It was as if one person was
giving multiple blood samples,
a a and Jason was just entering
them under different names.
Was one of those names Alison Schooner?
Yes.
I couldn't understand it,
so I went to the records room
to see if anything like
that had happened before.
I was standing there,
looking through the logs,
and and then I heard
someone come in behind me.
I don't understand it.
I can't believe he would hurt me.
It was Jason?
Mm.
Jason Howell wasn't in his apartment.
- And his car's still outside?
- Bicycle, too.
We've canvassed the area,
but no one's seen him.
He's got to be hiding somewhere here.
Laundry room, mailroom.
Does this building have a basement?
Yeah. This way.
Check the stairwell. And
be careful. He's dangerous.
Of course, Vera. I know.
Not exactly the low-profile
investigation you had hoped for.
Hang in there. We'll get a drink soon.
Chancellor Kuo?
She's giving Dr. Tilda a
leave of absence with pay.
Believes she didn't know
what Jason was up to,
but she's still responsible
for the study getting out of control.
- What?
- Something's not right.
Okay, so talk to me.
But I need evidence, not just your gut.
Here's a question. Jason was strong.
That's not a question.
If he was trying to make Alison's death
look like suicide, why not
just hold her underwater?
Why stab her and risk getting
caught? It's a dumb move.
It could be an emotional reason.
He loved her. He wanted it to be quick.
He didn't want to feel her struggle.
Or he didn't kill her at all.
Maybe the killer wanted us to
figure out it wasn't suicide.
Because they wanted us
to think it was Jason.
Our killer wasn't dumb.
They're smart. Very smart.
Hmm. Guess you better be smarter.
I guess so.
I know it's upsetting.
Jason was a very disturbed young man.
But it's all over now.
Alright? You can focus on
healing, go on with your life.
Thank you.
Excuse me, agents. Can
I speak to one of you?
I'll never stop thinking about them.
For the rest of my life.
My entire career.
I'm going to dedicate it to Alison.
I'm sure that would
mean something to her,
- being remembered.
- Yeah.
Will?
You take care of yourself, Darla.
Milo Braham just regained consciousness.
That's great. No need
to rush to get his statement
now that we know he was just a buyer.
Yeah, except he just admitted
he was following Alison
the night she died.
He said he saw her being
attacked. He wants to talk to us.
Alright. So let's go.
What room is he in now?
237, but please wait
at least a few hours.
Milo's sleeping. It's
imperative he rest.
He's still quite weak.
Great. We'll come back
first thing in the morning.
- Fine.
- Thank you, Doctor.
Milo's not here. He's still in a coma.
Oh. I
It was the boiler room.
That's what tipped me off.
It was smart.
You were trying to keep the body warm,
obscure time of death.
You needed us to believe
that you were stabbed
first then Jason died,
not the other way around.
I don't know what you're talking about.
We found the scalpel, the one
that you used to stab yourself.
Didn't make sense.
Why would someone stab Alison
with such deadly precision
then stab you precisely
where you wouldn't die?
No, this is, uh this is a mistake.
You were the one taking
advantage of Alison.
You were supplying the pills
and she was selling them,
and when she wanted to
stop, you killed her.
Tried to frame Jason. Right?
Oh, no. I
No, I was I was helping her!
I gave her half the money,
and she was going to tell
on me, ruin everything!
It's not fair!
No. Nothing ever is.
Darla Wall, you are under
arrest for the murders
of Alison Schooner and Jason Howell.
Ms. Hernandez was not
just dating the magician.
She was his accomplice.
And she wasn't the only one.
The guy'd been grifting
his way across the Sun Belt,
cozying up to lonely administrators
at every senior home that booked him.
We turned over her computer to the GBI.
And we started a betting pool
on how much Susperio grifted
off the boomers over the years.
It's a lot. I got 85K.
That's too low. You want in?
I just never want to
hear about this again.
Good job, you two.
Poof.
Terrible people.
Good work, partner.
Are you gonna be okay?
Yeah. Sure I will.
How about you?
You, uh, gonna see how
things go with Dr. Far-hottie?
Whoa. Boundaries.
Okay, uh, never say that again.
I can't believe I was trying
to have a moment with you.
- Unh-unh.
- Oh.
- This is serious.
- Mm.
Alright. Last, but not least.
What's on the potatoes? It's delicious.
Oh. If I told you all
my cooking secrets,
you wouldn't need me anymore, huh?
Whoa! Little spicy.
That's the harissa,
and, uh, it's got a
little kick of cayenne.
It'll sneak up on you.
Betty can't have any of this.
Here. Come on.
She doesn't handle spice
very well, do you, girl?
But you got plenty of spice, don't you?
Yes, you do. Okay. Alright.
Hey, I I want to say something.
Um, Will closed a case today, a murder,
and I think we should honor the victim.
Seriously? During dinner?
Well, yeah. Uh I'll start.
I didn't know Alison
Schooner, but she existed.
She got herself out of
the system, into college.
That means she was tough.
I, uh, would have
liked to have known her.
I'm sad that I won't.
- How old was she?
- 19.
- Man, that sucks.
- Yeah.
Here's what I know about Alison.
Um, she was an oxy
orphan, and she bounced
- through five foster homes and
- Oh, my God.
I am not inviting you to my funeral.
It's not a case report.
She felt alone.
She didn't have anyone,
and, uh, she was trying.
She was learning, you know,
starting to let people in.
You know how hard that is.
And I'd like to think
that eventually, um,
if things had been different,
she'd be sitting in
a room just like this.
You ain't alone ♪
Not alone.
Just let me be ♪
So, to Alison.
You were seen, you were
known, you'll be remembered.
You ain't alone ♪
Just let me be ♪
Okay, food's getting cold.
I'm gonna get offended.
Let's go. Come on.
Not sure if I can eat any more.
You just can't take
the heat of the harissa.
Give me your potatoes. Thank you.
Your ticket home ♪
Previously on "Will Trent"
Any chance the two of you are expecting?
Ha! We're not together.
And I am definitely not having sex,
so unless God Himself is
cooking up a plan, then
not pregnant.
I got cigarette burns
for fetching the wrong
kind of soup from the pantry.
Every step of the way,
there was someone there
to tell me that I was broken, worthless.
- Alison.
- Jason, please. Look, I'm tired.
I've been studying all
night. I just want to go home.
I'm not doing this right now.
Hello?
Jason?
Who's there?
Look, I have pepper spray.
That's all I needed, Detective.
Alison Schooner.
They pulled her out of the water.
She was weighted down by a cinder block.
- Who reported it?
- Couple of professors,
out for their morning nine.
They saw the shoes.
ID and suicide note inside.
"I want it to end."
Well, that's pretty direct.
Excuse me, agents.
I'm Vera Kuo, University Chancellor.
Thank you for coming.
A campus suicide is a terrible tragedy.
My hope is that we can
stay ahead of the narrative.
I'm not convinced this is suicide.
I thought she left a note.
The note's one sentence long,
written on a torn piece of paper.
Women usually take more
care for their last words.
Their letters are longer,
written with much more detail.
They want to explain themselves.
That's a generalization, right?
Can't suicide be a rash decision?
Well, sometimes, yeah,
but carrying a cinder block
to the middle of a golf
course to drown yourself,
that's not rash.
That shows planning.
Hang on. Unzip the bag.
I'd like to take another look.
See anything?
There's something on her neck.
What the hell?
Something got under the skin.
Oh, my God.
I'm gonna faint.
Somebody tend to the chancellor.
We're on it.
Stab wound is barely visible.
Weapon must've been sharp.
Over there. On the bark. You see it?
Bark can act like a sponge.
The tree's still soaking wet
from the sprinklers this morning,
but blood really is thicker than water.
Whoever did this probably thought
the, uh, the sprinklers, the pond
would wash away any evidence.
They had the note, the
cinder block, all of it.
They were waiting for her.
Well, only cameras are at
the entrances and exits.
All visitors and staff
have to sign in and out,
and no one has signed
out since last night.
So the killer's still here?
This is like an Agatha Christie novel.
Yeah, with very soft
food. And hearing aids.
So, forensics didn't find
any prints on the sword,
wallet's still in his pocket,
but no phone, not even in his car.
Yeah, send a team to his house.
Eh, Ms. Hernandez?
So, when you found him,
he was just like this?
He was setting up.
Um, Steve's a regular entertainer here.
"Morning Magic with Steve
Susperio," every Thursday.
He was fine when I left him,
and when folks started
coming in to the performance,
he was gone.
Poof.
Poof.
What could the motive possibly be?
He was here to do magic.
That's motive enough for me.
He's still here?
Does that mean there's not
gonna be any figure drawing?
Oh. Barry, Linda, go
back to your rooms, okay?
I don't want you to see this.
- Well, that one can take his shirt off.
- Linda.
They didn't seem particularly phased.
I'm guessing this
won't be the first body
they've seen wheeled out of here.
Hey. What's that?
What is it? A tripod?
His phone was here.
We gotta search the place.
I'll start on the warrant.
Nancy? Can I keep him?
Is this her room?
Yeah, right here.
There are seven of you in this house?
Helps keep it affordable.
The lease is under my name.
Dwayne Gilbert.
This is so surreal.
I'm actually a criminal justice major.
Isn't that weird?
Third year. 4.2 grade point average.
Impressive. Stay at the
threshold, please.
Yep.
What's with all the padlocks?
She grew up in the system.
You mean foster care?
This is just how my rooms used to be.
Kept all my stuff close.
Always sure someone was
gonna try to take my things.
Treated every home
like it was temporary.
Wow. That makes so much sense.
I really didn't know much about her.
She was quiet, clean,
mostly kept to herself, studied a lot.
Do you know if she had a boyfriend?
Oh, yeah, 'cause it's
always the boyfriend, right?
You want to be an investigator?
Here's a tip pay attention.
Learn about the people
you're living with.
Y You're right. Good advice.
We can take it from here, Dwayne.
We'll let you know if we need anything.
Handwriting's the same
as the suicide note.
Killer must have ripped it out
from something the victim wrote.
Explains why the note was torn.
Can I help you?
Oh, he's running.
Get up. Get up.
Hands on the fence. Don't move.
What's with the knife, huh?
It's a fettling knife.
For sculpting!
Did you use it to kill Alison?!
- No! Let go of me!
- Why'd you run, then?
- Will!
- Why'd you run?
Aah! I wasn't
Oh, my God.
Keep him on his side.
I need an ambulance, now.
We have witnesses that say
you were out of control.
What, you hit his head? Help him
"fall to the ground" a few times?
What? Of course not.
The kid's name is Milo Braham.
He's a senior from Savannah,
and his very wealthy parents
have luckily decided not to sue.
You were right. Victim
grew up in the system.
Doesn't give you permission
to put a boy in the hospital.
I don't know what caused that
seizure, but it wasn't me.
Well, let's hope the kid
makes a full recovery
or he's the killer.
I'm fine either way.
Jeremy, you know I can't
talk about the case.
But listen to me. It
was an isolated event.
The only thing that
could put you in danger
is me finding out that
you're not going to class.
Yeah.
I gotta go now. Be good, please.
You're Agent Mitchell.
I was sent to find you.
- Hi.
- How have you been? Numbers okay?
You find a good endocrinologist?
You remember that?
I remember you.
Uh, the young man we brought
in today, Milo Braham?
Yes. Right.
Uh, he's stable but
suffered some head trauma
when he hit the concrete.
He's been put in a
medically induced coma
to prevent brain swelling.
No history of epilepsy.
We're trying to figure out
the cause of the seizure.
Gotcha. He is a person of
interest in a murder case.
I'll leave a guard
out front of his room,
but would you please let me know
if anything changes in his condition?
Of course. Of course. In fact
this is my personal mobile number.
How's your, uh, diabetes?
You taking regular meals?
I'm sorry. What does that mean?
It means I'm an idiot.
I'm trying to ascertain if
you'd like to get a meal with me.
Oh! Right. Yes.
I eat dinner. I do.
Um, and, yes, that would be great.
I'm eating dinner with my son tonight,
but sometime, yes. Yes, yes.
You have a son?
- He's 18.
- Oh.
But I'm 33.
- Great.
- I had him when I was young.
- Okay.
- But it was consensual.
Well, that's a relief.
Yeah, we were young and dumb,
and it was the first time, too.
Can you believe that?
But everything's good now.
No more accidental pregnancies for me.
Okay. I'm gonna go now, Doctor
- Farhad, please.
- Mm. Yeah.
- Looking forward to speaking again.
- Are you sure?
Mnh.
I did a basic tox screen.
Nothing showed up, but I did notice
her liver enzymes were elevated.
Although, elevated
liver enzymes can also be
a side effect of heavy drinking,
so it's not that unheard
of for a college student.
You're gonna let him say that?
You know I wasn't a
partier. I had two jobs.
I had a partial scholarship,
so my grades couldn't slip.
No one was helping me.
No one was helping me.
I need that plastic
container we, uh, bagged
brought down to autopsy
as soon as possible.
Alison Schooner wasn't a drinker.
Whatever you say. Also, see this?
Knife entered here, went
directly to the carotid artery,
and then was twisted to
ensure the artery was severed.
This killer knew what
they were doing. I think
- They were a hunter.
- Aww.
I love it when we finish
each other's sentences.
That's how you drain a deer.
Well, this is Georgia.
It doesn't narrow it down much.
- Here you go.
- Thank you.
Found this in the victim's backpack.
Water dissolved whatever was
inside, messed up the label,
but it's still not from
the student health center.
No name, no words.
Just a bunch of numbers.
This is from a pharmaceutical trial.
- You sure?
- Yeah, pretty sure.
Universities are a
hub for drug research.
Studies need healthy,
young participants.
Students need money.
Well, our victim did need money.
How much do participants get paid?
Sometimes as much as a
few thousand, depending.
Respectfully, I did
not stab the magician.
Sure. Uh, how long has
Steve been coming here?
A few years, at least.
Any chance he started up a relationship
with one of the residents?
Linda, maybe?
- Linda?
- She's very flirty.
I sincerely doubt that.
What about the staff?
Uh, does anyone have
a history of violence,
a criminal record?
- Yes.
- So, Ernesto, disorderly conduct, 2019.
You want to tell us about that?
Got a little too rowdy
at a bar one night.
I mean, what can I say?
The Falcons were winning.
Someone heard you shouting at
Steve last time he was here.
Yeah, I was shouting at Steve.
Uh, he made my wedding ring reappear
inside of a sealed bag of
Pepperidge Farm cookies.
- I mean, geez.
- Chessmen or Milanos?
Oh. Milano.
That's pretty good.
Yeah, I kept telling him
I was like, "Steve,
you have got to get on
'America's Next Great Entertainer.'"
I mean, the guy can do anything
sleight of hand, close magic.
I mean, he even hypnotized
me to help me quit smoking.
Psch!
You guys do know I'm not the only one
with a record here, right?
Is there some specific
employee you were thinking of?
No, not employee.
I'm talking residents.
Alison didn't have too
much of an online footprint.
Too busy to curate her life.
Yeah, well, I interviewed
the rest of her housemates.
Turns out, she did have a boyfriend.
A guy named Jason Howell,
and listen to this.
He's a research assistant
for a new drug trial
for a high blood pressure med.
This guy?
Yeah, that's him. They
broke up a few months ago.
He took it hard.
So far, no photos of Milo.
Yeah, he's still a mystery,
but maybe that's why he was
creeping in Alison's window.
They had a little
sneaky-link thing going on.
So Jason gets Alison
into the drug trial.
She needs the money, plus he
gets to see her all the time.
Yeah, he probably
thought she'd be grateful,
want to get back together.
Why do boys always want to fix things?
Well, look at this.
That's a hoist, right? For deer?
We're looking for a hunter.
Jason might be our guy.
Jason just went to get some fresh air.
He's been really upset.
But he should be back soon.
What's your name?
Darla. Wall.
I'm Dr. Tilda's other
research assistant.
Can you tell us a little
about this research?
It's a Phase One trial for a
new hypertension medication.
We're simply observing side effects,
making sure the drugs are
fit for human consumption.
Hi, Jason.
Oh. Jason?
Um, these people are
here to talk to you.
I'll leave you.
That was the weekend I took Alison
to my family's cabin to meet everyone.
Parents, grandparents,
cousins. They were all there.
That's like a, what,
300-, 400-pound hoist?
You hunt with rifles, bows?
I don't hunt at all.
It's more my brothers.
Alison hated the hunting.
Where were you last night?
Here, at the lab.
Darla and I were compiling research.
All night long?
We're on a deadline.
Our advisor, Dr. Tilda
she she doesn't like excuses.
Alison was a part of
this drug trial, right?
Mm-hmm.
Because of you.
She needed money.
She was always working so
hard, but it was never enough.
I was afraid she was
gonna drop out of school.
This seemed easy.
Did the drugs affect
her? Any side effects?
She never mentioned any.
Why did you and Alison break up?
I don't know.
She got all weird and
shut-down and serious.
She had this outsider mentality,
like she didn't deserve to be loved.
Maybe she just wasn't that into you.
"Maybe she wasn't that into you"?
- The kid was in mourning.
- Or he's the killer.
"She felt like she didn't
deserve to be loved"?
What is he some kind
of psychological genius?
It feels like you're over-identifying.
Actually, I'm applying my
lived experience to the case.
What's up with this one?
- Hi.
- Are you okay?
Oh. Yeah.
I was just trying to stay
awake, keep the blood moving.
You know, sitting is the new smoking.
Right. Right. Jason mentioned
you two were working together all night.
W
That's a very long,
dramatic pause, Darla.
No, I No.
Um, the important thing is that
Jason is, like, the sweetest guy I know.
I've I've known him for years,
and I know that he really loves Alison,
and there's nothing he
would ever do to hurt her.
Right. We get it. Great guy.
What are you trying to say?
Um, I wasn't with him, like, all night.
I went to the gym and
worked out and took a shower,
and then at some point, I
think around, like, midnight,
I took a nap on the couch
in Dr. Tilda's office.
But, please, don't tell
her I did that, okay?
She really does not
like me on her couch.
Thank you, Gus. Very nice ceramics.
How many more rooms are there?
That was just the first wing.
Seriously?
- What's that noise?
- What's going on?
You go help Mr. Casey.
What's happening? Is there a fire?
I'm sure it's just a false alarm,
but we do need everyone outside
and accounted for just in case.
- Yeah.
- Think someone pulled it?
Heard we were searching rooms?
Absolutely. These old people
are cagier than they look.
- Oh.
- This way, please. I'm sorry.
The Fire Department
will clear it shortly.
No. You know what? Grab a
resident list and meet us outside.
We're gonna go on a field trip.
Yep, just follow
me. We're gonna get there.
Good job.
It's the hospital.
This is Agent Mitchell.
Faith, it's Farhad. I
have an update on Milo Braham.
I'm afraid it's not good.
His seizure's the result
of a drug interaction.
He'll have to be kept in a medically
induced coma a few days more.
Was one of the drugs in his
system an anti-hypertensive?
Actually, yes. How'd you know?
Our victim was a part of a drug trial.
Maybe Milo was, too.
That could explain it,
but Milo had numerous
pre-existing conditions.
He should never have been
allowed in a drug trial.
You know, my shift's ending soon.
I was gonna grab a bite to eat,
if you're available.
You're on speaker with
my colleague, Agent Trent.
She's wide open.
Oh.
I am not "wide open".
What do you mean by that?
It Okay.
Thank you for the
update, Dr. Pournazeri.
- Farhad.
- Farhad. Right. Yes.
Farhad. I'll be in touch. Goodbye.
You shut your mouth.
You know what they say if
you don't use it, you lose it.
Alright? This could be a good thing.
You know, he's a
doctor, he's handsome
Can we get back to the case?
- Yes.
- Thank you.
Milo's parents are wealthy.
He didn't need the money.
No reason to join a drug trial,
especially if it's risky for him.
So why go out of his way
to take blood pressure meds?
Maybe this whole thing
is about side effects
not the bad ones, but good ones.
You know, think Viagra, Rogaine
drugs that were developed for one thing
and now are being sold for
something else entirely.
We need to talk to other participants,
find out what those drugs do.
Well, I know how to get college
students to talk, so come on.
Do we get pizza?!
Come on!
I'll tell you whose room
you should search Milly's.
I've seen Steve the
Magician going to visit her.
Were you jealous?
No.
Come on. Pretty young lady like you?
Do you think Linda was jealous?
Of course Linda was jealous.
Always had her cloudy eyes on him,
and he rejected her.
He did not reject me.
He simply valued our friendship
too much to tarnish it.
Are you saying these
relationships were physical?
Oh, God, no.
H He'd just flirt with
them, make them happy.
And what about you? Did you do it?
- What? No.
- You could have. I see those muscles.
I could Well, I have been
using the resistance bands.
Mmm.
You know they got pizza upstairs, right?
Here's the thing. It helps
you study, get stuff done.
Like Adderall times ten.
You sure it's safe?
Oh, I have no idea.
I am a laser.
Laser-focused. See my eyes?
- Lasers.
- Helps me with my memory.
Lets me study all night, no crash.
Have you heard anybody
selling the pills?
Impossible. Every time
you pick up your pills,
you have to give a blood sample,
prove you've been taking them.
Are you on it right now?
Pssh. There's totally a black market.
One time, I took double the dose,
just as an experiment.
It did not go well.
Do you know Milo Braham?
Milo? Oh, yeah. Sure.
Yeah, he was definitely buying, yeah.
Used them to stay up all
night, make art or whatever.
Kind of a waste.
The girl who died? I heard
rumors she was selling.
Really? You know what it's like
to go and visit your elderly father
and find out the place is empty?
And a firefighter is there telling you
that everybody's at the police station
- because there's been a murder?!
- I'm so sorry.
Ma'am, I I really can
imagine that must have been
very upsetting, but Ms. Hernandez
was just following our orders, so
Doesn't even matter,
because I was coming
to take him out anyway.
Dad! Come on!
- Where is the pizza?!
- Come on, Dad.
And I specifically asked you to
help him control his spending,
and you didn't do that, so we're
finding a new place for him.
I'm sorry. What were you
saying about his spending?
He goes online and charges a fortune.
I cancel the card, and he
just orders another one.
They told me they would put
passwords on his computer
to stop him
but obviously, they lied.
Gus, it's so easy to get sucked in.
I I get it, man. Is it
For me, it's jewelry.
Is it Is it art supplies for you?
I don't even use the Internet.
Said she was gonna call you.
She's gonna be there. You
know we got to study, though.
Hey. Should I ask?
Should I?
Probably not.
Uh, hey, can you hook me up with someone
in the GBI's financial crimes division?
Sure. Um, Eric Peterson. He's the best.
Great. Thanks.
Tell me.
The case I'm working. The dead girl.
She's one of us, Ange. She had no one.
Put herself in harm's way
just trying to support herself,
make it through college.
Shouldn't have happened.
No, it shouldn't have,
but she's got you now.
- Eric Peterson.
- Yeah.
Selling drugs puts you at risk.
You could have been killed
for the drugs, Alison.
- You're disappointed in me.
- No.
Good people make bad choices.
And I understand what
you were up against.
You know what they give you
when they kick you out
of the home at 18, right?
$200 and a bus pass. I know.
I was so hungry, I shoplifted
for food when I was 19.
Got caught, too.
I was lucky.
The captain of the police precinct
her name's Amanda Wagner
and for reasons I'll never understand
she took an interest in me.
You were so close, Alison.
You just needed one more
thing to break your way.
So, no.
No judgment.
None at all.
I'm gonna find who did
this to you, Alison.
I promise.
If Alison was selling,
someone inside the study
had to be helping her
get the extra pills.
Yeah, it must have been
her ex, right? Jason Howell?
That's what I thought, then
I talked to Chancellor Kuo
this morning, and she
says that the rules
for drug trials on
campus are crystal clear,
specifically to prevent
this sort of thing.
No pills without a blood test
proving that the subject's
actually taking them.
Okay. Well, who signs
off on the blood test?
The head researcher. In
this case, it's Dr. Tilda.
- Any way she could get extra pills?
- Maybe.
And she could falsify data,
claim there are more participants
than there really are,
pass on the extra pills
for Alison to sell.
That note Alison wrote
"I want it to end."
You think she was talking about
her arrangement with Dr. Tilda?
Let's go find out.
You think I would
jeopardize my reputation,
my entire academic career,
for a few extra dollars?
Maybe it was a lot of extra dollars.
You're going through
a nasty divorce, right?
Every penny counts.
Oh, and a non-tenure faculty position
isn't exactly a lottery ticket.
Probably why you were shifting over
to pharmaceutical research
in the first place.
I would never falsify research.
How many participants do
you claim are in the trial?
I can't discuss any of
the details of my work
without a warrant.
Oh.
Good thing we have one.
Should we, uh, take a
walk over to your lab?
What'd the GBI guy say?
Alright. Dead magician
guy, Steve Susperio
real name, Steven Gary Carmichael.
He was already under investigation
by the GBI for identify theft.
He's been siphoning away money
- from elderly residents all over the state.
- How?
No. Really?
Hypnotizing them?
Social Security numbers, passwords,
anything he could get.
Wow.
- What a scumbag.
- Yeah.
So you think a bunch of
the residents figured it out
and ganged up on him?
Now they're keeping a code of silence?
I think that's a little elaborate,
considering the crowd we just met.
Ormewood. Yeah?
Okay. Thank you.
Well, they finished the search.
Someone conveniently poured water
all over their computers
on their way out.
- That was the fire drill.
- Yeah.
- Remember Sheila?
- Yeah.
Well, it turns out a rabbit
wasn't the only thing
she took from Steve.
Did she take his phone?
They're bringing it in right now.
Jackpot!
Just so you know, I'm
calling my attorney.
Well, that's gonna be very expensive
- for you, and it's not gonna help.
- Will, the door!
Ohh! Oh, my God. No.
No, no, no, no. No! Oh!
Oh, my God. Ohh!
- I'll get the paramedics.
- It's Darla.
You're okay. Just stay with us, Darla.
You're gonna be okay.
Hello. My name is Steve Susperio.
I'm a magician, and
this is my audition tape
for "America's Next Great Entertainer."
- No way.
- Yeah.
This is the last time he uses the phone.
I think it's all you're gonna need.
Today, I want to share with you the joy
I bring to seniors,
a childlike wonder
The Bahamas?! When
were you gonna tell me?
What? Nancy? I I I
No, I'm not trying to
leave you. That's not true!
You're lying! You are greedy!
So we got everything on camera?
Yep. That's the truth!
They argue, things get out of hand
This is no money.
- Oh, great. Yeah, that's just great.
- Show me the money.
What are you gonna do? Stab me now?
I've got a show to do, you crazy loon!
Don't call me crazy!
Aah!
- Ohh!
- Wow!
Well, you know, I gotta
say, I ruled her out
- because, I mean
- Tiny.
- Look. She's tiny.
- Yeah.
Nancy wipes things off and
gets the hell out of there.
Never even notices the
phone across the room.
The phone just keeps recording until
Hey, look. There's Sheila.
Sheila. Wow.
Well, I gotta give it to him.
That was pretty entertaining.
- We're terrible people.
- Yeah.
Do you remember what happened?
I went into the lab early.
Uh, Jason was
was getting really
behind on his reports,
which was totally understandable,
so I thought I'd catch
up his work for him.
And as I did, I I
noticed something strange.
Strange like what?
The bloodwork for
multiple participants
it was identical.
It was as if one person was
giving multiple blood samples,
a a and Jason was just entering
them under different names.
Was one of those names Alison Schooner?
Yes.
I couldn't understand it,
so I went to the records room
to see if anything like
that had happened before.
I was standing there,
looking through the logs,
and and then I heard
someone come in behind me.
I don't understand it.
I can't believe he would hurt me.
It was Jason?
Mm.
Jason Howell wasn't in his apartment.
- And his car's still outside?
- Bicycle, too.
We've canvassed the area,
but no one's seen him.
He's got to be hiding somewhere here.
Laundry room, mailroom.
Does this building have a basement?
Yeah. This way.
Check the stairwell. And
be careful. He's dangerous.
Of course, Vera. I know.
Not exactly the low-profile
investigation you had hoped for.
Hang in there. We'll get a drink soon.
Chancellor Kuo?
She's giving Dr. Tilda a
leave of absence with pay.
Believes she didn't know
what Jason was up to,
but she's still responsible
for the study getting out of control.
- What?
- Something's not right.
Okay, so talk to me.
But I need evidence, not just your gut.
Here's a question. Jason was strong.
That's not a question.
If he was trying to make Alison's death
look like suicide, why not
just hold her underwater?
Why stab her and risk getting
caught? It's a dumb move.
It could be an emotional reason.
He loved her. He wanted it to be quick.
He didn't want to feel her struggle.
Or he didn't kill her at all.
Maybe the killer wanted us to
figure out it wasn't suicide.
Because they wanted us
to think it was Jason.
Our killer wasn't dumb.
They're smart. Very smart.
Hmm. Guess you better be smarter.
I guess so.
I know it's upsetting.
Jason was a very disturbed young man.
But it's all over now.
Alright? You can focus on
healing, go on with your life.
Thank you.
Excuse me, agents. Can
I speak to one of you?
I'll never stop thinking about them.
For the rest of my life.
My entire career.
I'm going to dedicate it to Alison.
I'm sure that would
mean something to her,
- being remembered.
- Yeah.
Will?
You take care of yourself, Darla.
Milo Braham just regained consciousness.
That's great. No need
to rush to get his statement
now that we know he was just a buyer.
Yeah, except he just admitted
he was following Alison
the night she died.
He said he saw her being
attacked. He wants to talk to us.
Alright. So let's go.
What room is he in now?
237, but please wait
at least a few hours.
Milo's sleeping. It's
imperative he rest.
He's still quite weak.
Great. We'll come back
first thing in the morning.
- Fine.
- Thank you, Doctor.
Milo's not here. He's still in a coma.
Oh. I
It was the boiler room.
That's what tipped me off.
It was smart.
You were trying to keep the body warm,
obscure time of death.
You needed us to believe
that you were stabbed
first then Jason died,
not the other way around.
I don't know what you're talking about.
We found the scalpel, the one
that you used to stab yourself.
Didn't make sense.
Why would someone stab Alison
with such deadly precision
then stab you precisely
where you wouldn't die?
No, this is, uh this is a mistake.
You were the one taking
advantage of Alison.
You were supplying the pills
and she was selling them,
and when she wanted to
stop, you killed her.
Tried to frame Jason. Right?
Oh, no. I
No, I was I was helping her!
I gave her half the money,
and she was going to tell
on me, ruin everything!
It's not fair!
No. Nothing ever is.
Darla Wall, you are under
arrest for the murders
of Alison Schooner and Jason Howell.
Ms. Hernandez was not
just dating the magician.
She was his accomplice.
And she wasn't the only one.
The guy'd been grifting
his way across the Sun Belt,
cozying up to lonely administrators
at every senior home that booked him.
We turned over her computer to the GBI.
And we started a betting pool
on how much Susperio grifted
off the boomers over the years.
It's a lot. I got 85K.
That's too low. You want in?
I just never want to
hear about this again.
Good job, you two.
Poof.
Terrible people.
Good work, partner.
Are you gonna be okay?
Yeah. Sure I will.
How about you?
You, uh, gonna see how
things go with Dr. Far-hottie?
Whoa. Boundaries.
Okay, uh, never say that again.
I can't believe I was trying
to have a moment with you.
- Unh-unh.
- Oh.
- This is serious.
- Mm.
Alright. Last, but not least.
What's on the potatoes? It's delicious.
Oh. If I told you all
my cooking secrets,
you wouldn't need me anymore, huh?
Whoa! Little spicy.
That's the harissa,
and, uh, it's got a
little kick of cayenne.
It'll sneak up on you.
Betty can't have any of this.
Here. Come on.
She doesn't handle spice
very well, do you, girl?
But you got plenty of spice, don't you?
Yes, you do. Okay. Alright.
Hey, I I want to say something.
Um, Will closed a case today, a murder,
and I think we should honor the victim.
Seriously? During dinner?
Well, yeah. Uh I'll start.
I didn't know Alison
Schooner, but she existed.
She got herself out of
the system, into college.
That means she was tough.
I, uh, would have
liked to have known her.
I'm sad that I won't.
- How old was she?
- 19.
- Man, that sucks.
- Yeah.
Here's what I know about Alison.
Um, she was an oxy
orphan, and she bounced
- through five foster homes and
- Oh, my God.
I am not inviting you to my funeral.
It's not a case report.
She felt alone.
She didn't have anyone,
and, uh, she was trying.
She was learning, you know,
starting to let people in.
You know how hard that is.
And I'd like to think
that eventually, um,
if things had been different,
she'd be sitting in
a room just like this.
You ain't alone ♪
Not alone.
Just let me be ♪
So, to Alison.
You were seen, you were
known, you'll be remembered.
You ain't alone ♪
Just let me be ♪
Okay, food's getting cold.
I'm gonna get offended.
Let's go. Come on.
Not sure if I can eat any more.
You just can't take
the heat of the harissa.
Give me your potatoes. Thank you.
Your ticket home ♪