Reckless (2014) s01e09 Episode Script

Previously on Reckless Well, if you think the circumstances are right, we can take down McCandless clean.
this is the biggest bust in Charleston history.
Some things are going down tomorrow night.
When the smoke clears, I'll finally be able to tell you the whole story.
I want you to know I love you.
Rape shield laws are made to prevent sleazy defense attorneys from using a woman's prior sexual history against her.
That tape has no probative value.
We have rules.
One of them is to keep our mutual indiscretions out of the public eye.
We're having a baby.
Oh, my God.
Terry.
Kill the cops first.
It was you, Preston.
I got two bullets left, and I'm gonna use 'em both on you.
I'm not gonna beg for my life, Terry.
Go ahead.
Do it! A damn snitch! How much does Knox know? Answer me! You answer me! You had sex with Terry McCandless the night of the mayor's ball.
Wait.
How do you? Terry planted a surveillance camera in my office, and I got hold of the footage.
You saw us? But how could he? How could he? Are you seriously asking that question, after everything he's done to you? That night of the ball was so rough.
I came back here.
He was waiting for me.
It was a moment of weakness.
Well, that moment might have just cost us the entire case.
I'm sorry.
Jamie? Roy.
- What is it? - I've been trying to call you.
It-it Preston's been shot.
Deputy Chief Knox? Detective Cruz is in surgery now.
We've initiated a protocol called damage control.
What are his chances? He underwent significant trauma.
We've stabilized him, but he remains in critical condition.
Thank you, doctor.
A word? What's the latest on Terry McCandless? It's very important that I speak with him.
He sustained a through-and-through to the upper left arm.
He's been heavily sedated.
I'm afraid he'll be asleep until morning.
Thank you.
Thanks again, Roy for telling me.
For staying with me.
Hey, when I heard what happened, I knew I had to come.
I know that you two were, uh You know, it will be all right.
All right? Preston came to me the other night.
He said things, like he knew something terrible was going to happen.
What did he say? Just that He still cares about me.
And what did you say? Not much.
I was thinking about other things.
Mm.
I have to be in court in two hours.
My brain is mush.
Which is really bad, considering I'm going up against your boss.
Oh, right.
Ms.
Sawyer.
I haven't had the chance to tell you what a pleasure it is to finally face you in court.
Oh, the pleasure's mine, believe me.
It's been a while since I've argued against someone so fresh out of law school.
And I haven't cited precedent in front of someone who's been around long enough to actually set some of them.
Trading barbs already, and trial's barely begun.
That's the spirit.
No, please.
Allow me.
I'm Bentley Grieve, and you're listening to The Morning Gauntlet.
We're about to do a segment called Bentley's bluff.
We've got Amber on the line.
She suspects her husband Mason has been cheating on her.
Yes, and he's been acting strange.
Yeah, well, we're gonna get to the bottom of that right here right now.
I'm not s I'm not sure.
I just don't think I can do this.
Yes, you can.
Trust me.
Here we go.
Hello? Mason, this is Ben from Regalwood Hotels.
Your recent stay with us automatically enrolled you in a travel give-away.
Congratulations.
You've won a free trip for two to Miami! Really? All we need to know is your travel companion, and you're off to paradise.
The name of my companion is Darcy Cole.
Darcy Cole.
She sounds special.
I have one more question for you.
Who the hell is Darcy Cole? Mason, how could you? What? What's happening right now? That's your wife, you jackass.
You're on the radio.
Hey, are you cheating on your wife with this Darcy woman? I-I'm sorry.
What? Amber? How could you do this, Mason? We have a son.
Who the hell is Darcy, and how long have you been banging her? You know, guys like you disgust me.
You always think that you can get away with it.
You're just a lying, cheating scumbag, and you deserve to go down for what you've done.
Your What was Mason's response, Amber? Mason came home.
He left his, um, wallet and wedding ring on the kitchen table.
Then drove to Torrance Lake And killed himself.
How did you first get involved with the Bentley's bluff segment? I was at a coffee shop with a friend, talking about Mason.
A woman overheard me.
This was Naomi Hobbs, Bentley Grieve's show producer? Yeah.
She told me about her job at the radio station and pitched me the idea.
I said no at first, but, eventually, she convinced me.
Amber, do you believe that Bentley Grieve and his station's parent company, Hydrus Communications, are to blame for Mason's suicide? Yes.
Yes.
Mrs.
Wheelan, is this the liability waiver you signed with Hydrus Communications? Yes.
And in it, did you assume the risk of all unforeseeable hazards associated with the prank call? I didn't want to go through with it.
I tried to back out.
You heard the call.
How exactly could the radio station have foreseen Mason's suicide? I don't know.
They just I tried.
They they pushed me.
I understand you want to point the finger at someone, Mrs.
Wheelan, but isn't the real person to blame your husband, for cheating on you in the first place? The hell is this? Didn't want you to disappear in the middle of the night.
Why would I disappear? I just brought down the biggest gunrunner on the eastern seaboard.
Yeah, you brought him down, huh? Yeah, I got a tip from one of my CIs.
Gun deal going down on James Island.
Well We walked right into a damn firefight.
Two guys from my academy class went down right in front of me.
Preston would've, too, but I saved his life.
Your PSO debriefing is tomorrow.
When Preston wakes up, he'll be debriefed, too.
He'll tell his side of the story.
The truth will come out.
Looking forward to it.
You hear about what went down on James Island? Terry McCandless got shot.
Yeah, I heard.
Well, I guess he's not so bulletproof after all.
You around for dinner tonight? No, I, uh I got a thing.
Oh? What kind of a thing? I'm going to an A.
A.
meeting.
Really? Yeah, really.
Ms.
Hobbs, isn't it true that your show, The Morning Gauntlet, was put on constructive notice after eight different people filed formal complaints against you? Any show like ours can incur the occasional complaint.
It just means we're doing our jobs.
Sarah Nichols complained about a venereal disease prank that caused her to lose her job as a nanny.
Greg Serrano assaulted his neighbor after a prank involving a faked paternity test.
Should I go on? That's eight complaints out of hundreds of radio segments.
And they were all dismissed.
But didn't that ever give you pause? Make you wonder if your show's reckless antics might one day turn deadly? Objection, Your Honor.
Withdrawn.
Nothing further.
Ms.
Hobbs, did even one of these other pranks end in a loss of life? Of course not.
Ms.
Sawyer said that you stalked the plaintiff.
Is that accurate? No, it's called being an effective producer.
Bentley is very particular about what he wants, and I make sure he gets it.
Make this quick, Roy.
I have a situation I'm dealing with.
I saw you with Lee Anne the other night.
Outside Joyce Reed's carriage house.
I need to know Are you currently involved with her? Involved.
That's a vague sort of word.
I need you to testify that you and Lee Anne have continued your relationship, even after the lawsuit was filed.
You know, it could win us the case.
You want me to throw her under the bus.
I could just force you to testify.
Lee Anne and I, we ain't involved.
End of story.
I know what you're going to say, but I'm here.
So, you're just going to have to deal with it.
This isn't a good time, Lindsay.
I-I'm in the middle of a high-stakes litigation.
I Don't care, Dec.
We need to talk.
The way we left things I know, I know.
Look, Lindsay I'm gonna be there for you and this baby, 100%.
The two of you will never want for anything.
You have no idea what I'm really asking, do you? I want to know if you want to be involved in this child's life.
And-and you just keep talking about money.
I'm just being practical.
When Shelby was born, I wanted to give her everything.
I still do.
Being a father was the most rewarding experience of my life, but it took resources.
It also takes love, and caring.
Is that something you're capable of giving? Because if you're not We should discuss this later.
Later? Like when I'm starting to show? Because that'll start a discussion, all right.
Chief Ellsworth.
How you holding up, son? I just visited the wives of our fallen officers.
Jablonski's wife could hardly speak.
Yeah.
You're a good man, Knox, that's why I brought you here from North Charleston.
You're exactly what this department needs.
I just got word to Sergeant Canning in the PSO.
We're pushing back the McCandless debriefing.
Why, sir? We need to act fast.
W-we We have an opportunity here.
Waterman's been eliminated, thousands of assault rifles will never make it to the streets, and millions of dollars have been seized.
On all accounts, that's a victory for Charleston.
And Terry McCandless and Preston Cruz are heroes.
We've been working on this undercover operation for months.
You signed off on it.
This department can't afford another scandal right now.
Preston Cruz risked his life for this, he almost died for it.
He knew the dangers.
What you're proposing would be a cover-up.
I can't be a part of it.
I won't.
Mm.
You know, I'm beginning to wonder if your mayoral campaign is interfering with your duties as deputy chief.
Perhaps you're getting overwhelmed trying to do two jobs at once.
There is a solution for that.
You are in, McCandless.
You don't write, you don't call.
Next time I'll bring a casserole.
Waterman's dead.
The guns and money were seized by the ATF, and it turns out my partner, Preston, was informing for the deputy chief.
So basically you, uh, you screwed the pooch and you've come crawling back to your old man for advice.
I screwed the pooch? You're the one sitting in a jail cell.
'Cause you turned me in.
I didn't turn you in, they came after me.
They ran my DNA and got a familial match.
That was it.
They debrief you? Nothing formal, just Knox being a hard-ass.
PSO's gonna come down on me tomorrow.
They try and arrest you? No.
Well, what does that tell you? Think! That knox didn't have enough hard evidence.
Which means that Preston wasn't wearing a wire during the deal.
I'd be willing to bet that Knox's whole case hinges on that guy being a eyewitness.
What's his status? He's in the hospital, all banged up.
He might not make it.
That rat wakes up and starts blabbing You're a goner.
Only one way to take care of a ticking time bomb, son.
Defuse it.
I had a thought on Bentley Grieve.
His producer, Naomi Hobbs, said that he was very particular about what he looks for with their radio pranks.
Particular.
You mean, that he looks for certain types of targets? Maybe.
If Naomi really does troll public places for Bentley's next mark, I want to know exactly how she goes about it.
You think you can talk to her on the sly? You kidding me? On the sly is my specialty.
Uh, excuse me, are you Jamie Sawyer, the attorney of record for Lee Anne Marcus? Yes.
Special delivery.
What is it? Your client's just been served.
Roy is suing you for fraud.
What? He filed an official countersuit.
He's saying that you continued a relationship with Terry, and so your accusation of sexual harassment is fraudulent.
He knows about me and Terry? He must.
This is what happens when you have a moment of weakness.
If Terry testifies against you, which obviously he will, we won't win.
We may not even get a chance to present our case.
I'll go talk to him.
- I can fix this.
- You can't fix this.
I may not even be able to fix it.
Well, they still fired me.
They still drugged me.
How does this change anything? It's It's just a scare tactic.
And I hired you because you don't get scared.
'Cause you believed in me when no one else would.
Lee Anne, this changes everything.
I'm going to fight the countersuit, but once I do, once I get it off the table, I have to be honest with you, I'm not sure I can continue with the rest of your case.
I'm sorry, aren't you the woman from the radio, with Bentley Grieve? Yes.
Hello.
I'm a big fan, listen every morning.
Can I just say, Bentley's bluff? Best radio prank ever.
I'm glad you like it.
You know, my husband's been acting odd lately.
He lost his big beer belly and suddenly started wearing cologne.
Got to be another woman.
Oh, I'd love to call that dog out on air, in front of all your listeners.
Can you get me on? Yeah, we're really not looking for people for the show.
You won't be sorry.
When I go off on him, nobody's gonna be turning that dial, I can guarantee you that.
Look, we don't solicit off the street, okay? Ms.
Cole, when did you begin having an affair with Mason Wheelan? About nine months before he died.
Did Mr.
Wheelan call you from a pay phone near Torrance Lake right before he committed suicide? Yes.
- And what did he say in that phone call? - Objection, - hearsay.
- Your honor, the call is a dying declaration.
It is therefore an exception to the hearsay rule.
Mr.
Wheelan wasn't dying at the time - of the phone call.
- All that's required is for death to be imminent.
Mr.
Wheelan made the call, then took his own life.
He knew he was going to die.
Overruled.
You may answer the question, Ms.
Cole.
Well, he was upset about the radio thing.
And he's been depressed for a while.
I tried to get him to see a therapist, but he didn't want the people at his job or Amber to know how bad off he was.
Ms.
Cole, do you believe Mr.
Wheelan was depressed and suicidal even before your affair was exposed on the radio? Given everything I know now? Yes.
I'm sorry, Amber.
Today was tough.
But we have to push forward.
Vi and I are working on a new theory.
I spoke to Naomi Hobbs about Bentley's pranks.
She said they don't solicit people off the street for Bentley's bluff.
But that's not true.
She approached me in that coffee shop.
Well, maybe you were a target.
If we could prove that they actually sought you out for the show, it could help our case.
Have you ever crossed paths with Bentley before? No, I only know him from the radio.
What about your husband? Do you think Mason and Bentley knew each other? I don't think so.
But then, maybe I don't know anything about Mason anymore.
You know a lot, Amber.
You are strong.
I want you to write down everything that you can about Mason's history.
Where he went to school, where he worked, his friends, his enemies.
The more thorough you are, the better we can fight this, ok? Yeah.
Arliss.
Did you tell Lee Anne that you might stop being her lawyer? I can't discuss that with you.
You can't just turn your back on her.
That's not what I'm doing.
She can get another lawyer.
She won't get another one like you.
Look, I may not have given you a fair shake in the beginning, but now, I-I know, you're different.
You actually care about your clients, and you think that the people you represent deserve justice.
And my wife needs someone like you fighting for her.
So, please don't abandon her.
You're late.
I told you to come during my break.
"How you doin'? How's your gunshot wound?" "Not too bad, darlin'.
Thanks for askin'.
" Roy knows about us.
He just thinks he knows.
Jamie says you're going to testify against me.
Are you? What do you think? I think you followed me home from the mayor's ball, and you seduced me in her office 'cause you knew there was a camera there, a camera you planted.
You did this just to end the lawsuit.
No, I didn't.
It was for something else, that camera.
I didn't even remember it was there.
I I turned it away.
What does that even mean? You turned it away? Lee Anne, Roy asked me to testify, but I said no, and I meant it.
I never wanted this.
I didn't want you to get fired.
I wish every day when I drive to work that you'd still be there when I walked in the door.
Look at you.
Everything you touch gets mangled and bloody.
All that talk of running away.
I'll still take you.
I'd run away right now.
Running away is a fantasy.
This case is what's real, and I'm gonna see it through.
I can't I can't talk to you anymore.
Preston came to see me Before the shooting, and he said, "when the smoke clears, I'll be able to tell you the truth.
" I know that he was involved in something.
If he dies Please.
Wait.
What I'm about to say has to stay between us, understand? Preston has been working for me Undercover.
Undercover? On what? Corruption within the department.
I shouldn't have said anything.
Holland Thank you for telling me.
I know it can't be easy, given our situation.
I didn't do it for you.
I did it for Preston.
He always wanted you to know the truth.
Preston was working undercover? To root out corruption in the department.
It's got to be Terry and his guys.
It explains so much.
How he couldn't tell me.
Why he was in the sex tape.
To get in good with them.
Is he awake yet? Can you talk to him? Not yet.
Hopefully, soon.
What's new on the Bentley Grieve front? I went through Amber's list, and I found a connection between Bentley and her husband.
They went to the same college for one semester, but Mason left after three months.
- Did they know each other? - Not on paper.
They were two years apart and didn't have any classes together.
What about clubs or sports? Bentley worked for the campus radio station, but that's about it.
Why don't you check the campus security reports? See if Bentley and Mason ever had any run-ins.
Hmm.
Oh.
That's Lee Anne.
What are you gonna do about the countersuit? I don't know.
She slept with Terry.
It kills her credibility.
That's all the jury's going to see.
And the crazy thing is, it only really affects one charge The sexual harassment charge.
Doesn't even affect the other two.
Wait.
That's it.
Let me get this straight, Ms.
Sawyer.
You want to drop the sexual harassment charge from the lawsuit entirely? Yes, Your Honor.
Lee Anne Marcus will now only be suing the city for wrongful termination and defamation of character.
Your honor, she is only doing this in reaction to my fraud countersuit.
She is trying to take sex off the table so that my countersuit won't hold any water.
A clever trick.
Why am I not surprised? You can wipe that smug look off your face, Mr.
Rayder.
I take it you want the sexual harassment charge to stay just so you can prove Ms.
Marcus is a fraud? Well, in light of Ms.
Sawyer's blatant attempt to limit the scope of my defense, yes, that is correct, Your Honor.
Judge Moss, the truth is, sexual harassment was always our weakest charge, especially in light of Vance v.
Ball State - Come on.
- Which raises the bar for proving sexual harassment in the workplace.
We are merely coming to our senses.
Mr.
Rayder, if your opposing counsel wants to drop a charge against the city and save the taxpayers money in the process, it's her prerogative, and you should welcome it.
I understand, Your Honor, but if you decide to dismiss the charge, may I ask that you do so with prejudice? That way, under no circumstances will she be able to wiggle the charge back in at a later time.
For once, a sensible request.
Ms.
Sawyer? - I'm fine with that, Your Honor.
- Excellent.
Your motion's granted.
McCandless.
You didn't do it.
You didn't pull the trigger.
Why? Because you're a good cop.
We're the same, you and me.
We're not the same.
I did some stupid things, yeah, and I can't take 'em back.
No.
You can't.
I'd rather be dead than owe my life to you.
Then don't.
Don't owe me.
Make us even.
I gave you another chance, Preston.
I'm asking you to do the same for me.
Thank you so much for meeting me, Mr.
Collier.
No problem at all.
So you've been the manager of this campus radio station for how long? Going on wow 20 years.
So you were here when Bentley Grieve was a student? Yeah.
I'm trying to find a connection between him and a man that he pranked on a recent radio broadcast Mason Wheelan? When I checked the campus security reports, I didn't find any incidents between them.
I did, however, find that you filed a report against Bentley.
Can you tell me what happened? Yeah, well, when Bentley ran this booth, he was a real hothead.
One day, he just went off, smashing equipment, throwing chairs.
I had to call security.
- So he had a temper? - Big time.
And he was vindictive.
Did this incident involve Mason Wheelan, by chance? No.
It was over a girl.
She worked here in the control room.
Yeah, when she dumped him, he just lost it.
Do you remember her name? Mr.
Grieve, who is Simone Vail? An old girlfriend.
Wow.
You and her? Go, you.
So, how did things end with Simone? We broke up.
You broke up? Or did she dump you? I don't remember.
I have a sworn affidavit from Ms.
Vail which names the man that she left you for.
Mason Wheelan.
Objection.
A personal history between my client and Mr.
Wheelan does not equate to intent.
Overruled, Mr.
Fortnum.
Mr.
Grieve, did you ask your producer to target my client for this prank out of a deep personal - vendetta against her husband? - You - You can tell Simone that I - Did you intend to inflict harm on Mr.
Wheelan as payback for stealing your college girlfriend? She meant nothing to me! I Did you hold a grudge for 15 years against Mason Wheelan, humiliate him on the air and cause his death as a result of your vindictive actions? I have nothing to say.
Well, now that's a first.
I apologize for having to do this so soon, Preston.
I understand.
Detective Cruz, were you assigned to work undercover for the Charleston police department and report on illegal activities among your fellow officers? Yes.
Were you tasked specifically to track the operations of Terry McCandless? Yes.
And after an exhaustive investigation I found no illicit activity.
Are you saying you did not witness Terry McCandless engaged in illegal conduct, such as selling guns to criminals? I'm sorry.
I have nothing to report.
All right, who got to you? Was it the chief? McCandless? We've been planning this operation for months.
I brought you down from New York specifically for this.
I trusted you.
Do not look me in the eye and tell me this was all for nothing! I have nothing to report.
When I was a law student, one of my professors, Edson Smith, dismissed every class by saying, "Lex est sine affectu.
" "The law must be void of emotion.
" Now, young lawyers, much like my opposing counsel here, tend to be a bit preoccupied with their passion for the law.
I know I was.
In fact, I have no doubt Ms.
Sawyer will base her entire closing argument purely on emotion, so allow me to base mine purely on fact.
Even if Bentley Grieve intended to embarrass Mr.
Wheelan as a result of a grudge, in the eyes of the law, he is not responsible for Mr.
Wheelan's death.
Why? Because Mr.
Wheelan's suicide was not a foreseeable consequence of Mr.
Grieve's radio prank.
The fact is, Mr.
Wheelan took his own life because he was embarrassed by the adulterous affair he had created.
One night, 12-year-old Candice Keen was trick-or-treating when three bullies started taunting her and throwing rocks at her.
Scared, Candice ran into the road, and was struck dead by a car.
A year later, the three bullies were convicted of manslaughter.
The prosecutor on that case my opposing counsel brilliantly argued, and I quote, "the fact that the defendants didn't intend "to kill Candice was of no consequence.
"They intended to do her harm.
That was enough.
" Mr.
Grieve didn't force Mr.
Wheelan to cheat on his wife.
Mr.
Grieve did not saddle Mr.
Wheelan with the debilitating disease of depression.
Mr.
Grieve did not drive to Torrance Lake, call his mistress to say good-bye, and follow through with a suicidal act he had already planned.
This man is a bully.
His prank on Mason Wheelan was an act of premeditated revenge that ended in death.
He preyed on Amber Wheelan and tricked her into humiliating her husband in front of millions of people.
Why? Because his feelings were hurt 15 years ago.
Due to his actions, Amber Wheelan is now a single mother, saddled with debt, facing a cruel and uncertain world.
Mason Wheelan was a troubled man who ended his own life, sadly, because he chose to.
This case boils down to one question.
Did Bentley Grieve intend to do Mason Wheelan harm? If your answer is yes, that is enough.
Has the jury reached a verdict? We have, Your Honor.
In the matter of Amber Wheelan v.
Bentley Grieve and Hydrus Communications, on the claim of wrongful death, we, the jury, find in favor of the plaintiff, and order the defendants to pay damages in the sum of $4.
8 million.
Congratulations.
I know.
It-it was a regrettable loss, but Yes.
I understand.
I thought you could use some company.
Oh, Dec.
I'm so sorry.
Mm.
Hydrus just called.
They're pulling their entire litigation slate.
I think that'll put the firm in the red this quarter.
I can kiss my partnership bonus good-bye.
I needed that bonus.
We needed that bonus.
I meant what I said, Dec.
I don't care about the money.
Tell me something.
When you left the courthouse today, who did you want to see, me or Barbara? Look, I know this is a complicated situation, but, for me, it's pretty simple.
We're having a baby.
It's amazing.
And, darling, this could be us every day.
We could wake up together every morning.
We could have a home.
We could have a life.
I was on my way to work.
Just thought I'd stop by.
What happened with the countersuit? I took care of it.
I had to drop the sexual harassment charge.
What does that mean for the case? Means it'll live to see another day.
And are you still my lawyer? Yes.
I saw Terry for the last time.
But before he left, he said he never agreed to testify for Roy.
For what it's worth, I believe him.
You never had Terry.
You just made me think you did.
You knew I'd try to get the sexual harassment charge dropped.
you just wanted to make sure it happened with prejudice.
Hearing you say it makes it even sweeter.
How did you know that would be my move? I knew sexual harassment was your weakest charge.
And I knew that you'd go on the offensive because That is who you are.
Fine.
Fine.
Well, drinks are on me.
It's almost an acceptable hour.
I wish I could, but I can not.
I have a date with the city council.
I have to let them know that I finally outsmarted the yankee lawyer.
Well, it's probably for the best.
I was gonna head over to the hospital anyway.
How is he? He's good.
He's awake.
He's been through a lot.
He's gonna need me, Roy.
You know, if something terrible happened to me, I would want you there by my side, as well, so This is a proud day for the city of Charleston.
This victory would not be possible without the valiant efforts of detectives Terry McCandless and Preston Cruz and deputy chief Holland Knox.
We also salute our two fallen comrades, Frank Jablonski and Clint Marks, who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.
Channel 10 has obtained this video from an anonymous source.
We warn you, the images you are about to see are graphic.
The woman in the video has been identified as former Charleston P.
D.
officer, Lee Ann Marcus.
In addition to Lee Anne Marcus, we've also identified one of the male officers in the sex tape as Terry McCandless.
Lee Anne Marcus is currently suing the Charleston police department for wrongful termination and defamation of character.
This scandal will likely diminish the police department's recent victory against Charleston's biggest gunrunning ring.