Cruel Summer (2021) s01e10 Episode Script

1
(modem beeping, buzzing)
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,
I am not arguing one side of
a "she said/she said" matter.
I'm here to expose the truth.
Ms. Turner is suing Ms. Wallis
for defamation,
meaning Ms. Turner claims that my client
knowingly spread false
information about her.
Denise: While we all have
deep sympathy for Ms. Wallis
- reporter: How are you holding up?
- (reporters clamoring)
You're brave, Kate!
Denise: that doesn't change the fact
that she's broken the law.
Joy: It's okay.
Nick: The burden of proof
rests on one person.
- Jeanette!
- Jeanette! Over here!
- Do you regret suing Kate?
- How do you live with yourself, Jeanette?
Nick: And that person
- 11 million? Seriously?
- is the plaintiff, Ms. Turner.
- Jeanette, we need some answers here.
- Jeanette! Jeanette!
Denise: Ms. Wallis's lie
transformed Ms. Turner
into America's punching bag.
This case isn't about the crimes
of a disturbed kidnapper.
(Martin chuckles)
Nick: My client has already
endured enough trauma.
Denise: And it has nothing to do
with what took place
in the outside world
while Ms. Wallis was held captive.
Nick: While Ms. Turner enjoyed
the trappings of my client's life.
This case is about Ms. Wallis's actions
on The Marsha Bailey Show,
which have hurt my client's
lifetime earning potential
to the tune of $11 million.
The plaintiff's attorneys
will attempt to attack
my client's integrity.
But the evidence will show
nothing.
The evidence will show that Ms. Wallis,
on national television,
knowingly chose to defame her.
Nick: There is no evidence
that my client spread false information,
knowingly or otherwise.
Denise: I don't envy you.
Nick: But I do trust you.
Denise: Not to choose sides
but to choose the truth,
which is about to be revealed.
judge: Tomorrow we'll begin
with the plaintiff's case in chief.
- Court is adjourned.
- (gavel raps)
(static squealing)
Joy: I'm so happy
you decided to do this.
Your look radiates integrity
and elegance.
You picked it out.
- (door closes)
- Ms. Wallis, we're ready for you.
Since you declined earrings
and took a hatchet to your hair
right before going on national TV
Yes.
She's ready.
You're gonna do great, honey.
I was found by someone.
Excuse me?
A girl.
I didn't know her very well,
or at all, really, but
to the girl who stayed silent,
who let me endure things
that I cannot erase
Jeanette Turner
I hope you rot in hell.
She can't do that. She
can't name you like that.
Legally, she can't do that.
You weren't supposed to
mention Jeanette by name.
Or at all!
Honey, you broke the law!
My turn, I guess.
(reporters murmuring)
- Kate, over here!
- Kate, Kate!
(reporters clamoring)
Come on, Molly,
you know better than that.
Molly: Oh, come on.
man: Jeanette, Jeanette!
Would you agree that 11 million
is a greedy number?
Denise: We're not answering
any questions right now.
Do you regret any
of your actions at all?
We're not answering questions right now.
(reporters shouting)
Denise: Back off, please.
Greg: We're done here, guys.
How was court today?
Today was easy.
Tomorrow my lawyer's
bringing Kate on the stand
as a hostile witness.
And that's good for you.
Right?
Still won't make people like me.
Hey.
I like you.
(computer chimes)
(keying)
(keying)
Doodlebug? What are you still doing up?
Not eating ice cream
straight from the carton,
if that's what you're thinking.
Well, I'm not thinking
I'm thinking you should get me a spoon.
Angela says you're nervous.
You know you can still
talk to me, right?
Yeah, Dad.
I do.
Good.
Denise: Ms. Wallis,
you've stated repeatedly
that Martin Harris captured you
by force, correct?
Yes.
And what is it that you
maintain happened?
Martin Harris offered me a ride home.
I got in the car,
drank the drugged soda he gave me,
passed out, and woke up in his basement.
And that's what you relayed
to the police, correct?
It is.
And that's what you maintain here today,
under sworn oath.
Yes.
Your Honor, I have a one-page document
marked "Exhibit 4".
May I approach the witness?
Objection, Your Honor, this was
not disclosed in discovery.
It's for impeachment
purposes, Your Honor.
Overruled. You may continue.
Ms. Wallis, what is it
that you're holding?
A printed chat log
between two screen names.
Could you please state
those screen names?
Berenice4 and Traumarama79.
Ms. Wallis, could you please
read the highlighted passage?
Ms. Wallis?
"Traumarama79".
"I went to Martin's looking for safety".
"What would people think if they
knew I went there willingly?"
"It'd make them question
my whole story".
Denise: Do you recall
this conversation, Ms. Wallis?
Or should I call you Traumarama79?
That is your screen name, correct?
I don't understand.
Those chats were private.
Did they tap our phones?
Can they do that?
I did some digging.
It appears that your sister
has been chatting
under the screen name "Berenice4".
Your parents are calling her now.
Berenice is Ashley?
Kate.
You haven't been honest with me.
And that's a problem.
This is a huge blow to our case.
If there is anything else
you're not telling me
I need to know.
(guitar strumming)
What the hell are you doing here?
There's no apologizing for what I did.
I shouldn't have been drinking.
I shouldn't have given you
a ride, but I did.
There's no excuse.
I take full responsibility
for what happened.
Well, that's great, Jamie.
You can go now.
But Vince Fuller didn't
do anything wrong.
♪
Mallory: Holy shit.
Ashley is Berenice?
Are you sure?
I'm bugging out, Mal.
Did she say why?
Yeah, and she had this weak-ass excuse
of, "I needed someone to talk to".
That sounds nice.
I thought I had found someone like me.
Who had been through hell
and back and survived it.
I thought that I was
chatting with my future,
and she doesn't even exist.
I don't have the whole puzzle.
I was wrong about Berenice
and I don't remember Anabelle.
What if I don't have all the pieces?
I think I'm ready
to try what Sylvia suggested.
Are you sure?
(doorbell jingles)
We're actually not open yet
if you wanna
I'm so sorry.
Why are you saying this now?
Jamie got me thinking.
About how I've been
punishing the wrong person.
And I miss you.
It's been so long.
I can't even enjoy hearing that.
What did I do that was so wrong?
Be there for my boyfriend
when he got hurt?
I was vulnerable.
I mean, everyone was staring and
and that's when you tried to out us.
I wasn't thinking about
anyone else in that moment
except for you and me.
I was terrified, Vince.
You think I'm not scared?
I'm black. And gay.
In Texas.
We were in this together, Ben.
You just tossed me anywhere.
You're right.
You don't have to answer me right now.
But I want to earn your trust back.
If you'll let me.
(doorbell jingles)
(drink pouring)
crooner: There she is ♪
Right next to me ♪
You really wanted to meet me here?
Of all places?
This is where the truth lies.
And that's what we both want,
right, Jeanette?
I've wanted to face the truth
with you since last summer.
- Why now?
- Taking $11 million
from my family won't hurt me.
But it will completely
bankrupt my parents.
So now that you think I might win,
you're interested in settling
this outside of court?
You've done some dirty shit, Jeanette,
but springing those chat logs
on me in court was a low blow.
Naming me on TV was a low blow.
You stole what was basically
my trauma journal
and shared it in a courtroom.
Can you not see how cruel that is?
Can you not see that you ruined my life?
- You stole mine!
- You didn't even want it!
I have read pages and pages
of your chat with Berenice.
And I don't know the whole story.
But I know that you're
lucky that there are
some serious secrets
buried with Martin Harris.
I'm Molly Green, standing on
the steps of Skylin Courthouse,
where Jeanette Turner and Kate Wallis
have both yet to appear on day three
of Turner v. Wallis.
More on this story as it unfolds.
Since you're accusing me
of stealing your life,
what about Jamie?
You were over him
before you went missing.
But when you came back,
you reclaimed him anyway,
even though I loved him.
Yeah, you went to great sick
lengths to leave me in hell
in order to keep him.
- I didn't.
- Let's get to it, then.
What?
I don't have anything to hide.
I know you broke into this house.
Yeah. To play hide-and-seek.
That's no secret. I told
the cops that last year.
No, not that time.
I know you did it again
on Christmas Eve in '93.
Okay.
But I didn't go into
the basement that day.
So if you know that,
then I guess you weren't
in the basement, either, huh?
You're right, I wasn't.
Oh. So we're really being honest.
I am. I know you saw me.
And I know I didn't.
train conductor in video: All aboard!
Kate: The night you broke
in, I was home alone.
man in video: You think I'd let
a funny little redhead like you
run around loose here?
(phone beeping)
(line ringing)
(orchestral soundtrack on video)
man: Ah, Julia, I've got to have you!
- Kate: And I was messing with
- Jeanette: The snow globe.
Kate: How could you know that?
Jeanette: You were making
a phone call, right?
Jamie got this weird message
on his answering machine.
(music box playing "Auld Lang Syne")
We thought it might be you, but,
I mean, it didn't make any sense.
How could you have been
making a phone call
while you were kidnapped?
Jamie: You've reached
Jamie's private line.
You know what to do.
The message was nonsense.
It was breathing
- (Kate breathing emphatically)
- Jeanette: Once I heard
that out-of-tune snow globe,
I knew you called from upstairs.
- woman on video: Till death do us part.
- (doorknob turns)
The night you saw me,
I hid on the second floor.
(door opens)
Jeanette: Hello?
Hello?
I was sure no one was home.
I saw Martin Harris at the mall.
And then I heard a noise.
(floorboards creaking)
I took the snow globe and I left.
Kate: I found your necklace.
If the necklace proved anything,
I'd be arrested by now.
Don't I know it.
I looked out this window
and I saw your bike.
But you didn't see my face, did you?
(furniture clatters)
Kate: I heard your voice,
I found your necklace.
And I saw your bike.
You lied.
About holding eye contact, I guess?
Your face was shadowed outside,
but you were facing me
and I saw your bike
with the stupid card on the wheel.
(card clicking in spokes)
Oh, my God.
Jeanette: Hey, that's my bike!
Mallory: Who cares? Go, go, go!
Jeanette: The bike with the boombox?
Mallory: Come on, we have to go!
(cards clicking)
And the card?
That's not my bike.
It's Mallory's.
What?
Mallory's the one who saw you.
Kate: It was Mallory?
How is that even possible?
(cards clicking in spokes)
Oh, shit.
You are so getting busted.
Jeanette: Mallory told me
later she finally broke in.
She was hoping to see me get caught.
She must have waited until I left.
And then she decided to follow me.
(furniture clattering)
(dog barking)
That must be when you saw Mallory
and you thought it was me.
(cards clicking)
(music box playing "Auld Lang Syne")
(playing distorted notes)
What did you steal this time?
- What?
- You lectured me about the list,
about the contraband.
You played holier-than-thou
right up until cutting
me off as a friend,
when you've been sneaking
into that house this entire time?
- I, um
- You get some sort of sick pleasure
out of it, don't you?
I can't believe you
haven't gotten caught yet.
You're a hypocrite and
honestly a real weirdo.
I'm not a weirdo.
Look, if you care so much, just take it.
We're not even friends anymore,
why do you care what I do?
So just take the stupid
thing and get out.
Go!
Jeanette: I gave Mallory the snow globe.
She wouldn't give it back.
Probably to protect you.
If you search her room,
I'm sure you'll find it.
You're not lying.
It was really Mallory that saw me.
I didn't see you.
If I didn't think I was right,
I would have never accused you.
Jeanette, I am so sorry.
Can I ask
what happened between
you two in this house?
We were friends.
Martin and I.
He was
kind and fascinating.
I don't really know
how else to describe it.
- He seemed
- Like someone who had secrets?
Yeah.
I slept over that first night.
That night led to more nights.
And friends led to more than friends.
You two were
Things escalated to a really dark place.
There's just one thing
that I can't remember.
And my therapist says that
if I go back down there,
that maybe it will help
unlock the memory.
Down to the basement?
Will you come with me?
Yes.
Are you okay?
The night before I was rescued,
he came down here.
Something was different.
Something was wrong.
He was vulnerable
but weirdly seemed at peace.
Seemed like he had
made a decision.
Thought he had worked up
the courage to actually kill me.
You asked me once how this ends.
I've tried to find another way,
but there isn't one.
Martin
we can find one.
No.
The police came here today.
They did?
It's only a matter of time
before they're back
with a search warrant.
(Kate breathing shakily)
This is Anabelle.
She's a family heirloom.
Why did you bring her down here?
She took my father's life.
Are you gonna take mine?
I'm sorry for the things I've done.
For what I'm about to do.
Martin, please, no.
It's the only way.
Go live your life.
See the world like we wanted.
And know that you were truly loved.
Goodbye, Kate.
(gasping)
Disarm you with a smile ♪
(screaming)
And cut you like you want me ♪
(screaming, banging on wall)
to cut that little child ♪
Inside of me ♪
And such a part of you ♪
Kate?
Ooh-ooh, the years burn ♪
Kate?
Ooh-ooh ♪
Listen to me, okay?
The years burn ♪
I was wrong.
I used to be ♪
It's me and you.
a little boy ♪
So old ♪
We'll find a way.
in my shoes ♪
Just give me the gun, okay?
And what I choose is my choice ♪
What's a boy supposed to do? ♪
You don't wanna do this.
You love me.
The killer in me ♪
Is the killer in you ♪
The killer in me ♪
Is the killer in you ♪
(gunshot)
(body thuds)
(gun thuds)
The killer in me ♪
Is the killer in you ♪
I send this smile ♪
Kate: I sat with him all night.
I felt paralyzed.
The killer in me ♪
Is the killer in you ♪
And guilty for loving him.
And for hating him.
And killing him.
In the morning, I called the cops.
The news said he died in a shootout.
They assumed that, I guess,
because he died of a gunshot wound.
(gunshot)
What was that?
What was that?
I think I might have
internalized that, too,
after a while.
My therapist says that can happen.
I'm the bad guy.
No.
No.
Come on, no one could
blame you for killing him.
Jeanette, you should sue me.
You didn't deserve any of this.
You should go, take the money.
It was never about the money.
Then what was it about?
All I ever wanted
was to just
maybe feel what it was like
to be like you.
Not to actually be you, just
I never felt like I was
popular or
beautiful,
or enough.
I just wanted to know
what that felt like.
To just once
have the sun shining on me.
Kate: Yes, I was kidnapped.
That's the truth.
After speaking to her in depth myself,
there is another truth
that I am 100% certain of.
Jeanette Turner did not see me
in Martin Harris's house.
(reporters murmuring)
She is not the monster the media
has made her out to be.
Jeanette Turner is a victim.
Kate, does that make you a liar?
How do you feel dragging an innocent
girl's name through the mud?
reporter: What prompted this, Kate?
(reporters shouting questions)
(sighing, sniffling)
Kate: Going somewhere?
Mal, I know you saw me.
You befriended me.
And didn't say a word to me about it.
Yes.
How are both of those things true?
I deserve an explanation.
I don't know.
Come on, Mal, it's me.
I saw a woman living freely
not in the basement.
I figured it was Martin
Harris's girlfriend
or sister or
something.
You were half-right.
It-it didn't make sense
for a missing girl
to be in the living room making a call.
Kate: That's when you saw me.
I never in a million years
imagined that it was you.
Why would you?
I didn't really think much of it
until I heard about
your rescue on the news.
And her abductor has been
killed in a deadly shootout.
Our news team was there on the scene.
And in a shocking and
disturbing turn of events,
Kate Wallis's alleged kidnapper
was Martin Harris,
who was the assistant principal
at Skylin High School in Texas.
And the world only thought
you were ever in the basement.
Telling my secret meant
telling yours, too.
So I chalked it up to being
none of my business.
And
then we became friends.
And I
Boo, you're no fun!
(somber music playing)
I
What happened to "no more secrets"?
I'm gonna hop a Greyhound
and get out of town.
You will never see me again.
And leave me?
Here?
Without you?
Don't you dare.
(Mallory crying)
- (bell rings)
- director: Quiet on set.
- (crew murmuring)
- director: Okay, go!
man: Hold. Okay.
I'm sitting here with Jeanette Turner,
the young woman at the center
of a misunderstanding
that cost a year of
her life and her sanity.
She is, in this moment,
the most wronged woman in America.
Jeanette
given your resilience, your grace,
your strength
you are an inspiration.
And for the part I played
in what happened to you,
I am deeply sorry.
Thank you, Marsha.
I'm incredibly grateful
to be here today.
I've watched and
I know you're all kumbaya
and forgiveness now,
but
what I'm watching is
an absolute creep show.
Maybe.
But that creep also
happens to be innocent.
Let's go for a drive.
Jeanette: if there's one thing
I've learned from all this
- Mallory: Where are we going?
- I have to ask
(Kate laughs)
You dropped the lawsuit against Kate,
walking away from a potential
$11 million settlement.
What made you do that?
It was never about the money, Marsha.
Only the truth.
And now that the truth has come out,
what does life look like
on the other side?
Well, I have the greatest dad
who never left my side,
and the best boyfriend
I could hope for.
Is there anything else
you'd like to share
before you wrap up?
There is something I want to say.
To the girl who named me.
Who could have cleared
all this up sooner but didn't.
Kate Wallis
I forgive you.
I'm only happy when it rains ♪
I'm only happy when ♪
Aw shit!
(laughing)
I love this song!
You know I love it ♪
You are getting out and
dancing with me this time.
And why it feels so good ♪
Okay, fine.
Yea-eah-eah! (laughing)
(song playing loudly)
(girls cheering, laughing)
Come on!
Pour your misery down on me ♪
Pour your misery down ♪
Pour your misery down on me ♪
I'm only happy when it rains ♪
I feel good when things
are going wrong ♪
I only listen
to the sad, sad songs ♪
(both cheering)
(contemplative music playing)
Kate: Hello?
Hello?
Martin?
Is someone there?
If anyone can hear me, it's Kate Wallis!
Can you hear me?
Martin's locked me down here.
Please help me!
I wish I was special ♪
Please help me out!
You're so very special ♪
Is anybody there?
But I'm a creep ♪