The Fix (2019) s01e10 Episode Script

Making a Murderer

1 Previously on "The Fix" Maya Travis, will you marry me? I'm not hearing a yes.
- I have to protect this family.
- SEVVY: What is it? Papers making me a controlling partner - in your trust.
- What? [BOTH GRUNTING.]
[GUNSHOTS.]
EFFY: He almost died because of you.
All you are to my husband is political cover.
That's a shadow.
Somebody else was in the storage unit when Jessica made these tapes.
She was gonna kill me.
Training at a gun range like a bloody assassin.
You actually might be innocent.
[VOICE BREAKING.]
My dad tried to warn me, and I should have listened.
Wait.
I need to say his name.
Let's start over.
[KATIE HERZIG'S "ALL THIS TIME" PLAYS.]
Can you see it? Every little piece of light Is spinning in the air tonight Like something in the afterlife - [CELLPHONE BEEPING.]
- Can you feel it? - [BEEPING STOPS.]
- Every little piece of you Is bigger than you ever knew I want to show the world to you Can you hear it? Even when you close your eyes? We're living in a world of light And everything is multiplied All this time It was what we're made for - [GROANS.]
- Daddy! - [LAUGHS.]
- Wake up.
- [GROANS.]
- I need pancakes.
Okay, baby.
I'll be right there.
Oh.
[WHISTLING.]
Can I have more syrup? - [UTENSILS CLINKING.]
- Hmm.
"May I have more syrup?" May I have more syrup? Mm-hmm.
[CHUCKLES.]
- Good morning, son.
You're up early.
- Mornin'.
Yeah, I wanted to swim before I had to go give lessons.
[DOORBELL RINGS.]
- [DOOR OPENS.]
- Mm.
One of these days you're gonna have to get me up on that surfboard.
We'll get you a stunt double.
Oh, please.
I got skills, man.
Mr.
Johnson.
I'm Detective Vincent North.
Uh Can we speak to you in private? Sure.
Come on.
Let's run down to the beach.
Daddy will be right with you, sweetheart.
What is it? [SIGHS.]
Mr.
Johnson, I have some very bad news.
Jessica Meyer was killed this morning.
What? I'm sorry.
No.
She [STAMMERS.]
But I was making breakfast for her.
She She's supposed to be here, but She was at the beach preparing to meet a client.
Cause of death appears to be blunt-force trauma, and we believe she was murdered.
What? No.
[VOICE BREAKING.]
No, not my baby.
No, no, no.
No.
No! [CRYING.]
Look, we're gonna need you to come down to the station - and answer a few questions.
- [SOBBING.]
Mr.
Johnson.
[FADING.]
Mr.
Johnson? [BIRDS CHIRPING.]
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
[SIGHS.]
Hello.
Rough night? What happened to you? Oh, I, um [CHUCKLES.]
stubbed my toe.
[LAUGHS.]
Look, we need to talk off the record.
And I would appreciate you telling the cowboy to stand down.
I do not need another shiner.
Oh, he's not here.
Ooh.
No? Which is none of your business.
No, it's not.
- Get to the point, Wolf.
- Right.
Um You know, it's the damndest thing.
[CHUCKLES.]
I actually think Sevvy Johnson is innocent.
- That's what you came here to tell me? - Mm-hmm.
- Goodbye.
- No, no, no, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Wait.
I'm serious.
I don't think Sevvy killed Jessica.
There is nothing I hate more than an innocent client.
I mean, the guilty ones, if they end up in jail, hey, that's probably where they belong.
But the innocent ones, they keep me up at night.
They burrow into my brain, haunt my every thought.
The innocent ones torture me.
So I'm here, hat in hand, asking you to talk to me.
Come in.
Doctor said you should take it easy.
Work from home? We'll see.
It's a big day for us.
What do you mean? We talked about this.
Effy, what did you do? It's the perfect time to announce you're running for D.
A.
I told you I'm not ready.
Well, they're here.
So get ready.
[REPORTERS SHOUTING, CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING.]
REPORTER 1: Matthew, did you think you were gonna die? REPORTER 2: Why did Maya Travis' stalker go after you? Look, we're talking about a deranged individual.
I have no idea why he did what he did.
Uh, sources say you're making an announcement today? [CLICKING CONTINUES.]
No.
No announcement.
I just want to thank CJ Emerson for saving my life.
She's the one who should be getting the attention today, not me.
Thank you.
[INDISTINCT SHOUTING.]
[PAPER RUSTLING.]
They follow me 'round like a bad dream They're pulling me back to the start But I wont live in what they build Won't be a kid with no phone I'll make it on my own [DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS.]
See, the key is milk.
Gives the eggs a nice fluff.
You're stalling.
[WHISK CLINKS.]
You know, I'm only telling you this because I know you won't let an innocent man go to jail.
I don't think he's innocent.
Yet.
Now, we both agree this conversation never happened.
Why? Because everything that I'm about to say to you is privileged.
And I know how much you care about legal ethics.
Well, you got to work with me here.
Cone of silence.
So, tell me why you're supposedly so convinced Johnson didn't do it.
Our trip to Vegas yielded some very interesting information, namely Jessica was practicing to kill Sevvy.
Even hired a private shooting instructor.
She was scared of him.
Maybe she wanted to protect herself.
[SIGHS.]
[GUNSHOTS.]
She look scared to you? [GUNSHOTS.]
Then why take a secret trip to Vegas? I think she had an agenda, and I think someone was helping her.
What? Nothing.
No I showed you mine.
Now you show me yours.
I watched the tapes Jessica made again, and I thought I saw something a shadow.
Someone was in the storage locker with her.
- I am almost positive.
- Oh, I knew it! It doesn't mean that person killed Jessica.
It just means there's more to the story.
You know what? Let's figure this out.
Together.
Whatever we find, I will not hesitate to use it against you in court.
Ditto.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
Yeah? Brianna, thanks for coming.
Your assistant said it was urgent.
Well, she's prone to hyperbole.
Please, come in.
Did you happen to see Chief Deputy Collier smiling for the cameras this morning? I did.
Rumor has it he tried to hire you.
Well, he hasn't pulled the trigger, if that's what you're wondering.
Although, I did give him some damn good advice.
What was that? I'm done with freebies.
All right.
Here is $237.
Down payment.
There's more where that came from.
Tens of thousands more.
Let me tell you the strategy I laid out for Matthew.
It'll work for you, too.
Hey, Starry.
Hi.
[SCOFFS.]
I don't want to talk to you.
Either of you.
Uh! You have every right to be pissed, but aren't you just a little bit curious about what we're doing here together? - [DOOR CLOSES.]
- Okay.
What's this about? It's about the tapes Jessica made.
We think somebody may have been with her.
Wasn't me.
I didn't even know about them.
Could have been a friend.
Someone she was seeing on the side.
If Jessica was cheating on my dad, do you think she would have told me about it? What does this mean? We think whoever was helping Jessica may have killed her.
- I don't think that.
- Well, it's not much of a stretch.
It's I think that the person may be a part of the puzzle.
But could it be your mother? I know she was trying to help Jessica.
No, my mom didn't care about Jessica.
She saw her as an obstacle to my dad's money.
That's it.
And the second she had a chance, she had him sign everything over to her.
What are you talking about? - My dad didn't tell you? - No.
If he goes to jail, my mom gets control of his entire estate.
I don't want to fight today.
I'm not here for that.
[SIGHS.]
I'm sorry about the other night.
[SIGHS DEEPLY.]
I feel like I don't know.
I feel like nothing's like what I thought it was.
It never is.
I find that every time I blink, the world shifts.
Did you ever love me, Jules? I mean really love me? Desperately.
[SIGHS.]
You know everything, don't you? Yeah.
I'm sorry things ended this way.
[EXHALES DEEPLY.]
- Charlie, Maya Travis.
- Bay Crab hand roll? Maybe later.
So, this is everything Buck got on Julianne.
When you were trying to set her up? When we were investigating, like you and I are doing right now.
Julianne has an alibi.
She was Vick Marshall's house at the time of the murder on camera.
Well, tapes can be faked.
- Or did you forget? - Mm.
Anyway, she could have hired someone to do it.
Did Buck find any unusual expenditures? No, but she could have set aside small amounts of cash for months.
So, your theory is that Julianne killed Jessica so that Sevvy would end up in prison and she could get his money? The woman is a master manipulator.
We need to get inside Julianne's house.
Well, get a search warrant.
You would love that, wouldn't you? She's one of my key witnesses.
It would destroy her credibility.
So would a Murder One charge.
I don't think we'll find anything, but we should look.
Give me a couple hours.
I have an idea.
[SMACKS LIPS.]
Okay.
CJ: You're working with Ezra Wolf? Very unofficially, yes.
- Maya, you know you can't trust him.
- I don't.
But I need to know who that shadow was.
And if Jessica really was planning on killing Sevvy, that makes me question everything.
Even whether he did it? Even that.
I need to know the truth, whatever it is.
Julianne? She lied to the police multiple times, and she had motive.
Follow the money.
I guess it's possible.
- I need a favor.
- Sure.
Anything.
I really shouldn't even be asking this.
Maya, I am a grown-ass woman.
Just spit it out.
It's not exactly legal.
[WAVES CRASHING.]
[LAUGHS.]
Quick, quick.
Jump on my back.
Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! Hey, look, here comes your sister.
- Star! - Hey, Peanut.
What are you doing here? Star's gonna take care of you for a few days.
Daddy's got some grownup things to take care of.
Why don't you go gather your stuff? Thank you.
Of course.
She's my sister.
I love you, Star.
Sunny can stay with me as long as you need.
You ready to go? All right.
EZRA: Big things are afoot, people, and we're gonna be prepared.
I've been working with someone, who shall not be named.
Suffice it to say that I have reason to believe Sevvy Johnson's nightmare is going to end.
He is going to go free.
I have decided that the time is right to prepare a motion to dismiss.
- [INDISTINCT TALKING.]
- As you know, this motion needs to be - CHARLIE: Ezra! - Charlie.
The D.
A.
's making some announcement about Sevvy's case.
- What? - WIEST: Thank you, everyone, for gathering on such short notice.
As District Attorney of Los Angeles, I pride myself on the integrity of my team and our mission.
[CELLPHONE CHIMES.]
Unfortunately, the murder of Jessica Meyer has been tragically mishandled.
Despite my personal misgivings, I allowed Chief Deputy D.
A.
Matthew Collier to bring Former Deputy D.
A.
Maya Travis onto the Jessica Meyer case.
What's become clear is that both Mr.
Collier and Ms.
Travis have a personal vendetta against Mr.
Johnson a vendetta that has blinded them to the truth surrounding this horrific crime.
Any future investigation will be done by people who have not been tainted by this disaster.
I have no choice but to drop the charges against Severen Johnson.
I am going to dismiss this case.
- [INDISTINCT TALKING.]
- [WHISPERING.]
Son of a bitch.
You stole my thunder.
MATTHEW: You have got to be kidding me! WIEST: This case has been a nightmare from Day One, and it's gone downhill from there.
- And the fact that you don't see that - Oh, come on! How can you You can't just dismiss my case without consulting me.
I don't need your permission to do anything! That wasn't a press conference.
It was a character assassination.
Well, I call it like I see it.
This isn't about us, and you know it.
It's about you and your election.
You might win.
Voters don't know any better.
But the people in this office do.
And after that move that you pulled today, not one of them will respect you because you're a coward.
My move is the one you forced me to make! Feel free to step aside.
I will have someone else go to court and dismiss.
This is still my case.
I'll handle it.
I can't believe Wiest, throwing us under the bus like that.
But that's exactly what you were planning to do to me, isn't it? - What do you mean? - Effy told me your plan.
You wanted to use me for cover if the case fell apart so you'd be in the clear to run for D.
A.
- Maya - Don't come to court with me.
I don't want you there.
The D.
A.
's office just held a press conference.
They're dismissing the case.
They can't do that.
There's nothing we can do.
We lost.
I think it's time for you to find a place of your own.
[ENGINE STARTS IN DISTANCE.]
[KEYPAD BEEPING.]
[LOCK BEEPS, CLICKS.]
REPORTER: There has been yet another bombshell development in the murder case against movie star Sevvy Johnson.
All parties are due in court within the hour where prosecutors are expected to make a motion to dismiss charges against the embattled actor.
D.
A.
Alan Wiest swears that the investigation into Jessica Meyer's murder will continue.
Hey, Dad.
You ready? [CHUCKLES.]
Yeah.
Don't want to be late.
Can you drive to court? I'm feeling a little keyed up.
We taking the Maybach? - Mm-hmm.
- I guess I can make the sacrifice then.
[CHUCKLES.]
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
- [CLEARS THROAT.]
- Couldn't pass up a chance to gloat.
Oh, I just wanted to say I wish it hadn't gone down this way.
I really wanted to beat you in a fair fight.
Since when are you interested in a fair fight? [CHUCKLES.]
You ready? [SIGHS.]
[WHISPERING.]
About the S.
I.
D.
investigation, Loni told you you were a target total B.
S.
Wiest made the whole thing up.
Great day, my man.
I always knew it was coming.
BAILIFF: All rise.
Department 125, Superior Court of Los Angeles is now in session.
Judge Song presiding.
Be seated.
Calling the case of People v.
Severen Johnson.
We're here on a People's motion to dismiss SEVVY: Your Honor.
I'm sorry to interrupt, but before you go any further, I'm firing my lawyer.
- I'm going pro per.
- Sevvy, wa I want to represent myself.
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
Your Honor, I'm changing my plea.
I plead guilty.
[SPECTATORS MURMURING, SHOUTING.]
EZRA: Your Honor, we just need a minute here.
Just we just need a minute.
What are you talking about?! [SHOUTING CONTINUES.]
What the hell are you doing?! I had this! Are you out of your mind?! I had to do the right thing.
This whole time "I'm innocent! I'm innocent!" Now all of a sudden, you're guilty.
You're protecting someone, aren't you? Who is it? Sevvy, I can't let you do this.
You can't stop me.
I'm not gonna give this up.
I'm gonna find out the truth.
You fought to the death for me over the years.
And you've even been a friend when I needed one.
Okay.
This is my choice to make.
And I've made my choice.
It's done.
[METAL RATTLING.]
[EXHALES DEEPLY.]
You did it.
You got him.
Did I? Sevvy Johnson is gonna spend the rest of his life in jail.
That's been our dream for eight years.
I know.
Somehow I just feel hollow.
You think you're gonna know how you'll feel when you get what you want, but it doesn't always work out that way.
Maya, I'm sorry.
About everything.
For awhile, I, uh I think I lost sight of who I really am.
But I've decided I'm not gonna run for D.
A.
, and I'm resigning as Chief Deputy.
I'm gonna back into the court room.
[CHUCKLES.]
You were right.
This is where I belong.
[CELLPHONE CHIMES.]
I have to go.
What are you gonna do? I don't know.
[WAVES CRASHING.]
[INHALES DEEPLY.]
I thought I might find you here.
What are you doing with my mom's diary? We found it in your duffel bag at Julianne's.
I wish I'd had it eight years ago.
Things might have turned out a lot differently.
Help me understand, Gabe.
Why did you kill Jessica? Is that her signature? When your mother decided to divorce Mr.
Johnson, she left certain items with us for safe keeping.
After she died, we retained them.
[INHALES DEEPLY.]
Now that you're 21, we are releasing them to you.
You may open the envelope.
[PAPER RUSTLES.]
We'll itemize the contents of the box as you remove them.
One envelope, containing HH Bonds.
One pearl necklace in a velvet case.
One green journal.
Hey.
Are you okay? I saw you from upstairs.
I don't know.
What's going on? That's my mom's.
[INSECTS CHIRPING.]
Oh, my God.
Is that the part where he choked her, or he punched her for coming home late without calling? Does he do those things to you? GABE: It had been going on for months.
He'd hit her or shove her.
Didn't feel bad, didn't try to make up for it.
Jess thought about leaving him, but that didn't work out well for my mom, did it? Was it your idea or Jessica's to kill him? I don't even know.
It's like we just said we should do this, and suddenly, we were really doing it.
But you wanted to make it look like self defense.
Yeah, so we knew we needed proof of what he was doing.
And we we needed witnesses who would back us up.
Julianne and Ben Mitchell.
Yeah.
Tell me about the tapes, Gabe.
You were with Jessica when she made them, weren't you? They were my idea.
And whose idea was it for Jessica to kill Sevvy with his own gun? She knew about the gun in the nightstand.
I just said that that could be a good way.
And right when we were ready to do it, they took some trip.
He did some kind of magic therapy, and she decided that their relationship was better than ever, like the therapy fixed him or something.
But you didn't believe that.
You think he didn't have good times with my mom? He did.
Months even.
Then it would always happen again.
But Jessica thought he really changed.
That morning, I just wanted to talk to her.
I just wanted to try to get her to see.
I don't want to talk about this anymore.
We had a plan.
You can't just back out! - He's not gonna stop.
- He has stopped! GABE: For how long? Look, Gabe, the plan is off, okay? I'm telling you, he's changed.
You can't actually think that! You don't see him the way that I do.
So, what, you're all good now, and that's all that matters? What about my mom? I'm I'm sorry about what happened to her.
- I am, but - He murdered her! Just stop, okay?! Look, it was a stupid plan, - and it's not - No.
- We're supposed to make things right! - No, it's not going to - And I'm not gonna stop! - No.
Yes, you are! It's over.
I'm calling him.
No! GABE: I didn't go there to kill her.
I just lost control.
When I saw her lying there, I knew what I had to do.
Sevvy's towel was in my car.
He had played tennis the day before.
Sweat was all over it.
But she didn't deserve to die.
- [VOICE BREAKING.]
- She didn't deserve to die.
[CRIES.]
GABE: I'm so sorry.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
I can't let this stand.
I'll file a motion to vacate the plea.
No, you won't.
You didn't kill Jessica.
I killed Cassandra.
I killed Nancy.
- That's over.
- No.
No, it's not.
Gabe finding out the truth about his mum that's what started this.
You know about the diary.
In the trial eight years ago, I kept waiting for it to come out, waiting for her words to damn me.
Gabe never should have seen that.
But he did.
How did you figure out it was him? I opened a letter from the lawyer.
I thought it was for me.
When I saw he'd gotten the diary, everything made sense.
The jacket showing up after the bail hearing, my DNA at the scene.
Gabe Gabe would have been able to do that.
I need you to understand this is my fault.
Gabe murdered the woman you love.
Because I murdered his mother! But you didn't kill Jessica.
But I may as well have done it with my own two hands.
[BREATHING HEAVILY.]
Don't you see? Everything that's happened everything everything that happened is all my fault.
So please, I-I'm begging you.
Let it stand.
[CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING.]
Nine years ago, Sevvy Johnson murdered his wife Cassandra and her friend, Nancy Weeks.
Today, he pled to guilty to the murder of Jessica Meyer.
[CLICKING CONTINUES.]
Mr.
Johnson will spend the rest of his life in prison, which is where he belongs.
Today, justice was finally served.
I hope this brings the victims' families some measure of peace.
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
Mm.
She'll never be able to live with herself.
Why? Because she beat you? Well, she won, but she didn't beat me.
There's a big difference.
Look, I came here because I feel bad about what happened to your investigator.
Let's not rehash the past.
I called you to talk about the future.
My firm needs fresh blood, and I hear you're in need of a job.
- So, you want me to work for you? - I do.
Why would I do that? My undeniable charm.
You want to screw over Wiest.
Maybe.
A little bit.
[CHUCKLES.]
Also, you you're good.
You really think you're worth this much? Every penny.
Welcome to Wolf and Associates.
Snacks for the drive.
Why don't you put them in the back seat? Okay.
- Go in and check your room.
- Okay.
- Hi, Julianne! - Hi, honey.
We're leaving.
- Star - No.
I'm taking her away from you, away from this entire screwed up family.
I want her to have a fighting chance at something normal.
Everything I have ever done was for you and your brothers.
Is that what you tell yourself? I want you to be happy, Star.
I really do.
SUNNY: Got everything.
Hey, you, come here.
Give me a hug.
I'm gonna miss that face.
All right, kiddo.
Let's go.
[CAR DOOR OPENS.]
[CAR DOOR SHUTS.]
[ENGINE STARTS.]
[INHALES SHAKILY.]
Thank you for coming.
Maya said that I should.
Son, I don't have the right to ask How are you gonna call me "son" after all this? but I need you to make me a promise.
Promise me you'll make it mean something, son, and that you'll put the weight of this where it really belongs on me.
I need you to hear that and know that I'm sitting here for the rest of my life because I understand what I took from you and the pain I've caused you.
[CRIES.]
Promise me that you'll make this mean something.
Live your life.
How am I supposed to do that? Just wake up every day and s-start again.
[CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYS.]
I did the right thing? Yeah.
You did.
[KEYS JINGLE.]
[CELL DOOR CLOSES.]
[DOOR CLOSES.]
[SOFT MUSIC PLAYS.]
[HORSE SNORTS.]
Yes.

Previous Episode