YOU (2018) s01e10 Episode Script
Bluebeard's Castle
1 - Please, I'm sorry.
- Move, move! I was just organizing the shelves.
You think you know my business better than I do? Get in, and you'll stay in until you understand! Understand what? Who I am to you.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
[POUNDING.]
Joe! Joe! Joe! [OMINOUS MUSIC.]
I'm here.
[SOFTLY.]
Joe.
Why am I in here? Well, that's good, because we're talking.
We're getting it out in the open.
- You hit me! - I'm sorry.
Beck, I'm sorry.
I just I didn't want you to freak out.
Joe, I am locked in a glass cage! Temporarily.
- How long? - What? How long are you going to keep me in here? If this is just temporary.
Oh, honestly, I haven't thought that far ahead.
I I I just I need to know that I can trust you - to see the truth.
- What truth is that? Everything I have done, I have done for you.
Even this? Even this.
- Oh, God.
- [CRYING.]
I wish I knew what you were thinking.
Tell me.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
What's in the box? Tell me.
Tell me I'm crazy.
Tell me you didn't kill Benji.
Tell me you didn't kill Peach.
- If you knew what I knew.
- [SHARP EXHALE.]
[SOBBING.]
, Beck, that's right.
You have no idea.
I promised you the truth, and I'm going to give you that.
[SOBS.]
Wait, Joe.
Don't leave! I'm not.
We're going to get through this.
Joe - [POUNDS ON GLASS.]
- Joe! No, Joe! Joe, Joe! [SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
That could have gone worse.
I knew you'd be scared.
That's why I tried - to protect you from the truth.
- [PHONE DINGS.]
And now, I need to protect us from the world, long enough to work this out.
So, business as usual.
They're the best cover.
[KEYS CLACKING.]
And it wouldn't be a true social media detox without announcing it to the world.
Evidence, evidence is all I need to prove to you I'm not some sicko.
I'm your protector.
You'll see.
[SIRENS WAILING.]
Let's skip the "nothing to see here.
" - Get straight to moving along.
- No, this is my building.
- That's my neighbor, Claudia.
- Your neighbor, huh? - Yeah.
- So then you know the piece of shit who gave her a concussion? - Yeah, his name is Ron.
- Oh, I know who he is.
That's him.
Why is he not in the back of your cruiser? Victim insisted it was an accident.
She has a kid, Paco.
Where is he? I didn't see any children in there.
Probably for the best.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Joe.
You can't leave me in here.
I'm not I'm not.
I'm sorry.
Look, it's pointless to try to explain anything to you without evidence, so no more secrets.
Ask me anything.
So we both knew Benji was a , right? What you didn't know [KEYBOARD CLACKING.]
He was a murderer.
He killed an innocent kid.
He's, he's playing dead.
He's playing dead.
- Oh, ! - [CAMERA FUMBLES.]
No remorse, I fully maintain he was sociopathic, and dangerous, dangerous for you.
And Peach, oh, she was obsessed.
And she was hoarding these for years.
She needed to own you, to trap you, to make you her pet.
And what happened once she was gone? You blossomed, you were published.
I I get why you'd be freaked, all stuffed in like this.
But they're just mementos, you know? Like holding on to an old photograph.
Or you wearing my shirt to sleep.
You can't tell me that's so crazy.
It's the stuff of a million love songs.
I know this is a lot.
Honestly, I'm terrified sharing this with you.
But if we're being honest, your life has been better since you met me.
You just didn't know how, or why.
Until now.
Beck, I love you.
And loving someone means you will do anything for them.
[OMINOUS MUSIC.]
- Benji's.
- [EXHALES.]
I had to burn his body.
- And Peach? - Well, she tried to kill me.
That was straight-up self defense.
- It was, it was self de - Oh, God.
- [SOBBING.]
It's true.
- Please don't.
- No, please! - No, no, calm down, please.
- Please don't hurt me! - Please calm down.
No, you don't understand.
Please calm down.
- You killed them! - Beck, Beck, Beck.
- You're a murderer, you freak! - No, that's not true! - No, you haven't - Get away from me! - Please don't hurt me.
- You don't understand.
I would never hurt someone I love.
Tell that to Candace, you sick ! You're not listening.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
[GRUNTS.]
Help! Help! Help! Help me, please! Please! [SOFT MUSIC.]
- Good morning.
- [SCREAMS.]
- Get away! - It's okay.
What were you trying to do to me? I was just making it cozy.
Look.
You were sleeping so deep, I didn't want to disturb you.
Well, consider me disturbed.
Here, I brought you breakfast.
Somehow, being inches from a bucket of my own pee has killed my appetite.
Oh, well, I emptied the bucket, in case you ever doubt what I'm willing to do for love.
And you're not going to want to pass up avocado toast.
From Dudley's, and uh, coffee.
Just how you like it.
I always wondered what that was for.
Uh, oh, yeah.
Mooney claims he built it for secure cash transactions.
I never saw anybody down here but me.
I spent a lot of time in here when I was younger.
I was always getting into trouble.
Mooney he he was my Mr.
Miyagi.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
If Miyagi was a Soviet prison guard.
- Who am I to you? - You're an Yes, but who else do you have? Your father, who used your armpit for an ashtray? Your mother, who never did anything to stop him? Or maybe you miss that insect ridden group home that drove you to my doorstep.
[SCOFFS.]
You don't care about me.
This place could be your salvation.
Here you're safe, surrounded by the greatest works of humanity.
With no choice but to absorb the wisdom of better men.
Beck, in the end, the cage was a good thing for me.
I'm hoping it will be the same for you.
Look, look, hence, typewriter, paper, no distractions.
It's the low tech writer's retreat you always wanted.
I feel bad for you, Joe.
[SOFT MUSIC.]
Was that pity? Disgust? - [DOOR CLANKS SHUT.]
- Empathy? Beck, I am really putting myself out there.
The least you could do is acknowledge that.
Hey, not today, little man.
Hey, look at me! Are you out of your mind? What do you think you're doing? - Get your hands off him.
- Hey, I caught this punk trying to steal the gun from the register.
Okay, okay, all right.
It's not loaded.
Oh, it's loaded.
I'll handle it.
- This is not a toy.
- I know, I'm not dumb.
I think you are.
I think only an idiot tries what you just pulled.
I know why you want a gun, Paco.
Even if you don't kill yourself with this thing first, the second you use it on Ron, your life is over.
That is the definition of dumb.
[GUN THUDS, DRAWER SHUTS.]
I'm sorry.
I know that was harsh.
[EXHALES.]
It's a key to my place.
You can go there, it's safe.
Cool down, crash as long as you need to.
And we'll talk about this later.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
[CELL PHONE DINGS.]
I'm not thinking straight, and it's your fault.
Beck, I can only buy us so much time.
And my patience is wearing thin.
- Joe, where have you been? - Hey.
- Whoo, hey.
- Let's skip the small talk.
I just want to know if Beck is okay.
- Wait, what do you mean okay? - We had a fight.
- I haven't heard from her.
- Oh, I think it's okay to tell you, she's on a writing retreat.
Yeah.
[BOTH LAUGH.]
- It's all good, relax.
- She's not texting us, either.
I just I just want to know she's safe.
BOTH: Yeah.
- [SOFT LAUGH.]
What was the fight about? Uh [SIGHS.]
I caught her cheating with her therapist.
- No way.
- What? Oh, my God, no way.
Dr.
Nicky? Is she kidding? - Oh, my God.
Whoa.
- Beck! - Joe, I am so sorry.
- Yeah.
- So sorry.
- I'm so sorry.
- We had no idea.
- Wow.
[SCOFFS.]
I really thought you two were endgame.
It just kind of shakes your faith, you know? - I don't know.
- Do you really believe that Beck and I are the real deal? Joe, I've known Beck a long time, and I have I've never seen her happier.
Or like, more grounded, or whatever.
Hey, maybe it's not so bad.
Maybe maybe she's really on a writing retreat, you know? Or maybe she's just trying to dodge that P.
I.
because she doesn't feel like talking about Peach.
P wait, P.
I.
? What do you mean? Apparently, a Salinger would never commit suicide, according to the Salingers.
It is so messed up.
They hired this guy, I don't know.
He's been asking Lynn and I all of these questions.
He even used the term "foul play.
" Can you believe that? Joe, we both know what you did.
Why are you surprised? [TENSE MUSIC.]
You haven't started writing.
I'm still waiting for that surge of inspiration I was promised.
You you seem like you're doing a little better.
[CHUCKLES.]
- Maybe it's relative.
- Mm.
I caught Paco trying to steal a gun from the register today.
What? Why? Ron put Claudia in the hospital.
So Paco, I tried talking to him.
I think I just made him angrier.
Well, you got your girlfriend locked up in a cage.
A P.
I.
's snooping around, and you're worried about your neighbor's kid.
- I know, it's pretty dumb.
- No.
It's sweet.
[AMBIENT MUSIC.]
Joe.
I know there is a good heart in there somewhere.
Joe? Yeah? I have to pee.
Oh, no, no, tell me you're not using Henry Pelham's cartography as a seat cover.
Sorry, I couldn't find any Dan Brown.
All right, I'll get out of here.
Joe.
Can I can I just, please use the bathroom? Please, this is dehumanizing.
You can trust me.
Thank you.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.
[GENTLE MUSIC.]
- Joe - I can't.
I'm sorry.
Joe.
- Joe, please! - I'll be back in a little bit.
[EXHALES.]
I'm so stupid.
This whole time, I was wrong.
- How did I not see this? - If you see this place as a prison, that's all you're going to be, a prisoner.
If you see it as an opportunity for introspection, and growth, voilà , we have a future together.
You say you're a writer.
I fell in love with a writer.
Maybe you should be writing.
Well, what now, Joe? You're going to go to my panties? Or do you need to cut someone up before you can get hard? [YELLS.]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
How the hell did you end up here? [TENSE MUSIC.]
Your life has been better since you met me.
You just didn't know how or why.
You paint me up to be this monster.
Someone who can hurt people, who can do terrible things.
[TYPEWRITER CLACKING ECHOES.]
You used to wrap yourself in fairy tales like a blanket.
But it was the cold you loved.
Sharp shivers as you uncovered the corpses of Bluebeard's wives.
Sweeter goose bumps as Prince Charming slid one glass slipper over your little toes, a perfect fit.
But by the schoolyard, real princesses floated by you on fall winds.
You saw the gulf between you and the rich girls, and vowed to stop believing in fairy tales.
But the stories were in you, deep as poison.
If Prince Charming was real, if he could save you you needed to be saved from the unfairness of everything when would he come? The answer was a cruel shrug in a hundred fleeting moments.
The sneer on Stevie Smith's face when he called you a fat cow.
Uncle Jeff's hand squeezing your ass in the Thanksgiving kitchen.
The accusation in your father's eyes when you told him what happened.
[TYPEWRITER CLACKING ECHOES.]
From every boy masquerading as a man that you let into your body, your heart, you learned you didn't have whatever magic turns a beast into a prince.
You surrounded yourself with the girls you'd always resented, hoping to share their power, and you hated yourself.
And that diminished you even more.
And then, right when you thought you might just disappear, he saw you.
And you knew, somewhere deep, it was too good to be true.
But you let yourself be swept, because he was the first strong enough to lift you.
Now, in his castle, you understand Prince Charming and Bluebeard are the same man.
And you don't get a happy end unless you love both of him.
Didn't you want this? To be loved? Didn't you want him to crown you? Didn't you ask for it? Didn't you ask for it? Didn't you ask for it? So say you can live like this.
Say you love him, say thank you, say anything but the truth.
What if you can't love him back? What if you're not the one? No, now is not the time to abandon principles.
I have to believe love conquers all.
And if you love me, it's only a matter of time.
But time is not on our side.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
I don't want to think worst case.
I don't like having to scour your place for evidence that'd link me to your disappearance.
It's all starting to feel a little dirty.
Because I'm not doing it for you anymore.
I'm doing it for me.
And I'm not a selfish person.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
[DISTANT SIRENS WAILING.]
Joe Goldberg.
Hello, P.
I.
Have we met? Hi, I work for the family of Peach Salinger.
Just a couple of quick questions.
- Oh, okay, sure, of course.
- How well did you know Peach? He's asking, but he knows already.
Not well, through my ex, Guinevere Beck.
I've been trying to get a hold of Beck, actually.
Yeah, well, we we broke up.
[CHUCKLES.]
So I'm not really in touch.
Beck, she might be out of town.
Writing, she does that, so.
Good luck.
It was nice to meet you.
You spend a lot of time at her place when she's out of town? Well, I He saw me.
I I still have a key.
No in fact, I had a key.
I returned it last night.
Did your ex ever tell you that Peach had a stalker? I mean, I know, um I remember the awful Central Park incident.
Peach was attacked, right? Same individual may have been in the house the weekend Peach died.
- Seriously? - Found an item.
- We're testing it for DNA now.
- Wow.
That would be crazy.
I forgot the jar.
Well, if it's true, I hope you find the guy.
I should have pissed myself.
Thanks, Joe.
You mind calling if you think of anything else? Yeah.
But does urine even hold DNA? Will do, Ross, yeah.
One thing I learned from my own time in the cage, Beck.
Never let yourself panic.
No matter how bad it is, you find a way to stay calm, and keep your wits.
[SOFT MUSIC.]
I've been stupid to be mad.
I messed up.
And you're trying to help me do better.
I know it's hard to understand.
But sometimes, we do difficult things out of caring for someone.
That's why I work you so hard, why I demand perfection.
I'm trying to teach you a code to live by so that you don't end up like your father.
And when I fail, you lock me in.
Exactly.
Because I love you.
I only hope it will be enough.
Hey.
Hey, I'm sorry that I that I went a little crazy before.
What's for dinner? [AMBIENT MUSIC.]
What's wrong? What happened? Remember the P.
I.
? He paid a visit.
You should have seen him.
I don't think he bought a word I said.
I'm not a killer.
I didn't plan this.
Like, if I was some premeditated, cold-blooded monster, I wouldn't have missed anything that would come back to bite me in the ass like this.
You might get exactly what you want.
I'll go down for something I did for you.
And you love that, right? I mean that's that's what you think of me.
No.
That's not true.
I know I've said some stuff, but come on, you can't expect me to be chill.
I mean, look at us.
For the record I don't hate you.
I am trying so hard to understand you.
And what about Paco? What about Paco? If you go to jail, the kid is screwed, right? You think that's what I want? You're the only person who is there for him.
And I think about what happens to people who don't have anyone.
Joe, for Paco, okay? Let's try and figure out a way through this, so that you can so that we can be there for him.
[KNOCKING.]
Claudia? Just open the door, I want I just want to talk to you, just [KNOCKING.]
Hey, let me in.
I just want [DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
- [YELLS.]
- [GRUNTS.]
[BODY THUDS.]
[WEAPON CLATTERS.]
You piece of ! [DRAMATIC AMBIENT MUSIC.]
Paco.
Paco, come here, I want to talk to you.
Paco, come here.
I'm not going to hurt you.
Paco, get over here, I want to talk to you.
Ah [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC.]
Paco, come out here.
[GASPS.]
You're dead.
Hey, Ron.
[GRUNTS.]
- [CHOKES, GURGLES.]
[COUGHS.]
- Joe! - Paco.
[STIRRING MUSIC.]
Okay, this is what I need you to do so no one finds out about this, because people are not really going to believe us about the way that it happened, right? Okay, there's blood in the hall.
You need to clean that up with soap and water.
And then hit those spots with bleach, really pour it on.
All right, now this next part might sound a little weird, but I think it might do the trick.
You see this, it's Ron's phone.
I'm going to be texting your mom from it.
Maybe Ron's boss, a few of his friends.
So they think he's still alive.
Exactly, so I'm going to keep that going.
I'm going to take it far away from here, get rid of it.
All you have to do is say you don't know where he is.
Ron will never hurt or scare you or your mom ever again, and I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry you had to see that, but it's over.
It's all over now, forever.
Right? - He was a bad man.
- [EXHALES.]
Yeah.
He was.
Does that mean it was right to kill him? Sometimes we do bad things for the people we love.
It doesn't mean it's right.
It means love is more important.
All right, go on.
I believe that, Beck.
Love is more important.
But the world is a cruel place.
If I get caught for any of this, I doubt a jury will see it the same way.
- And you.
- [TYPEWRITER CLACKING.]
Will you? There you are.
Read this, Joe.
[AMBIENT MUSIC.]
A blind verse rendition of your love story with Dr.
Nicky? Keep reading.
What exactly is this? It's the story of everything that happened once I started having an affair with my therapist.
I was broken, and trusting, and I needed help.
And he, little did I know, he was obsessive, and very sick, and would stop at nothing to get closer to me.
And if you skip to the end, there's this part where I talk about a box of mementos that I found on Nicky's property, evidence.
A jar of teeth.
Don't you see? Nicky is your way out, Joe.
Our way out.
It's perfect.
I get it now.
- You get what? - You.
You did everything for me.
No one has ever loved me the way that you love me.
I mean, you you gave me everything.
Let me give this to you.
I mean it.
I understand.
I was scared.
I could have done something something really stupid when I found that box, But this, this gave me time to think.
I hurt you.
I scared you.
I understand if you hate me.
I love you, actually.
More than ever.
And I can wait until you're ready.
It's not so bad in here.
You take care of me, and no one has ever taken care of me before, not like you.
It's all I ever wanted to do.
Joe, I I know that I am better with you than without you.
[WHISPERS.]
Beck Oh, if you were in here, this would be our moment to kiss.
It's like, the music swells and everything.
[ORCHESTRAL MUSIC SWELLING.]
But I know I know you don't trust me enough yet.
I get it.
[EXHALES.]
Oh, we're crazy.
[KEYS JINGLING.]
[LOCK CLICKS, TURNS.]
[AMBIENT TONE.]
[OMINOUS MUSIC.]
[BOTH GRUNT.]
[GROANS.]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
[GROANS.]
Beck! Wait, wait, wait, please.
Wait I know I know you're angry, I know.
You have no idea what I am, you psychopath! I knew it was too good to be true.
What, all the nice things I said to you while I was locked in a cage? You actually believe that all of this is somehow justified? - It is.
- , you are insane.
You think that you did some bad , and that I did some bad , and that this this is equivalent? Yeah, I lied, I cheated, but I I didn't stalk you.
I didn't hit you.
I didn't kill people.
I didn't do any of this! There's not a line in the world that I wouldn't cross for you.
I didn't ask you to swoop in for me.
But you did, your life was a mess.
Yes, but it was my life.
And I didn't need some sociopath on a white horse to clean house.
I mean, what gives you the right? You thought that I would be grateful? [EXHALES.]
You.
You're him.
You are the bad thing.
You are the thing that you should have killed.
If you let me out - we can just talk - You know what I think? I think that this was all just an excuse.
An excuse to justify creeping into girls' lives, and violating the out of them.
I think you love it! - The power, you love it! - No, I don't.
I think that this, this was the perfect excuse to take out people, like like Benji, and Peach, who have always looked down on you and your whole miserable life.
God, but you you are not special.
You're broken.
I could never love you.
Rot in there, you psychotic asshole.
You're going to spend the rest of your life in jail.
Joe? [DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
[GRUNTS.]
Help! [MUFFLED.]
Help! Help! Paco.
Paco, thank God.
I need your help.
Open this door right now.
Joe, he is downstairs, and he's crazy.
- Joe? - Paco.
He has killed people.
He's going to kill me.
Open this door right now.
Paco, open the door! Open the door, please! Please, Paco, no! No, Paco! [MUFFLED SCREAMS.]
Keys, keys.
[GASPS.]
When Mooney locked me in, I learned a big lesson.
Hide a spare key so you can get out of the cage.
I didn't want it to be like this, Beck.
I know.
I know, just put me back in there.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
[SCREAMS.]
These have been selling like crazy.
It's really tragic.
It's pretty weird when someone dies, and you literally can't get away from them on the news.
Enjoy the book.
She was a really good writer.
You really were, Beck.
I miss you so much.
It's been a weird four months.
I had to do a lot for you, in the end.
[SOMBER ALTERNATIVE ROCK MUSIC.]
You wrote the story.
All I did was bring it to life.
The story was perfect.
So everyone believed it.
Your lurid memoir of Dr.
Nicky was the lede, but I cobbled that manuscript together from every one of your pieces fit to print.
The book is yours, Beck, and it made you famous.
Doctor, Doctor! [INDISTINCT CLAMORING.]
What drove you to murder Guinevere Beck? I received the manuscript in the mail.
It was odd, but far and away the most moving prose I'd read since Zadie's second to last.
It was also the most horrifying because I came to understand that Beck was illuminating her very own imminent murder.
That's when I knew.
I had to show it to my literary agent right away.
It's true, maybe not everyone was completely convinced.
Bull But you know what, doesn't matter.
The evidence was overwhelming.
Thanks to your hard work, and mine.
It's the last thing we ever did together.
In the end, you couldn't love me.
I feel at peace with that now, because I loved you the absolute best that I could.
And I gave you what you wanted.
I helped you become the writer you so wanted to be.
It's sad you're not here to see it.
But I know you would be so happy.
- So, California.
- Yeah, that's great, you know? You got the job.
Paco's going to love it.
Yeah, I think so.
Weather's so good.
- So, Ron? - Disappeared into thin air.
I don't get it, but it's for the best.
I know I haven't always been the nicest about it, but, uh thanks for always being so good to my son.
[SCOFFS.]
That's it's nothing.
Really.
Yeah.
I'll let you say good-bye.
Hey, Pac.
- I'll miss you.
- Me too.
Hey, you know, it's okay if things are hard sometimes.
You can still be a good person, and have a really good life.
That's what I want for you.
This is good, a fresh start.
[SOFT MUSIC.]
You can put the bad things behind you.
Yeah.
You too.
I'm trying, I am.
But I'll admit, it's getting harder to live with so much heartbreak.
And there are days, I just don't believe in love.
I tell myself to keep my heart open, that in the end, I was wrong about you.
Every relationship teaches us hard lessons, right? That's their gift, to make us ready for the day when someone, maybe the one, walks in who could truly love us [CLANGING.]
And we could truly love them.
Well.
Hello, there.
Who are you? You've got that hoodie.
You don't like to be stared at.
But your legs are bare.
You like a little attention.
Okay, I'll bite.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
Hey, bunny.
Candace.
- You're - Alive.
Yeah, so uh I think we have some unfinished business to talk about.
- Move, move! I was just organizing the shelves.
You think you know my business better than I do? Get in, and you'll stay in until you understand! Understand what? Who I am to you.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
[POUNDING.]
Joe! Joe! Joe! [OMINOUS MUSIC.]
I'm here.
[SOFTLY.]
Joe.
Why am I in here? Well, that's good, because we're talking.
We're getting it out in the open.
- You hit me! - I'm sorry.
Beck, I'm sorry.
I just I didn't want you to freak out.
Joe, I am locked in a glass cage! Temporarily.
- How long? - What? How long are you going to keep me in here? If this is just temporary.
Oh, honestly, I haven't thought that far ahead.
I I I just I need to know that I can trust you - to see the truth.
- What truth is that? Everything I have done, I have done for you.
Even this? Even this.
- Oh, God.
- [CRYING.]
I wish I knew what you were thinking.
Tell me.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
What's in the box? Tell me.
Tell me I'm crazy.
Tell me you didn't kill Benji.
Tell me you didn't kill Peach.
- If you knew what I knew.
- [SHARP EXHALE.]
[SOBBING.]
, Beck, that's right.
You have no idea.
I promised you the truth, and I'm going to give you that.
[SOBS.]
Wait, Joe.
Don't leave! I'm not.
We're going to get through this.
Joe - [POUNDS ON GLASS.]
- Joe! No, Joe! Joe, Joe! [SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
That could have gone worse.
I knew you'd be scared.
That's why I tried - to protect you from the truth.
- [PHONE DINGS.]
And now, I need to protect us from the world, long enough to work this out.
So, business as usual.
They're the best cover.
[KEYS CLACKING.]
And it wouldn't be a true social media detox without announcing it to the world.
Evidence, evidence is all I need to prove to you I'm not some sicko.
I'm your protector.
You'll see.
[SIRENS WAILING.]
Let's skip the "nothing to see here.
" - Get straight to moving along.
- No, this is my building.
- That's my neighbor, Claudia.
- Your neighbor, huh? - Yeah.
- So then you know the piece of shit who gave her a concussion? - Yeah, his name is Ron.
- Oh, I know who he is.
That's him.
Why is he not in the back of your cruiser? Victim insisted it was an accident.
She has a kid, Paco.
Where is he? I didn't see any children in there.
Probably for the best.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Joe.
You can't leave me in here.
I'm not I'm not.
I'm sorry.
Look, it's pointless to try to explain anything to you without evidence, so no more secrets.
Ask me anything.
So we both knew Benji was a , right? What you didn't know [KEYBOARD CLACKING.]
He was a murderer.
He killed an innocent kid.
He's, he's playing dead.
He's playing dead.
- Oh, ! - [CAMERA FUMBLES.]
No remorse, I fully maintain he was sociopathic, and dangerous, dangerous for you.
And Peach, oh, she was obsessed.
And she was hoarding these for years.
She needed to own you, to trap you, to make you her pet.
And what happened once she was gone? You blossomed, you were published.
I I get why you'd be freaked, all stuffed in like this.
But they're just mementos, you know? Like holding on to an old photograph.
Or you wearing my shirt to sleep.
You can't tell me that's so crazy.
It's the stuff of a million love songs.
I know this is a lot.
Honestly, I'm terrified sharing this with you.
But if we're being honest, your life has been better since you met me.
You just didn't know how, or why.
Until now.
Beck, I love you.
And loving someone means you will do anything for them.
[OMINOUS MUSIC.]
- Benji's.
- [EXHALES.]
I had to burn his body.
- And Peach? - Well, she tried to kill me.
That was straight-up self defense.
- It was, it was self de - Oh, God.
- [SOBBING.]
It's true.
- Please don't.
- No, please! - No, no, calm down, please.
- Please don't hurt me! - Please calm down.
No, you don't understand.
Please calm down.
- You killed them! - Beck, Beck, Beck.
- You're a murderer, you freak! - No, that's not true! - No, you haven't - Get away from me! - Please don't hurt me.
- You don't understand.
I would never hurt someone I love.
Tell that to Candace, you sick ! You're not listening.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
[GRUNTS.]
Help! Help! Help! Help me, please! Please! [SOFT MUSIC.]
- Good morning.
- [SCREAMS.]
- Get away! - It's okay.
What were you trying to do to me? I was just making it cozy.
Look.
You were sleeping so deep, I didn't want to disturb you.
Well, consider me disturbed.
Here, I brought you breakfast.
Somehow, being inches from a bucket of my own pee has killed my appetite.
Oh, well, I emptied the bucket, in case you ever doubt what I'm willing to do for love.
And you're not going to want to pass up avocado toast.
From Dudley's, and uh, coffee.
Just how you like it.
I always wondered what that was for.
Uh, oh, yeah.
Mooney claims he built it for secure cash transactions.
I never saw anybody down here but me.
I spent a lot of time in here when I was younger.
I was always getting into trouble.
Mooney he he was my Mr.
Miyagi.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
If Miyagi was a Soviet prison guard.
- Who am I to you? - You're an Yes, but who else do you have? Your father, who used your armpit for an ashtray? Your mother, who never did anything to stop him? Or maybe you miss that insect ridden group home that drove you to my doorstep.
[SCOFFS.]
You don't care about me.
This place could be your salvation.
Here you're safe, surrounded by the greatest works of humanity.
With no choice but to absorb the wisdom of better men.
Beck, in the end, the cage was a good thing for me.
I'm hoping it will be the same for you.
Look, look, hence, typewriter, paper, no distractions.
It's the low tech writer's retreat you always wanted.
I feel bad for you, Joe.
[SOFT MUSIC.]
Was that pity? Disgust? - [DOOR CLANKS SHUT.]
- Empathy? Beck, I am really putting myself out there.
The least you could do is acknowledge that.
Hey, not today, little man.
Hey, look at me! Are you out of your mind? What do you think you're doing? - Get your hands off him.
- Hey, I caught this punk trying to steal the gun from the register.
Okay, okay, all right.
It's not loaded.
Oh, it's loaded.
I'll handle it.
- This is not a toy.
- I know, I'm not dumb.
I think you are.
I think only an idiot tries what you just pulled.
I know why you want a gun, Paco.
Even if you don't kill yourself with this thing first, the second you use it on Ron, your life is over.
That is the definition of dumb.
[GUN THUDS, DRAWER SHUTS.]
I'm sorry.
I know that was harsh.
[EXHALES.]
It's a key to my place.
You can go there, it's safe.
Cool down, crash as long as you need to.
And we'll talk about this later.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
[CELL PHONE DINGS.]
I'm not thinking straight, and it's your fault.
Beck, I can only buy us so much time.
And my patience is wearing thin.
- Joe, where have you been? - Hey.
- Whoo, hey.
- Let's skip the small talk.
I just want to know if Beck is okay.
- Wait, what do you mean okay? - We had a fight.
- I haven't heard from her.
- Oh, I think it's okay to tell you, she's on a writing retreat.
Yeah.
[BOTH LAUGH.]
- It's all good, relax.
- She's not texting us, either.
I just I just want to know she's safe.
BOTH: Yeah.
- [SOFT LAUGH.]
What was the fight about? Uh [SIGHS.]
I caught her cheating with her therapist.
- No way.
- What? Oh, my God, no way.
Dr.
Nicky? Is she kidding? - Oh, my God.
Whoa.
- Beck! - Joe, I am so sorry.
- Yeah.
- So sorry.
- I'm so sorry.
- We had no idea.
- Wow.
[SCOFFS.]
I really thought you two were endgame.
It just kind of shakes your faith, you know? - I don't know.
- Do you really believe that Beck and I are the real deal? Joe, I've known Beck a long time, and I have I've never seen her happier.
Or like, more grounded, or whatever.
Hey, maybe it's not so bad.
Maybe maybe she's really on a writing retreat, you know? Or maybe she's just trying to dodge that P.
I.
because she doesn't feel like talking about Peach.
P wait, P.
I.
? What do you mean? Apparently, a Salinger would never commit suicide, according to the Salingers.
It is so messed up.
They hired this guy, I don't know.
He's been asking Lynn and I all of these questions.
He even used the term "foul play.
" Can you believe that? Joe, we both know what you did.
Why are you surprised? [TENSE MUSIC.]
You haven't started writing.
I'm still waiting for that surge of inspiration I was promised.
You you seem like you're doing a little better.
[CHUCKLES.]
- Maybe it's relative.
- Mm.
I caught Paco trying to steal a gun from the register today.
What? Why? Ron put Claudia in the hospital.
So Paco, I tried talking to him.
I think I just made him angrier.
Well, you got your girlfriend locked up in a cage.
A P.
I.
's snooping around, and you're worried about your neighbor's kid.
- I know, it's pretty dumb.
- No.
It's sweet.
[AMBIENT MUSIC.]
Joe.
I know there is a good heart in there somewhere.
Joe? Yeah? I have to pee.
Oh, no, no, tell me you're not using Henry Pelham's cartography as a seat cover.
Sorry, I couldn't find any Dan Brown.
All right, I'll get out of here.
Joe.
Can I can I just, please use the bathroom? Please, this is dehumanizing.
You can trust me.
Thank you.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.
[GENTLE MUSIC.]
- Joe - I can't.
I'm sorry.
Joe.
- Joe, please! - I'll be back in a little bit.
[EXHALES.]
I'm so stupid.
This whole time, I was wrong.
- How did I not see this? - If you see this place as a prison, that's all you're going to be, a prisoner.
If you see it as an opportunity for introspection, and growth, voilà , we have a future together.
You say you're a writer.
I fell in love with a writer.
Maybe you should be writing.
Well, what now, Joe? You're going to go to my panties? Or do you need to cut someone up before you can get hard? [YELLS.]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
How the hell did you end up here? [TENSE MUSIC.]
Your life has been better since you met me.
You just didn't know how or why.
You paint me up to be this monster.
Someone who can hurt people, who can do terrible things.
[TYPEWRITER CLACKING ECHOES.]
You used to wrap yourself in fairy tales like a blanket.
But it was the cold you loved.
Sharp shivers as you uncovered the corpses of Bluebeard's wives.
Sweeter goose bumps as Prince Charming slid one glass slipper over your little toes, a perfect fit.
But by the schoolyard, real princesses floated by you on fall winds.
You saw the gulf between you and the rich girls, and vowed to stop believing in fairy tales.
But the stories were in you, deep as poison.
If Prince Charming was real, if he could save you you needed to be saved from the unfairness of everything when would he come? The answer was a cruel shrug in a hundred fleeting moments.
The sneer on Stevie Smith's face when he called you a fat cow.
Uncle Jeff's hand squeezing your ass in the Thanksgiving kitchen.
The accusation in your father's eyes when you told him what happened.
[TYPEWRITER CLACKING ECHOES.]
From every boy masquerading as a man that you let into your body, your heart, you learned you didn't have whatever magic turns a beast into a prince.
You surrounded yourself with the girls you'd always resented, hoping to share their power, and you hated yourself.
And that diminished you even more.
And then, right when you thought you might just disappear, he saw you.
And you knew, somewhere deep, it was too good to be true.
But you let yourself be swept, because he was the first strong enough to lift you.
Now, in his castle, you understand Prince Charming and Bluebeard are the same man.
And you don't get a happy end unless you love both of him.
Didn't you want this? To be loved? Didn't you want him to crown you? Didn't you ask for it? Didn't you ask for it? Didn't you ask for it? So say you can live like this.
Say you love him, say thank you, say anything but the truth.
What if you can't love him back? What if you're not the one? No, now is not the time to abandon principles.
I have to believe love conquers all.
And if you love me, it's only a matter of time.
But time is not on our side.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
I don't want to think worst case.
I don't like having to scour your place for evidence that'd link me to your disappearance.
It's all starting to feel a little dirty.
Because I'm not doing it for you anymore.
I'm doing it for me.
And I'm not a selfish person.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
[DISTANT SIRENS WAILING.]
Joe Goldberg.
Hello, P.
I.
Have we met? Hi, I work for the family of Peach Salinger.
Just a couple of quick questions.
- Oh, okay, sure, of course.
- How well did you know Peach? He's asking, but he knows already.
Not well, through my ex, Guinevere Beck.
I've been trying to get a hold of Beck, actually.
Yeah, well, we we broke up.
[CHUCKLES.]
So I'm not really in touch.
Beck, she might be out of town.
Writing, she does that, so.
Good luck.
It was nice to meet you.
You spend a lot of time at her place when she's out of town? Well, I He saw me.
I I still have a key.
No in fact, I had a key.
I returned it last night.
Did your ex ever tell you that Peach had a stalker? I mean, I know, um I remember the awful Central Park incident.
Peach was attacked, right? Same individual may have been in the house the weekend Peach died.
- Seriously? - Found an item.
- We're testing it for DNA now.
- Wow.
That would be crazy.
I forgot the jar.
Well, if it's true, I hope you find the guy.
I should have pissed myself.
Thanks, Joe.
You mind calling if you think of anything else? Yeah.
But does urine even hold DNA? Will do, Ross, yeah.
One thing I learned from my own time in the cage, Beck.
Never let yourself panic.
No matter how bad it is, you find a way to stay calm, and keep your wits.
[SOFT MUSIC.]
I've been stupid to be mad.
I messed up.
And you're trying to help me do better.
I know it's hard to understand.
But sometimes, we do difficult things out of caring for someone.
That's why I work you so hard, why I demand perfection.
I'm trying to teach you a code to live by so that you don't end up like your father.
And when I fail, you lock me in.
Exactly.
Because I love you.
I only hope it will be enough.
Hey.
Hey, I'm sorry that I that I went a little crazy before.
What's for dinner? [AMBIENT MUSIC.]
What's wrong? What happened? Remember the P.
I.
? He paid a visit.
You should have seen him.
I don't think he bought a word I said.
I'm not a killer.
I didn't plan this.
Like, if I was some premeditated, cold-blooded monster, I wouldn't have missed anything that would come back to bite me in the ass like this.
You might get exactly what you want.
I'll go down for something I did for you.
And you love that, right? I mean that's that's what you think of me.
No.
That's not true.
I know I've said some stuff, but come on, you can't expect me to be chill.
I mean, look at us.
For the record I don't hate you.
I am trying so hard to understand you.
And what about Paco? What about Paco? If you go to jail, the kid is screwed, right? You think that's what I want? You're the only person who is there for him.
And I think about what happens to people who don't have anyone.
Joe, for Paco, okay? Let's try and figure out a way through this, so that you can so that we can be there for him.
[KNOCKING.]
Claudia? Just open the door, I want I just want to talk to you, just [KNOCKING.]
Hey, let me in.
I just want [DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
- [YELLS.]
- [GRUNTS.]
[BODY THUDS.]
[WEAPON CLATTERS.]
You piece of ! [DRAMATIC AMBIENT MUSIC.]
Paco.
Paco, come here, I want to talk to you.
Paco, come here.
I'm not going to hurt you.
Paco, get over here, I want to talk to you.
Ah [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC.]
Paco, come out here.
[GASPS.]
You're dead.
Hey, Ron.
[GRUNTS.]
- [CHOKES, GURGLES.]
[COUGHS.]
- Joe! - Paco.
[STIRRING MUSIC.]
Okay, this is what I need you to do so no one finds out about this, because people are not really going to believe us about the way that it happened, right? Okay, there's blood in the hall.
You need to clean that up with soap and water.
And then hit those spots with bleach, really pour it on.
All right, now this next part might sound a little weird, but I think it might do the trick.
You see this, it's Ron's phone.
I'm going to be texting your mom from it.
Maybe Ron's boss, a few of his friends.
So they think he's still alive.
Exactly, so I'm going to keep that going.
I'm going to take it far away from here, get rid of it.
All you have to do is say you don't know where he is.
Ron will never hurt or scare you or your mom ever again, and I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry you had to see that, but it's over.
It's all over now, forever.
Right? - He was a bad man.
- [EXHALES.]
Yeah.
He was.
Does that mean it was right to kill him? Sometimes we do bad things for the people we love.
It doesn't mean it's right.
It means love is more important.
All right, go on.
I believe that, Beck.
Love is more important.
But the world is a cruel place.
If I get caught for any of this, I doubt a jury will see it the same way.
- And you.
- [TYPEWRITER CLACKING.]
Will you? There you are.
Read this, Joe.
[AMBIENT MUSIC.]
A blind verse rendition of your love story with Dr.
Nicky? Keep reading.
What exactly is this? It's the story of everything that happened once I started having an affair with my therapist.
I was broken, and trusting, and I needed help.
And he, little did I know, he was obsessive, and very sick, and would stop at nothing to get closer to me.
And if you skip to the end, there's this part where I talk about a box of mementos that I found on Nicky's property, evidence.
A jar of teeth.
Don't you see? Nicky is your way out, Joe.
Our way out.
It's perfect.
I get it now.
- You get what? - You.
You did everything for me.
No one has ever loved me the way that you love me.
I mean, you you gave me everything.
Let me give this to you.
I mean it.
I understand.
I was scared.
I could have done something something really stupid when I found that box, But this, this gave me time to think.
I hurt you.
I scared you.
I understand if you hate me.
I love you, actually.
More than ever.
And I can wait until you're ready.
It's not so bad in here.
You take care of me, and no one has ever taken care of me before, not like you.
It's all I ever wanted to do.
Joe, I I know that I am better with you than without you.
[WHISPERS.]
Beck Oh, if you were in here, this would be our moment to kiss.
It's like, the music swells and everything.
[ORCHESTRAL MUSIC SWELLING.]
But I know I know you don't trust me enough yet.
I get it.
[EXHALES.]
Oh, we're crazy.
[KEYS JINGLING.]
[LOCK CLICKS, TURNS.]
[AMBIENT TONE.]
[OMINOUS MUSIC.]
[BOTH GRUNT.]
[GROANS.]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
[GROANS.]
Beck! Wait, wait, wait, please.
Wait I know I know you're angry, I know.
You have no idea what I am, you psychopath! I knew it was too good to be true.
What, all the nice things I said to you while I was locked in a cage? You actually believe that all of this is somehow justified? - It is.
- , you are insane.
You think that you did some bad , and that I did some bad , and that this this is equivalent? Yeah, I lied, I cheated, but I I didn't stalk you.
I didn't hit you.
I didn't kill people.
I didn't do any of this! There's not a line in the world that I wouldn't cross for you.
I didn't ask you to swoop in for me.
But you did, your life was a mess.
Yes, but it was my life.
And I didn't need some sociopath on a white horse to clean house.
I mean, what gives you the right? You thought that I would be grateful? [EXHALES.]
You.
You're him.
You are the bad thing.
You are the thing that you should have killed.
If you let me out - we can just talk - You know what I think? I think that this was all just an excuse.
An excuse to justify creeping into girls' lives, and violating the out of them.
I think you love it! - The power, you love it! - No, I don't.
I think that this, this was the perfect excuse to take out people, like like Benji, and Peach, who have always looked down on you and your whole miserable life.
God, but you you are not special.
You're broken.
I could never love you.
Rot in there, you psychotic asshole.
You're going to spend the rest of your life in jail.
Joe? [DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
[GRUNTS.]
Help! [MUFFLED.]
Help! Help! Paco.
Paco, thank God.
I need your help.
Open this door right now.
Joe, he is downstairs, and he's crazy.
- Joe? - Paco.
He has killed people.
He's going to kill me.
Open this door right now.
Paco, open the door! Open the door, please! Please, Paco, no! No, Paco! [MUFFLED SCREAMS.]
Keys, keys.
[GASPS.]
When Mooney locked me in, I learned a big lesson.
Hide a spare key so you can get out of the cage.
I didn't want it to be like this, Beck.
I know.
I know, just put me back in there.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
[SCREAMS.]
These have been selling like crazy.
It's really tragic.
It's pretty weird when someone dies, and you literally can't get away from them on the news.
Enjoy the book.
She was a really good writer.
You really were, Beck.
I miss you so much.
It's been a weird four months.
I had to do a lot for you, in the end.
[SOMBER ALTERNATIVE ROCK MUSIC.]
You wrote the story.
All I did was bring it to life.
The story was perfect.
So everyone believed it.
Your lurid memoir of Dr.
Nicky was the lede, but I cobbled that manuscript together from every one of your pieces fit to print.
The book is yours, Beck, and it made you famous.
Doctor, Doctor! [INDISTINCT CLAMORING.]
What drove you to murder Guinevere Beck? I received the manuscript in the mail.
It was odd, but far and away the most moving prose I'd read since Zadie's second to last.
It was also the most horrifying because I came to understand that Beck was illuminating her very own imminent murder.
That's when I knew.
I had to show it to my literary agent right away.
It's true, maybe not everyone was completely convinced.
Bull But you know what, doesn't matter.
The evidence was overwhelming.
Thanks to your hard work, and mine.
It's the last thing we ever did together.
In the end, you couldn't love me.
I feel at peace with that now, because I loved you the absolute best that I could.
And I gave you what you wanted.
I helped you become the writer you so wanted to be.
It's sad you're not here to see it.
But I know you would be so happy.
- So, California.
- Yeah, that's great, you know? You got the job.
Paco's going to love it.
Yeah, I think so.
Weather's so good.
- So, Ron? - Disappeared into thin air.
I don't get it, but it's for the best.
I know I haven't always been the nicest about it, but, uh thanks for always being so good to my son.
[SCOFFS.]
That's it's nothing.
Really.
Yeah.
I'll let you say good-bye.
Hey, Pac.
- I'll miss you.
- Me too.
Hey, you know, it's okay if things are hard sometimes.
You can still be a good person, and have a really good life.
That's what I want for you.
This is good, a fresh start.
[SOFT MUSIC.]
You can put the bad things behind you.
Yeah.
You too.
I'm trying, I am.
But I'll admit, it's getting harder to live with so much heartbreak.
And there are days, I just don't believe in love.
I tell myself to keep my heart open, that in the end, I was wrong about you.
Every relationship teaches us hard lessons, right? That's their gift, to make us ready for the day when someone, maybe the one, walks in who could truly love us [CLANGING.]
And we could truly love them.
Well.
Hello, there.
Who are you? You've got that hoodie.
You don't like to be stared at.
But your legs are bare.
You like a little attention.
Okay, I'll bite.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
Hey, bunny.
Candace.
- You're - Alive.
Yeah, so uh I think we have some unfinished business to talk about.