True Detective (2013) s03e07 Episode Script

1 - JULIE PURCELL: [ON TAPE.]
I know what he did.
- DISPATCHER: [ON TAPE.]
Who? JULIE: The man on TV acting like my father! WAYNE HAYS: Something you wanna tell us, Mr.
Purcell? - Did you give her to somebody, Tom? - What? ROLAND WEST: Was she trying to get away from you? After everything you know, you think I could do something like that? You ain't the only ones looking for Julie.
There are people trying to make sure that none of your questions can ever be answered.
Harris James.
He was one of the officers who processed the Woodard scene.
He disappeared during the 1990 investigation.
ROLAND: Chief security officer.
- You took the job May '81? - That's right.
We're backtracking the Purcell case.
Got it down you were the one who spotted the bag.
What about your book? You got some idea where she's at.
You just makin' your money and milkin' they pain.
- Where's my daughter? - I don't know! That's all I was gonna give the cops.
A name.
[GLASS SHATTERS.]
[INTENSE MUSIC BUILDS.]
Julie? [MUSIC PLAYING.]
I got a letter this mornin' How do you reckon it read? Said, "Hurry, hurry, the man you love is dead" I got a letter this mornin' How do you reckon it read? It was sayin' "Hurry, hurry The man you love is dead" Well, I grabbed up my suitcase And I took off down the road When I got there he was layin' on the coolin' board Grabbed up my suitcase And I took off down the road Mmm, when I got there he was layin' Layin' on the coolin' board Mmm, mmm [CHATTER.]
Here we are.
First day of school all over again.
I don't want you to go.
[SIGHS.]
I don't wanna go.
[SIGHS.]
But I'm doin' it anyway.
What I'm gonna do without you? [SCOFFS, LAUGHS.]
You're a tough guy.
You'll be fine.
You don't know that.
Dad, come on.
Let's get me moved in.
You'll feel better once you're liftin' something heavy.
- Boy, you got my number.
- [LAUGHS.]
Since I was two.
[DOOR CLOSES.]
[EXHALES.]
[OPEN DOOR ALARM BEEPING.]
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER.]
[COPS CHATTERING.]
[FLIES BUZZING.]
[SIGHS.]
Why didn't you call? I left you messages.
Wayne, there was a man at my reading, - and he - Where are the kids? In their rooms.
Henry's on Nintendo.
But there was this man at my reading.
He was a black man with one eye.
You saw a man with one eye? He was aggressive and and rude, and and he was asking if I knew where Julie was now.
Wayne, I think he was the guy from back in '80.
The one y'all were looking for.
The one who bought the dolls.
You didn't get a name? Any other way to find him? No but he's out there, and he's looking for her.
I think he's the reason that she ran away.
Tom Purcell killed himself.
What? [SIGHS.]
How? Blew his brains out.
After Roland and I went at him.
Why'd you do that? ELISA: Did you ever think it was possible Tom didn't commit suicide? That was the M.
E.
's call.
Man had plenty of reasons for doing somethin' like that.
The ME's report noted a swollen contusion at the base of his skull, as if he'd been struck there.
His skull was blown apart.
The whole thing was one big contusion.
We had an independent M.
E.
evaluate the report.
She said the gunshot wouldn't account for a particular bruise and blood clot.
You're suggestin' that somebody brought him up there, unconscious then did him in that way? In any case, it effectively ended the second investigation.
It's like 1980, isn't it? A sudden act of violence, a dead man, and the case is closed.
Guess I never thought of it that way.
It's like 1980 again.
They gonna hang it on a dead suspect.
Suspect? That was us, man.
We did that.
Drove him to it.
We didn't make that phone call.
We did our job.
If we hadn't, someone else would've.
And you said it.
They woulda eaten him alive.
We need to keep goin'.
The missin' prints, the man with one eye.
- What Dan was sayin'.
- Take a fuckin' minute.
A good man's dead 'cause we pushed him.
Knowin' we didn't like him for it, seein' how he was takin' it.
You sure that's what happened? You figure Tom for a typist, write a little three-line note like that? You ain't worked a case in 10 years.
Fuck's sake, Purple.
What do you think this is about? Why do you think I pulled you in here? To find a girl and solve what happened.
You don't think there's better detectives around? Hey, we find the girl, great.
We clear it, great.
But how often's that happen, 10-year-old case? This was me helpin' you get your career back.
Ya understand? It was a favor I did.
'Cause I'm such a hard-luck case.
Keep talkin'.
Keep talkin'.
Gonna put you back on public information or highway cleanup for the next 10 years.
How'd that be? Huh? Roland we need to keep goin'.
If it wasn't Tom, - don't let 'em - What do we got? You wanna go back lookin' for any one-eyed black man in Arkansas? For what? 'Cause your wife saw one? It's somethin'.
- And we got other evidence - Stop.
Let go.
This is our job.
It ain't here to make you right.
It's not the place you work out your shit.
You been drinkin' this mornin'? Fuck you, Wayne.
Tom.
What's doin'? I'm gettin' the fuck outta this place.
Lucy's gone, and Julie's Yeah, Julie's Ya know, I thought if if there was a chance, but y'all say she's dead.
So I'm gettin' lost.
What do you aim to do? Whatever it takes to stop feelin'.
I mean, there's no point.
Ain't nobody left to feel anything for.
I don't think those children'd want you hurtin' yourself, Tom.
No.
No, they don't want anything at all now.
How could I get hurt worse? Ain't nothing could happen to me that wouldn't be a relief.
Where ya goin'? Nowhere.
I'm gonna need you to move your car.
I don't feel quite right about that.
Well, I ain't your orphan, Detective.
Let me go out.
I'm gonna give you my personal number here too.
You get into trouble out there you get jammed up you use it.
Hey.
You don't need my help.
But the day may come and if it does, you got it.
[BIRD CAWS IN DISTANCE.]
WOMAN: I make these for Decoration Day.
This one's for Tom.
I don't understand why he would do that now.
He got through so much.
So, what'd you want to talk to me about? Really? Well, you being her best friend did you ever know Lucy to have an acquaintance, a black man with one eye? No.
I mean [LAUGHS.]
there were other men, but I never knew her to well, you know, not a black man.
What are you drivin' at? It seems it looks like this man with one eye gave Julie a doll at Halloween in 1980.
And there's some thought that he might've been the one to take her.
I-I don't know anythin' about that.
You say Halloween? Hold on.
All right.
See now, these were developed after what happened.
Look, I took their picture when they came by.
Do you know who these people are? The two ghosts? No, I don't think so, nuh-uh.
The farmer back then he said he saw a mixed-race couple a few times near his house, on the other side of Devil's Den.
Could I borrow this picture? No, I I'd rather that you didn't.
That's mine.
Just to make a copy.
I could bring it right back to you.
I would rather that that you didn't.
Hey.
If I let you borrow this picture, you'll come back? Tomorrow? Yes, I will.
Tomorrow.
Do you ever think about moving to town? Why would I? [SIGHS.]
Somebody's got to stay.
Somebody's got to remember.
ELISA: There was talk initially that your wife was writing a sequel to her first book.
She eventually decided not to do that.
She had other stories to write.
Were you sharing information with her during the second investigation? - Just the way a husband and wife talk - [KNOCKING.]
tell each other what's - Hey, Henry.
- How you doin', Mr.
West? what's goin' on in their lives.
Did any of her research suggest a larger conspiracy? Like a cover-up? I don't think so.
Do you have evidence of somethin' like that? - ROLAND: What do you got? - TROOPER: Car's in the lot.
A '78 Mercury Capri.
Missouri, Echo-Echo-Oscar 6-7-9.
- You talk to the clerk? - Mm-mm.
Paid up through the week.
Anybody come around askin' about this guy? Just you two.
WAYNE: Stay here.
Dan? You hear anything? See somethin'? CLERK: No.
Nothin'.
You work last night? Who else mans the desk? I worked the last two nights.
Wife covers.
Can talk to her if you want.
I think she would've mentioned it.
WAYNE: Shows up says Lucy was murdered.
Seemed to clear Tom.
Actin' real paranoid.
"There's people out there don't want you to know what I know.
" So he's right to be paranoid.
Unless he just took off.
I can't see him leavin' the car, stagin' that scene.
We fuckin' lost him.
We're burned.
[SIGHS.]
After being confronted with new evidence alleging his guilt, and his children's disappearance and death, Tom Purcell committed suicide at the scene of the original crime.
He left a note which could be interpreted as a confession.
- [REPORTERS CLAMORING.]
- KINDT: We are at this time willing to overturn the absentia conviction of Brett Woodard.
- REPORTER: Sir - [VIDEO STOPS.]
I saw that live.
You weren't satisfied with the AG's conclusions, were you? No.
But I've never been satisfied with any part of the case.
[DISH SCRUBBER SQUEAKING.]
- Good morning.
- [WAYNE CHUCKLES.]
You trying to impress me? - I'm only doin' my half.
- [LAUGHS.]
I ain't bein' funny.
You gotta do your own.
Yeah, no complaints.
I'm just happy you're not looking for a mother.
Workin' on somethin'? Eh, just playing around.
'Bout the case? What kind of thing you writin'? An article maybe.
I'm not sure.
For the paper? Maybe a magazine.
I don't know.
You ever read "In Cold Blood"? Is that Batman or the Silver Surfer? I have my seniors read it.
I'm thinking about writing about the crime, but more about the community.
Writing's a pain.
You scratched out half of what you wrote.
Why you bother? I feel I have a voice.
You think I went to college for four years to be like my mother? You should write about it.
Really? Well, you're a hunk of surprises.
It's not like the 6:00 news is gonna do it.
Somebody oughta point out what they're sayin' doesn't fuckin' hold.
You think it's a conflict of interest? Us doing this, and me writing about that? People oughta know they closed it 'cause they wanted it closed it's not solved.
Wouldn't that hurt you? Your job? I don't want you getting in trouble.
Fuck 'em.
They don't wanna do it right, it's not a job worth havin'.
Could tell you all kinda shit.
Thought you were just gonna do your half.
[CHUCKLES.]
Me and my goddamn work ethic.
ELISA: Did you know that even after Tom died, there was a man going around looking for Julie, asking about her? A black man? No.
This man was missing an eye.
One witness said he identified himself as "Watts.
" Watts.
Our thought was this man was a procurer.
Possibly the person Julie ran away from.
Procurer? For what? ROLAND: They came to me, you know.
I said fuck off.
I told your daddy he shouldn't be doin' this.
Could be dangerous.
Dangerous how? Look, I ain't tryin' to rat on the man or nothin'.
You know what he does at night? I know last week he ended up on Shoepick Lane, 3:00 in the mornin' couldn't say what he was doin' there.
He sits in your mama's old office goin' through her book, her old files.
Yeah, I got that impression.
Well, he's doin' it with a loaded gun on his desk.
Keeps it near at hand.
ELISA: Dolls are used as signifiers in the human trafficking underground.
Like this blue spiral it's code for pedophiles.
In 2012, two former Louisiana state police stopped a serial killer associated with some kind of pedophile ring.
Despite evidence of accomplices, the case never went wider.
Think I read about that.
So what are you sayin'? Hmm? I think at this point I deserve an explanation, Miss.
What do you say happened? HENRY: Never a moment of doubt in that man, right? Watchin' him like this, I I can't I don't know what I'm supposed to do.
He needs somebody stayin' with him, watchin' out for him.
ELISA: I think what happened to the Purcell children was connected to a similar group.
I think one or both of their parents sold them off probably with the cousin's help.
That's why they're all gone.
Vanished, killed, kept silent.
Hmm.
These groups, they take runaways.
Kids in orphanages.
Outright kidnapping.
And wider investigations are consistently curtailed.
In both the Louisiana and Nebraska cases, high-level politicians and businessmen were implicated.
People with the power to make these things go away.
You were transferred off Major Crimes after the '80 investigation.
In 1990, you left the force.
You saw nothing that suggested obfuscation from higher quarters? No evidence ignored? No forced conclusions? Bein' police there's no certainty.
Lot of the time, there's no clarity at all.
You just do your best, and learn to live with ambiguity.
I have to say I'm disappointed.
I most wanted to talk to you because your record indicated you never went along with the official version.
I've been hoping you'd provide a missing piece.
Young lady my whole brain's a buncha missin' pieces.
I'm sorry this is what you've been leadin' to the whole time.
I don't got answers for you, Miss.
I wish I did, but I don't.
Mr.
Hays, please can we consider this, what I've said? No, ma'am.
You'll excuse me.
I'm tired of walkin' through the graveyard.
The story's over for me.
Hey.
"Watts," she said.
The one-eyed man.
You heard that? Write it down 'fore I forget.
Watts.
I'm sorry, man, but you think your wife would want this for you? What's happenin' with you? She wants me to finish it.
How's that? Watts.
Don't forget, 'cause I will.
Detective Hays, Nevada Bell faxed the phone records that you requested.
Three weeks in '88.
Thank you, Officer.
[DEVICE BUZZING.]
[BUZZING.]
[BUZZING CONTINUES.]
[BUZZING.]
[BUZZING.]
[PHONE LINE OUT RINGING.]
OK, kids, let's get in the car.
BECCA: What? Your dad was supposed to watch you.
- It's a school night.
- Come on, shoes on! [GRUNTS.]
Need y'all to take a ride with me.
Yeah, hi.
Lieutenant Roland West.
Arkansas State Police, badge 4-5-7.
I need flight records, private airfields, passenger records.
Every flight into McCarran International, these dates, uh Yeah, I'll hold.
[MUSIC PLAYING ON JUKEBOX.]
I was wondering, when Lucy worked here, she get a lot of visitors? Men? Yeah, you could say that.
Most guys came here tried to chat her up.
Good for business.
I was curious, you ever see a couple in here talking to her? Black man, white woman.
I don't think so, not that I recall.
How about just a black man? He'd' have been missing an eye.
White, no pupil.
Now, that It just occurred to me.
I never seen her with him, but I remember her brother or cousin, um - Dan O'Brien.
- Dan, yeah.
Him I seen once talkin' to a fella like that.
Black fella missing an eye.
[CHUCKLES.]
[KEYS JINGLING.]
[EXHALES.]
Ohh.
[BREATHING HEAVILY.]
[KNOCKING ON DOOR.]
Oh, great.
'Cause we don't see each other enough.
- You need to look at this.
- Why? I got the whole thing.
That phone number.
Called eight times in one night.
Less than two days before Lucy OD'ed.
Her room unpaid on her bill.
- OK.
- Belongs to this address.
Place is owned by the Ozark Trust.
Dug through a bunch of private records.
It's the Hoyt Corporation.
Security.
Harris James' personal line.
Huh.
This is the passenger manifest on the FAC out of Tulsa.
First-class passenger to Vegas.
This is it.
Harris James flew to Vegas the day before Lucy died.
Came back the day after.
So you wanna bring this to Blevins? No, goddamnit.
What would they do, 'cept shove it in a file and stuff me in another basement? They planted the evidence at Woodard's, man.
Probably took the fingerprints from the toys in the woods before he left the force.
Roland.
So what do you think we can do with this, Wayne? We can go and ask him what the fuck he was doin' in Vegas.
And we ask hard, man, like we used to.
Have to do with Hoyt, don't you think? Harris gettin' that job? If it had to do with his boss, we can get him to roll.
No.
We can't.
We can bring it in.
That's all there is.
We can't do somethin' like that.
He doesn't talk, we'd be fucked forever.
And I get what you did here.
It's good.
But all we can do is make our case.
I'm thinkin' about Tom.
Thinkin' about that note.
You see him wantin' to be with Lucy again? You see him typin' it? We gotta do this for Tom.
And what if James won't talk? We get enough on him, he'll break.
Get him out to that barn he'll break.
If we If you feel like you let Tom down, this is how you make it right, Roland.
Don't let it slide.
[SIGHS.]
Don't let them put this on him.
This is how we do right by Tom.
You can stop sayin' that now.
I'm not simple.
1955 to 1985.
I was kitchen maid, then housekeeper.
Long time with the Hoyts.
Why y'all still police at your age? Just didn't want to retire.
Couldn't imagine what I'd do with myself.
And we ain't good for much else.
REGINA: Hmm.
So, how can I help you? What was it, about the Hoyts? ROLAND: We're lookin' at some old stuff.
You ever know a man named Harris James, worked for the Hoyts? Seen him more than known him.
He came on in my last years there.
He ran security for Mr.
Hoyt.
Lotta tragedy in that family.
Wondered what you could tell us about 'em.
That family had no luck.
'Cept in business.
I helped raise Miss Isabel.
Isabel, the daughter.
She had her own family, right? Like I said, no luck.
Her husband and little girl passed on.
Bad wreck, '77.
She was troubled.
Never left the estate.
Then one night, she took a car out, put it through a guardrail.
Caused a big accident.
After that, Mr.
June watched over her.
He'd drive her whatever she needed.
Mr.
June? Who was that? He was pretty close with Mr.
Hoyt.
Black gentleman.
Stayed in the main house.
Basement level.
Whole part of the house for Miss Isabel, with Mr.
June the only one could go down here.
You know his first name, Mr.
June? I'm not sure was "June," his last name.
We just called him Mr.
June.
There wasn't much talk 'tween him and us others.
ROLAND: You know if he's still around? Mm-mm.
How 'bout a description? Anything you noticed about him? Just his eye.
His left eye was white.
Dead, you know.
How about a man named Watts? [GRUNTS.]
Can I go swimming down by the river with Lisa? Becca.
You're all packed? No, man.
Shh.
Hey, just look at me.
I'm drivin' her to school.
Later, yeah.
Sure.
Why'd you leave? 'Round '81, they started restricting where we could go.
Had to stay in the kitchen or foyer, in the main house.
Miss Isabel, I don't know what was happenin', but I think she was gettin' worse.
ROLAND: Where you at? Are you all right? I shouldn'ta said that.
About Tom.
I'm sorry.
What about Tom? Gettin' you to go after Harris, tryin' to make you do what I wanted.
I shouldn'ta done that.
I just What happened, I I didn't realize how different we were.
Hope we can move past it.
We're past it, bro.
Come on.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER IN DISTANCE.]
That's him.
[STARTS CAR.]
[FLIPPING SWITCHES.]
Lieutenant West.
You doin' traffic stops now? Step out of the car, sir.
HARRIS: Everything all right? You got a dark look, Lieutenant.
I need you to step out of the car, sir.
Yes Yes, sir, Lieutenant.
Uh What seems to be the problem? I Refusin' to comply? You're refusin' to comply.
Wait, just just what are we doin' here? You need to talk or somethin', we can always do that at the office.
Yours or mine.
You seem real upset, sir.
Oh.
You reachin' for this? No, sir, I was not.
Step out of the car! I'd like to know what's goin' on.
- You both seem real angry.
- Get out, motherfucker! [SHOUTING, GRUNTING.]
ROLAND: Come on! Son of a bitch! [ALL GRUNTING.]
Get out, motherfucker! What, then? Get on with it.
You don't want to be givin' orders.
Lucy called the Hoyt Corporation eight times, the day before she OD'ed.
We got you comin' into Vegas for two days when she died.
You put that fuckin' backpack and dress in Woodard's way back, didn't ya? And you were goin' around re-interviewin' witnesses, see if anybody saw anything? You gave Lucy a hot-shot.
Well, that's some wild storytellin'.
I do not know what you're talkin' about.
Ohh! Oh, God! What happened to the kids in '80? You tell me.
You're the detectives.
Goddamnit! Stop hittin' me! Fuck! Lucy wanted what money? What'd she say, you flew out there and killed her? Dan O'Brien said somethin' about, uh people who don't renegotiate.
You's who he was worried about, huh? - You found him.
- Let me tell you both somethin'.
Them two, the mother and her cousin they ain't people you should worry on.
I mean, what's this for? Y'all can't give a shit about that trash.
My friend's dead.
The kids.
I got kids.
I wouldn't ever I would I would never hurt a child.
Oh, God.
Somethin's wrong inside.
You busted me up, man.
WAYNE: Tell us what happened.
The whole story.
The kids were meetin' somebody in the woods, regular.
That's who took 'em.
Maybe the mother's involved, maybe O'Brien.
But you planted the evidence in '80.
And you took the fingerprints outta evidence.
All for Hoyt, we figure.
He got somethin' for kids? ROLAND: Maybe there was a group of 'em.
Friends of his.
People into kids.
[LAUGHS.]
You two are really up shit creek, huh? Uhh! Uhh! [GROANING, WHEEZING.]
Oh, God.
I'm hurt.
[PANTING.]
I I can only tell you what I know.
But I gotta know I'm walkin' outta here.
You'll be alive, any rate.
[WHEEZING.]
[CRYING.]
Take these I can't feel my fuckin' hands, man.
I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
[WHEEZING.]
You kicked my ribs to pieces, man.
I feel it stabbin' my lung.
Oh, God.
Jesus.
How hard you kick him? [WHEEZING.]
[GRUNTING, SHOUTING.]
[GUNSHOT.]
[PANTING.]
- Listen - Fuck you.
Fuck you for this.
He didn't give us a choice.
And I was right.
You seen it.
He knew.
Nah, you were talkin' shit about Tom.
Gettin' me to go along with this.
Gettin' your way.
Hold up.
You're a grown-ass man.
I didn't force you to do anything.
I just killed a man, you dumb asshole! Now it's all gone! Done! Whatever he knew, gone! - You fucked my life! - We did it, Roland! You manipulative, egotistical, uppity fuckin' What? Huh? What you gonna say? Guess what word's runnin' through my mind right now.
Say it, then.
Say it, motherfucker.
No.
I just want you to know I'm thinkin' it.
ROLAND: Harris was Highway Patrol, Zone 4, back in '77.
That puts him in the area where the maid said that Hoyt's daughter had her accident.
That coulda been the start him helpin' them, workin' for 'em.
[GRUNTS.]
The black man.
"Mr.
June.
" Amelia said O'Brien met with him, that bar Lucy worked.
They had some kind of arrangement.
You know, I always figured you woulda kept after this in some way.
No.
I told you, let it go.
Amelia and me made a deal.
Yeah.
She was a good investigator, huh? She told me somethin' the other day.
She was talkin' to me.
She said, uh she said that I hadn't known myself, and that that it made me harden my heart.
Amelia told you this? She was sittin' right there.
WAYNE: She always knew how to cut into me, she wanted to.
Son of a bitch is back.
Humor a crazy old man, Detective West.
[DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE.]
Hey.
You lookin' for me? - Come out there.
- [CAR STARTS.]
Hey [TIRES SQUEAL.]
- You get it? - Yeah.
Could just be somebody's ex-boyfriend watchin' the house.
[DOG BARKING.]
[FLAMES CRACKLING.]
Wayne? Wayne.
What are you doing? What is this? Where have you been? I can't talk about this.
In the morning we have to talk.
Will you talk to me in the morning? AMELIA: We haven't been honest.
What's going on, what we're doing.
No.
I know.
Maybe we could turn it around.
If I tell you [SIGHS.]
Things you're better off not knowin'.
Not about you, there's not.
With you, I need to know everything.
I'd be a son of a bitch if I did that to you.
[PHONE RINGING.]
I'm sorry, could be Roland or somethin'.
[RINGING.]
Could be big.
Please.
Hold on.
[RINGING.]
- Hello? - MAN: Detective Hays? - Wayne Hays? - Yes.
Do you know who this is? No.
Edward Hoyt.
I think we may have some things to discuss.
How's that? Harris James.
I'd like to discuss the events of last night as I understand them.
I could come inside, if you like.
I'd be pleased to meet your family.
Your wife, the writer? Little Henry and Rebecca.
It's lucky, havin' a family.
No.
Then maybe you'd like to come out and talk to me.
My preference, you understand, is to keep this between us.
[SIGHS.]
For the moment.
How 'bout a little later? You may not realize this, but I've been pretty damn patient with you already.
Perhaps I should take my information to the prosecutor's office.
Or like I say happy to talk inside.
No.
I'll be out in five.
[CLICKS.]
[BEEPS.]
What? Just, uh I'm sorry.
It's one last time.
- [AMELIA SIGHS.]
- Trust me, all right? One more time.
That's it.
Then we talk, then I tell you everything.
Right now, uh, listen.
You gotta just trust me.
One last time.
- [KISS.]
- This is it.
[CAR IDLING.]
[GASPING SOFTLY.]
[EERIE SOUNDSCAPE PLAYING.]