Medium s05e05 Episode Script

Divorce lawyers like to say that "love" is the ultimate unenforceable contract.
It is always being re-negotiated by time.
Whether it's the love of a husband for his wife or a parent for a child or even a lover for their sweetheart the day invariably arises when the contract, the agreements and understanding that define a relationship, change.
The function of time, familiarity or sometimes just Mother Nature.
Well, well, if it isn't our own Deputy Doll.
Back for another test? The last one was defective.
The plus sign looks more like a division symbol, so I remain unconvinced.
Third test today, Mama Bear.
Your Eggo is preggo, no doubt about it.
Silencio, old man.
You pay for that pee stick when you're done.
Don't think it's yours just 'cause you marked it with your urine.
But I don't get it.
Why do I have to go to the doctor's office when I don't feel sick? 'Cause Mommy's working again and Daddy's working again, which means we have our insurance back.
- So? - So, that means that we can go to the doctor, and somebody else will pay for it.
Well, tell them to save their money.
We're not interested.
We're all going to do it.
Mommy's going to go see her doctor.
Daddy's going to see his doctor this morning.
Everybody's going to get a checkup.
Uh-oh, this isn't good.
When they say "checkup," they mean shots.
I don't want no, no shot.
Hey now, just 'cause you're going to the doctor for a checkup doesn't mean you're going to get shots.
Right.
And fish can't swim.
I don't want a shot! Look at your sister, honey.
You're getting her all upset.
Hey, I got an idea.
What if we go to the doctor's office, and, well we get the shots, and then, afterwards, we go to the toy store and you guys let us pick out whatever we want? What? - Wait a second, where did you get that? - They do it on television.
Actually, I've seen it a lot.
Well, I'm not interested in talking about television, honey.
- I gotta go to my doctor's appointment.
- Us, too.
Us, too.
Got a minute for a friend? - Councilman Leaming - Don't fire anyone.
I told them not to announce me.
- I'm here on unofficial business.
- Then let me give you one of these unofficially, of course.
Save me a postage stamp.
- What the hell's this, Manuel? - A party.
It's Lily's idea, actually.
A way to sort of thank everybody who works here, keeping the faith while I was gone.
But don't worry, we're paying for everything.
Not a dime of taxpayers' money.
What's going on, Jimmy? You know my daughter Meredith finally got married a little more than a year ago.
Nice fella.
He has a little girl with heart trouble.
Actually, that's how they met.
Meredith was the little girl's nurse.
Two days ago she sent my wife and me this e-mail.
"Dear Mom and Dad, "I'm embarrassed to tell you this, "but I think, for the first time in my life, "I understand what it means to hit rock bottom.
"I think the only cure is time and distance.
"I need to get away.
"This isn't forever, it's just for now.
"I promise to get in touch soon.
"Meredith.
" I'm so sorry, Jim.
She sent one to her husband, too.
What can I do? How can I help you? She's been gone four days.
My wife, my son-in-law they're convinced that she's going to come back.
But this is a girl who's never gone more than 48 hours without calling me or her mother about some crisis or other.
Did you go to the police? File a missing persons report? I don't want to do that.
I'm a councilman.
Her husband's a big shot over at Phoenix West Bank.
They're going to want to question him.
And then the papers will get ahold of it no.
I have a couple of people who work for me, pretty good at this kind of thing.
And I know I can trust them to keep it to themselves.
Why don't you let me see what I can do.
Joe.
Joe.
I need you to wake up.
Oh, hey, Doc.
Oh, sorry, must have dozed off.
Yeah, the nurse said she's been trying to wake you for ten minutes.
Devalos said you wanted to see me.
I do indeed.
I do indeed.
What's with the funny look? Nothing.
You've just been on my mind lately.
You and Lynn.
- How you guys doing? - We're doing I mean, you know, to the extent we can.
Haven't you got better things to think about? Maybe.
Maybe not.
So what's all this? One of Manny's city council buddies dropped by.
Daughter ran out on her husband couple days ago.
Papa's stressing 'cause he doesn't know where she is.
- Pretty.
- Smart.
Went to school.
Started premed, dropped out.
Became a private nurse, which is when she met hubby.
- Was he sick? - His little girl.
Born with a bad heart.
Waiting for a transplant.
First wife couldn't take the pressure took off.
He finally got divorced in absentia and nursie here, Meredith, took her place.
Anyway, I'm going to do the credit card, cell phone monitoring thing.
See what she might have spent, where she might have spent it, who she might have called.
Devalos asked me to put this little care package together for you in hopes that you might do that voodoo you do, but I I have a hunch our little wifey just parked herself - in a four-star hotel somewhere.
- Nice car.
Daddy's little girl has to have a nice car.
So Marie, little Marie, when he gave her her shot, she smiled, Joe.
And Bridgette You would have thought that he was performing open-heart surgery without anesthesia.
So afterward, I took them to the toy store.
I'm proud of you.
Not letting your previously held convictions get in the way of making our children happy.
I got to talk to you about something that happened at the doctor's office.
What are you talking about? You told me everything was fine.
Yeah, it is.
Well, sort of.
He seemed to think that I have some kind of a sleep deprivation thing going on.
Doesn't everybody over the age of 12 have a little sleep deprivation thing going on? I don't know, he seemed to think that it was something to be taken seriously.
All right, well, - what would make him think that? - I think he got his first inkling when I fell asleep in his waiting room this morning.
Oh, my.
The truth is, I am exhausted all the time.
At first, he wanted to check me into the hospital one night next week and do a sleep study.
That's where they hook you up to a computer and they they try to figure out what the problem is.
Then after we you know, we we talked for a little while, we both realized What, you both think this is my fault? Fault? Nobody mentioned fault.
I didn't use the word "fault.
" Okay, what word would you use? I don't want to use any word.
I think the doctor's just trying to figure out cause and effect.
I don't think that fault factors into it.
And I'm the cause.
Okay, look, I wouldn't use the word "cause" either.
But, you've got to be realistic.
You're up once or twice a night, which means that I'm up once or twice a night.
The problem is after you tell me about your dream I can't get back to sleep.
I sit here and I stare and I wait for the sun to come up or for you to have another dream.
So what does he want us to do? What are we talking here? Ear plugs, or How do we handle this? I don't want you to be exhausted.
Initially, he wants us to try sleeping apart.
- That's his plan? - Just for a week.
I think it's more diagnostic than anything else.
If after a week I'm feeling better, then What? If after a week you're feeling better what? That we'd sleep apart forever? Doesn't sound like much of a plan.
Well, that's not his plan, that's your plan.
I mean, I'm sure he's got some kind of a protocol in mind if this you know, in fact, turns out to be the problem.
You poor thing.
Allison Dubois asked for you today.
Oh, yeah? Did you say hi for me? Yeah, course I did.
You look at the mail in the living room? Devalos is having a party.
He's sweet.
He sent one invitation to you here and one invitation to me at my place.
So should I just RSVP for the two of us? I don't know.
I can't even think about that right now.
Be careful in there.
Might still be a little toxic.
Really? Rough night? Morning sickness.
Talk about false advertising.
Of course, I guess if they called it all day, all night sickness, nobody would ever want to get pregnant.
Daddy? Daddy? Daddy Are you and Mommy having a divorce? Well, are you? No, of course not.
Nobody's getting a divorce.
Why would you even think something like that? Bridgette! What? All I said was that, right after Celeste McEvoy's dad started sleeping on the couch, they got a divorce.
And they did.
You told Marie that her dad then took her to Universal in Florida for a week.
Now she thinks we're going to Florida.
Are we going to Florida? Oh, don't be ridiculous.
Nobody's getting divorced.
Mom and Dad aren't getting divorced.
Come here! Daddy just needed a good night's sleep, you know, 'cause sometimes your mom is, you know I can hear that.
Why isn't everybody eating? Everybody should be eating.
It's getting late.
Oh, hey, did you see the mail? Devalos is having a party.
Daddy's taking me to Florida.
They started dredging the lake around 7:00 this morning.
By 8:30, they found her.
Oh, my God! I don't get it.
This can't be Meredith.
She's only been missing three days.
This woman looks like she's been in the lake for years.
Good guess.
We're thinking two, actually.
She was wearing this.
It's an engraved wedding band.
"From Don to Clare.
Always.
" Clare? Who's Clare? That would be Meredith's husband's first wife.
And this is her? In the flesh or the bones or whatever.
So Don's first wife wasn't just missing.
She didn't just run away.
She was murdered.
Obviously, she was murdered, but that doesn't mean she didn't run away first.
A stranger could have done this.
Now his second wife is missing? Seems like being married to this Don is a dangerous way to live your life.
I was so sure that I was seeing Meredith's murder.
I even saw her car.
Maybe her car was part of it.
Maybe Don borrowed her car, used it to transport the body so there wouldn't be any DNA left in his.
You want to ask him? Can I help you? I'm Detective Scanlon.
This is Allison Dubois.
We're hoping to speak with Don Burnes.
I really can't see that.
I'll have to take your word for it.
I lost my glasses a few days ago.
Please come in.
I'm Louise Leaming.
Meredith's mother.
Councilman Leaming's wife.
Nice to meet you, Mrs.
Leaming.
This must be a terrible time for you.
Not really.
No.
I told James not to bother you people with this.
Meredith's fine.
She's She will turn up.
She'll come home.
She's just Meredith.
Honey, tell your father that some people from the district attorney's office are here, all right? Did either of you ever meet Meredith? Well, she's mine, and I love her, but she thrives on attention the way the rest of us depend on oxygen.
This is her idea of bliss.
Everybody is worried about her, thinking about her, talking about her.
I shouldn't be negative.
She is an extraordinary caregiver, a wonderful nurse.
She has brought me the most marvelous grandchild.
She looks terrific, by the way.
Phoebe, I mean.
Heard about her heart condition.
That she's waiting for a donor.
You would never know.
Oh, thank you.
Yes.
She's She's at a good period right now.
Last week, I I was afraid we were going to lose her.
She still misses Meredith.
That's why I'm here.
To keep her mind off it.
Louise? I'm Don Burnes.
I'll keep Phoebe occupied while you three talk.
Sit down.
- Any news? - Well, there is, but it doesn't have anything to do with Meredith.
We've found your first wife's remains, Mr.
Burnes.
She was beaten and then drowned.
When? And - by who? - We don't know that yet, but obviously, this changes the way we look at things with regard to the second Mrs.
Burnes.
I see.
So this is a dual purpose visit.
You're not being accused of anything at the moment, Mr.
Burnes, but you're a person of interest.
We're in the process of obtaining a warrant to search your house.
You don't need a warrant.
You have my permission to look wherever you want.
Phoebe and I can stay with Meredith's folks for a few days, so there won't be anyone here in your way.
I appreciate you making this easy, Mr.
Burnes.
I'll be sure and mention it to the district attorney.
You do that.
Also tell him that these women were taken from me, not by me.
Give him that message.
You got your cell phone in here? No, it's in the kitchen, where I want it.
I'm sleeping out on the couch.
- What? - You heard me.
If we're going to do this, we're going to take turns.
It's my turn tonight.
So I've unplugged the phone for you given you clean sheets.
I want you to get eight hours of beautiful, uninterrupted sleep.
- Meredith right on time as always.
- Mrs.
Burnes.
This stuff is a drug, you know.
It's okay.
It's legal.
I'm a nurse.
So how's my girl doing today? Ah, Phoebe? Not so well.
She had a rough night.
We all had a rough night.
I'm guessing she'll be sleeping for a while.
You sit here.
- I just need to finish this.
- You relax.
You're the missus, I'm the help.
Drink your poison.
I don't know about you, Meredith.
You're some kind of saint.
I keep saying to Don, "That woman, she is too good to be true.
She's got to be going home at night and kicking her cat.
" Never with my shoes on, only with my socks.
You all right, Mrs.
Burnes? Don't worry.
It'll be over soon.
Oh! Good morning, Chef Boyardee.
I was trying to be quiet.
Did I wake you? No.
Not you.
Just the smell of all that good food.
You got a good night's sleep, didn't you? I cannot tell a lie.
Look at you.
You're beaming.
I hate that.
How was your night, my dear? Not for the faint of heart.
Turns out that woman we've been looking for, Councilman Leaming's daughter She murdered her husband's first wife.
Now, what would posses somebody to do something like that? I don't know.
Maybe Don loved her.
Maybe she loved Don.
Maybe maybe Don wasn't in on it.
Maybe Don found out about it, and killed her to avenge his first wife's death.
Do you see all the good stuff that you miss when you don't sleep with me? We're almost ready.
You want to go wake the kids? Oh, that's right.
We have kids.
I just rembered.
Today is Dentist Day.
- Dentist Day? - Yeah.
After school.
Oh, boy.
More toys.
What time is it? It's 10:40 in the morning.
Well, what are you doing here? I thought you were Miss Early Bird.
I like to be.
But I need to talk to you about something.
And, lately, it seems like you only come home when you think I might be asleep, and you only wake up when you think I might be gone.
What is it, Lynn? What do you want to talk about? I need to RSVP to that party.
Oh.
Okay.
Well, you know what? Don't worry about it.
You take care of your RSVP, and I'll take care of mine.
So we're not going together? I don't know; I have no idea.
I mean, to be perfectly honest with you, I've given this absolutely no thought.
Frankly, I'm kind of amazed you have.
Yeah, well maybe it's the hormones.
I don't know, I mean I know there are a lot more important conversations to be had.
A lot more important conversations being avoided.
You know why I leave here so early? I want to get behind my desk before anyone else gets in so I don't have to answer any questions.
'Cause, Lee, I don't know how to answer them.
It's our baby, Lee.
And I know we didn't plan it.
I know you didn't bargain for it.
I don't expect you to marry me.
I'm not asking you to do anything, except please don't ask me to go into that party, looking like this by myself.
Anyway, you think about it.
See? This whole side of my mouth is, like, dead.
Still can't feel a thing.
I think the dentist might have drilled into your brain by accident.
All right, Bridge, Marie, come on it's almost bedtime.
Marie, what's the matter? Knock, knock.
Go away.
I'm not home.
What an inscrutable expression.
What has gone through that brain of yours? I'm frustrated.
I could maybe help you with that.
Not that kind of frustrated.
I want to know where Meredith Burnes is.
You know, this Meredith woman, you know, she'll show up.
Trust me.
She's not Jimmy Hoffa.
Eventually, they'll find her, they'll find the car.
There'll be some DNA or something in the trunk.
You know, she'll go up the river.
Hey, you know I'm right.
Oh, is that why you came in here? To harass me with your positivism and your good mood, now that you're getting full nights of uninterrupted sleep? Actually, no I came in here to pass along a request.
- What kind of request? - Apparently, it has not gone unnoticed that you and I no longer share a bed.
And this is incredibly awkward for me, but, it would appear that there's somebody else who would like to sleep with you.
Marie.
Look what I've got.
Looks great.
I'm really not hungry.
Oh, come on.
Just a little bit.
I've added lots of vitamins and healthy stuff to the ice cream.
Can't even taste how good it is for you.
Go on, sweetheart, just a sip.
They're coming this afternoon to dig a hole for the swimming pool.
Really? - When will it be finished? - In a couple of weeks.
Just in time for you to get your strength back and pay us a visit.
- Here, Grandma, you finish it.
- No.
Meredith, what on earth is all that about? Phoebe has a fever, mother.
Shouldn't be drinking out of the same glass.
Well, she always has a temperature.
You and I are always around her.
So clearly, she's not contagious.
But we love you, Grandma.
We don't want to take any chances with your health.
Right? Right.
What? What's the matter? You all right? I suddenly don't feel so good, Grandma.
My stomach always feels worse after I eat.
They pointed to this room, but I wasn't sure if You know Mrs.
Dubois.
You found your glasses.
Oh, these? No, they're new.
The others never did turn up.
- Well, they're lovely.
- Thank you.
Please.
So I'm sure you're curious why we called you, asked you to come down here.
Well, I was hoping that you'd have some news.
Although, I couldn't for the life of me figure out why you called me and not Jim.
Actually, there is some news, of a sort.
Are you familiar with Mrs.
Dubois here? I know the two of you have spoken, but have you heard about who she is, what she does? I didn't when we first met, but my husband told me about you this morning.
Allison had a dream last night.
It was about Meredith.
You're kidding.
Where did you see her? Where was she? It wasn't that kind of dream.
It was set in the past.
Meredith was in it, you were in it, - Phoebe was in it.
- Phoebe? Meredith was taking care of her.
You weren't convinced that what she was doing was best for the child.
Louise, the more time and effort we put into investigating where Meredith is, the more we seem to be discovering about who Meredith was.
What she was capable of.
Did you encourage her to get away? Help her in any way? Perhaps give her some money? I'm I'm sorry.
This meeting is over.
I know how you feel, Louise.
I have three daughters of my own.
But you can't protect Meredith forever.
Tell me, Mrs.
Dubois, what would one of your daughters have to do before you could say, "That's it, I'm done.
" I can't protect her anymore.
I'm so sorry I couldn't have been more help to you both.
Interesting schedule you're on.
Think I'm quite the night owl last couple of weeks.
So will I be seeing you at my little soiree tomorrow night? Lynn left me a voice mail.
I know she's gonna be there, but a certain police detective seems to be playing hard to get.
- What can I tell you? - If you're gonna be there or not.
So if I show up at the last minute, you're not gonna let me in? You never know.
You guys okay? No, we're good.
It's just, uh, something's come up, I guess we have to deal with.
I have to deal with.
Have to figure out how I feel about it.
Think I was kind of hoping it'd just go away, but it's not going anywhere.
Do I know what you're talking about? Are you kidding? I'm not sure I know what I'm talking about.
You know the great thing about being alone? There's no one to let down.
So will I see you there? If I'm there, you will definitely see me.
She's covering for her.
She's absolutely covering for her.
She gave her money, sent her away someplace.
I just know it.
At one point, she actually admitted it.
She asked, "Is there anything one of your daughters could do "that would make you turn your back on her?" And you know, when she asked that, I understood.
If it was one of our children Could you do it? Could you turn her in? Joe.
What's going on? I'm confused.
Didn't you say you've been sleeping straight through the night? - Why? - Well, you just you just fell asleep right here, right now.
That doesn't make any sense.
Maybe I should call that doctor again in the morning.
Well, I know our insurance isn't gonna cover it, but I think maybe you should get a second opinion.
Must be 115 out there today.
Try not to let it hurt my feelings that you're finally getting around to putting in a pool.
For a little girl who isn't even really your granddaughter.
- You know I'm kidding.
- Mm.
Oh, yes, I know you're kidding.
I can't stay long.
What'd you want to talk about? I want to talk about Phoebe.
I'm worried that she's getting sick all the time.
Fevers, stomachaches.
I- I spoke to some doctors who find it very puzzling.
I mean, she has a she has a heart condition, not an immune deficiency.
I don't know what to tell you, Mother.
She's sick.
She's sick a lot.
- Since I've been taking care of her.
- I know, dear.
That's why we should get a second opinion.
Then run some more tests.
Maybe there's something that we can do that will help.
No, I don't think so.
I'm not putting Phoebe through that.
I'm not putting Don through that.
I said no, Mother.
Phoebe's not yours, she's mine.
And I'll decide when and if she needs to see more doctors.
Is that it? Is that why I came all the way over here? Because I really need to get home now.
It's almost time for Phoebe's lunch.
I'm so sorry, Meredith.
Maybe there's something that I could've done when you were a child, - but I didn't see it.
- What are you talking about, Mother? Maybe your father and I were too indulgent.
You were an only child.
You were the center of our universe.
And maybe maybe you were just born this way.
Maybe you came into the world with something missing.
Something crucially important.
Well, at any rate, I am still your mother, and I need to take responsibility for you.
And I need to protect Phoebe.
Phoebe? Why is everything always about Phoebe? Mom Oh, my God.
Something's wrong.
What's going on? Now, it's all right.
It's all right, sweetheart.
Here, just sit here.
- Just relax.
It's okay.
- Mom - Mommy, what's happening? - It's all right.
Just close your eyes.
Close your eyes.
I'm here.
I'm here.
It's all right.
Close your eyes.
I'm right here.
I love you.
The great plays, the great movies, the great books that have been written about family, they would all like you to believe that blood is thicker than water.
But in real life, a broken heart can sometimes make blood run thin - Thank you.
- and water run thick.
Mrs.
Leaming? Well, good morning.
I hope you don't mind.
I tried to ring the bell, but nobody answered.
Oh, no, no, no.
That's fine.
This is where the action is.
What brings you by here this morning, Mrs.
Dubois? I had another dream last night.
Really? You were in it.
Meredith was in it.
You were serving her iced tea.
I have to tell the district attorney what I know.
Of course, I I'd rather you didn't.
But I'm confused.
When you found out what your daughter was doing, why didn't you call the police? Because she's my daughter.
I couldn't let Phoebe know what Meredith had done to her.
And I couldn't let my son-in-law spend his life blaming himself.
And my husband? No, no, no, no, no.
I just couldn't do it.
I need to protect Phoebe.
This way, Meredith is just gone.
And everybody misses her, and when they think of her, they think of a loving wife, mother, daughter that they believe that she was.
Grandma.
For what it's worth, I don't actually know where the body is.
I don't I don't even know where to find it.
Maybe there's not that much to tell my boss after all.
You do what you have to.
I Excuse me.
Could you do me a favor and give these to Mrs.
Leaming.
We're about to lay out the steel framing for the swimming pool.
And they were lying at the bottom, in the dirt.
You found these at the bottom of the pool? - Where's your other half? - Doctor's office.
He'll be here soon.
You see the Leamings James, Louise? Why? Did you think they'd really come here? No, not really.
Not after all their family's been through, not after the grilling we gave Louise yesterday.
Still, in all, I feel badly.
I feel like I haven't been a very good friend.
Sir, I think there's something I need to tell you that I discovered today.
Excuse me, Allison.
Apparently I have an urgent call.
I'll be right back.
Sir.
Will you be dining alone? Why, do I look lonely? - I got a phone call from James Leaming.
- I need to tell you about Louise - What? - Excuse me? No, you first.
No, no, no, you first.
You said you got a call? I sure did from Councilman Leaming and you won't believe it they're on their way to the hospital right now.
A heart for Phoebe just became available.
They're flying it in to Phoenix as we speak.
- That girl's going to get a transplant.
- That's amazing news.
Jim said that Phoebe's elated, but that Louise, Louise is over the moon.
And what did you want to tell me? No, no, no, no.
No, it's nothing.
- Hey, stranger.
- Hey, stranger.
Okay, so I'll ask.
- What's new? - I don't know.
So what's new with you? Congratulations! Thank you.
Congratulations, Lynn.
You look great.
Congratulations, Lynn.
I'm an ass.
A big ass.
My ass.
So what do we do now? How about we get through this as quick as we can, so we can get home have all those important conversations that need to be had.
All those important conversations that keep being avoided.
You here with anybody? You look happy.
Hi.
I like this new doctor.
Oh, you do? Yeah, he's one of those old guys real wise, really smart.
So what did he say? You know, he said pretty much the same thing that the first doctor said.
He seemed to feel pretty strongly that I'm sleep deprived.
Yeah, so I told him all about you.
I bet you did.
Yeah, told him everything.
You know what he said? Oh, I can only imagine.
He said that, "If I had a wife like that, I would sleep with her every chance I got.
" - That doesn't make any sense.
- I know, that's what I thought.
So I said, "What about the sleep deprivation?" You know what he said? He said, "That's why God invented naps.
" Really? Really.
I like this new doctor.
So so what are you saying? You want to come home with me tonight? Maybe sleep together?