04x08 - The Crooked Bannister

[bunniefuu]

- [ALARM WAILING]
- ♪
♪

Start the car! Start the car!

What happened?

I j... kinda had to break in a little.

- Wait, you what?!
- I looked everywhere.

There are no black doors
in all of town hall.

Oh, yeah. Maybe the spirit of a dead guy

wasn't the most reliable source.

Just drive.

[ENGINE REVVS]

NANCY: So, we have to stop people
from mystically erasing crimes

at the black door, but there's
no black door at town hall.

[PHONE VIBRATES]

- Hi.
- CARSON: Hey.

- How are we doing today?
- Just can't believe it's been exactly a year

since we lost Mom.

Don't really know how to
feel. Does that make sense?

It does.

I was thinking,

your mom always loved the
house being full of people.

What if we do something special
tonight to celebrate her?

You can invite all your friends.

I don't think so. [SIGHS]

I just... I don't really need

anyone piling their pity
on top of my sadness.

- Oh, okay, well...
- But I do want

to mark the one-year
anniversary with you.

Okay.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

- I will see you later tonight.
- Okay.

Is that dad number one?

Mm. Anything in there about black doors

- or creatures that erase crimes?
- Actually, I think so.

Bess asked me to track
down a Welsh relic

that could be a companion
piece to the roundel,

so, you know me, I did
what I do, and, boom.

The relic just got delivered.

Think I'm gonna take it over to her.

I will come with. Let me just
send a group text real quick.

Wait, right now?

I-I don't know. I thought maybe

- you want to take the day off.
- No.

I'm fine. And don't say anything

to anyone about what today is.

I just want a normal day.

Okay. Great.

So, what about Nancy?

We're, uh, taking some time apart.

And I don't make that face.

No.

No. Don't try to fool me.

'Cause that's your plan.

You know, a boat on the ocean,
where I'm stuck, you just

think that I'll open
up. But really, I'm good.

[PHONE RINGS]

Ooh. Um, here, just to be safe,

don't open this until
I get inside, all right?

- I got to take this call.
- Okay.

Hey.

I didn't think you would come.

Well, you need help, right?

Let's see what you got.

["TRYNA MAKE SENSE OF
IT" BY LONE WILD PLAYING]

♪ I look out my window phone... ♪

And if given the chance,

I would be honored to
serve on town council.

Go with "proud," not "honored."

You're Grim-Slaying Nick,
you should be confident.

I am, but if Grim-Slaying Nick

wants to change stubborn
minds about the supernatural,

he's got to get on the council first.

And "honored" is confident,

with a touch of humble.

Hm.

Uh, who has you smiling like that?

There is no smiling.

I'm texting a guy from class

who wants to go over
an assignment later.

A study date.

- It's not a date.
- Mm.

Cameron is a very nice, very smart,

very conventionally good-looking guy

who wants to go over torts

and could not be less interested in me.

- [ENTRY BELL JINGLES]
- NANCY: Update:

there are no black doors
in all of town hall.

We're missing something.

BESS: I would love to help,

but I am meeting someone
at the historical society.

Aren't you banned from doing

or saying or touching
anything supernatural?

GEORGE: Correct. Yesterday.

Yesterday, you were banned, Bess.

The Galley brothers can wait.

- Is that a musical group?
- BESS: Uh, no.

They are brothers from New Brunswick.

One has inherited the family curse

to hear voices of the
dead until he goes mad,

and I can cure it.

But don't you think the bloody
horseshoes were a warning?

Clearly, the FFTH is watching you.

Okay, so Bess is busy.

- Nick?
- NICK: Oh, I got to sing for my seat on the council.

That leaves three.

Uh, two. George has a study date.

Please stop calling it that.

Hey, I found something.

Uh...

HBPD arrest report

mentions a black door.

Jack Rea was arrested in
for murdering his coworker.

When the cops took him in, he said...

NANCY: "Let me get to the black door."

That sounds like a guilty man

hoping to make it all go
away. Where was he arrested?

Unclear.

It's completely
redacted. In better news,

my dad was the arresting officer.

Is this my, uh, parcel from Ryan?

Oh, Bess, wait.

- [BELL JINGLES]
- All right.

Catch me up. What'd I mi...

What... Oh.

Oh, no.

Ah, no, Nancy.

Nancy, hey. You okay?

Hey, I told you not to open the box.

I didn't open it.

Nancy?

Whoa. Trippy.

I'm sorry. I opened it.

Oh, my God, is that me? Am I dead?

You're not dead, but I shrank.

Why am I wearing Bess'
ridiculously uncomfortable shoes?

RYAN: Whoa.

Okay, um...

A-Are you saying that you all...

ALL: Body swapped.

Whoa.

♪ ♪

- I don't believe this.
- It's really on there, huh?

[AS GEORGE, AMERICAN ACCENT]:
Who's in my body again?

If you're in my body, do not eat peanuts.

That's George. I'm Nick.

And Bess is, uh, me.

Nancy and Ace, clean swap. Ryan is...

Oh, Ryan. Ryan is still Ryan,

head to toe.

[AS BESS, ENGLISH ACCENT]: Whoa!

Oh, oh, sorry.

I am really strong.

New workout. Cross training.

Good job.

Okay, the relic did this.
This isn't the one I ordered.

I'm gonna find out what
this is and who sent it

and-and get you guys
back to your own skins.

The only corporeal-shifting
relic that I've heard of

is called Bennu's Diamond.

But this isn't a diamond.

ACE [AS NANCY]: Maybe
it's diamond-shaped.

These grooves could
attach to another piece.

- This is only half the relic.
- RYAN: Ace is right.

- I'm Nancy.
- Nancy's right.

What do you guys think
about getting name tags?

Would finding the other half of
Bennu's Diamond switch us back?

NICK [AS BESS]: Perhaps. I'd know
more if I had access to my books.

Bloody FFTH.

ACE [AS NANCY]: Find the
other half of the diamond.

That's how we fix this.

Right, I'll call my relic
contact, see what's out there.

- I'll... I'll get Red on it, too.
- ACE [AS NANCY]: Ryan?

Yeah?

Don't forget Carson's breakfast burritos

and don't let him know anything's up.

I don't want him worried about me.

- Especially not today.
- Okay.

- Go. - Yeah.
- [ENTRY BELL JINGLES]

No, but the-but the Galley
brothers are counting on me.

They're counting on Bess, not Nick.

Nick has to give a
speech to town council.

What? I-I can't do that.
I'm not-I'm not a politician.

Play it cool. Read the
words exactly as written.

- It's a slam dunk.
- Right. Right.

I should probably learn
some, um, sports metaphors.

Uh, G-George, George, where-
where are you taking my body?

To meet the Galley
brothers and send them home.

Bess, I know you wanted
to help, but not today.

Uh, yes, yes. I hate it, but I-I get it.

Wait, wait! Trade phones.

Oh, yeah.

There you go.

NANCY [AS ACE]: We'll
need answers from my dad,

but he'll expect his son to know ASL.

I can handle it.

I picked up a little ASL.

I've been watching
videos when we were...

You were learning ASL?

That's a no. I'm coming with.

People expect to see my
mom's locket on that body.

They'll get over it. Take it.

Captain Thom, hi.

Ace is helping me with an investigation.

Thanks. I've been practicing.

Can we ask you about an old m*rder case

you worked in involving
a man named Jack Rea?

The yacht club?

[TYPING]

Hey, check it out.
"More than years old,

"the building that housed the yacht club

was originally used as
a community meeting place

and town hall."

Ron was right.

I just broke into the wrong town hall.

When you arrested Rea at the yacht club,

do you remember exactly
where it happened?

NANCY [AS ACE]: Across from
the fireplace.

Well, we should check it out.

And Nancy Hudson

- has a family membership.
- NANCY [AS ACE]: Right.

I, Nancy Hudson, this gal,

can get us into the yacht club legally.

Fine.

Fishing? Yes.

Fishing.

Yeah.

- Yeah, great.
- [RAPS TABLE]

CARSON: Have you talked to Nancy today?

RYAN: I did, yeah.

She's, um she's maintaining.

How about you?

How you doing?

I am okay.

But...

I want to remember Kate.

Celebrate her.

Nancy...

she just wants her mom back.

She's grieving.

Your grief matters, too, man.

It's okay to celebrate Kate.

I do.

In little ways, every day, I do.

Do I prioritize Nancy's
grieving over mine?

Yeah, probably, but
that's being a parent.

[PHONE VIBRATES]

Uh... I got to run.

Um, if Nancy needs anything, you know...

[CHUCKLES] It's not like
she needs dad number two

lurking around but...

you know, just call.

Yeah. Good.

Yo. Trade shoes with me.

- No.
- Fine.

I'll just stumble over
to the historical society

to turn down the Galley brothers.

Oh, God, I forgot to cancel Cameron.

- He's on his way here.
- [ENTRY BELL JINGLES]

Go.

You have to pretend to be me.

Tell Cameron you're sick. Postpone.

Sure, but if you postpone,
he might think you're a flake.

Damn it, you're right. He will.

Okay, don't postpone, but keep it short.

Here's what you know:
he's , one sibling,

hates g*ns, loves coffee.

George, I got you.

I know you better than anyone.

What is it we're studying?

Torts. Do you know torts?

I know they're a dessert.

Uh...

- Hi.
- Hey, good to see you.

Nick. Damn it.

Afternoon. My name is Nancy Hudson,

as it says on my family membership card,

here with one distinguished guest.

I'm sorry, Miss Hudson,

today is members-only lunch.

It happens twice a month.
No guests permitted.

It's in the newsletter.

Can I persuade you to make an exception?

Excuse us.

All right.

Why are you messing with my hair?

Trying to make me look presentable.

'Cause you're gonna have to
find the black door alone.

Good luck, Nancy.

[DOOR OPENS]

Bess Marvin? My name is Luke.

This is my brother Matthew.
We left a message...

[AS GEORGE, AMERICAN ACCENT]:
Uh, the, uh,

"History of Fishermen."

The exhibit is right this way.

Hey, I got your message,

but I'm really sorry, I can't help you.

No. We drove all night and spent

every penny we had to get here

because we heard you could cure him.

He turns next week.

It'll be too late if we wait any longer.

It's very dusty here.

- A man named Aristotle hates all the dust.
- Matthew, wait, stop, Matthew.

- Okay. Okay.
- Aristotle?

He used to work here.
And he passed here.

You really do hear
voices of the dead, huh?

Our parents believe the
voices are a gift from God.

They're not.

He'll be unreachable soon.

The voices will drown
out everything else.

It's not a gift.

No, I know, my mom...

[CLEARS THROAT]

Me friend's mum...

suffers from it.

Protecting family from family.

I get how tough that is.

Okay, the point is,
a peppercorn alone...

it doesn't merit consideration.

[AS NICK]: Torts. Am I right?

[BOTH LAUGH]

Not on question number . Thank you.

Oh, but you kicked my ass in liability.

Maybe we do that next.

Definitely, but that is probably
a whole other session, though.

I'm in. Name a time and place.

[CHUCKLES] You are a
mystery, George Fan.

I thought... I thought
you hated black coffee.

I... I do.

You are so right.

Here. One cream, one
and half sugars, right?

You know my coffee order?

Yeah, well, I remember
things you tell me.

Yeah? Why is that?

Look at you.

Running a restaurant,
raising your sisters,

taking names in pre-law classes.

I want to be able to
say I knew you when.

NICK [AS BESS]: I firmly believe

I would be an asset,
and I would be honored

and proud to represent
this town I now call home.

Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you, Mr. Nickerson.
And that concludes this meeting.

Thank you to our candidates,

- and have a...
- Excuse me, Mr. Chair.

Go ahead, Mrs. Farquar, please.

For those who don't know,
my name is Callie Farquar.

Born and raised Horseshoe Bay,

proud mom of two sons.

I'm also the spokesperson for
Families for Truth in History.

Oh. Thank you.

Thank you.

My question is for Ned Nickerson.

I'm just curious. What are your
thoughts about our historical society?

Our historical society
is a vital resource

for education and history.

It has helped a lot of people.

Tell that to the young
boy who was brainwashed

by the extremist who's now running it.

[PEOPLE MURMURING]

As a council member,

will you prioritize this town

over the dangerous whims of Bess Marvin,

who has no regard for our citizens?

[ENGLISH ACCENT]: No regard? The fact...

Um... [CLEARS THROAT]

[AMERICAN ACCENT]:
We all want the same thing.

To live in a town that is safe.

That will be my priority.

Thank you.

This is Cornelius Gold.
My yacht has lost power.

We're heading right
for your dock right now.

Oh, oh, we're taking on
water, too. Help! Help!

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Across from the fireplace.

What are you doing?

It's members only.

I thought you might need my help.

Or you can't stay away from a mystery.

This banister is made from
wood from the Governance,

the first ship that
arrived in Horseshoe bay.

Ends at the floor, like no banister

in the history of banisters ever.

And not for nothing, but
we're doing a terrible job

giving each other the
space we asked for.

Trust me, it would be
a lot easier to be in

- any other body but yours.
- Miss Hudson.

I was explicitly clear that
only members were allowed in.

Please escort them off the premises.

[BELL JINGLES]

[SIGHS]

[AS GEORGE, AMERICAN ACCENT]:
Locker room.

Hi. I'm very sorry to interrupt,
but I need to borrow George.

- Be right back.
- Okay.

What are you doing?

I said keep it short.

George, he's a great guy,

and I think he really likes you.

Really?

No, we don't have time for this.

I brought the Galley brothers here.

- Oh. Change of heart?
- No.

Just more like I remembered I had one.

Tell him you need to go.

Your call.

I just got to let him
know when and where.

When and where what?

You've got another study date.

I'm gonna help Bess with a delivery.

Yeah. Bye.

Is that guy following me?

Ace, I'm sorry I was impatient.

I'm not exactly myself today.

I get it. It's a weird day,

- for a lot of reasons.
- [PHONE VIBRATES]

Ace's phone, this is Ace.

Yeah, you got it.

Ryan needs my help. Looks like he found

the other half of Bennu's Diamond.

Great. Let's hope it works.

Okay, Bess is on her way.

You're not Bess?

I am, but I'm not.

- It's a long story.
- [DOOR OPENS]

Bess.

How did the speech go?

[AS BESS, ENGLISH ACCENT]:
Um, mixed results.

But the Families for Truth in History

publicly confirmed their
disdain for Bess Marvin.

That explains the FFTH
foot soldier out there

watching my every move.

You still want to do this, right?

More than ever.

Uh, Nick, do we have an airtight jar?

Hi, I'm Bess Marvin. I'm the Keeper.

- It's a... it's a...
- Long story?

Love to hear it later.

Right, right.

We're going to remove a curse.

But, due to, um, circumstances,

we will be, um,

improvising a bit.

Uh, this is all we got.

It'll have to do.

Once the curse is removed,

it'll be quite supernaturally toxic.

Without the archive
boxes to safely store it,

we'll need a more permanent alternative.

Somewhere pressurized, where the
containment can't be breached.

What about the ocean?
Captain Thom asked Ace

to go fishing tonight. He said yes.

If the ocean is deep enough,

the water pressure might work.

Great.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Ready for the ritual?

Nancy, keep watch, please.

Oh, and watch out for
table ten. FFTH spy.

[ORDER BELL CHIMES]

WAITRESS: Grilled cheese
with fried pickles.

CARSON: Oh, right here.

Thank you very much.

That was Mom...

- That was Kate's favorite lunch.
- Hey, Ace.

How did you know that?

Uh, Nancy told me once.

She also told me her mom started a
tradition of birthday cake fights.

- [CHUCKLES]
- Something about

days of washing buttercream
frosting out of her hair.

[LAUGHS] Yeah.

It's nice to hear Nancy shared
happy memories of her mom.

Sometimes I worry she only
remembers the sad ones.

I wish you could have known Kate.

[SOFT CHUCKLE]

- She was so much fun.
- Yeah, I...

I bet she was.

- [ENTRY BELL JINGLES]
- [DOOR OPENS]

[DOOR CLOSES]

[CLATTERING]

Lobster must have gotten out again.

Done. The curse is
sealed up in this jar.

It's been pickled.

Told you, buddy.

- Thanks again.
- You're welcome.

Thank you.

Take care.

RYAN: May I present

the other half of Bennu's Diamond.

Ah.

Are we ready?

Yes.

Politics wasn't as bad as I thought,

but I think I'll leave it to you.

And thanks for helping with Cameron.

Our next study date is dinner. No books.

I'm happy to be your
body-swapped wingman.

It was weird to be you. But good weird.

Okay. Should we, like,

put a pad down on the
floor this time or...

Whoa.

Oh.

Hey. Hey, did it work?

Oh, yeah, that's me.

Should have put down pads.

Hey, I can reach tall things again.

[GASPS]

You-you broke my shoes.

No, Bess, I saved your feet.

Okay, time for me to figure out
who pranked me with this gift.

Hey, you never told
me how the speech went.

It was great. You were very impressive.

There was one curveball.

Did I use that right?

Nice.

Well, what was it?

ACE: You know what I
keep thinking about?

- NANCY: Banister at the yacht club?
- Mm-hmm.

You know, they close early tonight.

It's in the newsletter.

I had this whole speech planned

about how you shouldn't go

looking for secret
passageways alone, but...

Instead, you're offering me a ride?

If you want one.

I know what you lost a year ago today.

I just wanted to be here for you

in case you need anything.

Thank you.

I mean it.

And you're not allowed to be mad at me.

But you are going fishing tonight.

Nancy?

NANCY [OVER COMMS]: Walkie check.

Good check.

There you are.

What was that?

Oh, just a hidden staircase

leading to a secret basement.

[GASPS]

Oh, my God.

ACE: What? What happened?

Oh, it's just a statue
hanging from the ceiling.

I think this is the
figurehead of the Governance.

There's pieces of the Governance

and books and journals.

References to "breathing life
into the eater of burdens."

There's an imprint of something
powerful that happened here.

It's like a supernatural b*mb went off.

I think this is where
they created the monster.

In this room.

Ace?

- Nancy, can you... -can
you hear me? - [STATIC]

Ace, can you hear me?

[RADIO STATIC]

"I seek to put the past behind.

I must pay, but I will find

my trespass it will swallow whole,

this burden erased from my soul."

The black door.

- [SHRIEKING]
- [NANCY SCREAMING]

It tracks that the creepy
colonizers who m*rder*d Odette

would have a corpse
lady tied to their ship.

I feel like her scream was an alarm

to awaken the monster.

I wonder if she was some kind
of idol or human sacrifice.

When I spoke the words
etched into the mirror,

it started a ritual that
transformed it into the black door.

And if I had spoken a crime
and completed the ritual,

I think that the monster would
have been summoned to erase it.

Good news: we know
where the black door is.

We can stake it out and make sure

no one else calls on that creature.

It's been underneath the
yacht club this whole time,

so my guess is it has protectors.

People deliberately guarding
it for two centuries.

ACE: So they can use it themselves.

Makes sense that they would have

Jack Rea's police report redacted.

If we can't stop people
from using the black door,

why don't we just destroy
the monster instead?

We don't even know what it is.

We do now.

This book contains the
steps and ingredients

the founders used to create the monster.

And it has a name.

The Sin Eater.

Hmm. How appropriate.

Okay, so now we have its name

and what it took to create it.

NANCY: Yeah, it's a start.

Now let's figure out how to k*ll it.

[PHONE VIBRATES]

This is the curse Bess
extracted from the Galleys.

We need you to drop it in the ocean

when you're out fishing
with your dad tonight,

or else they could escape.

Way to lock me into fishing.

Well, it could be fun.

It is fun.

Till the engine dies
and you slip in fish guts

and you're left with fishy
clothes and nothing for dinner.

And memories.

That's all you're really left with...

just messy, stupid memories

that stick around, and...

good or bad, you get
to make more of them.

Go be with your dad.

[BELL JINGLES]

[DOOR CLOSES]

Are you all right?

Hmm?

I've never really
relied on anyone before,

outside of my parents.

And then you all came around

and we made this other little family.

And it really scares me.

Because...

... it's been a year, today,

since I lost my mom.

And I don't think that I would survive

losing another person that I love.

- Nancy, we're so sorry.
- I'm sorry.

Hey, scary or not,

intrusive or not,

annoying or not,

we are a family.

And we are always here for you.

I know you are.

Oh. [SNIFFLES]

CALLIE: Ned Nickerson.

Our newest town council member.

Congratulations.

Your endorsement was a surprise

after how you baited me at the Q and A.

I didn't bait you. I tested you.

Now I know we want the same thing:

to keep this town safe.

Except here's the difference.

I want to keep this town
safe from people like you.

From someone who'd want
to take away our free will,

our books, our rights.

That's why I turned down the seat.

So I can focus on that fight.

You're making a big mistake.

Yeah, well, wouldn't be my first.

[ENGINE STARTS]

Yeah, but it was memorable.

I know.

Nancy...

just didn't work out.

And we...

we tried to stay apart,

but can't.

Even it if hurts, we're
just better together.

Mmm.

Yeah.

- [MUSIC PLAYING]
- [DOOR CLOSES]

- Hey, Mr. Drew.
- Hey.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

What did you...

This is...

Exactly what Mom would have wanted.

You were right.

I just have clung to the
sad memories, you know?

'Cause the happy ones

are somehow even harder to hold.

♪ ♪

- Hey.
- Hey.

I turned down the council seat.

I'm taking on the FFTH my way.

Committee meetings
aren't gonna help people

like the Galley brothers, we are.

Okay, but how?

We can't keep exorcising
ghosts with kitchen supplies.

We need a new historical society.

A-a satellite location that operates
in secret outside of the law.

Grim-Slaying Nick is back,
and I'm listening now.

Okay. I have an empty
rental space in my building.

- It'll be risky, but...
- Yeah, but I've been a criminal before,

and at least this time,
we'll be helping people.

I heard the words
"risky" and "criminal."

- Oh.
- As your unofficial lawyer,

- do I want to know?
- No, probably not.

- Mm-mmm.
- But let's just leave it

as me and Nick aren't rolling over.

- I'm in.
- NICK: George,

you have a lot of reasons
to not get involved in this.

- [DOOR OPENS]
- I said I'm in.

- Okay. [DOOR CLOSES]

- [LAUGHS]
- RYAN: Hi. I, um...

Sorry, I'm interrupting.

I-I got Nancy's text about coming over.

Um, but I know tonight's
about family, so...

- Just...
- Yeah, exactly.

And you're stuck with us.

Oh. [LAUGHS]

Thanks, man.

Hey. [CLEARS THROAT]

Glasses sent the pyramid.

Okay? They baited me
with a fake code name.

They set me up.

I recently poached one
of their biggest clients

and I think they're reminding
me that they play dirty.

This is just a warning sh*t.

Don't start a w*r with the Glasses.

It's kind of too late.

Hey, you two?

Yeah.

It's okay.

[RYAN SIGHS]

[SNIFFLES]

Thanks.

If my mom were here, she
would thank you all for coming.

And then she would probably
tell an embarrassing story,

because she loves to make my dad blush.

Uh...

I thought that I wanted
a normal day today.

But life is not normal.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

And my mom wasn't, either.

She was silly and playful

and funny and full of joy,

and she'd want me to remember that.

So, on very special occasions,

we had a family tradition.

[ALL GASPING]

Oh. Uh...

Ugh.

It's on.

- Oh!
- [SHRIEKING, LAUGHING]

[PHONE VIBRATES]

Hey.

Um...

I just wanted to thank you

for agreeing to go
fishing with my dad today.

I'm really glad that I went.

Well, I should thank you, too.

You really showed up for me today.

I noticed.

Before everything spun
around today, I thought

maybe we'd start...

maybe we started to bring
the worst out in each other.

But I was wrong.

It's hard to be your friend right now.

I'm a better person with you in my life.

I'm not happy without you in mine.

So, good night.

Good night.

[WOMAN SCREAMS, BELL DINGS]

[PENCIL SCRIBBLING]