01x02 - Dead Woman Walking

[bunniefuu]

- People are irrational,
but predictably so.

I'm Alec Mercer.
Welcome to Applied Psychology.

- You're the science guy.

- That's Bill Nye.

I'm actually
the behavioral science guy.

- You another negotiator?

- I would never work
in law enforcement.

It pays crap,
and that's saying something

coming from a college professor.

Congratulations, by the way.

The FBI only brings me in
when they're really screwed.

Most people who try this kind
of thing get arrested

or k*lled,
but you were smart about it.

- What was it you did
back there?

- Paradoxical persuasion.

I overly embraced his idea
to force him

to think it through enough
to realize

it was a terrible idea.

It's called
the cocktail party effect.

You're in a crowd.
You're talking to one person.

Everything else becomes
background noise

until you hear something
like the word "sex."

See, everyone hears
the word "sex."

Are you considering all
the pros and cons right now?

We could talk it through
if it helps.

- How did you know he wasn't
gonna pull the trigger?

- It works about 95%
of the time.

[soft dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- Are you seriously
playing with fire?

- I was b*rned once before.

The odds of it happening
again are very low.

- The odds of it happening
again are exactly the same.

My genius brother
taught me that.

- Okay, so on the day
of the church bombing,

right before I blacked out,

I smelled fire
and something floral,

my old cologne, I think.

I'm recreating the smell,
trying to trigger my memory

for any detail
that could help the case.

- Guess the FBI didn't get
any more leads on that man

who walked into the bomber's
parole hearing?

- Mm.
This is the best sh*t

the FBI got
from the security cameras.

- This is all they got?

Yeah, not much to go on there.

- So Wes Banning was expecting
to be released that day.

He said all the right things

till this man showed up.

- Why would Wes Banning throw
his own parole hearing?

- So far, he's refusing to talk.

He even got himself put
in solitary

so he wouldn't have
to answer questions.

Marisa put together
a list of logos

from businesses
and organizations

from 20 years ago.

I'm hoping to narrow it down.

- [chuckles softly]

Smells like an excuse to spend
time with your ex-wife...

[playful music]

The one who said
she needed some space.

♪ ♪

- Marisa and I may not
be married anymore,

but we're still a great team,

professionally speaking.

- Mm-hmm.

Hope all that professional
teamwork doesn't

push her away for good.

[phone chimes]

- I got somebody waiting
for me at my office.

Hey!

Can you give me a ride
to campus?

- Uh, pretty sure there's
an app for that.

- There's no app
for spending quality time

with your brother.

- I'm good.

- I'll take an Uber.

[elevator dings]

[pensive music]

♪ ♪

CJ Wright?

This is an unexpected surprise.

I don't think
I've done anything newsworthy

just yet today.

- Good to see you, Alec.

Why do you smell like 1998?

- [chuckles] It's a long story.

You here as a journalist,
or is this a social call?

- Neither.

I need your help
solving a m*rder.

- Oh, yeah?

Whose m*rder?

- Mine.

[suspenseful music]

♪ ♪

- Polonium-210.

As in radioactive, highly toxic,

used to k*ll that Russian spy?

- Alexander Litvinenko, yeah.

I covered his story
for the "Herald."

That's how I recognized
the symptoms.

- And you're sure you were
poisoned by polonium?

[tense music]

♪ ♪

Oh.

- You know, of all the ways
that I thought I would go out,

I got to admit,
this one was not on the list.

Though there was a list.

I've got hats with b*llet holes
in them at home.

- Why come to me?

The last time we saw each other,

you were planning
to write an article

debunking my research
as pop culture junk science.

- It's one of the few times
I was wrong.

That's why we never published.

Your work as a scientist was
sadly unimpeachable.

Made me think I could trust you
with this last request.

- You know there are ways
to manage this, right?

I understand
there are treatments.

- Experimental ones,

involving sedatives that could
turn your brain to mush.

My mind is all I have, Alec.

Now can we talk suspects?

I'm doing a piece
on a Belarusian oligarch

named Maxim Ivanov.

He's former KGB,
ties to the Russian mob.

- The kind of guy who would
have access to polonium-210.

- I'm working with an informant
named Yuri,

formerly in Ivanov's employ.

Yuri and I had lunch together
at the Fairmont on Tuesday.

- Do you think
that's when it happened?

- Well, the timing makes sense.

- If Yuri was in cahoots
with Ivanov,

this isn't much of a whodunit.

- I have been texting
and calling Yuri

ever since I felt symptoms.

No response.
So, yeah, maybe he did it.

Or maybe he was the target,
and I was...

[clears throat]
Just collateral damage.

[coughs]

- Is there anyone
we need to talk to?

Anyone that needs to know
what's going on?

- No.

The only one
who'll miss me is, uh,

probably my writing partner.

- Gene, right?

- Yeah. We're gonna have
to tell him, I suppose.

- Family?

- My daughter
and I haven't spoken

since the Obama administration.

She sided with her father
during the divorce,

said I put my work first.

She was probably right.

I wasn't well suited
for standard-style parenting.

- CJ, you don't think
she'd want to know?

- No.

I wasn't there for her enough
when she was growing up.

I am not gonna
make her watch me die.

- Our intuition is
usually incorrect

when it comes
to how others feel,

especially how they feel
about us.

- Are you going
to help me or not?

- All right.

All right.

I will do what I can.

CJ!

.

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- Alec, it's not just us here.

The CIA, the NSA are
getting involved.

It's polonium,
for Christ's sake.

- Which is precisely
why CJ contacted me.

As a m*rder w*apon,
polonium is so rare,

doctors don't even know
to look for it.

Litvinenko himself never knew
what happened to him.

- Unusual isn't
irrational, Alec.

- Why use
a barely detectable poison

on one of the only people
on Earth

who'd be able to recognize it?

- CJ Wright, just came in.

- Gene.

Gene, Marisa Clark, FBI.

Gene Hadditch,
CJ's writing partner.

- Of course.

I'm sorry about CJ.

- Yeah.
Is it, um...

Is it true it's...
It's polonium poisoning?

Oh, man.

Man, I was really hoping
she was wrong about that.

H-how is she?

- Stable for now.

- How did this happen?

- The lunch CJ had with Yuri,

were you there as well?

- Yeah.
Could I be a target too?

I mean, d-do I need
to get tested or...

- We don't know anything
about motive at this point.

- But I'd have symptoms
by now, right?

- Almost definitely.

- Man, I told her

not to meet with that guy
in public,

you know,
that it could be a trap.

- What made you think that?

- Yuri was whistleblowing

on Maxim Ivanov, the oligarch.

People who start poking
around Ivanov have a tendency

to accidentally
fall out windows.

- Well, we don't know for sure

that Ivanov is connected
just yet.

- Right.

Do you think
I could get some kind

of police protection
or something?

I... I don't feel entirely safe.

- I'll talk to the Department.

In the meantime, do you think
you could help us locate Yuri?

- Uh, I remember he likes chess.

I... I can get my office
to send all the research over,

but, I mean, CJ, is she...

[soft dramatic music]

Did they, you know,
say how long she has?

- That's hard to say
with certainty.

It could be two weeks.

It could be two days.

♪ ♪

- So who's CJ Wright anyway?

- Don't you read the "Herald"?

- On my phone sometimes.

- You ever read
that investigative report

about campus sexual assaults?

The, uh, exposé
on the governor's husband?

Those are hers.
She's a phenomenal journalist.

I can't believe
this is happening to her.

- There's nothing
the doctors can do?

- Nothing that doesn't involve

pain and permanent side effects.

- Well, how can we help?

- Okay, research assistants,

our task is to find someone
who doesn't want to be found.

This is where understanding
human nature could be helpful.

[intriguing music]

Suggestions?

- We get him to want to tell us,

make him think it's his idea.

- Excellent. How?

- The power of free?

- Go on.
- Well, in your books,

you say people can't resist
free items.

So we could call Yuri, tell him
he's won a free vacation,

and ask where to send
information.

- Yuri's already spooked.

An offer out of the blue
from a stranger

is gonna look suspicious.

- Good, both of you.

How can we neutralize
the suspicion?

- What if we make an offer from
someone who isn't a stranger,

someone he trusts?

♪ ♪

[keyboard clicking]

- Okay, that shirt he's wearing,

that is a free gift
for the top players

from ProChessFans.com.

- Well, it seems like
ProChessFans is going

to offer Yuri another free gift.

This is Chris
from ProChessFans.com.

Congratulations,
exclamation point.

To thank you for being
a valued subscriber,

we would like to send you
a free chessboard

autographed by Magnus Carlsen,
exclamation point.

- [chuckles]

What now?

- We wait.

- Professor?

What about CJ's daughter?

- You think she did it?

- What? No.

I mean, shouldn't someone
tell her what's going on?

- CJ asked me not to.

They're estranged.

I'm trying to respect
her wishes.

- What about
her daughter's wishes?

[phone chimes]

- Yuri is awaiting
his free gift.

We got his address.

He lives at the marina.

- Oh, well,
shouldn't we call Marisa?

- Tell her to meet me there.

[tense music]

[gulls squawking]

♪ ♪

[phone chimes]

♪ ♪

Hm.

[muffled g*nsh*t]
[gasps]

- [grunting]

♪ ♪

- Yuri?

- Run!

[g*nshots]

.

[dramatic music]

[g*nshots]

- [panting]

You missed!

But that's probably
for the best!

For both of us!

[g*nsh*t]
Hear me out!

I'm guessing
you're a professional.

You like to keep things clean.

Single sh*t,
sil*ncer on the g*n.

You're very good at what you do.

The good news is,
I haven't seen you.

[sirens wail distantly]
I can't identify you.

You can still get away clean.

That's the FBI.

You should probably escape
while you can.

♪ ♪

[quietly]
It's the rational thing to do.

[g*nsh*t]

Maybe you aren't a professional.

[g*nsh*t]
Ah.

[g*nshots]

- Who do you think you are,
James Bond?

- I think I threw my back out.

- You were supposed
to wait for me.

- I was planning
on waiting for you.

But when I saw that gate
forced open,

I got concerned.

- No, you got curious.

- I ever tell you
about my grandmother's

special pecan pie?

- What about it?

- Nothing.

Got you curious though.

Studies show curiosity is
a powerful motivator.

- No. No studies.

Now, on top of everything else,

I've got to explain
to my superiors

how exactly you got here
before us.

- Your superiors should be
more worried

about the k*ller on the loose
currently running

around this harbor
with a deadly w*apon.

- Trust me, every cop
in the city is looking for him.

- They should check
the boat for...

- Radiation?
- Yeah.

- We've got a CSI team on there

with a Geiger counter.

- And?

- So far, nothing.

Nothing on Yuri's body either.

- That means Yuri probably
wasn't the poisoner.

- Maybe the poison was meant
for him, not CJ,

and the k*ller just came here
to finish the job.

- Why get fancy with polonium

when you could just sh**t
the target in the head?

That doesn't make sense.

- I hear people are irrational.

- They are.

Oligarchs, however,
like Maxim Ivanov,

tend toward the diabolically
professional.

He can afford to hire the best.

The fact that I'm alive suggests

this guy was not the best.

Maybe CJ was the target
after all,

so she received
a special treatment,

whereas Yuri...

- A loose end, a witness.

And the k*ller didn't need
to get fancy with him.

So what did he see?

- We're just gonna ambush CJ's
daughter in the parking lot?

You sure this is a good idea?

- Professor Mercer likes
initiative.

- What if CJ's daughter is
the k*ller?

I mean, in case
you hadn't noticed,

she works
for ALM Cloud Solutions.

They make computers.

Computers generate
static electricity.

Devices that remove static
electricity contain polonium.

So she has means.

Given the victim's her mom,
she definitely has opportunity.

- You missed one, Miss Marple.

Motive.

- They're estranged.

She's obviously got
some kind of motive.

Plus, there's always
inheritance.

- Her mom's a journalist,
not Taylor Swift.

- [chuckles softly]
- Anyway, being estranged is

not a motive.

I mean, sometimes mothers
and daughters fight.

That doesn't mean
anyone's murdering anyone.

- What, you fight
with your mom a lot?

- No.

My mom and I never fight.

- How'd you know
where to find her anyway?

- Well, CJ's website said
she went to Columbia.

Figured there was
a decent chance

her daughter Nicole was
a legacy.

Called her office to find out
her year of graduation,

went through the past
two years' worth

of alumni magazines to find
an update on Nicole's job.

- You did all that
this afternoon?

- Oh, there she is.

- So she's dying,
and she sent you to tell me?

- Not exactly...

- We just...
thought you should know.

- I see.

So she wasn't even gonna
tell me at all.

- Because she didn't want
to burden you.

- [laughs drily]

This is classic Mom,

trying to pretend it's about me
when it's about her.

It's always about her.

I appreciate
you stopping by, okay?

But our relationship
is complicated.

And it's nothing that's gonna
change overnight.

It's probably best that
I leave her to go in peace.

- Wait.
- If CJ wants me,

she knows how to find me.

- You still sure about the whole

"nobody's murdering anyone"
thing?

- I'm beginning to think
it wasn't Ivanov.

- Polonium says it was.
- Well, maybe they wanted it

to look like Ivanov.

Yuri was an easy patsy.

- Okay, so who?

- What about that lawyer,
Donaldson?

You know, the one who brokered
the hush money deal

for the senator with the...

- p*rn star.
Nah, he d*ed two years ago.

- What?
- Yeah, heart att*ck.

- He was young.
- 65.

- Probably didn't
poison me then.

- Probably not.

- Could you get me a cup of tea?

- Yeah.

[soft dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- What?

- Nothing.

Just reminded me
of the relationship

formerly known as my marriage.

- Mm.

- Are you in pain?

- Yeah.

- You know, when I was b*rned,

for a long time,
I didn't know if I'd live.

Sometimes I wanted to die.

But I didn't give up hope.

- It's the hope
that'll k*ll you.

- Science says the opposite.

- Let's focus on the case, huh?

- Okay.

Why k*ll Yuri
unless he saw something?

Did anything out of the
ordinary happen at that lunch?

- Well, the steak was
a little too rare.

I mean, when I first started
feeling unwell,

I told myself
it was food poisoning.

I did not mean it literally.

But there was one other
little bit of excitement.

There was a young couple,
couple of tables away.

Man got down on one knee
and proposed.

It was a little over-the-top
if you ask me.

Everyone was watching.

- Everyone with an iPhone
and a Facebook account.

- I think I've loved you
since the beginning of time.

Will you marry me?

[crowd exclaiming]
- Say no, girl.

Say no.

- Where's your sense of romance?

- I lost it somewhere
between "You complete me"

and "I've loved you
since the beginning of time."

- You have no soul, young one.

- [scoffs]

Is this triggering for you?

- No, I'm fine.

Me and Marisa are
in a good place.

- Marisa is at her place,

and you are at my place.

What about
that placement is good?

- Like I keep saying,
we may not be married anymore,

but our professional
relationship is fine.

We're like Starsky and Hutch.

You don't know them.

Mulder and Scully.

- You're seriously
dating yourself, bro.

- I'm just saying
that maybe we're better off

as work partners,
not romantic partners.

- Denial is not
a great look for you.

[applause]

- Hey, wait, wait, wait,
wait, wait, wait, wait.

Play that again.

[intriguing music]

Okay.
- Will you marry me?

- Yeah, right there, stop.
Play that slowly.

♪ ♪

There. There.

Hey, play that again.

- Will you marry me?
- Okay, stop.

Look, right there.

You see it?

- It's a different teapot.

- Somebody switched it out

in a crowded room
full of people.

- How did they do that?

.

- Marisa's looking
into everyone who had access

to the kitchen
at that restaurant.

- A waiter who moonlights
as a hit man?

Somebody who didn't like
my tips?

- As soon as she knows
anything, she'll let us know.

- How could I not notice
a teapot being replaced?

My job is to be observant.

I pay attention for a living.

I'm not the kind of person
who misses things.

- Trust me, everyone's
that kind of person.

Can I borrow your laptop?

[intriguing music]

[whistle blows]
- All right, let's do it.

- Come on, let's go!

♪ ♪

- Count all the players
on the yellow team

who pass the ball.

- I hate basketball.

- [chuckles]

♪ ♪

- Nine...

ten...



[whistle blows]

- Great.

Did you notice the grizzly bear?

- Grizzly bear?
- [chuckles]

Look again.

[whistle blows]

- What kind of sorcery is this?

- A very old kind actually.

We call it
attentional blindness.

But in this case, we're looking
at misdirected attention.

Magicians use it
all the time to...

Mm.

- What is it?
- The experiment only works

because I told you to look
at one thing, the ball,

which makes it shockingly easy
to miss the other.

No distraction,
no invisible grizzly bear.

- The proposal,
that was the basketball.

- It didn't happen by accident.

- Who are you calling?
- Marisa.

That couple, whoever they are,

they were
the poisoner's accomplices.

- We're actors.

- Ooh, stage or screen?

- Whatever we can get.
Mostly we do PR stunts,

flash mobs, things like that.

That's not illegal, is it?

- So the proposal,

that was one of your PR stunts?

- I guess so.

They never really told us
what it was for.

- "They" who?
- The person who hired us.

- I got a text from someone
saying they saw our work

at another event, said
they had another gig for us.

We were supposed to stage
a proposal

at the Fairmont
at a specific time.

- And they never told you why?

- They just offered us
two grand for an hour of work.

That's more than we get
most months.

- You two wouldn't happen
to be available

to perform social experiments
at a prestigious

but notoriously stingy
university, would you?

- Let's stay on track.

- This is the track.

Whoever hired them must've
seen them in action,

must've known
that they were reliable,

authentic, and affordable.

- We're going to need
all of your records.

- You do keep records, right?

- Who doesn't have
digital records?

- Actors.

All right if I get a coffee?

- Yeah.

They're on the other side now.

Sorry, I don't have
the sweetener you like.

- That's all right.
I'll take whatever you have.

Any leads on that man
from the parole hearing?

- Nothing yet.

Do you remember anything else
about the logo on the van?

- I got some possibilities
from the book.

Thought this weekend
maybe we could

go over them together
if you have time.

I can order in
from Twelve Dragons.

- That's probably not
a good idea.

I just don't think
we should blur the lines.

- So working on Saturday
would be blurring the lines,

or just working on my case?

- Alec.

- I just want to know
what the lines are.

This is hard for me.

- Did you ever consider the fact

that this might be hard
for me too?

[soft dramatic music]

- I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

♪ ♪

Hm.

- What is it?

- Bramble Corp.

- The tobacco company?

- CJ and Gene did an exposé
on them a couple of months ago,

basically proved
they were marketing

their products to kids.

Made a big show of f*ring
the VP of publicity.

- Schulz, Brandon Schulz.

- He had motive.

- And he had means.

Polonium's not something
you can just pick up at CVS.

I asked my team
to do some research.

One of the places
that it's found naturally...

- Hm?

- Tobacco leaves.

.

[footsteps approaching]

[intriguing music]

- Mr. Schulz?

♪ ♪

He's ready for you.

- Do you know why I use
job interviews?

- 'Cause no one will suspect
you're interrogating them?

- That's one reason.

The other is, it's practically
an invitation to boast,

to overshare a bit to prove
one's mettle as an employee,

even if that means admitting
to breaking the rules.

Sorry the place is
so bare-bones.

But so far, we've raised
half a million on Kickstarter.

- Typical start-up situation.

Uh, and thanks
for the opportunity, man.

I don't get a whole lot
of calls these days.

- You mean
after CJ Wright's article?

- You mean her hit piece.

- I actually thought
it was quite flattering.

- You did?

- Sure, you were working
for the bad guys.

But you were just
doing your job.

And you were doing it very well.

You were able
to successfully market Bramble

as the eco-friendly
cigarette company.

It's kind of like turning water
into wine, isn't it?

- Yeah, it's a skill set.

- A valuable one.

And if it hadn't been
for that article,

you'd have been a star.

- You want to know what's crazy
about that whole thing?

I approached them.

Offered them exclusives,

even threw in some cash for
fair and balanced reporting.

- You tried to bribe two
highly respected journalists

to be shills in your PR stunt?

- [chuckles softly]

- Genius.

- [chuckles]

Yeah, the whole thing
would've been a win-win.

But CJ had a brand to protect.

I mean, she could've
just said no.

But instead, she got me canned.

- Why not just make a deal
with Gene?

- Truth?

Gene's a nobody.

CJ is the star.

And he tried
to talk her into it,

but it was like, no, no, no.

- You must've been pissed.

- At first, yeah.

But then I viewed it
as an opportunity

to get in with more
eco-friendly companies.

- The eco initiatives
at Bramble,

what were they exactly?

- Bramble patented a, uh,
cleaning process

to extract impurities.

- What kind of impurities?

- Tar, lead, polonium-210.

- Must've been
a lot of radioactive waste

leftover from that process.

- Oh, yeah, tons of it.

And disposing of it is
expensive.

But that's where I came in.

I found them a deal on that
for half the standard rate.

- How'd you find
this bargain basement

hazardous waste disposal?

- Networking.

It's one of my strengths.

- I ask because I have a friend

in cosmetics manufacturing.

If you could put me in touch
with your liaison,

I'd be super grateful.

[tense music]

- You didn't hear it from me.

CJ would freak out if she knew
about his little side hustle.

- You mean Gene?
- Yeah.

Funny enough, he's got
a cousin in the business.

Said if Bramble went with them,

he could personally guarantee
the savings.

So, uh, you want to tell me
more about the job?

- Well, any luck?

- It's just like
the grizzly bear.

- What are you talking about?

- The answer was right
in front of us the whole time.

We just didn't see it.

- Are you gonna keep
giving me Wordle clues,

or is there someone
I can arrest?

- Not yet.
I'm gonna need proof...

and a ride.

- Okay.

♪ ♪

- I got your messages.

I... I thought
about what you said.

Listen, I appreciate
what you're trying to do.

But to be honest,
I just don't know if I'm ready.

- I get it.

But you came over here
for a reason.

[soft dramatic music]

The thing is, I was like you.

I used to be mad at my mom
a lot over stupid things.

Mostly she thought
I wasn't working hard enough

and that I wasn't living up
to my full potential.

And no matter how hard I worked,

it was never good enough.

So I stopped trying.

I stopped calling her.

I stopped talking to her
more than I needed to.

I stayed at school
during holiday breaks.

I just always thought, um,

there'd be more time later,

you know, to sort out
our differences.

♪ ♪

And then she d*ed.

- I am so sorry.

- I guess I'm still trying
to prove something to her.

I probably always will be.

- That bracelet,
it's your mom's, isn't it?

I mean, every time
we mention her, you touch it.

- I can't tell you what to do.

But I can tell you
what I wish I had done.

Go visit her.

[line trills]

- Hey, come on in.

[door buzzes]

You want something to drink?

Sorry, I wasn't
expecting company.

I got beer and sparkling water.

Um, iced tea?

- Why not?

[tense music]

- How's CJ?
I, uh...

I haven't talked to her
this afternoon.

- Uh, not so well actually.

- Is she, uh...
- She's alive.

But I have a feeling
it won't be long now.

- I'm sorry to hear that.

- So am I.

- The truth is, uh,

I... I don't know
what I'm gonna do without her.

♪ ♪

- You know, it may be
terrible to say it,

but maybe now the world
will finally see you

for who you are,

everything you do.

♪ ♪

- You know, uh,

kind of my biggest fear
that it'll only prove that,

you know,
without her I'm nothing.

Oh, uh...

Uh, taste okay?

- Mm.

- Um, sit down.

- You know, whoever did this
to CJ was really, really smart.

- You think?
- Oh, yeah.

Look how well
he covered his tracks.

Um, polonium usually leaves
a nice little trail.

Whoever did this was some kind
of criminal mastermind.

- Well, I mean,
not too much of a mastermind.

I mean, he...
He left his victim alive.

- True.

But I think
that was intentional.

I think he was playing with CJ.

He wanted to see if he could
b*at her at her own game.

- I... I don't know
too many people

who'd b*at CJ at... at any game.

- I don't think it's gonna be
as thrilling as he imagines.

- Oh, yeah? W-why is that?

- The k*ller out
for revenge wants

to look his victim in the eye

at the moment
she realizes he's won.

Whoever did this to CJ will
never get that satisfaction.

What kind of victory is that?

[phone rings]

Ah, excuse me.

Hey. Any luck?

Of course.

I'll let him know.

It looks like CJ's condition
has taken a turn.

She's fallen into a coma,

and they don't expect her
to come out of it.

- Ah.

[mutters]
It's hard to imagine

the world without her.

Um, could I get some time alone
i-if you don't mind?

- Of course.

♪ ♪

[exhales deeply]

♪ ♪

- CJ?

[exhales sharps]

For once,
you got nothing to say?

[sighs]

I'm sorry it had
to end this way.

But don't worry.

It'll all be over soon.

But before you go...

I wanted you to know something.

It was me.

.

[tense music]

- Surprised?

Yeah, I bet you are.

♪ ♪

You never would've guessed
that I could pull off

the perfect crime.

I played fair.

I gave you a chance to solve it.

But I b*at you, didn't I?

The world will never know.

But I'll know.

And now,

in the moments before you die,

you will know that I b*at you.

♪ ♪

I guess I'm a lot smarter
than you thought I was.

- Not that smart.

[door crashes open]

- I wouldn't do that.

Cuff him.

♪ ♪

- Did you really hate me
so much?

- Thank you.

♪ ♪

[knock on door]

- You're here late.

- Lost track of time, I guess.

Nicole told me CJ's gonna
get the treatment.

At least they'll get
a second chance, right?

- Thanks to you.

Rizwan told me what you did.

This whole situation
with CJ and Nicole,

it reminded you of your mom,
didn't it?

[soft dramatic music]

♪ ♪

You never told me how she d*ed.

- She was late for a meeting,

crossed against the light,

and, uh, got hit by a car.

- Hmm.

An unexpected loss like that
takes longer to heal from.

- So it seems.

- You're still playing
the "what if" game, right?

What if she had left
five minutes sooner?

Five minutes later?

Or what if she'd just waited
for the light?

- What if we hadn't fought
the night that she d*ed?

- Mm.

You know, whenever
feelings of loss start,

there's a temptation
to go deeper into it.

We think that it respects
the dead.

But a better way
to think of it would be

to remind yourself
of the good times.

♪ ♪

- What if it doesn't work?

What if I can't remember
the good times?

- Then you call me.

And we'll talk about her
and find them.

♪ ♪

Gene thought that he'd
committed the perfect crime.

It had all the elements
of a perfect m*rder story...

Pride, revenge,

a virtually invisible
m*rder w*apon.

But he couldn't stand the fact
that no one knew about it.

Some of the world's
most notorious K*llers

might not have ever
gotten caught

if it hadn't been
for their fatal narcissism.

But rarely do their victims get
a chance to talk.

[hopeful music]

In CJ's own words,
"Someone once told me..."

- Things are looking good, CJ.

- Thank you.

- "It was possible to miss
a grizzly bear in the room.

"Seems like I missed
more than one.

"I was always operating
one step ahead, in the future,

"trying to b*at a deadline,

"trying to outdo
my last accomplishment.

"Turns out looking three steps
ahead is the easiest way

"to miss the thing
that's right in front of you.

"So now I find myself
living in the moment,

paying attention
to every detail..."

- Nicki.

- Hey, Mom.

- You did not have to wear
that old thing on my account.

♪ ♪

- Actually, I, um...

I never take it off.

- "Because you never know
when it could all disappear."

- ♪ Help me carry on ♪

- "And when you get
that once-in-a-lifetime

"second chance,

you want to be there
for all of it."

- ♪ The Lord said to me ♪

♪ Time is a healer ♪

♪ Time is a healer ♪

♪ Love is the answer ♪

♪ Love is the answer ♪

♪ I'm on my way ♪

♪ I'm on my way ♪

♪ The Lord said to me ♪

♪ The Lord said to me ♪

♪ Time is a healer ♪

♪ Time is a healer ♪

♪ Truth is the answer ♪

♪ Truth is the answer ♪

♪ I'm on the way ♪

♪ ♪

- Alec.

- ♪ Lost my way ♪

- Did it work?

- ♪ You know ♪

- I remembered something.

- ♪ I've tried ♪