01x02 - Whatever Happened to Baby James

[bunniefuu]

What's going on tonight?

Second girl: We're meeting at Tara's at midnight. Her parents are in Cabo.

I can't. I'm babysitting my brother. Mom is on a date with a stockbroker.

My mom is dating a yogi who only eats raw.

Thomas, you better be in that bed. I will tell mom. I think my brother is up.

[Thud]

Damn it, Thomas.

That's weird.

What?

I heard something.

What is it?

Maybe it's your stalker.

No one believes me.

I swear someone has been following me around.

They were lurking in the back yard last week.

You don't have a stalker.

Famous people have stalkers.

You have a creeper with a crush.

That qualifies as a stalker.

Chill out, Hannah.

Don't flatter yourself.

[Footsteps]

What's going on?

I heard something. Don't hang up.

Ok. I'm here.

Talk to me, Hannah.

Hannah, you're scaring me.

Hannah?

Shh!

Hannah, what's going on?

I don't know.

Hannah, what's going on?

The door is open.

Are you serious?

Do you see anything?

[Deadbolt clicks]

[Sighs]

[Creak]

I think someone is in the house.

Oh, my God, get out of there.

I can't. I can't leave without Thomas.

If anything happens, call 911.

[Panting]

Thomas? Thomas?

Thomas, where are you?

What are you doing, trying to scare me to death?

There's someone in the house.

Girl: Talk to me. What's happening? Hannah?

I'm calling the police.

Yes, yes. Call the police. I don't know what to do.

Get out of the house, Hannah, now!

Get out of the house!

Aah! Aah!

Oh, my God, he's in the house!

[Both screaming]

Help! Help! Help!

Somebody help us!

Help!

[Door opens and closes]

A peck or a kiss?

A longish kiss.

He wanted it to go further, but it was late, and I had to open up this morning.

You gonna see him again?

No. He was nice, but there was no chemistry.

But you had fun.

How'd you sleep?

Great... no psycho dreams, no Bob standing over the bed because he's in prison and he will never hurt you again.

I know.

Look. Keep dating. Keep it light.

Have fun. Have crazy sex.

Crazy sex?

Yeah. Yeah.

Who are you having crazy sex with?

Ho ho ho! Do as I say, not as I do.

Seriously, I've known you 3 years.

Unless you're keeping them all a secret...

[cell phone rings]

How does your phone know how to do that?

It's freaky.

Ha ha! Hello.

Yeah. Tell him I'll call him back.

Thanks. I'm out.

It's on the house. Call me later.

I'm here all night.

Remember, have fun.

[Mouths] Have fun.

Amanda: Hmm.

Can my friend pick me up?

Huh?

Can my friend pick me up?

Yeah.

Love you.

All right.

Bye.

Bye-bye.

[Ding]

Ben: Call Turner at L.A.X. and confirm they closed the file on the September thr*at.

Let's put it to bed.

Morning. Coffee?

Hey, Jack. I'm good.

How about you, um...

Belle. No, thank you.

I'm good.

You sure?

I'm good.

Weiss called to follow up on the Lopez case.

Erotomania, guy who was obsessed with the soap star...

Jack: Morning. I brought coffee.

I went all L.A. with nonfat, nondairy quad sh*t lattes.

Did I get close?

Oh, well, thank you.

Jack, don't buy me coffee.

Seriously? You're gonna get mad at coffee?

I'm just trying to make a good impression, my ongoing struggle.

You want to make a good impression?

Don't barge into my office and interrupt me.

Wow! You're tough. Ok. I'll just be at my desk.

Do I even have a desk?

Here. I'll show you.

We're a small setup.

We have 6 detectives in the unit and an assistant... Belle.

What about all the other people?

Various.

There's vice, domestic v*olence, mental health.

People get moved around a lot, and space is tight.

6 detectives handle all the stalker cases in L.A.?

And any other thr*at that occurs.

So a lot of what we do is consult and assist other departments.

Ben: So playing nice is essential.

Beth wants you up to speed. Here are the active files.

We handle around 300 cases a year with 20 to 30 ongoing.

Happy reading.

What's his rank?

He's young, D1, a bit disgruntled.

He doesn't seem disgruntled.

He's faking, lots of repressed hostility.

Beth keeps him trapped behind the computer.

Great cyber tech, but he wants to be in the field, which is why he resents you.

He doesn't appear to resent me.

If you're wondering, I'm D2 with a background in sociology and clinical psychology.

We all have our own skill set.

So what's my skill set?

You come from New York homicide.

You tell me. So why L.A.?

Looking for a change. What about you?

How long you been here?

I'm an orange county native. Single or married?

Something tells me you know the answers to all these questions.

Just small talk. Never mind.

And chai tea.

I usually drink chai tea in the morning, but thanks.

The gesture worked for me.

Janice, you free?

Responding officers called about a home invasion in Larchmont.

They want us to assess. Jack, let's go.

You're tailing.

I'm Ron. I live next door.

I was out walking cheeky here when, bam, Hannah ran right into me, probably scared me more than I scared her.

Janice: And none of you saw or heard anything out of the ordinary last night?

Woman: Just Hannah screaming. I live across the street.

I was watching letterman, and I called the police.

Different woman: I live right around the corner, out like a light. Sorry.

Hannah: And then we ran out of the house and into Ron.

He called 911, and that was it.

Ron is your neighbor?

Yeah. He was out walking his dog.

By the time the cops came, whoever it was was gone.

Is anything missing in the house?

No, not that my mom and I could tell.

In your statement, it says you believe someone is following you.

Every once in a while, I feel like someone is watching me.

I'll turn around, but then no one is there, and it's really freaky, you know?

Mm-hmm.

I can feel it, and then somebody the last couple of weeks has been in the back yard.

They've been wearing a hoodie or something.

Hannah, why didn't you tell your mom?

She works a lot, and I didn't want to worry her.

Besides, who's gonna believe me?

I mean, it's not like I have proof or anything.

I believe you, Hannah. All right.

Here's what I want you to do.

I want you to write down every time you remember someone watching you... what day it was, what time it was, anything that can help us identify your stalker's patterns.

But I've never even seen his face.

I know, but your instincts become my clues.

A timeline will really help us.

Stalking usually begins with a benign crush or a fixation, and it escalates into something that becomes more frequent.

As the obsession grows, so does the stalker's courage and his need to reach out.

Hannah, don't worry, all right?

We're gonna find out who's doing this.

Woman: It's just the two kids.

Hannah is 16, and Thomas is 7.

Hey, buddy.

You like my shirt?

That's cool. What is that?

It's a platypus.

Platypus.

[Police radio chatter]

[Camera shutter clicking]

No, honey. Honey, give the detective some room.

He's ok.

[Camera shutter clicks]

Is that yours?

Woman: Tom built that for Hannah when she was 10.

No one goes up there anymore.

When did your husband pass?

3 years ago.

It's been tough.

I.D. This.

Man: You got it.

[Camera shutter clicks]

[Camera shutter clicking]

Beth: Can't find any fingerprints.

Nothing seems to be missing. What about you?

There's a boot print in the flower bed.

From the depth and width, could be a man's size 10, more voyeur evidence in the tree house.

What do you think?

He's following her, spying on her.

It's predatory, sexual.

Stalking is just foreplay.

The real goal is sexual as*ault.

Ben got a hit of the sex offender database: Thaddeus Barnes... convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl, got out 6 months ago, lives 4 blocks away.

Beth: Mr. Barnes, where were you last night?

Took a walk around town and then to bed.

What's this about?

We're investigating a break-in.

A teenage girl was victimized.

Oh, I see.

Some little girl complains about the bogeyman, so it's got to be me, right?

We'd like to come in, take a look around.

Do you have a warrant?

No. I have your probation officer.

I'll let him explain the law to you.

Excuse me.

[Music playing]

That's Hannah McCoy.

They're just pictures.

Fetishizing young girls.

It's not illegal or a violation of my probation.

I stay 100 yards away from schools, parks, libraries.

I don't talk to anyone under 18 ever.

What do you know about her?

Nothing.

Seen her around.

You in her neighborhood a lot?

It's a free country. I like to walk.

Apparently past the houses of underage girls like Hannah.

Sweet and young, cute... that's your type, right?

I'm better now.

There is no cure for a child predator. We both know that.

But there is treatment... cognitive, behavioral.

I've developed coping skills to change and curb my impulses.

I look.

I don't touch.

What's your shoe size?

10 1/2. Why?

We found a boot print under Hannah's window.

Right now, sid techs are going through your closets trying to find a match.

You'd save us a lot of time...

You can't rail road me.

Look, I know I have a problem, and I am handling it the best way I know how.

Any further questions will be answered in the presence of my lawyer.

Hey, thanks for coming so quickly.

Yeah. I got your message, and I got the warrant granting you access to Barnes' hard drive.

Great. Oh, sorry.

This is Jack Larson. He's new to the team.

Deputy D.A. Amanda Taylor.

I'll call Barnes' P.O., get him to sign off on a probation hold.

Good. That'll give you 24 hours to find something solid.

Great.

This is awkward.

I didn't realize you worked TAU cases.

Amanda...

Amanda.

Amanda, hold on a second.

You are something else. You know that?

Listen. The whole reason I lobbied for TAU was because I thought you worked robbery homicide.

That's where you're listed in the D.A.'s office.

A Beatrice somebody handles TAU.

She's on maternity leave. I'm covering for her.

Look. I don't want this to be weird.

It's not weird. It's despicable.

Let's just talk for a sec, work this out.

Do you mind?

[Click]

[Click]

I just spent the last 3 hours at Hannah's high school.

I was expecting this whole flashback scenario.

Nothing. I don't recognize high school anymore.

Ben: Did Hannah have any conflicts with other students?

Counselors, friends all say Hannah is a good girl... no trouble, smart, high GPA, doesn't date.

There are no boys in the picture, which is weird.

Because she's a little hottie tottie and little hottie totties always have a guy.

What is that?

The evidence from Barnes' laptop.

Man, this guy took a lot of photos.

Belle: LAPD thr*at assessment unit.

One moment.

Can I help you?

I'd like to speak to Lieutenant Beth Davis.

Your name?

Beth: Perry.

Am I interrupting?

Ben: This is so wrong.

How does this not violate his probation?

It's not defined in his paperwork.

I mean, technically, he can take all the personal photos he wants in a public setting.

Are we sure Barnes is our guy?

According to his original arrest report, Barnes was a kindly neighbor.

He let the local girls play in his yard, until one day, he drugged a girl's lemonade and r*ped her.

So he doesn't like confrontation.

So why break into a house?

I mean, it seems too brazen.

Pedophiles are like addicts.

Rarely do they change their M.O.s.

That was forensics.

None of Barnes' shoes were a match for the boot print in the McCoys' flower bed.

I'm telling you, I mean, this Barnes is a bad dude, but is he the guy we're looking for?

Hannah said someone was following, someone in a hoodie, size 10 1/2 boot, he sat in the tree house watching.

Do we have pictures of the house from the tree's point of view?

Ben: The tree's point of view? Is the tree a suspect?

Is this the hostility you were talking about?

Beth: What are you doing here, Perry?

I didn't come here to rat you out or anything if that's what you're worried about.

I'm not worried.

Really?

Because you assaulted me in a parking lot.

I have no recollection of that.

What do you want?

Sorry. I didn't come here to be contentious.

I wanted to tell you that it was wrong of me to harass Eric.

I won't be contacting him anymore.

I heard you loud and clear.

Good. I'll hold you to it.

If that's all...

Help me.

I mean, I... I need help. I know it.

You know it? [Door closes] How?

I fixate. I can't explain it, but there this part of me in my head that causes me to focus on someone, and then it takes over. I want to know them. I want to be with them. It's like a drug, and then the obsession fuels me. It makes me matter. There's something wrong with me.

If you want help, Perry, call this man. He's a therapist. He can help you if you're serious.

Thank you.

[Door opens]

Janice: No direct povs.

I went up the tree, and I can see directly into the living room. There's a view of the couch and the TV. Hannah is on the phone, watching "survivor." "Oh, look who got voted off the island. I always hated that creep. I'm starving." I see the kitchen, the fridge. She goes for some string cheese.

Ben: Dude, what are you doing?

He's role playing.

What's going on?

He likes to role play.

Jack: I follow you around.

I sit and watch you watch TV, but how does that trigger me to break into your house?

She goes to her bedroom.

You watch her undress, go to bed, sleep.

Ben: But Hannah's bedroom is on the other side of the house.

Jack: Right. Wait, wait, wait.

There's a window on the right side of the house.

Who's room is that?

Thomas' bedroom.

What if Hannah isn't the target?

Hannah made a journal of every time she felt followed.

Where is it?

Uh...

Daycare, store, playground.

Thomas was with her every time.

We have the wrong victim. It's Thomas.

[Telephone rings]

[Ring]

Beth: Hello, Mrs. McCoy. This is Lieutenant Davis.

Yes, Lieutenant Davis?

Is Thomas ok?

Yeah. He's fine.

He's watching a movie downstairs.

Ok. I don't mean to scare you, but I need you to check on him right now.

We think the person who broke in might have been there for Thomas.

Mom...

Thomas?

Thomas? Thomas?

Thomas, baby, where are you?

Thomas?

Oh, my God. Baby?

Thomas?

Thomas? Thomas?

Thomas... he's gone. He's not here.

Thomas? Thomas?

Give me photos.

Run any prints you find immediately.

Mrs. McCoy: He's only 7.

He's never spent the night away from me.

We're gonna find him, I promise.

How do you know that?

Don't say that. Don't do that.

Don't say things you don't know.

She said it because she does know it.

We're gonna bring Thomas home safe and sound.

Mrs. McCoy: What's that?

Thomas' squirt g*n.

No. That's not his.

I don't allow g*ns of any kind in this house.

Have you seen this before?

No.

What are you doing?

We talked to your guidance counselor.

You're a good girl, Hannah... smart, lots of friends, no boyfriend, though, which I find odd since you're so pretty and sexy with your little crop tops and your tattoo.

No judgment, mind you. I think you're good.

I just don't think you're innocent.

You're a responsible girl.

I'm guessing that we're gonna find within arm's reach.

Oh.

What's this?

That is none of your business.

[Zip]

Again, no judgment.

Who are you having sex with, Hannah?

What's his name or shoe size, huh?

This has nothing to do with Thomas.

Right now, everything has to do with Thomas.

I need a name, Hannah, now.

Beth: You're Victor sweeney?

You work in a tattoo parlor on Lankershim?

Yeah. What's this about?

Jack: Hannah McCoy.

You did her tattoo, right, been over her house a couple times?

Not that I remember.

You recognize this toy g*n?

Beth: No? Your boots have a very specific tread.

A lot like this print that we found under Hannah's bedroom window.

Ok. So I was there. So what?

So you're in a relationship with Hannah, and her brother was abducted this afternoon.

Jack: Can you account for your whereabouts today, Victor?

I was at home asleep. Wait.

You don't think I had something to do with this.

You kept your relationship with Hannah a secret.

Maybe Thomas found out.

Maybe you wanted to shut him up.

You have a rap sheet, Victor, mostly petty crimes... vandalism, drunk and disorderly.

A 28-year-old guy with a 16-year-old girl?

That's statutory r*pe.

It wasn't like that, I swear.

I gave Thomas the squirt g*n as a present.

He was a nice kid. I would never hurt him, never.

Hannah mentioned a stalker.

You were creeping around that house at night.

You must have seen something.

Once a couple weeks ago... it was pretty late... and then again last week.

I was leaving her house, and there was a car parked down the street, and I could see someone in the driver's seat, and they were just staring at Hannah's house.

So I figured it had to be the guy.

No. He was wearing a hoodie, and when I came at him, he screeched off.

Jack: What kind of car? What color?

I don't know, man.

Think!

Jack: What kind of car? What color? Come on.

It was silver or gray, maybe a sedan.

Beth: And you withheld this information why?

You know why. Come on...

I'm being straight with you guys.

Ben: Tattoo guy said he saw a silver or gray sedan I searched through the pedophile's pictures and found this.

Janice: I checked DMV, and it belongs to Rosemary Wilson, the McCoys' neighbor. I interviewed her.

Find her now.

[Picks up phone]

We're here, James.

We're home.

I want my mommy.

Aw, honey, mommy is right here.

Oh, you look so sleepy. Did you have a nice nap?

You shouldn't have drank all that cough syrup.

You know it's not like candy, sweetie.

I'll be right back.

Don't you go anywhere.

No! Please! No!

[Screaming, pounding on trunk]

No!

[Keys clatter]

Who are you...

And what the hell are you doing in my house?

Who are you...

And what are you doing in my house?

Look. If you don't get out...

They searched Rosemary's house. It's her.

They found this.

The place looked like she left in a hurry, hasn't been seen since yesterday.

What about the apb on her car, the Amber alert?

There has to be something.

I just checked.

Thomas' photo is everywhere.

We've received over two dozen calls.

Nothing is panning out.

Janice: That was the real Rosemary Wilson.

Apparently, her sister Judith Ann is who we're looking for.

So Rosemary has been using her sister's identity?

Do a search on Judith Ann Wilson.

The real Rosemary lives in Seattle.

Seems Judith has problems.

She's stolen her sister's identity more than once, thinks people are out to get her.

Sounds like paranoia.

Apparently, Judith hasn't been the same since her son d*ed.

Ben: Judith Ann Wilson gave birth to a son James Peterson at good samaritan hospital 9 years ago.

According to his death certificate, James Peterson drowned two years back, ruled accidental.

So Thomas would be the same age her son was when he d*ed.

That could've triggered her fixation.

She's looking for a replacement.

Ok. So where did she take Thomas?

Derek Peterson, accountant, lives in the South bay.

You think she's trying to put her family back together?

Or he might know where she took him.

I wish I could help, but I haven't seen Judith since we divorced.

Which is right after your son d*ed.

Yes, but things weren't good between us before that.

She was... impulsive?

One minute, she hated me. The next was total love.

Mr. Peterson, do you have any idea where she might have gone?

I'm sorry. I don't.

I understand your son was 7 when he drowned.

He and Judith were in a rowboat on echo park lake.

James fell in.

But you're not so sure that's what happened.

Of course I am. It was a terrible accident.

Jack: According to her medical records, Judith was diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder in her 20s.

Yes, but she was very good at keeping up on her medication.

And you filed for divorce 6 weeks before James d*ed?

How did she take the news?

Not well.

She lashed out, became depressed.

It's possible she blamed James for the demise of your relationship.

If you're suggesting that Judith had anything to do with...

Jack: You're in denial, Derek.

You don't want to think she could hurt your son because that would mean you weren't there for him as a father.

But you know the truth, don't you, Mr. Peterson?

I thought, but there was never any proof.

Who would do something like that?

Maybe she was desperate to save her marriage, and when that didn't work out, all she had left was guilt.

Seeing Thomas brought back the ghost of James.

It eased the pain, a psychotic delusion brought on by a repressed memory.

Which fueled her obsession.

Mr. Peterson, where were you and Judith living at the time?

A couple blocks from where he drowned.

Address?

1217 Terrace Drive.

[Muffled shouting]

[Pounding]

Woman: Uh! Uh! Uh! Uh!

[Pounding continues]

[Whimpers]

[Muffled scream]

Shut up!

[Whimpering]

Oh, quiet, James.

You know how much mommy hates it when you cry.

[Muffled scream]

[Tires screech]

[Thomas whimpering]

Judith: Shut up.

I said shut up! Look at me.

She's in there. So is Thomas.

You take the front. I'll take the back.

Beth: I have an idea.

Hello? Hi.

Sorry to barge in. The door was open.

I'm your neighbor Beth from down the street.

H-hoping I could borrow a cup of sugar.

I'm attempting to bake, and I ran out.

This your son?

James. He's such a cutie.

Looks just like you.

Thank you.

It's Judith, right?

Is it? Yes.

Yes. It is, but you can call me Judy.

All my friends do.

Which house did you say you lived in?

Just across, two doors down.

Is it sugar that you said you wanted?

Yeah, just a cup.

The recipe requires two.

Thomas, run. No!

James, baby! James! James, where are you?

Baby!

[Pounding on door]

James!

I'm not your son. Go away.

[Crash]

[Pounding stops]

Thomas? Thomas, it's the police.

Where's Judith?

Thomas, unlock the door.

I don't know you.

Yeah, you do. We met at your house.

I'm gonna take you to your mom's.

Open the door, buddy.

You ruined my life, James.

Drop it! Now!

Beth: It's ok. It's ok.

It's all right. Everything is ok, Jack.

Judy, it's me, your friend.

You don't want to hurt James. You love him, remember?

Judith, don't do this. This is Thomas McCoy.

It's not James. Thomas is not James.

Oh...

James is gone.

Judy? No.

Yes. Yes.

Oh...

[Sobbing]

Uh!

Oh...

You can trust me.

I'm gonna get you the help you need, all right?

It hurts.

It won't stop hurting.

[Sobbing]

[Music playing]

[Distant siren]

[Police radio chatter]

[No dialogue]

I like you.

What?

I don't care if you don't like me.

I like you.

You are one awkward dude.

Hmm.

Hey. Hey.

Want to grab a drink and bond some?

Strictly platonic, for the most part.

Is it ever platonic?

If I go to drinks with you and get even the slightest bit buzzed, I'm gonna turn into that guy because you are a really hot woman.

So please don't take this the wrong way.

I've been that guy.

I don't want to be that guy, not here at work with you.

I'd like to keep things clean.

You mind if we don't?

It was just drinks, Jack.

It's never just drinks, Janice.

Wow, did he just reject you?

That's got to hurt.

On the contrary.

He just got more interesting.

We never got a chance to finish our conversation.

So let's finish it. Go.

I know I hurt you.

I know you'll never forgive me.

I wouldn't even ask you to, but I'm not here to ruin your life, either.

I just...

I just want the chance to know my son.

I don't want you to know him, Jack.

You're not worthy of him. Do you understand that?

I would never hurt him.

Famous last words, Jack.

Now it's my turn, so listen up.

You have two weeks to get out of L.A.

Put in for a transfer. Quit. Go back to New York.

I don't care, but if you do not leave, I will go to Beth and your division captain and I will tell them that little thing that I know and nobody else does, and it will ruin you.

Now, I know you care about your career.

In fact, it's the only thing that you care about.

So don't be stupid. I repeat, two weeks.

[Music playing]

[Keys clatter]

[Beep beep]

Perry: Can I get a Manhattan?

You look pretty young. Can I see some I.D.?

[Laughs]

You got something against younger men? Yes... And no.

One Manhattan coming up.