01x06 - Love Is a b*ttlefield

[bunniefuu]

Man: The exhibit was a paradox of absurdity, impressionistic and surreal. The choice of sunlight to create such darkness was stunning.

Woman: You think? Oh, it's exciting to have such a talent emerge from the L.A. art scene. I was moved by the boldness.

Man: It was absolutely sublime.

Woman: We'll raise lots of money on this, Andrea. Well done. Ha ha ha!

Man: A toast to our enchanting hostess and committee chair Andrea Brown. You've outdone yourself, my dear.

Thank you, Walt, but I couldn't do it without my illustrious board members, and tonight is about my gratitude for your tireless fundraising efforts.

Thank you.

Cheers.

Cheers. Well done.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Mm. Mm.

Oh, no.

Did you pay your bills, Andrea?

[Laughter]

Robyn, can you check the fuse box, sweetie?

Think we have a short.

Of course.

Oh, well, maybe not. Ha ha ha! Never mind.

False alarm.

Mood lighting. Sorry about that.

Mm.

OK.

[Dog barking]

And that would be Roxy.

Excuse me. I'm so sorry. This is embarrassing.

Make sure she's OK.

Excuse me.

[Barking continues]

Roxy? Come here, girl. What is it?

[Barking]

What's the matter, sweetie?

[Feedback]

[Music playing]

What is that?

It's Roberta Flack.

Oh!

It's him. He was in my house.

All right.

Hey, you got your homework?

Ethan: Yes.

Books?

Yes.

Oh, I forgot my lunch.

Get in the car. I'll get it.

Ethan: Hey. It's you again.

Just morning run.

You live around here?

Yeah.

I'm Ethan.

Wesley.

Nice to meet you, Wesley.

Those boys from Halloween still giving you trouble?

Nah. You pretty much fixed them.

Good. Headed to school?

Yeah.

Where's your Mom?

She had court this morning, so her boyfriend Trent is taking me.

You don't like him?

He's OK, I guess.

Trent: Ethan, let's go.

OK. Coming. I got to... go.

You don't talk to strangers.

He's not. He lives around here.

Morning.

Morning.

Nice house.

Very. Belongs to Andrea Brown.

She filed a report with us two weeks ago.

I handled it.

We obtained a restraining order against her ex-husband, and he was being a good boy until last night.

I read the police report... breaking and entering, vandalism.

Jack: Is this what you call L.A. art?

Mm. You're funny.

Andrea Brown runs the board for the Doheny Museum art project.

It's a fancy nonprofit that raises money for various charities by auctioning off the work of new and important artists.

Is that a real job?

Philanthropy.

Andrea is independently wealthy due to a fat divorce settlement.

So an angry ex is behind this.

Yes... Kenneth Brown. He's a real estate developer.

He made a fortune in the nineties, happy couple until... he cheated on her, and she took him for everything he had.

She got it all, including the dog.

All he got was a bad real estate market, debt, and the fake blond with the fake tan and the fake boobies.

Seriously, that sounds like some horrible L.A. cliche.

We love cliches.

We live them, make movies about them.

It's the L.A. way of life.

You'll get the hang of it.

You called them boobies?

It's daytime, Jack. I try to keep it g-rated.

Andrea: I knew Kenneth was an angry bastard, but this was one step too far.

Can you relay the events that led to the restraining order?

Ask Detective Lawrence. She knows all of this.

She's handling my case.

I understand, but sometimes new details can surface from our memory.

It started with harassing phone calls, and then he accosted me in a restaurant one night.

He wanted to borrow money, and I said no, and he tried to strangle me.

They had to pry him off me.

Is that when you called TAU?

Tell me about your marriage.

Kenneth and I were married for 15 years.

It was a good marriage, wasn't perfect, but it worked for a long time.

We loved each other.

Why'd you get divorced?

People grow apart.

His eyes started to wander to younger women.

He cheated, and once the trust is gone, so is the marriage.

I understand Kenneth is very unhappy.

I got what we agreed to in the prenup, and now he wants to ruin me with my work, my friends.

He's making a mockery of me.

Jack: Mrs. Brown, what's the significance of the song that was playing?

It was the song we danced to on our first date.

It's been our song ever since.

Do you think that there's a part of your ex-husband that still loves you?

No. Our love is dead, Detective.

He hates me now, and that's just fine.

Just want him to leave me alone.

We'll talk to him.

I filed the report and got a restraining order.

Can't you just arrest him?

Beth: We know this is scary for you.

No. Actually, I'm frustrated, and, yes, I'm scared because I know Kenneth, and he has a temper, and he resents me.

He's not gonna stop.

Robyn: I've worked for Andrea for several months now.

Do you know her ex-husband?

Not very well, but I do know he has a temper.

And how is your relationship with Andrea?

Very good. I respect her.

She's a very strong woman, and when you're a strong woman, people call you callous, heartless bitch, but I saw what the divorce did to her.

It broke her heart.

Thank you for speaking with me, Robyn.

Yeah. No problem.

Jack: Looks like you control the lights by the panel located in the garage, no prints, but the security system has 4 digital cameras.

I'm getting the drive.

Get that footage to Ben. He's fast with it.

See if you can get Kenneth's face on camera.

Janice, come with me. You know the ex already.

Kenneth: Well, I didn't do it.

I was home all night.

He was home all night.

You were with him?

No. I had my Pilates class last night.

Then how do you know he was home?

Because he said so.

Kenneth: I'm not lying.

The woman filed a restraining order against me.

I'm not going within 10 miles of that bitch.

Yeah. She's crazy.

You att*cked her in a restaurant.

Kenneth: I was angry. She took all my money.

I have a mortgage that I can't pay.

Yes. I lost my temper.

Beth: Like you're doing right now?

Maybe you need to calm down.

It's OK, honey. She's testing you.

She's trying to make you mad.

I know this tactic.

How so?

You're doing it to me now.

Listen. We have done nothing but suffer at the hands of this crazy woman.

She took everything.

What did she take of yours, Melissa?

One could argue that you are the one who did the taking.

Do we need to call a lawyer?

Do you need to call a lawyer?

Stop doing that.

Melissa, sweetie, it's OK.

No. It's not. I'm tired of her.

Why doesn't she just leave us alone?

She is the one that's harassing us.

Listen. Andrea went off the deep end after the divorce.

You sure it wasn't after your affair?

I know that what I did doesn't make me sound like the most upstanding guy, but I am not stalking Andrea, and I certainly didn't break into her house.

I have better things to do with my time, like digging myself out of this gutter hole that she put me in.

He's telling the truth.

Do you know of anyone else in her life who might want to hurt her?

Anyone who knows the bitch.

I'm telling you, Andrea is a mean woman.

Look. I know that I hurt her, but she was just as cruel and vindictive in the divorce.

She ruined me.

And Roberta Flack?

Huh? Who's that?

She's a singer.

I've never heard of her.

"First time ever I saw your face" is the song in question.

She told you about that song.

What song?

It was mine and Andrea's song as a couple.

Well, what's our song?

We don't have a song.

All right. We'll get a song.

Look. I'm not stalking my ex-wife, OK?

I want her gone from my life.

You understand?

Ben: I've got a man wearing a ski mask.

He clearly knew where the cameras were.

You see how he's walking backwards in certain areas?

Janice: The man's build could easily be Kenneth.

It's not enough. We need a face.

What do we know about the divorce settlement?

Well, Kenneth and Andrea married in '98.

He accrued a net worth of $27 million in the first decade of their marriage.

Whoa.

Wow.

Beth: California is a no-fault state.

How did Andrea end up with so much?

A prenup.

If Kenneth cheated, Andrea got 90% of everything.

According to court transcripts, Kenneth's lawyers argued that Andrea was psychologically unbalanced, that her deranged behavior was as much of a cause for the failed marriage as Kenneth's infidelity.

There was no proof of it, and a judge sympathized and awarded her 95% of their net worth for defamation.

California is tough.

Beth: Seems like revenge stalking.

Serves a psychological need, a way of holding on to the person being stalked.

Janice: So Kenneth is trying to maintain a connection with Andrea, even while he goes about destroying everything in her life that she took away from him?

Why would he do that?

Beth: I don't know.

It could explain the song, a nostalgic ploy.

It's so cliched.

I told you. We love our cliches here.

They even come with a soundtrack.

But Roberta Flack?

What are you talking about?

Your life has a soundtrack, Ben.

No, it doesn't.

Yes, it does.

What were you listening to on the way to work?

"The Carpenters' Greatest Hits."

You should keep that to yourself.

Ben: And you're so cool?

Pearl Jam.

"White-Winged Dove," Stevie Nicks.

Everyone is so retro.

And you?

What?

Song?

Let's focus on Kenneth.

Traffic cams, parking tickets.

Let's see if he was in the vicinity of Andrea's house violating that restraining order, and, Jack, it's a Pat Benatar day.

Andrea: They'll have to walk through the exhibit to get to the bar to get drunk, which is what they're coming for, anyway...

Perfect.

And I want flowers on all the tables.

What's that?

Oh, it's for you.

It was delivered before I got here.

Were you expecting a package?

Read the card.

Mm...

"Do not be greedy.

"Because of these sins, the wrath of God is coming upon you."

No!

Oh, my God, no.

Please. No, no, no.

I don't understand how anyone could do this.

It's so cruel.

You said that you and Kenneth got the dog when you were married?

Yes, 10 years ago.

He loved Roxy as much as I did.

I mean, even after the divorce, Kenneth used to keep her on the weekends, I mean, at least until Melissa moved in.

Then what happened?

Oh, she didn't like the dog.

She wouldn't let Roxy come over anymore.

Janice: The message sent to Andrea is from the Bible... Colossians chapter 3, verses 5 and 6. "Do not be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater worshipping the things of the world. Because of these sins, the wrath of God is coming upon you."

Ben: And we looked into Melissa Barnes.

Her father was a pastor.

She would have personal knowledge of the Bible.

And we found this.

Beth: Oh, Melissa.

Let's see if she'll come in for questioning.

Amanda: Beth, excuse me for interrupting, but I need to speak with Detective Larsen.

[Clears throat]

You came to my house. Trent saw you.

Amanda, relax.

You spoke to Ethan.

Did you think he wasn't gonna tell me?

Wesley? You used your father's name?

You're getting very sloppy, Jack.

I told you to stay away from my son.

He doesn't know who I am.

And he never will, not as long as I am breathing.

You may be his biological parent, Jack, but you will never be a father to Ethan.

You have no idea what it takes to be a father.

You know it, and I know it.

You're done, Jack.

I'm gonna tell Beth everything.

That'll hurt you, too.

I am not the one who slept with a key witness in the Roberts trial.

You knew what happened and didn't say anything.

You are complicit.

Actually, that's not really true.

It wasn't my case, and I didn't suspect anything until she came and she rang my doorbell looking for you.

That creep deserved to go to prison.

You know it.

That is so not the point.

I warned you, Jack.

Melissa, thank you for coming in.

Did I have a choice?

Please have a seat.

Look. I already told you everything. Just cut to the chase. You clearly have an agenda.

Well, we found a 5150 on your record. 3 years ago, you broke into your ex-boyfriend's home, and when he woke up, you were standing over him holding a Kn*fe.

I was wondering when that was gonna pop up. It was a long time ago.

You were on a psychiatric hold for 72 hours.

Look. I was in a bad place back then. I made some stupid choices. Why does it matter?

Someone k*lled Andrea's dog.

What?

Can you tell us where you were last night?

I was at home with Kenneth. Are you accusing me of k*lling that dog? It was, like, 15 years old. It probably d*ed, and Andrea is pretending like somebody k*lled it. I mean, she's crazy.

Andrea also received a message, a Bible verse. Your father is a pastor, right?

Are you accusing me of something?

We're just trying to find the truth.

I didn't do anything. You people, you need to leave me alone. I will get a lawyer. I know my rights. Just leave me alone.

[Beep beep]

Oh! Ah! Uh! Uh! Oh, no. No. No. Get off me. Help me!

[Whimpering]

Man: Hey, you, get off her!

Get off me.

[Crying]

Are you OK? Hey, miss.

[Tires screeching]

Look at me.

I need to get out of here.

You suffered a head contusion.

The doctor said I'd be fine.

I can't stay here.

I have my gallery fundraiser this afternoon.

Hey, slow down.

I don't want to slow down.

I don't deserve this. I want to k*ll him.

You need to let us handle it.

Then handle it.

Put him behind bars. Just stop him.

We need evidence to do that, and we don't have it yet.

He k*lled my dog. He att*cked me.

Isn't that enough evidence?

There's nothing to link him to those two incidences, but if there is evidence to be found, we will find it, Andrea.

Hey, Jack, got a minute?

No. Sorry. I don't.

I know about you and Amanda.

What are you talking about?

What are you doing?

You sneaking around? You talking to her son?

You're fishing.

Amanda didn't tell you anything.

Hey...

Get your hands off me.

It doesn't take a genius to figure this out, Jack.

You and Amanda, you were a thing in New York, right?

You're the guy that screwed her over.

I'm not gonna engage with you, Trent. I'm not.

Just stay away from Amanda and stay away from her son.

You understand me?

Or what?

Don't push me.

You'll know when I do. Trust me.

Are you Ethan's father?

I just... I need to know what I'm getting myself into here.

I care about her.

Don't worry about me, Trent.

I'm not a problem for you.

Ben: This is the surveillance video taken from Andrea's house during the first att*ck.

Here, we see the guy in the ski mask.

He walks along the wall, and there, something on his left wrist.

Looks like a bracelet or a watch.

Yep, but there's no clear view until I got the video from the parking garage.

See, the car's plates are smartly covered up, but, see, there's the watch.

Crop and zoom.

It's a 1978 Rolex Daytona 6263.

That's a $35,000 watch.

How do you know that?

I dated this rich kid in high school.

He actually got one for graduation.

Why didn't you marry him?

I kept dozing off.

Ben: And it's listed right here in the divorce settlement.

Kenneth Brown got possession of a Daytona watch.

I'll call Beth.

[Melissa crying]

Door's open.

[Knock knock]

Melissa?

[Melissa sobbing]

It's Lieutenant Davis.

[Sobbing continues]

Where's Kenneth?

I don't know. He left.

Melissa, what happened?

Someone e-mailed me this video.

The video was sent from an anonymous e-mail, but I know that Andrea sent it.

How could I have been so stupid?

He kept telling me that his ex-wife was crazy, that she was just trying to scare us.

This whole time, he was sleeping with her.

Melissa, do you recognize this?

It's Kenneth's watch.

Andrea was att*cked last night, and the man who att*cked her was wearing that watch.

We need to talk to Kenneth.

If there is something you're not telling us, now is a good time.

Where'd you get this?

Melissa: I found it in Kenneth's trunk the day after Andrea's dog was k*lled.

You were protecting him?

I didn't know what to do. I thought I loved him.

I'm scared that he might do something stupid, he was so angry.

He said that he was gonna hurt Andrea.

Put an APB out on Kenneth. Call Jack.

Tell him to meet me at the museum.

John, I just wanted to say thank you.

Andrea: Hi. Excuse me. I need to check on the caterer.

Yeah. So lovely meeting you.

Robyn...

Yeah?

Where's Andrea?

I think she went to the kitchen upstairs.

Upstairs.

[Door closes]

Robyn?

Kenneth.

I need to talk to you.

No. You stay away from me. You can't be here.

I just want to talk, Andrea.

I have a restraining order. Don't you get near me.

Have you lost your mind?

I'm calling the police.

Why would you send that video?

Why'd you have to drag Melissa into this?

You stay away from me. Oh!

Oh!

Beth: Stay down.

[Handcuffs click]

You OK?

Mm-hmm.

Andrea: I don't know what I ever loved about that man.

Jack: You sent the video to Melissa.

Why would you do that?

You knew it would provoke him.

He k*lled my dog. He att*cked me.

I wanted Melissa to see what kind of man she was marrying.

And why didn't you tell us that you were sleeping with Kenneth?

I don't get it.

Because I'm not.

It only happened once two months ago.

He came over to the house to get a few of his things.

We got talking.

One thing led to another, and...

Man: Mrs. Brown, we're ready for you.

[Camera shutter clicks]

Kenneth: She seduced me.

She got me to sleep with her and filmed it.

She planned the whole thing. She is trying to ruin my life.

Beth: So you go to the museum, choke her out, and try to k*ll her?

No. I was trying to talk to her, to reason with her.

Your way of reasoning is against the law, Kenneth.

I lost my temper, all right?

You don't get it. She's driving me crazy.

Is that why you k*lled her dog?

What are you... Roxy's dead?

Explain this.

That was found at your home. That's canine blood.

Agh, that's not my shirt.

Hang on. There's a monogram... KB.

I don't even know where that came from.

Melissa. She found it in the trunk of your car, turned it in to us, and maybe you should've taken off your Rolex when you att*cked Andrea last night in the parking garage.

We have you on surveillance, Kenneth.

[Scoffs]

I have no idea what you're talking about.

I was with clients last night.

I had a last-minute walk-through at one of my properties.

They can vouch for me.

Great. Give me their names.

We'll have someone check it out.

Look. Tonight I snapped, but that other stuff, no, that wasn't me.

I just spoke to all 3 witnesses.

They confirmed Kenneth Brown was with them the night of the garage att*ck.

So his alibi checks out.

Ben: I did some research on the paintings you texted me.

The artist goes by the name of Ink, but his real name is Damon Edmonds.

He's an up-and-coming L.A. graffiti artist.

Jack: With the exact same painting style of the messages left on the walls of Andrea's house.

Beth: This guy has got a prior for domestic as*ault.

And our stalker likes to hit women.

Ben: And get this... his very first show was at the same museum that Andrea serves on the board.

He also has his own website which offers very expensive massage services.

Jack: These photos don't appear to be promoting his knowledge of massage therapy.

Can you say, "boy toy?"

But if she's paying him, why would he hurt her?

Janice: Maybe he wanted more than she's willing to give.

We've got probable. Pick him up.

How do you know Andrea Brown?

She's a friend.

What kind of friend?

I'm an artist. She supports the arts.

She must really support the arts for you to afford a watch like that.

You sleeping with her?

Is that any of your business?

Well, she's a wealthy older woman.

She funds your work. She put on your first show.

Maybe when the money and the favors dried up, you decided to make her pay.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Really? Because I have a video of you assaulting her in a parking garage.

No, you don't.

Yeah. You wore that watch when you did it.

She must have given it to you before things went south between the two of you.

You know it's not a real Daytona, right?

Damon, you think she gave you a $35,000 watch for a little tail?

You look pretty stupid, but no one's that dumb.

You did it.

You att*cked Andrea.

Now tell me why.

It doesn't add up.

Kenneth had an alibi for the att*ck in the garage.

Right.

Even Andrea admitted he loved the dog.

Wait, wait, wait. Fast forward.

Look at this.

He left his shirt at Andrea's house.

Are you ready for this?

Andrea paid Damon to att*ck her.

She gave him a replica of Kenneth's watch so that when he did it would lead us straight to Kenneth.

She had Kenneth's shirt the entire time.

She put it in his trunk to frame him.

Andrea was stalking Kenneth.

False victimization.

She staged the att*cks to incriminate Kenneth and Melissa.

False victimization stalkers often suffer from a borderline personality disorder.

They fluctuate between emotional stability and intense anger.

This woman is totally psychotic.

She constructs all these elaborate scenarios to perpetuate v*olence against herself.

She even k*lled her own dog.

[Knock on door]

Melissa.

I just came to tell you that things are over with me and Kenneth.

I want you to know when I first met Kenneth I didn't know that he was married, and, Andrea, I never meant to hurt you.

I'm sorry.

I've been waiting such a long time to hear you say that.

Come in, please.

Maybe now we can both start to heal.

Hyah!

Finally, you're awake.

This isn't gonna work if you're passed out.

Andrea, please.

Please let me go, OK?

I'm sorry.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Let me go.

I'm sorry!"

An apology doesn't mean anything!

You took him from me!

When Kenneth first started out, I was there for him.

I made him everything that he was, and I can do that again.

He's gonna get out of jail one day, and I'm gonna be here for him, and you aren't gonna be around to get in our way.

Andrea, I left him. Look. I promise.

Please. Please just let me go.

Let you go?

What, after you snuck into my home, hid here, waiting to k*ll me?

You are a very sick young lady, and everyone knows that you're the one with psychiatric problems.

You att*cked me just like you did your ex-boyfriend, and I had to defend myself.

I had no choice but to k*ll you.

I mean, after all, you and Kenneth have been stalking me.

No... no one's gonna believe that.

Yes, they will.

I have been working on this plan for a long time.

I have had nothing to do but plan this, and it's going surprisingly well.

But...

Ha ha ha!

Melissa...

There's nothing worse than a divorced woman with too much time and money on her hands.

Please. Andrea, you can't... you can't do this.

Please. I k*lled my own dog.

I can k*ll you, and I actually...

I liked Roxy.

You att*cked me.

Don't you remember that, Melissa?

With this.

And we fought!

Aah! Aah!

It's Melissa's car.

Let's go around back.

[Whimpering]

I'm gonna untie you now, and then you're gonna stand up and walk towards me.

Please. Please don't do this.

It'll all be over in a moment.

[Rattling]

[Muffled whimper]

[Muffled whimpering]

Put the g*n down.

You got what you wanted.

Kenneth's in jail.

I'll k*ll her.

You don't want to do that.

Yes, I do.

Doesn't anyone care about what he did to me?

I know. He cheated.

He's a man. That's what men do.

Is that what you do?

Have you cheated?

Yes.

Why?

Yes. Why, Jack?

Why do men do that?

Because I'm weak.

I make bad decisions.

I ruin everything worthwhile.

I'm broken, and I can't be fixed.

No. Everyone can be fixed.

Kenneth is gonna be fixed once she's gone.

[g*nsh*t]

Aah!

[Sobbing]

[Music playing]

Janice: Beth.

Do you have a moment?

Not if it involves words like "I'm sorry, why didn't I see it?"

Or any other such blame game lingo about how you didn't know Andrea Brown was behind all this.

I guess I don't need a moment.

Janice, go home, open some wine, listen to Stevie Nicks.

We had a great day.

Thank you, Beth. Good night.

Good night.

It's Pearl Jam.

Nothing against The Carpenters, but it might be time to step into a new decade.

Cool.

Jack: You work long hours.

I like what I do.

Do you even have a personal life?

What do you want, Jack?

I have a problem.

It involves Deputy D.A. Amanda Taylor.

What about her?

We had a relationship back in New York.

She got pregnant, had a kid.

I denied it was mine for years.

Back then, I wasn't much of a father.

I wasn't around, I was... I was horrible.

Amanda and I had a complicated relationship... up and down, in and out of each other's lives, and she transferred to L.A. to get away from me, but here I am.

Is that it?

No. I made other mistakes while I was in New York, things in my past that could still hurt me, jeopardize my career.

Fix it.

I don't know if it can be fixed.

I wouldn't know where to begin.

Well, the truth seems to be working for you.

Today anyway.

Fix it, Jack. I'd hate to lose you.

You're good.

[Music playing]

Here we go again.

Just a minute, please.

There's nothing more to talk to you about, Jack.

I've got a meeting with Beth in the morning.

Amanda, I... my father d*ed.

3 months ago.

I didn't know.

He wasn't such a good guy.

You knew that.

And neither am I.

I am sorry for your loss, but whatever your grief is coughing up right now doesn't concern me.

I get it. You blame your father for all of your bad behavior, and you should.

He didn't give you one too to cope with in this world, but I don't blame your father.

I only blame you.

I know I hurt you, and I can't undo it, but this is it, Amanda.

I'm begging you. I can change my life. I know I can.

I promise you I'll stay away from Ethan.

Please just let me stay. I can make it here, I can make it work. I know I can. I can prove it. Maybe... maybe not today or tomorrow, but one day, you'll see.

See what?

[Sighs] A different man.

And what's gonna happen then?

I don't know. We're not there yet, but anything could happen. Change brings change. You're right. I haven't been a good father, but maybe one day, I-I can be. You won't have a sitter, and Trent will be working, and you'll need someone to take care of Ethan.

Maybe you'll pick up the phone and call me, and I can... I can take him to eat or a movie.

That's not gonna happen, Jack.

OK.

Let me stay anyway.

I got nowhere else to go.

I don't know, Jack. My minute's up. You listened. That's all I could hope for.

[Music playing]