01x08 - What Happened in Bridgeport

[bunniefuu]

NARRATOR: Previously, on Hardy Boys...

FRANK: Why did my mother's investigation

into Bridgeport's powerful
families lead her to Rosegrave?

DEAN MCFARLANE: Because if you
can control the future leaders,

you can control the world.

- You're making them sound like they're...
- A secret organization?

That's what they are.

I think it has something
to do with my grandmother

and my great-grandfather,

and this weird power that
they have over everything.

I'm just glad that you're here,

'cause I don't think I
could have done this alone.

- JOE: Stop, stop, stop, stop!
- Whoa, whoa! Listen to your brother, Frank.

This is JB Cox.

I stole a golden idol from a k*ller,

and you guys cost me fifty grand.

FRANK: Your buyer has something
to do with our mother's m*rder.

- [GRUNTS]
- [SHATTERS]

We got confirmation that this
comes from a police-issue jacket.

It's Collig's jacket.

Aah!

- TALL MAN: Where is the piece?
- FRANK: What piece?

- JOE: Hey, stretch!
- [CLANGING]

- [GRUNTING]
- [CAR WHOOSHING]

- [HORN HONKS]
- [TALL MAN YELLS]

- [TIRES SKIDDING]
- [THUDS]

[GASPING]

I swear I didn't see
him. I, I couldn't stop.

What did I do?

JOE: Is he dead?

Please, somebody get him an ambulance!

Hold on, hold on. Don't go
near him. Don't go near him.

I have to see if he's okay.

This is my uncle's car and
I just got my license...

- What's your name?
- Stacy.

Stacy, it's gonna be okay, Stacy.

- He's not moving.
- It's okay.

Joe!

STACY: I didn't even see him.
I mean, I, I couldn't stop.

- He came out of nowhere and I...
- [SIRENS BLARING]

- What did I do?
- FRANK: Just take a deep breath.

- Okay? It's gonna be okay.
- [SIREN BLARING]

[CAR DOORS CLOSING]

COLLIG: Don't touch him.

- What happened?
- He was chasing us.

And he just jumped right
in front of this girl's car.

- I, I couldn't stop.
- Officer, check for vitals.

Is he dead?

COLLIG: Young lady, you're gonna
have to come down to the station

with one of these officers.

Boys, you can come along with me.

MAN: Guys, get inside.
Come on. Get inside, please.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

[CHATTERING, COMMOTION]

JOE: You think he's dead, dead?

I don't know.

♪

[CAR DOOR CLOSES]

[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]

COLLIG: Boys, you got lucky.

Glad to see you're both okay.

Now, any idea why that guy
might have been chasing you?

Probably to get revenge for
capturing him on the Morton farm.

Yeah, he kind of came out of nowhere.

Nowhere.

- FRANK: Nowhere.
- [DOOR CLOSES]

Is Stacy okay?

Yes. She's in there getting
checked and giving her statement.

- Right.
- Did he say anything to you at all?

Who sent him? What he's
doing in Bridgeport?

No.

Uh, like I said, we don't know anything.

Come on. You gotta know something.

JESSE: Chief, I think they're tired.

Hooper, why don't you go and
get a report on our dead escapee

down to coroner's office.

Will do.

I called your Aunt
Trudy. She's on her way.

COLLIG: Now, look,
this is the third time

this guy's come after you.

You gotta know something.

The only thing we know is that
nobody seemed to be able to keep him.

He escaped from the hospital,

and then right out of your jail.

How'd that happen, anyways?

I'm still trying to figure that out.

You know, my dad says that
escapes are usually inside jobs.

Joe...

Your dad... Your dad's a good cop.

But he better watch what he says
to young, impressionable boys.

TRUDY: Boys. You okay?

Thanks so much for helping, Ezra

Come on. Let's go home.

Come on.

What's going on?

We have no idea why
he's gone after the boys.

And they're not telling me anything.

So, if there's anything
you can tell me...

No.

You want a piece of advice?

Keep those boys under control.

Because trouble seems to follow them.

Thanks again for your help.

TRUDY: Come on.

- [DOOR OPENS]
- JESSE: Trudy!

TRUDY: Thanks for calling me so quickly.

- Of course.
- [CAR DOORS CLOSING]

- I hope they're okay.
- The man that was after them is...

He won't be coming after
them again. He's dead.

- Call you later?
- Yeah.

[ENGINE STARTS]

- [DISTANT SIREN BLARING]
- [INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[MYSTERIOUS MUSIC PLAYING]

Well, he's not gonna be
a problem anymore, ma'am.

- JESSE: Hey, Chief?
- Hooper.

I got that report that you asked for.

Uh, great. Thank you.

[DOOR SLAMS]

- [PHONE RINGING]
- [INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[FOLDER THWACKS]

[SIGHS]

- [BIRDS CHIRPING]
- [DISTANT DOG BARKING]

The paramedics, they
checked you and everything?

JOE: Yeah.

What about the girl?

JOE: Stacy?

I saw her leaving the police
station. She seemed okay.

What a terrible thing
for her to experience.

You boys, too.

If anything happened
to either of you, I...

I don't know what I'd do.

Aunt Trudy?

Yeah?

You'd miss me more, right?

[FRANK CHUCKLES]

Seriously, we're fine.

Stacy saved our lives. So...

She's pretty cool in my book.

Speaking of books...

Yeah.

So, your dad's not back,

and you need to go to school.

So, you are officially
Bridgeport boys now.

What?

TRUDY: It's not that bad. It's
just till your dad gets back.

You can be the mysterious new kids.

- Okay?
- Is there any way we could defer,

- for like a year?
- TRUDY: Yeah, it's not happening.

Do you guys wanna
watch a movie? Popcorn?

Yeah.

How can we even think about school now?

At least we don't have to worry
about being hunted anymore.

♪

[DOOR OPENS]

[TYPEWRITER KEYS CLACKING]

BIFF: Dinner is served.

- JESSE: Pastrami?
- Mm-hmm. With extra mustard.

[EXHALES] Kid of the year.

- Guess you heard?
- About Tall Man?

Yeah. I called Joe before I came here.

- He seemed okay.
- That's good.

But I don't think he is.

Do you trust Chief Collig?

Of course.

And cops have, like, a code, right?

Not to hurt those who
they have to protect.

What's this about?

Just worried about Joe.

JESSE: And?

And you.

Me?

Elizabeth, talk.

Okay.

Swear you to secrecy.

Joe and his brother think Chief Collig

is involved in something corrupt,

with powerful people in Bridgeport.

And they think he was doing
something shady last week

near the abandoned brick factory.

What?

- What did they see?
- I don't know.

But I just want you to be careful.

I'm always careful. And he's the chief.

All right? He's always
investigating something.

That's probably what the
boys saw at the brick factory.

You have nothing to worry about, okay?

Okay.

And this stays between us, right?

Promise.

Let's eat.

[DOOR OPENS, BUZZES]

MAN: JB Cox.

[JB PANTING]

This place has the worst security.

Do I know you?

MAN: I represent the
people that hired you.

And which I delivered, as instructed.

Someone came to pick it up.

You know, I'm still waiting on my money.

Do you know anything about that?

You did not deliver as instructed.

You were expected to hand
over the piece, as is.

- What are you talking about?
- It wasn't the idol that we wanted.

It was what was inside.

There's a piece missing. Where is it?

How was I supposed to know
there was something inside?

That's not my concern.

Your delivery was incomplete.

And you won't get paid until you
get the piece that was inside.

[GRUNTS]

[THUDS]

The next time, my visit
won't be as friendly.

[DOOR OPENS]

- [PANTING]
- [DOOR CLOSES]

[EXHALES SHARPLY]

[POP MUSIC PLAYING]

- How many is that?
- It's only my second.

Gross.

- CHET: Wilt.
- Hey.

Ready for this annual BTS brownie.

Yeah, my favorite time of the year.

Bunch of mopey teenagers
eating all my ice cream.

What's a BTS brownie?

Well, the consumption of the BTS
brownie is a traditional activity

that the youth of Bridgeport partake in

to commemorate the
last day of our freedom.

We're in the end of the fun.

Long, languid days of hunting criminals,

and being hunted down by K*llers.

[SIGHS] Goodbye, fun.

- [CHUCKLES]
- JOE: BTS...

Back to school!

Wow, we've got a real
detective here. [CHUCKLES]

We stuff our faces with
brownies and ice cream

to lament the loss
of yet another summer.

- Join us.
- I could use some ice cream.

- You just had ice cream.
- I could use some more.

Wilt, you know what to do.

Okay, so what's the big deal with this?

- CALLIE: Oh, well, it's massive.
- Frank, Frank.

Why don't you take your
break now and join 'em?

- Really?
- WILT: Yeah.

- Thanks, Wilt.
- [GLASSES CLINKING]

So, heard about that accident yesterday.

Can't believe that
guy escaped from jail.

And then he got smoked by a car.
What did you guys see? Details.

I mean, it's pretty scary.

One second he had Frank, then
I smashed him with a trashcan,

and he got away.

Then out of nowhere, this
car comes in, and bam.

Smoked.

Did you see who was driving?

Yeah. Some girl named Stacy Baker.

So, he's really gone, then.

He's gone.

I can't believe you
guys saw a dead body.

[SCOFFS]

Somebody change the subject.

Okay, yeah. How about this?

As of tomorrow, we'll
all be stuck in school.

- Yes!
- I think I've got Mr. Asher.

- Oh... Brutal.
- Oh...

I heard all he talks about is
his arthritis, and third divorce.

Yeah, it's true. Oh, don't go to
the bathroom on the second floor.

Toilets are always broken.
Found out the hard way.

- [CHUCKLES]
- CALLIE: And if you can,

get a locker in the south hallway.

The north side has that weird smell.

Oh, and make sure to join the AV club.

We just got a new projector.
It's gonna be so bright.

- WILT: Aah. There you go.
- CHET: Order up.

- [EXCITED CHATTER]
- There we go.

- Oh, wait a second. I forgot...
- Oh, no, no, no.

- [LAUGHTER]
- WILT: Okay, never mind. There you go.

CHET: Thank you, Wilt!

So good.

- BIFF: Brownie.
- CALLIE: Raspberry's mine.

CHET: Where's this mango?

JOE: Mm...

[GROANS] Too much ice cream.

[WHISPERS]: What?

Aunt Trudy, were you in my room?

TRUDY: Seriously? Me?

I wouldn't dare. That place is
a mess. You should clean it up.

Yeah. I'll get right on it.

Oh, what is going on?

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

[CRICKETS CHIRPING]

[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]

FRANK: Joe!

You ready for your first day of school

in beautiful Bridgeport tomorrow?

Come on, man. It's not that bad.

What happened in here?

Good question.

FRANK: This is messy, man, even for you.

I didn't do this.

What do you mean?

Someone totally searched my
room. And it wasn't Aunt Trudy.

They take anything?

No. I don't think they found
what they were looking for.

You're sure someone was in here?

Yep. They even looked in this.

Who would have done this?

I don't know.

But it's pretty weird.

What if someone's still looking
for the piece from the idol?

Do we tell Trudy?

No, no. We can't.

You know what she's like when
she gets freaked out. Okay?

Okay.

[" LUFTBALLONS" BY NENA PLAYING]

♪ Bag of balloons with
the money we've got ♪

♪ Set them free at the break of dawn ♪

- ♪ Till one by one they were gone ♪
- First first day without Mom.

- ♪ Back at base bugs in the software ♪
- Hey.

Remember when she used to put

those smiley-face
stickers on our notebooks?

Or the messages she used
to leave on our lunch bags?

- Yeah. Like this?
- Couldn't help myself.

It's tradition.

Hey, Frank?

I suddenly don't feel too hot.

Will you write me a sick note?

No. I'm going in. You're coming with me.

♪

PHIL: Welcome to the first day
back at Bridgeport public school.

Phil Cohen here, reminding you
to sign up for extra-curriculars

on the bulletin board by
the sports trophy case.

[CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY]

♪ red balloons floating
in the summer sky ♪

- ♪ Panic bells, it's red alert ♪
- [BELL RINGS]

♪ There's something here
from somewhere else ♪

- ♪ The w*r machine springs to life... ♪
- MS. DIAZ: Tammy Deagan.

- ♪ Opens up one eager eye ♪
- MS. DIAZ: Patricia Edwards.

Frank Har... Hardy.

- ♪ red balloons go by ♪
- Yeah.

I, uh, I knew your mother.

Welcome, Frank.

Jimmy Hurst.

And you must be Stacy Baker.

Grab a seat.

Sam Lobello.

Nicole Ledger?

♪ And here is a red balloon ♪

MS. DIAZ: Chris Morton.

♪ I think of you and let it go ♪

TEACHER: Elements are categorized...

BIFF [WHISPERING]: And he didn't
come alive, like after the carnival?

- You sure?
- JOE [WHISPERING]: Yes, I'm sure.

TEACHER: How many valence electrons...

I just saw him there on
the ground, being dead.

Wow.

TEACHER: Find the number, and its
electron, each element listed...

BIFF: Okay.

[WHISPERS]: Um, I have
a confession to make.

Please don't hate me.

I told my mom that you and Frank
suspect something of Chief Collig.

- [LOUDLY]: What?
- TEACHER: Mr. Hardy?

- Back to work.
- JOE [WHISPERS]: Why?

A little scared, okay?

He's my mom's boss.

And after we found the jacket,

I just want her to be safe.

What if she starts asking questions?

It might tip him off to us
before we can investigate.

I swore my mom to secrecy.

She won't.

Are you sure?

She won't.

Also...

Here.

Keep this with you at all times.

- What's it for?
- To communicate.

If you ever need me, just call.

You know, for safety and stuff.

Thanks, Biff.

JESSE: Hey, boss.

Thought you'd like a fresh cup.

You've turned reading my
mind into an art form, Hooper.

- I wish.
- Thank you.

Long days, huh?

Aw, yeah. I've been...
dealing with a lot lately.

I can't believe the craziness
happening in this town.

Yeah.

[EXHALES] Reading up on
our, uh, tall criminal.

Oh, yeah. Um, well, I was just, uh...

Trying to figure out
who he was, and, um...

how he escaped.

'Course, can be difficult
with him being dead.

I thought you said the
case was out of our hands.

That we had no jurisdiction.

Well, yeah. Of course, of course. Um...

I just wanted to inform myself.

I mean, the man d*ed
in Bridgeport streets.

I wanna be vigilant about
what's going on in my town.

Of, of course. Yeah.

Yeah.

Okay.

Oh.

I'm off on patrol.

I'm going to check out that old,
uh, Matthew Brothers brick factory.

Got a report of activity
there the other day.

You didn't happen to hear
anything about that, did you?

Uh, no, no. Not for a few weeks.

I haven't been around
there in a while. Uh...

Who reported it?

Anonymous call.

Maybe it's nothing.

Yeah, yeah. Be nothing.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

[DOOR SQUEAKS OPEN]

[RAIN PATTERING]

[SIGHS]

Brick dust.

[SCHOOL BELL RINGING]

See you all tomorrow.

[STUDENTS CHATTERING]

Ms. Diaz.

- Frank.
- You said you knew my mom?

I'm sorry. I, I didn't
mean to react. I just, uh...

I heard about Laura's death. I'm sorry.

Thanks.

It's cool to go to the same
school she used to go to.

Makes me wonder what she
was like when she was my age.

Tenacious. Driven.

- Loved baseball.
- Yeah, that sounds like my mom.

You guys were close?

Uh, not at first. We worked on
the school newspaper together.

You know, she had this certain knack

of finding stories people couldn't see.

Yeah. Her intensity put people off,

but I came to admire it.

Did you know a Paul McFarlane?

He dated my mom in high school.

I, I did.

Yeah, he worked on the paper with us.

Your mom and Paul were quite the team.

I just met him, actually, at Rosegrave.

He showed me around.

Rosegrave?

Yeah, I couldn't reach him
afterwards, so I was wondering

- if you had contact with...
- You know, it was so long ago, Frank.

I mean, memories become fuzzy,

- and it's just...
- Right, for sure.

But I was wondering if
you'd tell me what...

Look, I have to go, but
you have a good day, okay?

[FOOTSTEPS DEPARTING]

CALLIE: So, she got weird
when you asked about your mom?

Yeah. She didn't want to talk about it.

- Super weird.
- CHET: Hey, guys.

This stuff is too terrible,
but yet, I keep eating it.

CALLIE: Think it has
something to do with Rosegrave?

I don't know about Rosegrave.

Maybe something to do with my mom
and her connection to Dean McFarlane.

She clearly didn't wanna talk about it.

STUDENT: Hey, come sit with us!

FRANK: Hey.

CHET: Who's that?

It's Stacy. Don't be awkward.

I'm never awkward.

- FRANK: Hey.
- Hey.

I'm Chet.

I'm Callie. Hey.

So, what do you think of the school?

- All the hallways look the same.
- CALLIE: Mm.

I circled one three times this
morning looking for my class.

That's our trick
hallway for new students.

You passed. [CHUCKLES]

CHET: So, Stacy, where're you from?

Please don't say Dixon City,

- 'cause we already got two dorks from there already.
- [FRANK LAUGHS]

No, I'm from Franklin. It's a
little town up north of Grisham.

My dad travels a lot, so I'm
here with my aunt and uncle,

and that's the fascinating story
of how I come to Bridgeport.

I live with my aunt right now,
too. My dad's out for work.

Franklin. Uh, home of the Famous Funnel!

They have that crazy baker
that makes funnel cakes.

Oh, uh, yeah. Fendy's Bakery.

- CALLIE: Yeah, yeah.
- Yes. Uh,

I don't have much of a
sweet tooth, though. So...

Stacy, I'm really sorry
about what happened.

Thank you.

Sorry. That sounded weird.

It's just, people keep
asking me things like,

"What did he look like
lying on the ground,"

and "What did it sound
like when I hit him."

You have some really
morbid kids at this school.

Yeah, but you saved me
and my brother's lives,

so, just ignore them.

Why was that guy chasing you, anyway?

Like we tell everyone, we don't know.

You know what, Stacy?

You should try some of our
school's brown mush lunch special.

- CALLIE: Mm.
- It's some of Bridgeport's finest.

- CALLIE: Tempting.
- STACY: Yeah, no.

- CHET: No?
- STACY: No.

- Okay. Probably for the best.
- [CALLIE CHUCKLES]

[POP SONG PLAYING]

JOE: Wilt, I'm grabbing
a soda and chips.

Try the new snazzy cherry
flavor. It just came in.

You got it.

[JOE GASPS]

- What the...
- JB: Relax, Joey.

- [JOE GRUNTS]
- [CLATTERING, CLANGING]

[SLAMS]

JB: It's me.

JB. What are you doing here?

I'm sorry for the
dramatic reunion. I just...

don't really want anybody
knowing that I'm here.

How you doing? You look
good. Is that a new backpack?

- I thought you left town.
- [EXHALES]

- What do you want?
- That's a good question. Um...

I need the thing that
was inside the thing

that I hid inside your bedroom, okay?

It was you!

- You were in my room yesterday!
- Yeah, I was in your room yesterday.

If you could just... focus on
the thing that I need, because...

Joey, I, I know you have it.

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

Okay, I'm gonna level with you.

Um, if I don't deliver this thing,

my life is in danger, okay? So, I
kind of need a little bit of help.

I can't.

Yeah. I, uh, I get it.

A good deal needs something
of value to exchange.

What do you want to exchange?

[EXHALES]

You give me whatever piece
is inside that idol...

And I can get you information
on your mother's m*rder.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

So, JB doesn't have the information,
but he says he can get it.

It'll help us find
out who came after Mom.

I don't know, Joe. It sounds a lot like

he's just doing this
to get what he wants.

Well, I already told him that
I'd bring him the piece tomorrow.

- Joe!
- I had to think fast.

Now what?

- I was thinking...
- And look where that got you.

That we need help.

- Like, official help.
- Meaning what?

Biff's mom.

- No, Joe...
- Biff already told her

- that we think Collig showed up at the brick factory.
- What?

She swore to keep quiet.

And I think we could
really use her help.

Do you really think Biff's mom
is gonna arrest her own boss?

I don't know.

But what I'm thinking is
that I go to her after school,

and tell her that JB's back in town.

She comes back with me, arrests JB,

and whoever he's supposed
to be delivering to.

And if it's Collig...

Then we catch him and we
protect your lucky charm.

Exactly. Good plan?

It's not bad.

I know. 'Cause I'm the
smart brother, remember?

No, you're not.

[EXHALES]

You're the brother who
gets us into trouble.

JB is way too smart to fall for this,

and there's no guarantee that
Biff's mom will believe any of this.

- Just give me some credit.
- [DISTANT DOOR CLOSES]

- I'm doing this.
- No, you're not!

TRUDY: Boys! I'm home!

How was the first day of school?

[JOE SIGHS]

[CLATTERING]

[TRUDY SIGHS]

JESSE: Thanks for inviting me over.

Work is really taking me hostage.

TRUDY: Well, I thought a cheesy movie

and some junk food would be
just what the doctor ordered.

For me or for you?
Something's on your mind.

One guess.

Those incorrigible yet
adorable Hardy boys?

- Bingo.
- How are they doing?

I worry about them, you know?

They're kids. Worrying
about them is our job.

I want to be their friend, but
I also want to be a good aunt.

You are a good aunt, Trude.

Look, every day, no matter
what those boys deal with,

they come back to this house for safety.

You give them that.

You're their home.

[MOVIE PLAYS OVER TV]

Thanks. Thanks for saying that.

Hey, I get it.

I'm still trying to figure it out, too.

[SIGHS]

Now Biff is coming to
me with info about...

What?

What's going on with Biff?

[JESSE EXHALES]

Biff said that Frank and Joe think
that Ezra might be involved...

with something...

corrupt.

What? Why?

I don't know. That's all Biff told me.

And I'm only telling you because
this involves all our kids.

Collig.

What do you think?

I think it was crazy, except...

I feel like he's hiding something.

It's weird. I feel like I
can't even trust my own boss.

You know what? We can't live like
this. We've got to do something.

You're right.

What should we do?

I come from a family of detectives.

I'm gonna do what comes naturally.

Snoop.

[STUDENTS CHATTERING]

Ooh.

Mm. Your mom is a baking goddess.

Sure is.

So, you still gonna go to Rosegrave,

after all you found out?

I mean, maybe.

Still kind of shocked
by the whole thing.

It's crazy to think that the one thing

you wanted all your life is
not what you thought it was.

But it's still a real prep school

and it's still a really
big opportunity for me.

So...

It's your call.

And besides, maybe you won't
have to learn a secret language

or a secret handshake.

But you'll probably have
to get a tattoo, though.

- Don't make me rethink this.
- [CHET CHUCKLES]

No, you got a bigger decision to make.

- [BELL RINGS]
- [DOORS OPEN]

Well, my class is there.

- I'm there.
- Yeah. See ya.

[STUDENTS CHATTERING]

GIRL: So crowded... Hey,
watch where you're going!

[MYSTERIOUS MUSIC PLAYING]

[SIGHS]

Hey, city boy.

I thought I was
officially a country boy,

now that I'm attending school here.

If you can attend the
Harvest Pumpkin Aura Festival,

and successfully not roll your
eyes, then you might be a contender.

- I don't even want to know what that is.
- [CALLIE CHUCKLES]

So, where's Stacy?

I don't know. I haven't seen her yet.

- Why?
- I thought you two were hitting it off.

Bonding over the accident
and being the new kids.

- She seems nice. If not...
- Yeah.

... a little odd.

Right. Well, you used to
feel that way about me.

Oh, I still do.

She seems cool. Give her a chance.

Yeah. Totally. She must still
be shaken up from the accident.

Yeah, that and it's kind of
hard to start over somewhere new.

I know. And if she's even
half as resilient as you,

she'll be just fine here.

Okay, this is my class. Where are you?

I'm gonna go see Ms. Diaz.

See if I can get her to talk to me.

Wish me luck.

All the luck in the world.

Ms. Diaz?

- Hey.
- Is now a good time to talk?

My class is about to start, Frank.

I just need a couple minutes. Please?

Two minutes.

Dean McFarlane said that my mom
found out something that changed her

when she was in high school.

I don't know.

I think it's important.

[SIGHS] Look, it was
a little... strange.

One day she came in saying that
she discovered something shocking

about her family, and the
power structure of Bridgeport.

Do you know what she found out?

She said her family
was running the town,

and she wanted to expose it.

She wrote a piece, but
it never got published.

Why?

Staff advisor shut it down.

Laura freaked out. She thought
her family had it shut down.

And nobody did anything.

I mean, it was a school newspaper.

I mean, we're all mad at
our parents at that time.

Nobody thought anything of it.

- Is there a copy of this article anywhere?
- [BELL RINGS]

Well, if you are really interested,

I would check the newspaper archive.

I mean, if it's gonna be
anywhere, it could be there.

But it's a bit disorganized.

Uh, where's the archive?

The basement. Hope you don't mind mold.

Thanks.

- [FRUSTRATED SIGH]
- FRANK: Stacy?

STACY: Uh, hey, Frank.

You okay? What happened?

Yeah, it's just kids making jokes.

I hear them talking behind my back.

Can't decide if I'm a
celebrity, or a freak.

Oh, definitely a freak.

[LAUGHING]

Hey, it's a small town, and
you came in big. It'll pass.

Will it?

People are still talking
about me and my brother.

I can feel them looking
at me with pity, so...

Pity?

Oh, um...

Yeah, my mom d*ed recently.

Oh, I'm so sorry. I, I didn't know.

No, it's okay.

Um, it's been kind of
weird for me here, too,

'cause she grew up here.
She went to school here.

She's kind of everywhere I look.

So we are both having the
best start to school ever, huh?

- [CHUCKLES]
- [LAUGHS SOFTLY] Yeah.

Um, and hang in there.

'Cause there's a lot of really
nice people here in Bridgeport.

- You'll see.
- Thanks.

Listen, I've got to get to class.

But do you want to walk with me?

Uh, I have something I need to
do, but I'll, I'll catch you later?

Yeah. Yeah, for sure.

- Okay.
- Okay.

Okay.

[DOOR CLOSES]

I hate this town.

I hate it, I hate it, I hate it...

I hate it.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

Gloria Estabrook and... associate.

Huh.

♪

A nice, generous donation.

Very generous.

Okay.

PHIL: Joe, did you not want to come

to the Conspiracy Theory Club meeting?

Hakeem's bringing pudding cups.

Phil, your entire life
is a conspiracy theory.

And how many clubs are you in?

My interests know no bounds.

Clearly. Look, man, I gotta go.

- Where?
- I gotta tell the cops about my own conspiracy theory.

Hey, man. You, you dropped your...

You dropped your walkie.

[SIGHS]

[CAR ENGINE RUMBLING LOUDLY]

- [TIRES SCREECH]
- [BANGING]

[CAR DOOR OPENS]

Hey, Joey.

- [CAR DOOR CLOSES]
- This isn't your way home.

You weren't going to the police
station to turn me in, were you?

JOE: What if I was?

Guess I'd be a little bit disappointed.

I thought we had an understanding.

But that's okay, 'cause
plans have changed.

- What?
- I learned something.

Something that's gonna get me paid,
and out of this backwater town.

- I don't have what you're looking for.
- But you do.

You know where it is.

We're going for a ride, Joey.

I'm not your accomplice anymore.

No, you're not. You're my leverage.

[ENGINE RUMBLING LOUDLY]

[BIKE WHEELS WHIRRING]

PHIL: Whoa.

[STATIC] Biff.

Biff, you there? We have a situation.

We have a situation. [STATIC]

JOE: What are we doing?

JB: Well, can't exactly drive
up to the front door now, can we?

Whose front door?

Well, that would ruin the
surprise... for you and for them.

[EXHALES]

JOE [WHISPERS]: Where's my walkie?

Wait, do you think that I
brought you out here to k*ll you?

Maybe.

Seriously?

Joey, I'm not a k*ller.

- Ever?
- No! I've never k*lled anyone.

Ever. You actually thought
I was gonna k*ll you...

- You did just abduct me.
- I, I didn't abduct anyone.

This wasn't an abduction, okay?

It's gonna be fine, I promise.

I'm not gonna tell
you where the piece is.

You don't have to tell me. But...

You have to tell them, okay?
'Cause if you tell them,

then I can get paid,

and you can get some
information on your mom, okay?

Are you taking me to Chief Collig?

Collig? Why would I be
taking you to Chief Collig?

He was the one at the factory
who picked up the idol.

Really?

You're a pretty good detective.

Even if you thought I was gonna
stash your body in a hollow tree.

- Please don't talk about how you'd do it.
- [CAR DOOR OPENS]

[JB CHUCKLES]

Come on.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

[GATE CLANGING]

[CLATTERING]

Cooper... Diaz... Estabrook.

A list of all Mom's articles.

Three-sixty.

"Estabrooks, Khans, Nabokovs:
Secret Controllers of Bridgeport."

Three-sixty, three-sixty, three-sixty.

[MYSTERIOUS MUSIC PLAYING]

♪

[TENSE MUSIC CRESCENDOS]

- Grandma?
- Hello, Frank.

I need to see my grandmother right now.

She's on a call.

That's fine. I'll wait. Go get her.

I'll let her know you
came by. Time to go now.

[DISTANT CLATTERING]

- FRANK: Joe?
- STEFAN: What are you doing here?

Not so fun when somebody
crashes your place, is it?

I'm here for my money.
Go get your employer.

You need to leave.

No, no. You said if I brought
you the piece, I'd get paid.

This kid knows where it is.

Let him go, JB.

It's fine, Frank. He's
here for his own reasons.

- What are you talking about?
- JB: The kid wants answers.

Right, Joe?

Seems to think that whoever hired me

had something to do
with k*lling his mom.

So, I figure that leads
back to you, and your boss.

So, get Gloria Estabrook.

♪