01x10 - Hostile Witness

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Cruel Summer". Aired: April 2021 to present.*
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A Chilling Tale of a girl who mysteriously vanishes and another one who takes over her life.
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01x10 - Hostile Witness

Post by bunniefuu »

(modem beeping, buzzing)

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I am not arguing one side of a "she said/she said" matter.

I'm here to expose the truth.

Ms. Turner is suing Ms. Wallis for defamation, meaning Ms. Turner claims that my client knowingly spread false information about her.

Denise: While we all have deep sympathy for Ms. Wallis...

- reporter: How are you holding up?

- (reporters clamoring)

You're brave, Kate!

Denise: ... that doesn't change the fact that she's broken the law.

Joy: It's okay.

Nick: The burden of proof rests on one person.

- Jeanette!

- Jeanette!

Over here!

- Do you regret suing Kate?

- How do you live with yourself, Jeanette?

Nick: And that person...

- million?

Seriously?

- ... is the plaintiff, Ms. Turner.

- Jeanette, we need some answers here.

- Jeanette!

Jeanette!

Denise: Ms. Wallis's lie transformed Ms. Turner into America's punching bag.

This case isn't about the crimes of a disturbed kidnapper.

(Martin chuckles)

Nick: My client has already endured enough trauma.

Denise: And it has nothing to do with what took place in the outside world while Ms. Wallis was held c*ptive.

Nick: While Ms. Turner enjoyed the trappings of my client's life.

This case is about Ms. Wallis's actions on The Marsha Bailey Show, which have hurt my client's lifetime earning potential to the tune of $ million.

The plaintiff's attorneys will attempt to att*ck my client's integrity.

But the evidence will show nothing.

The evidence will show that Ms. Wallis, on national television, knowingly chose to defame her.

Nick: There is no evidence that my client spread false information, knowingly or otherwise.

Denise: I don't envy you.

Nick: But I do trust you.

Denise: Not to choose sides but to choose the truth, which is about to be revealed.

judge: Tomorrow we'll begin with the plaintiff's case in chief.

- Court is adjourned.

- (gavel raps)

(static squealing)

Joy: I'm so happy you decided to do this.

Your look radiates integrity and elegance.

You picked it out.

- (door closes)

- Ms. Wallis, we're ready for you.

Since you declined earrings and took a hatchet to your hair right before going on national TV...

Yes.

She's ready.

You're gonna do great, honey.

I was found by someone.

Excuse me?

A girl.

I didn't know her very well, or at all, really, but...

to the girl who stayed silent, who let me endure things that I cannot erase...

Jeanette Turner...

I hope you rot in hell.

She can't do that.

She can't name you like that.

Legally, she can't do that.

You weren't supposed to mention Jeanette by name.

Or at all!

Honey, you broke the law!

My turn, I guess.

(reporters murmuring)

- Kate, over here!

- Kate, Kate!

(reporters clamoring)

Come on, Molly, you know better than that.

Molly: Oh, come on.

man: Jeanette, Jeanette!

Would you agree that million is a greedy number?

Denise: We're not answering any questions right now.

Do you regret any of your actions at all?

We're not answering questions right now.

(reporters shouting)

Denise: Back off, please.

Greg: We're done here, guys.

How was court today?

Today was easy.

Tomorrow my lawyer's bringing Kate on the stand as a hostile witness.

And that's good for you.

Right?

Still won't make people like me.

Hey.

I like you.

(computer chimes)

(keying)

(keying)

Doodlebug?

What are you still doing up?

Not eating ice cream straight from the carton, if that's what you're thinking.

Well, I'm not thinking..

I'm thinking you should get me a spoon.

Angela says you're nervous.

You know you can still talk to me, right?

Yeah, Dad.

I do.

Good.

Denise: Ms. Wallis, you've stated repeatedly that Martin Harris captured you by force, correct?

Yes.

And what is it that you maintain happened?

Martin Harris offered me a ride home.

I got in the car, drank the drugged soda he gave me, passed out, and woke up in his basement.

And that's what you relayed to the police, correct?

It is.

And that's what you maintain here today, under sworn oath.

Yes.

Your Honor, I have a one-page document marked "Exhibit ".

May I approach the witness?

Objection, Your Honor, this was not disclosed in discovery.

It's for impeachment purposes, Your Honor.

Overruled.

You may continue.

Ms. Wallis, what is it that you're holding?

A printed chat log between two screen names.

Could you please state those screen names?

Berenice and Traumarama .

Ms. Wallis, could you please read the highlighted passage?

Ms Wallis?

"Traumarama ".

"I went to Martin's looking for safety".

"What would people think if they knew I went there willingly?"

"It'd make them question my whole story".

Denise: Do you recall this conversation, Ms. Wallis?

Or should I call you Traumarama ?

That is your screen name, correct?

I don't understand.

Those chats were private.

Did they tap our phones?

Can they do that?

I did some digging.

It appears that your sister has been chatting under the screen name "Berenice ".

Your parents are calling her now.

Berenice is Ashley?

Kate.

You haven't been honest with me.

And that's a problem.

This is a huge blow to our case.

If there is anything else you're not telling me...

I need to know.

(guitar strumming)

What the hell are you doing here?

There's no apologizing for what I did.

I shouldn't have been drinking.

I shouldn't have given you a ride, but I did.

There's no excuse.

I take full responsibility for what happened.

Well, that's great, Jamie.

You can go now.

But Vince Fuller didn't do anything wrong.

♪ ♪ Mallory: Holy sh*t.

Ashley is Berenice?

Are you sure?

I'm bugging out, Mal.

Did she say why?

Yeah, and she had this weak-ass excuse of, "I needed someone to talk to".

That sounds... nice.

I thought I had found someone like me.

Who had been through hell and back and survived it.

I thought that I was chatting with my future, and she doesn't even exist.

I don't have the whole puzzle.

I was wrong about Berenice and I don't remember Anabelle.

What if I don't have all the pieces?

I think I'm ready to try what Sylvia suggested.

Are you sure?

(doorbell jingles)

We're actually not open yet if you wanna...

I'm so sorry.

Why are you saying this now?

Jamie got me thinking.

About how...

I've been punishing the wrong person.

And I miss you.

It's been so long.

I can't even enjoy hearing that.

What did I do that was so wrong?

Be there for my boyfriend when he got hurt?

I was vulnerable.

I mean, everyone was staring and...

and that's when you tried to out us.

I wasn't thinking about anyone else in that moment except for you and me.

I was terrified, Vince.

You think I'm not scared?

I'm black.

And gay.

In Texas.

We were in this together, Ben.

You just tossed me anywhere.

You're right.

You don't have to answer me right now.

But I want to earn your trust back.

If you'll let me.

(doorbell jingles)

(drink pouring)

crooner: ♪ There she is ♪

♪ Right next to me... ♪

You really wanted to meet me here?

Of all places?

This is where the truth lies.

And that's what we both want, right, Jeanette?

I've wanted to face the truth with you since last summer.

- Why now?

- Taking $ million from my family won't hurt me.

But it will completely bankrupt my parents.

So now that you think I might win, you're interested in settling this outside of court?

You've done some dirty sh*t, Jeanette, but springing those chat logs on me in court was a low blow.

Naming me on TV was a low blow.

You stole what was basically my trauma journal and shared it in a courtroom.

Can you not see how cruel that is?

Can you not see that you ruined my life?

- You stole mine!

- You didn't even want it!

I have read pages and pages of your chat with Berenice.

And I don't know the whole story.

But I know that you're lucky that there are some serious secrets buried with Martin Harris.

I'm Molly Green, standing on the steps of Skylin Courthouse, where Jeanette Turner and Kate Wallis have both yet to appear on day three of Turner v. Wallis.

More on this story as it unfolds.

Since you're accusing me of stealing your life, what about Jamie?

You were over him before you went missing.

But when you came back, you reclaimed him anyway, even though I loved him.

Yeah, you went to great sick lengths to leave me in hell in order to keep him.

- I didn't.

- Let's get to it, then.

What?

I don't have anything to hide.

I know you broke into this house.

Yeah.

To play hide-and-seek.

That's no secret.

I told the cops that last year.

No, not that time.

I know you did it again on Christmas Eve in ' .

Okay.

But I didn't go into the basement that day.

So if you know that, then I guess you weren't in the basement, either, huh?

You're right, I wasn't.

Oh.

So we're really being honest.

I am.

I know you saw me.

And I know I didn't.

train conductor in video: All aboard!

Kate: The night you broke in, I was home alone.

man in video: You think I'd let a funny little redhead like you run around loose here?

(phone beeping)

(line ringing)

(orchestral soundtrack on video)

man: Ah, Julia, I've got to have you!

- Kate: And I was messing with...

- Jeanette: The snow globe.

Kate: How could you know that?

Jeanette: You were making a phone call, right?

Jamie got this weird message on his answering machine.

(music box playing "Auld Lang Syne")

We thought it might be you, but, I mean, it didn't make any sense.

How could you have been making a phone call while you were kidnapped?

Jamie: You've reached Jamie's private line.

You know what to do.

The message was nonsense.

It was breathing...

- (Kate breathing emphatically)

- Jeanette: Once I heard that out-of-tune snow globe, I knew you called from upstairs.

- woman on video: Till death do us part.

- (doorknob turns)

The night you saw me, I hid on the second floor.

(door opens)

Jeanette: Hello?

Hello?

I was sure no one was home.

I saw Martin Harris at the mall.

And then I heard a noise.

(floorboards creaking)

I took the snow globe and I left.

Kate: I found your necklace.

If the necklace proved anything, I'd be arrested by now.

Don't I know it.

I looked out this window and I saw your bike.

But you didn't see my face, did you?

(furniture clatters)

Kate: I heard your voice, I found your necklace.

And I saw your bike.

You lied.

About holding eye contact, I guess?

Your face was shadowed outside, but you were facing me and I saw your bike with the stupid card on the wheel.

(card clicking in spokes)

Oh, my God.

Jeanette: Hey, that's my bike!

Mallory: Who cares?

Go, go, go!

Jeanette: The bike with the boombox?

Mallory: Come on, we have to go!

(cards clicking)

And the card?

That's not my bike.

It's Mallory's.

What?

Mallory's the one who saw you.

Kate: It was Mallory?

How is that even possible?

(cards clicking in spokes)

Oh, sh*t.

You are so getting busted.

Jeanette: Mallory told me later she finally broke in.

She was hoping to see me get caught.

She must have waited until I left.

And then she decided to follow me.

(furniture clattering)

(dog barking)

That must be when you saw Mallory and you thought it was me.

(cards clicking)

(music box playing "Auld Lang Syne")

(playing distorted notes)

What did you steal this time?

- What?

- You lectured me about the list, about the contraband.

You played holier-than-thou right up until cutting me off as a friend, when you've been sneaking into that house this entire time?

- I, um...

- You get some sort of sick pleasure out of it, don't you?

I can't believe you haven't gotten caught yet.

You're a hypocrite and honestly a real weirdo.

I'm not a weirdo.

Look, if you care so much, just take it.

We're not even friends anymore, why do you care what I do?

So just take the stupid thing and get out.

Go!

Jeanette: I gave Mallory the snow globe.

She wouldn't give it back.

Probably to protect you.

If you search her room, I'm sure you'll find it.

You're not lying.

It was really Mallory that saw me.

I didn't see you.

If I didn't think I was right, I would have never accused you.

Jeanette, I am so sorry.

Can I ask...

what happened between you two in this house?

We were friends.

Martin and I.

He was...

kind and fascinating.

I don't really know how else to describe it.

- He seemed...

- Like someone who had secrets?

Yeah.

I slept over that first night.

That night led to more nights.

And friends led to more than friends.

You two were...

Things escalated to a really dark place.

There's just one thing that I can't remember.

And my therapist says that...

if I go back down there, that maybe it will help unlock the memory.

Down to the basement?

Will you come with me?

Yes.

Are you okay?

The night before I was rescued, he came down here.

Something was different.

Something was wrong.

He was vulnerable but weirdly seemed at peace.

Seemed like he had...

made a decision.

Thought he had worked up the courage to actually k*ll me.

You asked me once how this ends.

I've tried to find another way, but there isn't one.

Martin...

we can find one.

No.


The police came here today.

They did?

It's only a matter of time before they're back with a search warrant.

(Kate breathing shakily)

This is Anabelle.

She's a family heirloom.

Why did you bring her down here?

She took my father's life.

Are you gonna take mine?

I'm sorry for the things I've done.

For what I'm about to do.

Martin, please, no.

It's the only way.

Go live your life.

See the world like we wanted.

And know that you were truly loved.

Goodbye, Kate.

(gasping)

♪ Disarm you with a smile ♪

(screaming)

♪ And cut you like you want me... ♪

(screaming, banging on wall)

♪ ... to cut that little child ♪

♪ Inside of me ♪

♪ And such a part of you... ♪

Kate?

♪ Ooh-ooh, the years burn ♪

Kate?

♪ Ooh-ooh... ♪

Listen to me, okay?

♪ The years burn ♪

I was wrong.

♪ I used to be... ♪

It's me and you.

♪ ... a little boy ♪

♪ So old... ♪

We'll find a way.

♪ ... in my shoes ♪

Just give me the g*n, okay?

♪ And what I choose is my choice ♪

♪ What's a boy supposed to do? ♪

You don't wanna do this.

You love me.

♪ The k*ller in me ♪

♪ Is the k*ller in you ♪

♪ The k*ller in me ♪

♪ Is the k*ller in you ♪

(g*nsh*t)

(body thuds)

(g*n thuds)

♪ The k*ller in me ♪

♪ Is the k*ller in you ♪

♪ I send this smile... ♪

Kate: I sat with him all night.

I felt paralyzed.

♪ The k*ller in me ♪

♪ Is the k*ller in you ♪

And guilty for loving him.

And for hating him.

And k*lling him.

In the morning, I called the cops.

The news said he d*ed in a sh**t.

They assumed that, I guess, because he d*ed of a g*nsh*t wound.

(g*nsh*t)

What was that?

What was that?

I think I might have internalized that, too, after a while.

My therapist says that can happen.

I'm the bad guy.

No.

No.

Come on, no one could blame you for k*lling him.

Jeanette, you should sue me.

You didn't deserve any of this.

You should go, take the money.

It was never about the money.

Then what was it about?

All I ever wanted...

was to just...

maybe feel what it was like to be like you.

Not to actually be you, just...

I never felt like I was...

popular or...

beautiful, or enough.

I just wanted to know what that felt like.

To just once...

have the sun shining on me.

Kate: Yes, I was kidnapped.

That's the truth.

After speaking to her in depth myself, there is another truth that I am % certain of.

Jeanette Turner did not see me in Martin Harris's house.

(reporters murmuring)

She is not the monster the media has made her out to be.

Jeanette Turner is a victim.

Kate, does that make you a liar?

How do you feel dragging an innocent girl's name through the mud?

reporter: What prompted this, Kate?

(reporters shouting questions)

(sighing, sniffling)

Kate: Going somewhere?

Mal, I know you saw me.

You befriended me.

And didn't say a word to me about it.

Yes.

How are both of those things true?

I deserve an explanation.

I don't know.

Come on, Mal, it's me.

I saw a woman living freely...

not in the basement.

I figured it was Martin Harris's girlfriend or...

sister or...

something.

You were half-right.

It-it didn't make sense for a missing girl to be in the living room making a call.

Kate: That's when you saw me.

I never in a million years imagined that it was you.

Why would you?

I didn't really think much of it until I heard about your rescue on the news.

And her abductor has been k*lled in a deadly sh**t.

Our news team was there on the scene.

And in a shocking and disturbing turn of events, Kate Wallis's alleged kidnapper was Martin Harris, who was the assistant principal at Skylin High School in Texas.

And the world only thought you were ever in the basement.

Telling my secret meant telling yours, too.

So I chalked it up to being none of my business.

And...

then we became friends.

And I...

Boo, you're no fun!

(somber music playing)

I...

What happened to "no more secrets"?

I'm gonna hop a Greyhound and get out of town.

You will never see me again.

And leave me?

Here?

Without you?

Don't you dare.

(Mallory crying)

- (bell rings)

- director: Quiet on set.

- (crew murmuring)

- director: Okay, go!

man: Hold.

Okay.

I'm sitting here with Jeanette Turner, the young woman at the center of a misunderstanding that cost a year of her life and her sanity.

She is, in this moment, the most wronged woman in America.

Jeanette...

given your resilience, your grace, your strength...

you are an inspiration.

And for the part I played in what happened to you, I am deeply sorry.

Thank you, Marsha.

I'm incredibly grateful to be here today.

I've watched and...

I know you're all kumbaya and forgiveness now, but...

what I'm watching is an absolute creep show.

Maybe.

But that creep also happens to be innocent.

Let's go for a drive.

Jeanette: ... if there's one thing I've learned from all this...

- Mallory: Where are we going?

- I have to ask...

(Kate laughs)

You dropped the lawsuit against Kate, walking away from a potential $ million settlement.

What made you do that?

It was never about the money, Marsha.

Only the truth.

And now that the truth has come out, what does life look like on the other side?

Well, I have the greatest dad who never left my side, and... the best boyfriend I could hope for.

Is there anything else you'd like to share before you wrap up?

There is something I want to say.

To the girl who named me.

Who could have cleared all this up sooner but didn't.

Kate Wallis...

I forgive you.

♪ I'm only happy when it rains ♪

♪ I'm only happy when... ♪

Aw sh*t!

(laughing)

I love this song!

♪ You know I love it... ♪

You are getting out and dancing with me this time.

♪ And why it feels so good... ♪

Okay, fine.

Yea-eah-eah!

(laughing)

(song playing loudly)

(girls cheering, laughing)

Come on!

♪ Pour your misery down on me ♪

♪ Pour your misery down ♪

♪ Pour your misery down on me ♪

♪ I'm only happy when it rains ♪

♪ I feel good when things are going wrong ♪

♪ I only listen to the sad, sad songs... ♪

(both cheering)

(contemplative music playing)

Kate: Hello?

Hello?

Martin?

Is someone there?

If anyone can hear me, it's Kate Wallis!

Can you hear me?

Martin's locked me down here.

Please help me!

♪ I wish I was special ♪

Please help me out!

♪ You're so very special ♪

Is anybody there?

♪ But I'm a creep ♪
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