07x13 - Hello and Goodbye

[bunniefuu]

-Previously on "L.A. Law..."
-Daniel's been subpoenaed

to testify at the grand jury

and produce the m*rder w*apon in the Cruz case.

McKenzie
-Brackman will not have an associate in this firm

prosecuted for suppression of a m*rder w*apon.

Then maybe I'm at the wrong firm.

Mr. Morales, do you persist in refusing to answer?

I do, Your Honor. I mean no disrespect.

Then I must find you guilty of contempt.

You are herewith remanded to the custody of the Sheriff.

Bailiff?

Make sure you tell the sitter so she stays with Lucy.

Yes, I will.

Do you have everything you need?

Yeah. Yeah.

What's the name of Lucy's babysitter?

Janette.


-Oh, my God!
-What?

That woman just took Lucy!

I'm filing a civil suit against the city.


-For what?
-Loss of consortium.

Ann, we've been under tremendous pressure from this trial.

Now you want to make our sex life public?

Stuart, ever since you were injured,

you're not the man I married.

If I can't have you back, someone's going to pay.

Your office called.

Next week, your father's coming to visit.

Years go by, you can barely give me the time of day.

Now, all of a sudden, you show up, pretending we're related?

What's this all about, Pop, huh?


-Nothing.
-No! I wanna know!

I'm dying.

You decide yet what you wanna do this afternoon?

I don't care.

Ugh! The water here tastes like spit.

You're the one who wants to play father and son.

You flew all the way from Boston
-
-

Taking a look at ya.

Tomorrow, I'm back to Boston.

Fine!

I was only thinking...

Trouble is you think too much.

Uhh!

What, Pop?

Oh, I feel like I've been sh*t.

Uh, okay, come on.

Uh, we'll drive you to the hospital.

I can't.

I'm gonna call an ambulance.


-Don't leave me alone.
-I'll be right back!

I said, don't leave!

Hey, could you get me an ambulance? Hurry!

Hang in there, Pop.

[groans] I'm wet.

I peed myself like a damn baby.

You're okay.

[theme music]

What took so long?

You're still facing contempt charges

for withholding evidence.

The judge was reluctant to sign your release.

The judge is just a mean son of a bitch.

My little girl's kidnapped, and he keeps me locked up.

The police are working on a composite sketch

of the woman who took Lucy.

You're sure this is the same woman claiming to be my wife?

Positive.

What about the attorney general's office?

Maybe Melina has some connections there
-
-

Carrie spoke to the FBI agents.

All right, I'll drop you off there.

I'm going back to the courthouse

and look through the files,

see if I can dig up somebody with a motive.

Morales.

You found Lucy?

No, no, no.

You wasted your time withholding evidence

by hiding that g*n, Morales.

What does that mean?

Last night at County, your client

got done in by his own g*ng.

Knifed in the shower.

Well, it looks like you got yourself locked up

for no reason, counselor.

Talk about a mean son of a bitch.

[car drives away]

There's your daddy.

He's probably looking for you.

Any word on Daniel's baby?

No, not yet, but we're all working on the problem.

My old colleagues at Channel have been
-
-

I've got city councilmembers getting the word out in their district.

Well, let's hope these efforts pay off

before time runs out for Lucy.

Well, Collins vs. Reeve and KINX News.

Wasn't this settled?

KINX is offering nuisance value,

but on my advice, Mrs. Collins has refused.


-What cause of action?
-Wrongful death.

We're suing the cameraman and the news group for one million bucks.

Come on, this poor guy's distraught over losing his job,

barbecues himself on TV, you blame the press?

If the cameraman weren't there,

my client's husband would be alive.

Except for the First Amendment, you might have a case.

I know I'm pushing the envelope,

but the people are tired of the media's lack of responsibility.

I think it'll fly.

Who knows? Maybe you'll set a precedence.

We could use the publicity.

Ann Kelsey vs. City of Los Angeles. What's this?

I'm suing the LAPD for inadequate response during the riots.

They had a helicopter overheard during Stuart's att*ck,

and all they did was watch.

Stuart, you're not involved in this action?

No, I'm not. This is Ann's show.

What kind of damages are you looking for?

Loss of consortium.

You're aware with a case such as this,

you can expect questions about your intimacies
-
-

Doesn't matter, Leland.

Clearly, I'm a shadow of my former self.

I understand that this is a matter of public record,

but it's not up for discussion here.

Yes, ma'am.

Stuart, you're making it worse.


-I'm busy.
-Please don't do this.

Why am I getting subpoenaed by the City Attorney's Office?

Because I'm angry, Stuart.

No kidding.

There were two of us who were mugged,

and only one of us was treated!

What about me?

I didn't ask for this, Ann.

I'd give anything for this not to have happened.

But it happened.

And now what I wanna do is get past it!

And what am I supposed to do? I have been waiting
-
-

Waiting for what? What do you want from me, Ann?

I want you the way you were!

Well, that's not possible.

I'm sorry, but that's not possible.

A person can't go through what I went through

and come out the same as you went in.

And if you can't accept that,

I'm packing up and I'm outta here.

How you feeling?

Better.

Get my clothes.

Dr. Horowitz says you gotta lay low.

If I passed out once,

I've passed out a thousand times.

It's no big deal.

Relax, Pop. You're in for a while.

Give me a smoke.

I'm not allowed.

Give me a drink?

Not allowed either.


-Then gimme
-
-
-No more gimmes.

Why don't you get some sleep?

Yeah. I'm tired.

Sure. I'll be here when you wake up.

Daniel?

Oh, hi.


-I'm sorry
-
-
-Linda.


-Right.
-I, uh...

I changed my hair.

Yeah. What are you doing in L.A.?

Moved down a couple months ago.

I found a new, uh, court reporting job.

Of course if I'd known it was so expensive,

I might have stayed in Santa Barbara.

Yeah. Listen, I gotta go.

Listen, you look great.

The city is treating you well.

Actually, it's not.

Really? Can I help?

No. No, thanks. I'll see you later.

If there's something I can do,

please let me know.

Thanks.

And when did your late husband go into his depression?

Last year.

After Trademark Tools moved their manufacturing plant to Taiwan.

After years as a die
-maker, he was on the street,

along with other machinists.

Please go on.

He felt tremendous guilt.

As a workers rep, he helped management

to keep Trademark non
-union in return for the assurance

that their jobs would be secure.

And after the shutdown, he...

he became obsessed with how he'd been lied to.

He wrote letters constantly to congressmen,

magazines, " Minutes."

He believed that what happened to Trademark

was symbolic of what's wrong in this country,

with companies selling out their workers

and shipping jobs overseas.

He wanted his story to be heard.

No one was interested.

Objection. We don't know the state of the decedent's mind.

This is sure speculation.

I'll allow it.

By staging this, uh, spectacle,

my late husband was crying out for help.

But he never would have gone through with it

had it not been for the cooperation of Gordon Reeve.

Your Honor...

Mrs. Collins, while you're on the witness stand,

you will limit your comments

to questions posed by the attorneys, understood?

The jury will disregard Mrs. Collins' outburst.

Nothing further. Thank you.

Mrs. Collins, were you aware in advance

of your husband's preoccupation with his su1c1de?

I knew he was troubled.

On November nd, three days before his su1c1de,

didn't you tell a county mental health worker

that you were afraid your husband might harm himself?

Yes, I called Social Services.

Do you wish you'd done more to prevent your husband's death?

Of course.

And I didn't know what he was planning.

And you honestly believe that my client's

photographing of your husband's su1c1de

influenced his decision to go through with it?

Bill told your client that he wanted to send a message.

Your client was the messenger.

If he'd refused, he would not have done it.

Well, you may feel that way, Mrs. Collins,

but isn't it possible that your husband

would have k*lled himself anyway

even if my client had never turned his camera on?

Gordon Reeve should have done something.

He was only six feet away? Filming?

When my husband doused himself with gasoline...


-Mrs. Collins.
-...and then lit a match!


-Your Honor!
-And then he b*rned!


-Mrs. Collins.
-And he b*rned!

How could you?!

How could you just stand there

and not do something?!

Mrs. Collins, that's enough.

How could you?

ATTORNEY: Nothing further.

No guy is scrubbing my ass.

Especially no guy with earrings!

Uh, why don't I take over?

My father can be kind of difficult.

Not a problem.

Got a dozen more just like him...waitin'.

What kind of a place is this?

You wake up and some h*m* has got his arm around ya!

Pop, relax, huh?

Nobody's had a chance to clean you up, that's all.

You need a bath.

I need a drink.

Enough already with that! Now come on.

Come on. Lean forward.

[groans] Hospitals.

Doctors tell you to rest.

Step by step, they're prodding and poking.

Don't you get tired of complaining?

A fact is a fact.

Hey! Easy.

That water is cold!

You know, you've always bitched about the cold.

So tell me, how come we lived in Boston?

I don't know what you mean,

"How come we always lived in Boston?"

That's where my family was!

I had no choice.

Not like you.

Every step of the way, you did...

BOTH: ...exactly as you pleased.

I did not ask for a lecture.

All I'm trying to get into your head

is that in the end,

all you got is family.

Don't be left alone. You understand?

Pop, there's something I haven't told you.

I've been, um...

Me and Roxie? We're having a baby.

I'm gonna be a grandpa?

Oh! Oh! [laughs]

About : that night,

Bill Collins called the newsroom.


-Did you know who he was?
-Sure.

After the Trademark closing,

Collins was all over the airwaves, giving speeches.

A lot of people knew who he was.

And what did Mr. Collins say on the phone?

He said he was gonna set himself on fire

in front of the Trademark building,

to protest American jobs going overseas.

He said, "Send a camera."

And what did you do?

First, I called the police.

Then I told my station manager, Eric Simms,

and he said, "Cover it."

What happened when you got to the Trademark building?

I didn't see anything at first.

But, uh, as soon as I set down my equipment,

Collins walked out of the alley

carrying a can of gasoline,

stood on the sidewalk, said he was gonna k*ll himself.

I asked him why.

He said, "Turn on the camera and I'll tell you."

What happened next?

I did what he said.

I was, um...

expecting the cops to show.

And what happened after you began rolling the camera?

Collins made a speech,

poured gasoline on himself,

and then he lit a match.

You have no regrets about your actions that day?

Do I second
-guess myself?

Sure.

I feel for Bill Collins...

and his family.

But who's to say that he d*ed in vain?

After what he did,

Trademark scratched plans to close that Anaheim plant.


-Objection. Speculation.
-Sustained.

Mr. Reeve, do you feel responsible

for Bill Collins' death?

Over years as a cameraman,

I've seen a lot of tragedy.

I've seen soldiers blown up by grenades.

I've seen, uh, children starving.

I, uh, I just photograph these things.

I don't cause them.

Thank you. Nothing further, Your Honor.


-Hello, everybody!
-Oh, great.

It's a gorgeous day.

Oh, what a view from the tower of power.

One of these days.

Uh, Dana Romney, city attorney.

Douglas Frackman may have told you about me.

We know who you are, Mr. Romney.

Let's get on with this. All of us are very busy.

We certainly are, Miss Kelsey,

which is why your meritless claim offends me.

Why not spare taxpayers the cost

of defending your charges, and your husband the agony

of, well, my interrogation?


-Excuse me?
-Drop the suit.

Drop dead.

Is it just me or is there

a surplus of hostility in this room?

Okay. [laughs]

Since Miss Taylor's been staying here,

we've rerouted her calls.

Both lines are monitored.

Yeah.

Daniel Morales, this is Mr. Spence from the FBI,

Behavioral Science Unit.

Warren McElroy.

Hi.

I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter.

Do you think she's in danger?

I think it's definitely a consideration, yeah.

I've gone over all the information Melina gave me.

The thing that concerns me is the "Fairy Tale" motif

in the gifts and letters this woman sent.

Characters in children stories often meet tragic ends.

They fall down wells or they're eaten by wolves or
-
-

I remember a rhyme about a cobbler named Grendel

who ground babies up into sausages.

McElroy, you're not helping matters talking this way.

I have successfully assisted

in the safe return of children

kidnapped by mentally unstable suspects.

Mr. Morales, I'd like you to look over some mugshots.

Suspect doesn't have a record.

If you don't mind, I'm not so sure.

Mr. Morales, whenever you're ready.


-Yeah.
-As I was saying,

from everything that I know,

it seems to suggest that this woman suffers

from a combination of psychological disorders.

Primarily erotomania.

She's a sexual deviant?

Erotomania is about romance, not sex.

I mean, it seems this woman has deluded herself

into thinking that she has a relationship with Daniel.


-So she knows Daniel?
-They've definitely met.

You need to search your memory for any acquaintance

that fits the description that Gwen and Melina gave you.

I have.

Wait a minute.

Daniel?

This woman who used to work as a court reporter

for Santa Barbara County.

Linda Salerno.

I just ran into her at the courthouse.

Oh, my God.

I let her get away.

Mr. Markowitz, according to your wife's suit,

since your att*ck, you are not the same man you once were.

Uh, Miss Kelsey cites that the declining rate

of marital concupiscence.

That is, to say, sexual intercourse?

Is that accurate?

Yes.

She says you haven't had sex in over three months?


-Is that accurate?
-Sounds right, yes.

So is it your position, then,

that your lack of intermarital sex

results from the b*ating you took last April?

No, the only reason my wife and I don't have sex

is that I currently find her undesirable.

Really?

I couldn't have secured better testimony

if I'd written it myself. [snickers]


-Are we done?
-Free to go, Mr. Markowitz.

Mr. Reeve, you've testified that you're trained

to avoid becoming part of the story.

That's right.

But it never occurred to you

that by agreeing to videotape Mr. Collins' su1c1de,

you helped create the story.

No. I don't see it that way.

You had no sense that Mr. Collins was performing for the camera?

Most of the people I sh**t are performing for the camera.

And you feel no responsibility

for how others react to being taped?

If I had to worry about that,

I wouldn't be able to do my job.

Let's see what kind of a job you did.

Your Honor, I renew my objection.

This tape is prejudical
-
-

I've made my ruling, Miss Wodjack.

Proceed, Miss Paros.

The board of directors at Trademark

treat the American worker like sl*ve labor.

When are the CEO's of this county gonna learn?

Sending American jobs to a Third World

is creating a Third World right here in the United States!


-Could you hear that?
-Got it!

Mr. Reeve, do you think that by affirming

that Mr. Collins' message was heard,

you encouraged his su1c1de?

He asked me a question, I replied.

I didn't encourage him.


-You ready?
-I'm rolling!

Correct me if I'm wrong,

but didn't you just green light a su1c1de?

No. I didn't tell him to do anything.

A man drenched in gasoline, holding a match,

asks you if you're ready,

and you answer affirmatively.

You don't call that encouragement?

I just told him I was rolling.

What he did was up to him.

[screaming]

[screaming]

As soon as Linda Salerno's photo's faxed,

we'll let Gwen try and make a positive I.D.

She was right there in my face.

It just never occurred to me to do anything
-
-

Stop b*ating yourself up. How well did you know her?

Barely. Sometimes we said hello in the morning.

Or good
-bye at night. That was it.

Why
-why would she pick me?

In most cases of erotomania,

the initial contact is insignificant.

You might not even remember it, but to her,

it's the beginning of the most meaningful relationship in her life.


-Why take Lucy?
-To force a confrontation.

We'll hear form her, within hours.

Or we could be in for a long wait.

[telephone rings]

I'll get that. You guys ready?

No. Miss Taylor, that's your phone.

You better answer it.

[rings]

[rings]


-Hello?
-Hi, Gwen. [baby crying]

Oh, Lucy says hi, too.

Please don't hurt her.

She wants to see you.

And you certainly must want to see her.

Meet us at the Civic Center, in the tunnel.

And, Gwen, don't bring anyone.

[click, dial tone]

Let's go.

No. Hang on. You have to go alone.


-Okay.
-What are you talking about?

She goes by herself? That's out of the question.

No. Listen, we'll be following a short distance behind.

If this woman gets wind of us,

your daughter could be in real danger.

I'm afraid he's right.

Daniel, we don't have any other choice.

It's your choice.

Let's just go.

Hey.

I brought you something to read.

I appreciate it.

Where'd you get that booze?

That orderly.

He wasn't so bad.

So, tell me, do you want to be a father,

or did you just knock Red up?

It was planned, Pop. It was very planned.

You were a mistake.

Your brother, too.

Yeah, you told me.

You see, I never wanted to be a father.

But your ma, oh, she just loved kids.

And if she knew that you're gonna have one,

this would be the happiest day on Earth!

Yeah.

Get yourself a cup.

You know I don't drink anymore.

This isn't anymore.

This is special. We'll toast your baby.

Pop, I'm not gonna have a drink.

All I'm asking
-
-

Try and think back to my
-
-


-A toast to Mullaney!
-Listen!

Get yourself a cup! What's the harm?

Pop, I'm not drinking with you.

This is a request.

Don't you know? I'm dying!

After seven years of being sober,

you want me to fall off the wagon out of pity?

What pity? I'm trying to celebrate.

You're trying to screw me up one last time,

and I won't let you!

Get out.

Look, Pop, let's
-
-

I'm being nice and you spit on me! Out!


-Pop!
-Get the hell out of here!

Mr. Simms, as station manager of KINX News,

have you set a policy governing

the way that your reporters cover the news?

Yes.

We tell our people to get as close as possible

to the event, without breaking the law, of course.

Did Mr. Reeve conform to station policy when covering

the self
-immolation of Mr. Collins?

Yes.

Assisting a su1c1de is against the law, isn't it?

Gordon didn't assist a su1c1de.

He didn't pour the gasoline. He didn't offer a match.

He was there to record an event.

How do you respond to the plaintiff's charge

that the very act of videotaping

encouraged Mr. Collins to k*ll himself?

We've been hit with these charges before.

During the riots, we were accused of fermenting the looting,

simply because we showed pictures of people looting.

But that doesn't change the fact

that what was happening was news.

But you could be selective in what stories you pursue.

Editorial decisions shouldn't be made by courts.

Start telling us what we can and can't cover,

and that's the slippery slope to tyranny.

Thank you. Your witness.

Mr. Simms, are you aware that Mr. Collins

notified two other news groups of his planned su1c1de,

only they elected not to cover it,

citing ethical considerations?

When we made that tape available,

every station in this city aired it,

including the networks and the cable news programs.

Last year, didn't you speak to a group of UCLA journalism students,

exhorting them to "strive for journalistic integrity?"

I did. And that's the same thing I try to empress upon my employees.

Last November, did you air footage

of a game warden being eaten by an alligator?

A skydiver whose parachute didn't open?

A home video of a grandmother

as she was being gunned down by a drive
-by sh**ting?

Yes.

And at your October st staff meeting,

did you exhort your employees to seek out such sensational stories?

We're a small station, Miss Paros,

fighting for our share of the audience.

Yes, I went after those stories,

because that's what people want to watch.

And that's why we b*at our competition

during that Sweeps period.

Was Mr. Reeve at this October st meeting?

Yes.

On what date did Mr. Reeve photograph

the immolation of Mr. Collins?

I believe it was November th.

Thank you. Nothing further.

Hello?

Hello?

[baby crying]


-[cat screeches]
-Oh!

[door closes]

Oh!

Uhh!

[pounding on door] Gwen! Gwen!

The back!


-Gwen, are you all right?
-Stop! Police! Hey! Hey!

I'm okay.

Stay with her.

[knock on door]


-You have a minute?
-Of course.

Ann, we've known each other a long time.

Going forward with your lawsuit against the city

is the worst thing you could possibly do.

I'm acting on my own, Leland,

not as a representative of McKenzie
-Brackman.

Come on now.

You know I'm not concerned about the affect on this firm.

I'm talking about you and Stuart.

Did Stuart talk to you?

No, no.

But you know better than I, he's against this.

See, I
-
-I can only imagine how difficult

this year has been for the two of you.

But you have a chance to put the past behind you,

to get on with your lives.

Leland, I cannot just pretend that this never happened.

I cannot let the people that did this to us

just get away with it.

But you can't unring a bell, Ann.

No amount of money,

no prison terms, however lengthy,

can balance the books.

And I won't lecture you, but I do know

that I have been lucky enough in my life to have loved twice.

My wife and Rosalind.

Twice to have that taken away.

Well...

There are a million reasons that people...

end up alone.

There need only be one to stay together.

[door closes]

We tried to call you as soon as he went into arrest.

I'll need you to come downstairs and sign his paperwork.

Um...I'll be out later.

Sure.

I'm sorry, Mr. Mullaney.

What's your offer?

Mr. Collins made , a year when he was let go.

Assuming he remained healthy,

he had another years of earning.

Add loss of love and affection, we'll round it up to ,,

present value of .


-Melinda?
-Okay.

On one condition.

I want you to go on TV

and take responsibility for what you did.

I want you to say that what you did was immoral.

Mrs. Collins, I can't allow Gordon to do that,

even if he wanted.

We'd be inviting lawsuits from every person

who didn't like what we put on the air.

Then I reject your offer.

Mrs. Collins, I want you to know

that I feel terrible about what happened to your husband,

and if I had it to do over...

I wish I had done something,.

Why didn't you say that under oath?

Roxanne, you got crumbs all over the Berringer file!

Better than the alternative.

At least soda crackers stay down.

Good as new.


-Any word on Lucy?
-Still missing.


-Uhh.
-What?

I guessed wrong about the soda crackers.

So, what's the latest on my oeuvre?


-Oeuver
-budget.
-How's that?

Long and short of it, your book's overwritten.


-We had to make cuts
-What did you take out?

A little judicious trimming here and there.

Chapters through .

Those chapters were the heart of my story.

Douglas, worldwide wouldn't have to make any cuts

if we rescaled the production.

The scope of the material may be

too intimate for a big
-budget release.

Ah, a smaller boutique presentation,

similar to a foreign film?

No, more like a... movie of the week.

Now it takes place in a women's prison.

Ah!

[eerie music]

Lucy?

Baby.

Lucy.

Oh, honey.

Gordon Reeve says that taking pictures

of a distraught man burning himself to death

is all in a day's work.

"I'm a journalist," he says, "No blood on my hands."

But Mr. Reeve crossed the line.

Not only of responsible journalism

but of human decency and the law.

Why? v*olence sells.

Now, Bill Collins may have thought

that he was dying for a purpose,

but the only purpose that Mr. Reeve and his station

had in mind was winning higher ratings.

If you think that their actions were

a substantial cause of Mr. Collins' self
-immolation,

then you must find Mr. Reeve and KINX

responsible for contributing to his su1c1de.

Thank you.

That video...

is excruciating to watch

But it happened.

And it was news.

And every station in this town,

every network ran that tape.

It's estimated million people saw the footage.

Now, maybe you think that Gordon Reeve

is an awful person because he didn't stop somebody from k*lling himself.

But under the law, he had no duty

to rescue Bill Collins from himself.

His duty as a journalist was to photograph the event.

And to say Bill Collins wouldn't have k*lled himself

if my client had capped his lens is rank speculation.

And believe me,

if Gordon Reeve had refused to run his camera,

Bill Collins would have found another reporter

who would have gladly covered the story.

This is tragic news. Yes, I grant you that.

But don't make the mistake of blaming the messenger.


-[baby fusses]
-Oh, yes.

She was in the ladies room?

Yeah, she was just sitting there, waiting to be found.

Oh, sweet girl. Thank God you're all right.

Look how she's so happy to be back with her daddy.

[knocks on door]

I notified the Santa Barbara Police Department.

They've assigned an officer to your parents, around the clock.

You should come with me.

Daniel, you need to get Lucy to a safe place.

With this woman still out there,

nobody knows what she wants.

At least with the two of you apart,

the focus is split.

Daniel, I'll be fine.

I'll call as soon as I get there.

Drive carefully.

Bye.

Stuart, I have something I need to say to you.

Can it wait, Ann? Douglas needs these figures.

This can't wait.

[door closes]

Stuart, I wish I had been more supportive.

Less judgmental,

more secure with myself in who I am.

But when all this happened,

it so shook my world,

it so altered everything that I...

had finally begun to take for granted.

All I wanted was to punish the people

that had done this to us.

And instead, I wound up punishing...

the only true victim of this whole sorry mess.

So if...if you really want to leave this marriage,

I'll understand.

But I love you, and...

if you could possibly forgive me

and help me to put this behind us.

Shh.

[sighs]

I love you.

JUDGE: Has the jury reached a verdict?


-We have, Your Honor.
-What say you?

"We find damages in the amount of $,.

"We apportion % of the responsibility to Mr. Collins,

and % to the defendant."

JUDGE: The verdict is so rendered.

The defendant is ordered to pay Mrs. Collins

the amount of $,.

The jury is discharged with the thanks from the court.

We're adjourned.

,?

The jury felt your husband

was mostly responsible for is su1c1de.

I'm sorry.

[TV on]

[crowd cheering]

[thud, knock on door]


-Okay, okay.
-Evening, Miss Taylor.

I found this weasel, uh...

slinking around in the shadows.

I wasn't slinking. That's my natural gait.


-Romney?
-Yeah.

Thought I'd come by and see if you were okay.

Only I didn't know Efram Zimbalist Jr.

was parked on your front step.


-Guess I'll go.
-No, come on in.


-Really?
-Yeah.

So, at least your content to hang out here in the shadows.

Yeah.

If she makes it to the door, Miss Taylor, I got her.

Okay.

This is nice.

You and me, alone in the apartment,

sitting, watching a little TV.

I want you to know, I'm willing to stay the night.

If you want, I'll even take the couch.

Although it's probably safer

if I don't let you out of my site, okay, Gwen?

McElroy's right outside.

Are you saying you want me to leave?

No.

Oh, God!

Publisher's Clearinghouse?

No, my
-my test.

It's negative.

I thought I had Huntington's chorea, but, um...

Wait a minute.

You had this information and you didn't
-
-

No, no, no, that doesn't matter, Romney.

The fact is I'm fine.

I'm gonna be fine.

Romney.

Sorry.

♪♪

What?

I'm surprised to find you here.

Oh, you're full of surprises today.

How's your father?

Dead.

Yeah.

We had a fight, I walked out to cool off.

Next thing I know, I get this phone call.

He's had a heart att*ck.

Oh, Tommy, I'm sorry.

Rox, what was I thinking?

He came all this way so as not to be alone,

and I left him alone.

You couldn't be there every second.

No, I walked out 'cause I was...mad.

I was afraid, like when I was a kid.

The doctors worked on him. Finally they gave up.

Body gets cold quick.

My old man never liked the cold.

Let's go.

I'm watching the show.

Or I would be if this jerk weren't blocking my view.

Hey! Fat boy!

Have a seat!

MAN: Oh, shove it!

Why are you drinking?

Uh, it tastes good.

Rox, I forgot how good
-
- I can handle this.

Come on. Let's go, sweetheart.

I'm not sweetheart to you! I'm just a sperm donor!

There is nothing you can say to me
-
-

Roxy, come on.

I was just joking.

I'm leaving.

So leave. Hey, Rox!

Would you mind telling that guy to sit down?

[yawns] I'm gonna go take a shower.

Well, there's an idea.

Alone.

About time for me to go anyway.

Well, I really appreciate you coming by.

It was so thoughtful.

Do you want me to wait while you shower?

No, you
-
-

Um, yeah.

Take your time.

Thanks.

[TV continues]

[door closes]

[thud]

McElroy?

GWEN: Something wrong?

I don't think so.

Hi.

You look cold.

Oh!

♪♪ [theme]