01x05 - She's Not Who You Think She Is

[bunniefuu]

Narrator: Previously, on
"The Thing About Pam"...

Ah!

- Just give us our money, Pam.
- Or we'll sue you.

What deposition?

The one for the girls'
lawsuit against you.

- Hi, this is DA Askey.
- I'd like the sheriff's office

to draw up a destruction
of evidence order.

How do you like working for her?

- I don't work for Leah.
- I work for the county.

- Mike Wood.
- You working in Troy?

- The DA's office.
- Nothing major.

The court finds the defendant,

Russell Scott Faria, not guilty.

So Mom's k*ller just gets
to walk away and that's it?

Looks like it.

Well, this is what you wanted.

I can't do anything without you.

Narrator: The past
is a powerful thing.

How it shapes us, changes us.

And, of course, how it
can inform the future.

Hey, what's all this?

Um, it's money.

- Whose?
- Mine.

From where?

Do you still have
that big suitcase?

You know, the one
with the tassels?

I couldn't find it.

Pam, do not do this.

I just came from the
house on Berrywood.

I thought we were
gonna make an offer.

We... we were gonna
make things work here.

It's hot today, isn't it?

It's hot every day.

You really need to
check out Berrywood.

It's gonna go fast.

See, that is the
problem with Florida.

It's always hot.

I don't... I don't wanna
wait till the holidays

to move to Missouri.
I wanna go now.

- But we had a plan here.
- Well, plans change.

I changed my whole life to move
to Florida for your baseball.

We all know how that went.

Okay, but does all this
have something to do

with all of that?

Well, that's just wet cash.

You always read into things.

This is about what's
best for us, okay?

Okay. I just don't
see what's the hurry.

I need a change, okay?

I wanna get away from
all these people.

What people?

Ugh, Mrs. Fitzgerald and
all of them, everybody.

Isn't Mrs. Fitzgerald
the one with the gout?

I thought she already died.

Yeah, and all of a sudden,

her family's got
some problem with me.

They won't even let me
plan the memorial service

even though I got them an in

with the hottest funeral
director in Naples.

Okay.

We don't even have a place
to live up in Missouri.

We'll stay at my mom's.

She said that Sarah is
not allowed in her house.

She disowned her.

That's just Mom.

Just, here, help me out.

Here.

Need to return this.
Didn't have a tag.

I don't know why
it never had a tag.

And I don't have the
receipt neither. Sorry.

We can only do store credit
with no receipt. Is that okay?

Mm. I bought this for my dog.

He broke his legs. His
back legs. Both of them.

- Oh.
- He has a little wheelie cart.

You know those?
So cute, but sad.

Now, I just wanted him
to have something nice,

but it's too small.

Look, it barely
fits on my wrist.

He's gained some weight.
You know, because...

- Right.
- I paid cash for it.

Can I have cash back?

I'm sorry, it's policy.

Well, can you talk
to your manager?

Or I can?

Sure, no problem.

- Wait, that's Pam Hupp?
- Like from the "Dateline" show?

Yeah.

Narrator: Here she was,

the once anonymous
housewife and mother,

now the TV star, the
talk of the town.

The famous Pam Hupp.

She k*lled that woman, right?

Narrator: Was Pam realizing
she might not be famous,

so much as infamous?

- How you doing, Mike?
- Hey.

Sorry I'm late.

No, no, I appreciate
you taking the time.

- Of course.
- Nate says hello, by the way.

Oh, I owe him a beer.

So I saw you in the
latest "Dateline" piece.

You still believe Pam
Hupp was involved?

Yeah, I always have.

Unfortunately, my opinion,
no matter how well supported,

doesn't change anything.

Unless, of course,
you can convince

Leah Askey to reopen the case.

Yeah, I think she's rather
swallow glass, to be honest.

It's the truth.

But what if I ran
against her for DA?

And what if the
thing to get her out

is doing exactly
what you wanted?

Showing who really did it.

Pam Hupp.

What else do you know?

What else can you tell me? I
want the facts to come out.

We can talk about Pam, sure.

But what else?

That's it.

That's it?

You're gonna build an entire
campaign around one person?

An anti-Pam platform?

No, I'm building
it around the idea

that one person hid the truth.

That I'm the guy that can
find it, prosecute it,

and get real justice.

Okay.

So Pam.

Pam. Where do I begin?

And, I don't know, I just get

this weird energy
and stuff, you know?

I don't know, I can't
put my finger on it.

But people were
looking at me weird.

I can't even make a return
without getting chased out.

Everybody's treating
me like I k*lled Betsy

'cause that's what the TV says.

Hey, Mom, could you just...?

The whole town has
turned their backs on me.

I think I'm gonna cry.

Ugh. What?

- Maybe we think about moving.
- What?

Whoa, whoa.

Well, it's not just you.

Travis and Sarah and I have
been getting the blowback too.

You all are being a
big bunch of babies.

I'm the one taking
the hits here.

And you don't see me
running away, do you?

And what would you have
us do about Derby Road?

It's a quick flip too.

Sarah will buy it, as
soon as we're done.

I wouldn't count on that, Mom.

Then we can buy up
Greenleaf Street.

There's a fixer-upper hitting
the market in a month.

I don't know. If you lose
this insurance trial,

we're gonna need the Derby
money to pay Betsy's girls.

- "If we lose."
- You think I'm gonna lose?

All I'm saying is when we
came back from Florida,

it was your idea.

- Yeah.
- A great one.

We all got a fresh start
and it worked out, right?

- Yeah.
- Mm-hmm. Exactly.

Yeah.

- It's working out.
- So why would we leave?

You want to stay in Florida
and keep flipping, remember?

That's all's I'm saying
now. Stay and flip.

Hey, I'm on your side here.

So what's the problem?

It's no problem.

I'm telling you, it ain't.

The coroner ruled
it an accident.

But her system had 14 times

the recommended
dosage of Ambien.

Now, if Shirley had tripped
and fallen into the railing,

it would have been only
425 pounds of force max.

But our engineering expert
tells me that it would take

at least 2,000 pounds of
force to cause any damage.

You think someone
kicked off the railing

to break it on purpose?

Wait, well, we don't
know who did what.

But what we do know is this.

Someone left a pitcher of
water on Shirley's balcony

as if she fell while
watering her plants.

But it was raining that day.

And for the second time,

Pam Hupp collected money when
someone close to her died.

$120,000 of
Shirley's investments

and a share of her
life insurance policy.

One theory is that Pam
Hupp k*lled her friend

and then her own mother,
simply for the money.

Pam was always here.

Always taking care of Shirley,

who wasn't an easy
customer, let me tell you.

- So she was attentive.
- That's great.

But did you find it curious

when the night before
Shirley's accident,

Pam said Shirley wouldn't
be down for dinner

and not to worry about
breakfast the next day either?

No. Not at the time.

May I ask why?

She's just such a nice lady.

That's what I keep hearing.

I don't think she's so
nice anymore though.

I'm not sure what
I think about Pam.

Narrator: Pam was an avid
reader of crime novels,

a fascination that
would intersect

with her own reality.

Hi, it's Cathy Singer
from "Dateline."

- Hey, Cat.
- Good to hear from you.

How's Chicago?

Well, actually, I'm wrapping
things up here in Troy.

Oh. You're in town.

- Yeah, that's why I called.
- I heard about Shirley.

Yeah, I didn't k*ll my mom,
if that's what you're asking.

The balcony did.

Well, we're doing another
"Dateline," and we should talk.

Hear your side of things.

Oh, really? Another one?

Figured that'd be
all wrapped up.

No, not at all.

Especially with
Russ's exoneration.

So what do you say?

Can we set a time to chat?

No, thanks.

Narrator: That funny feeling

when you're the subject of
a story that just won't end.

.

Narrator: Five years since
their mother's death,

Betsy's girls were still coping.

And still hadn't seen a dime

of the insurance money.

Hey, let me make you
some tea instead.

You'll sleep better.

No, thanks.

Well, that looks pretty full.

Must have a lot to write about.

I just write about Mom.

Letters, poems.

- Letters?
- Yeah.

Yep. Stuff I wish I said.

Sometimes, I write to Russ.

My perspective on things.

I don't send them
though. It's just for me.

Oh.

Well, you better get some
rest. Big day tomorrow.

It's Pam. Leave a message.

Hey, Pam, it's Janet.

I know it's late, but
if you could give me

a call back, we could get
this figured out tonight.

There's no need to go to
court tomorrow when...

Well, you know the right thing.

Just give the girls their money.

That's what you told
Betsy you were gonna do.

- Pam!
- Pam!

- Here!
- Pam!

- Over here!
- Pam!

I think we're all aware
this is a long shot.

The paperwork's paperwork.

But we're gonna do our best
to show Pam's hand in this.

And are we gonna
go up on the stand?

I'm not sure you girls
testifying is a good idea.

Pam's guy will poke holes and
turn sympathy against you.

They made us testify
in the last trials

and now we're not allowed?

You're allowed, I just would
advise against it in this case.

Sit here, Mom.

Maybe he's here for us.

He kills Mom and then
he wants to see us

get the money? I doubt it.

Here comes Pam and
her creepy husband.

Don't look at them.

- I can't help it.
- They're so weird.

I know.

Thanks.

Raise your right hand.

Do you swear to tell the
truth, the whole truth,

and nothing but the
truth so help you God?

- I do.
- You may take the stand.

State your name for the record.

Pamela Marie Hupp, H-U-P-P.

And you're the defendant,

the party being sued
in this lawsuit?

- Mm-hmm.
- I can... I can hardly hear you.

- Did you hear the question?
- I did.

Judge, I'd like to
treat the witness

as hostile at this time.

You may.

You just raised your hand

and you took an oath to tell
the whole truth, correct?

Yes.

The same oath you took
when you testified

in the Russ Faria trial?

Yes.

You understood at that
time that you're obligated

to testify truthfully,
and you did, correct?

Mm-hmm.

I have a traumatic brain injury

and concussion syndrome
from an accident.

Did you have any
these memory problems

- during that deposition?
- I didn't think I did.

I don't feel like I
do when I'm talking,

but I obviously do.

Would you please read the
letter in front of you?

No, I can't read that.

I need my glasses
from my husband.

So you gave law enforcement
incorrect information?

Yes, that is a
correct statement.

Uh, there are also other
statements in there

that do not say that.

They attacked me.

I don't understand
what you're saying.

Detective McCarrick pressured
me to open that trust.

It's on video. Mm-hmm.

I can't hear you.

$100,000 of that I put
in a trust for the girls

and $50,000 of that
I was trying to give

to this other friend
of mine who was dying.

It was harassment.

It wasn't just them.

I changed my mind.

I can't hear you.

She was obsessed.

Brain injury, remember?

Oh, I remember.

Ms. Hupp, I see you
closed the trust

for the Day sisters
in December of 2013.

Also in December 2013,
you deposited $134,000

into your personal
checking account.

Where did $134,000...

Wait, what? Whoa,
whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Whoa, whoa. Whoa,
whoa, whoa, whoa.

- Your honor...
- Whoa, whoa, whoa!

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

This has nothing to do
with me drawing up a trust.

I'd like the court
to have the witness

answer the question.

If you don't understand
the question,

- you can ask him to rephrase.
- Okay, okay.

But don't volunteer
testimony, ma'am,

that's not in response
to the question.

That's not in response to...

It's... the trust wasn't
made until after her death.

So that's got nothing
to do with it.

She didn't even know I made it.

Well, if there's an
objection to the question,

then your lawyers,
they will make it.

Otherwise, just answer
the question, okay?

You deposited $134,000
into your personal

checking account in
December 2013, correct?

Yes.

That's a lot of
money for one deposit

into your checking account.

Where did it come from?

What, do you think I'm poor?

My money could've
come from anywhere.

Everywhere. A bunch
of different places.

Have you lied to anybody else
about what you were gonna do

with these life
insurance proceeds?

I lie when people bug me.

And bug me and bug me.

I have no further questions.

He got her.

The court will stand
at recess until 1:30.

I got it.

- Well, I think that went well.
- Yeah.

What's up with you?

Your IBS? I got pills.

No, no, no. I'm fine, I just...

I just can't believe
all those awful things

they said about you.

Well, then don't.

But you said you were a liar.

- Everybody lies, Winnie.
- That's the world.

Right. Yeah.

You sure you're okay?

You don't seem like yourself.

Oh, well, I'm not
feeling that well.

I've got a sore throat.

Well, maybe I have something.

- What's that?
- It's a lozenge.

You got a sore throat,
you need a lozenge.

Okay?

Hey.

I should've just said
I'm sorry to him.

No, don't.

They won't even look at me.

Well, I would've slammed
the door in his face.

I know, I just thought that
maybe he wanted to talk.

Like maybe there
was some part of him

that wanted to see us win.

I can't talk to
them here anyway.

We'd have to go through Jill

because we don't want
any he said, she said.

It's fine, you know?

Those girls said all they
need to say on the stand.

That's that.

Maybe we should just go.

Nah.

I came to see Pam lose.

.

- So is that it?
- Are we gonna get to talk?

I don't know.

That's it. It's time
for closing statements.

Really? Are you...

Are you sure?

We... we can still testify.

Pam just said she opened
the trust back up,

right in front of our faces.

It's a can of worms.

Trust me. It's cleaner this way.

Okay.

- If you think so.
- Yeah.

To be honest, Mrs. Hupp,

you didn't do yourself
any favors up there.

Well, it was ridiculousness.

What was I supposed to say?

- Not that.
- Counselor.

Excuse me.

Your Honor, if
Mrs. Faria's intent

was to pass this money
on to her children,

the best way to do that
would've been to name them.

But neither one of her
children are named on

any of the three
policies that she had.

We've heard from not only
Pam Hupp, but multiple people

who've said that
Betsy had concerns

as to whether her children

were even reliable enough
to handle the money.

And I'm not about to argue
for Pam's credibility.

She's not a credible witness.

But that's not the issue here.

If you want to know
Betsy's true intent...

This is her intent.

Everything else is
just he said, she said.

I'll ask you this one
more time, Mr. Evers.

Where is the evidence

that indicates what Betsy
intended to do with the money?

The evidence is that it
was intended for the girls

to get the money
when they're older.

It has been four years.

Well, I can't just pull
something out of thin air.

It has to be based in evidence.

She admitted that she lied

and she still gets
to keep our money?

I do like it any
more than you do,

but you know that your mother

did not always do
everything by the book.

It's just one of those things.

Yeah, she trusted people!

So did I even when
I shouldn't have.

Hey, you made a good effort.

I guess.

I still didn't get
a voice in anything.

- I told you it'd all work out.
- I never doubted you.

- Are they literally skipping?
- So what now?

Now that nobody's
gonna take our money,

what do you say? A new car?

One of those SUVs with the TVs
on the seat, like an airplane?

Oh, and we need new carpet.

What money?

We already got a
buyer for Derby.

I say we get our next flip.

You really want to
hang around here?

Oh, things will
go back to normal.

There she is.

I think that's the
"Dateline" crew.

Say hi to Cathy!

- Mariah?
- What's up?

Mariah. Hey, you got a letter.

For me, here?

Yeah, I don't know,
but there it is.

Listen, I'm gonna need you
to do another tub of roll-ups

before dinner, please.

Hello? Mariah? Okay?

What, are you getting
mail here now?

It's from Russ.

What?

Well, even for Russ,
that's pretty harsh.

But I don't get it.

We're halfway through escrow.

And these people just back out?

- They just got cold feet.
- It happens.

But, like, they loved the house.

Mark got rid of that
family of racoons.

We built a whole new deck.

It's beautiful. They love it.

So I don't get why
they'd just back out.

I don't... I don't know. It...

It really could be one
of a million reasons.

- Mm-hmm.
- Don't lie to me, Sally.

It was because of you, okay?

They canceled once they
heard who the seller was.

Mm.

Mm-hmm.

Fix it.

Request for destruction
of evidence?

Tina. Hey.

Hey, Tina.

Mrs. Hupp, as I told you
on the phone several times,

Ms. Askey is unavailable, and
she just left for the day.

She just left?

Leah!

Leah!

Leah!

Hey.

- How's it going, Pam?
- Not good.

Keith Morrison and
Cathy stirring stuff up.

Everyone thinks I'm some k*ller
who steals money from orphans.

And, like, who cares
because it's all lies?

But now it's screwing
stuff up for my business.

Orphans?

You mean Lily and Mariah Day?

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

Those girls.

Ugh. They did this
to me, you know.

If they hadn't sued, then
nobody would be pissed

that I'm taking
what's already mine.

Well, winning the civil suit
didn't exactly help your image.

Well, as the judge said,

that money went to the
person Betsy intended.

And somehow I've got
the bad reputation here?

I mean, how does that happen?

Because it's hard to
look like a victim

when you keep winning,
you understand?

Oh, right, I see.

That's what's going
on here. I'm winning.

- I'm sure it'll flitter away.
- You know how small towns are.

I don't want it
to flitter, okay?

I want you... I want
you to make it go away.

What am I supposed to do?

If you have a problem,

you should file a
complaint with the police.

File what?

A restraining order
against the whole town?

I don't know what
to tell you, Pam.

I've got problems,
too, you know.

My reelection. And this
isn't great for me.

So maybe...

Right, your job.

So important.

Yeah.

I get it. I get it.

It's the most important
thing in the world, huh?

See? You get it.

.

She just can't help.

For all I've done for her,

Leah Askey could give
a squirt of a piss.

If she just put me on the stand,

we'd have won that retrial,

and Russ's a*s would
still be locked up.

Now the whole world
is gonna bug me.

Because Keith and
Cathy are making

another "Dateline" about it.

Smearing me all over again.

You know she wouldn't have
a job if weren't for me.

I'm the best thing that's
ever happened to "Dateline."

Well, Mom, we should
just move already.

I mean, like, with all
the stuff going on,

- it's not worth it.
- You've been talking to him?

No.

- Or not.
- Or, no, or whatever. I...

- Hi. I'm Mariah.
- I'll be your serv...

My goodness, Mary-Ann.

How nice to see you.

I didn't know you worked here.

Mariah.

Travis and I will have the...

Burger en frites.

- Great.
- For you?

Oh, he's not hungry.

Not feeling himself tonight.

In fact, can we get
those burgers to go?

Yeah, maybe Leah's right.

And I should just
cut off the people

who don't support me.

Long list.

I cannot believe she
just showed up here.

I mean, the b*tch steals
everything from us

and, what, still not enough?

But I didn't spit in it.

- No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
- No, no, no. No. No.

- Pam.
- Mm-hmm.

Yep.

Fast. Good service.

I like it. Keep the change.

Hey. Hey. Are you okay?

Mariah?

It's okay.

You're fine.

What's going on?

Are you okay?

Pam wrote Russ' letter.

- Wait, wait.
- Where are you going?

Hey, Pam!

Oh, we forget something?

For the first time
since my mom was k*lled,

I'm done being mad.

I'm done giving you control.

There's nothing left
for you to take.

I'm done.

I win.

Feel better?

Yeah.

- Well, nice to see ya.
- We'll be back.

Narrator: If so many
people bug her and bug her

and bug her,

how can Pam possibly keep up?

One thing about Pam,

she always manages to find
time for other people.

Leah!

Hey.

My daughter's baby shoes.
Her first little pair.

- Her first pair?
- You don't want to save those?

No. I still have my son's.

- Well, thanks, Pam.
- I'm sure you have a busy day.

You always do.

Hi.

Pam Hupp. Vote for Askey.

Pam Hupp. Vote Askey.

- Hmm.
- Hmm.

Well, luck with the campaign.

You know you've got my vote.

See you around.

Soon, I hope.

Yeah.

You live over on
Kenton Street, right?

Gorgeous place.

.

Class is full today.

Yeah, right. Let's Zumba!

Class is full.

Oh.

It's full.

Hmm. Come on, Minnie, let's go.

I know it was you with
the dead squirrel.

What? What dead squirrel?

We all talked about it.

No one could've done it but you.

Okay, Pam, I think
it's time you left.

Oh, you do?

Okay.

Minnie, we should go.

You're sick, in no
condition for working out.

Come on.

No, I'm good.

Boo!

Pamela Hupp took
Betsy's life away.

But K*llers can't get
away with it on their own.

They need help.

Help from a prosecutor
protects them.

It's time for the
District Attorney's office

- to stand for justice again.
- Stop Leah Askey.

Vote for a true
champion of justice.

Vote Mike Wood for Lincoln
County District Attorney.

- Hey, Pam.
- Hey.

See that funny new
commercial, political thing?

Something about
how I k*lled Betsy

and you let me go free?

Yeah, I saw it, it's Mike Wood.

His whole campaign is about us.

Mm-hmm.

Seems I'm not the only one
with the bad reputation.

Think it'll just flitter away?

No, I don't think
it'll flitter away.

If Mike Wood takes over my job,
he will reopen the Betsy case,

and he's gonna go after
you as his main suspect.

- Why would I care?
- I didn't do anything.

Pam, Mike Wood winning
means we both lose.

No. You lose. I'll be fine.

California, it's so far.

Well, far is kind of the point.

I need a fresh start.

Somewhere where
I can just be me.

You can't do that here?

Here is where Mom got m*rder*d.

Russ won't even speak to me.

And Pam wins every time.

I just need a break.

I get it.

Oh, just don't get hooked on
marijuana out there, okay?

Okay, I won't.

You need car snacks.

I'll be right back.

I got you something.

You need a fresh one, right?
For all your new adventures.

Thanks.

So you're really going, huh?

You could come too.

But, like, who's just
gonna watch Grandma?

I'll miss you.

Yeah. I'm gonna miss you too.

- Watch out for Pam, okay?
- Yeah, okay.

Pam, what are you doing here?

- You're sick.
- I'm taking care of you.

You know, I was thinking what
a great neighbor you've been.

Gee, I wonder if Minnie
would miss me if I moved.

- Of course...
- Of course I would miss you.

- See, you lie too, Minnie.

You think I k*lled Bushy Tail.

Why would you miss me?

Oh.

So... so you...

You're gonna move, you think?

I was thinking about it.

But then I realized
running away from obstacles

is not how you deal with them.

Leah. Cathy.

Mariah. Joel.

They're just all
things in my way.

When there's stuff in your way,

what you got to do...

Is get rid of it.