01x64 - Episode 64

[bunniefuu]

It was the best thing
for the both of us,

and I didn't need you
a minute more

cramping my style since birth.

-Mama...
-Key?

I'm gonna be a father again.

If you just said
what I think I heard,

I'm gonna lose my lunch.

Is there any sadder sight

than an aging lawyer,
his trophy wife

and a designer baby?

It's like a midlife crisis
bingo card.

I'm so glad
you could come, Sharon.

It's been too long.

Yeah, it has been a while.

How was your flight
from Chicago?

Is that why I came all
this distance, for small talk?

It's a place to start.

Sharon.

Vernon.

So wonderful to see you again.

It's good to see you,
too, Sharon.

Yeah, we're happy
you were able to make the trip,

and on such short notice.

Well, I never learned
how to say no to Tracy.

I thought Tracy would be
joining us.

She offered, you know, but, um,

I think it's better
if it's you and me.

Well, with that in mind,
I have a few things to do.

I'll get out of here

and give you two
time to catch up.

Okay.

I really didn't think
you would come.

Seeing you brings back
so many memories.

Yeah, for me, too.

You know, I don't know
if you can still sing,

but as I said to Tracy,

you're obviously
still quite the actress.

-Detective Hawthorne?
-Yes.

Detective Walker. I got word
you were looking for me.

You're the one with experience
in digital forensic analysis.

From my old job
at the Secret Service.

I was hoping you could
help me out with a case

that seems to be going cold.

We got a new suspect,
and I want to hit it

from a different angle.

Sure. What you got?

Some security cam footage
from the scene.

We sent it off to the FBI
to be analyzed, but no luck.

But I was
under the understanding

that there's a software
that can analyze a video

and tell you
the suspect's height?

Yeah, it can match height
to within an inch or two.

It can even match clothing

to what the suspect's
wearing on camera.

Okay, so if I were to get ahold
of the suspect's shoes--

-with a warrant, of course--
-Mm-hmm.

...can the software tell me
if it's a match

with the one on the video?

It's no guarantee,
but it's been done.

[exhales]
You're a godsend, Walker.

This is my first hope
to cracking this case.

All right.

If Leslie's prints show up
and the DNA matches,

all it proves is
she came in contact

with the jacket at some point.

Not that she was wearing it

when she ran Laura off the road.

LESLIE:
Hmm.

Some people say it takes
three witches to make a coven,

but I guess two will do
if you're motivated, hmm?

Conspiracy brewing
in that cauldron? [chuckles]

What are you two crones
grousing about now?

-We were talking about you.
-[gasps] No.

We realized you and I have
something in common.

Our love for biker gear.

Look familiar?

♪ ♪

Hey, Martin,

has Kat talked to you
about her plans for Samantha?

What plans?

Well, I know you're not thrilled
about Samantha wanting to model,

but I think that Kat has come up
with a happy medium.

Okay.

We want Samantha to be
the teen face of our purse line.

That way, we can target
all age groups,

and Samantha can get involved
with something fashion related,

but not go full-out.

You know, give it all you got.
Modeling.

I don't know.
Samantha's so young.

Well, if you want to discuss it,
your favorite cousin can be

persuaded into joining you
for lunch.

Sorry. I'm meeting my dad.

Ooh, sounds serious.

It's our first time talking
since I let him have it

after the anniversary party
from hell.

Mm-hmm. That part.

Yeah. Finding out that your dad
has a whole side life

is some next-level betrayal.

When I went through
that mess, it shook me.

Speaking of, I saw Bill
and Hayley here last night.

Hmm. And did they tell you
that I have

a half-sibling on the way?

They weren't shy
about putting it out there.

I knew it was possible
that they would go there,

but seriously?

My dad's got
two grown daughters,

and here he is about
to father an infant

with a woman that is only

three years older than me.

I mean,
cringe is not even the word.

It looks like a leather jacket.

I used to have one
back in the day

when those sort of things were
in style.

Mm-hmm. What happened to yours?

Don't remember.
Probably gave it away years ago.

What a coincidence.

This jacket was also donated.

Oh, at the same church
you happen to attend.

What a coinky-dinky.
[scoffs]

I don't care!

Now I'm gonna leave
the two of you

to your thrilling discussion
about secondhand clothing.

Have fun.

You always did come out
swinging.

Which is probably why
you reached out to Tracy first.

No, I reached out to you first.
You hung up on me.

All right. Do you blame me?

No.

I know you think
I was heartless,

and I used you and the group
to get where I wanted to be.

That's what you said
to Tracy, isn't it?

You called us collateral damage.

Yeah, I-I did say that, but...

it doesn't mean
I didn't care about you.

I had to disassociate
from my feelings

to get through what happened.

It was just too much
for me to handle.

[scoffs] Too much for you.

I-I know how that sounds,

but I'm just trying
to be honest.

Honest for a change.

I knew this wasn't
gonna be easy.

And I don't expect you
to play nice.

You've been sitting
on a whole lot of anger

for a very long time,
but at least you're here.

So can we just put it all
out on the table

and deal with it?

You know, you spent years

acting like Tracy and I
didn't even exist.

And now you want
to analyze my feelings,

like I need your permission
to be pissed?

Standing there,
looking all proud and proper,

still trying to be
the one in charge

when that is what ruined us.

-Coffee?
-Yes, thank you.

We're gonna need a second cup.

Excuse me. Excuse me.

Thanks for coming, Dad.

Thank you for the invitation.

[clears throat]

I've been thinking about secrets

and how we all keep them.

I know I've kept a few
of my own, even from Smitty.

Something that I'm not proud of.

I love you, Dad.

And obviously, I don't like

how you treated Mom,
and I never will.

But I wished I had treated you

with a little more
understanding and compassion.

That means a lot.

Thank you, son.

Where do you stand with Mom?
Are you talking?

[sighs]
We are.

That's progress, at least.

Uh, not enough, I'm afraid.

We're not having the discussions
we need to be having.

I've learned more about Leslie
and the extremes

she is willing to go.

Turns out
she's far more dangerous

than any of us thought.

Your mother needs to be
aware of that.

Mom! Just in time.

Leslie was just telling us

that the jacket we found
could be hers.

I did not.
I said it was similar.

Child, my jacket is
in much better condition, so...

Did you show her what
you found in the pockets?

We haven't had the chance.

Leslie was
in such a hurry to leave.

I have a feeling
the police will find

all of this very interesting.

Oh, okay. I get it.

So you think that's my jacket.

The one that I supposedly
wore to force

poor, defenseless Laura
off the road that night, right?

-Is that right?
-Exactly right.

[laughing]

This is too funny.

Y'all are hilarious.
Really. You know what?

You-you really have a lot
of time on your hands,

and-and I think you need
to find something to do.

Okay?

You need a hobby, Mona.
Baby, please find a hobby.

Please. You know,
but do me a favor.

Don't write short stories.

Do not ever write a short story,
because your imagination is

taking you to places
that are dumb

as a box of rocks.

Well, this has been
a lovely conversation,

but I am headed
to the police station.

Hmm. Hold up.

I'm coming with you.

[scoffs] Come on.

After you, Nancy Drew.

What do you have to do to get
a cup of coffee around here?

There was a busboy, but he seems
to have disappeared.

Yeah.

But if you're right

and Leslie was the one
who forced Laura off the road

and then caused cardiac arrest,
the woman is insane.

Clearly.

Which is why I'm even
more worried about Eva.

Because she was raised
by the psychopath or because

you think Leslie is not done
punishing her?

Well, both.

The frustrating thing is,

the person I'd like to discuss
this with the most is my wife.

The award-winning psychiatrist.

But she's justifiably furious.

Not only because of the affair
and all the lies,

but because
I've subjected the family

to this dangerous woman.

Well, you and Bill managed
to keep Leslie away

for almost 20 years.

Maybe...

Ah. You know, back in the day,
I could pay her off.

This time, it didn't work.

Plus, now we share a daughter.

And believe me,

Dana is working that angle
as hard as she can.

I'm sorry you bumped
into that woman.

You can probably never take
an easy breath

worried she's hiding
around every corner.

Seeing Leslie's always
a shock to my system.

That smirk of hers.

If only I'd seen through her
from the start.

I know it's gonna sound strange,

but it would be easier
to forgive Ted

if he'd had his fling
with somebody more appropriate.

-An "appropriate" sidepiece?
-[chuckles]

-[chuckles]
-I said it would sound strange.

The thing is,
Leslie is just so outrageous

and immoral and bizarre.

What does that say about Ted
that he would pick that over me?

Let's stop right there.

First, he didn't.

Ted chose you.

Because I was pregnant.

Because the man loves you
beyond reason.

Second, Leslie's
some kind of shape-shifter.

I actually thought she was
a kind, maternal churchgoer,

and she was none
of those things.

I suspect she fooled Ted
the exact same way.

Am I supposed
to feel sorry for him?

Are you going to try
to tell me you already don't?

ANITA:
I didn't mean to sound
patronizing.

I'm just trying to say...

I'm ready to listen.

So... let me have it.

I'm strong enough now
to face what happened

in a way that I,
I wasn't before.

I suppose it's easy to face
just about anything

when you got money at your back.

I know I made
a lot of terrible mistakes,

but I have worked hard
for everything I have.

Working in the music industry,

nobody handed me anything.

You still think
you're the only one

who had it in her, don't you?

The only one willing
to work for it.

We were talentless hacks
trying to ride the coattails

-of the great Anita Williams.
-All of us were talented.

You had a spectacular voice.

I know that.

Despite the fact
that Dante kept pushing me

to the background
so that you could shine.

I had offers of my own
to go solo

that I never took because I was
proud to be an Articulette.

But when you up and left,

those offers dried up.

-I am so sorry.
-You should be.

You know, word got out

that I had problems
with drugs and alcohol,

that I was getting drunk
and performing drunk on stage.

But you know all of that,
don't you?

Because you and Dante made
damn sure those rumors spread.

I had nothing to do
with those rumors.

Now, you can accuse me
of a lot of things,

but not that.

Okay. Say you didn't
spread those lies.

It still doesn't change the fact

that Dante dragged my name
through the mud

to protect
his investment in you,

taking out your competition.

Even though you went in
a whole different genre,

didn't you, Miss Jazz Artiste?

There are so many things
that I regret

and would do differently
if I had the chance.

And that is why
I am reaching out now

and pleading to do this concert
with the two of you.

It's not about the fame
and fortune

or any of those things

that I thought were
important back then.

I want to make amends.

Make peace with the past.

I'm glad to hear you say that.

Because that means
that all of this,

all of the wealth
and the fame aren't enough

to k*ll the shame
that lives inside you.

That will be with you
until the day you die.

No justice, no peace, right?

In your case,
Anita Williams Dupree,

it's too late
for either of those.

-Hey, Jacob.
-Hey, Officer Handsome.

I came to give you some evidence

in connection
with Laura Peterson's car crash.

This leather jacket.

I assume Leslie came along
to confess.

[Leslie chuckles]

I came along with little miss,
uh, wannabe cop here.

purely out of curiosity.

Would you like to have
a lawyer present?

Honey, please.

I am perfectly capable

of handling this stupidity
on my own.

[sighs]
Exhibit A is this jacket.

It's just like the one

the motorcycle rider was
wearing.

It came from a thrift shop

that takes donations
from Leslie's church.

Which means it could have been
worn and handled

by anyone since
the night of the accident.

Now you're thinking! Yes.

There's no proof, honey,

that that jacket has
anything to do with me.

Except in the pockets
I found this.

A tag from the thrift shop.

A parking ticket
for a motorcycle

without a license plate
that was parked

on the same street
as Laura's car crash,

and a receipt
for a coffee shop nearby

made out to a "Cherry C."

Cherry C is very similar
to Sherry Carter,

one of Leslie's aliases.

Miss Thomas, is there
anything else you want to add?

Oh, you bet I do.

Where do I file
for a restraining order

against this?

Granddad?

Don't you have
a beautiful office at home?

[chuckles]

You know, I wanted
a different atmosphere

for the speech
that I'm working on.

Hmm, so the atmosphere
really affects the speech?

Oh, especially when it comes

with Orphey Gene's
peach cobbler.

Sit down. I'll order you
a piece of your own.

I'll sit,
but no cobbler for me, thanks.

I just left the gym.

So tell me about this speech.

Well, it's
a commencement address.

Uh, the latest of many.

You do give kick-a*s
commencement, Granddad.

Thank you. I try.

You'd think
I'd run out of advice

for young people at some point,
but somehow I never do.

Well, that's probably
because we keep finding

new and different ways
to screw up our lives.

Is everything, uh, all right?

I was in a relationship

that was very much off-line,

which is now very much over.

And not by my choice.

Well, I'm sorry to hear that.

Few things are as painful
as reaching out

to someone you really care about

with an open heart
and being rejected.

I put together
some tangerines and cheese.

I remember how much you used
to like to snack on them.

That's all we could afford
back then.

Oh, you don't have to tell me.

Remember how we had to pool
our money together

to get that Marvin Gaye album?

Then Tracy went and sat on it.

We never let her live that down.

Now we can stream Marvin
anytime we want.

No chance of breakage.

Sing along like we used to.

Remember when we met him?

[chuckles softly]

Stop yourself, Anita,
and save the energy.

You can't play me
like you did Tracy.

All this "back in the day"
nonsense.

I'm not here for it.

How much does Vernon know
about what really happened

to split up the Articulettes?

He knows that you and Tracy were

still angry at me
for siding with Dante.

The rest, I...
I told him it's complicated.

Oh.

So you allowed Vernon to think
what everyone else did.

All of the bad press
that Dante fabricated.

Tracy and I couldn't even
defend ourselves.

Because...

Dante made us sign NDAs.

Just to get
our final payment from him.

I never knew that.

I know. Of course you didn't.

Because you wouldn't
take our calls.

You hung your sisters
out to dry.

We finally had to give up
on the Articulettes.

And go back
to the old neighborhood

with our tails between our legs.

With nothing,
nothing to show for it.

Tracy told me she still sings.

Oh, yeah. She does.

Oldies, cabaret and nightclubs.

And for me, with the...
the "spectacular voice"?

I'm choir director at my church.

And I give vocal lessons
on a sliding scale.

At least I was able
to buy a house

with the payoff
that Dante gave me.

It's nothing compared to this,
of course.

I'm probably living
your nightmare.

A quiet life back
in the old neighborhood.

Everything
that you ran away from.

I am not that girl who left.

My priorities have changed.

That's easy to say now.

None of this is easy, Sharon!

I admit the pain I caused,

but you cannot blame me

for the decisions
that we made together.

I knew it.

All this crap
about making amends.

You just want to let yourself
off the hook, don't you?

-Decisions we made together?!
-We did.

You were the one
who decided to break ranks.

You were the one who said

she was gonna go
follow her dreams,

no matter what it meant

for the rest of us.

You told us, "Oh, you could go
along with me or not."

And you did.

Yeah, we did.

And may God forgive us.

I have had it up to here

with this pretentious child
and her insinuations.

This jacket--
oh, excuse me, "Exhibit A"--

could have come from anywhere.

Kat could have bought it

and put it in the church
donation box herself.

Lie all you want, Leslie.
Don't nobody believe you.

Then she whips out
a parking ticket

and a coffee shop receipt,

which also have
nothing to do with me.

I mean, really, Kitty?
"Cherry C."?

As if I needed an alias
on top of an alias

to order some damn coffee.

This harassment has to stop.

And I mean it when I'm asking
about that restraining order.

-You arrogant b*tch.
-Kat, stop.

Know this.

I am not putting up
with any more bullying

-from any of you.
-[scoffs]

And that's Miss b*tch, b*tch.

She's freaking out.
That's good, right?

The chain of evidence--

Everything you'd need were
in those pockets.

I mean, can you believe it?

That jacket has to be
the same one from the accident.

It looks just like the one
in the video.

[sighs] I was with Mona,
and I was trying on the jacket--

Wait, you tried it on?

Well, yeah.

That's how I found the papers
in the pockets.

That's enough proof
to nail Leslie, right?

If that's all it took,
I'd be arresting you now.

Because you were the last one
to try on this jacket

and touch these papers.

Without gloves, I assume.

So if I find any DNA

or fingerprints,
it's likely to be yours.

[sighs]

[knock at door]

Ted.

Hi.

I don't know why
you're so surprised.

May I?

Uh, sure.

You know, I've been
trying to reach out to you

to discuss
your mother's accusations.

Well, that's why
I've been going ghost.

Because my mother is
my least favorite topic

of discussion right now.

Eva, no matter
what your mother said,

I never believed
you were the one

who ran Laura off the road.

Well, lucky thing
I had an alibi.

I believed you before the alibi.

I believe in you, Eva.

And I'm here for you,
if you'll let me be.

How could your mother cast
suspicion on you?

It's hard to understand why
she does the things she does.

But I don't think she meant
anything by it. Not really.

I think she mostly wanted
to get on Kat's last nerve.

She probably thought
it was funny.

We both know this is more
than just a bad joke.

Dana wanted to punish you

for siding with Nicole
and me over her

to create a wedge between us.

We both know
how manipulative she is.

I hope you realize
you can't trust

that she has
your best interest in mind.

You need to protect yourself
from Dana.

Even though I'm sad
that things didn't work out

with the person
that I was seeing,

a part of me feels like
I dodged a b*llet.

I mean, I got away
relatively lightly.

My mom isn't over my dad
and maybe never will be.

And he's off having a baby
with his new wife.

I didn't realize.

I better check with your mother,
make sure she's okay.

That's probably not a bad idea.

And look at Aunt Nicole
and Uncle Ted.

I mean, they were
the perfect couple.

And if even
they can't work it out,

what hope is there
for the rest of us?

Chelsea, sweetheart.

There are also a whole lot
of positive examples of love

all around you.

Jacob and Naomi,

Martin and Smitty.

And, I like to think,
your grandmother and me.

You and Gran are
relationship goals,

but not everybody is so lucky
to find their soulmate.

It's-it's not just about
finding the right person.

You have to learn
about each other, adapt.

So that you become
the perfect match over time.

I remember what Gran said.

The secret to having
a perfect marriage?

Paying attention.

Your Gran is-- as usual-- right.

Over the years,

I've become the world's
foremost expert

on Anita Williams Dupree.

I wake up every morning
excited to learn more.

I never should have come here
in the first place.

Sharon, please. Don't go.

This is what we need to get at,
all three of us.

I can't be
the only one to wonder

how much responsibility we bear,

individually or collectively,
for what happened.

And is it so unforgivable
that we fought to be somebody,

to live our dream?

Until you made it
perfectly clear

that your dream is
the only one that mattered.

You keep making it sound like
I was in control, but I wasn't.

Because you conveniently
gave the control to Dante Green,

and we all know
how that turned out.

We were barely
children then, Sharon.

And in the years since,
I have worked hard on myself,

shifted my focus outward,
on my children,

the-the-the charities
that Vernon and I have

committed ourselves to.

Your only commitment is
to what it always was:

making yourself look good.

But now you want people
to believe

that you're this
benevolent philanthropist.

But I know the truth.

Maybe it's time I let
everybody in on the secret.

Including Vernon.

Oh, hey, sweetie.

-Everything okay?
-Fine.

I just wanted to stop in

-and see how you were doing.
-Hmm.

I am still not used
to being the person

that people need to check in on.

But thank you for your concern.
It's sweet.

I saw Dad.

He told me about Leslie
being responsible

for Laura's accident.

All the harm
that woman has caused.

I know exactly how you feel.

I came face-to-face
with Leslie this morning

after learning about that.

It was everything I could do to
stop myself from striking out.

Good thing you kept it in check.

Because a woman like that would
definitely use it

against you
if you ever lost control.

How's your dad doing?

He misses you.

Are you here to plead his case?

Because that seems to be
going around.

I'd never pressure you
to do something

you're not ready to do.

But I am surprised
that the champion

of talking things out

is going with avoidance instead.

I prefer to think of it
as setting a boundary.

And I appreciate
that your father is

respecting that,
if nothing else.

Sounds like you're still

too angry to deal with Dad,
which I get.

If it was only that simple.

As much as I hate
what Ted did, I ache for him.

It would be so easy
to let him come back home,

wrap his arms around me,

and tell me
that nothing has to change.

No one would blame you
for doing that.

I would.

Because giving in
would be a relief,

but it wouldn't be real.

And the one thing that I know
about my life moving forward?

It has to be real.

I didn't understand why you went
with your mother's plot.

But now I have a better sense

of what it must have been like
being raised by her.

You're afraid of Dana,
aren't you?

You know more than anybody
what she's capable of.

You want to know if I think

my mother's the one who forced
Laura off the road?

I'd like to hear
your take on it.

I did wonder,

but I didn't think that she
could have gone that far.

So when she denied it,
I chose to believe her.

What do you know
about Laura's cardiac arrest?

We think she might have been
responsible for that, too.

She denied that, too,
and I let it go.

I know I'm new in your life.

And I understand
if you don't feel comfortable

completely trusting me,
but I want you to know,

if you ever feel like
breaking free from your mother,

you can come to me.

That's more than I deserve
after what I put you through.

Now I'll be honest, I'm...

still dealing with feelings
of being an insta-dad.

But the fact remains,

you are my daughter.

And you deserve better than
what you've had in your life.

And I'm gonna do everything
I can to make that up to you.

Hmm?

You should be careful
around her, too.

Hmm. Because Dana's decided
we're destined to be together?

I told her that will
never happen.

Yeah, so did I.

But Mama has a tendency

to confuse what she wants
with reality

and to go all in
on whatever's in her head.

Guess we should keep looking
out for each other, then.

Agreed?

[door closes]

I am just asking you to consider

what I'm offering.

The chance to recapture
some of what we've lost.

I know exactly
what you're offering.

Tracy and me back
propping you up

while you take the spotlight
front and center.

And then, after you've gotten
what you've wanted,

eased your conscience,
stroked your ego,

you'll toss us aside,
like before.

That is not what I want at all.

Hear me when I say this,
Anita Williams Dupree.

I know you better than anyone.

Better than Vernon.

I will never trust you again.

[door opens]

[door slams]

♪ ♪

What happened?

I thought I could
talk to Sharon,

make her see.

But how could I convince her
to forgive me...

...when I can't forgive myself?

I gave Jacob the jacket.

Jacket?

The one that Kat thinks
Leslie wore on the motorcycle

that ran Laura off the road.

And? Is Jacob gonna arrest her?

I don't know.

He wasn't very encouraging.

Leslie actually accused me

of buying the jacket
and planting it.

Jacob said a defense lawyer
would have

a field day with that.

He has a good point.

He also didn't love
that I tried on the jacket.

He said my DNA will be
all over it.

He's right about that, too.

Look, picking apart
everything I did isn't helpful.

You aren't exactly perfect.

Well, if you thought
before you acted--

Stop it, both of you.

We just need to accept
that Leslie is

probably gonna get away
with everything that she's done.

I ran the video
through the program,

and it's estimating

that the motorcycle rider's
height is about five foot seven.

Same height as my suspect.

Mm-hmm. And I may have ID'd

the manufacturer
of the helmet and the boots,

but I need to do a little bit
more research on that.

Okay. What about the jacket?

Ah, saved the best for last.

It's a match for the video.

-Yes! Good job, Walker.
-Mm-hmm.

I went home and realized

that someone had been
in my apartment.

[gasps] That's terrible.
Did they take anything?

What did you do
with my helmet and gloves?

[scoffs]
Calm down, Mama.

They're hidden
in a much better place

than your apartment,

which is the first place
the police will look.

Oh, so you're telling me
that you took them to help me?

Oh, not at all.

I wanted to make sure
you wouldn't be tempted

to throw me under the bus again.

I told you I would never--

But what you say isn't
always what you do, Mama.

Let's just think of this
as a little helpful reminder

that you need to stay
on my good side for a change.