Stephan.
I'm Madeline.
Maddie?
That's what you wrote in your letter.
You're right.
I'm Maddie.
Schwartz is your last name.
I saw it in the newspaper,
but you didn't put it in your letter.
I thought Maddie would be more personal.
Or maybe you thought all Polish people are Nazis.
But I'm a Seventh-day Adventist.
We follow the Sabbath commandment.
Do you keep Sabbath?
No.
My father always kept the Sabbath.
Even during the war.
Was your father a soldier?
A medic.
We're conscientious objectors. We don't bear arms.
And why is that?
Well, because Jesus Christ came into this world
not to destroy men's lives, but to save them.
And what about little girls' lives?
Your father sounds like he was a very faithful man.
Where is he now?
He died when I was seven.
- So sorry to hear that. - What's that?
- It's a tape recorder. - No, I know what it is.
I don't want to be recorded.
I thought that you wanted to talk to me because you felt that we're connected.
I do.
I did. I mean, I do.
They only would let me come if they thought this was an interview.
Just jot down some thoughts
so it doesn't look like we're up to no good.
Yeah?
Do you feel connected to other people?
Not recently.
I haven't been able to connect to anybody since I found Tessie's body.
How did you know?
Know what?
Where to find her.
Just chance, I guess.
Why did you leave the body in the lake?
I didn't.
Then who did?
There was a colored man with you at the store that day.
Who was he?
Stephan.
It's gonna be really hard to connect.
And I know we both are here to connect, right?
It's gonna be really hard if you don't tell me anything truthful.
But you're the one who's lying.
About what?
That it was just chance that got you to look for her there.
You're right.
How did you know that place?
It's where you used to go with boys.
- I go there too. - For what?
To watch girls who let boys touch them.
I used to be one of those girls.
- Sorry. I'm sorry. - Last time I was there, I--
- It was before my high school graduation. - I'm sorry.
And I was going with this boy.
It was getting quite serious and he wanted to go all the way.
I wanted to save myself.
You had to pretend to be innocent.
But it doesn't matter.
If you don't keep the Sabbath, being a virgin won't save you.
But Tessie kept the Sabbath and you still killed her.
I didn't kill Tessie Durst.
Then who did?
Stephan.
I know what it's like to pretend to be innocent for other people.
I used to think that was the only way to salvation.
And what changed your mind?
Jesus died a virgin and so did I.
I don't understand.
The experiments.
I was a virgin when they made me sick.
Experiments?
Innocence never leaves slowly.
It leaves suddenly, abruptly, violently.
Innocence leaves when you discover cruelty.
First in others, then in yourself.
It would have made you sick to know
he was closer to my death than you would ever be.
And how close he would bring you to yours.
So?
"Operation Whitecoat."
What the hell is this?
Ongoing secret military program in Fort Detrick, Maryland,
that uses conscientious objectors as human guinea pigs
as a defense for the US against biological warfare.
Fascinating.
Where the fuck is my Zawadzkie story?
You're looking at it.
Reggie?
I dreamed about a dark lady last night.
"A dark lady denotes profitable investments. 366."
I want you gone by Christmas morning, you understand?
You hear me?
Cleo?
Let's go.
Do you think you leaving gon' get you clean?
Reggie, I ain't got time. I'm sick and you're not helping me.
You wanna get clean, do it here with me.
You understand?
Or I'll lock you up myself.
Unpack all that shit.
I was ashamed to leave, Maddie.
But more than that, I was ashamed I've never loved anyone
as much as I loved the memory of my father.
Who will I be if I stop waiting for him to come back?
Hey.
I need you to promise me,
what we do today is between you and me.
Okay?
Just you, me and God.
How you be, T-Man?
Morning, Mrs. Tatum. Got somebody in your chair?
No, I'm in between clients, but Charlie already swept by--
Good morning, Mrs. Tatum.
T-Man's mama.
Yeah.
He ain't my responsibility.
And I'm just putting bets, so we got nothing to talk about.
Unless you're here to get your hair under my hot comb.
No. I wear wigs,
but I hope that won't keep you from hearing my offer.
I make wigs too, sugar.
You know they say a woman's hair is her crowning glory.
Hard to believe sometimes, the things we do to ours.
Oh, please. Ain't no shame in what we do to our hair.
- I'm doing it for my little girl. - Oh, yeah?
Uh-huh. Started with my sisters and now it puts food on my table.
Food is good. Food is real good.
I bet you wouldn't mind owning your own salon.
You sound like a man with a paper asshole.
Do I?
My boy tells me you got dreams of opening a parlor in Upton.
What's in a dream?
If we work together, you can have that parlor.
That's $50.
Christmas Eve, you take that, you put it all on 366. Not a dollar more.
That's a big bet.
It's no bet.
You telling me the numbers are rigged?
I'm sure deep down you already knew that.
So? You don't see me going around telling kids Santa ain't real.
What if they come around asking?
You point at your dream book.
Tell them you dreamt of a dark lady.
A dark lady denotes profitable investments.
Three, six, six?
When we win, you keep 20% and I'll take the rest.
What's the catch, sugar?
Your silence.
For $6,000,
I could be as quiet as a mouse in a church full of cats.
You know, 'cause once we win, that's all we are.
Three mice in the same boat.
Anyone finds out, we all drown.
Miss Powder Blue, huh?
- You ain't gonna tell me her name? - All you need to know is that I--
I got us here so that we can do our job, okay?
Our job?
- Our job. - Nigga, our job is to patrol the streets.
Man, I ain't sign up for this.
Uh-huh.
A nigga moves up in the world,
the first thing he does is hook himself up with some white trim.
Ain't that right, Officer Platt?
And your point?
Maybe you ain't as clean as you think, brother.
Hey, this the brother I wanted you to meet.
- Gready. - Duke.
- Duke, hey. - Hold on.
What's the bloodline on these birds?
I got some Stichelbauts. I got some Janssens.
500-mile birds I ran at the race from Tennessee.
Came in second place.
Take 'em anywhere in America.
- Anywhere? - Anywhere.
$1.50 a bird.
- Hey, Duke. - Shit!
- Hey! - Uh-huh.
Let's go! Come on, come on.
Sit down.
Platt!
Davis!
Robert "Duke" Buxton, suspect in the attempted assassination
of State Senator Myrtle Summer, was shot and is in stable condition.
Officer Percy Davis was killed on duty.
BPD believe the three men acted in collaboration with a Negro woman
in her early to late 30s.
Suspected third accomplice is still at large.
Do you believe the attack was political, Mrs. Summer?
I can't tell you, but the truth will come out.
- This man has made sure of that. - That's Davis's partner.
Why couldn't this be the motherfucker to go down?
...by Officer Ferdinand Platt,
soon to be the first Black homicide detective
- in the Baltimore Police Department. - I heard enough.
Go grab that third motherfucker before the police do and bring him here.
Can I get the check, please? And a lemon meringue pie to go.
- Yeah. - Thank you.
Cedrick, do you read?
The news. I mean, do you read the news?
Yes, Madeline. I read the news.
This is my article. I wrote it.
That's my name.
That is you.
Does that mean you'll be getting your own damn phone soon?
Hello? Star.
Why you sending me these people?
Why don't you send them to Maddie Morgenstern?
He's a suspect. We didn't say he was guilty.
We're just writing a story, lady.
Hey! Watch it.
Sorry, Mr. Marshall won't be taking any more calls this morning
on the Whitecoat story.
But I can pass you on to Mr. Bauer, who actually wrote the story.
Bob Bauer here.
No, the story was fact-checked and--
Well, you know what?
If he's angry, then we must be doing something right.
Hey, what's that?
Best lemon meringue pie in town.
It's for Mr. Marshall. No, Marshall should be buying you a pie.
Those papers are flying off the stands.
People aren't sure Zawadzkie did it anymore.
Top shrinks are arguing all about it on the radio.
Marshall says we're gonna be running this for weeks.
Thanks, Betty. Can I take it in to him?
Hey, you know what? You can leave it with me.
That seems risky.
You calling me tall?
I wanted to ask him if he's given any thought to the request I made.
Oh, no. There's no need for that
'cause, you know, I had to convince him that Zawadzkie story was not a fluke
and that was not easy.
- And? - But I did it.
And you are officially employed
by The Baltimore Star as of this afternoon.
Unless, of course, there's somewhere else that you need to be.
No. There is nowhere I'd rather be than in this newsroom.
Newsroom.
No. You're gonna be assisting Don Heath on the helpline.
See, you've got your own desk and--
Now, don't look at me like that.
You know, even Eddie Murrow started somewhere.
My desk is 20 steps away from Mr. Marshall's door,
which is a hell of a lot closer than it was yesterday.
You're welcome.
And I happen to know just how we can celebrate.
Fourth row.
Colts Christmas game.
- What lady could resist? - Thank you, Bob,
but I have to spend the day with my son.
And I'm sure Mrs. Bauer would love to go.
Tell you what...
Okay, I want you to take--
Okay, you go with
whatever lucky fella it is you wanna celebrate with.
- Bob. Your shoelace, Bob. - Hey?
No, don't--
- Through the front... - Maddie.
We get 50 or 60 requests a day here.
Sometimes more. Most of them can go straight to the trash.
You wouldn't believe the shit that people ask about.
I'm familiar with the helpline column, Mr. Heath.
You're familiar with the ones we publish, Mrs. Schwartz.
Morgenstern.
- That's-- They misprinted it. - Morg--
Morgenstern? That's your name?
Yes. It's my maiden name.
Morgenstern. Really? It's German. That's your real name?
Yes.
Good for you.
All right, you're gonna open every fucking envelope
and you're gonna read them all
and then you're gonna pick out four or five that are worth responding to.
I'll write those.
Later, when you get the hang of it,
you can write all the rest that no one will read.
You got a typewriter?
I'll have 'em send one up to you.
Until then, you can start by getting me a cup of coffee.
Black, three sugars.
And if I ever ask you how many you put in,
you tell me it was two.
Reg.
We been waiting on you.
Hey, take this all in, 'cause one day it's all gonna change.
It's all gonna end. Even music on the ave.
We won't let that happen, now will we?
We won't?
'Cause my man Russ here told me you sent Cleo to do the drop.
I thought they were watching me, boss.
Who?
Police.
I was at the fish store the same morning that little white girl got murdered.
So you just sent her without asking me?
I was just trying to keep the heat off you, that's--
- I didn't tell her nothing. - It don't matter now, do it?
Them two clowns the police got can ID her.
Drop the money at Pimlico
and you make sure Cleo is at the Christmas giveaway.
I want her there.
It's Christmas Eve, boss.
Her kids gonna be there. Come on.
Well, I guess we all just have to take a big, happy family photo.
And then...
you know what to do, boy.
See, when God wanted to test Abraham,
he told him to sacrifice the things he loved most in the world.
His own son.
Now, the only thing to save that boy was the angel of mercy.
But if Cleo is breathing on Christmas morning...
boy, it ain't gonna be no angel merciful enough to save you.
You understand that?
Clean that up.
Reggie.
Hey.
Catch yourself.
For a girl who likes to be on the move,
I sure do lug around a whole bunch of shit, don't I?
But I'm done, Leo, I'm done.
I'm done, baby. I'm done.
Take it. Baby, take it. I don't want it.
- I got it. I'll take it. Okay. - I'm done, Cleo, I'm done.
I'ma sweat and I'm gon--
I'm gonna go on the road. I'm gonna be free.
Dora, you can't leave like this.
Not like this. Look at you. You need somebody to help you.
Then come with me.
I can't, Dora.
I know what you planning.
Reggie told me.
What you gonna do if Shell catch you?
Okay. What about Teddy?
- I don't know. - What about Lionel?
I don't have all the answers yet, Dora. I don't know.
So what you gonna do? You gonna get that money
and leave everybody behind just like your daddy?
Maybe.
You know, I never told you this, but...
I never stop hoping you'd get on stage with me.
Look at me.
Paris is calling.
Come with me.
I'll find you.
I always find you. Right?
Be safe. You promise me you're gonna be safe?
I'll be safe.
I thought I told you to keep this window locked.
Are you okay?
Yeah.
I saw the news about Officer Davis.
What happened?
Said you saw what happened.
I really not-- Don't wanna get into it.
Okay.
You did it.
First Black homicide detective in Baltimore.
How was your day?
I'm sorry.
You're looking at the new Miss Helpline.
Miss Helpline?
I am now an employee of The Baltimore Star.
They say a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,
and I think mine starts with a single paper cut.
- Miss Helpline. - Yes.
Let me see.
That's definitely a paper cut.
With all due respect to your occupational hazards,
Miss Helpline, there must be a safer way to open up envelopes.
Thank you.
We should celebrate our new jobs.
I thought we just did.
This is nice.
Is it nice because we don't have to talk?
I ain't scared to talk.
Then why won't you tell me what happened?
Maybe I would if I didn't think you would try to use anything I say.
Use it for what?
Let's see. How would Madeline Morgenstern use what I say?
Oh, yeah, she--
she might try to give some information to a newspaperman she just met.
I'm only asking because I want to know what happened to you.
It's hard to tell sometimes.
You don't trust me.
No. I trust you to be who you are.
You don't trust me with how you feel.
I feel like I got a man killed over my ambition.
He wasn't my friend, but he was my partner.
I'm sure you didn't do anything wrong.
Listen, can we just leave it at that, please?
Have you ever done anything wrong?
I lied about the ring.
I did it for the in--
- No. - What?
You knew I knew that already, Maddie.
You knew I knew that.
- Really? - Yes, you knew.
My husband doesn't know he wasn't the first man I slept with.
Where do I come in?
Third.
But damn first when you really think about it, right?
And the most modest.
Honesty before modesty.
Damn, woman, what you got in your hair today?
It's spray to keep the frizz away.
I know a woman--
- I bet you know a lot of women. - For hair.
She can iron your hair so you don't got to spray it down like that.
Well, I spray it to look good for you, Mr. Detective.
I like that.
Mr. Detective.
- Yes, Mr. Detective. - Say it again.
Mr. Detective. Mr. Detective.
Well, I'd rather get busy with your other parts, Mrs. Helpline.
You want me to stop and look at your hair?
- No. - Okay.
You want me to stop and look at your hair, right?
- No. - Stop here?
No, don't stop.
- What about here? - No.
No.
No. Allan, stop.
Let me feel you, just for a minute.
Stop, Allan.
Allan, stop!
You don't tell the other guys to stop.
There are no other guys.
I can make you feel good too if you just give me a chance.
Just--
Here. Do it on my dress like this.
Just rub yourself on my dress instead.
Do you like football?
When the Colts are winning, I do.
I got a couple of tickets to the Christmas game Saturday.
I thought maybe we could meet there and pretend we're strangers.
That's a very fine offer,
but there's a law against that kind of thing,
and I'm sworn to uphold it.
I just wanna get out with you.
I feel like we're always locked up in this place.
Maddie, if someone reports us, we'll both get locked up.
- Maybe take your boy. - If you raise boys well,
they turn into young men who want nothing to do with you.
No, that can't be true.
Keep that window locked.
Would it make your heart ache if you knew I could've had Ferdie Platt?
I would think not.
You wanted my story more than you cared for him.
He thought he hit the daily number with you,
but just like me, he was betting on the wrong dream.
You all set on your end?
- Yeah. - I changed my mind.
I ain't in on this for free no more. I want my share before you disappear.
Tell me where.
Meet me in the park at midnight, so I can get what's coming to me.
I got dreams too, Cleo.
"Hoffman."
- Go. Let's go. - One minute.
All bets are closed.
Last lap. Let's go.
Hello? What?
Okay. Thank you.
I don't want it.
You sure?
It looks good on you.
I don't want anything from that man.
You sure it's Shell you're mad at?
Please don't start with me.
Remember when Dad left, you didn't get out of bed for months.
Couldn't move. Couldn't talk.
Brought you food, you wouldn't eat.
I'd sing you songs. I read you stories, but you wouldn't listen.
You wouldn't pay me any mind.
I needed you, Mama.
I needed you to tell me it wasn't my fault.
You still can't tell me it ain't my fault he left.
It ain't anyone's fault.
God leads the way.
Merry Christmas, Mama.
What's going on, baby?
- Merry Christmas. - Talk to me.
That was Dad!
Daddy!
Santa got us presents.
Slappy "Dark" Johnson...
Ho ho ho! What's-- Well, what's up, baby?
What on earth are you wearing?
I got a show tonight, Mama.
I ain't your mama.
Slappy, I'm not gonna have you up in my house dressed like no pimp, now.
- That's right. - I don't mean to disrespect y'all.
I know y'all don't like me here, but I got something for you.
What's that?
Mac and cheese.
I know you don't like them dry-ass collard greens.
Uh-uh. Now, I know you ain't showing up in this house
- with no mac and cheese. - Well, now, Merva,
since the man brought it, there's no need of letting it go to waste.
- I'll take that, Slappy. Thank you. - Thank you.
- You know what... - Isaiah?
Mac and cheese, Merva.
Come play with us.
Look at you.
I missed you.
Milton's uncharacteristically late. Where is he?
Milton is not coming.
Why should Milton come, huh?
What the hell have you done to your hair?
I'm just trying something different.
Haven't you tried enough different things lately?
Seth--
We light these candles
- in remembrance of Hanukkah's miracle... - I don't want to see you again.
...to remember our triumph in using even our darkest times
to the benefit of others.
Amen.
- How do we go on eating? - Happy Hanukkah, Maddie.
Happy Hanukkah, Ethyl, Rose.
Everyone's talking about your article, Maddie. Mazel.
- Thank you. - Your name was hard to find.
Next time, it'll be easier.
And I'm planning on using Morgenstern, my maiden--
It's my mother's name, actually.
Well, a mother's name is her husband's name, right?
It can't be true, all those things that man said?
Sam thinks our army would never endanger American citizens.
Well, what do you think?
- Me? - Yes. What do you think?
I'll tell you what I think.
I think Maddie Morgenstern always wanted her name in print, didn't you?
Allan--
And you were gonna do whatever it took to get it there, weren't you?
Even if it meant drumming up sympathy
for the murderer who took my daughter away from me.
- Allan, can we just-- - Don't speak. Don't say my name.
Do not ever say my name again!
Don't say the name of any remaining member of my family.
You should have some common decency, and you should leave.
- I'm sorry-- - You should leave!
I'm sorry.
I am not going anywhere,
and I hope that you see that I am treating her as if it was my child,
and I will not rest until I find out the truth.
But we already know the truth, Maddie.
Everybody here knows the truth.
You're trying to recover your lost dreams,
and you want to use the body of my dead child to do it.
How dare you.
He went for the kishke, huh?
You didn't say anything, Ma. And you didn't say anything, Seth.
What do you want me to say? I sympathize with the guy.
Excuse me, ladies, but my food's getting cold,
and there's not much home cooking going on these days.
So...
happy Hanukkah.
Seth?
Fuck!
What's with the suitcase?
It's a gift for Dora.
You know, she leaving town and...
I got a gift too.
Do you now?
A warm cookie in my pocket. You want it?
Warm from what?
I sat on it,
- but it's still moist, it's not broken. - I should have known better.
- The best cookies in the city. - You never get me nothing.
It's Christmas.
- I got you them panties once. - What panties?
The one with the French hole in the back.
You open it, and it's like, "Bonsoir."
"It's me."
They putting me back on the avenue.
Yep. A regular at Red Fox Lounge.
I got a job, Cleo.
Are you coming home or not?
You sure you want that?
Come on.
I know you be missing me.
Not as much as the boys.
All right.
They can come too.
What's wrong?
Just-- I'm happy.
Tell Dora,
"You can't cry if you laughing."
Ferdie?
Who's Ferdie?
He's a police officer.
Is he this police officer?
Yes, and he'll be here any minute.
You live with a Negro?
You didn't feel connected to me.
You just wanted my story.
No! Don't do that!
Why are you afraid of me?
- I'm not. - Is it because of this?
I just brought this so I could open the fire escape window,
but you left it unlocked so I didn't use it.
It's okay.
I forgive you.
We all fall sometimes.
We're weak and we fall.
No.
It's okay. I forgive you.
I forgive you.
I forgive you, Maddie.
I forgive you.
Do you forgive me too?
Yes, I forgive you, Stephan.
It's easier, isn't it?
What?
To forgive each other than to forgive ourselves.
Why is that?
I don't know.
Maybe that's why God gave us each other.
I was hoping that we could go away somewhere together.
But it was probably pretty childish, huh?
I'm sorry, Stephan.
It's cold.
It's big on me, but it'll keep you warm.
- Is it Ferdie's? - No.
I don't want my mother to know that I came to see you.
She wouldn't understand.
Well, I'll keep your secret.
You keep mine.
- About Ferdie? - Yeah.
Goodbye, Maddie.
My slavery to sin is dying as I claim Christ resurrection
to a new life with him as my guide!