- I love you. - I love you.
Fuck!
I have to see you.
Mrs. Simpson.
The legal aid I mentioned. She's very good.
If you need assistance with housing for the night,
we have resources we can access.
Howard, listen to me.
- You made a terrible mistake. - Not another word.
- It wasn't me. - My client is here
- to pick up his children. - What?
That shouldn't be a problem. They're right this way.
Eleanor must have called the cops.
I didn't say anything.
I'm gonna make sure you never see those girls again.
No, you cannot do that. They need me. They need their mother.
Hey, girls.
- Where are we going now? - Home.
Hi, sweetie. It's okay.
- I'm so sorry about this. - What about Mommy?
She has to answer some questions. Come on, sweetie.
Howard, please. I'm begging you. Please.
- Please don't do this. - I didn't do this. You did.
Not me. You.
- Mommy! - It's okay, sweetie.
Come on, Ganz. Pick up.
Ms. Bouchet.
What the hell is going on?
What happened with Howard?
We had nothing to hold him on. We had to let him go.
Fuck.
- Fuck. - It's not him. You've gotta move on.
Over the last 12 hours,
we've managed to gather credible info from local law enforcement
who are working with us to help track down Mr. Reed.
We've widened the search statewide, we have eyes on the border.
So you lost him.
We have units at his residence in Bakersfield.
We also have units at his last known place of employment.
We've had multiple possible sightings come over the tip line,
but nothing that we've been able to substantiate yet.
And why haven't you done all this until now?
- Mr. Reed was never a person of interest. - No shit.
'Cause you're too busy pinning my wife's murder on me
instead of doing your fucking jobs.
Do I need to remind you that this meeting's a courtesy?
A courtesy that I'm not sure is warranted
considering the beating that we'll take if Mr. Simpson decides to sue this department
for a request I made at the behest of your family.
So, if you're finished,
- we can continue. - Excuse me.
- Mary Simpson. I was told this is where-- - Yes, yes. Please, have a seat.
Detective.
The only reason that both of you are here
is because you knew Mrs. Hennessey the longest.
Can you give us any information about the relationship
between Mr. Reed and Mrs. Hennessey that can help us find him?
As far as we knew, she cut off all contact with her family years ago.
More like decades. She didn't want anything to do with them.
Well, we believe that Mr. Reed and Mrs. Hennessey were still in contact.
We were able to track this number to a now inactive phone purchased by Mr. Reed.
Mrs. Hennessey called him five nights before she was murdered
and then again on the night she was killed.
We haven't determined the nature of the calls, but--
So now you're blaming Nancy for getting killed
instead of finding the guy who fucking did it?
I'm so sorry we weren't able to be more helpful.
Robert. Please stop.
What?
I know how this looks. But I was not wrong about Howard.
I don't know how Scott fits into all of this,
but maybe they were working together. They must have--
Scott killed her, all right? Scott.
Not Howard.
Whatever it is that you two got going on, just leave me the hell out of it.
- They took him in front of my children. - Well--
- Did you know that? - I did not know that
- they would move that quickly. - They did.
I'm sorry that that happened.
- But we made a deal and you walked away. - He has my kids, Ellie.
He may as well have my arms and legs.
I am nothing, I am meat, I am worthless without them.
What does that mean? That we just let him get away with it?
Did you see the video?
What if we're wrong? Hmm?
- What if Scott killed Nancy? - You can't possibly believe that.
- I don't know! - Mary,
has the Adderall just completely fucked up your brain?
Howard all but confessed.
You can't think that it's okay to leave Marcus and the girls with him.
Why don't you get your own family and stop leeching off of everyone else's?
What about the court date?
The hearing, yes.
To obtain an emergency custody order.
Your husband's filed on an expedited timeline.
Judge Davis scheduled us for Tuesday.
That's in six days. You said we had weeks.
- How can he do that? - He's claiming
"reasonable belief of imminent physical harm."
From Mom? That's bullshit.
He's also citing exigent circumstances.
It seems like work is taking him to Ohio and he's petitioning to take the girls.
- He can't. - Well, that's up to Judge Davis.
No, that's not fair.
Marcus, sit.
He cheats on her.
He has for years.
You think I don't know, but I do.
Sweetie…
My dad, he tries to act like this good guy.
He has everyone fooled.
No one knows what he's really like.
There must be something we can do.
Do you have any proof of any kind of abusive behavior?
No. He's…
He's more insidious than that.
I do believe he's capable of anything, though.
And have you ever reported anything to the police?
- No. - That's unfortunate.
Without a contemporaneous report
our best bet is to avoid Howard's weaknesses altogether.
Focus on your strengths.
We're gonna need a stellar character witness.
I can do it.
From somebody outside the family.
Preferably someone who's known you for years.
Who do you have in your life who can vouch for you?
Morning.
- Hi, Bernard. - Miss Ellie.
- It's been a long time. - Good to see you.
- Welcome home. - Thank you.
If they don't want to close, then we'll have to go into arbitration.
I agree.
Then get them to sign.
Thank you.
Hi.
Is that a…
shag or a bob?
Hard to tell with the length.
It's a bixie actually.
It suits you.
I just wanted to try something new.
I was kind of surprised when your brother said that you were coming.
I thought he was teasing.
Usually when you run, it's…
not typically in my direction.
Yeah.
I don't know where else to go.
I have run out of places to go.
Mr. Hennessey. You have a guest.
Not now, Adele.
Shit.
Hey.
Are you moving?
Just redecorating.
Thought I might turn it into a pottery studio.
Or somewhere to meditate.
Yeah, it certainly looks like that.
What can I do for you?
I have a custody hearing
and I need character witnesses.
People who have known me for a long time and who can vouch for me as a mother.
Oh, man.
You must really be scraping the bottom of the barrel coming to me.
What? No, Robert.
You've seen me parent and at least you've heard about it from Nancy, or…
Well, what about Eleanor?
We're no longer speaking.
I don't believe that for a second.
Well, believe it. We're done.
You know, when she came over here with that crackpot story about your husband…
I mean, she was terrified.
For you.
She was?
You've never liked me.
From the beginning.
Why not?
Come on. Do you want me to help you?
Robert, it's not that I don't…
Spit it out. Don't be polite.
I'm sick of politeness.
Come on, Mary. Be honest.
I never got it.
Why the two of them fawned over you.
I mean, I get that you're tall and…
Kennedy-esque and all that, but…
But what?
You're a branch.
Not a tree.
You only have what you've been given.
You're a collection of expectations from others.
You…
Your real self…
You barely even exist.
Robert, in four days…
I have to stand in front of a judge…
who will decide
if I ever get to see my children again.
Mr. Hennessey.
The police are here, sir.
As of 9:13 this morning, we have Scott Reed in custody.
- Wait… So you found him? - We found him.
Oh, my God.
Thank you. I mean, that's just…
- Seriously, thank you. I-- - There's more.
Mr. Reed had Mrs. Hennessey's phone on him when he was apprehended.
The one that we couldn't find at the scene?
Forensics was able to ID it.
So, that's…
That's it. It's over.
We have a long road ahead but we are confident.
Has he confessed?
Like I said, we are confident.
So, what happens now?
He's been arraigned, and we're moving him to County.
Do I need to…
- Hello? - Mrs. Simpson?
- Who is this? - Oliver Nock.
I represent Scott Reed.
How did you get my number?
My client has been forthcoming with the police about his innocence,
but seems to be falling on deaf ears.
He's asked to speak with you.
Have a seat.
Ackee and salt fish, plantain and callaloo.
- Your favorites. - You cooked.
Have a seat.
Look, if you don't want to, we don't have--
No, no, no. Thank you.
No. I just… I got a call.
Nancy's stepfather has been arrested
and he wants to talk to me.
And this is something you don't want?
I mean, this is the man who may have killed my best friend.
So I feel like I have to go and look him in the eye and ask him why, but…
But what?
I can't.
I can't go back.
I feel like every time I am trying to do the right thing, something ends up broken.
Eleanor, what part of sleeping with your best friend's husband
seemed like the right thing?
Wow. Must you always be so cruel?
Well, what do you want me to do? Sugarcoat the truth?
Yes. Yes.
Just for once,
I would love it if you would even just pretend to be in my corner.
Because that…
that is why I left.
What happened between you and Robert
does not get to define you.
That was a mistake.
A mistake that you have paid for.
I am looking at you,
and I know you have.
Mom…
I thought it was real.
I did.
And I gave him every last bit of me.
But I don't want to do that again.
I never want to feel that way again, with anyone.
Don't do that.
Don't shut down.
When your father died, I let that be all there is.
Be better than me.
Robert wasn't the one.
The end.
But your friends…
Eleanor,
you have found people to love, share your life with.
Obviously I did not teach you that,
but you figured it out on your own.
And these people,
if you really love them,
then you have got to show them.
And that means you've got to go back there.
Go back there and see this thing through.
Because if you don't, trust me,
you'll become what you deride.
A hardened woman who can barely get through lunch
with the person she loves the most.
What do you want me to do?
I mean, yeah, baby.
Okay. Well, then you call him.
- Hello. - Please.
He'll be here any minute.
I didn't kill her.
And I told the cops that.
They don't believe me.
They're making it out like I went after her.
But she called me a couple of nights before she died.
Well, if it isn't Fancy Nancy in the flesh.
You still wear the same cologne.
Beer.
Real nice ring.
So, what?
We're gonna have a staring contest?
I was a child.
The things you did to me…
I was just a child.
A waste of time.
No, you're gonna sit the fuck down and listen to me.
Easy, all right?
Yeah, she told me everything.
She was fucking your husband.
Lying to everyone about it.
Said he was a real creep too.
Wouldn't take no for an answer.
He even sent her naked pictures.
Her husband saw 'em.
It seemed like she didn't have nobody to talk to.
So that's what we did.
A couple of days later she called again, and she's at some…
some birthday thing…
No. No, I'm sorry.
This… None of this makes any sense.
She never would have called you. She hated you.
You ruined her life.
She wanted my protection.
How?
How were you going to protect her?
She wanted me to scare him.
Rough him up a bit.
Get him to back off.
I was going to do it too.
I owed her that much.
- Get back here. - Sto…
Hey.
- This has to stop. - Hello?
I have to tell her.
- You don't mean that. - Where are you?
She may never speak to me again, but she deserves
- to know the truth. - Can you hear me?
Shit.
He was… He was leaned over her…
her body.
Doing something with her… her hand. I didn't see what.
You just left her there?
What was I supposed to do?
You call for help.
You tell the police.
You're going to tell me what I should have done?
Your husband killed your best friend.
What the fuck are you going to do about it?
'Cause I tried telling them and no one would believe me.
Where are you going?
To the police station.
I'm coming with you.
They said they had urgent information about the Hennessey case.
- Thought you'd want to hear it. - I have a press conference to get to.
- Make it quick. - We went to see Scott.
- I am aware. - Detective, he's telling the truth.
And your evidence is?
Him. Him. He is an eyewitness.
He saw Howard do it.
He has details about the crime because--
- Yes, because he committed it. - No.
Why does it feel like you want it to be him?
Let me tell you how this works.
In here, I have physical, verifiable, concrete evidence.
- Yes, but you s-- - I have phone records,
prints on the victim's phone.
I even have a series of threatening Instagram messages from Mr. Reed.
- Just talk to him. Just… - That gives me motive.
I have everything I need to present this to the DA's office.
And I have a sea of reporters waiting to hear the good news
that the victim of a heinous crime is going to get justice.
So, unless you have something better than what I have, we are done here.
- His… - What about Howard's phone or his laptop?
Everything we've given you so far is circumstantial.
But what if we had something that connected Howard to Nancy?
Someone texted nudes of Nancy to her phone.
Howard has to have those pictures.
Can you get a warrant to search his computer?
We're done here.
What? Detective, are you fucking serious?
- Okay. Hey, Mary! Mary. - You have to do your job!
- Stop. I know. - This is her job.
- But clearly she doesn't give a shit. - Stop it. Not here.
Let's go.
Please.
I have to go to court tomorrow.
And I have nothing.
Howard is going to take my girls. He's going to take my fucking kids, Ellie.
- Are you high? - What? No!
You told me you weren't taking those pills anymore.
I didn't start until after Nancy died, okay?
- So you lied. - I didn't think you would understand.
You had so much going on.
And you were able to handle it so much better. And I just…
I felt like I was underwater.
And everything took so much effort and I couldn't focus with the kids.
I just… I needed something just to get me going.
You sat on this couch and you told me everything about Howard,
and the cheating, everything that he did.
But you were still keeping shit from me.
Mary, how are we looking each other in the eye and just lying?
I don't know! You tell me.
I don't know. It's not just me. It's you, it's me, it's Nancy.
Nancy was lying.
She was talking to Scott and we had no idea!
I know.
I know. I know. I know. I know.
Mary, that night after we all left your birthday dinner,
I was standing at the valet, waiting.
And Nancy came back.
And she asked me to go with her, and I said no.
She was trying to be honest with me and I wouldn't let her.
And now she's gone and I have been so scared to say that out loud.
But I don't… I don't want to hold on to it anymore.
I wasn't just stealing Nancy's things.
Howard and I would sometimes…
Every once in a while when we had sex,
we would role-play and we would pretend we were them.
I used to pretend I was her.
Friends don't do that. Do they?
And sometimes I think, maybe I was contributing to this.
To Howard wanting her.
I'm sorry, but I thought if you knew that,
there was no way you would ever love me anymore.
I think we were all scared of the same thing.
Every day at three o'clock I peel and cut this apple for Artie.
And I leave a whole one for Junie.
Every day.
It's one of a million things that I do
to keep their lives predictable and to make them feel safe.
Howard doesn't know about it.
No one does 'cause it's invisible.
It's my kids who are gonna suffer.
What do we do now?
We start with the truth.
I'm gonna talk to Cora.
I thought that as her father you should know,
that I'm… I'm gonna tell her everything.
About us, about Nancy and Scott.
I think if Nancy had more time,
she would have been honest with Cora about her past.
No. Absolutely not.
Robert, you may be fine with all these secrets
because you're a Hennessey, but I'm not.
I can't, I don't want to live like this.
These secrets killed Nancy.
I don't want that for Cora.
I hurt her and I owe her the truth.
The truth? She already thinks I'm an asshole.
And you're just gonna make things worse.
This isn't about you.
- Oh, it isn't? - No.
This isn't about me not giving you what you want?
What you've always wanted?
No.
I used to want something from you.
But I don't anymore.
I'm gonna talk to Cora.
You should take care of yourself.
- Eleanor. - Yes?
I'm really sorry.
I still wanna be there.
I know.
The best thing you can do for me right now is to watch your sisters, okay?
You think he'll win?
Your aunt Ellie and I have a plan.
I love you, sweetheart.
Give the girls a hug for me.
I will.
- I love you too. - Bye.
I had never met anyone like Mary.
None of us had.
She's like empathy personified.
She always has space in that huge, expansive heart of hers for everyone.
But especially for her children.
No one means more to Mary than Marcus and Juniper, and Artemis.
Thank you, Ms. Bouchet.
Ms. Bouchet,
do you recall an incident involving the respondent
and her then eight-year-old daughter during the month of October 2025?
I would have to check my calendar.
Oh, that's okay, I'll be specific.
On October 19th, 2025, were you aware that Mrs. Simpson,
under the influence of illegally procured amphetamines
drove away from an ARCO gas station
while her daughter, Juniper, was still inside the mini-mart?
Yes.
Yes. What?
Yes, I am aware that happened.
She's human. She made a mistake.
And on the morning of June fourth,
were you with her when her youngest daughter was admitted
- to the emergency room having overdosed… - I told you that wasn't me.
- That was Howard. - …on Mrs. Simpson's
unprescribed Adderall?
Yes, I was at the hospital.
Thank you.
No further questions, your honor.
You can step down.
Any further witnesses, Ms. Tisdall?
Actually yes, Your Honor.
She's just arrived.
I was married to Howard for eight years.
Did you have any children?
None, to Howard's profound disappointment.
I did get pregnant, but then I lost it.
Looking back, it was the biggest blessing of my life.
Why? If you don't mind.
Because humanity would be better off
if some people didn't procreate.
It sounds like you didn't care much for your husband.
I did at first.
Howard has this way of charming you through repulsion.
It took eight years at least before he lay his hands on me.
It was only once, but…
it was memorable.
I spent the last two decades terrified
that he would find me and finish what he started.
But I just look at him now
and all I see is this angry child
scared to death of his own mediocrity.
All rise.
Please sit.
All right.
When it comes to the emergency order to request permission
to relocate the children across state lines, that request is denied.
What does that mean? My job is in Ohio.
That means get a new job.
And given the pending endangerment charges
the respondent is currently facing,
I am of the opinion that the minor children,
Artemis and Juniper Simpson, are indeed in imminent harm
and not safe to reside with either parent at this time.
- What? - I am referring the matter
to the Department of Children and Family Services
- to request… - No.
…temporary detention of the children.
Once the case is resolved,
we will reconvene and assess our options long-term.
Court is dismissed.
We have options.
It's gonna be okay.
What happens now?
- This wasn't supposed to happen this way. - I know. I know.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
We will fight this.
- What is wrong with you? - No. No, no, no, no.
- What the fuck is wrong with you? - Stop it.
I will come to the hotel and get you, and you will stay with me.
Ellie?
Mare?
Mary?
Hey, you've reached Mary and Junie.
And me!
Come on.
Aunt Ellie?
Hey, have you heard from your mom?
My mom? No.
Is your father there?
No, no, I haven't seen him.
I was watching Junie and Artie
and the social services people came and took them.
I'm not sure what to do.
Okay, I'm gonna text you the number for Detective Bethany Ganz.
I want you to call her.
There's something that I need you to get to her from me. Okay?
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay.
You're gonna kill me?
No, you're gonna kill you.
Writes itself, really.
Drug-addicted mother loses her kids.
She's been in free fall for months.
Nothing to live for. So she slits her wrists and bleeds out
in the very same spot where her best friend was murdered.
Eleanor and I spoke to Scott.
He saw you.
He saw you do it. He saw you kill Nancy.
She asked him to meet her here.
And she asked him to hurt you, so that you would leave her alone.
You're lying.
Am I? Am I lying?
You said that you knew Nancy better than I did.
Is that something that she'd be capable of?
Why am I free while he's in jail?
Because…
Because Detective Ganz needs solid proof that you did it.
And Ellie and I are supposed to get it.
We are… We're supposed to meet her in my hotel room tonight.
And now I won't be there.
Detective Ganz will never think that I killed myself.
She will know that you did it.
Listen to me, Howard.
Listen to me.
There's only one thing for you to do here, okay?
You let me call Ellie.
Listen to me, I will tell her that it's off.
I can't do it.
And you run.
You go.
You do not take the girls.
You don't want the girls.
Just go.
And you will finally be free.
Let me call her.
Okay?
It's okay.
Shit! Damn it!
Damn it! Fuck, Howard!
You brought me to a dead zone.
It's not even gonna go through.
Enough of this.
We stick to the plan. Get up. Come on. Move.
The dead zone. The victim was murdered here.
Oh, my God. Dead zone.
Shit!
Walk.
- When did you stop loving me, huh? - Oh, come on. Come on.
No!
I gave you my whole adult life,
so if I'm gonna die tonight, I'd like to know.
Okay, you wanna know?
When you were my TA, you had limitless potential.
You had a mind that I thought would set the world ablaze.
But you didn't.
You became a drudge, and a nag, and a bore.
Why did you do it?
Tell me, Howard. Why did you kill Nancy?
'Cause I wanted to show her, but she wouldn't listen.
What are we doing down here?
Look.
What am I looking at?
This!
- The bridge? - The colonnade.
I think there's nothing more beautiful at night.
I'm cold.
It's something right in your backyard.
And you've probably never seen it from this angle before.
I'm not in the mood for your metaphors right now.
Can we go back?
Wait, I have to say something.
I'm in love with you.
- Howard, please-- - Wait, wait, wait. Let me finish.
We can be together. I've planned it.
I've stashed money away.
I don't want that.
You were never happier or more alive than you were in that theater at night.
- What? - I could feel
- the passion that I awoke in you. - You are delusional!
Come back here.
No.
This has to stop.
I have to tell her.
You don't mean that.
She may never speak to me again, but she deserves to know the truth.
Oh, come on. You don't give a fuck about Mary.
She would be alive if it wasn't for you.
What the hell are you doing?
She wasn't the fragile one.
You were.
You fucking bitch!
- Gotcha. - Ow!
You blew it.
We could have been…
We could have been… We could have been…
We could have been…
Oh, God.
Mare. Mary. Mary!
Oh, my God. Wake up, please. Please wake up.
Oh, God. Oh, God.
No! No!
It's okay.
We're okay.
You're okay. Oh, God.
- Oh, God. We… - We're okay.
We're okay.
Thank you.
- I'm sorry, are you family? - Yes, I'm going with her. Mary.
Ellie.
You okay?
Are you?
I don't know.
We were supposed to grow old together.
That was the agreement. It was a promise made when we were young.
Young enough not to know the terrible irony of friendship.
That the deeper you love someone, the more agonizing the pain when they're gone.
There's a temptation, after so much heartbreak,
to become an island.
But that's a mistake.
Staying available to love is worth the risk.
To keep reaching for that deeper sense of joy and belonging.
I'd like to say all that pain we went through was a gift.
That it taught us how strong we are.
How capable of healing.
But after everything we've been through, we could never lose the bond we share.
Our friendship is too powerful.
It should be able to survive just about anything.
At least for now.