Previously on Happy Face...
♪ ♪
-Did you see the protests? -What protests?
I've spent nearly three decades screaming into the wind.
I believe Elijah's innocent.
And I've been doing this long enough to know that
-you wouldn't agree. -Well, at least you're honest.
And you're right. I don't.
You want to know why I had an abortion, Dad?
Because I was raped.
What you did to those women you killed,
that happened to me, too.
I-I have never told anyone about that.
Missy, don't you want the murder weapon?
♪ ♪
(piano playing "Don't Dream It's Over")
♪ There is freedom within ♪
♪ There is freedom without ♪
♪ Try to catch the deluge in a paper cup ♪
♪ There's a battle ahead ♪
♪ Many battles are lost ♪
♪ But you'll never see the end of the road ♪
♪ While you're travelling with me ♪
♪ Hey now, hey now ♪
♪ Don't dream it's over ♪
♪ Hey now, hey now ♪
♪ When the world comes in... ♪
(switch clicks)
GUARD: Elijah. Elijah.
(grunts)
Hello?
He did what?
♪ ♪
(sighs)
(entry bells jingle)
(music playing over radio)
♪ I've been through this myself ♪
♪ For so long... ♪
Just this?
Um, and one of those phones, please?
♪ And my heart will not know... ♪
(cash register clicking, beeping)
-CLERK: There you go. -HAZEL: Thanks.
♪ Over my shoulder. ♪
(knock at door)
Hey!
Mom! What are you doing here?
Aw, I just got home. Oh, I missed you so much.
-I kept texting you. -Yeah, I missed you, too.
Hey, are those new sneakers?
Yeah, from Eva.
Late birthday present.
Ooh. Really?
I thought you guys weren't as close this year.
Well, we are again.
Oh, that's nice to hear. Come on, sit.
I want to hear--
I want to hear everything I've missed
and I want to see if you want to ask me anything.
What, about the article?
You had an abortion in high school.
It's not a huge deal.
Hazel, it is a huge deal.
At the time, I was younger than you are now.
Wow. No, I get that.
I can't even imagine.
Which means you're...
not anywhere close to those things--
-Mom! No! -When you do--
Oh, my God.
-Well, when you do... -Stop!
-Oh, my God. No. -When you do, when you do get there,
-many, many years from now... -Stop. No.
-Many years from now... -Stop.
Hey, look at me.
Look at me. Look at me.
You can talk to me about it, okay?
Okay?
I will stop torturing you about that.
I just also wanted to talk about Ash.
I'm sorry that I blamed you, I...
was just upset.
I'm sorry, too.
I should've been watching Max.
Okay.
It's "make your own pizza" night.
Do you want to help?
Oh, I actually do have one question.
Anything.
What happens with the case
now that you found the murder weapon?
Well...
it'll take about a week
for the lab to get the DNA off the wrench,
and then, we have to match those results
to a sample of Heather's DNA.
How do you get that? Since she's...
There's a dress from the night that she was murdered,
with her blood on it, and, uh...
Elijah's attorney is gonna get it from evidence.
If it's a match,
will your dad
get the death penalty, too?
Uh...
I don't know, Hazel. Possibly.
That's up to the authorities.
What's he like?
Be glad you never have to know.
ELIJAH: I just can't believe
it's true.
(laughs) Well, believe it,
What did I tell you?
You better start planning
on what you want to do your first day free.
All right, now, let's not get carried away.
Too late. I'm carried.
-(laughs) -Far away from here.
ELIJAH: Mm. Mm.
I had a dream the other night
-I was free. -Mm.
I was young, though.
Walking all over, playing the piano at this school.
Remember when you broke into that church to play their piano?
-(chuckles) -Mama nearly killed you.
-That-that church had a baby grand. -Mm-hmm.
-Hey. -(guard knocks)
GUARD: Time's up.
-(groans) -(sighs)
I'm gonna be back in a few days, okay?
Be strong.
(cuffs clinking)
Yo, my moms told me you're getting out.
Your sister said. That true?
I'm a long ways off from that, Nico.
What's your first meal gonna be, man?
Oh, I'd be getting me a damn pile of shrimp.
Oh, steak, too.
Yeah. That's what I'm gonna get
for my last meal in here.
Won't be as tasty though.
-GUARD: Come on, let's go. -I know.
Surf and turf sounds good, though.
-(chuckles) -GUARD: Let's go.
BEN: I want a piece of hers.
MELISSA: I know. I want a piece of yours, too.
Hey, guys.
-To Mom. -Oh.
-Welcome home. -MAX: Welcome home.
MELISSA: Thank you.
Oh, forgot the pizza slicer.
MELISSA: Oh, wait, we got to toast to Dad.
Uh, for being the regional manager of Sequoia Trust.
Less cool than solving a murder.
True. And I don't have the job yet.
Just an interview with corporate.
Which William said is just a formality.
BEN: Yeah, he did.
-(phone buzzes) -Now, where the hell is the, uh,
-the pizza slicer? -Who cares?
Come on. It's getting cold.
All right, well...
No slicer, but this will do the job.
MAX: Hazel's on her phone.
When can I go back to karate?
Oh, buddy, we're gonna find a new dojo.
Hazel, can you put the phone down, please?
Just set it down. Your mom's home.
She wasn't gone for that long.
I feel like she was gone for a hundred years.
MELISSA: Come here, come here, little boy.
I'm taking a slice of that pizza, by the way.
-It looks really good. -Come here, come here.
(kisses)
BEN: All right, cut 'em and pass 'em.
Let me see that, sweetie.
-MELISSA: Okay, thank you. -BEN: You're welcome.
All right, this is yours.
Hey, who you talking to?
A boy?
What? No. It's just Eva.
-MAX: You know what happened at school today? -MELISSA: What?
MAX: We played with a lizard. His name was Striker.
-And then he, like, escaped... -MELISSA: I just think,
maybe we should take the high road,
avoid the drama.
Melissa, we found that dojo.
Why would we go anywhere else?
wait, why is this in Max's backpack?
What?
-Max's? -Yeah.
♪ ♪
Hey, Max?
Why is the pizza slicer in your backpack?
It's a weapon.
A weapon? A weapon for what, Max?
In case Ash finds out where I go to school.
Okay.
Hey.
Hey, buddy.
Come here.
Hey.
Ash is not gonna come to your school,
and he's not gonna come here, either.
You don't have to worry.
Daddy and I are always, always gonna protect you, okay?
-BEN: Yeah. -Okay.
MELISSA: Hey.
Okay?
Okay.
All right, go get your pj's on. I'll come tuck you in.
BEN (sighing): Oh, man.
We could protect him
if we got a goddamn restraining order.
MELISSA: Oh, my God.
It's a piece of paper, not a moat.
It's something that we can do, Melissa.
Yeah, maybe he's anxious because he saw his father
put up a billion security cameras.
Thank God I did. Otherwise, what?
The kid would have been home alone for who knows how long.
Fucking thank God Renee was home.
Okay, okay, because I wasn't here.
-No, that's not what I'm saying. -That's exactly
-what you're saying. -No, I'm saying, thankfully,
she was able to watch him while I was still--
Then why don't you give her a fucking thank you gift, Ben?
I'm sorry.
-No, I'm sorry. -No, I'm sorry.
Sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
-I don't want to fight, okay? -Yeah, neither do I.
(sighs heavily)
It's such a nine-year-old's idea of a weapon.
(both chuckle)
Right? Who needs karate?
We'll just teach him how to slice bad guys.
-(crying) -Hey.
Hey. Hey, hey, hey, hey.
Hey, what's wrong?
(sobs)
(groans) Nothing.
I just...
...when I was gone, I felt like I was doing something good,
you know? Like...
even though it was hard, and then,
and then I come home, and...
Hazel's got new sneakers, and she...
Who is she texting?
And our son is bringing sharp kitchen utensils to school?
(chuckles)
Hey, hey.
Listen.
-You've been gone. -I know.
But Elijah's gonna get out soon, right?
And Keith will be out of our lives.
All right? And I... I will get this job.
(smacks lips) And you can go back to makeup.
All right? And... (kisses)
...everything will go back to normal.
-Okay? -Yeah.
-Okay. -Yeah.
-(sighs) -Okay.
DR. CHIN: Looking at the vault
and base linear fractures found
on Heather Richmond's skull,
it suggest that she was struck by a heavy object a single time.
A wrench certainly has the weight
and force necessary to inflict that type of trauma,
but it will take the DNA results to tell us--
No, no. No, let's cut after "trauma," Diane.
I don't want to shine light on the DNA until we have it.
-You got it. -IVY: Thank you.
I'd believe her.
She's convincing, right?
-Yeah. -IVY: Yeah, I knew it.
-Hey, hey, hey, how is it going in here? -Hey.
-Is it coming together? -IVY: Almost there.
Where are we on the, uh, results?
Did Callaway sign off on testing the bloody dress?
No. But we expected that.
Uh, Gabriela is already on plan B.
-Mm-hmm. -She got the trial judge
to sign a court order, so she's gonna get--
(phone buzzes)
Oh, speak of the devil, that is her now.
Uh...
Can you w-- give me a second?
-Sure, sure, sure. -I'll be right back.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
You know, I still can't believe it.
The actual murder weapon.
(both chuckle)
What on earth did you say to him to get it?
-Here, Dr. Greg. -Thank you.
Um...
Uh...
-Just the truth. -Speaking of the truth,
I heard you still haven't called Caryn about writing a book.
Oh, yeah. You know, there's just a lot going on...
Melissa, Melissa, you got to strike
while the iron's hot with these things.
You know? Get in there.
Heather's clothes are gone.
What? What do you mean, they're gone?
Gabriela and Joyce are at the evidence warehouse now,
and they can't find Elijah's box.
-What? -(sighs)
Without a DNA sample from Heather,
the wrench is basically useless.
Well, you know,
just find Tyler and get on a plane.
(sighs)
("Happy" by Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins playing)
♪ So happy ♪
♪ Happy ♪
♪ Oh, so happy... ♪
♪ Happy ♪
♪ Oh, oh-oh, oh ♪
♪ So happy ♪
♪ Happy ♪
♪ Oh, oh-oh, oh ♪
♪ So happy ♪
♪ So happy. ♪
♪ ♪
(typing on phone)
Is that the supervisor?
TYLER: You expecting anyone else at this evidence warehouse
in rural Texas at the crack of dawn?
-(engine shuts off) -(car door opens, shuts)
(sighs)
Let me guess.
You're the problem Bob was having yesterday?
-Here we go. -Are you Bob's supervisor?
Yes, ma'am. I'm Alice.
Well, Alice, the problem is
that I have a court order to retrieve a box of evidence
that pertains to a capital case,
and your incompetent employee claimed it wasn't there.
All right, all right.
Give me a second and we'll figure this out.
We're from The Dr. Greg Show,
so is it okay if we film?
Do you have permission from the D.A.'s office?
No.
You can film stacks. No employees.
TYLER: B-roll is my life.
Case file?
Let's see what's in the system.
Hmm.
It should be here.
That's what the guy said yesterday.
-Bob. -Well,
let's check.
Follow me.
Now, I know it looks a mess,
but it's way better than it was
a year ago when I took over.
You got your firearms here.
Miscellaneous weapons here.
Foam boards, copper piping...
-TYLER: This place is amazing. -...marijuana,
heroin, cash.
That freezer in the back is full of rape kits.
Death penalty cases are here.
They got the red stickers.
Hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm.
IVY: If isn't here,
is there anywhere else it could be?
No, no. It's here.
It's got to be here.
(sighs) Well, toot on a stick.
Okay, I need air.
Oh, you're back.
-Feeling's mutual, Bob. -(Bob huffs)
Didn't I tell you
to save the Hawaiian shirts for casual Fridays?
Did you check the purge paperwork yesterday, Bob?
No, it wasn't
-on the list. -(scoffs)
MELISSA: Um, excuse me,
what's a purge?
We don't have infinite space.
When things get tight,
we let the county know we need some breathing room.
The D.A.'s office sends over a list
of closed cases that get destroyed.
Uh, destroyed... how?
Burned in an incinerator.
ALICE: But Bob's right.
This case wasn't selected for the last purge.
But sometimes...
Uh, huh-huh-huh.
Here we go.
...they call over with last-minute additions.
Bob, is this a one or a seven?
It's a one, I think.
This case evidence was destroyed.
(scoffs) Okay.
Uh, what do you mean, destroyed?
It was a closed case.
Who calls in the additions?
The D.A.'s office.
(Callaway chatting indistinctly)
Callaway.
-Meet you in the conference room. -All right.
Well, good afternoon, ladies.
GABRIELA: Did you think
I wouldn't find out that you
had the evidence in Elijah's case destroyed?
CALLAWAY: Evidence in closed cases
gets destroyed. It's as simple as that.
Isn't it only closed, though, because you refuse to reopen it?
Even though we found the murder weapon?
You know, let's agree to disagree on that.
Come on.
You know that wrench makes you nervous.
DNA will make this a whole different ballgame.
You finally ready to support Elijah
getting a stay and a hearing?
Because once that wrench is on TV,
you are gonna be wiping egg off your face,
and protesters'll be outside your house with bullhorns.
You know, even if you get your hearing, your stay,
what is your best-case scenario?
A new trial?
You really want to put your client through that?
So what are you offering?
I've spoken to the governor.
We're going to offer Elijah a deal.
If he admits to the killing of Heather Richmond,
the death penalty disappears, his sentence
is reduced to life with parole.
Wha--
Time served.
Oh, come on, you know I can't do that.
I can do 39 years.
He'll do another ten, then he'll be free.
Ten more years?
So you want him to serve more time
for something he didn't do?
But Elijah did do it.
And the deal
is contingent upon him saying so
in detail, in open court.
You're trying to make the wrench go away.
He's trying to make us all go away.
The deal's on the table
for 48 hours. If I were you,
I'd get it to my client right away.
It's always nice to see you ladies.
(scoffs)
MELISSA: So, what do we do now?
I need to see my brother.
We'll tell him together, okay?
If he takes the deal, then it won't matter
Heather's DNA is missing.
What if he doesn't take the deal, though?
GABRIELA: There's one other option.
Familial match.
We get a relative of Heather's
to give a DNA sample,
and we use that
to get a partial match on the wrench.
JOYCE: Far as I know, the only family left
is Denise, and I'm pretty sure
she hates everybody here.
IVY: (sighs) Okay.
I can try to talk to her.
GABRIELA: Do you understand the offer terms?
(chuckles)
Yeah.
Over here, you got rock.
Over there, you got hard place.
You're not taking it.
(chuckles)
Is that up to you?
JOYCE: What, you gonna stand up
in front of the whole goddamn town?
Lie-- again-- about how you raped her?
How you strangled her? How you hit her?
That's enough.
No, it won't be enough.
It'll never be enough for these people.
We got the wrench.
But right now, we got nothing
to prove that it's Heather's DNA.
Maybe what we do have
will be enough to move the courts.
That's a lot of "maybes."
Yeah, well...
Callaway's deal sucks. But...
But at least it's got clarity.
Mm.
I'll give you two a minute.
(hangs up phone)
I'd be 62.
No.
Just no.
You're walking out of here an innocent man.
-(bangs on door) -GUARD: Time's up.
What if that don't happen?
It will.
(hangs up phone)
(handcuffs clinking)
(indistinct chatter)
So-so what'd she say, man?
When you getting out?
(scoffs)
About ten years ago,
this white power motherfucker
ordered all this shit for his last meal.
Chicken-fried steak,
an omelet, triple cheeseburger, ice cream,
three root beers, and more.
And he didn't eat a damn bite.
It was just a final "fuck you" to this place.
You know what this place did back?
They ended last meals.
So, you ain't gonna get no surf and turf, Nico.
They just gonna feed us the same shit
they feed us every day,
then they kill us.
So leave me the fuck alone.
GUARD: Line 'em up.
(lock buzzes, latch clicks)
Ready to work your Melissa magic on this one?
Okay. (sighs) Here we go.
Callaway told me you two might come sniffing around.
Hi, Denise.
We're not... sniffing around.
We're just here to talk.
And if Callaway called, then I'm...
I'm sure he told you about the wrench.
So?
So don't you want to know
if your daughter's DNA is on it?
I know it ain't.
Denise, you have every right
to be furious with us
for showing up on your doorstep and asking you questions.
We're just here to...
...to get you answers
and to get you the truth.
The truth?
The truth.
This is my child.
I had plans for my life, and nothing
makes any difference now if she's not
here.
That's the truth.
That's the truth that I've had to live with
for the past 30 years. No one else.
Just me.
You, uh,
should get off my property before I call the police.
Denise, I'm sorry--
-No. No. -No, I'm-I'm sorry
-if I said... I... -No. No.
That went well.
Yeah, it went really well.
(Ivy groans)
Yeah, we'll just have to see
if there are any other relatives.
-I don't... Uh... -God. I hope so.
She should.
Hey.
What?
Want to know how they caught the, uh,
-Golden State Killer? -How?
DNA from a snotty tissue.
Cops got it from his garbage can.
You want to steal her trash?
Is that even legal?
In some states, yeah.
Is Texas one of them?
Just start the van.
What?
What? No.
Just go.
Okay. Okay.
-Go, go, go, go. -Okay.
-Are we doing this? -Go, go, go!
This feels wrong.
(engine starts)
-My God. -Just drive the car.
-Now? Really? -Yeah.
-Go, go. -Oh, my God. Oh, my God!
♪ ♪
(indistinct chatter)
♪ ♪
(indistinct chatter)
Them beans give you heartburn, too?
FRANKIE: (sighs) Speaking to me again?
Well, that depends.
You done making comments about my daughter?
(cell phone buzzing)
Hey.
Knock if the screw comes back.
Hello?
Hi. It's Hazel.
(stammers softly)
Hazel.
(laughs)
Well, how are you, darling?
I'm fine.
-How are you? -I-I-I'm good.
I'm good. Uh...
(sighs)
So you got the balloon I sent.
I did, yeah. Thanks.
Well, that's... that's good.
So how's high school treating you?
-It's fine, I guess. -Yeah?
(chuckles)
No. No, mostly it's stupid.
(laughs)
Well, that's the way I remember it.
Uh, kids used to call me Igor.
Wait. Igor?
Mm-hmm.
Like the hunchback guy?
Yeah. Yeah, well, you know how people are.
Yeah.
They used to call me Queen--
They used to call me names, too.
Well, you know what?
-Fuck 'em. -(laughs)
(laughing)
(sighs, laughs) Oh.
Oh, hey, did you, did you get that drawing that I sent?
The mermaid.
-Yeah. -Oh.
-I liked it. -Well, you know,
you could've gotten a lot more
than $200 for it.
Um, are you mad that I sold it?
(laughs) Hell no.
(laughs) An entrepreneur in the family. I mean,
I love that. That-That's good.
Does your, uh, does your mother know?
(scoffs) Yeah, right. She'd kill me.
(gasps) Oh. Sorry. I shouldn't have said that.
Oh, that's all right. Um...
Hey, you know, why don't we just
get that all out of the way?
(clears throat) It's true.
I... I killed all those women.
Um...
I'm not proud of it, but...
it's a fact, and I own it.
But the, uh, things that people say about me,
and the way that the world
thinks it has me figured out, well, there's
not a word of truth about that.
What-what I'm trying to say is, uh...
you're not a kid anymore.
(clears throat) And, uh,
so you can decide how you feel
about me.
-Okay. -Uh, okay. So, um...
(chuckles) Tell me,
what do you look like? Uh...
Are you blonde, like your mom?
You don't know what I look like?
Well, your mom does not
send me photos, and, uh...
Uh, tell you what, can you send me a photo?
Um... Yeah, sure.
Would you send me more drawings?
But not to my house.
I can give you my friend's address.
Is that what this is?
Uh, because I-I appreciate your-your moxie
and all, but, uh, nobody likes a girl
who, uh, is just in it for the bread.
N-No, no, it's-it's not. I...
I-I want to know who you are.
Where I come from.
(chuckles)
Okay.
Okay. Well, then, darling,
you can ask me anything you want.
Has Texas heard of recycling?
(sighs) I...
I would literally lick this chicken carcass
if we could find one, just one dirty Kleenex.
-(Melissa laughs) -IVY: Just one.
Seriously, though,
are you gonna go back to makeup when this is all done?
Mm... I don't know.
I guess.
Is that what you want?
Uh... I don't, I don't really know what I want.
What do you want?
-Are you a Dr. Greg lifer? -(laughs)
I mean, I-I could go to another show,
but I don't know.
(phone buzzes)
(Ivy sighs loudly)
IVY: Ugh, God, nothing.
(Ivy scoffs)
And, plus, I don't...
Everything okay?
Oh, yeah.
IVY: I mean... (sighs)
I guess my plan was to ask for a new segment,
something more long-form,
true crime stories like this one,
but I'll only have leverage if this story is a success,
and right now, I am standing in a pile of trash, so...
(phone buzzes)
IVY: You know what? Maybe Adele found something.
Oh, good. Heather Richmond
-has no other living relatives. -Fuck.
-What? -God...
What do we do?
We go tell Joyce the bad news.
IVY: You sure you don't need any help?
No, girl, I'm fine.
You know, relax, take off your shoes.
Get comfortable.
IVY: Sorry we couldn't be of more help
with Denise, Joyce, but we'll figure something out.
(clears throat)
Oh, my God.
Grapefruit.
♪ ♪
(inhales, sighs deeply)
JOYCE: You and Melissa are in for a treat.
This is the best Tex-Mex in these parts.
I'm so sorry, I was snooping.
Uh, is this you and Elijah
when he was a baby? It's so cute.
-Ooh. -(laughs)
Aw, he's adorable.
JOYCE: Oh, yes.
I remember being so happy to be a big sister,
but my mama said, first couple of weeks Elijah was home,
I kept asking if the hospital had a return policy.
-(laughs) -Aw.
Oh...
We lost Daddy
-right after this. -Sorry.
Heart attack.
Sorry we didn't have
better luck with Denise.
I didn't exactly have my hopes up.
How did Elijah react to the deal?
Better than I did, if I'm being honest.
I just... I've been a bit of a mess today.
We were really hoping to get lucky,
even find some distant relative, but...
-it's not looking so good. -Well...
...I gave up on luck a long time ago.
But I'll tell you one thing that has never let me down...
...tequila.
(laughter)
-I agree-la. -(laughter)
-(doorbell rings) -MAX: I'll get it.
No, no, no. Hey, buddy, I got it.
Max?
Don't get the door.
-MAX: Hi. -Hi, Max.
Come in.
Uh, hi. Sorry to show up unannounced, I...
No, that's fine. C-Come on in. I'm glad you're here.
So, um, Melissa and I
wanted to get you a
thank-you gift for the other day...
-Oh, you didn't have to do that. -...with Max. Yes, we did.
Yes, we did. You were a lifesaver.
Oh, well, that's actually why I was coming over.
I wanted to see how you guys were doing.
Um, obviously, I heard what Max said
about the bad blood stuff, and,
you know, I watched Dr. Greg, so... (chuckles)
So you're curious what it's like
to have a serial killer in the family?
No, I... (chuckles)
Well, sure, but I'm a therapist, and
sometimes I can't shut it off.
I just wanted to see how you both were doing, honestly.
Yeah, yeah, thanks. That's nice of you.
We're, uh, we're hanging in there.
Good. Good.
Well, I'm-I'm always next door
-if you guys ever need anything. Um... -Yeah.
Unless... (laughs) Should we open this?
-Could use a glass. -You know what?
Sure. Why not?
MAX: Sully knows long division.
I don't know it yet.
What's three times three?
What are you doing?
None of your business.
RENEE: You know, a lot of my clients
talk about issues with their in-laws, but, I mean... (laughs)
-you win. -(laughs)
Thanks.
Have you ever met him?
Uh...
Yeah. Just once.
Melissa never wanted me to,
but, um, after we got
pregnant with our daughter Hazel,
-all of a sudden, that changed. -Yeah.
-That makes sense. -Does it?
A lot of people
don't have a desire
to understand their own parents
until they have kids themselves.
Hmm. Yeah.
Well...
Anyway... (sighs) Uh...
We went to the jail,
and we sat across from him.
And, honestly, he was...
...nice.
You know, thanked me for
taking care of Melissa,
made small talk.
But then...
♪ ♪
Anyway...
Yeah, after that, um,
Melissa went through a bit of a dark time, so
we made a pact to never see him,
to never tell the kids. (laughs)
Or anyone.
Well, that's quite the
-seismic shift. -Mm.
How are you feeling about everything?
Oh, I'm fine.
You know, I mean, Melissa's out
on a work trip now, but she'll be back soon,
and the kids are good.
A few blips with Max,
but he'll be okay.
I asked how you're feeling, Ben.
Uh... (sighs)
I'm up for a new job,
-which is exciting. -Great.
-(chuckles) -And, um...
Look, on the whole Keith front,
we're almost home free.
Um...
It's a bit top-secret, but there's been a break
in the case, so
pretty soon everything will go back to normal.
-(both chuckle) -Well,
cheers to that. (chuckles)
Cheers to that.
-(Ivy laughs) -No, let me tell you, like,
she was hot, but she was crazy as shit.
-(laughs) -JOYCE: We'd met because I designed
her engagement announcement,
but then she called off the wedding with him
and ended up asking me out.
-No! -Really?
We were together for about a year,
and then five years later,
she reached out to me saying she was sober now
-and wanted to meet up and make amends. -IVY and MELISSA: Mm.
-MELISSA: Did you go? -Mm.
(laughing) I figured, what the hell?
So I met her at a hotel,
and she starts telling me how sorry she is
that her drinking hurt our relationship,
but the whole time, she's opening this tin
and laying out lines of what I'm pretty sure
-is cocaine. -No!
Yes.
JOYCE: And I'm like, "Whoa.
Is that coke?"
And she said, "Yeah, but I swear
"I haven't had a drop of alcohol
-in years." -(laughing) -No! (laughing)
Oh, my God.
Okay. Okay, Joyce wins worst ex ever.
Mm-mm. Uh, I... Are you sure about that?
I mean, yours told the media about your abortion, so...
Oh, my God, I forgot to tell you.
It was my dad.
-JOYCE: What? -What?
I know. Isn't that fucked up? Ugh.
It's just, like...
Cheers! (laughs)
Why would he do that to you?
Oh, um...
I've given up trying to figure him out, Joyce.
Well, I don't have that luxury.
My brother's life rests with him.
Whoa-- Whoa, whoa, whoa, not entirely.
-We have-- -We have jack shit without Keith.
(sighs) Oh, fuck. Mm.
You know, I was four months
from a degree in architecture when Elijah got arrested.
Always said I'd go back and finish, but...
you're expected to work 24/7 when you're
just starting out with a firm.
And I needed something flexible
so I could put him first, his case.
So I became a graphic designer,
specializing in wedding invitations,
new baby announcements.
All the things I'd never do,
because all my life plans were absolutely meaningless
without him here.
Without him free.
(whispering): I'm sorry, Joyce.
Don't look at me like that.
This is not my sob story.
I made a choice, and I made peace with that.
Everybody left that boy.
One by one by one.
(scoffs) And, no disrespect,
but you will, too.
When this is all over, you'll move on.
But I won't.
I've been at this for almost 30 years,
and I'll give it 30 more, if that's what it takes.
Wait.
There's someone else that needs to hear this from you, Joyce.
Who?
(knocks on door)
(laughs)
Oh, y'all have gotta be kidding me.
What, are you two, like--
What the hell is she doing here?
She's here to talk to you, Denise.
Well, I got nothing to say to her.
I know how much you hate her.
I know because
I have felt it.
After I went on TV,
a man came to my house.
This man's mother was murdered
by my father.
And this man was screaming at me,
at my children, and threatening me.
And his hatred for me
was emanating off him. I could feel it.
And you know what? I, uh...
I felt like I deserved it.
Because what right do I have to walk around in this world
when his mom is gone,
and my father robbed him of everything?
And that is how you feel about Joyce, right?
Yes, Elijah was punished, but that doesn't
take away your pain.
And so you throw it at her, because she,
she is a reminder
of everything that went wrong in your life.
So what if I do?
She didn't do anything.
But of course you hate her.
How could you not?
Because that's what the justice system
taught you to do.
They keep us on opposite sides of the court.
They teach us that we are enemies,
and the families of the victims are good,
and the families of the perpetrators are bad.
But it's so much more complicated than that,
because you're both victims.
Of course, never to the same degree, never.
(quietly): Never, but...
30 years ago, both of your lives changed forever.
And neither of you will ever be the same.
There's one difference, Melissa.
Your father killed that man's mother.
My brother's innocent.
-He is not! -Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
He killed my baby, and you need to admit it!
You need to take a look at the facts
and not just let Callaway lead you like a lamb to slaughter.
I'm supposed to take your word over his?
You love your brother, fine,
but you are gonna have to accept the fact that he is gonna die.
No, he isn't.
Callaway took the death penalty off the table.
That's right.
He offered Elijah a deal.
That is not true.
No, he would never.
He would, and he did.
JOYCE: If you want the truth, you can get it.
And if you don't want to do it for Elijah, that's fine.
Do it for your daughter.
ELIJAH: I'm surprised
she ain't shoot your ass.
-(laughing): Me, too! -(Elijah laughing)
For real, though, I wouldn't have done it
if it wasn't for Melissa.
It was her idea.
-Well, tell her, "Thank you." -I will.
(laughs softly) We should have the results in a few days.
That's good.
(inhales and exhales sharply)
But I got to decide before then about this deal.
(inhales and exhales loudly)
I've been thinking a lot about Mama...
...and what she would have to say about all this.
She's not here, Elijah.
-I know that. -Just take the deal.
I thought you don't want me to.
(sighs softly)
Of course I don't want you to.
(sighs)
But I'm terrified.
What if I've done everything I possibly can,
and it's not enough?
What if they won't stop until you're dead?
-Joyce. -Please!
Just take it.
FLO: Pastor Hendricks called.
Just because you don't get caught doesn't mean
he don't know it's you.
What are you talking about?
Three things in this world
you can't stop from coming out...
...the Sun, the Moon and the truth.
Understand?
It's the only church with a baby grand.
He's had to pay to fix that window twice already.
And I hope you know you'll be paying him back.
Yes, ma'am.
GUARD: I have Prisoner Number 40538, Elijah Carter,
calling from Faust Unit.
(clears throat)
CALLAWAY: Mr. Carter.
I expected to hear from your attorney.
I figured I'd tell you myself.
Fuck you and your deal.
I didn't kill anyone.
CROWD (chanting): Free Elijah! Free Elijah!
Free Elijah!
-Free Elijah! -Execution is not a solution!
Free Elijah!
-Free Elijah! -We are reporting today
-from the Jefferson courthouse, as protesters... -Free Elijah!
Save Elijah! Save Elijah!
Save Elijah!
Save Elijah! Save Elijah!
Save Elijah!
-Oh, my God! Oh, my God. -What?
It's a match! It's a fucking match!
-What? -It's a match!
-The wrench? -Yes.
Hey, the wrench. It's a match.
-Hey. Hey, Joyce? -What?
Heather's DNA is on the wrench.
-We-we did it? -Yes. We did it!
Hold on. Hold on. Gabriela?
Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, we saw it!
We're here with Joyce.
-Yes. -Yeah. Okay.
Callaway's calling a press conference.
Oh, we did it!
-Yeah! -(screaming gleefully)
-What? Oh! -Oh. Congratulations! -White fucking flag.
White fucking flag. Yes!
-(laughing) -We did it. -MELISSA: You did it!
MELISSA: Oh, yeah!
(loud chatter)
HAZEL: And-and how old was Mom?
KEITH: Oh, she was about five or six.
How long did she keep them alive without you knowing?
(laughs) It was at least a couple of weeks.
Your Grandma June and I-- we were wondering
what she was doing down in that cellar so much.
And Missy said that she was down there
having tea parties with her dolls.
(laughs) So,
finally, I went down there, and I caught her red-handed.
She was feeding four little newborn kittens
with a baby bottle.
So she's always been good at keeping secrets.
(laughing)
I'm afraid that runs in the Jesperson blood,
you included.
I guess I am hiding in a storage room talking to you.
(Keith laughs)
Oh, speaking of which,
uh, should you be getting back?
Because I don't want you getting into trouble.
Yeah, but, before I go,
Josh gave me your package, and I-I wanted to open it with you.
Look, should I be checking into this Josh guy?
He's just a friend.
(laughs) Uh-huh.
I've heard that before.
Wow.
This woman. It's so good.
Huh? Oh. (chuckles)
Well, well, what do you like about it?
The way she's looking at me.
You really captured her... essence.
Mm.
That's because I knew her.
Her name was Desiree.
Desiree as in... number two?
(laughing): Oh, somebody's been doing their homework,
haven't you,
darling girl?
Um, I've read some things online.
Well, you know, I... I had her earrings for quite a while.
I used to keep one thing
from... every woman.
What, as, like, a trophy?
Oh, Hazel.
Uh, that only happens in the movies.
Um, when I was on the road,
there was this one place that I used to stay on the way home.
It was called "Pioneer Falls."
It was on the 84, near Hermiston.
And the lady who ran it-- she was such a gem.
She would keep Room 17 just for me.
And it was
a place to reset.
And that's where I kept their things.
I tucked 'em away inside an air vent.
And I-I always meant to go back and get 'em,
but I... I... I never did.
Why did you keep their things?
I always knew in the back of my mind
that I was gonna turn myself in, then confess.
I tried to fight the dark urges, I swear to God I did,
but they always just overtook me.
And I wasn't proud of it,
I wasn't trying to relive it.
I... uh, wanted... something
to give to the families...
...as an apology.
Something I could offer
when I finally got the courage up enough
to tell the truth.
But what about, uh, the other drawing I sent you?
Uh, uh... it's in there.
Did you see it?
Do you like it?
I love it.
Hmm.
(chuckles softly)
CALLAWAY: Good afternoon.
Nearly 30 years ago...
...Elijah Carter was arrested for, and confessed to,
the murder of Heather Richmond.
Then, about a month ago,
Keith Jesperson, a convicted serial killer,
confessed to that same crime.
Now, these dual confessions have compelled our office
to reexamine every single piece of evidence in this case,
past and present.
In recent days, evidence has come to light that...
led us to conclude
that we missed the truth 30 years ago.
But we are in possession of that truth today.
The State of Texas
now believes that Elijah Carter
and Keith Jesperson
acted together
as coconspirators in the rape and murder
of Heather Richmond.
-What? -What?
-No. -What? What is going on?
What-- What's going on?
(loud, overlapping shouting)
Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org
♪ ♪