Original subtitles

Actually, I didn't mind working tonight.

Stacey likes watching those reality shows. You ever watch those?

No, I don't get enough reality on the job.

I watch TV issues and sports.

Well, this one we were watching last night had this guy eating cow brains.

I mean, it was this huge pan of this gray and red goop, and I mean, he just

of like that Danis.

We are the police. Tell me your name. Tell me your name. What happened? What

happened? I'm telling you, they just took her in the van. They just yanked

Dispatch, this is Inspector Nate Bass. We have a possible 207 in progress in

front of 1501 West 5th Street.

Vehicle fled westbound on 5th Street, and I am 9 -7 on the scene. I have a

witness here. I will need backup.

Stay right here. Stay right here.

Like I said, get all the reality I need at work.

Dahlia, according to Melissa's employee record, she was 16 years old, only

worked here a couple months.

There's an address for an apartment on Moraga. That's my apartment.

When she started working here, she was living in a youth hostel, and I said she

could crash on my couch until she found a place, and we just decided to save our

money.

Did she ever mention...

Anything about where she was from or maybe what her parents did for a living,

anything like that? No. The only family member she mentioned was her Aunt Lucy.

It was who she came to San Francisco to find, but she hadn't had much luck.

Okay.

Dial up. We're going to need you to think about this one more time, okay?

Is there anyone you can think of that may have wanted to harm Melissa?

An ex -boyfriend. A disgruntled customer. Roger.

Who was Roger?

Roger Clark. He used to work here in the kitchen.

He was this guy who thought he was a ladies' man. He was just this creep who

used to hit on the new waitresses.

I also went out with him a few times. I don't know why, but she broke it off and

he wouldn't leave her alone.

That was it? He didn't tell you anything else? No, he didn't tell me anything

else. He just said, you know, just...

come dressed for cocktails, 8 o 'clock, and then he was going to take Benjamin

to my mother's house, and then he was going to meet me at the house.

So... That's really great.

Well, how do you feel?

I'm excited,

but I'm nervous.

You know?

And I'm very hopeful. I mean, we've had some really great conversations since

he's been gone, and we've talked for the first time about what went wrong with

us, what we hope things can be like, and what we need from each other.

Oh, good.

I'm happy for you. For both of you.

Thank you.

Jean, I really wanted to thank you for being there for me through all of this.

Well, actually, I was meaning to talk to you about that. You know, me always

being there for you through all of these hard times.

You know, because I got to tell you, it's getting old.

Yeah.

Mm -hmm.

Wait a minute. What are you saying now? That you're not coming back at all?

Jill's in L .A. Somebody has to be here to make the everyday decisions.

Uh -huh.

Uh -huh.

Yeah. You know what? I don't really care anymore, frankly, what your plan was

when you had Katie Ann. It's beside the point. She's here now.

Right?

What I need to know is whether you plan to be a part of your daughter's life or

not.

Well, I suggest that you find time to think about it, because your daughter

needs you.

She needs you to make some decisions, and I need to know whether I should be

listing myself as legal guardian or babysitter.

Yeah, you can call me back.

Kathy, here are the status reports that you asked for. Oh, thanks. Just put them

on my desk.

And Ginny called. She's going to be in court all afternoon.

Okay.

You know,

I think the worst fight that I ever had with my mom was on the phone.

I called her to tell her that I was definitely not going through with my

wedding.

Said some things. You know, I don't think you can compare canceling a

with abandoning a child.

But you can let Magda know that I'd like to talk to her as soon as she's

finished with Mr. Clark.

Okay. Just answer the question, Roger, and maybe you get to go home.

I told you I don't know where Melissa is.

The last time I saw her was weeks ago.

Was that before or after she complained to your boss that you were harassing her

so he fired you? I was a big... misunderstanding. Really?

Let's see. First she teases you, then she rejects you, and then she gets you

fired. What's to misunderstand, Roger?

Maybe what you were thinking was that Melissa needed to learn a lesson.

I was just trying to be her friend.

By stalking her?

Let me tell you something, Roger.

We have eyewitnesses who place you outside her apartment, outside the

Outside her neighborhood grocery store.

You don't know anything about her.

I'll bet she faked this whole thing.

The hell does that mean?

She took off from home like four times before she came to the diner. The cops

even took her home once, and she told me she climbed out her bedroom window

while they were still sitting in the living room talking to her parents.

You know where this home is?

No. And I don't know where Melissa is either.

I wish I did.

She's probably really scared.

She shouldn't have run away from me.

What you got?

My gut tells me this guy doesn't have what it takes to pull it off.

But he did give us a lead on Melissa's family. The missing persons report they

filed on her about two years ago.

Melissa Stark.

Wow.

It's kind of hard to believe we're just an hour outside of the city.

It's beautiful.

When was the last time you spoke to Melissa?

It's been a month.

And why haven't you reported this to the police?

Well, we tried that once.

And you can see how much effect it's had on Melissa's behavior.

Honestly, we've just stopped trying to force her to stay here.

I know Ruth felt that if we just stopped interfering with her life, that maybe

she'd come to her senses, come home.

Melissa was five when her father died and six when I married Tom. I don't

she ever fully accepted Scott's death.

Any idea where she keeps running away from?

She just isn't happy here.

We chose to homeschool our children. She wanted to go to public school.

We don't have a television. She didn't like that.

She wanted her parents to have normal, competitive jobs, not run a cooperative

farm like this. She hated working in the gardens. I think Melissa just wants a

different life.

Who were the people that we saw when we walked in?

This is a cooperative venture.

All of us live and work here together.

We're going to need the names of everyone who works and lives here.

What else can we do to help you find Melissa, inspectors? A picture of her

help. Of course.

We'd also like the names and numbers of any of Melissa's friends that you can

think of.

It's not too much trouble. We'd like to take a look at her room.

Sure.

This was taken last Christmas.

Melissa looks happy.

Doesn't she?

Wow.

Hello.

Hi.

Oh, my God.

Can I take your coat?

For a minute there, I thought I was in the wrong house.

Oh, my God.

You're in the right house.

I miss you.

Thank you.

Okay, it's been 24 hours. What do we got?

I spoke to the people in the park building, and his next -door neighbor

that he saw a clock at the laundromat around the time of the abduction, but I

think he's a dead end.

Yeah, the stroll was circulating. Let's go to Melissa. We got Raina checking on

the phone records from Melissa and Dolly's apartment, and the FBI is

if we need any extra manpower.

DMV, get back to us on the partial plates.

Yeah, I'm working on that right now. More than 1 ,500 vans are registered in

California with those plate numbers. I just got it narrowed down to the Bay

Area. Ginny's still in with the last of Melissa's co -workers, but nothing so

far.

What about the woman that Dahlia mentioned, the one Melissa's looking

Aunt Lucy?

Yeah.

The Ringstons confirmed that there was a woman in her mid -20s named Lucy who

lived at the farm for about a year, but they said they...

Didn't know her last name. She left in the spring of 2001, and they have no

where she went.

I'd like you and Ginny to see if any Lucys turned up missing in the last few

years. Two women missing from the same place. I'd like to know if there's a

connection.

Just got a bit of interesting information.

According to Dahlia's phone records, two phone calls were made from her

apartment to the Rankton home a week before the abduction.

They'd had contact with her. They probably even knew who she was.

Got something even better than that.

One of these vans is registered to Little Acre Produce.

Tom Ringston's farm.

Son of a bitch.

What kind of games are you playing here with us, Tom? It's not a game. I'm

telling you what happened.

Melissa jumped out of my van at a stoplight at 6th and Fulton. And you

if it didn't get more than a half a mile and it doesn't really count as

kidnapping and you don't really have to tell us, you just let us run around the

city trying to find a mystery person that abducted your daughter?

It's not kidnapping.

She's my stepdaughter and a minor. I've got a right to control her whereabouts.

Committed no crime. Well, how about getting false information to a peace

officer? How about reckless driving?

Tom.

Tom, why not just tell us this yesterday, huh?

All you had to do was say, look, I've got my daughter, tried to get her home,

but she ran away again.

And would you have believed me any more then than you do now?

Where were you taking Melissa, Tom?

Home.

She called her mother about a week before I picked her up. She said that

in tears. She was being followed by some man. I just wanted to protect her.

Doesn't seem to me like she wanted your protection, Tom.

And if she did get out of the van, where is she?

Why didn't she call her roommate? Why didn't she go back to her apartment?

What about this Aunt Lucy?

Huh, Tom?

Maybe you've omitted some details about her as well.

No.

I told you.

Lucy was a drifter we took in.

For some reason, Melissa developed a strong attachment to her.

But eventually we realized that Lucy was mentally unstable. We had to ask her to

leave. Okay, so you knew nothing about this Lucy? Not her last name, where

from, nothing about her family, nothing?

No. But you still invited her into your home and let her spend time with your

children? Come on, Tom.

You may find this difficult to understand.

But we've chosen a different path for our lives, one that is dictated by

compassion and trust and not cynicism and fear.

Yeah, except apparently when it comes to dealing with the police.

Now, Tom, do you or do you not want to find your stepdaughter? Of course I do.

Look, I'm sorry.

It was wrong not to tell you the truth yesterday, but it is the truth.

I guess you won't have a problem with coming back to your house and signing a

consent to search.

You know, just in case you forgot to tell us you got Melissa home after all.

Look, whatever you want.

But you're wasting your time.

Yeah, well, at least this time we're the ones wasting it.

Captain, here are your preschool applications that you asked for. Oh,

These two focus on socialization.

This one has a stronger focus on academics.

And here is the overnight envelope that you wanted, and I addressed it to Amanda

in New York. And you should get these applications in by the end of this week

you even want a chance at getting on the waiting list.

Daisy.

I might have been a little short with you yesterday.

You caught me at a bad moment.

But thanks for these.

And the information.

You're welcome.

What's it going to take, Jenny?

You know, am I supposed to maybe walk across broken glass?

Or maybe I should just paint big red A's on all my blouses for adultery.

I made a really bad decision.

You know, how many more times, how many more ways do I have to say I'm sorry

before he forgives me?

And I'm definitely not the only one who has made many mistakes in this

relationship.

What? Look, I'm on your side. I know you are.

I'm just wondering how you would feel if the situation were reversed.

If Gabe had had the affair.

Well, I would forgive him.

I'm not talking about a fling.

Mag, a relationship.

The bright, attractive woman that went on for months.

But you're on my side, right?

Yeah, I am.

So I'm just wondering if maybe you're not asking Gabe to do something that you

couldn't do yourself.

She's the one we didn't see when we went to the house, right?

Yeah. What do you think?

Give me a couple minutes to distract Tom, and you see if you can pull her

Tom. Hey.

Yeah. We need to talk.

Let's go inside.

Sure. It's a little loud out here.

Inspector Washington.

Karen Springwood, right?

Uh, don't worry about that. I'm part of just bringing time up to date on the

investigation. I just want to ask you a few questions about this.

We're pretty busy right now.

Okay. Maybe you'd rather go down to the station. Why don't you come over here?

I just thought that because you and Melissa are close to names, that maybe

may have confided in you. Told you something that might help us find her. I

don't know anything about Melissa. Just give it a minute, you know? You might

know more than you think.

Like some names of some friends that she didn't tell her parents about, or

something more about this Lucy.

Did you find Lucy?

No, not yet.

Look, I really have to get back and help my cousin Jackie.

Karen, look.

You seem a little worried about Lucy.

Think something bad may have happened to her?

No, but you're not at all worried about Melissa.

Melissa brought this on herself.

What on herself, Karen?

Melissa and Lucy just couldn't accept the path that they were chosen to

Karen, Karen, I need you in here.

I have to go. I really have to go. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Look, look,

A girl's life could be in safety. Karen, I need you now.

Tom Ringston can just wait a minute. No, he can't. Why not?

A wife doesn't keep her husband waiting.

How many wives does this guy have?

So documents at the county registrar's office list Jacqueline Strong as Tom

Ringston's legal wife.

Cousin Jackie.

Yes, and Ruth Ringston was legally married to Tom's now -deceased brother,

Scott. And they had four children, including Melissa.

Wait, so Karen and Ruth are not Tom's wives?

Not legally.

According to what I could find online, how these fundamentalist sex work is

there's one legal marriage and all the rest are celestial unions.

And the existing wives give the new recruit to the husband in a private

religious ceremony.

If Melissa's a wife, it would explain why she keeps running away.

Okay, wait. That makes Melissa Tom's stepdaughter, niece, and wife.

And don't forget victim.

She's only 16. She was probably younger than that when they made their celestial

union. There's all kinds of stuff online about polygamy, pro and con.

There was a bunch of women who wrote testimonials on how great it was to have

their sister wives help them raise their kids.

help keep house, you know, get rid of the babysitter or housekeeper. Yeah, but

it's illegal and frequently involves incest and rape. So let's arrest

for polygamy and then threaten to charge him with statutory rape and see if that

doesn't convince him to tell us where Melissa is.

There's no paper trail proving multiple marriages.

No law against communal living.

That's why polygamy is so hard to prosecute.

Now, we've got to find someone inside the Klan to roll over on him.

I think I know who that might be.

Karen, you told me at the market that he's your husband.

Now, Ruth says he's hers.

And legal documents say he's Jackie's husband.

You also implied that Melissa and Lucy married him as well.

Now, that's polygamy, and it's against the law.

There's nothing wrong happening at the farm.

So you're going to sit here and tell me that you don't think a man marrying his

teenage stepdaughter is wrong?

Karen, do you have any children of your own?

Christine.

How old is Christine?

Four.

Can you imagine, then, the day when Christine turns 13 or 14 years old and

uncle or brother or cousin decides that she's going to be bound to him in a

celestial union, and she gets to go clean his house and cook his meals and

sex with him whenever he doesn't feel like having sex with any of his other

wives?

You make it sound dirty. Because it is dirty, Karen, when it involves fathers

and daughters.

and uncles and nieces and old men and little girls is dirty.

Tom Ringston is a sexual predator.

Tom Ringston is a good man.

I wanted to share my life with him.

Yeah, you had a choice, Karen.

And I don't believe Melissa did, and your daughter won't, when some patriarch

the Klan comes in your house and orders you to bring her to him. It's not like

that. It won't be like that.

No. Take a wild guess, huh? Help us out.

I can't. I don't know where he is.

Maybe she found Lucy.

Lucy wasn't just some stranger, was she, Karen?

No.

Lucy's my sister.

Amanda didn't call me, did she?

No, sorry.

Okay, if she does find me, I mean, don't just take a message.

Okay.

Have you talked to your mom recently?

Oh, no.

We don't really seem to have much to say to each other.

Pretty interesting job you could talk about.

Yeah, no, she doesn't really see it that way.

Really?

You know, she's more comfortable with my two older sisters.

You know, she gets them.

They both still live in Santa Barbara. They all work at the same charity

Both my sisters married businessmen, just like my dad.

You know, honestly, I envy Amanda.

Why? Well, you may be angry with her, but you haven't given up on her.

I feel like my mom has sort of done that with me.

I'm just tired of being angry.

Yeah, but you're not going to give up on her.

I hope those aren't my only choices.

All lines run both ways, you know.

What are you doing here?

I wanted to talk to you.

About last night.

I don't see what good more talking is gonna do.

I need you to know that I love you.

And I want this marriage.

Gabe, I can't undo the past.

And it just really feels like that's what it's going to take to make this

work for you.

You may be right.

So, I made this appointment with that counselor we were supposed to meet

I left.

Julie Allen.

Will you come?

Karen still wears that necklace.

It's half a heart.

I think Lucy had the other half.

They exchanged them on Karen's 16th birthday.

Everybody thought that they were twins, even though they were born 18 months

apart.

Mrs. Springwood, which one of your daughters got involved with Tom Ringston

first?

Karen.

She was 17.

And how did they characterize their relationship with him?

Well, once Karen got involved with that man, she stopped talking to me.

But she told Lucy that he had shown her the path to true happiness

and the celestial kingdom.

And Lucy believed it? No, not at first.

She went up there to bring Karen back.

She never came back.

When was the last time you spoke to Lucy?

It was about three years ago.

Lucy said that she was leaving the farm because she couldn't live the kind of

life that Tom Ringston wanted her to live.

And she said that there was some young girl there that she felt was being

mistreated in some way, so she was coming home.

She never made it.

Is that when you filed a missing persons report?

The police spoke to Tom Ringston, but they couldn't connect him to Lucy's

disappearance.

You know, I know that it's probably not going to happen.

But every day when I go home, I keep hoping she's going to be there. I'm

Mrs. Springwood.

Is Karen all right?

Yeah, yeah. She has a daughter.

Really? Mm -hmm.

Yeah, she's four years old. Her name's Christine.

That was my mother's name.

Great.

Here are the Jane Doe files from 1999 until the present.

San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda.

Dolores wants this one back by tomorrow morning on pain of death.

Not a threat you want from the medical examiner. I made photocopies of the

missing persons report filed by Lucy's mom.

Well, I'll take San Mateo.

Hey, nice picture.

I don't think a picture's going to be much help with some of these.

You know missing persons are so fierce to make these comparisons every time a

new Jane Doe comes in.

Yeah, and you know how things fall through the cracks.

Captain,

I was just coming to get you. This is Ruth. I'm Melissa Rankston.

You look a little pale, Melissa. Are you feeling okay?

Yeah, I'm fine.

You sure?

I'm just tired, I guess.

You'll get lots of rest now that you're home.

Okay.

We just have a few loose ends to tie up here, and that will happen faster if we

speak with each one of you separately. So, Mrs. Frankston, if you'll go with

Inspector Ramirez.

My mom has to stay with me.

Fine.

Let's start by you telling us where you've been.

I just walked around.

I slept on the street.

Do you remember where you walked around or what street you slept on?

No, I was kind of confused.

But... Then I realized that where I really wanted to be was home.

So I called my mom, and she came and got me.

You've run away from home a number of times, Melissa. Can you tell us why?

Like I said, I was confused.

About what?

Just teenage stuff, I guess.

I mean, my parents are pretty strict, and I guess I thought I wanted more

freedom.

I'm really fine.

Okay, Melissa,

how would you describe your relationship with Tom Ringston?

Um, what do you mean?

Well, would you say you guys have a pretty average father -daughter

relationship, or?

I guess so.

Can we go now? What kind of things do you do with him when you're together?

I'm sorry, I really don't understand the point of these questions.

Melissa, get her.

Did your parents tell you what to say when you came here? How dare you? How

I? If your husband had sex with your minor daughter, with your knowledge,

committed a crime and so have you.

Are you arresting us? Not yet.

Then we're leaving.

You know nothing about our family. Melissa, wait.

Melissa, you don't have to go.

You don't have to go with her. You can stay here. Melissa, we can help you.

Melissa, these are not our friends.

We answer to a higher authority.

Melissa, we can help you.

Come on. Please.

I want to go.

Melissa. Please. No, just let me.

It's going to be okay.

My parents are going to help me find Aunt Lucy.

They say I can live with her.

It's going to be okay.

Melissa.

Hey, Gina. Hey.

What's going on?

Actually, I was just coming to see you.

Are you all right?

Well, yes and no.

I just saw my OB.

Is the baby all right?

Yeah. Yeah, the baby's fine. But my blood pressure, apparently, is through

roof. Ouch. So she wants me to stop work immediately and has put me on bed rest

until the baby comes.

But the baby's all right. Yeah.

Yeah, thanks.

You know what? Listen, I can...

I can make phone calls.

We've finished up some of the cases that I've been working on.

Uh -uh. Yeah, yeah, I know.

I've been lying there for weeks, you know. I'm going to lose my mind. Trust

It won't be the only time that motherhood makes you feel like you're

lose your mind.

It's the first time, but it's not the only time.

I'm going to find somebody to drive you home.

Oh, great.

Thanks. I'll find you out there in a sec.

Gabe wasn't giving you what you needed, so you went out and found someone else

who would.

You make it sound like I went out looking for an affair, and I didn't. He

approached me.

It just, it happened.

Uh -huh, and it just kept happening over and over for months.

Come on, Magda.

All right, no.

You know what? However it is that it happened, the point is that I didn't

to hurt Gabe.

Oh, really?

Because it sounds to me like you were furious with Gabe.

He wasn't dealing with that.

Having an affair is a pretty effective way to get back at your spouse.

I wasn't trying to get back at him. She's not the only one to blame.

Oh, clearly.

Whenever she needed you to lean on, you collapsed or you just weren't there.

You know, are you really surprised that she had an affair?

What do you think, it's my fault?

Yeah, in part, I am.

This is a relationship.

Two people.

But each one does affect the other.

As your needs and desires change, the shape of the relationship changes.

Sometimes it feels perfect. Sometimes it pinches.

And that's okay. That's what keeps it interesting.

As long as the one thing that doesn't change is your willingness to work

together towards a shape that fits you both.

Well, what if somebody's having a hard time adjusting to those changes?

Well, you choose to suffer through the pain or you get out.

Look, it's going to hurt. It's going to be hard.

You have to decide if your relationship is worth going through that.

So what do you suppose she does to you on your second visit?

I think I saw a can of pepper spray and a stun gun on the bookshelf.

Maybe we should have dinner and a glass of wine before we come next time.

Are you kidding? I want a glass of wine right now.

So that's it?

Well, I spoke with social services. They're going to make an unannounced

to the Ringston farm tomorrow, see if they can turn up any signs of child

neglect or abuse.

And the DA said what I knew he would about the polygamy charge. It's too hard

prove without documentation or evidence of other crimes. And since Melissa's

back now and no one seems ready to come forward with any complaint against

Springston, we have no other crime.

Raina? Hmm?

Didn't you say that Karen and Lucy had distinctive necklaces?

Yeah, half a heart. Why?

Well... This Jane Doe was wearing this when she was murdered.

We have to postpone the vacation, pal. I have to ask you a few more questions.

This is harassment.

No, you have to let us go. They found Aunt Lucy. Melissa, be quiet. Let your

father take care of it. I'm just... Talk to her. They're taking me to Aunt Lucy.

That's right. Melissa, that's impossible.

Aunt Lucy's dead.

Apparently she was killed right after she left here. I'm sorry.

No, no, you're wrong.

Tell them!

Yeah, Tom, why don't you tell us who you were talking to on the phone? Because

it sure wasn't Lucy. Bring one.

I don't have to answer to any of you. You don't have the capacity to

the burden I've been chosen to bear. I'll tell you what I do understand.

Someone beat to death a young woman and buried her in a shallow grave. Now, is

that the burden you're talking about?

It's Aunt Lucy!

Where are you taking me? Melissa, please. Did you kill her?

Keep her quiet. Did you kill Aunt Lucy? Ruth, keep her quiet.

Darling. Were you going to kill me, too? This is not a punishment, Melissa. It's

a release.

You promised!

You promised that if I told the police...

Ruth! Ruth!

Tell her, Tom. Tell her how God told us to help you.

I don't know what she's talking about.

What? You told me.

You said that releasing Lucy was the right thing to do. You told me. Shut up.

You told me. Shut up. Shut up. Hey!

How did you release Lucy, Ruth?

Oh, my God.

Did you and Tom kill Lucy?

Oh, my God.

No. Yes.

Don't believe a word this one, Seth.

She's out of her mind. Same thing for Melissa. That's it. You're coming with

I want a lawyer.

I'll call the sheriff for backup. Come with me, please.

Tom Rexton, you have the right to remain silent.

Look, here's what I'm going to do.

I'm going to have my attorney prepare the papers, and then he'll send you what

you need to sign.

Okay, and that'll be that.

I love you, honey.

Yes, really.

I know.

Okay. Good night.

Guess what?

Look what we got.

Let's have a look at these.

This one here? We have an academically impressive curriculum designed to

give your toddler an edge in today's highly competitive environment.

And this one says

a stimulating,

Highly tactile curriculum emphasizing personal expression and socialization.

You know what I think that means?

Finger painting.

Finger painting and Play -Doh.

Sing along.

Judgment.

Judgment.

Yeah. Yeah.

That's right.

You're my little girl now.