Original subtitles

[Lizzie] Previously on LINCOLN HEIGHTS:

Oh, my gosh, Mr. Davis!

Jumping in here. Danny marinero, Cassie Sutton.

- Nice to meet you. - Who's that?

- [Cassie] Sage Lund. - [Danny] Even her name sounds like an aromatic spice.

It's the Madonna. Would you like to have it?

- Really? - It's a symbol of faith.

People need faith most when they're in the midst of a change.

I know this might not be the best time, but maybe it is.

- The perfect present for you. - Thanks.

That's beautiful. You made that?

I thought maybe you could plant the avocado seed in it.

Oh, my God. Johnny, I am so sorry.

[Tay] Give it up, Lizzie's with Devin.

They're going out this weekend. Move on.

[Lizzie] I was hoping that we could still be friends.

[Johnny] Friends, huh?

I'd like to take you out for the most romantic night of your life.

Johnny nightingale was in a hit-and-run accident this evening.

He died at the scene.

[Mrs. Hammond] "The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not be in want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he restores my soul.

He guides me in the paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.

Yay, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me."

Lizzie! Lizzie!

Lizzie, are you OK?

[sobbing]

[students whispering]

- Lizzie. - [sobbing]

Johnny nightingale's personal effects. You want to return them?

Vic was a family friend, right?

Johnny nightingale was close to my daughter.

Heard you got a partial on the suspect's vehicle.

We'll need more than a partial plate to break this one.

- A loser. - Mind if I work this case on my own time?

You kidding? I'll get you the file myself.

Eddie, you want help running down leads, I'm there. Just ask.

OK. I'm asking. Thanks.

- Sure. - [phone ringing]

Hey, Jenn, what's up?

Oh, I brought Lizzie home from school.

- She had a mini breakdown. - How's she doing?

She's not saying much. When are you coming home?

Late. I'm working the hit and run case.

- That's not yours. - It is now.

Don't want it falling through the cracks.

We make an arrest, it might help Lizzie.

- [Devin on TV] We'll be home before the sun sets. - [Jenn] Thank you.

- You got your cell, Lizzie? - Yes, mom.

[Johnny] Be safe, you two.

[Devin] Hey, Lizzie, I got a great spot in the park for us.

Slammin' food. It's gonna be the best date of our lives.

- Brought you some soup. - Thanks, but I'm not really hungry.

Oh, Lizzie, honey, come on. You need to eat.

Can you give this back to Mrs. Hammond?

I don't want it anymore.

Lizzie, this is a special gift.

- She would be hurt. - She gave it to me because of my faith, right?

- Yeah. - Well, I don't have faith anymore.

Johnny died on some street.

Bleeding, hurting and alone.

The nicest, kindest boy I ever met!

What kind of God lets that happen?

♪ The city never sleeps ♪

♪ You've got to live to your own beat ♪

♪ So easy come and easy go ♪

♪ What is wrong? ♪

[vocalizing]

- [laughing] - At some point you're gonna have to learn.

[Cassie laughing] This is gonna be a disaster.

What are you two going on about?

Charles is gonna help me practice driving, get my license.

She's had a learner's permit for two years. The thing's growing mold.

Shut up. It hasn't been that long.

I could use another driver around here.

You can even borrow my car for lessons.

Thanks, but we're gonna use mine.

Yeah. Charles just got a truck.

Money he earned working for gasper the grasper.

Hm. You gonna let this child behind the wheel?

What's wrong with that?

Biggest fight your father and I ever had

- Was the day he tried to teach me to drive. - What happened?

We don't talk about it.

We will never fight about driving my truck.

I don't mean to hurt your feelings, giving it back.

My feelings aren't hurt, Lizzie.

Losing your faith is a hurting thing.

It must be hurting you.

[gospel choir singing]

You hear my choir practicing?

- Beautiful, aren't they? - I wasn't really listening.

The Lizzie I know would've heard those voices celebrating God.

Well, I'm mad at God because it's not fair.

No, Lizzie, it isn't.

But God gave us Johnny. We have to celebrate who he was.

Mrs. Hammond, I was kissing another boy when Johnny died.

Oh, Lizzie.

When you love someone you go on a journey together.

Denny and I had our path. The ministry.

Your journey with Johnny hasn't ended. What was it?

I don't know. Can't you tell me?

Only you know.

You'll figure it out.

How do I know where I'm going or when I'm done?

Johnny will lead you.

And then you'll be able to hear my choir again.

I gotta hand it to the kid. He was unique.

Hit the lights?

You know, forensics isn't happy

about us going back over this stuff.

- Called us amateurs. - It's not my job to make them happy.

- I'm trying to make sure they didn't miss something. - How's Lizzie doing?

Jenn's got her going to see Mrs. Hammond for grief counseling.

- That's a good idea. - Yeah, except we all gotta go.

Jenn thinks everyone in the family needs to talk about things.

I got something here.

[Eddie] It's a paint chip.

- Amateurs one, forensics zero. - Let's run it through pdq,

see if we can't match make and model.

- [Cassie] I told you, I can't drive a clutch. - [tires squeal]

- Sure you can. - I can't do this, Charles.

You're doing great. More gas, less clutch.

[gears grinding]

- [tires squealing] - [Charles] Whoa! Whoa!

- Whoa! - [Cassie screams]

Oh, my God. I wrecked your truck.

Don't worry. You can't wreck a wreck, Cassie.

- You're really not mad? - Just madly in love...

- ...With you. - What's this?

- Marry me? - What?

Marry me next year as soon as we graduate?

Put it on.

- Are you serious? - Look what happened to Johnny.

You never know how much time you have.

Whatever time I have, I want to spend it with you.

Will you be Mrs. Charles antoni?

No.

But I'll be Mrs. Cassie Sutton-antoni.

- I'm keeping my own name. - As long as you keep me.

- [woman giggling] That's what I've learned. - Do you smell smoke?

[laughing] Jennifer.

- Naomi. - You haven't changed a day

- In... What has it been? - [both] Seven years.

- What are you doing here? - Pure impulse.

Yesterday the champs-Elysees, today Lincoln heights.

We don't smoke in the house.

Oh, oh, yes, of course. Of course.

You're all worried about dying, which is why I live in France.

You didn't tell me that you had such a cool sister.

Oh, oh, half sister.

I am the evil offspring from daddy's first marriage.

You. Why, you must be Lizzie.

Look how big you got. Come and give your auntie a big hug.

Oh, sweetie. And your little friend died. I'm so sorry.

And this one, oh, my God. Broken home, car crash, coma.

Rising from the dead!

- I gave her a scarf. - She sings in a jazz band.

How amazing is that? She knows movie stars and musicians.

- So where you staying while you're in town? - Why, here. Where else?

Hey, thanks for working with me after shift.

I'd do anything for a turkey sandwich.

- Oh, hey, dad. - Hey, sage. Why don't you sit down and eat with us?

Can't. We're gonna catch a 12:00 showing of body heat.

Danny says it's a classic.

Danny marinero. You have a beautiful daughter, sir.

[sage giggles] Bye, dad.

Love you.

Eddie.

Jenn told me you were here. Big surprise.

Oh, I know. Rude and thoughtless.

But I prefer to think of myself as unpredictable.

Some people find that charming.

- Naomi Bradshaw. - Kevin Lund.

Nice to meet you, Kevin Lund.

Very nice, indeed.

- [knocking on door] - Come in.

Hey. Can't sleep?

What's that?

Johnny nightingale's things from his pockets.

Thought you might want to take them to his aunt.

Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you.

It's OK.

- What's in the box? - A gift from your sister.

[chuckling]

- Lord. - Does she really have to stay here?

I know you don't like her.

She blows in and out of here every few years, takes up all the oxygen,

- And with all Lizzie's problems... - Eddie.

She's already got her eye on Lund,

and you remember what happened to my last partner.

[Naomi singing jazzy hush, little baby]

♪ Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird ♪

[Naomi scatting]

♪ Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird ♪

♪ Hush, little baby don't say a word ♪

♪ Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird ♪

♪ If that mockingbird don't sing ♪

♪ Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring ♪♪

Thanks for bringing this.

Um, I took them by the post office,

but they said you took time off.

I just can't seem to go out of the house.

[sobbing] Do you want to see his room?

Yeah.

He'd want you to have something.

So look around. OK?

- Thank you. - OK.

That's our house.

[Lizzie] In the newspaper, on the front page, our house!

- Slow down. What was it? - Supreme court was involved.

It's a newspaper story from 1948.

Our house was a part of a supreme court lawsuit.

- Something called "restrictive covenants." - Kidding?

Contracts that said black folks couldn't own homes in certain areas.

There's a big picture of our house right on the front page.

The glass family bought the house and a bunch of white families sued to make them move.

Did you know?

I didn't know our house was involved in that.

Why wouldn't Johnny want me to know?

Maybe he didn't get a chance to tell you.

No, dad, he told me there was nothing important to know about the glass family.

- Dad, he lied. - I don't know, Lizzie.

Listen, I gotta go. Talk to you tonight?

Lab report. Paint chip comes from one of three makes and models.

OK, let's cross check it with the partial.

- See if we get a match. - Hey, I didn't know that Jenn had a half-sister.

She's trouble, Lund. She broke my last partner's heart.

Sexy as hell is what she is.

No, she looked at you like it was feeding time at the zoo.

- And this is bad because...? - Lund, she goes through men like tissue paper.

You're in recovery. Not supposed to have a serious relationship.

Who said anything about serious?

[laughing]

Well, Danny is kidnapping me.

All I know is we're going to a fish place on the water.

Oooh. [speaking French]

and Cassie, when will I meet your par amour du jour?

He's coming over later to give me another driving lesson.

And you two are still speaking? Oh, it must be love.

Actually, it is. Look what Charles gave me.

A diamond?

Cassie, is this what it looks like?

Charles said we should get engaged.

Life is so short, you never know.

Look what happened to Johnny, mom.

That was a freak accident. Listen, I like Charles,

but you're a little young to be committing like this.

- We're not getting married until after high school. - And Jennifer...

- You weren't much older when you got married. - That was different.

Yes, and even crazier.

Everyone expected you to go to medical school.

- But you gave it up for love. - I didn't give up anything.

You know what, I have to go to the clinic. Cassie, think this through.

You're talking about the rest of your life.

It's true. Just look what happened to your mother.

Nothing happened to me.

- [doorbell ringing] - Oh, that's Danny.

- OK, you're ready. - Thanks, Naomi.

- You're so welcome. - I love my hair.

[Cassie] It's cute, sage.

[laughing] You like Italian?

I meant the food. Great.

Pick you up at 8:00.

- Who's the owner? - Grant aikens.

Attorney-at-law.

All you got is one partial license plate and a tiny paint chip?

- That's not gonna stand up in court. - Take that to the lab.

If it doesn't match we'll return your vehicle.

With one damn big apology.

With the keys if you're lucky.

- Come on, you can do this. - Charles?

Let's get married right now.

Forget about waiting till we graduate.

- Are you serious? - Yeah.

I mean, I thought about what you said about life being so short.

And my mother wasn't much older than me when she got married.

Sure, let's go for it. I mean, we love each other. Why not?

By the way, this doesn't get you out of your driving lesson.

Oh. One other thing.

Since I'm under 18 we have to ask for my dad's permission.

Or you do.

That gets you out of a driving lesson.

The law's booey. Like back to slavery or something.

I know that, Tay. That's not the point.

I need to know why Johnny lied to me about it.

Hey, look. Johnny circled some woman's face.

He didn't circle her face. He circled her necklace.

David and Allison devries.

They were listed in the lawsuit against the glass family.

Where did you find this?

Johnny wrote down an address. Four-two-seven donatello. Mission vista south.

Rich man's land.

Harrison devries. Four-two-seven donatello.

Those people still live there.

- Wouldn't they be, like, 100? - OK, then their relatives.

Johnny wanted to go talk to them.

Come on, Tay, this might be my journey.

Look at that thing. You know what color that jockey used to be, right?

Can I help you?

Mr. Devries? Hi, I'm Lizzie Sutton. This is my brother, Tay.

How do you do?

Do I know you two?

Not really. We're friends of Johnny nightingale.

I don't know Mr. Nightingale.

Oh. Well, Johnny was researching

a famous supreme court housing lawsuit.

- Your family was a part of it? - Yes.

That was a long time ago, about the time that statue was in fashion.

Well, um, we live in the house that the glass family owned

in Lincoln heights. The one your family sued over.

Yeah.

Here you go. Taxi fare home.

- Now if you'll excuse me... - Mr. Devries?

Johnny was killed last week.

He was hit by a car not far from here.

Are you sure you don't know Johnny?

Because he was keeping all this a secret from me,

and I need to know why.

I never met your friend. Sorry.

Goodbye.

I thought that that was our journey,

discovering the history of the house,

but why would Johnny keep it from me?

- Maybe there is no journey. - Lizzie, you must not give up.

It's important to find out why

Johnny kept this a secret from you.

I know that, but how am I supposed to do it?

Johnny's the only one who knew, and he's dead.

You should pray on it.

- God stopped listening. - Oh, Lizzie.

Thanks anyway, Mrs. Hammond.

The paint chip matched the scratches on Aiken's car.

- When do we file charges? - We don't.

Aiken's alibi checks out. He wasn't driving the car at the time.

Neither was his wife or teenage son.

- Then who was? - If he knows he's not saying.

I have to cut him loose.

Look, I'm not any happier about this than you are, all right?

You guys bring me something, I'll make an arrest.

He knows, Lund. He knows who killed Johnny.

Maybe we should follow Mr. Aikens when he gets off work.

See where it leads us.

Thanks for coming, Mr. Sutton. I know you're busy.

What's so important you had to rush me down here?

Cassie isn't pregnant, is she?

God, no.

- I mean, you'd kill me. - You got that right.

Are you sure you don't want something?

They renamed everything on the menu.

- Leonardo latte. Cubist cocoa. - Charles.

I don't want cocoa.

Are you OK?

I have arrested murder suspects that were more together.

Mr. Sutton, you know how much I care about Cassie.

I love her with all my heart.

This better not be going where I think it's going.

You two are way too young.

I...

I think of you as a role model.

I'll try to live up to your example.

That's it?

See you later, son.

My dad wanted to know if you were on drugs.

Did you even ask him?

[Lund] Wherever aikens is going, it's not home.

Is he gonna drive around all night?

Maybe he's having an affair.

His lover drove the car, he's protecting her.

[Lund] Pretty strange place to have an affair.

[Naomi] What on Earth are you doing, Jennifer?

School lunches at midnight?

This is a little nuts, even for super mom.

I have a lot going on right now, Naomi,

including an extra houseguest.

Maybe if you would help, you know, pitch in,

I wouldn't be doing this.

You don't want me making your kids lunches, believe me.

Well, how about treating us like family instead of like you're slumming?

Hey, if the ghetto fits...

I'm sorry. You come into my home,

you make disparaging comments about everything,

- Including how I choose to live... - All I said

was that you chose family over medical school.

- You got all defensive. - I'm happy.

- You're the one whose pathetic life fell apart. - Pathetic life?

I'm not making peanut butter sandwiches in the middle of the night.

You know what? I can't do this.

Just... I don't have the energy. Please just go.

I can't. I've got a date with Kevin Lund tomorrow night.

- Your sister was driving your car? - Yeah.

I loaned it to her for a job interview.

She panicked when she hit the boy, just...

- ...Drove off. - What's she doing here?

She couldn't take the guilt. Had a breakdown.

Angie's not stable, anyway.

She's had a rough time. Divorce. Husband got custody of the kids.

I guess, um...

...Hitting that boy just broke the camel's back.

[Lizzie] Look at her. She's pathetic.

[Eddie] She hit Johnny and fled the scene.

- She's gonna pay, Lizzie. - [Jenn] What's gonna happen to her, Eddie?

She'll go to jail once she gets out of here.

- What's the matter, honey? - That's awful.

I thought you'd feel better knowing the person who hit Johnny is in custody.

- No, I feel worse. - Lizzie?

Dad, why did you bring me here?

I don't want to know any of this!

Lizzie.

Lizzie, I know this is hard.

Mom, I just want to go home and get in my bed and stay there.

Mrs. Hammond just called from the cemetery.

There's something there she wants you to see.

Look at the inscription.

- [Eddie] "Johnny nightingale. Much loved." - Where did it come from?

Nobody knows. It just appeared.

But it's truly a miracle.

Come on, Cassie. The clutch then gas. Are you serious?

- Are you trying? - You should have bought an automatic.

I didn't get this for your convenience.

What am I supposed to use when we get married?

We're not getting married 'cause you chickened out asking.

- Watch out! - [tires squealing]

- God! - [squeals]

- You're hopeless. - Maybe it's the teacher!

Just go. Clutch!

Cass, try to hold two thoughts in your head at once.

I hate you!

How's Lizzie doing now, Eddie?

Jenn says not good.

And you've talked to her.

I'm working.

I'm home after she goes to bed.

Asleep when she leaves for school.

It's hard seeing our children in such pain.

So hard. Sometimes we can't bear to look.

So you're saying I'm staying away on purpose.

I found that perp for Lizzie.

Lizzie didn't need to see the poor soul who took Johnny's life.

Eddie, she needs to see you.

- Mom told me you were here. - Doing homework.

He always helped me with my algebra.

I did some checking on this headstone.

I used a few cop tricks to find out who paid for it.

It was that rich guy in mission vista south.

Harrison Devries.

That means he lied about knowing Johnny.

- Come on. Let's go talk to him. - He'll deny it.

Then what are we supposed to do?

Ask the one other person who knows the truth.

That's the necklace from the photo.

Why didn't Johnny want me to know about it or Mr. Devries?

Child, you don't want to know the world we live in.

She just wants to know the truth.

Well, the truth can be ugly.

But if you want it, here it is.

You're gonna know it anyway.

Harrison devries was Johnny's father.

Wait. But...

- But he's white. - And rich.

I told Yvonne it wouldn't lead to nothing but trouble.

But she just knew Harrison loved her.

When Harrison found out that Yvonne was pregnant, he left her.

Predictable as the morning sunlight.

Yvonne numbed herself with drugs.

Harrison never even inquired.

But when Lizzie asked Johnny to research the history

he found this photo and recognized the necklace.

Harrison gave it to Yvonne as a show of love.

Imagine that.

Did Johnny ever meet his father?

A few weeks back he went over, more than once,

but Harrison didn't want to admit the truth.

Finally, he gave Johnny a thousand dollars.

- Blood money. - You could say that.

Johnny used the money to get Yvonne into rehab.

Then Harrison started sending me money.

You see him, you tell him I don't want no more.

The only reason why I took it in the first place was because of Johnny.

Now that he's gone, it's pretty much what you said. Blood money.

Pure and simple.

- Excuse me. Who let you in? - The maid.

I'm Eddie Sutton.

You met Lizzie. We're here to talk to you about your son, Johnny nightingale.

Johnny came to see you before he died, didn't he, but you turned him away.

He had a farfetched notion

that you'll never prove otherwise, not legally.

We don't have to prove it legally. We just want you to own up to it.

I know you cared about him.

I didn't even know him, young lady.

- You bought him a headstone. - I'll tell you something else, devries.

You loved his mother.

She was my mother's maid.

She dusted the furniture.

You don't give a family heirloom to just anybody.

You give it to somebody you plan to marry. So what happened?

My inheritance happened.

If you'll excuse me.

Did you know that Johnny loved computers?

He was a genius at it. Or that he had a stamp collection?

Or that he had seen Indiana Jones 15 times,

or that he could find the northern star in the night sky?

You'd have been so proud of him.

Mr. Devries, I loved Johnny.

And you need to love him, too.

I have a son.

And I owe him more than I owe your friend.

How about some of my delicious guacamole, Lizzie?

That's wonderful, Johnny.

Of course it is. I made it.

I hope you made enough for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

- For you, of course I did. - Thank you.

[voices laughing]

[laughing continues]

Oh, my God! You, out!

Out!

- I'll call you later. Sorry. - Out!

- I'm really sorry, mama Jenn. - It's Mrs. Sutton.

Where's Naomi?

Um... She's at my dad's.

She called late and said that she won't be back.

You had Danny marinero up here?

Naomi spent the night at Kevin's,

and sage decided to have her own little sleepover!

Oh.

Every time something bad happens

you turn into my little girl again.

Charles and I had a bad fight.

Well, I told you, honey. Never let a man teach you to drive.

It always ends like this.

This wasn't about driving, mom.

It's about Charles asking me to marry him.

I'm just not ready.

Well, then that's what you have to tell Charles.

Be honest with him.

[bell ringing]

Why did you want to see me in art class?

It's the first place we ever saw each other.

Don't you remember?

So, did you bring the ring?

I brought one too.

God, you look beautiful.

Hold on.

I think we both know we're not ready to commit to marriage.

We're way immature.

I can stop giving you driving lessons.

That's only part of it.

I think I'm too young to think about marriage.

But that doesn't mean I can't pledge my eternal friendship.

I, Cassie Sutton,

pledge my eternal friendship to Charles antoni.

I, Charles antoni...

...Pledge eternal friendship to Cassie Sutton.

Does friendship exclude kissing?

Friendship doesn't exclude anything.

So now you know why Johnny lied to you.

He was protecting his father.

But Mr. Devries still won't admit that Johnny's his son.

- I don't know what else to do. - What would Johnny do?

Probably shrug it off.

You know, "hey, I found my dad. That's a good thing."

- Johnny never gave up. - Then follow his example.

Don't give up. You'll get a sign.

I already did. The headstone.

- For all the good it did. - What about the dream?

- Johnny would be all over that. - It was a crazy dream about guacamole.

Lizzie, open your eyes.

You still have to complete the most important part of the journey.

The part that takes place inside of you.

What does that mean?

I have faith. It'll come to you.

But you have to have faith, too.

[keys rattling]

My dad's coming to pick me up.

What's this?

Um, from Naomi. She's gone.

"JENNIFER AND FAMILY: Off to Amsterdam.

Thanks for everything. Naomi."

That woman's got flair.

- Unbelievable. - [knock on door]

Lizzie. Jenn.

- Sage. - I'm sorry, dad. I really am.

- Please don't be angry. - I'm not.

But I do think it's time that we started being a family again.

- You OK with that? - Yeah.

And, um, I'm sorry for disrespecting you, Mrs. Sutton.

- After all you've done for me. - Maybe it wasn't so much disrespect,

as a way of asking your father if you could come home.

- And it's mama Jenn, OK? - OK.

- Thanks. - Kevin, one more thing.

- Naomi's gone. - I know.

She texted me. Lots of x's and o's.

Hey, it was what it was.

She's a hell of a woman.

Let's go.

- Thanks. - OK.

Goodbye.

[Lizzie] Mom! Mom, come quick!

Lizzie?

It's a sign from Johnny.

It's a miracle.

Maybe so.

Look at that flower. It's beautiful.

I'm gonna plant it by Johnny's grave.

Invite everyone to come see.

Because it's gonna grow.

It's gonna grow flowers and avocados...

...For years.

I'm glad you came, miss nightingale.

Johnny's mother should be here.

My nephew was a miracle.

Like all miracles, he came from love.

A long time ago, when young people knew how to follow their hearts,

Johnny's parents found one another,

and they made a wonderful little boy.

Johnny never knew them.

Sometimes I would watch him, and it would break my heart

because all he ever wanted was a family.

However, he was always happy

because he possessed, within him,

the greatest part of both of them.

His mother's love and tenderness and compassion,

his father's strength and optimism.

Johnny showed us that love can conquer everything.

And, as long as this tree lives that Lizzie planted...

...Johnny will always be with us.

And so will all of his hopes and his dreams

for a better world.

And I know that it's possible, in God's good time.

[all] Amen.

[choir singing]

Mrs. Hammond?

I think I can hear your choir.

That was your brother.

And my son.

And his name was Johnny nightingale.

[choir continues singing]