All language subtitles for The.Apology.2022.WEBRip.x264-ION10

[ Wind blowing ]

[ Wind whistling ]

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

[ Music builds, continues ]

[ Music builds, continues ]

[ Music slows, continues ]

[ Indistinct conversations ]

DARLENE:
Okay. I'm coming back.

GRETCHEN:
Oh, do you need these?

DARLENE: Yeah. One sec.
I'll take a look at --

Oh.
Oh, no.

I can't serve this to people,
not even the kids.

The kids are not even
gonna eat this.

Are you --
You've got to be joking.

It's cake -- and kids.
The -- The messier the better.

-I mean, I'm sorry about that.
-All right.

-Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine.
-They're gonna love it, though.

What, are you mad?

-Uh, no. No. No.
-What's wrong?

[ Sighs ]
I just...

This -- This is hard, you know?

It's -- It's just hard.
Sorry.

First time hosting Christmas
in 20 years.

-Gee. Why would that be hard?
-Yeah.

I do not know what I was
thinking, taking all this on.

It's so stupid.

I mean, I used to be really good
at this,

and then I just lost
all my skills.

You have not!
You're -- You're fine!

Listen. As my mother used to
say, the queen ain't coming.

It's just us --
just your people.

And you know
what we're gonna do?

We're gonna drink
too much coffee.

We're gonna spoil the kids.

We're gonna open gifts.

We're gonna eat so much
that we have to unhook our bras.

And then fuckin' Julie's gonna
put everybody to work

to clean it up.

It's gonna be great.

It's gonna be fine, all right?

You're right. You're right.
You're right.

Okay.

Now have a bark cookie.

-[ Laughs ]
-I'm sorry it's not booze.

Yeah.

-GRETCHEN: Oh!
-DARLENE: Mm.

GRETCHEN:
Is that my cue to leave?

DARLENE:
I think it is.

-Well --
-Oh, shit.

-What? What? What's wrong.
-Damn. Damn, damn, damn.

-No. Hang on.
-Is everything all right?

Yeah.
I think so.

I-I think this is finally
finished uploading.

-GRETCHEN: What is it?
-DARLENE: Hang on.

INTERVIEWER: This month
is the 20th anniversary

of Sally's disappearance.

How has it been for --

Why do they call it
an anniversary,

like it's something
to celebrate?

Whoo!

-Oh, man!
-[ Laughs ]

Be careful!

-Okay! Bye-bye!
-Don't slip down those stairs!

And I love you, and thank you
for everything today!

-Whoo!
-Bye, Gretchen! Drive safely!

Ooh.

[ Latch clicks, wind whistling ]

Mm!

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

[ Music continues ]

INTERVIEWER: I can only imagine
the pain you must be in.

DARLENE:
Well, I-I have had the honor

of working with other searching
families over the years.

And -- And for most of us,

the...the hardest part is...

is the not knowing,

the daily void
of just not knowing.

But Sally is always going to be
alive to me

until I know different.

And I will never,
never stop looking for her.

INTERVIEWER:
You're so brave.

What can people do
if they have any information?

DARLENE: They can contact me
through my website --

[ Music continues ]

Oh, my sweet girl.

[ Music builds, continues ]

[ Wind whistling,
wood creaking ]

[ Knock on door ]

[ Knock on door ]

[ Doorbell rings ]

What...

[ Knock on door ]

[ Wind whistling ]

Jack?

JACK:
Hey, Darlene. I...

I'm sorry I scared you.

Well, what --
what are you doing here?

JACK:
My truck got stuck in the snow.

Wait.
What?

-It -- Oh!
-I lost control on Rogers

and just skidded out
into the snow.

And then I-I saw I was a block
from your place, so...

Well, come in! Come in!
It's freezing!

-Thank you. Thank you.
-[ Exhales sharply ]

Why don't you call Shane
or Lisa?

My phone died.
I am 0 for 2.

[ Chuckles ]

Well, I-I didn't know
you were coming.

Wait.
Was I supposed to know?

I was trying to surprise
everybody, so, um...

Surprise.
[ Chuckles ]

Hey.

Come on.

-[ Exhales deeply ]
-[ Chuckles softly ]

-Good to see you, kid.
-[ Laughs ]

-It's been a minute.
-Nineteen years.

-You believe that?
-Ah.

Well, I mean,
what's a couple decades

between, you know, ex-family?

So because your sister and I
didn't work out, I'm --

I'm ex-family?

[ Gasps ]
I'm so sorry.

May I please take your coat?

Oh, no, no, no.
That's okay.

I'm still a little cold, so...

I imagine.

Let's get something
to warm you up.

-Um...
-Yeah. Sounds good.

How about some tea?
It's actually strictly --

It's strictly chamomile
around here these days.

The kids told me.

Yeah.

I actually just hit 19 years.

It's, um...

Well, I should've done it
a lot sooner, right?

But...

Well, you look great.

No.
I mean reallygreat.

You're such a...

And I-I heard
that you were hosting again,

so, you know, I...

I figured it would be okay.

Oh, you thought this would be

enough of a-a buffer
for you and Julie.

I know it's a stretch.
I admit it.

But, you know,
I never got Christmas

-with Lisa and Shane again.
-I know.

I just want to be with them,
you know?

Look.
I can keep the peace with Julie.

I want to make things right.

I was gonna make it a surprise.

You know, stay at the motel
and surprise everyone

with a big bag of presents
in the morning.

-Oh. [ Clicks tongue, chuckles ]
-But...

Well, I'm not just here
to see them, you know?

I have a lot to make up for it
with you, too, and...

I know that.

I'll get you your tea.

So, you hungry?

JACK:
Always.

DARLENE:
I remember.

[ Microwave beeps ]

Ooh. Okay.
Got it.

-[ Microwave closes ]
-All right.

-Thank you.
-En joie.

[ Chuckles softly ]

[ Wind whistling ]

Oh, God.
Oh, it's amazing.

You have to give me the recipe.

-The recipe?
-Mm.

I'm sorry.
Who -- Who are you?

[ Clears throat ]
Well...

-Um...
-Thank you.

...I'm gonna need you
to call Julie...

-[ Clears throat ]
-...and get her blessing

before you stay for Christmas.

Why?
It's your house.

Jack, I'm not kidding.

You have to call her.

But...not tonight.

-She would rip you --
-[ Chuckles ]

Tonight, you know, you can --
you can stay here.

I mean, obviously.

I don't know where else
you would stay.

I-I, uh...

I-I'd offer you Sally's room,
but --

No. No, no, no, no, no.
No. Of course.

But, however, I can offer you
my super-swank sofa,

which is actually --
It's actually pretty comfy...

-Sounds great. Sounds great.
-...once you make it up.

Hey.
One second.

-[ Laughs ]
-Merry Christmas.

You still love playing Santa,
don't you?

I hope you still like
mint patties.

I do.

I do.
They're simple but classic.

[ Both laugh ]

This is beautiful.
Look.

-Did you wrap this?
-Uh...

Oh, you didn't do it, did you?
You didn't do this.

Let's see.

Our Christmas Eve reading
and chocolate eating.

Oh, Jack.

This is very sweet, but I --

Hey.
It was a family tradition.

No, it wasn't.
You started it.

You gave everyone the book
and chocolates

so they wouldn't notice that you
gave mea book and chocolates.

Maybe.

Mm-hmm.

So how about you?
Hmm?

Girlfriend?

Yeah. We're going steady
and everything.

You think she'll go to the prom
with me?

-[ Laughs ]
-Oh, you know,

I mean, after our
super-fulfilling marriages...

Really odd that we wouldn't rush
to commit again, huh?

I guess I just...

I just never found someone
who could quote Oscar Wilde

while shit-talking in the corner
at a party quite like you could.

[ Both laugh ]

I should never have left
the way I did.

It has haunted me
all these years.

-It's haunted you?
-Yeah.

It's very Heathcliff
on the moors.

[ Chuckles ]

I'm serious.

[ Wind whistling ]

This book looks wonderful.

It is.

So, um...

...how is Julie?

She's good.

Mm-hmm.

She's really good.
She's...

She's still really bossy.

-[ Laughs ]
-But you know what?

That came in quite handy, uh...

the mornings I couldn't get out
of bed and...

She's a really good sister.

Yeah.

Did -- Did --
Did you ever, um...

-Tell her?
-Yeah.

No.

No.

What good would that have done
for her?

-Mm-hmm.
-Me unburdening myself

at her expense with the kid --

I -- No.

You know, um...

...I-I've -- I've thought about
our night a lot.

[ Thunder rumbling ]

I know we -- we were both
a mess,

and...we were all
grieving Sally.

But I'd been wanting you.

I'd been wanting you
for so long.

But th-- But you left.

I couldn't ask you to leave Ed.

-I wasn't gonna leave Ed.
-Oh. Ouch.

It doesn't mean I didn't...

Uh...

I think we just met too late,
you know?

[ Exhales deeply ]

So, Lisa tells me your work
is going really well.

Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I have to turn down projects.

-Really? Wow.
-Yeah.

I was sorry to hear
that you had to quit work.

-[ Thunder crashes ]
-DARLENE: Oh.

JACK:
Oh, and it was just snowing.

-DARLENE: Oh, my gosh.
-[ Thunder rumbling ]

-Thundersnow.
-Yeah.

God. It's been years
since I've seen that.

I know.
You'd never think

those two things
would go together, would you?

It just...

It just makes the most
beautiful, dangerous sight.

[ Wind whistling,
thunder crashing ]

I forgot your tea.
I'm so sorry.

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

Well done.
[ Chuckles ]

So, I got to admit --
You're making me feel lazy.

I mean, look at all of this.

"Awarded to Darlene Hagen
in grateful recognition

for your service to missing
children and their families."

Wow.

My friend Gretchen
makes me keep those out.

She's a good egg.

So, I-I hope it's okay
to ask, but...

Sally.

I-I imagine Lisa
would have told me,

but I also know that any lead
has to be pretty substantial

for my lawyer daughter
to share it.

Yeah. No.

No leads.
No. Still.

But I haven't given up.

I mean, of course not.

There's always a chance that,
you know, that they'll --

And...I mean, listen.

You -- You got to look at -- You
got to look at Elizabeth Smart,

Jaycee Dugard.

There's -- There's a whole slew
of kids they've found.

-So...
-Mm.

...there's --
there's always a chance.

Don't you think
that's a little naive?

Um, no offense, Jack,
but...fuck you.

Hey. Hey.

I'm just trying to do you
a favor.

-A favor?
-Well, you were the one

who always said real friends
challenge each other,

they don't let each other
off the hook.

So...

what do you need?

I mean, after all this time...

...what do you need to help you
feel whole again?

[ Softly ]
Sorry.

I could never feel whole again.

Sorry.
Just --

Like, even if she came home,

I lost 20 years with her,
you know?

And, I mean, please.

I'm not stupid, okay?
I'm not dumb.

I know she's probably nev--

I just need to know...

...that I did everything,
every single thing I could do

to find her,
followed every lead,

no matter how flimsy,
no matter how crazy --

that I just did everything
I could to find her.

And what would you do
if you found out that she was...

[ Wind whistling ]

...and you knew who it was?

I-I mean, I'd call the police,
obviously.

Call the police?

What, just throw away
your golden opportunity?

My golden opportunity?

You wouldn't want to tie him up,
shoot him in the head?

There it is. Okay. No.
Don't drag me into that.

You can't tell me
that your justice fantasy

-is turning the guy in.
-My justice fantasy?

-Who...
-May-- Maybe you --

you tap into that kind
of darkness and it helps you.

-You know, it helps you --
-I don't want to go there.

-Okay. All right.
-It doesn't help anything, okay?

Okay. So --
All right.

So if it's not revenge, what...

...what would you want?

I would want him to tell me
everything.

-Mm-hmm.
-I would want him to tell me

exactly what happened.

-I would want to know every...
-Mm-hmm.

...single detail.

And then I would tell him
everything.

I would tell him who he took,

that she wasn't just some face
on a poster!

Sure.
Yeah.

But whatever it was,
whatever happened...

...I...missed it.

I...I should have protected her.

But I didn't, because I...

was drunk.

You were always too hard
on yourself.

No.

You want a laugh?

[ Laughs ]
Actually...

...when you -- when you
rang my doorbell just now,

um, I...

...was about to chuck it all.

Nineteen years of sobriety,
just --

-Kkt!
-No.

Yeah. Yeah.
Y-Yep.

[ Sniffs ]
I have --

I actually have a really good
bottle of vodka upstairs.

[ Laughs ]

But it's like 20 years...

...of Christmases without her.

It's just too fucking late.

And then -- ding-dong.

Here you are.

Seriously?
That's...That's --

Literary.

Dickensian, even.

Ay.

[ Thunder rumbling ]

[ Wind whistling ]

Okay.

Let's get you something sweet.

-[ Kettle clangs ]
-More tea.

[ Exhales sharply ]

Hey.

Don't be sad.

-[ Laughs ]
-We have cookies and pie.

Jack.

Hey.
What's going on?

Oh, Christmas.

You know, it's supposed to be
so...simple,

and I've made it so hard.

No.
It's okay.

Listen. Listen.
It's okay.

Christmas is -- It's a magical
time for peacemaking.

I just kept thinking, you know,
"I can fix all of this."

And then you wake up one day
and you realize that,

you know, for some things,
there are no do-overs, you know?

But it's all right.

It's all right.
You're here.

And -- And the kids are gonna be
so happy to see you.

And Julie -- Listen.
If you just --

If you truly own up to
what you did and you apologize,

then...I think people
will forgive --

even -- even Julie.

Okay?

Hey.
It's gonna be okay.

Come on.

[ Exhales deeply ]

Jack --

I-I have missed you so much.

It was always supposed to be
you and me, Darlene.

But you know how much
I love you.

You have to know that, right?

Y-You can't tell me --

You just can't tell me
that this --

that this doesn't feel right.

No.
I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

[ Softly ]
I can't. I'm sorry. I can't.

[ Thunder rumbling ]

[ Mugs clanking ]

Okay.

Fine.

[ Clears throat, sniffs ]

Darlene?

-Yeah?
-[ Clears throat ]

I have to tell you something.

Okay.

It's about Sally.

There's something
that I never told you.

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

What?

What did you never tell me?

Jack.

What is this?

What?

[ Drawer closes ]

[ Breathing shallowly ]

[ Gasps ]

I can't do this
with other people.

It -- It has to be just us.

Okay?

Please...come -- come sit down.

[ Music continues ]

[ Exhales sharply ]

[ Wind whistling ]

Your...

Your car didn't break down,
did it?

And nobody knows you're...here.

No.

'Cause it was supposed to be
a surprise.

I get how this looks,

but I had to be sure
that we could be alone

so that we could work
through this.

I just -- I...I couldn't
figure out another way.

Darlene, I don't want to
have to use these,

so please, please, please
just...sit down,

and we can talk.

No, I won't.

When I saw that interview
you did,

it was like you were speaking
directly to me.

And I knew then that you deserve
to know the truth.

[ Music continues ]

[ Voice breaking ]
Where is she?

She's gone, Dar.

Gone?

You mean d--

You mean dead?

[ Music builds, continues ]

No. No.

No.

[ Exhales deeply ]
No.

No. No.

No!

[ Breathing heavily ]

Darlene, please.

Just breathe.

Just breathe, okay?

Just take d--
some deep breaths.

Just...

[ Music fades ]

[ Birds chirping ]

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

DARLENE:
[ Sobbing ] Oh, no.

No!

-[ Kettle whistling ]
-JACK: Will you please --

Just breathe.
Take some deep breaths, okay?

-No. My baby.
-Okay -- Okay, Darlene.

-Listen to me. Listen to me.
-My baby. No.

-Shh. Shh. Shh. Shh.
-No. No. My baby.

Listen to me, okay?
Come with me.

Come with me.
We're gonna go sit down.

-[ Sobbing, mumbling ]
-We're gonna go sit down, okay?

Come on. I got you.
I got you.

All right. There you go.
There you go.

[ Gasps ]
No.

No.

[ Thunder rumbling,
whistling continues ]

[ Kettle clanks,
whistling slows, stops ]

[ Liquid pouring,
kettle clanks ]

So, how much...
do you want to know?

I mean, I'm -- I'm --
I'm not sure what's helpful.

Tell me everything.
Everything.

Tell me.

Okay.

Okay.

So, here it is.
Um...[ Clears throat ]

That day, uh,
I was driving from a work site,

and, uh, I saw Sally walking
home from the high school.

S-She seemed upset.

There -- There was no one else
on the street,

so I, uh, pulled up beside her
and...startled her.

But once she saw it was me,
she...she relaxed,

and, um...
she asked me for a ride.

I said yes, of course.

And, uh, s--
And she got in.

Anyway, um, I suggested
that we drive out

to that spot on the lake.

They dragged the lake.

She's not in the lake.

So, on -- So, on the drive over,
I could tell, you know,

that she was really upset.

So when we got to the lake,

I, uh, I took out a blanket,
and I laid it on the grass.

And we sat down, and she starts
talking about you.

Me?

She was worried about you.

She'd found you on the bathroom
floor the night before.

We were talking about how
worried we both were about you,

and, uh...she started to cry.

So I just -- I instinctually --
I just --

I hugged her, you know?

Because we --
we were always so close.

B-But this was...

[ Thunder rumbling ]

And she was looking up at me,
and, uh...

and she looked so much like you,
you know?

And then, all of a sudden,
we were kissing.

-[ Gasps ]
-Aah! [ Groans ]

[ Dramatic music plays ]

[ Breathing heavily ]

[ Latch clicks ]

[ Grunts ]

[ Music continues ]

[ Gasps, groans ]

[ Grunting ]

[ Breathing heavily ]

[ Groans ]

[ Window rattles ]

[ Groans, breathing heavily ]

[ Footsteps approaching ]

JACK:
Darlene?

Can't we just talk?

Listen.
I...

I know how much
you need to know everything,

and...I'm here to do that.

You deserve the truth.

I deserved the truth...
20 years ago!

Okay.

You want to tell me the truth?

Go ahead.

I'm listening.

Not through a door.

Please.
Come on.

Darlene, I-I didn't come here
to hurt you.

I...

I need to tell you as --
as much as you need to hear it.

Please, can't we just sit down
and -- and talk

like -- like human beings?

It's -- It's just me.
It's still me!

It's Jack.

Please?

[ Wind whistling ]

Okay.

But I want you to back up
five steps,

and I want to hear you
count them off!

All right.

One, two, three, four, five.

Okay.

Okay.

You really burned the shit
out of my neck.

[ Clears throat ]

I just meant, you know,
well done.

-Are you complimenting me?
-Well, it was a smart move.

You -- You were always
very smart.

That's why I've had to do
all of this.

I know how smart you are.

Okay.
So, look.

Please. Please don't --
don't freak out.

This...This is just
for my protection, okay?

-Jesus.
-I know. I know.

I know.
I know.

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

How about I-I-I put it away
when we sit down?

Deal?

And, um...you can get rid
of that.

[ Razor clatters ]

[ Music continues ]

[ Wind whistling ]

Right. Right.
Of course.

[ Exhales deeply ]

It wasn't some insidious plan.

I need you to know that.

My daughter didn't kiss you.

It's the truth, Darlene.

It may not be
what you want to hear.

Don't give me that.

Your view of her...
was so skewed.

I don't think you realize how
cut off she felt from you both.

I mean, in your eyes,
she was still a child.

But she was 16.

Sixteen isa child.

It's not the same thing,
and you know it.

Fuck you.

Okay.

Do you want me to continue?

-[ Gasps ]
-[ Sighs ]

[ Music continues ]

It -- It all happened so fast.

You know, it all felt so smooth,

and then, suddenly,
she was screaming.

So I-I put my hand
over her mouth.

I was scared somebody
would hear,

so I kept telling her
to calm down,

that we just needed to
talk it out,

you know, that maybe we --
we could keep it to ourselves.

-Keep it between yourselves?
-I-I don't know. She j-- I --

She wouldn't stop screaming.
I could think.

-What did you expect her to do?!
-I don't know!

I-I just needed a minute,
just one fucking minute.

But she -- she wouldn't stop,

so I-I-I pushed harder,
and...

Her neck...was broken.

It was an accident.

DARLENE:
[ Whimpers ]

[ Thunder rumbling ]

I kept her French book.

She'd written and drawn
on the brown-bag cover --

you know, "Je'taime,"
"Oui, oui,"

"La musique, c'est la vie,"
and her name inside.

Do you still have it?

Yeah.

It's out in my truck.

I want to see it.

-If you're sure.
-I'm sure.

Sure.

[ Thunder rumbling ]

[ Music continues ]

[ Breathing heavily ]

[ Door closes ]

[ Gasping ]

[ Grunting ]

[ Wind whistling ]

[ Exhales deeply ]

Oh, God.

[ Music builds, continues ]

[ Grunting ]

Gretchen!

Gretchen!
Gretchen!

Help!
Gretchen!

Help!
Help me!

Help me!

JACK:
Calm down.

-[ Grunting ]
-Darlene. Darlene. Darlene.

-No. No.
-Shh, shh, shh.

Calm down.
Calm down!

Shh.

[ Breathing heavily ]

Why would...

Why...

Why would you...

Why would you keep this?

Why?
[ Breathing heavily ]

I don't know.

[ Exhales sharply ]

Now I understand
why you were the only one

who didn't keep telling me,
"Have hope, Darlene."

"Keep up the --
the faith, Darlene."

You see why I had to leave?

'Cause you couldn't lie
to my face anymore?

Have you any idea
how hard it was

to keep that nightmare inside
and not let it show?

I mean, we should have been
grieving together.

Oh, my...

Did you --
Did you just roll your eyes?

You think I don't care?

I-I got into this hell
because I cared.

Sally was in serious pain,

and I was the one
who was there for her.

I never meant for any of that
to happen.

-It was an accident.
-No.

She was 16,
and you were an adult.

She was your niece.
She trusted you.

And you took advantage of that.

You took her to an isolated
place, and you broke her neck.

And then you just went away.

Just went off
to start a whole new life,

and left me and Ed here,
living in this nightmare

that you created.

None of it was an accident!

Those were all choices
that you made.

Shouldn't you --
Shouldn't you, of all people,

understand mistakes?!

I mean, what was I
supposed to do?

My -- My whole life,
my family's lives

would have been ruined!

What about Sally's life?

It wouldn't have
brought her back!

Jack, please.

You come back here to -- Why?
Why? Why?

To hold me hostage
in my own house

to just unburden yourself?

I am putting myself through
all of this for you,

and you don't even care!

No, I don't care.

-I fucking hate you!
-Well, you know what?

I fucking hate myself too!

[ Thunder rumbling,
wind whistling ]

[ Both breathing heavily ]

So now what?

Well, you know what?

I think this is a decision
that we need to make together.

-You're serious?
-I am.

I mean, this -- this is, um...

It's...uncharted territory.

[ Chuckles softly ]

Do you --
Do you want to go change?

You're freezing.

Yeah.

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

[ Wind whistling ]

[ Music continues ]

DARLENE:
[ Gasps, grunts ]

-[ Glass breaking ]
-JACK: Aah! [ Groans ]

[ Up-tempo music plays ]

[ Gunshot ]

JACK:
Fuck me!

[ Breathing heavily ]

Who are you kidding, Jack?

We're not making
any mutual decisions.

Stand up.

Go.

[ Wind whistling ]

This door right here.
Right here.

Open it.

[ Hinges squeaking ]

Open it.

Okay.
Go. Down.

Keep your hands where
I can see them.

All the way down.

[ Grunts ]

[ Breathing heavily ]

Look at all of this.

Hey!

Look at it.

Look at her.

All the fliers,
all the headlines.

"No trace of Sally Hagen."

Where is my daughter buried?

I guess you're all talked out
now.

I kept every single one
of her -- her things.

Just in case.

In case someday...

...she came home.

[ Lid clicks ]

Probably seems pathetic to you,
doesn't it?

No.

Seems human.

You know what?

God.
Even in my --

Even in my most
paranoid moments,

even when I was just crazed

and I looked at everyone around
me like they were a suspect,

I barely --
I barely ever landed on you.

And you had a rock-solid alibi.

How in the world
did you manage that?

Oh.
[ Clears throat ]

By the time they got around
to checking my alibi

with the guys on the crew,
it was...it was a week later.

Patrick said he knew I was
still there until after 5:00

because that was the day

I brought him a Snickers
and a Coke.

So dear old Patrick lied
for you?

No.
No.

I brought him a Snickers
and a Coke the day before.

It was just an honest mistake.

Cops just weren't that thorough.

[ Chuckles softly ]

-No shit.
-Mm.

And you were a churchgoing
family man, so...

Oh, God.
I imagined.

I imagined so many things.

Oh.

Maybe she...
Maybe she had been kidnapped

and -- and she was being
held somewhere.

Or maybe she'd been sold
into s--

Or maybe she'd -- she'd managed
to escape whoever --

whoever took her, but she --
Maybe --

Maybe she couldn't remember
who she was.

Or -- Or maybe --
maybe the police were right.

Maybe they were right.

Maybe she did run away from me.

The years, the wondering,
the time, the effort,

the energy, the website
and paperwork

and -- and -- and --
and the phone calls!

The...

[ Dramatic music plays ]

The phone calls.

I recorded every
single one of them

until the damn thing broke.

[ Breathing heavily ]

People calling me at all hours
of the day and night,

waking me up
in the middle of the night

to tell me about some --
some dream they'd had.

Or sometimes they were
a psychic,

and they'd tell me the most
awful, gruesome, gory details.

All those fucking years,
listening to these calls,

trying to find some little tip,

somethingthat would give me
an answer.

And the whole time --
the whole time -- it was you!

It was just you!

It was you!

[ Music continues ]

You.

Do you remember this?

Yeah.

[ Breathing heavily ]
Yeah.

She wrote songs
almost every day.

[ Chuckles ]
God.

She would just race home
from school

and s-shut her bedroom door.

And I'd -- I'd tiptoe over,
and I'd --

I'd listen to her singing.

And she never thought
she was any good.

But she was so good.

Oh, my God.
She was so good.

She didn't think so,

so she never...
she never kept any of them.

She just recorded.

She recorded over and over
and over again

on this -- this one tape.

Just this one tape.
It's what I...

It's what I have.

[ Chuckles softly ]

This is the last song
she recorded before you...

You failed her.

[ Button clicks ]

SALLY:
♪ Hold me closer♪

♪ Hold my hand
a little tighter♪

♪ Don't let me go♪

♪ Let me just foll--♪

[ Button clicks ]

God.
She loved music.

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

I'm sure you remember that.

After all, she was your niece.

You knew her since she was born.

Lisa wasn't just Sally's cousin.

She was Sally's best friend.

You took your daughter's
best friend away from her.

[ Music continues ]

[ Shovel clangs ]

You asked if I had
a revenge fantasy.

Remember?

Well, I lied.

I fantasized all the time
about bringing him down here,

about ripping him apart.

Darlene, I am so...

-[ shovel clangs ]
-...so --

-[ Grunts ]
-[ Groans ]

[ Wind whistling ]

Come on, Coley.

You begged me to go out again.
What are we doing?

What are we doing?
You appear to be loitering.

Come on.

[ Grunts ]

Ow!
Shit.

Fuck.

-Aah!
-Oh, God.

Oh, shit.
[ Breathing heavily ]

[ Exhales deeply, groans ]

Yeah.

It w-- It was an accident.

DARLENE:
Don't...

Don't you dare.
Don't you...

Don't you ever...
say that to me...

again.

Don't.

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

Wait.

-What are you doing?
-I don't know.

Where...Where are you going?

-I don't know.
-Darlene.

Darlene, it --

Darlene, don't --
don't leave me down here.

Ple-- Please.
Dar--Darlene.

Don't leave me on my --
on my own down here.

Please, Darlene.
Please. Ple--

[ Hinges squeaking,
door closes ]

[ Breathing heavily, mumbling ]

No.
Darlene, ple-- ple--

Please, Darlene!
Darlene!

I have panic attacks!

For real!
For fucking real!

[ Wheezes ]

[ Footsteps approaching ]

-[ Door opens ]
-Oh, thank God.

-[ Door closes ]
-Thank God.

-[ Wood creaking ]
-[ Sobs ]

Th-- Thank you.

[ Exhales deeply ]

Thank you.
Thank you.

Thank you.

It's not fun to scream
and scream

and not be heard, is it?

I started having panic attacks
soon after.

I'd never had anything
like that before.

You know, a man's supposed to be
the pillar of strength,

you know, keeps his --
keeps his feelings to himself.

Does what's necessary
for his family, you know?

But even then, you know, back
then, I was starting to crack.

I mean, you know
what it was like with Julie.

You know your sister.

I wasn't trusted with anything
in my house

except bringing in the money.

[ Chuckles ]

I felt...

I felt irrelevant.

Oh, right.

Because it's everybody else's
fault, isn't it?

Everybody else is responsible
for what youdid.

Me, Julie, your dad.

How about Sally?

Is Sally also at fault?

Is it also Sally's fault?

Is it?

It -- It may seem twisted
and impossible to you...

-Shut up.
-...but I loved you then,

-and I love you know.
-Shut the fuck up!

[ Gunshot, dog barking ]

[ Wind whistling ]

[ Gasps ]

[ Breathing heavily ]
Whoa!

-Whoa!
-[ Laughing ]

Oh, my God.
I shot you!

Oh, yeah, baby.

That's the drunk
I knew and loved.

Huh?

DARLENE: Hello.
This is Darlene Hagen,

and you've reached my
very serious voicemail message.

Thank you and farewell.

-[ Beep ]
-Hey. Hey. It's me.

Did you just hear a gunshot
or...thunder or something?

Is your power out too?

-Are you sleeping?
-[ Dog yelps ]

Are you asleep?

Are you ignoring me,
you beautiful bitch?

I'm sorry. I know you don't like
when I call you that,

even though it's
just a reappropriated term

of endearment --
although, to your point,

can you reappropriate a word
laden with such -- click!

[ Cellphone beeps ]

Do I go over there?
Am I being overbearing?

I'm gonna call the landline.

We're calling the landline,
Coley.

[ Pulsating tone ]

That's odd.

You have pooped,
and we are going in.

Coley, come on.

Come on.
Let's get you warm.

[ Wind whistling ]

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

JACK:
[ Breathing heavily ] Okay.

Okay.

Okay.
I'm ready.

[ Inhales deeply ]

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

You wantme...to kill you?

Well, don't you want to?

No.

Actually...

...no.

Of course you do.
Of course you do.

-Oh, God.
-You want revenge,

and I don't want to survive
the night.

Stop telling me what I want.

And I don't care what you want.

You haven't taken one
fucking ounce of accountability.

You want me to kill you?

You're not making me do that.

So, Jack...

...I guess we're back
to the mutual decision.

I say let's come up with
another plan.

-Okay.
-[ Wood creaking ]

[ Grunts ]

[ Gasps ]

[ Dramatic music plays ]

[ Groans ]

-[ Grunts ]
-JACK: Darlene!

[ Footsteps approaching ]

I know you!

Is this what you want?

[ Hinges squeaking ]

[ Wind whistling ]

-JACK: [ Groaning ]
-[ Door rattling ]

Darlene!

[ Door rattling ]

JACK:
[ Groaning ]

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

JACK:
[ Shouting indistinctly ]

-Oh, God.
-[ Door rattling ]

Oh, motherfucker.
[ Shouting indistinctly ]

Aah!

-[ Gunshot ]
-[ Dramatic music plays ]

[ Groaning ]

Darlene!

[ Laughs ]

If you died here tonight
as suicide,

no one would question it!

All alone on Christmas Eve,

your daughter missing
for 20 years?

Come on!

[ Breathing heavily ]

[ Groans ]

Huh.

Just come out.

I'll give you one more chance.

I'll give you the gun,
and we can be done with this!

Or a knife.

Would a knife be better?
Huh?

[ Breathing heavily ]

Ooh.

Yeah.

Look what I found!

Something a little...
Francais!

Something I can finally
fucking burn.

[ Wind whistling ]

[ Dramatic music plays ]

[ Sobs softly ]

Don't make me kill you too.

[ Music continues ]

[ Footsteps approaching ]

[ Music builds, continues ]

[ Hinges squeaking ]

Ow!

[ Dramatic music plays ]

[ Both grunting ]

Why?
Why are you making me do this?

[ Both grunting ]

[ Gasping ]

Aah!
[ Groans ]

[ Grunts ]

[ Music builds, continues ]

-[ Footsteps approaching ]
-GRETCHEN: Darlene, look out!

-Oh, my God!
-Gretch?

I have never been so happy
to see you.

Grab me some ribbon.
We've got to get him secured.

-Here.
-Give me two pieces.

-Okay, okay!
-Tie that wrist, and make sure

-it's really, really tight.
-What's happening?

-Gretchen...
-Yes. What?

...that was a really
goddamned good shot.

Oh, God!

-Shit! Fuck you!
-Oh, shut up. Shut up!

It doesn't need to be perfect!
Just get it on there!

-You said tight!
-It's already broken!

-Okay!
-DARLENE: Okay?

Help me with this one.
Okay.

Oh, by the way, Gretchen --
Gretchen, this is Jack.

-[ Moaning ]
-DARLENE: Jack, Gretchen.

JackJack?

DARLENE:
Yeah.

This is not gonna hold him.
Oh, shit.

Jesus. What am I doing?
What am I doing?

-Okay.
-GRETCHEN: No!

-Where are you going?
-Hey. Hey, lady. Lady.

She-- She's lost her mind.

-She -- She tied me up...
-DARLENE: Fuck you.

...and she shot me.

[ Thunder rumbling ]

What is happening?

Gretch...

...Sally is dead.

What?

What?

How?
How -- How do you...

He told me.

-He told me.
-Oh.

Oh -- Oh, honey. What can I do?
What can I do?

I need to get something else
to tie him up with.

-Don't. Please.
-And you grab that. Grab that.

-Grab it!
-Ohh.

Okay.
And if he moves, shoot him.

-But only in the kneecap, okay?
-Yes.

-I'll be right back.
-Yes.

Just because you're scary
doesn't mean I will shoot you.

Oh, yeah?

So, where's the safety?

Right here, asshole.

[ Clattering ]

[ Grunts ]

[ Dramatic music plays ]

GRETCHEN:
[ Screams ] Darlene!

-Darlene, get in here!
-[ Gunshot, glass breaking ]

JACK: [ Grunts,
shouting indistinctly ]

DARLENE:
Stop! Get off of her!

Leave her alone!

No!

Aah! Ow!

[ Grunts, breathing heavily ]

-[ Grunts ]
-[ Body thuds ]

[ Breathing heavily ]

Oh, God.

GRETCHEN:
[ Groans ]

-Come here.
-Oh. [ Groans ]

My God.
Are you okay?

No. Are you?
No!

Oh, my God.

Oh!

Oh. Oh, honey.
Sally.

-Oh.
-I know. I know. I know.

I know, but we don't
have time for that.

Don't! Don't!

Just be careful.

-Okay. Okay.
-Careful.

Okay.

Okay.

[ Wood creaking ]

Okay.
I-I see that he isbreathing.

We have to call the police.

No.
No, Gretchen.

-Yes!
-No. No. Shh!

We cannot call the police.
He will not talk to the police.

-He won't.
-Wecan.

-Wewill talk to the police.
-No. Listen to me.

We can tell them.
He told you!

No.
He told me a story,

but he didn't tell me
the real story, okay?

He didn't tell me
the whole story.

He told me it was an accident.

-That's all.
-Are we gonna leave him here

when people come over
for Christmas tomorrow?

-Listen. Listen!
-We are out of our depth.

Gretchen, please listen to me,
okay?

I need this.
I need to do this.

And I just need you
to trust me, okay?

-Please.
-Okay.

-Please stay with me.
-Okay. Okay. Okay.

Of course I will.
Okay.

Okay.
Okay.

All right.
Okay.

GRETCHEN:
This is gonna be heavy as shit.

DARLENE:
Yeah. I know.

GRETCHEN: I've done my best
with what we have at hand,

but you're probably in
a lot of pain.

His pulse is okay.

I don't think he's in shock.

JACK: [ Weakly ]
H-How do you know?

E.R. nurse, recently retired.

JACK:
Ah.

[ Groans weakly ]

Jack?

I'm gonna offer you a deal.

I am going to do what you asked.

I'll end this for you.

But I need you to do something
for me.

Okay.

Tell me the real story.

I told you.

Jack...I need to hear it

as much as I know
you need to tell it.

You're just recording this
on her phone, aren't you?

You're gonna just --
You're gonna turn me in.

No.
No, no, no.

Look. Look.
Right here.

No calls to the cops,

no calls to family,
no recordings.

Nothing, okay?

Shutting it off.

Putting it right down there.

That's it.

It's just us.

[ Grunts softly ]

You said you wanted me
to understand.

But I want us both...
to understand.

[ Wind whistling ]

So tell me what you did
to Sally...

...and why.

There is no why.

It just happened.

Even a storm builds
from something.

It doesn't just come
out of nowhere.

So, who's gonna tell her, huh?

Since honesty is always
the best policy?

Sorry, Jack.

She knows all about us.

Do you think I would've made it
19 years without telling her?

GRETCHEN:
Did you think I would judge her?

-How fucking sad are you?
-Okay.

I would never, ever judge her.

Oh?

[ Chuckles weakly ]

Oh, so maybe there's
another reason

you'll drop anything
for Darlene.

I mean, believe me.
I get it.

She is...enthralling.

And I remember you now.

You were Don Sullivan's wife,
right?

His drunk wife.
And no wonder.

I mean, having to live
with that.

Making all those kids with
a man, playing the good wife.

You never had a chance
in this town, did you, baby?

-Huh?
-DARLENE: Hey, listen.

Look at me.
That was meant to scandalize me.

-It doesn't.
-So you want to talk about why?

-Unconditional.
-You want to talk about why?

So let's talk about
why Sally got in my truck.

Okay. Tell me.

You were drunk all the time.

-Mm-hmm.
-Ed had gone full ostrich.

He'd shut down.

If you hadn't been such
a fucking mess, maybe --

Okay. Great.
That is a great place to start.

Okay.
She got in your truck.

And then you told me

you suggested driving
out to the lake.

You laid down a blanket,

and then she started talking
about me.

-What did she say?
-Darlene.

No.
It's okay.

Can you remember
her exact words?

JACK:
Yeah, I do.

I do, actually.

I remember her saying,

"I wish you could see the woman
that we see.

Maybe then she'd finally stop
at just be her already."

I know you, Darlene,
and I know what you need.

Jack, don't go down this road.

You've been practicing
in your head all these years

what you'd do
to whoever took Sally.

Now this is what you can do
for her now.

I'm here, so do it.

Listen to me very carefully.

You tell me the full story --
and I mean everything --

I mean every little detail --
and it's the gun.

But if you keep bobbing
and weaving and dodging,

then I start making calls.

So it's completely up to you.

It's your choice.

You said you came here
to help me.

This is what I need.

This is how I can finally say
goodbye to Sally.

So h-help me.

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

Promise me
you'll pull the trigger.

Yes.
I promise.

I...I promise.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.
[ Inhales sharply ]

Do you really believe...

...that Sally wanted
to kiss you?

[ Music continues ]

No.

But I thought it would be okay.

And do you really think...
that she kissed you back?

She did.
She did it first.

And I-I w-- I w-- Really,
I wondered about that a lot.

You know, why did she do that?

Was it just, you know, instinct?

You know, someone --
someone kisses you

and you just -- you'd be --
you kiss them back.

DARLENE:
Because she was so afraid.

What did she do next?

She'd, uh...

She taken off her jacket.

It was freakishly warm
for December.

And she had on this...
loose-fitting dress,

and I...I pulled it down.

And -- And -- And...

And I --

She was laid out across
the blanket and into the grass.

And then I-I was on top of her,
and, uh...

and we...

You know...

DARLENE:
No.

No, I don't know.

We had sex.

[ Exhales sharply ]

And then she started struggling
and screaming,

and rather than wake me up,
it made me tumble down.

I fought her.

And then I was trying to reason
with her.

Lisa.

She kept fighting and punching,
screaming.

So I-I put my hand
over her mouth,

and I kept pushing and...

And I then I-I heard
that...awful crack.

Her -- Her windpipe.

I didn't think
I was pushing that hard.

It was a...It was a...

It was a-a bad day.

It was a bad, bad, bad, bad day.

DARLENE:
[ Voice breaking ] Jack.

I didn't take her there
to do that, Darlene.

I promise you I did not take her
there to do that on purpose.

I didn't.

Where is my daughter?

[ Music continues ]

I buried her right there
at that spot by the lake.

Why did you really kill her?

Why?

You could have stopped
when she started screaming.

You could have stopped,
but you didn't.

Why?
Why did you go that far?

She'd -- She'd never looked
at me like that before.

Such fear.

Everything changed.

I-I wasn't me anymore.

It was just --
It was like instinct.

I-I panicked.

I fucking panicked.

And I've been -- I've been
fucking panicked ever since.

And you didn't...have sex
with her, did you?

I...

...raped her.

[ Music continues ]

I'll take my apology now.

[ Whimpering ]
I'm s-so sorry, Darlene.

I am so, so sorry.

Sorry for what?

For...

For...raping and killing
your daughter, Sally.

[ Exhales deeply ]

And for lying to you.

DARLENE:
Thank you.

No.
Thank -- Don't --

Don't thank me.

[ Music continues ]

GRETCHEN:
What are you gonna do?

What are you gonna do?

-It's okay.
-It's not okay.

What -- What are you gonna do?

Oh, God.
Oh, God.

Don't -- Aah!

Don't. Don't. Please don't.
Don't.

Don't. Don't. Please don't.
Please don't. Please don't.

[ Music continues ]

-[ Gunshots ]
-GRETCHEN: [ Screams ]

DARLENE:
[ Breathing heavily ]

JACK:
No. No!

-Yes.
-No!

GRETCHEN: Oh, thank you.
Oh, Jesus, thank you.

But I...I told you everything!

I bared my soul!

Thank you!

Oh, God. Oh, God.
Oh, God.

I don't owe you shit.

[ Whirring ]

[ Button clicks,
whirring stops ]

JACK:
Oh.

[ Tape rewinding ]

Oh, my God.

You taped over her singing.

I didn't have any other tapes.

JACK:
Oh, Jesus.

Jesus, kid.

[ Button clicks ]

DARLENE:
Sorry for what?

JACK:
For...

For...raping and killing
your daughter, Sally.

[ Button clicks ]

[ Music continues ]

You know, you kept saying
I was smart.

I needed it all.

Just give me the gun, please.

Please. I'll do it.
I'll do it.

Please.

All out of bullets...

...kid.

[ Wind whistling softly ]

[ Down-tempo music plays ]

SALLY:
I just wrote this one.

I mean, I wrote some words down.

It's not like a s--
I don't --

I don't know if it's a song
or anything.

Okay.

[ Music continues ]

♪ Hold me closer

♪ Hold my hand
a little tighter ♪

[ Sirens wailing in distance ]

♪ Don't let me go

♪ Let me just follow

♪ I look away now

♪ 'Cause you always leave
somehow ♪

♪ But I'll stay

♪ And wait

♪ Till you come back

[ Music continues ]

[ Sirens wailing in distance ]

Do you see now...
what a total badass you are?

Because I don't think
I could possibly

come up with
a more convincing argument.

Hey, I'm not arguing.

Besides, you were with me,
right beside me the whole time.

Always.

Always.

Gretch.

Do you think he gives a shit
about any of it?

Lisa?
You?

I don't have the answer to that.

[ Exhales deeply ]
That girl.

I was so lucky.

[ Music continues ]

[ Sirens wailing ]

♪ Should auld acquaintance
be forgot ♪

♪ And never brought to mind?

♪ Should auld acquaintance
be forgot ♪

♪ And auld lang syne

♪ For auld lang syne, my dear

♪ For auld lang syne

♪ We'll take a cup
of kindness yet ♪

♪ For auld lang syne

♪ We two have run
around the slopes ♪

♪ And pulled the daisies fine

♪ We've wandered
many a weary foot ♪

♪ Since auld lang syne

♪ For auld lang syne, my dear

♪ For auld lang syne

♪ We'll take a cup
of kindness yet ♪

♪ For auld lang syne

♪ Now we have paddled
'round the stream ♪

♪ From morning till the night

♪ But seas between us both
have roared ♪

♪ Since auld lang syne

♪ For auld lang syne, my dear

♪ For auld lang syne

♪ We'll take a cup
of kindness yet ♪

♪ For auld lang syne

♪ So here's a hand,
my trusty friend ♪

♪ Now put your hand in mine

♪ We'll drink to all the time
we shared ♪

♪ For auld lang syne

♪ For auld lang syne, my dear

♪ For auld lang syne

♪ We'll take a cup
of kindness yet ♪

♪ For auld lang syne

♪ For auld lang syne, my dear

♪ For auld lang syne

♪ We'll take a cup
of kindness yet ♪

♪ For auld lang syne

♪ We'll take a cup
of kindness yet ♪

♪ For auld lang syne