All language subtitles for The.Staircase.S01E01-eng

(clock ticking)

(ticking continues)

(birds chirping)

(groans)

(groans)

(reporter on television, indistinct)

(television continues)

Oh fuck.

(scoffs)

Donald Trump (on TV): We want
products made by our own workers

in our factories, stamped with those

four magnificent words...

(child giggling)

(running footsteps)

Trump (on TV): ...made in the USA.

Are the kids here?

Woman: The kids? No, Michael.

Let's go!

(deep breath)

Alright, you fucker.

911 Operator: (on phone) Durham
911, what's your emergency?

Michael: (on phone) 1810 Cedar street.

-Please.
-Operator: What's wrong?

My wife, she had an accident.

She's still breathing

Operator: What kind of accident?

Michael: She fell down the stairs.

She's still breathing. Please come.

-Operator: Is she conscious?
-Michael: What?

-Operator: Is she conscious?
-No, she's not conscious.

Operator: How many stairs did she fall down?

-Michael: What?
-Operator: How many stairs?

Michael: 15, 20, I don't know.

Please get somebody here right away. Please.

Operator: ...dispatching the ambulance

while I ask you questions.

(dial tone)

911 operator: Durham 911, what is your emergency?

Michael: Where are they?

This is 1810 Cedar Street.

She's not breathing. Please.
Please, will you hurry up.

911 operator: Sir, calm down, they're on the way.

Can you tell me for sure she's not breathing.

Sir. Sir?

(line disconnects)

(siren wailing)

Todd: That party was lame.

Christina: I hope no one
saw us walk out together.

Are your parents gonna be up?

Yeah. But they won't even see us come in.

-(chuckles)
-Okay.

(tense music playing)

Christina: Todd?

Todd, wake up!

What the fuck?

The fuck!

(sirens wailing)

(firetruck honking)

Hey, wh-what's going on here?

Officer: Do you live here?

No, my, my parents do.

Wh-what's going on?

-Have you been drinking?
-What?

No. I mean, yeah, we just came

from a Christmas party down the street.

-Christina: Todd? Todd?
-She family, too?

-Christina: No, no, I'm--
-No, she's one of my friends.

Can you please just let me in.

Alright, but just you.

Thank you.

Dad! Kathleen!

Hey.

Hey, what's going on?

Hey, what's going on?

Is this your home, sir?

-Yeah, wha-what happened?
-(Michael mumbling)

Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad!

Dad, what happened? What happened

Are you okay? What happened to Kathleen?

Kathleen...

-Something's wrong.
-Dad, what happened?

Something's wrong, god!

Oh my god.

(sobbing)

(indistinct radio chatter)

-Is she dead?
-I'm afraid so, son.

(Michael sobbing)

What, what happened?

Your dad called 911,

said his wife fell down the stairs.

She... she fell?

Ohh.

This is, um...

Is there a way to bring her back?

Officer: No. She's gone.

(Michael sobbing)

Dad.

Kathleen's dead, Dad.

-No.
-Dad! Dad!

-Dad.
-No! No!

Officer: Sir! Get him off her, now!

(shouting): No!

Officer: Sir, you're gonna have to-- sir!

Okay, sir, you need to let go.

Son, he's gonna have to let go.

-(Michael sobbing)
-Officer: Sir, now!

Todd: Dad. Dad, you have to let go.

Please, Dad. You have to let go.

Officer: Sit him down!

(Michael continues sobbing)

Todd: I got you, I got you.

I've got you, I've got you.

Officer: Officer! Yeah, I need some help in here.

Can I get some assistance, please?

(Todd shushing)

Officer: Is that your mother?

It's, uh, it's my stepmother, yeah.

Officer: Sarge, what's your ETA?

-(indistinct) -Copy, I'm with
the husband and stepson

in the kitchen standing by.

-Coroner's en route.
-What happens now?

Officer: We've got some more guys coming.

You and your dad should just stay there.

When is the last time you saw your mom?

I saw her tonight.

(dogs barking)

I'm really worried about him. Jesus Christ!

Officer 2: Can someone quiet those dogs down?

Officer: Were they arguing?

No, they weren't arguing,
they were, they were drinking,

they were laughing.

(indistinct radio chatter)

Do you guys have, like, a
grief counselor or something?

Officer: We can make a request.

If you don't think he can control himself,

-you can go outside...
-Can't control himself?

Officer: ...and get some air.

Here. Let's, let's get you cleaned up.

Come on.

I got you. I got you.

I got you.

(door closes)

What... what happened, Dad? Huh?

Uh, we were outside...

we were... (breathing heavily)

and then she came in...

and then I came in, uh...

and I found her,

Todd: Come on, Dad, let's,
let's get you cleaned up. Here.

Officer: Alright, Sarge, in here.

That's him by the sink, sir.

I'm Sergeant Borden.

I need you to stop doing that right now.

Turn off the water, please.

Okay, fine, but I've asked for a grief counselor.

Is there a grief counselor coming or not?

Sergeant Borden: Mr. Peterson,

the house has now been declared a crime scene.

We'll need to keep you
all here until further notice.

♪ ♪

-Ahh!
-Oh!

Okay, come on.

-Thank you.
-Thank you.

Okay.

Just a little for you.

Thank you!

A little more for me. Just a little, yeah.

-Kathleen: You sure?
-Mm-hmm.

Okay. Now speech.

-Speech, speech, speech.
-No.

Well... thank you, Mom.

For... for everything

and for that, like, amazing note.

I'm expecting you and Dad
to visit me in San Francisco.

Yes, of course.

-Of course.
-Martha: I love you.

Michael: Wait, you're,
you're starting without me?

There you are. Yes! And we're about to eat too.

You'd think he'd get home from the gym on time

at least once.

Dad, you still smell. Go have a shower.

-I'll save you a glass.
-Todd: Hey, Dad?

Okay, Margaret, go get
your, uh, your mother's China

and grab the good linen napkins from upstairs,

because this is a special occasion.

Her baby girl is going to college.

Oh!

-I love you!
-Oh, I want some!

(laughter)

Kathleen: Alright. Go upstairs already.

You're gonna make me cry.

And get your brother.

Margaret: Todd!

Todd!

Don't give me that look. And get the salad bowl.

You know, you never wrote me a special note

when I went away.

Yeah. Well, it's different, you know that.

Plus...

I don't overshare with
them the way I do with you.

-They don't know my pain.
-(giggles)

(sighs)

Todd! Todd!

What? I'm on the phone!

Margaret: Dinner's almost ready.

No, Nate, what I'm saying
is that we could be making

so much more on this back-to-school stuff.

Nate (on phone): We should
just bully them into buying stuff.

Right. Right, exactly.

I mean, it could be funny, even like...

a bag with wheels is for losers.

And then these are the best backpacks to buy

and then links where to buy them.

-Hey.
-Right.

Oh. Hey.

Hey, one sec, Nate. What's up?

Dinner's ready.

Alright, I'm just finishing a call.

Michael: I'll be in my office.

Nate-Nate, we got this dinner for Martha.

Let me, let me call you back later.

(classical music playing)

♪ ♪

(inaudible)

-Todd, get the cup.
-Todd: Oh, okay.

-(cork pops)
-All: Oh!

-How was that?
-That was...

(overlapping chatter)

You got to, you know...

(laughter)

Alright.

So to continue the tradition

started by Uncle Bill and my dear old papa,

what the Brits call "passin' the loving cup"...

-(all laughing)
-...but with a Peterson twist.

-Kathleen.
-Yes.

-You first.
-Oh god, okay.

(sighs) Pass her down.

(clears throat) Okay.

Um, I'd like to make a toast

to... our beautiful daughter Martha.

No matter what color your hair is...

Michael: How about blue?

-Kathleen: Blue, green. Whatever.
-Good idea.

You are beautiful.

And you're my daughter.

Every day is going to be an adventure.

So always stop and think and appreciate

when you're having a really good day.

You need to think to yourself,

"This is one of the happiest days of my life,"

so you can retrieve it

and bring it to the front of your mind.

And treasure it.

Lean on it when you're having a bad time.

Because there are so many better days ahead.

-To Martha.
-All: To Martha.

-Okay, here.
-Margaret: Yep.

To... Mom.

I know we'll be gone,

but we're always here for you...

the way that you've been for us.

Thank you.

-I love you.
-I love you.

-To Mom.
-All: To Mom.

Kathleen!

I'll go.

-Got it?
-Yeah.

(clears throat)

To Dad.

Uh...

Thank you for always being there for me.

May you succeed in politics

the way you succeeded in writing.

-To Dad.
-Dad.

-To Michael.
-Thank you.

To my brother Clayton.

I know the last few years
haven't been the easiest for you--

Todd, Todd, we don't talk
about spring break, right?

(laughing) Alright.

Um, I'm so proud of you.

Back to school and everything.

To Clayton.

-And to Becky. To Becky.
-And Becky.

-Clayton.
-Becky.

-Caitlin.
-Thank you.

(clears throat)

(sighs) Um...

to a wonderful school year for Martha.

-(snickering)
-That toast sucked.

Okay. 'Cause your speech was amazing.

I hope somebody recorded it for posterity.

Martha, I love you.

I hope you have the best next year.

You'll be dancing on a big stage someday.

-Love you, Caitlin.
-Love you.

-Todd: To Martha again.
-All: To Martha again.

Mike's turn.

(clears throat)

Hmm.

Kathleen: Michael, what's going on?

Are you speechless?

No. No. Never.

-Yeah, never.
-Michael: Okay.

This toast is to all of us.

Now, I think there are not many families--

Well, I know, I know there are not many families

out there like us.

We're not perfect, god knows,

but we stick together.

And we love each other.

And so...

to us.

-To us.
-To the Petersons.

-Clayton: The Petersons.
-(glasses clinking)

-To the Ratliffs.
-And the Atwater.

(glasses clinking)

Michael: Mm.

(cell phone ringing)

(television, indistinct)

(ringing continues)

Hello?

Todd: (on phone) Uncle Bill.

Kathleen's dead.

(phone clatters)

Bill?

Bill, are you there?

What happened?

Dad was outside and, uh...

when he, um...

when he came in, he found
her at the bottom of the stairs.

I think she was pretty shitfaced and fell.

Bill: Oh god.

And they've sequestered us in Dad's office.

I mean, they won't even let
my friend go pee by herself.

They're, they're calling this
whole thing a crime scene.

Is this normal?

It's absolutely not normal.

Michael: Kathleen had a meeting this morning.

We should let them know.

Todd: Dad's in there talking to himself.

Tell Mike not to say anything.

Anybody wants to talk to either of you guys,

tell 'em your attorney is on the way.

Okay.

Bill: Don't-don't don't say a word.

Don't say a word.

Is there somewhere you guys can go?

I mean, we could probably
go to Larry's next door.

If they let us.

Bill: I'm going to get on the first flight I can.

I'll get you guys out of there.

Love you.

Okay. I love you too.

(Michael muttering)

Who else is here?

Michael, the son, and his friend.

Did anyone make a statement?

Nothing official, but the son's friend said

she was here earlier.

I asked if she witnessed any fighting

or anything like that.

She said everything seemed fine.

She didn't actually see her, though.

Said she heard the wife
laughing in the other room,

but that's it.

Alright.

Mr. Peterson,

I'm Lieutenant Investigator Art Holland.

This is a warrant granting
the Durham Police Department

and all related agencies
the right to search your home

and your premises for any evidence

related to the death of Mrs. Kathleen Peterson.

Do you understand?

Please instruct everyone they're allowed

to re-enter the home and commence the search.

We will need your car keys for your vehicles,

and we'll need to collect
your clothing for evidence now.

Officer: Alright, we're good to go.

All teams move in.

(dog barking)

(phone ringing)

(ringing continues)

Man: Hello.

Uh, morning, Jim, I'm sorry to call you so early.

That's okay. What's up?

Art Holland: Around 2:40, a husband calls 911,

saying his wife fall down the stairs

but was still breathing, hurry up.

Husband calls back five minutes later

checking in on an ETA,

says she's not breathing anymore.

Paramedics arrive a few minutes after that.

They check her out. Report
she's six millimeters dilated.

EMT says she ain't had no
life in her heart at all for a while.

Medical Examiner: Well,
I don't feel any fractures,

but there are considerable wounds.

If this was a beating,

I'd say you're looking for
something long and hollow.

Sergeant Borden calls me, wakes me up,

tells me I should get down to the scene

because there's a lot of blood.

No sign of forced entry

and, and it don't look like an accident.

(car door slams)

Jim Hardin: (on phone) How much blood?

Art: Like the woman's head exploded.

Jim: Where is this?

Art: Uh, Forest Hills.

I imagine you're gonna
be getting calls about this

when you walk through the door.

The husband is Michael Peterson

and the deceased is his wife Kathleen.

Michael Peterson, Michael Peterson?

Art: Oh yeah. That's why I
wanted to give you the heads up.

And you say there is no sign of a break-in?

Big house, but don't look like it.

Sounds like no one was here
except for him and his wife.

♪ ♪

Jim: Thanks for the heads up, Art.

-Art: Alright, Jim.
-Mm-hmm.

Bye now.

Officer, can I take my car now, the Subaru?

Yup, you're all clear.

You sure you don't want to make a statement?

I told you, no.

(sirens blaring)

(keypad beeping)

(line ringing)

(reporter on television, indistinct)

(ringing continues)

-Woman (on phone): Hello.
-Candace?

Candace: Hello?

Is Mark there?

No, he just left for work.

Michael: Uh, I need his car phone then.

Is everything okay?

I just need, need to speak with Mark.

Candace: Alright. It's, uh, 804-554-3212.

I'll call you back. Okay? Is that okay?

Is everything okay? This feels strange.

Please, I really can't talk.

I'll just-- I'll call you back.

Fuck!

(inhales deeply)

(exhales)

(dialing phone)

(line ringing)

-Mark (on phone): Hello.
-Mark, it's Mike.

Mark: Oh, hey, Mike.

How are you doing this morning?

I couldn't tell Candace.

Kathleen's dead. She fell
down the stairs. She's dead.

Mark: Jesus, Mike. What--

I need you to tell Candace and Lori.

Mark: Of course. Yeah, uh...

-I'm so sorry--
-Okay, thanks, Mark.

(hangs up)

(Michael sighs)

You let me know if you need anything.

Todd: Thanks, Larry.

(door closes)

Dad, have some.

-What?
-Have some.

Uh, no.

Todd: Give me those numbers.

I'm going to call the girls for you.

Yeah.

But don't just call them.
Like, I want someone there

to tell them, you know.

Yeah, I'll call the sorority house for Caitlin.

I'll try the dorms for Margaret.

Shit, Margaret.

Is today the ninth?

It's Margaret's birthday tomorrow.

(crying)

Kathleen: Oh god, I hate this, I hate this.

You have no idea, Carol,

how much I hate this.

I mean, I come into the office, and I don't know

if I'm going to find an envelope on my desk.

And when I see it, my heart just...

sinks.

Because inside is this damn list.

And it's just names, there's no reason.

I know.

-(Kathleen sighs)
-I know.

I just don't understand.

Did I make a mistake? Was my work not good?

No. God, no, it's not that.

It's just the merger hasn't
played out as planned.

And Nortel can't afford the redundancy.

It's that simple.

(sniffles)

The severance package is okay.

I mean, it'll give you time to look.

Is Eric still at Glassco?

For now.

(Kathleen sighs)

Look, it's going to be okay. I promise.

And if anything changes here--

Fuck it.

-I'm sorry.
-No, it's okay.

(vacuum whirring)

Michael: (on TV) Well, I'm running very simply

because I'm sick of seeing

what these bozos in City
Hall are doing to this town.

Reporter: So does this mean we
can't expect any more books from you?

Michael: Oh no, I'll always be a writer.

I just finished my latest column, uh, today,

as a matter of fact about the Bozo DA Jim Hardin

going after bingo halls
instead of real criminals.

Reporter: Prior to writing his
weekly column for "The Sun,"

Michael Peterson was best known as a novelist,

-finding success writing war novels.
-Oh, and still is.

So I have to ask, because it's going to come up.

You ran for mayor in '99.

-Oh god, here we go.
-Yes.

-Yeah. Motherfucker.
-Reporter: You were in the lead

and then a story came out that you had lied

about receiving a Purple Heart in Vietnam.

It arguably cost you the mayorship,

and you hadn't in fact injured

your leg in combat, as you claim.

Michael: No, I-I-I had been injured

in a car accident while on duty.

Reporter: But your injury
was not sustained in combat.

Uh, no, no, it wasn't.

Look, I, I have faith

that the voters will see past
that hiccup in my character.

My opponent, Howard Clement,

is not going

to bring about change in Durham.

-I will.
-You... putz!

Reporter: There will be several
debates in the coming months...

-Papa needs practice.
-(reporter continues)

(phone ringing)

Reporter: ...before hitting
the polls November sixth.

(phone ringing)

Hmm.

Hello.

Hey.

Uh, I'm, I'm good. You?

So are we, uh, we set for the fifth?

Oh, well, you're coming
from, uh, from where again?

Yeah, well, uh,

either the, the hotel by the airport there

or, or at my place.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Well, you ready to get that ass pounded?

(chuckles)

Hmm. Well, alright, then.

Kathleen: Hey, Mike? Can
you give me a hand with dinner?

(soft rock music playing)

♪ You are the woman that I've always dreamed of ♪

♪ I knew it from the start... ♪

I kept an eye on the stock market today.

Nortel was holding steady.

That's a good sign.

Mm, it's positive. Yeah.

As long as the company
keeps its head above water.

I mean, you'd think with all I've built there,

I'd be secure, but who knows.

We're fine, Kathleen. We're fine.

(sighs)

Maybe we should let Essy go for a while

and save some money. Hmm?

Shouldn't be too hard to keep the house clean

-without the kids around.
-Hm.

♪ ...that I've always dreamed of ♪

♪ I knew it from the start ♪

(wine sloshing)

(somber music playing)

Medical Examiner: We've got
blood embedded under the nails.

Assistant: There were no
defensive wounds on the husband.

-It could be her own.
-Hm.

We've got something between the fingers.

Can I get the tweezers?

Here you go.

Medical Examiner: Looks like a pine needle.

Assistant: Pine needle?

Bag it for evidence.

Assistant: Okay.

Medical Examiner: Looks
like this is her own hair.

Let's bag it and test it.

Feel this.

Feel this gently.

Gently.

Assistant: This is the superior
cornu of the left thyroid.

Until I get in there I can't say for sure but

I'm guessing she didn't die right away.

She struggled.

♪ ♪

Medical Examiner: Gentle.

(trimmer buzzing)

Todd: Uncle Bill's here, Dad.

Clayton is pulling up now.

Bill: I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry.

Okay.

Mike.

Uh, I'm gonna...

ask you this question and...

no matter what the answer
is, it stays in this room.

Jesus Christ.

-No.
-I'm sorry, I'm...

I mean, I don't know why I even...

From what you've told me,

it sounds like they think you did,

so we, we need to get you a lawyer.

Can't you represent him?

No, I-I-I do estates.

I don't do criminal law.

I certainly can't do criminal law in Durham.

How about Larry?

I don't think Larry's tough enough.

(stammers): What about, um, the guy

the one you considered

before Clay went away for spring break.

-Oh, David Rudolf?
-Yeah.

Fuck, Bill.

He's the kind of guy you get when you're guilty.

Well, he's, he's, he's smart.

He's really smart.

He, he, he's not one of those,

you know, good ol' boys,

like so many of the guys down here.

Have you told the girls?

Todd called the school. There's someone there.

-Shit.
-(phone ringing)

The cake.

I need you to go get a cake for Margaret.

What do you mean?

(knocking)

It's the funeral home.

Bill: Thank you.

Hello?

I need you to get a cake for Margaret.

I'm going to stay here with Dad.

No, seriously. Not right now.

You're my kid brother, don't tell me what to do.

I'm not telling you what to do, Clay.

I'm asking for some help here. Please.

Yeah. Alright.

Don't fucking snap at me like that.

I was the one that was there
and saw Kathleen all fucking dead

and fucking covered in blood and shit.

Clayton: Alright, alright!

I've kept my shit together.

Alright, I get it. I'm sorry, man.

(Todd sighs)

(Bill sighs)

(Bill sniffles)

(Michael coughs)

The, uh... funeral home said that

the autopsy was more thorough than expected.

Jesus Christ.

Just as soon as they started working on her,

the police came back.

Apparently, the cops found an, uh,

open condom in your bedroom.

And they decided to perform a rape test.

A rape test?

What condom? We didn't use condoms.

It's a witch hunt.

Kathleen said it. She said, "Mike,

"stop going after City
Hall, the DA, and the cops.

It's gonna bite you in the ass."

Revenge, Bill, that's what this is.

There were 35 total cuts,

wounds, and contusions on her body.

Seven lacerations alone on the posterior scalp.

The rape test came back negative.

No bruising or contusions
around the vagina or anus.

Chief Medical Examiner: What do you
think about the broken superior cornu

of the left thyroid?

Could indicate strangulation,
but it's not conclusive.

Now, what I can't explain is

why there are no skull fractures.

That's what you would normally see in a beating.

You didn't put in the cause of death?

I did.

She bled out.

Without skull fracture, blunt force trauma--

Someone holding something caused the impact

to make these wounds.

That's not for me to conclude in here.

You think the murder
weapon just flew through the air

held by no one?

I mean, you can leave as is

or make any changes you see fit

based on what I just said.

Hardin wants to get this
to SBI sooner than later.

(chatter, music on speakers)

Have you given a statement?

Uh, no. Nothing official.

Just, uh,

you know, I told them I came in and, um,

I found her there.

(cell phone ringing)

You didn't hear or see anything?

I have to take this. It's, uh, Todd.

Hey, Todd.

-So...
-I just found her there.

She, she was breathing.

And then she wasn't.

How long between when she left you

-to when you found her?
-I don't know.

It couldn't be more than half an hour.

You didn't hear her scream, call your name or?

I, I didn't hear a goddamn thing.

Alright.

You know Rae Carruth?

-The football player.
-Yeah, of course, I do.

I represented him last October.

-Yeah, I know.
-Hmm.

Case had a lot of moving parts,

multiple charges.

He-he shot his pregnant girlfriend.

All I'm saying is, we helped him quite a bit.

Got him a vastly reduced sentence.

Though God willing, you won't need any help.

But sometimes good people
get dragged into situations

that turn out bad.

Okay. So...

how much is it going to cost? (clears throat)

A case like this, you're going to need

jury consultants, blood analysts.

Between four and five hundred K.

Half a million bucks.

I've got five kids to worry about, you know.

Three still in college.

Good defense isn't cheap.

I shouldn't need a defense.
I shouldn't even be here.

Does Kathleen have life insurance?

-Savings?
-Yes.

So...

When it comes to staying out of prison,

anything's up for grabs.

Sorry about that.

Martha and Caitlin are here.

Candace and Lori too.

So we're going to meet at Larry's.

Okay. Then maybe I shouldn't keep you.

-Did you two...
-Yeah, yeah, we're, uh...

Well, um...

regardless of whether or not you, um,

end up hiring me, one piece of advice:

Keep your family close.

You'll need them on your side.

-Thank you.
-Of course,

-Nice to meet you.
-You too.

(door bell jingles)

-That was fast.
-Yeah.

What do you think?

I don't know.

My guy over at the Durham station

says the crime scene photos
are a goddamn nightmare.

-Yeah?
-Yeah.

But autopsy isn't back yet, so...

-We'll see.
-911 call?

Sounds like he's in shock.

It doesn't feel like an act to me.

Pastrami any good here?

Hmm.

-(crying)
-(indistinct chatter)

They're all in here.

-Michael: Margaret.
-Margaret: I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

My flight got canceled

'cause of some terror scare.

Michael: Are you okay?

Margaret: Yeah, yeah, I just wanted

to get to you guys.

(sobbing softly)

Ask him.

(sniffles)

Mike, what's goin' on?

Um...

Lori and I are feeling

a little in the dark over here.

About what?

Uh, what happened?

Well, she fell.

Yeah, but it was our sister's last night.

Can we talk about this later?

We would really like to do this now.

-Could you just say more--
-Michael: I just sold a book

to a producer in Hollywood.

With everything going on at Nortel, it, it...

was, uh, it was good to have some good news.

Um...

I went, I went to Blockbuster, got a movie.

"America's Sweethearts." It was so dumb.

Kathleen was, was cracking up.

And, uh...

it was a nice day.

And then Todd came by.

Todd: Yeah, around 10:00.

I was meeting a friend there at the house,

and we were going to this Christmas party.

Mom was pretty tipsy already.

When they left, Kathleen got a, a call

about a work email.

She was, she was annoyed that she'd have to,

you know, wake up early. (sniffles)

But it was a Saturday, and
we were having a nice night.

So we went out to the pool,

and, uh... we just smoked and talked,

you know, about the kids, about Christmas.

And then she said, "I have to go up.

I have that call in the morning."

And that was it.

I went in later, and I found her laying there.

But what are the police looking for?

Oh, I have no idea.

You know, the cops around here, they hated me

ever since I started writing in the local paper.

You know, I tried to expose
what's going on in this town,

and that they-- and now they're torturing us.

Bill: They've been awful.

I've never seen anything
like it in my 30 years of law.

(sighs)

(sniffles)

Clayton: Um, will you pass
the mashed potatoes, please.

Candace, are you sure you
don't need a place to stay?

Candace: No, thank you.

We're good. Uh, I booked us a room at the, uh...

(clicks tongue)

the inn there in Chapel Hill, so...

Let us know if you change your mind.

Thank you, Larry.

Should we, um...

Mike, have you thought about the wake?

We're, we're all set at the Howerton Bryan?

-It's a nice place.
-Okay.

Uh, how about music?

We could play The Mills Brothers.

Michael: That's nice.

-What song?
- "You Always" --

Any really. She loved, she loved them all.

Great idea.

(light clicks)

Lori: What is going on?

♪ Happy birthday to you ♪

♪ Happy birthday to you ♪

♪ Happy birthday, dear Margaret ♪

♪ Happy birthday to you ♪

Michael: Kathleen would have
wanted you to have some cake.

Even with everything going on.

(sniffles)

♪ ♪

Margaret: Let's just get the photos and go.

(somber music playing)

Martha: Should we get out of here?

It's kind of nice in here with all of her stuff.

(Lori humming)

(continues humming)

Candace: What is that?

Lori: It's a song I was going to suggest to play.

I almost blurted it out.

"You Always Hurt the One You Love."

-(sighs) Lori...
-Lori: What?

It's a good song.

-Kathleen loved it.
-I know.

Why didn't he tell us himself?

Why call our husbands?

Imagine him having to say that to us.

(heavy sigh)

I mean, he's a mess.

We're just all going to be a mess for a while.

(Candace sighs)

♪ You always hurt ♪

♪ The one you love ♪

♪ The one you shouldn't hurt at all ♪

♪ You always take ♪

♪ The sweetest rose ♪

♪ And crush it ♪

♪ Till the petals fall ♪

(laughter)

Marylou: It's a great idea, you know.

We've got all this time. We can do what we want.

I told you that having an empty nest was fun.

Kathleen: Oh, come on.

We would party like this

with the kids upstairs too.

That must be where they get it from.

(both laughing)

-Oh, you want a sip?
-I do.

I think. Yes.

Thank you.

You're so polite. Thank you.

Oh, man.

Okay. Come on.

Michael: ...amazing, and good culture, too.

You know, we were at this Italian restaurant

in, uh, in Miami,

and it was in, um...

What was the name of that neighborhood?

Uh, it was Miami.

Uh, yes, dear, yes. It, it was Miami.

-She's, uh...
-What? Shut up.

Uh, fuck it, doesn't matter.

So, uh, so anyway, we, I was waiting for my Pino,

and, and she was waiting for the Mexican Coke.

Which is just a Coke with real sugar

and not that corn syrup.

-Yeah, it's better.
-Uh, okay, so anyhow.

And then, then the boss comes over.

And he's holding a bottle of Coke,

and I swear to God he presents it

like, like it was a bottle of wine.

And he says, no, very seriously,

"We did not have the Coke from Mexico.

This Coke is from Atlanta."

(laughter)

Hey, who wants to go swimming?

What are you talking about?

(indistinct chatter, laughter)

Michael: Don't be ridiculous.

-(cheering and laughter)
-Kathleen Peterson, everyone!

Mike, something's wrong.

(inhales sharply)

(groans)

(reporter on television, indistinct)

What's going on?

What happened?

Two planes just crashed
into the World Trade Center.

Reporter 1: This was after
the first airplane made impact.

We'll be hearing from the
president in a little while...

This is really bad.

Reporter 1: ...the White House knows about this,

which appears to be deliberate.

Reporter 2: Do you know whether or not officials

there at the White House have been made aware...

(door opens)

-Bill: Everybody's waiting.
-I can't see her like that.

Here.

You can't be...

seen absent.

You know, Rudolf's smart,

but I don't want to go down that road.

The last thing I want to do
now is bankrupt the family.

No.

I'm just saying if there's a grand jury...

You know, this would be
a lot easier if you stood up.

I didn't do anything wrong.

Okay. Well, I will look for
an alternative tomorrow.

You know, if it comes to it, we'll have somebody

who's ready, somebody who's not going

to cost NFL player money.

(knocking)

Hey.

Todd: There's cops downstairs.

Bill: Haven't you already searched?

Officer: Yes, sir. This is
just a follow-up search.

All very standard practice in this kind of case.

(loud banging)

Mr. Peterson.

-Mr. Peterson, -Do you mind?!

I'm getting dressed to go see my dead wife

in a coffin!

Calm down. Take a breath.

♪ I can't stop ♪

♪ Loving you ♪

♪ Oh, I've made up ♪

♪ My mind ♪

♪ To live in memories ♪

♪ Of a lonesome time ♪

♪ I can't stop wanting you ♪

♪ It's useless to say ♪

♪ So I'll just live my life ♪

♪ In dreams of yesterday ♪

Oh, Ronnie.

(sobbing)

♪ That we once knew ♪

Bill: Mike.

♪ Though long ago ♪

♪ Still make me blue ♪

♪ They say that time ♪

♪ Heals a broken heart ♪

(sniffles)

♪ But time has stood still ♪

♪ Since we've been apart ♪

(door creaking)

I'm going to grab a drink.

Can you grab the bags?

I shouldn't hang out here long.

Michael: Bill! Come here!

What? What's going on?

Michael: Just Bill.

-What's going on?
-Shut the door.

Bill: Jesus Christ. Look at this mess.

-What are these guys looking for?
-They took the computer.

They must have printed this out before they left.

Was there a lot of this stuff on there?

I saved images from an article.

Michael.

This is a message.

"We got you."

I'm cooked.

No.

I'm home cooking.

-(phone ringing)
-(video game beeping)

David Rudolf: The phone!

Charlene: It's for you!

-No one calls me this late.
-David: Charlene!

Get the phone!

Ugh!

(ringing continues)

Hello?

Yes.

Yes, just a moment, please.

It's for you.

Really?

Thanks.

Fuck.

(clattering)

Shit.

(news on television, indistinct)

Dave Rudolf.

Michael: (on phone) David, it's Michael Peterson.

I need your help.

Alright, lock and load.

Are we ready, boys?

Fred.

You want to join us for the grand jury.

Freda, if the grand jury goes our way,

I don't just want you on the team.

You'll be my right hand.

We need a strong, fierce

feminine presence on this case.

And that's you.

Is that Kathleen's autopsy?

-Hmm.
-I've seen it.

You show it to the family?

No, I haven't made that call yet.

Uh, but this isn't the autopsy.

This... no, this is something else.

See that guy over there? David Rudolf.

High-priced lawyer

from Chapel Hill by way of New York.

What a fuckin' prick.

Good morning.

I'm Jim Hardin,

District Attorney for Durham County.

And I'm here to present the case of the people

against Michael Iver Peterson.

And when I'm done,

I'm going to ask all of you to vote

on one count of murder

in the first degree.

♪ ♪

(phone ringing)

Hello.

David: Hey, Mike. It's David.

I'm sorry, Mike, they're going to indict.

You'll have to turn yourself
in to the police this evening.

Alright, David.

David: Um...

Uh... alright, um, Mike--

No.

Ask him if there's a chance
they can get you out on bail.

David: Tell, um, tell Bill
we're going to do what we can,

but, uh, it's the holidays.

It could take a little while.

I've, um, I've alerted the media.

We need to be one step ahead of the DA now.

You and your family need to make a statement

In order of importance,

it's, uh, Kathleen's actual biological family

that they need to hear from.

We, um, really need Caitlin to speak.

Okay, David.

David: Okay? Alright. And, Mike, Mike?

Bring some money, like 50 bucks

for the commissary and bring a Bible.

-Bible?
-David: If you've got one.

I'd rather bring a fucking Quran.

David: Well, um, (laughs)

it's optics at this point.

It's, um, it's, it's important.

Okay. Okay, whatever you say,

-David: Alright. Alright.
-Okay, I'll see you there.

David: Alright. See you here.

(hangs up phone)

Well... that's it.

(somber music playing)

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

(reporters clamoring)

(clamoring continues)

Over here, everybody.

(clamoring continues)

♪ ♪

Kathleen was my life.

I've whispered her name in
my heart a thousand times.

She is there, but I can't stop crying.

I would never have done anything to hurt her.

I am innocent of these charges,

and we will prove it in court.

We do not want you to say anything

against your family.

That's not our intent.

We just would like

the opportunity to present to you

what we have learned

so that you, as Kathleen's family,

aren't out of the loop, so to speak.

We have some photos we'd like to share.

Freda Black: They're pretty shocking.

You can say, "No, uh-uh,

"we don't need to see that, Freda.

Thank you very much."

But we just feel y'all deserve
the right to make that choice.

We, we'd like to see 'em.

(reporters shouting)

Caitlin: My mother and Mike had

an absolutely loving relationship,

and there is, there's no way that

either of them would ever wish

any sort of harm on the other one.

My mother would be absolutely appalled.

Thank you. That's all.

(reporters clamoring)

(gasps)

There were 35 cuts and bruises.

And seven...

of these

deep lacerations to the scalp.

How... I don't...

Our autopsy shows the cause of death

was blunt force trauma.

A homicide.

And we believe Mr. Peterson

bludgeoned Kathleen to death
and may have strangled her.

Why would he do that? It doesn't make sense.

Our officers found countless images,

like these...

on his computer and in his desk.

And we believe

your sister found these
on his computer that night.

And she confronted your brother-in-law about it,

and a fight ensued.

Candace: What?

Lori: Oh my god...

Candace: It doesn't make sense.

I knew it.

I knew it.

I knew he was hiding something

when he didn't have the nerve to call us himself.

I knew it.

(quietly): Hey...

We couldn't sleep.

We've heard so many wonderful stories

about our sister this past week.

I just can't imagine she would have accepted

this in her home.

In her marriage.

♪ ♪

(reporter on television, indistinct)

Sophie: Let me do it.

(chuckles)

I'm hopeless without you.

Mmm. No, you're still young.

And you're starting your life again today.

Hmm?

("You Always Hurt the One You Love" playing)

♪ You always hurt ♪

♪ The one you love ♪

♪ The one ♪

♪ You shouldn't hurt at all ♪

♪ You always take ♪

♪ The sweetest rose ♪

♪ And crush it ♪

♪ Till the petals fall ♪

♪ If I broke ♪

♪ Your heart last night ♪

♪ It's because ♪

♪ I love you most of all ♪

♪ ♪

♪ You always hurt ♪

♪ The one you love ♪

♪ The one ♪

♪ You shouldn't hurt at all ♪

♪ You always take ♪

♪ The sweetest rose ♪

♪ And crush it ♪

♪ Till the petals fall ♪

♪ You always break ♪

♪ The kindest heart ♪

♪ With a hasty word you can't recall ♪

♪ So ♪

♪ If I broke ♪

♪ Your heart last night... ♪

---oOo---