Original subtitles

(fan humming)

- [Meredith] Dear Father, although it's been nearly 15 years

since we had any contact, I feel I must write you now

to tell you that Mother is dead.

(phone rings) (birds chirping)

I'm not sure you'll care, but I thought you should know.

It was a long, slow process.

I don't know how much you know about me, Father.

I'm a nurse now.

I work at the same hospital where she was kept

for so many years, but it's a new job for me.

To tell you how she died,

I'll have to start at the beginning

with my first job at Fairlawn.

It seemed like a great opportunity; a nice house,

an old man who could no longer walk and needed my help.

His son had died in an accident

and his grandson was coming there to live,

a grandson I thought would be a little boy.

(horn blares) - Damn truck.

They don't care about nothin' anymore.

He spilled his transmission in the street, I'll bet.

What do you bet?

Traffic backed up to the train station. You think they care?

This guy, look at him.

He wants to be a cop when he grows up.

This is making his day. (horn blares)

He'll cause two or three accidents by himself

if you give him the opportunity.

I'll tell you, this job will drive man to drink.

- I'm sorry.

- Eh, it's all in a day's work.

Oh, Christ.

(dreary music) (birds chirping)

(siren wails)

(dreary music cont.) (birds chirping)

Tell Duffy Bill brought you in.

Tell her I said hello.

It's all paid for.

I got a call from the house. It's on the account.

Good luck to you now.

(dreary music)

(doorbell rings)

(mysterious music)

- Ms. Stone, come in.

- My name is Phillip, Ms. Stone.

I'm Mr. Langrock's executive secretary and man.

Your arrival has occasioned a small celebration,

at least on my part.

Things have been a little grim around here

these past few days.

May I get you a glass of wine?

- No, thanks. I don't drink. - Pity.

If you'll follow me, Mr. Langrock has asked

that you be shown in at once.

Follow me, please.

(clock ticking) (faint orchestral music)

(knuckles rasp) - Come.

- Meredith Stone.

- Ah, Meredith Stone, come in.

(lively orchestral music)

Not good enough. Let's have an audible hello.

- Hello.

- There. You see? That's better.

Phillip, she'll be splendid.

- [Meredith] I'm sorry about your son, Mr. Langrock.

- I don't enjoy hearing about it anymore,

as a matter of fact.

No way for you to know that, of course.

I never really knew my son.

Now, at least, I'll get to know my grandson.

Take a look at this supermarket art.

A cripple is driven to it.

- I think it's very nice, sir.

- Meredith, come here. Right here beside me.

This is what you have to deal with. This.

Don't be fooled by my shoulders, or my tan.

When you nurse a man who's lost control of his...

well, certain primitive human functions,

you get to know him very well.

What could I possibly keep from you

once you know me on that level?

- I understand.

- So no false interest in this dime store art collection.

As a matter of fact, I hope you keep yourself busy.

I won't have time to paint, or write poetry, God forbid.

- I'll try.

- Phillip, take her around, introduce her to everybody.

Show her everything. Let her get settled.

I'll dine in here tonight.

- [Phillip] I Shall tell Duffy.

- [Mr. Langrock] Don't let me scare you, Meredith.

- No fear of that.

- Get some rest. Come in after dinner.

The grizzly work begins then.

- Thank you, sir.

(lively orchestral music)

- He's been the only employer I've known for 35 years.

Oh, it's not like just working for a man.

He was very strong then.

- [Duffy] One day, you're right as rain,

and some small -- - Duffy.

- - in your artery and bang, you're dead as a wet rat.

Well, not for me, no thank you. Not for me.

You'll get all the protein you need

with your dried beans and legumes.

- (clears throat) Meredith Stone, this is our cook, Duffy.

And this is Alex.

The lawns and gardens are all his.

- Protein's very overrated in my book, very overrated.

Oh, you're gonna take care of Mr. Langrock. Thank God.

Aren't you a pretty one? - Hello.

- Oh, here, have some granola.

It's very good. We make it right here.

Mr. Langrock insists.

He's very particular about his food, very particular.

- It's very good. - And why not?

We make it right here, with all the good local honey,

rolled oats, fine raisins --

- I don't know if Ms. Stone needs any recipes.

She's only just arrived.

- Why I bother talking with him in the room,

I'll never know.

This is the stuff of life for you, dear.

I'll never put anything in it to harm your system,

which is more than I can say for some people in this house.

And you'll be finding that out soon enough.

- You come with me, Meredith.

I'll show you, um...

- Phillip, you'll be leading her in the basement next.

Phillip?

Ah, I'm embarrassed for you, truly I am.

- In those days, simply no one entered

Tour d'Argent without proper evening dress.

I had a wardrobe matching Mr. Langrock's.

So I put the wine to my lips,

first having seen the bottle in the bucket,

and I knew a mistake had been made.

So after I tasted the wine, I said,

"Well, yes, this seems to be a Romanée-Conti,

but it does not taste like a '29,

it tastes more like a '31."

And they were astonished, I can tell you.

It was a small cheat, seeing that bottle first. (chuckles)

I got great pleasure out of it, I can tell you.

They gave us a free dinner. Glorious night.

I believe I was known outside the family circle

in those days.

In society, I mean.

(ominous music)

Are you sure?

- Oh, no thanks. I never drink.

- It's quite the opposite with me, I'm afraid.

The palate's gone, I suppose, but not the desire.

Ah...

Empty.

All around, empty.

I have to climb for my medicine these days.

Mr. Langrock can make no use of the supply

in this condition, so I've invaded.

It amounts to a bonus, I suppose,

but well deserved, if I do say so.

(Phillip humming)

- [Meredith] Hmm, Fairlawn.

It was supposed to be a job,

but I was already part of the family.

- [Phillip] Ah.

- [Meredith] It was a little strange,

but Phillip was so friendly, and I even liked the old man.

♪ Dee, dee, dee ♪

(clock ticking)

- [Meredith] How could I have been so naive?

- You'll be all alone, Miss, until the boy arrives.

Alex and Duffy will have some work to do in the bedrooms,

but that shouldn't bother you.

That room has been closed

ever since Mr. Langrock moved into the den downstairs.

He has a time getting up and down.

Now, then, will that be all, Miss?

- Phillip, who's in that room?

I saw someone at the window when I came in.

- Well, that room has been locked for years.

It must have been a reflection.

- Phillip? - It shut down. Totally.

Excuse me, Miss.

(door thuds)

(birds chirping)

(crickets chirping) (engine humming)

(tense music)

(ominous music)

(doorbell rings)

- Phillip!

- I didn't know you were expected, Mr. Frazier.

- No, no, we're not.

Is the new nurse...

Ms. Stone?

- Shall I tell Mr. Langrock? - No, we'll just be a minute.

Hi, I'm Jeffrey Frazier, Mr. Langrock's attorney.

- How do you do? - This is Pam Barton.

- Pamela. - How do you do?

- You, uh, you don't look like a nurse.

I mean, not how I pictured.

The old man always tells me not to do these things by phone.

Now I see why.

Well, we just stopped by to be sure you got here

and settled and everything.

- Oh, Phillip's been very good to me, thank you.

- Don't be put off by the monkey suits.

We're on our way to the opera. Vivaldi.

- Verdi. - Sorry, Verdi.

- The season opens tonight.

- And Pamela's father's on the board, so...

- I don't know much about the opera, I'm afraid.

- [Jeffrey] One doesn't it have to, it turns out.

- [Pamela] Jeffrey, it's 7:30.

- The old man doesn't scare you?

- Oh, no, I liked him.

- It's not Langrock who's scary, it's those kids.

- This is the second son that Mr. Langrock has lost.

- And he was the same one used to live out in Arizona,

on some commune, eating snakes and chanting in the desert.

This is all very confidential, you understand?

I went to school with the weird one.

My God, one day, poof, he just died, didn't he?

- Pamela. - I'm sorry.

I suppose you never should have told me.

- (sighs) I'm sure that's considerably more than you wanted

to know about the Langrock family.

We really do have to be going.

I hope things work out well for you here.

We'll be seeing a lot of each other.

I'm like one of the family.

So if you need anything -- - Darling, we're late.

- - just call.

- Who's locked in that room upstairs?

I saw someone when I arrived today

and I just heard him as I came down the stairs.

- Ooh, how Gothic, a locked room.

- No, I really heard someone.

- Why don't you just ask Mr. Langrock?

He should tell you.

(Meredith sighs)

- Goodnight. - Goodnight.

(door thuds) Hmm.

[Meredith] So that was Jeffrey Frazier.

He sounded different on the phone.

He was flirting with me right in front of his girlfriend.

I never know what to do in those situations.

(footsteps thudding)

(ominous music)

(footsteps thudding)

(handle rattling) (suspenseful music)

(door creaks) (ominous music)

Hello?

(floorboards creaking)

(tense music)

(floorboard creaks)

(ominous music)

(mysterious music)

(crickets chirping)

(ominous music)

(crickets chirping)

(water rings clack)

(crickets chirping)

(ominous music)

Hello? (attacker screams)

(Meredith screams)

(attacker groaning) No! No! No!

- Wilfred! Wilfred! Wilfred!

Here, it's Phillip! Wilfred, easy!

Easy, easy. (tense music)

Phillip is here. Phillip is here.

You did a bad job.

- Miss, get outta here right away.

- It's all right, easy now.

For God's sake, Meredith, will you please go?

Now, you're gonna be all right.

Now, you see? There, there.

There, there, there, there. That's it.

Now, calmly. Easy, now, easy.

There, there, there, you'll be all right.

All right. (shushes)

Calmly, calmly, Wilfred, calmly.

(birds chirping)

- Come on, Nicholas!

(dog barks) Nicholas, come on, baby.

Come on, get your good dinner. That's a good boy.

Go on in there and eat.

Good boy.

Well, you gotta eat something, darling. It'll pass.

God knows you're an innocent victim.

And poor Wilfred.

Imagine a story like that. Dead. (chuckles)

Although, he'd have probably been better off that way

instead of the way he's been living.

Here, eat a little oatmeal and some good, strong coffee.

And Phillip, taking him out on the lawn

for a run, mind you, a run.

- [Meredith] Mr. Langrock was very apologetic.

He had instructed everyone

that he would tell me about Wilfred himself.

He wanted to explain it to me personally.

I was surprised how well I came through the whole thing.

I was shaken,

but beneath that, there was a certain calm that settled in.

- Good morning, Wilfred.

Say hello to your dad.

- You look fine, son.

I wish I could enjoy your walk with you.

- Come along, Wilfred.

(birds chirping)

(moody music)

- [Meredith] There was a stable on the property,

one that hadn't been used in years.

I'd seen it from the house, but I didn't know what it was.

(birds chirping)

They sent me there to find some things for the boy's room.

(moody music cont.)

(crow caws)

(crow caws)

(rocking horse creaking)

(birds chirping)

(moody music)

(crow cawing)

Father, do you remember when I was little

and you told me that if I was good, you'd take me riding?

It's one of the nicest memories I have,

waiting for you to come and take me.

(moody music)

- [Mr. Langrock] As always, as always.

- [Jeffrey] The police say there's no specific evidence

of foul play.

They just need to get the thing off the books,

and so they're required to detain the boy and question him.

- It's strongly psychological. - [Jeffrey] Good riddance.

I pray the police aren't in that business.

They don't like news,

so they have a case involving a number of aliases.

- [Mr. Langrock] Where are they holding him?

- [Jeffrey] I had him placed under psychiatric observation

at Laurel State. - I hope so.

- [Jeffrey] Then we'll get him back home.

So now, the only question is --

- Excuse me. - Oh, Meredith.

I'll be ready for bed in about 10 minutes.

- [Meredith] Yes, sir.

- Do you want me to arrange for a doctor to look?

- No, no, no, no doctor. No, no doctor.

(weight machine creaking) (weights slamming)

- [Meredith] The next morning,

Jeffrey went to Tucson to pick up the boy.

At 16, he had lived his entire life

on a commune in the desert.

(weight machine creaking) (weights slamming)

How could a boy who had led such an isolated life

fit into a place like this?

Tell me about your grandson. - Gabriel?

You know almost as much about him as I do.

I've not even seen him.

There hasn't been a boy in this house since...

I wonder what it's like to see your parents die.

They were hiking, all three of them.

He saw them fall.

I wonder what he thought.

(clock ticking)

(birds chirping) (dreamy music)

(engine humming)

(dog barking) (engine roars)

(dreamy music)

(dogs barking)

Gabriel, I'm your grandfather.

- How do you do? I'm Gabriel.

- How do you do?

- I've lost my parents.

- I'm sorry.

(birds chirping)

- Phillip, you'll show him to his room.

I think we'll go in.

Thank you, Meredith.

(glasses clinking)

It's unfortunate, Gabriel,

that it took an event like this to bring us together.

I hope this week has not been too hard for you.

This is just a little welcome home present.

(paper crinkling)

- What is it? - I thought...

What is it?

- (chuckles) It's a skateboard, Gabriel.

Here, you ride on it.

Put one foot forward, the other one in back for control.

(skateboard whirs)

See?

- Why? - (scoffs) Every kid has one.

- To go places? - For fun, to play with.

(clock ticking)

(wheels whirring)

- They're good wheels. Smooth, good bearings.

- Would you like us to take it back,

get something you'd rather have?

- At the store?

It's a little late for rabbits.

Something for squirrels, maybe.

A Remington, single-shot 22 maybe.

(crickets chirping) (Nicholas barks)

- Mr. Langrock kept me up late talking about Gabriel.

Goodnight. See you in the morning.

He certainly wasn't like any 16 year-old I'd ever seen.

Everyone had expected a boy. Gabriel was no boy.

Mr. Langrock wants to know if you'll be spending the night.

- No, I'll be finished shortly.

- He's going to sleep.

- Meredith, sit down for a minute.

I wanna talk to you.

I've been meaning to apologize to you

since the first day we met. - Apologize?

- Yeah, about Pam. Pamela and me.

- I don't understand.

- Well, as soon as she saw how attractive you were,

she got furious and took it out on you.

- I don't remember.

- Yeah, and she's still furious.

- I'm sorry. - It's okay.

It was never anything to begin with.

I just wanted to apologize for putting you in the middle.

That's no place for you to be.

I talked about you a fair amount on the way here.

- To make her angry?

- No, no. I meant this morning, with Gabriel.

(Nicholas barking and snarling)

Nicholas! (unsettling music)

(Nicholas snarls) Shh!

(ominous music) (Nicholas barks)

(scoffs) For God sakes, Gabriel.

Shh, easy. (Nicholas growls)

- Mr. Frazier. (Nicholas barks and snarls)

- Let's go inside.

(Nicholas growls)

Was that part of your upbringing,

spying on people through windows?

We thought you were asleep, that you'd gone to bed.

- Nope.

- Gabriel? - I said I hadn't gone to bed.

I'm gonna go to bed now.

Goodnight. - Goodnight.

- Goodnight. Sorry if I scared you.

- (chuckles) That's quite a kid.

- My God. - Oh, come on, Meredith.

Teenager steals a kiss

from granddaddy's young, beautiful nurse?

The old man would be proud.

Meredith?

- Oh, I'm sorry.

(Jeffrey chuckles)

- Listen, the old man owns a piece of property

not far from here.

He's offered it to me to build on.

I don't suppose you know anything about stuff like that.

- No.

- I'd like you to ride out there with me anyway,

just for an amateur opinion,

whether it's attractive to you or not.

- Oh, Jeffrey, I couldn't help you.

I don't know about things like that.

(belongings clatter)

- [Jeffrey] It's late. Better get some sleep.

- All right, I'd like to see it. Whenever you have a chance.

- I'd like that.

- Goodnight. - Goodnight.

(moody music)

- [Meredith] In the next few days,

I found myself going to the stable.

I've always wanted a quiet place where I could be alone,

where I could think and be myself.

I don't know why, but I felt comfortable there,

and I felt more comfortable around Jeffrey now.

He was attracted to me and I liked him.

But I didn't know what I was going to do about Gabriel.

(moody music cont.) (object thuds)

(trap clattering)

(birds chirping)

(trap clangs)

- Come on, Nicholas! Come on, boy!

(whistles) Come on, Nicholas!

It's bloody well past your breakfast time already.

- It's hard to enjoy breakfast with all that racket, woman.

We're barely awake.

- Good morning, Gabriel.

Your headache shouldn't be mine

and the dog shouldn't have to pay for it, either.

I'll tell you what,

why don't you pop off and see where the doggy is.

You're not working very hard.

You don't have half the duties you used to have.

- You know, I think I will go down to the cellar.

I'm gonna take a little stroll

and see what the dog has been up to. (chuckles)

- Why do you keep Wilfred locked in that room?

He hasn't done anything wrong, has he?

I don't think it's fair.

Grandfather says he can be violent,

but he hasn't been that way with me.

- You've been in that room?

- I've been talking to him.

I let myself in.

- Oh, Gabriel, you shouldn't.

- Mr. Langrock told you not to bother Wilfred.

- He doesn't talk back, not to me.

Does he ever?

- Gabriel, you must never go into that room again.

Do you understand?

- Is he crazy, or what?

- Gabriel, do you understand? - Mm.

(birds chirping) (shears snipping)

- Meredith, I have a theory.

Sit down. I want you to correct me if I'm wrong.

- I'm sure you're not wrong. - Now, I'm an inventor.

I take completely unrelated objects

and I put them together in various combinations,

and suddenly, they perform functions

that nobody ever dreamed of. - That's marvelous.

- I've made a lot of money doing that.

But I also believe that,

and this is my theory,

I also believe I can make it work backwards.

- Backwards? - Yes.

I can take a thing, a person -- you. You, for instance.

I could watch you function

and then pull you apart into your basic pieces.

- You're a psychologist now?

- Oh, God forbid. I'm a sportsman of ideas.

I see you in all your history.

You are an animal person hidden in an iron casing.

The animal wants to get out, but the casing is too tight.

- I have a silly thing I say to myself, Mr. Langrock,

"The past is past."

I try not to think about it, anyway.

- Oh, you think a morning ever goes by

when I don't look out of that window

and see myself galloping up the bridle path,

walking down the drive to pick up the evening paper?

- You see, you shouldn't think about it, either.

- It keeps me alive.

But with you, it's different.

I'm in the cage because I'm crippled.

But with you, it's invisible.

Betrayal, early youth, love lost.

Accident, maybe. Disaster.

- What makes you say that?

- I've hooked one.

What makes a woman be a nurse?

Because either she, or someone quite near her,

once needed help, badly needed,

and perhaps she was too young to give it.

(unsettling music) - My mother is mentally ill.

- Perfect.

Oh, Meredith, I...

I'm sorry, I --

- She's a patient at Laurel State.

- I have a natural inquisitive nature, but...

- Why perfect?

- Because insanity tends to come slowly.

Little signs, gradual deterioration.

You are very young

and your mother's insanity could...

Was she a drinker?

Meredith, am I sporting with your past?

I don't mean to upset you.

- No, my mother doesn't drink.

She's had a very hard life, that's all.

She's been through a lot.

- Your father?

There must be one in the family.

I watched your reaction to Phillip.

- That's right.

- Drinking leads to violence

and ugly things between the parents.

You were very young. - He forced...

He raped her.

I was 12.

I saw the whole thing.

I haven't seen him since.

(birds chirping)

- Let's go in, Meredith.

(Meredith sighs)

Leave the flowers.

Thank you.

Meredith, would it please you...

do say no if it doesn't,

would it please you to have your mother here,

where you could be close to her?

- Oh, I'm sure that would be impossible.

- (chuckles) Money makes almost anything possible.

I've had Wilfred here, after all.

- I don't know what to say. - Then don't say anything.

- Oh, you don't owe me anything.

- (chuckles) We've lived sympathetic lives, I think,

and I'd like to help you if I can.

After all, you have helped me.

- Thank you.

- Oh, there is one thing I can't do.

- What is that?

- Would you be kind enough to open the gate?

(dogs barking distantly)

(gate creaks)

Thank you. (chuckles)

Oh my God. (unsettling music)

Don't look, Meredith.

Come back. Come back! (eerie music)

(Meredith shrieks)

(birds chirping)

- [Meredith] Everyone at Fairlawn was shocked

by the death of the dog.

No one knew what had happened except me.

And I couldn't be sure.

I didn't know what to do.

(birds chirping)

I began to watch Gabriel in a different way.

I wondered if he knew what I was thinking.

(birds chirping) (dog barking distantly)

Mr. Langrock? - Yes, Meredith?

- The man is here from the kennel.

He has the new pup.

- [Mr. Langrock] Thank you, Meredith. Gabriel.

- Thank you, Meredith.

(crickets chirping)

(eerie scraping)

(eerie clicking)

(unsettling music)

(door creaks)

(Meredith gasps)

(ominous music)

(moody, dreamy music)

(moody, dreamy music cont.)

(moody, dreamy music)

(Meredith gasps)

(birds chirping)

- [Duffy] Ah! (Meredith gasps)

Come on, Wilfred! (Wilfred groaning)

Wilfred! Wilfred!

- Wilfred! - Wilfred, no!

[Duffy] Oh my god! Ah! Ah! Ah!

- [Phillip] Wilfred! Wilfred, easy, now!

Take it easy! (Wilfred groaning)

Easy, now, easy!

I told you not to make me so upset, Wilfred.

Imbecile! Look at me!

Look at me good! (Wilfred whimpering)

That's it, that's it.

(Wilfred groaning) - Morning.

- [Phillip] Easy, easy.

Into your room, Wilfred. (door thuds)

I warned you. I told you!

- [Wilfred] You wanna -- (hand smacks)

Ah! - I told you,

I'll not tell you again. - I didn't do it.

- Into your room, young man. - What?

- [Phillip] Into your room!

I'll have a word with Mr. Langrock.

(door slams)

(engine humming) (bright, melodious music)

- [Meredith] Duffy joked about it the next day.

Nothing ever really bothered her.

But it wasn't the same for me.

(birds chirping)

- This is nice.

If my daddy were here now, he'd make a toast

to life as it should be, not as it is.

(celery crunches)

It's nice, if you can afford it.

- Good for you. You're buying this land.

- You know what they're asking?

I mean, considering we're in the middle of town?

- [Meredith] The middle of town?

- Yeah, right smack in the center.

(Jeffrey chuckles)

Forty years ago, the center of town was down by the river.

Then Ferguson Mercury came along and put in the railroad.

Didn't have anything to do with the town.

They just wanted to connect their mining interests

in the mountains with the main coastal line.

The only thing was,

the railroad ran right through Ridgeway.

That left a two-mile strip of land

between downtown and the transportation.

Just farmlands and meadows, nothing on it at all.

And that sold for a paltry $10,000 to Ivar Langrock.

And that 10,000 became 6.6 million.

(scoffs) Wish I knew where the railroad was going next.

- And you're buying this land?

- No. (chuckles)

That was just a lame excuse to get you out on a date.

But I got you here, didn't I?

You gonna forgive me?

(bright, melodious music) (birds chirping)

That Laurel State's quite a place, you know?

- What, the hospital? - [Jeffrey] Yeah.

I've been trying to contact them about your mother.

- What do you know about my mother?

- Just what you told Langrock.

He wants to have her moved to Fairlawn.

- What happened?

- Just bureaucracy and incompetence.

Some supervisor told me

that your mother's records were mislaid.

- [Meredith] Jeffrey, I don't want you to go through this.

- It's no trouble.

I'm a lawyer. It's everyday stuff to me.

I've got an appointment next week with the head physician.

Things should move right along after that.

(birds chirping)

Plum? (Meredith chuckles)

(birds chirping) (engine roaring)

(tires screech)

- [Jeffrey] Gabriel!

- There you are.

I made you something.

- For me?

Gabriel...

- Open it.

Pull the ring.

- You made this?

Gabriel...

- It's what foreign people do for a present.

- It's just amazing. Jeffrey, look at this.

- It's cute.

- I've never seen anything like it.

You're really very talented.

- It's for you.

- Thank you. I'll keep it.

- (clears throat) Gabriel,

you're really gonna have to be more careful.

You can get hurt in the city.

- Thank you. (engine revving)

(crickets chirping)

(door creaks)

(crickets chirping)

(unsettling music)

(eerie scraping)

(floorboard creaks)

(weapon thwacks) (furniture crashes)

(crickets chirping)

(body shuffles)

(body thuds)

- They found Wilfred the next morning

with his head split open on the edge of the flagstone.

It looked as though he had fallen.

It looked like an accident.

(birds chirping)

(mysterious music)

(lively orchestral music)

Phillip was sure that Gabriel had been in the room again,

bothering Wilfred, and that something had happened.

But no one paid any attention to him.

No one ever did.

He was sullen and drunk.

(elegant music) (bowl clanks)

(door slams) (lively orchestral music)

If only I'd spoken up right there and then,

if I had told them about the dog and the trap,

I could have confided in Jeffrey

and it would've all come out.

But I couldn't.

I looked at Gabriel and I couldn't.

(utensils clatter)

(glass clinking)

(wheelchair clanking)

Are you all right?

- (shudders) Yes, I'm...fine.

- It's not good for you to hold it all inside.

- But...

They're gone, all gone.

- I know, I know, I know.

- Except Gabriel.

My boy. My boy.

(water running)

(water sloshing)

(doorknob rattles) (door crashes)

- What are you doing here?

Gabriel, get out!

Please, get out!

(water sloshes)

Give me the towel.

- What's going on? - What do you mean?

- You know what I mean.

Phillip and Duffy.

Why are they coming down on me?

- I don't know.

- Why are they coming down on me?

- Please, give me the towel.

(moans) They...

They think that...

they think...

It's what they think, that you killed Wilfred.

It's crazy. I...I...I don't know.

- Is that what you think? - What?

- [Gabriel] Is that your idea?

- I don't think anything about you.

It was an accident.

- No, you don't think that, do you?

- I -- - Do you?!

- Gabriel, I can't -- - Do you?

- I don't know.

- Do you? - I don't know! I don't know!

- [Gabriel] You think I killed him, don't you?

- No!

- Don't lie to me.

You'll turn this whole house against me.

You think I killed him.

- No! - And the dog.

- No! - Say it!

- No! No! No! - Say it!

Say it! - Yes! Yes!

(Meredith sighs)

- I got something for you.

This is for you.

Where I grew up, people weren't afraid of being naked.

You have nothing to be embarrassed about.

You have a very beautiful body.

(door thuds)

(birds chirping) (bars Clank)

- [Meredith] Phillip refused to accept what had happened.

He had always insisted that Wilfred's room not be a prison.

- [Phillip] That will do it.

- [Meredith] Now, his guilt overpowered him.

(birds chirping) (dog barking distantly)

(sword whooshing) (lawnmower buzzing)

Jeffrey continued to have problems

with the hospital bureaucracy.

They wanted me to sign certain waivers

before he could even begin.

(lawnmower humming)

How could I tell Mr. Langrock

that I didn't want Mother here?

I tried to write her a letter.

"Dear Mother, I've met a man here.

I don't think you'll understand.

He's not like anyone I've ever known."

(birds chirping)

(footsteps thudding)

(sword whooshing)

- I think of him as the devil himself.

He'll bring us to the end of this house.

I'm thinking of leaving.

- Oh, Phillip, you can't.

- Why not? I'm a free man.

(sighs) I beg your pardon.

When Wilfred was young...oh, those were good days.

Simple times.

I took Wilfred to school.

Kindergarten, first grade.

He was handsome. 80 nice, so young.

Excuse me. (chuckles)

I'll be back in a moment, after...

(footsteps thudding) (unsettling music)

(mysterious music)

(tense music)

(mysterious music)

(tense music)

(tense music cont.)

(bottles clanking)

(unsettling music) (Phillip mumbling)

(bottles Clank)

(tense music) (eerie scraping)

(tense music) (Phillip mumbling)

(bottles Clank) (unsettling music)

Stop! No! (bottles clinking)

No! No! (harrowing music)

No! Please, no! (bottles clanking)

(Phillip screams)

(bottles crash)

(Phillip groaning)

(Phillips groans) (bottles Clank)

(Phillip whimpers)

(bottles clattering) (glass crunching)

(Phillip panting)

(weapon thwacks) (Phillip groans)

(door squeaks and thuds)

- [Detective] Go on, get it outta here.

Of course, there'd been nobody down here

except for Phillip for years.

- He was a little unsteady on his feet.

The old man's gonna miss him. They were together for years.

- Well, I tell you, it's one hell of a mess.

Well, you see a lot of accidents with alcoholics,

but I don't see any kind of angle in it.

The old guy falls down and dies.

What the hell? I'll write it up.

- Somebody should have kept an eye out for him.

- Hey, this is good stuff.

Who are you?

- I'm Mr. Langrock's grandson, Gabriel.

- You live here?

- What happened?

- [Detective] There's been an accident.

(birds chirping) (dog barking distantly)

- I'd appreciate it if you could keep the Langrock name

out of the paper.

I mean, if you can do it

without compromising yourself at all.

- Well, I don't think it'll be a problem.

Look, why don't you come down to the office tomorrow?

Fill out the papers, normal procedure.

Take you about five minutes. - Thanks.

- Look, I'm sorry about this, Jeff.

You take care, buddy.

- Say hi to Linda for me. - Will do.

- Now we find out.

Gabriel! What did you do?

Talk to me.

- I told you this would happen, see?

- Look, I'm taking it easy with you.

I could have fed you to that detective downstairs. I didn't.

Goddamn it, Gabriel, you look at me.

Now, Meredith told me everything about the trap,

about the dog, you watching her, everything.

You're in a lotta trouble, son.

There are places they can put you.

- I didn't choose to come here.

I'm trying to make the best of everything

for my grandfather.

- Oh, yeah, killing two people for your grandfather, huh?

- I lived on a farm. I kill for food.

- [Jeffrey] Just another country boy, aren't you?

- [Gabriel] Ah! - [Meredith] Oh!

- [Gabriel] Ah! Bastard!

I'm gonna kill you!

(Gabriel grunting)

(wheelchair clatters) - [Mr. Langrock] Ah!

- Oh my...

Easy, sir.

- I tried to get to the chair.

I heard a noise.

What happened? - Nothing. Not a thing.

- What happened? - I'll be outside.

(Mr. Langrock groans) (soft, melancholy music)

(birds chirping)

(saddle and chains clatter)

(clock ticking)

Well? - She's packing.

- [Meredith] I'm sorry.

- Yeah. I tried to convince her to stay.

She's a nice old lady.

Supposed it was Alex, too.

How about you?

- I'm so confused. What's gonna happen?

- I don't know. I really don't.

- Maybe they are accidents.

- They're not accidents.

How could Gabriel...

How could anyone?

How am I gonna tell Langrock his grandson's a murderer?

He'll never live through it.

I can't keep Gabriel locked up the whole time.

I can't let him out.

And if that coroner's report goes past that detective,

there are gonna be police up here in a second.

Meredith, I need time to think.

- Will you stay the night?

There's sheets and towels in the spare room.

- Come on, I'll walk you up.

(doorknob rattles)

(sighs) I guess he's asleep.

Are you gonna be all right here?

- Sure. (soft, serene music)

- You want me to go?

- [Meredith] I think so.

- I'm sorry.

(crickets chirping) (lock clicks)

(door creaks) (ominous music)

(switch clicks) (door squeaks and slams)

(footsteps thudding) (ominous music)

(crickets chirping)

(gate creaks and thuds)

(ominous music) (crickets chirping)

(object thwacks)

(crickets chirping)

(object thwacks)

(object thwacks)

(crickets chirping)

(door thuds)

(eerie music)

(flashlight clicks) (mysterious music)

- Hey, what's going on?

- Maybe you tell me, hm? - What?

Oh, it's you.

No, I was -- I was just going back to my place

and I just heard the door bang, and I --

- Left the coroner a couple hours ago.

Butler didn't die in that fall.

(unsettling music)

- Hey, I don't know anything about this.

- Well, let's say you don't.

Let's say I didn't leave that door open.

I was at your room a little while ago. You weren't there.

You usually up this time of night?

(unsettling music) - Yeah, I was...

I was cleaning out the wine cellar.

- Yeah, the old man has a job for everybody, right?

To cook his meals, clean up his mess.

Whew, they must've spilled a fortune

in wine down there today.

Ah, he doesn't care.

You and me, right, we clean up his mess.

- He's a nice old man.

- Yeah, well, there's somebody running around here

that isn't so nice.

That wouldn't be you, would it?

- Hey, I don't know nothing about this.

- Yeah, you cleaned up the cellar real nice and neat,

though, didn't you?

Couldn't find anything down there if I wanted to.

Yeah, you did a real good job.

Hey, do me a favor.

Go back to your room and go to bed.

- I can go? - Class dismissed.

(suspenseful music)

(door creaks and slams)

(suspenseful music)

(weapon thwacks) (detective groans and gasps)

(eerie music) - Harmon?

Hey, Harmon? (door squeaks)

Jesus, Harmon. Wha --

Oh, God!

(object clatters) (tense music)

Who are you?

(handle rattles)

(door squeaks and slams)

(weapon thwacks) Hey!

(glass crashes) (Alex groans)

(Alex panting)

(harrowing music) (Alex groans)

(chair clatters)

(Alex panting)

(eerie scraping)

(suspenseful music)

(pipe clinks)

(pipe thwacks)

(eerie scraping) Let me out!

(debris clatters) Hey!

I just wanna get out!

(pipe clatters)

(Alex pants)

(tense music)

(Alex shudders)

(crickets chirping)

(weapon thwacks) (Alex groans)

(rails clatter) (tense music)

(footsteps thud)

(Alex groans and thuds)

(sinister music)

(debris clatters)

(Alex groans)

(cabinet clatters)

(rake slices) Ah!

(body thuds)

(birds chirping)

(mysterious music)

- [Meredith] Dear Mother,

at long last, I have met a fine man.

I hope you will like him.

Although you will certainly,

I kept thinking of Gabriel.

Something wasn't right.

I could feel it all around the house.

I had missed something.

(unsettling music)

(doors creaks)

(mysterious music)

(ominous music)

(mysterious music)

(ominous music)

(mouse squeaks)

(unsettling music) (clock ticking)

(door creaks)

(eerie music)

(mysterious music)

(eerie music)

(bird chirps)

(unsettling music)

(eerie, mysterious music)

(eerie scraping) (suspenseful music)

(tense music)

(mysterious music)

(tense music)

(phone ringing)

- [Jeffrey] Hello? Hello?

- Langrock residence.

- [Jeffrey] Meredith? Meredith, is that you?

- Jeffrey. Jeffrey, I found it.

I found it. - Meredith, what did you find?

- A club. A leg of a table.

- Meredith! - Awful.

- [Jeffrey] For God sakes, Meredith, don't do anything.

I've gotta talk to you. I'll be right there.

- Jeffrey?

- [Jeffrey] Please, just stay in your room.

Don't do anything at all, please.

- Jeffrey, hurry.

- [Jeffrey] Do it for me, huh?

(mysterious music)

(door slams)

(tense music)

(suspenseful music)

(buttons clack)

- [Receptionist] Drysdale Legal.

- Yes, Jeffrey Frazier, please.

- [Receptionist] I'm afraid he hasn't been in all day.

- No!

- [Receptionist] Can I have him return the call?

- No, no.

(sinister music)

(birds chirping)

(body thuds) (dramatic music)

(Meredith screams)

(Meredith breathing heavily)

(engine rumbles)

(tires screech)

(tense music)

(knuckles banging) - [Jeffrey] Duffy!

Duffy, let me in!

- Oh my God, it's Jeff. (door rattling)

- [Duffy] Just a minute! Just a minute!

- Duffy, no! (tense music)

- Still nervous? - No!

Police? Police?

- Meredith, I don't think we want the police in on this.

- Don't kill me.

I know why you killed them. You don't have to kill me.

I won't tell. Please?

What are you going to do to me?

- Meredith, what are you talking about?

I didn't kill those people.

You know who killed them.

(unsettling music)

You killed them.

Meredith, it's all over.

I've just come from the hospital.

They've told me everything.

Your mother was never a psychiatric patient

at Laurel State Hospital.

- Oh, don't change the truth.

- Your mother died 26 years ago in childbirth.

- No, my mother -- - Is dead.

She died 26 years ago in childbirth.

- [Meredith] No.

- It was you who were raped by your father.

- Never. - Yes.

When you were 12 years old, viciously, until you killed him.

(Meredith groans)

Meredith, you were the patient for 6 1/2 years.

Not your mother, you.

- Don't say things like that.

(eerie music)

- [Jeffrey] Meredith...

- You've been drinking.

Don't talk so loud.

- [Jeffrey] Meredith, please.

- I won't have it in the house. I won't.

- Meredith, don't. - You don't understand.

You never will.

- [Jeffrey] Meredith...

(club thwacks)

(Meredith grunting) (club thwacking)

(tense, dramatic music) (Meredith groaning)

(Meredith panting)

- Oh! Ah, no!

Oh God!

No, no, no! Ah!

(tense music)

(club thwacking)

(Meredith gasping) (club thwacking)

(Meredith pants)

(curtain rattles) (Mr. Langrock screams)

(cane thwacks) (Meredith groans)

(Mr. Langrock grunts) (Meredith thuds)

(clock ticking)

(Mr. Langrock groans and wheezes)

- Oh!

My family...

Oh!

- [Meredith] Mother died in that room.

It was a brutal and horrible thing.

It is awful to think that a mother would kill the only man

her daughter might ever love.

Sometimes, I think she deserved to die.

But you must try not to blame her too much, Father.

She suffered more than you can ever know.

Mothers try to protect daughters.

That's how it's always been, I suppose.

And Fairlawn's gone from me now, with my new work.

(phone rings) Gone, perhaps forever.

(nurse speaks indistinctly)

But poor Mr. Langrock, how lonely he must be.

- [Meredith] It's a horrible thing, loneliness.

If I could get the time, perhaps next month,

maybe next year, to go back to Fairlawn...

(gate slams)

(soft, melancholy music)

(gentle melancholy music continues)

(gentle melancholy music continues)