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The Killer Downstairs (2019)
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That's why it's the best possible solution. Or you could just sell it, make a ton of money and start over. No way. I am not selling my family home. It's the easiest way to make some extra money. It's unregulated, and I can get to be my own boss. I mean, how many people can say that? It's not that easy, Alison. You've got to be careful out there. You don't know who you're letting in. I mean, I wouldn't want some stranger living in my home. They're not strangers, and it is totally safe. In fact, I'm meeting with a family tonight. And they seem like the perfect fit. Anyway, I'm gonna be late for work. But have you vetted them? I mean, like, really checked them out? I've seen their profile. He's in the tech industry, and his wife is a professional... And his kid is... well, a kid. Well, the passive income will certainly help, at least until you get a new law firm opening. Yeah, well, I'm not going to hold my breath. That's because you haven't tried again. You've gone though a lot this past year. Things are going to turn around as soon as you're ready. Trust me, I'm ready. Can we go home yet? Hey, this is my seventh straight day, so don't even go there. Brandon is paying you overtime, though, right? You just hung up on me. Don't be cute. You realize you have the labor rights on your side? Okay, Ali, this isn't Fairview Law, or whatever law firm you worked for. Fairfax and Associates. Whatever. Down here on main street, we take all the work we can get. Hey, has he asked you out yet? What? He told me he was going to. He says you can't use your "I'm still reeling from my ex" excuse forever. I'm not reeling and I'm not making excuses. Edwin was psychotic and possessive. Yeah, well, you don't have to tell me twice. I'm the one who warned you about him. I'm aware, thanks. Anyway, Brandon may mean well, but if he asks you out, like he did to all of us, just say no. Okay. Do you know how all men interpret women who don't say no to the smallest of advances? They think it means you like them and that they have a chance with you. I don't want to make a scene. I need this job. Okay. Edwin might have messed with your head, but you're still the strongest, bravest woman I know. And if Brandon asks you out... Say no. Say no. Got it. Okay. Trust me. Hi. Can I help you with something? I bet you there's lots of things you can help me with. Well, this is an all-season couch. You could put it on your patio, in your backyard, in your living room, so it's pretty great. Why don't you have a seat here with me? I don't think I can help you with that. Oh, no. Isn't it your job to help me... Alison? Do you have a question, sir? No. I'm alright. Thanks for your help. Have a nice day. You okay? Yeah. Thanks, Mr. Matthews. Alison, please. I've told you, you can call me Brandon. Listen, if anything like that ever happens again... Nothing happened. Okay, all I'm saying is that I'm here for you. For anything. Anything at all. I appreciate that, Mr. Matthews. I'll keep that in mind. Okay. James? Alison? Yeah. Hey. It's so great to meet you. Yeah, yeah. You too. I hope your drive up was okay? Yeah, yeah, a few bumps on the road, but about as smooth as one could hope for. Good. Is your family with you? My family? Yeah. Your profile said you had a wife and a kid... Oh... I'm sorry. I've been meaning to update that for a few months. We... We separated a while back. Oh... I'm really sorry to hear that. No. No, no, no. You know what, it's been hard, but we're still friends. Kid and all, so. Well, that's good. For the kid. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They're actually back in Minneapolis. Lilly's gonna come out here in a few weeks to... to visit. That's my daughter. If this is a problem, I can go find a hotel... No! No, no, no, no. Don't be silly. Honestly, it's great. Yeah? Yeah! Okay. Well, let me... Let me show you to the suite. Great. Okay. You know, my ex, actually, works in law, just like you. I saw it on your profile. Oh. What law firm does she work for? Uh, Mckenzie, Latner and Co. And you? It's a long story. Just down this way. Okay. So what brings you to town? Uh, well, I'm actually thinking about investing in a local cryptocurrency start-up, so I came to check it out. Oh. That's interesting. Yeah. I sold my private security company a couple of years ago. Now I spend most of my time just looking for good investments. Sounds like you're pretty busy. Try to be. So this is it. Wow! This is a nice spot. Yeah, it's super cozy in here. Well, got a bedroom down the hall and a second bedroom right here. And we've got the bathroom here. And I just left some towels under the cabinet. Great. And the TV is a little bit wonky, but... I'm gonna get a repairman to come soon, so. Okay. Well, you know what, I can probably take a look at it. I'm kind of a tech-nerd/handyman myself. Oh, well, maybe you could fix my sink upstairs, too. Yeah, sure thing. That was a joke, but okay. I'll try. Well, if you need anything, you can just text me, or... I'm just right up the stairs. The door on the left leads to my kitchen. And I left you a list of some of my favorite restaurants in town, if ever you get hungry. That's awesome. Thank you so much. I appreciate that. Well, this is my first time being a Mi Casa Su Casa host, so if you like what you see, I would appreciate you commenting on anything you feel comfortable posting. Seems like a beautiful home, I'm sure you'll be the perfect host. It would be my pleasure. Thanks. Yeah. Great! Well, I'll leave your keys right here... Awesome. ...And I'll let you get settled in. Okay. Thank you. This is great. Goodnight. Goodnight, Alison. Hey. Morning! You're making breakfast? Yeah. It's the best way to start the day, right? Hannah, my ex, used to harass me if she ever found a pound of fat on me, so I kind of got in the habit of going for a run, and now I'm making us breakfast. Listen, James, I... Big Box Outlet? What's that? It's temporary. I lost my job at the firm not too long ago, and so this is... Hey, you know what, it's none of my business. I mean, I don't judge anyone for doing what they have to do to put food on the table. In fact, you know what, maybe I could talk to Hannah about getting you practicing again. I mean, her partners have satellite firms all over the country. There might be a fit somewhere. You think that she would do that? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, we might be separated, but we're still civil. That's says a lot about someone who goes their separate ways but can still be friends. I agree. Well, have a nice day. Yeah, you too. Hey, there she is! Just the ex-lawyer I want to see. Brandon... hi. Come on into my office. I want to run something by you. Why don't you grab a seat right there? So I have got a little problem that I wanted to run by you. The thing is, I can't afford an actual law firm. I was kind of hoping that maybe I could pick your brain. I'm listening. You know, this isn't really the time or place to discuss it. Why don't you and I grab a bite to eat later on tonight? My treat. And I'll fill you in on the details. Mr. Matthews, I appreciate you... Look, I will pay you $150 for the hour. Come on. You get fed, you listen, you go home. That's it? That's it. Look, Sarah told me that you're renting out your basement suite right now. Sounds like you're a little bit desperate... And the truth is... so am I. Fine. Great. How about 8:00 P.M. at The Fat Cow Oyster Bar? They've got everything there. And it's very central. Sure. 8:00. Great. Looking forward to it. You told him about my rental suite? He was asking about your situation, I didn't think it was a big deal. I know. It's just, he's so... So what happened? Did he ask you out? No, he just wanted to ask me some legal stuff. He's going to pay me for my time. Okay, well, just remember that being nice to men like that... I know, I get it. Anyway, how'd it go with the family? Well, actually, it wasn't a family. Really? It was supposed to be, but they're going through a separation. What, so no one showed up? No, the guy did. Just him? His kid is coming next week. And he's... Okay, please don't tell me he's the most gorgeous guy you've ever seen. I was going to say he's nice, but if you like handsome, charming, and in really great shape... I hate you. But... This morning, when I came downstairs, he had cooked a full healthy breakfast. Sounds like a modern-day renaissance man. In my kitchen. So? That wasn't part of the agreement. Oh, well, did he know that? It was on the website. I think. So then you told him? I didn't have the heart to tell him. He put so much effort into the breakfast. Well, then just set some boundaries. I mean, I'm sure he'll understand. He has his space, you have yours. Yeah... Alison? Michael? I thought that was you. I don't think I've seen you since graduation. How have you been? Really great, obviously. I was upgraded to partner of the gardening section. And I won a case in dairy, so... What about you? Didn't you move back to Orlando? I moved out here just over six months ago. Crowder and Associates. Nice landing. Yeah, it's alright. Oh, sorry. Michael, this is Sarah. Sarah, this is Michael. Michael and I went to Chase... And Sarah and I have been best friends since elementary school. Sarah Williams. I actually remember Alison mentioning your name back in the day. You remember that? I have a weird brain for that sort of information. Impressive. You know what, now that you mention it, I remember that about you... Hence why you were at the top of our class. Didn't you get a 98% in the debate final? I did. I remember that. Excuse me, Miss. How can I help you? So, obviously, things didn't work out at Fairfax? It's a long story, but the short of it is me and my ex were splitting up, and... Edwin. Edwin, right... I really didn't like that guy. Well, a lot of people didn't, and apparently, I was the last one to find out. Who is that? That's my boss, Mr. Matthews, or... "Brandon" as he would like me to call him. Does he always stare at you like that? That's alright. You know, if you're still interested in practicing, the partners at my firm are actually looking for some new associates right now. Seriously? Here, have a look at this. Crowder and Associates. Nice. Look, if and when you're ready, give me a call or email me your C.V., okay? We'll set something up for you. You don't deserve this. That's so great, sweetie. I can't wait to see it. Okay. Yeah, I love you, too. Alright, put your mom on the phone again, alright? Hey, Hannah. I know, it sounds like she's doing really great. Lilly's gonna have a great time, I think. Okay. Alright, bye. Hello? Sorry, I just got home from work, and I saw that you used my kitchen. Yeah, yeah. I hope you don't mind, I just thought I'd make something healthy for dinner, and then I was wondering if maybe you wanted to join. I was going to mention that I'd rather... Hey. Hi. I was gonna say that I didn't intend on my kitchen being used by the downstairs tenants... Oh... It wasn't even clear on the site, so it's my fault. When you said to knock and that you were just upstairs, I thought that... It's all good. Yeah. Sorry. It was a total misunderstanding. Now I know. It won't happen again. I appreciate that. I did actually, um, fix your sink, though, while I was up here. You did? Yeah. May I? Yeah. Of course. Yeah, it was just a little blockage, but it should be gone now. Ta-dah! Okay, now I just feel bad. No, no, no, don't... No, seriously, I should be paying you to stay here. Well, maybe just join me for some dinner. You hungry? I wish I could. I actually have plans. Oh, yeah. Yeah, of course. It's my boss. It's the last thing I would want to be doing. Well, work comes first. You know what, I'll just... I'll clear this up. I'll be out of your hair. Hey, why don't you eat up here? You already went through all the trouble. Well, I appreciate that, but it might be kind of weird just being in your house, eating alone. Well, I do it all the time. Right. I'm gonna go get ready for this thing I really don't want to do. I'm sorry that I can't join you for dinner. No, no. Another night. Okay. You're gonna I Oh, just water for me, thanks. Well, more for me, I guess. So what did you want to talk to me about? What, no foreplay? Excuse me? I just thought that rapport was a necessary step in the attorney-client relationship. Well, I'm not your attorney. No, but you are my employee, and someone I'd like to get to know better, so a modicum of mutual socializing isn't too much to ask, now, is it? Look... I want to be perfectly frank with you. I think... that you and I... would make a perfect team... which is why I want to make a proposal. Assistant Manager. What about Sarah? Sarah doesn't have the brains. I see the way you handle yourself. The way you interact with customers. I see a lot. But you can't... Sarah's been there for years. She practically runs the place. She's way past her best-before date. Which is why I wanted to get your legal advice on how I can get you to take her place, hmm? That would be a conflict of interest. Well, would it change things if I told you that there'd be a raise? Maybe a bump in commissions? Not to mention... other perks. I'd make it all worth your while. What are you doing? Don't make a scene. You realize that this is harassment? Come on. Don't pull that card. Alison! Alison, what's the problem? Just leave me alone! You've done enough tonight! You're overreacting. Overreacting? You grabbed me! I barely touched you. Come on. Hey! Hey, why don't you mind your own business, buddy? I think the lady would like for you to leave her alone... buddy. You've got this all wrong. So that's your boss, huh? Yeah. What are you doing here? I was gonna eat at home, but then I just figured we'd save it for tomorrow, so I came to get some Chinese. Are you sure you're okay? Yeah. Look, why don't you get home, I'll pick something up, I'll bring it back for us. That's really sweet, but I think I'm just gonna go home, and go to bed early. Yeah. Okay. Thanks for helping me. Yeah. Good night. 'Night. Hey. Hey. Sorry I missed your call. Everything okay? You were right. About Brandon. Oh, no. What did he do? He just... I can't believe he made a move on me like that. Ali... I don't know why I keep attracting these kinds of people into my life, you know? Maybe it's me. No, no! It's not you. Don't even go there. Men like him are a dying breed. I just don't know how I'm going to face him tomorrow. Hey, listen, if you want to take this up with H.R., you know I'll back you up. Brandon's been getting away with this for far too long. In my opinion, he's run into the wrong person in the wrong era. I know. Look, I'm just gonna get some sleep, and I will see you tomorrow. Okay. Bright and early. Bye. Okay. Bye. Good morning. Hi. None for me? James got it for me. Ooh! Breakfast in bed now? Stop it. Maybe I should rent out my basement... I don't have a basement. I have a living room. I could rent out my living room. Very funny. Oh! And his wife... Well, ex-wife... Is a lawyer, and she said she'd look over my resume. Two contacts in two days. Not too shabby... Hey... You know I appreciate you getting me this job, right? Of course. And we all know you're over-qualified. Probably going to be a long process, and I'm not really sure... Excuse me, Alison. Could I speak to you for a minute, please? Good morning, folks. Welcome to the store. Don't forget to check out all of our great specials. Listen, Alison... Mr. Matthews, I... Please. Let me just finish. Okay? From what I recall, all I did last night was ask you for a little help with a personal matter, and if you think that you can accuse me of anything untoward, well... it's not going to work out for you here. Mr. Matthews... Brandon... I really need this job, and... I apologize if I overreacted. Good. I was hoping you'd say that. Hey! Hey. You never told me you had a green thumb. Yeah. Yeah. I hope you don't mind. No, I... In fact, that's not something I would do for myself, so thank you. Well, I have to admit, I saw on your profile that you loved petunias, so... You saw that? Yeah. It was listed under favorite things, which is funny, because I kind of had you pegged as more of a tulip girl. That's what you get for putting all your things online. Right. Oh, excuse me. Hello? Michael? You found my number. Really? They want to interview me? That's amazing. Yeah, I can go for a snack. The Friendly Bistro, 7:00. I'll see you then. Bye. Who was that? That's an old law-school friend of mine. I guess his firm wants to interview me. That's great, right? Yeah... What? It's just... I don't know. He's one of those people who's, like, really pleased to see me, you know? Ah... Well, do you want me to come with? I could sit in the corner, put on a disguise, choke him if he tries any funny business. I think we'll be fine. Okay. Um... do you mind if I grab a glass of water from your kitchen? No. Come on in. You think you guys will be having a late night tonight? No. It's just to get an update about this potential interview. That's cool. Here you go. Thank you. You're welcome. I'm just going to go change. Yeah. Hey, how did it go with your boss today? He said I overreacted, which is why I need this interview. And I need it badly. Okay... Wow. You sure it's not a date? Trust me. I just want to look professional. So what are you going to be doing? I'm just going to... finish up back here, shoot off some work emails. Nothing major. I wish I could stay in. This sounds like a great opportunity for you. Yeah. Thanks. I love the flowers. You're welcome. And thank you for the water. Anytime. See you later. See ya. You remember those all-night study sessions at Calhoun's Cafe in Kentucky? Strongest coffee in town. I never drank it. You never drank the coffee? How did you stay up? I don't know. I just never really needed it. But I do remember Edwin trying to pick you up one night. You were sitting over there in the corner, and he walked right in, looking like a lost little kid in a land full of lawyers. Well, he always hated lawyers. And Kentucky. Should've taken that hint, I guess. Well, he obviously didn't want to lose you. I mean, I can't blame him. What do you mean? Well, I had a little crush on you back in the day. You did? Everybody did. But I went my own way. Out of respect, of course. Speaking of which, is your boss still creeping on you from his window? Uh, yeah. I'm hoping not for much longer, though. Well, actually, I spoke to my associates. You did? Mm-hmm. I told them about your grades and your Bar exam, and they're very impressed. And they want to see your full C.V., which you can bring to your interview! Sorry. Sorry. Don't be. It's just been such a while since I got some good news. Don't worry about it. Cheers to that. Yes. They'll call you by the end of the week, so don't stress. Just be yourself. Let me send you their contact info so you'll know it's them when they call. That is old school. Keeps it simple. If I wanna check the weather, I'll open a newspaper. Oh. Well, thanks again, Michael. It was so great running into you again. Some things are just meant to be. Right. Okay, well, I should probably get home. Yeah, it is getting late. I want to make sure I'm sharp for all those canned goods tomorrow. Bye. Bye now. James? Just a sec. Hey. Guess who got a job interview? What? That's fantastic! Not only that, but I don't have much to celebrate these days, so I brought over a bottle of wine. Do you feel like hosting? Mi Casa Su Casa. Literally. Come on. Awesome. Thank you. You know, I used to live down here for a while. Yeah. I kind of figured it was your family home or something. Most people can't afford a house like this these days. Well, not on a one-year law career. Right. So, when my dad died, my mom just needed a change, and so she moved to Sedona, of all places. Ah... Home of the vortexes. You know your stuff. It's the spiritual center of the United States. I mean, the Hopi people still have a lot to teach us about peace and love... If we're willing to learn. Have you ever been there? It's actually where Hannah and I got married. I have to admit, I heard you guys talking. You heard? Yeah. It's an old house. Thin walls. I don't mean to pry, but... I think it's really great that you two are friends. I know how hard breakups can be. Yeah, I mean, the truth is, we hadn't been on the same page for a long, long time. Even intimately... it's been years. Years? Sorry. Is that too much information? No, no, not at all. In fact, it's refreshing to know that I'm not the only one who has... struggles. You and your ex? Yeah. We were... a bad match. How so? He was possessive and jealous of my friends and colleagues. That can be a lot to deal with. Did he hurt you? Well, if that's all in the past... I mean, frankly, he's just lucky I wasn't there to protect you. Not many men would have done what you did last night. Put yourself in harm's way to help. I guess I'm not like most men. No... you definitely aren't. I'm sorry. What? No, no. I should not have done that. It's okay. No, I'm your landlord, and I should just go back upstairs. Alison, just wait. Okay, look, this is your space, and if anything, I misread the situation. No. You didn't. I don't think they cover this in the Tenancy Act. Look, I used your kitchen... and you kissed me, so... let's just call it even. You're not weirded out? No, no. Not at all. Look, whatever happened, happened... and we're totally cool. We're cool? Totally cool. So how's your tenant? James? He's... good. What does that mean? Did something happen between you two? We kissed. What? Shh! Ali! How did that even happen? We were on the couch, and we were talking, and then one thing led to another... I feel terrible! Why, why, why? Because he's my tenant. So, people meet on the Internet all the time, I guess. I guess. Just be careful. What do you mean? Well, personally, I'm very happy to see you moving on and feeling good about yourself... Just... you know, don't... Move too fast. Exactly. Yeah. Okay, now I really have to meet this guy. Uh, Ali? This is Detective Fitzgerald and Detective Reynolds. They're hoping to have a word with you. What's going on? When was the last time you saw Mr. Matthews? Uh, yesterday. We had a bit of an argument. About what? I was a lawyer. He asked me to help him with a personal problem. I said I couldn't. Was he in some kind of trouble? Not that I'm aware of. What is going on? Did he do something? What happened after the argument? I finished my shift, I went home, and then I met up with a friend for a drink... From back in college. He have a name? Michael Hammond. He'll vouch for your whereabouts? Yes, of course. What is going on? Brandon Matthews was killed last night. He was burned alive. How was your relationship with him? He... he was my boss. Did your relationship ever venture into any other areas? No. Nothing sexual or something that could be misconstrued as such? Why are you asking me this? Miss Peters, Mr. Matthews' phone was retrieved from the fire last night. Our forensics were able to pull the records. They show texts of you communicating with him right up until the time of his murder. What? "Hey, it's Alison. Wanna try again? "Grab a drink tonight and talk? I promise to not overreact." Then, "I knew you'd be a team player. Where do you want to meet me?" "Same place. 15 minutes." Then "Done." I didn't write that! Are you still 555-0199? No. That is not my number. It isn't? No. Is there anyone in your life who might want to harm Mr. Matthews? Maybe someone who wants to get close to you? Is your boss still creeping on you from his window? He shouldn't do that to you. You don't deserve this. Alison? What is it? Well... Michael was... What? Michael was what? He saw... He saw Brandon staring at me and he said a comment that I didn't pay much attention to at the time... And then he called me out of the blue that night, and asked me to go for dinner with him... And then he admitted that he had a crush on me since we were in school. Listen... I'll check him out. In the meantime, just... you need to stay safe, okay? Whatever precautions you need to take... do it. We're just a phone call away. Alison? Is everything okay? Hey. You okay? So what happened? He was murdered. What? Who? My boss. The guy from the restaurant? Yeah. Do they have a suspect? They don't know yet, but... Are you expecting someone? Yeah. Hey. I just had to leave after they talked to me. Are you okay? No. No, I'm not. Sarah, this is James. James, this is Sarah. Hi. Hey. I'm really sorry to hear about your boss. Yeah, thanks. Did they question you, too? They questioned everybody. I'll get that. Do you guys want tea? Yeah. Thanks, James. Yeah. So did they tell you that someone texted Brandon and they tried to pin it on me? What? Yeah. From your phone? It was another phone number, but they still haven't found the phone. So someone's trying to put this on you? Okay, that's just freaky. It's Michael's firm. Put it on speaker phone. Hello? Miss Peters, I'm calling on behalf of Crowder and Associates. Hi. Mr. Crowder would like to see you for an interview. Does 2:00 P.M. tomorrow work for you? Uh... yes. That's perfect. Wonderful. We'll see you then. Okay, bye. What are you doing? Why would he do that for me if he was going to go after Brandon? Well, it makes perfect sense, Ali. Thank you. Yeah. He wants you for himself, and now he's even closer. Yeah, some guys can be really, really possessive. Even dangerous. From everything I've heard about this Michael guy, I don't trust him. I don't even think you should go to this interview. I agree. Hey, how about I stay over tonight? I mean, you're not the only one who's freaked out here. And plus, if he's coming after you, he's going to have to go through me first. Well, you know what, I'm right downstairs. I mean, we're probably pretty safe in the house. Thanks, James, but you don't know me, and I am vicious. I will rip his face off. Okay. Either way... we've got each other's back. Okay? Of course. Yeah. What are you doing? What are you doing? I heard something. Please don't say that. It was probably just the wind, but... But what? Let's go downstairs. Okay. You know what I think you need? New locks. I don't need new locks. Yes, you do! I'll have to change the whole house. So at least you'll feel more safe. And put a new lock on the basement door once and for all. Why? Well, if you want to play Miss Landlord, then Miss Landlord needs to put in some separation. What about James? What about James? It's not like he's going to be here forever. That's true. Did you see how weird he got when I said I was staying over? Please. Not your spidey sense again. Okay, my spidey senses are always right, aren't they? Ali? I think we're all being a little bit sensitive. I'm sure he was just being protective. Okay, well, just humor me. Okay... He came upstairs... twice. To make me food. Right, because your site didn't specifically say that he couldn't. I mean, I'm just saying... what else do you think he does in here when you're not home? Sarah... Well, just put feelings aside and be a landlord. I mean, every house needs rules, right? And if James or some other tenant wants to stay here, then he should have to follow them. Rules? Ali. You're so afraid of offending people and that's how you get stuck in these situations in the first place. If he's as good of a guy as you say he is, then he should understand. You're right. Let's just go back to bed. Okay. That's the last one? That's it. Thank you so much. You're welcome. Awesome. Here are your new keys. Great. Have a nice day. Locksmith, huh? Uh... Sarah convinced me. I... I put a lock on your basement suite door, just up the stairs. Oh, good. It's good? Yeah. I mean, if you're going to be opening up your space for strangers to stay, then absolutely. I've been so worried about offending you, with the locks and rules. No, no, no. Not at all. I mean, you need to take care of you. Oh, sorry. Hello? Miss Peters, this is Detective Fitzgerald. Detective. Hi. Is everything alright? Yeah. We just wanted to let you know we've apprehended a suspect in the Brandon Matthews case. You did? Some intoxicated vagrant. We found him with the mobile. We found him with the lighter fluid. Everything. That is great news. We still don't know why Mr. Matthews thought that number was yours, or what this guy even had against him, but once he sobers up, we'll get more information out of him. Okay. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help. Will do. Okay, bye. They got the guy that murdered my boss. What do you mean, so it wasn't Michael? I feel bad. I feel relieved, but... I feel relieved for Michael, but he is never going to let this go. What do you mean? Well... if the police called him, he's got a brain like a machine, so I wouldn't be surprised if he helped them find the guy. Anyway, I should probably go and get ready for my interview, but... so this is your new key. Thank you. Maybe we could do dinner tonight? You can help me work on those online rules? Yeah. That would be... That would be really great. Okay. Okay. It's all very impressive. Top of your debate class. Highest Bar Exam at Chase. All I know is you were fired from Fairfax, and everyone signed a confidentiality agreement to not speak about it. Now, I'm not asking you to break your word, but how about you explain it to me as best you can? It's a chapter I like to forget about. Mm. The truth is, I had an affair with a colleague at the firm. I didn't get fired. I quit. My life was such a mess, and I wanted to own that, and start over. I love law, Mr. Crowder. And I would give anything to get a second chance. Your honesty is noble, Miss Peters. As is your integrity. Whoa. Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there. Oh, don't worry about it. So how'd it go? It went good, I think. Good. Yeah. I'm really happy for you. Well, let's not get happy yet. Those chickens aren't guaranteed to hatch. They'd be fools to pass on someone like you. Listen... I'm sorry about your boss. The police called me, they told me what happened. I'm really sorry that I gave your name to the police. No... you were just crossing your "T"s and dotting your "I"s. That's why you're a good lawyer. Thank you. You might not want to count those chickens, but I'll see you when they hatch. Can't wait. It'll be like old times. Yup. See you soon. Alright. Bye. It's too bad that's not... Where are you doing, man? Huh? Why are you after me? That's a pretty stupid question for such a smart guy. It was you, wasn't it? You killed her boss, huh? Nothing gets past you, huh? What the hell do you want from me, huh? What do you want from her? I just want her. Maybe some kids. A white-picket fence. See, I want what you want. I just want it more. James? And shared laundry, but you choose the days. But what if they're only here for two days? Then you set some hours. Fine. Oh, I have an email. It's from Hannah. "Hey, Alison, James informed me of your inquiries. Please send over your C.V. at your earliest convenience." That's amazing, Ali! Yeah... but what about Michael? You do the smart thing and see which one sticks. You have your C.V. on file? Of course. So send it, girl! Roll with it while you can. Okay... "Hey, Hannah! Thank you so much for your help. Here's my C.V. Looking forward to hearing from you. Alison Peters" And send. Good job. Oh! I think James is back. Oh... gonna go to second base? How old are you? Are we still on for tomorrow? Only if you're making me. I'm making you. Okay. Have fun. Okay, bye. Hey, what happened? I'm embarrassed. Are you okay? Yeah, no. I went running on this trail, and I fell pretty hard. It looks painful. No, it's alright. Here. Come inside. I'll clean you up. And that is why you should always have a running partner. Are you offering? Well, I think Sarah would get a little bit jealous. Didn't realize you guys had a routine. We try... Although once a week seems to be like all we can handle right now. We're going to go tomorrow morning if you want to join. Yeah, I'm thinking maybe I should take a day off for once. I think that's probably a good idea. You know, Hannah would never do this. No? No. Well, good thing you have me, then. Wouldn't have it any other way, except for the scrapes and everything. She emailed me, by the way. Oh, yeah? Mm-hmm. I sent over my C.V. to her. That's awesome. I'm excited for you. Thank you. Do you want to make dinner with me tonight? I'd love to. Okay. Well, I'll go get started. You finish up here and meet me downstairs? Yeah. Okay. I remember in school, there was this kid who copied my test. And then when he got caught, he told the teacher that I gave him his answers. Did you? Not at all. Okay, so, I see, and then you went on a legal crusade to try to right all the wrongs of the world. My dad is the one who wanted me to go into law, and I was never able to say no, and no matter what I did, it was just never good enough. I guess that's why I... couldn't stand up to Brandon. Or any man, for that matter. No, no, no. That guy played with fire and he got burned. What? It was just a figure of speech. Did I tell you that he died in a fire? No, I don't think so, but... I mean, come to think of it, I did see something on the news. Brandon... Matthews. That was your boss? Yeah. Oh, my... what a horrible way to die. Yeah. Remind me why I agreed to this again? Because we're trying to be more disciplined. How's lover boy? What? Did you sleep with him? No, not at all, it was just... What? What is it? He just said something that was... What? What did he say? Did you tell him that Brandon died in a fire? Why would I tell him that? He said he saw it on the news, but then when I looked online last night for local murders, there was nothing. Huh. You know what I think? I think you're scared. Of what? Of what? Feelings, connections. I mean, it does make sense. This is the first guy you've actually liked in a while. You would probably find some things to freak out about. How are the new rules going, by the way? Perfect. He says they should have been placed from the beginning. Okay, well, then just enjoy it, you know? Be present. Speak of the devil. Hey. Hey. Ladies. How are you feeling? Still a little tender, but nothing that won't heal up. How was the run? Feels good, right? Worst decision ever. Right. Oh! It's the law firm. Well, answer it! Put it on speaker phone. Okay. Alison Peters. Alison. It's Cameron Crowder. Have I caught you at a bad time? No, no. It's good to hear from you. Listen, firstly... I want to get this out of the way... We'd love for you to join the firm. Really? Your honesty, your enthusiasm... Your resume speaks for itself. I'd like you to start next week. I would love that! Wonderful, wonderful. Listen, secondly, have you heard from Michael at all? Michael? No. We haven't either. Not since yesterday. Not like him to not return our calls. You know what, I actually sent him a text last night, and he never got back to me either. Well, it's early, I suppose. I'm sure he'll be in soon. Yeah. I'm sure he will. I'll see you in a week. Yeah. Thank you so much, Mr. Crowder. I'm really excited to join the team. You're very welcome. Bye now. Bye. Ali! That is amazing! That's amazing! Please tell me that you told him I could work the phones like nobody's business. I didn't. But I will. Okay. Congratulations. Hey, what's up? Why don't you look happy? I just hope Michael's okay. I'm sure he's fine. Hey, you know what, we should celebrate tonight. What do you say about dinner? Come on! I love that. Okay. As long as you're both in. No, I don't want to be a third wheel. What? Please, no. You know, I should probably get to know you anyway. Yeah. Right? Sure, yeah, okay. Good. Sweet. Hi. You've reached Michael Hammond. Leave a message. Hey, Michael. It's Alison. Look, I've tried to call you a few times, and I was hoping to talk to you in person, but... I just wanted to thank you again for getting me the opening. It looks like Cameron's going to be taking me on, so... Anyway, um, we're having a celebratory dinner at my house, and I would love it if you could stop by. I hope you're okay. It's open. Hey, girl. Hey. Hey. Ooh. Is everything alright? James up here? No. He's downstairs. What's going on? Okay, Ali, um... don't get upset, alright? What? Hello. Hey. You didn't have to bring that. Oh, no, no, no, I'm happy to help. Did you get a hold of Michael? No, you know what, I wasn't able to reach him. I guess we'll flip a coin to see who's the third wheel, huh? Well, shall we? Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. This is delicious, by the way. I'm just really happy that we could all get together. So Ali tells me that your wife is a lawyer? Uh... ex-wife. Sorry. Ex-wife. What firm? Uh, Mckenzie, Latner and Co. Never heard of it. It's boutique. Got it. So your family is still in... Minnesota. Minneapolis, to be exact. Yeah, it's been a little hard on Lilly, but... she's a strong girl. She sounds adorable. I mean, I haven't talked to her, but... I've heard James talking to her. She's everything to me. Well, she sure is cute. Looks a lot like her mom. Excuse me? Well, I mean, from your profile picture. Why were you looking at his profile? 'Cause I was helping you with your profile when we were doing the house rules. Right. Yeah. Yeah, they look a lot alike. Can I get you ladies some more wine? Yes, please. Please. Thanks. Thank you. I could use a top-up. Thank you. And what about you two? Huh? You guys went to school together or something? Yeah, we were in third grade, and we took the bus together. That's cute. So how long have you been separated? Sarah, enough. What are you doing? What? He's open about her, right, James? About a month. A month? Officially. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Well, that's weird, 'cause... when I look at your profile, it says that you've been renting all across the country... For six months. Sarah. Well, ask him. You think it looks like I've been having an affair. Were you? No. Hannah and I were trying to fix things for a long time, and I was traveling back and forth across the country for work. Sarah, I think your spidey senses have had a little bit too much tonight. If you'll excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom. I am so sorry. I do not know what has gotten into her. It's alright. I'm sure it's just her way of looking out for you. Yeah... I'm really happy to be here. I'm happy that you're here, too. Is she okay? Uh, yeah. Her ride share will be here soon. Um... listen, I... I got you something. You did? Yeah. Yeah, it's just a little something to celebrate your new job. "A" for "Ali." I love it. Yeah? Yeah. Thank you. May I? Yeah. Of course. Yeah? It's beautiful. Thank you. Oh, the car's here. Do you want to help me? Oh, yeah, of course. Come on, girl. The car's here. It's time to go to bed. No, I don't want to leave. It's night-night time. I got her, I got her. Alright. Get her home safe, okay? Good night. I love you, Ali! Love you. Well, that was eventful. Hello. Hello. Okay... Mm... Detective Fitzgerald? It's Alison Peters. I need your help. Hey, this is Sarah. Leave a message. Sarah, this is the third time I've called you. Where are you? Call me back, please. I don't know what else you want me to tell you, Miss Peters. You have to do something. You've seen the texts. Listen, it's breaking and entering, it's past 3:00 A.M. It could have been a random event, for all we know. Fitzgerald, take a look at this. That's Michael's phone. Michael Hammond? Yeah. He's been missing for two days. Last communication... Sarah Williams to Michael Hammond last night, 2:00 A.M. "Leave Alison and me alone. She wants nothing to do with your firm. She's mine." No. Sarah would've never said that. So who would? My spidey senses are never wrong. Did you see how weird he got when I said I was staying over? Who was that? And, frankly, he's just lucky I wasn't there to protect you. Hey. He came upstairs twice. What else do you think he does when you're not home? Hey, this is Sarah. Leave a message. Sarah, please call me back. I need you to call me back. I'm worried about you, okay? Where are you? That's a committed friend you've got there. Must be nice. Sarah, can you please pick up? I went to work, I checked the gym, I went back to your house. I'm worried about you. Sarah, just please call me back. James? Screw the rules. Hello? James? Hello? I shouldn't be here. Hannah's phone number. Okay... Hello? Is this Hannah Brewer? This is her sister. Who is this? This is Alison Peters. Do I know you? I'm the landlord that rented the basement suite to James. Oh, my gosh. He's doing it again. What? He's not who you think he is. You need to get off the phone right now and call the police! Oh! Sarah? Oh, honey. We're going to get you out of here, okay? Doesn't this go against the house rules? James, what are you doing? I really wish you hadn't come down here, Ali. I didn't see anything. You didn't see anything? No. You didn't see Sarah right there? My computer right there? Is it true? Did you kill them? You talked to Hannah's sister, didn't you? I'm guessing she filled you in. But I heard you talking to them. Are you sure about that? Oh, hi, sweetie. That's great. I can't wait to see you, too. Hey, put your mom on the phone, would you? So, all those emails from Hannah, they weren't real? I'm just trying to make it work with us, Ali. And I was really hoping that you'd be wearing this today. I took that off to go to bed. You went into my room? You came down to mine, didn't you? That was a mistake. It's always the same. It's always the same. Come here! Let go of me! Come on! Alison. Alison. I know you saw some things down there. But I think if we just have a chance to speak about it... it can all be explained. Everything I've done has been for you. Stop it! Please, please! Don't make this harder than it has to be. No! Why are you doing this? I always do everything for you... I hold doors for you, I buy you things, and all I want is a little love in return. It's getting quiet now, isn't it? It's dark. Look who decided to make a final appearance. You know, Hannah loved flowers, too. They were her "special place." She wouldn't let me go near them, of course. Said I couldn't be trusted with such fragile things. That's ironic. People and their boundaries... She had no problem sleeping with somebody else, though. No problem crossing those boundaries, did she? They still haven't found her body. That doesn't surprise me, though. It can be very difficult for people to see what lies below the surface sometimes. You should know that. You ready? From what I've read, once the dirt hits your face, it takes about eight minutes for you to suffocate. The worms will be on your body for around a year... Then after that, there will be nothing left. I really wish it could have been different between us, Ali. Don't do that. You haven't earned that. What? I don't care that you've been bad. I've been bad! It doesn't matter. I don't care. We all do bad things. Bitch! Love you, bestie! Turn out he's been connected with seven other murders across state lines. You're the first person to get away. I can't believe I trusted him. Well, human nature is still what it always was. We believe what we think is true until we don't. I'm just glad you lived to talk about it. Crowder and Associates, how may I direct your call? One moment, please. Miller's on line two. Can you take a message? Hey, you want to go get lunch? I am starving. Kinda craving some Mexican. Ooh. Si, por favor. All right. I've been meaning to tell you, my new client is so easy to work with. That's because he has you on his side. Well, I'm just lucky I have you on my side. Besties forever. You know it. Hey, have you seen that cute guy who works down the hall? Yeah, he's almost cute enough to rent a basement suite to? Ali! Very funny. Okay. Too soon? Too soon! Alright. |
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