Original subtitles

Previously on Happy Face...

MELISSA: Is that her? What's her name?

IVY: Heather Richmond.

"Heather's boyfriend at the time,

"Elijah Carter, was convicted of her murder.

He maintains his innocence."

Heather Richmond was my kill.

GABRIELA: This confession is a game changer.

We need to pressure the D.A.

to reopen the case.

It's a birthday card. I got it in the mail.

DR. GREG: Perhaps we should first explain

why the Happy Face Killer

called into the show in the first place.

Because he's my father.

I just wanted to see if you were a sick fuck like your dad.

♪ ♪

(rain pattering)

DR. GREG (over video): Can we talk about

how your father got caught?

MELISSA: A woman named Louise Nelson,

uh, he was questioned about her murder

and that led to an eventual confession.

To her and seven others.

DR. GREG: What made Louise different from the other victims?

He knew her.

Um, they were dating,

they said they were going to get married.

I-I thought she'd make a cool stepmom.

♪ ♪

#FreeElijah is trending like crazy.

- Mm. Really? - HAZEL: Yeah.

- you're totally famous, Mom. - MELISSA: Mm-mm.

MAX: Why can't I watch your interview?

I told you, you can watch it when you're older. Hey.

Hey, hey, come back here. Come here. Okay.

(growly voice): Where is your head? Oh.

(growls) I can't find your head. Where is it?

- (giggles) - (normal voice): There you are.

(music playing softly)

Hey, is it mostly positive?

Yeah. I mean, are there people saying

you're centering your white lady tears? Yeah.

Okay. Okay, no more phone. Go get your backpacks.

- Did you know that Grandpa's-- - Stop calling him that.

Keith's art sells for, like, hundreds of dollars online?

It'll probably be more now that he's hot again.

Hazel, we didn't do this to get money or to get famous.

We're just gonna... stick to who we are.

It is who we are.

It's a part of who we are.

And that's what you can say at school,

if anybody...

gives you a hard time.

We'll be fine.

My friends don't watch Dr. Greg.

No offense.

None taken.

(whistle call)

Buddha?

(Buddha barking)

Attaboy. Come on.

♪ ♪

Hey, Adele.

Hi, Ivy.

I'm just, uh, popping in,

seeing how everything's been...

going.

IVY: Everything's been going great.

The tips are pouring in.

- Oh, really? - Yeah.

Wow. Are any like, like real?

Most are batshit, but, uh,

we got one from a trucker who knew your dad.

He said Southeast Texas was

- on his regular route. - IVY: Mm-hmm.

Oh, did you see the protests?

- What protests? - There are hundreds of people

outside Callaway's house, and also the homes

of the nine judges on the CCA.

- My God. Really? - IVY: Yeah.

Wow, I guess we made a ruckus. (chuckles softly)

IVY: Oh, we made a ruckus.

There's my inspirational woman.

- How are you? - Oh, I'm-I'm good.

DR. GREG: Good, good, good.

I just came from breakfast with the network.

They are so thrilled, Melissa. They are thrilled.

The socials are positive.

The numbers are through the roof.

Everybody, everybody loves you.

Which is why I want you on this story

full-time as consulting producer under Ivy.

I mean, you do have an instinct for this.

I... I just really love my job.

And it'll be waiting for you on the other side.

But you are the face of this thing right now.

I need you available.

We'll talk more about it later tonight.

Uh, Roxanne and I put a little something together

at ours, a dinner. You'll bring Ben, right?

- To your house? Tonight? - Absolutely.

People want to meet you, Melissa.

Ivy, you come too, um,

I'll have Tabitha send you the details.

- (phone buzzing) - I got to go. Dr. Greg.

(Ivy clears throat)

Do you have a laptop with you?

No. I have, like, six different mascaras.

Okay, I will get you set up.

And don't worry, you're just gonna listen to tips.

We're looking for anything that connects Keith to Heather.

Um, right.

About that...

Um...

These are the unopened letters.

(clears throat)

My dad said he told me about the ninth murder,

so maybe he did.

♪

(chuckles)

Well, I guess I'm not going to dinner tonight.

BEN: Look at this place.

MELISSA: I know. It's wild.

- How are you feeling? - Fine.

It's just a dinner, right?

Just a dinner.

- Can we turn around? - MELISSA: (laughs) Heck yeah.

Can we please turn around?

- (music playing softly) - Welcome. May I take your coat?

- Oh, yes. Thank you so much. - Oh.

- Yeah. - Will you hold these?

Okay.

- (sighs) Thank you. - Thank you.

- Thanks. - Here you go.

- Um... - Oh, there he is.

- There he is. - I feel weird.

- I shouldn't have worn Spanx. - Nice spot.

There's the woman of the hour!

- Hi. - (chuckles) Melissa.

- Hello. - You look wonderful.

- Oh. (laughs) - Mwah. Yeah.

- Hey, Greg, nice to see you. - Great to see you.

- Good to see you, too. - Yeah, yeah.

This place is, uh, fantastic.

Oh, it's all my wife, Roxanne.

- It's her labor of love. - No, you're my labor of love,

- darling. - Ah. Mwah.

Thank you so much for having us. These are for you.

Oh, thank you. And it's our pleasure.

Now come, have a drink,

- meet everyone. - Yeah, come on in.

- Champagne? - MELISSA: Thank you.

- Thank you so much. Cheers. - Thank you so much. Thank you.

- This is Lydia, my best friend. - Hello.

- This is Eddie, Greg's manager. - Hi. So good to meet you.

- And Caryn, Greg's literary agent. - Nice to meet you.

And Frances, president of Gregarious Pictures.

Nice to meet you.

- Wow. - Um, this is... this is Ben.

- How you doing? Sorry. - (clears throat)

Um, so, it's so crazy

that you all live here in Seattle.

(Lydia sighs)

No, I, uh... I-I flew everybody in.

- Mm. - Oh.

Uh, do you have an event or something?

Uh, yeah, this event.

Dinner's ready, everyone.

- DR. GREG: Yeah, let's go eat. - Shall we? Shall we?

(clears throat)

(indistinct chatter)

DR. GREG: Yeah, they seem to bury them deep.

(buttons beeping)

(beeps rapidly)

- What are you doing? - Jesus, Max! Stalker much?

You're the one trying to break into Mom's safe.

Our birthdays aren't working.

I think it's their anniversary.

Can you heat up the pasta? I'm hungry.

So use the microwave.

(beeping)

(lock clicks)

(windshield wipers clicking)

♪ This will never end, 'cause I want more... ♪

MALE BOOK NARRATOR: The obstacles before you are real,

but nothing you cannot overcome.

It all begins with a positive attitude.

A belief in yourself.

A belief that you're exactly where you're meant to be,

traveling down the path paved just for you.

♪ If I had a heart, I could love you ♪

IVY: What?

♪ If I had a voice, I would sing... ♪

- What? - It's-it's a guy in Texas.

I mean... I mean, a woman.

She says her brother has proof that Keith killed Heather.

- Let me see. - Okay.

♪ I'll see what tomorrow brings ♪

♪ Ah, ah-ah, ah-ah ♪

♪ Ah, ah-ah-ah, ah ♪

♪ Ah, ah-ah, ah-ah ♪

♪ If I had a voice, I would sing ♪

MALE BOOK NARRATOR: If you stay on the path meant for you, if you trust,

you will get exactly where you need to go.

♪ More, give me more, give me more ♪

♪ Crushed and filled with all I found ♪

♪ Underneath and inside, just to come around ♪

♪ More, give me more, give me more. ♪

JUDGE: Let the record reflect

that Mr. Jesperson has pled guilty

to the murder of Louise Nelson.

I understand we have a victim impact statement

before sentencing?

(creaking)

"My name is Ashton McBride.

"Louise Nelson was my mother.

She was a ray of sunshine in a dark world."

(crying)

"This man killed my mother.

"Why should he get to make a deal

"to not get the death penalty?

(sniffles)

"That's not justice.

That's fucking bullshit."

(Keith scoffs)

- (grunting) - Hey, hey, hey. Bailiff?

(clamoring)

- Bailiff, get him. - BAILIFF: Stop!

Get off him! Get off him!

- Your Honor, this isn't safe! - (gavel banging)

(crow cawing)

Hello.

Hi, buddy.

I'm Ash.

This is Buddha.

Is your mom home?

("Happy" by Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins playing)

♪ So happy ♪

♪ Happy ♪

♪ Oh, so happy... ♪

♪ Happy ♪

♪ Oh, oh-oh, oh ♪

♪ So happy ♪

♪ Happy ♪

♪ Oh, oh-oh, oh ♪

♪ So happy ♪

♪ So happy. ♪

♪ ♪

- First course. Please enjoy. - MAN: That's amazing, Chef.

- DR. GREG: Thank you so much. - Thank you.

ROXANNE: Would anyone like some more wine?

- WOMAN: Always. - So, Melissa, have you had a chance

to talk to Caryn yet?

She's a genius. She sold four of my books.

Soon to be five.

Have you thought about a first book, Melissa?

Oh. (laughs) Um...

Me? Uh, um...

Oh, write a book? No.

Of course! I could get you a deal tomorrow.

What about Nightmares of My Father?

A play on Obama's first.

- Um, yeah... - How about something simple?

The Serial Killer's Daughter.

That's been done.

- I think I tried to option that. - (laughing): Yeah.

Or you could go funny. Daddy Issues.

It's actually not... It's not funny.

(laughs)

(coughs)

- (clears throat) - (Melissa laughing)

MELISSA: Delicious.

(indistinct chatter)

RODRIGO: Yeah, Happy Face. Let's do this!

- FRANKIE: What? No popcorn, screw? - (laughter)

Settle down... or I ain't gonna play this.

We're settled.

You're settled.

(theme music plays)

LYDIA: So, Melissa?

I just wanted to share that I was

so impressed by your bravery on camera.

Oh, thank you.

I just can't imagine what you went through.

It's unthinkable.

She didn't even get to tell the really gnarly stuff,

with the network's standards and practices.

What do you mean?

The cats.

BEN: Oh, yeah, that's,

that's not, uh, dinner conversation.

Yeah, we-we don't have to talk about that.

Well, now I really want to know.

Um...

Well... (smacks lips)

(sighs)

When I was a kid, uh, we had

um, a barn cat,

who had a litter of kittens.

And, uh, oh...

They were so sweet.

I used to...

feed them with a baby bottle.

Um, but then my...

...dad found out about them and he...

...squeezed one to death.

I watched it happen.

And then...

the rest of them he...

...tied to a clothesline by their tails.

ROXANNE: They scratched themselves to death.

Oh, my God.

You must have spent a fortune on therapy.

I've never been, actually.

DR. GREG: Well, I mean, I'd say you'd

had at least one session, wouldn't you?

And even after the cats,

your mother had no clue that something was going on?

ROXANNE: She works with battered women,

which one might see as penance.

LYDIA: How do you grow up with those parents and end up so normal?

(overlapping distorted conversations)

- I'm gonna use the restroom. - BEN: You okay?

Yeah, I'm fine.

(distorted chatter continues)

MELISSA: It was our happy place.

It was our safe place.

Uh, my...

my earliest memory is actually from there.

It was just a flash, but it was my mom

holding me,

and my dad smiling at us

from across the river.

DR. GREG: You loved your father.

MELISSA: I did.

DR. GREG: And you still do.

- MELISSA: No. - DR. GREG: Melissa...

MELISSA: No.

DR. GREG: I know this might be difficult,

but can we talk about your father's...

FRANKIE: Dude, she's hot.

DR. GREG: Just the basics?

MELISSA: Um...

...he picked them up on the road.

Um, he usually...

You watch your mouth.

(scoffs) Or what?

MELISSA: He, um, came off like a guy you could trust.

DR. GREG: Were they, um...

working girls, prostitutes?

MELISSA: Some of them were sex workers, yes.

Sex became rape

and strangulation,

and then he would dump the bodies in rural areas.

Many of them weren't found, uh...

(inhales sharply)

- (indistinct chatter) - (phone buzzing)

Excuse me?

My brother, uh...

my brother murdered someone.

Oh, okay.

Um...

You want to talk about it?

It was, like, a drug thing.

But I always think

if I'd just tried harder to get him into rehab...

What's your name?

Hannah.

Hannah?

Hey, um...

It sounds like you're blaming yourself.

And...

you've been a victim of the violence, too.

Hey, come here.

I'm so sorry.

Uh...

I should get back.

- Sorry. Yeah. - Okay.

(phone buzzing)

Hello?

Were you ever going to call me?

What? Why are you calling me?

How-how did you even get my number?

What, you think a man can't get

his own damn phone? Is that what you think?

Do you think I'm helpless?

No, I don't know what your problem is,

but I cannot deal with it.

My problem

is my daughter,

who apparently

is so selfish that she thinks

that she can take the number one true crime story of the year--

my story--

and find a way to make it all about her.

You always wanted to be a star.

Are you fucking kidding me?

But don't you worry, Missy.

Because Texas

will come knocking.

And then you'll get exactly

what you wanted out of this all along.

Elijah's needle in my arm.

I never said that.

I have to go.

Wait, wait, wait, uh...

Which screw said that to you?

- What? - Prison guard.

Which prison guard said

to you that you were sick like me?

Was it Bassett?

He's bald.

Wants everyone

to think he's tough.

I have to go, Dad.

I thought so.

Don't call me again.

(owl hooting)

Sorry I couldn't let you inside.

Don't be.

This, this is perfect.

Everything just so.

(Buddha whimpering)

I used to get left alone a lot when I was your age, too.

I always got sick of being bounced around between my aunt,

grandma,

sometimes my mom.

It got easier to be by myself.

I'm not alone.

My sister's inside.

Oh, yeah?

How old is she?

Just turned 15.

AUTOMATED VOICE: You have reached the voice mailbox

of the warden of Oregon State Penitentiary.

To leave a message, press one.

(line beeps)

MELISSA: Uh, my father is an inmate there.

Uh, his name is Keith Jesperson.

I think you should know

that he has some sort of secret phone

and he needs to stop calling me from it.

Immediately. Thank you so much.

Bye-bye.

Everything okay?

Yeah, everything's fine.

Fine?

Okay.

Maybe everything's, uh...

...slightly not fine.

(chuckles)

(sighs)

It's just, uh...

it's, it's just a lot.

You know I, uh...

...made a name for myself in L.A., had it all.

But eventually I realized I hated it.

The sun makes you old.

So I moved the show up here.

I like the peace and the quiet.

I love the... trees.

You like being a big fish in a small pond.

(chuckles)

(both laugh)

Okay.

My, uh, my point is,

what you want can change.

If you're open to it.

So you want me to write a book to entertain rich people

who treat me like I'm some kind of zoo animal?

With fascination

comes power.

Any one of those people at that table

would kill to work with you.

That's not why I came forward.

I know, I know, I know.

But this is your moment.

You need to get your father out of your head,

so you have the space to figure out

what you're gonna do with all of this.

Who you want to be.

(distant laughter, chatter)

Hi, yes, is this Mr. Griffin?

This is Ivy Campbell from The Dr. Greg Show.

Thank you so much for taking my call so late.

Of course, Ivy, uh,

but call me Harold.

Sure, so...

my associate producer got a tip from your sister Barbara.

She says that you run a prison arts program?

And you met Keith Jesperson

in one of those creative workshops?

Keith?

(chuckles) What did Barbara tell you?

No, I, uh, taught Elijah Carter.

Elijah wrote a song.

I still have the recording.

Should I send it?

MELISSA: It was the best part of my night.

BEN: Well, you're helping people.

MELISSA: Well, you're helping me.

Thank you for being so supportive even if you were

only there for the food.

- BEN: The food was pretty good. - Good.

Yeah, I'm tired.

I'm so glad it's over.

Oh, I have to use the bathroom.

Are the kids in bed already?

- I'll be right down. - All right.

(sighs)

(Buddha barks)

MAX: Good boy, Buddha.

- (Buddha whimpering) - MAX: Good boy.

Here you go.

Hey, Max.

Hey, Mom.

Buddha?

Mom.

MELISSA: Hey.

Hey, buddy.

MAX: Hey, Mom.

Whose dog is this?

Oh.

This is Buddha.

And your friend is here.

(Ash whistles)

Max, get inside.

- MAX: What? - Go.

- Right now. - But...

but... but he's...

- Get inside! - He said you were friends.

Tell your dad to call the police now.

Your mind may be filled with dark thoughts.

Fear, anxiety,

hatred.

(laughs)

Hatred.

But if you allow them to flow through you,

then they won't stop your power.

Okay... (stammers) We called the cops.

And they're on their way.

- And they're-- they're gonna help you... - Melissa!

Melissa. (chuckles)

You are the only one that can help me.

Ash?

Why are you here?

I just wanted to see what your life

was like now.

Everything seems to be going so well.

I'm so happy how things turned out for you.

And I just, I wanted you to know how very,

very, very lucky you are

that your fucking kids are here.

(Melissa muttering)

ASH: How dare you put her picture

on the fucking TV, you bitch!

- She wasn't like them! - Ben!

- She wasn't a fucking transient! - Call the police now!

- Who the hell is that, Melissa? - She wasn't a goddamn prostitute!

- Go downstairs! - Go! Max, downstairs now!

- And she was never married to your piece-of-devil-shit father! - Go to your sister's room now!

- Look at me! You never met her! - BEN: Hello? Yeah.

- Not even once! - I need the police at our house right now.

- You fucking liar! - BEN: Max, go downstairs! - Get out of here!

- You lie! You lie! - MELISSA: Please leave.

- Please leave. - BEN: Go downstairs.

- MELISSA: Get out of here! - Hey, get the fuck out of here!

- MELISSA: Hazel, take him down to your bedroom! - Go downstairs, you two!

- MELISSA: Go, lock your door! - Please, go downstairs!

- Lock your door right now! - (Ash shouts)

- Get in your room and lock the door! - My mother was an angel!

And she was put on this earth to make your father pay!

- Who's gonna get justice for her? - Please leave.

For me!

BEN: Shit.

MELISSA: The police are coming!

- Yes, right now! - MELISSA: Go!

- They're coming. - Melissa, get away from the door.

BEN: Who was that?

MELISSA: I'm sorry.

ELIJAH: ♪ She walks around pretending ♪

♪ She don't know who I am ♪

♪ Her fear of me is building up ♪

♪ About to break the dam ♪

♪ I know I said I didn't do it ♪

♪ But the truth is that I did ♪

♪ Had an angel on one shoulder ♪

♪ But I took the devil's bid ♪

♪ Was it worth it? ♪

♪ Oh, baby, that depends ♪

♪ She talked of new beginnings ♪

♪ So I helped her reach the end ♪

♪ Some days I feel sorry ♪

♪ But in Hell, I'll make amends ♪

♪ Mm-hmm. ♪

Hey.

Hey, we still have not talked about this.

What happened? How did he get in?

I was in here. Doing homework.

All night? Max was just alone?

If you think this is my fault,

you're a fucking joke.

- (phone buzzing) - Don't you dare swear at me.

Get out of my room! I hate you!

Hazel. Hazel!

(phone buzzing)

What?

Hey, did you see my texts?

No, I'm... Uh, yes...

I had some stuff going on. What's up?

We are on a 6:00 a.m. flight to Texas.

What?

(distant chatter)

(footsteps approaching)

♪

(sniffs)

(buzzer sounds)

♪ ♪

(sighs) Elijah.

It's great to finally meet you.

I'm Ivy, this is Melissa.

We work for Dr. Greg.

Mm-hmm.

How you doing today?

I'm good. I'm good.

IVY: Good.

Surprised to see y'all down here.

Well, Dr. Greg definitely pulled some strings.

Turns out the warden's wife is a big fan.

Behind me is Tyler.

He's gonna be doing our camera and sound.

The microphone is right there, so if you wouldn't mind

just clipping the end to your shirt?

Thank you.

My sister said the segment came out real good.

Yeah. Yeah, it came out really great.

The tips are... they're coming in,

uh, which is why we're here.

With a story like this,

so many things can tumble into

the light, so we want to make sure

- that we follow through... - TYLER: Uh, Ivy?

...a lot of them.

Sorry, uh,

can you come back here?

Can you give me one second?

Thank you. Thank you so much.

I'm sorry.

I, uh... (continues indistinctly)

We, um...

...we came here to...

...ask you

about this song

that you wrote.

"She walks around pretending

"she don't know who I am.

"Her fear of me is building up, about to break the dam.

- I know..." - (slams receiver)

GUARD: Yeah, he wants out.

IVY: What's going on? No, no, no, no.

No, no, no, no, no. Wait, wait, wait. Wait! Wait!

Elijah, wait, wait. We heard you singing this song

on the recording and we just need you to explain.

Elijah, if this song gets out...

- Wait, Elijah, wait. - (speaks indistinctly)

What? What did he say?

What-what did he say?

What did-- (groans) God.

(Ivy sighs)

(buzzer sounds)

IVY: I lead interviews.

Not you. You still don't know what you're doing.

I told you last night

that I did not want to come here.

It's not a good time for me to be away from my family,

not after I just went on TV and blew up my life.

Okay, okay. You didn't blow up your life.

You're overreacting.

- Okay. - It's a song.

Uh, it feels like a confession.

TYLER: I mean,

did Johnny Cash really

- shoot a man in Reno? - Oh, my God.

Tyler, shut up.

Whatever. We came here

to confront him, so

I confronted him.

No,

we came here to give him a chance to explain himself,

and now we have nothing.

If this song gets out, we're fucked.

TYLER: He didn't write it.

What?

Heather wrote it.

That's what he's saying. Look.

IVY: ...singing this song on the recording

and we just need you to explain.

Elijah, if this song gets out...

Wait, Elijah, wait.

That doesn't make sense.

Okay...

give me those lyrics.

Thank you.

Okay.

Uh...

"She talks of new beginnings,

"so I helped her reach the end.

"Some days I feel sorry,

but in Hell I'll make amends."

TYLER: What, so Heather's writing about

her own death

from the point of view of her murderer

before her death?

IVY: Okay, we have to look into it. I...

MELISSA: No.

We have to look into Heather.

What?

We've been so focused on all the men

that may have killed Heather that we

completely forgot

to get to know Heather.

Oh, my God.

I went on national television

and I talked all about her, Ivy,

and I never... I never talked to any of her people.

I never talked to her family.

Her family believes that Elijah is guilty.

There is no way they're gonna talk to us.

We have to try.

(indistinct chatter)

EVA: Hazel!

Any offers on the drawing?

I haven't posted it yet. I'm not sure

if I'm going to because...

Of course you are.

Here.

Get your laptop.

What's going on?

VICTORIA: Summer, do you even listen to me?

I told you Happy Face

was trying to make bank

off of her grandpa's artwork.

That's pretty cool.

How much can you get?

Um, probably 200,

but I don't have a PayPal account,

and my dad checks all that stuff.

Oh, well, use mine.

You don't even know her.

Yeah, no, that's okay.

Well, if she needs one, right?

I have one, so...

You know, my parents give zero fucks

what I do anyways, so...

not a big deal.

Okay, all done.

And, um, yeah, you know, if it sells,

I can just hit up an ATM for you.

You know, get your cash?

Okay. Thanks.

- Yeah, no problem. - Can we go?

- Hmm? - I'm so bored.

JOSH: Yeah.

Yeah, sure.

♪ ♪

(distant shouting)

(indistinct chatter)

BASSETT: Open D-160.

(buzzer sounds)

(door opens)

On your feet, Jesperson.

(grunts)

(inmates laughing, clamoring)

(handcuffs clicking)

You talk to my daughter like that again,

you see what happens.

Who the fuck you think reported your phone?

♪ ♪

(handcuffs clicking)

EVA: Your mom has, like, the best makeup.

HAZEL: That's one good thing about her.

(shower running)

So, what's the deal with Summer and Josh anyway?

Are they together?

They've been on and off since, like, last year.

It's always drama.

(chimes)

Holy shit.

The drawing sold.

- Holy shit. - Oh, my God.

IVY: Thank you. Thank you so much.

Hi.

We're just... we're here to see Denise.

- IVY: Thank you. - Thank you.

IVY: Thank you so much.

WOMAN: You all shouldn't be here.

You've upset her enough.

We're just here to apologize.

Yeah.

You know, we all ain't pig farmers around here, right?

We ain't got our heads stuck in the mud.

So, you

and your jackass "doctor"

can screw off.

I, um...

I don't have a clue what I'm doing, okay?

I just went on the show

'cause I thought it was the right thing to do.

And...

I wasn't thinking

about all the people that I could hurt,

and I am so, so sorry.

What's your excuse?

I believe Elijah's innocent,

and I've been doing this long enough

to know that you wouldn't agree.

Well, at least you're honest.

And you're right, I don't.

Will you tell us why?

Soon as Heather started going with Elijah,

she... changed.

She started lying and stealing

and smoking weed

and staying out all hours of the night.

That sounds like some would consider that

normal teenage behavior.

Is it normal to see bruises on your daughter?

'Cause Elijah

was laying hands on her right from the start.

Can I ask you one more question?

WOMAN: I think Denise has had enough.

I know. I know.

It's, um...

...it's a song.

We think Heather wrote it.

Did he write this? Look, what is--

Get the fuck out of here.

Sorry.

(door opens)

- God. - (phone buzzing)

I'm sorry.

No, I-I figured. I figured. I'm just...

- I'm gonna go. - Hey, I don't have much time.

What's up?

Hey.

Hey, I got Ash's home address.

- What? How? - Renee sent me

her security footage. I got a full plate,

so I called that cop to run it, okay?

And it came back as Mourning Dove Lake RV Park.

It's some shitty trailer park outside Eugene.

Okay. So?

So, when you come home,

you can start the paperwork for a restraining order.

Right? And then the cop just said you have to...

I don't want a restraining order.

The... the man was in our house, Melissa.

He was in our backyard.

- He-he could've hurt our kids. - But he didn't.

He didn't hurt the kids, he didn't hurt me.

We're fine. We're all fine.

You know who's not fine? His mother,

who my dad raped and murdered.

So maybe... maybe he's been through enough.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry...

Do I not get a say in this?

I cannot talk about this right now, okay?

I will call you later.

No, no, no, do I not get a fucking say in this?

(exclaims)

(sniffles)

(sighs)

What?

IVY: You okay?

All right, so we are confirmed

to meet Heather's best friend Jackie tomorrow.

Uh, she didn't recognize the song.

But she is willing to tell us about her.

(Melissa sighs)

Hey.

You were good with Denise today.

- She was pissed, but... - Mm.

...you got her talking.

All yours.

Being a good producer is knowing every inch of your story.

I never asked to be a producer.

But you are now.

And I get that this is emotional for you.

- But at cert... - This isn't about me.

This is about us

retraumatizing other people.

- So then it's about Ash? - Don't therapize me.

Look, um...

My dad used to tell me that...

the truth is the light.

No matter how dark the path is that gets you there.

You know every disgusting detail about my dad,

and I don't know one about yours.

He was a reporter.

He started working for The L.A. Times

just before the '92 riots.

He covered sports, of course.

Um, but he was one of the few Black reporters on staff.

They all got sent down to Watts, and...

(chuckles)

...he was calling in his stories on payphones

while shit was literally on fire all around him.

And the white reporters in the newsroom

typed that shit up and won a Pulitzer for it.

- But it... - Oh, shit.

Oh, evening, ladies.

Bobbi Crescenzi.

She was killed by her husband Jack, Oregon, 1992.

Okay. So?

So, thanks to what y'all put on TV,

the D.A. who handled the case reached out.

Told me that not long after the husband was convicted,

Keith confessed to doing Bobbi.

(chuckles)

There's no way that we missed that in our research.

Well, the D.A. kept it on the quiet.

He knew Keith's story was bunk.

But he investigated, all the same.

Found a man named Howard Wayne Coker

who had served time with the husband in county jail.

Later, he did a stint in the state penitentiary

with Jesperson.

Coker acted as a go-between.

Offered ten grand to Jesperson to confess to doing the wife.

Of course, he provided a few facts

to make the confession sound real.

But the one thing he couldn't provide Jesperson:

hard evidence.

Oh...

You want me to reopen this case?

Bring me hard evidence.

Not trampolines or tree carvings or guitar picks.

And not songs.

Hard, physical evidence.

Well, allow me.

Y'all have a nice night now.

GUARD: Three minutes.

It's me.

I'm in solitary.

You got to try it sometime.

I'm gonna need a new phone.

There's something else I want you to do for me.

My name is Jackie Mullins. I was Heather Richmond's best friend.

I'm sorry I don't recognize the song, but like I said...

Heather was funny about her music.

Secretive.

Could she have shared her music with Elijah, though?

Possibly.

Um, music was their bond, that's how they got close.

She was gonna be a star.

She was gonna move to Nashville, make it big.

And I knew she would.

Soon as she got over her stage fright.

When she got in front of people, she would

start shaking like a shaved cat.

She figured if she smoked half a joint exactly,

then she could perform.

Not just a few puffs, or a full... full joint.

Just half.

She was crazy about that kind of thing.

Do you think Elijah was, um,

supportive of those dreams or do you think

he was jealous?

He was cool as far as I remembered. Um...

He introduced her to this producer

out of Dallas, where she recorded a demo.

- A demo? - JACKIE: Mm-hmm.

Could that song have been on it?

Uh, maybe. I don't know. I never heard it. I don't...

What was the producer's name?

I don't remember.

But I know he was a friend of Elijah's.

ELIJAH: I don't remember a... a demo,

but I did introduce her

to my boy Lucius.

He was trying to be a producer back then,

Lucius Banks.

IVY: Any idea where Lucius is now?

I heard he passed a while back.

Sorry I blew up on you, by the way.

I forget how to contro...

My brain.

Shit don't work the same for me no more.

MELISSA: No, I'm sorry.

For the way that I...

...came here and-and asked you about the song.

I-I should have let you explain first.

It's okay.

Can you explain to us now

how you think maybe Heather...

could have written that song or-or why?

I went to this workshop years back.

Um, this art therapy thing.

You know, you could paint

and write poetry.

I grabbed a guitar when I saw it

and I started fooling around with it

and the guy running the thing said

we're supposed to make art about what's got us in here,

and he going on and on and on about guilt and remorse

and about how we need to process that shit.

And it just... it just pissed me off.

'Cause I don't have no remorse

and I didn't do nothing to get here.

So, I cheated. (chuckles)

I copied, um, I...

Uh, what's that word begin with a P?

- Plagiarize? - Yes.

Yeah, I plagiarized, from Heather, it was her song.

She was finishing it that night in the park.

I helped her with, you know, some of the chords,

but the verses were all her.

And I really don't know what it was about.

IVY: Is there anything else you want to say about that night?

We still haven't gotten a chance to hear your side.

Yeah, there ain't much to tell, I-I...

I rode my bike to the park around 7:00.

We hung out, we played music.

I smoked some weed, I gave her a joint.

It was just... It was normal.

(chuckles softly)

Um, the last time I seen her, sh...

Last time I seen her, she was sitting

up on that jungle gym playing her guitar.

(clears throat)

IVY: Were you two exclusive?

No, we were friends, man,

we jammed out.

Uh, sure, there were a couple times

we got a little loose and hooked up?

Sure.

Hell yeah, she was cute.

Smelled like grapefruit. (chuckles)

But it was all low-key.

It's funny, that's...

that's what my dad said-- that she smelled like grapefruit.

Why in the hell did he wait so long?

I've been in here 29 years, miss.

And he waits two months before I'm-a die?

(sighs)

- TYLER: Oh, fuck. - What?

Oh, please, tell me that the song didn't get leaked.

No. Um...

Somebody wrote an op-ed about you.

Okay. That says what?

That you...

had an abortion when you were 15.

What?

(mutters)

Oh, my God.

Pull over. I ca... I-I can't breathe.

- Wait, what? - I can't breathe. I need to get out of the car.

- Okay. I am pulling over. - Can you please, please pull over?

- I am pulling over. Okay. Okay. - I can't... I got to get out.

(crying)

"Devil in the DNA:

"Why We Shouldn't Be Surprised That A Serial Killer's Daughter

Murdered Her Pre-born Baby." Are you fucking kidding me?!

Nobody knows about this.

Nobody knows about this. How could anybody ever find out?

Okay, I am so sorry.

Things like this can happen when you step

into the public eye, okay?

It was Brendan, my ex.

That's the only way he could have ever...

Okay, okay, look, we can call Dr. Greg's publicist.

She can help you make a statement,

or you can just ignore it.

MELISSA: Mm-mmm.

He lives in West Slope, Oregon.

- IVY: Is that Brendan? - MELISSA: Mm-hmm.

Okay, what-what do you want to do?

I'm gonna call him.

Now?

Okay, Melissa, hang on. You-you can't just...

What the fuck?

I do remember him, yes.

(sighs) He came up to me after the sermon

and asked if I could help rid him of spirits

that were following him.

Spirits?

PASTOR: I prayed over him a long while.

He was very emotional.

Do you remember when this was?

It was three or four months later

that I saw his face on the news.

He was the Happy Face Killer.

Had to be winter of '95, then?

PASTOR: If you say so.

I just remember the whole thing made my heart so heavy.

And, of course, I worried about the boy with him.

What boy?

That's part of what made him so memorable.

A lot of truckers come through here, but I'd never

seen one bring a boy.

Can you describe this boy?

Early teens, I suppose, but...

big for his age.

Uh, shaggy hair.

A bit sullen.

That's Shane.

My brother.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org

♪ She walks around pretending ♪

♪ She don't know who I am ♪

♪ Her fear of me is building up ♪

♪ About to break the dam ♪

♪ I know I said I didn't do it ♪

♪ But the truth is that I did ♪

♪ Was it worth it? ♪

♪ Oh, baby, that depends ♪

♪ She talks of new beginnings ♪

♪ So I helped her ♪

♪ Reach the end. ♪