Original subtitles

The following is suggested by actual events.

Wake up Lonnie!

This morning in the Valley, people still buzzing around town about the West

Virginia Mountaineers big victory this past weekend.

Look for another sunny day this Saturday.

Looks like this warm weather is going to be another week.

Temperatures are expected to stay in the mid to high 70s.

Yesterday's high was a record for West Virginia.

High temperatures are affecting the entire coast area.

Very unusual.

Let's hope the weatherman can keep winter away for as long as possible.

We have the latest weather and traffic news.

Don't touch that dial. We're your station to keep you informed.

Here, honey. Here.

Mama, I'm picking up cereal.

Sadie, save some for Crystal.

There ain't enough, Mama. It's the second ball. I didn't get any more.

Mama, did you read it? Yes, I did, last night.

And?

I'm no critic.

A little racy, ain't it? Morning, Daddy.

Morning.

This story is not autobiographical or nothing.

Well, praise the Lord. Pass the toast.

Patsy was telling me they got a course down at Langley Junior College on

creative writing.

Right. Now, my understanding is if you want to go to college, you got to first

graduate high school.

Now, honey, this is what they call an extension course.

Right. Anybody can sign up for them.

Even dropouts?

Excuse me, I have to finish getting ready.

We're leaving in five minutes, Missy. Yes, Daddy.

You see my foul jacket?

Um, last time I saw it, it was hanging on the hook by the door.

Yeah, well, it ain't there now, and I'm cold.

Hell, it must be 75 in the sun, Tom.

Yeah, that don't matter.

I'm cold.

You come across it, you bring it in here, okay? You bet.

You know what I always figured about riders, Kathy?

Riders gotta be pretty smart.

I'm smart.

Yeah, but you made some bad choices.

Dropping out of high school was one of them.

We've been through all that before.

I just don't like waste is all. Sometimes I feel you're wasting your

some bad choices.

Like what?

I expect more from you.

If you see my flannel jacket, you let me know.

Here.

What's the matter, baby?

Nothing.

Why?

I ain't trying to trap you, honey. I told you that.

Nothing's wrong.

Come here.

Look,

what do you expect?

I mean, sometimes I just start to think of... Too much. That's what you do.

Aren't you having a good time?

Sure.

Jim McDaniel, you look at me. Come on.

I don't want her to know.

I ain't fishing for no man, especially not a married one.

I know.

So why don't you just sit back and relax?

You have a good time.

You came ten minutes ago. Just open up your box and see if you got it. Got

Betty? You know very well. Old lady Crawford got hers two days ago. Two days

ago. I don't know what you're talking about, but... Carol.

Oh, my God, you got it! There it is!

Now, how come I'm the only one on the whole block who didn't get one of these

things? Ten million dollars, Betty, and everybody's a winner except you.

Here, sign my name. If you win, I'm gonna split it.

Thanks, Carol.

Hey, listen, you talk to Tom about Kathy moving out yet?

No, I'm waiting for the right time.

Carol, you and I both know when I come to Tom and talk about his princess

out there, you know such thing as the right time.

My journal, it's missing, and Crystal's got it.

Now, what makes you think that Crystal wants to steal your journal?

Because she's a nosy little brat, that's why.

Now, you just calm down.

I'll talk to her.

She'll deny it.

She always does.

It's gone for a couple of days, and then miraculously it reappears, and she acts

like nothing happened. I got no privacy in this house, yet it still treats me

like I'm 12 years old. All right, now, sit down.

Come on. Mama. Come on, come on, come on, come on.

It's not unusual for some daddy to have a tough time watching her daughters grow

up.

I'm going to leave.

One way or the other, I'm going to get my own place and have my own privacy.

Kathy, honey, you're still working for your daddy.

And jobs being what they are down here, I don't think you're going to find

something that pays enough for rent and grocery.

I got some saved. Enough?

Enough? Hmm?

Not yet, maybe.

Why don't you go inside and take a nice hot bath?

Nobody around here to bother you.

You got your privacy.

You're missing the Waltons.

I seen that one.

So?

Hi, Dad. Hi, Kathy.

Your supper's in the oven.

Got your mom to thank for it.

I'm sorry I'm late.

I used to meet family sat down together for the evening meal.

I'm sorry, Daddy.

You should have called home.

You know how your daddy likes us all together to suffer.

Why don't they do that in there?

Rave them like a bunch of kids in that room.

No, they're quiet. That's all I care about.

Good,

all it is.

Mama?

Hmm?

Do you ever get the feeling somebody's watching you?

Why? I don't know. Just the last few weeks, I get the feeling somebody's

watching me, following me.

I just don't know. Someone's following you?

Well, I don't know.

I don't know.

Except you, for boy.

All through your junior year, he called here three, four times a day.

He's going to kill Gore.

I don't matter.

You were his first love.

First love lasts forever.

And you tell him to get on with his life.

Go with his love.

Where did you ever hear that?

The story about the leaf going down a mountain creek, and just by going with

flow, it reached a water of peace and tranquility.

See, the message here. Mama, I understand the message.

I think you've been reading too much, sugar.

Daddy, you're hogging all the popcorn.

You want it? You're going to have to fight me for it.

Sometimes I think I got me two boys instead of one.

Eat.

You okay, baby?

You turn up that heat like I have. 75, just like you said.

Sometimes I get so cold.

Is that better?

Tom, we got to talk about Kathy.

Now, I know you don't want to face it, but it's a God -given fact. She's

up. And unless you accept that, we're going to lose her.

We already have.

No, we haven't.

But she needs her freedom, Tom.

Freedom from what? We're her family.

Of course we are.

But now you're down there, that lot, all those cars for sale, and she's got to

rely on you or me to get her across town. Well, you just can't win for

When I was a kid, I would have given anything to be taken care of like that

little girl is.

Yeah, but this isn't about you or me.

It's about Kathy, your daughter.

You sure have got determined in your old age.

You give me my family, I know what to do.

You put me out there and I'm loved.

That's why I got you in my life.

I promise.

That's the prettiest picture I ever saw. I like the way you got the trees

reflecting there.

Can we frame it? You bet.

Kathy?

Kathy!

Kathy upstairs?

No, honey. She comes home with you. Why'd she be upstairs?

She ain't called?

No. What's the matter?

Daddy, look what I drew.

Yeah, nothing now, Crystal.

Go and tell your brother.

What's going on?

I got a call from some boy up in Saget. He's got a red Chevy pickup he wants to

sell, and I'm thinking maybe this is for Kathy.

A pickup?

She didn't come by? She didn't show you? I told you.

Where is she?

Well, I don't know.

Why isn't she with you?

That's what I'm getting to.

This boy can't figure out directions to the yard, so I tell him we'll meet him

up by Bobby Ray's up on Highway 6.

Mm -hmm.

So we meet there, and he and Kathy go off for a test drive.

You didn't go with her?

It was just a test drive, and she was so excited, and, well, I waited, and then

I just figured maybe she drove home.

And now I don't know where she is. Tom, just calm down.

She's probably so excited she's driven all the way to New York.

Now I'm going to get supper on.

And when I do, she's going to come bouncing in here.

You'll see.

You can leave the light on, but no talking now, okay?

Good night, Mama.

Good night. Good night, babies.

You talked to Jo Beth?

Jo Beth, Polly, that boy Sam down at the hardware store.

Nobody's seen him.

I'm gonna ask Betty to stay with the kids.

We are gonna find her.

There's red.

Yeah, but it's a shiver.

It's a shiver.

She just drove off down the road.

I thought she was going maybe a mile or two and... You didn't even know the boy?

He said he was from Saget.

He was a nice -looking boy, good clean... Don't matter, don't matter.

I guess we gotta get help.

I know what to do.

Can you get me the police, please?

I know I can dial it. You tell them it's an emergency.

Just put me through.

Hello, this is Carol Acton. Who's this?

Well, Sergeant, you got to help me. My daughter's missing.

No, I won't calm down. We've been looking for her all night. The sun's

My daughter's still missing.

No, I need your help.

And I need it now.

So the last time you saw her, they were headed north.

That's right, sir.

Right up that way.

Sergeant Jackson, it's already been over 12 hours. Ms. Acton, I've already sent

out an APB on a red Chevy, and we have a description out on the man.

But you should know that your daughter's not officially missing for another 10

hours.

I'm sorry, I don't understand.

24 hours, ma 'am.

If she were underage, that's something else again.

What difference does age make?

Your daughter's 19.

And sometimes young people spend the night out. No, no, no. No, no, not

We have rules, and she respects them.

Yes, sir, I understand.

What if there was an accident?

Ma 'am, we're going to do everything we can.

Miss Dacton, why don't you take your wife home?

No, we're going to keep on looking. No, ma 'am, we're going to look.

Please.

Come on, honey.

Let's do as the man says. Come on, they'll find her.

You'll see.

I still think that we should talk to the Buford boy again.

What? Kathy said somebody was following her.

I'm scared, Mama.

Oh, now, Sugar, it's going to be all right. Why would somebody follow Kathy?

Now, we don't know that anybody was following her, Tom.

I want you two dressed.

We ain't going to school.

You don't spend your day around here looking like that.

Mama! Come on, come on, come on.

Now! Come on. It's okay.

Honey.

Now, this is hard on everybody.

And we're all gonna look to you to get us through this now.

Fact of the matter is, none of this would have happened if you hadn't... If

hadn't what?

Forget it.

If I hadn't what?

Everything was fine.

We had rules, order.

Kathy left with me, she came home with me.

And that was right.

She was going to leave us, Thomas. How?

You were the one who said she should have more freedom.

She should have her own car.

How could you say that to me?

Where are you going?

Jim McDaniel.

He knows where she is.

Why would Jim know?

He's got her. I know it.

They was having an affair.

Jim McDaniel is a married man. They was having an affair.

What are you talking about? I told her, don't let your mama know.

Tom! Where is she?

What?

I know what's going on between you two. Where is she?

What the hell are you talking about?

I don't know.

You think your wife don't know? Take it easy, Tom. See?

Now, you tell me where she is, and we'll forget this whole thing ever happened.

Where who is?

You got a shot, though, someplace?

Captain's gone?

You tell her.

She got to call me, you understand?

I don't got her, Tom, I swear. I don't... When did... You tell her. This

terrible thing to be doing to her mother and me.

She's set an example for her brother and her sister. She knows that.

I don't count her, Tom.

You tell her I forgive her.

I'm sorry.

I just don't know what to do with myself.

My chores are done, and maybe I should... I don't know what to do with

Oh, honey, everything is going to be just fine.

Don't say that.

That's what I tell the kids, and I'm afraid I'm lying to them. Carol.

Maybe I just should have left well enough alone. You know, Betty, there's

things I'm good at. There's some stuff I can do, but maybe... Carol, now don't

do this to yourself.

Now, you know my cousin Sandra, right? Well, she left home for a whole week

when she was but 17.

She didn't tell her folks a thing.

Really? Yeah, really.

It's just some puberty thing she was going through. And then she came back,

everything settled down, and...

I'm afraid to let Petey and Crystal out of the house. Not Carol? No.

Kathy told me she's afraid somebody's following her.

What if they was after my other kids too?

What you got?

Young white female.

She shot at close range.

They don't know how many times yet. It's more than enough to get the job done.

What's the girl?

We can't tell.

She don't even have a face left.

Detective Jackson?

May I come in?

Sure.

Any news?

Kids, why don't you go upstairs?

Why?

Why do they have to go upstairs?

Go on, now.

Yeah, all right, come on.

Do as the man says. Go ahead.

Close your door.

Why don't we all sit down?

I'll make us some coffee.

No, ma 'am.

I don't have any plate rolls, but I could toss us some bread.

Honey, we're going to sit now.

This morning, we received a phone call from a fisherman over at Copper's Head

River.

What he found was... What we discovered was

the body of a young female.

She was found floating in the river, naked except for underwear.

She'd been shot several times.

We need your identification.

I don't think I can do that.

The only reason I have this picture is to save you from having to go down to

morgue. Will you stop now?

I can't now.

I'm sorry.

Mr. Acton, it's either here or downtown.

And believe me, you don't want to go downtown.

It's not her.

What?

It's not Kathy.

Carol, honey, it ain't Kathy. Look, look.

Oh, my God.

Not her, Ethan.

Tell him. Tell him, honey.

No.

No.

Are you sure?

I know my own daughter.

That's right.

Whoever this girl is, God rest her soul.

This ain't my daughter.

That ain't my daughter.

Here.

Katie? Stop right there.

You stay close to me, you hear? Yes, Mama.

Hi, Betty. Hi.

I called you this morning. You already left.

Yeah, we've got driving around.

Well, maybe we'll see some.

Carol, honey, my boy just told us about Kathy.

I'm awful sorry, but I'm sure everything's going to be all right.

It is?

I'm kind of glad to hear that.

Yeah, Carol.

She means well. Nothing like this has ever happened to us before.

Me neither.

Remember?

Peter?

Peter? Crystal?

Peter?

Peter?

Peter! Peter, I told you. Where's Crystal? I don't know, Mama. I told you

stay with me now, didn't I? Yes. Didn't I?

Now, calm down. People are noticing. Hey, you seen Crystal?

Well, she was with you. She's fucked.

I just, I've got to know where you are all the time now, both of you.

Okay? Okay.

Okay, I love you.

Is it active?

Is it active?

I don't know what to do. He's been

out there for hours now.

He won't come in. He won't answer me.

Why don't you wait inside for a while?

Yes, sir.

I'm the same way.

Once I start a project, I can't stop until it's done.

Why don't you come on inside and start doing it?

They can't come in until I'm finished.

Well, I... I think it's okay.

We'll just take a little break, okay?

You think?

Sure.

Sure.

You ever try making one of those ships in a bottle?

I sent away from one of those kids.

Spent the whole weekend trying to figure it out.

My wife had to drag me to bed.

Next morning, she threw the damn thing out.

You mind if I leave this on?

Sure. Sure, that's fine.

Why don't you sit down?

Both of you.

The photo I showed you of the young female?

That's got nothing to do with us, Mr. Jackson.

Ma 'am, I'm afraid that's not so.

We made a positive identification.

Fingerprints.

Oh, dear God, no.

I'm sorry.

Believe me, I wish it weren't so.

Are you sure?

Are you sure?

It's a lie.

It's a lie. It's a mistake.

Kathy's alive.

She's out there someplace and she needs me.

Kathy. Honey, Daddy's here for you, honey.

Kathy, Daddy's waiting for you. Kathy.

Kathy.

Kathy.

Kathy.

Yes!

Yes!

Who's there?

You want me to lie down with me?

Mama? I can't sleep with the light on.

Well, you just close your eyes, Petey. It's always dark behind your eyelids.

Mama?

The closet?

I already checked the closet, Crystal.

Better hurt something.

Okay.

Anybody in there? You better come out right now or you're going to have to

answer to me.

Anybody?

I'll put this in there.

Okay, now.

I'm going to get the light on and the door open, okay?

Now,

you want anything, you just holler. I'm just going to be right out here.

Not going anywhere.

Good night, Mama.

Good night, baby.

I love you both.

Okay, this man John says he wants to sell his truck.

He's coming down Highway 12.

He'll meet you in an hour. That's right. A lot of folks try to sell their cars

to Tom. They know he'll give them a good deal.

Okay, if it's going to take him an hour to get there, that places him in one of

three possible towns.

You said Saget.

Well, we're checking registrations, traffic citations, repair shops.

We've got a composite based on your description.

Well, somebody's got him known.

Well, ma 'am, we hope so.

Well, we're going out looking, too.

I... I'm not so sure that's a good idea.

I can identify the truck.

I should be out looking. We're going to cover every town from here to the

Virginia border.

I understand your wish to help.

It's no wish.

It's what's going to keep us alive.

Now, whoever did this, we want him caught.

And if you find him, so be it.

But if you don't, by God we will.

I was fooling Mr. Jackson, but that's the only thing I'm guilty of.

My wife forgave me. I'm trying to think.

Ma 'am, may I come in?

Well, Tom ain't home right now.

I know.

Oh.

Keep him in the kitchen with me, please.

Can I get a cup of coffee?

No, no.

Tom and I thought we saw the red pickup.

But it just turned out that... Ma 'am, I can't even begin to imagine what you

must be going through.

But I owe it to you to be honest and forthright.

Yes, sir.

Starting with the convenience store.

No one there remembers seeing your husband, your daughter, or the red

Yeah, that's because they sat by the air pumps and then the windows on that

side.

Yes, ma 'am, but there's more.

Any truck registered in the county matching the description has been

on, leading nowhere.

Well, we don't know if it was registered in this county or not, do we?

Then there's Mr. McDaniel.

Did you talk to Jim?

Yes, ma 'am. He's clean.

Well, that just leaves the man on the red pickup then, the man that called my

husband. Miss Acton...

We have a complete description of a man who doesn't seem to exist.

A phantom truck.

No record at the phone company of any call coming in at the time your husband

says it did.

Well, Mr.

Jackson... No call, no truck, no witnesses, no man.

Which leads me to only one conclusion.

What's that?

That there is a suspect in this case.

Unfortunately, the suspect happens to be your husband.

I want you to leave my house. Ms. Acton. I want you to leave my house right now.

Ms. Acton, I know this is hard for you. Hard?

Just because you can't do your job, you're going to tell me that the man I

for the last 20 years, the father of my children, a man who gave his life for

his family. Most murders in this country are committed by people who know one

another, people from the same family.

Get out.

Miss Acton, for your safety and for the safety of your children, for the safety

of your children, you've got to know that your husband may be responsible for

your daughter's death.

I know Tom Acton. He's a good man, but you're an evil one.

I'm telling you for the last time, get out.

I'm sorry.

But I advise you to be careful.

Mr. Acton, Mr. Acton, can we talk to you a second, please?

Mr.

Acton, what's your reaction to the charges against your husband? There

any charges, and this is not an arrest. Now, excuse us. Mr. Acton, do you have

any comments? Get him out of here!

Any comments?

You go with him, Mr. Acton.

Well, where's he going? It's okay.

He's going to be fine.

Sorry about this morning's paper.

It had nothing to do with it.

Well, I tell my children, Mr. Jackson.

God, I explain that to them.

Please. What are you doing with Tom?

I want him in here.

I was just asking him a few questions. Well, why can't I be with him? You got

some questions you didn't ask me. How would you describe your husband's

relationship with his daughter?

This is crazy.

I lived with that man for over 20 years. Yes, ma 'am. And we've been through

terrible, terrible times.

And he's gotten up through them. He provided for us.

Just grab a 20 -year relationship.

It's a stupid question. It's stupid.

His relationship with Kathy.

Did you notice anything?

I'm through talking to you.

Well, I'm not through, Ms. Acton.

You know, I'm not a smart woman.

But I've done some reading.

And unless I'm mistaken, you've got to charge me with something that you want

keep me here.

Ma 'am, I... I'm not charging you with anything.

Well, then I'm going.

And unless you're charging my husband, I'm taking him with me.

Ms. Acton!

Ms. Acton!

Come on, Tom.

Come on now.

Come on now. We're going home.

We're going to do your job for you. We're going to find that pickup that

took off in.

And when we do, we'll be happy to accept your apology.

for watching them, Betty.

Come on now.

Come on.

Did you hear your mama?

My boy just told me what happened at school today.

What? You know kids, they heard all the news by now.

Some of their friends was teasing them.

They were saying that

That the daddy was a killer and they ought to sleep with one eye open.

My God.

Now,

whatever

they told you, that was a lie.

Listen, you're daddy.

Okay? And he needs us.

Now, whenever you've been hurt and you need your daddy, he's always been there

for you, hadn't he?

Who takes your fishing, Petty?

Who taught you how to ride a bike and tie your shoes?

Daddy. That's right.

Now, there's the four of us now, and there's a lot of people trying to tear

apart, but I'm not going to let them. Will you?

I want you to let your daddy know how much you love him and that you're going

be there for him now.

Hi.

It's fine.

You embarrassed me.

Sorry.

Yes, sir.

Oh, honey.

What is it?

What?

What's the matter? Why aren't you in bed?

Who are you just talking to?

Talking to? I wasn't talking to nobody.

Well, I just heard you.

There must have been Sweeney and his boy going at it again.

Probably.

Why don't you come back to bed, honey? It's awful cold out here.

Is it?

Yeah, sure it is.

Come on now.

Come here.

Gonna have her babies any day now.

What are we gonna do with them?

We ain't gonna eat them, are we? Of course not, for heaven's sake. We're

make keychains out of them. Shut up, Peter.

I'm Susan Banks from the Department of Child Welfare.

I'm here to pick up your children.

What?

Didn't they call?

We have a court order to remove the children from the premises, ma 'am.

I don't understand.

When there's a suspicion of child abuse... Child abuse?

In the case of your husband, Mrs. Acton, being under suspicion?

Ma 'am, we have a court order...

I don't give a damn what you've got. You get off my property. Crystal, Petey,

you go inside now. You'll be fine. I promise.

Let's go.

Mama!

Mama!

Look,

they ain't never been hurt here.

Never. Never.

I swear to God, my kids ain't never been hurt here. None of them. I'm just doing

my job, Mrs. Atkinson, for your kids' own sake.

I swear she's never had such a blast.

That's not my...

Everybody says it but me!

What are you doing here, Miss Acton?

They won't let me see them.

It's by court order.

I would never hurt my children.

I know that, ma 'am.

Then why can't I see them?

It's... It's for their own protection.

Against who?

What's in the bags?

Crystal can't go to sleep without her softie, and I got Petey's baseball cards

and stuff they need, stuff they're used to.

Come on.

Let's go.

Yes? Ma 'am, I'm Detective Jackson.

Call the station.

Well, I saw her standing outside for the longest time, and I was... It's okay,

ma 'am. This is Miss Acton. I just brought some other... Mama!

Let me look at you now.

You okay?

Sure. Are we going home? Well, not just yet, honey, but I brought you some

stuff, okay?

Yes.

Yeah. Mm -hmm.

Yeah.

And I got cookies, and you can have one before bedtime.

And I got your toothbrush in there now. I want you to use them. I promise.

I got Daddy to give up this Pete Rose.

Thank you.

Doctor.

Don't you be no bother.

They're good kids.

Oh, yes, ma 'am.

Where you been?

I've been scared.

What are you scared of, Tom?

Being alone.

Thinking maybe you left me.

Why would I do that?

I don't know.

I never left you before, have I?

Even after everything we've been through?

even when we was living in a tent.

And I promised you someday we'd have our own house.

And I made good on that promise, didn't I? Yes, I did. Yes, I did.

Tom, I gotta ask you.

And I want you to swear to me and God.

I gotta ask you.

Did you harm Kathy in any way?

You think I could do something like that?

Oh, please.

We have been through so much together.

I just gotta hear you swear.

Oh, Ma, don't laugh. I've done nothing.

But try to provide a home and love to you.

You hurt me.

Tom. I can understand the kids. They get scared.

They don't know what to think.

But I could always count on you.

And you hurt me.

Where are you going?

I'm going to find her.

Do what the rest of you can't do.

I'm going to find her.

I'm going to bring her home.

Then you'll see.

Hello? I found it. Tom?

I found the truck she drove off in.

Well, where are you? I told you I'd find it.

Where are you?

I'm down at the old post office on 12th.

Truck's just down that old dirt road just past it.

You know what that sign that says? Okay, listen, listen. I'll call Detective

Jackson. We'll meet you there, okay?

Oh, I'll meet you there.

Oh, I'll meet you right there. And you tell Jackson I found it.

I found it.

I will.

You tell him.

Yes, you did.

Yes, you did.

I found him.

I found him.

This ain't no red Chevy pickup.

This one of his cars from the lot.

You better take a look at this.

Ma 'am, if you know where your husband is, you better tell me now.

I don't know.

I swear I would never lie to you about a thing like that.

Oh, my God, my children.

What if he's after my children? Smitty, get on the box. Tell him I need two

officers over there watching those kids now. I should be there. Miss Atkins,

listen to me. You let me go. Listen to me.

Now, we're going to find him, but I can't do it without you.

Okay?

Now, if that's his car... He drives lots of different cars. Well, what car would

he be driving now? They're watching my children. Are you sure they're watching?

Yes, ma 'am, I'm sure.

Your kids are going to be fine. Now, think.

What would he be driving now?

The camper.

He took off in the camper.

How long is it going to be, Daddy?

How are you going?

We're going where it's safe, baby.

You've got yourself in a mess.

He's gone, isn't he?

Honey, you just don't know that.

Petey and Crystal made me.

Carol, they're fine. You just called them about ten minutes ago.

Yeah, but they need me.

Honey, the best thing that you can do right now is just to keep calm.

We always loved it here.

Everybody in their own bed saying goodnight to each other.

Tom said it reminded him of the Waltons and how he always wanted his family to

be like they was.

It don't seem to have turned out that way.

out here oh what's my mama and daddy i miss katherine i know

and i do too i want to go home so do i

You just go to sleep, honey.

We got a long night ahead of us.

Daddy, I want to go home. I didn't mean the things I said.

I know you didn't, honey.

You okay, sir?

What?

Sir, are you all right? Do you need assistance?

Just fine, thank you. A little tired, that's all.

You got somebody in there with you, sir?

She needs some sleep. I'd appreciate it if you'd just let us be.

Sir, would you open the door slowly, please, and step outside the vehicle?

I hate the cold. Sir, step outside the vehicle, please.

It's all right, darling.

Daddy will take care of everything.

Back

up,

please.

Mr. Acton has no comment. Detective Jackson, are you going to put some other

on this? You'll have to ask the TA about this. Do you think it was premeditated

or an act of simple passion?

Nature has its laws, you know.

As she sow, so shall ye reap.

Mr. Acton, your daughter can't be seen in the family.

Why did you kill her? Tom Acton did not kill his daughter. What are you bunked

when I understand that?

Then who did?

I did.

I did.

Dr. Miller will be conducting several interviews with your husband, some under

hypnosis, although MPD is rather rare in men. I think we can do the case. What's

MPD? Multiple personality disorder.

It's as if there are several different people living inside the same body, and

they don't always know what each other's doing.

I think I've seen something.

What?

Well, I didn't know, you know, exactly what you'd call it, but...

Yeah.

I think I've seen them.

Didn't you tell anybody?

Tell them what?

Mrs. Acton, I am trying. Mr. Brandon, sir, my guess is that you come from a

family, an educated family.

Ma 'am?

Well, things are just a little bit different this side of the mountain.

When you're afraid that you can't feed your family and keep a roof over your

kid's head, or when you can't make that bill to keep everybody warm, you know,

you tend to get a little upset. You get a little jumpy. I'm talking about

something else here, Mrs.

We're talking about the same thing. I've seen it changes.

I've seen him turn into a little boy when he's playing with my son, and I

his body go all stiff -like and heard a voice come from somewhere else. I don't

know. Well, why didn't you? What would you have me do?

Call the police because my man's moody?

That man has kept the fear out of my life for the last 20 years.

You look at us and you just see poor people.

But you don't understand, sir. We're a success story.

My kids got clean clothes.

And we got decent food on the table now, something you can swallow.

I'm sorry, sir. I just... I'm a mother, and that's my job. I'm here to provide a

life for my children.

And I'm just trying to tell you I couldn't have done it without my

Well, ma 'am, your husband killed your daughter.

I don't know who killed Kathy.

I'm just telling you that I don't have a husband anymore.

And I can't survive. the family I got left.

I can't even see them.

Now when do I get my kids back?

Until it is proven that you yourself had nothing to do with either your

daughter's murder or any abuse that might be found. Social services won't

anything to do with it. You think I was involved?

Maybe I was.

Maybe I was.

I was supposed to keep my kids safe.

And I didn't do that.

Excuse us. Mrs. Acton. Please.

Excuse us.

It's warmer sitting where you are.

It don't matter, Tom.

We gotta talk.

There's a whole lot of things I don't understand.

Kids okay?

They're fine.

And Kathy, how's my little princess?

Please don't do this.

I told her everything was gonna be fine once we got home.

And then you started... Stop it.

Do you know who I am?

Do you know who you're talking to?

Kathy's dead.

And you killed her.

And I want to know why.

Why do you have to... You listen to me.

You don't have to talk to me like that. It scares me when you do that.

You listen to me now.

You don't do this, you're in trouble.

And you gotta let these people help you.

I'll tell you something, or your sniveling at him ain't gonna get you

It's your fault, you know.

No. You let him get away with murder.

No. I told him, hell, she don't care what you do, Thomas.

She can't see past her nose.

Stop that now!

You deserve each other, you know that?

You're disgusting.

Both of you.

Weak.

Sniveling.

Bitch! Bitch!

You're rich.

I'll kill you and your daughter.

Bitch, I'll put you with your daughter. I'll put you with her.

He's under hypnosis.

Yes. Any insight you can give me would be greatly needed.

Are you cold, Tom?

Hot.

It's very cold.

Where are you, Tom?

It's too cold.

I could get you a jacket.

I'm not supposed to have one.

Why can't you have a job? You don't understand nothing.

How old are you, Tom?

I'm 13.

I just turned 13.

I got me a baseball mitt.

But you're shivering.

The grass is wet.

From the frost.

It's wet and it's cold.

I'm supposed to cut it, but I can't.

You'll cut it tomorrow.

You don't understand nothing.

Yes, sir.

Tom.

Tom, what's he saying to you?

Oh, God.

He's mad now. Got it? You're dumb, stupid, ignorant boy.

Now, from now on, you're going to do exactly what I say.

Is that clear, boy?

Maybe you're just deaf and dumb.

No, Daddy.

No, Daddy.

Well, you've got to be.

Because nobody could be as dumb as you are unless there was something wrong in

there.

Please, Daddy.

Please, Daddy. Please what?

Look at you.

You know I'm embarrassed to be seen with you.

Get down on your hands and knees and you're going to cut this grass all

You ain't going to eat and you ain't going to sleep until the replay of the

grass is cut.

You understand me? point.

boy you want to kill your daddy come on come on

go ahead boy you got the guts you got the guts to kill your daddy come

on you're a bastard you mama's bastard you ain't no son of mine

There's no problem. I'm fine.

I'm fine. I'm fine.

That is right.

I ain't worth wasting any time on.

That is right.

The boy spent the entire night on his hands and knees, crawling through the

grass, soaked to the skin.

The boy that was Tom Acton ceased to be, and someone else took over.

Previous to this, I had witnessed several personalities emerge from Mr.

Six, to be exact.

I hadn't clearly understood the pecking order, however.

The pecking order?

Which personality was in charge.

And this particular session?

Oh, I found out all right, loud and clear.

You have it on the tape.

Your Honor, if we may continue.

When you drove Kathy to the river... I tried to warn her, don't go with him.

It's going to hurt you.

Then who drove her?

Oh, hell, he drove her.

But I had to do the work for him.

Did he bring the gun, too?

He always kept a gun in the car.

Afraid of being robbed.

Okay, so I drove her out there.

I told her somebody was going to show us a car, but I just wanted to get along

with her. You know, try to pull some sense into her.

Jim and me, we just like each other, that's all.

Don't mean nothing.

If it don't mean nothing, then you put an end to it like I say, now.

You're just jealous.

Honey, that's foolish.

I can't take this anymore, Daddy. I'm moving out.

Honey, you're my baby girl.

Don't touch me.

Wait a minute. No.

No. No more.

You know something? You embarrass me.

You're always around, around my friends, at church. You're always hanging on me.

Don't say that, please.

Please. How the hell else am I going to get you to listen to me?

Sometimes I think you're deaf and dumb.

Deaf, dumb, stupid bastard.

You got the guts to kill your daddy. Come on.

Keep away from me.

Keep away.

Don't you see?

It was daddy.

Our Kathy's still alive.

It was daddy.

What are you doing here?

We gotta talk.

Look, uh... Sorry about what happened.

With Kathy and me.

You know... Well,

right now I got other things on my mind. And if I'm gonna get my kids back, I

gotta show that I can support them.

I've got to be able to feed them and clothe them.

I've got to keep my house, Jim.

So, like it or not, I'm going to be your boss.

My boss?

Well, yeah, I guess from here on out, act and salvage means make.

Now, how long is it going to take you to teach me how to work that?

He said he's sorry for all those horrible things he said.

That's fine, Tom.

That's just fine.

I'll get it all straightened out. I'll take care of everything.

I know you will.

I come here today, Tom, to say goodbye to you.

I'm getting the kids back for good now.

And they gotta know that they're gonna be safe and I'm gonna take care of them.

And that they still got a family.

Sure they do.

That's what I told Kathy. I said, honey, we each have our place in this family.

And I told her Mama's gonna need some help with the kids.

Getting supper on.

Kathy's dead, Tom. She ain't ever coming back.

Ever.

Well, if she's late for supper, then there just won't be no supper.

And there'll be no more talk about a car, either.

Not until she's through she can be trusted.

Goodbye, Tom.

She listens to me.

She knows that whatever I tell her, I have her best interest at heart.

My little princess.

I do believe she really does love me.

I can remember when she was a little girl and I used to take her in my arms

carry her around the house.

Look at you. Why? You know what I look like.

Yeah, I do.

But you're never going to look exactly the way you look right now.