Original subtitles

Previously on The Firm.

A friend of mine has been charged with murder here in D.C. His name is Patrick

Walker. I want you to represent him. He's been framed for a crime he didn't

commit, and I want him out.

Here's my offer.

You are going to handle the case.

If you do, the Medeiro-Moroto families will be square.

The victim's body was found in the trunk of your car.

I've never met Charlotte Miller.

My client didn't even know the victim.

That's a suitcase.

It weighs 117 pounds.

You know why?

Charlotte Miller is in that bed.

Antonio Chervino. How do you think he feels about the new kid in town?

You're a conciliary.

He's upset about being replaced, so he figures out a way to eliminate the

competition. You're asking for permission to accuse my top lieutenant

of framing Patrick.

Yes. Antonio Chervino. He took two in the head. We found him in a garbage

dumpster. You killed him.

Seems to me you got what you wanted. Now you can argue Patrick was framed.

I don't think a dead man will mind.

I missed you.

I've been doing a lot of thinking and... And it's time for you two to go.

Dad!

I just told Ray I was losing my mind, so I could be hallucinating.

Going was the right thing to do.

It brought me back.

I thought I was gonna die.

I didn't know what would happen to you and Claire.

And when it was done, I was just so angry.

I don't want to be angry anymore, Mitch. No, neither do I.

What happened?

It wasn't just you. It was also me.

No, Abby, you're right.

I should have just walked away.

You couldn't walk away. You never could.

Look, and we could sit here and tell each other how this will never happen

again, but something will. Something always does.

Abby. Look, I talked to my mom.

We talked about you and me.

And about why she and my dad were so against us.

They just wanted you to be safe.

From you, yes, but also from myself.

That streak, that reckless need to know, to push for the truth, to get

played, and then just come back and try to figure it out.

We both have that.

We're a horrible team.

And I love it. So do I.

I just needed a minute to remember how much.

We made some mistakes, but we can start over.

At least until the next something happens.

Abby, that something already happened.

I don't know how to tell you this, but somebody came to my office.

Just say it.

Joey Meralto, Jr.

He knows where we are. They have been watching us since we left the program.

So, what do you think?

If you need more time, I... So,

if we get Joey's friend released, he forgets the past, and he leaves us

alone. That's the deal. Yep. His name is Patrick Walker.

He's a graduate of MIT, an economist at some think tank.

But that's just his day job.

Yeah. Ray and I think that he is the new conciliary for Joey.

Lewis and the FBI, they think so, too.

My God.

Lewis, he knows you're doing this?

Yeah, he, uh... He flipped out when I first told him, but... Honestly, I think

he understands why I want to take the chance.

I can't disappear again, Mitch.

I love you, but our marriage wouldn't survive that.

And Claire, she... I get it. She can't run forever because of the choices that

we made.

But she will be. She will be running for the rest of her life.

Unless we finish this now.

So I'm in.

for whatever it takes to win this case and put the Miralto family behind us. It

could go bad.

We could lose, or Joey could come after us anyway.

We won't lose.

And at least this time, we are going in with our eyes open.

Maybe we could ask Lewis to put someone on Claire at school.

Yeah, yeah, I'll get on it right away.

Are you gonna go back to work?

No, not now.

If we're gonna do this, we'll do it together.

So she's in.

Let me guess.

You didn't tell her that Joey just killed his old conciliary.

Not yet. Give her some time to adjust.

Did you tell Tammy? Just did.

The rest of the phone call was pretty much just her screaming, but I talked

her down.

Yeah, so what's the deal?

Is she divorced yet? Just about. She found Elvis at a truck stop in Mobile.

Finally got the paper signed.

Great, because we're gonna need everybody working.

Abby's coming in later. Give her everything you know on Walker so far.

before you, man.

It'll be great to see you two get married.

Where are you going?

I'm gonna go see Joey down at the prison. Sounds like there's some new

problem with the case, but he wouldn't say what it is.

You're damn right there's a problem.

This prosecutor's killing us. What the hell's his name?

Alan Harper.

Yeah, well, every time I turn around, he's burying Patrick on the news.

Okay, I'll talk to him.

He shouldn't be trying this case in the press.

But either way, Alan Harper is a problem. He is smart, ambitious,

thorough. How thorough?

I don't like that question.

Why? Is there something that he shouldn't find out?

Yeah.

Maybe.

You told me to be honest with you, even if it's bad.

At least then you're not caught off guard.

I'm listening.

Rough sex.

That's the prosecutor's theory.

Yeah, the autopsy report says it was aggressive intercourse and that the

victim was strangled.

They assume that you were wearing a condom, which is why there's no DNA.

There's no DNA because I never met her.

Ever. Just tell him, Patrick.

I had a situation in college. There was a girl from D.C. I dated a few times.

She filed a complaint against me with the campus police. She said that I had

tried to choke her during... And that she said no, and that I wouldn't stop.

That is what lawyers call a prior bad act, Patrick, and that one is

particularly bad.

Look, it's not a big deal, okay?

No charges were ever filed.

After a few days, she declined the press charges.

The whole thing got blown out of proportion.

We just don't want it blowing up in our face at trial.

So... what do we do?

You told him to be honest.

That's better than hearing about it in court. Her name is Wendy Vale.

This happened when Patrick was a junior at MIT, so, what, seven years ago.

Sounds pretty damaging.

We can ask to keep it out.

But you can't offer a prior bad act to prove propensity to commit a crime.

Say it again in English. You have to prove the crime that's been charged. You

can't say that because someone's been violent before, that means they'll be

violent again.

But if that's the rule, then what's the problem? There's a lot of exceptions to

the rule. And Harper, he's smart enough to come up with a good argument against

us. Does he know about this woman? That's the issue.

We can file a motion to suppress...

See if the judge will keep it out. But if Harper doesn't know about it, then,

you know, we're handing him evidence that hurts our case.

I think we should wait.

I agree. We can't risk tipping him off.

Let's just get ahead of the game and be ready.

All right, I'll go talk to her, see if she gives a statement.

Maybe she'll downplay the whole thing like it was no big deal.

Do you want to go for a ride?

Not that the ladies don't love me, but, you know, maybe she'd prefer to talk to

a woman.

Sure.

I just need to be back when the marshals drop Claire off at home from school.

Hey, you just got back. You don't need to do this.

No.

Whatever it takes.

Glad you're back. You okay?

Yeah.

I mean, you know, it'll take a while to be really okay, but I'll get there.

We missed you.

How about you?

Yeah, I missed you too.

I met Tammy.

She's been gone a while.

She'll be back by the weekend.

I told her I was thinking of a long engagement.

Um, like around ten years.

She must have loved that.

Look, okay, here we go.

Take a shot, I'll hang back.

Excuse me.

Wendy Vale?

Yes. I'm Abby McDeer. I was hoping to talk to you for a minute about Patrick

Walker.

Stay away from him. That's all I have to say about Patrick. I'm on his defense

team. It's about a complaint you filed a few years ago. Yeah, he said you'd try

to find me.

Who did? Patrick?

You've talked to him recently?

Not Patrick. Alan Harper.

The prosecutor.

You've already talked to the prosecutor about the incident.

Incident?

Patrick tried to kill me.

Mr. Harper said I didn't have to speak with the defense.

I'm testifying. You can hear it then.

Hey, Harper.

Mr. McDeer, what do you want?

I want you to stop trying my client in the press.

Spare me the ethics class.

Maybe you should take one. Or maybe you forgot it's improper to tell a witness

not to talk to me. I have no idea what you're talking about.

I'm talking about Wendy Vale.

Ah, the lovely woman your client tried to choke to death.

To be clear, I never told Wendy Vale to do anything. I simply informed her of

her right not to speak to you. If she seems a little reluctant, maybe it's

because your client tried to kill her.

Well, I have asked them to preclude her testimony.

It is a prior bad act that goes to propensity.

We'll see.

I'm surprised your client even told you about her. I was hoping to sandbag you

at the trial.

It's inadmissible, Alan. And it was seven years ago. How did you even find

it? Well, I tell you to ask around, McDeer, but we've argued against each

other before, so you know what I'm capable of.

I've had Wendy Vale's name for weeks.

So you have the complaint she filed with campus police?

I do.

I subpoenaed the investigation filed two weeks ago. My copy should be ready this

afternoon. Well, it's discovery. You have to give that to me. Not until the

day of the hearing. You could put in a subpoena of your own, but the college

needs at least two weeks to fill a request.

So that's how it is?

That's exactly how it is.

You're playing catch-up on this one.

But look on the bright side.

After you lose the motion, you'll have more time to focus on losing the trial.

This guy's good. If we want a chance with this case, we need to step it up.

Which means we can't wait to see what Winnebiel's gonna say until the day of

the hearing. We need that file now.

College has a satellite office in D.C. I'll see what I can do. Actually, maybe

Abby could cover that. I want you to cover the Miralto Club.

Is that okay?

Yeah, I'm in. The prosecution thinks that Patrick and Charlotte Miller were

at the Miralto Club the night of the murder.

So... Bouncers, friends, security video.

Anyone who saw them either at the club together or leave together.

On it. Now, look, we are behind, but we can win this motion and this case.

Hi, I'm here regarding a subpoena we sent for a complaint involving Patrick

Walker. Of course, from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Yes. Your office said someone would be coming by.

Everything is right here, all ready to go.

By the way, I'm a third-year law student hoping to get a job in the U.S.

Attorney's Office when I graduate.

Any tips?

Don't trust defense attorneys and their teams.

You never know what they're up to.

You can't just walk out with it.

Why not? They assumed I'm with Harper's Office. They have no clue.

Until someone from Harper's Office comes to pick it up, then they will have a

clue. Good point.

I'll fix it.

I'm Tracy Van Horn. I'm from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

I'm just here to pick up a file.

Oh, come on.

Sorry for the delay. How can I help you? I'm from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

You have a file for me on Patrick Walker?

I was told somebody already came in and picked it up.

Really?

No, I'm the one picking it up, and I just got here.

You're right. Here it is.

Ma'am, did you need help?

No, I have everything I need.

That is the victim. I'm looking for footage from the night of the murder

that shows her with Joey's friend Patrick.

Yeah, I've been going through the files. Give me a minute and I'll show you what

we've got. All right.

Well, well, look who's back.

Anything I can help you with?

No, I'm good.

Looks like you've seen better days.

Between us, things are getting a little tense around here. I bet. With your old

conciliary showing up dead like that, I'm sure that caused a lot of problems.

Well, the problem is a lot of our guys think Joey's behind it.

But you don't. I stand behind my boss.

If Joey's not careful, he's not gonna come out the other side of this.

So, Patrick told us the truth this time.

The campus police stopped the investigation.

At Wendy Vale's request.

Why? In her statement, she made it pretty clear that Patrick tried to choke

her.

I had the same question. Why pull back?

Well, maybe because she realized it wasn't true.

Patrick wasn't trying to kill her. They were just kids experimenting. I don't

think so.

The campus police started looking into Wendy's sex life. Turned out there were

other boys who said that Wendy wasn't against the idea of rough sex.

How many?

Two. This is what happens. They blame the victim.

She consented before, so she must have consented again.

And she was young.

I mean, no wonder she'd want to go through that in public.

Abby, we have to use this. It's technically relevant.

If Wendy gets on the stand and acts shocked that Patrick choked her... We

should keep this about Patrick and Wendy. Whatever happened in Wendy's sex

life before, that is none of our business.

It just doesn't work like that.

Well, we work like that.

You're saying that they can't use propensity evidence against Patrick, but

we should use it against Wendy? Why?

Because it is effective.

These things tend to get ugly. Well, if Patrick wants ugly, he can get somebody

else.

Look, I don't like it.

But, Abby, there's nothing about this case that I do like.

We need to win.

You know what happens if we lose.

Maybe we won't lose.

Surveillance from Meralto's club shows Charlotte Miller arriving and leaving

with friends. No Patrick.

What about inside?

Shows that they're both there, but there's not a single frame that shows

that they actually spoke to each other. This is good. I don't know how she ended

up in his bed, but if Harper's planning to argue that they hooked up at the

club, it didn't happen.

I don't see your point. You can't block my access to the witness. We are asking

that she be made available. And I resent your accusation. You can resent my

accusation on your own time. Can I speak to the court, or do you resent that

also? I don't resent you, Mr. McDeer.

Your Honor, we have made multiple efforts to speak to this witness. Her

name is Wendy Vale. She doesn't want to talk to the defense. Because you told

her that she didn't have to. Because I advised her of her right to decline an

interview. Mr. Harper, have you in any way informed the witness that she should

not speak with Mr. McDeer? No, Your Honor.

As you'll see, Wendy Vale is highly emotional.

Even years later, her experience with the defendant is... We can get you a

microphone and a chair if you plan to testify. My point is, getting this

witness to talk was difficult.

I spent an hour alone with her, convincing her to take the stand at all.

Time you'll never get back, Mr. Harper. Much like the time I'm wasting right

now. Your Honor. She doesn't want to talk to you, Counsel.

It happens.

If she says anything you didn't expect, I can give you more time to regroup

before cross.

Thank you, Your Honor.

No, thank you, Mr. Harper.

It's fun-loving guys like you that make my job a laugh riot.

Call your witness.

We get a continuance? Not yet. I'm headed to the courthouse now. Where are

you? I pulled a few still shots from Charlotte Miller's video of Joey's club

at night of the murder. And found something? She showed up with a friend,

a regular. I talked to the bartender. Said her name's Melanie Reed, works at

the Capitol Hilton.

Great. Maybe she can tell us what happened to Charlotte.

At this point, we don't know anything about her. In another week, there's

nothing we won't know. I'll call you later.

Okay, bye.

Hi, can I help you?

Mitch ran?

Uh, he's in court.

I'm sorry, did you have an appointment?

No, no, but I can make one. First name Joey, last name... Well,

I think you know the last name, don't you, Abby?

I gotta say, all that time watching you and your family, I feel like we know

each other.

Joey.

Mitch will be back soon.

Would you like to wait, or should I have him call you?

He told you about our arrangement?

Mm-hmm.

You okay with that?

I want you out of our lives.

So if that's what it takes, then yes, I'm okay with that.

Is it true?

If we get your friend released, you'll leave us alone?

How's the deal?

Is it true?

You see, now, here we just met, and you've already insulted me.

I get the feeling you don't trust me.

I was very young.

Put myself in a dangerous position.

Did you know the defendant?

Yes, I thought so.

We met that summer here in D.C.

We were both 20, both about to be juniors at college.

You dated?

A few times.

But I was at GW and Patrick was at MIT, so when his internship ended at the end

of the summer, that was it. Until when?

A few months later, that October.

Some friends decided to take a trip up to Boston, so I called Patrick.

And did you see him? Yes.

We met at a bar.

We both had fake IDs, so... We had a beer, and then we went back to his

place.

We had sex.

It was consensual. I never said that it wasn't.

But what happened?

He tried to choke you.

Objection. Sustained.

Let her tell me, Mr. Harper.

Of course.

Yes. At first, it was just his hand on my neck.

But then he was choking me.

I tried to stop him. I told him to stop, but... to look in his eyes, it was

rage.

I'd never seen him like that before.

I knew he was going to kill me.

Objection. Overruled.

Take your time, Ms. Phil.

I don't know how, but I fought him off.

I just remember him.

Laughing. And I got out of there.

And you notified the campus police?

Yes, not that day, but a couple days later before we left Boston.

When I heard that he'd killed another woman, strangled her, I just, I

knew that could have been me.

Nothing further.

Two days?

You thought he tried to kill you, but you waited two days to file a complaint?

I was terrified.

All I wanted was to go home.

By your own admission, you were drinking that night. How many beers had you had?

One. You remember that clearly? It was seven years ago, and you know exactly

how many you had? I remember everything about that night.

You told the campus police he tried to choke you, that you were scared, but you

never said that he was trying to kill you. He was. You say that now, but back

then, you never used those words.

There was rage in his eyes, also something you never told the campus

police. He wanted to strangle me.

Really?

And you had never tried anything like that before?

Objection! You better have a good faith basis for that one, Counsel. I do, Your

Honor. The campus police did an investigation, and they determined that

there was evidence that Miss Vale was not opposed to the idea of rough sex.

How dare you?

This is why I didn't want to pursue the complaint. Miss Vale. I'm not a child.

I know the difference between experimenting with someone you love and

what happened that night. The objection is overruled.

You made your point, Counsel.

Let's not dwell on it.

I got that from the security footage at Roma. You were there the night that

Charlotte Miller was killed.

You're with the defense?

And I can't help you.

I'm serious.

I know.

Your mouth kind of curls up on the side when you're angry.

Look, I just want the truth.

Anything you can tell me about that night?

Not really.

We had fun. We hadn't seen each other in a while.

Charlotte had a crazy schedule.

She traveled all over the world with Cloud 10. Cloud 10? I don't know that.

Well, most people don't.

It's one of those private jet companies, very exclusive.

Charlotte was a VIP liaison.

Meaning? She was never here.

At Cloud 10, you don't just book flights for clients, you travel with them,

provide full service 24-7.

London, Paris, Dubai.

That's how we know each other.

I book a lot of her high-end clients at her hotels.

Don't take this the wrong way, but VIP liaison, 24-hour service, that sounds

like she might have been an escort rather than a travel companion.

Not Charlotte.

She would never do that.

I mean, don't get me wrong, she got plenty of attention from crazy rich

clients. Good attention or bad attention?

Some bad, but she never dated the clients.

Except once.

The guy's name was Alexey Dovac.

He got a little obsessed.

I'll check that out. Thank you.

Um, this guy they arrested, Patrick Walker, you know him?

Never seen him, never seen Charlotte with him. When we left the club, she got

into her car.

I assumed to go home.

Thanks again.

First, I want to welcome everyone and say thanks for coming to D.C.

My business here prevents me from being home right now. When are you coming back

to Chicago?

I don't know.

My childhood friend Patrick is facing a murder trial.

I'm here to see if that goes our way.

Your childhood friend?

That's what you call him?

Is that a problem, John?

Yeah, that's a problem.

I'd say it's a problem when my boss names a new consigliere.

and hides it from the family. John, remember where you are. I know where I

am. I'm at the family table where I've been for the last 20 years. Donny,

please. The family table where I sat with your father and Antonio while your

mother wiped your nose. Careful, Johnny. I'm done being careful.

You killed Antonio.

He was still this family's consigliere, but you took him out for your childhood

friend, a kid who isn't even a child.

Let him speak.

Sorry, Joey.

But you're not cut out to be boss.

You kill Antonio, but McDeer still lives?

You're not my boss.

Well, there's the door.

And anyone who agrees can go with him.

Joey. Johnny.

Come on, don't do this.

This isn't over.

Finally something we agree on.

Your Honor, the law is clear. You can't offer a prior bad act as propensity.

That's not what we're doing. Of course you are. You're saying that because my

client tried to choke Wendy Vale, he must have strangled Charlotte Miller.

It does look that way, Mr.

Harper. You know the rule. The rule has exceptions, Your Honor. Well, if one of

them applies here and now, it would be a good time to say so.

Intent. Prior bad acts are admissible to prove a defendant's intent.

Well, go on. I'm not rolling my eyes yet.

We don't know if this crime was intentional or reckless.

But the fact that he purposefully choked Wendy Vale proves his intent.

Oh, come on. You said so yourself. You thought this was manslaughter. What I

think has no bearing on a jury. I'm legally entitled to make this argument.

And you would because that's the kind of prosecutor that... Hey, I'd leave

personal judgments out of this. You're the one who just threw a young woman's

sexual history at her like a weapon. And my associate, Miss Van Horn, believes

you stole our files. Gentlemen, much as I enjoy this back and forth, you can see

from my face how much that is.

I think I'm ready to rule. Your Honor, if nothing else, the prejudicial value

here... Always the probative. I know that that's a risk we take.

But if I have this right, your client claims he was framed. Is that correct?

Yes. Then I'm inclined to compromise.

Mr. Harper, you can't use Wendy Vale to make your case. But if you tell a jury

that your client is not the kind of guy to choke a woman or that he's just

generally a very peaceful individual...

I'm letting her testify.

You're limiting my defense.

Just keeping it real, Mr. McDeer.

My daughter likes to say that, and it turns out, so do I.

We're adjourned.

Well, that's a good result. At least Harper can't use that on his case.

Yeah, but to defend, Patrick will end up having to open that door. She will

testify. Mr. McDeer, any comment on the judge's ruling?

No, other than we are thankful that they excluded the evidence in the

government's case in chief. That doesn't bother you. Your client almost killed

another woman. You don't think the jury should hear that? We will try this case

in a courtroom, not here. Thank you.

What happened to the Mitch McDeer who took down Noble Insurance? Thank you

very much. Well, why did you take this case? Thank you.

Can you give me a sec? I gotta use the restroom. Yeah, yeah.

You okay?

Hey, listen, you did fine.

Testifying isn't easy.

You were there?

Yeah. I know you're upset, but the judge was ruling on the law. He wasn't ruling

on you.

You don't understand.

I'm not upset about their ruling.

I'm upset about what I said on the stand.

I mean, it happened.

He did try to choke me, but that stuff I said about the rage in his eyes and

that I knew he wanted to kill me wasn't like that.

Wendy, you were under oath.

Why did you do that? I just went too far.

I wanted the judge to believe me.

And that... Poor girl that Patrick killed. Patrick could be innocent.

You need to tell them the truth.

It's too late. It's not too late.

The testimony you gave changed the trial.

The defense is worried about a jury hearing. I have to go. Wait.

Maybe I won't have to testify.

I'm sorry.

Wendy lied.

I just talked to her.

You saw Wendy? In the bathroom. She's upset.

About what?

What she said on the stand.

She admitted to going too far. She made the attacks out worse than it really

was. Why would she tell you that? I don't know, but she's emotional.

I mean, it's traumatic to get on the stand.

We have to tell this to the court. Can you? I mean, how does it work? Can you

just get her back and make her tell the truth? We'll see. Is she still here?

I don't know.

Mr. Harper should be here any second. I have to say, counsel, in all my years,

this is a first. A first both, Your Honor. A witness recanting in a lady's

restroom and to the defense attorney's wife.

I didn't expect it either, Your Honor. I was just asking if she was okay. You

shouldn't have been asking her anything.

Take it easy, Mr.

Harper. We're all friends here.

Except for the fact that we all seem to dislike each other. Your Honor, I object

to this meeting.

I object to Miss McDeer approaching the court ex parte about a witness. A

witness who perjured herself.

Don't worry, we didn't discuss anything, Alan. I know how you hate to miss an

argument. Mrs. McDeer, obviously we're out of everyone's comfort zone here.

Are you certain Miss Vale told you she fabricated testimony?

Yes. She did say that the attack happened, but she made it sound more

aggressive than it really was. More aggressive, those were her words?

No. Uh, her exact words... Well... I'm not sure what her exact words were,

but she made it clear that she embellished on the stand.

In what way?

She said that Patrick wasn't in a rage.

She didn't think he was going to kill her. How convenient.

I was in that courtroom, Your Honor.

You had the chance to assess her credibility.

She told the truth.

You can't know that. I trust that.

A lot more than the word of my opposing counsel's wife.

There is a simple fixture, Your Honor. Ask her. Put Wendy Vale on the stand,

and let's set the record straight. No.

The court has limited my defense, all based on the testimony of a witness who

may have committed perjury.

Mrs. McDeer, did Ms. Vale volunteer this information, or did you pull it out of

her? I'd say she volunteered.

Fine. Get her back.

Your Honor, you take... Get her back, Mr. Harper. Either she stands by her

story or she doesn't.

When is your flight?

I already said I'd pick you up unless something big happens.

Tammy, you just spent a week looking for your last husband. Compared to him, I'm

Mr. Reliable.

Look, I gotta go.

I'll talk to you tomorrow and every day until I die because we're getting

married.

Alexis Dovak.

Raymond Deer.

Private investigator.

Sorry, I have to run. If you call my office, you can schedule an appointment.

This is about Charlotte Millen.

She was killed two weeks ago.

Strangled. I read about it. Saw the prosecutor on the news. You know her?

You know I did. That's why you're here.

I don't have time for small talk. Why don't you just ask me if I killed her?

Why don't you just tell me if you did?

Charlotte worked for Cloud 10. They coordinate my travel.

Word is you were interested more than just travel arrangements.

That's true. Charlotte was a beautiful woman.

I may have crossed the line once or twice. Tried to make her business

personal. You're rejected. That must have pissed you off. Please.

I run a technology company. I'm a pretty resilient guy.

And anyway, I heard they arrested someone.

I think he was framed.

Oh. And you're looking for another suspect.

Sorry, but I'm not your man.

Here's the thought.

Maybe the guy wasn't framed.

Maybe he's guilty and you're being played.

That ever occur to you?

Yeah, it crossed my mind once or twice.

I'm sorry I told you what happened.

I really don't want to go through it again.

I understand, Ms. Bale.

But apparently you had a conversation with Mrs. McDeer in the ladies' room

afterwards.

I... I did speak with her. We can make this very simple, Ms. Vale.

You took an oath to tell the truth before you testified at this hearing,

correct? Yes.

And did you, in fact, tell the truth?

Or are you now changing your testimony?

Answer the question, Ms. Vale.

I told the truth.

Nothing further, Your Honor. This time we move for a... Not so fast, Mr.

Harper.

Mr. McDare, your witness.

You spoke to my wife in the restroom, didn't you?

Yes. You were upset because you said some things that weren't true.

You made the attack seem worse than it actually was.

It's not too late, Wendy.

Perjury is a crime, and you can fix this.

If you cure the perjury now, you cannot be charged.

Objection. Overruled.

My patience is thinning, Miss Vale.

I can't. You can't what?

Why did you lie?

I didn't.

I just made it sound worse than it actually was.

He wanted me to.

He showed me a picture of that girl, Charlotte.

He told me if I didn't testify and make it right, Patrick would get away with

murder. Your Honor, move to strike. Move to strike that entire answer.

Denied.

I'm sorry.

What I said about Patrick's rage, about knowing he wanted to kill me.

Mr. Harper was pushing me. Your Honor. I said denied, Mr. Harper. I won't stand

here and be accused of professional misconduct. And I won't stand here while

you bully this witness.

Enough.

Chambers, both of you.

And all three of us may not come out alive.

Get in here. Let's go. Your Honor, I've been doing this a long time, and I know

when a witness... Did you coach that witness?

No. Did you coach that witness? No, I did not.

And I take offense at the very suggestion.

It's not a suggestion. It's an accusation made by the prosecution's

witness. A witness who had nothing to say about me until after a discussion

with your wife. Are you honestly suggesting that my wife encouraged this?

I don't know. You spent an hour alone with Wendy Vale convincing her to

testify. That's what you said.

And I conducted myself like the professional I am. And yet we have a

witness who seems pretty clear of the opposite. So what gives? Somebody got to

her. Joe Amaralto or one of his guys. Not possible.

The witness recanted minutes after she testified.

Meralta was not in the courthouse, nor were any of his associates.

Oh, they threatened her.

Somehow, they intimidated Wendy Vale into changing her story. Another theory.

I'm done with theories.

I'm switching to facts.

Fact. The allegation has been made, and now it has to be dealt with.

Fact. Miss Vale's testimony is now less than credible.

I'm precluding her from taking the stand for either side. And, Alan, we are

moving that he be disqualified.

Granted, I don't know if it happened, Alan. I'd like to believe it didn't.

But now that's for the bar to decide.

Have your office assign someone else. You're out.

You know I prefer to meet in my office.

And you know I don't care what you prefer.

What's the update?

Well, Wendy Vale's testimony's been precluded, and Alan Harper's been

removed from the case.

Are you happy about that?

Yeah, it's helpful.

Harper's good, so we definitely caught a break.

Yeah, well, what we need is a defense.

We are working on it.

Ray has got the surveillance footage from your club, and there is no evidence

that Charlotte or Patrick were there together.

Well, that's good work.

And I think good work should be rewarded.

Hand me that case, would you?

Whoa, Joey.

Relax.

It's not for you.

This is it, Mr. Moralto.

Thanks, Eddie.

What the hell's going on?

There's something I wanted you to see.

If this is some drug deal or other business of yours, I want no part of it.

Drugs?

You know, sometimes you really hurt my feelings.

So what'd you think?

Good work.

And I was just saying, good work should be rewarded.

Hi, Counselor.

So Harper was right.

You got to her, but you didn't intimidate her. You paid her off.

Was that his guess?

Well, he had the right idea. I don't get it.

How is there enough time to make a deal after she testified?

When did you arrange this? Now, that's the right question. When do you think?

We reached out to Wendy Vale weeks ago, long before you knew she existed, long

before Harper knew she existed.

So you sent her to Harper?

Well, we approached her first to see if she'd be interested.

Her complaint back then was real, so we didn't know if she'd go for it.

But it's amazing what people will do for a few hundred grand.

And we knew Harper would bite.

The young woman almost choked to death years ago. It was perfect.

So this whole thing.

Wendy testifying, changing her story, accusing Harper. Yeah, we set him up.

Don't look so surprised.

Look,

I'm sorry we had to get Abby involved.

Why am I here, Joey?

I didn't have to see this. You could have paid her off without telling me.

Yeah, that's true.

But I wanted you to know how seriously I take this case.

And why.

Harper was a problem, and now he's not. I wish I could take credit for that.

But it was Patrick.

He sees things.

Angles we don't see.

He's going to help me take this family to the next level.

Come on, Mitch. This was a good day all around.

Memphis Noble, you said you wanted me on this case because of how I handle

things. You want me to handle Patrick's defense?

Then we do it my way. Hey, you don't call the shots.

It's all our way.

Patrick knows what he's doing. Hell, why do you think you're even here?

You really saved Joey's life?

I didn't think. I just reacted.

Well, if you hadn't, we wouldn't be having these problems right now. Ray.

He paid Wendy right in front of me.

This whole thing was just a ploy to get Harper bounced.

Well, you got to admit, I mean, it's a serious play. This Patrick Sharp, no

wonder Joey's fighting his own family to protect him. You think that whoever

tried to kill Joey is from the Ruralto family?

Probably. I mean, this civil war is real.

I'm telling you.

If Joey doesn't do something soon, he's not gonna make it out in one piece. But

with Joey gone, we can ditch this case.

We can stop running.

I don't know.

The rest of the Miralta family wants us gone.

What if one of Antonio's guys takes over?

Look, I hate to say it, but at this point... Joey could be the only one

keeping us alive.