Original subtitles

The small inconsistencies are deliberate.

He wants us to know it's him, that's his signature, but also to keep us on our toes.

He's back in the game but wants to make it interesting.

I'm just as frustrated as you are that he's not being caught

and that he's taken the life of another young woman

for his own selfish and sadistic reasons.

He tattoos himself.

All those missing tattoos taken by a killer, they're his now.

You checking the water? I don't want it too hot. Your mother's always making it too hot.

- She's been gone almost 30 years, Dad. - Who?

She has perfect style. I bet she's a doctor or a lawyer.

- Yeah? - Something important.

Heh. She's a therapist. I told you.

You know something about the killer.

I follow the case. What can I say? I'm a fan.

What are you doing?

Okay, just close your eyes.

Detective Serrato, I bet he gave you his card, didn't he?

And warning, this one might bleed a little more than the others.

Needle to bone's a real fight. Rough patch coming.

You need a break, or you wanna keep going?

Oh, I'm good, Kitty. Let's keep going.

Mm-hm.

As you all know, Gretchen McGrath was a missing person for seven days

before showing up only a couple of days before she was killed.

Serrato and Ramos tracked down her whereabouts.

She was with a local drug dealer. Phillip Zellman.

Guy turned up dead himself, apparent OD.

No signs of foul play. Things have been turned over to Canaan PD.

But let's keep track of the autopsy when it comes in, yeah?

Will do.

I want everyone to refamiliarize yourselves with the RRK case,

whether or not you've been involved from the beginning, or it's your first go around.

Detective Serrato has done an exhaustive job here,

laying this all out for us.

Use it.

Mike.

All right. Gretchen McGrath.

A young woman, strangled, tattoo excised,

all signatures of the RRK.

Hey, Candace. Have you seen my ID badge?

I thought I put it in there.

Oh, come on.

Candace!

Dad, come on. We're gonna be late.

Candace!

It's not like they won't let you into the school.

Yeah. Right.

Right, sorry.

Yeah, I'll just find it later. I don't know what's wrong with me.

Whoa.

- Pretty sure everyone knows who you are. - Yeah.

Yeah, I know it sounds obscene, but exotic fish are sort of my passion.

That, and original Irving Klaw photos.

Mm-hm. - Are you aware of Klaw's work?

Morning, Leo. Sleep well?

- John. - Heh, heh.

Your wife and I were just sharing our secret passions.

Wow, look at you.

Lordy me, you are really filling out nicely, aren't you?

Thanks.

Well, you're, uh... You're up early, John.

What brings you here at the crack of dawn?

Well, I'm an early riser. Late to bed too. Not much sleep for me.

But the good news is, I'm always keeping an eye on the neighborhood. All hours of the night.

- I've told you that before, right? - Mm. Mm-hm.

What can we do for you this morning?

Well, I was just telling your wife, the mailman accidentally put your mail in my mailbox.

Oh, again?

Yeah, I know, right? And Candace insisted I stay for coffee.

Heh. You said you were out of coffee.

True. Yeah. But then you offered.

- True. - Which was sweet of you. So...

- Um... - Anyhoo, wanna grab a beer tonight?

- Oh, wish I could, John. - On me.

- You know, another time, maybe. I... - It's been ages since we've had a chance to talk.

Not really. A few weeks ago.

And so much has happened since.

- Like what? - A lot.

- Where's the harm in one beer? - Yeah.

Sure. One beer, we'll talk, tonight.

Um, let me, uh... Let me just show you out, John.

- Thank you so much. - Yeah.

- You have a lovely day. - You too.

God bless.

So, what's the thinking, him removing the tattoos? Souvenirs?

I don't think that's our guy.

Why? All those douchebags like to collect mementos.

So predictable. Reminders of their handiwork.

Our guy's different.

We've never been able to rely on standard profiling.

Besides, victim number five, Rosie Flores,

now her excised skin was found washed up not far from the body.

Chewed on a bit by fish, but tested positive, meaning that our guy discards the tattoo.

It's not about possession, it's about ridding the women of something.

Something he finds objectionable.

Purifying them.

Perhaps you could tell your latest squeeze

that you're engaged in something more important than exchanging heart emojis at the moment.

Gretchen McGrath tip line. Eighty-eight calls as of 5 a.m.

A $50,000 reward is gonna bring a lot of tips out of the woodwork, sure, but, uh...

You're kidding, Ramos.

Woman thinks her neighbor is RRK because she slept with him

and he wouldn't call her back the next day?

And said he couldn't marry a woman with a tattoo.

The woman got dumped. The man got laid. He's not gonna marry her, tattoo or no tattoo.

You did take the detective's exam, didn't you?

Ha, ha. Very funny. Give me my phone.

- Wait. - What?

This woman said her sister went missing 26 years ago.

- So? - Thinks she was a victim of the RRK.

Again, so? Missing person, 26 years ago?

That's five years prior to Stacey Reid, his first victim.

And you're asking if I've taken the detective exam.

Unless Stacey Reid wasn't his first victim.

Hi.

- I, uh... I didn't see the light come on. - What light?

There is a button that you push over there when you arrive.

I should have mentioned it on the phone. It's fine. Please. Come in.

Thanks.

You can take a seat.

I almost didn't show up.

Well, I'm glad that you did.

Yeah, but then I thought, I've been so stressed, it might be nice to have someone to talk to.

Which is why I called and made an appointment in the first place.

What have you been stressed about?

You know, things.

Like...

Well, Leo's son moved in with us a few months ago.

- And then I had a miscarriage recently. - Okay.

And Leo's dad, who can be difficult at times, is having some memory issues,

which are getting worse, in my opinion.

And then there's Dotty, Arlen's girlfriend, who, personally I like well enough,

but I can totally see how she gets under my husband's skin.

I'm sorry, I-- I'm a little nervous.

That's a lot, Candace.

I guess.

So you had a miscarriage. Was that recently?

We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.

No, I... It's okay. It's just... It's a good thing.

What is?

That I can get pregnant.

I wasn't sure I could, so when I did, well, it was a sign from God.

And I'll get pregnant again. The doctor said I would. That I could.

Well, a positive outlook is important.

I don't know why I'm here.

I mean, when we talked the other day at church

and I found out you were a therapist, I just thought...

Why do you think you're here?

I don't know.

I guess I was curious about therapy, but it's always seemed a little pretentious.

Ah, yes, I get that.

But you seem really nice.

I don't know what else to say.

It's fine, really.

So how long have you been married?

We celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary last month.

- Congratulations. - Thanks.

He saved me.

Love can often do that.

I was somebody else before, and he saved me.

Can you talk a little bit about who you were before?

It's okay. This is a place of trust.

And trust, it takes time.

And this is only your first session.

I used to dance.

I was a stripper.

It just feels like forever since we've hung out,

- and I thought you could use someone to talk to. - Mm.

What gave you that idea, John?

I don't know. We've been friends a long time, and friends can read friends.

And like I said, it just seems like forever since we've hung out.

I'm a busy man, that's what I'm talking about. That's what I've explained to you before.

- I know. - A beer every once in a while is fine, but--

Once in a while is feeling a little like once in for never from this side of things.

I'm sorry about that, John.

All I'm saying is, you can trust me, Leo.

You know that. I've said that before, many times.

So if there is ever something you want to tell me,

I can keep a secret.

Any secret.

I don't have anything to tell you, John.

- Right. - Yeah?

- Okay. - Yeah.

Well, what if there was something I wanted to tell?

Would you wanna hear?

Sure, but I just finished my one beer.

So you better make it quick.

Gretchen.

What about her?

I just couldn't resist.

So I did it.

Did what?

I killed her.

You're telling me...

you killed Gretchen McGrath?

That's right, I did.

Why are you telling me this?

Well, because we're friends, and friends trust friends with their secrets, right?

Do you have any secrets that you want to share with me?

You've asked me that before, John, and I never know what you're asking.

Is there something you think you know?

Something about me?

No.

I mean, I don't know.

We all have our secrets.

Well...

here's something I can tell you, John.

I don't believe you.

I don't believe for one minute that you killed Gretchen.

And I don't know why the fuck you would say you did.

She was a beautiful young woman,

and you're nothing but a piece of shit sometimes, John.

And I can say that because we're friends.

And friends...

trust friends with the truth, right?

Right.

I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that. I just thought--

Thanks for the beer, John.

One more thing.

Whatever you and I have, this is what it is.

Don't you ever...

come into my house again.

- Do you understand me? Yeah? - Sure.

- Okay. - Okay.

- Yeah? - Yeah.

Sure thing, Leo.

Cockroach nymph.

Cool. I can't believe I finally found these.

What's the big deal about a cockroach nymph?

In this area, you can only find them on the riverbank.

And my dad would totally kill me if he knew I was here.

Why would your dad care?

Uh...

Nothing. It's just...

- Forget it. - Oh, no. You have to tell me now.

My dad's a detective.

Yeah, I know.

And the girl that was killed, she was killed by the Russian River Killer.

I know. It's all anybody ever talks about around here.

Yeah, and he's always leaving his victims by the river,

and my dad has been trying to catch him for, well, since the beginning.

Didn't he kill like 10 women?

Eight.

- Well, nine now. - Oh.

Nothing personal, but your dad kind of sucks at his job.

Shut up.

- What? - No, seriously, shut up, okay?

You don't know anything about what he does.

God, sometimes you can just be so, like...

Freakish.

Yeah.

Sorry.

Are we ever gonna talk about it?

About what?

The dog, okay? You killing it?

What is there to talk about?

I don't know. You said that you didn't feel bad, but how could you not?

I mean, I do, and I'm not even the one who...

Smashed its head in with a rock?

Yeah.

Okay, well, we've talked about it, and now we're done.

I can't believe you actually answered my call.

I felt a little ridiculous calling after all these years.

But like I said, I always thought that my sister...

That she might have been a victim of that serial killer.

And what makes you think that?

She didn't just disappear.

I know my sister.

She had her troubles, but she was finally getting her life together.

Was there a man in her life?

She'd been married, 10 years before, briefly.

She had a son, who she never really saw.

That was really hard for her.

You in touch with your nephew?

I tried for a while.

You were saying that it was hard on Beth not being able to see her son.

That's why it was so important she was finally turning things around.

She was trying to be the mother she always wanted to be.

She was really blossoming.

That's what the tattoo was all about.

- So she had a tattoo? - A rose.

Do you have a picture of Beth you could show me, if you don't mind?

Of course.

She's, uh... She's beautiful.

Thank you.

I knew it.

Our unsub was in action before his first victim, Stacey Reid, was found in '98.

Ease up, bubba.

All we have is a missing person and a tattoo, that's all.

No, it's more than that. Age, appearance, lifestyle.

I'm telling you, we're looking at an early vic of the RRK.

Makes complete sense to me.

How's that?

I've worked this case from day one,

and I've always said there's the real possibility of earlier victims.

It just never made sense.

By the time that Stacey's body was found, there were no mistakes.

That's why it's been so hard to find this guy.

Serial killers make mistakes early on, before they hit their stride,

before they find their confidence, settle into their signature killing.

But not this guy.

He's got the footprint of a ghost.

Okay, so a possible earlier vic...

Changes everything.

What are we doing?

- We're having fun, that's what. - Oh.

And waiting for your son.

- Well, where the hell is he? - Picking up the peach cobbler.

You want peach cobbler, don't you?

So how are you finding your new school?

With MapThat, usually.

Sometimes Grid, but the algorithms aren't as accurate.

- Paxton. - You're a card, you know that, kid?

I like that in a man.

Arlen can be a real card too sometimes, can't you, sweetie?

Do you know that saying, "You're a card"? It means you're being silly.

It comes from... Well, I don't know where it comes from, but who the hell cares, right?

Weren't you saying something about maybe going out for the soccer team this year, Paxton?

- No. - You like that word, don't you? "No."

You should try yes every once in a while.

Yes to this, yes to that.

She's absolutely right.

How's your generation gonna make a damn bit of difference

if you're too lazy to say yes to hard work and ambition?

Okay.

Then yes to peach cobbler.

Heh. I'm sorry. Leo should be here any minute.

Stop doing that, Beth. Defending the kid all the time.

Now, Arlen, you know I'm not Beth. I'm your daughter-in-law.

You're a whore is what you are, Beth.

What the hell, Dad?

Where have you been?

Peach cobbler, my favorite. Dinner in five.

- I'll give Dotty a hand. - No, no, no. We're leaving.

Meet me in the car. Take Paxton. I need a word with my father.

- It's okay, Leo. - It's not. He called you a whore.

I know what he called me, but it wasn't me. He thought I was your mother.

- Paxton, go to the car. - Grandpa's kind of a dick, huh?

Now.

Listen to me.

I know you're forgetting things,

but don't you ever speak to my wife like that again.

Don't use that tone with me in my house.

Did you hear yourself, Dad?

You called her Beth. You called her a whore and in front of my son.

I did no such thing!

I don't know what game you're playing, Leo.

But whatever it is, you be careful, because I'll beat you at it.

I know what I said and what I didn't, and I won't have you gaslighting me.

Nobody's gaslighting you, Dad.

I just need you to be nicer to my wife.

Then learn to keep that woman in line, because if you don't...

What, Dad? If I don't keep her in line, then what?

No good will come. That's what.

If you're not staying for dinner, Leo, I think it's best you leave.

Food's getting cold.

Bad enough you ruined our evening. I won't have you spoiling your father's dinner too.

Ah, I can't get it into my mouth!

Great, you know I'm always teaching the kids good table manners,

and then you act like the naughtiest kid I have.

- Jake. Jake, not up the nose. - Jake, no, no.

Your mom's right. I'm sorry. It's silly.

Oh, my God. There's a slug in my food.

- It's not a slug, it's a mushroom. - No, it's a slug.

- No, it's not. - It's a delicacy.

It's a slug.

That might happen. Give me kung pao slug, eh, what do you say?

Come to me. Come to papa.

What? Went too far?

Honey.

Oh. Excuse me.

All right, you see that?

You establish dominant leverage.

It's all about your feet, right, in relation to your opponent. Earl.

Go, Earl!

Yeah, let's go, let's go!

- Let's go, Earl! - Ha, ha. Get him! Get him!

- What are you waiting for? - Go, Earl.

- Go! - Come on, get him!

Whoa!

- Shit, coach. - Unh!

You okay?

Yeah.

Yeah, I'm good.

- You okay? - Yeah.

- Hey. - Hey.

Sam, right?

- Yeah. Uh, Paxton's dad. - Yeah.

- Right. - Yeah.

Uh, you're bleeding.

You're observant.

- It's nothing. It's, uh... Comes with the trade. - Yeah.

Is there something I can help you with? I was gonna go get cleaned up.

Can girls be on the wrestling team?

I don't see why not.

Yeah. Why don't we, uh...? Let's talk tomorrow, okay?

Yeah, okay.

Beth went missing 26 years ago, and she fits the RRK victim profile to a tee.

Hold it, a missing persons case?

An old missing persons case from another county? Is this a joke?

Stay with me, Randy.

Oh, Jesus, you're at it again. You're serious.

My job? You bet.

We have a dead girl right here,

and you're running off to Rivercrest, chasing down a 26-year-old missing persons case?

Beth was married to a surgeon right here in Canaan.

Plenty of surgeons in Canaan.

Only one with a missing ex-wife who fits the profile.

We've always said it's someone with a steady hand.

His excisions were clear and precise, like a surgeon.

Or a painter, or a pianist.

And we've always said there's a real possibility of earlier victims.

- You've said. - And then there's Gretchen's case.

- Oh, so you are interested in Gretchen's case. - Of course. I'm trying to solve her murder.

- We're trying to solve her murder. - We're trying to catch this guy.

It's one and the same.

And we need all the help we can get,

and an earlier victim might just give us those mistakes that he made at the beginning.

- Well, what's this guy's name? - Arlen Doyle.

He's a former heart surgeon at Moreno Baptist.

The fact that he's in his 70s supports our forensics.

Gretchen's incisions were less precise than previous RRK victims,

indicating someone older.

Indicating somebody dealing with side effects from any number of geriatric medications.

A heart surgeon from Moreno Baptist, huh? No doubt a prominent member of the community.

So?

So this department has enough troubles

without dealing with prominent members of the community

feeling harassed for no good reason.

Since when do we care about what powerful members of the community think

about us doing our job?

This is shaky as hell, Mike. No body, no crime.

This is our duty.

By the book, understand?

And I want-- I need background on this guy before--

Before you go knocking on his door asking questions, okay?

What's up, boss?

I wanna show you something.

Where did you get this?

He sent it to me.

Have you shown this to Sosa?

Of course not. I don't trust him.

But you trust me?

You send this to the lab?

Yeah, McAllen owed me a favor.

I haven't entered it into evidence yet. No prints, nothing. Clean.

Look, my two cents, if the RRK did write this, then maybe he's telling us he didn't kill Gretchen.

Or he did kill Gretchen, and he's trying to throw us off.

So after we went on a few dates, I quit.

Because of Leo?

No.

I mean, I knew he didn't like me dancing, but it's not like it was my dream job.

It paid the bills.

And I guess at that time, I liked the attention.

And I was good at it.

Is that a weird thing to be proud of, being a good stripper?

No, of course not.

Anyway, so after I met Leo, I quit and got a job at the Kmart out by the interstate

and started to go to church.

I used to go when I was little, at 6 or 7.

The foster home I was in at the time, the family was super religious, and I liked it.

It was peaceful.

I also got my tattoo removed.

It took a while to save up, and I'm glad it's gone.

I'm not that person anymore, like I said last time.

And you feel that you and Leo, you have a strong relationship?

Really strong.

You have no idea.

But that's why I don't understand.

Why you don't understand what?

Why I haven't told him about coming here.

Is that bad? It feels bad.

Okay, listen. Ahem.

I have been married for 23 years, happily, mostly.

Mm-hm.

Do you think my husband knows everything I do?

Everything I think about him, in particular?

- Ha-ha-ha. - No. Heh.

So last time you said that you feel that Leo, that he saved you.

He did.

Can you tell me how you feel that he did save you?

He saved my life. Literally saved it.

How?

I was working late one night at the club.

I was always working late. The later the shift, the better tips.

And Tony the manager always scheduled me for the late shift because I asked him to,

and like I said, I was good, so I brought in a crowd.

So this one night, I finished my shift and I was walking to my car.

Sometimes one of the bartenders would walk with you,

but just as often they were already gone, or busy, so that night, I was by myself.

And I was-- I was looking for my keys...

which I probably should have gotten out of my bag before I left the dressing room,

but for some reason, I didn't that night.

And that's when it happened.

I was attacked.

I blacked out, and next thing I remember, I woke up on the wet ground.

Leo was there, looking down at me, telling me everything was gonna be okay.

I was so scared, but I trusted him,

even though I'd never laid eyes on him before that moment.

And he was so...

relieved...

that I was alive,

like my life mattered to him somehow.

And I think, I guess in some way,

that is when we both decided we were meant to be together.

At least that's what I think. And if Leo were here, I think he'd say the same thing. I know he would.

Okay.

So...

when are we knocking on Arlen Doyle's door?

Mm. Believe me, it's taking every fiber of my being not to do it tonight.

But I'm trying.

To be a model detective? That's so not you, Mike.

I'm still hoping to get the hospital to release the schedule dating back to '98.

It would tell us a lot.

Well, without a subpoena, I don't think we're gonna get lucky.

Hey, girlfriend.

Doesn't she remind you of a young Liz Taylor?

How do you know she even swings your way, Ramos?

Straight girls love me.

Okay, tomorrow, more digging. Now, don't you have a family to get home to?

Are you trying to get rid of me so you can pounce on Cleopatra over there? Hm?

What?

That's sexual harassment, you know?

Busting my balls about my sex life all the time.

- You're right, I'm sorry. I just thought... - I'm totally messing with you.

- Oh. - No, seriously.

Watch it.

Another beer?

I gotta get home.

- You got these? - Yeah, I got these.

- Thank you. - Good night.

You're home. Is everything okay?

Yeah, it's fine.

Go back to sleep.