Original subtitles

- Previously on "Dirty John"...

- You're doing it again. - What?

- We're supposed to be talking about you.

- You're so much more interesting.

I'm trying to find somebody

who's smart and funny and someone I'm attracted to.

- Damn, we're good looking.

I just wanna see you put yourself first for once.

You deserve that.

I'm part Sicilian on my dad's side.

- Descended from the Anastasias.

- Cosa Nostra blood.

You're that kind of guy too, Johnny.

I can already tell.

- In California and Ohio he's been in prison.

- In prison for what?

- Stalking a woman,

violating a restraining order, doing drugs.

- You transferred the title of the RV.

- Well, when you think who

really does the work around here.

- What are you?

Some pseudo-gangster like Dad now?

- You better watch your back, Denise.

All right? 'Cause you're my project now.

- The police say they found knives.

They found cyanide.

Why would you have cyanide?

- The numbness, the tingling, the balance...

It turns out, it was M.S..

- The greatest real danger of cold turkey

is risk of relapse.

But for someone driven, really committed, it can work.

I've seen it.

- Your brother, he waited for some drunk person,

she pulls out and...

- You're gonna leave him? - Yes.

- For good this time? - Yes.

- Don't let anyone take advantage of you.

If they try, though, you don't get back at them,

you get back at their family.

This is an RV?

Been impounded for 16 months.

- Yeah.

- Wonder what you could've been up to all that time.

Let me guess, you were a guest of the state?

- Wonder what you did to get yourself

a sweet gig like this?

Did you shoot a taxpayer in the back?

- I will try my very best to find out

where your crap box is right now.

Have a seat, sir.

- Hey, Jillian. How are you?

- Hey. Where have you been?

- Well, I'm actually in San Jose right now

with my brother and sister. - What are you doing there?

- Yeah, well, my dad died.

I'm so sorry.

- Yeah, thank you. - Was he sick?

- Yeah, he'd been sick for a while, it was time.

Ooh, boy.

Yeah, so, we have a lot of stuff

that we have to figure out before I come back.

- Well, my dad bought a lot of property in the Bay Area

back in the '90s, right?

And he had no idea

that the values would go this high, right?

- That's smart. - Exactly, high-class problems.

Lost the moneymaker. - Yeah.

Well, listen, when can I see you?

I'm sorry I went AWOL.

- Well, I'd love to see you when you get back.

- Friday, I am all yours.

Okay, Jillian.

Bye. Bye.

- So, you became a geologist

because you had a cute professor?

- I became a petroleum geologist

because we need people who can identify

different sources of energy or our planet will die.

- Spoken like someone who's had to defend

their choice of career a lot.

- Constantly.

I--I have older twin brothers,

and they are always picking on me.

- What do they do?

They're cops.

Yes.

- Yeah.

- Hi, John it's Carrie.

Are you still free to meet for coffee?

- So, um, why-- why anesthesiology

and not orthopedics or hearts or...?

- Honestly...

My brother had a lot of surgeries growing up,

congenital issue, I don't wanna bore you with the details.

- You're not boring me.

- All right, well, I was really young the first time,

and I thought that he'd be awake

when they cut him open, right?

And then my mom told me that Donald would be asleep

and that they'd wake him, you know,

when they finished.

And I just thought: that is magic.

Whoo!

"Dear Mr. Griffin, you don't know me.

"But I know your wife, Natalie.

"In fact, I know her really well.

"And she has been letting me

do some crazy, perverted things."

- Hello?

- Hey, it's John Meehan, how are you?

Good. -Good, good.

Listen, I'm just calling to say that my Tuesday has opened up.

So if you're still free... -Great. Yes.

I--I could do Tuesday.

- Great.

All right, well, we can meet there or...

If you like, I can come to your place

and we can walk together. -Well...

- I know people say not to do that in the internet age,

but I wanna be a gentleman and give you the option.

- Well, you seem nice.

- Great.

All right, well, text me the address,

and I'll see you then. - Okay. Sounds good.

- Really looking forward to meeting you, Debra.

All right.

Great. Bye. Bye.

- This mattress is amazing.

- I think we should just call it a night.

Hey, Carrie.

Sorry to call so late,

I just thought maybe we could, you know, get together

and grab a drink or something.

- You don't work at Laguna Med.

- What--what--wait, what?

- You didn't do a surgery there today.

They don't know who you are.

- Okay. I mean, who'd you talk to?

- I called like 15 more hospitals after that--

St. Stephen's and Coast Trauma

and Presbyterian.

No anesthesiologist named John Meehan

has privileges at any of them. - Okay, well,

maybe I'll call your work

and ask them if they know who the hell you are.

- You do and you'll be sorry, scumbag.

- Damn!

God!

I mean, we had such a nice night,

and you deserve better.

You deserve better--you deserve better than how I was.

We had such a nice night, you deserve better.

I gotta take a leak.

- Don't have to ask me.

Community service, not prison, remember?

- I always wondered what I would do

if I ever met the real deal.

And now I know.

I'll ruin everything.

So, anyway, I didn't wanna just leave it like that.

So, thank you, Debra, for hearing me out.

I would like another chance.

I would...but only if you're sure.

Rocket propelled grenade.

- The guy who was next to me in the Humvee died.

So, I guess, you know, compared to him,

I feel blessed.

- No, Rhonda Simons is a uniform

who executed the warrant on my place

and stole my money.

Janet Bateman is the detective who ran the whole case and st--

- And stole your money. Yeah, I know.

Okay, you want 'em both taken out and your ex-wife.

- Yeah.

Your ex-wife, she lives in Ohio?

I don't know, man.

It's gonna be hard to find anybody who wants

to be messing with Ohio.

And you want it done by when?

- I mean, I gotta go back to court on the 17th,

so if the cops are still alive to take the stand on the 17th,

how does that help me?

- All right. All right.

Look, I'll ask around.

- Hope you know what you're doing.

- Shut up, I'm a doctor.

I need a medic! Someone's cut me!

What did you give me?

- IV bolus, loading dose of oxy.

2 milligrams.

...that is just...

What? - What?

I don't know.

You were here the last time I was working too.

- I like tacos.

- Maybe that's what's funny,

'cause the tacos here kinda suck.

- Maybe I like things that suck.

- Maybe I should get you a bunch more tacos then.

You know what?

I'm already running late, so why not?

I'm sorry.

I had an emergency-- went wrong--

I'm so sorry.

Stupid bitch.

- Bye. - Bye.

- This is the battle I'm in.

It's what's good for me against what I want.

And I need power now. I need to fight.

I can't just offer myself up to some higher...

You know, higher whatever.

It's just--it's just stupid. I'm sorry.

- Of course it is, 'cause you still think

you know what's best for you.

- Right, and that's the-- that's what,

"stinking thinking?"

- Yeah, maybe it's all a mistake.

Maybe they got the wrong guy, like they say in prison?

Like I said in prison.

I was on a date recently,

and I'd forgotten everything I'd learned in this room.

Reverted to my inner jerk-off, right?

And she said "no, thanks."

And so I called her, made amends.

And now we're married.

All part of the puzzle and the plan,

amid the presence of the spirit.

Hey,

just don't leave before the miracle happens, kiddo.

Hey, need you to sign my court card.

You looked a little distracted today, man.

You should get your BP checked.

Seriously, I'm worried about you.

You're sick.

Well, you're licensed to take care of people like me.

Not do this to them.

You're probably wondering, I mean,

how did I take all these pictures?

There was so much action, but I managed.

I don't usually like doing it with men, but, man...

I mean, did your wife teach you those moves

or were you just born knowing them?

- Just get the hell out.

Get out.

- Drain the dragon for me first.

- I don't know where my pipe went.

I had it...

I had it in my red bag and then I changed bags at the--

Ooh.

We can use this to smoke it.

- Yeah, I'm not gonna do that,

but you go right ahead.

- More for me, I guess.

- Not now, we're talking.

Listen to me...

The gate to the alley will be open.

This is for the kitchen door.

You go in, you lock it behind you.

You go into the office, you crack the window,

like that's how you got in. - Okay.

- Anyway, her bedroom's upstairs.

You go there, find something of hers to put on,

like a scarf or something like that.

- Ooh. Yeah, I like that.

- Come downstairs, sit on the couch,

and wait for us to come home.

- Okay. - Don't move.

Don't talk.

- Just--I was thinking, you don't think it would be--

- No...

- Scary if maybe, like, I get up

really slowly like a--like a cult girl?

And I just, like, creep toward her

and I, like, say: "Hey, you're so pretty"--

- Listen to me, Ruth,

if you do anything that's different to what we discussed,

you say anything to Debra, and you're gonna find out

what scary really is.

You got it?

Now you can go back to smoking your stupid light bulb.

- Terra. Terra.

John.

- I'm sorry.

- For what, hon? What'd ya do?

- I made things tense here in your lovely home.

- You know, I told myself after Thanksgiving,

you know, maybe it's too early for me to expect

to be welcome at Deb's family parties, you know?

And I should have listened to myself.

- No, no, no, no, no. You are fine.

You are fine. - You sure?

- Yes, I promise.

- 'Cause I don't wanna leave.

- It's been a long time since I've been

to a happy family gathering, all right?

I mean, my wife, she hasn't let me spend Christmas

with the kids for years.

Well, I'm just happy you're celebrating with us.

Can I ask you a question that's none of my business?

Well, I don't know.

Okay.

- At church the other day,

the man you were talking to...

Deb's told me about her sister and what happened.

And her reaction when she saw him...

It's just I know it's none of my business,

but I don't wanna say something that's gonna, like,

upset her off something I don't know.

Of course.

That is so thoughtful.

That's so considerate, John.

I--I...yes, that was Bobby, my son-in-law.

Debbie's brother-in-law, Toby's father.

- Right.

- We went through a very, very sad

and--and difficult time,

all of us, because of what Bobby did.

I mean, but with God's help, it brought us even closer.

You know, tragedy can do that.

You know, if there's, you know, forgiveness there too.

Together they can make you stronger

than you even were before.

- I'd be embarrassed to be such a loser.

You should be glad your dad killed your mom

so she didn't have to be around to see this.

Have a great day, Toby.

That's beautiful.

- Hey.

Hey, Dr. Meehan.

You can go ahead in, he's waiting for you.

- Thanks.

What's up, Dwight?

- You're late is what's up.

Also, get over yourself.

- Wrong side of the bed this morning?

- Hey, you know, some of us have to work today.

Andale with this already. Arriba.

These are from the pharmacy tech?

- No, the assisted living nurse.

- I can tell. Lot of old people drugs.

I can't move those.

"But soft--

what light through yonder window breaks?"

Paliperidone?

They got some schizo-affective oldsters in that place?

- Yeah, some psychotics, too, apparently.

- Wow.

We can get 3K a pop for these.

What?

Fentanyl citrate transmucosal delivery systems?

- Hey, hey, they're for cancer patients

with high tolerance.

What's this nurse's name again?

She's my favorite. Mandy? Mindy?

- You're so close, Siobhan.

And that sucks, 'cause she might be done.

- We still have Barbara the pharmacy tech,

and the antiquated federal policy

on drug expiration dates.

So we're okay for now.

- You should maybe lay off this stuff for a while.

- I'll take it under advisement.

- Not being ironic.

You don't look good, for real.

You should get checked out.

- Ordinarily, I'd take you down to the garage,

but it's late enough now.

I just told your wife to wait out front in the loading zone.

You sure you got everything?

- Yeah, I'm sure.

- All right.

- The truth is, I can't move forward...

Until I stop.

I can't have excuses anymore.

I can't. I wanna do better

but without it.

I wanna clear my name,

I wanna do all the things that I promised you.

I really want that.

I forgot how good it smells in here.

- It does? - Yeah.

- What does it smell like?

- I don't know, like...

Happiness.

Safety.

Muffins. Did you--

did you make some muffins?

I did.

I just--I baked some up. It's for Terra.

Yeah.

Well, welcome home.

- Okay, I've got to go.

Um, would you mind

taking my suede jacket in to the dry cleaners?

I put a little piece of masking tape where the stain is.

- All right.

If you think of anything else, give me a call.

I mean, send me a text, actually.

I'm gonna be in the shower.

If you wanna make jambalaya tonight,

we need everything, except for rice.

- Okay. - Love you.

- See ya. - Bye.

- If we jack up your testosterone,

that oughtta do the trick.

- I never had this problem before.

Every time I try and lift some serious weights,

I got nothing in the tank.

- Aw, no worries. We'll rebuild you, chief.

Lot of guys out there your age

and they're looking for a little extra help lately.

You know?

This isn't your first cycle, right?

You know how this stuff works?

- I'm a doctor.

- Okay, cool.

Well, hey, maybe next time

you could just prescribe it to yourself.

- Hey.

- Hi, Laurie, it's Debra.

Do we have any of that paint left that we used

on the house in Salt Cedar, that--

- Hello, Toscano Salon, Nikki speaking.

Hi, Nikki.

I'd like to come in for--

Hi.

- Why'd you withdraw so much cash today?

- It's my money, John.

- Everything that's yours is mine.

Hit me.

Go on.

Hit me and I'll make sure you never get up again.

- I'm leaving and I want a divorce.

- Were--were you there when they evicted him

from the penthouse?

- No, and neither was he.

Um, they just packed up

whatever stuff he didn't steal.

And then, you know, they changed the locks.

- Has he ever threatened to kill you?

- No...

But he did say that he could take out

my daughter Veronica, you know, with a sniper rifle.

And, um,

that he would drown her in the ocean.

- Right.

- And--and--and--and then he did say to me

that he has family in the mob

and that he could, you know, send them after me

to try to hurt me.

God.

- But...he wanted me to know that.

I don't know if he's actually, you know, killed anyone.

- Um, but no, it's-- it's been, you know,

threats and lies

and, um, and intimidation.

- Yeah, he knows what he can get away with,

how he can skate the edges.

And I know and you know that in the end

John's gonna make this about money.

But in the meantime, we're gonna draw a picture

that will make the judge see what we see.

- "Declaration of Debra Newell.

"This Declaration is submitted in support of my Request

"for Domestic Violence Restraining Order.

"As set forth herein...

I'm afraid for my life."

- All right, this is Calendar number One

in re--the application of Debra Newell.

Go ahead, counsel.

- Michael O'Neil for Debra Newell, your Honor.

Mr. Meehan has been served,

the notice of service is attached,

and as you can see he has not appeared,

so we may have to proceed ex parte...

- Mr. Meehan, I presume?

Come all the way in since you're a party.

Will you be represented by counsel?

- No, I...I can't afford a lawyer, your Honor.

I'm sorry.

- But you are here to contest

the issuing of the Order of Protection?

- Yes, absolutely.

- Mr. O'Neil, I've read your papers.

I understand this is and adversarial situation,

albeit one that doesn't look like an emergency, exactly.

But any fair jurist is uncomfortable

when parties are unrepresented in their courtroom.

Mr. Meehan, you need counsel.

Go down the hall to Orange County Defender Services

and they will help you out.

Everyone come back on my next Calendar day

and we'll discuss.

And there won't be any

an unrepresented parties in here then.

Right, Mr. Meehan?

- Absolutely not, your Honor. Thank you.

- Please leave a message.

- Can we please talk like married adults, Deb?

I mean, I know I'm a flawed person,

but I never thought I'd be this easy to give up on.

I stood up for you, Deb.

I helped you stand up for yourself.

You want a divorce?

I don't want this, people getting into our lives.

I guess no answer's an answer.

I mean, I love you.

I wish it didn't have to end this way.

I'm sorry.

automated voice: The mailbox is full

and cannot accept any messages at this time.

- Hi, Nance.

- Hey, has anyone called you?

...has anyone called about what?

- I need you to come by the office.

- Why?

- The email. The picture.

- What email? What picture?

My God, Debra, I'm just so sorry.

I was trying--I was trying to handle it myself.

As far as I can tell right now,

only current clients have jobs in process

have gotten it, but...

- What picture, Nancy?

- It's a picture of you.

- What email address did it come from?

- I didn't recognize it.

But I don't know if we can say that it's not you

or that you hit "send" accidentally,

because I guess there's some writing

that comes along with it.

- What are--what--writing?

What did it say?

- Well, I only know the one that the Georges forwarded me,

but something about wanting them

to get to know the real you.

My God.

- Um...

Also, someone's been leaving comments

on all the business review sites saying

that we do subpar work.

That you cut corners and lie to people.

So you might wanna think about

what to do about those before you leave.

- Okay.

- Sorry.

Sorry I'm late.

I don't move so fast these days.

All the stress is making my M.S. flare up.

- What are you doing, John?

- Me?

Surviving.

Barely.

I did get myself a lawyer, though,

for when we got back to court and you crush me.

- Why are you doing this?

What do you want? What is it?

Will you just tell me?

Is it money?

Is that what it is? Do you want 50% of my money?

Is that want it's gonna take for you to leave us alone?

- I don't think so.

- Then what is it?

- I don't know.

But it's something.

- You met with John at a cafe to offer him money?

Wh--why...

Would you do that, Debra?

- Well, I--I just--I just wanted to make him go away.

- I'm only as good or as honest as judges think I am.

And I stood up in court and said

John intimidated you, threatened you--

- He did. - You're in fear.

- Yes.

- I had you swear to it, sign a document.

Then you call him.

Go to meet him.

- Because I am in fear.

You know?

And I just--I wanted to try to understand,

because if I understand then maybe I can get him to stop.

You know?

And you said that it would be money.

You said it was all about money for him.

So I thought: "Well, I'll offer him money."

Because, you know, a protective order

is not gonna--it's not gonna fix everything.

I mean, I still have to get a divorce

and--and figure out where I'm gonna live

and what my life is gonna be, my kids...

I'm trying to get him out of my life.

I'm trying to get him to stop.

- Debra, even if it had worked, it wouldn't have worked.

If you pay once, all it does is show

what it takes to make you pay.

But I understand, Debra, I do.

I can't go back into court with this now.

We'll have no chance.

So, just... I'm gonna have to think.

Because right now I don't know what to do.

- That's you, right?

- Yeah.

Hiding in the bushes?

- Is that the legal term?

- Outside your wife's business so that you can steal her car

and then, set it on fire?

Yeah, that's you.

- Yeah, that's me in the bushes.

That's me driving the car away,

but I have the fob.

I have the spare key, so how is it stealing

if I have a key?

And also, why would I set fire to my own car?

- Because it's your wife's car.

- Right.

You're right.

She's my wife, 'cause we're still married,

'cause getting a divorce is complicated,

the wheels of justice turn slow.

And we have an agreement for when I can take the car.

An agreement she insisted on

that she only honors when it suits her at her convenience.

- Okay, wait, I'm--I'm not following here.

Sorry, what's this now?

- She tells me which days of the week I can take the car.

So I plan my schedule around that.

More often than not,

I show up to borrow the car, it's gone.

She's taken it because she can.

Because she knows I'm at her mercy.

- So you go to her office to see if it was there,

it was.

You don't go inside to talk to her about it?

- No, I mean, I could have.

Could have gone inside her office

and turn it into a whole public thing.

And that's how it would've--would've gone.

I mean, she's...

'Cause she's a psycho bitch.

And it's not just me, nobody wants to deal with her.

And not for nothing,

but she's already taken me to court.

And things did not go too well for her.

I mean, the judge saw right through all this.

- Okay, so--so, you--you take the car,

with the fob...

- And you just drive away? - Yeah.

Go and do my things for the day.

At the end of all that, it was gone.

- From where?

- NA meeting. Turtle Ridge Lutheran.

- You're saying it was stolen from a church parking lot?

No, the lot was full when I got there,

so I had to park on the street around the corner.

It was taken from there.

I mean, why they would torch it after, I don't know.

Then I guess nothing anybody does

surprises you guys anymore.

- He didn't break in, he has a key, okay?

His fingerprints are inside it,

because he's allowed to drive it sometimes.

He snuck up and took it without telling her,

because they're going through a rough divorce.

Now, we're gonna look into the Whole Turtle Ridge thing

and see if there's some closed-circuit TV

on the streets around there.

- No one stole the damn car after John parked it.

- Right, but that's where we're at, okay?

We're gonna work on this, we are.

I'll keep you posted.

No, you won't have to,

'cause I'll be all over you.

- He loved that car.

He loved to drive it. I--

We had great times--I had great times in that car.

I don't know why he would...

Take it and--and burn it?

I--I don't know.

Is he trying to tell me that...

That's what he's gonna do to me?

- No. No, I don't think so.

- Well, we don't know.

- No, I don't, that's true.

But I don't think anything with this guy is that simple.

I thought...

We were putting him off balance.

I thought this is a reactive guy

trying to scam and scare this decent woman,

and we were gonna grind him down.

But he's not off balance, and he's not just lucky.

He's...playing 3D chess.

The reason he never put hands on you

isn't because he's not dangerous,

it's because he has a plan.