Cape Fear – S01E07 – Mongrel – Transcript

Cape Fear
Season 1 – Episode 7
Episode title: Mongrel
Original release date: July 10, 2026

Plot: Anna and Tom kick off a dangerous plot against Max. Seeking answers, Natalie hits the road.

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Transcript

Note for Students & Writers: This transcript is archived here for educational purposes, critical analysis, and screenwriting study. All rights belong to the original creators.

[tense, eerie music playing]

Don’t you fucking move.

[cackling]

Nat, where’d your brother go?

He’s across the street.

[Tom] No! No, no, no, no, no. I’ll go.

You go upstairs, my closet.

The code is Nat’s birthday.

Natalie, call the police.

[beeping]

[breathing heavily] Here.

[Nevaeh chuckles]

She moves, shoot her.

Don’t.

[sinister music playing]

What would you like to do tomorrow?

Anything you want.

Can we go fishing again?

I just want to spend time with you.

[chuckles] Of course.

You’re with me now.

You’re my son.

[breathes shakily]

[breathes shakily]

What is that?

It’s a Wi-Fi jammer. She must have used it to get past the alarms.

[Anna] How do you know that?

Oh, you didn’t tell your mom about our date?

Nat, are they coming?

[Nevaeh] Do you even know how to use a gun?

Shut your fucking mouth!

You really wanna shoot me, don’t you?

Sit back down.

[Nevaeh chuckles] You can’t do it.

[breathes shakily]

[yelps]

God! Fuck you! [screaming]

[Natalie] It’s okay.

[Nevaeh] Fuck you!

[pounding on door]

[Tom] Zack!

[sighs] What does this guy want?

[pounding continues]

[Tom] Zack!

It’s okay.

[Romeo barking]

[exhales heavily]

Zack! Where is he?

Oh, God.

He was terrified.

You stay the fuck away!

Hey!

Leave my dad alone.

Oh, stop it. Son, get out.

No.

No. I’m not leaving.

We’re leaving. No, we’re leaving!

You’re hurting him. You’re hurting him!

[Zack] Dad!

No! No, para!

You are hurting him! He’s only a boy!

[Zack] No. Stop. Stop.

You’re coming home.

No, I’m not.

Tom! You’re hurting him.

Yes, you are.

No. Dad.

He’s only a boy!

[Zack] You can’t let him take me back. Oh, shit.

He’s not your son anymore, Tom.

[singsongy] He’s my son.

[grunts]

[groans]

[tires screech]

[grunts]

[groans]

[grunts] Come here.

[bystanders shouting]

[grunts]

[grunts, chuckles]

[grunting]

[groaning]

[neighbor] Tom, stop! You’re gonna kill him!

[groaning, panting]

[neighbor] He has a knife!

Oh, my God. [gasps]

[groans]

[police siren wails in distance]

Dad. It’s gonna be okay, Dad.

You’re gonna be okay.

[eerie music playing]

[Ray] Did you have to assault the guy?

The guy who kidnapped my son?

The guy whose daughter was living in the fucking walls of our house?

That guy? Come on, man.

Yeah, well, at least he’s not pressing charges.

Yeah, so he can look like the bigger man. He loves this.

So what’d you tell the cops about the shotgun hole in your wall?

I told them the truth. That he drugged us and there was an accident.

[scoffs]

[sighs] You know, they found these vials in the walls, some kind of motion sickness thing.

If it shows up in Zack’s blood, maybe that’s conspiracy.

But there’s no proof Cady conspired, right?

Nevaeh’s still denying Max’s involvement.

I mean, there is a world where we find proof.

[Ray] Find?

Nobody’s finding anything.

You’re a little late to the party to be wagging your finger, don’t you think?

You helped put us in this position, you know?

I know. I was wrong about Max.

I fucked up and I’m sorry.

But we have to be smart.

It’s not much, but the woman with the face mask, the one you said maybe knew stuff about Max…

I got her plates from the security cam off that hotel in Macon.

Her name’s Val Tierney, from Piney Grove, North Carolina.

Isn’t that near where Cady grew up?

And Amy Brancato.

[Ray] Maybe she knew him from back then.

Well, if that woman has any evidence that Max made Amy falsely confess,

I mean, that’s obstruction of justice.

Well, that’s something.

[Tom] We’ll go with you.

[Ray] Yeah.

No. You two can’t afford to make another mistake.

Ray will go see Val. You two–

I’m not just gonna sit here doing nothing, Noa.

[Noa] You’re not the only ones who want him gone.

This motherfucker’s balls deep in the organization I spent my whole life building.

So, we’re gonna get him.

[phone buzzing]

But we’re going to do it right.

Hello. Yes.

It’s the hospital.

What… [stammers] How is he? Can we see him now?

Uh, yeah, we’re on our way.

All right.

[Louis] Anna Deveraux and Tom Bowden met in law school.

Was Anna pregnant by her fiancé, or by her old law school classmate Tom?

How long do I have to stay here?

I promised your mom I’d keep you safe until the situation is resolved.

[groaning, grunting on phone]

Jesus. Look, it’s on Citizen.

I always knew Tom had issues.

[Natalie] Why do you hate him so much?

[chuckles] I don’t hate Tom.

Yeah, he’s wound too tight, and…

Is it ’cause he and Mom were sleeping together while you were engaged?

Is he my real dad?

Why are you asking me this now?

Why are you not just saying no?

[pensive music playing]

Well…

I think you’re mine.

[chuckles]

Are you serious?

Look, if you want me to say I’m a hundred percent sure that I’m your biological dad, I will.

[sighs]

Great. Mom’s here to pick me up.

Already? She said–

Call her if you don’t believe me.

We’re not trying to get him out. We’re just trying to see our son.

[doctor] Our hands are tied.

I’m sorry, but this is how an involuntary psych hold works.

Right now, he is not well.

Tom, he stabbed you and he’s having a dissociative episode.

So he’s still saying he’s…

[inhales deeply]

…Max Cady’s kid?

Yes.

Listen, of all the drugs in his system, the one that worries me the most is the scopolamine.

Do you know what that is?

That’s the, uh, motion sickness thing?

It is, yes, but in larger doses, it can cause compliance or depersonalization.

You give someone scopolamine if you wanna take control of them or erase their personality.

She brainwashed him.

That’s not a clinical term, but yes.

[eerie music playing]

Well, what’s the recovery time?

Well, we have no idea how much of this stuff Zack was given or for how long or if the drugs exacerbated a preexisting condition.

[stammers] Preexisting like what?

[doctor] What I mean is that someone with underlying issues, if they have prolonged exposure to this drug, it could cause permanent psychosis.

Permanent psychosis?

Tom?

[Tom] I, uh…

I had this dream the other night.

I was 14.

It was the summer before my brother went to college.

And we’re all at dinner.

And my dad says…

“Your brother’s gonna die over Thanksgiving break.

[emotional music playing]

He’s gonna come home and get in a car crash and die.”

And my mother says, “That’s right.

He is.”

And I looked at both of them and I said, “Well, aren’t you gonna do anything?” [inhales shakily]

And they don’t even look at me.

And I look at my brother, but his face is… blank. He’s f-frozen.

And then I realized he’s not my brother.

He’s my… [sobs]

[phone buzzing]

[Anna] Hey, Natalie, is everything okay?

[Natalie] I have a question.

Have you been lying to me my whole life?

[tense music playing]

Natalie, it is really crazy right now, and when you call me, I assume that something–

Paul said he doesn’t know if he’s my real dad.

Well, I don’t know why he would say something like that.

So is it true?

Do you know who my dad is?

Tom is your dad because he raised you.

Paul is your biological dad.

So you took a paternity test?

That’s a horrible thing to ask your mother. You know that, right?

Why?

You want me to stop asking questions, but you’ve made me so complicit in all your bullshit.

What do you mean by that?

There are people that are saying that you and Tom got together during the trial, and if anyone knew about that–

No, no, that’s not–

Then Max would’ve been released years ago.

No, Natalie, you need to stop it.

Am I basically the product of your misconduct, and you lied to me because you had to lie to everyone else?

You need to stop reading lies on the Internet.

You need to get off your phone and you need to stay at Paul’s until it’s safe to come home.

Okay, Mom. I’ll stay at Paul’s.

[knocks on door]

Natalie?

I just saw you came home.

Listen, this guy keeps coming over.

And I brought it back to you.

[chuckles]

Say, “Hi, Natalie.

I wanna go home.”

[chuckles] Okay.

[cat meows]

[Natalie] Hi.

Thanks for bringing him.

Sure.

Are you okay?

Yeah, ah! [stammers]

Yeah, I’m okay. Are you okay?

Why wouldn’t I be?

All right, you believe your parents, okay.

You think I told that girl to do all those things to you, right?

“That girl” as in your daughter?

Who lived in my walls and drugged my brother?

But did she tell the police that I made her do that stuff?

No, but–

Did she tell you I made her do it?

She didn’t need to. It makes sense.

[Max] Oh, it makes sense.

Hmm. Well, uh, I’m not sure about that.

Here. Look at this.

[eerie music playing]

She was obsessed with the idea of me as her father, and she thought if she got revenge for me, that I would love her.

You see that? And I told her to leave you alone.

She needs help.

Wow.

[Max] “Wow.” Yeah.

All right.

Bye.

Can I ask you something?

Uh… I’m sorry that she hurt you, but that’s all I know.

It’s not about Nevaeh. It’s about my mom.

[stammers] That’s a conversation for you and her.

I have to go.

Max, this is important.

Yeah, but I have to get on the road. [chuckles]

[dark, mysterious music playing]

[beeping]

[ominous music playing]

Hey.

I’m coming with you.

But you don’t know where I’m going.

It’s a drive.

Well, you said to come back if I asked my mom and she doesn’t answer.

I did and she didn’t, so…

[chuckles] Well, I’m glad you trust me.

Well, I didn’t say that.

I already shared my location with my friend, so if anything happens to me, she’ll call 911.

Oh, all right.

I’m serious.

I hear you.

If you insist.

Come in.

[“(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” playing]

[music continues on radio]

Everyone says my mom was different back when she was your lawyer.

Mmm. [chuckles]

Maybe she just got better at hiding.

What’s that mean?

Your mom was always… doing everything she could to hide from herself.

[sighs]

Like drinking?

Mm-hmm.

And other stuff?

[chuckles] “Other stuff.”

[chuckles]

Uh, you know, uh…

What was the name of her fiancé?

Paul? Right? Paul?

Well, that guy was not faithful to her, so why should she show some respect to that guy?

How do you know he wasn’t faithful?

She told me.

When I met her, we both, uh, thought that my wife had left me and, um… we became quite close.

But then police found my wife’s body, and something changed.

[sighs]

[Max] Mmm.

[music continues]

[music ends]

[downcast music playing]

[birds chirping]

Hey.

What happened to our son?

[sighs]

[mysterious music playing]

[knocks on door]

Hello?

Hello?

[sighs]

[door opens]

Hey, hello.

Hi.

Is Val Tierney home?

Who’s asking?

[Ray] I’m looking for the owner of a 1994 Plymouth Reliant K Station Wagon.

Ray Rawlins. Liberty State Insurance.

You may be entitled to a class action settlement from overcharged premiums.

Oh, shit.

I sold it for cash.

Is that girl gonna get my settlement?

[chuckles]

Don’t worry about that. Look. An advance.

Don’t tell my boss.

Who’d you sell it to?

I’d be careful if I was you.

She’s a fucking fruit loop.

Been in and out of this and that clinic for years.

Yeah? What’s her name?

[sighs] Her name is Crystal Cady.

Crystal Cady?

Mm-hmm.

[intriguing music playing]

Was she married to Max Cady?

She’s his sister.

His sister?

Mm-hmm.

Wait, is this her?

Let me see.

[tense music playing]

Hmm. It’s hard to tell with that mask on.

Oh, yeah. Mm-hmm. That’s her.

[sighs] Poor girl.

If-If she wasn’t locked up, where would she stay?

[“I’m Eighteen” playing]

[groaning]

[sighs]

[groans]

You okay?

Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.

Where are we going?

I told you it’s a long drive.

Remember, I shared my location, so if anything happens, I…

[Max] That’s good, that’s good. You’re a smart woman.

Yeah. I like that, I like that.

Are you kidnapping me?

[chuckles]

[chuckles]

Did I ask you to get in my car?

[chuckles] No, I did not.

[sighs] That was so funny.

Now, uh, you wanna catch a bus home?

[chuckles]

You can.

Really, you can.

But I’m glad you came.

Because I’m, uh, going to visit my parents where I grew up, and…

[sighs]

Isn’t that in North Carolina?

I told you it’s a… [chuckles] …long drive.

[chuckles, breathing heavily]

And, uh, it’s not going to be easy.

So, I’m glad I’m not taking this drive by myself.

Why won’t it be easy?

Were they mean to you?

Well, my father raised dogs.

Litter.

And, uh, like, uh, if I didn’t speak English, he would put me in a cage like a dog.

Mm-hmm.

Your mom wouldn’t stop him?

From a graveyard in Spain? No, she couldn’t.

[chuckles] My stepmother could have done something about it, but she didn’t… she didn’t stop him either.

Because to her I was an unwanted guest.

[sighs] I’m so sorry–

[groaning]

Max.

Fuck!

Max!

[groaning] Fuck!

Max!

[tires screeching]

[horn honks]

[groaning continues]

[Natalie] Hit the brake! Hit the brake!

Natalie, the pills. The pills.

What?

The pills. The pills, here.

[gasps]

[groans]

[whimpers]

[groans]

[whimpering]

[screams]

[groaning]

What was that? [pants]

[exhales heavily] Oh, I get glitches.

Sometimes I get glitches.

Because in prison they-they broke my-my skull here.

Oh, fuck. This was horrible.

Fuck.

And your father hit me in the head.

[scoffs] Fuck.

That wasn’t helpful.

That wasn’t helpful.

[groans]

What do you do if you’re alone when that happens?

Wow.

Wow… [stammers] …that was brave of you, Natalie.

Shit. Thank you. You okay?

Yeah.

All right.

Are you?

Yeah, I’m okay.

[sighs]

[sighs] It’s better if you take the wheel.

I need to rest.

[exhales heavily]

You have your license, right?

[ominous music playing]

Yeah, I have my license.

Okay.

[eerie music playing]

Cops didn’t find all the scopolamine vials she had in there.

They gotta have Nevaeh’s prints on them.

If the police found them at Max’s house, it’ll prove they conspired.

You wanna frame him?

Well, it’s not a frame if he’s guilty.

Is that gonna be your defense?

I’m not gonna need a defense because I’m not gonna get caught.

You don’t think the cops will know it is us if someone calls in a tip about scopolamine at Max’s house?

Anna, the tip would say, uh, heroin or coke.

They would just find the scopolamine.

Look, Max’s car is gone.

[stammers] I have to do this now.

Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, hey.

[stammers]

Who’s gonna protect our family if you’re in jail?

Well, we can’t just do nothing.

Well, maybe we do move. Maybe we sell the house. I–

And-And do what when he follows us, huh?

Move again?

Spend every second scared for our kids whenever they’re out of sight?

If you got a better plan, lay it on me because I swear to God this is all I’ve got.

Okay, okay, okay.

But you are not breaking into Max’s house.

You have never done anything like that before.

But we do know someone who has.

[“Avant Gardener” playing]

[chuckles]

What?

[chuckles] I don’t know.

You seem…

You seem relaxed. [chuckles]

Just feels good to drive.

Have a break from everything.

Did you ever see Cape Fear River?

Isn’t it super polluted?

No, I was baptized there.

In the river?

Yeah.

Right down there. At Bluff’s Point.

[ominous music playing]

And, uh…

Yeah, couldn’t swim.

Can’t swim, actually.

But my father made me do it.

To wash away the sin. And, uh…

Fuck, I was scared.

I was so scared that I could drown.

But you know what happened when I… when I came out of the water?

I was a different person, cleansed.

I was not that boy anymore.

But I was me.

[engine stops]

[Natalie] This is where you grew up?

[sighs]

I’ll come with you.

Stay, stay.

I won’t be long.

[dog growls, barking]

[dogs barking]

[Natalie] Hello.

Hi, hi.

Oh, hey.

Hi, baby. Look how cute you are.

What are you doing, huh?

[suspenseful music playing]

[Natalie] I’m sorry.

[chuckles]

How’d you like it if I just came up and pet you?

She… She seemed friendly.

I’d wash my hands.

She’s got worms.

I’m Natalie.

Are these your dogs?

No.

But I get protective of them.

That’s nice.

Especially the shy ones.

Well, uh, I’m just waiting for someone, but I’m gonna go wait in the car.

Can I kiss you?

Hmm?

What?

[sighs]

Just one time.

I have to go. I’m sorry.

[wood creaking]

[suspenseful music continues]

Well, well, well.

Look what the dog puked up.

Somebody put you in your place, huh?

Yeah.

Like you used to…

Papa.

Don’t make that mongrel noise to me.

[sighs]

[dogs barking]

Hey, hey! Keep your hands to yourself.

Why don’t you go back to wherever the fuck it is you come from?

Okay. Where… Where’s Crystal?

You fucked with her head enough.

You come within spitting distance of her, I’m gonna fuck you up.

I can make you tell me, old man.

You know that.

[scoffs]

[laughing]

You-You think you can make me do anything?

Everything you know how to do, I knew it first.

Woof!

[gasps]

See?

Yeah, you train a dog right… it’ll never forget its master.

[breathing shakily]

You still sit?

[breathing shakily]

Where the fuck is Crystal?

Huh?

How about you want the cage again?

I still got it open for you.

Sit.

Roll over.

Yeah, that’s what I thought.

You’re nothing.

You’re just a sick little puppy.

Couldn’t stop pissing on the rug.

That’s why I had to smack ya nose.

But you never learn nothing.

I’m sorry. There was this guy talking to me.

[Robert] Oh, that’s just Luke.

He feeds the dogs.

Who’s this?

A little young, don’t you think?

Come here.

Why don’t you go back down to Savannah, hang out with that Deveraux girl who put you away?

[resident] Deveraux?

Anna Deveraux.

Hester, you look well.

You still pining for the devil?

I’m not Anna, ma’am.

I know what you’ve done, honey.

You sent him away, ’cause you was ashamed you wanted him.

Come on, Mama. Let’s go back to bed.

Hester, Hester.

Huh?

How-How’s Crystal doing?

Oh, yeah.

[Hester] I’ll tell you this.

Yeah?

Crystal, she is a damn sight better off than she was in that clinic.

[Robert] Hester.

She has got herself set up

real fine over by the river.

[Robert] Hester.

The river?

[winces]

[Hester groans]

Goddamn it!

[Robert] Yeah.

I see you still love each other.

Let’s get the fuck out of here.

Hey, Crystal.

I got a little heads up for you.

[Max] Sorry you had to see that.

Sorry that you had to grow up with that.

[Max] You must be hungry.

[Natalie] What was she saying back there?

Were you in love with my mom or something?

[chuckles]

“Or something.” [chuckles]

It’s gonna be a long drive back.

Are you not hungry?

[sighs] I lost my appetite.

[tense music playing]

Is it good?

Georgia peach.

Yeah. We should go.

It’s a nice pool.

That where you let the yard workers and such come in?

[Anna] Hmm.

It’s just a back gate.

Damn, it’s good to see you, Annie.

You look taller than I remember.

Well, I’m on the stairs, Dad.

[chuckles]

Hmm.

And I shrunk.

Hmm.

You shrink when you get old.

Gravity or something.

You do look smaller than ever.

I like to think the-the edges are just worn off a little bit.

[Anna] Mmm.

Kids here?

No.

Look, I don’t know what this is about.

I’m just really glad that you finally reached out.

I have worked for this.

And if there’s anything that I can do to help get-get-get back your trust, Annie, I’m…

I’m here to do it.

Okay.

Let’s talk.

[suspenseful music playing]

[music continues]

Hello?

Hello?

[music continues]

[music continues]

[wood creaking]

[Brandon] You know, six years ago, I cleaned up my act and I moved to Savannah and I figured that sooner or later you guys would give me a chance.

Maybe the kids would come over, watch a movie or something.

And here you want me to break into this guy’s house and plant dope for you.

Do you think if I had any better options, I would have reached out to you? Hmm?

Maybe I shouldn’t have.

No, hey, hey, hey.

I didn’t say no.

Look, Annie, I know that I wasn’t the best dad to you.

You see, I’m not that guy anymore.

Baby girl, if I do this and it blows up, I go back to prison for the rest of my life.

Sure, I can get a hold of some smack, but right now I got a job.

I got… I got a nice little place in Garden City…

Well, it’s not as nice as this, but it’s…

I-I’ve got something to lose.

This would be very simple.

You place the drugs, we call CrimeStoppers.

McGruff the Crime Dog?

[Tom] It’s an anonymous line.

The cops will show up, no questions asked.

We have clients who got 20 years just off a tip that was called in.

[chuckles]

And I thought you found it in your heart to forgive me.

[laughs]

Hey, I guess we’re not so different after all, huh?

No, this was a mistake.

[Brandon] Dinner.

Once a month.

You and me. Just so I can talk to you.

And I get to see my grandkids.

Do you really think I would ever let you see my kids?

You want something from me, I want something from you.

We’re doing the right thing.

[phone buzzing]

Ray, how’s it going up there?

Listen, Val Tierney is not the woman who was following you.

The woman with the green jacket, that was Crystal Cady.

[static on phone]

Max Cady’s half-sister.

It’s his sister?

Ray?

Hello?

Hello?

[line beeping]

Max Cady’s family didn’t come to the trial.

His sister was institutionalized back then.

Why is she following him around now?

I don’t know.

But it doesn’t change what we need to do.

[suspenseful music playing]

[hammer cocks]

[suspenseful music continues]

[Max] Hey!

What are you doing all the way up here?

[Ray] Looking for the owner of a car.

What about you?

I grew up around here.

[Ray] Ah.

[chuckles]

[Ray] What are the chances?

Did you find the owner?

No.

No one’s in there.

Oh.

Well…

That hurt?

What? Uh, no. This thing don’t hurt, no.

Wow.

Nice seeing you here.

So the door was just open, right?

And you can just go in?

Take a look?

But… you be careful.

If you’re not from around here…

[clicks tongue]

…it’s easy to step on toes.

[chuckles]

Hey, Max, you know what the greatest feeling in the world is?

Letting go.

Whatever shit you’ve been through, whatever pain, whatever loss, just let it go.

Uh-huh.

Anyway, I should get going.

Long drive.

Why the hurry? Let me buy you a drink.

I know a place up the road.

How about a rain check?

That Natalie?

Natalie!

R-Ray, Ray.

[gunshots]

[groans]

Okay. [shushes]

[shushes]

You were right. You were right.

“Just let go.”

[Ray groaning]

Where are we?

[Max] Hey.

What happened?

You fell asleep.

What is that?

Careful. Careful. Careful.

Whoa.

The world’s a bit better place with you in it, okay?

[Natalie breathes shakily]

What?

What?

When did they find your wife’s body?

Why?

You said something changed after… they found her body, and my mom… took you in, what, that summer of 2008?

And you said that you were close.

And that you had feelings for her.

October.

2008.

I was born July.

2009.

Tom’s not my dad.

Neither is Paul.

No.

[sighs]

[exhales]

Listen, I didn’t want to see you when I was in a cage.

[Natalie sighs]

But I’ve never stopped thinking about you, Natalie.

[breathing heavily]

[breathes shakily]

[inhales sharply]

I don’t feel different.

That’s because you haven’t changed.

You are who you’ve always been.

[Natalie sighs]

Come on. Let’s go home.

[sobbing]

[thunder rumbles]

[Natalie sniffles]

[crickets chirping]

I can’t believe she didn’t take a paternity test.

[sighs]

[car door opens]

Maybe this will help you.

[sighs]

Thank you.

Oh, wait. Wait.

Your bag. Don’t forget your bag.

Oh, I can…

What?

[Max sighs]

[car door closes]

[door opens, closes]

Natalie, what are you doing home?

I hate sleeping at Paul’s, so I took an Uber.

Are we doing this?

We’re just playing his game against him.

Let’s see how he likes it.

[beeping]

[line ringing]

[operator] CrimeStoppers anonymous tip line.

I want to report a large quantity of narcotics in a house on West Jones Street.