Original release date: April 12, 2024
Plot: Melanie and Sugar get caught in a dicey situation – and make a new enemy. Sugar reunites with old friends, but he senses some are keeping secrets.
* * *
[John] Haven’t been sleeping well.
Nightmares.
[breathes shakily]
Doubt I’m the only one these days.
[groans, chuckles]
Although Wiley looked pretty rested.
[sighing]
[line ringing, clicks]
[Ruby] Hello.
Good morning.
Good morning. Everything okay?
Yeah, I’m just calling to check in and say good morning.
Well, thank you. Good morning.
How’s your dog?
Uh, he’s not my dog, okay?
He’s a dog. And he’s a dog who snores and kicks in his sleep.
So he’s, uh… Unfortunately, he’s…
What’s the word?
Unhaltbar? Okungaphatheki?
Untenable.
Right. Yeah, he’s an untenable dog.
[groans] I better get to work, um,
but… [stammers] …I was wondering, have you heard anything?
About the Siegel girl?
[John] Yeah.
You mean, since you called me four hours ago?
No, it’s all been quiet on my end.
[sighs] Okay. That’s good. Um, we’ll talk later. Thanks for…
Sugar, I’m gonna say it again. I don’t like this case for you.
I know.
[John] Why does she keep saying that? What’s she so worried about?
I mean, other than the drugs and bad dreams,
and sometimes my hand shakes,
I’m fine.
Another beautiful day in California.
[water running]
[kettle whistles]
[line rings]
[Teresa] Hey, I’ve been calling you.
Sorry. I needed to sleep. I turned my phone off. What’s wrong?
Uh, last night, this man…
[machine whirring]
Sorry. Um, I’m… I’m making breakfast. This man came over,
asking about Carmen and about you.
[Melanie] Shit.
[Teresa] I didn’t say anything. I played dumb.
“What do I know about my sister
“and her business?” Right?
Okay.
I just don’t think that they believed me.
So sorry to bother you, but my kids are here,
and this guy really freaked me out.
[metal clanks]
It’s okay. I’m on my way.
Okay.
Seriously?
I… I didn’t mean to.
[door buzzing]
Great job, Teresa. Super-duper.
Hey. [Stammers] You okay?
I’m so sorry, but I had no choice.
There she is. Finally. Melanie Matthews.
[water running]
[cell phone buzzing]
[John] Charlie is an old friend I like to work with.
[whines]
[John] Yep.
A civilian, but I trust her.
I was in the shower.
Uh-huh. What’s up?
Where?
Okay. I’m on my way.
Right now she’s got eyes on Melanie Matthews.
Not that I think Melanie is behind Olivia’s disappearance.
But after my talk with her yesterday, it’s clear
{\an8}she knows more than she’s letting on.
[person] Hey. Sugar got a dog?
[John] Hey, Charlie.
He’s not mine. [Breathes heavily] How long has she been in there?
Eight and a half minutes.
How was she? How did she seem?
I don’t know, Suge. She seemed like a lady driving her car
from one place to another.
Uh-huh.
What, you think Olivia Siegel’s in there?
I don’t know who’s in there, Charlie.
See that brand-new F-150 truck?
[Charlie] Yeah.
It’s a nice truck, huh?
For a neighborhood like this, it’s nice.
Uh-huh.
You see the truck across the road? Exact same, F-150.
You see the creepazoidal sitting in the front seat?
He’s not listening to music. He’s not on his cell phone. Eyes wide.
Oh, yeah. He’s working.
Uh-huh.
I don’t like it.
I’m gonna go take a look.
If I’m not back in, say, ten?
Got it. And I’ll get their license plates to Ruby.
Okay.
[Melanie] Again, like I said, I have no idea.
Right.
But since your friend Clifford is
an asshole and a wife-beater and… from what I can see
the prime suspect in Teresa’s sister’s murder case,
if I did know where he was,
I would have said something to the cops long before you ever asked.
I think you’re lying.
[Melanie] I honestly don’t know.
[gangster] Oh, my God. I can’t… Let’s try something different.
[John] Vasquez, as in Carmen.
Uh, breakfast boy, would you bring the, uh… [whistles]
[John] Olivia connects to Carmen Vasquez
connects to Clifford Carter connects to Melanie…
[gangster] No, I hear you. Uh, it… it definitely tracks. The…
The logic part tracks for me. Um,
but on an illogical, like, intuitive level…
[grunts, panting]
[John] connects to whoever the hell’s upstairs,
so…
Shit.
[high-pitched ringing]
[breathing heavily]
Not now. I’ve gotta go.
Not now.
I think you’re lying, but I’m not completely sure
because you made some logical points.
[breathing heavily]
So, uh, we’re going to put your friend Teresa’s hand, uh, inside this blender
[ringing continues] Not now.
Turn it on…
[Melanie] What?
And, uh, see what happens.
[Melanie] What?
[breathing heavily]
[ringing fades]
[gangster] You’ll scream, of course. We know that.
The kids will hear you scream…
Please, don’t.
and start to cry.
[John breathing heavily]
But what will you do?
[Teresa] Please stop. [Sniffles]
What will you say about Cliff then?
That’s what I’m really curious about.
Come on.
So let’s see.
[whirring]
[stammers] No, no! Please!
Okay! Jesus Christ, I’ll tell you!
Oh, I know.
[Teresa] No!
[shouting] Stop it!
[knocks]
[shouts]
[whirring stops]
[John] Teresa, open up!
[knocks]
Teresa, open the door!
Teresa, I know you’re in there. I can hear you. Open the door. Come on.
The more, the merrier.
[John] Come on, Teresa.
[door lock clicks]
We’ve discussed this, Teresa.
When I ring, you answer.
My bad about the door. We were making smoothies.
Uh, who are… who are these guys?
Who are you, buddy?
First of all, I’m not your buddy. I’m an officer of the court.
Secondly, Teresa Vasquez is my probationer.
You’re her PO?
[John stammers]
This place is a mess. What are you gonna do?
Did you forget that Child Protective Services are coming in an hour?
You forgot you had an appointment. You forgot. You forgot your… Great.
Right. Everybody out. Come on. Out. You, you, you, you, out.
You stay and help her clean. Get out!
I’m gonna start running fucking IDs
and seeing anyone else in parole violation.
Get out! Come on. Go. Out, buddy. Out.
Nah. Nah, man.
What “nah, nah”? Get out!
That suit? That watch? Oh, no.
[stammers] A real PO… an actual PO… could work his entire life
and not pay for that shit.
You like the suit?
Why don’t you tell me who you are, pal?
[cell phone buzzing]
[John] Hmm.
I’m strangely tempted. But what if instead…
What?
[John] That’ll be Charlie.
[horn honking]
[gangster] What?
What the fuck?
You’re coming with me.
They don’t move.
[John] Okay.
Stay.
[both grunt]
[Melanie shrieks]
[breathes heavily] Get the kids.
[sighs] What the fuck, Sugar?
Exactly.
[sirens wailing]
Told you to watch this truck like it was your mother.
I… I know.
Fuck.
[screaming]
Thank you.
[John] All right.
All right, Charlie. Get ’em outta here.
Got it. Hey, what about the dog?
[sighs]
Boss.
[gangster 2 whimpering]
[sirens wailing]
It’s a trick.
Call Manny.
[gangster 3] No answer.
[John] All right. We gotta go.
[Melanie] What? What?
We gotta go.
[Melanie] I can’t believe you were following me.
[John grunts]
[Melanie] Oh…
[grunts] Come on. In. Good boy.
It’s all right. I got you.
Well, hello, stranger. This is a pleasant surprise.
[panting]
I hope you don’t mind me showing up like this.
[pants]
Not calling or nothing.
No, not at all.
[pants, chuckles]
Would you like to come in?
[chuckles]
[panting]
So I need a favor.
[chuckles]
Hmm?
Of course, you do.
John Steven Sugar, born September 2nd, 1976 in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.
[inhales sharply] One of two kids. Father’s an electrician.
Died when John was 12. Mother, retired teacher.
Let’s see. Uh, smart kid.
Got good grades at his public school.
Top of his class at Vassar. After that… and this is interesting
he enrolled at the DLI in Monterey.
That’s the Army language school. Super intensive crash course.
Russian, Spanish, Urdu, whatever.
Stuff that takes years to learn, these guys learn in weeks.
No shit.
[grunts]
So who goes to this place?
Lots of people.
Military officers, future State Department officials,
future foreign diplomats.
Future spies?
Sure. Who is this guy, Kenny?
Keep digging.
Well, I’m glad nothing happened to you.
Glad you weren’t hurt.
You gotta tell me what’s going on.
Why were you there?
How do you know Teresa?
[Melanie sighs]
I volunteer at a shelter.
I do outreach, helping women get out of abusive relationships.
A while back, I helped Teresa get away from her nightmare of a husband.
And then… [stammers] …a month ago, her sister Carmen calls me.
I mean, both great ladies. Both shit luck with men.
[sighs] And Olivia was helping me then. I mean, she… she loved it.
It got her outside herself, you know, like it does me.
Gets you away from your demons and your bullshit, and…
She loved Carmen. They got really close.
During this time, Olivia… She w… She wasn’t using? She was…
She was clean.
Until…
[knock on door]
[sniffles]
what? What then? I mean, s-something happened.
That night, she calls me from Carmen’s house.
She was really scared.
It’s not good. [Sniffles]
Uh, C-Carmen wasn’t answering,
and I… I was calling.
So I decided to come over.
There’s this blood, and… [stammers]…she’s
[door closes] Carmen, she’s… [breathes shakily] She…
[stammers] So I’m… I’m… I’m calling… I’m calling the cops. I’m dialing.
There’s this gun just sitting on the mantel,
which really doesn’t make any sense until this guy… He walks in.
[sobs] He’s… He’s carrying a body bag.
I mean, who… who the fuck has a body bag on hand?
I mean, who… [breathes shakily] who?
The gun was over there. [Stammering] He was over there.
He saw me. Well, he didn’t like s-seeing me seeing him.
And… [stammers] …so…
Yeah.
[Melanie shushing]
I didn’t mean to. I didn’t mean to.
[shushing] It’s okay.
[Olivia sobs]
She did nothing wrong.
Why didn’t you call the police?
I… I… I kept saying it over and over,
“We should have called,” and… [stammers]…sh… she refused.
She didn’t want the scandal.
What scandal?
I’ve seen Clifford’s rap sheet.
The cops would have given her a medal and a foot massage.
She’ll do anything for her family. Her family comes first.
It’s two years they haven’t been in the tabloids…
Wow.
And now this.
[stammers] She panicked. We both panicked.
[both grunting, groaning]
[Melanie] That’s the last I saw her.
I… I mean, she’s my kid.
You know, at least that’s the way I like to think of her.
[sighs] But it was stupid.
She does a lot of stupid stuff, but, you know, so do I.
So, oh, fucking well. [Chuckles]
You love her.
You know, I think if you’re gonna do something stupid,
it’s probably the best excuse going.
Spoken like a true Virgo.
[John chuckles]
We’ll find her. Okay? We will.
I’ll find her.
I promise.
[Melanie] Who are you, John Sugar?
[beeping]
[typing]
[Mirembe meowing]
[computer chimes]
[chimes]
[Ruby] Who’s this?
So he gets out of this DLI, goes into the Marine Corps.
[person] Mm-hmm.
{\an8}[Kenny] Strange life.
[Everett] Mmm.
[Kenny] So no wife, no kids?
How do I get at him?
There’s always the mother.
[Kenny] This is true.
[typing]
[Everett] Uh, Helen Sugar,
currently residing in Flagstaff, Arizona.
I’ve seen the rough cut, Bernie. He is brilliant.
I can’t argue with that. It’s a great performance. It really is.
[Margit] It’s gonna change his life.
Our son nominated for Best Supporting Actor as a child,
winning Best Actor now.
I really think he has a chance. What’s wrong?
There’s a chance Davy’s indiscretions may come to light.
Well, give me her name. I’ll make sure she never says a word.
It’s a lot more complicated than that.
Ah, the detective.
Yeah, Sugar. [Scoffs]
[scoffs] Davy told me he was helping you with that.
Well, he was just sitting around getting bored.
And when he’s bored, he gets into trouble.
So, I gave him a task.
Yeah.
What?
Success?
Oh, yeah, brother.
Very wise. [Chuckles]
Thank you.
Big time. [Chuckles]
[laughs]
[John] So what do I think of Melanie’s story?
I don’t know. After all her bad-girl days,
Olivia didn’t want to embarrass her family again.
[TV playing in background]
Makes sense.
Explains the dead man in her trunk anyway.
Then what? When the panic subsides,
you reach out and you call for help, right?
But Olivia hasn’t. That’s the part that worries me.
That someone somewhere doesn’t want her calling out at all.
[person on TV] …make it on its own. It has to have a little help.
All right, your water bowl is full.
Clinton’s gonna bring your dinner. You got your movie.
Are you crazy?
Not that crazy.
Goodbye, Mrs. Dietrichson.
What’s the matter?
Oh, man. This is a good one.
You wanna knock him off, don’t you?
[John] Classic.
That’s a horrible thing to say.
What’d you think I was anyway?
The guy that walks into a good-looking dame’s front parlor and says,
{\an8}“Good afternoon, I sell accident insurance on husbands.”
{\an8}[John] Do I really have to go to this thing?
Yeah, I really do.
[exhales deeply]
[person 2 on TV] I think you’re rotten.
You lucky guy.
[person 1] I think you’re swell,
so long as I’m not your husband.
Get out of here.
You bet I’ll get out of here, baby.
All right.
I’ll get out of here, but quick.
Don’t wait up.
[John] It’s not as though I don’t enjoy a good party.
Old friends. Good music. What’s not to like?
Anyway, here I am. Stop complaining. Let’s get it over with.
[instrumental music playing]
[party guests chattering]
[chattering stops]
[in German] This is the most boring party I’ve ever seen.
[laughing]
[Ruby, in Spanish] ¡Atención, por favor!
[in Arabic] Alaintibah!
[in English] I’m going to speak in the language of this country,
if you don’t mind.
I’m told I need the practice.
[laughing]
[chuckles] Here we are again.
We scatter, and we return.
We go out into the world, and we do our work.
Our essential work. The work we cannot fail to do.
But tonight we return to one another.
I’m so happy to see each and every one of you
here, safe.
Now, there’s food. There are drinks.
There’s, “Mia taught herself how to make angel food cake.”
[laughing]
[chuckles]
So welcome.
[party guests chattering]
[guest speaking French]
[guests speaking indistinctly]
[in French] You put on a big hat and all this “sunscreen”
but still you step outside…
[chuckles]
and it’s as if your skin’s too tight.
And you, Sugar?
The beach?
Do you like going?
Yes.
I love the beach.
Oh.
Excuse me.
[speaks French]
[in English] Ruby was right. You’re looking better than ever.
Hey, Henry. I didn’t see you come in.
No, I just got here. Work.
Everything all right?
Yeah, everything’s great.
Come on, I hear there’s cake.
Shibuya Crossing, you know it?
[in Japanese] Never been.
[in English] No, you gotta go, Henry.
[chuckles, sniffs]
You’d love it.
It’s the busiest intersection on the planet.
3,000 people cross the street every two minutes.
All day, every day and on into the night.
I sit in a coffee shop, and I just, I watch this, uh… this-this blur
and flow of people just walking, laughing,
happy, angry, sad, back and forth, back and forth.
I sat there for hours, Henry, just watching them.
Well… Feeling them.
That sounds beautiful.
Yeah, anyways. What about you? Tell me something.
I’m having trouble sleeping lately. Do you sleep well?
No, actually, uh, not very.
Yeah. So, I’ve been having trouble sleeping.
And last week, in the middle of the night, I woke up, and I bought a garlic press.
[laughs] Okay.
Mm-hmm.
I was staring at this thing. And I just felt like, uh, I want it.
I gotta have it. I don’t even like garlic, so…
[laughing]
[Henry] Have you gone?
No, not yet.
Mmm.
How’s the anthropology business?
You know me.
[stammers] Give me some books, theories, throw in a lab coat, I’m content.
[laughs] That’s good.
How’s your other work going?
It’s good. It’s a missing girl case…
Which is…
All-consuming?
Young woman, 25.
John.
What?
Just, please be careful.
Right.
What is this?
An objective account of personal interactions
that occur as a result of my stated profession.
Is it?
Yeah.
“I love how the curtains move back and forth above the air conditioner.”
“It’s said that UFO is a great rock band but often overlooked, and I agree.”
I’m not sure what’s objective about any of that,
nor the several entries about how it feels
to watch people cross some street in Japan.
Shibuya Crossing.
And then there’s this case that you’re already obsessed with.
That I told you not to take.
I’m not obsessed.
“I have to find her. I feel like when I look at Bernie,
all I see is lies and pain.
I fear she’s hiding from her own family.”
I, I, I. Feel, feel, feel. [Stammers, sighs]
[clears throat]
We’re here to observe these people, not participate in their lives.
I know.
I mean, this was your idea.
I know.
Because of what happened to Djen.
[Ruby] Sugar, you need to stay focused. Don’t forget who you are.
[sighs]
Here’s a new one.
Thank you.
Have you heard from them?
Mm-hmm.
And? What do they say?
They say that they’re counting on us.
Oh. Hey, hey, I meant to ask.
The guys outside Teresa’s,
did you get Charlie’s surveillance pictures?
Mm-hmm.
And?
I did some digging into this, uh, party invitation.
Turns out Société Polyglotte Cosmopolitaine is French
for the Cosmopolitan Polyglot Society.
Oh.
[Ruby] Okay.
The main guy’s name is Byron Stallings.
He’s in the system, no surprise.
But California Corrections has this new encryption server,
which is annoying me, so I just need another day. Okay?
Skip ahead to this society.
Okay, but I don’t just want his sheet. Get up on his comms and…
Guess what a polyglot is.
Someone who’s proficient in languages.
Exactly.
Yeah, I got it.
Cool.
Kenny heard these rumors about this group of spies from all over the globe.
I wanna know who he’s talking to, where, when, why.
Sugar.
All that.
Used to be enemies.
Once they all quit their jobs,
they got together and made a pact to do something good for a change.
Or something bad, depending on the rumor.
I produced a movie once about a cabal
of ex-spies who came together to save the world.
Beyond Caution.
It’s a great movie.
It was a piece of shit.
It was stupid because the premise was preposterous.
Look, I’m not saying we have every single answer about him yet.
I need every single fucking…
I said I’ve got it. Okay.
All right. Okay.
I’m sorry I yelled.
Have you seen Dr. Vickers yet?
Oh. No, I’m just… I’m just…
Okay. All right.
You’re making an appointment for tomorrow. You’re going. Okay?
[sighs] Okay.
All right.
There’s a lot at stake here.
I know. I’m on it.
You coming back inside?
Hmm. I think I might just, uh…
You’ve done your penance. Okay. Yeah, you can go home.
All right. Good night.
Good night.
[David] Kenny and I are driving to Arizona tonight.
Arizona?
Flagstaff. Sugar’s mother.
Davy.
You asked me to handle it.
I’m handling it.
[engine starts]
[John] There’s blood in the water and the sharks are circling.
I got a lot of people angry at me today.
Ruby at least has a right to be.
Vickers.
[Dr. Vickers] Ruby, what is it?
I’m sorry for the hour. But we have a problem.
Sugar is onto Stallings.
It’s only a matter of time before he discovers the rest.
[Dr. Vickers] Well, we need to stop him. It’s time to tell the others.
[Ruby] The others.
[Dr. Vickers] Do what you can, but it’s time for Miller to know.
[John] And the mission comes first. She’s right about that.
But I’m not gonna back off this case.
What am I missing?
It’s usually something obvious.
Something or someone.
The lies I expect. The lies are typical.
Separating people from their secrets is the job.
But this case. These Siegels.
Something’s not right.
I don’t know who’s involved, or how, or why.
Not yet anyway.
Hey, you.
Hey, you too.
I’m calling the cops. I’m dialing. There’s this gun… [speaks indistinctly]
[whispers indistinctly]
[John, echoes] I’ll find her.
I promise.
[panting, inhales sharply]
[thunder rumbling]
[John] I’ve got to keep it together.
[panting]
[door closes]
[John] There’s always something they’re hiding.
Something they’re afraid of.
Something they’ll do anything to keep out of sight.
That much I understand.
[“Da Funk” playing]
We all have our secrets.
Even me.
Especially me.
[thunder rumbles]
[“Da Funk” continues]
[thunder crashes]
[thunder rumbling]
[song ends]
[thunder rumbling]
