01x01 - The Fall of the House of Usher

[bunniefuu]

[gentle piano music playing]

- [thunder rumbling]
- [suspenseful string music playing]

[thunder rumbling]

[music quickens]

[indistinct chattering]

[man] A.B.

[indistinct chattering]

Who are you?

[lively chattering]

[music intensifies]

- [knocking at door]
- [music crescendos]

[silence]

[woman screams]

[pop music playing]

- [pop music fades]
- [classical music playing]

[woman screaming in distance]

[screaming becomes louder]

[screaming]

[music intensifies]

[woman screams]

[thunder crashing]

[music ends]

[brisk string music playing]

[music ends]

[gavel bangs]

Can you please state
your name for the record?

Jasmine Haney.

And what is your current
occupation, Ms. Haney?

I'm the Chief Usher
of the White House.

Have you ever testified before a
congressional committee, Ms. Haney?

No, sir. Senator. Never.

- A little nervous?
- Yes, sir.

Well, I want to assure you that this
is not an adversarial proceeding.

You are not under
suspicion for anything.

We simply want to understand
what happened at the White House

on the night of October 11th…

[screams]

…and in the investigation
that followed.

That's why we're here.

Because there's been a lot of
misinformation and… speculation

and confusion about
these events, okay?

We just want to get all the facts
out for the public. Clear it all up.

Thank you, Senator.

[Filkins] Now, you indicated
you are the Chief Usher.

Yes, sir.

What is the Chief
Usher? What do you do?

The Chief Usher is
responsible for overseeing

the operations of the Executive
Residence of the White House.

And when you say Executive Residence,
that's the part of the White House

where the President and
his family actually live?

- Correct. That's right.
- Not the West Wing, not the East Wing.

You're not a
political appointee.

No, sir.

The work of the White House Residence
staff is not political in any way.

Same with this
committee, Ms. Haney.

- Same with this committee.
- [quiet laughter]

[Filkins] How long have you been in this
position, Ms. Haney, of Chief Usher?

Ms. Haney?

["Hold On to Now" by Kylie
Minogue playing nearby]

♪ Floating on this
feeling together ♪

♪ Yeah… ♪

- [man] What are you doing?
- I'm having a drink.

- In the Blue Room?
- Yeah.

- During a State Dinner?
- Yeah.

- While you're working?
- Yeah.

Don't do this.

- Do what?
- Did you talk to him?

It wasn't much of a talk.

Don't do something that
you're going to regret.

Too late.

- [distant chattering]
- [music continues]

Rollie, I appreciate you, but can
you please give me a little space?

[woman] No.

- Agent Rausch?
- I need you to come with me, Ms. Haney.

- Why?
- [Rausch] Now.

You need to come now.

[suspenseful music playing]

- [indistinct chattering]
- [elevator bell dings]

[chattering continues]

What the hell is going on?

- There's been an incident.
- An incident?

- Yes.
- What kind of incident?

An incident. I don't want anyone up here
for the rest of the night, okay? Nobody.

Get the message out now. Second
and third floors are off-limits.

[Haney] Because of the incident?

Yes. And don't tell
them about the incident.

About the thing that
I don't know about?

- Correct.
- What about Kylie Minogue?

- What about her?
- Oh my God. I… I love Kylie Minogue.

She's staying in the
Lincoln Bedroom tonight.

What? No. Why?

Well, that was the deal for
getting her to sing last minute.

[man groans]

Okay.

If I'm not downstairs before she
finishes, you tell her, too, deal's off.

- [man chattering]
- No.

- What?
- No.

Why me?

Because you're the Chief Usher.

[scoffs] No. I'm
not the Chief Usher.

Do you even know who I am,
Mr. Hollinger? I am an Assistant Usher.

I've been an Assistant Usher for 11 years.
And yes, I wanna be the Chief Usher.

And I thought I was going
to be the Chief Usher.

But it was made very
clear to me tonight

that I am not going to be
the Chief Usher anytime soon.

So if you want somebody
to tell Kylie Minogue

she doesn't have a place to
sleep, talk to the Chief Usher.

That would be A.B. Wynter.

The Chief Usher.

Where's A.B.?

[tense music playing]

[somber music playing]

[Filkins] Ms. Haney.

Ms. Haney.

I've been Chief Usher since October 11th,
the day the last Chief Usher was k*lled.

- k*lled?
- Excuse me?

- You said k*lled.
- The Senator from Colorado...

I didn't mean anything by it.

You didn't mean you
thought he was k*lled?

The Senator from Colorado will
refrain from asking questions

when it is not her time.

- [cameras clicking]
- Thank you.

[Bix] Mm-hmm.

[sighs] After you left the
third floor, what did you do?

I did what Mr. Hollinger
asked me to do.

[quiet, tense music playing]

- [elevator bell dings]
- [doors open]

[sniffs]

[breathes heavily]

- [dramatic music playing]
- [Haney gasping]

- [bell dings]
- [Haney] Oh!

The man I wanted to see.
Did you talk to Dana?

The least of my problems.

I spoke to Marvella about the desserts,
and I think we may have another option.

So. Maybe now that's the
least of your problems.

Hey. In a few weeks, you'll be
stumbling around Hay-on-Wye,

a pint in one hand,

a first edition of The
Ambassadors in the other.

The happiest, drunkest, most
retired bibliophile in all...

I'm not leaving.

What?

I'm not leaving. I'm not retiring.
For at least a couple of years.

I can't leave the house like
this. Not after tonight.

[elevator bell dings]

[yelling, banging on wall]

[elevator bell dings]

- Where are you going?
- Upstairs.

Ms. Cox.

You're not going upstairs.
There's been an incident.

- An incident?
- Yes.

Put that away. And stay off
the second and third floors.

[pop music and lively
chattering nearby]

[dynamic music playing]

[music drowns out speech]

- [Rollie] An incident?
- Yes.

- What happened?
- I don't know.

You can tell me.

I can't right now.

Where's A.B.?

Did you return to
the third floor?

Yes.

- [Filkins] Who was there at that point?
- [Haney] A lot of people. Mr. Hollinger.

[Filkins] That's President Morgan's
friend and adviser, Harry Hollinger.

[Haney] Right. Correct. Agent Trask.
Secret Service Agent Colin Trask.

[indistinct chattering]

[Haney] I recognized Wally
Glick, Director of the FBI,

and Irv Samuelson, the head
of the National Park Police.

They were arguing.

And then another man showed
up who I didn't recognize.

[Filkins] Can you state
your name for the record?

Lawrence Dokes, Larry.

And you are the Chief of Police

for the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan
Police Department, Mr. Dokes?

Yes, sir.

[Filkins] How did the
Metropolitan Police Department

come to be involved in the
investigation into Mr. Wynter's death?

How did the MPD
come to be involved?

It's our jurisdiction, Senator.

Any death in the District,
even the White House.

[Filkins] Is that true?

You think they'd have let me in
there that night if it wasn't?

[quiet laughter]

You're saying they weren't happy

with the MPD being the
lead investigative agency?

I don't wanna speak for anyone,
but that was my impression.

Oh my God. Really? The MPD?

Not… not the FBI? Not the
Secret Service? Not the CIA?

The entire national security apparatus
of the US government at our disposal,

and we get stuck with some
beat cops from the f*cking MPD?

I wouldn't call the MPD
to help me find my d*ck.

This is Chief Dokes of the MPD.

You can't find your d*ck?

f*ck you.

Okay, Chief, what are
you gonna do here?

I'm gonna leave that in
the hands of my detective.

What detective?

She's here.

- Uh, where?
- She's on-site.

What the f*ck does that mean?

On-site? This is the site.
Here. This is the f*cking site.

Where is she?

Yeah, she'll be up very soon.

[whimsical piano playing]

How long was she out there?

About… five minutes.

It felt longer.

[music continues]

- [Glick] What is she doing?
- [Dokes] She's birding.

Birding?

Birding is a very popular hobby. In
many of our great National Parks...

- I know what birding is.
- Why are we waiting for her?

We're waiting for her because she
is the best detective in the world.

[Harry laughs]

You know how I know that's a lie?
Do you know how I know that's a lie?

Because the best detective in the
world, whoever the f*ck that is,

does not work for
the f*cking MPD.

Well, first of all, very rude.

Second of all, Cordelia Cupp
doesn't work for the MPD.

She's a consulting detective.

- That's Cordelia Cupp.
- Who's Cordelia Cupp?

- [Trask] She solved the Ratzenberger case.
- You know who she is.

You said in the elevator you hoped
they weren't bringing in Cordelia Cupp.

- What?
- Ratzenberger?

The one in Georgetown. Where
everybody thought the wife did it,

but it was the daughter who had
trained their corgi to fire a g*n?

I don't care!

I don't care!

He was upset?

I think upset would
be a fair word.

I don't care if she's Miss
f*cking Marple or Sherlock Holmes

or whoever the f*ck Daniel
Craig is in that f*cking movie.

- Benoit Blanc.
- I want her in here now.

Teddy Roosevelt was already
known as a prominent birder

before he became President.

After his first year at Harvard,

he published the Summer
Birds of the Adirondacks.

I have a copy if you'd like to
borrow it. But what's really exciting

is when he got to
the White House,

he kept a journal with every
bird he saw on the grounds.

Ninety-three birds,

including 5 woodpeckers, 7
sparrows, and 20 warblers.

So many warblers. Cordelia...

- I wondered if I'd see any, and I did.
- Cordelia.

Not a warbler, but a Screech
Owl and a Purple Grackle.

Wow. It's a lot of dudes.

Where's the body?

Oh, I see feet.

[quiet, curious music playing]

Locked. From the other side.

- The windows?
- Sealed.

We believe it's a suicide.

Okay, cool. Has anybody
moved anything in this room?

[Trask] Not since I arrived.

Do you wanna know why we
believe it's a suicide?

No. Who found the body?

[woman] I was watching TV.

Well, a movie.

I don't like TV.

I like a TV, but not… "TV."

I understand.

- Do you?
- I think I do, yes.

- You weren't at the dinner?
- Oh God, no. I don't like getting dressed.

I don't like talking to people.
Especially my son's husband.

- The President of the United States?
- [gags]

The worst.

Anyway, I ordered vodka.

It never came. I
made a few calls.

Called who?

It was not a porno.

- What wasn't a porno?
- I said I was watching a movie.

It was not a porno. I know you were
probably thinking it was a porno.

I wasn't thinking that, no.

Anyway, I heard a loud thump.

- A thump?
- Yes.

We're not talking about
the porno anymore, are we?

No. It came from next door. It
sounded like something falling.

Or someone.

I opened my door there.
I heard a door close.

Where?

I don't know.

- Do you remember what time it was?
- 9:57.

- 9:57?
- Yes.

That's very precise.

Well, I have a clock.

That is a clock.

And then you went next door.
Did you see anyone else?

- No.
- Hear anything else?

No. But the TV was very loud.

I'm not normally a
screamer, Ms. Cupp.

But I saw my husband
dead a few years ago.

It's been hard for me.

Clive died in our bed.

He was actually dead
before we went to sleep.

I did not know that.

I even tried to get a
little something going,

but he was unresponsive.

Which was not unusual though.

I did not marry that man for
sex, if you know what I mean.

- I don't know what you mean.
- I got up. I took a shower.

I got dressed. I had breakfast.
I went to work. I came home.

He was still there.

And that's when I realized

that something was
probably wrong with Clive.

[quietly] Really
wondering about Clive now.

What are these other rooms?

The sitting room.
The linen room.

The gym. The Solarium.

The music room is at the end of the hall.
The kitchen… well, the mini kitchen.

[sarcastically] Wow,
that's… super interesting.

[sighs] I'm just wondering,

should we circle back to the dead
man in the Game Room at this point

or stay on the tour?

Stay on the tour. Go ahead.

There's a room on the northeast
corner. It's a bedroom, but it's empty.

The three on the south side are
bedrooms. There are offices on...

Uh, whose offices?

The Executive Chef, the Executive
Pastry Chef, some aides.

- I'll need names.
- They're not here right now.

- They still have names.
- It's a suicide.

You said those are
bedrooms. Whose bedrooms?

That belongs to Tripp Morgan,
the President's brother.

- He's downstairs?
- [Trask] No.

- He's in there? Right now?
- Yes. Yes.

Did anybody talk to him?

- He came out when Ms. Cox was screaming.
- [Cox screams]

But went back inside.

He said he'd been asleep since


That's it? Dead body, two doors
down, he goes back to bed.

Yes. Do you wanna talk to him?

I do, but not yet. Nan's room.

[intriguing piano music playing]

And this?

Whose bedroom is this?

Mr. Hollinger lives in the
room next to Mr. Morgan.

- [scoffs] Harry Hollinger?
- Yes.

Oh.

- Were you gonna mention that?
- No. I was not gonna mention that.

Just like I wasn't gonna tell
you the color of my pajamas

or the size of my slippers or how
long I brush my f*cking teeth.

They recommend two minutes.

[Harry groans]

I… I wanna set the scene
for you, Detective Cupp.

Downstairs, right now,
is a State Dinner.

There are 200 people down there,

including the President
of the United States

and the Prime
Minister of Australia

and the Secretary of Defense
and the Secretary of State

and the Australian
Foreign Minister.

And Hugh Jackman.

- Really?
- Yes.

[Harry] Australia didn't
even want this dinner, okay?

We had to beg them to come.

Do you know how shitty you have
to be to piss off Australians?

But that's what the
last administration did,

time and time again.

And we are trying to clean
up that mess tonight.

Okay? Because despite the
fact that they gave us

three Crocodile Dundee movies,

Australia is important
to the United States.

"Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles"
was a very disappointing film.

And now there is a
dead man up here.

And not just any dead man. The
man who runs the White House.

Now the party ends
in 45 minutes.

We are on the clock, okay?

If word gets out right now in
the middle of the State Dinner

that the Chief Usher
is upstairs dead,

we are f*cked.

If we try to hide it and don't
tell anybody, we are f*cked.

So what we need to do
as quickly as possible

is to stop talking about
purple f*cking gackles.

- Grackle.
- What?

- You said gackle. It's Grackle.
- Gackle.

- Grackle.
- [yells] Goddamnit!

We… we need to make a determination
about what happened here.

And then manage the rollout of
that information in such a way…

[sighs] …that we are
marginally less f*cked

than we would otherwise be. As a nation.
Do you understand, Detective Cupp?

Who's he?

Edwin Park. Special Agent, FBI.

Ugh.

Another dude?

Oh Jesus. How many
dudes do you need?

[quiet, curious music playing]

A suicide note?

That is what it appears to be.

How did they react to this?

- To the suicide note?
- [Filkins] Yes.

Pretty much like you'd expect.

I knew it!

You said it. Ah, you said it.

[Harry chuckles] Okay…

[Haney] And then they
just started strategizing.

We'll let the evening play out.
We'll keep this under wraps.

Everybody goes home, and we
report it in the morning.

- Agreed.
- There are going to be questions.

- Of course.
- Time of death.

That'll all be part
of the investigation.

Now, would Kylie Minogue
continue playing in this plan,

and would it make sense for me to
go downstairs right away if so?

Just trying to get a
sense of the timeline.

The press will wanna know when
you first learned of the death.

Uh-huh. Thank you, Smokey Bear.
That will be part of the report

that no one will give a f*ck about
when it comes out two years from now.

- I don't know.
- Yes, you don't know a lot of things.

You're the f*cking Park Police.

- I'm gonna go downstairs.
- Sorry?

To the dinner.

Oh. Okay. So, first of
all, no, you're not.

And second of all, no.

- Has anyone left?
- No.

Go downstairs now?
Y-You're saying now?

There's a State Dinner downstairs.
I think I mentioned that.

- Perfect, I haven't eaten.
- Actually, the dinner is over.

The meal.

The food part.

Why do you wanna go downstairs?

To see if I see anything.

- Like what?
- Like what what?

Like, what do you wanna see?

Like, I don't know. If I knew,
I'd ask you to go get it for me,

and I would go and get
myself something to eat.

- He k*lled himself.
- It's possible.

Isn't it more than possible?

I don't know. What's "more than possible"?
Either it's possible or it's not.

He slit his wrists. He left a
suicide note. He was stressed.

- You didn't tell me he was stressed.
- You didn't ask.

Oh, you want me to ask you more
questions? Okay. Here's one.

How did he k*ll himself?

- What do you mean? He slit his wrists.
- With what?

What?

With

what?

- f*ck. There's no knife.
- Correct.

- So they can hear you in the bleachers.
- [Park, Cupp] There's no knife.

Did anybody remove a knife?

You know the amazing
thing about birds?

Birds have the ability to focus.

It's not that they're just
good at hunting for food.

They literally filter out
things that are not food.

You know who doesn't
have that ability?

All of you.

Because if you did, if you
could focus and concentrate,

you would notice what is wrong with
this scene. It's not just the knife.

That is not nearly enough blood for
wounds like those on his wrists.

Most people don't
cut both wrists,

and the angle of the cuts don't
appear to be self-inflicted.

Also, there are no
hesitation marks,

which you almost always
see with a suicide.

He has cuts on his face.

From the inflammation and
ulceration in his mouth,

he appears to have ingested
some type of poison.

There is a large contusion
on the back of his head.

I believe he was dragged into
this room, which would make sense

because this is a really
odd place to commit suicide.

And that isn't his shirt.

And that's not his blood on
the shirt that is not his.

So, anyway, as I was saying,

I'm gonna go downstairs.

- How long do we have?
- Thirty minutes.

- Can you show me around?
- Yes, of course.

Gentlemen. Dudes.

[Bix chuckles]

- Senator.
- [Bix laughs]

[Bix] Mm-hmm.

- This is why you're here.
- If you need anything.

- I don't.
- If you do.

- What would I need?
- Federal resources.

- Like a tax refund?
- I'm here to help.

No, you're on the case to make
sure I don't put my nose in things

that might be
uncomfortable for everyone,

and you're the guy who tries to
undermine me when I tell them the truth.

I've met 100 guys like you, and I don't
remember the name of a single one.

My name is Edwin. I'm not that
guy. I'm really just here to help.

What floor?

- You wanna go to the party, right?
- Yes.

First floor.

Can you hit "1"?

That would help.

You took her to the party?

- Yes, sir.
- And what did she wanna see?

She wanted to see everything.
And so I showed her.




staircases, and 3 elevators

spread across 6 floors
and 2 mezzanines.

Two basements, the Ground Floor, the
State Floor, and two floors upstairs.

The President and his family
live on the 2nd and 3rd floors,

although there are guest bedrooms
on both floors, as you know.

The first floor, the State Floor,
contains the great ceremonial rooms.

The State Dining Room.

The Red Room.

The Blue Room. The Green Room.

And the East Room, the
largest room in the house.

That's where Kylie is playing.

In between the State Dining Room
and the East Room is the Cross Hall,

which is where we are now.

[Cupp] How many employees?

Ninety-six full-time
in the house.

- And how many working tonight?
- About half that.

And?

And for a dinner like this,
there are contractors too.

Thirty of 'em.

Mainly kitchen
workers and butlers.

How many guests?

Uh, 140 or so, but I'd need
to ask Lilly the exact number.

Sorry. I just saw my
boss dead upstairs.

You said "Lilly."

Who's Lilly?

Lilly Schumacher.

And what is your current position
at the White House, Ms. Schumacher?

I am the White House
Social Secretary.

You're responsible for coordinating
all social activity in the White House.

That is correct.

- That includes State Dinners.
- Yes.

And where were you on the
night of October 11th,

the Australian State Dinner?

Where was I?

I was everywhere.

[indistinct chattering]

[indistinct chattering]

[frantic jazz music playing]

Let me be more specific. Where were
you when you first saw Ms. Cupp?

The Green Room.

["Love at First
Sight" playing nearby]

♪ Didn't know what to do… ♪

I still haven't found
A.B. You haven't seen him?

[Haney] No.

Not for a while.

♪ From wrong to right… ♪

How many guests
are here tonight?

Why?

Because I wanna know.

One hundred and forty-one,
not including these two.

♪ It was love at first sight… ♪

- Sorry, who…
- Cordelia and Edwin.

Friends of Harry.

Oh.

♪ First time, I knew ♪

♪ We were meant to be as one… ♪

Did you find that odd?

I did. But, honestly,

I was so concerned about finding
A.B., I didn't think anything of it.

[applause and cheering]

["Can't Get You Out
of My Head" playing]

[music continues loudly]

♪ La la la ♪

♪ La la la la la ♪

♪ La la la ♪

♪ La la la ♪

♪ I just can't get
you out of my head ♪

♪ Boy, your lovin' is
all I think about ♪

♪ I just can't get
you out of my head ♪

[fading] ♪ Boy It's
more than I dare to… ♪

[suspenseful music playing]

[inaudible]

[glass smashes]

[suspenseful music
builds, then ends]

♪ Don't leave me
locked in your heart ♪

♪ Set me free… ♪

- How much time?
- Twenty minutes.

- Did Wynter have an office?
- Yes. On the mezzanine.

Show me. And take the long way.

You don't have to come.

[purposeful music playing]

The lower basement is where
we keep most of the supplies.

Storage, laundry,
HVAC, electrical.

There's an
incinerator down here.

Staff break room and dining room.
There are lockers back there.

Hey, J., have you seen A.B.?

The upper basement.

Carpenter's shop.

Paint shop.

Chocolate shop.

Bowling alley.

Some additional storage.

- [muffled voices arguing]
- Emergency supplies. A dentist's office.

Uh, walk-in freezer.

I saw "The Shining."
Let's keep going.

[tense music playing]

Those doors.

[Haney] Staff entrance.

Flower shop.

- Who has access to the third floor?
- More people than you think.

I've never thought about it.

A.B., Tripp, Nan, Harry.

The President and Mr. Morgan.

The chefs, various aides, housekeeping,
all the butlers, all the ushers.

All the maintenance staff. Honestly,
so many people in this house.

What about you?

Me?

You?

Yeah. I have access too.

[purposeful music playing]

To the East Wing.
To the West Wing.

Vermeil Room, China Room,
Diplomatic Reception Room, Map Room.

The Library.

- [poignant music playing]
- Mr. Wynter's favorite room.

He stopped by here first
thing every morning,

and it was always the last place he
went before he left for the night.

He told me once he wanted to
read every book in this room.

I think he got pretty close.

[purposeful music resumes]

Where's Marvella?
White House Chef.

[man] Haven't seen her.

- For how long?
- An hour.

What about security? How does
that work for a State Dinner?

It really depends on the dinner.

How about for this State Dinner?

The one where someone was found
dead under unusual circumstances,

and the consulting detective,
who was on her way to the airport

for a long-planned trip
to Papua New Guinea

to see a Dimorphic Jewel-babbler,
was called in to investigate.

Right. That one.

There are five
checkpoints tonight.

Two pedestrian
and three vehicle.

Each checkpoint is staffed
by the Secret Service

and the Social
Secretary's office.

All guests have already been
pre-screened by Secret Service.

All they have to do is show ID.

Once they're past the
preliminary checkpoint,

there's an additional
Secret Service checkpoint,

bag searches, and
magnetometer screening.

[curious music playing]

[music fades]

And there are no security
cameras in the Residence?

There are no security
cameras in the Residence.

[jazz music playing]

- How do you explain the suicide note?
- I can't.

- It is his writing though.
- I don't know.

Maybe he slit his wrists in another
room, then went to the Game Room.

Maybe he did it at home
before coming to work.

It doesn't have to be this
way between you and me.

- How would you like it to be?
- More respectful.

You want me to respect you?
For what? I don't know you.

I don't know you either,
but I respect you.

- That's different.
- Why?

Because I'm Cordelia Cupp.

I'm gonna wait out here.

- What are you doing in here?
- Just looking around.

- This is a crime scene.
- It's an office.

We're in Washington. Same
thing. You need to leave.

Well, we're concerned about
sensitive political documents

that, uh, might have been
in the Usher's office.

[Bix] He said that?

Really?

- Yes.
- Senator...

- That's… that's what he said?
- Yes.

Harry Hollinger, the President's
best friend and closest adviser,

who has no role in
the justice system

and no operational authority
to conduct any part of this

or any other investigation,

was just rummaging on through
the office of the Chief Usher

only minutes after his death,
looking for "political" documents?

Yes.

[loudly] Why would the Chief
Usher have political documents?

Well, I would hope he wouldn't. But
that's why I'm here. To find out.

Well, I'm here to find out how he
died, so I'm going to cut in line.

You need to leave.

[tense music playing]

I know you enjoy a formidable
reputation, Detective Cupp.

- And I respect that. I really do.
- Oh, thank God.

But you need to understand

that this is not like any other
place that you've ever worked.

And I say that not knowing or
caring where you've worked.

I say that because there is no
place like this place on Earth.

It is… bigger than you.

You mean, the house is
literally bigger than me?

Because that seems obvious.
I'm inside the house.

[cracks knuckles, sighs angrily]

[Park] Ms. Haney.

Is this Mr. Wynter's
handwriting?

Uh…

Yes.

And does this all pretty much
look like you remember it?

- [Wynter] Is it going to work?
- Yes.

I might update the TV.

They have color now, I hear.

You make it yours. Just
don't touch the books.

I'm joking.

Your job… your office.

I wouldn't trust you
with them anyway.

[Park] Something wrong up there?

No, no. This all looks pretty
much like the last time I saw it.

Nothing obvious missing?

Do you wanna get a
forensics team in here?

[dramatic music playing]

Yes.

I need to talk to everyone who
had access to the third floor.

That is not going to be popular.

And everyone who had contact
with A.B. Wynter this evening.

Or that.

He was the Chief Usher.
Everyone had contact with him.

Well, it's gonna
be a long night.

I once stayed up for 43 hours
looking for a Buff-collared Nightjar.

- [Glick] Impossible.
- There is no way.

There are hundreds of people.
The show is almost over.

The show is almost over?

You shouldn't be part of this discussion.
He shouldn't be part of this discussion.

- [Dokes] We need to tread carefully here.
- Why?

Why? This is the White House.

- Everybody keeps reminding me of that.
- Cordelia.

- I know what I'm doing.
- I know you know what you're doing.

I just don't know if you know
who you're doing it with.

This administration has been
in free fall for six months.

I don't even follow this sh*t, but
I know they can't walk straight.

Now a dead guy shows up at
their first State Dinner.

When's the last time a dead guy
showed up at the White House?



- For real?
- Yes.

- You know that?
- [Cupp] Yes.

Wasn't a guy. Margaret Wallace.
Bess Truman's mother. Died in bed.

On this floor, actually.
She never liked Harry.

Look, c… can you grab
that list in my bag?

[Dokes sighs]

There have been nine other deaths
in the White House. None suspicious.

Unless you consider President
Zachary Taylor dying

after eating a very, very large
bowl of cherries suspicious,

which some people
do, including me.

Yes!

Put a little check…
next to Song Sparrow.

The Morgans are considered aloof,
and they don't know Washington.

The people here don't like them

and when this gets out, it's
gonna be another scandal

in the first year of an
underperforming administration.

Song Sparrow?

You put the check
next to Fox Sparrow.

Don't you think I'd be more
excited if it was a Fox Sparrow?

Yes, of course. Anybody would.

Plus, US-Australian relations
are weirdly toxic right now

and so tonight is
important. I get it.

Any dead body is
bad. m*rder is worse.

You're into this one.

I'm into that list.

It's not just about the birds.

It's always just
about the birds.

Don't worry, Chief.
I'll tread carefully.

Okay, so look.

I know you're worried about the optics of
closing down the White House right now.

I've tried to care about
this, but I really don't,

so you all help me talk to
the people I need to talk to,

or I'll go downstairs, stand at the
exit, thank every guest for coming,

then ask them if they know
about the dead man upstairs.

What are you proposing to do?

Okay. I got it. I got it.

First, we get Kylie Minogue
to keep playing. Another set.

Okay. Yes. Yes.

Fine, I'll do it.

I'll do it.

Willing to give it a
shot. I can head down now.

Then… we line up people for
Detective Cupp to talk to.

We approach them one by one.
Pull them out of the room.

We don't reveal anything to the
group about what has happened.

Detective Cupp will do that
when she takes their statements.

Focus on the guests to start.
We'll hold the staff for later.

We'll move them through as
quickly as possible. Agreed?

- Agreed.
- [Glick] Agreed.

Yeah, that plan
isn't gonna work.

Why not?

- [frantic jazz playing]
- [guest 1] m*rder?

- [guest 2] Someone got k*lled?
- [guest 3] I heard they were poisoned.

- [guest 4] m*rder?
- [guest 5] There's a dead body?

- This is a disaster.
- Yes.

- A potentially major diplomatic incident.
- Yes.

There's only one person who
could put a stop to this.

Hugh Jackman?

You want me to tell
them they can't leave?

Yes, Mr. President.

- Everyone?
- Yes.

- The Prime Minister of Australia?
- Yes.

You think Prime Minister
Roos k*lled A.B. Wynter?

Seems unlikely, but finding a
dead body on the third floor

during a State Dinner
seems unlikely too.

Why don't we let everyone go,

and then you can call back in the
people that you need to talk to?

If we let them all go, then I
won't know who I need to call back.

Respectfully, Mr. President, this house
needs to be treated like a crime scene,

and we take statements
at a crime scene.

The best possible advantage we have is
to find out what people saw and heard

when those things are
freshest in their mind.

We have no idea who might
have been involved in this.

It could be someone from
the staff, a guest, anybody.

This is for your security
as much as anything else.

There may be a
m*rder*r out there.

Or in here.

No.

No.

[Morgan] Yeah,
no. I can't do it.

I can't keep people here.

And, well, Harry says that there is
strong evidence that this was a suicide.

That's what we're gonna go with for
now unless something turns up later

to suggest otherwise. But
that won't be tonight, so…

No.

- No. No, excuse me.
- [Filkins] Senator...

- I've sat here long enough.
- You are out of order.

Well, I reclaim my time.

- You don't have any time.
- A.B. Wynter was k*lled.

- It was a suicide.
- He was k*lled.

He was m*rder*d.

And the Morgan administration
shut down the investigation

because they didn't want
anything to come out.

We are not getting into this.

Why not? Why not? What
are we doing here?

- We are getting the facts out.
- Uh-huh.

We are not indulging your politically
motivated conspiracy theories.

- The facts...
- Oh, the facts? Really, Senator?

You want facts?

- I do.
- Fact.

Detective Cupp was investigating
the death of A.B. Wynter,

and President Morgan shut it
down right then and there.

- [Filkins] He didn't.
- Senator.

- No, he didn't.
- You just heard.

- [Dokes] Senators!
- He did not shut it down.

- [Bix] You said facts.
- [yells] Senators!

Excuse me.

If I could finish.

The investigation was not shut
down right then and there.

Not even close.

After telling Detective Cupp he
wouldn't allow her to interview anyone,

President Morgan said he wanted to
make a little speech in the East Room

to smooth things over
and then let everyone go.

He started talking to Mr. Hollinger
about what he was gonna say

when all of a sudden,
Australian Prime Minister Roos,

Foreign Minister David Rylance,

and Ambassador Tamridge
burst into the room.

They looked unhappy.
Well, for Australians.

Mr. President.

Prime Minister Roos.

What the f*ck is going
on? Respectfully.

Yes. Thank you
for that. Respect.

I was just on my way to find
you. Uh, listen, I apologize.

Unfortunately, we had an
incident here this evening.

- An incident?
- I can't say more.

But one of our staff members passed away,
which is very sad and unprecedented.

So we're just trying to work
through things. But, uh, I am sorry.

And, of course,
everyone is free to go.

And I'll go out and make
that announcement now.

But I just wanted to say before I do
that, that I truly hope you and I… [fades]

[intriguing music
drowns out speech]

I'm sorry. What is… she doing?

What are you doing?
[chuckles awkwardly]

[Morgan] Detective Cupp?

What am I doing?

I'm wondering why you're
wearing A.B. Wynter's shirt.

- What?
- [Cupp] A.B. Wynter.

Chief Usher. Dead man upstairs.
He's wearing your shirt,

which is covered in blood,
and you're wearing his, so…

I'm wondering why you're
wearing a dead man's shirt.

[spectators murmuring]

Lock it down. Now.

[dramatic music playing]

[indistinct chattering]

[thunder crashing]

[music crescendos]

[solemn instrumental
music playing]