08x04 - Past Tense

[bunniefuu]

[theme music playing]

[suspenseful music playing]

[Karen] "Dear Mack.

I would like you to have a letter like this

as a kind of proof

of how much you're loved.

But it seems hokey now.

How could you not know how much I loved you?

Still, I want to write it for you.

And for Eric and Michael...

and Diana.

[sighs]

The odd thing is...

now that I'm doing it...

all I can think of is... [laughs]

how much you guys made me smile.

Mack, if only..."

"If only..."

What am I doing?

I wanted.

Made me smile.

I'm smarter than he is. I'm saner than he is.

I'm gonna get out of here.

So what brings you to the coast, Philly?

Ah, you know, this and that.

-Oh, yeah, this and that. Ha! -[Phil laughs]

Look, I know you guys have a lot of reminiscing to do,

and I've gotta get back to work.

It was a pleasure meeting you.

-Yes, a real pleasure. -Okay.

[Phil] Lovely lady.

-k*ller. -[Phil] Yeah.

-Coffee? -Yeah, great, thanks.

What is this, all of this stuff here?

[Greg] Oh, that's just my civic duty.

He's my candidate.

[laughs] Will he win?

He sure as hell better win,

the amount of money I'm spending on him.

-[Phil chuckles] Thanks. -Sit down, Phil.

[Phil] Sure.

Oh, boy. It's great to see you.

So, you see much of Mack?

No, I don't see him anymore.

Oh.

-Did he ever marry? -Yeah, as a matter of fact, he did.

Hmm. Nice girl?

Actually, she is nice.

At the moment, she happens to be missing, however.

-Missing? -Well, missing.

She's-- she disappeared.

Hmm.

Must be rough on Mack, huh?

How's he taking it? Pretty hard?

[Greg] How would you feel if your wife disappeared?

[Phil] Yeah, right.

I wouldn't wish that kind of suffering on anybody.

Right.

[birds chirping]

[phone ringing]

Answer the phone!

-Answer the phone! -[phone ringing]

Hello! Hello!

-[suspenseful music playing] -Michael, Eric!

[Greg] What about you, Phil? You still married to Julie?

No.

I mean, my wife died.

Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I didn't know.

Yeah, well, it's a while back.

We don't keep up much anymore, so...

[Greg] Wow, Julie, huh?

I really like Julie.

I want the tap put back on my phone.

You know I can't justify tying up one of my men anymore.

We're talking about Karen.

She didn't wander off. She's not out on a binge. She's been kidnapped.

[man] I am obligated to say we still don't know for sure--

I know for sure!

I went out on a limb just getting you the tap,

and we got nothing.

No leads, no ransom demands, no nothing.

Unless something happens, I am telling you--

Let's make something happen.

Put out the word that you lifted the kidnapper's fingerprints from Karen's car.

What?

Sure, and that you ID'd the kidnapper,

and the arrest is imminent.

You got a better idea?

[laughing]

Do-- do you remember the Queen of Torrance dance?

-I don't think I've had a rum and coke since then. -[laughing]

Oh, boy, those were the days, weren't they?

-The best, huh? -God, I hope not.

I'm looking forward to some better times, Philly.

Well, then, to the bad old days.

And to the three musketeers,

Phil Harbert, Greg Sumner, Mack MacKenzie.

-The triple threat. -Yeah.

Oh.

["I Can't Help Myself" by Four Tops playing]

♪ Can't help myself ♪

Phil, you're working for crooks.

It's just a summer clerkship. No big deal.

Hey, hey, hey, it is a big deal, man.

Those are exactly the type of creeps I intend to put away when I--

[young Phil] Yeah, yeah, when you become district attorney.

Mr. Crusader.

We know all about it.

[Greg] Mack's right.

You gotta think about your future, Phil.

What do you think I'm doing?

You know, I got a wife to support.

And I'll do whatever it takes to give her the things she needs.

You mean the things she wants.

Even if it means working for the mob.

[young Phil] I'm just a law clerk.

Come on, Phil.

-Come dance with me. -Later, honey, huh?

But I'm ready now.

I can't refuse the woman anything.

Isn't that the way it's supposed to be?

Two more, please.

Not for me, thanks. I gotta go to work.

Oh, what you gotta do, pal,

is quit all your melodramatic pining

over Anne Winston.

-Melodramatic pining? -What would you call it?

You're not eating, you're not sleeping,

and you're sure as hell not studying.

You gotta pass the bar before you can put away the bad guys.

Hey, Sumner, I don't need any advice on my love life

or my study habits, okay?

["My Cherie Amour" by Stevie Wonder playing]

♪ That I adore ♪

♪ You're the only girl my heart beats for ♪

♪ How I wish that you were mine ♪

[sighs]

Well, I hope for Mack's sake that they find Karen.

Oh, they will.

So what do you say? Tomorrow at the ranch?

Oh! Looking forward to it.

[Greg] Good.

So I'll call you and let you know what time.

Where'd you say you were staying?

Uh, I'm changing hotels, so I better call you.

Whatever.

Greg, I just heard on the radio

that the police found fingerprints

or something in Karen's car.

[Greg] And?

[Laura] And they made a positive identification.

They know who the kidnapper is.

[suspenseful music playing]

[rattling]

Oh, God!

[fast-paced classical music playing]

Hello?

Hello?

What are you doing out there?

Come in.

Why don't you come in?

What's the matter?

-[suspenseful music playing] -What's wrong?

What's the matter?

[Mack] Listen to yourself.

Listen to what you're asking me to do.

I'm asking you to help my wife.

You're asking me to do an ill*gal wiretap!

-ill*gal! -Who'll know?

You! Me! Maybe my boss!

And my parole officer!

You're asking me to commit a felony

and violate my parole!

Wait a minute.

That's why you helped me make my parole

and got me a job at the phone company.

You wanted somebody on the inside!

Like hell, we're talking about Karen's life.

[Tapper] And mine!

[Mack] Hey, listen to me.

I need a tap. You understand? You owe me, pal.

Now you put it in.

[suspenseful music playing]

Ewing is about six points higher in our polls than we ever expected him to be.

I mean, it's phenomenal the way he comes across. Holier than thou.

Well, now maybe Gary is holier than thou, huh?

So what are we gonna do about it?

We are going to take

the offensive!

I'll entertain suggestions.

It's already in the bag, kid.

So when do I find out about it?

Right now. Marty?

Tomorrow night at the candidates' forum,

-our people will ask Mr. Ewing-- -Our people?

[Laura] Mm-mm.

See here, speak no evil in front of the boy scout.

Will you lay off of him?

-Oh, Peter doesn't mind. -I do!

[Marty] We've got concerned citizens in the audience.

Yeah, we have high-priced reporters on our payroll.

-[Marty] Concerned citizens... -Concerned citizens, exactly.

...who will ask Gary how a drunk with an arrest record

can pass himself off as the best representative for the people in his district.

I need some air.

We're not talking about anything here

that's not a matter of public record.

Hey, we're not trying to win a merit badge.

We're trying to win an election.

You can justify anything, can't you?

You're so cute when you're self-righteous.

What exactly do you have on him?

Drinking problem, arrest record, very nice list.

What about my other two opponents?

[Marty] Just don't talk about them.

[Greg] And nobody else will.

Unless Gary does something stupid.

I know you won't, but this is gonna remain a two-horse race,

no matter who gets involved.

Oh, yeah, I got something else for the list.

I hear Ewing's got something going

with his campaign manager, Jill--

-Bennett. -Really?

-Yeah, maybe we'll use that. -[Peter] No.

It's overkill. We gotta draw a line somewhere.

-Boy scout wants to draw a line, we draw a line. -[Marty chuckles]

[suspenseful music playing]

Tapper, I'm sorry.

That conversation we had never happened.

What conversation?

[intense music playing]

Boo!

All's fair in love and politics, baby.

Yeah, well, I don't wanna hear these false truisms,

or else I'm gonna forget why it is I fell in love with you.

Mm.

Why don't we go away, huh?

We can't, because as we speak, Phil Harbert is on his way over here.

Since when did you become so active in your alumni association?

It's just a courtesy to an old friend.

Why did this guy wait so long to look you up?

That's what I've been trying to figure out.

He's a friend of Mack's, too, right?

We were the three musketeers in law school,

God, we were young.

So why don't you two take Mack out and do a little cheering up?

Can't. Mack and Phil had a falling out.

["w*r" by Edwin Starr playing]

Forget it, Phil. I shouldn't even be having

this conversation with you. I've been subpoenaed.

-I have to testify. -Hey, hey.

Nobody has a perfect memory.

Just leave out some details. Who's gonna know?

You? Me? Sumner?

-Maybe the judge, the DA. -I thought we were friends.

Hey, friends don't ask other friends for perjury.

I have worked too damn hard to become an attorney

to risk being disbarred.

I could go to jail.

You don't have to, Phil. The DA doesn't want you.

He wants the guys you work for.

[young Phil] Oh, yeah, right.

If I turn state's evidence against these guys,

then my life ain't worth a plugged nickel.

Then cop a plea, Phil. Talk to the DA.

You're no good to him dead or in jail.

-I'm not a fink. -No.

You're just a guy who wants his buddy

to risk everything to cover his butt.

Count me out, pal.

[young Phil] Hey, Mack, don't do this to me and Julie.

♪ What is it good for? ♪

♪ Absolutely nothing listen to me ♪

Sumner, talk to--

♪ w*r, it ain't nothing but a heartbreak ♪

[Laura] So, Phil, you gonna stay in California permanently?

[Phil] Oh, I'm not sure yet.

You here on business or pleasure?

-Got business. -Oh, yeah? A case?

A what?

[Laura] You're an attorney, right?

Uh, yeah, well, I don't know.

I don't practice law anymore.

Oh yeah, so what are you doing now?

One hell of a place you got here, Greg.

Spread, Philly. Spread.

When it gets this big and it comes this expensive,

you call it a spread.

Well, guys, if you'll excuse me,

I'm gonna see if there's any more news about Karen.

Uh, well...

thanks for, uh, showing me your spread.

You're welcome. Hope I see you again.

Oh, I'm sure you will.

I gotta get back.

Back where?

Well, time is money, you know.

Indeed I do. I'll walk you to your car.

You haven't said anything about Mack.

Sure I have, haven't I?

-I asked about him. -Not today.

Yesterday you couldn't stop talking about him, but today nothing.

Well, you told me how he was,

-how his wife had been kidnapped, and-- -Mm-mm.

Said his wife disappeared, nobody said anything about kidnapped.

Well, Laura mentioned kidnapped, didn't she?

I mean, I guess you're right.

It's just a disappearance until there's a ransom demand, huh?

-There's no ransom demand? -No.

Well, at least I haven't read about any.

I mean, hasn't been anything published in the papers

about ransom, has there?

[Greg] So you read about it?

Yeah, I guess so, since we talked a little.

You read in the newspaper that Mack's wife's name is Karen.

Yeah, I guess I did, I-- Sure, I'm probably--

You used her name, Phil.

Yesterday you didn't even know that Mack was married.

And before I had a chance to tell you,

you turned around and called his wife by her name, Karen.

You used her name, Phil.

How the hell are you gonna know her name unless you met her?

[scoffs] What are we talking about here, anyway?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Because this conversation didn't take place.

If it did, I would be an accessory after the fact.

I sure as hell am not gonna take a fall as your accessory

because you're dumb enough to tell me something that you have done.

But I'm telling you that I do not know

that you have done something really stupid, like kidnapping.

But I will tell you one thing.

You better undo whatever it is you have done

and undo it by tomorrow.

Or what?

-Do you have to ask? -Oh, come on, man.

-Don't threaten me. -I'm not threatening you, Phil.

Look, this is a compromise.

Don't tell me you still haven't learned the difference.

Yeah, I can't believe you. You know me.

You think I would ever hurt anybody?

I wish I knew you well enough to know that, Phil, but I don't.

[Phil] Forget it, man. Forget it.

But I do know you'd better not hurt anybody, Philly.

You understand that? Do not hurt anybody.

Now get out of here and do what's right, friend.

Friend.

[suspenseful music playing]

I heard you outside the room last night.

I know you were there.

Why didn't you answer me?

Something's wrong.

What's the matter?

You have to tell someone.

They know who I am.

-What? -They know. It was on the radio.

Who's they?

I don't know. The police, I guess.

What are you gonna do?

They don't know for sure.

I mean, they couldn't.

If the police knew, they'd be here.

They know who I am, not where I am.

-It's a bluff. -What if it's not?

[suspenseful music playing]

[lock clicks]

[knocking on door]

-Mack. Have you heard anything? -Hi.

No, nothing. Nothing's changed.

I just saw the lights on and thought I'd come over.

[Lilimae] Val and Ben went up to bed.

-I'll tell them you're here. -No, no, don't. No.

That's all right.

-I just saw the lights on and-- -[kettle whistles]

Oh, Lord. Come on, before that thing wakes up the babies.

[whistling slows]

Will you have a cup of tea with me?

Or would you rather have coffee?

No, nothing-- either.

I just saw the lights on and thought I'd come over.

You saw the light and came over here

because you figure it's better to go visiting...

than to be at home without Karen.

Tea or coffee?

Tea's fine, thank you.

Good.

It's chamomile.

It'll make you sleepy.

We should let it steep for a few minutes.

-Lilimae. -Mm?

I'm sorry about the other night for yelling at you.

I had no right doing that, and I apologize.

I understand. I can get in the way.

-The last thing you need-- -No, no, you're never in the way.

No, not with all that you're doing for the boys and myself.

No, I should be thankful to you and...

[sighs]

...I don't want to fall apart.

Because...

you don't want to be surrounded with things that remind you of Karen.

You think you're falling apart?

-Am I? -No.

Of course you're not.

[mellow piano music playing]

You know...

after Joshua...

some days...

I couldn't leave his room.

But some days I couldn't bear to set foot in it.

-What are you saying? -Oh!

There I go again. What I mean is, what you're feeling is natural.

Mack...

listen to an old busybody.

Call your daughter.

-Now? -[Lilimae] Especially now.

Bad as things are for you, now.

Lilimae, but I wouldn't be able to give her the attention that she needs.

The kind of attention doesn't matter.

Even if you don't say ten words,

it'll mean something to her.

That you wanted her close by when you had trouble.

It'll be good... for her.

She'll feel needed.

[music continues]

Would you rather have coffee?

No, this is fine.

It's fine. What is this?

Chamomile.

Chamomile?

I'll make coffee.

[tense music playing]

[overlapping indistinct chatter]

Thanks.

For what?

For reversing your field on the, uh,

the cleanup thing at Lotus Point.

Well, in that case, I might as well admit

that I'll be watching your progress very closely.

Just, uh, in case I have to admit later on

that you're not cleaning it up.

Well, I just wanted you to know that I appreciate your honesty.

It's my job.

Honesty are us.

Used to be cream and sugar, I remember.

We underestimated you, Ben.

Congratulations.

I didn't admit I was wrong just to please him.

Whatever you say.

You're taking kind of a chance, aren't you?

I mean, talking to me in public like this.

I'm just a concerned voter.

A local retailer, remember?

Who is this "we" you keep referring to?

Our employer.

Your employer?

They will be very pleased

when I tell them about the progress you've made.

Ingratiating yourself to Greg Sumner.

It's nice to meet you.

[suspenseful music playing]

Well, who would have thought

little Petey Simpkins would come this far?

I wonder what the folks at home would think.

I don't think they'd recognize me today.

Petey Simpkins left home a long time ago.

You can, uh, cut the good little wife game.

Play with them.

Who says I'm playing?

[suspenseful music playing]

If the candidates will come and take their places,

and if you'll take your seats, we'll get started,

ladies and gentlemen.

Since the agreement was made to go alphabetically,

Mr. Ewing will start.

Mr. Ewing?

Thank you.

My name is Gary Ewing.

I'm an alcoholic.

But I've been clean and sober for three years.

There's something else you should know about me, too.

I was arrested for m*rder.

I was innocent and completely exonerated.

I think that if I'm gonna be asking for your vote,

I owe you the truth about myself and about the people around me.

I think the other candidates owe you the same thing.

So, maybe when we...

get to the question and answer part of the program,

Mr. Hollister will be willing to answer some questions

about his brother, Gregory Sumner.

Former Senator Sumner is the original mystery man,

complete with shadowy activities

and mysterious friends.

I've worked with Mr. Sumner.

I let him build a huge complex on my land.

Then I-- I couldn't get a straight answer

about what it was he built out there or who it belonged to.

So I destroyed it. I blew the whole thing up.

You know what?

I wasn't prosecuted.

Hell, I wasn't even questioned. And you know why?

Because Mr. Sumner didn't want the world to know

what it was he was up to out there.

Well, now, maybe Mr. Hollister can get some answers

that we can't seem to get from his brother.

I mean, he-- he seems eager to represent his brother's interests.

Maybe he'll be just as eager to answer some questions about his brother's intentions.

I hope Mr. Hollister will be as honest with you

as I have tried to be.

Thank you.

[upbeat music playing]

Mack.

-I'm sorry. -[Paige] It's okay.

No, it's not okay.

You haven't even touched your lunch.

And neither have you.

I'm really screwing this up.

Hey, I'll eat if you will.

[laughs]

It's a deal.

Okay.

You're so pretty.

And you remind me so much of your mother.

["You're All I Need to Get By" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell playing]

♪...I need to get by ♪

She was so beautiful.

♪ You're all ♪ ♪ Like the sweet morning dew ♪

♪ I need ♪ ♪ I took one look at you ♪

♪ To get by ♪ ♪ And it was plain to see ♪

♪ You were my destiny ♪

♪ With arms open wide ♪

It scared me at first.

The way she looked. The way she lived.

[Paige] Because her parents had money,

you thought she was a snob, right?

[Mack] That's what she said. And she was right.

My family's money became my profit, not hers.

♪...lose my will ♪

♪ You'll be there to push me up the hill ♪

♪ There's no, no looking back for us ♪

But when we were alone together...

it was like-- like the rest of the world didn't exist.

♪ You're all I need to get by ♪

♪...I need to get by ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah ♪

I wanted that summer to last forever.

♪ Like an eagle protects his nest ♪

♪ For you I'll do my best ♪

♪ Stand by you like a tree ♪

♪ And dare anybody to try and move me ♪

[Paige] Mother said she'd never been happier.

[Mack] She did? She said that?

[Paige] Yes.

♪ Don't know what's in store ♪

♪ But together we can open any door ♪

♪ Come on darling ♪

♪ And inspire you a little higher ♪

And she also said that you were shy.

[Mack] No, wait a minute. I wasn't shy.

[Paige] It's okay. Mother thought it was sweet.

[Mack] Well, I wasn't shy. I was-- I was concerned, you know?

I was playing for keeps.

♪ Oh, all the joys under the sun... ♪

And when I lost her...

I thought I'd never love anybody again.

And I didn't.

Not for a long time.

Listen to me.

There-- there's a way out of this.

Walk away. Just walk away.

I-- I won't say anything.

Or if you'd like, I-- I'll--

I'll tell them that you treated me very well.

How-- how you went out of your way to make me comfortable.

All you wanted to do was to get even with Mack.

I-- I wouldn't say anything.

[somber music playing]

Why didn't you tell me you wanted to do this?

Why didn't you let me know?

I would've helped you.

-I would've saved you some time! -[Karen exclaims]

I would've saved you some effort!

Huh?

-Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! -[Karen exclaims]

There! Satisfied?

Huh?

[tense music playing]

[Karen] Let me go!

I'll tell them anything you want me to tell them.

It's the only way.

No.

It's not the only way.

If there's no evidence, then they can't convict me of anything.

[music continues]

[whimpers]

[whimpers]

Maybe we should put out another statement.

Maybe we should say that your idea on the kidnapper didn't pan out.

Mack, we threw out some bait. We do it all the time.

Well, maybe we shouldn't have. Maybe it was a mistake.

Look, the other day, I got a little nuts. I panicked.

If whoever has Karen does the same thing,

thinks we're getting too close, what if he panics?

Look, we followed procedure. There's always a risk.

But I don't see how what we did could make things worse for Karen.

[suspenseful music playing]

[music continues]

Oh, what a day.

[Greg] Gary Ewing has that effect on people.

He was impressive. He's getting good advice.

And you're not?

Don't take it personally, kid. He only mentioned you in passing.

I'm the one he's really gunning for.

I can't believe it's possible,

but I actually may have underestimated this guy.

So you have to stay a little more low profile. What difference does it make?

Low-profile so you're a non-issue.

[Greg] I can handle it.

Gary won't have Greg Sumner to kick around anymore.

It doesn't alter the fact that he's still k*lling us on every single poll.

We have to do something to stop his momentum.

He's confessed to everything but k*lling Jimmy Hoffa, and they ate it up.

Maybe it's time that you admitted

to doing something truly disgusting.

You know, I've got a better idea. He's still a married man.

Let's leak the stuff about him sleeping with his campaign manager.

The polls are showing that things are beginning to shift in our favor.

I made my biggest mistake months ago by not trusting you.

-Talking about the campaign, Gary. -I'm not.

We've got to be prudent.

[Gary] Prudent?

[laughs]

If I were prudent, I wouldn't be in this campaign.

It's a little late for that. You got any other advice?

Let's wait till after the campaign.

To talk?

You want to wait till after the campaign to talk?

[emotional music playing]

Look...

you're the one who said you'll think about me.

You. Weeks ago.

You hugged me, I didn't hug you back, as you recall,

and you said, you'll think about me.

Well, you were right.

I did.

I do.

We've got to concentrate on the campaign.

Tell me something.

You concentrate on the campaign when you're with me?

I want you to win.

Some things are more important.

Or as important.

If there's anything between us, Gary--

If?

If there's a future for us, we've got to be careful.

Wow.

[phone rings]

You better answer that.

Yeah.

Timing. Hmm.

-Hello. -Hi.

[Gary] Olivia! How'd I do today? Okay?

Oh, you were the best of them all.

I don't know how anybody could vote for the others.

Especially not for Peter Hollister.

Thank you.

I'm going to make sure they interview you for the nightly news.

No, that's really very sweet of you. Thank you.

Uh, I was calling.

I-- I have my drug therapy program tonight,

so we eat dinner early, okay?

Ah, early dinner.

-How early? -Five.

-See you at five. -Great.

[suspenseful music playing]

[fast-paced classical music playing]

-[exclaims] -[clattering]

You're wasting your time!

-[suspenseful music playing] -Not gonna do you any good.

[intense music playing]

[suspenseful music playing]

[grunting]

[grunting]

[grunting]

[music continues]

[grunting]

[grunts]

[grunts]

[intense music playing]

Are you out there?

I want to talk to you, all right?

Can't-- can't we just...

can't we just talk?

Please?

[jerry can bangs]

What's wrong with talking to me?

It's never too late to talk.

[intense music playing]

[theme music playing]