08x13 - The Inside Man

[bunniefuu]

Ben Gibson is on my case because of your accident.

-You have to say I wasn't there. -But you were there, Peter.

You have no idea what the hell my standards are.

And you never will know unless you come to work for me.

-Work for you? -Yeah, come to work for the bad guys.

I never would have said anything to you and Paige,

-except that I... -Except that it's against your nature not to say anything.

-Hey! -Except that I was worried about the two of you getting hurt.

I'm Paige Matheson.

Call me Peter.

[theme music playing]

[instrumental music]

[dramatic music playing]

[hospital chatter over PA]

Hi.

I lost my baby, Peter.

-I lost my baby. -[Peter] Yes, I know.

I know, it's gonna be all right.

[birds chirping]

[horse neighing]

Well, you've got a lot more patience than I have.

Actually, you have a hell of a lot more patience than I do.

But somebody told me that I have to learn to live

with not being able to shape the world...

like I could shape these little trees.

Like you wish you could shape Peter Hollister.

Actually, I wish I could make that kid appreciate...

what an opportunity it is to be a leader of the free world.

I wouldn't mind you putting a little wire around Peter like a bonsai tree...

and attaching him to a rock somewhere.

I think the world would be a better place without him.

Why, you think the people in charge are any better?

You think they're any worse?

Damn right they're worse. I know world leaders.

You forget I do business with them.

I've danced with their wives in D.C. Believe me...

they define the term mediocre.

-But why Peter? -Because he's there.

Because I've been around the block one too

many times to be a candidate myself.

Because he's just as good as any of the other contenders.

Because if he's not qualified, I am.

Because behind Peter... is me.

And that's a hell of a lot more than I can say for any of the other prospects.

[hospital chatter over PA]

-How is she? -She's awake.

Hollister's in there with her.

I know my timing was bad. But I need your help.

Ben Gibson is on my case because of your accident.

You have to say I wasn't there.

But you were there, Peter.

I went to call an ambulance.

I fell and I grabbed something.

Uh, a root.

And you stood there.

No, I didn't. I went to call an ambulance.

I fell and I was holding on...

and you stood there.

Jill.

Don't lie.

-I went to get help. -Did you come back?

Jill.

It would be political suicide for me to

admit that I was out there with you.

Think about it.

[Jill sighing]

What could we say that would satisfy them?

We'd lose everything if I said you were my sister.

And if they thought we were lovers...

with you being Gary Ewing's campaign manager?

What would they make of that?

Okay, Peter.

I'll cover for you.

And I'm going to say that our relationship is over.

And that we've gone our separate ways.

And when they say it, I'll mean it.

Oh, Jill...

Goodbye, Peter.

[instrumental music]

[instrumental music]

If he survives Jill Bennett, I'm going to make sure

that nothing else comes between him and Washington.

There goes my holiday spirit.

Abby, what are you doing here?

Well, I told Sylvia how you insisted.

Oh, it was so nice of you to invite me over for the holidays.

I-- I see I'm in time to help with the decorating.

[chuckling] Oh!

Mom, it wouldn't be Christmas without you.

[chuckling] Aren't you sweet.

Laura, why don't you show Sylvia to her room?

You know, the room that you put together today.

Mm-hmm. Right.

You could have warned us before you brought her over.

You might have said don't.

Then what would I have done?

She wore out her welcome, did she?

-She's such a sweet person. -[Greg] Aren't we all?

I just thought it would be better for her

to be with her family when Ben Gibson comes calling.

I knew there was a reason you brought her over here.

I just had to wait till you let it out.

He's been pressing her for an interview

for his profile of Peter.

I held him off as long as I possibly could. [scoffing]

Then she calls him up and tells him

she's well enough for an interview.

He has an appointment with her tomorrow.

Thanks for the warning.

And on behalf of my entire family,

I want to thank you for your hospitality.

I'm gonna miss her.

And I'm Santa Claus.

-Bye. -[Abby] Bye.

And I was waiting for the right time to tell you.

It's okay.

I'm just very glad you're alive.

I talked to Peter.

Now, look, honey,

you don't have to say anything about Peter.

I want to.

Jill, I have no right to tell you who you can see.

It's none of my business.

I don't give a damn about him.

I care about you.

He's gone.

And it's over.

And he's never coming back. Not ever.

[hospital chatter over PA]

[Greg] Did you pay Jill Bennett to back up your story?

[Peter] Of course not.

Did you offer her a job in Sacramento?

A cabinet-level position?

I'm not enjoying this, uh, performance.

I just want to be reassured that Jill Bennett can't bury you

if you decide to do something she doesn't like.

Maybe she didn't need to be bribed.

Maybe she's just in the habit of telling the truth.

And maybe you're lying.

Maybe you traded away something you don't want to admit to.

You don't want to owe any more favors

than you have to when you get to Washington.

I don't owe her anything.

That is history.

You don't know the first thing about history.

History teaches you not to screw up when your loving brother

gives you the opportunities that I've given you.

Well, if there's nothing else...

There is.

I can't guarantee your future, so I'm gonna protect mine.

You're not reliable, little brother.

[printer whirring]

I'm not taking any more chances.

[dramatic music playing]

Last will and testament.

-Whose? -Whose? Yours.

And don't bother to date it.

[chuckling] No doubt you're the beneficiary?

No doubt.

[laughing] I'm not gonna sign this.

This isn't a will. It's a threat.

It is?

[instrumental music]

-[Michael vocalizing] -Let me go!

Say the secret word and win a big prize.

Michael, what would your mother think if she saw us now?

The secret word begins with a "K" and ends with an "S."

-Kansas. -Ah, close, but no cigar.

-I'll give you another hint. -Stop it.

Hey!

What, you didn't say we couldn't say goodnight?

Goodnight.

So, we'll talk about it in the morning, okay?

Yeah.

Goodnight, Karen.

-Goodnight. -Goodnight, Michael.

Goodnight.

[door clicks open, closes]

Goodnight, Michael.

Yeah.

[door clicks open, slams shut]

Nighttime around here is not exactly like nighttime at the Waltons.

[Anne] My dearest Mack,

I love calling you Mary and Patrick,

but I know how you hate that.

I've been crying a lot lately.

[intriguing music playing]

I've been crying a lot lately.

I'm crying so much now, I can hardly see this letter.

Today I'm crying for happiness because today

I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, our baby Mack.

But I'm also crying because you're not here with me now.

All the while I was carrying our child, your child,

I kept hoping for the impossible

hoping you would find me in spite of what my

parents have done to separate us.

Oh, I know you have no way of knowing where I was,

but still I looked for you in Paris

and imagined I saw you waiting for me

outside the Jeu de Paume.

Paige.

[knock on door]

[Michael] Paige.

[knocking]

Paige.

Jill Bennett corroborated Hollister's story.

Uh-huh.

Too bad.

Oh.

Same as last time and the time before.

One good thing about our employer,

they pay even when our efforts fail.

Too bad they don't pay for only successful efforts.

It'd save most of their budget.

You know, when I think about the kinds of

people I used to deliver money to in the old days...

And now I'm on the receiving end.

-[Ben sighing] -I really am sorry this story on Hollister fell through.

I wanted you out of this mess, Ben.

Not half as much as I want out.

I ran that witness on my own.

You what?

[Jean] Don't worry, [indistinct] transaction.

He has no idea who I am.

I wouldn't tell anyone I did this without authorization.

You ran a hell of a risk.

I wanted to help you out, my friend.

I'm sorry you're back in it.

What is this, the good cop, bad cop routine

except you're playing both parts?

You got me in this mess! You threatened my family!

Do you think I had a choice?

They got me for life, Ben.

You have a chance.

They may let you escape if you just give them

the information they want on Sumner so they can control him.

-Now, if I were you, I-- -I can't get near the man!

-Why don't you try? -I did.

I made a pass at him, and I wasn't very subtle.

And?

Believe it or not, he loves his wife.

[sighing]

Well, at least we still have the documentary

I'm doing on Hollister.

I have an appointment tomorrow for an interview with his mother.

Who knows what inside information she can give us to Galveston Industries, huh?

Ben?

[chuckling] Oh, yeah.

Mustn't forget this.

I can buy dinner out for the wife and kids.

[car engine starting]

[dramatic music playing]

[Ben] Who in the hell are you?

Mr. Gibson.

You know exactly who I am.

I know who you say you are.

-Who hired you? -Your wife.

Look, I've never been a personal secretary before,

-so if I've done something wrong-- -Who sent you?

-The agency. -Wrong!

The employment agency sent Bradley Rothman.

Your name is Arnold.

What are you trying to hide, Arnold?

-My name. -Why did you change it?

My parents were divorced.

My-- my-- I was named after my father, and my mother hated him.

So I changed my name.

[groaning] Also, Arnold's not that great a name.

Uh-huh. Fine.

Well, you tell your employment agency that they can do better,

both with their personnel and with their cover stories.

This is Valene Ewing-Gibson.

Gibson. Valene. I'm the writer of this TV project.

Oh, Mama.

Bobby got into my lipstick again.

Can you just clean him up, please?

That's it. I'm sorry.

Was Mr. Miller in a meeting all day?

See, I just wanted to ask him some questions about my first draft that I...

[Bobby cooing]

Yes, please do have him call me at his earliest convenience.

Yeah, thank you very much.

God, they are so rude.

Think they treat actors as badly as they treat writers?

Where now?

Where the hell is his secretary?

There, Bradley Rothman.

Five, one, five...

I called his apartment several times, but there was no answer.

-Yeah. -[outgoing call tone]

You didn't discourage him from working here, did you, Mama?

-Huh? -Mama.

I may not have liked having him here,

but I would never do a thing like that without first telling you.

Still no answer.

I just can't understand a person taking a job one day

and simply not showing up the next.

Comfortable, Mom?

[Sylvia] I do like this place.

Yeah, it's a great place to visit,

but you wouldn't want to live here.

-No? -No, take my word for it.

Where have you always dreamed of living?

Well, I've always wanted

one of those fancy houses in Beverly Hills.

How about further west?

Malibu? I love the ocean.

No, further still.

A condo in Hawaii, a penthouse in Singapore,

or a little grass shack in Tahiti?

I like it here.

Sorry, Mom, but this isn't a game show.

There is no door number two.

These are the choices.

Well, I'll miss Peter.

I'll tell him.

What do you mean he hasn't read it yet?

I stayed up three nights in a row to finish that script

because he said he needed it in a hurry,

and now you tell me he hasn't even read it yet?

You tell Mr. Miller--

Oh, yes. Hello, Mr. Miller.

I want you to know that everybody in the studio still loves this project,

and the feedback I get from the network is still at the high-interest level.

Yeah, but, uh, have they read it yet?

Well, they haven't given any notes yet,

but I'm sure they've looked at it.

Well, okay, have you read it yet?

It's right here in front of me,

and I'm gonna read it this morning without fail.

Are you happy with it?

Well, I mean, I-- I rushed it,

but, yeah, I-- I think it's pretty solid.

Well, that's all I needed to hear.

I'll get back to you as quick as I can. Bye-bye.

Never put me on the phone without telling me who I'm talking to.

I found this in Ben's coat pocket.

-I don't believe it. -Well, me neither.

I mean, do you think it's...

it's good for him to be walking around with all that cash?

What?

-Mama... -Well, look at that.

Where was this?

Right in his coat pocket.

[crickets chirping]

[door closes]

Oh, good night, Michael.

Michael?

You didn't say good night.

Yeah?

[sighing] Oh. Come on, baby.

-[Michael sighing] -Don't act like this.

-Like what? -Like, like...

Oh, I see. I'm supposed to walk around the house

with a big smile on my face all the time.

-No, no, I don't. -Because I'm so happy

that my mother interferes with my life and treats me like a baby.

[Karen] I don't treat you like a baby, Michael.

Well, then what do you call it? You don't trust me.

I can't even talk to Paige anymore without you and Mack

exchanging looks behind my back, hovering around me like...

like chaperones.

Honey, you're just... you're overreacting, Michael.

I never would have said anything to you and Paige except that I-- I--

-Except that it's against your nature not to say anything. -Hey. Hey!

Except that I was worried about the two of you getting hurt.

And don't talk to me in that tone of voice.

Yeah.

I guess it's better not to talk at all, right?

[door closes]

[Val] And then my secretary quit.

Bradley quit without any warning, and the capper...

The real topper is, you're not gonna believe this,

the producers...

They haven't even read my script yet.

-[Val sighing] -How'd they like it?

What do you mean, how'd they like it?

I told you they haven't even read it yet.

Oh.

What are you drinking?

-Scotch. -Scotch? Why?

Because I want to sleep.

I'm sorry they didn't read your script.

You never used to need a scotch to get to sleep.

I never used to be this old.

Ben! Stop, I'm worried about you.

Doll, I'm not Gary.

One scotch does not an alcoholic make.

All right. Tomorrow night for bed, I won't have scotch.

I'll have gin or vodka.

-What's the matter with you? -It was a joke!

Nothing is the matter with me.

I'm having a scotch!

You are having a scotch

and I talk to you, you don't hear what I say.

You leave envelopes full of money lying around

and nothing's the matter with you, huh?

Mama found that in the pocket of your sports coat today.

I wondered where I put that.

Ben, what are you doing with all that cash?

-This? -Yes, that.

It's the office pool.

You don't gamble.

Which is exactly why they trust me to hold the office pool.

It's a lot of cash.

I know there's a lot of cash. I counted it.

Ben?

I almost want to spend some of that on Christmas presents for the kids.

Go ahead.

Hell, spend it all. It's only money.

[laughing]

I'm not saying we should excuse him.

I'm not saying we should condone his attitude.

All I'm saying is I-- I feel sorry for Michael.

-That's all. -Oh. And not for Paige.

Of course, it's hard on both of them.

You're just saying it's harder for Michael.

No.

Paige is older, that's all.

She's more sophisticated, more experienced.

I don't know.

Look, all I'm saying is you think we're making

it miserable for Michael because...

because we-- we can't remember what he's going through.

Have we forgotten what it's like to be young?

[Mack chuckling]

-No. -You know, what it was like between you and, um...

-Anne. -Between me and Anne?

Why don't you say what it was like between me and you?

Because it's not the same. Because she's...

Well, you were young.

-You read the letter? -Yes.

And you were young and in love.

That we were.

Like Michael.

-Like Michael. [clearing throat] -Hmm.

-Michael. -How about a movie?

-Michael... -Just a movie.

Michael, we can't do this.

As friends, not a date, just a movie.

Tomorrow night?

As friends?

Tomorrow night.

[Abby] I just wanted you to know that your, um,

so-called mother is now staying at your so-called brother's.

Now, if we could just get Jill Bennett to be on your side...

Maybe she doesn't have to be on my side.

Maybe all she has to do is tell the truth.

[Abby] Well, you know her better than I do.

What is your relationship with Jill, anyway?

You're so good at inventing relatives. Brothers, mothers...

Why don't you just tell everyone that she's your sister?

That way you're off the hook, even if you were out there with her.

Oh, no. That won't work, will it?

I mean, she can't be your sister and you still be Greg's brother.

Very funny.

I was just trying to help.

"I can't help you, Peter."

I think are the last words I recall hearing from you.

What I said was, I can't help you publicly.

[Peter] Hmm.

And now you're gonna tell me that you've worked very hard

behind the scenes to save my reputation and my career?

I am not going to defend myself.

You just ask your brother what I did

to help get you out of this mess you got yourself into.

I don't trust my brother to tell me anything but what it serves him to tell me.

He drew up my will today.

-So? -It's a threat.

Well, with a brother like that, I'd say, uh,

you need a friend you can trust.

Like you?

[Greg] Yo, Ben!

Hey, I'm really sorry that you missed her.

[laughing] The hell you are.

Do you think I don't want you to talk to that nice little old lady?

Stranger things have happened.

Do you think that I don't trust a guy who's ethical enough

to keep gossip about my brother off the air?

Maybe you don't trust Mrs. Lean.

Or maybe you're afraid that she's

as uncontrollable as your little brother is.

That you trust me.

But people like you always trust people like me.

You depend on us to do the predictable so

that you can take advantage of us.

God, how self-righteous.

Maybe, but true.

Could be true, but still self-righteous.

Do you regret not having broadcast

that stuff about Peter?

Because it's not too late.

It's not any more true today than it was yesterday,

but it'll get the job done.

The irony is I could do it.

I could operate on that level, and I could end his career.

But, and you do count on this, I don't operate by your standards.

The irony here is that you're subjecting me to a sermon about my standards,

and you have no idea what the hell my standards are.

And you never will know unless you come to work for me.

[scoffing] Work for you?

Yeah. Come to work for the bad guys.

You don't really expect me to come to work for you, do you?

I expect to talk you into it.

How?

By applying my enlightened self-interest

and appealing to your enlightened self-interest.

What's that mean?

Someone with your credibility

can make up for a lot of my brother's inexperience and youth.

I'm not Walter Cronkite.

I know. Walter wasn't available.

Where does my enlightened self-interest come in?

My brother's on the way up. You know that.

You can't do anything about it.

You know that, too. But you can make a difference.

You can be part of the shaping of the candidate.

[intriguing music playing]

Why would you trust me?

You said it yourself. You're an ethical guy.

I can depend on that.

Why should I trust you?

You don't have to say what you want to say.

No censorship here.

What if I tell a truth you don't like?

I'll fire you. But it won't be easy.

It'll make me look bad.

And you'll get to take home the remainder of the dough on a three-year contract.

[instrumental music]

You don't seriously think that you'd be happy doing that, do you?

What? Trading Abby Ewing for Gregory Sumner?

-Yeah. -Big deal.

And it's a lot, a lot more money.

Money?

You had a lot of money wadded up in your coat pocket.

You forgot it was even there.

That's how much money means to you.

You are a journalist, Ben Gibson.

You always have been and you always will be.

-I'm a journalist with kids. -[doorbell ringing]

You have kids who do not want to see

their daddy miserable just because of money.

[sighing]

Who was it who said, "This contempt for money

is a trick of the rich to keep the poor without it?"

I'd take the money.

[Val] I heard that, Mama.

-[Mack] How you doing? -[Val] Fine.

-[Mack] Hi, Lilimae. -[Lilimae] Hi, Mack.

-Say, Ben. -Ben? Why don't you tell Mack

what you're thinking about doing?

Mack, I am seriously considering stringing all of these lights today.

Hey, what a man. Way to go.

-Vanilla? -[Lilimae] Mm-hmm.

-Beautiful. -[Lilimae chuckling]

We're thinking about stringing these lights today.

I get it. [chuckling]

-When will this be ready? -In a little while.

We can do it by then. Let's go.

Let's get the show on the road!

[exhaling] Lights are hot.

[chuckling] Those lights are hot.

[door clicks shut]

I'm sure he hired Ben Gibson just to keep an eye on me.

Well, look, maybe his reputation can do something for your credibility.

Ben will try to hang me if he gets the chance.

-Don't give him the chance. -[car honking]

[honking]

I got it! [exclaiming]

-I got my driver's license! -Oh, that's great, honey.

-I'm so proud of you. -Yeah?

You're really wired, aren't you?

Oh, well, just excited. You know, kind of excited.

-Well, I knew you could do it. -Oh, thanks to Paige.

Thank you.

[dramatic music playing]

[emergency brake creaking]

I guess that wasn't part of the test, huh?

Oh, thanks.

[chuckling]

I don't think we've ever met.

-Peter Hollister. -Well, I'm Paige Matheson.

Call me Peter.

I think you're crazy for taking a job with Greg Sumner.

[chuckling] Hey. Don't mince words.

If you think it's a rotten idea, just say so.

Ben, it's a rotten idea.

What, working for Abby all this time has been a good idea?

Besides, I can buy a lot of Christmas presents with what he's offering me.

Come on. You've never taken a job just for the money.

Come on. Ben Gibson?

You always had to believe in what you were doing, right?

-Up to now. -Oh, that's good.

That's real good.

You should have been a high school counselor. You know that?

You could have put a lot of kids in a lot of dead-end jobs.

Let's just talk about what I believe and what you believe in.

This is coming from a lawyer.

A man that's had to defend clients and even a governor whose actions

-he didn't always believe in. -Hey, hey.

-Lighten up, will you? -No, you lighten up.

Where do you get off telling me how to run my life?

You asked my opinion.

Yeah. Yeah, I did.

My mistake.

Something is really bothering Ben.

Well... changing careers can be traumatic.

Mm-mm. It's not the job offer that's bothering him.

It's something else.

How do you know that?

[Mack] Oh, yeah?

Sometimes you just know.

Yeah, tell me about it.

-Val? -What?

I read this letter.

This letter that Anne wrote Mack after Paige was born,

and something about it...

Karen, you shouldn't have done that.

[hammer thudding]

Mack wanted me to read the letter.

Something about it just...

-seems wrong to me. -You shouldn't have read it, Karen.

You would have done the same thing.

It just...

doesn't feel right.

What do you mean? You didn't even know Anne.

I didn't, but it still doesn't...

seem right.

What are you talking about?

The mother wrote to the father after the baby was born.

What could be more natural than that?

Yes.

The natural thing is to go on and on and on about the baby.

All you can think of is the baby,

what the baby looks like, how the baby feels to hold,

whether it's big or little or healthy.

But the letter wasn't about the baby.

It was about a lot of us's and we's

and I love you's and a lot of "always."

The letter wasn't about the baby.

So what are you saying?

Anne didn't write that letter.

Well, who did?

[crickets chirping]

[Mack] How should I know if it looks like Anne's handwriting?

-She never wrote you a letter? -She wrote me that letter.

Well, she never wrote you another letter.

Look, I knew Anne while I was in law school.

I worked nights and weekends. We didn't correspond.

So you never saw her handwriting?

I don't know. I don't remember.

Whether or not I did, I don't like what this means.

-[Karen] What does it mean? -It means you think that Paige is a liar.

And the children were nestled all snug in their beds

while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave

a luster of midday to objects below.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear but a miniature

sleigh and eight tiny reindeers

with a little old driver so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his course as they came.

And he whistled and shouted and called them by name.

Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer and Vixen,

on Comet, on Cupid...

[softly] I can hardly wait to wrap their presents.

I know what you mean.

-Except you cheated. -What?

I saw some presents that were wrapped upstairs already.

What do you mean? Those aren't mine.

Jean Hackney brought those by.

-Jean Hackney? -Yeah.

I mean, I felt sort of odd about it,

but I couldn't very well refuse.

I mean, they're Christmas presents.

[phone ringing]

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

when they meet with an obstacle mount to the sky,

so up to the rooftop the course as they flew,

look, with a sleigh full of toys and St. Nicholas too.

And then in a moment I heard on the roof the prancing

and cawing of each little hoop.

As I pulled in my head and turned around,

down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bow.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread...

[sighing]

All right, I'm not absolutely 100% sure Anne didn't write the letter.

I could be wrong.

-[Mack] You could be wrong? -I could be wrong.

All right, look.

Karen, you believe Anne didn't write the letter.

-Let's take that as a given. -I'm pretty sure she didn't.

Actually, I'm very sure she didn't.

-What makes you so sure? -I've got this gut feeling.

-There you go with the gut feelings. -[Karen] Yeah!

You know, I mean, you're overanalyzing everything.

You can't prove Anne didn't write the letter.

-No. -Well then, if she didn't, who did?

You have to ask?

Why would Paige do something like that?

I don't know. Ask her.

I can't do that.

-Then I will. -You don't do that.

Asking her is like calling her a liar to her face.

-Well, not exactly. -[Mack] Forget it.

Asking her, it's an insult.

[Karen] I wonder if Michael knows...

I don't know. I'm just grasping at straws.

[Mack] Where is he?

[Karen] He's at the movies with friends.

[Jean] It's a lot of money.

[Ben] You're asking me to give up everything I've ever worked for.

Everything I've ever wanted to become.

[Jean] Well, at least you wouldn't have to work for Abby Ewing.

[Ben] Oh, Greg Sumner's an improvement over Abby Ewing?

[Jean] Well, it's not the end of the world.

[Ben] It's the end of my career.

[Jean] Think about your family, huh?

[instrumental music]

[bell tolling]

-[classmate] Hi, Michael. -Hi, Erin. Stephanie.

-Hi. Are you here by yourself? -Um, no.

-I'm waiting for a friend. -Oh, who?

Uh, a friend.

-Okay, well, see you. -See you later.

-Bye. -Bye.

[bell tolling]

[office din]

[sentimental music playing]

[instrumental music]

[instrumental music]

[phone ringing]

Ben Gibson.

Hey, Ben Gibson. Ace reporter.

What are you doing?

Are you checking up on me?

You know I am.

Just what I needed.

I love you.

Oh, I love you.

[instrumental music]

[Abby] I just thought you might want some company.

Tonight's not good for me.

I got a meeting with, uh, Senator Garza.

All work and no play.

Well, business before pleasure.

[sighing]

[knocking]

Yeah?

The governor just vetoed 16 bills

including the latest toxic waste legislation.

Do you want to do the bulletin?

-You go ahead. -You sure?

Yeah, go ahead.

[intriguing music playing]

[phone ringing]

[bell tolling]

[coin clanking]

[instrumental music]

[Peter chuckling]

[instrumental music]

I'm sorry, Mack.

No, you're probably right.

Your damn gut feelings are usually right.

I'm sorry.

Look, if Paige is lying about the letter,

then what the hell else is she lying about?

[theme music playing]