[guard] Open two.
Move forward.
-[guard 2] You want him to come this way? -Yeah. Right there.
[radio chatter, faint]
I got this one.
Yes, sir.
I got a thing for celebrities.
[patting down]
Kuvney will tell you who this is for.
He's good to go.
[sighs]
You okay?
The code worked.
I translated the diary.
It's, uh, not easy to hear.
Why?
Chuck was molesting Lanie.
What?
No.
She never told you?
No.
Did you ever suspect anything like that?
Wait, so you...
think that she killed Chuck because of it?
I think that Erin did to protect her daughter.
And I think that she coached Lanie into identifying you.
[sighs]
Erin always hated me.
I never knew why.
[inhales]
Rivalry with my mother.
Did she act suspiciously before the party in the weeks leading up?
She wasn't really around.
She was gone for, like, a month that September before Halloween.
A month?
Yeah.
[inmates clamoring]
[Lanie] Warren, I know you hate my guts.
Maybe you didn't even open this letter.
You probably chucked it as soon as you saw it was from me.
I wouldn't blame you.
Did you see my return address? You know what that means?
I'm locked up just like you.
Sometimes knowing that is the only thing that keeps me going.
It makes me feel a little better.
I'm not asking you to be my pen pal.
I just want you to know that I'm scared.
That I'm all alone too.
Sometimes I wish I could be locked away until I die just like you.
I don't wanna go back to the real world now.
There's nothing left for me there.
Now you'll never forget me.
I wonder if you feel the same.
I love you. Don't write back.
Love, Lanie.
[breathes deeply]
[Josie] Don't worry, almost there.
Okay, take it off.
Ta-da!
It's our old place.
Remember?
Oh, man, I used to dream about this spot when I was in New York.
Which is a little weird 'cause we haven't been here since I was, like, nine.
But... come on! Sit.
Wow.
Well, you have been so supportive
through whatever this is with Caleb,
so I've decided to stay for a bit longer.
You can stay with us.
Really. For as long as you want. We would love to have you.
Thanks.
[chuckles]
I'll get it.
[young Lanie] Go away, Josie.
-[crying] -Josie!
[Lanie] Josie, are you okay?
Are you okay?
-Hey, hey. -Hey. What's up, my ladies of mayhem?
-[chuckles] -I come bearing gifts.
And the best kind too: the gift of knowledge.
Erin Buhrman was arrested for drunk driving.
Hardly a surprise.
But this is the interesting part.
Went to court-ordered rehab in August of 1999.
She got out in September and was home a month before Chuck was murdered.
Her alibi was that she was drunk and passed out, slept through the whole thing.
But if she was fresh outta rehab,
she might've been sober that night and lying to the police.
That's a big "if."
I know a lot of alcoholics that, as soon as they get out of rehab,
the first thing they do is head straight to the liquor store.
So, we visit the rehab to see if that sobriety stuck.
They found you guilty in absentia, which triggered the arrest warrant,
but we took care of it.
-That's it? -That's it.
Well, I owe you one.
Maybe I'll take you shopping, spice you up a little bit.
[chuckles] Can I ask you a question about Poppy in foster care?
-With Miss Shirley? -Yes, who was she exactly?
Shirley Maxwell. She's one of those neighborhood aunties.
Poppy stayed with her.
The three of you were separated?
Me and Desiree went to Daddy's cousin.
Poppy was there for a year. She makes it sound like she was breaking rocks for ten.
-A year? -Mm-hmm.
Thank you.
-Need anything? -[door closes]
Yeah. Get me what you can on a Shirley Maxwell.
Oakland resident. Around 1979, 1980.
No problem.
[Poppy] Trying to figure out clues to a crime
that happened 19 years ago isn't easy.
But you know who the unsung heroes are? You.
The listeners.
The people out there digging for the answers,
trying to find out the truth.
[on recording] So how do you help the people stay sober?
Well, we normally connect them with a high quality sober coach
and provide outpatient AA meetings.
The New Soul Rehab Center won't disclose information about past clients.
Say I'm using Erin Buhrman as an example of a type of patient.
Hmm. Well, for that type of patient, I'd say JoAnna Diaz.
And that type of patient might have used JoAnna multiple times
throughout the years.
An anonymous source confirmed Erin Buhrman stayed at New Soul
and led us to her sober coach.
[Poppy] What can you tell me about Erin Buhrman?
[woman] She was stone-cold sober when she called me in a rage
about her husband making eyes at some neighbor that night,
but she was on Antabuse.
[Poppy] What's Antabuse?
It's a drug that makes you throw up if you drink alcohol.
-Was she on it the night of the murder? -Mm-hmm.
If Erin was sober the night of the murder, why did she lie to the police?
What is Erin hiding?
And is this the reason Warren was sent to prison?
[man grunting]
[men clamoring]
[laughing]
[Kuvney] What the hell are you doing down here?
Huh?
Hey.
[grunts]
I didn't see anything. I didn't see anything.
Well, what was there to see?
Nothing.
[gasping]
Who are you... without me?
Tell me.
Say it.
-Nothing. -Uh-huh.
I'm nothing.
[grunts]
[gasping, grunts]
[gasps]
[groaning]
You took me.
You "protected me."
Whose face do you think I see when I go to bed at night?
You motherfucker.
-[groans] -And you call that a "family"?
[grunts]
[breathing raggedly]
[men chattering]
[chattering continues]
[chattering grows louder]
[breathing shakily]
[chattering continues]
[knocking]
Ella, honey, why am I the one in here putting your toys away?
'Cause you're the daddy.
That's right. I'm the daddy. Yeah.
No. Lanie's not here.
This is about your mother-in-law, not Lanie.
I think she's the key to Chuck's murder.
You're an outsider. You've probably noticed some things.
I can't help you.
You want Erin out of your life?
Your life back with Lanie?
Then help me fill in the gaps, get closer to Erin.
Okay.
We, uh, had to bail her out of jail the week she came home.
-What? -She broke into their old house.
The house they grew up in.
And, well, the new owners, they called the police.
[key clattering]
[door squeaks]
-Hey. -[man] Yeah?
-Kuvney? -Ain't see him.
Where's Kuvney?
Cave.
You seen Kuvney around?
No.
When was the last time you saw him?
Uh, yesterday.
Really?
You sure?
Yeah.
Why?
-Here we go. -What the hell?
-It's the O.J. effect. Human nature. -[shouting]
All of this because of the podcast.
[shouting continues]
[man] We bought it four years ago.
We knew the history going in. It was never a problem for us.
[man 2] Until your podcast.
Chuck's office.
Just show us where you found Erin.
So, we came home from our dinner and found her down here.
She'd snuck in through a bathroom window that wasn't connected to our alarm system.
Yeah. A lot of houses like that.
This is not the first one she's broken into.
Where exactly was she?
In here.
So, what did she do when you found her?
She laughed and apologized.
Said that she stopped by because she was feeling nostalgic.
It was creepy as shit.
-Was there anything missing? Stolen? -Zero.
Hey, Poppy, check this out.
Hey, was this like that before she got here?
-I don't think so. -No.
[Markus] Hmm.
She was looking for something.
The murder weapon?
Was never found.
If she was looking for money or jewelry, she would have come after it years ago.
So she kills Chuck, hides the knife before the cops come,
goes about her business,
then comes back for it 'cause she's afraid you're gonna figure out she did it.
[Markus] For 20 years nobody's talked about this.
You mention it on your podcast and now she has to come back.
Cover her tracks.
Except she never got it. There was nothing on her when she was arrested.
This is money, Poppy.
You gotta work her hard.
Mmm. Erin won't give me anything. She's too smart for that.
But she is nervous and impulsive.
So we get her to make a move.
[Noa] How?
We smoke her out.
Ugh.
[guard] Check him.
[alarm blaring]
[guard on PA] Lockdown. All prisoners, lockdown.
On the ground.
[alarm continues blaring]
[Melanie on phone] Erin suspected, but she suspected any woman
that came into Chuck's orbit.
-[Poppy] You believed Erin's alibi? -[Melanie laughs]
[phone ringing]
Yeah, hello? Hello?
Ms. Buhrman, this is Tim.
I think we found what you were looking for.
Why don't you come by the house?
[guard] Let's go. Yep.
Yo, that's for you, man.
[inmates chattering]
Hey, it's, uh, Warren.
I need to see you...
before it's too late.
Please come.
Let's hear it.
We found what you were looking for when you broke in here.
Found it deep in the old furnace.
Yeah?
Five grand and it's yours or we go to the police.
I'd like to see it first.
[Tim] When we see the cash.
Describe it to me, asshole.
It was a knife.
[laughs] Nice try.
-[Tim on phone] She just walked away. -You did exactly what Poppy said to?
Yes.
Thank you, guys. You were perfect.
She didn't bite.
I never expected her to. But the woman is definitely guilty.
Based on what?
She showed up. And now we know we're not looking for a knife.
Why'd you call me?
I didn't think you'd actually show.
I needed to see you.
Get rid of it.
Get rid of what?
Hating you.
I'm gonna die in here.
[sighs]
Do you remember this?
I didn't think you got it.
I know it by heart.
Only one thing made me keep it.
Is it true?
Is what true?
You told me you loved me.
Was it true?
Warren...
"I don't want to go back to the real world now.
There's nothing left for me there.
[breathes deeply]
I wonder if you feel the same.
I love you. Don't write back.
Love, Lanie."
Just tell me. Please.
Was it true?
Nothing I say...
can help you.
Warren...
Don't.
"If you live through this with me..."
"...I swear that I would die for you."
You should've told me...
about your father.
What he was doing to you.
So you think you-- You think you know everything?
You think you have the missing piece to the whole mystery now?
Lanie.
If I had known, I would've killed him myself.
Warren.
You know...
you're still the only girl I have ever kissed.
You are still--
You are still the only boy I ever loved.
[rock ballad playing]
Okay.
Then why did you lie about me?
Lanie. Lanie, Lanie. Lanie!
[ballad continues playing]
[keys jingling]
[breathing rapidly]
[sobbing]
Siri, call Desiree.
[Siri] Calling Desiree.
[Desiree] Hey, Poppy.
Hey. Did I leave Mama's fan after church on Sunday?
Uh, I haven't seen any.
Okay. Thanks.
[footsteps]
Don't lecture me.
Honestly, Mom, I just came to check the mail,
and I find you drunk on the floor.
I do really wanna be kind here, so just don't make me regret it.
You sound like your sister.
Lanie told me that Caleb left you. What will you do?
I don't know yet.
I tried to protect you.
[flames crackling]
I think I'm gonna stay in Menlo Park for a while.
Good.
It'll be good for your sister.
Maybe I could come home for Christmas.
You're leaving?
It's time.
Why don't you stay?
You could take the time to clean yourself up, you know?
Um, start over.
I left you guys for 17 years 'cause I thought that that would make me better.
You know, that I could escape the wreckage of what happened to our family, but...
No matter how many miles I put between us,
I am still just that scared, stupid teenager.
I'm no different.
None of us ever left that hallway where Dad died.
Josie.
I've said good-bye to enough people in my life.
I can't do it anymore.
Neither can you.
Stay.
Please.
[crying]
-[knocking] -Yeah. What's up?
That woman you asked me to look into, Shirley Maxwell--
-Find anything? -Yeah. She was a seamstress by trade.
Took in foster kids from the neighborhood, sort of, unofficially.
Still have a local address?
She died in 1986. Drowned in the bay.
There's a list of children that were in her care at the time of her death.
And, um, one of them was...
Poppy Scoville.
[doorbell rings]
Come in. Come in.
[door closes]
I'd get up to greet you, but...
like I said on the phone, I'm...
I'm dying. [chuckles]
Is that for me?
Of course it is. I know what you like.
I gotta say, I'm surprised you... called.
Addicts make amends and dying people clean their slates.
Your stuff looks different in here.
Divorce is great for downsizing.
[chuckling]
We used to be the queens of the neighborhood.
Look at us now.
Yeah. They used to envy us. [laughs]
Too bad we didn't know how good we had it.
I did... until you fucked my husband.
Yeah.
Cancer is truly a monster.
Being sick forces you to confront everything about yourself.
The good, the bad.
Sleeping with Chuck was definitely the bad.
Doesn't sound like much of an apology.
That's as close as you're gonna get.
I don't know what the hell I'm doing here.
So, good luck with the rest of your... amends.
You know, it was very purifying for me to face my demons.
You might wanna do it too.
Coming clean, baring your soul.
[Poppy] Answering a few questions.
What the hell? What the hell--
I know that you lied about my son.
You are the reason he is in prison.
Just tell the goddamn truth!
That's it.
You knew Chuck was abusing Lanie.
-What? -That's motive.
-Who in the world told you that? -Lanie.
She doesn't know what she's talking about.
She's all turned around from your fucking harassment.
Plus the Antabuse.
You were sober the night of the murder.
That's your alibi blown.
Add in the fact that you were hunting for the murder weapon,
which you've wielded yourself.
What murder weapon? You got nothing.
Actually, I do.
I know you were in rehab a month before the murder.
See, I think it was tough for you in there.
Alone and sober with the knowledge
of what your husband was doing to your daughter.
Dying over the fact that it all happened under your roof
while you were stuck in the bottle.
Fuck you.
I spoke to your sober coach. I know you tried to do the right thing.
I did not kill my husband--
I know you did it, Erin.
I'm finally putting the pieces together and the picture looks bad for you.
But I can help.
All those articles I wrote 19 years ago got him tried as an adult.
My words have power.
Now, do you want that power wielded against you or to help you?
You're insane.
I'm doing the next episode with or without you.
But I'm the difference between the world seeing you as a cold-blooded murderer
or a loving mother who would do anything to protect her daughter.
All right.
I'll give you your interview.
But I need some time.
I'll meet you at Susan's tomorrow morning.
[engine starts]
Shit.
Get outta here, man.
CO Hill had some very interesting information for me.
It seems he gave you a little present.
Told you to wait for orders from Kuvney.
Then Kuvney's the one found gutted in the corner.
Look, that doesn't prove anything.
I'm not a court. I don't need proof.
[guard] Hey. Hey, hey!
Hill, what are you doing? Get your boys back in.
Hey, horse-fucker.
-What? -[spits]
Come on.
Let's go. Get him in here. Let's go.
Hey, Daddy.
Hey, sweetheart.
Your mother's favorite.
Tulips? I thought daisies were her favorite.
I used to pick them on the way home from school.
That's why she told you they were her favorite.
Did she ever like them at all?
She liked that you picked them for her.
I'm always surprised how much you remember.
You were so little then.
I guess you were storing it all up.
She's been gone longer than we were together.
I never thought of it that way.
Every time I think I'm forgetting her,
I hear Desiree laugh, and there she is...
or your smile, and I see her.
You know, Cydie doesn't remember her, but she's there too.
That why you asked me up here?
I wanna say no.
Talk to me.
I have CTE.
CTE?
I didn't think the doctors knew.
That's what I told you all.
You knew? When did you find out? Are they sure, Daddy?
Doctors can't know for sure until I'm dead.
But with all the boxing, that's what they think.
I haven't told your sisters yet or Lillian.
If it's true what they say is happening in my head,
I don't know what's gonna happen to me or what I'll be like.
You'll be our father.
When I'm gone and buried up here with your mother,
-I want you to keep coming back. -Daddy--
No, not for me or her, but for you.
Come and enjoy this view.
This... big, bad, beautiful city that made you who you are.
-[rock playing on earbuds] -[knocking]
[Alex] Hey.
Come watch the game with me.
Lanie.
What, are you time traveling to the '90s?
[phone ringing]
-Hello, Erin. -Hi, Alex. Is Lanie there?
Yeah, she's right here.
Yeah, Mom.
Lanie, you told that reporter that your father was abusing you?
She cornered me at Melanie's.
Wait, why are you at her house?
She set me up.
Okay, listen. Where is it?
It's not in the storage space. It's not in the old home.
I don't know what you're talking about.
You're not gonna tell me.
All right, listen, Lanie. I am done.
I can't take it anymore.
I can't do this anymore. And I am gonna talk.
I'm gonna tell the truth. I'm gonna tell her everything that I know.
And I'm gonna maybe try to fix things, the right way.
Okay. Just stay at Aunt Susan's. I will be right there.
We can talk about this.
[Poppy] Protecting a child is a parent's most basic role.
It's hard to thrive, hard to function when we feel threatened.
-When we don't feel safe. -[Chuck] Come on. I said smile.
And when you're a parent, when you're a caretaker of someone else,
safety is an all-consuming concern.
You were entrusted with the life of this child.
This loved one.
So, you will do anything and everything to protect them.
-But how far is too far? -[Lanie] Let me go!
Is it right to harm another in defense of your child?
Was Erin Buhrman justified in killing her husband
if it meant ending the abuse of her daughter?
Was Chuck Buhrman deserving of death
because he inflicted harm on his own flesh and blood?
[Lanie] We'll do the interview together. Get it over with.
Painkillers?
What am I, 12?
[knocking]
Alex.
Not again. Lanie's not here.
-Do you know when she'll be back? -Don't have a clue.
I really need to talk to her. It's the last time.
Sweetheart, you're supposed to be upstairs getting ready for bed.
-What are you doing? -Daddy!
-Yes, baby. -Where'd you get that?
From Mommy.
Oh, my God.
[rock ballad playing]
[ballad continues playing]
[Erin] What did you give me?
Rest easy.
Everything's fine.
[ballad continues playing]