Lady in the Lake

.

Katz?

Katz, what are you doing here so late?

I'm sorry, Mr. Durst. Shapiro wanted the rest of these molds

- ready by morning. - Ah. Okay. Yeah, good.

Uh, so this is... this is Miss Morgenstern, my son's girlfriend.

She's writing a piece about my business for The Brownie ,

their... their high school newspaper.

Okay. As long as I don't need to talk.

That guy, he knew this wasn't an interview.

He suspected this isn't an interview.

But he won't say a word.

You know why?

Why?

Because he needs his job.

I know.

I just don't want to lie anymore.

I don't wanna lie to Allan.

We'll tell him when we're ready.

Listen to me, you're gonna live like a bohemian princess.

I'll have my own studio

and you'll have a room to write in of your own,

and we'll be free.

Hal...

we may have company.

Thanks for meeting me.

Sorry you had to come all the way out here.

My car wouldn't start.

What can I get you, sir?

Just coffee, please.

Coffee. Mm-hmm.

So, to what do I owe this tête-à-tête?

Seth hasn't been himself since you left.

I know.

I'm sorry.

He doesn't want to talk about it, but last night he finally opened up.

Oh.

What did he say?

He said he doesn't feel safe at your place.

I see.

I see.

Doesn't feel safe.

Here.

What's that?

Divorce papers.

- I've been advised to file... - Okay.

... under grounds of abandonment.

Here you go, sir.

Thank you.

Will I get alimony?

- What? - What?

I'm serving you the end of our marriage

and that's... ... that's the first thing you say?

- You haven't given me anything until now. - You have this

new, fancy job at The Star .

You know what they pay me there.

- I don't. - What, am I supposed to get a lawyer now,

or should I just get on my knees and beg you?

This was your choice.

This is what you wanted.

Do you remember that?

- You walked out that door... - Wait a minute.

- You met someone, didn't you? - ... you walked out on a...

- You met someone. - Yes, I did.

Yes, I did.

How old is she?

- What does that matter, Maddie? - Come on. Just give me a laugh.

- What is this, Maddie? - How old is she? How young...

She'll be 25 in September.

Well done.

- No, I'm happy for you. I really am. - Ma... Maddie, will you please stop?

- Does she keep kosher? - What does that...

- Of course she does. Of course she... - Of course she does.

- Oh, that's wonderful. - You're excited, huh?

- Finally. - Maybe now if we get a divorce,

I can, uh, finally sell my car without your permission.

- - I guess you can.

I still need your help, though.

- Did you hear me? I need your help. - Yes, I heard... I heard you.

I heard you.

I will cover the lawyer costs.

- I will do right by you. - Thank you very much.

But you need to stop pressuring our son to stay with you.

- Do you promise me that? - I'm not pressuring him.

- He's my child, I wanna spend... - His grades are plummeting.

He needs a stable example in his life right now.

He needs to be with his father.

I'm stable.

I read in your article,

that the last thing little Tessie asked for was a seahorse.

She went into that store searching for the marvelous,

but was punished for it.

Just like I was for wanting more.

Just like you will be.

Hey, Maddie. You stop by Goska's?

Sure did, Lou.

Oh, you're aces, Maddie.

- What a fox. - Here we go.

Talk about a scoop.

Dear Miss Helpline,

I wanna report a rat infestation on the north side of 86th Avenue.

- They're disgusting... -

and the city isn't doing anything to take care of the problem.

- Everyone in the area... - Dear Overwhelmed,

I looked into it and alerted the city as to your situation.

I've been assured that, as soon as the cold weather is over,

there will be a full investigation and a safe and effective poisoning.

What's going on?

Mr. Heath says that you called the DPW

about some lights not working in Druid Hill Park?

Oh. Yeah, we received a letter Mr. Heath didn't wanna publish,

so I just called them.

Some man passed by, and noticed that they were out. What happened?

Park workers who went to fix the lights, they found a dead body there.

A Negro woman.

- Oh, God. - Hmm.

They wanna talk to me?

Oh, no need for that.

I'll just give them the letter. They'll move on.

And, uh, what about Mr. Marshall?

No.

I give them the letter and it's all done.

Did they figure out who the woman was?

Uh, the body was in really bad shape.

They identified her as Cleo Johnson.

- Cleo Johnson? - Mmm.

I read about her in The Afro . She's the one who went missing

the same night that Stephan Zawadzkie was caught in the park.

Mm-hmm.

Uh...

Sorry. I-I must have tossed it.

I, uh, don't have much room.

Really?

Anything you remember?

Just a-a short note from Bill Smith.

Bill Smith?

- Geez. - What?

Well, that's a fake name.

Might as well be Mickey Mouse.

Listen, if you do find it, keep it tossed.

Hmm? Marshall doesn't want anything to do with this.

And, you know, let The Afro deal with this.

- Hmm? - Sure.

Oh.

So is this the office I have to look forward to?

Think your bagel delivery will get you a better one?

- - Edna...

I was wondering if I could ask you for some advice.

First mistake.

- What's that? - Never ask for permission.

- Sorry, I just... I don't... - Second mistake.

- What? - Never apologize.

I have an ethical quandary I'd like to talk to you about right now.

Strike three.

What?

Always read the room.

I'm sitting in the fucking can

to get away from those yammering cocksuckers

so I can have five minutes of peace to get my work done.

Do I look like I have the inclination

to share my words of wisdom with you right now?

Stephan?

Maddie.

I was hoping you would come visit.

But I guess you already got your story.

Is that why you sent me the letter?

To get me to come see you again?

What letter?

Okay.

Let's start over.

Why did you kill that colored woman?

I never even heard of this woman

until they started asking me about her today.

I was with you, Maddie, remember?

No one knows that but you.

I get a letter from Bill Smith

in the same park where they caught you

the night that she went missing.

Why did you send me that letter?

When I send mail,

it says care of the Baltimore Department of Correction.

You could have asked someone on the outside to send it to me.

An accomplice.

Wh-What for? If I had done it, why would I want them to find her?

To get me involved again.

No.

It ain't me.

But every time someone turns up dead in that lake,

it does seem to lead to you.

The thing they both have in common is not me, Maddie.

It's you.

The lady in the lake.

Oh.

Few months in the drink will do that to you.

Did her mother have to see her like that?

Afraid so.

She ID'd her.

Are there any similarities to the Durst case?

Not much, other than them both being floaters.