Trial by Fire

Daddy!

My babies.

-Mom? Mom! -My babies, help!

Mommy, come here. There's a fire! There's a fire in there!

Call the fire department!

Yes. Hello, I'd like to report fire.

Yes, it's, uh, 1213 West 11th Street.

Uh, yeah. It's my-- It's my neighbor's.

Yes, there is… There's babies in there. I…

I don't know.

- -

There's been an explosion.

Oh, my God.

Please, God.

-Please, let them be all right. -

Please, please, God.

I'm sorry.

- -

It didn't start in here.

What a sick puppy.

Well, lookie here.

He didn't take no chances.

Check this out.

Crazed glass.

Kids' room.

Piece of shit waited 'till they were asleep.

So, he pours the accelerant here.

-And it flashes over. -It goes straight out the door.

-Right along that baseboard. -Yup.

Onto the porch.

-Son of a bitch. -

We'll nail him.

Thank you for coming down, folks.

I know how hard this must be.

This is Mr. Fogg, Mr. Vasquez. They're investigating the fire.

Our condolences.

Y'all find out anything?

We're still trying to find our way.

Think you might be able to help us figure out a couple things.

Of course.

It's… It's Stacy, right?

Now, you weren't in the house at the time of the fire.

That's right.

She works nights sometimes,

stopped on the way home from work.

Whereabouts was it you stopped, darling?

Um… I stopped at the Salvation Army to get the babies some presents.

-At 9:00 in the morning? -Well, Christmas is coming

-and we're broke, so… -Of course.

How about the day before?

Anything unusual happen?

No, sir.

- -Hey there.

How are my precious ladies?

Ooh, why are you crying?

-They've been crying all fucking morning. -You girls are lucky.

If your mama wasn't so pretty, you three wouldn't be here.

Oh, you fucking stink.

What, do you think you can just stay out all night

-and then come home and sweet-talk me? -Honey, I had a couple o' drinks.

I already got one DUI, so I stopped at Mikey's.

-What? -Nothing.

Have at it.

So, that night, you went to work?

Yeah, I work nights. We need the money.

And you stayed at home with the kids?

-You do that a lot? -That's right.

I guess I'm one of them stay-at-home dads

everybody's talking about.

- -

There's another dinner in the oven if you're hungry.

Who is it this time, Todd?

Who was who?

I already told you where I was last night.

You ain't told me shit.

You think I'm stupid? What the fuck is this?

Baby, you're the one that said you don't wanna have no more children.

Then what's it doing in your wallet, you bastard?

I don't know.

-I thought maybe surprise sex-- -You're such a fucking liar.

I could smell the bitch on you when you walked in this morning.

-I'm not lying to you, honey. -Mm-hmm. You ain't worth shit

-for a husband. -Bitch!

I'm here every goddamn day taking care of these kids.

Oh, yeah? And why's that?

Why are you here every goddamn day taking care of these kids?

Because you don't have a fucking job, that's why.

Because you are a fucking loser.

Better shut the fuck up that shit right now--

Or what?

-I swear to God, woman. -You hit me again? Go on.

Oh, yeah, that's right. You can't hit me.

Because if you do, then I can't go to work,

and I can't make you money to go out drinking and fucking

whatever the fuck else you do.

So, Stacy went to work that night and you just, uh…

stayed in bed?

Yes, sir.

Had a few beers, maybe?

No.

Reckon your kids sleep pretty sound?

Usually.

And then that night?

It was morning.

I was asleep, so I thought I was dreaming at first.

- Daddy! - But then I realized

I could hear Amber screaming, "Daddy! Daddy!"

Daddy!

Everything was full of smoke. I… I couldn't see nothing but black.

It smelled like it did when the microwave blowed up last month.

- Fires, lights popping. - Daddy!

Girls!

So, I made it to their room and…

I had to kick through the child-proof thing.

I never felt anything so hot in my life.

I thought I'd found Amber, but she was gone.

Amber.

Girls.

Amber!

Girls!

I couldn't take the heat, so…

I had to get outside, catch my breath.

That's when I hollered out

for my neighbor to call emergency.

Can you think of why anyone would wanna hurt your family?

No, sir.

We had three of the prettiest babies anybody could've asked for.

Off and on, we'd fight and break up for a while,

but it was always the babies that brought us back together.

Neither of us could've lived without them kids.

Sometimes, I wish Amber had never woke me up.

You know, Todd, you've been in trouble before.

-Yes, sir. -A couple of those times

when we asked you what happened,

you didn't exactly tell the truth, isn't that so?

No, sir.

But you're telling the truth now?

Yes, sir.

Just as Jesus, the Lamb of God, was taken too soon,

so too were these three innocents,

taken back to the bosom of the Lord.

How else are we to understand the loss of Amber, Karmen, and Kameron.

Do you wanna stop somewhere and maybe get…

-something to eat? -Cameron Todd Willingham,

I don't wanna hear your voice.

And maybe never again.

-I'm hurting, too, baby-- -Did you hear a word I said?

Oh, if you're gonna start demonizing me,

-speak to me like-- -I'll speak to you

-however I please. -You will not either.

Baby, if we're ever gonna get through this,

-we gotta work together on-- -Stop the car.

-Stop the car, let me out of the car. -Why?

-Why, what's the matter-- -Stop the car!

-I won't stop the car-- -Stop the fucking car, Todd!

-Tell me why. -Let me out of the car!

-Stop the fucking car, Todd! -

Let me out of the car!

-Stop the fucking car! -

Those were my babies!

Those were my babies and you didn't save them!

They were my babies!

My babies, Todd!

Driver! Exit the vehicle, put your hands up where I can see them.

Do it now!

Turn around, face away from me.

Interlace your hands behind your head.

Do not look back.

Cameron Todd Willingham…

you're under arrest for murder.

-Murder? -You come with me.

-Who did I kill? -Come on.

We'll talk about it at the station.

Let's go, Todd. You know the way.

I only just buried them, Marty.

This is some fucked up bullshit.

Stand right there.

Let's go.

You're a real piece of shit, you know that?

Your own kids?

-Jesus, man. -I didn't do it, Marty.

Fuck you!

Hey, fuck you!

Man, would you get the fuck down from there?

This ain't no fucking zoo!

Jesus fucking Christ.

You want a banana?

That'll make you calm down?

They ain't gonna throw you no fucking peanuts, you know that, right?

Who're you talking to, boy?

Uh, I was just talking to that mullet, you know, she's real cute.

She gave me a little wink, you know.

-This yours? -Hey.

Yours?

Get up.