For Lack of Stormy Weather
Rating: T (for content)
Summary: A case involving a missing producer and his eight children takes an unexpected and dark turn.
Disclaimer: It is very much not mine.
Author's Note: I started this with the final few scenes back in March or April...here it is, finally finished, in script format, because I'm not comfortable in Brenda's head just yet. Thanks to my best friend for the awesome title (and law enforcement advice)!
SCENE
Int. Brenda's office. She's finishing a phone call, or trying to.
BRENDA
Fritzy—Fritz—we will talk about this later. (BEAT) It does not! If I meant that, I would say forever, honestly!
Provenza knocks on her door; Brenda looks relieved as she waves him in.
BRENDA CONT'D
Fritz, I have to go work. (BEAT) Yes, we will talk about it. (BEAT) I love you. Bye now, Fritzy! (hangs up; turns to Provenza) How can I help you, lieutenant?
PROVENZA
We got sent a girl with a missing dad. You okay to see her?
BRENDA
Since when is a missing person a major crime?
PROVENZA
When the missing person's a famous director, I guess. Pope's orders.
BRENDA
Mr. Ramos is going to have a field day with this one. (sighs) Bring her in.
Provenza holds the door open for a young girl, maybe 14 or 15. She seems nervous, upset. Her clothing is very nice, probably expensive; she's wearing a hoodie.
BRENDA CONT'D
Hi there, I'm Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson. How can I help you?
CORINNE
Corinne Woods, ma'am. My stepdad's Eugene Woods.
BRENDA
The director, yes. How long has he been missing?
CORINNE
He's shooting a movie up in San Fransisco. He was supposed to be back three days ago. I've tried calling him, but I can't reach him, and the film set said he left on schedule. (Tears) I'm worried something's happened.
BRENDA
Has he ever done this sort of thing before?
CORINNE
No, ma'am.
BRENDA
Right, well, we'll need some information that your mama probably knows—
CORINNE
(interrupts) I can tell you.
BRENDA
(frowns) You know things like their bank account numbers?
CORINNE
Well, no, but—
BRENDA
(glancing up at the clock as if just realizing something) And hold on a minute. Why isn't she the one doing the reporting? You should be in school. (No answer) Corinne, what is going on here?
CORINNE
(bursts into tears) She probably hasn't noticed!
BRENDA
(very gently) Why hasn't she noticed her husband is missing, Corinne?
CORINNE
She…she doesn't pay attention to anything. She drinks, and—and—
Corinne puts her head down on her arms and sobs harder. Brenda awkwardly pats Corinne on the arm; to her surprise, the girl jerks away.
BRENDA
What's wrong? Did I—did I hurt you?
CORINNE
N-no, ma'am, I—I…
BRENDA
Could you take off your sweater for me, Corinne? Please.
Very slowly, Corinne removes her sweater to reveal striped bruises up and down her arms.
BRENDA CONT'D
(quiet) Did your mama do that to you, Corinne? (she shakes her head no) Your daddy?
Very, very slowly, Corinne nods, still crying.
BRENDA CONT'D
All right, Corinne. Here's what we'll do. We'll need you to give a statement about your dad being missing, and I'd like you to give a statement about what he's done to you. Then we'll need to talk to your mama, okay?
CORINNE
(sniffling) Are you gonna need to hold her for a bit?
BRENDA
We might, depending on…things.
CORINNE
If I'm here, what's gonna happen to the kids?
BRENDA
The what?
CORINNE
I pick up some of my younger siblings at school and walk them to the daycare where the nanny picks us and our other brothers up.
BRENDA
…How many siblings do you have?
CORINNE
Seven.
BRENDA
Seven?
CORINNE
Yes, ma'am. I pick up Bryce, Hannah, Michaela, and Lucy. The nanny gets Logan, James, and Tyler.
BRENDA
Well…uh...we can pick them up on the way home to your house. All of you should be able to stay with your nanny. I might need to talk to some of them, but we can do that tomorrow.
CORINNE
Thank you, ma'am. I feel much better now that you're on the case (watery smile).
BRENDA
(reassuring smile) I'll find your daddy, Corinne, and we'll get to the bottom of what's going on. Don't you worry.
SCENE
Brenda's apartment, the dinner table. She's talking animatedly, punctuating points with her fork. Fritz is wary of the silverware.
BRENDA
—And her mama was so drunk or high or whatever, she couldn't even tell us her own name. We couldn't question her; we had to throw her in the drunk tank overnight. And she has eight kids, Fritzy! Eight! At least Corinne seems responsible and thank god for that nanny, but those poor kids, Fritzy. They've got all the toys and clothes and electronics money can buy, except for loving, caring parents.
FRITZ
(quiet) You call social services yet?
BRENDA
I'm trying to put it off so those poor kids don't get separated. The nanny's a live-in, anyway, so they're all right until we charge either parent.
FRITZ
You have to find the father, first.
BRENDA
I hope we find him, and alive. He's got it coming, Fritzy.
FRITZ
(fondly) He won't know what hit him.
SCENE
The next day. Brenda is coming into the office. Gabriel meets and briefs her.
GABRIEL
We've got all of them here, Chief. Sanchez and Tao are entertaining the older kids in One, Flynn's got the nanny and another kid in Two, the mom is just about sober but she's still in the tank, and Corinne and the two babies are with Provenza in your office.
BRENDA
(sighs) Thank you, sergeant. That was very thorough. Let's start with the kids, get them out of the way so we can get them home.
SCENE
Interrogation room one. Tao is showing the younger kids a magic trick and Sanchez is playing cards with the oldest. There are four kids: Bryce (9), Hannah (7), Michaela (7), and Lucy (5). When Brenda comes in, Tao and Sanchez say their goodbyes and leave the kids with Brenda and Gabriel.
BRENDA
Hi there, I'm Brenda and this here is David.
LUCY
You talk funny.
BRYCE
Lu!
BRENDA
No, it's okay. I do talk funny, don't I? It's because I'm from Georgia, all the way on the other side of the country. If y'all can understand me okay, I need to ask you some questions about your daddy.
HANNAH
He's not our daddy, Miss Brenda.
MICHAELA
Yeah, he's just James and Tyler's daddy.
HANNAH
For everyone else, he's our stepdad.
MICHAELA
We call him Eugene even.
LUCY
Because it's funny. Euuuuugeeeene.
BRENDA
That is very funny. Where's everybody else's daddy?
BRYCE
(quiet) Cora's daddy died of cancer. My daddy ran away. Han and Mick's daddy went to war and didn't come back, and Lu and Logan's daddy ran away, too.
BRENDA
That's a lot of runaway daddies.
BRYCE
Did Eugene run away, too?
BRENDA
That's what we're trying to figure out. Did anything seem weird to you lately?
LUCY
Eugene bought us Wiis!
BRYCE
She doesn't mean that, Lu. No, Miss Brenda, nothing weird. He always buys us stuff before he goes away for a trip or after…
BRENDA
After what?
HANNAH
(whispered) We're not supposed to say.
BRENDA
(whispers back) I promise, I will not tell anyone, and neither will David, okay?
MICHAELA
After he hits Cora, Miss Brenda.
BRENDA
He hits her?
BRYCE
Not all the time. Just when he's really really had a long bad day.
LUCY
And he don't hurt us, Miss Brenda! Cora takes care of us.
BRENDA
I can see that. Does Eugene ever hurt your mama?
HANNAH
Only sometimes, too.
MICHAELA
And she gets presents. Boring presents.
BRENDA
Right, well, grownups like boring presents sometimes. (smiles, but it's a little sickly) Y'all have been a very big help. I'm gonna go talk to your nanny for a little bit, and then you can go home. I'll send those two nice men who were with you before to play with you until then, and maybe they can bring you some donuts, would you like that?
KIDS
Thank you! Yes, Miss Brenda!
SCENE
Interrogation Room Two. Brenda and Flynn are with the nanny, Morena Lucciano.
BRENDA
Ms. Lucciano, how long have you been with the Woods family?
MORENA
For two years, Ms. Johnson. Are they in trouble, ma'am? Mrs. Woods, I know she can seem somewhat forgetful, but she loves her children.
BRENDA
Loves them so much she drinks until she can't remember her own name, much less theirs?
MORENA
There is…trouble sometimes, ma'am.
BRENDA
Trouble. Like Mr. Woods beating the crap out of his wife and oldest stepdaughter?
MORENA
He is a good father, he—
BRENDA
It's just the three of us here, Morena. You don't have to lie for him.
MORENA
He can…it's just that he can have a temper, ma'am.
BRENDA
Have you seen him hitting Mrs. Woods or Corinne?
MORENA
No, ma'am. Miss Cora, she tells me to take the little kids and stay out of sight. She is a very good sister, ma'am. She protects them.
BRENDA
I can see that. Right, well, did you notice anything strange leading up to his trip to San Francisco?
MORENA
No, ma'am. He left as he always does, early in the morning before anyone is awake. He does not like to say goodbye to the children.
BRENDA
He and Mrs. Woods, they didn't fight?
MORENA
No, ma'am. They love each other, Ms. Johnson. I do not know why Mr. Woods didn't come home. He loves his family.
BRENDA
(mutters) I can see that.
SCENE
Back in Interrogation Room One, only now Layla Woods is there, as well as Flynn. She looks like she's had a hard night, and is quite distraught now that she's more aware of her surroundings.
LAYLA WOODS
Where are my children? Where's my husband?
BRENDA
Your children are with Ms. Lucciano, your nanny. Were you aware your husband didn't come home three days ago like he was supposed to?
LAYLA WOODS
No, he…he was away…he's supposed to be away until the 15th.
BRENDA
It's the 19th, Mrs. Woods.
LAYLA WOODS
(crying) Oh, my husbands…my husbands, they never stay, never. He ran away, too.
BRENDA
Can you tell me about that? Your husbands running away?
LAYLA WOODS
They won't stay, they just won't stay. Only Corinne's father stayed, but he died, he died. They never stay…never…Eugene said he wouldn't leave, but he left, too…all of them leave…all of them…
BRENDA
Mrs. Woods…Mrs. Woods, if you could calm down to answer just a few questions…
LAYLA WOODS
(crying louder) My husband…my poor husband…
BRENDA
(loudly) Were you aware that Mr. Woods was hurting your oldest daughter, Mrs. Woods?
LAYLA WOODS
Eugene is a good man…he never meant to hurt her. Sometimes he just needs to get frustrations out.
BRENDA
She's your daughter, and she's a child! You're meant to protect her!
LAYLA WOODS
He never hurt her too bad…just her arms, always just her arms, she has ugly arms…
BRENDA
(stands up, disgusted) Flynn, if you'd finish questioning Mrs. Woods about her husband, I need to go wash my hands. And if you'd please arrest her for gross child neglect, that would be wonderful.
FLYNN
With pleasure.
SCENE
Brenda's office. Corinne is there, looking very upset.
CORINNE
But you can't take them away! I can take care of them!
BRENDA
I'm sorry, Corinne, but—
CORINNE
I've always taken care of them, me and Morena! Please, don't take them away.
BRENDA
(very guilty) With your daddy missing, now that we've charged your mama, we have to turn all of you over to child protective services, at least temporarily.
CORINNE
But they'll break us all apart.
BRENDA
I am working very hard to make sure that doesn't happen. The two babies, James and Tyler, will go into emergency foster care, but I should be able to get the rest of you into a temporary state house.
CORINNE
Like an orphanage?
BRENDA
Something like that, yes, but you'll be together until we can contact relatives…we'll figure something out. Worse comes to worst, you can apply to get them all back when you turn eighteen, and I will help you do that.
CORINNE
They're…they're my brothers and sisters, I'm all they've got.
BRENDA
I know, Corinne, and you've done a wonderful job taking care of them. Let the state do the job for a little while, okay?
Corinne nods, wiping her eyes as Gabriel comes in.
GABRIEL
Chief, they've found—oh. I'm sorry, I didn't know you were with someone.
BRENDA
They found Mr. Woods?
GABRIEL
(glances at Corinne) Yes, but…
CORINNE
He's dead, isn't he? You found his body? Where did you find it?
Gabriel looks away, feeling guilty. Brenda is looking at Corinne, who looks oddly…angry. When she notices Brenda is looking at her, she seems more upset.
CORINNE CONT'D
Please tell me?
Brenda nods at Gabriel, looking slight suspicious.
GABRIEL
He, uh…washed up in the bay. Dr. Morales is waiting with the au—with the results.
There's an angry flicker from Corinne again, so quick it could be a figment of one's imagination.
BRENDA
If you'll excuse me, Corinne, I need to go talk with the doctor. Someone from child protective services will drive you home, start the process.
CORINNE
(in tears again) Yes, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am.
SCENE
Autopsy. Brenda and Gabriel go in, dressed in scrubs, to be greeted by Dr. Morales.
DR MORALES
I've got some bad news for you, Chief Johnson.
BRENDA
Out with it, then, doctor!
DR MORALES
Our good director was definitely murdered.
BRENDA
Murdered?! You have got to be kidding me.
DR MORALES
Nope. The level of alcohol in his system is toxic, too much for him to have imbibed on his own without passing out. Someone put rubbing alcohol in his tequila and then threw him in the bay.
BRENDA
Thank you, Dr. Morales. Sergeant Gabriel, let's go start investigating.
SCENE
The murder room. On the whiteboard is Eugene Woods' picture, with the word "victim" in quotation marks. Brenda is writing a timeline.
BRENDA
Both Corinne and the nanny said he left on the 8th and was supposed to be back on the 15th. He was up in San Francisco, so let's assume half a day for traveling…Has anyone gotten a hold of the set?
PROVENZA
We've been trying, but they ended production on the 16th, so nobody's there.
SANCHEZ
I've been trying to contact his secretary or his production manager, anyone on set, but so far I haven't been able to get anyone.
BRENDA
Lt. Tao, what about his finances?
TAO
I've been looking into them, Chief, but there's no suspicious activity at all. Whoever killed him wasn't after his money. I got a hold of the will, too; all the money's set to go to the wife and kids.
BRENDA
Well, I doubt Mrs. Woods was aware enough to kill him. Lt. Flynn, anything on any enemies he might have?
FLYNN
Like Julio said, we can't get a hold of anyone on his current production. But I've talked to some of his old acquaintances, and apparently he was respected and well-liked.
BRENDA
Probably because they don't know he smacked his daughter and wife around. (sighs) All right. The most important thing right now is to get a hold of someone who was supposed to be on set with him, so I want all of you on that. Let's find out where he was between the 15th and the 18th.
SCENE
Brenda's office. She slams the phone down, frustrated. Provenza comes in, looking triumphant.
BRENDA
Tell me you've found something.
PROVENZA
I finally got a hold of his production assistant. She says he never made it up there.
BRENDA
(frowns) Wait, but Corinne…did she say anything else?
PROVENZA
Only that one of his kids called to say he had a family emergency and couldn't come.
BRENDA
(very suspicious) Which kid?
PROVENA
Didn't say. What are you thinking, Chief?
BRENDA
Nothing good.
SCENE
Brenda's office again, but this time Corinne is there. She's crying while Brenda questions her.
BRENDA
Corinne, I'll ask you again. Why did you tell me you called the set?
CORINNE
I did!
BRENDA
Not to ask if he'd left! To say he wouldn't be there! You knew he was already dead.
CORINNE
(sobbing) How would I know that?
BRENDA
Come on, now, Corinne. You know what happened, and you are going to tell me.
CORINNE
I didn't—I'm not—please!
BRENDA
(slams her hands down, stands up and leans across the desk) Stop it, Corinne, and tell me why you've been lying, or I make sure all of you are sent to different foster homes! What, did you kill him? Answer me, or I swear—
Corinne abruptly stops crying and her eyes go cold. She looks up at Brenda, completely calm.
BRENDA CONT'D
Oh my god. You did kill him.
CORINNE
(self-satisfied) Even if I did, how are you going to prove it? I don't see any cameras in here. If you stick me in an interrogation room, I'll just start crying again and no one will believe you, Brenda. No one.
BRENDA
(horrified) But you…
CORINNE
I'm just a kid? I told you, I can take care of myself and my siblings.
BRENDA
By killing your stepdaddy? And…the ones who, who ran away?
CORINNE
I'm not admitting anything, and you can't prove it.
BRENDA
I will find evidence, Corinne. I will prove you did it.
CORINNE
No one anywhere we've lived has ever been able to figure anything out. You're the closest, but still. And besides, no one will let you near the case after this.
BRENDA
After what?
Looking right into Brenda's eyes with a smirk on her face, Corinne raises her hand up. Brenda shakes her head no, but Corinne slaps herself hard across the face.
CORINNE
Good luck getting anyone to believe you now.
Holding her cheek and starting to cry again, Corinne stumbles out into the squadroom, followed by a horrified Brenda. They all frown.
PROVENZA
Chief…?
CORINNE
(sobbing) She hit me! I was just trying to answer her questions and she wouldn't stop asking and she—she—she hit me!
FLYNN
(shocked disbelief) Let me see.
He pulls Corinne's hand away from her face; there is a red handprint on her cheek.
FLYNN CONT'D
Chief…
BRENDA
I did not hit her! She hit herself!
GABRIEL
Chief, not that I think…but why would she do that?
BRENDA
She killed Eugene Woods, and she is trying to discredit me!
CORINNE
I wouldn't—I would never! (sobs harder)
BRENDA
See what she's doing?
FLYNN
Chief, we'd better go talk to Pope.
BRENDA
Well, I never!
SCENE
Pope's office. Brenda and Pope are there, along with Captain Raydar.
BRENDA
Suspension?!
POPE
Brenda, no one thinks you hit her—
BRENDA
Well, obviously someone does, because you're suspending me!
CAPTAIN RAYDAR
It's only temporary while we investigate. It's for the good of the department, Chief Johnson. I promise I will resolve this as quickly as possible.
BRENDA
While that girl runs around free after murdering three of her stepdaddies?
POPE
Go home, Brenda. Let us figure this out.
SCENE
Brenda's home, her living room. She's slumped on the couch despondently, drinking a glass of wine with the bottle on the table in front of her. Fritz comes in, confused to see her.
FRITZ
Honey, what are you doing home?
BRENDA
(unhappy) I got suspended.
FRITZ
Suspended? What happened?
He sits down and puts an arm around her; she rests her head on his shoulder.
BRENDA
A suspect insists I hit her. We were in my office and she hit herself to make my team believe I did it.
FRITZ
Why would she do that?
BRENDA
I was getting close to finding out the truth, obviously. (frustrated) I need to go back to that house. We have to have missed something.
FRITZ
You need to let your team deal with this, honey. They know you wouldn't hit a kid, and they've got your back. (kisses her head)
SCENE
Montage. Gabriel goes to the Woods house, which is blocked off with caution tape. Gloves on, he goes methodically through the house, looking for something, anything that would link Corinne with her stepfather's murder. He finally comes to the kitchen. The cabinet under the sink has a baby lock on it. He undoes the catch and roots around in the cabinet, past the cleaning supplies, the chemicals…and finds a lone bottle of tequila.
SCENE
Interrogation room. Brenda and Gabriel are in there, while everyone else watches from the observation room. Everyone looks slightly horrified.
CORINNE
I didn't do it!
BRENDA
(hard, cold) You and I both know you killed them, so here's how it's going to work. I have enough to make an arrest no matter what. If you cooperate and tell me what you did, I will make sure the DA has you tried as a juvenile. If you refuse, I will have the DA try you as an adult, and believe me, you do not want that.
CORINNE
You and I both know a jury won't send me anywhere but an institution, if they send me anywhere at all, no matter what I'm tried as. You lose, Brenda.
BRENDA
Fine, then. I was hoping not to resort to this, but… (lays out papers) You don't cooperate, this is where your precious little brothers and sisters are going. Separate foster families for all of them, and all the families foster juvenile delinquents.
CORINNE
(suddenly furious) You wouldn't dare.
BRENDA
Do not test me, Corinne! And your mama goes to prison instead of rehab. What'll it be?
CORINNE
This is blackmail.
BRENDA
This is my final offer, Corinne; take it or leave it.
CORINNE
(after a beat) I'll confess everything, but I want a contract signed by you, your boss, and a DA. The four older kids stay together and the three younger kids do. My mom goes to rehab. (Sits back) And I'd like a soda. (beat) I'll wait.
BRENDA
I'll be right back.
She hurries into the observation room.
POPE
Are you sure about this, Brenda? We don't need her confession. She's right, a jury will just send her—
BRENDA
She is a good actor, Will! We put her up on that stand and she starts talking about all her siblings and crying, they won't convict her. That is not going to happen. That little girl is a murdering sociopath, Will, and she'll just keep killing.
POPE
(sighs) All right. Give me 15 minutes.
SCENE
Brenda storms back into the interview room, where Corinne is calmly sipping a soda.
BRENDA
(Throws the paper down) Here it is. Read it and sign it, and then talk.
CORINNE
Yes, ma'am.
She looks it over, signs it, and pushes it back over to Brenda.
CORINNE CONT'D
Who do you want me to start with?
BRENDA
(shudders almost imperceptibly) Why don't we start with Eugene Woods.
CORINNE
(calmly, like it's nothing) Okay. I killed him. I dumped isopropyl alcohol in his tequila, because my mom never touches it. After he died from the poison, I dumped his body in the bay using a wheelbarrow. (Beat, annoyed) The storm they were predicting never came, or you wouldn't have ever found the body.
BRENDA
(sickened) And your first stepdaddy? Bryce's father?
CORINNE
Same way, only I didn't put enough isopropyl in, and he woke up as I was pushing him in the wheelbarrow. I had to bash his head in with a rock.
BRENDA
With…a rock?
CORINNE
Yes, ma'am. It took a couple of times.
BRENDA
And…and Lucy and Logan's daddy?
CORINNE
He was the hardest. I put too much isopropyl in and he died before I could get him out of the house. He was really heavy.
BRENDA
Why…why would you…?
CORINNE
Well, you know Eugene hit me and my mom. Bryce's dad basically raped my mom. And then Lucy and Logan's dad said he was either gonna use me or one of the little kids, so of course I let him use me until I could kill him.
BRENDA
(faintly) And…Hannah and Michaela's daddy?
CORINNE
He tried to hurt the little kids. I was gonna kill him, too, but he went to war and got killed all by himself.
BRENDA
Anyone else…?
CORINNE
Of course not.
BRENDA
Of course…Corinne, what exactly were you planning to do? Kill all the men your mama marries?
CORINNE
Only 'til she found one that didn't hurt us, ma'am. Not that she had a great track record.
BRENDA
I…Sgt. Gabriel? (she can barely speak)
GABRIEL
Corinne Woods, you are under arrest for the (choked) murders of Eugene Woods…
Gabriel's voice fades as Brenda makes her way to the exit. Suddenly, Corinne's voice cuts through.
CORINNE
Brenda? I'm sorry I pretended you hit me. Will you come visit me at the institution?
She smiles an eerie, soulless smile. Brenda runs for the exit, nearly running Pope down.
POPE
Brenda!
SCENE
Brenda's house. She barrels through the door, white-faced, passes a startled Fritz, and runs to the bathroom. She barely gets there before she starts throwing up. Fritz comes in, very concerned, and holds her hair back. When she seems done, he wets a hand towel and places it on the back of her neck, using his other hand to check for a fever.
BRENDA
I'm not sick, Fritzy.
FRITZ
There is evidence to the contrary, but you're not running a fever…
BRENDA
It's just…that girl, with the terrible parents, she—
She interrupts herself by lurching forward and retching. She leans back against Fritz when she's done, eyes closed. He runs the cloth across her face and neck, then helps her up for some water. She rinses and spits, then he gently picks her up.
BRENDA CONT'D
Fritzy, your back…
FRITZ
Shhh.
He carries her to the couch and sits down with her on his lap. Tugging a blanket over them, he wraps her in his arms and waits. He doesn't wait for long.
BRENDA
That case I've been working, with that terrible abusive dead film director? (He nods) Turns out the kid, his stepdaughter, she—she—oh Fritzy, she—(half in tears) She poisoned him, Fritzy, poisoned him and two of her previous stepdaddies and she told me without blinking an eye.
FRITZ
(quietly shocked) how old is she?
BRENDA
Fourteen. Fourteen and she's already a serial killer. And the way she looked! She didn't care! She didn't think what she did was wrong, Fritzy. She just killed them.
Brenda turns her head into Fritz's shoulder and cries. He strokes her hair, horrified.
END