CHARLES: A great true crime mystery unpeels itself like an onion.
-MABEL: What the fuck is "G.M."? -(typing)
CHARLES: I am looking for a guy
I saw going up the stairs
in a tie-dyed hoodie the night Tim died.
-Enough with Tie-Dye Guy! -No more!
We cannot forget about Tie-Dye Guy!
So, Dad, I listened to your podcast.
You didn't tell me you were doing it with Mabel Mora.
-Why? You know her? -She used to stay here.
She hung out with this group of kids,
and one of them was Tim Kono.
You can't disappear for 10 years,
then show up and start dragging up
a bunch of shit from when we were kids!
-I saw someone fighting with her. -You saw Oscar?
No. Someone else.
MABEL: You know what happened that night.
You didn't even say anything.
OLIVER: Just when it's all starting to feel the same,
that's when you get hit by something
you never saw coming.
♪♪
MAN: Value. Worth.
-The price of life. -(street noise)
What's the easiest way to know how you fit into the equation?
Come to New York.
Shit just plain costs more in the city.
Subway fare is $2.75.
The inflation of Hot Cheetos?
99 cents in the Bronx,
nearly four freaking dollars in Tribeca.
Those joints?
Overpriced as fuck.
Not like that coat though.
That... is priceless.
It's special. Just like her.
♪♪
(street noise continues)
I will take you down to the bone, motherfucker!
Twist! Big, big twist!
We have an unexpected turn of events,
thanks to my son, Will.
Mabel knew Tim Kono and lied about it,
which probably means that Mabel killed Tim Kono.
And now, we're wondering was he the first
or the latest in her wild spree?
Yeah, because she totally fits the profile.
Female, late 20s, wears cool boots, reads the Hardy Boys.
When I see that on a resume, I'm thinking murderer...
No real job, few attachments, and lives alone!
In an empty apartment that probably has a drain in the floor!
-(beep) -Oh, that was some good back and forth.
-Listeners love conflict. -(ding, doors open)
-You're a simpleton. -Damn it! I didn't get that.
-(beep) -Can you call me a simpleton again?
-You're a simpleton! -Oh, thank you!
♪♪
Oh my god. Oscar?
Damn, bella!
(laughs) I'm so sorry!
You got out!
I can't believe you're standing right here.
OSCAR: Yeah, right? Me, too.
Wait, so did you just get out? I went by your dad's,
and he basically told me to fuck off.
Yeah, shit. No, I got out last week.
You knew that I was waiting here,
and you get out after 10 years and you don't call me?
You just follow me down the street like some fuckin' creeper?
Look, I had a whole plan.
Can we just go chill? Where you headed?
-Jersey. -Well then, I'm going to Jersey.
I'll drive you.
(distant siren)
Oh! You don't have to drive, though.
Yes, I do have to.
I've been waiting a long time for this.
For this.
Me, too.
-Now, come on, you creeper. -Ah...
♪♪
OLIVER: Lester said he saw her head west.
CHARLES: Can you just calm down and think a minute?
This is all a misunderstanding--
Haven't I been telling you there's something off with Mabel?
She's got those crazy killer eyes,
like Liza at 3:00 in the morning.
CHARLES: Please don't tell that story again.
She and Jessica Lange came to me after an evening at Studio 54,
-and I had had a few cocktails. -And I had had a few cocktails! Stop!
Mabel is a sweet young woman who promised not to keep secrets from us.
I've been meaning to ask. Is this your hat?
-My hat. I thought I'd lost it--What? -Oh my god, there she is!
CHARLES (whispers) Oh! Tie-Dye Guy.
-It's Tie-Dye Guy! -Okay, w-w-we gotta follow them.
-I'm gonna get my car. You stay on them. -Alright, I'll wait--
-Wait! You have a car? -Go after them on foot,
and then call me when you know where they are,
and then I'll swing by and pick you up!
Okay! I'll wai--
You pay for parking here?!
(lively theme song playing)
(vocalizing)
♪♪
This is bad! They're getting away!
-OLIVER (on phone): You on them? -I'm on them,
-but I can't outrun a Camry! -OLIVER: Stay on them!
Oh god, I hope they don't see me.
Oh jeez...
-So, where we going? -MABEL: It's in Teaneck,
so...
GW Bridge.
(traffic noise, honking)
(sighs)
Welcome to New York.
Thank you, ma'am!
Oliver, I ca-I can't hear you! Are you there?
OLIVER (on phone): Yeah, I might cut out a little bit, but stay on!
Oh! Oh, thank god.
-They're stuck in traffic. -(honking)
Where are you? I'll take one.
OLIVER: Wait, are you at that pretzel cart? I want one.
-Read out the toppings! -What? What toppings?
-There's mustard and salt. -OLIVER: Yeah, but you know,
sometimes there's honey mustard.
Is it Dante? Tell him Oliver wants his usual!
-Are you Dante? -Yep.
-Oliver wants his usual. -Mm-hmm.
OLIVER: I'm coming around!
-Are you still on 88th? -Yeah, uh, traffic's moving!
Where are you?
OLIVER: Turn around!
(old, squeaky horn)
(creaking)
-Very inconspicuous! -(door opens, shuts)
We blend in by standing out.
-What are you doing? -No, no, no. You drive because...
(both grunt)
...I gotta record, and also
my driver's license expired 25 years ago.
-Keep your eyes on that Camry! -(shuts door)
♪♪
(creaking, rattling)
What are you doing with this car?
This is Aphrodite. I got her in LA when I was filming
Singin' In The Rain 2 for VH1.
Oh! Look, in the ashtray. It's a jelly bean from 1963.
Maybe it's a Mexican diet pill.
Oh yeah. It's a fen-phen!
Mm! Mm. Know what? I don't need this.
Left! They're turning left.
(creaking, tires squealing)
So if you've been out for a week, what have you been doing?
I had some decent food.
Got a haircut.
Went to the bathroom without somebody looking at me.
That was fun.
Did you hear about Tim?
Yeah.
My first night out, he offs himself?
♪♪
My first time stepping back in that building?
Wait, you were there that...
Oh my god, you're Tie-Dye Guy!
Yeah! I'm trying to be.
Figured I'd get some new drip when I got out.
I think she's in trouble. That's the guy I saw going up the stairs that night.
I know! Tie-Dye!
He and Mabel were probably in on this from the start.
And you noticed when you brought up his name,
she got very quiet and had us looking at other suspects.
Actually, it was you who did that.
You've gotta stop thinking the worst of her.
And you need to start.
She lied to us, Charles, or did you miss that fact?
She also helped us investigate.
-Why would she do that? -Oh, I don't know.
Maybe to throw us off the scent of herself.
It's a classic true crime podcast move.
-Right out of Daddy's Little Helper. -Daddy's Little Helper.
Exactly. That's right.
The forlorn son helps with the case,
-until all evidence points to him. -Yeah.
That podcast stunk, by the way.
They gave away everything in the title.
I mean, I wonder who did it? Daddy's little helper?
Don't you hear yourself?
You're thinking like the patsy, the sucker.
Not the detective.
(car creaking)
Charles, buddy, just...
Please, just drop what you're feeling,
and think only about what you know.
We can't forget about Tie-Dye Guy.
Charles, we can't just suspect someone
because they're wearing a hoodie.
It's like a huge no.
I'm not doing that.
Well, I am doing that, but not like that.
Okay, fine. I'm just saying... Tie-Dye Guy.
Enough with the Tie-Dye Guy.
It's just a waste of time.
(car rattling)
-What? -MABEL: Nothing.
It just feels like I'm sitting next to your older brother.
You know, you were actually the first person
I wanted to see after my dad.
That's why I was heading up the stairs
the night everything went crazy.
In case you were wondering.
(alarm blaring, getting louder)
-(door shuts) -(blaring loudly)
(alarm blaring)
I was heading up to see you at your aunt's place.
♪♪
It's weird that we didn't pass each other in the stairwell.
Maybe we did.
You did miss me sneaking up on you this morning.
(laughs) I didn't miss shit.
-(Oscar sighs) -MABEL: Besides,
I've always wanted to kill someone with my knitting needle.
I saw you once with those guys that look like retired cops.
Was one of them that Brazzos guy?
(sighs) Yeah.
He kinda still thinks he's on that show.
Okay, I'm gonna call her.
When she's screaming bloody murder, you'll see.
-(Oliver sighs) -Call Mabel Mora.
-(Siri beeps) -(voicemail beeps)
MABEL (on voicemail): Hey, it's Mabel.
-Leave a message at the tone. -See that?
If she's so safe, why didn't she pick up?
Oh, trust me. She's too busy planning her next murder with Clyde.
Let's hope it's not one of us.
Hey! Found something.
An article from the Post years ago
-about what Will told us. -And?
A girl named Zoe Cassidy was pushed off the roof of the Arconia.
Police arrested a resident.
-I kinda remember some of this. -I don't.
-When did this happen? -2010.
How does this not sound even vaguely familiar to you?
2010... That was my Prednisone year.
I got really bloated, and it played with my memory.
-(Siri beeps) -OLIVER: Search "Charles-Haden Savage fat."
-(beeps) -Ooh! (laughs) Look at the ass on papa.
-Oh... -Jesus, you're huge.
-(car squeaking) -Looks like you're wearing a turtleneck.
Oh no, don't worry. It-it's just warming up.
I don't think Aphrodite's ever been driven in the winter.
♪♪
(car squeaking, tires squealing)
CHARLES: You know what? I'm gonna try Mabel again.
(line ringing)
-(vibrating) -MABEL: Oh god.
(clears throat) Hey!
Ooh!
-Hey. Mabel! Hi! It's Charles. -(whispers) Play it cool.
I-I was worried about you after that last dead end.
Do you wanna get together?
-For coffee. -For tea?
Yeah, no, no, no. I-I'm good. I'm just, uh,
chilling at Washington Square Park, so...
Yeah, thanks for calling, and I'll just
-talk to you later. -(Oscar scoffing)
You're lying to your boyfriend 'cause you feel like
even the way you're thinking about me is cheating?
I don't have a boyfriend.
Like Cassandra and Lady Macbeth rolled into one!
No, she can't say anything.
So, "just chilling," is code for,
"help, I've been taken hostage."
(car squeaking)
It's tough...
to believe that she could be...
this duplicitous, I know.
Tougher because you're a closed-off person,
and Mabel made you...
open up and trust people for the first time.
♪♪
So now, the thought that she might not be who she seems
has you questioning it all.
Okay, I gotta try that again.
-That was very fake sounding. -You fucker!
-(truck horn honks) -(traffic noise)
So, G.M., Shore Road.
You sure Tim was going to a jewelry shop?
It's this whole Hardy Boys thing I cracked.
Oh. You cracked it.
Cool.
Or... could it have something to do with something else?
(sighs)
Okay, so we all got the same tattoo.
And?
-Who gave them to us? -My cousin Tavo.
And what's your cousin Tavo's government name?
Gustavo Mora.
G.M.? With a tattoo shop on Shore Road?
Fuck me! How did I miss that?
W-You-you have to take this exit.
-We have to go to Bayport. -(tires squeal)
Hold on!
(car squeaking, squealing)
♪♪
Long Island. My first time out of Manhattan in five years,
and we're going to Long Island.
-Don't you go to the Hamptons? -CHARLES: Never.
I got a sister in Patchogue.
She has four daughters, all with D names.
(Long Island accent): Dawn, Danielle, Dina, and Dagmar.
The five of them are always trying to set me up with a hairdresser.
Well, I have to admit I have certainly
had my share of Long Island shenanigans.
(chuckling) I re- I remember one time,
uh, I'd had a few cocktails,
and, uh, on a dare, I rode an elephant
and then threw up in a pool at a wedding in Syosset.
I once shot an episode of Brazzos in Hempstead.
It doubled for Bosnia.
I once got syphilis in South Setauket.
And I got crabs in Massapequa.
(laughs) Ooh, I got the clap in Amagansett.
And I got saggy-bottom balls in Sag Harbor.
(laughs)
♪ Saggy Bottom Balls is what she called me ♪
♪ Boom boom boom boom ♪
♪ She had a way with the names ♪
♪ Boom boom boom boom ♪
♪ Saggy bottom balls in Sag H-♪
-Oh! Exiting! Look, they're exiting. -Oh, yeah. Good eye.
OLIVER: ♪ Boom boom boom boom, Saggy Bottom Balls is what she called me ♪
Okay, now I'm gonna be singing that all day.
♪♪
-We've got smoke! -OLIVER: Don't worry, don't worry.
Just pull over there so they don't see us.
(car squeaking)
(hissing, rattling)
OLIVER: I'll give her $5 worth of diesel, she'll be fine!
-Why not fill her up? -Where are we going, to the moon?
It's a shallow tank.
Hey, you might wanna pop the hood.
No thanks, we're fine.
(laughs) Yo, hey! You, uh,
y-you're Brazzos! Right?
"This sends the damn day in a brand new direction!"
"Whole new direction," but, yeah. That's me.
(laughs) Shit! Yo, let's see what we got here, yeah?
Hey, do you think the attendant can sell me some brine?
I need to replenish her sodium levels.
(laughs) Brine, man! I like that!
Wherever you're going, you might not be going in this.
(indistinct singing on radio)
-ATTENDANT: 4.50. -Uh,
could I also grab a lighter, some batteries, and--
(gasps) Strawberry lube!
Oh wait, that gave you a reaction last time.
(laughs) Oh, this one.
We've got bubblegum lube.
MABEL: Perfect. We'll take that,
and some ginseng and Spanish fly.
Oh also, what size condoms do you have?
He needs slim fit, extra long.
We don't want it to fall off again.
-(laughs) It's bad. -Alright, I'm... I'm gonna go.
Thank you.
(door opens, bell rings)
-Are you proud of yourself? -(laughs) I said extra long.
-Oh wow, that... -(Mabel laughs)
OSCAR: That makes it all better...
-Oh, look at them. Laughing. -(Aphrodite hissing)
Not a care in the world. And you're right.
She does wear cool boots.
-She's not kidnapped. -Oh, don't worry.
She played me, too.
And I'm the one with the street smarts.
Hey, my cousin Peanut could tow this for you.
Take it to a shop, he could use the work.
I can give you a lift. I'm Lucien.
-Hi, Lucien. -Hey, can you help us follow those two?
(hissing continues)
Sure. I follow people all the time.
He's nice. I like him. We sh-- Ooh-- I'm gonna get my stuff!
(doors shut)
Rolling deep with cacti today.
If your hand swells up after touching that thing,
don't touch your eye.
(Charles grunts)
(whispers) Why aren't we moving?
Waiting on my cousin Vaughn. He had a taste for some oatmeal cookies.
Hurry up, man! Get in! We on a mission!
-Hello. -Hi.
Let me call you back. My cousin just picked up two white boys.
♪♪
I didn't realize you were driving a terrarium.
(laughter)
-So, who are we following? -OLIVER: Well,
we're doing a podcast based on a murder in the building we live in,
and the girl in the car is one of the cohosts,
but now, we think she may have had something to do with the whole thing.
Damn! You know, Vaughn and I, we got a little podcast.
It's called Yard Dogs:
-Your Favorite Horticulture Homies. -OLIVER: Aw,
good for you guys. Giving it the old college try.
-That's... that's so sweet. -VAUGHN: Yeah,
we got about 60,000 subscribers.
Been featured on iTunes and Spotify as one of the best new podcasts.
You know, just trying to do a little something-something.
(both laugh)
(Oliver growls, inhales)
We, uh, met Cinda Canning. We have an in with her.
Cin Cin! (laughs)
-That's our girl! -(both laugh)
LUCIEN: Yeah, we part of Cinda's network, man.
The only thing green she loves more than money
is our plants! (laughs)
She's really the third horticulture homie.
Oh. That's, that's...
uh, that's great.
♪♪
-(street chatter) -(distant siren, bottle breaking)
What part of Long Island is this?
Ah, this is Bayport, baby.
Every time I come out here, some shit pops off.
-What are they doing out here? -I don't know.
Maybe they're going to murder someone else.
Stop calling her a murderer. She's an innocent young woman.
So, this girl...
she was helping you solve the murder,
but now you think she's involved?
-Pretty much. -(scoffs) Damn.
Just because things aren't what they seem,
doesn't mean she's a bad person.
Maybe she just doesn't trust y'all yet.
Or she's mistletoe.
-Which is actually a toxic parasite. -VAUGHN: Mm.
LUCIEN: The very plant that encourages us to kiss at holiday time
can actually kill the tree it hangs on.
Little do you know, all that romance is happening
under a tree assassin.
♪♪
(seagulls cawing)
(sighs) Okay. Now, let's go see
why Tim was hanging out with my sketchy cousin.
OSCAR: Yo, I know we just drove out here,
but can we please let this go?
It's been... 10 years since...
I had ice cream.
With a girl. On a beach.
It doesn't even have to be Haagen-Dazs.
It could be a nasty Smurf pop from a dude with a cooler.
I do want to do that.
I do. I...
But this is important.
What happened ruined your life,
and now Tim is dead.
I just need some answers.
I'm trying to move forward with my life.
I got goals.
In prison, I started trap yoga, and I got certified.
I want to open up a studio.
-Yoga? -Yeah!
I'm positive as fuck!
And figuring out why some asshole died
doesn't do shit for my inner calm.
I get it.
This isn't the most positive-as-fuck thing
you could be doing right now.
But I have to.
And I have to not.
♪♪
Okay, I'll just catch the train back later.
OSCAR: When you get outta prison and try to restart your life,
you hope to get back to the good parts
and leave the bad behind.
-(shuts door) -But just because you aren't locked up,
doesn't mean you aren't still in some kind of prison.
(tattoo needle buzzing)
(door opens, bell rings)
(radio playing)
What the fuck are you guys doing here?
Well, we could say the same thing about you.
Yeah. How was it chillin' in Washington Square Park?
Was it, like, so chill?
Did you chill it up so hard?
Jesus...
Did you follow me?
-That is so messed up! -No, no! What is messed up
is that you lied to me, and you lied to him,
and we promised each other we wouldn't do that!
He's very wounded, Mabel.
I'm made of stronger stuff, but he's--
I'm sorry.
Did you know Tim Kono?
Yes.
Did you have something to do with--
Wow, Charles.
Just say it out loud.
Say it out loud if that's what you think of me.
It-it's not what I think-- I'm just...
I'm just very confused.
(tattoo needle continues)
I know. And I'll...
explain it to you guys.
Tim was my friend, or he used to be.
And I think that's why I'm so obsessed
-with solving this murder. -(door opens, bell rings)
Fuck it. I got way too much
'cause I don't know what you're into anymore.
-You came back. -CHARLES: Well!
It's Tie-Dye Guy.
This is Oscar. Also a friend.
Also not the killer.
-Brazzos? -Yes.
Wow.
I saw you going up the stairs the night Tim Kono was murdered.
I saw you shoot a crocodile that was smuggling drugs.
Uh, Brazzos was one of three DVD sets in the prison library.
God, prison sounds like hell.
-What flavor do you have there? -OSCAR: Uh, vegan sea salt oil?
Jesus. When did ice cream become a hand lotion?
Fucking millennials. Honest, they're so boring.
-Okay, I'll take the popsicle then. -Okay.
You were going up to Tim's apartment that night, weren't you?
No, he wasn't.
Yeah. I was.
I'm sorry. I lied to you, Mabel.
I know I shouldn't have. It was just seeing you again just--
Oh my god, my head is spinning with all these lies.
No, no, go on.
I went up to Tim's place that night.
I-I don't know what I was gonna do,
but I wasn't going to kill him.
Maybe fuck him up a little bit.
-(alarm blaring, quietly) -But the alarm was going off, and then...
(alarm getting louder)
-(gunshot) -...and then, I heard a fucking gunshot.
(alarm blaring, getting quieter)
-You heard it? -Yeah.
I did.
-But I didn't murder Tim Kono. -(gate slams)
-Tim was murdered? -(tattoo needle stops)
Damn, he was right. Tim called it.
Does everybody know Tim Kono now?
What are you two doing here?
Hey, can you please explain who you are,
and what exactly you know--
(snorting) Brain freeze!
Oh, uh, use your thumb!
Press the top of your thumb... like that.
Like this? Mm! Mm...
Oh my god.
Tie-Dye Guy is a genius.
Um, Tavo, what were you saying?
Tim thought he was gonna get murdered?
Fuck yeah.
He'd been trying to take down
this black market jewelry dealer named Angel.
-(tattoo needle starts) -Tavo. May-- may I call you Tavo?
Well, what else would you call him?
Well, it could be an affectionate nickname.
I don't wanna overstep my bounds.
Look, Tim Kono was a loner who worked in a bank.
Taking down a black market jewelry dealer
seems a little off brand, don't you think?
Maybe.
Then again, I found all these in his apartment.
-Whoa! -Oh my god...
(crunching)
Brain freeze! (snorts)
♪♪