-What the hell were you thinking
grabbing a spear and running into the woods?
-I did it for you. -I'm not your mom!
-Yeah, but you're literally all I got.
-Is that okay, you watch her while I play?
-Of course.
-♪ Will you or won't you cross that road in time? ♪
-I'm not confused anymore.
-Shannon called me to come get you.
You ran away. You know how this works.
Elsie, stop!
-Hunter told Elsie that you're all connected, but how?
Do you have a record of the musicians who have played here?
-Mnh-mnh. The only record of every musician
who's come through is that.
-Huh.
♪♪
-Where are we going?
-I'm taking you to your mom.
♪♪
-♪ Though you went away ♪
♪ And though you wouldn't stay ♪
♪ You're still a part of me ♪
♪ Though you made me blue ♪
♪ I'm still in love with you ♪
♪ You're still a part of me ♪
♪ I know, dear, that you ♪
♪ Could cure my loneliness ♪
♪ Though I always sigh ♪
♪ You're still a part of me ♪
♪ Though, yes, even though ♪
♪ You broke my heart ♪
♪ You're still a part of me ♪
[ Cellphone chimes ]
[ Suspenseful music plays ]
-Harper?
♪♪
Harper?
♪♪
[ Sighs ]
♪♪
[ Slow music plays ]
♪♪
[ Cellphone buzzes ]
♪♪
[ Cellphone beeps ]
-Yeah?
-I got a match. -What?
-A DNA match, on Elsie.
Uh, a maternal third cousin twice removed.
Distant, but, still, I mean, she has family out there.
-Where are they? -Wait, hold on.
Where are you?
-I'm at this dive bar near Cherry Falls.
-Um, and you're there because?
-I figured out the connection between the Jane Does
and Elsie's mom.
They were all musicians, so all three of them played
at this shithole. -Uh, I'm sorry.
Are you even gonna briefly acknowledge the fact
that you just left me here
in your apartment in the middle of the night?
-Yeah, okay.
But I told you I'm not good
at this whole "having people in your life" thing, remember?
I-I did say that.
I've never been so close to figuring out this thing.
If you -- -Harper.
-If I'm just gonna be a disappointment to you, Lily,
then what's the point?
-Harper, would you shut up?!
-What?
-Don't do what you always do --
the whole cactus and balloon thing.
I'm in this with you.
-Okay.
Alright, we'll talk about social skills later,
but in the meantime,
I'm forwarding you the address to Elsie's cousin.
They're in Wyoming, but, hey,
you're already on the road, so...
You have to tell Elsie.
Where is she?
♪♪
-I don't know how much time I've got left.
But I'm gonna keep my promise.
I'll tell you anything you want to know.
-Is my name really Elsie?
Or was that just another lie?
-Your name was Maya.
♪♪
-Maya.
♪♪
Maya. That sounds like a completely different person.
Doesn't even feel like me.
-Well, that's 'cause it isn't.
A name isn't who you are.
It's this expectation your parents put on you
from the second you're born.
My dad called me Hunter
'cause he wanted some macho hunting buddy.
I was never that guy.
-So, who's Peter Wolfe?
-A dead school teacher from Yampa.
I didn't do anything to him!
I bought his I.D. from a guy on the street.
I thought having a different name
could make me a different man.
Give me a new life.
It didn't change anything.
Names don't matter. We are who we are.
-If names don't matter, why did you name me after your mom?
-I thought maybe if I gave you her name,
she'd be with you somehow.
Keep you safe.
-You just made me a character in your story.
Just like your dad did to you.
[ Cellphone buzzing ]
-Is that Harper?
What does she want with you anyway?
-I'm just something she wants to solve.
Just another person using me.
♪♪
-So, how do you have our DNA?
-Your son's information
is available on this genealogy website.
Yours is, too.
-Never signed up for anything like that.
-Maybe your son did?
I mean, someone in your family submitted DNA
and filled out a family tree.
-God damn it. Declan!
I told you specifically not to do that Gene Team horse crap.
What is wrong with you? -God, Mom, leave me alone.
Everybody's doing it.
-You sold your seed to the government,
and now I got a lesbian in my living room!
-I just wanted to find out
if we had any relatives in Ireland like Dad always said.
And you know what?
We're not even a little bit Irish.
-I don't need to take a test to know that I'm 100% American
or that your father is a goddamn liar, okay?
I didn't sign up for a thing, and yet you know my name,
my address, my date of birth.
I didn't consent to any of that. -I hear you.
There's a definite gray area, but these DNA websites
are actually solving crimes, and they're reuniting families,
so I think if it creates a little inconvenience,
it's really -- -What if an insurance company
takes a look at my DNA and goes, "Oh, looky here.
She's predisposed for heart disease or diabetes."
Suddenly, I got a pre-existing condition,
and they deny me coverage.
Is that fair, or is that a little inconvenient?
-Well, it's not great, so... I see your point.
-Or what about the Department of so-called Justice?
-Here we go. -What if this moron's
hanging out with his friends
and just spits on the sidewalk as he's leaving,
and then those idiots go and rob the liquor store?
Guess whose DNA is at the crime scene,
and he wasn't even there for the crime!
-Look, Arwen, I didn't come to talk about this.
I'm searching for a girl's family.
And according to the site,
Declan is her third cousin twice removed.
This is her mother. Her name might be Wendy.
Does she look familiar to you?
-[ Laughs ] We're not related to her.
-You are related.
I know you are. Because...science.
-Well, I know my own goddamn family,
and we don't have people like that.
-Like what? -She means black.
'Cause she's a racist.
-Why don't you shut the hell up?!
Your little family tree project -- done.
Get out of my house. -You know what?
You don't deserve her, you ignorant waste of space!
You should be proud to be related to this girl.
-You got 10 seconds before I call the goddamn cops.
This is private property!
[ Door slams ]
[ Dialing ]
[ Ringing ]
-Global Marketing. How may I help?
-Hi. I'm calling for a friend.
Her name is Arwen Reed.
That's R-E-E-D.
She wants all your products, all your services.
-Great! May I have her address and e-mail?
-Let me actually give you her cellphone number.
She doesn't want to miss a call.
[ Sighs ]
-Siccing your army of telemarketers on her ass --
That's inspired.
-It's the least she deserves. -What now, Columbo?
-Time to make some friends.
♪♪
[ Thinking ] Alright. Declan's interested in his family tree.
[ Cellphone beeps ]
That was fast.
[ Thinking ] Maybe he knows somebody who could lead me back
to Elsie's mother...
like his cousin Marissa.
Hi, Marissa. Nice to meet you.
Lot of exclamation points in these captions, girl.
But no friends named Wendy.
Here we go.
Can always count on grandma to tag everyone.
Let's try Jackie Birkman.
Who's married to Dave Farber.
And he has a brother who's black.
Huh! Shows what you know about your own family, Arwen.
His mom, Dalia Spellman, teaches music.
Holy shit.
Wendy Spellman.
And she posted a link last week.
-♪ Will you or won't you cross that road in time? ♪
♪ Will you or won't you outrun ♪
♪ What you know you must? ♪
♪ It's over now ♪
-What is this place?
-♪ It's over now ♪
-You don't remember?
-♪ That love you're in is messed up ♪
-I just have these flashes of memory,
and they don't make any sense.
Was I here...
with my mom?
-♪ Will you or won't you land softly down? ♪
♪ Will you or won't you ♪
♪ Be around? ♪
♪ It's over now ♪ [ Lock disengages ]
♪ It's over now ♪
♪ That love you're in... ♪
[ Indistinct whispering ]
-Why are we here?
-This is where you were staying.
[ Whispering continues ]
[ Rock music plays ]
-This is us.
It's just temporary.
-Here?
-We're on our way home to my family in Wyoming.
It's been, like, five years.
They've never met their granddaughter.
-Well, that'll be nice.
-Yeah, I hope so.
They don't know we're coming.
It's been a rough road,
but I'm looking forward to a fresh start.
I want Maya to have a family.
So, I'm gonna put her to bed,
and then we can hang out if you want to.
-Sure.
-Time for bed, bug!
-I want a story, Mommy. -You want a story?
Okay, I'll tell you a story.
-I want him to do it.
-Oh, baby, that's not Hunter's job.
-No, that's okay.
I can tell her a story. -Yeah?
-Okay.
♪♪
-Alright.
♪♪
Hm.
♪♪
Once upon a time,
there was a princess who lived in a forest,
and she had the most beautiful voice in whole wide world.
People would come from near and far just to hear her sing.
But one day, a monster came into the forest.
His big, clawed paws tore down the trees,
and his big, stomping feet shook the houses.
Everyone ran out of the forest,
but the princess just kept on singing.
So, finally, the monster reached the princess.
And she looked up into the eyes of the beast,
and she wasn't scared.
You see, the monster didn't want to hurt anybody,
especially her.
He'd heard the princess' beautiful song.
And he was -- He was enchanted by her voice.
So the princess knew she had nothing to fear.
So she kissed the monster on the top of the head,
and he turned into a prince.
So, thanks to the brave, smart princess,
everyone could go back to living in the forest.
The monster got a second change to be a prince.
And her voice can still be heard all across the land.
And they all lived happily ever after.
♪♪
We've always had this connection.
I don't know why.
Maybe 'cause I thought I'd lost my chance to have a family.
And then you walked right up to me out of nowhere.
You weren't my kid, but I felt you could be.
And when you found me,
all these years later, it hit me again.
I really wanted to be your dad.
♪♪
-I really wanted you to be my dad, too.
This is Elsie. Do your thing.
[ Beep ]
-Hey. Hey.
I know you're mad at me, but, uh, call me back.
It's important.
Also...I'm sorry.
♪♪
I wish you were here to do this with me.
♪♪
-Can I help you?
-Yeah, I'm looking for Wendy Spellman.
-That's my sister.
-So, my mother has family in Wyoming?
-Yeah.
-Do you know who they are?
-She said she hadn't spoken to them in years.
That's all she said.
♪♪
-[ Sighs ]
[ Mattress creaks ]
That sound...
♪♪
[ Mattress creaking ]
♪♪
[ Suspenseful music plays ]
♪♪
[ Gasps ]
♪♪
[ Water running ]
[ Humming ]
♪♪
-Maya!
Get out of there.
We don't go through people's stuff.
-[ Giggles ]
-[ Sighs ]
[ Suspenseful music plays ]
♪♪
[ Water running ]
[ Guitar playing softly ]
♪♪
♪ My eyes ♪
♪ Are wide open ♪
♪ We can make it ♪
[ Faucet creaks, running stops ]
♪ To the other side ♪
♪ Our love ♪
♪ Is a-rollin' ♪
♪ And it's yours ♪
♪ Alive in mine ♪
-We haven't heard from Wendy in, uh...
I guess it'll be 20 years next month.
-So, the Facebook post?
-That was me.
Back in the day, I used to help her book and promote her shows.
I just kept the habit.
Her music is so beautiful, it feels wrong not to share it.
Probably sounds crazy to you.
-No, it doesn't.
-I hope you like ginger.
-Mm-hmm.
Thanks.
So, uh, you -- you teach music?
-Mm-hmm. I give lessons out of the house.
That's how Wendy picked it up so young.
She has a gift.
When she would play her music,
that was the only time she ever seemed to be at peace.
The girl was just born on a stormy day.
-What do you mean?
-My sister's an alcoholic.
She put our parents through hell --
stole from them,
wrecked the car twice before she was even 16.
They spent their savings sending her to one rehab after another.
-She'd come home apologizin', cryin' like a little girl,
and we'd think, "Whew, it's all over.
Finally, the spell is broken."
But you never knew which Wendy you were gonna get.
-She came home stinkin' drunk to our father's funeral.
Trashed the place.
Took everything she could sell.
♪♪
That was the last straw.
We had to cut her off. -I could've done more.
-No, Mom, you did what the counselor said.
You had to stop enabling her.
-Did you go looking for her? -She wouldn't return our calls.
Then her phone was disconnected.
We looked into a private investigator.
It was so expensive.
-Wendy's stubborn.
If she doesn't want to be found, that's that.
I prayed that she would come home when she was ready,
but...
time just kept piling up.
♪♪
She's dead, isn't she?
That's why you're here.
-I don't really know.
Yeah.
I think so.
♪♪
-[ Sobbing ]
My baby girl.
-I'm sorry.
Did you know she had a daughter?
-What?
Are you sure? -Oh, yeah.
She's almost 18.
She actually plays guitar, too.
She's really good.
Her name's Elsie.
And she's -- she's amazing.
-I have a granddaughter?
-Yeah, you do.
-My mom, she was sitting right here where I am.
This is where she sang me the song.
-When you sang it in prison, I couldn't believe
you remembered it.
-It's like my brain was holding on to it for dear life,
like it couldn't let it go.
-Yeah, I've never been able to get it out of my head.
Just...
keeps chasing me.
-♪ My eyes ♪
♪ Are wide open ♪
-I can see her now.
-♪ We can make it ♪
♪ To the other side ♪
-The way she used to rock back and forth.
-♪ Our love ♪
-She looked kind of sleepy when she sang.
And she had this growl to her voice.
-♪ Alive in mine ♪
♪ We will both wind up broken ♪
-What happened to her?
Whatever it is, you can tell me.
I'll understand.
-♪ ...we have died ♪
[ Ominous music plays ]
[ Guitar playing ]
♪♪
♪ We will both wind up broken ♪
♪♪
I'm sorry.
I swear I wasn't snooping.
Maya went tearing through your bag,
and I saw the chords, and I got curious.
So I guess I was snooping a little.
You didn't tell me you were a musician.
-I'm not.
My ex was.
-Lost the girl, but kept the song.
What, did she break your heart?
This song...is amazing.
I'd love to try it out in my next set.
Would that be weird?
Are there any other songs in here?
Is that blood?
-Mommy, from the girl in the mud.
-What are you talking about, sweetie?
-Hunter's friend was sleeping in the mud.
-You should go.
-She doesn't know what she saw. -Now.
Don't! I'm calling the cops.
-She doesn't know --
Wendy, she doesn't know what she...
Listen to me. Wendy. -Don't touch me!
Don't you ever touch me! -Aah!
Stop screaming! -Get off of me!
-Wendy! -Get off of me!
-Listen to me! -No!
[ Screaming ] [ Mattress creaking ]
No!
[ Creaking continues ]
♪♪
Oh, no!
♪♪
-[ Breathes sharply ] -Elsie?
Elsie?
Please talk to me.
-[ Breathing heavily ]
-Please.
Elsie.
-Don't!
Don't you ever touch me.
I remember.
I remember everything.
♪♪
-Next time on "Sacred Lies"...
Elsie? Where are you? Elsie!
He's telling Elsie his story.
He took her here, but what is in this room?
Where does the story end?!
Can you get me Detective Wally, please?
I can't hold!
God damn it.
[ Crying ]
♪♪
-Elsie.
♪♪
[ Gunshot ]
-Elsie!
Elsie!