1.9: SHERRY DARLIN'- Avaliable!

[CC Fan]

PART 1
Recap provided by Naj

Scene opens with a flashback of James in the kitchen on the telephone talking about his unpaid gas bill with his girlfriend cooking. She suggests he ask his grandmother for the money but James refuses. They begin to kiss but the tea kettle whistles and James gets up to give his grandmother a cup of tea.

Later that evening cut to the bedroom of the grandmother and we see a blanket and pillow on the floor, a knocked over lamp with 2-3 types of medications and she is lying on her back with one arm on a pillow and the other out to the side. Her eyes are open and she is dead.

Cut to Philly homicide where Vera, Jeffries and Rush are chit chatting and Vera gets interrupted by a telephone call. It’s a call about another Cold Cases for Lily. The guy on the other end of the telephone wants to report a murder that happened in 1989. He didn’t want to tell his name so Lily asked him what he wanted to tell her. He gave Lily a name, Krystal Hogan and that she was elderly and that at her age there was no defending herself. Lily asked her age and the caller responded she was almost 81. Lily wanted to know how he knew she was murdered. He responded that he did it and then he hung up

In the Cold Case file room Rush looks at boxes while Stillman ponders why a guy confesses to murder then won’t tell Lily his name. Lily speculates it could be a hoax and can’t seem to locate the box on the lady. Stillman thinks back to a 1987 job about a Dugan woman not Hogan. Lily finds a box but it’s not the right one. The name had been put thru the computer and Lily was waiting for some information. Jeffries comes in saying that guy is back on the line for her. Lily takes the phone and tells the caller that he had hung up on her last time. The caller replied that he was having second thoughts but now he didn‘t. Lily tells the caller she has no box on Krystal Hogan. The caller wants to know what that means. Lily states basically: no box, no body, no crime and says maybe he’s just a guy that likes to talk to police. The caller questioned that she didn’t believe him? (Stillman and Jeffries are listening to Lily talk to the caller) The caller tells Lily that he will tell her where the body is and gives Lily the address and states she is in the basement. Lily asks him if he wants to tell her his name? He hangs up.

Lily heads out to the neighborhood identified to be in Germantown.

We cut to the neighborhood now and then flashback to show as it looked. Lily knocks on the door (the address given by the caller) and asks if the current owner is Brad Meyer. He confirms. Lily identifies herself and Brad wants to know if someone called the cops on him. Then his wife Dana comes out. Since they were new to the neighborhood (about eight months) they directed her to the woman (Joan Meade) across the street. Lily goes to Joan who claims she knew her from 10-15 years ago and she describes Krystal as an old pistol. She explained how she moved in with her son and then the son and his wife died in a crash on the turnpike. The grandson was the only one left to take care of her. His name was James and just a teenager always riding around in his car.

Flashback to that time when James was younger in his red car stopping at the house to pick up his grandmother. He was impatient because he had a date and she wasn’t ready. He was too young to take care of his grandmother--it strained him and his lifestyle.

Back to present with Joan and Lily. Joan says Krystal then went missing in 1989-90. She said she wandered off and James put fliers all around the neighborhood.

Lily headed back across the street to Brad and Dana’s and explains there might be a body in their basement. Brad looked at his wife and said it was weird. There were movers down the block a few days ago and a worker came over to Brad and says he used to live in the house and wanted to come inside and look around. Brad thought it weird as he thought he’d want to see his old bedroom but he wanted to see the basement. He and Dana took Lily down to the basement and showed her around.-- his bar and stereo. She noticed the old coal shoot and asked him if he had poured those bricks. He said he didn’t.

Cut to a homicide team finding the remains there in the basement. Rush tells Stillman that the coroner identified the skeleton remains as a female (by the pelvis) and she has her teeth so that will get an id on her; the sutures on the skull were closed meaning she was elderly. Stillman acknowledges that the guy that called was for real. Lily says she hopes he calls back.

Back at homicide Rush, Jeffries and Stillman talk. Lily has the file for Krystal Hogan from October 1989. Jeffries says the grandson filed a report on a missing person and that an ABP was put out to search the morgue, hospital system and jail system. James didn’t tell too much and there were no other relatives. The file was marked dementia--pending more info but in 1994 James petitioned the court to have his grandmother declared dead. She had a $50,000 life insurance policy. Stillman didn’t think that was much but it would give motive and asked about the moving company--if James worked for one? Lily didn’t have a connection for that but Stillman thinks he’s the caller. Vera interrupted that the caller was on the telephone hoping to get a trace. The caller was upset that Lily referred to him as ‘liking to talk to police’. He didn’t want to be doing this if he didn’t have to. Lily told the caller she was just trying to do her job. Then there was a silence and she asked if he was still on the phone. Lily asked the caller if he was surprise that she knew his name. The caller hesitated and then said he guessed not. He wanted to know if she had found the body. Rush told him the best thing he could do was to come to the police headquarters. The caller then said he figured by now that they had to have found the body (Vera hands Lily the photo id from the Dept of Motor Vehicles on James, the caller). After Lily gets it she begins to talk to James about when having a dark mood turning to people you really don’t know because it seems safer. The caller said he didn’t want to talk. Lily then said it didn’t have to be her. She could get him anyone he wants. Lily then called him ‘James’ and asked why he killed his grandmother? Because she wasn’t a good grandmother? The caller responded that she was a good grandmother. Lily asked if he wanted to tell her why he did it. The caller told her she was making his head hurt. Lily suggested they hang up. She could give him her cell phone number and he could rest, collect his thoughts and then they could figure this out. He didn’t answer. Then Lily called him ‘James’ again and gave her the cell phone number: 555-0198. The caller hung up. Stillman thought what Lily did was risky. Lily thought she was losing him so she might be able to build trust this way. They reviewed the info on him that he had lost both his parents on the same night and then became responsible, at age 19, for an elderly grandmother with no other family. He was all alone in the world. Vera tracked his current address and handed it to Lily.

Rush and Vera head over to James’s apartment. The door was open and no one was home but it appeared he had left in a hurry since he had uneaten food prepared. Lily finds an old love letter from 1989 (fourteen years ago) from Sherry on his dresser. Lily wants to know why he cracks after 14 years. They think it’s his lifestyle. Working for slave wages, living alone, getting older and his self esteem is low.

Cut to the moving company to check out if they were in Germantown three days ago and James Hogan was on that crew. The boss said he was a heck of a worker. Has been working for them for full time almost three years. Lily wanted to know why he wasn’t at work today. Boss had given him the week off. He’s a good worker and never asks for time but he did ask so he gave it to him because of his work. They asked him if he knew if James ever talked about a girl named Sherry. He didn’t know. He said he wasn’t a George Clooney, though. Their conversation gets interrupted by Lily’s cell phone ring. It was James. He said he saw her at his apartment. Lily said so he was watching. James said that there was a cop out front and he couldn’t get back in. Lily told him that it wasn’t just his house that they were watching--that there was an APB out on him. James wanted to know what would happen to the body they found in the basement. Lily asked him what he wanted to have happen. He said he would like a service and bury her at the county cemetery. Lily said she didn’t think that would happen and James wanted to know why. Lily said that if next of kin doesn’t claim the body that the coroner has procedures. James wanted to know what procedures. Lily said she would probably be cremated and put in a box in a warehouse somewhere. Then she asked him if he wanted to come in to talk face to face. That way they could have a real funeral for his grandmother. James wanted to know if Lily ever really did get dark moods or if she was conning him. Lily said she wished she was conning him. Then she reassured him that he could talk to her. That didn’t he feel that? He affirmed. She urged for him to come in and talk. He asked about what. She said how about Sherry? He hung up. Vera was listening in and asked Lily if Sherry was a sore subject. Lily said off limits. Vera said maybe it was because she was no longer a Fox. Her last name is now Stephens.

[CC Fan]

PART 2

Vera and Rush go to Sherry’s house in an influential section of the city. She has married an OBGYN. They go in and talk. Sherry tells them there is no homicide that James’ grandmother went missing. Vera said it wasn’t a mistake and Lily wanted to know if she had seen James recently. Sherry said she hadn’t seen him in three years and that this all didn’t make sense. Vera said the two of them were involved. Sherry said he was her boyfriend that they lived together forever. Rush asked her if she broke up with him. Sherry explained how they had met at a bowling alley and that life was hers then but ten years later it wasn’t. Lily asked how long till she got married and Sherry told her one year. Vera thought that was quick. Sherry said it wasn’t when you are over thirty. Lily wanted to know if she was around when Krystal supposedly went missing. Sherry said not the exact day bit that she stayed over a lot. Vera wanted to know what that was like staying over with grandma around. Sherry said that it was mostly okay but others times not.

Cut to a flashback of Sherry at the house making out with James in the kitchen. They were interrupted by Krystal who came into the kitchen to give him a check for groceries. After grandmother left the room, James said that if grandmother didn’t like it there he could make other arrangements for her. Sherry say what James meant was that he would put her in a home not murder her. Vera wanted to confirm that Krystal was paying all the bills. Sherry said Krystal helped out when James was in a pinch. She wanted to know that he wasn’t in trouble but Lily said she couldn’t say so. As they leave the house Vera says Sherry outgrew James and Lily said that James must be pining for her all these years. She left James three years ago and Krystal died 14 years ago but Lily couldn’t understand why James was reaching out now.

Back at homicide headquarters Lily asked Jeffries if he would stop by social security for her. It took five years for James to have Krystal declared dead and six years for James to collect the life insurance. So the question was he picking up her benefit checks in the meantime. Also a subpoena was put out to check on Krystal’s bank accounts. Vera came in talking about when they ran James’ NCICPCIC that he was clean but they ran it again and found an assault charge under the name James Gable against half brother Lonnie Gable. James beat on Lonnie with a brick.

Rush and Vera go to Lonnie Gable (Hogan) and inquire why James is using his last name. He says it’s because he bought him his first car. But he told him not to use his last name. James is his little brother. Vera asks how he ended up with Krystal alone? Lonnie said he was in Baltimore working for a mortgage company when his mom died in the wreck so he went back but he didn’t want to move in but he told James to get live-in help for her. He didn’t want to force him since it was his grandmother not his. He thought the two got along pretty good. He lived near by and thought he could check on them but then they had a falling out over his girlfriend Sherry. He had invited them over for a barbeque and he saw how Sherry acted after James left to get her something at the store. She flirted intentionally. She asked him if he would take her away to New York. Then she propositioned him. So he got her out of his yard. James came back and he told him what happened (because he didn’t want Sherry lying to him). And then that’s when the assault happened on the back stoop he was fixing up. He decided not to press charges but just walk away and not look back. He said how fond James was of Krystal.

Back at homicide Jeffries tells Rush that Krystal’s benefit checks were $812/month. The checks show Krystals’ signature all before her death. The rest of the checks were dated after her death. They show the two signatures. The question is did Sherry sign the checks and possibly orchestrate the fraud or murder or both. If Lonnie says that James was so fond of Krystal and the checks come out to show Sherry was forging them……

Lily’s cell phone rings and it’s James. Before she answers she sees a telephone number appearing on the cell and asks Vera to run an id on it. James wanted to know what Sherry said to Rush. Rush told James if he was going to follow her that he should just come in to see her. He wanted to know. Lily told him cops get information, they don’t give it. James said he wasn’t following her. She insinuated that James might be hanging around Sherry’s house a lot. James didn’t want Lily to accuse him of that. Lily wanted James to help her understand. James said he wasn’t a stalker. Lily said that he went by when Lily was there and that’s all within three years? James said he was doing what he’s supposed to do--working that he’s not in trouble and that she can check. Lily said she did check and it was true. Lily wanted to know why James was flipping out today. He said he wanted to tell her that everything Sherry used to give him - he didn’t have anymore. Lily said that was a three year old problem. James wanted to know what Sherry said. Lily said Sherry was trying to protect him and didn’t think he had killed his grandmother. Lily said she was wondering if Sherry was really part of it. James said no. Lily said that she was finding out a lot of things like she signed Krystal’s checks and that was forgery. James said no that it was him. Lily said it looked like Sherry’s handwriting. And she told him according to her brother Sherry doesn’t have the reputation she claims. James called Lonnie a liar. Lily wanted to know that Sherry never said how great it would be to collect grandmother’s money and that she just got cash from James and never asked where it came from? James said Sherry did say things but she would say things she never meant.

Flashback to Sherry and James talking outside the house about how James takes care of things like his grandmother’s mai which is a way for the grandmother to show James money is available. Sherry says all grandma is really interested in is peace. James tells Sherry ’what good is money to a worn out bag of bones”

Back to Lily and the Jame phone call in the present: Lily tells James that Sherry manipulated him and that he needs to see that. James hangs up. Vera gets the telephone number where James called at the bus station.

They run to the bus station looking around then Lily’s cell phone rings. James is on the line and says that Lily’s been conning him. Lily says no. James says he can tell because he can see it on her face. Then Lily sees a telephone hanging off the receiver at the station. Vera tries to detain a man at a phone booth but Lily intervenes that it’s not him.

Cut back to homicide headquarters with Rush, Stillman and Jeffries.

Lily recaps what she thinks. James kills grandma so that he can afford to take Sherry to nicer places than bowling. But Sherry puts him up to it or does the deed herself. The autopsy shows no cause of death determined. Stillman wanted to know if Lily had heard from James. Lily says she hasn’t because he is tiffed at her because she bad mouthed Sherry. Lily hopes she didn’t over step herself because it’s been hours since they talked. Vera gets more information about Sherry--that she had four sets of parents all before she was eleven years old.

[CC Fan]

PART 3

She had been a runaway on the streets until she probably met James. She had a record of shop lifting. Lily says Sherry’s a survivor--finds James, a nineteen year old with a house, then moves up to a doctor on the mainline.. Lily has to leave for a pharmacy run for her mother because her sister hasn’t been around for a week. As she goes to leave Lonnie Gable (Hogan) catches her. His face has an abrasion. James jumped him at his car talking about Sherry. Lily told Lonnie he could press charges. Lonnie doesn’t want to do that. They had it out and they talked about James coming into homicide to talk to Lily. He wants James brought in safe. Lily assures him she is working hard to do that. Lonnie said he set it up. James has agreed to meet ‘alone’ with Lily.

Cut to Lily at Berks train station tracks. James walks out from behind a large pillar, a fence separates them. He asks if Lonnie is okay and Lily says he’s fair. James says Lonnie’s is such a jerk and that he shouldn’t have hurt him. Lily said he needs to control himself. James doesn’t understand why Lonnie keeps telling that lie about Sherry. Lily wants to know James current plan. James says he wants to turn himself in with one condition that Lily guarantee him that she leave Sherry alone as she is not a part of it. Lily tells him if it’s true he has her guarantee. James says ‘no’. Lily reminds him that every cop in Philly is looking for him and some are inexperienced. It’s best to go in now and be safe. James says it was a bad idea and begins to walk away. Lily asks James if he ever asked Sherry to marry him. He did but she had her reason why she wouldn’t. Lily said whatever her reasons, she quit him so why protect her now and she didn’t think Lonnie was lying about her. James said that Sherry believed in him now even more so since they have been apart. That she would never find someone that took care of her like James did--that even now he knows she believes in him. Lily wants to know why he believes in her, she’s gone? Lily tells him that Lonnie wasn’t lying the day he hit him with the brick and that he knows it too. And that Sherry didn’t love James. Lily tells James that ‘I’m your girl now.’ A train comes thru and when it passes James is gone.

Cut to homicide station with Lily and Vera. Sherry is coming in. Lily has new information about Sherry and doctors.

Cut to the questioning room with Rush, Vera and Sherry Stephens.

Lily wanted to know how Sherry met her husband. Sherry says he was her doctor. Lily pointed out where all her health care specialists are located mainly out in the suburbs 45 minutes from James and that all of them are male. Vera compares Sherry to James, a schlep. Sherry says how a man looks has never mattered to her. Rush says how good looking Lonnie is. Sherry says not with the scar. Vera and Rush wondered if she had any remorse for that scar Lonnie has. Vera and Rush told Sherry they had talked to Lonnie and he told them everything. Lily pulls out the letter from James apartment from Sherry written 14 years ago asking her why she said she was tense. Sherry didn’t remember since so much time had passed. Lily reads more from the letter: “Let’s move up in the world”. She stops and asks Sherry about that. Sherry said that was about her goals and trying to do well. Lily says she’s a driven person coming up in the world as she did. Sherry wonders what she would know about it. Lily explains how she came up in a really sound situation. Vera interjects that Sherry had a hard time and had to fight hard to get to the mainline. Lily asks if she had asked James to get rid of his grandmother in the letter they are looking at. Sherry said ‘no”. Vera wanted to know what she meant by asking him to read between the lines -that all grandma wanted was peace. Sherry said that she meant nothing and that she doesn’t even remember saying that. Vera presses her that she must have loved sharing a bathroom with an 81 year old woman. Sherry said that she liked Krystal. Rush recanted--but she was old and had lived a full life. Vera said grandma had her time now it was her time, eh? Lily said before she was a cop she worked as a board certified handwriting specialist. The check copy wasn’t Krystal’s signature and that it was Sherry signing Krystal’s name. Sherry told Lily she was wrong. Lily reminded Sherry that she was board certified.

Cut to Vera and Rush exiting interrogation room and they tell Stillman she went for the fraud but not the murder. Lily’s cell phone rings and it’s James. James says he is calling to say goodbye and hangs up.

Cut to outside grandma’s house in Germantown. James has taken over the house. Brad and Dana are outside, police surround the house. Rush, Stillman, & Jeffries show up. Lily talks to Brad and Dana and runs to Stillman asking to go to bat for her to let her go in and not to wait for swat.

Cut to Lily going inside the house where James is with a rifle. She calls out to him that she wants to enter the room but realizes he has a gun. He says he’s not going to hurt her. She says she knows that but he needs to put the gun down. She’ll show him her gun and then he can show his. They agree. He asks her to say his name again and she does. James says that Sherry would never call him that. He said she called him ‘darlin’ mostly. He wanted to hear Sherry say his name--he would ask but she would never say it because it made her feel awkward. He says he should have known back then about her. Lily said that Sherry was clever. James started to move and say he felt like he could really talk to her but Lily warned him to keep the gun down. James wondered if Lily liked talking to him and she said she did. James then said to Lily that he had done a bad thing.

Flashback to 14 years ago. Grandma was getting into bed for the night and he had given her water. There was conversation of being old. He told her to lay back and close her eyes and then he had a pillow in his hand. He stopped for a moment and then asked her to lift her head and he put the pillow under her head. As he was leaving the room Sherry met him at the doorway. She looked at him and told him it was for the best and then went into the bedroom and took a pillow and suffocated his grandmother.

Cut back to present with Lily and James standing in the basement of the house.

Lily told James he didn’t kill his grandmother. -Sherry did. James said it was all the same because he put her in the basement that he dumped her like potatoes. Lily said it was worse for him in his mind because he let it happen. What’s eating him is what he didn’t do. James breaks down saying he deserves to die for what he has done. Lily tells him that suicide isn’t the way. She wants to know why this all started up. Sherry left her three years ago and there was no trouble. James told her he wasn’t getting over things the way a person is suppose to. And last week was the final straw when his company had to do some moving just three doors down the street. He figured he would come and pay his last respects. And the guy lets him in to go downstairs to look and it’s a party place! The basement was a cheesy bar and his grandmother was underneath the whole time. And he put her there. He saw his face in the beer mirror and thought what a disgrace he was. Lily tells him he is not a disgrace but that he has regret and he is facing that night. James says who says that counts for anything. Lily tells him it’s up to him but it counts for her.

They come out of the house and he is taken into custody. We see Sherry getting finger printed. Lily and James are in the interrogation room and we see Krystal‘s ghost. When James comes out of the room Lonnie is there and James walks by. The scene fades with Lily looking at a picture of grandma at her desk at night. Vera takes the photo from her and puts it in the Cold Case box. Lily attends the grandmother’s funeral and James puts a pale rose on the casket.