Previously on American Rust...
[Jojo] Sometimes it's not about what you want,
but what you'll do to make some money
when you don't have it.
She's married, Billy.
You don't think I know that?
Just be careful.
[Lee] Alé, I don't think I'm coming home anytime soon.
I couldn't live with myself
if I just left here again.
Surprise.
What happened, it's my fault.
His life is worth a hell of a lot more than mine,
so I won't say a word to another soul.
But your interests are opposed.
I can work to help your brother
or I can work to help your friend Mr. Poe.
But I can't do both.
Someone's probably gonna have to take the blame for this.
For some fucked-up reason,
we think we don't deserve good things.
But we do.
[Harris] You're gonna get charged and arraigned.
There's a chance you make bail, but if you don't,
you could be headed to Farmington.
The oath we all took together was,
we do this for each other's cases.
The bad ones that got away.
Goddamn it, Chuck!
I left the force.
I broke my oath.
I'm here to collect on that debt, my friend.
You ready?
dramatic music
atmospheric music
What's the problem?
-No... - If there's a problem, tell me.
Call me conservative, but I do at least pretend to look
before slamming across a lane of traffic.
Yeah, well, it's the middle of the night.
Who drives out here in the middle of the night?
We're driving.
You missed me, huh?
-Deeply. - You could've done me
the courtesy of answering my fucking phone calls.
You were calling from an unknown number.
All it said was "Pittsburgh."
Keep in touch with a lot of people in Pittsburgh?
I don't keep in touch with you either.
I've been somewhat busy.
How busy can one be in Buell?
You'd be surprised.
You gonna tell me where we're going?
I'll tell you when we get there.
If I say I'm sorry, will you tell me what I'm gonna be
asked to do when we get there?
You know what my kid always says?
"Sorry doesn't work on me."
She's a smart kid. How's she doing?
Christina is unhappy about her parents' impending divorce.
Ah, shit. That I am sorry for.
She wanted me to go to couple's therapy,
and I said, "Over my dead body," she went and got a lawyer.
Well, maybe you should've gone to couple's therapy.
Yeah, well, fuck you, too.
Chuck, seriously, tell me--
So, what you got going on in Buell
that's keeping you so busy?
I'm training for a triathlon.
Del, I know you.
You're deep in something.
Let me help you.
It's what the brotherhood does for each other.
Hmm? You're standing in the middle of all the details,
all the little tiles.
You got to pull out to see the design.
The-the whole, uh, what they call that, the Buddhist thing?
-I don't know any Buddhists. - Mandala.
See the totality, what it all means.
I don't know any Buddhists either.
Talk to me.
Someone's pushing cocaine-and- fentanyl SweeTarts in my town.
-That's not nice. - Had some ODs.
Users who didn't know what they were snorting.
A surprise in every cereal box.
I think the, uh, fentanyl's coming from a legit source.
Doctor?
-Pharmacist. - Why?
Uh, he's kind of a friend of mine.
Ah, see, too close.
Well, I know he's been struggling.
The big chains are closing out small retail everywhere.
He needs cash.
I think he's getting pills back from customers.
Why you think that?
He lied to me about filling scripts
for fentanyl, said it's been ages.
Turns out he's still filling for at least one guy.
So he's got a buyback program.
More like a "I'm trying to wean myself off" program.
Mm, no.
-No? - I don't like it.
What do you mean?
Well, how much could he possibly be getting back that way?
You know? People are addicted to that shit.
I mean, maybe one or two want to come off it,
but most people want more.
Look, he's trying to make some real dollars
by supplying fentanyl to whoever's
mixing it with the coke. Yeah?
So he needs to be doing more than a piecemeal operation.
I think you got to shake your pharmacist's tree,
see what falls out, and then...
get yourself a new friend.
ominous music
I got to show you something.
Look at this. Can you believe this?
Look what happened to Barrow Tavern.
It's a fucking yoga studio.
You could probably meet some Buddhists in there.
I don't want to meet a Buddhist.
I want to meet my guy.
This is your guy that we're on our way to find?
Del, my friend...
do you remember Wisconsin?
I took care of something for you in Wisconsin.
That's right. You did.
I don't think you ever said thank you for that. Why?
-Chuck... - Just tell me. Why is that?
Thank you.
Man, you checked out. Ran away.
Went to your little village on the Mon
and forgot all about it.
Forgot about your oath. About us.
About the brotherhood.
I haven't forgotten; I think about it all the time.
Oh, do you?
You know the name Samuel Traven?
I don't.
Oh, I guess that happened right after you ran away.
Samuel Traven, junkie motherfucker,
sprayed some rival gang members
a half a block from an elementary school.
One kid dead, two homeboys,
and a little girl all shot up.
Leading up to the trial,
one by one the witnesses turned up dead.
No one left to testify.
Okay.
Traven was mine.
And then he ran away.
Searched for him for two fucking years. Nothing.
About five months back, I ran into the mother
over at the Giant Eagle.
She had the kid in a wheelchair.
She's a teenager now.
-Thin, brittle like a pretzel. - I'm sorry.
Stop being sorry.
Then I went back to work searching for Traven.
Guess what.
After eight years on the run,
he decides to rent a bedsit in Troy Hill.
He's back in Pittsburgh?
I'm fucking starving.
It's 1 a.m., Chuck.
I know a good place.
Let's grab a burger, and then we'll go where we're going.
tense music
Not too bad. Sort of nice.
Why don't you put that down, make yourself comfortable?
I don't do this that often.
Well...
You all right?
-Yeah. - Good.
Uh, you want anything? Uh...
-I'm-I'm okay. - Great.
I grew up on a farm.
-Oh, yeah? - Mm-hmm.
Where did you grow up?
Uh, small town.
Animals?
What?
Did you have animals?
Goats, chickens, cows?
W-We had a cat once.
Oh. Name?
-Of the cat? - Yeah.
Cocoa Puff.
Is it okay if I use the bathroom?
Oh, yeah. Of course.
hypnotic music
You gonna come out anytime soon? I might get lonely.
I, um, like to get paid up front.
Uh, that's not how I do things.
Don't worry. You'll get paid.
How about, um... take off your shirt?
No. Let me lead.
You can do that. Yes?
-I think so. - Good.
Undress.
Maybe I--
Let me lead.
Undress.
What's that?
I can't take it off, all right? I can't.
Anything else but. Okay?
Well, what is it?
My transcript. For school.
Yeah, I-I can handle that.
Take off your underwear.
Do you know how to low?
Excuse me?
Like in the Christmas carol.
The cattle are lowing
You know it?
-The song? - That's right.
The cattle
- Are lowing
The baby awakes
But the little Lord...
Can you, can you, can you low?
Is that like a moo? Like mooing?
Uh, I like lowing better. As a word.
Can you do that?
-No. Not yet.
Uh, uh, get, get on the bed on all fours.
Leave your socks on.
Good. That's good.
Um...
Uh, I'm a-a little calf.
I'm looking for my mother.
I'm very hungry.
intriguing music
Low.
Little louder.
Good. Again.
Darling, you send me...
So you got a woman in Buell?
Possibly.
Yeah, whatever happened to that lady?
What lady?
The one in Shadyside, back in the day. With the legs.
-Sarah. - Yeah, Sarah.
She was something to look at.
Yeah, she wasn't crazy about driving on weekends
to a shack in the woods.
Heard she moved to Arizona.
Thinking maybe, at this point, I should've moved with her.
I would've flown out anyway, found you.
Honest, you do...
Mmm, so good. I'm happy to be here with you.
-Cut the shit. - No, I am.
Truly.
you, me and my whale.
What are you talking about?
The waiter? That's our guy.
To marry you and take you home
Whoa-oh
- You -Thank you.
Send me
I know you...
Do you even like the burgers here?
A little dry.
-Are you sure it's him? - Of course I am.
What do you know about him?
I know what he did, and he knows what he did.
And that's all you need to know.
They close for a few hours every night.
The cook leaves early.
And right before 2 a.m.,
our boy'll take the garbage out.
Behind the building, no windows, no direct view from the street.
And no one will be back until five.
Hey, Chuck, this doesn't have to happen now.
It sure as fuck does.
-Why? - Because I can't let him
disappear again.
The mother I saw wants justice,
any way she can get it.
Whenever you kiss me
Mm-hmm...
-Do you know what I believe in? - The American flag?
This is important, so shut the fuck up.
When our city was going to shit,
the squad formed the brotherhood.
We took an oath to each other.
You took an oath.
We take care of business with the ones who get away.
I can't let you not do this.
We delivered for you.
Now the bill has come due.
No more running.
I'm still living with this every single day.
Honest, you do
Whoa, I know
You
I know, I know, I know when you hold me...
There's a nine-millimeter with no history
parked beneath your seat.
Reach down between your legs and pick it up.
Do it.
tense fiddle music
You are here to settle a debt.
That's all.
Well, I'm stuffed.
I got to walk it off.
And maybe shut my eyes
in the car for a few before we go.
Cupid, draw back your bow
And let your arrow go
Straight to my lover's heart
For me, for me
Cupid, please hear my cry
Thank you.
contemplative music
Hey, you can roll. I got it from here.
Good, good. I'll catch you Friday.
All right, bet.
-Heat that up for you? - No, I'm good.
Just the check.
He stuck you with the bill, huh?
He's been in here, like, every night this month.
Well, he's going through a thing. Difficult time.
This is better than spending the night at home. You know?
Do I know difficult times?
Sure.
Yeah, I know difficult times.
Whenever you're ready.
How long you been working here?
Ah, about a year.
It's a good gig.
I'm a musician, so...
late nights don't bother me.
Guitar?
Drums.
suspenseful music
I won't do it.
Excuse me?
I won't do it. I'll deal with the consequences.
You promised this. You gave your word.
-Chuck... - I've been counting on you.
I've been looking for him so I could come find you.
-I'm not a part of this anymore. - Yeah, well, I'm part of it!
-You gave me your word. - Come on, Chuck.
Goddamn it! Fuck.
Hey, man, sorry. We're closed.
haunting music
atmospheric music
Not gonna eat your bacon?
Not this morning.
The eggs were delicious.
You're missing the best part.
My mom used to save the bacon grease
and cook our eggs in that.
Now, that was something good.
Your parents are in New York?
Spain mostly. Zaragoza.
But they go back and forth.
That's a hell of a commute.
I suppose so.
It's nice to know that family- owned businesses still exist.
That is a good way of putting it, Mr. English.
Henry.
Okay, Henry.
A family business.
The vineyards are very important to
all of us, including... to your daughter now.
-Dad, do you want some coffee? No.
I'm all jacked up already.
So how do you keep working at the--
thank you-- winery when you're here?
Well, my sister and I handle all of the distribution
in the States.
Outside of Spain, this is our biggest market.
I'll get it. - I got it.
Sit, sit.
Talk with me.
I hope it's not someone coming to fuck around again
-with my house.
Yes.
Hey. - Hey.
Look at you. Thanks for coming.
You sure you're ready for this?
Yeah.
How you holding up?
I'm fine, thanks.
You sure? I feel all kinds of screwed up,
and I'm just Billy's friend.
He's just my friend, too.
Right.
I really thought we'd seen the worst of it
with that guy from Donora,
-but it just-- -[Alejandro] Todo bien?
Sí, mi amor.
Alé, this is Christy.
Christy, this is Alejandro, my husband.
-Oh, my God. - It's so good to meet you.
-Oh, my God. - Okay.
-Let's come inside. - Okay.
-After you. - Thanks.
Dad, you remember my friend Christy.
Hey, Mr. English.
Didn't you get drunk once
and puke purple all over my sofa?
At least you remember me.
People grow. People change. Thank God for that.
What's with the getup?
I'm a home health aide.
You're a what?
I've got a certificate and some pretty great references
if you want to check up on me.
We're just gonna try this out for today, Dad.
Actually, let me take that back.
Most of the people I've worked with, they're dead now.
It's not my fault. It's just part of the job.
But all you need to know, Mr. English, is
I can kick your ass at checkers,
I'm weirdly strong in spite of my size,
and I make the meanest fucking cheese cornbread
north of West Virginia.
somber music
So many shops are boarded up.
Was it always like this?
Kind of. I don't even remember anymore.
-I know you're upset with me...
for coming without asking you first.
I'm not.
It's good to see you.
It's also just a little hard.
What part of seeing your husband is hard?
You in this place,
when everything here is so fucked-up.
For my brother, for my friend, my dad.
You don't have to be ashamed of where you came from.
-Okay. That's not-- - This friend.
-Um, Billy? - Yeah.
He's the same one you used to date in high school, yes?
Yes.
And he's the one who's been, um,
helping out around the house?
He and Isaac are friends.
They got pretty close the last few years,
so my dad's comfortable around him.
Made it an easy solve for the last few days.
Good.
I got a payday loan
for a couple of weeks of work,
and my husband scraped together a couple of hundred dollars,
but, if it gets to it,
-I can make him sell the truck. - Good.
And we can probably jack it up to 2,500.
-I understand. - Is that gonna be enough?
That's what we'll be talking to the judge about.
So what's bail at normally for something like-like this?
It really depends.
I have yet to sit down with my client.
The best thing you can do right now is
let me discuss the situation with him,
before we need to stand before the judge.
That's the best thing for your son.
Please do whatever you can.
He's-he's got a good heart.
I don't doubt that. Go on in.
I'll see you in the courtroom.
Billy. Rachel Walton.
I've got two minutes to get to know you
and your case before we go in there.
You're being charged with criminal homicide, first-degree.
I don't know if the D.A. really believes that,
or if it's a move to get us to plead it down.
That's for later.
Peter Novick. You knew him?
Heard you were a talker.
Not to you.
Why is that?
-Not interested. - Not interested in what?
You understand I've been appointed
to serve as your lawyer?
I don't want a lawyer.
You want to represent yourself?
No.
I don't want anyone to represent me.
You going to tell me why that is?
You're protecting somebody.
I'm done talking.
You're gonna have to talk to the judge in there.
They're ready for you.
This is really happening.
We go in there, you plead not guilty.
That's all you have to say. Okay?
Do you want to practice?
Ms. Walton?
Just say the words.
Not guilty.
All rise. The Honorable Judge Paronne is now presiding.
You may be seated.
The Court calls William Poe.
slow, tense music
William Poe,
you are charged by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
with criminal homicide, murder in the first degree.
Have you had a chance to discuss this with your lawyer?
We have spoken, Your Honor.
Do you understand the charge against you?
Mr. Poe?
If I may, Your Honor.
I believe my client does understand the charge.
We've just consulted about this.
William Poe, how do you plead?
tense music
Mr. Poe, I need an answer.
Billy, come on.
My client pleads not guilty, Your Honor.
I need to hear it from your client.
-Please stop.
What is he doing?
If you tell them you're guilty, your life is over.
You can never take that back.
Say it.
Not guilty.
People on bail?
Your Honor, we ask that bail be denied.
On what grounds?
From what I've seen, the evidence against my client
is either circumstantial or reliant on one witness
whose name nobody knows.
We are not at trial, Your Honor.
I will not engage in an argument
-about the merits of this case. - What merits?
This is a violent, repeat offender.
Of a misdemeanor bar fight.
Mr. Poe pled guilty to beating a young man with a deadly weapon
-into a comatose state. - A piece of wood.
Defendant is impulsive, violent,
-a repeat offender... - Objection.
...and, for the sake of public safety,
we ask that he be placed
at Farmington Tri-County Prison to await trial.
Your Honor, I ask
that the district attorney's statement
be stricken from the record.
My client pled guilty to a misdemeanor seven months ago.
That does not remotely qualify as a repeat offender.
Denied.
Exception.
Noted.
As for the Tri-County Prison,
that is a mixed-population facility
housing convicted felons and those awaiting trial
for the most violent of crimes.
Your client has been charged with the most violent of crimes.
Billy Poe has lived in the town of Buell
with his mother his entire life.
He is not by any stretch a flight risk,
and if for some reason you are worried he is,
you can ankle monitor him.
I know what I can and can't do.
His parents have scraped together
every last dime they could find to ensure that.
All right, enough.
The district attorney hasn't even mentioned the fact
that if the defendant has committed the crime
for which he is charged,
it would constitute a violation of his probation.
Excuse me?
Go check your calendar.
I'm with the D.A. on this.
Bail is denied.
Next case.
Keep to yourself. Speak to no one.
You'll be all right.
Billy. Billy.
Billy, look at me.
tense music
Hey, Billy. Billy.
Turn around, face me.
Keep your hands down.
Okay, he's good, he's good, he's secure.
Del, your phone's been off all day.
Um, Billy didn't make bail.
And they sent him to prison,
the mixed one. I, uh...
I can't remember the name of it.
The-the dangerous one.
And now I'm really worried about him,
and I got all this cash, 'cause we were trying to post bail,
and I'm just trying to figure out what the hell happened.
And I didn't even get to talk to him before he was gone.
And so...
Um...
Um, can you just please call me, if you can?
Just, um...
call me and just let me know everything's gonna be okay.
Grace!
Over here!
Come on, baby, get in the car!
Go ahead.
Hey there, Lee.
-Grace. - Hi.
Hi.
I'm sorry about what happened in there.
Yeah, me, too. Who's this?
Oh. Grace, this is my husband Alejandro.
Alejandro, this is Grace, Billy's mother.
I am very sorry.
Such a handsome man.
Do you guys mind if I ride back to town with you?
Of course not.
Please.
Such a gentleman.
Watch your feet.
It's nice you let her drive.
Men in my life never do.
Well, if I knew my way around, I might insist.
Where'd you two meet?
We met at Yale.
Oh. Wow.
We had a philosophy course together,
and I was just smitten.
You know, my mother used to say
that's what college seemed good for,
getting your M.R.S.
And you did it. Good girl.
-That's not really why-- - Well, it's me
who you should be congratulating.
Uh, she was the smartest one in class.
I always knew you'd make it out.
I had a feeling about her.
All those years, I was used to girls sneaking out
of Billy's room in the middle of the night,
but never her.
She would just walk out,
say hi, make coffee.
So confident.
-Grace, I-- - You were so confident.
I really respected that about you.
Where did all that confidence go?
Where did it go?
-I'm not sure I-I understand. - Let's not--
It's just that she and Billy have been spending
a lot of time together this past week,
and I kind of got the feeling she was trying to hide it.
She'd never have done that in the past.
I mean, she was always so confident about her choices,
but maybe not anymore.
That's all I'm saying.
Anybody mind if I smoke in here?
Jesus.
The car?
-It's fine. - Did that just happen?
Sort of.
Who did it?
No clue.
Thanks for the ride.
slow, tense music
somber piano music
When were you going to tell me?
Alé.
"Isaac's friend."
He's not just Isaac's friend.
-He actually is Isaac's-- - He's your ex.
And, according to his mother, maybe not so "ex."
Grace is in a lot of pain.
I understand that.
It doesn't explain why she said what she said.
She was trying to hurt me.
That's not fair.
Don't you dare say that about my--
Alé.
Alé, stop.
You had me sit in that room with all-all those people.
-Do-do they all know? - What?
What happened in court today
didn't have anything to do with you.
Does your friend Christy know? Your father?
I don't know.
Why don't you go inside and ask them?
If we go inside,
you're going to tell me what you did?
You're really upset, Alé.
Alé, please.
It's gonna be okay.
tense music
Get out of the car.
Alé, come on.
Get out.
What, you're just gonna drive away?
Please don't do this!
Dad?
In here.
-Is everything okay? - Sure.
I haven't been up in a while.
-Wanted to check it out.
Lift works.
Thank you for that.
You're welcome.
I'll tell your husband thank you, too.
Found these old photos
from the couple of weeks we spent at the lake that summer.
And this.
What is it?
You want to check it out?
Go ahead, pop it in.
Here. Here. Come on.
Come on. Let's go.
-Come here.
Come on. Let's go.
Come on.
-No! - Let's go.
[Henry] Isaac, go, go, go, go, go, go, go.
-[Ana] Go, Isaac, go! - Kick it in. Kick it in.
-[young Lee] No! -[Ana] Oh! Yay!
Yeah!
That's cheating!
-[Henry] No cheating.
-Yes, that is. - That's what you do in soccer.
You're too good.
I got it. Yeah.
I got it. I got it. I got it.
-Do you want a sandwich? - I got it.
-I got it. -[Henry] Mmm. Hungry.
somber music
Come on, LeeAnn.
Yeah. Good.
Way to go. Way to go.
You did it.
-You did it, girl. -[Henry] All right, darling.
You did it.
I know.
I'm gonna unlock you from the van,
and you're gonna step out.
Any other movement will be seen and treated
as an act of aggression.
intense music
South yard, south yard.
You have ten minutes to wrap up your game...
William Poe?
I'm gonna go through your wallet, okay?
You got $18 here.
Sound right to you?
Yeah.
You'll get it back when you're done here.
Poe, open your mouth and lift your tongue.
Turn around.
Show me the soles of your feet.
Bend over.
Spread your cheeks.
Cough.
tense music
Hey, pretty boy.
Yeah, you.
You're my kind of guy, man, I like you.
Brought you a new friend.
Lights out in five.
I'm so sorry.
Where you been?
intriguing music
What happened to you?
somber guitar music
"Downtown's Lights" by Waxahatchee
Church bells are ringin'
And the church bells, they cried
The church bells sang inside my heart
The night before she died
Jesus came to me
He put a song into my ear
Said, "Let it fall right out your mouth
For the whole wide world to hear"
And so I opened wide
And out came a tide
And I let them know
What to follow
And I cried, "Mother Sister
Won't you comfort me?
Downtown's locked up
For the night
And I don't have a key"