Previously on Medium.
Who might this be?
Looks familiar.
He and his friend raped a young girl.
Sliced her open, took her apart.
Dr. Charles "The Butcher" Walker
of Wichita.
Wanted dead or alive for the maniacal
evisceration of three unmarried daughters
from the Great Plains.
He was captured and lynched by an angry mob
in 1902-- pretty good match, right?
1934: Dr. Eric Lorenz murdered a 16-year-old patient
who was complaining of swollen tonsils.
He said he heard voices.
1950, Dr. Kevin Diebold
raped and murdered a 12-year-old patient while
her mother and two brothers sat in the waiting room.
He said he heard a voice.
Interesting.
In 1960, Dr. Peter...
Shonry raped and murdered a 13-year-old
in a public health clinic in Detroit.
There's another one in 1977.
You killed her in '91.
Seems like every 15 years or so, someone hears a voice
and a young girl dies.
( muffled whimpering )
Ladies.
If you'll kindly
take a seat in the waiting room,
the doctor and I will finish up and be with you shortly.
There you go, Mrs. Jorgensen.
I trimmed the fat off just the way you like.
Thank you, dear.
See you next week.
Okay.
Number 74.
Here.
What can I do you for, sir?
What's fresh today?
The veal cutlets are awfully nice.
Actually, I was looking for something a little more exotic.
Hmm. Something exotic...
How about these?
They're perfect for frying.
Nice.
How much would you recommend per person?
As an appetizer, I mean.
A quarter pound each should do it.
Make it half a pound.
I'm entertaining a lady friend.
Something in mind for a main course?
I'm not sure yet, but I want it to be special.
We might have just the thing for you, sir.
Oh, yeah.
That's perfect.
My gal's gonna love that.
Isn't that right, love?
Isn't that right... Allison?
You doing okay?
I just nodded off for a second.
It was him again.
He's back. I know it.
Allison, I need you to focus on what's happening right here,
right now.
You're right.
Did the district attorney's office call?
Did Devalos call?
Yeah. He said he felt terrible about it.
He said he... he wished you could understand.
But he said there's nothing he can really do.
At least not tonight.
Of course.
Right. Uh...
Well, in that case, I think we should get this over with.
Pursuant to the penal code of the state of Arizona...
...you're under arrest
for assault with intent to cause bodily injury.
( camera clicking )
If it were any other day,
we could get you arraigned and out of here.
Well, next time I decide to assault somebody,
I'll make sure it's not on a Sunday.
Look, I'll stall as long as I can, but sooner or later,
they're gonna want to take you downstairs
and put you in a holding cell for the night.
Have you heard from my husband?
Yeah. The officer who dropped your daughter off
said he was trying to get someone
to watch the girls.
He should be coming through the door
any minute.
JOE: Hey, I need your help.
I need you to listen to this young woman.
I need you to do what she says,
go to bed when she tells you to. But...
And most of all, I need you to not fight with your sister.
But...
Ah-ah.
Okay?
Now listen.
If I'm still not here by the time
you wake up, then I need you to do
whatever Kim tells you to.
Go to school and know that by the time you come home,
Mommy or me or both of us will be here.
Okay?
But I don't want Mommy to be in jail.
KIM: Mrs. Dubois is in jail?
What did she do?
Nothing. It's just, it's all a misunderstanding.
Ah... okay, so you got my cell phone number.
With any luck, I'll be home in a couple hours.
( knocking on door )
Morning, Mommy. Morning, Daddy.
What's all this?
I made coffee.
Two percent and sugar for you...
and black for you.
I find this very frightening.
Enjoy!
JOE: Would you look at that.
The troops are feeding themselves.
I made our lunches, too,
and checked Bridgette's homework for her.
Mm! Wow! Thank you.
Do you want a waffle?
Okay, what's going on?
It's not my birthday, it's not Father's Day...
She's buttering you up.
Am not.
That's okay, I like butter. Butter away.
Unless you're looking for another advance
on your allowance.
It's not that.
Can I go to the movies this Saturday
with some friends from school?
Uh, depends.
Depends on what?
On the movie; the friends.
Well, I don't know what movie yet.
Do you know what friends yet?
Her boyfriend, Todd Gromada.
He's not my boyfriend.
But he did ask me to go with him and his friends.
Girls, too.
Honey... we talked about this.
If there are no parents there,
then your mom and I need to know who the kids are.
I'm trying to tell you who they are.
And that means that one or both of us
need to actually have met them.
Which means actually laid eyes on them,
talked to their parents, that kind of thing.
But he's really nice, Dad.
You'll like him.
His mom died when he was little, and his dad's a doctor.
I'm sure he is very nice, sweetie,
but that's not the point.
Yeah, and he's 14.
Fourteen?
I guess. He's in the eighth grade.
Eighth grade? No.
No way are you going to the movies with a 14-year-old
and a bunch of his friends.
But, Dad, he asked me.
No. Uh-uh. It's not gonna happen.
But, Dad...
I expect you to back me up on this.
14? Absolutely. God!
She's gonna come to you next, so we need to be on the same page.
How old were you when your parents
started letting you do stuff like meet boys at the mall?
I don't know. About Ariel's age.
Wrong answer.
Oh, my gosh.
If Todd Gromada had asked me to go to the movies
and my parents said no, I don't know what I would do.
I know.
Have you told Todd you can't go yet?
No. It's so embarrassing.
He's never gonna talk to me again.
( bell rings )
Um, excuse me, sir.
Is this where the history books are?
Some of them.
What time period would you be interested in?
I'm doing a report on women in the pioneer days.
Women in the pioneer days!
Well...
lucky for you, that is a particular interest of mine.
She'll be arraigned first thing tomorrow.
Soon as you post bail, you can take her home.
Okay, that's a relief.
Is there any way that I can see her tonight?
Absolutely. She's right in here.
How are the girls? They miss you.
They want you home.
Even Ariel?
Of course.
I still can't understand why she took off like that.
I've never been so scared.
I was sure something horrible had happened to her.
I know, I know, I know.
It's okay.
You just overreacted, that's all.
SCANLON: Sorry to interrupt.
It's time to go downstairs.
What... Hold on a second.
Just wait a second.
I mean, there's got to be some way around this.
I mean, you know her.
After all that she's done for you people.
You know her. I wish there were.
Maybe in the morning.
In the morning?
Okay, look, it's fine.
It's gonna be 12 or 14 hours.
I'll be fine.
Well, I'm gonna wait right here.
That would be silly.
Joe, go home, be with the girls.
I love you.
Hey, Ariel.
Hi, Todd.
So, what's up?
Nothing.
TEACHER: Shh!
So you coming Saturday?
Um... I can't.
How come?
I-I just can't.
On Sunday...
...my dad said I could have some people over
to swim and stuff.
Maybe you could drop by, or whatever.
Maybe, yeah.
Look, if you don't want to come...
I do, I...
I just...
( boy scoffs )
Have to ask your mommy.
Shut up, dude.
Look at her, she's like 12.
Come on, Todd, let's go.
See you around.
WALKER: Oh my goodness
how tragic
Sorry, I know it's none of my business,
but I couldn't help overhearing.
He's sweet on you, you know.
He is-- a fellow can tell.
It doesn't matter.
I can't see him outside of school.
My parents won't let me go anywhere, do anything.
Yeah, parents are funny like that.
Especially nowadays.
It's like they don't want
their children to grow up.
Didn't used to be like that.
Like in the pioneer days...
...a girl your age would be
practically old enough to get married.
You know that Juliet was only 13.
Really? 13?
The word "teenager" didn't even exist
until 50 or 60 years ago.
It was only invented to help parents prolong childhood
for as long as possible.
My point is... you know that
you're mature and responsible,
even if your parents haven't caught on yet.
They don't need to know all your business.
There's no harm keeping things from them
that they'd rather not hear, like, say...
where you're really going when there's a boy you want to see.
But I can't lie.
So do you want to go to this boy's on Sunday or what?
( water faucet running )
It's a little cold in here, Doctor.
Come on now.
Have you seen her? Have you looked at her?
This is the greatest moment of your life.
Is this going to hurt, Doctor?
She wants some doctoring, my friend.
She needs some doctoring.
Don't keep the young woman waiting, she's cold.
They're lovely when they're cold.
Little river of blood
making its way across her flushed skin.
Really... this is going to be
the greatest moment of your life.
A nice clean cut, mate.
Remember...
this is the greatest moment of your life.
( woman screams )
( gasps )
( jaunty swing music plays over speaker )
MAN ( on TV ): On the golden sands of Miami Beach...
JOE: Hey, honey, hold still...
But I can't see the TV.
( to himself ): Who designs these things?
What is a Puca,
and why does it have a shell?
MAN ( on TV ): Little does he realize that many miles away...
Okay, there we go.
All right.
Yeah, that looks nice.
Anything?
Mm... no, doesn't seem to be.
So maybe it was just a dream.
Maybe.
Hi, Mom.
Hi, Dad.
Am I imagining things,
or is our daughter speaking to us again?
I'm not mad anymore.
It's no big deal.
I'd rather hang out with my friends, anyway.
Really?
Hannah invited Celeste and me
over to her house on Sunday afternoon.
Sounds like fun.
JOE: Do you need anyone to drop you off
or anything?
I think Hannah's mom said that she would pick us up--
but I'll check.
"Table."
BRIDGETTE: Table.
T-a-b... l-e.
Excellent spelling, middle child.
BRIDGETTE: Hey, look.
That's Ariel's boyfriend behind us.
He's not my boyfriend.
BRIDGETTE: His license plate almost spells "doctor."
I wonder if he knows that he spelled it wrong.
It's on purpose, doofus.
Todd's dad is a doctor.
Well, then how come he doesn't know how to spell it?
Forget it.
Okay, okay.
Good-bye, my beautiful girls.
Okay.
BRIDGETTE: Bye!
Bye, kittens.
Bye-bye.
( car doors closing )
( cell door clanks shut )
( lock buzzes )
You want to be careful not to put
anything other than paper down the toilet.
They back up all the time,
and there'll be nobody here to fix it
until 10:00 tomorrow morning.
He was just sitting right there in the car.
Well, now you're contradicting yourself.
I'm not contradicting myself.
He was right there, then he was gone.
But he was definitely there.
Okay. Fine, he was there.
So what do you want to do?
Well, jeepers, Pa,
what do you want to do?
JOE: Hey, I'm just trying to be practical.
It seems to me we've already done it.
We've forbidden Ariel from seeing this boy,
so presumably she's not going to have any contact
with his father, right?
And if your thesis here
is that this guy's Walker's next cipher,
that this guy's somehow in the market
for some young girl to cut up...
then the key is to make sure
Ariel has no contact with him.
What about all the other girls
he does have contact with?
Do we just sit around and let this guy set a trap
for someone else's daughter?
Huh? And what about Dr. Gromada?
Are we just going to let him be tortured, day in and day out,
hearing some voice in his head urging him to kill?
What am I supposed to do, Joe?
Just sit around and wait for it to happen?
Allison...
I don't understand
how can you dismiss this so easily.
Hey, I'm not dismissing anything.
But don't you find it monumentally coincidental
that of all the doctors in the world,
the one that Walker chooses
happens to be the father of a boy
our daughter has a crush on?
'Cause I do-- I find that monumentally coincidental.
So I'm asking you to consider the slim possibility--
before we turn our neighbors in to the police based on theories
that are difficult, if not impossible to prove;
before we embarrass our daughter
in front of her friends,
before we label respected members of the community
as future child murderers--
that perhaps you've taken a dream you had
about a case from a year ago
and mixed it up with the anxiety you're having
about your oldest daughter wanting to begin dating boys,
and projected that onto the boy's father.
Hi, Todd.
Hey, Ariel.
So are you still having people over on Sunday?
'Cause... maybe if you were, I'd come.
Yeah, it's still on; come.
Cool.
So, where do you live?
Out by Lakewood.
It's the big pinkish house on Hyacinth.
Yeah, okay. I'll find it.
Cool.
See you there, okay?
See you.
Did he say Lakewood?
That's, like, all the way across town
from where you live.
How are you even going to get there?
I don't know.
I haven't figured that out yet.
( school bell rings )
( kids chatting, laughing and shouting in distance )
( clears throat )
You having a problem?
Uh... no, my car just conked out
while I was waiting.
Well, I can take a look, if you want.
Not that I'm an expert or anything.
Oh, that would be great.
I can use any help I can get.
I'm Allison; I'm Ariel Dubois' mom.
Jim-- I'm Todd Gromada's dad.
Well, I appreciate it, Jim.
It's funny, this little voice in my head this morning
told me I should take this car in to get serviced.
Oh, yeah?
You know that little voice in your head sometimes
people talk about?
Your battery contacts are pretty dirty,
but that shouldn't cause it to just stop.
You don't think I'm crazy, do you,
talking about a little voice?
Excuse me?
You just said something; I wasn't really listening.
That's okay.
Sometimes it's hard to hear what people say
when you have a voice in your head trying to talk to you, too.
I'm sorry. I'm not sure I know what you're talking about.
Nothing. I'm just... rambling.
( rock music blaring )
Excuse me, do you know Ariel?
Do-Do any of you know Ariel-- Ariel Dubois?
Is she here?
I don't know. Out back by the pool or something.
( rock music blaring )
( indistinct chatter )
Ariel?
Ariel!
( screaming ): Ariel!
Mrs. Dubois?
Here's your problem.
Your coil cable was loose.
( engine starting )
Voila!
BRIDGETTE: Hey, Mom.
Hi, Mom.
Um, can I put this in the car?
I'm walking home with Hannah,
and I don't want to have to carry it.
Are you Ariel?
I'm Dr. Gromada, Todd's dad.
Get in the car.
Mom, this is my friend Todd's dad.
Is everything all right?
( firmly ): Get in the car.
Mom, I'm walking home.
Not today.
Thank you for your help.
I think I have everything under control now.
Are you sure?
I-I feel like...
Have I done something to upset you?
Hey, Air.
Hey, Dad.
What's going on?
I have no idea.
WALKER: Sounds like she made quite a scene, your mum.
ARIEL: I hate her.
And my dad's pretty mad at her, too.
Have you seen Todd since it happened?
Once, in the hallway, but he pretended not to see me.
Well, you can explain when you see him on Sunday.
I'm not going to see him on Sunday.
I can't go, not after what happened.
You have to go.
Especially after what happened.
( sighs )
I thought you liked him.
I know he likes you.
Listen to me.
You can't leave it like this.
You'll never forgive yourself.
You don't understand.
Even if I wanted to go, I have no way of getting there.
Ride your bike.
Too far.
What about the bus?
By myself?
Do you have any girlfriends that live close to Todd?
I don't know.
Maybe Celeste.
But what good does that do?
What's up? Where are you going?
Don't get up.
It's Sunday. It's fine.
Um, Ariel wants me to run her over to Celeste's.
Okay.
Well, she gonna come in and say good-bye?
It's okay.
She's already in the car.
Just let it go, huh?
She'll get over it.
Just give her some time, yeah?
( sighs )
( laundry basket thuds )
The girls and I are going to the car wash.
It's going to be very exciting.
You sure you don't want to join us?
Nah.
It's a tough ticket, but I know people.
I think I can get you in.
Think I'll pass.
I don't think my fragile constitution could handle it.
Oh, what time is Ariel due back?
I told her I'd pick her up at 4:00.
All right, well, if you're in a jam,
let me know-- I can pick her up.
Al, it's 2:00. I'm going to the carwash.
I should be back in 45 minutes.
Okay.
All right.
Mm-hmm.
( phone ringing )
I'm coming, I'm coming.
Hello.
WALKER: Is Ariel Dubois at home?
May I ask who's calling?
A friend.
No. I'm sorry.
She's not home right now.
I see.
Do you happen to know where she is?
No. I'm sorry, I don't.
Oh. I do.
( click, then dial tone )
( phone beeps off )
( phone beeps on )
( keypad beeping )
( phone line ringing )
Hi. Hello? Hi.
This is Allison Dubois. I'm Ariel's mother.
Hi, Celeste. Listen, I need to speak with Ariel.
What do you mean she's not there?
TODD: We have, uh, diet stuff.
Juice, milk, whatever you want.
I don't know. Water, I guess.
So, I didn't think you were really gonna come.
Yeah, well, I'm sorry about that thing with my mom.
She can kind of be out there sometimes.
( doorbell rings )
I better get that, but don't go anywhere, okay?
Okay.
( rock music blaring )
WALKER: Ariel...
Oh... hi.
What-What are you doing here?
Never mind that.
We've got a problem.
Your mother's on her way.
What? My mom?
This way.
♪ ♪
Come on!
( thud )
Dad!
( tires squealing )
( brakes squeak )
( Allison panting )
Where's Ariel?
Where... Where is Ariel?
Uh, out back by the pool...
Ariel!
( indistinct chatter )
Ariel!
Ariel?
( screams ): Ariel!
( guttural grunting )
Hey...
( Dr. Gromada groaning, Allison grunting )
ARIEL: Mom!
Mom, Mom, stop it!
( Allison screaming )
Mom, stop it!
( screaming )
( door slamming )
WALKER: Isn't God the most inspired architect?
Look at that.
She knows it, too.
She knows she's a work of divine genius.
What she doesn't understand is
just how short-lived her divinity is.
14, 15, 16--
those years--
they're like the first days of spring.
Look at her.
She's in her early May, I'd say.
That's the ticket.
Now invite her to join you in the back.
Perhaps she wants to play doctor.
MAN ( over P.A. ): Attention shoppers, it's ten minutes to 11:00,
and that means the Sunfair Market
will be closing in ten minutes.
( gasps )
Comes the dawn.
Finally figured it out, eh?
Yeah.
Yes.
It's the butcher.
Let you in on a secret.
I'm not at all sure how I feel about this 21st century.
The girls I want to ravage,
seems they only want to go to female physicians.
No matter how long or loud I whisper to a female physician--
well, suffice it to say
listening is not something they seem much interested in.
Maybe it's what you're whispering.
Maybe.
No accounting for taste.
Nonetheless... clearly, it's incumbent upon me
to adapt or die.
Well, not die.
Anyway, I've been whispering
in my butcher friend's ear for months.
When I first found him,
I thought I could talk him into going to medical school,
but he really doesn't have the book smarts
to become a physician.
Just sensitive and suggestible in the ways that matter most.
And he's good with his hands.
Skilled with a blade.
The truly important things.
It was never gonna be Todd's father, was it?
I sensed you were onto me--
you and your dreams of butchers and fresh, frozen females.
Had to do something to throw you off the scent.
And what a brilliant stroke of luck.
Your little girl's sweetheart has a father who is a doctor.
I hate you!
I appreciate that.
It's a little after 9:00.
I really should be running.
And you should wake up now.
( gasps )
Guard!
Someone!
I need to call Detective Lee Scanlon!
Please!
There's my dad.
Thanks a lot for coming at the last minute like that.
And you tell your dad that I appreciate him picking you up.
All right?
I hope everything works out.
Me, too.
What are you doing up?
Daddy, I'm so sorry.
I didn't mean to make trouble,
but I didn't think anything bad was gonna happen.
I know, sweetheart.
But sneaking off without telling us,
tricking Mommy and Daddy like that...
It wasn't my idea, you know.
It doesn't matter.
What difference does it make
which of your friends thought it?
The point is... It wasn't one of my friends.
It was the new librarian.
Wait a second. What?
At school, the new librarian.
Ariel, an adult, a member of the school faculty
told you to lie and sneak off to a party?
Does this librarian have a name?
I don't know, actually.
He didn't say.
But he had an English accent.
English accent?
Okay.
And... and you know what was weird?
He was at the party, too.
He was at the party?
And he told me to hide, 'cause Mom was looking for me.
Ariel, wait a second.
How does this guy even know what Mommy looks like?
I don't know.
But he's the reason that I walked into the door.
I was following him, and it was so weird.
He must've closed it behind him.
But he couldn't have, because I was right behind him.
Ariel, hold on.
I don't understand, sweetie.
Explain that to me again.
It was like he walked through the glass or something.
Like a ghost out of a movie.
( phone ringing )
Scanlon here.
JOE: Detective, hi.
Uh... I'm glad I caught you.
This is Joe Dubois, Allison's husband.
Hi. What can I do for you?
I know this is gonna sound kind of nutty,
but is there any way that I could talk to my wife?
( lock buzzes )
ALLISON ( yelling ): I'm running out of time!
Not much of a signal down here.
It's your husband.
You know, you have one very excitable family.
( water faucet running )
It's a little cold in here, Doctor.
I got to tell you, this is about the strangest place
I've ever done anything like this.
( water running )
You sure you don't want to go to a bar first?
A little alcohol wouldn't hurt anything,
if you know what I mean.
I mean, I don't need a white tile room to play doctor.
I can do just fine in the dark.
Come on now.
Have you seen her?
Have you looked at her?
This is the greatest moment of your life.
Is this gonna hurt, Doctor?
She wants some doctoring, my friend.
She needs some doctoring.
Don't keep the young woman waiting.
She's cold. They're lovely when they're cold.
Little river of blood,
making its way across their flushed skin.
Really, this is going to be the greatest moment of your life.
A nice clean cut, mate.
Remember, this is the greatest moment of your life.
( woman screams )
Phoenix Police! Drop the knife!
Sir, you get any closer
to the girl with that knife, and I will fire.
And trust me, my bullet will travel
a lot faster than your arm.
Do it!
Sir, lower the knife.
( sobbing )
Tear her! Do it!
Lower the knife.
What are you doing?
Don't listen to him!
SCANLON: Sir, I'm gonna count to three.
If you don't drop the weapon... Put it in her!
One, two...
Pierce her, damn it! Rip her apart!
( woman sobbing )
Go ahead, put on your clothes.
I need an ambulance at Sunfair Market.
WALKER: Are you happy?
You ruined it.
Sir, you're under arrest. WALKER: You ruined everything.
Turn around. Wonderful.
A butcher with a bad arm. You have the right to remain silent.
A hysterical, fully dressed girl. Anything you say, can and will...
You have the right to counsel.
Stop crying!
Nothing happened! If you are unable to obtain counsel,
counsel will be appointed for you.
If you choose to answer questions You people.
without an attorney present... Pathetic.
( gavel banging )
Mrs. Allison Dubois?
Thank you.
Here, Your Honor.
JUDGE: Do you understand the charges against you, Mrs. Dubois?
I do, Your Honor.
State have a bail recommendation?
DEVALOS: Begging the court's indulgence, Your Honor.
But I just came from
a conference with the complainant.
Your Honor, I'm happy to report
that once Dr. Gromada was made aware that this was nothing more
than a case of mistaken identity on Mrs. Dubois' part,
made in her capacity
as an employee of my office, and that a young woman's life
was saved as a result of her efforts,
the good doctor has agreed to drop all charges.
Very well.
If that's the situation,
I'm not one to make more work for this court.
Case dismissed.
JUDGE: You're free to go, Mrs. Dubois.
( quiet laugh )
Thank you.
( whoops )
ALLISON: No TV for a month. ARIEL: Okay.
No phone privileges. All right.
And no time on the computer
unless it's specifically homework related.
But... Okay.
I'm sorry, Mom.
I know you are.
Is anything gonna happen to the man in the library?
He isn't there anymore.
And if you ever see him again, if he ever tries to talk to you,
you ignore him and you tell me right away, okay?
Okay.
And, Ariel, I want you to know that I am going to call
Todd's dad tomorrow, and I'm gonna personally apologize.
It's okay; he was talking
to this seventh-grade girl today-- Julie.
Oh, wow.
It sounds like I roughed up the wrong Gromada in that house.
I love you, Mom.
I love you, Ariel.
Now let's get some sleep.
Okay.