[Trask] Detective Cupp, someone wants to talk to you. They said it's urgent.
- [Cupp] Who said it's urgent? - Someone calling from across the street.
[Park] Across the street?
[suspenseful music playing]
- [Cupp] What did he say? - [Trask] He wanted to talk to you.
- To me. - [Trask] Yes.
He said me?
He said you. He didn't say "me." You see what I mean?
- Me? - Let's back up. What did he say?
He wanted to talk to the person in charge.
- Isn't that the President? - Yes, good point.
- Thank you! - Calm down.
Jesus. Do they not hug you enough over at Quantico?
- I don't think he meant the President. - Why?
- He said in charge of the investigation. - He knows there's an investigation?
See, I want to say good point, but now you've ruined it.
He said he wanted to talk to the detective.
[both] He said "detective"?
I don't know. I didn't talk to him directly. It's all a little doughy.
Is that an AirPod? Do you have an AirPod in right now?
Yes.
- Are you listening to something? - Yes.
It's a podcast about bread making.
But there's also like a lot about celebrity real estate.
Keeps my stress level down.
[elevator bell dings]
What time did he call?
First call to the White House was at around 2,
then he called a few times after that.
- A few times? - Yes.
- How many times? - 31.
That's a lot of times.
We get weird calls every day, and we usually ignore them.
But he was pretty persistent.
Do you like brioche?
[Cupp sighs]
Shhh!
Come in.
- You're the one who called? - Yeah.
- [Cupp] You saw something? - Yes.
- At the White House? - Yes.
- Tell us about it. - [Park] Detective Cupp?
[soft snoring]
- Those your parents? - Yes.
Tell us what you saw.
[Park chuckles softly]
At one point, Detective Cupp even had Agent Trask
move the dad because he was snoring.
[dad snores, then stops]
[Park] Vusi told us that his parents had planned this special trip to D.C.
so that he could take a tour of the White House--
because he loves the White House-- but then the tour was canceled.
So they switched hotels to the Hay-Adams
so Vusi could at least get a great view of the White House,
even though what he really wanted was a tour.
So. Can I get a tour?
No. How long have you been watching the White House?
He said he'd been watching everything from that window since 6,
just to see what he could see.
- It's a State Dinner, right? - Yes.
- Australia? - Yes.
Hasn't been an Australian State Dinner since 2006.
What did you see?
- Can I talk to you alone? - No. Why?
I don't like the look of them.
Wait outside.
What did you see?
A flashing red light.
- Where? - In the window.
- Which window? - Room 301.
- Room 301? - The northeast corner.
It was storage, but after the Truman restoration, it was a bedroom.
Under President Johnson, it was turned into a gym,
then an office, and then a bedroom.
- Can I get a tour? - No.
- Why not? - I don't know. I'm not giving out tours.
- Tell me about the light. - It was flashing.
But it was also moving around, up and down and side to side.
- For how long? - 15 to 20 seconds.
- Then it went away. Then I saw it again. - What time?
- I want a tour. - No. What time?
I have information you need.
- I don't need this information. - Then why are you here?
- What's your mom's name? - Sydney.
- Sydney! - No. Stop. She's asleep.
- What time did you see the light? - [Vusi sighs]
- Around 10? - What time exactly?
I don't know exactly. Around 10.
Kid who knows what year Room 301 became a gym knows the exact time.
- Sydney! - Stop.
What time?
9:46 and then again at 9:51.
- You called after that? - Yes.
- 31 times. - I was worried.
About a flashing red light.
- What happened over there? - Nothing happened.
- Something happened. No one has left. - It's a good party.
Not for the dead person they brought out the front.
Write your name and phone number down. I'll get you a tour.
It won't be anytime soon, but I'll make good on it.
[chuckles softly]
- You have a business card. - It has all my information on it.
- Why do you have a business card? - You know, for things like this.
[Trask] A flashing red light?
- Yes. - In the window?
- Yes. - That's what he said he saw?
Yes. I don't know how it connects exactly…
[Trask sighs] It doesn't.
Unbelievable.
- [Cupp] What? - They're brake lights.
What are you talking about?
- The flashing red lights? - Brake lights.
From the cars on 16th Street driving away from the White House,
reflecting back on the White House windows.
[Trask] We get calls every week.
FBI gets them too.
It's the most enduring conspiracy theory in Washington.
The flashing red lights in the windows of the White House.
[Trask] I missed a whole section on sourdough starter for this.
[suspenseful music playing]
[curious instrumental music playing]
[Filkins] After you left the Hay-Adams, you returned to the White House?
Yes.
[Filkins] And what happened when you returned?
[Park] Well, people had some… questions.
[Cupp sighs heavily]
[woman] Detective Cupp!
- [Park, Trask] Back away, please. - [guests clamoring]
- [Park] I know you have questions. - [Trask] We do not have more information.
- [clamoring continues] - [Park] Everyone, please back away.
[animated chattering]
The masses are getting restless.
- You can send them home. - No, I can't. Not yet.
Have you heard about flashing red lights in the windows of the White House?
- The brake lights on 16th Street? - Stop. Really?
I think it's brake lights, not stop lights.
[Cupp sighs]
- How do I not know this? Where've I been? - Alaska. Madagascar.
- [Cupp sighs] - Patagonia. Borneo. Places with birds.
Right. I don't think that's what he saw. Brake lights.
Is that you just being stubborn?
He only saw them twice. If they were brake lights, he'd have seen them all night.
People only report seeing Bigfoot for a few seconds.
But I mean, he's very, very large and furry,
and he must be there all the time.
- [clears throat] What do you want to do? - I need to talk to Harry Hollinger.
- What do you need me to do? - Just stop anybody from talking to me.
- Anybody? - Most people. Needy people.
I don't have time.
What about, say, Kylie Minogue?
Do I want to talk to her right now? Absolutely not.
Very low chance she has any useful information for me.
Why are you asking about Kylie Minogue? [sighs]
[Kylie] Detective Cupp.
C… can we talk?
Listen, I just wanted to say I really appreciate
everything you're doing here tonight.
- Okay. - I know there's a lot of people grumbling.
But not the Australians. [laughs]
Right.
Uh, but one thing. I don't know if you're aware,
but I wasn't supposed to be performing tonight.
Did anyone tell you that?
- Is that true? - 100% true.
Lilly Schumacher and her energy healer St. Pierre
had a different musical guest in mind.
Actually, a lot of them.
- I love Bad Bunny for this. - Love it.
- Lana Del Rey. - Obsessed.
- Cat Stevens. - Who?
Never mind, you go.
Are these real options?
[Lilly gasps]
Harry Styles.
Harry's House.
[together] Harry's. White. House!
Like everything that night, the list kept changing.
But Lilly assured us it was going to be amazing.
Amazing! You will not believe this!
Get ready!
- Let's go, bitches! - [Angie] What?
Oh, nothing.
But then, literally two hours before the dinner starts,
she says we're screwed.
- Do you hear me? Screwed! - Yes.
And somehow, again, this was our fault.
Nobody wants to play in this shitty house. Nobody.
Not Billie. Not Cardi. Definitely not Harry.
They know what they're in for, and they don't want it.
Elliott Morgan was panicked.
And it was A.B. who stepped in.
It was his idea to approach Ms. Minogue.
Yes.
[Haney] She couldn't have been more gracious.
…the Lincoln Bedroom.
Her only ask was that she got the Lincoln Bedroom.
- You probably didn't know that. - I did not.
Of course not. You're busy! Being the World's Greatest Detective!
But it is true.
And I would love to just sneak upstairs and get a few hours.
You wanna go up to the Lincoln Bedroom now?
- Yes. - No.
Wha… [scoffs]
- Why not? - It's a crime scene.
The Lincoln Bedroom? I thought this guy died on the third floor?
I really can't talk about the specifics.
Right, but he's dead,
and I was promised the Lincoln Bedroom, so you can see the problem that I…
So, uh, Hugh wants to pop upstairs for a second and lie down.
- What? - Hugh Jackman?
- Yes. - No.
- Before you say no-- - No!
Did he send you in here?
I work for the President of the United States, Ms. Minogue.
I don't work for Hugh Jackman.
Yes, he sent me. His feet are sore and tingly.
Well, why doesn't he scratch them with his big fucking claws?!
Listen, the last place I wanna be is between you and Hugh Jackman.
- We just need to figure this out. - Okay. When you say figure it out…
[Kylie and Trask chattering in distance]
[brisk jazz music playing]
Detective Cupp.
Agent Park told me you went over to the Hay-Adams
and got snookered by a 12-year-old kid who wants a tour of the White House.
Not exactly what I said.
Are you offering a tour?
It's 4:30 in the morning, Detective Cupp.
- I'm sure he can wait until tomorrow. - We can't keep people here all night!
It hasn't been all night. We're making progress.
I would go so far as to say we're almost done here.
Really?
No. Where's Harry Hollinger? Is he up here?
[guest] Okay. Excuse me.
You know, I love you, Chief, but so far,
you are doing a really lousy job keeping people away from me.
I just spent ten minutes fending off a very drunk mayor of Canberra,
who is convinced her mom did not have a stroke in her Jacuzzi
but was, in fact, murdered by a gentleman caller
by the name of Count Igor Svenstra.
And she would very much like to talk to you about it.
[music ends abruptly]
I take it all back.
Thank you.
- [Kylie] I need to get some sleep. - [Morgan] I can ask her…
[Kylie] This is ridiculous.
[Morgan] We promised Ms. Minogue the Lincoln Bedroom.
- Can we let her use it? - [Cupp] No.
I just told her that. I can't have anybody going upstairs.
- You've been going upstairs! - That's true.
I need to talk to you.
Okay.
Have you been in Room 301 tonight?
- Don't know what that is. - Across the hall from you.
- Whose bedroom is this? - [Haney] Hollinger lives next to Morgan.
- No. - And this? Is this a guest bedroom?
Third floor, northeast corner. It's a bedroom.
- It's being renovated. - So you do know it?
I know a room across the hall from me is being renovated.
It's not being renovated.
- You're talking about a different room? - No.
I'm saying the room you think is being renovated
is not actually being renovated.
The President and Mr. Morgan asked to make it look like it's being renovated
because there was someone they didn't want to stay here.
You didn't want my sister to stay here?
- [Morgan] What? - [Elliott] No.
That's my sister!
I know. It's not about her personally.
Just to be clear. You haven't been in that room?
No! I can't believe this.
Jackie Kennedy did it.
- Room 301? - [Cupp] Yes.
- Never been in there. - Are you sure?
- No. - Do you know what Room 301 is?
- No. - Room 301 is at the end of the hall.
Let me write that down on my map.
- On the northeast corner. - Oh, that explains it.
I always hang out at the southeast corner at the end of the hall.
I haven't left this room in a month, Detective Cupp.
And the only reason I would ever leave would be if I heard my son's husband
was coming for a visit.
- The President of the United States. - [Nan gags]
Would you hand me the remote?
I don't like watching things with birds. Birds scare me.
[TV channel changes repeatedly]
What?
Oh God.
You're one of those bird people, aren't you?
You probably carry around a list of birds. "Oh, look, there's a Beecher's Swallow."
Not a bird.
What makes you sure it's murder, Mr. Holmes? The door was locked.
- Every attendant has… - Hey!
- Do you consider this loud? - Your voice? No.
It's a little throaty for my taste, but it's not loud.
- The TV. - TV? Oh. No.
When I talked to you earlier, you said your TV was loud
when you heard the "thump" next door.
- It was. Very loud. - Why?
- Are you married? - No.
- Ever married? - No.
You don't seem like someone who would enjoy it.
- Thank you. - I meant that as a compliment.
That's how I understood it. Why was your TV so loud?
My TV was loud because I was trying to drown out the yelling in the hallway.
- What yelling? - You're smarter than the rest of them.
- I am. - You know it too.
I do. What yelling?
It was an argument.
Argument between who?
A.B.
And?
Yelling? Who the hell said that?
It was her, wasn't it?
Yep. See, that's the thing with old people.
They make you yell, and then you finally end up talking
at a volume they can fucking hear, and then they yell at you to stop yelling!
[Nan] Too loud!
- I hate old people. - [Nan] We hate you too!
You didn't say you were fighting with A.B.
- I wasn't. - What were you fighting about?
We weren't fighting. I was talking to him about the plumbing.
- The toilet. - "Plumbing" is fine. I don't need details.
I clogged the toilet.
- What time was that? - I don't know. It was a process.
- A.B. came up here? - Yeah.
- Why? - I don't know.
- Somebody must've called him up. - How'd that go?
Fine. Whatever.
He said he was gonna call someone in, and he did.
I don't know what that old prune is talking about. We didn't fight.
We never fought. How do you fight with A.B. Wynter?
Know what I mean? Yell in his face?
No. We always got along.
Was that true, that Tripp Morgan and A.B. Wynter always got along?
[Park scoffs]
- No. - They hated each other.
No! Wynter didn't hate him. I wouldn't even say he didn't like him.
A.B. didn't think like that. He was too much of a professional.
What would you say?
I would say that he was disappointed by his presence
and the difficulty he created for the house.
- They hated each other. - True.
How long has Tripp Morgan been living in the White House?
- He was here when I got here. - Nine months.
Why is he here?
It's his brother. What kind of question is that?
- Why is he here? - What version do you want?
I want the middle-of-the-night, I'm trying to solve a murder,
got the Director of the FBI, Prime Minister of Australia,
and Kylie Minogue breathing down my neck version.
You remember the campaign, right?
[dramatic music playing]
Well, it got worse after the China debacle.
Still no sign of President Morgan's younger brother, Tripp Morgan,
who went missing last Friday afternoon while on a motorcycle trip
through a remote region of western Tibet.
President Morgan had to use up enormous political capital
with the Chinese to quietly rescue and evacuate Tripp,
and he had had enough at that point.
The President told Tripp he had two choices.
He could live in the White House, stay out of the news, get his shit together.
Or the President would cut him loose, and if he got in trouble with the law,
he'd bring the hammer down. The choice was pretty easy.
Wait. So you're saying I can stay here?
Yes. Right around the corner.
No, no, no, no, no. Hold on, dude. You said this house.
Yes, this house. That corner. Right there. Right there.
- Free food? - Well, I pay for the food, but…
[laughs] You pay for your own food?
Yes, that's the way the White House works. The First Family pays for their food.
Lame. Anyway, free for me?
- Yes. - I don't have to pay for shit?
- No. - And all I have to do is… what exactly?
All you have to do is not be a crazy fucking asshole. That's it.
- Yeah, no deal. - What?
No. No fucking deal, Perry.
I'm not gonna have my freedom taken away by you.
I mean, do you even understand that concept? Freedom? Do you get it?
- Everything okay in here? - Yes, thank you.
- Yeah, walk away. - [Trask] I am.
- Down the ramp. - [Trask] Yep. That's where this goes.
Yeah, no. You do not get to tell me what I can and cannot do.
Fuck that. You've been doing this shit my whole life,
acting all better than me just 'cause Mom decided to have you first.
Okay, well, we didn't exist, right?
So she didn't decide to have me instead of you.
You know what? I ought to kick your fucking ass like I used to.
You never kicked my ass.
Well, there's a first time for everything, then.
- What? - [Tripp grunts]
[both grunting]
Goddamnit, Tripp.
Boom!
- [grunts] - [Trask] Got him.
[grunting] Oh fu… All right, okay. Okay.
Hey, dude. If that offer still stands
for the room and the free food… I'll take it.
- Thanks, bro. - Jesus Christ.
[Tripp] Fuck, that was quick.
[Tripp groans]
And that was it.
He moved in. Basically, so everyone could keep an eye on him.
The deal was absolutely no drinking and no drugs.
All other eccentricities would be tolerated… to a point.
How has that gone?
From a political perspective, fine. Apparently, he doesn't leave much.
He does a lot of meditation. He's writing a book on… salt.
Or pepper.
- Salt. - I can't remember.
- Salt! - But the truth is, A.B. has been…
was the one who had to manage his shit, and it wasn't always easy.
You have to understand there are things you just don't do in the White House.
Especially when you're a guest.
[elevator bell dings]
[Haney] You don't walk around the White House in bare feet.
[staff laughing and chattering]
[Haney] You don't just go and "hang out" with the staff.
Hmm, Twinkies.
What's up? What are you guys talking about?
You don't use the White House Physician, who is here for the President,
for emergencies, for your own personal shit.
- It's spread all over my torso, man. - What is?
- The fucking rash! - I don't see any rash.
Is this the same rash you didn't have yesterday?
Why don't we do that thing where you draw a Sharpie around it
to see how it's spreading?
Draw a Sharpie around what?
- I just need a hundred Klonopin, doc. - [wearily] Okay.
But I will say, for the most part, he's seemed to be doing better lately.
Seemed less antagonistic and more… functional.
Until tonight.
What happened tonight?
Why didn't you invite him to the State Dinner?
- My brother? - Yes.
- Tripp? - Yes.
She needs to meet Tripp. Tell him to make himself available.
No, Mr. President. I've spoken with him.
You've met Tripp, and you're asking why I didn't invite him to a State Dinner?
Anyway, it doesn't matter why I didn't want him to go.
He didn't wanna go.
Right? You don't wanna go.
[Tripp] To the dinner? I guess--
A State Dinner? For Australia?
You got arrested in Australia.
[Tripp] I was only 19, and I wasn't actually arrested--
Exactly.
[Tripp] Honestly, bro, I was thinking it might be cool to--
No, not those. Wait, what?
Where are you right now?
Downstairs.
You're just calling from the second floor? I could come down.
No, no, no, no. Don't.
I don't wanna bother you.
Oh yeah. No. No. Totally.
Anyway, you know, I was just saying, I thought,
because Mom was from Australia, and I've been feeling better--
Absolutely. I just wanted to make sure that it was cool with you.
I totally understand you not wanting to come tonight.
- Yep. Definitely. - We'll talk later.
- I'll send you up a plate. - [inhales slowly] Cool.
[pensive music playing]
And he was fine with not coming?
Yeah, he seemed fine to me.
I want A.B. Wynter up here now!
He got completely fucked up.
- Why? Because my fucking toilet's clogged! - Tripp said they didn't have a fight?
- Yeah! - [Haney] They had a fight.
I had to take a shit!
Okay? This is what human beings do, dude, okay?
We shit!
[robotically] You are old man robot from Planet Usher,
so maybe that isn't familiar to you.
I think I might… want to amend my answer from before slightly.
Did things get a little heated?
Yeah, okay. Yeah, a little bit.
- You're taking things from the house. - I'm not. What are you talking about?
Where'd you get that lamp?
From the Red Room, which is in the house.
You can't take things from other rooms and bring them in here.
- Why not? - Because you can't.
- I pay taxes too. - When was the last time you paid tax?
- It's one lamp. - You have robes.
Robe. One robe.
It's not one robe.
Would you prefer I not use a robe?
That's not the only other choice.
You have pillows. Pens. Salt shakers.
I'm a semelier!
Listen, what I have here are things that are essential for life.
Okay? That's it.
Electricity. Clothing. Salt. What, do you want me to get scurvy?
Eating salt has nothing to do with scurvy.
Oh, okay. Maybe you should write the book!
Look, you can get mad all you want, but I'm not taking anything important.
[quirky music playing]
I have to tell your brother.
I don't care. You think I give a shit? I'll tell him myself.
Ooh, you want my brother to know I have a bust of Alexander Hamilton?
- It's not Hamilton. - Really?
[angrily] It's Abraham Lincoln!
- Can I tell you something off the record? - No.
- Off… the record? - No.
My brother didn't like "Hamilton."
- The musical. - Okay.
You know people that are like, "I'm not a theater person,"
but they go and they love it?
Well, he went, and he didn't love it.
[clicks tongue, then inhales]
- Do with that what you will. - I'm not gonna do anything with it.
I brought the Hamilton bust to my room to piss my brother off, you see?
No, I don't see. It's not Hamilton and if your brother doesn't like Hamilton,
why does it piss him off to have it up here?
That's what A.B. said.
I'll call him and tell him. Huh? Yeah, I'll tell him.
And I'll also tell him I took the most epic shit of my life up here.
[lifts handset]
[replaces handset]
Please don't tell my brother.
I'm begging you. I'll return everything.
Every last fucking thing I took, I'll return it.
And I'll stay in my room from now on. I swear to God.
I'll even shit outside in the yard. Just tell me where.
[Wynter sighs]
Dude, if you tell my brother about any of this, I'm… I'm fucking done.
I'm… I'm out of here. Like, my life is over.
And I know you see someone who has it all, who's gonna make it.
Dude, I'm not gonna fucking make it.
I didn't get dealt what he did. I didn't do well in school.
He got the work hard gene.
I didn't get that fucking shit.
True story: In high school, I had a paper due.
My mom goes into Perry's room, grabs one of his papers,
and tells me to copy it.
So I literally copied the whole thing in my own fucking handwriting.
It wasn't even on the same topic.
She's like, we'll just go with that.
I got a fucking A, dude. Copying Perry's paper.
My parents encouraged me to get into video games and drugs.
"It'll give you some direction," they said.
Oh, and we had a dog, right? Couldn't stand me.
Bit me at least a dozen times. You know what my mom did?
She went back to the same breeder and got another dog.
And that one time I asked my dad if he loves me as much as my brother,
he was like, "Of course. More. So much more."
He had his fucking eyes closed, dude. He thought I was Perry.
[poignant music playing]
Look, I'm sorry, dude. I fucked up here. Like, I get it. I fucked up.
I've fucked up a lot.
I honestly don't know what's wrong with me.
Is… is there something wrong with me?
I was a boy.
I just wanted to be a boy.
I was a boy.
You know? And I have that asshole next to me.
And all these people yelling at me all the time.
Be better. Do more. Be great.
I'm not fucking great.
Isn't it okay to… not be great at something?
At anything?
You know, isn't it… okay to just be who you are?
I'm sending up an engineer. To fix the toilet.
Thank you.
And I'm gonna talk to your brother in the morning.
[tense music playing]
[yells]
It was loud.
- [Tripp yells] - [door opens]
[tense music builds]
- [music ends abruptly] - Yeah. Okay, yeah. I lost it.
I got mad. It was a fight. All right? I admit it. All of it.
Okay? That's the truth. That's it.
[sniffs]
What's… what's going on here?
Wait. Ho… holy shit.
Do you think I have something to do with this?
With what happened to A.B.?
[yells]
No, no, no, no, no, no. Yeah, I got mad. I yelled. I lost my shit.
But you can't do this. I'll call my fucking brother.
Okay. All right. You know what? Look.
This thing that happened with A.B., this fight,
it happened way before he was killed.
- You know what time he was killed? - No, no. I'm not saying that.
I'm saying when I saw him in the Game Room.
When Ms. Cox was screaming.
Have you ever been inside Room 301?
- What's 301? - Right there.
Right around the corner. The northeast corner.
Northeast? I don't know where the fuck I am, lady. I'm here.
You know what I'm saying? I go to the Solarium sometimes.
The Game Room. I used to. Not anymore.
I mean, the music room. Sometimes I'll go there and jam a little on my uke.
Have you been in Room 301 tonight?
No, I haven't been to 301. I just told you. I haven't gone anywhere.
- I've been right fucking here. - Can anybody vouch for that?
Yes. Yes!
The dude who came up to look at the toilet earlier.
The engineer. I don't remember his name, but he was up here. He saw me.
I didn't see him.
At all?
Well, I saw him when I first got there. That was kind of unforgettable.
I went up to the third floor around 9. Something like that.
I knocked quite a few times. I called out, "Engineer,"
like we do, and when I didn't hear anything,
I opened the door with my key.
And he started pushing back.
Yo! Dude, who the fuck are you?
[Bruce] What the fuck is wrong with you?
Goddamnit!
Well, not exactly like I remember it.
[Bruce grunts] Can you stop that?
[both grunting]
- What the fuck, dude? - I'm here to fix the toilet!
I don't know who the fuck you are. You could've been breaking in.
Breaking into the White House?
Uh, yeah. Dude, you ever hear of Watergate?
I think it's clogged, man,
but be careful, dude, 'cause that shit is gnarly. [laughs]
[Bruce] I went into the bathroom and got to work.
[Tripp] 900 fucking robes…
[Bruce] He was talking for a while. Ranting about this and that.
I didn't know what the fuck he was saying.
[Tripp] Of course I'm gonna take some salt shakers.
[Bruce] At some point, I realized I hadn't heard him in a while.
I figured he'd passed out.
But when I came back out, he was gone.
What time was that?
9:30, maybe.
I never left, okay? I'm telling you.
If you wanna take a look at somebody, look at that wacko engineer.
Dude wouldn't shut the fuck up about Wynter.
He kept mumbling about how pissed off he was.
How he was dragged in on his son's birthday.
And Wynter's always pulling this shit.
I'm not a fucking plumber. I'm an engineer.
I got so sick of listening to it, I had to leave the room.
So you did leave the room?
Just right here, though. To the… just the hallway.
That's it. Right here. Right here.
Yeah, I… I came out of the room and just stood here.
Like, did not move.
Just… frozen.
[quirky music playing]
I did go downstairs for a minute to grab some desserts.
Just grab a few of these.
But, I mean, come on. Did you see those things?
They're pretty fucking rad.
Yeah, I, uh, snagged a couple extra if you guys are hungry.
So I was, uh, I was downstairs, I grabbed a few desserts,
and I was back in my room here.
That's it. I swear. I… I did not leave.
You have to believe me.
Why would I kill A.B. Wynter?
'Cause that's a question you can never answer.
Because he was going to tell your brother about all the trouble you were causing
and you knew your brother wouldn't stand for it
and you'd be out on your own.
Your life would be ruined. That's literally what you just said.
Okay, yeah, that's… that's an answer. Yeah, that's pretty good.
You're good. Yeah, I get it.
But I'm not a killer.
And you know how I know you know I didn't do this? Hmm?
'Cause I'm a fucking idiot! Okay?
[Tripp laughs]
I'm too stupid and too fucked up to do this.
And you know it.
Yeah! See?
I win because I'm a complete fucking loser!
- [repeated beeping] - [Tripp sighs]
Oh man, this fucking watch. Been having so many problems with it lately.
- [Cupp] What did you see? - A flashing red light.
- Where? - In the window.
- Which window? - Room 301.
[Tripp] I was gonna go with Apple Watch, but I just don't trust Apple
ever since Steve died, you know?
[beeping stops]
Not sold on that Tim Cook dude at all. Like…
[clicks tongue, mutters]
[Dokes] Tripp Morgan?
- [Cupp] Yes. - With the robe?
- Yes. - And the feet?
Uh-huh.
That's the President's brother.
I am aware of this.
- You think that-- - Uh-uh, no. Don't do that.
I don't know.
We need to talk to the President.
- What? - We've got a situation downstairs.
I love saying that. Just feels like we're in the shit right now, you know?
[Park clears throat]
- Uh, they're demanding to be let in. - You mean to be let out.
No, in. They want to go into the party.
Out of the room, into the party.
Who?
[brisk jazz music playing]
Valentina Motta. This is my husband, Lorenzo.
- We need to get out of here. - Who are you?
Valentina Motta. This is my husband, Lorenzo.
I got the names. What are you doing down here?
- [Filkins] Please state your name. - Liz Hollenbeck, Washington Post.
Valentina and Lorenzo Motta were two Washington socialites
who arrived at the east entrance a little after 6:15,
mingled with the other guests in the reception area…
- [indistinct chattering] - [Valentina laughs]
[Liz] …and then met the President in the receiving line.
And then tried to leave the party early.
- Why? - [Liz] Why?
Because they weren't actually invited to the State Dinner.
These were not people the Morgans would socialize with.
[indistinct chattering]
It turns out they had snuck into the White House.
[spectators murmuring]
[Lorenzo] We demand to be let out.
They took my phone. Which is against the Constitution.
When I saw them, I immediately knew something was wrong.
Someone crashed the party.
Two people crashed the party.
I told Lilly Schumacher.
And me. You told me.
I just missed it.
In my defense, I was also told that the First Lady of Australia
was going into anaphylactic shock,
a Secret Service van had crashed into the south gate of the White House,
and that there were three people working here named George McCutcheon.
It's hard to keep track of everything.
This was a catastrophic security failure, and it set off a huge scramble.
But Lilly just walked away from it, like it had nothing to do with her.
Hollinger wanted them out immediately,
but A.B. insisted they be held until the evening was finished,
which was consistent with security protocol.
Nobody leaves the White House before the end of the evening.
He wouldn't yield.
I've never seen him so stubborn about anything.
- They've been in this room all night? - Yes.
[Haney] The upper basement.
- [muffled voices arguing] - [Haney] Carpenter's shop. Paint shop…
- Sorry, did you get my phone? - Working on it.
Nobody thought to raise it again?
Nobody knew. It was just Wynter and Lilly and Hollinger and the Secret Service.
That doesn't seem like nobody.
When I said it just now, it did sound like a lot of people.
I'm gonna need a background check on the Mottas. Right now.
I want a thorough check of everyone upstairs against the guest list.
Match every last person with someone on the list
and the footage you have of everyone entering the party.
Are there any other uninvited guests here?
If Lilly didn't care, and Hollinger wanted them out,
why was it so important to Wynter to keep the Mottas here?
It was security protocol.
Yes, okay, but…
- A.B. thought he was being set up. - Set up?
Encouraged to break protocol and then be hung out to dry for it.
Maybe even lose his job.
Why would somebody do that? Set up by who?
Harry Hollinger.
A.B. Wynter and Harry Hollinger were not in a good place tonight, Detective Cupp.
A.B. didn't trust Harry.
There's something I should have told you about Harry and A.B.
[tense music playing]
The day before the State Dinner,
A.B. went up to the second floor to tell a group of men who had gathered
to meet with the President that the President was running late.
This was in the Treaty Room.
[muffled voices]
Harry Hollinger, Oliver Root…
Director of the CIA?
Yes. And Walpole Bing.
The Australian industrialist.
- [camera clicks] - [Haney] Exactly.
And one of Harry Hollinger's best friends, apparently.
[quietly] Harry Hollinger and… Walpole Bing
went to boarding school together.
Walpole is… super rich, into all kinds of weird shit,
and backs Prime Minister Roos,
even though most people who back Roos can't stand Walpole Bing. Including me.
- Yeah, I don't know how to describe him. - Well, that was pretty good.
Why do you ask?
Just curious.
Nobody is "just curious." Especially you.
If you think Walpole Bing has something to do with this, that changes the dynamic.
Do you think Bing had something to do with this?
I have no reason to think that.
A.B. went into the room-- slipped in quietly--
and waited for an opportunity to tell them about the President running late.
- [Bing] It's illegal, but… - [Harry] What does "illegal" even mean?
[Haney] That's how you do things. You don't interrupt. You wait.
They were so intense in their discussion, they didn't see A.B. for a while.
[Bing] Well, actually, it is North Korea, but…
At some point, Mr. Bing looked up
and when he realized Wynter was standing there,
and that he may have been standing there for a while, he panicked.
Blew up at Wynter and accused him of spying. Told him to--
Get the fuck out!
Hollinger chased Wynter back to the Usher's Office.
What the hell were you doing in there, A.B.?
I just came to tell you the President was running late.
Well, you didn't tell us that the President was running late.
Listen to me very carefully, okay?
You did not hear anything that was said in that room.
That is true. I did not hear anything that was said in that room.
Goddamnit. You understand what I'm saying.
Do you understand what I'm saying? I didn't hear any of it.
I literally didn't hear it.
Now here is what is very important for you to understand, Ms. Cupp.
When we're in a room-- the White House staff--
we don't listen to what is being said.
- I understand. - Nothing.
I can't tell you how many rooms I've been in
where I know sensitive things are being discussed,
and I literally have no idea what is being talked about.
Let's say you wanna ask me about something they are talking about.
I could not tell you.
It's like we're in a fugue state.
There was a butler here for a long time, Pierce,
he used to say hypnosis couldn't get it out of him.
"Because it just ain't in there."
Famous story:
President Reagan told a butler and a chef
about the bombing of Libya before it happened.
Nobody in the world knew this was coming and he tells them.
You know what they said?
What would you like for dinner, Mr. President?
It just ain't in there.
I have no idea what you were talking about, and I don't care.
But I do care about the way you're talking to me now
and what you're insinuating.
[Wynter sighs]
I apologize for any misunderstanding, Mr. Hollinger.
I should have dealt with that better.
If you'd like me to reassure Mr. Bing or Mr. Root
or talk to the President directly, I am, of course, happy to do it.
[tense music playing]
Keep your fucking mouth shut.
[tense music continues]
I found A.B. in his office a little while later.
Just kind of staring off into space.
He told me what happened.
He's not an emotional person. He was pretty sealed off.
But I was fucking pissed.
I mean, who does he think he is?
It was so unfair.
And it came after so much shit with these guys.
Not the Morgans so much, but the people around them.
I said we should go talk to someone. This wasn't acceptable.
Did A.B. say if he was gonna do anything?
Nothing. And I honestly couldn't tell you what his reaction was. He looked…
tired.
Does Harry Hollinger know you know about this?
[tense music continues]
He knew.
- [Dokes] Harry Hollinger? - Yes.
- Not Tripp Morgan? - I'm not saying not Tripp Morgan.
I'm saying now I'm hearing about Harry Hollinger.
You were just in here telling me about Tripp Morgan and the flashing red light,
which puts him in the window in the room where we have blood.
I am aware. Before that, I was telling you about David Rylance.
And Didier Gotthard. And Marvella. And Sheila Cannon.
[sighs] These are the pieces I'm trying to put together.
Tripp Morgan. Harry Hollinger.
You are flying very close to the sun here, Cordelia.
It means I'm getting warm, right?
Okay. Run this back for me.
Harry Hollinger, the President's best friend and closest adviser…
…has a meeting in the Treaty Room with the Director of the CIA and Walpole Bing
on the day before the State Dinner.
And they're talking about something sensitive.
A.B. Wynter enters the room to do his job,
and he's accused of spying on this meeting.
Harry Hollinger chases him down the hallway after Bing tells him to…
[Bix] "Get the fuck out."
And tells him that he didn't hear any of that. Actually says…
"Keep your fucking mouth shut."
Now, here's where it gets really interesting.
The next day, carpenter Eddie Gomez reports hearing Wynter in his office.
He started yelling, "I'm gonna tell them everything!"
Gomez also reports seeing Harry Hollinger…
I ran downstairs.
…coming down the stairs from Wynter's office just seconds later.
[Eddie] And Mr. Hollinger was right behind me.
- Do you see what I'm saying? - I do.
[Cupp] Rollie Bridgewater told me Hollinger was…
…gone for 22 minutes.
…right around the time we know that Wynter died.
And after Wynter was found dead…
Harry Hollinger was the one who wanted to call this a suicide
as quickly as possible.
It's a suicide.
And do not forget…
And I do not forget…
…that when I went to search A.B. Wynter's office…
- What are you doing in here? - …there was Harry Hollinger…
- …looking for political documents. - Political documents.
Do you have a question, Senator Bix?
Do I have a question?
Oh, yes. [chuckles]
I have a lot of questions, Mr. Chairman.
And I have been waiting a long time to ask these questions.
Why was Harry Hollinger looking for political documents?
What did Harry Hollinger think Mr. Wynter had heard?
And why was he so angry about it?
Where was Harry Hollinger for the 22 minutes he left the East Room?
Why was Harry Hollinger so eager to call this a suicide
and get Detective Cupp off this case?
But here's the question I have right now.
The question that has been hanging over these entire hearings.
The question I have every time someone sits at that witness table
and tells us about what happened the night A.B. Wynter was murdered.
[suspenseful music playing]
The question that begs so many other questions.
Here is my question, Mr. Chairman:
Where is Cordelia Cupp?
[music intensifies]
- [spectators murmuring] - [gavel bangs]
[solemn instrumental music playing]