Episode 452
 

Nothing's the Same
Written by: Dallas Walsh | Originally Released: January 12, 2018

Episode Theme song: "Home is a Fire" Death Cab for Cutie

Previously on One Day at a Time
- Simona Lopez started questioning all the suspects in Frederick's shooting as he was killed on New Year's Eve
- Andrew overheard Chris threaten Frederick

Scene One - Twin Peaks Police Department

Simona Lopez looks at her note book, which has been almost filled up completely with questioning all the suspects in Frederick's murder case. The good news, she thinks to herself, is that she can rule out some of the people already based on the questioning period. Others, however, have moved up closer to the top of the list. The problem, in Simona's mind, is that there are still a few people that could be the top suspect.

"Once I'm done questioning everyone, it will be my job to go after the suspect I believe did this and build a case," she tells herself, her fingering looking at Chris' name as she says the words. She knows that Chris had motive and, as he admitted, he owns a gun and claims he was at the shooting range on New Year's Eve. It seems, almost, too good to be true as a suspect.

She hears a tap on her office door and sees Andrew standing there. "Andrew, please come in. I'm glad you could make time today."

Andrew closes the door behind himself and then moves over to the chair. "Yea, I mean, I'm not going to say no to the cops. What's this about?"

"Frederick Richardson," Lopez tells him. "He was killed on New Year's Eve. Someone went into his hospital room and smothered him."

Lopez notes that Andrew doesn't seem surprised. "Did you know about this?"

"Yea," he admits to her. "Meggan and Lukas told me; they know how close I was to Frederick. We are almost like family."

"He raised you after your mother passed away, is that correct?"

"Yea, it is. He was my family," Andrew tells her. "I can't believe he's gone. It will take a while to get used to."

"The day he was shot in November, you went to see him at his office, didn't you?"

"I did. I learned that he hadn't been completely honest with me about how my mother died. We just spoke about it."

"How did that talk go?"

"Fine," he lies to her, ignoring the fact that he smashed a paperweight against the wall. "Frederick and I always came to an understanding."

"Did you threaten him?"

"You mean the way Chris Michaels did? No, I didn't. We just spoke."

"Wait," Lopez stops him. "You heard Chris Michaels threaten Frederick?"

Andrew nods back to her. "A few days before the shooting. Chris and Frederick were yelling at each other in Frederick's office. And Chris threatened him. I heard it all. Do you think Chris could have been the one to do this to Frederick?"

"If needed," she continues. "Would you be willing to say that in a court of law?"

"Of course," Andrew tells her. "If Chris did this, he should pay. I want whoever did this to pay for taking Frederick from us."

***

Simona's mind is racing about what Andrew told her about Chris, considering that earlier when Chris was being questioned, he denied ever threatening Frederick. It certainly makes Chris look bad, lying right to her face, Simona realizes.

Before she can think anything else, there is a knock on her door. She looks over and sees Lukas standing there. "Mr. Richardson, please come in," Lopez tells him, as Lukas comes in and sits in the chair across from the desk. "I'm sorry to hear about your father."

"Thank you," Lukas doesn't make eye contact with the police officer.

"As you know, the reason I needed to see you is because your father didn't just die, he was killed," she tells him as he finally looks back at her. "I know you went to see your father in November, on the day he was shot."

"Yes, I did."

"Can you tell me what you spoke about?"

Lukas sighs and looks back at her. "Why am I really here, detective? You know damn well that my father and I weren't seeing eye to eye. So, what? You think I put three bullets in him? You think that on New Year's Eve I went to his hospital room and killed him? All because he hated who I am?"

"Did you?" Lopez asks him.

Lukas stands up and runs his hands through his hair. "Of course I didn't," he says, trying to stay calm. "But being questioned like this, it makes me think that you think I did something to him. And, that's the most insane thing I've ever heard of. My father and I had an argument. I didn't try to kill him!"

"I just want to ask you some questions," Simona tells him. "The fact is, your father was murdered. I am trying to figure out who did this to him. Don't you want to see the person responsible, pay?"

"Of course I do!" he yells back at her. "Look, I'm sorry. I thought I could do this, but I can't. If you want to ask me anything, I'll want my lawyer with me!"

Before Simona can say anything else, Lukas barges out of the door. Simona takes a deep breath as she wonders what just happened and if Lukas' behaviour means that he is hiding something.

***

Simona looks at her notes and wonders if she should try to get Lukas back in for more questioning, since he would have a lot of motive to want his father dead, considering that Frederick was practically disowning him after Lukas came out of the closet.

"Maybe I'll wait until he has had time to mourn," she whispers to herself, realizing that it would be the ideal thing to do. "Plus, once I search the Richardson estate, I might find something else that would point in Lukas' direction."

"Am I early?" Andy asks from the doorway of the office.

"Not at all, please come in," Lopez tells him, as Andy moves inside the office. "Thanks for coming today. I'm assuming you've heard about Frederick?"

"I have, Lukas told me," Andy tells her as he sits across from her. "Awful, isn't it?"

"I'd say," she agrees with him. "Frederick had a lot of visitors the day he was shot. You were one of them, weren't you?"

"I was," Andy quickly tells her. "I couldn't believe how he was treating Lukas after he came out. I've been in Lukas' shoes, so I was trying to help my friend by defending him. I was hoping I could make Frederick understand."

"Any luck with that?"

Andy quickly shakes his head back to her. "No, Frederick was a man that was very stuck in his ways."

"You're also close to Trenyce Davenport aren't you?"

"She's one of my best friends, yes."

"Did you know about Frederick playing games with her quest to locate her real child?"

"She told me, yes."

"So you obviously hate motive to want Frederick to be dead," she suggests to him.

Andy chuckles back to her. "Only, I'm not a violent person at all, detective. You can ask anyone who knows me."

"That might be the case when you're sober, Mr. Spinnes. But I heard that Savannah Pherson died while you were with her and you were too drunk to notice. When was the last time you had a drink?"

"I can't believe you're suggesting that I've fallen off the wagon. I take my sobriety very seriously, Ms. Lopez. I'm insulted that you would suggest otherwise."

"I had to ask," she tells him. "I know you think I've crossed a line, but I have to ask every question to find out who did this to Frederick."

"I think we are done here," Andy says as he stands up and moves to the door. "I know you're doing your job, but you can have a little more compassion for what people have been through. We aren't all perfect, like yourself."

***

Simona tries to shake off Andy's words to her; she knows that she has to ask some difficult questions, but she's also investigating a murder. If she doesn't ask the questions, she could lose the case when it gets to trial. And, that is the last thing she wants to have happen.

"I'm doing the right thing," she tells herself, knowing that it is her job to uphold justice.

She looks over at her doorway and sees Donovan approaching. "Mr. Moretti, thanks for coming today," she says as she stands up and closes the door behind him.

"I don't think I had much choice," Donovan winks back to her. "I'm guessing this has to do with Frederick Richardson's death?"

"You saw him the day he was shot," Lopez tells him. "I know that you and Lukas Richardson are close, did you see Frederick to defend Lukas after he came out?"

"I did," Donovan admits to her. "I can't believe that Frederick was being so cruel to him."

"Where were you later that night, say around 7:00 pm?"

Donovan gulps and looks over at her. "Answer the question, Mr. Moretti."

"I was with Craig Benton," Donovan bashfully admits. "We've become … close."

"So you were in bed with your lover? Lopez asks him as Donovan feels his cheeks flush. "Would Craig be willing to say the same thing?"

"The same thing about what?" Craig asks as he opens the door. "Sorry for interrupting, I thought you were alone."

"It's fine," Lopez waves her hand in the air. "Donovan just told me that around the time Frederick Richardson was shot last November he was with you - in bed. Is that true?"

Craig smirks as he looks over at Donovan. "Yea, that's true. Why do we need an abili?"

"Frederick was killed," Donovan reveals to him, as Craig's mouth opens. "I can't believe that we have to this. I'm embarrased."

"I thought you would have heard, being a doctor."

"I wasn't assigned to his case. I knew he was struggling, but I didn't hear that he was killed on New Year's."

"Well, you two are free to go considering you have an alibi," Lopez tells them. "But, I may question you again in the future if I feel the need."

The two men look at each other before they leave the office, leaving Lopez alone.

***

Lopez walks over to a large white board that has all of the suspects pictures on it that she has questioned in the murder of Frederick. Using a red marker, she crosses off Leah and Paige's names from the list. She knows that once she gets the test results back from Robbie's gun and Victoria's medical files, she will probably be able to cross them off too. She looks at the list again, wondering whom else she can remove.

"Eva is clearly hiding something," Lopez whispers to herself. "But did she kill someone? She could have had any secret with Frederick. Until I know for sure, she should stay on."

"And, Felicia," she says looking at the picture. "She seemed to be a little rattled when I asked her about her medication. If she went off her drugs at any time, she could be a loose cannon."

"My top two," she sighs as she continues to think out loud. "Are Lukas and Chris. Lukas because, well, he ran out of here on the defense without me even asking him a question. He might have just been upset because his father was dead but the fact that he wouldn't talk to me makes me question him."

"And, Chris Michaels lied to me," she notes as she recalls Andrew telling her that Chris threatened Frederick before he was shot, even though Chris said he had not. "Plus the fact that he admitted to having a gun, and he had all the motive in the world. Yea, Chris Michaels…I think you're my top guy right now. I just have to make sure I get all the evidence to make this conviction stick."

Next on One Day at a Time
- Frederick's memorial service takes place
- Cory tells Natasha to let Shane live his life
- Dawn admits she's struggling with something to Cassie

 
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