"Let me get this straight." "You buy personal items for a small amount of money... you sell them to perfect strangers for a lot more money?" "Is America a great country or what?" "Yo, Toni." "I got a nice surprise for you today." "You got a job?" "Who needs one when you can find rich stuff like this?" "A digital camcorder." "It's got liquid crystal display... digital something, headphone jack." "Nice!" "Looks like it fell in the river." "It did." "I found it in the washbasin below Koomer Falls." "I figure some mope must have been makin' a home movie and dropped it." "Give you 20 bucks for it." "Twenty?" "I was looking for more like a hundred." "Yeah, and people in hell are lookin' for ice water." "One Andrew J. Take it or leave it." "You drive a hard bargain." "What's a home movie?" "Did you grow up in a basement or something?" "Or something." "You know, mom, dad and the kids... go off on the great American family vacation... and record it for posterity... in case anybody wants to watch it without a gun to their head." "I would." "I'd love to." "How much?" "Hundred bucks." "Sold." "Like I said, is America a great country or what?" "It's Tuesday the 9th, day four of our vacation... and today we're officially starting our trip down memory lane." "Here on the banks of "Kooner"..." "What is this?" "A stream or..." "It's a creek." "Koomer Creek." "Koomer Creek." "Yeah." "Well, whatever it's called... it's beautiful." "What?" "I thought this was gonna be stupid, but it's neat." "Really?" "You mean Mom's not a complete moron?" "Well, not complete." "Ha, ha, ha." "So this all used to be part of Gramps's land?" "Yeah." "This is where I grew up." "Right over there on that log is where your dad first kissed me." "Oh, my God." "Look." "It's still there." "What?" "Look." "Here." "Let's get a shot." ""Nancy and Ted."" "Dad told me there was a place near here..." "like, a cabin or something, you guys used to go to, to be alone." "Hmm." "It's an old mill." "Yeah?" "Mm-hmm." "Is that where I came from?" "What do you mean "came from"?" "Well, you said this trip was something about my heritage." "I was just wondering if you and Dad gave-Yeah." "a whole new meaning to "grinding the corn."" "Let me tell you something, young lady." "Hitting too close to home." "Um, you know what?" "I forgot my fanny pack in the car." "I'll be right back." "Okay." "You know, this place actually doesn't suck." "Can't believe you didn't bring me here before now." "Mom, are you listening to me?" "I'm being serious for once, and she's not listening to me." "Stop it!" "No!" "Mom, you okay?" "Leave me alone!" "Mom?" "Help!" "Mom, are you okay?" "If you're joking around, this isn't funny." "This isn't funny." "Where are you?" "Mom." "Mom." "Mom!" "Are you okay?" "What happened?" "Run." "Run." "What?" "Run." "He's- He's coming back." "Hey." "Run." "Help!" "Somebody help me, please!" "Shut up." "Help!" "Help, please!" "Help me!" "Somebody help us, please!" "Help me." "Somebody help us, please!" "Somebody help us!" "Help!" "There are Pretenders among us." "I was taken from my family." "Thirty-six hours and he's already demonstrating more talent than any of our others." "How many people died because of what I thought up?" "Since I broke out, I've spent every moment searching for my past." "He's a Pretender" "A genius who can become anyone that he wants to be." "The Centre wants him alive." "Preferably." "He defends the weak and abused." "Life's a gift." "You a doctor?" "I am today." "Leigh, honey, move over close to the sign." "Oh, I sure hope this is gonna work." "So, it's Monday the 8th, day three of our vacation... and we are here at..." "Slade." "Oh, guess what, Dad." "She's gonna let me drive for a while." "Your car." "Yeah, now, that's pretty." "Boy, Dad's gonna love that." "Do you have to record this?" "Don't you have something to say?" "Um, I had a little accident in your Mustang." "And we need a new taillight." "But Mom's gonna check and see if they have one here." "And I promise I'll pay for it all." "Yeah, right." "Okay, here." "Now, I'm gonna get some gas." "And then I'll check and see if they have a new light." ""J. R.'s Service Station."" "I feel like we're in Mayberry." "Only it looks like Goober's had a lobotomy." "Hey." "But Barney's got a cute butt." "Leigh, behave yourself." "Like you didn't notice." "What?" "I didn't notice." "Yeah, right." "Any news from Jarod?" "In a manner of speaking." "He's up to his old tricks, but this time with a new twist." "One that's right up your alley, Broots." "Sit." "My alley." "Ooh." "Turn it on." "You have mail." "Well, hello, Miss Parker." "I've put together a little postcard for your viewing pleasure." "Just click and enjoy." "Hey." "This is cool." "When Debbie and I go to Rock City, I can send you one of these." "Now, you've already met Edna... who despite being locked in an asylum for decades by her loving husband, Mr. Raines... is an amazing historian of the Centre." "Edna knows things about your mother, Miss Parker." "Things she won't tell to anyone but you." "She wouldn't even tell me." "Edna wants to come home, but she can't." "There's an army of Sweepers out there looking for her." "She told me her redemption... will be to tell you what she knows before they catch her." "So you better hurry." "Be careful." "And know that Edna said no matter what happens, she wants you to keep digging." "That the secret your mother wanted to tell you when you were little... is buried out there, and you need to find it." "It's like an electronic trail of bread crumbs." "That we better get busy following before someone gobbles everything up." "Damn it." "Havin' a little trouble?" "You could say that." "I don't know what happened to it." "I don't believe I've seen you around here before." "I'm just passing through." "Or I was passing through." "Looks like I'm gonna be staying here for a while." "Well, J. R.'s just up the road up there." "Hop in." "I'll give you a push." "See if we can get you on your way." "Looks like I'm gonna have to order the parts from Flagstaff... seeing as we don't stock parts for vintage cars like that." "Be tomorrow before you're up and runnin' again." "I can't imagine what might be wrong with it." "Corn Man a-comin'." "The Corn Man?" "Well, you're a stranger." "There's a curse on strangers come to Slade." "Curse of the Corn Man." "That's why you're having trouble with the car." "Newt, shut up about that old wives' tale." "Ain't no wives' tale." "Started when that stranger showed up at old man Koomer's place... back in the olden days." "Stranger chopped up the family." "The whole family." "Tiny little pieces." "They found them all down at the corn mill." "The Corn Man's soul ain't never rested." "You can see it lightin' up the sky at night." "His ghost still haunts strangers that come into this town." "I said shut up, Newt." "You can tell me to shut up all you want." "Corn Man's still a-comin'." "Not that I'm puttin' any stock in Newt's curse... but does seem like you've been havin' a streak of bad luck lately." "I had a couple of women bash right into me." "They said they were passing through here." "Mother and daughter." "Driving a red Mustang convertible." "Oh, they was pretty." "The blondes." "Looked like they could be sisters." "They needed a taillight, as I remember, but I didn't have one for a '65." "They just got some gas and headed out." "I haven't seen them since." "Fill her up, little brother." "And be sure and put it on the department's account." "You ever get tired of telling me what to do, big brother?" "Brotherly love, you understand?" "You must be the guy the sheriff radioed in about." "Word sure travels fast around here." "Yeah." "Well, you know, we like to stay on top of things." "Anything I can help you with?" "Actually, maybe you could recommend a motel." "Looks like I'm going to be here for a while." "Well, Clearwater Inn's the only one in town." "Don't get much business, except for an occasional trucker, but, uh, it's clean." "I can give you a lift." "Ah, no, thanks." "Actually, I'd rather walk." "Get to see your town." "Don't blink." "You'll miss it." "Corn Man a-comin'." "The Clearwater Inn." "I've always wanted to stay at a zero-star resort." "Leigh, try and be nice for five minutes." "I am being nice." "Welcome to Clearwater Inn." "Thank you." "Room's all ready." "Room 14." "Room 14 it is." "Presidential suite." "What president stayed here?" "Millard Fillmore?" "Well, actually, I just call it that... so I can charge more to smart-mouthed kids and their mothers." "Clever." "I'm sure it'll be just fine." "Thank you, Raymond." "Come on." "Let's go." "Hello." "I'd like to rent a room, please." "Fill this out." "Be sure and put down the make and model of your car." "Actually, I'm going to need a rental." "Uh, two blocks that way." "And good luck with what you get." "Well, it doesn't matter." "Just want to drive around." "It's beautiful here." "Well, that's in the eyes of the beholder." "Some friends of mine seemed to have thought so." "As a matter of fact, I think they stayed here a couple of days ago." "A mother and daughter." "Beautiful, blonde." "Mmm." "Don't remember 'em." "I hear you only get the occasional trucker through here." "Surely you remember two beautiful women in a red convertible." "Hmm." "Well, you'd think I would." "But I don't, because they weren't here." "Here we go." "Think we'll put you in room number five." "I'll take number 14, please." "It's my favorite number." "Sure." "Fourteen it is then." "Yeah, there's someone here asking about 'em." "Even knew what room they were in." "Mom." "Do you believe in ghosts?" "Ghosts?" "Yeah." "You know, the souls of the dead." "They can come back to haunt the living." "I don't know, honey." "I never really gave it that much thought." "Then how do you explain those flashes?" "It's called heat lightning." "And it's been happening around here for a long time." "Whatever it is, it's freaky." "Like that story that guy was telling me back at the gas station." "You know, the one that gave me this." "He was telling me about the curse." "All strangers are cursed." "Hmm." "It all started back when some Corn Man hacked up a family out by Grandpa's old ranch." "Honey, that's just an old tale that people have been telling for years." "It's ridiculous." "I hope so." "It is." "Okay." "Wait." "How do you turn this off again?" "Little red button." "Mom." "What?" "Mom, there's somebody out there." "What?" "Where?" "By the tree." "He was standing" "He's staring at me." "Okay." "Look." "I don't see anyone." "He was right there by the tree." "I swear." "If there was someone there, they're not there now." "He warned us we'd be in danger." "Maybe he was right." "Maybe the Corn Man's coming, Mom." "That's not happening." "Go to bed." "How do I turn this off again?" "Jarod, a 15-year-old girl... is found brutally murdered in her bedroom." "Part of an upper-class community in a small town." "We don't know what happened between the time she left her friends... and when she was murdered." "What is it you want me to do, Sydney?" "Take the evidence." "Use your skills as a Pretender." "Become the victim." "Do what she did." "Feel what she felt." "It's Tuesday the 9th, day four of our vacation... and today we're officially starting our trip down memory lane." "Here on the banks of "Kooner"..." "What is this?" "A stream or..." "It's a creek." "Koomer Creek." "Koomer Creek." "Yeah." "Well, whatever it's called, it's beautiful." "This is where I grew up." "You know, this place actually doesn't suck." "Can't believe you didn't bring me here before now." "Stop it!" "No!" "Mom?" "Leave me alone!" "You okay?" "Mom?" "Help!" "Mom, are you okay?" "Mom, if you're kidding around, this isn't funny." "Where are you?" "Mom!" "Mom." "Mom." "Mom." "Are you okay?" "What happened?" "Run." "He's coming back." "Run." "I can't see it, Sydney." "I can't figure it out." "You have to figure it out." "The family is counting on you." "Somebody help us, please!" "Corn Man a-comin'." "Well, mister, you're good to go." "Funny thing, parts shop said... they never heard of this happening with this model before." "Well, that is funny." "Not if you're a stranger it ain't." "It's the curse." "That's why I went and made you this here corn man to keep you safe." "If you're gonna stay around here, you're gonna need it." "Thanks." "I think." "Well, I see Kent's got you all fixed up there..." "Mr, uh..." "You know, I'm not sure I got your name." "I'm not sure I gave you my name." "Guess you'll be on your way then." "Who knows?" "Maybe I'll stick around." "I'm growing kind of attached to the place." "You don't got a job or a home to go back to?" "I'm sort of in between both right now." "Well, I'd advise you get one or the other." "Idle hands are the devil's play things." "I don't plan to be idle." "I'm not too fond of strangers." "I hope the Corn Man don't get him." "Any luck finding Edna?" "I've enhanced this photo from Jarod's e-mail." "There's no one we recognize in the crowd... but from the signage and license plates, it looks like a street scene in New York City." "Somewhere in Harlem." "Hmm." "Edna wants to come home, but she can't." "There's an army of Sweepers out there looking for her." "She told me her redemption... will be to tell you what she knows before they catch her." "So you better hurry." "Hmm." "Home." "Redemption." "Of course." "One of my mother's favorite charities... was a halfway house in Harlem called Redemption Home." "Jarod's telling you that's where you can find Edna." "Mr. Wright?" "Mm-hm m." "I have to talk to you about your wife and your daughter." "There's been some trouble." "Trouble?" "What do you mean?" "I-I just spoke with them." "When?" "This morning." "They said they were fine." "What's the problem?" "We've had a minor car accident." "Well, that's strange." "Nancy didn't mention anything about it." "That is strange." "That car must mean a lot to you." "Actually, it was your daughter who was driving." "Leigh." "She backed into me." "Uh, your wife gave me the name and number of your insurance company... but I seem to have misplaced it." "Is your wife expected home soon?" "No." "They're both still out of town." "Look." "All my insurance is handled through Western Mutual." "But, you know, I prefer to handle this myself." "So why don't you get an estimate, and" "I'll send you a check for the full amount." "Yes, but I would not..." "I'll be in touch." "Somebody was here." "He was asking about them." "Tall guy." "Dark hair." "Edna Raines is in this building." "Here in room 24." "But the guy said that I was the second person to look for her in the last half hour." "Raines." "What the hell are you doing here?" "What the hell are you doing here?" "She was my wife." "Was?" "Edna Raines is dead." "An overdose." "How convenient." "I can only assume she couldn't face the world any longer." "With you in it, who could blame her?" "I'll miss her so much." "Is that why you kept her locked up for 30 years?" "That was to protect her." "You never protected anyone but yourself, Raines." "You can bury her again, Raines." "Along with all the secrets she died for." "Sheriff." "Yeah." "We need to talk." "Uh, just a second there, sir." "Yeah." "Sheriff's office." "What?" "No." "Your brother's not here." "Yeah." "He is the deputy, Kent." "He's on patrol." "Yeah." "I'll tell him to call you when he gets back." "All right." "Okay." "Sorry about that." "What's the problem now?" "I found something, and I want to show you." "I was" "Damn it." "Sheriff's office." "Yeah." "Uh, listen." "I can't talk right now." "Um" "I understand." "I" "I'll get right back with you." "Soon." "All right?" "Yeah." "Just stay there." "Wake up." "I said wake up!" "Start talkin'." "Talkin' about what?" "Everything you know about Nancy and Leigh." "From the beginning." "I know they disappeared four days ago." "And I know that Mr. Wright here has taken out a rather large insurance policy on them." "Hey." "What the hell are you sayin'?" "I'm sayin' that you and the sheriff here... have conspired to murder your wife and your daughter... so you could collect insurance money." "Murder?" "Pal, we're trying to save them." "That why you tried to kill me?" "Kill ya?" "We found you." "You kidnapped my wife and daughter." "You're gonna tell us where they are." "Kidnapped?" "I didn't kidnap them." "I'm here to find them." "Look." "There's a camcorder over there." "There's a tape in it." "It will explain everything." "Are you okay?" "What happened?" "Run." "Run." "What?" "Run." "He's..." "He's coming back." "Run." "Help!" "Hey." "Help me, please!" "Help." "Help!" "Somebody help us, please!" "Oh, my God." "Who the hell are you?" "I was on vacation when this sort of fell into my lap." "Jarod Wilson, U. S. Marshals." "A fed." "Damn it, Frank." "He finds out, he's gonna kill them." "What are you talking about?" "Four days ago I got a call." "A man." "He said if I wanted to see my wife and daughter again... to get $500,000 by tonight... and not to contact the authorities." "Ted got a hold of me and made me promise" "I wouldn't bring in any outside help." "We've been, uh, friends since high school and Raymond here." "Then you started sniffing' around, and we figured you were involved." "Do you think it's someone local?" "Well, a lot of local people are aware of" "Ted's financial success and his family." "To tell you the truth, we don't have much to go on." "And even less time." "I was Edna Raines's therapist." "I can assure you that she wouldn't have taken her own life." "At least not willingly." "Edna knew she was in danger." "That's why Jarod was so cryptic about her location." "Be careful." "And know that Edna said no matter what happens, she wants you to keep digging." "That the secret your mother wanted to tell you when you were little... is buried out there, and you need to find it." "Buried?" "But where?" "Who's the most adept at burying things around here?" "Mr. Raines." "Got the cash." "Everything's ready to go." "He should've called by now to tell me where to drop the money." "He's going to call, Mr. Wright." "Just be patient." "I don't want to be patient." "I want my family back." "Ted, he's on our side." "Keep him on the line as long as possible." "Tell him you demand to speak to Nancy- that you won't make a delivery until you know that your wife is safe." "This is Wright." "Put the money in a duffel bag." "At midnight, you, and you alone- will take it and leave it in the trash bin at the bridge on Long Tunnel Road." "I want to talk to my wife." "You're not in a position to make demands." "I am not paying $500,000 for two dead bodies." "Ted?" "Nancy." "Oh, Ted, thank God." "Are you and Leigh all right?" "Yeah." "We're a little ground up, but we're, um-we're alive." "Just hang in there, sweetie." "Everything's gonna be okay." "Ted, I love you." "I love you too." "Both of you." "Midnight." "I'll be there." "I got it." "I made the delivery." "All right." "It's been over an hour." "I haven't seen anything yet in my position." "How about you, Raymond?" "Yeah." "Do you see anything?" "How's it goin'?" "Nothin' so far." "Well, keep your head up." "Jarod." "I don't like this, Sheriff." "He should've shown up by now." "Jarod, I think I got something." "Damn!" "Raymond!" "Raymond, can you hear me?" "What the hell happened?" "I saw the guy coming straight at me." "He was on a motorcycle." "I thought I could stop him." "Next thing I knew I was down." "The bullet entered from behind." "How can that be?" "There are two kidnappers." "Never again." "You hear me?" "Don't even ask." "Never again." "Calm down and check your pants." "Now tell me what you found." "Nothing." "Well, almost nothing." "Excuse me." "I cross-referenced everything in Raines's files with Edna's name, and the only thing- the only thing I came up with... was section "G, " 14, dash, six... in a communique intercepted by Raines from Edna to you." "What?" "Section "G."" "Row 14, plot six." "That's my mother's grave." "Jarod's e-mail said to keep digging." "The answers... are buried out there." "You don't think Jarod wants you to dig her up?" "Miss Parker, it's your mother's grave." "Get shovels." "We've got work to do." "They're dead." "If the kidnappers haven't killed them already, they will now for sure." "What are you doin'?" "I'm gonna watch this video again." "Maybe I missed something." "Can't believe you didn't bring me here before now." "Are you okay?" "If you're joking around, this isn't funny!" "Well, not complete." "Ha, ha, ha." "I've studied the evidence and read the interviews, but... it just doesn't make sense." "The answer's right in front of you." "Everything you need is there." "But I can't see it." "But she can." "See what it is that she sees." "Look, Jarod." "Look hard." "Did you see that?" "What?" "That." "The answer's there." "It was there the whole time." "She sees him." "Adams?" "He was in the parking lot?" "Adams?" "Who's Adams?" "My deputy." "And one of the kidnappers." "Then who's the other one?" "My guess is his brother Kent... from the gas station." "So these guys have gone to kill my family?" "Not if we get to them first." "Wait a minute." "Listen to this." "Nancy." "Oh, Ted, thank God." "Are you and Leigh all right?" "We're a little ground up, but we're alive." "We're a little ground up..." "We're a little ground up..." "I don't understand." ""Ground up."" "On the video, Leigh kept referring to an old mill." "Yeah, near my father-in-law's ranch." "Nancy and I used to go there all the time." "You wife was trying to tell you where she and your daughter were being held." "Let's go." "Let's just hope they're still alive." "You've made me do a lot of things I don't want to do, Miss Parker... but this has gotta be the worst." "What if someone finds us?" "Then you'll just have to hold them off while I go for help." "Oh, great." "That's lovely." "Row 14's over here." "Whoa." "Sorry." "I feel like I'm in a Scooby-Doo cartoon." "Wait." "What was that?" "Settle down, Shaggy." "It's an owl." "This is it." "Miss Parker, this just isn't right." "Are you sure you want to do this?" "Jarod's done a lot of twisted things... but he would never lead me here just to torment me." "Now dig." "Where the hell have you been?" "Wright tipped off the sheriff." "We gotta get out of here." "No one followed me." "That's because I put a bullet in the leg of the guy who could've." "What about them?" "This wasn't part of our plan." "Yeah, well, plans change, little brother." "They can identify us." "Leigh, now!" "Run!" "I'll get the daughter." "You take care of her." "Damn, mom." "That hurt." "If that's the way you're gonna be..." "Oh, I don't think so." "Nancy." "I'm fine." "But Leigh..." "She ran out, and the deputy went after her." "You can't get away." "Get away from me!" "Don't work that way." "It's nothing personal." "You understand." "Please." "I want to go home." "Just business." "Please." "I want to go home." "The only place you're going is in Koomer's Creek!" "No!" "Stop screaming'." "No one can hear you scream out here." "I can." "Come here!" "Are you okay?" "Are you okay?" "It's okay." "It's fine." "It's fine." "It's fine." "Leigh." "Go." "Go." "Leigh." "Leigh." "Baby." "Oh." "I don't know how to thank you, Jarod." "Just take care of them." "I will." "You ready to go?" "Let's go home." "Well, this is it." "Miss Parker, are you sure you want to do this?" "Ah." "Huh?" "Open it." "Miss Parker..." "Why don't we just get the hell out of here... and let her rest in peace?" "I want to rest in peace." "Now open it." "Are you sure?" "Go ahead." "Oh, my God." "What?" "Miss Parker, your mother..." "She's not in here." "Then where the hell is she?" "Jarod, I'm only going to ask you this once." "How did you know she wouldn't be there?" "I didn't." "Then who?" "Edna did." "She knew all the secrets." "Especially about the Mirage Project." "Unfortunately, she took them to her grave." "Well, I am sorry for you." "Edna was someone you could've trusted." "Unlike the Centre." "Or my family." "You were right in putting your trust in your mother." "She knew the importance of family." "Of helping people." "If she kept any secrets from you, it was to protect you." "Protect me from what?" "The truth." "Keep searching, Miss Parker." "But remember." "You can't believe everything you see." "After all, life is a mirage." "Sometimes the things that scare you the most... can be the things that save your life."