I had the perfect life
until I was in a coma for six years,
and then I woke up
and found my fiancee married to another man...
and they're raising my son.
Everything has changed...
including me.
One touch, and I can see things,
things that happened, things that will happen.
You should see what I see.
Faith heritage continues to grow,
thanks in no small part
to the Generosity of one very special person,
the late Vera Smith.
Vera was not simply
a lover of literature and art.
She was passionate about life itself.
She brought joy and love and laughter
to everyone she was close to,
and I miss her more with every passing day.
It also gives me great pleasure
to introduce her son, Johnny Smith.
Come on, man. Smile. Wave to the people.
John, I know that your mother is smiling down on us today,
and so, without further ado, it gives me great pleasure
to officially open the Vera Smith library.
May it bring knowledge and enlightenment
to all who enter.
Didn't this just used to be a place of worship?
Didn't your church back home
instantaneously translate into 40 languages?
The church back home barely had indoor plumbing.
Is this what you came to do?
Do it. I deserve it.
John, what's wrong?
Purdy.
What about him?
Someone's going to hurt him.
Who?
Her.
Reverend Purdy?
Yes?
May I speak with you in private?
My name is Jessica.
Nice to meet you, Jessica.
I've been wanting to meet you
for a long time.
I must say,
you look slightly familiar.
I should.
I'm your daughter.
Are you sure you heard her right?
I was standing five feet from them.
She said she was his daughter.
It's hard to imagine Purdy bumping ugly with anybody,
much less having kids.
What do you think she wants?
I don't know, money, salvation...
money.
You said money twice.
Oh, did I?
I realize this must be awkward.
I thought about writing, or...
your hand is trembling.
I promised myself
I wasn't going to do this.
I even wrote down what I was going to say.
That's pretty stupid, huh?
I don't want anything from you.
I mean, I have a life, kind of...
Jessica...
if I may be so bold...
I know that you believe in your heart
what you're saying,
but what you're saying is simply not possible.
Well, I've been receiving one of these every month,
for most of my life.
They come from you, don't they?
And there's this.
You recognize it, don't you?
Why did you wait so long to contact me?
Yo...
what are you going to do?
The only thing I can do.
Just tell him what I saw.
Good luck.
Uh...
Excuse me, Gene?
Can I talk to you for a second?
Uh, Johnny, I'm in middle of something.
Can it wait?
Actually, this is important.
Right. Where are my manners?
Jessica, this is Johnny Smith.
The new library is dedicated to his mother.
That must be very satisfying.
Yeah, it is, thank you.
Well, perhaps we should
continue our discussion inside.
Shall we? Excuse us.
Nice meeting you.
Right.
Gene...
I don't have time for this.
I think you need to make time for this, okay?
Gene, I just had a vision about you,
that you were in danger,
and that woman was with you.
You know that I'm right about the things that I see.
I think maybe you should just stay away from her
until you get proof that she is who she claims to be.
Thank you very much for your concern,
but I believe I can handle this.
Gene...
Well?
He blew me off.
You told him what you saw?
I told him.
I don't know.
Something about this is really strange.
You know what's strange?
You worrying about a guy
that you haven't trusted
since the day that you came out of your coma.
Yeah, but it's complicated.
He did my father a favour.
I can't turn my back on him, you know?
The antlers inn.
Yeah, that's a bed & breakfast on the east side of town.
Well, it's a place to start.
Start what?
To figure out
if this woman is who she says she is.
Can I help you?
Hi. I hope so. We're looking for a woman...
you're John Smith.
That's right.
That must make you Bruce Lewis.
Two for two.
Oh, my god.
And this makes you Joanna Lovinger,
at psychicheat.com.
I'm senior editor.
Hey, are you guys here on business?
In a way.
We're looking for a woman, a woman named Jessica.
Yeah, we think she stayed here last night.
She was here.
Paid cash and checked out
before breakfast.
Did she leave a last name?
Not that she wrote down.
Hey, will you guys pose for my web page?
It'll really freak out the bloggers.
I'm just a little uncomfortable
with that kind of publicity, but...
Oh.
Sure, I understand.
You want to keep things on the down-low.
Exactly.
Could we see the room?
Oh, the woman with no last name.
Sounds pretty important.
Okay, one more.
This time stand back to back...
and fold your arms.
Awesome!
This is really going to put my site on the map.
Great..Can we have the key now to the room?
Oh, right, sure.
Just drop it on the desk on your way out.
I'm gonna run this through photoshop
and get it posted right away.
That photograph that she showed Purdy.
It was of a woman and a little girl
at a carnival.
Why would that bother him?
That's a good question.
You up for a road trip?
You just have to know
where a woman's vulnerable, that's all.
Oh, that's your secret, huh?
Oh, well that and basic animal magnetism.
Yeah, I'll keep that in mind.
So how far to the Desmond farm?
It's about five miles north.
That picture was definitely taken here.
Come witness the extreme, bizarre,
terrifying display of transformed humanity!
See the illustrated man,
where every picture tells a story,
the bearded lady,
the strong man, and the human pin cushion!
And if you're feeling lucky enough,
spin the wheel of fortune round and round!
God-fearing citizens of Lewiston,
turn away from this haven of sin.
This man is an agent of the devil.
The lord sees all,
including abominations of the mind and the flesh!
No, no, no, you can take your good book
and your religion somewhere else, minister,
because this is a place of entertainment!
Am I right?
See, these folks want to be dazzled
and amazed!
Not frightened and scolded!
He is right, my friends.
This is no place
to bask in the warmth of the holy scriptures!
That is why I'm inviting everyone
within the sound of my voice
to come witness
the glorious work of the lord.
Who'll join me in humble praise of god almighty?
I'll come, minister.
Praise Jesus, sister.
The woman I saw from the picture?
She was here at the carnival.
There was a young minister.
Hey!
You two are trespassing on private property!
We didn't see any signs over there.
Saw the barbed wire fence, didn't you?
Look, we don't mean any harm.
Then you won't mind going back to your fancy truck...
Driving out the way you came in.
Looks like you got other problems.
I'll be damned.
I just paid $400 to have that engine rebuilt.
Looks like you got a loose cylinder head there.
You know something about truck engines?
I had an old jeep I used to work on.
Same thing under the hood.
Mind if you take a look under mine?
Sure, why not?
Okay, try it now.
I'll be damned.
You'll to replace the points and the plugs,
but it should be all right till then.
I don't know what to say.
Is there anything I can do for you guys?
Yeah, we're looking for information
about a carnival
that came through here in the late '60s.
Hell, I wasn't born till '75.
My grandpa used to rent out the land
between planting seasons.
I suppose a carnival
could have been here.
How about a tent revival?
Now, that I can help you with.
I never saw it myself.
My daddy used to talk about it.
Said he witnessed the lord's power
that summer.
Here it is.
Apparently, the minister
just drove off sometime in the night.
You mind?
No, be my guest.
Raymond Franklin?
This guy looks familiar.
He should.
That's Purdy.
I don't get it.
Why would Purdy preach under an assumed name?
I don't know.
Walt, what's up?
I ran a check on Raymond Franklin,
and nothing came up,
at least no one that lived in Maine
in the mid '60s.
Closest match was an R. Franklin
who ran a private hedge fund in Rochester.
Hedge fund? What's the name of the hedge fund?
Bethlehem.
Bethlehem fund.
Yeah, you want to tell me
what this is all about, John?
Right now I'm just following some bread crumbs.
I'll call you later, all right?
All right.
It seems our friend Faymond Franklin
doesn't even exist,
at least not one that preaches under a tent.
Sure he does, only his name is Gene Purdy.
You saw the poster.
Yeah, I saw it.
So why don't you just call him and get it over with?
Well, you were there.
He blew me off.
If I come at him, I've got to have more
than an old faded poster, right?
Which leaves us where?
Oh, that's a scary-looking bunch.
Freaks.
Carnival-type, anyway.
Wait a minute.
Right there.
That's the guy I saw arguing with Purdy...
I mean, Franklin.
It says the carnival went out of business
the summer of '64,
that the owner opened a restaurant
north of Lewiston.
I don't know about you, but I'm suddenly starving.
He would have been a barker
in one of your midway shows.
I can't place the face.
There were so many rounders in those days.
Most of them running away
from someplace or somebody.
Most of them didn't want to even be found.
What about a minister Franklin?
Yeah. Him I remember.
Had a second-class
tent revival.
What else can you tell us, sir?
He was real a thorn in my side.
Followed us that whole summer.
Real fire and brimstone act.
Any idea what happened to him?
Damned if I know.
One day, he just disappeared.
Shortly after,
my carnival closed.
I always thought we'd have a few more years,
if it weren't for that damn preacher.
Oh, excuse me.
Well, that didn't help us much.
Maybe we need some kind of spiritual guidance or something.
Haven't seen one of these
since the night of my accident.
And maybe you shouldn't tempt fate.
Can't hurt to check on my future, though.
Nice performance today.
You really had her going.
Did you bring it?
Yeah, but I'm not so sure about this one.
Let me worry about saving souls.
You just keep your ears open.
Understand?
Her name is Clara Simon.
You're sure about this medical history?
I'm sure.
It's a pleasure doing business with you, minister.
Purdy bought information
about a woman named Clara Simon.
Bought?
Bought for what?
I don't know.
Listen, I know that you don't like to hear it,
but Purdy's always felt a little...
iffy to me.
"Iffy"?
What the hell's that supposed to mean?
You know, iffy.
No, I don't know. That's why I asked.
What does "iffy" mean?
Look, man, I've known Gene Purdy all my life,
and now I'm starting to think
that I never knew the man at all.
What's wrong?
Who's that guy over there?
I swear he was watching us
over at city hall.
Look, I'm gonna drop you off downtown.
See if you can find a public record of that revival,
something with Franklin's signature on it, you know?
All right. Where are you going?
I'm going to see if I can find out
who Clara Simon is.
Mr. Smith...
C. Simon?
Clara was your mother, wasn't she?
I'm sorry. This isn't a good time.
Listen, we can talk about this right here,
or we can talk about it in Gene Purdy's office.
I mean, it's up to you.
If the reverend has questions, he should ask me himself.
Well, I think he's afraid of you, Jessica.
I mean, your motives at least.
I don't understand.
Gene Purdy is an important man,
and he's wealthy.
You think this is about money.
Isn't it?
I want to show you something.
I've been getting monthly checks
ever since I was three years old.
It wasn't until recently
that I found out who's been sending them.
The bethlehem fund.
My mother is dead.
My husband ran off with another woman
two years ago,
and I am unable to have children.
I assure you, this is about much more
than money.
Is this what you came to do?
Do it.
I deserve this.
"Though he slay me,
I shall yet trust him..."
Jessica, why don't you just take a DNA test?
You could settle this once and for all.
This conversation is over.
Turn away from this haven of sin...
That red bible?
It was my mother's.
She's dead.
Dead?
How can she be dead?
This is not what we planned.
You did this.
What?
You killed her.
Wait a minute, Nolan, where are you going?
You better pray god is as forgiving as you claim!
My god, what have I done?
I'm sorry.
I've taken up too much of your time already.
Now a man accuses Purdy of killing Clara Simon?
Yeah, and from the look on his face,
he might be right.
Well, that would explain
why Purdy accepts Jessica as his daughter.
He doesn't want anybody asking questions
about her mother's death.
It doesn't make sense, man.
I mean, Purdy's a lot of things,
but a murderer?
I found some old tax records.
It seems that Clara Simon was loaded.
Sound familiar?
Hey, hey, hey.
You're talking about my mother.
A wealthy widow being taken in by a charismatic man of god?
It can't be all coincidence, John.
Can it?
How are you gonna handle this?
Well, how would you suggest?
Well, I think you should take a minute
to cool off.
Oh, that son of a bitch.
What, same guy from before?
You know what? I've had enough of this.
John, what are you doing?
I'm going to see what this guy wants.
What is your problem?
John, what are you doing?
I just want to ask him a few questions.
Hey, who are you? Who sent you?
Why are you following us, huh?
You want to answer me, you son of a bitch?
Reverend Purdy, it's Williams.
Smith and his buddy, they're still in Lewiston.
They know about the revival.
Yes, sir.
John... John, what is it?
I have to find Purdy.
This place is amazing.
So many unusual things to see.
I brought that back with me from Senegal.
Ah...
I did my early missionary work in Senegal, Africa.
That idol is the gift of some of the children
from one of the local tribes.
It symbolizes trust and love.
I don't think this is such a good idea.
What do you mean? I don't want to be a burden to you.
Jessica, god brought us together
for some reason.
Will you join me in services?
To church?
I've always found it
a great sanctuary in troubled times.
No, I'm not really dressed for the occasion.
You look just fine.
All right.
Good.
Will you excuse me for a moment, please?
Johnny, it's almost time
for the service to begin...
I know about Clara Simon.
I really have to go.
Gene, what's going on?
Or should I call you Raymond?
Whatever you think you know, you're mistaken.
Then tell me.
I can't.
I'm trying to help you, for god sakes.
I didn't ask for your help.
Look, Gene, don't walk away from me.
Minister Franklin.
What a pleasant surprise.
Thank you.
I must apologize for coming by unannounced.
I must say, I was quite taken with you...
I should say, by your interest in the scriptures.
Oh...
I see.
I was wondering if perhaps
I might help you to better know the lord
through his teachings and gospels.
Oh, I'm flattered.
We don't get many visitors anymore.
"We"?
Jessica?
Come and say hello to minister Franklin.
I'm afraid she's a bit shy
when it comes to meeting strangers.
Hello, Jessica.
My, aren't you a beautiful little girl.
Jessica's not your daughter,
and you know it.
This is none of your concern.
Gene, if you keep going down this path,
something really bad is going to happen to you.
I'm prepared to take that chance.
Look, Purdy had me followed.
He knows that I know the truth.
He just doesn't want to talk about it.
Your mystery carnival barker,
his name's Edward Nolan.
Maybe now I can finally get a straight answer.
I don't know about that, considering that address.
What do you mean?
I can't release inmate files.
Nolan may have information
related to a capital crime.
Which could make you an accessory.
Look, even if I tell you where we placed Nolan,
you're not going to find him.
Why not?
Because he's gone.
He jumped his parole two weeks ago.
What was he convicted of?
Fraud, assault with a deadly weapon,
blackmail.
Did he leave anything behind?
Just this envelope.
Nolan's going after Purdy.
Our father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive our debts, as we forgive our debtors
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil,
for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory,
forever and ever.
Amen.
Gene.
She's gone. Johnny. Jessica was taken.
"This night thy soul shall be required of thee."
I can't let anything happen to her.
You're going to pay ransom?
Everything I've got.
Call the police.
No. I can't take that chance.
What do you want me to do?
Tell me who did this.
I swear to you,
I'll never ask another thing of you
as long as I live.
Just tell me who took her.
How about you just tell me
who the hell Raymond Franklin is?
Raymond Franklin is dead and buried.
Did you kill Clara Simon?
Johnny...
did you?
Why don't you see for yourself?
And Jesus said,
"listen carefully to the voice of the lord god,
"and do what is right in his eyes,
"and I will not bring on you
"any of the diseases I brought on the egyptians,
for I am the savior!"
Dark sickness,
be gone from this woman!
Hallelujah!
I feel the power.
I feel the power of christ in this tent tonight.
I see the glory of his mercy on every face in here.
Hallelujah!
Affirm your faith, and you will be healed!
Do you believe, sister?
I believe!
Do you believe?
Do you accept me as a messenger of god?
I do!
I believe!
You were a faith healer, Gene?
More faith than healer.
My partner and I would travel from town to town,
gather information on wealthy citizens,
and use it to gain their trust.
And that's when you met Clara Simon.
When she came to me, she was pale and weak,
and as time went on,
her condition grew more serious.
She believed
that you had healed her.
And it wasn't until later
that I realized she'd stopped taking her medication.
Her condition was so much more serious
than I'd let myself believe.
You have to believe me now, John.
I never went into it just for the money.
I truly believed then, and I believe now,
that god can work miracles.
I... I am living proof.
You still took the money, Gene.
I was filled with blind ambition.
I truly planned to take the cash
and build a church,
a church where anyone...
where everyone was welcome,
like faith heritage,
but make no mistake about it,
I killed her.
Murdered her as surely as if I put a gun to her head,
and not a day has gone past
that I haven't suffered for it.
That's why you set up the hedge fund.
That's why you sent Jessica money every month.
I have to protect her,
no matter what it takes.
Tell me who took her!
Edward Nolan.
Gene, Edward Nolan got out of prison
five weeks ago.
He's been following your career.
Oh, my god.
John, where are you going?
I'm going to go tell Walt, okay,
because this has gotten completely out of hand!
You know what?
There's one more question
I have to ask you.
Did you con my mother...
like you conned Clara Simon?
No...
and may god strike me dead if I'm lying to you...
Gene, if you're lying to me,
it ain't gonna be god that strikes you down.
Thanks for coming over so fast.
Yeah, you sounded pretty serious on the phone.
Gene!
That crazy son of a bitch.
He's gone to meet Nolan.
You sure about that?
He had a briefcase full of cash.
I checked on Edward Nolan.
He's not a small-time con man anymore.
He's a career criminal
with a history of extreme violence.
And you've got no idea
where Nolan could have gone?
Well, I didn't get anything off the ransom note.
"This night,
they soul shall be required of thee."
You got a bible lying around?
What, are you kidding?
Here.
It's Luke, chapter 12.
God is speaking down to a rich man
who was filling his barn with grain
while the people around him starved.
Wait a minute, there was grain
in the vision I had of Purdy being hurt.
There's a couple of silos west of Lewiston.
Nolan?
Edward?
I have the money!
Hello, Raymond.
It's been a long time.
At least we know that he's here.
Yeah, but where?
We've got a half-dozen men
on the way.
There's no time to wait, though.
Well, looks like we're going door to door.
You guys, don't do anything crazy.
Don't worry.
John?
Yeah, I hear you.
Got your cellphones?
Yeah.
You see or hear anything,
you give me a call.
How does it feel
to be chained up like an animal?
Now you know what my life has been like
for the last 10 years.
What have you done with Jessica?
Is that any way to greet an old partner?
You've come a long way, Raymond.
I remember when we used to shovel grain
in a farm like this.
You were never too much
for getting your hands dirty.
Those days are long gone.
I'm a different man now.
The only thing different about you
is your name...
and your hair line.
You're still selling god to the great unwashed?
I understand you think I betrayed you,
but I'm no longer the man you knew.
I've been reborn.
You must take me for one of those rubes.
10 years in and out of prison,
watching you build up your empire,
on our con!
I remember what you told me.
"You live the lie long enough,
you'll become the lie."
Forgive him, lord,
for his heart knows only darkness.
Shut your mouth.
I waited in here for three days after Clara Simon died.
You never showed.
We killed that woman, Edward.
You killed her!
And now you're going to pay.
Give me the strength, oh, lord, to embrace my sins,
and the strength to be righteous in thy name.
Amen.
Do what you want to me.
Let Jessica go.
She's not part of this.
You're wrong, reverend.
My god...
did you think that a lousy check every month
would pay for what you stole from me,
for the life that you took?
I'm proud of you, Raymond.
You took that girl in like she was your own.
No questions asked.
Just like I knew you would.
Is this what you came to do?
I beseech thee, lord.
Though he kill me...
I will yet trust him.
Nolan, what's happening?
What are you doing?
Stop it!
You're going to kill him.
Help!
What are you doing?
We have the money. This isn't what we planned.
Well, the plans have changed.
Look on the bright side, Ray.
If there is a god,
and you're a different man,
the gates of heaven will swing wide
when you enter,
but we both know that's not where you're going, don't we?
Nolan!
Give me the gun.
Stay where you are.
Come on, you were right.
We'll just take the money, and we'll go.
If you leave with him,
you'll never see the sun again.
Come on, I wouldn't hurt you.
You know that.
Please stop.
Jessica, you're not a killer.
Don't let this man make you one.
He deserves to die for what he did to your mother.
Nolan doesn't give a damn about your mother.
All he cares about is the money.
She believed in him,
and he lied!
I'm not saying Raymond Franklin deserves your mercy,
because he doesn't, but Ray Franklin isn't here.
He died over 40 years ago with your mother.
Jessica, I can only tell you about Gene Purdy,
and I'll tell you something...
he's a man of compassion and understanding.
Yeah, he's also a man
who's been blinded by personal ambition and greed.
He's like the rest of us.
He's just struggling to stay on the path,
and he was willing
to sacrifice everything for you,
even his own life,
and that's got to be worth something.
He broke the key off.
I can't shut it off from here.
Gene, hang on!
Hang on!
He can't move.
He's chained to the floor!
Gene! Hang on, all right?
Keep digging
while I go up top, okay?
You can do it. Keep digging.
Keep digging!
I can't stop it!
Johnny!
Gene! Gene!
Hang in there.
Hang in there, you old son of a bitch.
Oh, thank god.
Thank god.
Help me get him out of here, all right?
Keep digging.
We caught him headed for the highway.
What are you going to do with her?
Well, leave it up to Purdy
to decide if he wants to press charges or not.
She was as much a victim as I was.
I took her life away once.
I'm not going to do it again.
I can't say that she won't be back.
I'll leave that up to her...
and to god.
All right,
but you need to get to a hospital
and get yourself checked out.
I'm gonna catch a ride back with Walt.
All right?
I don't know what to say.
I know our relationship hasn't been everything
I might have wanted it to be.
I'd like to try to make that up to you...
if I can.
You can start by being honest with me.
Your mother.
Yeah, my mother.
Did you use her?
Did you use her, Gene,
the same way you used Clara Simon?
No.
Clara was the reason I turned to god.
Your mother was my reward.