Sins of the Preacher (2013 TV Movie)

Gail O'Grady: Susan Parker

Quotes 

• Andrew Martin : [offscreen]  Girls, you wanna stand up straight, please? Thank you.

  [crowd begins filing in] 

  Susan Parker : [sympathetically]  Andrew.

  [embraces him, then the girls, followed by her husband and other close relatives] 

  Kathy : [comes up to Andrew in the receiving line and embraces him.]  I'm so sorry for your loss, Andrew.

  Andrew Martin : Thank you, Kathy; I appreciate that.

  [turns to girls] 

  Andrew Martin : Okay, girls, you wanna give Aunt Kathy a hug and then go grab our seats, okay?

  [leads the youngest one by her back and one of them gives an "hmmhmm" in response] 

  Kathy : [sighs after the girls leave]  This is a devastating shock for all of us; most of all you. If-If you need any help with anything: Getting things in order or the girls - anything - I...

  Andrew Martin : Thank you, Kathy, but I think we just need to keep moving forward. I'm gonna return to work at the church tomorrow.

  Kathy : Really?

  [obviously startled] 

  Kathy : Are you sure you don't want to take some time off? I mean, I'm sure your congregation would understand.

  Andrew Martin : The Lord was with me when I came back to the church after Natalie died. I'm just gonna do the same this time. He'll give me the strength to carry on.

  [touches Kathy's arm] 

  Andrew Martin : I think it's what Debbie would want me to do, too.

  [she walks away with a forced smile on her face; the first stirrings of suspicion toward him. Andrew turns to Rob] 

  Andrew Martin : Rob.

  Rob : Andrew.

  Andrew Martin : Mary.

  [embraces her] 

• Pastor : This was Debbie's. I used it in the service; I think you should have it.

  Susan Parker : Andrew didn't want it?

  Pastor : [hesitantly]  No...

  Susan Parker : Thank you, Pastor. For - For everything.

  Pastor : [Sees Tom come over]  God bless.

  [Tom puts arm around Susan and kisses her on the left side of her head and they walk forward together] 

• Susan Parker : [scenes of the town, the church, Debbie's grave and and upward camera rotation transition into the Parkers' yard where Susan, Kathy and Laura are having a light meal]  Everyone at work has been so understanding. But I - I feel like I can't trust myself; I'll be going along, just fine and - and then it'll just hit me and I'll burst into tears.

  Kathy : Give it time; it's only been a couple of weeks.

  Susan Parker : I know. It's just that now that the shock has - has worn off, I... I just... I miss her so much.

  Kathy : Mmmhmmm.

  Laura : Have you heard from Andrew?

  Susan Parker : I've called over a few times to talk to the girls but they were busy.

  Laura : Has he ordered a headstone yet?

  Susan Parker : No, not yet, but I offered my help and he... he said he'd take care of it.

  Kathy : Susan, did you ever talk to the police?

  Susan Parker : The police? About what?

  Kathy : About why there wasn't an autopsy.

  Susan Parker : Tom talked to them. The... the night of... her death. They said that Judge Carter had already ruled that it... that it wasn't necessary.

  Kathy : Why not?

  Susan Parker : Because... it was a suicide.

  Kathy : Well, you see, that's what we were wondering about.

  Laura : Aunt Susan, we don't believe Debbie killed herself.

  Susan Parker : What are you talking about? The police said...

  Kathy : Yeah, we know what the police said; it doesn't make any sense. Debbie was a happy person. She had her friends, she was excited about her new job at the school and most of all she had her girls.

  Susan Parker : I know. It's... it's hard to believe.

  Kathy : It's not just that. There are things that don't add up.

  Susan Parker : What things?

  Kathy : Like all those pills. Debbie didn't take pills like that.

  Susan Parker : We don't know that.

  Laura : And they found her naked. That's not the Debbie we know; she was way too modest for that.

  Susan Parker : She was in a desperate place.

• Laura : Then what about the suicide note? If you were really in that state of mind would you take the time to type and print a note? She didn't even sign it.

  Susan Parker : I don't understand; what are you saying?

  Kathy : Susan, we think Debbie was murdered and we think that Andrew is responsible.

  Susan Parker : No, no. You are wrong!

  [stands up] 

  Susan Parker : He loved her and he would never do anything, anything to hurt her.

  Kathy : Susan, I'm not trying to upset you.

  [words buried under Susan's upset ones] 

  Susan Parker : I can't believe this. I'm sorry

  [shouts and talks over Kathy's placating words] 

  Susan Parker : I cannot hear this!

  Kathy : Susan...

  [stands with Laura and follows Susan into the house] 

  Kathy : Susan!

  Susan Parker : [yelling emotionally]  You have NEVER liked Andrew; you've made it very clear over the years but that does not make him a murderer; he is my son-in-law!

  Kathy : Susan, listen, you don't think it's strange that he went right back to work; that h-he didn't even cry at the funeral; that he won't let you see the girls...

  Susan Parker : He is the father of my grandchildren!

  Laura : We would never say anything unless we really felt like we had to. Aunt Susan: Andrew is not a good man!

  Susan Parker : He is a minister! He's a minister! He's a man of God. And he would never... he would never...

  Kathy : Susan, for God's sake, be honest with yourself. You can't tell me you never had doubts. I mean, even before they were married, didn't you think there was always something wrong?

  Susan Parker : I appreciate both of you coming, but this conversation is just making things worse.

  Laura : Aunt Susan!

  Susan Parker : [emotionally]  Andrew and those girls are the only connection I have left to Debbie! I want you... I want you to back off and I want you to drop it, do you understand? Do you understand?

  Kathy : It's dropped.

  [Susan exits the kitchen and Kathy sighs] 

  Laura : [turns to Kathy]  So we're just going to drop it, just like that?

  Kathy : Absolutely not.

  [sighs] 

• Debbie Martin : [coming down the stairs in flashback]  So? Mom?

  Susan Parker : Oh!

  Debbie Martin : [twirls in wedding dress]  What do you think?

  Susan Parker : [sincerely]  You look beautiful.

  Debbie Martin : Did the seamstress get everything? It's pulled in enough?

  Susan Parker : Oh, it's perfect!

  Debbie Martin : Really? You think so?

  Susan Parker : [nods and laughs]  You should be on the cover of a magazine.

  [they hug] 

  Susan Parker : Deb, this might not be the right... time to say this, but... your father and I are worried. Everything's happening too fast.

  Debbie Martin : Mom, I told you, we don't wanna wait! Andrew wants to marry me right away.

  Susan Parker : I know, but you're so young, and... well, you don't really know him...

  Debbie Martin : Mom, stop! Please.

  Susan Parker : Where is his family? Where - where are Andrew's friends? And why is your cousin his best man instead of one of his friends?

  Debbie Martin : Mom, Andrew doesn't have any friends. That's why he needs me!

  Susan Parker : What kind of man doesn't have friends.

  Debbie Martin : Mom. I love him. I know what I'm doing. He's a good Christian man.

• Andrew Martin : [Susan gets out of car at Andrew's house and closes door while Andrew has boxes]  Oh, hi, Susan, how are you? I'd give ya a hug, but I got my hands kinda full here.

  Susan Parker : Oh, that's alright. I just wanted to drop this off and see how you and the girls are.

  Andrew Martin : Oh, we're just fine. Just fine. You really don't need to come over and check up on us.

  Susan Parker : I'm not... checking up on you, Andrew. Are - I want to see the girls; are they home?

  Andrew Martin : Oh, they're with friends.

  Susan Parker : Alright. I'll... I'll come back tomorrow.

  Andrew Martin : You know, right now they're so busy with school and homework.

  Susan Parker : I haven't seen the girls in weeks, Andrew.

  Andrew Martin : Oh, okay. Well, uh, why don't we make some plans ahead of time?

  Susan Parker : All right. What you got there? Are those pictures?

  Andrew Martin : Thanks for coming by, Susan. I'll be sure to tell the girls you say hello.

  [takes the food from her hands and begins going back toward the house] 

  Andrew Martin : Alright. Give Tom my love.

  [Susan gets back in the car and Andrew waves from the front porch] 

  Brianna Daniels : [emerges from house when Susan is almost gone from view]  Everything okay?

  Andrew Martin : [puts his hand on her hand, which is on his shoulder]  Yeah, it's great. Just great.

• Tom Parker : Well, he seems to be holding it together pretty well.

  Susan Parker : A little bit too well, don't ya think?

  Tom Parker : What do you mean?

  Susan Parker : I mean, he doesn't look like a man who just lost his wife.

  Tom Parker : What does he look like?

  Susan Parker : Happy

  [glances at Andrew] 

  Susan Parker : . Happy.

  [meanwhile, Andrew cheerfully talks to exiting members and Tom holds the car door for Susan] 

• Susan Parker : [cooking]  I went to see Andrew and the girls today.

  Tom Parker : And how are they?

  Susan Parker : I didn't see 'em. Andrew said they weren't home; they went to a friend's.

  Tom Parker : That's good. I mean, they should be with friends; have some fun.

  Susan Parker : Hmm. Andrew met me out front. He was carrying a box. He - he was hiding it from me. What was inside.

  Tom Parker : Well, did you ask him about it?

  Susan Parker : He basically ran away from me. There was a moment when the box top slid open and I swear, Tom, there were pictures of Debbie inside of it. He was throwing it in the trash. The TRASH!

  Tom Parker : Oh, Suze. There's gotta be an explanation.

  Susan Parker : Oh, I don't know. There was somethin' wrong about the whole thing.

  Tom Parker : People... grieve... differently. Uh, uh, maybe it was too painful for him to have those photos around.

  Susan Parker : No. There's something else going on here. I can't stop thinking about what Laura and Kathy said about the note.

  Tom Parker : Oh, Suze. We already talked about this.

  Susan Parker : Tom, there are so many unanswered questions and Andrew is acting so strangely; I just... I think - I think we should do something.

  Tom Parker : Nothing we do is gonna bring her back.

  Susan Parker : [emotional]  I need to know, Tom. I need to know if Debbie took her life or if someone took it from her.

  Tom Parker : So what do we do?

  Susan Parker : We start asking questions.