Modern Prodigal (2019) - full transcript
Reporter searching for answers in his son's murder, uncovers a drug ring run out of the city's rehab center, and his life changes more than he'd ever dreamt possible, as he is faced with a choice that will impact his eternity.
- Jonathon!
Hey Jonathon!
- What?
Yeah, I saw that.
I don't know.
- You promised me
the front page!
- Things change.
- I've been working on
that story for a month!
Is my story even in here?
- Local, you're the lead.
- People in the city who
haven't had running water
for weeks and you buried it!
- So when the daughter of
a high powered attorney
accuses someone of bribery
and possible rape, it runs!
- They're not local!
They're in Charlotte!
- People don't have
time to follow you down
these rabbit holes anymore!
This is a dying trade.
Look out there in
the bullpen Brian.
When's the last time you
saw it fully staffed?
See, we're all struggling here,
you just have to accept that
there's a new sheriff in town.
I'm just trying to
keep everyone working.
- New owners.
- Oh, okay.
- So you're okay with this?
- Actually, no I'm not.
I read the article, I thought
it was very well written.
But what do you want
me to do about it?
- I have to make a phone call.
Hello.
Hi this is Brian Sanderson,
I'm calling to refill
a prescription.
It's for pain medication.
Hi, Brian Sanderson.
No, my birthday's
September 13th.
Yeah, but the
problem is I spilled
half of them on the
street earlier this week
and I don't have any left.
Okay, is there anything
that you can do?
No, no, I can.
No, thank you.
I'll call Dr. Reynolds and
have him write another one.
Okay.
No, thank you.
Bye.
- Sanderson,
Phillips, my office.
Do you know what this is?
- No.
- It's Fentanyl.
Up to 100 times more
potent than morphine.
- And they all died from this
drug?
- Suspected.
Here's the clincher, they
were all marked as Oxy.
- So we're talking all
accidental O.D.'s then, right?
- Maybe.
If we can make the
connection between this
and what's been going on
at the Chaffin Center,
your story might be
a national headline.
And Brian, I want you
running support on this one.
Look into see what's happening
once the drug hits the streets.
- Okay.
I'll get my guy at the
Department of Health a call.
Maybe he can shed some light.
- Good.
I need it by the
end of the week.
Your story runs on Sunday.
- All right, got it.
We'll get to work.
Thanks.
- Walter!
How ya doing man?
- Hey, how ya doing?
- Thanks for meeting me here.
Want something to drink?
- No, no, no.
I gotta get back
to work after this.
So, what's up?
How Can the Department
of Health help you today?
- Fentanyl.
There's an influx of it hitting
the streets from some place.
A couple of kids have
died from it already,
and my editor wants
me to check into it.
- Yeah.
Yeah I've heard of it.
- The deaths or the drug?
- Both.
It's a synthetic opioid.
It can be used to nullify
pain before a procedure.
Thank you.
- Thing of it is, these are
being marked as Oxycodone.
- Oh now that I did not now.
There was a run up in
Charlotte a few months ago
that was mislabeled,
but they destroyed all
those at the factory.
- Are you sure about that?
- The run that was mislabeled
was only about a thousand.
So with any luck, we'll burn
through those pretty quickly
and by a pretty
small population.
It would be a really bad
situation if we had an influx
of Fentanyl addicts
running around the streets.
- Can I quote you on that?
- As long as you make
me sound good, sure.
- Yeah, from what I'm hearing,
that one of these
pills can kill you,
are we about to have a thousand
dead kids on the streets?
- An Oxy addict will
go through about
120 milligrams a day.
That's three to
four tablets per hit
so that cuts the number of
1,000 down to 500 to start with.
And then you figure in, oh,
the number of pills
left over after the O.D.
and the average buy
is three or four days.
So I'd say you're looking
at a minimum of 100 deaths.
- It's still something.
There is one more thing.
What's that?
- I heard a rumor today about
Elizabeth Chaffin's
Treatment facility.
- Oh now that's a good place.
They do a lot of good,
and for free I might add.
- Have you ever met her?
- No, just at public functions.
The mayor has given her a
few awards for civil service.
- I'm hearing that the drugs
she takes in at the door
are being resold on the
streets to fund her work.
- I hope not.
Brian, if that
place closes down,
we're gonna have a real
problem on our hands.
- Well, thanks for
coming here, Walt.
I appreciate you meeting me.
Anytime.
And one of these days Suzy and I
are going to have
you over for dinner.
It's been too long.
- Let's do that.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Okay look, just
help me out here okay.
Tell me what you saw.
- Well I was working there
for three years, you know?
And I always wondered
where the money came from,
but I never asked any questions.
I didn't want to lose
my job, you know?
- Lucia, Lucia,
Just tell me what happened.
Okay.
There was a man there.
- Okay, do you know who he was?
No.
- Did anybody else see him
that can corroborate
what you're saying?
- I don't know.
He was standing over in
the corner of the room.
But I just heard part of
the conversation, you know?
And I saw her hand
over the pills.
He just put them in
his backpack and left.
And where were
you during all of this?
Standing in the doorway?
No, I mop
the floors you know.
- Let's say I take
you at your word
and I call my friend
down at the precinct
and I have him
come by the center,
is he gonna be able to
find any evidence of this?
- No.
He gave her money and he
walked out with the pills.
She says she destroys them
but I don't think so.
- And you're telling me this
happened over a year ago?
Last July.
- So what took you so
long to say anything?
- She scares me.
I saw him again a few days ago
and I ask her who that man was.
I shouldn't have said
nothing, kept my mouth shut.
- What changed?
Why are you talking to me now?
- She fired me.
And I got a son.
- Okay.
All right look, I'll
make a few phone calls,
I'll see if anybody
will talk to me.
But right now I
don't print anything.
- You’ll keep my name
out of it right?
I mean, you wouldn't--
- Listen, if you're afraid
there's gonna be retaliation,
you need to talk to the police.
But no, I won't mention
your name to anybody.
- So what happens now?
I’ve got your number.
What?
- I'm very sorry to
disturb you at this hour,
but are you Brian Sanderson?
- Yeah.
- Sir, my name is
Detective Luis Vegara,
it's very important
that I speak to you.
I regret to inform you that
your son was found dead
of an apparent gunshot
wound earlier tonight.
- Who?
I believe it
was your son, Michael.
I understand how difficult
this can be Mr. Sanderson.
- How come you're telling me?
How come you're not
telling his mother?
- We've tried, but we've
been unable to locate her.
- Tough night last night?
It looks like Elizabeth Chaffin's been making some moves.
She hired two
attorneys last night
and put out a press
release that talks about
all the good work
that she's been doing.
You okay Brian?
- I already talked to that lady
yesterday about
that Chaffin thing.
I don't believe her.
- What did she say?
Were you able to
check any of it out?
- Why don't you do your
own damn homework Jonathon.
- Hey man, hey.
Are you okay?
- Look, just get
off me all right?
Just keep your hands off me.
- Sanderson, with me now!
- Button it up buddy.
- Are you drunk?
Yeah.
- You're fired.
- Fired?
- It's time for you to leave.
Now.
- My son died last night.
- I'm, I'm sorry.
- I don't want this job anyway.
Do you understand that?
I don't want it!
- Okay Brian, you
don't mean that.
- Yes I do!
- It's time for you to leave.
- Fine.
I'm leaving.
I am going.
I am gone.
- Marcus.
- If you need something, you
go see that boy over there.
- Marcus, we need to talk.
Drive.
Where?
- Away from here.
I don't talk where I
conduct my business.
- We may have a problem.
Somebody's been snooping
around the center.
- I can deal with the po-po's.
- It's not the police,
it's a reporter.
Listen, my name needs to
stay clear no matter what.
- Pull over.
Let's get something straight,
you give me the pills,
I sell the pills.
So what is the problem?
- The problem is they aren't
what you think they are.
- I know exactly what it was.
Don't ever catch
yourself thinkin',
I don't know why
you're here for this.
- What do you mean?
Sarah.
- How is my sister?
Coked out,
but she's still alive.
- We may have another problem.
Somebody saw you at the center.
- I don't need my
name in the papers.
- It won't be.
If she doesn't say anything.
- Name?
- Lucia.
Lucia Andrade.
- See what we can do.
Help her keep our little secret.
You got anymore of
those Oxy treats for me?
- No more Oxy.
I told you that was
a one-time deal.
If I would have
known what they were,
I never would've
given them to you.
- Why are you doing this?
- Because if I keep my
doors open a little longer,
I help more people.
Maybe one day Sarah will--
- No, no, no, no, no, no.
You can't put this
back in the bag,
once it's out in the
streets, it's out there baby.
You see, you're changing
the face of this city.
You will get your patients.
More than you ever thought.
Marcus, would you
tell her something for me?
- I ain't your secretary.
- Hey.
It's the only personal thing
you had left on your desk.
Thought you might want it back.
- How do you know where I live?
- Isn't it our job to
find out the things
that other people
wanna keep a secret?
Hand me
that bottle would ya?
Yeah.
What are you doing here?
- I heard what you
said to Regina.
Is it true?
- Yeah.
Do you
want to talk about it?
- No, I don't wanna
talk about it.
I need another drink.
- Brian, you know
that's a good idea.
- Well you're not
my sponsor anymore!
- Okay.
So, what do you do now?
- I don't know Jonathon.
I haven't seen my
kid in three years.
- It was Michael.
Talk to Marie or David about it?
- No, he called me last night.
- Who?
- Michael.
Eight, four, two, nine, one.
You need
to talk to Marie.
Well Marie
made it very clear to me
that I am no longer
welcomed in her life.
Do you
have her number?
- Yeah I have a number.
I don't know if it works.
Why don't
you give it a try?
- You know, somebody
killed my son,
and I have no idea of what
kind of man he'd become.
- If you want, I'll do
some digging around.
See if I can find anything out.
- Have you heard anything?
- No.
In the meantime,
do you have somebody that
can perform the service?
Like a priest?
Yeah.
- No, Marie wouldn't go
for anything like that.
Me, I haven't set
foot in a church
since the day I was married.
If you're hungry, there's
some pizza in that fridge.
- Yeah.
I think I'll stay a while.
Across town,
a body was discovered.
Reporter Lisa Spar is on scene
to give you more
information about that.
- Authorities have attributed
a number of local deaths
to this dangerous new drug.
- You know anything about that?
- Yeah, some.
Her name has
not been released,
but police believe the
murder to be linked
to the increasing drug trade.
Remember, you can always
report suspicious activity.
- A story you're working on?
- No I'm not working on that.
Listen, I can't
remember the last time
I came in here for conversation.
You wonder why I drink at home?
It's because I don't
really like to be bothered.
- Then why come here at all?
- 'Cause sometimes
the walls won't
shut the hell up either.
- People,
don't ignore God's voice!
He has plans for you!
Plans to do you good!
Are you listening to hear
if God is calling you tonight?
Look at the way the world is!
Listen to His word!
He loves you people!
God's plans
wait on no man.
He has called you to take
that first step.
What'ya gonna do?
You sir,
tonight you have been called.
What's your answer?
God only wants to love you.
He doesn't wanna
do any harm to you.
Brian?
What the?
Come here.
Come on, come on, come on.
Over here, over here.
Come on.
What, what is going on?
- Michael was gone
for three years
and I never got to know him.
Brian, you can't
blame yourself for that.
- What if I can do one
last thing for him?
What if I can find out
what kind of man he was?
- Brian, look, he was on
the street for three years.
Three years.
What, do you think you're
gonna go out and retrace
every step he made
- Jonathon, what don't
- In the last three years?
- You Understand?
I let him
down as a father!
I didn't do my job!
Look, look, listen, listen.
If I can do this one last thing,
I can reclaim my son.
- Is everything okay?
- Yeah, everything's fine.
I'll take care of this.
- What's going on?
- I'll be right back to bed.
Go back to bed buddy.
Daddy will be back inside
in just a minute okay.
- You are Batman!
That's okay.
- Look,
we'll sit down in the morning,
we'll figure out a plan, okay.
We'll figure this out.
Okay, all right,
I'll see you tomorrow.
- Look, look, I’m gonna get my
keys and I'm gonna take you...
- No, no, I'm okay.
Look, go back--
- Brian--
- Listen, go, go be
with your family.
I'm fine.
I'll see you tomorrow.
- Mr. Sanderson, I'm Clarice.
If you please follow me,
the rest of the family
is waiting in the parlor.
Allow me to express
our deepest sympathies.
If there's anything you need,
please, just let me know.
- No, I think we're fine.
Thank you.
If you could just let us
know when the service begins.
- Of course ma'am.
- Oh and one more thing,
if you could just
find my husband
and send him in please.
You brought a flask of
whiskey to bury your son?
- I don't want to hear it
Marie, really, you know I don't.
And by the way, there's plenty
that I could say
about your behavior,
but shall we just keep it civil
until our son is buried?
- Do not make this
day about you.
Put that damn flask away!
- Well, no one knew if you were
gonna make it today, Brian.
Well, I'm sure Michael
would appreciate it
now that you're here.
- Was I not expected
here today, Victor?
- No, not like that.
We just hadn't heard
from you is all.
And Jules here,
raised the question.
We just didn't know.
- How's the law practice Victor?
- Good!
Real good!
A lot of money in
public defense.
You know, Jules here?
This is the first
time you two have met.
We were all wondering if
today would be the day.
- He called me,
the night he died.
- What'd he say?
- I missed the call.
I was wondering if any of you
had any contact with him lately.
Knew where he was,
what he was doing.
- He was your son.
- I hadn't seen him in a year.
He wanted me to
bail him out of jail
and I decided not--
- We, we decided.
- We decided not to.
That was the last time I
had any contact with him.
- There's nothing more recent?
Nothing that can lead me to him?
- He is right through
that door, Brian.
- I'm sorry, but it's time
we begin the services.
If you'll please just follow me.
This way.
- I don't know Brian.
He just left one day.
I don't know where
he went, I never did.
You know that.
He even did that when
you were still around.
- Marie.
Marie, I wanna know
why my son is dead.
He was living with you,
so excuse me if I
expect that my wife--
- Your ex-wife Brian!
It has been six years!
When are you going
to accept that!
- And he lived with you.
So forgive me if I
expected his mother
to do the most responsible thing
and keep our children alive.
Instead, I've got somebody
coming to my house
in the middle of the night
telling me my son is dead.
- Brian.
We did the very best
we could with him.
- Look, I wanna
know who my son was
and I wanna know why he died.
- I can't answer that.
I can't answer that
anymore than you can!
You of all people know how
difficult he could be sometimes.
Don't put this on me.
Don't you make this my fault!
- All I want is answers, Marie.
- That's what you don't
seem to understand!
Sometimes there are no answers!
There isn't some cosmic
force guiding our world?
God, Brian!
I thought you had finally
gotten past all that.
- You know, it never
failed to impress me
how you could wriggle
that into almost
any conversation we were having.
- Come on honey, let's go.
- Brian,
if you are really serious about
finding out who Michael was,
why don't you start
with our other son.
Michael stayed with
him a couple of times.
- Hey, how ya holding up?
- What are you doing here?
- Brian, you're my friend,
of course I'm gonna be here.
Everyone at the office
sends their regards too.
- Yeah, you see
any of them here?
Must not be too
broken up about it.
- Listen, I did some checking on
what we were talking
about last night
and it turns out we got a
tip on Michael's murder.
Yeah, I got Regina to sign
off on making it a story.
- I wanna come with you.
- Yeah, I thought you might.
- Well what do you know?
- Not much.
Turns out the guy
who found the body,
he's in a halfway
house over off of 32nd.
- What are you doing here?
- Well you are my son.
I just wanted to
check up on you.
Your mom said he
used to stay here
sometimes when he left home.
- He did.
- So that's it?
A simple he did?
I think I deserve a little
more respect than that.
- You deserve?
I've heard all the stories,
about how little brother
was always your favorite.
The chosen one.
Do you know he barely
even mentions you,
and when he does
it's about how you'd
go out of your way for him!
The drug addict!
And yet, even still,
he's the only thing
that you're worried about.
- I'm sorry, who is she?
And why is she talking
to me like that?
- She's right Brian.
You were always more
concerned with him.
It's like, as soon
as he was born
you forgot I was even around.
And I did everything you asked!
I stayed in school,
I got a good job,
I helped out around the house!
And none of that
mattered to you!
He hurt mom, he
stole money from you,
and you'd always let him back
knowing he'd do the same
thing all over again!
David, he was my son!
What am I supposed to do?
Let him die out
there in the streets?
- Yeah, good job
stopping that one.
- You know I did
everything I could
to keep this family together.
If that meant putting
a little extra effort
into your brother,
then that's what I did!
- He tore this family apart!
It was his actions
he was making!
You could have saved this
family from years of hurt!
And for what?
He ended up in the
same place anyway!
- How could you say that?
That's your brother!
- Because it's true!
He drove a wedge
between you and Mom.
He's the reason you drank
yourself to sleep every night!
- Look, you shouldn't say that.
I love both of you equally.
- Right.
All I ever got was the scraps.
- You know, I never
left you alone.
I was always there for you!
- I'll bet he's the reason
you're here right now, isn't he?
Isn't he?
- Yes.
- Get out!
Get out!
- Please, I have to know
what happened that night.
- Save your crusade
for someone else.
I don't know where he
went, or what he did.
I have nothing here for you.
Now I've asked you to leave!
Go!
- That good huh?
So, how'd it go?
- Not well.
Were you
able to learn anything?
- No.
Hey, pull over up here would ya?
I need a drink.
You know
I can't do that, right?
- So you can have water.
He was 15 years old.
Marie had been seeing
Victor for the past year.
I thought we'd
been doing so well.
I thought we'd
finally moved past
all that bull that
we'd been through.
She told me after
the kids went to bed.
She said that the two of them
had been together for a year,
and that he'd asked
her to marry him.
And she'd said "Yes."
My wife tells me she's
engaged to another man.
And she had the documents
from her attorney.
All my demons laid bare.
We had a terrible
fight that night.
I don't think I slept
for the next two days.
Anyway, after it as all over,
she asked me to leave the house.
As I'm walking through
the door into the garage,
I see Michael.
Sitting there,
on the other side of the wall
just on the other
side of the kitchen.
He looked terrified.
We didn't say anything
to each other.
I'm not even sure that
his mom knows he was
there that night.
Listening, to everything.
So I drove back by
the house the next day
to try to talk to him,
but there was another
car in the driveway.
I drove past the house
every day for a week,
and every day, that same car
sitting there in the driveway
as if there was nothing in
the world wrong with that.
- Why are you telling me this?
'Cause that's the
day I lost him.
I think if I had just stopped
and just said something to him,
maybe all this could
have been avoided.
- Look, I know a guy, he
attends services with me,
I'm sure I could get
him to talk to you.
- One of your men of God?
Your friends don't
want me or my problems.
- I think you'd be surprised
at how much you have
in common with them.
Come on, it's getting late.
Let's get out of here.
It's everything I have on
the investigation so far.
That's Wade Mullins,
crack addict.
He's the one that
found Michael's body.
But I now also got the
blood results for Michael.
They're in that folder too.
He tested positive for cocaine
and several other opiates
in his blood stream.
Official cause of death is
multiple gunshot wounds.
- What are the police saying?
- "Drug addict got shot."
Their only real interest is
the Fentanyl found on him.
There's a Detective Vegara who's
heading that part up.
But his only real concern
is finding the dealer.
- Vegara's the one that told
me about Michael's death.
- What do you want?
- Wade Mullins?
- Who's asking?
- I'm Jonathon Phillips.
We spoke on the phone earlier.
- Yeah, yeah!
- Is there, I don't know,
maybe some place we could talk?
- It's gotta be close.
That's what I get for
finding that boy out there.
Come on in.
- Did you know him?
- What's this man?
I thought you's
doing the interview?
You know, getting my name in
the papers and everything.
- I'm just along for the ride.
If it happens, it'll happen.
But he's the one that's
conducting the interview.
- All right.
All right, I see that.
Now, you ask me
that question again.
- Did you know him?
- No, I just seen him
layin' there right?
And I went over to make sure
everything was okay, right?
Just being a good Samaritan.
- Well what time was this?
- I dunno, after 12.
I had been down at
that diner, right.
And it was after I left there
that I saw him layin'
there in the street.
Listen man, that kid was
dead when I got there.
I didn't have anything
to do with that.
- We know.
- Did you find anything on him?
- What?
You mean, like,
did I search him?
Yeah, I got his
wallet over there.
Listen, it was like
that when I found it.
Do the police
know you have this?
- Don't ask, don't tell, right?
Do you
mind if I keep this?
- Like hell man?
- Hey, he's the kids father.
- I'm just gonna keep
the card, all right?
- No man, keep it.
Did you find
anything else on him?
- Yeah, but, you can't have
any of that man, you know.
- What was it?
Oxy?
- Some of it, yeah.
- Word of advice Wade,
stay away from it.
It's not what you think it is.
It's all we need
from you right now Wade.
Thank you.
- All right.
- Hey, when am I gonna
see this in the papers?
My mama always wanted to see my
picture in there, you know,
for a somethin' good I done.
- Yeah, I'll let you know.
Thanks.
- Hello.
- Hello, Mr. Sanderson?
- Yeah, who's this?
Detective Luis Vegara.
I trust you remember me.
- Is this about my son?
- Actually, no.
I'm calling in
reference to a number
of prescriptions that have
been filled in your name.
- Yeah.
- A local pharmacy
reported it as suspicious.
This type of thing usually
turns out to be nothing,
but all the same it would
be good if you came in
and we could get a
statement from you.
- I'm afraid now is not a
really good time for me.
- That's fine, but
the sooner we can put
this behind us the better.
Would sometime later
this week be possible?
- Yeah, yeah, I think
I could do that.
- Great.
Like I said, usually
nothing to worry about,
just have to follow through
with these things, you know?
- Yeah I understand.
- I'll see you by the
end of the week then.
Thanks.
Bye.
- Who was that?
- It's nothing, let's go.
Tony Wilson Construction.
- No answer?
- No.
Couldn't
leave a message?
- I never do.
- Let me see that.
I know where this is.
It's a new subdivision
going up in the Fourth Ward.
They filed a complaint yesterday
about the water situation.
It's a quarter to five now.
Even if they are working late
we won't make it by the
time they pack up and leave.
Maybe we'll catch
someone tomorrow.
- Yeah, first thing
in the morning.
All right.
- Hey, this is a surprise.
Come on in.
- Yeah, it kind
of is for me too.
- Do you want
something to drink?
- No.
I'm fine.
- So, what brings you here?
- I'm here to talk
about Michael.
What about him?
- Listen, I know why
you're doing all this.
And believe me, it's cool.
It's just
hard.
- David, what is it?
What are you trying to tell me?
- Did you know he was trying
to turn his life around?
Trying to straighten things up?
- No, no.
- Julie found this this morning.
It's his writing.
Chris?
- Yeah.
He had this notebook
he would write in
and it had like some
sketches on it and stuff.
- Did he ever mention this guy?
- Yeah, once.
A few months back.
- Do you know where
I can find him?
- No idea.
He was supposed to meet
up with him that day.
Hey,
Brian.
I won't be able to go
out with you today.
This Chaffin situation
just blew up.
She may be indicted
by the end of the day.
They made the connection
last night between her
and the facility in Charlotte.
But listen, I want to get
a hold of that Lucia woman
that you interviewed.
Seems she's dropped off
the face of the earth.
All right, okay, I'm
pulling into city hall now,
talk to you later.
- Wait here.
I'm looking for Tony Wilson.
- He's right there.
- Excuse me, I was
wondering if you could
tell me anything about
Michael Sanderson?
- Never talk about employees
past or present with the cops.
- Well I'm not the cops.
- Then I don't have
to talk to you do I?
He's my son.
- Then tell him he's fired.
I got a business to run.
Enough's enough.
He's done around here.
- My son's dead.
- Johnny, can you
give us a minute?
- Repeat that?
- Michael's dead.
- Hey man, I'm sorry.
What happened?
- Look, I'm looking for a
guy, Christopher something.
My son was spending
time with him.
- Never heard of him.
- How long was Michael
working for you?
- Off and on for
about three months.
He just showed up one day,
said he was looking for work.
Said he'd just gotten out
of that Chaffin program.
He was looking
pretty rough though.
So I told him I'd give him
a days pay for a days work
and every day he
showed up after that.
He was doing pretty good,
so after about a week I
hired him on officially.
- You said off and on.
- Yeah, he just
started missing days.
I never could reach him either.
First it was just a day
here and a day there,
but soon he'd be
gone for days on end.
I guess the last time he was
here was
about a week and a half ago.
- Did he have any friends here?
Do you know where
he was staying?
- No, he was pretty
much of a loner.
I mean he'd talked to you
if you went up and
asked him a question,
but never much.
I don't think he was staying
anywhere in particular.
I think he was kind
of bouncing around.
- Well thank you.
- Hey, listen, I wish I
could be of more help,
but he kind of stayed
to himself like I said.
I wish I could tell you more.
- Well thank you.
Thank you for helping my son.
I appreciate it.
- Hey, I'd do it again
tomorrow if another kid
showed up like that.
A little Christian charity
never hurt no one did it?
No.
No I guess it didn't.
- I'm sorry about
Michael, good luck.
- Jonathon, he was at
the Chaffin center.
Cool, I'll see you in five.
- How may I help you, sir?
- Hi, my name is
Brian Sanderson.
I believe my son was
in here for treatment
about, well within
the last six months.
His mother and I been
looking for him--
- I'm sorry sir, but
we keep our patients
information strictly
confidential here.
I can however--
- Did I mention to you
that he was a minor?
- What did you say his name was?
Michael Sanderson.
- Hi, yes.
I have a gentleman here claiming
to be Michael
Sanderson's father.
He says that he's
looking for his son.
Yes, that's what I told him.
He says that he's a minor.
Yes of course.
His name is Michael Sanderson.
Okay, thank you.
Someone will be with
you in a moment sir.
- Good day Mr. Phillips.
- We'll speak again
soon Dr. Chaffin.
- Mr. Sanderson, I'm
Elizabeth Chaffin,
the director here.
How may I help you?
- Mrs. Chaffin.
- Doctor.
- Dr. Chaffin, I was
hoping that you could
help me find my son.
- Why don't we
talk in my office.
If you'll follow me.
So when was the last
time that you saw him?
- Three years ago.
- And no word since then?
- We had no idea where
he was until today.
- Mr. Sanderson,
according to our records,
Michael's 23-years-old.
Obviously he had the
identification to prove that.
Now you threatened
my receptionist
and you lied.
So why don't you tell me
exactly why you're really here.
- I'm trying to find
out about my son.
- Well, he's no longer a minor.
There's nothing I can tell you.
- Can I see the file
of when he left,
where he might have gone?
- No, I'm sorry.
I cannot share that with you.
- Did he leave anything behind?
- If he did, we'll hold it
for him until he returns.
- He's dead.
He died last week, in
a drug deal that went bad.
I'm trying to find
out who my son was.
What kind of a man he'd become.
Will you help me?
- I'm sorry, without a court
order, my hands are tied.
- Is there anybody else
that I could talk to maybe?
I just to find out what
his interests were?
What kind of music
he listened to?
- Yes, it's Dr. Chaffin.
I have Michael
Sanderson's father here,
would you please ask Melissa
Thomas to meet him
down in the East Hall?
Thank you.
- Thank you.
Mr. Sanderson?
Yes.
- I was your son's
nurse while he was here.
How may I help you today?
- I just wanted more
information on my son.
I wanna know who he was.
- Michael.
Michael was actually
one of the good ones.
Right up until the day he left.
He was always
polite, always kind.
Withdrawal can be
a hell of a thing,
and your son handled it about
as well as could be expected.
Better than some actually,
especially for a first timer.
But what it comes down
to, Mr. Sanderson,
is that your son wasn’t broken
enough
when he walked
through our doors.
He could see the cliff, but
he hadn't fallen over yet.
He just, hadn't hit rock bottom.
- Why are you telling
me all of this
when Dr. Chaffin wouldn't?
- You're his father, correct?
Yes.
- Then wouldn't you agree
you have a right to know?
Absolutely.
- Listen, this
place is going down.
The things the you hear
happened here, they did.
That stuff is just gonna wind up
in an evidence locker anyway
so I thought it best
that you have it.
- Thank you.
Oh.
Is there anybody that works
here by the name of Christopher?
- That name doesn't ring a bell.
I'm sorry.
Thank you.
- Hi, I sent your car home.
- And?
How'd it go?
- I got his phone.
- All right, that's a start.
Who was the last
person he called?
- Me.
But he keeps calling
somebody named Priest.
Priest?
Who the hell is Priest?
No answer?
- No, not even a
name on the message.
- Great.
That woman you
interviewed, Lucia,
turns out she wasn't lying.
Unfortunately, she's
been found murdered.
Stabbed to death in a
crack house across town.
- There's other sources.
- Yeah.
Oh, and also, it
turns out Chaffin,
they're not destroying the drugs
after the addicts arrive either.
And where it goes, I don't know.
If I had to guess, I'd
say some dealer somewhere.
- Any leads?
- Plenty.
I mean this thing stretches
out like a spider web
across the entire city.
We're talking current
patients, past patients,
even one that now
works in Charlotte.
But as far as who set
up the original deal,
or how it ever got started,
man I just don't know.
- Has Chaffin
admitted to anything?
- Nah, not yet.
She has quit giving interviews.
And her P.R. firm,
they won't respond
to any questions.
- She's ducking and hiding,
hoping you'll move on.
- Looking that way.
Where to next?
- The diner across the street
from where Michael's
body was found.
I'm gonna talk to the manager,
find out if he saw anything.
Maybe by some miracle he's
got some security cameras.
- Good luck.
Regina's asked me
to turn in any story
I have on your son by tomorrow.
Right now, there
really isn't one.
I've gotta go
full-time on Chaffin.
I just,
I don't know that
I'm gonna be able
to help you out
much more on this.
- It's okay.
All right.
Who knows, maybe I'll actually
find what I'm looking for.
- I hope you do.
When you get to
the bottom of this,
write about it.
Somebody out there needs it.
Sometimes,
there are no answers!
You of all people
know how difficult
he could be sometimes!
Michael was
actually one of the good ones.
He was always
polite, always kind.
He was trying
to turn his life around.
Trying to straighten up.
- Walt!
- The pad, Brian.
Give it to me now.
- I don't know what
you're talking about.
- If you don't
give it to me now,
I'll tear this place
apart until I find it.
Give it to me now!
- Look, really man, I don't
know what you're talking about.
- Detective Vegara
phoned me to follow up
on your prescription of Vicodin.
A prescription I haven't
written for you in three years.
I checked.
I could lose my license
over this Brian.
I'm out of options.
The police know
what's been going on
and I'm not gonna lie to them!
- Walt, I didn't
know what else to do.
- You have put my livelihood
and the welfare of
my family in danger.
And that is not something
that I take lightly.
Now you give me the
script pad right now,
and I will walk away.
But you and I are done.
I don't want to see you
again after tonight.
- Walt look, I'm sorry.
- Oh that's no excuse.
Brian, has anybody
else used this?
- No.
- Are you telling me the truth?
- Yeah, now--
- Have you forged my
signature on anything else?
- No.
How many
times did you use this?
- I don't know.
- If you were in trouble,
you could’a come to me.
Now you just better pray
that Vergara comes up with
some other answers on his own
because I'm done with you.
I don't want to
hear from you again.
Hey David.
- How long have you
been following me?
- Since you left
your office building.
Look, I was hoping that I
could talk to you again.
- About me or about my brother?
- David look, you've
gotta understand that--
- Understand what?
That even when he's
dead he's still
the more important one?
- I'm trying to piece
together what happened.
For all of us.
Because we deserve to know.
- Did you think maybe some
of us don't wanna know?
- Son, look, you've
gotta help me.
He was with him that
night, Christopher.
They ate at a diner on 9th.
Do you know anybody that
could lead me to this guy?
- Nope.
Sorry, I gave you
everything I had.
- David.
David!
- You know what,
Julie was right.
You never cared about me.
And I'm under no obligation
to care about you.
♪ There are angels ♪
♪ Watching over me tonight ♪
♪ And these angels ♪
♪ Keep me safe by my side ♪
♪ And the enemy ♪
- Hey, what can I
get for ya today sir?
- I was wondering if you
had any security cameras.
- Excuse me?
Security
cameras, do you have any?
- Mick!
Hey Mick!
Mick, I think you ought
to talk to this guy.
- What's the problem?
- No problem.
I just wanted to know if you
have
any security cameras
on the premises.
- Security cameras?
Why you askin' about cameras?
- Because I'm doing
a story about the kid
that was murdered
across the street.
Did you see anybody
with him that night?
- Some guy that comes in here
with the addicts I think.
- Okay, are there any cameras?
Can I see the tapes to
see who he was with?
- No, no cameras.
Why are you here?
- I'm a newspaper reporter.
I'm doing a story on the victim.
- Police got a
report, don't they?
- I'm looking for
more than that.
I'm trying to find
out who he was.
- The guys name is Chris.
Tries to help out,
get him a meal,
get him a job.
They were in here a few times.
- Do you know where
I can find him?
- Haven't seen him
since that night.
- Where did they sit?
- That booth right there.
Always the same one.
I think the kid liked
to look out the windows.
That night, I locked
up behind them.
They was the last one's out.
- How did he look
to you that night?
The kid?
- He looked pretty bad off.
- All right, thank you
for the information.
No problem.
Over
1,000 residents
are currently without water.
- You know much about the Bible?
- Hopefully enough to get me in.
- 2nd Corinthians 4:16.
- "Do not lose heart.
"Though the outer
self is wasting away,
"the inner self is being
renewed day by day."
- You know that by heart?
- Yeah, it goes on
to talk about the
transient nature of our bodies
and the internal
nature of our souls.
Was made earlier today as Dr.
Elizabeth Chaffin
was taken out of her facility
by the Atlanta PD.
Chaffin has been accused.
- When you grow up in a
family full of preachers,
sometimes a little bit of it
rubs off every now and then.
- When asked about
the allegations,
the mayor said he hoped
they would prove untrue.
- We're here at the
Chaffin Treatment Center
where earlier today
Elizabeth Chaffin
was arrested and taking to
the Marrin County Courthouse.
She was then booked
on charges of
felony drugs
possession, as well as
possession with intent to sell.
This is what Dr.
Chaffin had to say.
Chaffin
Treatment Center
is the last lifeline
these people have!
I've got work to do here!
Today's
arrest is the culmination
of an investigation that
began when allegations
of Dr. Chaffin's ties to a
known drug dealer became public.
- How did I miss this?
- Can I help you?
- Yeah, I'm looking for
Christopher Beckman.
- You found him.
What can I do for you?
I've been looking
for you a long time, Father.
- I'm a not Catholic, but you
can just call me Christopher.
- You were with my
son the night he died.
- Please, sit down.
Yes, yes I was with
him that night,
and for several other
nights before that.
Your son was a good kid.
He was really starting
to turn his life around.
- What were you doing
with him that night?
- He came by, he
asked for my help.
- Didn't help much, did it?
I
did the best I could.
- I need to know who my son was.
- Was it enough to know
that your son loved you?
He was trying every way he knew
to come back home to you.
There were some ugly
times, tough times.
It all came to a head
the night that he died.
- But I thought you said
he was doing better?
He was.
Then why couldn't
you have stopped it?
- We all have to make
our own decisions.
Michael needed to
find his own way back.
- I managed to get
a hold of this.
- It's Michael's journal.
I gave this to him.
- He talks about God in there.
- Well, I'm not surprised.
I mean we do talk about God
from time to time around here.
- No, no, I need to
know what happened.
- Well I met Michael several
months ago in the park.
He was begging.
Asked for money.
Said he needed to get home.
I wouldn't give him any cash,
but I did offer to buy
him a train ticket.
On the one condition
that I could go with him,
just to make sure
he got home alright.
He agreed.
So we hopped on a
train and went uptown.
- To my building?
- Yes.
Michael got all the way up
to the front door
before he stopped.
Said he couldn't face you.
Not that way.
He asked me to take him to
his brother's apartment,
so I did.
I gave him card, told him
to get in touch with me
if he needed anything.
He called about three weeks
later after that first meeting.
He said he wanted money,
but he wouldn't tell me why.
He was in pretty rough shape.
It was late.
There's an all night diner three
or four blocks down the road,
so I took him there--
- I know it.
- I bought him some
food and we talked.
We talked about him,
we talked about me,
we talked a lot about you.
- Well you didn't
get him any help?
You didn't tell
him about all this?
- You know, mostly
I just listened.
It's a process.
It always is.
But he did let me pray for him.
Now that's a huge first step.
Michael wanted to get clean.
He knew he had a
road ahead of him,
but he was smart.
You could show that kid
something once, and he got it.
Just like that.
I found out that he was
interested in carpentry,
so I opened up the
wood shop to him
and he would spent
hours in there
just working on the
smallest details.
Stuff that people
would never see.
I'd ask him, "Michael,
who's gonna know?"
He'd look at me
with those big eyes
and he'd say, "I'm gonna know."
That's the kind of man
that your son was becoming.
- You think my son is in heaven?
- I don't know.
- Yeah, I thought you guys
were supposed to
have all the answers.
- I wish.
I might have one answer for you.
The name of Michael's
dealer, Marcus Johnson.
Goes by the name of Choo Choo.
- Choo Choo, why do
I know that name?
- They picked him
up earlier today.
He's probably still in
holding at the station.
- Thank you.
Come on man,
somebody wanna see you.
- So what do ya
want with me man?
Did I win a contest?
- Marcus, my name's--
- Choo Choo.
- Choo Choo.
I'm Brian Sanderson.
- Okay.
- My son Michael was--
- Mikey!
What!
Wow!
Too small of a world.
Yeah, you know that
boy's dead right?
Little boy been off that
stuff for way too long!
Gave me a fat bill for what
Choo Choo had to offer.
I had me a real fine
dinner that night--
- He was with you that night?
- Yes he was.
He was with me.
That night--
- How did he end up with you?
- Economics, man.
- Economics?
- I had somethin'
and he needed it.
Economics.
- All right, look,
help me out here.
Do you know anybody else
that he was buying from?
- I could help you out,
but then you gotta help me out.
Gotta make a deal
with Choo Choo.
- I don't know Choo
Choo, what do you want?
- Come here.
Come here, just a
little bit closer.
There we go, come on.
Listen, I got some twisted
white bread public defender
who says I gotta get some
other twisted white bread fella
to get on the stand and say
"Choo Choo's been a good boy."
You get me?
- Yeah, you want
me to lie for you.
I don't even know you.
- Don't play games
with me, old man.
I got secrets that you want.
- Look, did Michael go any place
or see anybody after that deal?
- That boy didn’t go
anywhere after that deal.
Ya' know what I'm saying?
How'd you find me man?
Was it the preacher man,
or was it the brother?
- Marcus,
what did you mean
when you said he didn't go
anywhere after the deal?
- I bet it was
the preacher, man.
That man is The Man, okay.
But you can't hang out
with him for too long.
That dude will get in your mind
and make you start
thinkin' things
that you never wanted up there.
- Just tell me about my son!
- That boy got what he deserved.
But right now that
ain't got nothin' to do
between me and you.
You want somethin',
I need somethin'.
Brian, decisions
got consequences.
And right now you have
a decision to make.
- Marcus, tell me what
happened to my son.
- You wanna know the truth?
He wants to know the truth.
He wants to know the truth.
You can't handle
the truth old man!
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Where you going?
We're just getting started.
- I'm done talking Marcus.
- Well, you comin' back right?
Because Brian, I got more
stories about your son.
- Yeah, I don't want to hear
anymore of your stories.
- Okay, then I'll
leave you with this.
Actions got consequences.
You better remember that as
you walk outta here today.
Choo Choo.
Choo Choo.
- The cover sheet?
- Yeah, if you can take
care of the supplemental,
it'd be great.
Brian Sanderson.
You missed our appointment.
There isn't something
you're trying
to hide from me, is there?
- I know who killed my son.
- Marcus Johnson?
We know.
Just can't prove it
yet, but we will.
- Well you know?
Why aren't you out
there building a case--
- A lot of cases like
yours come across my desk.
I'm in here now to talk to
someone else about another case.
- I gotta go.
- Piece of advice, Brian.
Stick around town.
Wouldn't want to have
to come lookin' for you.
- Marie, I didn't know
you still had a key.
- We never knew if we were gonna
have to get back in here
and clean the place up.
Well, what
can I do for you, Marie?
- I heard what you are doing
and I just wanted to tell you
that I think it's a good thing.
Thanks Marie.
- See you're still
drinking 'Old Masterson'.
Is that what
you came here about?
- No.
Look, David stopped by today.
He said that you had
been following him.
- I wouldn't call it following.
- Well David and Julie
got engaged last night.
And she doesn't want
you at the wedding.
But I'm not
comfortable with that,
so I made him promise that
they would talk about it again
before they make
a final decision.
And I just, I thought
you should know.
- It was Michael's.
They gave it to me at the
Chaffin Treatment Center.
You should read it.
Seems he was on his
way to finding God.
Is that really such
a bad thing, Marie?
- I'm sure it makes
you very proud.
- I know who killed Michael.
- What do you mean?
It's a drug
dealer named Choo Choo.
- Why are you telling me this?
What about the police?
- The police know.
They have him in lock-up.
- Is that why he's in jail?
No.
- For killing my son?
- No, that's not why he's there.
He's there for murdering
some other woman
and assorted drug charges.
Look, but I have a
bit of a problem.
I may need Victor's advice.
- What?
Why?
- Because I'm gonna
need legal council
for falsifying prescriptions.
- It never ends with you.
Hi, it's Brian.
Do you think I could
meet you tonight?
What is this place?
Its the co-op.
It's a warm place to sleep,
counselors who will listen,
job training for
those who want it.
- Why are you showing me this?
- You wanted to
know about your son.
Well, this is where he
spent his last few weeks.
Ya know, I really thought he was
gonna make it.
Maybe even come back here
and be a mentor to
some of these folks.
He had friends here Brian.
People who were in
the same place he was.
Come on, I wanna
show you something.
Now this?
This was going to
be his masterpiece.
I sat right here that
afternoon, talking to him.
There was something
in his voice.
You could hear it.
He was gonna use.
I knew it.
He smiled at me.
He knew that I knew.
I tried to get him to stay.
Tried to keep him
working on the table,
but he said no, he
need to get some air.
He needed to take a
walk, clear his head.
And then he left.
I don't know why he got shot,
but if you wanna
know about your son
it's all right
there in that table.
An unfinished life.
- I came here tonight because
I don't know where else to go.
I need somebody who can help me.
- I'll do whatever I can.
- What my son said in his
journal about your faith.
I wanna know about that.
He said something
about a change.
I need to know what he knew.
Hey Jonathon, come on in.
- So this it?
You didn't wanna wait
until the trial was over?
- Not a chance.
This is my son's story,
not Marcus Johnson's.
- I can understand that.
Give some nice closure
to your readers huh?
- So, I hear you have a new job?
- Yeah, that Chaffin
thing did a lot to
to restore what we
do around there.
Regina bumped me
up to city desk.
We even hired a few
new kids to work.
- That's fantastic!
I guess the news
business is booming!
- Yeah, it is.
- Hey, I wanna thank
you for passing
this on for me.
- Oh sure.
Mind if I read it first?
- Absolutely.
Oh, by the way,
I get this off on Friday.
All right.
- Yup, one year.
I wanna thank you and Walt
for being such good friends
and walking me through this.
- Eh, we were just
there for your support.
See you Sunday?
- You will see me Sunday.
- All right.
Take care.
♪ What in the world ♪
♪ Has come over me ♪
You're fired.
♪ Been running in circles ♪
Get out!
♪ Finally I'm free ♪
I don't wanna
hear from you again.
♪ Over and over ♪
It never
ends with you.
♪ Forever and ever ♪
Tonight,
you have been called.
What's your answer.
♪ Here with me ♪
♪ Try to remember ♪
♪ You had no direction ♪
- Brian Gardner Sanderson,
I baptize you in the
name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
♪ Slipped to the bottom ♪
If you can’t
handle the truth!
♪ The son of your father ♪
♪ Searching the whole land ♪
♪ Your selfish behavior ♪
♪ Will you be here
in the morning ♪
♪ Oh I'm asking you Lord ♪
♪ Cause you had no direction ♪
♪ And you squandered it all ♪
♪ You slipped to the bottom ♪
♪ Not worthy to be called ♪
♪ Yeah you had no direction ♪
♪ You were running
in the night ♪
♪ You slipped to the bottom ♪
♪ When you thought
it was right ♪
♪ Now it's over ♪
♪ It's over ♪
♪ It's over ♪
♪ It's all over now ♪
♪ Now it's over ♪
♪ It's all over ♪
♪ Hmm It's over ♪
♪ It's all over now ♪
♪ I've walked a long way ♪
♪ Down the wrong road ♪
♪ Too many heartaches ♪
♪ And too many tears ♪
♪ It's been a long day ♪
♪ Down on the wrong road ♪
♪ I'm getting so weary ♪
♪ From bearing the load ♪
♪ Can't remember the day ♪
♪ I made that first wrong turn ♪
♪ Now there've been so many ♪
♪ Seems that I don't learn ♪
♪ I've walked a long way ♪
♪ Down the wrong road ♪
♪ So many heartaches ♪
♪ And too many tears ♪
♪ It's been a long day ♪
♪ Down on the wrong road ♪
♪ I'm getting so weary ♪
♪ From bearing the load ♪
♪ And every step I take ♪
♪ Is taking me one
step further from you ♪
♪ I've only followed myself ♪
♪ Always seemed like
the thing to do ♪
♪ I've walked a long way ♪
♪ Down the wrong road ♪
♪ Too many heartaches ♪
♪ And too many tears ♪
♪ It's been a long day ♪
♪ Down on the wrong road ♪
♪ I'm getting so weary ♪
♪ From bearing this load ♪
♪ Now am I too far gone ♪
♪ This isn't where I should be ♪
♪ Thank God for Christ ♪
♪ He came to save the
long lost people like me ♪
♪ Now it's a long way ♪
♪ But down the right road ♪
♪ You're healing my heartaches ♪
♪ You're healing my tears ♪
♪ You're showing me the way ♪
♪ Down this narrow road ♪
♪ And every step that I take ♪
♪ Brings me one
step closer to You ♪
♪ Now it's a long way ♪
♪ But down the right road ♪
♪ You're healing my heartaches ♪
♪ You're healing my tears ♪
♪ You're showing me the way ♪
♪ Down this narrow road ♪
♪ And every step that I take ♪
♪ Brings me one
step closer to You ♪
♪ And every step that I take ♪
♪ Brings me one
step closer to You ♪
♪ One step closer to You ♪
Hey Jonathon!
- What?
Yeah, I saw that.
I don't know.
- You promised me
the front page!
- Things change.
- I've been working on
that story for a month!
Is my story even in here?
- Local, you're the lead.
- People in the city who
haven't had running water
for weeks and you buried it!
- So when the daughter of
a high powered attorney
accuses someone of bribery
and possible rape, it runs!
- They're not local!
They're in Charlotte!
- People don't have
time to follow you down
these rabbit holes anymore!
This is a dying trade.
Look out there in
the bullpen Brian.
When's the last time you
saw it fully staffed?
See, we're all struggling here,
you just have to accept that
there's a new sheriff in town.
I'm just trying to
keep everyone working.
- New owners.
- Oh, okay.
- So you're okay with this?
- Actually, no I'm not.
I read the article, I thought
it was very well written.
But what do you want
me to do about it?
- I have to make a phone call.
Hello.
Hi this is Brian Sanderson,
I'm calling to refill
a prescription.
It's for pain medication.
Hi, Brian Sanderson.
No, my birthday's
September 13th.
Yeah, but the
problem is I spilled
half of them on the
street earlier this week
and I don't have any left.
Okay, is there anything
that you can do?
No, no, I can.
No, thank you.
I'll call Dr. Reynolds and
have him write another one.
Okay.
No, thank you.
Bye.
- Sanderson,
Phillips, my office.
Do you know what this is?
- No.
- It's Fentanyl.
Up to 100 times more
potent than morphine.
- And they all died from this
drug?
- Suspected.
Here's the clincher, they
were all marked as Oxy.
- So we're talking all
accidental O.D.'s then, right?
- Maybe.
If we can make the
connection between this
and what's been going on
at the Chaffin Center,
your story might be
a national headline.
And Brian, I want you
running support on this one.
Look into see what's happening
once the drug hits the streets.
- Okay.
I'll get my guy at the
Department of Health a call.
Maybe he can shed some light.
- Good.
I need it by the
end of the week.
Your story runs on Sunday.
- All right, got it.
We'll get to work.
Thanks.
- Walter!
How ya doing man?
- Hey, how ya doing?
- Thanks for meeting me here.
Want something to drink?
- No, no, no.
I gotta get back
to work after this.
So, what's up?
How Can the Department
of Health help you today?
- Fentanyl.
There's an influx of it hitting
the streets from some place.
A couple of kids have
died from it already,
and my editor wants
me to check into it.
- Yeah.
Yeah I've heard of it.
- The deaths or the drug?
- Both.
It's a synthetic opioid.
It can be used to nullify
pain before a procedure.
Thank you.
- Thing of it is, these are
being marked as Oxycodone.
- Oh now that I did not now.
There was a run up in
Charlotte a few months ago
that was mislabeled,
but they destroyed all
those at the factory.
- Are you sure about that?
- The run that was mislabeled
was only about a thousand.
So with any luck, we'll burn
through those pretty quickly
and by a pretty
small population.
It would be a really bad
situation if we had an influx
of Fentanyl addicts
running around the streets.
- Can I quote you on that?
- As long as you make
me sound good, sure.
- Yeah, from what I'm hearing,
that one of these
pills can kill you,
are we about to have a thousand
dead kids on the streets?
- An Oxy addict will
go through about
120 milligrams a day.
That's three to
four tablets per hit
so that cuts the number of
1,000 down to 500 to start with.
And then you figure in, oh,
the number of pills
left over after the O.D.
and the average buy
is three or four days.
So I'd say you're looking
at a minimum of 100 deaths.
- It's still something.
There is one more thing.
What's that?
- I heard a rumor today about
Elizabeth Chaffin's
Treatment facility.
- Oh now that's a good place.
They do a lot of good,
and for free I might add.
- Have you ever met her?
- No, just at public functions.
The mayor has given her a
few awards for civil service.
- I'm hearing that the drugs
she takes in at the door
are being resold on the
streets to fund her work.
- I hope not.
Brian, if that
place closes down,
we're gonna have a real
problem on our hands.
- Well, thanks for
coming here, Walt.
I appreciate you meeting me.
Anytime.
And one of these days Suzy and I
are going to have
you over for dinner.
It's been too long.
- Let's do that.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Okay look, just
help me out here okay.
Tell me what you saw.
- Well I was working there
for three years, you know?
And I always wondered
where the money came from,
but I never asked any questions.
I didn't want to lose
my job, you know?
- Lucia, Lucia,
Just tell me what happened.
Okay.
There was a man there.
- Okay, do you know who he was?
No.
- Did anybody else see him
that can corroborate
what you're saying?
- I don't know.
He was standing over in
the corner of the room.
But I just heard part of
the conversation, you know?
And I saw her hand
over the pills.
He just put them in
his backpack and left.
And where were
you during all of this?
Standing in the doorway?
No, I mop
the floors you know.
- Let's say I take
you at your word
and I call my friend
down at the precinct
and I have him
come by the center,
is he gonna be able to
find any evidence of this?
- No.
He gave her money and he
walked out with the pills.
She says she destroys them
but I don't think so.
- And you're telling me this
happened over a year ago?
Last July.
- So what took you so
long to say anything?
- She scares me.
I saw him again a few days ago
and I ask her who that man was.
I shouldn't have said
nothing, kept my mouth shut.
- What changed?
Why are you talking to me now?
- She fired me.
And I got a son.
- Okay.
All right look, I'll
make a few phone calls,
I'll see if anybody
will talk to me.
But right now I
don't print anything.
- You’ll keep my name
out of it right?
I mean, you wouldn't--
- Listen, if you're afraid
there's gonna be retaliation,
you need to talk to the police.
But no, I won't mention
your name to anybody.
- So what happens now?
I’ve got your number.
What?
- I'm very sorry to
disturb you at this hour,
but are you Brian Sanderson?
- Yeah.
- Sir, my name is
Detective Luis Vegara,
it's very important
that I speak to you.
I regret to inform you that
your son was found dead
of an apparent gunshot
wound earlier tonight.
- Who?
I believe it
was your son, Michael.
I understand how difficult
this can be Mr. Sanderson.
- How come you're telling me?
How come you're not
telling his mother?
- We've tried, but we've
been unable to locate her.
- Tough night last night?
It looks like Elizabeth Chaffin's been making some moves.
She hired two
attorneys last night
and put out a press
release that talks about
all the good work
that she's been doing.
You okay Brian?
- I already talked to that lady
yesterday about
that Chaffin thing.
I don't believe her.
- What did she say?
Were you able to
check any of it out?
- Why don't you do your
own damn homework Jonathon.
- Hey man, hey.
Are you okay?
- Look, just get
off me all right?
Just keep your hands off me.
- Sanderson, with me now!
- Button it up buddy.
- Are you drunk?
Yeah.
- You're fired.
- Fired?
- It's time for you to leave.
Now.
- My son died last night.
- I'm, I'm sorry.
- I don't want this job anyway.
Do you understand that?
I don't want it!
- Okay Brian, you
don't mean that.
- Yes I do!
- It's time for you to leave.
- Fine.
I'm leaving.
I am going.
I am gone.
- Marcus.
- If you need something, you
go see that boy over there.
- Marcus, we need to talk.
Drive.
Where?
- Away from here.
I don't talk where I
conduct my business.
- We may have a problem.
Somebody's been snooping
around the center.
- I can deal with the po-po's.
- It's not the police,
it's a reporter.
Listen, my name needs to
stay clear no matter what.
- Pull over.
Let's get something straight,
you give me the pills,
I sell the pills.
So what is the problem?
- The problem is they aren't
what you think they are.
- I know exactly what it was.
Don't ever catch
yourself thinkin',
I don't know why
you're here for this.
- What do you mean?
Sarah.
- How is my sister?
Coked out,
but she's still alive.
- We may have another problem.
Somebody saw you at the center.
- I don't need my
name in the papers.
- It won't be.
If she doesn't say anything.
- Name?
- Lucia.
Lucia Andrade.
- See what we can do.
Help her keep our little secret.
You got anymore of
those Oxy treats for me?
- No more Oxy.
I told you that was
a one-time deal.
If I would have
known what they were,
I never would've
given them to you.
- Why are you doing this?
- Because if I keep my
doors open a little longer,
I help more people.
Maybe one day Sarah will--
- No, no, no, no, no, no.
You can't put this
back in the bag,
once it's out in the
streets, it's out there baby.
You see, you're changing
the face of this city.
You will get your patients.
More than you ever thought.
Marcus, would you
tell her something for me?
- I ain't your secretary.
- Hey.
It's the only personal thing
you had left on your desk.
Thought you might want it back.
- How do you know where I live?
- Isn't it our job to
find out the things
that other people
wanna keep a secret?
Hand me
that bottle would ya?
Yeah.
What are you doing here?
- I heard what you
said to Regina.
Is it true?
- Yeah.
Do you
want to talk about it?
- No, I don't wanna
talk about it.
I need another drink.
- Brian, you know
that's a good idea.
- Well you're not
my sponsor anymore!
- Okay.
So, what do you do now?
- I don't know Jonathon.
I haven't seen my
kid in three years.
- It was Michael.
Talk to Marie or David about it?
- No, he called me last night.
- Who?
- Michael.
Eight, four, two, nine, one.
You need
to talk to Marie.
Well Marie
made it very clear to me
that I am no longer
welcomed in her life.
Do you
have her number?
- Yeah I have a number.
I don't know if it works.
Why don't
you give it a try?
- You know, somebody
killed my son,
and I have no idea of what
kind of man he'd become.
- If you want, I'll do
some digging around.
See if I can find anything out.
- Have you heard anything?
- No.
In the meantime,
do you have somebody that
can perform the service?
Like a priest?
Yeah.
- No, Marie wouldn't go
for anything like that.
Me, I haven't set
foot in a church
since the day I was married.
If you're hungry, there's
some pizza in that fridge.
- Yeah.
I think I'll stay a while.
Across town,
a body was discovered.
Reporter Lisa Spar is on scene
to give you more
information about that.
- Authorities have attributed
a number of local deaths
to this dangerous new drug.
- You know anything about that?
- Yeah, some.
Her name has
not been released,
but police believe the
murder to be linked
to the increasing drug trade.
Remember, you can always
report suspicious activity.
- A story you're working on?
- No I'm not working on that.
Listen, I can't
remember the last time
I came in here for conversation.
You wonder why I drink at home?
It's because I don't
really like to be bothered.
- Then why come here at all?
- 'Cause sometimes
the walls won't
shut the hell up either.
- People,
don't ignore God's voice!
He has plans for you!
Plans to do you good!
Are you listening to hear
if God is calling you tonight?
Look at the way the world is!
Listen to His word!
He loves you people!
God's plans
wait on no man.
He has called you to take
that first step.
What'ya gonna do?
You sir,
tonight you have been called.
What's your answer?
God only wants to love you.
He doesn't wanna
do any harm to you.
Brian?
What the?
Come here.
Come on, come on, come on.
Over here, over here.
Come on.
What, what is going on?
- Michael was gone
for three years
and I never got to know him.
Brian, you can't
blame yourself for that.
- What if I can do one
last thing for him?
What if I can find out
what kind of man he was?
- Brian, look, he was on
the street for three years.
Three years.
What, do you think you're
gonna go out and retrace
every step he made
- Jonathon, what don't
- In the last three years?
- You Understand?
I let him
down as a father!
I didn't do my job!
Look, look, listen, listen.
If I can do this one last thing,
I can reclaim my son.
- Is everything okay?
- Yeah, everything's fine.
I'll take care of this.
- What's going on?
- I'll be right back to bed.
Go back to bed buddy.
Daddy will be back inside
in just a minute okay.
- You are Batman!
That's okay.
- Look,
we'll sit down in the morning,
we'll figure out a plan, okay.
We'll figure this out.
Okay, all right,
I'll see you tomorrow.
- Look, look, I’m gonna get my
keys and I'm gonna take you...
- No, no, I'm okay.
Look, go back--
- Brian--
- Listen, go, go be
with your family.
I'm fine.
I'll see you tomorrow.
- Mr. Sanderson, I'm Clarice.
If you please follow me,
the rest of the family
is waiting in the parlor.
Allow me to express
our deepest sympathies.
If there's anything you need,
please, just let me know.
- No, I think we're fine.
Thank you.
If you could just let us
know when the service begins.
- Of course ma'am.
- Oh and one more thing,
if you could just
find my husband
and send him in please.
You brought a flask of
whiskey to bury your son?
- I don't want to hear it
Marie, really, you know I don't.
And by the way, there's plenty
that I could say
about your behavior,
but shall we just keep it civil
until our son is buried?
- Do not make this
day about you.
Put that damn flask away!
- Well, no one knew if you were
gonna make it today, Brian.
Well, I'm sure Michael
would appreciate it
now that you're here.
- Was I not expected
here today, Victor?
- No, not like that.
We just hadn't heard
from you is all.
And Jules here,
raised the question.
We just didn't know.
- How's the law practice Victor?
- Good!
Real good!
A lot of money in
public defense.
You know, Jules here?
This is the first
time you two have met.
We were all wondering if
today would be the day.
- He called me,
the night he died.
- What'd he say?
- I missed the call.
I was wondering if any of you
had any contact with him lately.
Knew where he was,
what he was doing.
- He was your son.
- I hadn't seen him in a year.
He wanted me to
bail him out of jail
and I decided not--
- We, we decided.
- We decided not to.
That was the last time I
had any contact with him.
- There's nothing more recent?
Nothing that can lead me to him?
- He is right through
that door, Brian.
- I'm sorry, but it's time
we begin the services.
If you'll please just follow me.
This way.
- I don't know Brian.
He just left one day.
I don't know where
he went, I never did.
You know that.
He even did that when
you were still around.
- Marie.
Marie, I wanna know
why my son is dead.
He was living with you,
so excuse me if I
expect that my wife--
- Your ex-wife Brian!
It has been six years!
When are you going
to accept that!
- And he lived with you.
So forgive me if I
expected his mother
to do the most responsible thing
and keep our children alive.
Instead, I've got somebody
coming to my house
in the middle of the night
telling me my son is dead.
- Brian.
We did the very best
we could with him.
- Look, I wanna
know who my son was
and I wanna know why he died.
- I can't answer that.
I can't answer that
anymore than you can!
You of all people know how
difficult he could be sometimes.
Don't put this on me.
Don't you make this my fault!
- All I want is answers, Marie.
- That's what you don't
seem to understand!
Sometimes there are no answers!
There isn't some cosmic
force guiding our world?
God, Brian!
I thought you had finally
gotten past all that.
- You know, it never
failed to impress me
how you could wriggle
that into almost
any conversation we were having.
- Come on honey, let's go.
- Brian,
if you are really serious about
finding out who Michael was,
why don't you start
with our other son.
Michael stayed with
him a couple of times.
- Hey, how ya holding up?
- What are you doing here?
- Brian, you're my friend,
of course I'm gonna be here.
Everyone at the office
sends their regards too.
- Yeah, you see
any of them here?
Must not be too
broken up about it.
- Listen, I did some checking on
what we were talking
about last night
and it turns out we got a
tip on Michael's murder.
Yeah, I got Regina to sign
off on making it a story.
- I wanna come with you.
- Yeah, I thought you might.
- Well what do you know?
- Not much.
Turns out the guy
who found the body,
he's in a halfway
house over off of 32nd.
- What are you doing here?
- Well you are my son.
I just wanted to
check up on you.
Your mom said he
used to stay here
sometimes when he left home.
- He did.
- So that's it?
A simple he did?
I think I deserve a little
more respect than that.
- You deserve?
I've heard all the stories,
about how little brother
was always your favorite.
The chosen one.
Do you know he barely
even mentions you,
and when he does
it's about how you'd
go out of your way for him!
The drug addict!
And yet, even still,
he's the only thing
that you're worried about.
- I'm sorry, who is she?
And why is she talking
to me like that?
- She's right Brian.
You were always more
concerned with him.
It's like, as soon
as he was born
you forgot I was even around.
And I did everything you asked!
I stayed in school,
I got a good job,
I helped out around the house!
And none of that
mattered to you!
He hurt mom, he
stole money from you,
and you'd always let him back
knowing he'd do the same
thing all over again!
David, he was my son!
What am I supposed to do?
Let him die out
there in the streets?
- Yeah, good job
stopping that one.
- You know I did
everything I could
to keep this family together.
If that meant putting
a little extra effort
into your brother,
then that's what I did!
- He tore this family apart!
It was his actions
he was making!
You could have saved this
family from years of hurt!
And for what?
He ended up in the
same place anyway!
- How could you say that?
That's your brother!
- Because it's true!
He drove a wedge
between you and Mom.
He's the reason you drank
yourself to sleep every night!
- Look, you shouldn't say that.
I love both of you equally.
- Right.
All I ever got was the scraps.
- You know, I never
left you alone.
I was always there for you!
- I'll bet he's the reason
you're here right now, isn't he?
Isn't he?
- Yes.
- Get out!
Get out!
- Please, I have to know
what happened that night.
- Save your crusade
for someone else.
I don't know where he
went, or what he did.
I have nothing here for you.
Now I've asked you to leave!
Go!
- That good huh?
So, how'd it go?
- Not well.
Were you
able to learn anything?
- No.
Hey, pull over up here would ya?
I need a drink.
You know
I can't do that, right?
- So you can have water.
He was 15 years old.
Marie had been seeing
Victor for the past year.
I thought we'd
been doing so well.
I thought we'd
finally moved past
all that bull that
we'd been through.
She told me after
the kids went to bed.
She said that the two of them
had been together for a year,
and that he'd asked
her to marry him.
And she'd said "Yes."
My wife tells me she's
engaged to another man.
And she had the documents
from her attorney.
All my demons laid bare.
We had a terrible
fight that night.
I don't think I slept
for the next two days.
Anyway, after it as all over,
she asked me to leave the house.
As I'm walking through
the door into the garage,
I see Michael.
Sitting there,
on the other side of the wall
just on the other
side of the kitchen.
He looked terrified.
We didn't say anything
to each other.
I'm not even sure that
his mom knows he was
there that night.
Listening, to everything.
So I drove back by
the house the next day
to try to talk to him,
but there was another
car in the driveway.
I drove past the house
every day for a week,
and every day, that same car
sitting there in the driveway
as if there was nothing in
the world wrong with that.
- Why are you telling me this?
'Cause that's the
day I lost him.
I think if I had just stopped
and just said something to him,
maybe all this could
have been avoided.
- Look, I know a guy, he
attends services with me,
I'm sure I could get
him to talk to you.
- One of your men of God?
Your friends don't
want me or my problems.
- I think you'd be surprised
at how much you have
in common with them.
Come on, it's getting late.
Let's get out of here.
It's everything I have on
the investigation so far.
That's Wade Mullins,
crack addict.
He's the one that
found Michael's body.
But I now also got the
blood results for Michael.
They're in that folder too.
He tested positive for cocaine
and several other opiates
in his blood stream.
Official cause of death is
multiple gunshot wounds.
- What are the police saying?
- "Drug addict got shot."
Their only real interest is
the Fentanyl found on him.
There's a Detective Vegara who's
heading that part up.
But his only real concern
is finding the dealer.
- Vegara's the one that told
me about Michael's death.
- What do you want?
- Wade Mullins?
- Who's asking?
- I'm Jonathon Phillips.
We spoke on the phone earlier.
- Yeah, yeah!
- Is there, I don't know,
maybe some place we could talk?
- It's gotta be close.
That's what I get for
finding that boy out there.
Come on in.
- Did you know him?
- What's this man?
I thought you's
doing the interview?
You know, getting my name in
the papers and everything.
- I'm just along for the ride.
If it happens, it'll happen.
But he's the one that's
conducting the interview.
- All right.
All right, I see that.
Now, you ask me
that question again.
- Did you know him?
- No, I just seen him
layin' there right?
And I went over to make sure
everything was okay, right?
Just being a good Samaritan.
- Well what time was this?
- I dunno, after 12.
I had been down at
that diner, right.
And it was after I left there
that I saw him layin'
there in the street.
Listen man, that kid was
dead when I got there.
I didn't have anything
to do with that.
- We know.
- Did you find anything on him?
- What?
You mean, like,
did I search him?
Yeah, I got his
wallet over there.
Listen, it was like
that when I found it.
Do the police
know you have this?
- Don't ask, don't tell, right?
Do you
mind if I keep this?
- Like hell man?
- Hey, he's the kids father.
- I'm just gonna keep
the card, all right?
- No man, keep it.
Did you find
anything else on him?
- Yeah, but, you can't have
any of that man, you know.
- What was it?
Oxy?
- Some of it, yeah.
- Word of advice Wade,
stay away from it.
It's not what you think it is.
It's all we need
from you right now Wade.
Thank you.
- All right.
- Hey, when am I gonna
see this in the papers?
My mama always wanted to see my
picture in there, you know,
for a somethin' good I done.
- Yeah, I'll let you know.
Thanks.
- Hello.
- Hello, Mr. Sanderson?
- Yeah, who's this?
Detective Luis Vegara.
I trust you remember me.
- Is this about my son?
- Actually, no.
I'm calling in
reference to a number
of prescriptions that have
been filled in your name.
- Yeah.
- A local pharmacy
reported it as suspicious.
This type of thing usually
turns out to be nothing,
but all the same it would
be good if you came in
and we could get a
statement from you.
- I'm afraid now is not a
really good time for me.
- That's fine, but
the sooner we can put
this behind us the better.
Would sometime later
this week be possible?
- Yeah, yeah, I think
I could do that.
- Great.
Like I said, usually
nothing to worry about,
just have to follow through
with these things, you know?
- Yeah I understand.
- I'll see you by the
end of the week then.
Thanks.
Bye.
- Who was that?
- It's nothing, let's go.
Tony Wilson Construction.
- No answer?
- No.
Couldn't
leave a message?
- I never do.
- Let me see that.
I know where this is.
It's a new subdivision
going up in the Fourth Ward.
They filed a complaint yesterday
about the water situation.
It's a quarter to five now.
Even if they are working late
we won't make it by the
time they pack up and leave.
Maybe we'll catch
someone tomorrow.
- Yeah, first thing
in the morning.
All right.
- Hey, this is a surprise.
Come on in.
- Yeah, it kind
of is for me too.
- Do you want
something to drink?
- No.
I'm fine.
- So, what brings you here?
- I'm here to talk
about Michael.
What about him?
- Listen, I know why
you're doing all this.
And believe me, it's cool.
It's just
hard.
- David, what is it?
What are you trying to tell me?
- Did you know he was trying
to turn his life around?
Trying to straighten things up?
- No, no.
- Julie found this this morning.
It's his writing.
Chris?
- Yeah.
He had this notebook
he would write in
and it had like some
sketches on it and stuff.
- Did he ever mention this guy?
- Yeah, once.
A few months back.
- Do you know where
I can find him?
- No idea.
He was supposed to meet
up with him that day.
Hey,
Brian.
I won't be able to go
out with you today.
This Chaffin situation
just blew up.
She may be indicted
by the end of the day.
They made the connection
last night between her
and the facility in Charlotte.
But listen, I want to get
a hold of that Lucia woman
that you interviewed.
Seems she's dropped off
the face of the earth.
All right, okay, I'm
pulling into city hall now,
talk to you later.
- Wait here.
I'm looking for Tony Wilson.
- He's right there.
- Excuse me, I was
wondering if you could
tell me anything about
Michael Sanderson?
- Never talk about employees
past or present with the cops.
- Well I'm not the cops.
- Then I don't have
to talk to you do I?
He's my son.
- Then tell him he's fired.
I got a business to run.
Enough's enough.
He's done around here.
- My son's dead.
- Johnny, can you
give us a minute?
- Repeat that?
- Michael's dead.
- Hey man, I'm sorry.
What happened?
- Look, I'm looking for a
guy, Christopher something.
My son was spending
time with him.
- Never heard of him.
- How long was Michael
working for you?
- Off and on for
about three months.
He just showed up one day,
said he was looking for work.
Said he'd just gotten out
of that Chaffin program.
He was looking
pretty rough though.
So I told him I'd give him
a days pay for a days work
and every day he
showed up after that.
He was doing pretty good,
so after about a week I
hired him on officially.
- You said off and on.
- Yeah, he just
started missing days.
I never could reach him either.
First it was just a day
here and a day there,
but soon he'd be
gone for days on end.
I guess the last time he was
here was
about a week and a half ago.
- Did he have any friends here?
Do you know where
he was staying?
- No, he was pretty
much of a loner.
I mean he'd talked to you
if you went up and
asked him a question,
but never much.
I don't think he was staying
anywhere in particular.
I think he was kind
of bouncing around.
- Well thank you.
- Hey, listen, I wish I
could be of more help,
but he kind of stayed
to himself like I said.
I wish I could tell you more.
- Well thank you.
Thank you for helping my son.
I appreciate it.
- Hey, I'd do it again
tomorrow if another kid
showed up like that.
A little Christian charity
never hurt no one did it?
No.
No I guess it didn't.
- I'm sorry about
Michael, good luck.
- Jonathon, he was at
the Chaffin center.
Cool, I'll see you in five.
- How may I help you, sir?
- Hi, my name is
Brian Sanderson.
I believe my son was
in here for treatment
about, well within
the last six months.
His mother and I been
looking for him--
- I'm sorry sir, but
we keep our patients
information strictly
confidential here.
I can however--
- Did I mention to you
that he was a minor?
- What did you say his name was?
Michael Sanderson.
- Hi, yes.
I have a gentleman here claiming
to be Michael
Sanderson's father.
He says that he's
looking for his son.
Yes, that's what I told him.
He says that he's a minor.
Yes of course.
His name is Michael Sanderson.
Okay, thank you.
Someone will be with
you in a moment sir.
- Good day Mr. Phillips.
- We'll speak again
soon Dr. Chaffin.
- Mr. Sanderson, I'm
Elizabeth Chaffin,
the director here.
How may I help you?
- Mrs. Chaffin.
- Doctor.
- Dr. Chaffin, I was
hoping that you could
help me find my son.
- Why don't we
talk in my office.
If you'll follow me.
So when was the last
time that you saw him?
- Three years ago.
- And no word since then?
- We had no idea where
he was until today.
- Mr. Sanderson,
according to our records,
Michael's 23-years-old.
Obviously he had the
identification to prove that.
Now you threatened
my receptionist
and you lied.
So why don't you tell me
exactly why you're really here.
- I'm trying to find
out about my son.
- Well, he's no longer a minor.
There's nothing I can tell you.
- Can I see the file
of when he left,
where he might have gone?
- No, I'm sorry.
I cannot share that with you.
- Did he leave anything behind?
- If he did, we'll hold it
for him until he returns.
- He's dead.
He died last week, in
a drug deal that went bad.
I'm trying to find
out who my son was.
What kind of a man he'd become.
Will you help me?
- I'm sorry, without a court
order, my hands are tied.
- Is there anybody else
that I could talk to maybe?
I just to find out what
his interests were?
What kind of music
he listened to?
- Yes, it's Dr. Chaffin.
I have Michael
Sanderson's father here,
would you please ask Melissa
Thomas to meet him
down in the East Hall?
Thank you.
- Thank you.
Mr. Sanderson?
Yes.
- I was your son's
nurse while he was here.
How may I help you today?
- I just wanted more
information on my son.
I wanna know who he was.
- Michael.
Michael was actually
one of the good ones.
Right up until the day he left.
He was always
polite, always kind.
Withdrawal can be
a hell of a thing,
and your son handled it about
as well as could be expected.
Better than some actually,
especially for a first timer.
But what it comes down
to, Mr. Sanderson,
is that your son wasn’t broken
enough
when he walked
through our doors.
He could see the cliff, but
he hadn't fallen over yet.
He just, hadn't hit rock bottom.
- Why are you telling
me all of this
when Dr. Chaffin wouldn't?
- You're his father, correct?
Yes.
- Then wouldn't you agree
you have a right to know?
Absolutely.
- Listen, this
place is going down.
The things the you hear
happened here, they did.
That stuff is just gonna wind up
in an evidence locker anyway
so I thought it best
that you have it.
- Thank you.
Oh.
Is there anybody that works
here by the name of Christopher?
- That name doesn't ring a bell.
I'm sorry.
Thank you.
- Hi, I sent your car home.
- And?
How'd it go?
- I got his phone.
- All right, that's a start.
Who was the last
person he called?
- Me.
But he keeps calling
somebody named Priest.
Priest?
Who the hell is Priest?
No answer?
- No, not even a
name on the message.
- Great.
That woman you
interviewed, Lucia,
turns out she wasn't lying.
Unfortunately, she's
been found murdered.
Stabbed to death in a
crack house across town.
- There's other sources.
- Yeah.
Oh, and also, it
turns out Chaffin,
they're not destroying the drugs
after the addicts arrive either.
And where it goes, I don't know.
If I had to guess, I'd
say some dealer somewhere.
- Any leads?
- Plenty.
I mean this thing stretches
out like a spider web
across the entire city.
We're talking current
patients, past patients,
even one that now
works in Charlotte.
But as far as who set
up the original deal,
or how it ever got started,
man I just don't know.
- Has Chaffin
admitted to anything?
- Nah, not yet.
She has quit giving interviews.
And her P.R. firm,
they won't respond
to any questions.
- She's ducking and hiding,
hoping you'll move on.
- Looking that way.
Where to next?
- The diner across the street
from where Michael's
body was found.
I'm gonna talk to the manager,
find out if he saw anything.
Maybe by some miracle he's
got some security cameras.
- Good luck.
Regina's asked me
to turn in any story
I have on your son by tomorrow.
Right now, there
really isn't one.
I've gotta go
full-time on Chaffin.
I just,
I don't know that
I'm gonna be able
to help you out
much more on this.
- It's okay.
All right.
Who knows, maybe I'll actually
find what I'm looking for.
- I hope you do.
When you get to
the bottom of this,
write about it.
Somebody out there needs it.
Sometimes,
there are no answers!
You of all people
know how difficult
he could be sometimes!
Michael was
actually one of the good ones.
He was always
polite, always kind.
He was trying
to turn his life around.
Trying to straighten up.
- Walt!
- The pad, Brian.
Give it to me now.
- I don't know what
you're talking about.
- If you don't
give it to me now,
I'll tear this place
apart until I find it.
Give it to me now!
- Look, really man, I don't
know what you're talking about.
- Detective Vegara
phoned me to follow up
on your prescription of Vicodin.
A prescription I haven't
written for you in three years.
I checked.
I could lose my license
over this Brian.
I'm out of options.
The police know
what's been going on
and I'm not gonna lie to them!
- Walt, I didn't
know what else to do.
- You have put my livelihood
and the welfare of
my family in danger.
And that is not something
that I take lightly.
Now you give me the
script pad right now,
and I will walk away.
But you and I are done.
I don't want to see you
again after tonight.
- Walt look, I'm sorry.
- Oh that's no excuse.
Brian, has anybody
else used this?
- No.
- Are you telling me the truth?
- Yeah, now--
- Have you forged my
signature on anything else?
- No.
How many
times did you use this?
- I don't know.
- If you were in trouble,
you could’a come to me.
Now you just better pray
that Vergara comes up with
some other answers on his own
because I'm done with you.
I don't want to
hear from you again.
Hey David.
- How long have you
been following me?
- Since you left
your office building.
Look, I was hoping that I
could talk to you again.
- About me or about my brother?
- David look, you've
gotta understand that--
- Understand what?
That even when he's
dead he's still
the more important one?
- I'm trying to piece
together what happened.
For all of us.
Because we deserve to know.
- Did you think maybe some
of us don't wanna know?
- Son, look, you've
gotta help me.
He was with him that
night, Christopher.
They ate at a diner on 9th.
Do you know anybody that
could lead me to this guy?
- Nope.
Sorry, I gave you
everything I had.
- David.
David!
- You know what,
Julie was right.
You never cared about me.
And I'm under no obligation
to care about you.
♪ There are angels ♪
♪ Watching over me tonight ♪
♪ And these angels ♪
♪ Keep me safe by my side ♪
♪ And the enemy ♪
- Hey, what can I
get for ya today sir?
- I was wondering if you
had any security cameras.
- Excuse me?
Security
cameras, do you have any?
- Mick!
Hey Mick!
Mick, I think you ought
to talk to this guy.
- What's the problem?
- No problem.
I just wanted to know if you
have
any security cameras
on the premises.
- Security cameras?
Why you askin' about cameras?
- Because I'm doing
a story about the kid
that was murdered
across the street.
Did you see anybody
with him that night?
- Some guy that comes in here
with the addicts I think.
- Okay, are there any cameras?
Can I see the tapes to
see who he was with?
- No, no cameras.
Why are you here?
- I'm a newspaper reporter.
I'm doing a story on the victim.
- Police got a
report, don't they?
- I'm looking for
more than that.
I'm trying to find
out who he was.
- The guys name is Chris.
Tries to help out,
get him a meal,
get him a job.
They were in here a few times.
- Do you know where
I can find him?
- Haven't seen him
since that night.
- Where did they sit?
- That booth right there.
Always the same one.
I think the kid liked
to look out the windows.
That night, I locked
up behind them.
They was the last one's out.
- How did he look
to you that night?
The kid?
- He looked pretty bad off.
- All right, thank you
for the information.
No problem.
Over
1,000 residents
are currently without water.
- You know much about the Bible?
- Hopefully enough to get me in.
- 2nd Corinthians 4:16.
- "Do not lose heart.
"Though the outer
self is wasting away,
"the inner self is being
renewed day by day."
- You know that by heart?
- Yeah, it goes on
to talk about the
transient nature of our bodies
and the internal
nature of our souls.
Was made earlier today as Dr.
Elizabeth Chaffin
was taken out of her facility
by the Atlanta PD.
Chaffin has been accused.
- When you grow up in a
family full of preachers,
sometimes a little bit of it
rubs off every now and then.
- When asked about
the allegations,
the mayor said he hoped
they would prove untrue.
- We're here at the
Chaffin Treatment Center
where earlier today
Elizabeth Chaffin
was arrested and taking to
the Marrin County Courthouse.
She was then booked
on charges of
felony drugs
possession, as well as
possession with intent to sell.
This is what Dr.
Chaffin had to say.
Chaffin
Treatment Center
is the last lifeline
these people have!
I've got work to do here!
Today's
arrest is the culmination
of an investigation that
began when allegations
of Dr. Chaffin's ties to a
known drug dealer became public.
- How did I miss this?
- Can I help you?
- Yeah, I'm looking for
Christopher Beckman.
- You found him.
What can I do for you?
I've been looking
for you a long time, Father.
- I'm a not Catholic, but you
can just call me Christopher.
- You were with my
son the night he died.
- Please, sit down.
Yes, yes I was with
him that night,
and for several other
nights before that.
Your son was a good kid.
He was really starting
to turn his life around.
- What were you doing
with him that night?
- He came by, he
asked for my help.
- Didn't help much, did it?
I
did the best I could.
- I need to know who my son was.
- Was it enough to know
that your son loved you?
He was trying every way he knew
to come back home to you.
There were some ugly
times, tough times.
It all came to a head
the night that he died.
- But I thought you said
he was doing better?
He was.
Then why couldn't
you have stopped it?
- We all have to make
our own decisions.
Michael needed to
find his own way back.
- I managed to get
a hold of this.
- It's Michael's journal.
I gave this to him.
- He talks about God in there.
- Well, I'm not surprised.
I mean we do talk about God
from time to time around here.
- No, no, I need to
know what happened.
- Well I met Michael several
months ago in the park.
He was begging.
Asked for money.
Said he needed to get home.
I wouldn't give him any cash,
but I did offer to buy
him a train ticket.
On the one condition
that I could go with him,
just to make sure
he got home alright.
He agreed.
So we hopped on a
train and went uptown.
- To my building?
- Yes.
Michael got all the way up
to the front door
before he stopped.
Said he couldn't face you.
Not that way.
He asked me to take him to
his brother's apartment,
so I did.
I gave him card, told him
to get in touch with me
if he needed anything.
He called about three weeks
later after that first meeting.
He said he wanted money,
but he wouldn't tell me why.
He was in pretty rough shape.
It was late.
There's an all night diner three
or four blocks down the road,
so I took him there--
- I know it.
- I bought him some
food and we talked.
We talked about him,
we talked about me,
we talked a lot about you.
- Well you didn't
get him any help?
You didn't tell
him about all this?
- You know, mostly
I just listened.
It's a process.
It always is.
But he did let me pray for him.
Now that's a huge first step.
Michael wanted to get clean.
He knew he had a
road ahead of him,
but he was smart.
You could show that kid
something once, and he got it.
Just like that.
I found out that he was
interested in carpentry,
so I opened up the
wood shop to him
and he would spent
hours in there
just working on the
smallest details.
Stuff that people
would never see.
I'd ask him, "Michael,
who's gonna know?"
He'd look at me
with those big eyes
and he'd say, "I'm gonna know."
That's the kind of man
that your son was becoming.
- You think my son is in heaven?
- I don't know.
- Yeah, I thought you guys
were supposed to
have all the answers.
- I wish.
I might have one answer for you.
The name of Michael's
dealer, Marcus Johnson.
Goes by the name of Choo Choo.
- Choo Choo, why do
I know that name?
- They picked him
up earlier today.
He's probably still in
holding at the station.
- Thank you.
Come on man,
somebody wanna see you.
- So what do ya
want with me man?
Did I win a contest?
- Marcus, my name's--
- Choo Choo.
- Choo Choo.
I'm Brian Sanderson.
- Okay.
- My son Michael was--
- Mikey!
What!
Wow!
Too small of a world.
Yeah, you know that
boy's dead right?
Little boy been off that
stuff for way too long!
Gave me a fat bill for what
Choo Choo had to offer.
I had me a real fine
dinner that night--
- He was with you that night?
- Yes he was.
He was with me.
That night--
- How did he end up with you?
- Economics, man.
- Economics?
- I had somethin'
and he needed it.
Economics.
- All right, look,
help me out here.
Do you know anybody else
that he was buying from?
- I could help you out,
but then you gotta help me out.
Gotta make a deal
with Choo Choo.
- I don't know Choo
Choo, what do you want?
- Come here.
Come here, just a
little bit closer.
There we go, come on.
Listen, I got some twisted
white bread public defender
who says I gotta get some
other twisted white bread fella
to get on the stand and say
"Choo Choo's been a good boy."
You get me?
- Yeah, you want
me to lie for you.
I don't even know you.
- Don't play games
with me, old man.
I got secrets that you want.
- Look, did Michael go any place
or see anybody after that deal?
- That boy didn’t go
anywhere after that deal.
Ya' know what I'm saying?
How'd you find me man?
Was it the preacher man,
or was it the brother?
- Marcus,
what did you mean
when you said he didn't go
anywhere after the deal?
- I bet it was
the preacher, man.
That man is The Man, okay.
But you can't hang out
with him for too long.
That dude will get in your mind
and make you start
thinkin' things
that you never wanted up there.
- Just tell me about my son!
- That boy got what he deserved.
But right now that
ain't got nothin' to do
between me and you.
You want somethin',
I need somethin'.
Brian, decisions
got consequences.
And right now you have
a decision to make.
- Marcus, tell me what
happened to my son.
- You wanna know the truth?
He wants to know the truth.
He wants to know the truth.
You can't handle
the truth old man!
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Where you going?
We're just getting started.
- I'm done talking Marcus.
- Well, you comin' back right?
Because Brian, I got more
stories about your son.
- Yeah, I don't want to hear
anymore of your stories.
- Okay, then I'll
leave you with this.
Actions got consequences.
You better remember that as
you walk outta here today.
Choo Choo.
Choo Choo.
- The cover sheet?
- Yeah, if you can take
care of the supplemental,
it'd be great.
Brian Sanderson.
You missed our appointment.
There isn't something
you're trying
to hide from me, is there?
- I know who killed my son.
- Marcus Johnson?
We know.
Just can't prove it
yet, but we will.
- Well you know?
Why aren't you out
there building a case--
- A lot of cases like
yours come across my desk.
I'm in here now to talk to
someone else about another case.
- I gotta go.
- Piece of advice, Brian.
Stick around town.
Wouldn't want to have
to come lookin' for you.
- Marie, I didn't know
you still had a key.
- We never knew if we were gonna
have to get back in here
and clean the place up.
Well, what
can I do for you, Marie?
- I heard what you are doing
and I just wanted to tell you
that I think it's a good thing.
Thanks Marie.
- See you're still
drinking 'Old Masterson'.
Is that what
you came here about?
- No.
Look, David stopped by today.
He said that you had
been following him.
- I wouldn't call it following.
- Well David and Julie
got engaged last night.
And she doesn't want
you at the wedding.
But I'm not
comfortable with that,
so I made him promise that
they would talk about it again
before they make
a final decision.
And I just, I thought
you should know.
- It was Michael's.
They gave it to me at the
Chaffin Treatment Center.
You should read it.
Seems he was on his
way to finding God.
Is that really such
a bad thing, Marie?
- I'm sure it makes
you very proud.
- I know who killed Michael.
- What do you mean?
It's a drug
dealer named Choo Choo.
- Why are you telling me this?
What about the police?
- The police know.
They have him in lock-up.
- Is that why he's in jail?
No.
- For killing my son?
- No, that's not why he's there.
He's there for murdering
some other woman
and assorted drug charges.
Look, but I have a
bit of a problem.
I may need Victor's advice.
- What?
Why?
- Because I'm gonna
need legal council
for falsifying prescriptions.
- It never ends with you.
Hi, it's Brian.
Do you think I could
meet you tonight?
What is this place?
Its the co-op.
It's a warm place to sleep,
counselors who will listen,
job training for
those who want it.
- Why are you showing me this?
- You wanted to
know about your son.
Well, this is where he
spent his last few weeks.
Ya know, I really thought he was
gonna make it.
Maybe even come back here
and be a mentor to
some of these folks.
He had friends here Brian.
People who were in
the same place he was.
Come on, I wanna
show you something.
Now this?
This was going to
be his masterpiece.
I sat right here that
afternoon, talking to him.
There was something
in his voice.
You could hear it.
He was gonna use.
I knew it.
He smiled at me.
He knew that I knew.
I tried to get him to stay.
Tried to keep him
working on the table,
but he said no, he
need to get some air.
He needed to take a
walk, clear his head.
And then he left.
I don't know why he got shot,
but if you wanna
know about your son
it's all right
there in that table.
An unfinished life.
- I came here tonight because
I don't know where else to go.
I need somebody who can help me.
- I'll do whatever I can.
- What my son said in his
journal about your faith.
I wanna know about that.
He said something
about a change.
I need to know what he knew.
Hey Jonathon, come on in.
- So this it?
You didn't wanna wait
until the trial was over?
- Not a chance.
This is my son's story,
not Marcus Johnson's.
- I can understand that.
Give some nice closure
to your readers huh?
- So, I hear you have a new job?
- Yeah, that Chaffin
thing did a lot to
to restore what we
do around there.
Regina bumped me
up to city desk.
We even hired a few
new kids to work.
- That's fantastic!
I guess the news
business is booming!
- Yeah, it is.
- Hey, I wanna thank
you for passing
this on for me.
- Oh sure.
Mind if I read it first?
- Absolutely.
Oh, by the way,
I get this off on Friday.
All right.
- Yup, one year.
I wanna thank you and Walt
for being such good friends
and walking me through this.
- Eh, we were just
there for your support.
See you Sunday?
- You will see me Sunday.
- All right.
Take care.
♪ What in the world ♪
♪ Has come over me ♪
You're fired.
♪ Been running in circles ♪
Get out!
♪ Finally I'm free ♪
I don't wanna
hear from you again.
♪ Over and over ♪
It never
ends with you.
♪ Forever and ever ♪
Tonight,
you have been called.
What's your answer.
♪ Here with me ♪
♪ Try to remember ♪
♪ You had no direction ♪
- Brian Gardner Sanderson,
I baptize you in the
name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
♪ Slipped to the bottom ♪
If you can’t
handle the truth!
♪ The son of your father ♪
♪ Searching the whole land ♪
♪ Your selfish behavior ♪
♪ Will you be here
in the morning ♪
♪ Oh I'm asking you Lord ♪
♪ Cause you had no direction ♪
♪ And you squandered it all ♪
♪ You slipped to the bottom ♪
♪ Not worthy to be called ♪
♪ Yeah you had no direction ♪
♪ You were running
in the night ♪
♪ You slipped to the bottom ♪
♪ When you thought
it was right ♪
♪ Now it's over ♪
♪ It's over ♪
♪ It's over ♪
♪ It's all over now ♪
♪ Now it's over ♪
♪ It's all over ♪
♪ Hmm It's over ♪
♪ It's all over now ♪
♪ I've walked a long way ♪
♪ Down the wrong road ♪
♪ Too many heartaches ♪
♪ And too many tears ♪
♪ It's been a long day ♪
♪ Down on the wrong road ♪
♪ I'm getting so weary ♪
♪ From bearing the load ♪
♪ Can't remember the day ♪
♪ I made that first wrong turn ♪
♪ Now there've been so many ♪
♪ Seems that I don't learn ♪
♪ I've walked a long way ♪
♪ Down the wrong road ♪
♪ So many heartaches ♪
♪ And too many tears ♪
♪ It's been a long day ♪
♪ Down on the wrong road ♪
♪ I'm getting so weary ♪
♪ From bearing the load ♪
♪ And every step I take ♪
♪ Is taking me one
step further from you ♪
♪ I've only followed myself ♪
♪ Always seemed like
the thing to do ♪
♪ I've walked a long way ♪
♪ Down the wrong road ♪
♪ Too many heartaches ♪
♪ And too many tears ♪
♪ It's been a long day ♪
♪ Down on the wrong road ♪
♪ I'm getting so weary ♪
♪ From bearing this load ♪
♪ Now am I too far gone ♪
♪ This isn't where I should be ♪
♪ Thank God for Christ ♪
♪ He came to save the
long lost people like me ♪
♪ Now it's a long way ♪
♪ But down the right road ♪
♪ You're healing my heartaches ♪
♪ You're healing my tears ♪
♪ You're showing me the way ♪
♪ Down this narrow road ♪
♪ And every step that I take ♪
♪ Brings me one
step closer to You ♪
♪ Now it's a long way ♪
♪ But down the right road ♪
♪ You're healing my heartaches ♪
♪ You're healing my tears ♪
♪ You're showing me the way ♪
♪ Down this narrow road ♪
♪ And every step that I take ♪
♪ Brings me one
step closer to You ♪
♪ And every step that I take ♪
♪ Brings me one
step closer to You ♪
♪ One step closer to You ♪