Blue Bloods (2010–…): Season 1, Episode 11 - Little Fish - full transcript

[BUZZlNG]

[GRUNTS]

- Yeah?
- Detective Reagan, it's Anna Zoltin.

I don't know if you remember me.

Yeah, I do. What is it?

ANNA [OVER PHONE]:
Sorry, I know it's late.

I just--
I didn't know who else to turn to.

What's wrong? Are you in trouble?

I'm just scared.

Okay.

Anna, look,
you're gonna have to call 91 1, okay?



Or just go to the precinct
and I'll be there soon.

I don't even know if you can help me.
He said the cops can't help me.

- Who said that?
- Nobody can help me.

- I don't know why I called.
- Okay, Anna--

Anna?

BAKER:
You promised the chief of Belfast

a tour of the Real Time Crime Center
before he leaves for lreland.

What else you got?

Overnight, robbery on 1 69th
and Washington Avenue.

Suspects armed with handguns.

Fits Manhattan North
robbery pattern.

Harbor unit's pulling out a floater
in Brooklyn as we speak.

A Detective William Carter called.

Old partner of mine,
what did he want?



To tell you human remains
were recovered

that may be connected to a case
you two worked 25 years ago.

Tell my detail
we're heading back out.

- And your 0900 chief's briefing?
- Push it.

Okay, got it. Thanks. 1 0-4.

M.E.'s still
an hour and a half out.

Sad. Beautiful young girl.

She still has makeup on too.
It must've just happened.

Ours is not to speculate. We secure
the scene and then we wait.

Here comes the brain trust now.

Just our luck, Sonny Malevsky.

That's Sonny Malevsky?

RENZULLl:
Yeah, why?

Just...

He used to work
with my brother Joe.

Oh, yeah?

MALEVSKY: Renzulli.
RENZULLl: Hey.

You finally got your stripes.

- Mercy promotion?
- Don't bust my chops, all right?

Who's the new fish?

Reagan!

So, you're the PC's youngest.

- Is this your first floater, kid?
- Yeah.

MALEVSKY:
Well, it looks fresh.

Should see them
after a couple of weeks,

after the fish and the crabs
get to them.

Let's see what we got.

BlLL: Commissioner.
- Bill.

- As you were.
- Right over here.

Looks like trauma to the skull.

It could be Leo Gates.

Clothes match the description.
We've got the backpack.

The skeletal remains
appear to be those of a child.

That's him.

- We don't know that yet, Frank.
- It's him.

I don't even know if the mother
still lives around here anymore.

She does.

Nine-year-old boy.

Have the M.E. make a positive lD
before we start opening old wounds.

No longer missing persons,
it's a homicide.

I want the entire case file
on my desk forthwith.

Keep this away from the press
as long as you can.

I don't want the perp to rabbit
if he's still around.

Sure.

No problem, sir.

Looks like you were right
all along, Frank.

It gives me small comfort.

So kid,
you probably think she jumped

from the Manhattan Bridge
and floated down.

But you'd be wrong.
She'd have hit the East River

at 65 miles an hour
and there's no contusions.

That's not to say she wouldn't
have broken her neck.

But it looks like
somebody did it for her.

Let's see if there's anything
in these pockets.

[LAUGHS]

"Detective Daniel Reagan."

Now there is one
for the "small world" department.

Renzulli, looks like
this one is gonna be a homicide.

Hey, kid,
maybe you wanna call your brother.

He might wanna come down here and
finish what he seems to have started.

JACKlE: So, did you call back
this Anna Zoltin?

I couldn't call her back, okay?
She called from a blocked number.

So what are you supposed to do?

Drive around all five boroughs
at night looking for her?

- She didn't tell you where she was.
- I know, I feel bad, okay?

The girl was getting her life
together and this happens.

I know.
How did you know her anyway?

A Vice sting about a year ago.

A bunch of call girls,
a half dozen johns.

High-end operation.

I'm sure
it was a very classy situation.

She was an escort.

Not making excuses,
but she lost her little girl,

was trying to get her back,
did what she had to.

I spoke to the ADA and got her
sentence reduced to rehab.

She was a good kid, Jackie.

I'm sure she was. It's nice.

And unlike the guys I put away.
They're too busy

throwing darts at my picture
in the night to ask me for help.

Yeah, well, this girl needed help
and now she's dead.

Here's what we're gonna do.

We'll figure out who did this

and we're gonna string him up
by his family jewels.

It's not gonna bring her back
but it's gonna make you feel better.

BAKER:
Your afternoon schedule, sir. Ahem.

"Bronx Borough President's Man of
The Year Luncheon" at 1 300,

followed by Queens Committee
board meeting in Jackson Heights.

Police Foundation honors the Mayor
at a reception, 1 7 to 1 830 hours.

I marked these DD-5s
for re-interview.

See that Detective Carter
gets back to me

with the new 5's
as soon as he does them.

Yes, sir.

This is a letter of condolence
written to the mother.

"Dear Mrs. Gates, I am very sorry
that your son has disappeared.

I know how terrible you must feel.

I am sorry for that."

It's not signed.

Was it written
by a man or a woman?

I'd say a man, sir.

[SlGHS]

[CELL PHONE RlNGS]

Sir, the autopsy's in.

Leo Gates' dental records
are a match.

Thank you, Baker.

Cancel the rest of my schedule.

[SlGHS]

- Okay, thanks.
DANNY: Right here, look at this.

Nonpareil Escorts.

That's the place Anna was working
when I busted it a year ago.

Vice has had the place padlocked
down for four months now.

Got something over here.

The receptionist
at Anna's accounting firm

said that there's some guy who
used to send her roses.

Getting pretty heavy, she didn't like it,
put a restraining order against him.

The receptionist
didn't have the guy's name

but I found the florist who did.

- And you got it?
- Yes. Guy's name is Richard Hansen.

Attorney, no priors, Madison
Avenue address, on the board

of the East Side Parks Conservancy.

Fantastic. Let's go see
if we can't persuade Mr. Hansen

to come down, let us pick his brain
about why the green thumb

- keeps sending our victim flowers.
- Good.

- Commissioner Reagan.
- Mrs. Gates.

You found Leo.

We did.

MRS. GATES:
Where did you find him?

In the old building next to the
post office, two blocks from school.

So he...

He was so close all those years.

There was a false wall
in the basement.

Did he suffer?

The medical examiner

determined the cause of death to
be blunt force trauma to the head.

It was most likely instantaneous.

Well, I guess that's something.

That building.

Does it have any meaning
for you?

Friends there, people you knew?

He passed it on the way to school.

Every day, I walked with him.

But he'd been begging me
for weeks

to let him walk home by himself.

It was raining that day.

I keep asking myself: Is that the
reason I didn't go and get him?

Because it was raining?

Laura.

There are some things none of us
can ever completely control.

And one of them is protecting our kids
every moment of the day.

I just think...

You know,
if only if I'd been with him.

If only I'd made sure
he walked with a friend.

[CLEARS THROAT]

I guess I should call Father John.

We can have a funeral now.

Thank you, Frank.

There's no need to thank me

until I bring Leo's killer to justice.

You threatened to come to my home?

- It's either your home or your office.
- I didn't kill Anna Zoltin.

No, she killed herself.
She strangled herself

right before dumping her body
in the river.

Where were you when
she was killed?

At a charity fundraiser
for my kid's school.

Father of the Year, huh?

Anna Zoltin took out an order
of protection against you

the night before she died.

Wonder why. What'd
she do, threaten to tell your wife?

- That why you killed her?
- Why throw away my life

- for a whore?
- She was somebody's daughter.

And she was
also somebody's mother.

She wanted to quit
and you wouldn't let her.

You wanted to keep having sex,
you wouldn't let her say no.

- I can afford any woman I want.
- Really?

How about we call Mrs. Hansen down
here, see how she feels about that?

RlCHARD:
Okay.

I was a regular client of Anna's.

When she told me she quit,

I tried using other call girls but...

She's really special.

- You know what I mean?
- Not first hand but keep talking.

I offered to pay her rent plus double

what she made as an escort
but she turned me down.

The flowers were my attempt
to change her mind.

- And did it help?
- No.

But look, I wasn't the only one
who thought she was special.

I heard from other girls
in the escort agency that

her boss was always hitting on her.

Do you have a name for us?

All I know
is that his first name is John.

- Well, there's a start.
- Yeah.

You better pray
your alibi checks out.

BAKER: I just wanted to drop these
DD-5s off for the Commissioner.

Well, the Commissioner's
not home yet.

I know that, sir.

I'm retired,
you don't have to call me "sir."

- What should I call you?
- Henry.

Something on your mind,
Miss Baker?

It's a cold case
of his involving a child.

It's consumed him.

We all have these cases.

I had one back in '55.

The remains of a kid
in a duffel bag off the FDR.

I still take the case out
every now and then.

It's always bad
when it's children, but...

If I may say, sir,
he's in a very dark place.

He and the detective who was
in charge of the case were at odds.

There was a witness who said he
thought he saw the kid get into a car

but Francis wasn't having any of it.

He was convinced
the kid never left the block.

That he was murdered.

He'll find the forensic anthropologist
report there, as well.

Blunt force trauma to the skull
was caused

by the round striking end
of a hammer.

His own kids were that age
back then.

It tore him up.

It's the losses
that keep you up at night.

- So, how did your anniversary go?
- It went good.

I got my wife a snow globe.

I know it's too low brow
for your Harvard tastes

but my wife loves snow globes.

Fake snow, I get the appeal.

- You get the appeal?
- Yeah.

Tell me how you know
Sonny Malevsky?

Why are you so interested
in that putz, huh?

I'm just curious.

Well, some guys become cops
because they love law enforcement.

Some guys, for job security.

Some guys don't know
what else to do.

And then you've got guys
like Malevsky

who's just on a big power trip.

Anything more than that?

What? Like corruption?

That's a big word.

Let's just say, I think that he's
someone when you're talking to him

you better have one hand
on your wallet.

- You know what I mean?
- Hmm.

Hey.

FRANK:
You're still up, Pop.

Your aide dropped off some 5's
for the Gates case.

They smell of the precinct.
I hope you don't mind.

It's the losses
that keep you up at night.

You miss it, don't you?

I do.

I wasn't done being a cop.

You did what you had to do.

Same as you.

No, I wanted the job.

You should feel proud, Francis.

You're the only chief rank
and file would've accepted

after that last bum of the mayor's.

The time had come
and you stepped up.

Here.

Take these, they're yours.

- What are you looking for?
- I don't know.

Something to jog my memory.

What did you always say?

"There's a lot in a detective's head
that isn't written down."

But you've got a photographic mind
for this stuff.

Yeah.

Well, there's something
I can't remember

or overlooked or didn't consider.

Night, Francis.

Night, Pop.

Yeah, yeah, thanks.

Anything yet?

Hansen's alibi checks out.

What? Ugh.

You know it's guys like that
that make you want to stay single.

Yeah, well, he told the truth.

Maybe he's telling the truth about this
John guy who owned the agency.

He says he was obsessed
with Anna.

Let's check it on the black book.

Yeah, well the escort service
was owned by a John Vega.

Oh, what's he up to now?

He owns a business called
Executive Clientele.

- Oh, well.
- Look at that.

Not hard to tell
what his new business is.

No.

You're listed as the company owner,
Mr. Vega.

Hey, hey, just call me Johnny.

DANNY: Johnny the Pimp?
JOHNNY: Ha-ha-ha.

Our ladies do not engage
in sexual intercourse.

Your clients just pay
a thousand dollars a pop

for stimulating conversation,
is that it?

Our clients are
out-of-town businessmen

or Europeans who just want beautiful
ladies to show them around the city.

You know, business dinners
with them and stuff.

Do you know Anna Zoltin?

She used to work for my accountant.

Well, they told us that she
delivered many packages here.

No, no, that's not true.

How about she was an escort at
Nonpareil while you were running it?

I don't recall.

DANNY: Do you recall
where you were two nights ago?

Hillary, pull up Jolene, will you?

I was at her place all night.

DANNY: We're gonna need her
contact information to corroborate.

You'll get that
before you leave.

And if you ever want to try
any of our services,

I'll make sure you
get the N.Y.P.D. discount.

No, thanks. I'm married.

Too bad. Don't know
what you're missing.

Neither do you.

BAKER: 250 interviews of people
in the building across the street

and not one of them saw
Leo enter that building.

Never mind with anyone.

What do you think, sir?

I don't know.

Had to be someone in that building
on that day.

Someone who wouldn't raise
suspicions.

If it moves, you duct tape it.

If it squeaks, you WD-40 it.

If it's stuck,
you hit it with a hammer.

Sounds about right, sir.

Get me Bill Carter on the phone.

DANNY:
Jolene DeMaine.

Detective Reagan.
This is my partner, Detective Curatola.

Johnny told me
that you'd be looking for me.

- Oh, did he?
- Yeah. He was with me that night.

- Really, doing what?
- Dinner. Then we hung out.

- All night.
- Where?

Where? My place.

I'm sorry, I really need to go.

- I'm late.
DANNY: You know what?

If you think of anything,
why don't you give us a call, okay?

I won't.

- That went well.
- Yeah.

BAKER:
Hold for the Commissioner.

Where are you
with the new interviews, Bill?

Uh-- I've located some of them, sir.

In fact, right now I'm
with the witness, Todd Connelly.

He's not on my list.

No, I know,
but it occurred to me that

he may have said that he saw
Leo Gates entering the Corolla

to throw the investigation.

The murderer put him up to it.

- What about T ed Wessel?
- Wessel?

The superintendent of the building
where Leo Gates' bones were found.

A re-interview
I specifically requested.

Yeah, I haven't found him yet, sir.

Find him.

Do it quick and do it right or you'll
be walking a beat so far out in Queens

you'll need a passport to get
back to Manhattan.

Yes, sir.

Find out everything there is to know
about Theodore Wessel.

Every detail of his life
from the day he was born.

Hi. Okay, so Johnny Vega
has a criminal history.

Assault, extortion, gambling,
promoting prostitution.

So, what is he doing
still on the street?

First go-round
with murder, though.

He's got an alibi for that.

We can't even get enough to
subpoena his phone records.

So there's got to be something.

Besides Nonpareil, is there any way
we can connect this guy to Anna?

I've been through her phone records,
her e-mails,

there is absolutely nothing
from Vega.

But there are tons of phone calls
back and forth

from Anna Zoltin
and Jolene DeMaine,

nearly every day, including the night
she was killed, after she called you.

Jolene DeMaine?

- Mm-hm.
- Sounds like she knows something

- she's not letting on.
- Mm-hm.

You got a second to talk?

I already talked to you.

Yeah, but you never told us
that you and Anna were friends.

We know you spoke
the night she was killed

because I did, too.

She sounded afraid that someone was
gonna find out she reached out to me.

I'm thinking it was Johnny Vega
she was afraid of.

But you told us that you were
with him the night Anna was killed.

- I did see him that night.
- Just not the whole night.

Look, I can't help you.

Are you gonna let this guy
get away with killing your friend?

Do you know he strangled her so hard
that he broke a bone in her neck?

- Don't!
- Well, then tell us the truth.

You have no idea what Johnny
is really like.

- So you gave him an alibi?
- I can end up like her.

You can also end up in prison
for hindering prosecution.

Jolene, tell us what happened.

Johnny had a thing for her.

He was always creeping on her.

And finally she started saying
that she'd go to the cops

if he didn't stop harassing her.

She told me about you.

- She said that we could trust you.
- You can.

Keep talking.

Anna told me that she dropped off
the checks at Executive.

When she got there Johnny tried
to jump her but she fought him off.

And she told him that was it.
That she was gonna go to the cops.

She ran out of there
and she called me from her cell.

She was petrified that
he was coming after her.

I told her
that I'd meet her at her place.

What time was that?

It was around midnight.

When I got there she was so scared.

Her hands were shaking.

She told me she was gonna
meet you at the precinct

and I said that I would wait with her.

Did you?

There was a knock on the door.

Anna said to hide
while she answered it.

So I ducked into her bedroom.

And it was Johnny Vega.

He was furious.

They had words.

And then I didn't hear
anything so I peeked out

to make sure that she was okay

and I saw...

And I saw him strangle her.

- Did he see you?
- No.

No, God, I didn't move.

I waited until he left with Anna.

And the next day,
when Anna's body showed up,

he said that "that's what happens
when people talk to cops."

Let's go scoop
this piece of garbage.

[BEEP]

Johnny Vega!

Hands out of your pockets.
Keep them where I can see them.

Taking me up
on that N.Y.P.D. discount?

I don't have anything for the young
lady unless she goes that way.

We're here to arrest you
for the murder of Anna Zoltin.

- You know what? Whatever.
- Great, turn around.

Turn your ass around.

You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say may be used

against you in a court of law.

You have the right to consult
with an attorney.

You have the right to have your
attorney present during questioning.

If you can't afford an attorney,
one will be appointed to you at no cost.

That Johnny Vega
is one cool cucumber.

As long as he's held without bail
for second-degree murder, I don't care.

Detective Reagan. Curatola.

Special Agent Stuart LeMarque.

Oh, FBl.
To what do we owe the pleasure?

- You arrested John Vega today.
DANNY: Yeah.

Creates a bit
of a problem for us.

Really? Why's that?

He's instrumental in a RlCO case
we got going.

- Oh, he's a confidential informant?
JACKlE: Oh.

Makes sense
why he has all those

"Get out of jail free" cards
on felony collars.

This guy is a made member
of the Rulanti crime family.

He's like a son to Tommy Rulanti.

I don't care if he's like a son to the
Pope, he's not getting a pass, forget it.

Our case hinges on Vega's
cooperation, all right?

We're going after the bigger fish.

As opposed to the little homicide here.

I need you to understand
that we have an opportunity

to deal the Rulantis
a crippling blow.

And we have an opportunity
to lock this punk up

for second-degree murder,
and we will.

You really think the FBl
is gonna let some N.Y.P.D. detective

blow a multi-million dollar
RlCO case?

Maybe.

Putz.

He's having trouble
playing with others again?

The FBl trying to tell me
who we can and can't arrest.

If it's about Johnny Vega,
we have other problems.

What, they leaning
on you to dismiss?

No, his defense team has requested
our eyewitness's statement.

Are you kidding me?

Johnny's gonna know
it was Jolene DeMaine.

Oh, it is a death sentence for her.

It's within the law, Danny.

- I'm just saying, what kind of law is it?
- The kind that guarantees a fair trial.

DANNY: Fair trial. I've got a witness
who risks her life to come and give you

a recorded testimony,
you give it to the murderer, is that fair?

[CELL PHONE BUZZlNG]

The judge hasn't ruled on it yet.

- And that's why cops hate Mondays.
- Excuse me.

- Well, it doesn't seem right, Mom.
DANNY: It's not right.

The defender has the right to know
who's accusing him.

That's so they can figure out
who to intimidate.

Without discovery statutes
it's not a level playing field.

I'm talking about playing
with people's lives here.

JAMlE:
Nick, would you want a world where

anyone could have someone locked up
on their anonymous say-so?

That doesn't sound so good either.

Thank you, Jamie.

But you know
it's an intimidation tactic.

Wrecks your only case.

HENRY: See what I mean?
- No.

Un-thank you, Jamie.

The bottom line is all the FBl cares
about is making their splashy case

against the Rulanti crime family.

And meanwhile Anna Zoltin just floats
down the East River into oblivion.

And no one even arrests
the murderer.

What'd you say they said?
"Come on, she's just a call girl."

Pretty much. "Just a call girl."

- What's a call girl?
- I don't know.

Uh... That is a girl who talks on her cell
all the time.

So, kind of like Aunt Erin?

[FAMlLY LAUGHlNG]

LlNDA:
Sorry.

DANNY:
Yeah.

Sorry.

HENRY: Anything?
- Dead end.

What was so funny?

A barrel of laughs in here, Dad.

Between the FBl and the DA's office
trying to kill my witness.

Enough with the drama.

Nothing undermines our way of life
more than the taking of it.

I'll drink to that.

The truth is Judge Fenton
could rule either way tomorrow.

I could lose my witness.
I'm a little worried about it.

Well, in that case, be ready.

- What do you mean?
- Ready with another case against him.

How did the FBl get Johnny Vega
to cooperate against the Rulanti family

- in the first place?
- They have something on him.

Interstate prostitution, trafficking,
for instance.

Okay.

And we know how the feds
like to memorialize their cases on tape.

Wiretaps, surveillance.

Since the cases haven't been brought,
none of it's been released.

Well, maybe the right people
haven't been asking.

I do have a friend
in the U.S. Attorney's office.

Well, if things don't go
your way tomorrow...

FENTON: Ms. Reagan,
I have read your objection

to the defense's motion
to compel discovery.

Your Honor, the release of said
testimony would reveal

the identity of the witness
and put his or her life in danger.

Objection!

Much as we appreciate Ms. Reagan's
apparent competency in legal matters,

we don't subscribe to her ability
to predict the future, Your Honor.

Sustained.
Ms. Reagan, your objection is denied.

Recording will be entered
into evidence

and made available to the defense.

At this time we would also request
a consideration for bail.

- Objection!
- Mr. Vega has strong family ties.

Whose family,
his own or the Rulantis?

BUCKNER:
Objection!

[KNOCKlNG]

- Jolene.
- Leave.

Listen, Johnny Vega made bail.
We wanna take you somewhere safe.

- I don't think so.
- Judge ruled

the defense can have
your testimony against Vega.

- So get some clothes on and let's go.
- No. No, I can't. I'm sorry.

What is it? Did he contact you?

- Doesn't matter.
- Did he threaten you again?

- I'm not going to testify.
- You gave a statement to the ADA.

- I lied.
DANNY: Jolene!

I didn't see him kill Anna, all right.
Just leave me alone!

This is what he wants, you know.
He wants you to be scared.

- I'm well aware of John Vega.
- And I know about the RlCO.

I'm not willing to bend on murder.

Well, with the last name Reagan,
why would you?

But you know giving you access
to FBl surveillance

is gonna cause
beaucoup problems for me.

You're a dedicated U.S. Attorney.

You don't want this guy
walking around any more than I do.

- I can't jeopardize the Rulanti case.
- You won't be jeopardizing it.

I will wait to bring my pre-trial motions
against Vega after your RlCO charges.

You'll still have first dibs.

Can we discuss this over dinner?

David, I want that material.

Hey Danny, it's me. I've got something
for your viewing and listening pleasure.

[DANNY SlGHlNG]

Oh... Six hours of this and nothing.

No, I can't do it anymore.

I cannot watch any more mobsters
and whores hanging out.

Tell me about it.

There's Johnny Vega.

- Wait a minute, check this guy out.
JACKlE: What?

Yeah, that's another midlife crisis
overpaying some 20-year-old

to make him feel desirable.

Forget it. I lost interest after
the first four hours.

DANNY:
No, something about this guy.

I've seen him around somewhere.

- Hey, do me a favor.
- Yeah.

Run this license plate.

King-Nora-Queen-8-6-3-3.

JACKlE:
Whoa.

- What?
- You're never gonna believe this.

- What?
- The plate belongs to Judge Fenton.

Are you kidding me?

And it's not even my birthday.

MAYOR: We missed you at the
Police Foundation Honors, Frank.

Police Foundation honors its mayor.

Am I wrong in thinking that
the police commissioner

might wanna make an appearance?

I'm sorry, Mr. Mayor.
I had urgent police business.

So, now what's your excuse
for ducking our meeting today

with the FBl bureau director
in charge?

I don't have one.

What am I supposed
to do with that?

They want your guys to back
off the Vega case.

I am not your apologist, Frank.

And when the federal government
wants, demands a meeting,

I won't have you letting me stand there
alone like an idiot, holding my...

BAKER: Sir?
- What is it, Baker?

Sorry, but you said to interrupt
if we heard from Detective Carter

and he's on line one.
He's located Theodore Wessel.

I have to take this call, Mr. Mayor.

Yeah, I understand.

Urgent police business, right?
Lives at stake.

Et cetera.

Bring him in.

You're tired?

Well, that's too bad,
because nobody is gonna sleep

until I find out what happened.

I don't know what happened.

How many times I gotta tell you?
I didn't have nothing to do with it.

You did. You killed the kid and then
you buried him behind the wall.

You were the super of the building.

Nobody would've thought anything
if they saw you there covered in dust.

Don't know what you're talking about,
everybody could access the basement.

That's 1 50 storage lockers
and the laundry room.

You know what?
I can't stand the sight of you.

- He's not giving it up, Frank.
- I know.

We've got nothing
without his confession.

BlLL: I've been in there with him
for four hours.

I wanna talk to him.

Okay, commissioner.

Remember me?

I think you're
the police commissioner.

I am now.

You were the superintendent
of a building that Leo Gates passed by

on the way to and from school.

We talked on

November 1 0th,
the day after Leo went missing.

I was the super of the building.

I already told the detective that.

Can I get you something
to eat or drink, Mr. Wessel?

I just want to get out of here.

I'm not going to tell you anything
different than I did him.

We found this

in Leo Gates' backpack
with his remains.

It's a fourth grade
writing assignment.

Kind of a fill-in-the-blank biography.

"November 9th. Leo Gates.
Name. Cares deeply about my family.

What do you wanna be?
Professional baseball player.

What do you love?
Anything to do with baseball.

What do you fear?

Not being able to hit a baseball."

Imagine that, Ted.

Before November 9th,
all Leo was afraid of

was not being able to hit a baseball.

Why are you doing this?

Well, I just wanted
to clear some things up.

When we talked on November 10th,

you were wearing a blue work shirt,
khaki trousers, tan work boots

and a tool belt.

Well,

that's all I really had in my notes

that matter,
but I have a pretty good memory, Ted.

So,

I'm in my office staring out
at my city

and I thought of what
my superintendent used to say.

"lf it moves, you duct tape it.
If it squeaks, you WD-40 it.

And if it's stuck,
you hit it with a hammer."

And I don't know, I think that jogged
my memory because all of a sudden

I had this kind of photograph
in my mind

and I realized that when we talked,

your hammer was missing
from your tool belt.

And that's when I knew.

I wouldn't hit a kid
in the head with a hammer.

That's how Leo was killed.
How did you know that?

- Detective Carter told me.
- No, he didn't.

I read it in the paper.

It wasn't in the paper, Ted.

People steal tools all the time. I mean,
you set something down, they steal it.

Couple days ago,

I had to tell Laura Gates,
that's Leo's mom,

I had to tell her
that Leo was dead.

In a way, she seemed
relieved to know, finally.

Because not knowing

had taken a terrible toll on her, Ted.

When you lose a child,

it seems so unfair.

I know.

I lost a son.

And I think you understand that

you never really recover
from a loss like that.

Read it.

Could you read it out loud, please?

"Dear Mrs. Gates, I am very sorry
that your son has disappeared.

I know how terrible you must feel.
I am sorry for that."

I think a good person wrote that letter,
Ted.

A man with a conscience.

Someone who made a mistake

and regretted it and carried it
with him the rest of his life.

A mistake that haunted him

until it broke up his marriage and
turned him to alcohol to dull the pain.

A mistake that left him broken.

And that he never recovered from.

You wrote that letter, Ted.

[SOBBlNG]

It was raining.

He was all wet.

That's all.

Just tell how you didn't mean to do it.

Just write down everything.

I would like to file a motion to dismiss
the charges against my client.

- On what grounds, counselor?
- This is absurd, Your Honor.

The only witness
has recanted her statement.

Hold it. Excuse me.

- Hey, don't mind us, judge.
FENTON: Excuse me!

There's a court in session here.
Sir, you are out of order.

Yeah, I'm not the only one.

- Sir! Sit down!
- I don't want to sit.

Sir, I will find you in contempt.

The only one in contempt here is you,
judge!

Judicial misconduct, solicitation.
Tell him.

I'm Vincent Pelligrino from
the Office of Court Administration.

- Please step down, Your Honor.
- Don't call him "Your Honor."

That word is reserved for people
who have some.

Hey, Johnny boy.

ERlN:
What's going on?

Judge Fenton has a role
in one of those videos.

He got caught with his pants down,
both literally and figuratively.

Ain't that right, judge?

[CROWD MURMURlNG]

That's why he's been ruling
on the side of Johnny Vega.

This hearing is adjourned
pending a judicial review.

Hey, not bad for a little fish, huh?

- Hey, look who's here.
- Hey, Dad.

Hey.

- I heard what went on in there.
- Oh, yeah, classic Danny.

Couldn't wait
until it was over,

he had to burst into the courtroom
on his big white horse.

Good times.

Hey, we heard the commissioner
got a signed confession.

A great day for the family business.

We're gonna go
pat ourselves on the back.

- Can you come?
- I've got stuff to do.

Go ahead, you kids go.

- Are you sure?
- Yeah, I'll take a rain check.

- Bye.
- See you, Dad.

I'm proud of you.

I knew when they found Leo's remains
that you'd get the person responsible.

I know it's small comfort.

It's the only comfort I have,
that he'll be held accountable.

I understand.

You lost a son too.

Not a day goes by
I don't think of him.

[SlGHS]

But I have something.

When they found Leo,
this was in his backpack.

Ha.

Leo loved baseball.

Well, can I thank you now?