Dark Blue (2009–2010): Season 1, Episode 3 - Purity - full transcript

Good evening, Mr. Howard.

Howard's here. Looks like
he has the money too.

'Sorry about the delay.
The 405.'

The back's clear.

As soon as Howard makes
the buy, we take him.

When I was a defense attorney..

...the one thing I had to do was
check out prospective clients.

Look into their history.

Make sure they're not
withholding vital information.

'Which could come back at you.'

It's a funny thing
when we looked into you.



Some things just don't add up.

Well...I'm not
a perspective client

and you're not
a defense attorney.

What you are is late.

Now your boy here, said you
are looking for a new supplier.

And that's why I'm here.

So you got the money or not?

I see you worked with
Vince Halpin. He was a lunatic.

Yeah, he was. and that's why
he got himself killed.

Yeah, the funny thing is..

...all the guys you
worked with are dead.

Well that makes it very
hard to get a reference.

Now, either you're the worst
luck charm in the world..

'...or it's by design.'



'
- 'I donno know what you are.'

Ty, get in position.
This may go sideways.

- I'm on the move.

If there's no money in the
briefcase then it's technically

not a buy and we have no case.
We gotta see the money first.

If I'm a cop, how come you're
not face down on the floor?

If you are, you know
you can't make an arrest

without intent to buy.

And if there's no
money in here..

...then there's no intent.

I guess you came all the way
down here for a glass of Sake?

Carter, I'm there.

All right. Don't move
until I say so.

Look, I donno what you
heard or who you've talked to.

But I'm no cop.

Bryant, will you
please tell him this?

I asked around, Andre.
He checked out.

Well, I mean, you think
I'm wearing a wire too, right?

Right? Think I'm wearing
a wire, guys? Come on.

I'm here to make a deal
with you Mr. Howard. That's it.

Come on.

Carter. Carter,
I need an answer.

Are we really going
to let Howard walk?

Hey, look, you're being
a little paranoid here.

That's funny.

I used to tell my clients that.

Carter.

'Back off.'

This is the second time you
didn't vet someone properly.

You're gonna stand
there all night?

- We should've taken him.

No money, no arrest.

It took us five
weeks undercover, Carter.

- Just to get that meeting.
- Might be my last shot.

Maybe not. Your cover's
not blown yet. Your contacts--

Bryant, he's not gonna want
to set up a deal after that.

Apologize, grovel, pay him off.

Do whatever you need to do
to get back inside.

It's not exactly
low-hanging fruit, Carter.

It's all we got.

Hey, how long you
been up, superfly?

- I'm still the new kid.

Yeah, I know that
you can't talk about it so..

'I'm not even gonna ask.'

Man, I have lost more
socks in this place.

- I gotta get going too.
- Now that is hot.

What do you say, you bring
that back to bed with us, huh?

You're gonna make us
both late...again.

Well, it wouldn't be an issue
if we lived together.

Are you serious?

What do you think?

I don't-I don't know.

- It's been three months.
- Four.

Actually, for the record,
it's been four but..

...you think about it.

I'm gonna be late for my
pre-trial with the judge.

Have a good day.

Hey, Bryant, it's Dean.

Bryant?

Bryant?

Been calling you
like ten times, man.

Gotta talk about last night.

You sure it was Howard?

Howard was not happy
that Bryant set him up with me.

The'll find another way back in.

Security. Maybe we go
in as Howard's muscle.

No, he never takes on new guys.

I know how we get back in.

Reuben Pike.

Okay, thanks. We know him.
He's Howard's tester.

I pulled his file.

He was a pharmaceutical
engineer until two years ago.

Then got busted
on two charges of possession.

This guy isn't
a hardcore criminal.

At least not like the others.
I think he's doable.

Doable for what?
He doesn't know anything.

We use him.

Trade him up for somebody bigger
in Howard's organization.

Could be something there.
Check it out.

Hold on...I found
this lead. It's mine.

You have never
run point before.

And you won't get him
the same way you got Bryant.

This is not the problem, okay?

You can't get a dance
by just shakin' your ass.

Jaimie, we use the two things
that make America great.

Greed. Pride. That's it.

He's not looking
to impress Howard.

Or move up. Look at him.
He doesn't wanna be there.

He's damaged goods.
He's trapped. He's doable.

Considering your history, you
can understand why I'm not wild

about putting you
inside on a drug case.

So, I'm gonna
ask you just once.

Can you handle this?

I know how to do
this guy, Carter.

We're gonna follow
Jaimie's lead.

She's on point.

Biggest mistake you'll make is
getting tripped up in your lies.

You take parts of
your own life and use 'em.

'Then you can
react on instinct.'

Reuben asks you where you're
from you don't have to think?

You listening to me? 'Cause
I'm trying to keep you alive.

- Yeah, I got it.

A hundred percent.

- Not how I would've gone after.
- It's a smart way in.

Yeah, if she gets him.

It wasn't just the drugs.

I mean, yeah, being
an addict didn't help

but it was more the lies.

Being sober is like you've
stepped out of this..

...bad suit you've been
wearing and you get

to take a long
look at yourself.

Guess, I'm just trying
to stay out of that suit.

Thanks.

We've got a few
more minutes. Anyone else?

Great.

My name is Jaimie.

I just moved here
two weeks ago.

And this is my first
meeting in LA.

What Reuben was saying
about wearing the bad suit..

...sounds like we had
the same tailor.

'Thanks for helping me
clean up.'

'Thanks for listening. I must be
boring the hell out of you.'

No. I want to hear, uh...when
did you say you ran away?

I was sixteen. I think.

It's hard to remember.
I was really screwed up.

How did you live?

Lie, cheat, steal.

You were just a kid.

I once was so high I drove
my boyfriend's car through

'the window of a pet store.'

You really
found her on patrol?

'
- Valley division.

'The judge took pity
and put me in a state detox.'

- Nobody learns that on patrol.
- 'That must've been tough.'

Nobody said she did.

That was pretty much
my bottom.

I can beat that.

Hit my bottom when my wife
caught me smoking crack

in the bathroom at her
nephew's christening.

That's rough.

- I didn't.

She left me.

'And I lost my job,
lost my house.'

I even fell into debt
with my dealer.

Do you still talk to her?

- Your ex-wife.
- I try. But..

The thing is she didn't really
leave because of the drugs

she left...because of the lies.

You know.

I just couldn't be honest.

But, getting sober.
Getting out of debt.

I'm really just trying
to get her back.

You're a good guy.
You'll get her back.

I had to catch
my bus anyway. I know.

I'm the only person
in LA without a car.

- No, I kinda like it.

Maybe to the next meeting.

- It's a deal.
- Okay.

Did I keep it
simple enough for you?

Don't pop the chrysie yet. You
didn't get any closer to Howard.

I gotta number.
A ride to the next meeting.

I got Reuben on the hook.

Damn...Maynard.

Keep working Reuben.

Good job, Jaimie. Thank you,
Jaimie. You're welcome, Carter.

You're barking up
the wrong tree, honey.

And how much of that story
you told was true?

- None of it.
- Come on.

The pet store. The detox center.

I heard it all in a hype
I busted last year.

I told the chief
what you told me

that we would have
Howard by now. What happened?

We didn't go deep enough
with Dean's cover.

Howard's way too connected
from his defense attorney days.

He probably has contacts with
the courts, parole board

former clients...maybe even
the department.

He also has friends.

Howard makes huge
political contributions.

Helped make Guardado
the city controller.

People upstairs are already
nervous that he's in play.

The fact that Howard
wears a suit and golfs

to Mayor's country club
doesn't make him untouchable.

You missed. You're not
the first with Howard. Move on.

Really?

Gimme two days.

Plenty of criminals out there.
You can't get them all.

Two days.

And for the record,
I want Howard too.

We've been tailing
this guy all morning

and so far he's bought a coffee
and picked up some dry cleaning.

Carter called three times
last night.

He wants something we can use.

Maybe he'll buy
a dirty magazine.

We could roll up on him, scare
the crap out of him, right?

'
- Must be the ex-wife.

This guy seems pretty needy, uh?

You know what needy people like?

Other needy people.

Jaimie, the meeting starts
in five minutes.

We're gonna be..

I'm sorry. I was gonna
call you to cancel.

What happened?
Were you robbed?

- No, it wasn't..
- Take it slow. Sit down.

- I don't wanna involve you.
- It's alright. Tell me.

It's humiliating.

You're talking to the guy who
got high in a church bathroom.

It's okay...I wanna help.

It's my ex-boyfriend.

He's a dealer in Denver.
Nothing big, pot, some meth..

I stole money from him
to move out here.

I didn't know he was
gonna come looking for me.

- You should call the police.
- No.

You don't know him. He's crazy.
If he knew I called the cops..

- I have to pay him back.

How much do you need?

- Twelve thousand.
- That's a lot.

I have an idea.

I know this guy I used to work
for in setting up buys.

- Supply and demand.

Maybe we can
do this together.

Every time I set up a deal
for him, I got a finder's fee.

I thought we could introduce him
to the dealer you said you knew.

I once made sixteen thousand
from this guy, Reuben.

- We could split it fifty-fifty.
- Wait. Hold on.

I'm trying to get away
from all that.

But you said you
needed money too.

- I do.
- You could get out of debt.

You could show your ex-wife
that you're doing better.

- I'd have to meet him first.

And Howard doesn't mess
around with small quantities.

It'd have to be a big enough
deal to interest him.

I'll ask what he can get.

You need a place to stay?

No, uh...I got a motel room.

I'll call you after
I talk to my friend.

- Reuben.

Thanks.

Nice.

Prison records, arrest report.
The most we've done for a cover.

It better be. We didn't go deep
enough last time with Dean.

Howard is gonna
look at it all.

I'll get it all into
LAPD database.

Federal.

There's still
something missing.

We need that one thing
he's not expecting.

What kinda quantity
is he talking about?

Reuben says 10 keys minimum.

Yeah, but we still have those
10 keys I tried to sell Howard.

Good. Ty, get with Jaimie
and this Reuben guy.

- It was her idea.

But you know what, I'm starting
to feel a bit like your snitch.

If you don't trust her,
just dump her.

Find somebody else.

She's got something.

Stay with her.

- It's a chromatograph.

Measures the breakdown
of the chemical components

in this substance.

Measures purity.

Oh, so you like
quality control.

You could say that.

- This is only 41% pure.

But, it's real.

Howard serves
an elite clientele.

'He's not gonna buy
something this low-grade.'

I can't take this to him.

Look here, buddy, you...you're
set to make a lot of money.

Ten percent of this.

You're looking at a clear
twenty, twenty-five grand.

I'll tell you right now
he'll never go for it.

Trey, no.

You run my product through
your little magic machine

and you tell me it's no good?
You trying to play me?

Is this some kind
of bargaining tool?

- No.
- Punk.

You okay?

Guys like that are the reason
I'm getting out of this.

- I know. I'm sorry.
- I like you. I wanna help you.

But not this way. I need to get
my life back on track.

This isn't helping.

You can't threaten Rubin.
He's not gonna respond to that.

I was trying to save it.
'Cause right now we got nothing.

- Carter, my cover's still good.

- If Reuben still trusts me.
- Can't make a deal with Howard.

- I'll try something else.
- I'm not seeing it.

- I can still use him.
- Then show me!

You got a day.
And then you are off.

He knows you
want his approval.

I'm guessing you have
some daddy issues, huh?

Boy, you read me
like an open book, Dean.

- I'm a good liar.

- We're all good liars.
- No, you're okay.

You get by on your smile.
Bad boy charm.

You couldn't do what I do.

You gonna help me
with this or not?

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have
put you in that position.

- Truce.
- It's alright.

What're you gonna
do about the money?

Uh, my grandmother
gave me this stuff.

Might be worth something.

Can you give me a ride?

A lot of work for sixty bucks.

That's where I hocked
my wedding ring.

- No.

- She's in fashion.

She lives down town...Wait.
I know you.

Police. Up against the car.
Both of you. Up against the car.

- Up against the car.

What've you got in the trunk?
Let me see it. Open it.

Why?
- Open the Trunk!

Just do it, Reuben.

- Wait!
- Get on your knees.

'Get down. Don't move.'

- Stay on your knees.
- Okay.

You are under arrest, sir, for
concealing a dangerous weapon.

- I'm a cop, Reuben.

Let's go.

You have two prior possession.
This makes strike three.

That's federal. 25 years minimum
or you play ball with us.

- Set up a buy with Howard.

This is entrapment. You planted
those drugs in my trunk.

Where

It's a word of a twice
convicted drug addict against

two police officers. That really
the strongest way to go?

I can blow your case without
even stepping into court.

Call him.
I'll dial for you.

Ask him how well
that worked out with Bryant.

Howard killed Bryant
just for meeting with me.

How do you think he'd feel about
you talking to a couple of cops?

I'm asking you what you
already agreed to do.

I thought I was helping you.

It's your chance to help
yourself, you said

you wanted out from under
Howard. This is the way to go.

And if I want
to take my chances?

Maybe you'll walk and maybe
Howard won't put a bullet

in the back of your head.

Either way, we do a perp-walk
with your ex-wife.

What do you think the chances
of getting her back are then?

I can't believe you.

Or you get to tell her you
put away a major drug dealer.

What? You found drugs
in his trunk?

I was finding a way back in.
I asked him for a ride.

He popped the trunk.
It was the strongest way to go.

- Ah, I ID'd myself as a cop.

This would've
been three strikes.

Twenty-five mandatory.
We got him to play ball.

- Yeah.

'What about the purity issue?'

That drug's still only
forty percent pure, Carter.

That's all you need.
When you meet with Howard..

...Rueben will test the drugs
like he always does.

We'll get him to lie,
tell the drugs are better..

Howard makes the buy.
And we got him.

Now we gotta make
your cover bullet proof.

- This guy does not play.
- Got it.

Howard's client list.

'We got the perfect guy
we could use.'

Good, good, good.
Make this happen.

- He went for it.
- Well, you sold it pretty hard.

'With Reuben too.'

They call you T-Wall.

Your kid brother's
doing five to seven in Lompoc

because he tried to rob
a bank with a BB gun.

Young and dumb.

Which has been keeping his
nights and showers busy.

I hear...he hasn't been able
to sit straight for weeks.

- Social services.

I reunite families.
You want your brother here?

Under your protection.
You'll do as I say.

You know him?

Sure you do.

Can you rig that to make
the coke look more pure?

It take some time.

When's the meeting
with Howard?

He hasn't called me back yet.
I can't force him to meet you.

One more thing. I want to see
my ex-wife before we do this.

- You can see her after.

- Told you what's gonna happen.

Sorry, if I don't just
take your word for it.

This will be the best
thing for you.

Five minutes and you get
a second lease on life.

Stop insulting my intelligence.

You don't care about me.
You used me.

You took all I care and turned
it against me. Who does that?

I didn't tell you to become
an addict or lie to your wife.

You blew that all on your own.

Yeah, I might be
a degenerate liar

but at least
I'm ashamed of it.

- Make that work.
- Hey, hey, hey.

Look, that is just part
of the deal, okay?

- Do not let him get to you.
- I'm fine.

Call me if anything happens.

So he keeps asking me
if I filed it.

Like I would lie
about something like that.

Oh, I must've dropped it.

These look like the pictures
that come with frames.

What do you mean?

I was just noticing, you don't
have any pictures of your, uh..

...family or anyone
for that matter.

When I moved to LA the
shipping company lost my stuff.

It was all in one box.

So you can call anyone from your
family to ask for replacements?

- I'm just making conversation.

Really? It feels
like you're interrogating me.

- You are!

Is this about moving in?

Are you mad because I didn't
say yes right away?

Woah, woah, woah. That's
not what I'm talking about.

Hello?

I'm...give me some time
to get everything together.

I'll call you back.

- I've gotta go.

That's work.
We'll talk later.

Uh, you know what?
Let's not.

You just do...whatever
it is you're doing.

Thought you said he was
gonna set up a meeting with Ty.

Ty wants to meet me first
for some kinda audition.

He wants my name. We didn't
work on a cover story.

If he saw me the
same way as Dean.

- I wasn't supposed to meet him.

It's Reuben. Again. Howard's
waiting. What do I do?

- Use your name.
- He'll know I'm a cop.

No..

...your real name.

Everything's in place
to get Howard.

We won't get
another chance, Jaimie..

...I know I've been hard on you
but you have to make this work.

Give him your name.
It'll hold up.

What the hell was that?

Reuben..

This is the first time
I've seen you with a girl.

I actually need a second to
readjust my mental image of you.

Jaimie, right? Andre.

I'm glad to see you expanding
your social horizons.

I was worried about you
being so hung up on your ex.

- We're just friends.
- That's too bad.

Um, Jaimie knows someone you
might be interested in meeting.

- He has high quality product.

And tested it, Andre.
It's seventy seven percent.

The purest stuff I've
seen in a long time.

And what do you get for this?
Finder's fee. Ten percent?

'
- I'm not in it for a favor.

And huh, what's your
friend's name?

- Trey Norton.
- Trey Norton.

Right.

Alright, Reuben. You can go.

- We came in her car.
- Farris will drive you home.

Reuben. Leave.

So, your friend Trey.

You meet him back in your
wild days back in, uh, Detroit?

- You've done your homework.

Yeah, that's what I do, Jaimie.

Jaimie, I got Reuben
leaving with Howard's boy.

I'm gonna stay with him.

I donno if they're
gonna kill him or what.

I'll be back when I can.

You have a very
interesting record.

Possession. State detox.

Breaking and entering?

Sounds like you had a hard life
since the projects in Detroit.

- I learn to get by.
- Oh, I can see that.

'How did you not
end up in jail?'

Very nasty, nasty crowd
you are running with.

And who was that guy?

Phoenix.

Was he a boyfriend or or some
poor bastard you were using?

You want to meet
my friend or not?

I don't know yet.

- No, thank you.

It'll be like a cup
of coffee for a girl like you.

It's not my thing anymore.

Well, why don't you do it
just for nostalgia's sake?

- I don't need this.
'

Because if you as desperate as
Rubin is, and I think you are..

...you definitely need this.

So you put it this way, you want
me to meet your friend?

Relax...hang out.

Stay a while.

Yeah, where the hell
have you been, Jaimie?

I've been waiting
for you all night.

Jaimie!

So how much are we
talking about?

Hard to tell
without a blood test.

But I'm guessing
she is no amateur.

Give her one or two
when she wakes up.

- Helps soften the landing.
- Nick, my man.

I can always count on you.

Who was that?

Hospitals file reports.

They need ID.
It's not good for us.

Valium. Take one.

You have any idea what Carter
would do if he knew about this?

It was the only way Howard
would make the meet with Ty.

He's meeting him today at five.

There's never just one way.

It's the only way I knew.

So, all that stuff you told
Reuben at the NA meeting

the addiction to crime,
your little backstory.

'
- I was trying to cut into him.

Carter asking you to use your
real name. So, what was that?

The only time you
ever told the truth

is when you were lying
to Reuben, right

So, who the hell are you?

My name is not Jaimie Allan,
it's Jaimie Anderson.

I changed it before
I joined the force.

- You changed your name.
- No.

'Not just my name. Everything.'

Identification, social security.

I changed who I was.

You just became somebody else.

If you'd been through what I
had, you would've done the same.

Who knows?
Your boyfriend?

No. He is a good guy.

He comes from a good family,
good schools, good job.

Why would he want to be
with someone like that?

This is insane.

You can't tell Carter about
what happened at Howard's.

Everything you've
done up till now

taints this case.
It's better he knows now.

He said he'd kick me off
the force if I lied to him.

I don't know what
the truth is with you.

I like being a cop.
I need to be a cop.

It's all I have.

I still have to tell Carter.
I'm sorry.

Where the hell have you been?
Where's Jaimie?

You knew how screwed up she was
when you brought her in?

What're you talking about?

You asked her to use
her real name.

You knew that if Howard
looked into it

he'd find the history
of a criminal.

Yes.

But you never told us
who she really was.

I was trying to protect her.

By putting Ty and me in danger.
Thank you, Carter.

How're we supposed to trust
anything that she does?

She has talent.

You didn't bring her in
because she is talented.

You knew that somebody that bent
and that-that desperate

would do anything for you.

When did you get so fragile?

It's all about catching
that bad guy.

Yeah. It is.

Hey, tell him the good news.

Howard agreed to meet Ty
at five o'clock today.

She bagged him.

All by the book, Carter.

Get Reuben ready.

Good job.

Thank you for that.

Why the change of heart?

I don't know, Reuben.
I guess you grew on me.

- Not so good.

'I came clean about everything''

'At least I got
that off my chest.'

- I need to talk to you.
- Go ahead.

We didn't flip Reuben clean.

I planted drugs there and
blackmailed him to cooperate.

- It was entrapment.
- I put everything in place.

'Ty's supposed to meet
with Howard in two hours'

and you're telling me this now?
You lied to me.

That's what I'm trying to fix.

Is Reuben getting cold feet or
is this your conscience talking?

It's me. Reuben still
wants to go through with it.

- That's what we're doing.

- Sure he does.

- In the car.
- Take him to his lawyer.

I want him on tape stating that
his involvement in this case

'is purely voluntary. Go.'

You want anything to drink,
coffee, anything?

No, I'm good.

I took a look
into your records.

Yeah, how'd you manage that?

It was impressive.
You've been around.

Chasing that almighty dollar.

You had a few years in Chino.

D

Well, I had a client in D-block
about the same time you were in.

He was an esse guy.
Tattoos all over his neck.

Name is Tony Waller.
Guys called him T-Wall.

Rings a distant bell.

Well, I called him.

You know, see what
he said about you.

And?

Well, he said that, uh..

...you were stand-up con.

That you never went punk.

You never backed down
from the hacks.

He got it right.

He still looks like a bird
crapped in his right eye.

We both know it was his
left eye. C'mon, now.

We gonna do business or what?

I believe we are.

As soon as my quality control
guy gets here, okay?

Okay.

Did you get it?

Reuben's attorney
got him on tape saying

he was acting voluntarily
as an informant for us.

He says it'll
hold up in any court.

- Good.
- Okay, say something.

Um...hello.

'This is simple, Reuben.'

You go in, test the drugs
like you always do.

Don't deviate from your
routine. Machine's rigged?

It'll give a higher,
positive reading.

Good.

As soon as Howard makes a buy,
you say, "Can I go now?"

That's our signal
to make the bust.

And Reuben...you have to make
sure that the money is there.

Otherwise we don't
have a case. Understood?

Let's go.

'Hmm. 77%?'

Reuben's machine never lies.

Held up my end.

Yes, you did.

'Faris will be back
in a minute.'

Dean, get ready.

'Oh, excuse me.'

I'm right there.

Yeah. Yeah.

Okay.

Yeah.

'Right.'

'Yeah.'

Something's wrong.

Thank you.

Reuben...that was your lawyer.

Cover's blown. Go, go, go!

He told me about your little, uh

confessional at his
office today.

Maybe you forgot that I'm the
one who recommended you to him

during your first
possession arrest.

You punk!

He's setting us up. Kill him!

Down! On the ground! LAPD!

- Ty.
- I'm good.

I could have stopped it.

Maybe I should have, but..

...I wanted Howard.

What happened here today
wasn't your fault, Jaimie.

You know that, right?

What do you need me for?

I need you because
of who you are.

Not who you were..

...and not who you
pretend to be.

You did good.

Tomorrow you'll do better.

[Jody Quine singing
"Hollywood"]

'This is Scott Mueller. Leave a
message and I'll call you back''

* Leaving it for

* I follow it out yonder..

I thought you might have
some trouble winding down.

I find this helps.

Reuben, you know..

This stuff happens.
You just got to shake that off.

What?

- No.

No, no, no.
No, can't do that.

That's yours.

Put it in a box, you know,
file it away, 'cause you got

plenty of time
to look at it later.

And, look, Carter..

...he's just rigid.

He'd probably go crazy if he
knew I came over here tonight.

* With my new guitar

So, we won't tell him.

* And my name in lights

* People come

* And people go

* They got no problem

* Taking your soul

* And they'll talk up your life
on the boulevard *

* Give you the money
and the fancy cars *

* And all they want
from me is my soul *

* But it's everything I ever
wanted and more *

* So I'll give it to you
for a song **