Day Break (2006–2007): Season 1, Episode 12 - What If She's the Key? - full transcript

Hopper finds out that Rita has been keeping a big secret from him.

My name is Detective Brett Hopper.

And this is the day
that changes everything.

You're under arrest for the murder
of assistant DA Alberto Garza.

I will be framed for murder.

Who the hell are you, people?

My girlfriend Rita will be in danger.

I know all this because I am living
the same day...

...over and over again.

The day is the same,
but different things happen.

Everyday I get another chance.

For every decision,
there's a consequence.



But last time I changed the day,
I made it worse.

I'm not the one that's different,
this morning.

It's you. You're not the same guy
I went to sleep with last night.

Rita doesn't trust me.

She's hiding something.

Maybe we know a few things you don't.

My dad's old partner Nick
might know what it is.

They'll own you, just like they do me,

your girlfriend...
Everybody's got secrets.

Someone found the body.

So I've got to learn Rita's secret...

We're looking for a guy,
name of Billy Foster.

- So you followed her to the motel.
- What was the name of the motel?

... and figure out
how she's connected to all this.



Your girlfriend's got a secret,
that's all.

You don't know
what you're talking about.

It's tough keeping tabs
on a girl like that.

He shot Shelten 5 times
and shot your girlfriend another 3.

- What was the name of the motel?
- Everybody's got secrets, kid.

I need your keys and your phone.

What the hell are you talking about?

You're being car-jacked.

- Shelten?
- Chad, it's Hopper.

Hiya, Hopper.

Too bad you left.

You're missing quite a party.

Listen to me.
Do not, under any circumstances,

take Rita anywhere near a motel, today.

- Do you understand me?
- A motel?

What are you implying?

I'm telling you, if you take her
to a motel, you're both gonna die.

- Is that a threat?
- No.

I'm trying to save Rita's life.

He said that he was being framed

- and that I was in danger.
- Of course he did.

You said he mentioned the name Garza?

Rita? Are you okay?

Shouldn't you be out canvasing
the neighborhood or something?

Yeah, I think we got that covered,
thanks.

I will ask you to come down
to the station, make a formal statement.

I'll take her.

Suit yourself.

Chad, you don't have to.

I'm sorry I even called you
this morning. Just something felt wrong.

No, don't be sorry.

What you were feeling
this morning is intuition.

You were right to call me.

Everything's gonna be OK, today.

I promise.

What the hell are you doing here, D.?

How do you know Nick?

The man reached out when you didn't.

What are you talking about?

- It's got nothing to do with you.
- I got a call from Nick, last night.

An ex-cop...

Telling me that my ass was about
to get hit at the safehouse.

Now, what I'm wondering is

how come that call didn't come
from the cop

who's supposed to be looking out
for my ass?

How would you know about a hit
on a federal witness, Nick?

I still got friends, kid.

Yeah, you mean friends like Booth?

Let me deal with this.

He's family.

Alright.

I gotta go see some family myself.

What are you doing here?

What can you tell me about Rita Shelten?

- Rita who?
- Don't play games with me, Nick!

I haven't seen you in months!
You come on in here,

throwing these names at me!
What the hell's wrong with you?

Give me some answers or you're gonna get
a bullet in your head.

I wouldn't do that.

Damn! You know, for a big dude,
you're pretty light on your feet, Hippo.

I don't know what's got into you today,
kid.

But your dad meant a lot to me,

so I'm just gonna pretend
this never happened.

I recommend you do the same.

It's time to go.

Nice car you got here.

It's a loaner.

Hope you got AAA.

TRACKING MODE(del vo)

Chad...

You know, I can be in there with you.

In the interrogation room...
if you want me to be.

Thanks.

Calm down.

Is that Hopper?

OK, yes. Slow down.

I know where that is. Okay.

I'll be there as soon as I can.

Who was that?

Billy.

- Let me guess, he needs money.
- No.

He said they found the body.

No, he's lying. He's trying to draw you
into something.

I don't think he is.

Chad, we should go to him.

First, you got to get the statement
over with.

The last thing we need to do
is attract attention.

Then, we'll deal with Billy.

I don't know...

He's really upset.

I was there for you before,
I'm here for you now.

We'll take care of this.

Together.

Come on.

Hey, it's me.

I guess you weren't kidding
about that Garza thing.

They dragged Rita in
and grilled her about you.

Is Chad with her?

Sergeant Fast-track? Yeah.

He's not leaving her side.

Good. Listen, I need you to pull
a couple of favors

from your friends at county.

Run Rita's name to their system.

This is when I ask you why
and you give me a really good answer.

She was involved
in an incident back in 02.

A traffic stop that went sideways.

I think that may be linked
to whatever's going on today.

You're saying that Rita
has something to do with the Garza hit?

No, not Garza,
but somebody connected to him.

A county sheriff named Buchalter.
He's the one who pulled her over.

I need to know
what went down, that night.

Okay, I'll see what I can find.

Alright. Call me back at this number.

Watch yourself, partner.

Alright.

tracking mode (del vo)

This isn't the first time
that you've been unsure

about someone's whereabouts,
is it Miss Shelten?

Speaking of... Curtis Foster.

No. Not going there.

You were brought in
for questioning back in 02.

I said we are not going there.

The way you're reacting,

let me think youhave something to hide.

You wanna ask her about Hopper, do it.

She's not the one accused, here.

We've got the murder weapon
with Hopper's print.

We've got an eyewitness
who puts him at the scene.

Now, is it possible he snuck out
last night while you were sleeping?

I don't know.

I guess anyone's capable of anything.

We need to talk.

This isn't a good time.

I'm on my way to a rally
to see if you were right

about our dear friend Alberto Garza.

I need five minutes.

You've got two.

I know what you did to Garza.

I don't have that kind of pull, Nick,
you give me too much credit.

You get me too little, if you think
I'm gonna swallow that load of bull.

I found your little toy on my car.

What's that?

Please...

Your tracking device.

You and him planning on shuting me up,
like you did Garza ?

Is that why you're here ?

You're afraid
something's going to happen to you?

I actually came here to do you a favor.

That Damien Ortiz kid.

The one from the safe house.

I can give him to you.

And what would be in it for you?

Peace of mind.

I want to get on my boat

and not look over my shoulder
the rest of my life.

I want out.

Out?

After all this time?

The time in front of me
is what i'm looking at.

I ain't get much left.

What's this?

The thing you asked for.

A place to stash the girl
when you grab her.

It's clean.

Untraceable to us.

The guy will adore.

Whatever you do with her,

I don't want to know about it.

Crap!

- Crap!
- You dropped this.

Margo?

Who is that?

No one.

Hey, this is Rita. Leave the message.

Rita, it's me. You're in danger.

I can't explain it but don't go
anywhere near a motel, today.

I know it sounds strange, but please,
baby, you've got to trust me on this.

No motels...

Hey, Rits.

Thanks for--

What's he doing here?

I saved your ass last time, remember?

I told you to come alone.

- They know everything.
- Who does?

Shelten...

it's been a while.

- Hopper?
- Yeah. Did you find anything?

Yeah, I sure did.

October 2002.

T stop in Simi Valley,

the driver was Rita Shelten,

and the report was signed

by deputy Buchalter,

pulling over for a busted tail light.

Ok. And? Keep going.

- That's it.
- That can't be it.

There's something else.
What was in the trunk?

Why did Buchalter draw his gun?

There's no mention of any of that
in the report.

They're covering something up.

Here's something they didn't cover up.

They called Rita in for questioning
a couple of days later.

For what?

Disappearance of a Curtis Foster.
That name ring a bell?

Curtis Fo-- No.

Ho, that's weird.

The file just cuts off,
like it's half of something.

Rita never mentioned any of this to you?

No, she's hiding something from me.

I gotta find her.

What are you gonna do?

Get myself some leverage.

If there was a problem
you should have gone through me.

You know this man?

Time to pay an old debt, Miss Shelten.

That deal was between us.

The deal is done by those
who profit from it.

Not just those who make it.

- I thought you and Billy--
- Just...

... listen to the man, OK?

We do what he says and we can go.

Sit down and shut up, Billy.

You know...

it is one thing to bury a body.

And it's quite an other
to make it disappear.

I don't understand.

Billy, you said somebody found the body.

I don't think Billy was told the truth.

This man didn't need to find the body.

He helped us bury it.

What do you want from us?

There's going to be
a lot of questions about Brett Hopper.

You're going to tell the police

that he left your apartement
in the middle of the night.

You're asking me to lie.

You should be quite good at it.

You've had four years of practice.

You awoke to see him living.

And sometime later you saw him return.

I can't do that.

- Of course you can.
- No, she's saying it's too late.

Rita already gave
her official statement.

You gave a statement?

And whose decision was that?

Why would that old cop set me up
after saving my ass ?

The only reason he saved you
was so he could deliver you to Booth.

See, you're his insurance policy.

- For what?
- His life.

Nick is only after himself, man,
he don't care about nobody else.

You, me, we're just chips in his pocket.

Alright, Hop.

I know you aint drive
all the way here to do me a favor.

Sounds like you've got a plan.

Nick, still thinks
you can trust him, right ?

So then you can get close to him.

How close?

We're even, Hop.

- You're making a big mistake here, kid.
- Where is Rita?

Who is this Rita?

Don't lie to me, Nick.

I'm not lying.

What do they have on her?

What is this big secret?

I swear on my life,
I don't know what you're talking about.

Your life doesn't mean that much to me
so you better swear on someone else.

Look, you wanna take a run at Booth,
that's fine by me. I'm just a...

- conduct of information.
- Yeah, I've got that.

I guess that means you'll give up
anybody to save your own ass, huh?

Damien...

Me.

I did what I had to do.

Or Booth would've hit me
the way he hit Garza.

I gotta say, kid...

I don't know what's shorter: your temper
or your memory,

after everything I did for your father.

Who stepped in and took care
of your family after he killed himself?

Who did your sister call?

Who cleaned up the scene?
Took care of the pension?

Wait...

I'll make a deal.

I get on my boat and disappear.

You'll never hear from me again.

You got that right.

- Wait!
- Shut up!

You had your chance.

I swear I didn't know it was her.

You found the place
where they're stashing her!

You found it, I know this!

They were looking
for a place to put her,

- but I didn't know it is Rita...
- Where?

1012 VS Ombra.

But he never said anything
about hurting her.

They're going to kill her.

- Not if she does what they'll ask her.
- I know it.

I've seen it.

I've known you since you were sixteen.

Please!

Think of your dad, what would he say?

- Andrea.
- Hopper, I was gonna call you.

Okay. Rita is in danger,
she's at 1012 VS Ombra.

How soon can you meet me?

They found her.

What? What're you talking about?

They found Rita.

But too late.

She was with Chad.

They are...

They're both gone.

No, it can't... No... That's...

I told Chad not to go.

Where were they?

Tell me where they were!

They said they found them
into some motel.

It's all I know.

They're at the coroner's office.

We have to go.

DAY 2 (del vo)

What's wrong?

Nothing,
I was gonna ask you the same thing.

I'm fine.

I have to get ready for work.

I was thinking
maybe we could take the day off, today.

I don't think I can do that.

We could drive up the coast.

You've always said you wanted to.

When did I say I wanted to do that?

What are you doing?

I was... My battery...

ran out so I was just
switching mine out with yours.

I charged that last night,
I'm gonna need that today.

I got some important phone calls
to make, so can I borrow your phone?

Well, just hurry up, then.

I have to get going.

Baby!

You...

want me to drive you work this morning?

I thought it's out of your way.

I figured we'll spend a little time
with each other, get a little breakfast.

Why are you being so curly with me,
this morning?

What was that?

Brett, I don't really have time
to do this.

Be easy! I just...

Wanna spend some time with you.
Talk.

- Is that my phone?
- Yeah, we must-- I got it.

I got it. Hello?

Who is this?

I got it. Who is this?

Billy, slow down,
you're not making any sense.

I'm gonna call you right back.

Everything OK? Who's Billy?

It's no one, it's somebody from work,
it's nothing.

Work?

Who is it?

- It was just work.
- She's not here now.

She's not here? Her shift started at 8.

She called in,
said she was taking a vacation day.

You're keeping something from me.

- I gotta go.
- Wait! I'm sorry, wait!

I don't have time, OK?

I just wanna know who Billy was
and what that call was about.

- None of your business!
- See, this is my business.

- Let go of me, Brett!
- I can't do that.

I'm serious!

If I let go of you, you will die.

Let her go, sir.

It's alright, man. LAPD. We...

Then you should know
not to grab a lady like that.

Don't touch me. Wait, Rita!
- Why don't we just

- take it easy?
- Let me handle this!

- Calm down!
- Don't tell me to calm down!

Get your hands on the counter!

Hopper just got pinched.

Yeah, got it.

- Now what?
- Get into position and we wait.

Just so you know, that girl is a witness
in a homicide case.

It she gets away,
she's gonna be in serious danger.

Now do you want that on your head?

I need your phone.

Rita, it's me.

Billy, it's me. Where are you?

- Where?
- 1012 VS Ombra.

Margo.

It's alright.

I'm here to help you.

Alright?

- Oh my God!
- It'll be OK.

Alright, now can you tell me
what happened here?

- Oh my God!
- Okay, look at me.

Margo...

Look at me, breathe.

Slow it down.

I got you.

It's OK.

Alright, there we go.

Alright, now tell me.

Where is Rita?

Who is Rita?

How do you know my name?

That's a long story but...

I'm a cop.
My name is Detective Brett Hopper.

Yeah, that's what they said.

They grabbed me at work.

Two of them!

They said they were cops
and they had badges just like that.

What did these men want?

They wanted...

They wanted me to set up a meeting.

At the courthouse, tomorrow morning.

They gave me names to call over...

Six, I don't...

Maybe seven other judges.

Judges?

Yeah, a clerk for one.

Nitzberg.

And this judge, Nitzberg...

He's your supervisor.

Why would these men kidnap you
just to set up a meeting?

I don't know.

Something to do
with the grand jury investigation

- he's working on.
- What's it about?

Corruption at city hall.

It's all laid down in a...

In a sealed warrant.

Alright, I don't understand,
I need to see it.

Can you get me a copy of this warrant?

It's locked up in Nitzberg's chamber.

Alright, listen to me,
I'm gonna call 911,

they're gonna send a patrol car,

you're gonna be safe there, OK?

Alright?

Margo, look at me.

I need that warrant.

There's someone else I need to find.

You're gonna be OK.

Andrea, I need you to do some for me,
go to Chad,

and sell me out.

You did the right thing, Battle.

I'll make sure
your lieutenant knows about it.

Gee, thanks.

What's happening?
Don't do that.

Give it up.

Over here, nice and slow.

Thanks, partner, I got it from here.

My pleasure.

Hey Battle!

I'll make sure to tell your lieutenant
about this, too.

Don't blame her.

This was the only way
I could talk to you.

Plenty of time to talk in prison.

- I'll bring you a fruit cake.
- Shut up and listen.

Do you know where Rita is?

It's funny you are asking me.

- Why don't you call her?
- She won't take my calls.

Yeah, she does have a temper.

Although, the making-up part,

- that--
- She's gonna die, Chad.

You're threatening her?
'Cause I'll take you...

I'm trying to save her.

Now, I need your help.

I don't know what game
your're playing, Hopper...

I'm not playing.

Look, I know she's been keeping
a secret from me.

A run that she had with a cop
named Buchalter back in 02.

I also know she was questioned

about the disappearance
of a man the same year.

Now, today, she gets a call
from some guy named Billy.

Some guy?

She didn't tell you about Billy?

This is too good.

You really don't know.

Billy's her brother.

I guess you two have grown real tight.

At least, I knew who was in her family.

Well, whoever he is,
she is on her way to see him now.

And if I don't find out where...

she's gonna die.

So...

Just call her.

Sorry, pal, can't help you.

Call her.

Rita, it's Chad.

Chad, I was just gonna call you.

It's been an awful day.

Brett is acting really weird,

and Billy called.

He said...

He said they found the body.

Where are you?

I'm at the Glen Capri motel in Glendo.

You stay there, you don't go in, ok?

You wait for me.

Hey, sis.

Come on, what do you know
that you're not telling me?

It's not my place.

Come on, guy, she is my girlfriend.

She was my wife.

We went through a lot together,
if she wants to tell you, she can.

What can you tell me about her brother?

- Billy?
- Yeah.

Billy's got the word loser,

I bet it is in his DNA, he's like
a genetically engineered screw-up.

What didn't she tell me about him?

Maybe she didn't want you
to think the less of her.

So she lied.

Sometimes, a lie is the only way
to protect someone you care about.

I won't lie to the police.

Of course you can,
you've been doing it for four years.

Look...
this comes out, we both go to jail.

For me, that's three strikes.

So, I-- Brett was acting
so strange at the diner.

He knew.

He was protecting me.

What do you meam, "he knew"?

I don't know who you are.

But I don't want any part of this.

I'm out of here.

Rita, wait!

I would rethink my decision,
Miss Shelten.

Please.

I have been protecting you
your whole life, Billy.

- Don't leave me.
- Every arrest, every screw-up.

But I won't do this.

Let me talk to her.

I can convince her.

You know, I highly doubt that.

But then I always did think
it was a long shot.

- Yes, sir.
- Didn't go well.

She's headed your way.

How do you want it to go down?

Make it public:

car-jacking.

Corner of Region and Queen,
get her face on tape.

Understood.

What do you mean, car-jacking?

You're not gonna hurt her?

For every decision,

there's a consequence.

Look, let's talk about this.

Decision...

Consequence.

Bitch.

Billy, where is she?

Where is she?

What are you, crazy?

You OK? Come on.

Thanks.

No, I owed you one.

Those men just tried to kill us.

- Oh my God, Billy!
- He's fine.

We told him to leave town.

Where do you think you're going?

We gotta move, man.

We gotta stay here and explain all this
when back-up gets here.

Well, good luck with that.
Get in the car.

I can't let you leave Hopper.

Chad, what are you doing?

He just saved your life.

He's also a wanted fugitive.

What the hell is wrong with you?

He's innocent, it'll all sort itself out
down at the station.

- If not...
- If not?

What do you want to do?

I'm sorry, Chad.

We're leaving.

You're not gonna to stop us.

Let's go.

It should just take him two hours
before he finds and knows.

You okay?

I should have trusted you.

I should have told you a long time ago.

Told me...?

About my dad.

About how Chad and I
got caught up in all of this.

My dad was...

He drank.

And when he got mean...

He took it out on Billy.

And Billy...

fought back.

I did.

Billy called me,

scared.

When I got to the house...

my dad had almost beaten him to death.

I swear, he was gonna finish him off.

So I saw...

this big flashlight...

I didn't think I hit him that hard...

You were protecting your brother.

But we were so sure
that we were gonna go to jail.

He already had a record so...

we decided to get rid of the body
ourselves.

That's when Buchalter pulled you over.

Yeah, I freaked out.

So I did the only thing
I could think of, I called Chad.

And he showed up...

And he talked to the cop and he...

He took care of it.

And I know how you feel
about your father.

Being a cop
and dying in the line of duty.

How could I tell you what I did to mine?

Rita, I...

My father...

I lied.

My father...

killed himself.

The line of duty things was just to...

To cover up.

I'm sorry.

What are we gonna do?

We can't just run from all of this.

You said Chad made it go away, right?

How did he do that?

Weren't you questioned by the police?

The people he delt with,
they arraigned some lawyer,

some big shot attorney.

He came with me for the questioning,
and he just...

He just made it all go away.

A defense attorney.

You remember what his name is?

Sure.

His name is Barry Coldburn.

I got you one of the best attorneys
in the state, Barry Coldburn.

You are now protected
under attorney-client privilege.

Take a plea.

I can probably get you murder II.

I have to say, Tobey...

When you screw up,
you swing for the fences.

I can assure you
tomorrow will go just as planned.

How are you gonna pull that off?

Your two sheriffs, Fencik and Buchalter,
got hit today.

I can find replacements.

Do you realize what this could cost us,

all these messes
I keep having to clean up?

It's all under control.

This all started
when you couldn' t keep it in your pants

for that mexican girl.

And now, I'm trying to keep
the whole system from imploding.

By tomorrow, you'll be back in control

and we'll be moving on
to bigger and better things.

Really? Detweiler is dead.

And who knows how much Hopper's learned.

Not enough to hurt us.

Not yet.

It's hard enough paining Garza
on Hopper.

Now even that may not stick.

I'll make sure it sticks.

How?

We still have our inside man.

So, is that the sealed warrant?

No, I couldn't get it.

It's locked in judge Nitzberg's safe.

What's this?

I did get you this subpoena list though.

Okay, I got it.

Booth, Detweiler,

Damien, Garza.

Are these all tied to the same case?

I don't understand.
Why was Garza subpoenaed?

He cut a deal.

He's supposed to testify against Booth.

Garza was dirty too.

Spivak?

You know who he is?

Detective Brett Hopper?

We've got the gun,
with your prints on it.

I think you killed Garza...
... hit Shelten five times.

She was quite a looker.

Brett Hopper?
You're under arrest for the murder...

Brett Hopper you're under arrest for the
murder of Alberto Garza.

... assistant D.A. Alberto Garza.

The guy's running after me since Day 1.