Dexter (2006–2013): Season 1, Episode 6 - Return to Sender - full transcript

The Ice Truck Killer leaves a surprise dead body for Dexter at one of the crime scenes of Dexter's most recent kill, which puts him in the crosshairs of his own Homicide Division of the Miami Metro Police.

Previously on Dexter...

No blood. What a beautiful idea.

Brother, I just found the fucking ice truck.

It is my new friend.

When he broke into my apartment,
he took some time to get to know me -

my life, my secrets.

Paul doesn't live here anymore.

No shit.
He's in jail.

But, see, he still owes me
for two ounces of blow,

which means you owe me.

The coyote wanted more money,
I didn't have it.



Poor bastards - spend their life savings,
get stuffed into a fishhold.

- If they can't pay...
- They disappear.

Jorge Castillo -

the only suspect even
remotely close to the park

where Yelina was supposed
to drop the money.

Excuse me.
Private yard.

Sorry, I just assumed you were Cuban.

American, pal, just like you.

Just like me.

Coño.

Get back in there, you Cuban piece of shit.

They're even better-matched than I thought.

Fucking animals.

God bless America.



No.

Taking the extra time to kill Valerie
may have been ill-advised.

My life has always been a sequence
of carefully planned moments.

But sometimes
you just have to take a risk.

Life is so fleeting, so fragile,

every breath the potential to be our last.

You ready?

Can I have my cereal now?

We all grieve in our own way.

Sure.

I prefer the six-year-old approach.

Yet another I've sent to a watery grave.

Well, not quite.

Hey, what about this one?

I want angel cake.

It's angel food, stupid,
and you don't get a vote.

It's my birthday.

Guys.

So, how'd it go?

Bob the goldfish, may he rest in peace.

Thanks for coming over
and taking care of this for me.

- Dead stuff.
- I know.

Well, go have a seat.

Your treat for coming over early
is on its way.

I don't get birthdays - the party, the song.

Celebrating another year
just being alive feels forced.

That one.
That's the one I want.

- Coconut it is.
- I hate coconut.

You've never had coconut.

It's dispatch.
I might have to settle for toast to go.

Sure, what's the location?

I'll be right there.

The crime scene.

My crime scene.

I shouldn't have killed them both.
I didn't have enough time.

A footprint, a microscopic drop of blood.

What did I leave behind?

Impossible.

Nice place setting, huh?
We're running her prints now.

It had to be him.
He's watching me.

Good.

ID the victim.

- You find anything else?
- That ain't enough?

Any eyewitnesses?

Just do your job.
Worry about the blood.

You gonna answer that?

This tin can smells like ass.

The sooner you get busy,
the sooner we can finger who did this.

You heard the man.

He dove 100 feet to bring up the body.

He's getting back at me
for not killing that security guard.

Please tell me this wasn't the ice-truck killer.
I've got the press sniffing outside.

No, it's not his M.O.

We got an ID. Valerie Castillo.
Her husband, Jorge, owns the salvage yard.

Well, then, try and track him down.

Sir, we found something.

You got anything?

No bruising.
Nothing under her nails.

She didn't put up a fight.

If she was killed here, which I doubt, whoever
did it was a real pro.

Under normal circumstances,
I'd take that as a compliment.

- Prints?
- She's clean.

This trailer - that's another matter.

I don't even want to know
what some of those stains are.

Yo, Dex, I think I found something.
Zoom in on this, will you?

I'm kind of low on batteries here.

Dude, it'll take, like, two seconds.

Yo, what's up with you today?
You're throwing off my chi.

You're not Chinese.

I'm not?

Look, right here.

Does that look like a needle mark to you?

It's more like a bug bite, blemish maybe.

Yeah, I guess.

I'm gonna let the coroner bag her.

I'm hungry.

This ain't no auto garage.

Oh, God.
Oh, I didn't need to see that.

You never seen
a latrine before, Morgan?

Yeah, just not indoors.

- Well, the army taught me a lot of things.
- I feel a Desert Storm story coming on.

Digging holes for people to take a dump?
That was most important.

I'm not really getting that.

It doesn't matter how many bars
you got on your collar.

Everybody's shit stinks.
We were partners a long time.

From the looks of things, Valerie Castillo's
better half was knee-deep.

- You like the husband for this?
- It's always the husband.

What have you got?

It looks like a phone number
and a name - Mariel.

Call it in to Batista.
He can run it down for us.

Sergeant Doakes.

We heard movement in the trunk.

I got it. I got it.

You all right, kid? Come on, man.

- No.
- Subtle. Maybe you should cuff him.

The noose is tightening.

This is how it ends -
in the hands of a seven-year-old?

Hey, Deb.

I usually like kids.

Who's the boy?

All we got so far is that he's Cuban
and he seems to like LaGuerta.

Spend enough time in a trunk,
she'd look good to anybody.

Did he, you know, see anything?

I'm not sure. He's pretty out of it.
Social services is on the way.

You OK? You got a whole
brow thing going on.

Morgan, bring some water!

I love her.

Maybe I should spend some time
in a hot trunk, too.

My neat little world of lies
is crumbling all around me,

and I can't tell a soul,
especially not Deb.

- Deb, we've been through this.
- But I have my books.

I could just stay in the car
or I can walk with you guys.

I promise I'll be quiet.
You won't even know I'm there.

The pheasants will know you're there.

- But Dexter was my age when...
- Deb, that's enough.

The Logans are waiting.
Did you pack your swimsuit?

- Yes.
- Good girl.

I want to see that backflip
when we come home.

All right. Go on out to the car.
We'll be there in a sec.

She does kind of have a point, Dad.

What we do your sister
can never know about.

Keeping the truth from the people
closest to you is how you'll survive...

and how you'll protect them
if anything goes wrong.

Guys, hurry up.

You're gonna be late for school.

I'm headed to the store.
Is there anything else you want?

- Balloons aren't much of a list.
- It's OK.

I don't need that other stuff.
It's too expensive.

How about you let me worry
about that stuff, OK?

It's your party.
You can have whatever you want.

- Hello?
- Hey, babe, it's me.

Go wait in the car.

What's wrong with Mom?

She only gets that way
when she's talking to Dad.

I was able to track down that name, Mariel,
with the number that you called in.

She's a Cuban refugee.
She's staying with cousins.

- I had a car bring her in.
- Why scratch the number in the floor?

Next of kin, in case something
happened to her.

Guys like Castillo are ruthless.
They prey on families.

He was holding Mariel and
six others captive at a salvage yard.

That explains the garage.

If the relatives don't pay the release fee,
the coyote would dump their ass overboard.

Cocksuckers make me sick.
Come on.

Mariel, when was the last time
you saw Jorge Castillo?

When he locked her
and the other refugees up

after pulling them from the boat.

They went without food and water.

Some guy tried to escape,
but he was beaten by Jorge.

How'd she get free?

Somebody opened the door to the garage.

She said, "When we find them,
to make them suffer for what they did,

"especially that concha
that treated her like a dog."

Ah, got you.

Fuck me.
The wife was in on it.

Ask if she knows the little boy
social services picked up.

She never saw a boy.

No hair, no fibers,
C.O.D. exsanguination.

So far, so good.

- You're hovering.
- Keep reading. Wait for it.

This is a prelim. I don't have time...

M-fucking-99.

Etorphine hydrochloride?

An animal tranquilizer
more powerful than morphine.

It causes total paralysis.

That mark on her neck kept bugging me,
so I ordered up a tox screen.

That's it.
No more doughnuts for Masuka.

Dude, this stuff is strictly controlled.

The only way to get it
is with a D.E.A. license.

I put a request in for the list.

- I should have it for Doakes in the morning.
- Nice.

Yeah, baby.

I'm on that list, and eventually the alias
I used will lead them back to me.

Tick-tock.

Hey, you.

Thank God you're there.

- I really need to talk with someone.
- Everything OK?

Paul called after you left.

- Paul? Who's Paul?
- My soon-to-be ex.

He's already out of jail, overcrowding.
Can you believe it?

Every time something goes a little bit right,
something like this happens.

- He wants to come to Astor's party.
- What did you tell him?

I'd have to think about it.
But even if I say no, he won't listen.

He never does.

Can you come over tonight?

I'm kind of under the gun here, big case.

I shouldn't be dumping all this on you.
I'm sorry.

No, don't be.

Tell you what, I'll stop by if I can.
I promise.

OK. I'll keep a plate warm just in case.

Thanks. Bye.

Check the marinas.
Find Jorge Castillo's boat.

We'll search the house.

- Where's LaGuerta?
- Trying to bring that kid in for a sketch.

- Sketch?
- He told social services

that some guy saved him from the bad lady.

Valerie Castillo?

Sounds like she got exactly
what she had coming to her.

Personally, I'd shake this guy's hand.

Yeah, you say that now.

Found his passport.

God, I feel like I need a shower
just looking at this douche bag.

Well, keep searching. Phone records,
bank accounts, credit cards.

Maybe the wife got greedy, and he killed her.

Maybe.

This morning,
what was that thing by the car?

What thing?

Before you opened the trunk,
you tried to cockblock me.

I was just looking out for my team.

I didn't see you looking out for LaGuerta.

- I would if she'd asked.
- I didn't ask.

Fine.
Next time, just get your ass shot.

- It's possible our guy left town.
- If he even did it.

- What if we have a copycat killer?
- That's a bit of a stretch.

What if the person
who killed Valerie Castillo

tried to bleed her out like
the ice-truck killer but didn't know how?

- She wasn't a hooker.
- She was killed someplace else

and laid out in a ritualistic manner,
just like all the others.

- She wasn't in pieces.
- She had cuts on her neck.

I'm just saying, with all the media coverage
on the ice-truck killer,

it's possible.

What do you suggest, Morgan?

Let me work up a profile
in case Jorge doesn't pan out.

Fine. Whatever.

That's the second time
you've made that face.

Who are you avoiding?

We got one more stop to make.

Nothing lasts forever.

Just ask a Ford Pinto.

Eventually, most serial killers get caught.

There's really not much
of a retirement plan.

But it can't end like this. It's too soon.
I'm not ready.

He saw me.

What's this?

You've been asking who's been calling.
My mom lives here.

- Did you forget your laundry?
- She's been on me to stop by for dinner.

Now, here's the plan.
We go in. We eat.

We out before the cheesecake.
You got it?

- I'm, what, your exit strategy?
- You can stay out here if you want.

That gives me a better excuse
to leave earlier,

or you can come in
and have some free food.

It's your call.

Shit.

My sisters are here, too.

Fucking family reunion.

This john comes out of nowhere.
He's got me by the throat.

I can't reach around and get my gun,
and I see he has a nipple ring.

I rip that fucker out
like it's a grenade pin.

Morgan.

Oh, I'm sorry. Cop mouth.

We're used to it.

When James graces his family
with his presence.

Some of us don't work at a bank.

First words out of my
baby brother's mouth were,

"Got milk, motherfucker?"

Oh, OK, now, that's enough, all of you.

That security guard is gonna be all right?

If someone did a hatchet job on me,
I'd cash it all in.

Yeah, Tony's doing OK.

The hospital's setting him up
with some prosthetics.

He's just got this spirit about him.

The guy's missing body parts
because of this ice-truck killer,

and he's still hitting on me.

That's because men only think
with one body part,

and that one was not cut off.

Well, it's the damn truth.

Morgan, come on.
We got a case to solve.

Oh, are you sure, honey?
I got some cheesecake in the fridge.

Yeah. We're sure.

You know...
I would love some cheesecake.

You can wait in the car.
That's your call.

He'll wait.

I'll help you.
I'm sorry.

I wonder, in time,
if they'll even remember me,

other than the man
who broke their mother's heart.

I'll be breaking their hearts, too.

He is their father. They have a right to know
he's been released, right?

Yeah, sure.

Even if I tell Paul not to come,
he'll show up here eventually.

I know him.

Everything's been going so good at work...

With you.

I don't know what to do.

He's really got a hold on you, doesn't he?

Paul always had a temper,
but when he was using...

He said if I left, he would find us
and hurt the kids.

Somehow, I thought that by staying,
I was protecting them.

Cody doesn't remember the worst of it,
but Astor...

She was the one who called
the police the last time.

She was protecting me.

You're not that woman anymore.
You're stronger than that now.

If their dad shows up,
we'll deal with it together.

Dad's coming home?

Can he sleep in my room, Mom?
Can he, Mom?

I shouldn't even be here.

Rita will be devastated if I'm arrested.

Her husband was a crackhead,
and her boyfriend's a serial killer.

It's kind of hard
not to take that personally.

Better get inside, son.
Storm's on its way.

Why didn't you tell me
what you are, Dex?

Any last words?

Figures.

I don't have bad dreams.

When I sleep, all of me sleeps.

Nothing ever goes bump
in Dexter's night.

I've never felt a moment
of remorse, doubt, regret.

What's happening to me?

If my back wasn't against the wall,

I'd almost feel guilty for
hacking into Masuka's email.

Once I got past all the porn, it was easy.

And there I am.

Dr. Patrick Bateman -

so wholesome, so inconspicuous.

Harry would frown upon
destroying evidence,

but he never wanted me
to get caught, either.

What are you doing in here?

My computer went down.
I was just checking some email.

Can you take a look at this for me?

- Copycat killer?
- I worked all night on that profile.

I'd like to give it to LaGuerta,

- but I want to make sure it's good enough.
- I'm honored.

"The similar manner in which
the body was displayed

"suggests this killer feels a connection
to the ice-truck killer.

"Excited by what he's doing.

"The cut on the victim's cheek,
while not fatal,

"appears to be a signature of sorts.

"Because of the lack of evidence
collected from the crime scene,

"the suspect may be familiar with
law enforcement or forensics procedure."

Why'd you quit?
You're getting to the good stuff.

Let me guess -
single white male, mid-30s, lives alone,

disconnected from his emotions.

- It's a little textbook, don't you think?
- But it totally fits this case.

You're trying to make it fit.

My advice?
Keep this to yourself.

- Really?
- Deb, you're new to Homicide.

This blows up in your face,
you've given LaGuerta the excuse

to send you back to Vice.

No. I'm onto something here. I feel it.

Like one of your hunches.

Way to have my back.

Where's your sister?

Debra, what the hell
do you think you're doing?

How did you get into my cabinet?

You hide the key in the pantry
on the top shelf.

You and your brother know
never to touch my guns

unless it's under my direct supervision.

But I was being really careful.

I mean, I was only shooting
at the cans and the bottles.

And I'm really good, like Dexter,

and now we can all go hunting together.

I'm disappointed in you, Debra.

Grab your things.

Thanks a lot.

Starting this morning,
we have cadets from the Academy

going over every inch of the salvage yard.

Those days I don't miss.

The kid we found yesterday
saw someone abduct Valerie Castillo.

Because he didn't recognize
a photo of Jorge Castillo,

Lieutenant LaGuerta is bringing him in
to attempt a sketch.

Come on, sweetheart.

Let's take the seatbelt off.

There you go. Come on.

Come on, sweetheart.

You want to go inside
to see the nice lady?

Come on, sweetie. Let's go.

Thanks for bringing him by.

Normally, I wouldn't approve
of something like this,

but you've made quite an impression.

- You have kids?
- No.

I was like him once.
A stranger in a strange place,

left to grow up with strangers,
all for a better life.

Well, police lieutenant,
I'd say you've done OK.

- Any luck with the family?
- No. He talks about an uncle Roberto.

- He just uses the first name.
- Maybe we'll have some luck on our end.

I hope so.

I hate to send another one into foster care.

Thank you.

Bye, sweetheart.

Meanwhile, we'll follow up
on the D.E.A. list of M-99 buyers.

That would include vets, doctors,
animal control, even circuses.

Be thorough. Check everyone.

Masuka, what do we have
on the home and the boat?

Still processing, sir.

If the husband is a dead end,
then we're looking at a new suspect, folks.

Morgan, any ideas?

Don't do it, Deb.

The last thing I need right now
is to be profiled for all of Miami Metro.

We could be looking at someone
who's inspired by the ice-truck killer.

If so, the suspect is probably familiar
with forensic procedures.

I have a profile.
I'd be happy to show it to you.

I'll be in my lab.

Hello, Dex.

I'll be right back.

No.

I forgot how much I loved
pastelitos growing up.

He just needed
a little reminder of home.

I was barely his age
when I came over with my family.

I threw up the whole damn way.

Go get the artist.
I think somebody's ready.

Save me some.

Did you thank Mrs. Carroll
for picking you up from school for me?

Yes.

So, what do you think?

Everything OK?

You want to talk about it?

Holly, Blake, and Ashley said
they can't come to my party.

Honey, that's not true.
I spoke with their moms last week.

It's all Cody's fault.

He couldn't keep his mouth shut
about dad getting out of jail.

- Did not!
- You told everyone!

I have to know.

Dexter...

Thank God. My arm's asleep.

- How long have you two been like this?
- Half an hour.

I was afraid I'd wake him if I moved.

At that age,
when they're out, they're out.

You could brush his teeth,
and he wouldn't wake up.

Here. Lift up his head.
I'll slide this underneath.

Oh, thanks.

What are you doing here?

I'm waiting on some lab work.
I had some time to kill.

Go ahead.
We didn't get very far. He's so tired.

We're gonna pick it up again tomorrow.

It's only a matter of time before we know
what this little guy saw.

Come on.

If you... Here.

You want help or not?

I have a hair or something
stuck on my lens.

You're in good hands.

I traded my glasses in
for contacts in high school.

Boys?

Yeah. What I really needed was tits.

I had Winnie the Poohs
on my bras until I was 16.

As you can see, not a whole
lot's changed since then.

Try not to blink, OK?

OK, OK. I'll do it.

I'll do it.

Let me ask you something.
Your brother's adopted, right?

Yeah, my dad found him
at a crime scene.

How did the department feel about Harry
getting personally involved in a case?

It didn't seem to be a problem.
My parents never talked about it.

Oh, but still, raising a boy,
it's a lot of work, no?

God, no.

I got in more trouble than he did.
He was the perfect one.

Here, I think I see it.

Yeah.

There's the bastard.

Thanks.

Let me ask you a question.

Why do you have it in for me?

You're loud, impulsive,
and constantly question authority.

Fair enough.

I hear you have an interesting theory on...

The report on scandal-plagued
AFL's transactions in Florida

showed Transportation Department employees

received more than $460 in gifts,
ranging from golf balls and free dinners...

Honey, what is it?

...In return for buying supplies
worth $7,000...

Sweetie.

I'm sorry. It was an accident.

It's all right. These things happen.

Go get changed, and I'll fix the bed.

Mommy?

Is it OK if I didn't have my party?

It's only a matter of time
before that boy tells the police

who he saw that night
at the salvage yard - me.

Once the sketch is finished,
there will be no place left to hide.

If I want any chance of survival,
I have to get rid of it all.

I have to let go.

Alex Timmons - sniper.

Yes, I did it.
Is that what you want to hear?

Gene Marshall - arsonist.

Have you ever watched someone
burned alive?

Cindy Landon - black widow.

I'll fuck you if you let me go.

Such fond memories of them all.

They all accepted their fate
in their own way.

Now it's time for me to do the same.

Valerie Castillo - my last victim.

He's not angry.
That's not what this is about.

He's testing me.

I was wrong the whole time.

My playmate saw an opportunity
to paint me into a corner

to see if I'd find my way out,
if I'd fight to survive.

If you have a well-preserved sample,

transferring a dry drop
of blood is relatively easy,

Almost as easy as it was

lifting Jorge Castillo's fingerprints from
his boat and putting them on this knife.

Just got off the phone with the FBI.

Now for the hard part.

I wanted to see what their computers
would spit out.

I cross-referenced my profile
with the ice-truck killer list.

11 new hits.

How about we hold off till we get a sketch,
take it from there.

I know, I know.

I want to get a head start on this.

We could look these over at lunch. My treat.

You never give up, do you?

Thank your mom for dinner the other night.

Can't remember the last time I met
a guy's family and they actually liked me.

You held your own.

Most people don't get
a dirty word in edgewise

with my sisters around the table.

In our house, every Thursday night was
pancake night - Morgan tradition.

I miss that kind of stuff, you know?

I found something.

The wife's blood?
You're sure?

This was found in
the Castillo's bedroom hamper.

We check all the clothing items
that come in.

Because of sheer volume,
that takes time.

- It doesn't prove anything.
- Not by itself.

I've been re-examining the video footage
I took from that morning.

Notice the cuts along the carotid arteries.
They're long and deep.

Valerie Castillo bled to death in minutes.

No shit.

The person who did this
wasn't trying to emulate the ice-truck killer.

He was in a hurry.

- He was probably afraid of getting caught.
- Most killers are.

Except if this was a copycat,
he wouldn't be in a rush.

He would savor his first kill.

He would control the precise moment
Valerie Castillo died

instead of just letting her bleed out.

This is all too...

passive.

Have you completely ruled out the husband?

Why are you doing this?

The boy said he didn't recognize
Jorge Castillo in any of the photos.

He was a dehydrated
and traumatized seven-year-old

left to fend for himself
for days in a salvage yard.

You really think it's the husband?

He's a deep-sea fisherman.
Most know how to use a knife.

Plus, he's still missing.

Have you finished your search
of the salvage yard?

I'll have them send the cadets out again.

Hey, I'm sorry.

I know how hard you worked on that profile.

No, Dex, I really don't think you do.

How long are you grounded for?

Two months.

- Deb, I had to tell him.
- No, Dex, you didn't.

You could have kept
your fucking mouth shut.

Dad was worried about you, and so was I.

Well, now you can spend
more time together.

I'm not stupid, Dexter.
That's always what you wanted.

No, it's not.

- Deb, you're my sister.
- No, I am not.

And he is my father.

There are so many times, I swear,

that I wish he would have
never brought you home.

Dexter, I am so sorry.

I really, really didn't mean it like that.

Here.

I thought you might want that.

You're a better shot than me anyway.

Hello?

Paul, hey, it's me.

- Look, we need to talk.
- Sure thing.

I know you want to see Astor,

but, I mean,
the kids are doing so well now.

Maybe it would be a good idea
if you don't come to the party.

She is my daughter, too, Rita.
I have every right to be there.

You know what? I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, but I have full custody now,

and you can't just drop in
on us like this anymore.

Now, I checked.

The restraining order is still in effect.

If you step one foot on this property,
the first call I'm gonna make is to the police.

The second is to your parole officer.

I need a sergeant.

I'll be right there.

The uncle called our office this morning.

He lives in Tampa.

That's great. He should be with family.

Can I take him home?

We're good.

Thank you.

Thank you for finding him, huh?
He's a very special boy.

I know.

Lieutenant, you need to see this.

You OK?

These contacts.

Wrecks like this
are usually sold for scrap.

The husband stashes a knife inside

and lets a demo crew shred
the truck before we find it.

No more murder weapon.

- There's blood.
- Want to bet it's the wife's?

It's always the husband.
You were right all along.

Shake it off, Morgan.
Homicide takes time.

Deb will forgive me eventually.

That's who she is -

bighearted, kind, nothing like me.

LaGuerta thought
you should see this.

That kid Oscar swears this is who he saw.

Son of a bitch.

Dex.

OK, I gave them Jorge's sock,

a knife with his prints,
and a drop of his wife's blood.

Forensics trifecta like that
should trump a child's drawing...

I hope.

Too fucking weird.

Jesus Christ saved this kid.

On his own for as long as Oscar was,
who's to say he didn't?

When did lighting candles
become more fun than blowing them out?

Nice turnout.

I called all the moms to assure them

that Paul would not
be making an appearance.

Do Astor and Cody know
that you told their dad not to come?

After presents.

Ready?

Make a wish, baby.

Just don't tell anybody,
or it won't come true.

It already came true.
Dad's not here.

I want the middle piece.

OK.

I was wrong about birthdays.

Maybe the reason to celebrate
them is what they offer -

the hope of living to see another one.

The thing about Deb forgiving me,

I better give her a few more days.

I barely escaped getting caught this time.

I realize now my days are numbered.

So I better make the most of them.

All along, I thought this was a game
my alter ego and I were playing.

But relationships change,

evolve,

and this one's getting deep.

Like Harry said in my dream...

...the storm's on its way.