Elementary (2012–…): Season 2, Episode 22 - Paint It Black - full transcript

Previously on Elementary:

Mycroft, what are you doing here?

Have you come back here
to sleep with Watson again?

Why should we deny ourselves
the chance at something

just because Sherlock
will make it difficult?

I went to see Mycroft today.

This man's name
is Guillaume DE Soto.

The DST in France
have long suspected

that he is a high-ranking lieutenant
in Le Milieu.

And their New York office, apparently,
is now headquartered at Diogenes.

This guy was eating
with the man that you noticed.

You take my picture, I take yours.

Sorry I'm late.
I was perusing

the restaurant's wine cellar,
then I realized...

Monsieur Holmes.

- Who is this?
- Think. It will come to you.

I crossed paths with a friend of yours
earlier at a restaurant.

For all our sakes, I wish I had not.

Hi. You've reached Joan Watson.

Please leave a message.

Watson, this is my fifth message
in as many hours.

Either you're engaging in a marathon
lovemaking session with my brother,

or you've realized I was right about him
and you just don't want to admit it.

Given his advancing years
and no doubt flagging endurance,

the latter is a virtual certainty.

Anyway, I assure you,

I am not looking for any kind
of recognition or appreciation,

even though I likely deserve both

for saving you from months or years
or even a lifetime of misery.

I merely wanted to...

Message complete. Goodbye.

Hi. You've reached Joan Watson.
Please leave a message.

Yes, call me back
and let me know you're okay.

Something's wrong.

We need to talk.

I was beginning to worry
I used too much chloroform.

Where am I?

What am I doing here?

You do not remember following me?

Mm.

You are very beautiful.

For a cop.

- I'm not a cop.
- Not a cop.

Then why did I find an N.Y.P.D.
Identification card in your purse?

Why did I find this?

I'm a consultant.
I work with the police.

A distinction without distinction.

I wasn't investigating you.

Not for the department.
I thought my friend should know

that Le Milieu was frequenting
his restaurant, that's all.

Your friend.

Mycroft.

You know him?

I am, comment dit-on,
a regular.

As is my friend, Monsieur DE Soto.

He's the one who noticed you
the other day.

He's the one
who gave me your picture.

Call Mycroft. He'll explain...

He and Monsieur DE Soto
have already spoken.

A deal has been made.

Your friend will help mine
with a problem,

or you and Mycroft

will be friends no more. Hm?

You know, I told her what you were.
I told her. She wouldn't listen.

- Sherlock...
- I knew you were lazy,

I knew you were an idiot,

but to allow a criminal syndicate
to set up shop

in your stupid restaurant...

- I told you.
- You were sick. Mm?

The economy took a downturn.

You needed to make payroll!

The people who work for me
are more than just employees.

They're family.
They were counting on me.

You could have asked our father
for the money!

Is that what you'd have done,
Sherlock?

- Sought help from him?
- Mm.

At first, their requests were small:

Buy wine from one of their friends,
obtain the occasional work visa.

And the requests got bigger,
did they?

A little bit of money laundering here,
smuggling between continents there.

The New York branch of Diogenes,
their idea.

They wanted a foothold
in the American economy,

and now they've got one.

You know, I wish it had taken you.

The leukemia.

I wish it had rotted you to bones.

Sometimes...

I wish the very same thing.

So you said you struck
some sort of deal with them.

Explain it to me.

His name is Pierce Norman.

He was, until very recently,
vice president

for American operations
at Credit Versoix,

one of the largest private
banking firms in Switzerland.

Tell me something I can't read
in his corporate biography.

Four days ago, he used the computer
in his New York office

to download the names of thousands
of the bank's wealthiest customers

and take snapshots
of their private accounts.

How much do you know
about Swiss banking?

Enough to know his actions
were not just a violation

of the policy of his bank,
but also of Swiss law.

If the Swiss government
could locate him,

he'd be facing years in prison
and millions in fines,

which is presumably
why he's gone into hiding.

But before he did,
he let certain interested parties know

that he was willing to sell the list
to the highest bidder.

Individuals like your new friends
at Le Milieu, for example.

Oh, it's more than that.
It's governments as well.

Think of the money they'll collect
in penalties and back taxes

from corporations and citizens
who've been hiding their money.

The list could be worth billions
to the U.S. Alone.

The men who took Watson,

they want us to find Mr. Norman
and his list. Why?

Their organization has a number
of accounts with Credit Versoix,

operated through proxies.

Obviously. But why us?

They don't know me.

They know you're a restaurateur
and an oaf.

Neither of us has any connection
to Norman.

So, what would possess them
to ask you and me to?

This was your idea.

I overheard some of them discussing
Norman at Diogenes the other day.

And when they told me tonight
they had Joan,

I tried to explain she wasn't a threat.
They wouldn't believe me.

So you told them about me,
about what I do.

You told them I could find Norman.

Well, it worked.

They've given us 48 hours.

And once those 48 hours are up?

I know why you're upset.

My very good friend might be
murdered by your very bad friends.

Brilliant deduction, Mycroft.

You're not sure you can do
what needs to be done without her.

This is more than just a case.

Without her to keep you focused,
to keep you settled...

Is that what you think she is? Hm?

A simple counterbalance?

I think she's the person you love most
in the world.

I know I'm not her.

Not even close.

But I know you.

Even after all these years,
I know you.

And I can keep you on track.

Maybe not as well as her,
but well enough.

And I promise you,
I won't let you fail.

After I'm done...

after I have succeeded...

you'll go to the police, you'll tell
them everything you know about Le Milieu.

After that,
if you haven't gone to prison...

you will extricate yourself
from my life...

and from Watson's...

forever.

Well, I see little point
in looking for clues

to his current whereabouts
at his home.

By now, his residence
would have been picked apart

by various government agencies,
the CIA, MI Various, MSS, GRU,

a veritable alphabet soup of spies.

Then I guess we should start
with his office at Credit Versoix.

The security there
is quite impressive, no?

I mean, it would almost be
impossible to penetrate,

even for a group like that.

Whereas you and I have the ability
to turn ourselves into vapors

and infiltrate via the air vents.

Well done, Mycroft.

You are a fine substitute
for Watson.

Think about it, Sherlock.

You and I don't need to be vapors
to get into Credit Versoix.

We need only be our father's sons.

Please. Please, help yourselves,
gentlemen.

This arrangement's intended only
for this meeting.

How not at all wasteful.

It's not every day we get the chance

to sit down with members
of such an influential family.

Your father has a reputation
of being Sui generis.

My father is a Lovecraftian horror
who uses his money

to bludgeon his way
to ever-more-obscene profits.

And Credit Versoix
is the perfect banking partner

for a man accustomed
to the aggressive practice of business.

Yes. Well parried.

Unfortunately,
you're wasting your time.

We have not, in spite
of what Mycroft told you on the phone,

come here to discuss making
a large deposit of our father's plunder.

We have come to offer my services
as a consulting detective.

Heh, I don't understand.

You're in pursuit
of one Pierce Norman.

I will deliver him
and his purloined list to you

and not to any
of the other interested parties.

- Should I call security?
- Not just yet.

Mr. Hostetler, please be aware,

if you expel us, I shall be forced
to make your condition known

to every employee
in your company directory.

What condition?

Your wedding ring is too tight,

your hand betrays
a very slight tremor,

and your breath smells very faintly
of an over-the-counter antidiarrheal.

Nausea, weight gain and tremors.

All side effects
of the drugs valproate and lurasidone.

Now, I doubt a man
could have reached your position

if he was schizophrenic,
so I would venture

that you are being treated
for rapid cycling manic depression.

As you can see,
my brother's a deductive genius.

His prowess
is not to be underestimated.

He can be the instrument
of your salvation or your demise.

You'll need to sign
non-disclosure agreements.

After that,

I can have our head of security
share what we know so far.

Kurt Yoder.

Your surname
is perilously close to "yodel."

As a Swiss,
that must grow tiresome.

It's a joke I don't allow people
to make twice.

How ominous.

I'm sorry, I don't see a computer.

Surely, we'll need to look at that.

Norman accessed the accounts
first thing Monday morning,

then wiped it.
There's nothing to see.

Oh, there's plenty of things to see.

This bit of wrapper
from a nicotine patch,

that's Norman trying
to give up smoking.

This triptych, he fancies himself
a nature photographer.

It's my business to know
what others don't.

So I'll need to see that computer
so I can analyze its contents.

It's in storage. We'll get it for you.

Hm.

You keep looking at that plant.

It's a Ficus benjamina.

Popular choice
in decorative office greenery.

Thrives even when neglected.

The Ficus is an aggressive grower,
it'll strain the limits of any container.

But this one...

This one seems stunted.

As if...

Mm.

A hiding place.

Yes.

A handheld game console.

No external hard drive.

Nothing on the storage
but a single game.

We've managed to make our way
behind the walls

of one of the most secretive
institutions on the planet

to learn that Norman
likes to hide the fact

that he plays video games
when he should be working.

It's useless.

Please excuse my brother.
He's under a great deal of stress.

Personal matter.

What's happened?

A colleague,
he hurt himself while working.

He was shot.
You're afraid he's gonna be arrested

if you take him to the hospital.

Not your concern.

I used to be a doctor
before working for the police.

I specialized in trauma.

Right upper quadrant.
I need you to cut this shirt open.

You know him?

My cousin.

- What's his name?
- Jem.

He's gonna die
if we don't do something.

We'll have to clean his wound.
We have to operate.

So are you planning
to tell me what you found?

You saw something
in Norman's office.

Your tantrum
was classic misdirection.

A tactic you've been wielding
since childhood.

Best we avoid the topic
of our childhood.

I'm barely speaking to you as it is.

There was something.

Ah...

Oh, I don't have time for this.

Time for what?

Don't tell them about Watson.
Let me do all the talking.

What are you talking about?
Who are they?

Agent McNally.

You had people
watching Credit Versoix.

Get in the car, please.

Better for everyone if we don't have
to render you both unconscious.

What's going on?

I know this man.

Mycroft, meet the NSA.

NSA, this is Mycroft.

Let's dispense
with the cat-and-mouse phase.

We're in a hurry.
I imagine you are as well.

You know we're in pursuit
of Norman,

and you would like to know
what we've learned?

Throw in the names of the people
you're working for, that should cover it.

Hm. Your government
must be salivating over that list.

All those tax evaders
to squeeze like ripe grapes.

Tax evaders
are the least of our concern.

We have reason to believe that Credit
Versoix has been in business

with so-called charities
that actually fund terrorism.

They're in bed with drug cartels
on three continents.

"Reason to believe"?

You've been spying
on our Swiss friends.

Well, the Swiss are not friends.
They're neutral.

So who hired you?

Think.

Better to have the NSA as a friend
than the alternative.

We are working for a government
friendly to your own.

They're interested in Norman's list,

but they lack the intelligence resources
to pursue it on their own.

My brother and I took the job

on condition
that should we find the list,

we will turn over copies to them
and the United States.

So functionally,
we're working for you.

And considering we've been
on the job for, what, 12 hours,

we know next to nothing.

Well, I hope that's all true.

Otherwise, I'm gonna have to find
a way to prosecute you for espionage.

Is there anything else?

Mycroft, it's a pleasure to meet you.

I get a night off,
I swear I'm gonna finally try Diogenes.

How do you know
I have a restaurant?

Everybody knows about Diogenes.

Amazing food, interesting clientele.

- Detective?
- Yeah, hey.

Joan asked me
to pull some Interpol files yesterday,

then she never showed
to pick them up.

Just wanna make sure she's okay.

She's tip-top.
Wanna speak to her?

No, not if she's...

Hello?

My phone doesn't appear
to be working. Can I borrow yours?

Was that really necessary?

That was the NSA. Hands.

Exquisite timepiece,
shame it has to go.

They didn't touch my watch.

Better safe than sorry.

We cannot allow the NSA
to monitor us.

If they find Norman,
we'll have no one to trade for Joan,

and then your friends at Le Milieu
will kill her.

We need to get back
to the brownstone.

I've got urgent business to attend to.

The video game Norman was playing,
that's your urgent business?

I am pursuing
our most important lead.

It doesn't seem like
you're pursuing much of anything.

Before I destroyed
Norman's gaming device,

I noted that he'd logged over 50 hours
playing this game.

During that time,
he failed to score a single point.

He did, however, spend quite a bit
of time using the game's chat function.

You think he was using it
to communicate?

With only one other person,

a player by the name of
"L3G0L4SS5."

"Legolass 5."

So this person was, what,
an accomplice?

Someone who helped Norman
compile the list?

Possibly.
I memorized Norman's user name.

From then, it was a simple case
of deducing his password.

I am now logged in as Norman.

There are several messages
from Legolass 5

trying to ascertain his whereabouts.

I've responded to the last one,
and now I'm just waiting to hear back.

I realized just now

I've never actually apologized
for what's happened to Joan.

My role in the situation
is complicated, but I...

How is it complicated?
It seems simple enough to me.

Well, I...

I just wanted to let you know
I'm sorry.

If anything happened to Joan,
I'd never forgive myself.

Well, that won't be an issue.

If anything happens to Joan,
I will murder you.

The disposable phone you lent me.
Gave the number to the restaurant,

they said they'd call
regarding some repairs to the kitchen.

Excuse me.

- Mycroft Holmes.
- How goes it?

We may have a lead.

We're doing our best,
considering the circumstances.

Circumstances
that could have been avoided

if you'd simply removed your brother
from New York

as I recommended
a few months ago.

"Simply"? I forget sometimes
you haven't met Sherlock.

Listen, I can't stay on the line.

You've made a hash of this,
Holmes.

But remember, long as I wind up
with Norman and his list,

you may still get out of it.

- Mm?
- Prepare for travel.

We leave for Westchester County
in five minutes.

- What?
- While you indulged in slumber,

I connected with Legolass 5.

I extracted a bit of information
pretending to be Norman.

Legolass, as it turns out,

is not Norman's partner in extortion,
but his lover.

It also turns out
that Legolass is not,

as the name would lead one
to assume, a woman.

His name is Deron.
He has a wife, two children,

and a taste for unsavory men.

Yes, this is all very interesting,
but why are we going to see him?

He thought you were Norman.

He clearly has no idea
where the man is.

He may have more information
than he knows he does.

It's a common enough affliction.

All right, first of all,
it's not Legolass.

It's Legolas,
like the Elf from the movies.

And the five on the end
is just an extra S.

Second thing is,
my wife will be home any minute.

Got questions, ask them fast.

How long have you known
Pierce Norman?

Little over a year.

We saw each other off and on,
mostly in the city.

Has he been
behaving unusually lately?

Was he making any travel plans?

What?

Joan asks questions
when you're out and about. I've seen it.

She's a trained detective.

You are a buffoon.

Had he been acting unusual?

No. Nothing like that.

May I ask how you two met?

We met on Discretion.

It's an app.

May I?

Pierce Norman.

Not much there.

Yeah, you're right.

When I look at this picture, all I see
is the location he may be hiding.

The woods?

No, not just any woods.

This is the same location
he has on display in his office.

He has four separate photographs,
all taken from nearly this exact spot.

All at different times of the year.

Does Mr. Norman have a house
that he frequents in Upstate?

There's a summer house.
Belongs to a friend, I think.

He's invited me up there
a few times.

- Do you have the address?
- No.

Could never get away.

I need you to print me a copy
of this photograph.

And then we'll be on our way.

We'll know where that house is
soon enough.

It is a simple matter of perspective.

He's quiet now. Jem.

I think maybe he's, um, stable. Hm?

I made my incisions with a box cutter
and used vodka as an antiseptic.

He's clean, but he's far from stable.

If you care about that man at all,
you'll take him to a hospital.

I didn't ask you for help.
You insisted.

- He was dying.
- I want you to remember that,

because if the time comes
and we don't have what we want,

I am going to kill you.

I'm impressed.

I'll admit, I was somewhat skeptical
during the third hour of the search,

but now I'm impressed.

As I said,
it's all a matter of perspective.

That and angles.

There's precisely one spot on Earth
with that exact view of the Hudson,

the jetty below
and the tree line on the other side.

It was a simple process
of elimination.

No one home.

Norman's car is outside.

By the looks of it,
it hasn't been moved in some time.

He might've gone for a hike.

We could wait till he gets back.

What?

You have the intellectual tools
to make simple deductions.

Your failure to apply them
in an energetic fashion

is a constant source
of befuddlement.

Look around you.

Really look around.

Excuse me.

This cushion's been disturbed.

There's scratches on the floor.

Dry blood?

There may have been
some kind of scuffle.

More than a scuffle, I'd say.

Those scratches are drag marks.

Someone pulled a heavy object
to this door.

That's Pierce Norman.

We were supposed
to trade him for Joan.

What is to be gained
in sitting around?

It's obvious someone got to Norman
before we did,

killed him and made off with the list.

We need to devise something to do,
not sit around.

I am devising something to do.

I'm thinking about the most efficient
way to sever a man's carotid artery.

I'm wondering why,
when half the world's criminals

wanted Pierce Norman dead,

he was murdered
by someone he knew.

And I'm reviewing my knowledge
of invertebrate zoology.

It's all terribly interesting,

if one has the patience
to simply pay attention.

So there's no sign of a break-in.

And you think
Norman let his attacker in.

That's how you know
they were acquainted.

He was cut once and only once.

Direct strike to the neck.

The blade was then retracted
with a sharp twisting motion.

All indicative...

of a highly-trained attacker.

What are you doing?

Is that a cocoon?

No, it's a coffin fly pupa.

I noticed plenty of maggots,
which is hardly surprising.

But this...

this may be our salvation.

It takes at least eight days
for a fly to go from an egg to a pupa.

Which means Mr. Norman here
has been dead for over a week.

But the data breach at Credit Versoix
was six days ago.

Precisely.

Mr. Norman here is not a criminal.

He's a victim.

Someone with access to his computer
followed him here,

they murdered him,

and then they used his files
to compile their list.

Pierce Norman was dead
before the files were stolen.

He has been murdered and framed,
in that order.

So the person who stole the list
is still at large.

If we can find them,
we'll have someone to trade for Joan.

We need the names of anyone

who could possibly have had access
to his computer.

Quite certain you're ready for this?

Herr Yoder.

Thank you so much
for coming to see us.

Could have done it
without all this skulking about.

Well, my brother and I
are quite unsure how to proceed.

As the bank's head of security,

we thought you were the best person
to consult.

So you no longer think
Pierce Norman stole the list of clients?

That's correct. It was someone else
inside the company.

Did you bring the list of people who
may have accessed his computer?

There. Now tell me what you know...

What are you doing?
This is kidnapping.

Before your journey
into unconsciousness,

you asked my brother and I
what we knew.

We know all.

We've known it
since before we called you

and asked you to meet us here.

You murdered Norman.

Then you assembled his list of clients
and you took it to market.

What?

What's your proof?

It's really not terribly complicated.

The only person at Credit Versoix
with military training

and access to highly-secure accounts
like Norman's was you, Herr Yoder.

Every man in Switzerland
goes into the army.

You have to do something.

Your brother, he's insane.

Yes. That's always been a matter
of some debate within the family.

Various experts
have been consulted,

but an exact diagnosis
has proved elusive.

It's true, military service is compulsory
for every man in Switzerland.

But most men
complete their basic training,

then they serve a brief stint
in the reserves.

You qualified for and served
in an elite commando unit.

FSK-17.

I imagine hand-to-hand combat
was a particular emphasis.

Blade work.

- That's not proof.
- This is not the World Court.

My brother and I are satisfied
that you did it.

And for your purposes,
that's really all that matters.

Now, you stand between me

and the recovery of someone
for whom I care

with all the depth
I am capable of mustering.

She is remarkable in ways
that you could never imagine.

I would trade your life for hers
without a moment's thought.

So I am going to use
these devices on you

until you tell me the location
of your stolen list.

I will harvest whatever amount
of your flesh is necessary

to get what I want.
Do you understand me so far?

You have to stop this madness.

Answer my brother's question.

See, the military knows
that every man will speak

if the correct tools are applied, right?

So the only way for you
to influence this situation

is to tell me what I want to know
right now,

and deny me the pleasure
of extracting it from you.

No? Okay, very well.

Did you know you can choke
any extremity on the human body?

You simply need to deny it oxygen.

It becomes quite useless,
quite permanently, very, very quickly.

Say "auf Wiedersehen"
to your left hand, Herr Yoder.

This particular shade of purple
sets in

right before the cells die
permanently.

Stop!

It's on a hard drive.
One of those small ones.

It's in a compartment in my car.

He is talking like this.
What is the matter with him?

He's probably in shock.
He needs a hospital.

Mademoiselle?

It's okay. It's okay.

Okay.

Your time is not long now.
I would be more worried.

My friends will come through.
What happens after that is up to you.

Mm. You have a very strong faith
in your friends.

The one I know, he is not worth this.

You're talking about Mycroft.

It seems you think we forced him
into doing business with us.

It did not happen like that.

He was short of money.

He had a proposal to use his business
to help us move products.

In return, we give money.

The expansion to New York,
his idea.

Why are you telling me all this?

Maybe I think
you should know the truth

before we give you back to him.

You should know the truth before.

Some of these names, remarkable.

Yoder certainly gathered himself
a valuable trove of information.

Under different circumstances,
it would be fascinating to review,

but right now, all we need to know
is that it's real.

We've got the list.

Where's the phone?

- Who are you calling?
- Agent McNally of the NSA.

What on earth for?

Mycroft, you've shown yourself to be
capable of rudimentary deduction.

And you know these people.
Surely you must realize

that as soon as we hand over the list,
they will murder you, me and Joan.

Yoder as well.
Not that I'm concerned about that.

I've done business
with these people for years.

They're as good as their word.

Heading into this meeting without
proper support would be utter folly.

McNally has access to trained men.

He will also understand that we
needed to color outside the lines

to get the information
that we needed from Yoder.

I don't think this is wise.
We've done everything they've asked.

Well, considering
it was your criminally poor judgment

which resulted in Joan's abduction
in the first place,

let's dispense with that foolishness

and approach the situation
the smart way.

My way.

Tell me you've made progress.

I have Kurt Yoder and the list.

I'm on my way to you now.

It's Jem. Something is wrong.

- It's thready.
- What is it? What is happening?

He's bleeding internally.
The bullet must have nicked his liver.

Fix it.

I told you, he needs surgery,
real surgery, in a real hospital.

No.

You think if we take him to a hospital,
he will tell them where you are.

He won't.

If you want your cousin to live,
take him to the hospital.

Otherwise, keep him here
and watch him die.

Monsieur DE Soto.

It's good news.

Your friend and his brother
came through.

The exchange is on.

I love this.

You lie to me the other day
about everything,

and now you expect me
to help save your partner.

I expect nothing. I'm appealing
to your sense of decency.

And what about your buddies
at the N.Y.P.D?

Why don't you appeal
to their sense of decency?

The NSA has superior resources

and a greater familiarity
with the problem at hand.

You mean problems
with an S, right?

The list is gone,
your brother double-crossed you,

your partner is in the hands
of some very, very bad guys.

Are you going to assist me or not?

I would love to assist you.
I need that list too.

Your brother's in the wind.

Your best hope is that he was right.

That he can pull off the trade
by himself.

You're assuming he even intends
to make the trade.

You think he cut a deal
with somebody else?

That he gave the list to them?

I thought I knew my brother,

his many flaws of character.

It turns out,
there may be more than I realized.

I am begging you.

Please, help me find him.

I'll tell my people
to keep their eyes peeled.

That's the best I can do.

Then you won't mind
if I do go to the N.Y.P.D.

Your friend is late.

Monsieur DE Soto.

I apologize for the delay.

You have what we asked for?

In the boot.

That is not Norman.

Norman is dead.

He's been dead for over a week.

That's the man who stole the list.

If you like, I can show you
where to find the body.

You brought the list as well?

I want to thank you again,
Guillaume, for this opportunity.

As I told you, she works for the police,
but she poses no threat to you.

Kill them.

Guillaume, mistakes have been made,
I confess,

but I'm begging you,
don't make another one.

There are lines. You know this.

I've been an excellent
partner to your organization.

I've done everything
you've always asked of me.

All good things, Mon ami.

You're certain there's nothing
I can do to talk you out of this?

Sorry.

Then would you do me the favor
of allowing me a few last words?

Paint it black.

Pardon?

Command, this is A-16.

We are all clear. I repeat, all clear.

- Copy that, A-16.
- You squared, sir?

I'm sorry you had to see that, Joan.

Obviously, there's a great deal
I need to tell you.