Homicide: Life on the Street (1993–1999): Season 4, Episode 20 - The Damage Done - full transcript
A drug war is being fought--shipments hijacked, smalltime dealers shot, and even a family in their home are killed, leaving a small daughter hiding in a closet. Kellerman and Lewis catch the case(s) and learn a lot about the strange code of honor involved. The Narcotics detectives bring in a self-confessed killer with the murder weapon, but that's not the "whole truth."
Load it up.
Hold up.
- Let's go.
- OK. Come on.
♪ You don't love me
♪ As I know now
♪ Cos you left me
♪ Baby
♪ And I've got no place
♪ to go now
♪ No, no, no... ♪
- When was the last time you had sex?
- None of your business.
- You brought it up.
- I was askin' how your date went.
I don't think a three-week
hiatus from carnal knowledge
in the age of herpes, HIV and
venereal warts is that abnormal.
- I don't know why you're defensive.
- I'm not defensive.
- Why don't you wanna talk about it?
- I just don't.
- You're hidin' something.
- I ain't.
What's the deal?
Muhammed Corson, 20-year-old
street dealer, shot in the head.
- Witnesses?
- Not likely.
You're seein'
someone, aren't you?
- What?
- I'm talkin' to him.
- None of your business.
- None of my business?
- I'm your partner. Give it up.
- Nope.
I don't kiss and tell, babe.
- They didn't want drugs or money.
- Just his life.
About every full moon, some
woman drops trou in front of me.
During the fire investigation,
there was this Veronica Velez chick,
and there was the hooker
who did the naked water ballet.
If I try to romance a woman, I wake
up with a pillow between my legs.
There's been another shooting
reported in at Utah Place.
I'm workin' here.
Your lieutenant asked that you
and Detective Lewis respond.
It's only four blocks away.
- Detectives, it's slippery in here.
- You spilt your coffee?
No. There are three victims shot
in the head, blood everywhere.
One...
two, three. Shot to
the back of the head.
Black-wrapped grams.
Looks like these
shootings are yours too.
Great. With all this overtime,
I'll never get schtupped.
- Mr Flemming?
- Yeah.
- You live next door, right?
- Yes.
- This way, please.
- We'll get you outta here in a minute.
The name of the
family was Mathias?
What was the family's name, sir?
Calvin Mathias was the
husband, Marta was the wife.
- Was this their son?
- They killed Yancy, too.
You hear any shots
last night or this mornin'?
No.
- Any yelling or screaming?
- No. Nothing.
- You know what the Mathias family did?
- Yeah, I know they dealt drugs.
- That didn't bother you?
- It did.
If you're out of work,
it's more of a sin to be on
welfare than to deal drugs.
You just live a little longer.
- Where's Richelle?
- Who?
Richelle, their
little eight-year-old.
- You sweep the place?
- Yeah. I mean...
Lewis, I've found her.
Hi. It's OK,
sweetheart. Come here.
All the bad guys are gone.
Come here.
I got you.
Well, well, Kellerman.
Up to now there's been a
whodunit here, a dunker there,
but now you have got four.
Four drug-related
deaths, no witnesses.
It looks like you'll pop the big-time
detective cherry on this one.
Ask for as little
help as possible.
If you close these cases,
it's your glory alone,
instead of looking
like we bailed you out.
- If I screw it up?
- We don't share the stink with you.
Good luck, Mike.
Kellerman?
Yeah.
- It's pretty, isn't it?
- What?
How the board stands here. A
silent sentry to the dead and gone.
I love the way the red and
black meld together in harmony,
a haiku of colour and vengeance.
- It's pretty.
- Ah. Uh-oh. Look here.
You're upsettin' the balance.
You see, Mike, you
need just a little red.
This is too much. I'd
do something about that.
Maybe some more black.
- I'm trying, Lieutenant.
- You're trying. I love that.
That makes me happy, and
you want to keep me happy.
- Talk to anybody in Narcotics?
- No, not yet.
Not yet.
Not yet.
Keep me smilin', Kellerman.
I like potato chips. Want
some potato chips? Huh?
No?
Here you go. Sorry, these are
the best crayons I could find.
Is it OK if I asked
you a few questions?
- Why were you in the closet?
- Mummy told me to hide.
- Hide from what?
- The angry men.
You remember how many
angry men there were?
Did you see any of 'em?
Remember how many
voices you heard?
- Did Mum or Dad say any names?
- I just heard gunshots.
- Do you know what time that was?
- Richelle. Baby, I'm here.
Oh.
I'm Detective Kellerman. This
is my partner, Detective Lewis.
Meldrick Lewis.
Amy Jennings. I'm
Richelle's godmother.
- What happened?
- You want some coffee?
Here. Come here, Richelle.
It's all right. I'm gonna
show you somethin'.
Come on. Let me show
you somethin'. Come here.
Someone they knew, or were
doin' business with, executed them.
God!
- Poor, ignorant woman.
- Who's that?
Marta... Richelle's mother.
I used to be best
friends with her.
Can you do me a favour, and
write your address down for me?
We'll keep an unmarked
car outside your house.
Why?
If whoever killed the parents
realise they're missing a witness,
they might come lookin' for her.
I'll make sure a squad car
escorts you home today.
- Fine.
- Thanks.
Richelle, come on, honey.
Come on. Let's go.
Can you give me
a daytime number?
Er... Cheswolde High
School. I'm a teacher.
- Thanks.
- Thank you.
- You're a dog.
- What?
- D-O-G. Dog.
- What?
Dog.
The body is not cold, and you're
tryin' to make the godmother.
No, I'm not. But she's
not hard on the eye.
You got that right. So
where are we goin'?
Narcotics, who'll give us the
clues, so we can solve the case.
The Mathiases got some drain
holes installed in their heads?
That's cold. The
family was executed.
- You know Muhammed Corson?
- Yeah. Why?
He was killed the same mornin'.
Guess we won't be
botherin' him tonight.
- What weapon was used?
- .44 Magnum.
Grams wrapped in black
magazine grade paper?
Bodies together? Mouths
taped with silver duct?
Uh-huh.
- Drack.
- Drack?
You're lookin' for Alonso
Fortunado. His street name is "Drack".
28. Good-looking. Smart.
Used to be a track star.
He runs dope out of a tavern
called Bar None on Ponca Street.
The Rat Fisher is about
to reel in his nest egg.
- Who's the Rat Fisher?
- That afterbirth there.
He's trying to buy a key, and
make $50,000 on his life savings.
Beats waitin' to hit the Lotto.
- Let's cornhole this puppy.
- Let's get him!
Damn!
Damn.
Urgh!
That is why you should
just say no to drugs.
Let's see if Drack's
at Bar None.
♪ You burned me out
But I'm back at your door
♪ Like Joan of Arc
Coming back for more... ♪
♪ I nearly died
♪ I nearly died... ♪
We need backup down
here, please. Face the bar!
- Where did you get the grams?
- I don't know.
- Know Drack?
- I don't know nobody.
- What are you? A monk?
- I dunno.
Start knowing somethin', cos
I got you holdin' a half ounce.
I dunno nothin'.
I gotta sleep.
Please, let me sleep.
- Where did you buy your dope?
- In the bathroom.
- You buy it from Drack?
- Let me close my eyes.
No. Don't go to sleep on me.
Who did you buy your
dope from? Was it Drack?
Dutton, throw some water on him.
- You get anythin'?
- No.
I keep wakin' him up.
He keeps fallin' asleep.
He mumbled somethin' about
a club Drack hangs out in.
Let's check that out.
These people have nice rides.
It don't seem right. Huh?
No one ever said the
good fight paid well.
You ever been tempted?
- Never.
- So you know what I'm talkin' about?
Any cop would know.
You walk into a crib.
You see a stack of green
sittin' there, nobody lookin'.
- You ever do it?
- No.
Could you?
I can understand how some poor
bastard in blue might be tempted.
There's a lot of
money to be had.
If I ever see you do it,
I'll shoot you in the nads.
Bet.
Hey, he don't look like no
bloodthirsty dope dealer.
- Black duster, mountain boots.
- Like a walkin' rock video.
Hey, Drack!
Yo, what's up? You
Alonso Fortunado?
- How much time I got to answer?
- We just wanna chat.
I can talk here, y'all.
We got a boss who
does things by the book.
Give us a little of your time.
Damn, fellas. I got a date
inside all lathered up for me.
She'll wait.
Why don't both of
you come inside, relax?
I'll buy you both a
doughnut and a beer.
I'm losin' my sense of humour.
Little early in the relationship
for that, don't you think?
What we got on the
fearsome Dracula?
Nothin'. Not even
a traffic ticket.
- Maybe we got the wrong guy.
- Told you.
You distribute narcotics
and haven't been caught?
- You smart or lucky?
- Both. Not enough of either.
- You went to Lake Clifton High?
- Yeah.
Me, too. I grew up
in Lafayette Court.
You're lucky to be
sittin' there then, huh?
- I was class of 1980. And you?
- '88.
'88... You have, er... Mrs
teague for Civics class?
- We called her "the Babe".
- Uh-huh.
- Was she good-lookin'?
- Hell, no.
She swung a ruler like
she was the Sultan of Swat.
She was a good teacher.
Kept your attention.
Yeah. Yeah. You graduate?
- 3.1.
- 3.1?
Why you didn't try to go to college?
A fertile mind, like you've got.
- I tried to get a scholarship.
- Dope money too good?
- No grey areas with you, is there?
- You sell dope, Alonso?
- What y'all make a year?
- None of your business.
- $50,000? $60,000 with overtime?
- With lots of overtime.
W... Wait a second.
That's your excuse?
- An honest living doesn't suit you?
- It's about havin' choices.
Either go to college,
or deal drugs?
Ever worked a 12-hour
shift and not made the rent?
Come sit over here.
Try on these shoes.
I walked out the
projects in my shoes.
- Then you should walk back.
- Say what? What?
You should show... You're
an example to the kids, man.
That's beautiful.
- Do you know the Mathias family?
- Yeah.
- Muhammed Corson? Know him?
- Yeah, I knew him.
You should be usin' the
past tense. They're dead.
Where were you late last
night, early this morning, huh?
- In bed.
- Alone?
I'm never in bed alone. Are you?
You were gettin' piped
when they got whacked?
- Yeah.
- You can prove that?
Come check my sheets.
How much did the Mathiases
and Corson make sellin' your dope?
I answer that, I might
incriminate myself.
- Had no bone to pick?
- No.
- And nobody ever sold you short?
- Nah.
- Who killed them?
- Ain't me.
You used to kill, though, right?
- I never taked a life.
- Give us more than this.
- I ain't got more to give.
- Well, you know what?
It's late, so why don't we put
Mr Fortunado up for the night?
Then we can start tomorrow.
Would you like a smoking
or a non-smoking cell?
- Check out Mahoney.
- Ma who?
- Luther Mahoney.
- Who that?
A very low-key, proper dude.
He actually finished college.
- Was he killin' your dealers?
- Ask him.
- You cross him?
- Ask him.
So you're a misunderstood
drug dealer. Is that it?
Dope and gettin' high are
as American as apple pie.
You see them blimps
flyin' over Camden Yards?
They ain't just sellin' fruit
juice, they're sellin' high.
It might just be
beer, but it's a high.
Get out.
Damn. That's a damn
shame. It's a waste.
- He chose that life.
- Nah, Mikey.
People like him
go in that direction,
they don't necessarily know
that's what's gonna happen to 'em.
Anybody could
make a bad decision.
Even you. Look at
your first marriage.
He keeps making them every
single day. That's the waste.
You thinkin' what
I'm thinkin'? Huh?
No.
Mikey, we got our own
drug war on our own streets.
Don't you people recycle?
♪ No, no, no
♪ You don't love me
♪ As I know now ♪
What you want?
- Who we got?
- Forrest Pindell.
That's the cat you rousted
from that bar the other day.
He looks different
without a face.
Gee's here to offer
support and wisdom.
- Got any advice?
- Yeah.
He spits when he yells.
Just step back a bit.
What a beautiful day,
huh? You smell that?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, Gee.
Spring is just around the
corner. Life is renewed, reaffirmed.
We're pushin' ice cream up
a hill with a stick on this one.
I have nothing but confidence
in you and Detective Kellerman.
We got a street fight goin' on.
I could never live in
California like my daughter.
No seasons. I need
seasons. I need change.
That warm, happy feeling
that arrives when the
May sun touches your face,
and tells you
everything will be OK.
- You know that feelin', Mike?
- Yeah.
Good! That's... good.
I've never seen him
that pissed off before.
I know.
What?
- Where's Meldrick?
- He's urinating.
- How's the multiple going?
- It's goin' really well.
- You could use some advice.
- I've got everything under control.
- You've got five murders.
- I've still got an hour for lunch.
- It's just one case.
- What?
Think of it as one case,
instead of five murders.
- Six.
- What's this?
36 hours ago, a truck
driver was killed in Canton.
A gypsy trucker who drove from
South Florida to the northeast.
He was hauling
cocaine, about a 150 ki's.
He did this before, he
owned an apartment building
and a Grand Banks trawler.
Narcotics said the shipment belonged to
Luther Mahoney. You heard that name?
This dealer named Drack
we talked to mentioned him.
- Maybe Drack hijacked the load.
- No honour among drug dealers.
If somebody stole my
drugs, I might get ornery.
It explains why Drack's
dealers are gettin' whacked.
I'll see if the narcs
have an address.
I've run across this Luther
Mahoney once or twice.
He's like Kevlar.
Nothing ever gets to him.
Thanks.
Don't let this get you down,
but drug killings only have a
20% success rate of conviction.
Er...
- Detective Kellerman?
- Hey, how you doin'?
- Good. You need a spot?
- No, thanks.
- You work out?
- No.
My brothers did, though. They
were always around the house
flexing and grunting and
sweating on the furniture...
I bet my sister said the
same thing about me.
How's Richelle?
Sleep is hard to
come by, but she's OK.
That's good.
- You gonna raise her?
- I'm gonna try.
- Good. She'll be in better hands.
- Thank you.
- You have kids?
- No.
- You married?
- I was.
- Me, too.
- Really?
- How long you make it?
- A year and a half.
You got me beat. I
made it 14 months.
- Dating again is fun, huh?
- Ah! Tell me about it.
The thought of that first kiss with
someone is terrifying, let alone sex.
I make an idiot of myself
in front of a woman I like.
You aren't right now.
I'm a handful, anyway,
or so I've been told.
She was wrong.
Who?
Whoever told you that.
Hey, Kellerman! Excuse me.
- Meldrick, seen your partner?
- Er... yeah. He's workin' out.
In a multiple homicide
he finds time to pump?
He says it relieves
stress. Watcha got there?
- Luther Mahoney's address.
- We'll be on the road in a minute.
- Has he got somebody spottin' him?
- He's cool.
- You feelin' better?
- What?
- Was it good?
- Don't be a pig.
Me be a pig? Me?
I wasn't closin' the
deal on the squat rack.
It was the bench press,
and nothin' happened.
You can tell me.
- Oh, there's nothing to tell.
- You're lyin'.
- You're jealous.
- I'm happy for you.
- I'm in love.
- Yeah, right.
I am.
She and her church are
organising a peace vigil Friday night
to stop the street violence.
She came to ask if one of
us would help organise it,
get a good showin' of cops.
That's an excellent idea. The
people you want to be there
are the gang bangers
doing the killin'.
- They don't RSVP to these events.
- I told her we'd be there.
You like her.
I must really like her.
My stomach's killin' me.
What a day.
A good place for a drug
dealer to do business.
Why did you stop here?
- Help you, fellas?
- Kill anybody lately?
- No.
- Then you can't help us.
- Luther Mahoney around?
- Robbery? Vice? Narcotics?
- Homicide, actually.
- I'll get him.
Boss, Homicide.
- Homicide?
- Homicide.
- I'm Luther Mahoney.
- I'm Detective Kellerman.
Homicide, huh? The best of
the best. What can I do for you?
Confess.
We just wanna ask you
a couple of questions.
Let's go outside.
We got this new merry-go-round.
I wanna take a look at it.
Are you the coach?
You manage this place?
Yeah, I manage, run,
own and finance it.
- Business that good?
- Can't complain.
What exactly is your business?
Guys, I need this
runnin' before three.
The other night must have caused
an interruption in the cash flow.
Pardon me?
This truck loaded with
fresh new kilos of coke
with your name got ripped off.
You can't buy
merry-go-rounds, if that keeps up.
- I dunno what you're talkin' about.
- Sure you do, Luther. Dig deep.
Guys, I run a youth centre, a
day-care. I run a free kitchen.
I buy books for the school
when the tax money won't cover it.
That's very impressive.
How do you do all of that?
- I'm smart.
- How do you pay for that?
I'm smart.
I'm taking care of
my neighbourhood.
So the Mathiases must have
lived in a different zip code.
Not to mention Muhammed Corson.
- The one without the face. His name?
- Pindell.
They worked for
Drack. Heard of him?
Live by the dope,
you die by the gun.
At least that little Mathias
girl lived, though, right?
- Did you kill 'em?
- No, and I don't know who did.
You know somethin'?
I believe you
because you're too smart
to have blood on your hands.
If you even hinted to anyone
that you wanted them dead...
that's all I'll need to
lock your ass away.
Where were you two nights
ago, around about midnight?
Chicago.
Is that you or me?
Happy hunting, guys.
- About time. Where you been?
- Some of us got day jobs.
- What's your name?
- Dean.
Dean Hoover. They
call me Deano Hoover.
- You want somethin', Deano?
- No, just adrenaline, man.
I'm gonna help you out. I was
speeding yesterday, but I'm clean now.
Thank you.
- Let's hear it.
- I got brought in last night.
I was tryin' to buy this hooker
when this cop comes and hauls me in.
You believe that? I'm
waitin' to make my bail.
This brother next to
me is jacked up on dope.
He's talking about ripping
Drack's heart out and eating it.
He wants to eat this
guy's friggin' heart!
It's shocking. Go on.
I ask him, "What's up
with that heart-eating stuff?"
He tells me how he'd left his sister's
house, and saw Drack walking in.
- So? That's nothing.
- Yeah? Well, get this.
Drack was out of shape at his
sister for shorting him money.
She liked to sniff herself.
- His name?
- I'm gonna ask his name?
Good point.
- I got the sister's name, though.
- What's that?
Marta. Marta Mathias.
- Open up.
- Where you goin'?
W... What about me?
What about me? What
about Deano, huh?
What about my reward? What
about droppin' my charges?
Give me some cigarettes
at least! I'm goin'!
Jailhouse informants are
one step up from sidewalk spit.
If Drack's cleaning house and these
killings are related. He did 'em all.
- You're goin' after him?
- Yeah.
Frank and tim will
cover the night club.
- We'll go to Drack's house, huh?
- You guys want backup?
We don't need QRt
parade on this one.
Well, then be
unreasonably cautious, huh?
- Good work, Mike.
- Don't pat my back yet. It'll jinx me.
Ever been high?
Define your terms.
Stoned, wrecked, wasted
or otherwise beside yourself
as a result of
chemical inebriation.
Er... yes.
- What drug?
- 'Shrooms.
- Timmy, you were a day tripper.
- No, no. Just once when I was 16.
- Some friends and I went skiing.
- What was it like?
Well, I cried for eight hours,
and then ate 50 snowballs.
- Snowballs?
- Yeah, yeah.
Cotton mouth was brutal.
I've never snorted, swallowed or
injected a drug. My system is pristine.
I've got nothing in common
with any drug addict.
What do you take for a headache?
- Aspirin.
- Aspirin.
Approved for over-the-counter
use by the FDA,
the Food and...
Drug Administration?
Shut up.
- Why did you cry?
- I was terrified.
You know, as the sky turned red
and faces are coming
out of the trees like...
Like out of,
er..."Wizard Of Oz."
And then I had to
remember how to breathe.
It was just awful.
Frank, is this some sort of
smoking competition you're in?
It helps me relax.
No. You smoke
because you're an addict.
- Yes, I'm a junkie, tim.
- No, you're no junkie.
You wouldn't kill
anyone for cigarettes.
Wouldn't I?
You tellin' me you never
inhaled? You never inhaled?
There's Drack.
Drack, could we talk with you?
I got the back.
You gonna kill me?
Huh? You gonna kill me?
Answer me!
Well, well, well, super cop.
Watcha gonna do now, huh?
Watcha gonna beg for? Your life?
Why you after me?
Didn't you go see Luther?
Why are you houndin'
me for, huh? Talk to me!
Talk to me!
- I was gonna arrest you.
- That's funny. I got the gun.
I got your life in my hands.
Who's arresting who,
you dumb mother?
Who told you I was your man?
You got clocked
goin' into their place.
I did? You wanna know why?
I was tellin' them
to lock their doors.
Some crew had just ripped Luther
off. I knew he was comin' for me.
You're chasin' the
wrong man, Einstein.
Mahoney's the angel of death.
Why couldn't you believe me?
I'm tired of runnin', man.
I've been runnin' all my life.
I ain't gonna do
it no more, y'all.
- Why did you pull the trigger?
- You scared me.
- Is that a good feelin'?
- No.
- You like that?
- No.
Then, I proved my point.
You came to take my
life, and now I'm gonna...
I'll give you back yours.
Take it.
I ain't innocent of a
whole lot of things, y'all,
but I ain't guilty of
what you're after.
- He didn't slip out the back.
- Let's go.
- What happened to you?
- I fell.
Well, you never know...
I'll call you right back.
What's up?
- You two should meet.
- How's that?
We busted this guy for
beating a dealer half to death.
He was packin' a.44 Magnum.
Is that a fact? Run
it through Ballistics?
Mmm. Matched on every one.
Yeah, yeah. I did them all,
all right. Just get me a lawyer.
Why did you do it?
Unless you're from the
Maryland Bar, I'm done talkin'.
- Do you know Luther Mahoney?
- No.
I thought you said
you were done talkin'.
- Let's go.
- Thanks a lot, boys.
Merry Christmas!
Hey, Gilligan!
Gilligan!
- Permission to come aboard?
- Denied.
Damn, I can say
you've looked better.
- You think?
- I may have the cure for you.
Narcotics found the weapon
that killed Corson
and the Mathias family.
- Where?
- They rousted some junkie with it.
So they ran a ballistics
test. Guess what? It matched.
- Your big case is down.
- It's not.
That junkie tried to set a
record for killin' dealers.
- Mahoney set the guy up.
- Yeah, probably.
We could spend the rest
of our life tryin' to prove that.
Mahoney comes out clean.
Oh, that pisses me off.
Yeah. Things be
that way sometime.
Let's go fight some more
crime. Get your ass up.
In this corner, representing the pride
of the Baltimore City Police Department,
Michael "I Can take A
Whoppin" ' Kellerman!
You need a heating pad?
Maybe some Bengay?
- Just my space, thanks.
- OK.
Kellerman?
There's something different
about you. I can't put my finger on...
Oh. That's it.
- Black is beautiful, isn't it?
- Yeah.
- Oh, thanks.
- Hey, look who it is.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- How you doin'?
- Good.
What happened?
Well, it's pretty ugly,
isn't it? Yeah, er...
- Look, I was...
- this is Danny.
- Danny, this is Detective Kellerman.
- How you doin'?
- How you doin'?
- OK.
Yeah? Good.
Nice meetin' you.
♪ Amazing grace
♪ How sweet the sound
♪ that saved
♪ A wretch like me
♪ I once was lost
♪ But now I'm found
♪ Was blind
♪ But now I see ♪
Give him room! Call an ambulance!
Get your little girl outta here!
Get her outta here!
Call an ambulance!
Hang on, man. Hang
on. Call an ambulance!
Hang on, man.
We got the shooter. Two
uniforms got him here.
He's dead.
What a waste.
♪ And in these shattered arms
♪ You're still alive
♪ Could I be
♪ Walking higher? ♪
Hold up.
- Let's go.
- OK. Come on.
♪ You don't love me
♪ As I know now
♪ Cos you left me
♪ Baby
♪ And I've got no place
♪ to go now
♪ No, no, no... ♪
- When was the last time you had sex?
- None of your business.
- You brought it up.
- I was askin' how your date went.
I don't think a three-week
hiatus from carnal knowledge
in the age of herpes, HIV and
venereal warts is that abnormal.
- I don't know why you're defensive.
- I'm not defensive.
- Why don't you wanna talk about it?
- I just don't.
- You're hidin' something.
- I ain't.
What's the deal?
Muhammed Corson, 20-year-old
street dealer, shot in the head.
- Witnesses?
- Not likely.
You're seein'
someone, aren't you?
- What?
- I'm talkin' to him.
- None of your business.
- None of my business?
- I'm your partner. Give it up.
- Nope.
I don't kiss and tell, babe.
- They didn't want drugs or money.
- Just his life.
About every full moon, some
woman drops trou in front of me.
During the fire investigation,
there was this Veronica Velez chick,
and there was the hooker
who did the naked water ballet.
If I try to romance a woman, I wake
up with a pillow between my legs.
There's been another shooting
reported in at Utah Place.
I'm workin' here.
Your lieutenant asked that you
and Detective Lewis respond.
It's only four blocks away.
- Detectives, it's slippery in here.
- You spilt your coffee?
No. There are three victims shot
in the head, blood everywhere.
One...
two, three. Shot to
the back of the head.
Black-wrapped grams.
Looks like these
shootings are yours too.
Great. With all this overtime,
I'll never get schtupped.
- Mr Flemming?
- Yeah.
- You live next door, right?
- Yes.
- This way, please.
- We'll get you outta here in a minute.
The name of the
family was Mathias?
What was the family's name, sir?
Calvin Mathias was the
husband, Marta was the wife.
- Was this their son?
- They killed Yancy, too.
You hear any shots
last night or this mornin'?
No.
- Any yelling or screaming?
- No. Nothing.
- You know what the Mathias family did?
- Yeah, I know they dealt drugs.
- That didn't bother you?
- It did.
If you're out of work,
it's more of a sin to be on
welfare than to deal drugs.
You just live a little longer.
- Where's Richelle?
- Who?
Richelle, their
little eight-year-old.
- You sweep the place?
- Yeah. I mean...
Lewis, I've found her.
Hi. It's OK,
sweetheart. Come here.
All the bad guys are gone.
Come here.
I got you.
Well, well, Kellerman.
Up to now there's been a
whodunit here, a dunker there,
but now you have got four.
Four drug-related
deaths, no witnesses.
It looks like you'll pop the big-time
detective cherry on this one.
Ask for as little
help as possible.
If you close these cases,
it's your glory alone,
instead of looking
like we bailed you out.
- If I screw it up?
- We don't share the stink with you.
Good luck, Mike.
Kellerman?
Yeah.
- It's pretty, isn't it?
- What?
How the board stands here. A
silent sentry to the dead and gone.
I love the way the red and
black meld together in harmony,
a haiku of colour and vengeance.
- It's pretty.
- Ah. Uh-oh. Look here.
You're upsettin' the balance.
You see, Mike, you
need just a little red.
This is too much. I'd
do something about that.
Maybe some more black.
- I'm trying, Lieutenant.
- You're trying. I love that.
That makes me happy, and
you want to keep me happy.
- Talk to anybody in Narcotics?
- No, not yet.
Not yet.
Not yet.
Keep me smilin', Kellerman.
I like potato chips. Want
some potato chips? Huh?
No?
Here you go. Sorry, these are
the best crayons I could find.
Is it OK if I asked
you a few questions?
- Why were you in the closet?
- Mummy told me to hide.
- Hide from what?
- The angry men.
You remember how many
angry men there were?
Did you see any of 'em?
Remember how many
voices you heard?
- Did Mum or Dad say any names?
- I just heard gunshots.
- Do you know what time that was?
- Richelle. Baby, I'm here.
Oh.
I'm Detective Kellerman. This
is my partner, Detective Lewis.
Meldrick Lewis.
Amy Jennings. I'm
Richelle's godmother.
- What happened?
- You want some coffee?
Here. Come here, Richelle.
It's all right. I'm gonna
show you somethin'.
Come on. Let me show
you somethin'. Come here.
Someone they knew, or were
doin' business with, executed them.
God!
- Poor, ignorant woman.
- Who's that?
Marta... Richelle's mother.
I used to be best
friends with her.
Can you do me a favour, and
write your address down for me?
We'll keep an unmarked
car outside your house.
Why?
If whoever killed the parents
realise they're missing a witness,
they might come lookin' for her.
I'll make sure a squad car
escorts you home today.
- Fine.
- Thanks.
Richelle, come on, honey.
Come on. Let's go.
Can you give me
a daytime number?
Er... Cheswolde High
School. I'm a teacher.
- Thanks.
- Thank you.
- You're a dog.
- What?
- D-O-G. Dog.
- What?
Dog.
The body is not cold, and you're
tryin' to make the godmother.
No, I'm not. But she's
not hard on the eye.
You got that right. So
where are we goin'?
Narcotics, who'll give us the
clues, so we can solve the case.
The Mathiases got some drain
holes installed in their heads?
That's cold. The
family was executed.
- You know Muhammed Corson?
- Yeah. Why?
He was killed the same mornin'.
Guess we won't be
botherin' him tonight.
- What weapon was used?
- .44 Magnum.
Grams wrapped in black
magazine grade paper?
Bodies together? Mouths
taped with silver duct?
Uh-huh.
- Drack.
- Drack?
You're lookin' for Alonso
Fortunado. His street name is "Drack".
28. Good-looking. Smart.
Used to be a track star.
He runs dope out of a tavern
called Bar None on Ponca Street.
The Rat Fisher is about
to reel in his nest egg.
- Who's the Rat Fisher?
- That afterbirth there.
He's trying to buy a key, and
make $50,000 on his life savings.
Beats waitin' to hit the Lotto.
- Let's cornhole this puppy.
- Let's get him!
Damn!
Damn.
Urgh!
That is why you should
just say no to drugs.
Let's see if Drack's
at Bar None.
♪ You burned me out
But I'm back at your door
♪ Like Joan of Arc
Coming back for more... ♪
♪ I nearly died
♪ I nearly died... ♪
We need backup down
here, please. Face the bar!
- Where did you get the grams?
- I don't know.
- Know Drack?
- I don't know nobody.
- What are you? A monk?
- I dunno.
Start knowing somethin', cos
I got you holdin' a half ounce.
I dunno nothin'.
I gotta sleep.
Please, let me sleep.
- Where did you buy your dope?
- In the bathroom.
- You buy it from Drack?
- Let me close my eyes.
No. Don't go to sleep on me.
Who did you buy your
dope from? Was it Drack?
Dutton, throw some water on him.
- You get anythin'?
- No.
I keep wakin' him up.
He keeps fallin' asleep.
He mumbled somethin' about
a club Drack hangs out in.
Let's check that out.
These people have nice rides.
It don't seem right. Huh?
No one ever said the
good fight paid well.
You ever been tempted?
- Never.
- So you know what I'm talkin' about?
Any cop would know.
You walk into a crib.
You see a stack of green
sittin' there, nobody lookin'.
- You ever do it?
- No.
Could you?
I can understand how some poor
bastard in blue might be tempted.
There's a lot of
money to be had.
If I ever see you do it,
I'll shoot you in the nads.
Bet.
Hey, he don't look like no
bloodthirsty dope dealer.
- Black duster, mountain boots.
- Like a walkin' rock video.
Hey, Drack!
Yo, what's up? You
Alonso Fortunado?
- How much time I got to answer?
- We just wanna chat.
I can talk here, y'all.
We got a boss who
does things by the book.
Give us a little of your time.
Damn, fellas. I got a date
inside all lathered up for me.
She'll wait.
Why don't both of
you come inside, relax?
I'll buy you both a
doughnut and a beer.
I'm losin' my sense of humour.
Little early in the relationship
for that, don't you think?
What we got on the
fearsome Dracula?
Nothin'. Not even
a traffic ticket.
- Maybe we got the wrong guy.
- Told you.
You distribute narcotics
and haven't been caught?
- You smart or lucky?
- Both. Not enough of either.
- You went to Lake Clifton High?
- Yeah.
Me, too. I grew up
in Lafayette Court.
You're lucky to be
sittin' there then, huh?
- I was class of 1980. And you?
- '88.
'88... You have, er... Mrs
teague for Civics class?
- We called her "the Babe".
- Uh-huh.
- Was she good-lookin'?
- Hell, no.
She swung a ruler like
she was the Sultan of Swat.
She was a good teacher.
Kept your attention.
Yeah. Yeah. You graduate?
- 3.1.
- 3.1?
Why you didn't try to go to college?
A fertile mind, like you've got.
- I tried to get a scholarship.
- Dope money too good?
- No grey areas with you, is there?
- You sell dope, Alonso?
- What y'all make a year?
- None of your business.
- $50,000? $60,000 with overtime?
- With lots of overtime.
W... Wait a second.
That's your excuse?
- An honest living doesn't suit you?
- It's about havin' choices.
Either go to college,
or deal drugs?
Ever worked a 12-hour
shift and not made the rent?
Come sit over here.
Try on these shoes.
I walked out the
projects in my shoes.
- Then you should walk back.
- Say what? What?
You should show... You're
an example to the kids, man.
That's beautiful.
- Do you know the Mathias family?
- Yeah.
- Muhammed Corson? Know him?
- Yeah, I knew him.
You should be usin' the
past tense. They're dead.
Where were you late last
night, early this morning, huh?
- In bed.
- Alone?
I'm never in bed alone. Are you?
You were gettin' piped
when they got whacked?
- Yeah.
- You can prove that?
Come check my sheets.
How much did the Mathiases
and Corson make sellin' your dope?
I answer that, I might
incriminate myself.
- Had no bone to pick?
- No.
- And nobody ever sold you short?
- Nah.
- Who killed them?
- Ain't me.
You used to kill, though, right?
- I never taked a life.
- Give us more than this.
- I ain't got more to give.
- Well, you know what?
It's late, so why don't we put
Mr Fortunado up for the night?
Then we can start tomorrow.
Would you like a smoking
or a non-smoking cell?
- Check out Mahoney.
- Ma who?
- Luther Mahoney.
- Who that?
A very low-key, proper dude.
He actually finished college.
- Was he killin' your dealers?
- Ask him.
- You cross him?
- Ask him.
So you're a misunderstood
drug dealer. Is that it?
Dope and gettin' high are
as American as apple pie.
You see them blimps
flyin' over Camden Yards?
They ain't just sellin' fruit
juice, they're sellin' high.
It might just be
beer, but it's a high.
Get out.
Damn. That's a damn
shame. It's a waste.
- He chose that life.
- Nah, Mikey.
People like him
go in that direction,
they don't necessarily know
that's what's gonna happen to 'em.
Anybody could
make a bad decision.
Even you. Look at
your first marriage.
He keeps making them every
single day. That's the waste.
You thinkin' what
I'm thinkin'? Huh?
No.
Mikey, we got our own
drug war on our own streets.
Don't you people recycle?
♪ No, no, no
♪ You don't love me
♪ As I know now ♪
What you want?
- Who we got?
- Forrest Pindell.
That's the cat you rousted
from that bar the other day.
He looks different
without a face.
Gee's here to offer
support and wisdom.
- Got any advice?
- Yeah.
He spits when he yells.
Just step back a bit.
What a beautiful day,
huh? You smell that?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, Gee.
Spring is just around the
corner. Life is renewed, reaffirmed.
We're pushin' ice cream up
a hill with a stick on this one.
I have nothing but confidence
in you and Detective Kellerman.
We got a street fight goin' on.
I could never live in
California like my daughter.
No seasons. I need
seasons. I need change.
That warm, happy feeling
that arrives when the
May sun touches your face,
and tells you
everything will be OK.
- You know that feelin', Mike?
- Yeah.
Good! That's... good.
I've never seen him
that pissed off before.
I know.
What?
- Where's Meldrick?
- He's urinating.
- How's the multiple going?
- It's goin' really well.
- You could use some advice.
- I've got everything under control.
- You've got five murders.
- I've still got an hour for lunch.
- It's just one case.
- What?
Think of it as one case,
instead of five murders.
- Six.
- What's this?
36 hours ago, a truck
driver was killed in Canton.
A gypsy trucker who drove from
South Florida to the northeast.
He was hauling
cocaine, about a 150 ki's.
He did this before, he
owned an apartment building
and a Grand Banks trawler.
Narcotics said the shipment belonged to
Luther Mahoney. You heard that name?
This dealer named Drack
we talked to mentioned him.
- Maybe Drack hijacked the load.
- No honour among drug dealers.
If somebody stole my
drugs, I might get ornery.
It explains why Drack's
dealers are gettin' whacked.
I'll see if the narcs
have an address.
I've run across this Luther
Mahoney once or twice.
He's like Kevlar.
Nothing ever gets to him.
Thanks.
Don't let this get you down,
but drug killings only have a
20% success rate of conviction.
Er...
- Detective Kellerman?
- Hey, how you doin'?
- Good. You need a spot?
- No, thanks.
- You work out?
- No.
My brothers did, though. They
were always around the house
flexing and grunting and
sweating on the furniture...
I bet my sister said the
same thing about me.
How's Richelle?
Sleep is hard to
come by, but she's OK.
That's good.
- You gonna raise her?
- I'm gonna try.
- Good. She'll be in better hands.
- Thank you.
- You have kids?
- No.
- You married?
- I was.
- Me, too.
- Really?
- How long you make it?
- A year and a half.
You got me beat. I
made it 14 months.
- Dating again is fun, huh?
- Ah! Tell me about it.
The thought of that first kiss with
someone is terrifying, let alone sex.
I make an idiot of myself
in front of a woman I like.
You aren't right now.
I'm a handful, anyway,
or so I've been told.
She was wrong.
Who?
Whoever told you that.
Hey, Kellerman! Excuse me.
- Meldrick, seen your partner?
- Er... yeah. He's workin' out.
In a multiple homicide
he finds time to pump?
He says it relieves
stress. Watcha got there?
- Luther Mahoney's address.
- We'll be on the road in a minute.
- Has he got somebody spottin' him?
- He's cool.
- You feelin' better?
- What?
- Was it good?
- Don't be a pig.
Me be a pig? Me?
I wasn't closin' the
deal on the squat rack.
It was the bench press,
and nothin' happened.
You can tell me.
- Oh, there's nothing to tell.
- You're lyin'.
- You're jealous.
- I'm happy for you.
- I'm in love.
- Yeah, right.
I am.
She and her church are
organising a peace vigil Friday night
to stop the street violence.
She came to ask if one of
us would help organise it,
get a good showin' of cops.
That's an excellent idea. The
people you want to be there
are the gang bangers
doing the killin'.
- They don't RSVP to these events.
- I told her we'd be there.
You like her.
I must really like her.
My stomach's killin' me.
What a day.
A good place for a drug
dealer to do business.
Why did you stop here?
- Help you, fellas?
- Kill anybody lately?
- No.
- Then you can't help us.
- Luther Mahoney around?
- Robbery? Vice? Narcotics?
- Homicide, actually.
- I'll get him.
Boss, Homicide.
- Homicide?
- Homicide.
- I'm Luther Mahoney.
- I'm Detective Kellerman.
Homicide, huh? The best of
the best. What can I do for you?
Confess.
We just wanna ask you
a couple of questions.
Let's go outside.
We got this new merry-go-round.
I wanna take a look at it.
Are you the coach?
You manage this place?
Yeah, I manage, run,
own and finance it.
- Business that good?
- Can't complain.
What exactly is your business?
Guys, I need this
runnin' before three.
The other night must have caused
an interruption in the cash flow.
Pardon me?
This truck loaded with
fresh new kilos of coke
with your name got ripped off.
You can't buy
merry-go-rounds, if that keeps up.
- I dunno what you're talkin' about.
- Sure you do, Luther. Dig deep.
Guys, I run a youth centre, a
day-care. I run a free kitchen.
I buy books for the school
when the tax money won't cover it.
That's very impressive.
How do you do all of that?
- I'm smart.
- How do you pay for that?
I'm smart.
I'm taking care of
my neighbourhood.
So the Mathiases must have
lived in a different zip code.
Not to mention Muhammed Corson.
- The one without the face. His name?
- Pindell.
They worked for
Drack. Heard of him?
Live by the dope,
you die by the gun.
At least that little Mathias
girl lived, though, right?
- Did you kill 'em?
- No, and I don't know who did.
You know somethin'?
I believe you
because you're too smart
to have blood on your hands.
If you even hinted to anyone
that you wanted them dead...
that's all I'll need to
lock your ass away.
Where were you two nights
ago, around about midnight?
Chicago.
Is that you or me?
Happy hunting, guys.
- About time. Where you been?
- Some of us got day jobs.
- What's your name?
- Dean.
Dean Hoover. They
call me Deano Hoover.
- You want somethin', Deano?
- No, just adrenaline, man.
I'm gonna help you out. I was
speeding yesterday, but I'm clean now.
Thank you.
- Let's hear it.
- I got brought in last night.
I was tryin' to buy this hooker
when this cop comes and hauls me in.
You believe that? I'm
waitin' to make my bail.
This brother next to
me is jacked up on dope.
He's talking about ripping
Drack's heart out and eating it.
He wants to eat this
guy's friggin' heart!
It's shocking. Go on.
I ask him, "What's up
with that heart-eating stuff?"
He tells me how he'd left his sister's
house, and saw Drack walking in.
- So? That's nothing.
- Yeah? Well, get this.
Drack was out of shape at his
sister for shorting him money.
She liked to sniff herself.
- His name?
- I'm gonna ask his name?
Good point.
- I got the sister's name, though.
- What's that?
Marta. Marta Mathias.
- Open up.
- Where you goin'?
W... What about me?
What about me? What
about Deano, huh?
What about my reward? What
about droppin' my charges?
Give me some cigarettes
at least! I'm goin'!
Jailhouse informants are
one step up from sidewalk spit.
If Drack's cleaning house and these
killings are related. He did 'em all.
- You're goin' after him?
- Yeah.
Frank and tim will
cover the night club.
- We'll go to Drack's house, huh?
- You guys want backup?
We don't need QRt
parade on this one.
Well, then be
unreasonably cautious, huh?
- Good work, Mike.
- Don't pat my back yet. It'll jinx me.
Ever been high?
Define your terms.
Stoned, wrecked, wasted
or otherwise beside yourself
as a result of
chemical inebriation.
Er... yes.
- What drug?
- 'Shrooms.
- Timmy, you were a day tripper.
- No, no. Just once when I was 16.
- Some friends and I went skiing.
- What was it like?
Well, I cried for eight hours,
and then ate 50 snowballs.
- Snowballs?
- Yeah, yeah.
Cotton mouth was brutal.
I've never snorted, swallowed or
injected a drug. My system is pristine.
I've got nothing in common
with any drug addict.
What do you take for a headache?
- Aspirin.
- Aspirin.
Approved for over-the-counter
use by the FDA,
the Food and...
Drug Administration?
Shut up.
- Why did you cry?
- I was terrified.
You know, as the sky turned red
and faces are coming
out of the trees like...
Like out of,
er..."Wizard Of Oz."
And then I had to
remember how to breathe.
It was just awful.
Frank, is this some sort of
smoking competition you're in?
It helps me relax.
No. You smoke
because you're an addict.
- Yes, I'm a junkie, tim.
- No, you're no junkie.
You wouldn't kill
anyone for cigarettes.
Wouldn't I?
You tellin' me you never
inhaled? You never inhaled?
There's Drack.
Drack, could we talk with you?
I got the back.
You gonna kill me?
Huh? You gonna kill me?
Answer me!
Well, well, well, super cop.
Watcha gonna do now, huh?
Watcha gonna beg for? Your life?
Why you after me?
Didn't you go see Luther?
Why are you houndin'
me for, huh? Talk to me!
Talk to me!
- I was gonna arrest you.
- That's funny. I got the gun.
I got your life in my hands.
Who's arresting who,
you dumb mother?
Who told you I was your man?
You got clocked
goin' into their place.
I did? You wanna know why?
I was tellin' them
to lock their doors.
Some crew had just ripped Luther
off. I knew he was comin' for me.
You're chasin' the
wrong man, Einstein.
Mahoney's the angel of death.
Why couldn't you believe me?
I'm tired of runnin', man.
I've been runnin' all my life.
I ain't gonna do
it no more, y'all.
- Why did you pull the trigger?
- You scared me.
- Is that a good feelin'?
- No.
- You like that?
- No.
Then, I proved my point.
You came to take my
life, and now I'm gonna...
I'll give you back yours.
Take it.
I ain't innocent of a
whole lot of things, y'all,
but I ain't guilty of
what you're after.
- He didn't slip out the back.
- Let's go.
- What happened to you?
- I fell.
Well, you never know...
I'll call you right back.
What's up?
- You two should meet.
- How's that?
We busted this guy for
beating a dealer half to death.
He was packin' a.44 Magnum.
Is that a fact? Run
it through Ballistics?
Mmm. Matched on every one.
Yeah, yeah. I did them all,
all right. Just get me a lawyer.
Why did you do it?
Unless you're from the
Maryland Bar, I'm done talkin'.
- Do you know Luther Mahoney?
- No.
I thought you said
you were done talkin'.
- Let's go.
- Thanks a lot, boys.
Merry Christmas!
Hey, Gilligan!
Gilligan!
- Permission to come aboard?
- Denied.
Damn, I can say
you've looked better.
- You think?
- I may have the cure for you.
Narcotics found the weapon
that killed Corson
and the Mathias family.
- Where?
- They rousted some junkie with it.
So they ran a ballistics
test. Guess what? It matched.
- Your big case is down.
- It's not.
That junkie tried to set a
record for killin' dealers.
- Mahoney set the guy up.
- Yeah, probably.
We could spend the rest
of our life tryin' to prove that.
Mahoney comes out clean.
Oh, that pisses me off.
Yeah. Things be
that way sometime.
Let's go fight some more
crime. Get your ass up.
In this corner, representing the pride
of the Baltimore City Police Department,
Michael "I Can take A
Whoppin" ' Kellerman!
You need a heating pad?
Maybe some Bengay?
- Just my space, thanks.
- OK.
Kellerman?
There's something different
about you. I can't put my finger on...
Oh. That's it.
- Black is beautiful, isn't it?
- Yeah.
- Oh, thanks.
- Hey, look who it is.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- How you doin'?
- Good.
What happened?
Well, it's pretty ugly,
isn't it? Yeah, er...
- Look, I was...
- this is Danny.
- Danny, this is Detective Kellerman.
- How you doin'?
- How you doin'?
- OK.
Yeah? Good.
Nice meetin' you.
♪ Amazing grace
♪ How sweet the sound
♪ that saved
♪ A wretch like me
♪ I once was lost
♪ But now I'm found
♪ Was blind
♪ But now I see ♪
Give him room! Call an ambulance!
Get your little girl outta here!
Get her outta here!
Call an ambulance!
Hang on, man. Hang
on. Call an ambulance!
Hang on, man.
We got the shooter. Two
uniforms got him here.
He's dead.
What a waste.
♪ And in these shattered arms
♪ You're still alive
♪ Could I be
♪ Walking higher? ♪