Life (2007–2009): Season 1, Episode 9 - Serious Control Issues - full transcript

Charlie and Dani investigate the murder of a teenage girl found in the woods with her throat slit. The investigation leads them not only the girl's murder but to a second crime involving a young boy who was kidnapped as a child. Internal Affairs and the District Attorney's office still consider Charlie to be their prime suspect in the murder of retired Detective Carl Ames. Jack Reese, Dani's father and the former head of the SWAT team involved in the Bank of Los Angeles robbery, warns Charlie to stay away.

Previously on "Life"

Rachel was in the house

she saw the killer

- How did you know what was in there?
- I didn't... exactly

but something I learned
in prison,

you had to have something
hidden away

I'll take care of Crews.

The lead detective on your case
just turned up dead.

I'll be handling this case personally

Crews, this is my father.

- Jack Reese
- Charlie Crews



- I know who you are
- Of course

This is the work of a crazy person.

Knowing what you went through...

It'd be crazy
if you didn't go crazy.

But this, Charlie, this is crazy.

Police report says
she was out of the house.

Rachel Seybolt was there
the night of the murder.

There's proof of that here?

She Drew a picture
of the killer.

She was in the house
that night, Ted.

Her bed was unmade.

A crayon drawing?
An unmade bed?

Fine.

The lead detective on my case...



Shot dead at the police station...

Just after I saw him arguing...

With the SWAT leader from
the bank of LA shootout.

- Where all that money disappeared?
- Where all that money disappeared.

That's actually a little scary.

What're you going to do?

I'm going to bring things
that are hidden into the light.

Who am I?
Who am I?

Crying out again alone

tonight
- Detectives, this way.

You pushed me there

I had no choice

like a child who has no voice

I need to be heard

keep on rocking and
you'll never grow old.

What?

Something we used to say.

It changed you

Guess it isn't true.

- Serrated knife wound.
- Not a lot of blood.

Must have bled out
somewhere else.

Yes. Before the killer
placed her here.

We don't want any trouble.

Neither do I but it
just seems to find me.

Do you know that dead girl?

- Do you like fruit?
- Cops are all alike.

That's a pervy question, right?

You just look hungry and I...

Have a bag of oranges.

Go ahead. Here.

- I do kinda like oranges.
- Take it.

It's not pervy.

It's just an orange.

Why'd you walk away
from us back there?

What'd you expect?

Come back to the crib,
find it crawling with cops...

- You'd walk away, too.
- Only if I was guilty.

Cops don't usually give us
the benefit of the doubt.

I bet they don't usually
give you oranges, either.

We won't do something for you
just because you gave us oranges.

- How does that orange taste?
- Good, I guess.

It's organic.

- I grew it myself.
- You grew this orange?

Did you know the girl?

Yeah.

- Did you kill her?
- Hell no!

- Josie was our sister.
- Josie? Josie what?

- I thought she was your sister?
- Not like blood.

- But on the street you were family?
- She turned up in the summer.

She camped out with us
under the overpass at night.

She played tunes at valley foods.

Some guy gave her food
and she'd bring back bread.

- What guy?
- She didn't say.

He gave her food and all she did
was play for him?

That's all she said she did.

She had a pretty voice.

Preliminary coroner's report
indicates...

The victim was killed
between 5 and 11 last night.

Traces of semen,
with no bruising or tearing...

Indicates consensual sex
2 to 6 hours before the crime.

What else do you have?

No matching missing persons report.
Prints came up clean.

Probably a runaway.
Didn't want to be found.

Or a throw away.
No one wanted to find her.

Either way, the trail will
end quick without a solid lead.

We'll go to the supermarket
where she hung out...

Try to get more information.

How's the Ames investigation?

It's ongoing.

Anything I can do to help?

Detective, if I were you
I wouldn't be making jokes.

I was being serious.

Why does nobody take me seriously?

You owe me for the lock you broke.
I'm submitting a bill.

Dani, stay behind a minute.

Internal affairs wants
to talk to you, too.

That's no surprise.

They're interested in what Crews
might've said about Ames.

Ames put Crews away for 12 years.

No amount of zen in the world
can take the hate off that.

Isn't there?

You got close to junkies,
you became one...

- You're close to Crews.
- You put me close to him.

No, now you're close to Crews
and you're starting to act like him.

This is beyond the department.

The trouble he's making
has to stop.

They can't let it go on.
Do you understand?

Let me tell what'll happen.

They'll find a fold of coke
in your locker...

A bindle in your car...

- You'd do that to me?
- No, I'm trying to protect you.

But I don't know how much longer
I can do that.

Want to talk about it?

Keep swallowing this stuff,
you'll end up with an ulcer.

Okay. Let's work the case.

Let's work the case.

You okay?

Easy, just trying to help.

I'm cool. I lost my balance
on the backside.

Nate?

Is that you?

- Nice work. Carve it yourself?
- Yeah.

I used to carve.
Helps pass the time.

I don't carve anymore,
not since she took my knife.

- Why'd she do that?
- Yeah, why'd you take my knife?

Now's not the time to talk about it.

She's shy. I'll tell you.

I used it when I should've used
my service weapon.

I get forgetful about things like that.

- Service weapon?
- It's what we call a gun.

You're cops?

Nate, you ever see a girl named Josie?

I don't know. Maybe.

Something happen to her?

She was murdered.

You sure you don't know her?

Were you friends with Josie?

You need a good knife
to carve like that.

- Can we see your knife?
- It's not mine. Here.

- Whose knife is it?
- Nate?

I'm sorry.
I never saw her before.

Come here. Everything okay?

- We're fine, dad.
- Detective Reese, LAPD.

This is my partner,
detective Crews.

- My boy causing trouble?
- No, sir. Not at all.

We're just asking him some questions
about a crime we're investigating.

- You ever see this girl?
- Yeah. Hangs out here a lot.

Told her to stop harassing customers
playing some crapped out guitar...

- Begging for money.
- She won't bother anyone anymore.

- She was killed last night.
- My god.

Poor thing. Couldn't have been
much older than Nate.

If you think of anything
that might help at all.

Anything at all.

It's sad really.

Kids living on the streets.
No parents to take care of them.

Yeah.

Let's go.

Thanks.

What do you think?

We need to talk to the kid
when the dad isn't around.

How long before his dad
gets back from work?

Manager from valley foods
who gave his address...

Said Ray's shift ends at 5.

My dad's not here.

We're not here to talk
to your dad.

- No school today?
- I'm home schooled.

We do my work at night.

Nate, was there something
you wanted to tell us earlier?

Something about Josie you couldn't
say in front of your dad?

I told you, I don't know her.

A person's board says a lot
about their personal lifestyle.

What does that say
about you, Nate?

- It's just a carving.
- Nice work, though.

Took time.
You did it yourself?

You carve one like that
for anyone else? No?

Because that dancing bear looks
like the one on Josie's guitar.

Almost like the same person
carved them.

I bet the lab could match them.

You seen the lab
they got down there?

That lab can match
anything to anything.

You fart, they'll bag it,
sample it and peg it on you.

- Carving, it's easy.
- No...

Okay, yeah.
Josie and I were friends.

- What kind of friends?
- The kind with benefits?

- We messed around sometimes.
- Why did you lie?

Because I don't want
my dad to find out.

I'm not supposed to date.

He says I'm too young.
You won't tell him, will you?

Not if we don't have to.

Nate, where were you
between 5 and 11 last night?

Working at the market.
I can show you my time card.

What kind of father doesn't want
his teenage son to date girls?

The kind with control issues.

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

Crews, get out of there.

What are you doing?

Bars on the window.

Yeah, safety bars.
Lots of people have them.

- Padlocks.
- Lots of people have them, too.

We weren't invited.

Anything we find will be
thrown out in court.

That door is locked
from the outside.

Lot of people have those, too?

Reese, this is a cell.

What's with the lock
on the bedroom door?

- I think you should leave.
- And these locks on the windows...

That's the kind of stuff used
to hold someone captive.

Josie wasn't killed
where we found her.

- She was killed somewhere else.
- You think...?

No way.

We hooked up but I didn't kill her.
I swear.

Yeah? A few hours ago
you swore you didn't know her.

I didn't want my dad to find out.
He'd freak.

Whose knife did you use
to carve your board, Nate?

Was it your dad's knife?

You should go. Both of you.
My dad doesn't like visitors.

Your dad isn't here now.
This is just between us.

We can only keep it between us
if you help us prove you're innocent.

We met at the market
a few months ago. She was cool.

She said she'd teach me
some chords on the guitar.

We'd meet at the reservoir,
play tunes and talk.

- You and Josie have sex?
- No. We just made out and stuff.

Was there anyone else
she was having sex with?

I knew she was with other guys,
but she didn't talk to me about them.

But you knew
who else she was with...

Because we always know,
don't we?

There was this one dude,
a trucker.

He delivered bread to the market.
Josie used to talk to him sometimes.

Please leave. My dad doesn't like
when people come in.

What's with all the locks?

I'm not sure what business
that is of yours.

- Did you ask them in, Nate?
- No, sir.

I told them not to come in.
I told them to leave.

Is that true?

- Nate ask you to leave?
- Yeah. He asked us to leave.

So you're in here
without a warrant...

Without any cause.

You want to come out of here
with us now, Nate?

You can tell them the truth, son.

I want you both to leave.

I didn't want you in here
and I asked you not to come in.

- Something you want to say to me?
- I know you.

Yeah, we met today at the store.

It's good to see you.

Now get the hell
out of my house.

No, I mean we never met,
but I know you.

What the hell
is he talking about?

Crews, we should leave.

I know you because
you're all alike.

You've all got that look.

You're a guard, aren't you, Ray?

You're way out of bounds.

You like the keys, don't you?
And the locks.

I know you.

I know what you're afraid of.

Crews, we're leaving.

My name is detective Crews.

If you ever need it,
call 911 and you ask for me.

- What the hell was that?
- That was a boy behind bars.

No, that was a cop
out of control.

We'll call social services.

We'll get a search warrant,
but you just...

I know you're under pressure
with this iad thing...

But you better buckle up
or you're going to come loose.

I'm sorry.

This meeting's been set for days.
There's no excuse for lateness.

Probably hard for you to understand
seeing what you do...

But I've been out there
trying to stop crime.

Detective, come sit by me.

2nd interview with detective Crews
about the murder of Carl Ames, retired.

Present Judith Raitt, iad...

John Garrity, detective's union
and detective Charles Crews.

No one calls me Charles.

And before we start...

I'd like to say it's nice of you
to stop by my house the other day.

Maybe someday you'll have me
over to your place.

I'd like to know why, considering
the size of your settlement...

- You've returned to the force?
- Because I'm a good cop.

Don't you think this city
needs good cops?

I'd like to know
if you're conducting...

An unauthorized investigation
into your arrest and imprisonment.

See the way she does that?
Like a laser. Locks right in.

Stop wasting time
and answer her question.

Are you conducting
an independent investigation?

- I investigate things.
- What kind of things?

I investigate things
to complete my knowledge.

My complete knowledge
makes my thoughts sincere.

Thoughts being sincere,
my heart is pure.

Here we go. "Readers digest".

That's confucius.

- Good though, isn't it?
- Yeah.

Don't you want a pure heart?
I know I do.

Is your intention not to cooperate
with this investigation?

I investigate things.

I'm sorry, but personally,
I can't do much more.

You have no idea how difficult
this man is.

You do have a talent for mayhem.

- Sunday best?
- Nothing but for iad.

If I'd known you were on deck
I wouldn't have riled them up.

You okay, Bobby?

- What should I tell them, Charlie?
- Tell them the truth.

That's what I did 12 years ago
and that didn't turn out so well.

We've got a line on that trucker
Nate told us about.

Dean Gill.
The bread delivery guy.

If you want to get some work done,
maybe we should go lean on him.

We could go lean on him.

My wife talked like that,
I'd lay off the little blue pills.

Dean Gill's employer said
he hasn't been to work in 3 days...

And his truck is missing.

Cats. I hate cats.

- Actually, they're kittens.
- I hate them too.

- What're you doing in here?
- Are you Dean Gill?

Yeah. Close the door.

I don't want my little ones
to wander off.

- You broke my door.
- We heard screaming.

We thought we heard screaming.

But it wasn't screaming.
It was my little ones.

Can't smell them, can you?
I have 36.

As fresh as a Daisy in here.

Now I'd like you to leave.
Owning kittens isn't a crime.

Your boss reported
his truck stolen...

And there it is in your backyard.

I don't understand
why he reported it stolen.

- I take it home sometimes.
- And you park it back here?

Lot of vandals around here.
They like to mess with my rig.

You know a girl named Josie?

This is the truck you use
to deliver bread to valley foods?

I've been delivering to valley foods
same time every day for a year.

You never saw a girl
named Josie?

If I did, she didn't make
much of an impact.

- She in some kind of trouble?
- Yeah, she's dead.

Man, that's rough.

You read about stuff like that,
but, man...

- Mind if we look in your rig?
- No. Go to town.

- It looks clean.
- Like it's been washed.

That's why I bring it home.

The yeast builds up.
You get an awful stink.

We all good?

Do you play guitar, Dean?

- I need to use the hopper.
- Hold it.

- You know where I found those?
- With your morning paper?

- Good guess.
- No guessing. I put them there.

You want to tell us
how you got these pictures?

I think he's about to do that

- Aren't you, detective Crews?
- Yeah. I took them.

I was seen with Ames.
You know that.

That's why you organized
that gathering at my house.

That's why you're digging
into my life.

You dig a little deeper,
you'll find I didn't kill Ames.

- Is that what we'll find?
- We?

That's what the police'll find.

You're retired, right Jack?

- Yeah. That's right.
- I'm still on the job, so I'm curious...

As a homicide detective...

When someone's going to question you
for Ames' death because...

And I'm sorry if I'm using
the wrong tone here, but...

Those photos look like you had
a violent disagreement with Ames.

Crews, the Ames investigation
is none of your concern.

It's okay, Karen.

I argued with Carl last week,
the week before and the week before.

We argued about football.

We were friends.

Nice.

That mouth of yours
ever get you into trouble?

- Okay, lay out your case.
- My case?

Yeah. You're a homicide detective,
you're making a case.

Lay it out for me.

Then I'll let you know if you'll end up
back in federal prison...

Or in the county morgue.

The Seybolt girl was in the house
the night her family was murdered.

Ames changed the police reports,
said she wasn't there.

- Ames took her out of the house.
- And you went to Ames with this?

I did. Then I followed him to you.

Let's leave me out of this
for the moment.

Stick with Ames and the girl,
Rachel.

She saw the killer.

- And you know this how?
- She Drew a sketch of him.

- Do you have this sketch?
- I do.

- Did you get it legally?
- Rachel saw the killer.

I went to Ames with that.
Ames went to you

now Ames is dead.

You keep going where you're going,
and you'll find trouble...

Whether it was there
to begin with or not.

And you'd do well to keep
my daughter out of it.

- Where are you going?
- I have a witness to interrogate.

"Dapper Dan", "Mr. Plithers",
"bonkers", "kitty bin laden".

He's sort of a psycho.

- Names of his kittens.
- Past and present.

- You have a nice talk?
- No, not really.

Am I supposed to understand this?

- Do you know what he wanted?
- He always wants the same thing.

- What's that?
- Everyone else's unhappiness.

Is this a good cop, bad cop?
Because it ain't working on me.

- Did you ask him about Josie?
- I have no kitten named Josie.

- Josie, the dead girl.
- Why do you have so many kittens?

- I like the way they sing.
- We found semen in the dead girl.

She give you sex for food?

Semen.

It's not mine.

I don't copulate, detective.

- Ever?
- Ever.

I do, however,
need to move my bowels...

Which I told you already.

You know what happens when
we find that guitar pick, Dean?

You'll get your hands dirty.

We pull Josie's DNA off it
and put you in jail.

She was in my truck.

She used to play for me
and sing.

Her music was very vivid...

Almost as vivid as claudius,
Gustav and Raritan the lesser.

But if you're looking to me
for her murder...

You're looking the wrong way.

IAD says you stay on duty.

So you stay on duty.

You want to request
a new partner?

No, ma'am.

Then I need you working.

Warrant for the Hastings house.
Child services'll meet you there.

If Dean didn't kill Josie, maybe
the skateboard kid or his dad did it.

Either way, the kid's in danger.

They cleared out the apartment
and fled.

All right. Thanks.

I've got "bolo" and
"Amber alerts" wide.

We'll find them.

You think the dad killed Josie
and took the kid on the run...

Or did the kid kill Josie and
the dad took him on the run?

Or did they do it together,
father and son?

- Can you imagine living like this?
- Don't have to.

- Right.
- The whole prison thing.

Yeah. Copy that.

About your dad.

Let me make this easy on you.

I spent my childhood trying
to figure out if he was mean...

Or just plain bad.

And you, I don't understand you.

I don't really like you, but...

You're not one of the bad guys.

If I had your money...

I'd be on a beach somewhere.

How come you're not
on a beach somewhere?

Do I look like I tan?

The things people do with their kids.

Parents and children.

Cats and kittens.

- Where were all the cats?
- What cats?

At Dean Gill's.

All those kittens,
but where were the cats?

Cats. Lots of them.

And their throats?

Hard to tell, but looks like
they've been cut.

Looks like you kept more than
that truck in your backyard.

Tomorrow, around this time...

We'll get those lab tests back,
Deanie.

My mother called me deanie,
I'd appreciate it if you did not.

Sure.

We'll get those lab tests back...

And it won't be good news
for you, Dean.

I fart. That lab can put it
in a bag and peg it for me.

Did you fart?

First the cats, then Josie.
Were you practicing?

- Getting warmed up?
- I didn't...

- Didn't do anything.
- That's not what the tests will say.

He wants something, Reese.

Don't you, Dean? You wanted
something and you took it.

First from the cats...

Then from Josie.
Isn't that right?

Here's how it'll work.
The lab's going to call us...

Say they matched the serration
on the cats to the one on Josie.

You remember Josie, don't you?
The murdered girl.

The girl that used to have
that beautiful voice.

- You liked that voice.
- Why did you do that to her?

- You wanted something and you took it.
- Didn't do anything.

What happens to kittens
when they turn into cats?

What happens to little girls
when they turn into women?

What happens to their voice...

As they grow up?

What happened to you, deanie,
as you grew up?

Deal time.

Cop to it now and we don't ask
for special circumstances.

That means we don't file
the death papers...

And you avoid the gurney.

- But you got to do it now...
- Or we walk out that door.

I took out her voice.

I just wanted her voice.

So I took it.

If Nate and Ray didn't do it,
why'd they run?

- Why does anyone run from anything?
- Because they're guilty.

Where's Nate's mother?

You think this is
a custody beef?

Father takes the kid,
we stumble on him...

And they have to run.

Let's find the mother.

How is this possible?

There's no record of Nate
having a mother.

See if there's a record of Nate.

They're not father and son.

We thought it was a custody thing,
that's why they ran.

Dad takes kid away from mom,
happens all the time.

So we tried to find the mom.

There isn't one.
Never was one.

We checked Ray's records.

There's no record of Ray
ever having a kid.

No deductions for dependents
on tax records...

No school records.

No record of a birth certificate.

- Nate Hastings isn't Ray's kid.
- Then who's Nate?

And where did he come from?

FBI matched prints from the apartment
to prints in the missing child database.

Nate's real name
is Steven Westin.

Taken from his front yard
12 years ago.

He was what, 3?

FBI sent us this news footage
they pulled in 1995.

I'm asking the person who took
Steven to look into his heart

to think about
the heart of his mother

and bring him home to us

- have they told the real parents?
- Waiting to see what happens.

They've got nationwide alerts
out for both Ray and Nate.

He was skateboarding outside
when we met him...

- And Josie was teaching him guitar.
- By the reservoir. I remember.

This isn't an abduction.

Ray trusts Nate not to run.

After everything
he's put him through?

Those locks on that house...

Ray doesn't have
to use those anymore.

Nate takes those locks and bars
with him wherever he goes now.

Sometimes...

Sometimes all a convict
has is the guard.

If Ray trusts Nate
then we don't have an abduction.

We have 2 people on the run.

- And when 2 run...
- They split up.

So we stop looking for them
as a man with a boy.

We need to tell the FBI
to look for them separately.

You have to stop messing
with the iad.

- How am I messing with them?
- I got the transcripts, Charlie.

Telling iad you're in search
of a pure heart...

Isn't the way to help yourself.

But I am in search
of a pure heart.

- Can I give you advice as a lawyer?
- Sure.

Get a good lawyer
and keep your mouth shut.

- Can I offer you advice as a friend?
- Sure.

Maybe you shouldn't hang around
so many cops.

Some of them are turning up dead
and some of them...

Some of them what?

Might not be in search
of a pure heart.

Some of them might be in search
of something else.

Crews. I'm on my way.

- They found Ray.
- What about the boy?

Nothing matters
when you run away

nothing to shatter the physical pain

someday!

Someday!

Hands in the air!

Down! Down!
Down on your knees!

- Don't move!
- Hands behind your head.

- Where is he?
- What are you talking about.

- Where's Nate?
- I don't know anyone named Nate.

The boy you abducted,
where is he?

I live alone. Always have.

Feel free to go inside.
Take a look.

The door's open.

I have no need for locks.
Never did.

He's not in there.
We're not going to find him.

- Sure we are.
- Yeah? How?

The same way you find
a needle in a haystack.

With a magnet.

You're under arrest
for the murder...

Of the boy known
as Nate Hastings.

He loves you, doesn't he?

- What are you talking about?
- You know.

You can feel Nate's love for you.

It's warm, isn't it?

I see his love in your smile.

That love will bring him to us,
and put you away for a long time.

If he stays hidden, he can't clear
you for his murder.

And that's what he needs
to do for you.

When the news gets out you've
been arrested for Nate's murder...

And your face is
all over the TV...

He'll come out of hiding
to save you, won't he, Ray?

Must be some kind of a father
to get a kid like that.

I know what you're afraid of.

Ray and Nate could've split up.

Nate could still be out there...

But there could be another reason
we haven't found the kid yet.

- Didn't know they came that small.
- It's a personal pineapple.

All right, I have to know.
What's the deal with the fruit?

- You know what you eat in prison?
- Crap?

Crap. No fresh fruit.

Ever. I missed it.

I don't think it'd be fruit
I'd be missing.

Yeah, it would.

I'll try to use it for good
instead of evil.

Detective Crews.

You said I could call
if I needed help

Josie was teaching me
how to play the guitar.

We didn't get very far.

Just a few chords.

I was at the bus station
and I heard these people talking.

They read on some website
that he stole me.

He stole me when I was a kid.

- Ray loves me.
- Okay.

He's my father.

Okay.

I'm his son.

They said on the news
that you had him for my murder.

Ray would never hurt me. Ever.

Do you want to talk about it?

Thought you might be near

couldn't tell how to reach you

I miss you

You always looked like home

- That's my son.
You always smelled like sleep

always ran too fast

swam so deep

deep

deep

I'm sorry, dad.

It's going to take some time.

He'll need counseling.

Sinking like a stone to find you

Medical treatment.

It's going to take time.

What those people said...

About Ray taking me
when I was a kid...

It's true isn't it?

I miss you

if he's not my dad,
I'm not his son.

If I'm not his son...

Who are you?

You smelled like sleep
always ran too fast

I'm supposed to take you
to child services.

Deep

I got another idea.

You always looked like home
always smelled like sleep

I want to tell you something.

Swam too deep

it's not going to be
easy for you.

You're never going to be
like anyone else.

- Because of what happened to me?
- Yeah.

- How do you know?
- Because of what happened to me.

What happened to you?

Same thing that happened to you.

Sinking like a stone to find you

it's a piece of life
left behind you

- So when do we take off?
- Oh, I don't know how to fly it.