Major Crimes (2012–2018): Season 2, Episode 18 - Return to Sender - full transcript

The operation to try to flush out the one who is threatening Rusty goes on and Raydor is very worried. But when the body of a man is found they investigate and learn that the man was in jail recently. And that he's not the first victim. They learn that there are two other victims who were also in jail. They speak to the girlfriend of one of the victims and learn that he was asked to do an errand and the errand was to bring something to someone. And what he brought were the materials the person who's been stalking Rusty been using to write the notes. So they wonder is Phillip Stroh is behind it but how is he doing it.

Previously on "Major Crimes"...

Fritz: So, how many threats related to the
Phillip Stroh case are we talking about?

27 letters to date.

Five to me, the rest to Rusty.

We want to talk to you
about all three ways

to deal with these threats.

No.
We agreed on two.

- I figured out my option three.
- What option three?

Catching this guy who's
writing me all the letters.

You are not old enough to
participate in a police action.

You cannot keep this kid
locked in your condo forever.



And I've already spent a lot of time,
like, blending in with crowds.

- Isn't that what undercover's all about?
- You're not going undercover.

You're gonna be
in plain sight all the time.

Sykes: Lieutenant Cooper
will be the S.I.S. Supervisor

on your operation.

And you will cooperate
with me 1,000%.

This is your
one and only safe zone.

We will catch the son of a bitch
who's been threatening you.

Okay.

[ Dog barks ]

Major Crimes 02x18
Return To Sender, Part 1
Originally Aired January 6, 2014

[ Knock on door ]

[ Lock clicks ]

Yes?



Got a message for you.

Here's proof of who I am.

Yeah, okay.

[ Door closes, chain slides ]

Come in.

Lock the door
behind you, please.

You got my money?
The guy told me...

Yes, I know. $2,000.
First $1,000 up front.

Second $1,000
after the message.

Have a seat on the couch,
please.

This your gram's house, Holmes?

The first $1,000.
Count it if you want.

Put the cash back
in the plastic baggie, please.

What's the matter?
You afraid of germs?

I don't like mess.

What's Mr. Stroh want now?

Says you haven't scared
the boy off with the letters.

Says you got one week
to figure out

how to get rid of either him
or the woman.

But they're both being watched
all the time.

Yes, I know
they're being watched.

Did Mr. Stroh tell you
where I should acknowledge

receipt of this message?

What?

Where do I put my answer
to Mr. Stroh?

Do you know?

Place called Edendale Park,

in the creek
by the busted fountain.

All right.

Let me get you
the rest of your money.

Yo, what up?
This gonna take long?

You'll be on your way
in just a few.

Tell me, did Phillip Stroh give
you that message personally?

No, I ain't never
met him myself.

Huh.

Well, then...

Unh!

Lucky you.

Sorry it's you
instead of Stroh.

[ Exhales deeply ]

Kind of sorry.

[ Birds chirping ]

Flynn: Age 35,
lived in Boyle Heights,

and... I'm going out
on a limb here...

May have been involved
in gangs.

Sir. You see the "E-R-G"
on his neck there?

East river gangsters.

[ Groans ] Why did he have to
get dumped on city property?

Never mind.

What, Kendall?
What? What? What?

Uh, time of death is screwy

because the body
was in the water,

wrapped in that plastic.

Looks pretty fresh, though.
Last night sometime?

Yeah, well, the park staff says
gates are locked at 10:00 P.M.,

so before then, probably.

He's got three stab wounds...

Two in the chest,
one in the neck.

Sir, these knots

tying the plastic together
at both ends,

the drag marks to the creek,

the single set of footprints...

It looks like one person
did all of this.

- Are there any defensive wounds?
- No.

Jesus Chavez was released
from County two days ago

after a month inside
on a drug bust.

Previously arrested

for attempted murder,
assault, gun charges.

Did nine years
for armed robbery.

Oh, so this Jesus
was not the son of God.

[ Chuckles ] - Unlikely.
- Okay.

Lieutenant Provenza,
this plastic...

It looks like a couch cover.

You see the seams?

So, rolled up in a couch cover,
dumped like this?

Does this feel
like gangs to you?

No, sir.
And those stab wounds...

What about them?

Dr. Morales: Gangs generally
don't like knives...

Too up-close-and-personal.

But guns are noisy.

From the entry angle,
I'd say your victim

was in a seated position,

struck from behind like this

with a seven-inch blade,
partially double-sided

with one serrated edge,

with a big, big hilt.

Ready for the creepy part?

Oh, God.

This is not the first body
I've seen like this.

What do you mean by,
"Like this"?

I mean I had
another victim in here

with the same puncture wounds
from the same-sized blade,

wrapped in a plastic
couch cover.

Guy's body came in last June.
Here.

Provenza:
Name's Keith Mapleton.

According to his case file,
did five months for robbery,

then he was found
on a tennis court in the valley

stabbed to death and
rolled in a plastic couch cover

two days after he was released
from County jail.

Same as Jesus.
How else are they connected?

Don't know, ma'am.
This other victim, Mapleton...

He's got no gang affiliations,
no drug busts, or D.U.I.s.

Flynn: I ran down their
jail-movement records...

Not a single cellmate
in common.

What about Jesus and Mapleton's
parole officers and lawyers?

No overlap.

Captain,
when you have a minute.

Excuse me!
We've got another victim.

I entered "plastic couch cover"
into VICAP,

and it shot back
a Mr. Russell Jackson.

Spent time in County
for auto theft,

was released in August,

and found two days later
on a beach in Ventura.

Why do we care
about Ventura County?

Their bodies
aren't our problem.

Well, they are if we're dealing
with a serial killer.

Ventura County...
That explains

why Morales didn't know
about him.

Let me guess... Jackson
was stabbed three times?

Tao: With a seven-inch,
partially double-sided blade.

One serrated edge.

Sharon: Okay, and all
three victims spent time

in the LA County Jail.
That can't be coincidence.

And the plastic couch covers...

get a manufacturer,
see what we can learn.

I'm sorry, chief.
You were saying?

I wanted to let you know

I just got off the phone
with Lieutenant Cooper,

and he said
they're working up files

on everyone they can identify
in the park.

Sykes: So far, no one with
a criminal record's popped up.

See?
He gets so lost in that game,

he doesn't even know
the rest of the world exists.

You should be proud of him,
captain.

I was proud of him before this.

Well... [ Sighs ]
I'm around.

Let me know if there are
any developments in your case.

I will.

Chief, if you could ask
Lieutenant Cooper

if I might have sound in here,
as well as v...

Sharon, you're lucky
we have video.

Relax.
The kid will be fine.

And in this case,
eyes are better than ears.

Checkmate. He's won 42
of the last 45 games.

- Hmm.
- Pretty good.

Hey.
Anyone in front of me?

No. Have a seat.

I'm Rusty.

Bill.

Nice to meet you.

[ Clears throat ]

[ Horn honks ]

- You mind if we have a little music?
- Unh-unh.

It helps me focus...

Especially when I'm playing
in the top tier over here.

[ Classical music plays]

[ Static crackling ]

[ Indistinct conversation ]

[ Static crackling ]

[ Indistinct conversation ]

Damn it.
Turn off the radio, asshole.

Sharon: I can't see
this guy's face.

He's a regular.

Sykes: Been there maybe
five times before.

Always has that radio.

S.I.S. probably has a file open
on him already.

[ Inhales sharply ]

All right, kid, my boss
could have my badge for this,

but you need to know...
the way that you're sitting...

I can see your vest
under your shirt.

Stay chill. Stay chill.

Thing is if our guy sees
that you're wearing a vest,

he's gonna know something's up,

and the whole operation
could be blown,

so just, uh, adjust your shirt

without making a big deal
out of it. Just...

[ Sighs ]

[ Knock on door, door opens ]

Let me know
if anything changes.

[ Classical music playing ]

Don't lean too far forward.

You might expose your wire.

[ Clears throat ]

The music keeps my boss
from hearing me,

because blowing my cover
to you... strictly off-limits.

But I just want to make sure

that you're clear
on a few things.

While we're playing,
let's just review orders.

So, what's the number-one rule
whilst you're out here?

Always stay
within the perimeter.

Good.

And you get home how?

Always the same route.

And you're followed
all the way until...

Until I leave the garage
of Sharon's building

and get in the elevator.

Perfect.

You're doing a fine job.

[ Static crackling ]

Look at that bishop.

Finish me off.

[ Sighs ]

That's a checkmate.

Gina, Dennis,
someone go exchange pieces

on number one's board.

Get me prints on that guy.

I want to know
if he's got a record.

Please don't get me in trouble
with my boss for helping you.

I'm just another guy
you beat today. Right?

Right?

Right. Yeah.

And, um, thanks, man.

Just watch your vest.
Just stay safe.

It's a good act,
but she's hiding something.

Meet Monica Garcia.
She's Jesus' baby mama.

She doesn't want
to talk to us, ma'am,

so she's pretending nothing's
wrong, but you can tell

she's worried why her boyfriend
hasn't been home.

I put her in Interview 1.

She brought their baby and does not
want to let her go. Excuse me.

Thank you.

I-I'm sorry.
My focus is split.

Lieutenant Provenza,
why don't you and Julio

take a run at Miss Garcia?

See if what she's hiding
connects all of our victims.

Sanchez: Either of these men
look familiar to you?

[ Baby coos ]

[ Clears throat ] Monica, when's
the last time you saw Jesus?

Late yesterday afternoon.

Did he go out?

Why? What are you trying
to pin on him now?

- Rusty's on his way home?
- Yes, ma'am.

Monica, nothing.
We just need to know...

You cops just want to see Jesus
the way he was,

but he changed.

He promised when
he got out of County this time,

we're gonna start over.

We're gonna raise our baby
somewhere safe.

Where was Jesus going
yesterday?

To help a friend.

Has he called you since?

Well, maybe they had
too good a time.

Jesus... he's really friendly,
you know, underneath.

Whatever he done was for us.

Look, we're not trying to get Jesus
in trouble, okay? We're trying...

Well, he didn't do nothing
to make trouble, cop!

He's just trying
to keep us safe.

Jesus... [scoffs] He makes us
feel safer than you do.

Mm-hmm.

Miss Garcia...

We have some bad news.

Jesus was found murdered this
morning in a park close to...

What? What?

Jesus was found murdered
this morning in a park.

[ Voice breaking ]
What? No.

No.

It's not true.
No, it's... it's not true.

It... it is.
[ Sobbing ]

- I-I am sorry, ma'am. I am.
- It's not true.

[ Sobbing ]

[ Speaking Spanish ]

No, no. No. No.

Who did this?

Who did this terrible thing?
Who did it? Who did it?

Monica, that's... that's
the reason we brought you here.

W-we know that Jesus was trying
to turn his life around.

But someone
took advantage of him.

Monica, right now,
you are the only person

who can help us find
Jesus' killer.

Now, can you tell us
anything about this...

this friend that he spent
the evening with?

He said he had to
give this guy a message.

Did he tell you
what that message was?

No. No. No.

He said he was gonna
get paid for it... $2,000.

T-that's a lot of money
just to deliver a message.

Is there anything else?

Well, he had to bring
this stuff with him... this...

To prove the message was real.

What did he bring?

A spiral notebook
and a box of pencils.

Excuse me?

Yeah, he had me buy the
stuff, the... the notebook.

It had to be this
special brand... Commander.

The pencils...
they were Red Wings.

I... I...

What the hell?

[ Sobbing ]

All these letters are written

on Commander paper
with a number-one pencil.

The graphite
is softer and darker,

and they're made
by, among others,

a company called Red Wing.

So, our dead gangbanger
and possibly two other convicts

were murdered by the same guy

who's been writing letters
for Phillip Stroh?

But if it's not the same guy,

it's from the "Guinness Book
of Coincidences."

There are no coincidences.
This is our guy.

Stroh communicates with him
through our victims.

But why dump the bodies
in a public place?

It does increase the chances
that Stroh will hear

about their deaths in prison.
Wait a minute.

You think these guys
were stabbed to death

as some kind of signal?

Possibly.
Or they're just murdered

to remove witnesses linking
Stroh to our letter writer.

Remember, Stroh isn't
just a serial killer.

He's a great attorney,
and he's leveraged

other criminals
to help him out before.

Well, the good news is,
if you're right,

we're getting closer
to finding this guy.

Or he's getting closer to us.

[ Knock on door ]

FBI profile on our
letter writer, ma'am.

Thank you, Julio.
All right.

According to the Bureau's
Behavioral Science Department,

the man we are looking for
is most likely white...

early 30s, maybe immature,
but a good planner...

systematic in his actions...

highly intelligent...

highly organized...

highly focused...

driven...

and compulsive.

He is unlikely to stop before
he gets what he thinks he needs.

[ Dance music plays ]

[ Pool balls clack ]

Gimlet on the rocks.
Just the way you like it.

Thanks.

Grab yourself a beer
if you want.

I'll take you up on that.

What are we drinking to?

I think I'm about a day,
maybe two away

from finishing a big project
I've been working on,

finally saying goodbye to someone
who's been making my life miserable.

Yeah, good for you.

Mm.

So, um, is your boyfriend
still out of town?

[ Chuckles ]

[ Chuckles ]

Maybe. Why?

You finally through
leading me on?

Maybe.

If you don't mind coming over
to my place once you close up.

I'd be through
leading you on, yeah.

Completely through.

Well, about time.
[ Chuckles ]

[ Clink ]

Cooper: Captain, I have expanded
my team. All right?

I've got seven additional
officers on this detail.

I've positioned
Detective Sanchez

back in the sniper's hide
over the park.

We have checked prints on every
suspicious person we can't identify,

and so far no known criminal

has even come close to the kid.

We got this.
Rusty's safe.

Along with video, I want sound
in my electronics room,

or I will withdraw my consent.

- Sharon!
- Captain, I'm not sure this is the time we...

This is not a negotiation,
Lieutenant Cooper.

I want to hear what's going on.

Otherwise, this undercover
operation will be suspended,

and we will go back to a much
more visible security detail.

You do that, and the killer
will definitely notice.

We're real close
to catching him.

We're too close, lieutenant...
too close.

This young man
is not just bait.

He is...

He is my responsibility.

I will have sound,
as well as picture,

or this is a no go.

The sound can only go one way.

There will be zero communication
from your side of the mike.

Thank you. Please call Buzz.
Let him know.

Sharon, I don't see
what the big deal is.

I'm safer than the President
of the United States.

I'm ready, lieutenant.

[ Keys jingle ]

Number One is on his way down.

Man: Roger that.

[ Elevator bell dings ]

[ Car alarm chirps ]

Number One is heading south
on Sunset, approaching Alvarado.

63, why don't you pick him up
there, and we'll drop off?

Man: Copy that.

[ Horn honks ]

Man: Number One's
on the move.

Woman: Copy that.

[ Indistinct conversations ]

[ Knock on door ]

Captain, I think we found a link
between our three dead convicts.

Turns out each of them
made a trip to the infirmary

days before their release.

Russell Jackson... a dislocated
shoulder on August 11th.

Keith Mapleton...
allergy attack on June 9th.

- Jesus Mario...
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

The point is we found
this guy in County,

and... what's his name?

Florentino Reyes.
Age 39.

He's been in jail
for 18 months,

awaiting trial
on a rape charge.

Tao: As a reward for
good behavior on the inside,

he's been made
an unrestricted-access prisoner.

Can't you just say
"Trustee," Mike?

Anyway,
for the past nine months,

he's been working
in the infirmary as a janitor.

Now, I pulled the movement records
on all three of these guys

and cross-checked them
with Reyes.

Turns out he was present
during each of their visits.

Great. So, can we link Reyes
to Phillip Stroh?

Uh, no. Stroh never
visited the infirmary?

Not while Reyes was there.

Okay, if Reyes is a trustee,

then he must have worked high
power, where Stroh is kept.

Well, we checked on that,
and it's a big, fat negative.

So Stroh never represented Reyes
in any previous charge?

Sykes: Reyes has only
been arrested once before,

and it was pro-per then...
Same as now.

Let's have D.D.A. Rios join us
with his file

and get Mr. Reyes over here
for a little chat.

Reyes: [ Hispanic accent ] Why
you say all my rights again?

I don't got nothing to say.
I be in jail already.

We have some questions
that don't relate to the rape

for which you were
originally arrested.

I don't rape nobody.

Me and girl...
We have a fight.

But I never touch her.
I be innocent.

Why you bring me here?

[ Sighs ]
Do you recognize this man?

No. ¿por qué?

What about these two?

No. I don't know them.

They say they know me?

Well, they're not
saying anything.

You want to know why?

Because they're dead, Reyes...
murdered.

You sure you don't
recognize them?

Is that it?

What now?

Now you sit here.

Clearly, it's all bullshit, but
how do we get him to admit it?

These are seven motions
filed by Mr. Reyes

in regards to his rape case.

Here's one challenging the
validity of a witness I.D.,

another one requesting
an evidentiary hearing.

They're all well-written

with boiler-plate legal language
mixed in throughout,

and yet this guy
can barely speak English.

Mm. If only we knew
of a brilliant lawyer

with compromised ethics
currently in County Lockup.

It's got to be Stroh
writing these motions for him.

And in return, Reyes acts
as a conduit for information.

Mm-hmm. Stroh gives
him a message,

Reyes gives it to the convict,

the convict gives it
to our letter writer.

And the dirtbag casserole
is complete.

Yeah, but how do we prove it?

Tao: It's called an authorship
attribution program.

You can download it for free
on the Internet.

But before I explain
what it is,

let me assure you
that this is the short version.

[ Chuckling ] Oh, boy.

Basically,
the program compares texts.

It ranks words by their usage,
particularly articles like "the"

and prepositions
like "of" and "to"...

Words that might seem
inconsequential

but, in fact, leave an authorial
fingerprint on most any work.

So, by taking a sampling of
legal motions written by Stroh

and comparing them to motions
authored by Reyes...

You can prove Stroh wrote them.

[ Beep ]
According to the program,

it's a 96% probability.

Unfortunately, this will not be
considered evidence in court.

We don't need it to be.

- Thank you, Mike.
- Mm-hmm.

Andy.

[ Door opens ]

Mr. Reyes,
I'm Captain Sharon Raydor.

Thank you for your patience.

Can't go.

I've been looking
through your case file,

and I noticed that you've
chosen to represent yourself.

Sí.
Is called "Proper."

Pro-per. That's right.

What... you go
to law school, Reyes?

Sí. Sí.
Many, many years.

[ Chuckles ] [ Chuckles ]

Why don't you have a lawyer
representing you?

Ah, no trust.
Like cops. No.

I read in jail library...
law books.

Could be the library is where
he and Stroh communicate.

Sharon: Well, I have
one of your motions here

requesting a continuance,
dated November 21, 2013.

It's very impressive work,

especially for someone
who's self-taught like you are.

Gracias.

Could you read it for me?

N-no glasses.
I no see good. Sorry.

Okay, well, then,
could you tell me

what the term
"without prejudice" means?

It's right here in the brief
that you wrote.

What does it mean?

I no have to answer.

Flynn: Hey.
It's a very simple question.

You tell her what
"without prejudice" means,

and you get to go back
to your cell.

You didn't write these motions,
did you, Mr. Reyes?

Por supuesto Los escribi,
puta estupida...

Oh, come on.
Knock it off.

- Who wrote these motions, sir?
- Todo El día pero gasta su...

That's not gonna work!
You hear me?

La biblioteca y lei
a Los libros. Eso es todo.

Buzz, could you
come in here, please?

Yo se que es difícil de creer,

pero te enfrentas
a un mexicano inteligente.

Enough! Enough!

All right, let me explain
something to you, Florentino.

Right now,
you got it pretty easy.

You're a trustee in County.

You got a little freedom.

You're facing a rape charge which
you may beat down with motions.

Hey. Hey.
Listen to me.

But if you don't start
answering our questions,

I am gonna lock you down
so hard

that you're gonna beg
to have a trial.

Do you understand?

And you can say goodbye
to your trustee status...

And say hello
to a triple-murder charge.

¿Qué?
No mate a nadie...

"What?
I didn't kill anybody."

You see, Mr. Reyes, we can
continue in English or Spanish,

whatever you'd like.

Did Phillip Stroh write
these motions for you?

He helps you with your case,
and in return,

you help him with certain
communication issues.

Is that right?

Sharon:
You're passing messages

that are getting people killed,
Mr. Reyes.

I...

I did not know what was
going to happen to them.

I swear.

Thank you.

[ Sighs ]

When did you first meet
Phillip Stroh?

[ Door closes ]

[ Sighs ] A year ago.

I had a visitor.

A legal-aid person came
to help with my case.

Stroh was sitting next to me,
waiting for his attorney.

He knew I was trustee.

He said
we could help each other,

but he could never talk to me
again where people see.

So, how did you stay in touch?

By leaving notes
inside books...

books in jail library.

Law books.

Yeah? Huh?
What'd I say?

Flynn: So, when did he ask you
to pass the first message?

Uh, six months ago.

I checked the book we used.

I found an envelope.
It was shut.

It had a note on it.

What'd the note say?

Mr. Stroh asked me
to find someone

in the infirmary
who was going free soon,

ask if they wanted
to make $2,000 cash

when they got out.

$2,000 for what?

Deliver the message inside
the envelope to someone.

Deliver to who? Where?

I don't know.
I swear.

What was the address?

I don't know!
It was all in the envelope.

I never opened envelope.

Look, Stroh said,
"Never open envelope,"

or he'd stop helping me, okay?

So I never opened them.

Never.

[ Cellphone vibrates ]

Provenza.

Dr. Morales: Lieutenant.
It's Dr. Morales.

Listen, Foothill Division
just brought in a John Doe.

He's a perfect match
to your other three murders.

Perfect match?
W-what do you mean?

I mean it's the same blade,
same everything,

right down
to the plastic couch cover.

[ Beeping ]

Detective Sanchez.

Sharon: Julio,
is everything okay?

Uh, yes, ma'am. I'm looking
at the kid right now.

He's safe.

Okay. [ Sighs ] Good.
Thank you.

You should know we have a fourth
body, same as the others.

It's not Rusty,
and it isn't going to be.

Right.
Just please be careful.

Copy that.
Don't worry, ma'am.

In fact, it looks like
we're about to call it a day.

Yep. Great.

I am headed home
to meet him right now.

Actually, it shouldn't be
more than a few minutes.

I already scanned
the victim's prints.

Just waiting for a hit,
see if we can I.D. Him.

Thank you.

[ Sighs ]

Guess where the body
was dumped this time.

I don't know... uh,
Santa Monica pier? Disneyland?

Deep in a remote canyon
on the far side of the valley.

- Well, that doesn't fit the pattern.
- Yeah.

I don't think the killer
wanted us to find this one.

So, how come we did?

That's because our wackjob
dumped this body

in the same area where a boy
scout went missing yesterday.

And at 9:00 A.M.
this morning,

a search team
stumbled across victim four.

That's the hand of God.

Shame God didn't leave us
the victim's I.D.

Don't need it.
I've got a hit.

Victim's name
is Gregory Boone... 27.

Picked up for a D.U.I.
last year in Vegas,

where it looks like he lived.

Was there a conviction?

Um, no.
No record. No jail time.

So, why is this one different?

Tao, we're...
we're gonna need

a lot more information
on Mr. Boone.

I'm already on it.
Gonna have Vegas PD send a car

over to the address I have here,
see what they can find out.

Hello?

[ Sets down cellphone ]

Vegas PD said Gregory Boone
no longer lives at that address,

but they spoke to a guy there...
Boone's ex...

Said he moved to L.A.
last year sometime.

Yes? Yeah, if you could give us
the name, that'd be great.

The ex didn't have
a forwarding address for Boone,

but he knows the name of the bar
where he worked.

Excuse me? Altbar?
A-l-t-b-a-r. Thank you.

[ Emergency brake engages ]

Looking for one of your
employees... Gregory Boone.

Great. Uh, I wonder,
can you tell me where he lives?

No, the address.

He's a person of interest
in a police investigation.

Okay, go ahead.
Yeah.

Uh-huh.

- Oh, my God.
- What is it?

Uh, thank you very much.

[ Elevator bell dings ]

[ Button clicks ]

[ Cellphone rings ]

Lieutenant,
what can I do for you?

Okay, Sharon, listen to me.
That guy...

- Andy, what's wrong?
- Yeah, yeah, the new victim...

He's not connected to Stroh.
He's connected to you.

What?

He lives in your building.
Apartment 321.

[ Elevator bell dings ]

What are you...

Andy, call S.I.S.

- No, no, Sharon. Wait.
- Do it now!

Damn it. Your battery went dead
while we were in the park.

Look, we need to get off
on the next floor.

We think the guy that we're looking
for may be in the building.

What?

Everything's under control.
We have a safe room.

But you need to come with me
for the time being.

But what about Sharon?
She's still upstairs.

We're handling her right now.
She knows where you are.

This is almost over.

Okay, hold on.

Okay.

Does someone live here?

Have a seat on the couch.
I need to radio our location.

[ Horn honks, tires screech ]

[ Guns cocking ] - Let's go, let's go.
- Right behind you.

What's with the plastic?

Is it to, like, keep stuff
off the couch or something?

No, no.

The plastic...

Is to minimize
my contact with blood.

Your what?
[ Fire alarm blaring ]

Sharon: L.A.P.D.!

Help! Help! Help!

Sharon! Sharon, he's in there!
Sharon, he went in there!

[ Gunshots ]

Get him away from the window!

I see him!

Cooper:
The suspect is in the open.

He is on foot, heading east.

We need a perimeter now. And
get additional units rolling.

Cooper: There was no sign
of our killer anywhere.

And we got a three-block
perimeter set up

around the building,
but it doesn't look promising.

He could have slipped through
early on.

Are we any closer
to I.D.'ing him?

S.I.D. is processing
every inch of that condo

for prints and DNA.

Now, we know he played chess
with the kid yesterday,

but he was disguised,
and he kept his head down a lot.

Rusty was too freaked out to really
remember what the guy looked like.

We're sorting through all the
photos and film from the park

to see if we have
a good shot of his face.

But this dirtbag knew
we were out there.

- I mean, he clearly knew.
- How did he get to Rusty?

The killer was using
his last victim's car

to get access to the garage
and the poor guy's apartment.

My fault.

Rusty didn't stick
to the plan, chief.

He talked to the guy
about his security

and didn't tell us
he'd done it.

This shouldn't have happened.

Sharon: Okay,
just so we're clear,

Rusty's involvement
with this operation is over.

Taylor:
Of course it is.

Our only goal right now
is finding this creep.

As for how all this affects
the case against Phillip Stroh,

we have a plan.

Captain...

I suggest you alert Rusty

to the changes we've discussed

and implement those changes
tonight.

Yes, sir.

Hey.

Hey.

Hey. Are you okay?

- Just a little shaky.
- Mm.

But, um, never happier

to have so many police officers
around me.

Hmm.

Rusty, I owe you an apology.

I went against my instincts.

No, no, I-I really,
really messed up.

I never should have gone along
with this entire operation.

I know I did. Sharon,
let... let me finish, please.

I thought I-I had a handle
on all this stuff,

but I-I didn't follow
my orders,

and I almost got myself killed,

and... and from now on,
whatever you want me to do,

whatever it is
that I need to do,

Sharon, I promise you
that I'll do it.

I'll just do it, because...

You saved me... again.

[ Sniffles ]

But it's not over yet.

Unfortunately, the guy who tried
to kill you is still out there.

I know.

And I am happy that you promised
to do what I say

and that you know
it's for your own good.

But...

- Come on. Come on.
- What...

Wait. Sharon,
what's for my own good?

What are you doing?

What's going on?

[ Door opens ]
Provenza: Hello? Captain?

Down the hall, lieutenant!

Why is Lieutenant Provenza
here?

Ah, good news.

Uh, since it's clear

that it's not as safe here
as we would like,

until you testify in court,
you're coming to live with me.

Wait. U-until I testify?

But that could be years
from now.

Not anymore. Besides staying
safe, you need to get ready.

Rusty, next week, you take
the stand against Phillip Stroh.