The Mysteries of Laura (2014–2016): Season 2, Episode 1 - The Mystery of the Taken Boy - full transcript
The team investigates a vehicular homicide. Witnesses says the victim was acting strange, one witness, a mother who took her son out, says he was looking at her strangely. They learn that the victim was a convicted sex offender. They talk to his girlfriend who says he was wrongfully convicted, and that he was trying to get his life in order, but when she tells them what she thinks he was doing, it doesn't jive with what he was doing when he died. They find that he had pictures of the boy he was looking at when he died. So they assume the boy was about to be kidnapped which is what happens. So they try to find out who did it. Jake tries to come back but his replacement reminds him that his leave still has a week to go but Jake decides to stay and help with the investigation. He later learns the Captain has no intention of leaving.
Hi, mom.
Hey, run, run! Look out!
Look out, guys! Run, run!
Mom!
Mommy!
This is a crime scene,
people, not a play date.
Take your kids home.
Diamond, Soto, meet my very
dead amigo John Doe.
Mid-20s, presumably killed on impact.
He's got tracks up and down his arms.
A few blocks away from the
alphabets, heavy dealer presence.
Could have been looking to score.
Affirmative, but not that kind of score,
according to Mom over there.
I feel awful for that man.
He shouted to save the kids.
But clearly he was lurking.
I've seen him around here before.
I couldn't help but assume.
I'm sorry your son had to see this.
Thankfully, he's more
hungry than traumatized.
Oh. Well, I have a...
An unpaid Excel cable bill,
um, here we go, most of
a... of a granola bar.
Thanks, but Theo's diabetic.
We're sugar free, gluten free.
Oh, tried that for a day.
Turns out everything worth
eating is chock full of gluten.
Not to rub it in.
So, you saw the crash.
The taxi didn't even try to stop.
- Can we go?
- I should probably get him home.
Of course. Thank you for your time.
The mom's right. According
to those tire tracks,
no evidence of braking, no
swerving to get out of the way.
- Traffic cameras?
- All pointing the wrong way.
Couple of eyewitnesses
who got a good look said
that it looked more like
a clip than a dead-on hit.
Could have been a drunk driver.
Possibly, or vigilante justice.
You're thinking that our dead junkie
was a perv who cruises jungle gyms?
Seems viable. Maybe a vengeful
parent going after the guy.
- In a yellow cab?
- Well, cabbies are parents, too.
Or it could have been grand theft taxi.
- Let's track down that cab.
- ID the victim.
Lab's already running prints.
We're also gonna try a facial recognition
analysis using crime scene photos.
I'll have the
techs forward it to you.
Just print up
some hard copies, too.
We'll have the squad
canvass the neighborhood.
- Shh.
- Oh, please.
We're working, we can speak.
Excuse me.
For the umpteenth time, the
best investigative work is done
in a quiet and contemplative environment.
Can we keep the volume down?
Yes, Captain Santini.
It's Santiani, for the umpteenth time.
How long till Jake is back and the
reign of terror comes to an end?
Six days, 22 hours.
Give or take a week.
- Hey!
- Thank you, God.
Look who's back.
Hello, Max.
- Welcome back, Cap.
- Billy, nice to see you.
What are you doing here?
I work here.
But if you have another week of medical
leave, you should take the week.
I don't need another week, I feel
great. I ran five miles this morning.
Why is it weirdly quiet in here?
You can ask the Queen of Darkness.
Incoming.
Captain Santiani.
Captain Jake Broderick. Thank
you for holding down the fort.
Still holding.
I'm commissioned through
the end of the month.
Yes, yes. Well, in the
meantime, I am happy to help.
- I'm a utility player.
- Suit yourself.
You can sit at Detective Pulaski's old desk.
Frankie? Where is Detective Pulaski?
Transferred back to CDIU last week.
She didn't have the seniority
to accept this post.
I've been cleaning up a number
of messes around here.
Well, I can tell. I've never seen the
squad room look so, um, sterile.
Hmm.
Awkward much?
She is adorable.
A double whammy for you.
John Doe's fingerprints
identified him as Ronald Belasco.
Arrested two years ago for rape,
third degree, whatever that is.
Reduced charge for non-violent
sexual assault of a minor.
Whose identity is redacted
in the file, which is sealed.
Well, let's try to unseal it.
I knew you'd say that.
Sign here for the request.
Thank you, my psychic friend.
What's the second whammy?
Report of a stolen taxi 12
minutes before your hit and run.
Huh, less than a mile from the park.
Thief might be our perp.
You two go talk to the cabbie.
See what you can find out.
Laura and I will track down
Ronald Belasco's next of kin.
Welcome back, Captain.
The DMV does offer a refresher
course, free of charge.
Six years partnering with Billy,
he never once criticized my driving.
Yeah, not to your face.
Excuse me. I just spent the last five months
driving your ass to physical therapy,
cooking your ass nightly meals,
washing your dirty-ass clothes,
cleaning your dirty-ass bachelor pad,
and raising your smart-ass sons.
A little respect?
A lot of respect.
Damn right.
Excuse me. Uh, NYPD.
We're looking for the
family of Ronald Belasco.
I'm his family.
Is he in trouble?
Shannon, when did
you last see your fiance?
Just a couple hours ago.
Uh, he was working construction,
so he usually left pretty early.
I don't believe this.
We are gonna need to talk to his boss.
He didn't have a regular gig.
It was all day jobs, cash only. Why?
Uh, Shannon, Ronald wasn't
killed on a construction site.
He was at a park playground.
We're concerned he may have been targeted.
What? Why would anyone target Ronnie?
Shannon, did you know that he
was a convicted sex offender?
Yes. So?
So, it is possible that one of the
victims or the victim's parents...
No. That's not possible.
Shannon, we understand
why you'd feel that way.
You don't understand. The
rape charge, that was with me.
I was 16. My dad caught us. Ronnie was 21.
Statutory rape.
I begged my dad, but he
wouldn't drop the charges.
I haven't spoken to my parents since.
Ronnie was a good man. And he loved kids.
He was so excited about
the baby. He would never...
What about drugs?
We saw track marks on his arms.
Yeah, he picked the habit up at
Rikers, but as soon as he got out,
he got into a methadone program, he got
clean, he signed up for night school.
There is a lumber yard a block away from
the park. It's a day labor pickup place.
That would explain why he has
been spotted in the vicinity.
He could have struck out on a job,
wandered by, saw an
accident about to happen,
shouted to save the kids.
Now, that sounds like Ronnie.
He was starting over.
Finally. You find my cab?
Not yet. You say you were car-jacked?
I say? Look at my head, stupid man.
I'm waiting two hours for you.
Okay, take it down a notch. What happened?
I went in to use
the bathroom at CVS.
I come back and from behind
I'm pounded on the head.
I wake up, taxi's gone.
So, you didn't crash your
car into a guy at the park,
and that's how you hurt your head?
How stupid is this guy?
He's not in the least bit stupid.
He even knows how to book you
for harassing a police officer.
Was there GPS in the vehicle?
Cab was crap.
For GPS I used my iPhone,
which they got away with.
Even better. Number, please.
Sorry, Mr. Rundosi.
Your iPhone is burnt toast.
Check it. Camera, or used to be.
Eject the SD card?
Housing's tweaked but the core's
intact. Might be readable.
We can try it in mine.
Couple of coffee cups, stake-out style.
Might have been more than one perp.
Let's see what they were taking
photos of. Hopefully selfies.
Son of a bitch, that's
the kid from the park.
From the different
outfits and metadata,
it's clear this boy was
being followed for weeks.
The cab barreling toward Theo
was a kidnapping attempt.
We're en route to the Davis's right now.
We called the mom, she's
not answering home or cell.
- We sent a unit.
- We're almost there.
Theo, stay right there.
Okay, Mom.
My son is gone! My
son is gone! He's disappeared!
We're too late. They got him.
He was just in front of the house...
Theo Davis, age five. He was
playing ball on the stoop
while his mom brought the groceries inside.
She only turned her back for a moment.
Stellar parenting.
I've done the same thing,
Captain. Don't blame the mom.
So, what exactly happened
when her back was turned?
Perp jumped out of the
yellow cab and grabbed Theo.
The mom didn't get the
medallion number or the tag.
No doubt stolen, like the cab from
the park, so that's a dead end.
Post a man on the door and
take a hard look at the dad.
Carl Davis? Please tell me why.
Experience. Something doesn't smell right.
Oh, and in case you're not
clear, that's an order.
This doesn't make sense. Why
would anyone take our son?
We don't know. But from
the surveillance photos
we found in the burnt-out taxi, it's
clear that he was specifically targeted.
- So, what do we do now?
- Wait.
Most ransom calls come within the first 12
hours. We are monitoring all of your phones.
So, as soon as they make
contact, we will know.
Theo doesn't have 12 hours.
My brother needs his insulin.
He has to have his shot by 6:00 p.m.
If he doesn't, he could
go into a diabetic coma.
So you see, you just can't sit here.
We won't, but to find Theo we need
to figure out why he was targeted.
Isn't that obvious? For ransom.
But why Theo?
I mean, presumably, there are wealthier,
more prominent families around.
Can you think of anyone who
would want to hurt your family?
Of course not.
Why don't you take something?
Okay.
We need to gather as much information
as quickly as possible, Mr. Davis.
Could we talk downstairs?
Sorry it's so hot in here. Air
conditioner is not working, of course.
I swear, my AC hates me. It
only conks out when I need it.
Okay.
Tell me about Theo.
He is a perfect child. Always has been.
Even his home-birth was easy.
Oh, wow. No epidural, no Vicodin drip.
You are a braver woman than me.
Oh.
I've got two soccer players at home.
Theo would sleep with his
cleats on if we let him.
Candace played all through high school.
She's on a gap year, so
they practice every day.
He idolizes her.
Wow. Lucky kid.
Playground trips with mom,
soccer with his sister.
Is there anyone else who
spends alone time with Theo?
Other than my husband, no.
Mr. Davis, what line of work are you in?
I own parking garages.
Not exactly high class,
but it's decent money.
All in cash?
We take cards, but mostly cash.
Hmm. Any problem employees?
Where to begin?
Well, somebody who might have a grudge.
Somebody who knew that you
could easily put together
an all-cash ransom if you needed to.
Lyle Truco.
He managed my spot on 6th Avenue.
I fired him a few weeks back for skimming.
Did you tell the police?
No. Lyle's not the type
you want to piss off.
I figured it was cheaper and
safer just to eat the loss.
He's a bouncer at a strip
club, for God's sake.
Hey, hey! You can't park there.
You're blocking the sign! Move it!
Shut your mouth, Pacquiao.
NYPD.
- You're Lyle Truco?
- What if I am?
Sounds like a yes to me.
Tell us what happened at your last job.
Carl grow a pair and tell you I ripped
him off? 'Cause you can't prove a thing.
His son was kidnapped this morning,
and this testosterone act, it's making
you look guiltier by the second.
Kidnapped? Carl's kid? Jeez.
Where were you at 11:00 a.m. this morning?
At the gym. Started at 9:00,
did a three-hour session.
My spotter was with me the whole time.
All right. Well, we're gonna
need his name and number.
And that's objectively
too much time at the gym.
Look, I'll admit that I
was pissed off at Carl,
but he had no right to fire me.
So you didn't steal from him?
Like I said, he's got no proof.
But if I did line my pockets,
it was Carl who taught me how.
You don't believe me, huh?
Ask yourself why he
didn't have me locked up.
Because I was gonna rat him out to the IRS.
On what grounds?
Five years ago, Carl was using the
garage as his personal piggy bank.
Skimmed more than 100 grand.
So the father's dirty. As I suspected.
Maybe. Skimping cash from
his business five years ago
doesn't make him complicit in the kidnap.
It would make him a criminal, who as we
now know, consorts with other criminals.
He may not be complicit, but he
may know more than he's saying.
I subpoenaed his financials.
Max is running an audit.
Did you say Max?
The little ginger weirdo
who answers the phones.
I sent him to a crash course
in forensic accounting.
It's called maximizing precinct resources.
Get an update.
Aye, aye, Interim Captain.
Ooh. Speaking of. I don't know how
familiar you are with department protocol,
but your medical leave didn't guarantee
you reassignment to this command.
You've got to be kidding me.
I'm hardly ever kidding.
I have seniority over you, Broderick.
And after four years in the south
Bronx, this is very civilized.
You're not leaving?
I'd suggest that you start
looking for a new precinct.
What the hell is going on in there?
Would you like me to find out?
Looks like they're getting ready
to rumble, very West Side Story.
Except they're both sharks.
Anything on the financials?
So I checked vendor invoices
against the PNL statement
from the 2010 tax return and hit pay dirt.
Ten separate write-offs of $10,000,
then a one-time conversion to cash.
English, please.
Lyle Truco was telling the truth.
Carl Davis skimmed $100,000
from the company five years ago.
Interesting. Right at the time
that Theo was born in a bath tub.
Ick.
That's it.
"Ick"? Really?
Okay, I need Theo's birth certificate,
his medical records, and the
Davis' credit card statements.
Why?
I just realized what's been
bugging me about the mom.
Lay it on me, sister.
Anyone who carries a purse
jam-packed with mood-enhancing meds
is not the kind of woman who martyrs herself
to a home-birth without the
possibility of an epidural.
Why make up a story about a home
birth? And where does 100 grand fit in?
I don't think Theo is their biological son.
I think they bought him on the black market.
What the hell are you talking about?
Of course Theo is my son.
Theo's birth wasn't registered for days.
You didn't pay any expenses
relating to a home birth.
You didn't go to your own doctor for
weeks, before or after his birth.
Theo was adopted illegally.
A simple DNA test will confirm it.
Don't lie to me, Julia.
You know better than anyone that
with Theo's medical condition,
we can't waste another minute.
We did, but Theo is my son,
and that's all there is to it.
No, it could also be the
reason behind his abduction.
Tell me everything about his adoption.
When Candace was 11, I was
diagnosed with leukemia.
We caught it in time, but the
treatment left me infertile.
We wanted a sibling for Candace
if something happened to me.
- You tried legitimate adoption?
- Of course.
But the agency said being a survivor
made me a bad risk as an adoptive parent.
As if bio parents don't die, too.
How did you find Theo?
Our adoption coordinator, Pamela King.
And besides her, who else knew?
I didn't tell a soul.
No one noticed that you suddenly
had a baby without a bump?
Pamela gave me a prosthetic pillow.
Okay.
Then you delivered at
home with no witnesses.
I know it was wrong.
But when Pamela said we could rescue
Theo from a life of poverty and crime,
$100,000 is a small price to pay.
Unless you were spoon-fed a sob story.
Theo could have been stolen from parents
who are now desperate to get him back.
You think that's why he was taken?
I need DNA, hairbrush, tooth brush,
a piece of dirty laundry, a used straw.
Reynaldo needs to run a familial
DNA screen through CODIS.
I hear and obey.
Where are we with Theo Davis?
We are waiting for DNA results.
Did you put Billy and Meredith
on the adoption coordinator?
They're on her, all right.
- What's wrong?
- It's nothing important.
We've established I can tell
when you're lying. Spill.
Santiani likes it here.
And yet here does not like Santini.
- She's not trying to stay.
- She is staying.
That makes no sense. She has an
hour-long commute from Riverdale.
Maybe she's looking to relocate.
No, no. No chance. She's a single mom.
And her supposedly genius 9th
grader goes to Bronx Science.
I don't know what to tell you.
It's not her call.
Personnel decisions come through 1PP.
Who I just hung up with.
Technically, she can stay here as
long as she wants. Permanently.
Screw "technically"!
That little runt needs to
dropkicked right back to the Bronx.
You were shot in the line of duty.
No, I was shot in the back.
Ha. We've been trying since the wedding.
It didn't happen. We even tried IVF.
Dropped a bundle on that, not to
mention the needles.
He has a phobia. It's sorta cute.
But we're ready now. Got the names
all picked out and everything.
Mmm-hmm. All we need is a baby.
As you know, it's a process.
Um, I've reviewed your
preliminary application.
I noticed that you left a few fields blank.
Specifically, your criminal history.
Right. Um...
Okay. I did 18 months for grand theft auto.
I was 17 years old, took the
principal's Beemer out for a joy ride,
but I'm working on getting it expunged.
- It should be off...
- I am sorry.
But until that happens,
we can't approve you.
You said this was going to be okay.
- You said that we could have our baby.
- Okay.
Miss, there's got to be
something you can do.
I wish I could help, but my hands are tied.
Right. Okay. Thank you. Let's
go, baby. Come on, come on.
Okay.
There are alternatives to traditional
adoption. But they're expensive.
Name your price.
Between $75,000 and $100,000,
depending on the child's circumstances.
And you can make this happen?
Baby, that's a lot of money.
You said you'd do anything.
We'll pay.
I have just the right child for you.
Julia and Carl Davis. Where'd you find
"just the right child" for them?
610, last known address.
Oh, Maxi pad!
Bio mom is Gail Walker.
All I have is date of delivery
and address from five years ago.
So kinda skimpy on the deets.
Well, that's where you come in, skimpy.
We need full background, stat, but most
of all we need current whereabouts.
On it.
Scored a lead on bio mom.
Imagine that, I scored
the lead on the bio dad.
Reynaldo got a DNA match?
Gregory Adams. Three-time violent offender.
99% chance he is the biological father.
100% chance that he is not
involved in the kidnapping.
- He died in a knife fight three years ago at Dannemora.
- Oh, damn.
Look, I know you all have questions...
But we will be having
a briefing later today.
Okay? Thank you.
Last known address on bio mom.
Nice work.
What I do.
Let's go through here or we'll
be caught in this cluster.
Diamond, Broderick. Come.
I need you to get over to
the Davis house right away.
There's been a development?
No, I am going to have them
make a public statement.
Play up the medical angle with the boy.
Might shame the kidnappers into speeding
things along. So go pick 'em up.
Wait, wait. You want us to play chauffeur?
I want you to transport the
family back to the precinct.
During which time you will
prepare them for the appearance.
Remind them to stay calm,
repeat the boy's name.
Yes, we... We know the drill.
This isn't our first kidnapping,
which is why Jake and I should
be working active leads.
We just landed the name and address
of the bio mom. Theo might be there.
Good. I will send Soto and Bose.
You two have the relationship
with the parents.
Go do your job.
Mother...
Bio mom. Gail Walker.
Can't tell ya how many busts I made
in this place when I was coming up.
This place is gang land big time.
Maybe why Gail didn't
want to raise her baby.
Yeah, but why snatch him now?
She finally got her life back together.
Maybe she's tracked him down.
No way to know until we talk to her.
- You ate enough, you little pig!
- Leave me alone!
- Theo?
- NYPD. Don't move.
Step away from the child. Theo?
- Give me that.
- Theo?
- It's not him.
- No?
- Damn it.
- It's all right, it's gonna be okay.
We're the good guys.
Have a seat.
You know, I should use that belt on
you. You're beating up on your kid?
I didn't beat no one, and she's not my kid.
- I'm the babysitter.
- Yeah, not for long.
You're going to jail for
assaulting that little girl.
- Now, where's Gail Walker?
- Dead.
When? How?
Couple of years back. Diabetes.
- You her mother?
- I look old enough to be her mother?
- Definitely.
- I'm her sister.
- What do you know about her baby?
- Nothing.
Gail put him up for adoption
the day he was born.
She wanted her boy to have a
better life, the uppity bitch.
Well, if she saved him from you,
I'd call her a good mother. Let's go.
Come on.
Copy that. Will meet you back.
So, no living dad or mom.
Oh, God, I don't like this.
Back to square one and only four hours
before Theo needs his next insulin injection.
If we blow this deadline...
Leg bothering you?
Ah, it was just some uneven pavement.
De Blasio better fix these sidewalks.
Hey. Sure you're 100%?
Yeah, 110%.
Diamond and Broderick. Second squad.
They're still in there?
Yeah, they're still inside.
Just got a pizza delivered.
Yeah? You check out the delivery guy?
I know the guy. He's from
Vito's Neapolitan over on 12th.
Delivers to my desk sergeant every day.
- Neapolitan?
- Are you ever not hungry?
Oh, shut up. No, the mom said
that they're gluten free.
Why would they order a dough-laden pizza?
They wouldn't. Kidnappers made contact.
NYPD! Open up!
NYPD! Open up, now!
NYPD! Open up!
Candace.
Sorry it took me so long. I was
just, uh, getting ready for yoga.
Your parents gonna let
you out of their sight
with your brother missing? I don't think so.
Mom, Dad, it's the cops!
What can we do for you, detectives?
- You got a ransom demand, didn't you?
- No.
Where is the note?
I don't know what you're talking about.
We do not have time for
games. Show me the note.
No. No. They said no police.
They're gonna kill Theo.
"75 grand or he dies tonight!"
All right, listen up, people.
Idiot pizza guy is a dead end.
We've established that
the ransom note was placed
in the box along his route
and without his knowledge.
Moving on.
The lab results confirm that the DNA
extracted from the hair on the note
is a match to Theo Davis.
And since proof of life is genuine, we
have to assume that the threat is as well.
Now, the Davis family has the cash ready
to go, and as per the kidnapper's demand,
Mom will carry it to the
South Street Seaport.
The takers only gave them three hours to
assemble the money? It's pretty tight.
Means they likely knew the Davises
kept that kind of cash in the house.
Yeah, they have to know the
family. We need to look harder.
Uh-uh. The moment for solving this case
via shoe leather has passed, Detective.
Oh, um, I'm "Detective." He's "Captain."
Just...
The note states that once
the kidnappers retrieve
the money, they will reveal
the location of the boy.
We're just gonna trust them?
No. We will have the area on lockdown.
We'll have plainclothes, aviation, harbor.
We'll have eyes everywhere.
All units confirm your
status on my call sign.
- Alpha one.
- Alpha one's a go.
- Alpha two?
- Alpha two, we're wheels up.
Alpha three, any movement?
Alpha three, I've got the eyeball.
She's almost at the drop.
All right, stay alert, people.
Entering your airspace.
I'm right on top of you.
Alpha One, incoming possible
Black Suzuki, unidentified driver.
All units report in.
Alpha two, tracking it now.
Alpha three, bike approaching drop zone.
- Wait!
- Hell, no.
- Let it go, bitch!
- No. Listen to me.
There are syringes in here.
- Drop it now!
- You have to inject him!
Alpha three, status report.
Alpha three, she's blowing
the play. I'm going in.
Negative. Hold your position, alpha three.
- Let her do her thing, Captain.
- Damn it.
- Hi.
- Who the hell are you?
Just a friend. Theo is going to be okay.
They're going to give him a shot.
- Swear it.
- Screw this.
- Promise now.
- Okay!
Give me the damn money!
Let go of the bag, Julia.
Now tell us where Theo is.
Wait for the call.
No. You tell me where my son is!
No. This is blown. All units roll in.
- No, wait!
- Alpha one.
All teams move in, do not
let that bike get away!
No! Shut up and listen!
Excel Cable does not service this area!
The boy is in the van!
- Get off the bike. Get your hands in the air.
- Freeze!
No, he's in the van! Damn it!
- You jumped the gun.
- Excuse me?
The whole damn point was to let
the money and the medicine go.
I jumped the gun?
You inserted yourself in the drop,
Detective. You compromised the operation.
I got Julia Davis to drop the bag. We were
30 seconds away from recovering her son.
He was in a van, right across the median!
Then we will get him soon enough.
There's no soon enough.
He's overdue on his insulin.
His mother can give Theo the
shot in a matter of minutes.
Aviation is tracking the van.
Alpha two, report. I
need location on the van.
Bad news, we lost it.
- Oh, damn it.
- Repeat?
The van drove into the Brooklyn-Battery
Tunnel and never came out.
Patrol's checking now.
Patrol went into the tunnel. They
found vinyl auto skins on the road way.
They pulled a fast one on us.
Oh, so now Theo Davis is in a van
that could be any color, any logo.
He's in the wind without his meds,
the takers don't have their money...
You just signed his death warrant.
Put the bag man in the
box and get him talking.
I don't appreciate your tone.
You want to know what I don't appreciate?
We really don't.
I haven't seen sucker Santiani since
she left my squad in the Bronx. Enjoy.
We'll try.
Hey, buddy.
I can understand evil Santiani, scary
Santiani, but why sucker Santiani?
She's supposed to get bumped
up to Deputy Inspector.
She picks out her new office,
plans herself a party, gets loaded,
tells half the precinct what
she really thinks of 'em.
Then the promotion falls through. Epic.
Ouch.
That's why.
Why she's so unbearable?
That's why she's willing
to drive an hour to work.
She was humiliated.
There's no one in our precinct
who knows what happened to her.
- But if they did...
- You wouldn't.
- Not me, you.
- Excuse me?
That's how you get your job back.
By embarrassing her again?
No, that would be cruel.
Just let her think that's
the plan, she'll fold.
That's pretty hardball.
Jake, this isn't just about your
resume. This precinct needs you here.
Donovan Breva.
Grand theft auto, burglary,
aggravated assault,
and now we can add kidnapping
and vehicular homicide.
Detective, if I may, my client knows
nothing about a vehicular homicide.
And as for the alleged kidnapping,
my client is a mere cog in the machine.
Counselor, if I may, you
can blow it out your ass.
Your client was the sole
participant in the ransom pickup.
He acknowledged awareness
of the kidnapping to both
the victim's mother and an NYPD
detective, and on top of that
his participation in this
crime makes him subject to
a felony murder charge for the hit and run.
Now, Donovan, if you want this story to end
in any other way than life without parole,
you better start talking.
I need to know where Theo Davis is
and who your co-conspirators are.
What kind of deal are we talking about?
There is no deal, not until we
know what he's prepared to give up.
That's not how it's gonna work.
You have a missing child out there.
It appears my client is in the
driver's seat. Come back with a deal.
The co-conspirator is most likely
Donovan's brother, Steven Breva.
Has the same record as Donovan, they
almost always got arrested together.
My money says Steven was driving the van.
Right, get an APB out. Or
am I jumping the gun again?
Already out, Captain.
We issued warrants on Donovan's
apartment and workplace.
It's a shop that makes,
wait for it, vehicle skins.
That explains the cable van.
No sign of the boy.
Well, now that we have Donovan,
his brother is not going to risk hiding
anywhere that we have on record.
They're gonna go off the grid.
But if we figure out the connection between
Theo's family and the Breva
brothers, we may get somewhere.
We could talk about this all
day, or we could start a deal.
I recommend we reduce Breva
to accessory across the board
and cap his incarceration at five years.
- Do you, now?
- Mmm-hmm.
What message is a slap on the wrist
to potential kidnappers out there?
Five years is hardly a slap on the wrist.
And if it gets Theo home and
gets a full-term conviction
from the brother, it's all worth it.
- I don't like it.
- Well, what do you like, Captain?
Because in the last five months the only
thing I've seen you take a liking to
is a stick firmly wedged up your ass.
Don't berate me, Detective. I am
your superior, not your child.
I would never berate my child.
We'll call the DA. Six
years, make the offer.
It is your lucky day, Mr. Breva.
We are prepared to reduce charges
and guarantee a prison term
of no longer than six years
if you provide information that leads
to the apprehension of the kidnappers
and the safe return of Theo Davis.
- I want full immunity.
- Donovan, this is...
Ah-ah-ah, I got this.
How big of an idiot are you, Donovan?
You think there is a DA in
this country who is gonna
give you a free pass for
kidnapping and murder?
I don't know. Maybe.
Kid comes back okay, who
cares about some dead junkie?
- Oh, my God.
- What?
I'm sorry. How did you know the
hit and run victim was a junkie?
Good boy.
What else could he be?
Hanging around a sketchy park.
I'm not buying it, Donovan.
You know what I think? I think you knew him.
- The hell I did.
- Stop talking.
We assumed the hit and run was collateral
damage for the botched kidnapping.
That Ronnie Belasco was
just an innocent bystander.
Wrong place, wrong time, but
maybe Ronnie was part of the plot.
This is just conjecture. Suppose
they did know each other.
Why would anyone run down a co-conspirator?
Because he changed his mind.
- Who? Ronald Belasco?
- Exactly.
He got in over his head
with the kidnapping plot.
His girlfriend said Ronnie was really
excited about becoming a father.
Maybe he realized he
couldn't do that to a child.
Then why go to the park at all?
To warn the family.
Julia said he was lurking.
Maybe he was steeling himself,
getting up the guts to approach her.
When the taxi came plowing
onto the side walk,
Ronnie did the best he could.
He screamed to Theo to run.
The kidnappers knew Ronnie had
turned on them, so they took him out.
But it was too late. Theo
was safe. So they took off.
And then, with Ronnie out of the way,
they tried again. And this time, succeeded.
Okay. So, maybe the reason we hit a
wall trying to make a connection between
Theo Davis' family and Donovan Breva is...
Donovan isn't the connection, Ronnie is.
Exactly, but Theo's mom didn't know Ronnie.
So how does a barely employed ex-con,
ex-junkie connect to her family?
I think I might know.
Tell Jake not to make a deal.
Just a sec, I'll get my parents.
Actually, I'm here to see you.
Oh. Why?
Again with the long sleeves.
My kids have been in shorts and
T-shirts since spring break.
I'm always cold.
Even with a broken air conditioner?
Or do you not want people to see
the track marks on your arms?
Can I help you, Detective?
It really would have been helpful
to know that in this family,
"gap year" is code for "rehab."
Show me your arms, now.
Candace's problem is a
private, personal matter.
What could this possibly
have to do with Theo?
Everything.
Recognize him?
No.
Are you sure? Because
according to social services,
the two of you got clean together
at the same methadone clinic.
Ronald Belasco, AKA the guy who was
killed in front of your mother and brother.
I never even knew his name.
Well, he knew yours. And I'm guessing
he knew all about your family.
Tell me this isn't true.
No, he looked different.
He was skinny, he
had straggly hair and a beard.
And then he got clean, and engaged.
Did you tell him about
your family's financials?
Did you tell him that
your parents had money?
- Oh, God.
- Candace?
Oh, my God. No, no. We had group therapy
together, and we were supposed to share.
I was a mess, okay? I said a
lot of things. I'm sorry, Mom.
Okay, okay. Candace, Candace.
Hey, hey, hey. Listen to me.
Ronald Belasco's fiance knows next to
nothing about his time in rehab, but you do.
Maybe you can help.
Anything. Just tell me what to do.
What did he share in group?
Did he talk about the people he got high with,
where he got high, where he hid his stash?
We're looking for a hideout, a place
where they could be holding Theo.
The army place in Brooklyn.
The armory?
Yeah, that was his party spot. Um,
he had some kind of a shelter thing there.
A fallout shelter?
Yeah, I think. It was closed down,
but he said that he...
He knew how to get stuff.
NYPD! Go! Go!
Move! Move! Move!
Move out! Move out! Move out!
I got him! I got him!
Theo Davis, where is he?
- Over there.
- Face down!
Yeah, yeah. There you go,
there you go. Hey, hey, hey.
Yeah, you're gonna be okay.
You're gonna be okay, buddy.
There you go, buddy.
You're gonna be just fine.
Robots or dinosaurs?
Dinosaurs.
Baseball or basketball?
Soccer.
I knew that! Ah.
I think you have some visitors.
Theo!
Mommy!
Oh, my sweet boy. My baby boy.
- Oh.
- Daddy.
What now?
Pick up where they left off.
You are conveniently
forgetting one important detail.
Theo is not their son.
Of course he is.
His bio parents are dead,
his bio aunt is in Rikers.
We are not going to rip that boy from
the only parents he's ever known.
So we just walk away from the
crime that is staring us in the face.
All I am staring at is a
family who loves each other.
And if that's a crime,
I'm fine with walking away.
Besides, we got the sleazy adoption broker.
All the real criminals are going to prison.
Softy.
Shut up.
- Got a minute?
- I...
Aren't you gonna come in, or just hover?
Good result in the case.
Mmm-hmm. Better than if we had cut that
deal to let Donovan Breva off the hook.
Well, nobody intended
to let him off the hook,
and turns out the brother was
the driver of the hit and run.
Well, now they'll both have
many years in prison together.
Like I said, good result.
Mmm-hmm.
If this is just a chit-chat,
I do have work to do.
And, while I appreciate
your helping out this week,
it's probably best that you coordinate
with 1PP to secure your next post.
Actually, there's been a new development.
It seems some probative information
has come to my attention.
And that would be?
I spoke to 1PP, and you were right.
As a first-year captain, I have no
control over my precinct assignment.
I don't make the rules.
On the other hand, as Senior Detective,
I'm in absolute control of my assignment.
I don't follow.
I didn't ask to be promoted.
It fell in my lap, and while I was happy
to serve, I don't need to be Captain.
If that means leaving this
precinct, leaving these people,
then I don't want to be Captain.
Let me get this straight.
You intend to take a voluntary
demotion in order to keep working here?
I don't intend to.
I did.
Oh, and I'm gonna need Elvis.
Three across, "Stiff crate."
Starts with "H".
- "Hat box"?
- "Hearse."
Genius.
How'd it go?
How'd what go?
Gangbusters.
My way wou havbeen much more satisfng.
I couldn't go there.
- Softy.
- Shut up.
No, really, how did what go?
I would've thought you would've
wanted me out of your hair by now.
Someone's got to keep an eye on you.
Um, 5 down, eight letters. "Joltin'..."
DiMaggio.
Starting to be not so fun.
Hey, run, run! Look out!
Look out, guys! Run, run!
Mom!
Mommy!
This is a crime scene,
people, not a play date.
Take your kids home.
Diamond, Soto, meet my very
dead amigo John Doe.
Mid-20s, presumably killed on impact.
He's got tracks up and down his arms.
A few blocks away from the
alphabets, heavy dealer presence.
Could have been looking to score.
Affirmative, but not that kind of score,
according to Mom over there.
I feel awful for that man.
He shouted to save the kids.
But clearly he was lurking.
I've seen him around here before.
I couldn't help but assume.
I'm sorry your son had to see this.
Thankfully, he's more
hungry than traumatized.
Oh. Well, I have a...
An unpaid Excel cable bill,
um, here we go, most of
a... of a granola bar.
Thanks, but Theo's diabetic.
We're sugar free, gluten free.
Oh, tried that for a day.
Turns out everything worth
eating is chock full of gluten.
Not to rub it in.
So, you saw the crash.
The taxi didn't even try to stop.
- Can we go?
- I should probably get him home.
Of course. Thank you for your time.
The mom's right. According
to those tire tracks,
no evidence of braking, no
swerving to get out of the way.
- Traffic cameras?
- All pointing the wrong way.
Couple of eyewitnesses
who got a good look said
that it looked more like
a clip than a dead-on hit.
Could have been a drunk driver.
Possibly, or vigilante justice.
You're thinking that our dead junkie
was a perv who cruises jungle gyms?
Seems viable. Maybe a vengeful
parent going after the guy.
- In a yellow cab?
- Well, cabbies are parents, too.
Or it could have been grand theft taxi.
- Let's track down that cab.
- ID the victim.
Lab's already running prints.
We're also gonna try a facial recognition
analysis using crime scene photos.
I'll have the
techs forward it to you.
Just print up
some hard copies, too.
We'll have the squad
canvass the neighborhood.
- Shh.
- Oh, please.
We're working, we can speak.
Excuse me.
For the umpteenth time, the
best investigative work is done
in a quiet and contemplative environment.
Can we keep the volume down?
Yes, Captain Santini.
It's Santiani, for the umpteenth time.
How long till Jake is back and the
reign of terror comes to an end?
Six days, 22 hours.
Give or take a week.
- Hey!
- Thank you, God.
Look who's back.
Hello, Max.
- Welcome back, Cap.
- Billy, nice to see you.
What are you doing here?
I work here.
But if you have another week of medical
leave, you should take the week.
I don't need another week, I feel
great. I ran five miles this morning.
Why is it weirdly quiet in here?
You can ask the Queen of Darkness.
Incoming.
Captain Santiani.
Captain Jake Broderick. Thank
you for holding down the fort.
Still holding.
I'm commissioned through
the end of the month.
Yes, yes. Well, in the
meantime, I am happy to help.
- I'm a utility player.
- Suit yourself.
You can sit at Detective Pulaski's old desk.
Frankie? Where is Detective Pulaski?
Transferred back to CDIU last week.
She didn't have the seniority
to accept this post.
I've been cleaning up a number
of messes around here.
Well, I can tell. I've never seen the
squad room look so, um, sterile.
Hmm.
Awkward much?
She is adorable.
A double whammy for you.
John Doe's fingerprints
identified him as Ronald Belasco.
Arrested two years ago for rape,
third degree, whatever that is.
Reduced charge for non-violent
sexual assault of a minor.
Whose identity is redacted
in the file, which is sealed.
Well, let's try to unseal it.
I knew you'd say that.
Sign here for the request.
Thank you, my psychic friend.
What's the second whammy?
Report of a stolen taxi 12
minutes before your hit and run.
Huh, less than a mile from the park.
Thief might be our perp.
You two go talk to the cabbie.
See what you can find out.
Laura and I will track down
Ronald Belasco's next of kin.
Welcome back, Captain.
The DMV does offer a refresher
course, free of charge.
Six years partnering with Billy,
he never once criticized my driving.
Yeah, not to your face.
Excuse me. I just spent the last five months
driving your ass to physical therapy,
cooking your ass nightly meals,
washing your dirty-ass clothes,
cleaning your dirty-ass bachelor pad,
and raising your smart-ass sons.
A little respect?
A lot of respect.
Damn right.
Excuse me. Uh, NYPD.
We're looking for the
family of Ronald Belasco.
I'm his family.
Is he in trouble?
Shannon, when did
you last see your fiance?
Just a couple hours ago.
Uh, he was working construction,
so he usually left pretty early.
I don't believe this.
We are gonna need to talk to his boss.
He didn't have a regular gig.
It was all day jobs, cash only. Why?
Uh, Shannon, Ronald wasn't
killed on a construction site.
He was at a park playground.
We're concerned he may have been targeted.
What? Why would anyone target Ronnie?
Shannon, did you know that he
was a convicted sex offender?
Yes. So?
So, it is possible that one of the
victims or the victim's parents...
No. That's not possible.
Shannon, we understand
why you'd feel that way.
You don't understand. The
rape charge, that was with me.
I was 16. My dad caught us. Ronnie was 21.
Statutory rape.
I begged my dad, but he
wouldn't drop the charges.
I haven't spoken to my parents since.
Ronnie was a good man. And he loved kids.
He was so excited about
the baby. He would never...
What about drugs?
We saw track marks on his arms.
Yeah, he picked the habit up at
Rikers, but as soon as he got out,
he got into a methadone program, he got
clean, he signed up for night school.
There is a lumber yard a block away from
the park. It's a day labor pickup place.
That would explain why he has
been spotted in the vicinity.
He could have struck out on a job,
wandered by, saw an
accident about to happen,
shouted to save the kids.
Now, that sounds like Ronnie.
He was starting over.
Finally. You find my cab?
Not yet. You say you were car-jacked?
I say? Look at my head, stupid man.
I'm waiting two hours for you.
Okay, take it down a notch. What happened?
I went in to use
the bathroom at CVS.
I come back and from behind
I'm pounded on the head.
I wake up, taxi's gone.
So, you didn't crash your
car into a guy at the park,
and that's how you hurt your head?
How stupid is this guy?
He's not in the least bit stupid.
He even knows how to book you
for harassing a police officer.
Was there GPS in the vehicle?
Cab was crap.
For GPS I used my iPhone,
which they got away with.
Even better. Number, please.
Sorry, Mr. Rundosi.
Your iPhone is burnt toast.
Check it. Camera, or used to be.
Eject the SD card?
Housing's tweaked but the core's
intact. Might be readable.
We can try it in mine.
Couple of coffee cups, stake-out style.
Might have been more than one perp.
Let's see what they were taking
photos of. Hopefully selfies.
Son of a bitch, that's
the kid from the park.
From the different
outfits and metadata,
it's clear this boy was
being followed for weeks.
The cab barreling toward Theo
was a kidnapping attempt.
We're en route to the Davis's right now.
We called the mom, she's
not answering home or cell.
- We sent a unit.
- We're almost there.
Theo, stay right there.
Okay, Mom.
My son is gone! My
son is gone! He's disappeared!
We're too late. They got him.
He was just in front of the house...
Theo Davis, age five. He was
playing ball on the stoop
while his mom brought the groceries inside.
She only turned her back for a moment.
Stellar parenting.
I've done the same thing,
Captain. Don't blame the mom.
So, what exactly happened
when her back was turned?
Perp jumped out of the
yellow cab and grabbed Theo.
The mom didn't get the
medallion number or the tag.
No doubt stolen, like the cab from
the park, so that's a dead end.
Post a man on the door and
take a hard look at the dad.
Carl Davis? Please tell me why.
Experience. Something doesn't smell right.
Oh, and in case you're not
clear, that's an order.
This doesn't make sense. Why
would anyone take our son?
We don't know. But from
the surveillance photos
we found in the burnt-out taxi, it's
clear that he was specifically targeted.
- So, what do we do now?
- Wait.
Most ransom calls come within the first 12
hours. We are monitoring all of your phones.
So, as soon as they make
contact, we will know.
Theo doesn't have 12 hours.
My brother needs his insulin.
He has to have his shot by 6:00 p.m.
If he doesn't, he could
go into a diabetic coma.
So you see, you just can't sit here.
We won't, but to find Theo we need
to figure out why he was targeted.
Isn't that obvious? For ransom.
But why Theo?
I mean, presumably, there are wealthier,
more prominent families around.
Can you think of anyone who
would want to hurt your family?
Of course not.
Why don't you take something?
Okay.
We need to gather as much information
as quickly as possible, Mr. Davis.
Could we talk downstairs?
Sorry it's so hot in here. Air
conditioner is not working, of course.
I swear, my AC hates me. It
only conks out when I need it.
Okay.
Tell me about Theo.
He is a perfect child. Always has been.
Even his home-birth was easy.
Oh, wow. No epidural, no Vicodin drip.
You are a braver woman than me.
Oh.
I've got two soccer players at home.
Theo would sleep with his
cleats on if we let him.
Candace played all through high school.
She's on a gap year, so
they practice every day.
He idolizes her.
Wow. Lucky kid.
Playground trips with mom,
soccer with his sister.
Is there anyone else who
spends alone time with Theo?
Other than my husband, no.
Mr. Davis, what line of work are you in?
I own parking garages.
Not exactly high class,
but it's decent money.
All in cash?
We take cards, but mostly cash.
Hmm. Any problem employees?
Where to begin?
Well, somebody who might have a grudge.
Somebody who knew that you
could easily put together
an all-cash ransom if you needed to.
Lyle Truco.
He managed my spot on 6th Avenue.
I fired him a few weeks back for skimming.
Did you tell the police?
No. Lyle's not the type
you want to piss off.
I figured it was cheaper and
safer just to eat the loss.
He's a bouncer at a strip
club, for God's sake.
Hey, hey! You can't park there.
You're blocking the sign! Move it!
Shut your mouth, Pacquiao.
NYPD.
- You're Lyle Truco?
- What if I am?
Sounds like a yes to me.
Tell us what happened at your last job.
Carl grow a pair and tell you I ripped
him off? 'Cause you can't prove a thing.
His son was kidnapped this morning,
and this testosterone act, it's making
you look guiltier by the second.
Kidnapped? Carl's kid? Jeez.
Where were you at 11:00 a.m. this morning?
At the gym. Started at 9:00,
did a three-hour session.
My spotter was with me the whole time.
All right. Well, we're gonna
need his name and number.
And that's objectively
too much time at the gym.
Look, I'll admit that I
was pissed off at Carl,
but he had no right to fire me.
So you didn't steal from him?
Like I said, he's got no proof.
But if I did line my pockets,
it was Carl who taught me how.
You don't believe me, huh?
Ask yourself why he
didn't have me locked up.
Because I was gonna rat him out to the IRS.
On what grounds?
Five years ago, Carl was using the
garage as his personal piggy bank.
Skimmed more than 100 grand.
So the father's dirty. As I suspected.
Maybe. Skimping cash from
his business five years ago
doesn't make him complicit in the kidnap.
It would make him a criminal, who as we
now know, consorts with other criminals.
He may not be complicit, but he
may know more than he's saying.
I subpoenaed his financials.
Max is running an audit.
Did you say Max?
The little ginger weirdo
who answers the phones.
I sent him to a crash course
in forensic accounting.
It's called maximizing precinct resources.
Get an update.
Aye, aye, Interim Captain.
Ooh. Speaking of. I don't know how
familiar you are with department protocol,
but your medical leave didn't guarantee
you reassignment to this command.
You've got to be kidding me.
I'm hardly ever kidding.
I have seniority over you, Broderick.
And after four years in the south
Bronx, this is very civilized.
You're not leaving?
I'd suggest that you start
looking for a new precinct.
What the hell is going on in there?
Would you like me to find out?
Looks like they're getting ready
to rumble, very West Side Story.
Except they're both sharks.
Anything on the financials?
So I checked vendor invoices
against the PNL statement
from the 2010 tax return and hit pay dirt.
Ten separate write-offs of $10,000,
then a one-time conversion to cash.
English, please.
Lyle Truco was telling the truth.
Carl Davis skimmed $100,000
from the company five years ago.
Interesting. Right at the time
that Theo was born in a bath tub.
Ick.
That's it.
"Ick"? Really?
Okay, I need Theo's birth certificate,
his medical records, and the
Davis' credit card statements.
Why?
I just realized what's been
bugging me about the mom.
Lay it on me, sister.
Anyone who carries a purse
jam-packed with mood-enhancing meds
is not the kind of woman who martyrs herself
to a home-birth without the
possibility of an epidural.
Why make up a story about a home
birth? And where does 100 grand fit in?
I don't think Theo is their biological son.
I think they bought him on the black market.
What the hell are you talking about?
Of course Theo is my son.
Theo's birth wasn't registered for days.
You didn't pay any expenses
relating to a home birth.
You didn't go to your own doctor for
weeks, before or after his birth.
Theo was adopted illegally.
A simple DNA test will confirm it.
Don't lie to me, Julia.
You know better than anyone that
with Theo's medical condition,
we can't waste another minute.
We did, but Theo is my son,
and that's all there is to it.
No, it could also be the
reason behind his abduction.
Tell me everything about his adoption.
When Candace was 11, I was
diagnosed with leukemia.
We caught it in time, but the
treatment left me infertile.
We wanted a sibling for Candace
if something happened to me.
- You tried legitimate adoption?
- Of course.
But the agency said being a survivor
made me a bad risk as an adoptive parent.
As if bio parents don't die, too.
How did you find Theo?
Our adoption coordinator, Pamela King.
And besides her, who else knew?
I didn't tell a soul.
No one noticed that you suddenly
had a baby without a bump?
Pamela gave me a prosthetic pillow.
Okay.
Then you delivered at
home with no witnesses.
I know it was wrong.
But when Pamela said we could rescue
Theo from a life of poverty and crime,
$100,000 is a small price to pay.
Unless you were spoon-fed a sob story.
Theo could have been stolen from parents
who are now desperate to get him back.
You think that's why he was taken?
I need DNA, hairbrush, tooth brush,
a piece of dirty laundry, a used straw.
Reynaldo needs to run a familial
DNA screen through CODIS.
I hear and obey.
Where are we with Theo Davis?
We are waiting for DNA results.
Did you put Billy and Meredith
on the adoption coordinator?
They're on her, all right.
- What's wrong?
- It's nothing important.
We've established I can tell
when you're lying. Spill.
Santiani likes it here.
And yet here does not like Santini.
- She's not trying to stay.
- She is staying.
That makes no sense. She has an
hour-long commute from Riverdale.
Maybe she's looking to relocate.
No, no. No chance. She's a single mom.
And her supposedly genius 9th
grader goes to Bronx Science.
I don't know what to tell you.
It's not her call.
Personnel decisions come through 1PP.
Who I just hung up with.
Technically, she can stay here as
long as she wants. Permanently.
Screw "technically"!
That little runt needs to
dropkicked right back to the Bronx.
You were shot in the line of duty.
No, I was shot in the back.
Ha. We've been trying since the wedding.
It didn't happen. We even tried IVF.
Dropped a bundle on that, not to
mention the needles.
He has a phobia. It's sorta cute.
But we're ready now. Got the names
all picked out and everything.
Mmm-hmm. All we need is a baby.
As you know, it's a process.
Um, I've reviewed your
preliminary application.
I noticed that you left a few fields blank.
Specifically, your criminal history.
Right. Um...
Okay. I did 18 months for grand theft auto.
I was 17 years old, took the
principal's Beemer out for a joy ride,
but I'm working on getting it expunged.
- It should be off...
- I am sorry.
But until that happens,
we can't approve you.
You said this was going to be okay.
- You said that we could have our baby.
- Okay.
Miss, there's got to be
something you can do.
I wish I could help, but my hands are tied.
Right. Okay. Thank you. Let's
go, baby. Come on, come on.
Okay.
There are alternatives to traditional
adoption. But they're expensive.
Name your price.
Between $75,000 and $100,000,
depending on the child's circumstances.
And you can make this happen?
Baby, that's a lot of money.
You said you'd do anything.
We'll pay.
I have just the right child for you.
Julia and Carl Davis. Where'd you find
"just the right child" for them?
610, last known address.
Oh, Maxi pad!
Bio mom is Gail Walker.
All I have is date of delivery
and address from five years ago.
So kinda skimpy on the deets.
Well, that's where you come in, skimpy.
We need full background, stat, but most
of all we need current whereabouts.
On it.
Scored a lead on bio mom.
Imagine that, I scored
the lead on the bio dad.
Reynaldo got a DNA match?
Gregory Adams. Three-time violent offender.
99% chance he is the biological father.
100% chance that he is not
involved in the kidnapping.
- He died in a knife fight three years ago at Dannemora.
- Oh, damn.
Look, I know you all have questions...
But we will be having
a briefing later today.
Okay? Thank you.
Last known address on bio mom.
Nice work.
What I do.
Let's go through here or we'll
be caught in this cluster.
Diamond, Broderick. Come.
I need you to get over to
the Davis house right away.
There's been a development?
No, I am going to have them
make a public statement.
Play up the medical angle with the boy.
Might shame the kidnappers into speeding
things along. So go pick 'em up.
Wait, wait. You want us to play chauffeur?
I want you to transport the
family back to the precinct.
During which time you will
prepare them for the appearance.
Remind them to stay calm,
repeat the boy's name.
Yes, we... We know the drill.
This isn't our first kidnapping,
which is why Jake and I should
be working active leads.
We just landed the name and address
of the bio mom. Theo might be there.
Good. I will send Soto and Bose.
You two have the relationship
with the parents.
Go do your job.
Mother...
Bio mom. Gail Walker.
Can't tell ya how many busts I made
in this place when I was coming up.
This place is gang land big time.
Maybe why Gail didn't
want to raise her baby.
Yeah, but why snatch him now?
She finally got her life back together.
Maybe she's tracked him down.
No way to know until we talk to her.
- You ate enough, you little pig!
- Leave me alone!
- Theo?
- NYPD. Don't move.
Step away from the child. Theo?
- Give me that.
- Theo?
- It's not him.
- No?
- Damn it.
- It's all right, it's gonna be okay.
We're the good guys.
Have a seat.
You know, I should use that belt on
you. You're beating up on your kid?
I didn't beat no one, and she's not my kid.
- I'm the babysitter.
- Yeah, not for long.
You're going to jail for
assaulting that little girl.
- Now, where's Gail Walker?
- Dead.
When? How?
Couple of years back. Diabetes.
- You her mother?
- I look old enough to be her mother?
- Definitely.
- I'm her sister.
- What do you know about her baby?
- Nothing.
Gail put him up for adoption
the day he was born.
She wanted her boy to have a
better life, the uppity bitch.
Well, if she saved him from you,
I'd call her a good mother. Let's go.
Come on.
Copy that. Will meet you back.
So, no living dad or mom.
Oh, God, I don't like this.
Back to square one and only four hours
before Theo needs his next insulin injection.
If we blow this deadline...
Leg bothering you?
Ah, it was just some uneven pavement.
De Blasio better fix these sidewalks.
Hey. Sure you're 100%?
Yeah, 110%.
Diamond and Broderick. Second squad.
They're still in there?
Yeah, they're still inside.
Just got a pizza delivered.
Yeah? You check out the delivery guy?
I know the guy. He's from
Vito's Neapolitan over on 12th.
Delivers to my desk sergeant every day.
- Neapolitan?
- Are you ever not hungry?
Oh, shut up. No, the mom said
that they're gluten free.
Why would they order a dough-laden pizza?
They wouldn't. Kidnappers made contact.
NYPD! Open up!
NYPD! Open up, now!
NYPD! Open up!
Candace.
Sorry it took me so long. I was
just, uh, getting ready for yoga.
Your parents gonna let
you out of their sight
with your brother missing? I don't think so.
Mom, Dad, it's the cops!
What can we do for you, detectives?
- You got a ransom demand, didn't you?
- No.
Where is the note?
I don't know what you're talking about.
We do not have time for
games. Show me the note.
No. No. They said no police.
They're gonna kill Theo.
"75 grand or he dies tonight!"
All right, listen up, people.
Idiot pizza guy is a dead end.
We've established that
the ransom note was placed
in the box along his route
and without his knowledge.
Moving on.
The lab results confirm that the DNA
extracted from the hair on the note
is a match to Theo Davis.
And since proof of life is genuine, we
have to assume that the threat is as well.
Now, the Davis family has the cash ready
to go, and as per the kidnapper's demand,
Mom will carry it to the
South Street Seaport.
The takers only gave them three hours to
assemble the money? It's pretty tight.
Means they likely knew the Davises
kept that kind of cash in the house.
Yeah, they have to know the
family. We need to look harder.
Uh-uh. The moment for solving this case
via shoe leather has passed, Detective.
Oh, um, I'm "Detective." He's "Captain."
Just...
The note states that once
the kidnappers retrieve
the money, they will reveal
the location of the boy.
We're just gonna trust them?
No. We will have the area on lockdown.
We'll have plainclothes, aviation, harbor.
We'll have eyes everywhere.
All units confirm your
status on my call sign.
- Alpha one.
- Alpha one's a go.
- Alpha two?
- Alpha two, we're wheels up.
Alpha three, any movement?
Alpha three, I've got the eyeball.
She's almost at the drop.
All right, stay alert, people.
Entering your airspace.
I'm right on top of you.
Alpha One, incoming possible
Black Suzuki, unidentified driver.
All units report in.
Alpha two, tracking it now.
Alpha three, bike approaching drop zone.
- Wait!
- Hell, no.
- Let it go, bitch!
- No. Listen to me.
There are syringes in here.
- Drop it now!
- You have to inject him!
Alpha three, status report.
Alpha three, she's blowing
the play. I'm going in.
Negative. Hold your position, alpha three.
- Let her do her thing, Captain.
- Damn it.
- Hi.
- Who the hell are you?
Just a friend. Theo is going to be okay.
They're going to give him a shot.
- Swear it.
- Screw this.
- Promise now.
- Okay!
Give me the damn money!
Let go of the bag, Julia.
Now tell us where Theo is.
Wait for the call.
No. You tell me where my son is!
No. This is blown. All units roll in.
- No, wait!
- Alpha one.
All teams move in, do not
let that bike get away!
No! Shut up and listen!
Excel Cable does not service this area!
The boy is in the van!
- Get off the bike. Get your hands in the air.
- Freeze!
No, he's in the van! Damn it!
- You jumped the gun.
- Excuse me?
The whole damn point was to let
the money and the medicine go.
I jumped the gun?
You inserted yourself in the drop,
Detective. You compromised the operation.
I got Julia Davis to drop the bag. We were
30 seconds away from recovering her son.
He was in a van, right across the median!
Then we will get him soon enough.
There's no soon enough.
He's overdue on his insulin.
His mother can give Theo the
shot in a matter of minutes.
Aviation is tracking the van.
Alpha two, report. I
need location on the van.
Bad news, we lost it.
- Oh, damn it.
- Repeat?
The van drove into the Brooklyn-Battery
Tunnel and never came out.
Patrol's checking now.
Patrol went into the tunnel. They
found vinyl auto skins on the road way.
They pulled a fast one on us.
Oh, so now Theo Davis is in a van
that could be any color, any logo.
He's in the wind without his meds,
the takers don't have their money...
You just signed his death warrant.
Put the bag man in the
box and get him talking.
I don't appreciate your tone.
You want to know what I don't appreciate?
We really don't.
I haven't seen sucker Santiani since
she left my squad in the Bronx. Enjoy.
We'll try.
Hey, buddy.
I can understand evil Santiani, scary
Santiani, but why sucker Santiani?
She's supposed to get bumped
up to Deputy Inspector.
She picks out her new office,
plans herself a party, gets loaded,
tells half the precinct what
she really thinks of 'em.
Then the promotion falls through. Epic.
Ouch.
That's why.
Why she's so unbearable?
That's why she's willing
to drive an hour to work.
She was humiliated.
There's no one in our precinct
who knows what happened to her.
- But if they did...
- You wouldn't.
- Not me, you.
- Excuse me?
That's how you get your job back.
By embarrassing her again?
No, that would be cruel.
Just let her think that's
the plan, she'll fold.
That's pretty hardball.
Jake, this isn't just about your
resume. This precinct needs you here.
Donovan Breva.
Grand theft auto, burglary,
aggravated assault,
and now we can add kidnapping
and vehicular homicide.
Detective, if I may, my client knows
nothing about a vehicular homicide.
And as for the alleged kidnapping,
my client is a mere cog in the machine.
Counselor, if I may, you
can blow it out your ass.
Your client was the sole
participant in the ransom pickup.
He acknowledged awareness
of the kidnapping to both
the victim's mother and an NYPD
detective, and on top of that
his participation in this
crime makes him subject to
a felony murder charge for the hit and run.
Now, Donovan, if you want this story to end
in any other way than life without parole,
you better start talking.
I need to know where Theo Davis is
and who your co-conspirators are.
What kind of deal are we talking about?
There is no deal, not until we
know what he's prepared to give up.
That's not how it's gonna work.
You have a missing child out there.
It appears my client is in the
driver's seat. Come back with a deal.
The co-conspirator is most likely
Donovan's brother, Steven Breva.
Has the same record as Donovan, they
almost always got arrested together.
My money says Steven was driving the van.
Right, get an APB out. Or
am I jumping the gun again?
Already out, Captain.
We issued warrants on Donovan's
apartment and workplace.
It's a shop that makes,
wait for it, vehicle skins.
That explains the cable van.
No sign of the boy.
Well, now that we have Donovan,
his brother is not going to risk hiding
anywhere that we have on record.
They're gonna go off the grid.
But if we figure out the connection between
Theo's family and the Breva
brothers, we may get somewhere.
We could talk about this all
day, or we could start a deal.
I recommend we reduce Breva
to accessory across the board
and cap his incarceration at five years.
- Do you, now?
- Mmm-hmm.
What message is a slap on the wrist
to potential kidnappers out there?
Five years is hardly a slap on the wrist.
And if it gets Theo home and
gets a full-term conviction
from the brother, it's all worth it.
- I don't like it.
- Well, what do you like, Captain?
Because in the last five months the only
thing I've seen you take a liking to
is a stick firmly wedged up your ass.
Don't berate me, Detective. I am
your superior, not your child.
I would never berate my child.
We'll call the DA. Six
years, make the offer.
It is your lucky day, Mr. Breva.
We are prepared to reduce charges
and guarantee a prison term
of no longer than six years
if you provide information that leads
to the apprehension of the kidnappers
and the safe return of Theo Davis.
- I want full immunity.
- Donovan, this is...
Ah-ah-ah, I got this.
How big of an idiot are you, Donovan?
You think there is a DA in
this country who is gonna
give you a free pass for
kidnapping and murder?
I don't know. Maybe.
Kid comes back okay, who
cares about some dead junkie?
- Oh, my God.
- What?
I'm sorry. How did you know the
hit and run victim was a junkie?
Good boy.
What else could he be?
Hanging around a sketchy park.
I'm not buying it, Donovan.
You know what I think? I think you knew him.
- The hell I did.
- Stop talking.
We assumed the hit and run was collateral
damage for the botched kidnapping.
That Ronnie Belasco was
just an innocent bystander.
Wrong place, wrong time, but
maybe Ronnie was part of the plot.
This is just conjecture. Suppose
they did know each other.
Why would anyone run down a co-conspirator?
Because he changed his mind.
- Who? Ronald Belasco?
- Exactly.
He got in over his head
with the kidnapping plot.
His girlfriend said Ronnie was really
excited about becoming a father.
Maybe he realized he
couldn't do that to a child.
Then why go to the park at all?
To warn the family.
Julia said he was lurking.
Maybe he was steeling himself,
getting up the guts to approach her.
When the taxi came plowing
onto the side walk,
Ronnie did the best he could.
He screamed to Theo to run.
The kidnappers knew Ronnie had
turned on them, so they took him out.
But it was too late. Theo
was safe. So they took off.
And then, with Ronnie out of the way,
they tried again. And this time, succeeded.
Okay. So, maybe the reason we hit a
wall trying to make a connection between
Theo Davis' family and Donovan Breva is...
Donovan isn't the connection, Ronnie is.
Exactly, but Theo's mom didn't know Ronnie.
So how does a barely employed ex-con,
ex-junkie connect to her family?
I think I might know.
Tell Jake not to make a deal.
Just a sec, I'll get my parents.
Actually, I'm here to see you.
Oh. Why?
Again with the long sleeves.
My kids have been in shorts and
T-shirts since spring break.
I'm always cold.
Even with a broken air conditioner?
Or do you not want people to see
the track marks on your arms?
Can I help you, Detective?
It really would have been helpful
to know that in this family,
"gap year" is code for "rehab."
Show me your arms, now.
Candace's problem is a
private, personal matter.
What could this possibly
have to do with Theo?
Everything.
Recognize him?
No.
Are you sure? Because
according to social services,
the two of you got clean together
at the same methadone clinic.
Ronald Belasco, AKA the guy who was
killed in front of your mother and brother.
I never even knew his name.
Well, he knew yours. And I'm guessing
he knew all about your family.
Tell me this isn't true.
No, he looked different.
He was skinny, he
had straggly hair and a beard.
And then he got clean, and engaged.
Did you tell him about
your family's financials?
Did you tell him that
your parents had money?
- Oh, God.
- Candace?
Oh, my God. No, no. We had group therapy
together, and we were supposed to share.
I was a mess, okay? I said a
lot of things. I'm sorry, Mom.
Okay, okay. Candace, Candace.
Hey, hey, hey. Listen to me.
Ronald Belasco's fiance knows next to
nothing about his time in rehab, but you do.
Maybe you can help.
Anything. Just tell me what to do.
What did he share in group?
Did he talk about the people he got high with,
where he got high, where he hid his stash?
We're looking for a hideout, a place
where they could be holding Theo.
The army place in Brooklyn.
The armory?
Yeah, that was his party spot. Um,
he had some kind of a shelter thing there.
A fallout shelter?
Yeah, I think. It was closed down,
but he said that he...
He knew how to get stuff.
NYPD! Go! Go!
Move! Move! Move!
Move out! Move out! Move out!
I got him! I got him!
Theo Davis, where is he?
- Over there.
- Face down!
Yeah, yeah. There you go,
there you go. Hey, hey, hey.
Yeah, you're gonna be okay.
You're gonna be okay, buddy.
There you go, buddy.
You're gonna be just fine.
Robots or dinosaurs?
Dinosaurs.
Baseball or basketball?
Soccer.
I knew that! Ah.
I think you have some visitors.
Theo!
Mommy!
Oh, my sweet boy. My baby boy.
- Oh.
- Daddy.
What now?
Pick up where they left off.
You are conveniently
forgetting one important detail.
Theo is not their son.
Of course he is.
His bio parents are dead,
his bio aunt is in Rikers.
We are not going to rip that boy from
the only parents he's ever known.
So we just walk away from the
crime that is staring us in the face.
All I am staring at is a
family who loves each other.
And if that's a crime,
I'm fine with walking away.
Besides, we got the sleazy adoption broker.
All the real criminals are going to prison.
Softy.
Shut up.
- Got a minute?
- I...
Aren't you gonna come in, or just hover?
Good result in the case.
Mmm-hmm. Better than if we had cut that
deal to let Donovan Breva off the hook.
Well, nobody intended
to let him off the hook,
and turns out the brother was
the driver of the hit and run.
Well, now they'll both have
many years in prison together.
Like I said, good result.
Mmm-hmm.
If this is just a chit-chat,
I do have work to do.
And, while I appreciate
your helping out this week,
it's probably best that you coordinate
with 1PP to secure your next post.
Actually, there's been a new development.
It seems some probative information
has come to my attention.
And that would be?
I spoke to 1PP, and you were right.
As a first-year captain, I have no
control over my precinct assignment.
I don't make the rules.
On the other hand, as Senior Detective,
I'm in absolute control of my assignment.
I don't follow.
I didn't ask to be promoted.
It fell in my lap, and while I was happy
to serve, I don't need to be Captain.
If that means leaving this
precinct, leaving these people,
then I don't want to be Captain.
Let me get this straight.
You intend to take a voluntary
demotion in order to keep working here?
I don't intend to.
I did.
Oh, and I'm gonna need Elvis.
Three across, "Stiff crate."
Starts with "H".
- "Hat box"?
- "Hearse."
Genius.
How'd it go?
How'd what go?
Gangbusters.
My way wou havbeen much more satisfng.
I couldn't go there.
- Softy.
- Shut up.
No, really, how did what go?
I would've thought you would've
wanted me out of your hair by now.
Someone's got to keep an eye on you.
Um, 5 down, eight letters. "Joltin'..."
DiMaggio.
Starting to be not so fun.