Those Who Kill (2014): Season 1, Episode 8 - Insomnia - full transcript

- Previously on Those Who Kill...
- Howard killed my brother.

You have no evidence of this.

Schaeffer became obsessed

with having been wrong.

You promised
no more active cases.

Your mother knows.

She's always known.

He's guilty of something.

I just don't know what.

Hey, Mom, it's me.

We need to talk about Howard.



_

Here you go.

I don't remember being
this tired with John.

You were exhausted with John.
All the time.

Did you put John to bed?

Yeah, I turned out the light.

- Yeah, but did you take away...
- Yes.

I took away his controller.

Thank you.

For what?

Hello?

Catherine. Your mother.

There's been an accident.

Marie made it to the top
of the stairs and then she just



stood there... frozen.

Then she started
to speak and, uh...

I didn't know what she was
saying; it was gibberish.

Then she started convulsing

and then-then,
next thing I know,

she was at the bottom
of the stairs.

These symptoms are
indicative of a stroke.

The hematoma and the swelling
are from the fall.

The damage, well,
it's frankly catastrophic.

When can she come home?

Even if she came
out of the coma,

her brain function
would be minimal.

Yeah, well,

take my word for it-- she'll be
back on her feet in no time.

I mean, I know

therapy will be
grueling, and...

I'll be with her every step
of the way, I mean,

she... she's a tough old bird.

She'll be, uh... she'll be back
on her feet in no time.

She's a fighter.

We'll beat this together.

Howard, hear me.

It's not a question of if,
it's a question of when.

You need to prepare yourself,
do you understand?

Marie has
a living will, Howard.

She didn't want
to be kept alive on a machine.

We're not there yet,

but we will be soon.

When we get there,
as her husband, I will need you

to tell me what you want to do.

So, you saw her recently?

Yeah, she came in for a
check-up two weeks ago.

And there were no symptoms?

She complained of headaches,

which she attributed
to recent stress.

I'm very sorry, Catherine.

It was a stroke.

Well, I'm basing that on what
your step-father recounted to the MATs.

The MRI was inconclusive,
and with all the trauma,

there's simply no way to
know without an autopsy.

_

All right, you ready for this, Pittsburgh?

Let's go!

One, two, three, go!

Catherine.

Mia called.

I'm sorry about your mother.

What do you need?

- A case. - I was actually
hoping you'd say "time off."

You asked what I need.

Here you go.

What's this?

Well, it's what you asked for.

Good luck.

- It's not a homicide.
- It could be.

It could be suicide.

Or manslaughter or accidental.

That's why you and Molbeck
are gonna do

an equivocal death
investigation.

Can't you give me a murder case?

If it turns out that Joff Soika

was murdered, I just did.

You had this waiting for me.

You knew I'd ask for a case.

Maybe you'd rather ride
your desk

until the hospital calls.

Thanks, Frank.

It's a common misconception

that serial killers
have no conscience.

Well, in some cases,

that is true, but...

not always.

Here's what I wrote
about Robert Burkhart.

"Robert tried to satisfy
his dark urges

with pornography
and masturbation.

Tragically, for his 19 victims,

this did not satisfy him,

but always, after he'd acted
upon them and killed,

Burkhart's conscience
haunted him.

He couldn't sleep for days,

sometimes weeks.

The apparent contradiction

presented by a serial killer

who seemingly felt guilt
over his action..."

"I sleep just fine."

You busy?

No.

Uh, no.

What's all this?

It's just an old case
I'm working on.

Burkhart?

You find something new?

It's just a theory.

Probably nothing.

What's, uh, what's going on?

I should get going.

You didn't come
here just to leave.

You all right?

You seem, uh...

My mother.

What?

She had a stroke.

She's in a coma,
on life support,

and the doctors say that...

I just...
I wanted to tell you.

Did you ever
talk to her about...

I left a message.

I thought she was
calling me back,

but it was just Howard
calling to tell me.

Good luck with your case.

No, wait, wait.

Catherine, look,

when...

when my brother...

did what he did...

I was angry.

Really.

I mean, it was...
physical.

That kind of
anger is insidious.

It's aimed at them.

But they don't feel it.

You do.

It poisons you.

Forgiveness isn't something
that you do for them.

You do it to get rid
of the poison.

I don't know

why your mother
did what she did.

But you need to get rid of
the poison while you still can.

Owner says different promoters
rent it out once a month.

Cash, no names.

Who the hell would
want to party here?

College kids.

He was a freshmen at Pitt.

Ouch.

Another case
of acute cement poisoning.

He was in the marching band.

Social media says
he was studying music.

Should've taken physics.

What? You related to him?

I'm sorry, it just, it...

it came out so fast
I couldn't stop it.

How many Molbeck
date nights end

with you saying
that to your wife?

Look at all these
empties and inhalers.

Got to stay hydrated on ecstasy.

Menthol to boost the buzz.

Listen, uh...

I'm sorry about your mom.

How you holding up?

You know, sometimes
it's better not to ask.

Is this one of those times?

You're the detective.

How you holding up?

By working.

The power lines should have

fried him, but he cleared them.

Look how far out
he landed from the building.

He was running.

It don't make it murder.

Unless he was being chased.

Look, Joff Soika didn't
steal the Hope Diamond.

He got some bad shit
and jumped out the window.

It sucks, yes.

But murder, it's not.

Was he being chased
or just freaking out?

If he got bad shit,
was it intentional?

Did someone target him?
Who'd he get it from?

- Did he buy it?
- Enough. Enough,

- Did they just give it to him?
- Enough, enough, I get it.

You don't want to deal
with your mother.

This is a pleasant surprise.

Hello, Robert.

Glasses are new.

You like?

They make you look...

weak.

More fragile.

You think?

Are they prescription
or simply for affect?

I faked headaches with the doc.

How did you know that?

Because everything you say
is a calculated lie,

told for desired effect.

You're a sociopath.

So...

to what do I owe the pleasure?

I'm writing another book.

Thomas, I'm blushing.

No, you're not.

You're not capable of
embarrassment, Robert.

I got a question for you.

How can I be a sociopath

if I felt so bad after each...

episode?

- Because it didn't stop you.
- You really like the glasses?

Caroline Henson was
your only brunette.

And younger than
all your other victims.

Why?

It was raining hard that night.

Not many blonde MILFs
on the streets to choose from.

But she was with her fiancé.
That didn't present a deterrent?

I'm not gonna talk about him.

You dumped all the other bodies
on the side of the road,

ten miles from your home.

but this one...

you buried in a state park
60 miles away.

So well hidden that if animals

hadn't dug her up,
she'd have never been found.

Why'd you treat her
so differently than the rest?

I confessed.

You lied.

There are two liars
in this room, Doc.

We both know you're not
writing a new book.

More like rewriting the old one.

And you didn't kill
Caroline Henson.

There are two people
who know that.

Check your math, Doc,
'cause by my count,

there are three.

You, me...

and the man who sent this.

It's okay. I won't bite.

You.

You smell nice.

_

I guess you're gonna be
doing that rewrite after all.

I asked you not to tell
Bisgaard about my mom.

I care about you.
So shoot me.

Uh, with Jensen,
you want to go easy

on the whole, uh,
"shoot me" stuff.

Thanks to you, I'm stuck with
this equivocal death inquiry.

Well, take a look at this.

Tell me what you see.

This one's off the chart.

Subtle, isn't it?

That's his oxytocin level.

MDMA elevates it.

But I've never seen it

spike off the charts like this.

This drug got some
serious help.

So this ecstasy laced
with something powerful?

Ooh, "laced" doesn't
do it justice.

Take a look at this.

You see how those cells
are stuck together?

That's not laced.

It's molecular bonding.

Is that uncommon?

I've never seen it done before.

What was the MDMA bonded to?

Well, that's even more
unusual than the bonding.

It's called piracetam.
I had to look it up.

- What is it?
- It's a nootropic.

It's unregulated in the US.

It lowers the
blood-brain barrier.

So this pirate stuff gives
ecstasy a bigger kick?

Right.
Piracetam.

So it makes him hallucinate?

His hallucinations
would be hallucinating.

It makes you feel more of
whatever you're already feeling.

So if you're feeling
good and you take it,

then you have a
really good trip.

Or if you're feeling bad

you take a running leap
out the fourth-floor window.

Whoever made this stuff

knows exactly what
they're doing.

Maybe you should
try the fifth floor.

Someone in say...

Special Narcotics Unit?

You know, maybe they know
about this stuff.

- Mm-mm.
- Why not?

- I'm the last person he wants to see.
- You never know.

Like I need the mind games
and the constant probing?

Ooh, I like the sound of that.

Hey, didn't you used

to know a guy in Narcotics?

Yeah, I used to know
his brains out.

Hey.

How was class?

Uh, productive, for a change.

- Oh, is that for me?
- No, it's for the dean.

Why don't you take it to him?

He's waiting for you
in your office.

We appreciate your research.

We value that you publish.

But 35% of your students

dropped your classes
this semester.

It's just about
numbers, Thomas.

This university cannot afford

to employ professors

that can't their keep students
from dropping their classes.

You mean untenured professors.

I'm your biggest fan.

I loved your book.

And I'll be the first in
line to buy the next one,

if there is one.

I'm sorry to see you go.

I'm sorry about Marie.

She was always good to me.

She's in a coma.

Dying.

Howard?

Sadly, not.

Come on.
He's not that bad of a guy.

- You don't know him like I do.
- Well, you know,

you're the one
with the secret file on him.

Never shared it with me.

Okay.

This was a mistake.

Hey. Come here.

Look, look...
I'm sorry.

All right?

I was out of line.

It's none of my business.

I got rid of that
file months ago.

Yeah?

It's good you moved on.

It's... you know,
it's been a long time

since you set foot
in Narcotics.

Yeah, it was before
they made Nico the Narc

head of Special Narcotics Unit.

Belated congrats.

Thanks.

What do you got?

Um...

you might notice this...

That's...
strong stuff.

- Piracetam?
- Sure.

I mean, kids take 800 milligrams
the night before they roll.

But I've never seen it
do spikes like this.

Great.

So you don't know where
it could've come from

or who made it?

No, but I'd love to meet him.

I can have my guys
take a look for you.

Okay. Thanks.

Yeah.

It was good to see you.

You, too.

Hey...

wait.

You, uh... ever
meet Ricky Isles?

I know the name.

Yeah, he was the, uh,
ecstasy man in Narcotics.

He took an early
retirement last year.

But if anyone's ever seen
this stuff, it's him.

Rick is a bit of a recluse now.

He doesn't like
being around people.

Especially people
he doesn't know.

So, um...

if he does have
something to tell you,

it might be best if...

you know, if I go with you,

so that, um, he's...

more comfortable.

- That would be great.
- Yeah.

- Thanks.
- Uh-huh.

You are listening...

...to my "Slave Orientation" tape.

It is being recorded on
Sunday, January 1, 2006.

By now you realize
that escape is impossible.

My primary interest

is in my bitch slaves.

You will be used for sex,
in ways you will not enjoy.

When I'm using you, you'll try
to disconnect from your body.

I will give you a drug that
will make that quite impossible.

You will be completely present.

You will feel everything.

Your boyfriend or husband

will watch everything.

Every time I catch him shutting
his eyes, I will cut off

one of his fingers.

There is nothing that will stop

what is going to happen to you.

Trust me, I've been doing this
long before you got here.

I'll be doing it
long after you're gone.

So, Isles said
he knew something?

Did he say what?

I'm not playing this game.

Don't tell me.

Why'd you say he took
early retirement?

- I didn't.
- I really don't care.

I'm not playing this game,
and I'm not going to smile.

You're not gonna
beat it out of me.

No. I'll just
say "alligator,"

- and you'll have to stop.
- You remember our safe word?

That's so sweet.

Uh-huh.

Nah. Isles just couldn't
let go of things.

What kind of things?

You know...

cases, suspects, the past.

Things you got to let go of
in order to have a life,

or a relationship.

I feel like I've heard
you say that before.

Yeah, I didn't think
you heard it, though.

This spiked MDMA is very unique.

Few would know it.

You've seen it before?

I was told the spiking agent
was called pirace...

Piracetam.

That's his signature.

The "Space Cowboy."

Yeah.

His drug that Joff Soika
ingested before his death.

That's powerful stuff.

Every time I see it...

it's got his mark.

The "Space Cowboy."

Do you know who he is?

I can't tell you who he is,

but I can tell you
where he's been.

His stuff, it shows up
in the same cities

every 19 months.

Only these cities,
only every 19 months.

You got a picture of the guy?

Listen... he knows
neurochemistry.

He runs his own
isolating and processing lab.

He's got a PhD, at least.

I've got many suspects
in my files,

but no one as clever as him.

Rick...

no picture?
No sketch off a witness ID?

It-- it's his discipline.

His dedication to his work.

The exact same cities.

Exact same product.

Exactly every 19 months.

Good theory you've got,

but without any witnesses,

you don't really have anything.

He goes city to city.

Never stops.

How long has this guy
been at it?

Eight years. That's a fact.

I've haven't seen a guy.
No one's seen a guy.

According to this map,
this "Space Cowboy" would've

shown up in Pittsburgh
last week.

Joff Soika died with
this Cowboy's unique drugs

in his system 36 hours ago.

This map predicted it.

Joff Soika's blood work
confirmed it.

He's right on schedule.

It's not a coincidence.
It's proof.

Can I make a copy of this,

and give you back the original?

Take it.

Thank you.

Hey.

What's up?
Is he in trouble?

You go to the chief, bad.

The chief comes to you, good.

Is he getting bumped up
to Assistant Chief?

Yeah. It doesn't become
official for two more weeks.

You do realize this means
we're getting a new boss.

Right now's not a good time.

I wouldn't be here
if it wasn't important.

Thanks.

That's why I'm here.

Creepy. I do envy him.

Who's this?

Caroline Henson.

She was alleged to be
Robert Burkhart's 12th victim.

He confessed to it.

I saw him today.

And he gave me that.

Same handwriting.
Oklahoma City.

St. Louis. I'm totally lost.

Caroline Henson lived
in St. Louis,

but her fiancé, Caleb Monroe,
was from Oklahoma City.

He was visiting her
when they disappeared.

He was the prime suspect
in her murder

until Burkhart confessed.

But his body's never been found.

And Burkhart's never revealed
where the body is?

He's always refused
to say anything about him.

So now, because of these,
you think that Burkhart refuses

to talk about Monroe's killing
because he didn't kill him.

I wrote that Burkhart felt
so guilty about his kills

that he couldn't sleep
at night.

I think the man who actually
killed Caroline Henson

read my book and was offended.

I think he sees
Burkhart as weak.

- A conscience as a weakness.
- Exactly.

He sees Burkhart
as an amateur killer.

The fact that I

attributed the Sleeper's kill
to a lesser killer

was like a inadvertent insult.

I think the Sleeper is the one
who killed Henson and Monroe.

I think he's still out there,
and I think he sent these.

Wait, what's this?

Uh, that's Henson's blood work.

The spike is ecstasy; MDMA.

You said they were abducted
in St. Louis?

On what date?

June 6, 2006. What's that?

I need a VICAP search.

What am I looking for?

I want women with the same

physical characteristics
as Caroline Henson,

who went missing from
these cities on these dates.

And why am I doing this?

Because if I'm right,

you want in on this.
Come on.

We shouldn't do this in here.

Are you screwing with me?

You didn't find anything?

I found 19 women
who went missing

from the cities and dates
you gave me.

Nineteen?

And 19 men who
went missing with them.

What the hell is this?

This is a map of the cities
and dates

where the Space Cowboy's unique
MDMA, the same MDMA

we found in Soika's
system, popped up.

And those...

those are the couples

that this Space Cowboy abducted
while he was there.

How is it nobody noticed

this Space Cowboy killed
19 couples?

It was presumed that either
the couples ran off

or that the men had
killed the women and then fled.

Either way, no one suspected
that they were all dead.

Wait, I though you said
we know there are three dead.

Partial remains of two
of the men were found

in the sewers
of their respective cities.

The third victim being the woman
Burkhart confessed to killing?

Caroline Henson.

Tell me about this Space Cowboy.

I can't give you a full profile.

Tell me what you see.

Well, the women all look
the same

because that's what
he's attracted to.

Many serial killers
revisit their dump sites

to re-experience the kill,
so I suspect that

he stashed them
in remote locations

- like he did with Henson.
- The men?

Indicated by the lack of respect
he shows their remains.

He cuts them up and
dumps them in the sewer.

We should be
checking the sewers.

I just pulled this
from our own Missing Persons.

Abbey and Parker Fulton,
married less than a year.

Went to dinner four nights ago.

No one's heard from them since.
Missing Persons put out a BOLO

this morning, but so far, nada.

Hell, young newlyweds
missing four days?

I'm surprised
we filed a report.

Definitely his type.

Okay, listen up.

Outside Homicide,

no one is to mention
the words "serial killer."

What are we looking for?

We're looking for the drug maker

who made the shit
Soika was on when he died.

Which is why Bronte
and his team are working

this joint investigation
with Homicide.

So you're telling us you're
not gonna call the Bureau?

On a local drug-related
homicide? No.

With all due respect, sir...

You ever worked with
the FBI, Detective?

No.

Okay, if we call the FBI,

one of two things
is gonna happen.

One... while we wait for
them to take this seriously,

the killer gets away.

Two... they come in
loud and heavy,

and the killer gets away.

So we can call the FBI.

But before we do, let's take
a long hard look at this board.

Hello.

Okay. I'll be right there.

Come on. I'll drive you.

I need to talk to you.

Why would this Space Cowboy
send a postcard to you?

Ego.

Amateurs don't sleep.

Experts, like him,
"sleep just fine."

He took it as an insult.

And he sent that postcard
to your house?

Yeah.

Schaefer,
you've insulted a prolific

and proficient serial killer

who knows where you
and your family live.

We need to get you and your
family out of that house.

I have a friend
in the Marshals Service.

You have relatives out of town?

- Benedicte's mother.
- You leave tonight.

No, no-- they
leave tonight.

I'm working this case, Frank.
I'm staying.

Look, he's meticulous, and he's
taken an interest in me.

If I suddenly disappear,
he's gonna get spooked.

Okay.

But your family goes.

And I'm assigning you
protection.

She deteriorated,

and Howard couldn't
make a decision,

so I had to intubate her.

But I explained to him

that it's only prolonging
things, and she's suffering.

I've done everything I can do.

He waited for you.

B?

What is it?

I need you to pack a
bag for you and John.

You're going to
go stay with Pam.

What are you talking about?

Mrs. Schaeffer,
I need you to listen to what

Thomas has to say, for your
safety and for your son's.

It's not safe here.

You know, that's the,
uh... that's the same bag

your-- your mother had when
we first went to the beach.

You remember that?
Fourth of July?

Let's see, we'd been dating
about nine months, and, uh,

I, uh, borrowed Judge Dunn's
beach house down at Del Mar,

and we all went,

and your mother-- she
packed so much sun block that

I had to carry her bag for her.

And then, when we
got down there...

We wouldn't wear it.

Yeah, as soon as David said
"no," that was it for you.

You were... you were done.

No discussion.

You kids burnt to a crisp.

Yeah, it was painful
to look at.

I thought we were gonna have
to take you to the ER.

But, uh, no complaints,
not a tear.

I remember saying
to your mother, uh...

"You know, the tears
will come tonight,"

but--
And she said,

I'll never forget this--

she said, "Catherine won't cry
because David won't."

I mean, you adored him,
and he doted on you.

And you never fought,
you never argued.

You were inseparable.

You made your mother
very happy... you two.

Howard, we know what she wanted.

And now she's suffering,
we have to let her go.

She took care of us.

Now it's our turn
to take care of her.

I can't.

I know she's suffering,
I know she didn't want this,

and it has to be done, but...

I can't.

Cat, I'm begging you,

be stronger than I am.

Do it.

End this.

How do I say good-bye
to my own heart?

You loved me more

than I deserve.

And I loved you
the first time I saw you.

Sweet dreams, baby.

You're gonna have
a great time at Grandma's.

You're not coming?

I can't. I have to work.

I'm gonna miss you so much.

You and Mommy.
I love you.

Love you, too.

Believe me, I'm sorry.

I-I wrote the book years ago.

I had no idea
this was gonna happen.

I don't blame you
for writing the book.

That book brought us together.

I saw how passionate you could
be about your work, and I...

all I could see was how
passionate you would be about me

and our family.

But that never really happened.

You know, you wrote
that book years ago,

but he contacted you
two months ago.

Have you stopped
to ask yourself why?

No.

I have.

Tell me.

I figured it out.

You will, too.

Well, it's time for Abbey and I

to have some quality time together.
Just the two of us.

You know,
I used to allow for a few questions

at this time, but...

well, they were always
the same-- so boring.

I'll just answer them.

I won't tell your family and
friends what happened to you.

I won't tell anyone,
on your behalf,

that you loved them.

I won't regret this.

Actually...

after tonight...

I'll never think about you.

No, you don't deserve this.

No, that doesn't bother me.

Now, I have a question for you.

How does it feel

to watch me degrade and torture

and rape your wife
over and over again,

while you just sit there

crying...

pissing yourself?

Oh, don't bother.
I already know the answer.

Would you like to say
good-bye to your wife?

Oops.
I forgot.

No!

You can't.

No!

No!

No!

There may be some discomfort.

Currently, she's receiving four
milligrams of morphine an hour.

If it was raised to 20,

her respiration
will eventually stop.

We want
to keep her comfortable.

You understand?

Good.

We never got to have our talk.

It's no one's fault.

We can have it now
if you want to.

I really need to say this.

You're so beautiful.

I know...

that if you knew...

you did everything you
could with what you had.

I forgive you, Mom.

Tell David I love him.

And I'll never forget.