Unforgettable (2011–2016): Season 3, Episode 6 - Stray Bullet - full transcript

♫ ♫

(bottle clatters)

12 years I've lived in the city,
I'd never been to Belmont.

Now I see
why you love the horses.

That was incredible.

And Eliot thinks I'm
the gambling addict.

Oh, very funny.
So, you free Tuesday?

To go back to Belmont?

Yeah, I just need help
remembering all the tips we got.

Like that woman
I was talking to.

She gave me a tip on a trifecta,

but I forgot the three horses
I'm supposed to box.

To box? You know,
they have these

support groups for gambling
addicts, and you...

What? You're the only one who
can enjoy an adrenaline rush?

No, it's just that
my adrenaline rush

is based on winning money
on the horses.

Yours is more connected to, um,
the blonde who gave you tips.

Not true. Are you gonna give me
the names of the horses or not?

Because I know you remember 'em. I
remember all 12 horses in the race

and the three you
were supposed to box.

I also remember five reasons
why you can't remember.

Blonde hair, pouty
lips, short skirt,

six-inch stilettos and a giant...
Your point is?

I'm not going back to Belmont with you
on Tuesday. Oh, come on. Why not?

Because it violates my
first rule of gambling.

Never accept a tip from a blonde
in six-inch heels?

No, that's my second.
My first is:

only go to the track when
the horses are actually there.

Belmont is closed on Tuesdays.

Mm. I see.

Lieutenant Al Burns? Yup.

Captain Melvin Stearns,
Internal Affairs.

What can I do for you, Captain?

You know a guy named Oscar Payn?

Sure. I collared him for intent
to sell five years ago.

ELIOT: Stearns,
what's going on here?

You aware he's been out
on parole the last six weeks?

Good for him.

Not so good.

Someone put a bullet
in his brain.

And as of now, we have reason to
believe that someone to be you.

Lieutenant Burns, you are placed

on modified assignment
and relegated to desk duty

till our investigation
into the murder of Oscar Payn

determines your guilt
or innocence.

May I have your gun and
your shield, please?

Lieutenant?

You know the rules, Melvin.
Any action against my team,

you notify me personally
in advance.

Don't blame me if you don't know
what's going on with your team.

What's that supposed to mean?

Maybe the board
should have installed

an actual police officer

to run Major Crimes instead of a...
What are you again?

Oh, I know. I know, Melvin.

You wanted this job.

I know how hard
you tried to get it.

Sure, some may have felt

that fixing parking tickets for
the mayor's niece was pandering,

but I for one
applauded your initiative.

Do not take our history out
on members of my team,

or I will see to it
that you regret it.

Lieutenant Burns is a decorated
officer with a spotless record.

We wouldn't have
moved against Burns

if we didn't have
sufficient evidence.

We have a positive
ballistics match

to Burns' service
weapon and a case file

of other evidence
I have neither the need

nor the interest
in sharing with you.

Ballistics match?

Perhaps you haven't heard,
Eliot,

but every weapon fired
has a distinctive signature.

Yeah, yeah. So?

So, Oscar Payn was killed by
Burns' Sig Sauer service handgun

to the exclusion
of any other weapon.

It is an absolute fact.

This is a matter
for Internal Affairs now.

I get even a hint that

your Major Crimes guys
are sniffing around,

I will terminate them
from this department.

(sighs)

Al, what you doing?

Just getting my coffee.

Jay's got this nice Sumatra with
chocolate notes or something.

Wow, you are
extraordinarily calm.

Considering I want to put
my fist through that guy's face?

That I just went through
the most humiliating moment

of my career, maybe my life?

Yeah, considering that.

Listen, we're gonna be fine.

If I wanted to whack a guy,
why would I use my own gun?

This is all a mistake.

I think
it might all be political.

IAB is only looking at you.

They are not pursuing
any other leads.

I put in a call to Beth Bronson,
the LBA attorney.

She's requested an independent
ballistics analysis of my gun.

Who is Oscar Payn?

A scumbag.

Payn was running an operation
out of Corona,

the Tumbling Sixes.

The 117 picked up intel
that Payn was taking in

a major heroin shipment.

I got together a team
to take him down.

Turned out, there was
an eight-year-old

girl inside there-- hostage.

And we got her out, but we
lost someone in the firefight.

A young officer.

And what about Payn?

He beat the murder charge
on a technicality.

Was still put away
for possession with intent.

But he and his partner rolled
on a couple of their own guys,

and got reduced sentences.

Payn's guys hated Payn,
and they hate you.

You're being framed.

We were at the races
the day Payn got murdered.

Where were you that night?

Midnight?
Midnight, I was asleep.

All right, what about your gun?
On my night table.

Not the world's best alibi.

No.

Listen, you stay out of this.

These IAB guys are nightmares.

They'll get you
jammed up or fired.

Trust me, the ballistics test
will clear me.

I'm gonna clear you,

because I'm gonna find out
who killed Oscar Payn.

CARRIE: Do I even
want to know how

you got your hands on these?

All I can say is

a highly-classified Bundt
cake recipe was involved.

Hmm.

Jo? Hmm?

I could get fired
for what I'm doing,

and I don't want to
get you mixed up in it.

Oh, no. I'll be okay.
I'll be okay.

I'm the Dirty Harry of M.E.s.

Mm. How close is the match?

Well, I'm not
a ballistics expert.

From what I can tell,
pretty darn close.

Well, Al's getting the gun
tested independently, so...

Fingers crossed.

Take a look at this, hmm?

Single round penetrated Payn's
skull precisely dead center.

In other words, right
between the eyes.

From ten yards.

Which means our shooter knew
their way around a gun.

Uh-huh.

(sighs)

CARRIE: Eliot, what is this?

Melvin Stearns' attempt
to humiliate me.

Son of a bitch
wants to show me up

in front of my own people.

Look, I know you've kept it
in between the lines so far.

And both of us know Stearns
is waiting for us to over...

Are you gonna tell me to stop?
God, no.

I'm asking you to be careful.

Where's Al?

These goons showed up,
confiscated his computer,

and announced they were
interviewing all of us.

Hmm. He took off.

Oh, hey, I might have
something for you.

I dug into Payn's gang, the
Tumbling Sixes, and I may have

found something interesting.

Take a look. Once Payn got out,

things went south
with his wife Alma.

Apparently, he thought
she was cheating on him.

His parole officer
thinks it could have been

with his old partner
Hector Griego.

Griego got out of jail
four months

before Payn. And guess what?

He's a vet,
weapons-trained in Afghanistan.

If Hector Griego was
sleeping with Payn's wife,

then we have a suspect
that has a grudge against Al

and wanted Payn out of the way.

And was a damn good shot.

Now, there's no
last known address.

We don't know where he is.

Well, I'll bet Alma Payn knows
where he is. Head over there.

Listen, Beth,
I'll take a polygraph.

Al, I've told you, that's
not admissible in court.

Well, it's got to mean something
if I offer to take the test.

The problem is,
you take the poly,

they can ask you questions
you don't want to answer.

For example, "Are you upset
Oscar Payn took a bullet

between the eyes?"

Look, I know this is hard,

but you've got to
trust me and just relax.

Relax? You try to relax with IAB
guys camped out at Major Crimes

right on top of you.

I know.
Would you just stay cool.

Stearns is trying to bait you,

hope you'll take a swing
at one of them

and give them a reason
to send you to Rikers.

They're up there
questioning my team.

All right, thank you.

Call me the second
the test comes in.

All right.

MAN: Detective Margolis?

Sharon Margolis?

Detective Lee, you'll be next.

(phone ringing)

Hey, you okay?

AL: Yeah.

I just couldn't watch Stearns
walking all over my life.

Murray's got a lead.

Payn's old pal Hector Griego.

Looks like he was sleeping
with Payn's wife

while he was in jail.
Murray's heading out there.

Carrie, thanks, but you guys got to
remember, this is Internal Affairs.

If you're gonna tell
me to be careful,

I'm gonna tell you to shut it.

Hey, Carrie.

Can we talk?

Sure.

What's up?

Uh... listen.

I was grabbing a beer
with Al about a month ago.

He was talking
about the Payn case.

He knew Payn was out of prison?

And he was
really steamed about it.

(sighs) He told me...

He told me he wished
that somebody

would wipe that guy off the map.

Al's words, not mine.

If IAB finds out about this...

Did anyone else overhear this?

We were in a bar
with a lot of cops.

Carrie, how do
I play this with IAB?

If they catch me lying...
I'm toast.

You do whatever
you have to do, Jay.

WOMAN: I don't understand.

I-I told the police

everything I know about
what happened to Oscar.

And you've been very
helpful, Mrs. Payn.

I just have a couple more
questions, if that's okay.

Yes, of course.

If you don't mind me asking,

how much you pay
a month for this place?

I... I don't know.

Like, $2,250, maybe?
That about right?

That's $27,000 a year.

Last year, you reported a
part-time income of $30,000.

Now, that leaves $3,000 a
year for food and clothing.

Wow, those amazing $600 Manolo
Blahniks you're wearing.

Were they a gift
from Hector Griego?

Hector? Mm-hmm.

No, I... Alma.

Hector got out before Oscar.

You've been seeing him while
your husband was inside, right?

How do you know that?

We know everything.

Except where Hector is.

You don't think Hector

had anything to do with
killing Oscar, do you?

Where is he?

Hector is clean now.
He is a good man.

Alma.

I used to work as an
investigator for the IRS.

And they don't much care
for unreported income.

I make a call, believe me,
they will take those shoes.

They will take this house.

So why don't you just
tell me where he is.

He's staying with a friend.

623 Ryder Avenue.

Four blocks from where
your husband was murdered.

Hector.

Carrie Wells, NYPD.

I'd like to ask you
a few questions.

I'm guessing this is about Oscar.
Yeah.

I'm happy to talk, but I don't
know what happened to him.

I'm a machinist now.

Got a good job.
Not bangin' no more.

Except for Oscar's wife
Alma, right?

Excuse me, what'd you say?

Hold up. I want
your badge number

and the name of your
commanding officer.

I'm gonna report you.

WEBSTER: Single round
penetrated Payn's skull

precisely dead center.

You were the last one
to see him alive, weren't you?

I don't know what
you're talking about.

Heilbronn. The beer.

You had a beer with him
that night, didn't you?

I think you called him up,
you invited him for a beer,

pretended to be his friend
and then you killed him.

That way, you and Alma
can be together,

and your buddy's not around--
how convenient.

I didn't kill him!

Okay, Oscar came
over for a beer.

But he left around 11:30.

That was the last
time I saw him.

Can anyone back up your story?

Yeah, once he left,
I called Alma.

We were on the phone
for, like, over an hour.

We were trying to decide
how to come clean to him.

Honest. Ask Alma.

Alma was married to Oscar,
cheating with you.

She's not an alibi.

I was here, I swear.

Look, you can track my phone

with that satellite stuff
you guys got, right?

You'll see I'm being straight.

Jay, I need you to look
into Hector Griego.

Phone calls, credit cards-- all
his movements for the last week

leading up to the murder.

Carrie, we got a big problem.

The independent ballistics
report came in.

And it is the same
as the NYPD lab.

Striations on the round,
strike mark on the primer.

There is no doubt
about it, Carrie.

Al's gun was used
to kill Oscar Payn.

So, we look into Hector Griego,
we find out who took Al's gun,

how they got it... They
arrested him, Carrie.

They arrested Al.

(typing)

(crowd clamoring)

Lieutenant Burns,
was it really your gun?

Where is he?

They're processing him
in Rikers right now.

(camera clicking)

I'm gonna do your thumb.

(machine beeps)

And your forefingers.

(machine beeps)

It's got a little alcohol pad
you can use there, Lieutenant.

Danny, look at me.

I know the drill.

Hey.

How's he doing?

As well as can be expected.

I updated him on everything,
but the D.A.'s office

has thrown in a monkey wrench.

A plea deal.

25 years.

If Al turns us down,
we go to trial

and he's looking at life.

He's got 48 hours to decide.

Al's not gonna plead out.

The D.A. says she has Al
threatening Payn's life.

Is that true?

Doesn't sound like Al.

Well, it may not sound like him,
but with ballistics,

Al's history with Payn
and this new information,

I do not have
a lot to work with.

GUARD:
On the line. Eyes forward.

Mouth shut.

Not bangin' no more.

Does Al have protective custody?

No. Not yet.
You need to get it for him.

You understand me?
You need to get it for him now.

AL: Tumbling Sixes?
That's impossible.

I know what I saw.

If you're gonna tell me to
be careful, you shut it.

My gun-- where are we with that?

It must've been out of your
possession at some point.

It's with me at all times.
I told you that.

Well, not at night.

You don't sleep with it.

This I know.

Although there was
that one time.

(chuckles)

It's on my night table at home.

It's in my locker
when I go to the gym.

The only two times
it's not on me.

Could you have had a tech
check it or had it cleaned?

I do all that myself.

Breakdown, cleaning.

When was the last time you
qualified at the gun range?

Like, a week ago.

And did you check your
personal weapon, too?

Yeah, I leave my service piece
with the range officer.

But the range, the locker room--
that's all cops.

If someone switched out the
weapon and replaced it

in your locker,
you would never know.

Why couldn't it be a cop?

What cop would do that?

One that has a grudge
against you and Oscar Payn.

What?

The officer who was killed
when we took down Payn--

her name was Melissa Quinn.

As in Captain Vincent Quinn?

That's her father.

She also had a grandfather
who won two medals for valor.

Not to mention
her brother Brendan,

another hero
currently on the job.

But framing people
and murdering,

that is not the Quinn way.

They are cops.

They know their way
around that gun range.

They have access
to the locker room,

motive, means, opportunity.

Did they blame you
for Melissa's death?

I tried to contact them.

They wouldn't talk to me.

They were mourning
the loss of their daughter.

But they're a cop family.

They know the rules of the job.

This is about a father
and his little girl.

What happened that night?

The night she was killed.

Melissa was a real... go-getter.

Was always trying to prove
she was one of the family.

The Mighty Quinns.

We were waiting on ESU.

I gave the order to hold.

She went in anyway.

That little girl...
Did you tell them

that she disobeyed
a direct order

and that's what got her killed?

I wanted to protect her memory.

She comes from cop royalty.

They needed to remember her
as a hero.

I'm going to talk
to Vincent Quinn.

You shouldn't do that.

You don't know how connected
those people are.

They don't scare me.

They should.

(doorbell rings)

Detective Wells,
I've been expecting you.

Captain Quinn, I'm here to...
I know.

You think my family
framed your partner.

What makes you say that?

Because it would be
the angle I'd work.

Melissa's shield.

Mm-hmm. Do you have
children, Detective?

No.

Then you can't understand
what that loss is like.

Bad as it was, it wouldn't
lead us to do what you think.

What would you do
if you were me?

I'd make sure I knew my partner
as well as I thought I did.

I know Al.

And I know my family.

You're chasing the wrong lead.

So you won't mind me
talking to them then?

I would ask that
you respect the fact

that we've been through enough.

We don't talk about Melissa.

We don't speak your
partner's name.

And we certainly don't discuss
the criminal who murdered her.

I understand.

And I do respect
what you've been through,

but as strongly as you feel
about your family,

I feel about my partner.

And I know he did not
murder Oscar Payn.

I know it.

Hey.

Hey. How'd your meeting
with IAB go?

It went good.

Good for you or good for Al?

What are you saying?
You said you heard

Al threatening Payn's life;
now, miraculously,

the D.A. has Al
threatening Payn's life.

I didn't say a word.

Now, I know you're
under a lot of pressure here,

but you're not the only one
in Al's corner.

You should know that.

Look.

Asking my opinion,
guy deserves life.

What is this?

Some reporter caught up with Al

when Oscar Payn was
sentenced five years ago.

I'm not gonna shed any tears
if he dies in prison.

He's safer there,
I'll tell you that.

Carrie, if a jury sees this...

I'm sorry, Jay.

I'm sorry.

All right, the Quinns.

Got anything on them?

Now, you're not gonna
believe this, Carrie,

but Brendan Quinn,
Melissa's brother--

not only does he work
at Barrett Road,

he was on duty at the gun range
last Wednesday.

Same day Al was there.

That's fantastic.

GUARD: Hold it right there.

To your right.

Eyes forward.

On the lock in.

(locks clanking)

(grunting)

(grunting)

GUARD:
On the floor! On the floor!

Stand down! No, no!
On the floor!

(guards shouting)

Let's go. Let's go.
Stop fighting.

I count 13 out of 15, Detective.
Nice work.

Actually, one round went
through a hole I already made.

If I had a buck
for every time I heard...

14 out of 15 then.

Yeah. (laughs)

Hey, is Brendan Quinn
here today?

He said I should
stop by and say hi.

I'm sure he's in the range shack.
Oh.

I still got to check
that double. No offense.

None taken.

(knocking)

Hello?

Hi.

My father told me to expect you.

But this is pretty damn bold.

Sneaking around my office.

Well, if you just point me in
the direction of Rudy Vernon,

I'll get out of your hair.

I don't know.

He didn't come in today.
What do you care?

You and Rudy were both working
when Al Burns qualified,

weren't you?

If you say so. So what?

And Rudy was the range officer
that inspected Al's gun.

Again... so what?

Where were you the night
Oscar Payn was murdered?

I was with my sister Kathleen.

Now get the hell out.

I'm not gonna stop.

Oh, I'm afraid.

I'm very afraid.

(door closes)

JAY: I'm all over Brendan
Quinn's credit cards, ATM--

anything that can place him
near the Payn murder.

Also looking
for his sister's address.

What do you have on Rudy Vernon?

Not much. He's got a pretty
standard record on the force.

Now, according
to his bank records,

he's about three months
behind on his mortgage.

Well, maybe if I make it
sweet enough for him,

he'll flip
on his friend Brendan.

Good idea. You need an address?

How is 428 Brickenhoff?

Damn, you're good.

I bet you you're there already,
ain't you?

No way. In fact, I'm on
the other side of town.

I got to go.

MAN: 911. What's your emergency?

Officer down. 428 Brickenhoff.

You need to send somebody now.

Well, hello, fellas.

What'd they get you for, Eliot?
You know, I told him

not to flush paper towels;
it's right there on the sign.

You're interfering
with an IAB investigation.

An investigation or a frame job?

Vincent Quinn and I go way back.

Apparently, you were
harassing his son.

What? Two consenting adults

can't have
a simple conversation?

Not if it pertains to this case.

Detective Wells,
you're suspended.

Someone murdered Rudy Vernon
to clean up a mess,

and it wasn't Al,
so who the hell was it?

Detective Wells,
I'm gonna need your shield

and your service weapon.

As of this moment,
you are indeed suspended.

What?

Indefinitely.

Your gun and your shield,
Detective.

You can't do this.

I warned you.

Your gun and your shield,
Detective.

Sure.

You should confer
with a union attorney

to prepare yourself for an
expulsion trial date forthwith.

"Forthwith"?

What? No desk duty for me?

No.

You're bad for morale.

And you're
a disruptive presence.

And I want you out of here now.

Coward.

That was quite the performance.

Oh, you should've seen
my Willy Loman.

Roslyn High School. Hmm.

Great fun, except
for that bald cap.

I still can't stand
the smell of spirit gum.

Listen, we're running
out of time.

Al was almost
shanked last night.

One of the Tumbling Sixes.

I knew this was gonna happen.

We have got to get him out
of there before they kill him.

We will.

I am going to keep IAB as
contained as I can. You?

You go suspend yourself.

Get to work.
(elevator bell dings)

Yes, sir.

(clears throat)

I'm worried about you.

I need you to stop
before you're out of a job.

It's too late. Eliot
already suspended me.

What?
But don't worry about that.

Listen to me. Brendan Quinn.

He was working with Rudy Vernon
at the gun range

the day your gun was stolen.

Rudy Vernon?

He's dead. Murdered.

I'm gonna find out
what Brendan Quinn knows.

You go near the Quinns,
they'll arrest you.

I'm not letting you go away
for something you didn't do.

There is no me without you.

We're a team.

So, what are we gonna do?

There's a solid wall of blue.

Melissa's shield.

There is one Quinn, a sister--
she's not a cop.

Yeah, Melissa's sister Kathleen.

Kathleen is who Brendan
said he was with

the night Oscar Payn
was murdered.

Maybe she's our way
over the wall.

The infamous Carrie Wells.

Come on in. I really
want to talk to you.

I'm surprised.

I'm sure your father
warned you about me.

You want to talk
about my brother, Brendan.

Yeah. Please.

Brendan said he was with you

the night
Oscar Payn was murdered.

He was. We had dinner,
and he spent the night.

He does that sometimes.

The kids love him.

He was here the entire night?

Well, he was here at 10:00
when I went to bed.

He was still here at 6:00
when I got up

to make the kids breakfast.

Leaves eight hours he was alone.

Look, Detective Wells... Carrie.

Carrie.

I know you suspect my family
of some terrible things.

But I guarantee
my father and my brother

had nothing to do
with Oscar Payn.

They wouldn't violate
their own ethics.

We call it the "Quinn Code."

They arrested Al.

They're processing him
in Rikers right now.

VINCENT: You think my family
framed your partner.

Who's this?

It's Dom. Dominic Moreno.

Friend of the family? Yeah.

He was Melissa's boyfriend.

They were engaged, in fact,

but Melissa broke up with him
shortly before... she died.

Why?

I think she was in love
with someone else.

She never told me who.

But I remember it was
really hard for her.

How did he take the breakup?

Not well.

He used to be
really close to our family,

almost like another brother.

But then after Melissa died,
we sort of just drifted apart.

You don't think Dom's
involved in this?

Did she tell you
who she was in love with?

She said it was complicated.

Complicated how?

I think she meant he was married
or maybe outranked her.

"Outranked her"?

Is it possible
she was in love with...

Al Burns, my partner?

Carrie, if Melissa did have
feelings for your partner,

she would never have
crossed that line.

The "Quinn Code," right?

Exactly.

Except Dominic Moreno--
he's not a Quinn.

Only you could
get me to Astoria.

Technically, it's
Long Island City.

It's still Queens, which is
technical enough for me.

This... personnel folder
for Dominic Moreno.

You want to tell me what
his connection is to all this?

Not yet.

I need a little
more information.

Rudy Vernon, a cop--
he worked out at the gun range.

I need anything that ties
him to Dominic Moreno.

Phone calls, check stubs,
any contact at all.

I'll try.

And if you ever want to fill me in...
Thank you, Eliot.

Wells?

I need you to be
sure on this one.

Dead to rights.

If you're wrong, we all go down.

CARRIE: Dominic Moreno.

Who?

He's NYPD and Melissa
Quinn's ex-fiancé.

Didn't even know
she had a boyfriend.

She never mentioned him.

Well, she would
never have told you.

What do you mean?

I think she was
in love with you.

She was a detective
under my command.

Al, I was a detective
under your command.

That's different.

She worked for me and that's it.

What does this have to do
with anything?

Motive.

Dominic Moreno is a cop,
he's a sharpshooter,

and his ex-fiancé
was in love with you.

(sighs)

All right,
so I-I'm looking for Moreno?

Yes, if we can place him
at the gun range,

we may have enough.

I've never seen
any of these guys.

Are you sure?

You know what?
Let's try an experiment.

Don't look at me like that.
It's gonna be easy.

Just... close your eyes.

I'm not gonna close my eyes.

If Dominic Moreno was
there at the gun range,

if he was shadowing you,
you probably saw him.

Close your eyes.

Let's start from where
you lost your gun.

I want to take you back
to the firing range.

You weren't there.
How's this gonna help?

I've been there before.

And I remember everything.

So I can set the scene.
Close your eyes.

Take a breath.
You park your car.

Mm-hmm.

You head towards
the range shack.

Mm-hmm.

It's about 1:00 p.m.

The weather report says

there's gonna be
a breeze coming northwest

off the river.

Yeah, okay. Okay?

Now, which stall
did you shoot at?

I don't know.

Al, you can do this.

Now, you were standing
behind the firing line.

Which way did you turn when
you left the range shack?

Right. Right.

I went right.

CARRIE: Okay.

AL: Stall 16.

CARRIE: That's great.
And when you were done,

the range officer came over
and checked your weapon.

AL: Yeah. I remember that.

CARRIE:
Who did you see? Anyone else?

AL: There was a guy

wearing a knee brace;
he was limping.

CARRIE: All right.
That's Brendan Quinn.

Look around, do you see

anybody else there? Just relax.

Try to remember.

This guy... This
guy, he was there.

That's Dominic Moreno.
You did it!

With a little help.

So, let's say Dominic
Moreno paid Rudy Vernon

to switch the guns.

But how do we prove it?
Vernon's dead.

Not the Quinns again.

Carrie, I'm serious.

All right. I'll shut it.

(door closes)

My patrol officers
have a response time

of five minutes,
so you better be quick.

I'm looking for your son.

Brendan? He's at work.

No, he's not
and he's not at home.

Listen, I'm not here
to accuse your family...

or to bring up
difficult memories.

But there's something
I have to tell you.

The night Melissa's squad
went after Oscar Payn,

Al Burns tried to protect her.

How? By sending her walking
into the barrel of an AK?

No, he told her
to hold her position

and she disobeyed his order.

That's not true.

By his own incident report,
he sent her to her death.

He wrote that report because
he didn't want it on record

that she died
disobeying an order.

He knew what that would do

to your family and he knew
what it would do to you.

Please... leave.

I can't, because
I'm telling you the truth

and I need you to believe me.

Look, just take a second

and think about
the way it all went down.

Oscar Payn and his drug dealers

had an
eight-year-old girl hostage.

ESU and Hostage
were still five minutes out.

The deadline was seconds away.

Melissa had the only clear shot,

but she had to expose herself
to get it.

You know what your daughter
would have done.

One time-- she must have been
eight-years-old herself--

the family next door
had this stupid cat,

kept getting itself
stuck places.

One Sunday night, we had
everyone over for dinner.

Somebody notices Melissa's
been gone for a while.

(chuckles) Family of cops,
you know, so we panic.

Everyone's looking everywhere.

She was 40 feet up
in that neighbor's tree

with that stupid cat
in her arms.

Couldn't figure out
how to get down.

Why are you here?

I believe that Dominic Moreno
blamed Al for Melissa's death.

I think he murdered Oscar Payn
and he's framing my partner.

What's this have
to do with Brendan?

Moreno was at the gun range
when Al last qualified.

I think he took Al's Sig Sauer

and replaced it
with an identical model.

Now, I need to know
what Brendan knows.

This is Captain Quinn.
I'm looking for my son Brendan.

Are you sure?

All right. Thanks.

That's not good.

Dominic dropped by.

They left together on foot.

Is there anywhere
you can think of they might go?

Anywhere of
significance to them?

They went to high
school together.

Hung out every summer.

KATHLEEN: But I guarantee,
my father and my brother

had nothing to do
with Oscar Payn.

They were lifeguards together,
weren't they?

Yeah, they were.

How far is Breezy Point Beach
from the gun range?

Half a mile. I'll drive.

Man, this place.

You see these fancy-ass
bathrooms they got in there?

(both chuckle)

Remember Melissa crushing us
swimming out to the jetty?

She was the best
swimmer of all of us.

She was the best
everything of all of us.

I miss her every minute
of every day.

Yeah. Me too.

So, uh, what's going on?

There's this cop
from Major Crimes

that said something
that worried me.

Like what?

I didn't want to believe her.

I don't...
want to believe her, but...

uh, Rudy Vernon
turning up murdered.

I don't know, Dom.

That's not on Al Burns.

Here.

Just in case
something goes sideways.

Thanks.

Just tell me you didn't do this.

Didn't do what?

Don't play stupid.

I was there when you stole those
Playboys from that newsstand.

I know that face.

You're acting crazy, man.

You just got to
tell me the truth.

About what?!

I can help you.

We can sort this out.

No. No. Dom!

You left me-- all of you.

Right when I need you most.

Yeah, after Melissa...
you turned into ghosts.

What was that about?
I had no one!

You know that's not true.

We all reached out, we wanted to help...
Oh, bull!

'Cause if you really
wanted to help,

you would want to take down
Burns as much as I did.

He took her away from me
and then he got her killed.

He took my life away.

Backup needs a few minutes
to get in position.

We don't have a few minutes.

We'll go down to the station
house, we'll talk this out.

Yeah, I got a better idea.

If you go away, no one knows
I was at the firing range,

and Burns stays in
the joint for life.

That cop knows.

Nah. She can't prove it.

Only you can.

I'm sorry, brother, I-I really am, but...
VINCENT: Dominic!

Captain Vincent.

You want to take out a Quinn,
then start with me!

(both grunting)

Come on. Come on.

(groans)

(grunting)

Stay on the ground.

Excuse me.

That's from Al Burns.

You're gonna have to cuff him
and read him his rights.

I'm a civilian.

You're a cop.

And a damn good one.

Let me have that.

Just in case my old pal

Melvin Stearns asks
how a suspended officer

ended up with a weapon.

You know, I am starting to like

what I see of this "Quinn Code."

(mouthing)

Want to hear a funny story?
Sure.

Melvin Stearns-- turns out,

someone informed the mayor
of Melvin's penchant for

golfing vacations in the Poconos

and his curious little habit
of charging his green fees

to the Department's
recreation budget.

Really?

It's all good though.

I mean, they were looking for
a Chief of Parking Enforcement

out in Gowanus anyway.

Well, it couldn't have happened
to a nicer guy.

Was he? Really?

There's a cake, right?

There's got to be a cake. Al!

(laughter, excited chatter)

MURRAY: Hey! Hey, buddy.

JAY: Boss, I got
something for you.

Oh.

(laughter)

What can I say? I splurged.

I'm just kidding.

It's good
to have you back, Burns.

Thank you.

Took you long enough
to get me out of jail.

Well, I had to make a
little stop along the way.

Yeah?

That trifecta you
couldn't remember?

It paid off. Give me
20 minutes with this

at the blackjack table
and I will triple it.

Triple? Quadruple.

I think we already
beat the odds today.

Yeah.

How about I take you
out to dinner?

Christoffe's?

Ooh. Last time we were there,

I had the Moroccan chicken.
It was raw...

We haven't been there
in, like, two years.

Two years, two months, one day.

Trust me.

Always do.

I have a question for you.

How could you not know Melissa
Quinn was in love with you?

Because at the time,
I was in love with someone else.

Marjorie Binstock. What?

Little blonde,
worked down in evidence.

Always smelled like oranges. Oh.

Think it was her conditioner.

You know what I think?

I think we should
go to Christoffe's.

You deserve raw Moroccan
chicken and food poisoning.

Take your money.

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