White Collar (2009–2014): Season 4, Episode 13 - Empire City - full transcript
Neal and Peter investigate Mozzie's claims of taxi cab forgery and money laundering. Which leads to back to a jazz club owner.
Previously on "white collar"..
That's the key.
How do we find the evidence box it opens?
We let mozzie run with the key.
You said senator pratt could hurt you.
He knows we're on to him.
We woke a giant, neal.
My brakes -- I don't have my brakes.
What? What?
Peter went after a u.S. Senator,
But someone wants him to stop.
You look into this key without him.
Ellen must have made it
When she first moved to new york.
What does that remind you of?
It's a cityscape, moz.
These are buildings.
Pratt doesn't know about this.
Neither does peter.
Neal thinks he's in the lead here...
But I'm with him.
Then, all of a sudden, we ended up
At this warehouse underneath
the brooklyn bridge.
The party was insane.
And the topper was this junkie comes in
Just to steal copper
piping right out the wall.
Right out of the wall, huh?
This is your stop.
Oh! Um... You got change of a $20?
Change? No.
Seriously? Seriously.
Keep it.
Warehouse by water street --
copper pipe in the walls.
Hacks-a-lot, go for me.
Good day bleeding fares for info?
I am bacchus, and they're
literally pouring wine
Down my throat.
At least one of us is getting drunk.
Oh, intel gathering not
going as well on your end?
No, the view from ellen's first apartment
Doesn't match the key.
Pick me up?
Be right there. All right.
This is where neal is now.
You can't see anything from here.
No, he's got to be on the balcony.
Here we go. Here's his view.
Does it match up? I don't think so.
Well, I never expected him to be
Crisscrossing the city like this.
If I was a betting man,
I'd say he's trying to throw
someone off his scent.
Eh, he knows we're the only ones
Who can access his tracking data.
Peter, that's my point.
I know, but he doesn't know that
we made a copy of the key.
Oh, that's el. We're done for the day.
Tell me she doesn't know
you're still following the key?
No, ever since the accident,
she wants me to take it easy.
Yeah, and anything neal related
is exactly the opposite.
Keep monitoring his anklet.
We'll catch up later.
- Yeah.
- Hey.
Hey, honey. Hey.
Oh, hey, clinton.
I didn't know you guys were working today.
The city never sleeps.
Oh, you just caught us wrapping up.
Mm-hmm. Great to see you.
You, too.
Bye. I'll walk him out.
Thanks, jones. See you.
Mwah! Babe?
Hmm?
Why aren't you wearing your sling?
What?
Mm-hmm.
Hey. Where to?
Ellen once mentioned she liked to watch
The tugboats from brooklyn bridge park.
Hmm, tugboats. Really?
I know I'm grasping at straws.
Moz, I'm not paying you for the ride.
Oh, you are if we're to brooklyn.
Honey, you know neal doesn't
want you looking into the key.
Neal doesn't lie to me. He hides the truth.
He withholds it, but he...
...Doesn't lie to me.
And if he is, there's got
to be a reason for it.
Well, maybe he doesn't want
to drag you into a mine field.
Really? This is the only way to brooklyn?
Believe me, we missed a lot of traffic.
Besides, chasing wild
geese is expensive sport.
It's not a wild goose chase.
We know more than when we started.
Yeah, we know the key doesn't match
The view from ellen's
place on roosevelt island,
Or her favorite knoll in central park,
Or her ex-boyfriend's loft in soho.
Yeah, I get it.
We've had a lot of dead ends.
But she had a reason behind this.
To cut a skyline into a sliver of metal
Without any indication of
what it points to or why?
She thought I'd know.
Must be some part of her
life I'm not remembering.
5v78?! That's my cab!
He's driving my cab!
Citizen's arrest! Cease and desist!
What the hell, moz? Don't --
Look! Look it! His tag number!
That's me! He has the same taxi medallion.
Mine is legal!
Moz, it's me.
It is! I paid a full rock to be 5v78.
Who the hell is this guy?!
Mozzie, relax. Don't --
don't got after him, mozzie!
It's not --
moz! That's a red light!
Can you at least turn off the meter?
I mean, honey, you were hospitalized,
Hughes lost his job,
ellen is dead and so is her killer.
I mean --
Pratt is dangerous, and I got to stop him.
Then stop him as an fbi agent.
All right, but if neal has
some scheme or heist planned,
I'm not a part of it.
Then what are you doing?
Watching. So that I can control the outcome.
Honey, I am safe here on the sidelines.
I think it's good he lied to you.
Hi, neal.
Oh, of course he does.
I'm aiding and abetting the fuzz
And I'm the one in manacles?
You ran five consecutive red lights.
I was apprehending a criminal.
They think you're the criminal.
This medallion isn't registered
to you. This is fraud!
Says the man driving a cab
under an assumed name.
Unless -- is this your real name?
Oh, nice try, suit.
Hal hoover is just trying
to make an honest living.
He's neither honest, nor living.
Why is he driving a cab?
To vacuum for tips.
From sex lives to stock tips,
the hal hoover story.
I got them to let you off with a fine.
So you're done here.
I'm done?
Yeah, well, somebody should have the key.
Are you aware of the legwork required
To legally operate a yellow
cab in new york city?
Yes, you can rent or buy a medallion
From the taxi & limousine commission.
The potential for profit is enormous!
I know, the medallions are auctioning
For about a million dollars each.
How did you get yours?
I paid -- in full.
I'm sure you can guess.
Don't want to know.
That medallion is the only thing
Separating me from being a gypsy, suit.
A gypsy!
And now some hack is driving
around with a counterfeit.
I get it.
Upstanding citizen hal
hoover has brought me a case.
Wait, so let me process this --
Mozzie drives a cab to
gather intel on his fares?
Calls it his yellow girlfriend.
Oh, that makes me uncomfortable.
Well, it's a common phrase amongst cabbies.
I reviewed his bill of sale. It's legit.
Shows that he purchased the
medallion four months ago.
All right, so why does the
taxi & limousine commission
Say luke dusarque of gotham taxi owns it?
His girlfriend's stepping out.
Cute -- my working theory is that
Someone from the tlc is
manipulating records.
Yeah, but the real owner
could file a report.
Well, not if you target victims
Who would be afraid to report it,
Like new cabbies or recent immigrants.
But whoever stole it is
covering their tracks.
There's no link to any
of the employees at tlc.
Then we go after the buyer.
Want us to subpoena dusarque's records?
You want to put hal hoover down
As the main testimony backing that request?
You ever ask yourself if it's worth it?
Do I wonder why I don't arrest
mozzie and be done with it? Yes.
Every time he opens his mouth,
I reach for my cuffs.
But it looks like he may be right.
So what, then?
We ask dusarque for his records straight up?
Yeah, but I don't think
He'll hand them over to an fbi agent.
Peter billings?
sounds like a tv anchor.
No tlc for my tlc id?
Oh, I've been waiting on a tlc joke,
But that was not good.
I'll work on it. Please don't.
Peter billings.
I need to see your fare book.
Tlc agents are glorified dmv reps.
I wouldn't flash that too much.
I'm just getting into character.
Please don't.
I'll tell you, guys -- miracle of life?
The only miracle is that
I didn't get a hernia
Scrubbing the stains out of my floor mats.
What's he doing here?
His best columbo impression?
He's not columbo. I'm columbo.
Get him out of here.
All right.
It's the third time someone's
given birth in my cab.
I mean, I'm not even a father!
I feel like a freaking midwife!
Peter billings of the tlc.
I need to speak with luke dusarque, please.
Office.
Thank you. Frank, bring the keys to 6v92.
I swear, I've never seen
That amount of copper pipe in my life.
You know that plastic is the
newest thing now, right?
Hey! You...Hal!
You drove me to katz's deli the other day.
I left my wallet in your car.
Oh, yeah. Katz's, right --
The bad tipper.
Is that why you drove off
with $500 of my money?
Yeah. Yeah. Not so sassy now, are we?
I'd like a word with you, please?
Whoever said the customer's always right
Never met the customer, am I right?
That's funny.
da: Carmen's pulling 8r62 out now.
You didn't trust peter and I alone on this?
Three in the hand is better
than none in the bush.
Stop trying to make that a saying.
Did you get anywhere?
Did I? I was chatting with earl here.
I guess every so often,
the cabbies come in and find
That dusarque has left a new car on the lot.
Hmm.
If I can get inside that cab,
I could hack the gps.
Oh, and pull a home base
On where the medallions are coming from?
Well, we don't have time to
break in and hot wire it.
We'll need the key. Frank,
where are we on those keys?
You have your 5v78 paperwork on you?
They can't take everything
away from hal hoover.
Why?
'cause a bill of sale looks
a lot like a lease agreement
To a busy woman.
Let's go get your wallet back.
Look, lady, we dropped you
off at your destination,
We charged your card, end of story.
Luke dusarque. Wanda said you needed me?
Peter billings, tlc.
Not afraid of losing repeat customers, huh?
Can't let people walk all over you.
So?
Yeah, we've had rumors
Of cabbies giving unreported cash rides.
I got to check your records. It's routine.
Great. That the year?
The month.
Ah, you mind if I make
A few copies of these fare logs?
The rest of them are over there.
Let me know if I need to fire anybody.
Gotham. This is luke.
I already told you, buddy,
it's not in there!
It's $500, danny devito!
The least you can let me
do is look inside the cab.
Gotham. Please hold.
Can you believe this, wanda?!
Calvin klein here comes
into my place of business
And publicly attacks my character!
I don't have time for this. Who are you?
Uh, hal. I leased 5v78 last week.
Really? You paid $4,000 a month
to rent a taxi medallion?
Yeah, I bet you do need
some extra cash, pal.
Hey! Doesn't mean I take something
that wasn't mine. Right, wanda?
Let the man look in the
car if it'll settle this.
-Thank you! Frank, I need the keys to 5v78
-- stat!
Thank you, wanda.
You're a very reasonable person...
Unlike him.
Oh, this one? You have no idea.
Gotham taxi. Hold, please.
Got the I.D. Number.
Great, I'll be in their
firewall within an hour.
All right. Peter:
Or I'll simply call the company
And requisition their logs.
So when I do it, I'm a criminal.
But when you do it, you're a patriot?
God bless the government.
Peter billings, tlc.
I'm going to need you two
to step out of the vehicle.
Seriously? Yeah.
Incredible!
Dusarque has all the appropriate paperwork
Co-opting my medallion and my ride log.
The hubris!
Didn't even bat an eye
when he handed it over.
These fare logs go back
All four months you've owned the medallion.
Yeah, most of these are my fares.
Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine...Not mine!
All right, that's when the
medallion switched hands.
Two thursdays ago.
Yeah, leaving us with 20 or so addresses
Above that on the gps to track down.
You read, I'll search.
1023 east rivington street.
...23 east riving-ton street.
Hmm...
That's a residence of a film producer...
That suspended her mail delivery
Because she's just returning
from a film shoot in romania.
And used the cab to return from jfk.
Seriously, grey gardens,
this is the pace we're gonna go at?
Justice requires patience, little edie.
All right.
All right, 1297 east houston.
That's a donut shop owned and operated by
An 82-year-old man and his wife.
Maybe they're fencing medallions
to build a retirement fund?
Mm-hmm.
All right, 656 west 125th street.
That's...The cotton club.
I thought that shut down.
They had a soft opening two months ago.
Testing the waters for a bigger one.
Elizabeth has been begging me to go.
Who owns it now?
June used to tell me about
singing there with byron.
Two brothers -- angelo and delmon wells.
Delmon's recently back
from a stint at rikers.
Four years -- b&e.
And angelo...
Works at the taxi & limousine commission.
That's the guy! He must
be selling the medallions!
The club's a cash business.
It's the perfect place to clean the profit.
If that's the case, it might
show up on their balance sheet.
You ready to go for a ride?
Here we are. Tips welcome.
-Here's a tip
-- clean these seats. All right, let's go.
Uh, we can handle this, columbo.
Hey, three in the hand is
better than none in the bush.
Just stay here and don't get in any trouble.
I don't know why you
still bother saying that.
That's the fastest I've gotten
a cab in harlem -- or anywhere.
Almost makes me change my mind
about wanting to sell the place.
Oh, you're the owner?
Uh-huh. You new?
No!
I'm an opportunist.
Huh.
you can smell the history in this place.
Yeah, history smells like an old ashtray.
We're never gonna get a
look at their financials
If that's your attitude.
My attitude might not come into play.
We're a couple of sore thumbs here.
all right, no fbi.
Roll with me on this.
Oh, just once I'd love
An explanation to follow that sentence.
We don't open till 7:00, gentlemen.
I know. Neal craig -- talent management.
This your place?
Mine and my brother's -- delmon wells.
And I'm with the label.
Peter billings -- swing low sound.
You guys got a pretty good stable.
Well, thanks. I helped rebuild it.
So why are you here?
Well, we know you're also in
the process of rebuilding.
We thought we'd offer some
fresh talent to draw crowds.
Fresh is code for young and fleeting,
And this club doesn't do "american idol."
You interested in classic acts?
Little less lana del rye --
More booker little resolving
notes on his trumpet?
Which is what I booked for
this Friday's reopening.
Got me an old-school trio -- sax,
drums, and an organ.
You could still use a singer.
Must be nice, running a club like that.
You want it, you can have it.
Well, if you're not into it,
why are you reopening the club?
That'd be my brother.
He ditches town for a while,
Comes back and declares
us open for business.
Oh, you don't like to be told what to do.
That's right.
My mother leaves us a club I don't want,
My brother leaves me to run it,
Meanwhile nobody cares I got
a day job to worry about.
Oh, where's that? Tlc.
Taxi & limousine commission?
Ding-ding.
5v78.
You lease this from dusarque over at gotham?
Yeah. You really know your cabs.
I can barely get one myself.
This game's rigged, man.
No, they...
that's the reason they
call it the empire city.
You got to scrape where you can.
How do you scrape?
By taking joy in the one
good thing about my job.
What's that?
Hiring cigar girls.
I've never heard of June ellington.
No, but you've heard of her husband, byron.
Byron ellington, the trumpeter?
Got a hell of a ride out of that last name.
He played with don byas back then.
And June sang lead until byron got sick.
You guys have piqued my interest,
But, uh, we're a small operation.
I can't just write a big check
at the end of the night.
I'm sure we can work something out.
So why would a label let their
artist work on the cheap?
I think what he means to say is --
Music isn't born in madison square garden.
It starts here, in clubs like this
Music has to come from
somewhere to go somewhere.
Well, I handle the talent,
but my brother keeps the books.
We usually do a straight percentage of 65.
I think we can do better than a
straight percentage for June.
And we still have to hear an e.P.
Before we settle on anything.
Won't be a problem.
Could I trouble you for a matchbook?
It's for my wife.
She's a big fan of this place.
Okay. Thanks.
You should invite your wife
for the reopening. Thank you.
All right, I think we all
got what we need here.
We'll be in touch. Okay.
Looking forward to hearing that album.
What was that back there?
"music isn't born in madison square garden?"
El's weekly dissertation
When she puts her morgana king album on.
Where the hell is mozzie?
I don't know why you still bother.
So, you actually listen to me
When I rant about something, huh?
Marriage is for better or for worse. Uh-huh.
You know, the cotton club
brings back a lot of memories.
When I first came to new york,
I used to go there every Thursday night.
Why'd you stop?
They shut down.
A lot of these old places do.
Yeah, it doesn't help the businesses
When the owners are crooks.
Does that mean I don't get
to go to the reopening?
If they're using the club to launder money,
there won't be a reopening.
Don't lose hope --
it might take us past Friday
To isolate the discrepancies in the books.
I could probably save
you a few hours of work.
Okay. Let's see. Okay.
They have 30 tables,
turnover an hour per table,
Here they have total attendance at 220.
But see, they're only putting
300 linens to be washed.
It should be well over 500.
Well, they could be
reusing them to cut costs.
Yeah, or they could be
padding the head count
And tabbing an extra
couple grand every night.
That's my girl!
Oh. Can you nail 'em?
Not yet. These scams are
nearly impossible to prove.
Smart.
Hey. My yellow girlfriend
and I return with news.
Come on in.
Sure. Angelo recognized my taxi number.
It's definitely him.
Yeah, and possibly his brother.
Then why the dillydallying?
Arrest and return all the seized goods.
Based on your observations and
a laundry bill? Try again.
We need eyes on the operation,
someone on the inside.
Hmm. Know any cute cigar girls?
Thanks, toots.
I better not hear you laughing.
Oh, we're laughing with you, toots.
Security guard by the stairs
has got a metal detector.
Yeah. I wonder what that's about.
I got eyes on angelo.
He's headed downstairs with a briefcase.
See if you can follow him.
All right.
Hands.
Oh, nice. What's this?
On the house.
Thank you! Yeah!
I got to reload.
Sorry -- earrings.
What's in it?
Nothing.
Angelo! I said, "nothing."
Damn beanie babies. What's the difference?
Don't patronize me then.
I'm not asking for a kidney.
How many times you expect me to do this
Without knowing what I'm doing?
Come on!
Luke said he'll be here Friday
at 8:30 to get the briefcase.
Friday's the reopening.
What? There's a
"no swapping briefcases" rule?
I just don't want you getting into trouble.
Then help me out. Now, open the safe.
Angelo's selling another medallion.
And delmon doesn't know anything about it.
on: ?TS I got harlem on my mind ?TS
So you're not coming on Friday?
lo: I told you. Dusty jazz
acts ain't my thing
Boss, did you get all that?
I did. See if you can get eyes on that safe.
I'll try.
I don't hear anyone. I'm going in.
Watch yourself.
You're the new girl.
Yeah, um, I was just --
Venturing someplace you got
absolutely no business being.
Diana?
I'm sorry. I got lost.
Lost? That's not gonna hold.
No, but she knows that.
Well, there's two doors in that hallway.
One goes to the humidor,
and one goes to my office.
Guess you didn't have
trouble finding the humidor.
No.
I, um -- I heard about
your vinyl collection.
I wanted to take a look.
So, you'll risk getting fired
To come in here to see some dusty jazz acts?
If you're calling an original
pressing of james rushing
A "dusty jazz act,
" then you and me got a problem.
You got some balls, girl.
Spark me up one of those.
Smart. The apple and eve.
She couldn't resist.
Oh, now you help yourself to a principito?
I'm officially jealous.
Have you ever had a principito? No.
They're the reason why we have five senses.
Light one up, and tell me it doesn't sing.
Well, I see you got the
same good taste in music
That you have in your cigars.
It's your record. Naw, it's my mom's.
I just get credit for not selling it.
You ever wonder where it comes from --
Our need for music?
Well, it catalogues our memories.
A record like that,
it just puts you someplace.
Where's it put you?
The first time I heard jimmy
rushing was not on wax.
It was here.
You couldn't have been more than 7.
6 -- I remember just sitting on a barstool,
Playing drums in my head
like jo jones was onstage,
Which incidentally, can't be done.
And my brother angelo --
Yeah, he interviewed me.
He was 4 years old, man.
He's running around,
"devil in his eyes" wild.
arms flailing like he was underwater.
I don't think he knew
exactly what he was doing,
But he knew what he was doing, you know?
Does he still know what he's doing?
Um, he's been flailing around a bit lately,
But his heart's still in it.
But I'll always remember him
spinning around up there.
That's why we need the music.
That's what you're trying to
recapture with the reopening.
I figure if I can remind
him of what he's missing,
Maybe he'll just keep his
flailing on the dance floor.
You did a bang-up job with the place.
Good booze, best musicians alive...
Cigar girls.
Yeah, speaking of which, uh,
isn't your break about up?
It is.
Yeah.
I hope what you're doing pays off.
Yeah. Me, too.
And the music never stops.
We shouldn't be arresting delmon.
Sounds like a decent guy.
I know, but our only
definitive link to the crime
Is in a safe, in the back
office of the cotton club.
What are the chances
delmon will roll on angelo
If we bust him making the
exchange with dusarque?
None. He loves angelo.
He'd go silent before
rolling on his baby brother.
So the guilty brother walks,
and the innocent one does time?
No.
You have an idea?
We need to force angelo
to show up at the meet.
I met dusarque. He's a bull.
If something goes wrong,
He'll demand answers directly from angelo.
If the medallion somehow disappeared,
That'd give him reason to be upset.
We replace the real medallion with a decoy.
A disappearing decoy? A melting one.
Like the ice diamond you
gave the czarina in russia.
No.
Can we get in the safe to make the swap?
The safe lock's voice-recognition.
I think I have a vocal key.
on: ?TS I got harlem on my mind ?TS
That's why he was singing.
Those lyrics unlock the safe.
That laptop's not getting past
the security's metal detector.
For that matter, any kind of
recorder or play-back device.
What if it's vinyl?
Maybe it's time for June ellington
To come out of retirement.
All right.
Delmon is a connoisseur of vinyl,
So we need to press an album
That looks and sounds authentic to the '60s.
Think you can handle it?
You know I can handle it.
Of course she can.
So we're gonna record you
singing on both channels
But hide delmon's voice key
on the left audio track.
That way, when neal plays it back,
it will open the safe.
My only question is,
what songs am I singing?
"ain't nobody's business"
and "harlem on my mind" --
Delmon's taste --
But I'll show you how to class it up.
Listen, little man, if you think
you can show me some class,
You have another thought coming.
Talent.
Okay. I think we're good.
I'm gonna get started on
those melting medallions.
?TS if I should take a notion
to jump into the ocean ?TS
?TS ain't nobody's business if I do ?TS
?TS if go to church on Sunday and
shimmy down all day Monday ?TS
?TS ain't nobody's business if I do ?TS
?TS if my friend ain't got no money ?TS
?TS I say, "all right, honey"
?TS ain't nobody's business if I do ?TS
?TS nobody's business
?TS ain't nobody's business
?TS nobody's business if I do
- Hey.
- Hey.
Got our rush job back
from the printers. Here.
Wow. Look at that.
Great photo of you, June.
Well, what do you think?
If the songs are good, we're good.
Oh, the songs are good.
The songs are exceptional. You dig?
Uh, the question is, will delmon agree?
Well, there's only one way to find out.
?TS nobody's business ?TS
What do you think?
Honestly, I think it's a bunch of bull.
I mean, these guys had
this woman at the head,
And it was byron that made it big?
So she's your girl for the reopening?
Yeah, man. She's my girl.
Check, check!
Aw, hon, thanks for letting me come.
I sort of got the impression
I didn't have a choice.
You didn't.
it's better than I remember.
Yeah, delmon has done a lot of work
To return the club to its former glory.
Hmm.
Well, you tell him your wife approves.
Well, you can tell him yourself.
We ready to go? Yeah. June's all set.
Excited to hear those
pipes live and in person.
We all are.
Mr. Wells, this is my wife elizabeth.
Hi. Oh, the jazz fan.
Excuse me. Yeah.
I saw steve coleman perform years ago --
Nearly blew my skirt right off.
Green room.
Look at this turnout.
I see the ellington name still
carries some weight around here.
yes.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I'm so excited to introduce mrs.
June ellington.
Peter, hey!
I thought you were tracking dusarque.
He must have gotten anxious
because he's on his way in here.
Neal just went down a minute ago.
Well, you got to stall the exchange.
I can't. Dusarque will recognize me.
Okay. All right. Hang back. Mm-hmm.
We've got it covered.
All right. Tell diana to get moving.
Honey, I got to make myself scarce.
Okay.
It is so wonderful to see --
To see all of you here this evening.
Thank you for being here.
I'm gonna get settled in with my band,
And we'll begin in just a moment.
Hey, uh, you own this place, right?
Yeah, I do, but I'm busy
right now. Hey, listen.
Do you have any more of those
principitos laying around?
You have to ask my cigar girl.
Hey, um... Hmm?
You're not gonna miss
June's performance, are you?
No, but I do have some
business to handle, so...
Let it wait.
I hear she's gonna dedicate
her first song to you.
You did hear that, huh? Mm-hmm.
All right. We're all set to begin tonight.
So sit back, relax, and enjoy.
And again, thank you very much for coming.
But first, um,
before I get started, I'm dry.
Could I have a little water, please?
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
thank you.
Um, I want us to all dedicate
this song to mr. Delmon wells.
And I think a song about
harlem is very appropriate
Because he has helped to put
harlem back on our minds.
Thank you.
It's all yours.
?TS emeralds in my bracelets
?TS diamonds in my rings
?TS and I'm blue, so blue
on: ?TS I got harlem on my mind ?TS
?TS and I'm longing to be lowdown ?TS
?TS and my "parlez-vous"
will not ring true ?TS
?TS with harlem on my mind
Hey. You're early.
So's dusarque. Delmon
could be here any second.
All right. Let's make the swap.
We've got about five minutes
from now until it melts.
Let's hope dusarque is ready
to swap his cash for this.
?TS with a french marquis
?TS each evening after the show
?TS my lips begin to whisper
don't tell her I'm gone.
Okay. ?TS "mon cheri"
?TS but my heart keeps singing,
"hi-de-ho" ?TS
That bought us a little time.
Busy night. You should be happy.
Yeah, you know, June's great,
But I was hoping my brother would show.
Well, there's still a chance.
Hey.
Your mom would be proud.
Yeah. yeah. I'll see you out there.
?TS tagging behind
?TS with harlem on my mind
?TS ooh
- ?TS with harlem
- Whoo!
?TS on my
?TS mind
Clockwork?
Nope. Skin of our teeth.
Thank you.
He knows he shouldn't be doing this.
The lengths we go to to protect family.
Thank you very much.
Yeah.
Mozzie's got to keep dusarque occupied
Long enough for the medallion to melt.
If anyone can keep someone
occupied, it's mozzie.
Son of a...
Taxi!
Hey, where you headed, pal? Gowanus.
Yeah, wanda, I'm gonna need
a tow from the cotton club.
Someone slashed my tire.
No, I am not waiting around in harlem.
Oh, you got -- you got to be kidding me.
Oh, just -- just give her a second.
She'll be fine.
Yeah, it looks like I'm gonna be
waiting for that tow after all.
I'll call you back.
I'd planned on doing some repairs,
But I got short-changed on some copper pipe.
$3.00 a pound -- can you believe it?
Look, if I wanted to make small talk,
I would visit my barber.
Oh, I-I wouldn't know about that.
What the hell?
I mean, I don't trust anybody
but me with this mop.
Angelo, you swindling son of a bitch,
where is my medallion?
Well, it isn't --
I am staring at an empty briefcase
And a lap full of water!
Hey, trouble in paradise?
I'm meeting you inside. Get here now!
?TS some of these days
?TS you are gonna miss me, honey
?TS some of these days
Delmon!
What's the problem?
What do you mean, "what's the problem"?
Well, the medallion's melted.
Hopefully, this buys us our face-to-face.
I think it did.
Where's my money, man?
Where is my money? It's downstairs.
Now, that -- that's clockwork.
Let's go. You got a medallion downstairs?
I'm not going downstairs.
Let's go.
?TS when you go away
?TS 'cause I feel so lonely
The real medallion better be in there.
Del?
?TS I got harlem on my mind
All I saw was the briefcase.
Out of my way.
Angelo, what is this?
Del, don't be an idiot.
There. You got your medallion,
I got my money. We good?
No, you're not.
Fbi. You're under arrest.
You taking us all in?
We are. Get him out of here.
You'd save yourself some trouble
if you tell us what happened.
cuff delmon.
Yes, sir. Wait.
No, you don't have to do that.
Agent, del had nothing to do with this.
It's on me.
You put that on record,
and your brother will be fine.
You don't have to cuff him.
Let's take him out the back,
let the crowd enjoy the night.
?TS and have had your way
?TS oh, but when you leave me
?TS I know, I know
?TS it's gonna be there
?TS you will miss your skinny,
little mama ?TS
?TS well, some of these days
?TS some of these days
?TS some of these days
Good news.
The tlc is returning all
the stolen medallions.
Bad news, they have some questions
About the validity of
hal hoover's existence.
Don't worry. I can wait for
an appropriate reaction.
After delmon got out of prison,
All he wanted was to get his old life back.
You do know we're talking
about me right now?
Moz, I know where to take the key.
Key.
Ugh, sometimes I wish you
didn't do your job so well.
Hey, you say "get everything
with a new york skyline."
I supplied.
Look. I need caffeine or whiskey.
Or both -- irish coffee.
Mm. I will kiss you.
On the off chance that caffrey
started to move, I set an alert.
Where's he headed?
Talking to angelo made me realize
I've been looking at the key all wrong.
So a medallion thief set you straight?
No. He reminded me of who I
was before I went to prison.
10 year ago, ellen and I had
no direct communication.
Well, she was in witness protection,
And you were on the lam.
Right. We had no relationship.
And we've been trying
to find a vantage point
That was relevant to her life,
But she would have been trying to find one
That was relevant to mine.
Looks like a pier in queens.
Of course.
It's those damn corks!
Come again? I should have known.
Back then, all ellen knew about neal
Was that his time was running out.
I was chasing him.
Corks?
When peter was closing in,
I started saving corks.
I'd come down here with a bottle of wine,
Watch the sun set over the city.
Each sunset and each cork
marked another day I was free.
And you told ellen?
Yeah. The last time I saw her,
before I went to prison.
So maybe she figured when you got out...
I'd pick up where I left off.
Right here.
let me guess -- that's your caffrey box.
Everything that didn't make
sense to log into evidence.
You're saying there's a cork in there?
No. He had this ritual with corks.
It doesn't matter,
But he used to go to this pier in queens --
That pier in queens.
It's got to be in here. Please be in here.
Please be here.
Hold this.
Moz.
It covers everything except one building.
He found it.
He found what?
She led you to the empire state building.
Yeah. Yeah, she did.
That's the key.
How do we find the evidence box it opens?
We let mozzie run with the key.
You said senator pratt could hurt you.
He knows we're on to him.
We woke a giant, neal.
My brakes -- I don't have my brakes.
What? What?
Peter went after a u.S. Senator,
But someone wants him to stop.
You look into this key without him.
Ellen must have made it
When she first moved to new york.
What does that remind you of?
It's a cityscape, moz.
These are buildings.
Pratt doesn't know about this.
Neither does peter.
Neal thinks he's in the lead here...
But I'm with him.
Then, all of a sudden, we ended up
At this warehouse underneath
the brooklyn bridge.
The party was insane.
And the topper was this junkie comes in
Just to steal copper
piping right out the wall.
Right out of the wall, huh?
This is your stop.
Oh! Um... You got change of a $20?
Change? No.
Seriously? Seriously.
Keep it.
Warehouse by water street --
copper pipe in the walls.
Hacks-a-lot, go for me.
Good day bleeding fares for info?
I am bacchus, and they're
literally pouring wine
Down my throat.
At least one of us is getting drunk.
Oh, intel gathering not
going as well on your end?
No, the view from ellen's first apartment
Doesn't match the key.
Pick me up?
Be right there. All right.
This is where neal is now.
You can't see anything from here.
No, he's got to be on the balcony.
Here we go. Here's his view.
Does it match up? I don't think so.
Well, I never expected him to be
Crisscrossing the city like this.
If I was a betting man,
I'd say he's trying to throw
someone off his scent.
Eh, he knows we're the only ones
Who can access his tracking data.
Peter, that's my point.
I know, but he doesn't know that
we made a copy of the key.
Oh, that's el. We're done for the day.
Tell me she doesn't know
you're still following the key?
No, ever since the accident,
she wants me to take it easy.
Yeah, and anything neal related
is exactly the opposite.
Keep monitoring his anklet.
We'll catch up later.
- Yeah.
- Hey.
Hey, honey. Hey.
Oh, hey, clinton.
I didn't know you guys were working today.
The city never sleeps.
Oh, you just caught us wrapping up.
Mm-hmm. Great to see you.
You, too.
Bye. I'll walk him out.
Thanks, jones. See you.
Mwah! Babe?
Hmm?
Why aren't you wearing your sling?
What?
Mm-hmm.
Hey. Where to?
Ellen once mentioned she liked to watch
The tugboats from brooklyn bridge park.
Hmm, tugboats. Really?
I know I'm grasping at straws.
Moz, I'm not paying you for the ride.
Oh, you are if we're to brooklyn.
Honey, you know neal doesn't
want you looking into the key.
Neal doesn't lie to me. He hides the truth.
He withholds it, but he...
...Doesn't lie to me.
And if he is, there's got
to be a reason for it.
Well, maybe he doesn't want
to drag you into a mine field.
Really? This is the only way to brooklyn?
Believe me, we missed a lot of traffic.
Besides, chasing wild
geese is expensive sport.
It's not a wild goose chase.
We know more than when we started.
Yeah, we know the key doesn't match
The view from ellen's
place on roosevelt island,
Or her favorite knoll in central park,
Or her ex-boyfriend's loft in soho.
Yeah, I get it.
We've had a lot of dead ends.
But she had a reason behind this.
To cut a skyline into a sliver of metal
Without any indication of
what it points to or why?
She thought I'd know.
Must be some part of her
life I'm not remembering.
5v78?! That's my cab!
He's driving my cab!
Citizen's arrest! Cease and desist!
What the hell, moz? Don't --
Look! Look it! His tag number!
That's me! He has the same taxi medallion.
Mine is legal!
Moz, it's me.
It is! I paid a full rock to be 5v78.
Who the hell is this guy?!
Mozzie, relax. Don't --
don't got after him, mozzie!
It's not --
moz! That's a red light!
Can you at least turn off the meter?
I mean, honey, you were hospitalized,
Hughes lost his job,
ellen is dead and so is her killer.
I mean --
Pratt is dangerous, and I got to stop him.
Then stop him as an fbi agent.
All right, but if neal has
some scheme or heist planned,
I'm not a part of it.
Then what are you doing?
Watching. So that I can control the outcome.
Honey, I am safe here on the sidelines.
I think it's good he lied to you.
Hi, neal.
Oh, of course he does.
I'm aiding and abetting the fuzz
And I'm the one in manacles?
You ran five consecutive red lights.
I was apprehending a criminal.
They think you're the criminal.
This medallion isn't registered
to you. This is fraud!
Says the man driving a cab
under an assumed name.
Unless -- is this your real name?
Oh, nice try, suit.
Hal hoover is just trying
to make an honest living.
He's neither honest, nor living.
Why is he driving a cab?
To vacuum for tips.
From sex lives to stock tips,
the hal hoover story.
I got them to let you off with a fine.
So you're done here.
I'm done?
Yeah, well, somebody should have the key.
Are you aware of the legwork required
To legally operate a yellow
cab in new york city?
Yes, you can rent or buy a medallion
From the taxi & limousine commission.
The potential for profit is enormous!
I know, the medallions are auctioning
For about a million dollars each.
How did you get yours?
I paid -- in full.
I'm sure you can guess.
Don't want to know.
That medallion is the only thing
Separating me from being a gypsy, suit.
A gypsy!
And now some hack is driving
around with a counterfeit.
I get it.
Upstanding citizen hal
hoover has brought me a case.
Wait, so let me process this --
Mozzie drives a cab to
gather intel on his fares?
Calls it his yellow girlfriend.
Oh, that makes me uncomfortable.
Well, it's a common phrase amongst cabbies.
I reviewed his bill of sale. It's legit.
Shows that he purchased the
medallion four months ago.
All right, so why does the
taxi & limousine commission
Say luke dusarque of gotham taxi owns it?
His girlfriend's stepping out.
Cute -- my working theory is that
Someone from the tlc is
manipulating records.
Yeah, but the real owner
could file a report.
Well, not if you target victims
Who would be afraid to report it,
Like new cabbies or recent immigrants.
But whoever stole it is
covering their tracks.
There's no link to any
of the employees at tlc.
Then we go after the buyer.
Want us to subpoena dusarque's records?
You want to put hal hoover down
As the main testimony backing that request?
You ever ask yourself if it's worth it?
Do I wonder why I don't arrest
mozzie and be done with it? Yes.
Every time he opens his mouth,
I reach for my cuffs.
But it looks like he may be right.
So what, then?
We ask dusarque for his records straight up?
Yeah, but I don't think
He'll hand them over to an fbi agent.
Peter billings?
sounds like a tv anchor.
No tlc for my tlc id?
Oh, I've been waiting on a tlc joke,
But that was not good.
I'll work on it. Please don't.
Peter billings.
I need to see your fare book.
Tlc agents are glorified dmv reps.
I wouldn't flash that too much.
I'm just getting into character.
Please don't.
I'll tell you, guys -- miracle of life?
The only miracle is that
I didn't get a hernia
Scrubbing the stains out of my floor mats.
What's he doing here?
His best columbo impression?
He's not columbo. I'm columbo.
Get him out of here.
All right.
It's the third time someone's
given birth in my cab.
I mean, I'm not even a father!
I feel like a freaking midwife!
Peter billings of the tlc.
I need to speak with luke dusarque, please.
Office.
Thank you. Frank, bring the keys to 6v92.
I swear, I've never seen
That amount of copper pipe in my life.
You know that plastic is the
newest thing now, right?
Hey! You...Hal!
You drove me to katz's deli the other day.
I left my wallet in your car.
Oh, yeah. Katz's, right --
The bad tipper.
Is that why you drove off
with $500 of my money?
Yeah. Yeah. Not so sassy now, are we?
I'd like a word with you, please?
Whoever said the customer's always right
Never met the customer, am I right?
That's funny.
da: Carmen's pulling 8r62 out now.
You didn't trust peter and I alone on this?
Three in the hand is better
than none in the bush.
Stop trying to make that a saying.
Did you get anywhere?
Did I? I was chatting with earl here.
I guess every so often,
the cabbies come in and find
That dusarque has left a new car on the lot.
Hmm.
If I can get inside that cab,
I could hack the gps.
Oh, and pull a home base
On where the medallions are coming from?
Well, we don't have time to
break in and hot wire it.
We'll need the key. Frank,
where are we on those keys?
You have your 5v78 paperwork on you?
They can't take everything
away from hal hoover.
Why?
'cause a bill of sale looks
a lot like a lease agreement
To a busy woman.
Let's go get your wallet back.
Look, lady, we dropped you
off at your destination,
We charged your card, end of story.
Luke dusarque. Wanda said you needed me?
Peter billings, tlc.
Not afraid of losing repeat customers, huh?
Can't let people walk all over you.
So?
Yeah, we've had rumors
Of cabbies giving unreported cash rides.
I got to check your records. It's routine.
Great. That the year?
The month.
Ah, you mind if I make
A few copies of these fare logs?
The rest of them are over there.
Let me know if I need to fire anybody.
Gotham. This is luke.
I already told you, buddy,
it's not in there!
It's $500, danny devito!
The least you can let me
do is look inside the cab.
Gotham. Please hold.
Can you believe this, wanda?!
Calvin klein here comes
into my place of business
And publicly attacks my character!
I don't have time for this. Who are you?
Uh, hal. I leased 5v78 last week.
Really? You paid $4,000 a month
to rent a taxi medallion?
Yeah, I bet you do need
some extra cash, pal.
Hey! Doesn't mean I take something
that wasn't mine. Right, wanda?
Let the man look in the
car if it'll settle this.
-Thank you! Frank, I need the keys to 5v78
-- stat!
Thank you, wanda.
You're a very reasonable person...
Unlike him.
Oh, this one? You have no idea.
Gotham taxi. Hold, please.
Got the I.D. Number.
Great, I'll be in their
firewall within an hour.
All right. Peter:
Or I'll simply call the company
And requisition their logs.
So when I do it, I'm a criminal.
But when you do it, you're a patriot?
God bless the government.
Peter billings, tlc.
I'm going to need you two
to step out of the vehicle.
Seriously? Yeah.
Incredible!
Dusarque has all the appropriate paperwork
Co-opting my medallion and my ride log.
The hubris!
Didn't even bat an eye
when he handed it over.
These fare logs go back
All four months you've owned the medallion.
Yeah, most of these are my fares.
Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine...Not mine!
All right, that's when the
medallion switched hands.
Two thursdays ago.
Yeah, leaving us with 20 or so addresses
Above that on the gps to track down.
You read, I'll search.
1023 east rivington street.
...23 east riving-ton street.
Hmm...
That's a residence of a film producer...
That suspended her mail delivery
Because she's just returning
from a film shoot in romania.
And used the cab to return from jfk.
Seriously, grey gardens,
this is the pace we're gonna go at?
Justice requires patience, little edie.
All right.
All right, 1297 east houston.
That's a donut shop owned and operated by
An 82-year-old man and his wife.
Maybe they're fencing medallions
to build a retirement fund?
Mm-hmm.
All right, 656 west 125th street.
That's...The cotton club.
I thought that shut down.
They had a soft opening two months ago.
Testing the waters for a bigger one.
Elizabeth has been begging me to go.
Who owns it now?
June used to tell me about
singing there with byron.
Two brothers -- angelo and delmon wells.
Delmon's recently back
from a stint at rikers.
Four years -- b&e.
And angelo...
Works at the taxi & limousine commission.
That's the guy! He must
be selling the medallions!
The club's a cash business.
It's the perfect place to clean the profit.
If that's the case, it might
show up on their balance sheet.
You ready to go for a ride?
Here we are. Tips welcome.
-Here's a tip
-- clean these seats. All right, let's go.
Uh, we can handle this, columbo.
Hey, three in the hand is
better than none in the bush.
Just stay here and don't get in any trouble.
I don't know why you
still bother saying that.
That's the fastest I've gotten
a cab in harlem -- or anywhere.
Almost makes me change my mind
about wanting to sell the place.
Oh, you're the owner?
Uh-huh. You new?
No!
I'm an opportunist.
Huh.
you can smell the history in this place.
Yeah, history smells like an old ashtray.
We're never gonna get a
look at their financials
If that's your attitude.
My attitude might not come into play.
We're a couple of sore thumbs here.
all right, no fbi.
Roll with me on this.
Oh, just once I'd love
An explanation to follow that sentence.
We don't open till 7:00, gentlemen.
I know. Neal craig -- talent management.
This your place?
Mine and my brother's -- delmon wells.
And I'm with the label.
Peter billings -- swing low sound.
You guys got a pretty good stable.
Well, thanks. I helped rebuild it.
So why are you here?
Well, we know you're also in
the process of rebuilding.
We thought we'd offer some
fresh talent to draw crowds.
Fresh is code for young and fleeting,
And this club doesn't do "american idol."
You interested in classic acts?
Little less lana del rye --
More booker little resolving
notes on his trumpet?
Which is what I booked for
this Friday's reopening.
Got me an old-school trio -- sax,
drums, and an organ.
You could still use a singer.
Must be nice, running a club like that.
You want it, you can have it.
Well, if you're not into it,
why are you reopening the club?
That'd be my brother.
He ditches town for a while,
Comes back and declares
us open for business.
Oh, you don't like to be told what to do.
That's right.
My mother leaves us a club I don't want,
My brother leaves me to run it,
Meanwhile nobody cares I got
a day job to worry about.
Oh, where's that? Tlc.
Taxi & limousine commission?
Ding-ding.
5v78.
You lease this from dusarque over at gotham?
Yeah. You really know your cabs.
I can barely get one myself.
This game's rigged, man.
No, they...
that's the reason they
call it the empire city.
You got to scrape where you can.
How do you scrape?
By taking joy in the one
good thing about my job.
What's that?
Hiring cigar girls.
I've never heard of June ellington.
No, but you've heard of her husband, byron.
Byron ellington, the trumpeter?
Got a hell of a ride out of that last name.
He played with don byas back then.
And June sang lead until byron got sick.
You guys have piqued my interest,
But, uh, we're a small operation.
I can't just write a big check
at the end of the night.
I'm sure we can work something out.
So why would a label let their
artist work on the cheap?
I think what he means to say is --
Music isn't born in madison square garden.
It starts here, in clubs like this
Music has to come from
somewhere to go somewhere.
Well, I handle the talent,
but my brother keeps the books.
We usually do a straight percentage of 65.
I think we can do better than a
straight percentage for June.
And we still have to hear an e.P.
Before we settle on anything.
Won't be a problem.
Could I trouble you for a matchbook?
It's for my wife.
She's a big fan of this place.
Okay. Thanks.
You should invite your wife
for the reopening. Thank you.
All right, I think we all
got what we need here.
We'll be in touch. Okay.
Looking forward to hearing that album.
What was that back there?
"music isn't born in madison square garden?"
El's weekly dissertation
When she puts her morgana king album on.
Where the hell is mozzie?
I don't know why you still bother.
So, you actually listen to me
When I rant about something, huh?
Marriage is for better or for worse. Uh-huh.
You know, the cotton club
brings back a lot of memories.
When I first came to new york,
I used to go there every Thursday night.
Why'd you stop?
They shut down.
A lot of these old places do.
Yeah, it doesn't help the businesses
When the owners are crooks.
Does that mean I don't get
to go to the reopening?
If they're using the club to launder money,
there won't be a reopening.
Don't lose hope --
it might take us past Friday
To isolate the discrepancies in the books.
I could probably save
you a few hours of work.
Okay. Let's see. Okay.
They have 30 tables,
turnover an hour per table,
Here they have total attendance at 220.
But see, they're only putting
300 linens to be washed.
It should be well over 500.
Well, they could be
reusing them to cut costs.
Yeah, or they could be
padding the head count
And tabbing an extra
couple grand every night.
That's my girl!
Oh. Can you nail 'em?
Not yet. These scams are
nearly impossible to prove.
Smart.
Hey. My yellow girlfriend
and I return with news.
Come on in.
Sure. Angelo recognized my taxi number.
It's definitely him.
Yeah, and possibly his brother.
Then why the dillydallying?
Arrest and return all the seized goods.
Based on your observations and
a laundry bill? Try again.
We need eyes on the operation,
someone on the inside.
Hmm. Know any cute cigar girls?
Thanks, toots.
I better not hear you laughing.
Oh, we're laughing with you, toots.
Security guard by the stairs
has got a metal detector.
Yeah. I wonder what that's about.
I got eyes on angelo.
He's headed downstairs with a briefcase.
See if you can follow him.
All right.
Hands.
Oh, nice. What's this?
On the house.
Thank you! Yeah!
I got to reload.
Sorry -- earrings.
What's in it?
Nothing.
Angelo! I said, "nothing."
Damn beanie babies. What's the difference?
Don't patronize me then.
I'm not asking for a kidney.
How many times you expect me to do this
Without knowing what I'm doing?
Come on!
Luke said he'll be here Friday
at 8:30 to get the briefcase.
Friday's the reopening.
What? There's a
"no swapping briefcases" rule?
I just don't want you getting into trouble.
Then help me out. Now, open the safe.
Angelo's selling another medallion.
And delmon doesn't know anything about it.
on: ?TS I got harlem on my mind ?TS
So you're not coming on Friday?
lo: I told you. Dusty jazz
acts ain't my thing
Boss, did you get all that?
I did. See if you can get eyes on that safe.
I'll try.
I don't hear anyone. I'm going in.
Watch yourself.
You're the new girl.
Yeah, um, I was just --
Venturing someplace you got
absolutely no business being.
Diana?
I'm sorry. I got lost.
Lost? That's not gonna hold.
No, but she knows that.
Well, there's two doors in that hallway.
One goes to the humidor,
and one goes to my office.
Guess you didn't have
trouble finding the humidor.
No.
I, um -- I heard about
your vinyl collection.
I wanted to take a look.
So, you'll risk getting fired
To come in here to see some dusty jazz acts?
If you're calling an original
pressing of james rushing
A "dusty jazz act,
" then you and me got a problem.
You got some balls, girl.
Spark me up one of those.
Smart. The apple and eve.
She couldn't resist.
Oh, now you help yourself to a principito?
I'm officially jealous.
Have you ever had a principito? No.
They're the reason why we have five senses.
Light one up, and tell me it doesn't sing.
Well, I see you got the
same good taste in music
That you have in your cigars.
It's your record. Naw, it's my mom's.
I just get credit for not selling it.
You ever wonder where it comes from --
Our need for music?
Well, it catalogues our memories.
A record like that,
it just puts you someplace.
Where's it put you?
The first time I heard jimmy
rushing was not on wax.
It was here.
You couldn't have been more than 7.
6 -- I remember just sitting on a barstool,
Playing drums in my head
like jo jones was onstage,
Which incidentally, can't be done.
And my brother angelo --
Yeah, he interviewed me.
He was 4 years old, man.
He's running around,
"devil in his eyes" wild.
arms flailing like he was underwater.
I don't think he knew
exactly what he was doing,
But he knew what he was doing, you know?
Does he still know what he's doing?
Um, he's been flailing around a bit lately,
But his heart's still in it.
But I'll always remember him
spinning around up there.
That's why we need the music.
That's what you're trying to
recapture with the reopening.
I figure if I can remind
him of what he's missing,
Maybe he'll just keep his
flailing on the dance floor.
You did a bang-up job with the place.
Good booze, best musicians alive...
Cigar girls.
Yeah, speaking of which, uh,
isn't your break about up?
It is.
Yeah.
I hope what you're doing pays off.
Yeah. Me, too.
And the music never stops.
We shouldn't be arresting delmon.
Sounds like a decent guy.
I know, but our only
definitive link to the crime
Is in a safe, in the back
office of the cotton club.
What are the chances
delmon will roll on angelo
If we bust him making the
exchange with dusarque?
None. He loves angelo.
He'd go silent before
rolling on his baby brother.
So the guilty brother walks,
and the innocent one does time?
No.
You have an idea?
We need to force angelo
to show up at the meet.
I met dusarque. He's a bull.
If something goes wrong,
He'll demand answers directly from angelo.
If the medallion somehow disappeared,
That'd give him reason to be upset.
We replace the real medallion with a decoy.
A disappearing decoy? A melting one.
Like the ice diamond you
gave the czarina in russia.
No.
Can we get in the safe to make the swap?
The safe lock's voice-recognition.
I think I have a vocal key.
on: ?TS I got harlem on my mind ?TS
That's why he was singing.
Those lyrics unlock the safe.
That laptop's not getting past
the security's metal detector.
For that matter, any kind of
recorder or play-back device.
What if it's vinyl?
Maybe it's time for June ellington
To come out of retirement.
All right.
Delmon is a connoisseur of vinyl,
So we need to press an album
That looks and sounds authentic to the '60s.
Think you can handle it?
You know I can handle it.
Of course she can.
So we're gonna record you
singing on both channels
But hide delmon's voice key
on the left audio track.
That way, when neal plays it back,
it will open the safe.
My only question is,
what songs am I singing?
"ain't nobody's business"
and "harlem on my mind" --
Delmon's taste --
But I'll show you how to class it up.
Listen, little man, if you think
you can show me some class,
You have another thought coming.
Talent.
Okay. I think we're good.
I'm gonna get started on
those melting medallions.
?TS if I should take a notion
to jump into the ocean ?TS
?TS ain't nobody's business if I do ?TS
?TS if go to church on Sunday and
shimmy down all day Monday ?TS
?TS ain't nobody's business if I do ?TS
?TS if my friend ain't got no money ?TS
?TS I say, "all right, honey"
?TS ain't nobody's business if I do ?TS
?TS nobody's business
?TS ain't nobody's business
?TS nobody's business if I do
- Hey.
- Hey.
Got our rush job back
from the printers. Here.
Wow. Look at that.
Great photo of you, June.
Well, what do you think?
If the songs are good, we're good.
Oh, the songs are good.
The songs are exceptional. You dig?
Uh, the question is, will delmon agree?
Well, there's only one way to find out.
?TS nobody's business ?TS
What do you think?
Honestly, I think it's a bunch of bull.
I mean, these guys had
this woman at the head,
And it was byron that made it big?
So she's your girl for the reopening?
Yeah, man. She's my girl.
Check, check!
Aw, hon, thanks for letting me come.
I sort of got the impression
I didn't have a choice.
You didn't.
it's better than I remember.
Yeah, delmon has done a lot of work
To return the club to its former glory.
Hmm.
Well, you tell him your wife approves.
Well, you can tell him yourself.
We ready to go? Yeah. June's all set.
Excited to hear those
pipes live and in person.
We all are.
Mr. Wells, this is my wife elizabeth.
Hi. Oh, the jazz fan.
Excuse me. Yeah.
I saw steve coleman perform years ago --
Nearly blew my skirt right off.
Green room.
Look at this turnout.
I see the ellington name still
carries some weight around here.
yes.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I'm so excited to introduce mrs.
June ellington.
Peter, hey!
I thought you were tracking dusarque.
He must have gotten anxious
because he's on his way in here.
Neal just went down a minute ago.
Well, you got to stall the exchange.
I can't. Dusarque will recognize me.
Okay. All right. Hang back. Mm-hmm.
We've got it covered.
All right. Tell diana to get moving.
Honey, I got to make myself scarce.
Okay.
It is so wonderful to see --
To see all of you here this evening.
Thank you for being here.
I'm gonna get settled in with my band,
And we'll begin in just a moment.
Hey, uh, you own this place, right?
Yeah, I do, but I'm busy
right now. Hey, listen.
Do you have any more of those
principitos laying around?
You have to ask my cigar girl.
Hey, um... Hmm?
You're not gonna miss
June's performance, are you?
No, but I do have some
business to handle, so...
Let it wait.
I hear she's gonna dedicate
her first song to you.
You did hear that, huh? Mm-hmm.
All right. We're all set to begin tonight.
So sit back, relax, and enjoy.
And again, thank you very much for coming.
But first, um,
before I get started, I'm dry.
Could I have a little water, please?
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
thank you.
Um, I want us to all dedicate
this song to mr. Delmon wells.
And I think a song about
harlem is very appropriate
Because he has helped to put
harlem back on our minds.
Thank you.
It's all yours.
?TS emeralds in my bracelets
?TS diamonds in my rings
?TS and I'm blue, so blue
on: ?TS I got harlem on my mind ?TS
?TS and I'm longing to be lowdown ?TS
?TS and my "parlez-vous"
will not ring true ?TS
?TS with harlem on my mind
Hey. You're early.
So's dusarque. Delmon
could be here any second.
All right. Let's make the swap.
We've got about five minutes
from now until it melts.
Let's hope dusarque is ready
to swap his cash for this.
?TS with a french marquis
?TS each evening after the show
?TS my lips begin to whisper
don't tell her I'm gone.
Okay. ?TS "mon cheri"
?TS but my heart keeps singing,
"hi-de-ho" ?TS
That bought us a little time.
Busy night. You should be happy.
Yeah, you know, June's great,
But I was hoping my brother would show.
Well, there's still a chance.
Hey.
Your mom would be proud.
Yeah. yeah. I'll see you out there.
?TS tagging behind
?TS with harlem on my mind
?TS ooh
- ?TS with harlem
- Whoo!
?TS on my
?TS mind
Clockwork?
Nope. Skin of our teeth.
Thank you.
He knows he shouldn't be doing this.
The lengths we go to to protect family.
Thank you very much.
Yeah.
Mozzie's got to keep dusarque occupied
Long enough for the medallion to melt.
If anyone can keep someone
occupied, it's mozzie.
Son of a...
Taxi!
Hey, where you headed, pal? Gowanus.
Yeah, wanda, I'm gonna need
a tow from the cotton club.
Someone slashed my tire.
No, I am not waiting around in harlem.
Oh, you got -- you got to be kidding me.
Oh, just -- just give her a second.
She'll be fine.
Yeah, it looks like I'm gonna be
waiting for that tow after all.
I'll call you back.
I'd planned on doing some repairs,
But I got short-changed on some copper pipe.
$3.00 a pound -- can you believe it?
Look, if I wanted to make small talk,
I would visit my barber.
Oh, I-I wouldn't know about that.
What the hell?
I mean, I don't trust anybody
but me with this mop.
Angelo, you swindling son of a bitch,
where is my medallion?
Well, it isn't --
I am staring at an empty briefcase
And a lap full of water!
Hey, trouble in paradise?
I'm meeting you inside. Get here now!
?TS some of these days
?TS you are gonna miss me, honey
?TS some of these days
Delmon!
What's the problem?
What do you mean, "what's the problem"?
Well, the medallion's melted.
Hopefully, this buys us our face-to-face.
I think it did.
Where's my money, man?
Where is my money? It's downstairs.
Now, that -- that's clockwork.
Let's go. You got a medallion downstairs?
I'm not going downstairs.
Let's go.
?TS when you go away
?TS 'cause I feel so lonely
The real medallion better be in there.
Del?
?TS I got harlem on my mind
All I saw was the briefcase.
Out of my way.
Angelo, what is this?
Del, don't be an idiot.
There. You got your medallion,
I got my money. We good?
No, you're not.
Fbi. You're under arrest.
You taking us all in?
We are. Get him out of here.
You'd save yourself some trouble
if you tell us what happened.
cuff delmon.
Yes, sir. Wait.
No, you don't have to do that.
Agent, del had nothing to do with this.
It's on me.
You put that on record,
and your brother will be fine.
You don't have to cuff him.
Let's take him out the back,
let the crowd enjoy the night.
?TS and have had your way
?TS oh, but when you leave me
?TS I know, I know
?TS it's gonna be there
?TS you will miss your skinny,
little mama ?TS
?TS well, some of these days
?TS some of these days
?TS some of these days
Good news.
The tlc is returning all
the stolen medallions.
Bad news, they have some questions
About the validity of
hal hoover's existence.
Don't worry. I can wait for
an appropriate reaction.
After delmon got out of prison,
All he wanted was to get his old life back.
You do know we're talking
about me right now?
Moz, I know where to take the key.
Key.
Ugh, sometimes I wish you
didn't do your job so well.
Hey, you say "get everything
with a new york skyline."
I supplied.
Look. I need caffeine or whiskey.
Or both -- irish coffee.
Mm. I will kiss you.
On the off chance that caffrey
started to move, I set an alert.
Where's he headed?
Talking to angelo made me realize
I've been looking at the key all wrong.
So a medallion thief set you straight?
No. He reminded me of who I
was before I went to prison.
10 year ago, ellen and I had
no direct communication.
Well, she was in witness protection,
And you were on the lam.
Right. We had no relationship.
And we've been trying
to find a vantage point
That was relevant to her life,
But she would have been trying to find one
That was relevant to mine.
Looks like a pier in queens.
Of course.
It's those damn corks!
Come again? I should have known.
Back then, all ellen knew about neal
Was that his time was running out.
I was chasing him.
Corks?
When peter was closing in,
I started saving corks.
I'd come down here with a bottle of wine,
Watch the sun set over the city.
Each sunset and each cork
marked another day I was free.
And you told ellen?
Yeah. The last time I saw her,
before I went to prison.
So maybe she figured when you got out...
I'd pick up where I left off.
Right here.
let me guess -- that's your caffrey box.
Everything that didn't make
sense to log into evidence.
You're saying there's a cork in there?
No. He had this ritual with corks.
It doesn't matter,
But he used to go to this pier in queens --
That pier in queens.
It's got to be in here. Please be in here.
Please be here.
Hold this.
Moz.
It covers everything except one building.
He found it.
He found what?
She led you to the empire state building.
Yeah. Yeah, she did.