NCIS New Orleans (2014) s02e11 Episode Script
Blue Christmas
Dirty Boyz Ho, ho, ho, ho What you want for Christmas? What you want, huh? What you want for Christmas? What you want, boy? All I want for Christmas Is to get it crunk All I want for Christmas is to Get it, get it crunk What you want for Christmas? What you want, huh? What you want for Christmas What you want, boy? All I want for Christmas Is to get it crunk, is to get it crunk Get it, get it crunk All I want for Christmas 24s or better, y'all A T-Mobile Sidekick My own Gucci sweater, dawg And I want some soldieries, a mouth full of tooth And a fresh black T (whimpering) Shh.
Boom, boom, boom, boom Bang, bang, bang, bang Boom, boom, boom, boom How, how, how, how Hey, hey You gotta come on.
(phone rings, beeps) Oh, 9:29-- you're a minute early.
If you're early, you're on time.
If you're on time You're late.
Whoever taught you that must have been very wise.
Yeah, she's a'ight.
So state your purpose.
Um, going to Brandon's for a little Halo marathon, sleep over if that's cool with you? Well, if it's cool with his parental units, it's fine with this one.
MAN: Yo, Drizz, get off the phone! Let's go, man! Who's that? Uh just a friend from school.
Just text me when you get to Brandon's.
All right, Drizz? All right.
Good night, Doc.
Night, Danny.
(phone beeps) (sighs) Why are we still here? Look, man, I been meaning to tell you something.
City champs.
Smash Bros, remember? Tell each other anything.
Yeah, a'ight.
That little pencil mustache you've been growing since the fifth grade (engine starts) I say we go get a razor, take care of it before you embarrass us some more.
Man, shut up.
(laughs) All right, let's go.
Think, uh, it'd be a good idea if we went over the rules again for our newbie here, King.
Um, this is not my first rodeo, cowboy.
I know how to play Secret Santa.
Not NCIS New Orleans style, you don't.
I learned last year, they take things very seriously around here.
Rules are simple.
Keep presents under 20 bucks.
And in accordance with the Napoleonic Code in the state of Louisiana, under no circumstances are you to tell anyone who you picked until after the gift exchange.
Okay.
(door opens) (laughs) PRIDE: Just in time, Loretta! Dwayne, the place looks great.
You ready for your grand opening? I'm ready as soon as they fix the potholes out front.
(laughter) Ooh, I feel sorry for whoever picks me, because last year, I got an antique sternum cutter from Sebastian.
SEBASTIAN: Uh-huh.
Hard to top that.
Yeah, it was eBay, you know? All right, Sonja, here you go.
All right.
(phone beeping) PRIDE: Party's over.
Home invasion, homicide.
Federal City, Navy housing.
Time to work.
Victim's name is Shelley Freeman.
They shot her point-blank range, execution style.
(camera clicking) There's no exit wound to speak of.
Suggests a small caliber round.
Looks like our perp mixed business with pleasure.
More likely perps.
So why kill her? Maybe she saw something that she shouldn't have.
Christopher, dust and check out prints, and see if we can find any traces Afraid you won't find much.
Secured the scene-- lot's missing, little left behind.
And you are? MA-1 Brown.
I called it in.
Canvass the neighborhood for witnesses? Would have, if any were around.
Everybody's out celebrating at Festival of Bonfires.
Left the neighborhood empty.
You know, I used to think I wanted a fancy spot like this.
Grass is always greener, huh? SONJA: Pride.
You got to see this.
Looks like someone melted their way through the locks and gained entry.
Get it to Sebastian.
MAN: I went to the officers' club for a wetting-down.
Buddy was getting promoted.
(sighs) Should have just stayed home.
Dad, there was nothing you could have done.
We been married a short time.
She was everything.
Sofia, you said you took off around 8:00.
See anything out of the ordinary when you left the house? No.
She was in the kitchen.
I went to the bonfires.
It's not fair.
Not again.
(sniffles) Her mom passed away when she was six.
Commander.
Everything right now suggests that your wife was the victim of a botched home invasion.
Yeah.
I oversee a team of Intel specialists for the Navy's Information Dominance Corps.
My laptop's gone.
Sensitive files on it? All right, if this was about that Rob the commander's house, make off with a computer full of sensitive material.
Looks like more than a home invasion gone wrong.
Could be espionage.
(computer beeping) What do you got, Sebastian? I got the Freemans' front door lock.
Uh, I can tell you what turned it into a Salvador Dali sculpture.
It was acid.
Uh, I figure out the particular formula, I might be able to trace it back to the manufacturer.
I'm actually really close to cracking it.
Check out this algorithm I made.
Oh.
That's no, that's the wrong 'rithm.
One second.
SONJA: Ooh! Sebastian.
No, that's I can explain.
Okay? You naughty little elf.
I'm not being naughty; I'm just using a scientific method to figure out my Secret Santa, so that I can then send them e-mails anonymously with great gift ideas.
(scoffs) Sorry to interrupt your forecast Sebastian, but Patton Claus comes bearing gifts.
The Navy installed location software into the commander's computer.
I managed to remotely access his laptop, get his GPS signals, and Looks like it's on the move.
That's kind of like that app you can get where NORAD tracks Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve.
You ever get that? He's headed down St.
Claude Ave.
Brody, with me.
Patton, alert NOPD.
Have them meet us en route.
(siren wailing) PRIDE: We have eyes on suspect, eastbound on St.
Claude.
Approaching Center Street.
(tires screech) Show me your hands! Keep your hands up! Hey, I didn't do anything, man.
I didn't do anything! Come on! Got the goods.
Get him up.
OFFICER: Come on, on your feet.
(grunts) Danny? What the hell is going on, Danny? You got stolen goods in the back of your car connected to a murder.
I don't know what to say.
Start with the truth.
W-Well, the truth is, I don't know how it got there.
Come on.
Pride, I'm telling you.
I-I was driving around friends all night.
I'm the only one with a car.
Okay.
So someone else left the backpack in your car.
Who? I don't know.
I don't.
Everyone who you were driving around last night-- gonna need names and phone numbers.
Then can I go? Protocol says I got to take you in.
Just till we sort things out.
And he's doing all right? Considering the circumstances.
And he doesn't know who put the backpack in his car? Gave us a list of all the people he drove last night.
We're running down the names.
And the backpack? Sebastian's got it, checking for prints.
(scoffs) Dwayne, Danny's no spy.
Case is going back to a robbery-homicide investigation.
Dwayne, I know Danny's been in a bit of trouble, but I know.
He's a good kid.
Where the hell are my damn keys? Hey, hey, hey.
Just take a breath.
Let me look.
Here we go.
I'll drive.
Tell Dad Merry Christmas, I love him.
I am I'm hanging up now, Mom.
LASALLE: Look alive! Visitor on deck.
Meredith Brody, meet Dinah Clark, NOPD.
Old friend of me and Pride.
Friend's a strong word, Christopher.
I always liked King.
I tolerated him.
I know what you mean.
Nice meeting you.
You, too.
I've been working with them on joint investigations ever since they opened the office.
I got a few robberies, and I think there's something that might be connected to yours: melted locks.
Same acid that was used to break into the Freemans' was used in three other break-ins.
Except this is the first time they went and killed somebody.
Well, I sent you the files.
I'll pull that up.
That was taken from a neighborhood watch surveillance cam in Fed City.
We are looking for a crew.
Four knuckleheads, altogether.
Wordy Nerdy worked his ballistics magic, got a hit on NIBIN.
Killer's gun, Smith & Wesson .
22, was registered to Ronnie Doyle, pawn shop owner.
Discharged it last year to stop a robbery attempt.
How'd that gun get into the hands of our killer? Did Doyle sell it? Well, he didn't submit a 4473 to ATF, so Hey, girl, I'm Sonja Percy, by the way.
Clark, NOPD.
Cool.
Let's pay a visit to that store.
Y'all don't mind if I tag along, do you? SONJA: Sure.
Don't worry about me.
Go ahead.
You ladies have fun.
CJ know about all this? No.
Let's hope he doesn't have to.
You're gonna be fine.
They, uh, figure anything out yet? Last thing I heard, they were looking at your list of names.
Who was on it? I know Brandon; he's not the criminal type.
Wasn't Brandon.
Friends from your old neighborhood? You weren't playing video games with Brandon last night? I was at a party.
But before you say anything, I wasn't drinking.
I was the designated driver, so So there was alcohol at the party.
But I thought I was doing the right thing.
I thought not drinking was supposed to keep me out of trouble.
You lied to me.
Well, I know you don't like my friends.
Well, I have reason not to.
They're my friends.
You better tell me what happened last night and who the hell you were with! I see how it is.
Once a gangster, always a gangster, right? Don't you ever play that card with me.
I will come back later when you stop feeling sorry for yourself.
Thanks.
You Ronnie? Who's asking? NOPD.
NCIS.
We're interested in a Smith & Wesson .
22.
No, it was used in a murder last night.
It's the same one you discharged in the store here last year.
Uh Listen, Ronnie, you've got a couple of options.
Number one, you think real hard about who you sold that gun to, or Or I can take you down to the station right now and book you on a felony charge for illegal sale of a firearm.
Okay.
Uh, let me think.
He was black.
Six feet or so, slender.
Had a sweatshirt on with a lion's head.
Just like Danny's hoodie.
(phone chimes) Sebastian got a hit on the fingerprint on the backpack.
It's not good.
Danny explain something to me.
You didn't know the backpack was in your car how are your prints on it? I don't know.
Maybe you can tell me, then why the guy who purchased the murder weapon matches your description and was wearing your hoodie.
NOPD is about to come in here and press formal charges.
You didn't tell me that.
Just found out about it myself.
I bought all the time I could.
Now, I know you, son.
I know you got a good heart.
And I believe you had nothing to do with this, but there's something you're not saying.
Come on, Danny.
Hey.
I'm the best chance you got.
(sighs) If I tell you Stop.
Don't say another word.
Loretta? I'm sorry, Dwayne.
But Danny's not saying another word until he sees a lawyer.
What are you doing, Loretta? You get him a lawyer, I can't talk to him.
I'm trying to help him.
So am I.
He's a young black man with a record.
He talks, they will use it against him.
Well, who would you rather have take his statement? Someone That's my son in there! And he will not say another word until he gets a lawyer.
CLARK: King.
Wish I could say I was here to catch up on old times, but I got to take him in.
OFFICER: Let's go.
(handcuffs clicking) Doc.
I'm right behind you.
LASALLE: I been fishing with Danny.
He let a trophy bass go 'cause he didn't want to see it suffer.
He's no killer.
I'm not saying he is.
I'm saying he may have had his hands in the burglaries.
He's got grand theft, possession with intent to distribute PRIDE: He was 15, working for his drug-dealing dad.
Tough upbringing doesn't make a career criminal.
Now, we got 24 hours until Danny's brought before a magistrate.
Let's stay focused on what we do know.
All right, we're looking for a crew of four in these burglaries.
Even if Danny is one of 'em Still three out there.
PRIDE: Find 'em, we'll get to the truth.
Triple P got some of his own truth to drop on y'all.
I dumped Danny's phone records.
You'll never guess who he called on the day of the break-in.
Residence of none other than Master-at-Arms First Class Daryl Brown.
LASALLE: So our first responder had a conversation that day with our only suspect.
Master-at-Arm patrols the neighborhood, knows the coming and going of the homeowners.
He's the perfect lookout.
Hey.
Brought you a cup of my mother's famous unpasteurized eggnog.
Of course, there's still a chance of bacterial contamination, but there's enough rum in there to counteract it.
Ooh.
You okay? I assume you have something else to share besides the eggnog.
(clears throat) But you're afraid it might implicate Danny in some way? I don't know.
You know? B-But if it does, then what am I Sebastian, the best way for us to help him now is to learn everything about what happened.
So what have you found? All right, well, I broke down the chemical makeup of the acid used on the locks in all the break-ins.
Uh, barium sulfate, sulfuric acid and ammonium.
Etch solution? Yeah, mainly used by graffiti artists to tag glass windows, but also by gang members to mark their territory.
And melting locks, in this case.
You tell Pride? Sebastian, forensic evidence can be used just as often to exonerate as it is to incriminate.
Well, at least you have something you can be doing.
I, on the other hand, can only hurry up and wait.
Can I give you a hug? I'd like that.
Look at the log.
I was responding to a noise complaint on Lafayette.
Can't be in two places at once.
I wasn't the one talking to that kid.
Well, the call lasted over five minutes, so someone was on the line.
Someone else was here.
My son.
Alonzo.
Would've been home from school.
Does your son know Danny Malloy? I don't know.
Alonzo spent his childhood with his grandma while I was at sea.
Tours across the WESTPAC.
(sighs) Grandma passed, I came home.
Been doing the single parent thing ever since.
Work nights, sleep days.
I'm not proud of it.
I'm doing the best I can.
Then I take it you didn't know where your son was the night of Shelly Freeman's murder.
I see what this is.
You're trying to put this on him? Look, he's had run-ins with the law, but what you're accusing him of, not my boy.
Listen, raising a kid on your own isn't easy.
We're just trying to make sense of it all.
With your permission, we'd like to see his room.
Brody.
Alonzo's into graffiti acid.
Same stuff Sebastian said was used to burn through those locks.
Where's your son now? At school.
At least, I think he is.
Copy that.
We'll scoop him up and bring him back to base.
(school bell rings) Pride spoke with the principal.
Apparently, we can find Alonzo volunteering at the Navy Charity Club's gift drive.
Aw.
Ain't that sweet? Criminal with a heart of gold.
Little birdie may have told me who your Secret Santa is.
So have you thought any further about what you're gonna get boss man? Matter of fact, I have.
Pulled a couple strings.
Got Pride a complimentary cooking lesson with Emeril Lagasse.
Bam! Uh, I don't know that that's such a great idea.
Lasalle told me about this incident at the 2008 gumbo cook-off.
Just saying.
You messing with me? It's your career.
Damn it.
I am suddenly feeling awkward, gawky and gangly all over again.
SONJA: Three o'clock.
Hey.
I'm looking for Alonzo.
You seen him around? Question's: why haven't I seen you around? I look like I go here? NCIS federal agents.
Looking for Alonzo, ma'am? Yes.
Don't think he's here today.
At least, I haven't seen him.
That is a nice broach, sweetie.
Where'd you get it? Oh.
It's my birthday.
Zo gave it to me as a present.
Isn't it, like, so beautiful? Breathtaking.
BRODY and SONJA: I got him! NCIS! Stop! (alarm ringing, students clamoring) (alarm continues ringing) NOPD's got a BOLO out on Alonzo.
What we know about the kid so far: new to the school, issues with authority, trouble making friends.
What do you got there? Clocked the victim's broach on a girl from the NCC club.
Went through the rest of the students' things.
We found a crap load of loot taken from our string of break-ins.
BRODY: Christmas and birthday presents gifted from none other than our fugitive, Alonzo.
So new kid at school starts robbing homes to buy himself friends? Well, Alonzo's rap sheet says that's not as far-fetched as you might think.
The kid's got petty theft, trespassing, tagging.
Basically called juvie his second home.
Is that where he met Danny? LASALLE: Go back further than that.
The two of them grew up in the same neighborhood, played on the same baseball team since they were kids.
SONJA: And seeing how Danny's been making an awful lot of calls to the Brown residence lately, they're still close.
Looks like Danny's past is starting to rear its ugly head.
Not so fast.
Pawn shop owner said the kid he sold the gun to was wearing a lion hoodie.
Assumed it was Danny.
But maybe his old pal Alonzo shares his team spirit, has the same one.
And it wouldn't be the first time an eyewitness wrongly I.
D.
'd a perp.
So Alonzo got the gun.
He had the acid to break through those locks.
And based on the bling we got from the school, the goods, too.
Looks like we found our ringleader, but where is he? We better find out fast.
Y'all coordinate with NOPD.
Look for him and his accomplices.
Canvass Alonzo's new and old haunts.
I got a call to make.
He's gonna be charged with the murder.
Dinah.
I'm asking you as a friend to hold off taking Danny before the magistrate.
I'm close on something.
I never met a man better judge of character than you, King, but but I think you're too close on this one.
Or maybe you are.
Bull Costigan, Danny's dad.
Memory serves me, a few years back, he nearly killed your partner, right? Cold-blooded.
Dad like that, make a monster out of anybody.
Kid's not his father.
And I'd stake my reputation, everything I got, that he didn't do this.
What if I can get him to talk? If he gives us something, something solid we can move on, I will go back to the D.
A.
That's all I'm asking.
(man speaking indistinctly over P.
A.
) (door buzzes, opens) (chuckles) I spoke to your lawyer, Danny.
He reviewed the charges, says they're harsh but he has a case.
I used to visit my dad in here when I was a kid.
I remember this ugly-ass orange jumper he had on him.
I promised myself I'd never end up in one.
Now look at me.
Like father like son.
You're nothing like him.
You think you know me? Hmm? I'm like your your little project.
Adopt the street kid, bring him home, fix him up.
I brought you and CJ into my home because I wanted to be part of your lives.
I can't figure you out, Doc.
One second, you're yelling at me and treating me like I'm guilty, and then the next, you're getting me a lawyer and you're defending me.
But what really gets me how come you never asked? Asked you what? If I did it.
Because I know you didn't.
But if you have something to tell me, now would be the time.
(gate buzzes) MAN: Ma'am.
WADE: Thank you.
How's he doing? Tired, scared, staying strong.
He's a tough kid.
Ain't that the truth.
We got a potential suspect.
But he's a ghost.
Alonzo Brown.
Childhood friend of Danny's.
Dwayne, I want to apologize for earlier.
You don't need to apologize, Loretta.
No.
I I just want you to know, it's not that I didn't trust you.
When you're backed up to a corner, you're accused of something you didn't do, walls go up.
I'm speaking from experience.
Figured if I came at him too hard, he'd shut me out.
Yeah, but if you give him support without question He'll talk.
He's ready, Dwayne.
But I need assurances.
I got it.
DANNY: I wasn't completely straight with you guys about who I was with that night.
Zo was in my car, and I was giving him a ride to a party.
When we got there, he gave me his bag and asked me to put it on the seat.
I swear, I had no idea what was in there.
You didn't check it? Why would I? My friend.
Me and Zo, we go way back.
Looked out for each other when no one else would.
Best way to look out for Alonzo now, help us find him.
WADE: Go on, Danny.
It's all right.
(sighs) There's a spot we used to go to when we were kids-- our sanctuary, a place nobody could get to us.
Claiborne and Forstall.
The abandoned church with the red-patched doors.
(gunshot) NCIS.
Federal agents.
(woman crying) (woman continues crying) (crying quietly) Sofia? Put down the gun now.
Easy.
He he was going to kill me.
He was gonna kill me.
(man groaning) (panting) PRIDE: Chris! Alonzo? Alonzo.
Hey, man.
Call for help.
I'm on it.
PRIDE: Just keep breathing, nice and easy.
It's gonna be all right.
We got help coming to you.
Help's on the way.
Alonzo-- is he is he gonna be okay? Well, he's in surgery now.
They're doing everything they can.
I I didn't mean to hurt him.
(crying): But he came at me, and we fought over the gun.
And it went off.
I swear, I Look, okay.
Just slow down.
Slow down, take a breath.
(breathes slowly) Let's start at the top.
Tell me what you were doing out there today with him.
I couldn't take the guilt anymore.
I told him to turn himself in, or I was gonna come clean.
Come clean? About what? About everything.
Burglaries in Federal City.
You were a part of them? It started out as a dare.
Zo was, like, the new, cool kid at school, and he challenged a couple seniors from NCC to do a break-in with him.
I went along with it.
The older kids were doing it, and-and I didn't want to be a goody-goody, you know? And then we got away with it.
You did another and another, and it took on a life of its own.
Dad, we were just being stupid.
Until Shelly was (sighs) I'm so sorry.
(crying) You need to tell me everything.
About what happened at your house that night.
Um it was Zo's idea.
(sniffling) I didn't want to do it, but I was scared to say no.
BOY: And he had this power over us.
Whatever Zo said, we did.
We got there around 9:00.
Sofia didn't want to use her key, because she was afraid it could lead back to her.
Zo used the acid to get in.
Her stepmom shouldn't have been home.
But she was and it got out of hand.
She was gonna call the cops, so Zo tied her up.
We took the stuff and got out of there, but when we got back to the church, Zo started freaking out.
Saying that his mask fell off.
That she saw him.
We tried to stop him, but he went back.
He killed her.
(gate buzzes) Sorry.
Come here.
They've dropped all charges.
Still, I sh-shouldn't have lied to you about what I was doing that night.
It was stupid.
You can tell me things.
Thank you, Doc.
What do you say we just go on home now? Doc? Alonzo-- is he gonna make it? Oh, they're still trying to stop the internal bleeding from the gunshot wound.
But if he pulls through, all his friends are all pointing the finger at him.
Someone's got to take the fall, right? Danny, he may be your friend, but he's involved in this.
Involved maybe, but I'm telling you, he's not the killer.
They have a time line now.
back to the house, which aligns with the victim's time of death.
It's not possible.
Why is that? 'Cause Zo was in my car at 9:30 on the way to that party.
Oh, you have anybody who can corroborate that? Yeah.
You.
What time's our nightly check-in? ALONZO (over phone): Yo, Drizz, get off the phone! Let's go, man! And I heard you talking to someone who called you Drizz.
Yes.
If he didn't pull the trigger, who did? (phone beeps) Sofia the fight with Alonzo-- you said, uh it was like a tug-of-war over the gun.
That it went off up close and personal.
If it had then we should have found gunshot residue on him but we didn't.
Well, I I don't know.
It all happened so fast.
I don't exact What the hell is this about? She's been through A lot.
I know, I know.
Given the circumstances, I can understand how Sofia might get confused.
All right, Sofia, let's take it back.
The night of the break-in, did you ever try to help Shelly? I I begged Alonzo to let her go, but he wouldn't listen to me.
That'd be hard, seeing her like that.
It was awful.
I can imagine.
Especially with all you've been through.
Dad falls for Shelly and before you know it, a couple months go by, and she's moving in.
Well, yeah, but we had figured it out.
Agent Pride, where is this going? We were in a really good place.
You mean, after what happened at Casamento's? After you chucked a water glass at Shelly's head? According to her former school, your daughter has a history of using physical and verbal threats to get what she wants.
I know people like you, Sofia.
Kind and sympathetic on the surface.
But a whole lot of darkness underneath.
I went back, and I talked to Jake and Beth.
You coached them on what to say.
They weren't afraid of Alonzo.
They were afraid of you.
And you shot Alonzo 'cause you were afraid that if we found him and brought him in, he'd come clean, tell us the truth.
I don't want to talk anymore.
Oh, my God.
She orchestrated the whole thing, Commander.
She's the one who wanted to go back to your house and break in.
Made it look like your wife was the victim of a random crime.
You blamed her for coming between you and your father, and you killed her for it.
It was her fault.
I told her to stay away.
(sniffling) She should have listened.
Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Hmm.
That's funny.
Oh, what fun it is to ride Hmm.
In a one-horse open sleigh Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh, what fun it is to ride Danny! You made it! It's Christmas Eve, man.
(chuckles) Look at you.
You look beautiful.
Dashing through the snow Are you okay? I am now.
O'er the fields we go SEBASTIAN: Sorry, guys.
Is it cool? Can I open this? It's just, the suspense is really killing me.
(laughter) Oh, no way! The Nano-Drago-Drone! LASALLE: Whoa.
(laughs) Hey, CJ? See if there's a present under the tree with Loretta's name on it, would you? Thank you.
Not ticking.
Good! (laughs) Oh.
I remember this.
You took this when I first signed the papers.
Day we became a family.
Thank you.
(chuckles): Anybody heard from Sonja? Think she might have drawn your name, Pride, because last I spoke with her, she was feeling the pressure.
Yeah, she may have even cracked under it.
I admit I was feeling the stress, but then, I realized, the best gifts are from the heart.
So this is for you, King.
Oh.
This is gonna be good.
Have yourself A merry little Christmas Let your heart be light Didn't see this coming.
Girl can sing.
From now on Your troubles will be out of sight (piano playing along) Have yourself A merry little Christmas Make the Yuletide gay From now on Your troubles will be miles away Here we are As in olden days Happy golden days of yore Faithful friends who are dear to us Hmm.
Gather near to us Once more (chuckles) Roll Tide.
Through the years we all will be together If the fates allow, so Laurel, haven't been late in 20 years.
Not about to start now.
Reveillon at Commander's.
Usual table.
Yeah.
See you soon, baby.
So have yourself A merry little Christmas So have yourself a merry little Christmas So have yourself A merry little Christmas Now.
Boom, boom, boom, boom Bang, bang, bang, bang Boom, boom, boom, boom How, how, how, how Hey, hey You gotta come on.
(phone rings, beeps) Oh, 9:29-- you're a minute early.
If you're early, you're on time.
If you're on time You're late.
Whoever taught you that must have been very wise.
Yeah, she's a'ight.
So state your purpose.
Um, going to Brandon's for a little Halo marathon, sleep over if that's cool with you? Well, if it's cool with his parental units, it's fine with this one.
MAN: Yo, Drizz, get off the phone! Let's go, man! Who's that? Uh just a friend from school.
Just text me when you get to Brandon's.
All right, Drizz? All right.
Good night, Doc.
Night, Danny.
(phone beeps) (sighs) Why are we still here? Look, man, I been meaning to tell you something.
City champs.
Smash Bros, remember? Tell each other anything.
Yeah, a'ight.
That little pencil mustache you've been growing since the fifth grade (engine starts) I say we go get a razor, take care of it before you embarrass us some more.
Man, shut up.
(laughs) All right, let's go.
Think, uh, it'd be a good idea if we went over the rules again for our newbie here, King.
Um, this is not my first rodeo, cowboy.
I know how to play Secret Santa.
Not NCIS New Orleans style, you don't.
I learned last year, they take things very seriously around here.
Rules are simple.
Keep presents under 20 bucks.
And in accordance with the Napoleonic Code in the state of Louisiana, under no circumstances are you to tell anyone who you picked until after the gift exchange.
Okay.
(door opens) (laughs) PRIDE: Just in time, Loretta! Dwayne, the place looks great.
You ready for your grand opening? I'm ready as soon as they fix the potholes out front.
(laughter) Ooh, I feel sorry for whoever picks me, because last year, I got an antique sternum cutter from Sebastian.
SEBASTIAN: Uh-huh.
Hard to top that.
Yeah, it was eBay, you know? All right, Sonja, here you go.
All right.
(phone beeping) PRIDE: Party's over.
Home invasion, homicide.
Federal City, Navy housing.
Time to work.
Victim's name is Shelley Freeman.
They shot her point-blank range, execution style.
(camera clicking) There's no exit wound to speak of.
Suggests a small caliber round.
Looks like our perp mixed business with pleasure.
More likely perps.
So why kill her? Maybe she saw something that she shouldn't have.
Christopher, dust and check out prints, and see if we can find any traces Afraid you won't find much.
Secured the scene-- lot's missing, little left behind.
And you are? MA-1 Brown.
I called it in.
Canvass the neighborhood for witnesses? Would have, if any were around.
Everybody's out celebrating at Festival of Bonfires.
Left the neighborhood empty.
You know, I used to think I wanted a fancy spot like this.
Grass is always greener, huh? SONJA: Pride.
You got to see this.
Looks like someone melted their way through the locks and gained entry.
Get it to Sebastian.
MAN: I went to the officers' club for a wetting-down.
Buddy was getting promoted.
(sighs) Should have just stayed home.
Dad, there was nothing you could have done.
We been married a short time.
She was everything.
Sofia, you said you took off around 8:00.
See anything out of the ordinary when you left the house? No.
She was in the kitchen.
I went to the bonfires.
It's not fair.
Not again.
(sniffles) Her mom passed away when she was six.
Commander.
Everything right now suggests that your wife was the victim of a botched home invasion.
Yeah.
I oversee a team of Intel specialists for the Navy's Information Dominance Corps.
My laptop's gone.
Sensitive files on it? All right, if this was about that Rob the commander's house, make off with a computer full of sensitive material.
Looks like more than a home invasion gone wrong.
Could be espionage.
(computer beeping) What do you got, Sebastian? I got the Freemans' front door lock.
Uh, I can tell you what turned it into a Salvador Dali sculpture.
It was acid.
Uh, I figure out the particular formula, I might be able to trace it back to the manufacturer.
I'm actually really close to cracking it.
Check out this algorithm I made.
Oh.
That's no, that's the wrong 'rithm.
One second.
SONJA: Ooh! Sebastian.
No, that's I can explain.
Okay? You naughty little elf.
I'm not being naughty; I'm just using a scientific method to figure out my Secret Santa, so that I can then send them e-mails anonymously with great gift ideas.
(scoffs) Sorry to interrupt your forecast Sebastian, but Patton Claus comes bearing gifts.
The Navy installed location software into the commander's computer.
I managed to remotely access his laptop, get his GPS signals, and Looks like it's on the move.
That's kind of like that app you can get where NORAD tracks Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve.
You ever get that? He's headed down St.
Claude Ave.
Brody, with me.
Patton, alert NOPD.
Have them meet us en route.
(siren wailing) PRIDE: We have eyes on suspect, eastbound on St.
Claude.
Approaching Center Street.
(tires screech) Show me your hands! Keep your hands up! Hey, I didn't do anything, man.
I didn't do anything! Come on! Got the goods.
Get him up.
OFFICER: Come on, on your feet.
(grunts) Danny? What the hell is going on, Danny? You got stolen goods in the back of your car connected to a murder.
I don't know what to say.
Start with the truth.
W-Well, the truth is, I don't know how it got there.
Come on.
Pride, I'm telling you.
I-I was driving around friends all night.
I'm the only one with a car.
Okay.
So someone else left the backpack in your car.
Who? I don't know.
I don't.
Everyone who you were driving around last night-- gonna need names and phone numbers.
Then can I go? Protocol says I got to take you in.
Just till we sort things out.
And he's doing all right? Considering the circumstances.
And he doesn't know who put the backpack in his car? Gave us a list of all the people he drove last night.
We're running down the names.
And the backpack? Sebastian's got it, checking for prints.
(scoffs) Dwayne, Danny's no spy.
Case is going back to a robbery-homicide investigation.
Dwayne, I know Danny's been in a bit of trouble, but I know.
He's a good kid.
Where the hell are my damn keys? Hey, hey, hey.
Just take a breath.
Let me look.
Here we go.
I'll drive.
Tell Dad Merry Christmas, I love him.
I am I'm hanging up now, Mom.
LASALLE: Look alive! Visitor on deck.
Meredith Brody, meet Dinah Clark, NOPD.
Old friend of me and Pride.
Friend's a strong word, Christopher.
I always liked King.
I tolerated him.
I know what you mean.
Nice meeting you.
You, too.
I've been working with them on joint investigations ever since they opened the office.
I got a few robberies, and I think there's something that might be connected to yours: melted locks.
Same acid that was used to break into the Freemans' was used in three other break-ins.
Except this is the first time they went and killed somebody.
Well, I sent you the files.
I'll pull that up.
That was taken from a neighborhood watch surveillance cam in Fed City.
We are looking for a crew.
Four knuckleheads, altogether.
Wordy Nerdy worked his ballistics magic, got a hit on NIBIN.
Killer's gun, Smith & Wesson .
22, was registered to Ronnie Doyle, pawn shop owner.
Discharged it last year to stop a robbery attempt.
How'd that gun get into the hands of our killer? Did Doyle sell it? Well, he didn't submit a 4473 to ATF, so Hey, girl, I'm Sonja Percy, by the way.
Clark, NOPD.
Cool.
Let's pay a visit to that store.
Y'all don't mind if I tag along, do you? SONJA: Sure.
Don't worry about me.
Go ahead.
You ladies have fun.
CJ know about all this? No.
Let's hope he doesn't have to.
You're gonna be fine.
They, uh, figure anything out yet? Last thing I heard, they were looking at your list of names.
Who was on it? I know Brandon; he's not the criminal type.
Wasn't Brandon.
Friends from your old neighborhood? You weren't playing video games with Brandon last night? I was at a party.
But before you say anything, I wasn't drinking.
I was the designated driver, so So there was alcohol at the party.
But I thought I was doing the right thing.
I thought not drinking was supposed to keep me out of trouble.
You lied to me.
Well, I know you don't like my friends.
Well, I have reason not to.
They're my friends.
You better tell me what happened last night and who the hell you were with! I see how it is.
Once a gangster, always a gangster, right? Don't you ever play that card with me.
I will come back later when you stop feeling sorry for yourself.
Thanks.
You Ronnie? Who's asking? NOPD.
NCIS.
We're interested in a Smith & Wesson .
22.
No, it was used in a murder last night.
It's the same one you discharged in the store here last year.
Uh Listen, Ronnie, you've got a couple of options.
Number one, you think real hard about who you sold that gun to, or Or I can take you down to the station right now and book you on a felony charge for illegal sale of a firearm.
Okay.
Uh, let me think.
He was black.
Six feet or so, slender.
Had a sweatshirt on with a lion's head.
Just like Danny's hoodie.
(phone chimes) Sebastian got a hit on the fingerprint on the backpack.
It's not good.
Danny explain something to me.
You didn't know the backpack was in your car how are your prints on it? I don't know.
Maybe you can tell me, then why the guy who purchased the murder weapon matches your description and was wearing your hoodie.
NOPD is about to come in here and press formal charges.
You didn't tell me that.
Just found out about it myself.
I bought all the time I could.
Now, I know you, son.
I know you got a good heart.
And I believe you had nothing to do with this, but there's something you're not saying.
Come on, Danny.
Hey.
I'm the best chance you got.
(sighs) If I tell you Stop.
Don't say another word.
Loretta? I'm sorry, Dwayne.
But Danny's not saying another word until he sees a lawyer.
What are you doing, Loretta? You get him a lawyer, I can't talk to him.
I'm trying to help him.
So am I.
He's a young black man with a record.
He talks, they will use it against him.
Well, who would you rather have take his statement? Someone That's my son in there! And he will not say another word until he gets a lawyer.
CLARK: King.
Wish I could say I was here to catch up on old times, but I got to take him in.
OFFICER: Let's go.
(handcuffs clicking) Doc.
I'm right behind you.
LASALLE: I been fishing with Danny.
He let a trophy bass go 'cause he didn't want to see it suffer.
He's no killer.
I'm not saying he is.
I'm saying he may have had his hands in the burglaries.
He's got grand theft, possession with intent to distribute PRIDE: He was 15, working for his drug-dealing dad.
Tough upbringing doesn't make a career criminal.
Now, we got 24 hours until Danny's brought before a magistrate.
Let's stay focused on what we do know.
All right, we're looking for a crew of four in these burglaries.
Even if Danny is one of 'em Still three out there.
PRIDE: Find 'em, we'll get to the truth.
Triple P got some of his own truth to drop on y'all.
I dumped Danny's phone records.
You'll never guess who he called on the day of the break-in.
Residence of none other than Master-at-Arms First Class Daryl Brown.
LASALLE: So our first responder had a conversation that day with our only suspect.
Master-at-Arm patrols the neighborhood, knows the coming and going of the homeowners.
He's the perfect lookout.
Hey.
Brought you a cup of my mother's famous unpasteurized eggnog.
Of course, there's still a chance of bacterial contamination, but there's enough rum in there to counteract it.
Ooh.
You okay? I assume you have something else to share besides the eggnog.
(clears throat) But you're afraid it might implicate Danny in some way? I don't know.
You know? B-But if it does, then what am I Sebastian, the best way for us to help him now is to learn everything about what happened.
So what have you found? All right, well, I broke down the chemical makeup of the acid used on the locks in all the break-ins.
Uh, barium sulfate, sulfuric acid and ammonium.
Etch solution? Yeah, mainly used by graffiti artists to tag glass windows, but also by gang members to mark their territory.
And melting locks, in this case.
You tell Pride? Sebastian, forensic evidence can be used just as often to exonerate as it is to incriminate.
Well, at least you have something you can be doing.
I, on the other hand, can only hurry up and wait.
Can I give you a hug? I'd like that.
Look at the log.
I was responding to a noise complaint on Lafayette.
Can't be in two places at once.
I wasn't the one talking to that kid.
Well, the call lasted over five minutes, so someone was on the line.
Someone else was here.
My son.
Alonzo.
Would've been home from school.
Does your son know Danny Malloy? I don't know.
Alonzo spent his childhood with his grandma while I was at sea.
Tours across the WESTPAC.
(sighs) Grandma passed, I came home.
Been doing the single parent thing ever since.
Work nights, sleep days.
I'm not proud of it.
I'm doing the best I can.
Then I take it you didn't know where your son was the night of Shelly Freeman's murder.
I see what this is.
You're trying to put this on him? Look, he's had run-ins with the law, but what you're accusing him of, not my boy.
Listen, raising a kid on your own isn't easy.
We're just trying to make sense of it all.
With your permission, we'd like to see his room.
Brody.
Alonzo's into graffiti acid.
Same stuff Sebastian said was used to burn through those locks.
Where's your son now? At school.
At least, I think he is.
Copy that.
We'll scoop him up and bring him back to base.
(school bell rings) Pride spoke with the principal.
Apparently, we can find Alonzo volunteering at the Navy Charity Club's gift drive.
Aw.
Ain't that sweet? Criminal with a heart of gold.
Little birdie may have told me who your Secret Santa is.
So have you thought any further about what you're gonna get boss man? Matter of fact, I have.
Pulled a couple strings.
Got Pride a complimentary cooking lesson with Emeril Lagasse.
Bam! Uh, I don't know that that's such a great idea.
Lasalle told me about this incident at the 2008 gumbo cook-off.
Just saying.
You messing with me? It's your career.
Damn it.
I am suddenly feeling awkward, gawky and gangly all over again.
SONJA: Three o'clock.
Hey.
I'm looking for Alonzo.
You seen him around? Question's: why haven't I seen you around? I look like I go here? NCIS federal agents.
Looking for Alonzo, ma'am? Yes.
Don't think he's here today.
At least, I haven't seen him.
That is a nice broach, sweetie.
Where'd you get it? Oh.
It's my birthday.
Zo gave it to me as a present.
Isn't it, like, so beautiful? Breathtaking.
BRODY and SONJA: I got him! NCIS! Stop! (alarm ringing, students clamoring) (alarm continues ringing) NOPD's got a BOLO out on Alonzo.
What we know about the kid so far: new to the school, issues with authority, trouble making friends.
What do you got there? Clocked the victim's broach on a girl from the NCC club.
Went through the rest of the students' things.
We found a crap load of loot taken from our string of break-ins.
BRODY: Christmas and birthday presents gifted from none other than our fugitive, Alonzo.
So new kid at school starts robbing homes to buy himself friends? Well, Alonzo's rap sheet says that's not as far-fetched as you might think.
The kid's got petty theft, trespassing, tagging.
Basically called juvie his second home.
Is that where he met Danny? LASALLE: Go back further than that.
The two of them grew up in the same neighborhood, played on the same baseball team since they were kids.
SONJA: And seeing how Danny's been making an awful lot of calls to the Brown residence lately, they're still close.
Looks like Danny's past is starting to rear its ugly head.
Not so fast.
Pawn shop owner said the kid he sold the gun to was wearing a lion hoodie.
Assumed it was Danny.
But maybe his old pal Alonzo shares his team spirit, has the same one.
And it wouldn't be the first time an eyewitness wrongly I.
D.
'd a perp.
So Alonzo got the gun.
He had the acid to break through those locks.
And based on the bling we got from the school, the goods, too.
Looks like we found our ringleader, but where is he? We better find out fast.
Y'all coordinate with NOPD.
Look for him and his accomplices.
Canvass Alonzo's new and old haunts.
I got a call to make.
He's gonna be charged with the murder.
Dinah.
I'm asking you as a friend to hold off taking Danny before the magistrate.
I'm close on something.
I never met a man better judge of character than you, King, but but I think you're too close on this one.
Or maybe you are.
Bull Costigan, Danny's dad.
Memory serves me, a few years back, he nearly killed your partner, right? Cold-blooded.
Dad like that, make a monster out of anybody.
Kid's not his father.
And I'd stake my reputation, everything I got, that he didn't do this.
What if I can get him to talk? If he gives us something, something solid we can move on, I will go back to the D.
A.
That's all I'm asking.
(man speaking indistinctly over P.
A.
) (door buzzes, opens) (chuckles) I spoke to your lawyer, Danny.
He reviewed the charges, says they're harsh but he has a case.
I used to visit my dad in here when I was a kid.
I remember this ugly-ass orange jumper he had on him.
I promised myself I'd never end up in one.
Now look at me.
Like father like son.
You're nothing like him.
You think you know me? Hmm? I'm like your your little project.
Adopt the street kid, bring him home, fix him up.
I brought you and CJ into my home because I wanted to be part of your lives.
I can't figure you out, Doc.
One second, you're yelling at me and treating me like I'm guilty, and then the next, you're getting me a lawyer and you're defending me.
But what really gets me how come you never asked? Asked you what? If I did it.
Because I know you didn't.
But if you have something to tell me, now would be the time.
(gate buzzes) MAN: Ma'am.
WADE: Thank you.
How's he doing? Tired, scared, staying strong.
He's a tough kid.
Ain't that the truth.
We got a potential suspect.
But he's a ghost.
Alonzo Brown.
Childhood friend of Danny's.
Dwayne, I want to apologize for earlier.
You don't need to apologize, Loretta.
No.
I I just want you to know, it's not that I didn't trust you.
When you're backed up to a corner, you're accused of something you didn't do, walls go up.
I'm speaking from experience.
Figured if I came at him too hard, he'd shut me out.
Yeah, but if you give him support without question He'll talk.
He's ready, Dwayne.
But I need assurances.
I got it.
DANNY: I wasn't completely straight with you guys about who I was with that night.
Zo was in my car, and I was giving him a ride to a party.
When we got there, he gave me his bag and asked me to put it on the seat.
I swear, I had no idea what was in there.
You didn't check it? Why would I? My friend.
Me and Zo, we go way back.
Looked out for each other when no one else would.
Best way to look out for Alonzo now, help us find him.
WADE: Go on, Danny.
It's all right.
(sighs) There's a spot we used to go to when we were kids-- our sanctuary, a place nobody could get to us.
Claiborne and Forstall.
The abandoned church with the red-patched doors.
(gunshot) NCIS.
Federal agents.
(woman crying) (woman continues crying) (crying quietly) Sofia? Put down the gun now.
Easy.
He he was going to kill me.
He was gonna kill me.
(man groaning) (panting) PRIDE: Chris! Alonzo? Alonzo.
Hey, man.
Call for help.
I'm on it.
PRIDE: Just keep breathing, nice and easy.
It's gonna be all right.
We got help coming to you.
Help's on the way.
Alonzo-- is he is he gonna be okay? Well, he's in surgery now.
They're doing everything they can.
I I didn't mean to hurt him.
(crying): But he came at me, and we fought over the gun.
And it went off.
I swear, I Look, okay.
Just slow down.
Slow down, take a breath.
(breathes slowly) Let's start at the top.
Tell me what you were doing out there today with him.
I couldn't take the guilt anymore.
I told him to turn himself in, or I was gonna come clean.
Come clean? About what? About everything.
Burglaries in Federal City.
You were a part of them? It started out as a dare.
Zo was, like, the new, cool kid at school, and he challenged a couple seniors from NCC to do a break-in with him.
I went along with it.
The older kids were doing it, and-and I didn't want to be a goody-goody, you know? And then we got away with it.
You did another and another, and it took on a life of its own.
Dad, we were just being stupid.
Until Shelly was (sighs) I'm so sorry.
(crying) You need to tell me everything.
About what happened at your house that night.
Um it was Zo's idea.
(sniffling) I didn't want to do it, but I was scared to say no.
BOY: And he had this power over us.
Whatever Zo said, we did.
We got there around 9:00.
Sofia didn't want to use her key, because she was afraid it could lead back to her.
Zo used the acid to get in.
Her stepmom shouldn't have been home.
But she was and it got out of hand.
She was gonna call the cops, so Zo tied her up.
We took the stuff and got out of there, but when we got back to the church, Zo started freaking out.
Saying that his mask fell off.
That she saw him.
We tried to stop him, but he went back.
He killed her.
(gate buzzes) Sorry.
Come here.
They've dropped all charges.
Still, I sh-shouldn't have lied to you about what I was doing that night.
It was stupid.
You can tell me things.
Thank you, Doc.
What do you say we just go on home now? Doc? Alonzo-- is he gonna make it? Oh, they're still trying to stop the internal bleeding from the gunshot wound.
But if he pulls through, all his friends are all pointing the finger at him.
Someone's got to take the fall, right? Danny, he may be your friend, but he's involved in this.
Involved maybe, but I'm telling you, he's not the killer.
They have a time line now.
back to the house, which aligns with the victim's time of death.
It's not possible.
Why is that? 'Cause Zo was in my car at 9:30 on the way to that party.
Oh, you have anybody who can corroborate that? Yeah.
You.
What time's our nightly check-in? ALONZO (over phone): Yo, Drizz, get off the phone! Let's go, man! And I heard you talking to someone who called you Drizz.
Yes.
If he didn't pull the trigger, who did? (phone beeps) Sofia the fight with Alonzo-- you said, uh it was like a tug-of-war over the gun.
That it went off up close and personal.
If it had then we should have found gunshot residue on him but we didn't.
Well, I I don't know.
It all happened so fast.
I don't exact What the hell is this about? She's been through A lot.
I know, I know.
Given the circumstances, I can understand how Sofia might get confused.
All right, Sofia, let's take it back.
The night of the break-in, did you ever try to help Shelly? I I begged Alonzo to let her go, but he wouldn't listen to me.
That'd be hard, seeing her like that.
It was awful.
I can imagine.
Especially with all you've been through.
Dad falls for Shelly and before you know it, a couple months go by, and she's moving in.
Well, yeah, but we had figured it out.
Agent Pride, where is this going? We were in a really good place.
You mean, after what happened at Casamento's? After you chucked a water glass at Shelly's head? According to her former school, your daughter has a history of using physical and verbal threats to get what she wants.
I know people like you, Sofia.
Kind and sympathetic on the surface.
But a whole lot of darkness underneath.
I went back, and I talked to Jake and Beth.
You coached them on what to say.
They weren't afraid of Alonzo.
They were afraid of you.
And you shot Alonzo 'cause you were afraid that if we found him and brought him in, he'd come clean, tell us the truth.
I don't want to talk anymore.
Oh, my God.
She orchestrated the whole thing, Commander.
She's the one who wanted to go back to your house and break in.
Made it look like your wife was the victim of a random crime.
You blamed her for coming between you and your father, and you killed her for it.
It was her fault.
I told her to stay away.
(sniffling) She should have listened.
Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Hmm.
That's funny.
Oh, what fun it is to ride Hmm.
In a one-horse open sleigh Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh, what fun it is to ride Danny! You made it! It's Christmas Eve, man.
(chuckles) Look at you.
You look beautiful.
Dashing through the snow Are you okay? I am now.
O'er the fields we go SEBASTIAN: Sorry, guys.
Is it cool? Can I open this? It's just, the suspense is really killing me.
(laughter) Oh, no way! The Nano-Drago-Drone! LASALLE: Whoa.
(laughs) Hey, CJ? See if there's a present under the tree with Loretta's name on it, would you? Thank you.
Not ticking.
Good! (laughs) Oh.
I remember this.
You took this when I first signed the papers.
Day we became a family.
Thank you.
(chuckles): Anybody heard from Sonja? Think she might have drawn your name, Pride, because last I spoke with her, she was feeling the pressure.
Yeah, she may have even cracked under it.
I admit I was feeling the stress, but then, I realized, the best gifts are from the heart.
So this is for you, King.
Oh.
This is gonna be good.
Have yourself A merry little Christmas Let your heart be light Didn't see this coming.
Girl can sing.
From now on Your troubles will be out of sight (piano playing along) Have yourself A merry little Christmas Make the Yuletide gay From now on Your troubles will be miles away Here we are As in olden days Happy golden days of yore Faithful friends who are dear to us Hmm.
Gather near to us Once more (chuckles) Roll Tide.
Through the years we all will be together If the fates allow, so Laurel, haven't been late in 20 years.
Not about to start now.
Reveillon at Commander's.
Usual table.
Yeah.
See you soon, baby.
So have yourself A merry little Christmas So have yourself a merry little Christmas So have yourself A merry little Christmas Now.