Long Bright River (2025) s01e05 Episode Script

Calling all units. Possible
domestic assault in progress.
You need to step back.
You don't remember me, do you?
But I remember you.
I know you wanted
your dad to be at the party,
but I've left several messages
and he's not responded.
Daddy!
- Hey, buddy.
Simon.
What are you doing here?
Come here, asshole!
Don't you walk away from me!
Simon, get off of him!
Did they find Jimmy Scanlon?
- No, not yet.
He was getting some pretty hefty payments
from a company called S.O.K. Holding.
Pretty suspicious
for a sheet metal worker, right?
Do you remember my friend, Aura?
She has a husband who works for the DA.
Maybe he can figure out what Scanlon
had to do with those dead women.
Taylor went to PYC?
- And so did Elizabeth O'Connor.
Simon was their counselor. And Paula
said that the guy in the video was a cop.
Do you think Simon could be the killer?
Mick--
That's why Paula looked at me like she did,
because she couldn't believe that I
couldn't recognize who was in that video,
that I didn't know that that was Simon.
He used this place as a market to
shop for girls, and now they're dead.
Simon's a predator.
But serial killer?
Injecting them with insulin?
- Look. Look.
That looks like him.
Looks like a lot of guys.
Simon's withholding child support.
He pulled a lot of bullshit
at Thomas's birthday party.
This is not personal.
Look, I'm on your side.
But this is one hell of an accusation.
What we've got now is not proof.
Then we'll find proof.
How?
I will find Paula tomorrow,
and I will get her to ID Simon.
If I say his name,
maybe she will, too.
It's okay. I'm here.
Come on, eat,
you stubborn piece of
Your neck still hurting?
How'd you get in here?
I have a key.
- Oh.
It's been a while since you used it.
Can I see that?
Uh
- Just let me see it.
Just take it off.
Jesus. It looks like it hurts.
You should see a doctor.
Doctors are for girls.
Besides, all they do is try to give me
the same shit that wrecked your mother.
Should've dropped Simon
like the dogshit he is.
Why didn't you tell me
how you felt about Simon before?
And you would have listened?
You knew more than everyone
from the day you were born.
That my scarf?
- Oh, yeah.
You left it at Land-O-Fun.
- I got others.
Maybe you could say thanks.
Maybe you could tell me
why you really came by.
Do you know where the
Mulroneys next door moved to?
Oh.
Still looking for Kacey.
I thought if I could find Paula,
I could find her.
Heard Sue moved into her mother's place.
Over on Clearfield?
- Yeah, that's the one.
Okay.
Take some Advil.
Aura,
I'm running late for work.
Okay, I won't keep you.
Just wanted you to know that
Joe looked into the company
you asked him about,
this Jimmy Scanlon one.
And?
- Oh, I don't know.
But he made you a very cute
folder, tabs and everything.
Tell him thank you, and after
work, I'll come and get it.
We're going out to dinner. I'll
text you the name of the place.
Okay, I'll, um,
I'll run in and grab it.
Or you'll sit down and eat with us.
It's not a negotiation.
You want that file, right?
Besides, you could use a night out.
Help you?
Yeah.
Officer Dawes from 30th.
Got some time on my hands.
I, uh
I'm on leave.
I was wondering if you guys
need any after school help?
Uh, let me get you a form.
- Thanks.
Recognized some faces in those photos.
- Oh, yeah?
Yeah. Um
Does Simon Cleare still work here?
You a friend of his?
No, no, no, different districts.
Never worked with the guy,
but, you know, saw him around.
Detective Cleare moved on a while back.
Right.
- We got about two dozen PYCs in the city.
He might have gone over to another
one, or maybe he found a new hobby.
Working with kids ain't for everyone.
Thanks.
- Mm-hmm.
What's up?
- Mickey.
Did you hear?
- Hear what?
They, uh, found another victim.
Kensington woman?
- That's what I heard.
What else did you hear?
- Good morning.
Thank you, Sergeant Ahearn,
for letting me get right to it.
Get right to it,
then, Detective.
Another young woman was found.
Possible connection
to the Kensington murders.
It's a sex worker,
like the others.
Motive unclear.
No witnesses.
Uh, insulin overdose?
No. It's a, uh, it's a gunshot.
But the victim. She's
She's still alive.
The victim was found up on Delaware Ave.
Soaking wet,
shot at close range.
She sustained life threatening injuries.
- Did you get an ID?
Yeah.
Emily Morris.
Do you recognize her?
No. I've never seen her.
Maybe you could ask
the other girls about her.
Sure. Did she say anything
about who shot her?
Officer Fitzpatrick, I need to
speak with you in my office, now.
You get to my level, you go
to a lot of training sessions.
Some lady tells you how to be sensitive,
how to have difficult conversations.
Well, now, you and me get to
have a difficult conversation
about why you paid a visit
to the Yoon family.
Yeah. I thought rules were your thing.
That is why I put Lafferty with you.
Instead, you spun him out
on your bullshit theories.
And now you took it upon yourself
to go to the home of a murder victim,
and personally question
the grieving family, which
I think you know is an
egregious breach of protocol.
I was just following up on the suspect
video, like Danjarat had asked.
Yeah. You work for me.
As a patrol cop, not for him.
Not a detective.
So, stop with all the questions.
That family could sue the department.
You want a suspension?
Hey! You want a suspension?
I got an ID on the surveillance video.
And this This is the first
time I'm hearing about it?
A woman from the Avenue said that
we need to be looking at a cop.
A cop who forces the women to
service him,
and then threatens them
if they say
- She give you a name?
No.
The oldest trick in the book.
Johns say they're a cop,
they get a free
Whatever, Mickey. You
never heard that one?
I
I know I know this woman.
Okay? I know this woman.
Well, who is she?
You just said you knew her.
Now her name eludes you?
- I can't I would need to get her consent.
I can't go to IA
with an anonymous accusation.
Jesus. After the conversation we just had?
Who is she?
Do you want a suspension?
- Paula Mulroney.
Oh, prostitution, possession
robbed the library, that Paula Mulroney?
- Yeah. Yeah.
Sorry to interrupt,
but this is pressing.
I'd like Mickey to go to Lutheran.
Doctors brought Emily Morris
out of a medically induced coma.
She won't talk to anyone,
but maybe she'll talk to Mickey,
being she's from the neighborhood and all.
Go.
Then get back on your shift.
Hi, Emily.
My name is Officer Fitzpatrick,
and I need to ask you some questions.
I'm from Kensington.
I grew up there.
My sister
maybe you know her.
Kacey Fitzpatrick?
Who did this to you?
Hey, he shot you, Emily.
Left you for dead.
We think he's hurting other women.
We think he's going to do it again.
And you can help stop him.
I know you're scared.
But you can trust me.
I'm on your side.
Was it a cop?
Was it a cop?
Emily.
Were you ever part of the PYC program?
Get out.
Time to change your dressing,
so we'll need the room, Officer.
Give me just one minute alone?
- Get out.
She was intubated
for a long time during surgery.
Throat's completely raw.
She needs rest.
There's supposed to be a
security guard outside her room.
What, with the parade of cops,
probably thought he could
grab a sandwich or something.
- Parade of cops?
Sorry, who else was here?
Who else did you talk to?
She was scared.
She was staring at my gun.
Well, she was shot.
What if one of the cops who
was there was threatening her?
What What if
It was Simon?
Did you find Paula?
I'm standing outside of her mom's
house right now. Where are you?
Uh, Mr. Winton's,
locking up for him.
Is he okay?
Yeah. Reoccurring pneumonia, and a
bad case of denial about being 70.
Well, he and Gee
should join a bowling league.
They got a lot in common.
Emily Morris was picked up on
Delaware near the Betsy Ross Bridge.
All the way up there?
Yeah, doesn't really fit the pattern, does it?
Want to check it out with me after my shift?
You really want to do that?
What, after Ahearn chewed you out?
Yeah.
- All right. Bye.
Mickey Fitzpatrick.
- Hi, Mrs. Mulroney.
Everything okay, hon?
Yeah, yeah.
Okay. Come on in.
I I wasn't expecting company.
You want a Tastykake or something?
Oh, uh Yeah, sure.
You look good, Mickey.
Real good.
How's the little guy?
He just turned eight.
So he's not so little anymore.
I remember eight.
Oh, teeth still falling out,
always with the questions.
Eight's sweet.
And easy
compared to what comes next.
Have you seen Paula lately?
Uh, been a while.
She's doing okay.
Comes around a little more.
Good. That's good.
Where's she been living lately?
She don't exactly have an address.
Not exactly the life I imagined
for my little girl.
I got some guilt about that. I do. I
I worked the two jobs.
I should have been home more.
Hmm. I did my best.
Just like you, Mickey. Thomas
is real lucky to have you.
How's Kacey?
I don't know.
I can't find her.
I came by looking for Paula,
wondered if she'd seen her.
She'll show up.
You stay positive.
You say a prayer,
however you do it.
I gotta I gotta get down to Rittenhouse.
I gotta work a luncheon. I
I don't know why
they can't just call it 'lunch.'
And next time I see Paula,
I'll ask about Kacey.
Okay? Hey.
- Thanks. Thank you.
You want money for coffee? I
Oh, no, no, no. I'm good.
Of course you are, Mickey.
Mm.
For a while there, we thought you were
gonna leave us and never come back.
Excellent.
You've been practicing,
Michaela. It shows.
Thank you. I love this piece.
You have tremendous promise.
Which summer programs
have you considered?
Vienna? Rome?
New York?
Mickey, you have aptitude,
but you got a late start.
I'd like to help you set some goals. Mick.
You sound dope.
Uh
Kacey, what are you doing here?
Just thought I'd surprise you.
We always spend
the weekends at my place.
I I drove all the way here
Big whoop. I took the bus.
Can we
Serious, Mick?
I'm sorry. She just showed up.
Your sister's a piece of work.
- She's a kid.
She's not your kid.
I missed you this week.
You miss me?
You know that I did. But I
It's your life, Mickey.
You get to choose
and you always choose her.
I'm not choosing her.
I feel sorry for her.
Look, look, look. I know I'm going
to regret this in, like, an hour,
and wish that I was spending
the whole weekend with you
and not her, okay?
It sucks for me, too.
Mm.
So, uh, the Cinema Club does screenings.
We could go see what's playing.
I do have a reading to do for Monday,
but, I
- Cool. Do it now.
Okay.
- I'll go find some food.
Hey, Jer, what's happening?
Some girl OD'ed in the music hall.
Hey, I need you to back up, okay, ma'am?
- She's my sister.
What happened to her?
She overdosed.
- What?
On alcohol and these.
How long your sister's been snorting Oxy?
What? I I don't know.
I'm sorry.
I'm gonna need you to back up.
Yeah, perfect. Thank you.
Is she gonna die?
Not today. But she's gonna
come to the hospital with us.
We'll fix her up.
How old is she?
Fourteen.
You said Emily Morris was wet
when they found her on the road.
Soaking wet and bleeding out.
Maybe the shooter figured she was dead,
and threw her in the river.
But why was she here? She
There are easier places to turn tricks.
Might have been here against her will.
Other than the fact
that Emily works the Avenue,
this doesn't match the pattern.
OD, insulin.
So maybe it's not connected.
But it felt like
she was listening.
She was about to open up
when I asked her if it was a cop,
if she was a part of PYC.
I went back there to PYC.
Why?
I wanted to take a look around.
See if Simon still worked there.
He doesn't.
But the way the desk officer was talking,
it was like saying a priest
got moved to a new diocese.
If Simon thinks
the girls are coming forward
maybe we do have motive.
I think we should follow him.
See what he does after work,
where he goes at night.
Only way to see if he really is the killer.
Can I feed Carmichael?
Hey, listen to Gee. Go to the
bathroom before you go to bed.
Mom.
- Sorry. And it's a school night,
so please don't stay up too late, okay?
I know. It's awesome, right?
Don't open that cage door all the way.
He's not gonna get out.
Trust me.
Uh, make sure he does his reading,
okay? His book is in his bag.
Can you give him some of those
frozen peas for dinner?
And 8:30, he needs to be
in bed, and that's it.
Thank you for taking him.
Are you not gonna ask me
why I need overnight help?
No. You were always a little old lady.
What is that supposed to mean?
I'd love it if you were up to no good.
But that ain't your style.
Never was.
Hmm. I'm sorry I asked.
Let me know if he wants to
call before bed. I love you.
He got out.
He shits on my chair,
guess who's cleaning it up?
- Motherfucker.
English horn wasn't even offered
at our school.
I think Mickey chose it later because she
likes correcting people who call it French.
I chose it because it's beautiful.
Ask Aura why she chose the cello.
What? Joe, you know this, right?
We don't have to get into it.
- I'm intrigued.
It was because of a cartoon.
- It was not a cartoon.
It was because of a cartoon.
- It was an anime.
Don't patronize me.
Okay, moving on.
Go ahead. Show them.
Company that made the deposits
into Jimmy Scanlon's bank
is a subsidiary
of a Chinese consulting firm.
There's not much on them.
Why would the Chinese consultants
be paying a sheet metal worker?
I asked the same question.
Scanlon went to North Catholic,
no college, did a bunch
of construction gigs
before he joined the sheet
metal workers down in Tinicum.
The kind of guy consultants love to recruit.
Right? Smells weird.
But, I'm going to dig some more
and we'll let you know what I find.
What are you two up to after this?
Oh, we have a work thing.
- Gotta pick up Thomas.
Hey, so, Truman
What's the deal?
We were partners, now we're
work friends. You know this.
Remember how Joe and I met?
You testified in a murder trial.
And he was the public defender.
I know all about work friends.
Work friends are hot.
I don't know why I'm laughing.
- I do.
I like this one.
What is it?
Was it obvious
with Simon
in the beginning
that he was bad?
I was intimidated by him.
We were very young.
I didn't know how to talk about
it, but we can talk about it now.
No, I don't need to.
Okay.
Then can we talk about Truman
and the way he looks at you?
That's enough.
- Just saying
I hope you're not driving.
Hey, kid, check this out.
Will I get to wear these someday?
Eh. Put 'em on right now.
Really?
- Yeah.
There you go. All right.
It's like a dress.
- Nothing wrong with that.
You come from a long line
of mummers, kid.
My pop, my Gee pop.
So if any jitbag says it's weird
to put on makeup and dress up,
you tell them it's a family thing.
Yeah.
Can we listen to music?
What do you want to listen to?
I don't have all that sad stuff
your mom plays.
Kids at school like K-pop.
That ain't happening. How about
The Geator with the Heater?
Who?
- The boss with the hot sauce.
Is that a real person?
Jesus! What is Mickey doing over there?
My own great-grandson
doesn't know Jerry Blavat!
Ah. He's a Philadelphia icon.
He was on Bandstand,
for Chrissake.
I used to spin your mom-mom
around this room to his songs.
You just wait.
It's going to change your life.
Geator with the Heater.
That's it. That's it.
You got to get ready for this.
Simon should be off soon.
Maybe we'll find the proof that we need.
Was there a time when you
thought about taking the detective exam?
Well, thank you, Mickey,
very much, for asking.
It's too quiet.
I never wanted detective.
I liked the uniform.
Told people who I was.
Now it's just hanging in the closet.
Until you're better.
Better than what?
What are we doing right now, Mickey?
You know it's not just a few bad apples.
I just don't know if it's possible to be
a good apple when
the whole system is bad.
I spent 25 years watching over this avenue,
watching community groups come and go,
watching every new mayor
promise to clean up Kensington.
But we're the ones
who do the sweeps they order,
we're the ones turning people
out of their tents,
whether they got someplace to go or not.
And I don't feel good about it when I do.
How about you?
You ever wanted detective?
I mean, yeah,
I thought about it.
I never took the exam, though.
Even without Ahearn reminding
me of my shortcomings as a cop
I would be, like
I would be a worse detective.
Come on.
Patrol's decent pay.
It's regular hours.
And lets you keep an eye on Kacey.
It's good to have you back, Kace.
I mean, I did a lot of thinking because, like,
what the fuck else you gonna do in jail?
I'm gonna be better.
I just want you to know that.
One day at a time, right?
Thank you for being my family and
letting me stay and everything.
Are you sure Simon won't mind?
He'll be fine.
Hey, guess what. We have a
bed in the guest room now.
Damn, Mick. You're like a
real fucking grownup now.
I should've taken my shoes off.
What's this for?
Those are practice tests.
I'm studying.
To be a detective?
- Yeah.
Why?
What about music?
- What about music?
I just I always thought you
would've quit the force by now.
Thought it was like
a fucking holdover while you
figured your shit out.
Mickey, the happiest I ever saw you,
swear to God, was when
you were playing at Penn.
You're so good.
You're, like, so fucking good.
That teacher wouldn't shut up about it.
Yeah.
Maybe you could go back to school.
Like, teach kids or something.
I don't know.
- No, I don't think so.
Because of me?
No.
- Is that why you never went back?
I Penn was a mistake.
Gee was right about that.
Hey, babe.
Is being a cop what you want
or what he wants?
Kacey.
Hey, Simon.
Bet you missed me.
Uh, not as much as Mickey did.
Call your PO yet?
I'm assuming we have to test you?
What are the conditions of your parole?
Let's do that later.
Oh, my God.
From one jail to another.
Warden Cleare runs a tight fucking joint.
Simon's coming out.
All right,
see you tomorrow, guys.
All right, here we go.
Mick, we don't have to do this.
No, it's time.
I need to see where he goes.
Go ahead.
I mean,
he's not looking around.
Not checking his phone.
Doesn't seem like he's meeting anybody.
He always used to tell me he didn't smoke,
and I smelled it on him,
and he'd blame it on the detectives at work.
He lie about the drinking, too?
No, I never saw him drunk.
Hmm.
- He likes control.
That's his favorite vice.
Can I ask you about your gambling?
What do you want to know?
You just don't seem like
someone with a problem.
Oh, it's a problem.
I sit at a hot table.
I could lose days.
Always paid my debts, though
no matter how creative I had to get.
But it was a problem for Sheila.
Sometimes
she didn't believe it was
gambling keeping me out late.
What's your blackjack?
The only thing that comes close
is playing music.
English horn?
I don't know what that sounds like.
Well
Here's
my favorite composer,
Franz Liszt.
It's this Gretchen scene
from his Faust symphony.
That is it. That's it.
You hear that resonance?
- Mm-hmm.
It kind of, like, shimmers.
That's the reed.
- Hmm.
I make my own.
Well, I used to, uh
Yeah, before I pawned it.
What's the going rate
for a used English horn?
The guy at Front Street
got the deal of the century.
English horn is often
described as melancholy,
and it is, but it's also the
inner voice of the orchestra.
It's wistful, and poignant.
You picked the one that sounds like you.
He's out.
Where is he going?
No idea.
You're the reason
she's so unhappy all the time.
Kacey, stop.
She never went back to Penn.
And now she's a fucking cop.
Hold on. Are you fucking
kidding me right now?
No.
You're the reason
Mickey dropped out of school.
She gave it up so she could be near you.
You're like a fucking anvil around your
sister's neck, and
you're bringing her down.
What about you, Simon?
I hear you leave at night real late. Sure.
Where do you go, Simon?
Where do you go?
You're nuts, maybe you're
dreaming that shit.
Simon, Simon.
Where do you go at night?
Where do you go at night?
- Just Just, please.
Where the fuck do you go?
Hey! Hey!
- Fucking
Mick.
Get your bag and get out.
You're gonna let this happen, Mickey?
Your fucking choice.
Oh, my God.
- What?
That's Dock's abando.
What the hell is he doing here?
Oh, my God.
She's running from him.
Shit.
He's following her.
Truman.
Agh!
Get down.
Wait! No!
- He's gonna hurt her!
He's not hurting her.
I think she's working.
I thought he was going to kill her.
We both did.
He's home for the night.
He'll brush his teeth.
Slip into bed.
Tell her he doesn't smoke.
We can get him for solicitation.
No.
I know he's done worse.
I don't know what the next step is.
Mick, I'mma take you home.
We can figure this out tomorrow, okay?
Hey, I can't really talk right now.
I'm running late.
And I need to get out on patrol.
This will just take a second.
- Okay.
Can you meet me at Duke's tonight at 7:00.
Duke's? Why?
We need someone to hear us out on Simon.
A neutral third party
to help figure out what's next.
Who?
- Mike DiPaolo.
He said he's been working closely
with the detective you mentioned.
Danjarat?
- Yeah, that's right.
Truman. I don't know.
After what Paula said,
do you think we can trust
I've known DiPaolo a long time, Mick.
We can trust him.
I promise.
Okay, I'll be there.
Just need to make sure
Bethany can watch Thomas, okay?
All right.
- All right.
Thank you for coming last
minute. I won't be late. Okay?
And maybe you can help Thomas
put together
his costume for the holiday concert?
It's all in this box right here, Bethany.
Hey. Is everything okay?
Yeah. Halloween costumes.
Got it.
We'll do it tomorrow.
Okay. Uh, where are you going?
I have a meeting.
What kind of meeting?
Um, a meeting I wish I didn't have to have.
Hey.
- Hey, you all right.
Little nervous, I guess.
I got this for you.
Mick, you're gonna be fine.
Hey, bud.
Sorry I'm late. Work shit.
- Hey.
Ooh. Look at this. Dimly lit
table, and a double Beam?
What is this, a date? Cheers. Hey,
Mike. Ah. We met at this guy's birthday.
Yeah, birthday. Yeah. Mickey. I remember.
- Good to see you again, Mickey.
Like I said, what we're gonna
talk about here, it's confidential.
Yeah. Can't wait to hear
what you two got cooking.
Do you know Detective Simon Cleare?
Uh, I know who he is.
Yeah. He works down in
in South.
You were there, too,
weren't you?
Yes. A long time ago
when I first got on the force.
I'm working the Kensington
murders, and two of the victims
were under Detective Cleare's watch
at the local Police Youth Club.
And I know with certainty that
he was using the facility
to target young women
for unethical reasons.
Because he targeted me.
- Look, whatever this is about--
Cleare is a strong match to a video
that the department believes
is a person of interest.
Off the video, we had a
woman come in with a tip,
said we need to be looking for a
cop soliciting women in Kensington.
I'm sorry. I gotta stop you.
- Mike.
Let her finish.
Last night,
we personally witnessed
Cleare soliciting a young woman
in Kensington.
Okay? My sister,
Kacey Fitzpatrick,
is missing.
- We got the guy.
What?
He's behind bars.
How real is it?
State DNA database
linked him to multiple victims.
Who is it?
Sean Kelly.
- Sean Kelly?
The guy you arrested
on DV a few days ago.
No.
Yeah.
He's a real piece of shit.
No.
Look you wanted me to hear you out.
That business with Cleare,
he sounds like a real asshole,
but for this case, it's just
he's just not the guy.
He got mixed up.
Whatever's going on here,
it's not a good look.
I'm saying that it feels personal.
You should let it go.
Can I have another Citywide, please?
- I don't want one.
I grew up in a Mummers club.
You drink these to forget your day.
I need two of them.
Sean Kelly?
He's not a cop.
They got him on DNA.
Paula said he was a cop.
It seems Paula was wrong.
Yeah. Yeah.
Just like me.
So fucking wrong.
I don't remember the last time I was right.
We were both wrong about this.
You all right?
Bethany's not here.
Oh, my God! Where is she?
Her car's not here.
Mickey. Mickey.
Don't go in.
Damn it.
- Thomas!
Thomas!
They're not here.
She's not answering.
No, no, she didn't
She didn't text me.
He's been taken.
- Let me see the security camera.
Michaela
Oh.
What happened? Where's
Thomas? Where's Thomas?
He's downstairs, sleeping.
You can come and get him now.
Oh, my God.
Bethany had to leave. She
asked if I could watch Thomas.
Didn't she text?
- No, she didn't text me.
Oh dear, I'm sorry.
You can come and grab
Thomas now if you like.
I love you.
I hope you know that.
I know I don't say that enough.
I love you so much.
I can't believe I lost it
like that when he wasn't here.
Spent his whole life afraid
of somebody coming for him.
Yeah, I get it.
I'm a parent.
And I got some words for Bethany.
Thank you for everything.
Everything, like
- Of course.
For being there for me.
All these times,
for just having my back.
For believing me.
For not judging me.
Mick Mickey, no.
- What?
You've had a few drinks.
- I'm okay. Are you okay?
Yeah.