High Potential (2024) s02e01 Episode Script
Pawns
1
MORGAN: You guys made mistakes,
I fixed them.
Let's not make a big deal out of this.
What mistakes did you see?
I have a compulsion to put things right.
If I see a mistake,
I need to correct it.
Ta-da!
I have an IQ of 160.
The technical term is
high potential intellectual,
means you have
advanced cognitive abilities.
Come do this full time. We need you.
- You know this woman?
- I'm his partner.
KARADEC: We're not partners.
She's actually just a consultant.
When you and I split up, we agreed
we're going to remain
a family no matter what.
MORGAN: Ludo thinks of you
as his daughter.
It's not the same.
Your father loved you.
That's why he left.
I need you to find someone. Roman
Sinquerra, he vanished 15 years ago.
You got a deal.
You made this for your dad?
If you find him.
It turns out Roman was
working as an FBI informant.
"Two hours to make your move."
OZ: Sounds like some kind of game.
KARADEC: The kidnapper wants us
to play by their rules.
They're watching us.
SELAN: Oz isn't answering his phone.
I got him.
This kidnapper is really toying with me.
Making a run for it.
Here, I'll take this for you.
Thank you.
Ava and I are too old for this game,
and Chloe's gonna need
a couple more years.
Morgan, I know where he is.
Roman. He's alive.
♪♪
LADY GAGA: Abra-ca-dabra,
Abracadabra ♪
Abra-ca-dabra, Abracadabra ♪
♪♪
Pay the toll to the angels ♪
Drawing circles in the clouds ♪
Keep your mind on the distance ♪
When the devil ♪
[CELLPHONE RINGS]
Hey. How's it going over there?
GIRL: Pretty good.
Just read him his third bedtime story.
Only three bedtime stories?
You got off easy.
Thank you so much for babysitting.
- I really needed tonight.
- Of course.
Are you on your way home?
Yeah, yeah, I'm on my way.
- Okay. Be careful.
- Will do.
- Love you guys. Bye.
- Love you.
LADY GAGA: Abra-ca-dabra Abracadabra ♪
Like a poem said by a lady in red ♪
You hear the last few words
of your life ♪
With a haunting dance,
now you're both in a trance ♪
It's time to cast your spell
on the night ♪
Abracadabra Amor oo na na ♪
In her tongue she said ♪
Death or love tonight ♪
♪♪
♪♪
MORGAN: Let's play.
We have 34 minutes to make our move.
GAME MASTER: Fun has just begun.
OZ: They made me play games.
They were wearing a white anime mask.
MORGAN: And they're watching us.
Whoever's playing games with us,
it isn't Dave Peck
SOTO: Well, then who the hell
is this guy?
[GASPS]
ELLIOT: Mom! Mom, help me!
What? What is it?
No. Mom can't help you.
What are you doing?
Are you serious?
He's cheating.
My pillows, my rules.
Stop! Okay.
First of all, it's a pillow fight.
There's no way to cheat.
Second of all,
they are not your pillows.
No!
All right, she lulled me
- into a false sense of security.
- You have two, it's not fair.
Hello? I'm trying to read
my baby sister to sleep.
Oh, okay. I'll do it quietly.
Shh! Ow!
You know, maybe if you
weren't stuck in this house
for, like, a week,
we wouldn't be acting like animals.
[LAUGHTER]
Wild animals. I can't.
Sneak attack! Ahh!
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
♪♪
Your boss is here.
Oh. Perfect timing.
You're sleepy now, right?
- Go to bed.
- Okay.
- Do you mind?
- I got him.
- Thank you.
- I got him, I got him.
So
How are we holding up?
Not great.
Pretty terrible actually.
I don't know what's worse,
being stalked by a deranged psychopath
or having to lie to my kids about it.
There's no need to scare them.
We're going to catch this guy soon.
Everything will be back to normal.
I hope so.
It's only a matter of time
before they realize
Ludo's not crashing on the couch
because of a palm weevil infestation.
They're native to his neighborhood.
I figured Elliot would check. He did.
Do you have anything else for me
besides this homework?
I wish I had more of an update on Roman.
We're pretty confident Gio's
contact had good intel.
He's staying somewhere
in Henderson, Nevada.
We got the force out there
helping us get closer.
Do you have an address?
Not yet, but we'll get one.
We'll figure it out.
How's he doing?
Karadec?
He's ready to have you back.
We all are.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Whoa, whoa.
Daph, where are you going?
- I got plans.
- Really?
At this hour?
Settle yourselves.
It's just a friend,
and you guys need to
get out of here, too.
We can't be pulling
back-to-back all nighters.
Yeah, you know what, Oz? She's right.
- Go home.
- Why?
It's not like I'm gonna sleep anyway.
Not until we catch the bastard.
Well, I appreciate the sentiment,
but burning yourself out
is not going to help the cause.
Yeah? And what about you?
I'll be right behind you.
[SCOFFS] You're a terrible liar.
Yeah, that wasn't great.
Later, guys.
See ya.
Okay.
[CELLPHONE BUZZES]
Hey, why are you calling me so late?
There's my grumpy guy.
Nice to hear your voice, too.
Why you working so late?
How do you know I'm working?
Well, you answered your phone at 2 a.m.,
and you don't have a social life.
Yeah. You know, this guy
went after one of our own.
He got close to you.
He got close to your kids.
So it's been impossible
for any of us to slow down.
I really thought we would
have found him by now.
Especially with his sketch
all over the news.
Yeah, so did I.
You know, it's very detailed.
Yes, it's very detailed.
I worked really hard on that
with two different artists.
No, the nose is too aquiline.
The zygomatics are just bananas.
What are you doing?
Oh, I thought I said a slight cleft
and just a little dimple,
but apparently I said John Travolta,
and I don't remember it.
Clear the whole thing.
Oh, God, I just gotta learn how to draw.
I don't like this feeling, Karadec.
It sucks, I hate it
Yeah, I do too.
Yeah.
Get yourself some sleep.
You too.
♪♪
- Morning, Chester.
- Hey.
What you got there?
Well, nothing says thanks
for looking after my family
like an open box of shortbread
cookies. [CHUCKLES]
I would have brought you
what I made Chloe for breakfast,
but it was disgusting.
Yeah, Lieutenant Soto didn't mention
this assignment would
have perks, though.
Thank you.
- It's a quiet night?
- Yeah.
Yeah. All good.
Hey, you all dressed up,
where are you going?
Just got to go run some errands.
- I'll see you later.
- All right.
♪♪
♪♪
Nobody came by?
No. Just the usual.
Babies, dogs, you know.
What?
Wrong address.
- Everything all right, Morgan?
- Yeah.
I'm just gonna go around
the corner for a sec.
Do you want me to call
for a police escort?
That's okay. No. I'll be quick.
Keep an eye on the house.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
["THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT"
PLAYS IN DISTANCE]
In the jungle, the quiet jungle ♪
The lion sleeps tonight ♪
A-weema-weh, a-weema-weh,
a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh ♪
Wee-oh aweem away ♪
A-weema-weh, a-weema-weh,
a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh ♪
Wee-oh aweem away ♪
Why is no one picking up their phones?
I've been texting like a maniac.
You guys, it's the Game Maker.
He sent me this piece of mail
so that I would walk
by a very specific house.
I know it was him.
Do you have any idea how rare it is
for the US Postal Service
to deliver mail to the wrong address?
Between optical character recognition,
barcode scans, and the
zip-plus-4 code system,
it's super rare.
And he knows that I know that,
and he also knows that the
street next to mine is a cul-de-sac,
so he knew I would have to walk
past that house to get to this address.
I know it was him.
Good morning, Morgan. Welcome back.
- I blasted in?
- Little bit.
It's too much. Sorry.
Good morning, Daphne.
Oz, it's really nice
to see you back at work.
You too.
You doing okay?
Yeah.
Me neither.
And, yes, Morgan,
we did get all of your texts.
And two voice notes.
Which were kind of hard to hear
because it sounded
like you were running.
Yeah. What, am I going to
tiptoe or mosey?
Of course I'm running. It's important.
Have that dusted for prints, please.
What else is in this bag?
Probably teething crackers or something.
I don't know, don't make
a big deal out of it.
Also, that bag looks like
it can be used many more times.
Give it back to me when they're done.
Okay. So do we really think
that this could be the Game Maker?
- Not sure.
- Yes.
- I am sure.
- SOTO: Are you?
Because last week
there were a few other cases
where you were pretty confident.
I understand. Okay.
I jumped the gun a couple of times.
But you guys think about it.
The song, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight,"
paired with the Jungle Animal match game
that he slipped into my grocery bag next
to my children.
It is him.
What do we have so far?
No, we're still gathering information,
starting with the person
who lives at that address.
Just one name on the lease, Maya Price.
We left word for her this morning.
Hopefully we'll hear back soon
and she's okay.
WOMAN: Maya Price is my sister.
We can't find her.
1522 Wells Avenue?
Where's Mommy?
♪♪
I was babysitting Max last night,
and I went to Maya's place this morning
when she didn't show to pick him up
and her front door was open,
I just knew something was wrong.
But how did you guys find out
that she was missing?
Consultant Morgan happened
to be walking by.
I live one street over.
- Really?
- Yeah.
It's a weird coincidence.
Sarah, take us through
everything from last night.
Okay, Maya got some free tickets
to see a show at Sound nightclub.
Any idea who she was with?
A friend from work, I-I think.
You know, she sent me a photo.
Where do they work?
AGM. Artful Guile Music.
She also works part time
at Costco to make ends meet.
Sarah, any chance that Maya
may have had too much to drink,
ended up crashing at
someone else's place last night?
No, she doesn't drink.
She's the most
responsible person I know.
I'm sorry. I'm so scared that
something happened to her, and I'm
I'm trying to hold it together for Max.
What's the situation with Max's father?
- Derek.
- He's a good guy.
He just has bad habits.
Struggled to hold down a job.
- It got kind of messy.
- Messy?
How?
Custody issues.
They have a court date set next week.
Sarah, do you recognize this man?
He's connected to another case
that we're working,
- and we think
- KARADEC: And, um,
that's all we have right now.
No.
I'd remember if I'd seen him before.
I don't forget faces.
Sarah, as soon as we have some answers,
we'll be in touch.
♪♪
♪♪
Reminds me of my club days.
Add that to the list of things
Maya and I have in common.
Now, the doorman at the club said
he saw Maya leave alone
around 9:30 p.m. last night.
Then the question becomes,
where did she go?
This parking lot.
She hadn't been out in forever.
She's not going to drive
around looking for a meter,
plus proximity,
you know, believe it or not,
we don't love using the pepper spray.
Fair enough.
Well, Maya drove a silver Honda Accord.
It's not here. I'll have Daphne
put out a BOLO on the car.
I don't know, Morgan.
This is just way too exposed.
It's unlikely she was abducted here.
There had to be a second location.
Nope. This is the spot.
Those busted streetlights
provided the perfect darkness
for him to hide in.
You see this?
This is a little heel cap from her shoe.
A shoe. Not necessarily Maya's.
I'm just gonna keep going.
This is where he attacked her.
♪♪
[MUFFLED SCREAMING]
She fought back.
She got away by using
her purse as a weapon.
Got lip balm, candy,
and these little glass fragments
that smell like orange blossom.
Must have been from a perfume sample
from a department store.
I'm familiar.
Then she ran.
It was a Friday night
There had to be a guard
in that booth over there.
She needed help.
But she didn't get it.
So then her heels
must have left these marks,
presumably as he was
dragging her to his vehicle.
Yeah. Or hers.
Which means she would have been
parked in this spot right here.
Karadec, look,
there's two lines of heel marks,
and then it just turns into one.
So at a certain point,
only one heel was dragging,
leaving a mark.
That means she lost a shoe
during the struggle.
Found it.
♪♪
He crammed her unconscious body
into the trunk of her own car.
He was in control the whole time
and she knew it.
I put the BOLO out on Maya's car.
Good.
Now alert the press,
let them know we'll have
a briefing later today.
And get a photo of Maya ready to go.
Done and done.
And maybe show them
a picture of this guy again.
Not until we know we can tie
the Game Maker to her abduction.
Right now, we focus on finding Maya.
I'm very focused on finding Maya,
which is why I want to focus
on the man who abducted her.
I think she's right.
There are too many coincidences.
Prints are in on Morgan's mail.
- And?
- Yours and the postman's.
Looks like Maya pulled a permit
for a weapon a few months back.
Protection from her husband?
Let's find out.
I want Derek in here
for questioning, stat.
And we're clear to search Maya's place.
Let's get over there. Clock is ticking.
♪♪
♪♪
Hmm. You know this record
doesn't fit the rest of her collection.
I'll take it with us.
Check it for prints.
OZ: Locks are new.
Probably installed
in the last month or so.
Okay, so it certainly appears
like Maya purchased a gun.
There was a record of sale
from two weeks ago,
but I can't find a weapon anywhere.
All right, Daph, well
keep looking, alright?
Okay.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Karadec?
- Yeah.
- Look at this.
Prada. Gucci. Versace.
That's thousands of dollars
of stuff Maya can't afford.
Gifts from someone.
Yeah, but they're all missing.
Maybe they were stolen.
♪♪
♪♪
Karadec! Karadec!
Yes, Morgan.
I'm pretty sure those
expensive items weren't stolen.
They were sold. Let's go.
Go where?
- The Boneyard.
- The Boneyard?
Yes, of course. Why wouldn't
we be going to The Boneyard?
You guys check out Maya's work.
Artful Guile Music.
Call me with anything.
MORGAN: Fritzy. Good to see you.
Hey, it is too late
to buy back your mixer, Morgan.
It's long gone. Oh, no.
I don't want the mixer.
I also have a job now
that allows me to keep my appliances.
We're here on official
police business, Fritzy.
- You're a cop?
- No.
But they do sign my paychecks.
This woman is missing,
and I know she recently got rid of some
pretty pricey designer stuff.
So
So I'd like them, please.
She could have sold that stuff anywhere.
Yeah, but she also picked up
an electronic piano for her kid.
What, I have a monopoly
on electronic kiddy pianos?
Fritzy.
There was a sticky spot
on the side of it
in the shape of a dog bone.
You sell people stuff,
and then you take off the price tag,
but you never remove the goo.
- Pain in the ass to get off.
- I know.
Okay, fine. All right.
But I did a good deal by that lady.
But I can't be handing over thousands
of dollars of goods to you.
It's hard enough to keep the
lights on as it is these days.
The LAPD will put it on their tab.
There is no tab, Morgan.
The LAPD will reimburse you
from the city slush fund.
Not a thing.
Fritzy, why don't you
just turn over the items?
Otherwise, I'm gonna
have to fast track a warrant
for a more invasive search
of this place.
And who knows what kind of illicit goods
we'll find in here.
What are you doing? It's too much.
Are you trying to feel big?
He's trying to feel big.
This guy is trying
to keep his lights on.
Fritzy, I am so sorry. I'll tell you
what. You let me borrow the stuff,
and I promise to give it
back to you as soon
as we're done with it.
- Fine.
- Yeah?
All right, well, thank you, sir.
And if what were you saying
about that lady is true,
you might want to talk to the fella
she was arguing with
out in my parking lot.
Did you get a look at him?
No, but my cameras did.
♪♪
Derek, the reason why we
brought you in here today is
because Maya's been missing
since last night.
She was abducted from
a car lot in Hollywood.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
I had no idea.
What about Max? Is Max okay?
Max is fine. He's with Sarah.
And you would have known sooner,
but we couldn't find you.
Well, I was having
a few drinks at a bar in NoHo.
Okay. I had more
than a few drinks, I was upset.
I haven't see my kid much lately.
Looks like things got
pretty heated between you two
outside the Boneyard.
Look, she'd been dodging my calls.
I admit it was a mistake
to follow her, yeah.
She'd been getting
expensive gifts from someone,
and I got jealous, I admit that.
Okay?
But I would never
I would never hurt her.
Did you know that Maya recently
purchased a firearm, Derek?
I mean, why might she do that?
What?
No. Maya hates guns.
He didn't do it. We're wasting time.
Maybe he did. Maybe he didn't.
Maybe he knows something we don't.
Derek, what happened to your hand?
[SIGHS]
Honestly, I don't know.
I can't remember.
I made it back to my buddy's
place, and then I passed out.
Maya is my whole world.
Love of my life.
And I miss my son.
And I-I made mistakes, yes,
but II would never.
You have to find her.
Uh, we're digging into Derek's alibi.
Okay.
Oz and Daphne came back with someone
I think you're going to want to talk to.
Barry Gibb?
The woman that Maya was
with at the club.
♪♪
HARPER: We had a blast.
It was obvious she needed
a night to herself.
Custody battle was stressing her out,
and she was freaking out over
how expensive lawyers can be.
Your boss, Jason Howard. Correct?
We'd like to talk to him,
but he's been hard to locate.
That doesn't surprise me.
He nepoed his way
into the CEO position years ago,
and he has the work ethic to prove it.
He's more likely to be
on a scouting trip to Italy
or at one of his vacation homes,
than to be at the office.
Hm. Gross. Was Maya seeing anyone?
Maybe somebody
who could afford designer stuff.
She told me about the gifts.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]
I have my suspicions on who sent them,
but she wouldn't confirm it.
You think Jason was sending
her those gifts?
I'm pretty sure
the only reason he comes to AGM
at all is to see her.
He gave us those tickets to the club.
Told Maya she deserved
to let go for a night.
I mean, do you think maybe
No. Hell, no. Maya would never.
She felt weird about taking
the tickets in the first place.
But it was Gaga night and peer pressure.
Am I a bad friend?
You're here, aren't you?
You know, you kind of look like her.
KARADEC: Hey, Daphne,
what else we got on Jason?
DAPHNE: Half a dozen
sexual harassment complaints
over the last five years.
Looks like they all
settled out of court.
Sounds like he's paying
people to be quiet.
No. Not people. Women.
Morgan, where are you going?
To get some air.
♪♪
I've got a record player that
was made in 2014 ♪
Dyed my hair blue, it came out
a seasick sort of green ♪
I like vintage dresses when
they fall just below my knees ♪
I pretend I scraped them
climbing in the trees ♪
I've got a record player that
was made in 2014 ♪
Dyed my hair blue, it came out
a seasick sort of green ♪
I like vintage dresses when
they fall just below my knees ♪
I pretend I scraped them
climbing in the trees ♪
Sometimes I think
all I'm ever doin' is ♪
Tryin' to convince myself
I'm climbing in the trees ♪
Oz, call your favorite judge.
We need a search warrant for any
and all residences linked
to Jason Howard.
MORGAN: Okay, I know you guys
aren't 100% sold
on my Game Maker theory yet,
but hopefully this
should clear things up.
I'm guessing this is what the
inside of your mind looks like?
Oh, buddy, not even close.
Okay. You ready?
Jason Howard is a diabetic,
just like Spencer.
As a matter of fact,
he is on the board of a research
initiative at County General,
meaning he would know exactly
how long a person could be
without insulin.
He's also a painter.
These are his original works.
Kind of reminds you of the ones
that we found hanging in the gallery.
Guys, turns out a trust fund
and a work aversion
gives you a lot of free time
for hobbies.
Because he's also
a certified scuba instructor.
I mean, half the guy's
Instagram pictures are of him
in exotic locations,
you know, teaching
impressionable young women
in wetsuits all about
the secrets of the abyss.
You ready for the big finish?
I have to admit, this is pretty fun.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
So?
Jason and the Game Maker
are one and the same.
No, no, it's a trap.
Guys, I just went into the war room.
It took me, like, five minutes to get
all this stuff off the internet.
He's trying to get us to focus over here
so he can keep slithering
around over there.
It's just too easy.
This is what I think.
The Game Maker is trying
to frame Jason to be a part
of whatever game this is
he's currently playing.
Or it's Jason. It's always been Jason,
and your guy is just a good Samaritan
who helped save the frozen turkey.
Okay, then how did that card
game get into my groceries?
Well, whoever's doing this
has pulled off more
complicated tricks than that.
Look, we're just saying,
isn't it possible?
Sometimes the easiest answer is
the right one.
I don't care if it's possible.
This is what's happening.
We still have to follow protocol.
I want to be on your side here, Morgan.
But why would he go to so much trouble
to frame this particular guy?
Gosh, Oz, I'm not sure.
Let's find him and ask him.
SOTO: All right, enough.
For now, we keep all
investigative paths wide open
until the facts tell us otherwise.
Go be with your kids.
Keep your phone close.
[SIGHS]
♪♪
The stress is getting to her.
She's not a cop.
She certainly didn't sign up for this.
Selena, stop!
Adam, she said no.
Said no to what?
The job. When I offered it to her.
I pushed her into it.
I promised to help her
with the Roman case
if she came on as a consultant.
Why are you telling me this now?
Because I put her in this position.
No. You gave her an opportunity.
You did the right thing
by bringing her on.
We need her.
If she goes rogue
and something happens
maybe I just take her off the case.
You trust me?
You know I do.
Okay, well, I trust her.
LUDO: Would you like me to take over?
Now that all the work is done,
that's when I really shine.
It's okay. I'm good.
Are you?
[SIGHS] It's Roman.
I think they're getting
pretty close to finding him.
What happens if they find him?
What happens if they don't find him?
I just really want this for Ava.
I'll eat later, if that's cool.
Wait. Where are you going?
Keisha's having a few people over.
- Oh.
- It's dinner time.
You know I'm still a growing boy.
Okay. It'll be ready soon.
It's not a really great day for that
because we're having
family night tonight.
Again? We've been doing this
for, like, a week now.
Mom, I'm not stupid.
I know something's going on.
I'll set the table.
Where are the cookies?
Uh, the cookies.
It doesn't matter
because we eat our growing food
before we even think about cookies.
You know, the Ayurvedic system believes
that a small portion of dessert
sets up the digestive system for
I'll wait.
Yeah. You'll wait.
Hey, of course you're not stupid.
And yes, we need to talk,
but can we do it when
we have a little bit more
privacy, please?
Yeah. Thank you.
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
- Hi, Morgan.
- Hey.
Did you get my text?
No.
We're going to a party?
You've got to be kidding me.
[SIGHS]
MORGAN: What the hell
kind of party is this?
KARADEC: Jason's hosting an
album release for one of his artists.
He said he couldn't get out of it,
but he's happy to talk to us here.
Let's just take the weird win.
Weird, like, these masks look
kind of like the Game Maker's.
Duly noted.
Is there a mask that speaks to you,
or would you like me
to match one to your aura?
I tell you what, this one
right here is yapping at me.
But I think you should match his aura.
No, that will not be necessary.
Yeah. Go nuts.
Uh-huh. Really get in there. Yep.
Yeah. Bingo! Nailed it.
Thank you.
Bye.
Um, Morgan, I need you to focus.
We still have to find Jason.
I am focused, and I already found him.
He's right over there in front
of that wall of 19 year olds.
Detectives, thanks for showing up.
Can I get you anything?
Yeah. A quieter place to talk.
Maya's worked for me almost a year.
She schedules all my stuff,
my social and philanthropic stuff.
Is that why you bought
her so many gifts, Jason?
Gifts? [CHUCKLES]
Tickets to Sound nightclub.
Oh, those were comps.
I'm just generous.
Yeah, a lot of stores
on Rodeo Drive that would agree.
Not to mention your platinum card.
I was worried
that you'd find out about that.
Now why would you say that?
Because I didn't buy
those things, Maya did.
She has access to my credit card
for work stuff.
And my people noticed
a transaction on my statement
last week, and I confronted her.
So you did not fire her even
though she stole
thousands of dollars from you?
Well, she denied it.
And I have a soft spot for single moms.
Besides, it's just money.
Yeah, totally. Just money.
Ooh, those are beautiful.
What are those, Tonto daggers?
Yeah. Yeah, I bought those in Seki city.
They belonged to a samurai.
Are you a collector?
Me? No, no.
Those are a teeny
bit outside my price range.
But, I love how you've displayed them.
Yeah, they're arranged
by Shogunate periods.
They sure are. Let's see.
Minamoto, Taira,
Todo, Ashikaga, Oda, Tokugawa.
Except one's missing.
The Takeda, it's not there.
You don't strike me as a guy who
would display an incomplete set.
Jason, I'm going to need you
to think real hard on this one.
Where were you last night around 9:30?
I was here.
I had my chef make me a meal,
I caught up on some paperwork,
and then I went to bed early.
Now, if you'll excuse me,
I have to get back to my party.
Taffy Boy needs me.
I hope you find Maya.
I really do.
You guys can see yourselves out, right?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]
Well, he's lying.
That man doesn't work during
the day, let alone at night.
You're waiting on me to leave so
you can poke around Jason's den
without a warrant, aren't you?
Yeah.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Morgan! Morgan!
♪♪
♪♪
[LAUGHTER]
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Karadec! Karadec, he's here!
♪♪
You said you're drowning,
though I kept you afloat ♪
Hey, hey, hey! Don't move! Mask off now!
♪♪
Jason Howard, you're under arrest for
the kidnapping of Maya Price.
I want all of my lawyers.
Or at least two of them.
- They're on retainer.
- You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used
Excuse me. Hey.
I saw him.
- Who?
- I know it.
Him. I know I saw him. He was just here.
- Where did he go?
- I don't know.
Okay, well, Morgan,
we still have to find Maya.
- Yeah.
- Morgan!
[EXHALES]
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
I want your badge number
and your phone number.
Hey.
Karadec.
Hey, hey! Come here!
Where is she? Where's Maya?
Take it easy.
Did you kill her? Huh? Where is she?
[CELLPHONE BUZZES]
Hey. I got your messages.
The doors and windows are
locked, and Chester's on alert.
How are you holding up?
I think it's gonna be a long night.
He was smiling at me.
He's enjoying this.
You guys are good?
Uh, yeah. We're doing okay.
I think it was the right thing to do,
telling the kids what's happening.
Are they scared?
Yes, but mostly for you.
I told them their mom's
got the entire police department
looking out for her.
You're a good dad. Thank you.
I'll be home as soon as I can.
Be safe.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Jason is not saying another word.
Which means we're no closer
to finding Maya.
Maybe Jason isn't telling us
where Maya is
because Jason doesn't know
where Maya is.
Well, he knew where
she was the night she was taken.
KARADEC: The gifts were bought
on his card.
DAPHNE: Her bracelet's in his pool.
The missing dagger from his wall.
Yeah. I'm not saying the
evidence doesn't point to Jason.
I'm the one who said it would. Remember?
We just got to figure out why.
How dark was it at the party?
One face. All those people.
What are you implying?
Are you implying I didn't see him?
No. We know you saw him.
It would just really help
if one of us could see him, too,
at some point.
Yeah, it sure would help.
I would love that.
But only I saw him at the party.
Just me. That's how he wanted it.
It was clearly by design.
So what is the game, Morgan?
I don't know what the game is.
Maybe the game is figuring
out what the game is.
And yes, I hear how crazy that sounds,
but what else
can we expect from this guy?
Are you are you really suggesting
that I don't remember his face?
That man is a danger to my children.
Okay? I'm never going to be
able to forget his face,
long after we're done with this,
long after we get him
and we put him away,
and you guys move on to another case,
he's going to live up here,
cemented inside of my brain,
along with all of the other things
I got to look out for
to make sure my kids are okay.
So if we could just,
you know, close the book
on this whole Morgan
made up an imaginary man thing,
that would be great.
Okay. I've got something.
A salvage yard in Sun Valley
just reported Maya's car.
Go check it out.
And you call me as soon
as you land on the scene.
[PHONE RINGING]
Lieutenant Soto.
Officer Sigmund,
how are things in Nevada?
That's right, that's right.
Roman Sinquerra.
What have you got?
Car showed up last night.
I saw your bolo when I ran the VIN.
You see who brought it in?
No, sorry. This is it.
She's all yours.
[GASPS]
Hey. Are you okay?
I don't know. What do you think?
You know, if we pull
Jason's prints off the dagger
and get him to talk,
maybe we can get to Maya.
Just because she's wounded doesn't
mean she isn't still alive, Morgan.
SOTO: Morgan.
[CAR DOOR CLOSES]
You heard?
I did.
I also heard from our friends in Nevada.
They called with an address.
- Roman?
- I think so.
I came after they called.
I figured you'd want to hop in a car.
I can drive. It's just a few hours away.
No, no, I'm not
I can't leave my kids here
with that guy still out there.
Daph and I can go if you want.
Yeah, whatever you need, Morgan.
What What is going on?
After everything we
went through last week,
I filled them in, too.
Okay. Yeah. Thank you.
We'll call you as soon
as we have eyes on him.
Who called him?
Roman?
No, Derek. Maya's ex. The dad.
He was at the police station
when we got there with Jason.
Did somebody call him
and give him a heads up
that we had made an arrest?
No, Major Crimes doesn't notify
victims families
about active investigations.
But he knew we were going to be there.
He was waiting for us
when we came in with Jason.
Do you remember?
If we didn't tell Derek that
Jason might have killed Maya,
who did?
Hello?
MAN: Derek, this is the LAPD.
It's about Maya.
I wish we had better news.
MORGAN: It was him.
You think the Game Maker called Derek?
He must have wanted Derek
to see Jason getting arrested.
Why?
That's what we got to find out.
First, I thought he sent this
to me to get my attention
and lead me to Maya's house.
But what if I'm not the only person
who got this flyer in the mail?
♪♪
It'd be pretty easy to steal Jason's
credit card if he had a key.
Oh, the games people play ♪
Every night, every day ♪
He's the one
who sent Maya all those gifts
and made it look like Jason did it.
He stole her bracelet
when he abducted her,
dropped it in the pool,
and then he grabbed
the weapon on the way out.
Okay, but why do all this?
Just to frame Jason?
No, I think leading us
in the wrong direction
was only part of the game.
So what's the rest?
What's his next move?
Well, look at all these gifts.
All the red ones are
either Versace or Gucci.
What do those two men have in common?
They were murdered.
They were both shot and killed.
Where's Derek?
You think Derek is his next victim?
Not exactly.
Keep going. I'm listening.
The weapon that Maya
supposedly registered for.
- We never found it.
- Yeah.
I don't think
she ever bought a gun at all.
I think he wanted Derek
to think that she did.
Did you know that Maya
recently purchased a firearm?
What?
The Game Maker knew
Derek would want revenge,
so he placed a gun in Maya's
house after we searched it.
It's possible Maya was just bait
and she could still be alive.
Yeah. It's possible.
I mean, we're still waiting on DNA
and a blood type from Maya's trunk.
Yeah, I hope so, but if she's not part
of the game anymore,
he doesn't need her.
Look, we did everything
we were supposed to do, right?
We played the game.
We played it his way.
None of the other victims died.
Maybe he's not a murderer.
Not if he got someone else
to do it for him.
So it's Jason he wants dead.
We got to find Derek.
♪♪
The Game Maker created a murderer.
And we put the weapon right in his hand.
♪♪
♪♪
[ENGINE REVS, TIRES SQUEAL]
Derek! Stop!
Every night and every day now ♪
Never meanin' what they say now ♪
Never sayin' what they mean ♪
Oh, the games people play now ♪
Every night and every day now ♪
Never meanin' what they say now ♪
This is it.
Roman Sinquerra?
Turn your back on humanity ♪
What a dirty rotten shame ♪
The lab should have the
blood test results in 24 hours.
MAN: Excuse me.
Apparently you're looking for me.
♪♪
♪♪
MORGAN: You guys made mistakes,
I fixed them.
Let's not make a big deal out of this.
What mistakes did you see?
I have a compulsion to put things right.
If I see a mistake,
I need to correct it.
Ta-da!
I have an IQ of 160.
The technical term is
high potential intellectual,
means you have
advanced cognitive abilities.
Come do this full time. We need you.
- You know this woman?
- I'm his partner.
KARADEC: We're not partners.
She's actually just a consultant.
When you and I split up, we agreed
we're going to remain
a family no matter what.
MORGAN: Ludo thinks of you
as his daughter.
It's not the same.
Your father loved you.
That's why he left.
I need you to find someone. Roman
Sinquerra, he vanished 15 years ago.
You got a deal.
You made this for your dad?
If you find him.
It turns out Roman was
working as an FBI informant.
"Two hours to make your move."
OZ: Sounds like some kind of game.
KARADEC: The kidnapper wants us
to play by their rules.
They're watching us.
SELAN: Oz isn't answering his phone.
I got him.
This kidnapper is really toying with me.
Making a run for it.
Here, I'll take this for you.
Thank you.
Ava and I are too old for this game,
and Chloe's gonna need
a couple more years.
Morgan, I know where he is.
Roman. He's alive.
♪♪
LADY GAGA: Abra-ca-dabra,
Abracadabra ♪
Abra-ca-dabra, Abracadabra ♪
♪♪
Pay the toll to the angels ♪
Drawing circles in the clouds ♪
Keep your mind on the distance ♪
When the devil ♪
[CELLPHONE RINGS]
Hey. How's it going over there?
GIRL: Pretty good.
Just read him his third bedtime story.
Only three bedtime stories?
You got off easy.
Thank you so much for babysitting.
- I really needed tonight.
- Of course.
Are you on your way home?
Yeah, yeah, I'm on my way.
- Okay. Be careful.
- Will do.
- Love you guys. Bye.
- Love you.
LADY GAGA: Abra-ca-dabra Abracadabra ♪
Like a poem said by a lady in red ♪
You hear the last few words
of your life ♪
With a haunting dance,
now you're both in a trance ♪
It's time to cast your spell
on the night ♪
Abracadabra Amor oo na na ♪
In her tongue she said ♪
Death or love tonight ♪
♪♪
♪♪
MORGAN: Let's play.
We have 34 minutes to make our move.
GAME MASTER: Fun has just begun.
OZ: They made me play games.
They were wearing a white anime mask.
MORGAN: And they're watching us.
Whoever's playing games with us,
it isn't Dave Peck
SOTO: Well, then who the hell
is this guy?
[GASPS]
ELLIOT: Mom! Mom, help me!
What? What is it?
No. Mom can't help you.
What are you doing?
Are you serious?
He's cheating.
My pillows, my rules.
Stop! Okay.
First of all, it's a pillow fight.
There's no way to cheat.
Second of all,
they are not your pillows.
No!
All right, she lulled me
- into a false sense of security.
- You have two, it's not fair.
Hello? I'm trying to read
my baby sister to sleep.
Oh, okay. I'll do it quietly.
Shh! Ow!
You know, maybe if you
weren't stuck in this house
for, like, a week,
we wouldn't be acting like animals.
[LAUGHTER]
Wild animals. I can't.
Sneak attack! Ahh!
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
♪♪
Your boss is here.
Oh. Perfect timing.
You're sleepy now, right?
- Go to bed.
- Okay.
- Do you mind?
- I got him.
- Thank you.
- I got him, I got him.
So
How are we holding up?
Not great.
Pretty terrible actually.
I don't know what's worse,
being stalked by a deranged psychopath
or having to lie to my kids about it.
There's no need to scare them.
We're going to catch this guy soon.
Everything will be back to normal.
I hope so.
It's only a matter of time
before they realize
Ludo's not crashing on the couch
because of a palm weevil infestation.
They're native to his neighborhood.
I figured Elliot would check. He did.
Do you have anything else for me
besides this homework?
I wish I had more of an update on Roman.
We're pretty confident Gio's
contact had good intel.
He's staying somewhere
in Henderson, Nevada.
We got the force out there
helping us get closer.
Do you have an address?
Not yet, but we'll get one.
We'll figure it out.
How's he doing?
Karadec?
He's ready to have you back.
We all are.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Whoa, whoa.
Daph, where are you going?
- I got plans.
- Really?
At this hour?
Settle yourselves.
It's just a friend,
and you guys need to
get out of here, too.
We can't be pulling
back-to-back all nighters.
Yeah, you know what, Oz? She's right.
- Go home.
- Why?
It's not like I'm gonna sleep anyway.
Not until we catch the bastard.
Well, I appreciate the sentiment,
but burning yourself out
is not going to help the cause.
Yeah? And what about you?
I'll be right behind you.
[SCOFFS] You're a terrible liar.
Yeah, that wasn't great.
Later, guys.
See ya.
Okay.
[CELLPHONE BUZZES]
Hey, why are you calling me so late?
There's my grumpy guy.
Nice to hear your voice, too.
Why you working so late?
How do you know I'm working?
Well, you answered your phone at 2 a.m.,
and you don't have a social life.
Yeah. You know, this guy
went after one of our own.
He got close to you.
He got close to your kids.
So it's been impossible
for any of us to slow down.
I really thought we would
have found him by now.
Especially with his sketch
all over the news.
Yeah, so did I.
You know, it's very detailed.
Yes, it's very detailed.
I worked really hard on that
with two different artists.
No, the nose is too aquiline.
The zygomatics are just bananas.
What are you doing?
Oh, I thought I said a slight cleft
and just a little dimple,
but apparently I said John Travolta,
and I don't remember it.
Clear the whole thing.
Oh, God, I just gotta learn how to draw.
I don't like this feeling, Karadec.
It sucks, I hate it
Yeah, I do too.
Yeah.
Get yourself some sleep.
You too.
♪♪
- Morning, Chester.
- Hey.
What you got there?
Well, nothing says thanks
for looking after my family
like an open box of shortbread
cookies. [CHUCKLES]
I would have brought you
what I made Chloe for breakfast,
but it was disgusting.
Yeah, Lieutenant Soto didn't mention
this assignment would
have perks, though.
Thank you.
- It's a quiet night?
- Yeah.
Yeah. All good.
Hey, you all dressed up,
where are you going?
Just got to go run some errands.
- I'll see you later.
- All right.
♪♪
♪♪
Nobody came by?
No. Just the usual.
Babies, dogs, you know.
What?
Wrong address.
- Everything all right, Morgan?
- Yeah.
I'm just gonna go around
the corner for a sec.
Do you want me to call
for a police escort?
That's okay. No. I'll be quick.
Keep an eye on the house.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
["THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT"
PLAYS IN DISTANCE]
In the jungle, the quiet jungle ♪
The lion sleeps tonight ♪
A-weema-weh, a-weema-weh,
a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh ♪
Wee-oh aweem away ♪
A-weema-weh, a-weema-weh,
a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh ♪
Wee-oh aweem away ♪
Why is no one picking up their phones?
I've been texting like a maniac.
You guys, it's the Game Maker.
He sent me this piece of mail
so that I would walk
by a very specific house.
I know it was him.
Do you have any idea how rare it is
for the US Postal Service
to deliver mail to the wrong address?
Between optical character recognition,
barcode scans, and the
zip-plus-4 code system,
it's super rare.
And he knows that I know that,
and he also knows that the
street next to mine is a cul-de-sac,
so he knew I would have to walk
past that house to get to this address.
I know it was him.
Good morning, Morgan. Welcome back.
- I blasted in?
- Little bit.
It's too much. Sorry.
Good morning, Daphne.
Oz, it's really nice
to see you back at work.
You too.
You doing okay?
Yeah.
Me neither.
And, yes, Morgan,
we did get all of your texts.
And two voice notes.
Which were kind of hard to hear
because it sounded
like you were running.
Yeah. What, am I going to
tiptoe or mosey?
Of course I'm running. It's important.
Have that dusted for prints, please.
What else is in this bag?
Probably teething crackers or something.
I don't know, don't make
a big deal out of it.
Also, that bag looks like
it can be used many more times.
Give it back to me when they're done.
Okay. So do we really think
that this could be the Game Maker?
- Not sure.
- Yes.
- I am sure.
- SOTO: Are you?
Because last week
there were a few other cases
where you were pretty confident.
I understand. Okay.
I jumped the gun a couple of times.
But you guys think about it.
The song, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight,"
paired with the Jungle Animal match game
that he slipped into my grocery bag next
to my children.
It is him.
What do we have so far?
No, we're still gathering information,
starting with the person
who lives at that address.
Just one name on the lease, Maya Price.
We left word for her this morning.
Hopefully we'll hear back soon
and she's okay.
WOMAN: Maya Price is my sister.
We can't find her.
1522 Wells Avenue?
Where's Mommy?
♪♪
I was babysitting Max last night,
and I went to Maya's place this morning
when she didn't show to pick him up
and her front door was open,
I just knew something was wrong.
But how did you guys find out
that she was missing?
Consultant Morgan happened
to be walking by.
I live one street over.
- Really?
- Yeah.
It's a weird coincidence.
Sarah, take us through
everything from last night.
Okay, Maya got some free tickets
to see a show at Sound nightclub.
Any idea who she was with?
A friend from work, I-I think.
You know, she sent me a photo.
Where do they work?
AGM. Artful Guile Music.
She also works part time
at Costco to make ends meet.
Sarah, any chance that Maya
may have had too much to drink,
ended up crashing at
someone else's place last night?
No, she doesn't drink.
She's the most
responsible person I know.
I'm sorry. I'm so scared that
something happened to her, and I'm
I'm trying to hold it together for Max.
What's the situation with Max's father?
- Derek.
- He's a good guy.
He just has bad habits.
Struggled to hold down a job.
- It got kind of messy.
- Messy?
How?
Custody issues.
They have a court date set next week.
Sarah, do you recognize this man?
He's connected to another case
that we're working,
- and we think
- KARADEC: And, um,
that's all we have right now.
No.
I'd remember if I'd seen him before.
I don't forget faces.
Sarah, as soon as we have some answers,
we'll be in touch.
♪♪
♪♪
Reminds me of my club days.
Add that to the list of things
Maya and I have in common.
Now, the doorman at the club said
he saw Maya leave alone
around 9:30 p.m. last night.
Then the question becomes,
where did she go?
This parking lot.
She hadn't been out in forever.
She's not going to drive
around looking for a meter,
plus proximity,
you know, believe it or not,
we don't love using the pepper spray.
Fair enough.
Well, Maya drove a silver Honda Accord.
It's not here. I'll have Daphne
put out a BOLO on the car.
I don't know, Morgan.
This is just way too exposed.
It's unlikely she was abducted here.
There had to be a second location.
Nope. This is the spot.
Those busted streetlights
provided the perfect darkness
for him to hide in.
You see this?
This is a little heel cap from her shoe.
A shoe. Not necessarily Maya's.
I'm just gonna keep going.
This is where he attacked her.
♪♪
[MUFFLED SCREAMING]
She fought back.
She got away by using
her purse as a weapon.
Got lip balm, candy,
and these little glass fragments
that smell like orange blossom.
Must have been from a perfume sample
from a department store.
I'm familiar.
Then she ran.
It was a Friday night
There had to be a guard
in that booth over there.
She needed help.
But she didn't get it.
So then her heels
must have left these marks,
presumably as he was
dragging her to his vehicle.
Yeah. Or hers.
Which means she would have been
parked in this spot right here.
Karadec, look,
there's two lines of heel marks,
and then it just turns into one.
So at a certain point,
only one heel was dragging,
leaving a mark.
That means she lost a shoe
during the struggle.
Found it.
♪♪
He crammed her unconscious body
into the trunk of her own car.
He was in control the whole time
and she knew it.
I put the BOLO out on Maya's car.
Good.
Now alert the press,
let them know we'll have
a briefing later today.
And get a photo of Maya ready to go.
Done and done.
And maybe show them
a picture of this guy again.
Not until we know we can tie
the Game Maker to her abduction.
Right now, we focus on finding Maya.
I'm very focused on finding Maya,
which is why I want to focus
on the man who abducted her.
I think she's right.
There are too many coincidences.
Prints are in on Morgan's mail.
- And?
- Yours and the postman's.
Looks like Maya pulled a permit
for a weapon a few months back.
Protection from her husband?
Let's find out.
I want Derek in here
for questioning, stat.
And we're clear to search Maya's place.
Let's get over there. Clock is ticking.
♪♪
♪♪
Hmm. You know this record
doesn't fit the rest of her collection.
I'll take it with us.
Check it for prints.
OZ: Locks are new.
Probably installed
in the last month or so.
Okay, so it certainly appears
like Maya purchased a gun.
There was a record of sale
from two weeks ago,
but I can't find a weapon anywhere.
All right, Daph, well
keep looking, alright?
Okay.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Karadec?
- Yeah.
- Look at this.
Prada. Gucci. Versace.
That's thousands of dollars
of stuff Maya can't afford.
Gifts from someone.
Yeah, but they're all missing.
Maybe they were stolen.
♪♪
♪♪
Karadec! Karadec!
Yes, Morgan.
I'm pretty sure those
expensive items weren't stolen.
They were sold. Let's go.
Go where?
- The Boneyard.
- The Boneyard?
Yes, of course. Why wouldn't
we be going to The Boneyard?
You guys check out Maya's work.
Artful Guile Music.
Call me with anything.
MORGAN: Fritzy. Good to see you.
Hey, it is too late
to buy back your mixer, Morgan.
It's long gone. Oh, no.
I don't want the mixer.
I also have a job now
that allows me to keep my appliances.
We're here on official
police business, Fritzy.
- You're a cop?
- No.
But they do sign my paychecks.
This woman is missing,
and I know she recently got rid of some
pretty pricey designer stuff.
So
So I'd like them, please.
She could have sold that stuff anywhere.
Yeah, but she also picked up
an electronic piano for her kid.
What, I have a monopoly
on electronic kiddy pianos?
Fritzy.
There was a sticky spot
on the side of it
in the shape of a dog bone.
You sell people stuff,
and then you take off the price tag,
but you never remove the goo.
- Pain in the ass to get off.
- I know.
Okay, fine. All right.
But I did a good deal by that lady.
But I can't be handing over thousands
of dollars of goods to you.
It's hard enough to keep the
lights on as it is these days.
The LAPD will put it on their tab.
There is no tab, Morgan.
The LAPD will reimburse you
from the city slush fund.
Not a thing.
Fritzy, why don't you
just turn over the items?
Otherwise, I'm gonna
have to fast track a warrant
for a more invasive search
of this place.
And who knows what kind of illicit goods
we'll find in here.
What are you doing? It's too much.
Are you trying to feel big?
He's trying to feel big.
This guy is trying
to keep his lights on.
Fritzy, I am so sorry. I'll tell you
what. You let me borrow the stuff,
and I promise to give it
back to you as soon
as we're done with it.
- Fine.
- Yeah?
All right, well, thank you, sir.
And if what were you saying
about that lady is true,
you might want to talk to the fella
she was arguing with
out in my parking lot.
Did you get a look at him?
No, but my cameras did.
♪♪
Derek, the reason why we
brought you in here today is
because Maya's been missing
since last night.
She was abducted from
a car lot in Hollywood.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
I had no idea.
What about Max? Is Max okay?
Max is fine. He's with Sarah.
And you would have known sooner,
but we couldn't find you.
Well, I was having
a few drinks at a bar in NoHo.
Okay. I had more
than a few drinks, I was upset.
I haven't see my kid much lately.
Looks like things got
pretty heated between you two
outside the Boneyard.
Look, she'd been dodging my calls.
I admit it was a mistake
to follow her, yeah.
She'd been getting
expensive gifts from someone,
and I got jealous, I admit that.
Okay?
But I would never
I would never hurt her.
Did you know that Maya recently
purchased a firearm, Derek?
I mean, why might she do that?
What?
No. Maya hates guns.
He didn't do it. We're wasting time.
Maybe he did. Maybe he didn't.
Maybe he knows something we don't.
Derek, what happened to your hand?
[SIGHS]
Honestly, I don't know.
I can't remember.
I made it back to my buddy's
place, and then I passed out.
Maya is my whole world.
Love of my life.
And I miss my son.
And I-I made mistakes, yes,
but II would never.
You have to find her.
Uh, we're digging into Derek's alibi.
Okay.
Oz and Daphne came back with someone
I think you're going to want to talk to.
Barry Gibb?
The woman that Maya was
with at the club.
♪♪
HARPER: We had a blast.
It was obvious she needed
a night to herself.
Custody battle was stressing her out,
and she was freaking out over
how expensive lawyers can be.
Your boss, Jason Howard. Correct?
We'd like to talk to him,
but he's been hard to locate.
That doesn't surprise me.
He nepoed his way
into the CEO position years ago,
and he has the work ethic to prove it.
He's more likely to be
on a scouting trip to Italy
or at one of his vacation homes,
than to be at the office.
Hm. Gross. Was Maya seeing anyone?
Maybe somebody
who could afford designer stuff.
She told me about the gifts.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]
I have my suspicions on who sent them,
but she wouldn't confirm it.
You think Jason was sending
her those gifts?
I'm pretty sure
the only reason he comes to AGM
at all is to see her.
He gave us those tickets to the club.
Told Maya she deserved
to let go for a night.
I mean, do you think maybe
No. Hell, no. Maya would never.
She felt weird about taking
the tickets in the first place.
But it was Gaga night and peer pressure.
Am I a bad friend?
You're here, aren't you?
You know, you kind of look like her.
KARADEC: Hey, Daphne,
what else we got on Jason?
DAPHNE: Half a dozen
sexual harassment complaints
over the last five years.
Looks like they all
settled out of court.
Sounds like he's paying
people to be quiet.
No. Not people. Women.
Morgan, where are you going?
To get some air.
♪♪
I've got a record player that
was made in 2014 ♪
Dyed my hair blue, it came out
a seasick sort of green ♪
I like vintage dresses when
they fall just below my knees ♪
I pretend I scraped them
climbing in the trees ♪
I've got a record player that
was made in 2014 ♪
Dyed my hair blue, it came out
a seasick sort of green ♪
I like vintage dresses when
they fall just below my knees ♪
I pretend I scraped them
climbing in the trees ♪
Sometimes I think
all I'm ever doin' is ♪
Tryin' to convince myself
I'm climbing in the trees ♪
Oz, call your favorite judge.
We need a search warrant for any
and all residences linked
to Jason Howard.
MORGAN: Okay, I know you guys
aren't 100% sold
on my Game Maker theory yet,
but hopefully this
should clear things up.
I'm guessing this is what the
inside of your mind looks like?
Oh, buddy, not even close.
Okay. You ready?
Jason Howard is a diabetic,
just like Spencer.
As a matter of fact,
he is on the board of a research
initiative at County General,
meaning he would know exactly
how long a person could be
without insulin.
He's also a painter.
These are his original works.
Kind of reminds you of the ones
that we found hanging in the gallery.
Guys, turns out a trust fund
and a work aversion
gives you a lot of free time
for hobbies.
Because he's also
a certified scuba instructor.
I mean, half the guy's
Instagram pictures are of him
in exotic locations,
you know, teaching
impressionable young women
in wetsuits all about
the secrets of the abyss.
You ready for the big finish?
I have to admit, this is pretty fun.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
So?
Jason and the Game Maker
are one and the same.
No, no, it's a trap.
Guys, I just went into the war room.
It took me, like, five minutes to get
all this stuff off the internet.
He's trying to get us to focus over here
so he can keep slithering
around over there.
It's just too easy.
This is what I think.
The Game Maker is trying
to frame Jason to be a part
of whatever game this is
he's currently playing.
Or it's Jason. It's always been Jason,
and your guy is just a good Samaritan
who helped save the frozen turkey.
Okay, then how did that card
game get into my groceries?
Well, whoever's doing this
has pulled off more
complicated tricks than that.
Look, we're just saying,
isn't it possible?
Sometimes the easiest answer is
the right one.
I don't care if it's possible.
This is what's happening.
We still have to follow protocol.
I want to be on your side here, Morgan.
But why would he go to so much trouble
to frame this particular guy?
Gosh, Oz, I'm not sure.
Let's find him and ask him.
SOTO: All right, enough.
For now, we keep all
investigative paths wide open
until the facts tell us otherwise.
Go be with your kids.
Keep your phone close.
[SIGHS]
♪♪
The stress is getting to her.
She's not a cop.
She certainly didn't sign up for this.
Selena, stop!
Adam, she said no.
Said no to what?
The job. When I offered it to her.
I pushed her into it.
I promised to help her
with the Roman case
if she came on as a consultant.
Why are you telling me this now?
Because I put her in this position.
No. You gave her an opportunity.
You did the right thing
by bringing her on.
We need her.
If she goes rogue
and something happens
maybe I just take her off the case.
You trust me?
You know I do.
Okay, well, I trust her.
LUDO: Would you like me to take over?
Now that all the work is done,
that's when I really shine.
It's okay. I'm good.
Are you?
[SIGHS] It's Roman.
I think they're getting
pretty close to finding him.
What happens if they find him?
What happens if they don't find him?
I just really want this for Ava.
I'll eat later, if that's cool.
Wait. Where are you going?
Keisha's having a few people over.
- Oh.
- It's dinner time.
You know I'm still a growing boy.
Okay. It'll be ready soon.
It's not a really great day for that
because we're having
family night tonight.
Again? We've been doing this
for, like, a week now.
Mom, I'm not stupid.
I know something's going on.
I'll set the table.
Where are the cookies?
Uh, the cookies.
It doesn't matter
because we eat our growing food
before we even think about cookies.
You know, the Ayurvedic system believes
that a small portion of dessert
sets up the digestive system for
I'll wait.
Yeah. You'll wait.
Hey, of course you're not stupid.
And yes, we need to talk,
but can we do it when
we have a little bit more
privacy, please?
Yeah. Thank you.
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
- Hi, Morgan.
- Hey.
Did you get my text?
No.
We're going to a party?
You've got to be kidding me.
[SIGHS]
MORGAN: What the hell
kind of party is this?
KARADEC: Jason's hosting an
album release for one of his artists.
He said he couldn't get out of it,
but he's happy to talk to us here.
Let's just take the weird win.
Weird, like, these masks look
kind of like the Game Maker's.
Duly noted.
Is there a mask that speaks to you,
or would you like me
to match one to your aura?
I tell you what, this one
right here is yapping at me.
But I think you should match his aura.
No, that will not be necessary.
Yeah. Go nuts.
Uh-huh. Really get in there. Yep.
Yeah. Bingo! Nailed it.
Thank you.
Bye.
Um, Morgan, I need you to focus.
We still have to find Jason.
I am focused, and I already found him.
He's right over there in front
of that wall of 19 year olds.
Detectives, thanks for showing up.
Can I get you anything?
Yeah. A quieter place to talk.
Maya's worked for me almost a year.
She schedules all my stuff,
my social and philanthropic stuff.
Is that why you bought
her so many gifts, Jason?
Gifts? [CHUCKLES]
Tickets to Sound nightclub.
Oh, those were comps.
I'm just generous.
Yeah, a lot of stores
on Rodeo Drive that would agree.
Not to mention your platinum card.
I was worried
that you'd find out about that.
Now why would you say that?
Because I didn't buy
those things, Maya did.
She has access to my credit card
for work stuff.
And my people noticed
a transaction on my statement
last week, and I confronted her.
So you did not fire her even
though she stole
thousands of dollars from you?
Well, she denied it.
And I have a soft spot for single moms.
Besides, it's just money.
Yeah, totally. Just money.
Ooh, those are beautiful.
What are those, Tonto daggers?
Yeah. Yeah, I bought those in Seki city.
They belonged to a samurai.
Are you a collector?
Me? No, no.
Those are a teeny
bit outside my price range.
But, I love how you've displayed them.
Yeah, they're arranged
by Shogunate periods.
They sure are. Let's see.
Minamoto, Taira,
Todo, Ashikaga, Oda, Tokugawa.
Except one's missing.
The Takeda, it's not there.
You don't strike me as a guy who
would display an incomplete set.
Jason, I'm going to need you
to think real hard on this one.
Where were you last night around 9:30?
I was here.
I had my chef make me a meal,
I caught up on some paperwork,
and then I went to bed early.
Now, if you'll excuse me,
I have to get back to my party.
Taffy Boy needs me.
I hope you find Maya.
I really do.
You guys can see yourselves out, right?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]
Well, he's lying.
That man doesn't work during
the day, let alone at night.
You're waiting on me to leave so
you can poke around Jason's den
without a warrant, aren't you?
Yeah.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Morgan! Morgan!
♪♪
♪♪
[LAUGHTER]
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Karadec! Karadec, he's here!
♪♪
You said you're drowning,
though I kept you afloat ♪
Hey, hey, hey! Don't move! Mask off now!
♪♪
Jason Howard, you're under arrest for
the kidnapping of Maya Price.
I want all of my lawyers.
Or at least two of them.
- They're on retainer.
- You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used
Excuse me. Hey.
I saw him.
- Who?
- I know it.
Him. I know I saw him. He was just here.
- Where did he go?
- I don't know.
Okay, well, Morgan,
we still have to find Maya.
- Yeah.
- Morgan!
[EXHALES]
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
I want your badge number
and your phone number.
Hey.
Karadec.
Hey, hey! Come here!
Where is she? Where's Maya?
Take it easy.
Did you kill her? Huh? Where is she?
[CELLPHONE BUZZES]
Hey. I got your messages.
The doors and windows are
locked, and Chester's on alert.
How are you holding up?
I think it's gonna be a long night.
He was smiling at me.
He's enjoying this.
You guys are good?
Uh, yeah. We're doing okay.
I think it was the right thing to do,
telling the kids what's happening.
Are they scared?
Yes, but mostly for you.
I told them their mom's
got the entire police department
looking out for her.
You're a good dad. Thank you.
I'll be home as soon as I can.
Be safe.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Jason is not saying another word.
Which means we're no closer
to finding Maya.
Maybe Jason isn't telling us
where Maya is
because Jason doesn't know
where Maya is.
Well, he knew where
she was the night she was taken.
KARADEC: The gifts were bought
on his card.
DAPHNE: Her bracelet's in his pool.
The missing dagger from his wall.
Yeah. I'm not saying the
evidence doesn't point to Jason.
I'm the one who said it would. Remember?
We just got to figure out why.
How dark was it at the party?
One face. All those people.
What are you implying?
Are you implying I didn't see him?
No. We know you saw him.
It would just really help
if one of us could see him, too,
at some point.
Yeah, it sure would help.
I would love that.
But only I saw him at the party.
Just me. That's how he wanted it.
It was clearly by design.
So what is the game, Morgan?
I don't know what the game is.
Maybe the game is figuring
out what the game is.
And yes, I hear how crazy that sounds,
but what else
can we expect from this guy?
Are you are you really suggesting
that I don't remember his face?
That man is a danger to my children.
Okay? I'm never going to be
able to forget his face,
long after we're done with this,
long after we get him
and we put him away,
and you guys move on to another case,
he's going to live up here,
cemented inside of my brain,
along with all of the other things
I got to look out for
to make sure my kids are okay.
So if we could just,
you know, close the book
on this whole Morgan
made up an imaginary man thing,
that would be great.
Okay. I've got something.
A salvage yard in Sun Valley
just reported Maya's car.
Go check it out.
And you call me as soon
as you land on the scene.
[PHONE RINGING]
Lieutenant Soto.
Officer Sigmund,
how are things in Nevada?
That's right, that's right.
Roman Sinquerra.
What have you got?
Car showed up last night.
I saw your bolo when I ran the VIN.
You see who brought it in?
No, sorry. This is it.
She's all yours.
[GASPS]
Hey. Are you okay?
I don't know. What do you think?
You know, if we pull
Jason's prints off the dagger
and get him to talk,
maybe we can get to Maya.
Just because she's wounded doesn't
mean she isn't still alive, Morgan.
SOTO: Morgan.
[CAR DOOR CLOSES]
You heard?
I did.
I also heard from our friends in Nevada.
They called with an address.
- Roman?
- I think so.
I came after they called.
I figured you'd want to hop in a car.
I can drive. It's just a few hours away.
No, no, I'm not
I can't leave my kids here
with that guy still out there.
Daph and I can go if you want.
Yeah, whatever you need, Morgan.
What What is going on?
After everything we
went through last week,
I filled them in, too.
Okay. Yeah. Thank you.
We'll call you as soon
as we have eyes on him.
Who called him?
Roman?
No, Derek. Maya's ex. The dad.
He was at the police station
when we got there with Jason.
Did somebody call him
and give him a heads up
that we had made an arrest?
No, Major Crimes doesn't notify
victims families
about active investigations.
But he knew we were going to be there.
He was waiting for us
when we came in with Jason.
Do you remember?
If we didn't tell Derek that
Jason might have killed Maya,
who did?
Hello?
MAN: Derek, this is the LAPD.
It's about Maya.
I wish we had better news.
MORGAN: It was him.
You think the Game Maker called Derek?
He must have wanted Derek
to see Jason getting arrested.
Why?
That's what we got to find out.
First, I thought he sent this
to me to get my attention
and lead me to Maya's house.
But what if I'm not the only person
who got this flyer in the mail?
♪♪
It'd be pretty easy to steal Jason's
credit card if he had a key.
Oh, the games people play ♪
Every night, every day ♪
He's the one
who sent Maya all those gifts
and made it look like Jason did it.
He stole her bracelet
when he abducted her,
dropped it in the pool,
and then he grabbed
the weapon on the way out.
Okay, but why do all this?
Just to frame Jason?
No, I think leading us
in the wrong direction
was only part of the game.
So what's the rest?
What's his next move?
Well, look at all these gifts.
All the red ones are
either Versace or Gucci.
What do those two men have in common?
They were murdered.
They were both shot and killed.
Where's Derek?
You think Derek is his next victim?
Not exactly.
Keep going. I'm listening.
The weapon that Maya
supposedly registered for.
- We never found it.
- Yeah.
I don't think
she ever bought a gun at all.
I think he wanted Derek
to think that she did.
Did you know that Maya
recently purchased a firearm?
What?
The Game Maker knew
Derek would want revenge,
so he placed a gun in Maya's
house after we searched it.
It's possible Maya was just bait
and she could still be alive.
Yeah. It's possible.
I mean, we're still waiting on DNA
and a blood type from Maya's trunk.
Yeah, I hope so, but if she's not part
of the game anymore,
he doesn't need her.
Look, we did everything
we were supposed to do, right?
We played the game.
We played it his way.
None of the other victims died.
Maybe he's not a murderer.
Not if he got someone else
to do it for him.
So it's Jason he wants dead.
We got to find Derek.
♪♪
The Game Maker created a murderer.
And we put the weapon right in his hand.
♪♪
♪♪
[ENGINE REVS, TIRES SQUEAL]
Derek! Stop!
Every night and every day now ♪
Never meanin' what they say now ♪
Never sayin' what they mean ♪
Oh, the games people play now ♪
Every night and every day now ♪
Never meanin' what they say now ♪
This is it.
Roman Sinquerra?
Turn your back on humanity ♪
What a dirty rotten shame ♪
The lab should have the
blood test results in 24 hours.
MAN: Excuse me.
Apparently you're looking for me.
♪♪
♪♪