Cold Case s06e20 Episode Script
Stealing Home
Guarda costa! This is the united states coast guard.
???? You've entered us waters.
You will be arrested.
Coast guard officials have confirmed These men are indeed cuban rafters Trying to reach dry land.
They've spent days, even weeks adrift, Navigating through turbulent shark-Infested waters.
According to wet-Foot/dry-Foot law, Any rafter arrested before reaching dry land Will immediately be sent back to cuba.
Should they reach dry land, they will be granted asylum.
Looks like the last one is turning himself in now.
Dry land just a few feet away.
gonzalo luque is trying to steal home.
???? He dives! And he's safe! Buenas tardes.
My name is jaime reyes.
And for those who know a little about cuban baseball, This is gonzalo luque, the cuban mickey mantle.
And i'm happy to announce that he has just signed With the philadelphia phillies organization, And he will report to the reading phils next week.
Gonzalo would like to say something.
Hello, america.
Thank you.
And i want to play baseball.
Ice agent says this guy's got information on a cold job,October '99.
Those are all the possible matches.
A couple of gang shootings, robbery gone bad.
And two stone-Cold whodunits.
This guy fishing for a deal? Aren't they all? Agent scarcelli, Immigrations and customs enforcement.
Eddy's in our country uninvited.
He got popped for an electronics store Smash-And-Grab along with cannabis possession.
The smoke was for religious purposes.
you're looking at a boat ride Back to port-Au-Prince.
Yes, sir.
Eddie'd rather spend A month in lockup here than go back to the haitian clink.
Look, i testify, i get to stay, right? Depends what you got.
It was october Pretty good memory With all that praying you been doing, eddie.
It's the truth.
I remember because of the pumpkins.
Start with a location.
That sandlot near lancaster avenue.
Wrong answer.
We got no unsolved murders in that area.
- I warned ya about wasting our time.
- It was that baseball player.
He was going to play for the phillies.
Guy's name was gonzalo luque.
Oui.
Only problem, eddie, is, is gonzalo was killed About five miles from lancaster avenue.
Body was found in the badlands.
That's not what i saw.
Yo, man.
I come out, the body gone.
You couldn't swipe jesus, So you settled for the louisville slugger? you see the car? No.
What about the bat? Perfectly good bat.
I give it to my nephew patrick.
He hit real keen with it.
Bring us the bat, We'll see what we can do About prolonging your jail time in america.
Play ball.
Gonzalo luque, 23 years old.
Found dead in an alley off elkhart in the badlands, Morning of october 22, 1999.
blunt-Force trauma to the chest Resulting in cardiac arrest.
Assigned back in the day figured that 'hood, Gonzalo was looking for drugs, guns, or tail.
played for double-A reading.
Guy could rake.
Big league club invited him To spring training.
Yeah, he'd have won a ring last season.
The bat eddie the haitian says was next to the body.
Bat could be a good match for the contusion that killed him.
???"st.
" The proffer was asked about that.
He said the letters were there already.
Lumber could belong to one of his teammates.
Nobody with those initials on the team.
So now we got a dead baseball player's body Being moved across town.
Maybe our doer Didn't want the lot connected to the body.
I didn't even know there was a baseball diamond there.
Detective back in '99 spoke to jaime reyes, gonzalo's agent And a cousin, juan de la cruz.
Says here Gonzalo's wife piedad and son andres washed up Near key west day after his murder.
Wanna double-Check that story along with this cousin.
Find out what gonzalo was doing on that field.
I'll see what the agent remembers.
Guy makes it all the way from cuba, Ends up dead in an alley.
Oh, cuban pete's All over this one.
Yeah, well I'm half puerto rican.
Maybe the doer's puerto rican.
All right, everybody, listen up! Sign-Up sheet for the annual softball game Against the fire department.
We won't get hosed like we did last year.
To that end, they got a ringer down in patrol.
The guy is unhittable.
???mandated coed teams, - so - Sounds good.
Sign me up.
Can you catch? Hell, yeah, i can catch.
You throw like a girl? You dance like a white guy? All right, pencil ya in bench.
You throw like a girl? Yup.
Can ya catch? Not so much.
All right, you're our catcher.
And you're riding bitch with me All the way to union city.
Located the victim's wife, piedad luque.
Hmm.
All right.
See ya later, mom.
Make sure you take the bus back.
I don't wanna hear about you cutting through the park.
Okay.
Andres, ven ac Please, sit.
Does andres know The circumstances around his father's death? No.
I never believed what they said Gonzalo was doing in that part of town.
He was a family man.
Wondering how gonzalo could Leave you and your son back in cuba.
He had no choice.
None of this would have happened If they hadn't taken baseball away from him.
Who's "they"? The cuban government.
They said he and some other players had contact With an american sports agent.
That agent jaime reyes? Yes.
After the ban, it was a nightmare.
No money, no food, no friends.
That why gonzalo left, To make a new start? Hardest decision of his life, But once he'd made it, there was no turning back.
I love you,son Never forget that.
And that was it.
The last time i saw him.
You had plans to join him? When the time was right.
Hell of a raft trip.
Would have done anything to see him again.
You stay in touch with him when he got to philly? It wasn't easy.
Our phone calls were monitored; letters opened.
He mention any problems to you? No.
Juan said gonzalo was very excited We would be joining him in america Juan, his cousin? Yeah, he was my cousin.
But gonzalito was more like Like my little brother.
I came to-To america Two months before he was killed.
juan, where were you The night gonzalo was killed? You guys are not internal revenue, huh? I was, uh, I was removing asbestos, Off the books,at liberty towers.
I worked my way up since then.
You ever go to that old sandlot Near lancaster avenue with gonzalo? Lancaster avenue? Yeah, a lot of pickup Baseball games there.
- Familiar with it? - Not that one.
But gonzalito-- He-He loved baseball.
He would see a game and stop to ask if he could play.
He always had his equipment with him.
Is this gonzalo's bat? No, not gonzalo's.
It's too heavy.
He was a contact hitter.
He could put the ball anywhere.
You know anybody with those initials? no.
You play ball? A little in cuba.
Pero olv It was all work.
did you happen To see gonzalo on the day he died? No.
I was busy working.
He was training hard.
Getting ready for pring training in october? It's what he loved.
Couldn't believe all the things this country had given him.
Oye, take off that garbage, huh? All this food,cousin If they could see this in Havana they wouldn't believe it.
Mira.
Take what you want, primo.
- Primo - it's all yours.
Oye, can't have you Looking fresh off the boat.
You hungry? wow,you've got so much.
You see this one? This one's reserved for the day That cuba's free of its oppressor.
May it be soon And may it be painful.
Amen.
Juan de la cruz, Welcome to the land Of the yankee Imperialistas! Traid ???? I still have that champagne.
It won't be the same when i can finally open it.
Are you Cuban? On my father's side.
I was born here, though.
I knew it! And your mother? Puerto Rican.
Hey,mobody's perfrct! hello? Chicos? Gringa.
now, how much money did gonzalo Stand to make when he got called up, juan? Gonzalo made seven dollars a month Playing baseball in cuba.
He had no idea about millions.
His, uh, agent managed everything.
Jaime reyes? And hisAgent managed his money, too? after he died, Reyes tried to screw piedad out of what money was left.
Detectives.
Bourbon and water? No.
We, uh, we have some questions about your former client, Gonzalo luque.
spoke to gonzalo's widow.
She said it was Your contact with him that Got him banned from baseball in cuba.
I offered him freedom and a better way of life.
and what'd you offer his widow after he died? Everything gonzalo had left, which wasn't much.
He did what they all do: Fancy cars, nice clothes, Jewelry.
We understand you managed his money.
I run a full-Service agency.
There's a problem? His widow thought there should've been More of that money left over.
Piedad never quite grasped The probate process.
Exactly how much Did she grasp? Lay the money out for us, jaime.
I'm gonna have to find gonzalo's records.
It could take a day or two.
I put everything in an off-Site storage when we moved to our new offices.
Well, you've done quite well for yourself.
I started with a desk in my garage.
Cuban players are good for business.
Well, now, yeah, but Gonzalo was my first.
With his skills in today's market, Forget it, you're talking about top-Of-League money.
Watch this.
Watch this.
Savage, gonzalo, savage! ???? ??? ????? ???? Hey! It's hard for a guy like that to see someone Who's been touched by the baseball gods.
Who was he? Eric hynes-- He got demoted to right field To make room for gonzalo.
That's him on the right.
this hynes ever make it to the bigs? no.
No, he got popped For a domestic assault charge.
And he was arrested for waving a gun around in a nightclub.
Eric "showtime" hynes.
Showtime? "St" Same initials on the bat.
???? Hell, yeah, I remember gonz.
Boy had wheels in center field.
Shame he got killed like that.
Killed like how? Messing where he was messing.
you mean the badlands Or that sandlot by lancaster avenue? You trying to cross me up or something? You're still on probation.
Getting ready to start a hitting clinic.
Pass on my techniques To disadvantaged youths.
Oh, domestic assault ought to go over big with the baseball moms.
Yeah, why don't you Give us some pointers on How you take out Your competition, showtime.
Where'd you get that stick? At the crime scene.
The giveaway The "st" right here.
Technically, "showtime's" one word, einstein.
May be time to change your name to jailtime, just to get a jump on things.
I gave that bat to him.
Told him he could grow into it.
You and gonz buried the hatchet.
That's right.
To tell you the truth,I always felt a little guilty when i heard they thought He was uptown looking for a little something something.
You introduce him To some of your bad habits? Nah.
Nah, gonz was a pretty straight arrow.
I just showed him how to roll.
Hey, havana.
Want a nipple For that cuba libra you nursing there? We call it a mentirita.
Translation, havana.
It's a lie.
Cuba's not libre.
hey, how about that? That's marisol.
Mm, she's bringing it tonight! You want to take a cut at that, papa? - No, i'm okay.
- Uh, no, you ain't.
What you need is a dip in the caribbean.
- What's up, e? - Hey, marisol, marisol! I want you to meet my man here from havana.
- Gonzalo.
- Marisol.
yeah, gonzalo here Is fresh off the boat; he needs someone To talk to him in his native tongue.
Forget about that,I want to dance.
oh, my man! Marisol had an eye for the guys Who were gonna pull down the corn.
You know he had a wife and kid back in cuba? he never told me about that.
Gonz was real lonely.
????Of some of that loneliness on a nightly basis.
You see them together Before gonzalo was killed? I don't exactly recall.
How about you? How about me what? Where were you The night gonz got killed, October 21? Fall of '99 I was patrolling center field for the taipei gida.
Had a nice little run over there in taiwan Till i snapped a hammy.
son of a bitch! There he goes again, Disrespecting the furnishings.
I lost my ringer.
Turns out the guy's wife works for those fire-Dousing ferries, And she threatened to cut him off if he pitches for us.
Slow or fast pitch? Slow.
I played a little beer league.
Called me the golden arch.
Let's see it, mickey d.
Ready? We'll see you on the field.
Marisol, your name came up in an investigation.
Gonzalo luque.
Like a decade ago.
I've moved on.
Heard you had a thing For ballplayers.
In our line of work, We get badge bunnies.
Not into cops.
Too controlling.
That's a shame.
Gonzalo another notch on your bedpost? Okay, what is this about? Your boyfriend's found dead, And you don't come forward with information.
- He wasn't my boyfriend.
- Huh.
Well, then, maybe another player in your roster Took exception to the hours you were keeping With gonzalo.
I told you we weren't together when he was killed.
It was complicated.
Uncomplicate it For us, then.
Broke my rule And fell for the guy.
how come every time i ask you about them, You change the subject, hmm? You know how things are over there.
I want to know about my family.
Andrecito looks just like you.
He's a tiger.
And Piedad? i write, i call.
she's being careful.
Things are not so easy for her.
What? She she with someone else? She filed for divorce.
Gonzalito, what did you expect? I'm losing myself here, primo.
- I need to get my son back.
- No, no, no, andrecito is just a kid.
It-It's too dangerous.
It's impossible.
Nothing is impossible here, juan.
I'm gonna do what i have to do to see my son.
He had this whole other life i didn't know about.
They split up, But he wanted to get his son back.
He still needed her to bring him over.
Not what i signed up for.
That's when i knew it was over.
all right.
Agent scarcelli's faxing me piedad's ins file.
Maybe shed some light on what happened in cuba Between piedad and gonzalo.
They broke up.
He must have been a pretty convincing guy, Get her to chaperone his son across the florida straits.
It's still a ticket out of cuba.
Can't say i blame her.
Ever been? Nope.
Don't you want to see it Before there's a starbucks on every corner? I'll leave that to the tourists And hipsters sporting che t-Shirts.
I know too much about what happens there To sip mimosas poolside in havana.
Got something? Let me see gonzalo's immigration file.
Sunburned and blistered.
Look like she spent A week at sea the way gonzalo did? Not on a raft, she didn't.
More like an overnight speedboat ride, point-To-Point.
???? ????? I told you already.
You also told us You were married to gonzalo.
Failed to mention that you filed For divorce back in cuba.
Neighborhood spies Were watching us.
The dirce made it easier for us to escape.
Or maybe You were pissed off 'cause he ditched you, Came to america, got rich, And dipped into who knows what? No.
When gonzalo got suspended from baseball in cuba, It destroyed him.
He had to leave.
But you divorced him after he defected.
I had no choice.
When gonzalo came to america, The government threatened To take our house.
I was protecting andres.
Divorce meant survival.
We're trying to solve Your husband's murder, But you keep lying to us.
You look pretty good for just coming off a raft, piedad.
If you tell us again How you brought your two-Year-Old On a 90-Mile raft trip, Andres is gonna come home To see his mom being hauled away in cuffs.
I was afraid Of what? The man who brought us here.
I'm okay Andres? He's here.
I think we're in Miami.
I know you've suffered because of me.
But,I swear to you Gonzalo I'm going to make it right We'll have a house with a yard Gonzalo,please,listen to me What's wrong? Your parents didn't make it on the boat.
But I paid for all four of you These men say there was a problem I don't know what What problem? They's not letting us go until they get more money,Gonzalo Don't worry,I'll take care of it Put one of those men on Hello? Gonzalo went to see this man.
In miami? No.
He was in philadelphia.
He arranged the whole thing? Yes.
You think this man killed your husband? Yes.
We need a name, piedad.
All i have is my son.
They already took gonzalo.
- You want to be safe? - Yes.
You make this right and tell us who did this to gonzalo.
The men called him "oz.
" That's all i know oz into recycling? nope.
But an old ci of mine is.
Goes by "clifford.
" - As in big red dog? - As in white boy with dreads.
Guy's a walking ghetto pages Of the illegal import/export biz in philly.
He collect cans on the side? Sells to the addicts After they get their returnable money.
Enterprising.
Yo, clifford! Hey£¡ They try to do me like rodney king! Shut it, clifford.
If i stroke out,The last thing i'm gonna do is shoot your dumb ass! Yo, blue, i ain't holding.
That's good 'cause we need a name, clifford.
Oh, snap! You looking tight, baby girl.
Didn't know it was you.
Call me "baby girl" again.
I apologize for matriculating.
Clifford is at your service.
Guy's name is oz.
You heard of him? You trying to see the wizard? Why didn't ya say so? Here to see the wizard.
Grab the rack.
Come on.
Osmany le n.
take a walk.
come on.
Sit down.
Cafecito? We're here about gonzalo luque.
You smuggled his family out of cuba.
I don't even own a boat.
Fence, import/export Contraband, 'cause i'm guessing Fluff n' fold ain't the only thing you're into.
I'm a legitimate businessman.
I'm a member of the chamber of commerce.
Representing what, the lollipop guild? I'd hate to disrupt your business here, osmany.
Screw up your cash flow, ding your name on the street.
You gonna shut me down? Okay.
Or you could tell us Why you held gonzalo's wife and kid In a motel room in miami till he came up with more cash.
It's important to give back to the community.
Reunite families.
Long as they pay the freight charge.
Sounds like gonzalo Had a problem paying up.
Bishop to d4.
Mate in two.
Huh.
Nice.
I'm calling in the cavalry.
Have 'em toss this place.
Gonzalo luque and i had mutual interests.
He wanted to get his family back And i wanted to send a message.
Tranquilo.
I did what i was told; Paid my money, - and now you tell me there was a problem? - Mm-Hmm.
These are the people that your friend arranged For me to pick up.
Piedad and andres.
And No, no, no.
Where are my parents? You know those two? Teammates back in cuba.
Look, this is a mistake.
I paid for my family! That's right.
40,000 was the family discount.
Ballplayers Are a premium.
Reyes never told me about these players! Well, that makes two of us, gonzalo.
You tell reyes i need another 40k.
I want my family! Desgraciado! Oyame.
I get my money and you get your wife and son back.
The rest is between you And your agent.
Now buenos noches, gonzalo! Gonzalo wanted to be reunited with his family.
I respect that.
But gonzalo thought reyes Was gonna get his entire family over.
We were both being gamed.
Reyes come up with the money? That same night.
And i kept my word.
I released gonzalo's wife and son.
Who were these players? I like to look at the box scores.
Lots of interesting information.
Those are some big names.
Gonzalo go to see reyes? ??? Come over if you want, but But the only thing you need To worry about is that i've got.
Oye! I'm in the middle of something here.
Yeah, you were.
This guy takes a whole lot more than ten percent.
Please! Butch, give me five minutes, okay? Signed for $6 and $8 million apiece.
- That's a tidy commission.
- They were worth it.
Worth having Gonzalo's wife and kid held for ransom? That's it.
I'm calling my attorney.
Why? Only thing you need to worry about right now Is immigration violations.
But we'll leave that up to the feds, huh? Unless you killed him.
Look, gonzalo wanted his family here.
I said to him that i was gonna take care of it.
I didn't want him getting mixed up in that mess.
Oh, you mixed him up Real good, but ya couldn't fool the great and powerful oz.
I was gonna fix it By stealing gonzalo's money to smuggle players out of cuba? Big league talent.
Can see why you wanted those Players so bad.
Baseball players are a prized possession to castro.
By liberating them, i stick it to that bearded bastard.
You're a real freedom fighter.
Using gonzalo's account to stake your little empire.
only one problem, reyes.
You got caught.
I didn't kill gonzalo.
But he wanted to kill me.
I trusted you, jaime.
You're looking at this the wrong way.
How else am i supposed to look at it, huh?! My wife and son are being held hostage And my parents are still in cuba.
Don't worry about it.
We'll get 'em out.
And i'm gonna cut you in on the deal.
Wrong.
I'm cutting you out.
You fix this, And then we're done.
Come on, gonzalo.
Gonzalo, don't.
Come on, gonzalo.
I got a scout coming.
He's going to try out your cousin.
We're gonna make it work! I tried to tell gonzalo, but he didn't want to hear it.
I put the money back in his account.
His cousin juan-- What did he have to do with this? Juan was the first cuban player i ever tried to contact.
His fastball used to top off at 95-Plus.
His change-Up was a de-Cleater.
- Used to? - Yeah by the time he came over, the guy had lost it.
But gonzalo idolized juan.
Quick hands.
Nice.
Checked out juan's story.
Got some major holes.
Starting with his immigration file.
See, juan was on gonzalo's raft.
Wet-Foot/dry-Foot.
Gonzalo reaches dry land-- Stays.
Juan gets arrested in the water, Sent back to cuba the same day.
Bet you that was a warm homecoming.
juan takes another raft.
Lands on key largo.
Picked up along with five other rafters Begging for water at a tiki bar.
That and juan's alibi has got as many holes As our softball team.
Where'd you say you were working again? The day gonzalo was killed? Liberty towers.
Construction and security.
I spoke to your boss.
Said you were working a jobsite off lancaster ave.
Next to the lot where gonzalo was killed.
Esp You think i killed him? Gonzalito was like my brother.
didn't play just a "little" ball In cuba, either, juan.
You played with your cousin In the cuban league.
right with the industriales.
What did they call you? "El ca The cannon.
Must have had a hell of a fastball.
Till you and gonzalo Were banned From playing in cuba.
you were with gonzalo On that raft.
Gonzalo made it to dry land.
You didn't.
¡¢ Got your repatriation order from immigration.
April 6, 1998.
Gonzalo got to stay.
They sent you back.
You went back to cuba a traitor.
They threw you in prison, juan.
This is my grandfather and his older brother.
The revolution split 'em up.
One to philly, the other to castro's jails.
Decades go by.
My grandfather gets word from cuba His brother's dead.
A month later, My abuelo's gone.
- From what? - A heart attack.
My father, Working stiff said, "His heart didn't stop.
It broke.
" What happens in cuba Stays with us.
I know what they do to traitors in prison, juan.
Ballplayers? They cripple 'em.
Put you back out on the street, As a warning to the others.
It isn't just a game, is it, juan? If i would have just made it that day-- On the beach You'd be playing baseball right now.
Gonzalo would still be alive.
All this time, We couldn't figure out Why his body was moved from that sandlot.
Then we realized, Episcopal's only a few blocks away.
You went to get the car.
You were trying to get your cousin to a hospital.
I was trying to save him.
We know you didn't mean to hurt your cousin.
You just Lost control.
??? We're trying to help you here, juan.
He didn't make it.
eso, eso! Juan.
Hey.
Ca I heard the cannon from the car, and i had to hit something! What happened? Piedad and Andres are in Miami.
Oye, primo, congratulations.
No.
Reyes screwed me.
That son of a bitch-- He gave my parents' spots To a couple of ballplayers.
What? SI almost killed him.
He thought i was stupid, But i took care of it, got rid of him.
You did what? ???? i fired him.
Reyes was gonna get me a tryout.
- Scouts were gonna - hermano, I'll get you the tryout and scouts.
When they see your fastball Hey, man, You know what? This is your first tryout right now.
Now, got to give me That cannon.
Come on.
Like a man.
Let's go.
I know you got it, man.
What is that? Juan? You okay? You need to warm up more.
Throw more pitches, man.
It's just that you don't know.
Don't know what? You don't know what they did to me over there.
You want to hit? I'll pitch to you, eh? Hey, juan, man.
- I can't.
- Yes, you can! Mira, primo, no importa.
Don't worry about it, huh? - I'll take care of it, all right? - What are you going to take care of? Eh? ¿Mi familia? My parents? Primo If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't even be here.
Juan, what are you talking about? What? you forgot already? I built that raft! - I know that.
- To get us here.
- I know.
- To get us here! Us! They sent me back.
- Everything's gonna be okay now, juan.
- No, it's not! It's not.
You want to know what they did to me in there? Every time they broke my arm, They laugh at me.
Se re We got a single, and we got a triple! And we got a home run! Juan - Juan.
Juan? - They took my arm! They took my arm away! i have nothing.
I have nothing! I have nothing.
I have nothing.
No tengo nada! No tengo nada! Primo, no tengo nad ¿Primo? Gonzalito? Gonzalito! Primo.
Primo.
Primo.
Primo.
Primo.
Primo.
Primo.
Primo.
Primo.
Somebody help me! Somebody help me! ??? Primo.
Primo.
Primo.
Primo
???? You've entered us waters.
You will be arrested.
Coast guard officials have confirmed These men are indeed cuban rafters Trying to reach dry land.
They've spent days, even weeks adrift, Navigating through turbulent shark-Infested waters.
According to wet-Foot/dry-Foot law, Any rafter arrested before reaching dry land Will immediately be sent back to cuba.
Should they reach dry land, they will be granted asylum.
Looks like the last one is turning himself in now.
Dry land just a few feet away.
gonzalo luque is trying to steal home.
???? He dives! And he's safe! Buenas tardes.
My name is jaime reyes.
And for those who know a little about cuban baseball, This is gonzalo luque, the cuban mickey mantle.
And i'm happy to announce that he has just signed With the philadelphia phillies organization, And he will report to the reading phils next week.
Gonzalo would like to say something.
Hello, america.
Thank you.
And i want to play baseball.
Ice agent says this guy's got information on a cold job,October '99.
Those are all the possible matches.
A couple of gang shootings, robbery gone bad.
And two stone-Cold whodunits.
This guy fishing for a deal? Aren't they all? Agent scarcelli, Immigrations and customs enforcement.
Eddy's in our country uninvited.
He got popped for an electronics store Smash-And-Grab along with cannabis possession.
The smoke was for religious purposes.
you're looking at a boat ride Back to port-Au-Prince.
Yes, sir.
Eddie'd rather spend A month in lockup here than go back to the haitian clink.
Look, i testify, i get to stay, right? Depends what you got.
It was october Pretty good memory With all that praying you been doing, eddie.
It's the truth.
I remember because of the pumpkins.
Start with a location.
That sandlot near lancaster avenue.
Wrong answer.
We got no unsolved murders in that area.
- I warned ya about wasting our time.
- It was that baseball player.
He was going to play for the phillies.
Guy's name was gonzalo luque.
Oui.
Only problem, eddie, is, is gonzalo was killed About five miles from lancaster avenue.
Body was found in the badlands.
That's not what i saw.
Yo, man.
I come out, the body gone.
You couldn't swipe jesus, So you settled for the louisville slugger? you see the car? No.
What about the bat? Perfectly good bat.
I give it to my nephew patrick.
He hit real keen with it.
Bring us the bat, We'll see what we can do About prolonging your jail time in america.
Play ball.
Gonzalo luque, 23 years old.
Found dead in an alley off elkhart in the badlands, Morning of october 22, 1999.
blunt-Force trauma to the chest Resulting in cardiac arrest.
Assigned back in the day figured that 'hood, Gonzalo was looking for drugs, guns, or tail.
played for double-A reading.
Guy could rake.
Big league club invited him To spring training.
Yeah, he'd have won a ring last season.
The bat eddie the haitian says was next to the body.
Bat could be a good match for the contusion that killed him.
???"st.
" The proffer was asked about that.
He said the letters were there already.
Lumber could belong to one of his teammates.
Nobody with those initials on the team.
So now we got a dead baseball player's body Being moved across town.
Maybe our doer Didn't want the lot connected to the body.
I didn't even know there was a baseball diamond there.
Detective back in '99 spoke to jaime reyes, gonzalo's agent And a cousin, juan de la cruz.
Says here Gonzalo's wife piedad and son andres washed up Near key west day after his murder.
Wanna double-Check that story along with this cousin.
Find out what gonzalo was doing on that field.
I'll see what the agent remembers.
Guy makes it all the way from cuba, Ends up dead in an alley.
Oh, cuban pete's All over this one.
Yeah, well I'm half puerto rican.
Maybe the doer's puerto rican.
All right, everybody, listen up! Sign-Up sheet for the annual softball game Against the fire department.
We won't get hosed like we did last year.
To that end, they got a ringer down in patrol.
The guy is unhittable.
???mandated coed teams, - so - Sounds good.
Sign me up.
Can you catch? Hell, yeah, i can catch.
You throw like a girl? You dance like a white guy? All right, pencil ya in bench.
You throw like a girl? Yup.
Can ya catch? Not so much.
All right, you're our catcher.
And you're riding bitch with me All the way to union city.
Located the victim's wife, piedad luque.
Hmm.
All right.
See ya later, mom.
Make sure you take the bus back.
I don't wanna hear about you cutting through the park.
Okay.
Andres, ven ac Please, sit.
Does andres know The circumstances around his father's death? No.
I never believed what they said Gonzalo was doing in that part of town.
He was a family man.
Wondering how gonzalo could Leave you and your son back in cuba.
He had no choice.
None of this would have happened If they hadn't taken baseball away from him.
Who's "they"? The cuban government.
They said he and some other players had contact With an american sports agent.
That agent jaime reyes? Yes.
After the ban, it was a nightmare.
No money, no food, no friends.
That why gonzalo left, To make a new start? Hardest decision of his life, But once he'd made it, there was no turning back.
I love you,son Never forget that.
And that was it.
The last time i saw him.
You had plans to join him? When the time was right.
Hell of a raft trip.
Would have done anything to see him again.
You stay in touch with him when he got to philly? It wasn't easy.
Our phone calls were monitored; letters opened.
He mention any problems to you? No.
Juan said gonzalo was very excited We would be joining him in america Juan, his cousin? Yeah, he was my cousin.
But gonzalito was more like Like my little brother.
I came to-To america Two months before he was killed.
juan, where were you The night gonzalo was killed? You guys are not internal revenue, huh? I was, uh, I was removing asbestos, Off the books,at liberty towers.
I worked my way up since then.
You ever go to that old sandlot Near lancaster avenue with gonzalo? Lancaster avenue? Yeah, a lot of pickup Baseball games there.
- Familiar with it? - Not that one.
But gonzalito-- He-He loved baseball.
He would see a game and stop to ask if he could play.
He always had his equipment with him.
Is this gonzalo's bat? No, not gonzalo's.
It's too heavy.
He was a contact hitter.
He could put the ball anywhere.
You know anybody with those initials? no.
You play ball? A little in cuba.
Pero olv It was all work.
did you happen To see gonzalo on the day he died? No.
I was busy working.
He was training hard.
Getting ready for pring training in october? It's what he loved.
Couldn't believe all the things this country had given him.
Oye, take off that garbage, huh? All this food,cousin If they could see this in Havana they wouldn't believe it.
Mira.
Take what you want, primo.
- Primo - it's all yours.
Oye, can't have you Looking fresh off the boat.
You hungry? wow,you've got so much.
You see this one? This one's reserved for the day That cuba's free of its oppressor.
May it be soon And may it be painful.
Amen.
Juan de la cruz, Welcome to the land Of the yankee Imperialistas! Traid ???? I still have that champagne.
It won't be the same when i can finally open it.
Are you Cuban? On my father's side.
I was born here, though.
I knew it! And your mother? Puerto Rican.
Hey,mobody's perfrct! hello? Chicos? Gringa.
now, how much money did gonzalo Stand to make when he got called up, juan? Gonzalo made seven dollars a month Playing baseball in cuba.
He had no idea about millions.
His, uh, agent managed everything.
Jaime reyes? And hisAgent managed his money, too? after he died, Reyes tried to screw piedad out of what money was left.
Detectives.
Bourbon and water? No.
We, uh, we have some questions about your former client, Gonzalo luque.
spoke to gonzalo's widow.
She said it was Your contact with him that Got him banned from baseball in cuba.
I offered him freedom and a better way of life.
and what'd you offer his widow after he died? Everything gonzalo had left, which wasn't much.
He did what they all do: Fancy cars, nice clothes, Jewelry.
We understand you managed his money.
I run a full-Service agency.
There's a problem? His widow thought there should've been More of that money left over.
Piedad never quite grasped The probate process.
Exactly how much Did she grasp? Lay the money out for us, jaime.
I'm gonna have to find gonzalo's records.
It could take a day or two.
I put everything in an off-Site storage when we moved to our new offices.
Well, you've done quite well for yourself.
I started with a desk in my garage.
Cuban players are good for business.
Well, now, yeah, but Gonzalo was my first.
With his skills in today's market, Forget it, you're talking about top-Of-League money.
Watch this.
Watch this.
Savage, gonzalo, savage! ???? ??? ????? ???? Hey! It's hard for a guy like that to see someone Who's been touched by the baseball gods.
Who was he? Eric hynes-- He got demoted to right field To make room for gonzalo.
That's him on the right.
this hynes ever make it to the bigs? no.
No, he got popped For a domestic assault charge.
And he was arrested for waving a gun around in a nightclub.
Eric "showtime" hynes.
Showtime? "St" Same initials on the bat.
???? Hell, yeah, I remember gonz.
Boy had wheels in center field.
Shame he got killed like that.
Killed like how? Messing where he was messing.
you mean the badlands Or that sandlot by lancaster avenue? You trying to cross me up or something? You're still on probation.
Getting ready to start a hitting clinic.
Pass on my techniques To disadvantaged youths.
Oh, domestic assault ought to go over big with the baseball moms.
Yeah, why don't you Give us some pointers on How you take out Your competition, showtime.
Where'd you get that stick? At the crime scene.
The giveaway The "st" right here.
Technically, "showtime's" one word, einstein.
May be time to change your name to jailtime, just to get a jump on things.
I gave that bat to him.
Told him he could grow into it.
You and gonz buried the hatchet.
That's right.
To tell you the truth,I always felt a little guilty when i heard they thought He was uptown looking for a little something something.
You introduce him To some of your bad habits? Nah.
Nah, gonz was a pretty straight arrow.
I just showed him how to roll.
Hey, havana.
Want a nipple For that cuba libra you nursing there? We call it a mentirita.
Translation, havana.
It's a lie.
Cuba's not libre.
hey, how about that? That's marisol.
Mm, she's bringing it tonight! You want to take a cut at that, papa? - No, i'm okay.
- Uh, no, you ain't.
What you need is a dip in the caribbean.
- What's up, e? - Hey, marisol, marisol! I want you to meet my man here from havana.
- Gonzalo.
- Marisol.
yeah, gonzalo here Is fresh off the boat; he needs someone To talk to him in his native tongue.
Forget about that,I want to dance.
oh, my man! Marisol had an eye for the guys Who were gonna pull down the corn.
You know he had a wife and kid back in cuba? he never told me about that.
Gonz was real lonely.
????Of some of that loneliness on a nightly basis.
You see them together Before gonzalo was killed? I don't exactly recall.
How about you? How about me what? Where were you The night gonz got killed, October 21? Fall of '99 I was patrolling center field for the taipei gida.
Had a nice little run over there in taiwan Till i snapped a hammy.
son of a bitch! There he goes again, Disrespecting the furnishings.
I lost my ringer.
Turns out the guy's wife works for those fire-Dousing ferries, And she threatened to cut him off if he pitches for us.
Slow or fast pitch? Slow.
I played a little beer league.
Called me the golden arch.
Let's see it, mickey d.
Ready? We'll see you on the field.
Marisol, your name came up in an investigation.
Gonzalo luque.
Like a decade ago.
I've moved on.
Heard you had a thing For ballplayers.
In our line of work, We get badge bunnies.
Not into cops.
Too controlling.
That's a shame.
Gonzalo another notch on your bedpost? Okay, what is this about? Your boyfriend's found dead, And you don't come forward with information.
- He wasn't my boyfriend.
- Huh.
Well, then, maybe another player in your roster Took exception to the hours you were keeping With gonzalo.
I told you we weren't together when he was killed.
It was complicated.
Uncomplicate it For us, then.
Broke my rule And fell for the guy.
how come every time i ask you about them, You change the subject, hmm? You know how things are over there.
I want to know about my family.
Andrecito looks just like you.
He's a tiger.
And Piedad? i write, i call.
she's being careful.
Things are not so easy for her.
What? She she with someone else? She filed for divorce.
Gonzalito, what did you expect? I'm losing myself here, primo.
- I need to get my son back.
- No, no, no, andrecito is just a kid.
It-It's too dangerous.
It's impossible.
Nothing is impossible here, juan.
I'm gonna do what i have to do to see my son.
He had this whole other life i didn't know about.
They split up, But he wanted to get his son back.
He still needed her to bring him over.
Not what i signed up for.
That's when i knew it was over.
all right.
Agent scarcelli's faxing me piedad's ins file.
Maybe shed some light on what happened in cuba Between piedad and gonzalo.
They broke up.
He must have been a pretty convincing guy, Get her to chaperone his son across the florida straits.
It's still a ticket out of cuba.
Can't say i blame her.
Ever been? Nope.
Don't you want to see it Before there's a starbucks on every corner? I'll leave that to the tourists And hipsters sporting che t-Shirts.
I know too much about what happens there To sip mimosas poolside in havana.
Got something? Let me see gonzalo's immigration file.
Sunburned and blistered.
Look like she spent A week at sea the way gonzalo did? Not on a raft, she didn't.
More like an overnight speedboat ride, point-To-Point.
???? ????? I told you already.
You also told us You were married to gonzalo.
Failed to mention that you filed For divorce back in cuba.
Neighborhood spies Were watching us.
The dirce made it easier for us to escape.
Or maybe You were pissed off 'cause he ditched you, Came to america, got rich, And dipped into who knows what? No.
When gonzalo got suspended from baseball in cuba, It destroyed him.
He had to leave.
But you divorced him after he defected.
I had no choice.
When gonzalo came to america, The government threatened To take our house.
I was protecting andres.
Divorce meant survival.
We're trying to solve Your husband's murder, But you keep lying to us.
You look pretty good for just coming off a raft, piedad.
If you tell us again How you brought your two-Year-Old On a 90-Mile raft trip, Andres is gonna come home To see his mom being hauled away in cuffs.
I was afraid Of what? The man who brought us here.
I'm okay Andres? He's here.
I think we're in Miami.
I know you've suffered because of me.
But,I swear to you Gonzalo I'm going to make it right We'll have a house with a yard Gonzalo,please,listen to me What's wrong? Your parents didn't make it on the boat.
But I paid for all four of you These men say there was a problem I don't know what What problem? They's not letting us go until they get more money,Gonzalo Don't worry,I'll take care of it Put one of those men on Hello? Gonzalo went to see this man.
In miami? No.
He was in philadelphia.
He arranged the whole thing? Yes.
You think this man killed your husband? Yes.
We need a name, piedad.
All i have is my son.
They already took gonzalo.
- You want to be safe? - Yes.
You make this right and tell us who did this to gonzalo.
The men called him "oz.
" That's all i know oz into recycling? nope.
But an old ci of mine is.
Goes by "clifford.
" - As in big red dog? - As in white boy with dreads.
Guy's a walking ghetto pages Of the illegal import/export biz in philly.
He collect cans on the side? Sells to the addicts After they get their returnable money.
Enterprising.
Yo, clifford! Hey£¡ They try to do me like rodney king! Shut it, clifford.
If i stroke out,The last thing i'm gonna do is shoot your dumb ass! Yo, blue, i ain't holding.
That's good 'cause we need a name, clifford.
Oh, snap! You looking tight, baby girl.
Didn't know it was you.
Call me "baby girl" again.
I apologize for matriculating.
Clifford is at your service.
Guy's name is oz.
You heard of him? You trying to see the wizard? Why didn't ya say so? Here to see the wizard.
Grab the rack.
Come on.
Osmany le n.
take a walk.
come on.
Sit down.
Cafecito? We're here about gonzalo luque.
You smuggled his family out of cuba.
I don't even own a boat.
Fence, import/export Contraband, 'cause i'm guessing Fluff n' fold ain't the only thing you're into.
I'm a legitimate businessman.
I'm a member of the chamber of commerce.
Representing what, the lollipop guild? I'd hate to disrupt your business here, osmany.
Screw up your cash flow, ding your name on the street.
You gonna shut me down? Okay.
Or you could tell us Why you held gonzalo's wife and kid In a motel room in miami till he came up with more cash.
It's important to give back to the community.
Reunite families.
Long as they pay the freight charge.
Sounds like gonzalo Had a problem paying up.
Bishop to d4.
Mate in two.
Huh.
Nice.
I'm calling in the cavalry.
Have 'em toss this place.
Gonzalo luque and i had mutual interests.
He wanted to get his family back And i wanted to send a message.
Tranquilo.
I did what i was told; Paid my money, - and now you tell me there was a problem? - Mm-Hmm.
These are the people that your friend arranged For me to pick up.
Piedad and andres.
And No, no, no.
Where are my parents? You know those two? Teammates back in cuba.
Look, this is a mistake.
I paid for my family! That's right.
40,000 was the family discount.
Ballplayers Are a premium.
Reyes never told me about these players! Well, that makes two of us, gonzalo.
You tell reyes i need another 40k.
I want my family! Desgraciado! Oyame.
I get my money and you get your wife and son back.
The rest is between you And your agent.
Now buenos noches, gonzalo! Gonzalo wanted to be reunited with his family.
I respect that.
But gonzalo thought reyes Was gonna get his entire family over.
We were both being gamed.
Reyes come up with the money? That same night.
And i kept my word.
I released gonzalo's wife and son.
Who were these players? I like to look at the box scores.
Lots of interesting information.
Those are some big names.
Gonzalo go to see reyes? ??? Come over if you want, but But the only thing you need To worry about is that i've got.
Oye! I'm in the middle of something here.
Yeah, you were.
This guy takes a whole lot more than ten percent.
Please! Butch, give me five minutes, okay? Signed for $6 and $8 million apiece.
- That's a tidy commission.
- They were worth it.
Worth having Gonzalo's wife and kid held for ransom? That's it.
I'm calling my attorney.
Why? Only thing you need to worry about right now Is immigration violations.
But we'll leave that up to the feds, huh? Unless you killed him.
Look, gonzalo wanted his family here.
I said to him that i was gonna take care of it.
I didn't want him getting mixed up in that mess.
Oh, you mixed him up Real good, but ya couldn't fool the great and powerful oz.
I was gonna fix it By stealing gonzalo's money to smuggle players out of cuba? Big league talent.
Can see why you wanted those Players so bad.
Baseball players are a prized possession to castro.
By liberating them, i stick it to that bearded bastard.
You're a real freedom fighter.
Using gonzalo's account to stake your little empire.
only one problem, reyes.
You got caught.
I didn't kill gonzalo.
But he wanted to kill me.
I trusted you, jaime.
You're looking at this the wrong way.
How else am i supposed to look at it, huh?! My wife and son are being held hostage And my parents are still in cuba.
Don't worry about it.
We'll get 'em out.
And i'm gonna cut you in on the deal.
Wrong.
I'm cutting you out.
You fix this, And then we're done.
Come on, gonzalo.
Gonzalo, don't.
Come on, gonzalo.
I got a scout coming.
He's going to try out your cousin.
We're gonna make it work! I tried to tell gonzalo, but he didn't want to hear it.
I put the money back in his account.
His cousin juan-- What did he have to do with this? Juan was the first cuban player i ever tried to contact.
His fastball used to top off at 95-Plus.
His change-Up was a de-Cleater.
- Used to? - Yeah by the time he came over, the guy had lost it.
But gonzalo idolized juan.
Quick hands.
Nice.
Checked out juan's story.
Got some major holes.
Starting with his immigration file.
See, juan was on gonzalo's raft.
Wet-Foot/dry-Foot.
Gonzalo reaches dry land-- Stays.
Juan gets arrested in the water, Sent back to cuba the same day.
Bet you that was a warm homecoming.
juan takes another raft.
Lands on key largo.
Picked up along with five other rafters Begging for water at a tiki bar.
That and juan's alibi has got as many holes As our softball team.
Where'd you say you were working again? The day gonzalo was killed? Liberty towers.
Construction and security.
I spoke to your boss.
Said you were working a jobsite off lancaster ave.
Next to the lot where gonzalo was killed.
Esp You think i killed him? Gonzalito was like my brother.
didn't play just a "little" ball In cuba, either, juan.
You played with your cousin In the cuban league.
right with the industriales.
What did they call you? "El ca The cannon.
Must have had a hell of a fastball.
Till you and gonzalo Were banned From playing in cuba.
you were with gonzalo On that raft.
Gonzalo made it to dry land.
You didn't.
¡¢ Got your repatriation order from immigration.
April 6, 1998.
Gonzalo got to stay.
They sent you back.
You went back to cuba a traitor.
They threw you in prison, juan.
This is my grandfather and his older brother.
The revolution split 'em up.
One to philly, the other to castro's jails.
Decades go by.
My grandfather gets word from cuba His brother's dead.
A month later, My abuelo's gone.
- From what? - A heart attack.
My father, Working stiff said, "His heart didn't stop.
It broke.
" What happens in cuba Stays with us.
I know what they do to traitors in prison, juan.
Ballplayers? They cripple 'em.
Put you back out on the street, As a warning to the others.
It isn't just a game, is it, juan? If i would have just made it that day-- On the beach You'd be playing baseball right now.
Gonzalo would still be alive.
All this time, We couldn't figure out Why his body was moved from that sandlot.
Then we realized, Episcopal's only a few blocks away.
You went to get the car.
You were trying to get your cousin to a hospital.
I was trying to save him.
We know you didn't mean to hurt your cousin.
You just Lost control.
??? We're trying to help you here, juan.
He didn't make it.
eso, eso! Juan.
Hey.
Ca I heard the cannon from the car, and i had to hit something! What happened? Piedad and Andres are in Miami.
Oye, primo, congratulations.
No.
Reyes screwed me.
That son of a bitch-- He gave my parents' spots To a couple of ballplayers.
What? SI almost killed him.
He thought i was stupid, But i took care of it, got rid of him.
You did what? ???? i fired him.
Reyes was gonna get me a tryout.
- Scouts were gonna - hermano, I'll get you the tryout and scouts.
When they see your fastball Hey, man, You know what? This is your first tryout right now.
Now, got to give me That cannon.
Come on.
Like a man.
Let's go.
I know you got it, man.
What is that? Juan? You okay? You need to warm up more.
Throw more pitches, man.
It's just that you don't know.
Don't know what? You don't know what they did to me over there.
You want to hit? I'll pitch to you, eh? Hey, juan, man.
- I can't.
- Yes, you can! Mira, primo, no importa.
Don't worry about it, huh? - I'll take care of it, all right? - What are you going to take care of? Eh? ¿Mi familia? My parents? Primo If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't even be here.
Juan, what are you talking about? What? you forgot already? I built that raft! - I know that.
- To get us here.
- I know.
- To get us here! Us! They sent me back.
- Everything's gonna be okay now, juan.
- No, it's not! It's not.
You want to know what they did to me in there? Every time they broke my arm, They laugh at me.
Se re We got a single, and we got a triple! And we got a home run! Juan - Juan.
Juan? - They took my arm! They took my arm away! i have nothing.
I have nothing! I have nothing.
I have nothing.
No tengo nada! No tengo nada! Primo, no tengo nad ¿Primo? Gonzalito? Gonzalito! Primo.
Primo.
Primo.
Primo.
Primo.
Primo.
Primo.
Primo.
Primo.
Somebody help me! Somebody help me! ??? Primo.
Primo.
Primo.
Primo