Murder in the First (2014) s02e09 Episode Script

Bruja Blanca

Here she is entering the building.
No gun on her.
That's how she gets through the metal detector.
Clearly knows where she's going.
No video in the bathroom.
She just went in the men's room, though.
- Yep.
- Watch.
And now we have a briefcase.
Gun was probably planted in the bathroom.
Must have come from somebody inside the building.
Yeah, that's the only way this thing works.
Sets him up with papers so he wouldn't see it coming.
Jesus.
Closes the briefcase.
Goes behind him, makes it look like he's still reading, which is how she gets out before lock down.
Because Deputy doesn't even realize that Criolla's dead yet.
See? She exits, takes off her shoes.
We run those for DNA? Yep.
And bolts.
She's down the stairs and out the building all before this happens.
And he's out.
Deputy enters, calls it in, building goes on lock down about a minute later.
By then, she's probably on her way to the airport or wherever.
And slips right through our APB.
She probably wore a wig, changed her clothes.
We're running fingerprints off the gun, but I don't think she's concerned about that.
She probably has multiple I.
D.
s, right? Woman's a total pro.
The question is Who hired her? Mazur, your fidgeting is not gonna make me go faster.
I'm sorry, I just you know, I I like to get to court early when I'm nervous.
How did you sleep last night? I slept.
You have, like help? Like Ambien? No.
Okay, that right That amazes me.
You're having performance anxiety.
We'll be fine.
How do I look? Perfect, of course.
Yes? Concierge.
Jamie Nelson? Yes.
This is for you.
Everything okay? Yes.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
You were a soldier, correct? - So you saw combat? - I did.
Mr.
Maker and Mr.
Rentman used modified AR-15 rifles on the school bus.
Did you ever use something like this on any of your tours? We never found the need for that kind of firepower.
Why not? Mowing people down was never our mandate.
The kids were trapped.
They were screaming.
They were trying to open the doors on the bus.
So I ran over and, uh, started trying to pry the doors open, but then I had to take cover.
Were Mr.
Maker and Mr.
Rentman shooting directly at you? They were shooting at everything that moved.
I see.
And what happened next? Uh The shooting seemed to stop.
Two stun grenades went off.
What are stun grenades? Stun grenades are, uh, nonlethal explosives.
They're used to disorient your enemy.
They're designed to distract.
They work? They did I was dazed, and I couldn't hear anything.
Inspector, do you remember what happened next? Uh, somehow, I made it around to the other side of the bus, and that's where I saw Mr.
Maker.
And what was he doing? There was a girl kneeling beside him in the street.
She was begging him not to kill her.
He had his rifle pointed at her head.
And what did you do? I shot my weapon and knocked the gun out of his hand.
And you spared his victim.
I did.
Thank you, inspector For everything.
Ms.
Nelson.
Inspector, you said you shot the gun from Dustin's hands.
Yes, ma'am.
Was that your intention To knock the gun away? Yes, ma'am.
Why not shoot him in the head? Did you not have a clear shot? I did.
Then why? Why did you not kill Dustin Maker when you had the chance? Because I knew I could stop him without killing him.
Thank you, inspector.
Hey.
Hey! Hey.
- You all right? - Sorry.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I was watching you in there.
You want to get out of here? Yeah.
Where did that come from? Hmm.
I was with you that day.
I saw those kids dead, just like you did.
And when I saw you on the stand today, I felt what you felt.
And then this happened.
Can you believe this Criolla thing? Um If I hadn't seen the video.
I mean, shoot.
Pop, dead Just like that.
Professional hit, right? Yeah.
She was, uh She was ice-cold.
Question is, who wrote the check? I mean, I would say it was you, but I know you would've done that shit yourself.
I may know someone who wanted Criolla dead.
For real? Suger Cascade.
Suger Cascade? Why? Revenge for his sister's murder.
Suger thinks Criolla killed his sister? Did Did you tell him that? I went to the funeral.
I told him that Tenea got jacked up by somebody in the department.
I mean, she was carrying a misdemeanor weight, got a felony charge, and did felony time.
- Criolla made it happen? - I don't know.
I told him it had to be a superior.
I guess Suger just connected the dots.
All the way to the murder.
Raffi, did you Did you want that to happen? I don't know.
Raffi I don't know.
I mean, Criolla wasn't a good guy.
I know that.
Then why are you telling me now? You feel guilty? No.
I'm telling you 'cause you're homicide, and you need a lead.
You learning something, B? I would if you shut up and let me read, man.
He's ready for you, Suger.
Be right back.
My man.
Hey.
Before we say anything else, what are you doing Friday night? - Uh - Cancel.
You're coming with me.
Where we going? Oh, uh Nas.
- Nas? - Mm-hmm.
- Old-school.
- Third-row-school, son.
Come on, now.
You got to give it up for that.
How you been, man? - Good.
- You good? - Yeah, you? - Good.
Yeah, come on in.
Sit down.
- You all right? - Yeah, I'm good.
So tell me What else can I do for you? And we are going to Nas, by the way.
How long would it take to make me liquid? How liquid? Everything.
Are you out of your mind? I'm sorry.
Something wrong? Y-you in some kind of trouble? No.
I just want to know.
Okay, uh, well Maybe you don't understand.
I mean, it's not like we're just cashing some checks here.
I mean, you've got a hedge fund.
Two partnerships, an I.
R.
A.
, all with restrictions and penalties.
I mean, you'd lose a third of your assets just by cashing out, buddy.
You just You don't want to do it.
And what would that number be? Ballpark? I don't know 9, 10 mil.
And how long would that take? I don't know.
You want to do this legally And that's the only way I'd do it Six months, minimum.
Better if it was a year.
Start the process.
- Hey.
- Hey.
So, only video surveillance we have is from out here.
And there is hundreds of guys walking in and out with bags big enough to hide briefcases, but there's no way to know who planted it.
Man, this whole thing stinks, and I think it's linked to Sarah Tran.
- How do you figure? - Come on.
You find the garrotte conveniently located in his garage, and then he gets shot right before he can deny anything? What, you think somebody framed him? I think it's the union.
I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself, okay? You're defending them now? No, I'm just not jumping to murder/conspiracy.
They give loans, and they lean on people.
That's it.
Well, they leaned on you.
Yeah, and now that Criolla is dead, I don't think they're gonna collect.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- So what's happening? - How'd it go in court? What? How'd it go in court? Uh, it went.
What's he doing here? I don't know.
- Management control? - Mnh-mnh.
He's been in there 10 minutes.
Koto's doing a lot of nodding.
Who's he here for? Who else would he be here for? Inspectors.
Dickhead.
What's going on? Management control is doing a general audit of the unit's performance the last eight weeks.
Mm.
Everybody needs to cooperate.
They're looking at the whole unit? I said everybody, didn't I? What exactly do you have on Cascade? Well, it's just chatter at the moment, but it What's the chatter? Be specific.
Word from a C.
I.
is that Cascade believes Criolla was involved in his sister's murder.
Well, that's a motive.
Whose C.
I.
is it? English.
I want to talk to him.
Respectfully, Sir, I'd like to do that first.
Stick to the chain of command.
Chain of command? I'm the damn chief of police! Sir, we've already got management control up our asses.
I need the best out of my team right now, and I don't think I'll get that if they have to report directly to you.
I offered you a promotion a few weeks ago, Koto.
Now your job is on the line.
Amazing how things change, hmm? I notice you took a number of sick days last month.
Mm-hmm.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I had the flu, Torres.
Maybe you don't understand my role here.
I'm not a fact-finder.
I already know all the facts.
Mm.
I'm looking for weak links that negatively impact this department's performance Individuals lacking integrity and honesty.
Did you still have this flu when you snuck your brother out of the country? I first noticed Dustin sophomore year.
I would just see him around school, the cafeteria, his locker.
Would he be alone? There were usually a few kids hanging around him.
Like Alfie Rentman? Sometimes.
And what did you think of Dustin? I guess I thought he was interesting.
He sort of seemed like their leader.
Their leader.
So You were attracted to him.
Yes.
He seemed mysterious Sort of cool.
Different from the people I usually hang out with.
He didn't really talk much, so one day, I just asked him if he wanted to come over to my house.
And what did Mr.
Maker say? He said, "okay.
" And what happened at the house? We got there, we watched videos for a little while, and then we started to fool around.
So you had a sexual relationship with Mr.
Maker.
Not at first.
He couldn't do it.
I'm sorry? - He couldn't do it.
- Your Honor He couldn't get hard.
We're crossing the line into humiliation here.
So it does appear.
Mr.
Siletti, let's keep this on the rails, please.
There is a story here, Your Honor, as uncomfortable as that may be.
Get to it, then.
Julianne.
When you were intimate with Mr.
Maker, did you notice anything unusual? Eventually, we did it.
I looked at him while it was happening.
It was like he wasn't even there.
His eyes were totally dead, like he didn't have a soul.
I guess I was just surprised by the timing of it, that's all.
No, and I'm not saying that you were trying to hurt me.
Yes.
I get what you're saying about clarity.
It just seems awfully soon to have clarity on the last seven years of our lives.
Well, I'm sorry, Holly.
I just I just find it hard to believe that you're 100% about this.
This feels like resentment to me.
Okay, okay.
Maybe maybe I'm projecting because I miss you.
Well, just just answer me one question Are you really happier being alone? Because I'm not.
You were wrong when you said I can live off this work.
I can't.
I need you.
Will you meet me? - Hey.
- Hey.
So, the FBI looked at the video for the Criolla shooter.
Turns out she matches the description of a contract killer connected to hits in both Mexico and Nicaragua.
- Menendez cartel.
- Were any of them in jail? No, but they were all high-risk, public executions One shot to the head and the heart.
And then she just disappears.
They call her bruja blanca.
The white witch.
Give me a break.
I mean, guys, are we really thinking that the Menendez cartel ordered the hit? It's their M.
O.
All right, well, I guess look into Criolla's file, see if he had any dealings with them.
Got it.
My man, put the trash can over there, on the side.
What's up? What up, what up? You know, the game starts tomorrow.
- You coming out? - Uh, I got to work.
You should take a break, inspector.
Six years I've been doing this.
Community come together, support a good cause.
They can ball, too.
Sound like you're running for mayor.
Watch me.
You'd be surprised.
I'm watching, I'm watching.
A lot of people are after this Criolla hit.
Yeah, I saw that.
A white lady just walked right into your house, smokes the dude, walks out - Bitch like Terminator.
- Right.
That shit was crazy.
Yeah, you know, people are saying that he killed your sister.
- I heard that, too.
- Yeah.
I guess you talking to the same people I am.
Why? Who you talking to? - Your shit's in shambles up in there.
- Yeah.
So now you down here, reaching.
Tell the truth.
You got nothing.
Not yet.
But when bad things happen, when people start worrying about keeping their jobs, protecting their families They tend to get real motivated.
I mean, you never know what could turn up.
Is that a warning Or a threat? No, I'm just telling it like it is, boss.
When did your son first start spending time with Mr.
Maker? It was last year in September.
School had just started.
Alfie brought Dustin to our house.
And what were your impressions of Mr.
Maker when you met him? He was very polite, charming.
I could see why Alfie was the way he was around him.
How was Alfie around him? Very deferential, a bit nervous.
It worried me.
I I didn't want him to get hurt.
"Hurt.
" Physically? Emotionally? Emotionally Alfie wanted friends, but he always had a hard time getting kids to stick around.
And I I thought this would end the same way.
But it didn't.
Well, what do you think made Mr.
Maker different? I think he wanted to get something out of my son.
Like what? Well, money, for starters.
Between me and Alfie's father, we're well off.
Alfie had a very elaborate game system, he had an expensive TV So you think Mr.
Maker was using Alfie for his stuff.
Yes, but things changed when he found out I worked at the military base.
The military base from which your son and Mr.
Maker stole the stun grenades used in the attacks.
Yes.
And how did Mr.
Maker find out you worked there? I told him.
He asked.
And then he started coming around a lot more after that.
Mrs.
Rentman, did you ever notice that your son had any interest in guns and weapons before he met Mr.
Maker? Not real ones.
He was always into the video games, but that was enough for him.
But he was very impressionable.
That's why I can't imagine that Alfie was the one to come up with this plan.
Thank you, Mrs.
Rentman.
Your house is a triplex.
- Is that correct? - Yes.
So just to be clear, that means three different apartments in one building? Yes.
So, you rent out two of them and live in one.
No, we each have each had our own apartment.
So you, your husband, and Alfie lived in three completely separate spaces? Yes.
You said Alfie had a hard time making friends, that you were worried about him getting hurt, emotionally.
Yes.
And living apart from his parents at 15 years old, you don't think that hurt him, emotionally? It was the arrangement that he wanted.
I see.
Did you live on the top floor? Yes.
And could you access your apartment through Alfie's? Yes.
And did you have double padlocks installed on that door, Mrs.
Rentman? Yes.
Were you afraid of your husband going through that door? No.
Were you afraid that an intruder would first get into Alfie's apartment and then get into yours? Or were you just afraid of your own son, Mrs.
Rentman, as impressionable as he was? - Hey.
- Hey.
You follow up on Cascade yet? Cascade, uh Yeah, yeah.
I, uh, asked him a couple of questions, threw a couple of jabs, little rope-a-dope, see how he'd react.
And? I don't think he's guilty.
That's my gut.
God, I was really hoping you'd find something else that would tie him to Criolla.
Really use a collar right now.
- Yeah.
- Hey, Junior.
She asked for you.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Uh, have a seat.
I have some information for you.
What's up, everybody, welcome to the "who's up?" Three-on-three basketball tournament, where the players play and the ballers ball.
Shout-out to my man Suger for doing it so big, baby! The streets love you, man.
This is your boy, cash money, just trying to see what team hustle doing today.
All the tri-city ballers came to ball.
Oh! There we go! Hey, man.
Hey, Dawg, give me some.
Give me some, Dawg.
Don't leave me out there.
I paid for that.
Okay, let's go! Get around that pick.
Get around him.
Oh! Come on.
Yeah, boy! Let's go, man! Go by him! Go by him! Oh! Game over.
Let's get out of here! Girls, I'm out.
Unh-unh.
Oh, no.
All right, let's go.
Come on, now.
You know.
Get them out of here.
Suger Cascade.
Got a warrant for your arrest.
- What's up, man? - Uh-huh.
Oh, yeah.
Y'all seriously trying to pin this Criolla shit on me? It's got nothing to do with Criolla.
You're under arrest for the murder of John Liu.
Remember him? Yeah.
Shot his face off in Chinatown? Keep your hands where I can see them.
- Let's go, buddy.
- Call Jenkins.
Hey, Raffi.
- You want to observe? - Yeah.
- Thanks, Larry.
- You got it.
So, who's doing this? Junior? Yeah.
I saw how Suger smiled at you.
Okay.
You're jealous? No.
I think you chased him and you chased him, and you got confused and now you're playing both sides.
- That's crazy.
- Is it? Raffi, you gave him Criolla.
Either you wanted to help Suger or you wanted to get a cop killed.
Which one is it? Yeah.
Well, I suggest you figure that one out.
This is nothing more than a desperate attempt by a crumbling police force to save face.
It's never going to trial.
Hmm.
We got a witness.
That's all we need.
You got a witness that magically appeared right when you needed it most.
What is that? Luck of the Irish? You have a "client" that's a black drug dealer.
Um, so, who do you think's gonna win the game of "he said, she said," huh? Suger gives millions of dollars to the community.
And I don't think a jury made up of the people of San Francisco are going to be as racist as you are.
Mm.
We'll take our chances.
Roll them white dice.
My name is Gwendolyn Summers.
My son Jacob was shot to death on the school bus by Dustin Maker and Alfred Rentman.
He was 16 years old the day he died.
I was not supposed to bury Jacob or live with the regret of all the things that I never said to him or got to see him do.
I was not supposed to bury him.
He was supposed to bury me.
My family was shattered on that day, and neither my husband nor I have been able to work consistently.
We're just not equipped to deal with something like this and take care of each other, as well.
And then there's the matter of our 12-year-old daughter, Zoe.
She lost her big brother, her idol, her protector.
She's afraid of so many things now.
She doesn't sleep, she doesn't eat nearly enough.
But the biggest thing is she doesn't talk to us.
None of us talk anymore.
It's just too painful.
Hey.
Yo.
- Nice collar.
- Yeah, it was.
Let's just hope Siletti doesn't screw it up.
Yeah.
What's up with you? Uh, I just sat in on the Maker trial for the last hour.
Don't let me do that again, okay? Yeah.
McCormack.
Yeah, great.
I'll, uh I'll be right down, thanks.
Um Well, uh Hang in there, Hillbilly.
Hey.
McCormack.
Just called me about juvie records for Cascade? That's right.
You're in homicide, right? Uh-huh.
That's a good gig.
Got to follow the chain of command.
Or the next thing you know, you're working in this shit-hole.
And you can't even hold your gun.
Yeah.
Got a message for you, too.
What is this? Hi, Jamie.
What are you doing here? I asked her to come.
You asked your lawyer to come to our dinner.
So, you're not really interested in talking at all.
I think Holly is interested in making sure she gets heard.
Because I never listen.
Is that it? Jamie, please Please just sit down.
Please.
Surprise attack, Holly.
Doesn't seem like you.
This isn't an attack, Jamie.
Really? You don't think this is aggressive? Why else would she be here? Because it's impossible to talk to you.
Every time I try, you completely dismant You haven't tried to talk to me.
You sent me my shit in boxes.
This is what we're talking about when we say she needs to be heard.
I knew that this was gonna be a fight.
I'm not a fighter.
I'm just not.
I need help.
But this doesn't need to be a fight.
This was supposed to be a discussion.
I came here because I wanted to hear how you feel.
But you're not giving me a chance.
- When we spoke on the phone - I think that your expectation of what this dinner was supposed to be Will you just shut up?! - Keep your voice down.
- Why?! Because you want me to play into this bullshit scenario you two dreamed up? Ambush me in public so I can't get upset? Again, Jamie, that's not what this is.
That is exactly what this is.
You are revealing yourself for what you really are Weak and desperate Because you know you can't stand on your own two feet.
She's stronger than you think.
She's strong because of me! If it weren't for me and our marriage, you'd still be some Bay Area dyke teaching crafting out of your garage.
Who you gonna latch onto now? You, Sabrina? I feel sorry for you both.
So, what? The guy just hands you this note? No explanation? I think the explanation was pretty clear, on account that he handed me the note with two fingers, because he was missing a thumb.
- Come on.
- Okay, but, Hildy, you go down there, okay? You ask him yourself Ask him what this all means.
Tell him you're investigating the union and you want answers.
Okay, but we know that this is bigger than Criolla.
You still don't think they did the frame job? I think I want to keep my goddamn fingers! Okay, look, I'm going back to the invisible hand, and I'm giving them their 70 grand.
No, don't do that.
I'm sorry, Hildy, okay? You gave it to me.
I know I did, and I'm not asking for it back, but this is Friday.
Friday.
That's one more day.
So can we use that one more day to just figure out what's going on? Please? Fine.
Docket number 122658, people vs.
Anthony Cascade.
Mr.
Cascade, you're charged with murder in the first degree.
How do you plead? My client pleads not guilty, Your Honor.
So entered.
We'll hear from the people on bail.
Due to the particularly heinous nature of the crime The victim was shot in the face at close range We request a bail amount of $10 million.
That's frankly ridiculous, Your Honor.
The people's entire case rests on the testimony of one eyewitness we don't even know.
My client has numerous business interests in the city and no history of violent crime.
Let's not reward the knee-jerk reactions of a desperate office here.
I'm not sure I agree with your characterization, Mr.
Jenkins, but I take your point.
Bail is set at $1 million.
We need to find that witness.
Yeah.
Gentlemen.
Anyway, uh, so, I could really use a drink.
Want to go get one? Uh, can't.
I have a family thing I have to do.
- Oh, cool.
All right.
- Rain check, though? Uh, sure, yeah.
Okay.
- Cool.
- All right.
- Have a good night.
- Yeah.
And then Gwendolyn Summers took the stand and read her statement about losing her son, and honestly, I just stood back and watched as she destroyed the courtroom.
Oh, it was beautiful.
- Oh.
- That's great, honey.
Mm.
What's the matter? Nothing.
Well, I can tell something's going on.
So either just be honest or fake it better.
Why do you have to be such an asshole? Because I had a great day, and I come home, and it's like you're throwing a wet blanket on it.
What makes it worse is you're not even being honest about it.
Well, maybe you could've checked in with me before you launched into your play-by-play.
Oh, now I'm launching into a play-by-play? - Dad! - Is that what you're saying? - What?! - You have to see this.
We're in the middle of a conversation, Michael.
Not anymore.
Look at this.
Shut up! Will you keep your voice down? Why?! Because you want me to play - into this bullshit scenario - Oh, my god.
- That's Jamie.
- Yep.
- Ambush me in public - Oh.
Volume, volume, volume.
Yep.
What this is.
You are revealing who you really are right now Weak and desperate Because you know you can't stand on your own two feet.
Wait for it.
She's stronger than you think.
No, she's strong because of me! If it weren't for me and our marriage, you'd still be some Bay Area dyke teaching crafting out of your garage.
Who you gonna latch onto now? You, Sabrina? - Oh, my god.
- What? What a shrew.
- How awesome is that? - Oh, it's so awesome.
Wow.
- Hey, can you, uh - Yes.
Yes, I can.
Can you bring it up again? - Shut up! - I can't believe she said that.
Why?! Hey.
Hey, pops.
I know why you called me here.
I didn't kill Criolla.
Inspectors.
Don't think I didn't want to, though, after what that prick said to me.
So, can you tell us where you were at the time of the alleged incident? I was at home, call your mother.
Dad, she's busting your balls.
What the hell am I here for, then? We want you to tell us everything you know about the union.
Why? Because four cops have been killed in the past two months.
And all of them have been covered up by someone who clearly knows what they're doing.
And they're all connected in some way to the union, so "Connected" is a little strong, for the record.
If a guy like Criolla is the standard these days, anything's possible.
If the union's taking people out, the head man is making the calls.
Well, how do we find this asshole? All I can do is tell you how it works.
All right.
This is your head man.
These are your captains.
I'm not talking police rank.
That's what they are to the union.
None of the captains know each other.
The head man's the only one who knows everybody.
Everybody, including the head man, has soldiers that they tapped to be in the union.
And you report directly to your captain.
That'd be you with Criolla.
But if a captain goes away, the soldiers go away, too.
But Junior's debt's still in play.
Of course.
That'd be a drop somewhere.
He'll never have face time with another captain.
That's how the union protects itself.
There's no way to link any of the captains to each other or to the head man.
Now, I don't know what your plan is, but these cops are dangerous.
Better watch your backs.
They're not cops, Dad.
They're criminals.
And I'm gonna take them all down.

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