Reacher (2022) s01e05 Episode Script

1 The FAA is still gathering information, but at this point, stress that all evidence points to mechanical failure.
Washington's recent budget cuts will put an end to heightened Coast Guard patrols along the Southeastern seaboard.
Critics say the year-long blockade has been credited with hundreds of successful search-and-seizures of contraband, including We shouldn't have left her, just lying dead there.
We called 911.
Still We couldn't stick around.
Margrave PD is dirty.
Who's to say that Atlanta or Georgia State Police aren't on Kliner's payroll, too? The only way to make Molly Beth's death mean something is by catching whoever killed her.
We can't do that if we're shot dead by crooked cops or rotting away in jail with her murder pinned on us.
Pull over.
What the hell are we doing? Long story.
Be right back.
It's okay.
What's he doing to you? Collar's cutting him.
Enough of this.
What are you doing? Dog didn't do anything to anybody.
Doesn't deserve this.
I told you to stay off my property! Seriously? Let's see how you like it.
- Let's go, boy.
- Come on.
Okay.
So, what are we gonna do now? Take the dog to a no-kill shelter, then drop me off at Hubble's.
Why? Last car they gave me is full of bullet holes.
Need a new one.
Okay, we'll see you at the station house parking lot.
Hey.
Are you okay? I never should have let her get involved.
That'll do.
How come your owner's buying you and your pals so much feed? Lot of help you are.
Shit! And so so I'm stuffing this sucker full of M-80s, cherry bombs, uh, ash cans - Bottle rockets.
- bottle rockets.
So, Dawson lights it.
We take off.
Mailbox explodes.
There's burning paper and metal going everywhere, right? Six months later, we're at the Gas 'N Such, and there's old man Slattery.
He's getting arrested in the parking lot.
Bench warrant for not showing up for jury duty.
There was a jury summons in the fuckin' mailbox.
And that's what he gets for failing my ass in English lit.
Look, it's the war criminal.
Hey, you're hungry, I'll buy you a meal, man.
You know, help out the homeless.
This is the guy that I was talking to you about.
You know, uh, you and my friend Emmitt here, you actually got something in common.
Both played college football.
Old Emmitt here was Georgia State's starting tight end for three years.
According to your records, you played one game for Army.
What happened, man? You couldn't hack it? - They kicked me off.
- What for? Being too violent.
You're interrupting our lunch.
Let me ask you something.
What kind of man are you? A stupid man? A bitter man? Or are you just an insecure, spoiled rich boy hiding behind Daddy's money? It wasn't a rhetorical question.
I really want to know what kind of man enjoys intimidating a woman half his size.
A woman who by the way, is beyond intimidation.
I think I know what kind of guy you are.
You're the kind of guy that knows things.
You knew I'd come after you when I saw what you did to Roscoe.
You knew I'd see your truck right outside.
A work truck whose bed's never had anything in it other than a keg.
And you knew I'd come in here and cause a problem that would most likely get me in trouble.
But know what you don't know? Mm.
What's that? What it feels like when I hit you.
'Cause if you did, you never would have picked up that paint can.
Okay.
Now let me tell you something about Roscoe Conklin.
That little cocktease - Drop it.
- Hey! I never liked you, Dawson.
- Don't make me prove it.
- Drop the knife, or I drop you, KJ.
Son.
Put it down.
This ain't over.
Anytime you want to dance.
Since the moment this man arrived in Margrave, there's been nothing but violence.
And now he's attacked my son? That's it, you get him out of here.
Last time I checked, you weren't my boss.
Captain Finlay you're a city boy, so maybe you haven't heard the expression.
But if you keep digging for water under the outhouse, you ain't gonna find nothin' you can drink.
So you stop this nonsense already before someone gets hurt.
I-I saw the whole thing.
Junior and the boys were just minding their own business, when this guy came in and started tearing up the place.
Thank you, Earl, for being a good citizen of Margrave.
Detective.
Roscoe, take Reacher outside.
See you soon, Junior.
Molly Beth died 'cause she cared about a Reacher.
Yeah.
It's Teale.
Chief Teale.
Yes.
Uh I wasn't aware of that.
It must have been an oversight on my part.
What? Are you kidding me? No, no, no.
I just got the report mixed up with something else.
Motherfucker! - Fuck you! - Easy.
What's going on? - Teale just fired me.
- For what? When the report came in for Joe's car, I said that the plates matched a ride belonging to a con that Morrison put away.
Well, Teale just pulled up the report and saw that the car was reported as having no plates.
He said that we're investigating the murder of a goddamn police chief.
He's not gonna have shoddy work muck it up.
And then he shit-canned me.
You guys have been running around, not in the office that much.
He starts pulling up files to check on your work.
- He's getting suspicious.
- I'll talk to him and try to undo this.
I'm not handing in my gun.
With all that's going on, I wouldn't want you to.
Just let me talk to the man, okay? This is bullshit! What about him? Is he going back to jail? Kliner isn't pressing charges.
'Cause he doesn't want to go to court.
A lawsuit lets me ask for discovery about KJ for character impeachment: his employment records at Kliner Industries, maybe Kliner's books.
They don't want that.
Okay, so what do we do now? I'm not done with this just 'cause I'm not a cop anymore.
We go back to Joe's punch list.
It was his blueprint; it should be ours, too.
We've been over it.
The professors are still out of the country, and your friend Neagley is looking into the Memphis angle.
There's nothing in Jobling's garage.
- So it's down to Gray's files.
- I told you, he didn't leave anything behind.
Actually, he did.
Not files, but he left you his Desert Eagle.
Like, a year before he died.
Exactly.
People thinking about suicide normally give away their prize possessions right before they take their lives, not a full year prior.
I want to see the box it came in.
Just be careful with it.
It means a lot to me.
Empty.
Fuck.
Language.
Was there any kind of file cabinet or lockbox - in Gray's house when he died? - No.
- Nothing.
- Any other place he might have kept something important? The only places Gray spent time were the station and his house.
That's not entirely accurate.
When we were at the motel in Alabama, you said - Gray used to get his hair cut once a week.
- Yeah.
Why does a man with hardly any hair need a weekly trim? Gray told me to give this to nobody but you.
Also said if you ever came looking for it, he wanted you to know that he was proud of his girl.
He left me daisies.
According to livestock auction receipts, Kliner has 116 cattle.
All bought at once.
Oh, my God.
Here we go with the cows again.
It's a weird number.
Who buys 116 cattle? You'd buy a lot.
- Twenty, 50, 100.
- Your point? I don't know.
It's just It was a hell of a lot of animal feed.
Well, it was.
Tell me this.
When does a family farm become a commercial farm in Georgia? - How big does it have to get? - This is not a lead.
Humor me.
I don't know.
I remember when my uncle got up to around 120 head, he had to file with the state.
Why? So, Kliner stops at 116.
Just under the number where he'd be subject to state inspectors coming on his land, - checking out his operation.
- What operation? He has cows and a herd that is not that big.
Let it rest, Stretch.
You know what was big? If you say "the amount of animal feed," I swear to God, you're not gonna have to worry about Kliner because I will cut your balls off myself.
Tomato and mayo.
Thought you folks could use a little sustenance.
Thank you, sir.
Thank you.
You wouldn't happen to have any fruit or a salad, would you, Mr.
Mosley? I got tomato salad.
With mayo.
Between two slices of bread.
Right-right in front of you.
Thank you.
No time to wait Grooving down You weren't kidding about the quality of Gray's work, Roscoe.
It is meticulous.
He reviewed every tax return for the Kliner Fund.
Almost a full forensic accounting.
Seem there was money pouring out of the fund, but it doesn't match income stream.
How does a charity attract this much in donations when, from what I can see, it's solely focused on giving to the businesses and community groups of one tiny Georgia town? It doesn't.
Doesn't need donations - when it can just print its own cash.
- Exactly.
He's been buying everyone's silence.
It's insurance.
If Margrave citizens ever see anything off with Kliner, suspect anything, if they're ever put on a jury or even questioned, Kliner has already bought their loyalty with the Kliner Fund.
So, Kliner owns Margrave and its citizens.
This guy's pulling all the strings.
Are these files enough to prosecute him? No.
Tax returns are the end of the rainbow.
Dry numbers that simply represent actions.
In this case, ostensibly legal charitable contributions.
We need direct proof linking counterfeit cash to Kliner, and we don't have it.
Of all the places to do this, why Margrave? There are dying towns all over.
Take today I'll show you why.
What are you doing? Margrave is perfectly located for distribution.
The old state route arterial systems cross right through here.
Shipping fake cash from here, Kliner's trucks can avoid federal interstates for most of the trip, literally staying off the radar of cops with a much bigger presence on busier highways.
He had a very well-oiled and thought-out operation to protect, so he protected it.
Okay.
I get that.
But why would he suddenly go scorched-earth? A Secret Service agent was investigating his operation.
He eliminated that threat.
So then he has a police chief murdered? Tries to take out another cop? Then he goes after the Secret Service agent's civilian brother? I mean, that seems like a major overcorrection.
It's the Coast Guard blockade.
News has been talking about it for days.
Blockades have been going on for a year, which means no funny money coming into the U.
S.
So there's a huge backlog of counterfeit cash overseas, making the whole outfit vulnerable to being caught.
And Kliner's stateside running low on supply.
His buyers are expecting pallets of bills he can't provide, and the kind of guys that buy this kind of product don't respond well to disappointment.
What would you do with it all? Maybe someone wants to buy something really dangerous that's really expensive.
Think suitcase nuke.
But they don't have the money to do it, so they're printing their own.
Or they want to destabilize the U.
S.
economy.
Or destabilize a strategic nation that runs on U.
S.
currency, like Panama, which a significant percentage of world trade passes through each year.
Bottom line, I don't care why they want to do it.
You and the FBI can figure all that out after the people that killed Joe are dead.
Gray didn't commit suicide.
They fucking murdered him.
I'll talk to her.
I don't want to do it.
I'm not going.
You and your brother are both getting your hair cut, putting on your Sunday best and marching yourselves over there.
Our family is not a democracy.
You have no vote and no say.
- But - Shh.
Now, hold still before Grace cuts your ear off.
All done.
What do you think? Sir.
Ma'am.
Joe.
I'm very sorry for what happened.
I have no excuse for my actions.
I hope you can forgive me, though I understand if you can't.
Your turn, Reacher.
No.
You've had nothing but run-ins with Curtis since we arrived.
Apologize.
No.
Look at my son.
You can't even bring yourself to say you're sorry? I'm sorry.
I'm sorry the left side of his face doesn't look like the right.
Those fucking bastards spoke at his funeral.
Roscoe.
You want to save your town? Avenge Gray? Good.
Harness that.
Bad people should get what's coming to them.
No apologies.
Neagley.
Got it.
What'd she say? She said she wanted dinner at 10:00, but instead, she had it at 6:00.
What in God's name does that mean? Ten-six is MP radio code for "send civilian police.
" Means she's found something important enough she doesn't trust talking about it on an unsecured line.
And she's taking a shot at me for being a civilian now.
She likes to poke the bear.
I just can't vanish to Memphis for a day or two.
Teale will get suspicious.
He's suspicious already.
Shouldn't come anyway.
Neagley doesn't like meeting new people.
If she can't tell you where she is, how the hell are you gonna find her? Won't be a problem.
She'll avoid tourist traps for privacy.
That eliminates anyplace around Beale Street.
Also anything around the university.
People older than college students would stand out.
Neagley grew up broke, so she watches her money.
Wherever she's staying won't be five stars.
She'll choose a decent discount hotel.
Something you'd find near midtown, close to public transportation.
Near a place to eat that's reasonably priced and isn't a chain restaurant.
Thank you.
How's it going, big fella? Neagley.
I knew I'd track you down.
You wish.
I tracked you.
Ten years together in Special Investigators, I know how you think.
Figured I'd come to midtown, avoid tourists, find a serviceable hotel close to mass transit, near a decent restaurant.
And I know after a morning flight with no meal service, Jack The Beanstalk's going straight for the mess hall.
And you knew I'd come to a bistro because my mother was French.
It's got the biggest sign.
You're not that complicated.
And I wanted Cocoa Puffs.
All right, so you aren't staying across the street? Please.
Four Seasons.
I'm in the private sector now.
I've got miles.
Okay.
Let's go.
- I'll fill you in.
- I haven't eaten yet.
I got beignets.
Masticate on the move.
Pretty open space.
If anybody had a parabolic mic, we'd see 'em.
- Safe to speak freely.
- Fine.
You need a woman in your life.
Oh, you mean about the case? The "J.
W.
" on your brother's punch list was an EPA investigator named Jimmy Dupree Wilks.
- Was? - Gunned down in his home.
Dead fed.
So FBI jumped in? Determined it was a random burglary gone bad.
You think they're wrong.
Murder weapon was a small caliber, nine millimeter, subsonic.
Burglars don't use silencers.
Most don't carry guns at all.
Also, burglars steal things.
Nothing was taken.
Affirmative.
One more odd detail.
The body was beaten like a pinata.
Post-mortem.
Don't see that every day.
Happens more often than you think.
Meaning? That's what they did to my brother.
Shit.
You're gonna kill a whole lot of people, aren't you? Already started.
Well, you should know, then, I'm not the only one who thought there was something anomalous.
Memphis cop, Aucoin, he caught the Wilks case and was looking into it before the FBI took over.
His original report noted his suspicion.
So you tracked him down.
He said he's been waiting five years for a call from someone about this.
He and his partner are gonna take us to meet a CI: low-level hitman who might know who was hired to kill Wilks.
EPA investigators aren't common targets.
Where was he poking around? Made a FOIL request for his records.
He was looking into toxic pollution levels in the Mississippi.
- Source? - Wish I could tell you, but the first two chapters of Wilks' report cover the extent of the pollution and the third chapter, the one that deals with the source, is missing.
Let me guess.
The EPA can't locate it.
Lost like Roanoke.
Like the pages were never written.
But the pollution seemed to hit hardest at Chester, Arkansas.
So that's where we go.
Reacher they made files disappear at a federal agency.
You're not tracking some corporal who punched his sergeant.
These people are connected and stone-cold killers.
Something happens to you it would be like losing two friends.
You know, given your size.
Let me ask you something.
If a guy I like for the murders was ordering 18-wheelers full of animal feed when he doesn't need nearly that much, would you see a connection with what we're looking into? Not off the top of my head.
Hell of a lot of animal feed, though.
That's why I like you, Neagley.
Why are you so big? Genetics.
Beignet? No, no, ain't got no Ain't no, no, no No, no, no, no! Darn it! Mm! - Roscoe.
- Am I interrupting? No, no, I was just finishing, uh, finishing up some wor uh, medical examining Um, what can I do for you? Don't tell me there's been another murder.
Maybe.
"No" would've been better.
When Officer Gray died, I remember the mortician saying that they had to fix a cut on his head with makeup and putty 'cause supposedly he was so drunk that he fell trying to get up on the chair to you know, the rope and all.
Yeah.
I recall there being a severe contusion.
It looked like he hit the corner of a chair or his workbench or something.
Can you pull it up? Yeah, okay.
Here it is.
Would like me to go through these for you? - Maybe I can find what you're looking for.
- No.
Thank you, I'm fine.
Okay.
Instead of hitting his head on something could something have hit his head? - Mean he was struck? - Yeah.
That is exactly what I mean.
Suppose.
Resulting wound would, at least superficially, look the same.
But truth be told, I never looked at the injury that way.
- Can you? Now? - Oh oh, okay.
I can zoom in tight, see what's there.
There it is.
Well, that's interesting.
When you heighten contrast on skin edema, especially around a head wound which produces a lot of bleeding, you pick up micro-lacerations, which can often show the shape of the object causing the injury.
- Mm-hmm.
- So if I zoom in a little more Huh.
Kind of look like a diamond.
Doesn't it? Yeah.
Damn right it does.
In the city of the angels The pretty one goes around Mind if we ask you some questions about the river? I ain't got a license and I ain't payin' no fine.
Not here about a license.
Really? Ya look government.
Good instincts, but I don't care where you fish.
Ah, good.
There's an empty oil drum right there, Pigpen.
Oil drum's cleaner than the river.
That's why we're here.
To find out what happened in Chester.
To the river.
Clarron Chemical's what happened.
Took a big shit upstream.
Shit floated downstream.
Now all we got left is shit.
Who's Clarron? Bunch of rich people in business clothes who tore through our town like locusts, not even leaving bark on the trees.
They have anything to do with animal feed? Production of it, selling it? I said Clarron Chemical.
Not Clarron Grain & Seed.
Where you going? You're boring.
I still have questions.
You ain't the first man come through asking about our stretch of the river.
EPA came through here years ago, talking about how the geography makes the toxins settle here, killing all the crawdads and catfish.
Said he was gonna clean it up 'cause no one could earn on the water any more.
You know what he did? Nothing.
Know why? No.
He was killed.
Yeah, well so was this town.
If the river's ruined, why fish? What else am I gonna do around here? So Clarron Chemical's been out of business for years.
Not bankruptcy, though.
Just dissolved.
But there was a parent corporation.
Kliner Industries.
Looks like Kliner destroyed Chester and moved on to Margrave.
Joe wasn't the first federal agent he had killed.
He had Wilks taken out, too, before his polluting was uncovered.
Just can't prove it.
Says who? Got a text from Aucoin.
His CI's ready to meet.
Ms.
Conklin, you come to clean out your desk? You son of a bitch! You fucking stupid fucker! - I'll fucking kill you! - Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! - That's assault! - I'll fucking kill you! - Do something with her, Finlay! - Not another word.
Quiet! I'm gonna tase her, I swear to God! You see to the mayor, I'll take care of her.
- Roscoe, let's go! - Look at you! - Roscoe, let's go! - Fuck you! - Here you go, boss.
- You're dead! I got my handkerchief, you asshole.
The hell is wrong with you? We've been playing cat and mouse with 'em.
They were suspicious.
But now they know you know something! I know that old bastard killed Gray.
By now Teale's calling for your arrest.
And once you're in custody, they'll take you out like they tried to kill Reacher when they had him locked up.
You're not eight feet tall, 300 pounds like our friend.
I got to get you out of town.
You can't show your face in Margrave now.
Reacher, this is Officer Aucoin.
This is my partner, Ribidoux.
No thank you.
She's not big on contact.
Guy we're meeting is a small time trigger-puller.
He knows his place in the food chain.
He's not the kind to take out a fed or a cop, but he keeps his ears open and he's happy to talk when it suits him.
What makes you think this will suit him? He's been a go-to CI.
Wants to keep his seat on the gravy train.
Hey.
Why we got to do this, man? This case is closed.
We got families.
Let it go.
I can't.
This mess got a fed killed.
It ain't worth our lives, too.
If it was worth my brother's life, it's sure as hell worth yours.
It's Don't worry about him.
Unless he gets pissed at you, then worry about him.
I'll check in.
That way, if anyone comes looking for a crazy white lady with a mean right hand, desk clerk won't know - she's staying here.
- For how long? Until I figure out what to do with you.
- You can't bench me.
- You benched yourself.
I got fired.
You're not my boss anymore, remember? I'm not doing this as your boss.
I'm doing this as your friend.
Now, stay put.
I'll be back in five.
Picard, what's up? Up in the club And I been done looked at them slugs Up in the club Before I say anything, how do I know it's not gonna bite me in the ass? This isn't part of an official investigation.
As far as the MPD is concerned, we aren't even here.
I promise I won't come after you.
Yeah.
What about him? I don't give a shit about you.
Okay.
Look, I'm the kind of guy that bad guys call when they've got a problem with another bad guy.
I don't do anything that's gonna make the news, and I sure as hell do not fuck around with badges, you feel me? So if you don't kill cops, who does? Out-of-town talent.
- A name.
- Well, uh I don't know what his mama called him, but he goes by "the Viking.
" That's it? All I know.
You find the Viking, you found your shooter.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna get me a lap dance, and no self-respecting stripper's gonna come to a table with two cops, this chick and a pissed-off giant.
Adios.
Come on! I said no! - Hey.
- I said no.
When a woman says she doesn't want to be touched, she doesn't want to be touched.
You earned it.
We can go now.
Some nice moves back there.
Better than the guy who taught 'em to me.
Yeah? Reacher, we've had a development.
Roscoe used Teale's head as a punching bag.
- Good.
- Not good.
Target on her back went neon.
Already got a call from Stevenson saying Teale wants a warrant out for Roscoe's arrest.
Can't trust Stevenson.
I told him she was furious about getting fired and that she jumped out of my car at a stop light and took off.
Roscoe? I'm here.
Sorry, I just, uh I lost it.
No apologies, remember? You got to get out of town.
Already did.
At a motel across the state line, but we have a better option.
Picard just called, said that he's gonna lose his job if he doesn't find someone else to take care of Charlie and the kids.
So I'm gonna take over.
What about the Tweed Tornado? Thinking we have to kick things up a notch.
Gray's files didn't have everything we need, right? Know whose do? Kliner's.
I go to the source after hours.
See if I can get evidence that nails this thing down.
No security cameras, remember? Boy Scout's gonna do an illegal search? Desperate times.
Besides, it's not like I'm killing someone.
You'll come around.
How's it going over there? Got a lead on a shooter who took out an EPA agent digging into Kliner.
Just a matter of time before I get my hands on him.
Hey I need you to promise me that you're not gonna take out Teale without me.
When the time comes, I'll hold him while you hit him.
Well guess, uh won't be seeing you for a while.
I guess not.
Bye, Reacher.
Bye, Roscoe.
You like her.
How'd you know Roscoe was a woman? From how you said her name.
I said her name normally.
- Mm-hmm.
- I said it normally.
- Yeah, yep.
- Tell me how I said it.
When we get to the precinct we'll go through the alias database, We'll look up "Viking," see what pops up.
People behind this have reach, maybe even into Memphis PD.
We can't just walk right in.
- No.
We can't.
- Hey, what are you doing, man? - Ribidoux, hold on.
- Shoot him, Aucoin.
- Put the gun down.
- Listen to me, - you got to shoot him.
- Don't move! - They threatened to torture my family.
- Hey, whoa, hold on! - Shoot him! - Draw your weapon and fire! They showed me a video of them cutting a cop's balls off! You don't have to do this.
There's no need - Grab your gun and fire or you're gonna die! - Shoot! - You don't have to do this! - I'm so sorry.
No, no, hold on! Wait, wait, wait! Wait! Don't Fuck.
I'm sorry So sorry I'm gonna pull in the woods, and I'm gonna open the door.
I'm gonna shoot you really quick.
All right? I I promise a clean shot.
A fast death.
Jesus Christ! Fuck! Okay, okay! Oh, God.
Hey! Hey! Help! Get me out of here, please! Help! - Who threatened you?! - I I don't know! - I need a name! - Tell him! I don't know.
They had accents.
That's all I know! Please! Please Please let me out.
My friend and I are getting out of here.
I can try and take you with us, but if I do, you're going to jail, and they'll kill you inside.
And then they'll come for your family, and you know what they'll do to them.
It's your call.
Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed are thou Take a deep breath.
You do not mess with the Special Investigators.
You do not mess with the Special Investigators.
Try these.
What now? If Kliner forced that cop to kill us, odds are he hired the Viking, too.
Finlay's breaking into Kliner's office tonight.
Maybe when he flips over that rock, something important will scurry out.
I'm gonna head back to Margrave.
You got to be shittin' me.
This turned into more than you bargained for when you agreed to help.
Do me a favor and walk away.
From the guys who killed your brother and tried to kill us? Right.
It's not a request.
And you're not my commanding officer anymore.
I'm going back to Memphis.
See what I can find out about The Viking.
I'll call you when I know more.
Be safe, boss.
You, too.
Guess you're not pulling all the strings, huh, Kliner?