The Chi (2018) s02e07 Episode Script
Blind Eye
1 BRANDON: Previously on The Chi KEVIN: Who you out with this late anyways? KIESHA: I got you something.
Oh, shit.
KIESHA: I got Emmett to get them for you.
That's who you was with? Who else? I'm from Family C Realty Group.
There is affordable senior living in the area that is well within Miss Davis' price point.
Can you describe who attacked you? He said he was a homeless vet.
Get rid of everything inside and out.
What about the car? MAN: Anything you like, you can keep.
HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYS JADA: Your father lived in this house? Across the street from you? My grandma told me who he was when I was a boy.
RONNIE: We never spoke about it after that.
You're the one that told me the kid was standing over Jason's body.
I looked out for you, your family.
And this is what you do to me? [BLOW LANDS.]
CRUZ: That was a fucking kid out there.
None of this is personal, Detective, but it seems personal to you.
Why is that? Perhaps this motivated individual needs a fish for her efforts.
It would be an honor to help you out.
How does ten grand sound? BRANDON: Thank you.
This is gonna be the best investment you ever made.
We got the fish.
[CAR DOOR DINGING.]
I got a cell phone on the passenger's seat.
No gun.
- MORENO: Look in the back.
- I did.
Check again.
Under the fucking seats between the cushions.
What's wrong with y'all? CRUZ: Fuck.
Nothing.
- [HEAVY BREATHING.]
- Jesus Christ.
Like we got targets on our back out here! MAN: We can't answer any questions.
This is an ongoing investigation.
There's no gun.
There's just a cell phone.
No, no.
I saw it.
He had a fucking gun.
DRAMATIC MUSIC [SIRENS BLARING.]
You gotta look again.
There's no gun, Moreno.
I know what I saw.
He could have killed us both.
What do you mean? You got no business here.
You hear me? [ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE.]
The lieutenant's here.
Just sit tight.
LIEUTENANT: What did you find in the vehicle? We went through it with a fine-toothed comb, Lieutenant.
Nothing.
All right, I'm gonna need you to babysit him.
Take him back to the precinct.
LIEUTENANT: You don't let him out of your sight.
CRUZ: Yes, sir.
MAN: We'll open it up when we can! [ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE.]
MAN: Everybody just stay calm.
Detective, you okay? Yeah.
Yeah, who is she? Lauren Reddick.
Resides on Belmont, North Side.
UNI: She definitely crossed a few zip codes to get here.
[INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER.]
UNI: There's been a rash of car jackings in the area.
We found her here nonresponsive.
Checked vitals.
Old man walking his dog this morning saw the body and made the call.
UNI: Knocked on some doors.
Nobody saw or heard anything.
UNI: What you got? I want everything in this car big and small booked into evidence.
Including these.
Why? Are you thinking about retiring? Old lady got beat up pretty bad a few weeks ago not far from here.
Home invasion.
I think this may be connected.
HIP-HOP MUSIC The Chi 2x07 Blind Eye Well, we're on some type of vehicle and I smell food, so how much of a surprise is this gonna be? Can you just play along, J? Okay, now.
BRANDON: Awesome, right? Yeah.
What is it? This.
Your stove? BRANDON: This isn't just a stove.
This is a state of the art heating and cooling convection appliance.
This thing is worth practically more than my truck.
Diddy probably has one of these in his house.
Great, babe.
Diddy's stove.
I mean, what else does it do besides cook food? Really, J? How much was the prize for third place at the After Taste, again? It was just 1,000 bucks, but that went on my student loans.
I got this from the money I got I I got this with the money I got from the investor.
What? An investor? That's awesome, Brandon.
See, I told you as soon as your name got out there a little, great things would happen.
Who's the investor? It's Otis Perry.
The pizza guy.
You're telling me there was no one else out there you could go into business with besides him? I'm telling you Otis Perry believes in what I'm doing.
And he's legit.
Some folks you know might not fuck with him, but a lot of people do.
You know what? If Otis Perry believes in my man, then I guess I can believe in Otis Perry.
Good.
I'm happy.
But, um, don't mention it tonight at dinner with my parents.
They say they've got something big to talk to me about.
So talk about your awesome Diddy stove instead.
Ugh, late for work.
I gotta go.
You're being real fucking shady about my stove, J.
[KISSES.]
Bye.
Who had a baby? Ronnie say it's for his grandbaby.
That Shanté's little girl? I don't even know what he's talking about.
I'm about to give it all to the Goodwill.
Cluttering up my living room.
ETHEL: Where's my remote? Time for my "Judge Mathis".
Hey, is that Ronnie out there? ETHEL: Yeah, that's him.
Been out there with that car from over at that damn house.
Needed to leave it alone.
Now he act like he hardly got time to speak.
Are you two okay? I don't know what his problem is.
He can stay out there with that car all day if he want to.
- Don't make me no never mind.
- [TV CLICKS ON.]
WOMAN [ON TV.]
: He at the strip club all the time.
Well, maybe you should ask him what's going on.
WOMAN [ON TV.]
: I don't want to hear that.
JADA: Maybe something wrong.
Child, can't you see the judge is talking? [WOMEN ARGUING.]
MAN: It's because you want your mama and your cousin.
Dog, on the real, I've seen her more excited to watch a cat fighting a banana on YouTube.
She could at least play the shit off.
I mean, my stove is expensive.
[LAUGHS.]
You messed up, bro.
You don't surprise a girl with something expensive unless it's for her.
She probably thought you was gonna buy her a ring.
A ring? You mean like an engagement ring? No, a wrestling ring.
Yeah.
Do you know her birthstone? Emerald.
Right, girls tell you that shit thinking you're gonna buy them a ring with their birthstone in it.
But you're busy buying stoves.
[LAUGHS.]
That's how women are, bro.
Y'all think y'all on the same page then they come at you sideways with some bullshit like getting married.
It ain't really sideways 'cause we talked about marriage.
But it's been a minute.
Anyways, why am I listening to you, the man with 18 baby mommas? [CLICKS TONGUE.]
Look.
what you think about these? BRANDON: I thought you sold most of your collection.
These ain't for me.
They for Kiesha, thank you very much.
I've been hitting her up for the past week.
She ain't called me, text me, send me a pigeon, or nothing.
She runs track so I was thinking about surprising her with these Marion Jones spikes from back in the day.
That's her favorite track star.
But why you sweating her, though? Don't she got a man? Feel it everywhere I mean, even when we booed up, there's still the fuck buddy code.
What's the fuck buddy code? Easy.
Two rules.
Unless married or engaged, we always smash.
Just no catching feelings and shit.
Mmm.
But you buying the other dude's chick shoes because she not calling you back.
Girl Do your thing, playboy.
You don't sound jealous at all.
Girl I heard about what happened with the stash house raid, so I thought I should remind you that with the black community, things are on edge as it relates to police brutality.
You push too hard, you go too far, then you've got another Ferguson.
I'm very much aware of the climate in the community, Sergeant.
It was a mistake.
I'll be more careful next time.
I'm not looking in the mirror right now, but I'm not not looking in the mirror, either.
You catch my drift, detective? I know we sit behind this desk.
I work these streets too.
Good, so you heard about the 66 shootings in one weekend.
The 53 shootings the following weekend? Or how about the three-year-old shot by a stray bullet while watching cartoons in her living room? You're asking me to adhere to rules they'll never follow.
CLEMMONS: That's right, Detective.
We have rules.
They do not.
So whatever issues you bring in with that badge, work it out with a shrink.
Think whatever you want about these boys out here gangbanging but they're still somebody's child.
[DISTANT PHONE RINGING.]
[ENGINE GRINDING.]
Come on.
Come on.
Come on.
[GRINDING.]
What year is it? 1985 Caprice.
Mmm.
RONNIE: I've been making a little change from working at the community center.
If I can get this thing running, it'll be the smoothest ride on the South Side.
[CHUCKLES.]
Isn't that what they said about the L? [LAUGHS.]
Thanks.
I didn't know you were handy.
Shit, I always like fixing things.
I can hook up an I.
V.
in my sleep.
But hand me a wrench [EXHALES SHARPLY.]
[LAUGHS.]
Yeah.
She can sense that you're upset with her about something.
I'll deal with it.
Ronnie, you're gonna have to talk to her eventually.
No, it won't do no good.
She taught me not to talk about it, so I didn't.
There's nothing else to say.
Sure there is.
Like, don't you have questions? Like, why didn't y'all ever move? And did she ever go over there and confront him for not even saying hi to you when you live right across the street? Well, she can't answer for him.
She probably can't even answer for herself.
What's she gonna tell me that's gonna make it right? Well, there's something else I need to talk to you about.
I'm thinking about moving on.
I got a promising lead with a group home.
Better pay, benefits.
Well, when you signed up to take care of my grandma, I'm sure you weren't expecting to deal with everything that came with it.
I'm just glad I was here for her.
Let me take you to dinner.
I mean, it's not much.
My way of saying thank you.
It's the least that I can do.
I got a better idea.
Why don't you come by my place and put together my bookcase? It's been laying around a box since I moved here.
And I need someplace for all my Oprah's Book Club books.
I can do that.
You asked me something about a white girl canvassing the area around Miss Ethel's.
Yeah.
You got something? I caught a homicide off of 75th.
Vic is a white female shot once in the head.
Realtor named Lauren Reddick.
She had a stack of these in her trunk.
Same ones you got from Miss Ethel's, right? Yeah.
She came by saying that her company Family C Realty acquired the property.
They left eviction notices and offered her a stipend for moving expenses.
How thoughtful.
Steal your home from under you, throw you a couple of bucks for the U-Haul.
Another neighbor said a white woman was going up and down the block offering people money to move.
Something about the realty company and the white realtor felt weird to me, so I ran a check on the company.
It was legit.
Based in North Carolina.
Now with these showing up again, that's too coincidental.
If my homicide is connected to your home invasion Guess that makes us partners.
So, what are they saying? CRUZ: Lieutenant is on his way back.
He wants us to talk this through.
This is some fucked up shit, man.
Damn.
His tags were expired.
I made these stops, what, a thousand times? I was just gonna give him a warning, you know? Look, I panicked.
It was an honest mistake.
I thought he I just DRAMATIC MUSIC I just thought I saw a gun.
Didn't you think that too? He fucking reached for something.
I know I'm not crazy.
Seatbelt.
He reached for his seatbelt.
It was still around his chest.
[SPEAKING SPANISH.]
[SPEAKING SPANISH.]
[SPEAKING SPANISH.]
You remember that? Yeah, I want us both to go home to our families too.
But We're partners, Armando.
We started at the academy together.
If this situation was reversed, there's no question what I'd do.
MORENO: Look Two things you're always gonna find on these fucking [SPEAKING SPANISH.]
Weed and guns, and they'll blow our brains out - the second we get caught slipping.
- Come on, Moreno.
Don't go there, man.
This isn't you.
MORENO: It's me now.
I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by six.
MORENO: Right? [R&B MUSIC PLAYS OVER SPEAKERS.]
More vino, please.
Only if you don't call my man a thug no more.
No, no, no, no Girl, I'm sorry.
You get one drink today, bitch, not three.
I never get drunk at work, Jerrika.
Okay, so there was the one time at the company cookout.
But Thomas was there with his new chick.
Well, his new chick isn't working this account, so try to keep it together, would you? You're doing a great job so far.
The tenants have been really happy with the rates they've been getting.
Mrs.
Brown's been happy, too, surprisingly.
Well, cheers to you for hooking a girl up.
I just wish I could give a hook up to some of these people.
What people? Take your pick.
They're from low income tenants who can't find housing elsewhere in the city.
They're being pushed out by Mrs.
Brown's new condo property.
COURTNEY: Damn.
This is intense.
I've been reading them all day.
All of them working three, four jobs, taking care of their kids.
But either the buildings with low income residencies are at capacity, or the owners won't rent to poor people at all.
COURTNEY: Now, I don't even know what to say, J.
There are even high-rises on Lakeshore Drive that set aside housing for low income residents.
You think I didn't tell Mrs.
Brown that a hundred fucking times? Bitch is cold.
I think it's selected Sometimes not for lack of trusting I know that every little thing And you could give me some direction EMMETT: Yo, little man.
Wait up.
What you doing here? I was just in the area.
Saw you walking home from school.
What, I can't say what up to Kiesha's little bro? Yeah, I guess.
Bet.
I saw the ride you was driving in the other day.
Shit went hard.
Oh, so you clowning my truck? No, I'm talking about the beamer.
The one you dropped Kiesha off in the other night.
Right.
The beamer.
Them rims was fire, man.
The matte, it's all right, but you can't touch the silver.
Probably cost you a grip.
Well, yeah.
I had to sell a lot of tacos to get those.
Uh, what else you like about it? I like the tint, the color Wh what color was it? What? I mean [SCOFFS.]
'Cause sometimes the color be a little different at night.
Oh, it looked black to me.
Right.
Black.
Look, little man, that wasn't me.
She said it was.
I ride the L, bro.
Damn.
Then I don't know who it was.
She been acting real funny lately.
Always missing curfew.
Damn, she never missed curfew for me.
Uh, you think the guy picks her up from school? Why? - Uh - Do not go over there.
Kiesha will kill me if she knew I was talking to you about her business.
Calm down.
I ain't going over there.
I'll catch you later, Emmett.
I gotta go.
All right, man.
[EXHALES SHARPLY.]
Beamer.
Her landlord will let us into her apartment this afternoon.
I'll have the Evidence Techs meet us there.
CLEMMONS: Cruz, Toussaint.
This is Detective Eli Sawyer.
He's been detailed to us from Area Three Homicide.
I want you to run point on the Reddick homicide.
Detective Sawyer here will be your second.
I'm pulling you off the case.
We'll connect later.
Text me those numbers.
Yep.
Sarge, what the hell? Mm.
I just got off the phone with IA.
They've ruled on the Ronald Davis case.
It was a bad confession and they've found you negligent and in violation of department policy.
They're recommending a two week reassignment to administrative duty, and I've signed off on that.
So I'm riding a desk.
Great.
Does the reassignment have to start right now? Because this case It's effective immediately.
I've done shit for CIs I shouldn't have.
Told them things I shouldn't have.
You did something with Ronnie Davis that got you to this point.
Now, I don't know what it is, but I suggest you don't do it again.
How am I supposed to tell his kids their daddy dead? LETICA: How? They murdered my little brother in cold blood.
[LETICIA CRYING.]
How many of us they gotta kill before one of them motherfuckers get put in jail? My brother didn't have no gun.
JEMAL: Tell the fucking truth! SOMBER MUSIC As you can see, there's a hurting family - and community outrage is on the rise.
- SECRETARY: Cruz.
REPORTER: We've just Incident report on the Moreno shooting.
Lieutenant wants you to sign and get it back to him ASAP.
[ALL LAUGHING.]
Mmm, Brandon, this is delicious.
Jerrika said salmon was your favorite, so Mm-hmm.
MASON: Yes, as long as my lovely wife has some fish to each, she's happy.
But just don't ask her to catch one.
Daddy, not again.
Mason Little, don't start.
Brandon, let's just say it involved a trout, a park ranger, and one very angry black woman.
[ALL LAUGHING.]
So I'm guessing the trout lost.
You're very smart.
Speaking of which, Jerrika told us about that cooking competition.
MASON: Third place out of 50 chefs from all around the city.
Not bad.
It's not bad at all.
BRANDON: Yeah, it's been good.
I've been getting a lot more business opportunities, so MASON: Then you're lucky to be dating our daughter.
She's got one of the best business minds I know.
Which is why we wanted to have this dinner tonight.
[R&B MUSIC PLAYING.]
Jerrika, your father and I want you to take on more responsibility with the company and phase you into overseeing all the rental properties and the corporate accounts.
SHARON: You've done great navigating a lot of tricky issues with Mrs.
Brown.
[CHUCKLES.]
And now it's time for us to scale back and start thinking about retiring.
Wow, Mom and Dad.
[LAUGHS.]
This is awesome.
Uh I'd love to do it.
I'm so glad, Jerrika.
BRANDON: Congratulations, babe.
This is great.
And as my first decision in my new role, I want us to rent some more low income residents.
J, our low income set asides are already full.
We increased them to 11% just last year.
What else do you want us to do? I want us to do more.
SHARON: And how do you propose we do that? We can't exactly kick the current tenants out.
No, we couldn't do that.
I I'm gonna get more fish.
You y'all want more fish? We could wait until any leases are up on the commercial properties and then convert another ten percent to low income tenancies.
You know what? This is such a lovely dinner, darling.
Can we just dive into this a little bit later? Sure, Mom.
Whatever you say.
Thanks for putting my bookcase together.
- You have a glass? - No, not for me.
Uh, but, uh, thanks for surprising me with dinner.
Oh, you're welcome.
Tell me about this new baby in your life.
I'm jealous.
Oh, she's adorable, Ronnie.
Gonna take the stuff I bought over to Shanté's first thing in the morning.
I'm hoping she likes it.
Oh, she will.
And it's good that you're getting out of the house.
Your grandma's been complaining about it.
It's like ever since the attack, even the slightest bit of change freaks her out.
That's not it.
She was like that before.
Always complaining.
She thinks I'm doing too much for Shanté, but she's she's raising my granddaughter.
What's she expect me to do? Sometimes I don't understand Why she did what she did.
Mmm, based on what you told me, you got a good reason to be upset with her.
Well, my grandma ain't the talk about your feelings kind, so JADA: We all have these generational curses in our family, Ronnie.
But we just keep repeating the same awful cycle one generation to the next.
My mother, she was a single mom.
Raising us on her own.
I turned around and did the same thing with Emmett.
No, neither one of us had a good picker when it came to choosing men.
But, you know, we can always try to do different.
By not holding things in.
Thanks, Jada.
For everything.
[CHUCKLES.]
I should go now.
EMMETT: So it was cool, yo? No, uh, third degree from Dad or nasty looks from Mama looking you up and down? No, it was cool.
Her dad was even saying how Jerrika can help me with my business.
EMMETT: Damn, guess it's OG time.
Better hand in that bachelor card and get that proposal speech ready.
BRANDON: This isn't right.
Yo.
EMMETT: What's up? 50 Gs? What? [LAUGHS.]
Who gave you this? What where where did this come from? Whoa, nigga, what? Oh, my Yes, may I speak to Mr.
Perry, please? This is Brandon Johnson.
Why'd you call him? To give the money back.
What? Uh, sorry, we got the wrong number.
Really? What the hell are you doing? What is you doing? Correcting this shit.
Ain't nothing to correct.
You out here blocking blessings.
You think I'm just gonna let you do that? Somebody at his joint clearly fucked up.
Listen, I had a mall job in high school, right? After I quit they kept paying me for, like, two months till someone figured it out.
I bought two pair of Jordans off that shit.
With 50 Gs, guess what we could buy.
Four new stoves, a new truck, and a ring for your girl.
But it's like driving a car that ain't yours.
And I ain't trying to be the one in Mr.
Perry's car when dude come looking for who stole it.
Right.
Heard about the IA ruling.
Guess Clemmons is into handing out ass whuppings all over.
You too? Yeah.
Stash house raid.
My last IA ruling ended up a 30-day suspension.
No pay.
I'm tired of hearing about how lucky I am when Ronnie Davis confessed to everything, but What was your deal? Bad shoot.
Dropped a heavyweight in a West Side clique.
It's one less gang leader for us to deal with.
Did the city a favor.
I got caught up in the emotion of it all.
Took it personal.
Can you elaborate? They say confession is is good for the soul.
I thought you'd wanna stay clear of confessions, considering.
[CHUCKLES.]
You gotten anything on Reddick? None of her friends knew why she'd be on the South Side.
Nor much about her employer.
I got these, though.
I circled back around to the 63rd Street mob.
Had Sawyer tail Reg.
He's been ghost on the block lately.
Lying low in his house.
Except to eat at Brandon Johnson's food truck.
He's got pretty damn good tacos.
Got a fried fish coconut custard thing.
It's crazy.
You know what I noticed? Hmm? TOUSSAINT: Money.
What am I missing? What's the big deal about Reg buying food at a food truck? The 63rd Street mob paying Brandon for food is bizarre.
We all know they extort money from people all over the South Side and rarely pay for anything.
'Cause everybody's scared of them.
Yet they're showing Brandon a whole lot of respect.
And there's them at the repast, too.
Okay, slightly off.
But growing up in the same neighborhood means you know a lot of the same people.
It doesn't mean Brandon's in the gang.
It doesn't mean he isn't, either.
I don't buy it.
[SCOFFS.]
There goes that bleeding heart for black men again.
Do they all get a "get out of jail" pass? No pressure.
Just asking.
It's never enough.
Yeah.
We need to talk.
Now.
We can do it out here, but for your sake, I suggest we do it privately.
Let me talk to my partner and I'll catch up with you guys later.
That's what you told the Lieutenant? The guy lunged at you? Made threatening gestures? You feared for your safety? Are you fucking kidding me? You need to calm down.
What threatening gestures did you see him make? Look, it's a shit storm now.
It's out of my hands.
The big wigs have taken over.
They sat me down with the department's media officer.
My union rep told me my address was leaked to the press, that my family's in danger.
They even updated the department's web site to include my affiliation with the Puerto Rican Officers Association.
What the hell does that have to do with any of this? It's harder to accuse a person of color of bias for shooting another person of color.
Look, that's what they told me.
TENSE MUSIC They've taken over, and I'm letting them.
You're gonna lie? I'm gonna protect my family.
It's the coconut shit, right? CRUZ: Brown on the outside, white on the inside? It's the George Zimmerman strategy? Don't be this kind of cop, man.
No, don't you be this kind of cop.
Now sign the fucking report.
[DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES.]
This is the third time I done seen you in two weeks.
Start charging your little ass.
Gotta stay tight.
Who you trying to stay crispy for, anyway? Little mama with the homework business? Maisha? Um, yeah, you know, she cool.
[LAUGHS.]
I hang with her sometimes, but my boys don't like her.
[SHAVER BUZZING.]
She is, uh, mean.
[LAUGHS.]
For real, for real.
Shit be funny sometimes, though.
When her and Papa get at it.
Yeah, but that's how girls act.
They be mean to see if you're gonna stick around.
And if you do, they know you're a good brother.
Yeah.
But sometimes that shit go too far.
[SCOFFS.]
True that.
BRANDON: And don't let your friends pick your girl.
'Cause if you do you're gonna end up marrying a stripper.
[LAUGHS.]
[SHAVER BUZZING.]
I owe you, for real? No, I got you.
You know I got you.
But once a week, man, I got a full time job.
You working me.
Bet.
SOFT MUSIC Patrice? Hi, Jerrika? Yes, so nice to meet you.
Thank you for coming.
Please, have a seat.
This is a nice place.
[CHUCKLES.]
I ain't never been nowhere like this on the South Side.
Hope it wasn't out of your way.
It's fine.
I took the day off work 'cause I was just so happy to get your call.
[LAUGHS.]
I've been praying for a breakthrough.
But once you called I brought you my references.
Oh, it's fine.
Uh, your application was more than complete.
[R&B MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS.]
Unfortunately all the condos are booked in Mrs.
Brown's building and the other properties I listed.
But I wanted to meet you in person to encourage you and to give you these.
They're from Housing Aid.
I'm sure they'll be able to help you.
I went to school with one of the lawyers there, and I already called on your behalf and told her about your letter.
She's happy to work with you and thinks she could help.
Miss Little, I work in a meat packing plant in Mahomet.
It's two hours from my house in a shit hole.
The only thing that keeps my boss from trying to mess over me is that he said I remind him of a Jamaican lady who used to babysit him.
I take three buses every day and then walk the rest of the way to get to work by 3:00 a.
m.
because any other shift gets me back too late to pick up my daughter in time from day care.
If I'm late, she adds another $25.
I would leave her ass except for the fact that her rate is cheap.
I'm guessing you don't have the same problems.
If you brought me all the way down here just to say no to my face and give me a number to Housing Aid, you could have just told me all that on the phone.
[KNOCKING.]
Yo, we're not serving yet.
[KNOCKING.]
J.
B.
: Yo, B, open up.
Hey.
Yo, what up, J.
B.
? I just had to drop these off per Mr.
Perry's orders.
What's these for? Second food truck.
What are you giving it to me for? You gotta ask him.
I do what the man say.
It come with two new employees.
Enjoy, brother.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
[CAR DOOR CLOSES, ENGINE TURNS OVER.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
TENSE MUSIC [DOOR CLOSES.]
[KEYS CLATTER.]
Hey, J.
I need to talk to you.
Okay.
And before you go telling me I told you so [SNIFFS.]
Oh, shit, baby.
What's wrong? [CRYING.]
I'm sorry.
I just Ooh, I hate my job.
I hate what I'm doing, but I don't know what else to do.
I've been pushing everybody else's dreams.
My parents, yours, but I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing.
What my passion is.
And I don't know how to figure it out.
[CRYING.]
Hey, hey.
I'm sorry.
You wanted to talk to me.
No, it's okay.
[SNIFFS.]
[GROANS.]
[SNIFFS.]
Hey.
You should quit.
What? I'm serious.
You should do what makes you happy, J.
Brandon, I can't quit.
I'd be leaving my parents, Mrs.
Brown, and it brings in a lot of commission.
[SNIFFS.]
We need the money.
Hey.
I got you.
I love you and I'm gonna take care of you.
AMBIENT MUSIC You've been carrying us for long enough.
It's my turn.
Brandon, that is so sweet.
But this I have to figure out on my own, okay? TOUSSAINT: There's a story.
TOUSSAINT: It's more of an urban legend, really, that one day these gangs are gonna figure it out.
Okay.
They would find a kid and groom him from the youngest age.
He'd have no criminal record.
They'd fund his education, keep him clear of the streets, raise him to become a pillar of the community, maybe one day go into politics.
Or policing.
- An algorithm.
- Exactly.
I picked up a few more interesting details on your man crush, Brandon Johnson.
This is Alvin Young.
He tailed Brandon's truck to five different locations today.
Parked within eyesight at every rip.
Guess what social club he belongs to? 63rd Street mob.
Got out of the pen about four months ago.
Pretty good at this game, Detective.
Suddenly Brandon's got his own mini secret service detail.
Young and another known gang member watched the truck all day.
Interesting, yes.
Crime, I don't think so.
All they did was watch like they were protecting him.
Or the truck.
It also looks like Brandon won the lotto.
This is a 2019 Royal Strike Coach, fully loaded.
Top of the line in the world of food trucks.
Price tag 75K.
You're determined to make him an earner for the gang, but I still don't see it.
I'm curious to know where he got the money, but I'm not ready to make him 63rd Street because business is good.
Maybe he's selling dope off the truck for the gang.
Brandon's not a dope boy.
He doesn't fit the profile.
Brandon could be the algorithm.
How about this? Let me talk to Brandon, see what he tells me.
You wanna give a potential suspect the heads up and jeopardize my case? I'm not gonna give him a heads up.
I think you know that's a terrible idea.
TENSE MUSIC CRUZ: Hey, man.
BOY: My mom can give you a ride.
GIRL: Cool, see you later! [CAR LOCK CHIRPS.]
RICKY: You need something? Hey, n nice ride.
Thanks, man.
Hey, front rims are classic.
Only way to go.
Don't need everything blinged out.
That's for you young cats.
Right, young.
Hey, ain't you a little old to be, uh, running track? No offense.
I'm not on the team.
I'm the coach.
Who are you? Student here? Uh, yeah.
You're short as fuck.
If you got some speed on you, check us out.
Tryout's coming up.
[ENGINE TURNS OVER.]
Motherfucker.
- DRAMATIC MUSIC - - - Where's the fire, son? My assistant says you called three times.
Yeah, um, I wanted to talk to you about the money you gave me.
It was a lot more than you said and I just I figured somebody made a mistake.
I didn't want you to think I was trying to steal from you.
People that I work with know better than to steal from me.
I mean, and then the truck came.
Come here.
Yeah.
Raise your expectations.
The money was a gift, son.
A show of faith in you.
Your talent.
I've just never had that much.
Faith.
Get some.
Don't ever let another man dream bigger dreams for you than you're dreaming for yourself.
I'm just a chef.
BRANDON: And I'm good at it.
But this is all happening so fast.
I can barely keep track of one employee and now I got two more and a brand-new truck.
Do you hear yourself, hmm? Just a chef.
That guy I saw in that truck was a hustler.
A young gun who was ready to do whatever it takes.
I see you as a brand, Brandon.
If you don't see yourself that way, then you're wasting my time.
When I lost my first job, I had been planning to buy a pickup.
You know what I did after they fired me? I went out and bought a Mercedes.
When I didn't get a promotion that I wanted, I went out and put a down payment on my first house.
It forced me to bet on myself.
Guess I'm just nervous.
I get being nervous.
But scared money don't make money, son.
You take some time to think about it.
But not too much.
'Cause I move on quick.
How you doing, boss? I'm looking for, uh, a friend.
Older guy.
GREAVY: Man, what the hell is that? Never mind.
I think I found him.
[SLOW ROCK MUSIC PLAYS.]
Greavy, what's the problem? What the hell is this place, Brandon? Bartender tell me they only sell artistic beer.
Artisanal beer? Nigga, I just want a Schlitz.
It's about damn time.
Don't know what a pretty girl like that putting up with your raggedy ass for, anyway.
You should have been and proposed.
Can you ever give me advice without insulting me? Well, just be happy that girl can't see straight.
[LAUGHS.]
But this is the first time you invited me anywhere.
You about to ask me for some money or something? [LAUGHS.]
What's going on with you? No, I don't need your money, man.
I got this investor.
Real smart businessman.
Helping me with the money side of things.
Otis Perry, the pizza guy.
Douda? Otis Perry, Perry's Pizza? Streets know him as Douda.
And he as shady as a three dollar bill.
I knew something was keeping me from eating off that truck of yours.
Ain't nothing wrong with my truck.
It's about to be.
Why everybody tripping on the dude? Jerrika's on the same shit.
Then she ain't as blind as I thought.
Look, I grew up in these streets, boy.
Douda is a hustler.
So, who not a hustler? No, I'm not talking about that kind of hustler.
When he was young, he was on the playground and he cracked some boy's head open and went right back to playing ball like like it never even happened.
Cold as a motherfucker even in grade school.
TENSE MUSIC So what do you think I should do now? With what I told you, what you think? [CAR ENGINE GRINDING.]
[DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE.]
[SIGHS.]
[LAUGHS.]
[SIGHS.]
[SIGHS.]
All right, come on, now.
Come on.
[CAR DINGING.]
[ENGINE TURNS OVER.]
Yes! Yes! Yeah.
[KISSES.]
MAN [ON RADIO.]
: Looks like it's gonna be cloudy this evening with more rain showers.
And up next, "You and Me" by Rockie Robbins on WZLL, Chicago's freshest in R&B and neo soul.
[FUNKY R&B MUSIC PLAYING.]
Hmm.
[CAR HORN HONKING.]
Ethel Davis, come out here! Ronnie, what is all of this carrying on you're doing out here? Remember this song, Grandma? How many stepper competitions did you win to this? Yeah, Miss Ethel, how many? I found that picture of you looking like an old hot thing.
Y'all go on now.
Come on, Grandma.
Show us young folks how it's done.
Okay.
[BOTH LAUGHING.]
I'm gonna wear you out, boy.
[BOTH LAUGHING.]
Oh you and me Together forever You and me Just us two Oh you and me Belong together Sharing everything that we do Now you give me and I give you CASPER: Good afternoon.
I am Casper Francis.
Commander of the Central Patrol Division of the Kansas City Police Department.
Standing before the media is never an easy task in the wake of an officer-involved shooting that results in a fatality.
But in the spirit of complete transparency, I've asked my support team to provide as much information as possible so that the public may be fully informed.
Please keep in mind this is an ongoing investigation and we are limited in what we can share.
- Where the fuck is your partner? - No clue.
CASPER: With that, I'd like to introduce you to Lieutenant Neil Sokolow, ranking officer on the scene the night of the incident to answer questions.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
Uh, Lieutenant Neil Sokolow.
S-O-K-O-L-O-W.
I'll take questions.
- Lieutenant.
- [ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE.]
So, was there a weapon recovered from the vehicle? We are continuing with our preliminary investigation.
We're not prepared to speak on that at this time.
However, the officer did fear for his life.
What does that mean? So you're saying there was a weapon? How exactly did the officer fear for his life? Next question.
[ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE.]
[WATER RUNNING.]
[MUFFLED CHATTER.]
NEIL: Next question.
DRAMATIC MUSIC Portions of Officer Moreno's account have been made available to press but what about other officers - that were on the scene? - Excuse me.
MAN: Will any of them be made available for a statement? Excuse me.
NEIL: Well, it's been a traumatic experience for all those involved.
And we support our officers' rights to process this and make a statement when they're ready.
Um, yes, your question.
Yes, this is for Armando Cruz.
[CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING.]
Can you speak to your account of what happened that night? WOMAN: We'd like to hear, yes.
My partner perceived a threat and acted in accordance with our training.
He saved my life in the process.
- [CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS.]
- I fully support him.
[SPEAKS SPANISH.]
CRUZ: Gracias.
MAN: It's a simple case of racial discrimination! MAN 2: No, we're done talking, okay? - You heard the officer.
- [REPORTERS SHOUTING.]
That's the final word he's gonna say today.
We're taking no more questions.
This conference this press conference is over.
[SHOUTING FADES.]
[PHONES RINGING.]
[KEYBOARD CLICKING.]
[PHONE BEEPS.]
Brandon.
This is Detective Cruz.
We should talk ASAP.
[PHONE BEEPS.]
[DOOR BUZZES.]
[DOOR THUDS.]
Hey, baby.
How you been? Have they moved your bunk yet? Why haven't you put the money on my commissary like I asked, Mom? Tristan, I did.
You know it takes a day or two to post sometimes.
And you could be a little nicer.
You have to keep the money on my books.
The gang, they ain't protecting me no more.
I need the money to keep these niggas up off me.
I know.
I'm working on getting you into segregation.
Have you made any friends at all? No, Ma.
Everybody in here already knows who I am.
And worse than that, they know who you are.
I'd kill that monster again before I'd let him hurt you.
You killed our boss.
Not some random ass nigga.
And I'm paying for it.
I know what I did, Tristan.
MAN: Over by the window, Kastler.
You'll understand one day when you're a parent.
I own my part.
Can you own any of yours? Please make sure the money stays on my books.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Hey, babe.
Hey.
So, I did it.
Did what? Quit, like you said.
My parents, Mrs.
Brown, everything.
Seemed like the right time to take a risk.
Wow.
This is great.
I'm so proud of you.
You sure? Yeah, I'm the one who told you to do it.
Now you can focus on doing you.
I got you.
We'll be good, right? We'll be better than good.
Ooh, babe.
I'm so relieved.
Okay, I gotta tell Courtney.
JERRIKA: Oh, she didn't pick up.
Went straight to voicemail.
What you doing? Nothing.
Just betting on me.
AMBIENT MUSIC On us.
JAZZY R&B MUSIC [TYPEWRITER CLACKING, BELL DINGS.]
Oh, shit.
KIESHA: I got Emmett to get them for you.
That's who you was with? Who else? I'm from Family C Realty Group.
There is affordable senior living in the area that is well within Miss Davis' price point.
Can you describe who attacked you? He said he was a homeless vet.
Get rid of everything inside and out.
What about the car? MAN: Anything you like, you can keep.
HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYS JADA: Your father lived in this house? Across the street from you? My grandma told me who he was when I was a boy.
RONNIE: We never spoke about it after that.
You're the one that told me the kid was standing over Jason's body.
I looked out for you, your family.
And this is what you do to me? [BLOW LANDS.]
CRUZ: That was a fucking kid out there.
None of this is personal, Detective, but it seems personal to you.
Why is that? Perhaps this motivated individual needs a fish for her efforts.
It would be an honor to help you out.
How does ten grand sound? BRANDON: Thank you.
This is gonna be the best investment you ever made.
We got the fish.
[CAR DOOR DINGING.]
I got a cell phone on the passenger's seat.
No gun.
- MORENO: Look in the back.
- I did.
Check again.
Under the fucking seats between the cushions.
What's wrong with y'all? CRUZ: Fuck.
Nothing.
- [HEAVY BREATHING.]
- Jesus Christ.
Like we got targets on our back out here! MAN: We can't answer any questions.
This is an ongoing investigation.
There's no gun.
There's just a cell phone.
No, no.
I saw it.
He had a fucking gun.
DRAMATIC MUSIC [SIRENS BLARING.]
You gotta look again.
There's no gun, Moreno.
I know what I saw.
He could have killed us both.
What do you mean? You got no business here.
You hear me? [ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE.]
The lieutenant's here.
Just sit tight.
LIEUTENANT: What did you find in the vehicle? We went through it with a fine-toothed comb, Lieutenant.
Nothing.
All right, I'm gonna need you to babysit him.
Take him back to the precinct.
LIEUTENANT: You don't let him out of your sight.
CRUZ: Yes, sir.
MAN: We'll open it up when we can! [ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE.]
MAN: Everybody just stay calm.
Detective, you okay? Yeah.
Yeah, who is she? Lauren Reddick.
Resides on Belmont, North Side.
UNI: She definitely crossed a few zip codes to get here.
[INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER.]
UNI: There's been a rash of car jackings in the area.
We found her here nonresponsive.
Checked vitals.
Old man walking his dog this morning saw the body and made the call.
UNI: Knocked on some doors.
Nobody saw or heard anything.
UNI: What you got? I want everything in this car big and small booked into evidence.
Including these.
Why? Are you thinking about retiring? Old lady got beat up pretty bad a few weeks ago not far from here.
Home invasion.
I think this may be connected.
HIP-HOP MUSIC The Chi 2x07 Blind Eye Well, we're on some type of vehicle and I smell food, so how much of a surprise is this gonna be? Can you just play along, J? Okay, now.
BRANDON: Awesome, right? Yeah.
What is it? This.
Your stove? BRANDON: This isn't just a stove.
This is a state of the art heating and cooling convection appliance.
This thing is worth practically more than my truck.
Diddy probably has one of these in his house.
Great, babe.
Diddy's stove.
I mean, what else does it do besides cook food? Really, J? How much was the prize for third place at the After Taste, again? It was just 1,000 bucks, but that went on my student loans.
I got this from the money I got I I got this with the money I got from the investor.
What? An investor? That's awesome, Brandon.
See, I told you as soon as your name got out there a little, great things would happen.
Who's the investor? It's Otis Perry.
The pizza guy.
You're telling me there was no one else out there you could go into business with besides him? I'm telling you Otis Perry believes in what I'm doing.
And he's legit.
Some folks you know might not fuck with him, but a lot of people do.
You know what? If Otis Perry believes in my man, then I guess I can believe in Otis Perry.
Good.
I'm happy.
But, um, don't mention it tonight at dinner with my parents.
They say they've got something big to talk to me about.
So talk about your awesome Diddy stove instead.
Ugh, late for work.
I gotta go.
You're being real fucking shady about my stove, J.
[KISSES.]
Bye.
Who had a baby? Ronnie say it's for his grandbaby.
That Shanté's little girl? I don't even know what he's talking about.
I'm about to give it all to the Goodwill.
Cluttering up my living room.
ETHEL: Where's my remote? Time for my "Judge Mathis".
Hey, is that Ronnie out there? ETHEL: Yeah, that's him.
Been out there with that car from over at that damn house.
Needed to leave it alone.
Now he act like he hardly got time to speak.
Are you two okay? I don't know what his problem is.
He can stay out there with that car all day if he want to.
- Don't make me no never mind.
- [TV CLICKS ON.]
WOMAN [ON TV.]
: He at the strip club all the time.
Well, maybe you should ask him what's going on.
WOMAN [ON TV.]
: I don't want to hear that.
JADA: Maybe something wrong.
Child, can't you see the judge is talking? [WOMEN ARGUING.]
MAN: It's because you want your mama and your cousin.
Dog, on the real, I've seen her more excited to watch a cat fighting a banana on YouTube.
She could at least play the shit off.
I mean, my stove is expensive.
[LAUGHS.]
You messed up, bro.
You don't surprise a girl with something expensive unless it's for her.
She probably thought you was gonna buy her a ring.
A ring? You mean like an engagement ring? No, a wrestling ring.
Yeah.
Do you know her birthstone? Emerald.
Right, girls tell you that shit thinking you're gonna buy them a ring with their birthstone in it.
But you're busy buying stoves.
[LAUGHS.]
That's how women are, bro.
Y'all think y'all on the same page then they come at you sideways with some bullshit like getting married.
It ain't really sideways 'cause we talked about marriage.
But it's been a minute.
Anyways, why am I listening to you, the man with 18 baby mommas? [CLICKS TONGUE.]
Look.
what you think about these? BRANDON: I thought you sold most of your collection.
These ain't for me.
They for Kiesha, thank you very much.
I've been hitting her up for the past week.
She ain't called me, text me, send me a pigeon, or nothing.
She runs track so I was thinking about surprising her with these Marion Jones spikes from back in the day.
That's her favorite track star.
But why you sweating her, though? Don't she got a man? Feel it everywhere I mean, even when we booed up, there's still the fuck buddy code.
What's the fuck buddy code? Easy.
Two rules.
Unless married or engaged, we always smash.
Just no catching feelings and shit.
Mmm.
But you buying the other dude's chick shoes because she not calling you back.
Girl Do your thing, playboy.
You don't sound jealous at all.
Girl I heard about what happened with the stash house raid, so I thought I should remind you that with the black community, things are on edge as it relates to police brutality.
You push too hard, you go too far, then you've got another Ferguson.
I'm very much aware of the climate in the community, Sergeant.
It was a mistake.
I'll be more careful next time.
I'm not looking in the mirror right now, but I'm not not looking in the mirror, either.
You catch my drift, detective? I know we sit behind this desk.
I work these streets too.
Good, so you heard about the 66 shootings in one weekend.
The 53 shootings the following weekend? Or how about the three-year-old shot by a stray bullet while watching cartoons in her living room? You're asking me to adhere to rules they'll never follow.
CLEMMONS: That's right, Detective.
We have rules.
They do not.
So whatever issues you bring in with that badge, work it out with a shrink.
Think whatever you want about these boys out here gangbanging but they're still somebody's child.
[DISTANT PHONE RINGING.]
[ENGINE GRINDING.]
Come on.
Come on.
Come on.
[GRINDING.]
What year is it? 1985 Caprice.
Mmm.
RONNIE: I've been making a little change from working at the community center.
If I can get this thing running, it'll be the smoothest ride on the South Side.
[CHUCKLES.]
Isn't that what they said about the L? [LAUGHS.]
Thanks.
I didn't know you were handy.
Shit, I always like fixing things.
I can hook up an I.
V.
in my sleep.
But hand me a wrench [EXHALES SHARPLY.]
[LAUGHS.]
Yeah.
She can sense that you're upset with her about something.
I'll deal with it.
Ronnie, you're gonna have to talk to her eventually.
No, it won't do no good.
She taught me not to talk about it, so I didn't.
There's nothing else to say.
Sure there is.
Like, don't you have questions? Like, why didn't y'all ever move? And did she ever go over there and confront him for not even saying hi to you when you live right across the street? Well, she can't answer for him.
She probably can't even answer for herself.
What's she gonna tell me that's gonna make it right? Well, there's something else I need to talk to you about.
I'm thinking about moving on.
I got a promising lead with a group home.
Better pay, benefits.
Well, when you signed up to take care of my grandma, I'm sure you weren't expecting to deal with everything that came with it.
I'm just glad I was here for her.
Let me take you to dinner.
I mean, it's not much.
My way of saying thank you.
It's the least that I can do.
I got a better idea.
Why don't you come by my place and put together my bookcase? It's been laying around a box since I moved here.
And I need someplace for all my Oprah's Book Club books.
I can do that.
You asked me something about a white girl canvassing the area around Miss Ethel's.
Yeah.
You got something? I caught a homicide off of 75th.
Vic is a white female shot once in the head.
Realtor named Lauren Reddick.
She had a stack of these in her trunk.
Same ones you got from Miss Ethel's, right? Yeah.
She came by saying that her company Family C Realty acquired the property.
They left eviction notices and offered her a stipend for moving expenses.
How thoughtful.
Steal your home from under you, throw you a couple of bucks for the U-Haul.
Another neighbor said a white woman was going up and down the block offering people money to move.
Something about the realty company and the white realtor felt weird to me, so I ran a check on the company.
It was legit.
Based in North Carolina.
Now with these showing up again, that's too coincidental.
If my homicide is connected to your home invasion Guess that makes us partners.
So, what are they saying? CRUZ: Lieutenant is on his way back.
He wants us to talk this through.
This is some fucked up shit, man.
Damn.
His tags were expired.
I made these stops, what, a thousand times? I was just gonna give him a warning, you know? Look, I panicked.
It was an honest mistake.
I thought he I just DRAMATIC MUSIC I just thought I saw a gun.
Didn't you think that too? He fucking reached for something.
I know I'm not crazy.
Seatbelt.
He reached for his seatbelt.
It was still around his chest.
[SPEAKING SPANISH.]
[SPEAKING SPANISH.]
[SPEAKING SPANISH.]
You remember that? Yeah, I want us both to go home to our families too.
But We're partners, Armando.
We started at the academy together.
If this situation was reversed, there's no question what I'd do.
MORENO: Look Two things you're always gonna find on these fucking [SPEAKING SPANISH.]
Weed and guns, and they'll blow our brains out - the second we get caught slipping.
- Come on, Moreno.
Don't go there, man.
This isn't you.
MORENO: It's me now.
I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by six.
MORENO: Right? [R&B MUSIC PLAYS OVER SPEAKERS.]
More vino, please.
Only if you don't call my man a thug no more.
No, no, no, no Girl, I'm sorry.
You get one drink today, bitch, not three.
I never get drunk at work, Jerrika.
Okay, so there was the one time at the company cookout.
But Thomas was there with his new chick.
Well, his new chick isn't working this account, so try to keep it together, would you? You're doing a great job so far.
The tenants have been really happy with the rates they've been getting.
Mrs.
Brown's been happy, too, surprisingly.
Well, cheers to you for hooking a girl up.
I just wish I could give a hook up to some of these people.
What people? Take your pick.
They're from low income tenants who can't find housing elsewhere in the city.
They're being pushed out by Mrs.
Brown's new condo property.
COURTNEY: Damn.
This is intense.
I've been reading them all day.
All of them working three, four jobs, taking care of their kids.
But either the buildings with low income residencies are at capacity, or the owners won't rent to poor people at all.
COURTNEY: Now, I don't even know what to say, J.
There are even high-rises on Lakeshore Drive that set aside housing for low income residents.
You think I didn't tell Mrs.
Brown that a hundred fucking times? Bitch is cold.
I think it's selected Sometimes not for lack of trusting I know that every little thing And you could give me some direction EMMETT: Yo, little man.
Wait up.
What you doing here? I was just in the area.
Saw you walking home from school.
What, I can't say what up to Kiesha's little bro? Yeah, I guess.
Bet.
I saw the ride you was driving in the other day.
Shit went hard.
Oh, so you clowning my truck? No, I'm talking about the beamer.
The one you dropped Kiesha off in the other night.
Right.
The beamer.
Them rims was fire, man.
The matte, it's all right, but you can't touch the silver.
Probably cost you a grip.
Well, yeah.
I had to sell a lot of tacos to get those.
Uh, what else you like about it? I like the tint, the color Wh what color was it? What? I mean [SCOFFS.]
'Cause sometimes the color be a little different at night.
Oh, it looked black to me.
Right.
Black.
Look, little man, that wasn't me.
She said it was.
I ride the L, bro.
Damn.
Then I don't know who it was.
She been acting real funny lately.
Always missing curfew.
Damn, she never missed curfew for me.
Uh, you think the guy picks her up from school? Why? - Uh - Do not go over there.
Kiesha will kill me if she knew I was talking to you about her business.
Calm down.
I ain't going over there.
I'll catch you later, Emmett.
I gotta go.
All right, man.
[EXHALES SHARPLY.]
Beamer.
Her landlord will let us into her apartment this afternoon.
I'll have the Evidence Techs meet us there.
CLEMMONS: Cruz, Toussaint.
This is Detective Eli Sawyer.
He's been detailed to us from Area Three Homicide.
I want you to run point on the Reddick homicide.
Detective Sawyer here will be your second.
I'm pulling you off the case.
We'll connect later.
Text me those numbers.
Yep.
Sarge, what the hell? Mm.
I just got off the phone with IA.
They've ruled on the Ronald Davis case.
It was a bad confession and they've found you negligent and in violation of department policy.
They're recommending a two week reassignment to administrative duty, and I've signed off on that.
So I'm riding a desk.
Great.
Does the reassignment have to start right now? Because this case It's effective immediately.
I've done shit for CIs I shouldn't have.
Told them things I shouldn't have.
You did something with Ronnie Davis that got you to this point.
Now, I don't know what it is, but I suggest you don't do it again.
How am I supposed to tell his kids their daddy dead? LETICA: How? They murdered my little brother in cold blood.
[LETICIA CRYING.]
How many of us they gotta kill before one of them motherfuckers get put in jail? My brother didn't have no gun.
JEMAL: Tell the fucking truth! SOMBER MUSIC As you can see, there's a hurting family - and community outrage is on the rise.
- SECRETARY: Cruz.
REPORTER: We've just Incident report on the Moreno shooting.
Lieutenant wants you to sign and get it back to him ASAP.
[ALL LAUGHING.]
Mmm, Brandon, this is delicious.
Jerrika said salmon was your favorite, so Mm-hmm.
MASON: Yes, as long as my lovely wife has some fish to each, she's happy.
But just don't ask her to catch one.
Daddy, not again.
Mason Little, don't start.
Brandon, let's just say it involved a trout, a park ranger, and one very angry black woman.
[ALL LAUGHING.]
So I'm guessing the trout lost.
You're very smart.
Speaking of which, Jerrika told us about that cooking competition.
MASON: Third place out of 50 chefs from all around the city.
Not bad.
It's not bad at all.
BRANDON: Yeah, it's been good.
I've been getting a lot more business opportunities, so MASON: Then you're lucky to be dating our daughter.
She's got one of the best business minds I know.
Which is why we wanted to have this dinner tonight.
[R&B MUSIC PLAYING.]
Jerrika, your father and I want you to take on more responsibility with the company and phase you into overseeing all the rental properties and the corporate accounts.
SHARON: You've done great navigating a lot of tricky issues with Mrs.
Brown.
[CHUCKLES.]
And now it's time for us to scale back and start thinking about retiring.
Wow, Mom and Dad.
[LAUGHS.]
This is awesome.
Uh I'd love to do it.
I'm so glad, Jerrika.
BRANDON: Congratulations, babe.
This is great.
And as my first decision in my new role, I want us to rent some more low income residents.
J, our low income set asides are already full.
We increased them to 11% just last year.
What else do you want us to do? I want us to do more.
SHARON: And how do you propose we do that? We can't exactly kick the current tenants out.
No, we couldn't do that.
I I'm gonna get more fish.
You y'all want more fish? We could wait until any leases are up on the commercial properties and then convert another ten percent to low income tenancies.
You know what? This is such a lovely dinner, darling.
Can we just dive into this a little bit later? Sure, Mom.
Whatever you say.
Thanks for putting my bookcase together.
- You have a glass? - No, not for me.
Uh, but, uh, thanks for surprising me with dinner.
Oh, you're welcome.
Tell me about this new baby in your life.
I'm jealous.
Oh, she's adorable, Ronnie.
Gonna take the stuff I bought over to Shanté's first thing in the morning.
I'm hoping she likes it.
Oh, she will.
And it's good that you're getting out of the house.
Your grandma's been complaining about it.
It's like ever since the attack, even the slightest bit of change freaks her out.
That's not it.
She was like that before.
Always complaining.
She thinks I'm doing too much for Shanté, but she's she's raising my granddaughter.
What's she expect me to do? Sometimes I don't understand Why she did what she did.
Mmm, based on what you told me, you got a good reason to be upset with her.
Well, my grandma ain't the talk about your feelings kind, so JADA: We all have these generational curses in our family, Ronnie.
But we just keep repeating the same awful cycle one generation to the next.
My mother, she was a single mom.
Raising us on her own.
I turned around and did the same thing with Emmett.
No, neither one of us had a good picker when it came to choosing men.
But, you know, we can always try to do different.
By not holding things in.
Thanks, Jada.
For everything.
[CHUCKLES.]
I should go now.
EMMETT: So it was cool, yo? No, uh, third degree from Dad or nasty looks from Mama looking you up and down? No, it was cool.
Her dad was even saying how Jerrika can help me with my business.
EMMETT: Damn, guess it's OG time.
Better hand in that bachelor card and get that proposal speech ready.
BRANDON: This isn't right.
Yo.
EMMETT: What's up? 50 Gs? What? [LAUGHS.]
Who gave you this? What where where did this come from? Whoa, nigga, what? Oh, my Yes, may I speak to Mr.
Perry, please? This is Brandon Johnson.
Why'd you call him? To give the money back.
What? Uh, sorry, we got the wrong number.
Really? What the hell are you doing? What is you doing? Correcting this shit.
Ain't nothing to correct.
You out here blocking blessings.
You think I'm just gonna let you do that? Somebody at his joint clearly fucked up.
Listen, I had a mall job in high school, right? After I quit they kept paying me for, like, two months till someone figured it out.
I bought two pair of Jordans off that shit.
With 50 Gs, guess what we could buy.
Four new stoves, a new truck, and a ring for your girl.
But it's like driving a car that ain't yours.
And I ain't trying to be the one in Mr.
Perry's car when dude come looking for who stole it.
Right.
Heard about the IA ruling.
Guess Clemmons is into handing out ass whuppings all over.
You too? Yeah.
Stash house raid.
My last IA ruling ended up a 30-day suspension.
No pay.
I'm tired of hearing about how lucky I am when Ronnie Davis confessed to everything, but What was your deal? Bad shoot.
Dropped a heavyweight in a West Side clique.
It's one less gang leader for us to deal with.
Did the city a favor.
I got caught up in the emotion of it all.
Took it personal.
Can you elaborate? They say confession is is good for the soul.
I thought you'd wanna stay clear of confessions, considering.
[CHUCKLES.]
You gotten anything on Reddick? None of her friends knew why she'd be on the South Side.
Nor much about her employer.
I got these, though.
I circled back around to the 63rd Street mob.
Had Sawyer tail Reg.
He's been ghost on the block lately.
Lying low in his house.
Except to eat at Brandon Johnson's food truck.
He's got pretty damn good tacos.
Got a fried fish coconut custard thing.
It's crazy.
You know what I noticed? Hmm? TOUSSAINT: Money.
What am I missing? What's the big deal about Reg buying food at a food truck? The 63rd Street mob paying Brandon for food is bizarre.
We all know they extort money from people all over the South Side and rarely pay for anything.
'Cause everybody's scared of them.
Yet they're showing Brandon a whole lot of respect.
And there's them at the repast, too.
Okay, slightly off.
But growing up in the same neighborhood means you know a lot of the same people.
It doesn't mean Brandon's in the gang.
It doesn't mean he isn't, either.
I don't buy it.
[SCOFFS.]
There goes that bleeding heart for black men again.
Do they all get a "get out of jail" pass? No pressure.
Just asking.
It's never enough.
Yeah.
We need to talk.
Now.
We can do it out here, but for your sake, I suggest we do it privately.
Let me talk to my partner and I'll catch up with you guys later.
That's what you told the Lieutenant? The guy lunged at you? Made threatening gestures? You feared for your safety? Are you fucking kidding me? You need to calm down.
What threatening gestures did you see him make? Look, it's a shit storm now.
It's out of my hands.
The big wigs have taken over.
They sat me down with the department's media officer.
My union rep told me my address was leaked to the press, that my family's in danger.
They even updated the department's web site to include my affiliation with the Puerto Rican Officers Association.
What the hell does that have to do with any of this? It's harder to accuse a person of color of bias for shooting another person of color.
Look, that's what they told me.
TENSE MUSIC They've taken over, and I'm letting them.
You're gonna lie? I'm gonna protect my family.
It's the coconut shit, right? CRUZ: Brown on the outside, white on the inside? It's the George Zimmerman strategy? Don't be this kind of cop, man.
No, don't you be this kind of cop.
Now sign the fucking report.
[DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES.]
This is the third time I done seen you in two weeks.
Start charging your little ass.
Gotta stay tight.
Who you trying to stay crispy for, anyway? Little mama with the homework business? Maisha? Um, yeah, you know, she cool.
[LAUGHS.]
I hang with her sometimes, but my boys don't like her.
[SHAVER BUZZING.]
She is, uh, mean.
[LAUGHS.]
For real, for real.
Shit be funny sometimes, though.
When her and Papa get at it.
Yeah, but that's how girls act.
They be mean to see if you're gonna stick around.
And if you do, they know you're a good brother.
Yeah.
But sometimes that shit go too far.
[SCOFFS.]
True that.
BRANDON: And don't let your friends pick your girl.
'Cause if you do you're gonna end up marrying a stripper.
[LAUGHS.]
[SHAVER BUZZING.]
I owe you, for real? No, I got you.
You know I got you.
But once a week, man, I got a full time job.
You working me.
Bet.
SOFT MUSIC Patrice? Hi, Jerrika? Yes, so nice to meet you.
Thank you for coming.
Please, have a seat.
This is a nice place.
[CHUCKLES.]
I ain't never been nowhere like this on the South Side.
Hope it wasn't out of your way.
It's fine.
I took the day off work 'cause I was just so happy to get your call.
[LAUGHS.]
I've been praying for a breakthrough.
But once you called I brought you my references.
Oh, it's fine.
Uh, your application was more than complete.
[R&B MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS.]
Unfortunately all the condos are booked in Mrs.
Brown's building and the other properties I listed.
But I wanted to meet you in person to encourage you and to give you these.
They're from Housing Aid.
I'm sure they'll be able to help you.
I went to school with one of the lawyers there, and I already called on your behalf and told her about your letter.
She's happy to work with you and thinks she could help.
Miss Little, I work in a meat packing plant in Mahomet.
It's two hours from my house in a shit hole.
The only thing that keeps my boss from trying to mess over me is that he said I remind him of a Jamaican lady who used to babysit him.
I take three buses every day and then walk the rest of the way to get to work by 3:00 a.
m.
because any other shift gets me back too late to pick up my daughter in time from day care.
If I'm late, she adds another $25.
I would leave her ass except for the fact that her rate is cheap.
I'm guessing you don't have the same problems.
If you brought me all the way down here just to say no to my face and give me a number to Housing Aid, you could have just told me all that on the phone.
[KNOCKING.]
Yo, we're not serving yet.
[KNOCKING.]
J.
B.
: Yo, B, open up.
Hey.
Yo, what up, J.
B.
? I just had to drop these off per Mr.
Perry's orders.
What's these for? Second food truck.
What are you giving it to me for? You gotta ask him.
I do what the man say.
It come with two new employees.
Enjoy, brother.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
[CAR DOOR CLOSES, ENGINE TURNS OVER.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
TENSE MUSIC [DOOR CLOSES.]
[KEYS CLATTER.]
Hey, J.
I need to talk to you.
Okay.
And before you go telling me I told you so [SNIFFS.]
Oh, shit, baby.
What's wrong? [CRYING.]
I'm sorry.
I just Ooh, I hate my job.
I hate what I'm doing, but I don't know what else to do.
I've been pushing everybody else's dreams.
My parents, yours, but I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing.
What my passion is.
And I don't know how to figure it out.
[CRYING.]
Hey, hey.
I'm sorry.
You wanted to talk to me.
No, it's okay.
[SNIFFS.]
[GROANS.]
[SNIFFS.]
Hey.
You should quit.
What? I'm serious.
You should do what makes you happy, J.
Brandon, I can't quit.
I'd be leaving my parents, Mrs.
Brown, and it brings in a lot of commission.
[SNIFFS.]
We need the money.
Hey.
I got you.
I love you and I'm gonna take care of you.
AMBIENT MUSIC You've been carrying us for long enough.
It's my turn.
Brandon, that is so sweet.
But this I have to figure out on my own, okay? TOUSSAINT: There's a story.
TOUSSAINT: It's more of an urban legend, really, that one day these gangs are gonna figure it out.
Okay.
They would find a kid and groom him from the youngest age.
He'd have no criminal record.
They'd fund his education, keep him clear of the streets, raise him to become a pillar of the community, maybe one day go into politics.
Or policing.
- An algorithm.
- Exactly.
I picked up a few more interesting details on your man crush, Brandon Johnson.
This is Alvin Young.
He tailed Brandon's truck to five different locations today.
Parked within eyesight at every rip.
Guess what social club he belongs to? 63rd Street mob.
Got out of the pen about four months ago.
Pretty good at this game, Detective.
Suddenly Brandon's got his own mini secret service detail.
Young and another known gang member watched the truck all day.
Interesting, yes.
Crime, I don't think so.
All they did was watch like they were protecting him.
Or the truck.
It also looks like Brandon won the lotto.
This is a 2019 Royal Strike Coach, fully loaded.
Top of the line in the world of food trucks.
Price tag 75K.
You're determined to make him an earner for the gang, but I still don't see it.
I'm curious to know where he got the money, but I'm not ready to make him 63rd Street because business is good.
Maybe he's selling dope off the truck for the gang.
Brandon's not a dope boy.
He doesn't fit the profile.
Brandon could be the algorithm.
How about this? Let me talk to Brandon, see what he tells me.
You wanna give a potential suspect the heads up and jeopardize my case? I'm not gonna give him a heads up.
I think you know that's a terrible idea.
TENSE MUSIC CRUZ: Hey, man.
BOY: My mom can give you a ride.
GIRL: Cool, see you later! [CAR LOCK CHIRPS.]
RICKY: You need something? Hey, n nice ride.
Thanks, man.
Hey, front rims are classic.
Only way to go.
Don't need everything blinged out.
That's for you young cats.
Right, young.
Hey, ain't you a little old to be, uh, running track? No offense.
I'm not on the team.
I'm the coach.
Who are you? Student here? Uh, yeah.
You're short as fuck.
If you got some speed on you, check us out.
Tryout's coming up.
[ENGINE TURNS OVER.]
Motherfucker.
- DRAMATIC MUSIC - - - Where's the fire, son? My assistant says you called three times.
Yeah, um, I wanted to talk to you about the money you gave me.
It was a lot more than you said and I just I figured somebody made a mistake.
I didn't want you to think I was trying to steal from you.
People that I work with know better than to steal from me.
I mean, and then the truck came.
Come here.
Yeah.
Raise your expectations.
The money was a gift, son.
A show of faith in you.
Your talent.
I've just never had that much.
Faith.
Get some.
Don't ever let another man dream bigger dreams for you than you're dreaming for yourself.
I'm just a chef.
BRANDON: And I'm good at it.
But this is all happening so fast.
I can barely keep track of one employee and now I got two more and a brand-new truck.
Do you hear yourself, hmm? Just a chef.
That guy I saw in that truck was a hustler.
A young gun who was ready to do whatever it takes.
I see you as a brand, Brandon.
If you don't see yourself that way, then you're wasting my time.
When I lost my first job, I had been planning to buy a pickup.
You know what I did after they fired me? I went out and bought a Mercedes.
When I didn't get a promotion that I wanted, I went out and put a down payment on my first house.
It forced me to bet on myself.
Guess I'm just nervous.
I get being nervous.
But scared money don't make money, son.
You take some time to think about it.
But not too much.
'Cause I move on quick.
How you doing, boss? I'm looking for, uh, a friend.
Older guy.
GREAVY: Man, what the hell is that? Never mind.
I think I found him.
[SLOW ROCK MUSIC PLAYS.]
Greavy, what's the problem? What the hell is this place, Brandon? Bartender tell me they only sell artistic beer.
Artisanal beer? Nigga, I just want a Schlitz.
It's about damn time.
Don't know what a pretty girl like that putting up with your raggedy ass for, anyway.
You should have been and proposed.
Can you ever give me advice without insulting me? Well, just be happy that girl can't see straight.
[LAUGHS.]
But this is the first time you invited me anywhere.
You about to ask me for some money or something? [LAUGHS.]
What's going on with you? No, I don't need your money, man.
I got this investor.
Real smart businessman.
Helping me with the money side of things.
Otis Perry, the pizza guy.
Douda? Otis Perry, Perry's Pizza? Streets know him as Douda.
And he as shady as a three dollar bill.
I knew something was keeping me from eating off that truck of yours.
Ain't nothing wrong with my truck.
It's about to be.
Why everybody tripping on the dude? Jerrika's on the same shit.
Then she ain't as blind as I thought.
Look, I grew up in these streets, boy.
Douda is a hustler.
So, who not a hustler? No, I'm not talking about that kind of hustler.
When he was young, he was on the playground and he cracked some boy's head open and went right back to playing ball like like it never even happened.
Cold as a motherfucker even in grade school.
TENSE MUSIC So what do you think I should do now? With what I told you, what you think? [CAR ENGINE GRINDING.]
[DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE.]
[SIGHS.]
[LAUGHS.]
[SIGHS.]
[SIGHS.]
All right, come on, now.
Come on.
[CAR DINGING.]
[ENGINE TURNS OVER.]
Yes! Yes! Yeah.
[KISSES.]
MAN [ON RADIO.]
: Looks like it's gonna be cloudy this evening with more rain showers.
And up next, "You and Me" by Rockie Robbins on WZLL, Chicago's freshest in R&B and neo soul.
[FUNKY R&B MUSIC PLAYING.]
Hmm.
[CAR HORN HONKING.]
Ethel Davis, come out here! Ronnie, what is all of this carrying on you're doing out here? Remember this song, Grandma? How many stepper competitions did you win to this? Yeah, Miss Ethel, how many? I found that picture of you looking like an old hot thing.
Y'all go on now.
Come on, Grandma.
Show us young folks how it's done.
Okay.
[BOTH LAUGHING.]
I'm gonna wear you out, boy.
[BOTH LAUGHING.]
Oh you and me Together forever You and me Just us two Oh you and me Belong together Sharing everything that we do Now you give me and I give you CASPER: Good afternoon.
I am Casper Francis.
Commander of the Central Patrol Division of the Kansas City Police Department.
Standing before the media is never an easy task in the wake of an officer-involved shooting that results in a fatality.
But in the spirit of complete transparency, I've asked my support team to provide as much information as possible so that the public may be fully informed.
Please keep in mind this is an ongoing investigation and we are limited in what we can share.
- Where the fuck is your partner? - No clue.
CASPER: With that, I'd like to introduce you to Lieutenant Neil Sokolow, ranking officer on the scene the night of the incident to answer questions.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
Uh, Lieutenant Neil Sokolow.
S-O-K-O-L-O-W.
I'll take questions.
- Lieutenant.
- [ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE.]
So, was there a weapon recovered from the vehicle? We are continuing with our preliminary investigation.
We're not prepared to speak on that at this time.
However, the officer did fear for his life.
What does that mean? So you're saying there was a weapon? How exactly did the officer fear for his life? Next question.
[ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE.]
[WATER RUNNING.]
[MUFFLED CHATTER.]
NEIL: Next question.
DRAMATIC MUSIC Portions of Officer Moreno's account have been made available to press but what about other officers - that were on the scene? - Excuse me.
MAN: Will any of them be made available for a statement? Excuse me.
NEIL: Well, it's been a traumatic experience for all those involved.
And we support our officers' rights to process this and make a statement when they're ready.
Um, yes, your question.
Yes, this is for Armando Cruz.
[CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING.]
Can you speak to your account of what happened that night? WOMAN: We'd like to hear, yes.
My partner perceived a threat and acted in accordance with our training.
He saved my life in the process.
- [CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS.]
- I fully support him.
[SPEAKS SPANISH.]
CRUZ: Gracias.
MAN: It's a simple case of racial discrimination! MAN 2: No, we're done talking, okay? - You heard the officer.
- [REPORTERS SHOUTING.]
That's the final word he's gonna say today.
We're taking no more questions.
This conference this press conference is over.
[SHOUTING FADES.]
[PHONES RINGING.]
[KEYBOARD CLICKING.]
[PHONE BEEPS.]
Brandon.
This is Detective Cruz.
We should talk ASAP.
[PHONE BEEPS.]
[DOOR BUZZES.]
[DOOR THUDS.]
Hey, baby.
How you been? Have they moved your bunk yet? Why haven't you put the money on my commissary like I asked, Mom? Tristan, I did.
You know it takes a day or two to post sometimes.
And you could be a little nicer.
You have to keep the money on my books.
The gang, they ain't protecting me no more.
I need the money to keep these niggas up off me.
I know.
I'm working on getting you into segregation.
Have you made any friends at all? No, Ma.
Everybody in here already knows who I am.
And worse than that, they know who you are.
I'd kill that monster again before I'd let him hurt you.
You killed our boss.
Not some random ass nigga.
And I'm paying for it.
I know what I did, Tristan.
MAN: Over by the window, Kastler.
You'll understand one day when you're a parent.
I own my part.
Can you own any of yours? Please make sure the money stays on my books.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Hey, babe.
Hey.
So, I did it.
Did what? Quit, like you said.
My parents, Mrs.
Brown, everything.
Seemed like the right time to take a risk.
Wow.
This is great.
I'm so proud of you.
You sure? Yeah, I'm the one who told you to do it.
Now you can focus on doing you.
I got you.
We'll be good, right? We'll be better than good.
Ooh, babe.
I'm so relieved.
Okay, I gotta tell Courtney.
JERRIKA: Oh, she didn't pick up.
Went straight to voicemail.
What you doing? Nothing.
Just betting on me.
AMBIENT MUSIC On us.
JAZZY R&B MUSIC [TYPEWRITER CLACKING, BELL DINGS.]