Those Who Kill (2014) s01e08 Episode Script

Insomnia

1 - Previously on Those Who Kill - Howard killed my brother.
You have no evidence of this.
BISGAARD: Schaeffer became obsessed with having been wrong.
You promised no more active cases.
THOMAS: Your mother knows.
She's always known.
He's guilty of something.
I just don't know what.
Hey, Mom, it's me.
We need to talk about Howard.
(birds chirping, wind whistling) - Here you go.
- (groans) I don't remember being this tired with John.
You were exhausted with John.
All the time.
- Did you put John to bed? - Yeah, I turned out the light.
- Yeah, but did you take away - Yes.
I took away his controller.
Thank you.
For what? (phone ringing) (phone ringing) Hello? HOWARD: Catherine.
Your mother.
There's been an accident.
(woman speaks indistinctly over PA) Marie made it to the top of the stairs and then she just stood there frozen.
Then she started to speak and, uh I didn't know what she was saying; it was gibberish.
Then she started convulsing and then-then, next thing I know, she was at the bottom of the stairs.
MAN: These symptoms are indicative of a stroke.
The hematoma and the swelling are from the fall.
The damage, well, it's frankly catastrophic.
When can she come home? MAN: Even if she came out of the coma, her brain function would be minimal.
HOWARD: Yeah, well, take my word for it she'll be back on her feet in no time.
I mean, I know therapy will be grueling, and I'll be with her every step of the way, I mean, she she's a tough old bird.
She'll be, uh she'll be back on her feet in no time.
She's a fighter.
We'll beat this together.
MAN: Howard, hear me.
It's not a question of if, it's a question of when.
You need to prepare yourself, do you understand? Marie has a living will, Howard.
She didn't want to be kept alive on a machine.
We're not there yet, but we will be soon.
When we get there, as her husband, I will need you to tell me what you want to do.
So, you saw her recently? Yeah, she came in for a check-up two weeks ago.
And there were no symptoms? She complained of headaches, which she attributed to recent stress.
I'm very sorry, Catherine.
It was a stroke.
Well, I'm basing that on what your step-father recounted to the MATs.
The MRI was inconclusive, and with all the trauma, there's simply no way to know without an autopsy.
("Animals" by Martin Garrix playing) - All right, you ready for this, Pittsburgh? - (cheering) (music playing, distorted) Let's go! (dance beat throbbing) (music playing, muffled) DEEJAY: One, two, three, go! (beat intensifies, crowd cheers) (gasping, screaming) BISGAARD: Catherine.
Mia called.
I'm sorry about your mother.
What do you need? - A case.
- I was actually hoping you'd say "time off.
" You asked what I need.
Here you go.
What's this? Well, it's what you asked for.
Good luck.
- It's not a homicide.
- It could be.
It could be suicide.
Or manslaughter or accidental.
That's why you and Molbeck are gonna do an equivocal death investigation.
Can't you give me a murder case? If it turns out that Joff Soika was murdered, I just did.
You had this waiting for me.
(sniffs) You knew I'd ask for a case.
Maybe you'd rather ride your desk until the hospital calls.
Thanks, Frank.
THOMAS: It's a common misconception that serial killers have no conscience.
Well, in some cases, that is true, but not always.
Here's what I wrote about Robert Burkhart.
"Robert tried to satisfy his dark urges with pornography and masturbation.
Tragically, for his 19 victims, this did not satisfy him, but always, after he'd acted upon them and killed, Burkhart's conscience haunted him.
He couldn't sleep for days, sometimes weeks.
The apparent contradiction presented by a serial killer who seemingly felt guilt over his action" (mutters quietly): "I sleep just fine.
" (door opens) (knocking on door) You busy? No.
Uh, no.
What's all this? It's just an old case I'm working on.
Burkhart? You find something new? (scoffs) It's just a theory.
Probably nothing.
What's, uh, what's going on? I should get going.
You didn't come here just to leave.
You all right? You seem, uh My mother.
What? She had a stroke.
She's in a coma, on life support, and the doctors say that I just I wanted to tell you.
Did you ever talk to her about I left a message.
I thought she was calling me back, but it was just Howard calling to tell me.
Good luck with your case.
No, wait, wait.
Catherine, look, when when my brother did what he did I was angry.
Really.
I mean, it was physical.
That kind of anger is insidious.
It's aimed at them.
But they don't feel it.
You do.
It poisons you.
Forgiveness isn't something that you do for them.
You do it to get rid of the poison.
I don't know why your mother did what she did.
But you need to get rid of the poison while you still can.
Owner says different promoters rent it out once a month.
Cash, no names.
Who the hell would want to party here? College kids.
He was a freshmen at Pitt.
Ouch.
Another case of acute cement poisoning.
He was in the marching band.
Social media says he was studying music.
Should've taken physics.
What? You related to him? I'm sorry, it just, it it came out so fast I couldn't stop it.
How many Molbeck date nights end with you saying that to your wife? Look at all these empties and inhalers.
Got to stay hydrated on ecstasy.
Menthol to boost the buzz.
Listen, uh I'm sorry about your mom.
How you holding up? You know, sometimes it's better not to ask.
Is this one of those times? (scoffs) You're the detective.
How you holding up? By working.
The power lines should have fried him, but he cleared them.
Look how far out he landed from the building.
He was running.
It don't make it murder.
Unless he was being chased.
Look, Joff Soika didn't steal the Hope Diamond.
He got some bad shit and jumped out the window.
It sucks, yes.
But murder, it's not.
Was he being chased or just freaking out? If he got bad shit, was it intentional? Did someone target him? Who'd he get it from? - Did he buy it? - Enough.
Enough, - Did they just give it to him? - Enough, enough, I get it.
You don't want to deal with your mother.
BURKHART: This is a pleasant surprise.
Hello, Robert.
Glasses are new.
You like? They make you look weak.
More fragile.
You think? Are they prescription or simply for affect? (chuckles) I faked headaches with the doc.
How did you know that? Because everything you say is a calculated lie, told for desired effect.
You're a sociopath.
So to what do I owe the pleasure? I'm writing another book.
Thomas, I'm blushing.
No, you're not.
You're not capable of embarrassment, Robert.
I got a question for you.
How can I be a sociopath if I felt so bad after each episode? - Because it didn't stop you.
- You really like the glasses? Caroline Henson was your only brunette.
And younger than all your other victims.
Why? It was raining hard that night.
Not many blonde MILFs on the streets to choose from.
But she was with her fiancé.
That didn't present a deterrent? I'm not gonna talk about him.
You dumped all the other bodies on the side of the road, ten miles from your home.
But this one you buried in a state park 60 miles away.
So well hidden that if animals hadn't dug her up, she'd have never been found.
Why'd you treat her so differently than the rest? I confessed.
You lied.
There are two liars in this room, Doc.
We both know you're not writing a new book.
More like rewriting the old one.
And you didn't kill Caroline Henson.
There are two people who know that.
Check your math, Doc, 'cause by my count, there are three.
You, me and the man who sent this.
It's okay.
I won't bite.
You.
You smell nice.
I guess you're gonna be doing that rewrite after all.
(alarm beeping) (beeping continues) I asked you not to tell Bisgaard about my mom.
I care about you.
So shoot me.
Uh, with Jensen, you want to go easy on the whole, uh, "shoot me" stuff.
Thanks to you, I'm stuck with this equivocal death inquiry.
Well, take a look at this.
Tell me what you see.
This one's off the chart.
Subtle, isn't it? That's his oxytocin level.
MDMA elevates it.
But I've never seen it spike off the charts like this.
This drug got some serious help.
So this ecstasy laced with something powerful? Ooh, "laced" doesn't do it justice.
Take a look at this.
You see how those cells are stuck together? That's not laced.
It's molecular bonding.
- Is that uncommon? - I've never seen it done before.
What was the MDMA bonded to? Well, that's even more unusual than the bonding.
It's called piracetam.
I had to look it up.
- What is it? - It's a nootropic.
It's unregulated in the US.
It lowers the blood-brain barrier.
So this pirate stuff gives ecstasy a bigger kick? Right.
Piracetam.
So it makes him hallucinate? His hallucinations would be hallucinating.
It makes you feel more of whatever you're already feeling.
So if you're feeling good and you take it, then you have a really good trip.
Or if you're feeling bad you take a running leap out the fourth-floor window.
MIA: Whoever made this stuff knows exactly what they're doing.
Maybe you should try the fifth floor.
Someone in say Special Narcotics Unit? You know, maybe they know about this stuff.
- Mm-mm.
- Why not? - I'm the last person he wants to see.
- You never know.
Like I need the mind games and the constant probing? Ooh, I like the sound of that.
MOLBECK: Hey, didn't you used to know a guy in Narcotics? Yeah, I used to know his brains out.
Hey.
How was class? Uh, productive, for a change.
- Oh, is that for me? - No, it's for the dean.
Why don't you take it to him? He's waiting for you in your office.
MERRICK: We appreciate your research.
We value that you publish.
But 35% of your students dropped your classes this semester.
It's just about numbers, Thomas.
This university cannot afford to employ professors that can't their keep students from dropping their classes.
You mean untenured professors.
I'm your biggest fan.
I loved your book.
And I'll be the first in line to buy the next one, if there is one.
I'm sorry to see you go.
I'm sorry about Marie.
She was always good to me.
She's in a coma.
Dying.
Howard? Sadly, not.
Come on.
He's not that bad of a guy.
- You don't know him like I do.
- Well, you know, you're the one with the secret file on him.
Never shared it with me.
Okay.
This was a mistake.
Hey.
Come here.
Look, look I'm sorry.
All right? I was out of line.
It's none of my business.
I got rid of that file months ago.
Yeah? It's good you moved on.
It's you know, it's been a long time since you set foot in Narcotics.
Yeah, it was before they made Nico the Narc head of Special Narcotics Unit.
Belated congrats.
Thanks.
What do you got? Um you might notice this That's strong stuff.
- Piracetam? - Sure.
I mean, kids take 800 milligrams the night before they roll.
But I've never seen it do spikes like this.
Great.
So you don't know where it could've come from or who made it? No, but I'd love to meet him.
I can have my guys take a look for you.
Okay.
Thanks.
Yeah.
It was good to see you.
You, too.
Hey wait.
You, uh ever meet Ricky Isles? I know the name.
Yeah, he was the, uh, ecstasy man in Narcotics.
He took an early retirement last year.
But if anyone's ever seen this stuff, it's him.
Rick is a bit of a recluse now.
He doesn't like being around people.
Especially people he doesn't know.
So, um if he does have something to tell you, it might be best if you know, if I go with you, so that, um, he's more comfortable.
- That would be great.
- Yeah.
- Thanks.
- Uh-huh.
WALKER (recorded): - You are listening - (woman moaning) to my "Slave Orientation" tape.
It is being recorded on Sunday, January 1, 2006.
By now you realize that escape is impossible.
My primary interest is in my bitch slaves.
You will be used for sex, in ways you will not enjoy.
When I'm using you, you'll try to disconnect from your body.
I will give you a drug that will make that quite impossible.
You will be completely present.
- You will feel everything.
- (woman yells) Your boyfriend or husband will watch everything.
Every time I catch him shutting his eyes, I will cut off one of his fingers.
There is nothing that will stop - what is going to happen to you.
- (woman gasping) Trust me, I've been doing this long before you got here.
I'll be doing it long after you're gone.
(yells) So, Isles said he knew something? Did he say what? I'm not playing this game.
Don't tell me.
Why'd you say he took early retirement? - (laughs) I didn't.
- I really don't care.
I'm not playing this game, and I'm not going to smile.
You're not gonna beat it out of me.
No.
I'll just say "alligator," - and you'll have to stop.
- You remember our safe word? That's so sweet.
Uh-huh.
Nah.
Isles just couldn't let go of things.
What kind of things? You know cases, suspects, the past.
Things you got to let go of in order to have a life, or a relationship.
I feel like I've heard you say that before.
Yeah, I didn't think you heard it, though.
This spiked MDMA is very unique.
Few would know it.
CATHERINE: You've seen it before? I was told the spiking agent was called pirace Piracetam.
That's his signature.
The "Space Cowboy.
" Yeah.
His drug that Joff Soika ingested before his death.
That's powerful stuff.
Every time I see it it's got his mark.
The "Space Cowboy.
" Do you know who he is? I can't tell you who he is, but I can tell you where he's been.
His stuff, it shows up in the same cities every 19 months.
Only these cities, only every 19 months.
BRONTE: You got a picture of the guy? Listen he knows neurochemistry.
He runs his own isolating and processing lab.
He's got a PhD, at least.
I've got many suspects in my files, but no one as clever as him.
Rick no picture? No sketch off a witness ID? It it's his discipline.
His dedication to his work.
The exact same cities.
Exact same product.
Exactly every 19 months.
BRONTE: Good theory you've got, but without any witnesses, you don't really have anything.
He goes city to city.
Never stops.
How long has this guy been at it? Eight years.
That's a fact.
BRONTE: I've haven't seen a guy.
No one's seen a guy.
According to this map, this "Space Cowboy" would've shown up in Pittsburgh last week.
Joff Soika died with this Cowboy's unique drugs in his system 36 hours ago.
This map predicted it.
Joff Soika's blood work confirmed it.
He's right on schedule.
It's not a coincidence.
It's proof.
Can I make a copy of this, and give you back the original? Take it.
Thank you.
Hey.
What's up? Is he in trouble? MOLBECK: You go to the chief, bad.
The chief comes to you, good.
Is he getting bumped up to Assistant Chief? Yeah.
It doesn't become official for two more weeks.
You do realize this means we're getting a new boss.
Right now's not a good time.
I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important.
Thanks.
That's why I'm here.
Creepy.
I do envy him.
- Who's this? - Caroline Henson.
She was alleged to be Robert Burkhart's 12th victim.
He confessed to it.
I saw him today.
And he gave me that.
Same handwriting.
Oklahoma City.
St.
Louis.
I'm totally lost.
Caroline Henson lived in St.
Louis, but her fiancé, Caleb Monroe, was from Oklahoma City.
He was visiting her when they disappeared.
He was the prime suspect in her murder until Burkhart confessed.
But his body's never been found.
And Burkhart's never revealed where the body is? He's always refused to say anything about him.
So now, because of these, you think that Burkhart refuses to talk about Monroe's killing because he didn't kill him.
I wrote that Burkhart felt so guilty about his kills that he couldn't sleep at night.
I think the man who actually killed Caroline Henson read my book and was offended.
I think he sees Burkhart as weak.
- A conscience as a weakness.
- Exactly.
He sees Burkhart as an amateur killer.
The fact that I attributed the Sleeper's kill to a lesser killer was like a inadvertent insult.
I think the Sleeper is the one who killed Henson and Monroe.
I think he's still out there, and I think he sent these.
Wait, what's this? Uh, that's Henson's blood work.
The spike is ecstasy; MDMA.
You said they were abducted in St.
Louis? On what date? June 6, 2006.
What's that? I need a VICAP search.
MOLBECK: What am I looking for? CATHERINE: I want women with the same physical characteristics as Caroline Henson, who went missing from these cities on these dates.
And why am I doing this? Because if I'm right, you want in on this.
Come on.
We shouldn't do this in here.
Are you screwing with me? You didn't find anything? I found 19 women who went missing from the cities and dates you gave me.
THOMAS: Nineteen? And 19 men who went missing with them.
What the hell is this? This is a map of the cities and dates where the Space Cowboy's unique MDMA, the same MDMA we found in Soika's system, popped up.
And those those are the couples that this Space Cowboy abducted while he was there.
(dance music throbbing) (muffled screaming) (gasping) (muffled scream) (whimpering) (screams) How is it nobody noticed this Space Cowboy killed 19 couples? It was presumed that either the couples ran off or that the men had killed the women and then fled.
Either way, no one suspected that they were all dead.
Wait, I though you said we know there are three dead.
Partial remains of two of the men were found in the sewers of their respective cities.
The third victim being the woman Burkhart confessed to killing? Caroline Henson.
Tell me about this Space Cowboy.
I can't give you a full profile.
Tell me what you see.
Well, the women all look the same because that's what he's attracted to.
Many serial killers revisit their dump sites to re-experience the kill, so I suspect that he stashed them in remote locations - like he did with Henson.
- The men? Indicated by the lack of respect he shows their remains.
He cuts them up and dumps them in the sewer.
We should be checking the sewers.
I just pulled this from our own Missing Persons.
Abbey and Parker Fulton, married less than a year.
Went to dinner four nights ago.
No one's heard from them since.
Missing Persons put out a BOLO this morning, but so far, nada.
WILKIE: Hell, young newlyweds missing four days? I'm surprised we filed a report.
Definitely his type.
Okay, listen up.
Outside Homicide, no one is to mention the words "serial killer.
" What are we looking for? We're looking for the drug maker who made the shit Soika was on when he died.
Which is why Bronte and his team are working this joint investigation with Homicide.
So you're telling us you're not gonna call the Bureau? On a local drug-related homicide? No.
With all due respect, sir You ever worked with the FBI, Detective? No.
Okay, if we call the FBI, one of two things is gonna happen.
One while we wait for them to take this seriously, the killer gets away.
Two they come in loud and heavy, and the killer gets away.
So we can call the FBI.
But before we do, let's take a long hard look at this board.
(phone rings) Hello.
Okay.
I'll be right there.
MOLBECK: Come on.
I'll drive you.
I need to talk to you.
Why would this Space Cowboy send a postcard to you? Ego.
Amateurs don't sleep.
Experts, like him, "sleep just fine.
" He took it as an insult.
And he sent that postcard to your house? Yeah.
Schaefer, you've insulted a prolific and proficient serial killer who knows where you and your family live.
We need to get you and your family out of that house.
I have a friend in the Marshals Service.
You have relatives out of town? - Benedicte's mother.
- You leave tonight.
No, no they leave tonight.
I'm working this case, Frank.
I'm staying.
Look, he's meticulous, and he's taken an interest in me.
If I suddenly disappear, he's gonna get spooked.
Okay.
But your family goes.
And I'm assigning you protection.
She deteriorated, and Howard couldn't make a decision, so I had to intubate her.
But I explained to him that it's only prolonging things, and she's suffering.
I've done everything I can do.
He waited for you.
(monitor beeping steadily, respirator hissing) THOMAS: B? What is it? I need you to pack a bag for you and John.
You're going to go stay with Pam.
What are you talking about? Mrs.
Schaeffer, I need you to listen to what Thomas has to say, for your safety and for your son's.
It's not safe here.
(Burgess sighs) (monitor beeping) You know, that's the, uh that's the same bag your your mother had when we first went to the beach.
You remember that? Fourth of July? Let's see, we'd been dating about nine months, and, uh, I, uh, borrowed Judge Dunn's beach house down at Del Mar, and we all went, and your mother she packed so much sun block that I had to carry her bag for her.
And then, when we got down there We wouldn't wear it.
Yeah, as soon as David said "no," that was it for you.
You were you were done.
No discussion.
You kids burnt to a crisp.
Yeah, it was painful to look at.
I thought we were gonna have to take you to the ER.
But, uh, no complaints, not a tear.
I remember saying to your mother, uh "You know, the tears will come tonight," but And she said, I'll never forget this she said, "Catherine won't cry because David won't.
" (monitor beeping, respirator hissing) I mean, you adored him, and he doted on you.
And you never fought, you never argued.
You were inseparable.
You made your mother very happy you two.
Howard, we know what she wanted.
And now she's suffering, we have to let her go.
She took care of us.
Now it's our turn to take care of her.
(voice breaking): I can't.
(panting, sighs) I know she's suffering, I know she didn't want this, and it has to be done, but I can't.
(monitor beeping, respirator hissing) Cat, I'm begging you, be stronger than I am.
Do it.
End this.
(sighs) How do I say good-bye to my own heart? You loved me more than I deserve.
And I loved you the first time I saw you.
Sweet dreams, baby.
(sniffling) You're gonna have a great time at Grandma's.
You're not coming? I can't.
I have to work.
I'm gonna miss you so much.
You and Mommy.
I love you.
JOHN: Love you, too.
Believe me, I'm sorry.
I-I wrote the book years ago.
I had no idea this was gonna happen.
I don't blame you for writing the book.
That book brought us together.
I saw how passionate you could be about your work, and I all I could see was how passionate you would be about me and our family.
But that never really happened.
You know, you wrote that book years ago, but he contacted you two months ago.
Have you stopped to ask yourself why? No.
I have.
Tell me.
I figured it out.
You will, too.
(sighs) (sighs) Well, it's time for Abbey and I to have some quality time together.
Just the two of us.
(Abbey whimpers) You know, I used to allow for a few questions at this time, but well, they were always the same so boring.
I'll just answer them.
(whimpering) I won't tell your family and friends what happened to you.
I won't tell anyone, on your behalf, that you loved them.
I won't regret this.
Actually after tonight - (gasping) - I'll never think about you.
(Abbey gasps) No, you don't deserve this.
No, that doesn't bother me.
Now, I have a question for you.
How does it feel to watch me degrade and torture and rape your wife over and over again, while you just sit there crying pissing yourself? Oh, don't bother.
I already know the answer.
Would you like to say good-bye to your wife? (whimpering) Oops.
I forgot.
No! - (groans) - You can't.
(blood trickling) ABBEY: No! (crying): No! No! There may be some discomfort.
Currently, she's receiving four milligrams of morphine an hour.
If it was raised to 20, her respiration will eventually stop.
We want to keep her comfortable.
You understand? Good.
(monitor beeping, respirator hissing) We never got to have our talk.
It's no one's fault.
We can have it now if you want to.
(monitor begins beeping at an irregular pace) I really need to say this.
(irregular beeping) You're so beautiful.
(Catherine inhales, exhales) I know that if you knew you did everything you could with what you had.
I forgive you, Mom.
(irregular beeping stops, flatline tone begins) Tell David I love him.
(alarm begins) And I'll never forget.
(alarm tone continues)
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