Unforgettable s03e06 Episode Script
Stray Bullet
city, I'd never been to Belmont.
Now I see why you love the horses.
That was incredible.
And Eliot thinks I'm the gambling addict.
Oh, very funny.
So, you free Tuesday? To go back to Belmont? Yeah, I just need help remembering all the tips we got.
Like that woman I was talking to.
She gave me a tip on a trifecta, but I forgot the three horses I'm supposed to box.
To box? You know, they have these support groups for gambling addicts, and you What? You're the only one who can enjoy an adrenaline rush? No, it's just that my adrenaline rush is based on winning money on the horses.
Yours is more connected to, um, the blonde who gave you tips.
Not true.
Are you gonna give me the names of the horses or not? Because I know you remember 'em.
I remember all 12 horses in the race and the three you were supposed to box.
I also remember five reasons why you can't remember.
Blonde hair, pouty lips, short skirt, six-inch Stilettos and a giant Your point is? I'm not going back to Belmont with you on Tuesday.
Oh, come on.
Why not? Because it violates my first rule of gambling.
Never accept a tip from a blonde in six-inch heels? No, that's my second.
My first is: only go to the track when the horses are actually there.
Belmont is closed on Tuesdays.
Mm.
I see.
- Lieutenant Al Burns? - Yup.
Captain Melvin Stearns, Internal Affairs.
What can I do for you, Captain? You know a guy named Oscar Payn? Sure.
I collared him for intent to sell five years ago.
Stearns, what's going on here? You aware he's been out on parole the last six weeks? Good for him.
Not so good.
Someone put a bullet in his brain.
And as of now, we have reason to believe that someone to be you.
Lieutenant Burns, you are placed on modified assignment and relegated to desk duty till our investigation into the murder of Oscar Payn determines your guilt or innocence.
May I have your gun and your shield, please? Lieutenant? You know the rules, Melvin.
Any action against my team, you notify me personally in advance.
Don't blame me if you don't know what's going on with your team.
What's that supposed to mean? Maybe the board should have installed an actual police officer to run Major Crimes instead of a What are you again? Oh, I know.
I know, Melvin.
You wanted this job.
I know how hard you tried to get it.
Sure, some may have felt that fixing parking tickets for the mayor's niece was pandering, but I for one applauded your initiative.
Do not take our history out on members of my team, or I will see to it that you regret it.
Lieutenant Burns is a decorated officer with a spotless record.
We wouldn't have moved against Burns if we didn't have sufficient evidence.
We have a positive ballistics match to Burns' service weapon and a case file of other evidence I have neither the need nor the interest in sharing with you.
Ballistics match? Perhaps you haven't heard, Eliot, but every weapon fired has a distinctive signature.
Yeah, yeah.
So? So, Oscar Payn was killed by Burns' Sig Sauer service handgun to the exclusion of any other weapon.
It is an absolute fact.
This is a matter for Internal Affairs now.
I get even a hint that your Major Crimes guys are sniffing around, I will terminate them from this department.
Al, what you doing? Just getting my coffee.
Jay's got this nice Sumatra with chocolate notes or something.
Wow, you are extraordinarily calm.
Considering I want to put my fist through that guy's face? That I just went through the most humiliating moment of my career, maybe my life? Yeah, considering that.
Listen, we're gonna be fine.
If I wanted to whack a guy, why would I use my own gun? This is all a mistake.
I think it might all be political.
IAB is only looking at you.
They are not pursuing any other leads.
I put in a call to Beth Bronson, the LBA attorney.
She's requested an independent ballistics analysis of my gun.
Who is Oscar Payn? A scumbag.
Payn was running an operation out of Corona, the Tumbling Sixes.
The 117 picked up intel that Payn was taking in a major heroin shipment.
I got together a team to take him down.
Turned out, there was an eight-year-old girl inside there hostage.
And we got her out, but we lost someone in the firefight.
A young officer.
And what about Payn? He beat the murder charge on a technicality.
Was still put away for possession with intent.
But he and his partner rolled on a couple of their own guys, and got reduced sentences.
Payn's guys hated Payn, and they hate you.
You're being framed.
We were at the races the day Payn got murdered.
Where were you that night? Midnight? Midnight, I was asleep.
- All right, what about your gun? - On my night table.
Not the world's best alibi.
No.
Listen, you stay out of this.
These IAB guys are nightmares.
They'll get you jammed up or fired.
Trust me, the ballistics test will clear me.
I'm gonna clear you, because I'm gonna find out who killed Oscar Payn.
Do I even want to know how you got your hands on these? All I can say is a highly-classified Bundt cake recipe was involved.
Hmm.
- Jo? - Hmm? I could get fired for what I'm doing, and I don't want to get you mixed up in it.
Oh, no.
I'll be okay.
I'll be okay.
I'm the Dirty Harry of M.
E.
s.
Mm.
How close is the match? Well, I'm not a ballistics expert.
From what I can tell, pretty darn close.
Well, Al's getting the gun tested independently, so Fingers crossed.
Take a look at this, hmm? Single round penetrated Payn's skull precisely dead center.
In other words, right between the eyes.
From ten yards.
Which means our shooter knew their way around a gun.
Uh-huh.
Eliot, what is this? Melvin Stearns' attempt to humiliate me.
Son of a bitch wants to show me up in front of my own people.
Look, I know you've kept it in between the lines so far.
And both of us know Stearns is waiting for us to over - Are you gonna tell me to stop? - God, no.
I'm asking you to be careful.
Where's Al? These goons showed up, confiscated his computer, and announced they were interviewing all of us.
Hmm.
He took off.
Oh, hey, I might have something for you.
I dug into Payn's gang, the Tumbling Sixes, and I may have found something interesting.
Take a look.
Once Payn got out, things went south with his wife Alma.
Apparently, he thought she was cheating on him.
His parole officer thinks it could have been with his old partner Hector Griego.
Griego got out of jail four months before Payn.
And guess what? He's a vet, weapons-trained in Afghanistan.
If Hector Griego was sleeping with Payn's wife, then we have a suspect that has a grudge against Al and wanted Payn out of the way.
And was a damn good shot.
Now, there's no last known address.
We don't know where he is.
Well, I'll bet Alma Payn knows where he is.
Head over there.
Listen, Beth, I'll take a polygraph.
Al, I've told you, that's not admissible in court.
Well, it's got to mean something if I offer to take the test.
The problem is, you take the poly, they can ask you questions you don't want to answer.
For example, âAre you upset Oscar Payn took a bullet between the eyes?â Look, I know this is hard, but you've got to trust me and just relax.
Relax? You try to relax with IAB guys camped out at Major Crimes right on top of you.
I know.
Would you just stay cool.
Stearns is trying to bait you, hope you'll take a swing at one of them and give them a reason to send you to Rikers.
They're up there questioning my team.
All right, thank you.
Call me the second the test comes in.
All right.
Detective Margolis? Sharon Margolis? Detective Lee, you'll be next.
Hey, you okay? Yeah.
I just couldn't watch Stearns walking all over my life.
Murray's got a lead.
Payn's old pal Hector Griego.
Looks like he was sleeping with Payn's wife while he was in jail.
Murray's heading out there.
Carrie, thanks, but you guys got to remember, this is Internal Affairs.
If you're gonna tell me to be careful, I'm gonna tell you to shut it.
Hey, Carrie.
Can we talk? Sure.
What's up? Uh listen.
I was grabbing a beer with Al about a month ago.
He was talking about the Payn case.
He knew Payn was out of prison? And he was really steamed about it.
He told me He told me he wished that somebody would wipe that guy off the map.
Al's words, not mine.
If IAB finds out about this Did anyone else overhear this? We were in a bar with a lot of cops.
Carrie, how do I play this with IAB? If they catch me lying I'm toast.
You do whatever you have to do, Jay.
I don't understand.
I-I told the police everything I know about what happened to Oscar.
And you've been very helpful, Mrs.
Payn.
I just have a couple more questions, if that's okay.
Yes, of course.
If you don't mind me asking, how much you pay a month for this place? I I don't know.
Like, $2,250, maybe? That about right? That's $27,000 a year.
Last year, you reported a part-time income of $30,000.
Now, that leaves $3,000 a year for food and clothing.
Wow, those amazing $600 Manolo Blahniks you're wearing.
Were they a gift from Hector Griego? - Hector? - Mm-hmm.
- No, I - Alma.
Hector got out before Oscar.
You've been seeing him while your husband was inside, right? How do you know that? We know everything.
Except where Hector is.
You don't think Hector had anything to do with killing Oscar, do you? Where is he? Hector is clean now.
He is a good man.
Alma.
I used to work as an investigator for the IRS.
And they don't much care for unreported income.
I make a call, believe me, they will take those shoes.
They will take this house.
So why don't you just tell me where he is.
He's staying with a friend.
Four blocks from where your husband was murdered.
Hector.
Carrie Wells, NYPD.
I'd like to ask you a few questions.
- I'm guessing this is about Oscar.
- Yeah.
I'm happy to talk, but I don't know what happened to him.
I'm a machinist now.
Got a good job.
Not bangin' no more.
Except for Oscar's wife Alma, right? Excuse me, what'd you say? Hold up.
I want your badge number and the name of your commanding officer.
I'm gonna report you.
Single round penetrated Payn's skull precisely dead center.
You were the last one to see him alive, weren't you? I don't know what you're talking about.
Heilbronn.
The beer.
You had a beer with him that night, didn't you? I think you called him up, you invited him for a beer, pretended to be his friend and then you killed him.
That way, you and Alma can be together, and your buddy's not around how convenient.
I didn't kill him! Okay, Oscar came over for a beer.
But he left around 11:30.
That was the last time I saw him.
Can anyone back up your story? Yeah, once he left, I called Alma.
We were on the phone for, like, over an hour.
We were trying to decide how to come clean to him.
Honest.
Ask Alma.
Alma was married to Oscar, cheating with you.
She's not an alibi.
I was here, I swear.
Look, you can track my phone with that satellite stuff you guys got, right? You'll see I'm being straight.
Jay, I need you to look into Hector Griego.
Phone calls, credit cards all his movements for the last week leading up to the murder.
Carrie, we got a big problem.
The independent ballistics report came in.
And it is the same as the NYPD lab.
Striations on the round, strike mark on the primer.
There is no doubt about it, Carrie.
Al's gun was used to kill Oscar Payn.
So, we look into Hector Griego, we find out who took Al's gun, how they got it They arrested him, Carrie.
They arrested Al.
Lieutenant Burns, was it really your gun? Where is he? They're processing him in Rikers right now.
I'm gonna do your thumb.
And your forefingers.
It's got a little alcohol pad you can use there, Lieutenant.
Danny, look at me.
I know the drill.
Hey.
How's he doing? As well as can be expected.
I updated him on everything, but the D.
A.
's office has thrown in a monkey wrench.
A plea deal.
If Al turns us down, we go to trial and he's looking at life.
He's got 48 hours to decide.
Al's not gonna plead out.
The D.
A.
says she has Al threatening Payn's life.
Is that true? Doesn't sound like Al.
Well, it may not sound like him, but with ballistics, Al's history with Payn and this new information, I do not have a lot to work with.
On the line.
Eyes forward.
Mouth shut.
Not bangin' no more.
Does Al have protective custody? No.
Not yet.
You need to get it for him.
You understand me? You need to get it for him now.
Tumbling Sixes? That's impossible.
I know what I saw.
If you're gonna tell me to be careful, you shut it.
My gun where are we with that? It must've been out of your possession at some point.
It's with me at all times.
I told you that.
Well, not at night.
You don't sleep with it.
This I know.
Although there was that one time.
It's on my night table at home.
It's in my locker when I go to the gym.
The only two times it's not on me.
Could you have had a tech check it or had it cleaned? I do all that myself.
Breakdown, cleaning.
When was the last time you qualified at the gun range? Like, a week ago.
And did you check your personal weapon, too? Yeah, I leave my service piece with the range officer.
But the range, the locker room that's all cops.
If someone switched out the weapon and replaced it in your locker, you would never know.
Why couldn't it be a cop? What cop would do that? One that has a grudge against you and Oscar Payn.
What? The officer who was killed when we took down Payn her name was Melissa Quinn.
As in Captain Vincent Quinn? That's her father.
She also had a grandfather who won two medals for valor.
Not to mention her brother Brendan, another hero currently on the job.
But framing people and murdering, that is not the Quinn way.
They are cops.
They know their way around that gun range.
They have access to the locker room, motive, means, opportunity.
Did they blame you for Melissa's death? I tried to contact them.
They wouldn't talk to me.
They were mourning the loss of their daughter.
But they're a cop family.
They know the rules of the job.
This is about a father and his little girl.
What happened that night? The night she was killed.
Melissa was a real go-getter.
Was always trying to prove she was one of the family.
The Mighty Quinns.
We were waiting on ESU.
I gave the order to hold.
She went in anyway.
That little girl Did you tell them that she disobeyed a direct order and that's what got her killed? I wanted to protect her memory.
She comes from cop royalty.
They needed to remember her as a hero.
I'm going to talk to Vincent Quinn.
You shouldn't do that.
You don't know how connected those people are.
They don't scare me.
They should.
Detective Wells, I've been expecting you.
- Captain Quinn, I'm here to - I know.
You think my family framed your partner.
What makes you say that? Because it would be the angle I'd work.
Melissa's shield.
Mm-hmm.
Do you have children, Detective? No.
Then you can't understand what that loss is like.
Bad as it was, it wouldn't lead us to do what you think.
What would you do if you were me? I'd make sure I knew my partner as well as I thought I did.
I know Al.
And I know my family.
You're chasing the wrong lead.
So you won't mind me talking to them then? I would ask that you respect the fact that we've been through enough.
We don't talk about Melissa.
We don't speak your partner's name.
And we certainly don't discuss the criminal who murdered her.
I understand.
And I do respect what you've been through, but as strongly as you feel about your family, I feel about my partner.
And I know he did not murder Oscar Payn.
I know it.
Hey.
Hey.
How'd your meeting with IAB go? It went good.
Good for you or good for Al? - What are you saying? - You said you heard Al threatening Payn's life; now, miraculously, the D.
A.
has Al threatening Payn's life.
I didn't say a word.
Now, I know you're under a lot of pressure here, but you're not the only one in Al's corner.
You should know that.
Look.
Asking my opinion, guy deserves life.
What is this? Some reporter caught up with Al when Oscar Payn was sentenced five years ago.
I'm not gonna shed any tears if he dies in prison.
He's safer there, I'll tell you that.
Carrie, if a jury sees this I'm sorry, Jay.
I'm sorry.
All right, the Quinns.
Got anything on them? Now, you're not gonna believe this, Carrie, but Brendan Quinn, Melissa's brother not only does he work at Barrett Road, he was on duty at the gun range last Wednesday.
Same day Al was there.
That's fantastic.
Hold it right there.
To your right.
Eyes forward.
On the lock in.
On the floor! On the floor! - Stand down! - No, no! On the floor! Let's go.
Let's go.
Stop fighting.
I count 13 out of 15, Detective.
Nice work.
Actually, one round went through a hole I already made.
If I had a buck for every time I heard Yeah.
Hey, is Brendan Quinn here today? He said I should stop by and say hi.
- I'm sure he's in the range shack.
- Oh.
I still got to check that double.
No offense.
None taken.
Hello? Hi.
My father told me to expect you.
But this is pretty damn bold.
Sneaking around my office.
Well, if you just point me in the direction of Rudy Vernon, I'll get out of your hair.
I don't know.
He didn't come in today.
What do you care? You and Rudy were both working when Al Burns qualified, weren't you? If you say so.
So what? And Rudy was the range officer that inspected Al's gun.
Again so what? Where were you the night Oscar Payn was murdered? I was with my sister Kathleen.
Now get the hell out.
I'm not gonna stop.
Oh, I'm afraid.
I'm very afraid.
I'm all over Brendan Quinn's credit cards, ATM anything that can place him near the Payn murder.
Also looking for his sister's address.
What do you have on Rudy Vernon? Not much.
He's got a pretty standard record on the force.
Now, according to his bank records, he's about three months behind on his mortgage.
Well, maybe if I make it sweet enough for him, he'll flip on his friend Brendan.
Good idea.
You need an address? How is 428 Brickenhoff? Damn, you're good.
I bet you you're there already, ain't you? No way.
In fact, I'm on the other side of town.
I got to go.
Officer down.
428 Brickenhoff.
You need to send somebody now.
Well, hello, fellas.
What'd they get you for, Eliot? You know, I told him not to flush paper towels; it's right there on the sign.
You're interfering with an IAB investigation.
An investigation or a frame job? Vincent Quinn and I go way back.
Apparently, you were harassing his son.
What? Two consenting adults can't have a simple conversation? Not if it pertains to this case.
Detective Wells, you're suspended.
Someone murdered Rudy Vernon to clean up a mess, and it wasn't Al, so who the hell was it? Detective Wells, I'm gonna need your shield and your service weapon.
As of this moment, you are indeed suspended.
What? Indefinitely.
Your gun and your shield, Detective.
You can't do this.
I warned you.
Your gun and your shield, Detective.
Sure.
You should confer with a union attorney to prepare yourself for an expulsion trial date forthwith.
âForthwithâ? What? No desk duty for me? No.
You're bad for morale.
And you're a disruptive presence.
And I want you out of here now.
Coward.
That was quite the performance.
Oh, you should've seen my Willy Loman.
Roslyn High School.
Great fun, except for that bald cap.
I still can't stand the smell of spirit gum.
Listen, we're running out of time.
Al was almost shanked last night.
One of the Tumbling Sixes.
I knew this was gonna happen.
We have got to get him out of there before they kill him.
We will.
I am going to keep IAB as contained as I can.
You? You go suspend yourself.
Get to work.
Yes, sir.
I'm worried about you.
I need you to stop before you're out of a job.
It's too late.
Eliot already suspended me.
- What? - But don't worry about that.
Listen to me.
Brendan Quinn.
He was working with Rudy Vernon at the gun range the day your gun was stolen.
Rudy Vernon? He's dead.
Murdered.
I'm gonna find out what Brendan Quinn knows.
You go near the Quinns, they'll arrest you.
I'm not letting you go away for something you didn't do.
There is no me without you.
We're a team.
So, what are we gonna do? There's a solid wall of blue.
Melissa's shield.
There is one Quinn, a sister she's not a cop.
Yeah, Melissa's sister Kathleen.
Kathleen is who Brendan said he was with the night Oscar Payn was murdered.
Maybe she's our way over the wall.
The infamous Carrie Wells.
Come on in.
I really want to talk to you.
I'm surprised.
I'm sure your father warned you about me.
You want to talk about my brother, Brendan.
Yeah.
Please.
Brendan said he was with you the night Oscar Payn was murdered.
He was.
We had dinner, and he spent the night.
He does that sometimes.
The kids love him.
He was here the entire night? Well, he was here at He was still here at 6:00 when I got up to make the kids breakfast.
Leaves eight hours he was alone.
- Look, Detective Wells - Carrie.
Carrie.
I know you suspect my family of some terrible things.
But I guarantee my father and my brother had nothing to do with Oscar Payn.
They wouldn't violate their own ethics.
We call it the âQuinn Code.
â They arrested Al.
They're processing him in Rikers right now.
You think my family framed your partner.
Who's this? It's Dom.
Dominic Moreno.
- Friend of the family? - Yeah.
He was Melissa's boyfriend.
They were engaged, in fact, but Melissa broke up with him shortly before she died.
Why? I think she was in love with someone else.
She never told me who.
But I remember it was really hard for her.
How did he take the breakup? Not well.
He used to be really close to our family, almost like another brother.
But then after Melissa died, we sort of just drifted apart.
You don't think Dom's involved in this? Did she tell you who she was in love with? She said it was complicated.
Complicated how? I think she meant he was married or maybe outranked her.
âOutranked herâ? Is it possible she was in love with Al Burns, my partner? Carrie, if Melissa did have feelings for your partner, she would never have crossed that line.
The âQuinn Code,â right? Exactly.
Except Dominic Moreno he's not a Quinn.
Only you could get me to Astoria.
Technically, it's Long Island City.
It's still Queens, which is technical enough for me.
This personnel folder for Dominic Moreno.
You want to tell me what his connection is to all this? Not yet.
I need a little more information.
Rudy Vernon, a cop he worked out at the gun range.
I need anything that ties him to Dominic Moreno.
Phone calls, check stubs, any contact at all.
I'll try.
And if you ever want to fill me in Thank you, Eliot.
Wells? I need you to be sure on this one.
Dead to rights.
If you're wrong, we all go down.
Dominic Moreno.
Who? He's NYPD and Melissa Quinn's ex-fiancé.
Didn't even know she had a boyfriend.
She never mentioned him.
Well, she would never have told you.
What do you mean? I think she was in love with you.
She was a detective under my command.
Al, I was a detective under your command.
That's different.
She worked for me and that's it.
What does this have to do with anything? Motive.
Dominic Moreno is a cop, he's a sharpshooter, and his ex-fiancé was in love with you.
All right, so I-I'm looking for Moreno? Yes, if we can place him at the gun range, we may have enough.
I've never seen any of these guys.
Are you sure? You know what? Let's try an experiment.
Don't look at me like that.
It's gonna be easy.
Just close your eyes.
I'm not gonna close my eyes.
If Dominic Moreno was there at the gun range, if he was shadowing you, you probably saw him.
Close your eyes.
Let's start from where you lost your gun.
I want to take you back to the firing range.
You weren't there.
How's this gonna help? I've been there before.
And I remember everything.
So I can set the scene.
Close your eyes.
Take a breath.
You park your car.
Mm-hmm.
You head towards the range shack.
Mm-hmm.
It's about 1:00 p.
m.
The weather report says there's gonna be a breeze coming northwest off the river.
- Yeah, okay.
- Okay? Now, which stall did you shoot at? I don't know.
Al, you can do this.
Now, you were standing behind the firing line.
Which way did you turn when you left the range shack? Right.
Right.
I went right.
Okay.
Stall 16.
That's great.
And when you were done, the range officer came over and checked your weapon.
Yeah.
I remember that.
Who did you see? Anyone else? There was a guy wearing a knee brace; he was limping.
All right.
That's Brendan Quinn.
Look around, do you see anybody else there? Just relax.
Try to remember.
This guy This guy, he was there.
That's Dominic Moreno.
You did it! With a little help.
So, let's say Dominic Moreno paid Rudy Vernon to switch the guns.
But how do we prove it? Vernon's dead.
Not the Quinns again.
Carrie, I'm serious.
All right.
I'll shut it.
My patrol officers have a response time of five minutes, so you better be quick.
I'm looking for your son.
Brendan? He's at work.
No, he's not and he's not at home.
Listen, I'm not here to accuse your family or to bring up difficult memories.
But there's something I have to tell you.
The night Melissa's squad went after Oscar Payn, Al Burns tried to protect her.
How? By sending her walking into the barrel of an AK? No, he told her to hold her position and she disobeyed his order.
That's not true.
By his own incident report, he sent her to her death.
He wrote that report because he didn't want it on record that she died disobeying an order.
He knew what that would do to your family and he knew what it would do to you.
Please leave.
I can't, because I'm telling you the truth and I need you to believe me.
Look, just take a second and think about the way it all went down.
Oscar Payn and his drug dealers had an eight-year-old girl hostage.
ESU and Hostage were still five minutes out.
The deadline was seconds away.
Melissa had the only clear shot, but she had to expose herself to get it.
You know what your daughter would have done.
One time she must have been eight-years-old herself the family next door had this stupid cat, kept getting itself stuck places.
One Sunday night, we had everyone over for dinner.
Somebody notices Melissa's been gone for a while.
Family of cops, you know, so we panic.
Everyone's looking everywhere.
She was 40 feet up in that neighbor's tree with that stupid cat in her arms.
Couldn't figure out how to get down.
Why are you here? I believe that Dominic Moreno blamed Al for Melissa's death.
I think he murdered Oscar Payn and he's framing my partner.
What's this have to do with Brendan? Moreno was at the gun range when Al last qualified.
I think he took Al's Sig Sauer and replaced it with an identical model.
Now, I need to know what Brendan knows.
This is Captain Quinn.
I'm looking for my son Brendan.
Are you sure? All right.
Thanks.
That's not good.
Dominic dropped by.
They left together on foot.
Is there anywhere you can think of they might go? Anywhere of significance to them? They went to high school together.
Hung out every summer.
But I guarantee, my father and my brother had nothing to do with Oscar Payn.
They were lifeguards together, weren't they? Yeah, they were.
How far is Breezy Point Beach from the gun range? Half a mile.
I'll drive.
Man, this place.
You see these fancy-ass bathrooms they got in there? Remember Melissa crushing us swimming out to the jetty? She was the best swimmer of all of us.
She was the best everything of all of us.
I miss her every minute of every day.
Yeah.
Me too.
So, uh, what's going on? There's this cop from Major Crimes that said something that worried me.
Like what? I didn't want to believe her.
I don't want to believe her, but uh, Rudy Vernon turning up murdered.
I don't know, Dom.
That's not on Al Burns.
Here.
Just in case something goes sideways.
Thanks.
Just tell me you didn't do this.
Didn't do what? Don't play stupid.
I was there when you stole those Playboys from that newsstand.
I know that face.
You're acting crazy, man.
You just got to tell me the truth.
About what?! I can help you.
We can sort this out.
- No.
No.
- Dom! You left me all of you.
Right when I need you most.
Yeah, after Melissa you turned into ghosts.
What was that about? I had no one! You know that's not true.
We all reached out, we wanted to help Oh, bull! 'Cause if you really wanted to help, you would want to take down Burns as much as I did.
He took her away from me and then he got her killed.
He took my life away.
Backup needs a few minutes to get in position.
We don't have a few minutes.
We go down to the station house.
We talk this out.
I got a better idea.
You go away and no one knows I was at the firing range.
And Burns stays in the joint for life.
- That cop knows.
- Nah, she can't prove it.
Only you can.
And I'm sorry brother I-I really am but.
Dominic!! Captain Vince! You want to take out a Quinn? Then start with me.
Stay on the ground.
Excuse me.
That's from Al Burns.
You're going to have to cuff him and read him his rights.
I'm a civilian.
You're a cop and a damn good one.
Let me have that.
Just in case my old pal Melvin Stearns asks how a suspended Officer, ended up with a weapon.
You know I am starting to like what I see of this Quinn code.
- You want to hear a funny story? - Sure.
Melvin Stearns.
Turns out someone informed the Mayor of Melvin's penchant for golfing vacations in the Poconos and his curious little habit of charging his green fees to the Departments recreation budget.
Really? It's all good though, I mean they were looking for a Chief of Parking Enforcement out in Gowana anyway.
Well, it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.
Was he? Really? There's a cake, right? There's got to be a cake.
- Hey! - Hey, buddy.
Boss, I got something for you.
What can I say? I splurged.
I'm just kidding.
_ It's good to have you back, Burns.
Thank you.
Took you long enough to get me out of jail.
Well, I had to make a little stop along the way.
Yeah? That trifecta you couldn't remember? It paid off.
Give me twenty minutes with this at the Black Jack table and I will triple it.
- Triple? - Quadruple.
I think we already beat the odds today.
Yeah.
How about I take you out to dinner? Christoffe's? Eww, last time we were there I had the Moroccan chicken, it was raw.
- We haven't been there in like 2 years.
- 2 years, 2 months, 1 day.
Trust me.
Always do.
I have a question for you.
How could you not know Melissa Quinn was in love with you? Because at the time I was in love with someone else.
- Marjorie Binstock.
- What? A little blonde worked down in evidence always smelled like oranges.
- I think it was her conditioner.
- You know what I think? I think we should go to Christoffe's.
You deserve raw Moroccan chicken and food poisoning.
Take your money.
Now I see why you love the horses.
That was incredible.
And Eliot thinks I'm the gambling addict.
Oh, very funny.
So, you free Tuesday? To go back to Belmont? Yeah, I just need help remembering all the tips we got.
Like that woman I was talking to.
She gave me a tip on a trifecta, but I forgot the three horses I'm supposed to box.
To box? You know, they have these support groups for gambling addicts, and you What? You're the only one who can enjoy an adrenaline rush? No, it's just that my adrenaline rush is based on winning money on the horses.
Yours is more connected to, um, the blonde who gave you tips.
Not true.
Are you gonna give me the names of the horses or not? Because I know you remember 'em.
I remember all 12 horses in the race and the three you were supposed to box.
I also remember five reasons why you can't remember.
Blonde hair, pouty lips, short skirt, six-inch Stilettos and a giant Your point is? I'm not going back to Belmont with you on Tuesday.
Oh, come on.
Why not? Because it violates my first rule of gambling.
Never accept a tip from a blonde in six-inch heels? No, that's my second.
My first is: only go to the track when the horses are actually there.
Belmont is closed on Tuesdays.
Mm.
I see.
- Lieutenant Al Burns? - Yup.
Captain Melvin Stearns, Internal Affairs.
What can I do for you, Captain? You know a guy named Oscar Payn? Sure.
I collared him for intent to sell five years ago.
Stearns, what's going on here? You aware he's been out on parole the last six weeks? Good for him.
Not so good.
Someone put a bullet in his brain.
And as of now, we have reason to believe that someone to be you.
Lieutenant Burns, you are placed on modified assignment and relegated to desk duty till our investigation into the murder of Oscar Payn determines your guilt or innocence.
May I have your gun and your shield, please? Lieutenant? You know the rules, Melvin.
Any action against my team, you notify me personally in advance.
Don't blame me if you don't know what's going on with your team.
What's that supposed to mean? Maybe the board should have installed an actual police officer to run Major Crimes instead of a What are you again? Oh, I know.
I know, Melvin.
You wanted this job.
I know how hard you tried to get it.
Sure, some may have felt that fixing parking tickets for the mayor's niece was pandering, but I for one applauded your initiative.
Do not take our history out on members of my team, or I will see to it that you regret it.
Lieutenant Burns is a decorated officer with a spotless record.
We wouldn't have moved against Burns if we didn't have sufficient evidence.
We have a positive ballistics match to Burns' service weapon and a case file of other evidence I have neither the need nor the interest in sharing with you.
Ballistics match? Perhaps you haven't heard, Eliot, but every weapon fired has a distinctive signature.
Yeah, yeah.
So? So, Oscar Payn was killed by Burns' Sig Sauer service handgun to the exclusion of any other weapon.
It is an absolute fact.
This is a matter for Internal Affairs now.
I get even a hint that your Major Crimes guys are sniffing around, I will terminate them from this department.
Al, what you doing? Just getting my coffee.
Jay's got this nice Sumatra with chocolate notes or something.
Wow, you are extraordinarily calm.
Considering I want to put my fist through that guy's face? That I just went through the most humiliating moment of my career, maybe my life? Yeah, considering that.
Listen, we're gonna be fine.
If I wanted to whack a guy, why would I use my own gun? This is all a mistake.
I think it might all be political.
IAB is only looking at you.
They are not pursuing any other leads.
I put in a call to Beth Bronson, the LBA attorney.
She's requested an independent ballistics analysis of my gun.
Who is Oscar Payn? A scumbag.
Payn was running an operation out of Corona, the Tumbling Sixes.
The 117 picked up intel that Payn was taking in a major heroin shipment.
I got together a team to take him down.
Turned out, there was an eight-year-old girl inside there hostage.
And we got her out, but we lost someone in the firefight.
A young officer.
And what about Payn? He beat the murder charge on a technicality.
Was still put away for possession with intent.
But he and his partner rolled on a couple of their own guys, and got reduced sentences.
Payn's guys hated Payn, and they hate you.
You're being framed.
We were at the races the day Payn got murdered.
Where were you that night? Midnight? Midnight, I was asleep.
- All right, what about your gun? - On my night table.
Not the world's best alibi.
No.
Listen, you stay out of this.
These IAB guys are nightmares.
They'll get you jammed up or fired.
Trust me, the ballistics test will clear me.
I'm gonna clear you, because I'm gonna find out who killed Oscar Payn.
Do I even want to know how you got your hands on these? All I can say is a highly-classified Bundt cake recipe was involved.
Hmm.
- Jo? - Hmm? I could get fired for what I'm doing, and I don't want to get you mixed up in it.
Oh, no.
I'll be okay.
I'll be okay.
I'm the Dirty Harry of M.
E.
s.
Mm.
How close is the match? Well, I'm not a ballistics expert.
From what I can tell, pretty darn close.
Well, Al's getting the gun tested independently, so Fingers crossed.
Take a look at this, hmm? Single round penetrated Payn's skull precisely dead center.
In other words, right between the eyes.
From ten yards.
Which means our shooter knew their way around a gun.
Uh-huh.
Eliot, what is this? Melvin Stearns' attempt to humiliate me.
Son of a bitch wants to show me up in front of my own people.
Look, I know you've kept it in between the lines so far.
And both of us know Stearns is waiting for us to over - Are you gonna tell me to stop? - God, no.
I'm asking you to be careful.
Where's Al? These goons showed up, confiscated his computer, and announced they were interviewing all of us.
Hmm.
He took off.
Oh, hey, I might have something for you.
I dug into Payn's gang, the Tumbling Sixes, and I may have found something interesting.
Take a look.
Once Payn got out, things went south with his wife Alma.
Apparently, he thought she was cheating on him.
His parole officer thinks it could have been with his old partner Hector Griego.
Griego got out of jail four months before Payn.
And guess what? He's a vet, weapons-trained in Afghanistan.
If Hector Griego was sleeping with Payn's wife, then we have a suspect that has a grudge against Al and wanted Payn out of the way.
And was a damn good shot.
Now, there's no last known address.
We don't know where he is.
Well, I'll bet Alma Payn knows where he is.
Head over there.
Listen, Beth, I'll take a polygraph.
Al, I've told you, that's not admissible in court.
Well, it's got to mean something if I offer to take the test.
The problem is, you take the poly, they can ask you questions you don't want to answer.
For example, âAre you upset Oscar Payn took a bullet between the eyes?â Look, I know this is hard, but you've got to trust me and just relax.
Relax? You try to relax with IAB guys camped out at Major Crimes right on top of you.
I know.
Would you just stay cool.
Stearns is trying to bait you, hope you'll take a swing at one of them and give them a reason to send you to Rikers.
They're up there questioning my team.
All right, thank you.
Call me the second the test comes in.
All right.
Detective Margolis? Sharon Margolis? Detective Lee, you'll be next.
Hey, you okay? Yeah.
I just couldn't watch Stearns walking all over my life.
Murray's got a lead.
Payn's old pal Hector Griego.
Looks like he was sleeping with Payn's wife while he was in jail.
Murray's heading out there.
Carrie, thanks, but you guys got to remember, this is Internal Affairs.
If you're gonna tell me to be careful, I'm gonna tell you to shut it.
Hey, Carrie.
Can we talk? Sure.
What's up? Uh listen.
I was grabbing a beer with Al about a month ago.
He was talking about the Payn case.
He knew Payn was out of prison? And he was really steamed about it.
He told me He told me he wished that somebody would wipe that guy off the map.
Al's words, not mine.
If IAB finds out about this Did anyone else overhear this? We were in a bar with a lot of cops.
Carrie, how do I play this with IAB? If they catch me lying I'm toast.
You do whatever you have to do, Jay.
I don't understand.
I-I told the police everything I know about what happened to Oscar.
And you've been very helpful, Mrs.
Payn.
I just have a couple more questions, if that's okay.
Yes, of course.
If you don't mind me asking, how much you pay a month for this place? I I don't know.
Like, $2,250, maybe? That about right? That's $27,000 a year.
Last year, you reported a part-time income of $30,000.
Now, that leaves $3,000 a year for food and clothing.
Wow, those amazing $600 Manolo Blahniks you're wearing.
Were they a gift from Hector Griego? - Hector? - Mm-hmm.
- No, I - Alma.
Hector got out before Oscar.
You've been seeing him while your husband was inside, right? How do you know that? We know everything.
Except where Hector is.
You don't think Hector had anything to do with killing Oscar, do you? Where is he? Hector is clean now.
He is a good man.
Alma.
I used to work as an investigator for the IRS.
And they don't much care for unreported income.
I make a call, believe me, they will take those shoes.
They will take this house.
So why don't you just tell me where he is.
He's staying with a friend.
Four blocks from where your husband was murdered.
Hector.
Carrie Wells, NYPD.
I'd like to ask you a few questions.
- I'm guessing this is about Oscar.
- Yeah.
I'm happy to talk, but I don't know what happened to him.
I'm a machinist now.
Got a good job.
Not bangin' no more.
Except for Oscar's wife Alma, right? Excuse me, what'd you say? Hold up.
I want your badge number and the name of your commanding officer.
I'm gonna report you.
Single round penetrated Payn's skull precisely dead center.
You were the last one to see him alive, weren't you? I don't know what you're talking about.
Heilbronn.
The beer.
You had a beer with him that night, didn't you? I think you called him up, you invited him for a beer, pretended to be his friend and then you killed him.
That way, you and Alma can be together, and your buddy's not around how convenient.
I didn't kill him! Okay, Oscar came over for a beer.
But he left around 11:30.
That was the last time I saw him.
Can anyone back up your story? Yeah, once he left, I called Alma.
We were on the phone for, like, over an hour.
We were trying to decide how to come clean to him.
Honest.
Ask Alma.
Alma was married to Oscar, cheating with you.
She's not an alibi.
I was here, I swear.
Look, you can track my phone with that satellite stuff you guys got, right? You'll see I'm being straight.
Jay, I need you to look into Hector Griego.
Phone calls, credit cards all his movements for the last week leading up to the murder.
Carrie, we got a big problem.
The independent ballistics report came in.
And it is the same as the NYPD lab.
Striations on the round, strike mark on the primer.
There is no doubt about it, Carrie.
Al's gun was used to kill Oscar Payn.
So, we look into Hector Griego, we find out who took Al's gun, how they got it They arrested him, Carrie.
They arrested Al.
Lieutenant Burns, was it really your gun? Where is he? They're processing him in Rikers right now.
I'm gonna do your thumb.
And your forefingers.
It's got a little alcohol pad you can use there, Lieutenant.
Danny, look at me.
I know the drill.
Hey.
How's he doing? As well as can be expected.
I updated him on everything, but the D.
A.
's office has thrown in a monkey wrench.
A plea deal.
If Al turns us down, we go to trial and he's looking at life.
He's got 48 hours to decide.
Al's not gonna plead out.
The D.
A.
says she has Al threatening Payn's life.
Is that true? Doesn't sound like Al.
Well, it may not sound like him, but with ballistics, Al's history with Payn and this new information, I do not have a lot to work with.
On the line.
Eyes forward.
Mouth shut.
Not bangin' no more.
Does Al have protective custody? No.
Not yet.
You need to get it for him.
You understand me? You need to get it for him now.
Tumbling Sixes? That's impossible.
I know what I saw.
If you're gonna tell me to be careful, you shut it.
My gun where are we with that? It must've been out of your possession at some point.
It's with me at all times.
I told you that.
Well, not at night.
You don't sleep with it.
This I know.
Although there was that one time.
It's on my night table at home.
It's in my locker when I go to the gym.
The only two times it's not on me.
Could you have had a tech check it or had it cleaned? I do all that myself.
Breakdown, cleaning.
When was the last time you qualified at the gun range? Like, a week ago.
And did you check your personal weapon, too? Yeah, I leave my service piece with the range officer.
But the range, the locker room that's all cops.
If someone switched out the weapon and replaced it in your locker, you would never know.
Why couldn't it be a cop? What cop would do that? One that has a grudge against you and Oscar Payn.
What? The officer who was killed when we took down Payn her name was Melissa Quinn.
As in Captain Vincent Quinn? That's her father.
She also had a grandfather who won two medals for valor.
Not to mention her brother Brendan, another hero currently on the job.
But framing people and murdering, that is not the Quinn way.
They are cops.
They know their way around that gun range.
They have access to the locker room, motive, means, opportunity.
Did they blame you for Melissa's death? I tried to contact them.
They wouldn't talk to me.
They were mourning the loss of their daughter.
But they're a cop family.
They know the rules of the job.
This is about a father and his little girl.
What happened that night? The night she was killed.
Melissa was a real go-getter.
Was always trying to prove she was one of the family.
The Mighty Quinns.
We were waiting on ESU.
I gave the order to hold.
She went in anyway.
That little girl Did you tell them that she disobeyed a direct order and that's what got her killed? I wanted to protect her memory.
She comes from cop royalty.
They needed to remember her as a hero.
I'm going to talk to Vincent Quinn.
You shouldn't do that.
You don't know how connected those people are.
They don't scare me.
They should.
Detective Wells, I've been expecting you.
- Captain Quinn, I'm here to - I know.
You think my family framed your partner.
What makes you say that? Because it would be the angle I'd work.
Melissa's shield.
Mm-hmm.
Do you have children, Detective? No.
Then you can't understand what that loss is like.
Bad as it was, it wouldn't lead us to do what you think.
What would you do if you were me? I'd make sure I knew my partner as well as I thought I did.
I know Al.
And I know my family.
You're chasing the wrong lead.
So you won't mind me talking to them then? I would ask that you respect the fact that we've been through enough.
We don't talk about Melissa.
We don't speak your partner's name.
And we certainly don't discuss the criminal who murdered her.
I understand.
And I do respect what you've been through, but as strongly as you feel about your family, I feel about my partner.
And I know he did not murder Oscar Payn.
I know it.
Hey.
Hey.
How'd your meeting with IAB go? It went good.
Good for you or good for Al? - What are you saying? - You said you heard Al threatening Payn's life; now, miraculously, the D.
A.
has Al threatening Payn's life.
I didn't say a word.
Now, I know you're under a lot of pressure here, but you're not the only one in Al's corner.
You should know that.
Look.
Asking my opinion, guy deserves life.
What is this? Some reporter caught up with Al when Oscar Payn was sentenced five years ago.
I'm not gonna shed any tears if he dies in prison.
He's safer there, I'll tell you that.
Carrie, if a jury sees this I'm sorry, Jay.
I'm sorry.
All right, the Quinns.
Got anything on them? Now, you're not gonna believe this, Carrie, but Brendan Quinn, Melissa's brother not only does he work at Barrett Road, he was on duty at the gun range last Wednesday.
Same day Al was there.
That's fantastic.
Hold it right there.
To your right.
Eyes forward.
On the lock in.
On the floor! On the floor! - Stand down! - No, no! On the floor! Let's go.
Let's go.
Stop fighting.
I count 13 out of 15, Detective.
Nice work.
Actually, one round went through a hole I already made.
If I had a buck for every time I heard Yeah.
Hey, is Brendan Quinn here today? He said I should stop by and say hi.
- I'm sure he's in the range shack.
- Oh.
I still got to check that double.
No offense.
None taken.
Hello? Hi.
My father told me to expect you.
But this is pretty damn bold.
Sneaking around my office.
Well, if you just point me in the direction of Rudy Vernon, I'll get out of your hair.
I don't know.
He didn't come in today.
What do you care? You and Rudy were both working when Al Burns qualified, weren't you? If you say so.
So what? And Rudy was the range officer that inspected Al's gun.
Again so what? Where were you the night Oscar Payn was murdered? I was with my sister Kathleen.
Now get the hell out.
I'm not gonna stop.
Oh, I'm afraid.
I'm very afraid.
I'm all over Brendan Quinn's credit cards, ATM anything that can place him near the Payn murder.
Also looking for his sister's address.
What do you have on Rudy Vernon? Not much.
He's got a pretty standard record on the force.
Now, according to his bank records, he's about three months behind on his mortgage.
Well, maybe if I make it sweet enough for him, he'll flip on his friend Brendan.
Good idea.
You need an address? How is 428 Brickenhoff? Damn, you're good.
I bet you you're there already, ain't you? No way.
In fact, I'm on the other side of town.
I got to go.
Officer down.
428 Brickenhoff.
You need to send somebody now.
Well, hello, fellas.
What'd they get you for, Eliot? You know, I told him not to flush paper towels; it's right there on the sign.
You're interfering with an IAB investigation.
An investigation or a frame job? Vincent Quinn and I go way back.
Apparently, you were harassing his son.
What? Two consenting adults can't have a simple conversation? Not if it pertains to this case.
Detective Wells, you're suspended.
Someone murdered Rudy Vernon to clean up a mess, and it wasn't Al, so who the hell was it? Detective Wells, I'm gonna need your shield and your service weapon.
As of this moment, you are indeed suspended.
What? Indefinitely.
Your gun and your shield, Detective.
You can't do this.
I warned you.
Your gun and your shield, Detective.
Sure.
You should confer with a union attorney to prepare yourself for an expulsion trial date forthwith.
âForthwithâ? What? No desk duty for me? No.
You're bad for morale.
And you're a disruptive presence.
And I want you out of here now.
Coward.
That was quite the performance.
Oh, you should've seen my Willy Loman.
Roslyn High School.
Great fun, except for that bald cap.
I still can't stand the smell of spirit gum.
Listen, we're running out of time.
Al was almost shanked last night.
One of the Tumbling Sixes.
I knew this was gonna happen.
We have got to get him out of there before they kill him.
We will.
I am going to keep IAB as contained as I can.
You? You go suspend yourself.
Get to work.
Yes, sir.
I'm worried about you.
I need you to stop before you're out of a job.
It's too late.
Eliot already suspended me.
- What? - But don't worry about that.
Listen to me.
Brendan Quinn.
He was working with Rudy Vernon at the gun range the day your gun was stolen.
Rudy Vernon? He's dead.
Murdered.
I'm gonna find out what Brendan Quinn knows.
You go near the Quinns, they'll arrest you.
I'm not letting you go away for something you didn't do.
There is no me without you.
We're a team.
So, what are we gonna do? There's a solid wall of blue.
Melissa's shield.
There is one Quinn, a sister she's not a cop.
Yeah, Melissa's sister Kathleen.
Kathleen is who Brendan said he was with the night Oscar Payn was murdered.
Maybe she's our way over the wall.
The infamous Carrie Wells.
Come on in.
I really want to talk to you.
I'm surprised.
I'm sure your father warned you about me.
You want to talk about my brother, Brendan.
Yeah.
Please.
Brendan said he was with you the night Oscar Payn was murdered.
He was.
We had dinner, and he spent the night.
He does that sometimes.
The kids love him.
He was here the entire night? Well, he was here at He was still here at 6:00 when I got up to make the kids breakfast.
Leaves eight hours he was alone.
- Look, Detective Wells - Carrie.
Carrie.
I know you suspect my family of some terrible things.
But I guarantee my father and my brother had nothing to do with Oscar Payn.
They wouldn't violate their own ethics.
We call it the âQuinn Code.
â They arrested Al.
They're processing him in Rikers right now.
You think my family framed your partner.
Who's this? It's Dom.
Dominic Moreno.
- Friend of the family? - Yeah.
He was Melissa's boyfriend.
They were engaged, in fact, but Melissa broke up with him shortly before she died.
Why? I think she was in love with someone else.
She never told me who.
But I remember it was really hard for her.
How did he take the breakup? Not well.
He used to be really close to our family, almost like another brother.
But then after Melissa died, we sort of just drifted apart.
You don't think Dom's involved in this? Did she tell you who she was in love with? She said it was complicated.
Complicated how? I think she meant he was married or maybe outranked her.
âOutranked herâ? Is it possible she was in love with Al Burns, my partner? Carrie, if Melissa did have feelings for your partner, she would never have crossed that line.
The âQuinn Code,â right? Exactly.
Except Dominic Moreno he's not a Quinn.
Only you could get me to Astoria.
Technically, it's Long Island City.
It's still Queens, which is technical enough for me.
This personnel folder for Dominic Moreno.
You want to tell me what his connection is to all this? Not yet.
I need a little more information.
Rudy Vernon, a cop he worked out at the gun range.
I need anything that ties him to Dominic Moreno.
Phone calls, check stubs, any contact at all.
I'll try.
And if you ever want to fill me in Thank you, Eliot.
Wells? I need you to be sure on this one.
Dead to rights.
If you're wrong, we all go down.
Dominic Moreno.
Who? He's NYPD and Melissa Quinn's ex-fiancé.
Didn't even know she had a boyfriend.
She never mentioned him.
Well, she would never have told you.
What do you mean? I think she was in love with you.
She was a detective under my command.
Al, I was a detective under your command.
That's different.
She worked for me and that's it.
What does this have to do with anything? Motive.
Dominic Moreno is a cop, he's a sharpshooter, and his ex-fiancé was in love with you.
All right, so I-I'm looking for Moreno? Yes, if we can place him at the gun range, we may have enough.
I've never seen any of these guys.
Are you sure? You know what? Let's try an experiment.
Don't look at me like that.
It's gonna be easy.
Just close your eyes.
I'm not gonna close my eyes.
If Dominic Moreno was there at the gun range, if he was shadowing you, you probably saw him.
Close your eyes.
Let's start from where you lost your gun.
I want to take you back to the firing range.
You weren't there.
How's this gonna help? I've been there before.
And I remember everything.
So I can set the scene.
Close your eyes.
Take a breath.
You park your car.
Mm-hmm.
You head towards the range shack.
Mm-hmm.
It's about 1:00 p.
m.
The weather report says there's gonna be a breeze coming northwest off the river.
- Yeah, okay.
- Okay? Now, which stall did you shoot at? I don't know.
Al, you can do this.
Now, you were standing behind the firing line.
Which way did you turn when you left the range shack? Right.
Right.
I went right.
Okay.
Stall 16.
That's great.
And when you were done, the range officer came over and checked your weapon.
Yeah.
I remember that.
Who did you see? Anyone else? There was a guy wearing a knee brace; he was limping.
All right.
That's Brendan Quinn.
Look around, do you see anybody else there? Just relax.
Try to remember.
This guy This guy, he was there.
That's Dominic Moreno.
You did it! With a little help.
So, let's say Dominic Moreno paid Rudy Vernon to switch the guns.
But how do we prove it? Vernon's dead.
Not the Quinns again.
Carrie, I'm serious.
All right.
I'll shut it.
My patrol officers have a response time of five minutes, so you better be quick.
I'm looking for your son.
Brendan? He's at work.
No, he's not and he's not at home.
Listen, I'm not here to accuse your family or to bring up difficult memories.
But there's something I have to tell you.
The night Melissa's squad went after Oscar Payn, Al Burns tried to protect her.
How? By sending her walking into the barrel of an AK? No, he told her to hold her position and she disobeyed his order.
That's not true.
By his own incident report, he sent her to her death.
He wrote that report because he didn't want it on record that she died disobeying an order.
He knew what that would do to your family and he knew what it would do to you.
Please leave.
I can't, because I'm telling you the truth and I need you to believe me.
Look, just take a second and think about the way it all went down.
Oscar Payn and his drug dealers had an eight-year-old girl hostage.
ESU and Hostage were still five minutes out.
The deadline was seconds away.
Melissa had the only clear shot, but she had to expose herself to get it.
You know what your daughter would have done.
One time she must have been eight-years-old herself the family next door had this stupid cat, kept getting itself stuck places.
One Sunday night, we had everyone over for dinner.
Somebody notices Melissa's been gone for a while.
Family of cops, you know, so we panic.
Everyone's looking everywhere.
She was 40 feet up in that neighbor's tree with that stupid cat in her arms.
Couldn't figure out how to get down.
Why are you here? I believe that Dominic Moreno blamed Al for Melissa's death.
I think he murdered Oscar Payn and he's framing my partner.
What's this have to do with Brendan? Moreno was at the gun range when Al last qualified.
I think he took Al's Sig Sauer and replaced it with an identical model.
Now, I need to know what Brendan knows.
This is Captain Quinn.
I'm looking for my son Brendan.
Are you sure? All right.
Thanks.
That's not good.
Dominic dropped by.
They left together on foot.
Is there anywhere you can think of they might go? Anywhere of significance to them? They went to high school together.
Hung out every summer.
But I guarantee, my father and my brother had nothing to do with Oscar Payn.
They were lifeguards together, weren't they? Yeah, they were.
How far is Breezy Point Beach from the gun range? Half a mile.
I'll drive.
Man, this place.
You see these fancy-ass bathrooms they got in there? Remember Melissa crushing us swimming out to the jetty? She was the best swimmer of all of us.
She was the best everything of all of us.
I miss her every minute of every day.
Yeah.
Me too.
So, uh, what's going on? There's this cop from Major Crimes that said something that worried me.
Like what? I didn't want to believe her.
I don't want to believe her, but uh, Rudy Vernon turning up murdered.
I don't know, Dom.
That's not on Al Burns.
Here.
Just in case something goes sideways.
Thanks.
Just tell me you didn't do this.
Didn't do what? Don't play stupid.
I was there when you stole those Playboys from that newsstand.
I know that face.
You're acting crazy, man.
You just got to tell me the truth.
About what?! I can help you.
We can sort this out.
- No.
No.
- Dom! You left me all of you.
Right when I need you most.
Yeah, after Melissa you turned into ghosts.
What was that about? I had no one! You know that's not true.
We all reached out, we wanted to help Oh, bull! 'Cause if you really wanted to help, you would want to take down Burns as much as I did.
He took her away from me and then he got her killed.
He took my life away.
Backup needs a few minutes to get in position.
We don't have a few minutes.
We go down to the station house.
We talk this out.
I got a better idea.
You go away and no one knows I was at the firing range.
And Burns stays in the joint for life.
- That cop knows.
- Nah, she can't prove it.
Only you can.
And I'm sorry brother I-I really am but.
Dominic!! Captain Vince! You want to take out a Quinn? Then start with me.
Stay on the ground.
Excuse me.
That's from Al Burns.
You're going to have to cuff him and read him his rights.
I'm a civilian.
You're a cop and a damn good one.
Let me have that.
Just in case my old pal Melvin Stearns asks how a suspended Officer, ended up with a weapon.
You know I am starting to like what I see of this Quinn code.
- You want to hear a funny story? - Sure.
Melvin Stearns.
Turns out someone informed the Mayor of Melvin's penchant for golfing vacations in the Poconos and his curious little habit of charging his green fees to the Departments recreation budget.
Really? It's all good though, I mean they were looking for a Chief of Parking Enforcement out in Gowana anyway.
Well, it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.
Was he? Really? There's a cake, right? There's got to be a cake.
- Hey! - Hey, buddy.
Boss, I got something for you.
What can I say? I splurged.
I'm just kidding.
_ It's good to have you back, Burns.
Thank you.
Took you long enough to get me out of jail.
Well, I had to make a little stop along the way.
Yeah? That trifecta you couldn't remember? It paid off.
Give me twenty minutes with this at the Black Jack table and I will triple it.
- Triple? - Quadruple.
I think we already beat the odds today.
Yeah.
How about I take you out to dinner? Christoffe's? Eww, last time we were there I had the Moroccan chicken, it was raw.
- We haven't been there in like 2 years.
- 2 years, 2 months, 1 day.
Trust me.
Always do.
I have a question for you.
How could you not know Melissa Quinn was in love with you? Because at the time I was in love with someone else.
- Marjorie Binstock.
- What? A little blonde worked down in evidence always smelled like oranges.
- I think it was her conditioner.
- You know what I think? I think we should go to Christoffe's.
You deserve raw Moroccan chicken and food poisoning.
Take your money.