Without a Trace s01e05 Episode Script

Suspect

- Where'd you score that? - Mike the groundskeeper.
Guys, take a beer.
On the house.
- You want one, too? - He got that for you? Paid $15 for it.
Mike sounds pretty cool.
You want one? - Come on, Ray.
Don't be a jerk.
- No.
Come on.
Here, Andy, have one.
All right.
Mr.
Spaulding.
All right, hand it over.
The beer.
Give it to me.
And the cigarettes.
All right now, go back to the dorms and wait for me.
Andy, come here.
I'd like to have a word with you.
Andy Deaver, a 17-year-old junior at Spaulding Academy boarding school.
He told some other students he was leaving for good that night.
We're not sure why.
Headmaster Graham Spaulding was the last one to see him.
Andy never made it home.
Spaulding says Andy left campus at around 6:30 p.
m.
About 10 minutes after the other kids got back to their dorms.
When did the call come in from his parents? Midnight.
He was driving the family car.
The same one we found on Route 34 a couple of miles from here.
It had a flat tire.
One of my guys called it in at 2:45 a.
m.
Doors unlocked, keys in the ignition, tire jack on the ground.
- You run it through forensics? - Not exactly yet.
What do you mean, "not exactly yet"? We're trying to keep kids from drinking in the woods.
We had the car ticketed and towed to impound.
- Your canine unit get any hits? - They sniffed the woods but they kept coming back to where the car was.
Okay.
We're going to take it from here, okay? I told Andy that he really impressed me in his two years here.
- I didn't understand why he was leaving.
- You didn't call his parents? I thought it was temporary.
With some kids, you have to give them just a little bit of rope.
So what happened after you spoke? He headed off to his car and home, I guess.
Forgive me for saying this, but you don't seem particularly concerned.
In my position, I have to maintain a certain amount of calm.
The truth is all of these kids are extremely bright and frankly, many of them would have difficulty at another school.
We have kids who take off and come back in a week or so with some excuse from their parents.
Right.
So you run a pretty lenient ship? I never saw being strict work with any kid.
All right.
We'll have to do a more extensive search of the campus and surrounding woods, if it's okay.
Absolutely.
Anything at all.
As a matter of fact.
- What's that? - A reward.
$15,000 for help, information, whatever.
I didn't know who to make it out to.
FBI, Department of Justice.
That's very generous.
I'll make sure you get a receipt.
I should get back.
With all this going on and 300 adolescents, you can imagine the anxiety.
Of course.
Listen, I am going to need to speak to you again.
- Naturally.
- Terrific.
Until then.
Don't take your eyes off that guy.
Graham Spaulding: Lived in Phoenix from'90 to'96.
Atlanta,'96 till last year.
He is a retired veterinarian.
Sold his practice.
Moved down here to take over the school last year, after his father died.
With what qualifications? Looking after animals? - High school's pretty rough these days.
- Hilarious.
Graham's chief qualification seems to be that his father was Alfred Spaulding who founded the school in 1956.
- Girlfriend? - No, lives alone.
- Any priors? - Record's clean.
What about his alibi? Says he was reviewing mid-semester evaluations at home.
Got forensics back on the car.
Multiple prints, including those of Mr.
Graham Spaulding.
The tire wound is inconsistent with a moving blowout.
It's a sidewall puncture, probably a screwdriver.
How far away from the campus was the car? So somebody drove that car to the roadside and made it look like a flat.
- And they left the car jack there, too.
- Nice touch.
Okay, we have to play this very carefully.
If Spaulding has the kid, he may try and get back to him.
We need a 24-hour surveillance-- - If he smells us, he won't make a move.
- That's the dance.
We have to focus on him without him realizing he's the prime suspect.
Best case, the kid can survive 72 hours without water.
That leaves us 50 hours.
Viv, set up meetings with the other faculty members to make it look like Spaulding's not the only one.
Martin and Samantha, I want you to talk to all the students you can.
Get as much information about Spaulding and his relationship with Andy.
Got it.
SOG surveillance is in place on Spaulding.
It seems as though he left in a hurry.
He must have.
But for the life of me, I can't imagine why.
He loved it here.
Can you tell me about the phone call last night? He sounded so distressed.
Mom, I just don't want to be here anymore.
-But I thought everything was going great.
- Well, it's not.
Andy, does this have something to do with that girl? I don't want to talk about it.
I want to come home.
I want to speak to Mr.
Spaulding about this first.
No, Mom.
Please, this has nothing to do with him.
Don't worry, okay? I'll see you in a couple ofhours.
- But you didn't call Mr.
Spaulding? - No.
I thought we'd talk about it when he got home.
What was Andy's relationship like with Mr.
Spaulding? Pretty close, I think.
His father left us when he was six and he has a tendency to get attached to the men in his life.
Okay.
And you spoke about a girl.
Was there someone in particular? I don't know.
He came home last weekend, and he spent the whole time.
What do you call it? Burning a CD for her.
But, of course, he wouldn't tell me who she was.
So, you and Andy worked in the office together? - Yeah, it's supposed to be an honor.
- An honor? Mr.
Spaulding picks certain kids he says deserve it.
- So that's how I know Andy.
- What's Andy like? I don't know.
Pretty shy.
Keeps to himself.
How was he yesterday? Same as always.
Did his work, didn't say much.
Any idea why he would have wanted to leave school? He's not too popular here.
I figured maybe that was it.
- Does he have a girlfriend? - No.
Andy? Come on, he must have liked someone.
Phoebe Burnell, but everybody likes her.
Andy didn't stand a chance.
That's a cool tattoo.
- Yeah, that was stupid.
- Why is that? - Because I can never take it off.
- How's it going in here? - Fine.
- Is he being helpful? Very.
Technically, he needs to be with a parent or guardian when he's questioned but I realize that time is of the essence here.
Please, continue.
Actually, we're pretty much done here.
Thank you.
I can't believe all this.
- I just saw him yesterday.
- How well do you know Andy? We have a couple of classes together.
- Have you two ever dated? - No.
- Think he might have a crush on you? - I don't know.
- What about the CD he made for you? - What? - What, he didn't give it to you? - No.
Oh, my God, that's what that was about.
Yesterday, we were right over there when Andy walked up to me.
Hey, Phoebe.
Hi.
What's up? Did you need the notes from Chem? I know you missed class Tuesday.
That's sweet.
I got them from Hannah.
I have something for you.
Andy, aren't you supposed to be covering the phones? Yeah, I was just about to.
It'd be great if you could get there.
We're swamped.
- Phoebe, come on.
- In just a sec.
I should go.
I'm going to be late for class.
Thanks.
If that's the last time I ever see him, and he was trying to-- Wasn't he at the grove later? Yeah, I almost forgot.
And it was weird because Mr.
Spaulding showed up there, too.
- What's this? - It's the blueprints of Spaulding's house.
Take a look at this.
Six weeks ago, Spaulding put in for a permit to build an 8' by 10' room in his basement.
- Twelve electrical outlets, plumbing.
- Extra bathroom? No, the house already has three.
Plus, this permit doesn't cover a toilet.
And this room has no windows or doors leading to the outside.
- A holding cell? - Or worse.
You think we have enough for a warrant? - Let's find out.
- All right.
Spaulding's house is half a mile away from the school.
Andy was never seen entering or leaving the house.
- But with the circumstantial evidence-- - Still don't have probable cause.
This kid could be in a torture chamber in Spaulding's basement.
- You think he's guilty.
What are we doing? - Danny, come in.
- Go ahead.
- Where is he? He's going into the administration building.
Okay, I want you and Martin to head over to his house.
Inspect the grounds.
See what's visible through the windows.
- I'll stay on Spaulding.
-Sounds good.
- What's up? - I think I heard something inside.
Listen.
You think you heard, or you did hear? Got any new leads? Actually, it's too early to tell if any of the leads are real.
Your father looks like he was an imposing man.
One could interpret it that way, I suppose.
- You went to school here? - Class of'74.
Must have been difficult having your father be the headmaster.
My father was a strong and supportive man.
Many of these kids can't say that.
No, I meant you must've got a rough time from the other students.
- I was pretty popular, actually.
- Really? And what about you, Agent Malone? Moved around a lot.
My father was in the Army.
By all accounts, I was pretty miserable.
That's a shame.
It is.
But it made me think of the conversation we had earlier about Andy and how fortunate your students are that they have someone that has their best interests at heart.
Thank you.
I must be getting back to my house.
I need to make some phone calls.
- Sure.
- Worried parents, you understand.
- Yes, of course.
- I trust you can find your own way out.
Sure.
Absolutely.
Danny, come in.
Yeah, go ahead.
Spaulding's on his way back.
Get out of there.
- Danny's in the house.
- What the hell are you guys doing? He thought he heard something.
He's on his way back.
You got to get out of there.
Danny, do you read me? Hey, boy.
That's a good boy.
Danny, Spaulding just pulled up.
Get out of there.
He's on his way into the house, man.
Come on, what the hell are you doing in there? He's entering the house, pal.
He's in the house.
I repeat, suspect is in the house.
- Did you hear me? - Yeah, I heard you.
- I hope you got something good? - Oh, yeah.
They all remind me of Andy.
All gangly, self-conscious, and insecure.
Easy prey.
You should see the ones I left inside.
Those are disturbing.
They're voyeuristic, like they were taken with a telephoto lens.
Look at this one.
It's posed and nude.
We've got to find out who these two boys are.
I'll run them against any missing kids in Atlanta or Phoenix.
Do you have anything on the warrant? 'Cause if these photos don't clear, we're in big trouble.
Jack, we're okay.
Who's your judge? Randall? No, he's out of town.
It's Adderly.
I want everything to be done by the book from now on.
Okay, we got him on possession of child pornography.
More, if we prove he took the pictures.
I don't want him walking with a smut conviction and a slap on the wrist.
If he gets lawyered up, he will stop talking.
And time is running out for Andy.
So bring him in, break him with the photos.
We don't know we have these photos until the warrant clears.
I need to get inside Spaulding's head before I meet him again.
How are we with the ex-wife? Found her in New Jersey.
I'm headed out there.
Jack, Van Doren wants to see you.
Have a seat, Jack.
I just read your report on Agent Taylor searching the Spaulding residence.
There appears to be some ambiguity regarding the photo album.
What kind of ambiguity? The ambiguous kind.
Agent Taylor thought he heard the kid inside.
He entered the premises under exigent circumstances.
- The album was in plain view.
- Please save all of that for the judge.
Just don't base any of your questioning on those photos.
Without a warrant, it's all fruit from the poisonous tree.
Do you understand? I didn't go to law school, Paula, but I think I grasp the concept.
Graham and I met on a flight from New York to Phoenix.
We both lived there.
He was one of the most charming men I'd ever met.
- We were married within eight months.
- But divorced two years later.
After the first six months, he lost interest in me.
In every way.
And you filed for divorce.
I was getting there, but he beat me to it.
One day, there was a message on the machine.
The next week, I got a letter from an attorney in Atlanta.
He'd moved there.
Do you remember either of these two boys? No.
That's Robby Griffith.
He interned for Graham at the vet clinic for a while.
It didn't work out.
- What went wrong? - I don't know.
I do know that Robby was a pretty troubled kid.
Take a look at this.
A 1999 case file on Eric Lipinski.
Fifteen years old, from DeKalb County, Georgia.
Reported missing.
Found murdered four days later.
The same kid.
And Spaulding was the last to see Eric on the D.
O.
D.
Atlanta police interviewed him four times and had to let him walk.
- They couldn't link him to the murder.
- That's the third kid.
Vivian just called.
This one, Robby Griffith missing from the Phoenix division since'96.
Never found.
So this Spaulding guy knows what he's doing.
The sick bastard thinks he'll get away with it.
Go back to the school and set up the arrest.
- I'll fax the warrant to Westchester.
- Great.
According to your affidavit, Agent Taylor you heard what you call "suspicious noises" from Mr.
Spaulding's house? Yes, Your Honor.
I heard a high-pitched whining noise.
I heard another sound that I took to be chains of some sort.
Of some sort? Your Honor, Agent Taylor's exigent entry into the house was based on a totality of circumstances surrounding the boy's disappearance.
The evasive nature of the suspect-- All right.
Let's move to the photos.
While I was in the house, I entered a darkroom.
It was there that I saw hundreds of other pictures of teenage boys.
- But none of the missing boy? - No, sir.
At which time you also saw the source of your suspicious chain-rattling - to be a large German shepherd? - That's correct.
So, I assume you were preparing to leave the premises but then you saw the photo album.
Yes, I was.
Your Honor, that photo album was in plain view.
Your Honor, if I may cut to the chase.
The album contains photos of the missing boy.
It also contains a nude photo of a minor that was the victim of an unsolved murder in Atlanta.
There's a third photo of another minor that went missing from the Phoenix area.
And you believe the suspect Spaulding to be responsible for the murder and disappearance of the two boys based on these photos? Yes.
In conjunction with other evidence.
We believe that if we can charge him with Lipinski's murder we can get a confession about Andy, and perhaps find the boy alive.
- Based on these photos? - They tie the cases together.
He's got to know we're watching him.
Where the hell is that warrant? Damn it.
Gentlemen, I got to tell you this guy Spaulding sounds like real scum.
I hope you can put him away for the rest of his miserable life.
And I'll be glad to help you do that as soon as you appear before me with constitutionally obtained evidence.
Now, just so you understand, Agents Taylor and Malone you may not enter a house without a search warrant under the flimsiest of exigent circumstances and then bootstrap that questionable entry into a fishing expedition for other evidence.
Son, you had no right to continue the search after finding that dog.
You had no right to open the photo album.
You certainly had no right to remove it from the premises.
And you have absolutely no right to an arrest warrant based on the photographs found therein.
Make sense? Yes, sir.
You're kidding.
Okay.
The warrant was denied.
We got to let him walk.
They found Lipinski's body in a mineshaft tunnel about 50 miles from his home.
According to the autopsy report he had been strangled and revived repeatedly over the course of three days ending with a lethal injection of Xylazine.
Animal tranquilizer.
- That's the same as Patrick McCullough.
- What do you mean? The kid that works in the school office with Andy.
He's got the same tattoo.
- Is he Spaulding's type? - Yeah.
Lanky, shy, awkward.
- I'm gonna go talk-- - Wait.
I want Martin to go.
If there was something going on between them he's more likely to admit it to a male agent.
I'm sorry.
No, it's fine.
I'll have Westchester put out search parties in the quarries and mineshafts.
Within a 100-mile radius, please.
Look, Jack, I know I screwed up.
And I know it's gonna cost us, and I'm prepared to-- You know what, Danny? - It happened.
Move on.
- Okay.
So, what's my assignment? Mrs.
Deaver? I just keep thinking when I brought him here that first day I thought I had done the right thing.
He was nervous.
He didn't know anybody.
I told him he could come home whenever he wanted.
He called me every day for that first week till he settled in.
I really thought this was the right place for him.
- It's quiet out here.
- Yes, it is.
So, how's the investigation going? Pretty good.
We're still eliminating suspects.
So, how long has it been? - Since when? - Since the disappearance.
Since you last saw him, you mean? - Yes.
- About 40 hours.
So I guess he didn't just go for a walk in the woods.
I think not.
- I came here to give this back to you.
- That's not mine.
- It's not? - No.
We found it in your house.
Any suggestions as to how it might have gotten there? You came into my house without a warrant? Yes, that's why I'm giving this back to you.
That article was seized illegally.
Do you want it or not? I told you, it's not mine.
Okay.
Aren't you even a little bit curious as to what's in this? Patrick, we're not screwing around here.
Andy's life is at stake, and we are running out of time.
I don't know what you want from me.
We think you know more than you're telling us.
Like what? We think that Mr.
Spaulding and Andy were having a sexual relationship.
I don't know about that.
This is serious.
I don't know what they did, okay? All I know is I saw them the day Andy went missing.
That's for you.
$50? - It's just a little thank you.
- For what? For all the extra effort that you've been putting in around here.
And for being you.
Thanks.
I'm having a barbecue at my house tonight for the Math Club.
Why don't you come by? - I have a paper I have to finish.
- Just for a little bit.
Well, I'll see.
Now, don't get all mopey.
Let me see that smile.
The barbecue was a lie.
If Andy showed up, Mr.
Spaulding would say it was canceled and they'd be alone.
How do you know that? I just do, okay? Patrick, did Mr.
Spaulding do that to you? Look, if he took advantage of you he's the one to blame, not you.
You have nothing to be ashamed of.
We'd go out for long drives in his truck.
He'd tell me how I needed to believe in myself.
That I was special.
Did he make you get the tattoo? He said it would always remind me of how strong I really was and of our times together.
It sounds stupid now.
And after I got it, he went really crazy.
What do you mean? He kept saying things like I owed him because he helped me so much and that the "S" was really for Spaulding.
Is that when you started to pull away? A couple of weeks ago.
I guess that's when he started up with Andy.
Right.
All right.
This is not gonna be easy but we're gonna need you to press charges.
Spaulding, we have a warrant for your arrest.
Put your hands where we can see them.
- What are the charges? - Three counts of child rape two counts of child endangerment and six counts of committing a lewd act with a minor.
- Who's making these charges? - Patrick McCullough.
Take him out to the car and read him his rights.
Bring in the ERT.
Let's get started.
We don't have much time.
Xylazine.
Soil samples on Spaulding's truck match the samples on the boots that Danny found.
We've got a 150-foot climbing rope, also covered in soil.
- Lime and clay deposits? - A cave.
There's a national park about 60 miles north of the Academy.
- Coleman Caves.
- Right, I've been up there.
The place has hundreds of miles of passageways.
This time of year, temperatures drop below freezing.
Washington wants me to supervise this case directly.
We're in the headlines now, Jack.
From this stage, we have to follow procedure flawlessly.
- What stage? - We need a clean conviction on this one.
- This kid is still alive.
- Come on, Jack.
The kid is gone.
I think the kid is still alive.
The son of a bitch knows where he is.
I can get it out of him.
I'm having him processed and transferred here to Manhattan Detention.
You're off the case.
- Paula, come on.
- It's done, Jack.
At least let me handle the transfer.
Martin, take a left up here.
That's not the way to the thruway.
- I know that you took Andy.
- "Took Andy"? Please.
We found the rope.
We found the boots.
We know that you took him to the Coleman Caves.
If you know so much, what do you need me for? - Actually, you need me.
- How is that? Because I can help you.
My boss gets a hold of you, the press they're gonna turn you into a monster.
I'll take the chance.
Tell me where Andy is and I will help you.
I told you, I have no idea where Andy is.
Your prints are all over his car.
Look, this is all circumstantial crap! If you had the evidence to arrest me for Andy's disappearance, you would have.
And we wouldn't be driving around in the rain now, would we? Van Doren called.
Jack still hasn't made it to Manhattan Detention.
- What'd you say? - I said I'd look into it.
I meant what I said before, Graham.
I know how much you care about these kids.
That's why you took Andy under your wing.
He was confused, vulnerable.
You were the only one who understood him.
- Is that right? - I think so.
But then he turned on you, didn't he? I know how that feels.
I know how painful that can be.
You pour yourself into someone your time, energy, and devotion.
You give them everything they need to grow, and then they just abandon you.
- Are you speaking from experience? - Sure.
You love someone you make love to someone you give your life to them.
And then they don't even look at you.
Any word from Malone? No, ma'am.
Westchester was late processing Spaulding out.
The warden told me himself that Spaulding was released - I hadn't heard that.
- The guy's already asked for a lawyer.
If Jack interrogates him if he even mentions Andy Deaver in a custodial setting Spaulding will walk.
I'm sure Jack knows the law.
Get back to me in five minutes with Malone's exact location.
Yes, ma'am.
I know about the other boy.
What other boy? This kid.
The young, scrawny, frightened, lonely kid.
The kid who only wanted love and approval.
I know his pain.
I know that boy.
Yes, I do.
And I know that you want to put that boy out of his misery.
You know, Graham, your father wasn't a strong man.
He wasn't a supportive man.
He was a weak, cowardly, sadistic bastard.
I know he used to touch you, and I know you used to beg him to stop.
You believe whatever you want.
You don't know anything about my father.
You know, I've been giving something a lot of thought.
It's occurred to me that in some ways I envy you.
- You envy me? - Yes.
The power that you have with those boys, what that must feel like.
- What boys? - Andy.
Eric Lipinski, Robby Griffith.
I know there have been others.
There have been many.
Do me a favor, Graham.
Tell me what it's like, the moment that you take them out.
Tell me.
You can see the terror in their eyes, right? You can feel their hearts racing.
You can feel the cold sweat under your hands just before you stick the needle in.
It must be such a rush.
Martin, put the CD in.
Andy made this CD for Phoebe.
He wanted her to think about him when he wasn't there.
Is that what you wanted? Is that why you stole it? You wanted to think about him? Is it what you two listened to when you were together? - No.
- No, that's right.
That's right, you never got a chance.
You never got a chance to go back to him because he's still out there.
He's waiting.
It must be hard.
It must be hard, knowing that he's out there.
Waiting.
The touch of his skin.
The feel of him under you.
I understand you, Graham, I do.
I've been to that school.
I've seen those beautiful boys.
Their beautiful bodies.
To hold all that innocence in your arms.
To take the power.
It must be really frustrating knowing that Andy is out there waiting for you.
Waiting.
And you can't get back to him.
You can't be with him one last time.
But I tell you what I'm gonna do.
I'm gonna give you 15 minutes with him, if you tell me where he is.
You'd do that? I'll give you 15 minutes with him alone.
You can do whatever you want.
Fifteen minutes.
Whatever you want.
He's in bad shape, but he's gonna make it.
Agent Malone? Do I get my 15 minutes now? Your 15 minutes are over.

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