Without a Trace s04e06 Episode Script

Viuda Negra

Who the hell would've ever expected Day of the Dead to be so festive, huh? Oh, you gotta love those Aztecs.
To them, life is a dream, according to the waiter.
Oh, really? Hey, hey, hey.
Where was I when this waiter guy was imparting all this wisdom upon you? Sitting beside me, checking out the bimbolitas at the bar as usual.
Lucy, hey.
- I assure you, my darling, I was not.
- I'm teasing, I'm teasing.
Hey, what happens in Mexico stays in Mexico.
Then maybe we should make it happen right now.
You're gonna have to catch me first.
All right.
Lucy? You're in trouble.
You are in such trouble.
Oh, man, those were good margaritas.
Yes, they were.
Now let's go back to the hotel.
Before they render me absolutely useless.
Seriously.
This is exactly what we needed.
- I'll be What? Get your hands off me.
- What? Just Leave my wife alone.
Lucy? James! No! - Lucy.
- No, wait! Stop! Stop, please! Stop! Somebody please help! Somebody! Help me! Please, my husband.
My son-in-law, James.
He and Lucy were supposed to fly back home from Mexico today.
I called to see if they needed a lift or anything else and as soon as I heard my girl's voice I knew something was wrong.
I'm fine.
We might stay a few more days.
A few days? Baby, what's the matter? You sound terrible.
Is James there? He's Oh, God, Mom.
These men, they took him.
They took James.
- What? - They kidnapped him.
But you can't tell anyone, please.
- What about the police? - No.
No police.
I can't tell them.
They'll kill him.
Look, Mom, promise me, please.
Please.
I did.
I promised her.
But the thought of my girl down there all alone - And this call was what time? - Well, I wake up early, around 7:00.
But she hasn't answered her phone since.
And what about ransom? Did she mention how much they want? But she and James have money.
I think Jack would wanna hear this.
Will you excuse me? Okay, I'm gonna need the name of the hotel.
All your daughter's phone numbers, any information you can give.
It's so like Lucy to try to do this on her own.
But this time I think she's in over her head.
No, not with our people there.
- They love that Yankee dollar down here.
- Unlike up north.
- What'd you say? - What, is your Spanish that rusty, Jack? Why do you think I brought you? Special Agent Malone? - Mr.
Cruz.
- Welcome.
That was fast.
Forgive us for not meeting you.
It's not a problem.
This is Agent Taylor.
Have you talked to Mrs.
Costin yet? Of course.
We found her here not long after you notified us.
She describes two men and a driver in an old van.
Wearing calacas, skull masks.
Ransom call came from a pay phone in town.
- Fingerprints? - None.
As we discussed, we're putting a trap and trace on the room line and our agents are combing the area for previous offenders.
But you didn't know about this until we contacted you isn't that right, Señor Cruz? Our office is currently juggling Add that to the 3000 last year and needless to say, we're spread a bit thin.
How's she holding up? Not good.
And not happy when we got involved.
Just wait till she sees you.
Oh, no.
No, no.
I don't believe this.
Special Agent Malone for the FBI.
This is Agent Taylor.
They said no police or he'll die.
- Not gonna let that happen.
- You have jurisdiction? No, señora.
They're here as our guests.
Now that we are here, the odds of your husband's return have increased.
They said no police.
Don't you understand? We understand you're concerned for your husband.
Playing their rules doesn't guarantee anything.
- Well, what other choice do I have? - You could let us watch your back.
Also tell us about the kidnapping.
- Oh, I told him everything.
- Which wasn't very much, señora.
Listen, Mrs.
Costin we're not going anywhere.
So you may as well give us something.
What happened after the kidnapping? Did you talk to anyone? Anyone come up and talk to you? Wouldn't even look at me.
It was a nightmare.
All I could think to do was to run back to the cantina.
- Someone help, please.
- Señora My husband, James, these men, they took him.
- It's okay.
- They took him.
No, no, no, you don't understand.
I have to do something.
We have to call.
We have to call the police.
- Police.
- No, señora, no police, no police.
They don't help you here.
You just wait, okay? Just wait.
- What do you mean, wait? For what? - Señora, these men, they will call.
They always do.
That is how it works.
Go back to your hotel and wait for a call, all right? Oh, God.
And they did call.
About half an hour later.
Said they'd kill James if I didn't come up with 25,000 by the time they called again.
Your mother indicated money wouldn't be an issue.
Do you mind me asking what business you're in? My husband runs his own tennis academy.
Private instruction.
- Must be good.
- He is.
Has the money come? No, not yet.
I'm still waiting to hear from our accountant.
You'll let us know when it does, right? In the meantime if you need anything And you'll stay here, right? What else am I gonna do? You could call your mother.
- It sounds like that waiter's in on it.
- Not necessarily.
What he told her is hardly inside information.
Common crime, that is the way it works.
Like cops being on the take? - Bad apples everywhere, I'm afraid.
- Right.
Danny, come on.
Can you show us the cantina? My men outside will direct you.
I trust you've stowed your weapons? You're not authorized to carry firearms in my country.
Are you kidding? Your supervisor said it was at your discretion.
Yes.
And nothing personal.
Thank you.
Do the words "diplomatic courtesy" mean anything to you? Bad apples everywhere, Jack.
I know, baby, I know.
I was just scared, that's all.
But as long as they're with you, why not let them help? Lucy? Lu? I knew that was coming.
You have to trust me on this, okay? You're doing the right thing.
But she doesn't deserve this.
Neither of them do.
Not after everything they've been through.
Everything meaning what? Thank you, Rosa.
Poor James was married before.
He and his first wife were robbed downtown.
Those bastards shot her three times, right in front of him.
And my girl, when When she was 12 she walked in on her father with a hunting rifle in his mouth.
That was his answer to going bankrupt.
Leaving his little girl without a daddy, me without a husband and both of us without a dime.
Pobre Mr.
James.
Yes.
So how long have you been working here? Since I first come.
Long time.
They've been married for how long, a year? But I start with Miss Mary.
The first Mrs.
Costin.
Mr.
James keep me on after, you know.
That means you're very good at what you do.
And they are very good to me.
- That's a lot to overcome.
- But they did.
They both did.
Lucy fought back.
Oh, public school, state college.
All hard work, nobody gave her anything.
And what about James? Well, at about a month after he lost his wife he went to Paris to get away.
And about that same time, Lucy had taken a job at the Louvre.
If she loses James, I don't know.
Mrs.
Doyle, would you excuse me for one moment? - Sure.
- Thank you.
- What's up? - Okay, the maid, Rosa? She's lying to me.
She says she's from El Salvador but her dialect is completely Mexican.
Rosa Escobar, born Veracruz, Mexico.
Granted a work visa in 1996.
You wanna take a guess why she told us El Salvador? Could be anything.
Green-card issues, paranoid of authority Or her other job is kidnapping.
Check that out.
In the first wife's murder, James comes away with a pistol-whipping.
Not two years later, he gets kidnapped and Lucy suffers a smack to the face.
Similar m.
o.
Well, Rosa was the only person in James' universe both times.
Well, that we know of.
What you got on James? Oh, you mean Mr.
Perfect? Vassar grad, Peace Corps, tennis All-American.
- Sounds like your bio.
- Yeah, right.
Make that almost perfect.
According to their records that tennis academy would barely be breaking even if not for the inheritance.
Yeah, well, from what Elena says, we're talking serious coin.
Yeah, to say the least.
There's almost There's over 13 million in assets.
That's That's what? - Martin? - Hold on.
Take a look at that.
I was doing the woman a favor.
Many police, they take money from these men to look the other way.
What men are we talking about? I don't know them, believe me.
- Nobody's talking, Jack.
- Because they want to live.
I fear for my family too much to get involved with these men.
But again, no names.
- Like I said, señor - Too scared.
I got it.
- Malone.
- Hey, listen, Jack, we got a pop here.
Twenty-five thousand was wired to a TelePesos office in Puerto Morelos about two hours ago.
Well, there's a shock.
Our lady lied.
Señora? Señora? Where is she? She must have climbed down.
Did you post somebody there? - Why didn't you post somebody? - Easy.
Jack, Lucy just picked up the money.
She asked where La Huerta was.
- They sent her in a cab.
- I know La Huerta.
- We're going with you.
- At my discretion.
Your white American face doesn't work to our advantage.
Fine, I'll stay here.
But he's going with you.
What sort of Cuban name is Taylor anyway? You like to tell jokes? I got a joke for you.
How many Mexican Federales does it take to keep one American woman in a hotel room? Why don't you go back and let us do our jobs? If you could do your job, I would be in my country.
But I gotta do your job.
Take me.
Take me.
Stop, stop, stop.
Lucy.
They still have James.
They still have James.
Which way did they go? They need more money.
Sit down.
Let me see that hand.
Did you cut yourself? Open your hand, let me see.
Apparently, Rosa has a son.
Jose Escobar, born 1981 in Oaxaca.
Is he still there? Don't know yet.
His trail dried up after grade school.
- But I'm trying other databases.
- Wait, she's on the phone.
I'm gonna transfer you to the tech room.
Okay.
- She's calling a cell phone in Mexico.
- Can you make out what she's saying? No, I can't, but I think she's crying.
I'm gonna need a few minutes to locate it.
Any chance you can keep her on the phone? I'll try.
Excuse me.
- It's okay, don't let me interrupt.
- No, no, it's okay, it's okay.
You need something? Something sweet, please.
Great, an apple.
Oh, well, sorry about that.
It's okay, if she makes another call, we'll be ready.
- Let me just ask her directly.
- No.
She's more use to us if she doesn't think we suspect her.
All right.
When they called, I couldn't wait.
They said to come alone.
- And how did that work out for you? - I know, I know.
I'm sorry, I just Know what? It's time to stop messing around.
I need you to think.
Now, these guys.
Were they still wearing the masks? Yeah, same as before, these skulls.
Lucy, just do what they say.
Please give them what they want.
Lucy.
It's all there.
Now let my husband go.
Cannot do that, señora.
We want more.
- One hundred thousand.
- What? No.
No, you can't be serious.
- No.
- No.
No, wait, listen.
Look, the FBI's here now.
Quit while you're ahead.
Please.
Just take the money and let him go.
Oh, my God.
My God, please don't hurt him.
Don't hurt him.
Please, don't hurt my husband.
Please.
One hundred thousand by tomorrow morning or your man dies.
Why would they do this? Why? What about their voices? Anyone sound familiar? Like from here or back home? Back home? We don't know these people.
What about Rosa Escobar? Does she know them? Rosa.
Our Rosa? - Please, she's like family, she - She lied about being from Mexico.
I barely know what Rosa's saying but I know she wouldn't be mixed up in this.
Okay, okay.
Just call your accountant and get the money here.
This time, we're gonna handle the drop if it comes to that.
If it comes to that? It has to.
I have to, or they will kill him.
- It has to be me.
- You know what? One step at a time.
Just call your guy, and this time, stay put.
Yes, I just heard from Lucy.
She'll have the additional 100,000 as soon as we're done here.
You got any friends in Mexico, Howard? Hey, go ahead, check me out.
- All I want is James back in one piece.
- Well, it's a little late for that.
Howard, what can you tell us about the Costins' maid, Rosa Escobar.
Well, she's sweet, hard-working, pays her taxes.
I know, I file them.
So you consider her trustworthy? Well, Mary hired her, James' first wife.
Believe me, Mary checked out everyone.
- So you handled Mary's finances too? - Oh, for years.
Great lady, very shrewd.
Not unlike Lucy, actually.
And it's a good thing for James.
How so? He was a tennis pro at Mary's club.
If they hadn't fallen in love, I doubt he'd be living in Scarsdale, put it that way.
What can you tell us about the inheritance? It's our understanding that Mary's family contested the will.
Oh, that was Victoria, Mary's sister.
It was far from her best moment.
Okay, I need you both to sign here, here and here.
- As long as you're happy, James.
- Vicky, don't start.
You got the house, you got the money, hell, you even got Rosa.
Before Mary's body is even cold, you've got your little French tart redecorating.
There's no need for that.
You wanted the vase.
- I'm only seeing that you get it.
- Oh, I get it.
- I'm getting the complete picture.
- Look, can we not do this, please? I'm sorry.
Vicky, I'm sorry.
I know how awful you must be feeling right now.
You couldn't possibly.
But I do, I've been there.
Look, I feel for you, we both do.
But just try to let it go.
Well, that was about two months ago.
I'm sorry, "little French tart"? Because he met Lucy in Paris, I imagine.
With it coming so soon after Mary died Lucy was called worse than that, believe me.
Howard, are Victoria and Rosa friendly? Well, I can't imagine them doing lunch.
Unless one of them was serving it.
And I don't mean Vicky.
What if Victoria has James kidnapped because she was left out of the will? Blames him for the way her sister died.
In which case, maybe it was only supposed to look like a kidnapping.
I like where you're going.
With the abduction rate in Mexico being what it is a murder disguised as a kidnapping might not be hard to pull off.
- Let's get Victoria down here.
- Yeah.
James? Kidnapped? Are you serious? Sorry to ruin your night.
Oh, no, it's It's terrible.
You and James weren't on the best of terms.
No.
Well, why do you ask that? According to police reports, your sister was shot three times.
James only suffered a concussion and was unable to make an ID.
- True.
- Someone got away with murder.
And Mary's $60,000 necklace.
- Like I would care about the necklace.
- James managed to keep his watch.
And I was just imagining that would have you wondering.
James had something to do with Mary's death? I'm not suggesting anything, I'm simply asking what you think.
It's ridiculous.
James is a sweetheart.
He loved Mary.
You fought him on her will, didn't you? Not him.
Her.
Lucy.
Just eight months after my sister was killed and that woman is gonna be living in Mary's house, spending her money.
Sounds like you're not quite over this.
It comes and it goes.
But James, I mean, you would've had to have seen him at the funeral.
He was destroyed.
And I think that's why it was so easy for Lucy to swoop in on him.
And a lot of good she's done him, apparently.
- Excuse me.
You got a sec? - Yeah.
Stay here, please.
- What's up? - So are you ready for this? Payroll records from James' and Mary's country club.
Lucy used to work there.
- What? - Yeah, for six months.
And she quit three weeks before Mary was killed to pursue a job in Paris.
And look, it gets even better.
- She was director of member relations.
- Yeah, I'll bet she was.
That would explain them hooking up soon after the first wife's death.
Because they'd hooked up so many times before.
Yep.
I will talk to you.
Hey, Special Agent Casanova, what are you doing? This is Maritza.
Éste es Jack.
She took the Costins to the cantina last night.
You see something? - She doesn't speak English.
- So? Well, apparently, she dropped the Costins off and then took a shortcut behind the cantina.
- So she's sure it's the waiter.
- Yeah.
Manuel, you were seen taking money from somebody, right? So stop the lies.
Okay, I admit.
These guys pay me to get the man drunk.
Just drunk? Maybe un poquito Quaal.
It's over-the-counter Quaaludes.
It's a legal medication here.
Not if the guy didn't ask for it.
I fear too much for my life, man, okay? That line is really starting to piss me off.
Yeah.
Franco.
One of the guys.
His name is Franco Colon.
Never heard of him.
He's bad.
He's very bad.
Works here sometimes.
Where's he live? Federales.
- Is that Franco? - No.
The waiter described an older man.
This is a boy.
A few pesos but no ID.
- You already call Forensics? - Of course.
My guess is it's Jose Escobar.
- Who? - Their maid's son.
My Jose would not hurt Mr.
James.
But he was there, there's no denying that.
He's got a criminal record.
He's done jail time.
Not for kidnap.
He's sweet, my Jose.
It's not like him to do this.
Hey, Rosalin, that's why you lied to me about where you were from? You called his cell phone because it's not like him? I don't know.
I was scared.
Not to mention the calls you made before the Costins left.
Surely you mentioned the fact the people in the photo he had were coming.
Only after Miss Lucy asked me to.
She asked you to? Was about three weeks ago.
Look at them.
Not too obvious.
Oh, Miss Lucy, not Chloe.
Mr.
James teach her since she is little.
She's a nice young girl.
Young, yes.
And Mr.
James loves you so much.
I don't see him this happy since Miss Mary was alive.
- Is that right? - I know this.
You don't worry.
How's your family, Rosa? - My family? - Yes, your son.
- Juan, isn't it? - Jose.
Doing better.
Oh, that's right.
Mexico.
Legal trouble.
Jail.
He's out now, looking for work.
It's not easy.
I send him money when I can.
You know, maybe we can help with that.
As luck would have it, James has booked us a vacation in Puerto Morelos.
That is near Jose.
Half-hour.
Think he'd be interested in playing tour guide? We'd pay for his time.
Oh, Miss Lucy.
That would be so good.
And you will love Jose.
That's why I call before trip.
Not for kidnap.
For Jose to take them on a tour.
I gave them his number.
Do you know if they called it? Did Jose talk to them? Did he see them? I don't know.
That's why I call this morning.
But he never answered.
He So neither you or James called Jose to get together.
We never got around to it.
God, poor Rosa, she must be devastated.
- And he never called you either? - Don't you think I'd tell you if he had? His cell phone shows three calls received from courtesy phones around the hotel.
What do you mean? You're telling me it's an employee here? That is one possibility, yes.
- Look, we - No, no, you look.
I don't know what you guys are after.
And if these bastards can kill one of their own, kill Jose Oh, God.
Just back off, all of you.
Okay, so let's say James and Lucy are having a typical affair.
- Is there such a thing? - Sure.
Lucy gets fed up, dumps him, takes the job in Paris.
Okay? But James can't live without Lucy, can't live without Mary's money either.
So he arranges her murder? And gets the best of both worlds, the money and the mistress.
Oh, here we go.
Mary's prenup.
I'm surprised James signed one.
Well, the accountant did say she was shrewd.
Let's see.
Okay.
Mary and James are divorced, James gets a half a million.
- And if Mary dies - He gets it all, so does Lucy.
You think Lucy helped him plan killing his wife? She might have done more than that.
That jealousy angle the maid gave us last night got me chasing a little deep background into Lucy.
Seems as a college junior she was suspended and only reinstated after completing summer anger counseling.
- Did it say for what? - Couldn't find that.
But local P.
D.
Archives show two restraining orders.
One filed by her ex-boyfriend and the other by his new girlfriend.
Sounds like she's got some serious issues.
Yeah, wonder what her issues were with Mary.
- Well, I'd say James, for one.
- Yeah.
- Don't trust Mexican banks? - These guys want a hundred thousand.
I won't have James die because some flunky shorted me 20 bucks.
- You've been burned before.
- Like you'll never know.
- I think I do.
- Oh, really? You think so? When I was 16 I found my mother pretty much the way you found your dad.
It's not often that you meet somebody that's walked in your shoes.
You know, I appreciate everything you've done, Jack.
Really.
But I have to do this alone.
And I will.
You think I'm just angling? You think I'd pull out my dead mother just to play nice? - I didn't say that.
- Let's talk about you.
- Let's not.
- Let's.
I think I can guess most of it, anyway.
Young girl loses her father like that, how can life ever be the same? Your mother moves you out of the big house away from the mortgage and memories into a crappy apartment that's a long way from your private-school friends.
The bitch of it is, the kids at the public school think you're a snob.
Where does that leave you? You put a wall up.
You put your head down and you work your ass off just to show those bastards that you don't need any of them.
Not that you didn't need James, of course.
I still do.
Where did you meet? You tell me.
You know everything.
Paris.
You were working at the Louvre.
He was there getting over his wife.
You ever meet Mary? Of course not, she was dead by then.
Actually I had met Mary months before.
Briefly.
I worked at her country club a short time.
James and I were on our second date before we even realized it.
Small world.
Isn't it? Okay, this is all I could find, but I think it'll work.
Hello? Yes.
Yes.
Is he okay? Yeah, same place, okay.
Alone, yes Yeah I know, I know.
Look, please don't hurt him.
I have all the money here.
Please.
Hello? How'd they get your cell number? Didn't they call the room last time? I don't know.
Maybe James gave them my number.
- Yeah.
Maybe.
- Well, we'll give you a ride.
- I can call another cab.
- Lucy, we should go with you.
You have no jurisdiction.
You can't force yourselves.
Just as you can't stop us from going.
Why don't you take the ride? We're not gonna interfere.
Fine.
As long as they get their money I don't think they care who makes the drop - I disagree.
- Okay, will you at least wear a wire? And if they search me and find it, then what? Idiot.
- You know, I'm not gonna let you do it.
- You have no jurisdiction.
That's why you chose Mexico in the first place.
Excuse me? What better place to stage a kidnapping than the kidnap capital of the world? Not gonna let your husband dump you, spend his money on some chippy? Stop the car.
At least with Mary, you used professionals.
You really screwed up this time using a bunch of Mexican ex-cons that you can't control.
Stay away.
You should never have taken that phone call from your mother.
It's a hell of a decision, isn't it? Do you not tell her, run the risk of suspicion? Or do you tell and hope, if she blabs, you got time to pull it off? Let go of me.
If you got nothing to hide, you got nothing to fear, let us make the drop.
Wish me luck.
Like you need it.
I thought you had her.
I still do.
Hey, Danny, come over here.
- Yeah.
- You see that ridge? Think you could get there without being seen? - You bet your ass.
- Go for it.
In that case, you may be needing these.
- I'm going.
- Thanks.
Looks like we got company.
Could be Franco.
Something doesn't feel right.
You lucky bitch.
You son of a bitch.
You son of a bitch.
You son of a bitch! James? Okay, Danny.
Come on in.
- Was that your guy? - Yeah.
Did he catch them? What about James? Is he okay? Tell me.
Unfortunately, he's dead.
See? Told you.
But you had to interfere.
Yeah.
What are you doing? It's okay, you can keep the bag, I just want this.
- What is that? - We wired you anyway.
Although now it seems pointless.
I wanna go back to the hotel.
Maybe we should listen to this.
Just for fun.
What do you say? Knock yourself out.
- You bring the money? - It's all there.
Do what you said you would do.
Do it.
What did you expect to hear? I don't know.
Something about you asking them to cut one of your husband's fingers off.
Lucy, don't do this, please.
I'm not leaving you.
You're crazy.
It's all here.
Get it over with.
- Lucy! - We cannot do that.
- What? No.
No, no.
- We want more.
- One hundred thousand.
- We had a deal.
The FBI's here now.
Quit while you're ahead.
They're tapping the room phone.
Where's Jose? Jose is no more.
You deal with us now.
One hundred thousand or your man goes free.
And he's not happy.
Please don't do this, no.
Okay, okay.
But I'll need proof for the feds.
They need to know this is real.
Proof like what? A finger.
- Give me his finger.
- No.
- Come on! - Lucy.
No.
No.
No! No! Sound familiar? You have quite an imagination.
Lady, even I couldn't make this stuff up.
James? Surprise.
You killed Mary.
You killed She killed Mary.
She killed Mary.
Yeah, I know she did.
Officer Cruz, you can hold her until we can get her extradited.
Although, James you could have her do time here.
If you wanted.
It's your call.
What happens in Mexico stays in Mexico.
Done deal.
All right, thanks.
The hospital wants to keep James overnight.
And the earliest flight out of here isn't till tomorrow afternoon.
- Is that a bad thing? - No.
Good, because I could do with a nap.
- What about lounge chairs by the pool - Now you're talking, Chicho.
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