Memphis Beat (2010) s01e01 Episode Script
That's All Right, Mama
(playing slow blues) (crowd tapping feet, clapping rhythmically) (indistinct crowd chatter) (crowd whooping, whistling) (cheering) well, since my baby left me well, I found a new place to dwell it's down at the end of lonely street at heartbreak hotel, where I'll be I'll be so lonely, baby I'll be so lonely I'll be so lonely, I could die (cheering) (music fades) (siren wailing) (indistinct radio transmission) Have mercy.
(booker t.
And the mgs' "green onions" plays) So, Sutton (sighs) You were sitting across the street over there, and Enjoying yourself a hot dog when Uh, it was a catfish Po' boy, actually, Dwight.
(quietly): Ah, yeah, it was a Po' boy.
Good, Sutton, good.
After you, uh, heard the shots, how long till you got over here? 29, 30 seconds, tops.
You didn't see anybody come out this door? Nope.
That window up there was wide open, And there's these footprints, So I figure that's how he fled.
I got patrol canvassing a ten-block radius As we speak.
Big feet.
Tiny window.
Would've been a tight squeeze.
(squishing) These are yours, Sutton.
What? Yep, you tracked 'em through the scene, Damn it.
No.
Lock this place down.
What's going on? Lock it down! Man: Lock it down! (whistles quietly) You got one chance To come out peaceful Before I start playing "fish in a barrel.
" Okay, then, here I go.
Put the gun on the floor now! Lay it down gentle-- do it! Come out and stand up with your hands in the air now! Turn around Nice and slow.
Hands on top of your head.
Man: Whoo! That ain't right.
(clears throat) Sutton Why don't you go ahead and frisk this one? (chuckling) Hello? Mama? and I drive the main road Hello? searchin' in the sun for another overload I hear you singin' in the wire (teakettle whistling) I can hear you through the whine hello? and the Wichita lineman (fading): is still on the line (grunting) where is she? What'd you do with her?! Dwight! You all right, mama? 'course I am! What in the world are you doing? Let go of this man.
(crying): I'm so sorry, honey.
This For gosh sakes, this is my new neighbor, Dwight, Mr.
Tony balu from Massachusetts.
Oh.
Sorry about that.
Mama doesn't normally have guests this hour.
Let's just say down here we look after our own.
You know what I'm saying, Tony? Welcome to Memphis.
(upbeat blues intro) Mary mack dressed in black silver buttons all down her back high hose tipsy toes she broke the needle and she can't sew walkin' the dog yes, I'm walkin' the dog if you don't know how to do it I'll show you how to walk the dog (singer whistling) come on, now, come on, come on I asked her mama for 15 cents see the elephant jump the fence he jumped so high he touched the sky never got back till the fourth of July walkin' the dog I see you saved her, Dwight.
Yep.
Yep.
Hey, this new lieutenant's on a tear around here, Dwight.
It was her that threw out our boob lamp.
You're gonna like her-- she's tough.
Ugh.
Really? Yup.
Fellas.
Rice: Now, this needs to happen As soon as you a Clocking out will be done differently, as well.
Happen You left her outside-- now she's cold.
(laughter) I mean, look at her! Oh, uh Sorry.
I apologize, ma'am.
Go ahead.
Thank you.
As I was saying Thanks.
At the end of each day, you will upload What we call a daily status report to the server.
Communication is central to success.
Now, with access to one another's information, You will not only continue to be great, General assignment, you will now be efficient.
(ding) (laughter) Lieutenant: Okay, okay, that's all.
Let's have a brilliant day, people.
Detective Dwight Hendricks, the one and only.
(chuckles): Aw, shucks.
Come in my office, please.
Dwight: On behalf of the guys, Welcome to general assignment.
We're happy to have you.
Thank you.
And if you don't mind, I've got a friendly word of advice.
Wonderful.
Things work different around here Than they do on the East side.
We've figured out a system.
But the problem is, it's delicate.
You mess with just one or two of the pieces, The system could fall apart.
We won't be able to take care of folks the way we need to.
For instance, take the boob lamp.
It's a goofy thing, But the guys like it.
Makes 'em laugh after a hard day.
No reason to get rid of something like that.
Okay.
Thank you, I appreciate that.
No problem.
I got a 10-15 for you and Detective white downstairs.
(clears throat) Now, see, the way we do it down here is, Detectives don't take the basics like 10-15's.
We give that to a uniform.
Detective Hendricks, did you know that I am a mother? I have birthed, raised and educated five children.
You know, sometimes they did not want to do What I asked them to do.
But you know what? They did it.
Know why? Because somewhere deep down inside of themselves They knew I was right, And they learned to relax and listen to their mother.
And Detective, our family became Greater than the sum of its parts.
10-15, downstairs.
And Dwight, There are women that work here Who do not want their papers illuminated by plastic nipples.
What if something major comes up? Lieutenant Morris must be rolling in his grave.
It's all right, whitehead, she'll come around.
Hey, Dwight, there's your 10-15.
She don't talk.
Poor thing's lost to this world.
Dwight: Look at you.
You are just all done up, aren't you? You know, you look familiar to me.
What's your name, sweetheart? Well, you don't got nothing to worry about.
Everything's gonna be just fine.
We're gonna find a way to get you home.
Okay? Dwight: Y-you sure you checked all the beds, sweetheart? 'cause that woman might not have been gone too long.
Uh, all right.
Thank you very much.
My God.
Whitehead? It's Dottie Collins.
The old lady's Dottie Collins.
Who's that? Dottie Collins, The first lady of the airwaves, wher.
The woman's a Memphis legend.
"delta hits from 3:00 to 6:00.
" Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Oh, she was huge.
She ain't what she used to be, is she? In 1979, I I stood for 16 hours In the blistering heat outside wher just to Just to have her sign a picture for me.
(thunder crashing) Woman: Excuse me, detectives, There's something y'all need to come see.
Whitehead: My God.
Dwight: Get me her address.
Officer: But how? We don't know what her name is.
Dorothy Camilla Collins-- get me her address now.
Whitehead: What kind of person would do something like this? Hello? Anybody home? Mpd! (thunder rumbling) Woman (distorted, echoing): I almost lost myself in a daydream.
This is Dottie Collins saying, till we meet again, Memphis, Till we meet again.
(thunder rumbling) (door thumps) (thunder rumbling) (flies buzzing) Dwight: I was up all night.
This makes me sick.
The woman's a living legend, And we're putting her in a city home? As far as I can tell, the only family she has Is a son by the name of Patrick lives down in new Orleans.
I left him a message.
Well, if it wasn't her family, What, some kind of caretaker doing the abuse? Could be; they ain't all saints, that's for damn sure.
Sutton: Praise Jesus.
Hospital says Dottie wasn't getting her Alzheimer's meds.
We found the empty Medicare envelopes.
So, it means whoever's doing this, Cashing the checks, not bothering with the meds.
I don't know, whitehead, it just Don't add up.
Mickey, get yourself warm.
It's a nice day, officer, eh? Get yourself something.
Lieutenant: I know.
(rain falling) (thunder rolling) Detective Hendricks, You have not checked in with me once In the last 24 hours.
You didn't file Your daily status report, And you neglected to inform me At you came upon a crime scene.
Well, we would've called if we needed anything, but we don't.
You know, you are not a single-celled organism, Detective.
We're all living together on this coral reef.
If you allow the flow of communication to stagnate, Our reef dies.
You need to call me Every three hours today.
I'm doing my job.
I don't check in with the baby-sitter.
I ain't the baby-sitter, Dwight.
Mama's home.
Act right.
Everybody, listen up.
Y'all are here 'cause you care about Memphis.
Am I right? Well, Dottie Collins, she is Memphis.
So I want Three teams each, every direction.
We got to find who did this, So let's canvass this ward.
If it weren't for Dottie Collins playing that Sam Cooke song on a certain afternoon with the weather Just right for it, Your daddy might not have given your mama that long look.
He might not have taken her in his arms.
You might not have been born at all.
So y'all owe her, you get me? Man: Sure, I knew Dottie From way back.
Must have been her son hired that nurse That was looking after her.
Uh, what's this nurse look like? (man chuckling) I can't help you there, son.
Had some kind of accent.
Sounded something like, "goot morning.
How are you?" What is that, Spanish? No.
"goot morning.
How are you?" Good morning.
How are you? That's New York.
No, I don't think it's New York.
I think it's Italian.
No! Oh, no, I had a cousin from New York, And it sounds an awful lot alike.
I mean, it could be Jersey It isn't Jersey, damn it! "goot morning.
How Ar you?" Quit asking me that.
Could be German, though.
Haitian.
Nurse was Haitian.
That's right.
Haitian! Oh, snap.
Hey, Dwight.
I found a bible upstairs At Dottie Collins' house, written in some kind Of funny language-- had a picture of a young lady in it.
That bible could be creole.
That girl could be our nurse.
(Caribbean hip-hop playing) Hey, Bodine.
Hey, Dwight.
Hey, whitehead.
Hey, you lost weight? (laughs) you noticed that, huh? Thank you, man.
Yes, I did.
Yes, I did.
Thank you for noticing, Dwight.
Thank you for noticing, man.
Dwight: I know the boss man's busy, But I'm gonna need an audience with him.
You think you can make that happen for me? Yeah, we could make that happen, man.
Come on, Canu, I know you take care of your own.
We need to know who this girl is.
Her name is Sabine.
I don't know where she live.
But I know where she shop.
(over radio): the only one who could ever reach me Whitehead: Is that our girl? Dwight: Nope.
the only boy who could ever teach me was the son of a preacher man, yes, he was Whitehead: You ever try one of them vegan tofu burger Whatchamacallits? Doggone thing made me (gags) Dang.
Made me hungrier than I was before I ate it.
(chuckles) (train whistle blowing in distance) Whitehead: All right.
That's what my mama used to say.
You know, the one thing you need to know About women Is they're all, um What do you call it, mercurial.
Right? Anne Marie left me, man, I thought that was the end of it.
Yeah.
And before I could even be missing her, She was banging on the door to Whitehead.
Beg me to let her in.
Whitehead.
Dwight: Look here.
something's wrong with you That's our girl.
(music stops) (crickets chirping) (Caribbean hip-hop plays) Wait! Mpd! Sabine, wait! Don't run! Hey! Mpd! (tires squealing) Stop! Whitehead: I'll call it in! Need an ambo at my 20 and an APB, red Honda Hang in there, Okay? Smashed front window, partial plates.
Tennessee-3-8-2 (crying): I'm so sorry.
That's 3-8-2 Please.
He gonna kill the old lady.
Who? Who's he? (siren approaching) I let her go.
Please You've got to save her.
(sighs) I was lost myself in a daydream About a young man sweeping the floors At sun records, with nothing But a dollar and a dream, and he growed up To be the king of the whole wide world.
This is Dottie Collins saying, till we meet again, Memphis, till we meet again.
any way you do (music stops) This is where I grew up, Dottie.
You'll be safe here.
(clears throat) My-my dad was mpd, too, and He-he got killed on the job when I was a kid.
Neighbor who was, uh, over taking care of me and my mama, They turned you on.
That was the first time I ever heard Elvis Presley.
It was like, uh He was saying everything I was feeling, just Just in the sound of his voice.
You know how they talk about a A light in the darkness? Well, my God, I-I hung on every word you said About Memphis About it being sacred ground.
Thank you.
Now, I'm gonna go back To your house, Dottie, and find who did this.
(dripping) (thunder rolling) Holster them weapons.
Wait for me outside.
Some people would've knocked.
Where's Dottie? She wasn't safe in that place.
Where is she, Detective? She's at my mama's.
Your mama's? You need to take the weekend.
What? No.
This ain't over.
There's a male conspirator out there Who's looking to kill Dottie.
He's the one behind all this.
All right, all right, we will look into that, While you take the weekend.
No, I I'm not taking the weekend.
This is Dottie Collins we're talking about.
I think you're unraveling.
Look at you.
Did you even sleep last night? Did-did I sleep? What-what are you I read your personal file, Detective.
I, too, have experienced divorce.
What? I know it feels like a massive personal failure.
Excuse me? Lady, what are you talking about? No, it does not feel like that.
You're out of your depths here.
You retrieve Dottie, you bring her right back now.
Dwight, do not work this case.
Do not set foot in the precinct this weekend.
Rejuvenate.
Whitehead: Yep, Sabine had a junkhead boyfriend By the name of t.
J.
Williams.
The family says he was the devil on the poor girl's shoulders.
The son of a bitch is in court-ordered rehab.
Man: I've been in here the last three months, man.
I got to sign in, make curfew and toe the line.
And if I don't, I go to jail I-I'm making no trouble.
Let's see, You're telling me your junkhead girlfriend was abusing Dottie, Ripping her off, giving her stuff to you, And you don't got nothing to do with it? Are you serious, man? Is she Is she really gone? Now, listen to me, man, please, listen.
You got to believe me.
I'm not saying I didn't do twisted things when I was using, But I ain't that guy anymore.
I've been in here.
I'm I've been working the program and hoping someday Sabine I've been hoping I can make it right with her.
I wouldn't hurt no old lady! I swear on his name.
(shutter clicks) Dwight: We're gonna need a full background check On t.
J.
Williams.
All right, I'm on it.
Dottie Collins' son just got in.
Lowland mucks, 15 minutes.
(blues playing quietly) Detective? Pat Collins.
I got here as soon as I could-- is she okay? How'd you find Sabine? Oh, God, what a disaster.
She had flyers up in the neighborhood You check her references? I did, of course, And everything seemed to check out So you left your mama With that junkhead? Meanwhile, you're living it up in the big easy? You never bothered to check in or nothin'? Excuse me, Detective, I called.
Of course I did.
Maybe not as often as I would have liked.
Let's take a walk.
What happened to her ain't nobody's fault more than yours.
Okay, okay.
You may as well be doing it yourself, 'cause you're her son, you get me?! Yeah.
(siren wailing in distance) You see that? Look at that.
Your mama built that tower from the ground up-- And it means something to us.
And it should mean something to you, too, damn it! Don't you get it? Yes.
I do.
Yes! You lift your eyes from her, you neglect that woman In any way ever again, so help me, I will hunt you down and I will make you pay, you understand?! Yes, yes, okay!, okay! It won't happen again, I promise.
I'm sorry! Yeah, you are.
Mama: I still can't believe that Dottie Collins, The one and only, was in my house.
Dwight: I know, mama.
Dwight, remember what she used to say? "till we meet again, Memphis, Till we meet again.
" Remember that? You did such a good job, Dwight.
I need to make you a sandwich.
I ain't got time.
Oh.
I'm gonna go find who did this.
I'll be back later.
Take care of them mouse traps; take a look at that humidifier.
Oh, you don't need to worry about that.
(doorbell rings) Well, I just saw Dwight.
(laughs): Oh Tony! Well, hey.
Hey, here I am.
(laughs) I just wanted to, um, uh What is this? I just wanted to thank you.
I mean, I really appreciate Oh.
What in? Gosh, you look great.
Now, just stop it.
These are beautiful.
Thank you.
I can't believe you did this.
Let me just thank you.
Wha Oh, n Oh.
(laughs) Thank you.
No Listen, I got to run.
It was good seeing you.
Good seeing you, Dwight.
Well, thank This is too much.
I'm glad you did it, though.
(laughs) Oh These are, like, sweetheart roses.
Look at this.
Oh, my God, he He He is something else.
What's the occasion? It's just a A thank you.
You know, he was having some kind of bank trouble yesterday.
And I wrote him a check.
(gasps) Mmm, Mmm, Mmm He know about dad's pension? Oh, Dwight! You ever see this man over at miss Dottie's house? Girl: I'm not supposed To talk to strangers.
Darlin', I-I ain't a stranger, I'm the police, and I need to know about your neighbor, miss Collins.
My daddy said police are strangers.
(clears throat) Well, hi there.
What's your name? Sparkle.
Well, sparkle, I need to ask you something important.
Have you ever seen a mean-looking man Coming and going from miss Collins' house? I got to solve a mystery, and I need your help.
You're not just pretty, you're smart, too.
Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I did see a mean old man over at miss Dottie's house.
This him? Nope.
Well, then, why don't you go ahead and tell me What the man you saw looked like.
Well, He's standing right over there.
Honey, that's That's miss Collins' son.
He don't live there full-time.
Well, I see him over there every day doing this To a skinny black lady.
Just yesterday, I seen him pushing a red car Into that alley out back the house.
(dog barking) (tires squealing) I laid my eyes on you You weren't fit to call yourself Dottie Collins' son.
I was there the other night.
I saw you run that piece of crap car of yours Into Sabine basquie! Now, write it down! Start by telling us What kind of radioactive piss pile You fell into made you so twisted! Whitehead: All right, all right, All right, let's just calm down here, now.
Dwight, take yourself a deep breath, all right? I want to apologize.
He's crazy-- I mean, just take a look at him.
I want you to tell me about Your girlfriend Sabine.
Was this whole thing her idea? I mean, Stealing from your mama and tying her up, all that stuff? I don't know what You're talking about.
I didn't have anything to do with this! Well, now, we got an eyewitness that says that you did.
Says that you was at the house The whole time that you were telling us That you was down in new Orleans.
What?! I-I don't believe Why would I hurt my own mother? (knocking at door) m-maybe, uh, 'cause you had a bed-wetting problem as a kid! (knocking continues) or maybe You couldn't, uh, climb the rope in gym class And all the other kids made fun of you! Who gives a damn why you did it?! (loud knocking) you did It's the son.
He murdered Sabine to keep her from talking.
We're gonna break him; just need time.
Oh, you need more than that, Detective.
What you need is some evidence, because, Number one, Dottie Collins has a trust.
The interest is paid to her son.
He gets $8,000 a month.
Take a look.
Now, why would her rich son Want to steal her Medicare checks? Two, the only two witnesses y'all got Are a elderly blind man and a eight-year-old girl.
Tamara's solid.
She's eight, Dwight.
And three, Cassick ran the Vin number on the engine block of that car.
It is registered To t.
J.
Williams.
No.
I talked to that guy; he loves Sabine.
He doesn't have it in him, I can tell.
And you know this because? Patrick's setting him up.
He stole the man's car, stashed it to make it look Like, uh, t.
J.
Was the one living at Dottie's.
Bingo, Dwight.
Bingo? Whitehead: He may not always do things By the book, but I, for one, have learned To trust Dwight when he's got one of his feelings.
I'd like to second that.
I concur.
Me, too.
(quietly): You know I am Disappointed in you, Dwight Hendricks.
Detectives, You are off this case.
If I catch you near it, you are suspended.
Have a nice weekend.
Well, I guess you should go and enjoy your weekend, Just like she says.
Guess so.
(car door closes, engine starts in distance) (car departing) [ soulful music playing .]
(glass shatters) Whitehead.
It ain't the son.
Who? The real son's dead-- I'm looking right at Who? The other guy took Dottie.
We got to find him.
T.
J.
: It's probably the worst thing I ever done.
I wish I could tell her I was sorry.
I used to make Sabine I never would've done it if I was sober.
I made her do things with men when we were hurting for it And short on cash.
(sirens wailing) Then one day this white guy comes rolling up, Kind of fancy.
And Sabine comes back talking all about him.
Nice manners, nice ride.
Every night that week she goes off with him, Till finally she tells me That, uh, he don't think it's right how I'm treating her.
He don't think that I'm good enough for her.
Get out of the car, now! And she tells me that this guy loves her And he's gonna take her away and marry her And he's the guy hands in the air.
She's been waiting for her whole life.
Get down! You're saying that's who stole my car? He's the one That killed Sabine? His name is Ray Pruitt.
This is crazy.
I was driving her to see her friend Sit down! What'd your mama do to you to make you so warped, huh? And I'm not talking about Dottie-- 'cause Dottie's son, you stuffed him in that freezer.
Ain't that right Ray? You stole a man's identity, You tortured an old woman, and you murdered two people Just so you could steal his mama's interest checks.
I brought you to my mama's house.
(laughs softly) What? Is that some kind of Holy area? Yeah.
It is.
(sets glasses on table) Just 'cause you're born of somebody don't mean nothin'.
Like that old lady.
Smiling at me With her bony wrists out as I'm handcuffing her.
(slaps table) 'cause she just love her son.
Hendricks.
In my office tomorrow morning, 7:00 A.
M.
You have got to be kidding me.
I was born by the River oh, that's right in this little old tent, oh This is a nice place, Dottie.
You're gonna like it here.
I been running ever since it's been a long long, long long time coming but I know, but I know a change has got to come, yeah ooh, yes, it is, my, oh, my Don't come back for a few days.
it's been too hard living oh, my and I'm afraid to die I don't know what's up there beyond the clouds it's been a long long long time coming (fading): but I know, but I know (line ringing) a change has Young woman: Please leave a message at the tone.
(beep) Lieutenant: Hey, sugar pie.
Why don't you call me back when we can talk.
I know I'm not high on your list, but, uh I am your mama, and I have not heard from you in two months.
I know I have been a Geez, I was just trying to raise y'all right.
Um I feel like (beep) (groans) (knocking) (clears throat quietly) Detective Hendricks.
Uh Pulled some strings.
Got Dottie in a Place that's real nice.
We know what you called me in here for.
I'm telling you, you don't have to do it.
Dwight We can meet halfway.
I really do Appreciate Your personal insights.
And Maybe it does Feel a little bit like a Dwight, sit-sit down.
Please.
I need to say something.
The truth of the matter is You were right.
And you did great By Dottie.
You did just great.
(sighs) All right, then.
("if I can dream" plays) Back to work.
Oh, and By the way, if, uh, You don't got plans tonight there must be lights burning brighter somewhere got to be birds flying higher in a sky more blue if I can dream of a better land where all my brothers walk hand in hand tell me why, oh, why oh, why won't that sun appear? deep in my heart there's a trembling question still I am sure that the answer's gonna come somehow out there in the dark there's a beckoning candle and while I can think while I can talk while I can stand while I can walk while I can dream please let my dream come true (cheering and applause) right now right now right now right now.
(booker t.
And the mgs' "green onions" plays) So, Sutton (sighs) You were sitting across the street over there, and Enjoying yourself a hot dog when Uh, it was a catfish Po' boy, actually, Dwight.
(quietly): Ah, yeah, it was a Po' boy.
Good, Sutton, good.
After you, uh, heard the shots, how long till you got over here? 29, 30 seconds, tops.
You didn't see anybody come out this door? Nope.
That window up there was wide open, And there's these footprints, So I figure that's how he fled.
I got patrol canvassing a ten-block radius As we speak.
Big feet.
Tiny window.
Would've been a tight squeeze.
(squishing) These are yours, Sutton.
What? Yep, you tracked 'em through the scene, Damn it.
No.
Lock this place down.
What's going on? Lock it down! Man: Lock it down! (whistles quietly) You got one chance To come out peaceful Before I start playing "fish in a barrel.
" Okay, then, here I go.
Put the gun on the floor now! Lay it down gentle-- do it! Come out and stand up with your hands in the air now! Turn around Nice and slow.
Hands on top of your head.
Man: Whoo! That ain't right.
(clears throat) Sutton Why don't you go ahead and frisk this one? (chuckling) Hello? Mama? and I drive the main road Hello? searchin' in the sun for another overload I hear you singin' in the wire (teakettle whistling) I can hear you through the whine hello? and the Wichita lineman (fading): is still on the line (grunting) where is she? What'd you do with her?! Dwight! You all right, mama? 'course I am! What in the world are you doing? Let go of this man.
(crying): I'm so sorry, honey.
This For gosh sakes, this is my new neighbor, Dwight, Mr.
Tony balu from Massachusetts.
Oh.
Sorry about that.
Mama doesn't normally have guests this hour.
Let's just say down here we look after our own.
You know what I'm saying, Tony? Welcome to Memphis.
(upbeat blues intro) Mary mack dressed in black silver buttons all down her back high hose tipsy toes she broke the needle and she can't sew walkin' the dog yes, I'm walkin' the dog if you don't know how to do it I'll show you how to walk the dog (singer whistling) come on, now, come on, come on I asked her mama for 15 cents see the elephant jump the fence he jumped so high he touched the sky never got back till the fourth of July walkin' the dog I see you saved her, Dwight.
Yep.
Yep.
Hey, this new lieutenant's on a tear around here, Dwight.
It was her that threw out our boob lamp.
You're gonna like her-- she's tough.
Ugh.
Really? Yup.
Fellas.
Rice: Now, this needs to happen As soon as you a Clocking out will be done differently, as well.
Happen You left her outside-- now she's cold.
(laughter) I mean, look at her! Oh, uh Sorry.
I apologize, ma'am.
Go ahead.
Thank you.
As I was saying Thanks.
At the end of each day, you will upload What we call a daily status report to the server.
Communication is central to success.
Now, with access to one another's information, You will not only continue to be great, General assignment, you will now be efficient.
(ding) (laughter) Lieutenant: Okay, okay, that's all.
Let's have a brilliant day, people.
Detective Dwight Hendricks, the one and only.
(chuckles): Aw, shucks.
Come in my office, please.
Dwight: On behalf of the guys, Welcome to general assignment.
We're happy to have you.
Thank you.
And if you don't mind, I've got a friendly word of advice.
Wonderful.
Things work different around here Than they do on the East side.
We've figured out a system.
But the problem is, it's delicate.
You mess with just one or two of the pieces, The system could fall apart.
We won't be able to take care of folks the way we need to.
For instance, take the boob lamp.
It's a goofy thing, But the guys like it.
Makes 'em laugh after a hard day.
No reason to get rid of something like that.
Okay.
Thank you, I appreciate that.
No problem.
I got a 10-15 for you and Detective white downstairs.
(clears throat) Now, see, the way we do it down here is, Detectives don't take the basics like 10-15's.
We give that to a uniform.
Detective Hendricks, did you know that I am a mother? I have birthed, raised and educated five children.
You know, sometimes they did not want to do What I asked them to do.
But you know what? They did it.
Know why? Because somewhere deep down inside of themselves They knew I was right, And they learned to relax and listen to their mother.
And Detective, our family became Greater than the sum of its parts.
10-15, downstairs.
And Dwight, There are women that work here Who do not want their papers illuminated by plastic nipples.
What if something major comes up? Lieutenant Morris must be rolling in his grave.
It's all right, whitehead, she'll come around.
Hey, Dwight, there's your 10-15.
She don't talk.
Poor thing's lost to this world.
Dwight: Look at you.
You are just all done up, aren't you? You know, you look familiar to me.
What's your name, sweetheart? Well, you don't got nothing to worry about.
Everything's gonna be just fine.
We're gonna find a way to get you home.
Okay? Dwight: Y-you sure you checked all the beds, sweetheart? 'cause that woman might not have been gone too long.
Uh, all right.
Thank you very much.
My God.
Whitehead? It's Dottie Collins.
The old lady's Dottie Collins.
Who's that? Dottie Collins, The first lady of the airwaves, wher.
The woman's a Memphis legend.
"delta hits from 3:00 to 6:00.
" Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Oh, she was huge.
She ain't what she used to be, is she? In 1979, I I stood for 16 hours In the blistering heat outside wher just to Just to have her sign a picture for me.
(thunder crashing) Woman: Excuse me, detectives, There's something y'all need to come see.
Whitehead: My God.
Dwight: Get me her address.
Officer: But how? We don't know what her name is.
Dorothy Camilla Collins-- get me her address now.
Whitehead: What kind of person would do something like this? Hello? Anybody home? Mpd! (thunder rumbling) Woman (distorted, echoing): I almost lost myself in a daydream.
This is Dottie Collins saying, till we meet again, Memphis, Till we meet again.
(thunder rumbling) (door thumps) (thunder rumbling) (flies buzzing) Dwight: I was up all night.
This makes me sick.
The woman's a living legend, And we're putting her in a city home? As far as I can tell, the only family she has Is a son by the name of Patrick lives down in new Orleans.
I left him a message.
Well, if it wasn't her family, What, some kind of caretaker doing the abuse? Could be; they ain't all saints, that's for damn sure.
Sutton: Praise Jesus.
Hospital says Dottie wasn't getting her Alzheimer's meds.
We found the empty Medicare envelopes.
So, it means whoever's doing this, Cashing the checks, not bothering with the meds.
I don't know, whitehead, it just Don't add up.
Mickey, get yourself warm.
It's a nice day, officer, eh? Get yourself something.
Lieutenant: I know.
(rain falling) (thunder rolling) Detective Hendricks, You have not checked in with me once In the last 24 hours.
You didn't file Your daily status report, And you neglected to inform me At you came upon a crime scene.
Well, we would've called if we needed anything, but we don't.
You know, you are not a single-celled organism, Detective.
We're all living together on this coral reef.
If you allow the flow of communication to stagnate, Our reef dies.
You need to call me Every three hours today.
I'm doing my job.
I don't check in with the baby-sitter.
I ain't the baby-sitter, Dwight.
Mama's home.
Act right.
Everybody, listen up.
Y'all are here 'cause you care about Memphis.
Am I right? Well, Dottie Collins, she is Memphis.
So I want Three teams each, every direction.
We got to find who did this, So let's canvass this ward.
If it weren't for Dottie Collins playing that Sam Cooke song on a certain afternoon with the weather Just right for it, Your daddy might not have given your mama that long look.
He might not have taken her in his arms.
You might not have been born at all.
So y'all owe her, you get me? Man: Sure, I knew Dottie From way back.
Must have been her son hired that nurse That was looking after her.
Uh, what's this nurse look like? (man chuckling) I can't help you there, son.
Had some kind of accent.
Sounded something like, "goot morning.
How are you?" What is that, Spanish? No.
"goot morning.
How are you?" Good morning.
How are you? That's New York.
No, I don't think it's New York.
I think it's Italian.
No! Oh, no, I had a cousin from New York, And it sounds an awful lot alike.
I mean, it could be Jersey It isn't Jersey, damn it! "goot morning.
How Ar you?" Quit asking me that.
Could be German, though.
Haitian.
Nurse was Haitian.
That's right.
Haitian! Oh, snap.
Hey, Dwight.
I found a bible upstairs At Dottie Collins' house, written in some kind Of funny language-- had a picture of a young lady in it.
That bible could be creole.
That girl could be our nurse.
(Caribbean hip-hop playing) Hey, Bodine.
Hey, Dwight.
Hey, whitehead.
Hey, you lost weight? (laughs) you noticed that, huh? Thank you, man.
Yes, I did.
Yes, I did.
Thank you for noticing, Dwight.
Thank you for noticing, man.
Dwight: I know the boss man's busy, But I'm gonna need an audience with him.
You think you can make that happen for me? Yeah, we could make that happen, man.
Come on, Canu, I know you take care of your own.
We need to know who this girl is.
Her name is Sabine.
I don't know where she live.
But I know where she shop.
(over radio): the only one who could ever reach me Whitehead: Is that our girl? Dwight: Nope.
the only boy who could ever teach me was the son of a preacher man, yes, he was Whitehead: You ever try one of them vegan tofu burger Whatchamacallits? Doggone thing made me (gags) Dang.
Made me hungrier than I was before I ate it.
(chuckles) (train whistle blowing in distance) Whitehead: All right.
That's what my mama used to say.
You know, the one thing you need to know About women Is they're all, um What do you call it, mercurial.
Right? Anne Marie left me, man, I thought that was the end of it.
Yeah.
And before I could even be missing her, She was banging on the door to Whitehead.
Beg me to let her in.
Whitehead.
Dwight: Look here.
something's wrong with you That's our girl.
(music stops) (crickets chirping) (Caribbean hip-hop plays) Wait! Mpd! Sabine, wait! Don't run! Hey! Mpd! (tires squealing) Stop! Whitehead: I'll call it in! Need an ambo at my 20 and an APB, red Honda Hang in there, Okay? Smashed front window, partial plates.
Tennessee-3-8-2 (crying): I'm so sorry.
That's 3-8-2 Please.
He gonna kill the old lady.
Who? Who's he? (siren approaching) I let her go.
Please You've got to save her.
(sighs) I was lost myself in a daydream About a young man sweeping the floors At sun records, with nothing But a dollar and a dream, and he growed up To be the king of the whole wide world.
This is Dottie Collins saying, till we meet again, Memphis, till we meet again.
any way you do (music stops) This is where I grew up, Dottie.
You'll be safe here.
(clears throat) My-my dad was mpd, too, and He-he got killed on the job when I was a kid.
Neighbor who was, uh, over taking care of me and my mama, They turned you on.
That was the first time I ever heard Elvis Presley.
It was like, uh He was saying everything I was feeling, just Just in the sound of his voice.
You know how they talk about a A light in the darkness? Well, my God, I-I hung on every word you said About Memphis About it being sacred ground.
Thank you.
Now, I'm gonna go back To your house, Dottie, and find who did this.
(dripping) (thunder rolling) Holster them weapons.
Wait for me outside.
Some people would've knocked.
Where's Dottie? She wasn't safe in that place.
Where is she, Detective? She's at my mama's.
Your mama's? You need to take the weekend.
What? No.
This ain't over.
There's a male conspirator out there Who's looking to kill Dottie.
He's the one behind all this.
All right, all right, we will look into that, While you take the weekend.
No, I I'm not taking the weekend.
This is Dottie Collins we're talking about.
I think you're unraveling.
Look at you.
Did you even sleep last night? Did-did I sleep? What-what are you I read your personal file, Detective.
I, too, have experienced divorce.
What? I know it feels like a massive personal failure.
Excuse me? Lady, what are you talking about? No, it does not feel like that.
You're out of your depths here.
You retrieve Dottie, you bring her right back now.
Dwight, do not work this case.
Do not set foot in the precinct this weekend.
Rejuvenate.
Whitehead: Yep, Sabine had a junkhead boyfriend By the name of t.
J.
Williams.
The family says he was the devil on the poor girl's shoulders.
The son of a bitch is in court-ordered rehab.
Man: I've been in here the last three months, man.
I got to sign in, make curfew and toe the line.
And if I don't, I go to jail I-I'm making no trouble.
Let's see, You're telling me your junkhead girlfriend was abusing Dottie, Ripping her off, giving her stuff to you, And you don't got nothing to do with it? Are you serious, man? Is she Is she really gone? Now, listen to me, man, please, listen.
You got to believe me.
I'm not saying I didn't do twisted things when I was using, But I ain't that guy anymore.
I've been in here.
I'm I've been working the program and hoping someday Sabine I've been hoping I can make it right with her.
I wouldn't hurt no old lady! I swear on his name.
(shutter clicks) Dwight: We're gonna need a full background check On t.
J.
Williams.
All right, I'm on it.
Dottie Collins' son just got in.
Lowland mucks, 15 minutes.
(blues playing quietly) Detective? Pat Collins.
I got here as soon as I could-- is she okay? How'd you find Sabine? Oh, God, what a disaster.
She had flyers up in the neighborhood You check her references? I did, of course, And everything seemed to check out So you left your mama With that junkhead? Meanwhile, you're living it up in the big easy? You never bothered to check in or nothin'? Excuse me, Detective, I called.
Of course I did.
Maybe not as often as I would have liked.
Let's take a walk.
What happened to her ain't nobody's fault more than yours.
Okay, okay.
You may as well be doing it yourself, 'cause you're her son, you get me?! Yeah.
(siren wailing in distance) You see that? Look at that.
Your mama built that tower from the ground up-- And it means something to us.
And it should mean something to you, too, damn it! Don't you get it? Yes.
I do.
Yes! You lift your eyes from her, you neglect that woman In any way ever again, so help me, I will hunt you down and I will make you pay, you understand?! Yes, yes, okay!, okay! It won't happen again, I promise.
I'm sorry! Yeah, you are.
Mama: I still can't believe that Dottie Collins, The one and only, was in my house.
Dwight: I know, mama.
Dwight, remember what she used to say? "till we meet again, Memphis, Till we meet again.
" Remember that? You did such a good job, Dwight.
I need to make you a sandwich.
I ain't got time.
Oh.
I'm gonna go find who did this.
I'll be back later.
Take care of them mouse traps; take a look at that humidifier.
Oh, you don't need to worry about that.
(doorbell rings) Well, I just saw Dwight.
(laughs): Oh Tony! Well, hey.
Hey, here I am.
(laughs) I just wanted to, um, uh What is this? I just wanted to thank you.
I mean, I really appreciate Oh.
What in? Gosh, you look great.
Now, just stop it.
These are beautiful.
Thank you.
I can't believe you did this.
Let me just thank you.
Wha Oh, n Oh.
(laughs) Thank you.
No Listen, I got to run.
It was good seeing you.
Good seeing you, Dwight.
Well, thank This is too much.
I'm glad you did it, though.
(laughs) Oh These are, like, sweetheart roses.
Look at this.
Oh, my God, he He He is something else.
What's the occasion? It's just a A thank you.
You know, he was having some kind of bank trouble yesterday.
And I wrote him a check.
(gasps) Mmm, Mmm, Mmm He know about dad's pension? Oh, Dwight! You ever see this man over at miss Dottie's house? Girl: I'm not supposed To talk to strangers.
Darlin', I-I ain't a stranger, I'm the police, and I need to know about your neighbor, miss Collins.
My daddy said police are strangers.
(clears throat) Well, hi there.
What's your name? Sparkle.
Well, sparkle, I need to ask you something important.
Have you ever seen a mean-looking man Coming and going from miss Collins' house? I got to solve a mystery, and I need your help.
You're not just pretty, you're smart, too.
Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I did see a mean old man over at miss Dottie's house.
This him? Nope.
Well, then, why don't you go ahead and tell me What the man you saw looked like.
Well, He's standing right over there.
Honey, that's That's miss Collins' son.
He don't live there full-time.
Well, I see him over there every day doing this To a skinny black lady.
Just yesterday, I seen him pushing a red car Into that alley out back the house.
(dog barking) (tires squealing) I laid my eyes on you You weren't fit to call yourself Dottie Collins' son.
I was there the other night.
I saw you run that piece of crap car of yours Into Sabine basquie! Now, write it down! Start by telling us What kind of radioactive piss pile You fell into made you so twisted! Whitehead: All right, all right, All right, let's just calm down here, now.
Dwight, take yourself a deep breath, all right? I want to apologize.
He's crazy-- I mean, just take a look at him.
I want you to tell me about Your girlfriend Sabine.
Was this whole thing her idea? I mean, Stealing from your mama and tying her up, all that stuff? I don't know what You're talking about.
I didn't have anything to do with this! Well, now, we got an eyewitness that says that you did.
Says that you was at the house The whole time that you were telling us That you was down in new Orleans.
What?! I-I don't believe Why would I hurt my own mother? (knocking at door) m-maybe, uh, 'cause you had a bed-wetting problem as a kid! (knocking continues) or maybe You couldn't, uh, climb the rope in gym class And all the other kids made fun of you! Who gives a damn why you did it?! (loud knocking) you did It's the son.
He murdered Sabine to keep her from talking.
We're gonna break him; just need time.
Oh, you need more than that, Detective.
What you need is some evidence, because, Number one, Dottie Collins has a trust.
The interest is paid to her son.
He gets $8,000 a month.
Take a look.
Now, why would her rich son Want to steal her Medicare checks? Two, the only two witnesses y'all got Are a elderly blind man and a eight-year-old girl.
Tamara's solid.
She's eight, Dwight.
And three, Cassick ran the Vin number on the engine block of that car.
It is registered To t.
J.
Williams.
No.
I talked to that guy; he loves Sabine.
He doesn't have it in him, I can tell.
And you know this because? Patrick's setting him up.
He stole the man's car, stashed it to make it look Like, uh, t.
J.
Was the one living at Dottie's.
Bingo, Dwight.
Bingo? Whitehead: He may not always do things By the book, but I, for one, have learned To trust Dwight when he's got one of his feelings.
I'd like to second that.
I concur.
Me, too.
(quietly): You know I am Disappointed in you, Dwight Hendricks.
Detectives, You are off this case.
If I catch you near it, you are suspended.
Have a nice weekend.
Well, I guess you should go and enjoy your weekend, Just like she says.
Guess so.
(car door closes, engine starts in distance) (car departing) [ soulful music playing .]
(glass shatters) Whitehead.
It ain't the son.
Who? The real son's dead-- I'm looking right at Who? The other guy took Dottie.
We got to find him.
T.
J.
: It's probably the worst thing I ever done.
I wish I could tell her I was sorry.
I used to make Sabine I never would've done it if I was sober.
I made her do things with men when we were hurting for it And short on cash.
(sirens wailing) Then one day this white guy comes rolling up, Kind of fancy.
And Sabine comes back talking all about him.
Nice manners, nice ride.
Every night that week she goes off with him, Till finally she tells me That, uh, he don't think it's right how I'm treating her.
He don't think that I'm good enough for her.
Get out of the car, now! And she tells me that this guy loves her And he's gonna take her away and marry her And he's the guy hands in the air.
She's been waiting for her whole life.
Get down! You're saying that's who stole my car? He's the one That killed Sabine? His name is Ray Pruitt.
This is crazy.
I was driving her to see her friend Sit down! What'd your mama do to you to make you so warped, huh? And I'm not talking about Dottie-- 'cause Dottie's son, you stuffed him in that freezer.
Ain't that right Ray? You stole a man's identity, You tortured an old woman, and you murdered two people Just so you could steal his mama's interest checks.
I brought you to my mama's house.
(laughs softly) What? Is that some kind of Holy area? Yeah.
It is.
(sets glasses on table) Just 'cause you're born of somebody don't mean nothin'.
Like that old lady.
Smiling at me With her bony wrists out as I'm handcuffing her.
(slaps table) 'cause she just love her son.
Hendricks.
In my office tomorrow morning, 7:00 A.
M.
You have got to be kidding me.
I was born by the River oh, that's right in this little old tent, oh This is a nice place, Dottie.
You're gonna like it here.
I been running ever since it's been a long long, long long time coming but I know, but I know a change has got to come, yeah ooh, yes, it is, my, oh, my Don't come back for a few days.
it's been too hard living oh, my and I'm afraid to die I don't know what's up there beyond the clouds it's been a long long long time coming (fading): but I know, but I know (line ringing) a change has Young woman: Please leave a message at the tone.
(beep) Lieutenant: Hey, sugar pie.
Why don't you call me back when we can talk.
I know I'm not high on your list, but, uh I am your mama, and I have not heard from you in two months.
I know I have been a Geez, I was just trying to raise y'all right.
Um I feel like (beep) (groans) (knocking) (clears throat quietly) Detective Hendricks.
Uh Pulled some strings.
Got Dottie in a Place that's real nice.
We know what you called me in here for.
I'm telling you, you don't have to do it.
Dwight We can meet halfway.
I really do Appreciate Your personal insights.
And Maybe it does Feel a little bit like a Dwight, sit-sit down.
Please.
I need to say something.
The truth of the matter is You were right.
And you did great By Dottie.
You did just great.
(sighs) All right, then.
("if I can dream" plays) Back to work.
Oh, and By the way, if, uh, You don't got plans tonight there must be lights burning brighter somewhere got to be birds flying higher in a sky more blue if I can dream of a better land where all my brothers walk hand in hand tell me why, oh, why oh, why won't that sun appear? deep in my heart there's a trembling question still I am sure that the answer's gonna come somehow out there in the dark there's a beckoning candle and while I can think while I can talk while I can stand while I can walk while I can dream please let my dream come true (cheering and applause) right now right now right now right now.