Ironside (2013) s01e02 Episode Script

We know from Manhattan south homicide task force the suspect is male, right-handed, Caucasian, and wears a black sports watch.
We got two dead, third is critical, which makes us the lead story on every newscast in America.
You see behind me the bars of Second Avenue, no less crowded than normal for a Thursday night despite growing fears about "App the ripper," so named for his propensity to post video of his brutal killings shot from his phone.
Chief of the detectives himself is walking a beat to prove the streets are safe.
All three victims worked in different professions lawyer, doctor, Wall Street.
The biblical passage in the video is about David and Goliath, so this guy must see himself as David, the hero.
Ripper's pattern is to attack the first of the month.
Victim number three was two days ago.
6:00 news reported Vic number three is gonna pull through.
So guy who says "I don't fail" just failed.
Gut says he's going at it again.
- And quickly.
- East Village? The last two locations were midtown.
Yeah, but the first was second Avenue and Fourth.
Postings on the Internet came 20 minutes after the attack from servers in this area.
First attack was on impulse.
Then he started hunting.
Now he's mad at himself.
Back to impulse.
No! Stop! Coming through, coming through.
If you're gonna stare, at least get the hell out of my way, all right? - Sorry.
- All right, come on, come on.
Fool, fool! Step off! I owe you money? Excuse me? You're looking at me like I do.
Hey, Brah.
What are you doing checking out my girl? Oh, hey, man.
I didn't know she was with someone.
My bad.
Good idea.
Roll your ass out of here.
- Come on, Brian.
Let's go.
- Are you serious? You can't even get in my face.
I'm pretty confident I'm staring right at where you do your thinking.
Brah.
We good? Yeah, I think so.
When you're ready to trade up, let me know.
10-34, possible weapon.
All right, what do we got here? Just a good, old-fashioned donnybrook.
- Any weapons? - She had her knuckles.
Yeah, apparently she hits like Pacquiao.
No! Move, move, move, move, move! Get out of the way.
Let's go.
Is he cut? Out of the way! Holly! Bleeding.
He's going into shock.
All right, Virgil, Teddy, split up.
See which stores have videos.
- Find out who wants to talk.
- You got it.
You, secure the scene.
I want everybody out of here! Block off the area! He sliced a major artery.
Put as much pressure on that as you can, or he's gonna bleed out in a minute.
Okay, hey, hey, buddy.
Hey, hey.
What's your name, guy? Steven.
The ripper just posted a video 30 seconds ago.
Whoa.
I just saw these two running from the crime scene right next to the victim.
Go, go! I'm on it.
Listen up, looking for a female blond, late teens, blue sweatpants, gray hoodie.
Guy with her is in his 30s.
Beard, dark hair, last seen going north on first.
Steven.
Steven, look at me.
Look at me.
We're running out of time.
You're dying.
Tell me what he looked like.
Help help me.
The only thing I can do for you is get the guy who did this, but you gotta give me something height, hair color, anything.
I got nothing.
Come on, Steven.
Steven? Come on, man.
Stay with me.
Negative.
Any luck? Am I smiling? Only two people in New York who can identify the ripper blew right past me.
I checked with the precinct.
No one recognizes them.
Canvassed the restaurants on the block, came up empty.
They weren't here to eat.
Sweatpants, hoodie this was a quick trip to the corner.
Two Korean markets and a juice bar.
Security footage on all three didn't show them.
What is that right there? What is that? It's a bank card.
He was going to the ATM.
Six banks in a two-block radius.
I'll pull the footage.
You still here? I know you've been through this before, boss.
Just want to make sure you're okay.
Someone dying while I hold their hand day you're okay with that, you should quit.
Okay, listen up.
1PP's up every precinct's ass.
All due respect to Freddy Krueger's Facebook page here.
We need this psycho in handcuffs posthaste.
Yeah, he's not our guy.
Camera angle's wrong, and I would've seen blood all over him.
And yet you look pleased.
So what exactly am I missing here? First three attacks were head-on.
In each case, the femoral artery was slashed in a diagonal fashion.
But vic number four was from behind.
Task force has the ATM photo.
They're taking it around to martial arts studios and surgical supply stores.
Maybe we should be looking for a butcher or a poissonnier.
You know, he's the chef that prepares the fish.
He has to have extremely precise cutting skills.
You know you said that out loud, right? Precision.
Why? Well, hitting the femoral artery that's one thing.
But the brachial? I mean, come on.
Now he's just showing off.
- Turn around.
- Why me? Because you know what a poissonnier is.
Come here.
All right.
Now this last attack on the victim from the ripper was from behind.
And he should've gone for the jugular.
Sure, quickest way to kill someone.
Unless it wasn't the easiest way.
Boom.
All right, good.
All victims are well over 6 feet.
Our guy's under.
So he's got a Napoleon complex? David and Goliath quote we're looking for a kid who was picked on.
Who was Goliath but the original "knock the books out of your arms" guy, right? Now victim number one.
On his class ring, is "facta, non verba.
" Deeds, not words.
Davis prep, three blocks from the first attack.
I mean, he must have just left there.
Vic number two where was he hit? 5 east 66th street.
That's right outside the lotos club.
And number three was attacked on Fifth Avenue.
Just made a purchase at Tiffany's.
Ripper's taking his revenge on the one percenters.
Yeah, but the fourth victim, he was up to his eyes in debt.
He put himself through college on the G.
I.
bill.
That's the outlier.
Ripper's finally getting the attention that he was looking for.
So desperate to keep that image and in a hurry, he looked for the first person he saw that looked like the other three, right? This blade a blade that cuts like this is unique.
And expensive.
Hit the custom-made knife shops with our boy's profile.
Good.
Sounds like progress.
'Cause bosses don't like being called incompetent.
Even if it's true? My mom always said I could pick a winner.
Oh, you picked me? That's how it went? Okay.
No photos of family, hmm? Not even a cat and dog.
Just that football jersey.
It's Rod Gilbert.
He played hockey.
And the pictures are all upstairs.
I get to go look? Maybe.
You show me yours first.
Okay.
My sister Grace.
Please tell me that wasn't last year.
Oh, relax.
I'm 30.
- Okay, 28.
- Oh, God.
We were at a Britney Spears concert.
You know, Baby One More Time.
Toxic.
Oops! I did it again.
Okay, so I guess you're more of a John Coltrane kind of guy.
Yeah.
Hey.
Did I wake you? It's 3:00 in the morning.
What do you think? Back in '03, there was a missing persons.
Little girl disappeared on her way to parochial school.
You mean the one Pistol Pete made the bus driver for, - beat the crap out of him? - Right, right, right.
So blond hair, blue eyes.
That photo that was all over the news she was wearing a T-shirt with that, uh that Mandy Moore on it.
Except you got it wrong then, and you still haven't figured it out.
It's Christina Aguilera.
It's two different people.
Aguilera.
Right, right.
Okay.
All right, thanks, Gary.
Hey.
What? Don't forget the J.
D.
in the toolbox in the garage.
- Hey, Uncle Gary - Don't "Uncle Gary" me.
A fifth of bourbon and a joint? I needed to kick back and roll a fatty.
You know how it is.
You're 14 years old.
You should be playing baseball.
Or at least the Xbox version of it.
Let's go.
Unreal.
You know your mom's been crying - for the last two hours? - Sorry, dad.
Hey.
Take it down a notch.
All right.
All right.
Let's go, Ryan.
See you, Uncle Gary.
You sure that's a good idea? Now you're gonna pretend your old man never hit you? Christina Aguilera T-shirt but you couldn't remember the little girl's name? Wasn't my case.
How's a cop earn the nickname "Pistol Pete" anyway? One of two ways.
And I'll give you a hint.
It's how he died.
Officer-involved shooting? Nope.
Yuck.
I gotta hand it to him.
The pistol closed a lot of cases in his downtime.
Yeah.
What? I think I found her.
Let me see the age enhancement, full screen.
Now put our girl up next to it.
There's a scar above her right eye.
Matches in both photos.
It's her.
- Nicole Kirby.
- Good work.
Now we just gotta figure out who our other murder witness is and where they've been for the last ten years.
Finest knives in the country.
I started making them when I was in the army,.
And then I apprenticed in Sakai, Japan.
Oh, that's the home of the samurai sword since the late 14th century, right? Yeah.
Looks like you learned the hard way, huh? Occupational hazard.
The doc gave me a choice, four operations or one.
I made an exact copy of that one for that seal who killed that pirate in Somalia.
This one was for Wolf Gang Puck.
Any idea who made this one? Wow.
Somebody who knows what they're doing.
Maybe a paramilitary freak.
After the war in Iraq, black market's been flooded with combat knives, every shape, color.
I mean, collectors will pay thousands of dollars for one that's actually been in battle.
Hmm.
This poor bastard didn't stand a chance.
The poor bastard had a name Steven Andrews.
I'm just like a bartender, guys.
- I just serve the drinks.
- Okay, bartender.
What else can you tell us? Well, um I'd say that it's a ceramic blade.
Yeah, you can tell by the cut of the flesh.
I mean, they're almost as hard as diamonds, and they never need sharpening.
All my best customers are demanding them these days.
Any of these customers short, tough, big chip on their shoulder? Um, me? Could you be more specific? Yeah, sure.
I'd like to see your client list.
I'd say if you came back with a warrant.
- I need to protect myself, guys.
- Yeah, I know.
I can see how safety would be a real concern.
It's just kind of ironic that your fire exit's blocked.
Wow, that's a $500 fine right there, huh? Yeah, and on those vents Virgil, do you feel like that intake is up to code? No, I don't think so.
Doesn't feel like it.
Food and drink.
Gonna have to call the health department on you now.
Okay, okay.
I get it.
I might have a guy you should take a look at.
- What, he's that scary? - Yeah.
And he's one of my best customers.
Um there.
Jim Cooke.
Our M.
I.
A.
witnesses New York bank, corner of St.
Mark's and Second.
Chris Ellis withdrew $100 five minutes before the attack.
I got his address from the bank.
225 east 19th.
Two hours later, he made another withdrawal.
The maximum allowed, 500.
He packed up and grabbed their bags.
Something scared them.
They did watch a serial killer at work.
And they didn't run to the cops.
Chris and Nicole? Good people.
Lived here about a year or so ever since the mother died.
You should see the way he takes care of that little girl.
You know, he still walks her to school every morning and picks her up.
It's good to see, you know? My kids fight like cats and dogs.
Super.
Police.
The brother's room.
Yeah, living high he is not.
Huh.
I don't get it.
Most kidnappings, the kid's the one who lives in squalor.
Roller skates, Friday night family game time.
Get the feeling he'd have jammed a white picket fence in here, if he could have.
He sacrifices to give Nicole a home.
I don't want to know what else that creep did to her in here.
Wherever he's running now, it's toward completing this.
Call it in.
Captain, it's Holly.
We need an Amber alert.
Suspect is believed to be in his 30s.
Name is Chris Ellis.
Yeah, we're at his apartment right now.
Send a couple of uniforms down.
Jim Cooke? NYPD detectives.
Want to ask you a couple questions about some knives that you bought.
Sure! Hey! Come on, ladies.
Let's dance! Drop it, or we will shoot you.
Yo, come on, come on! Kill me! Do it! Kill me! - Thought he was into knives.
- I'm not gonna shoot him.
Well, I'm not sure that technically a bicycle lock can be considered a deadly weapon.
You ever been hit by one? Hey, hey, hey, hey! Hey, hey, hey! Come here.
Come here.
Come on, come on.
Hey, look, look.
That's it.
I can't take it anymore.
I want to confess.
- Potter's field.
- Potter's field what? That's where I buried him.
- Who's him? - Little Ricky Gonzalez.
Gonzo, they called him.
You killed Ricky Gonzalez? I did.
They've been looking for this guy for six months.
- Yeah, Julie Simons too.
- Huh? You killed Julie Simons? Yeah, I strangled her with my bare hands.
She was shot six times.
Yeah, that was afterwards.
How 'bout this guy? Did you kill him too? I had to.
Man, he wouldn't stop talking.
That guy made no sense, you know? - Hello, Bellevue.
- What? No! No! No! No! Nicole's father died when she was five.
That's when she started running away, looking for him.
Why? Didn't she believe her father was dead? We didn't have the best marriage.
We said a lot of ugly things.
Actually, the night before he died, I told him one day his drinking would kill him.
But not in those exact words.
Look, I regret a lot of things, but it was true.
Nicole was you know, she was upset.
She was looking for attention.
Or maybe she was trying to tell you something.
Sorry I'm late.
Was racing to get here, and believe it or not, some cop nailed my driver for speeding.
Please, let me take care of that for you.
Thanks.
- I'm Carter Watson.
- I'm Sergeant Ironside.
You must be husband number two.
- Excuse me? - Rachael was just telling me the first marriage didn't work out so well.
Well, living with an alcoholic rarely does.
So how did Nicole feel about her new step-dad? - I'm not sure what - I was a father to that girl.
Gave her everything she wanted.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insult you.
It can't be easy.
Cops showing up every couple of years, giving you false dreams.
Please, you need to understand something.
I have never given up hope that Nicole is still alive.
I need you to take a look at something for me.
Oh, my God.
Are you okay, Mrs.
Watson? That's her.
That's Nicole.
And what about this man? Do you recognize him? Oh, my that's I mean, even with the beard, that's that's Chris.
That's my brother.
Do you think the ripper's gonna hit again soon? He was reckless, and he succeeded.
It's a turn-on for a guy like this.
Task forces have zilch.
Best shot of stopping another murder is your missing girl and her uncle.
Got something here.
At the time of Nicole's disappearance, it had been years since Rachael and her brother talked.
Detectives interviewed him.
Nothing tripped anyone's radar.
Few weeks after Nicole goes missing, Chris moves to Winsted, Connecticut.
Except now he's Chris Ellis, and he's got a sister, Nicole.
Tthey lived there for the better part of a decade.
Why they moved back to the city last year, - I have no idea.
- He felt safe.
Enough time had passed.
You saw the apartment.
Chris created the only family this girl knows anymore.
Hey, the bank just sent over scans of his cashed checks.
Regular deposits coming from legal aide on the east side.
It's not like Chris to miss work two days in a row.
- He leave a message or email? - No.
You ever been to his apartment? Many times.
My daughter's very close with Nicole.
How was their relationship? He's her brother.
I'm just making sure.
I'm not sure what you're asking.
I'm pretty sure I'm asking what their relationship was like.
I know cops don't think much of legal aide, but 15 years working in this place, I'm pretty sure I know what abuse looks like.
If Chris had done something to her, I would have seen it.
You spent a lot of time at his apartment? Not the way you're implying.
But you would have.
He's a caring, sensitive man.
We're just trying to get a bead on who Chris is.
I think I just told you.
He have a second home, favorite place to vacation? Second home? He was a counselor with legal aide.
I think he was hoping to one day put himself through law school at night.
Do me a favor.
Okay, when you see Saint Christopher, give this to him.
I'd appreciate it.
You buy that crap? When I was a rookie, there was this guy, "Crazy Eddie," lived in apartment 4e on Broadway and 130th.
Never left his place, thought there were aliens in his building.
Whole block had a theory on him.
Anytime a piece of gum went missing, it was crazy Eddie's fault.
So one day I show up, right? And there's smoke pouring out the building.
Flames everybody in the building is outside, so I figure, here's my chance to finally see Crazy Eddie in the flesh.
They found him on the top floor, dead.
He'd been knocking on doors, making sure everybody else got out.
Is that a "Chris is innocent" story or a "Chris is guilty" story? 'Cause I could interpret it either way.
Legal aide defended him for a reason.
Might just be the right reason.
Guy loves his job, protects the innocent.
Hmm.
Think I'm wrong about one thing though.
He's not running to the white picket fence.
He's going to try and find it right here in the city.
You said to call.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
You did the right thing.
Can I see? Hey, Gary.
What's Stop! Gary.
Okay, Gary! Gary! You touch that kid again, I'll kill you! Yo, G.
Gary.
You really think that's going to make the kid's situation any better? What should I do, tell my sister to divorce the jerk? I already did.
Five times.
Maybe I should call Child Services 'cause kids like him do real well in foster homes.
Maybe you and me, we should file adoption papers.
Hey, man.
It's your family.
I'm just I'm Hey, man.
I'm just saying.
Kidnaps his niece, then goes to work at legal aide? Sounds like someone doing penance.
When he turns himself in, I'll ask him.
That's your plan? Wait for a guy looking at two dimes in attica to surrender himself, I.
D.
A serial killer for you? Pretty much, yeah.
And my two superstar detectives.
Took me two years to solve 12 homicides.
Heard you guys did it in one arrest.
Yeah, he was still confessing three hours after we got to Bellevue.
Yeah, we would have been out of there sooner, but they wanted to keep Virgil for observation too.
Okay, how about these other suspects? Well, they all have solid alibis.
Restaurant owner, chef, yachtsman.
The ripper isn't living in the present.
In his mind, he's still 15 years old.
Maybe from a small town, sees rich kids come in for the summer in their nice cars, girls don't talk to him again until after labor day.
And how the hell do you know all that? I don't.
But I do know what resentment feels like.
Well, if he's stuck in that period of his life, maybe that's his line of work.
Gas station attendant, waiter.
Yeah, hold on.
Sarge, somebody's waiting for you downstairs.
Calls himself the "Patron Saint of Travelers"? Patron what? Right on time.
Saint Christopher.
If you're looking for a fight, I won't give you one.
Where is she? The same place she's been for the last ten years.
Safe.
So why'd you come? I got your note.
How do you know? You stopped making sense as a child molester.
There was only one other story that fit, and we'll deal with that.
Right now, I got a killer on the loose.
App the ripper.
You got a look at him.
No, I didn't.
Just the blood, yelling.
But Nicole saw.
Nicole's father liked to drink.
But who's without sin, you know? He loved her.
After he died, when my sister married Carter, we stopped talking.
Carter didn't want Nicole hanging out with me.
Took me a while to figure out why.
When nice finally confided in me what that what that sick son of a bitch had done to her, I worst part was I wasn't even surprised.
I can't let anything happen to that girl ever again.
I promised her that much.
And that's why you're here, right? You know I won't let anything happen to her either.
I can't turn her over until you lock up Carter.
I need Nicole.
You've been around the law long enough to know that.
I've been around the law long enough to know what happens when you trust the police! What are we doing here, Chris? Thought you were gonna close him.
Nah.
You are.
He wants to roll, but he needs to relate to a vulnerable female right now.
It's his comfort zone.
What's my way in? If you're who I think you are, you already know.
Ryan.
456 east 17th street.
I'm an off-duty police officer.
We got a man shot.
Victim is conscious.
We need an ambulance now.
Hey, give me the gun.
Ryan.
He wouldn't stop hitting me.
Where I come from, silence is considered a virtue.
You know what "omerta" means? From the Spanish hombredadi for manliness.
All these manly men killing but never speaking a word about it.
Just hiding behind their code.
That code trickled to other things as well.
Like when one of these manly men would beat the crap out of my Aunt Rita so badly, she couldn't show her face for days.
No one would say anything.
Least of all, a ten-year-old girl who couldn't understand why her favorite aunt missed her birthday party.
I know you believe you're doing what's best.
But that girl's suffering.
I don't care how safe a place you think she's in.
Nicole's depended on you for a decade.
She still needs you.
What do you guys want from me? To give Nicole the same opportunity you had ten years ago.
She's 17.
It's her turn to stand up for you.
It's complicated now.
People could get hurt.
You're right.
And we're in a better position to prevent that from happening than you.
Can I help you with something? Hiding Nicole? Obstruction of justice.
There is a version where you don't wind up going to jail.
He did it for me.
This is my fault.
No, no, no.
Nothing is your fault.
Chris promised I would never have to tell anyone, testify in court.
You think I'm gonna make you testify? No.
No.
I mean, that's that's gonna be on you.
A man was murdered.
I want justice for him.
Sometimes, when when Carter would come for me, my mom would be home.
She'd go in her room, close the door, as if somehow that meant what he was doing wasn't real.
Chris got me away.
I'll help you if you let him go.
Okay, Nicole.
Honey, this last victim I held his hand as he died.
Now I don't know if he was on his way to church or the track, and I don't care.
But what I know is it could have been me.
Or it could have been you or Chris.
- That's not an answer.
- No, it's not.
I've been thinking a lot lately about something that happened a while back.
I'll sometimes just sit back and count on others to do the right thing.
And it never works, does it? You sit back, and you wait.
And suddenly you're past where you can go back and fix it.
It was horrible.
There was just so much blood everywhere.
Did you get a look at his face? Not really.
But his his hand.
Um this part of his finger was missing.
Well if it isn't Rizzoli and Isles.
Put your hands on the counter where I can see them.
What, no joking today? I don't understand.
I thought I helped you guys.
I gave you names.
Put your hands on the counter now.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Drop the knife, or I'm gonna shoot! See, my father was a driver.
For 50 years, customers they'd sit in the back of his town car, treating it like a garbage can.
Go ahead.
I took the last guy.
We lived on the dollars they'd flick across the front seat.
They broke him.
I know what you're feeling.
Yeah, I do.
Northfield Prep, Springfield, Massachusetts, class of '95.
My freshman year, liver in my bed, toothbrush dipped in toilets.
And those were the guys that liked me.
Northfield Prep? You're one of them.
Seriously, Teddy, this is what you're gonna go with? These elitist bastards they come here all the time asking for my help.
But still, I'm a whore to them.
Every time they hand over their platinum cards, they give me that same look they gave my old man.
You have no idea what it feels like.
Those smug those smug, privileged looks.
Well, they're all scared now.
You see, the ripper helped them understand, he showed them what fear feels like.
Hey, Emerson.
Hey.
Terrifying people, making them feel scared that makes you what you hate.
Come on, you're better than that, huh? You're better than us.
Yep.
This thing definitely isn't working.
What the hell? We had an emotional connection going.
Crap on your toothbrush, and your parents paid for that? Yeah, it made me the man I am today.
If that's me, I'm asking for my money back.
It was a written test.
You wouldn't have gotten in to begin with.
- Where's Nicole? - In another room.
Is she all right? She's fine now.
When do we get to see her? Well, you don't.
I don't understand.
You find out two police officers want to talk to you about your stepdaughter who's been missing for ten years, and what do you do? You leave Manhattan, drive 30 miles to stop at your house first.
Next time use a magnet.
Works beer than a hammer.
There's enough kiddie porn on there to put you away for 20 years.
Get him out of here.
Call Barry on the East Hampton number.
He'll handle this.
What are you doing? You are a piece of work.
Still protecting him instead of her? I don't I didn't know.
Sure, you did.
She told me how you'd close your door.
Did that drown out the screaming? I need to see my daughter.
I want to talk to her.
See your daughter? The only reason you won't be prosecuted is 'cause the statute of limitations on child endangerment has run out.
- But the thing is, I couldn't - Yes, you could! You chose to do nothing! I stood by and watched on the sidelines once too, and I still think about it, but this was your daughter.
You can't arrest me.
Oh, I can arrest you.
By the time the D.
A.
voids my case, all those ladies you have lunch with, your friends on the board of the Central Park zoo they'll know all about it.
Ask Ruth Madoff how that's working out for her.
Not a chance in hell a judge is gonna let you have Nicole back.
Come this way, please.
This way.
Up to me, you wouldn't be standing here right now.
But the minute you took that first trip to New Jersey with her, it became a federal case.
And the FBI gets kind of bitchy about kidnapping.
I guess sooner or later I knew I'd be taking this ride.
You did the right thing.
All right.
All yours.
Not like you guys to hand over a collar without some kicking and screaming.
Just happy you have the handle.
Yeah, why's that? Last guy I'd want to be is the jerk prosecuting the hero.
By the way, the New York Times already called.
I gave them your mobile number.
And if you think that was stupid, wait till you see the chain of evidence.
I'm pretty sure I forgot to read him his Miranda rights too, and the confession don't even get me started on the confession.
Bruises all up and down his body.
I got pictures.
And your Captain's okay with all this.
Go ask him.
Only thing those two are gonna be asking anybody is where the front door is.
There you go.
Yo give me that bed bag.
What happens to Nicole? She finally gets what she deserves.
Chris was the first one to pick up on it.
He was 23, wasn't even a parent, but he did something about it.
He was playing minor league baseball, and he gave that up to hide me.
To protect me.
It will get better.
I promise.
Nicole! Thank you.
You ever wonder why a sergeant with his own specialized unit and his pick of detectives chose one with mob connections, a file in I.
A.
B.
an inch thick, and a bad reputation? You like the black sheep.
I like the ones that stray.
Uncle Vinnie.
Holly, my favorite niece.
Sit down.
No, that's okay.
I'll just be a sec.
What can I do for you, doll? Just don't move.
Send Aunt Rita my love, would you?