Power Book II: Ghost (2020) s01e02 Episode Script
Exceeding Expectations
1
Previously on Ghost
If you do this shit,
you can never go back.
I would do anything to go back, to go back to how it was before you left us for Angela.
We'd like you to tutor basketball player Ezekiel Cross.
Zeke doesn't play, you don't stay.
My mother's on trial for killing my father, - and I want to hire you.
- Five hundred K, liquid, up front.
You get that, we'll talk.
Tariq St.
Patrick.
I've been assigned as his counselor.
He's really motivated.
Canonical Studies is closed.
Don't make this about you and me.
And as you like to say, there is no you and me.
What the fuck are you doing at Stansfield? I go here; everyone in my family goes here.
Your family built the auditorium? And the swimming pool.
What's this party for? My family congratulating me on Stansfield.
I know you're gonna help me stay here, so they wanted to meet you.
Tariq, this is my cousin Dru.
- Yo, what up, bro? - My cousin Diana Tejada.
This is my boy Tariq.
Hey.
Yeah, that's my brother Cane.
There goes the party.
What the fuck is going on out here? Damn, that's Monet.
Get the fuck out of here, man.
He'll be back.
You know what to do.
What I need is for you to concentrate on school.
If you take care of yourself, you'll take care of all of us.
I owe your mother, so I'll help you out, but you gotta find your own products.
- We official now? - Yes.
And we'd like you to charge Tasha St.
Patrick under the Kingpin Statute.
Well, Queenpin in this case, I guess.
Deal, but Tasha has to name the shooter.
If she does that and I can confirm it, - I can get her out.
- I saw your son before I got here.
Well, what did he say? He said he knew that you were afraid to say the name of the person who shot your husband.
He said if you love him, you need to tell the truth.
The man who killed James St.
Patrick is Tommy Egan.
Why on earth would Tommy Egan have killed your husband? - Because I asked him to.
- Your Honor, I object.
- Overruled.
- Queenpin.
You're under arrest for the murder of James St.
Patrick under the federal Kingpin Statute.
- Ma! - Kingpin? What the We're gonna fight this together! Kingpin Statute? You're gonna give her the needle? You and I both know this is not a federal case.
It is now.
Where have you been? Who are you? Tasha, I'm Paula Matarazzo, Mr.
MacLean's investigator.
I'll also be working on your case.
Whatever you say to me is protected by the same privilege.
Well, can I afford you? At the moment, you can't afford me, Ms.
Green.
When can I expect a payment? And will payments always be coming through your son in cash? Oh, I-I figured Simon Stern was paying you.
Okay.
Look, I promise I'll get you the money.
But what I want to know is what happened in court and why suddenly, they think I was running Ghost and Tommy's organization.
So your husband was Ghost? Feds could never prove that.
Yes, my husband, James St.
Patrick, was Ghost, a criminal kingpin drug-dealing, murdering motherfucker.
Tommy too.
And you had nothing to do with their business? I don't see why their business is part of this at all.
When you told me Tommy Egan helped you kill your husband, I thought you got a lifelong friend to help you with a domestic dispute.
Egan had only been charged with a handful of small crimes, only one major charge that was dropped.
There was no reason to doubt your story because you didn't give me the full story.
I didn't know Egan's history with the Feds or yours.
I know.
I'm sorry.
But I-I just didn't think it mattered.
That's great.
Because it's the only thing that matters now.
Your statement in court gave Saxe the ammunition to charge you as the queenpin.
Tasha, I need your word.
Are you telling me the whole truth about why you asked Egan to help you kill James? Yes.
It had nothing to do with their drug business.
And you? Did you have anything to do with their drug business? I'm asking again since you didn't answer me before.
I said nothing.
And if the Feds find Tommy Egan, he'll back up your story? Your name is on a lot of paperwork having to do with the clubs, Ms.
Green: articles of incorporation, liquor licenses, accounting documents.
You're saying you didn't help them clean the money they were making selling drugs? Okay, well, I may have set up a few accounts.
- I - Shh.
Tasha, let's pretend you're under oath.
Ms.
Green, were you the head of the St.
Patrick-Egan criminal organization? - No.
- Did you give orders? No! Did you arrange murders or sell drugs? For James and Tommy? Why are you asking for clarification? Did you sell drugs or arrange murders for your husband or for Thomas Patrick Egan? No.
Then you're not the queenpin.
And Saxe knows that.
And yet he was ready with an arrest warrant.
Something's going on here that we don't understand.
They're charging too high.
It's not about what they're charging.
It's about why.
Seems like every day now is payday Fuck.
Yo, my nigga, how you got all this fly-ass gear? I thought college players can't make money from ball.
My Auntie Monet takes care of me so I can focus on the court.
I'm actually headed back out there tonight.
She got something for me to pick up.
So you can have the room to yourself, you know, if you want to bring a girl home.
Hey, I'm just saying.
Nah, you think I could pull up for dinner later, though? Damn, you sick of the dining hall already? That shit is wack, bro.
Shit, I'll ask her, you know, see if it's cool.
I gotta go meet Professor Milgram later.
Whoo, bitch is fine as a motherfucker.
Yo, you got that Moby-Dick shit? You crazy, man.
Yeah, I do.
Yo, make sure you read this shit.
She be asking questions.
You don't want to blow our shit up.
Yeah, I'll read it.
Man, I'm for real.
Like, really read it, bro.
I got you.
And don't forget to call your auntie too.
I got you! Yes, Ashley.
Herbert took Pip under his wing and taught him how to be a gentleman.
But then Uncle Pumblechook was out there trying to take all the credit for Pip's success, and he ain't have nothing to do with it, just like a motherfucking white man.
I wish a nigga would with his stupid-ass name.
Um Um, what? You got something in your throat? 'Cause I know you ain't about to say something.
- Never mind.
- That's a big opinion from someone who doesn't have a real name.
- Nope.
- Excuse me? That's right.
I don't got a real name.
I got two.
Bruce plus Shaundria, which equals BruShaundria.
But the first rule of business is to mind your motherfucking own, Richard.
Thank you for enlightening us, Miss Carmichael.
Okay, class, this is Tariq St.
Patrick.
He's joining us a bit late, but he proves he deserves to be here, so don't go easy on him.
- Hi.
- What's up? Tariq, what did you think of Great Expectations? Well, Dickens' choice to make every character do the wrong thing for the right reason and vice versa was very effective in highlighting the complexities between innocence and guilt.
Well, how-how do you think that applies to Dickens himself, though, like his choice to change the ending of the book? Why do you think he changed it? Well, I Didn't finish the book again? We warned you this course was rigorous, Tariq.
Now, if you can't keep up, Stansfield has a number of easier classes you can take.
Bloop.
Professor Reynolds got time today, y'all.
Does anyone else care to respond? I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to blow you up like that.
It's all right.
It's not your fault.
It's mine.
He was pandering to his audience.
- Elaborate please, Richard.
- They think your mom ran the drug business.
My mother didn't do any of that.
A'ight? My father did it.
That was his business.
He was the boss.
Exactly what she said.
That's the truth.
What, you don't believe her? I don't know what to believe, Tariq.
Your mother didn't tell me she had a history with the Feds.
- Neither did you.
- I didn't think it mattered.
A'ight? That was a local case.
- Right.
- Now that Saxe and the Feds are involved, this is personal.
Okay, what motivation would Saxe have to target your mother? I honestly don't know.
Right.
All right.
I'm going to work the political angle, Tariq, but until I can make this all go away, we have to assume that your mother is going to face a jury, which means we need the jury pool to know exactly how dangerous and violent your father was.
Hey! We need you to deliver his eulogy tomorrow and blow his ass up.
With him right there in the ground? It's his legacy or your mom's life, kid.
Get some balls.
Dude! Where you been? You haven't been responding to any of my texts.
I been busy, bro.
Your father's funeral's tomorrow, right? Do you want me to, like, come? Fuck no.
I mean, thanks, though.
It's all good.
Hey, you need a hug? Come on, bring it in.
No? Okay, cool.
- Cool, cool, cool, cool.
- I'm heading this way Dude, how much fun was that strip club the other night? I mean, I think I gave Cabernay my Venmo password, but honestly, it was fucking worth it! What? Bro, you're fucking crazy.
I saw you macking on that other chick too, man.
She was fucking feeling you, dog.
I know.
She moving weight for you? What? Fuck no.
Dude, it's cool.
I just I want to get back in.
We were fucking balling out at Choate.
Well, there's nothing to get back in on, all right? Yeah, right.
Whatever you got going on, you can't do it by yourself.
I can help.
But hey, uh, my brother's having a party tonight at his frat if you want to hit that.
I mean, he's a fucking dick, but what else is new? If you don't fuck with him, then why would you go? Um, pussy? Why does anyone go anywhere? You're right.
Damn, bro.
I can't go, though.
I got plans tonight.
My fault.
What plans are better than pussy? Some days I wish I could stay That ain't none of your business.
How can you stay with a guy who's inside for life? Don't you want to be with someone who can give you more? Someone like who, you? What? You're saying you don't you don't feel a connection? Shit, I need more than connection.
You know what Lorenzo's name get me in these streets? Protection.
Ain't no connection gonna offer me that.
Shit.
You gotta go.
Kids can't see you, especially Cane.
All right.
I guess I should get back to the precinct.
I was really impressed with your paper, Zeke.
What was it you said about the combination of horror, suspense, and supernatural forces? Yeah, you know, all those elements of Gothic literature are just really, like, combined.
It's weird you're a professor, you know, 'cause you you looking mad young.
I see you got a biology test coming up.
You had a chance to go over the material with Tariq? - He's tutoring you, right? - Tariq's great.
He's just going through a lot of family stuff right now.
I think his-his dad's funeral is, uh, tomorrow.
Oh, God.
Tomorrow.
How's he doing? Oh, we don't-we don't really talk like that.
Uh tell me about you.
Where are you from? Are you going to the funeral? No, I ain't thinking about that.
Uh, I-I got practice.
I'm-I'm actually from the South myself, uh, but I went to high school in Queens.
I bet no students can go, now that I think of it.
Um, right, well, okay.
Um, keep up the good work, and you'll be off academic probation and back on the court in no time.
Okay, girl.
Well, I guess I'll see you after that biology test, right? Mm-hmm.
You sure you don't want something, Tariq? Mmm, delightful.
When I was a student, all we had was Folgers and cocaine.
What are we here to talk about? Just like your father, always eager to get right down to business.
I'm nothing like my father.
Fine, fine.
I got a distressing call from Davis MacLean today.
He wants me to speak bad about my father at the funeral.
Yes, I gleaned that from his tone, and I have to say, I think it's a terrible idea.
Oh, I remember reading Great Expectations back in my Stansfield days.
Classic tale about one's moral code being more important than ambition, and that's why it's a story for poor people.
The thing about your father, Tariq, is that he could never accept that his ambition was his moral code.
He thought they were two separate things, so he was always at war with himself.
I never thought of it that way.
I never thought of him that way.
Splendid.
But that's not all.
Your father's image is in need of a little zhoosh, and his funeral is a wonderful opportunity.
Now, you know I'm happy to pay for a send-off worthy of our dearly departed, but the real showstopper would be a glowing eulogy from his only son.
Well, MacLean wants me to trash my father to help my mother.
You know, I have to do anything to help my mother.
See? Just like James.
He was great at looking ahead, but he could never see from above.
I know you care about your mother.
I do too, of course.
But you and I are business partners now, Tariq, and the first thing you always have to ask in business is, "How does this benefit me?" James's flailing reputation will be bad for our ventures and for his estate as a whole.
I'll be fine either way, of course, but that could be financially devastating to you and your family.
Both Tariq and Tasha say her husband was the boss and that Cooper Saxe knows it.
That woman is a liar, Davis, and her son is too.
We should walk away from this case right now.
I mean, you did the research on St.
Patrick and Egan.
Do you really believe she was the boss? No matter what you say, no matter what you want to happen, Tasha St.
Patrick was not the leader of this organization.
- Prove that.
- What? That she wasn't.
You can't prove a negative.
Exactly.
That means Davis MacLean can't prove that either.
Look, all you have to do is lay out the crimes we know the St.
Patrick-Egan organization committed, and now that she said live in court that she had the power to tell Egan what to do, we wrap all of it up.
I mean, Egan may have sold the drugs and pulled the triggers But she called the shots.
There's no way Tasha ordered all of this.
She was raising three kids.
If anything, she was being a mother.
You're gonna try to use the "mom of the year" defense on the wife of a drug trafficker? Excuse me, a woman under siege, racing to save her family as a tide of corruption and criminality threatened to sweep her under.
You are not gonna try to argue that she didn't know this was going on.
This is millions of dollars in narcotics.
You're saying she never asked her husband where the money came from? Her name's on the checks.
I'm saying it doesn't matter what she knew.
It matters that Cooper Saxe knows she's not the boss.
You want me to take every crime that St.
Patrick and Tommy Egan committed Allegedly committed.
John, we know St.
Patrick was Ghost.
We know he's the kingpin! - We know? - What did you prove in court? - Nothing.
- Right.
And they can't prove it either, and from what I understand, Egan is conveniently in the wind, so who's gonna argue it? Tasha's not fully innocent.
No, I didn't say that.
It matters that this whole prosecution turned on Jenny Sullivan asking why Tommy Egan killed St.
Patrick, on this trumped-up RICO charge that will sweep all of James St.
Patrick's nefarious activity under the rug.
Show the jury she's dirty, and they'll convict.
Egan ain't here to blame, and her husband's dead.
She's the last woman standing, so sorry, she gets the needle.
- It's political.
- Yeah.
And if we can prove Saxe had an agenda, maybe we can get the charges dropped altogether.
Don't let us down, Saxe.
I'll give you an unlimited budget, and you can hire whoever you want.
Just land the fucking plane.
Fuck.
Shit, Stern makes a good point.
I'll give him that.
It's worth considering.
I mean, maybe you should protect your father.
I'm protecting you, okay? I don't care about Gho I don't care about Dad's money.
All I care about is you getting out of here, and if MacLean thinks me saying something will help, then Wait a minute.
Hold up.
I can't believe MacLean came to you to behind my back.
I can.
Ma, this is how you win.
This is how you get out.
'Riq, what do you want to do? Do you want to speak at the funeral? Honestly, Ma, I don't know.
I mean, what would I even say? What could I say? Baby, your father he was a complicated man.
Maybe it's better that you not say anything at all.
Reverend Macedon can give his blessing, and that'll be that.
Yeah.
Okay, good.
It's settled, then.
Um, I'll let Davis know.
Speaking of Davis, you didn't open up the day care again, did you, 'Riq, after I told you not to? Ma, no, of course not.
Then how in the world did you get the m How are your classes going? Fine.
We're reading a book called Great Expectations now.
I know that one.
Well, go ahead.
Tell me about it.
What's it about? Well, it's about this orphan named Pip.
Ah.
Strap on your cup, Special Agent Garza, 'cause I'm calling you up to the big leagues.
I need a lead investigator in the Tasha St.
Patrick queenpin case, and you're my guy.
Yeah, I'm gonna respectfully decline, Mr.
Saxe.
This-this is the biggest case of the decade: high-profile, drugs, murder, intrigue, justice.
You got fired from this office a little less than two weeks ago.
Two days after that, a judge signed a warrant for your arrest, and then somehow, you managed to get a promotion? Whatever you're up to has nothing to do with justice.
Look, I know you're straight-edge, by the book, unimpeachable character, not a blemish in your record the opposite of me.
Donovan was my supervisor.
He was as good as they come.
What happened to him on your watch you understand why I have to say no.
Okay, listen.
I think about Jerry every day, about his girls growing up without their father.
I mean, his blood is on my hands, I know.
Maybe I went too hard trying to put the bad guys in jail, and I have to live with that.
But Tasha's defense attorney goes way too hard keeping criminals on the streets, and if I'm gonna take on Davis MacLean, I need someone I can trust.
Ah, fuck.
It's MacLean? I know he fucked up your chain of custody in the Perez murder.
Took you months to buy that back, didn't it? Could've derailed your career.
Work with me.
I'll let you call the shots.
Everything above board.
You have my word.
By the book? By the book, I promise.
I hear you're a little behind.
Professor Reynolds told you, right? It's like he has it out for me.
I'll catch up, okay? Tariq, it's okay if you're struggling.
You're going through a traumatic time right now.
No one expects you to be perfect.
Professor Reynolds does.
Jabari isn't always great at seeing the bigger picture.
But if you want to talk about anything, that's what I'm here for.
I don't need to talk about anything.
I just need to get my work done and get to class on time.
Oh, Tariq.
The pressure our culture puts on young men, specifically young black men, to suppress their feelings is incredibly toxic and dangerous.
I mean, I'd love to provide you with a safe space where you can process anything, maybe even see your dad in a different light.
- Professor Milgram, may I please be excused? I'm concerned about Tariq St.
Patrick.
Yeah, me too.
We're already two books in, and he hasn't read either of them.
You said he was motivated, but I don't see it.
No, it's, um it's his father's funeral tomorrow, and he's not processing his feelings at all.
Well, he's a black man in America, Carrie.
He doesn't have time to process his feelings.
Well, I agree, so, um some of the students and I are holding a vigil tonight for James St.
Patrick.
No, you're not.
Yes, we are, in the quad.
What the fuck, Carrie? The kid has enough heat on him as it is.
Well, exactly.
All the students know who he is.
They're already talking about it.
This is an opportunity for him to address it.
This is a way for him to mourn, to know he's not alone at Stansfield.
It's a safe space for him to talk.
Okay, when you gonna get it? There's no such thing as a safe space for a kid like Tariq.
Do you know what this is? This is another one of your weird bullshit power trips, a way for you to put his grief on display and project your pity onto him.
And what is a kid like Tariq? Huh? You know how he feels? Did you even ask him what he wanted? He said he didn't want to talk.
Exactly.
You need to actually listen to people, because we are not always gonna conform to your expectations or whatever story you're trying to tell yourself.
You mean like taking a person's life and publishing it for the world to see? You had no right.
I know that, and I am sorry.
Okay? But I cannot apologize enough to satisfy you.
Did it ever occur to you that I felt alone without you, Carrie? We should just keep this about Tariq.
Why'd you get me the job here if you didn't want this to happen? Is Oliver here? I don't care.
Do you? And then we had sex in his office.
If you're gonna say that you thought it was gonna be different this time, I'm gonna throw myself into traffic.
No.
God, no.
I Carrie, we talked about this.
I mean, what did you think was gonna happen when you helped him get the job? I don't know.
I I mean, I-I-I didn't expect him to be in my department.
He was hired in the lit department, and then Brannon retired, and the-the Canonical spot opened up.
I I guess I-I-I expected he'd moved on, and we could be adults about it.
A-and why would you think he's moved on if you haven't? Because I thought I had.
How can you explain the intense connection? What if he's my person? Okay, stop it, because now you're being the girl he put in the novel.
I know.
How can I fix this? Besides working the steps? As your sponsor, I say stay away from him as much as possible.
When you have to be with him, only talk about work.
Avoid being close.
Never be alone together and never close the door.
Sex and love addiction, it-it might be cute in your 20s, Carrie, but is this really what you want the rest of your life to look like? Man, this is so much better than the food at school.
Thank you again.
Sure I can't get you a drink? Nah, I'm-I'm fine.
Thank you.
Pour me up, Auntie.
Ain't like I'm playing this week.
Yeah, but your ass better be back on that court soon.
Oh, I will.
Tariq's making sure of that.
Smartest nigga I know.
What are you studying? Right now, I'm in Canonical Studies.
It's a special class, mostly, like, literature, though.
And I got this little art class on the side.
- What kind of art? - Just drawing, I guess.
It was the last thing I could put in my schedule, so I just did it.
Who's that? I look like Miss Cleo? Cane, see who that is.
All right.
Surprise! Ah, shit.
Uncle Frank! How you doing? - 'Sup, man? - Good.
Damn, Cane, look at you! You're built like a motherfucker, just like your pops.
What you doing here, Frank? I thought you still had a couple years.
I got out early.
On what? 'Cause I know it wasn't good behavior.
What's up, Dru? Zeke? I know you? He's Zeke's roommate from school.
Hey, Uncle Frank.
Wow, look who grew up.
Princess Diana.
Hmm, you really filled out, huh? What do you want, Frank? I just need a little help, Mo.
Lorenzo said to hit you up.
He promised me.
See, that's a lie, 'cause Lorenzo ain't promise nobody shit.
You need to go.
Oh, shit, ain't you the one always spouting "family first"? They don't know me out in these streets no more.
And I know Lorenzo's got you running things Okay, dinner's over.
Diana, get the plates.
Now! Zeke, you been drinking.
You should spend the night.
Cane, take Tariq back to school.
Uh, Ma, I can take him.
I said what I said.
Dru, take Frank for a drink.
Talk this out.
Yes, ma'am.
Mo, come on.
Come on, Frank.
Get out.
You and me gonna have to talk.
Whatever happens in our house, it stays in our house.
You hear me, nigga? You don't gotta try to scare me, Cane.
I'm cool, a'ight? Nigga, I don't fucking know you.
You seem kind of hot to me.
Not as hot as your Uncle Frank.
Hey, don't you come out your mouth about my family, all right? Uncle Frank's been around for a minute.
Your Uncle Frank's a fucking rat.
The fuck you say? What, nigga, you ain't notice? How you think he got out early, coming in all unannounced and shit, urgent, smiling in everybody's face? Nigga, has he ever been that excited to see you before? Plus, you ain't ever heard of a parole hearing? That shit takes months.
If Frank was that close with your pops, then your pops would've known and told Monet.
But, you know, rats get out quick and quiet before anyone even notices.
You should know that.
Shit, nigga.
Exactly, man.
I ain't trying to have no beef with y'all, a'ight? Stansfield got me keeping Zeke in school so he could play ball, and that's what Monet wants.
Me and you, we on the same team, nigga.
We got the same goal.
I don't want Zeke's family getting hurt, 'cause if y'all get hurt, I get hurt.
You can tell your mom she don't got shit to worry about when it comes to me, a'ight? Now, let's go.
Another pillar of our community crushed under the weight of opportunity.
Black male eyes set on our future ahead.
One shot, pop.
Now that future dead, assassinated You shouldn't be doing this.
You showed up.
Not for you.
Is he here? Dude, that's fucked up.
Delete that shit.
- What's your problem? - Get-get the fuck out of here.
Hey, Tariq.
Glad you could make it.
Your father was a very impressive man.
Tariq! There's still time to say something about your dad if you want.
Hey.
Hey, Tariq.
You okay? Yeah, bro, let's go to that party you was telling me about.
Fuck yeah, dude.
Let's go.
Get the fuck out of here.
Seriously! So what do you think we should do about Frank? Well, family first, right? That's what you taught us.
So shouldn't we just give him benefit of the doubt? There's a difference between family and blood, D.
Not everyone can be trusted.
Or did you think about why he got out so early and your dad ain't tell us? No, but how do we find out? We can't just ask him.
I can't.
He might tell you, though.
Did you see the way he was looking at you? That look means you have power over him.
And I want you to be able to see what these signs are, 'cause if he's useful to us, you gotta use any tool at your disposal.
Okay, but how do you know he's hiding something? Well, think about it.
There's only one way someone gets out that quick with no one knowing about it.
You take care of that? Yup.
Zeke was right.
Kid's smart.
- He said Uncle Frank was - A snitch.
- Tariq said that? - Mm-hmm.
So who do you think he snitched on? Doesn't matter.
A snitch is a snitch.
Cane'll handle it.
But first, what else Tariq say? Zeke.
Boy, wake up.
Tariq.
Did you ask him here tonight, or did he ask you? He wanted to come.
What's it matter? I need to know everything you know about that kid.
You hear me? I don't know anything about him.
Well, you better learn.
Coming to you live from Kappa Lambda Kappa.
Ooh, what do we have over here? A pack of wild thots in their natural habitat.
And, oh, shit, an ice luge! Classic choice.
Now, the way an ice luge works is, you put the alcohol at the top so it rushes down, and the person at the bottom gets mouth herpes.
Hey, losers.
Y'all at home jerking off to Skidmarks here? Why don't you put down your cell phones and get yourself a real girlfriend? You ruined my fucking story, okay? And also, Mom told you not to fucking call me that anymore.
Yo, sorry, you-you gotta leave, Skids.
And your boyfriend too.
No Skidmarks allowed.
Yo, I'm serious.
Shut the fuck up.
Oh, you're serious.
Well, so am I.
Yo, Chase, we, uh we don't let Skidmarks in here, right? No, Trace.
We do not.
Oh, shit.
Hey, hey.
You're that St.
Patrick kid.
Yeah, I heard you went here.
Dude, his dad was, like, that nightclub politician guy who got killed by his mom.
Dude, you're, like, famous.
You guys should stay.
You're chill.
Oh, shit.
What's up, Scott? Don't you have anything we can actually have fun with, Macklemore? No, man.
I'm all out.
You're always fucking out, bro.
Dude, I told you.
We could make fucking bank here.
Turn that music off right now.
You guys hear that? Everybody out.
We're coming in to shut this down.
Yo, this is my house.
You can't come in without a warrant.
This house belongs to the university, and it's leased by the Kappa Lambda Kappa fraternity.
Dude, you're not even a real cop.
Don't call me dude.
Please, just step aside.
Hey, what the fuck do you think you're doing? - Do you even know who I am? - Don't touch me.
All right, you're done.
Oh, man.
Hands behind your back.
Everybody out.
Party's over.
Hey, um, I'm sorry about that.
My brother's a fucking idiot.
I'm Brayden, and that's Trace Weston.
Shit.
Weston, like the auditorium? Yeah, and the swimming pool.
Sorry, man.
I didn't realize.
No, it's-it's all good.
Can you let my brother go now? He's a Weston.
Let him go.
Let's fucking party! Well, then switch a damn shift so that you're on that schedule.
I need you to get me a morning-after pill in here motherfucking pronto.
Yo, who the fuck you think you're talking to? You seem to have forgotten how this works, Jones.
Wait, whose fucking dick you been riding in here? Get me that pill in the next 56 hours, or I'ma turn this whole block against your ass.
And yet, Mr.
MacLean, your papers allege some sort of prosecutorial misconduct on the part of the US Attorney's Office.
Yes, Mr.
Saxe used the New York District Attorney's Office to trap my client into a baseless queenpin charge.
Whoa, whoa, I didn't use the district attorney to do anything.
Your Honor, if we put Ms.
Genevieve Sullivan from the District Attorney's Office under oath - He's gotta be kidding.
- I'm not.
I want an explanation as to why you came to a state plea allocution with a federal arrest warrant in your pocket.
He's Captain Ahab with the white whale, Your Honor.
He was never able to get James St.
Patrick, so he staged that ridiculous circus to turn this into a federal case.
Th-that's not prosecutorial misconduct.
It's prosecutorial discretion.
If you had any discretion, Saxe, we might entertain that.
All right, how soon can I hear from Ms.
Sullivan? I'll get her here.
Do it.
We'll reconvene this afternoon.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Your Honor.
We miss you, baby girl.
I am so glad that you're not alone anymore.
Ah.
Now, this is quite a production.
Tariq, how could you have paid for something like this when you know that Yas and I are only scraping by? Grandma, I didn't do any of this.
I don't even know who any of these people are.
He was a bright light extinguished far too soon.
What the Lord has brought us to, the Lord will take us through.
May God bless us all in our grief.
Thank you, Reverend.
Yes, thank you, Reverend.
We're all so very blessed to have each other to lean on.
- Simon.
- Mr.
Tate.
Ah.
Good to see you, my sister.
So good to see you.
I just came from the MCC.
Your mother's gonna deliver the eulogy, so you're off the hook.
Why would she do that? It's our one chance for the public to hear her speak without provoking a gag order or being cross-examined on the stand.
Besides, she wants to do it, and she's ready.
She's here.
Mommy! Oh, wait a minute.
Motherfuckers.
What are you doing? You can't put those on her.
Look, she cannot deliver the eulogy in shackles, okay? It's entirely the wrong image.
Tasha, you can't stand up like this.
- But what about what we - No talking, inmate.
Oh, were you gonna have her poison the jury pool with some hard-luck tale about her husband? Guess you can't do that now, huh? - Fuck you, Saxe.
- Oh, okay.
Wonder if we could find someone else who'd be willing to say something.
God, you know, I feel like we could probably find someone.
Oh, Rashad.
Of course.
I'd be more than glad to share a few kind words for our fallen friend.
I'm gonna do it.
I want to do it, okay, Ma? I got this.
What are you going to say? Hey, Tariq.
I'm your father's Uncle Gabe.
Just wanted to pay my respects.
You remind me of him so much, you know? I don't even look like him.
No, no, no, but well, you're bright I can tell just like he was.
He had a good heart.
For a time there, we thought we might lose him to the streets, you know.
Your grandfather used to say that you go down that road, there's only two ways you're gonna end up: either dead or in jail.
Well, everybody's got to go eventually, right? But he-he turned it around.
Noble, yeah.
Made us all proud, just like I'm sure you're gonna make him.
Am I right? Yes, sir.
Good.
Nice work.
Almost seemed like you enjoyed that.
Fuck Davis MacLean.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, but, Steve, I need to ask you about Jenny Sullivan - from the DA's Office.
- Oh, shh, shh, shh.
It's starting.
Nice work.
Life's trials can be so mysterious.
The St.
Patrick family knows that.
James came to me in his darkest hour with one desire: to be a better man.
God alone knows whether we ever achieve that, so it is in faith that we send James off with loving tribute from those he left behind.
Everyone has their own expectations of what I should say right now.
Some people want me to stand here and call my father a criminal, a horrible person and a man who didn't care about his family.
Others want me to stand here and say that he was a symbol of hope and possibility.
But to be honest, the truth is way more complicated than that, 'cause my father, he was a complicated man.
He saw his family as a reflection of himself, and he always did what he thought was best for us.
And although I didn't agree with all of his choices, I will say that I learned a lot about how I want to live my own life.
He taught me lessons about knowing who to trust, thinking ahead and finding a better way to do just about anything.
I really thought I knew my dad.
But the truth is, you never really know a man like him.
Somehow, I'm-I'm learning more about him now than I ever did when he was alive.
So I really don't know much.
But what I do know is that he wanted to give me the life that he could never have.
And I'm the manifestation of what he could never be.
- Inmate! Inmate! - I need currency: a morning-after pill for another inmate.
I said no talking, bitch.
Let's go.
Get off of me! He did a good job.
Would've been better if it was Tasha.
You understand, Ms.
Sullivan, you are under oath? Yes, but, Your Honor, I still don't understand how my testimony is relevant to the federal charges facing Tasha Green St.
Patrick.
Humor me, hmm? Mr.
MacLean.
Yes.
Just a few questions.
Ms.
Sullivan, when my client told you the name of her accomplice, Tommy Egan, - did you know who he was? - No.
I did a background check and saw he was a bad actor, for sure, but I did not know of him.
Did you share this information about the name of my client's accomplice with anyone outside of your office? Reminding you you are under oath.
I told my boss, sir.
I believe he might have mentioned the name to Steven Ott from the DNC.
And did Mr.
Ott ask you to vacate the plea agreement you had with my client, the same agreement you and I put in writing? No, he did not.
He told me to proceed and to inquire as to why Tommy Egan would've killed James St.
Patrick for his estranged wife.
And did you know that that would result in a federal charge against my client? No, but when I saw Mr.
Saxe showed up and had an arrest warrant, I knew both you and I had been set up, Mr.
MacLean.
It was a jurisdictional grab all along.
- Your Honor.
- If this was a legitimate charge against your client, they could've let us prove the murder charge and then proceeded with any predicate crime already proven in state court, but Mr.
Saxe pressured me to offer a deal, only to blow it up and take the defendant right out from under me.
Thank you, Ms.
Sullivan.
Mr.
Saxe, do you want to cross-examine? Uh no.
Do you want to explain yourself? Your Honor, I didn't know Mr.
Ott was in communication with Ms.
Sullivan, but even if I admit that the chain of events is odd More than odd, sir, especially the part about you forcing a deal just to break it wide open.
Yes, Your Honor, but I can justify federalizing this case.
I believe Tasha St.
Patrick is a queenpin.
- He has no proof.
- I do.
I'd like to call a rebuttal witness, Your Honor Sergeant Blanca Rodriguez.
Sergeant Rodriguez, did we investigate the St.
Patrick family together? Yes, and their associate, Tommy Egan.
Would you confine your answers to yes or no, please? Yes.
Did Tasha St.
Patrick have reason to believe that Terry Silver might testify against her, against her husband, or against their friend Tommy Egan? I don't know what he knew about Tasha.
Just yes or no.
Yes, she thought he had information.
And when Mr.
Silver went missing, did Tasha St.
Patrick lead us to the body she told us where to look? Yes, but that's not the whole story.
Just yes or no.
Yes.
She knew where to find the body.
But she did not commit that murder.
She's not physically capable.
Mm, okay.
So she had motive, she knew the location of that body, and she wasn't capable of doing it herself.
So is it reasonable to assume that she was involved, possible to conclude that maybe she ordered the hit to shut him up? - Yes, but - That's all, Your Honor.
Your Honor, I believe Sergeant Rodriguez has more to say.
And she will, at trial, but this is more than enough to indicate, Mr.
MacLean, that there is some meat on the bone here for Mr.
Saxe's case.
I'm going to deny your motion to dismiss.
Ha.
I mean thank you, Your Honor.
But you, Mr.
Saxe from now on, I want everything by the book.
You're excused, Sergeant Rodriguez.
We're done here.
When this goes to trial, you make sure I testify.
Tasha is no queenpin, and Saxe is dirty as fuck.
Oh, what's up? Um, Zeke's not here.
I know.
Cane said you knew my Uncle Frank was a snitch.
I wanted to ask you how.
What, Monet send you? Nah.
I was impressed.
You got game.
You know, when you know what you're looking for, people are easier to read than a fucking PDF.
That's a college-ass joke, nigga.
No, but, um can I ask you something? What's up? You have a way of talking to your father? Why? Do you think he could get something to my mom inside? I'ma need you to hide it in a book.
- Where you been? - Stansfield.
And I know something you don't.
Tariq's mom needs a friend inside.
He asked if I can get her a morning-after pill.
Hmm.
I can work with that.
Lights out, ladies.
Hello? Oh.
- Tariq, how did you do this? - Ma? Baby, what you did today I am so proud of you.
But I need to know, how are you paying for Davis, 'Riq? Because I can't have you out there, - getting yourself into trouble.
- Ma, listen.
Remember how Ghost always used to say there's only two ways drug dealers end up: dead or in jail? Well, I think I found another way.
Couple battle scars we gon' die hard Frequent flights cruising through the ozone Shit.
I'm a Braveheart You fucking bastards never take my mojo Overseas signing boobs bitches catching seizures Swear I planned this all from the bleachers No features Shades and monsters pills and sponsors Rock and roll and sex partners The fame is heartless Try and spread some knowledge Pop, pop you sparkless But music feeds the soul so I'ma eat regardless Blue Label.
What do you want? Cane'll be back soon.
Can't bring you a present without getting the third degree? Snitch papers? Frank Castillo went missing today.
You know anything about that? Well, shit, if he was a snitch, it could've been anybody, right? So why the fuck do you let a snitch come up in my crib without warning? These papers don't do shit for me now.
Neither does that bullshit bottle.
Hey, come on.
Why you gotta be like that? Because you coming up in my house, telling me how you gonna give me more than Lorenzo, and you ain't protecting me.
I just found out.
You think I'd let that happen if I knew? Mo, I swear, I got you.
How can I prove it to you? Fine.
I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself.
What can you find out for me on a kid named Tariq St.
Patrick?
I would do anything to go back, to go back to how it was before you left us for Angela.
We'd like you to tutor basketball player Ezekiel Cross.
Zeke doesn't play, you don't stay.
My mother's on trial for killing my father, - and I want to hire you.
- Five hundred K, liquid, up front.
You get that, we'll talk.
Tariq St.
Patrick.
I've been assigned as his counselor.
He's really motivated.
Canonical Studies is closed.
Don't make this about you and me.
And as you like to say, there is no you and me.
What the fuck are you doing at Stansfield? I go here; everyone in my family goes here.
Your family built the auditorium? And the swimming pool.
What's this party for? My family congratulating me on Stansfield.
I know you're gonna help me stay here, so they wanted to meet you.
Tariq, this is my cousin Dru.
- Yo, what up, bro? - My cousin Diana Tejada.
This is my boy Tariq.
Hey.
Yeah, that's my brother Cane.
There goes the party.
What the fuck is going on out here? Damn, that's Monet.
Get the fuck out of here, man.
He'll be back.
You know what to do.
What I need is for you to concentrate on school.
If you take care of yourself, you'll take care of all of us.
I owe your mother, so I'll help you out, but you gotta find your own products.
- We official now? - Yes.
And we'd like you to charge Tasha St.
Patrick under the Kingpin Statute.
Well, Queenpin in this case, I guess.
Deal, but Tasha has to name the shooter.
If she does that and I can confirm it, - I can get her out.
- I saw your son before I got here.
Well, what did he say? He said he knew that you were afraid to say the name of the person who shot your husband.
He said if you love him, you need to tell the truth.
The man who killed James St.
Patrick is Tommy Egan.
Why on earth would Tommy Egan have killed your husband? - Because I asked him to.
- Your Honor, I object.
- Overruled.
- Queenpin.
You're under arrest for the murder of James St.
Patrick under the federal Kingpin Statute.
- Ma! - Kingpin? What the We're gonna fight this together! Kingpin Statute? You're gonna give her the needle? You and I both know this is not a federal case.
It is now.
Where have you been? Who are you? Tasha, I'm Paula Matarazzo, Mr.
MacLean's investigator.
I'll also be working on your case.
Whatever you say to me is protected by the same privilege.
Well, can I afford you? At the moment, you can't afford me, Ms.
Green.
When can I expect a payment? And will payments always be coming through your son in cash? Oh, I-I figured Simon Stern was paying you.
Okay.
Look, I promise I'll get you the money.
But what I want to know is what happened in court and why suddenly, they think I was running Ghost and Tommy's organization.
So your husband was Ghost? Feds could never prove that.
Yes, my husband, James St.
Patrick, was Ghost, a criminal kingpin drug-dealing, murdering motherfucker.
Tommy too.
And you had nothing to do with their business? I don't see why their business is part of this at all.
When you told me Tommy Egan helped you kill your husband, I thought you got a lifelong friend to help you with a domestic dispute.
Egan had only been charged with a handful of small crimes, only one major charge that was dropped.
There was no reason to doubt your story because you didn't give me the full story.
I didn't know Egan's history with the Feds or yours.
I know.
I'm sorry.
But I-I just didn't think it mattered.
That's great.
Because it's the only thing that matters now.
Your statement in court gave Saxe the ammunition to charge you as the queenpin.
Tasha, I need your word.
Are you telling me the whole truth about why you asked Egan to help you kill James? Yes.
It had nothing to do with their drug business.
And you? Did you have anything to do with their drug business? I'm asking again since you didn't answer me before.
I said nothing.
And if the Feds find Tommy Egan, he'll back up your story? Your name is on a lot of paperwork having to do with the clubs, Ms.
Green: articles of incorporation, liquor licenses, accounting documents.
You're saying you didn't help them clean the money they were making selling drugs? Okay, well, I may have set up a few accounts.
- I - Shh.
Tasha, let's pretend you're under oath.
Ms.
Green, were you the head of the St.
Patrick-Egan criminal organization? - No.
- Did you give orders? No! Did you arrange murders or sell drugs? For James and Tommy? Why are you asking for clarification? Did you sell drugs or arrange murders for your husband or for Thomas Patrick Egan? No.
Then you're not the queenpin.
And Saxe knows that.
And yet he was ready with an arrest warrant.
Something's going on here that we don't understand.
They're charging too high.
It's not about what they're charging.
It's about why.
Seems like every day now is payday Fuck.
Yo, my nigga, how you got all this fly-ass gear? I thought college players can't make money from ball.
My Auntie Monet takes care of me so I can focus on the court.
I'm actually headed back out there tonight.
She got something for me to pick up.
So you can have the room to yourself, you know, if you want to bring a girl home.
Hey, I'm just saying.
Nah, you think I could pull up for dinner later, though? Damn, you sick of the dining hall already? That shit is wack, bro.
Shit, I'll ask her, you know, see if it's cool.
I gotta go meet Professor Milgram later.
Whoo, bitch is fine as a motherfucker.
Yo, you got that Moby-Dick shit? You crazy, man.
Yeah, I do.
Yo, make sure you read this shit.
She be asking questions.
You don't want to blow our shit up.
Yeah, I'll read it.
Man, I'm for real.
Like, really read it, bro.
I got you.
And don't forget to call your auntie too.
I got you! Yes, Ashley.
Herbert took Pip under his wing and taught him how to be a gentleman.
But then Uncle Pumblechook was out there trying to take all the credit for Pip's success, and he ain't have nothing to do with it, just like a motherfucking white man.
I wish a nigga would with his stupid-ass name.
Um Um, what? You got something in your throat? 'Cause I know you ain't about to say something.
- Never mind.
- That's a big opinion from someone who doesn't have a real name.
- Nope.
- Excuse me? That's right.
I don't got a real name.
I got two.
Bruce plus Shaundria, which equals BruShaundria.
But the first rule of business is to mind your motherfucking own, Richard.
Thank you for enlightening us, Miss Carmichael.
Okay, class, this is Tariq St.
Patrick.
He's joining us a bit late, but he proves he deserves to be here, so don't go easy on him.
- Hi.
- What's up? Tariq, what did you think of Great Expectations? Well, Dickens' choice to make every character do the wrong thing for the right reason and vice versa was very effective in highlighting the complexities between innocence and guilt.
Well, how-how do you think that applies to Dickens himself, though, like his choice to change the ending of the book? Why do you think he changed it? Well, I Didn't finish the book again? We warned you this course was rigorous, Tariq.
Now, if you can't keep up, Stansfield has a number of easier classes you can take.
Bloop.
Professor Reynolds got time today, y'all.
Does anyone else care to respond? I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to blow you up like that.
It's all right.
It's not your fault.
It's mine.
He was pandering to his audience.
- Elaborate please, Richard.
- They think your mom ran the drug business.
My mother didn't do any of that.
A'ight? My father did it.
That was his business.
He was the boss.
Exactly what she said.
That's the truth.
What, you don't believe her? I don't know what to believe, Tariq.
Your mother didn't tell me she had a history with the Feds.
- Neither did you.
- I didn't think it mattered.
A'ight? That was a local case.
- Right.
- Now that Saxe and the Feds are involved, this is personal.
Okay, what motivation would Saxe have to target your mother? I honestly don't know.
Right.
All right.
I'm going to work the political angle, Tariq, but until I can make this all go away, we have to assume that your mother is going to face a jury, which means we need the jury pool to know exactly how dangerous and violent your father was.
Hey! We need you to deliver his eulogy tomorrow and blow his ass up.
With him right there in the ground? It's his legacy or your mom's life, kid.
Get some balls.
Dude! Where you been? You haven't been responding to any of my texts.
I been busy, bro.
Your father's funeral's tomorrow, right? Do you want me to, like, come? Fuck no.
I mean, thanks, though.
It's all good.
Hey, you need a hug? Come on, bring it in.
No? Okay, cool.
- Cool, cool, cool, cool.
- I'm heading this way Dude, how much fun was that strip club the other night? I mean, I think I gave Cabernay my Venmo password, but honestly, it was fucking worth it! What? Bro, you're fucking crazy.
I saw you macking on that other chick too, man.
She was fucking feeling you, dog.
I know.
She moving weight for you? What? Fuck no.
Dude, it's cool.
I just I want to get back in.
We were fucking balling out at Choate.
Well, there's nothing to get back in on, all right? Yeah, right.
Whatever you got going on, you can't do it by yourself.
I can help.
But hey, uh, my brother's having a party tonight at his frat if you want to hit that.
I mean, he's a fucking dick, but what else is new? If you don't fuck with him, then why would you go? Um, pussy? Why does anyone go anywhere? You're right.
Damn, bro.
I can't go, though.
I got plans tonight.
My fault.
What plans are better than pussy? Some days I wish I could stay That ain't none of your business.
How can you stay with a guy who's inside for life? Don't you want to be with someone who can give you more? Someone like who, you? What? You're saying you don't you don't feel a connection? Shit, I need more than connection.
You know what Lorenzo's name get me in these streets? Protection.
Ain't no connection gonna offer me that.
Shit.
You gotta go.
Kids can't see you, especially Cane.
All right.
I guess I should get back to the precinct.
I was really impressed with your paper, Zeke.
What was it you said about the combination of horror, suspense, and supernatural forces? Yeah, you know, all those elements of Gothic literature are just really, like, combined.
It's weird you're a professor, you know, 'cause you you looking mad young.
I see you got a biology test coming up.
You had a chance to go over the material with Tariq? - He's tutoring you, right? - Tariq's great.
He's just going through a lot of family stuff right now.
I think his-his dad's funeral is, uh, tomorrow.
Oh, God.
Tomorrow.
How's he doing? Oh, we don't-we don't really talk like that.
Uh tell me about you.
Where are you from? Are you going to the funeral? No, I ain't thinking about that.
Uh, I-I got practice.
I'm-I'm actually from the South myself, uh, but I went to high school in Queens.
I bet no students can go, now that I think of it.
Um, right, well, okay.
Um, keep up the good work, and you'll be off academic probation and back on the court in no time.
Okay, girl.
Well, I guess I'll see you after that biology test, right? Mm-hmm.
You sure you don't want something, Tariq? Mmm, delightful.
When I was a student, all we had was Folgers and cocaine.
What are we here to talk about? Just like your father, always eager to get right down to business.
I'm nothing like my father.
Fine, fine.
I got a distressing call from Davis MacLean today.
He wants me to speak bad about my father at the funeral.
Yes, I gleaned that from his tone, and I have to say, I think it's a terrible idea.
Oh, I remember reading Great Expectations back in my Stansfield days.
Classic tale about one's moral code being more important than ambition, and that's why it's a story for poor people.
The thing about your father, Tariq, is that he could never accept that his ambition was his moral code.
He thought they were two separate things, so he was always at war with himself.
I never thought of it that way.
I never thought of him that way.
Splendid.
But that's not all.
Your father's image is in need of a little zhoosh, and his funeral is a wonderful opportunity.
Now, you know I'm happy to pay for a send-off worthy of our dearly departed, but the real showstopper would be a glowing eulogy from his only son.
Well, MacLean wants me to trash my father to help my mother.
You know, I have to do anything to help my mother.
See? Just like James.
He was great at looking ahead, but he could never see from above.
I know you care about your mother.
I do too, of course.
But you and I are business partners now, Tariq, and the first thing you always have to ask in business is, "How does this benefit me?" James's flailing reputation will be bad for our ventures and for his estate as a whole.
I'll be fine either way, of course, but that could be financially devastating to you and your family.
Both Tariq and Tasha say her husband was the boss and that Cooper Saxe knows it.
That woman is a liar, Davis, and her son is too.
We should walk away from this case right now.
I mean, you did the research on St.
Patrick and Egan.
Do you really believe she was the boss? No matter what you say, no matter what you want to happen, Tasha St.
Patrick was not the leader of this organization.
- Prove that.
- What? That she wasn't.
You can't prove a negative.
Exactly.
That means Davis MacLean can't prove that either.
Look, all you have to do is lay out the crimes we know the St.
Patrick-Egan organization committed, and now that she said live in court that she had the power to tell Egan what to do, we wrap all of it up.
I mean, Egan may have sold the drugs and pulled the triggers But she called the shots.
There's no way Tasha ordered all of this.
She was raising three kids.
If anything, she was being a mother.
You're gonna try to use the "mom of the year" defense on the wife of a drug trafficker? Excuse me, a woman under siege, racing to save her family as a tide of corruption and criminality threatened to sweep her under.
You are not gonna try to argue that she didn't know this was going on.
This is millions of dollars in narcotics.
You're saying she never asked her husband where the money came from? Her name's on the checks.
I'm saying it doesn't matter what she knew.
It matters that Cooper Saxe knows she's not the boss.
You want me to take every crime that St.
Patrick and Tommy Egan committed Allegedly committed.
John, we know St.
Patrick was Ghost.
We know he's the kingpin! - We know? - What did you prove in court? - Nothing.
- Right.
And they can't prove it either, and from what I understand, Egan is conveniently in the wind, so who's gonna argue it? Tasha's not fully innocent.
No, I didn't say that.
It matters that this whole prosecution turned on Jenny Sullivan asking why Tommy Egan killed St.
Patrick, on this trumped-up RICO charge that will sweep all of James St.
Patrick's nefarious activity under the rug.
Show the jury she's dirty, and they'll convict.
Egan ain't here to blame, and her husband's dead.
She's the last woman standing, so sorry, she gets the needle.
- It's political.
- Yeah.
And if we can prove Saxe had an agenda, maybe we can get the charges dropped altogether.
Don't let us down, Saxe.
I'll give you an unlimited budget, and you can hire whoever you want.
Just land the fucking plane.
Fuck.
Shit, Stern makes a good point.
I'll give him that.
It's worth considering.
I mean, maybe you should protect your father.
I'm protecting you, okay? I don't care about Gho I don't care about Dad's money.
All I care about is you getting out of here, and if MacLean thinks me saying something will help, then Wait a minute.
Hold up.
I can't believe MacLean came to you to behind my back.
I can.
Ma, this is how you win.
This is how you get out.
'Riq, what do you want to do? Do you want to speak at the funeral? Honestly, Ma, I don't know.
I mean, what would I even say? What could I say? Baby, your father he was a complicated man.
Maybe it's better that you not say anything at all.
Reverend Macedon can give his blessing, and that'll be that.
Yeah.
Okay, good.
It's settled, then.
Um, I'll let Davis know.
Speaking of Davis, you didn't open up the day care again, did you, 'Riq, after I told you not to? Ma, no, of course not.
Then how in the world did you get the m How are your classes going? Fine.
We're reading a book called Great Expectations now.
I know that one.
Well, go ahead.
Tell me about it.
What's it about? Well, it's about this orphan named Pip.
Ah.
Strap on your cup, Special Agent Garza, 'cause I'm calling you up to the big leagues.
I need a lead investigator in the Tasha St.
Patrick queenpin case, and you're my guy.
Yeah, I'm gonna respectfully decline, Mr.
Saxe.
This-this is the biggest case of the decade: high-profile, drugs, murder, intrigue, justice.
You got fired from this office a little less than two weeks ago.
Two days after that, a judge signed a warrant for your arrest, and then somehow, you managed to get a promotion? Whatever you're up to has nothing to do with justice.
Look, I know you're straight-edge, by the book, unimpeachable character, not a blemish in your record the opposite of me.
Donovan was my supervisor.
He was as good as they come.
What happened to him on your watch you understand why I have to say no.
Okay, listen.
I think about Jerry every day, about his girls growing up without their father.
I mean, his blood is on my hands, I know.
Maybe I went too hard trying to put the bad guys in jail, and I have to live with that.
But Tasha's defense attorney goes way too hard keeping criminals on the streets, and if I'm gonna take on Davis MacLean, I need someone I can trust.
Ah, fuck.
It's MacLean? I know he fucked up your chain of custody in the Perez murder.
Took you months to buy that back, didn't it? Could've derailed your career.
Work with me.
I'll let you call the shots.
Everything above board.
You have my word.
By the book? By the book, I promise.
I hear you're a little behind.
Professor Reynolds told you, right? It's like he has it out for me.
I'll catch up, okay? Tariq, it's okay if you're struggling.
You're going through a traumatic time right now.
No one expects you to be perfect.
Professor Reynolds does.
Jabari isn't always great at seeing the bigger picture.
But if you want to talk about anything, that's what I'm here for.
I don't need to talk about anything.
I just need to get my work done and get to class on time.
Oh, Tariq.
The pressure our culture puts on young men, specifically young black men, to suppress their feelings is incredibly toxic and dangerous.
I mean, I'd love to provide you with a safe space where you can process anything, maybe even see your dad in a different light.
- Professor Milgram, may I please be excused? I'm concerned about Tariq St.
Patrick.
Yeah, me too.
We're already two books in, and he hasn't read either of them.
You said he was motivated, but I don't see it.
No, it's, um it's his father's funeral tomorrow, and he's not processing his feelings at all.
Well, he's a black man in America, Carrie.
He doesn't have time to process his feelings.
Well, I agree, so, um some of the students and I are holding a vigil tonight for James St.
Patrick.
No, you're not.
Yes, we are, in the quad.
What the fuck, Carrie? The kid has enough heat on him as it is.
Well, exactly.
All the students know who he is.
They're already talking about it.
This is an opportunity for him to address it.
This is a way for him to mourn, to know he's not alone at Stansfield.
It's a safe space for him to talk.
Okay, when you gonna get it? There's no such thing as a safe space for a kid like Tariq.
Do you know what this is? This is another one of your weird bullshit power trips, a way for you to put his grief on display and project your pity onto him.
And what is a kid like Tariq? Huh? You know how he feels? Did you even ask him what he wanted? He said he didn't want to talk.
Exactly.
You need to actually listen to people, because we are not always gonna conform to your expectations or whatever story you're trying to tell yourself.
You mean like taking a person's life and publishing it for the world to see? You had no right.
I know that, and I am sorry.
Okay? But I cannot apologize enough to satisfy you.
Did it ever occur to you that I felt alone without you, Carrie? We should just keep this about Tariq.
Why'd you get me the job here if you didn't want this to happen? Is Oliver here? I don't care.
Do you? And then we had sex in his office.
If you're gonna say that you thought it was gonna be different this time, I'm gonna throw myself into traffic.
No.
God, no.
I Carrie, we talked about this.
I mean, what did you think was gonna happen when you helped him get the job? I don't know.
I I mean, I-I-I didn't expect him to be in my department.
He was hired in the lit department, and then Brannon retired, and the-the Canonical spot opened up.
I I guess I-I-I expected he'd moved on, and we could be adults about it.
A-and why would you think he's moved on if you haven't? Because I thought I had.
How can you explain the intense connection? What if he's my person? Okay, stop it, because now you're being the girl he put in the novel.
I know.
How can I fix this? Besides working the steps? As your sponsor, I say stay away from him as much as possible.
When you have to be with him, only talk about work.
Avoid being close.
Never be alone together and never close the door.
Sex and love addiction, it-it might be cute in your 20s, Carrie, but is this really what you want the rest of your life to look like? Man, this is so much better than the food at school.
Thank you again.
Sure I can't get you a drink? Nah, I'm-I'm fine.
Thank you.
Pour me up, Auntie.
Ain't like I'm playing this week.
Yeah, but your ass better be back on that court soon.
Oh, I will.
Tariq's making sure of that.
Smartest nigga I know.
What are you studying? Right now, I'm in Canonical Studies.
It's a special class, mostly, like, literature, though.
And I got this little art class on the side.
- What kind of art? - Just drawing, I guess.
It was the last thing I could put in my schedule, so I just did it.
Who's that? I look like Miss Cleo? Cane, see who that is.
All right.
Surprise! Ah, shit.
Uncle Frank! How you doing? - 'Sup, man? - Good.
Damn, Cane, look at you! You're built like a motherfucker, just like your pops.
What you doing here, Frank? I thought you still had a couple years.
I got out early.
On what? 'Cause I know it wasn't good behavior.
What's up, Dru? Zeke? I know you? He's Zeke's roommate from school.
Hey, Uncle Frank.
Wow, look who grew up.
Princess Diana.
Hmm, you really filled out, huh? What do you want, Frank? I just need a little help, Mo.
Lorenzo said to hit you up.
He promised me.
See, that's a lie, 'cause Lorenzo ain't promise nobody shit.
You need to go.
Oh, shit, ain't you the one always spouting "family first"? They don't know me out in these streets no more.
And I know Lorenzo's got you running things Okay, dinner's over.
Diana, get the plates.
Now! Zeke, you been drinking.
You should spend the night.
Cane, take Tariq back to school.
Uh, Ma, I can take him.
I said what I said.
Dru, take Frank for a drink.
Talk this out.
Yes, ma'am.
Mo, come on.
Come on, Frank.
Get out.
You and me gonna have to talk.
Whatever happens in our house, it stays in our house.
You hear me, nigga? You don't gotta try to scare me, Cane.
I'm cool, a'ight? Nigga, I don't fucking know you.
You seem kind of hot to me.
Not as hot as your Uncle Frank.
Hey, don't you come out your mouth about my family, all right? Uncle Frank's been around for a minute.
Your Uncle Frank's a fucking rat.
The fuck you say? What, nigga, you ain't notice? How you think he got out early, coming in all unannounced and shit, urgent, smiling in everybody's face? Nigga, has he ever been that excited to see you before? Plus, you ain't ever heard of a parole hearing? That shit takes months.
If Frank was that close with your pops, then your pops would've known and told Monet.
But, you know, rats get out quick and quiet before anyone even notices.
You should know that.
Shit, nigga.
Exactly, man.
I ain't trying to have no beef with y'all, a'ight? Stansfield got me keeping Zeke in school so he could play ball, and that's what Monet wants.
Me and you, we on the same team, nigga.
We got the same goal.
I don't want Zeke's family getting hurt, 'cause if y'all get hurt, I get hurt.
You can tell your mom she don't got shit to worry about when it comes to me, a'ight? Now, let's go.
Another pillar of our community crushed under the weight of opportunity.
Black male eyes set on our future ahead.
One shot, pop.
Now that future dead, assassinated You shouldn't be doing this.
You showed up.
Not for you.
Is he here? Dude, that's fucked up.
Delete that shit.
- What's your problem? - Get-get the fuck out of here.
Hey, Tariq.
Glad you could make it.
Your father was a very impressive man.
Tariq! There's still time to say something about your dad if you want.
Hey.
Hey, Tariq.
You okay? Yeah, bro, let's go to that party you was telling me about.
Fuck yeah, dude.
Let's go.
Get the fuck out of here.
Seriously! So what do you think we should do about Frank? Well, family first, right? That's what you taught us.
So shouldn't we just give him benefit of the doubt? There's a difference between family and blood, D.
Not everyone can be trusted.
Or did you think about why he got out so early and your dad ain't tell us? No, but how do we find out? We can't just ask him.
I can't.
He might tell you, though.
Did you see the way he was looking at you? That look means you have power over him.
And I want you to be able to see what these signs are, 'cause if he's useful to us, you gotta use any tool at your disposal.
Okay, but how do you know he's hiding something? Well, think about it.
There's only one way someone gets out that quick with no one knowing about it.
You take care of that? Yup.
Zeke was right.
Kid's smart.
- He said Uncle Frank was - A snitch.
- Tariq said that? - Mm-hmm.
So who do you think he snitched on? Doesn't matter.
A snitch is a snitch.
Cane'll handle it.
But first, what else Tariq say? Zeke.
Boy, wake up.
Tariq.
Did you ask him here tonight, or did he ask you? He wanted to come.
What's it matter? I need to know everything you know about that kid.
You hear me? I don't know anything about him.
Well, you better learn.
Coming to you live from Kappa Lambda Kappa.
Ooh, what do we have over here? A pack of wild thots in their natural habitat.
And, oh, shit, an ice luge! Classic choice.
Now, the way an ice luge works is, you put the alcohol at the top so it rushes down, and the person at the bottom gets mouth herpes.
Hey, losers.
Y'all at home jerking off to Skidmarks here? Why don't you put down your cell phones and get yourself a real girlfriend? You ruined my fucking story, okay? And also, Mom told you not to fucking call me that anymore.
Yo, sorry, you-you gotta leave, Skids.
And your boyfriend too.
No Skidmarks allowed.
Yo, I'm serious.
Shut the fuck up.
Oh, you're serious.
Well, so am I.
Yo, Chase, we, uh we don't let Skidmarks in here, right? No, Trace.
We do not.
Oh, shit.
Hey, hey.
You're that St.
Patrick kid.
Yeah, I heard you went here.
Dude, his dad was, like, that nightclub politician guy who got killed by his mom.
Dude, you're, like, famous.
You guys should stay.
You're chill.
Oh, shit.
What's up, Scott? Don't you have anything we can actually have fun with, Macklemore? No, man.
I'm all out.
You're always fucking out, bro.
Dude, I told you.
We could make fucking bank here.
Turn that music off right now.
You guys hear that? Everybody out.
We're coming in to shut this down.
Yo, this is my house.
You can't come in without a warrant.
This house belongs to the university, and it's leased by the Kappa Lambda Kappa fraternity.
Dude, you're not even a real cop.
Don't call me dude.
Please, just step aside.
Hey, what the fuck do you think you're doing? - Do you even know who I am? - Don't touch me.
All right, you're done.
Oh, man.
Hands behind your back.
Everybody out.
Party's over.
Hey, um, I'm sorry about that.
My brother's a fucking idiot.
I'm Brayden, and that's Trace Weston.
Shit.
Weston, like the auditorium? Yeah, and the swimming pool.
Sorry, man.
I didn't realize.
No, it's-it's all good.
Can you let my brother go now? He's a Weston.
Let him go.
Let's fucking party! Well, then switch a damn shift so that you're on that schedule.
I need you to get me a morning-after pill in here motherfucking pronto.
Yo, who the fuck you think you're talking to? You seem to have forgotten how this works, Jones.
Wait, whose fucking dick you been riding in here? Get me that pill in the next 56 hours, or I'ma turn this whole block against your ass.
And yet, Mr.
MacLean, your papers allege some sort of prosecutorial misconduct on the part of the US Attorney's Office.
Yes, Mr.
Saxe used the New York District Attorney's Office to trap my client into a baseless queenpin charge.
Whoa, whoa, I didn't use the district attorney to do anything.
Your Honor, if we put Ms.
Genevieve Sullivan from the District Attorney's Office under oath - He's gotta be kidding.
- I'm not.
I want an explanation as to why you came to a state plea allocution with a federal arrest warrant in your pocket.
He's Captain Ahab with the white whale, Your Honor.
He was never able to get James St.
Patrick, so he staged that ridiculous circus to turn this into a federal case.
Th-that's not prosecutorial misconduct.
It's prosecutorial discretion.
If you had any discretion, Saxe, we might entertain that.
All right, how soon can I hear from Ms.
Sullivan? I'll get her here.
Do it.
We'll reconvene this afternoon.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Your Honor.
We miss you, baby girl.
I am so glad that you're not alone anymore.
Ah.
Now, this is quite a production.
Tariq, how could you have paid for something like this when you know that Yas and I are only scraping by? Grandma, I didn't do any of this.
I don't even know who any of these people are.
He was a bright light extinguished far too soon.
What the Lord has brought us to, the Lord will take us through.
May God bless us all in our grief.
Thank you, Reverend.
Yes, thank you, Reverend.
We're all so very blessed to have each other to lean on.
- Simon.
- Mr.
Tate.
Ah.
Good to see you, my sister.
So good to see you.
I just came from the MCC.
Your mother's gonna deliver the eulogy, so you're off the hook.
Why would she do that? It's our one chance for the public to hear her speak without provoking a gag order or being cross-examined on the stand.
Besides, she wants to do it, and she's ready.
She's here.
Mommy! Oh, wait a minute.
Motherfuckers.
What are you doing? You can't put those on her.
Look, she cannot deliver the eulogy in shackles, okay? It's entirely the wrong image.
Tasha, you can't stand up like this.
- But what about what we - No talking, inmate.
Oh, were you gonna have her poison the jury pool with some hard-luck tale about her husband? Guess you can't do that now, huh? - Fuck you, Saxe.
- Oh, okay.
Wonder if we could find someone else who'd be willing to say something.
God, you know, I feel like we could probably find someone.
Oh, Rashad.
Of course.
I'd be more than glad to share a few kind words for our fallen friend.
I'm gonna do it.
I want to do it, okay, Ma? I got this.
What are you going to say? Hey, Tariq.
I'm your father's Uncle Gabe.
Just wanted to pay my respects.
You remind me of him so much, you know? I don't even look like him.
No, no, no, but well, you're bright I can tell just like he was.
He had a good heart.
For a time there, we thought we might lose him to the streets, you know.
Your grandfather used to say that you go down that road, there's only two ways you're gonna end up: either dead or in jail.
Well, everybody's got to go eventually, right? But he-he turned it around.
Noble, yeah.
Made us all proud, just like I'm sure you're gonna make him.
Am I right? Yes, sir.
Good.
Nice work.
Almost seemed like you enjoyed that.
Fuck Davis MacLean.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, but, Steve, I need to ask you about Jenny Sullivan - from the DA's Office.
- Oh, shh, shh, shh.
It's starting.
Nice work.
Life's trials can be so mysterious.
The St.
Patrick family knows that.
James came to me in his darkest hour with one desire: to be a better man.
God alone knows whether we ever achieve that, so it is in faith that we send James off with loving tribute from those he left behind.
Everyone has their own expectations of what I should say right now.
Some people want me to stand here and call my father a criminal, a horrible person and a man who didn't care about his family.
Others want me to stand here and say that he was a symbol of hope and possibility.
But to be honest, the truth is way more complicated than that, 'cause my father, he was a complicated man.
He saw his family as a reflection of himself, and he always did what he thought was best for us.
And although I didn't agree with all of his choices, I will say that I learned a lot about how I want to live my own life.
He taught me lessons about knowing who to trust, thinking ahead and finding a better way to do just about anything.
I really thought I knew my dad.
But the truth is, you never really know a man like him.
Somehow, I'm-I'm learning more about him now than I ever did when he was alive.
So I really don't know much.
But what I do know is that he wanted to give me the life that he could never have.
And I'm the manifestation of what he could never be.
- Inmate! Inmate! - I need currency: a morning-after pill for another inmate.
I said no talking, bitch.
Let's go.
Get off of me! He did a good job.
Would've been better if it was Tasha.
You understand, Ms.
Sullivan, you are under oath? Yes, but, Your Honor, I still don't understand how my testimony is relevant to the federal charges facing Tasha Green St.
Patrick.
Humor me, hmm? Mr.
MacLean.
Yes.
Just a few questions.
Ms.
Sullivan, when my client told you the name of her accomplice, Tommy Egan, - did you know who he was? - No.
I did a background check and saw he was a bad actor, for sure, but I did not know of him.
Did you share this information about the name of my client's accomplice with anyone outside of your office? Reminding you you are under oath.
I told my boss, sir.
I believe he might have mentioned the name to Steven Ott from the DNC.
And did Mr.
Ott ask you to vacate the plea agreement you had with my client, the same agreement you and I put in writing? No, he did not.
He told me to proceed and to inquire as to why Tommy Egan would've killed James St.
Patrick for his estranged wife.
And did you know that that would result in a federal charge against my client? No, but when I saw Mr.
Saxe showed up and had an arrest warrant, I knew both you and I had been set up, Mr.
MacLean.
It was a jurisdictional grab all along.
- Your Honor.
- If this was a legitimate charge against your client, they could've let us prove the murder charge and then proceeded with any predicate crime already proven in state court, but Mr.
Saxe pressured me to offer a deal, only to blow it up and take the defendant right out from under me.
Thank you, Ms.
Sullivan.
Mr.
Saxe, do you want to cross-examine? Uh no.
Do you want to explain yourself? Your Honor, I didn't know Mr.
Ott was in communication with Ms.
Sullivan, but even if I admit that the chain of events is odd More than odd, sir, especially the part about you forcing a deal just to break it wide open.
Yes, Your Honor, but I can justify federalizing this case.
I believe Tasha St.
Patrick is a queenpin.
- He has no proof.
- I do.
I'd like to call a rebuttal witness, Your Honor Sergeant Blanca Rodriguez.
Sergeant Rodriguez, did we investigate the St.
Patrick family together? Yes, and their associate, Tommy Egan.
Would you confine your answers to yes or no, please? Yes.
Did Tasha St.
Patrick have reason to believe that Terry Silver might testify against her, against her husband, or against their friend Tommy Egan? I don't know what he knew about Tasha.
Just yes or no.
Yes, she thought he had information.
And when Mr.
Silver went missing, did Tasha St.
Patrick lead us to the body she told us where to look? Yes, but that's not the whole story.
Just yes or no.
Yes.
She knew where to find the body.
But she did not commit that murder.
She's not physically capable.
Mm, okay.
So she had motive, she knew the location of that body, and she wasn't capable of doing it herself.
So is it reasonable to assume that she was involved, possible to conclude that maybe she ordered the hit to shut him up? - Yes, but - That's all, Your Honor.
Your Honor, I believe Sergeant Rodriguez has more to say.
And she will, at trial, but this is more than enough to indicate, Mr.
MacLean, that there is some meat on the bone here for Mr.
Saxe's case.
I'm going to deny your motion to dismiss.
Ha.
I mean thank you, Your Honor.
But you, Mr.
Saxe from now on, I want everything by the book.
You're excused, Sergeant Rodriguez.
We're done here.
When this goes to trial, you make sure I testify.
Tasha is no queenpin, and Saxe is dirty as fuck.
Oh, what's up? Um, Zeke's not here.
I know.
Cane said you knew my Uncle Frank was a snitch.
I wanted to ask you how.
What, Monet send you? Nah.
I was impressed.
You got game.
You know, when you know what you're looking for, people are easier to read than a fucking PDF.
That's a college-ass joke, nigga.
No, but, um can I ask you something? What's up? You have a way of talking to your father? Why? Do you think he could get something to my mom inside? I'ma need you to hide it in a book.
- Where you been? - Stansfield.
And I know something you don't.
Tariq's mom needs a friend inside.
He asked if I can get her a morning-after pill.
Hmm.
I can work with that.
Lights out, ladies.
Hello? Oh.
- Tariq, how did you do this? - Ma? Baby, what you did today I am so proud of you.
But I need to know, how are you paying for Davis, 'Riq? Because I can't have you out there, - getting yourself into trouble.
- Ma, listen.
Remember how Ghost always used to say there's only two ways drug dealers end up: dead or in jail? Well, I think I found another way.
Couple battle scars we gon' die hard Frequent flights cruising through the ozone Shit.
I'm a Braveheart You fucking bastards never take my mojo Overseas signing boobs bitches catching seizures Swear I planned this all from the bleachers No features Shades and monsters pills and sponsors Rock and roll and sex partners The fame is heartless Try and spread some knowledge Pop, pop you sparkless But music feeds the soul so I'ma eat regardless Blue Label.
What do you want? Cane'll be back soon.
Can't bring you a present without getting the third degree? Snitch papers? Frank Castillo went missing today.
You know anything about that? Well, shit, if he was a snitch, it could've been anybody, right? So why the fuck do you let a snitch come up in my crib without warning? These papers don't do shit for me now.
Neither does that bullshit bottle.
Hey, come on.
Why you gotta be like that? Because you coming up in my house, telling me how you gonna give me more than Lorenzo, and you ain't protecting me.
I just found out.
You think I'd let that happen if I knew? Mo, I swear, I got you.
How can I prove it to you? Fine.
I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself.
What can you find out for me on a kid named Tariq St.
Patrick?