Golden Boy (2013) s01e03 Episode Script
Young Guns
1 The commissioner is coming.
What does this mean? What's he doing at the midnight roll call? Doesn't the guy sleep? Or he's half nuts.
I've heard both.
Ten-hut! At ease.
I was a rookie here in this very muster room, and I know there's a lot of rookies here now.
Rolling out there, I learned some hard lessons that did not come up in the academy.
Sometimes what the law says is right and what your heart says is justice, well, they're two very different things.
I'm here to tell you how to make that choice the right way.
Because choosing wrong can sit in your gut for a long time.
Trust me.
I know.
Hey.
You, uh, you remember our conversation, our deal from the bar? Yes, out by 7:00, right? Which was five minutes ago.
It's not on my account; it's for my sister.
Her shift ended a half hour ago.
Come to think about it, unless she's sick or doesn't know that you're straight, she probably won't care.
Yeah, I'm kind of her only positive role model.
So the more parental I come across, the better.
Then naughty you for sleeping with strange women.
It's a rare occurrence.
That's a funny one.
Gina Ruggiero, native of Weehawken, currently of Long Island City, graduating from the fashion institute.
Except that I didn't say anything about your memory, just that you get around.
Know what I remember about you? What? Damn near nothing.
Mm, you say you got a sister, you're a cop, you're cute.
You don't give up much.
The rest is gravy.
I doubt that.
But I guess it's a story for some other girl.
- Oh.
- Um Gina, this, uh, this is Agnes.
It's a pleasure.
I'll call you.
You won't.
Bye.
Have you ever had a girlfriend last more than a week? You don't make meaningful connections.
It's okay.
Neither do I.
Are you reading a self-help book? No.
I've been talking to Collette-- she's another waitress at the diner-- and she said it's because we grew up abandoned.
So you talk about you talk about them with-with strangers? Yeah.
I think about them a lot.
You don't? No.
Eh, I got to go.
Caught a fresh one.
All right, coming through.
You gonna find out who did this, or are you just after a show? Just trying to help, sir.
Which apartment is it? Couldn't find your ass with both hands.
Damn teenagers! The tenants are wilting in this heat.
There's been three shootings in the last six months.
Two of 'em are still open.
All right, what do we got? We got two gunshot victims-- one's DOA.
He's Clifton Cartwright.
18.
Through-and- through to the neck.
No weapon, no ballistics.
Who called it in? Mrs.
Kendra Dupre.
Her son Michael's the other victim.
14.
Paramedics are working on him now.
Kid's an honor student-athlete.
And the DOA? That one's a gangbanger.
I know what you're gonna do.
He's a banger, so you just forget about it! Well, you gonna forget about us? Hey, call in an 85 forthwith! We need some crowd control here! Already en route! But it's getting hairy in the hall! My shift ended I came home and they were both lying on the floor bleeding to death.
Please just get him to the hospital.
Ma'am, we can't move him until he's been stabilized.
Just a few more questions, all right? They've been working on him for ten minutes.
Where's the justice! Where the hell's the backup? What are you so worried about? I'm freaking right, you idiot.
Hey, go check with the EMT.
All right, guys, you ready to transport? Not until one of you cools off the crowd.
Last time we took a guy out of here, someone hauled a toilet off the balcony.
It's your case, right? Justice now! Justice now! Justice now! Get my back, partner.
Justice now! Justice now! Hey, I need your help, people! Hey! I need your help! Pipe down! We want justice.
You don't care about us.
Now, I understand you're angry, and I know your frustration here - Phony-ass police! - We don't want your help.
You got nothing to say! Hey, check yourself! I come from here, my man.
I was raised in Queensbridge.
I lived in Edgemere and Baisley Park.
You think I don't know about the elevators not working here and the pipes banging all through the night, roaches all over the place, somebody in the building always frying fish? I understand, but you cannot take your frustration out on this 14-year-old boy with a bullet in him.
That's not justice.
Come on.
Keep it moving.
Get him through, get him through.
Keep moving forward.
Come on, keep it moving.
I just got a little hot in there.
Good thing my partner stayed cool.
Who's that? That is Deputy Mayor Carlton Holbrook.
Mayor's hatchet man.
Serious party boy.
Didn't you and him used to hang a bit? Still do.
Got friendly when I got into Homicide and started making cases.
Likes to surround himself with heavy hitters.
He's got the major hookup.
Like tickets? Courtside for the Knicks, glass for the Rangers.
I can't fathom the face values.
All right, gather round.
Run it.
Two gunshot victims in an apartment in the Delacorte Towers.
The first victim, Clifton Cartwright, died at the scene.
He was a known Crip with priors for possession and sale of a controlled substance.
To wit, cocaine.
No next of kin.
Second victim is Michael Dupre, 14 years old.
He's in surgery now.
Is he a gangbanger, too? No, not that we know of-- seems like a standup kid.
His mother says he and Clifton have been friends since childhood.
She allowed the two of them to hang out, because she wanted Clifton to see what a happy family looked like.
Thought it might turn him away from banging.
No good deed, huh? I'm not looking to add pressure here, but you got a pro-cop mayor, okay, so if you want to keep him pro-cop and keep him mayor close this, soon.
Just get it out of the press, all right? That's the goal, Carlton, absolutely.
Good.
Hey, I was with the mayor, at the hospital after your shootout, with the punks that check action.
I got caught on a call outside, so we never formally met.
Want to walk me out? Yeah.
Sure.
Alright.
So, uh, Yankees or Mets? Well, uh, honestly, neither.
Well, then just say Yankees and enjoy the mayor's skybox buffet, huh? Let's get a game on the books.
We should know each other.
Now what? A little advice.
Carlton Holbrook the mayor's office they don't like surprises.
And they certainly wouldn't take well to sitting in the skybox with a guy who could be facing felony theft.
What are you talking about? Palming cash on the way to the property clerk, that's tempting, but giving it to a drug addict, that's just stupid.
What? Oh, she didn't tell you.
Natasha.
Come on, Natasha.
Snap to it.
Know how she helped us find that body, gave you a sob story about going back home to Ohio? Turns out Natasha was setting you up.
She was wired? You put her up to it? Lucky for you, I have the recording, and I have no plans to expose you.
Or Owen, who you implicated.
That is a That is a lie, and you know it.
They're your words on that tape, hothead.
So you just calm down before your cool partner knows that you're a thief and that you dragged him into your mud, you jeopardized his career his pension.
What do you want from me, hmm? Respect.
So from now on, you take your orders with a smile and you learn your place.
I own you.
Golden Boy 01x03 Young Guns Natasha, it's Detective Walter Clark.
Third message.
Call me the second you get this, all right? Thank you.
Clifton was like Michael's older brother.
When Clifton's parents died, I tried to step in, but he got pulled to the guns and the drugs in that building.
So, when you come home and you find Clifton and your son, either one of them say anything about who shot them? They were both unconscious.
The paramedics say your son was awake when they got there, until they sedated him.
Yeah, you're right.
I just I just remember him looking at me with his eyes wide and his mouth moving, like he couldn't Do you, uh Sorry.
do you have any idea who might have had a grievance against your son or Clifton? Nobody had any problems with Michael.
He wasn't the one gang-banging.
Clifton then? Look What do I know about gangs? I'm working, I'm coming home, I'm sticking to my business.
Michael, too.
Mrs.
Dupre, there is a reason crimes in the projects go unsolved.
People do a lot of sticking to their business.
Clifton got recruited by Evander O'Dell.
He was a drug dealer in the building.
Clifton bragged about how high up he was getting in the ranks of that son of a bitch.
And he was involved in some dispute over money.
I don't I don't know anything else.
Except, they say Evander's killed a lot of people.
Please, please don't let him come for Michael.
Evander O'Dell, the Terror of the Delacorte Towers.
We have some questions for you.
Terror? I'm just sitting here, man.
Yeah? You and the Dream Team? You don't have a monopoly on this building? 'Cause we talked to our friends in Narcotics, and they had a lot to say about you.
They got the wrong dude.
I'm just hanging here with my friends.
Any of your friends carrying? 'Cause I'll pin each one of you to the bench and empty your pockets, and anybody who says probable cause gets a dent in their head.
Clifton Cartwright-- kid who got killed this morning-- was he one of your soldiers? Don't have soldiers but he was a friend.
How are you two getting along? All good.
Clifton's phone-- 12 texts from you.
A lot of them are in code, but we got one that tells him where to deliver "eight white T-shirts.
" And I'm guessing that's, what-- eight quarter-grams of coke? Or it's eight white T-shirts.
There's a lot less dispute over, "Where's my money, bitch".
Evander, you got all quiet.
Is that because later on, you referenced Clifton owing you $10,000? That's a lot of dough.
To you.
So, someone makes off with ten grand of your money, it's no big deal? That wouldn't torpedo your reputation with the homies? Shots rang out at 7:00 this morning.
Where were you? I was rolling dice all night.
The guys you just sent away were with me, along with about ten more.
What you want, their names? Yeah, their names and numbers.
Everybody who was with you.
And your alibi better be solid as a rock.
Because no matter what, your little reign of terror-- it ends today.
Little too much coffee? - All right, thanks.
- Any word from Taylor on surveillance cameras in the tower? Any that may be of help are non-functional or were defaced months ago.
And crime scene won't be finding the round that killed Clifton Cartwright.
They say it went through his neck, busted a window and sailed out, so And no slug out on Michael Dupre yet.
Docs are still working on him.
No surveillance, no ballistics, no witnesses.
Typical project case.
Focus on Evander O'Dell.
He's got the money motive.
Arroyo and McKenzie says his alibi's light.
Anyone care to take a ride to my high school alma mater, Covington Prep? Michael Dupre goes to my old school.
I was trying to locate his cell phone.
Someone tried to break into Michael's locker yesterday, matching the description of Clifton Cartwright.
He bolted before security could grab him.
Find out what's in that locker.
Hey, uh, I'll meet you there.
I've got to drop something off at home.
Natasha, come here.
Hold your arms out.
Do it! I'm not wired! This time you mean? Who else knows about the money? No one, I swear.
Why should I believe a word out of your mouth? Convince me this wasn't a plan of yours.
He threatened me, and he hit me.
Do you think I woke up that morning wanting to make a bunch of cop enemies? I'm sorry.
Why didn't you warn me? I tried to help you.
Give me some indication you were wired? I was scared.
The guy is kind of psycho.
I've survived worse than this before, but he's got my partner in the crosshairs.
Owen wants to retire in two years.
You get pushed, you push back.
I got to even up.
Michael truly was one of my good ones.
The ones I worried about were, like, you.
You loved me.
You certainly requested my presence often enough.
Calculus.
Physics.
Smart kid.
No cell phone.
This compartment is where I used to keep my Vantage filters and the Hall and Oates bootlegs I sold to afford the Vantage filters.
Oh, no.
$10,000 exactly.
That's the same amount the DOA owed to Evander O'Dell, according to the texts.
Was Michael holding it, or did he steal it himself? Well, if he's holding it, then why does Clifton go to his locker and try to break in? He stole it.
Little angel, my ass.
Michael ripped off the building drug dealer, got him and his friend popped for it.
Patrol found a weapon down the street from the towers.
It's on its way to ballistics.
Slug's on its way, too.
They pulled one out of Michael.
He's in recovery.
Let me know when he gets in.
you know, it's gonna be a couple hours before he's ready to talk.
Why don't you guys head down there, give me a ring when he's ready, huh? Oh, wait.
Hang on a second.
Did you get bumped up to Chief, and I didn't know about it? I'm just divvying up the chores, Don.
Waiting for a kid's eyelids to flutter is not a chore.
Look, I doubt your partner would have any objections.
Am I right? Maybe we can, uh, sneak another conversation with his mother.
Yeah.
There you go.
I had a couple questions for you.
Question number one-- when did you become Arroyo's bitch? I'm not his bitch, and I never will be.
Wait.
Hang on a second.
I got another question.
Does your not admitting to being his bitch have anything to do with Natasha Radkovich, who I saw you meet with on the street today? She was begging for money.
All right? She-she thinks we're best friends since she helped on that homicide, that's it.
Then why'd you say you were going home, hmm? Don't lie to me again.
And you ought to stay away from the poker tables.
You've got about the worst tell I've ever seen.
Everything's fine.
I've been on this job 22 years, so I know when somebody's trying to snow me, like you're doing right now, and when that happens, my instinct is to investigate.
So guess what, handsome.
You are now under investigation.
So Evander O'Dell was using Clifton to recruit you? They brought me into this apartment in the building that Evander's got.
Showed me all of his drugs and money.
Said it could all be mine.
What did you say? That I'd think about it, but he said that he'd already showed me too much.
If I wasn't in, I had to go.
That's why I stole the $10,000 from Evander.
Me and my mom.
Michael, what happened when you got shot? I don't know.
What do you mean? You don't remember? Clifton came over.
He was gonna take me to get Evander's money back from my locker, but someone showed up.
And Clifton answered the door, and there was a guy there in a mask.
He held up a gun, and that's all I remember.
Can you describe this guy? His clothes? He was black.
His clothes, too? Didn't you say that? Say it when, Kendra? Just now when he was waking up.
That's all I remember.
I don't feel so good.
Can I get some water? Detective Clark.
Okay, thanks.
That was Arroyo.
Oh.
How pissed is he that we talked to Michael? Very.
Good.
Ballistics came back.
Slug out of Michael matches the gun recovered by the towers.
Also, they ran the serial numbers, and it was stolen from a gun store in Paw Paw, West Virginia.
Along with 214 other brand new semi-autos.
It's part of a big gun theft.
Maybe part of a shipment up to New York.
What else? Um well, Latent lifted fingerprints off the murder weapon.
Her name was Bernadette Bell.
Another teenager.
They're bringing her in.
Bernadette, your fingerprint was in the system from when you worked at that family care facility? That's pretty straight-laced for somebody with her fingerprint on a murder weapon.
I didn't shoot anyone.
I was tutoring my neighbor when it happened.
Good alibi.
Explain the fingerprint.
Your part of the Junior Dream Team.
I mean, when you're not helping families.
You handle guns for these bangers? It's Evander's.
He makes us move guns around the towers.
He runs the building.
We got a subpoena to pull all your texts, and we know that Evander writes in code, so please explain to us what "200 outfits" means.
"200 outfits from W.
V".
West Virginia we figure? You better nail him.
Or this is a death sentence for me.
Oh, we'll nail him.
We want him real bad.
Was Evander making a deal for guns coming in from West Virginia? Hmm? What I heard this is a sample.
Evander's supposed to buy a bunch more.
The money Michael stole was part of what was going to pay for it.
But Evander's got plenty of cash.
So, the deal's still going down? I heard, in some warehouse in Brooklyn, but he only does business by text-- it's all in code.
Yeah, but you know the code.
So you get us the when and where.
We're set in the warehouse.
The minute they pull in, I'll give a signal.
All set in the alley.
We're all set in back.
You care for an update on my investigation of you? You're in a tough spot.
Probably on account of Natasha.
And somehow Arroyo's behind it.
Way off.
Right.
This job is filled with tough calls, impossible choices where the law and justice don't sync up.
What are you going to do then? Pick the less of two evils.
Bad idea.
Black Escalade approaching, Ordnance Avenue.
We got a problem.
Evander's pulling in across the street.
She gave us the wrong address? Either that or Evander's code was cracked wrong.
Warrant's no good.
We're going.
Wait.
Wait.
ESU is five minutes out.
Yeah, and by that time, this deal's done and they're gone.
We're going in.
We're going to hit the building.
They just entered.
I got him inside the warehouse.
Evander and two others.
You go left through that door.
I'm going to go right around the building.
Check it out.
So, this is it? You're dead, girl.
Police! Don't move! Hands! Police! Against the wall.
Show me them hands, or you're going to be wearing one of these bullets.
Down on the ground.
Face down on the ground.
Put your hands behind your back.
I want my lawyer, man.
Lock them fingers.
Come on, man! We should have waited for ESU.
Deb Don't.
Instead, you got miffed because the deputy mayor invited Clark to a ball game? So you spent the day trying to play Superman? What, get the guns, make the collar? So you can show him who really deserves a skybox ticket? I almost got shot.
The only thing I saw in that warehouse were 200 guns disappearing onto the streets.
200 more shootings.
Dead kids.
I swear on my mother, that's all.
Let me make it up to you.
Good luck with that.
Your search warrant was invalid, and you had no probable cause to arrest my client, so away we go.
Explain the 200 guns and the sack of cash we found.
Fruit of the poisonous tree.
We have one more thing to discuss.
My client already gave you a rock-solid alibi for the murder of Clifton Cartwright and the shooting of Michael Dupre.
I'm sorry, but that is not our problem.
What do you think your boy, Marcus, is saying right now? You know, Marcus.
The one that put a gun to my head.
You think he's going to protect you to the grave? It doesn't matter.
'Cause I didn't shoot Clifton.
Or that little thief, Michael.
So, Marcus, Evander says you two were shooting craps at the time of the tower shooting.
Who won? What, you don't even remember the alibi you gave from this morning? Whatever, man.
No, not whatever.
'Cause that's what we're interested in.
And we got this magic talking potion.
It's called leverage.
See, when you drew down on that lady detective at the warehouse, that's attempted murder.
That's leverage.
And if jail doesn't scare you, we got this, too.
Now, they look about three? Twins, right? Two and a half.
Now, imagine them at 22 and a half and strangers to you 'cause the ride to Ossining gets longer and longer every year Pop's locked up.
And then your baby mama, she finds somebody new.
And you're just gone.
I didn't know that lady was a cop.
You mean except for when you met her at the towers this morning? Your alibi for Evander? Good-bye.
Give us the truth.
Then maybe we'll work with you on the attempted murder.
Then maybe you can see those girls grow up.
Damn.
Marcus said he and Evander O'Dell picked up Clifton Cartwright early this morning at Cartwright's girlfriend's apartment in the Bronx and they both drove with him to Delacorte Towers.
This took place just prior to the shooting, so Evander's alibi-- it's dust.
They drove Clifton to the building, then what? Marcus said they split up, but before they went their separate ways, Evander said, if Clifton doesn't handle business with Michael, they both die today.
So Evander lied about his alibi, has solid motive, connected to the gun.
We'll run it by the A.
D.
A.
Look, let's slam this one shut, all right, find a witness, put Evander in Michael Dupre's hall or near his apartment at the time of the shooting, re-canvass the hell out of the towers.
Because there's a point to that, or you just don't want us in the building to answer the A.
D.
A.
's questions about how you blew into that warehouse half-cocked? Detective Clark handle it.
Oh, he'll handle it 'cause, you know, you got something snaky on him.
Me, however, I'll be sticking around.
Thank you for your time.
And thank you for your time.
Oh, good afternoon, ma'am, my name is Detective You seen this? No, I haven't.
Everybody knows Evander O'Dell is behind all this crime.
They're just too scared to say it.
You didn't happen to see him in the hall this morning or going into this apartment? I, I never left my place, but y-you can keep that.
All right.
Thanks for your time.
I did hear the door slam, though.
It was odd at that.
Why was it odd? It only slammed once.
It slams every time somebody comes or goes.
So whoever went in never left? He must have climbed out of the window or something-- Evander.
Right.
All right, thanks, man.
No problem.
I didn't know anyone was here.
I just came to get some clothes.
I thought I'd stay at the hospital tonight.
Your neighbor said she never heard the screen door slam after the gunshot.
Someone running out isn't going to stop and close the door carefully, which means that the person who pulled the trigger never left.
What happened here, Kendra? I don't know what you mean.
Two times today you've been squirrelly-- lying about Michael being unconscious when the paramedics arrived and filling in his story at the hospital.
What's going on? Tell me what happened here.
What I told you.
Look, I I know you have a side to this story, I know you do, but I cannot help you unless you tell me what happened.
I came home and found Michael and Clifton fighting.
Right.
I told Michael to give the money back, but Clifton said it was too late.
Evander owned him now.
He he grabbed my son and was hauling him out.
I, I tried to stop him, but he shoved me down.
That's when I saw the gun in his waistband.
I grabbed it, I told Clifton to leave.
And that child that I treated like my own-- he came at me.
He raised his fist at me, so I fired twice.
The first shot went out the window, and the second just tore through him and my baby.
I hurt him.
I hurt my little boy.
Hey.
A.
D.
A.
's in.
What'd you find? I need to talk to Owen.
Talk to me.
Come here.
I'm not sure Evander's good for the murder.
Why? A hunch.
There's a different scenario where the shooting didn't involve Evander at all.
Just give me a little time.
What? To let your hunch fall flat? To give fuel to whatever defense's dirtbag might put on? Muck up our chance to clean up the projects? Uh-uh.
He's a bad guy.
He's going down.
Is this about you getting your face in the paper? You just keep your hunch in your pants, you got that? Respect.
Remember? Or you sink.
Owen, too.
Imagine you're not a district attorney.
You're sitting on a jury.
Someone shows you a picture of Evander O'Dell, gang leader.
You hear about the threats he made towards the victim.
The threatening text he sent to the victim.
How he lied about his alibi, his connection to the murder weapon.
It's open and shut.
No physical evidence.
- No DNA.
- The guy was dealing for 200 guns.
He's the guy.
All right? It's not our fault that no one in the building will cooperate.
Which leaves it up to us to take a stand.
Right? An arrest would certainly please the mayor's office.
Collar him, and we'll try for a deal.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Hey.
Hypothetical question.
Um, different case.
Could be manslaughter or self-defense, but either way the shooter's been lying.
A lot.
Well, I wouldn't make a deal for less than two years jail time.
I don't like lying.
Well, what about the shooter's kid? I mean, there's no other family.
Child Protective Services, and good luck there.
What about the emotional component? I mean, we're talking about a citizen here.
Detective, uh I'd press for two years and get it.
Good luck.
Hey.
I, uh I wanted to thank you for what you did at the warehouse.
Listen, I don't know what's going on between you and Arroyo, but you ever need an impartial ear, I can talk without it getting to him.
Okay.
I appreciate it.
Okay.
I'm not making any deal.
Y'all got nothing.
Still want to roll the dice? We'll drill this at trial.
A well-known criminal figure associated with a number of murders, shootings.
They will put you away.
Ten and he does eight.
Hell, no.
You heard him.
Stand up.
What? You're under arrest.
This is crazy.
Come on! You think you're taking a thug off the streets.
Is that it? At least I got a code that I live by.
What you got, huh? What the hell kind of cops are you? This ain't justice! Yeah, you want to talk about justice So, what say we discuss this, uh, hypothetical case you posed to the A.
D.
A.
, hmm? I am investigating you.
Remember? It was purely hypothetical.
If you decide on a problem in this job, by choosing the lesser of two evils, you will never sleep at night for the rest of your life.
And believe me, I should know.
Then what? Discuss with your partner.
This is why you have one.
The burdens of this job are too much for one person to carry.
I wish I'd have known that when I was a rookie.
I'm around.
Can I just say good-bye? Tell him what's going on? Yeah.
No, don't.
Let him sleep.
He's lucky to have you.
One more bill to pay, then we're going to dinner.
How do we spend so much on water? What does our son do in the shower for so long? He gets clean.
So, when do I get to meet this new partner of yours? Well, hang on a second.
First, let's make sure he's even gonna stay my partner.
The way this kid's going, he'll be lucky if he stays a cop.
He'll be fine, Don.
He's been trained by the best.
You think Wendall is a petulant, deceitful little adolescent, you need to see this Clark in action.
That's what he is, isn't he? A child, yes.
No.
Like a son.
Ah, that explains the spark in your eye.
Get out of here.
Mm-hmm.
I saw it when you came home from work that first day.
The way you talked about him, and Yeah.
That guy is gonna put me in an early grave.
Good.
Let you care about something other than retirement.
Whatever died in you when that girl died, the informant, it's come back to life.
I don't know, Max.
The kid scares me.
Good.
Then you're still alive.
Hey, you've reached Deborah McKenzie.
Leave a message.
Hey, it's Clark.
I'm, uh I'm outside O'Leary's, hoping to take you up on your offer.
I wanted some advice on how to handle something between me and your partner.
What? What is it? An apology? For acting like a total press whore? Or for compromising our safety? I'm not putting you first.
It's called a Nancy Special.
Guy at the gun store said that it wouldn't dig into your ribs like a man's holster.
When'd you get this? Today? No.
It was gonna be for your birthday.
But I'll get you something else for that.
Look.
You got to know that my intentions are always pure.
But sometimes my-my ego, my drive they get in my way.
You can be a real son of a bitch.
You forgive me? Prove it.
There's a reason we send you out in pairs.
Your partner is not just someone who watches your back.
They keep an eye on your conscience.
That way your hard decisions don't have to be yours alone.
If it weren't for my partner well there would've been a whole lot more sleepless nights.
Come home safe.
Dismissed.
I worked with your father in the 3-9.
Yeah.
He mentioned that.
I hope you'll listen to what I had to say tonight.
Yes, sir.
Have a safe tour, Officer Arroyo.
What does this mean? What's he doing at the midnight roll call? Doesn't the guy sleep? Or he's half nuts.
I've heard both.
Ten-hut! At ease.
I was a rookie here in this very muster room, and I know there's a lot of rookies here now.
Rolling out there, I learned some hard lessons that did not come up in the academy.
Sometimes what the law says is right and what your heart says is justice, well, they're two very different things.
I'm here to tell you how to make that choice the right way.
Because choosing wrong can sit in your gut for a long time.
Trust me.
I know.
Hey.
You, uh, you remember our conversation, our deal from the bar? Yes, out by 7:00, right? Which was five minutes ago.
It's not on my account; it's for my sister.
Her shift ended a half hour ago.
Come to think about it, unless she's sick or doesn't know that you're straight, she probably won't care.
Yeah, I'm kind of her only positive role model.
So the more parental I come across, the better.
Then naughty you for sleeping with strange women.
It's a rare occurrence.
That's a funny one.
Gina Ruggiero, native of Weehawken, currently of Long Island City, graduating from the fashion institute.
Except that I didn't say anything about your memory, just that you get around.
Know what I remember about you? What? Damn near nothing.
Mm, you say you got a sister, you're a cop, you're cute.
You don't give up much.
The rest is gravy.
I doubt that.
But I guess it's a story for some other girl.
- Oh.
- Um Gina, this, uh, this is Agnes.
It's a pleasure.
I'll call you.
You won't.
Bye.
Have you ever had a girlfriend last more than a week? You don't make meaningful connections.
It's okay.
Neither do I.
Are you reading a self-help book? No.
I've been talking to Collette-- she's another waitress at the diner-- and she said it's because we grew up abandoned.
So you talk about you talk about them with-with strangers? Yeah.
I think about them a lot.
You don't? No.
Eh, I got to go.
Caught a fresh one.
All right, coming through.
You gonna find out who did this, or are you just after a show? Just trying to help, sir.
Which apartment is it? Couldn't find your ass with both hands.
Damn teenagers! The tenants are wilting in this heat.
There's been three shootings in the last six months.
Two of 'em are still open.
All right, what do we got? We got two gunshot victims-- one's DOA.
He's Clifton Cartwright.
18.
Through-and- through to the neck.
No weapon, no ballistics.
Who called it in? Mrs.
Kendra Dupre.
Her son Michael's the other victim.
14.
Paramedics are working on him now.
Kid's an honor student-athlete.
And the DOA? That one's a gangbanger.
I know what you're gonna do.
He's a banger, so you just forget about it! Well, you gonna forget about us? Hey, call in an 85 forthwith! We need some crowd control here! Already en route! But it's getting hairy in the hall! My shift ended I came home and they were both lying on the floor bleeding to death.
Please just get him to the hospital.
Ma'am, we can't move him until he's been stabilized.
Just a few more questions, all right? They've been working on him for ten minutes.
Where's the justice! Where the hell's the backup? What are you so worried about? I'm freaking right, you idiot.
Hey, go check with the EMT.
All right, guys, you ready to transport? Not until one of you cools off the crowd.
Last time we took a guy out of here, someone hauled a toilet off the balcony.
It's your case, right? Justice now! Justice now! Justice now! Get my back, partner.
Justice now! Justice now! Hey, I need your help, people! Hey! I need your help! Pipe down! We want justice.
You don't care about us.
Now, I understand you're angry, and I know your frustration here - Phony-ass police! - We don't want your help.
You got nothing to say! Hey, check yourself! I come from here, my man.
I was raised in Queensbridge.
I lived in Edgemere and Baisley Park.
You think I don't know about the elevators not working here and the pipes banging all through the night, roaches all over the place, somebody in the building always frying fish? I understand, but you cannot take your frustration out on this 14-year-old boy with a bullet in him.
That's not justice.
Come on.
Keep it moving.
Get him through, get him through.
Keep moving forward.
Come on, keep it moving.
I just got a little hot in there.
Good thing my partner stayed cool.
Who's that? That is Deputy Mayor Carlton Holbrook.
Mayor's hatchet man.
Serious party boy.
Didn't you and him used to hang a bit? Still do.
Got friendly when I got into Homicide and started making cases.
Likes to surround himself with heavy hitters.
He's got the major hookup.
Like tickets? Courtside for the Knicks, glass for the Rangers.
I can't fathom the face values.
All right, gather round.
Run it.
Two gunshot victims in an apartment in the Delacorte Towers.
The first victim, Clifton Cartwright, died at the scene.
He was a known Crip with priors for possession and sale of a controlled substance.
To wit, cocaine.
No next of kin.
Second victim is Michael Dupre, 14 years old.
He's in surgery now.
Is he a gangbanger, too? No, not that we know of-- seems like a standup kid.
His mother says he and Clifton have been friends since childhood.
She allowed the two of them to hang out, because she wanted Clifton to see what a happy family looked like.
Thought it might turn him away from banging.
No good deed, huh? I'm not looking to add pressure here, but you got a pro-cop mayor, okay, so if you want to keep him pro-cop and keep him mayor close this, soon.
Just get it out of the press, all right? That's the goal, Carlton, absolutely.
Good.
Hey, I was with the mayor, at the hospital after your shootout, with the punks that check action.
I got caught on a call outside, so we never formally met.
Want to walk me out? Yeah.
Sure.
Alright.
So, uh, Yankees or Mets? Well, uh, honestly, neither.
Well, then just say Yankees and enjoy the mayor's skybox buffet, huh? Let's get a game on the books.
We should know each other.
Now what? A little advice.
Carlton Holbrook the mayor's office they don't like surprises.
And they certainly wouldn't take well to sitting in the skybox with a guy who could be facing felony theft.
What are you talking about? Palming cash on the way to the property clerk, that's tempting, but giving it to a drug addict, that's just stupid.
What? Oh, she didn't tell you.
Natasha.
Come on, Natasha.
Snap to it.
Know how she helped us find that body, gave you a sob story about going back home to Ohio? Turns out Natasha was setting you up.
She was wired? You put her up to it? Lucky for you, I have the recording, and I have no plans to expose you.
Or Owen, who you implicated.
That is a That is a lie, and you know it.
They're your words on that tape, hothead.
So you just calm down before your cool partner knows that you're a thief and that you dragged him into your mud, you jeopardized his career his pension.
What do you want from me, hmm? Respect.
So from now on, you take your orders with a smile and you learn your place.
I own you.
Golden Boy 01x03 Young Guns Natasha, it's Detective Walter Clark.
Third message.
Call me the second you get this, all right? Thank you.
Clifton was like Michael's older brother.
When Clifton's parents died, I tried to step in, but he got pulled to the guns and the drugs in that building.
So, when you come home and you find Clifton and your son, either one of them say anything about who shot them? They were both unconscious.
The paramedics say your son was awake when they got there, until they sedated him.
Yeah, you're right.
I just I just remember him looking at me with his eyes wide and his mouth moving, like he couldn't Do you, uh Sorry.
do you have any idea who might have had a grievance against your son or Clifton? Nobody had any problems with Michael.
He wasn't the one gang-banging.
Clifton then? Look What do I know about gangs? I'm working, I'm coming home, I'm sticking to my business.
Michael, too.
Mrs.
Dupre, there is a reason crimes in the projects go unsolved.
People do a lot of sticking to their business.
Clifton got recruited by Evander O'Dell.
He was a drug dealer in the building.
Clifton bragged about how high up he was getting in the ranks of that son of a bitch.
And he was involved in some dispute over money.
I don't I don't know anything else.
Except, they say Evander's killed a lot of people.
Please, please don't let him come for Michael.
Evander O'Dell, the Terror of the Delacorte Towers.
We have some questions for you.
Terror? I'm just sitting here, man.
Yeah? You and the Dream Team? You don't have a monopoly on this building? 'Cause we talked to our friends in Narcotics, and they had a lot to say about you.
They got the wrong dude.
I'm just hanging here with my friends.
Any of your friends carrying? 'Cause I'll pin each one of you to the bench and empty your pockets, and anybody who says probable cause gets a dent in their head.
Clifton Cartwright-- kid who got killed this morning-- was he one of your soldiers? Don't have soldiers but he was a friend.
How are you two getting along? All good.
Clifton's phone-- 12 texts from you.
A lot of them are in code, but we got one that tells him where to deliver "eight white T-shirts.
" And I'm guessing that's, what-- eight quarter-grams of coke? Or it's eight white T-shirts.
There's a lot less dispute over, "Where's my money, bitch".
Evander, you got all quiet.
Is that because later on, you referenced Clifton owing you $10,000? That's a lot of dough.
To you.
So, someone makes off with ten grand of your money, it's no big deal? That wouldn't torpedo your reputation with the homies? Shots rang out at 7:00 this morning.
Where were you? I was rolling dice all night.
The guys you just sent away were with me, along with about ten more.
What you want, their names? Yeah, their names and numbers.
Everybody who was with you.
And your alibi better be solid as a rock.
Because no matter what, your little reign of terror-- it ends today.
Little too much coffee? - All right, thanks.
- Any word from Taylor on surveillance cameras in the tower? Any that may be of help are non-functional or were defaced months ago.
And crime scene won't be finding the round that killed Clifton Cartwright.
They say it went through his neck, busted a window and sailed out, so And no slug out on Michael Dupre yet.
Docs are still working on him.
No surveillance, no ballistics, no witnesses.
Typical project case.
Focus on Evander O'Dell.
He's got the money motive.
Arroyo and McKenzie says his alibi's light.
Anyone care to take a ride to my high school alma mater, Covington Prep? Michael Dupre goes to my old school.
I was trying to locate his cell phone.
Someone tried to break into Michael's locker yesterday, matching the description of Clifton Cartwright.
He bolted before security could grab him.
Find out what's in that locker.
Hey, uh, I'll meet you there.
I've got to drop something off at home.
Natasha, come here.
Hold your arms out.
Do it! I'm not wired! This time you mean? Who else knows about the money? No one, I swear.
Why should I believe a word out of your mouth? Convince me this wasn't a plan of yours.
He threatened me, and he hit me.
Do you think I woke up that morning wanting to make a bunch of cop enemies? I'm sorry.
Why didn't you warn me? I tried to help you.
Give me some indication you were wired? I was scared.
The guy is kind of psycho.
I've survived worse than this before, but he's got my partner in the crosshairs.
Owen wants to retire in two years.
You get pushed, you push back.
I got to even up.
Michael truly was one of my good ones.
The ones I worried about were, like, you.
You loved me.
You certainly requested my presence often enough.
Calculus.
Physics.
Smart kid.
No cell phone.
This compartment is where I used to keep my Vantage filters and the Hall and Oates bootlegs I sold to afford the Vantage filters.
Oh, no.
$10,000 exactly.
That's the same amount the DOA owed to Evander O'Dell, according to the texts.
Was Michael holding it, or did he steal it himself? Well, if he's holding it, then why does Clifton go to his locker and try to break in? He stole it.
Little angel, my ass.
Michael ripped off the building drug dealer, got him and his friend popped for it.
Patrol found a weapon down the street from the towers.
It's on its way to ballistics.
Slug's on its way, too.
They pulled one out of Michael.
He's in recovery.
Let me know when he gets in.
you know, it's gonna be a couple hours before he's ready to talk.
Why don't you guys head down there, give me a ring when he's ready, huh? Oh, wait.
Hang on a second.
Did you get bumped up to Chief, and I didn't know about it? I'm just divvying up the chores, Don.
Waiting for a kid's eyelids to flutter is not a chore.
Look, I doubt your partner would have any objections.
Am I right? Maybe we can, uh, sneak another conversation with his mother.
Yeah.
There you go.
I had a couple questions for you.
Question number one-- when did you become Arroyo's bitch? I'm not his bitch, and I never will be.
Wait.
Hang on a second.
I got another question.
Does your not admitting to being his bitch have anything to do with Natasha Radkovich, who I saw you meet with on the street today? She was begging for money.
All right? She-she thinks we're best friends since she helped on that homicide, that's it.
Then why'd you say you were going home, hmm? Don't lie to me again.
And you ought to stay away from the poker tables.
You've got about the worst tell I've ever seen.
Everything's fine.
I've been on this job 22 years, so I know when somebody's trying to snow me, like you're doing right now, and when that happens, my instinct is to investigate.
So guess what, handsome.
You are now under investigation.
So Evander O'Dell was using Clifton to recruit you? They brought me into this apartment in the building that Evander's got.
Showed me all of his drugs and money.
Said it could all be mine.
What did you say? That I'd think about it, but he said that he'd already showed me too much.
If I wasn't in, I had to go.
That's why I stole the $10,000 from Evander.
Me and my mom.
Michael, what happened when you got shot? I don't know.
What do you mean? You don't remember? Clifton came over.
He was gonna take me to get Evander's money back from my locker, but someone showed up.
And Clifton answered the door, and there was a guy there in a mask.
He held up a gun, and that's all I remember.
Can you describe this guy? His clothes? He was black.
His clothes, too? Didn't you say that? Say it when, Kendra? Just now when he was waking up.
That's all I remember.
I don't feel so good.
Can I get some water? Detective Clark.
Okay, thanks.
That was Arroyo.
Oh.
How pissed is he that we talked to Michael? Very.
Good.
Ballistics came back.
Slug out of Michael matches the gun recovered by the towers.
Also, they ran the serial numbers, and it was stolen from a gun store in Paw Paw, West Virginia.
Along with 214 other brand new semi-autos.
It's part of a big gun theft.
Maybe part of a shipment up to New York.
What else? Um well, Latent lifted fingerprints off the murder weapon.
Her name was Bernadette Bell.
Another teenager.
They're bringing her in.
Bernadette, your fingerprint was in the system from when you worked at that family care facility? That's pretty straight-laced for somebody with her fingerprint on a murder weapon.
I didn't shoot anyone.
I was tutoring my neighbor when it happened.
Good alibi.
Explain the fingerprint.
Your part of the Junior Dream Team.
I mean, when you're not helping families.
You handle guns for these bangers? It's Evander's.
He makes us move guns around the towers.
He runs the building.
We got a subpoena to pull all your texts, and we know that Evander writes in code, so please explain to us what "200 outfits" means.
"200 outfits from W.
V".
West Virginia we figure? You better nail him.
Or this is a death sentence for me.
Oh, we'll nail him.
We want him real bad.
Was Evander making a deal for guns coming in from West Virginia? Hmm? What I heard this is a sample.
Evander's supposed to buy a bunch more.
The money Michael stole was part of what was going to pay for it.
But Evander's got plenty of cash.
So, the deal's still going down? I heard, in some warehouse in Brooklyn, but he only does business by text-- it's all in code.
Yeah, but you know the code.
So you get us the when and where.
We're set in the warehouse.
The minute they pull in, I'll give a signal.
All set in the alley.
We're all set in back.
You care for an update on my investigation of you? You're in a tough spot.
Probably on account of Natasha.
And somehow Arroyo's behind it.
Way off.
Right.
This job is filled with tough calls, impossible choices where the law and justice don't sync up.
What are you going to do then? Pick the less of two evils.
Bad idea.
Black Escalade approaching, Ordnance Avenue.
We got a problem.
Evander's pulling in across the street.
She gave us the wrong address? Either that or Evander's code was cracked wrong.
Warrant's no good.
We're going.
Wait.
Wait.
ESU is five minutes out.
Yeah, and by that time, this deal's done and they're gone.
We're going in.
We're going to hit the building.
They just entered.
I got him inside the warehouse.
Evander and two others.
You go left through that door.
I'm going to go right around the building.
Check it out.
So, this is it? You're dead, girl.
Police! Don't move! Hands! Police! Against the wall.
Show me them hands, or you're going to be wearing one of these bullets.
Down on the ground.
Face down on the ground.
Put your hands behind your back.
I want my lawyer, man.
Lock them fingers.
Come on, man! We should have waited for ESU.
Deb Don't.
Instead, you got miffed because the deputy mayor invited Clark to a ball game? So you spent the day trying to play Superman? What, get the guns, make the collar? So you can show him who really deserves a skybox ticket? I almost got shot.
The only thing I saw in that warehouse were 200 guns disappearing onto the streets.
200 more shootings.
Dead kids.
I swear on my mother, that's all.
Let me make it up to you.
Good luck with that.
Your search warrant was invalid, and you had no probable cause to arrest my client, so away we go.
Explain the 200 guns and the sack of cash we found.
Fruit of the poisonous tree.
We have one more thing to discuss.
My client already gave you a rock-solid alibi for the murder of Clifton Cartwright and the shooting of Michael Dupre.
I'm sorry, but that is not our problem.
What do you think your boy, Marcus, is saying right now? You know, Marcus.
The one that put a gun to my head.
You think he's going to protect you to the grave? It doesn't matter.
'Cause I didn't shoot Clifton.
Or that little thief, Michael.
So, Marcus, Evander says you two were shooting craps at the time of the tower shooting.
Who won? What, you don't even remember the alibi you gave from this morning? Whatever, man.
No, not whatever.
'Cause that's what we're interested in.
And we got this magic talking potion.
It's called leverage.
See, when you drew down on that lady detective at the warehouse, that's attempted murder.
That's leverage.
And if jail doesn't scare you, we got this, too.
Now, they look about three? Twins, right? Two and a half.
Now, imagine them at 22 and a half and strangers to you 'cause the ride to Ossining gets longer and longer every year Pop's locked up.
And then your baby mama, she finds somebody new.
And you're just gone.
I didn't know that lady was a cop.
You mean except for when you met her at the towers this morning? Your alibi for Evander? Good-bye.
Give us the truth.
Then maybe we'll work with you on the attempted murder.
Then maybe you can see those girls grow up.
Damn.
Marcus said he and Evander O'Dell picked up Clifton Cartwright early this morning at Cartwright's girlfriend's apartment in the Bronx and they both drove with him to Delacorte Towers.
This took place just prior to the shooting, so Evander's alibi-- it's dust.
They drove Clifton to the building, then what? Marcus said they split up, but before they went their separate ways, Evander said, if Clifton doesn't handle business with Michael, they both die today.
So Evander lied about his alibi, has solid motive, connected to the gun.
We'll run it by the A.
D.
A.
Look, let's slam this one shut, all right, find a witness, put Evander in Michael Dupre's hall or near his apartment at the time of the shooting, re-canvass the hell out of the towers.
Because there's a point to that, or you just don't want us in the building to answer the A.
D.
A.
's questions about how you blew into that warehouse half-cocked? Detective Clark handle it.
Oh, he'll handle it 'cause, you know, you got something snaky on him.
Me, however, I'll be sticking around.
Thank you for your time.
And thank you for your time.
Oh, good afternoon, ma'am, my name is Detective You seen this? No, I haven't.
Everybody knows Evander O'Dell is behind all this crime.
They're just too scared to say it.
You didn't happen to see him in the hall this morning or going into this apartment? I, I never left my place, but y-you can keep that.
All right.
Thanks for your time.
I did hear the door slam, though.
It was odd at that.
Why was it odd? It only slammed once.
It slams every time somebody comes or goes.
So whoever went in never left? He must have climbed out of the window or something-- Evander.
Right.
All right, thanks, man.
No problem.
I didn't know anyone was here.
I just came to get some clothes.
I thought I'd stay at the hospital tonight.
Your neighbor said she never heard the screen door slam after the gunshot.
Someone running out isn't going to stop and close the door carefully, which means that the person who pulled the trigger never left.
What happened here, Kendra? I don't know what you mean.
Two times today you've been squirrelly-- lying about Michael being unconscious when the paramedics arrived and filling in his story at the hospital.
What's going on? Tell me what happened here.
What I told you.
Look, I I know you have a side to this story, I know you do, but I cannot help you unless you tell me what happened.
I came home and found Michael and Clifton fighting.
Right.
I told Michael to give the money back, but Clifton said it was too late.
Evander owned him now.
He he grabbed my son and was hauling him out.
I, I tried to stop him, but he shoved me down.
That's when I saw the gun in his waistband.
I grabbed it, I told Clifton to leave.
And that child that I treated like my own-- he came at me.
He raised his fist at me, so I fired twice.
The first shot went out the window, and the second just tore through him and my baby.
I hurt him.
I hurt my little boy.
Hey.
A.
D.
A.
's in.
What'd you find? I need to talk to Owen.
Talk to me.
Come here.
I'm not sure Evander's good for the murder.
Why? A hunch.
There's a different scenario where the shooting didn't involve Evander at all.
Just give me a little time.
What? To let your hunch fall flat? To give fuel to whatever defense's dirtbag might put on? Muck up our chance to clean up the projects? Uh-uh.
He's a bad guy.
He's going down.
Is this about you getting your face in the paper? You just keep your hunch in your pants, you got that? Respect.
Remember? Or you sink.
Owen, too.
Imagine you're not a district attorney.
You're sitting on a jury.
Someone shows you a picture of Evander O'Dell, gang leader.
You hear about the threats he made towards the victim.
The threatening text he sent to the victim.
How he lied about his alibi, his connection to the murder weapon.
It's open and shut.
No physical evidence.
- No DNA.
- The guy was dealing for 200 guns.
He's the guy.
All right? It's not our fault that no one in the building will cooperate.
Which leaves it up to us to take a stand.
Right? An arrest would certainly please the mayor's office.
Collar him, and we'll try for a deal.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Hey.
Hypothetical question.
Um, different case.
Could be manslaughter or self-defense, but either way the shooter's been lying.
A lot.
Well, I wouldn't make a deal for less than two years jail time.
I don't like lying.
Well, what about the shooter's kid? I mean, there's no other family.
Child Protective Services, and good luck there.
What about the emotional component? I mean, we're talking about a citizen here.
Detective, uh I'd press for two years and get it.
Good luck.
Hey.
I, uh I wanted to thank you for what you did at the warehouse.
Listen, I don't know what's going on between you and Arroyo, but you ever need an impartial ear, I can talk without it getting to him.
Okay.
I appreciate it.
Okay.
I'm not making any deal.
Y'all got nothing.
Still want to roll the dice? We'll drill this at trial.
A well-known criminal figure associated with a number of murders, shootings.
They will put you away.
Ten and he does eight.
Hell, no.
You heard him.
Stand up.
What? You're under arrest.
This is crazy.
Come on! You think you're taking a thug off the streets.
Is that it? At least I got a code that I live by.
What you got, huh? What the hell kind of cops are you? This ain't justice! Yeah, you want to talk about justice So, what say we discuss this, uh, hypothetical case you posed to the A.
D.
A.
, hmm? I am investigating you.
Remember? It was purely hypothetical.
If you decide on a problem in this job, by choosing the lesser of two evils, you will never sleep at night for the rest of your life.
And believe me, I should know.
Then what? Discuss with your partner.
This is why you have one.
The burdens of this job are too much for one person to carry.
I wish I'd have known that when I was a rookie.
I'm around.
Can I just say good-bye? Tell him what's going on? Yeah.
No, don't.
Let him sleep.
He's lucky to have you.
One more bill to pay, then we're going to dinner.
How do we spend so much on water? What does our son do in the shower for so long? He gets clean.
So, when do I get to meet this new partner of yours? Well, hang on a second.
First, let's make sure he's even gonna stay my partner.
The way this kid's going, he'll be lucky if he stays a cop.
He'll be fine, Don.
He's been trained by the best.
You think Wendall is a petulant, deceitful little adolescent, you need to see this Clark in action.
That's what he is, isn't he? A child, yes.
No.
Like a son.
Ah, that explains the spark in your eye.
Get out of here.
Mm-hmm.
I saw it when you came home from work that first day.
The way you talked about him, and Yeah.
That guy is gonna put me in an early grave.
Good.
Let you care about something other than retirement.
Whatever died in you when that girl died, the informant, it's come back to life.
I don't know, Max.
The kid scares me.
Good.
Then you're still alive.
Hey, you've reached Deborah McKenzie.
Leave a message.
Hey, it's Clark.
I'm, uh I'm outside O'Leary's, hoping to take you up on your offer.
I wanted some advice on how to handle something between me and your partner.
What? What is it? An apology? For acting like a total press whore? Or for compromising our safety? I'm not putting you first.
It's called a Nancy Special.
Guy at the gun store said that it wouldn't dig into your ribs like a man's holster.
When'd you get this? Today? No.
It was gonna be for your birthday.
But I'll get you something else for that.
Look.
You got to know that my intentions are always pure.
But sometimes my-my ego, my drive they get in my way.
You can be a real son of a bitch.
You forgive me? Prove it.
There's a reason we send you out in pairs.
Your partner is not just someone who watches your back.
They keep an eye on your conscience.
That way your hard decisions don't have to be yours alone.
If it weren't for my partner well there would've been a whole lot more sleepless nights.
Come home safe.
Dismissed.
I worked with your father in the 3-9.
Yeah.
He mentioned that.
I hope you'll listen to what I had to say tonight.
Yes, sir.
Have a safe tour, Officer Arroyo.