Stalker (2014) s01e03 Episode Script

Manhunt

You ready? Ready.
Hi.
No, no.
Aah! Aah! Cara, Cara baby.
Cara, Cara.
A lot of uniforms here.
Janice told me this was an open case, but I didn't get all the details.
Is the victim a cop? Daughter of one.
Jimmy Lambert, Lieutenant downtown.
- Beth.
- Detective Wilkes.
My team's first on the scene.
This case started with you, so if you could prep my men here.
It's still my case, Trent.
Of course, and we're going to assist you, ok? It's one of our own, Beth.
All hands on deck.
- How's Cara? - Not good.
Bullet passed right through her skull.
She's in surgery.
- You find the slug? - Still searching.
You identify where the shot came from? Rooftop across the street to the west here.
You sure? That's not an easy shot.
I'm sorry.
Who who are you? Jack Larsen.
New guy.
Trent Wilkes, robbery homicide.
Jack just transferred to TAU.
Ok.
Yeah.
I'm sure the shot came from that rooftop.
We found a sniper's nest.
He also left some fibers behind from a screening mesh.
- Mesh? - Yeah.
That's what military snipers use to camouflage their locations.
Right.
Looks like he was perched their for hours just waiting, hiding.
Prints, DNA? No, New York.
I would have led with that.
Also no surveillance footage.
This guy's really good at avoiding cameras.
Anything you need, Beth.
- What's his deal? - Why? Eh.
Get a weird vibe.
It's you.
- You make bad first impressions.
- Do I? Every time? Maybe I suck.
So I suck? The victim is Cara Lambert, 24.
TAU was called in two years ago when her jock ex-boyfriend Paul Watson decided he was gonna stalk her during their senior year of college.
He didn't take kindly to the fact that she left him to pursue women.
Huh.
That had to hurt if the guy has as fragile ego.
Right.
Well, there's an APB out.
Full Manhunt's in effect.
We got to go.
We have work to do.
- Any word? - No.
She's still in surgery.
You were supposed to protect her.
You told me I could trust you.
You're not helping things, Jimmy.
- I'm sorry.
- Tell that to my baby.
She came to you for help.
Come on, come on.
You said you'd handled this.
Come on.
Paul was there.
I saw him.
At the wedding? A couple hours before the ceremony.
I saw him in front of the hotel.
He saw me, and he ran scared.
I thought that would be it.
He's not gonna get away with this.
We'll find Paul.
Let us do our jobs.
I did that, and now my baby is on an operating table.
While we're looking for Paul, is there anyone else we should be looking at? You've got one job, lady find Paul! They got to go by the numbers.
You know this.
Anyone else you and Cara had a run-in with? No.
Why are you still here? You're a cop, Lieutenant.
You can't tell me you haven't pissed some people off.
Any perps with grudges or someone you arrested recently, anything like that? Why is he talking me and Jimmy used to ride together.
The boys back at the station are going over our caseload.
We'll reach out to them.
I'm telling you it was Paul.
A couple weeks ago a couple weeks ago, Cara said that she thought she was being followed.
Did she see anyone? No.
Why didn't you say something to me? We didn't want to believe it.
We thought it was all behind her.
Let's take a walk.
Come on.
I thought she was joking.
Gay? How how was that even possible? We were doing it regularly, and I'm telling you, man.
She liked it.
Is that why you put that tape of you two having sex online? Nice try.
No.
I didn't post it.
Pfft.
I'm not sorry that it's out there.
The dudes on my team were saying that I turned her gay.
Now they can see that I was laying it down right.
He was texting me and calling me all through the night, so I turned my phone off, and then at 2:00 in the morning, the fire alarm went off in my building.
I went outside, and there he was just staring at me.
Did he threaten you? No, but he had this look in his eyes I had never seen before.
It was like he hated me.
I need you to leave her alone.
I need her to understand that she can't play games with me.
She's not playing games, Paul.
She likes girls.
She's not interested in you then why was she with me in the first place? Your feelings are hurt.
No.
I just don't like being lied to.
She doesn't get to do that to me.
Has he ever been violent? No.
But I can feel it.
What what can you feel, Cara? He wants to kill me.
What do you think? This Paul guy is not winning me over.
Patrol's sitting on Paul's apartment.
The guy's missing.
S.
I.
D.
recovered the slug from the crime scene.
They're running ballistics.
We retrieved Cara's stalker diary from her apartment.
After the restraining order was put in place, there was very little contact with Paul, but there are a couple of recent entries where she states that she feels like she's being watched, but she wasn't sure it was Paul.
Did PD recover Paul's laptop from the apartment.
Yeah.
I'm still going through it, but the browser history shows that he was looking at Cara's wedding announcement in the "L.
A.
Times" a couple days ago.
That could have been the trigger that reignited his obsession.
I did the assessment.
Paul was a howler.
I mean, he made e-mail threats, he texted her, wanted attention, but there was never any history of violence, no mental health issues, no other legal misconduct.
The victim's father encountered Paul at the wedding locale this morning.
You're saying I missed it? No.
I'm not saying that.
That's what it sounds like.
That's what you heard.
I didn't say that.
We get over 300 cases a year with a 56% recidivism rate.
You know how many of those freaks go south without warning? Can we just find Paul Watson? We're reaching out to friends, family, anyone that might know his whereabouts.
Paul modified his behavior in response to the restraining order.
He was afraid of jeopardizing his future.
This doesn't add up.
The shooter sat in a nest for hours, waiting to take one single shot.
That takes training and precision.
Did Paul have experience with guns? Was he a military boy? No.
He grew up in Colorado hunting.
That's it.
The attack was covert.
That requires discipline.
It was unemotional.
It doesn't fit Paul's harassment pattern.
Paul was a rejected stalker, rash, impulsive, angry.
And I'm agreeing with you.
Patrol's got a lead on Paul Watson.
A car with missing plates, same make and model as his was found near an airport motel where a man matching his description checked in, paying cash.
Get us two backup.
Don't let the location out.
I don't want a bunch of angry cops showing up before I do.
Hey! Stop! Stop! Paul Watson! Look.
I didn't do it.
Why are you running? Ugh! Unh! Let's stop with the running, huh? Hey.
Paul's ready.
Is his lawyer here? He says he doesn't need one.
Thanks for coming.
Let's do this.
Paul, this is deputy D.
A.
Amanda Taylor.
Before you say anything, I need you to acknowledge in her presence that you waive your right to an yeah, fine.
I don't need a lawyer because I didn't shoot Cara.
You are aware that everything you're saying here is on record and can and will be used against you? Yes, I get it.
I'd like to acknowledge that Paul Watson understands his miranda rights by law.
He's all yours.
Thank you.
So you never went to her wedding? No.
We have a witness putting you I'm sorry.
Yes.
I was at the hotel, but it was hours before the wedding.
Giving you time to set up your little sniper's nest on the roof across the street.
No.
So why did you run from us? When I heard that Cara had been shot, I knew that her father and every cop in L.
A.
would come after me.
Jimmy's a hardass.
Why didn't you come to me? Would you have believed me? Do you believe me now? We found a rifle in your motel room.
Yeah.
To protect myself.
Test it.
I didn't shoot Cara.
There was no gunshot residue found on Paul's hands or clothing, and his rifle wasn't fired recently.
Or he wore gloves and dumped the actual rifle he used.
We have no recent evidence of Paul harassing Cara.
What were you doing at the hotel this morning? I just wanted to apologize to her for being an ass.
You ever hear of a text, tweet, or an e-mail? You violated your restraining order.
You and ben told me to get some therapy.
I did.
It helped.
That whole thing with Cara, it was the first time in my entire life where I couldn't get my way.
I was a spoiled jerk, and, yeah, I did mess with her, but I get that now.
So you show up at her wedding? Look.
I just wanted one minute, one minute with her before her wedding so I could wish her well, and maybe I didn't think it through.
After everything that went down between us, I I thought it would matter to her.
Seems like he's actively trying to get over Cara.
That's not typical of a revengeful stalker.
Yeah? Or he's just lying.
Ok.
What happened? I never even saw her because her lunatic dad chased me away.
I didn't shoot Cara.
We can't let the guy walk.
Well, we don't have enough to hold him.
I can build a circumstantial case with what we have.
A disgruntled stalker with motive and opportunity.
That's not enough for trial.
Put enough pressure on him, he'll plead to it.
For the last 9 years, I walked homicide in new york city.
I'm telling you, this guy's not a liar.
Why is it that new yorkers remind us where they're from? Now call me unpopular, but I don't think Paul did it.
Are you serious? Yep.
I'm with Jack.
Paul's an emotional hothead, but we're looking for the complete opposite of Paul.
And who would that be? Male, ex-military, 30s, precision sharpshooter, maybe green beret or some specialty team, analytical, stoic, outwardly not emotional, but internally, he's eaten alive by his feelings, consumed by them.
The man's obsession controls him, fuels him, keeping him focused and precise.
He's obsessed, and my gut says he's not done.
The stick's not working.
Well, we have to do it manually.
Get the crane in.
We did it.
Now all we have to do is gas up and go.
Psst.
Vrrrm, vrrrm.
Hey.
You didn't finish your dinner.
Are you hungry? No.
We did it! Yes! Are you sure? Yes.
Ok.
Honey, you didn't clean your room.
What did I say, huh? Mom, can you come help me? All right, honey.
I'm coming.
So how'd you get the spot? Excuse me? TAU is a specialized unit.
Elite.
Was that insult accidental or intentional? No.
Seriously.
There were 300 applicants for your spot.
Beth chose you.
That's a good question.
I'll have to ask her sometime.
Unless you were a favor, somebody owes somebody something, you're the iou.
Why don't you ask Beth yourself? I will.
Beth, ballistics came back on the slug from the rooftop.
It's not a match with Paul's rifle.
Well, that's not a surprise.
Right, but this is.
Our bullet matches as lug taken out of a gang member who was shot and killed in south central.
When was he shot? Early this morning before Cara.
Doesn't make any sense.
I know.
Work up a profile on the new victim.
Maybe it will give us something.
On it.
His girlfriend is in house for questioning.
I'll talk to her.
Get back to me.
Vrrrm.
Psshhht! Ok, honey.
It's time for bed.
Ok.
Let's put everything away, please.
Thank you.
Daddy will be home any minute, ok? Ok.
Coffee? No.
I been here all day.
I'm going home.
I know this is a tough time and answering all these questions is a hassle, but if you know who shot jesse, you can help me out.
I told every cop here I straight up don't know.
Tiny, you know what I really enjoy after a hard day at work? Do I look like I care? There's this little bar in silver lake that makes the best moscow mule.
I meeting my friend there tonight.
I think you know her Cleo Tate? Who? You probation officer.
I didn't do anything.
Those track marks on your arm say otherwise.
You're a bitch.
I prefer assertive.
Sit down.
I still don't know who shot jesse.
Anything out of the ordinary happen lately? Did jesse ever talk about being followed or watched? Yeah.
He said he thought there was someone in the apartment one day.
A couple of weeks ago, I saw him looking of his shoulder, so I asked him about it.
He said it was nothing he thought he was being paranoid.
What did you think? He either was or wasn't.
He was in a gang, so he's been followed, marked, had his ass whupped more times Nearly done.
Do you know this man Paul Watson? No.
This woman was shot today with the same gun used to kill jesse.
What's her name? Cara Lambert.
Do you know her? No, but I think jesse said there's a cop with the same last name.
Jimmy Lambert? Yeah.
Jimmy Lambert.
Jimmy Lambert arrested the dead banger Jesse Hightower a few years ago when he was still in the street.
Used him as a C.
I.
instead of putting him away, but here's the weird thing.
They became friends.
Friends? That's what the girlfriend said.
When Jimmy was a kid, he was on a bad track.
A cop turned things around for him.
Jimmy was trying to pay it forward.
He tried to get jesse out of the life, encouraged him and his girlfriend to get their GEDs.
Jimmy would come by, check in on him like he really cared.
He was a work in progress, but they had this odd father-son relationship.
Jesse Hightower is dead? We know you were looking out for him.
That kid had a lot of potential.
He was killed with the same gun that was used on Cara.
Well, that doesn't make sense.
My daughter didn't even know him.
Why would Paul shoot jesse? Well, that's it.
He wouldn't.
Maybe someone with an ax to grind against you.
Are you saying that I'm the common denominator here? Yes.
Does anyone have a grievance against you? More importantly, who else could be in danger? We need a list of your family members.
Who's closest to you? Uh, my sister and her family are in town for the wedding.
We're securing everyone on the guest list.
Who else? My brother in chicago.
Ok.
But there has to be more family and friends.
Maybe your old partner can help put together a list for us.
Jimmy, where's Frank? We were told he'd be with you.
He just left.
How close are you guys? He's my closest friend.
Get him on the phone.
It's going straight to voicemail.
What's his address? Uh, 1949 sterling drive, studio city.
I'll get uniforms en route.
Hey.
Hi.
How's Jimmy? He's a wreck.
Still at the hospital.
And Cara? There's no word yet.
I tried calling you, but you weren't picking up your phone.
Yeah.
They made me turn my phone off at icu.
Must have forgotten to turn it back on.
I'll make you something to eat.
Why don't you go shower? Perfect.
Thank you, baby.
Oh, ho ho! Hey.
Hey, dad.
What are you doing up? I wanted to see you.
You want a ride? Sure.
Come on.
Agghhh! Can I help you? I'm Lieutenant Beth davis.
Who's at home with you, mrs.
Santos? My husband and son.
All right.
Will you step outside, please? Please.
Aah! Jack? Jack.
He's here.
He's running! Move! He's running! You're bleeding.
I'm fine.
I was under 6 feet, wiry strong, the guy was fast.
He knew what he was doing.
He sat in Frank's closet for hours? He sat on a rooftop unseen for longer.
He's special ops.
Has to be.
Could be someone you arrested or convicted.
He's angry, thinks you wronged him.
Or he believes you hurt someone he cares about.
Beth davis.
Think ex-military, proficient with guns and knives.
All right.
Got it.
Two guys you asked us to check out, they both have alibis.
I keep a list of all the people that have made credible threats against me in my office.
I think there are a few more that fit that profile.
Those are from last year.
This is this year.
Who's that in the photo with you, Jimmy? That's me and jesse at the midtown youth center.
And Cara and Frank.
Yeah.
Today's victims.
What are you thinking, Jack? Jimmy at his desk.
Look where I'm sitting.
Who sits here? My officers, men under my command.
Not perps? Never.
Are we looking for a cop? One of my men? Someone who sat right here staring at your loved ones while you reprimanded him, made him feel small.
This is where it began.
This where he started plotting against you.
Anyone work for you who's ex-military? Most of my men are ex-military.
Someone who sat right here, Jimmy.
And he's someone with a grievance against you.
Silas Martin.
I fired him two years ago.
Former special forces, sharpshooter in afghanistan.
Get me a last known on Silas Martin, former LAPD, metro division.
Send patrol to his house.
He's armed and dangerous.
All right, Jimmy.
What do we need to know? He killed a teenager in a high-school parking lot, said the kid pulled a gun, but no weapon was recovered at the scene.
His military records were clean, but when I did some digging, I found that he was treated for anxiety as a kid, and I think there were even more issues.
The man was unstable.
I had to let him go.
His appeal dragged on and on, but his termination was finalized 6 months ago.
Did he ever threaten you? No.
He barely said anything at his hearing.
I knew he was upset, but I would have never expected this.
The dismissal was just a trigger.
The way he's responding is tied to an underlying psychosis.
That son of a bitch.
We got an address.
Van Nuys.
Judging by the mail piled up by the door, he hasn't been here for a couple days.
Found anxiety meds in the bathroom.
Doesn't look like he's been taking them.
He needs them.
He saw serious combat in afghanistan, based on his records.
You're gonna like his taste in wallpaper.
It's all the legal filings from his hearings and appeals.
Diagrams of the shooting that cost him his job.
"Where's the gun?" He was trying to prove his innocence.
No local family, no real friends, no girlfriend.
LAPD was all he had.
So when his appeals were rejected 6 months ago, he really did lose everything.
Stopped taking his meds, his rational thinking was thrown off.
Jimmy became the target of his anger and frustration.
He wants revenge.
Not revenge.
Revenge is about damaging the enemy.
This I resentful stalking.
He needs retribution against Jimmy for firing him, but he also needs to prove his righteousness.
But resentful stalkers rarely turn to violence.
Listen to new guy.
He read the manual.
Yeah, but this guy's a soldier.
Violence is in his nature.
After his appeals were rejected, he probably thought, you know, he needed to escalate to regain some power or control in his life.
Guys, you need to see this.
S.
I.
D.
just unlocked these.
Silas was getting ready for war.
But why target Jimmy's loved ones? Jimmy took away the thing that Silas valued most, his job, his identity, so he's taking from Jimmy what he values most Cara, jesse, and Frank, the photos he saw every time he went into Jimmy's office.
He must have thought about it over and over and over a thousand times, fantasized until it wasn't enough.
He had to make it real.
He planned and stalked meticulously over these last 6 months.
And decided to turn Cara's wedding into Jimmy's day of reckoning.
Guys, check this out.
I'm U.
S.
special forces, Silas Martin.
I was a proud officer of the LAPD.
I want to state officially and for the record that you, Lieutenant james Lambert, dirtied my name and my reputation.
It's his manifesto.
I showed up at ever hearing where I sat through lie after lie.
I trusted that the system would vindicate me, but you, james Lambert, betrayed my faith.
My name and my badge, they were everything to me.
You stole them from me.
I was heh I was, what, the innocent lamb in your evil lion's den? You drove me to what I've become.
This guy's lost it.
I may not survive, but I find solace I knowing that in my final act I will reveal you for the liar that you are, and then you and your lies will be forever distinguished on this plane.
I will have my justice, and the truth will prevail.
This is his end game.
He made Jimmy suffer, and now he wants to confront him.
He wants Jimmy to admit he lied to declare his innocence.
Where's Jimmy now? With Cara at the hospital.
I'll get back to you with those stats.
Ok.
Thanks.
Hey.
I'm still in here.
Come on.
Not funny, guys.
Unh! Would you like a coffee? No.
I'm good.
I know I'm not what you want for your daughter not now, terry, please.
I'm sorry about everything.
Don't worry about it.
You're off the hook.
It's all my fault.
I'm sorry.
No worries.
Any sign of Silas? We have men all over this place.
Where's Jimmy Lambert? I saw him around 20 minutes ago.
He went down that hallway.
I thought he had gone to grab something to eat and that's the last time you saw him? Yeah.
Keep miss holt safe.
You two, with me.
Come on.
Wake up.
No sleeping.
We need to talk, Jimmy.
I think you have something you want to tell me.
Why are you doing this? Unh! You know why.
Your lies have come home to roost.
Huh? How's it feel? Got no fight in you now, do you, huh? Are you ready to tell me the truth? Because I really oh, god, Jimmy! I need to hear the truth.
I know that that kid had a gun.
Wake up! Unh! Wake up, Jimmy! Hmm? Come on, Jimmy? What'd you do with the gun, huh? Who moved the gun? Tell me! I know that that kid that kid had a gun, Jimmy.
There was no gun.
We looked.
You're lying, Jimmy.
Why do you keep lying? I saw a gun in his hand.
He was gonna shoot me.
Did my daughter have a gun, too? Huh? That's your fault.
That was your fault, Jimmy.
That is your fault.
You made me do that.
There's a gun aimed at your back.
Turn around, put your hands up.
I said put your hands up.
I'm in O.
R.
6.
I got Silas and Jimmy.
Get some help in here.
Unh! Ugh.
How's she doing? The doctors induced a coma while they wait for the swelling in her brain to go down, but they're hopeful.
You ok, Jimmy? Doctors check you out? Yeah, I'm all right.
I just can't help thinking that there is nothing more you could have done.
All that matters now is that Cara makes it.
Well, she has to, and when she wakes up, we're gonna have a wedding, right, terry? Nice job, new guy.
You think? I do.
Have a good night.
Hey, ben.
Your assessment on Paul was right on, man.
I know.
Good night.
You got a second? No.
There's nothing more to talk about.
You shouldn't have followed me here.
This isn't just about you and me.
This is about our son.
How is ethan? You're about 7 years too late to play that card.
I gave you two weeks, Jack.
Time's ticking.
Leave L.
A.
, or I'm gonna force your hand.
Is there something I need to know about you and Amanda? No.
So if I clocked some serious tension between the two of you, I'd be totally wrong? You know how I always make a bad first impression.
Right.
Whatever it is, fix it.
I don't want it poisoning my unit.
You know, I'm getting hungry.
You want to grab a bite to eat? No, thanks.
You sure? Yes, and you don't need to ask me again.
What if I want to ask? The answer will always be no.
Got it.
I know why you hate me.
Yeah? Why's that? I was a favor.
My captain pushed my transfer on your captain, and you had to take me.
I know I wasn't your first choice.
Shocker.
Or even your second choice.
I know you had 300 other applicants.
even in the top 20.
I'll try harder.
Good thing you don't suck.
Wait.
You think I'm doing a good job? Good night, Jack.
Good night.
Trent.
What's wrong? I saw someone outside.
Hang on.
Well, I don't see anyone, honey.

Previous EpisodeNext Episode