Ties That Bind (2015) s01e08 Episode Script

Do we have any plans for Saturday? Saturday.
That's hours and hours away.
I don't know.
Why? I'd like to go see my dad.
Oh, it's his birthday already.
Wow.
I haven't seen him since he left.
It would be so great to see him on his birthday.
Yeah, it would.
But there's this whole process that you have to go through before a minor can see a prisoner, and I just need to follow up and see how that's going.
Okay? Does that sound good to you? I know that it's hard on the kids, not seeing me.
But you think it's not gonna be hard on them seeing me like this? They know where you are, Tim.
They know what you did.
What they don't know is, I've been lying to them, creating these fake hoops that you're supposedly jumping through before you can see them.
You've never lied for me before.
Why're you doing it now? You're right, I shouldn't.
So you tell them yourself.
Give them a call, and tell them how much you miss them, and tell them not to come see you on your birthday.
Saturday.
Thank you.
We're done here.
Hey! Hey! Hey buddy, are you all right? Yes.
Yes, I'm fine.
What was all that about? I don't know, I need to get back to work.
My name's Matt McLean, I run this project.
John Chow.
You work for the plumbing subcontractor, yeah? Yes, Mr.
Rigby.
What's going on here, John? It's all a misunderstanding.
It's not your problem.
This is my job site.
Anything that happens is my problem.
John.
My wife and her partner will do anything to help you.
Just explain to them the way you did to me, okay? Allison and Devin are good people, you can trust them.
They won't let Mei-Mei go.
Mei-Mei is his girlfriend.
I paid them to bring her here from our hometown in China.
Who are these people? He doesn't know their names.
They contact him, never the other way around.
So, you paid these men to bring your girlfriend into the country illegally? I should not have come.
I am sorry to bother you.
Are you in the country illegally, Mr.
Chow? My papers are counterfeit, yes.
That's why I had to pay these men bring to her here.
If my papers were real, I would have gone home, married her, brought her here myself but I'm sorry.
Are you sure they have Mei-Mei here in Washington? They gave me this.
Yesterday's paper.
How much more do they want? Five thousand dollars.
Or they won't let her go.
I'm afraid that if we don't pay, they will hurt her.
They only gave me three days.
Let's not worry about the money right now.
Let's focus on finding Mei-Mei.
How do you communicate with these men? I talked to them once, when they first approached me.
Everything else is from text message.
We're going to need to look at your phone.
They approached you? Yes, outside my church.
How did they know you have a girlfriend who wants to come into the country? I told everybody I want to bring Mei-Mei over.
My friends, my classmates in my English class at the community center, people at the bar after work.
I light candles at church every day, I tell people there too.
Okay, plenty of possibilities.
I'm going to need you both to sit down with a sketch artist.
Then we'll start with the church and see if they know the two men.
We're going to do everything we can to find Mei-Mei.
Okay, Mr.
Chow? Everything.
Did you check the SIM card on John Chow's phone? No, I'm not telling you how to do your job The phone numbers, any of the traces come up on the phone numbers? Okay, thank you, Kayla.
So, the world's happiest forensic tech says all the texts John received were from burner phones.
So, no leads there.
I talked to the priest and the church secretary.
Neither of them has heard any talk about smugglers.
And the sketch? Didn't ring a bell.
How about you? Any interesting people-watching? Well, Mr.
Congeniality over there keeps talking to single people as they come out, but no couples or families.
He doesn't match the sketch.
Maybe his job is to find the lonely hearts.
And then he funnels them through John's smugglers.
Shall we? Yes, let's.
Stop! Police! I hope Mr.
Lonelyhearts serves his customers as quickly as he runs.
Hey! I didn't do anything wrong! You run from the police for exercise? We're looking for two Asian men who are smuggling people into the country.
So this is racial profiling! This has the possibility of being a polite conversation for about ten more seconds.
And then it's an interrogation at the station.
I help newly arrived members of the community find jobs.
That makes me one of the good guys.
Yeah? Let's see if you know the bad guys.
Yeah! You know them.
I didn't say that.
A woman's life is at stake.
I might have seen them around.
I'm not sure.
Sometimes the smart thing to do is to focus on my own business and stay out of other people's.
How exactly does your business work? I'm a matchmaker.
I know employer's needs, and I find people who can fill those needs.
So if you met a young woman who recently arrived in this country; maybe her status is somewhat questionable, what kind of job could you find for her? I think much better with my hands are free.
We're not bargaining.
I am, by talking to you.
You don't understand who these guys are.
Thinking better? Much more clearly.
What kind of jobs do you match? The ones you don't notice.
Farm work, menial labor, cleaning, restaurants.
Have you matched any young women who have arrived in the country in the last week? Maybe two? Possibly.
Take us to them.
I think it's much safer for all of us if I send them to you.
Please.
Alright keep this in mind: we don't take well to being double-crossed.
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Is everything all right? My phone died at school, I was charging it, and there's a voicemail from your mom! We get to go see Dad on Saturday! That's great.
I have to plan! I don't know where to start! Well, you want to get him cards right? So, we can get Dad to stop at the store on the way home from school tomorrow.
Yes.
A card.
Oh, and a haircut! And a new dress! Thank you! How about you? I'll skip the new dress.
Hi, I'm Detective McLean.
Hi, I'm Lihwa.
Come this way.
Renshu spoke to you about why we wanted to talk to you? About your trip over? I come to tell you about Mei-Mei.
You know her? I come three days ago.
On ship, Mei-Mei, too.
Right this way.
Did you check out Kimmie's run on Youtube? Dude, you gotta check it out! Alright, then, it's on.
Saturday afternoon, bye.
He is never gonna get a date.
I thought you and Mariah were going to see your dad Saturday afternoon.
Since when did you become a human wiretap? Don't you want to see your dad? If you understood anything about me or my life, you could ask questions.
But you don't.
Step off.
Wow.
I cannot believe I got in a fight to defend you.
Quit waiting for me to be grateful.
I didn't ask you to do that.
You and Mei-Mei came over on the same ship.
After you got here, where did they take you? A room.
Cold.
Very dark.
Down.
Down? Like a basement? Did you see their faces? The people who brought you.
They wear Masks? Yes.
Hide face.
Who paid for you to come here? My brother bring me.
He is good, good man.
The people, did they ask your brother for more money, to let you go? Yes! More money.
My brother pay to men in mask.
How did your brother contact them? They go to him.
They come again.
My brother says, like smoke.
So he never had a name? Or a phone number? No.
Mei-Mei say her boyfriend uh John? John, yes.
He not have money like my brother.
Very bad.
Why? What happens if he doesn't pay? Truck come Saturday.
Take her.
Where? "PAI?" They'll never see Mei-Mei again.
We don't found them by Saturday Mei-Mei is lost.
We need to narrow our list of suspects.
We know the smugglers have good access to the community And know how to reel them in.
Then, if your family can't pay the extra money, you're on the Saturday truck to indentured servitude, or worse.
So let's focus on community access.
We tried the church.
John said he talked to friends, the people in his class at the Yeah.
I'll drive.
I love teaching English.
This class changed my life when I got here.
Now I can share what I've learned with others who are newly arrived.
You're not a native speaker? Your English is beautiful.
Thank you.
So, you are not here for classes.
How can I help you? We're working on a case involving a student of yours, John Chow? John! Such a great student.
So dedicated.
Wait.
Is he in trouble? No.
We're actually looking for someone John may have talked to.
This is a community center.
Everyone talks with everyone.
I don't understand what you need.
Ms.
Ma Ying, please.
I'm know this is a delicate matter, but you are aware of people who come to this center who entered the country illegally? I hope you understand, Detective, I don't concern myself with how my students get here.
I just welcome them and try to help them fit in.
That's why I became a teacher, and joined the board here at the center.
This is my life's work.
And I wouldn't want you to compromise that.
But I need you to be honest with us.
Do you have any reason to believe an employee, or even one of your students, could be recruiting for a smuggling operation? Smugglers? The next class is about to start.
We don't mean to put you in a difficult position, but we do need your help.
If you ask people here at the center why they came to this country, some will tell you for opportunity.
Some will say sanctuary.
A few might even say love.
But the real reason, what all that's part of, is a new beginning.
So I don't want to judge anyone because of their past.
But? I also want to protect the people who come here, from anyone who would take advantage of them.
So there is someone with a past you're concerned about? A former student of mine, a man named Shan.
He confessed he had a criminal record in China.
He was in John's class.
Do you know where we can find him? He works as a handyman.
At the Orthodox church.
Hey Didn't hear the knock.
Manners much? Where's that big sister radar that always busts me when I'm trying to steal cookies? What do you want Jeff? There's this thing with Cameron.
Oh! Let me drop everything.
He's going to ditch the birthday trip to see his dad.
Did he tell you that? Yes.
So, do I tell Mom and let Cameron hate me, or let it play out and have Mom get mad when she figures out I knew? If we tell Mom, both Mom and Cameron blow up.
If there's some way for us to talk to Cameron, then, at most, he freaks.
And who'll notice, really? The way I do the math, we talk to Cameron.
So you want me to come with you now? No, it's fine.
I'll do it.
Your hair looks good like that.
Are you Shan? Yeah, I'm Shan.
We're Cops.
Obviously.
We just have a few questions for you.
Know why I left China? Police harassment.
Trust me, this isn't harassment.
We're looking for cooperation okay? So, let's have a friendly conversation about a young woman called Mei-Mei.
And the two men who are holding her.
And possibly other women.
Holding them? These two men are running an extortion game.
In league with smugglers.
Know anybody like that? You know Mei-Mei's boyfriend, John Chow, from your English class.
Did you tell the smugglers he wanted to bring his girlfriend over? Or did you broker the deal yourself? You don't understand what you're dealing with.
Tell us.
If you want these women to get hurt, just keep pushing.
If something bad happens, it's on you.
Is that a warning or a threat? Arrest me or let me work.
I very appreciate what you're doing for John.
I just wish I was doing more.
I mean the clock is ticking and we still haven't found Mei-Mei.
I've been thinking about something.
Need you to hear me out.
Okay.
I know that things are tight with us right now, especially with Cameron and Mariah, but We have a whole lot more than most people, right? If it means, dipping into our savings, it just I feel like if it comes down to it I'd like to help John pay these guys.
I love you for wanting to do that.
But we can't.
He doesn't have anybody.
Yeah but we just can't pay kidnappers.
How's John doing? He's a wreck.
He insisted on coming back to the site.
He's working twice as hard.
Sometimes work make things better.
What happens to him when this part's done? I am not sure.
I mean, he's a victim, but, he also broke the law.
If we were separated like that, I'd do anything to get you back.
I am always the first one to come in the morning to access the voice mail.
This is how I found it.
Can you translate for us.
First symbol mean "do not".
Second ones mean "police talk".
Don't talk to the police.
I got your Oh no.
Who did this? I have no idea.
Our forensic team is on the way.
Why would Who did you talk to? Shan? Ying, we need to follow every possible lead That's what I was afraid of.
Now it comes back on me.
My students.
We're doing everything to find the men who did this and remove them from the community.
Most of them came to this country to feel safe.
They need to be able to come here and feel safe.
To trust me.
I can't talk to you anymore.
Breakfast in five, girls! What do you think? Depends.
What's the occasion? You going to see your Dad.
Which one would you like to borrow? I thought the blue one would look super cute on you, but I have others.
I don't know what I want to wear, I don't know what the card should say, I don't know what to do with my hair, I don't know what to say to him when I see him other than Happy Birthday, which is so stupid because how happy can he be? I'm going to mess this whole thing up, I know I am.
No, you won't.
Okay? He's probably just as nervous as you are.
Parents, they don't like us to know when they're nervous or scared or upset.
They think they're protecting us.
So I bet he'll be just as worried as you are about saying the right thing, he just won't show it.
I don't want to make things worse for him.
You won't.
He'll feel better just seeing you.
But I still have to say something.
Tell him tell him funny stories about Cameron and Jeff doing stupid things.
That'll take care of the first hour or two, at least.
Do you have anything in orange? So was the graffiti a message from Shan? Or did Shan pass along that we were asking questions to someone else? Either way, he's involved.
So we need dig hard, and get enough to bring him in.
I'll be right back.
You have a call from Greenwater Corrections Center.
Tim? Yes.
What's up? Saturday.
No.
You are not backing out, Tim.
Don't come.
Unbelievable.
Grow up! Excuse me? You're doing time because you had to prove what a big tough guy you are.
Now you can't even step up to the plate for an hour, One hour to make your children happy? I don't need a lecture from you about being a better father, about being a better man, about being a better anything.
What I need is for you to stop pretending I can be anything other than this right now.
Too bad.
You said you took my kids in to protect them.
So protect them.
Listen, before our carpool gets here, I have something I want to say.
Fine! Pretend I'm just a voice in your head.
The one that tells you if you're about to screw up.
Because that's what you're doing.
If you blow off this trip, your dad will be hurt.
Mariah will cry and my mom will flip out.
Go back to being a jerk Saturday night, but do the right thing Saturday afternoon.
It's always nice to talk to you, Cuz.
How you doing? What happened? That says, 4 PM.
I thought we had until Saturday.
You're telling me the deadline is in less than three hours? They want all the money by today.
I don't have it.
They've already hurt her.
What will they do if I don't get them the money? It's not going to come to that, I promise you.
My wife and her partner will make sure of that.
Okay, how about the gas station on the corner? Their cameras should have a line of sight to the community center Shan's record is completely clean? No Okay great, keep working on it.
You're Sure? I'll call you right back.
Allison Thanks.
Hi! Look at this.
Where'd this come from? It was at the job site this morning.
The new deadline is four o'clock.
Less than two hours.
Yeah.
Why do you have a photo of Shan? You remember him? Yes, he was in my English class.
You don't think he is involved with the men who have Mei-Mei? We're considering that possibility.
No, no.
Shan looks rough, I know.
But he has a good heart.
He wasn't very helpful when we spoke to him.
Of course not, you're strangers.
Police.
He is much different as a friend.
We've had many long talks in class.
He too wants to bring his wife over.
You must forget about Shan and focus on the men who have Mei-Mei.
Wait John, stop.
You talked about your wives and girlfriends during class? Yes.
Ying encouraged us to talk about our lives back home, and our families, I know many facts about my classmates now.
I'm sure you do.
We'll just, uh wait here.
This is the place? 4959? Yeah, this is the address the receptionist gave me.
She said she left the community center right after we did and headed home.
Not quite what I was expecting.
Well she's full of surprises.
Let's turn the tables.
Crestview PD.
Ying Ma, open up! Hey Devin? Nothing.
Crestview PD! Help! Help me please! Did you hear that? Yeah.
Help me! Help Did you hear that? That's probable cause.
Help me, please! Crestview PD.
We're here to help you.
Do you understand? We're police officers, we're here to help you.
Are you hurt? Are you okay? I'm going to show you a picture Mask men take her.
They took her just now? Mei-Mei Yeah, I need an ambulance, 4959 Addison The woman who was placed in the truck, Mei-Mei.
Do you know what'll happen to her? Sold.
Do you have any idea where they went? Did you remember them saying anything else? We really want to find Mei-Mei.
Ying say, go to lawn of salvation.
Okay.
Thank you.
They're gonna take care of you, okay? Where's Chow? He had a personal matter to attend to, I gave him the day.
Then why was he on site half an hour ago, asking me how to get to Snoqualmie Pass? He was here? I didn't see him.
That's because he was sneaking around, breaking into my truck and stealing my payroll cash for the day laborers.
C'mon Rigby, John wouldn't do that.
He cleaned me out! Hey.
Everything okay? No.
John Chow just stole money to pay to those smugglers.
What? From you? No, from Rigby.
He was asking for directions to Snoqualmie Pass.
Okay.
Hey can you bring up Snoqualmie Pass on the screen.
Matt, you're on speaker.
I should've kept an eye on him.
Honey, it's not your fault.
We talked to a woman who said Ying was taking Mei-Mei to the lawn of salvation.
John's never mentioned the pass to me before It doesn't make sense for the smugglers to use the lodges up there as an exchange point.
It's too visible.
Maybe the meeting's not at the pass.
They're just heading in that direction and using it as a reference point.
But they still have to pick a spot that's fairly isolated.
Any cemeteries up there? No, but there is a salvage yard.
Lawn of salvation.
Salvage, salvation.
It's all in the translation.
And the city closed this yard a year ago.
There's the isolation.
Thanks, babe.
I'll let you know when we find John.
Yeah, be careful.
Love you.
Love you, too.
John's been told to meet there to pay Ying and her people, and release Mei-Mei in the next 35 minutes.
Ying accelerated the schedule and ran.
She knows we're after her and that makes John a loose end.
She wants John there so she can kill him.
Let's roll.
You? I can't believe you It's just business, John.
Did you bring the money? Most of it.
Almost two thousand dollars.
John! John! Mei-Mei, it's okay, I'm here! It's okay, Mei-Mei! The price is five thousand, John.
Not two.
Please, this is all I could get.
Don't take her.
I'll do anything.
Take me.
Sell me.
Do whatever you want with me.
Okay.
Okay.
Take his money and shoot him.
Please.
I'll give you the rest of the money.
You talked to the police, John.
Bad for business.
We just want to be together, I love her.
Shoot him and dump his body in the woods.
Out of sight! Crestview PD! Stop them! Put your weapon down! Now! Ying! Stop! I've got him.
Go! Put your hands on your head and turn around! You had me fooled, Ying! I thought you actually liked to help these people.
Help them find new lives, new hope.
But all you care about is the money.
That is the American dream! I have money.
Power.
These women want the same! And you're gonna help them get that by selling them into slavery? I'm giving them an opportunity.
It's up to them to make something of it.
I should arrest you for crimes against feminism.
John and Mei-Mei are both safe.
Thank you for everything you did for him.
For them.
Thank you, sweetheart.
You're terrific.
Well, you made this happen.
I'll be home soon.
Matt sends his best.
He's so happy you're both safe.
I'm sorry for stealing the money.
I know it was wrong, but when I saw the photo of her, how they'd hurt her Matt will talk to Rigby.
He'll see what he can do.
Did you tell them about our papers? Do me and Mei-Mei need to go with them now? John, you were just trying to bring your family together and I know from personal experience how tough that can be.
We're going to need you as witnesses against Ying.
I don't understand.
Matt and I know a great immigration lawyer.
We'll have him meet with you and Mei-Mei.
I'm sure the Feds will be gracious, since we couldn't have caught Ying without you.
She says you are now a part of our family.
And we will do everything we can to help you get started in Crestview.
Thank you.
Who made you dress up on a Saturday? I'm gonna go see my dad.
You look almost as nice as Mariah.
Do you have your birthday cards? Does my hair look okay? It looks nice.
I'm nervous.
Don't be.
It'll be great.
You'll be great.
Yes.
This is going to be wonderful.
Have fun.
Thank you.
Take it easy.
I'll try.
Good afternoon.
Here to see Timothy Olson.
Why don't you guys sit down? What's wrong? Nothing, I just need to get us signed in.
This is a scheduled visit.
Yeah, um it looks like your inmate's in the infirmary.
No one's allowed to see him.
Can you take me in? I can give you an exception for the badge, but not for them.
I'm going to go find out what's going on.
Let me take your cards, just in case.
You think Dad's okay? This guy just comes at me.
In the corridor.
I'm on my way down to see you and pow.
Pow? Yeah, he starts trash-talking me.
You can't tolerate that in a place like this.
So, I respond.
Of course you did.
Yeah, I gave it back to him, and he swings on me.
That's the best you can do? You get into a fight ten minutes before we get here? I didn't start this.
You wanted to get your visitation privileges revoked.
You just can't do the right thing for your kids.
I did not start this.
You never do.
Taking responsibility requires maturity and that is a burden you put on everybody else, including Cameron and Mariah.
I've got bigger problems than this, okay? I don't need to hear you complaining because things aren't going your way.
I got my privileges revoked, there's nothing I can do about it.
You'll never understand how hard it was for those kids to make this trip, and now they have to turn around and go home.
My home.
Their home.
They're going to be so hurt and disappointed.
Here's the good news: you don't have to worry about it, because I'm going to take care of your kids.
The way you never have.
Happy Birthday.
Hey gang! Thought we'd get an early start on dinner so we can hear all the What happened? He was sick.
We didn't see him.
At least he knows you're thinking about him on his birthday.
Look, we don't have to eat right now.
If you guys aren't up for it, no big deal.
I could be hungry.
I love corn on the cob.
Besides Dad's birthday, Aunt Allison just closed a big case yesterday, right? I did.
Thanks.
And Rachel finally got her hair back under control.
And Jeff tried to get his mouth back under control.
See? Plenty to celebrate.
Well all right.
Let's do this! Grab a plate you guys.
Build your own!