The Mysteries Of Laura (2014) s02e01 Episode Script

Hi, mom.
Hey, run, run! Look out! Look out, guys! Run, run! Mom! Mommy! This is a crime scene, people, not a play date.
Take your kids home.
Diamond, Soto, meet my very dead amigo John Doe.
Mid-20s, presumably killed on impact.
He's got tracks up and down his arms.
A few blocks away from the alphabets, heavy dealer presence.
Could have been looking to score.
Affirmative, but not that kind of score, according to Mom over there.
I feel awful for that man.
He shouted to save the kids.
But clearly he was lurking.
I've seen him around here before.
I couldn't help but assume.
I'm sorry your son had to see this.
Thankfully, he's more hungry than traumatized.
Oh.
Well, I have a An unpaid Excel cable bill, um, here we go, most of a of a granola bar.
Thanks, but Theo's diabetic.
We're sugar free, gluten free.
Oh, tried that for a day.
Turns out everything worth eating is chock full of gluten.
Not to rub it in.
So, you saw the crash.
The taxi didn't even try to stop.
- Can we go? - I should probably get him home.
Of course.
Thank you for your time.
The mom's right.
According to those tire tracks, no evidence of braking, no swerving to get out of the way.
- Traffic cameras? - All pointing the wrong way.
Couple of eyewitnesses who got a good look said that it looked more like a clip than a dead-on hit.
Could have been a drunk driver.
Possibly, or vigilante justice.
You're thinking that our dead junkie was a perv who cruises jungle gyms? Seems viable.
Maybe a vengeful parent going after the guy.
- In a yellow cab? - Well, cabbies are parents, too.
Or it could have been grand theft taxi.
- Let's track down that cab.
- ID the victim.
Lab's already running prints.
We're also gonna try a facial recognition analysis using crime scene photos.
I'll have the techs forward it to you.
Just print up some hard copies, too.
We'll have the squad canvass the neighborhood.
- Shh.
- Oh, please.
We're working, we can speak.
Excuse me.
For the umpteenth time, the best investigative work is done in a quiet and contemplative environment.
Can we keep the volume down? Yes, Captain Santini.
It's Santiani, for the umpteenth time.
How long till Jake is back and the reign of terror comes to an end? Six days, 22 hours.
Give or take a week.
- Hey! - Thank you, God.
Look who's back.
Hello, Max.
- Welcome back, Cap.
- Billy, nice to see you.
What are you doing here? I work here.
But if you have another week of medical leave, you should take the week.
I don't need another week, I feel great.
I ran five miles this morning.
Why is it weirdly quiet in here? You can ask the Queen of Darkness.
Incoming.
Captain Santiani.
Captain Jake Broderick.
Thank you for holding down the fort.
Still holding.
I'm commissioned through the end of the month.
Yes, yes.
Well, in the meantime, I am happy to help.
- I'm a utility player.
- Suit yourself.
You can sit at Detective Pulaski's old desk.
Frankie? Where is Detective Pulaski? Transferred back to CDIU last week.
She didn't have the seniority to accept this post.
I've been cleaning up a number of messes around here.
Well, I can tell.
I've never seen the squad room look so, um, sterile.
Hmm.
Awkward much? She is adorable.
A double whammy for you.
John Doe's fingerprints identified him as Ronald Belasco.
Arrested two years ago for rape, third degree, whatever that is.
Reduced charge for non-violent sexual assault of a minor.
Whose identity is redacted in the file, which is sealed.
Well, let's try to unseal it.
I knew you'd say that.
Sign here for the request.
Thank you, my psychic friend.
What's the second whammy? Report of a stolen taxi 12 minutes before your hit and run.
Huh, less than a mile from the park.
Thief might be our perp.
You two go talk to the cabbie.
See what you can find out.
Laura and I will track down Ronald Belasco's next of kin.
Welcome back, Captain.
The DMV does offer a refresher course, free of charge.
Six years partnering with Billy, he never once criticized my driving.
Yeah, not to your face.
Excuse me.
I just spent the last five months driving your ass to physical therapy, cooking your ass nightly meals, washing your dirty-ass clothes, cleaning your dirty-ass bachelor pad, and raising your smart-ass sons.
A little respect? A lot of respect.
Damn right.
Excuse me.
Uh, NYPD.
We're looking for the family of Ronald Belasco.
I'm his family.
Is he in trouble? Shannon, when did you last see your fiance? Just a couple hours ago.
Uh, he was working construction, so he usually left pretty early.
I don't believe this.
We are gonna need to talk to his boss.
He didn't have a regular gig.
It was all day jobs, cash only.
Why? Uh, Shannon, Ronald wasn't killed on a construction site.
He was at a park playground.
We're concerned he may have been targeted.
What? Why would anyone target Ronnie? Shannon, did you know that he was a convicted sex offender? Yes.
So? So, it is possible that one of the victims or the victim's parents No.
That's not possible.
Shannon, we understand why you'd feel that way.
You don't understand.
The rape charge, that was with me.
I was 16.
My dad caught us.
Ronnie was 21.
Statutory rape.
I begged my dad, but he wouldn't drop the charges.
I haven't spoken to my parents since.
Ronnie was a good man.
And he loved kids.
He was so excited about the baby.
He would never What about drugs? We saw track marks on his arms.
Yeah, he picked the habit up at Rikers, but as soon as he got out, he got into a methadone program, he got clean, he signed up for night school.
There is a lumber yard a block away from the park.
It's a day labor pickup place.
That would explain why he has been spotted in the vicinity.
He could have struck out on a job, wandered by, saw an accident about to happen, shouted to save the kids.
Now, that sounds like Ronnie.
He was starting over.
Finally.
You find my cab? Not yet.
You say you were car-jacked? I say? Look at my head, stupid man.
I'm waiting two hours for you.
Okay, take it down a notch.
What happened? I went in to use the bathroom at CVS.
I come back and from behind I'm pounded on the head.
I wake up, taxi's gone.
So, you didn't crash your car into a guy at the park, and that's how you hurt your head? How stupid is this guy? He's not in the least bit stupid.
He even knows how to book you for harassing a police officer.
Was there GPS in the vehicle? Cab was crap.
For GPS I used my iPhone, which they got away with.
Even better.
Number, please.
Sorry, Mr.
Rundosi.
Your iPhone is burnt toast.
Check it.
Camera, or used to be.
Eject the SD card? Housing's tweaked but the core's intact.
Might be readable.
We can try it in mine.
Couple of coffee cups, stake-out style.
Might have been more than one perp.
Let's see what they were taking photos of.
Hopefully selfies.
Son of a bitch, that's the kid from the park.
From the different outfits and metadata, it's clear this boy was being followed for weeks.
The cab barreling toward Theo was a kidnapping attempt.
We're en route to the Davis's right now.
We called the mom, she's not answering home or cell.
- We sent a unit.
- We're almost there.
Theo, stay right there.
Okay, Mom.
My son is gone! My son is gone! He's disappeared! We're too late.
They got him.
He was just in front of the house Theo Davis, age five.
He was playing ball on the stoop while his mom brought the groceries inside.
She only turned her back for a moment.
Stellar parenting.
I've done the same thing, Captain.
Don't blame the mom.
So, what exactly happened when her back was turned? Perp jumped out of the yellow cab and grabbed Theo.
The mom didn't get the medallion number or the tag.
No doubt stolen, like the cab from the park, so that's a dead end.
Post a man on the door and take a hard look at the dad.
Carl Davis? Please tell me why.
Experience.
Something doesn't smell right.
Oh, and in case you're not clear, that's an order.
This doesn't make sense.
Why would anyone take our son? We don't know.
But from the surveillance photos we found in the burnt-out taxi, it's clear that he was specifically targeted.
- So, what do we do now? - Wait.
Most ransom calls come within the first 12 hours.
We are monitoring all of your phones.
So, as soon as they make contact, we will know.
Theo doesn't have 12 hours.
My brother needs his insulin.
He has to have his shot by 6:00 p.
m.
If he doesn't, he could go into a diabetic coma.
So you see, you just can't sit here.
We won't, but to find Theo we need to figure out why he was targeted.
Isn't that obvious? For ransom.
But why Theo? I mean, presumably, there are wealthier, more prominent families around.
Can you think of anyone who would want to hurt your family? Of course not.
Why don't you take something? Okay.
We need to gather as much information as quickly as possible, Mr.
Davis.
Could we talk downstairs? Sorry it's so hot in here.
Air conditioner is not working, of course.
I swear, my AC hates me.
It only conks out when I need it.
Okay.
Tell me about Theo.
He is a perfect child.
Always has been.
Even his home-birth was easy.
Oh, wow.
No epidural, no Vicodin drip.
You are a braver woman than me.
Oh.
I've got two soccer players at home.
Theo would sleep with his cleats on if we let him.
Candace played all through high school.
She's on a gap year, so they practice every day.
He idolizes her.
Wow.
Lucky kid.
Playground trips with mom, soccer with his sister.
Is there anyone else who spends alone time with Theo? Other than my husband, no.
Mr.
Davis, what line of work are you in? I own parking garages.
Not exactly high class, but it's decent money.
All in cash? We take cards, but mostly cash.
Hmm.
Any problem employees? Where to begin? Well, somebody who might have a grudge.
Somebody who knew that you could easily put together an all-cash ransom if you needed to.
Lyle Truco.
He managed my spot on 6th Avenue.
I fired him a few weeks back for skimming.
Did you tell the police? No.
Lyle's not the type you want to piss off.
I figured it was cheaper and safer just to eat the loss.
He's a bouncer at a strip club, for God's sake.
Hey, hey! You can't park there.
You're blocking the sign! Move it! Shut your mouth, Pacquiao.
NYPD.
- You're Lyle Truco? - What if I am? Sounds like a yes to me.
Tell us what happened at your last job.
Carl grow a pair and tell you I ripped him off? 'Cause you can't prove a thing.
His son was kidnapped this morning, and this testosterone act, it's making you look guiltier by the second.
Kidnapped? Carl's kid? Jeez.
Where were you at 11:00 a.
m.
this morning? At the gym.
Started at 9:00, did a three-hour session.
My spotter was with me the whole time.
All right.
Well, we're gonna need his name and number.
And that's objectively too much time at the gym.
Look, I'll admit that I was pissed off at Carl, but he had no right to fire me.
So you didn't steal from him? Like I said, he's got no proof.
But if I did line my pockets, it was Carl who taught me how.
You don't believe me, huh? Ask yourself why he didn't have me locked up.
Because I was gonna rat him out to the IRS.
On what grounds? Five years ago, Carl was using the garage as his personal piggy bank.
Skimmed more than 100 grand.
So the father's dirty.
As I suspected.
Maybe.
Skimping cash from his business five years ago doesn't make him complicit in the kidnap.
It would make him a criminal, who as we now know, consorts with other criminals.
He may not be complicit, but he may know more than he's saying.
I subpoenaed his financials.
Max is running an audit.
Did you say Max? The little ginger weirdo who answers the phones.
I sent him to a crash course in forensic accounting.
It's called maximizing precinct resources.
Get an update.
Aye, aye, Interim Captain.
Ooh.
Speaking of.
I don't know how familiar you are with department protocol, but your medical leave didn't guarantee you reassignment to this command.
You've got to be kidding me.
I'm hardly ever kidding.
I have seniority over you, Broderick.
And after four years in the south Bronx, this is very civilized.
You're not leaving? I'd suggest that you start looking for a new precinct.
What the hell is going on in there? Would you like me to find out? Looks like they're getting ready to rumble, very West Side Story.
Except they're both sharks.
Anything on the financials? So I checked vendor invoices against the PNL statement from the 2010 tax return and hit pay dirt.
Ten separate write-offs of $10,000, then a one-time conversion to cash.
English, please.
Lyle Truco was telling the truth.
Carl Davis skimmed $100,000 from the company five years ago.
Interesting.
Right at the time that Theo was born in a bath tub.
Ick.
That's it.
"Ick"? Really? Okay, I need Theo's birth certificate, his medical records, and the Davis' credit card statements.
Why? I just realized what's been bugging me about the mom.
Lay it on me, sister.
Anyone who carries a purse jam-packed with mood-enhancing meds is not the kind of woman who martyrs herself to a home-birth without the possibility of an epidural.
Why make up a story about a home birth? And where does 100 grand fit in? I don't think Theo is their biological son.
I think they bought him on the black market.
What the hell are you talking about? Of course Theo is my son.
Theo's birth wasn't registered for days.
You didn't pay any expenses relating to a home birth.
You didn't go to your own doctor for weeks, before or after his birth.
Theo was adopted illegally.
A simple DNA test will confirm it.
Don't lie to me, Julia.
You know better than anyone that with Theo's medical condition, we can't waste another minute.
We did, but Theo is my son, and that's all there is to it.
No, it could also be the reason behind his abduction.
Tell me everything about his adoption.
When Candace was 11, I was diagnosed with leukemia.
We caught it in time, but the treatment left me infertile.
We wanted a sibling for Candace if something happened to me.
- You tried legitimate adoption? - Of course.
But the agency said being a survivor made me a bad risk as an adoptive parent.
As if bio parents don't die, too.
How did you find Theo? Our adoption coordinator, Pamela King.
And besides her, who else knew? I didn't tell a soul.
No one noticed that you suddenly had a baby without a bump? Pamela gave me a prosthetic pillow.
Okay.
Then you delivered at home with no witnesses.
We know it was wrong.
But when Pamela said we could rescue Theo from a life of poverty and crime, $100,000 is a small price to pay.
Unless you were spoon-fed a sob story.
Theo could have been stolen from parents who are now desperate to get him back.
- You think that's why he was taken? - I'm gonna find out.
I need DNA, hairbrush, tooth brush, a piece of dirty laundry, a used straw.
Reynaldo needs to run a familial DNA screen through CODIS.
I hear and obey.
Where are we with Theo Davis? We are waiting for DNA results.
Did you put Billy and Meredith on the adoption coordinator? They're on her, all right.
- What's wrong? - It's nothing important.
We've established I can tell when you're lying.
Spill.
Santiani likes it here.
And yet here does not like Santini.
- She's not trying to stay.
- She is staying.
That makes no sense.
She has an hour-long commute from Riverdale.
Maybe she's looking to relocate.
No, no.
No chance.
She's a single mom.
And her supposedly genius 9th grader goes to Bronx Science.
I don't know what to tell you.
It's not her call.
Personnel decisions come through 1PP.
Who I just hung up with.
Technically, she can stay here as long as she wants.
Permanently.
Screw "technically"! That little runt needs to dropkicked right back to the Bronx.
You were shot in the line of duty.
No, I was shot in the back.
Ha.
We've been trying since the wedding.
It didn't happen.
We even tried IVF.
Dropped a bundle on that, not to mention the needles.
He has a phobia.
It's sorta cute.
But we're ready now.
Got the names all picked out and everything.
Mmm-hmm.
All we need is a baby.
As you know, it's a process.
Um, I've reviewed your preliminary application.
I noticed that you left a few fields blank.
Specifically, your criminal history.
Right.
Um Okay.
I did 18 months for grand theft auto.
I was 17 years old, took the principal's Beemer out for a joy ride, but I'm working on getting it expunged.
- It should be off - I am sorry.
But until that happens, we can't approve you.
You said this was going to be okay.
- You said that we could have our baby.
- Okay.
Miss, there's got to be something you can do.
I wish I could help, but my hands are tied.
Right.
Okay.
Thank you.
Let's go, baby.
Come on, come on.
Okay.
There are alternatives to traditional adoption.
But they're expensive.
Name your price.
Between $75,000 and $100,000, depending on the child's circumstances.
And you can make this happen? Baby, that's a lot of money.
You said you'd do anything.
We'll pay.
I have just the right child for you.
Julia and Carl Davis.
Where'd you find "just the right child" for them? 610, last known address.
Oh, Maxi pad! Bio mom is Gail Walker.
All I have is date of delivery and address from five years ago.
So kinda skimpy on the deets.
Well, that's where you come in, skimpy.
We need full background, stat, but most of all we need current whereabouts.
On it.
Scored a lead on bio mom.
Imagine that, I scored the lead on the bio dad.
Reynaldo got a DNA match? Gregory Adams.
Three-time violent offender.
involved in the kidnapping.
- He died in a knife fight three years ago at Dannemora.
- Oh, damn.
Look, I know you all have questions But we will be having a briefing later today.
Okay? Thank you.
Last known address on bio mom.
Nice work.
What I do.
Let's go through here or we'll be caught in this cluster.
Diamond, Broderick.
Come.
I need you to get over to the Davis house right away.
There's been a development? No, I am going to have them make a public statement.
Play up the medical angle with the boy.
Might shame the kidnappers into speeding things along.
So go pick 'em up.
Wait, wait.
You want us to play chauffeur? I want you to transport the family back to the precinct.
During which time you will prepare them for the appearance.
Remind them to stay calm, repeat the boy's name.
Yes, we We know the drill.
This isn't our first kidnapping, which is why Jake and I should be working active leads.
We just landed the name and address of the bio mom.
Theo might be there.
Good.
I will send Soto and Bose.
You two have the relationship with the parents.
Go do your job.
Mother Bio mom.
Gail Walker.
Can't tell ya how many busts I made in this place when I was coming up.
This place is gang land big time.
Maybe why Gail didn't want to raise her baby.
Yeah, but why snatch him now? She finally got her life back together.
Maybe she's tracked him down.
No way to know until we talk to her.
- You ate enough, you little pig! - Leave me alone! - Theo? - NYPD.
Don't move.
Step away from the child.
Theo? - Give me that.
- Theo? - It's not him.
- No? - Damn it.
- It's all right, it's gonna be okay.
We're the good guys.
Have a seat.
You know, I should use that belt on you.
You're beating up on your kid? I didn't beat no one, and she's not my kid.
- I'm the babysitter.
- Yeah, not for long.
You're going to jail for assaulting that little girl.
- Now, where's Gail Walker? - Dead.
When? How? Couple of years back.
Diabetes.
- You her mother? - I look old enough to be her mother? - Definitely.
- I'm her sister.
- What do you know about her baby? - Nothing.
Gail put him up for adoption the day he was born.
She wanted her boy to have a better life, the uppity bitch.
Well, if she saved him from you, I'd call her a good mother.
Let's go.
Come on.
Copy that.
Will meet you back.
So, no living dad or mom.
Oh, God, I don't like this.
Back to square one and only four hours before Theo needs his next insulin injection.
If we blow this deadline Leg bothering you? Ah, it was just some uneven pavement.
De Blasio better fix these sidewalks.
Hey.
Sure you're 100%? Yeah, 110%.
Diamond and Broderick.
Second squad.
They're still in there? Yeah, they're still inside.
Just got a pizza delivered.
Yeah? You check out the delivery guy? I know the guy.
He's from Vito's Neapolitan over on 12th.
Delivers to my desk sergeant every day.
- Neapolitan? - Are you ever not hungry? Oh, shut up.
No, the mom said that they're gluten free.
Why would they order a dough-laden pizza? They wouldn't.
Kidnappers made contact.
NYPD! Open up! NYPD! Open up, now! NYPD! Open up! Candace.
Sorry it took me so long.
I was just, uh, getting ready for yoga.
Your parents gonna let you out of their sight with your brother missing? I don't think so.
Mom, Dad, it's the cops! What can we do for you, detectives? - You got a ransom demand, didn't you? - No.
Where is the note? I don't know what you're talking about.
We do not have time for games.
Show me the note.
No.
No.
They said no police.
They're gonna kill Theo.
"75 grand or he dies tonight!" All right, listen up, people.
Idiot pizza guy is a dead end.
We've established that the ransom note was placed in the box along his route and without his knowledge.
Moving on.
The lab results confirm that the DNA extracted from the hair on the note is a match to Theo Davis.
And since proof of life is genuine, we have to assume that the threat is as well.
Now, the Davis family has the cash ready to go, and as per the kidnapper's demand, Mom will carry it to the South Street Seaport.
The takers only gave them three hours to assemble the money? It's pretty tight.
Means they likely knew the Davises kept that kind of cash in the house.
Yeah, they have to know the family.
We need to look harder.
Uh-uh.
The moment for solving this case via shoe leather has passed, Detective.
Oh, um, I'm "Detective.
" He's "Captain.
" Just The note states that once the kidnappers retrieve the money, they will reveal the location of the boy.
We're just gonna trust them? No.
We will have the area on lockdown.
We'll have plainclothes, aviation, harbor.
We'll have eyes everywhere.
All units confirm your status on my call sign.
- Alpha one.
- Alpha one's a go.
- Alpha two? - Alpha two, we're wheels up.
Alpha three, any movement? Alpha three, I've got the eyeball.
She's almost at the drop.
All right, stay alert, people.
Entering your airspace.
I'm right on top of you.
Alpha One, incoming possible Black Suzuki, unidentified driver.
All units report in.
Alpha two, tracking it now.
Alpha three, bike approaching drop zone.
- Wait! - Hell, no.
- Let it go, bitch! - No.
Listen to me.
There are syringes in here.
- Drop it now! - You have to inject him! Alpha three, status report.
Alpha three, she's blowing the play.
I'm going in.
Negative.
Hold your position, alpha three.
- Let her do her thing, Captain.
- Damn it.
- Hi.
- Who the hell are you? Just a friend.
Theo is going to be okay.
They're going to give him the shot.
- Swear it.
- Screw this.
- Promise now.
- Okay! Give me the damn money! Let go of the bag, Julia.
Now tell us where Theo is.
Wait for the call.
No.
You tell me where my son is! No.
This is blown.
All units roll in.
- No, wait! - Alpha one.
All teams move in, do not let that bike get away! No! Shut up and listen! Excel Cable does not service this area! The boy is in the van! - Get off the bike.
Get your hands in the air.
- Freeze! No, he's in the van! Damn it! - You jumped the gun.
- Excuse me? The whole damn point was to let the money and the medicine go.
I jumped the gun? You inserted yourself in the drop, Detective.
You compromised the operation.
I got Julia Davis to drop the bag.
We were He was in a van, right across the median! Then we will get him soon enough.
There's no soon enough.
He's overdue on his insulin.
His mother can give Theo the shot in a matter of minutes.
Aviation is tracking the van.
Alpha two, report.
I need location on the van.
Bad news, we lost it.
- Oh, damn it.
- Repeat? The van drove into the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel and never came out.
Patrol's checking now.
Patrol went into the tunnel.
They found vinyl auto skins on the road way.
They pulled a fast one on us.
Oh, so now Theo Davis is in a van that could be any color, any logo.
He's in the wind without his meds, the takers don't have their money You just signed his death warrant.
Put the bag man in the box and get him talking.
I don't appreciate your tone.
You want to know what I don't appreciate? We really don't.
I haven't seen sucker Santiani since she left my squad in the Bronx.
Enjoy.
We'll try.
Hey, buddy.
I can understand evil Santiani, scary Santiani, but why sucker Santiani? She's supposed to get bumped up to Deputy Inspector.
She picks out her new office, plans herself a party, gets loaded, tells half the precinct what she really thinks of 'em.
Then the promotion falls through.
Epic.
Ouch.
That's why.
Why she's so unbearable? That's why she's willing to drive an hour to work.
She was humiliated.
There's no one in our precinct who knows what happened to her.
- But if they did - You wouldn't.
- Not me, you.
- Excuse me? That's how you get your job back.
By embarrassing her again? No, that would be cruel.
Just let her think that's the plan, she'll fold.
That's pretty hardball.
Jake, this isn't just about your resume.
This precinct needs you here.
Donovan Breva.
Grand theft auto, burglary, aggravated assault, and now we can add kidnapping and vehicular homicide.
Detective, if I may, my client knows nothing about a vehicular homicide.
And as for the alleged kidnapping, my client is a mere cog in the machine.
Counselor, if I may, you can blow it out your ass.
Your client was the sole participant in the ransom pickup.
He acknowledged awareness of the kidnapping to both the victim's mother and an NYPD detective, and on top of that his participation in this crime makes him subject to a felony murder charge for the hit and run.
Now, Donovan, if you want this story to end in any other way than life without parole, you better start talking.
I need to know where Theo Davis is and who your co-conspirators are.
What kind of deal are we talking about? There is no deal, not until we know what he's prepared to give up.
That's not how it's gonna work.
You have a missing child out there.
It appears my client is in the driver's seat.
Come back with a deal.
The co-conspirator is most likely Donovan's brother, Steven Breva.
Has the same record as Donovan, they almost always got arrested together.
My money says Steven was driving the van.
Right, get an APB out.
Or am I jumping the gun again? Already out, Captain.
We issued warrants on Donovan's apartment and workplace.
It's a shop that makes, wait for it, vehicle skins.
That explains the cable van.
No sign of the boy.
Well, now that we have Donovan, his brother is not going to risk hiding anywhere that we have on record.
They're gonna go off the grid.
But if we figure out the connection between Theo's family and the Breva brothers, we may get somewhere.
We could talk about this all day, or we could start a deal.
I recommend we reduce Breva to accessory across the board and cap his incarceration at five years.
- Do you, now? - Mmm-hmm.
What message is a slap on the wrist to potential kidnappers out there? Five years is hardly a slap on the wrist.
And if it gets Theo home and gets a full-term conviction from the brother, it's all worth it.
- I don't like it.
- Well, what do you like, Captain? Because in the last five months the only thing I've seen you take a liking to is a stick firmly wedged up your ass.
Don't berate me, Detective.
I am your superior, not your child.
I would never berate my child.
We'll call the DA.
Six years, make the offer.
It is your lucky day, Mr.
Breva.
We are prepared to reduce charges and guarantee a prison term of no longer than six years if you provide information that leads to the apprehension of the kidnappers and the safe return of Theo Davis.
- I want full immunity.
- Donovan, this is Ah-ah-ah, I got this.
How big of an idiot are you, Donovan? You think there is a DA in this country who is gonna give you a free pass for kidnapping and murder? I don't know.
Maybe.
Kid comes back okay, who cares about some dead junkie? - Oh, my God.
- What? I'm sorry.
How did you know the hit and run victim was a junkie? Good boy.
What else could he be? Hanging around a sketchy park.
I'm not buying it, Donovan.
You know what I think? I think you knew him.
- The hell I did.
- Stop talking.
We assumed the hit and run was collateral damage for the botched kidnapping.
That Ronnie Belasco was just an innocent bystander.
Wrong place, wrong time, but maybe Ronnie was part of the plot.
This is just conjecture.
Suppose they did know each other.
Why would anyone run down a co-conspirator? Because he changed his mind.
- Who? Ronald Belasco? - Exactly.
He got in over his head with the kidnapping plot.
His girlfriend said Ronnie was really excited about becoming a father.
Maybe he realized he couldn't do that to a child.
Then why go to the park at all? To warn the family.
Julia said he was lurking.
Maybe he was steeling himself, getting up the guts to approach her.
When the taxi came plowing onto the side walk, Ronnie did the best he could.
He screamed to Theo to run.
The kidnappers knew Ronnie had turned on them, so they took him out.
But it was too late.
Theo was safe.
So they took off.
And then, with Ronnie out of the way, they tried again.
And this time, succeeded.
Okay.
So, maybe the reason we hit a wall trying to make a connection between Theo Davis' family and Donovan Breva is Donovan isn't the connection, Ronnie is.
Exactly, but Theo's mom didn't know Ronnie.
So how does a barely employed ex-con, ex-junkie connect to her family? I think I might know.
Tell Jake not to make a deal.
Just a sec, I'll get my parents.
Actually, I'm here to see you.
Oh.
Why? Again with the long sleeves.
My kids have been in shorts and T-shirts since spring break.
I'm always cold.
Even with a broken air conditioner? Or do you not want people to see the track marks on your arms? Can I help you, Detective? It really would have been helpful to know that in this family, "gap year" is code for "rehab.
" Show me your arms, now.
Candace's problem is a private, personal matter.
What could this possibly have to do with Theo? Everything.
Recognize him? No.
Are you sure? Because according to social services, the two of you got clean together at the same methadone clinic.
Ronald Belasco, AKA the guy who was killed in front of your mother and brother.
I never even knew his name.
Well, he knew yours.
And I'm guessing he knew all about your family.
Tell me this isn't true.
No, he looked different.
He was skinny, he had straggly hair and a beard.
And then he got clean, and engaged.
Did you tell him about your family's financials? Did you tell him that your parents had money? - Oh, God.
- Candace? Oh, my God.
No, no.
We had group therapy together, and we were supposed to share.
I was a mess, okay? I said a lot of things.
I'm sorry, Mom.
Okay, okay.
Candace, Candace.
Hey, hey, hey.
Listen to me.
Ronald Belasco's fiance knows next to nothing about his time in rehab, but you do.
Maybe you can help.
Anything.
Just tell me what to do.
What did he share in group? Did he talk about the people he got high with, where he got high, where he hid his stash? We're looking for a hideout, a place where they could be holding Theo.
The army place in Brooklyn.
The armory? Yeah, that was his party spot.
Um, he had some kind of a shelter thing there.
A fallout shelter? Yeah, I think.
It was closed down, but he said that he He knew how to get stuff.
NYPD! Go! Go! Move! Move! Move! Move out! Move out! Move out! I got him! I got him! Theo Davis, where is he? - Over there.
- Face down! Yeah, yeah.
There you go, there you go.
Hey, hey, hey.
Yeah, you're gonna be okay.
You're gonna be okay, buddy.
There you go, buddy.
You're gonna be just fine.
Robots or dinosaurs? Dinosaurs.
Baseball or basketball? Soccer.
I knew that! Ah.
I think you have some visitors.
Theo! Mommy! Oh, my sweet boy.
My baby boy.
- Oh.
- Daddy.
What now? Pick up where they left off.
You are conveniently forgetting one important detail.
Theo is not their son.
Of course he is.
His bio parents are dead, his bio aunt is in Rikers.
We are not going to rip that boy from the only parents he's ever known.
So we just walk away from the crime that is staring us in the face.
All I am staring at is a family who loves each other.
And if that's a crime, I'm fine with walking away.
Besides, we got the sleazy adoption broker.
All the real criminals are going to prison.
Softy.
Shut up.
- Got a minute? - I Aren't you gonna come in, or just hover? Good result in the case.
Mmm-hmm.
Better than if we had cut that deal to let Donovan Breva off the hook.
Well, nobody intended to let him off the hook, and turns out the brother was the driver of the hit and run.
Well, now they'll both have many years in prison together.
Like I said, good result.
Mmm-hmm.
If this is just a chit-chat, I do have work to do.
And, while I appreciate your helping out this week, it's probably best that you coordinate with 1PP to secure your next post.
Actually, there's been a new development.
It seems some probative information has come to my attention.
And that would be? I spoke to 1PP, and you were right.
As a first-year captain, I have no control over my precinct assignment.
I don't make the rules.
On the other hand, as Senior Detective, I'm in absolute control of my assignment.
I don't follow.
I didn't ask to be promoted.
It fell in my lap, and while I was happy to serve, I don't need to be Captain.
If that means leaving this precinct, leaving these people, then I don't want to be Captain.
Let me get this straight.
You intend to take a voluntary demotion in order to keep working here? I don't intend to.
I did.
Oh, and I'm gonna need Elvis.
Three across, "Stiff crate.
" Starts with "H".
- "Hat box"? - "Hearse.
" Genius.
How'd it go? How'd what go? Gangbusters.
My way wou havbeen much more satisfng.
I couldn't go there.
- Softy.
- Shut up.
No, really, how did what go? I would've thought you would've wanted me out of your hair by now.
Someone's got to keep an eye on you.
Um, 5 down, eight letters.
"Joltin'" DiMaggio.
Starting to be not so fun.