Power Book II: Ghost (2020) s02e05 Episode Script
Coming Home to Roost
1
Previously on Ghost
- Yas, what's up?
- When are you coming
- to get me?
- Soon.
I promise.
We just gotta be strong together no matter what, okay? Find out who killed that professor.
That's how we get Zeke out from under all this.
You want me to wear a wire? If you do, I promise I can get them to drop any criminal investigation into you.
Yeah, okay.
This is a new Rollie? Um yeah.
I'll be right back, okay? I hired that attorney we talked about.
Who? The white dude? Yeah, Saxe.
Look, he don't know it yet he's gonna help me get you outta here.
Davis MacLean needs a million dollars by tomorrow to pay for Zeke's defense.
Absolutely fucking not.
I know you paid Davis the million dollars today.
What am I 'posed to tell my husband about another man paying my nephew's million-dollar bill? Maybe tell him I did what I needed to do to protect our son.
Go get Ramirez' body.
What if it backs up on me, Ma? You made your choice, Cane.
It is what it is.
You help me with this shit, you'll level up in no time.
What I got to do? I'll see your bitch ass tomorrow, B.
And tell Tariq I be seeing him too.
The police theory is that you paid Detective Ramirez to kill Jabari Reynolds.
This is some bullshit.
Get out of my face with that.
Fuck, Zeke.
Do you think Zeke actually did it? Look, I know he didn't do it, a'ight? - How do you know? - I gotta go.
This is the DA's office.
They want Zeke to turn himself in.
What? Zeke, don't talk to anyone on the inside.
Inmates will try and rat you out to save their own ass, okay? Just shut up and blend in.
We'll go in the back, avoid the press.
Zeke, every moment you're in there, know I'm doing everything in my power to get you out, okay? I don't think you have much control over this, Monet.
It's too late for all that.
Yo, I gotta go.
I'ma see you in class.
Wait.
Hold on, just a second.
I'm almost done.
Good morning.
My client is here to voluntarily turn himself in.
Detective Whitman is expecting us.
Who's your client Where's he going? I thought they was expecting us.
Jenny, what are you doing here so bright and early? Didn't think the ADA needed to come out for a routine arrest, especially when my client is innocent.
Yes, well, that's why I'm here.
We won't be needing Mr.
Cross to turn himself in anymore, as it turns out.
Oh, well, one more time, Jenny, slowly? - I'm free to go? - You are free to go, Mr.
Cross.
Then I think my client deserves some answers at least.
- What changed since last night? - Zeke is no longer a suspect.
There's been some new developments.
We won't be holding Mr.
Cross at this time.
I'm sure your client doesn't wanna be in this precinct any longer than he has to be.
Well, you heard her.
Let's go.
I expect a full press briefing to clear my client today.
I'll see what I can do.
Let me walk you out.
See, I told you it was nothing to worry about.
I knew they was gonna find you innocent all along.
Don't change that I'm radioactive after that interview.
I might be free, but I'm still fucked.
Who's gonna wanna draft me now? Look, let me give you a ride back to school.
Once this gets out and the teams find out that you're cleared, you'll be back in the conversations.
I'm sure of that.
You cut me off back there.
That was to keep you from telling that kid something he could take back to his accomplice.
You're like a fucking broken record.
How long is he gon' be your suspect? Ramirez and Reynolds both were killed with the same gun.
Ramirez's gun.
If Zeke was gonna commit a crime, why would he give you Ramirez's PBA card? He gave you the connection.
But it was still a connection.
The body that exonerates Cross just mysteriously shows up the day after he shits his pants on national TV.
You don't find that fucking fishy? No, 'cause Zeke is not our only lead.
I've been reading Jabari Reynolds' novel.
- His fucking novel? - Yes.
- C'mon.
- A few of the locations in the book matches up to some of the Stansfield landmarks.
- So what? - Listen! Are you gonna let me speak? 'Cause I do my job well.
Go ahead.
Reynolds' first novel it was inspired by actual events.
His new book is about some serious drug activity that takes place on a campus that more than resembles Stansfield.
What if he got himself into somethin' that's not so fictional? Yo, what's up with you? You good? Yeah, just a a little hung over.
But we gotta talk later though.
Heard about some dorm sweeps for drugs.
Some of our customers got pulled in.
Tariq, did you hear me? Some of our customers got pulled in by the cops.
Yeah, um like you said, we'll talk about that shit later.
Right now we need to focus on clearing everything outta here and put everything on the roof for now, okay? Hey, yo, um, Cane he come around here asking for me or looking for me or anything like that? No, why? What's going on? Any of the Tejadas come around asking where I am or anything like that, you don't know shit, okay? Okay, yeah.
I-is everything good? I'ma figure out.
Just stay away from Cane and text me if any of them come over here.
Mrs.
Tejada, I was actually gonna call you.
I've been making real headway.
Bitch, that's not why I called.
The cops know Zeke didn't do it, so whatever you doin', stop right now it's done.
Did they find a new suspect? That's not your problem or mine.
They let him go.
That's all the fuck that matters.
You know, you're the reason why he's in this shit in the first place.
I don't ever wanna see your face again.
I don't wanna hear your name.
You stay the fuck away from Zeke.
You stay away from me.
You keep your job.
You don't know me, I don't know you, and you don't know Zeke got it? Yes.
I-I understand.
Detectives, what are you doing here? We could use your help.
I think I've helped enough.
We don't have a right to ask, but if you'd be willing to help us at this time I don't think so.
You said it to me you were law enforcement.
You took a oath.
Don't you wanna know who killed Professor Reynolds? We have the manuscript he was workin' on.
All Whitman and I are asking for you to do is read it.
Why did you wanna meet here? Because I don't trust myself around you and those hotel rooms of yours.
And I need to talk to you about Zeke.
I thought you turned him in this morning.
We went to the precinct.
They told us they have some recent developments, and they didn't want Zeke anymore.
So I took him back to school.
Did you have anything to do with these recent developments, Monet? I handled the situation without your money.
We don't need to fight together anymore, Dante.
There's nothing to fight.
Ha.
Wait a minute.
I'm pretty sure I was the solution for a hot second.
Please don't make me out to be the problem.
Look, it's not you.
It's me.
I been making some really big mistakes lately like leaving our son down at the precinct while I'm off playing princess with you.
- Hmm.
- I gotta get back to reality and face my responsibilities and stop all this fairytale bullshit.
Okay.
But go back for how long.
and I'm sorry, but to what reality? I mean, your husband may be inside, but you are clearly still in the life.
Those clothes you got on didn't come from the bar - that we're standing in.
- I got a plan to get out, and it won't take long.
I am trying to give you a choice, Monet.
You didn't have one when you left Zeke or when your husband went in, but what if you could decide what you want? These aren't filed yet.
I could set up your kids with trust funds.
All your kids, not just Zeke.
And maybe then you could choose the life you want.
Choose the man you want instead of spending the life you have running around trying to keep your world from falling apart.
Because that is not a life.
That is a ticking time bomb.
All you gotta do is sign.
Look, I don't need a redo, Dante.
I know how to make my own decisions, and I'm not 16.
I know you're not 16 anymore.
Neither am I.
This stop.
This is too much.
This is too much.
You're too much right now.
Just go, please.
You know, you almost lost Zeke this time, Nae-Nae.
How much do you wanna lose before you make a better choice? You know, I'm not leaving New York until you leave with me.
I know you think you got this, but you can't handle this by yourself.
Fuck.
Okay, what the hell happened to you this morning? You just disappeared.
I know.
I'm sorry.
I I forgot I had to make an appointment.
I need to get an apartment so I can get my sister.
There's a hearing tomorrow.
Tomorrow? Okay, that's really fast.
Do you need help? No, It's fine.
You don't have to.
I know.
I want to.
A'ight.
Thank you.
All right! Karma? Uh, that wasn't in last night's reading.
I know.
I thought I'd keep everyone on their toes.
But isn't this - more theological than ethical? - Perhaps.
Who can define karma for me? Karma's the belief in certain Indian religions that our actions, good or bad, can affect our future lives.
And why would that be important in ethical discourse? Tariq, enlighten us.
Well, it provides, you know, incentive for moral action.
Karma is the law of cause and effect.
Exactly.
You know, I was just thinking - how interesting - I think you can dig deeper, Tariq.
Karma's basically if you do dirt, then you get it right back.
- Yeah, and then - Please.
I am interested in Tariq's perspective.
Professor, I'm not sure what you're looking for.
And neither do I, Professor Milgram.
What's Karma means you cannot escape your sins no matter how fast or far you may run.
They'll always catch up to you.
Don't you agree, Tariq? Seems like Professor Milgram had a point to prove with you today.
Yeah, I don't know what that was about.
That shit was weird.
You wanna go back to your spot and grab your stuff? I can grab my car.
Nah, it's-it's fine.
We can go straight there.
Wait.
Isn't that Zeke? I'm surprised he didn't get arrested after that interview.
- Yeah, you know - Tariq.
Come here.
I was looking for you.
- Who's that? - That's Zeke's aunt.
She probably here to talk to me about his tutoring and shit now that he's back.
I gotta go, all right? Wait, what about the apartment? It's fine.
I'ma call you later.
Let's take a drive.
What was the first thing I said to you when we got into business together? That this doesn't touch Zeke.
I'm glad you remember.
So you wanna tell me why, of all people, I had to hear from Cane that you was the one that shot the professor they was looking at Zeke for? - See, look it's not like that.
- Really? Tell me what it's like, Tariq.
Look, I don't know what Cane told you, but that Professor Reynolds nigga, he knew way too much.
He figured out all this shit about GTG once that nigga died in the pool.
Cane heard him say Dru's name, lost it and shot him.
I just cleaned up the mess.
I asked you right to your face did you know anything about that murder, and you lied to me.
You and Cane was gonna let Zeke hang for that shit.
No, I wasn't lettin' Zeke hang for nothin'.
I was the one that got Davis MacLean involved with this shit.
Yeah, you can say whatever you want now, but how I'ma know if you lyin' again? Look, Monet, my plan was supposed to work, 'kay? Ramirez was supposed to take the fall for that shit.
I didn't know about Zeke and my professor.
I had no idea the police would even look into Zeke.
If they ain't let Zeke go, you'd be looking at a bullet right now.
I should still shoot your ass for wasting my time.
But we need each other.
So if we gonna get past this, I'ma need you to earn my respect back right now.
I'll do anything.
I need you to find out who Cane's connect is.
Get me a name, and I'll let this go.
And if Cane finds out what you doing, I'ma know you two were up to some shit and the gun won't stay on my lap next time.
You feel me? Now, find your way back.
The book is about Tariq St.
Patrick.
It's a one-to-one.
Listen, if it's a one-to-one, doesn't that make Zeke the main character? I mean, he's the one fucking the professor in the book.
No.
Jabari thought I was sleeping with Tariq.
Jabari's drug dealer character is Tariq I'm sure of it.
St.
Patrick's father was rumored to be - a major player in the game.
- Look, the details of the book they don't match.
All the interviews of the other kids who got picked up in the sting they all said the campus dealer was white.
Well, what if he was working with his roommate, Brayden? Brayden Weston? Why would that kid need to sell drugs? And even if this St.
Patrick is selling drugs, why would he kill Reynolds? He doesn't have motive like some other students might have.
Well, if Jabari got close to proving it was Tariq, maybe Tariq found out, wanted to shut him up.
No, then not only would we have to connect St.
Patrick to the drugs, we'd have to prove he knew about the book.
You got any evidence for that? Isn't that your job? Gotta get somethin' on the wire.
The wire is key.
That's how we connect this kid to the operation.
That's if it turns up something solid.
Tariq admitted everything you said today, but I can't just shut my business down without a plan.
Wait, so you ain't gon' do shit to him? I shoulda got rid of both of your asses for what you did, but I'm giving you a chance for comin' clean and because y'all connect.
So if I'ma keep you around, you gotta prove to me that this'll never happen again.
Tariq or no Tariq, I need to trust you.
You can trust me, Ma.
Good.
I need to find out Tariq's weaknesses.
He lied to me because he's comfortable.
He's not afraid.
I need to know what will hurt him.
If I can control him, this type a shit'll never happen again.
Can I trust you to find out? I got you.
Good.
Lauren, I was just about to email you.
Look, Professor Milgram.
I don't think I can wear this wire anymore.
I don't think that's possible at this point.
What? Lauren, I'm gonna tell you something that I shouldn't, and it stays in this room, okay? Okay.
Some of the other students from the sting identified a preppy white kid as the drug supplier.
The cops think it's Brayden Weston.
Wait, Brayden? Okay, so then what about - Tariq? - Tariq? They don't think Tariq was involved.
Okay, well, you said these drugs were tied up into Professor Reynolds' murder.
So you think Braden got him killed? Well, maybe not intentionally.
Jabari was looking into the drugs operation for his new book.
If Brayden found out, maybe he told the wrong person.
I mean That's crazy.
Brayden seems harmless.
I have to tell Tariq to stay away from him.
I don't want him to get in trouble.
- No.
- Yes, I have to.
If you do that and he tells Brayden, you would be in a lot of trouble, and Tariq would be your accomplice.
You can protect Tariq by getting more info on Brayden and everything he knows onto the wire.
If the police find out what Brayden thought Jabari knew, it will really help them figure out what happened.
- I don't know.
- Lauren, the faster you do this, the faster you lose the wire, and you and Tariq will be free and clear.
It's up to you.
I know you'll make the right choice.
Hey, you might wanna give it a minute, my guy.
Bro, you gotta stop showing up like that.
Listen, man, you ain't been answering my texts.
So I figured I'd just pull up on you, see where you been at myself.
You ain't been gettin' nervous about last night, have you? No, I just had class.
I'm cool.
Good, good.
Tariq still ain't hit me back yet.
I'm gettin' real tired of coming to this campus lookin' for him.
Where's he at? Honestly, I have no idea.
I haven't talked to him since yesterday.
Maybe with his girl? Huh.
Lauren, funny seeing you here.
Your room's just down the hall now.
- Is Tariq here? - He, uh Tariq's pretty popular.
How you doin', light skin? Who's your friend, Brayden? I'm Lorenzo.
Why, you lookin' for a new friend? No, I'm not.
And how do you know Tariq? I don't, but he knows my cousin Z.
Oh, yeah, I just saw Tariq talking with Zeke's aunt.
That's your mom? Yeah.
You know where they went? No, I don't, I'm sorry.
But he should be back soon 'cause we're supposed to be looking for apartments so Oh, he's looking for an apartment.
- He's moving.
- Hey, Lorenzo, um you know, I was gonna go to lunch, maybe grab a burger.
It's on me.
I'm paying, and then if we see Tariq, we'll just let you know.
No, how 'bout you just give me your digits, and I call you if I see the nigga? Thanks, Brayden.
Of course.
What the fuck? Mr.
St.
Patrick.
What brings you here? My sister's custody hearing is tomorrow.
Estelle pushed forward, and I need you to represent me.
I can pay.
I can't do that.
I can't do that.
I filed that complaint with the court on Yasmine's behalf because your grandmother was misusing funds, but I'm an impartial party.
My sole job is to represent your father's estate.
Okay, so isn't making sure his daughter's safe part of that interest? If my dad asked you to take care of his kids, isn't this part of it? Yes, but Tariq, you are too young to be someone's guardian.
Look, I just wanna take care of my sister, all right? You know how much she's been through? This is the only way.
All right, I'll represent you, but solely on the basis of your grandmother's misapplication of funds.
Besides that, I'm not stepping over any lines.
So if you can completely fulfill all the requirements for custody by tomorrow, I'll give my positive recommendation to the court.
All right.
Tomorrow 3:00 p.
m.
I'll be there.
You make sure you're on time, young man.
I will.
3:00 p.
m.
Look set it up like you said, but she already knew what was goin' down.
Hell, I thought she'd give me some kind of leeway for coming clean, but Tch.
Hey, it's me.
Talk to me, fam.
I don't know, man.
She just ain't take all that anger out on Tariq like I thought she would.
Now I gotta prove myself? I just don't understand why she ain't come down - on this nigga like she did me.
- Right.
So that thing your cousin almost went down for, that was that was you and Tariq did that? Whoa, nah, hey.
I ain't say all that.
You don't have to, Cane? You're not the type of guy to go down for somebody else.
So if you were planning on running to save Zeke, that means you did it.
Now, I don't know, it seems to me like Monet's trying to figure out what she wants to do.
Right now she can't do shit, because you are her plug.
That makes you indispensable.
Without you, her whole business falls apart, man.
Yeah, but shit don't work without Tariq either.
I don't know about that.
Anybody can find corner boys, Cane.
But without supply, nobody is gettin' high.
So if she's givin' you a chance to show and prove, be the right option give her no choice.
Do not I repeat do not let her pick Tariq.
Even if you have to force her hand, hmm? I'm happy for Zeke.
I'm not sayin' that.
But now that he's back, I'm back down number two on the team and-and maybe second round for NBA scouts.
I didn't know you even wanted to go into the draft this year.
I was thinking about it.
So you leavin' New York? I mean, now I got reasons to stay, hmm? Baby, I'm comfortable I'm comfortable Tell me what you want Yo, Ev, open up.
I want it too, I want it too Answer it.
Yo, how you like me now? Oh, switched it up with the hair I see, man.
Yeah, I'm switching up everything now that I'm a free man and teams calling me again.
Dru, what you doin' here? I ain't seen you since they let me go.
And Monet brought you right back to school, huh? Yeah, cuz.
what the fuck is going on with your hair, man? Look, Freaky Zeke back, huh? Nah, nah, nah.
No freaky Zeke.
Not anymore.
You know, this whole murder case thing, it really got my head on straight.
I'ma be about my business now on my own shit.
You know what I mean? Do what I wanna do, not what everybody tell me, even Aunty Monet.
I feel you.
- I feel that.
- Yeah.
You good though, Zeke? I ain't never been better.
You know, they just said I ain't have to go in, somethin' about no evidence, and I bounced.
- Ooh, congrats, man.
- Thank you.
You know who they looking at now? Nah, uh, I don't.
I and honestly, I don't care.
All I know is I get to get back out there, play with the fellas, and I could hit that draft.
You know, get into the league.
How y'all know each other? Oh, shit.
We met at the club.
Y-you know, the night we all wanna forget? Oh, yo, yo, don't even bring that shit up.
Hey, I'ma go show my new look to the ladies.
- Ah.
- Good to see you, cuzo.
- You too.
- Ev.
- Hey, my man.
- My man.
See you later.
Whoo! You lie real easy.
You want me to tell him the truth? I didn't think so.
Now, c'mon.
Playin' or what? A'ight, I'm here.
What's so urgent? Di, I need you to do me a favor, all right? I need to get some product without Monet knowing.
Why? It's hard to explain right now, okay, Di? Just just trust me, okay? I said why, Tariq? Zeke is home, Monet won't explain how, and now you hit me up trying to go around her? Nah, what's going on? A'ight, look, I need to get money to get my sister out of foster care.
I got a family court hearing tomorrow.
My grandmother got a DWI, so my sister can't stay with her anymore.
Damn.
A'ight, so what are you gonna do? I mean, only thing I can do is try to get custody of her myself.
I gotta pay for a lawyer, and I got to put a deposit on this fucking apartment, so it's a lot.
And Monet, she shut down CourseCorrect 'cause she don't trust me, so I don't know what the fuck to do.
I mean, I would ask Cane, but I don't trust that nigga either.
So I need you to ask him for me.
Okay.
I'll help you on one condition.
Anything.
Talk to me.
Tariq, I don't trust Cane right now either.
So I need to find out what he's doing.
Look, we already know Cane killed Ramirez.
So Ramirez's gun showing up at the professor's murder scene while Zeke is under suspicion? I don't know, but that shit don't sit right with me.
Yeah, I-I feel you for sure.
Yeah, but even before that, I was pretty sure Cane switched the coke with sugar when Effie and Brayden got jumped at Yale.
You know, that actually makes a lot of fucking sense, because he's the plug now.
Exactly.
Look, if you find anything out about Cane, I need you to tell me, a'ight? Anything.
I got you.
Don't even worry about it.
A'ight.
Tariq is hiding his business from Monet? For what? Listen, I'm not doing shit until I know.
He needs money for his sister.
Cane, he's got a custody hearing tomorrow, and he needs money to pay a lawyer and to get a place to stay.
So? Sounds like a him problem.
It might be, but I might make it a you problem if I tell Monet you're the one who sugared the coke.
You know, when you wanted back in with the family.
Why the fuck would you say all that? Why wouldn't I? You acting just like Monet, thinking you know shit, puttin' niggas under pressure with fake news.
Fake news? A'ight.
Well, how about I tell Monet myself and let her decide if you did it or not.
Okay, damn, I'll handle it.
Uh what? - I'll do it.
- Right.
By tonight, Cane.
I'll handle it.
Just make sure he comes to get the product himself.
All right.
Who's your friend, Brayden? My name's Lorenzo.
Why, you looking for a new friend? Who's this other guy, Lorenzo? I thought he was gonna be involved with the drugs, but I was wrong he's just the cousin of Zeke Cross.
Cross's cousin knows this Brayden kid? He wasn't there for Brayden.
He was there for Brayden's roommate, Tariq St.
Patrick.
Tariq tutors Zeke.
Wait a second.
Where's the rest of the tape? They went out, so I left.
Excuse me.
Lauren, you may need to be a little more aggressive.
Reason being we're gonna upgrade your device so we can listen live and coach you on some questions.
What? No, I don't want to do that.
Lauren, we're getting closer.
I need you to be brave.
What else do you know about Brayden and the guys he hangs out with? Kamaal, I need a second.
Excuse me, ladies.
- What's this? - Cousin Lorenzo.
Full name is Lorenzo Tejada Jr.
Goes by a childhood nickname, Cane.
He's got a few misdemeanors.
Some violent offenses that got knocked down.
So you think this kid's suspicious.
If that Zeke's cousin, he doesn't need Ramirez, right? Maybe Zeke gets his cousin to pop the cop and take out the professor.
We have no proof of that or even a motive on why he'd want Ramirez dead.
We're not getting much from this Lauren kid either.
This is a lead.
Honestly, I think that we need to take Tariq St.
Patrick more seriously.
Maybe Carrie's right that he and this Brayden kid are dealing drugs.
Still doesn't give us motive if Tariq or Brayden doesn't know what the professor knew, okay? Let's look into this Cane.
It's solid.
Yeah, okay.
Look into it, but we cannot take it to Jenny.
Not yet.
- Course.
- All right.
The cops are not looking at Zeke no more.
There was a press conference and everything he's free.
See, Mo, I told you it would work out.
Cops had no reason to hold him.
Just had to have a little faith and wait it out.
Yeah.
I guess I shoulda had faith.
Yeah.
Mr.
Tejada, this is Cooper Saxe.
I'm the attorney your daughter hired to help free you.
We have a hearing tomorrow.
Can you speak freely? Yeah, give me a moment.
I gotta take this, Mo.
Deadass? A'ight.
Mr.
Saxe.
Yeah, man, I can tell you anything you need to know.
Where is Kamaal? Ha.
Oh, you gotta be kidding me.
You're bypassing your babysitter? I know that Cross wasn't the shooter in those murders, but I know he's involved in this.
Do you have any evidence for that? Because I just held a press conference that said otherwise.
I been looking into his family.
He's got an uncle in jail.
So we know the uncle didn't do it.
And a cousin with a rap sheet.
"Lorenzo Tejada Jr.
Nickname Cane".
Zeke's close with the Tejadas? Close enough to live with him during his high school years.
And it also happens that the, uh, the family lives in the dead cop's precinct.
I may need more than this to get Cross back involved.
After that press conference fiasco, I'm gonna need a bulletproof case against him and this Cane Tejada.
Come on.
Let's go.
Your place.
- Who's that guy? - Nobody.
Let's go.
Told my sister Tariq needed to be here himself for this little off-grid deal to go down.
Look, bro, I just go where I'm told.
Where's he at anyway? Still don't know? Your guess is good as mine.
Okay.
Hey, what does he need all this for? Y'all just picked up not that long ago.
Do you think he tells me anything? I don't know, nigga.
You said y'all was equal partners.
Am I right? You're still getting paid.
I don't know what the issue is.
What you need? Delivery for Mecca.
What the fuck, yo? Looking for something? I wasn't looking for shit, man.
I was just making a call, I swear.
What's up, Nuff? Caught someone spyin' on us.
Man, I wasn't spying on shit.
Who the fuck is that? That one of Mahoney's boys? Keep him still.
Get off me, I ain't do anything! I ain't see anything What? You know him? No.
I don't know him.
You hear that? Does not look good for you.
You ain't got no friends here.
You sure it's not another one of your friends? Nuff has never been good at stopping once he starts.
Look, I just said I never seen the little nigga before in my life.
Let him go.
Now, Nuff.
Get the fuck outta here.
F fuck! Oh, my God, what happened? Is Monet here? I need to talk to her.
Look, I don't know where she is I'm here alone.
Here, c-come inside.
Had to risk it all Um, you sh you should, uh, you should go home.
- I'll call you later.
- Yeah, I'll call you later.
- Yo, what's going on here? - Just get some bandages, Dru.
Shit.
I don't think he was one of Mahoney's crew.
He wouldn't have sent him alone and unarmed.
Mecca, I handled it.
Ain't no way that skinny punk come back for another ass whooping.
But he did show up right when you did.
You sure you ain't bring him? That true? Yeah, he could have been following him, but Cane said he didn't know him.
How we know it ain't another one of his little friends? I got this phone off him but Cane, did you know him? You let him follow you here? Nah, I didn't.
Okay.
What? You just gon' take his word for it? If you didn't know he was with Mahoney, you should've never put your fucking hands on that kid.
One civilian complaint, Nuff, puts us all at risk.
Now look at you.
You know, he always did talk too much for somebody expendable.
Clean this up.
So I saw you clear that basketball player on the news.
He really ain't do it? 'Cause his interview ooh! Was a mess.
That's the problem with innocent clients.
They're not prepared to lie.
What do you want, Davis? I got a knitting circle I gotta get back to.
Really? A knitting circle? All right.
The white boy I hired is working on an appeal for one of our clients.
Very similar circumstances to yours.
Manslaughter, buncha eye witnesses, long rap sheet.
Yeah, yeah.
Hey, hey, if he gets this guy out, I'm gonna pivot him right to you.
Are you, uh, you sure you wanna do this, bro? 'Cause I'm all right in here.
I mean that.
Things could come out, you know.
Not the way I'ma have my boy play it.
I will do anything to get you out.
And I would do anything to keep you out.
Do you understand? Yeah.
Yeah.
I apologize for being late.
I was in traffic.
Yes.
Well, the apartment's no longer available.
What? Tariq, where have you been? why haven't you been answering your phone, and what happened to your face? Are you okay? Yeah, I got robbed, but I'm fine.
Lauren, I need to talk to her.
I need this place.
Okay.
Well, she's not coming back.
She was already on the fence before you showed up looking like this.
I-I don't know what to do.
The court's not gonna give me custody of Yas if I don't show them proof of a place to stay.
I'm fucked! Okay, look, I think I have an idea.
Come on.
This is my brother's spot.
I was gonna offer it to you before, but I know you're not the best at taking help.
I mean doesn't your brother need this? Um he hasn't been able to live outside of a halfway house for a while.
But my parents gave me the keys for when he's back, so how about we say it's not forever but for right now.
I I don't even know what to say, Lauren, like Tariq, it's okay.
I really wanna help you and your sister be together.
Let me show you around.
So this pulls out into a bed, and then there's a bedroom over there.
Thank you.
I really appreciate you doing this for me.
Thank you for letting me do it.
Oh, wait.
Here.
You're gonna need a lease for your custody case.
You know, if you live here, you wouldn't have to stay with Brayden anymore.
I mean, I don't know.
Staying with Brayden ain't that bad.
He's cool.
I know, but don't you think it was weird how happy he was when Professor Reynolds died? Offering all those girls a shoulder to cry on? No.
Look, Brayden didn't even know Professor Reynolds until I told him about him.
All right? So honestly I don't even know why he would care.
Yeah, I mean maybe, but Professor Reynolds probably knew who Brayden was.
He's very visible as a Weston.
And what about that book Professor Reynolds was writing? You don't think that was about Brayden? Look, no.
That book was definitely not about Brayden.
Are you sure? Yes.
Professor Reynolds told me who it was about.
On top of that, that nigga only wrote about Black people anyway, so So not Brayden? No.
Reynolds told him what the book was about.
Yeah, which means it's probably not about him.
That means Carrie's reaching again.
Tariq was listed as one of the students Reynolds saw the day he was murdered.
And I looked into Tariq's Choate record.
He was living with Weston way back then and he was expelled for drugs.
If Tariq is the Stansfield link to the drug operation and knew Reynolds was writing about it, that's motive.
Why would Reynolds tell St.
Patrick that he was going to expose him in his book? Doesn't even make any fucking sense.
Much less, it's not enough for a warrant.
It's enough for Stansfield to open up Tariq's dorm so we can look around.
- What's this? - It's what you wanted.
It's Tariq's phone.
He has a custody hearing tomorrow at 3:00.
For his sister.
They could've killed us both for what you did.
Yeah, I know what you did.
Sending Tariq to follow me to the connect.
I'm not stupid, Monet.
No matter how many times you say that to me.
All this time I'm out here blaming Tariq for everything.
But it's clear to me now you're the problem.
I'm here really thinking you was gonna let me back in, but you was gonna play me like you play him, like you play all of us you're a fucking joke.
Boy, I didn't fucking make you kill Ramirez or Reynolds.
I do whatever I fuckin' need to do to make sure this family and this business don't fall.
But that's the fucking problem! It's always family and fucking business.
What am I to you, huh? Your soldier or your fucking son? You're both.
Then what kind of fucking mother does that make you? Make sure Tariq gets his phone.
Get in.
Monet, I can't talk right now.
I got my sister's hearing.
I'm tired of playing with you, Tariq.
You failed.
Cane wasn't 'posed to find out what you was doing.
Listen, I didn't tell Cane.
I-I got caught following him.
And when you got caught, did you call me? No.
So these are the consequences of your actions.
You never think the dirt that you do is gonna come back to you.
So we gonna sit here and wait 'til you lose your sister like I almost lost Zeke.
Shouldn't take long.
Look, I got information, right? I got a address.
I got a name.
The name is Mecca.
I can get more.
Mecca and an address.
That's it? Look, let me go, and I can get you more information.
That's it.
Nah, I can't let you go, Tariq.
See, this is your consequence with Zeke and for breaking our rules so this doesn't happen again.
Now you know I'm the one in control.
You feel me? You know, you're wrong.
You think you in control, but you on a island and you don't even know it.
Boy, you better watch your step before you say some shit you can't take back.
So, you you really think you could do this shit without me? Half of the shit going on under your nose, you don't even see it.
Cane, he replaced Rico's work with sugar just to get you to take him back.
Dru, he's still fucking that nigga that dropped him and Zeke's name to the school about that dead body in the pool.
And Diana Diana stole that money out your bar.
You can't do none of this shit without me.
You need me, and I need my sister.
So what are we doing? My client is here, Your Honor.
You're late, Mr.
St.
Patrick.
I'd like to reopen the issue of granting him custody rather than sending the child into foster care.
I don't see how your client being here changes the fact that he's barely an adult, Mr.
Warren, and that he looks like he's just been in a brawl.
I'm inclined to keep the child in foster care until her grandmother's completed the requisite recovery program.
I understand your concerns, Your Honor, but my client's circumstances are not those of the average teenager.
He has shown time and time again that he is willing and able to step into a role far beyond his years and that he cares deeply for his sister.
I, therefore, beg the court to reconsider.
And by the way, while I have no doubt that Ms.
Green feels the same way, unfortunately, she has misused money from the trust fund.
Tariq can provide stability until Ms.
Green has recovered.
Surely, a family member is better than state care.
Your Honor, I just I just wanna keep my family together.
You know, my baby sister is all I have.
I mean, I have everything together.
I have an apartment.
Everything is there on the file.
Only thing I don't have is a chance.
He's a baby, Your Honor.
He can't raise a baby.
Did you use the child's funds to support a drinking habit? I admit my drinking got away from me, Your Honor, but I'm better now.
Have you completed a rehabilitation program? No, but I have prayed on it, Your Honor, Your Honor, I can pay for my grandmother to go to rehab, all right? I love I love my grandmother, but she's just not in Yasmin's best interest right now.
Circumstances for this family have been very, very hard and they just getting harder.
I want my grandmother to be strong enough, and she will be in the future, but I'm strong enough now, and I can take this responsibility for my sister.
I'll grant you custody on a temporary basis, - but one misstep - Ughh! And I'll be forced to remand the child back into state care.
Don't test me, Mr.
St.
Patrick.
Thank you, Your Honor.
- Thank you.
- Congratulations.
There's nothing here.
Well, then you need to vacate now.
Hold on.
Now, what were you sayin'? I led my kids down the wrong path, Dante.
They don't trust me, they don't trust each other.
Fuck, I thought I was teaching them the life.
Making them strong.
Shit.
Maybe we do need a fresh start.
Maybe I do too.
Maybe I could meet Zeke now, if you're ready.
I need some time.
Let me speak to my kids, but I think so.
Yes.
Hey Anything you need.
Anything.
We see your brother, and it's all gonna be okay, all right? Look, here he is.
- Thank you.
- Sure, I'll be in touch.
Told you you was gonna come home with me.
Listen, I'ma go set up the apartment for you and then in a little bit you can come stay with me, okay? Listen, Yas, Grandma loves you, all right? She's just going through a lot right now.
Gonna get her some help and we'll be a family again, okay? Okay.
Tariq, I trust you.
You should.
I got you.
Tariq St.
Patrick, you are under arrest.
- What? - For the murders of Officer Danilo Ramirez and Professor Jabari Reynolds.
What the fuck? Tariq.
Let him go, Lauren.
It's what he deserves.
Hello.
This is he.
Taxi! Your lawyer's here.
Get up.
So I received word of your arrest shortly after the hearing today.
What is this? I actually don't know what's inside.
Only that I was supposed to give it to you in the event that you were arrested for homicide.
It's from your father.
I had actually hoped, Mr.
St.
Patrick, that I would never have to give that to you.
I knew you'd end up here, lil nigga.
Right where you belong.
Mo.
I'm home.
I'm home, baby.
I'm home.
Ma, how did you keep this a secret? This why you been acting so weird? Yeah, I guess I didn't wanna ruin the surprise.
I promise.
We just gotta be strong together no matter what, okay? Find out who killed that professor.
That's how we get Zeke out from under all this.
You want me to wear a wire? If you do, I promise I can get them to drop any criminal investigation into you.
Yeah, okay.
This is a new Rollie? Um yeah.
I'll be right back, okay? I hired that attorney we talked about.
Who? The white dude? Yeah, Saxe.
Look, he don't know it yet he's gonna help me get you outta here.
Davis MacLean needs a million dollars by tomorrow to pay for Zeke's defense.
Absolutely fucking not.
I know you paid Davis the million dollars today.
What am I 'posed to tell my husband about another man paying my nephew's million-dollar bill? Maybe tell him I did what I needed to do to protect our son.
Go get Ramirez' body.
What if it backs up on me, Ma? You made your choice, Cane.
It is what it is.
You help me with this shit, you'll level up in no time.
What I got to do? I'll see your bitch ass tomorrow, B.
And tell Tariq I be seeing him too.
The police theory is that you paid Detective Ramirez to kill Jabari Reynolds.
This is some bullshit.
Get out of my face with that.
Fuck, Zeke.
Do you think Zeke actually did it? Look, I know he didn't do it, a'ight? - How do you know? - I gotta go.
This is the DA's office.
They want Zeke to turn himself in.
What? Zeke, don't talk to anyone on the inside.
Inmates will try and rat you out to save their own ass, okay? Just shut up and blend in.
We'll go in the back, avoid the press.
Zeke, every moment you're in there, know I'm doing everything in my power to get you out, okay? I don't think you have much control over this, Monet.
It's too late for all that.
Yo, I gotta go.
I'ma see you in class.
Wait.
Hold on, just a second.
I'm almost done.
Good morning.
My client is here to voluntarily turn himself in.
Detective Whitman is expecting us.
Who's your client Where's he going? I thought they was expecting us.
Jenny, what are you doing here so bright and early? Didn't think the ADA needed to come out for a routine arrest, especially when my client is innocent.
Yes, well, that's why I'm here.
We won't be needing Mr.
Cross to turn himself in anymore, as it turns out.
Oh, well, one more time, Jenny, slowly? - I'm free to go? - You are free to go, Mr.
Cross.
Then I think my client deserves some answers at least.
- What changed since last night? - Zeke is no longer a suspect.
There's been some new developments.
We won't be holding Mr.
Cross at this time.
I'm sure your client doesn't wanna be in this precinct any longer than he has to be.
Well, you heard her.
Let's go.
I expect a full press briefing to clear my client today.
I'll see what I can do.
Let me walk you out.
See, I told you it was nothing to worry about.
I knew they was gonna find you innocent all along.
Don't change that I'm radioactive after that interview.
I might be free, but I'm still fucked.
Who's gonna wanna draft me now? Look, let me give you a ride back to school.
Once this gets out and the teams find out that you're cleared, you'll be back in the conversations.
I'm sure of that.
You cut me off back there.
That was to keep you from telling that kid something he could take back to his accomplice.
You're like a fucking broken record.
How long is he gon' be your suspect? Ramirez and Reynolds both were killed with the same gun.
Ramirez's gun.
If Zeke was gonna commit a crime, why would he give you Ramirez's PBA card? He gave you the connection.
But it was still a connection.
The body that exonerates Cross just mysteriously shows up the day after he shits his pants on national TV.
You don't find that fucking fishy? No, 'cause Zeke is not our only lead.
I've been reading Jabari Reynolds' novel.
- His fucking novel? - Yes.
- C'mon.
- A few of the locations in the book matches up to some of the Stansfield landmarks.
- So what? - Listen! Are you gonna let me speak? 'Cause I do my job well.
Go ahead.
Reynolds' first novel it was inspired by actual events.
His new book is about some serious drug activity that takes place on a campus that more than resembles Stansfield.
What if he got himself into somethin' that's not so fictional? Yo, what's up with you? You good? Yeah, just a a little hung over.
But we gotta talk later though.
Heard about some dorm sweeps for drugs.
Some of our customers got pulled in.
Tariq, did you hear me? Some of our customers got pulled in by the cops.
Yeah, um like you said, we'll talk about that shit later.
Right now we need to focus on clearing everything outta here and put everything on the roof for now, okay? Hey, yo, um, Cane he come around here asking for me or looking for me or anything like that? No, why? What's going on? Any of the Tejadas come around asking where I am or anything like that, you don't know shit, okay? Okay, yeah.
I-is everything good? I'ma figure out.
Just stay away from Cane and text me if any of them come over here.
Mrs.
Tejada, I was actually gonna call you.
I've been making real headway.
Bitch, that's not why I called.
The cops know Zeke didn't do it, so whatever you doin', stop right now it's done.
Did they find a new suspect? That's not your problem or mine.
They let him go.
That's all the fuck that matters.
You know, you're the reason why he's in this shit in the first place.
I don't ever wanna see your face again.
I don't wanna hear your name.
You stay the fuck away from Zeke.
You stay away from me.
You keep your job.
You don't know me, I don't know you, and you don't know Zeke got it? Yes.
I-I understand.
Detectives, what are you doing here? We could use your help.
I think I've helped enough.
We don't have a right to ask, but if you'd be willing to help us at this time I don't think so.
You said it to me you were law enforcement.
You took a oath.
Don't you wanna know who killed Professor Reynolds? We have the manuscript he was workin' on.
All Whitman and I are asking for you to do is read it.
Why did you wanna meet here? Because I don't trust myself around you and those hotel rooms of yours.
And I need to talk to you about Zeke.
I thought you turned him in this morning.
We went to the precinct.
They told us they have some recent developments, and they didn't want Zeke anymore.
So I took him back to school.
Did you have anything to do with these recent developments, Monet? I handled the situation without your money.
We don't need to fight together anymore, Dante.
There's nothing to fight.
Ha.
Wait a minute.
I'm pretty sure I was the solution for a hot second.
Please don't make me out to be the problem.
Look, it's not you.
It's me.
I been making some really big mistakes lately like leaving our son down at the precinct while I'm off playing princess with you.
- Hmm.
- I gotta get back to reality and face my responsibilities and stop all this fairytale bullshit.
Okay.
But go back for how long.
and I'm sorry, but to what reality? I mean, your husband may be inside, but you are clearly still in the life.
Those clothes you got on didn't come from the bar - that we're standing in.
- I got a plan to get out, and it won't take long.
I am trying to give you a choice, Monet.
You didn't have one when you left Zeke or when your husband went in, but what if you could decide what you want? These aren't filed yet.
I could set up your kids with trust funds.
All your kids, not just Zeke.
And maybe then you could choose the life you want.
Choose the man you want instead of spending the life you have running around trying to keep your world from falling apart.
Because that is not a life.
That is a ticking time bomb.
All you gotta do is sign.
Look, I don't need a redo, Dante.
I know how to make my own decisions, and I'm not 16.
I know you're not 16 anymore.
Neither am I.
This stop.
This is too much.
This is too much.
You're too much right now.
Just go, please.
You know, you almost lost Zeke this time, Nae-Nae.
How much do you wanna lose before you make a better choice? You know, I'm not leaving New York until you leave with me.
I know you think you got this, but you can't handle this by yourself.
Fuck.
Okay, what the hell happened to you this morning? You just disappeared.
I know.
I'm sorry.
I I forgot I had to make an appointment.
I need to get an apartment so I can get my sister.
There's a hearing tomorrow.
Tomorrow? Okay, that's really fast.
Do you need help? No, It's fine.
You don't have to.
I know.
I want to.
A'ight.
Thank you.
All right! Karma? Uh, that wasn't in last night's reading.
I know.
I thought I'd keep everyone on their toes.
But isn't this - more theological than ethical? - Perhaps.
Who can define karma for me? Karma's the belief in certain Indian religions that our actions, good or bad, can affect our future lives.
And why would that be important in ethical discourse? Tariq, enlighten us.
Well, it provides, you know, incentive for moral action.
Karma is the law of cause and effect.
Exactly.
You know, I was just thinking - how interesting - I think you can dig deeper, Tariq.
Karma's basically if you do dirt, then you get it right back.
- Yeah, and then - Please.
I am interested in Tariq's perspective.
Professor, I'm not sure what you're looking for.
And neither do I, Professor Milgram.
What's Karma means you cannot escape your sins no matter how fast or far you may run.
They'll always catch up to you.
Don't you agree, Tariq? Seems like Professor Milgram had a point to prove with you today.
Yeah, I don't know what that was about.
That shit was weird.
You wanna go back to your spot and grab your stuff? I can grab my car.
Nah, it's-it's fine.
We can go straight there.
Wait.
Isn't that Zeke? I'm surprised he didn't get arrested after that interview.
- Yeah, you know - Tariq.
Come here.
I was looking for you.
- Who's that? - That's Zeke's aunt.
She probably here to talk to me about his tutoring and shit now that he's back.
I gotta go, all right? Wait, what about the apartment? It's fine.
I'ma call you later.
Let's take a drive.
What was the first thing I said to you when we got into business together? That this doesn't touch Zeke.
I'm glad you remember.
So you wanna tell me why, of all people, I had to hear from Cane that you was the one that shot the professor they was looking at Zeke for? - See, look it's not like that.
- Really? Tell me what it's like, Tariq.
Look, I don't know what Cane told you, but that Professor Reynolds nigga, he knew way too much.
He figured out all this shit about GTG once that nigga died in the pool.
Cane heard him say Dru's name, lost it and shot him.
I just cleaned up the mess.
I asked you right to your face did you know anything about that murder, and you lied to me.
You and Cane was gonna let Zeke hang for that shit.
No, I wasn't lettin' Zeke hang for nothin'.
I was the one that got Davis MacLean involved with this shit.
Yeah, you can say whatever you want now, but how I'ma know if you lyin' again? Look, Monet, my plan was supposed to work, 'kay? Ramirez was supposed to take the fall for that shit.
I didn't know about Zeke and my professor.
I had no idea the police would even look into Zeke.
If they ain't let Zeke go, you'd be looking at a bullet right now.
I should still shoot your ass for wasting my time.
But we need each other.
So if we gonna get past this, I'ma need you to earn my respect back right now.
I'll do anything.
I need you to find out who Cane's connect is.
Get me a name, and I'll let this go.
And if Cane finds out what you doing, I'ma know you two were up to some shit and the gun won't stay on my lap next time.
You feel me? Now, find your way back.
The book is about Tariq St.
Patrick.
It's a one-to-one.
Listen, if it's a one-to-one, doesn't that make Zeke the main character? I mean, he's the one fucking the professor in the book.
No.
Jabari thought I was sleeping with Tariq.
Jabari's drug dealer character is Tariq I'm sure of it.
St.
Patrick's father was rumored to be - a major player in the game.
- Look, the details of the book they don't match.
All the interviews of the other kids who got picked up in the sting they all said the campus dealer was white.
Well, what if he was working with his roommate, Brayden? Brayden Weston? Why would that kid need to sell drugs? And even if this St.
Patrick is selling drugs, why would he kill Reynolds? He doesn't have motive like some other students might have.
Well, if Jabari got close to proving it was Tariq, maybe Tariq found out, wanted to shut him up.
No, then not only would we have to connect St.
Patrick to the drugs, we'd have to prove he knew about the book.
You got any evidence for that? Isn't that your job? Gotta get somethin' on the wire.
The wire is key.
That's how we connect this kid to the operation.
That's if it turns up something solid.
Tariq admitted everything you said today, but I can't just shut my business down without a plan.
Wait, so you ain't gon' do shit to him? I shoulda got rid of both of your asses for what you did, but I'm giving you a chance for comin' clean and because y'all connect.
So if I'ma keep you around, you gotta prove to me that this'll never happen again.
Tariq or no Tariq, I need to trust you.
You can trust me, Ma.
Good.
I need to find out Tariq's weaknesses.
He lied to me because he's comfortable.
He's not afraid.
I need to know what will hurt him.
If I can control him, this type a shit'll never happen again.
Can I trust you to find out? I got you.
Good.
Lauren, I was just about to email you.
Look, Professor Milgram.
I don't think I can wear this wire anymore.
I don't think that's possible at this point.
What? Lauren, I'm gonna tell you something that I shouldn't, and it stays in this room, okay? Okay.
Some of the other students from the sting identified a preppy white kid as the drug supplier.
The cops think it's Brayden Weston.
Wait, Brayden? Okay, so then what about - Tariq? - Tariq? They don't think Tariq was involved.
Okay, well, you said these drugs were tied up into Professor Reynolds' murder.
So you think Braden got him killed? Well, maybe not intentionally.
Jabari was looking into the drugs operation for his new book.
If Brayden found out, maybe he told the wrong person.
I mean That's crazy.
Brayden seems harmless.
I have to tell Tariq to stay away from him.
I don't want him to get in trouble.
- No.
- Yes, I have to.
If you do that and he tells Brayden, you would be in a lot of trouble, and Tariq would be your accomplice.
You can protect Tariq by getting more info on Brayden and everything he knows onto the wire.
If the police find out what Brayden thought Jabari knew, it will really help them figure out what happened.
- I don't know.
- Lauren, the faster you do this, the faster you lose the wire, and you and Tariq will be free and clear.
It's up to you.
I know you'll make the right choice.
Hey, you might wanna give it a minute, my guy.
Bro, you gotta stop showing up like that.
Listen, man, you ain't been answering my texts.
So I figured I'd just pull up on you, see where you been at myself.
You ain't been gettin' nervous about last night, have you? No, I just had class.
I'm cool.
Good, good.
Tariq still ain't hit me back yet.
I'm gettin' real tired of coming to this campus lookin' for him.
Where's he at? Honestly, I have no idea.
I haven't talked to him since yesterday.
Maybe with his girl? Huh.
Lauren, funny seeing you here.
Your room's just down the hall now.
- Is Tariq here? - He, uh Tariq's pretty popular.
How you doin', light skin? Who's your friend, Brayden? I'm Lorenzo.
Why, you lookin' for a new friend? No, I'm not.
And how do you know Tariq? I don't, but he knows my cousin Z.
Oh, yeah, I just saw Tariq talking with Zeke's aunt.
That's your mom? Yeah.
You know where they went? No, I don't, I'm sorry.
But he should be back soon 'cause we're supposed to be looking for apartments so Oh, he's looking for an apartment.
- He's moving.
- Hey, Lorenzo, um you know, I was gonna go to lunch, maybe grab a burger.
It's on me.
I'm paying, and then if we see Tariq, we'll just let you know.
No, how 'bout you just give me your digits, and I call you if I see the nigga? Thanks, Brayden.
Of course.
What the fuck? Mr.
St.
Patrick.
What brings you here? My sister's custody hearing is tomorrow.
Estelle pushed forward, and I need you to represent me.
I can pay.
I can't do that.
I can't do that.
I filed that complaint with the court on Yasmine's behalf because your grandmother was misusing funds, but I'm an impartial party.
My sole job is to represent your father's estate.
Okay, so isn't making sure his daughter's safe part of that interest? If my dad asked you to take care of his kids, isn't this part of it? Yes, but Tariq, you are too young to be someone's guardian.
Look, I just wanna take care of my sister, all right? You know how much she's been through? This is the only way.
All right, I'll represent you, but solely on the basis of your grandmother's misapplication of funds.
Besides that, I'm not stepping over any lines.
So if you can completely fulfill all the requirements for custody by tomorrow, I'll give my positive recommendation to the court.
All right.
Tomorrow 3:00 p.
m.
I'll be there.
You make sure you're on time, young man.
I will.
3:00 p.
m.
Look set it up like you said, but she already knew what was goin' down.
Hell, I thought she'd give me some kind of leeway for coming clean, but Tch.
Hey, it's me.
Talk to me, fam.
I don't know, man.
She just ain't take all that anger out on Tariq like I thought she would.
Now I gotta prove myself? I just don't understand why she ain't come down - on this nigga like she did me.
- Right.
So that thing your cousin almost went down for, that was that was you and Tariq did that? Whoa, nah, hey.
I ain't say all that.
You don't have to, Cane? You're not the type of guy to go down for somebody else.
So if you were planning on running to save Zeke, that means you did it.
Now, I don't know, it seems to me like Monet's trying to figure out what she wants to do.
Right now she can't do shit, because you are her plug.
That makes you indispensable.
Without you, her whole business falls apart, man.
Yeah, but shit don't work without Tariq either.
I don't know about that.
Anybody can find corner boys, Cane.
But without supply, nobody is gettin' high.
So if she's givin' you a chance to show and prove, be the right option give her no choice.
Do not I repeat do not let her pick Tariq.
Even if you have to force her hand, hmm? I'm happy for Zeke.
I'm not sayin' that.
But now that he's back, I'm back down number two on the team and-and maybe second round for NBA scouts.
I didn't know you even wanted to go into the draft this year.
I was thinking about it.
So you leavin' New York? I mean, now I got reasons to stay, hmm? Baby, I'm comfortable I'm comfortable Tell me what you want Yo, Ev, open up.
I want it too, I want it too Answer it.
Yo, how you like me now? Oh, switched it up with the hair I see, man.
Yeah, I'm switching up everything now that I'm a free man and teams calling me again.
Dru, what you doin' here? I ain't seen you since they let me go.
And Monet brought you right back to school, huh? Yeah, cuz.
what the fuck is going on with your hair, man? Look, Freaky Zeke back, huh? Nah, nah, nah.
No freaky Zeke.
Not anymore.
You know, this whole murder case thing, it really got my head on straight.
I'ma be about my business now on my own shit.
You know what I mean? Do what I wanna do, not what everybody tell me, even Aunty Monet.
I feel you.
- I feel that.
- Yeah.
You good though, Zeke? I ain't never been better.
You know, they just said I ain't have to go in, somethin' about no evidence, and I bounced.
- Ooh, congrats, man.
- Thank you.
You know who they looking at now? Nah, uh, I don't.
I and honestly, I don't care.
All I know is I get to get back out there, play with the fellas, and I could hit that draft.
You know, get into the league.
How y'all know each other? Oh, shit.
We met at the club.
Y-you know, the night we all wanna forget? Oh, yo, yo, don't even bring that shit up.
Hey, I'ma go show my new look to the ladies.
- Ah.
- Good to see you, cuzo.
- You too.
- Ev.
- Hey, my man.
- My man.
See you later.
Whoo! You lie real easy.
You want me to tell him the truth? I didn't think so.
Now, c'mon.
Playin' or what? A'ight, I'm here.
What's so urgent? Di, I need you to do me a favor, all right? I need to get some product without Monet knowing.
Why? It's hard to explain right now, okay, Di? Just just trust me, okay? I said why, Tariq? Zeke is home, Monet won't explain how, and now you hit me up trying to go around her? Nah, what's going on? A'ight, look, I need to get money to get my sister out of foster care.
I got a family court hearing tomorrow.
My grandmother got a DWI, so my sister can't stay with her anymore.
Damn.
A'ight, so what are you gonna do? I mean, only thing I can do is try to get custody of her myself.
I gotta pay for a lawyer, and I got to put a deposit on this fucking apartment, so it's a lot.
And Monet, she shut down CourseCorrect 'cause she don't trust me, so I don't know what the fuck to do.
I mean, I would ask Cane, but I don't trust that nigga either.
So I need you to ask him for me.
Okay.
I'll help you on one condition.
Anything.
Talk to me.
Tariq, I don't trust Cane right now either.
So I need to find out what he's doing.
Look, we already know Cane killed Ramirez.
So Ramirez's gun showing up at the professor's murder scene while Zeke is under suspicion? I don't know, but that shit don't sit right with me.
Yeah, I-I feel you for sure.
Yeah, but even before that, I was pretty sure Cane switched the coke with sugar when Effie and Brayden got jumped at Yale.
You know, that actually makes a lot of fucking sense, because he's the plug now.
Exactly.
Look, if you find anything out about Cane, I need you to tell me, a'ight? Anything.
I got you.
Don't even worry about it.
A'ight.
Tariq is hiding his business from Monet? For what? Listen, I'm not doing shit until I know.
He needs money for his sister.
Cane, he's got a custody hearing tomorrow, and he needs money to pay a lawyer and to get a place to stay.
So? Sounds like a him problem.
It might be, but I might make it a you problem if I tell Monet you're the one who sugared the coke.
You know, when you wanted back in with the family.
Why the fuck would you say all that? Why wouldn't I? You acting just like Monet, thinking you know shit, puttin' niggas under pressure with fake news.
Fake news? A'ight.
Well, how about I tell Monet myself and let her decide if you did it or not.
Okay, damn, I'll handle it.
Uh what? - I'll do it.
- Right.
By tonight, Cane.
I'll handle it.
Just make sure he comes to get the product himself.
All right.
Who's your friend, Brayden? My name's Lorenzo.
Why, you looking for a new friend? Who's this other guy, Lorenzo? I thought he was gonna be involved with the drugs, but I was wrong he's just the cousin of Zeke Cross.
Cross's cousin knows this Brayden kid? He wasn't there for Brayden.
He was there for Brayden's roommate, Tariq St.
Patrick.
Tariq tutors Zeke.
Wait a second.
Where's the rest of the tape? They went out, so I left.
Excuse me.
Lauren, you may need to be a little more aggressive.
Reason being we're gonna upgrade your device so we can listen live and coach you on some questions.
What? No, I don't want to do that.
Lauren, we're getting closer.
I need you to be brave.
What else do you know about Brayden and the guys he hangs out with? Kamaal, I need a second.
Excuse me, ladies.
- What's this? - Cousin Lorenzo.
Full name is Lorenzo Tejada Jr.
Goes by a childhood nickname, Cane.
He's got a few misdemeanors.
Some violent offenses that got knocked down.
So you think this kid's suspicious.
If that Zeke's cousin, he doesn't need Ramirez, right? Maybe Zeke gets his cousin to pop the cop and take out the professor.
We have no proof of that or even a motive on why he'd want Ramirez dead.
We're not getting much from this Lauren kid either.
This is a lead.
Honestly, I think that we need to take Tariq St.
Patrick more seriously.
Maybe Carrie's right that he and this Brayden kid are dealing drugs.
Still doesn't give us motive if Tariq or Brayden doesn't know what the professor knew, okay? Let's look into this Cane.
It's solid.
Yeah, okay.
Look into it, but we cannot take it to Jenny.
Not yet.
- Course.
- All right.
The cops are not looking at Zeke no more.
There was a press conference and everything he's free.
See, Mo, I told you it would work out.
Cops had no reason to hold him.
Just had to have a little faith and wait it out.
Yeah.
I guess I shoulda had faith.
Yeah.
Mr.
Tejada, this is Cooper Saxe.
I'm the attorney your daughter hired to help free you.
We have a hearing tomorrow.
Can you speak freely? Yeah, give me a moment.
I gotta take this, Mo.
Deadass? A'ight.
Mr.
Saxe.
Yeah, man, I can tell you anything you need to know.
Where is Kamaal? Ha.
Oh, you gotta be kidding me.
You're bypassing your babysitter? I know that Cross wasn't the shooter in those murders, but I know he's involved in this.
Do you have any evidence for that? Because I just held a press conference that said otherwise.
I been looking into his family.
He's got an uncle in jail.
So we know the uncle didn't do it.
And a cousin with a rap sheet.
"Lorenzo Tejada Jr.
Nickname Cane".
Zeke's close with the Tejadas? Close enough to live with him during his high school years.
And it also happens that the, uh, the family lives in the dead cop's precinct.
I may need more than this to get Cross back involved.
After that press conference fiasco, I'm gonna need a bulletproof case against him and this Cane Tejada.
Come on.
Let's go.
Your place.
- Who's that guy? - Nobody.
Let's go.
Told my sister Tariq needed to be here himself for this little off-grid deal to go down.
Look, bro, I just go where I'm told.
Where's he at anyway? Still don't know? Your guess is good as mine.
Okay.
Hey, what does he need all this for? Y'all just picked up not that long ago.
Do you think he tells me anything? I don't know, nigga.
You said y'all was equal partners.
Am I right? You're still getting paid.
I don't know what the issue is.
What you need? Delivery for Mecca.
What the fuck, yo? Looking for something? I wasn't looking for shit, man.
I was just making a call, I swear.
What's up, Nuff? Caught someone spyin' on us.
Man, I wasn't spying on shit.
Who the fuck is that? That one of Mahoney's boys? Keep him still.
Get off me, I ain't do anything! I ain't see anything What? You know him? No.
I don't know him.
You hear that? Does not look good for you.
You ain't got no friends here.
You sure it's not another one of your friends? Nuff has never been good at stopping once he starts.
Look, I just said I never seen the little nigga before in my life.
Let him go.
Now, Nuff.
Get the fuck outta here.
F fuck! Oh, my God, what happened? Is Monet here? I need to talk to her.
Look, I don't know where she is I'm here alone.
Here, c-come inside.
Had to risk it all Um, you sh you should, uh, you should go home.
- I'll call you later.
- Yeah, I'll call you later.
- Yo, what's going on here? - Just get some bandages, Dru.
Shit.
I don't think he was one of Mahoney's crew.
He wouldn't have sent him alone and unarmed.
Mecca, I handled it.
Ain't no way that skinny punk come back for another ass whooping.
But he did show up right when you did.
You sure you ain't bring him? That true? Yeah, he could have been following him, but Cane said he didn't know him.
How we know it ain't another one of his little friends? I got this phone off him but Cane, did you know him? You let him follow you here? Nah, I didn't.
Okay.
What? You just gon' take his word for it? If you didn't know he was with Mahoney, you should've never put your fucking hands on that kid.
One civilian complaint, Nuff, puts us all at risk.
Now look at you.
You know, he always did talk too much for somebody expendable.
Clean this up.
So I saw you clear that basketball player on the news.
He really ain't do it? 'Cause his interview ooh! Was a mess.
That's the problem with innocent clients.
They're not prepared to lie.
What do you want, Davis? I got a knitting circle I gotta get back to.
Really? A knitting circle? All right.
The white boy I hired is working on an appeal for one of our clients.
Very similar circumstances to yours.
Manslaughter, buncha eye witnesses, long rap sheet.
Yeah, yeah.
Hey, hey, if he gets this guy out, I'm gonna pivot him right to you.
Are you, uh, you sure you wanna do this, bro? 'Cause I'm all right in here.
I mean that.
Things could come out, you know.
Not the way I'ma have my boy play it.
I will do anything to get you out.
And I would do anything to keep you out.
Do you understand? Yeah.
Yeah.
I apologize for being late.
I was in traffic.
Yes.
Well, the apartment's no longer available.
What? Tariq, where have you been? why haven't you been answering your phone, and what happened to your face? Are you okay? Yeah, I got robbed, but I'm fine.
Lauren, I need to talk to her.
I need this place.
Okay.
Well, she's not coming back.
She was already on the fence before you showed up looking like this.
I-I don't know what to do.
The court's not gonna give me custody of Yas if I don't show them proof of a place to stay.
I'm fucked! Okay, look, I think I have an idea.
Come on.
This is my brother's spot.
I was gonna offer it to you before, but I know you're not the best at taking help.
I mean doesn't your brother need this? Um he hasn't been able to live outside of a halfway house for a while.
But my parents gave me the keys for when he's back, so how about we say it's not forever but for right now.
I I don't even know what to say, Lauren, like Tariq, it's okay.
I really wanna help you and your sister be together.
Let me show you around.
So this pulls out into a bed, and then there's a bedroom over there.
Thank you.
I really appreciate you doing this for me.
Thank you for letting me do it.
Oh, wait.
Here.
You're gonna need a lease for your custody case.
You know, if you live here, you wouldn't have to stay with Brayden anymore.
I mean, I don't know.
Staying with Brayden ain't that bad.
He's cool.
I know, but don't you think it was weird how happy he was when Professor Reynolds died? Offering all those girls a shoulder to cry on? No.
Look, Brayden didn't even know Professor Reynolds until I told him about him.
All right? So honestly I don't even know why he would care.
Yeah, I mean maybe, but Professor Reynolds probably knew who Brayden was.
He's very visible as a Weston.
And what about that book Professor Reynolds was writing? You don't think that was about Brayden? Look, no.
That book was definitely not about Brayden.
Are you sure? Yes.
Professor Reynolds told me who it was about.
On top of that, that nigga only wrote about Black people anyway, so So not Brayden? No.
Reynolds told him what the book was about.
Yeah, which means it's probably not about him.
That means Carrie's reaching again.
Tariq was listed as one of the students Reynolds saw the day he was murdered.
And I looked into Tariq's Choate record.
He was living with Weston way back then and he was expelled for drugs.
If Tariq is the Stansfield link to the drug operation and knew Reynolds was writing about it, that's motive.
Why would Reynolds tell St.
Patrick that he was going to expose him in his book? Doesn't even make any fucking sense.
Much less, it's not enough for a warrant.
It's enough for Stansfield to open up Tariq's dorm so we can look around.
- What's this? - It's what you wanted.
It's Tariq's phone.
He has a custody hearing tomorrow at 3:00.
For his sister.
They could've killed us both for what you did.
Yeah, I know what you did.
Sending Tariq to follow me to the connect.
I'm not stupid, Monet.
No matter how many times you say that to me.
All this time I'm out here blaming Tariq for everything.
But it's clear to me now you're the problem.
I'm here really thinking you was gonna let me back in, but you was gonna play me like you play him, like you play all of us you're a fucking joke.
Boy, I didn't fucking make you kill Ramirez or Reynolds.
I do whatever I fuckin' need to do to make sure this family and this business don't fall.
But that's the fucking problem! It's always family and fucking business.
What am I to you, huh? Your soldier or your fucking son? You're both.
Then what kind of fucking mother does that make you? Make sure Tariq gets his phone.
Get in.
Monet, I can't talk right now.
I got my sister's hearing.
I'm tired of playing with you, Tariq.
You failed.
Cane wasn't 'posed to find out what you was doing.
Listen, I didn't tell Cane.
I-I got caught following him.
And when you got caught, did you call me? No.
So these are the consequences of your actions.
You never think the dirt that you do is gonna come back to you.
So we gonna sit here and wait 'til you lose your sister like I almost lost Zeke.
Shouldn't take long.
Look, I got information, right? I got a address.
I got a name.
The name is Mecca.
I can get more.
Mecca and an address.
That's it? Look, let me go, and I can get you more information.
That's it.
Nah, I can't let you go, Tariq.
See, this is your consequence with Zeke and for breaking our rules so this doesn't happen again.
Now you know I'm the one in control.
You feel me? You know, you're wrong.
You think you in control, but you on a island and you don't even know it.
Boy, you better watch your step before you say some shit you can't take back.
So, you you really think you could do this shit without me? Half of the shit going on under your nose, you don't even see it.
Cane, he replaced Rico's work with sugar just to get you to take him back.
Dru, he's still fucking that nigga that dropped him and Zeke's name to the school about that dead body in the pool.
And Diana Diana stole that money out your bar.
You can't do none of this shit without me.
You need me, and I need my sister.
So what are we doing? My client is here, Your Honor.
You're late, Mr.
St.
Patrick.
I'd like to reopen the issue of granting him custody rather than sending the child into foster care.
I don't see how your client being here changes the fact that he's barely an adult, Mr.
Warren, and that he looks like he's just been in a brawl.
I'm inclined to keep the child in foster care until her grandmother's completed the requisite recovery program.
I understand your concerns, Your Honor, but my client's circumstances are not those of the average teenager.
He has shown time and time again that he is willing and able to step into a role far beyond his years and that he cares deeply for his sister.
I, therefore, beg the court to reconsider.
And by the way, while I have no doubt that Ms.
Green feels the same way, unfortunately, she has misused money from the trust fund.
Tariq can provide stability until Ms.
Green has recovered.
Surely, a family member is better than state care.
Your Honor, I just I just wanna keep my family together.
You know, my baby sister is all I have.
I mean, I have everything together.
I have an apartment.
Everything is there on the file.
Only thing I don't have is a chance.
He's a baby, Your Honor.
He can't raise a baby.
Did you use the child's funds to support a drinking habit? I admit my drinking got away from me, Your Honor, but I'm better now.
Have you completed a rehabilitation program? No, but I have prayed on it, Your Honor, Your Honor, I can pay for my grandmother to go to rehab, all right? I love I love my grandmother, but she's just not in Yasmin's best interest right now.
Circumstances for this family have been very, very hard and they just getting harder.
I want my grandmother to be strong enough, and she will be in the future, but I'm strong enough now, and I can take this responsibility for my sister.
I'll grant you custody on a temporary basis, - but one misstep - Ughh! And I'll be forced to remand the child back into state care.
Don't test me, Mr.
St.
Patrick.
Thank you, Your Honor.
- Thank you.
- Congratulations.
There's nothing here.
Well, then you need to vacate now.
Hold on.
Now, what were you sayin'? I led my kids down the wrong path, Dante.
They don't trust me, they don't trust each other.
Fuck, I thought I was teaching them the life.
Making them strong.
Shit.
Maybe we do need a fresh start.
Maybe I do too.
Maybe I could meet Zeke now, if you're ready.
I need some time.
Let me speak to my kids, but I think so.
Yes.
Hey Anything you need.
Anything.
We see your brother, and it's all gonna be okay, all right? Look, here he is.
- Thank you.
- Sure, I'll be in touch.
Told you you was gonna come home with me.
Listen, I'ma go set up the apartment for you and then in a little bit you can come stay with me, okay? Listen, Yas, Grandma loves you, all right? She's just going through a lot right now.
Gonna get her some help and we'll be a family again, okay? Okay.
Tariq, I trust you.
You should.
I got you.
Tariq St.
Patrick, you are under arrest.
- What? - For the murders of Officer Danilo Ramirez and Professor Jabari Reynolds.
What the fuck? Tariq.
Let him go, Lauren.
It's what he deserves.
Hello.
This is he.
Taxi! Your lawyer's here.
Get up.
So I received word of your arrest shortly after the hearing today.
What is this? I actually don't know what's inside.
Only that I was supposed to give it to you in the event that you were arrested for homicide.
It's from your father.
I had actually hoped, Mr.
St.
Patrick, that I would never have to give that to you.
I knew you'd end up here, lil nigga.
Right where you belong.
Mo.
I'm home.
I'm home, baby.
I'm home.
Ma, how did you keep this a secret? This why you been acting so weird? Yeah, I guess I didn't wanna ruin the surprise.