Without a Trace s02e07 Episode Script

So what are you saying? The kid doesn't have a name? Hey, I talked to 15 different witnesses, I got 15 different stories.
All I know is: Young Hispanic boy, grabbed, thrown into a black SUV.
How about the family? Did we talk to them? Nobody's come forward yet.
- Jack, it's been two hours.
He's a kid.
- Maybe he wasn't kidnapped.
Maybe he was a runaway and the parents came and picked him up.
This was a violent act.
According to eyewitnesses, the boy fought for his life.
Which one of the 15 eyewitnesses called that in? A couple of the kids, a couple parents.
They know this kid by face.
He hangs around here collecting bottles and cans.
- We got a decent sketch.
- Great.
- Hey, it's a start.
- Not much of one.
We've got the DMV checking into every black SUV in the area.
We've checked hospitals, morgues.
Every apartment building within a 10-block radius.
- No one fits the description.
- Maybe the description's wrong.
It better not be.
It's the only thing we've got.
The owner of the market said the kid's come around every day for the last five months.
- He exchanges cans and bottles for cash.
- Get a name? No name.
No family.
Just gets his money and leaves.
- It sounds like he could be homeless.
- I asked about that.
He said the kid looks like he's being taken care of.
Yeah, but by whom? Where are they? Probably in their apartment, praying they don't get deported.
What makes you think they're illegal? Martin, half the people in this area are illegal.
It makes for a pretty good victim if you're afraid to go to the authorities.
- Sex offender? - Or gangs.
Some sort of initiation? I know some gangs in the area get their new recruits take people off the streets, give 'em a beating.
Like a ritual hazing.
What if this family is illegal? Chances are they were smuggled into the country by a coyote.
Coyote's holding onto the kid as collateral until he gets paid.
Or someone might have called Immigration.
Pretty brutal, even for Immigration.
Sam, first thing in the morning I want you to check out the local schools.
Martin, Viv, I want you to work on the gang/sex-offender angle.
Danny, check with Immigration.
Make sure it's not part of some big sweep.
I'm gonna go to all the churches, all the outreach programs in the area.
Maybe somebody there knows him.
Excuse me, Father Walker.
Agent Malone.
What a surprise.
- What can I do for you? - Actually, I'm working on a case.
A small boy went missing yesterday at 163rd Street.
We don't know who his parents are or what his name is.
I know you run an after-school activity program and I was just wondering if you recognized him.
I'm sorry.
I don't.
Would you mind putting up some of these around the church - and asking at the other parishes? - Of course.
Thank you.
- So how are you? - I'm well.
Thank you.
- Yourself? - The same.
His name is Nelson Rodriguez.
He's one of my best students.
Do you have any reason to think he might have gotten into anything dangerous? - Gangs, drugs, anything like that.
- No.
But the other day, he was acting kind of strange.
He was all amped up, like I've never seen him before.
He was actually trying to sell me one of these hats.
Please, you have to buy one.
I'm sorry, Nelson, it's my policy.
I teach my students.
I don't buy things from them.
Just this one time.
Please, it's really important.
Why? What's wrong? - One size fits all.
- Nelson.
I'll never ask you again, I swear.
Nelson, what's wrong? Are you in trouble? No, I'm not.
I just really need to sell these.
Please? He seemed so desperate, I couldn't say no.
Do you think he was getting pressure from home? I'm sure.
Pressure to assimilate.
You know, to learn the language, to fulfill his parents' dreams.
- Right.
- That's a lot to ask of a 10-year-old.
- Have you ever actually met his parents? - No.
Do you know where they're from originally? Guatemala.
He's only been here six or seven months.
- Undocumented? - I don't ask.
- Do you have an address for them? - Sure.
It's in his file.
We're gonna need to get a copy of that.
Thank you.
"Aparatos Y Mas"? I don't think Nelson lives here.
- You sure Sam said 1530? - Yeah.
- You've never seen this boy? - No.
Really? That's strange because this is the address they have for him at his school.
- They must have got it wrong.
- Sir? - What's your full name? - Charlie Mandel.
You sure it's not Marcelino Flores or Oscar Lopez-Serrano or even Manuela Gonzalez? Mix-up at the post office.
You know what I think? I think these people pay you to use your address so that no one, especially Immigration, can find them.
Mr.
Mandel, we know you're trying to help these people.
But this is mail fraud, which is a felony.
This boy, Nelson Rodriguez, has now been missing for 19 hours.
Okay.
He comes in once a week to pick up his family's mail.
- When was the last time you saw him? - Day before yesterday.
He used the phone across the street.
After he hung up, he came back in front of my store and waited.
I went to ask him what he was doing and he said he was waiting to meet somebody.
- He say who? - No, he didn't.
But he looked real nervous.
I asked him if he was okay.
He said yes.
And then about 20 minutes later, a car drove up.
And Nelson raced across the street and got in.
He was in there about five minutes and then he got out.
Did you see who else was in the car? No.
I'm sorry.
I tell you what.
You're gonna do a little bit of work for us.
You seem to know what's going on in this neighborhood.
So if you see anything or hear anything, give us a call.
Or we'll be back.
Here's your mail.
Mandel said he got into a black SUV, the same car used in the abduction.
There's lots of black SUVs out there.
We don't know if it's the same car.
Owner said he was in there for about five minutes.
That's enough time for a drug deal.
Gangsters love black SUVs, and they love to use kids Nelson's age - to do their dirty work.
- I don't buy it.
His teacher said he's a happy, well-adjusted kid not some junior gangbanger.
Could be prostitution.
Maybe the guy in the SUV was a trick.
Maybe it went bad.
Trick killed him.
He's collecting cans and hawking beanies.
Doesn't sound like a kid who's into prostitution.
- You'd be surprised.
- What about the parents? Ana and Jorge Rodriguez.
I nearly crashed the computer running their names.
There's hundreds of them.
It's been a day, and we haven't heard a peep.
- What're these people hiding from? - Us.
To a lot of people, we are the enemy.
Hello? Yeah.
A woman contacted me after seeing the flier.
She knows the boy's mother.
They ride the subway together.
They get off at the same exit to go to work.
Nevins Street in Brooklyn.
This contact.
This woman.
- Does she know where the mother works? - No.
I need to know the name of your source so I can talk to her.
- I can't do that.
- Why not? She's frightened of the police.
She's scared they'll send her back.
I gave her my word, Jack.
She took me into her confidence.
Yes.
I am familiar with the vows of confidentiality.
Sometimes it can be very convenient.
I need to speak to this woman to determine if she's telling the truth or if she's lying and involved somehow.
She's not involved.
You have to trust me on that.
Here's a list of all the businesses within walking distance of the Nevins Street subway stop.
Okay, talk about a needle in a haystack.
She could work anywhere.
It's a warehouse district, so I'm guessing she works in a factory.
How far'd you get? I'm on "Sexxxy Accessories.
" That's "Sexxxy" with a triple X.
- Wait a second.
This one, right here.
- Snug Fit? - Yeah.
Hang on.
- What are you doing? Check it out.
"Snug Fit Manufacturing.
Made in the United States of America.
"Brooklyn, New York.
" Yeah, I'm the floor manager.
Who are you? I'm Special Agent Spade.
This is Special Agent Taylor.
- We're with the FBI.
- Look, this is a good company.
These girls get a fair wage, two breaks a day and a lunch.
You can relax, we're not looking for that.
We're looking for Ana Rodriguez.
- Where can we find her? - Okay, sure.
- Down at the end.
Last girl on the left.
- On the left? - Mrs.
Rodriguez? - No.
Do you know Sam.
Mrs.
Rodriguez! Señora.
You're Nelson's mother, right? Yes.
You know where he is? No, that's why we're here.
We're trying to help you find your son.
It's okay.
We just wanna ask you some questions.
He said he was going out for cans, and he would be back by dinner.
And I waited and I waited.
- And he never come home.
- Why didn't you call the police? Because my son Teo said no.
He said we couldn't trust you.
Why would Teo say something like that? Because in my country, the police don't fix trouble.
They make it.
- What about your husband? - He's working.
- I can't reach him.
- Where does he work? I don't know exactly.
It changes all the time.
Right now he's in some place called Pittsburgh doing construction.
How long has he been in Pittsburgh? One week.
He'll be back tomorrow.
Mrs.
Rodriguez, one of the things we have to consider is that Nelson may have been involved in some illegal activity.
Yes, I think so.
- You do? - Yes.
Something happened the day before he went away.
Nothing.
I earned it.
$283.
- No, it's not.
- Did you take this from somebody? - No.
- Tell me the truth.
I am.
We did not come to this country for you to get in trouble.
I'm not in trouble.
I promise.
- But you didn't believe him.
- No.
How did your family come to this country? I'm only asking because we think it may have something to do with Nelson's disappearance.
Did you pay someone to bring you here? - Yes.
- Who? I don't know.
I gave him his money.
I never seen him again.
Señora, I think you should come to our offices.
No, I can't.
It's just to look at some photographs and hopefully you'll be able to identify a potential suspect.
Mrs.
Rodriguez, your son Teo is wrong.
You can trust us.
Okay? Okay.
Nothing in the parents' room.
I found a couple hundred dollars stuffed under the mattress.
I assume it's Nelson's.
What's that? It's a picture of Nelson with his older brother.
Looks like he works at a place called Small's Auto.
I'm gonna go down there and talk to him.
- Are you Jorge Rodriguez? - Wait, we're not Immigration.
We're from the FBI.
We wanna talk to you about your son.
- Nelson.
- Nelson? What happened? Unfortunately, he was kidnapped yesterday.
What? I don't understand.
How did this happen? It might have had something to do with this.
Can you tell us where your son got this money? I have no idea.
Okay.
Great.
Mrs.
Rodriguez? Mrs.
Rodriguez, your husband's on his way here.
- I know this person.
- Who? - Right here.
- How do you know him? He moved in last month.
He lives down the hall.
But I don't understand.
What did he do? I didn't do anything wrong.
Okay? We both know that registered sex offenders are supposed to notify the local authorities immediately.
This is my third apartment in six months.
I tell the police, next thing I know, everyone in the building knows who I am.
- Then I'm onto my fourth.
- You're breaking my heart.
It was a mistake.
I'll go down to the precinct tomorrow.
Apartment's clear.
- Where were you yesterday at 3:00? - The Copy That.
I work the register 10:00 till 6:00.
Look, I'm telling you guys, I didn't take Nelson.
If you stop harassing me for five minutes, I can tell you who might have.
Clock's running.
It was about four days ago.
I was just coming back from grocery shopping and I heard some voices in the apartment.
They were speaking Spanish, so I couldn't understand.
But obviously it was serious.
So you witnessed this guy threaten the kids at knifepoint, and you didn't report it? Like I said, I'm just trying to stay under the radar here.
I don't know what happened.
Excuse me, sir.
I'm looking for Teo Rodriguez.
Can you get him for me, please? Stop that.
Go over there and get them for me.
- All right.
- Thank you.
Hey, boss.
- Hey, how you doing? - Sorry about that.
I gotta keep an eye on these guys.
You know, I can't trust these wetbacks.
- I think I know what you're talking about.
- So what can I do for you guys? - We need to talk to Teo.
- What'd he do? His brother is missing.
We need to ask him some questions.
What? Hey, Teo.
- When did this happen? - Yesterday.
I don't know.
I don't know who could've taken him.
Was Nelson in any kind of trouble? Maybe involved in something illegal? - He's a kid.
He's 10 years old.
- How about you, Teo? No, I just work here.
That's it.
How'd you get that scratch on your face? I scratched it on a transmission working underneath the car.
You didn't get it from that guy that went to your house and threatened you and your brother? Look, I needed some money.
So I stole a gangbanger's stereo.
And he came after me.
Then I repaid him, and that was it.
Had nothing to do with Nelson.
What was the gangbanger's name? No sé, I never seen him before that day.
Was he driving a black SUV? Do you know that? - No.
- Teo.
Your mom said she found over $300 in cash on Nelson.
Do you have any idea where he got it from? I gave it to him.
So that he wouldn't tell my parents about the stereo.
And how did you repay the gangster? I found another stereo.
He's a Hispanic, Johnny Doe.
Came in a few hours ago.
Multiple gunshot wounds.
His ear was sliced off three days earlier.
Separate incident.
He matches the description you guys sent us.
Thank you.
Probably be best if you view him from here.
Just let us know when you're ready.
It's not Nelson.
But I know who he is.
His name was Alberto Delgado.
Albert.
He was a friend of Nelson's.
- I didn't like Nelson hanging with him.
- Why is that? He was out too late.
Till 1:00, 2:00 in the morning.
Drinking beer and fighting.
Only 10 years old.
Albert part of a gang? I think so.
Maybe, I'm not sure.
That's why we didn't want Nelson hanging with him.
But I'm working all the time.
My husband, too.
- So I don't know.
- All right, I understand.
Thank you for coming in, Mr.
And Mrs.
Rodriguez.
We have an agent that will take you home.
We'll let you know if we find out anything else.
Torturing 10-year-olds, cutting off their ears.
I'm gonna talk to his family, see what they know.
You killed him.
- You killed my baby.
- Luisa.
- It's okay.
- You did it! We told the police Alberto was missing but they didn't care! We don't have our papers, so they didn't do anything! I'm sure there was another reason.
- Maybe they thought he'd run away.
- His ear was cut off! - And the police knew that? - Yes.
We told them who did it, El Coyote.
He's done the same thing to other families.
First, he cuts off the ear.
And then, if we don't pay him he kills them.
- What's his name? - Franco Reyes.
Where can I find this Mr.
Reyes? That's the problem.
We don't know.
He goes to you.
Apparently, Alberto's parents owed Reyes $3,000.
I don't understand.
When Alberto's parents couldn't pay Reyes Reyes killed Alberto.
But we paid the coyote.
I told you that.
Mr.
Rodriguez? - We still owe him money.
- How much? $4,000.
I've been making payments to him every week.
Did you miss any? I told him that I would pay him back when I got back from Pittsburgh.
What do I look like to you? A bank? - I'm going to get you your money.
- I provided you with a service - and I expect to be paid for it.
- I know.
If it weren't for me your son would still be in Guatemala sleeping on the floors with the chickens.
And now he has a future.
I'm going to Pittsburgh tomorrow for a job.
- You'll have your money by next week.
- I better.
I have money, Papa.
- It's not a lot, but you can have it.
- You keep your money.
I'll take care of it.
- And when was this? - Two weeks ago.
Do you have any idea where I could find Mr.
Reyes? No.
I don't know.
He's lying.
I'd be lying, too, if a guy like Reyes cut my face.
They're never gonna tell us the truth.
We're gonna have to put them under surveillance.
You know, it doesn't make sense.
The coyote takes him 'cause of one missed payment? Street Etiquette 101.
If you bend the rules for one guy - you have to bend them for everybody.
- There's Teo.
Father just stopped off at a pawn shop.
I think he's just picked up some money.
This must be it.
He looks nervous.
He's waiting for his mark.
Check out the lady headed toward the Benz.
He's making his move.
He's got a gun, Sam.
He's got a gun.
FBI! Freeze! Put the gun down! - Mr.
Rodriguez.
- What are you doing here? You know, I was just about to ask you the same thing.
What's this? I thought the coyote always came to you.
Somebody told me that he was here.
- Put him in the car.
- Let's go.
Come on.
- I didn't do anything wrong.
- Let's keep it that way.
If Franco thinks that I called the police, he's going to kill my son.
You just let us do our job.
No one's gonna get killed.
Get in the car.
- The American dream.
- Oh, yeah.
How do you wanna handle this? Hot or cold? Lukewarm.
Nelson might be in there.
- Franco Reyes? - Yeah.
- FBI.
- Up against the wall.
- Hey, what the hell are you doing? - Okay, let's go.
You got a warrant? You can't just come in here like this.
Actually, we can.
It's called exigent circumstances.
We're looking for Nelson Rodriguez.
He was kidnapped off of the street two days ago.
- I don't know anything about that.
- Really? - Any amigos here with you? - No.
Take a seat.
- You got him? - Yep.
Go ahead.
We got an eyewitness says that you threatened Nelson and his brother at knifepoint.
His family owed me money.
But he paid it off.
- Who? Mr.
Rodriguez? - No.
The kid.
Nelson.
- Nelson paid you the money.
- Three days ago.
He called me on the phone.
He said he had the money his father owed.
- And what did you do? - I went to go pick it up.
$4,000.
Now leave my family alone.
- Where did you get this? - Doesn't matter.
Just leave us alone.
Nelson paid you the full amount? I have no more business with that family.
Nelson? It's okay.
I'm not gonna hurt you.
You're okay now.
My name's Martin.
I'm gonna get you out of here, all right? Yeah, this is Fitzgerald.
I need an ambulance right away.
Yeah.
544 Ventnor Avenue.
You're gonna be okay, all right? I'll be right back, all right? Martin! - Where is he, you sick son of a bitch? - Martin.
We've got enough to arrest him.
Now take it easy.
There's a little girl up there with her ear cut off.
- I didn't do anything.
- Martin, take it easy.
I swear to God, if you don't tell me where he is in three seconds Damn it! He's dead.
- I'm sorry for the way it went down.
- Yeah, you ought to be.
- You were out of control.
- I know.
- What the hell happened? - I don't know what happened.
OPR has been after our squad for the last year.
They start sniffing around this.
We don't need it.
The guy pulled a knife on me.
It was self-defense.
- You don't have to worry about it.
- Oh, really? They're gonna say that we couldn't control our prime suspect.
Now, there are no leads.
There's no way to press him harder.
- It was bad work all around.
- I'll take the heat.
When you were in the other room he confessed to me that he extorted money out of Nelson's family.
I should have arrested him and put him in cuffs.
If I had done that, none of this would have happened.
So what do you wanna do? - Did you find Nelson? - No.
So what went down here? Well, we rang the bell.
He let us in.
We frisked him.
He was clean.
We led him up here.
We started questioning him.
He told us that Nelson paid off his family's debt so we started to arrest him for extortion and he resisted arrest.
He pulled a knife, and Martin shot him.
- So it was a good shooting.
- Yes.
You okay? Yeah, I'm fine.
- I'm gonna need your gun.
- Yeah, I've got that.
Feels like I've had to do this one too many times lately.
- I'm gonna need a report in the morning.
- All right.
I made a mistake.
I should've told you that I was going over there.
I'm sorry.
I understand, Mr.
Rodriguez.
I really do.
You came to this country looking for a better life for you and your family and then something like this happens.
I made a call to a friend of mine at Immigration and he sent me these forms.
Take a look.
- For my family to stay? - No promises.
You're gonna have to talk to some people, answer some questions.
There's no guarantees, but at least I can get the ball rolling.
But if I do this for you you have to do something for me.
What? I'll do anything.
- Tell me where your brother is, Teo.
- I can't.
Yes, you can.
I know why you were gonna steal that car.
I know that Smalls place is a chop shop and I know you were planning to buy your brother back, which tells me - that you know where your brother is.
- No.
Teo, we're talking attempted carjacking.
They're gonna give you Don't do that to your family.
Let me help you.
Have you ever heard of a place called Hialeah, Florida? - No.
- It's a lot like where you're from.
- I grew up there.
- Is that where you got your badge? No.
That's where I got that.
I was just like you.
Afraid.
Always running from the badge.
- Now you got one.
- Because I made a choice.
And now you have to make a choice, Teo.
What's it gonna be? You gonna help me find your brother? Come in.
- You mind if we interrupt? - Teo.
Tell them.
Whatever you know whatever is going on, tell them.
It wasn't my fault.
I didn't steal the money.
Nelson did.
What are you talking about, Teo? Nelson took Smalls' money.
The money he gets from the cars Smalls kept it in a toolbox behind the radio.
Nelson must've found it when he was hanging out at the shop.
He used it to pay off your debt.
The money your mom found.
That's what was left.
I didn't even know what had happened till the next day when Smalls was freaking out and accusing me of taking the money.
I swear to God, I'll kill your little brother.
Blow his Guatemalan-ass brains out.
I didn't take your money.
- Whatever you want.
- I got a customer.
- He needs a Mercedes S-Class.
New.
- Okay.
You tell anybody about this, your brother is dead.
- So Smalls has Nelson.
- Yeah.
- Check it out.
- You see that? All right, Teo.
We gotta send him back out for some more, huh? Nice.
You were right, Smalls.
You just can't trust a wetback, can you? FBI! Get your hands up! Now! Let's go! FBI! Let's go! Down! Right now! Get back! It's okay.
We're here to help you.
It's okay.
I just wanted to let you know that we found the boy and it was your information that got the ball rolling, so thank you.
Any time.
But you know, you didn't have to come all the way up here to tell me that.
You could have used the phone.
Yeah, I suppose I could've.
Jack, you look like a man who needs to talk.
- Maybe I do.
- So let's talk.
Okay.
OPR wants to see us first thing in the morning.
They're gonna wanna talk to us individually.
We'll be fine.
How you doing? This guy got what he deserved.
- Listen, you wanna go get a - I got to finish this report.
Right.
Okay.
- Night.
- Yeah.
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