Homicide: Life on the Street s03e11 Episode Script
Partners
- You get your raise? - Yeah.
Me, too, and my cheque was smaller.
The government takes out more taxes in the first quarter.
- Why? - To pay for last year's overspend.
Get a jump on this year's overspend.
Got anything invested? Invested? What do I have left after the bar? You put all your money in the bar? What? You didn't? - What if the bar's hit by lightning? - So what do I do? - You got anything saved? - No.
I keep buying bigger TVs.
- Why do you all get so hard for Harleys? - You wouldn't understand.
- That's deep.
Hey, Doc! - What's his name? Andrew Whetherly.
His nickname was Monk.
Member of the Deacons' biker gang.
Was he shot in the face? Yeah, then dragged behind a car.
See the ligature marks and gravel on his cheeks? You.
If I asked what you know, you wouldn't tell me, right? Depends on your attitude.
Any idea who might want to overkill your buddy? Nobody wanted the Monk to die, all right? We loved him.
That implies you'd have some say in whether he lived or died.
That implies nothing, officer.
All I'm saying is this was club business.
You should know what I mean.
I don't.
- Can't help you, then.
- We'll be in touch.
- Hello.
- Hello, Commissioner.
Commissioner Harris, good to see you.
Good to see you.
Hello.
Hi.
- How are you? - Very well, all things considered! - Busy? - No more than usual, sir.
- Are you free for lunch? - Actually, I am.
- Shall we? - See you later, Tim.
What's he doing here? - He asked Frank for lunch.
- Hey, get your own! - I just want the sports section.
- There wasn't a game last night.
They usually advertise airline prices.
If memory serves, you've used up your vacation.
I'm not taking a vacation.
I hired a private detective to find Beth and the kids.
Private detective? You're a detective.
You're way better than any Sam Spade wannabe.
If memory serves, I've got a day job.
Besides, this guy's good.
He found receipts from a motel outside Camden.
- Camden New Jersey? - Makes sense.
Beth's got family in Pennsylvania.
It's on her way there.
Anyway, it's something.
Homicide.
Detective Felton.
Yep.
Right.
I got it.
Come on.
Let's go.
Hi, Jim.
- Oh, hi.
- How's it going? - Hello, Commissioner.
- Oh, hiya! Iced tea and linguine pomodoro, Mr Harris? Ah, yes.
Thank you.
And for you, sir? - The same, please.
- Very well.
- May I? - Well, you're wearing the gun.
True.
You really broke my heart last year.
Did I? How? - Turning down that promotion.
- The shift commander? Yeah.
I've been watching your career.
You're a hell of a good policeman.
My plan was to move you upstairs with me.
I felt that I would be better off handling cases than politics.
Yes, I understand.
Most care more about moving up than being good where they are.
I respected your decision then, and I still do.
Thank you.
Do you know Congressman Jeremy Wade? Not personally.
I voted for him.
Mmm, he's been good, especially to the police department.
Two nights ago, Congressman Wade called me.
Said he'd been kidnapped by two men who had warned him about staying away from his assistant's girlfriend.
He didn't wanna report it officially, but he sounded shook up, so I had the unit response.
I don't think it's appropriate for me to conduct the investigation, so I want you to do that for me.
- Sir, I'm a homicide investigator.
- I know.
But I need somebody good, someone smart, someone tactful.
I need the best.
You're the best.
I'll have to clear this with Giardello.
We're a man down.
- You let me make that call for you.
- OK.
I want you to separate the fact from the fiction.
- I want you to report to only me.
- Right.
Put a little parmesan on that pomodoro.
It brings it alive.
- What have we got? - A white male.
Single bullet to the head.
He was found with his hands down around his ankles.
He was by a tree squatting, as if about to - Defecate.
- Did he? - What, sir? - Dump? Not as far as I can tell.
- Did you look? - Well, I, er - Where is this tree? - It's right over here.
- Where's the body? - They took it.
- Who took it? - The paramedics in the ambulance.
Hold on.
That wasn't a medical examiner's truck.
- No, it's from St Agnes Hospital.
- Oh.
- Where are they taking the body? - To St Agnes.
- So, the guy wasn't dead? - He was dead.
Definitely dead.
They pronounced him at 1:30pm.
So you let them take a dead body to the hospital? They knew what to do.
- Man! - He was found kinda like this.
- Let's go.
- Go where? Go find the body! Rule of thumb - it's not a homicide unless there's a body.
Tattoos make you queasy? I don't understand the fascination with scarring your body.
It's an ancient ritual that originated in Polynesia as a symbol of virility and manhood.
If you need a scar on your body to declare your manhood, you're not much of a man.
- Tattoos are cool.
- You got one, they're so cool? - Where? - Bree Whetherly work here? - Who wants to know? - We do.
- And you are? - Representatives of a sweepstake.
- Cops.
She's in the back.
- Doesn't that hurt? Trick is not to care.
- Mrs Whetherly? - Yeah? We're from Homicide.
- Damn, this hurts! - Trick is not to care.
Oh, really? You try it.
Mrs Whetherly, I'm sorry to tell you this, but your husband Is dead.
Last night before he left the house, he was sitting on Mama's rocking chair, feeding the baby.
He was crying.
Kissing Sarah's cheeks.
Holding her so tight I thought she'd break.
I knew he didn't have long.
Why? Was Monk in some feud with a rival club or with the Deacons? Feud? Nobody messed with Monk.
He'd just as soon beat your ass as shake your hand.
Except when it came to Sarah Rose.
He made a mook of himself around her! Any idea who might have wanted your husband dead? - Ask Preacher.
- Preacher? He's the Deacons' warlord.
Keeps the club members in line.
Disciplines the rallies.
Reviews prospects.
- Whose prospects? - Guys who wanna be in the club.
Preacher also does weddings.
He's a bishop in the American Fellowship Church.
He married me and Monk.
Did Monk ever say anything about any trouble he might have been in? Monk didn't talk to me about club business.
That just ain't done.
Where would we find this Preacher? The club's got a strip joint on Blair Road.
Watch yourself around Preacher.
He's not liable to take a joke.
Interested in a cherry '68 Electra Glide? - Monk bored and stroked it last spring.
- Electra Glide? His Harley! Pull your head out of the sand, boys.
Well, ask your cop buddies, would you? I need the money.
Monk wasn't exactly over insured, you know.
When white people mess themselves up they do it in such bizarre ways.
- Where's your tattoo? - Guess.
No! Frank, I don't care about the alleged kidnapping.
I wanna know what Jim Harris, the wunderkind of our department, had for lunch.
We had linguine pomodoro, OK? Oh! It's like you're being groomed! Mr Wade says the van was a late-model Ford Windstar, red.
He was forced into the van through a side door on the driver's side.
Vans don't have side doors on the driver's side.
Was he the one who engineered your promotion offer? - Yes.
- You're golden, Frank.
He also claims the van slowed, and he was ejected here.
When I examined the clothes he was wearing, I found no grass stains, no rips, no tears.
What about these people who dropped him off? He says there was a Neighbourhood Watch barbecue going on.
It's chilly to be cooking outdoors.
I checked with the parks and recreation, and I found there was no permit issued for the park that day.
We're looking for a van which does not exist, carrying kidnappers who never lived, who didn't abscond with a Congressman, and then didn't drop him off here? I guess.
I don't know.
This really stinks, Frank.
Well Let's keep looking.
None of the particulars exist.
I have been asked to exercise my expertise as a homicide detective.
That's what I will do.
- Harris caught you doing something.
- What? Nabbing the cash out of the Orphans' and Widows' Fund.
Is that it? You know, sometimes you're funny, and then there's now.
'Dr Barratt, please call your office.
' Excuse me, I'm Detective Howard, Baltimore City Homicide.
- We're looking for a body.
- Take your pick.
We've been to the morgue who sent us to Admitting, who sent us to you.
Gotta make a call.
Dead body.
Came in within the last hour.
White male.
Approximately 50 years of age.
- Oh, I know who you mean.
- Where is he? Detective, that man was dead.
To qualify for admission to this hospital, a patient has to be, at least, clinging to life.
But if you didn't admit the dead body, where is it? - They took it back.
- Took it back? - To where they found it.
- Back to where they found it, huh! Kay, my PI thinks Beth went to Philly.
The paramedics took the body back to where they found it! It's like a treasure hunt! Ready? - Whoa! - Lisa.
She's limber.
She's a virgin.
I get this urge to take them home, and talk some sense into them.
- No sex? - Oh, yeah, yeah! Couple of beers.
Couple of shots.
I still wanna try and help them out.
- We're looking for Preacher.
- Over there.
Are you Preacher? Detective Lewis, Detective Munch, Homicide.
Monk was a good soldier.
Had an awesome sense of duty and a lot of heart.
So he died for a reason? - Don't we all? - So who killed the Monk? When a man dies at the hands of a mob, how do you tell? - More than one killer? - The Warren Commission says not.
Can you give us a straight answer or do we need to drag your narrow behind downtown? If you got Natty Bo in your office, I'm in.
Monk's wife seems to think you might know who wanted him killed.
Her yapping is why he's dead.
- Are you saying this is a vendetta? - Detective You'll have to abandon this linear way of thinking you've grown to love.
Dig a little deeper, man.
You're being lazy.
Who are you calling lazy, you retro Nazi crap? Whoa! What are you looking at? Get up! Make me.
What the hell happened to you guys? Our man Lewis has a Chuck Norris streak.
- Who's the welterweight? - A member of the Deacons' biker gang.
He got into a "mine's bigger than yours" with Lewis.
- Looks like his was bigger.
- Much bigger.
Frank, what floor are you working on these days? Your chair's empty.
The room no longer has the energy of Baltimore's best and brightest detective.
Well, Harris asked me to look into something.
- Did he call and tell you? - Yeah, and told me nothing.
You're my prize pupil.
Wanna tell me the goods? He asked me to fix a traffic ticket.
- You don't trust me.
- Oh, Gee, Gee! They eat their wounded upstairs.
Be careful.
OK, Gee.
Thanks! Whetherly was doing business on the side! He was breaking the rules.
You're the warlord.
You had to make an example out of him! - You have no soul.
- Don't you talk to me about soul! The whole premise of this case is soul.
You've decided I'm trash, and that I'd take the life of my brother when I sip beer.
Where is all this eloquence coming from? Did you pass third grade? No.
Actually, he went to Williams College.
For a year, anyway.
- What? - He's from Connecticut.
Connecticut? His real name is Jason Calhoun.
He prepped at Hodgekiss.
You come from money? Your parents own some bank? What's this? "North-eastern mortgage" We all have these embarrassments in our past.
Mr Calhoun, do you know who killed Monk Whetherly? I don't know who, but I do know why, and if you two understand the why, then you'll figure out who.
Why don't you just tell us the why? Because he loved his little girl.
Now, I'm sorry about the scuffle earlier, but you asked for it.
You know I didn't kill the Monk, so unless you've got anything further, I'd like to get back to my life.
I'll have an officer take you home.
Don't bother.
My ride's here.
- Timothy Draper? - Yes.
Could we speak with you? - Sure.
Come in.
- Thanks.
I met Jeremy Wade at the Democratic National Convention in New York, 1992.
We're all hugging and singing, "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow.
" No, thanks.
How long have you worked for Congressman Wade? Two years, I was in my second year of law school when Jeremy offered me to be his assistant.
I'm actually moving back to New York to finish school.
Congressman Wade is asserting that you had him kidnapped, and warned him to stay away from your girlfriend.
- What? - Wanna tell us what's really going on? I came to DC to work for a powerful three-term US Congressman.
He set me up in Baltimore to be closer to his constituents.
It was great helping him come up with ideas, legislation, breaking bread at the weekly caucus with the most powerful politicians in our government.
DC is like heroin.
You get a taste of that power, that level of involvement Why did you quit? Because Jeremy and I started a relationship.
A love affair.
- You don't have a girlfriend? - No.
I'm gay.
The affair was beginning to affect his work and mine.
I told him I had to quit, that I was going back to school.
- Then he blew up.
- Blew up? Yeah.
He broke my arm.
Why didn't you report that? Bones heal.
So this whole kidnapping story is Sad.
Why are we investigating a domestic? I don't get the accordion effect of traffic.
Ten feet, stop! Ten feet, stop! It's not a domestic.
It's a kidnapping.
It was no abduction.
It was a lovers' quarrel.
Draper quit.
Wade beat the crap out of him.
Why did Wade make the call? Probably thought Draper was gonna report the assault, so Wade decides he'll call in first, and say Draper had someone kidnap him.
- It takes the wind out of Draper's sail.
- That doesn't make sense.
People under stress sometimes don't make sensible decisions.
Did you ever think that you were gay? - No.
- Ever had a homosexual experience? - No, Frank.
- Even when you were a kid? - No.
No, I haven't! - Every guy goes through this.
- I didn't.
- No hugs? Pecks on the cheeks? - No close encounters? - How about you, Frank? - Go on.
- You first.
OK, I I had a cousin who used to follow me into the bathroom.
Sometimes.
- Really? - Yeah, you know.
- What did he do? - I don't remember.
Your turn.
I got nothing to tell.
You said every guy has had one of these experiences! I must have been lying.
What am I gonna do with this case? Ask Harris.
He's the one grooming you for upper management.
OK, OK! I'll go ask Harris.
Rookie! Gonna get his name and shield number and put him on report.
We're in a hurry here.
I might have to leave for Philly.
We got a hard enough time, what with rookies letting bodies go.
You don't wanna put this poor kid on report.
He's just inexperienced.
Remember when you were inexperienced? I was never that inexperienced.
- Put him on report.
- What's you number, son? The Deputy Commissioner will be right out.
He's meeting with the mayor.
- In there? The mayor's in there? - He's in and out all the time! Oh! Frank! Sorry to keep you waiting.
Come on in.
- Have a seat.
- Where's the mayor? Well, he went out the side door.
Does he have something to hide? Not really.
At least not today.
Sit down.
So, what's the good news about our little problem? It's not little, sir.
There was no kidnapping.
It's a lovers' spat between Wade and Draper.
It started as a smoke screen to hide the fact Wade is homosexual.
All of which would've meant no harm, except that he filed a police report, which is false, which is a crime.
Yeah.
So how do you plan to proceed? You tell me.
All I know is Article 27, Section 150 of the Annotated Code says Wade owes the public $500 and six months in jail for the filing a false report.
The way I see it is, if Congressman Wade is charged, the media will probably pull his private life out of the closet, and we will lose a very important ally in Congress.
If Wade goes, we'll have more dead cops on the street.
- Want me to walk away? - What about the false report? If no crime was committed, then we could just let this thing die.
- Have you talked to Wade? - No.
Then you should.
Make sure he understands how you plan to proceed.
How I plan to proceed? Sir, you have to be much, much more specific.
Do you want me to cut a deal with Wade? I want you to tell Congressman Wade there will be no investigation.
That we understand that this is just a trivial episode of poor judgment, and we will take care of it.
OK, sir.
Taking your work a bit too seriously.
I'm trying to get into their heads.
I mean, this is a fascinating world.
Fascinating? These pig boys are nothing but fat drunken racists who ride illegally altered motorcycles.
- They're a gang! - True.
They're not a gang, per se.
The MC on the patches, that stands for "Motorcycle Club.
" Meldrick, they're stone killers! Or you could say they're the last living legacy of a wild, wild West, huh? Riding steel horses, and maintaining an almost fanatical code of honour and independence.
They blew a guy's face off.
Where is the honour? The Hell's Angels were an Air Force fighter squadron in the Second World War.
No, I did not.
After the war, when they'd finished flying, they took up bikes.
In fact, they had a riot of some sort out in Hollister, California.
They based the movie "Wild Ones" there.
Yeah.
Interesting.
I interviewed two members of the Phoenix Motorcycle Club, and they assured me they had no bones to pick with the Deacons.
This ain't got nothing to do with no outside club.
Lewis, it's for you.
Line three.
Lewis, Homicide.
Who's this? OK.
- Where are you going? - Don't know.
Lewis! - Yeah? - Sorry about the cloak and dagger.
- I'm Special Agent Harvey Easton, FBI.
- How didn't I know that? Yeah.
I'm not the guy in the recruiting posters.
Look, I know you're investigating Whetherly's murder.
You do, huh? How? I'm doing undercover work into the Deacons.
Mind if we step out of the way? You know who whacked Whetherly? Oh, yeah.
Guy named Gabe Clark.
He's just some punk prospecting for the club.
I got his address here, but - Make a clean bust.
- I'm stepping on federal toes? We're making a RICO case to shut the club.
Is Preacher involved? The club president, Benny Reston, has been working for some wise guys in Miami, doing some odd hits, distributing coke, amphetamines here in Baltimore.
I got the two acts of racketeering I need to indict, but I gotta get my contact out.
- Who's your contact? - Whetherly's wife.
She put me in contact with Reston.
- He loved his little girl.
- Yeah, whatever.
Look, I'll take Reston.
You take the slug who whacked Monk, OK? Yeah, whatever.
Thanks.
Ah, Detective Pembleton.
Good afternoon.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
- Need some coffee or anything? - No, I'm fine.
Please.
- How's everything on the home front? - Same as usual.
Out of control.
I love Baltimore.
The northernmost southern city.
Friendly and gracious like Dixie, but liberally conservative like any good WASP enclave.
I assume you know why I'm here.
Yes, I think so.
You're here to interview me about the kidnapping.
Congressman, er I'm not sure how to say this.
There isn't any truth to your story.
There was no van, no abduction.
No threats were made against your life.
Jim said you were honest and honourable.
This is the way we are.
You called to pre-empt Mr Draper's assault charge.
You thought there might be an investigation and that might lead to the disclosing of your personal life.
Yes.
A police officer responded to that call.
A report was filed.
- Yes.
- Filing a false report is a crime.
This is a private matter between you and Mr Draper, and you'd prefer to keep it private.
That is correct.
Well, then, if a crime has been committed, we will investigate fully.
However, if no crime was committed, well, then that puts an end to it.
If I tell you that no crime occurred, would this ever be used against me? Not by me.
There was no abduction, and I would prefer the matter be dealt with privately.
Consider this case file closed, and your private life private.
Thank you very much, Detective.
I represent a mostly southern city.
This isn't California or Massachusetts.
The truth is not my ally with respect to my private life.
- I wish it were, but - I wouldn't worry about it, sir.
Suspect's name is Gabe Clark.
He's 6'3".
Black hair.
Heavy set.
Considered armed and extremely dangerous.
He may have a girlfriend with him.
Baltimore Police! You're under arrest! You got him? - We never will close this case.
- I know.
Whatever chance we had - if there were a chance - it's gone.
- I know.
- Crime scene's been violated, Chain of evidence has been broken.
The body's toured Baltimore! I feel bad you're the primary.
After not closing Chilton, your average will sink below the Mendoza line.
I'm the primary? You took the call.
When we were getting in the car Dalkins Investigations.
Yeah, I'll hold.
You said, "I'll be the primary.
" I'm gonna kick you somewhere below your Mendoza line! Doug Chambers.
Yeah, is he in? Hey, if you want, I'll be the primary.
Yeah, just tell him that Beau Felton called, OK? - Answering service.
- You are gonna eat this one! Even a homeless, unknown, unclaimed John Doe deserves my 100% effort in closing his case.
- Frank! Hey, hey! - Good morning.
- Morning.
- What's with the dog and pony show? There's blood in the water.
It's your blood.
They're waiting for you.
- What the hell for? - I'm just a messenger.
Maria Delgado of Channel 8 broke a story saying there had been a cover-up of criminal charges brought against Wade.
You've gotta be kidding! As you indicated, I'm not funny.
What do you wanna do? I'm with you either way.
- Walking in the front door.
- Just as I thought.
Here he comes! Let's go! Detective Pembleton! Excuse me! Excuse me! Do you have any statement as to your alleged complicity in covering up the charges against Congressman Wade? Hey, hey, hey! Frank.
- Don't say hello at once.
- Sit down.
Then again I might not.
Detective Pembleton, I was making French toast for my kids when I got a call from Maria Delgado.
She was about to go on air about Congressman Wade being kidnapped and then after a formal investigation, he recanted, which implied that instead of Wade being charged with filing a false report, you covered it up.
Give me your side of the story before I decide what, if any, disciplinary action will be taken.
Deputy Commissioner, you wanna? Feel free to jump in here at any time.
I called in Detective Pembleton to investigate the veracity of Congressman Wade's allegations.
- And? - No crime was committed.
We have to notify the Attorney's office to charge Wade.
We can't.
- Why? - I gave him my word.
- Under whose authority? - Under the Commissioner's authority! Jim, did you OK this deal? No, I did not.
Detective Pembleton has clearly overstepped the parameters of professional conduct and propriety.
That's it, then.
Detective Pembleton, you are under administrative suspension with pay.
You'll limit your activities to paperwork and answering phones and don't act so surprised! You've done a great disservice to the reputation of this department and to this city.
- Gee, help.
- You said it was a traffic ticket! You said everything was under control! Now there's nothing I can do! There's only one thing for me to do.
I quit! You all riding today? We got a funeral.
We're burying our brother.
- We arrested Gabe Clark this morning.
- Nothing righteous about him.
Yeah, well, he says your club president, Reston, ordered the hit.
- You believe him? - It's club business.
Monk's wife was giving up the club.
You couldn't let her get away with it.
In ancient Rome, when a member of your family sinned the head of the family was allowed to die so the others could live.
So, Monk died for his wife's sins? He allowed himself to be slaughtered because he loved his daughter so much? Have you ever love anybody that much? - Not yet.
- It's something to work for.
Look, you know, I've read about your so-called code of honour, and the way that you live your life with this abandon, but murder is not honourable.
If you ain't picked up the sword, then you ain't never have to worry about falling on it.
Is it worth living without the sword? You picked up one, right? It's in that holster on your hip.
Let's make it fast.
We gotta go.
- Mrs Whetherly.
- Yeah, what? I have your husband's effects.
You never picked them up.
Frigging Feds! I got 15 minutes to pack up my entire life! - Nobody's coming for you.
- You're a civilian.
You've no idea! - Do you know why Monk was killed? - Yeah.
Yeah, because of me.
No Because of her.
You listening to me? He made a deal.
Your husband died so that your daughter, his daughter, could have a mother.
- Ain't nobody gonna touch you now.
- Maybe.
Maybe not.
I can't take that chance.
They're burying him today.
See that he gets that.
I don't want him all alone.
Sarah could always make him smile.
Always make him feel better, huh, honey? That's it.
It's all I'm taking.
I don't have time to go to the funeral.
I just want someone to say goodbye to him for us, OK? That's fine.
Let's go.
Hey, Frank! - What's going on? - I'm fixing dinner for my wife tonight.
- You're gonna walk out on me? - I didn't.
We're not engaged.
Don't act like I left you at the altar.
You're my partner, OK? I mean, you're my best friend.
What am I supposed to say? That you're my best friend? They only suspended you for a month.
I shouldn't have been suspended.
I was asked by a superior to fix a lumpy situation.
I got screwed.
I should've known better, but I broke the law.
Cops can't do that.
Consequently, I'm no longer any good to myself or my badge.
Listen, this isn't you.
What happened? You're not quitting! Come on! - Yes, I am.
- What are you gonna do? You gonna run security at a corporation off the beltway? You gonna teach crime detection technique at the police academy? You can't! You will always be a cop.
I'm not any more.
I'm relishing that moment tomorrow when I haven't seen one dead person.
That moment when my wife walks in says, "Honey, I'm home.
" And I get to ask her about her day, and actually, for once, listen and care as she relates every boring detail.
- I don't have a partner.
- Get over it.
I'm going home.
I'll stand by you Won't let nobody hurt you I'll stand by you So if you're mad Get mad Don't hold it all inside Come on and talk to me - What did Gee say? - He's giving me time to hash it out.
- How long? - A couple or three days.
I'll be at Beth's cousin's house in Upper Darby.
I can't believe how long it's been since I held my kids.
- All right, I'll see you.
- Hey, Beau! - Thanks! - Merry Christmas, huh? Thanks! I'll stand by you Won't let nobody hurt you I'll stand by you Take me in into your darkest hour And I'll never desert you I'll stand by you And when When the night falls on you, baby You're feeling all alone You won't be on your own I'll stand by you I'll stand by you Won't let nobody hurt you I'll stand by you Take me in into your darkest hour And I'll never desert you I'll stand by you I'll stand by you Won't let nobody hurt you I'll stand by you Won't let nobody hurt you I'll stand by you I'll stand by you Won't let nobody hurt you I'll stand by you And on and on Take me in into your darkest hour And I'll never desert you I'll stand by you
Me, too, and my cheque was smaller.
The government takes out more taxes in the first quarter.
- Why? - To pay for last year's overspend.
Get a jump on this year's overspend.
Got anything invested? Invested? What do I have left after the bar? You put all your money in the bar? What? You didn't? - What if the bar's hit by lightning? - So what do I do? - You got anything saved? - No.
I keep buying bigger TVs.
- Why do you all get so hard for Harleys? - You wouldn't understand.
- That's deep.
Hey, Doc! - What's his name? Andrew Whetherly.
His nickname was Monk.
Member of the Deacons' biker gang.
Was he shot in the face? Yeah, then dragged behind a car.
See the ligature marks and gravel on his cheeks? You.
If I asked what you know, you wouldn't tell me, right? Depends on your attitude.
Any idea who might want to overkill your buddy? Nobody wanted the Monk to die, all right? We loved him.
That implies you'd have some say in whether he lived or died.
That implies nothing, officer.
All I'm saying is this was club business.
You should know what I mean.
I don't.
- Can't help you, then.
- We'll be in touch.
- Hello.
- Hello, Commissioner.
Commissioner Harris, good to see you.
Good to see you.
Hello.
Hi.
- How are you? - Very well, all things considered! - Busy? - No more than usual, sir.
- Are you free for lunch? - Actually, I am.
- Shall we? - See you later, Tim.
What's he doing here? - He asked Frank for lunch.
- Hey, get your own! - I just want the sports section.
- There wasn't a game last night.
They usually advertise airline prices.
If memory serves, you've used up your vacation.
I'm not taking a vacation.
I hired a private detective to find Beth and the kids.
Private detective? You're a detective.
You're way better than any Sam Spade wannabe.
If memory serves, I've got a day job.
Besides, this guy's good.
He found receipts from a motel outside Camden.
- Camden New Jersey? - Makes sense.
Beth's got family in Pennsylvania.
It's on her way there.
Anyway, it's something.
Homicide.
Detective Felton.
Yep.
Right.
I got it.
Come on.
Let's go.
Hi, Jim.
- Oh, hi.
- How's it going? - Hello, Commissioner.
- Oh, hiya! Iced tea and linguine pomodoro, Mr Harris? Ah, yes.
Thank you.
And for you, sir? - The same, please.
- Very well.
- May I? - Well, you're wearing the gun.
True.
You really broke my heart last year.
Did I? How? - Turning down that promotion.
- The shift commander? Yeah.
I've been watching your career.
You're a hell of a good policeman.
My plan was to move you upstairs with me.
I felt that I would be better off handling cases than politics.
Yes, I understand.
Most care more about moving up than being good where they are.
I respected your decision then, and I still do.
Thank you.
Do you know Congressman Jeremy Wade? Not personally.
I voted for him.
Mmm, he's been good, especially to the police department.
Two nights ago, Congressman Wade called me.
Said he'd been kidnapped by two men who had warned him about staying away from his assistant's girlfriend.
He didn't wanna report it officially, but he sounded shook up, so I had the unit response.
I don't think it's appropriate for me to conduct the investigation, so I want you to do that for me.
- Sir, I'm a homicide investigator.
- I know.
But I need somebody good, someone smart, someone tactful.
I need the best.
You're the best.
I'll have to clear this with Giardello.
We're a man down.
- You let me make that call for you.
- OK.
I want you to separate the fact from the fiction.
- I want you to report to only me.
- Right.
Put a little parmesan on that pomodoro.
It brings it alive.
- What have we got? - A white male.
Single bullet to the head.
He was found with his hands down around his ankles.
He was by a tree squatting, as if about to - Defecate.
- Did he? - What, sir? - Dump? Not as far as I can tell.
- Did you look? - Well, I, er - Where is this tree? - It's right over here.
- Where's the body? - They took it.
- Who took it? - The paramedics in the ambulance.
Hold on.
That wasn't a medical examiner's truck.
- No, it's from St Agnes Hospital.
- Oh.
- Where are they taking the body? - To St Agnes.
- So, the guy wasn't dead? - He was dead.
Definitely dead.
They pronounced him at 1:30pm.
So you let them take a dead body to the hospital? They knew what to do.
- Man! - He was found kinda like this.
- Let's go.
- Go where? Go find the body! Rule of thumb - it's not a homicide unless there's a body.
Tattoos make you queasy? I don't understand the fascination with scarring your body.
It's an ancient ritual that originated in Polynesia as a symbol of virility and manhood.
If you need a scar on your body to declare your manhood, you're not much of a man.
- Tattoos are cool.
- You got one, they're so cool? - Where? - Bree Whetherly work here? - Who wants to know? - We do.
- And you are? - Representatives of a sweepstake.
- Cops.
She's in the back.
- Doesn't that hurt? Trick is not to care.
- Mrs Whetherly? - Yeah? We're from Homicide.
- Damn, this hurts! - Trick is not to care.
Oh, really? You try it.
Mrs Whetherly, I'm sorry to tell you this, but your husband Is dead.
Last night before he left the house, he was sitting on Mama's rocking chair, feeding the baby.
He was crying.
Kissing Sarah's cheeks.
Holding her so tight I thought she'd break.
I knew he didn't have long.
Why? Was Monk in some feud with a rival club or with the Deacons? Feud? Nobody messed with Monk.
He'd just as soon beat your ass as shake your hand.
Except when it came to Sarah Rose.
He made a mook of himself around her! Any idea who might have wanted your husband dead? - Ask Preacher.
- Preacher? He's the Deacons' warlord.
Keeps the club members in line.
Disciplines the rallies.
Reviews prospects.
- Whose prospects? - Guys who wanna be in the club.
Preacher also does weddings.
He's a bishop in the American Fellowship Church.
He married me and Monk.
Did Monk ever say anything about any trouble he might have been in? Monk didn't talk to me about club business.
That just ain't done.
Where would we find this Preacher? The club's got a strip joint on Blair Road.
Watch yourself around Preacher.
He's not liable to take a joke.
Interested in a cherry '68 Electra Glide? - Monk bored and stroked it last spring.
- Electra Glide? His Harley! Pull your head out of the sand, boys.
Well, ask your cop buddies, would you? I need the money.
Monk wasn't exactly over insured, you know.
When white people mess themselves up they do it in such bizarre ways.
- Where's your tattoo? - Guess.
No! Frank, I don't care about the alleged kidnapping.
I wanna know what Jim Harris, the wunderkind of our department, had for lunch.
We had linguine pomodoro, OK? Oh! It's like you're being groomed! Mr Wade says the van was a late-model Ford Windstar, red.
He was forced into the van through a side door on the driver's side.
Vans don't have side doors on the driver's side.
Was he the one who engineered your promotion offer? - Yes.
- You're golden, Frank.
He also claims the van slowed, and he was ejected here.
When I examined the clothes he was wearing, I found no grass stains, no rips, no tears.
What about these people who dropped him off? He says there was a Neighbourhood Watch barbecue going on.
It's chilly to be cooking outdoors.
I checked with the parks and recreation, and I found there was no permit issued for the park that day.
We're looking for a van which does not exist, carrying kidnappers who never lived, who didn't abscond with a Congressman, and then didn't drop him off here? I guess.
I don't know.
This really stinks, Frank.
Well Let's keep looking.
None of the particulars exist.
I have been asked to exercise my expertise as a homicide detective.
That's what I will do.
- Harris caught you doing something.
- What? Nabbing the cash out of the Orphans' and Widows' Fund.
Is that it? You know, sometimes you're funny, and then there's now.
'Dr Barratt, please call your office.
' Excuse me, I'm Detective Howard, Baltimore City Homicide.
- We're looking for a body.
- Take your pick.
We've been to the morgue who sent us to Admitting, who sent us to you.
Gotta make a call.
Dead body.
Came in within the last hour.
White male.
Approximately 50 years of age.
- Oh, I know who you mean.
- Where is he? Detective, that man was dead.
To qualify for admission to this hospital, a patient has to be, at least, clinging to life.
But if you didn't admit the dead body, where is it? - They took it back.
- Took it back? - To where they found it.
- Back to where they found it, huh! Kay, my PI thinks Beth went to Philly.
The paramedics took the body back to where they found it! It's like a treasure hunt! Ready? - Whoa! - Lisa.
She's limber.
She's a virgin.
I get this urge to take them home, and talk some sense into them.
- No sex? - Oh, yeah, yeah! Couple of beers.
Couple of shots.
I still wanna try and help them out.
- We're looking for Preacher.
- Over there.
Are you Preacher? Detective Lewis, Detective Munch, Homicide.
Monk was a good soldier.
Had an awesome sense of duty and a lot of heart.
So he died for a reason? - Don't we all? - So who killed the Monk? When a man dies at the hands of a mob, how do you tell? - More than one killer? - The Warren Commission says not.
Can you give us a straight answer or do we need to drag your narrow behind downtown? If you got Natty Bo in your office, I'm in.
Monk's wife seems to think you might know who wanted him killed.
Her yapping is why he's dead.
- Are you saying this is a vendetta? - Detective You'll have to abandon this linear way of thinking you've grown to love.
Dig a little deeper, man.
You're being lazy.
Who are you calling lazy, you retro Nazi crap? Whoa! What are you looking at? Get up! Make me.
What the hell happened to you guys? Our man Lewis has a Chuck Norris streak.
- Who's the welterweight? - A member of the Deacons' biker gang.
He got into a "mine's bigger than yours" with Lewis.
- Looks like his was bigger.
- Much bigger.
Frank, what floor are you working on these days? Your chair's empty.
The room no longer has the energy of Baltimore's best and brightest detective.
Well, Harris asked me to look into something.
- Did he call and tell you? - Yeah, and told me nothing.
You're my prize pupil.
Wanna tell me the goods? He asked me to fix a traffic ticket.
- You don't trust me.
- Oh, Gee, Gee! They eat their wounded upstairs.
Be careful.
OK, Gee.
Thanks! Whetherly was doing business on the side! He was breaking the rules.
You're the warlord.
You had to make an example out of him! - You have no soul.
- Don't you talk to me about soul! The whole premise of this case is soul.
You've decided I'm trash, and that I'd take the life of my brother when I sip beer.
Where is all this eloquence coming from? Did you pass third grade? No.
Actually, he went to Williams College.
For a year, anyway.
- What? - He's from Connecticut.
Connecticut? His real name is Jason Calhoun.
He prepped at Hodgekiss.
You come from money? Your parents own some bank? What's this? "North-eastern mortgage" We all have these embarrassments in our past.
Mr Calhoun, do you know who killed Monk Whetherly? I don't know who, but I do know why, and if you two understand the why, then you'll figure out who.
Why don't you just tell us the why? Because he loved his little girl.
Now, I'm sorry about the scuffle earlier, but you asked for it.
You know I didn't kill the Monk, so unless you've got anything further, I'd like to get back to my life.
I'll have an officer take you home.
Don't bother.
My ride's here.
- Timothy Draper? - Yes.
Could we speak with you? - Sure.
Come in.
- Thanks.
I met Jeremy Wade at the Democratic National Convention in New York, 1992.
We're all hugging and singing, "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow.
" No, thanks.
How long have you worked for Congressman Wade? Two years, I was in my second year of law school when Jeremy offered me to be his assistant.
I'm actually moving back to New York to finish school.
Congressman Wade is asserting that you had him kidnapped, and warned him to stay away from your girlfriend.
- What? - Wanna tell us what's really going on? I came to DC to work for a powerful three-term US Congressman.
He set me up in Baltimore to be closer to his constituents.
It was great helping him come up with ideas, legislation, breaking bread at the weekly caucus with the most powerful politicians in our government.
DC is like heroin.
You get a taste of that power, that level of involvement Why did you quit? Because Jeremy and I started a relationship.
A love affair.
- You don't have a girlfriend? - No.
I'm gay.
The affair was beginning to affect his work and mine.
I told him I had to quit, that I was going back to school.
- Then he blew up.
- Blew up? Yeah.
He broke my arm.
Why didn't you report that? Bones heal.
So this whole kidnapping story is Sad.
Why are we investigating a domestic? I don't get the accordion effect of traffic.
Ten feet, stop! Ten feet, stop! It's not a domestic.
It's a kidnapping.
It was no abduction.
It was a lovers' quarrel.
Draper quit.
Wade beat the crap out of him.
Why did Wade make the call? Probably thought Draper was gonna report the assault, so Wade decides he'll call in first, and say Draper had someone kidnap him.
- It takes the wind out of Draper's sail.
- That doesn't make sense.
People under stress sometimes don't make sensible decisions.
Did you ever think that you were gay? - No.
- Ever had a homosexual experience? - No, Frank.
- Even when you were a kid? - No.
No, I haven't! - Every guy goes through this.
- I didn't.
- No hugs? Pecks on the cheeks? - No close encounters? - How about you, Frank? - Go on.
- You first.
OK, I I had a cousin who used to follow me into the bathroom.
Sometimes.
- Really? - Yeah, you know.
- What did he do? - I don't remember.
Your turn.
I got nothing to tell.
You said every guy has had one of these experiences! I must have been lying.
What am I gonna do with this case? Ask Harris.
He's the one grooming you for upper management.
OK, OK! I'll go ask Harris.
Rookie! Gonna get his name and shield number and put him on report.
We're in a hurry here.
I might have to leave for Philly.
We got a hard enough time, what with rookies letting bodies go.
You don't wanna put this poor kid on report.
He's just inexperienced.
Remember when you were inexperienced? I was never that inexperienced.
- Put him on report.
- What's you number, son? The Deputy Commissioner will be right out.
He's meeting with the mayor.
- In there? The mayor's in there? - He's in and out all the time! Oh! Frank! Sorry to keep you waiting.
Come on in.
- Have a seat.
- Where's the mayor? Well, he went out the side door.
Does he have something to hide? Not really.
At least not today.
Sit down.
So, what's the good news about our little problem? It's not little, sir.
There was no kidnapping.
It's a lovers' spat between Wade and Draper.
It started as a smoke screen to hide the fact Wade is homosexual.
All of which would've meant no harm, except that he filed a police report, which is false, which is a crime.
Yeah.
So how do you plan to proceed? You tell me.
All I know is Article 27, Section 150 of the Annotated Code says Wade owes the public $500 and six months in jail for the filing a false report.
The way I see it is, if Congressman Wade is charged, the media will probably pull his private life out of the closet, and we will lose a very important ally in Congress.
If Wade goes, we'll have more dead cops on the street.
- Want me to walk away? - What about the false report? If no crime was committed, then we could just let this thing die.
- Have you talked to Wade? - No.
Then you should.
Make sure he understands how you plan to proceed.
How I plan to proceed? Sir, you have to be much, much more specific.
Do you want me to cut a deal with Wade? I want you to tell Congressman Wade there will be no investigation.
That we understand that this is just a trivial episode of poor judgment, and we will take care of it.
OK, sir.
Taking your work a bit too seriously.
I'm trying to get into their heads.
I mean, this is a fascinating world.
Fascinating? These pig boys are nothing but fat drunken racists who ride illegally altered motorcycles.
- They're a gang! - True.
They're not a gang, per se.
The MC on the patches, that stands for "Motorcycle Club.
" Meldrick, they're stone killers! Or you could say they're the last living legacy of a wild, wild West, huh? Riding steel horses, and maintaining an almost fanatical code of honour and independence.
They blew a guy's face off.
Where is the honour? The Hell's Angels were an Air Force fighter squadron in the Second World War.
No, I did not.
After the war, when they'd finished flying, they took up bikes.
In fact, they had a riot of some sort out in Hollister, California.
They based the movie "Wild Ones" there.
Yeah.
Interesting.
I interviewed two members of the Phoenix Motorcycle Club, and they assured me they had no bones to pick with the Deacons.
This ain't got nothing to do with no outside club.
Lewis, it's for you.
Line three.
Lewis, Homicide.
Who's this? OK.
- Where are you going? - Don't know.
Lewis! - Yeah? - Sorry about the cloak and dagger.
- I'm Special Agent Harvey Easton, FBI.
- How didn't I know that? Yeah.
I'm not the guy in the recruiting posters.
Look, I know you're investigating Whetherly's murder.
You do, huh? How? I'm doing undercover work into the Deacons.
Mind if we step out of the way? You know who whacked Whetherly? Oh, yeah.
Guy named Gabe Clark.
He's just some punk prospecting for the club.
I got his address here, but - Make a clean bust.
- I'm stepping on federal toes? We're making a RICO case to shut the club.
Is Preacher involved? The club president, Benny Reston, has been working for some wise guys in Miami, doing some odd hits, distributing coke, amphetamines here in Baltimore.
I got the two acts of racketeering I need to indict, but I gotta get my contact out.
- Who's your contact? - Whetherly's wife.
She put me in contact with Reston.
- He loved his little girl.
- Yeah, whatever.
Look, I'll take Reston.
You take the slug who whacked Monk, OK? Yeah, whatever.
Thanks.
Ah, Detective Pembleton.
Good afternoon.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
- Need some coffee or anything? - No, I'm fine.
Please.
- How's everything on the home front? - Same as usual.
Out of control.
I love Baltimore.
The northernmost southern city.
Friendly and gracious like Dixie, but liberally conservative like any good WASP enclave.
I assume you know why I'm here.
Yes, I think so.
You're here to interview me about the kidnapping.
Congressman, er I'm not sure how to say this.
There isn't any truth to your story.
There was no van, no abduction.
No threats were made against your life.
Jim said you were honest and honourable.
This is the way we are.
You called to pre-empt Mr Draper's assault charge.
You thought there might be an investigation and that might lead to the disclosing of your personal life.
Yes.
A police officer responded to that call.
A report was filed.
- Yes.
- Filing a false report is a crime.
This is a private matter between you and Mr Draper, and you'd prefer to keep it private.
That is correct.
Well, then, if a crime has been committed, we will investigate fully.
However, if no crime was committed, well, then that puts an end to it.
If I tell you that no crime occurred, would this ever be used against me? Not by me.
There was no abduction, and I would prefer the matter be dealt with privately.
Consider this case file closed, and your private life private.
Thank you very much, Detective.
I represent a mostly southern city.
This isn't California or Massachusetts.
The truth is not my ally with respect to my private life.
- I wish it were, but - I wouldn't worry about it, sir.
Suspect's name is Gabe Clark.
He's 6'3".
Black hair.
Heavy set.
Considered armed and extremely dangerous.
He may have a girlfriend with him.
Baltimore Police! You're under arrest! You got him? - We never will close this case.
- I know.
Whatever chance we had - if there were a chance - it's gone.
- I know.
- Crime scene's been violated, Chain of evidence has been broken.
The body's toured Baltimore! I feel bad you're the primary.
After not closing Chilton, your average will sink below the Mendoza line.
I'm the primary? You took the call.
When we were getting in the car Dalkins Investigations.
Yeah, I'll hold.
You said, "I'll be the primary.
" I'm gonna kick you somewhere below your Mendoza line! Doug Chambers.
Yeah, is he in? Hey, if you want, I'll be the primary.
Yeah, just tell him that Beau Felton called, OK? - Answering service.
- You are gonna eat this one! Even a homeless, unknown, unclaimed John Doe deserves my 100% effort in closing his case.
- Frank! Hey, hey! - Good morning.
- Morning.
- What's with the dog and pony show? There's blood in the water.
It's your blood.
They're waiting for you.
- What the hell for? - I'm just a messenger.
Maria Delgado of Channel 8 broke a story saying there had been a cover-up of criminal charges brought against Wade.
You've gotta be kidding! As you indicated, I'm not funny.
What do you wanna do? I'm with you either way.
- Walking in the front door.
- Just as I thought.
Here he comes! Let's go! Detective Pembleton! Excuse me! Excuse me! Do you have any statement as to your alleged complicity in covering up the charges against Congressman Wade? Hey, hey, hey! Frank.
- Don't say hello at once.
- Sit down.
Then again I might not.
Detective Pembleton, I was making French toast for my kids when I got a call from Maria Delgado.
She was about to go on air about Congressman Wade being kidnapped and then after a formal investigation, he recanted, which implied that instead of Wade being charged with filing a false report, you covered it up.
Give me your side of the story before I decide what, if any, disciplinary action will be taken.
Deputy Commissioner, you wanna? Feel free to jump in here at any time.
I called in Detective Pembleton to investigate the veracity of Congressman Wade's allegations.
- And? - No crime was committed.
We have to notify the Attorney's office to charge Wade.
We can't.
- Why? - I gave him my word.
- Under whose authority? - Under the Commissioner's authority! Jim, did you OK this deal? No, I did not.
Detective Pembleton has clearly overstepped the parameters of professional conduct and propriety.
That's it, then.
Detective Pembleton, you are under administrative suspension with pay.
You'll limit your activities to paperwork and answering phones and don't act so surprised! You've done a great disservice to the reputation of this department and to this city.
- Gee, help.
- You said it was a traffic ticket! You said everything was under control! Now there's nothing I can do! There's only one thing for me to do.
I quit! You all riding today? We got a funeral.
We're burying our brother.
- We arrested Gabe Clark this morning.
- Nothing righteous about him.
Yeah, well, he says your club president, Reston, ordered the hit.
- You believe him? - It's club business.
Monk's wife was giving up the club.
You couldn't let her get away with it.
In ancient Rome, when a member of your family sinned the head of the family was allowed to die so the others could live.
So, Monk died for his wife's sins? He allowed himself to be slaughtered because he loved his daughter so much? Have you ever love anybody that much? - Not yet.
- It's something to work for.
Look, you know, I've read about your so-called code of honour, and the way that you live your life with this abandon, but murder is not honourable.
If you ain't picked up the sword, then you ain't never have to worry about falling on it.
Is it worth living without the sword? You picked up one, right? It's in that holster on your hip.
Let's make it fast.
We gotta go.
- Mrs Whetherly.
- Yeah, what? I have your husband's effects.
You never picked them up.
Frigging Feds! I got 15 minutes to pack up my entire life! - Nobody's coming for you.
- You're a civilian.
You've no idea! - Do you know why Monk was killed? - Yeah.
Yeah, because of me.
No Because of her.
You listening to me? He made a deal.
Your husband died so that your daughter, his daughter, could have a mother.
- Ain't nobody gonna touch you now.
- Maybe.
Maybe not.
I can't take that chance.
They're burying him today.
See that he gets that.
I don't want him all alone.
Sarah could always make him smile.
Always make him feel better, huh, honey? That's it.
It's all I'm taking.
I don't have time to go to the funeral.
I just want someone to say goodbye to him for us, OK? That's fine.
Let's go.
Hey, Frank! - What's going on? - I'm fixing dinner for my wife tonight.
- You're gonna walk out on me? - I didn't.
We're not engaged.
Don't act like I left you at the altar.
You're my partner, OK? I mean, you're my best friend.
What am I supposed to say? That you're my best friend? They only suspended you for a month.
I shouldn't have been suspended.
I was asked by a superior to fix a lumpy situation.
I got screwed.
I should've known better, but I broke the law.
Cops can't do that.
Consequently, I'm no longer any good to myself or my badge.
Listen, this isn't you.
What happened? You're not quitting! Come on! - Yes, I am.
- What are you gonna do? You gonna run security at a corporation off the beltway? You gonna teach crime detection technique at the police academy? You can't! You will always be a cop.
I'm not any more.
I'm relishing that moment tomorrow when I haven't seen one dead person.
That moment when my wife walks in says, "Honey, I'm home.
" And I get to ask her about her day, and actually, for once, listen and care as she relates every boring detail.
- I don't have a partner.
- Get over it.
I'm going home.
I'll stand by you Won't let nobody hurt you I'll stand by you So if you're mad Get mad Don't hold it all inside Come on and talk to me - What did Gee say? - He's giving me time to hash it out.
- How long? - A couple or three days.
I'll be at Beth's cousin's house in Upper Darby.
I can't believe how long it's been since I held my kids.
- All right, I'll see you.
- Hey, Beau! - Thanks! - Merry Christmas, huh? Thanks! I'll stand by you Won't let nobody hurt you I'll stand by you Take me in into your darkest hour And I'll never desert you I'll stand by you And when When the night falls on you, baby You're feeling all alone You won't be on your own I'll stand by you I'll stand by you Won't let nobody hurt you I'll stand by you Take me in into your darkest hour And I'll never desert you I'll stand by you I'll stand by you Won't let nobody hurt you I'll stand by you Won't let nobody hurt you I'll stand by you I'll stand by you Won't let nobody hurt you I'll stand by you And on and on Take me in into your darkest hour And I'll never desert you I'll stand by you