Blue Bloods s03e22 Episode Script

Oh, man.
This is it, Reagan.
Welcome to the end.
The end? The Bitterman Houses, aka The Bitter End.
That's right.
I forgot, you grew up here.
Yeah, I did 18 years in that building right there.
Yeah, you say it like it was a sentence.
Living under gang rule, it was, and it still is.
Excuse me.
We got a report of a woman and her infant in distress.
You guys heard anything like that? Anybody call 911? Must be part of your homecoming committee.
They're not gonna tell you nothing.
Not while you're in the bag.
I don't buy that.
There's good people here.
They can't all be afraid of cops.
Well, they're not afraid of cops.
They're afraid of Los Lordes.
And as long as this is their turf, everybody keeps their mouths shut.
Or else, huh? Damn straight.
Well, then, it looks like we're on our own.
You got that right.
Let's start with your building.
Caller said it sounded like she was on the roof.
Yeah, home, sweet home.
Some luck we're having tonight, Cruz.
No one will talk to us, and the elevators are broken.
Welcome to the Bitter End.
I hate working midnights.
Shh.
You hear that? Come on.
Now, I'm gonna give you Hey, knock it off.
Hey, come on, back up.
What? We ain't doing nothing! Back up.
We ain't doin' nothin'! Yeah, he just pulled his own pants down? Come on.
We're just messing with him, all right? Plus, he likes it.
Are you okay, buddy? Yeah, I I'm okay.
Hector? Is that you? You don't remember me, do you? I used to baby-sit you.
My name is Vinny Cruz.
Skinny Vinny.
Yeah, that's right, Skinny Vinny.
You do remember.
Are you okay? These guys didn't hurt you? No.
They were just joking around.
You see? Told you.
Talking to him.
Reagan, watch 'em.
Okay, do me a favor, Hector why don't you head home, okay? Say hi to your mom for me.
Thanks, Skinny Vinny.
All right.
All right, step aside.
Show's over.
Yo no hablo ingles, po-po.
Yeah, or else what? Back up.
Hey, look, I'm not gonna say it again, all right? Step aside.
Right now.
Here's the thing you best start to understand in the Bitter End, Los Lordes makes the move.
Not no Five-Oh.
Whoa, whoa, whoa! How's that for a move? Huh? Back up! Look, we got a job to do, and you're obstructing.
So get a move on! Don't even think about it.
Yeah, I'm watching you.
That was a close one, Reagan.
Come on, let's keep going.
Excuse me, Miss Erin.
Valerie.
I thought I wasn't gonna see you until tomorrow's trial.
Come.
Sit.
I am sorry, Miss Erin.
You're not going to testify.
I can't.
I want to, but muy peligrioso.
Has someone threatened you? They haven't said a word, but you get the message.
I understand.
If you think it's unsafe to testify, then, by all means, you shouldn't.
I know all too well how gangs like Los Lordes operate.
Thank you.
But you need to know that, without your testimony, my hands are tied.
My boss won't let me try the case.
Which means the men who mugged you will be released.
You have my card.
If you need anything, or if you're threatened, or your grandson is threatened, you need to call me immediately.
Thank you, Miss Erin.
Oh.
What's up, Dad? I was looking for an explanation, and I hoped you could help.
The People decline to prosecute.
Get out of jail free cards.
The DA has been dealing these like it's a game of gin rummy Dad and a lot of solid arrests are being dismissed because your boss, this office, refuses to try good cases.
It's a complicated issue.
Doing the right thing may be hard, but it sure as hell ain't complicated.
All right.
Go.
Hey, police! Anybody out here? Hey Don't come any closer.
Ma'am, we don't want to hurt you.
Go away! What's your name, ma'am? What do you care? Listen, my name is Jamie.
This is my partner Vinny.
Hey.
What's your name? Noni.
Okay.
Well, who's that you're holding? What's your baby's name? Anthony.
Okay, Noni.
Why don't you and Anthony come a little bit closer, and we'll just talk for a minute? Got nothing to talk about.
It's over.
What's over, Noni? Someone you had a fight with? Your husband, or your boyfriend? Ain't no fight.
The game is what the game is.
And ain't nothing gonna change.
Okay, his his father's in the game, huh? He's Los Lordes? Which makes Anthony Los Lordes.
You born in it, you die in it.
I'm not gonna let my baby grow into a monster.
No, you don't You don't have to, okay? Look, Noni, I grew up here, okay? I know how you're feeling.
Cop don't know nothing about how I'm feeling.
Hey, listen, we want to help you, okay? We can take you and Anthony out of here.
There's no getting out.
His daddy won't let us.
We leave, and he comes hunting us like a dog.
No, that's not gonna happen.
Yeah.
Yeah, it do happen.
Not this time.
This time, we're getting out for good.
Noni No no, Noni! * Times like this, Reagan, I wish I'd never taken the cop test.
Yeah, me, too.
It's gonna be like pulling teeth trying to get anybody to talk around here, but let's try to get a canvas going anyway, all right? Copy that.
I'm gonna go catch up with my kid brother.
Yeah.
Can you give me a second with my brother? How you doing? Hey.
Pretty good, considering.
Look, everything's swirling around in your head right now the hurt, the anger, the shock.
It's all normal, all right? If you were okay after seeing something like that, that wouldn't be normal.
Yeah.
Thanks, Danny.
How's your partner holding up? He's holding up.
Yeah? You two lean on each other, okay? That's how you get through this.
Okay.
I'll catch up with you.
Thanks, Danny.
Hey.
Detective.
How you holding up? I'm alive.
Yeah? You're from around here, right? Yeah.
What are you looking at? What you're gonna find is, the gang that runs this place they got a mute button they can push.
Yeah? What do they call themselves? Los Lordes.
Get out! Get out, Five-Oh! Oh! Come on.
You all right? Yeah.
Who the hell is that? Santana.
That's the leader of the Lordes right there.
It's the head of the snake.
What's he doing? Showing us who's boss.
It's all right.
Okay.
You all right? Yeah, I'm fine.
Morning, Francis.
You didn't sleep well? Not after a young woman with her baby stepped off a building in my city.
Me, either.
There's no easy solution to projects like Bitterman.
I'm not looking for easy, Pop.
We're talking about generations of bad blood between the community and the NYPD.
And generations on both sides who have used that as an excuse to let it fester, instead of taking action.
But what action? Cops aren't missionaries; they're cops.
Ah.
Have you talked to Jamie? He'll be fine.
I'll let you two have the room.
I don't want to fight with you, but I do want you to hear the other side.
The other side of right is wrong.
While I don't entirely agree with my boss's policy, I do recognize that it addresses certain realities.
Like telling poor people that crimes against them don't matter as much as crimes against the rich? The policy does not target poor people.
Oh, the hell it doesn't! Dad, we have finite resources.
If we try to win every case, we're gonna lose all of 'em.
This isn't about keeping score.
No, it's not! It's about doing the best we can with what we have.
And if a victim refuses to testify, then we don't stand a chance in court.
And if they do testify, they don't have a chance on the street.
What? I just realized what I said.
Oh, look at you, Reagan.
With a head as hard as yours, I'm surprised that bottle even broke the skin.
Funny.
Thanks.
You asked for everything we got on the jumper Noni.
That's pretty thick.
Well, with her man being Los Lordes, odds are she collected a little dirt herself.
How much dirt? Uh, nothing too bad considering a few possession collars, discon, resisting.
Not exactly OG material.
Give me one second.
Yeah, Dad.
How's the noggin? Well, it took a licking but keeps on ticking.
Anything I should be worried about? Well, I spoke to Jamie at the scene, but, uh, he's all right; a little shaken up.
I'm not talking about Jamie.
Well, what are you talking about? They hit you with a bottle and you hit back with a nuclear missile.
Yeah.
I'm fine, Dad.
I'm not gonna take it too personal, if that's what you're talking about.
Danny everything about this Bitterman thing, I want it by the book.
It would be a terrible waste if this tragedy served to make a bad thing worse in there.
Yeah, yeah.
I got it.
Got it, Dad.
Check in on your brother.
Yep.
Will do.
Noni and Nona.
Son of a bitch.
Baez, do me a favor.
Pull the case file on this.
But Noni wasn't even the perp.
She was just a witness.
Yeah.
But, uh, look whose case it was.
Yours? Yeah.
A tragic double homicide.
Noni and her sister witnessed their parents get gunned down.
Noni? That's a very pretty name, Noni.
Could you tell me your sister's name? Nona.
Nona? Nona, I'm Detective Reagan.
I bet you're pretty scared, aren't you? Yeah? I don't blame you.
You guys want to see something cool? This is my detective shield.
Go ahead.
You can hold onto it.
Now, in most places, they'd call that a badge.
But in New York, we call it a shield.
You know why? Because a shield is used to protect people.
And that's my job, to protect you.
Would you guys like it if I helped to protect you? Yeah? Okay.
Well, then that's what I'll do.
Yeah.
You got something for us, Sarge? Yeah, close the door.
The baby's father? How'd you get this? Call it an old friend from my Bitter End days.
I'm surprised someone came forward.
There's a lot of good people living there who'd like nothing more to run these animals out of town.
They're scared, that's all.
Ricky Krepps.
And guess where he lives.
Bitterman Houses? Surprise.
Yeah, but I doubt you're gonna find him there.
Says who? Says me.
News travels fast at the End.
My guess is he stays underground until the heat dies down.
Right.
But he pops up to bury his son.
Noni and Anthony's wake is today.
Even Al Capone shows up for that, Sarge.
Yeah, maybe, Detective, but you show up there, you're gonna be made quicker than Casper the Ghost.
Yeah, I might.
But my partner won't.
Look, I'm not trying to single out the DA's Office.
Just about every agency and department in this city is complicit in passing the buck where the Bitterman Houses are concerned.
Including this one.
So what do we do? Take a sledgehammer to your boss's policy would be a start.
You're taking this to the mayor.
I am.
You can't.
Why not? It's everybody's lead st Oh, sorry.
I'll come back.
No, please.
My daughter was channeling you.
How so? I told him that he can't just bulldoze the mayor about the DA.
Excellent advice.
We need someone just to whisper in his ear.
Make the mayor think it's his idea and not yours.
I can count my friends in City Hall on one hand.
Grace Newhouse.
You two friends? Friendly.
Good enough.
The Public Advocate has no sway with the mayor.
This one does.
Yeah, she's raised a lot of Upper East Side money for him and has strong ties in Albany.
I like it a lot.
Well, that's because great minds think alike.
How you doing in there, Reagan? I'm great.
Not even slightly creeped out yet.
You got eyes on Ricky? Negative unit.
It's packed in here.
I don't see him yet.
I got eyes on the sister Nona.
She's surrounded by Los Lordes and Santana.
But no sign of Ricky.
Here we go she's on the move, headed your way.
Okay.
Hey.
Look, I'm not here to cause any trouble, all right? I just want to talk to you.
Out of my way.
Hey.
Hear me out, all right? What do you want? I want your help.
I don't help no Five-Oh.
Look, we're not strangers, okay? We've met before, Nona.
Ain't never seen you in my life.
It was a long time ago, but I was with you and your sister the day your parents passed.
Sorry.
I don't remember nothing about that day.
Do you know what your sister said right before she jumped? She said that her baby's father, Ricky, was not gonna let her out of the life.
That she didn't want her baby to grow up to be like that animal.
Now, I know he's out there somewhere, and you may not want to talk to him about what he said, but I do.
All I'm asking is that you just point him out to me, okay? I told you.
I don't help no cops.
Hey, your sister is dead.
Your nephew is dead.
Don't you think somebody should answer for that? Don't you think Ricky should answer for that? Anthony is dead 'cause his selfish mother gave him no choice.
Noni jumped off that building 'cause she was a basket case.
Has been ever since the day my parents got blasted, November 7, 2000.
The day you say you don't remember.
I remember.
I remember everything.
Even the detective who said he was gonna protect us.
She's on the move, partner.
Are we a go? Did you get anything? No.
I got nothing.
Hang on.
She's with Santana.
And they ain't just friends.
They're friends with benefits.
Hold on.
She's his girl? Affirmative.
What's happening now? Probably telling him there's some creep in with the caskets.
I'd get a move on.
I'm way ahead of you, partner.
Wait a minute.
I got him, Reagan.
Santana just found Ricky for us.
Where is he? Getting the hell out of here.
I'm on it.
Cops! Cops! You heard? Five-Oh right behind me! Move! Move! Move it! Move! Move! Hey, Danny! Hey! Go! Go! What the hell are you even doing here, kid? I thought you might need some backup.
Well, you thought wrong.
Are you even on duty? You want me to pull over? No, I don't want you to pull over! I want you to stay on his ass! Just try doing it All right then! without killing anyone.
I'm on it.
Whoa! Come on.
I got it.
I got it.
Cut through the gas station! Cut him off! Hit him! Hit him! Hands behind your back.
You're welcome.
Yeah.
I'll be sure to let the old man know you're doing just fine.
When Erin called to arrange this meeting, I had to check my calendar.
I was certain it must be April Fools' Day.
Well, I appreciate you making yourself available.
Of course.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I only wish you'd let me pick the place.
My treat, my choice.
In exchange for? Some polish, some savvy, some of what you were named for: some grace.
With our mayor? Yes, with our mayor.
With you on my side in an issue that goes to the very core of the office you hold: advocating for the public.
That does get lost in the day-to-day.
A lot of things do that shouldn't.
The DA has his reasons for demanding that arrests come with the full cooperation of the victim.
I've heard them all.
They don't add up to good policy, just good economics.
And he's not running a factory.
I agree with you.
You do? Yes.
But that's a lot of political capital you're asking me to spend.
I don't really know those metrics.
I do.
Is there something I can do for the Public Advocate's Office? Only if the public advocate decides to run for higher office.
Could I count you as a friend? Do you like to go midnight bluefishing? 'Cause that's the kind of thing me and my friends go in for.
I'd heard you're very good at this.
This what? It's a bit of a hustle, this whole salt-of-the-earth thing.
Maybe.
But by now, me and the hustle are one and the same.
Let me spell it out for you Let me take a whack.
When it's your turn to run for mayor, an endorsement in your pocket from the high-polling police commissioner would go a long way.
Before you go any further, I'd like to remind you you called looking for my help, not the other way around.
Right you are.
Will you help? I'll consider everything that's on the table.
How you doing, Ricky? Bite me.
You may not be know this, but I'm not exactly known for being the nicest guy on the block.
I ain't too friendly myself.
Yeah, I figured that.
I mean, you did walk your girl and your baby boy right off the roof a building.
Hey, I ain't got nothing to do with that.
And you got nothing on me, so what's up? Well, actually, I got you for reckless driving, blowing two stop signs and resisting arrest.
All right, so give me my DAT and let me walk through that door.
You think you're gonna march a girl and a baby off the roof of a building and then just walk out of here with a desk appearance ticket? Noni stepped off that ledge herself 'cause she whacked in the head.
That ain't on me.
And she was whacked in the head because she got involved with you.
And she wanted out of the life, but you said no.
That's why she jumped.
So, guess what? This is on you.
Come on, son.
You really think this is my first time in the box with police? No.
Now, either you put up and charge me with something, or shut up and watch me walk through that door.
You got me.
You called my bluff.
Well, I guess we'll get you out of here.
Though you do understand, if I walk you out that door, and you leave here, it will be with the full weight of the NYPD coming down on you.
And how do you think your drug business is gonna work with 30,000 cops looking to give you a colonoscopy, huh? Hmm? What do you want? Well, the way I see it, you got two choices.
Either you can give me Santana and the entire Los Lordes drug operation and I mean everything: stash houses, shipments, informants, the whole nine Or what? Or we can begin the rectal exam.
And I'm not gonna stop till I get to your tonsils.
And then I'll pin 20 on you.
I'd rather take 20 from you than a death sentence from Santana all day long.
Okay.
By the way this is the last thing your baby left on this earth.
Now, you can stay quiet and nothing changes in the Bitter End.
Or you can cooperate, Ricky.
And maybe, just maybe, that would mean that your baby boy, he didn't die for nothing.
Frank, I appreciate your concerns, but the district attorney does not work for me.
He does listen to you.
About as much as you do.
Mr.
Mayor, if you came to me with a matter this important, you know I'd do a hell of a lot more than just listen.
Frank, I cannot speak up every time I disagree with an elected official's position on an issue.
What is happening at the Bitterman Houses has gone on long enough.
Overturning this policy will signal to that community that you're taking the first step in the right direction.
And I'm quite sure the district attorney has a very good reason for implementing this policy.
Oh, sure he does a higher winning percentage would be good for his career.
Okay, Frank, listen to me No.
Please.
Please.
At least talk to some of the people in your circle.
I have.
Even our own public advocate agrees with me.
So you've spoken to Grace Newhouse? She was here first thing this morning, Frank.
Can't you just drink coffee like a normal person? Normal's overrated.
So is coffee.
That stuff has ox bile in it, do you know that? You're supposed to be watching the door, not watching me.
I've been watching.
There's nothing but dirtbags walking into a bar.
Yeah, well, they're selling a lot more than booze in that bar.
Santana runs his whole operation out of that place.
We keep watching, we'll see something unusual.
Wait a second Look who's coming out.
Yeah, and what's she carrying in that bag? That's Santana's car.
Maybe's she's going to make a drop.
Or she's going to the gym.
Let's find out.
Son of a bitch.
We've been set up.
Yeah, we have.
Damn it.
That's far enough.
I said it's far enough! Hang back, partner.
It's funny running into you here, detectives.
What, this supposed to scare me? Hmm? Not at all, Detective Reagan.
It's meant to educate you.
Oh.
So, you want I should take out my notebook and pencil? No, better you commit this to memory.
Los Lordes, we run things around here in the Bitter End.
That's the way it is, that's the way it's been, and that's the way it's gonna stay.
Well I got some bad news for you.
The times they are a-changing.
Well, if you insist, Detective, but you and I both know how hard change can be on everyone.
You're threatening me? No,I'm appealing to your better senses.
Oh.
Look, you hate Los Lordes for what we do.
You ever consider what we don't do? I know you don't do anything worth a damn.
Ours is a growth industry.
But do you see us expanding into other territories? No.
We restrict our business to the Bitter End.
All right, and it's not because we don't see those other opportunities.
Because we're not greedy.
'Cause we're not stupid.
And because we respect the NYPD.
See, and all we're asking for in return is that you do the same.
I could do a lot of things to you, Santana.
Respecting you it's not on the list.
So, it's war that you want? No.
I want peace for the good people of the Bitterman Houses.
If I got to step on your throat to get that peace, so be it.
Last warning, Detective.
You need to back off.
Backing off is not in my nature.
Final answer.
Then war it is.
I swear to God, Mom, it's true.
Wait can you not swear to God when we're talking about a priest, please? Is that right? I don't know, actually, but it sounds right.
I've been keeping score in my head.
Every Sunday since Christmas, when I started, the homily boils down to one sentence "Go from here and treat everybody better.
" Do you agree, Dad? Yes.
Whatever it is, I agree.
- Dad - Okay.
With what? Nicky's saying that every homily boils down to: "Go and treat everyone better.
" Yeah, until they want an extra collection.
Then they just make a pitch for extra ka-ching.
Yeah, but you think about it, even that's about treating people better people who have less.
That's the most important message, and if more people took it to heart, the world would be a better place.
Boys, dinner.
But in His infinite wisdom, He gave us obstacles so we wouldn't walk around like saints all the time.
Yeah.
Like the Bitterman Housing Projects.
We all have a hand in that.
So, what are we missing here? Uncle Jamie? He took an extra tour.
Wine.
Good eye, Pop.
Who's turn is it? Uh Jack, you're up.
Okay.
Hang-hang on.
Oh.
Ready? Okay.
Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Amen.
Hey, Vinny, we need backup to go in there hold up! I got him, Reagan! I got him! a 10-85 forthwith.
In a pursuit of a male Hispanic heading into the Bitter Bitterman Houses.
We need backup.
Stop! Police! Where the hell he go? Where is everybody? Vinny, it's a set-up.
Come on.
Vinny! Vinny! Officer's been shot! Bitterman Houses! Main quad! Vinny, get up.
Get up, man.
Get up, come on.
Come on, get up.
Get up.
Come on.
Okay all right, got you.
I got you.
All right, I got you.
Hey, hey, Vinny.
Okay, okay, all right Okay, hey hey, you're gonna be okay.
Hey, look at me.
Hey, look at me, Vinny.
You're okay, all right? Hey hey, don't go anywhere, okay? Stay right here with me, okay? Fight! Come on, fight! Hey, Vinny, come on.
Hey, stop smiling.
Hey, look at me, man.
Come on, look at me.
It's okay.
It's okay, Reagan.
Okay I told you.
What? I told you this is the end.
What? It's the end.
It's okay.
Vinny Vinny.
Vinny Your detail will take you out to Officer Cruz's family directly after your press conference.
Jamie will want to be there.
I'll talk to his CO.
The paperwork for Vinny's posthumous promotion to Detective First Grade.
Commissioner, the mayor just arrived.
I put him in your office.
Take a deep breath before you say anything.
Frank, I am so very sorry for your loss.
It's our loss.
They all are.
Indeed.
Are you here to join me at the podium? No.
No.
But this is more than the coldblooded murder of a police officer.
It's also the latest in a long line of tragedies at the Bitterman Houses and projects just like it.
With all due respect, sir, I don't have a script of my own, and I don't want one from you today.
I don't have a script.
Just this.
It's from the DA.
His unofficial policy's officially ended.
Thank you.
I know this may be too little, too late.
No.
We need all the help we can get.
Police Officer Vincent Cruz was killed in the line of duty in the Bitterman Housing Projects where he was born.
I knew Vinny.
He was my son's partner, he was a member of our family, as well as the NYPD family.
And the loss we feel today is immense.
That loss has to serve a purpose.
Officer Cruz must not have died in vain.
Nor should the young woman from the Bitterman Houses, Noni Palmeira, whose despair was so great that she took her own life and that of her baby boy.
So I am making a call to arms in their memory.
We will find Officer Cruz's killer and bring him to justice.
But we must also find a way to win the trust of the good, hardworking people who have lived too long under the tyranny of a criminal few.
You have a right to safety and security in your homes, your streets, your playgrounds.
But you cannot gain that without our help, and we cannot provide it without yours.
Time to educate you, Santana.
This is my game.
You touch one of us, we come back 35,000 deep.
And we will liberate the Bitter End.
And yes, you can take that as a threat.
Pick up that coffee cup.