Cold Case s04e05 Episode Script
Saving Sammy
*********** April 23,2003 Do I miss you? Only when I breathe.
Take-out tuesday,brentyour favorite.
Take-out tuesday,my favorite.
Ruby,off the phone.
I got to go.
Ruby,it's almost 6:30.
It's not like you didn't see the boy a couple of hours ago.
Yeah.
Me,too.
Totally.
Doug says hi.
Hi,doug.
His parents still on the outs? If that's what you want to call it.
We're going to study later,if that's okay? Study? Yeah,dad,study.
Over here.
'Cause the racket at his house makes it,like,totally impossible.
Somehow I doubt that's the only reason.
can I just eat in my room? I'm starving.
Ruby,you can wait 30 seconds.
did you ever think that maybe sammy likes yellow,brent? - No.
- Well,what if he does? - What if he loves yellow? - Ruby I'm sure sammy hates yellow, - just like you do.
- Three red flakes, two blue,one green,no yellow.
That's what sammy likes.
That's exactly what sammy will get,because dinnertime.
So this kid,brent harris? Yeah,one of the orderlies told me about him when I was here on a dhs job.
Parents were killed three years ago? Well,found in their car.
.
38 caliber rounds to the chest,neck.
Well,it says here this kid,brent,was at home when it happened.
But you think he knows something? Well,all I know is,I mention his parents' murder,and he blurts out this number.
What kind of number? It's a long one.
I don't know.
All right,we're here for a number? Look,a lot of people with autism have rotograph memories.
Details matter ,and I figured since I'm familiar with this ace detective you mean me,right? Yeah.
I thought it'd be worth a shot.
I should warn you,though.
He's,uh he's not real friendly.
I ain't lookin' for a friend.
He used to be real high-functioning.
- But not anymore? - No,not since his parents died.
Good luck.
Brent? I'm detective rush,and this is my partner,detective valens.
We want to talk to you about what happened to your parents.
They died three years ago.
They were murdered.
What does that number have to do with your parents' murder,brent? Brent.
Did you hear the question? Brent,does that number mei somethicb or what? It's a wild-goose chase.
Yeah.
Kid doesn't even understand the question.
It means something,scotty.
What? Harrises' car,night of the murder? Look at the odometer reading.
The same number the kid's been saying.
Down to the exact tenth of a mile.
Yeah,but that car was impounded.
How could he know that? 'Cause he was there.
He saw his parents murdered? steve and lisa harris.
Gunned down a block away from their house.
Theory was a carjacking gone wrong.
Cold from the start.
No suspects,no nothing.
According to the daughter's statement, parents were on their way to the local drive-thru.
These people had some serious bad luck.
Six months prior to getting whacked, their tropical fish store burnt down.
Daughter said brent was with her at home waiting for her parents to come back.
Well,now we know he was in the car.
- So why'd she lie? - Good question.
So this brent,can he count cards,toothpicks,what? All we know is he can't show emotion.
Got to be rough, being a parent to a kid like that.
No hugs,no affection.
I can't imagine.
Brent, your sister said you were home with her.
Why would she say that? Did you see your parents murdered,brent? Did you see who did it? Do you remember anything from that night,brent? Anything at all? look,you were in the car,brent.
You saw the odometer number,065739.
1.
What did you see before the numbers changed? What did you see when the number was 065739 point zero? Yeah.
What happened? The light turned red.
"Are you high"? Uh,the killer was wearing those shoes,brent? Is that what you're trying to tell us? He tell you anything else? Yeah.
Um killer's shoes.
"Are you high" was written on them.
- Are you high.
I went there.
- Come again.
Ritter union high school.
That's what all the kids called it.
So the doer went to the same school as brent.
It's not such a bad idea, me bringing you down here.
Serious lead on a double.
Not too shabby.
Maybe you should deputize me like in the old west.
catch up with you in a second? So,um I know it's been kind of hectic lately.
What's going on,lil? An old friend's in trouble.
What kind? A long story.
It'S no.
I mean,what nd of friend.
He,uh he asked me to marry him once.
You never told me that.
Just a dumb pipe dream.
Ray's not the settling down type.
And you are? It doesn't matter.
I'm here with you.
Are you? Foster parents don't let me out of this pit, but whatever.
I visit brent every weekend.
Barely says a word.
How'd you guys get him to open up? Asked him about your parents' murders.
Rattled off a bunch of numbers at the mention of it.
Well,I guess that's good, right? I mean,if he can do that, maybe he'll be ready.
Ready for what? Living with me.
I'm turning You know,he's the only family I've got left.
So,why'd you lie to the cops,ruby? Say brent was at home with you? I didn't lie.
He was home in his room.
No possibility you're wrong? I was on the phone.
I just assumed.
I mean,it was take-out tuesday.
Take-out tuesday? Yeah.
Every tuesday night, my parents would bring back take-out while I stayed home with brent, - unless - unless what? to people with autism, routine is everything.
So? So sometimes,my parents would bring him along.
You know,try to get him used to change.
So this could've been a practice run? What does this have to do with what happened to my mom and dad? We think brent was in the car when the murders took place.
- No.
- And he saw the killer's shoes.
The words "are you high" were graffitied on 'em.
The guy who killed my parents went to my high school? Anyone come to mind? Yeah.
A big tagger.
Even bigger jerk.
no touching oh,crap.
No,no,no.
No,no.
- Here we go again.
- Brent? Ruby to the rescue.
I thought we was tight, brent,huh? Homies.
I thought we shared our work.
No-no touching,no touching.
now,give me the math homework.
No touching! No touching! Why you got to be getting all selfish on me? Withhold the love leave him alone! Little miss thang, getting all gangsta.
Look who's talking,moron.
Stealing brent's math homework when you're,like,19.
Least I ain't the one with dumbo in my family.
No! You just act like you're not lily-white from the suburbs.
- Shut up before I cap you! - Bring it on,dumbo! Hey,you want to mess with my girl? I - I ain't got no beef with you.
See,you mess with brent, you mess with me.
That goes for all of you.
You touch my brother again, and I will kill you! Not if I kill you first,skank.
You say something, punk-ass? No,dawg,I ain't say nothing.
I didn't think so.
Know what happened to this jackass? Yeah,he dropped out of school after my parents were killed.
So maybe he goes after some payback on ruby or brent, wearing those shoes.
But the parents got in the way.
got to say, not bad for a white kid from the 'burbs.
Or for a punk beats up the special needs kids.
I don't even know what that means.
Ruby harris humiliates you in front of all your friends.
And her parents wind up dead.
Ruby harris I do her? brent harris's sister.
The autistic kid.
Oh,dumbo! Yeah,dumbo that wouldn't let you cheat off his math test.
Why do you think I dropped out of school? When dumbo's lapping you, it's time to go.
Killer wore shoes,like the ones you're wearing now,greg.
That's impossible.
I mean,these dogs ain't even that old.
I just made 'em this past year.
So maybe you were wearing a prototype.
Lady,you know how many pairs of shoes I've customized for people? We're only interested in one pair.
Said "are you high" on them.
That narrows it to,like,a hundred.
So you just let it go,then? Ruby dissing you in front of all your pals? I didn't just let it go.
But I sure the hell didn't kill nobody.
What did you do? I got some practice in.
Wasn't my finest work,but Principal's office.
What the hell happened? Brent,mom and dad are here,all right? We're going to take you home.
So you can see sammy.
He misses you.
Sammy's a fish.
He doesn't miss people.
Did you do this? Do what? I'm here for a student council meeting,dawg.
- Mr.
And mrs.
Harris, I am so sorry.
- Sorry? You promised you'd have someone looking out for brent.
- The state mandates it.
- The state bud gets one special needs counselor for the entire ninth grade.
I can't tell you how sick to death we are of your excuses.
If you have a problem with the way the special needs program is run don't you dare tell us to write another letter or call the school board, because we've already done that a dozen times! It's okay.
It's over.
We are officially withdrawing brent from your school.
Well,that is your prerogative.
You're glad,aren't you? I think brent might be happier in another school,yes.
But I know the alternatives are expensive.
Yeah,they are expensive.
Too expensive.
There's no turning back now.
Come on,brent.
it's time for plan b Plan b? Any idea what that could've meant? Hey,I'm the guy who needed to cheat off the dummy,remember? I been reading up on autism.
- Yeah? - They can't lie.
Incapable of it.
No kidding.
Same with humor.
They don't get it.
You say something like, "guy was high as a kite.
" And they're like,"how could a guy be high as a kite? He weighs too much.
" Riveting.
hello,brent.
Remember me? Detective valens.
- That's my badge number.
- Neat trick.
It's all about triggers.
I say,"detective valens.
" And he coughs up.
I get it.
Listen,kid,I want to ask you some questions.
Okay? - Hey.
- vera.
You remember when your parents pulled you out of ritter union high school,brent? You were covered in yellow spray paint.
You don't like yellow, do you,brent? Three red flakes,two blue, one green,no yellow.
Not my favorite color,either.
Well,now that we got that settled.
As your parents were leaving the principal's office, your dad said, "it's time for plan B.
" Save sammy.
Plan b meant "save sammy"? Plan B.
Save sammy.
Who the hell is sammy? Plan B.
Save sammy.
So sammy's a fish? Siamese fighting fish.
Betta splendens.
Indigenous to thailand.
Males live alone who saved sammy,brent? Doug saved sammy.
Doug,your sister's boyfriend? Doug says hi.
Is that a yes? You did good,brent.
Real good.
Had a talk with brent,doug.
Brent's talking? That's great.
Maybe not so great for you.
Why's that? He put you at the scene of his parents' murders.
No way.
That can't be.
Says you.
I was at the batting cages.
I didn't clock out till 9:00.
You can check.
We will.
Besides,i loved that kid.
His whole family, not just ruby.
- You still in contact with her? - No.
After her parents died, she froze me out.
Why's that? I hung out with the harrises a lot on account of my family being a total disaster area.
So you reminded ruby too much of the past? That's what I like to think,anyway.
Better than the alternative.
That she stopped loving me? - Yeah.
- Yeah.
Brent was real specific,doug.
Said you saved sammy.
Saved sammy? Said you picked his cup off the floor of the car the night of the murder.
Yeah.
I know what he's talking about.
Oh,yeah? You see,autistics like brent, they can't keep time straight.
You made a study? No.
Ruby told me.
You see,it's like brent can't keep things in sequence,you know? Like,he talks about yesterday or a year ago like it happened at the same time.
What's that got to do with brent placing you at the crime scene? Everything.
'Cause I did save sammy.
Just not the night he was talking about.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No,no,no.
Go back to your room,brent.
No.
No,no,no.
No,sammy doesn't like other fish.
Brent,calm down.
No,this is sammy's house.
You're right,brent, this is sammy's house.
And no one's gonna hurt him.
He's going to start stimming for sure.
No the fish store is their house.
Brent,remember how we talked about transitions? Well,this is one of them.
You're just going to have to get used to these fish being here.
No,no,no,no.
No.
No,no,no,no.
Save sammy! Save sammy! Save it's okay,brent.
See? It's okay, brent,look.
See,look,i saved sammy.
He's fine.
doug saved sammy.
Yeah,he did.
You know what,brent? I bet sammy would like to look at the other fish.
Betta splendens.
Males live alone.
Just-just look, not go near them.
Just look,okay? See,brent.
He likes it.
I can tell.
what were the harrises doing with all those fish in the basement? I promised i wouldn't say.
When did this happen,doug? this was before the fire,wasn't it? Yeah.
They didn't want to kill their own fish.
So they brought them home.
That's what plan b was.
Burning down their own store.
so they're finally kicking you out of here,huh? I'm driving the nurses to distraction.
Keep coming in and giving me sponge baths.
It's nice your guy let you come visit.
I'm here to say good-bye,ray.
Good-bye,good-bye? Like sayonara? Adios? Forever? This isn't a joke.
Who's laughing? Um I'm leaving in the morning.
Back to jersey? Nah.
I'm thinking maybe california.
California.
Wow.
Yeah.
You know this guy, he's just a rookie.
We go way back,lil.
I know.
So come with me? I got to stop running sometime.
I'm ain't running from anything.
I meant me.
Then stay.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Your brother may not be able to lie,ruby.
But you don't seem to have any problem with it.
What are you talking about? The fish store.
Your parents burning it down.
My parents were the best, so don't you dare.
You got a temper,ruby? When it comes to people talking trash about my family,yeah,I do.
Ever occur to you that arson might've had something to do with their murder? My parents did what they had to do.
They had to burn down their own store? They were desperate.
Why? Because a couple months before they yanked brent out of school, this jerk offered them something they couldn't resist.
What? Hope.
On the autism spectrum disorder,mr.
Harvey, high functioning.
He knows everything there is to know about tropical fish.
And he's excellent at math, aren't you,brent? I'm in algebra 1a.
Well,that's terrific.
But here at north bend, our real focus is on emotional and social development.
That's great.
That's just what we're looking for.
Here's an example of what I'm talking about.
That's jason.
When he came to north bend, he wouldn't let anyone near him.
Now look at him.
That's amazing.
Has brent ever hugged you? Or held your hand? Touched your face? No.
Well, that's the hope we hold out for parents here at north bend.
But there is one obstacle.
I'm afraid we have a waiting list.
How long? We're not even taking names.
There is an alternative,however.
It's,uh,an incentive program.
One where I see to it that brent's name goes to the top of the waiting list.
You see to it? Yes.
For an incentive.
How much? So your parents burned their own store to pay the bribe? Except the insurance company boned us.
Said the store had faulty wirG.
Never paid the claim.
Your mom and dad must've been devastated.
They were.
They lost everything trying to pay off that pimp.
But they were determined,right? Desperate.
Would've done anything.
So what if they went back to him? Turned the tables.
Used his bribe against him.
Got to hand it to you,harvey.
Heck of a scheme.
Extorting desperate parents.
That's offensive.
You make $42,000 a year and live in an $800,000 waterfront condo.
I have dedicated my life to this school.
To these kids.
doesn'explain cbe discrepancy in your finances.
Do I receive gifts every now and then from grateful parents? Yes.
Guilty.
Now what about people who can't afford to give you gifts? People like the harrises.
The harrises? Yeah,they came to you, threatened to expose your little incentive program.
Oh,they never threatened me.
Sure about that? Yeah,they begged me to let their kid in.
And you said no.
I gave them my best advice.
Gratis.
Which was? There's a school in vermont for kids with autism.
Doesn't charge tuition.
Vermont? Yeah.
I even made some calls for them.
Made sure their kid could get in.
And did he? Yes.
They were going to move there.
The whole family? I'm all about the kids.
Yeah,you're a real champ.
Joseph.
I found a place for ruby at a halfway house.
She can live there with brent if she wants.
I've been calling you.
Went by your apartment last night,'cause I thought we were going to talk,but you never showed up.
I was at the hospital.
With him.
Saying good-bye.
And after I walked all night.
Now I'm here.
With you.
Sounds like it was a tough decision.
It was.
It's just that, ray knows me.
Everything about me.
And maybe if you let me in, I'll leave you,too? Ray never left me.
No.
He's just never around.
I mean maybe that's what you really want.
No.
I want to be with you.
What,for like a week, a month,then what? Can't we try? I left your keys on the table.
Don't leave,joseph.
Please.
Look,I'm not your consolation prize.
I don't want to be alone.
Maybe you do.
Why not go to the normal sibling,ask about vermont? 'Cause the sister lies.
And your boy brent can'T.
That's right.
Take off your tie.
What? Your tie,it's yellow.
Brent hates yellow.
Forget it.
No way.
Uh,it's detective valens,brent.
That's right.
Your parents cared a lot about you,brent.
You know that? Mom and dad.
They cared so much they were planning on moving so that you could go to a better school.
A school in vermont.
What do those numbers have to do with vermont,brent? Vermont.
Brent,where did you see those numbers? Okay.
Okay.
Okay,okay.
Forget vermont.
I know what that number is, at least the last part.
What? Sw38.
Smith and wesson .
38.
So the first part must be the serial number.
Kid,you just gave us the gun.
It's all about triggers,boss.
Triggers? Yeah.
Say the right word, you get the right answer.
So you're clueing into brent? I don't want to take all the credit.
I mean, scotty was there.
I got it.
The serial number.
Who's the gun registered to? Steve harris.
Brent's dad? Parents were killed with their own gun.
Your parents were killed with their own gun,ruby.
I don't know what you're talking about.
A gun you had access to.
You think I killed my own parents? You didn't want to move to vermont.
Vermont.
Yeah.
We know about that,ruby.
Moving away from doug.
Your amazing boyfriend.
"Forget vermont," your parents said right before they were shot.
That's why they were killed.
None of us wanted to move.
But they said we had to, for brent.
It was always about brent,wasn't it? Your cross to bear.
I understood.
You know,I have a sister,ruby.
A real screw up.
And no matter how perfect I was, my mom was all about her.
It was like I didn't even exist.
That's not how it was with us.
Oh,yeah? You didn't bail brent out of trouble all the time? You didn't hate them for ignoring you.
For a freak? Don't call him that.
He didn't mean to do it.
Do what? What did brent do,ruby? That night the night your parents were killed? Brent came home and all the roads we have to walk wind and all the lights that lead the way are blind there are many things that I would like to say to you, but I don't know how I said maybe you're gonna be the one that saves me and after all you're my wonderwall.
I buried his clothes and the gun in the backyard.
Okay,ruby.
I won't be able to take care of brent now,will I? No.
It's me,brent, detective valens.
That's right.
We talked to your sister ruby.
She told us what happened.
You were in the car with your parents when they were murdered.
That's right,brent.
That was the odometer number.
Then you saw those shoes.
Are you high.
And you didn't want to move 'cause you don't like change.
That's why your dad said, "okay,okay,forget vermont.
" The serial number of the gun.
The gun that you fired.
The gun you fired,brent! The gun your sister said you were holding.
That's a philly area code,brent.
That's a phone number.
What does that number have to do with you holding the gun? brent,whose phone number is that? Sammy's house.
the killer got a call from someone in your house,brent? Sammy's house.
Your house.
My house.
Brent, detective valens Is proud of you.
Okay.
Okay.
Hey,detectives.
How you doing? Oh,brent's been talking again,doug.
That's good,right? Ruby made a phone call from her house the night of the murder.
At 6:20.
To your cell.
Don't lie, 'cause we got the phone records.
Yeah,your point? Brent saw his home number flash on the killer's phone.
Your phone.
Whoa,wait,back up.
Uh,brent saw? That's right.
Brent.
And brent doesn't lie.
And you might have clocked out of work at 9:00,doug, but nobody remembers you being around between 6:00 and 7:00.
And we know you helped the harrises move their stuff out of their store, the gun they kept there included.
You said you loved the harrises,doug.
I did.
They were like the family I never had.
But they were going to move away.
You were going to lose ruby and the family that was better than your own.
See,you don't get it.
Get what? That brent's the lucky one.
Not being able to feel anything.
'Cause you felt too much? Look,I loved ruby more than anyone's ever loved anybody.
And you couldn't let a love like that just disappear on you.
The thought of her not being with me,moving away forever not a possibility.
So you had to stop them.
I didn't want to,I swear.
But it was like my heart it was like lovesick.
What Oh,what are you doing out here in the rain? You're soaked.
Hop in.
Come on,it's take-out tuesday.
I know.
I can't let you do it.
- Take her away from me.
- Do what? Ruby? She's my air.
I cannot breathe without her.
I will die,I swear.
What are you doing? - I mean it.
- You can't take her.
Okay,okay.
Forget vermont.
You say that now,but I know you will do anything for brent.
No,no.
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
in my place,in my place were lines that I couldn't change I was lost,oh,yeah I was lost,I was lost crossed lines I shouldn't have crossed I was lost,oh,yeah yeah how long must you wait for him yeah how long must you pay for him yeah how long must you wait for him for him I was scared,I was scared tired and underprepared but I wait for you and if you go,if you go leave me down here on my own and I'll wait for you,yeah yeah how long must you wait for him yeah how long must you pay for him yeah how long must you wait for him for him sing it, please,please,please come back and sing to me to me,me come on and sing it out now,now come on and sing it out to me,me come back and sing in my place,in my place were lines that I couldn't change and I was lost,oh,yeah oh,yeah.
Take-out tuesday,brentyour favorite.
Take-out tuesday,my favorite.
Ruby,off the phone.
I got to go.
Ruby,it's almost 6:30.
It's not like you didn't see the boy a couple of hours ago.
Yeah.
Me,too.
Totally.
Doug says hi.
Hi,doug.
His parents still on the outs? If that's what you want to call it.
We're going to study later,if that's okay? Study? Yeah,dad,study.
Over here.
'Cause the racket at his house makes it,like,totally impossible.
Somehow I doubt that's the only reason.
can I just eat in my room? I'm starving.
Ruby,you can wait 30 seconds.
did you ever think that maybe sammy likes yellow,brent? - No.
- Well,what if he does? - What if he loves yellow? - Ruby I'm sure sammy hates yellow, - just like you do.
- Three red flakes, two blue,one green,no yellow.
That's what sammy likes.
That's exactly what sammy will get,because dinnertime.
So this kid,brent harris? Yeah,one of the orderlies told me about him when I was here on a dhs job.
Parents were killed three years ago? Well,found in their car.
.
38 caliber rounds to the chest,neck.
Well,it says here this kid,brent,was at home when it happened.
But you think he knows something? Well,all I know is,I mention his parents' murder,and he blurts out this number.
What kind of number? It's a long one.
I don't know.
All right,we're here for a number? Look,a lot of people with autism have rotograph memories.
Details matter ,and I figured since I'm familiar with this ace detective you mean me,right? Yeah.
I thought it'd be worth a shot.
I should warn you,though.
He's,uh he's not real friendly.
I ain't lookin' for a friend.
He used to be real high-functioning.
- But not anymore? - No,not since his parents died.
Good luck.
Brent? I'm detective rush,and this is my partner,detective valens.
We want to talk to you about what happened to your parents.
They died three years ago.
They were murdered.
What does that number have to do with your parents' murder,brent? Brent.
Did you hear the question? Brent,does that number mei somethicb or what? It's a wild-goose chase.
Yeah.
Kid doesn't even understand the question.
It means something,scotty.
What? Harrises' car,night of the murder? Look at the odometer reading.
The same number the kid's been saying.
Down to the exact tenth of a mile.
Yeah,but that car was impounded.
How could he know that? 'Cause he was there.
He saw his parents murdered? steve and lisa harris.
Gunned down a block away from their house.
Theory was a carjacking gone wrong.
Cold from the start.
No suspects,no nothing.
According to the daughter's statement, parents were on their way to the local drive-thru.
These people had some serious bad luck.
Six months prior to getting whacked, their tropical fish store burnt down.
Daughter said brent was with her at home waiting for her parents to come back.
Well,now we know he was in the car.
- So why'd she lie? - Good question.
So this brent,can he count cards,toothpicks,what? All we know is he can't show emotion.
Got to be rough, being a parent to a kid like that.
No hugs,no affection.
I can't imagine.
Brent, your sister said you were home with her.
Why would she say that? Did you see your parents murdered,brent? Did you see who did it? Do you remember anything from that night,brent? Anything at all? look,you were in the car,brent.
You saw the odometer number,065739.
1.
What did you see before the numbers changed? What did you see when the number was 065739 point zero? Yeah.
What happened? The light turned red.
"Are you high"? Uh,the killer was wearing those shoes,brent? Is that what you're trying to tell us? He tell you anything else? Yeah.
Um killer's shoes.
"Are you high" was written on them.
- Are you high.
I went there.
- Come again.
Ritter union high school.
That's what all the kids called it.
So the doer went to the same school as brent.
It's not such a bad idea, me bringing you down here.
Serious lead on a double.
Not too shabby.
Maybe you should deputize me like in the old west.
catch up with you in a second? So,um I know it's been kind of hectic lately.
What's going on,lil? An old friend's in trouble.
What kind? A long story.
It'S no.
I mean,what nd of friend.
He,uh he asked me to marry him once.
You never told me that.
Just a dumb pipe dream.
Ray's not the settling down type.
And you are? It doesn't matter.
I'm here with you.
Are you? Foster parents don't let me out of this pit, but whatever.
I visit brent every weekend.
Barely says a word.
How'd you guys get him to open up? Asked him about your parents' murders.
Rattled off a bunch of numbers at the mention of it.
Well,I guess that's good, right? I mean,if he can do that, maybe he'll be ready.
Ready for what? Living with me.
I'm turning You know,he's the only family I've got left.
So,why'd you lie to the cops,ruby? Say brent was at home with you? I didn't lie.
He was home in his room.
No possibility you're wrong? I was on the phone.
I just assumed.
I mean,it was take-out tuesday.
Take-out tuesday? Yeah.
Every tuesday night, my parents would bring back take-out while I stayed home with brent, - unless - unless what? to people with autism, routine is everything.
So? So sometimes,my parents would bring him along.
You know,try to get him used to change.
So this could've been a practice run? What does this have to do with what happened to my mom and dad? We think brent was in the car when the murders took place.
- No.
- And he saw the killer's shoes.
The words "are you high" were graffitied on 'em.
The guy who killed my parents went to my high school? Anyone come to mind? Yeah.
A big tagger.
Even bigger jerk.
no touching oh,crap.
No,no,no.
No,no.
- Here we go again.
- Brent? Ruby to the rescue.
I thought we was tight, brent,huh? Homies.
I thought we shared our work.
No-no touching,no touching.
now,give me the math homework.
No touching! No touching! Why you got to be getting all selfish on me? Withhold the love leave him alone! Little miss thang, getting all gangsta.
Look who's talking,moron.
Stealing brent's math homework when you're,like,19.
Least I ain't the one with dumbo in my family.
No! You just act like you're not lily-white from the suburbs.
- Shut up before I cap you! - Bring it on,dumbo! Hey,you want to mess with my girl? I - I ain't got no beef with you.
See,you mess with brent, you mess with me.
That goes for all of you.
You touch my brother again, and I will kill you! Not if I kill you first,skank.
You say something, punk-ass? No,dawg,I ain't say nothing.
I didn't think so.
Know what happened to this jackass? Yeah,he dropped out of school after my parents were killed.
So maybe he goes after some payback on ruby or brent, wearing those shoes.
But the parents got in the way.
got to say, not bad for a white kid from the 'burbs.
Or for a punk beats up the special needs kids.
I don't even know what that means.
Ruby harris humiliates you in front of all your friends.
And her parents wind up dead.
Ruby harris I do her? brent harris's sister.
The autistic kid.
Oh,dumbo! Yeah,dumbo that wouldn't let you cheat off his math test.
Why do you think I dropped out of school? When dumbo's lapping you, it's time to go.
Killer wore shoes,like the ones you're wearing now,greg.
That's impossible.
I mean,these dogs ain't even that old.
I just made 'em this past year.
So maybe you were wearing a prototype.
Lady,you know how many pairs of shoes I've customized for people? We're only interested in one pair.
Said "are you high" on them.
That narrows it to,like,a hundred.
So you just let it go,then? Ruby dissing you in front of all your pals? I didn't just let it go.
But I sure the hell didn't kill nobody.
What did you do? I got some practice in.
Wasn't my finest work,but Principal's office.
What the hell happened? Brent,mom and dad are here,all right? We're going to take you home.
So you can see sammy.
He misses you.
Sammy's a fish.
He doesn't miss people.
Did you do this? Do what? I'm here for a student council meeting,dawg.
- Mr.
And mrs.
Harris, I am so sorry.
- Sorry? You promised you'd have someone looking out for brent.
- The state mandates it.
- The state bud gets one special needs counselor for the entire ninth grade.
I can't tell you how sick to death we are of your excuses.
If you have a problem with the way the special needs program is run don't you dare tell us to write another letter or call the school board, because we've already done that a dozen times! It's okay.
It's over.
We are officially withdrawing brent from your school.
Well,that is your prerogative.
You're glad,aren't you? I think brent might be happier in another school,yes.
But I know the alternatives are expensive.
Yeah,they are expensive.
Too expensive.
There's no turning back now.
Come on,brent.
it's time for plan b Plan b? Any idea what that could've meant? Hey,I'm the guy who needed to cheat off the dummy,remember? I been reading up on autism.
- Yeah? - They can't lie.
Incapable of it.
No kidding.
Same with humor.
They don't get it.
You say something like, "guy was high as a kite.
" And they're like,"how could a guy be high as a kite? He weighs too much.
" Riveting.
hello,brent.
Remember me? Detective valens.
- That's my badge number.
- Neat trick.
It's all about triggers.
I say,"detective valens.
" And he coughs up.
I get it.
Listen,kid,I want to ask you some questions.
Okay? - Hey.
- vera.
You remember when your parents pulled you out of ritter union high school,brent? You were covered in yellow spray paint.
You don't like yellow, do you,brent? Three red flakes,two blue, one green,no yellow.
Not my favorite color,either.
Well,now that we got that settled.
As your parents were leaving the principal's office, your dad said, "it's time for plan B.
" Save sammy.
Plan b meant "save sammy"? Plan B.
Save sammy.
Who the hell is sammy? Plan B.
Save sammy.
So sammy's a fish? Siamese fighting fish.
Betta splendens.
Indigenous to thailand.
Males live alone who saved sammy,brent? Doug saved sammy.
Doug,your sister's boyfriend? Doug says hi.
Is that a yes? You did good,brent.
Real good.
Had a talk with brent,doug.
Brent's talking? That's great.
Maybe not so great for you.
Why's that? He put you at the scene of his parents' murders.
No way.
That can't be.
Says you.
I was at the batting cages.
I didn't clock out till 9:00.
You can check.
We will.
Besides,i loved that kid.
His whole family, not just ruby.
- You still in contact with her? - No.
After her parents died, she froze me out.
Why's that? I hung out with the harrises a lot on account of my family being a total disaster area.
So you reminded ruby too much of the past? That's what I like to think,anyway.
Better than the alternative.
That she stopped loving me? - Yeah.
- Yeah.
Brent was real specific,doug.
Said you saved sammy.
Saved sammy? Said you picked his cup off the floor of the car the night of the murder.
Yeah.
I know what he's talking about.
Oh,yeah? You see,autistics like brent, they can't keep time straight.
You made a study? No.
Ruby told me.
You see,it's like brent can't keep things in sequence,you know? Like,he talks about yesterday or a year ago like it happened at the same time.
What's that got to do with brent placing you at the crime scene? Everything.
'Cause I did save sammy.
Just not the night he was talking about.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No,no,no.
Go back to your room,brent.
No.
No,no,no.
No,sammy doesn't like other fish.
Brent,calm down.
No,this is sammy's house.
You're right,brent, this is sammy's house.
And no one's gonna hurt him.
He's going to start stimming for sure.
No the fish store is their house.
Brent,remember how we talked about transitions? Well,this is one of them.
You're just going to have to get used to these fish being here.
No,no,no,no.
No.
No,no,no,no.
Save sammy! Save sammy! Save it's okay,brent.
See? It's okay, brent,look.
See,look,i saved sammy.
He's fine.
doug saved sammy.
Yeah,he did.
You know what,brent? I bet sammy would like to look at the other fish.
Betta splendens.
Males live alone.
Just-just look, not go near them.
Just look,okay? See,brent.
He likes it.
I can tell.
what were the harrises doing with all those fish in the basement? I promised i wouldn't say.
When did this happen,doug? this was before the fire,wasn't it? Yeah.
They didn't want to kill their own fish.
So they brought them home.
That's what plan b was.
Burning down their own store.
so they're finally kicking you out of here,huh? I'm driving the nurses to distraction.
Keep coming in and giving me sponge baths.
It's nice your guy let you come visit.
I'm here to say good-bye,ray.
Good-bye,good-bye? Like sayonara? Adios? Forever? This isn't a joke.
Who's laughing? Um I'm leaving in the morning.
Back to jersey? Nah.
I'm thinking maybe california.
California.
Wow.
Yeah.
You know this guy, he's just a rookie.
We go way back,lil.
I know.
So come with me? I got to stop running sometime.
I'm ain't running from anything.
I meant me.
Then stay.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Your brother may not be able to lie,ruby.
But you don't seem to have any problem with it.
What are you talking about? The fish store.
Your parents burning it down.
My parents were the best, so don't you dare.
You got a temper,ruby? When it comes to people talking trash about my family,yeah,I do.
Ever occur to you that arson might've had something to do with their murder? My parents did what they had to do.
They had to burn down their own store? They were desperate.
Why? Because a couple months before they yanked brent out of school, this jerk offered them something they couldn't resist.
What? Hope.
On the autism spectrum disorder,mr.
Harvey, high functioning.
He knows everything there is to know about tropical fish.
And he's excellent at math, aren't you,brent? I'm in algebra 1a.
Well,that's terrific.
But here at north bend, our real focus is on emotional and social development.
That's great.
That's just what we're looking for.
Here's an example of what I'm talking about.
That's jason.
When he came to north bend, he wouldn't let anyone near him.
Now look at him.
That's amazing.
Has brent ever hugged you? Or held your hand? Touched your face? No.
Well, that's the hope we hold out for parents here at north bend.
But there is one obstacle.
I'm afraid we have a waiting list.
How long? We're not even taking names.
There is an alternative,however.
It's,uh,an incentive program.
One where I see to it that brent's name goes to the top of the waiting list.
You see to it? Yes.
For an incentive.
How much? So your parents burned their own store to pay the bribe? Except the insurance company boned us.
Said the store had faulty wirG.
Never paid the claim.
Your mom and dad must've been devastated.
They were.
They lost everything trying to pay off that pimp.
But they were determined,right? Desperate.
Would've done anything.
So what if they went back to him? Turned the tables.
Used his bribe against him.
Got to hand it to you,harvey.
Heck of a scheme.
Extorting desperate parents.
That's offensive.
You make $42,000 a year and live in an $800,000 waterfront condo.
I have dedicated my life to this school.
To these kids.
doesn'explain cbe discrepancy in your finances.
Do I receive gifts every now and then from grateful parents? Yes.
Guilty.
Now what about people who can't afford to give you gifts? People like the harrises.
The harrises? Yeah,they came to you, threatened to expose your little incentive program.
Oh,they never threatened me.
Sure about that? Yeah,they begged me to let their kid in.
And you said no.
I gave them my best advice.
Gratis.
Which was? There's a school in vermont for kids with autism.
Doesn't charge tuition.
Vermont? Yeah.
I even made some calls for them.
Made sure their kid could get in.
And did he? Yes.
They were going to move there.
The whole family? I'm all about the kids.
Yeah,you're a real champ.
Joseph.
I found a place for ruby at a halfway house.
She can live there with brent if she wants.
I've been calling you.
Went by your apartment last night,'cause I thought we were going to talk,but you never showed up.
I was at the hospital.
With him.
Saying good-bye.
And after I walked all night.
Now I'm here.
With you.
Sounds like it was a tough decision.
It was.
It's just that, ray knows me.
Everything about me.
And maybe if you let me in, I'll leave you,too? Ray never left me.
No.
He's just never around.
I mean maybe that's what you really want.
No.
I want to be with you.
What,for like a week, a month,then what? Can't we try? I left your keys on the table.
Don't leave,joseph.
Please.
Look,I'm not your consolation prize.
I don't want to be alone.
Maybe you do.
Why not go to the normal sibling,ask about vermont? 'Cause the sister lies.
And your boy brent can'T.
That's right.
Take off your tie.
What? Your tie,it's yellow.
Brent hates yellow.
Forget it.
No way.
Uh,it's detective valens,brent.
That's right.
Your parents cared a lot about you,brent.
You know that? Mom and dad.
They cared so much they were planning on moving so that you could go to a better school.
A school in vermont.
What do those numbers have to do with vermont,brent? Vermont.
Brent,where did you see those numbers? Okay.
Okay.
Okay,okay.
Forget vermont.
I know what that number is, at least the last part.
What? Sw38.
Smith and wesson .
38.
So the first part must be the serial number.
Kid,you just gave us the gun.
It's all about triggers,boss.
Triggers? Yeah.
Say the right word, you get the right answer.
So you're clueing into brent? I don't want to take all the credit.
I mean, scotty was there.
I got it.
The serial number.
Who's the gun registered to? Steve harris.
Brent's dad? Parents were killed with their own gun.
Your parents were killed with their own gun,ruby.
I don't know what you're talking about.
A gun you had access to.
You think I killed my own parents? You didn't want to move to vermont.
Vermont.
Yeah.
We know about that,ruby.
Moving away from doug.
Your amazing boyfriend.
"Forget vermont," your parents said right before they were shot.
That's why they were killed.
None of us wanted to move.
But they said we had to, for brent.
It was always about brent,wasn't it? Your cross to bear.
I understood.
You know,I have a sister,ruby.
A real screw up.
And no matter how perfect I was, my mom was all about her.
It was like I didn't even exist.
That's not how it was with us.
Oh,yeah? You didn't bail brent out of trouble all the time? You didn't hate them for ignoring you.
For a freak? Don't call him that.
He didn't mean to do it.
Do what? What did brent do,ruby? That night the night your parents were killed? Brent came home and all the roads we have to walk wind and all the lights that lead the way are blind there are many things that I would like to say to you, but I don't know how I said maybe you're gonna be the one that saves me and after all you're my wonderwall.
I buried his clothes and the gun in the backyard.
Okay,ruby.
I won't be able to take care of brent now,will I? No.
It's me,brent, detective valens.
That's right.
We talked to your sister ruby.
She told us what happened.
You were in the car with your parents when they were murdered.
That's right,brent.
That was the odometer number.
Then you saw those shoes.
Are you high.
And you didn't want to move 'cause you don't like change.
That's why your dad said, "okay,okay,forget vermont.
" The serial number of the gun.
The gun that you fired.
The gun you fired,brent! The gun your sister said you were holding.
That's a philly area code,brent.
That's a phone number.
What does that number have to do with you holding the gun? brent,whose phone number is that? Sammy's house.
the killer got a call from someone in your house,brent? Sammy's house.
Your house.
My house.
Brent, detective valens Is proud of you.
Okay.
Okay.
Hey,detectives.
How you doing? Oh,brent's been talking again,doug.
That's good,right? Ruby made a phone call from her house the night of the murder.
At 6:20.
To your cell.
Don't lie, 'cause we got the phone records.
Yeah,your point? Brent saw his home number flash on the killer's phone.
Your phone.
Whoa,wait,back up.
Uh,brent saw? That's right.
Brent.
And brent doesn't lie.
And you might have clocked out of work at 9:00,doug, but nobody remembers you being around between 6:00 and 7:00.
And we know you helped the harrises move their stuff out of their store, the gun they kept there included.
You said you loved the harrises,doug.
I did.
They were like the family I never had.
But they were going to move away.
You were going to lose ruby and the family that was better than your own.
See,you don't get it.
Get what? That brent's the lucky one.
Not being able to feel anything.
'Cause you felt too much? Look,I loved ruby more than anyone's ever loved anybody.
And you couldn't let a love like that just disappear on you.
The thought of her not being with me,moving away forever not a possibility.
So you had to stop them.
I didn't want to,I swear.
But it was like my heart it was like lovesick.
What Oh,what are you doing out here in the rain? You're soaked.
Hop in.
Come on,it's take-out tuesday.
I know.
I can't let you do it.
- Take her away from me.
- Do what? Ruby? She's my air.
I cannot breathe without her.
I will die,I swear.
What are you doing? - I mean it.
- You can't take her.
Okay,okay.
Forget vermont.
You say that now,but I know you will do anything for brent.
No,no.
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
in my place,in my place were lines that I couldn't change I was lost,oh,yeah I was lost,I was lost crossed lines I shouldn't have crossed I was lost,oh,yeah yeah how long must you wait for him yeah how long must you pay for him yeah how long must you wait for him for him I was scared,I was scared tired and underprepared but I wait for you and if you go,if you go leave me down here on my own and I'll wait for you,yeah yeah how long must you wait for him yeah how long must you pay for him yeah how long must you wait for him for him sing it, please,please,please come back and sing to me to me,me come on and sing it out now,now come on and sing it out to me,me come back and sing in my place,in my place were lines that I couldn't change and I was lost,oh,yeah oh,yeah.