Homicide: Life on the Street s04e15 Episode Script
Stakeout
I'm worried he's getting worse.
He's been down there for four days, listening to that damn dog cry.
- What, his father's dog? - Max hasn't shut up since it happened.
Jake won't talk to me or anybody.
He won't talk to the kids.
The only person he's willing to spend time with is Edgar's old partner Augie.
They've been down there all morning.
- Hey, Lewis.
- Jake, Augie.
- A party.
- Want a beer? No.
It's a little too early for me.
Say, Augie, weren't you with County? County and City.
Tell you one thing, this city hasn't been the same since the Jimmy Poulson thing.
Who? Jimmy Poulson.
Before your time.
Before Jake's time, too, but at least he knows the story.
Well now, I best be headed on down the road.
All right, Augie.
- Gonna be around, Jake.
- See you later, Aug.
- Who the hell is Jimmy Olson? - Poulson! You gonna be OK with this? Yeah.
Hey, Jake, you gotta put all this behind you, man.
The trial is over.
Kenny Damon beat this.
That's messed up, but you know how it works.
The guy's a mope.
Tomorrow he'll be back on the street.
He'll catch another charge.
Poor Max.
He just keeps yapping.
Yap, yap, yap! Was that Schenker from Tactical? - If it was, he bought a new shirt.
- Cheese steak, extra mushrooms! - Who's got the meatball and cheese? - I I do.
Right here.
Where's my toasted croissant? Here.
Watch your cholesterol! - Italian cold cuts? - Yes, thanks.
Tuna with provolone la Mancha! - Thank you, Frank.
- Where's your moustache? - Oh! I'm trying a new look right now.
- Well, it's not bad.
You ordered, er Cold cuts? No? Meatball? - You always do this to me.
- It wasn't meatball? Was it? No one else.
Just me.
Just your partner.
You're starting to display passive-aggressive behaviour.
Yeah, you're trying to tell me something by not bringing me food.
- Grilled cheese.
- That explains it.
What? What is wrong with a grilled-cheese sandwich? It's it's so you know, so white boy.
- White boy? - American cheese, white bread, - it's such a non-statement.
- This isn't do with the sandwich.
- This is to do with you and me! - No, it's the sandwich.
Just give me my money back.
I want my money.
- Oh, man! - You'll have to wait for change.
Hey, it's Detective Kellerman, back from the Badger State.
- Hey, partner.
You happy to see me? - How was your cousin's wedding? Oh, 15 below zero.
With the wind chill it was like negative 300, right? We're outside in three feet of ice, everyone getting smashed on schnapps.
A Wisconsin wedding at its finest! I'm still waiting for my plumbing to defrost so I can take a leak.
- Hey, Jake.
- How's it hanging, Bobby? - Hey, good to see you, Jake.
- It's good to be seen.
There it is.
The space shuttle goes off in a couple in of seconds.
- Hey.
- Hey, Jake.
Looking good, man.
- I'm feeling a little better.
- Sorry the jury didn't bring it home.
It's not on you.
You and Russert put together a good case.
- So, back on the clock? - Yeah, it feels pretty good.
I just had to get beyond it, back into ordinary life.
Anyway, Lewis, that's for you.
I gotta catch my roll call, so I'll see you.
- Take care, man.
- Yeah, OK, Jake.
What's that? It's just some paperwork.
It's not gonna blow up, is it? Yes, indeed.
Nothing worse than when we find one out here, huh? It's excellent.
No crime scene, no physical evidence, just a body dumped with the empty cat tins.
- Is the body over here? Thanks.
- This'll be like an archaeological dig, like the Incan ruins.
Crap today, artefacts tomorrow.
Worth gazillions! You better start saving for a rainy day.
Here, it's a chair.
Hey, Dyer.
Your crime scene, gentlemen.
Crime scene? More like a dump job to me, no pun intended.
Blow-back on the ground from the head shot.
- So he was killed here? - Yep.
He was laying just as you see him when he was shot.
OK, roll him.
- Oh, Jeez.
- What? The good news is I have no problem whatsoever chalking this squirrel off.
- The bad news? - Kenny Damon.
It's the son-of-a-bitch who killed Jake Rodzinski's father.
Oh, man.
The bosses are gonna be all over our ass.
We better take our time and do this scene right.
Most definitely.
OK, Cecil B DeBrodie, start videotaping away for posterity.
Where'd you find the slug? A quarter-inch into the mud by the victim.
It's close to pristine, good shape, good striations.
Been a while since I've seen one of these.
- What do you mean? - This is a 38 short, round-nose type.
- So? - So you don't see them much anymore.
- Everything's 9mm, 380, 32.
- Janine, fish or cut bait.
You're only a death investigator in one of the most heavily-armed urban environments in the world.
Why bother absorbing any ballistic knowledge? If I did learn it, you'd be out of a job.
Think on that.
Derringer, here.
Two shot.
Cooper Arms.
That's your weapon right there.
- Who uses Derringers? - Riverboat gamblers.
A Derringer, huh? Kenny Damon got whacked by a two-shot Derringer.
I never heard of a drug hit with a Derringer.
Kill the president at the theatre, yeah, but to ace somebody over a short package of vials, uh-uh.
- Well, what do we have? - Hard to say, but half the city's wondering where Jake Rodzinski was last night.
I don't see that.
He's not that type.
Maybe you don't wanna see it, but we've gotta run it out, - even if only to rule him out.
- You getting heat to go after him? They're nervous about the appearance of it, yeah.
I don't think anyone here wants to see Jake as our shooter.
Kenny Damon's courted a street hit since grade school.
Yeah, you got that right.
He had everybody in East Baltimore pissed off at him.
Meldrick, you work that angle.
Mike, you've got Jake.
Work independently.
Do not share information with each other.
- I want a Chinese curtain between you.
- Wait, that's unjustified.
We work this case together like any other.
It's not like every other case.
You and Jake have a history.
You testified at the trial and found the murder weapon.
Kellerman's clean.
He wasn't around when all that happened.
You're saying I'm unprofessional? Huh? - That I'd dump a homicide case? - I am not.
We both know little in this office stays secret.
If Jake found out where Mike is going with the investigation in the wrong way - we could be compromised from jump.
- You're saying I'd leak information? This is an order.
Work independently.
I think you're talking through your stripes, Sarge.
This ain't right.
- Come in.
- This ain't right.
I'm being disrespected.
Is that correct? How long I've been murder police? I'll tell you! Five years ten months.
Green sheets, huh? The performance evaluations period ends Friday.
I'll be writing all day.
Huh? - You have a problem? - Prob Well, no.
No.
No problem really.
It's it's a concern, really.
- What is your concern? - That woman has ordered me You mean Sergeant Howard.
Sergeant Howard has kept it so I don't have access to half the case file on the Damon murder.
That tells me I'm not to be trusted.
That flies in the face of everything - My mama It's - If it were me, I'd have jacked you off the case in a heartbeat.
Sergeant Howard felt otherwise.
She did you a favour.
But she's fixed it so the left don't know what the right hand's doing.
What have we here? Meldrick Lewis.
Ah, let's see.
"Works well with colleagues, "knowledgeable in the investigative process.
" Ah, here.
"Readily accepts and responds to supervision.
" Readily accepts and responds to supervision.
- That's that's my green sheet.
- I think I made a mistake.
I need an eraser.
I think I made a mistake.
- Do you have an eraser? - You don't need one.
I'd like to have one.
Hey.
You know I'm hoping you have better luck than I do.
He has been living Through the pages of our time Known as a true man Pure and sublime Comes from the earth And out of the skies From the four corners of the compass And into our lives He is followed He who is true To what there is To be believed in To the spirit of you Comes from the day And out of the night It's in all things natural It's in all things right Oh, sometimes It's just not that easy All you cops hated Kenny, too, right? He was your boyfriend? Dad thought he was getting a reward whether Kenny got convicted or not.
He killed that cop's father.
Papers are saying the police might have killed Kenny.
- You believe that? - I don't know.
Kenny had everyone mad at him.
He turned me out, you know.
When I met him, I looked good.
I did I did! I had a job down at Lever Brothers.
I was doing all right.
Then he started getting me high and showing me things.
But I'm cleaning myself up.
Yeah, I can see that.
Who else do you know might have hated Kenny? I know he took a G-pack from one of the crews selling coke on Dallas Street.
He was supposed to sell the vials, but he just got high with them.
Dealer was crying about it, threatening to kill him.
What dealer? A short Dominican.
I think his name is Galeno or Granillo or or something.
I don't know.
I think I got something.
Kenny Damon stole cocaine two weeks ago, took it from a Dominican dealer name of Antonio Galeno.
Galeno's telling anybody who'll listen that Kenny's gotta pay or die.
What? - Tony Galeno? - Antonio Galeno.
Tony Galeno shot dead three nights before Kenny Damon was killed.
Hey, Kellerman.
Detective Rodzinski.
What are you doing here? Looking for you, Mikey.
I hear you've been asking questions of people.
So I figure, maybe I'll just come by and give you some answers, huh? - It's not personal.
I'm working a file.
- Yeah, I know.
I'm not mad.
You want to know something, ask.
Hey, you want to do this in the Box, we'll do it in the Box.
I'm serious.
Let's go in the Box.
Ask away, brother.
We don't need the Box, or to talk tonight.
You're lit pretty good.
Go home.
Cos I figured if you just want to know something, you'd come by and ask.
You know how it works.
You check your sources, you check the facts and then you go to the guy and talk.
Come on, you've been Detective as long I have.
Never got to Homicide, though.
Hey, how you liking it? What's the difference between working Homicide and working Arson? Less soot.
Hey.
Hey, you're OK, Mikey.
Why don't you go home? You know I'm glad that little bastard got aced.
You know that.
Pez and I were working when it happened, and I know that if you've been asking the right questions, you'll get the right answers, so you're ready for me, you just come by and holler, huh? Yeah, I will.
Yeah, I know you will.
Good morning, all.
Frank.
Kay, I have for you a pastry from Muhly's.
- From Muhly's? I love Muhly's.
- Yes.
You're nice guy.
What a nice man! Everyone loves Muhly's.
- Megan.
- Oh, thanks, no, Tim.
- I insist.
- Well, thank you.
How nice of you.
- John, a doughnut.
- I'm a cop.
It's a doughnut.
It was meant to be.
Thank you, Tim Mmm! - Thank you.
- Mmm! Mmm! Mmm! Good year! Frank.
Oh, my goodness gracious.
Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank! You know something, my pal, my partner? The thing is that when I went to Muhly's this morning, and, I don't know, I just forgot you.
I don't know what to say.
You got powder on your chin.
Yes, I do, Frank.
- Hey, how you feeling? - Oh, been better.
- Yeah, you were a mess last night.
- Yeah, well - So you ready for me? - Yeah.
- Need the interrogation room? - No.
What I need is lunch.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
- How about Lewis's place? - The Waterfront? No, it's bad enough I gotta work with him.
I don't want to eat food that moves.
Thanks.
The vehicle logs say you checked out a surveillance car, a green '95 Lexus, at six p.
m.
And your partner was driving the unit's Cavalier.
- Why'd you take two cars? - Well, no good reason.
That Lexus got seized in those joint raids with the DEA, and it's been sitting in the motor pool ever since.
I guess I just wanted a chance to test drive a $60,000 car.
- You thinking of buying a Lexus? - Yeah, on my salary! No, I just wanted to see how it felt.
It's a beautiful car.
So then you drove in separate cars to the surveillance in Highlandtown.
- What time did you get there? - About seven.
- An hour to Highlandtown? - We stopped for dinner first, at that pit-beef stand on Pulaski Highway.
And you sat on your suspect's house, you and Pez, till three in the morning? Yeah.
We were getting tired of missing this guy.
He kited 70,000 bucks worth of cheques from Unified Fidelity, He's been on the run four months.
If we don't catch him soon my sergeant's gonna have my ass.
You know how that goes.
And Moyles from the Southeast saw you there at 2:30am.
- When he was walking his post.
- Yeah, you talked to him, right? - Mmm.
- Yeah, he saw us.
I mean, we saw him.
Pez flagged him down to say hello.
- It's a good thing that he saw you.
- I guess so.
Helps with the alibi.
Run sheets? Run sheets.
Run sheet.
- John.
- Thanks, Tim.
Megan.
OK, anyone else? Hang on.
No problem.
I'll get my own.
- You got stuck with the Cavalier? - Jake took the Lexus.
- He wanted to take that bad boy out.
- It's beautiful.
- Yes, it is.
- Then you went to the surveillance? - No, we stopped to eat.
- Burgers, right? No.
Pit beef.
Out Pulaski Highway.
- It was a grilled cheese.
Get a grip.
- It wasn't the sandwich, partner.
- That's it? - Yeah, that's it.
Well, that wasn't too bad.
See you round.
- OK.
- Hey, Tom.
- So, how does it feel so far? - So far I can't say I have much - of anything to be concerned about.
- But? - But I want to go a little deeper.
- What's bothering you? Well, Jake and his partner tell their story in stereo.
- As if they've been rehearsing? - Yeah.
I mean, I'd expect that even if they had nothing to hide, but it's just Another thing, Jake used the Lexus they have down in the motor pool for his surveillance.
Told me he just wanted to take it for a spin.
- So? - How are you gonna do a surveillance in Highlandtown in a $60,000 luxury car? It doesn't exactly blend in.
If you're trying to get the drop on a suspect, you don't want the whole neighbourhood to see you.
You think they used the Lexus for something else? - Possibly.
- As bait? - It is possible.
- Process that car for evidence.
I already sent lab techs to the motor pool.
Good.
Stay on it.
I know it's difficult, but I've gotta ask you if he's been himself lately? - I - Does he talk about the case? - I can't.
- Has he said anything to you - about Kenny Damon getting killed? - My God, you think he did it! No, I didn't say that.
I just need to know - Jake - What the hell is this? Get goin'! - Hey! It's just business! - Don't! This is my business! Get away from my wife! Get inside.
- Jake! - Get inside! If this was your case, you'd work it the same way! No, this would not be my case, because cops don't dog other cops.
Any more questions, talk to the FOP lawyer, cos I'm done with you! - Get in there! What are you thinking? - I didn't The Lexus has smudged prints on the door handles and interior, so that's worthless, but look at this.
- What do you think? - Defence wound? This was a cutting maybe, but this is a shooting remember.
Looks like a run-of-the-mill skin scrape.
- I'm thinking handcuffs.
- That's a reach.
I know, but how better to keep the victim subdued than let him think he's being arrested? He got locked up once a month whether he needed it or not.
He won't battle once he's cuffed.
- They cuff him, bring him to the dump - Another reason they cuff him.
They got two cars, the Lexus and the Cavalier, so there's only one of them in the car if he breaks bad.
Cuff him to a back armrest, he's not going anywhere.
- It's a workable theory, but that's all.
- Why bring the victim to the dump? - Why not kill him where you find him? - If you get the guy off the street, you can take your time, enjoy it.
This wasn't a robbery, it was payback.
It was personal.
They found two bullets, one in his head, and the other in the ground.
What does that say? That he flinched or they used the first bullet to scare the hell out of him.
- This just doesn't sound right.
- I feel the same way.
- What does it sound like then? - It sounds like a drug execution.
Lewis has been chasing that for days.
A lot of possibilities, nothing solid.
Besides, who does a drug hit with a Derringer? - What? - Firearms say it was a Derringer.
I thought it was a 38.
Unfortunately I'm beginning to see it.
- A Derringer, my God! - Well, I'm missing something.
Yes, about 20 years.
When I came on in '68, the city was literally burning.
Guys went on patrol armed to the teeth for fear of coming up short in a fight with nothing left in their arsenal.
The old-timers told us to carry a Derringer, a little extra in case you've fired your six shots and needed help.
- Derringers were departmental issue? - Not exactly.
It was a different time.
You did what had to do and worried later.
The old-timers would say, "I'd rather be judged by twelve than carried by six.
" - You carried a two shot, Gee? - A Smith and Wesson single shot.
Kay, ask Meldrick to step in here.
If Ed Rodzinski was on the streets in '68, my guess is he carried one.
You're all taking a shot at Jake now? In the absence of any other theory, we press his alibi and see if it snaps.
Why we gotta see if it snaps? Why should we care if his alibi snaps? What possible point can there be to solving Kenny Damon's murder? The guy's a chump.
The guy's a chump whose destiny is to catch a bullet from somebody, some time.
I don't think Jake had anything to do with it, but don't give a damn who did! Names stay red on that board all the time.
Why not Damon's? Think I knew I'd be going after a cop on this case? I don't care about this piece of crap.
I'd love to drop the file and not have every detective looking past me.
Detective Lewis, I'll leave it to you.
If you can tell everybody in this room what is it you want to do and why? I was just blowing off a little steam.
I'm out there and I see y'all in here trying to fit this to Jake, and I - I know! I feel like I need a shower.
- Maybe you wanna pass on this one? I never ducked a call in my life.
Ancient history.
You'll be back in microfilm on this one.
"Edgar Joseph Rodzinski.
Retired 01/14/85.
" I need the complete personnel records - green sheets, disciplinary, medical.
- What for? - And I need it in an hour! You just made the top of my list.
I know Kellerman's handling it OK, but it's gotta hurt.
You start trying to confirm the alibi, and end up running another cop down.
- Well, a case is a case.
- You can't mean that.
I don't sit in judgement.
I close cases.
Kenny Damon is a case like any other.
You know, sometimes I wish I had your single-mindedness.
- You're not giving them to Frank? - No.
- This is infantile.
- There are those that will say that the grilled-cheese sandwich is one of those populist creations that made America great.
I think that that is overstating the matter, but I can recall a day, not so very long ago, when How long are you gonna keep this up? Well, I'm just getting to him now, so I'm having fun.
- Can you guys help me out? - What's up? I need to find any reference connecting Edgar Rodzinski - to a 38 Cooper Arms Derringer.
- Well, that's a long shot.
I present to you the years 1955 to 1969 and you can have 70 to 85.
Enjoy.
Hey, Mike.
Jake is off today.
I sent Lewis and Munch to his house.
- McCadden is downstairs.
- We jack him up first, see what gives.
Right.
Let's go.
This was my other favourite.
Sig Sauer.
German made, 14 to a clip.
Feel that trigger pull.
- Jake.
- What? Phone.
Yeah.
Yeah, I heard you.
Those rat bastards went down to Cheque and Fraud.
They yanked Pez upstairs for questioning.
You're advising me of my rights? Like I'm some dumbass who doesn't know the routine? Call the damn F.
O.
P.
lawyer, 'cause I'm not saying a thing.
- You got nothing - Very persuasive, but you cuffed him.
You cuffed him for the ride.
That scratch could've happened - Call the lawyer.
- We're laser printing the car.
We find Kenny Damon's print on that vehicle and you're done.
You don't have prints.
If you did, you'd have thrown the report in my face.
Who you kidding? Call the lawyer.
You want a lawyer? Mmm.
Joey, pick the crayons up off the floor.
Joey, don't make me ask you again! - Jake! What are you doing? - Take the kids down to the basement! - Why the gun? - Just do it.
- Jake? - Do it now! Come on, Joey.
Hurry! Oh, My God! I don't mean to break up this party 'Sit tight.
' 'Call a lawyer, damn it! ' Hey, Al.
Looks like you were right.
There was a police-involved shooting in May '65.
Rodzinski wounded a burglary suspect in an alley off of West Lombard.
The shooting was ruled justifiable, but he got a reprimand and lost four vacation days for using an unauthorised firearm, a Cooper Arms two shot.
Suppose a bullet was recovered? What are the chances it's still in Evidence Control 30 years later? Non-existent.
Except for unsolved cases, old bullets get tossed within a year.
Would he know that? How often does Cheque and Fraud deal with ballistics? - Exactly.
- Hell of a bluff.
We don't have anything to lose.
I need somebody to go to the Firearms Lab and tell Janine we need 238 short rounds, the one from Damon's murder - and one spent, same calibre and make.
- I'll get someone on it.
He's gone She's around back.
She's gardening? You look more like Jimmy Poulson every day.
Kiss my ass! He wouldn't stop barking.
Ever.
Jake comes out and tells me to get the kids and go downstairs.
I ask him why, and he said, "Just do it.
" I swear to God I didn't know if he had it in his mind to kill us all.
I come out and Jake's just standing talking about how Max missed Edgar, and not to worry because he's with Dad now.
- Where'd he go, Carol? - I have no idea.
He did it, didn't he? He killed that guy.
I don't know.
Sure you do.
Game's over, Pez.
We'll get you that lawyer now.
What the hell are those? - Those are bullets.
- This was in the mud in the landfill and this one came out of Edgar Rodzinski's Derringer back in 1965.
It's been in Evidence Control waiting for someone to find a use for it.
Actually, I think that this is the one from the landfill, but it's so easy to get these confused.
Yeah, seeing as the two bullets are exactly alike.
Yeah You're done! We don't even need a statement from you.
We're gonna get you that FOP lawyer, and then drop kick your ass over to Central Booking.
That's it! The boys in the bullpen find out you're a detective, they'll sell you for parts.
- Bull! This is all bull.
- I'll show you bull.
Bayliss! - Call the FOP and get him a lawyer.
- Wait! - What? - Wait.
I'm looking for 10 to 15 on second degree, and if I give it up, I do my bit in a Federal facility under a new name.
We'll talk to Danvers.
The bastard thought we were putting some lame-ass car charge on him.
We drove to the dump, dragged him out, took the cuffs off.
Jake wanted to use his father's two shot.
He put one in the ground by Damon's ear, gave him something to think about.
That punk started to beg But the second shot it was all she wrote.
- Sounds cold, Pez.
- Yeah, well I know I'm supposed to be feeling something but I don't.
The mope had it coming big time.
So call Danvers in here, but I'm not signing my Miranda waiver until my deal is inked.
You know, Pez, it's bad enough that you did the murder, but then for you to sit here and give your partner up in a heartbeat, I don't like you from either end! - Hey, Lewis.
- Jake.
- Pez gave it up, huh? - Yeah.
I should have left him out of it and done it my own self.
I used my dad's two shot.
It saved his life once back in the '60s, back when he still used to push a radio car.
- A burglar jumped out - I read the report.
Yeah? You dug that up, huh? That's that's good police work.
- Kellerman found it.
- Well, Mike's a good man too.
You want me to do myself? Just get in the car.
My dad always loved coming here.
'Will the defendant please rise and face the jury? ' How say you? We find the defendant guilty on all counts, Your Honour.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, on behalf of the Circuit Court, I want to thank you for serving as jurors.
You are now dismissed.
We're going to The Waterfront for a taste.
Come with? - I got a prosecution report to type up.
- Well, suit yourself.
Grilled cheese.
Apology is accepted.
So one jury lets a guy like Kenny Damon skate, and does the right thing on the next.
There's no justice out there any more.
- It's a crap shoot.
- It's always been a crap shoot.
Does the name Poulson ring a bell with you, Jimmy Poulson? Yeah.
Poulson was a policeman in the Northwest around '73, '74.
During that time a cop named Reinman was killed during a traffic stop, and every cop in the city was hunting the shooter.
And the rule was then if you ran into him on the street, you killed him.
- No questions asked.
- So what about Poulson? Poulson was a good cop, but he had the misfortune of cornering the Reinman shooter in a Pimlico alley.
- And? - And he let him surrender.
I was working Tactical during the time, and I was in the district station house - when Poulson brought the shooter in.
- So what happened? Turned him over to the desk sergeant, and a number of Reinman's friends grabbed the shooter, dragged him out of the lock-up, took him back into the cell block and beat him bloody.
Ever since that day not one cop, not one cop spoke a word to Poulson.
Man! Here's to the good old days.
Yeah.
I don't agree with a lot of those things that happened back then, but back in the '70's, '60's, if you even dreamed of killing a cop or one of the cop's relatives, you woke up and you apologised.
Jimmy Poulson and Jake Rodzinski, both of them born at the wrong time.
One of my worst memories, well, it would be back in the Northwest, and standing in the parking lot, and listening to those cops beat that prisoner in his cell and hearing him scream for justice, just screaming for justice.
And I remember this the sergeant laughing and saying, "There ain't no justice here.
It's just us.
" 'But nowadays, 'thinking about this Kenny Damon case, 'it makes me wonder about us.
' Sometimes It's still not that easy
He's been down there for four days, listening to that damn dog cry.
- What, his father's dog? - Max hasn't shut up since it happened.
Jake won't talk to me or anybody.
He won't talk to the kids.
The only person he's willing to spend time with is Edgar's old partner Augie.
They've been down there all morning.
- Hey, Lewis.
- Jake, Augie.
- A party.
- Want a beer? No.
It's a little too early for me.
Say, Augie, weren't you with County? County and City.
Tell you one thing, this city hasn't been the same since the Jimmy Poulson thing.
Who? Jimmy Poulson.
Before your time.
Before Jake's time, too, but at least he knows the story.
Well now, I best be headed on down the road.
All right, Augie.
- Gonna be around, Jake.
- See you later, Aug.
- Who the hell is Jimmy Olson? - Poulson! You gonna be OK with this? Yeah.
Hey, Jake, you gotta put all this behind you, man.
The trial is over.
Kenny Damon beat this.
That's messed up, but you know how it works.
The guy's a mope.
Tomorrow he'll be back on the street.
He'll catch another charge.
Poor Max.
He just keeps yapping.
Yap, yap, yap! Was that Schenker from Tactical? - If it was, he bought a new shirt.
- Cheese steak, extra mushrooms! - Who's got the meatball and cheese? - I I do.
Right here.
Where's my toasted croissant? Here.
Watch your cholesterol! - Italian cold cuts? - Yes, thanks.
Tuna with provolone la Mancha! - Thank you, Frank.
- Where's your moustache? - Oh! I'm trying a new look right now.
- Well, it's not bad.
You ordered, er Cold cuts? No? Meatball? - You always do this to me.
- It wasn't meatball? Was it? No one else.
Just me.
Just your partner.
You're starting to display passive-aggressive behaviour.
Yeah, you're trying to tell me something by not bringing me food.
- Grilled cheese.
- That explains it.
What? What is wrong with a grilled-cheese sandwich? It's it's so you know, so white boy.
- White boy? - American cheese, white bread, - it's such a non-statement.
- This isn't do with the sandwich.
- This is to do with you and me! - No, it's the sandwich.
Just give me my money back.
I want my money.
- Oh, man! - You'll have to wait for change.
Hey, it's Detective Kellerman, back from the Badger State.
- Hey, partner.
You happy to see me? - How was your cousin's wedding? Oh, 15 below zero.
With the wind chill it was like negative 300, right? We're outside in three feet of ice, everyone getting smashed on schnapps.
A Wisconsin wedding at its finest! I'm still waiting for my plumbing to defrost so I can take a leak.
- Hey, Jake.
- How's it hanging, Bobby? - Hey, good to see you, Jake.
- It's good to be seen.
There it is.
The space shuttle goes off in a couple in of seconds.
- Hey.
- Hey, Jake.
Looking good, man.
- I'm feeling a little better.
- Sorry the jury didn't bring it home.
It's not on you.
You and Russert put together a good case.
- So, back on the clock? - Yeah, it feels pretty good.
I just had to get beyond it, back into ordinary life.
Anyway, Lewis, that's for you.
I gotta catch my roll call, so I'll see you.
- Take care, man.
- Yeah, OK, Jake.
What's that? It's just some paperwork.
It's not gonna blow up, is it? Yes, indeed.
Nothing worse than when we find one out here, huh? It's excellent.
No crime scene, no physical evidence, just a body dumped with the empty cat tins.
- Is the body over here? Thanks.
- This'll be like an archaeological dig, like the Incan ruins.
Crap today, artefacts tomorrow.
Worth gazillions! You better start saving for a rainy day.
Here, it's a chair.
Hey, Dyer.
Your crime scene, gentlemen.
Crime scene? More like a dump job to me, no pun intended.
Blow-back on the ground from the head shot.
- So he was killed here? - Yep.
He was laying just as you see him when he was shot.
OK, roll him.
- Oh, Jeez.
- What? The good news is I have no problem whatsoever chalking this squirrel off.
- The bad news? - Kenny Damon.
It's the son-of-a-bitch who killed Jake Rodzinski's father.
Oh, man.
The bosses are gonna be all over our ass.
We better take our time and do this scene right.
Most definitely.
OK, Cecil B DeBrodie, start videotaping away for posterity.
Where'd you find the slug? A quarter-inch into the mud by the victim.
It's close to pristine, good shape, good striations.
Been a while since I've seen one of these.
- What do you mean? - This is a 38 short, round-nose type.
- So? - So you don't see them much anymore.
- Everything's 9mm, 380, 32.
- Janine, fish or cut bait.
You're only a death investigator in one of the most heavily-armed urban environments in the world.
Why bother absorbing any ballistic knowledge? If I did learn it, you'd be out of a job.
Think on that.
Derringer, here.
Two shot.
Cooper Arms.
That's your weapon right there.
- Who uses Derringers? - Riverboat gamblers.
A Derringer, huh? Kenny Damon got whacked by a two-shot Derringer.
I never heard of a drug hit with a Derringer.
Kill the president at the theatre, yeah, but to ace somebody over a short package of vials, uh-uh.
- Well, what do we have? - Hard to say, but half the city's wondering where Jake Rodzinski was last night.
I don't see that.
He's not that type.
Maybe you don't wanna see it, but we've gotta run it out, - even if only to rule him out.
- You getting heat to go after him? They're nervous about the appearance of it, yeah.
I don't think anyone here wants to see Jake as our shooter.
Kenny Damon's courted a street hit since grade school.
Yeah, you got that right.
He had everybody in East Baltimore pissed off at him.
Meldrick, you work that angle.
Mike, you've got Jake.
Work independently.
Do not share information with each other.
- I want a Chinese curtain between you.
- Wait, that's unjustified.
We work this case together like any other.
It's not like every other case.
You and Jake have a history.
You testified at the trial and found the murder weapon.
Kellerman's clean.
He wasn't around when all that happened.
You're saying I'm unprofessional? Huh? - That I'd dump a homicide case? - I am not.
We both know little in this office stays secret.
If Jake found out where Mike is going with the investigation in the wrong way - we could be compromised from jump.
- You're saying I'd leak information? This is an order.
Work independently.
I think you're talking through your stripes, Sarge.
This ain't right.
- Come in.
- This ain't right.
I'm being disrespected.
Is that correct? How long I've been murder police? I'll tell you! Five years ten months.
Green sheets, huh? The performance evaluations period ends Friday.
I'll be writing all day.
Huh? - You have a problem? - Prob Well, no.
No.
No problem really.
It's it's a concern, really.
- What is your concern? - That woman has ordered me You mean Sergeant Howard.
Sergeant Howard has kept it so I don't have access to half the case file on the Damon murder.
That tells me I'm not to be trusted.
That flies in the face of everything - My mama It's - If it were me, I'd have jacked you off the case in a heartbeat.
Sergeant Howard felt otherwise.
She did you a favour.
But she's fixed it so the left don't know what the right hand's doing.
What have we here? Meldrick Lewis.
Ah, let's see.
"Works well with colleagues, "knowledgeable in the investigative process.
" Ah, here.
"Readily accepts and responds to supervision.
" Readily accepts and responds to supervision.
- That's that's my green sheet.
- I think I made a mistake.
I need an eraser.
I think I made a mistake.
- Do you have an eraser? - You don't need one.
I'd like to have one.
Hey.
You know I'm hoping you have better luck than I do.
He has been living Through the pages of our time Known as a true man Pure and sublime Comes from the earth And out of the skies From the four corners of the compass And into our lives He is followed He who is true To what there is To be believed in To the spirit of you Comes from the day And out of the night It's in all things natural It's in all things right Oh, sometimes It's just not that easy All you cops hated Kenny, too, right? He was your boyfriend? Dad thought he was getting a reward whether Kenny got convicted or not.
He killed that cop's father.
Papers are saying the police might have killed Kenny.
- You believe that? - I don't know.
Kenny had everyone mad at him.
He turned me out, you know.
When I met him, I looked good.
I did I did! I had a job down at Lever Brothers.
I was doing all right.
Then he started getting me high and showing me things.
But I'm cleaning myself up.
Yeah, I can see that.
Who else do you know might have hated Kenny? I know he took a G-pack from one of the crews selling coke on Dallas Street.
He was supposed to sell the vials, but he just got high with them.
Dealer was crying about it, threatening to kill him.
What dealer? A short Dominican.
I think his name is Galeno or Granillo or or something.
I don't know.
I think I got something.
Kenny Damon stole cocaine two weeks ago, took it from a Dominican dealer name of Antonio Galeno.
Galeno's telling anybody who'll listen that Kenny's gotta pay or die.
What? - Tony Galeno? - Antonio Galeno.
Tony Galeno shot dead three nights before Kenny Damon was killed.
Hey, Kellerman.
Detective Rodzinski.
What are you doing here? Looking for you, Mikey.
I hear you've been asking questions of people.
So I figure, maybe I'll just come by and give you some answers, huh? - It's not personal.
I'm working a file.
- Yeah, I know.
I'm not mad.
You want to know something, ask.
Hey, you want to do this in the Box, we'll do it in the Box.
I'm serious.
Let's go in the Box.
Ask away, brother.
We don't need the Box, or to talk tonight.
You're lit pretty good.
Go home.
Cos I figured if you just want to know something, you'd come by and ask.
You know how it works.
You check your sources, you check the facts and then you go to the guy and talk.
Come on, you've been Detective as long I have.
Never got to Homicide, though.
Hey, how you liking it? What's the difference between working Homicide and working Arson? Less soot.
Hey.
Hey, you're OK, Mikey.
Why don't you go home? You know I'm glad that little bastard got aced.
You know that.
Pez and I were working when it happened, and I know that if you've been asking the right questions, you'll get the right answers, so you're ready for me, you just come by and holler, huh? Yeah, I will.
Yeah, I know you will.
Good morning, all.
Frank.
Kay, I have for you a pastry from Muhly's.
- From Muhly's? I love Muhly's.
- Yes.
You're nice guy.
What a nice man! Everyone loves Muhly's.
- Megan.
- Oh, thanks, no, Tim.
- I insist.
- Well, thank you.
How nice of you.
- John, a doughnut.
- I'm a cop.
It's a doughnut.
It was meant to be.
Thank you, Tim Mmm! - Thank you.
- Mmm! Mmm! Mmm! Good year! Frank.
Oh, my goodness gracious.
Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank! You know something, my pal, my partner? The thing is that when I went to Muhly's this morning, and, I don't know, I just forgot you.
I don't know what to say.
You got powder on your chin.
Yes, I do, Frank.
- Hey, how you feeling? - Oh, been better.
- Yeah, you were a mess last night.
- Yeah, well - So you ready for me? - Yeah.
- Need the interrogation room? - No.
What I need is lunch.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
- How about Lewis's place? - The Waterfront? No, it's bad enough I gotta work with him.
I don't want to eat food that moves.
Thanks.
The vehicle logs say you checked out a surveillance car, a green '95 Lexus, at six p.
m.
And your partner was driving the unit's Cavalier.
- Why'd you take two cars? - Well, no good reason.
That Lexus got seized in those joint raids with the DEA, and it's been sitting in the motor pool ever since.
I guess I just wanted a chance to test drive a $60,000 car.
- You thinking of buying a Lexus? - Yeah, on my salary! No, I just wanted to see how it felt.
It's a beautiful car.
So then you drove in separate cars to the surveillance in Highlandtown.
- What time did you get there? - About seven.
- An hour to Highlandtown? - We stopped for dinner first, at that pit-beef stand on Pulaski Highway.
And you sat on your suspect's house, you and Pez, till three in the morning? Yeah.
We were getting tired of missing this guy.
He kited 70,000 bucks worth of cheques from Unified Fidelity, He's been on the run four months.
If we don't catch him soon my sergeant's gonna have my ass.
You know how that goes.
And Moyles from the Southeast saw you there at 2:30am.
- When he was walking his post.
- Yeah, you talked to him, right? - Mmm.
- Yeah, he saw us.
I mean, we saw him.
Pez flagged him down to say hello.
- It's a good thing that he saw you.
- I guess so.
Helps with the alibi.
Run sheets? Run sheets.
Run sheet.
- John.
- Thanks, Tim.
Megan.
OK, anyone else? Hang on.
No problem.
I'll get my own.
- You got stuck with the Cavalier? - Jake took the Lexus.
- He wanted to take that bad boy out.
- It's beautiful.
- Yes, it is.
- Then you went to the surveillance? - No, we stopped to eat.
- Burgers, right? No.
Pit beef.
Out Pulaski Highway.
- It was a grilled cheese.
Get a grip.
- It wasn't the sandwich, partner.
- That's it? - Yeah, that's it.
Well, that wasn't too bad.
See you round.
- OK.
- Hey, Tom.
- So, how does it feel so far? - So far I can't say I have much - of anything to be concerned about.
- But? - But I want to go a little deeper.
- What's bothering you? Well, Jake and his partner tell their story in stereo.
- As if they've been rehearsing? - Yeah.
I mean, I'd expect that even if they had nothing to hide, but it's just Another thing, Jake used the Lexus they have down in the motor pool for his surveillance.
Told me he just wanted to take it for a spin.
- So? - How are you gonna do a surveillance in Highlandtown in a $60,000 luxury car? It doesn't exactly blend in.
If you're trying to get the drop on a suspect, you don't want the whole neighbourhood to see you.
You think they used the Lexus for something else? - Possibly.
- As bait? - It is possible.
- Process that car for evidence.
I already sent lab techs to the motor pool.
Good.
Stay on it.
I know it's difficult, but I've gotta ask you if he's been himself lately? - I - Does he talk about the case? - I can't.
- Has he said anything to you - about Kenny Damon getting killed? - My God, you think he did it! No, I didn't say that.
I just need to know - Jake - What the hell is this? Get goin'! - Hey! It's just business! - Don't! This is my business! Get away from my wife! Get inside.
- Jake! - Get inside! If this was your case, you'd work it the same way! No, this would not be my case, because cops don't dog other cops.
Any more questions, talk to the FOP lawyer, cos I'm done with you! - Get in there! What are you thinking? - I didn't The Lexus has smudged prints on the door handles and interior, so that's worthless, but look at this.
- What do you think? - Defence wound? This was a cutting maybe, but this is a shooting remember.
Looks like a run-of-the-mill skin scrape.
- I'm thinking handcuffs.
- That's a reach.
I know, but how better to keep the victim subdued than let him think he's being arrested? He got locked up once a month whether he needed it or not.
He won't battle once he's cuffed.
- They cuff him, bring him to the dump - Another reason they cuff him.
They got two cars, the Lexus and the Cavalier, so there's only one of them in the car if he breaks bad.
Cuff him to a back armrest, he's not going anywhere.
- It's a workable theory, but that's all.
- Why bring the victim to the dump? - Why not kill him where you find him? - If you get the guy off the street, you can take your time, enjoy it.
This wasn't a robbery, it was payback.
It was personal.
They found two bullets, one in his head, and the other in the ground.
What does that say? That he flinched or they used the first bullet to scare the hell out of him.
- This just doesn't sound right.
- I feel the same way.
- What does it sound like then? - It sounds like a drug execution.
Lewis has been chasing that for days.
A lot of possibilities, nothing solid.
Besides, who does a drug hit with a Derringer? - What? - Firearms say it was a Derringer.
I thought it was a 38.
Unfortunately I'm beginning to see it.
- A Derringer, my God! - Well, I'm missing something.
Yes, about 20 years.
When I came on in '68, the city was literally burning.
Guys went on patrol armed to the teeth for fear of coming up short in a fight with nothing left in their arsenal.
The old-timers told us to carry a Derringer, a little extra in case you've fired your six shots and needed help.
- Derringers were departmental issue? - Not exactly.
It was a different time.
You did what had to do and worried later.
The old-timers would say, "I'd rather be judged by twelve than carried by six.
" - You carried a two shot, Gee? - A Smith and Wesson single shot.
Kay, ask Meldrick to step in here.
If Ed Rodzinski was on the streets in '68, my guess is he carried one.
You're all taking a shot at Jake now? In the absence of any other theory, we press his alibi and see if it snaps.
Why we gotta see if it snaps? Why should we care if his alibi snaps? What possible point can there be to solving Kenny Damon's murder? The guy's a chump.
The guy's a chump whose destiny is to catch a bullet from somebody, some time.
I don't think Jake had anything to do with it, but don't give a damn who did! Names stay red on that board all the time.
Why not Damon's? Think I knew I'd be going after a cop on this case? I don't care about this piece of crap.
I'd love to drop the file and not have every detective looking past me.
Detective Lewis, I'll leave it to you.
If you can tell everybody in this room what is it you want to do and why? I was just blowing off a little steam.
I'm out there and I see y'all in here trying to fit this to Jake, and I - I know! I feel like I need a shower.
- Maybe you wanna pass on this one? I never ducked a call in my life.
Ancient history.
You'll be back in microfilm on this one.
"Edgar Joseph Rodzinski.
Retired 01/14/85.
" I need the complete personnel records - green sheets, disciplinary, medical.
- What for? - And I need it in an hour! You just made the top of my list.
I know Kellerman's handling it OK, but it's gotta hurt.
You start trying to confirm the alibi, and end up running another cop down.
- Well, a case is a case.
- You can't mean that.
I don't sit in judgement.
I close cases.
Kenny Damon is a case like any other.
You know, sometimes I wish I had your single-mindedness.
- You're not giving them to Frank? - No.
- This is infantile.
- There are those that will say that the grilled-cheese sandwich is one of those populist creations that made America great.
I think that that is overstating the matter, but I can recall a day, not so very long ago, when How long are you gonna keep this up? Well, I'm just getting to him now, so I'm having fun.
- Can you guys help me out? - What's up? I need to find any reference connecting Edgar Rodzinski - to a 38 Cooper Arms Derringer.
- Well, that's a long shot.
I present to you the years 1955 to 1969 and you can have 70 to 85.
Enjoy.
Hey, Mike.
Jake is off today.
I sent Lewis and Munch to his house.
- McCadden is downstairs.
- We jack him up first, see what gives.
Right.
Let's go.
This was my other favourite.
Sig Sauer.
German made, 14 to a clip.
Feel that trigger pull.
- Jake.
- What? Phone.
Yeah.
Yeah, I heard you.
Those rat bastards went down to Cheque and Fraud.
They yanked Pez upstairs for questioning.
You're advising me of my rights? Like I'm some dumbass who doesn't know the routine? Call the damn F.
O.
P.
lawyer, 'cause I'm not saying a thing.
- You got nothing - Very persuasive, but you cuffed him.
You cuffed him for the ride.
That scratch could've happened - Call the lawyer.
- We're laser printing the car.
We find Kenny Damon's print on that vehicle and you're done.
You don't have prints.
If you did, you'd have thrown the report in my face.
Who you kidding? Call the lawyer.
You want a lawyer? Mmm.
Joey, pick the crayons up off the floor.
Joey, don't make me ask you again! - Jake! What are you doing? - Take the kids down to the basement! - Why the gun? - Just do it.
- Jake? - Do it now! Come on, Joey.
Hurry! Oh, My God! I don't mean to break up this party 'Sit tight.
' 'Call a lawyer, damn it! ' Hey, Al.
Looks like you were right.
There was a police-involved shooting in May '65.
Rodzinski wounded a burglary suspect in an alley off of West Lombard.
The shooting was ruled justifiable, but he got a reprimand and lost four vacation days for using an unauthorised firearm, a Cooper Arms two shot.
Suppose a bullet was recovered? What are the chances it's still in Evidence Control 30 years later? Non-existent.
Except for unsolved cases, old bullets get tossed within a year.
Would he know that? How often does Cheque and Fraud deal with ballistics? - Exactly.
- Hell of a bluff.
We don't have anything to lose.
I need somebody to go to the Firearms Lab and tell Janine we need 238 short rounds, the one from Damon's murder - and one spent, same calibre and make.
- I'll get someone on it.
He's gone She's around back.
She's gardening? You look more like Jimmy Poulson every day.
Kiss my ass! He wouldn't stop barking.
Ever.
Jake comes out and tells me to get the kids and go downstairs.
I ask him why, and he said, "Just do it.
" I swear to God I didn't know if he had it in his mind to kill us all.
I come out and Jake's just standing talking about how Max missed Edgar, and not to worry because he's with Dad now.
- Where'd he go, Carol? - I have no idea.
He did it, didn't he? He killed that guy.
I don't know.
Sure you do.
Game's over, Pez.
We'll get you that lawyer now.
What the hell are those? - Those are bullets.
- This was in the mud in the landfill and this one came out of Edgar Rodzinski's Derringer back in 1965.
It's been in Evidence Control waiting for someone to find a use for it.
Actually, I think that this is the one from the landfill, but it's so easy to get these confused.
Yeah, seeing as the two bullets are exactly alike.
Yeah You're done! We don't even need a statement from you.
We're gonna get you that FOP lawyer, and then drop kick your ass over to Central Booking.
That's it! The boys in the bullpen find out you're a detective, they'll sell you for parts.
- Bull! This is all bull.
- I'll show you bull.
Bayliss! - Call the FOP and get him a lawyer.
- Wait! - What? - Wait.
I'm looking for 10 to 15 on second degree, and if I give it up, I do my bit in a Federal facility under a new name.
We'll talk to Danvers.
The bastard thought we were putting some lame-ass car charge on him.
We drove to the dump, dragged him out, took the cuffs off.
Jake wanted to use his father's two shot.
He put one in the ground by Damon's ear, gave him something to think about.
That punk started to beg But the second shot it was all she wrote.
- Sounds cold, Pez.
- Yeah, well I know I'm supposed to be feeling something but I don't.
The mope had it coming big time.
So call Danvers in here, but I'm not signing my Miranda waiver until my deal is inked.
You know, Pez, it's bad enough that you did the murder, but then for you to sit here and give your partner up in a heartbeat, I don't like you from either end! - Hey, Lewis.
- Jake.
- Pez gave it up, huh? - Yeah.
I should have left him out of it and done it my own self.
I used my dad's two shot.
It saved his life once back in the '60s, back when he still used to push a radio car.
- A burglar jumped out - I read the report.
Yeah? You dug that up, huh? That's that's good police work.
- Kellerman found it.
- Well, Mike's a good man too.
You want me to do myself? Just get in the car.
My dad always loved coming here.
'Will the defendant please rise and face the jury? ' How say you? We find the defendant guilty on all counts, Your Honour.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, on behalf of the Circuit Court, I want to thank you for serving as jurors.
You are now dismissed.
We're going to The Waterfront for a taste.
Come with? - I got a prosecution report to type up.
- Well, suit yourself.
Grilled cheese.
Apology is accepted.
So one jury lets a guy like Kenny Damon skate, and does the right thing on the next.
There's no justice out there any more.
- It's a crap shoot.
- It's always been a crap shoot.
Does the name Poulson ring a bell with you, Jimmy Poulson? Yeah.
Poulson was a policeman in the Northwest around '73, '74.
During that time a cop named Reinman was killed during a traffic stop, and every cop in the city was hunting the shooter.
And the rule was then if you ran into him on the street, you killed him.
- No questions asked.
- So what about Poulson? Poulson was a good cop, but he had the misfortune of cornering the Reinman shooter in a Pimlico alley.
- And? - And he let him surrender.
I was working Tactical during the time, and I was in the district station house - when Poulson brought the shooter in.
- So what happened? Turned him over to the desk sergeant, and a number of Reinman's friends grabbed the shooter, dragged him out of the lock-up, took him back into the cell block and beat him bloody.
Ever since that day not one cop, not one cop spoke a word to Poulson.
Man! Here's to the good old days.
Yeah.
I don't agree with a lot of those things that happened back then, but back in the '70's, '60's, if you even dreamed of killing a cop or one of the cop's relatives, you woke up and you apologised.
Jimmy Poulson and Jake Rodzinski, both of them born at the wrong time.
One of my worst memories, well, it would be back in the Northwest, and standing in the parking lot, and listening to those cops beat that prisoner in his cell and hearing him scream for justice, just screaming for justice.
And I remember this the sergeant laughing and saying, "There ain't no justice here.
It's just us.
" 'But nowadays, 'thinking about this Kenny Damon case, 'it makes me wonder about us.
' Sometimes It's still not that easy