Homicide: Life on the Street s04e22 Episode Script

- You're givin' me a headache.
- I'm only askin'.
You keep askin'.
Every five minutes you're askin'.
Come on, Frank.
The most extraordinary event has happened to you, so forgive me for being excited.
- People have babies every day! - Not you.
Not my partner.
Oh, God, a beautiful little baby girl has happened to you.
It's gotta be an amazing feeling.
It is.
Well, that's all I'm sayin'.
Here we are, once again, in the crime scene circus.
- We got three rings.
- What? Two dead bodies, one still breathin'.
We bid a speedy recovery to you, lan McKenzie.
He went down over here.
Gunshot wound to his right knee.
Meet the late Mr Douglas Wrobel, and the equally late, Ms Mary-Rose Tabori.
Both dead from gunshot wounds to the chest.
- Anybody else? - The manager in the back.
- Got shot in the back? - He's sittin' in the back.
Is it me, or is everyone talking in code? No, no.
It's you.
All these cash registers are empty.
This is a robbery.
A disgruntled employee.
Or a guy who got coleslaw, instead of fries.
My niece had her sixth birthday party in this place.
Hey, hey, hey! Look who's back from his honeymoon.
If it isn't Meldrick "I Get Married On The Spur Of The Moment" Lewis! How was your honeymoon? You went to the Virgin Islands? - No, no.
Toronto.
- Toronto? What? Wait a minute! - What's this obsession with Toronto? - It's a romantic city.
- I'll take your word for it.
- Leave the guy alone.
What? - What did you think of the present? - Present? - You didn't get it? - Get what? I gave you 500 condoms in all different sizes and colours.
- That's pretty funny, huh? - Hee-larious.
This one's on me.
Lewis, Homicide.
What is the intersection? All right.
Let's go.
- Why? What have we got? - Murder on Route 40.
- See anything, Mr Sobel? - No, I was gettin' more placemats.
- You must have heard the shots.
- I didn't know they were shots.
I thought maybe the fryer backfired.
- I'll be on "America's Most Wanted"? - Sir, what exactly did you hear? Two shots, and then a third off a ways.
- And you found the bodies? - Yeah.
I saw poor Mary-Rose and the customer lying there.
I'm gonna be on "America's Most Wanted"? Go out the other way, unless you want to deal with the press.
Press.
Short for pressure.
You know, when you said murder on Route 40, I thought you meant a road kill or maybe a drive-by, not a bowling ball.
Somebody dropped a bowling ball.
After dusting this ball for prints, do that handrail up there, all right? - We got us a potential Red Ball.
- More like a gutterball.
Why can't you take this case seriously? Why? It's a "Stone Whodunit".
Kids were up there, screwin' around, testing the laws of gravity.
They dropped the ball, literally.
We're never gonna find who did it.
We'll trace the make of this bowling ball, find out what store it was sold from, go to every bowling alley, if need be.
We're gonna work this case thoroughly and completely! When we're done, it'll be just like I said - kids screwin' around.
We're talkin' a lot of hours here.
- Wanna put in that overtime? - If necessary.
I'd think you'd want to get home to see the new missus.
Barbara understands that this is what I do.
When Annie and I got married, we stayed in bed for two weeks.
- OK.
Barbara and I are just different.
- What do you mean different? - I'm gonna go see what I can find.
- There's somethin' you're not tellin' me? No.
Barbara and I have yet to consummate our marriage, OK? Hey, I want to get up top.
Move the civilians back, and get me a damn ladder, OK? - What's the wife's name? - Beatrice Wrobel.
Ah, The widow Wrobel.
Have a seat over here, ma'am.
Would you like anything else? Water or anything like that? Go get her some water.
- What's the father's name? - Mark Tabori.
I hope he takes it better than Mrs Wrobel did.
Hello, Gee.
What's the latest on the bowling ball murder? The deceased name is Len Steiner.
Kellerman's pickin' up the autopsy report.
Hey, Bayliss.
Frank, how's the new kid? - Great.
How's the new wife? - Great.
- Gee, got a second? - Sure.
Great.
We didn't get much from the father of the dead girl, but Mary-Rose Tabori was dating some guy named Alois Pfeif - "El-wah.
" - Alois Pfeiffer.
They split up and Alois has been trying to get back together.
Threats? Just your average hormonal, "I cheated on you with your best friend.
" - We're gonna head over to see him.
- We're under stress here.
Every week there's a murder, the bosses are gettin' on your ass, and you say, "We're under pressure.
" - I know we're under a lot of pressure! - Frank, take it easy.
- Your shooting victim, lan McKenzie? - Yeah.
Hospital says he's ready to talk.
One of you to the hospital, the other track down What is his name? - Oh, Alois Pfeiffer.
- Alois.
What kind of a name is Alois? I'm not letting you in.
I am a cop.
Here's my badge.
So that means what? You won't rape me? - Your parents in? - My parents work for a living.
- Why aren't you in school? - I got a cold.
- Playing hookie? - Want a note from my doctor? So you have no idea where your brother Alois is? Nope.
He hasn't been home since yesterday morning.
That doesn't worry you or your folks? Alois is 22.
He pretty much does what he wants.
- What's all this about? - Parking tickets.
Yeah, right.
Alois doesn't even own a car.
Lan McKenzie, Detective Pembleton from Homicide.
They're dead? Oh, geez.
I need to know what you saw.
Not much.
I was walking up to the door, he came out, shot me.
I didn't see the gun until he pointed it at me.
- Hit your knee? - It hit my chest.
Then he saw it was me and hit my kneecap.
What do you mean when he saw you? That we knew each other.
- You can identify the shooter? - We went to high school together.
- What's his name? - Alois Pfeiffer.
- Are they really all dead? - Uh-huh.
What? What? - Not gonna talk to me about it? - No.
You and your wife have yet to consummate your marriage.
- You drop a bombshell like that - You have the biggest mouth here! I never should have said nothin'.
Just forget it.
- You're not gonna talk? - No.
You have the ME report for me? Yes.
Huge surprise.
Steiner died from a fractured skull.
Death by Brunswick.
Meldrick, did you ever think that maybe by talking to someone, talking it through with your partner that you might find an answer? - I don't need an answer.
- You don't need to find an answer? We're talkin' about your marriage.
No, I am talkin' about my divorce, OK? All you do is you dig, dig, dig, pick, pick, pick.
Satisfied? As of 15 minutes ago, Barbara and I are separated.
- Oh, Brodie.
Come on.
- What? I hate being photographed, OK? - Better get used to it.
- Why? Cos the city's putting up video cameras downtown.
They're gonna be monitoring everyone walking along the sidewalk within a 16-block radius, I was a Captain when they came up with that one.
They decided it was too expensive.
They're watching out for crime on the streets.
Right, but what's to prevent them from pointing the cameras away from the streets and into your bedroom window? So some city employee is gonna know what I'm doin' at night? We're not alone.
Big Brother is watching.
That does it.
I gotta get some curtains.
Judy how you doing today? How have you been? Gentlemen.
Alois Pfeiffer's parents and sister don't know where he is.
We have an unmarked unit sittin' on the house.
We have to assume that the family will or already has warned Alois that we're lookin' for him.
So he wanted to shoot the girl? He kills her out of misguided passion, and gets the money to leave town.
- Found the weapon? - We searched the home.
No gun.
Mary-Rose Tabori dies because she realises Alois's a psychopath and breaks up with him.
Douglas Wrobel died because he had a hankerin' for two all-beef patties.
Then there's nothing left that can be done until we catch the guy.
Go home.
- I got some back work to do.
- Do it tomorrow.
Go enjoy that precious baby girl of yours.
That's a direct order, Frank.
- Can I come? - Come where? - To see the baby.
- You've seen it.
- I love babies.
- Have one of your own.
Remember when I said that you never invited me over? - I wanna come to your house.
- No, not tonight! Your wife will let me come over.
Your wife likes me.
God knows why.
- I'll meet you in the garage.
- Oh, happy day! - Hey, John.
Is Meldrick here? - He's in the kitchen.
- What will it be? - Jim Beam.
Jim Dandy.
- How's he seem to you? - Fine.
Why? - Said anything to you? - About what? - Anything.
- No.
- Good.
- What? - Nothin'.
- Three bucks.
- Hey, Meldrick? - What? The bowling ball was sold to the owner of the Towson Fairlanes off Providence.
We could all use providence.
- That's still three bucks.
- Put it on my tab.
- You don't have a tab.
- Then start me one.
Oh, God.
She's beautiful.
- Ssh, ssh, ssh.
- What? - You're gonna wake her up.
- Good.
I want to hold her.
- Hey, Olivia.
- Ssh, ssh! - Hey, hey, hey.
- What? They're not toys you can play with at any time.
- She's got her own sleep rhythms.
- Yeah.
Hmm.
Well, I'll wait.
- No, you're not gonna wait.
- Oh, yeah.
Yeah, cos I'm gonna give her this.
- Another gift? - Yeah.
I knew she would love it.
She's two weeks old.
She doesn't know what she loves.
Sure she does.
Sure she does.
You like Uncle Timmy, don't you? - "Uncle Timmy.
" Please! I hate that.
- What? Talking to babies in that goo-goo voice.
I hate that.
How will she learn to talk if you don't talk to her? She's my daughter.
When the time comes to talk, she'll talk.
Geez, Frank.
What must you feel when you look down into this crib and see that face? I see Mary and me struggling with two salaries to make ends meet.
I see us saving every extra penny to make sure Olivia goes to college.
I see me going ballistic because she comes in after curfew.
I see a guy just like you walking through my front door saying, "I'm gonna marry your daughter.
" Wait.
What does that mean, "a guy like me?" I'm not good enough for your daughter? What's in the bag? Hmm? Ha! - Cute, isn't it? - It's too cute.
You're welcome.
- Wanna a drink? - Yeah.
- Help yourself downstairs.
- So beautiful.
I love you, Olivia.
Yeah! That felt great.
It's very therapeutic knockin' stuff down.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, and look at this place.
It's almost empty.
This used to be America's favourite pastime.
Wait and see, bowling is gonna make a comeback.
Oh! - Not the way you bowl.
- Come on, Meldrick.
We're done here.
We know that the ball that flattened Steiner's head was stolen from here.
Owner has given us a list of all his regular customers.
If we track every one down, we'll end up with nothing.
Why are you so negative? Argh! Let's get outta here.
You get out of here.
I can finish this alone.
Meldrick, stay on the boat tonight.
I love you, but I'm not in love with you.
Seriously, if you don't want to be alone.
I got no problem bein' alone.
I've been alone most of my life.
Do you mean that you and Barbara never had sex even before? We had plenty of sex.
We had sex 20 minutes before the marriage ceremony.
I don't know what happened.
I put the wedding ring on her finger, and I couldn't do nothin' right.
- I made one mistake.
- What's that? I got married too fast.
Nah, you know, Meldrick, goin' slowly doesn't guarantee anything.
Anne and I lived together for three years before we tied the not.
Now I'm eating cold cereal for dinner three nights a week.
Yeah, well, people find out about Barbara splittin' on me, man, I'm gonna look like a chump.
Who cares? Look, Meldrick, the important question is, is it really over? - I dunno.
- Do you want it to be over? Thank you.
- Nope.
- Then - Nothing.
- What? No, nothing.
I was gonna say, "Then don't let it end.
" I didn't want my marriage to end and it did, so I'll just shut up.
Well, thanks.
- For the advice? - For shuttin' up.
- Got Cable on your boat? - Everything but the Food Network.
Hey, you haven't reopened yet? Yeah, we've reopened.
I guess people are still nervous about coming back.
I don't want to lose my business over something like this.
Mr Sobel, you wanted to talk to us? I didn't want I him to come back here and kill me, too.
- Who, sir? - Alois.
- Alois Pfeiffer? - He worked here till I fired him.
- How long ago was that? - Couple of weeks.
- Why did you fire him? - Well, basically he's a slacker.
I don't pretend that anybody works these jobs for any reason other than the money.
I expect a person to put in a day's work.
Alois does not see it that way.
- He gave you an attitude? - Major attitude.
He's was gettin' in the faces of the customers.
When you fired him, did he react badly? A lot of testosterone.
A lot of hurt pride.
What is it you wanted to tell us? I heard him come in.
I recognised his voice.
I see him and the other guy.
- The customer? - No.
His friend.
Always hanging around with him.
Ivan or lan or something.
Uh-huh.
Talking friendly with Mary-Rose, even jokin' with the customer.
I'm about to stick my head out and say hello, and see Alois pull the gun.
The other guy says, "Give us the money you got.
" - The other guy, lan - Him and Alois come in together.
I see.
OK.
Thanks very much, Mr Sobel.
- Thank you.
- People are gonna come back? Yeah, yeah.
They're gonna be back.
In droves.
Take care now.
He'll be out of business in a month.
Let's go to the hospital to see lan McKenzie.
No, he got released this morning.
Then let's go to his house, because I want his ass in "The Box".
I'll call you back.
Yes? I've got the final report on the Desassy shooting.
Thought you'd might like to see it.
I'm sure whatever you've written is fair and accurate.
Yeah, the State's Attorney Review.
It's just routine.
I killed a man.
What's routine about that? - It was in self-defence.
- I walk past the board, see his name.
I want this put to rest, even if it means my suspension.
- That's not gonna happen.
- Well, I don't know.
- Gee? - Yeah.
Bayliss and Pembleton have a potential suspect in the Wrobel, Tabori murders, only he doesn't know he's a suspect.
- They're in "The Box".
- Thanks, Munch.
Sergeant's prerogative.
Really appreciate you comin' in, lan.
Hey, anything to catch Mary-Rose's killer.
If you're so civic-minded, why is it you need a lawyer, huh? - I'm here at his father's request.
- Oh.
Lan, did you know Alois Pfeiffer owned a gun? No.
Hmm.
Or that he was planning to rob Hector's? No.
Did you know he was gonna shoot Mary-Rose? - No.
- How well do you know him? Pretty well, I guess.
Since we were kids.
Not well enough to know how depressed he was from breaking up with Mary Rose, so depressed that he'd kill her? Detective, please.
Do you really expect lan to be assessing Pfeiffer's psychological state? Right.
Right.
Did you know that Alois was upset? How's that? All right? He was upset, but not that upset.
I mean, he loved Mary-Rose and all, but But what? He told me he was relieved that they had broken up.
- He said she was a whiner.
- A whiner? God rest her soul.
So Alois's purpose in going to Hector's was to rob it? Gentlemen, you asked my client to answer questions relating to the shootings.
Where's this leading? To be honest, Mr Russom, I don't know.
I mean, I'm very, very, very confused, and I shouldn't be.
I got two people dead in the morgue.
I got the name of the guy who put 'em there.
I even got myself an eyewitness, but still I'm confused.
My eyewitness first told me he didn't see the shootings, but this morning, I spoke to another witness who said you and Alois came in together.
You told me you were comin' in when Alois ran out.
Why would you lie? That's what's confusing me.
- Lan, don't answer that.
- You know, he's right.
You've got a very smart lawyer on your side, you know that? Is he allowed to tell us how he got outside? Alois shot two others then my client.
Alois ran outside.
My client followed, then he fell.
You see, I'm still confused! You say you followed Alois, huh? Why follow someone who shot you? - Well, I - Shut up, lan.
The boy had taken a bullet.
Traumatised.
We react oddly when we're traumatised.
Good! Good answer! Great lawyer! - How much do you get paid an hour? - That is completely inappropriate! Anything you do or say is completely inappropriate.
Gentlemen, we have strayed from the point.
Please, sit down, Mr Russom.
Please, sit down.
Please.
Please.
Tim, sit down.
OK, you say that you were shot inside the restaurant? This is a report on the blood samples taken from inside Hector's restaurant.
They are universal donor and B-positive.
What blood type are you? B-negative.
Of the two samples from inside the restaurant, they belonged to Mr Wrobel and to Mary-Rose, not you.
You were shot inside, but you didn't bleed until you got outside? How do you explain that, Counsellor? We need a few minutes together.
Yes, you do, cos we all know what really happened.
You and Alois went to Hector's to rob the joint, but you never figured on anybody going down.
Alois panicked, shot Mary-Rose, shot Wrobel! The two of you ran outside! You said something like, "We're not gonna get away with this.
" - Alois freaked out, shot you, too.
- My client has nothing more to say.
You've both been trying to get out of town.
Where better to get the dough? I mean, he even knew how to open the cash registers! Your simple little robbery turned into a blood bath, and now you're not ever going anywhere ever, ever, ever, ever! I don't have a trigger man, Counsellor.
I got the next best thing.
An accessory, Counsellor.
In the great State of Maryland, anyone participating in a robbery where a life is taken is guilty of felony murder.
Tell your client what that means, and how many years he'll be doin' in Jessup.
Go ahead, tell your client, huh? I know you didn't pull the trigger, but two people are dead and you got Geez! Frank? Frank! Frank! Gee? Go get a I need a doctor! 'Frank? What's happening, Frank? 'Frank? What's happening, Frank? 'Pembleton, Pembleton, Pembleton.
'Open your eyes.
Come on.
' - 'Gunshot wounds to the chest.
' - What? 'Frank.
'Frank.
Frank.
'No, no, no.
'Get up.
Get up.
' Can you hear me, huh? - He's breathing OK.
- Have you got a pulse? Take the pulse, damn it! - Try his neck.
- The ambo is on its way up.
Coming through.
Clear the door.
Excuse me.
He was screaming, and he's fine and he's Frank.
- Frank, tell me your full name.
- Francis Xavier Pembleton.
How old are you? What city are we in? - Sinus brady 55.
- Is that bad, huh? - Frank, what day is it? - Can you take him to the hospital? Munch, take it easy.
Blood pressure is 220/140.
Right side's looking weak.
Take the man to a hospital! We can't transport until we know that he's stable.
He's trying to say somethin'.
A cigarette.
- He's back.
Frank's back.
- Yeah.
- No, he ain't.
- He's seizing again.
Let's hit him with the D50.
Is he epileptic? Could be a CVA.
- What is a CVA? - Stroke.
Somebody tell Mary! He's out.
BP's up at 220/160.
- Frank? Frank! - He can't hear you.
He's in a coma.
Coma.
Male, 34.
Observed seizure.
Possible CVA.
We ran a glucose line and pressure's 220/160.
OK, straight back.
Was semi-conscious.
Now non-responsive.
He went out during transport.
- We'll take it from here.
- All yours.
On three.
One, two, three.
Run ten of labetalol with an IV push, and a gram of Dilantin.
- Is he a drinker? - Frank? No, not really.
- Been here before? Homicide, right? - Yeah, Bayliss.
Get this patient to CAT scan and page Neurosurgery.
It's gonna be OK.
If one of the kids dropped a bowling ball, he'll brag about it to friends or girls.
Either the guy is modest, or none of these kids did it.
- So what have we got? - This is a "Stone-cold Whodunit".
- Let's do the paperwork and move on.
- No, OK? - We can close this case.
- Show me how then.
- Want a ride to the hospital? - Why? You haven't heard? Frank had a stroke.
That's funny.
Meldrick You serious? I'll drive.
If you drive, we'll end up beside him.
- They're gonna operate? - Yeah.
It's some kind of a ruptured artery.
And clotting.
He's got blood It's all around the brain in the something hemisphere.
Haemorrhaging, haemorrhaging.
He's got haemorrhaging in a hemisphere with a clot in the middle.
He's got too much pressure in his head.
They're gonna release that pressure.
I knew that.
You knew that.
Frank always had a little too much pressure built up in his head.
It exploded in his head.
- Any word? - They're gonna operate.
Mary was having trouble finding someone to watch her baby.
- I'll go.
- No, it's OK, Megan.
Naomi's headed over there.
Thank you.
- How is Mary? - Good.
Fine.
She's strong.
I appreciate everybody coming here to be with Frank.
Knowing Frank, the last thing he would want is for the Homicide Unit to shut down.
So please go back to headquarters, and I'll keep you posted as to his progress, OK? All right, let's go close this Steiner case.
I hate hospitals.
- You, too, Bayliss.
Go.
- No, I'm staying, Gee.
You have to get back in "The Box" with McKenzie.
It's Frank's case.
Gonna stay until he gets better? Now you're the primary.
- Give it to someone else.
- Bayliss No, I'm staying right here, Gee.
This is where I belong.
- Kay, who has the lightest caseload? - Russert.
Tell her and Munch to take over the Wrobel-Tabori murders.
Yeah, OK, sir.
Right away.
Thanks, Gee.
One foot stands before the crib The other by the casket A question formed upon stilled lips Is passed on But never asked I guess I believe That there's a point to what we do But I ask myself Is there something more Besides you? Small mysteries slowly unfold Yet still I wonder Is there a point to what we do? I am good murder police, aren't I, Gee? Yes, of course.
I've been standing here, thinking about Frank, thinkin' about everything that I learned from him the last four years.
- His technique in "The Box"? - Oh, well, it's No, it's more than that.
You know, when I find a suspect, I like to get in their brain to find out why they would want to take another person's life.
Why? But Frank Well, Frank He just sees a dead body.
Doesn't matter to him who they were or what they did.
He strips away their personalities.
He makes them all equal in death, because if they have been murdered, they must be avenged fully, without hesitation, or moral dilemma.
His mind's so clear on that, Gee.
His mind is I think I finally just started to understand how his mind works.
I don't know if I'm gonna be as good of a detective as I am without him.
He'll be fine.
Frank is not gonna let this slow him down.
Come on.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Frank? Yeah.
- I'll see if Mary needs somethin'.
- You go and do that.
Lan will plea out and give up Alois Pfeiffer.
All right.
Did you ever think that maybe somebody wanted Steiner dead? Someone hired a hit man to stand at an overpass? Get real.
Bowlin' balls don't fall out of the clouds.
Meldrick, do me a favour.
- Go home and sort out your marriage.
- I am not goin' home.
Lan, answer all these detectives' questions.
- Before you said - We made a great deal.
Lan, I am Detective Russert, and this is Detective Munch.
How's that other guy? Man, he went down fast.
We need you to make a statement about the shootings.
Sure.
That other detective thought it was about Alois getting over Mary-Rose.
- But it is a robbery, right? - Well, yeah.
Alois was disappointed Mr Sobel wasn't there.
OK, Sobel is who again? - The manager at Hector's.
- Right.
Alois was hoping Sobel would be there so that he could scare him.
- Why would he want to scare him? - Payback, man.
Sobel had fired his ass.
He took it personal.
He called Alois a slacker.
Alois hated being called a slacker.
He hated that word.
- Do you know where Alois might be? - Sure.
- Want me to write down the address? - That would be nice.
Proceed with extreme caution.
No heroics.
Alois Pfeiffer? Baltimore Police.
- Hey, anything? - No.
No.
- Anything? - No.
This could be our boy.
- He's got a note pinned on him.
- What's it say? "I'm not a slacker.
" You got a man, an ordinary guy after a long day's work.
He's on his way home.
He's got his whole life worked out.
He's got plans for the future.
Maybe he's even got a brand-new wife.
Thinkin' he's got the world by the nads.
Bowling ball drops out the sky.
Stops him dead.
Or maybe Maybe he has a stroke.
There ain't no explanation for it, there ain't no answer.
Only a chump tries to figure that out.
- Am I right, Mikey? - Absolutely.
You know, that ball was evidence.
I'm gonna have to go fish it out.
Have fun.
I'm gonna go find my wife.
- The surgery went very well.
- Frank will be OK? We have to monitor his vitals, but hopefully he'll wake up.
Hopefully? How extensive is the brain damage? We decompressed as quickly as we could.
If he comes out of the coma, there'll be some right-sided weakness and some language problems.
Don't hedge, Doctor.
I need to know the truth.
- Will Frank recover? - The truth is I don't know.
I honestly don't know.
Let me out of here.
Let me out of here! What are you doing? What are you doing? Let me out of here! What are you doing? What are you doing?