Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001) s06e05 Episode Script
Bedfellows
In New York City's war on crime, the worst criminal offenders are pursued by the detectives of the Major Case Squad.
These are their stories.
Atta boy, Adlai! - Good game.
- You sir, are a gentleman.
Ted, when will you learn? Dad.
Your brother sees the whole court, plans ahead, and you're still trying to win with one swing of the racquet.
Since Charlene has continued to see her lover, I said, "let's deal with it.
" Charlene, your husband has offered to let you bring, um, Mr.
Ferrero into session.
It's an affair, Adlai.
The whole point is to break the rules.
God! You ruin everything.
All right, Henry, you ready? A little kefir.
And almonds.
And some kelp.
All right, buddy.
You ready? Liquefy! Very good one.
Eww! It's stinky.
Hello? Mommy and daddy won't wake up.
Go away! Go away! You, go away! Go! Please, no, no, no, no.
Please, no! Please, don't take him away.
Do not take him away! No, no, no.
No! Law & Order CI Dr.
Adlai S.
Copeland, age 38.
- Copeland, the historian.
- No, he's history, now.
His kid called 911 when he ran out of food and he couldn't get his mom to open the bedroom door.
Uh, no forced entry.
No sign of foul play.
Just foul odor.
How long's he been in here? Judging by the temperature and decomposition, let's say, here two or three days.
And get this.
She was in bed with him the whole time.
Weird, huh? It's interesting.
Did she tell you that? She's in shock.
EMS sedated her.
You checked for a suicide note? We found a pretty long to-do list.
Some book galleys in his study, but no note.
I'll go talk to their boy.
Henry was just telling me that mommy wasn't home when daddy went to sleep.
She came home Saturday afternoon, and went in the bedroom.
You know, you were very smart calling 911.
Did you make all this food? Yeah? You didn't like the smoothie? It's daddy's stinky milk shake.
Is daddy awake, now? Well aside from being dead, he's in perfect health.
His stomach contained wheat germ, kelp, flax seed, kefir.
Sounds like a stinky milk shake.
It could be if the recipe includes a lethal dose of organophosphate toxins.
Nerve gas.
It falls under that category.
So do insecticides.
We're still checking.
They found him in his bedroom.
These toxins, slow-acting? They could take several hours to kick in.
It's a nasty way to go.
You ever seen this in a suicide? In rural third world countries, not in Riverdale.
Copeland was a meticulous historian with a great moral compass.
He wouldn't kill himself and not leave a note.
Or leave his boy unattended.
That shake.
Pretty lucky it's the only thing their boy didn't eat.
I'll call CSU and have them bag all the kitchen trash.
See what turns up.
You know, if someone did poison him, they would know his routine.
They'd have access to their home.
Sounds like somebody who might show up at his funeral.
Dad, why are you letting her get to you? It's disrespectful, that's why.
Dad, no.
Please, I'll go talk to them.
No, don't.
Let's not make a scene.
Please.
For Adlai's sake.
You're right, as always, Lena.
Adlai was remarkable.
At 35 a tenured professor.
Renowned historian and author.
His "Winter of the patriarchs," I thought it was exceptional.
Do you hear that, Ted? Even the detective knows your brother.
Thank you.
Sorry, he doesn't mean to patronize.
We're all very proud of Adlai.
Their son, he's staying with you? For now.
Charlene is going through a lot, and Henry and our son are close.
So, Ted, we should be going.
We're having a few people over.
Your sister-in-law is going as well? Probably not.
I believe that, uh, Mr.
Ferrero will be consoling her tonight.
He's been Charlene's gardener for about a year.
Before she met him, she didn't want to water the lawn.
Ted.
Your father's waiting.
Thank you, Mac.
Sure thing, Mrs.
C.
You know him? I think he worked the 4-0 with my dad.
He was kind of a third responder.
Yeah, if Mr.
Ferrero is her gardener, he'd have access to their house.
Yeah, and insecticides.
The wife.
She really slept with his corpse? Then she brought Gus Ferrero, her gardener, to his funeral.
The family thinks they're having an affair.
That's their take, what's yours? They could be good for it.
She's got a small rap sheet.
Forged checks, shoplifting, former pageant runner-up.
Former pharmaceutical rep.
She broke up a doctor's marriage, and then left him for the shy historian on the best sellers list.
Classy.
How does a man of Dr.
Copeland's stature end up being married to a future guest of Jerry Springer? Eames.
"When empires fall.
" I think this is my favorite.
- I prefer "Winter of the patriarchs.
" - Okay, thanks.
I hate to interrupt the book club, but that was the lab.
They found the toxin fenthion in his kefir bottle.
That's how it got in the shake.
Dr.
Copeland was wealthy.
When you bring Mr.
Ferrero in, you might ask him if Mrs.
Copeland ever mentioned how much easier life would be if the doctor weren't around.
Last week I was working at a house out in the Hamptons, planting late summer flowers.
Is that what you call it? What can I say, sweetheart? When your tool belt's as impressive as mine Was the lady of the house home? No, uh, these people come out on weekends.
Want everything in bloom.
Nice house.
I've seen better.
Like Charlene Copeland's, up in Riverdale? I've seen better than that too.
Well, now that the husband is gone, it's all hers.
Her next husband's gonna be very comfortable.
Geez! Uh, easy, easy.
Uh, yeah well, I'm not looking to be a stepfather, if that's what you're getting at.
My life is more than comfortable right now.
Do you know what to use this for? Yeah, it's to keep the plants healthy.
It also kills insects.
Do you know what makes it do that? Fenthion.
It's very dangerous stuff, Gus.
Would you drink that? I wouldn't.
But you can go ahead.
No, see, the thing is Adlai Copeland did drink it, 'cause someone who had access to his house spiked his morning shake.
Well, yeah, that wasn't me, all right? And I gotta get back to the island.
Tell her you're gonna be late.
Sweetheart.
Geez, how late? Ten to 15 years, if you're lucky.
This is Mr.
Ferrero's attorney.
That must be Mr.
Ferrero's late-summer flower.
Your dance, detective.
Ma'am? Hi.
I'm detective Goren.
I'm working on the Ferraro case.
- You are? - Mrs.
Lila Gibbs.
Mr.
Ferrero is my landscaper.
He does your garden? Well, this, this garden that he, uh, tends for you, - is it in the city? - No, Wainscott.
- That's the Hamptons, right? - Yes.
- Has he been there recently? - All last week.
He left just before my husband came out on Saturday morning.
He didn't tell you? No.
I would've remembered if he had.
Well, that's just like him.
He knows my circle, and he doesn't want to give people the wrong impression.
Good-looking alibi.
They're lining up for him.
I brought my lawyer for Gus.
Don Planko.
He's invoking and I'd like to see - Somebody beat you to it.
- But I told him I was bringing him one.
Mrs.
Copeland, here.
Just come to my desk, we can have - Not a chance, detective.
- Just right here.
Mrs.
Copeland still Oh, hi.
Gus.
Well, this is awkward.
Uh, I'm gonna call you in a few hours, okay? A few hours.
Why? 'cause Gus has an important job he has to finish.
Come on, come on.
Hey, no running in the halls.
Both of you.
Charlene.
Gus, please pick up.
Please.
I need you.
Charlene.
You need to be strong, now.
I'm sorry, Lena.
I can't.
Mommy? Not now, baby.
Mommy's busy.
Charlene? Charlene! Charlene came to visit his son Henry.
And then took a handful of pills.
She'll be fine.
She's done this before.
Every time Adlai was about to get an award or travel for work, she'd pull some stunt.
You said her son saw her? Heard her fall.
Not that she cared.
Ted! She cares.
She's just Wait, I gotta get this one quick.
We told Henry mommy wasn't feeling well.
He was fine.
Adlai warned me that Gus was insubstantial.
Your husband knew about your affair? But he forgave me.
That sounds like he loved you very much.
Mrs.
Copeland Henry told us that you didn't come home Friday night.
Adlai told me that he needed to focus on his galleys, so I left.
You left? Just, what, you ran away, by yourself? I took a train.
To the spa.
- "Melon" something.
- "Melon" something.
In Rhode island.
Thursday.
And you were hoping that your husband would come for you.
No.
Gus, actually.
But he told me he was working.
So I came home.
And that's, that's when I saw Adlai.
And where was he when you came in? Um, he was in the bed.
Napping, I thought.
Then he just wouldn't wake up.
And I just can't believe he left me.
Charlene.
Oh, Charlene.
Are you okay? My sister-in-law needs to rest, now.
Charlene is a full-on borderline.
The more drama that she creates outside herself, the calmer that she gets.
Plotting with Gus to kill her husband, that would create drama.
They both have alibis.
And all that couple-drama.
She was insecure about Adlai.
Maybe she was testing him to see if he loved her.
Her affair with Gus, maybe somebody set the two of them up.
Adlai's father and brother, they don't seem too fond of her.
"When Gods fail.
" From Mao to Mugabe.
These are the galleys of my son's last book.
Sir, you said that, that Ted and Lena, they were with you at the family compound last week.
The whole week.
If Adlai had only come up, he'd Uh, these are Adlai's family trust statements.
We couldn't find them at the house.
He was going over them one day and she felt ignored, and the next day she ransacked his papers.
It must've been hard for you to see your son in a difficult marriage.
She'd never take care of the home, the child.
But Adlai could.
Maybe you felt that she needed him.
He could never turn his back on her.
Once Adlai committed to anything, he was absolutely loyal.
He was certainly very generous to the charities he supported.
Always.
My graduation gift to each of my sons was a summer to do anything they wanted.
Adlai went to a reservation.
Taught Cherokee children to read.
That's impressive.
And Ted? The French riviera.
Gambling, women.
He blew through his trust by the time he was 25.
I'm seeing several checks Adlai wrote to Ted over the last two years.
Against my advice, Adlai pitched in on a few of Ted's real estate schemes.
Small bets.
Well, this one's not small.
It's $3 million dollars.
Written out to a Central park west co-op.
Ted's name is in the memo.
Central park west, that's where Ted and Lena used to live.
He was on the board.
Sorry, I just became treasurer of the co-op this spring.
Really? Okay, so who was treasurer when this was written? That would've been Mr.
Copeland.
Ted Copeland.
He was treasurer and you don't know why his brother wrote a check for the building for $3 million dollars? Like I said, I don't have immediate access to those records.
I could write a letter to the management Don't bother.
We'll have the subpoena by the end of the day.
Detectives, wait.
The board did nothing wrong.
This is a murder investigation, Mr.
Fellows.
We don't have time for games.
Murder? Is that what this is about? Adlai, he was helping his brother out here.
Why? The building was going through renovations.
Refinancing.
Long story short, Ted embezzled.
- $3 million dollars? - Two.
The brother stepped in and paid restitution plus a little extra.
Which is why you didn't prosecute.
We dropped it 'cause Adlai made sure that Ted and his family moved out.
Um, Ted got caught embezzling and he wanted to stay here? His poor wife was mortified.
She'd sneak out through the basement with her son to avoid running into anyone.
But Ted was shameless.
Dad, we just You're not supposed to use those in here.
This wing is a meditative retreat.
Dad, it it's no big deal.
I Just to get us through refinancing.
Listen, uh, I gotta run.
I'm going through a tunnel.
Yeah.
How are we doing? These forms, they all seem to need notaries.
Well, I, I can get them notarized at work.
We just, we just want you to focus on, uh, on getting better.
I am getting better.
That shrink wants to discharge me.
But I'm not ready to go home yet.
I keep thinking of Adlai.
Of course not.
We can all go up to dad's this weekend, and afterwards you'll come home with us.
Lena.
I, uh, I can't go this weekend.
Your father doesn't want me there.
He's always so tense around me.
It's not fair.
Fine, then you stay here till Monday.
I'll take care of Henry.
Ted will be in town.
All weekend.
Okay? When I get back, we'll sort it all out.
Ted was taking out seconds, thirds, even fourth mortgages on properties that hadn't even been paid off once.
It's no wonder he got whacked.
Actually, this Mr.
Copeland is alive and well.
Uh, not for long.
I mean, not if he keeps taking new mortgages to pay off his investors.
And then adding new investors to pay off the mortgages.
It's a ponzi scheme.
That's huge.
Okay, I got four states, four banks and one notary.
- What? - There, see? Let's see, Mr.
J.
T.
Eshleman, of Poughkeepsie, New York.
He got a stamp.
Banks didn't notice.
That's an awesome catch, detective.
Okay, do you have any idea how much he owes? Uh, well, in a month he's got a balloon payment coming due, it's worth more than everything put together.
Is there a family trust that reverts to him upon his brother's death? They each had their own.
Ted's is gone and Adlai's is quite substantial.
The brother was an easy mark.
You'd think he'd want him alive.
Maybe not.
This is an e-mail from Adlai to Ted sent this past January.
"I don't want to start the year with debt between us.
" "Let's wipe the slate clean.
" "You don't owe me a dime, but I can't invest any more money in your ventures.
" Who's handling Adlai's finances now? His estate went to his wife.
Except for Henry's sizeable trust and as his mom, she administers that too.
Ted might have thought he'd have better luck with her than with his brother.
You have enough to hold him on embezzlement? Uh, look, nobody actually understand any of this.
It would take a while to sort it out.
Well, uh, notary fraud That totally works.
I could try to Okay, calm down, boy.
Uh, let's bring Ted in.
I don't want him running before we can make our case.
Mr.
Copeland? Police.
Hello? Ted? Central, we need CSU and a bus.
Probable DOA.
- Get that solvent.
- Okay.
Around the other side wall.
And try to get / Captain.
Ted went from suspect to victim in record time.
Could be a coincidence.
Two brothers dying within ten days of each other.
Could mean we missed something.
- Two shots? - Yeah, that's a .
22.
Looks like the killer came in, first shot missed entirely.
It was long distance.
Second shot, I guess Ted was moving forward.
It was close range.
Grazed his temple.
Landed there.
No powder burns, but some stippling.
All right, missed a clean shot at three feet.
Not a marksman.
It was probably enough to stun Ted.
He fell back The killer grabbed the scissors and stabbed him.
He landed here.
He tried to crawl.
The killer grabbed the statue from there.
And domed him.
Well, no points for form, but a ten for stick-to-it-iveness.
The office, burglarized.
His safe was hacked at but unopened.
His wallet was on him.
The cabinets were ransacked, files strewn about.
Sloppy.
Other than blood, Adlai and Ted had nothing in common.
Why would someone want them both dead? Well, two victims are related.
Family.
Thank you for coming.
They weren't gonna let me in.
They said downstairs is a crime scene.
My own home.
Uh, you've, you've told your father-in-law? Dad collapsed when he heard.
First Adlai, now Ted.
It's too much.
He looked stricken.
I told him the boys'll need him.
Oh, god, the boys.
Uh, the boys are staying with their grandfather.
And Charlene? I'm going to tell her now.
She's at the hospital.
Still? Well, Ted was right.
She likes the attention.
Did your husband suspect her in Adlai's murder? No.
He didn't think she was capable of anything more complex than her suicide.
He always said she has no foresight.
Sounds like Ted didn't, either.
But your, your husband was having major financial problems, wasn't he? Was there another reason why you and your son went down door in Central park west? He kept telling me things were about to turn around.
I kept hoping they would.
Before that balloon payment burst? A year ago, Adlai bailed Ted out.
This time Adlai cut him off.
Jules convinced Adlai not to enable Ted.
That's all moot now.
What about life insurance? We should be fine.
Jules always made sure Ted's policies were kept up to date.
Why are you asking me about life insurance? Uh, well You, you don't think I did this.
Ted's death could spare you the public humiliation of his indictment.
And there's bankruptcy.
I loved my husband.
Where were you this afternoon? In Connecticut.
With Jules and the boys.
You can ask Jules, or hell, why not my 8 year-old too? You have a job to do, detectives.
But there's a time and a place.
I'm gonna go pack the boys' things now, excuse me.
With Adlai gone, he might've decided the noblest thing to do was have himself taken out, so his family would be taken care of.
Yeah, but he couldn't do the whole thing alone.
He'd have to have a pro to help him.
Like, a pro that could act like an amateur.
Well, he's got one on staff.
Come on, do I look like Kevorkian to you? Not every retired cop ends up disgracing the uniform, you know.
That was uncalled for.
I'm sorry.
- Your old man was a good cop.
- Save it.
Look, there ain't no way in hell I'm whacking some pain-in-the-ass real estate developer to help him get over on an insurance company.
- What's up, man? - So you weren't a fan? I drove Ted for three years.
He never asked me how I was.
He never let me go home early.
The world revolved around him.
His father told us that Ted was in Connecticut when he found out that Adlai'd been killed.
He was.
And the whole ride down he's on his cell, using his brother's death as an excuse to get his loans extended.
- And his wife, Lena? - She was in the city.
She called me on my phone trying to tell me arrangements about how they would need to take care of the boy.
She was a Red cross.
You drive her often? No, only when she was with Ted.
- Or with her sister-in-law.
- Charlene.
Right.
Lena seems protective of her.
Well, that's just since Adlai was killed.
Before that, they were on the outs.
Have they ever been on the ins? The first two years, thick as thieves.
Then about a year ago, they go away for a weekend to Lena's spa.
In Rhode island? And then everything goes south.
Charlene just turns on Lena.
If you ask me, Lena was better off.
You're home two days.
How does a place get this messy? Did you sign those papers yet? Yeah, they're here somewhere.
He's my son, Lena.
And I don't want to be alone.
It's only temporary.
Henry and Jeffrey are like brothers.
It's too much stress for you to be a mom right now.
Lena, this isn't fair.
You just need to focus on yourself.
And Henry needs stability.
Okay, Lena.
Also, if the police come, no improvising, no hysterics.
Just stick to the plan.
Okay, Lena.
Just stick to the plan! I'm sorry, you got me confused.
Which of my murdered sons are you referring to? Adlai.
You said Ted and Lena were with you that whole weekend.
Yes, of course.
Ted's driver told us that Lena was in the city.
She was making arrangements.
He called her "the Red cross.
" Well, she was remarkable, but I'm quite sure that she was out there when we heard the news.
And the weekend that Ted was murdered, she was with you that whole time too? That's right.
Now, you can't believe that Lena had anything to do with these murders.
Mr.
Copeland, we understand that she's a good daughter-in-law.
She's my daughter.
Plain and simple.
And Charlene, she's flighty.
She's Well, she's unreliable.
She's certainly not the kind of person to rely on for an alibi.
Charlene's a liar and a tramp.
She's not to be relied on for anything.
Grandpa! Grandpa! We want some popcorn, popcorn! Where's that dollar I gave you? That's my boy! Henry will have popcorn.
Jeffrey will have none.
You gotta learn to hold onto your money.
Come here, let me show you.
Well, he's consistent.
Sons, daughters-in-law, grandsons.
He always has a scapegoat.
The thing about scapegoats is, sooner or later they get tired of everything being blamed on them.
I wonder what would happened if we arrested Charlene.
It'd be only fair to tell Lena.
So nice to have visitors.
I've been so alone without Adlai or Henry.
Henry's been staying with Lena? Temporary custody.
Until I'm okay.
I mean, you should really water these things.
Aw, you know, I kinda gave up on the gardening thing.
Temporary custody.
Lena amazes us.
Visiting you, taking care of Jules and Jeffrey, and now your son.
You know Lena.
So what is it that drove you guys apart last year? Was it the money that Adlai gave Ted? Oh, she told you about that.
No, you just did.
We weren't sure you knew about it.
Now we know you have a $3 million dollar motive.
A motive? To kill Adlai? No, see, I loved him.
Besides, I was at the spa.
Now, is that the same spa that you went to a year before with Lena? And Adlai murder was a year to the day.
We checked.
That must've been Lena's idea.
She's so precise.
Well, that whole thing was probably her idea.
You know, the symmetry and the planning.
It was probably her idea to make the reservation at the spa.
What's going on, here? You shouldn't be drinking, Charlene.
Not with the meds.
Oh, she was just talking about you.
Well, she's done talking.
Her lawyer is here.
Detectives, you need to leave.
You think it's a good idea to have the same lawyer as Lena? Oh, for Pete's sake, Charlene, don't be an idiot.
He's That's not what I meant.
I don't need a lawyer.
I have an alibi.
Not for Ted's murder, you don't.
Ladies.
Well, not for Adlai's either.
The poison could've been added to the kefir anytime before you left.
What I don't get is leaving your son alone in the house.
After Adlai drank your poison, weren't you even a little worried that Henry would drink it too? Yes, Charlene.
How could you? Don't look at me, pops.
Um, what is it that you called her? You called her a tramp? I'm sure you misheard me.
I'm sure he didn't.
Everybody blames everything on you in this family, don't they? Even these murders.
I didn't kill anybody.
Well, I told you, your alibi.
It's it's worthless.
Anyone who planted the kefir would know that.
And Ted's murder, that's a mess, madam.
The gun, the scissors, the statue.
I mean, that's a it's a classic Charlene temper tantrum.
No, I was in the hospital.
And not a locked ward.
You could've left anytime.
No, you need a solid alibi, you see? Like Lena.
She was 100 miles away with the father of the two victims.
You can't get better than that.
He's lying.
Why would he do that? He loved Adlai.
Why would he protect the killer? Unless he didn't know.
This is ridiculous.
Please get her out of here.
She hasn't told us yet what happened when Lena took Charlene to the spa.
We got facials.
Didn't we, Charlene? What are they talking about? Nothing.
Let's get the boys and go.
No, you're not taking him anywhere.
Lena.
All right, it was her idea.
Charlene no one takes a word you say seriously.
We had been drinking.
A lot.
I told her I was mad at Adlai.
She said she wished Ted were dead.
Well, so, you both decided to kill each other's husbands.
We might've said some things.
I didn't mean it.
I never wanted Adlai dead.
You forgave him.
No, but I got back at him with Gus, and then I just forgot the whole thing.
Then, like a month ago, Lena calls.
Says she has a gift certificate for the spa.
Jules, she'll say anything.
Must've been awful for you to go home and find him gone.
Yeah.
It was.
You have really lost it, Charlene.
The next week, she kept saying it was my turn.
She'd done her part.
Now I had to do mine.
She, she kept saying I was just as guilty as she was.
That's when I took the pills, so she'd just like, leave me alone.
Did she tell you how to kill Ted? She gave me a gun she took from the compound.
And I went to see Ted and But I just couldn't go through with it.
And afterward? Lena kept saying, "why do I always have to do everything myself?" "Why is it always up to me?" So she figured out what needed to be done, and she did it, just like she always does.
Well, it wasn't her idea.
She got it from a movie.
- I'm sorry, movie? - Charlene! The one you rented for me.
I never got around to watching it.
I never rented a movie for you.
Yeah, you did.
It's over there in those piles, somewhere, with your papers.
- What? - Sorry, these piles, here? She gave it to me.
A year ago.
Jules.
She, she's desperate.
Let's just get the boys Especially Henry, right, Lena? She had Charlene assign her temporary custody of Henry.
That includes his trust fund.
I think I found it.
Is this it, "strangers on a train"? Are you completely insane? That's a year old, Charlene.
You can't keep a video for a year, you Jules, you know this isn't true.
She set me up.
Well, now, hang on.
You said that Charlene was incapable of foresight.
Jules, tell them.
Tell them I was with you both times.
I was with you.
All right, look.
Mr.
Copeland, please, sir.
Was Lena with you the night that Adlai was killed? How could you? Not Adlai.
He had great work left to do.
She told me to say she was.
She said that she had gone to the spa to get Charlene to leave Gus, but she didn't think that they would alibi her so, she asked me to do it.
She lied to you, Mr.
Copeland.
Gus wasn't up at the spa.
That's why Charlene came home.
And the night Ted died? She said she was visiting Charlene at a hospital, but Charlene was kind of doped up.
How could you? Not him! Not my Adlai.
Me? What, are you gonna arrest her too? She was in on it.
I'm the good daughter.
I held this family together.
You'll need to talk to the DA.
I never thought she'd do it.
Ever.
But I guess I should've.
Lena's the one who gets things done.
I lost my son.
I lost my Adlai.
Yeah, you lost two sons, Mr.
Copeland.
You lost two.
Grandpa! Grandpa! There's my good boy.
These are their stories.
Atta boy, Adlai! - Good game.
- You sir, are a gentleman.
Ted, when will you learn? Dad.
Your brother sees the whole court, plans ahead, and you're still trying to win with one swing of the racquet.
Since Charlene has continued to see her lover, I said, "let's deal with it.
" Charlene, your husband has offered to let you bring, um, Mr.
Ferrero into session.
It's an affair, Adlai.
The whole point is to break the rules.
God! You ruin everything.
All right, Henry, you ready? A little kefir.
And almonds.
And some kelp.
All right, buddy.
You ready? Liquefy! Very good one.
Eww! It's stinky.
Hello? Mommy and daddy won't wake up.
Go away! Go away! You, go away! Go! Please, no, no, no, no.
Please, no! Please, don't take him away.
Do not take him away! No, no, no.
No! Law & Order CI Dr.
Adlai S.
Copeland, age 38.
- Copeland, the historian.
- No, he's history, now.
His kid called 911 when he ran out of food and he couldn't get his mom to open the bedroom door.
Uh, no forced entry.
No sign of foul play.
Just foul odor.
How long's he been in here? Judging by the temperature and decomposition, let's say, here two or three days.
And get this.
She was in bed with him the whole time.
Weird, huh? It's interesting.
Did she tell you that? She's in shock.
EMS sedated her.
You checked for a suicide note? We found a pretty long to-do list.
Some book galleys in his study, but no note.
I'll go talk to their boy.
Henry was just telling me that mommy wasn't home when daddy went to sleep.
She came home Saturday afternoon, and went in the bedroom.
You know, you were very smart calling 911.
Did you make all this food? Yeah? You didn't like the smoothie? It's daddy's stinky milk shake.
Is daddy awake, now? Well aside from being dead, he's in perfect health.
His stomach contained wheat germ, kelp, flax seed, kefir.
Sounds like a stinky milk shake.
It could be if the recipe includes a lethal dose of organophosphate toxins.
Nerve gas.
It falls under that category.
So do insecticides.
We're still checking.
They found him in his bedroom.
These toxins, slow-acting? They could take several hours to kick in.
It's a nasty way to go.
You ever seen this in a suicide? In rural third world countries, not in Riverdale.
Copeland was a meticulous historian with a great moral compass.
He wouldn't kill himself and not leave a note.
Or leave his boy unattended.
That shake.
Pretty lucky it's the only thing their boy didn't eat.
I'll call CSU and have them bag all the kitchen trash.
See what turns up.
You know, if someone did poison him, they would know his routine.
They'd have access to their home.
Sounds like somebody who might show up at his funeral.
Dad, why are you letting her get to you? It's disrespectful, that's why.
Dad, no.
Please, I'll go talk to them.
No, don't.
Let's not make a scene.
Please.
For Adlai's sake.
You're right, as always, Lena.
Adlai was remarkable.
At 35 a tenured professor.
Renowned historian and author.
His "Winter of the patriarchs," I thought it was exceptional.
Do you hear that, Ted? Even the detective knows your brother.
Thank you.
Sorry, he doesn't mean to patronize.
We're all very proud of Adlai.
Their son, he's staying with you? For now.
Charlene is going through a lot, and Henry and our son are close.
So, Ted, we should be going.
We're having a few people over.
Your sister-in-law is going as well? Probably not.
I believe that, uh, Mr.
Ferrero will be consoling her tonight.
He's been Charlene's gardener for about a year.
Before she met him, she didn't want to water the lawn.
Ted.
Your father's waiting.
Thank you, Mac.
Sure thing, Mrs.
C.
You know him? I think he worked the 4-0 with my dad.
He was kind of a third responder.
Yeah, if Mr.
Ferrero is her gardener, he'd have access to their house.
Yeah, and insecticides.
The wife.
She really slept with his corpse? Then she brought Gus Ferrero, her gardener, to his funeral.
The family thinks they're having an affair.
That's their take, what's yours? They could be good for it.
She's got a small rap sheet.
Forged checks, shoplifting, former pageant runner-up.
Former pharmaceutical rep.
She broke up a doctor's marriage, and then left him for the shy historian on the best sellers list.
Classy.
How does a man of Dr.
Copeland's stature end up being married to a future guest of Jerry Springer? Eames.
"When empires fall.
" I think this is my favorite.
- I prefer "Winter of the patriarchs.
" - Okay, thanks.
I hate to interrupt the book club, but that was the lab.
They found the toxin fenthion in his kefir bottle.
That's how it got in the shake.
Dr.
Copeland was wealthy.
When you bring Mr.
Ferrero in, you might ask him if Mrs.
Copeland ever mentioned how much easier life would be if the doctor weren't around.
Last week I was working at a house out in the Hamptons, planting late summer flowers.
Is that what you call it? What can I say, sweetheart? When your tool belt's as impressive as mine Was the lady of the house home? No, uh, these people come out on weekends.
Want everything in bloom.
Nice house.
I've seen better.
Like Charlene Copeland's, up in Riverdale? I've seen better than that too.
Well, now that the husband is gone, it's all hers.
Her next husband's gonna be very comfortable.
Geez! Uh, easy, easy.
Uh, yeah well, I'm not looking to be a stepfather, if that's what you're getting at.
My life is more than comfortable right now.
Do you know what to use this for? Yeah, it's to keep the plants healthy.
It also kills insects.
Do you know what makes it do that? Fenthion.
It's very dangerous stuff, Gus.
Would you drink that? I wouldn't.
But you can go ahead.
No, see, the thing is Adlai Copeland did drink it, 'cause someone who had access to his house spiked his morning shake.
Well, yeah, that wasn't me, all right? And I gotta get back to the island.
Tell her you're gonna be late.
Sweetheart.
Geez, how late? Ten to 15 years, if you're lucky.
This is Mr.
Ferrero's attorney.
That must be Mr.
Ferrero's late-summer flower.
Your dance, detective.
Ma'am? Hi.
I'm detective Goren.
I'm working on the Ferraro case.
- You are? - Mrs.
Lila Gibbs.
Mr.
Ferrero is my landscaper.
He does your garden? Well, this, this garden that he, uh, tends for you, - is it in the city? - No, Wainscott.
- That's the Hamptons, right? - Yes.
- Has he been there recently? - All last week.
He left just before my husband came out on Saturday morning.
He didn't tell you? No.
I would've remembered if he had.
Well, that's just like him.
He knows my circle, and he doesn't want to give people the wrong impression.
Good-looking alibi.
They're lining up for him.
I brought my lawyer for Gus.
Don Planko.
He's invoking and I'd like to see - Somebody beat you to it.
- But I told him I was bringing him one.
Mrs.
Copeland, here.
Just come to my desk, we can have - Not a chance, detective.
- Just right here.
Mrs.
Copeland still Oh, hi.
Gus.
Well, this is awkward.
Uh, I'm gonna call you in a few hours, okay? A few hours.
Why? 'cause Gus has an important job he has to finish.
Come on, come on.
Hey, no running in the halls.
Both of you.
Charlene.
Gus, please pick up.
Please.
I need you.
Charlene.
You need to be strong, now.
I'm sorry, Lena.
I can't.
Mommy? Not now, baby.
Mommy's busy.
Charlene? Charlene! Charlene came to visit his son Henry.
And then took a handful of pills.
She'll be fine.
She's done this before.
Every time Adlai was about to get an award or travel for work, she'd pull some stunt.
You said her son saw her? Heard her fall.
Not that she cared.
Ted! She cares.
She's just Wait, I gotta get this one quick.
We told Henry mommy wasn't feeling well.
He was fine.
Adlai warned me that Gus was insubstantial.
Your husband knew about your affair? But he forgave me.
That sounds like he loved you very much.
Mrs.
Copeland Henry told us that you didn't come home Friday night.
Adlai told me that he needed to focus on his galleys, so I left.
You left? Just, what, you ran away, by yourself? I took a train.
To the spa.
- "Melon" something.
- "Melon" something.
In Rhode island.
Thursday.
And you were hoping that your husband would come for you.
No.
Gus, actually.
But he told me he was working.
So I came home.
And that's, that's when I saw Adlai.
And where was he when you came in? Um, he was in the bed.
Napping, I thought.
Then he just wouldn't wake up.
And I just can't believe he left me.
Charlene.
Oh, Charlene.
Are you okay? My sister-in-law needs to rest, now.
Charlene is a full-on borderline.
The more drama that she creates outside herself, the calmer that she gets.
Plotting with Gus to kill her husband, that would create drama.
They both have alibis.
And all that couple-drama.
She was insecure about Adlai.
Maybe she was testing him to see if he loved her.
Her affair with Gus, maybe somebody set the two of them up.
Adlai's father and brother, they don't seem too fond of her.
"When Gods fail.
" From Mao to Mugabe.
These are the galleys of my son's last book.
Sir, you said that, that Ted and Lena, they were with you at the family compound last week.
The whole week.
If Adlai had only come up, he'd Uh, these are Adlai's family trust statements.
We couldn't find them at the house.
He was going over them one day and she felt ignored, and the next day she ransacked his papers.
It must've been hard for you to see your son in a difficult marriage.
She'd never take care of the home, the child.
But Adlai could.
Maybe you felt that she needed him.
He could never turn his back on her.
Once Adlai committed to anything, he was absolutely loyal.
He was certainly very generous to the charities he supported.
Always.
My graduation gift to each of my sons was a summer to do anything they wanted.
Adlai went to a reservation.
Taught Cherokee children to read.
That's impressive.
And Ted? The French riviera.
Gambling, women.
He blew through his trust by the time he was 25.
I'm seeing several checks Adlai wrote to Ted over the last two years.
Against my advice, Adlai pitched in on a few of Ted's real estate schemes.
Small bets.
Well, this one's not small.
It's $3 million dollars.
Written out to a Central park west co-op.
Ted's name is in the memo.
Central park west, that's where Ted and Lena used to live.
He was on the board.
Sorry, I just became treasurer of the co-op this spring.
Really? Okay, so who was treasurer when this was written? That would've been Mr.
Copeland.
Ted Copeland.
He was treasurer and you don't know why his brother wrote a check for the building for $3 million dollars? Like I said, I don't have immediate access to those records.
I could write a letter to the management Don't bother.
We'll have the subpoena by the end of the day.
Detectives, wait.
The board did nothing wrong.
This is a murder investigation, Mr.
Fellows.
We don't have time for games.
Murder? Is that what this is about? Adlai, he was helping his brother out here.
Why? The building was going through renovations.
Refinancing.
Long story short, Ted embezzled.
- $3 million dollars? - Two.
The brother stepped in and paid restitution plus a little extra.
Which is why you didn't prosecute.
We dropped it 'cause Adlai made sure that Ted and his family moved out.
Um, Ted got caught embezzling and he wanted to stay here? His poor wife was mortified.
She'd sneak out through the basement with her son to avoid running into anyone.
But Ted was shameless.
Dad, we just You're not supposed to use those in here.
This wing is a meditative retreat.
Dad, it it's no big deal.
I Just to get us through refinancing.
Listen, uh, I gotta run.
I'm going through a tunnel.
Yeah.
How are we doing? These forms, they all seem to need notaries.
Well, I, I can get them notarized at work.
We just, we just want you to focus on, uh, on getting better.
I am getting better.
That shrink wants to discharge me.
But I'm not ready to go home yet.
I keep thinking of Adlai.
Of course not.
We can all go up to dad's this weekend, and afterwards you'll come home with us.
Lena.
I, uh, I can't go this weekend.
Your father doesn't want me there.
He's always so tense around me.
It's not fair.
Fine, then you stay here till Monday.
I'll take care of Henry.
Ted will be in town.
All weekend.
Okay? When I get back, we'll sort it all out.
Ted was taking out seconds, thirds, even fourth mortgages on properties that hadn't even been paid off once.
It's no wonder he got whacked.
Actually, this Mr.
Copeland is alive and well.
Uh, not for long.
I mean, not if he keeps taking new mortgages to pay off his investors.
And then adding new investors to pay off the mortgages.
It's a ponzi scheme.
That's huge.
Okay, I got four states, four banks and one notary.
- What? - There, see? Let's see, Mr.
J.
T.
Eshleman, of Poughkeepsie, New York.
He got a stamp.
Banks didn't notice.
That's an awesome catch, detective.
Okay, do you have any idea how much he owes? Uh, well, in a month he's got a balloon payment coming due, it's worth more than everything put together.
Is there a family trust that reverts to him upon his brother's death? They each had their own.
Ted's is gone and Adlai's is quite substantial.
The brother was an easy mark.
You'd think he'd want him alive.
Maybe not.
This is an e-mail from Adlai to Ted sent this past January.
"I don't want to start the year with debt between us.
" "Let's wipe the slate clean.
" "You don't owe me a dime, but I can't invest any more money in your ventures.
" Who's handling Adlai's finances now? His estate went to his wife.
Except for Henry's sizeable trust and as his mom, she administers that too.
Ted might have thought he'd have better luck with her than with his brother.
You have enough to hold him on embezzlement? Uh, look, nobody actually understand any of this.
It would take a while to sort it out.
Well, uh, notary fraud That totally works.
I could try to Okay, calm down, boy.
Uh, let's bring Ted in.
I don't want him running before we can make our case.
Mr.
Copeland? Police.
Hello? Ted? Central, we need CSU and a bus.
Probable DOA.
- Get that solvent.
- Okay.
Around the other side wall.
And try to get / Captain.
Ted went from suspect to victim in record time.
Could be a coincidence.
Two brothers dying within ten days of each other.
Could mean we missed something.
- Two shots? - Yeah, that's a .
22.
Looks like the killer came in, first shot missed entirely.
It was long distance.
Second shot, I guess Ted was moving forward.
It was close range.
Grazed his temple.
Landed there.
No powder burns, but some stippling.
All right, missed a clean shot at three feet.
Not a marksman.
It was probably enough to stun Ted.
He fell back The killer grabbed the scissors and stabbed him.
He landed here.
He tried to crawl.
The killer grabbed the statue from there.
And domed him.
Well, no points for form, but a ten for stick-to-it-iveness.
The office, burglarized.
His safe was hacked at but unopened.
His wallet was on him.
The cabinets were ransacked, files strewn about.
Sloppy.
Other than blood, Adlai and Ted had nothing in common.
Why would someone want them both dead? Well, two victims are related.
Family.
Thank you for coming.
They weren't gonna let me in.
They said downstairs is a crime scene.
My own home.
Uh, you've, you've told your father-in-law? Dad collapsed when he heard.
First Adlai, now Ted.
It's too much.
He looked stricken.
I told him the boys'll need him.
Oh, god, the boys.
Uh, the boys are staying with their grandfather.
And Charlene? I'm going to tell her now.
She's at the hospital.
Still? Well, Ted was right.
She likes the attention.
Did your husband suspect her in Adlai's murder? No.
He didn't think she was capable of anything more complex than her suicide.
He always said she has no foresight.
Sounds like Ted didn't, either.
But your, your husband was having major financial problems, wasn't he? Was there another reason why you and your son went down door in Central park west? He kept telling me things were about to turn around.
I kept hoping they would.
Before that balloon payment burst? A year ago, Adlai bailed Ted out.
This time Adlai cut him off.
Jules convinced Adlai not to enable Ted.
That's all moot now.
What about life insurance? We should be fine.
Jules always made sure Ted's policies were kept up to date.
Why are you asking me about life insurance? Uh, well You, you don't think I did this.
Ted's death could spare you the public humiliation of his indictment.
And there's bankruptcy.
I loved my husband.
Where were you this afternoon? In Connecticut.
With Jules and the boys.
You can ask Jules, or hell, why not my 8 year-old too? You have a job to do, detectives.
But there's a time and a place.
I'm gonna go pack the boys' things now, excuse me.
With Adlai gone, he might've decided the noblest thing to do was have himself taken out, so his family would be taken care of.
Yeah, but he couldn't do the whole thing alone.
He'd have to have a pro to help him.
Like, a pro that could act like an amateur.
Well, he's got one on staff.
Come on, do I look like Kevorkian to you? Not every retired cop ends up disgracing the uniform, you know.
That was uncalled for.
I'm sorry.
- Your old man was a good cop.
- Save it.
Look, there ain't no way in hell I'm whacking some pain-in-the-ass real estate developer to help him get over on an insurance company.
- What's up, man? - So you weren't a fan? I drove Ted for three years.
He never asked me how I was.
He never let me go home early.
The world revolved around him.
His father told us that Ted was in Connecticut when he found out that Adlai'd been killed.
He was.
And the whole ride down he's on his cell, using his brother's death as an excuse to get his loans extended.
- And his wife, Lena? - She was in the city.
She called me on my phone trying to tell me arrangements about how they would need to take care of the boy.
She was a Red cross.
You drive her often? No, only when she was with Ted.
- Or with her sister-in-law.
- Charlene.
Right.
Lena seems protective of her.
Well, that's just since Adlai was killed.
Before that, they were on the outs.
Have they ever been on the ins? The first two years, thick as thieves.
Then about a year ago, they go away for a weekend to Lena's spa.
In Rhode island? And then everything goes south.
Charlene just turns on Lena.
If you ask me, Lena was better off.
You're home two days.
How does a place get this messy? Did you sign those papers yet? Yeah, they're here somewhere.
He's my son, Lena.
And I don't want to be alone.
It's only temporary.
Henry and Jeffrey are like brothers.
It's too much stress for you to be a mom right now.
Lena, this isn't fair.
You just need to focus on yourself.
And Henry needs stability.
Okay, Lena.
Also, if the police come, no improvising, no hysterics.
Just stick to the plan.
Okay, Lena.
Just stick to the plan! I'm sorry, you got me confused.
Which of my murdered sons are you referring to? Adlai.
You said Ted and Lena were with you that whole weekend.
Yes, of course.
Ted's driver told us that Lena was in the city.
She was making arrangements.
He called her "the Red cross.
" Well, she was remarkable, but I'm quite sure that she was out there when we heard the news.
And the weekend that Ted was murdered, she was with you that whole time too? That's right.
Now, you can't believe that Lena had anything to do with these murders.
Mr.
Copeland, we understand that she's a good daughter-in-law.
She's my daughter.
Plain and simple.
And Charlene, she's flighty.
She's Well, she's unreliable.
She's certainly not the kind of person to rely on for an alibi.
Charlene's a liar and a tramp.
She's not to be relied on for anything.
Grandpa! Grandpa! We want some popcorn, popcorn! Where's that dollar I gave you? That's my boy! Henry will have popcorn.
Jeffrey will have none.
You gotta learn to hold onto your money.
Come here, let me show you.
Well, he's consistent.
Sons, daughters-in-law, grandsons.
He always has a scapegoat.
The thing about scapegoats is, sooner or later they get tired of everything being blamed on them.
I wonder what would happened if we arrested Charlene.
It'd be only fair to tell Lena.
So nice to have visitors.
I've been so alone without Adlai or Henry.
Henry's been staying with Lena? Temporary custody.
Until I'm okay.
I mean, you should really water these things.
Aw, you know, I kinda gave up on the gardening thing.
Temporary custody.
Lena amazes us.
Visiting you, taking care of Jules and Jeffrey, and now your son.
You know Lena.
So what is it that drove you guys apart last year? Was it the money that Adlai gave Ted? Oh, she told you about that.
No, you just did.
We weren't sure you knew about it.
Now we know you have a $3 million dollar motive.
A motive? To kill Adlai? No, see, I loved him.
Besides, I was at the spa.
Now, is that the same spa that you went to a year before with Lena? And Adlai murder was a year to the day.
We checked.
That must've been Lena's idea.
She's so precise.
Well, that whole thing was probably her idea.
You know, the symmetry and the planning.
It was probably her idea to make the reservation at the spa.
What's going on, here? You shouldn't be drinking, Charlene.
Not with the meds.
Oh, she was just talking about you.
Well, she's done talking.
Her lawyer is here.
Detectives, you need to leave.
You think it's a good idea to have the same lawyer as Lena? Oh, for Pete's sake, Charlene, don't be an idiot.
He's That's not what I meant.
I don't need a lawyer.
I have an alibi.
Not for Ted's murder, you don't.
Ladies.
Well, not for Adlai's either.
The poison could've been added to the kefir anytime before you left.
What I don't get is leaving your son alone in the house.
After Adlai drank your poison, weren't you even a little worried that Henry would drink it too? Yes, Charlene.
How could you? Don't look at me, pops.
Um, what is it that you called her? You called her a tramp? I'm sure you misheard me.
I'm sure he didn't.
Everybody blames everything on you in this family, don't they? Even these murders.
I didn't kill anybody.
Well, I told you, your alibi.
It's it's worthless.
Anyone who planted the kefir would know that.
And Ted's murder, that's a mess, madam.
The gun, the scissors, the statue.
I mean, that's a it's a classic Charlene temper tantrum.
No, I was in the hospital.
And not a locked ward.
You could've left anytime.
No, you need a solid alibi, you see? Like Lena.
She was 100 miles away with the father of the two victims.
You can't get better than that.
He's lying.
Why would he do that? He loved Adlai.
Why would he protect the killer? Unless he didn't know.
This is ridiculous.
Please get her out of here.
She hasn't told us yet what happened when Lena took Charlene to the spa.
We got facials.
Didn't we, Charlene? What are they talking about? Nothing.
Let's get the boys and go.
No, you're not taking him anywhere.
Lena.
All right, it was her idea.
Charlene no one takes a word you say seriously.
We had been drinking.
A lot.
I told her I was mad at Adlai.
She said she wished Ted were dead.
Well, so, you both decided to kill each other's husbands.
We might've said some things.
I didn't mean it.
I never wanted Adlai dead.
You forgave him.
No, but I got back at him with Gus, and then I just forgot the whole thing.
Then, like a month ago, Lena calls.
Says she has a gift certificate for the spa.
Jules, she'll say anything.
Must've been awful for you to go home and find him gone.
Yeah.
It was.
You have really lost it, Charlene.
The next week, she kept saying it was my turn.
She'd done her part.
Now I had to do mine.
She, she kept saying I was just as guilty as she was.
That's when I took the pills, so she'd just like, leave me alone.
Did she tell you how to kill Ted? She gave me a gun she took from the compound.
And I went to see Ted and But I just couldn't go through with it.
And afterward? Lena kept saying, "why do I always have to do everything myself?" "Why is it always up to me?" So she figured out what needed to be done, and she did it, just like she always does.
Well, it wasn't her idea.
She got it from a movie.
- I'm sorry, movie? - Charlene! The one you rented for me.
I never got around to watching it.
I never rented a movie for you.
Yeah, you did.
It's over there in those piles, somewhere, with your papers.
- What? - Sorry, these piles, here? She gave it to me.
A year ago.
Jules.
She, she's desperate.
Let's just get the boys Especially Henry, right, Lena? She had Charlene assign her temporary custody of Henry.
That includes his trust fund.
I think I found it.
Is this it, "strangers on a train"? Are you completely insane? That's a year old, Charlene.
You can't keep a video for a year, you Jules, you know this isn't true.
She set me up.
Well, now, hang on.
You said that Charlene was incapable of foresight.
Jules, tell them.
Tell them I was with you both times.
I was with you.
All right, look.
Mr.
Copeland, please, sir.
Was Lena with you the night that Adlai was killed? How could you? Not Adlai.
He had great work left to do.
She told me to say she was.
She said that she had gone to the spa to get Charlene to leave Gus, but she didn't think that they would alibi her so, she asked me to do it.
She lied to you, Mr.
Copeland.
Gus wasn't up at the spa.
That's why Charlene came home.
And the night Ted died? She said she was visiting Charlene at a hospital, but Charlene was kind of doped up.
How could you? Not him! Not my Adlai.
Me? What, are you gonna arrest her too? She was in on it.
I'm the good daughter.
I held this family together.
You'll need to talk to the DA.
I never thought she'd do it.
Ever.
But I guess I should've.
Lena's the one who gets things done.
I lost my son.
I lost my Adlai.
Yeah, you lost two sons, Mr.
Copeland.
You lost two.
Grandpa! Grandpa! There's my good boy.