The Closer s06e06 Episode Script
Off the Hook
These screens.
Buzz.
Not me.
Fraud's remotes use the same signal.
Let me change the frequency.
- No, Fraud can change their remote.
- But they won't.
The signal shouldn't be able to go through the floor walls anyway, Buzz.
There is a design flaw in this part of the building.
Yeah, Lieutenant Provenza, Major Crimes.
I wanna speak to whoever's in charge down there.
L.
A.
P.
D.
Detective Gabriel.
Buzz, where's the mushroom pizza? There's nothing vegetarian.
- No Detective Erico.
- I didn't forget.
They were out, so I got pizza with bell peppers.
- Bell peppers? - I can't hear.
- Seen me eat a pepper? - It's a vegetable.
Ma'am, you in some kind of trouble? Guys, would you shut up, please? Hello? Ma'am, are you still there? There's somebody in my house.
- There's somebody here.
- Ma'am, give me your name and address.
We'll get someone to you right away.
- I need Detective Erico.
- Okay.
Detective Erico.
Erico, guys.
- Anyone hear of this Erico? - We're searching for Erico.
Now tell me where you are.
What's your address? No, you won't get here soon enough.
- I'm in trouble now.
- Ma'am There's somebody here.
I've to get my gun.
Okay, just stay calm and tell me your address.
I can't talk louder.
If I can just get my gun.
Erico? Anyone, anything? - No Erico here.
- Maybe a different spelling.
- Ma'am, stay calm, okay? - My gun is gone.
It's It's not here.
Oh, my God Hello? Hello, ma'am, are you there? Hello? Damn it.
We gotta get her back right now.
Line is blocked, there's nothing we can do.
Except find Detective Erico.
Why couldn't you guys find Erico? She might've been running the words together.
There's a Detective Verico with a V, works Threat Management.
Stalking cases.
Tao, yeah, let's get this Detective Verico up here with his open case files.
- Where's Chief Johnson? She's in an interview with some commissioners.
Somebody run down, pass her a note about what's going on.
Buzz.
Verico's got the week off.
Gonna take an hour before they bring his files.
Give me that.
This is Commander Taylor.
I want Verico's cases.
And I need lights and sirens headed to every female on his list of stalking victims.
Uh-uh.
Uh-uh.
Right now.
Wait.
Go, go, go.
Clear.
Nothing.
Clear.
Everything to the rear of the residence is clear, nobody home.
Copy that.
Same with the front rooms.
There's nothing here.
- All clear on the second floor.
- Yeah, we got nothing down here, either.
I'm sorry for the intrusion.
I hope you understand.
- We have to check these things out.
- Not a problem, really.
Kick.
Clear.
Clear the door.
Sixteen-A-63.
I have a female down inside my location.
Gunshot wound.
Not appear to be breathing.
Roll paramedics, and advise Major Crimes we found their victim.
Danielle Ross.
Forty-three years old.
Single, lived alone.
She dialed my extension by mistake two hours ago looking for Detective Verico who works in Threat Management.
Ms.
Ross was shot once in the right temple area.
The bullet entered and exited, hitting the wall over there by Sanchez.
Judging by what looks to be a.
40 caliber casing over here on the floor the weapon was fired from somewhere around here.
We found a.
40 caliber in a trashcan behind the house.
It might be her weapon.
We're checking the registration now.
- Box cutter? - With a broken blade.
Think maybe she used that to try and fend off her attacker? Maybe, chief.
But look at this.
She was shot.
And her throat was cut.
- Ugh.
- Yeah the throat injury happened postmortem.
If someone severed her jugular while alive We'd be walking in blood.
- Any idea how the killer got in? - No.
And there's no sign of forced entry.
There are three doors to the house.
The front door, which was dead-bolted and chain-locked from the inside.
Well, before we breached it.
And this door leads to the garage, which was locked when we got here.
And the electric garage door is shut.
And the back door is the only other exit.
No chain but dead bolted.
Also, all the windows were barred and locked.
So there was no way for the killer to enter or exit.
It's like a crime scene and a magic trick.
Hey, I found the tip to that box-cutter blade.
Must have snapped off when the cord to this phone was cut.
All right, we know how this conversation ended.
- Let's go back to how it began.
- Ms.
Ross called my desk.
I thought she was asking for a Detective Erico, not Verico.
She said someone was in her house.
She needed to get her gun.
Which she said was in her nightstand, back in her bedroom, I guess.
Someone's in my house.
Someone's here.
I can't speak louder.
Somebody's in my house.
I have to get my gun.
My gun is not here, it's gone.
Should be in my nightstand.
Ms.
Ross spoke to you from here.
While she was searching for her weapon, yeah.
There's no door out of the house from here.
And the windows are barred.
Maybe she made a run for it? Chief, this is Detective Frank Verico from Threat Management.
Sorry it took me long to get here.
I'm off this week.
Thank you for coming, detective.
Any idea how all this happened? No.
I tried to convince the commissioner she needed protection, wouldn't take it.
Excuse me, did you just refer to our victim as commissioner? Yes, I did.
Danielle Ross heads Headed the California State Parole Board.
And why did you think Commissioner Ross needed protection? Did it have something to do with a prisoner she refused to release? I'm not sure.
There was no verbal or written threat.
About a month ago, she stopped on her way home for a doctor's appointment.
And while her car was parked, someone broke into it.
And how did that become your problem? Patrol called me in because the commissioner's a state official.
I thought what happened to her vehicle was more vandalism than anything else.
Why do you say that? Because nothing was stolen from her car.
And she had cash and credit cards in her console.
I suggested she get police protection just in case.
Commissioner turned me down flat.
Didn't think it was worth the cost.
Neither did I, really.
Until someone broke into her home.
- You mean, before tonight? - Yes, ma'am.
Last Wednesday she called and said somebody had been in her house while she was at work.
That's why someone broke into her car, get her address.
If they knew which car was hers, could've just followed her.
Hold off on the car.
We've been through Ross' house.
It's all but hermetically sealed.
Any idea how someone could have slipped through her windows and the locks on her doors, twice? - No.
And just like her car, she said nothing was stolen from her residence.
Before you ask why someone would burglarize her car and home and not take anything, I don't know, neither did she.
Where is everybody? - Excuse me? - Notified the Sheriff's Department? Do we have protection for the other members? You should at least have Gang Support here reviewing.
Before that, I'm getting a few facts.
You want facts? Here's a fact.
The head of a state agency, murdered while on the phone with Major Crimes.
- That's a fact.
- Not their fault.
Commissioner mixed up the digits of my phone, got Gabriel instead of me.
- You're Verico? - Yes, sir.
You were the lead investigator into these threats against Ross? Excuse me, there were no actual threats.
She's dead.
Murdered when the L.
A.
P.
D.
had an open case with her name on it.
So she was under some sort of a threat.
While we figure that out, it'd be in the best interest of the department if you'd just continue with your week off.
How does this happen? How does Major Crimes take a call? Sir.
Sir, I can explain.
Explain why not one officer, not one patrol car was dispatched to the house until after she was murdered? - Explain that? - I tried Okay, excuse me, Chief Pope, can we talk in my office for a moment? Thank you very much.
Danielle Ross was on the phone for less than a minute before the line went dead.
She never identified herself or gave her address.
Okay, ahem, even if that's true the L.
A.
P.
D.
knew that Commissioner Ross' safety was at risk before she was gunned down in her home.
Here's what I need you to do, launch a thorough investigation of every inmate denied parole for the last six months, make it a year.
Hold on, hold on.
Will.
To stop what I'm doing now may end up slowing down Slow down? Brenda, I don't think you get this.
We're so far behind now, I don't know if we can catch up.
How did this happen? Look, Will, for your own sake, just take a deep breath, okay? I know you're feeling pressure from this chief business So now, on top of everything else, you're accusing me of overreacting? I think your own reaction to this case has been slow, unimpressive.
And potentially dangerous to the rest of the parole-board members.
Okay, that's it.
You don't like the way I'm handling this case, that's just fine.
You should just take it over yourself.
That's exactly what I'm gonna do.
Operation Swift Justice.
What a ridiculous name.
All these people Pope's brought into Watch him throw everything the department has at this murder.
They're law enforcement, maybe they'll help.
They're not gonna end up helping.
If he thinks we really made some kind of mistake with Commissioner Ross he just announced it to the state.
And then asking us to review everyone up for parole over the past year.
- That's a complete waste of time.
- Well, maybe not.
I got an interesting fax from the warden at Folsom this morning.
He's got a prisoner, Tomas Medina.
Ross denied release two months ago.
He's serving time for a murder-for-hire.
Implying he put a hit out on the commissioner.
Murder-for-hire? - You didn't tell Pope about this, did you? - No.
No, I don't want him to do anything too hasty.
Believe me, I know what we're up against here.
I'm doing everything I can, so it doesn't blow up in our faces.
- Excuse me, Chief Pope wants you.
- Oh, okay, thanks.
Well, if it does blow up, be aware.
It's set to explode in your murder room.
Pope isn't the only one who needs to watch his back.
Thanks.
I guess you have a good reason for not telling me about Medina.
Who? Tomas Medina, currently serving the 20th year of a 30-year sentence for hiring a busboy at his restaurant to off his wife.
The warden at Folsom contacted you this morning after searching and finding articles about the commissioner.
The last of which had a photo with the word "dead" scrawled across her face.
- Don't pretend this is news.
- I'm not.
I'm just trying to figure out how you know all this.
I'm being copied on all information on this case.
I've ordered air support to fly Medina down.
- He should be here by 2 p.
m.
today.
- What? You can't do that.
I know next to nothing about him.
Well, educate yourself, with state police and sheriff's deputies and state prison officials helping with Swift Justice we need equal emphasis on "swift.
" This is not the way to handle this, Will.
It just isn't.
All right, can you say for sure that Commissioner Ross' murder was against her and her alone? And that the rest of the parole board is in no danger? Unless you can state that with certainty, time may not be on our side.
Now, Medina is coming.
And ready or not, I need you to talk to him.
Okay, Lieutenant Provenza, search all crime reports where a box cutter was used as a weapon.
See if there's a connection to Medina.
And until Mr.
Medina arrives Don't worry, chief.
I'll keep Pope distracted.
Thank you so much.
Sanchez, Flynn, I wanna know everything about Mr.
Medina.
Friends, family, associates.
- We'll get a morgue report.
- Thank you.
Lieutenant Tao, please examine Ross' personal and work computers.
Maybe there are threats she didn't let Verico know about.
Detective Gabriel, I'd like to speak to Verico.
So would I, but he's not answering.
I don't mean call him.
I wanna speak to him in person.
The way Pope sent him home, that's tough.
Hey, chief, considering how swamped our office is have some idea where to regroup? Johnson.
Verico, thank you for coming.
Why don't you have a seat? Yeah, let's have a seat.
And we can all chat about what happened yesterday.
How about I sit when I'm ready? If you ask me to go over everything I did wrong again, talk to my union rep.
Detective, we asked you here because we could use your help.
When I spoke to Commissioner Ross the only person she wanted to talk to was you.
She was in trouble, it was you she was reaching out to.
I called her every other day, you know? Just to make sure she was all right.
Even helped get the locks changed.
I'm sure you did everything you could, detective.
- Please sit down.
- Come on, Frank.
You know why it took me so long to get to her house the night she was shot? Because almost the entire L.
A.
P.
D.
is seven days on, seven days off.
How am I to look out after people if budget determines when I can work? Maybe if the right person becomes chief, budget priorities would turn for the better.
Uh, Detective, the other night you told me that Danielle Ross thought her house had been broken into.
A week before she was murdered.
Since nothing was stolen, what made her so sure of that? Seemed to her like someone had gone through her mail.
Closet light was left on.
What convinced her was the smell of gardenias.
Specifically in her bedroom.
Gardenia? You mean, like the flower gardenia? Like a perfume.
It wasn't much, but I printed the entire house anyway.
Questioned neighbors.
And, again, I contacted state police and urged her to accept protection.
- But she refused.
- Yeah.
I don't know what I missed.
- Come on, Frank.
I'll take you home.
- Ha-ha.
Thank you so much for coming in.
Find out yet how someone broke into her house, why nothing was stolen? Something was stolen, detective.
She was shot with her own gun.
But she didn't even know it was missing until she went looking for it.
So I did miss something.
Come on, man.
Come on.
Come on.
Here, kitty.
Here, kitty.
Lieutenant Tao, no.
No people food for Joel.
- I'm sorry, chief.
- Oh, for heaven's sakes.
What do you think you're doing? What do you think you're doing? No begging.
Go on, now.
Go on, you little smushy-smush.
Lieutenant, what'd you find out? No threats, nothing compromised with the computers.
I refragged their registries.
Most people think refragging is a waste of time.
Lieutenant.
What'd Dr.
Morales have to say? Commissioner had no defensive marks.
No sexual assault.
And the cut on her neck happened postmortem.
I don't understand.
Why cut the throat of someone you just murdered? A symbolic gesture of some kind.
Just don't know what it means yet.
- Yes, lieutenant? - Are you gonna eat that crust? Yes, I am.
Oh.
Okay, in the years that he's been at Folsom Tomas Medina has had one visitor, his grandmother.
And that was about 17 months ago.
Here's his record.
And a transcript of the hearing before Commissioner Ross.
- What about phone calls? - Zero, incoming or outgoing.
Could you please? Phone.
Thank you.
- Deputy Chief Johnson.
- Where are you? - Is that Chief Johnson? - My proctologist.
- You need something? - No, no, I just - Asking where your proctologist is? - Yes.
I hate it when he surprises me.
Chief.
Chief, Medina is here.
What? He wasn't supposed to arrive for another two hours at least.
Air support had a cancelled pick-up.
And so Medina was flown in directly.
And Pope is not happy that our suspect is here and you're not.
Oh, for heaven's sakes, tell him I'm on my way.
Let's go.
Can I have that? Yes.
Now my guy gives you pictures of the colonoscopy after it's over.
Here we go, everyone.
Realize how long you've kept everyone waiting? Before I start, I need some answers, or we'll never get anywhere.
Chief, I have Sanchez bringing Medina up from holding.
Where do you want him? - Hard Interview 1.
- No.
I'd prefer to question Mr.
Medina in one of my interview rooms.
Less intimidating.
He's been in Folsom.
He expects intimidation.
You're missing the point.
We're not doing this to prove he committed the murder.
But to show that Commissioner Ross' death was not the beginning of attacks against the parole board.
- You may not need a confession, I do.
- Guy's in prison, what are you gonna do? And why are these screens still not working? That's not my fault.
Bank Fraud's projector is keyed to the same remote signal as ours.
Just get it fixed, please? Thank you.
Here.
May need to communicate during the interview in case there are questions.
- From whom? - From me.
Put in the earpiece, let's hear what Medina has to say.
Buzz, are we all set? Speakers, volume? We'll know as soon as they start talking, chief.
Mr.
Medina.
I'm Deputy Chief Johnson.
This is Detective Gabriel.
I hope you enjoyed that hamburger.
There's another one coming as soon as we're done here.
Just a few questions.
It shouldn't take too long.
I got nowhere to be.
- You can ask me anything you want.
- Good.
What, if anything, can you tell us about Commissioner Danielle Ross? I can tell you she's dead.
And how did you hear about that? - Good news travels fast.
- Does it? When someone like Ross gets offed, yeah, it does.
Even the guards are talking about it.
I take it you weren't one of Commissioner Ross' fans.
That black bitch passed me up for parole three times.
Maybe it's because she didn't like being called a black bitch.
Yeah, well, she's dead and I'm not.
So who has the final word on that, huh? Just because I'm in lockup doesn't mean I don't have people on the outside who care about me.
Get in my way, somebody moves you.
He's all but admitting.
Tell Johnson to cut to the chase.
Chief Johnson, let's Let's get to the point here.
And these people on the outside who care about you any of them a girlfriend? - You looking for a conjugal, mija? - Hey, watch your mouth, sir.
Sir? Keep that up, I'll have you drive me back to the airport, boy.
I wouldn't call any of them my girlfriend, but I do all right.
And when, exactly, do you do all right, Mr.
Medina? According to Folsom, you haven't had a visitor or even a phone call in over a year.
Hmm.
So maybe the people you do all right with are the men in prison with you.
Well, obviously, I have a little army on the outside, boy.
A man who hires a guy to kill his wife and then rats that guy out, isn't too popular.
Gabriel's right about that.
You might not be as popular at Folsom as you think you are.
You wanna know how to make friends in prison? You get rid of the black bitch who's keeping us all in there.
You see, whoever does that gets loads of respect.
He's almost there.
Let's ask him something concrete like: Does he know Commissioner Ross' address? Mr.
Medina, do you know where Commissioner Ross lives? Yeah, sure.
She used to invite me over for Sunday roast every weekend.
Is this your first time doing this? Do you think I'm stupid enough to say that I killed her to you? Or to them? No, Mr.
Medina.
I don't think you're stupid.
I also don't think you had anything to do with the murder.
What is she saying? Why are you saying that? However, since good news does travel fast I have a feeling you already know who is responsible for her death.
If you were to help me, I could end up getting your sentence reduced.
That's a That's a commonly used negotiating tactic.
No promises have been made.
I guarantee it.
That's not a promise.
Know what would happen if anybody found out I was talking to the cops? I don't kiss and tell, Mr.
Medina.
Nobody Don't say nobody will find out because somebody always does.
And the deals you people make, you know, I actually fell for it once.
Yeah, eligible for parole in 17 years.
I'm in two decades already, I'm starting to figure out it's all bullshit.
You know what? You people ain't never letting me out of here.
Instead, you're filling the streets with those freaks.
- What freaks? - The crackheads, the perverts.
The thieves you're letting out of prison because the state ran out of money.
You know, if I had just beaten my wife instead of having some idiot shoot her I'd be a free man today.
Did everything but curtsy.
Then offer a reduced sentence? Did you not just hear Medina say that he could have hired someone to kill Commissioner Ross? His little army, all the freaks the early-release program lets out.
The early-release program is for nonviolent prisoners, not murderers.
The fact they're nonviolent supports that the commissioner's murder was carried out by an amateur Mr.
Medina hired from inside prison.
Why do you say amateur? An experienced killer would never have waited for Ross inside of her house.
Or vandalize her car, or break into her house a second time.
Leave a box cutter behind, spray gardenia perfume everywhere.
And Medina used an amateur to kill his wife.
So that's his m.
o.
So can you at least go back in there and get him to tell us some of that? I could get him to say anything now if I offered him a milkshake and a side of fries.
But what if we arrest Medina now and two days later, your worst fears come true? And another commissioner is shot? Where will Operation Swift Justice be then? Oh, I forgot.
It's your investigation.
I'll do whatever you want.
Heaven's sakes.
Chief, where are you taking us? Chief Pope commandeered our offices, so we're gonna use his.
While he's looking at people who were in jail last night we may find someone who was actually available to commit the crime.
Oh.
Why can't I ever find that ridiculous keycard? Oh, wait.
Here, here, chief.
- Try this one.
- Oh, thank you.
- Don't thank me.
It's Flynn's.
- What are you doing with my card? - I lost mine, okay? - You went through my desk? Chief.
I'll take care of Pope's secretary.
She's sweet on me.
- Oh, hi, Linda.
- Hi.
Chief Pope suggested that we use his conference room for a bit.
We won't be long.
It's all right? Okay? Yeah? Well, I'm beginning to get discouraged.
Should we include unidentified sharp objects? Tao might have something, chief.
It's not exactly right, but Richard Conway, convicted of drug possession.
Served 20 months before being let out on the early-release program.
Two days after his release Conway killed 32-year-old white male, Scott Weber, at an ATM downtown.
- Cut his throat with a box cutter.
- Chief.
Check out the crime-scene photo.
Look familiar? A little too familiar.
But Mr.
Conway was arrested 12 hours later.
He confessed to the murder.
So he's got the same alibi as Mr.
Medina.
He's in jail now.
There's this.
Look.
Commissioner Ross signed his conditions of parole.
Gabriel, this guy was in the lockup when the commissioner was murdered.
He broke out of jail to kill the commissioner then he broke back in jail and nobody noticed? Detective Verico said Commissioner Ross' stalker might have been a woman.
So, what if this Conway guy? What if he had a girlfriend? Or a wife? Would it really hurt to bring him in for questioning? It's either that or we go back to Operation Swift Justice.
- No.
No.
No.
- God, no.
- Anything but that.
Yes, bring him in.
- Thank you.
Thanks, chief.
When you question this guy, remember to ask him how he got in and out of Commissioner Ross' house with all the windows barred and all the doors locked.
Think I figured that out already.
I never thought it would come to this.
You know, killing someone for a little rock.
Addiction is a terrible thing, Mr.
Conway.
Did you have anyone to talk to about it? A wife or girlfriend, maybe? No.
But even if I had, it wouldn't matter.
When I need it, I need it.
And that night I needed it.
So when you saw Mr.
Weber at the bank machine, you thought: "Here's where I can get the cash to buy my drugs.
" Yeah, so I got out of this pick-up that I stole and I went through the bed, and there was this toolbox.
That's where you found the box cutter.
Yeah.
The guy thought I was joking.
He told me to take off or he would call the cops.
But I needed that money.
And when he wouldn't hand it over? I cut his throat.
And I left him there at the ATM.
I took him from his wife and his family for $40.
But they should have never let me out of prison.
Because I said so in court.
I told them, "I'm only gonna get high, man.
" But they didn't care.
They didn't care at all.
If they hadn't paroled me, it would have never happened.
Killing that guy was not my fault.
Everyone else hated Commissioner Ross because she kept them in prison.
This moron hates her because she let him out.
Can you believe it? I'm sorry, detective.
I think we're done here.
Thank you so much, sir.
Wait.
Uh I hate to ask this.
But could you tell her that I'm sorry? Tell who you're sorry? That guy's wife.
Could you tell her I was out of control? And that I'm sorry.
- Ann Weber? - Yes? I'm Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, L.
A.
P.
D.
Major Crimes.
Thank you so much for coming in today.
I've got an apology to pass along to you.
Is there more bad news? I'm afraid so.
But I should probably let the detective in charge explain it all to you.
By the way, that is a lovely perfume you're wearing.
Reminds me of home.
A flower, I think? Gardenia.
Yes, gardenia.
I thought so.
Ma'am, I'm Detective David Gabriel.
I'm one of the original officers who investigated your husband's murder.
I just want to say that we're really sorry about all this.
Sorry about what? What's wrong? Well, as it turns out, the man who we arrested for murdering your husband He is innocent.
No.
That's - That's not possible.
- I'm afraid it is.
Ma'am, you see, the blood that we found on Mr.
Conway's clothes it does not match up to that of your husband.
No.
Oh, my goodness.
Hold on.
Hold on.
Okay.
Okay, Mrs.
Weber.
Hold on.
Detective Sanchez, would you get her a glass of water, please? Mrs.
Weber, I know that this is just terrible news.
But I promise you that the L.
A.
P.
D.
is doing everything that we can even as we speak, to find the real killer.
But he confessed.
How could he confess to something he didn't do? He was high when the police picked him up, he would've admitted to anything.
Mrs.
Weber? She's going into shock, chief.
I'm fine.
I just need to lie down.
Well, the least we could do is drive you home.
Where's your car? Detective Sanchez, why don't you follow us? Want to show us where your car is, Mrs.
Weber? Why don't we head on down to the garage right now.
Mrs.
Weber, we're really sorry about how long it's taken us to figure out our mistake.
But Conway said he did it.
Unfortunately, Mr.
Conway was hospitalized for an overdose during the time of your husband's murder.
Oh, my goodness.
Is that a roadblock? We're having trouble getting you home, Mrs.
Weber.
The president's in town.
There's lots of detours.
I'll try another route.
Let's go this way here.
Do you guys have any idea who the killer really is? Oh, well, we believe so.
Yes, ma'am.
Who? Who killed my Scott? We're looking for someone much smarter than Mr.
Conway.
We're dealing with obsession here, a real stalker.
Oh, my God.
You're scaring me.
Oh, don't be frightened, Mrs.
Weber.
We're very close to an arrest, I promise you.
Oh, for heaven's sakes.
Another roadblock? I thought you were taking me home.
Where are we? You know very well where we are.
Uh I've never been here before.
Oh, yes, you have, Mrs.
Weber.
Your perfume hung around long after your first visit.
And you accomplished a pretty neat trick too.
Getting inside, leaving it locked up behind you.
I kept trying to figure out how someone could manage that I should have been wondering why someone would break into Commissioner Ross' car and not steal anything.
But you did steal something, didn't you? ID cards open everything these days.
Signals move things up and down.
And I'm taking a chance here that this opens a garage.
You broke into Commissioner Ross' vehicle and you used her garage-door opener to reprogram your own.
Then you used that signal to break in and kill her.
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used against you.
You have the right to an attorney.
If you can't afford one, one will be appointed for you.
Have you heard and understood these rights, ma'am? - Oh, my God.
- How many times did you come back before you found the door from the garage to the house unlocked? Once? Three times? Eight times? She never had that door locked.
Ever.
I could just come and go as I wanted.
And then one day, I found her gun.
- And I took it.
- And the box cutter? I only had the box cutter to show her how that maniac killed my husband.
The one that I thought she let out on the street.
The so-called nonviolent offender.
How could you have arrested him? How could you have made such an awful mistake? We didn't.
- What? - We didn't make a mistake.
Richard Conway murdered your husband just like you thought he did.
You do understand, Mrs.
Weber that the early-release program was not Commissioner Ross' idea.
All she did was sign the papers the state put in front of her.
Letting Conway out.
She had nothing, nothing to do with that.
Yeah, well, she went along with that.
Isn't it obvious? What's obvious is you're a lunatic who's under arrest for murder.
And on the subject of early-release for nonviolent offenders.
I'm afraid that that's a policy that won't apply to you.
I don't think that your parole hearings are gonna go very well at all.
Lieutenant Flynn.
Ann Weber, you're under arrest for the murder of Danielle Ross.
This way, ma'am.
This guy here? Detective Verico, I think It's unfortunate that my concern about this murder led me to inadvertently hold you responsible for what happened to Commissioner Ross.
That's the best you can do? - I don't know how to respond to that.
- I'm not surprised.
Mind if I go back to work, sir? - Please do.
- Thanks.
Chief Johnson.
- Good luck.
- Thank you, detective.
You too.
Good night.
I hate to say this, Will, but this whole chief-selection process? It has not brought out the best in you.
If this is how you run the department, I'm not sure it's a job you should have.
Well, you think you could do better? I'd be really disappointed if I couldn't.
Brenda, you cannot imagine the kind of pressure I've been under here for the last few months.
Half-dismantling Metro division.
Putting experienced detectives back out on patrol.
Scrambling to keep our guys on the streets.
However it may look from where you're sitting I'm doing my best to protect the L.
A.
P.
D.
I really am.
Still no apology.
Buzz.
Not me.
Fraud's remotes use the same signal.
Let me change the frequency.
- No, Fraud can change their remote.
- But they won't.
The signal shouldn't be able to go through the floor walls anyway, Buzz.
There is a design flaw in this part of the building.
Yeah, Lieutenant Provenza, Major Crimes.
I wanna speak to whoever's in charge down there.
L.
A.
P.
D.
Detective Gabriel.
Buzz, where's the mushroom pizza? There's nothing vegetarian.
- No Detective Erico.
- I didn't forget.
They were out, so I got pizza with bell peppers.
- Bell peppers? - I can't hear.
- Seen me eat a pepper? - It's a vegetable.
Ma'am, you in some kind of trouble? Guys, would you shut up, please? Hello? Ma'am, are you still there? There's somebody in my house.
- There's somebody here.
- Ma'am, give me your name and address.
We'll get someone to you right away.
- I need Detective Erico.
- Okay.
Detective Erico.
Erico, guys.
- Anyone hear of this Erico? - We're searching for Erico.
Now tell me where you are.
What's your address? No, you won't get here soon enough.
- I'm in trouble now.
- Ma'am There's somebody here.
I've to get my gun.
Okay, just stay calm and tell me your address.
I can't talk louder.
If I can just get my gun.
Erico? Anyone, anything? - No Erico here.
- Maybe a different spelling.
- Ma'am, stay calm, okay? - My gun is gone.
It's It's not here.
Oh, my God Hello? Hello, ma'am, are you there? Hello? Damn it.
We gotta get her back right now.
Line is blocked, there's nothing we can do.
Except find Detective Erico.
Why couldn't you guys find Erico? She might've been running the words together.
There's a Detective Verico with a V, works Threat Management.
Stalking cases.
Tao, yeah, let's get this Detective Verico up here with his open case files.
- Where's Chief Johnson? She's in an interview with some commissioners.
Somebody run down, pass her a note about what's going on.
Buzz.
Verico's got the week off.
Gonna take an hour before they bring his files.
Give me that.
This is Commander Taylor.
I want Verico's cases.
And I need lights and sirens headed to every female on his list of stalking victims.
Uh-uh.
Uh-uh.
Right now.
Wait.
Go, go, go.
Clear.
Nothing.
Clear.
Everything to the rear of the residence is clear, nobody home.
Copy that.
Same with the front rooms.
There's nothing here.
- All clear on the second floor.
- Yeah, we got nothing down here, either.
I'm sorry for the intrusion.
I hope you understand.
- We have to check these things out.
- Not a problem, really.
Kick.
Clear.
Clear the door.
Sixteen-A-63.
I have a female down inside my location.
Gunshot wound.
Not appear to be breathing.
Roll paramedics, and advise Major Crimes we found their victim.
Danielle Ross.
Forty-three years old.
Single, lived alone.
She dialed my extension by mistake two hours ago looking for Detective Verico who works in Threat Management.
Ms.
Ross was shot once in the right temple area.
The bullet entered and exited, hitting the wall over there by Sanchez.
Judging by what looks to be a.
40 caliber casing over here on the floor the weapon was fired from somewhere around here.
We found a.
40 caliber in a trashcan behind the house.
It might be her weapon.
We're checking the registration now.
- Box cutter? - With a broken blade.
Think maybe she used that to try and fend off her attacker? Maybe, chief.
But look at this.
She was shot.
And her throat was cut.
- Ugh.
- Yeah the throat injury happened postmortem.
If someone severed her jugular while alive We'd be walking in blood.
- Any idea how the killer got in? - No.
And there's no sign of forced entry.
There are three doors to the house.
The front door, which was dead-bolted and chain-locked from the inside.
Well, before we breached it.
And this door leads to the garage, which was locked when we got here.
And the electric garage door is shut.
And the back door is the only other exit.
No chain but dead bolted.
Also, all the windows were barred and locked.
So there was no way for the killer to enter or exit.
It's like a crime scene and a magic trick.
Hey, I found the tip to that box-cutter blade.
Must have snapped off when the cord to this phone was cut.
All right, we know how this conversation ended.
- Let's go back to how it began.
- Ms.
Ross called my desk.
I thought she was asking for a Detective Erico, not Verico.
She said someone was in her house.
She needed to get her gun.
Which she said was in her nightstand, back in her bedroom, I guess.
Someone's in my house.
Someone's here.
I can't speak louder.
Somebody's in my house.
I have to get my gun.
My gun is not here, it's gone.
Should be in my nightstand.
Ms.
Ross spoke to you from here.
While she was searching for her weapon, yeah.
There's no door out of the house from here.
And the windows are barred.
Maybe she made a run for it? Chief, this is Detective Frank Verico from Threat Management.
Sorry it took me long to get here.
I'm off this week.
Thank you for coming, detective.
Any idea how all this happened? No.
I tried to convince the commissioner she needed protection, wouldn't take it.
Excuse me, did you just refer to our victim as commissioner? Yes, I did.
Danielle Ross heads Headed the California State Parole Board.
And why did you think Commissioner Ross needed protection? Did it have something to do with a prisoner she refused to release? I'm not sure.
There was no verbal or written threat.
About a month ago, she stopped on her way home for a doctor's appointment.
And while her car was parked, someone broke into it.
And how did that become your problem? Patrol called me in because the commissioner's a state official.
I thought what happened to her vehicle was more vandalism than anything else.
Why do you say that? Because nothing was stolen from her car.
And she had cash and credit cards in her console.
I suggested she get police protection just in case.
Commissioner turned me down flat.
Didn't think it was worth the cost.
Neither did I, really.
Until someone broke into her home.
- You mean, before tonight? - Yes, ma'am.
Last Wednesday she called and said somebody had been in her house while she was at work.
That's why someone broke into her car, get her address.
If they knew which car was hers, could've just followed her.
Hold off on the car.
We've been through Ross' house.
It's all but hermetically sealed.
Any idea how someone could have slipped through her windows and the locks on her doors, twice? - No.
And just like her car, she said nothing was stolen from her residence.
Before you ask why someone would burglarize her car and home and not take anything, I don't know, neither did she.
Where is everybody? - Excuse me? - Notified the Sheriff's Department? Do we have protection for the other members? You should at least have Gang Support here reviewing.
Before that, I'm getting a few facts.
You want facts? Here's a fact.
The head of a state agency, murdered while on the phone with Major Crimes.
- That's a fact.
- Not their fault.
Commissioner mixed up the digits of my phone, got Gabriel instead of me.
- You're Verico? - Yes, sir.
You were the lead investigator into these threats against Ross? Excuse me, there were no actual threats.
She's dead.
Murdered when the L.
A.
P.
D.
had an open case with her name on it.
So she was under some sort of a threat.
While we figure that out, it'd be in the best interest of the department if you'd just continue with your week off.
How does this happen? How does Major Crimes take a call? Sir.
Sir, I can explain.
Explain why not one officer, not one patrol car was dispatched to the house until after she was murdered? - Explain that? - I tried Okay, excuse me, Chief Pope, can we talk in my office for a moment? Thank you very much.
Danielle Ross was on the phone for less than a minute before the line went dead.
She never identified herself or gave her address.
Okay, ahem, even if that's true the L.
A.
P.
D.
knew that Commissioner Ross' safety was at risk before she was gunned down in her home.
Here's what I need you to do, launch a thorough investigation of every inmate denied parole for the last six months, make it a year.
Hold on, hold on.
Will.
To stop what I'm doing now may end up slowing down Slow down? Brenda, I don't think you get this.
We're so far behind now, I don't know if we can catch up.
How did this happen? Look, Will, for your own sake, just take a deep breath, okay? I know you're feeling pressure from this chief business So now, on top of everything else, you're accusing me of overreacting? I think your own reaction to this case has been slow, unimpressive.
And potentially dangerous to the rest of the parole-board members.
Okay, that's it.
You don't like the way I'm handling this case, that's just fine.
You should just take it over yourself.
That's exactly what I'm gonna do.
Operation Swift Justice.
What a ridiculous name.
All these people Pope's brought into Watch him throw everything the department has at this murder.
They're law enforcement, maybe they'll help.
They're not gonna end up helping.
If he thinks we really made some kind of mistake with Commissioner Ross he just announced it to the state.
And then asking us to review everyone up for parole over the past year.
- That's a complete waste of time.
- Well, maybe not.
I got an interesting fax from the warden at Folsom this morning.
He's got a prisoner, Tomas Medina.
Ross denied release two months ago.
He's serving time for a murder-for-hire.
Implying he put a hit out on the commissioner.
Murder-for-hire? - You didn't tell Pope about this, did you? - No.
No, I don't want him to do anything too hasty.
Believe me, I know what we're up against here.
I'm doing everything I can, so it doesn't blow up in our faces.
- Excuse me, Chief Pope wants you.
- Oh, okay, thanks.
Well, if it does blow up, be aware.
It's set to explode in your murder room.
Pope isn't the only one who needs to watch his back.
Thanks.
I guess you have a good reason for not telling me about Medina.
Who? Tomas Medina, currently serving the 20th year of a 30-year sentence for hiring a busboy at his restaurant to off his wife.
The warden at Folsom contacted you this morning after searching and finding articles about the commissioner.
The last of which had a photo with the word "dead" scrawled across her face.
- Don't pretend this is news.
- I'm not.
I'm just trying to figure out how you know all this.
I'm being copied on all information on this case.
I've ordered air support to fly Medina down.
- He should be here by 2 p.
m.
today.
- What? You can't do that.
I know next to nothing about him.
Well, educate yourself, with state police and sheriff's deputies and state prison officials helping with Swift Justice we need equal emphasis on "swift.
" This is not the way to handle this, Will.
It just isn't.
All right, can you say for sure that Commissioner Ross' murder was against her and her alone? And that the rest of the parole board is in no danger? Unless you can state that with certainty, time may not be on our side.
Now, Medina is coming.
And ready or not, I need you to talk to him.
Okay, Lieutenant Provenza, search all crime reports where a box cutter was used as a weapon.
See if there's a connection to Medina.
And until Mr.
Medina arrives Don't worry, chief.
I'll keep Pope distracted.
Thank you so much.
Sanchez, Flynn, I wanna know everything about Mr.
Medina.
Friends, family, associates.
- We'll get a morgue report.
- Thank you.
Lieutenant Tao, please examine Ross' personal and work computers.
Maybe there are threats she didn't let Verico know about.
Detective Gabriel, I'd like to speak to Verico.
So would I, but he's not answering.
I don't mean call him.
I wanna speak to him in person.
The way Pope sent him home, that's tough.
Hey, chief, considering how swamped our office is have some idea where to regroup? Johnson.
Verico, thank you for coming.
Why don't you have a seat? Yeah, let's have a seat.
And we can all chat about what happened yesterday.
How about I sit when I'm ready? If you ask me to go over everything I did wrong again, talk to my union rep.
Detective, we asked you here because we could use your help.
When I spoke to Commissioner Ross the only person she wanted to talk to was you.
She was in trouble, it was you she was reaching out to.
I called her every other day, you know? Just to make sure she was all right.
Even helped get the locks changed.
I'm sure you did everything you could, detective.
- Please sit down.
- Come on, Frank.
You know why it took me so long to get to her house the night she was shot? Because almost the entire L.
A.
P.
D.
is seven days on, seven days off.
How am I to look out after people if budget determines when I can work? Maybe if the right person becomes chief, budget priorities would turn for the better.
Uh, Detective, the other night you told me that Danielle Ross thought her house had been broken into.
A week before she was murdered.
Since nothing was stolen, what made her so sure of that? Seemed to her like someone had gone through her mail.
Closet light was left on.
What convinced her was the smell of gardenias.
Specifically in her bedroom.
Gardenia? You mean, like the flower gardenia? Like a perfume.
It wasn't much, but I printed the entire house anyway.
Questioned neighbors.
And, again, I contacted state police and urged her to accept protection.
- But she refused.
- Yeah.
I don't know what I missed.
- Come on, Frank.
I'll take you home.
- Ha-ha.
Thank you so much for coming in.
Find out yet how someone broke into her house, why nothing was stolen? Something was stolen, detective.
She was shot with her own gun.
But she didn't even know it was missing until she went looking for it.
So I did miss something.
Come on, man.
Come on.
Come on.
Here, kitty.
Here, kitty.
Lieutenant Tao, no.
No people food for Joel.
- I'm sorry, chief.
- Oh, for heaven's sakes.
What do you think you're doing? What do you think you're doing? No begging.
Go on, now.
Go on, you little smushy-smush.
Lieutenant, what'd you find out? No threats, nothing compromised with the computers.
I refragged their registries.
Most people think refragging is a waste of time.
Lieutenant.
What'd Dr.
Morales have to say? Commissioner had no defensive marks.
No sexual assault.
And the cut on her neck happened postmortem.
I don't understand.
Why cut the throat of someone you just murdered? A symbolic gesture of some kind.
Just don't know what it means yet.
- Yes, lieutenant? - Are you gonna eat that crust? Yes, I am.
Oh.
Okay, in the years that he's been at Folsom Tomas Medina has had one visitor, his grandmother.
And that was about 17 months ago.
Here's his record.
And a transcript of the hearing before Commissioner Ross.
- What about phone calls? - Zero, incoming or outgoing.
Could you please? Phone.
Thank you.
- Deputy Chief Johnson.
- Where are you? - Is that Chief Johnson? - My proctologist.
- You need something? - No, no, I just - Asking where your proctologist is? - Yes.
I hate it when he surprises me.
Chief.
Chief, Medina is here.
What? He wasn't supposed to arrive for another two hours at least.
Air support had a cancelled pick-up.
And so Medina was flown in directly.
And Pope is not happy that our suspect is here and you're not.
Oh, for heaven's sakes, tell him I'm on my way.
Let's go.
Can I have that? Yes.
Now my guy gives you pictures of the colonoscopy after it's over.
Here we go, everyone.
Realize how long you've kept everyone waiting? Before I start, I need some answers, or we'll never get anywhere.
Chief, I have Sanchez bringing Medina up from holding.
Where do you want him? - Hard Interview 1.
- No.
I'd prefer to question Mr.
Medina in one of my interview rooms.
Less intimidating.
He's been in Folsom.
He expects intimidation.
You're missing the point.
We're not doing this to prove he committed the murder.
But to show that Commissioner Ross' death was not the beginning of attacks against the parole board.
- You may not need a confession, I do.
- Guy's in prison, what are you gonna do? And why are these screens still not working? That's not my fault.
Bank Fraud's projector is keyed to the same remote signal as ours.
Just get it fixed, please? Thank you.
Here.
May need to communicate during the interview in case there are questions.
- From whom? - From me.
Put in the earpiece, let's hear what Medina has to say.
Buzz, are we all set? Speakers, volume? We'll know as soon as they start talking, chief.
Mr.
Medina.
I'm Deputy Chief Johnson.
This is Detective Gabriel.
I hope you enjoyed that hamburger.
There's another one coming as soon as we're done here.
Just a few questions.
It shouldn't take too long.
I got nowhere to be.
- You can ask me anything you want.
- Good.
What, if anything, can you tell us about Commissioner Danielle Ross? I can tell you she's dead.
And how did you hear about that? - Good news travels fast.
- Does it? When someone like Ross gets offed, yeah, it does.
Even the guards are talking about it.
I take it you weren't one of Commissioner Ross' fans.
That black bitch passed me up for parole three times.
Maybe it's because she didn't like being called a black bitch.
Yeah, well, she's dead and I'm not.
So who has the final word on that, huh? Just because I'm in lockup doesn't mean I don't have people on the outside who care about me.
Get in my way, somebody moves you.
He's all but admitting.
Tell Johnson to cut to the chase.
Chief Johnson, let's Let's get to the point here.
And these people on the outside who care about you any of them a girlfriend? - You looking for a conjugal, mija? - Hey, watch your mouth, sir.
Sir? Keep that up, I'll have you drive me back to the airport, boy.
I wouldn't call any of them my girlfriend, but I do all right.
And when, exactly, do you do all right, Mr.
Medina? According to Folsom, you haven't had a visitor or even a phone call in over a year.
Hmm.
So maybe the people you do all right with are the men in prison with you.
Well, obviously, I have a little army on the outside, boy.
A man who hires a guy to kill his wife and then rats that guy out, isn't too popular.
Gabriel's right about that.
You might not be as popular at Folsom as you think you are.
You wanna know how to make friends in prison? You get rid of the black bitch who's keeping us all in there.
You see, whoever does that gets loads of respect.
He's almost there.
Let's ask him something concrete like: Does he know Commissioner Ross' address? Mr.
Medina, do you know where Commissioner Ross lives? Yeah, sure.
She used to invite me over for Sunday roast every weekend.
Is this your first time doing this? Do you think I'm stupid enough to say that I killed her to you? Or to them? No, Mr.
Medina.
I don't think you're stupid.
I also don't think you had anything to do with the murder.
What is she saying? Why are you saying that? However, since good news does travel fast I have a feeling you already know who is responsible for her death.
If you were to help me, I could end up getting your sentence reduced.
That's a That's a commonly used negotiating tactic.
No promises have been made.
I guarantee it.
That's not a promise.
Know what would happen if anybody found out I was talking to the cops? I don't kiss and tell, Mr.
Medina.
Nobody Don't say nobody will find out because somebody always does.
And the deals you people make, you know, I actually fell for it once.
Yeah, eligible for parole in 17 years.
I'm in two decades already, I'm starting to figure out it's all bullshit.
You know what? You people ain't never letting me out of here.
Instead, you're filling the streets with those freaks.
- What freaks? - The crackheads, the perverts.
The thieves you're letting out of prison because the state ran out of money.
You know, if I had just beaten my wife instead of having some idiot shoot her I'd be a free man today.
Did everything but curtsy.
Then offer a reduced sentence? Did you not just hear Medina say that he could have hired someone to kill Commissioner Ross? His little army, all the freaks the early-release program lets out.
The early-release program is for nonviolent prisoners, not murderers.
The fact they're nonviolent supports that the commissioner's murder was carried out by an amateur Mr.
Medina hired from inside prison.
Why do you say amateur? An experienced killer would never have waited for Ross inside of her house.
Or vandalize her car, or break into her house a second time.
Leave a box cutter behind, spray gardenia perfume everywhere.
And Medina used an amateur to kill his wife.
So that's his m.
o.
So can you at least go back in there and get him to tell us some of that? I could get him to say anything now if I offered him a milkshake and a side of fries.
But what if we arrest Medina now and two days later, your worst fears come true? And another commissioner is shot? Where will Operation Swift Justice be then? Oh, I forgot.
It's your investigation.
I'll do whatever you want.
Heaven's sakes.
Chief, where are you taking us? Chief Pope commandeered our offices, so we're gonna use his.
While he's looking at people who were in jail last night we may find someone who was actually available to commit the crime.
Oh.
Why can't I ever find that ridiculous keycard? Oh, wait.
Here, here, chief.
- Try this one.
- Oh, thank you.
- Don't thank me.
It's Flynn's.
- What are you doing with my card? - I lost mine, okay? - You went through my desk? Chief.
I'll take care of Pope's secretary.
She's sweet on me.
- Oh, hi, Linda.
- Hi.
Chief Pope suggested that we use his conference room for a bit.
We won't be long.
It's all right? Okay? Yeah? Well, I'm beginning to get discouraged.
Should we include unidentified sharp objects? Tao might have something, chief.
It's not exactly right, but Richard Conway, convicted of drug possession.
Served 20 months before being let out on the early-release program.
Two days after his release Conway killed 32-year-old white male, Scott Weber, at an ATM downtown.
- Cut his throat with a box cutter.
- Chief.
Check out the crime-scene photo.
Look familiar? A little too familiar.
But Mr.
Conway was arrested 12 hours later.
He confessed to the murder.
So he's got the same alibi as Mr.
Medina.
He's in jail now.
There's this.
Look.
Commissioner Ross signed his conditions of parole.
Gabriel, this guy was in the lockup when the commissioner was murdered.
He broke out of jail to kill the commissioner then he broke back in jail and nobody noticed? Detective Verico said Commissioner Ross' stalker might have been a woman.
So, what if this Conway guy? What if he had a girlfriend? Or a wife? Would it really hurt to bring him in for questioning? It's either that or we go back to Operation Swift Justice.
- No.
No.
No.
- God, no.
- Anything but that.
Yes, bring him in.
- Thank you.
Thanks, chief.
When you question this guy, remember to ask him how he got in and out of Commissioner Ross' house with all the windows barred and all the doors locked.
Think I figured that out already.
I never thought it would come to this.
You know, killing someone for a little rock.
Addiction is a terrible thing, Mr.
Conway.
Did you have anyone to talk to about it? A wife or girlfriend, maybe? No.
But even if I had, it wouldn't matter.
When I need it, I need it.
And that night I needed it.
So when you saw Mr.
Weber at the bank machine, you thought: "Here's where I can get the cash to buy my drugs.
" Yeah, so I got out of this pick-up that I stole and I went through the bed, and there was this toolbox.
That's where you found the box cutter.
Yeah.
The guy thought I was joking.
He told me to take off or he would call the cops.
But I needed that money.
And when he wouldn't hand it over? I cut his throat.
And I left him there at the ATM.
I took him from his wife and his family for $40.
But they should have never let me out of prison.
Because I said so in court.
I told them, "I'm only gonna get high, man.
" But they didn't care.
They didn't care at all.
If they hadn't paroled me, it would have never happened.
Killing that guy was not my fault.
Everyone else hated Commissioner Ross because she kept them in prison.
This moron hates her because she let him out.
Can you believe it? I'm sorry, detective.
I think we're done here.
Thank you so much, sir.
Wait.
Uh I hate to ask this.
But could you tell her that I'm sorry? Tell who you're sorry? That guy's wife.
Could you tell her I was out of control? And that I'm sorry.
- Ann Weber? - Yes? I'm Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, L.
A.
P.
D.
Major Crimes.
Thank you so much for coming in today.
I've got an apology to pass along to you.
Is there more bad news? I'm afraid so.
But I should probably let the detective in charge explain it all to you.
By the way, that is a lovely perfume you're wearing.
Reminds me of home.
A flower, I think? Gardenia.
Yes, gardenia.
I thought so.
Ma'am, I'm Detective David Gabriel.
I'm one of the original officers who investigated your husband's murder.
I just want to say that we're really sorry about all this.
Sorry about what? What's wrong? Well, as it turns out, the man who we arrested for murdering your husband He is innocent.
No.
That's - That's not possible.
- I'm afraid it is.
Ma'am, you see, the blood that we found on Mr.
Conway's clothes it does not match up to that of your husband.
No.
Oh, my goodness.
Hold on.
Hold on.
Okay.
Okay, Mrs.
Weber.
Hold on.
Detective Sanchez, would you get her a glass of water, please? Mrs.
Weber, I know that this is just terrible news.
But I promise you that the L.
A.
P.
D.
is doing everything that we can even as we speak, to find the real killer.
But he confessed.
How could he confess to something he didn't do? He was high when the police picked him up, he would've admitted to anything.
Mrs.
Weber? She's going into shock, chief.
I'm fine.
I just need to lie down.
Well, the least we could do is drive you home.
Where's your car? Detective Sanchez, why don't you follow us? Want to show us where your car is, Mrs.
Weber? Why don't we head on down to the garage right now.
Mrs.
Weber, we're really sorry about how long it's taken us to figure out our mistake.
But Conway said he did it.
Unfortunately, Mr.
Conway was hospitalized for an overdose during the time of your husband's murder.
Oh, my goodness.
Is that a roadblock? We're having trouble getting you home, Mrs.
Weber.
The president's in town.
There's lots of detours.
I'll try another route.
Let's go this way here.
Do you guys have any idea who the killer really is? Oh, well, we believe so.
Yes, ma'am.
Who? Who killed my Scott? We're looking for someone much smarter than Mr.
Conway.
We're dealing with obsession here, a real stalker.
Oh, my God.
You're scaring me.
Oh, don't be frightened, Mrs.
Weber.
We're very close to an arrest, I promise you.
Oh, for heaven's sakes.
Another roadblock? I thought you were taking me home.
Where are we? You know very well where we are.
Uh I've never been here before.
Oh, yes, you have, Mrs.
Weber.
Your perfume hung around long after your first visit.
And you accomplished a pretty neat trick too.
Getting inside, leaving it locked up behind you.
I kept trying to figure out how someone could manage that I should have been wondering why someone would break into Commissioner Ross' car and not steal anything.
But you did steal something, didn't you? ID cards open everything these days.
Signals move things up and down.
And I'm taking a chance here that this opens a garage.
You broke into Commissioner Ross' vehicle and you used her garage-door opener to reprogram your own.
Then you used that signal to break in and kill her.
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used against you.
You have the right to an attorney.
If you can't afford one, one will be appointed for you.
Have you heard and understood these rights, ma'am? - Oh, my God.
- How many times did you come back before you found the door from the garage to the house unlocked? Once? Three times? Eight times? She never had that door locked.
Ever.
I could just come and go as I wanted.
And then one day, I found her gun.
- And I took it.
- And the box cutter? I only had the box cutter to show her how that maniac killed my husband.
The one that I thought she let out on the street.
The so-called nonviolent offender.
How could you have arrested him? How could you have made such an awful mistake? We didn't.
- What? - We didn't make a mistake.
Richard Conway murdered your husband just like you thought he did.
You do understand, Mrs.
Weber that the early-release program was not Commissioner Ross' idea.
All she did was sign the papers the state put in front of her.
Letting Conway out.
She had nothing, nothing to do with that.
Yeah, well, she went along with that.
Isn't it obvious? What's obvious is you're a lunatic who's under arrest for murder.
And on the subject of early-release for nonviolent offenders.
I'm afraid that that's a policy that won't apply to you.
I don't think that your parole hearings are gonna go very well at all.
Lieutenant Flynn.
Ann Weber, you're under arrest for the murder of Danielle Ross.
This way, ma'am.
This guy here? Detective Verico, I think It's unfortunate that my concern about this murder led me to inadvertently hold you responsible for what happened to Commissioner Ross.
That's the best you can do? - I don't know how to respond to that.
- I'm not surprised.
Mind if I go back to work, sir? - Please do.
- Thanks.
Chief Johnson.
- Good luck.
- Thank you, detective.
You too.
Good night.
I hate to say this, Will, but this whole chief-selection process? It has not brought out the best in you.
If this is how you run the department, I'm not sure it's a job you should have.
Well, you think you could do better? I'd be really disappointed if I couldn't.
Brenda, you cannot imagine the kind of pressure I've been under here for the last few months.
Half-dismantling Metro division.
Putting experienced detectives back out on patrol.
Scrambling to keep our guys on the streets.
However it may look from where you're sitting I'm doing my best to protect the L.
A.
P.
D.
I really am.
Still no apology.