Cold Case s07e02 Episode Script
Hoodrats
Cold case **************** "Feel the Pain" by Dinosaur, Jr.
Pretty cool.
Super skater.
He got any special powers ? He can defenitely go invisible.
- How 'bout flying ? - Only on his board.
Without the board he's normal, like us.
How long they been at it ? Just started.
I got out like you said.
Followed the rules.
Always the same with you.
Yeah ?! What the hell you looking at ? Baby, please.
You got something you wanna say to me, boy ? Oh, want another piece of me ? Come on.
Baby, come back inside, okay ? I thought so.
Get in the damn house.
Remember the rules, okay ? It's getting like south beach in here.
Ac busted again? Cost-cutting measure.
City wants us to make do with fans.
I need you to field this one for me.
Something wrong, boss ? Besides spending the rest of my morning filling out budget reports? - This a grounder or a mystery ? - M.
E.
's office kicked him to us.
Thinks he has info on a John Doe murder in Brewerytown in '95.
Lilly Rush.
My partner, scotty valens.
Hi.
Mick simpson.
Told you got information on a john doe murder.
My brother, Nash.
Ran away spring of '95.
I never heard from him again.
Ran away from where? Gloucester city, new jersey.
Things at home were, uh Tough ? Checked with the coroner, said you had a white male listed back then about the same age as my brother.
What makes you think it's your brother ? My mother just got sent to court-ordered detox and then jail.
Cleaning out the house to put it on the market and we found this.
Gonna need to connect the dots for us, Mick.
Well, my brother sent this from Philly.
It's postmarked the second week of june.
There's no note in the box ? Just the skateboard.
Must've been for my birthday.
Your mom neglected to give it to you ? Probably figured I'd use it to run away, like Nash did.
It's not him ? Pretty extensive decomp.
We're gonna need more than a postmark and an old photo to reopen the case.
Dental or medical records.
I don't have those.
There's nothing else in the file ? Brown-bag special.
Miscellaneous evidence found at the scene.
Well, I'd like to see whatever it is ? We don't normally It's okay.
My mother had a string of loser boyfriends Not to mention problems of her own.
That why your brother left ? He was older.
It was worse for him.
I always thought he'd come back and take me away with him.
Recognize anything ? Super skater.
Mean something ? It's from my sketch book.
I gave that to him the day he ran away.
Well, looks like we might've found your brother.
Cold Case Season 7 Episode 2 Hoodrats Nash simpson, 17 years old.
ME estimates he was killed the last week of june.
Blunt-force trauma, head and neck.
Body was dumped down a vent pipe in brewerytown.
Wasn't discovered until july.
Filed as a john doe due to extensive decomp, lack of evidence.
The assigned back in the day hit a quick dead end-- No id, zero witnesses.
Kid jumped by a homeless guy, or a drug score gone bad ? Tox reports didn't find any drugs or alcohol in his system.
Brother Mick confirmed Nash ran away from home in march after one too many bouts with mom's boyfriend.
Spoke to mom in lockup over in Jersey, a real peach.
Chelsey simpson.
Told her what happened to Nash, got crickets.
What about the boyfriend ? Croaked Hep-c.
Real tragedy.
The last contact mick had was a box his brother sent from Philly, postmarked june ninth.
The thing's got some heft.
Blunt-force trauma, huh ? Have forensics take a look at that, Lilly.
Got a hit on Nash.
Issued a bench warrant for failure to appear on a summary citation in the ninth district.
City code violation 3261.
Skateboarding on city property, public nuisance.
Arresting officer, Joe Mueller.
Nightstick Joe.
Know him ? Still on the beat.
I'll have him come in.
See what he remembers.
Mijo.
Viejo,what are you doing here ? - How are ya ? - Fine.
I was in the area, figured I'd bring these down.
Cross-trainers.
Buy one, get the second pair half price.
Figured you could use 'em.
Thanks, pops.
Uh You got a minute ? Yeah, sure.
Did you want some coffee, or ? No, thank you.
Talk to your mother lately ? Yeah, last week.
Why ? Probably nothing.
You came all the way down here to give me a pair of sneakers ? Come on.
She's acting funny.
Isn't where she says she is.
And when I ask, she lies.
She's taking tai chi in the park.
For God's sake, does that sound like your mother ? Tai chi ? Says it relaxes her.
Do you want me to check on her ? I don't know.
Maybe call her, but don't tell her we talked, okay ? Done all right for yourself, John.
Makes me wish I'd taken a few tests.
It's never too late, Joe.
Are you kidding me ? They just took away all my overtime.
Hear there's a big shake-up going downtown with the brass.
It's above my pay grade.
Yeah, mine, too.
So what can I do for ya, Johnny ? A citation you wrote for a Nash Simpson, march, 1995.
Know how many citations I've written, honey ? It's detective rush.
Ten years on the job.
And this kid ended up dead in Brewerytown.
Runaway.
City chews up runaways.
I remember this kid.
One of those Love Park hoodrats.
Cops ! Cops ! Run ! I.
d.
, numbnuts ! No skate parks in Jersey ? You got a place to stay ? No.
You can't sleep in the park.
I know.
- Not supposed to skate here neither.
- Run ! Run, run, run ! Son of a bitch ! Yeah, my sergeant ripped me a fresh one over the damage to my vehicle.
- Who was the other kid ? - Cal Something mexican.
I can look it up, if you want.
- Bad news ? - Possession, theft, vandalism.
I caught up with him.
We had a discussion about the error of his ways, if you catch my drift.
Next week's better for me.
Right.
Talk to you then.
Your old man ? Yeah.
Wants me to meet the family.
Yeah.
The one with the ink.
Cal Acevedo ? Depends.
Nightstick Joe says hello.
Ring a bell ? More like rang mine a few times.
Guy had it out for skaters.
Ever skate in Brewerytown in an old cement factory ? Nah, nothing to skate there.
Love Park was the spot.
How about Nash Simpson ? Haven't heard that name in a while.
But you guys were buds, right ? Long time ago, but yeah, we skated.
Nash's body was dumped there in '95.
Always figured he split town.
What made you figure that ? He was always talking about going to California.
Figured that's just where he ended up.
- He running from something ? - Just home.
Any idea what Nash was doing in Brewerytown ? Looking to score ? Nah, drugs were my cross, not his.
Skaters can be pretty harsh, man.
Fights ? Happens.
Nash was from Jersey.
Dudes 'round here didn't want the park blown out.
But me and Nash had each other's backs.
"Skull" by Sebadoh.
- Where we gonna crash tonight ? - Something will turn up.
Right now my wheels are flatspotted.
Need new ones.
Dude, I don't know.
Watch.
- You bang it, you buy it.
- Yeah, yeah.
Whoa! Dude's got vert playing.
Haven't seen that in a while.
You know him ? Yes.
Grady Giles.
Calls himself "double g" now.
He good ? Best in philly.
- Planning on paying for those ? - What ? Don't bring your crap in here again.
Stealing from another skater.
- Where's your head at ? - I was gonna put them back.
You can tell that to the cops.
Whoa, relax, man.
We paid for it.
Bailed me out big time.
That was his last 20 bucks.
Who's Batman ? Old vert dog named Hess, owned the shop.
Course, he threw me out.
- Just you ? - Yeah, Hess liked Nash.
Uh, let him crash in the basement, had him do odd jobs.
- How come you didn't stay there ? - Did a few times, but the guy was always trying to take pictures of us.
Pictures ? of shirtless skaters ? Creepy.
Let me guess.
You're not looking for boards.
You see one like this before ? No.
Belonged to Nash Simpson.
Remember him ? Back when, yeah.
Good kid.
Let him sleep in the shop.
Just for a couple of months.
Let lots of skaters crash here.
In exchange for what ? What's this about ? Nash was killed back in '95.
Body dumped in Brewerytown.
You like young boys hanging around, huh ? Huh ? No.
Wait a minute, who Who told you that crap ? Cal Acevedo.
No Said you took a special interest in Nash.
The guy was a junkie, man.
Nash go down that path ? - Not that I remember.
- We're trying to figure out your relationship to him.
Look, man, Philly was blowing up 'cause of my shop.
And the connections I had out west brought attention to a lot of good skaters.
- Nash one of em ? - Should have been.
He did stuff back in '95 dudes are still trying today.
"Start Choppin" by Dinosaur Jr.
You messed up my line, kook.
Come on, Grady.
Go back where you came from.
Didn't mean to get in the way of your Smith grind.
Smith Grind.
Smith grind ? More like smith grind, kickflip out.
Fool's gonna break his face.
That was for free ! And a broken board, no doubt ! - You get that ? - Got it.
Come on, man.
See, Grady thought he was top dog.
Didn't like Nash coming out of nowhere, showing him up.
Grady big-time now ? Yeah.
Big-time sellout.
You can buy his board at Blue Mart.
Dude forgot where he came from.
Nash steal Grady's girl like he stole his thunder ? I remember her coming around the shop, trying to get Nash's attention.
You saying Grady came after him ? All I know is after Nash split, Vonda got right back in line.
We don't want none.
How about some of this ? My bad.
Thought you was Jehovah's.
Investigating Nash Simpson's murder.
Sorry to hear that, haven't seen that guy in years.
Yeah, when was that ? huh ? Last time you saw him ? Uh, like, way before our wonderful mayor decided to ban skateboarding back in '01.
Well, what about Brewerytown ? What about it ? It's where Nash's body turned up.
News to me.
Well, here's another headline, hotshot.
Heard he was tapping your girl, Vonda.
-Trying to ambush me ? / - We're gonna do a whole lot more than that, you don't drop the amnesiac jackass bit and start answering our questions.
Listen.
Dude was good.
Considering he was a kook from Jersey.
I tried to throw his boys a bone.
Fools couldn't get out of their own way.
You need one of these, bro.
Fool went and put rims on his ride.
Where'd Grady get all that gear? Accelerator sponsored him.
What's up, fellas ? Got two boards left from my package.
Tail's too square.
At least I got boards.
It's called, "being sponsored.
" I go pro, I'll be seeing ya.
No thanks, man.
We're working on our thing.
Yeah, like, top secret, right ? Said we already got our own thing.
We don't need to be riding your decks.
All right.
Well, good luck to you.
Real big of you, considering Nash was getting with your girl.
Come on, man.
She came back.
They always do.
- Didn't stick ? - No, no, no.
Had to kick her to the curb 'cause she couldn't fathom the level I operate on.
Hey.
Check out the kicks.
New colorway we're launching with the, uh, video game, energy drink.
Whole package.
Rad.
- Sorry I'm late.
- It's all right.
Something wrong ? Your hair Your father doesn't like it.
- It's different.
- Oh, you, too, now ? Looks good.
All right.
Enough with the interrogation.
I know he put you up to this.
What, I can't have lunch with my own mother ? Now I know you're lying.
He's just worried.
The man worries about everything.
I'm fine.
Tai chi ? It helps me get centered.
Centered ? So, you know this instructor, or.
.
You and your father need to mind your own business.
Do you have any more questions, or can we order ? Thanks for coming in, Vonda.
You teach photography now ? Uh, photography, digital arts.
Pays the bills.
Got an old photo here.
Thought you could analyze this for us.
Nash.
What is this about ? Him winding up dead in Brewerytown back in '95.
- Dead ? - He was your boyfriend, right ? We weren't that serious.
When was the last time you saw Nash ? End of june, I think.
And you thought what, exactly, when he disappeared ? Stupid.
I let him borrow my video camera.
And I thought he used me.
'cause I-I knew how bad he needed that money.
What's with you and that logo ? What's with you and that camera ? I see things.
- Like what ? - I don't know.
Like the way you skate.
Nobody has control like you.
That a good thing ? You attack it.
I mean, somehow, you make it look beautiful.
I don't really think about it.
I just do it.
"Leg" by Bettie Serveert.
The logo ? My brother made it up.
You have a brother ? He's 13.
I haven't seen him since I split home.
He's so talented.
If you miss him so much, why don't you just go back home ? Just make things worse for him.
I got to get him out of there.
Well, you could have him live with you.
I sleep on the floor.
I got no money.
Here.
What's this for ? Film a part.
Send a "sponsor me" video to a California company.
I don't know.
Nash, it doesn't Doesn't matter how good you are if you don't show anyone.
I'm working on something.
I want to see.
Not ready yet.
But when it is, you'll be the first.
You promise ? Promise.
The way that he skated, Nash would have been bigger than Grady.
He wanted to get his brother to Philly ? He couldn't get custody unless he had a source of income.
A good video with a few bangers, you could really make a name for yourself.
Bangers ? Tricks.
Guys would spend weeks trying to nail a trick perfectly.
That how Grady made his name ? Yeah, I have boxes of tapes of Grady trying the most ridiculous tricks over and over again.
- Any footage of Nash ? - Maybe.
I haven't watched those in years.
We'd like to take a look at those.
Scotty, you, uh, you requisition a new fax machine ? - It's broken.
- Yeah.
Request denied.
We switching to pigeons ? Budget cuts.
We're gonna have to make do.
If that's another expense sheet, lil Phone records.
Got a call from the skate shop in Jersey right before Nash was killed.
And next day, Nash's mom, Chelsey, and the boyfriend Rafe, took a road trip to Philly.
Ran their names, got a hit.
Rafe stockton got into a bar fight in Brewerytown.
Rearranged some guy's face.
Booked for disorderly conduct.
Simple assault charge got thrown out.
All right, pay mom a visit, see what happened at the family reunion.
You lied to us, Chelsey.
What about it ? You and Rafe were in Philly the week your son was murdered.
Yeah, well, I don't have to talk to you.
No, you don't.
It's just your kid who's dead.
And yet you keep jerking us around.
Keep it up, I'll have the DA pile on conspiracy, - and extend your stay.
- Not like I got anything waiting for me out there.
Well, there's always vodka.
My mom liked hers straight, you know, in those plastic bottles that don't break when you pass out.
Gin.
Hey I get it I mean, my mom was no June Cleaver.
The messed-up thing was I still loved her.
And in her own way, she loved me.
What do you want from me ? I want to know why you went to Philly.
Because I missed my son.
Hey, baby.
Where's Mick ? Thought you were gonna bring him.
I couldn't.
Uh Rafe is here, isn't he ? I told him to stay in the car.
You're wrong about him.
Okay, I mean, he's, he's got me on the straight and narrow.
Is that why you smell like gin ? You ask me to come all this way so you can judge me ? I want Mick to come live with me.
What ? You don't know the first thing about raising a kid like Mick.
And you do ? I'm gonna get a place of my own.
I got money.
Money from what ? Skating.
Right.
Look, I got a sponsor.
Hey, baby, how about giving me some of that money, 'cause ? Did you ever give Mick that board I sent ? Uh I will, I will.
That was the last time I ever saw him.
He got money from a sponsor ? Never made any sense to me.
I know he was living outta some skateboard shop.
- Guy named Hess ? - Could be.
Not a day goes by that I don't think about what I did to those boys.
Make it quick, Scotty.
They're waiting for me on the fifth floor.
Something going down ? I'm not goin' for the coffee.
Tracked down the manufacturer on the skateboard Nash sent his brother.
Board was a protype, custom-designed by Hess.
The first order was for 200 blanks.
Hess bet big on Nash.
Same guy was singing the blues about how big money ruined the sport.
Yeah, but the manufacturer said Hess canceled the order june 29 and refused to pay the rest of his bill.
Yeah, took him to small claims court.
After that, Hess claims bankruptcy.
And Nash winds up dead.
So why're you still standing here telling me about it ? What's eating the boss ? Doherty just got appointed to oversee the detective's bureau.
Wondering if you could make me one like this.
Capitalize on the sport, but then again it might be a little late for that.
I get by.
Don't wanna sell out, is that it ? Seems you were ready to back in '95.
Lot of boards.
More than I could sell.
Nash woulda helped with that.
Seeing as how you'd tapped him to be a star.
Never happened.
Why is that, Hess ? People, people forget.
This is the place where it all started.
Without my shop, Philly never woulda taken off.
I had a plan, too, till somebody beat me to the punch.
Hey, check this out.
Just like the one you sent your brother, but this one's got a carbon-fiber ply in between the wood.
Impossible to break, man.
Cool.
These are high-end blanks, man, not some chinese crap.
It's all coming together.
Really ? Yeah, man ! And check it, your name's gonna be on every board.
Gonna do it right, soon as I get the funds.
That sounds awesome, but, um, i'm-i'm just getting started.
And this is how you do it, man.
I'll be your sponsor.
We'll keep it east coast.
I can't.
Don't tell me you're not ready.
You're better than everyone in Philly.
That's not it.
I already got a sponsor.
What ? Accelerator.
Skated a live demo for them.
They're gonna hook me up with a board.
When ? Yesterday.
Love Park.
I couldn't wait.
If you needed money, man, all you had to do was ask.
You can barely make the rent, Hess.
I didn't wanna.
Look, I'm sorry, but I gotta take my shot now.
After all I've done for you ? "Palomine" by Bettie Serveert.
Just get the hell out.
It's a matter of time before he got snapped up.
Bunch of corporate sharks buying street cred.
Accelerator was Grady's sponsor.
Made a lot of money off those kids.
You weren't trying to do the same thing ? My stuff had integrity.
Maybe.
But you never saw him again ? Can't say I blame him.
I was small-time.
Guess I'll always be.
Found some interesting stuff on these tapes, Vonda.
Need you to put it together for us.
You recognize that ? Grady.
A long time ago.
Summer of '95.
Time code has him doing this july 26.
Kept doing it over and over, but never quite nailed that banger, though.
Must've been something he was working on.
Tape was in the box you gave us.
Some of those were Grady's.
After we broke up, he was too famous to move his stuff out.
What about this ? Nash.
Same trick.
Same place where we found Nash's body.
Time code has Nash doing this trick june 27.
Nash did it first ? And better.
A month before yo-yo Grady even tried it.
Only Nash nailed it.
So Grady stole his trick.
But Grady got all the marbles.
Blew up, became the big man on the scene.
Nothing but a thief.
Or a killer.
Tough trick.
Yeah, gotta innovate and elevate.
It's what I do.
Didn't bring you down here to admire your innovations.
Remember where that was, Grady ? Oh, some warehouse.
That trick was too sketchy.
Good thing Vonda held onto it after you kicked her to the curb.
Know what's on this ? Check it, man.
I look like one of your psychic friends ? It's bad luck wearing a hat inside.
It's a tape of Nash in Brewerytown.
Yeah ? Yeah, same warehouse.
One month prior to the one you made trying that exact same trick.
Not being psychic, but I'd say your future's mandatory ten-year jolt.
That's kook, man.
You're saying I killed him over that trick ? I told you, it was too sketchy.
He took your girl Vonda.
You stole his trick.
You saw him stick it.
Decided to take it for yourself.
No, no, man.
Wasn't like that.
No, you came out top dog on the east coast.
Hooked up with a big-time sponsor, you never looked back.
The only way you could have this tape of Nash was if you were there that night.
And we got your lying ass, same location.
Look Truth ? I tried to snake the trick, all right ? But only off the tape.
The tape ? What are you talking about ? I was never there when he hit the trick, man.
I wish I was.
Damn, how'd he do that ? It don't matter 'cause he split.
And what are you showing me this for ? - You can do it.
- Nah.
- You can just add that double G style.
- Yeah.
Why don't you bust it ? Look, you want the tape or not ? First I got to know where this is at.
Come on, man.
I need the money.
Only got $40.
Brewerytown.
A warehouse we found.
It's totally set up.
All right.
Now, get.
Took me a month.
I still couldn't hit that trick the way he did.
Why didn't you get rid of the tape ? I couldn't, man.
That trick was Too beautiful.
Now, where'd Cal get the tape ? Cal was Nash's boy.
I just figured he was there.
Some jurassic technology, huh ? Unless you want to spring to have the tape analyzed.
It's not up to me, Lil.
I heard about Doherty.
Just have to do the job better with less.
.
Have a seat, Cal.
What ? Well, innocent guys don't just take a seat.
Deep down, you knew this day was coming, Cal.
Lost a lot of years to drugs.
I made no secret of that.
Probably don't remember some of the stuff you did to score.
Popped for meth twice.
Five months in county, caught jacking car stereos.
I told you, those days are behind me.
Yeah, but this ain't.
Want to know what's on there ? Why don't you tell me ? It's footage of your best friend's last night on earth.
June 27.
Warehouse in Brewerytown.
Remember that ? No.
Come on, Cal.
That night Nash skated that line ? Tore it up.
Epic stuff.
I mean, so good you sold the tape of it to Grady.
I don't know what you're talking about.
I wasn't there.
Well, in that case, you won't mind if we get a voice read.
- For what ? - Well, need to match a voice our techs discovered on the tape.
Say "Nash" into the mic.
We know you were there that night.
But what we can't figure is why you'd sell the tape to Grady.
The only way you'd sell out a friend like that was if you knew he wasn't coming back.
Just say your friend's name.
I'm not going to do that.
I want to hear you say it ! You were there.
We know you were there.
Maybe I was.
Nash tell you he signed with Grady's sponsor ? I heard it from somebody else.
But you and him were gonna do your own thing.
Was that it ? - We were a team.
- But he ditched you, forgot all about your plans.
I didn't have what he had.
Nobody did.
He left you with nothing.
That why you sold this tape and the trick to Grady ? The guy you hated ? You could have hit that trick, made a name for yourself.
No.
- No what, Cal ? - I couldn't do it ! Not then.
Not after.
Not ever.
And he was leaving me behind.
- Been looking for that.
- Come all the way down here just to make sure I didn't sell Vonda's camera ? What are you doing ? What's it look like ? Working on the trick.
Something else you want to tell me, like how you signed with Accelerator ? I need the money, Cal.
Going to try and get a place, have my brother move in with me.
Sure.
Why not ? Big-time now.
Ain't like that, man.
I'll be back.
- Your foot's too far back.
- Oh, you think ? - Just try it.
- I've been trying.
You tweakin' ? What's that matter to you ? Maybe if you stopped with the junk, you'd be able to nail it.
Maybe you should stop giving me advice, bro.
I thought we were going to work on this thing together.
- We can still do the video.
- Not if you're signed with Accelerator.
Get this trick.
I'll show it to them.
I guarantee they'll sign you.
Yeah, right.
Yeah.
Right.
All right.
Let's go.
Just get more speed and keep your foot back.
Keep your foot back.
Again.
Do it again.
Come on, Cal.
Hey, you think it's so easy ? Here.
You try it, big shot.
No.
It's yours.
I got to think of something else.
I'm just tired of busting my head.
- Come on, Cal.
- No.
You don't get it.
I can't do it.
All right ? I can't.
"Disarm" by Smashing Pumpkins.
* Disarm you with a smile * * cut you like you want me to * * cut that little child * * inside of me and such a part of you * * ooh, the years burn * * ooh, the years burn * * I used to be a little boy * so old in my shoes * * and what I choose is my choice * * what's a boy supposed to do ? * * The killer in me is the killer in you * * my love * * I send this smile over to you * * disarm me with a smile * * leave you like they left me here * * to wither in denial * * bitterness of one who's left alone * * ooh, the years burn * * ooh, the years burn * * burn * * burn * * I used to be a little boy * * so old in my shoes * * what I choose is my voice * * what's a boy supposed to do? * * The killer in me is the killer in you * * my love * * I send this smile over to you * * the killer in me is the killer in you * * send this smile over to you * * the killer in me is the killer in you * * send this smile over to you * * the killer in me is the killer in you * * send this smile over to you.
*
Pretty cool.
Super skater.
He got any special powers ? He can defenitely go invisible.
- How 'bout flying ? - Only on his board.
Without the board he's normal, like us.
How long they been at it ? Just started.
I got out like you said.
Followed the rules.
Always the same with you.
Yeah ?! What the hell you looking at ? Baby, please.
You got something you wanna say to me, boy ? Oh, want another piece of me ? Come on.
Baby, come back inside, okay ? I thought so.
Get in the damn house.
Remember the rules, okay ? It's getting like south beach in here.
Ac busted again? Cost-cutting measure.
City wants us to make do with fans.
I need you to field this one for me.
Something wrong, boss ? Besides spending the rest of my morning filling out budget reports? - This a grounder or a mystery ? - M.
E.
's office kicked him to us.
Thinks he has info on a John Doe murder in Brewerytown in '95.
Lilly Rush.
My partner, scotty valens.
Hi.
Mick simpson.
Told you got information on a john doe murder.
My brother, Nash.
Ran away spring of '95.
I never heard from him again.
Ran away from where? Gloucester city, new jersey.
Things at home were, uh Tough ? Checked with the coroner, said you had a white male listed back then about the same age as my brother.
What makes you think it's your brother ? My mother just got sent to court-ordered detox and then jail.
Cleaning out the house to put it on the market and we found this.
Gonna need to connect the dots for us, Mick.
Well, my brother sent this from Philly.
It's postmarked the second week of june.
There's no note in the box ? Just the skateboard.
Must've been for my birthday.
Your mom neglected to give it to you ? Probably figured I'd use it to run away, like Nash did.
It's not him ? Pretty extensive decomp.
We're gonna need more than a postmark and an old photo to reopen the case.
Dental or medical records.
I don't have those.
There's nothing else in the file ? Brown-bag special.
Miscellaneous evidence found at the scene.
Well, I'd like to see whatever it is ? We don't normally It's okay.
My mother had a string of loser boyfriends Not to mention problems of her own.
That why your brother left ? He was older.
It was worse for him.
I always thought he'd come back and take me away with him.
Recognize anything ? Super skater.
Mean something ? It's from my sketch book.
I gave that to him the day he ran away.
Well, looks like we might've found your brother.
Cold Case Season 7 Episode 2 Hoodrats Nash simpson, 17 years old.
ME estimates he was killed the last week of june.
Blunt-force trauma, head and neck.
Body was dumped down a vent pipe in brewerytown.
Wasn't discovered until july.
Filed as a john doe due to extensive decomp, lack of evidence.
The assigned back in the day hit a quick dead end-- No id, zero witnesses.
Kid jumped by a homeless guy, or a drug score gone bad ? Tox reports didn't find any drugs or alcohol in his system.
Brother Mick confirmed Nash ran away from home in march after one too many bouts with mom's boyfriend.
Spoke to mom in lockup over in Jersey, a real peach.
Chelsey simpson.
Told her what happened to Nash, got crickets.
What about the boyfriend ? Croaked Hep-c.
Real tragedy.
The last contact mick had was a box his brother sent from Philly, postmarked june ninth.
The thing's got some heft.
Blunt-force trauma, huh ? Have forensics take a look at that, Lilly.
Got a hit on Nash.
Issued a bench warrant for failure to appear on a summary citation in the ninth district.
City code violation 3261.
Skateboarding on city property, public nuisance.
Arresting officer, Joe Mueller.
Nightstick Joe.
Know him ? Still on the beat.
I'll have him come in.
See what he remembers.
Mijo.
Viejo,what are you doing here ? - How are ya ? - Fine.
I was in the area, figured I'd bring these down.
Cross-trainers.
Buy one, get the second pair half price.
Figured you could use 'em.
Thanks, pops.
Uh You got a minute ? Yeah, sure.
Did you want some coffee, or ? No, thank you.
Talk to your mother lately ? Yeah, last week.
Why ? Probably nothing.
You came all the way down here to give me a pair of sneakers ? Come on.
She's acting funny.
Isn't where she says she is.
And when I ask, she lies.
She's taking tai chi in the park.
For God's sake, does that sound like your mother ? Tai chi ? Says it relaxes her.
Do you want me to check on her ? I don't know.
Maybe call her, but don't tell her we talked, okay ? Done all right for yourself, John.
Makes me wish I'd taken a few tests.
It's never too late, Joe.
Are you kidding me ? They just took away all my overtime.
Hear there's a big shake-up going downtown with the brass.
It's above my pay grade.
Yeah, mine, too.
So what can I do for ya, Johnny ? A citation you wrote for a Nash Simpson, march, 1995.
Know how many citations I've written, honey ? It's detective rush.
Ten years on the job.
And this kid ended up dead in Brewerytown.
Runaway.
City chews up runaways.
I remember this kid.
One of those Love Park hoodrats.
Cops ! Cops ! Run ! I.
d.
, numbnuts ! No skate parks in Jersey ? You got a place to stay ? No.
You can't sleep in the park.
I know.
- Not supposed to skate here neither.
- Run ! Run, run, run ! Son of a bitch ! Yeah, my sergeant ripped me a fresh one over the damage to my vehicle.
- Who was the other kid ? - Cal Something mexican.
I can look it up, if you want.
- Bad news ? - Possession, theft, vandalism.
I caught up with him.
We had a discussion about the error of his ways, if you catch my drift.
Next week's better for me.
Right.
Talk to you then.
Your old man ? Yeah.
Wants me to meet the family.
Yeah.
The one with the ink.
Cal Acevedo ? Depends.
Nightstick Joe says hello.
Ring a bell ? More like rang mine a few times.
Guy had it out for skaters.
Ever skate in Brewerytown in an old cement factory ? Nah, nothing to skate there.
Love Park was the spot.
How about Nash Simpson ? Haven't heard that name in a while.
But you guys were buds, right ? Long time ago, but yeah, we skated.
Nash's body was dumped there in '95.
Always figured he split town.
What made you figure that ? He was always talking about going to California.
Figured that's just where he ended up.
- He running from something ? - Just home.
Any idea what Nash was doing in Brewerytown ? Looking to score ? Nah, drugs were my cross, not his.
Skaters can be pretty harsh, man.
Fights ? Happens.
Nash was from Jersey.
Dudes 'round here didn't want the park blown out.
But me and Nash had each other's backs.
"Skull" by Sebadoh.
- Where we gonna crash tonight ? - Something will turn up.
Right now my wheels are flatspotted.
Need new ones.
Dude, I don't know.
Watch.
- You bang it, you buy it.
- Yeah, yeah.
Whoa! Dude's got vert playing.
Haven't seen that in a while.
You know him ? Yes.
Grady Giles.
Calls himself "double g" now.
He good ? Best in philly.
- Planning on paying for those ? - What ? Don't bring your crap in here again.
Stealing from another skater.
- Where's your head at ? - I was gonna put them back.
You can tell that to the cops.
Whoa, relax, man.
We paid for it.
Bailed me out big time.
That was his last 20 bucks.
Who's Batman ? Old vert dog named Hess, owned the shop.
Course, he threw me out.
- Just you ? - Yeah, Hess liked Nash.
Uh, let him crash in the basement, had him do odd jobs.
- How come you didn't stay there ? - Did a few times, but the guy was always trying to take pictures of us.
Pictures ? of shirtless skaters ? Creepy.
Let me guess.
You're not looking for boards.
You see one like this before ? No.
Belonged to Nash Simpson.
Remember him ? Back when, yeah.
Good kid.
Let him sleep in the shop.
Just for a couple of months.
Let lots of skaters crash here.
In exchange for what ? What's this about ? Nash was killed back in '95.
Body dumped in Brewerytown.
You like young boys hanging around, huh ? Huh ? No.
Wait a minute, who Who told you that crap ? Cal Acevedo.
No Said you took a special interest in Nash.
The guy was a junkie, man.
Nash go down that path ? - Not that I remember.
- We're trying to figure out your relationship to him.
Look, man, Philly was blowing up 'cause of my shop.
And the connections I had out west brought attention to a lot of good skaters.
- Nash one of em ? - Should have been.
He did stuff back in '95 dudes are still trying today.
"Start Choppin" by Dinosaur Jr.
You messed up my line, kook.
Come on, Grady.
Go back where you came from.
Didn't mean to get in the way of your Smith grind.
Smith Grind.
Smith grind ? More like smith grind, kickflip out.
Fool's gonna break his face.
That was for free ! And a broken board, no doubt ! - You get that ? - Got it.
Come on, man.
See, Grady thought he was top dog.
Didn't like Nash coming out of nowhere, showing him up.
Grady big-time now ? Yeah.
Big-time sellout.
You can buy his board at Blue Mart.
Dude forgot where he came from.
Nash steal Grady's girl like he stole his thunder ? I remember her coming around the shop, trying to get Nash's attention.
You saying Grady came after him ? All I know is after Nash split, Vonda got right back in line.
We don't want none.
How about some of this ? My bad.
Thought you was Jehovah's.
Investigating Nash Simpson's murder.
Sorry to hear that, haven't seen that guy in years.
Yeah, when was that ? huh ? Last time you saw him ? Uh, like, way before our wonderful mayor decided to ban skateboarding back in '01.
Well, what about Brewerytown ? What about it ? It's where Nash's body turned up.
News to me.
Well, here's another headline, hotshot.
Heard he was tapping your girl, Vonda.
-Trying to ambush me ? / - We're gonna do a whole lot more than that, you don't drop the amnesiac jackass bit and start answering our questions.
Listen.
Dude was good.
Considering he was a kook from Jersey.
I tried to throw his boys a bone.
Fools couldn't get out of their own way.
You need one of these, bro.
Fool went and put rims on his ride.
Where'd Grady get all that gear? Accelerator sponsored him.
What's up, fellas ? Got two boards left from my package.
Tail's too square.
At least I got boards.
It's called, "being sponsored.
" I go pro, I'll be seeing ya.
No thanks, man.
We're working on our thing.
Yeah, like, top secret, right ? Said we already got our own thing.
We don't need to be riding your decks.
All right.
Well, good luck to you.
Real big of you, considering Nash was getting with your girl.
Come on, man.
She came back.
They always do.
- Didn't stick ? - No, no, no.
Had to kick her to the curb 'cause she couldn't fathom the level I operate on.
Hey.
Check out the kicks.
New colorway we're launching with the, uh, video game, energy drink.
Whole package.
Rad.
- Sorry I'm late.
- It's all right.
Something wrong ? Your hair Your father doesn't like it.
- It's different.
- Oh, you, too, now ? Looks good.
All right.
Enough with the interrogation.
I know he put you up to this.
What, I can't have lunch with my own mother ? Now I know you're lying.
He's just worried.
The man worries about everything.
I'm fine.
Tai chi ? It helps me get centered.
Centered ? So, you know this instructor, or.
.
You and your father need to mind your own business.
Do you have any more questions, or can we order ? Thanks for coming in, Vonda.
You teach photography now ? Uh, photography, digital arts.
Pays the bills.
Got an old photo here.
Thought you could analyze this for us.
Nash.
What is this about ? Him winding up dead in Brewerytown back in '95.
- Dead ? - He was your boyfriend, right ? We weren't that serious.
When was the last time you saw Nash ? End of june, I think.
And you thought what, exactly, when he disappeared ? Stupid.
I let him borrow my video camera.
And I thought he used me.
'cause I-I knew how bad he needed that money.
What's with you and that logo ? What's with you and that camera ? I see things.
- Like what ? - I don't know.
Like the way you skate.
Nobody has control like you.
That a good thing ? You attack it.
I mean, somehow, you make it look beautiful.
I don't really think about it.
I just do it.
"Leg" by Bettie Serveert.
The logo ? My brother made it up.
You have a brother ? He's 13.
I haven't seen him since I split home.
He's so talented.
If you miss him so much, why don't you just go back home ? Just make things worse for him.
I got to get him out of there.
Well, you could have him live with you.
I sleep on the floor.
I got no money.
Here.
What's this for ? Film a part.
Send a "sponsor me" video to a California company.
I don't know.
Nash, it doesn't Doesn't matter how good you are if you don't show anyone.
I'm working on something.
I want to see.
Not ready yet.
But when it is, you'll be the first.
You promise ? Promise.
The way that he skated, Nash would have been bigger than Grady.
He wanted to get his brother to Philly ? He couldn't get custody unless he had a source of income.
A good video with a few bangers, you could really make a name for yourself.
Bangers ? Tricks.
Guys would spend weeks trying to nail a trick perfectly.
That how Grady made his name ? Yeah, I have boxes of tapes of Grady trying the most ridiculous tricks over and over again.
- Any footage of Nash ? - Maybe.
I haven't watched those in years.
We'd like to take a look at those.
Scotty, you, uh, you requisition a new fax machine ? - It's broken.
- Yeah.
Request denied.
We switching to pigeons ? Budget cuts.
We're gonna have to make do.
If that's another expense sheet, lil Phone records.
Got a call from the skate shop in Jersey right before Nash was killed.
And next day, Nash's mom, Chelsey, and the boyfriend Rafe, took a road trip to Philly.
Ran their names, got a hit.
Rafe stockton got into a bar fight in Brewerytown.
Rearranged some guy's face.
Booked for disorderly conduct.
Simple assault charge got thrown out.
All right, pay mom a visit, see what happened at the family reunion.
You lied to us, Chelsey.
What about it ? You and Rafe were in Philly the week your son was murdered.
Yeah, well, I don't have to talk to you.
No, you don't.
It's just your kid who's dead.
And yet you keep jerking us around.
Keep it up, I'll have the DA pile on conspiracy, - and extend your stay.
- Not like I got anything waiting for me out there.
Well, there's always vodka.
My mom liked hers straight, you know, in those plastic bottles that don't break when you pass out.
Gin.
Hey I get it I mean, my mom was no June Cleaver.
The messed-up thing was I still loved her.
And in her own way, she loved me.
What do you want from me ? I want to know why you went to Philly.
Because I missed my son.
Hey, baby.
Where's Mick ? Thought you were gonna bring him.
I couldn't.
Uh Rafe is here, isn't he ? I told him to stay in the car.
You're wrong about him.
Okay, I mean, he's, he's got me on the straight and narrow.
Is that why you smell like gin ? You ask me to come all this way so you can judge me ? I want Mick to come live with me.
What ? You don't know the first thing about raising a kid like Mick.
And you do ? I'm gonna get a place of my own.
I got money.
Money from what ? Skating.
Right.
Look, I got a sponsor.
Hey, baby, how about giving me some of that money, 'cause ? Did you ever give Mick that board I sent ? Uh I will, I will.
That was the last time I ever saw him.
He got money from a sponsor ? Never made any sense to me.
I know he was living outta some skateboard shop.
- Guy named Hess ? - Could be.
Not a day goes by that I don't think about what I did to those boys.
Make it quick, Scotty.
They're waiting for me on the fifth floor.
Something going down ? I'm not goin' for the coffee.
Tracked down the manufacturer on the skateboard Nash sent his brother.
Board was a protype, custom-designed by Hess.
The first order was for 200 blanks.
Hess bet big on Nash.
Same guy was singing the blues about how big money ruined the sport.
Yeah, but the manufacturer said Hess canceled the order june 29 and refused to pay the rest of his bill.
Yeah, took him to small claims court.
After that, Hess claims bankruptcy.
And Nash winds up dead.
So why're you still standing here telling me about it ? What's eating the boss ? Doherty just got appointed to oversee the detective's bureau.
Wondering if you could make me one like this.
Capitalize on the sport, but then again it might be a little late for that.
I get by.
Don't wanna sell out, is that it ? Seems you were ready to back in '95.
Lot of boards.
More than I could sell.
Nash woulda helped with that.
Seeing as how you'd tapped him to be a star.
Never happened.
Why is that, Hess ? People, people forget.
This is the place where it all started.
Without my shop, Philly never woulda taken off.
I had a plan, too, till somebody beat me to the punch.
Hey, check this out.
Just like the one you sent your brother, but this one's got a carbon-fiber ply in between the wood.
Impossible to break, man.
Cool.
These are high-end blanks, man, not some chinese crap.
It's all coming together.
Really ? Yeah, man ! And check it, your name's gonna be on every board.
Gonna do it right, soon as I get the funds.
That sounds awesome, but, um, i'm-i'm just getting started.
And this is how you do it, man.
I'll be your sponsor.
We'll keep it east coast.
I can't.
Don't tell me you're not ready.
You're better than everyone in Philly.
That's not it.
I already got a sponsor.
What ? Accelerator.
Skated a live demo for them.
They're gonna hook me up with a board.
When ? Yesterday.
Love Park.
I couldn't wait.
If you needed money, man, all you had to do was ask.
You can barely make the rent, Hess.
I didn't wanna.
Look, I'm sorry, but I gotta take my shot now.
After all I've done for you ? "Palomine" by Bettie Serveert.
Just get the hell out.
It's a matter of time before he got snapped up.
Bunch of corporate sharks buying street cred.
Accelerator was Grady's sponsor.
Made a lot of money off those kids.
You weren't trying to do the same thing ? My stuff had integrity.
Maybe.
But you never saw him again ? Can't say I blame him.
I was small-time.
Guess I'll always be.
Found some interesting stuff on these tapes, Vonda.
Need you to put it together for us.
You recognize that ? Grady.
A long time ago.
Summer of '95.
Time code has him doing this july 26.
Kept doing it over and over, but never quite nailed that banger, though.
Must've been something he was working on.
Tape was in the box you gave us.
Some of those were Grady's.
After we broke up, he was too famous to move his stuff out.
What about this ? Nash.
Same trick.
Same place where we found Nash's body.
Time code has Nash doing this trick june 27.
Nash did it first ? And better.
A month before yo-yo Grady even tried it.
Only Nash nailed it.
So Grady stole his trick.
But Grady got all the marbles.
Blew up, became the big man on the scene.
Nothing but a thief.
Or a killer.
Tough trick.
Yeah, gotta innovate and elevate.
It's what I do.
Didn't bring you down here to admire your innovations.
Remember where that was, Grady ? Oh, some warehouse.
That trick was too sketchy.
Good thing Vonda held onto it after you kicked her to the curb.
Know what's on this ? Check it, man.
I look like one of your psychic friends ? It's bad luck wearing a hat inside.
It's a tape of Nash in Brewerytown.
Yeah ? Yeah, same warehouse.
One month prior to the one you made trying that exact same trick.
Not being psychic, but I'd say your future's mandatory ten-year jolt.
That's kook, man.
You're saying I killed him over that trick ? I told you, it was too sketchy.
He took your girl Vonda.
You stole his trick.
You saw him stick it.
Decided to take it for yourself.
No, no, man.
Wasn't like that.
No, you came out top dog on the east coast.
Hooked up with a big-time sponsor, you never looked back.
The only way you could have this tape of Nash was if you were there that night.
And we got your lying ass, same location.
Look Truth ? I tried to snake the trick, all right ? But only off the tape.
The tape ? What are you talking about ? I was never there when he hit the trick, man.
I wish I was.
Damn, how'd he do that ? It don't matter 'cause he split.
And what are you showing me this for ? - You can do it.
- Nah.
- You can just add that double G style.
- Yeah.
Why don't you bust it ? Look, you want the tape or not ? First I got to know where this is at.
Come on, man.
I need the money.
Only got $40.
Brewerytown.
A warehouse we found.
It's totally set up.
All right.
Now, get.
Took me a month.
I still couldn't hit that trick the way he did.
Why didn't you get rid of the tape ? I couldn't, man.
That trick was Too beautiful.
Now, where'd Cal get the tape ? Cal was Nash's boy.
I just figured he was there.
Some jurassic technology, huh ? Unless you want to spring to have the tape analyzed.
It's not up to me, Lil.
I heard about Doherty.
Just have to do the job better with less.
.
Have a seat, Cal.
What ? Well, innocent guys don't just take a seat.
Deep down, you knew this day was coming, Cal.
Lost a lot of years to drugs.
I made no secret of that.
Probably don't remember some of the stuff you did to score.
Popped for meth twice.
Five months in county, caught jacking car stereos.
I told you, those days are behind me.
Yeah, but this ain't.
Want to know what's on there ? Why don't you tell me ? It's footage of your best friend's last night on earth.
June 27.
Warehouse in Brewerytown.
Remember that ? No.
Come on, Cal.
That night Nash skated that line ? Tore it up.
Epic stuff.
I mean, so good you sold the tape of it to Grady.
I don't know what you're talking about.
I wasn't there.
Well, in that case, you won't mind if we get a voice read.
- For what ? - Well, need to match a voice our techs discovered on the tape.
Say "Nash" into the mic.
We know you were there that night.
But what we can't figure is why you'd sell the tape to Grady.
The only way you'd sell out a friend like that was if you knew he wasn't coming back.
Just say your friend's name.
I'm not going to do that.
I want to hear you say it ! You were there.
We know you were there.
Maybe I was.
Nash tell you he signed with Grady's sponsor ? I heard it from somebody else.
But you and him were gonna do your own thing.
Was that it ? - We were a team.
- But he ditched you, forgot all about your plans.
I didn't have what he had.
Nobody did.
He left you with nothing.
That why you sold this tape and the trick to Grady ? The guy you hated ? You could have hit that trick, made a name for yourself.
No.
- No what, Cal ? - I couldn't do it ! Not then.
Not after.
Not ever.
And he was leaving me behind.
- Been looking for that.
- Come all the way down here just to make sure I didn't sell Vonda's camera ? What are you doing ? What's it look like ? Working on the trick.
Something else you want to tell me, like how you signed with Accelerator ? I need the money, Cal.
Going to try and get a place, have my brother move in with me.
Sure.
Why not ? Big-time now.
Ain't like that, man.
I'll be back.
- Your foot's too far back.
- Oh, you think ? - Just try it.
- I've been trying.
You tweakin' ? What's that matter to you ? Maybe if you stopped with the junk, you'd be able to nail it.
Maybe you should stop giving me advice, bro.
I thought we were going to work on this thing together.
- We can still do the video.
- Not if you're signed with Accelerator.
Get this trick.
I'll show it to them.
I guarantee they'll sign you.
Yeah, right.
Yeah.
Right.
All right.
Let's go.
Just get more speed and keep your foot back.
Keep your foot back.
Again.
Do it again.
Come on, Cal.
Hey, you think it's so easy ? Here.
You try it, big shot.
No.
It's yours.
I got to think of something else.
I'm just tired of busting my head.
- Come on, Cal.
- No.
You don't get it.
I can't do it.
All right ? I can't.
"Disarm" by Smashing Pumpkins.
* Disarm you with a smile * * cut you like you want me to * * cut that little child * * inside of me and such a part of you * * ooh, the years burn * * ooh, the years burn * * I used to be a little boy * so old in my shoes * * and what I choose is my choice * * what's a boy supposed to do ? * * The killer in me is the killer in you * * my love * * I send this smile over to you * * disarm me with a smile * * leave you like they left me here * * to wither in denial * * bitterness of one who's left alone * * ooh, the years burn * * ooh, the years burn * * burn * * burn * * I used to be a little boy * * so old in my shoes * * what I choose is my voice * * what's a boy supposed to do? * * The killer in me is the killer in you * * my love * * I send this smile over to you * * the killer in me is the killer in you * * send this smile over to you * * the killer in me is the killer in you * * send this smile over to you * * the killer in me is the killer in you * * send this smile over to you.
*