Without a Trace s07e07 Episode Script

Where are you sneaking off to? Well, I work at this place.
It's called the FBI.
I'm a special agent.
And your name is Elena Delgado? That would have been bad.
What is this? - It's a present.
- For me? No, no.
It's for my other girlfriend.
- This is beautiful.
- I know.
I have great taste.
What's it for? You don't know? - Tell me.
- I'm not telling you.
You know I can make you talk.
I've done it plenty of times before.
Come here.
Okay.
Dime, dime, dime, dim For the record, moaning doesn't constitute talking.
Okay.
I got to go to work.
America needs me.
No, I need you.
Come here.
Come on.
Stay with me Hey, what do you want me to do, drive over them? Chris.
- Vince, hey.
- What's up, man? How long has it been, senior year? - I think so.
- How you been? Can't complain.
How about you? - I'm doing okay.
- We're heading out there to shoot some hoops.
We can use somebody who could hit from the outside.
- You want to run? - I'd love to, but the legs don't work.
I know.
It's, like, what happened to my vertical? But don't sweat it.
It's a friendly game.
No, seriously.
They don't work at all.
Man, I'm sorry.
What happened? Life.
Go ahead, Chris.
- All right.
Take it easy.
- Wait a minute Our missing person is Chris Howe, Got hit by a truck two years ago.
His brother said that he left home this morning in his van and never came back.
Only this morning? Isn't that a bit premature? Could just be out running errands.
That would be difficult.
NYPD just pulled this out of a Dumpster in Queens.
The serial number on it matches Chris's wheelchair.
Well, he's not getting far without that.
If his van's missing, we could be looking at a carjacking.
There could be a better reason.
He was suing the company of the truck that hit him for $5 million.
Well, that's five million better reasons.
Without A Trace Season 7 Episode 07 "Rewind" - They found his wheelchair in Queens? - Yeah.
Any idea why he'd be in that area? I don't know what he'd be doing there.
Spends most of his time in his room on his laptop.
I'm gonna need to look at that laptop, see what he has on it.
What can you tell us about the accident? Well, he was traing for the Police Academy.
Did that ride every night without a problem.
Truck driver said he couldn't stop in time.
How could he? The company hadn't serviced those brakes in two years.
Had Had Chris ever made contact with the truck driver? His lawyer said not to but he never blamed the driver.
He was suing the trucking company for negligence.
Their insurance have been doing everything they can to get Chris to drop the suit.
- Like what? - They had someone we think it was a private eye following Chris around.
Everywhere he went this guy was there.
So, this time, he follows me all the way into the market, right? Like he's gonna catch me standing up reaching for some boxes of oatmeal.
You sure it was the same guy? Unless they shaved a monkey and taught him how to drive, it was the same guy.
It has been two years.
Do they really think I'm faking this? Do they think I'd sit in this chair for two years for some money? What did your lawyer say? Insurance companies use these guys to harass people into dropping their lawsuits.
You know what we're going to do? Put this on.
Put the hood up, get in the chair, and then wheel out into the driveway, and the moment you see Monkeyboy looking at you, you jump out of the chair and rush into the house.
No, no.
Cartwheel into the house.
You can't let them get to you.
I can't help it.
I'm just so tired of all of this.
Hey, come on, man.
The only way to win is to outlast the bastards.
Why won't they do the right thing and pay me? Then last week, Chris comes out of Kings Plaza, and his tires are slashed.
Any idea why the escalation? We think it was because a trial date had just been set for the lawsuit.
All right, can you describe the man who was in the car? No, it had tinted windows, so I never saw him.
But I took down the license plate number.
That's great.
So, the insurance company officially denies hiring anyone to harass or intimidate Chris.
Of course, you have to believe them.
They're the insurance company.
Yeah, right.
Hopefully, you're doing better.
Well, I can see why they'd go after this guy.
Jury would love him.
He's an athlete, a week away from joining the Police Academy; he's a slam-dunk.
Okay, listen to this.
Tech says the hard drive on Chris's computer had been wiped clean, and they can't figure out who did it.
Any idea what was on it? Yeah, all of the files from Chris's lawsuit.
All right, the car that was following Chris is owned by the Platinum Leasing Company.
And they'll be happy to tell us who leased the car as soon as we give them a subpoena.
Oh.
Want me to start the paperwork? No, I got it.
That's pretty.
What, this? Thank you.
I just I thought I'd treat myself.
Why not, right? According to Chris's credit card records, he was a regular here.
Was he a big drinker? Not really.
Chris would come in, he would pay me a couple extra bucks.
I would take his chair, put it in the back where nobody knew.
Then he would sit by the bar and flirt with the girls.
Flirt with girls.
He'd pick up girls? - I mean, how did that work? - It wasn't about hooking up for Chris.
It was about being treated like a man.
He hated sympathy.
Now, he was involved in a massive lawsuit.
Did you ever see anyone giving him a hard time? There was this guy.
I assumed that Chris flirted with the wrong girl that day.
This one's on me.
You must be a regular.
- Is that code for alcoholic? - No.
I like neighborhood bars.
They're full of interesting characters and tragic tales.
Excuse me, sweetie.
What are you drinking? Looks better than my beer.
Come on.
Ask me a question.
So why did you move east? Work, but I love the seasons.
Oh, me, too.
There's nothing better than watching the leaves change.
You and me should take a ride up and check out.
Hey, why don't you go be mentally challenged someplace else? Why don't you make me, princess? Come on, man.
Get up! Hey, stop! Then why don't you get up? Something wrong with your legs? Hey! He can't walk, jerk.
Never saw the guy before.
By the time the cops showed up, he was long gone.
Excuse me.
I'll be right back.
So this guy goes to the only person in the bar, who can't walk and asks him if something wrong with his legs.
Then assaults him.
Sounds like Chris wasn't getting the message, so they turned up the volume.
All right, how about you explain why a car leased to you was following this guy around? Never saw him before.
I'm sorry.
I must have missed the part where he actually looks at the picture.
I have exceptional peripheral vision.
I'm sure that comes in very handy in your line of work.
Private investigation does have its challenges.
What, like leg-breaking for the insurance companies? Harassing this guy wasn't getting anywhere, so you hired Mr.
No-Neck here to kick his ass.
Let me tell you: we're going to pick up this gorilla, and when we do, he's going to rat you out.
Can I ask you a question? Do you get a discount for killing a guy in a wheelchair? - That's insulting.
- No, you know what's insulting? What's insulting is that you think that we're as stupid as you are.
We can link you to that car.
And I can have your license yanked.
If I were to send somebody to talk to this kid, it would have been superfluous.
That is a very big word for a guy like you.
What I'm saying is, if this kid is in trouble, he brought it on himself.
He was into some sick stuff.
Get off my property! I was going to be polite and introduce myself, but whatever.
I'm here to tell you it'd be in your interest to drop the lawsuit.
Yeah? Do me a favor.
Lift me up so you can kiss my ass.
I have to hand it to you.
Getting this stuff off your computer was tough.
But like my guy says, where there's Wi-Fi, there's a way.
You hacked my computer? Something called an ARP request reinjection attack.
Cost a bundle, but it was worth it.
You're a sick puppy.
Drop the suit and nobody else has to know how sick.
You're wasting your time.
What's wrong with you? You want your family to know what you really are? You want to know what I really am? I'm the guy who's going to spend the rest of his life in this, okay? So the next time you want to give me something, you better give me a check.
So what was in the envelope? Stuff I got off his computer.
Pictures.
Online sex chats with a teenage girl.
It made me nauseous.
Well, you're nothing if not sensitive.
We're going to need those files.
That material's privileged.
I'll have to talk to my clients first.
Sit down.
I'll tell you what though.
Your lawyer can bring those files in for us.
Now why would I need a lawyer? Because you just admitted to extortion, genius.
I would have thought with your extraordinary peripheral vision, you would have seen that one coming.
Nothing in Chris's profile that would lead you to believe he'd be into this crap.
- I don't get it.
- Here's what I think.
After the accident, he's spending a lot of time online.
He's stuck in that wheelchair, but nobody could see him, So he can be whoever he wants.
He starts to chat with this girl, KitKat - Who's 14.
- I don't think he knew that at first.
So they're chatting; they have this relationship, and well, things go too far.
That's an understatement.
You look the transcripts from their chat? - It was creepy.
- I never said he doesn't have issues.
What about the driver, Ray Bennett? He hasn't been able to keep a steady job since he got fired for hitting Chris.
- Does he have an alibi? - He says he was at work.
- His boss confirms it.
- Okay.
Take a look at these.
Once Lucy knew what she was looking for she was able to recover chats from Chris's hard drive, all of them to the same girl, "KitKat14".
- Do we have any idea who she is? - No.
But in one of the chats she gave Chris a local address where they're supposed to meet today.
- I'll take the back.
- Okay.
KitKat? Hi.
I I thought you were coming in after work.
Come on in.
Did you have any trouble finding the place? Why don't you have a seat.
I'm going to get changed.
Okay.
Hey, KitKat.
FBI.
Anton, the feds are here! What do you want? KitKat, would you mind letting Agent Johnson in the back door? Chris wasn't a pedophile.
He worked for Twisted Vengeance trying to catch them.
And what exactly is Twisted Vengeance? An organization I created three years ago to go after online predators.
And what did Chris do for you? Well, we hang out in chat rooms, posing as teenage girls, we wait to be contacted by sex offenders looking for underage victims.
So, all that data we collected from Chris's computer that was him pretending to be KitKat14? Yes.
Yeah, he's one of my best operatives.
And how did he come to work for you? Well, he saw our web site online, gave me a call.
He said if he couldn't be cop, he could put some of these guys in prison.
Do you need some help with that? No, no, you talking to me is plenty help.
So, let me get this straight.
When one of these perverts would contact you to have sex with an underage girl, - you would set up a sting? - Yeah.
Yeah, Chris videotaped while Lisa, or KitKat, posed as a teenager; then I told the scumbags we'd be posting all the information online, ruing their lives.
Was there any police involvement? We send local law enforcement all of the information.
When the sting is finished It's a good thing that you have these cameras.
Because you gonna need footage as evidence when one of those perverts comes in here and kills you.
Okay, if you guys did your job, we wouldn't have to.
Look, without people like me, these animals would be everywhere.
You know, I'm really sorry.
I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.
What I meant to say was that a plan this stupid must have gone wrong once or twice.
When was the last time? We handled everything that came our way.
But a couple of days ago things did get a little out of hand.
I poured you some lemonade.
Have a seat.
I'm just going to get out of these clothes.
What's going on, Barry? - I think I'm in the wrong house.
- Really? Aren't you here to see KitKat? You're a little bit early.
But then you probably couldn't wait to violate a child.
Just pretend I'm not here.
- Look, this was a mistake.
- It doesn't sound like a mistake.
I mean, when she asks if you care she's a virgin, you write: "Once I do you, "you'll be begging for it "like a dog.
" Don't put this all on me.
She was into it, too! Barry, I'm going to make sure everybody you've ever met reads these chats and sees that video.
Okay, your life is over, Barry.
How does that feel? - Give me the camera.
- Come and get it.
- I don't want to hurt you, but I - I was thinking the same thing.
Then the guy just took off.
Well, did Chris say why he was carrying a gun? He got beaten up by some guy in a bar and he said he never wanted to feel that powerless again.
Well, we're going to need to see all of the video from that day.
I can't.
The day after Chris pulled the gun, somebody broke in.
I told Anton we need locks on these windows.
And the tape with yesterday's stings is gone.
Damn it! This is getting out of hand.
Don't worry, 'cause I'm gonna take care of these guys.
No, this is not what I signed up for, okay? That gun business really freaked me out, Chris.
It's all getting way too intense: the chats, what those sickos write back to me.
It's like I'm getting infected by it.
Then maybe it's time for you to stop, okay? And what about you? You should get out before it totally pollutes your soul.
Yeah, well If you're gonna pull that "I'm broken" stuff on me again, I don't want to hear it.
I belong here.
Why? What did you do to deserve this? I got to go.
Well, Chris was sure that Barry stole the tapes because he was the last person here.
And he said he was going to make him pay.
Well, did you get a look at Barry's car or his license plate? No, but he had to have been a local because it only took him half an hour to get here after I talked to him.
Well, did Chris know where Barry lives? He and Anton had a lot of information on these guys.
And if he didn't know, he could figure it out.
- For me? - No, for my other boyfriend.
Yeah? Am I cuter than your other boyfriend? Come on.
Open it.
Did you get me this 'cause I got you something this morning? Of course not.
To celebrate our special day.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
What's our special day? Okay, why do I have to tell you? 'Cause you don't know what it is.
That's why.
- I do.
- No, you don't.
I have to get back to work.
- Your coffee.
- Be careful.
- It's really hot.
- Thanks.
Still no hits on Barry? There's a lot of sex offenders in that area.
- There's a lot everywhere.
- I know.
Makes you want to lock your kids up.
Or take a more proactive approach, like this guy Chris.
Yeah, but it's not the best approach.
I mean, the gun gave him a false sense of security.
The guy was taken by surprise.
If Chris goes after him again, odds are he'll be ready.
Okay.
Barry, meet Harry.
Hey.
He's in 109.
- Wait, Barry's Harry? - Yes, he is.
Obviously, this guy didn't take Aliases 101.
We're not dealing with the sharpest pedophile in the drawer.
It's been a month since he was released - for molesting his stepdaughter.
- A whole month.
That's what I call rehabilitation.
It's stuck.
You want to give it a go? It's your turn.
- No, you get this one.
- No, you got honors.
I'm wearing new shoes, man.
Just come on.
"New shoes.
" FBI! We got a shot to the head.
Well, you don't need legs to pull a trigger.
We need to canvass the neighborhood.
Our guy was either in a wheelchair or driving a handicap-equipped van.
Somebody had to notice him.
All right, thanks.
Okay, the shell casing is from A.
380, the same caliber of gun that Chris registered.
I'm gonna have ERT run the prints off these root beer bottles.
They were half full, which makes me think this guy was not alone.
I'm not so sure that the second set of prints are to Chris.
Why would he hang out and have a root beer with this scumbag? Whenever I shoot a perv, I always invite him over for pizza first.
I thought you might like a root beer, Wallace.
You know what I find strange, Agent Delgado? What's that, Agent Malone? I find it strange that Wallace has been in our care for what has he asked us why.
Why have you It's not gonna be believable now.
We found your prints at the scene of homicide of one of your associates.
You remember Harry, right? You were cellmates in Elmira.
I didn't kill Harry.
Oh, I never said you did.
Did you kill Chris after he killed Harry? Chris who? This is Chris, okay? I would never hurt a guy in a wheelchair.
- Who said about a wheelchair? - Not me.
Not me.
You know, it's a very special talent that you have, Wallace, to be able to identify someone who is in a wheelchair just from looking at a photo of their head.
We can prove you were associating with a known sex offender which is a clear violation of your parole.
Which means you're gonna go back to prison for five years.
If I cooperate, can we be flexible about talking to my PO? Okay, why don't you start cooperating, and we'll think about how flexible we can be.
I called Harry yesterday.
He sounded really jumpy on the phone, so I went by to see what was up.
You shouldn't have come.
The cops could be on way.
If they knew who you were, they'd already be here by now.
I can't believe I walked into a sting.
Maybe it's just your PO.
Bullets go through doors, Harry.
Back up.
How did you find me? I followed the slime trail.
Give me the tape you stole.
I don't have it.
Give me the tape! Please don't give this to the cops.
I can't go back to prison.
Shut up and get on your knees.
I swear to God.
I won't do anything like this again.
The chats were a slip.
I got depressed, and I started drinking.
No, don't stop talking.
You were in the middle of your excuse.
I'm just trying to explain.
Yeah, that it's not your fault, right? You're not some monster who destroys people's lives; you're a victim.
- I am.
- Yeah.
And sexually assaulting your ten-year-old stepdaughter, that wasn't your fault, either, was it? No, she was flirting with you, wasn't she? That's what you said in court, right? Right?! It just happened.
It happened, Harry, because you made it happen! The damage you did you did to yourself, so the next time you want to punish someone for your wasted life, you look in the mirror! I'm sorry.
Oh, God.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I can't go back to prison! I hid in the closet until I was sure that the guy was gone.
That was mighty, mighty courageous of you.
Well, that's all I got.
So what do you think? I think, Wallace, that you need to find another line of work.
You're just way too stupid to be a criminal.
Yes, thank you very much.
Okay, the ME confirms a suicide.
There was gunshot residue on the hands and at the point of impact.
The question is: where do you go after you see a guy kill himself? I'd go to a shrink.
- Delgado.
- You know, Viv, I was thinking, if there's other pedophiles on that tape that Chris took, he could just be going down the list.
Only, after this, he's probably taking a long, hard look at what he's been doing.
Okay, thank you.
Okay, so we canvassed the pay phones near the motel.
Chris used a phone card to make a call the night of the suicide.
Why didn't you tell us that Chris called here? - It didn't seem important.
- Excuse me.
Your brother telling you he witnessed a suicide didn't seem important? What suicide? Was Chris afraid that he was gonna get blamed for murder? What you're talking about? I don't know where Chris is, and he didn't say anything about somebody dying.
He just was really upset.
Said he had to talk to me.
What happened? I'm dropping the lawsuit.
What? No, come on.
We're so close.
Don't let these guys scare you off.
- That's not why I'm doing it.
- Then, why? Because the accident was my fault.
What? The driver couldn't stop because he never saw me coming.
I don't understand.
Remember what I was like back then, huh? Thought I was Superman.
Thought I could do anything.
Well, I was flying down that street when all of a sudden my light went out.
I should have stopped, but I didn't.
Then, three days later I wake up in the hospital, and they're telling me, "You're never gonna walk again.
"But don't worry.
It's not your fault.
There's nothing you could have done.
" And I let myself believe that because I couldn't face the truth.
- He still hit you.
- It was my fault.
Okay? And all that anger that I had at myself, I was taking that out on other people.
The harder I was pushing it away, the harder it was coming back.
I can't make people pay for what I've done anymore.
You don't have to drop the lawsuit.
Insurance companies have deep pockets.
Look, I know you need the money, and I swear to God, I will figure out a way to pay you back.
But this lie has done too much damage.
It's time I try to fix it.
I asked him to sleep on it, and he said he would.
The next morning, when I went to check on him, he was gone.
Chris dropping the lawsuit would cost you a lot of money.
- Things are tight, yeah.
- I'd say more than tight.
We know you had to take a second mortgage on this place to help pay for things like Chris's van and everything else.
A lot of people would be really angry if they were put in that debt.
What are you saying? That I did something to my brother? No, we're saying being handicapped is expensive.
I would never hurt Chris.
I was afraid the insurance company might hear about it, and I kept hoping he'd change his mind.
So, you're right.
It was all about the stupid money.
None of the principals from either side of the lawsuit ever heard from Chris.
Maybe he was abducted before had a chance to get around to it.
Maybe.
When he told his brother he had done too much damage, what do you think he was talking about? I go out on a limb and say that he wasn't going around apologizing to pedophiles.
Hey, guys, the wheelchair lift from the van just turned up at a chop shop.
Take a look at the guy who was trying to sell it: Ray Bennett, the truck driver that hit Chris.
But we confirmed he was working when Chris went missing.
Chris could have gone to him.
There's a lot of places in a salvage yard where you can bury a body.
Bennett had plenty of motive to go after our guy.
Within a year of accident, he declared bankruptcy and went through a divorce.
If Chris wanted to make amends, that would be a good place to start.
He probably should have sent a card.
Ray, that is Chris's van.
I ain't got nothing to say to you, man.
Okay, so his van and his gun just walked on to this yard all by themselves.
Is that what happened? I never wanted to have to do with this kid.
He's caused me enough problems in my life already.
- Tell me what happened.
- Look, I never touched the kid.
If you didn't, then you shouldn't have a problem talking to me about him? Talk, Ray.
Look, my entire last year has been a total nightmare and then this kid shows up out of nowhere.
Ray! It's Chris.
I know who you are.
I want to talk for a minute.
The lawyers said don't say nothing to you, man.
I came here to apologize.
For what? For not having the guts to tell you the truth.
The accident wasn't your fault, Ray.
Whose fault was it? It was mine.
My light was dead.
There was no way you were going to see me coming.
So what the hell do you want? Nothing.
I just I wanted to come here to say I was sorry.
Sorry?! Man, because of you, I lost my job.
Nobody would give me no insurance! Nobody would hire me to drive! They threw me and my children out of our home.
- Ray, if I could take it back, I - You can't take it back, man.
Do you have any idea what it feels like knowing it's your fault that somebody won't be able to walk ever again? Yeah.
I do.
I know it's not enough.
Okay, so, so he just came here and gave you his van? I knew you wasn't going to believe me.
That's why I didn't tell you I saw him.
Let's assume that I believe you.
Okay, where did he go after he gave you the van? He went across the street for a while, and some guy drove up - The kid got in the car and they left.
- What did the driver look like? - Dark hair.
Blue jacket.
- And how about the car? One of those late-model Sables.
It was silver.
Silver Sable.
I believe you, Ray.
Any luck finding that car? I just started, but the salvage yard was in the middle of nowhere, so I'm thinking that Chris must know whoever picked him up.
It wasn't the brother.
Try Bill Kowalski.
- Who's Bill Kowalski? - That's Anton Baker.
He changed his name after he set up Twisted Vengeance.
Maybe he didn't change the registration on his car.
Here we go.
2005 silver Sable.
FBI.
FBI.
Here.
Chris? Yeah.
- Anybody else down here with you? - No.
We got two down.
Get the paramedics.
Chris, don't move.
I'll be with you in a second, okay? He's dead, isn't he? Hold on a second; let me give you a hand.
I got you.
There you go.
You okay? He just wouldn't stop.
After the guy shot himself, did - did anybody see you leave the room? - No.
- And you didn't tell your brother? - No.
- Okay, what about the driver? - I told you I didn't tell anyone.
Anton, I'm done.
I can't do this anymore.
You're going to be fine.
You just need to take a couple of days.
Listen to me.
I wiped my hard drive clean.
All my files are gone.
I am telling you I can't do this anymore.
Hey.
We have to go to the police.
What are you talking about? I have to tell them what happened.
No, you can't.
Okay? They've been waiting for an excuse to shut us down.
This is all they'll need.
And I will tell them you had nothing to do with it.
All of this because one scumbag shot himself? If this were me, I'd be celebrating.
I'd take a picture and put it on my Christmas cards.
You do this to punish the guys for what they've done.
I was doing it to punish them for what I did.
That's over.
- You're not thinking clearly.
- Let go of me.
When we catch one of these guys, how many kids do you think we save? - Anton, I'm going.
- 5, 10, 20? - Let go! - If they shut us down, who's going - to be there to protect them? - I tell you, let go! - They need someone to protect them.
- I'm going! No, no.
- Say you're not going to the police.
- Stop.
- Say it! - Stop! When I woke up, he had me wrapped in plastic.
I guess Anton thought he killed me.
Yeah, that's probably why he ditched your chair.
I think he came back to get rid of the body.
No.
No, come on.
Come on.
Please.
Come on.
They're looking for you.
He said that now it was kidnapping and that he wasn't going to go to prison where he put all those other guys.
Please, I swear to God I won't tell anybody, I swear.
He just wouldn't stop.
And the thing is I just wanted to start over.
He wouldn't let me do it.
And for the life of me, I don't understand why.
Listen.
Anton's real name is Bill Kowalski.
He was sexually assaulted when he was 12 during a home invasion robbery, and they never caught the abuser, so he decided to make the rest of them pay.
And I was going to stop him from doing that.
In his mind, yeah.
This one's dead, and we need to get him to hospital right away.
Okay.
What's the big emergency? Here.
- What, you, you don't like it? - No, I love it.
It's beautiful, but you gave that to me to celebrate a special day that we shared, and I've been thinking all day, I have no idea what you're talking about.
- I don't deserve it.
- You deserve it.
- You really don't know? - No.
One year ago today, me, you, and Sophie went to Central Park.
Sophie was riding the carousel; we were sitting on this little bench; - and I said, "Elena" - Oh, my God, yeah, Oh, my God, yeah.
You said to me, "Elena, I love you," and it was the first time.
Elena, I still love you.
We're not supposed to do this.
We're at work.
I know we're at work.
I don't care anymore.
Okay, then, I don't care either.
Am I interrupting something? - Yes.
- Yes.
Right.
Please continue.