Cold Case s07e17 Episode Script
Flashover
* Hello, hello, hello * * Is there anybody in there? * * Just nod if you can hear me * * Is there anyone at home? * * Come on, come on down * * I hear you're feeling down * * Well, I can ease your pain * * Get you on your feet again * * Relax, relax, relax * * I need some information first * * Just the basic facts * * Can you show me where it hurts? * * There is no pain, you are receding * * A distant ship's smoke on the horizon * * You are only coming through in waves * * Your lips move * How did a father not go back inside and get his own boys out? I don't know.
A man would die to save his own.
* When I was a child * * I had a fever * * My hands felt just like two balloons * * Now I've got that feeling once again * Lil, it's Nick.
Yeah.
I broke down on.
I'm, uh I'm on Conshohocken near Belmont.
I'm pretty messed up.
Lil, I think I might have killed somebody.
* I have become comfortably numb * Department vehicle signed out by Detective Vera.
Gone before I got here.
Stop writing, will you? Sorry, Detective.
Got to fill out an accident report on all I said, stop writing.
Look, uh Look, do me a favor.
Can you, uh, just make it a car stop? No accident? Right.
Sure.
Okay, go ahead.
I got it from here.
Thanks.
Scotty it's me.
We got a problem.
Damn, Nick.
Is there any blood? A little on the airbag.
Yeah, it looks like he just hit the sign.
No animals down on the road.
You hear anything on the radio? Not yet.
What about that uniform? Nick was gone when he arrived on the scene, and I told him it's on me.
But why ditch the car? Trying to duck a DUI? Message he left was a whole lot worse than that.
You think he was serious? I called him back five times, and he won't answer his cell.
I'll get it towed to my guy, have him clean it up.
What the boss don't know can't hurt him, you know? He's got enough problems.
Well, at least till we figure out what the hell's going on.
Will or Kat know? No.
Figured it's bad enough I got you on the hook for this now, too.
It's Nick, Lil.
I mean, they'd want to know.
I'll have them swing by his place, see if he turns up.
The guy's a mess.
Yeah, he's been for a while now.
Schmitty's is up the road.
He's probably headed home from the bar.
Big guy with a voice.
Right? He in some kind of trouble? What kind of condition was he in? Whoa.
Just so you know, I didn't serve him more than three.
Guy tops it off in the parking lot, that's on him.
Not trying to jam you up.
Just tell us when he left.
About an hour ago, wits about him.
I'll cut off anybody, cop or no cop.
Yeah.
Yeah, we got that.
Sounds like he's become a regular.
Every night this week, knocking back the Manhattans.
He get into it with anyone at the bar? Not tonight.
Keeps to himself, regulars know he's a cop.
Wait.
What do you mean, not tonight? Last week, some idiot came in here shooting his mouth off.
Me and Big Mac tossed him before it got out of hand.
This idiot got a name? What'd he look like? I don't know.
Just some guy.
White, medium build, maybe thirties.
What was it about? Not sure, but the guy was sure busted up about something.
You happy with yourself, Detective? Thought you should know.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got it, buddy, okay? I tried to tell you, but you wouldn't listen! My brother's gone, and that's on you now.
Know what, jackass? I told you to hit the bricks.
You're nothing but a drunk bum.
Mac, get him out of here.
How you can live with yourself? What does that mean? You need to calm down.
Come on! Just relax, man.
Just calm down.
Just relax.
I'm all right.
I don't know what the guy's beef was.
Something about his brother.
He blamed Vera, felt he wronged him somehow? Cop never bothered nobody, so I gave the guy the boot.
Nick ever here with anybody? Nah.
Mostly just drinks alone.
Last couple nights in here looking over some old file photos.
Photos? What, like, crime scene photos? I don't know.
They were dark, hard to make out.
Like something burnt up.
Honestly, his line of work I didn't want to ask.
Key still works.
Whoa.
Clearly the maid don't.
God, just when you think you know a guy.
Oscar needs a Felix.
Oh.
Told me he passed his physical.
Dude's a time bomb.
Uh-oh.
It's worse than I thought.
What was her name again? Julie.
Split up years ago.
What do you got? It's a crime scene photo.
Something I saw nick looking at a few weeks back.
Hmm? What the hell? can't you see I'm taking a table nap? Been a lot of those lately.
What do you got? Some other case.
Arson photo.
Didn't recognize it at the time.
J.
D.
Billingsley, 11/06.
But why bring home a four-year-old arson case? Might have something to do with the guy at the bar.
You remember this case? No.
But the fire marshal would.
Billingsley.
Oh, yeah, I remember.
Double homicide, arson, couple years back.
You worked that with nick, right? Yeah, that's right.
What's going on? He contact you? Any reason the case might come up? No.
Any reason it should? Tell us about the arson case, ray.
Row house over in kensington.
Incendiary, pretty open and shut.
J.
D.
Billingey? Joe don billingsley.
Lit up his own place, middle of the night.
It was a double homicide? His own two boys.
Drunk bastard had custody for the weekend.
Looks like a bomb went off.
Flashover.
Simultaneous ignition of all combustible material.
Flashover.
Smoke and gas layer Got trapped at the ceiling.
At 1,100 degrees, the whole room burst into flames.
Father said he was asleep on the couch.
Yeah, he also said He couldn't get to the kids' room down the hall.
Yeah, ran into a wall of flame.
With no burns on his bare feet? Thought he ran out the front door.
Yeah, just let in more oxygen, fed the beast.
Did you see the crazed glass back there? Puddle configurations? Multiple points of origin.
Burn marks on the baseboards and walls.
Yeah, all the way down the hall.
Seen hundreds of these.
Most of them do it for the insurance.
No.
This place was a rental.
Whatever.
Fire this hot don't occur without the use Of an accelerant.
What, lighter fluid? Butane, propane, maybe gasoline.
Same result.
Got your pour patterns on the floor right there.
Under the beds.
Son of a bitch burned his own kids up.
Then ran out of the house.
Three and five, those boys.
That one just about tore everybody up.
Including nick? Nick was going through a divorce at the time.
Rubbed him pretty raw.
Sick bastard killed his kids just to spite his ex.
Nick put him away? Billingsley got life.
He's lucky he didn't get the needle.
He didn't have the decency to take his own life.
Any reason nick would be looking into that case again? Never said nothing to me.
You remember if this Joe don had a brother? Maybe at the trial? I'm sorry, I don't.
Is everything okay? Well, you hear from him, ray, Let us know.
All right.
Joe don billingsley, convicted in '08.
Arson, double homicide.
Doing life up in rockford.
Was.
Till he caught a shiv last week in the yard.
Bled out.
Old joe don's gone.
Could be the guy nick meant, got killed? A loudmouth at the bar blamed nick For his brother's death.
Younger brother, travis.
Popped twice for dui, resisting arrest.
Well, now he's stalking nick.
He was fired from his last job at costco.
We're trying to track down a new work address.
Travis.
Looks dumb enough To go after a cop.
Morning, lieutenant.
Something wrong with the air upstairs, pat? You know where detective vera is, john? I guess I'm about to find out.
Don't jerk me around.
I know all about the abandoned department vehicle Out on conshohocken road.
Okay.
I also know That one of your detectives Had it towed to a private garage.
One of my detectives? Can't say I blame them.
Damaged vehicle, reeking of kentucky sour mash.
Get to it, pat.
That's a $35,000 vehicle That belongs to the department.
And I would like to get it back Before the commissioner gets wind of this.
Good as new.
I'll get right on it.
As for detective vera, I would suggest you find out where he is And just what the hell is going on Before the end of the working day.
Oh, I'll get to the bottom of it.
Put your house in order, john Or I'll do it for you.
Travis billingsley.
Detective valens, rush.
That supposed to impress me? Supposed to jog your memory.
Last time you saw detective nick vera.
Why? Something happened to him? Asked you a question, pal.
How you know detective vera? Oh, so now I'm supposed to help the police? How's that for an impression, jackass? In case you need my badge number.
This ain't a courtesy call, travis.
You got into a bar fight with detective vera last week.
That wasn't a fight.
Just tracked him down to let him know what he did.
Yeah, what'd he do? He put my brother away, got him killed.
Yeah, real sorry they don't look kindly On scumbags who burn up their own kids in prison.
My brother wasn't a monster.
Joe don didn't do it.
Right, buddy.
Nobody in jail did, right? I had proof.
I tried for months to get detective vera To take another look at the case, But he wouldn't listen.
Detective, detective vera, can I talk to you? It's about my brother.
What's your name, buddy? Travis billingsley.
Billingsley? Called five times about my brother, joe don.
He's doing life up in rockford for arson.
Yeah, 'course.
I remember.
I just need you To hear me out 'cause the d.
A.
Won't, And that court-appointed lawyer my brother had was a joke Well, it's a little late, pal.
He confessed.
That's not true.
Yeah.
Check the trial transcripts.
He admitted he did it When he was in lockup awaiting trial.
Game over.
That's just it, he didn't.
Check out the record on that cellblock snitch.
Inmate the d.
A.
Put on the stand was a liar.
My brother would never admit to setting that fire 'cause he didn't do it.
Everybody's innocent in the can.
But he never confessed to you, did he, detective? Just asking you to take a look.
Yeah, sure.
I'll take a look.
He didn't give a rat's ass.
That cellblock Snitch has given false testimony before.
Cody blanchard lied when he said my brother confessed.
How do you know? 'cause he done it three times before.
That's how come they kept letting him out.
So, he's a serial snitch.
That don't mean he lied.
Another guy he did it to got freed After he recanted his testimony.
That the only reason you tracked nick down? Let him know that? Wouldn't you? Lying sob snitch sealed my brother's fate, And got rewarded for it.
And now it's too late.
Called frackville.
Found out nick went to visit Billingsley's old cellblock snitch a few days ago.
Already landed back in the can? Thieving drug fiend.
Old habits die hard.
Anybody here seen nick? Not yet, boss.
Don't know.
He's got plenty of time.
Maybe he took a sick day.
So that's how we're gonna play this, huh? What's that, boss? Oh, cut the bs.
I know that nick is missing, along with his car.
This whole mess has already blown upstairs.
As much you want to protect nick, All of you might want to start thinking about your own badges.
Look, we got no idea where nick went, But we're on it.
All right, look.
Think it's got something to do with a guy Nick put away on an arson case Four years ago.
Got killed in prison last week.
Billingsley.
What does this got to do with nick cracking up his car? Don't know, but it's the last case he was working on.
That's it? Is there anything else I need to get in front of here? Nick's in bad shape, boss.
Something I don't know, kat.
It's not physical, john.
His head's not right.
We're worried about him.
All right, talk to ada bell.
See what he knows about the billingsley case.
Rush and valens Went to pay billingsley's old cellmate a visit.
They're trying to track down his ex, see if he talked to her.
I'll reach out to boyle over in feds, See if we can get a location on his cell phone.
We'll find him, boss.
We'd better-- Before he does any more harm Especially to himself.
Hey, julie.
What's going on? Is this about nick? Have you seen him? He stopped by this morning.
He didn't look so good.
Is he okay? Just showed up at your door? Really kind of threw me.
I-I hadn't seen him since the divorce, And we never really talked after that.
What'd he want? I don't know.
But it looked like he had something on his mind.
I was trying to get my kids ready.
Hey, jules.
Nick.
Uh Thanks.
If only I had time to read it.
What are you doing here? I don't know.
Uh Just felt like I needed to see you.
How've you been doing? You really should have called.
I * she won't let you fly * Is something wrong? No.
Uh, sorry.
You're right.
I was just getting my son ready for school.
Your son? I know you got remarried.
I Clint.
He just started preschool.
Clint.
Wow.
I like that.
I also have a two-year-old daughter.
That would be what you hear yelling upstairs.
Yeah.
Mommy, I can't find another shoelace.
Can you hold on one second? I'll be right back, And we can talk for a minute.
Okay.
Now you go find the other one, And I'll find your jacket And tell your sister I'll be right there.
Never really had a chance to talk.
Figured it must be important, but Didn't say where he was headed? Never got that far.
It looked like he'd been up all night, Like he was working a case.
Is he okay? We don't know, but if you hear from him again, Make sure to give us a call.
What up, squirrel? Figure you got to watch your back in here With a nickname like that.
Yeah, yeah.
Everybody's got to watch their back in here.
St better at it than most.
Well, it helps to have friends in the d.
A.
's office.
Got the parole board To cut you loose early three different times.
Yeah.
I'm just keeping my eyes and my ears open.
Waiting for a nut to fall from a tree.
Unfortunately, that nasty meth habit Keeps landing you back in here.
Yeah, well, that's a That's just a temporary situation.
Now what can I do you for? Why did detective vera recently come to see you? Philly homicide, ain't you? You guys don't talk? Was it about the billingsley case? Billingsley.
Man, that's ancient history.
Yeah.
So was joe don.
Caught a shiv up in rockford last week.
Yeah, I heard about that from your partner.
Hard row to hoe for a baby killer inside these walls.
So, what did detective vera want to know about joe don? Oh, man, I mean, what is it with this case? I already testified to the d.
A.
Ain't the question we asked you.
Aah! Te-tell me again what's in it for me.
We don't tell the last homicidal Maniac you flipped on it was you who gave him up.
What kind of cops are you? The kind that don't care about you.
Detective vera-- Why'd he come talk to you? No disrespect, detective.
It don't have to be like this, okay? I tried to play ball with your guy, But he just took it the wrong way.
You testified that joe don told you he did it.
Burned his house down.
That's right.
That what I told the d.
A.
Detective on the record.
While he was awaiting trial in county lockup.
Damn right.
He said that if he couldn't have custody of them kids, Then that bitch couldn't, either.
And that's why he set that house on fire.
Joe don said this to you even though He never confessed to me or anybody else? We were on the same cellblock, detective.
Yeah, but he didn't have a cellmate.
When exactly did he tell you he did it? When I was walking by his cell.
What, through the food slot? Yeah, that's right.
He said he lit that bitch up with gasoline.
Uh-huh.
He said because he wanted custody of those kids, right? That's what he said.
Both of them? The boy and the girl? Yeah, that's right, both of them.
A little girl, too.
Hmm.
Joe don didn't have a little girl.
He just had two boys.
Look, man! I just told that d.
A.
Detective what he wanted to hear, Just like I'm telling you.
What's that? What do you want me to say- he did it? Then he did it.
Whatever you want me to say.
You just give me the right information before I take the stand, And I'll say it right.
Don't you worry.
A man is dead because of your lying ass.
Because of me? I thought it was you who put him in here.
Hey! Hey! I don't get it.
I played the game.
I fed you and the d.
A.
What you need and-and-and This, this is the thanks I get? Yeah, the thanks.
Well, that cop had a screw loose, no? The truth is, joe don didn't say Any of that b.
S.
To you about offing his kids, right? Difference does it make? I mean, if he didn't do that, Then he did something else.
Right? I mean, we all did it in here.
The difference is, He's dead, squirrel.
Yeah, well, I wasn't glad to hear That joe don got stuck, but, uh, huh, that man was twisted.
Oh, yeah.
And he was in denial, too.
What are you talking about? Oh, he would cry himself to sleep every night.
Just crying about them kids.
Yeah, then he would write Letters to some crackpot scientist.
What scientist? How do you know? A little c.
O.
Bird told me.
He's working on his appeal.
You know, thout he could get him out.
What's a name worth to you? Worth keeping your acorns out of a vice, squirrel.
This is joe don billingsley's old house.
Fbi tracks nick's phone to this location.
Yeah.
Why would he come back here? Who you calling? Nick.
It's his.
Last call an hour ago to me.
Home phone.
Why wouldn't he just call your cell? I don't know.
Electronic voice: You have one current message.
left a voicemail.
Vera Hey, man, uh, it's nick.
I just wanted to tell you, uh, it's been Great working with you.
You've always been a-a A good friend to me.
I think I still owe you 50 bucks.
Anyways, um That's about it.
Sorry about the whole mess.
Hey, boss.
Next time you two Get the instinct to protect me, don't.
Where are we on nick? Running down a list of calls, messages-- Anyone talked to nick in the past 24.
There was a recent call on his cell To jeanette peterson, billingsley's ex-wife.
Miller and jeffries are headed over To talk to her now.
Also, calls to a goran petrovic, A professor over at temple.
One yesterday and one last week.
Correspondence records at rockford Show billingsley wrote multiple letters To the same dr.
Petrovic.
What kind of professor? Chemical engineering.
Also worked for multiple Companies that served private military suppliers.
Hit the campus.
Pay the doc a visit.
You talk to criminal intelligence? Oh, yeah, we got teams Of plainclothes cops trying to track him down.
All right, tell them no paper trail.
I just said find him, Bring him in, no questions asked.
Yeah, don't take "no" for an answer from nick.
And, scotty, get that damn car back.
Used to design all sorts of nasty Explosives with military applications.
Lucrative, yes.
But also insane.
I prefer teaching.
Detective vera Asked you to review the jd billingsley case? Given that he was The original investigator And seemed quite desperate, yes, I took a look.
Well, the fire marshal determined that it was arson.
Which frankly, I found stunning Though I shouldn't anymore.
Why's that? Most fire marshals Only have high school degree, and certified After one 40-hour course in fire investigation.
Ray crawford's been on the job hundreds of arson cases.
Instincts and experience is no substitute For scientific method.
And this finding completely ignores it.
What did you tell detective vera? I told him the truth.
From the photos, it appears that the fire Rebched upwards of 1,800 degrees.
Flashover from the accelerant.
Not necessarily.
The temperature is affected mostly by ventilation.
But what about the burn patterns And the The puddle configurations under the bed? The effects of flashover can look like evidence of arson, But these burn patterns aren't indicative Of an accelerant.
So how did the fire start? That's hard to tell.
From these pictures, It appears that the point of origin Was most likely the kitchen.
But you can't say for sure what caused it? Not for certain.
Which why I'm baffled by the fire marshal's finding.
Oh, crawford's been at it a long time.
He learned from the old timers.
Might explain why it's based on, uh, Junk science and old wives' tales.
Yeah, but joe don, he escaped with no burns on his feet.
How's that possible? Because fire burns upward.
And one that reaches flashover Is the next hottest thing to hell.
And unless you're Confronted with that type of heat, You just can't understand it, detective.
You're right.
I don't.
He left his kids inside.
As soon as he went outside To find another way in, he just let in more oxygen.
Fed the beast.
Even a fireman Wouldn't go back into this blast furnace.
So what you're saying is, It's possible joe don was telling me the truth? I see no evidence of arson.
That's good.
Right? If he wasn't already dead.
Seemed to take the news pretty hard.
You think the fire startolder house like that, Nine times out of ten it's faulty wiring.
Yeah, but there's no way to tell for sure.
Usually, there'd be some prior issues With overloaded circuits, browning outlets.
But you'd have to ask somebody who lived in the home.
Joe don getting killed, All these detectives coming round here again It's like the nightmare never ends.
Detective vera came by here? Yesterday.
Asking me all those questions About things I'd rather not relive.
Going over your statement.
I didn't care to, but I trust detective vera.
Joe don was pretty upset when I moved out.
He lost his job.
Drinking too much.
He just He wasn't the same man I married.
I filed for separation And Then he He found out I was dating.
He threaten you or the kids? He said some pretty Terrible things.
But, um I couldn't deny the boys their father.
You know, when they told me that He set the house on fire, I couldn't believe it.
You know Nobody should experience a loss like that.
Jeanette, did detective vera Ask you anything else about the house? He kept asking about when I live in the house.
About the kitchen.
He said he'd never let another man raise his boys.
I lost everything.
Jeanette, I need to ask you about the time before you left When you still lived in the house.
Do you remember any electrical problems With the lights or the outlets? What problems didn't the house have? Lights were always flickering on and off.
Did you tell your landlord? Cheap bastard never fixed anything.
Do you remember any problems With the wiring in the kitchen? The switches or the outlets? Why are you asking me this? He's dead, my kids are gone.
It's important.
Why? * * I don't know how to say this, But it's possible joe don didn't set that fire.
You must be joking.
You're the one who told me he did it.
The police, the fire department, The lawyers-- it has to be true! I'm not so sure anymore.
Well, I don't have any doubt, detective.
You tell me how a man Doesn't run back in there to save his own sons.
The neighbors, they saw him on the street While my babies burned up.
How could he not go back in there? Tell me that! Those were your kids, would you stand outside While they burned alive? Jeanette, what was wrong with the wiring in the house? You know, every time you'd plug in the toaster, The fridge would go out.
In the kitchen? One time the outlet melted down.
I lost a bunch of breast milk.
Joe don finally called An electrician, and the landlord got all upset about it.
The landlord? Bela.
He only wanted to use his handyman To fix everything on the cheap.
Look, I-I don't understand Why you keep asking me about the house.
Should talk to insurance company.
I'm still trying to get them to pay up.
Oh, that's got to be rough on you, bela.
Yeah, I should not have rented to that family.
Now, that man was alcoholic.
It's always bad when man of house cannot hold on to job.
Understand that house had a lot of electrical issues.
Issues? No issues.
You cannot put blame on me for what happened.
Oh, we didn't say that, bela.
Maybe we should talk to your handyman.
Why you detectives keep harsing me? So what happened When joe don hired his own electrician? Oh, that stupid waste of money.
You know how much electrician charges per hour? Yeah, sounded like you needed one.
Joe don was problem tenant.
Always overloading circuits, clogging up pipes, Asking for more time before paying rent.
Always! No, the way we heard it, your handyman couldn't fix anything.
There's old wiring, lights flickering, Browning outlets, and you send over A guy who can't screw in a lightbulb.
That's ridiculous.
Jorge is very good handyman.
I know him personally.
Joe don's ex told us a kitchen outlet melted.
He told them just "plug it into the bottom.
" that your idea? I am not negligent.
I have lawyers who can prove this.
Sure you do.
Look, I manage three apartment buildings.
People always want something for nothing.
Never mind if it's a fire hazard.
I did not start that fire.
This is not my fault.
Oh, yeah, it's It's nobody's fault.
Hey, call just came in.
Got a jumper at 12th and ridge.
It's two blocks up From nick's place.
White male, 40s, heavyset.
No id? Nada.
Face is messed up from the swan dive.
Six stories up.
Lil.
That ain't him.
It's good you got that department vehicle back in serviceable condition.
Any such luck with your detective? No.
Hey, that's too bad.
Do what you've got to do.
You know, John, I know you think I hate you.
That I'm after you because of what you did to my son No, let me finish.
I know Matt was a screw up.
Wife and I, we tried rehab, kicked him out of the house, more rehab-- none of it worked.
Now, this is none of my business.
No, it was everybody's business- that was the problem.
Everybody in this whole damn department knew that he was my son.
So every time he got arrested, he got a pass-- skated by, and Matt knew it.
He counted on it.
Till you finally locked him up.
I don't need to hear this.
No, you do.
I had to, Pat! It was his fourth time! It took my kid a long time to get straightened out, John.
Getting a job is tough with a record.
But, finally, he did it.
He even got married.
Last month He actually gave me a grandson.
I heard.
Congratulations.
Which is right about when I finally admitted to myself that getting locked up was the best thing that ever happened to my son.
Which, I guess, is my roundabout way of saying you were right.
So, I'm going to return the favor.
Pat, it was a long time ago.
When or if you get your detective back, I expect you to do the same.
Nick Take him off line.
Send him to psych services.
If that doesn't work, take away his badge.
Take care of it, John.
I realize now it's the only way.
Yeah, okay, thanks.
That was the fire station.
Said Nick was just there Got into it with Crawford.
Fight? Said it got pretty heated until some firemen jumped in and Nick took off.
All right, call Lil and Scotty.
See if they can catch up to him.
The balls on that guy coming in here, going at me how I do my job! Who the hell's he think he is? Calm down, Ray.
Don't tell me to calm down! How would you like it some fireman marches into the PPD, saying you messed up a case? He came at you about Billingsley? Whatever! Son of a bitch! This about half hour ago? He on foot? Hell if I know.
Couple of the guys tossed him out on his ear.
He's lucky I didn't break his jaw! Yeah, all right, all right.
Just tell us what happened.
I've been a fire marshal before he was a beat cop.
Don't tell me what's arson and what ain't.
? Ticking away ? Take a look at the file, Ray.
There were electrical problems in the house.
No residue of a petroleum-based accelerant.
You're out of your freaking mind.
Just take a look at the file, please.
Heard about enough.
Get the hell out of here.
I don't think he did it, Ray.
I don't really care what you think.
I know it's arson, just like you know a murder when you see it.
He never gave it up! That never bothered you? What are you talking about? I never got him to give it up.
I always maintained his innocence.
That don't bother you? No, that's between him and God.
I went on what you told me, Ray.
That it had to be arson.
Wh-What are you saying, that I'm wrong, Nick? That this is all on me? No, no, I'm not saying that.
Don't forget, you took the witness statements.
You testified on the stand to his state of mind.
Ain't denying that.
The guy was a drunk! He's a terrible husband! Pissed off at his wife, at the world.
Been there.
All those things, myself.
It doesn't mean that he killed his kids.
Oh, cry me a river.
Joe Don Billingsley didn't deserve what happened! He didn't deserve to die! Boo-hoo! Live with it.
We gotta make this right somehow.
There is nothing to fix.
Guy's dead and gone.
His ex-wife still thinks that he killed her kids.
His own parents think that he killed their grandkids! Guess what? So do I.
And that's the way it's gonna stay.
Hey! You do what you got to do! I know what I got to do! I know what I got to do! Nobody comes in here and talks to me like that.
He said something about Joe Don's parents.
Making it right? I don't know what he's going to do, and frankly, I don't care.
So why wouldn't you look at the evidence again, Ray? You seriously entertaining reopening this case? Get the hell out of my house.
Nick! Get in.
Joe Don's parent'' house, huh? Been out here what? An hour? Just trying to figure out what to say.
You had a busy 48 hours.
You had us all worried.
Have I been fired yet? Maybe the boss can pull some strings.
For both of us.
You? Considering I covered up a DUI.
Sorry about that.
You're a good cop, Nick but you need help.
I saw my my ex-wife Julie.
She's got two kids.
I always thought that that'd be me.
No, it's never too late.
I'm happy for her.
Back when they caught this case, it's all I wanted was a kid, a family.
And then when I saw that burnt-out bedroom And the kids yeah.
Yeah, I sat down on the box across from this man, this father that had had burned his kids alive, and I couldn't believe someone could do that.
Did he? I went at him day and night, Lil.
I knew something wasn't right in my gut.
I kept looking for that one thing in his story, that one slip that just lets you lets you know he's a liar.
Just needed one slip.
But he never did.
I didn't need a statement to get a conviction.
I had everything.
I was just so sure he'd done it.
And you weren't the only one, Nick.
Firemen call it the "beast.
" Flashover.
It only got hotter when he went outside, trying to find another way back to get his kids.
But he couldn't.
I just couldn't get my head around that.
What that was like? I thought for sure he'd set that fire, And he tried to tell me, and I couldn't hear it.
He tried to tell you what? That he wasn't a killer.
He was just afraid.
Afraid for his own life.
And for that, I couldn't forgive him.
It was you, Joe Don.
You started that fire, you burned up those kids.
No, I could never do that.
I would never hurt them.
I loved my boys.
Really? Then how could you just leave them in there to die? I just The fire, it was everywhere.
It was so hot.
You have no idea.
You're right, I don't.
You had plenty of time to go in there and get them out.
No, I thought I could, but it happened so fast and You had plenty of time to gand then I was on fire.
out.
The fire, it was, it was everywhere.
And the heat, my God Help me believe you.
How does a father not go back inside and get his own boys out?! I don't know.
You see, a man, a man would do anything to save his own.
I tried.
I really tried I don't believe you.
You're a liar.
You're a damn liar.
How could you just stand by and let that happen?! Help me understand that, okay?! How?! I don't know, all right? I just couldn't.
I don't know.
I mistook cowardice for guilt.
It's an honest mistake, Nick.
One that can't be made right.
Well, look, we'll talk to the DA.
We'll try to clear his name.
Okay? First, I gotta do this.
Mr.
and Mrs.
Billingsley, I'm Detective Vera.
I know who you are.
I'm sorry for your loss.
What do you want? There's been some new evidence in the case, and I know it will never bring your son back, but I want you to know I'm going to do everything I can to clear his name.
* So, so, you think you can tell Heaven from Hell * * Blue skies from pain * * Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail? * * A smile from a veil? * * Do you think you can tell? * * Did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts? * * Hot ashes for trees? * * Hot air for a cool breeze? * * Cold comfort for change? * * Did you exchange for a walk-on part in the war? * * For a lead role in a cage? *
A man would die to save his own.
* When I was a child * * I had a fever * * My hands felt just like two balloons * * Now I've got that feeling once again * Lil, it's Nick.
Yeah.
I broke down on.
I'm, uh I'm on Conshohocken near Belmont.
I'm pretty messed up.
Lil, I think I might have killed somebody.
* I have become comfortably numb * Department vehicle signed out by Detective Vera.
Gone before I got here.
Stop writing, will you? Sorry, Detective.
Got to fill out an accident report on all I said, stop writing.
Look, uh Look, do me a favor.
Can you, uh, just make it a car stop? No accident? Right.
Sure.
Okay, go ahead.
I got it from here.
Thanks.
Scotty it's me.
We got a problem.
Damn, Nick.
Is there any blood? A little on the airbag.
Yeah, it looks like he just hit the sign.
No animals down on the road.
You hear anything on the radio? Not yet.
What about that uniform? Nick was gone when he arrived on the scene, and I told him it's on me.
But why ditch the car? Trying to duck a DUI? Message he left was a whole lot worse than that.
You think he was serious? I called him back five times, and he won't answer his cell.
I'll get it towed to my guy, have him clean it up.
What the boss don't know can't hurt him, you know? He's got enough problems.
Well, at least till we figure out what the hell's going on.
Will or Kat know? No.
Figured it's bad enough I got you on the hook for this now, too.
It's Nick, Lil.
I mean, they'd want to know.
I'll have them swing by his place, see if he turns up.
The guy's a mess.
Yeah, he's been for a while now.
Schmitty's is up the road.
He's probably headed home from the bar.
Big guy with a voice.
Right? He in some kind of trouble? What kind of condition was he in? Whoa.
Just so you know, I didn't serve him more than three.
Guy tops it off in the parking lot, that's on him.
Not trying to jam you up.
Just tell us when he left.
About an hour ago, wits about him.
I'll cut off anybody, cop or no cop.
Yeah.
Yeah, we got that.
Sounds like he's become a regular.
Every night this week, knocking back the Manhattans.
He get into it with anyone at the bar? Not tonight.
Keeps to himself, regulars know he's a cop.
Wait.
What do you mean, not tonight? Last week, some idiot came in here shooting his mouth off.
Me and Big Mac tossed him before it got out of hand.
This idiot got a name? What'd he look like? I don't know.
Just some guy.
White, medium build, maybe thirties.
What was it about? Not sure, but the guy was sure busted up about something.
You happy with yourself, Detective? Thought you should know.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got it, buddy, okay? I tried to tell you, but you wouldn't listen! My brother's gone, and that's on you now.
Know what, jackass? I told you to hit the bricks.
You're nothing but a drunk bum.
Mac, get him out of here.
How you can live with yourself? What does that mean? You need to calm down.
Come on! Just relax, man.
Just calm down.
Just relax.
I'm all right.
I don't know what the guy's beef was.
Something about his brother.
He blamed Vera, felt he wronged him somehow? Cop never bothered nobody, so I gave the guy the boot.
Nick ever here with anybody? Nah.
Mostly just drinks alone.
Last couple nights in here looking over some old file photos.
Photos? What, like, crime scene photos? I don't know.
They were dark, hard to make out.
Like something burnt up.
Honestly, his line of work I didn't want to ask.
Key still works.
Whoa.
Clearly the maid don't.
God, just when you think you know a guy.
Oscar needs a Felix.
Oh.
Told me he passed his physical.
Dude's a time bomb.
Uh-oh.
It's worse than I thought.
What was her name again? Julie.
Split up years ago.
What do you got? It's a crime scene photo.
Something I saw nick looking at a few weeks back.
Hmm? What the hell? can't you see I'm taking a table nap? Been a lot of those lately.
What do you got? Some other case.
Arson photo.
Didn't recognize it at the time.
J.
D.
Billingsley, 11/06.
But why bring home a four-year-old arson case? Might have something to do with the guy at the bar.
You remember this case? No.
But the fire marshal would.
Billingsley.
Oh, yeah, I remember.
Double homicide, arson, couple years back.
You worked that with nick, right? Yeah, that's right.
What's going on? He contact you? Any reason the case might come up? No.
Any reason it should? Tell us about the arson case, ray.
Row house over in kensington.
Incendiary, pretty open and shut.
J.
D.
Billingey? Joe don billingsley.
Lit up his own place, middle of the night.
It was a double homicide? His own two boys.
Drunk bastard had custody for the weekend.
Looks like a bomb went off.
Flashover.
Simultaneous ignition of all combustible material.
Flashover.
Smoke and gas layer Got trapped at the ceiling.
At 1,100 degrees, the whole room burst into flames.
Father said he was asleep on the couch.
Yeah, he also said He couldn't get to the kids' room down the hall.
Yeah, ran into a wall of flame.
With no burns on his bare feet? Thought he ran out the front door.
Yeah, just let in more oxygen, fed the beast.
Did you see the crazed glass back there? Puddle configurations? Multiple points of origin.
Burn marks on the baseboards and walls.
Yeah, all the way down the hall.
Seen hundreds of these.
Most of them do it for the insurance.
No.
This place was a rental.
Whatever.
Fire this hot don't occur without the use Of an accelerant.
What, lighter fluid? Butane, propane, maybe gasoline.
Same result.
Got your pour patterns on the floor right there.
Under the beds.
Son of a bitch burned his own kids up.
Then ran out of the house.
Three and five, those boys.
That one just about tore everybody up.
Including nick? Nick was going through a divorce at the time.
Rubbed him pretty raw.
Sick bastard killed his kids just to spite his ex.
Nick put him away? Billingsley got life.
He's lucky he didn't get the needle.
He didn't have the decency to take his own life.
Any reason nick would be looking into that case again? Never said nothing to me.
You remember if this Joe don had a brother? Maybe at the trial? I'm sorry, I don't.
Is everything okay? Well, you hear from him, ray, Let us know.
All right.
Joe don billingsley, convicted in '08.
Arson, double homicide.
Doing life up in rockford.
Was.
Till he caught a shiv last week in the yard.
Bled out.
Old joe don's gone.
Could be the guy nick meant, got killed? A loudmouth at the bar blamed nick For his brother's death.
Younger brother, travis.
Popped twice for dui, resisting arrest.
Well, now he's stalking nick.
He was fired from his last job at costco.
We're trying to track down a new work address.
Travis.
Looks dumb enough To go after a cop.
Morning, lieutenant.
Something wrong with the air upstairs, pat? You know where detective vera is, john? I guess I'm about to find out.
Don't jerk me around.
I know all about the abandoned department vehicle Out on conshohocken road.
Okay.
I also know That one of your detectives Had it towed to a private garage.
One of my detectives? Can't say I blame them.
Damaged vehicle, reeking of kentucky sour mash.
Get to it, pat.
That's a $35,000 vehicle That belongs to the department.
And I would like to get it back Before the commissioner gets wind of this.
Good as new.
I'll get right on it.
As for detective vera, I would suggest you find out where he is And just what the hell is going on Before the end of the working day.
Oh, I'll get to the bottom of it.
Put your house in order, john Or I'll do it for you.
Travis billingsley.
Detective valens, rush.
That supposed to impress me? Supposed to jog your memory.
Last time you saw detective nick vera.
Why? Something happened to him? Asked you a question, pal.
How you know detective vera? Oh, so now I'm supposed to help the police? How's that for an impression, jackass? In case you need my badge number.
This ain't a courtesy call, travis.
You got into a bar fight with detective vera last week.
That wasn't a fight.
Just tracked him down to let him know what he did.
Yeah, what'd he do? He put my brother away, got him killed.
Yeah, real sorry they don't look kindly On scumbags who burn up their own kids in prison.
My brother wasn't a monster.
Joe don didn't do it.
Right, buddy.
Nobody in jail did, right? I had proof.
I tried for months to get detective vera To take another look at the case, But he wouldn't listen.
Detective, detective vera, can I talk to you? It's about my brother.
What's your name, buddy? Travis billingsley.
Billingsley? Called five times about my brother, joe don.
He's doing life up in rockford for arson.
Yeah, 'course.
I remember.
I just need you To hear me out 'cause the d.
A.
Won't, And that court-appointed lawyer my brother had was a joke Well, it's a little late, pal.
He confessed.
That's not true.
Yeah.
Check the trial transcripts.
He admitted he did it When he was in lockup awaiting trial.
Game over.
That's just it, he didn't.
Check out the record on that cellblock snitch.
Inmate the d.
A.
Put on the stand was a liar.
My brother would never admit to setting that fire 'cause he didn't do it.
Everybody's innocent in the can.
But he never confessed to you, did he, detective? Just asking you to take a look.
Yeah, sure.
I'll take a look.
He didn't give a rat's ass.
That cellblock Snitch has given false testimony before.
Cody blanchard lied when he said my brother confessed.
How do you know? 'cause he done it three times before.
That's how come they kept letting him out.
So, he's a serial snitch.
That don't mean he lied.
Another guy he did it to got freed After he recanted his testimony.
That the only reason you tracked nick down? Let him know that? Wouldn't you? Lying sob snitch sealed my brother's fate, And got rewarded for it.
And now it's too late.
Called frackville.
Found out nick went to visit Billingsley's old cellblock snitch a few days ago.
Already landed back in the can? Thieving drug fiend.
Old habits die hard.
Anybody here seen nick? Not yet, boss.
Don't know.
He's got plenty of time.
Maybe he took a sick day.
So that's how we're gonna play this, huh? What's that, boss? Oh, cut the bs.
I know that nick is missing, along with his car.
This whole mess has already blown upstairs.
As much you want to protect nick, All of you might want to start thinking about your own badges.
Look, we got no idea where nick went, But we're on it.
All right, look.
Think it's got something to do with a guy Nick put away on an arson case Four years ago.
Got killed in prison last week.
Billingsley.
What does this got to do with nick cracking up his car? Don't know, but it's the last case he was working on.
That's it? Is there anything else I need to get in front of here? Nick's in bad shape, boss.
Something I don't know, kat.
It's not physical, john.
His head's not right.
We're worried about him.
All right, talk to ada bell.
See what he knows about the billingsley case.
Rush and valens Went to pay billingsley's old cellmate a visit.
They're trying to track down his ex, see if he talked to her.
I'll reach out to boyle over in feds, See if we can get a location on his cell phone.
We'll find him, boss.
We'd better-- Before he does any more harm Especially to himself.
Hey, julie.
What's going on? Is this about nick? Have you seen him? He stopped by this morning.
He didn't look so good.
Is he okay? Just showed up at your door? Really kind of threw me.
I-I hadn't seen him since the divorce, And we never really talked after that.
What'd he want? I don't know.
But it looked like he had something on his mind.
I was trying to get my kids ready.
Hey, jules.
Nick.
Uh Thanks.
If only I had time to read it.
What are you doing here? I don't know.
Uh Just felt like I needed to see you.
How've you been doing? You really should have called.
I * she won't let you fly * Is something wrong? No.
Uh, sorry.
You're right.
I was just getting my son ready for school.
Your son? I know you got remarried.
I Clint.
He just started preschool.
Clint.
Wow.
I like that.
I also have a two-year-old daughter.
That would be what you hear yelling upstairs.
Yeah.
Mommy, I can't find another shoelace.
Can you hold on one second? I'll be right back, And we can talk for a minute.
Okay.
Now you go find the other one, And I'll find your jacket And tell your sister I'll be right there.
Never really had a chance to talk.
Figured it must be important, but Didn't say where he was headed? Never got that far.
It looked like he'd been up all night, Like he was working a case.
Is he okay? We don't know, but if you hear from him again, Make sure to give us a call.
What up, squirrel? Figure you got to watch your back in here With a nickname like that.
Yeah, yeah.
Everybody's got to watch their back in here.
St better at it than most.
Well, it helps to have friends in the d.
A.
's office.
Got the parole board To cut you loose early three different times.
Yeah.
I'm just keeping my eyes and my ears open.
Waiting for a nut to fall from a tree.
Unfortunately, that nasty meth habit Keeps landing you back in here.
Yeah, well, that's a That's just a temporary situation.
Now what can I do you for? Why did detective vera recently come to see you? Philly homicide, ain't you? You guys don't talk? Was it about the billingsley case? Billingsley.
Man, that's ancient history.
Yeah.
So was joe don.
Caught a shiv up in rockford last week.
Yeah, I heard about that from your partner.
Hard row to hoe for a baby killer inside these walls.
So, what did detective vera want to know about joe don? Oh, man, I mean, what is it with this case? I already testified to the d.
A.
Ain't the question we asked you.
Aah! Te-tell me again what's in it for me.
We don't tell the last homicidal Maniac you flipped on it was you who gave him up.
What kind of cops are you? The kind that don't care about you.
Detective vera-- Why'd he come talk to you? No disrespect, detective.
It don't have to be like this, okay? I tried to play ball with your guy, But he just took it the wrong way.
You testified that joe don told you he did it.
Burned his house down.
That's right.
That what I told the d.
A.
Detective on the record.
While he was awaiting trial in county lockup.
Damn right.
He said that if he couldn't have custody of them kids, Then that bitch couldn't, either.
And that's why he set that house on fire.
Joe don said this to you even though He never confessed to me or anybody else? We were on the same cellblock, detective.
Yeah, but he didn't have a cellmate.
When exactly did he tell you he did it? When I was walking by his cell.
What, through the food slot? Yeah, that's right.
He said he lit that bitch up with gasoline.
Uh-huh.
He said because he wanted custody of those kids, right? That's what he said.
Both of them? The boy and the girl? Yeah, that's right, both of them.
A little girl, too.
Hmm.
Joe don didn't have a little girl.
He just had two boys.
Look, man! I just told that d.
A.
Detective what he wanted to hear, Just like I'm telling you.
What's that? What do you want me to say- he did it? Then he did it.
Whatever you want me to say.
You just give me the right information before I take the stand, And I'll say it right.
Don't you worry.
A man is dead because of your lying ass.
Because of me? I thought it was you who put him in here.
Hey! Hey! I don't get it.
I played the game.
I fed you and the d.
A.
What you need and-and-and This, this is the thanks I get? Yeah, the thanks.
Well, that cop had a screw loose, no? The truth is, joe don didn't say Any of that b.
S.
To you about offing his kids, right? Difference does it make? I mean, if he didn't do that, Then he did something else.
Right? I mean, we all did it in here.
The difference is, He's dead, squirrel.
Yeah, well, I wasn't glad to hear That joe don got stuck, but, uh, huh, that man was twisted.
Oh, yeah.
And he was in denial, too.
What are you talking about? Oh, he would cry himself to sleep every night.
Just crying about them kids.
Yeah, then he would write Letters to some crackpot scientist.
What scientist? How do you know? A little c.
O.
Bird told me.
He's working on his appeal.
You know, thout he could get him out.
What's a name worth to you? Worth keeping your acorns out of a vice, squirrel.
This is joe don billingsley's old house.
Fbi tracks nick's phone to this location.
Yeah.
Why would he come back here? Who you calling? Nick.
It's his.
Last call an hour ago to me.
Home phone.
Why wouldn't he just call your cell? I don't know.
Electronic voice: You have one current message.
left a voicemail.
Vera Hey, man, uh, it's nick.
I just wanted to tell you, uh, it's been Great working with you.
You've always been a-a A good friend to me.
I think I still owe you 50 bucks.
Anyways, um That's about it.
Sorry about the whole mess.
Hey, boss.
Next time you two Get the instinct to protect me, don't.
Where are we on nick? Running down a list of calls, messages-- Anyone talked to nick in the past 24.
There was a recent call on his cell To jeanette peterson, billingsley's ex-wife.
Miller and jeffries are headed over To talk to her now.
Also, calls to a goran petrovic, A professor over at temple.
One yesterday and one last week.
Correspondence records at rockford Show billingsley wrote multiple letters To the same dr.
Petrovic.
What kind of professor? Chemical engineering.
Also worked for multiple Companies that served private military suppliers.
Hit the campus.
Pay the doc a visit.
You talk to criminal intelligence? Oh, yeah, we got teams Of plainclothes cops trying to track him down.
All right, tell them no paper trail.
I just said find him, Bring him in, no questions asked.
Yeah, don't take "no" for an answer from nick.
And, scotty, get that damn car back.
Used to design all sorts of nasty Explosives with military applications.
Lucrative, yes.
But also insane.
I prefer teaching.
Detective vera Asked you to review the jd billingsley case? Given that he was The original investigator And seemed quite desperate, yes, I took a look.
Well, the fire marshal determined that it was arson.
Which frankly, I found stunning Though I shouldn't anymore.
Why's that? Most fire marshals Only have high school degree, and certified After one 40-hour course in fire investigation.
Ray crawford's been on the job hundreds of arson cases.
Instincts and experience is no substitute For scientific method.
And this finding completely ignores it.
What did you tell detective vera? I told him the truth.
From the photos, it appears that the fire Rebched upwards of 1,800 degrees.
Flashover from the accelerant.
Not necessarily.
The temperature is affected mostly by ventilation.
But what about the burn patterns And the The puddle configurations under the bed? The effects of flashover can look like evidence of arson, But these burn patterns aren't indicative Of an accelerant.
So how did the fire start? That's hard to tell.
From these pictures, It appears that the point of origin Was most likely the kitchen.
But you can't say for sure what caused it? Not for certain.
Which why I'm baffled by the fire marshal's finding.
Oh, crawford's been at it a long time.
He learned from the old timers.
Might explain why it's based on, uh, Junk science and old wives' tales.
Yeah, but joe don, he escaped with no burns on his feet.
How's that possible? Because fire burns upward.
And one that reaches flashover Is the next hottest thing to hell.
And unless you're Confronted with that type of heat, You just can't understand it, detective.
You're right.
I don't.
He left his kids inside.
As soon as he went outside To find another way in, he just let in more oxygen.
Fed the beast.
Even a fireman Wouldn't go back into this blast furnace.
So what you're saying is, It's possible joe don was telling me the truth? I see no evidence of arson.
That's good.
Right? If he wasn't already dead.
Seemed to take the news pretty hard.
You think the fire startolder house like that, Nine times out of ten it's faulty wiring.
Yeah, but there's no way to tell for sure.
Usually, there'd be some prior issues With overloaded circuits, browning outlets.
But you'd have to ask somebody who lived in the home.
Joe don getting killed, All these detectives coming round here again It's like the nightmare never ends.
Detective vera came by here? Yesterday.
Asking me all those questions About things I'd rather not relive.
Going over your statement.
I didn't care to, but I trust detective vera.
Joe don was pretty upset when I moved out.
He lost his job.
Drinking too much.
He just He wasn't the same man I married.
I filed for separation And Then he He found out I was dating.
He threaten you or the kids? He said some pretty Terrible things.
But, um I couldn't deny the boys their father.
You know, when they told me that He set the house on fire, I couldn't believe it.
You know Nobody should experience a loss like that.
Jeanette, did detective vera Ask you anything else about the house? He kept asking about when I live in the house.
About the kitchen.
He said he'd never let another man raise his boys.
I lost everything.
Jeanette, I need to ask you about the time before you left When you still lived in the house.
Do you remember any electrical problems With the lights or the outlets? What problems didn't the house have? Lights were always flickering on and off.
Did you tell your landlord? Cheap bastard never fixed anything.
Do you remember any problems With the wiring in the kitchen? The switches or the outlets? Why are you asking me this? He's dead, my kids are gone.
It's important.
Why? * * I don't know how to say this, But it's possible joe don didn't set that fire.
You must be joking.
You're the one who told me he did it.
The police, the fire department, The lawyers-- it has to be true! I'm not so sure anymore.
Well, I don't have any doubt, detective.
You tell me how a man Doesn't run back in there to save his own sons.
The neighbors, they saw him on the street While my babies burned up.
How could he not go back in there? Tell me that! Those were your kids, would you stand outside While they burned alive? Jeanette, what was wrong with the wiring in the house? You know, every time you'd plug in the toaster, The fridge would go out.
In the kitchen? One time the outlet melted down.
I lost a bunch of breast milk.
Joe don finally called An electrician, and the landlord got all upset about it.
The landlord? Bela.
He only wanted to use his handyman To fix everything on the cheap.
Look, I-I don't understand Why you keep asking me about the house.
Should talk to insurance company.
I'm still trying to get them to pay up.
Oh, that's got to be rough on you, bela.
Yeah, I should not have rented to that family.
Now, that man was alcoholic.
It's always bad when man of house cannot hold on to job.
Understand that house had a lot of electrical issues.
Issues? No issues.
You cannot put blame on me for what happened.
Oh, we didn't say that, bela.
Maybe we should talk to your handyman.
Why you detectives keep harsing me? So what happened When joe don hired his own electrician? Oh, that stupid waste of money.
You know how much electrician charges per hour? Yeah, sounded like you needed one.
Joe don was problem tenant.
Always overloading circuits, clogging up pipes, Asking for more time before paying rent.
Always! No, the way we heard it, your handyman couldn't fix anything.
There's old wiring, lights flickering, Browning outlets, and you send over A guy who can't screw in a lightbulb.
That's ridiculous.
Jorge is very good handyman.
I know him personally.
Joe don's ex told us a kitchen outlet melted.
He told them just "plug it into the bottom.
" that your idea? I am not negligent.
I have lawyers who can prove this.
Sure you do.
Look, I manage three apartment buildings.
People always want something for nothing.
Never mind if it's a fire hazard.
I did not start that fire.
This is not my fault.
Oh, yeah, it's It's nobody's fault.
Hey, call just came in.
Got a jumper at 12th and ridge.
It's two blocks up From nick's place.
White male, 40s, heavyset.
No id? Nada.
Face is messed up from the swan dive.
Six stories up.
Lil.
That ain't him.
It's good you got that department vehicle back in serviceable condition.
Any such luck with your detective? No.
Hey, that's too bad.
Do what you've got to do.
You know, John, I know you think I hate you.
That I'm after you because of what you did to my son No, let me finish.
I know Matt was a screw up.
Wife and I, we tried rehab, kicked him out of the house, more rehab-- none of it worked.
Now, this is none of my business.
No, it was everybody's business- that was the problem.
Everybody in this whole damn department knew that he was my son.
So every time he got arrested, he got a pass-- skated by, and Matt knew it.
He counted on it.
Till you finally locked him up.
I don't need to hear this.
No, you do.
I had to, Pat! It was his fourth time! It took my kid a long time to get straightened out, John.
Getting a job is tough with a record.
But, finally, he did it.
He even got married.
Last month He actually gave me a grandson.
I heard.
Congratulations.
Which is right about when I finally admitted to myself that getting locked up was the best thing that ever happened to my son.
Which, I guess, is my roundabout way of saying you were right.
So, I'm going to return the favor.
Pat, it was a long time ago.
When or if you get your detective back, I expect you to do the same.
Nick Take him off line.
Send him to psych services.
If that doesn't work, take away his badge.
Take care of it, John.
I realize now it's the only way.
Yeah, okay, thanks.
That was the fire station.
Said Nick was just there Got into it with Crawford.
Fight? Said it got pretty heated until some firemen jumped in and Nick took off.
All right, call Lil and Scotty.
See if they can catch up to him.
The balls on that guy coming in here, going at me how I do my job! Who the hell's he think he is? Calm down, Ray.
Don't tell me to calm down! How would you like it some fireman marches into the PPD, saying you messed up a case? He came at you about Billingsley? Whatever! Son of a bitch! This about half hour ago? He on foot? Hell if I know.
Couple of the guys tossed him out on his ear.
He's lucky I didn't break his jaw! Yeah, all right, all right.
Just tell us what happened.
I've been a fire marshal before he was a beat cop.
Don't tell me what's arson and what ain't.
? Ticking away ? Take a look at the file, Ray.
There were electrical problems in the house.
No residue of a petroleum-based accelerant.
You're out of your freaking mind.
Just take a look at the file, please.
Heard about enough.
Get the hell out of here.
I don't think he did it, Ray.
I don't really care what you think.
I know it's arson, just like you know a murder when you see it.
He never gave it up! That never bothered you? What are you talking about? I never got him to give it up.
I always maintained his innocence.
That don't bother you? No, that's between him and God.
I went on what you told me, Ray.
That it had to be arson.
Wh-What are you saying, that I'm wrong, Nick? That this is all on me? No, no, I'm not saying that.
Don't forget, you took the witness statements.
You testified on the stand to his state of mind.
Ain't denying that.
The guy was a drunk! He's a terrible husband! Pissed off at his wife, at the world.
Been there.
All those things, myself.
It doesn't mean that he killed his kids.
Oh, cry me a river.
Joe Don Billingsley didn't deserve what happened! He didn't deserve to die! Boo-hoo! Live with it.
We gotta make this right somehow.
There is nothing to fix.
Guy's dead and gone.
His ex-wife still thinks that he killed her kids.
His own parents think that he killed their grandkids! Guess what? So do I.
And that's the way it's gonna stay.
Hey! You do what you got to do! I know what I got to do! I know what I got to do! Nobody comes in here and talks to me like that.
He said something about Joe Don's parents.
Making it right? I don't know what he's going to do, and frankly, I don't care.
So why wouldn't you look at the evidence again, Ray? You seriously entertaining reopening this case? Get the hell out of my house.
Nick! Get in.
Joe Don's parent'' house, huh? Been out here what? An hour? Just trying to figure out what to say.
You had a busy 48 hours.
You had us all worried.
Have I been fired yet? Maybe the boss can pull some strings.
For both of us.
You? Considering I covered up a DUI.
Sorry about that.
You're a good cop, Nick but you need help.
I saw my my ex-wife Julie.
She's got two kids.
I always thought that that'd be me.
No, it's never too late.
I'm happy for her.
Back when they caught this case, it's all I wanted was a kid, a family.
And then when I saw that burnt-out bedroom And the kids yeah.
Yeah, I sat down on the box across from this man, this father that had had burned his kids alive, and I couldn't believe someone could do that.
Did he? I went at him day and night, Lil.
I knew something wasn't right in my gut.
I kept looking for that one thing in his story, that one slip that just lets you lets you know he's a liar.
Just needed one slip.
But he never did.
I didn't need a statement to get a conviction.
I had everything.
I was just so sure he'd done it.
And you weren't the only one, Nick.
Firemen call it the "beast.
" Flashover.
It only got hotter when he went outside, trying to find another way back to get his kids.
But he couldn't.
I just couldn't get my head around that.
What that was like? I thought for sure he'd set that fire, And he tried to tell me, and I couldn't hear it.
He tried to tell you what? That he wasn't a killer.
He was just afraid.
Afraid for his own life.
And for that, I couldn't forgive him.
It was you, Joe Don.
You started that fire, you burned up those kids.
No, I could never do that.
I would never hurt them.
I loved my boys.
Really? Then how could you just leave them in there to die? I just The fire, it was everywhere.
It was so hot.
You have no idea.
You're right, I don't.
You had plenty of time to go in there and get them out.
No, I thought I could, but it happened so fast and You had plenty of time to gand then I was on fire.
out.
The fire, it was, it was everywhere.
And the heat, my God Help me believe you.
How does a father not go back inside and get his own boys out?! I don't know.
You see, a man, a man would do anything to save his own.
I tried.
I really tried I don't believe you.
You're a liar.
You're a damn liar.
How could you just stand by and let that happen?! Help me understand that, okay?! How?! I don't know, all right? I just couldn't.
I don't know.
I mistook cowardice for guilt.
It's an honest mistake, Nick.
One that can't be made right.
Well, look, we'll talk to the DA.
We'll try to clear his name.
Okay? First, I gotta do this.
Mr.
and Mrs.
Billingsley, I'm Detective Vera.
I know who you are.
I'm sorry for your loss.
What do you want? There's been some new evidence in the case, and I know it will never bring your son back, but I want you to know I'm going to do everything I can to clear his name.
* So, so, you think you can tell Heaven from Hell * * Blue skies from pain * * Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail? * * A smile from a veil? * * Do you think you can tell? * * Did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts? * * Hot ashes for trees? * * Hot air for a cool breeze? * * Cold comfort for change? * * Did you exchange for a walk-on part in the war? * * For a lead role in a cage? *