Blue Bloods s08e16 Episode Script
Tale of Two Cities
1 (dog panting) (dog barking) Buster! Buster! Buster! (Buster sniffing) (screams) (elevator bell chimes) Lawrence Skolnick is here to see you.
Oh, joy of joys.
Good morning to you, too.
So, we have a deal or not? We do.
Oh, well, then I take back that sarcastic comment.
With one condition.
And now I'm putting that sarcastic comment back.
It's reasonable.
Pleading your client down to three years with the amount of weight he was carrying was more than reasonable.
I'm sorry.
No conditions.
Hear me out? (sighs) My client agrees to all of your terms, but has just one request.
That the $300,000 seized by the NYPD at the time of his arrest be returned to him.
What are you talking about? You got the same police report I did.
The detective vouchered for $10,000.
Perhaps I misspoke when I said "seized.
" I should have said "stolen.
" Careful, Counselor.
It's true, Erin.
Detective Fusco pocketed nearly $300,000 in cash.
Says your thrice-convicted, drug-dealing, "take me at my word" client.
He's telling the truth.
Well, then he would be the first career criminal to do so.
I thought you might not take him or me at our word.
What is this? The results of a polygraph that my client took, which confirm that he is telling the truth.
And what nickel-dime polygraph examiner did you get to do this? The same one your office uses.
(sighs) And you've been at Brooklyn North for what, three years now? CORNICK: Almost four.
And I'm happy to say we've not only reduced crime by almost 11%, we did it while also cutting civilian complaints by more than 20%.
But you haven't spent any time assigned to the transit bureau.
No, haven't had the pleasure.
But hopefully that changes soon.
GARRETT: You don't see that as an impediment to heading that bureau? More like a welcome challenge.
I have not served at Transit, but my career has taken me to many different areas, and I'd like to think that I've met the challenge each time.
Well, you're certainly handy with the answers, Chief Cornick.
Thank you, sir.
Any questions for me? No.
No, not offhand.
Anything to add? - No.
- No.
Good.
Good.
Thank you, Chief.
(sighs) That's it? The commissioner's schedule's already half an hour backed up.
We'll be getting back to you real soon.
(sighs) Commissioner? If I may say one thing? Sure.
I get the feeling I'm not your first choice.
Why's that? Well, NYPD's like a small town.
Word travels fast, and that word is, Chief Penworth is your top pick.
Well, it's certainly no secret he is a candidate.
Along with several others.
Then please, sir, do us all a favor.
For the sake of the department, make it one of those others.
Clearly there's something else.
Why don't you just say it? Chief Penworth's not who he says he is.
And I don't want to see you or the department with egg all over its face.
You know, I've said too much.
Thank you for your time, sir.
(door opens) (door closes) (sighs) What does he got that we don't? I don't understand.
This can't be.
It's not possible.
We know it's a lot to process.
We're very sorry to have to come here and give you this news.
No, you-you don't understand.
It can't be my husband.
You must have made some kind of mistake.
He can't be dead.
My husband can't be dead.
Probably gonna take you some time.
No.
I mean, it's literally not possible.
Jack isn't even here.
He's in London.
Yeah, Mom's right.
He's overseas on business.
Yeah.
Y-You have the wrong person.
Okay, let's, uh, back up to the beginning here.
We're talking about Jack Thompson.
That's your husband's name.
- Yes.
- And he lives right here at 144 East 66th Street, Apartment 5C.
- Yes, but he's not This his wallet? (exhales) Oh, my God.
DANNY: Is it possible that your husband came home from London early? Yeah, and-and did what? Went for a walk in Central Park before coming home? This doesn't make any sense.
If he was home, we would know it.
Yeah.
(FaceTime ringing) It's your husband's phone.
No, that's not Jack's phone.
We found it on his person.
Do you know a "Lindsey"? No.
LINDSEY (over phone): Hello? (chuckles) Who are you? Why are you answering Jack's phone? Do you know Jack Thompson? Do I know him? He's my fiancé.
- What? - Who the hell are you? Why are you answering his phone? Are you sure you know who Jack Thompson is? Of course I'm sure.
What the hell is going on? This Jack Thompson? Yes.
That's him.
What is going on? Who are you? Who are those people with my fiancé? "Fiancé"? You mean my husband? It's okay, sit down.
Please.
Um, ma'am, I'm Detective Reagan with the NYPD.
I'm gonna need your address, okay? Blue Bloods 8x16 Tale of Two Cities Who is she? Janet Thompson.
Jack Thompson's wife.
For over 20 years.
I had no idea.
Absolutely none.
He never talked about his family? I thought we were his family.
He never mentioned any of the people in this picture to you? Never.
These are really his kids? Yeah.
Richard, Laura, and Trevor.
How is this even possible? How long were you two seeing each other? We started dating about three years ago.
We got pregnant with Kayla about a year in.
(chuckles softly) We were hoping to get married this year.
JANET: This is insane.
This is completely insane.
DANNY: We understand how you feel.
Believe me.
So this is really Jack's baby? Apparently so.
We were together more than 20 years.
How is it possible he had another life somewhere? You mentioned he travels a lot.
Yes, but what? This whole time I'm thinking he's away on business, he's really on the other side of the park with his wife and three kids? Seems to be the case.
What am I gonna tell her? How am I going to explain this to the children? You don't know anything about this at all? Believe me, if I did, I'd be the reason he's dead.
Are you? Absolutely not.
Absolutely not.
Well, did he have an ax to grind with anyone? Any enemies? He was the greatest.
I know that sounds crazy to say now, but it's true.
He was a really good guy.
Loved by everyone.
24 hours ago, I would've said he's the most trustworthy person I know.
So, no enemies? No.
I-I don't know.
I don't know anything anymore.
Every case Detective Fusco worked on, I want over here.
Now, who has the files on our defendant? I want that over here.
I want every "I" dotted, I want every "T" crossed.
You got me? I don't want any slip-ups on this.
CAMERON: Yes, ma'am.
Giving another one of your "How to Lovingly Lead" seminars? There you are.
In the flesh and the spirit.
Well, good, 'cause I'm going to need both and more.
Who we going after, Jimmy Hoffa? Remember that drug dealer, Hector, that I was letting plead down? Turns out, he coughed up an even bigger fish for me to fry.
A mako or a marlin? Killer whale.
Who are we taking down? A dirty cop.
Whoa.
And not just any cop.
A decorated detective.
Okay, l-let's back up few a steps.
What exactly did this scumbag drug dealer say the detective did? Stole nearly $300,000.
Now, before you start questioning the veracity of this claim, he passed a poly with flying colors.
Okay, a-and what did the detective's file look like? I mean, how many years on the job? Were there similar claims? Not exactly, but there are more than a handful of civilian complaints.
He's known as a real hard charger.
Check it out yourself.
Mary and Joseph.
What? Your whale is my old partner.
Shut up.
Okay.
No, I don't mean to shut up, I mean, get out.
You're the boss.
No-- Anthony, stop taking everything so literally.
What I mean is, I can't believe that.
What are the odds? I don't know what the odds are, but I don't want no part of it.
What are the chances he realizes he just said that he did want to be a part of it? None.
None.
So who do you believe? The wife or the fiancée? They're both pretty convincing, but But the guy was stabbed almost ten times, which means it was Personal.
- Exactly.
Let's divide and conquer.
You canvass the building, I'll go get a warrant for the online activity.
Detective Baez.
You have a minute? Two Gs are here.
Well? We searched everything.
You searched everything.
Dug through Chief Penworth's file.
Sat down with some of his past COs again.
GORMLEY: Even revisited conversations with family and friends.
Expanded that group, dug into his time before the NYPD.
And? Even this guy's ex-wife got nothing bad to say about him.
He's the real deal.
Bosses love him, rank and file respect him.
So what was Cornick trying to say? My guess, whatever it is, he's overselling it.
Chucking a Hail Mary.
Okay.
Baker? What's this? The Rockland Ledger.
A local paper? Chief Penworth's local paper to be exact.
Dating back to 2001? That's, like, 15 years ago.
Seventeen.
Penworth coached his son's baseball team to the championship, paper interviewed father and son after the game.
"What do you like to do for fun?" The part where Penworth compares team building to his time spent on the front lines in the Gulf War.
"An RPG hit their tank outside Baghdad, Penworth jumped into action".
But it never happened? Spent his tour behind a desk.
That's not good.
You got one right.
They're a very nice family.
Been in the building for as long as I can remember.
Mr.
Thompson was a great guy.
A neighbor on the floor reported hearing raised voices through the walls.
Husbands and wives argue.
I'm telling you, there's no way that Mrs.
Thompson had anything to do with his murder.
They argue often? I'm a doorman.
Discretion is my job.
I respect that, but this is a homicide investigation.
Any information you can give us would be helpful.
(sighs, taps desk) Okay.
So, lately, I've been getting a lot of calls down here saying that there's been a lot of yelling and fighting up in the apartment.
Hold on, the doorman said that? That-that the wife and the husband have been fighting a lot lately? BAEZ: He said a bunch of neighbors complained this month about yelling coming from their apartment.
Huh.
- Detective.
I'm on the phone.
But, Detective, I Yeah, not now, please.
Who are you talking to? Our friendly neighborhood TARU Tech McNightengale.
- McKenna.
- What? Our friendly neighborhood TARU Tech McKenna, not McNightengale.
I don't think anybody's named McNightengale.
Okay, my bad.
Uh, sorry, I got her name wrong.
It's McAnnoying.
So you got the warrant.
Any hits? No, I wish I had the warrant, but McAnnoying here is coming up donuts, isn't she? - Nothing? - Nada.
Zip, zero, zilch, nothing.
- That's not true.
- Yeah, it's true.
I mean, you got nothing on the wife, and you've been on the fiancée for an hour and you're putting up zeroes.
Then what's this? Does that say what I think it says? Lindsey Stewart's number one Internet search item last week was Janet Thompson.
- The wife.
- Mm-hmm.
Why didn't you tell me this? I've been over here for an hour waiting for you to give me some information.
What? I've been trying to tell you this for the past Baez, the fiancée was doing a Google search of the wife.
She lied to us.
She knew about her.
Meet you there.
On my way.
Hey.
Good work, Mc-- uh, TARU.
You told us before that you had no idea that your fiancé had another family, right? That's right.
And yet the top hit on your search engine is Janet Thompson.
You want to tell us why you lied to us? It's obvious, isn't it? I mean, Jack shows up dead.
If I know about his other life, I'm your first suspect.
With good reason, don't you think? No.
No matter how bad this looks, I did not murder Jack.
When did you find out? Last week.
Someone texted me a link to Janet Thompson's Facebook.
Who texted you? I have no idea.
Some random number.
And when you looked her up? I couldn't believe it.
There was the father of my child in all these family photos with people I'd never seen nor heard of in my life.
Must've been pretty pissed.
Yeah.
Sure.
Of course.
But mostly dazed and confused.
Did you confront Jack? I didn't want to do it over the phone while he was in London.
I was gonna show him what I found, but then But somebody killed him first.
And it wasn't you.
Absolutely not.
You'd be willing to take a lie detector test? Guess what.
Husbands and wives argue.
Well, according to your neighbors, you and your husband argued a whole bunch over the past month.
Well, as it turns out, he had a whole other life and family on the other side of the park, so our marriage wasn't exactly the gold standard.
A secret life that you told us you knew nothing about.
Oh, I didn't, and it's pretty clear now there's a reason why our relationship's been circling the drain these last few years.
Mrs.
Thompson, did you send your husband's lover a link to your Facebook account? Oh, don't be ridiculous.
Well, somebody knew about your husband's secret life and sent your name to her.
Did you want her to see photos of your family? Absolutely not.
Listen, I understand you have a job to do here, but let's get one thing crystal clear.
I had no knowledge of my husband's secret life and I certainly didn't kill him for it.
Not many would blame you if you did.
(scoffs) Nonetheless, I didn't.
Would you be willing to take a lie detector test? Excuse me? (knocking on door) Anthony, I've been knocking on the door forever.
I know.
Well, why didn't you say, "Come in"? Because I don't want you to come in.
Anthony, I am the senior A.
D.
A.
in this office and you are my investigator.
Not exactly something you're bashful about, Your Highness.
We need to talk.
No, we do not.
Anthony.
Erin.
I know you don't want to work on this investigation.
That's not true.
Oh.
Replace "don't" with "won't.
" Did I mention it's your job? Plenty of other detective investigators in this building that you can use.
I need you.
The only way I'm gonna get close is with someone he trusts.
Well, there's a reason he trusts me-- because he can trust me.
(sighs) You're putting me in a really terrible position here.
I'm putting you out when you're asking me to help take down a guy that I went through doors with? Oh, boy, here we go.
You don't think I get enough brothers-in-blue stories at family dinner? He may have stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Yeah, says a known drug dealer.
Who passed a poly.
Okay, Erin, whatever.
Thanks for stopping by.
I'm not going anywhere until you say you're on board.
Well, then I hope you brought a toothbrush and a sleeping bag.
You know, if I talk to the D.
A.
, he's gonna authorize me to make you do it.
Girl's got to do what a girl's got to do.
Right.
Well girl already did.
ABETEMARCO: Wow.
Not afraid to throw inside, are you, Erin? We start first thing in the morning.
(sighs) Chief Penworth, sir.
FRANK: Chief.
Commissioner, good to see you.
So, I hear you're a grandpa now.
Elizabeth Haley Penworth.
I'll bet she's special.
The other day she asked if we can buy her a baby brother online.
Best thing about being a grandpa: all the fun, none of the work.
(exhales) The air up here too thin for you? You okay? I think you know how much I respect you.
And you considering me for this post has been an honor.
It's also been a humbling experience.
I have to withdraw my name from consideration.
I'm sorry to hear that.
No, Frank, it's me who's sorry.
Jenny objects? No, nothing like that.
She and the family are completely on board.
Any reasoning you care to share? I lied about my military service in a published newspaper.
A local newspaper a couple of decades ago.
You know about this? And it ain't exactly The New York Times.
And you didn't lie about your military service, you embellished your record.
Maybe nobody finds out about this, but it will always be out there, hanging over my head.
And more importantly, I said those things.
And they were not true.
Why'd you push it, Tom? Wanted to look like a big shot in my son's eyes.
Like every other dad that ever walked the earth.
Told myself it was a harmless white lie.
Which it was until it wasn't.
(sighs) I'm sorry it has to end this way.
So, who do you like for it? Well, Lindsey knowing about the other marriage makes her look real good for this.
True, but, you know, she was married to this guy for 20 years, he's got another family right across town.
Something tells me her instincts would pick up on it.
Yeah.
Women's intuition.
Eh.
Or a wife's nosiness.
Ah.
Here he comes.
It's not her.
BAEZ: Uh, well, then, it's got to be It's not her.
She's telling the truth.
Come on.
You got to be kidding me.
We got nothing.
Not nothing.
Next to nothing.
No, we got something.
Look, we figure out who sent the text to Lindsey about Janet, we got something.
The text came from a burner phone.
- Dead end.
- Not a dead end.
I was able to figure out where the burner phone was purchased.
East side or west side? Neither.
It was purchased at a bodega in Washington Heights.
With a credit card? Cash.
Well, how are we gonna nail down our buyer? Well, that's why I brought the popcorn, you see? What is all that? These are surveillance videos from the bodega in Washington Heights.
We got to watch it all? Mm-hmm.
Want me to get some Milk Duds, too? (knocking on door) Top of the morning, my Irish rose.
Anthony.
It's nice to see you.
Good to be seen.
So, we're good? All good.
I thought about what you said last night, and it started to sink in.
Truth is, you're right.
Working this case is my job.
Well, I can't tell you how happy I am to hear that.
So here you go.
What's this? A letter to the D.
A.
You're resigning? You want to throw me chin music, you better believe I'm gonna charge the mound.
Anthony, this is crazy.
Look, I like this job plenty.
I even like working with you most of the time, but there's no way I'm wearing a wire on my partner.
Even if he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars? He didn't.
- You don't know that.
I know him.
- You don't.
Nobody knows anybody, Anthony.
It's the one thing we all come to learn in this business.
He's a stand-up guy, Erin.
Well, he wouldn't be the first stand-up guy to fall down.
Look, I'll give you this, Erin, you know better than most, because of this job and who your family is, but you still have never worn the uniform.
Oh, come on, Anthony, I was swaddled in the NYPD blues.
Yeah, but you never summoned up the courage to go through a door into a known hell because you trusted that another human being had your six.
He save your life? We saved each other's lives.
Multiple times.
Break a leg.
My brain's turning to oatmeal.
Turning? I can't watch another hour of mind-numbing 40-ounce bodega purchases.
Take a walk.
DANNY: Are you seeing something that means something? You think I've got the greatest hits tapes? I'm watching the same paint dry as you.
And you didn't get anything when you called that number? What number? The number that came up on the text that Lindsey got.
It's from a burner phone.
It's probably at the bottom of the Gowanus right now.
You never called it? Did you? Wha Do you have the number? Wow, you will do anything to avoid actually working, won't you? The number.
Straight to voice mail? No, it's ringing, smarty-pants.
From the bottom of the river? Hello? (quietly): It's a woman.
Hi, ma'am, um, I was calling to let you know that you are the lucky winner of two tickets to see Hamilton, on Broadway.
All I need is your name and address, and, um, uh, we'll send the tickets right over.
Hello? Hello? Hung up? - Yeah.
Hung up.
But the voice, I recognized it.
Shut up.
Janet Thompson.
The wife.
I'll make you a deal.
What kind of a deal? Sit down with him.
I told you, I'm not wearing a wire on my partner.
No wire, just sit with him.
And do what? - And talk to him.
- Just talk to him? - Just talk to him.
And if, by the end of that conversation, you still think he's innocent, then I will drop everything.
You will? I will.
You have my word, Anthony.
GARRETT: And whatever you decide to do, we'll make it work.
Thank you, Garrett.
Chief Cornick is in the building.
Abigail's bringing him up.
He's a good choice, boss.
I mean, he might not be your first choice, but he's still a top-shelf pick, you know? Transit will be lucky to have him.
Okay, Sid.
(door opens) Chief Cornick's here.
Chief, take a seat.
Please.
Thank you for having me, Commissioner.
Sure.
Craig's son is on the job, did you know that? Out in the 6-4.
I didn't know that.
I used to work in the 6-4.
It is an honor to be here again, Commissioner.
And, listen, I, I want to thank you for sharing your concerns about Chief Penworth.
Oh, no, not at all.
I felt it was my duty to protect the department.
But you didn't really share your concerns, did you? Sir? Instead, you just lit a smoke bomb and hightailed it out of the room.
Uh, I'm not sure I follow.
You used to ride with Penworth.
That makes you one of, oh, I don't know, maybe five guys who knew about this.
And you were willing to use it to get this job.
A-All due respect, Commissioner, I I hardly think this is appropriate thanks for saving your department from another black eye in the press.
What Penworth did was wrong.
What you did was worse, Chief.
I blew the whistle on a lie, sir.
I mean, cops blow whistles, they always have.
Thanks for stopping by.
(door opens) (door closes) Well kind of threw Penworth under the bus.
Kind of? No way anyone's gonna dig up a little article from a local paper from a hundred years ago.
And that's really not the point, is it? No.
Now what do we do? (sighs) Find an honest man.
You think she recognized your voice? If she did, she's halfway to JFK by now.
Why would she hold onto a burner phone? Or why would she be crazy enough to answer a burner phone? RMPs in place? Yeah, they're watching the back.
Okay, here we go.
Mrs.
Thompson! Police.
Open up.
JANET: Come in, it's open.
Mrs.
Thompson? I killed my husband.
Well, I can't say it makes me happy, but Mrs.
Thompson is in the system.
Good.
I'm fried.
You okay if I go lay down? Mm-hmm.
You okay? Yeah, I'm just fried, too.
But go ahead.
I'll keep working.
I'll be in the dorm.
All right.
(groans lightly) Good to see you, man.
Well? He says he didn't have nothing to do with it.
Hey, we had a deal, Erin.
(sighs) Baez.
Come on, you got to get up.
Reagan? What are you doing here? How did you get into my apartment? We're not in your apartment.
Open your eyes.
Come on.
You took a nap in the squad, remember? Oh, please tell me this is a horrible dream.
Unfortunately, it just might be.
What are you talking about? We never bothered to ask who was arguing.
- What? - The doorman.
Do you remember? Neighbors complained about raised voices.
Right.
We never bothered to ask if anyone ever identified exactly who the raised voices belonged to.
Reagan, maybe I'm still half asleep, but I don't know what you're talking about.
I mean, obviously, it was Mr.
and Mrs.
Thompson.
Yeah, Mr.
and Mrs.
Thompson.
That's exactly what I thought.
Yeah, because it's the only one that makes any sense.
Or maybe you and I weren't willing to consider the only alternative.
I have no idea what you're saying, but I know I don't like the way you're saying it.
Mm.
You know, sometimes I wish I'd joined the fire department.
Firemen always get to be the good guy.
Come on.
What is going on? I'll show you.
Come on.
While you were napping, I watched the rest of the surveillance tapes.
You watched all those? Yeah, and look what I found.
BAEZ: Am I supposed to know who that is? You're still sleeping.
Keep watching.
Look.
It's Trevor Thompson, Janet's son.
He sent the text message to Lindsey.
Now you're waking up.
Well, let's go get him.
No need.
Already done.
Shall we? Why didn't you throw away the burner phone when you were done with it? I don't know.
I didn't know what to do with it, so I-I just hid it in my bottom drawer.
And your mom was in the apartment when I called it? She heard it ringing, so she went to my bedroom and found it.
But it was you who sent the text to your father's fiancée.
BAEZ: You wanted her to know who your mother was, wanted her to know your father had a family.
How'd you find out about your father's other life? It's okay, Trevor.
You can tell us.
I was running late for school one day, so I cut through the park.
And I saw him come out of some building with this woman and a baby.
You couldn't tell your mother? It would kill her.
So you told the other woman.
And nothing happened.
That's when you decided to confront your dad? Somebody had to tell him to knock it off.
But when you confronted him, things got heated.
You had a knife on you? I-I-I only meant-- I only meant to scare him.
But it wasn't your mom who killed your dad, was it? It wasn't her.
(cries softly) (sniffles) Good morning.
What the hell?! God, you almost gave me a heart attack.
I got to talk to you about something important.
Okay.
Well, do you have to sit in my office in the dark like some creeper? We used to play a lot of poker in the squad.
Uh-huh.
And we pretty much had a regular game going, and, to be honest, I pretty much used to run the table.
Well, I'm really happy for you.
I can see why you had to scare the hell out of me to give me that critical information.
Especially when my partner, Jimmy, was with us at the table.
I used to take him to the cleaners.
You want to know why? Because you're really good at playing cards? I'm average.
Well, above average to be completely honest with you.
That's wonderful.
Are we anywhere near this riveting tale coming to a conclusion? See, Jimmy Fusco had a tell.
Whenever he was bluffing, he used to rub his chin.
That's how I used to own him.
Well, that certainly was worth the suspense.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Don't you get what I'm telling you? No, I don't.
Last night when I asked Jimmy if he had anything to do with this money going missing He rubbed his chin.
He did it, Erin.
He did it.
Anthony, I'm sorry.
Uh, where does that leave us? I mean, what do we do? We ain't gonna do nothing.
(clears throat) You do realize you just said that we are gonna do something.
Yeah, I do.
You do? Let's go get this son of a bitch.
She confessed to killing her two-timing husband, so I arrested her.
But it was his son.
Yes, but I was quick to take her confession at face value, which is my first failure.
What was your second? I arrested the son.
For doing what, in the old days, would've been considered defending his mother's honor.
ERIN: But it's not the old days.
So it's not a fail.
Okay, so maybe I didn't fail, but I kind of wish I did fail.
Does that count? - Not sure.
- Not a fail? - No.
- Okay, so I only failed once.
Nothing worse than when the good guy's the bad guy.
Yeah, when the bad guy keeps on destroying lives even after he's gone.
Okay, whose turn? Who didn't go? ALL: Jack.
- Pass.
- Come on, Jack.
You can't do that.
- Can't pass.
- I did not miss this game at all.
There's no getting out of it, Jack.
Come on.
What did you fail at this week? Can't we just be like a normal family and you guys ask us about school or something? Or talk about the good things that happened this week? It's tradition.
Because there's almost nothing to learn from success.
Failure, on the other hand, is the best teacher you'll ever have.
- And we will take your word for it.
- Not happening.
NICKY: Guys, believe me, I get it.
I used to think it was nuts, too, but you'll see.
- It's really useful.
- How? Because if you aren't failing, you aren't trying, and if you aren't trying, you aren't really living.
Exactly right.
Come on, Jack, spit it out.
What'd you screw up this week? Yeah, what was it? - Come on.
- HENRY: Come on, son.
Embrace the pain.
All right, fine.
I asked Stacey Librizzi on a date and she said no.
HENRY: Ah.
Ooh.
(laughter, oohing) Harsh.
Shut up.
Congratulations.
Way to go, Jack.
Why? Say it with me.
"Stacey Librizzi, keep walking"" Hey, Stace, your loss.
DANNY: Or "Please, Don't Go, Girl".
SEAN: Yeah! JACK: What does that even mean? It's an oldie, but goodie.
Forget about it.
We've all been there.
Welcome to the brotherhood.
You guys are all so weird.
What'd you learn from it? Mm, I don't know.
Ah, Jack.
How about you took your shot, you got shot down, but you're still standing.
I'll go with that.
All right, who else hasn't gone yet? What? HENRY: What about you, Francis? Any failures this week? Too soon to tell.
Most of the criteria that has to be met for consideration to a post like chief of transit is obvious: skill and experience, scalability of talent, integrity, honesty, and the ability to get along with me.
(audience chuckles) My choice has served this city in 19 years of service with this department, including highly successful postings in the Patrol, Special Operations, Transportation and Housing Bureaus.
He is well-liked and respected, not just by all of us in this building, but by the rank and file across this city.
But if there is one trait that I would consider first among equals in picking a chief, it is accountability.
You can't ask the men and women in your command for it if you don't first and foremost own it yourself.
There is one of our finest who meets all these criteria, first to last our new transit chief, Thomas Penworth.
Congratulations, Chief.
(cheering and whooping)
Oh, joy of joys.
Good morning to you, too.
So, we have a deal or not? We do.
Oh, well, then I take back that sarcastic comment.
With one condition.
And now I'm putting that sarcastic comment back.
It's reasonable.
Pleading your client down to three years with the amount of weight he was carrying was more than reasonable.
I'm sorry.
No conditions.
Hear me out? (sighs) My client agrees to all of your terms, but has just one request.
That the $300,000 seized by the NYPD at the time of his arrest be returned to him.
What are you talking about? You got the same police report I did.
The detective vouchered for $10,000.
Perhaps I misspoke when I said "seized.
" I should have said "stolen.
" Careful, Counselor.
It's true, Erin.
Detective Fusco pocketed nearly $300,000 in cash.
Says your thrice-convicted, drug-dealing, "take me at my word" client.
He's telling the truth.
Well, then he would be the first career criminal to do so.
I thought you might not take him or me at our word.
What is this? The results of a polygraph that my client took, which confirm that he is telling the truth.
And what nickel-dime polygraph examiner did you get to do this? The same one your office uses.
(sighs) And you've been at Brooklyn North for what, three years now? CORNICK: Almost four.
And I'm happy to say we've not only reduced crime by almost 11%, we did it while also cutting civilian complaints by more than 20%.
But you haven't spent any time assigned to the transit bureau.
No, haven't had the pleasure.
But hopefully that changes soon.
GARRETT: You don't see that as an impediment to heading that bureau? More like a welcome challenge.
I have not served at Transit, but my career has taken me to many different areas, and I'd like to think that I've met the challenge each time.
Well, you're certainly handy with the answers, Chief Cornick.
Thank you, sir.
Any questions for me? No.
No, not offhand.
Anything to add? - No.
- No.
Good.
Good.
Thank you, Chief.
(sighs) That's it? The commissioner's schedule's already half an hour backed up.
We'll be getting back to you real soon.
(sighs) Commissioner? If I may say one thing? Sure.
I get the feeling I'm not your first choice.
Why's that? Well, NYPD's like a small town.
Word travels fast, and that word is, Chief Penworth is your top pick.
Well, it's certainly no secret he is a candidate.
Along with several others.
Then please, sir, do us all a favor.
For the sake of the department, make it one of those others.
Clearly there's something else.
Why don't you just say it? Chief Penworth's not who he says he is.
And I don't want to see you or the department with egg all over its face.
You know, I've said too much.
Thank you for your time, sir.
(door opens) (door closes) (sighs) What does he got that we don't? I don't understand.
This can't be.
It's not possible.
We know it's a lot to process.
We're very sorry to have to come here and give you this news.
No, you-you don't understand.
It can't be my husband.
You must have made some kind of mistake.
He can't be dead.
My husband can't be dead.
Probably gonna take you some time.
No.
I mean, it's literally not possible.
Jack isn't even here.
He's in London.
Yeah, Mom's right.
He's overseas on business.
Yeah.
Y-You have the wrong person.
Okay, let's, uh, back up to the beginning here.
We're talking about Jack Thompson.
That's your husband's name.
- Yes.
- And he lives right here at 144 East 66th Street, Apartment 5C.
- Yes, but he's not This his wallet? (exhales) Oh, my God.
DANNY: Is it possible that your husband came home from London early? Yeah, and-and did what? Went for a walk in Central Park before coming home? This doesn't make any sense.
If he was home, we would know it.
Yeah.
(FaceTime ringing) It's your husband's phone.
No, that's not Jack's phone.
We found it on his person.
Do you know a "Lindsey"? No.
LINDSEY (over phone): Hello? (chuckles) Who are you? Why are you answering Jack's phone? Do you know Jack Thompson? Do I know him? He's my fiancé.
- What? - Who the hell are you? Why are you answering his phone? Are you sure you know who Jack Thompson is? Of course I'm sure.
What the hell is going on? This Jack Thompson? Yes.
That's him.
What is going on? Who are you? Who are those people with my fiancé? "Fiancé"? You mean my husband? It's okay, sit down.
Please.
Um, ma'am, I'm Detective Reagan with the NYPD.
I'm gonna need your address, okay? Blue Bloods 8x16 Tale of Two Cities Who is she? Janet Thompson.
Jack Thompson's wife.
For over 20 years.
I had no idea.
Absolutely none.
He never talked about his family? I thought we were his family.
He never mentioned any of the people in this picture to you? Never.
These are really his kids? Yeah.
Richard, Laura, and Trevor.
How is this even possible? How long were you two seeing each other? We started dating about three years ago.
We got pregnant with Kayla about a year in.
(chuckles softly) We were hoping to get married this year.
JANET: This is insane.
This is completely insane.
DANNY: We understand how you feel.
Believe me.
So this is really Jack's baby? Apparently so.
We were together more than 20 years.
How is it possible he had another life somewhere? You mentioned he travels a lot.
Yes, but what? This whole time I'm thinking he's away on business, he's really on the other side of the park with his wife and three kids? Seems to be the case.
What am I gonna tell her? How am I going to explain this to the children? You don't know anything about this at all? Believe me, if I did, I'd be the reason he's dead.
Are you? Absolutely not.
Absolutely not.
Well, did he have an ax to grind with anyone? Any enemies? He was the greatest.
I know that sounds crazy to say now, but it's true.
He was a really good guy.
Loved by everyone.
24 hours ago, I would've said he's the most trustworthy person I know.
So, no enemies? No.
I-I don't know.
I don't know anything anymore.
Every case Detective Fusco worked on, I want over here.
Now, who has the files on our defendant? I want that over here.
I want every "I" dotted, I want every "T" crossed.
You got me? I don't want any slip-ups on this.
CAMERON: Yes, ma'am.
Giving another one of your "How to Lovingly Lead" seminars? There you are.
In the flesh and the spirit.
Well, good, 'cause I'm going to need both and more.
Who we going after, Jimmy Hoffa? Remember that drug dealer, Hector, that I was letting plead down? Turns out, he coughed up an even bigger fish for me to fry.
A mako or a marlin? Killer whale.
Who are we taking down? A dirty cop.
Whoa.
And not just any cop.
A decorated detective.
Okay, l-let's back up few a steps.
What exactly did this scumbag drug dealer say the detective did? Stole nearly $300,000.
Now, before you start questioning the veracity of this claim, he passed a poly with flying colors.
Okay, a-and what did the detective's file look like? I mean, how many years on the job? Were there similar claims? Not exactly, but there are more than a handful of civilian complaints.
He's known as a real hard charger.
Check it out yourself.
Mary and Joseph.
What? Your whale is my old partner.
Shut up.
Okay.
No, I don't mean to shut up, I mean, get out.
You're the boss.
No-- Anthony, stop taking everything so literally.
What I mean is, I can't believe that.
What are the odds? I don't know what the odds are, but I don't want no part of it.
What are the chances he realizes he just said that he did want to be a part of it? None.
None.
So who do you believe? The wife or the fiancée? They're both pretty convincing, but But the guy was stabbed almost ten times, which means it was Personal.
- Exactly.
Let's divide and conquer.
You canvass the building, I'll go get a warrant for the online activity.
Detective Baez.
You have a minute? Two Gs are here.
Well? We searched everything.
You searched everything.
Dug through Chief Penworth's file.
Sat down with some of his past COs again.
GORMLEY: Even revisited conversations with family and friends.
Expanded that group, dug into his time before the NYPD.
And? Even this guy's ex-wife got nothing bad to say about him.
He's the real deal.
Bosses love him, rank and file respect him.
So what was Cornick trying to say? My guess, whatever it is, he's overselling it.
Chucking a Hail Mary.
Okay.
Baker? What's this? The Rockland Ledger.
A local paper? Chief Penworth's local paper to be exact.
Dating back to 2001? That's, like, 15 years ago.
Seventeen.
Penworth coached his son's baseball team to the championship, paper interviewed father and son after the game.
"What do you like to do for fun?" The part where Penworth compares team building to his time spent on the front lines in the Gulf War.
"An RPG hit their tank outside Baghdad, Penworth jumped into action".
But it never happened? Spent his tour behind a desk.
That's not good.
You got one right.
They're a very nice family.
Been in the building for as long as I can remember.
Mr.
Thompson was a great guy.
A neighbor on the floor reported hearing raised voices through the walls.
Husbands and wives argue.
I'm telling you, there's no way that Mrs.
Thompson had anything to do with his murder.
They argue often? I'm a doorman.
Discretion is my job.
I respect that, but this is a homicide investigation.
Any information you can give us would be helpful.
(sighs, taps desk) Okay.
So, lately, I've been getting a lot of calls down here saying that there's been a lot of yelling and fighting up in the apartment.
Hold on, the doorman said that? That-that the wife and the husband have been fighting a lot lately? BAEZ: He said a bunch of neighbors complained this month about yelling coming from their apartment.
Huh.
- Detective.
I'm on the phone.
But, Detective, I Yeah, not now, please.
Who are you talking to? Our friendly neighborhood TARU Tech McNightengale.
- McKenna.
- What? Our friendly neighborhood TARU Tech McKenna, not McNightengale.
I don't think anybody's named McNightengale.
Okay, my bad.
Uh, sorry, I got her name wrong.
It's McAnnoying.
So you got the warrant.
Any hits? No, I wish I had the warrant, but McAnnoying here is coming up donuts, isn't she? - Nothing? - Nada.
Zip, zero, zilch, nothing.
- That's not true.
- Yeah, it's true.
I mean, you got nothing on the wife, and you've been on the fiancée for an hour and you're putting up zeroes.
Then what's this? Does that say what I think it says? Lindsey Stewart's number one Internet search item last week was Janet Thompson.
- The wife.
- Mm-hmm.
Why didn't you tell me this? I've been over here for an hour waiting for you to give me some information.
What? I've been trying to tell you this for the past Baez, the fiancée was doing a Google search of the wife.
She lied to us.
She knew about her.
Meet you there.
On my way.
Hey.
Good work, Mc-- uh, TARU.
You told us before that you had no idea that your fiancé had another family, right? That's right.
And yet the top hit on your search engine is Janet Thompson.
You want to tell us why you lied to us? It's obvious, isn't it? I mean, Jack shows up dead.
If I know about his other life, I'm your first suspect.
With good reason, don't you think? No.
No matter how bad this looks, I did not murder Jack.
When did you find out? Last week.
Someone texted me a link to Janet Thompson's Facebook.
Who texted you? I have no idea.
Some random number.
And when you looked her up? I couldn't believe it.
There was the father of my child in all these family photos with people I'd never seen nor heard of in my life.
Must've been pretty pissed.
Yeah.
Sure.
Of course.
But mostly dazed and confused.
Did you confront Jack? I didn't want to do it over the phone while he was in London.
I was gonna show him what I found, but then But somebody killed him first.
And it wasn't you.
Absolutely not.
You'd be willing to take a lie detector test? Guess what.
Husbands and wives argue.
Well, according to your neighbors, you and your husband argued a whole bunch over the past month.
Well, as it turns out, he had a whole other life and family on the other side of the park, so our marriage wasn't exactly the gold standard.
A secret life that you told us you knew nothing about.
Oh, I didn't, and it's pretty clear now there's a reason why our relationship's been circling the drain these last few years.
Mrs.
Thompson, did you send your husband's lover a link to your Facebook account? Oh, don't be ridiculous.
Well, somebody knew about your husband's secret life and sent your name to her.
Did you want her to see photos of your family? Absolutely not.
Listen, I understand you have a job to do here, but let's get one thing crystal clear.
I had no knowledge of my husband's secret life and I certainly didn't kill him for it.
Not many would blame you if you did.
(scoffs) Nonetheless, I didn't.
Would you be willing to take a lie detector test? Excuse me? (knocking on door) Anthony, I've been knocking on the door forever.
I know.
Well, why didn't you say, "Come in"? Because I don't want you to come in.
Anthony, I am the senior A.
D.
A.
in this office and you are my investigator.
Not exactly something you're bashful about, Your Highness.
We need to talk.
No, we do not.
Anthony.
Erin.
I know you don't want to work on this investigation.
That's not true.
Oh.
Replace "don't" with "won't.
" Did I mention it's your job? Plenty of other detective investigators in this building that you can use.
I need you.
The only way I'm gonna get close is with someone he trusts.
Well, there's a reason he trusts me-- because he can trust me.
(sighs) You're putting me in a really terrible position here.
I'm putting you out when you're asking me to help take down a guy that I went through doors with? Oh, boy, here we go.
You don't think I get enough brothers-in-blue stories at family dinner? He may have stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Yeah, says a known drug dealer.
Who passed a poly.
Okay, Erin, whatever.
Thanks for stopping by.
I'm not going anywhere until you say you're on board.
Well, then I hope you brought a toothbrush and a sleeping bag.
You know, if I talk to the D.
A.
, he's gonna authorize me to make you do it.
Girl's got to do what a girl's got to do.
Right.
Well girl already did.
ABETEMARCO: Wow.
Not afraid to throw inside, are you, Erin? We start first thing in the morning.
(sighs) Chief Penworth, sir.
FRANK: Chief.
Commissioner, good to see you.
So, I hear you're a grandpa now.
Elizabeth Haley Penworth.
I'll bet she's special.
The other day she asked if we can buy her a baby brother online.
Best thing about being a grandpa: all the fun, none of the work.
(exhales) The air up here too thin for you? You okay? I think you know how much I respect you.
And you considering me for this post has been an honor.
It's also been a humbling experience.
I have to withdraw my name from consideration.
I'm sorry to hear that.
No, Frank, it's me who's sorry.
Jenny objects? No, nothing like that.
She and the family are completely on board.
Any reasoning you care to share? I lied about my military service in a published newspaper.
A local newspaper a couple of decades ago.
You know about this? And it ain't exactly The New York Times.
And you didn't lie about your military service, you embellished your record.
Maybe nobody finds out about this, but it will always be out there, hanging over my head.
And more importantly, I said those things.
And they were not true.
Why'd you push it, Tom? Wanted to look like a big shot in my son's eyes.
Like every other dad that ever walked the earth.
Told myself it was a harmless white lie.
Which it was until it wasn't.
(sighs) I'm sorry it has to end this way.
So, who do you like for it? Well, Lindsey knowing about the other marriage makes her look real good for this.
True, but, you know, she was married to this guy for 20 years, he's got another family right across town.
Something tells me her instincts would pick up on it.
Yeah.
Women's intuition.
Eh.
Or a wife's nosiness.
Ah.
Here he comes.
It's not her.
BAEZ: Uh, well, then, it's got to be It's not her.
She's telling the truth.
Come on.
You got to be kidding me.
We got nothing.
Not nothing.
Next to nothing.
No, we got something.
Look, we figure out who sent the text to Lindsey about Janet, we got something.
The text came from a burner phone.
- Dead end.
- Not a dead end.
I was able to figure out where the burner phone was purchased.
East side or west side? Neither.
It was purchased at a bodega in Washington Heights.
With a credit card? Cash.
Well, how are we gonna nail down our buyer? Well, that's why I brought the popcorn, you see? What is all that? These are surveillance videos from the bodega in Washington Heights.
We got to watch it all? Mm-hmm.
Want me to get some Milk Duds, too? (knocking on door) Top of the morning, my Irish rose.
Anthony.
It's nice to see you.
Good to be seen.
So, we're good? All good.
I thought about what you said last night, and it started to sink in.
Truth is, you're right.
Working this case is my job.
Well, I can't tell you how happy I am to hear that.
So here you go.
What's this? A letter to the D.
A.
You're resigning? You want to throw me chin music, you better believe I'm gonna charge the mound.
Anthony, this is crazy.
Look, I like this job plenty.
I even like working with you most of the time, but there's no way I'm wearing a wire on my partner.
Even if he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars? He didn't.
- You don't know that.
I know him.
- You don't.
Nobody knows anybody, Anthony.
It's the one thing we all come to learn in this business.
He's a stand-up guy, Erin.
Well, he wouldn't be the first stand-up guy to fall down.
Look, I'll give you this, Erin, you know better than most, because of this job and who your family is, but you still have never worn the uniform.
Oh, come on, Anthony, I was swaddled in the NYPD blues.
Yeah, but you never summoned up the courage to go through a door into a known hell because you trusted that another human being had your six.
He save your life? We saved each other's lives.
Multiple times.
Break a leg.
My brain's turning to oatmeal.
Turning? I can't watch another hour of mind-numbing 40-ounce bodega purchases.
Take a walk.
DANNY: Are you seeing something that means something? You think I've got the greatest hits tapes? I'm watching the same paint dry as you.
And you didn't get anything when you called that number? What number? The number that came up on the text that Lindsey got.
It's from a burner phone.
It's probably at the bottom of the Gowanus right now.
You never called it? Did you? Wha Do you have the number? Wow, you will do anything to avoid actually working, won't you? The number.
Straight to voice mail? No, it's ringing, smarty-pants.
From the bottom of the river? Hello? (quietly): It's a woman.
Hi, ma'am, um, I was calling to let you know that you are the lucky winner of two tickets to see Hamilton, on Broadway.
All I need is your name and address, and, um, uh, we'll send the tickets right over.
Hello? Hello? Hung up? - Yeah.
Hung up.
But the voice, I recognized it.
Shut up.
Janet Thompson.
The wife.
I'll make you a deal.
What kind of a deal? Sit down with him.
I told you, I'm not wearing a wire on my partner.
No wire, just sit with him.
And do what? - And talk to him.
- Just talk to him? - Just talk to him.
And if, by the end of that conversation, you still think he's innocent, then I will drop everything.
You will? I will.
You have my word, Anthony.
GARRETT: And whatever you decide to do, we'll make it work.
Thank you, Garrett.
Chief Cornick is in the building.
Abigail's bringing him up.
He's a good choice, boss.
I mean, he might not be your first choice, but he's still a top-shelf pick, you know? Transit will be lucky to have him.
Okay, Sid.
(door opens) Chief Cornick's here.
Chief, take a seat.
Please.
Thank you for having me, Commissioner.
Sure.
Craig's son is on the job, did you know that? Out in the 6-4.
I didn't know that.
I used to work in the 6-4.
It is an honor to be here again, Commissioner.
And, listen, I, I want to thank you for sharing your concerns about Chief Penworth.
Oh, no, not at all.
I felt it was my duty to protect the department.
But you didn't really share your concerns, did you? Sir? Instead, you just lit a smoke bomb and hightailed it out of the room.
Uh, I'm not sure I follow.
You used to ride with Penworth.
That makes you one of, oh, I don't know, maybe five guys who knew about this.
And you were willing to use it to get this job.
A-All due respect, Commissioner, I I hardly think this is appropriate thanks for saving your department from another black eye in the press.
What Penworth did was wrong.
What you did was worse, Chief.
I blew the whistle on a lie, sir.
I mean, cops blow whistles, they always have.
Thanks for stopping by.
(door opens) (door closes) Well kind of threw Penworth under the bus.
Kind of? No way anyone's gonna dig up a little article from a local paper from a hundred years ago.
And that's really not the point, is it? No.
Now what do we do? (sighs) Find an honest man.
You think she recognized your voice? If she did, she's halfway to JFK by now.
Why would she hold onto a burner phone? Or why would she be crazy enough to answer a burner phone? RMPs in place? Yeah, they're watching the back.
Okay, here we go.
Mrs.
Thompson! Police.
Open up.
JANET: Come in, it's open.
Mrs.
Thompson? I killed my husband.
Well, I can't say it makes me happy, but Mrs.
Thompson is in the system.
Good.
I'm fried.
You okay if I go lay down? Mm-hmm.
You okay? Yeah, I'm just fried, too.
But go ahead.
I'll keep working.
I'll be in the dorm.
All right.
(groans lightly) Good to see you, man.
Well? He says he didn't have nothing to do with it.
Hey, we had a deal, Erin.
(sighs) Baez.
Come on, you got to get up.
Reagan? What are you doing here? How did you get into my apartment? We're not in your apartment.
Open your eyes.
Come on.
You took a nap in the squad, remember? Oh, please tell me this is a horrible dream.
Unfortunately, it just might be.
What are you talking about? We never bothered to ask who was arguing.
- What? - The doorman.
Do you remember? Neighbors complained about raised voices.
Right.
We never bothered to ask if anyone ever identified exactly who the raised voices belonged to.
Reagan, maybe I'm still half asleep, but I don't know what you're talking about.
I mean, obviously, it was Mr.
and Mrs.
Thompson.
Yeah, Mr.
and Mrs.
Thompson.
That's exactly what I thought.
Yeah, because it's the only one that makes any sense.
Or maybe you and I weren't willing to consider the only alternative.
I have no idea what you're saying, but I know I don't like the way you're saying it.
Mm.
You know, sometimes I wish I'd joined the fire department.
Firemen always get to be the good guy.
Come on.
What is going on? I'll show you.
Come on.
While you were napping, I watched the rest of the surveillance tapes.
You watched all those? Yeah, and look what I found.
BAEZ: Am I supposed to know who that is? You're still sleeping.
Keep watching.
Look.
It's Trevor Thompson, Janet's son.
He sent the text message to Lindsey.
Now you're waking up.
Well, let's go get him.
No need.
Already done.
Shall we? Why didn't you throw away the burner phone when you were done with it? I don't know.
I didn't know what to do with it, so I-I just hid it in my bottom drawer.
And your mom was in the apartment when I called it? She heard it ringing, so she went to my bedroom and found it.
But it was you who sent the text to your father's fiancée.
BAEZ: You wanted her to know who your mother was, wanted her to know your father had a family.
How'd you find out about your father's other life? It's okay, Trevor.
You can tell us.
I was running late for school one day, so I cut through the park.
And I saw him come out of some building with this woman and a baby.
You couldn't tell your mother? It would kill her.
So you told the other woman.
And nothing happened.
That's when you decided to confront your dad? Somebody had to tell him to knock it off.
But when you confronted him, things got heated.
You had a knife on you? I-I-I only meant-- I only meant to scare him.
But it wasn't your mom who killed your dad, was it? It wasn't her.
(cries softly) (sniffles) Good morning.
What the hell?! God, you almost gave me a heart attack.
I got to talk to you about something important.
Okay.
Well, do you have to sit in my office in the dark like some creeper? We used to play a lot of poker in the squad.
Uh-huh.
And we pretty much had a regular game going, and, to be honest, I pretty much used to run the table.
Well, I'm really happy for you.
I can see why you had to scare the hell out of me to give me that critical information.
Especially when my partner, Jimmy, was with us at the table.
I used to take him to the cleaners.
You want to know why? Because you're really good at playing cards? I'm average.
Well, above average to be completely honest with you.
That's wonderful.
Are we anywhere near this riveting tale coming to a conclusion? See, Jimmy Fusco had a tell.
Whenever he was bluffing, he used to rub his chin.
That's how I used to own him.
Well, that certainly was worth the suspense.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Don't you get what I'm telling you? No, I don't.
Last night when I asked Jimmy if he had anything to do with this money going missing He rubbed his chin.
He did it, Erin.
He did it.
Anthony, I'm sorry.
Uh, where does that leave us? I mean, what do we do? We ain't gonna do nothing.
(clears throat) You do realize you just said that we are gonna do something.
Yeah, I do.
You do? Let's go get this son of a bitch.
She confessed to killing her two-timing husband, so I arrested her.
But it was his son.
Yes, but I was quick to take her confession at face value, which is my first failure.
What was your second? I arrested the son.
For doing what, in the old days, would've been considered defending his mother's honor.
ERIN: But it's not the old days.
So it's not a fail.
Okay, so maybe I didn't fail, but I kind of wish I did fail.
Does that count? - Not sure.
- Not a fail? - No.
- Okay, so I only failed once.
Nothing worse than when the good guy's the bad guy.
Yeah, when the bad guy keeps on destroying lives even after he's gone.
Okay, whose turn? Who didn't go? ALL: Jack.
- Pass.
- Come on, Jack.
You can't do that.
- Can't pass.
- I did not miss this game at all.
There's no getting out of it, Jack.
Come on.
What did you fail at this week? Can't we just be like a normal family and you guys ask us about school or something? Or talk about the good things that happened this week? It's tradition.
Because there's almost nothing to learn from success.
Failure, on the other hand, is the best teacher you'll ever have.
- And we will take your word for it.
- Not happening.
NICKY: Guys, believe me, I get it.
I used to think it was nuts, too, but you'll see.
- It's really useful.
- How? Because if you aren't failing, you aren't trying, and if you aren't trying, you aren't really living.
Exactly right.
Come on, Jack, spit it out.
What'd you screw up this week? Yeah, what was it? - Come on.
- HENRY: Come on, son.
Embrace the pain.
All right, fine.
I asked Stacey Librizzi on a date and she said no.
HENRY: Ah.
Ooh.
(laughter, oohing) Harsh.
Shut up.
Congratulations.
Way to go, Jack.
Why? Say it with me.
"Stacey Librizzi, keep walking"" Hey, Stace, your loss.
DANNY: Or "Please, Don't Go, Girl".
SEAN: Yeah! JACK: What does that even mean? It's an oldie, but goodie.
Forget about it.
We've all been there.
Welcome to the brotherhood.
You guys are all so weird.
What'd you learn from it? Mm, I don't know.
Ah, Jack.
How about you took your shot, you got shot down, but you're still standing.
I'll go with that.
All right, who else hasn't gone yet? What? HENRY: What about you, Francis? Any failures this week? Too soon to tell.
Most of the criteria that has to be met for consideration to a post like chief of transit is obvious: skill and experience, scalability of talent, integrity, honesty, and the ability to get along with me.
(audience chuckles) My choice has served this city in 19 years of service with this department, including highly successful postings in the Patrol, Special Operations, Transportation and Housing Bureaus.
He is well-liked and respected, not just by all of us in this building, but by the rank and file across this city.
But if there is one trait that I would consider first among equals in picking a chief, it is accountability.
You can't ask the men and women in your command for it if you don't first and foremost own it yourself.
There is one of our finest who meets all these criteria, first to last our new transit chief, Thomas Penworth.
Congratulations, Chief.
(cheering and whooping)