03x04 - Letting It Go

[bunniefuu]

[Def tones' "Change (In the house of flies)" Playing]

♪ I've watched you change ♪
♪ You were on fire ♪
♪ I watched a change in you ♪
♪ it's like you never... ♪

[Camera shutter clicking]

We get it, Tao! The music was loud!

Giving you an idea of how loud!

But...

♪ now you feel so alive ♪

[music stops]

God, my brains have turned to soup, and they're spilling out my ears.

Flynn: Okay, lady in the neighboring apartment called in a noise complaint at 9:35.

[Camera shutter clicking]

She said she knocked and she knocked, but couldn't get him to answer the door.

Sykes: Our music lover is Lucas Cross, age 32.

Money and credit cards still in his wallet.

Well, robbery doesn't seem like a motive.

Kendall: And this.

Ah, he also had a condom in his pocket.

A little music, nice bottle of wine.

Do I need to document this broken bottle like a m*rder w*apon?

No. From the blood pattern and the uniform nature of the wound, looks like Mr. Cross was assaulted with the wine bottle after his throat was cut.

Time of death?

Body's warm.

Minimal rigor.

I'd say between 9:00 and 11:00 P.M.

Why is Chief Taylor out front talking to the press?

I'm going to guess it's because Mr. Cross here had a prior arrest for a sexual as*ault.

Oh!

In fact, he went to trial for r*pe.

Charges were dropped on a technicality eight weeks ago.

So, we got a r*pist that walked free, though not very far.

Still pretty upsetting.

Well, so is this.

Guy's got a double-keyed dead bolt, sir.

So he could lock people out... or in.

Why would a guy living alone need to lock people in?

Oh, God. Never mind.

Wait a minute. Pepper spray.

The victim has it on his face and eyes.

Explains why there are so few defensive wounds.

Can't really tell if this is a crime of passion or a premeditated homicide.

Or some new victim acting in self-defense.

Well, if it was self-defense, why didn't they call the police?

No. No. We pursue this as a m*rder, and we reach out to this woman whose r*pe case...

Uh, excuse me... Alleged r*pe case... was thrown out.

Talk to her father, her brothers, any other angry guy in her life.

Yeah, well, if my daughter was r*ped and the guy got away with it, I don't know what I would do.

Make sure we'd never find the body.

You wouldn't find blood in the drain like I just did.

Okay, Tao, the press is waiting for a briefing from detectives.

Come on.

Me?

These reporters deserve the most thorough briefing I can give them.

And that's you. Let's go.

Tao: ...At which point we made a visual identification of our victim, who was...

Hey, mom, that's my friend, Lieutenant Tao.

Guess they're out on another m*rder.

Um, by the way, I made a list of everything that you gave me since I've been here.

I even did the lip balm.

But I have no idea how much any of this stuff costs, so if you could just total it up and bring it back to me.

Mom, I told you yesterday you don't have to pay me back for anything.

No, I do.

According to my sponsor, I need to start to be accountable.

Don't mess with my program, okay? It's working.

[Chuckles]

And if you could add this.

What's that?

The doctor gave it to me for when I check out.

It's a prescription.

Yeah, and make sure to tell me how much it costs, okay?

It's just... It's easier to accept all the stuff that you give me if I'm keeping track.

Gin.

[Chuckles]

Every single hand.

How do you do it, mom?

Oh, I'm lucky, I guess. [Chuckles]

So, what is this medication that you need me to get for you?

Uh, it's a pain reliever.

I can't take aspirin or motrin because of my stomach, and they don't want to give me Tylenol because of my liver, so, uh, when I get my headaches, they give me that.

You have headaches?

Yeah.

I mean, I'm told that it has to do with getting sober and feeling things more than I did before.

After I leave Signal Hill, I never want to go to rehab again.

I just want to do everything at the halfway house just like I'm doing it here.

So, you're... you're definitely gonna go to the halfway house?

Uh, yeah.

I mean, I think halfway is about as far as I can go.

I wish they would take me halfway back to being a good mother.

Hey, listen, you...

You were a terrific mother...

All the way until I was 11.

[Chuckles]

And I was no day in the park, either.

I mean, how much trouble did I make at almost every school I went to?

You... were the best thing that ever happened to me.

And, uh... I just, uh, need to figure out how to hold onto you and everything else that matters.

Well, you know what they say...

One day at a time, right?

Oh, my God, they hardly say anything else.

[Both chuckle]

Okay, I'll see you in a couple days.

Okay. Thank you.

[Sighs]

Taylor: Gentlemen, lady, if you don't know him already, meet DDA Jeffrey Lee.

He prosecuted the r*pe case against our victim.

Lee: Before we talk about your victim, meet mine.

This is Jackie Chaidez February 5, 2014, the night Mr. Cross r*ped her.

Now, Jackie did absolutely everything right.

She called 911.

She drove herself straight to the hospital, refused to let them treat her injuries till after she was photographed.

And she fought back.

Oh, not as well as whatever young lady Cross brought to his apartment last night, but Jackie fought back.

These are scratches on Cross's face and arms the day he was arrested.

What went wrong with your case?

[Scoffs]

A dumb-ass lab tech lied on his résumé.

Says he's got a PhD from USC when he doesn't.

As a result...

All his findings were thrown out.

DNA, blood, hair, skin samples, gone.

Ye gods.

And since the defendant wore a condom...

No other victims came forward?

Because the double lock on his door indicates a pretty awful pattern.

The judge excluded my one prior victim, who came all the way out from Chicago at her own expense.

Excluded because?

Uh, because she was r*ped overseas while she was still serving in the army.

Lucas Cross worked as a private contractor near her in Kabul.

That case also ended up being a he-said, she-said and was never prosecuted, so without her testimony and with the physical evidence of the L.A. r*pe excluded...

Mr. Cross walked.

Oh, no. No, no, no. He didn't walk.

He danced.

What do you mean?

When the judge dismissed the charges against him...

With prejudice, by the way...

Lucas Cross jumped up out of his seat, and he danced around the courtroom.

And then that son of a bitch sent roses to my victim like he's her freakin' Valentine.

How did, uh, miss Chaidez handle that?

She brought the flowers to me.

Look, I work hundreds of sex crimes a year.

Jackie Chaidez was bulletproof...

Well-spoken, smart, the perfect victim.

And now the perfect suspect.

Whoa. Whoa.

You said yourself the double lock indicated a pattern.

All right, Lucas Cross was m*rder*d by some new girl, not Jackie Chaidez.

Please.

She doesn't deserve to get b*at up all over again.

Sounds like you were close to her.

Taylor: Captain, I think what DDA Lee is saying is we want this young lady on our side.

And when did you find out Lucas was dead?

My sister texted me this morning and was like, "turn on the news."

Honestly, I thought I would feel happy or vindicated or something, but mostly I just... I feel relieved.

And did you ever see Mr.

Cross again after the trial?

Once. He standing in line behind me at Starbucks, which is where we first met.

Other than that, he just sent me a few e-mails telling me he'd love to get back together again sometime, like I... Like I was an ex.

Sounds awful.

And you said the two of you first met at Starbucks.

Yes.

I saw him in there all the time, and he was so charming.

He finally bought me a cup of coffee, and I had to say thank you.

And I ended up going out with him [Sighs] twice.

And on the second date...

He invited me back to his place.

We kissed.

He... he put on some music.

And then before I knew it, he was ripping at my blouse, grabbing me.

I tried to leave, but the door was locked.

I couldn't get out.

He pulled my head back by my hair.

He... he... he put a Kn*fe to my throat.

During the trial, he said the sex was consensual, that you liked it rough.

That must have made you angry.

And then he was freed on a technicality.

Which is why I love karma so much.

At least I won't have to worry about ever seeing him again.

No. But we still need to ask you some questions.

Yeah, yeah.

You'll want to know where I was during the m*rder.

I was at a restaurant in Malibu last night.

Can anyone vouch for that?

I don't know, but I-I charged my dinner on my credit card.

You can probably look that up.

Or maybe I might still have the receipt in my wallet.

If I had known there was gonna be a m*rder, I would have asked someone to come out with me.

Do you have any brothers?

No, little sister.

Is your dad alive?

He is, but he has Alzheimer's.

You can talk to him, but he doesn't remember much...

Including me.

Anything else?

Do you mind if we search your home and your car?

I know it's intrusive.

Okay.

Yeah. Search anything, everything, my condo, my car.

It's worth it to have that monster gone once and for all.

[Sighs]

Miss Chaidez's credit card info checks out.

Tao: Thanks.

She paid $57.50 for dinner and a glass of wine last night at the Coral Ridge grill and left a $20 gratuity.

Hmm. Always remember a big tipper.

Sykes, check out this social security number for me, please.

She closed her bill out at 10:53 P.M.

We're still waiting for a hard copy of the receipt.

Puts her outside time of death, sir.

Buzz: There are no security cameras at the restaurant parking lot, but the valet takes down plates.

Miss Chaidez's car was there from 8:30 to 11:00.

So I guess her alibi is good.

Maybe too good.

Buzz, see how far this address is from our m*rder victim.

[Door opens]

[Telephone rings]

Uh, still counting.

Nine blocks, lieutenant.

Captain. Captain, do...

Do you remember the other r*pe victim that Lee told us about?

Uh, she came out for the trial, but the judge wouldn't let her testify.

Corporal Laura Day.

She's still in Los Angeles.

And she lives less than a mile from our m*rder scene.

Hydroxyzine is a fairly mild antianxiety medication but I cannot believe this is part of Sharon Beck's treatment in rehab.

Am I wrong?

No.

Hydroxyzine also covers up the side effects of heroin, and it's a cheap way to bump up your high.

So Rusty's mom is planning on using again?

Well, where she is?

Wall-to-wall addicts jonesing under a court order...

Best place in the world to score dr*gs.

If his mom broke the law, problem solved.

You could put her in jail.

That's not my goal.

Most addicts' strong suit...

Manipulation of family.

Jackie Chaidez just called me in tears.

Sorry, captain.

It was either let him in or sh**t him.

First you drag her down here.

Then you send S.I.D. to print her house and car?

Is that your idea of advocating for the victim?

Mr. Lee, I have a victim, too, and I don't advocate.

I investigate.

Then investigate this...

Lucas Cross was 6'3", 220 pounds, twice as heavy as Jackie.

You seem really familiar with Jackie's measurements.

But what about Cross's other r*pe victim...

Corporal Laura Day?

Can you describe her physique, too?

Corporal Day's not relevant.

And she lives in Illinois.

Actually, she has an apartment a half a mile from Mr. Cross...

Because she never left.

We really appreciate your concern, but why don't you do us all a favor and don't contact any more of our suspects before we talk to them.

I'll contact whoever I want because I'm in the business of protecting the public.

What business are you in?

Mr. Lee's conscience appears... overfull.

Well, he's right about one thing.

The crime scene does make the k*ller look more like a man than a woman.

But if that woman had pepper spray and a m*llitary background, it could make a difference.

You came out to Los Angeles to testify against Lucas Cross?

Check.

Why did you stay here after the trial was over?

I'd spent practically all of my money driving out here because I am, as they say, between opportunities.

She would also appear to be between drinks.

Look, my crappy car couldn't make it all the way back to Chicago.

Ma'am, how did you happen to choose the location of the apartment you moved into out here?

Cheap... rent.

Slightly hostile.

Or high.

You want me to stop this?

Not yet.

Sykes: Did you know Lucas Cross lived in easy walking distance from you?

Well [Chuckles] not anymore.

[Chuckles] I saw on the news last night where somebody took a Kn*fe to him.

Could we ask you about your relationship to Lucas?

My relationship.

Did he really just say that?

Okay, Buzz, hold on. None of this is usable.

You want to ask me about the particulars

of my relationship with my r*pist?!

No, no, no, no. Don't turn it off yet.

It may be unusable, but I'm fascinated.

I think you misunderstand. Oh.

When we use the word "relationship," we mean connections at their most basic level...

Mm. ...The ins and outs of how you and Lucas Cross knew each other and how you became, for lack of a better word, his victim. [Sighs]

Detective Sykes.

Yeah.

No one gave a damn what Lucas did to me until somebody k*lled him, not the army, not his employers, not the police, not even my family!

[Door closes] You want to talk about my relationship?!

We can't use anything she says when she's drunk.

Why don't you take her out for a cup of coffee, get her calm, sober her up, gain her confidence if you can.

Great idea. I'll get righ to it.

Okay yeah.

[Indistinct singing over radio]

Sorry I got so intense back there.

I just... [laughs]

I cannot believe how you guys, like, dismissed me until Lucas d*ed.

[Scoffs]

Can I ask you a personal question, off the record?

Are you drunk or high or both?

If I did dr*gs, I'd be dead by now.

You drink a lot?

Only as much as I can.

Do you know know what this means?

What?

I surrender.

I won't make you ask me the play-by-play.

I'll give you the whole sob story on my relationship with Lucas Cross.

Just don't expect tears.

Okay.

You know what it feels like to be surrounded by a bunch of horny, lonely, armed men in a foreign country 24 hours a day?

I was an MP with the 101st, stationed at an F.O.B. out of Bagram in '08, and in Kabul, too.

I know.

Mm.

Well, Lucas was a, uh... a private contractor, like a caterer for embassy types.

And it seemed rude to always take his food and avoid his company.

On the second date, we... ended up in his trailer.

Contractors had private quarters.

Right.

He puts on some loud music, starts pawing me before I can even sit down.

I go to leave. The door is locked.

He, uh...

He pins me down.

He puts a Kn*fe to my throat.

And he r*pes me.

I remember his breath...

And his hands...

[Inhales sharply]

And him saying over and over, "you like it rough, don't you, bitch?"

And afterward, you filed charges?

And your fellow MPs questioned him.

Of course, Lucas denied everything.

Next thing I knew, his company punished him with a transfer home, and I just had to live with it.

Do you have a boyfriend?

I'm seeing this guy.

Yes.

Yes.

I have a boyfriend, yes.

And when he touches you, how does it make you feel?

Do you want to scream?

Because that's what I want to do every time a guy even looks at me.

So... imagine how I felt last year, when Lucas poked me on Facebook.

He asked me to friend him, like in his lizard brain, we had actually dated.

"Hey, babe, if you're ever in California, hit me up."

"Hit... me... up."

Oh, God.

So...

[Scoffs] ...When the prosecutor...

DDA Lee... when he reached out and asked you to testify in Jackie's case...

Oh, I was thrilled.

I-I quit my crappy job and I packed my crappy car and I drove clear across the country just so I could take the stand.

But... the judge wouldn't let me because I was the bitch who liked it rough.

That's not why you weren't heard.

And look, you never have to worry about the horrible stuff Lucas said about you because he can never say it again.

I know.

It's kind of hard to talk when your throat is cut, isn't it?

How did you know his throat was cut?

'Cause, see, I-I was...

I was... I was really drunk when I left Lucas' last night, and he was still you know [Gurgles] gurgling, just squirting blood everywhere [Laughing] so I know...

I know that he can't talk, and I have been celebrating all day.

Oh, my God. Laura, please. You didn't.

I did.

[Exhales sharply]

I k*lled that son of a bitch.

[Laughs]

I can't believe how many times people say "hey I did it", and you guys can't arrest them.

[Chuckles]

What's wrong this time?

Did she end the sentence with a preposition or something?

She wasn't mirandized, her confession wasn't recorded, and she was drunk.

Mm. [Cellphone vibrating]

Speaking of drunks.

Hi, mom.

Good morning, sunshine.

Are you still coming to help me move out of rehab tonight?

Uh-huh.

I'm grateful to be here, but, oh, my God, I cannot wait to get out!

Everything is supposed to be better at the halfway house, including the coffee.

[Chuckles]

Um...

Did you fill my prescription?

I'm on it. Yeah.

Oh, thank you.

And remember... bring me the receipt.

I have to keep track.

I will.

Um, okay, I-I'm gonna go.

Um, I... I'll get over there as soon as I can after school.

All right. Thank you, honey. I love you.

I love you.

I'll see you in a bit.

[Sniffles]

That prescription that my mom gave me to be filled...

There's something wrong with it, isn't there?

Yes.

Did it even come from the rehab?

No. It was a forgery.

And the drug isn't something that addicts should be taking at all.

How did she expect to get away with this?

I won't pretend that this is anything but disappointing, but you have choices here, and one is to talk to her.

If you want, I could go with you and wait outside.

No. No. I do not want you there.

I'm... I'm sorry.

Um, what I... what I mean is that...

I would rather handle this one on my own.

I understand.

It could be that confronting your mother with the truth might make her rethink what she's doing.

The truth.

I don't know if she's ever said one true thing to me in my whole life.

Sanchez: Well, whatever other lies she may have told, Laura Day loves craft beer.

We found a lot of empties in Corporal Day's apartment and in her vehicle.

Flynn: Mm. Nice car, too. Late model.

She lied about that.

And her home?

Well, that's another lie. It's not low-rent.

It's a pretty cush apartment.

It's got a washer/dryer, dishwasher.

Sanchez: Here's what we didn't find...

Blood, pepper spray, or a Kn*fe.

Hmm. So, this woman admitted to m*rder.

Why is she lying about all these other little things?

She didn't lie about being sexually assaulted while serving our country in uniform.

That happened, lieutenant.

And like a lot of other ugly truths, it got swept under the rug.

She only confessed because someone was finally listening to her.

I'm sorry I didn't see it coming, and it was a mistake not to record it.

If getting a confession from a suspect is a mistake, let's make more mistakes.

Look, she already said it once.

All we need for her to do is to say it again, this time sober.

If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you by the state.

Have you heard and understood these rights as they have been read to you?

Yeah.

You put Amy in there?

They have a relationship.

I'm hopeful she'll get her to confess again.

This time on camera.

[Chuckles]

We didn't record anything in the good old days and still made our cases.

But now that the dinosaurs are extinct...

Can't you just fire him?

Any idiot can hit "record."

Be my guest.

I just need to go over everything you said, have you write some of it down so we can...

I said I did it. I k*lled Lucas Cross.

What else do you need me to do? God.

How did you get into his apartment?

Through the sliding glass door in the back.

There's a little patio behind the building with a privacy fence. Lucas left the slider unlocked. He liked to go out there and smoke.

So far, everything she says matches the video.

Thank you, buzz.

I let myself in, hid in the closet, waited.

Which closet?

Which closet?

Which room?

To tell you the truth, I was a little drunk.

Sober enough not to leave any prints.

I used gloves.

There was also no blood, Laura.

What are you talking about? There was blood everywhere.

Not in your apartment or your car or on any of your clothing.

Oh, my God. You think I'm making this up?

Why would I do that? Lucas came home.

I jumped out of the closet with a big freaking Kn*fe, and I cut his throat.

How many times did you s*ab him?

What difference does that make?

We got her.

She got her.

Okay. Good call.

Which hand was the Kn*fe in when you supposedly cut his throat?

I told you I was drunk.

Which hand?

When you write it all down, you have to be specific.

Details.

Look, I am tired.

So go get me something to drink and polish a medal for solving your case, but I am done trying to prove that I was there.

Music.

What about music?

I turned it up to cover the sound of the struggle...

Like he did to me.

Yeah.

[Sighs]

I want you at the press conference.

Why? Because I'm a woman?

It won't hurt.

Look, Laura wasn't allowed to speak in court, she's a veteran, and she k*lled her own r*pist.

How many times do you think I had to go out and talk about race and homicide?

Don't get P.C. on me now.

Let's do things in their proper order, then, because first we're gonna need to get Corporal Day a public defender.

You might want to wait on all this.

Why?

The Kn*fe was on the news, and she won't say how she used it.

I have a problem with that.

Based on what... your intuition?

She described the apartment, the privacy fence, and the music turned up very loud.

As for all these other details, the girl was drunk.

Yesterday she told me Lucas was making gurgling noises as he d*ed.

She even imitated the sound.

No way she could have heard that with the stereo blasting as loud as it was during the struggle.

She either turned it up afterwards, or she's lying.

So, which is it?

Quiet enough to hear a death rattle or loud enough to wake up the neighbors?

She can't have it both ways.

Taylor: I don't understand.

Why would she k*ll the guy, then lie about when she turned up the music?

The music's not what she's lying about, chief.

She's lying about k*lling Lucas Cross.

Yeah.

Thank God I don't need to come back here.

Look, this is the suitcase they give me.

Is it made of cardboard or something?

I guess the one good thing is I don't really have much to put in it.

Oh, um, do you have my prescription?

I'll just toss it in here with my clothes.

I couldn't fill your prescription.

What?

Why?

Because it's a forgery, mom, and it wasn't given to you here.

What are you... It's not a forgery.

No one at this rehab would give you this drug, and you involved me in a crime by trying to get me to fill it for you.

A crime?! Oh, my God!

Yes, mom.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Do I seem high to you right now, Rusty?

Listen.

I apologized to you, okay?

And I meant every word of it.

And I've tried very hard to keep from making things worse for you.

But as you said the other day, you were not the easiest kid.

And knowing what you were, hmm?

Even when you were little, I knew what you were.

And that has never been easy for me, facing that.

[Scoffs] Facing what?

[Chuckling] Oh, are you pretending that you're not gay?

Because I know that you are.

And [Scoffs] I can overlook it, you know?

But can't you just overlook some of my problems?

At least I'm trying to be normal!

I don't get that hit off of you.

Are you saying that you let your boyfriend b*at me up and you dumped me off at the zoo...

Dumped you at the zoo?

And drove away and got high for three years...

I didn't dump you at the zoo.

Because you knew I was gay, mom?

Gary wouldn't let me come back and get you!

Yes, you did!

And then they put you in a foster home.

Where I was knocked around, mom.

Yeah, and then you chose to go out on the street and do those things for money with guys!

And where do you think I learned how to do that, mom?

Or... [Exhales sharply]

I'm not blaming you, Rusty.

Okay? And I'm assuming you did the best that you could and that you can't help yourself.

I think I should go.

What? No. Come on.

Can't you just show me some of the forgiveness that I am showing you?

You said it yourself the other day...

You were not an easy child.

And I really did. I tried to help you.

I really... I did try.

All right. I apologize, too.

I am sorry for being such a difficult kid that it forced you to do dr*gs.

I am sorry for not being the normal child that you deserve.

And, you know, maybe if you didn't see me again, you'll get better.

Why don't we try that?

Wait. Wait! Wait one second.

Rusty, I get past you being gay and all the trouble that that caused me, and your response is to just walk away? you think that somehow I'm worse than a gay boy who sold himself on the street?

I forgave you.

And you are not big enough to forgive me.

♪ I looked away ♪

Wait. Rusty, I'll pay you back.

Look, I promised that I would pay you back.

Would you listen to me? Rusty. Rusty!

If you walk out that door and leave me like this...

♪ I watched a change ... ♪

I will never forgive you!

♪ In you ♪

I will never forgive you!

♪ It's like you never ♪ the music was really loud, lieutenant.

Yeah, I remember, and it's still really loud.

For the love of God, why is this important? [Music stops]

Neighbor called in the noise complaint at 9:35 P.M.

And then announced it to the world on the 11:00 news.

Now watch all this.

The music was so loud, I called 911.

And we don't know if the stabbing of Mr. Cross was a premeditated act of m*rder or done in self-defense.

All I can say with any certainty at this time was the victim was tried for r*pe and his case was dismissed.

Well, tip of the hat to DDA Lee for giving away the pertinent facts of the m*rder.

That's all Laura had to hear to invent her confession.

Nobody stops in the middle of a Kn*fe fight to turn on the sound system, sir.

And why would you turn it up so loud right before you were ready to leave?

Well, how do you know that it happened after the m*rder?

We found a bloody glove print on the volume control.

Oh.

The blood. Well...

Sykes: The k*ller turned it up loud enough for the police to be called.

And why would she do that?

To establish the time of death.

All right, let's go back over our first suspect's alibi dinner in Malibu.

I'm gonna bring the captain up to date.

[Door opens]

She checked her car with the valet at 8:27 P.M.

She even kept the parking stub to prove it.

Paid her bill with a credit card at 10:53.

Ma'am, we chased down a hard copy of the receipt from the Coral Ridge grill and compared it to the statement that she signed for us.

Not her signature.

If miss Chaidez went to all this trouble creating the perfect alibi, is there any chance she was working with Corporal Day?

Well, we know whoever signed the credit card bill sat at table number 17.

Hold on. We're finding table number 17 the night of the m*rder right now.

Buzz: We've been checking Facebook and Instagram postings marked #Coralridgegrill.

Now, this is not table number 17.

This was a bunch of guys from Louisiana at table number 9, but...

Behind them and to the right is table number 17.

The picture was taken at 9:44 P.M.

Now, if we enlarge it...

The person seated at table number 17 is not Jackie.

Looks just like her.

Who is it?

Tao: We found blood in your sister's car.

That blood will match up with Lucas Cross.

We also found shards of glass on her floor mat from the broken wine bottle.

[Sighs]

My little sister had nothing to do with anything.

Sharon: That's a shame...

Because her car was very active in this crime.

Hard to believe she exchanged vehicles with you the night of the m*rder without knowing why.

That is accessory to m*rder.

And I'd feel fine arresting her for that.

Right now.

Oh, you already have one woman confessing to this m*rder.

Corporal Day was lying.

That's gonna be very hard to explain.

Luckily, we're in the explanation business.

What business are you in?

Jackie: [Sniffles]

Oh, God.

I asked Cathy to switch cars.

I made the reservation at the restaurant.

I gave her my credit card, and I told her I was treating her to dinner.

She didn't ask why, and I didn't tell her.

She had no idea what I was going to do.

I don't believe it.

But maybe your sister can explain that to a jury and see how 12 rational people react.

I don't like her chances.

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God. No.

He sent me flowers after the trial.

He was standing in line behind me at Starbucks. This was self-defense.

Not unless there was an immediate thr*at to your life and you had no other alternative.

But that's not what happened.

You called Lucas back, didn't you?

And you acted like you wanted to see him again.

You drove to his apartment in your sister's car.

You waited until he turned his back on you to get a bottle of wine.

You reached into your purse.

[Speaking indistinctly]

And then when you had a chance, you gave him a pepper spray.

Ugh!

He dropped the wine bottle...

Oh, God!

Went to cover his eyes.

[Grunts] Ugh!

Then you stabbed him in the back, grabbed him by the hair, and you slit his throat.

Then you picked up the wine bottle and smashed his face in.

[Grunts] [Glass shatters]

And when you were sure he was dead, you turned up the music... [Def tones'

"Change (In the house of flies)" Plays]

Washed the blood off your hands in the sink, got rid of your clothes.

And I slept through the night for the first time in months.

Mm.

Good for you.

Satisfied, Lee?

[Sighs]

Go ahead.

Arrest her for m*rder and see if a jury will convict.

That's your solution as a sworn officer of the court?

Flynn: So, what are we supposed to do...

Just sit back and let vigilantes do for us what we can't?

You gave away the m*rder w*apon on TV.

That also doesn't help.

Well, neither does your other suspect...

Corporal Day.

You remember her...

The woman who confessed twice.

And what kind of deal is our office supposed to make while another credible suspect is out there taking credit for the crime?

Well, you won't have to worry about it, now, will you, Lee, because you won't be making any deals.

Sharon: Was Laura Day involved in this?

[Door slams]

I never even met her.

[Scoffs]

I knew Corporal Day didn't do it.

I knew it.

Well, don't high-five yourself too hard.

DDA Lee is right about one thing...

We need to get Laura to withdraw that confession, or this case will never make.

Clear something up for me, Corporal.

What is your best-case scenario?

Life behind bars for a crime you didn't commit?

I'm already doing life.

I might as well accomplish some good for the world while I'm at it.

Jackie is a hero, and heroes deserve to be rewarded, not punished.

My confession will monkey-wrench her case when it goes to trial.

Look [Sighs]

You're going to extreme lengths to help someone else.

Why don't you help yourself a little, too?

I have tried helping myself. I have.

I have been to the V.A.

I've seen the shrinks. I've taken the pills.

Nothing works. Nothing.

Lying about k*lling Lucas won't fix it, either.

Give your statement one last time.

Let Jackie plead guilty to something less than m*rder.

And that is what you call fair?

It's not called the fairness system.

Just tell me this one thing.

The Kn*fe was in the news, but no one knew Lucas had his throat cut.

So, when you told me that, was... was it a lucky guess?

A lucky guess?

Are you kidding?

Didn't you train with weapons at all?

Or what would you have done, soldier?

Only one way to take down a guy that big in close quarters before he crushes you.

You cut his throat.

I used to pretend that I would cut his throat three and four times a day.

But I didn't have the guts.

[Voice breaking] And now somebody else has done it for me, and I will never know if it would have helped.

Oh, my God, I will never know.

[Sobbing] I will never know.

I will never know.

I will never know.

Okay.

[Sobbing]

He's gone to where he can never hurt anyone again.

Now let's help the woman that put him there, okay?

Why am I crying?

I don't even know why I'm crying.

[Sniffling]

Okay, just... Just help me stop crying, and I'll tell the truth.

Just help me. Just help me stop crying.

Okay.

[Sobbing]

[Keys clacking]

[Cellphone vibrating]

Hello?

Honey, don't... don't hang up, okay?

[Horns honking]

Listen, I was stupid and wrong, and I didn't mean any of the things that I said earlier.

And I am so... I'm so, so sorry.

Okay.

And, um, you know I'll always love you, right, honey?

[Can clatters] Always.

Yeah. I know.

Honey, look, um...

[Chuckling] I need a ride.

Um, Sarah was supposed to pick me up, but God knows where the hell she is.

Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait.

Sarah was supposed to pick you up?

I thought Signal Hill was driving you to the halfway house.

Who is Sarah?

[Sighs]

It's 11:30 P.M., mom.

The only reason I am up this late is because I am studying, and I can't help you.

But... but I'm stranded.

I am stranded by... there's...

There's like a taco place and... I don't know.

It's like a parking lot or something.

Listen, honey, okay?

I didn't make it to the halfway house and I just need to go there and I need to see that they're still gonna let me in.

So [Sniffles] if you could just come and get me, Rusty, I will never... I will never ask you for anything ever, ever again, okay?

But, like, this is, like, not a nice part of town.

You got out of rehab last night, and you are already drinking?

Three beers is not drinking!

And you know what?

I needed that much to get over our little fight.

It was not a little fight.

It was... it was a big, terrible bunch of lies that you told me.

I am not responsible for your drinking, and I am not driving you to the halfway house.

Go back to rehab and start over. Goodbye.

[Receiver clicking]

[Exhales heavily]

I'm so sorry.

That this happened or that she'll only call back?

It sounds like her on the phone, I know, but it's her addiction talking, not your mom.

Why do I even care anymore?

[Cellphone vibrating] Because you love her and because you don't want to give up hope that someday she'll be well.

But not tonight.