- What do we got?
- Lorenzo Aspromonte.
55.
Owned the place.
Looks like multiple g*nshots to the chest.
Probably happened sometime last night.
Oh, man.
You knew him?
Well, we hung out here as kids.
Place hasn't changed at all.
They hit the register?
No.
And no sign of forced entry.
Girl over there found the body.
Thanks.
What's your name?
Carmen Russo.
I'm the assistant manager.
You worked for the deceased?
Since high school.
I can't believe this happened.
When's the last time you saw him alive?
Last night.
I-I left around 11:00.
He and Angelica open and close the place.
- Angelica?
- Lorenzo's daughter.
She manages the restaurant.
If Angelica opens the place, how come it wasn't her who found the body?
She didn't show up this morning.
Did she call in?
No.
How did Angelica and her old man get along?
I mean, you know, working with family can be tough.
We're gonna need to speak to Angelica.
You remind me of a partner I used to have.
I bet she was way better rested.
You're signing out kind of late.
There was another cab robbery.
- Makes, what, four this month?
- Five.
All early mornings when they're coming off a night shift, full of cash.
I told Sergeant McNichols we should run a decoy operation, me as the driver.
Any of the other victims women?
I'm not sure.
Why?
You generally want the decoy to resemble the victims.
Oh.
I got a steak sandwich for you in the fridge.
Breakfast of champions.
Animal came clean on every charge.
He's toast.
You'd think so.
No, I know so.
The confession was taken by Detective Kim Andrews.
- Yeah, so?
- She's on the D. A. 's naughty list.
His what?
The D. A. started a list of NYPD officers with adverse credibility findings.
In English, please?
They get blackballed.
And why is Andrews on this list?
A judge threw out a confession she elicited from a sexual as*ault case two years ago.
Well, that was then.
This is now.
That doesn't mean Kent's confession won't hold up.
The D. A. has a responsibility to consider credibility problems that might impede a conviction.
This prick targets disabled victims in home invasions.
He's the worst kind of scumbag.
It's got to be worth a sh*t.
Not according to the boss.
This a joke?
I wish it was, boss.
We have a signed confession.
- Yeah.
- We do, but Someone else confess to the crimes?
- No, sir.
- Then someone please tell me how this predator is gonna go free.
They got a naughty list.
A what?
The D. A. 's keeping a confidential list of NYPD officers whose record could impede convictions.
Last time I checked, I thought it was my job to evaluate the fitness of my officers.
Damn straight.
To be fair, the D. A. 's office has limited resources.
Which they're deploying to be unfair to our cops!
What about our resources?
We created a special task force
- to identify and arrest this guy.
- Just the messenger here.
And they're not even saying Kent's confession is messed up.
They're saying anything this detective brings ain't getting prosecuted.
Which means her career is effectively over along with anyone else on the D. A. 's "naughty list. " And this isn't a letter to Santa.
Let's call it what it is: a blacklist.
Angelica's not in her apartment.
Or answering her cell phone.
You speak to her mother?
Yeah.
She hasn't spoken to Angelica since yesterday morning.
Coworkers say the restaurant is her life 24-7.
Yeah, well, it's a funny time to play hooky.
Let's issue a want-card.
Yeah.
Will do.
Bartender said Angelica and her father were going at it pretty good last night.
What about?
Well, apparently, the restaurant isn't doing too well.
Angelica wants to redecorate, change the menu.
- Her father wasn't having it.
- That's no reason to sh**t him.
Well, Angelica's next in line to inherit the place.
If she feels that he's running it into the ground Well, if the Reagans k*lled each other every time they had a disagreement, there'd be nobody left at the Sunday dinner table.
Baez.
Got it.
Thanks.
Angelica Aspromonte had a handgun registered to her name.
Same caliber as the m*rder w*apon.
And there's that.
You know, I have every right to expect the D. A. himself.
He's on the way to Albany.
Ground rules, then.
You take his place in a sit-down, you take his heat.
I'm fully capable of representing our office.
Are you keeping a blacklist of my officers?
I wouldn't call it that.
Well, I would.
Sidelining cops based on unproven allegations, keeping a no-fly list for prosecutions.
We have to assess the strength of every case, including the credibility of the cops involved.
Which is fine on a retail basis.
But a blacklist?
That's something else altogether.
- The D. A. feels that
- Oh, no.
No laying it off on a third party.
Our office takes the position that going to trial with a compromised officer
- would be
- "Compromised"?
I don't recall seeing that in the Patrol Guide regarding an officer's integrity.
It's the D. A. 's term.
Then I would like to read the protocol he used to arrive at that designation.
There isn't an official protocol.
Okay.
I would like to review the appeal process for my officers.
Figured.
And do your detectives gather evidence using a standard set of diagrams and equations?
Figured.
- It's completely different.
- Not only cops play hunches.
We do, too.
And it is our hunch the defense will highlight your detective's past missteps and Kent will walk.
It's not a hunch.
It's a blackballing.
It's a hunch, and one based on a set of well-known probabilities.
Now, I'm not saying that this is ideal by any stretch.
Then why are you here defending it?
The D. A. is my boss.
And, at my level, my most senior partner.
And I know you understand partners.
Did you tell him he's dead wrong?
Does Lieutenant GORMLEY walk in here and tell you you're dead wrong?
Or does he offer diverging viewpoints?
You're lawyering me.
I hate that.
You're patronizing me.
I hate that.
So, what, you're just following orders?
Is that it?
I'm doing my job.
No one has eyes on Angelica yet, but every cop in the city has a photo of her in their smartphone.
Well, while you were away, I laid my eyes on this from a security camera outside the restaurant.
You recognize this mook?
Should I?
Well, I ran his mug through facial recognition.
You're looking at one Paulie DeMarco.
- The enforcer of the Grazioso family?
- Yes.
He entered the restaurant ten minutes before closing.
He exited five minutes after closing.
Vic's time of death falls in that window.
That's one hell of a coincidence.
Sure is.
Looks like our family squabble's turned into a mob execution.
Everyone step back, please.
Step back.
- Take a step back.
Get back.
- Hey, out of the way.
You, out of the way now.
Out of the way.
How you doing in there?
Sir?
Sir?
He's been sh*t in the back of the head.
Did anyone see a passenger?
Did anyone see a passenger?
- Anyone get out of this car?
- Get back, please.
- Take another step back.
- Hey.
- Did you see anything?
- I didn't see anything.
You didn't see anything?
Did you see anything, sir?
Come on.
You sure this is a good idea?
Yes.
If the Graziosos were involved, this guy will know.
Hey!
Vincent, how you been?
Hmm.
So much for this being my lucky day.
Oh, you're not happy to see us?
Happy?
Last time I hung out with you two at the courthouse, I almost got my ass sh*t off.
You have some dangerous friends.
I'm officially retired.
Well, you're still a very popular guy, I see.
I'm a people person.
What the hell do you want?
We want to know what you know about Lorenzo Aspromonte getting popped.
Oh, tragic.
- The best veal Parmesan in the city.
- Mm-hmm.
The man's dead, and you're making jokes?
We all got to die sometimes, cupcake.
It's Detective Cupcake.
We all got to die sometime, but this guy had help.
So why don't you tell me why Paulie DeMarco paid a visit to the deceased.
Who?
Like I said, I'm retired.
- Uh-huh.
- Okay?
It's a status I maintain by keeping my mouth shut.
Look at that.
Hello?
Oh, you don't say.
You want to put a hundred on Angry Dan in the fifth?
You got it.
You were saying?
The wrong number.
Bookmaking is illegal, Vincent.
Which we'll be willing to overlook if you'll talk to us right now.
Look, Aspromonte paid protection to the Graziosos.
They raised the price.
- He wouldn't pay.
- So it was a hit?
Let's say they ordered a little takeout.
Aspromonte's daughter was there that night.
Now she's disappeared.
It's a smart move.
If she saw her old man getting whacked, they are coming after her for sure, 100%.
We appreciate you coming in, Detective.
You guys looking to toss some of my other collars now?
I can understand why you're upset.
We work this perp night and day for weeks, take him down, get a full confession.
Then you guys won't charge him.
Why the hell would I be upset?
You did good work, Detective.
Then why is Kent about to walk?
People v.
Robert Yancy.
Sexual as*ault two years ago.
What about it?
You got a confession out of the accused.
It was later thrown out at trial.
That's 'cause Yancy's low-life lawyer claimed I didn't Mirandize him which I did and Judge Hamacker bought it.
Hamacker comes from Legal Aid.
Doesn't trust cops.
Just saying.
Point being, Kent's confession could be called into question based on that prior case.
Kent's confession is rock solid.
I'm afraid that's a chance we can't take.
Can't or won't?
I've got friends in this office.
I respect what you do.
But when Brian Kent robs and assaults his next victim and he will that's on you guys.
An NYPD boycott of the Manhattan D. A. 's office will turn this city upside down.
Not my circus, not my monkeys.
It'll be everyone's circus.
Then let the D. A. flush that damn
- naughty list of his
- Blacklist.
Exactly.
And until then, officers will continue to make arrests as warranted, but offer no further cooperation.
No follow-up investigations?
Let the D. A. 's investigators handle that.
For the entire borough of Manhattan?
It'll send a message, all right.
Time for those guys to be reminded that their jobs depend on cops.
Yeah.
Let's see how they like it when their precious conviction rate drops 20 points.
You played this card last year for a day.
And my message was received.
And the result was chaos.
What if this goes on for a week, a month?
They started it.
Only they can put it out.
This amounts to a declaration of w*r.
No, it does not!
This is about me standing behind my people.
But maybe it's worth reaching out to the D. A. one more time.
If I can't move my own daughter on this, who can I move?
You got a name and number, I'm on it.
Give it to me.
They think they can treat cops like perps and get away with it?
Time for a fastball under the chin.
Except this isn't a damn baseball game, Sid.
It's the criminal justice system in the city that we serve.
- Nice metaphor, though.
- Thank you, Abigail.
At least consider the collateral damage.
I have.
Some is unavoidable.
Well, tell that to the judges, public defenders, private attorneys and support staff who will feel the brunt of all this.
Tell them to call the D. A. 's office.
Let's make this fast, Detectives.
Why?
You double-parked, Counselor?
We're here as a courtesy.
Well, judging from your client's rap sheet, I wouldn't exactly call him the courteous type.
Go screw yourself.
- Hmm.
- Mm.
Case in point.
Yup.
Here's the deal.
We know that Lorenzo Aspromonte had a beef with the Graziosos over protection payments.
News to me.
Right, so you just happened upon the crime scene right around the time the Vic was m*rder*d, huh?
Don't answer that.
You got something to hide, Paulie?
Ah, I went in for a drink.
That's against the law now?
No, but homicide is.
Unless you have my client on tape committing a crime, or some other evidence Some other evidence like an eyewitness perhaps?
How about the victim's daughter?
- Sure hope she's okay.
- Shut up, Paulie.
Here's the deal.
You let us bring the girl in here unharmed, we'll talk to the A. D. A. about reducing the charges to manslaughter.
Hey.
Hi.
Oh, you got food?
- Yeah.
- I made you salmon.
Oh, you didn't have to do that.
I owed you after that steak sandwich.
Remember when we used to talk about stuff besides eating alone?
Mm.
I'm sorry we haven't had much time lately.
Got some time right now.
I told Rachel I'd pick her up
- on my way in, and I
- What?
- I know.
I'm sorry.
- Fine.
I'll just spend some quality time here with my salmon.
I promise I'll make it up to you.
Talk is cheap.
Wait.
Did you talk to Sergeant McNichols when you got on?
Yeah.
She mention the decoy operation?
Uh, yeah, we talked about it.
She say she picked a driver?
Yeah.
I'm sorry.
You didn't get it.
Damn.
Tell me she didn't go with Henderson.
No.
Dentzer?
Me.
You're kidding, right?
I didn't volunteer for it, but I was tagged.
What was I supposed to say?
- How about "no"?
- How would I do that?
Like this.
"Thanks, Sarge, but Officer Janko was the first "on the scene of the last att*ck, "and it really got to her.
"She is hungry for this perp, and she would like to take part in making this collar.
" That steps on all kinds of lines.
Plus, only one of the vics was female,
- so law of averages
- Oh, you're being overprotective.
says male, so I got tagged to be in the decoy op, end of story.
End of story says the guy who ran to my rescue after that decoy mission last year.
I would have done the same thing for any cop in that position.
But it wasn't any cop, it was me.
I told you I don't need a guardian angel.
That's not what this is.
Once again, I was tagged.
Yeah.
And you could have tagged me.
You could have at least tried.
Are you sure this isn't about something else?
I know what this is about.
Do you?
Hey.
Did he budge?
Not an inch.
You told him Detective Andrews is only on his list 'cause a soft judge took a skel's word over a cop's?
- Yup.
- Well, what'd he say?
He said that Brian Kent's attorney could still use that ruling to discredit this confession.
There's no judge gonna fall for that.
I agree with you.
He doesn't.
Does he know your old man's about to return fire?
Yeah.
- And we're sticking to our g*ns.
- "We"?
Yeah, we.
As in this district attorney's office.
- So you're for this?
- I'm for us acting a little more like cops around here.
And for having your partner's back, even if you have doubts, even if it makes you a target.
Otherwise, we're just going along to get along, and you end up nowhere.
And I wasn't raised that way.
You say that to your old man?
No, I didn't have to.
He brought me up that way.
So, you got a plan?
I've got a result that I would like to see, which is Kent going to trial.
But no plan.
- Not yet.
- You know, there's one thing I thought of.
If, uh, Detective Andrews' partner had taken the confession, we'd probably be good to go.
But she took the confession, so here we are.
Right.
Right.
The presser for your boycott announcement is set for 9:00 a. m. Monday.
- Do you have my remarks?
- No.
I'd like to have them for the weekend.
I can't write them.
But it's your job.
Well, it's also part of my job to take your point of view and translate it into logic and language that accurately reflects it, but renders it fit for public consumption.
And I I can't do that here.
Because?
Because I think you're compounding their mistake with one of your own, and I can't just hold my nose and roll it out.
Watch it.
Another part of what I do is, when your logic goes off the rails, I point it out.
Yet, here I sit, and there you stand.
Meaning what?
You're the PC and I'm not?
Meaning what's this about?
The fallibility of any and every man, including you.
Your gut has got the best of your brain in this.
Yes, the D. A. putting cops on a blacklist is outrageous.
But you're letting him goad you into a reckless, disproportionate response.
He's destroying the careers of good officers, and letting bad guys walk.
Yeah, I'm goaded, all right.
Then you're handing him the keys, and riding in the back of this thing.
But my job is to protect this department.
It's also your job to protect the public.
Yes, releasing perps like Brian Kent is dead wrong.
But pulling cops from the court system is putting the public at the exact same risk.
Bad guys skating 'cause you and the D. A. are fighting.
Are you done?
'Cause if you are, I kind of hoped you'd have something constructive to offer.
Maybe I do.
Give me a buzz when you're ready to listen to reason.
But I'm ready.
No, I know you.
Gonna take a couple hours to figure out where you could've shut me down and missed your openings.
See you around 5:00.
So I did what I had to do, Dad.
Yeah, which got you tossed from the game and suspended from the team.
Dad, it's one game.
- What happened?
- Sean was pitching a masterpiece, but then he decides to plunk the opposing pitcher and he gets the boot.
Ooh.
Accidents happen.
Who said it was an accident?
It was an accident, right, Sean?
Or it was payback.
It's also part of the game.
- Well, which was it?
- Beaning another guy - is part of the game?
- It is when he hit Terry O'Brien the inning before.
Which actually could've been an accident.
Yeah, right after Terry hit a grand slam off of him his last time up?
Definitely sounds like an accident.
Well, that goes to motive.
I'm with Eddie.
Sean could've really hurt someone.
I hit him in the back, right between the numbers the way it's done.
- Between the
- What?
Who even taught you this?
'Cause it sure as hell wasn't me.
Yeah.
Who thinks like that?
Wow.
Ah.
Could've figured that.
Seriously, Mom?
Look, if Sean is gonna pitch, he needs to know the responsibilities.
And one being you protect your teammates.
Thank you!
- Good job.
- I agree.
Every game's got unwritten rules.
You're up 20 in the fourth quarter, got to pull the starters.
And you don't steal bases when the game's out of reach.
- Exactly.
- But those rules are about good sportsmanship.
And what if you accidentally hit that kid in the head?
- They wear helmets.
- He was wearing a helmet.
If you're looking for a good example of sportsmanship, you probably don't want to be looking in the direction of your aunt, okay?
She's not the best role model.
You always told me she was the best athlete in the family.
Best athlete, not best role model.
Also, by far, the most cutthroat.
And the sorest loser you ever saw.
Mm-hmm.
You know who's not angry when they lose?
People who are used to losing.
So, losers.
Where'd you get that, G.
Gordon Liddy?
Mm.
Much closer to home.
Not true.
Yeah, true.
Sunday dinner.
I'm aware.
How's the game?
I'm glad I don't bet on these things.
Anymore.
Are you all set for the decoy operation?
Yeah.
Kind of a different deal now that this guy's moved up to homicide.
Same M. O.
Should be pretty routine.
Aren't you the one that told me to never underestimate a perp?
I'm not.
You sure?
Follow van will be tracking my location.
Any trouble, they'll just jump right in.
Why can't you just take him down when he gets in the cab?
Then you can connect the g*n to the driver he k*lled.
Well, if he uses a different g*n or none of the vics can pick him out of a lineup, we'd be out of luck.
Decoy op's the smart play.
Are you still pissed that this is me instead of you?
No.
Good, because neither one of us ever had a choice in this.
We're cops who take orders, which is what we're gonna be as long as we're cops.
That's the job.
All I'm saying is, as your former partner, don't don't play the hero.
Stay on the rail, Manny.
Stay on the rail.
Watch watch number three!
- What?
- Come on!
- Yeah!
- Damn.
You had the race.
I thought the house always wins, Vincent.
You're a funny guy.
You know, you two are, you're like something I stepped in.
We need to talk.
Forget about it.
There's eyes and ears all over the joint.
And you coming here, you-you-you jam me up.
- You understand?
- We need to locate Angelica Aspromonte.
You wanted to be a cop.
This is an innocent girl whose dad was sh*t right in front of her.
Which ain't right.
I grant you that.
But right now, if she's smart, she stays put.
You think the Graziosos are gonna let her do that?
I take bets on horses, okay?
End of story.
You hustled for the Graziosos, but you never hurt anyone.
Which tells me you have a conscience.
Don't bet on it.
And you have a granddaughter, too, don't you, Vincent?
What does my granddaughter have to do with it?
Your granddaughter is the same age as Angelica.
Come on.
When a hit goes bad, the one who screwed up has got to make it right.
- Paulie DeMarco?
- Yeah.
And this one went real bad, all right?
The idiot was supposed to thr*aten Aspromonte, not k*ll him.
On top of which, he leaves a witness.
Now Paulie needs to whack her before he gets whacked himself.
It's not good for you, 'cause Paulie knows the neighborhood like the back of his hand.
And with his ass on the line, there's no way you're gonna find the girl before he does.
Hey, come here.
Oh, my God.
Come here.
Please don't hurt me.
Where is she?
There's no one else here.
You look like a smart kid.
Be smart.
Leave her alone.
I'll go with you.
- Angelica, no.
- Another witness?
I don't think so.
Who wants to go first?
Hmm?
You talk, you're dead.
You don't shut your mouth, you're dead.
- You guys are gonna be okay.
- Thank you.
Don't thank us.
Thank Paulie here.
We've been tailing you all day, genius.
Never would have found Angelica without you.
Come on.
Look, I want that bastard to pay for what he did to my dad.
I know you do.
And if you want to make him pay, all you got to do is just tell me what you saw.
But if I do that, those guys will come after me.
No.
Angelica, look, we can protect you.
I give you my word we can keep you safe.
You just got to trust me.
- Mm-mm.
- I promise.
We'll keep you safe.
I'm sorry, Detective.
I just I can't.
Okay.
All right.
You got him?
Yeah.
Bring him in.
Before you go, Angelica, I would like you to meet someone who understands what you're going through.
Vincent, thanks for coming in.
Yeah, your partner didn't give me that much choice.
She's a tough cookie.
Angelica, this is Vincent Rella.
My condolences for your loss, dear.
- Thank you.
- A few years back, Vincent, uh, testified against the Graziosos himself, and as you can see, he, uh, he lived to tell about it.
Yeah, it was a little bit more complicated than that.
Yes, but we did keep you safe, didn't we, Vincent?
And we can keep Angelica safe, too, if you cooperate with us, Angelica.
I knew there was a problem with the Graziosos.
My dad wouldn't talk to me about it.
He didn't want me to have anything to do with it.
- He was watching out for you, dear.
- That's right.
He was protecting you, and this is your chance to pay him back.
If you were in my place, Mr. Rella, what would you do?
I knew your dad very well.
He was so, so proud of you.
And he would want you to do the right thing.
Yes, he would.
So listen very carefully to what I'm about to tell you.
Forget what you saw and walk away.
What the hell are you doing, Vincent?
You can't go telling her that.
Your dad, his life is over.
You have a long life ahead of you.
Walk away.
You can step out now.
I got it.
How's it hanging, Brian?
- The hell do you want?
- Watch your mouth, tough guy.
I ain't in no wheelchair.
Plus, I'm here to do you a favor.
Yeah, right.
Since you owned up to what you did, my boss may be willing to drop a few counts from the indictment, not that you deserve it.
So what's the holdup?
We need you to repeat your confession.
I already told the cops everything.
She needs to confirm the details are consistent.
What do you got, a hot date?
Where's a piece of garbage like you going?
Go to hell.
You guys got everything you need.
Fine with me.
You should rot in jail for what you did anyway.
Okay.
Okay.
Hello, Mr. Kent.
I'm A. D. A.
Erin Reagan.
You ready to get started?
Let's just get this over with.
We appreciate your cooperation.
Still east on 28th.
Copy that.
We've got you.
Our officer on the street reported a subject fitting the description up ahead on your right.
Male, white.
Gray sweatshirt, dark jeans.
Copy that.
I got him.
Here we go.
Copy.
We're falling back.
Where to?
Just drive.
Just take him down, Jamie.
You got an address for me?
Hey.
W-What the hell are you doing?
Shut up and keep driving.
We lost the feed from the cab.
We lost him.
Let's move in.
Eddie, what - What the hell are you doing here?
- Are you okay?
- Are you okay?
- I'm all right.
What the hell are you doing here?
I used the Find My Phone app.
You followed me?
Hey!
Why don't you say "thank you"?
This is a big mistake.
Yeah, well, we wouldn't even have been here if you would've told Angelica to testify
- like you were supposed to.
- She asked my opinion.
I ain't gonna lie to her.
Right.
And your opinion is she'd be safer on the streets than she would be in witness protection, right?
Let me tell you something.
I did five years in Nowhere, Nebraska, okay?
The air was beautiful, clean, everybody smiling I wanted to hang myself.
I couldn't do that to my granddaughter.
And witness protection was Angelica's best chance - to stay alive.
- Yeah.
Right.
Separated from her family, her friends, everybody she loves.
What kind of life is that?
And you know it.
You do realize that even if DeMarco walks, there's a good chance he's gonna go after Angelica anyway, 'cause of what she saw.
If she keeps her mouth shut, she gets left alone.
And DeMarco gets away with m*rder.
You're a typical cop.
"Get the collar. " Doesn't don't matter what kind of damage you do.
Here they come.
Come on.
Keeping strange company these days, Vincent.
Hi, Gino.
That's 'cause he's trying to save your ass.
Uh, Gino, there's a possibility your name's gonna come up for ordering the hit on Aspromonte.
There was no hit.
- I told him.
- No, you didn't order the hit.
But you did send DeMarco over there to thr*aten Aspromonte, which means you could still be looking at second degree m*rder.
No way Paulie brings up my name.
Maybe Paulie won't bring up your name but who's to say I won't find somebody else who will?
So why are we here?
'Cause I want something from you.
That's the reason that I set up the meeting, so you can have an arrangement.
I'm listening.
You let Angelica I.
D.
Paulie DeMarco with no repercussions I'll talk to the D. A. , tell him you had no involvement in any of this.
You skate.
Everybody wins.
Can I trust this guy to hold up his end?
He just wants DeMarco.
Let her take him down and walk away.
He will hold up his end.
You got my word.
Yeah, okay.
You got a deal.
Hey, Vincent.
Yeah?
You did good.
Thank you, Gino.
He's right, you know.
You did good.
Yeah.
I'm getting too old for these shenanigans.
- Where you headed?
- Drop me near the track.
You do realize gambling's for suckers, right?
Tomorrow.
The third.
Lucky Julian.
You'll thank me.
Right.
All right, put 20 on it for me.
- Let's go.
- All right.
I'm not sure I want to eat this guy's cooking.
Yeah.
I'd like to see him at least wash his hands first.
What's he making, lobster a la hipster?
That's the second time you saved my life.
So thank you.
Pleasure's all mine.
- It can't become a thing, though.
- Okay.
I'll just look the other way next time.
What I mean is I know what you mean.
What you mean is if we accept the risks to ourselves, we have to accept the risks to each other.
Well, yeah, you just put it better than I could have.
But from another angle?
Okay.
There are worse things in the world than having a guardian angel.
Brian Kent is going to trial.
Good news.
That's all you've got?
I hear stuff before people think I've heard it.
Luckily, he was gracious enough to repeat his confession.
With a trial bureau chief.
In exchange for potential leniency which he will not receive.
Also good news.
It shouldn't have come to this.
Ah.
It won't be the last time if this blacklist stays in place.
The D. A. 's office is battening down the hatches for the NYPD boycott.
Mine, too.
Unless this.
- What is this?
- The PC's naughty list.
Every A. D. A. who's screwed up a prosecution in the last five years, in the opinion of the NYPD.
You've got the D. A. himself on it.
Top of the list.
Am I on this list?
What if you were?
Depending on the case cited, I might look at it as a black mark or a badge of honor.
You are tough.
Am I on the list?
No.
If this thing was leaked, it would cause World w*r III.
Do you want to tell him?
Or should I?
I will.
What do you think he'll do?
Scorch the earth.
Clear the room, slam some doors, and then think about it.
Remind you of anyone you know?
No.
If we tear up our list, will you tear up yours?
Yes.
You realize this time's different?
Yes, I do.
I didn't like that list any more than you did.
Not even the idea.
But it's not my job to correct the D. A.
Or undermine him or make excuses for him.
It's my job to stand with him.
Now, I love this.
I was raised in this Copland.
But my duty is to my office.
You understand that?
I understand.
Can't say that I like it.
But I understand