03x15 - Chain Reaction

[bunniefuu]

Child: Come on, come on!

[Indistinct conversations]

Here you go.

Thank you. [Telephone ringing]

[Indistinct conversations]

[Ringing continues]

["We need a little Christmas" plays]

♪ Haul out the holly ♪ [All gasp]

♪ Put up the tree before my spirit falls again ♪
♪ Fill up the stocking ♪
♪ I may be rushing things, but deck the halls again now ♪[/i]

♪ For we need a little Christmas ♪
♪ Right this very minute ♪
♪ Candles in the window, Carols at the spinet ♪
♪ Yes, we need a little Christmas ♪

[Telephone ringing]

♪ Right this very minute ♪

Thank you.

♪ It hasn't snowed a single flurry ♪
♪ But, Santa dear, we're in a hurry ♪
♪ Climb down the chimney ♪

Looks like you missed your cue. [Chuckles]

♪ Lights I've ever seen ♪
♪ Slice up the fruitcake ♪
♪ Grown a little leaner, grown a little colder ♪
♪ Grown a little sadder, grown a little older ♪
♪ And I need a little angel sitting on my shoulder ♪
♪ Need a little Christmas now ♪

[Breathes heavily]

♪ For we need a little music ♪

[Dog barks]

Lou! Lou, that guy just robbed us!

♪ Need a little laughter ♪
♪ Need a little singing ♪

Santa!

♪ Ringing through the rafter ♪
♪ And we need a little snappy happy ever after ♪
♪ Need a little Christmas now ♪

[g*nsh*t]

[People screaming]

[g*nshots]

Drop your w*apon!

[g*nsh*t]

[Police radio chatter]

Lou: My grandkids are gonna hate me.

I k*lled Santa Claus.

Didn't you say he was f*ring at all the other Santas?

Yes. sh**ting wild.

Then you saved Christmas, and that makes you an American hero.

And us a whole lot safer.

Now, this officer is going to escort you downtown and take your statement.

[Police radio chatter]

Okay, victim's I.D. says his name is George O'Connor from Tioga, North Dakota.

Born 1950, which makes him...

[Ringtone playing]

Too old to be robbing out-of-state banks like Jesse James.

Good heavens. How many times can she call me?

Doesn't she have the day off?

Sykes.

Oh.

Assistant bank manager said she put 120 grand and exploding dye packs into Santa's sack, but it's empty.

Well, maybe Georgie here had a hand-off set up with an accomplice.

Yeah.

But in my reserve training class, they tell us that the dye packs should explode when they go through the bank door, right?

There's a frequency transmitter...

Yet another mystery that robbery homicide will solve once we turn this case over to them.

Hold on, sir.

You don't consider the m*rder of Santa Claus to be a major crime?

Because in my reserve training class...

Buzz, the first thing you have to learn as a backup police officer is how not to get emotionally caught up in the crime, which, in this case, is over.

The circle is closed.

Sharon: Lieutenant Provenza.

The circle re-opens.

Captain.

Oh, and your whole family.

What a wonderful surprise.

Is it? I've been calling you.

Uh, my, uh...

We were shopping nearby for the Christmas party, and I heard we'd been rolled out.

So, lieutenant, my understanding is that our robber dressed up as Santa, held up a bank...

And got k*lled by the guard... End of story.

Except we can't find the money.

And we have an issue with the body, ma'am.

Rusty: Emily, Ricky, and I can finish the shopping.

This won't take long, but there are some things not on my list, like my eggnog recipe.

Mom, Ricky and I have helped you make eggnog since birth.

Also, we need to start the baking, so if I'm not there by dinner, just...

Now you're not making dinner tonight?

No, we can... we can order out. It's all good.

Thank you.

Emily, Ricky, let's get out of here before we become witnesses to something.

So, interesting detail...

This is not our robber.

Why do you say that, Mike?

Uh, here's a screen grab from the bank's security footage, ma'am.

Our robber's beard was totally fake.

And our dead Santa's beard is the real thing.

Buzz: Wait.

Are you saying the security guard sh*t the wrong Santa?

And our robber Santa got away, yes.

Explains why we can't find the cash.

Well, Sykes is looking for the woman in charge of our dancing Santas...

The c-choreographer.

Her name's Lydia Manning. [Stuttering]

This guy had a g*n.

Now, why would someone arm themselves for [Stutters]

What do you call that thing?

A "flash mob," lieutenant.

I'm gonna look around for security cameras in the area...

Extra ones.

Excuse me.

Thank you, Buzz.

Uh, lieutenant, as you all know, I'm having a Christmas party tomorrow night, and are you... are you coming, by the way?

N-no, no, I'll be out of town.

I'm going down to Laguna Beach with a, um, uh, a-a-a friend, and... and it's a spur-of-the-moment thing.

Well, then, time is of the essence for all of us, so why don't we divide and conquer?

I-I'll stay here and see if our missing-robber Santa was a part of this flash-dance thing.

Okay, I'm gonna go downtown and interview Santas, witnesses, bank employees.

You can handle the choreographer.

Mike, Andy, you come with me.

Uh, just take a quick look, Lydia.

See if you recognize him at all.

God. Yes.

Yes, I-I recognize him from rehearsal.

He was in the third row.

He came in on the hip thrust during the chorus.

I-I don't know his name.

So, these dancing Santas weren't friends of yours, ma'am?

No, I-I-I... I put this flash mob together as a way to publicize my new dance studio.

The Santas were [Sighs] they were...

They were mostly strangers who responded to an invite I put up on my website.

Maybe I can access a spreadsheet of their names on my phone?

Oh, God.

[Ringtone playing]

Yes, Buzz, what is it?

What?

No, uh, no, no, don't... don't move!

We'll be right there!

At first I thought it was oil, but then I saw it was red.

Provenza: A blood trail.

A blood trail.

A blood tra...

Damn it!

Looks like our pile of money hit the road, sir.

Yeah, with a bleeding St. Nick.

Sykes?

Um, I'll put out a medical alert to county hospitals for all... bleeding Santas.

Come on, Buzz.

I'll help you grab the cameras from in here.

Faith: And then he stepped up to the counter and gave me a note.

What'd the note say?

It said, "give me money, or I'll sh**t."

Something like that. I turned to Mel for help.

Which is procedure, as is giving him everything in the drawer.

How much was it?

Almost $120,000.

Around Christmas, there's tons of cash deposits in the business line, but we're trained to avoid v*olence at all costs.

Our priority is customer safety.

If I hadn't yelled at the guard, maybe nobody would've been...

Tao: Buzz collected video from choreographer Lydia Manning's personal camcorder, nine cellphones, four bank security cams, but not one of them has an angle on the person who fired the first sh*t.

Buzz: And you'll notice, as soon as our robber Santa leaves the bank, we lose him in the crowd. See?

Yeah.

And then there's our victim, George O'Connor.

He pulls his w*apon on camera, so the first sh*t wasn't his.

But judging by the blood trail in the garage, he must've wounded robber Santa.

What do we know about Mr. O'Connor?

Okay, well, there's no prints in the system.

g*n is unregistered.

The town he comes from doesn't have a stoplight, much less a police force.

He's married... Trying to find the wife.

Good news... just heard from patrol.

They were out checking hospitals when they spotted a guy dressed as Santa sitting in his car around the corner from University Medical.

He had the note he used in the bank robbery on him.

Fantastic!

Not quite. He's dead.

Perfect!

Mystery solved! Justice served!

Let's fill out the paperwork!

Hold on there, Rudolph.

Amy, did they find the money?

No.

Son of a nutcracker.

But we do have an I.D.

Robber Santa's name was Dean Coker.

He was a gym trainer, and unless the money disappeared up a chimney...

Robber Santa had an accomplice.

Let me know when the body gets to the morgue.

So...

Who is this friend you're spending, uh, Christmas with?

At this rate...

You.

It's just funny.

This is the first time I've gone into the Christmas season without having been offered a contract.

You could make more money dancing in L.A., and it would go a lot further, too!

Or you could be a choreographer for flash mobs.

Ah!

I hear those people make a k*lling.

No? Too soon? Rusty liked it.

Mom, where's the Christmas village?

The what?

Emily: Ignore him, Rusty.

He's obsessed with childhood junk.

Whoa! Junk?

No, no, first off, the Christmas village is very valuable.

It's filled with collectibles.

Rusty, it's... it's a special diorama made with all these model buildings from Dickens novels, and they all light up... It's awesome.

I am so sorry, honey.

I-I left the Christmas village in storage.

Why would it be in storage?

We put it up every year, and... and...

Mom, where are the pinecone elves?

What is this? That looks like a guilt cookie.

They were falling apart.

You didn't throw them away?

I'm afraid I did.

You dumped Harry, Sam, Franklin, Scotty, and Twinkle in the Trash?

[Laughs] You named the elves?

Mom, these are not just pinecones with hats.

These are part of my childhood.

T-they're a Christmas tradition.

Well, this Christmas, we can make some new traditions...

The four of us, a new family.

Like me spending the night at dad's during visits home?

[Cellphone vibrating] 'Cause, you know, I-I never used to do that before, either.

Well, your father has moved back from Vegas.

He wants to be part of your lives.

I am officially neutral.

Like Switzerland.

Yeah, well, dad's house is no chalet, let me tell you.

It's... it's so miserable being over there in the morning.

Oh, look, she's leaving again.

I'm sorry. I have two dead Santas in the morgue.

There's a new tradition for you.

Oh, this place looks so Christmasy!

Thank you for working so hard on it.

It's so wonderful having you all under the same roof.

Uh, okay...

If I'm not home in the morning, Rusty, are you good getting to county?

Yeah, no problem.

Okay, muah. [Chuckles]

Love you. [Door opens]

[Door closes]

[Laughing] Oh, my God!

Start talking. What's going on?

Uh...

Yeah, I-I think you're right.

I think dad's drinking again, but I can't prove it.

I told you how to prove it.

I don't want to dig through his trash, Ricky. God.

Staying in dad's awful apartment, no contract next year, and mom running out of the house to go look at dead Santas...

I mean, how horrible does Christmas have to be?

Let's talk about something else, okay?

Uh, w-what was that about you going to county... county what?

Oh, county jail to see my other mom.

She's doing time right now for shoplifting, but the... the stealing's mostly as a result of her drug addiction.

Anyway, I-I thought it would be a, um...

Good idea to go over and cheer her up a little.

You know?

Um, so, I don't have a whole lot of experience decorating trees, so if I put an ornament in the wrong place, just let me know.

Ricky: No, you're doing fine.

Rusty, you're doing great. It's perfect.

Very good. Yeah.

Dr. Morales: The beard on your buff Santa wasn't the only thing that was fake.

When I removed the b*llet from his posterior, I found these.

Butt implants?

And this is important because...?

Because he was sh*t in the buttocks with a 9-millimeter.

2 inches to the right, and one of these silicon sacks might've made a difference.

But the very worst thing he could do was sit on them in the car.

The gravity and extra pressure caused him to bleed out.

He might've made it with a little medical attention.

So, he d*ed parked around the corner from the hospital.

What stopped him from going in? Or who?

We're still not sure what role our other Santa here played in this whole thing.

[Ringtone playing]

Well, maybe they were in on it together and one Santa double-crossed the other.

Well, if that's true, where's the money?

Yes, Andy?

Flynn: We picked up Mrs. Claus at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where she used a credit card to cover incidentals.

We also found $10,000 cash in her purse and $5,000 worth of presents in her room.

Why were they visiting?

On vacation from North Dakota.

We haven't notified her yet because, uh...

Because our dancing Santa wasn't the only one packing.

It's for ladies... get it?... With the pink.

And it's a 9-millimeter.

I have a right to bear arms.

Not without a permit, you don't.

Do you recognize this man?

His name is Dean Coker.

You work for me, you know?

I am a taxpaying citizen of this country.

As are we.

Mm-hmm.

Do you recognize this man?

I want to speak with my husband.

If he was involved in that sh**ting today, he was a hero and not a criminal.

What makes you think your husband's involved, ma'am?

I'm not answering any more questions about George until I speak with him.

Doesn't seem like she knows he's dead.

Answer some questions about yourself, then.

Or she wants us to think that.

In addition to an unregistered w*apon, you were carrying around $10,000 in cash.

Where did you get that money, ma'am?

I'm not aware of any laws against using cash.

No, but your husband just danced his way through a bank robbery, so we're just curious about all the big bills.

Have you never heard of shale oil?

'Cause we happen to own several hundred acres of it back in Tioga, N.D., so, yes, I was shopping with American currency...

While George went out and did one of his dance-mob things.

Is he always armed when he dances?

Oh, he's armed wherever we go. We both are.

You can't drive around the country with that much money and no way to protect yourself.

Now, why are you badgering me about that g*n, and where is my husband?

Mrs. O'Connor, we're very sorry to inform you that your husband was sh*t by a security guard during the robbery of a bank today, and...

He did not survive, ma'am.

I don't believe that.

What would my husband have to do with a holdup?

A robber tried to escape.

Your husband intervened.

What are you saying?

G-George is...

George i-isn't...

Where is my George?!

Who sh*t him?!

Who?

Was it that son of a bitch?

Because I-I do know him!

I saw him!

Where did you see him?

At the rehearsal for the dance.

I went to video it.

George always wants me to video the rehearsal so he can...

So he...

[Voice breaking] So he can practice at home.

But...

This man... this man here, he told me to stop recording.

Now, ordinarily, they encourage this kind of thing, but he said the choreographer wouldn't allow it.

Ma'am, is this the choreographer?

Her name's Lydia Manning.

Yeah. Yeah, that's her.

Real friendly with this bastard, too.

Choreographer organizes 30 Santas as a diversion so her boyfriend can rob a bank.

Get warrants for Lydia Manning's cellphone, computer, and house.

Buzz, please document the search.

[Dog barking]

Christmas in Laguna... Sounds romantic.

I got two rooms... one for her, one for me.

There is no romance.

No answer, sir.

Buzz, you're not in the reserves yet.

Wait over there.

Sanchez...

Knock harder.

L.A.P.D.!

Sykes: Clear!

Uh, I get the feeling that we're kind of late.

Sanchez: Clear! All clear, sirs!

Provenza: I get the feeling that our robber Santa and our choreographer were an item.

Buzz, get in here and start filming! Let's go!

I want a clear record that everything in this place is exactly the way we found it.

I'll bet she took the 120 grand and left.

I've got recent searches for hotels in Mexico on her browser.

Good work.

Get ahold of Border Patrol.

Sanchez: Hey, guys.

In the kitchen. Please be the money.

Please be the money!

Please be the money.

Starter p*stol.

A burner phone.

And...

Some battery-operated electronic thing, sir.

Oh, damn. W-where's Tao?

[Beep] Starter p*stol.

That's weird. [Beeping]

Last text on this phone is, "our friend is prepared."

What friend? [Beep]

You know, I think this is the frequency jammer.

Hey, detective.

You missed something in the trash.

How do you turn this thing off?

Oh, you know what? I think it's the...

Dye packs.

Well, if nothing else, the dye packs in her trash suggest that Dean and Lydia met up after the robbery.

And that maybe she left him bleeding to death in his car.

So she's either cold-blooded or in a complete panic.

And we won't know which until we find her.

Well, maybe Lydia hasn't made it to Mexico yet.

Sykes: What if, instead of driving over the border, she took a flight?

The computer search could've been a misdirect.

Well, she'd have to use a fake I.D.

With that much cash, flying's risky.

[Laughs]

Telling you, that money is more well-traveled than I am.

Wait. If the dye packs went off in the trash, they were still armed.

Yeah, yeah, which means the robbers blocked the radio signal at the bank door.

That's what I said at the crime scene, but you said...

Yeah, yeah.

Tao, uh, how could our robber Santa have gotten away with that?

Had to know which [Laughs] frequency to block.

The last text on Lydia's phone indicates that they had an accomplice inside the bank.

Okay, we need to review all of the finances of everybody working there.

This isn't just a robbery.

This is a double case of felony Santacide.

I'll be right there.

I'm so sorry.

I keep thinking we're done, but now it looks like our Christmas Eve party may not happen. It's all right, mom.

Uh, we'll keep going, just in case.

I will call you if I'm gonna be late.

Ricky: Okay.

Don't worry.

Bye, mom!

Bye!

Bye!

[Door opens]

[Sighs]

[Door closes]

Did those wine bottles come out of Jack's garbage?

Yeah, just don't say anything about that to mom.

But what if she finds out we knew and didn't say anything?

Here's another Christmas tradition you need to learn.

Ricky: Right, okay, so, after a certain age, the holidays are for our parents, not for us, so it's our job, our responsibility, really, to make them feel like we're having as great a time as we did when we were 7.

So, i-is that why you were looking so hard for Harry, Sam, Franklin, Scotty, and...

Twinkle. ...Twinkle?

Rusty, he's our father, so it's our secret.

Why ruin Christmas by telling her dad dropped out of A.A.?

I have nothing to confess because I had nothing to do with it!

Tao: So, it's just a coincidence you started working at McCormick Savings six weeks before their first attempted robbery in over a decade?

Faith, we looked into your credit report.

You have $26,000 in debt at U.S. Bank, $4,500 at First Republic.

And then there's the flight you booked to Vancouver.

I-I can explain that!

A one-way flight leaving tonight?

Okay! O-okay, just give me a chance.

I have an online-shopping problem,

and I took this job to help keep me off

What did we find at her house?

The suitcase is packed for Canada, ma'am.

During the holidays, which is really important...

But no money.

To someone with my problem.

Oh, great!

And I-I-I'm not fleeing the country!

I'm... I'm...

I'm Canadian.

And my parents bought me a car for Christmas because I can't afford one, so I'm flying to Vancouver for the holidays and driving back.

Okay, we'll check on that.

Tell us one more thing.

Where is Lydia Manning?

I-I have no idea who that is.

Come on, Faith.

I-I swear I've never...

I've never seen her before!

I didn't even want to work yesterday!

The schedule changed, and I was told that I'd be fired unless I showed up.

I had to switch my flight and everything.

Who wouldn't give you the day off?

Mel... She made me come in, even though I found someone to cover my shift.

Tao: Mel... who came in with you yesterday?

Mel, your assistant manager?

Yes. And then she put me on the business line.

Tao: Our teller, Faith, has plenty of reasons to rob a bank, not so for her boss.

Melanie Jordan is a longtime employee.

She's married. She's got a kid. No financial problems.

Also, no evidence of her buying burner phones, a starter p*stol, Santa suits, or anything else connected to this robbery.

Well, maybe she owes money to the kind of people that don't do business on paper.

She also would probably know the frequency to the dye packs.

Sanchez: This way.

Hey, I'm sorry to bring my son.

I called my regular sitter, but since it's Christmas Eve...

Oh, I understand.

Thank you for coming back down.

Oh, I'm happy to help.

But Kevin has a big Christmas recital tomorrow at the cathedral downtown.

Is there somewhere he could go to practice while we talk?

I'll just help him set up.

Certainly. Detective.

All right, Kevin, let's hear what you got.

She clearly was not on the run.

No, but when we got to her house, she was just getting out of a cab.

Really? Coming from where?

Cabby said Union Station.

Mel told us she was dropping off a friend, claimed she was having car trouble.

Was her son in the cab with her?

Yeah, that's the weird thing.

Kevin was sitting alone in the living room, practicing.

Should we get a warrant for her house?

Provenza: On what grounds?

"Woman goes to the train station in a cab while her son plays his cello?"

Not exactly the smoking g*n we've been looking for.

No, it isn't.

Mike, let's get Buzz to grab this afternoon's security footage from Union Station.

Maybe the friend she dropped off is our choreographer.

Hopefully, with a suitcase full of cash.

[Slow-tempo music playing]

You're really amazing.

[Gasps]

Sorry.

No. Thank you.

I, uh...

I feel like I still have the right moves.

[Chuckles]

Where's Ricky?

Oh, he ran out somewhere.

He said it's a surprise.

Is the party gonna happen?

Maybe.

Uh, but it might be a little later than we planned.

Sharon has her priorities, you know?

Right.

Oh, uh, how was your visit with your biological mom?

Uh, well...

County jail at Christmas... [Chuckles]

About as fun as it sounds. [Chuckles]

But, you know, it keeps us from pretending like my mom has no problems with dr*gs or alcohol.

Oh, my God.

Why is our not telling mother bothering you so much?

Well, because I feel like if she finds out we're holding back that kind of information, it... it... it's really gonna hurt her feelings.

I mean, look, I-I-I live here.

I'm with Sharon all the time.

She can handle this.

I'm just, uh...

I'm worried [Sighs] t-that dad's gonna say he's drinking because, you know, he... he feels like he tried to change, a-and we still cut him out of Christmas.

Yeah, and he probably will say that because users always find a reason why it's someone else's fault they're drinking, and Sharon knows that.

You just... you don't understand the whole history.

Mom promised dad that he would never see his kids again unless he stayed sober, and, you know, you may not know this, but, um, she keeps her promises.

Right.

[Sighs]

Well...

You may have to pretend like you're 7 at Christmas, but you and Ricky are still adults.

Does Sharon still tell you who you can and can't see?

'Cause she doesn't do that to me.

Don't you think this might be what Jack wants... for you to not trust Sharon?

[Cello plays "What Child is This"]

[Sighs]

We found the choreographer's car at Union Station parked sideways in a handicap spot right in front.

No money in the Civic and nothing to point us to Lydia's whereabouts, but Amtrak police and Metrolink security are distributing Lydia's picture to all their conductors.

Flynn: So, cello boy's mom goes to the train station where the woman who robbed her bank dumped her car?

It is just a coincidence until we can place the two of them there together.

Where is the Union Station surveillance video, Buzz?

Uh, still uploading it, captain.

Patrice: Uh, Louie?

Oh.

Mrs. Perry, how lovely to see you.

Thank you.

Is there something we can do for you?

Oh, no, no. I'm here because...

Uh, [clears throat] you all remember, uh, Patrice.

Uh, she's just going to stick around while we, uh, wrap up here.

[Clears throat]

And then we're leaving for Laguna.

Or I can wait downstairs.

Oh, no, no. No, no, no, no.

Uh, w-we just have to, uh, find money from a robbery and get a confession and then fill out some paperwork for a couple of felony murders involving a Santa flash mob.

Uh, and then we're done.

And... and, uh, we, lieutenant and I, are going to, uh, interview a suspect right now.

So...

Uh, oh.

Uh, wait, uh, here's my crossword puzzle.

Here.

I'm, uh... I'm really stuck on 12 across.

Sharon: She was the choreographer of the flash mob.

No, I don't know her.

You didn't go to the train station with her today?

What? No.

I had a friend in town, and I told you, I'm having car trouble.

Are you saying... was this woman involved in the robbery?

Who is the friend that you drove to the train station?

I need a name.

Look, Ms. Jordan, it may take us the rest of the night, but we will find surveillance video of you sitting in this woman's car at the train station, and when we do...

You're going to be charged with m*rder.

No, no, no, no, no, no.

No.

[Breathing heavily]

[Sniffles]

They forced me to do it.

They threatened my son.

Oh, here we go.

Who forced you?

This woman, Lydia, and her boyfriend... They threatened me!

I mean, what was I supposed to do?

I thought after the robbery, it'd be over, but then Lydia came to my house.

Lydia came to your house today?

Yeah.

She's freaking out because her boyfriend got k*lled, and she wanted to stash the money with me, and I begged her not to.

I told her I could just take the money back to the bank, and it would all be over, and then she pulled out a g*n!

I mean, my child [Sniffles] was in the house.

[Exhales sharply]

So, she... She took the money and then she made me drive her to Union Station, and as we're pulling up, she just jumps out of the car.

So, yeah, I was at Union Station, but I just... I left her car there, and I got home to my child as fast as I could.

Oh, my God!

Where was she going... Lydia?

I don't know. I was just...

I was just grateful that I made it home alive.

I'm still shaking.

Okay, okay.

When did Lydia and her boyfriend first contact you?

[Sighs] Two weeks ago.

They knew all of these things about Kevin...

Where he went to school, what time we went to bed at night.

And Kevin's father and I were separated, and we live alone, so I was scared to death.

So, I told them everything that they asked about the bank.

What line would be cash heavy, what frequency was tied to the dye packs.

She's got a lot of good answers. and we won't know if any of them are true until we find Lydia.

Buzz: Yeah, and that may take a while.

I just finished uploading 120 cameras' worth of security footage from Union Station.

I've got it synched to the time when...

Oh, holy night. Wait a minute.

Look, it's her...

Our assistant bank manager in Lydia's vehicle.

We have the car and the suspect.

Okay, we found a sh*t of Mel parking Lydia Manning's red Civic at the train station.

But she was alone, just like she said.

Sharon: So, until we get some word from Border Patrol or Amtrak on Lydia's whereabouts, we are stuck.

[Music continues]

Before we throw in the towel, though, we'll have a little chat with Kevin.

And I think we should record that chat.

[Music continues]

[Police radio chatter]

Hey, Kevin.

You've been practicing for so long.

Would you like a cookie?

[Sighs] No, I'm on a diet.

Mom and Dean are trying to get me to be "the new Kevin."

Dean? Who's Dean?

Oh, Dean's my trainer.

I call him "Mean Dean" sometimes.

Don't tell my mom that.

Sanchez: We won't tell her.

We won't tell her if you have a cookie, either.

It's Christmas.

Provenza: I mean, what kind of mother hires a trainer for their 9-year-old?

The kind who uses Santa to rob her own bank.

So, why do you need to be the new Kevin?

You seem great to me.

Well, in January, I'm moving to the Myer's School for boys.

I'll have to make new friends.

Myer's School for boys.

Huh! Look at this place. It's like Hogwarts.

Yeah.

40 grand a year tuition.

I didn't think I was gonna get in, but it's happening.

My mom went to my old school today to clean out my music locker.

She went to your old school today?

They're open during Christmas?

No, mom's the orchestra sponsor.

She has a key.

Which public school do you go to, Kevin?

Norris Elementary.

Tao, go, go... lights and sirens.

Buzz, go. Film everything.

I-if you find that money, I will personally pay for your dermabrasion.

And no warrants! Exigent circumstances!

I'm about to lose my Christmas reservations.

You've been very helpful. Thank you.

Uh, could I maybe have a... another cookie?

Have the whole plate, kid.

Provenza: The good news is, we found enough money for you to pay tuition for three years to Myer's School for boys, which neither you or your husband could afford.

The bad news is, we found it in an elementary-school locker of your client's son.

Now, it's better than the third that she would've gotten if she'd had to split the money with her accomplices.

On the other hand, the death of two Santas counts as felony m*rder because they d*ed as a direct result of her actions.

Now, that's pretty bad, but the death of Lydia Manning...

Oh, well, that's first-degree m*rder.

Ah.

Mel: Lydia?

What makes you think I k*lled Lydia?

H-hold on. Don't... don't talk.

[Inhales deeply]

So, what makes you think she k*lled Lydia?

Sharon: After we found the money, we sent a team of patrol officers who thoroughly searched your house, Ms. Jordan, and we found Lydia's body underneath your bed, stuffed inside one of your son's cello cases.

Thank God he doesn't play the triangle.

[Sighs] I assume you have an offer.

A fax from Andrea Hobbs... saying that in exchange for a confession today, this minute, she will take death off the table and she will go straight to life without parole.

Now, considering the indifference to human life and the number of special circumstances involved...

That's very generous.

If the police have just accurately described what happened, you have two choices.

One of them is death row. The other isn't.

And you're on my side?

I'm trying to think of an alternative explanation for a dead woman under your bed in a cello case.

But it's not coming.

And this deal will go away.

Tick-tock, Ms. Jordan.

Tick-tock.

You've heard my son play.

His private teacher says he's a genius.

The instructor at his old school [laughing] thinks John Philip Sousa is a classical composer.

[Laughs]

Myer has a conservatory for extraordinarily talented children, and when Kevin was accepted, his father said that we couldn't afford it...

Unless $40,000 fell in our lap.

And you knew where to get it.

Do you know how much $120,000 is to a company like McCormick Savings?

That's the coffee budget, but for Kevin, that's the difference between a brilliant career and getting lost in the crowd, and I was... I was not gonna let that happen.

So, you met Dean and Lydia at your gym, and you used them as your puppets?

Oh, God!

How many times did we go over the plan?

There was never supposed to be a g*n.

That was completely unnecessary.

If they had just done what I told them...

Is that why you strangled Lydia?

'Cause she disobeyed you?

Lydia had a complete meltdown.

She wanted to turn us both in.

She fought with me, and I fought her back but not... not just for me.

You understand this...

What I did to Lydia, I did that for my son, and what I did for my son [Sniffles]

I did that for the world.

[Sighs] You said "life"?

Life is good for the world, too.

Just write that all down, Ms. Jordan, but be prepared to say it out loud in front of a judge.

Dad!

Sykes: Guys, Kevin's dad is here.

Someone should tell him what's going on with his wife.

Oh, dad, I missed you so much!

Yeah.

Just give the two of them a minute together before we ruin Christmas forever.

Oh, I can't believe you're here.

Provenza: Well, of course I know it's the holiday package!

Fine. Fine!

Just... just hang on.

[Police radio chatter] I'm sorry, Patrice.

Uh, they say unless we show up by 10:00 P.M.

That we'll lose it all, and I... I still have a lot of work to do, so, if you don't mind, would you...

L-Louie, Louie, where we are doesn't matter.

Are you sure?

I wasn't going to spend Christmas with Laguna Beach.

I was going to spend it with you.

So, if we've got to stay in town, really, it's no problem...

Well, not at your place, of course, but at mine, and we can pick up a turkey, and as long as you don't mind helping...

[Laughing] Well...

Man: Provenza? Are you there?

Then I'll just, uh, fin... Hello? Provenza?

Oh, oh, one second. Yeah.

Cancel it.

Oh. Mm-hmm, with the full penalty.

Oh, and merry Christmas to you, too.

And all the rest of your fellow reindeer assholes.

[Knock on door]

Come in. [Door opens]

Uh, Mel Jordan is through booking, and Kevin's back with his dad.

Glad someone made it home tonight.

Um...

You know, if you can't make it home for the holidays, maybe home can come to you.

["Oh, come all ye faithful" plays]

Merry Christmas.

[Laughing] Oh, my goodness!

Look at this.

Oh, the Christmas village.

Mm-hmm, some things don't change, mom, including the code at your storage locker.

[Chuckles] Thank you for bringing the party to me.

Oh, this is... all so wonderful.

Lieutenant. [Chuckles] Nice hat!

Well, I was gonna wear the whole suit, but Patrice wouldn't let me.

I was afraid he might get sh*t.

[Laughter]

You can't think of anything that will remove this color?

I'm sorry. It'll wear off in a few days.

A few...

Hey, at least the green is seasonal.

[Sighs]

Flynn: Merry Christmas.

Uh...

[Indistinct talking]

Excuse me.

Sure.

Thanks.

You two look a little lost.

The party is in here.

Anything wrong?

No, mom, nothing's wrong.

Everything is good.

Rusty?

Uh, I... don't really think it's my place to say.

Say what? Emily, what?

Uh...

They...

They held back my contract because they're making me a soloist next year.

Yeah, I-I'm gonna be the next Sleeping Beauty.

What?

And Giselle.

Oh, my God!

[Laughter]

Oh, my God. I'm so happy for you.

Oh, dear.

Oh, my goodness.

It's such great news.

Ok, ok, let's get inside, everybody.

It's time to make a toast.

Alright, everybody ready?

Alright, here we go. All together, now.

Happy holidays!

Cheers!

Cheers.

It's ok, little brother.

What mom doesn't know won't hurt her.

I hope you are right.