01x04 -The Mad Doctor

[bunniefuu]

Previously on "Chance"...

[Panting]

Stop it, stop it.

Was it Jackie?

Yes, I believe it was.

We're gonna be doing some cases for them pro bono.

You think that will give you someone to talk to about Raymond?

He's not omnipotent. There are limits.

Not until he's dead. Him or me.

D: How's it coming with your cop buddy, Blackstone?

Blackstone: You'd be amazed at how many coincidences I hear about. I'm getting to the point where I don't even believe in such things.

Next time we coincide like this, that's on you.

Eldon: He threatened me.

D: There's ways of handling a guy like that, because right now he's the feeder.

You need to turn the tables on him.

Woman: We are willing to consider Nicole's continuing at Havenwood under strict probation.

It won't be necessary for us to discuss anything further.

What are you doing?

Being the feeder.

You were right. sh*t has hit the fan.

My daughter was att*cked.

Some stranger hit her in the face.

This is Blackstone, D. I know it.

This guy is out to crush me.

D: He's out to show you he can crush you.

This is not a game.

Question is not, is it a game?

Question is, who sets the rules?

♪♪

Frontotemporal dementia is a degenerative brain disorder that affects the nerves and blood vessels of the frontal lobe.

Someone with this condition will experience dramatic changes in their behavior... socially inappropriate actions.

Hypersexuality is common.

♪ More than you ought to be ♪

Babe, tapping out?

I know you want in on these.

♪ Lately, I find you're on my mind ♪
♪ More than you ought to be ♪
♪ Thoughts of you should bring joy ♪
♪ But they only bring misery ♪

Also, emotional indifference to others' pain or suffering.

Alice: As in not reacting to the possibility of his beloved wife drowning?

Yes.

And how is FT diagnosed?

Dr. Kushel's SPECT scans revealed abnormal dark regions in his prefrontal cortex, indicating deterioration in areas associated with feelings of shame or empathy, also impulse control.

We've heard testimony from friends and family who described Dr. Kushel as a sensitive, self-controlled physician before he was, um...

[Cellphone chimes]

Oh, sh*t. My jury's back.

It's all right.

Sorry.

No, no. Go, go.

Judge Klockner just cleared her docket, FYI.

We're definitely gonna be up this time.

But I think we're in good shape.

Do you feel ready?

As I'll ever be.

Okay.

[Elevator dings]

Getting in?

Forgot something.

Sorry.

[Siren wails in distance]

Hey.

Listen, about Blackstone.

Our investigation. Yep.

Can you hand me that wood glue on the top shelf?

I...I guess I don't understand.

It's been... it's been two days now.

Start right now if you want.

Well, what I'm saying is I thought we had started.

I mean, what are we doing? We're waiting for Blackstone to make some other move on us?

He's already shown you what he can do.

He's not gonna do anything else till he sees what you do.

Well, what I did was give you money.

Unless this is you angling for more.

Not unless you've changed your mind about what you want.

5 gets you his computer.

10 gets him a b*ating, 20 makes him go away.

No, no, no, that's not... I...

All I want is something that I can give the D.A.

You need to give them something.

Otherwise, it's your word against Blackstone's.

You don't want that. All good with the money.

Just a little short on wheels.

You... you don't have a car?

License. When I came back from my last tour, I just never renewed it.

It seemed best.

So, you can't drive.

Oh, I used to drive all over the f*cking place.

It just didn't go so well. There were issues.

That's go find this fucker.

What? Right now? Okay, uh...

My car is parked in the alley.

You said Blackstone broke into your car.

That means he knows what it looks like.

We'll have to fix that. Let's go rent something.

Your butter has to be salted, and it has to be real butter.

Cheese can be whatever kind of cheese people like.

I prefer good American cheese.

Then you put some olive oil in a pan, and then your butter.

The oil keeps the butter from burning too quickly.

Put your bread and cheese together, salt and pepper between the cheese.

Then throw it in the pan on top of the hot oil.

Now, the key here is temperature control.

You want to crisp the bread without melting out the cheese.

Now you take it off.

Use a paper towel to wipe up the excess oil and do the same thing on the other side.

It will be crispy but fluffy.

The perfect grilled cheese sandwich.

Are we done here?

Why?

It's still light out.

I don't know.

It just feels weird sitting outside.

I feel overmatched.

You're looking at the smoke, brother.

The trappings of power.

Blackstone rests on that.

We call it domain specificity.

Within a certain domain, he's powerful.

Put yourself in his crosshairs in his domain, he can use that power.

To my point.

I'm feeling like I'm in the crosshairs.

I'm feeling a little more rabbit-like than I would prefer.

Here's the thing about a dirty cop.

He's already stepping outside his domain.

That's a big chink in his armor.

I want to take down a guy like that, I'm going right there... Catch him where he lives.

What's he gonna do? [Chuckling] Call a cop?

You're looking at this like a receiver.

We're gonna feed this fucker.

There he is. That's him.

You see him?

Yeah.

Shoulders loose, hands by his waistband.

What does that mean?

Means he's ready to fight.

Also to pull a w*apon.

Operator I worked with in Kandahar used to say... feet never k*lled anyone.

Audi, right?

Yeah.

Good enough detective he ranks a prime parking spot.

Here we go.

Steady, man. It's all good.

Far back as we can without losing sight.

And if we do lose sight...

Who gives a sh*t?

Yep. Loose to lose... that's the technique.

Follow as far as we can without getting b*rned.

And that's the rule... never get b*rned.

If we lose him, come back the next day, pick him up right where were we lost him.

Then we're back to our map, and we're marking our route.

Over time, we know where he lives and where he goes, and we've got a formula, and you're sticking to it.

You're making a grilled cheese sandwich.

A faster f*cking car wouldn't hurt.

Just sayin'.

Same time tomorrow, Doc?

What? Uh, no, I can't.

I-I, you know... I do have a practice.

What time you close?

What time do we close? We close at 6:00.

I don't see patients after 4:00.

Perfect. Be here at 4:30.

Okay.

I got to say, this... this is all so weird.

I mean, I'm a medical professional, not some Raymond Chandler character.

You want to help this Jaclyn or not?

What?

Your lady.

She's not my lady.

You said you were trying to help someone, and the last person who tried got m*rder*d.

She's not your lady? What is she?

[Sighs] I consulted on her case.

I made a referral. How do you know her name?

You said you went to a Chinese restaurant to meet with Jaclyn when Blackstone threatened you.

I remember things people say.

He... terrorizes her.

He... he... he att*cked her so violently he triggered a dissociative state.

Second personality.

I've met her... Jackie.

She your lady?

N... Neither...

4:30, Doc.

On time is late.

[Line ringing]

Jaclyn: Leave a message. - [Beep]

Hi, it's Eldon.

Uh, I just thought I'd check in, see how things were going with Suzanne.

I hope it's going well. I'm sure it is.

But, uh, I was, uh... I was thinking about you and, uh, wondering about... everything.

Um, the way you left my apartment and, uh...

Anyway, any time you... you want to call me back, I'll be around.

Uh...

Oh, by the way, probably best not to mention to Suzanne that I called.

Okay, thanks.

[Cellphone rings]

Yeah, I'm, uh, just on my way to the office, Christina...

Why? [Door slams]

What the hell would he build a workout space down there for?

So he could train more clients, so he could contribute.

He knocked out two support pillars.

He had to hang a heavy bag, and then there was all the other equipment.

That was a weight-bearing wall.

Ugh. The foundation is damaged now. Am I wrong?

Andrea said the buyer bought a structural engineer who says the house is now potentially unsafe.

I know this. He f*cked up, okay?

And he's very regretful about it, and so am I.

Does Neil understand what's involved financially here if we can't sell that house?

Jesus, we've got unpaid attorney's fees.

We got taxes, got a double mortgage.

Yes, he understands.

Well, do you?

You know, there's at least a couple of people living in tents on Division Street right now who thought it could never happen to them.

You know what, honey? I've got some time.

I'd like to take you out for a while, show you something, okay?

Really, now?

Why not?

It's not like she's got school.

Yeah.

Eldon, man, I'm really sorry.

Okay, seriously, I-I didn't mean to...

What can I do?

You can make it right. That's what.

You want to make it right, Neil?

Yeah.

Yeah, no, I'll... I'll put it all back the way it was.

All of it.

I will.

Okay, well, you can tell Andrea to tell people that the price is the price as is.

They can take it or leave it.

I'll get Nic back by lunch.

Divorce has had a pretty magical effect on you, huh?

You're just making big decisions all over the place now.

Full of f*ck-you's for the world.

Yeah, that's me.

And Berkeley High is less than a mile that way.

Uh, that way.

Hey, how bad did Neil f*ck up the house?

It's not your problem, sweetie.

It is if it falls down.

It won't.

What about earthquakes?

All he did was he just made it a little harder to sell.

That's it.

Here we are.

Whoa. This is the place?

What you think?

It's actually a possibility?

Averages out at less than I pay in the city.

How'd you even find it?

Well, gee, I used this thing called the interweb.

[Chuckles]

They want an answer by Friday.

There's a group of engineering grad students who've got great credit, and they're in the offing.

Want to check out the unit?

Sure. But I already like it.

Okay, but, you know, you might not like the... the sauna and the roof garden.

Are you kidding?

Only about it having those.

Aw!

Man walks down the middle of road.

There are no lights, no moon.

He's dressed all in black.

Car drives down the same road.

The car has no lights but swerves, missing the man at the last second.

How does this happen?

I have no idea.

You want a hint?

Nope, I give up.

It's daylight, professor.

Here we go.

What do you think?

Liquor store, check-cashing joint, or the massage parlor?

Out of his domain.

[Camera shutter clicks]

It's... it's a brothel, right?

Happy Hands it is. See how long he stays.

You hungry?

Uh, no.

[Car door opens]

I'll be right back.

[Car door closes]

[Siren wails in distance]

Excuse me, sir, but could you spare some change, please?

Anything... baby's hungry.

Uh... Yeah, sure.

Hold on a second.

Hey.

Get the f*ck out of here.

f*ck you.

What I'm feeling... you're not much into riddles.

Maybe it's 'cause I'm not that good at them.

Also, 'cause much of the time, feels to me like someone's got an answer and wants to show you how smart they are.

[Chuckles]

I don't give a f*ck about answers.

What I want to know is, what is the formula that's being used to trick me?

If I can recognize the formula, then I can sidestep the trap.

The one with the guy walking down the road... that's using extraneous detail to mask what's not being said.

There he is.

What do we do? We stay with him?

Fucker was in there for two hours.

What we need to know now is how often.

Once a week? Same day, same time?

Rule number one... never get b*rned.

Rule number two... never press your luck.

[Engine starts]

You're on an island with two tribes.

Oh, Jesus.

Judge: Does the prosecution have any questions for the witness?

Does frontotemporal dementia diminish intellectual capacity, or moral clarity?

No, it does not.

A disorder that doesn't remove the concept of law but encourages or allows a person to behave badly seems convenient, doesn't it?

Editorializing phrased as question, Your Honor.

Withdrawn. Dr. Chance, does a person with frontotemporal dementia know the difference between right and wrong?

They certainly can.

Does Dr. Kushel, in your opinion?

Yes, I believe he does.

Although, to be clear, you can know the difference between right and wrong intellectually, but still be unable to stop yourself from doing wrong.

Kushel sprung from med school with prescription pad and a broad mantra... do no harm.

Easier said than done.

Well, he does it.

He got married, kids, house.

He's caring, reliable [breathes deeply] consistent.

Until suddenly, he stops obeying traffic lights, the stop signs, starts shoplifting and taking off his shirt in public.

From there he goes to trading Oxy scripts for oral sex like it's the most natural thing in the world.

What you call a mid-life crisis.

Oh, that's the question.

Where does personality end and neurological damage begin?

This guy's case stemmed from visible neurological damage.

The point is, is that the very organ that he had trained to save is betraying him.

Might land him in jail.

You want to have some food with your salt?

It's a cleansing agent.

When it's salted?

What they clean cast-iron skillets with, not soap and water.

They scour it with a big fistful of salt.

You think your blood pressure is a cast-iron skillet 'cause I can assure you it's not.

He likes dogs. So did h*tler.

This is interesting.

Who are they?

f*ck if I know.

He gave the dog to the girl.

Do we stay with him?

D? No.

Uh, too risky to follow on foot.

Let's call it a day.

[Keys clatter]

[Sniffs]

[Cellphone rings]

[Sets down bottle]

Hey, honey.

Did you get the apartment?

The...

Did you call?

What did they say?

Yeah, uh, I did.

I called, and... they gave it to the grad students.

I thought you were before them.

Yeah, so did I. I-I don't know.

Building manager must have... must have made a mistake.

I'm sorry.

[Downcast voice] Okay. Love you.

Hey...

[Line clicks]

We've heard testimony from friends and family who say Dr. Kushel was an empathetic and self-controlled physician before he was diagnosed.

That doesn't surprise me.

Then could Dr. Kushel, in your opinion, have exercised willpower to stop himself from writing his wife or anyone else prescriptions for narcotics that they didn't need?

Uh... I'm sorry.

Wha... the, uh...

Could he... could Dr. Kushel have stopped himself from writing prescriptions?

Uh, in my opinion, no.

And why is that?

Frontotemporal dementia robbed him of that capacity.

He could no more force himself to do the right thing than a man with a severed spinal column could force himself to walk.

And does Dr. Kushel know what's wrong with him?

In my view, he...

f*cking right I do.

I'm a g*dd*mn doctor.

Dr. Kushel, I'm not going to warn you again.

This is Officer Kirk, SFPD.

Building security called us about Mr. Taylor's car.

Well, it looks like somebody broke into it.

Big mess.

He available to come down to level 2?

No, has to be him in person. He needs to sign the report.

Thanks.

What kind of errand is this?

The kind where you go someplace and surprise a guy.

Hey, Frank.

You suck at your job.

I found you, didn't I?

Yeah, but how long did it take you?

[Grunts]

Open your trunk.

This can go one of two ways, Frank.

If I was you, I'd go with the first one.

Why are you looking at him? Don't look at him.

Look at me.

Good.

Put your hands on the bumper there, both hands.

What?

Did you really not hear me?

Or are you trying to buy time?

Wait, listen. Just listen to me.

Shut up.

Looking pretty f*cking scared there, Frank.

You ever want to find me again, this'll help you remember what you looked like when you did.

You got that?

[Grunts]

[Crying softly]

[Golf club clatters]

What the f*ck was that?

Picture connects the fear and the pain, crushes the spirit.

Plus, we got a watch.

Not an answer.

Whatever it was, I don't want to be a party to anything like that ever again.

You are a party to it, Doc.

What that assh*le was doing was gonna interfere with what you and I are doing here now.

It already has. We're late.

That guy was in the bar.

Yes, he was. Good get.

So, why?!

Scumbag's not a cop, okay? He's private.

It was a private matter.

But you did good, by the way.

He looked at you.

I thought you were gonna say something, show weakness, but you didn't.

You just gave him a f*cking hard-ass stare.

Were you aware of that?

I was not.

He thinks we're a damn team. K*llers on the road.

You see his f*cking face in that picture?

[Chortles]

Let's go see what other nuggets we can chisel out of this day.

[Motor revs in distance]

Routine really is like having a target on your back.

There you go.

[Camera shutter clicks]

Another cop?

Maybe they come for the wings.

What the f*ck?

Oh, Christ.

He's just a cop being a cop.

[Groans]

This is what we've been watching this whole f*cking time?

Him setting up this bust?

Doing the job doesn't change who he is.

[Camera shutter clicking]

Anyway, massage parlor hand jobs are vice.

He's homicide.

Why is he wasting his time on something that isn't even his department?

Your not knowing the reason doesn't mean there isn't one.

I know there is one. That's my point.

Blackstone is the guy walking down the road... using extraneous details to mask what is not...

Oh, Christ on a bike, stop it with the riddles!

He's... he's a cop, D. He's doing cop stuff.

We're two assholes sitting in car that smells of onion rings.

Have it your way, Doc.

What other way is there to have it?

We've been sitting here... how long have we been sitting here?

For this? I'm sorry.

I forgot the riddles and the fine dining.

Your lady...

She's not my...

Jaclyn never said her husband didn't get his day job done, right?

[Siren wails]

She said he's dirty.

The point is we get to know him, so we're there when he trips over his d*ck.

Maybe there is no f*cking point.

Maybe I want my money back 'cause this is all bullshit.

[Camera shutter clicks]

How about we change it up?

Day after tomorrow's Saturday. We know where he lives.

How about we see what he does on his day off?

We get no joy out of that, we can talk about a refund.

This... this...

Jesus.

You want a soda?

Or a cone?

I think they got ice cream in there.

No, thank you.

I'll get you some water.

[Cellphone rings]

Suzanne.

Jesus, El, how much have you had?

It is the shank of the evening, as they say.

What's up?

There's been, um, an incident with Jaclyn.

I wanted to be sure before I told you.

She... she took some money from her student's house.

Stole it.

What?

When?

Yesterday.

And you're... you're sure about this?

Her mother's my friend, remember?

Father's a developer, keeps a lot of cash around, $2,000 of which is now gone, apparently.

Christ.

They're not pressing charges, thank God.

They just want her gone.

Did you talk to Jaclyn?

What did she say?

She denies it.

But then she denies her memory and the existence of time and everything else.

And besides, she's really the only one it could have been.

It could have been Jackie.

I mean, she could... she could...

Whatever it is, I don't know what to do now.

You have another plan?

No. I-I don't.

[Line ringing]

Jaclyn: Leave a message. - [Beep]

[Cellphone clatters]

Hey.

Where's, uh...

Hong... he canceled. His wife called.

He's under a 72-hour involuntary hold at SF General.

Okay.

Uh, that guy, the mad doctor... Kushel... his verdict came in guilty.

Yeah, well, I guess that's not really a surprise.

He's asking to see you.

Who? Kushel? Why?

I don't know.

His attorney reached out.

They've got him at County waiting transfer to Vacaville, and he wants you to visit.

Oh, man. I'll have to think about that.

Also, my maternity leave.

Yeah, right. Yes, that's starting...

Tomorrow.

No.

Yeah, it starts tomorrow.

No, no, I thought it was gonna be next month.

It was gonna be, and... now it's not.

What do you mean? What happened?

Is there something wrong with the baby?

Well, then, what changed?

You did. Yeah.

Well, you know, I've had a lot on my plate.

Yeah, it's not just lately.

You haven't been yourself for a long time.

Although, these days, you're just so jumpy and shady and... I don't know.

But I keep waiting for you to react or something or come back to your normal self or at least show that you know that you've changed, but you never do.

And I don't know... it's your life.

And I just... I really...

I really like working here and now.

I don't want to do shady right now.

Anyway, so, I'm just gonna not have ankles and try not to drink grape soda at home on the couch instead of here.

I do know.

And I'm gonna fix it. Please don't leave.

I was leaving in a month anyway.

I'll make sure there's a temp in the morning.

D: Never would've figured you for a motorcycle guy.

Eldon: That was 30 years ago, give or take.

I wasn't really. Broke my femur.

Silver lining was I got to spend a year abroad in Oxford.

What'd you do there?

Studied French and German literature.

Not medicine?

It was medicine I was trying to get away from.

Among other things.

Oh, what do we have here?

[Camera shutter clicking]

You okay?

Wait. Is that Jaclyn?

Yes.

I guess I get it now.

You never said what she looked like.

[Camera shutter clicking]

I thought you said she was leaving him, though.

Oh, wait, is this the other one? Which one is this?

Is this Jackie?

I don't know who that is.

You okay?

Yeah.

You sure?

Yeah.

Do you know what's going on?

What's the deal with them?

No, I... I don't know.

[Sighs]

All right, listen. Sit tight.

I'm gonna get you some water.

[Car door closes]

[Indistinct conversation]

Did he see you?

Did he?

I don't know. I don't think so.

Why'd you go in there?

Do you even know?

A man who cannot cover nor restrain his emotions is no longer his own master.

Blah, blah, blah, blah.

Don't be stupid.

You're not stupid.

You familiar with the concept of the frozen lake?

No, I'm not.

Learned it when I was in the Teams.

Something you want so badly you'll go out to the center of a frozen lake to reach it.

Where the ice is thinnest.

But you won't see that.

Everyone else will, just not you.

I'm rolling with my guys.

Someone says to me, "You're on your frozen lake."

I stop and take time right then because he sees something I can't.

And I need to hear that.

Whatever it is I'm doing, I need to stop.

I need to...

I need to step back from this, whatever this is.

It's just... I can't get it straight.

I almost got us caught today.

I can't even tell you why.

I just told you.

She's your frozen lake, bro.

My opinion... she's Blackstone's, too.

[Buzzer, indistinct shouting in distance]

I wanted to ask you something.

Can I just... What happened to your teeth?

Some guy cut me in line at dinner.

Called me a f*cking Jew.

And I said, "f*ck you, you're a n*zi."

[Chuckles]

Guard hears this, comes over, takes them out with the stick.

I'm sorry about that.

Well, don't be.

Not about that.

You can know the difference between right and wrong and still not be able to stop.

That's what you said.

Yes, I did.

But who's deciding?

That's what we have to settle now.

Just you and me.

Right and wrong.

Who's deciding which is which?

You tell me.

Other people.

Other people who don't think about you for longer than they have to, and then they're gone.

How can you trust them?

They don't know, and they don't care.

Trust yourself.

What if you can't trust yourself?

Who's telling you that?

And how can you live that way?

You can't.

The way you feel is all you have.

Even if you're broken.

What happens to you happens to your life.

What other way can you be than who you are?

[Buzzer in distance]

Lesson one... don't get b*rned.

[Siren wails in distance]

Jaclyn.

What... what... no! No! No.

What was that today?

What were you doing?

You can't be here.

You came to me, and you told me that you had to get away.

It was death... him or you.

Then I see you today like that with him?

I want to help you. I'm trying to help you.

I care about you.

But I don't know what the f*ck is happening!

He has something of mine, all right?

Something important.

What? What does he have?

My daughter.

What do you mean?

You told me you had a miscarriage.

I was 17.

I wasn't married to her father.

I gave her up.

We reconnected two years ago.

She's in school now... Chico State.

Raymond pays her tuition.

Because she serves a purpose for him.

Why didn't you tell me?

You think he's gonna hurt her?

He said as much, which is why if he wants to get breakfast or go shopping, I don't say no.

Whatever he wants.

Will she be all right?

That's my problem.

You're good.

I know you are.

But you're not strong enough.

It's not an insult. No one is.

There's always someone strong enough.

You're better than this.

Whatever this is, it won't end how you think.

[Car alarm chirps]

[Sighs]

[Cellphone vibrates]

D: Battle is a joyous thing.

When we see that our cause is just, tears come to our eyes.

A sweet delight fills our hearts.

Do you think that someone who has felt this is afraid of death?

Doc, I know you called a time-out, but you needed to see.

Eldon: It's the woman from the dog park.

Yeah.

She thought he was a nice guy with a nice dog helping her get settled.

The other two he poached from the Happy Hands bust.

What do you mean "poached"?

What's he doing?

Business.

Trafficking women.

He's getting them ready to work... for him.

Jaclyn, Jackie, whatever her name is, your lady... she was telling the truth.