01x03 - The Ties That Bind

[bunniefuu]

Kashi. Great for your heart.

You used to say that about jelly donuts.

I lied.

Any winners today?

"Duplex overlooking the harbor, 3000 square feet. Doorman, gym. 3,800 a month. "

Well, you know, you can stay here as long as you want.

So, uh, I thought we'd catch an early dinner before we head out on Thursday. You know, make the cemetery before dark.

Yeah, well, actually, Jordan, I don't think I'll be joining you on Thursday.

Uh, what do you mean? Uh, it's her anniversary.

Right, uh, the thing is Evelyn and I have tickets to the Pops.

The Pops? Dad, we've gone to her grave every year since...

Yeah, well, I went out there for her birthday in July.

You never said anything.

Well, I just decided it was time to start celebrating your mother's life instead of dwelling on her death.

You decided. You mean you and Evelyn decided.

This has nothing to do with her.

Well, what about me? What am I supposed to do?

You're a big girl. You can make your own decision.

Hi. Cavanaugh, M.E.'s Office.

You running the scene?

Yeah.

Penza.

Hi.

State Police.

Motorcycle cut off a garbage truck. Everybody involved walked away, but sanitation boys found a female body in the back of the truck. Your partner's got the details.

Thanks. Morning, Trey.

Hey.

What have we got?

They found her in a trash bag when they were cleaning up the mess.

Someone really did a job on her.

They find the rest of her?

What you see is what you get.

You make your observations?

Took a liver temp, but other than that there's really not much to observe.


African-American female, to years of age. Irregular skin margins indicate vivisection with a hand-held, non-surgical implement. Elliptical wound on upper left shoulder suggests removal of birthmark or tattoo, possibly to hinder identification. Full rigor, lack of decomposition, fixed lividity puts time of death at 12 to 15 hours ago. Other than that, there's not much to observe.Did you at least call transport?

Uh, yeah, it's on its way.

Do you want to go grab some coffee? It's not like she's going anywhere.

Is that supposed to be funny?

No, I'm just saying...

Look, this might be some kind of joke to you, but someone butchered her. She could be someone's daughter, someone's mother.

Whoa, okay. I'm sorry.

I'm gonna go flag down the van.

Signs of sexual penetration.

Bruising's indeterminate.

Let's do a r*pe kit DNA analysis.

You got it.

Sorry, I'm late. Macy had me cataloging tissue files.

Sucks to be a short-timer.

Tell me about it.


Look, about this morning… I just wanted to say I'm really sorry if I offended you.

No, I'm the one who should be apologizing. I had a blowout with my dad this morning and I took it out on you.

I do that

a lot.

It's cool. I shouldn't have been making jokes.

So what do you say, we skip the hug and get back to work?

What do you make of that laceration on the abdomen?

Wound margins are irregular, probably made by the same implement used to cut off the limbs.

Looks post-mortem. I figure whoever did this assaulted her, then strangled her. Stabbed her to make sure she was dead and then cut her up to impede the ID.No distinguishing surgical scars, no medical implants or devices. All organs are intact. There's some nondescript trauma in the chest cavity.


She must have gotten knocked around pretty good in the crash.

Oh, this is weird.

There's a white granular substance on the heart sac.

Thanks.

I'll get Nigel to run an analysis.

It's hard to believe someone could do something like this.

Kind of pisses you off, doesn't it?

Yeah, actually, it does.

There may be hope for you yet.

Where is he?

First things first, Bug.

Oh, no. Look, look, not here, Lily. I'll do it for you later.

This case sounds perfect for my journal
article on auto-erotic morbidity.

Lots of docs ask me to steer the really cool cases their way, but when something really twisted comes in, you're my first call. And I ask for so little in return.

As coroner I vouch for her

I thoroughly examined her

And she's not only merely dead

She's really quite sincerely dead

I could watch you do that all day.

So where is he?

Oh, mama.

Theodore Horton, grain salesman from Carbondale, Illinois. Maid found him in his
hotel room this morning.

Oh, hi, Dr. Macy.

Nice tie.

Thank you.

I understand we have two new cases. Yeah.

Uh, I've got a light load this morning, so I'll take Mr. Horton off your hands.

Okay. Thanks, Bug.

Uh, second case is en route from Piller's Mortuary. John Flynn, 80 .He d*ed at home of pancreatic cancer. His insurance company requested an autopsy, so...

All right, I'll handle it myself. All right.

Uh, Dr. Macy.

Violent Heart by Gwendolyn G.


Slam poet from Oakland.

She rocks.

Dr. Cavanaugh told me you're into poetry.

She did?
Mmm.

The other book is blank.

It's for your own stuff.

I bet you're amazing.

Well… Thank you.

What the hell are you doing?

I'm searching the missing persons' sites for matches on my Jane Doe.

Don't play dumb, Jordan. It doesn't suit you.

Kind of early in the morning for sphincter level 10, Garret, even for you.

Listen to me.

I'm a very private person, all right? Yeah.

Now, on those rare misguided occasions that I share personal information with you, is it too much not to expect to have them broadcast over Radio Free Jordan?

Oh, you're talking about your new gal pal.

What are you talking about?

Oh, come on, Garret. She's cute, she's fun, and despite those qualities, she actually likes you.

Well, I don't know what planet you're from, but here on Earth we have something
called sexual harassment law.

Garret, she's so not gonna sue you.

Yeah, you got that right.

Chemical analysis turned up traces of Mace on the body.

She probably tried to spray the attacker.

Did you break down the chemical components?

That's the strange part. It's not a standard pepper spray. It's a specialized blend with a marking agent, the kind prison guards use to subdue inmates.

You traced a body from 12 miles away to this facility?

When I spoke with your watch commander, he said Brenda Porter didn't show up for work today. According to her file, the blood type matches, and Porter had a tattoo on her left shoulder, which is consistent with a patch of skin the k*ller removed.

Roommate says Officer Porter never showed up last night.

We're trying to determine the last time she was seen alive.

She worked from noon to yesterday.

She have any problems with anyone here?

Not that I know of, but this is a prison. It's not like the officers are gonna win any popularity contests.

This is my colleague, Dr. Sanders.

Looks like a match.

The plastic bag we found Porter in had a specific residue on it.

Dr. Sanders just found that identical residue on the prison's main garbage chute.

Looks like she was r*ped and k*lled inside the prison, then dismembered and her remains left in the trash. This is a level five institution. We house over convicted murderers and rapists here.

Well, I guess we won't be hurting for suspects.

Ouch!

Jordan?

Uh, what time is it?

Uh, .

And this is your normal vacuuming time?

Uh, we're pretty early risers around here. You go back to sleep, huh?

Oh, no, no. I'm up. I need to be at work in three hours, anyway.

Ah.

I found some photographs on your dad's nightstand.

Pretty bloody stuff.

Oh, those are my entry wound photos from the Stahler case.

Yeah, Dad just wanted to check them out.

My concern is… Well, you know your dad. I mean, he tends to get pretty obsessed with things, you know?


Yeah, that's what made him such a great cop.

It's just not healthy for him, Jordan. Do you understand?

Yeah, no, sure, I, uh... Yeah.

Brenda Porter served this institution with integrity and honor and she will be sorely missed.And we pray that her soul be committed to the kingdom of heaven. Blessed be the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. Let us pray.

Officer Porter's last radio transmission was at approximately 7:50 p. m. In B block. She was seen passing this checkpoint a few minutes later.

All right, what's up ahead here?

Uh, to the left is the commissary, which opens onto the main yard, and to the right is the woodshop and the main entrance.

Woodshop? If I'm cutting up a body, that sounds like a good place to start.

Except there's two guards, an alarm system and about a dozen hour surveillance cameras.

It didn't happen here.

Okay, we don't have a crime scene.

But we do have the DNA from the semen left inside Porter.

Let's run a DNA dragnet. We're gonna have to test every prisoner in this cellblock.

That's over 200 inmates.

Anyone got a better idea?

An AK-'s got nothing on pancreatic cancer. Mr. Flynn's a mess.

Why are we opening him up?

Because his insurance company, after happily cashing his checks for the last 50 years or so, is now looking for a way to avoid paying out the death benefit to his widow.

But didn't he die of terminal cancer?

Yeah, but if they can prove euthanasia, all bets are off. Is the tox screen back?

Uh-huh.

Um… Positive for morphine.

4.3 mics per milliliter?

That's a lethal dose.

Especially on an elderly man with a compromised heart.

There's also frothy edema present.

That could indicate overdose.

Could have been accidental.

Let's get Mr. Flynn's doctor on the phone.

Okay.

Love these auto-erotic jobs.

This boy definitely liked to play ouchy.

Check out the symmetrical scarring on the fingers.

Thumb screws?
Uh-uh.

Hand clamps.
Mmm.

ER said he had a noose around his neck when he came in.

But he didn't die of asphyxiation.

There's no facial congestion and the hyoid's intact.

Cops figure he was trying to rig himself up to the light fixture, fell off the bed, smashed his head on the coffee table.

Problem is, there's no subdural hematoma,

just some blood under the scalp.

Whoa!

Hello.

The plot thickens.

Check out his moneymaker.

Ashen discoloration around the scrotum.

Definitely a localized burn.

Ouch, what's that?

Looks like a copper wire.

Oh, sweet Nancy!

This boy plugged himself in.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Oh, don't know about you, but I'm ready to call it a day.

Well, just think of it as a chance to get to know the folks who keep us busy.

Wait, you're an inmate? Weren't you just leading the prayer service?

Uh, yes, ma'am.

Uh, Earl Lewis. I'm the chapel trustee. I help out Father Lynch.

Okay.

Open up, please.

It's kind of like communion.

What do you need?

Fresh gloves and a packet of swabs.

You plan on testing the whole prison?

If that's what it takes.

These B block guys, I was thinking it's not any of them.

Yeah, why is that?

Porter was good people.

She treated inmates with respect.

Everything okay here, Martinson?

Uh, yeah, Officer Cosgrove. I was just heading back to the cellblock.

Brenda never should have been working in a place like this.

Finally got Mr. Flynn's oncologist on the phone. Big jerk.

What did he say about the morphine?

He prescribed 0.5 mics after Mr. Flynn went into a coma.

Any idea how nearly nine times that amount got into his system?

Mmm-mmm. Nope.

Apparently, Mr. Flynn's year old wife was in charge of giving him the medication.

I'll need to talk to her.

Well, you'll get your chance. She's coming in tomorrow to view her husband's body.

Thanks for an interesting day.

Beats cataloging tissue files, huh?

That is true.

Dude, that's a sweet outfit.

You got a date?

No, I was just going over to O'Flannery's with some friends, do some dancing.

O'Flannery's? Off the square O'Flannery's?

What? Nothing, it's just my dad used to go there for pints all the time.

I didn't think it'd be your scene.

Tell you what, why don't you come along?

That way I'll fit in better.

Trey, that's not what I'm saying.

You coming or not?

Don't you ever stop?

Dude, this place has changed.

Yeah, no, really.

So, I've been meaning to ask you something.

What's that?

Just why is it exactly that you do not date white women?

It's funny, but at the moment, I really can't remember.

Oh, I'm vibrating.

Hello!

What?

Yeah, I nailed the granules you took off her heart sac.

Where are you?

Out.

Wait a minute. Are you dancing?

Just tell me.

It's some hospital-grade talcum powder.Most likely residue from a surgical glove.

Wait, so that laceration on her abdomen...

Yeah, someone had their hand inside Brenda Porter's chest after she d*ed.

Touched her heart.

There's got to be some mistake.

There's no mistake, Father Lynch.

This man's a model prisoner. I've never met a more devout Christian.

I ran all the inmate files. This guy r*ped and cut up a female college student, put his hand inside her chest.

That was over years ago. He's not the same man anymore. He and I built this chapel with our own hands.

Has he confessed to k*lling Porter?

Not yet.

Father Lynch is getting him a lawyer, but it's pretty close to his M.O.

What did he do?

In 1979, Earl Lewis r*ped a19 -year-old girl. Then using a hand axe, he dismembered her, crushed her heart with his bare hands.

DNA test come back yet?

Waiting for the call.

Morning.

I just spoke to the Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Corrections.

She called to thank me for our generous help with that DNA dragnetup at Devlin yesterday.

Yeah, actually, about that, Garret...

Naturally, I being the cr*ck administrator that I am, pretended to know what the
hell she was talking about, because I... I can't for the life of me remember authorizing the use of 200 of our DNA kits.

You never asked him?

Uh, they said you were in autopsy, and I know you hate interruptions when you're working, so I just had the kits sent over to the prison.

Uh-huh. Well, in the process, you trashed my supply budget for the next month.

Look, it worked, though, Garret. We caught the guy. I mean, isn't that what matters?

What matters, Dr. Cavanaugh, is you show some respect for protocol.

Cavanaugh.

But there's gotta be a mistake. Uh, did you run it twice?

No... Okay.

Fine, thanks.

What?

That was the state lab. Earl Lewis's DNA doesn't match.

He's not our guy.

So where does that leave us?

Back at square one.

I'm just asking for a couple more days of testing.

No way. We had seven violent incidents last night after you guys left, and you came up with nothing.

So we'll step up the testing, double our crew, get it over with real fast.

Look, all due respect, you have no idea the way this place works. There is a very thin line between control and chaos. It's my job to see we don't cross it.

So what? We just give up?

No, we let the State Police do their job.

Help you, Doc?

I'm just here to pick up a few leftover medical supplies.

Go ahead.

Hey.

God, what happened to you?

A small disagreement with a nightstick.

Look, I felt like you wanted to tell me something yesterday.

A guy can get k*lled real fast around here if word gets out that he likes to talk.

Yeah, well, judging by the size of that black eye, looks like you already got a pretty big problem. Maybe we could help each other.

You see my buddy Cosgrove back there?

Yeah, he and Porter used to get together between shifts.

You mean they had sex in the prison?

They used to meet in the chapel after hours.

I can't figure out what she ever saw in him.

I mean, the guy's a total whack job.

Now, you're not just telling me this to get him off your back, are you?

That's exactly why I'm telling you.

Cosgrove's been b*ating on me for two years.

It's about time he gets what's coming to him.

I understand you two were married for more than 50 years.

I met John when I was 31.

That made you an old maid in 1954.

He'd already been married and divorced.

Everyone said it wouldn't last.

Well, I guess you proved them wrong.

Lot of good it did me. They're all dead. But we had a great long life together. Traveled all the continents, saw the most extraordinary things.

Do you have children?

No. Talked about it, but I suppose we just loved our freedom too much.

I brought John's wedding band. His hands swelled so badly near the end, we had to take it off.

Mrs. Flynn.

But I promised he'd be buried with it.

I know about the morphine. Believe me, I wish I didn't. I'm sure your husband suffered a great deal.

Years before John got sick, we agreed that when the time came, we'd die the same way we lived. On our own terms.

And I respect that. But I have a legal obligation to accurately report cause of death.

He was trapped, Dr. Macy. A prisoner in his own body.

There's gonna be an investigation.

I understand.

I'm not sure you do. This isn't just about insurance money. Euthanasia's a crime in the state of Massachusetts. The police may be notified.

It's fine, Dr. Macy. You do what you have to do.

Look, this is crazy.

You don't have to test me. I admit I met Brenda in the chapel that night. We had sex. But I swear to God I didn't k*ll her.

You told my investigator you never saw her on the day she d*ed.

Hey, I got a wife and two kids.

Yeah. Yeah, all right.

You save that for your lawyer. Take him downstairs, please.

Listen, I want to thank you for your help on this.

Look, something just doesn't feel right.

Listen. Porter told her roommate she really fell hard for this creep, and Cosgrove was worried about Porter telling his wife what was going on.

Right there's your motive.

Plus, plus, this guy's got two written warnings in his file, both for excessive force.

Okay, I can buy him k*lling her, maybe even chopping her up, but why did he stick his hand inside her chest and grab her heart?

Officers have access to inmate's files.

He knew Earl Lewis's M.O.

That's why he's trying to pin the m*rder on him.

Yeah, but does this guy strike you as a criminal mastermind?

You know, like I said, thank you.

I... I appreciate what you did.

Take yes for an answer.

We're done here.

Try massaging your jaw.

You're a clincher.

I've noticed.

Right, thanks.

The coffee shop in my neighborhood is having a poetry slam tomorrow night.

It's like an open mike night. People come and read their stuff. It's totally casual.

Well, I really haven't been writing much lately. I'd… But I appreciate the invitation.

It's no biggie. But… If you change your mind…

Good night, Dr. Macy.

Good night.

Okay, just admit there's something going on with you and Lily and I'll let it go.

Still pissed about the DNA kits?

No, no.

You got lucky.

You are buried deep in the rubble of the earthquake of my day. Had to defer the case on

an end-stage Pancreatic Cancer. The widow as much as admitted she OD'd him. So how was prison life today?

Frustrating. State Police have an officer in custody.

Let me guess. You think they're wrong.

Just… Look, Garret. If this lady k*lled her husband, you had no choice. You did the right thing.

Don't feel that way.

You know, the truth is I envy her courage letting her husband go like that. My mom was in pretty bad shape the last six weeks. The doctors wanted me to sign a DNR, but I just… I couldn't do it. They brought her back three times from flatline before she finally d*ed.

Sounds like she really wanted to live.

Any fight she had left was pure autopilot.

See, it wasn't her, it was me. I couldn't let her go.

Garret, you've got to cut yourself some slack. It was your mom.

Exactly. And she needed me to be strong. It was my turn to be the grownup. Forget what I needed and be there for her, and I just...I dropped the ball.

Hey, Dad.

It's almost midnight.

What are you doing up?

Oh, I couldn't sleep. Came down to get something to eat and spotted your prison guard case.

Uh, look, about going to the cemetery, I didn't mean to make you feel bad.

Sure, you did.

Well, yeah, but I don't have the right to tell you what to do.

You just took me by surprise. And I feel like hell about it.

No, it's okay.

Really, I understand. In fact, I've been thinking maybe you're right. Maybe it's time we started a new tradition.

Yeah?

I won't go out to Mom's grave. We'll both take the year off, and then, next year we'll go out for her birthday.

What?

I was just trying to remember the last time you told me I was right about something.

Yeah, well, don't get too used to it.



Look, this guy Cosgrove was sleeping with the victim who threatened to tell his wife about the affair.

Pretty strong motive.



I don't know. Could be him.

Uh, Dad, it's getting really late.

So let's find out. Who do you want to be, victim or k*ller?

I will figure it out. You really don't need to be dealing with this stuff anymore.

Hey, I thought you said you were through telling me what to do.

Cosgrove and Porter used to meet in the chapel.

I'll be Cosgrove.

I'll be the victim.

Okay, it's just before 8:00.

I leave my post early. Make sure no one sees me.

I enter the chapel.

I've been waiting for you.

After we're done, you start to leave.

But we argue.

This wasn't enough for me. I want more. I want you to leave your wife.

I tell you this is crazy. It's just a casual thing.

Maybe for you. If you won't tell her, I will.

You won't get the chance.

I struggle but you're too strong.

I have to get rid of the body.

I take out my Kn*fe.

But we scoured the chapel. There was no blood.

So I had to take you somewhere else.

Your shift starts soon. There's no time.

Cosgrove worked tower duty in D block till 6:00 a. m.

So, he hid her body somewhere and waited till after his shift.

But the sanitation department log says that they picked up at Devlin at 5:40 a. m. before he finished his shift.

There had to be someone else in the chapel.

I'm getting ready to go, but someone's there.

Someone's watching me.

I can't breathe.

I know I'm gonna die.

What's going on down here? Are you all right, Jordan?

Yeah, I'm fine.

Uh, I'm sorry if we woke you, hon. Jordan and I were discussing her case.

I see.

I was just coming back upstairs.

Night, Jordan.

Good night, Dad.

It's… It's just this thing we've always done.

I thought we had an understanding.

I appreciate your hearing me out on this.

Believe me, any way this wasn't one of my officers k*lling another, I'm all ears.

So the chapel's locked every night at 7:00, and Cosgrove and Porter met there at 8:00.

Anyone besides officers have the key?

Watch commanders, my two deputy superintendents,

Father Lynch, but he's usually long gone by then or working in his office.

Can I check it out?

Told you it wasn't much. It used to be a medical supply room.

Father Lynch build in here sometimes?

You've seen the chapel. He's always making something for that place.

Would you mind?

No, go right ahead.

What's that smell, turpentine?

No, bleach.

Could you please call Inspector Penza. Tell him we just found the rest of Brenda Porter.

Morning, Danny. Busy night?

The mortuary's coming for the Flynns tomorrow.

I need you to sign the release forms.

Here you go.

She seemed like a really cool lady.

Yes, she did.

I heard she OD'd on the same drug she used on her husband.

That's right.

Wow. That is so beautiful.

"Beautiful"?

To love someone so much for so long that at the end it's like you're both living one life. To know that once that person is gone, you can't help but cease to exist. What's more beautiful than that?

Could you please get these over to forensics?

Hear you've been busy.

Keeps me off the street.

Yeah, lucky for me.

You know, my guys went through here, came up empty.

Well, don't be too hard on them.

Look, Penza, we really need to take a hard look at Father Lynch.

We already did, Jordan.

Lynch performed a wedding in Needham the night Porter d*ed.

He's on 600 hours of bad time coded home video.

Then someone else had to have access to this office.

Yeah.

Cosgrove had a key, had motive.

He k*lled Porter.

But the timeline doesn't work. He...

Yeah, you got somebody else, talk to the D.A.

Okay, I couldn't get a decent tool mark off the torso, but then I used this...This segment from the right leg you found, and… Beauty. Check it out. Looks like an inch and a half blade.

Hi. Big problem.

Horton's wife flew in from Illinois to ID the body.

Huh. Well, you better use your bedside manner.

The man was wearing a spiked collar.

What if she starts asking questions?

Just show her a few discreet Polaroids. Tell her you're sorry about the unfortunate mishap, and you're done.

Do you think that'll work?

Probably not.

So, this blade has some major striations. Any idea what it is?

Let me see. Oh, it's definitely not your garden variety prison shank. Lines are too clean, and it's graded. I'm thinking chisel. Pretty big one, something a professional carpenter might use. Like something they'd use in a woodshop.

Ted was the choir director at our middle school. The fall recital's next week and now they'll be singing at his funeral.

I'm terribly sorry for your loss, Mrs. Horton. Can I call a taxi for you?

I was wondering, maybe you could answer a couple questions for me about Ted's death?

Of course.

Well, the police would only say that it was an accident.

Well, yes. That... That's right. Your, um, your husband was in his hotel room, and there was, uh, an electrical problem.

Ted was electrocuted?

Um...Primarily, yes.

I see. Well, can you tell me, does that involve a terrible amount of pain?

Thankfully, electrical death is usually instantaneous.

Oh. Well, was he at least wearing his gladiator harness? It was his favorite.

Well, these are the closest we've got to what you're talking about.

This looks about right.

Perfect match.

Uh, do these ever leave the shop?

Inmates can't remove tools under any circumstances.

What if you're not an inmate?

Well, we occasionally lend tools to prison personnel.

Matter of fact, that chisel was signed out a few days ago.

Beautiful cabinet. Build it yourself?

Father Lynch and me.

He'll be back in just a minute.

Those his keys?

Father Lynch must have a lot of faith in you, and faith is a pretty powerful thing, isn't it, Earl?

Dr. Cavanaugh.

Can I help you with something?

No, Father.

Think I've got what I need.

You see, Earl, I couldn't figure out why you didn't r*pe Brenda Porter before you k*lled her.

Hold on a second.

Well, you strangled her, then you took her to Father Lynch's office, cut her up with the chisel that he signed out of the woodshop. But you didn't r*pe her, and I just couldn't figure out why. But then it came to me. You've seen the light. You're a new man. You saw them, didn't you? Porter and Cosgrove having sex, right here in front of God, and you just couldn't let that happen, could you? Not in your chapel.

It's not my chapel. It belongs to God. Isn't that right, Father? This is a holy place.

Earl.

They were sinning, Father, in God's house. But I didn't k*ll her. I saved her. I held her heart in my hand and she was redeemed. She's with God now.

"I watched the light pass from your eyes and felt the years seep through my fingers like rain. I held your hand till it grew cold, and hold it still with a child's stubborn vengeance. Death frees the dead, but not the living. You are gone, but always with me.

Edited by: Lilith