02x02 - Dead Soldiers

[bunniefuu]

Previously, on The Shield...

I need that money! Yeah? Well, we all do.

No, I need it now to get back my kids!

What are you talking about?

They're gone, Shane! You...

My guy in Denver got a hit on Corrine's driver's license.

GORDIE: That's them, isn't it?

Yeah, it's them.

We're gonna get 'em, Vic.

No! No! No! No!

No! No!!

Dead guys may have been cooked up by a couple of Mexican nationals.

Quintero. They're brothers.

Navaro and Armadillo.

Armadillo Quintero?

Yes?

DUTCH: You're a prime suspect in the fire murders of two men last night.

You're not here to fight the Torros or the Los Mags.

You're here to unite 'em.

Where are you going? Tijuana.

Mexico. What for?

Someone's putting poisoned coke out on our streets.

I'm gonna stop him.

Your brother Armadillo does this to people who don't cooperate?

The feds want him. I say we let him start doing his time.

Quesadilla.

[CAMERA WHIRS, CLICKS]

Just wanted to give your little brother something to remember you by.

You're not after Mackey, are you?

You're after me.

You have enemies on the city council.

ACEVEDA: Name's Lanie Kellis, and as much as I'd love to see her take you down, I don't need a scandal right now.

You're gonna watch my back?

Until the election.

In exchange for what?

You get your head back in the game.

Get your boys under control.

Then I guess we have a deal.

This doesn't mean I like you.

[♪♪♪]

[RAPPING IN SPANISH]

[CHATTER, LAUGHTER]

[TATTOO NEEDLE HUMMING]

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

[SHUTS OFF MUSIC]

LEM: Police! Hold it right there!

Whoa, whoa, whoa!

MAN: Hands up! [g*n COCKS]

Turn around! Turn around.

Up against the car.

VIC: Buenas noches, muchachas!

Nice boa.

[SNAKE HISSES]

New tags? New ink?

What's up with that, Chapa? [SCOFFS]

We're just changing brands.

Turucos now.

Oh, Turucos now? [TALKS IN SPANISH]

That what Armadillo is calling you guys?

Armadillo's bro looks good behind bars, huh?

[SPITS]

You tell him I called.

[FIREMEN CHATTERING]

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATION]

FIREMAN: Keep that crowd back!

[CAR APPROACHING]

[CAR DOOR CLOSES]

Someone torched Tio's drug crib.

Vic, what if our blow was in there?

Then it's gone.

Hey, we got a lot of bread tied up in that shipment.

You're so worried about your g*dd*mn money, you don't get it.

This could open up an investigation into Tio's business. If we're not careful, all roads are gonna lead back to us.

Go find Tio. I'll take care of this.

Let's just call Lem. I'll stay here and help.

Did I ask for your help?

[SIRENS DRONING]

Hey. CLAUDETTE: Morning, gentlemen.

Guess I missed the weenie roast.

What happened?

Arson. Started on the first floor.

Then the whole place went up.

ACEVEDA: They were able to determine that already?

Whoever set the fire didn't try to hide it.

Gas can out back.

What brings you here?

My case.

We found the same graffiti as the necklace tire executions.

Do you have a motive yet?

That's not all we have.

Huh. What is that, a kid?

Not exactly.

[CHUCKLES]

[FLY BUZZING]

I'm shaking down the new king cholo...

Armadillo.

I gave my card to a few of his recruits.

Guess they weren't kosher.

Armadillo is my case.

He r*ped a 12-year-old girl last night to cover the tire murders.

Hey, he r*ped a kid?

Why isn't he in Central by now?

Her brother's uncooperative.

Think he took her back to Mexico.

No victim, no arrest.

Why would he burn this building?

[SIGHS] Spoke to some of the locals.

It appears the owner, uh, Theodore Osman, was selling more than comic books.

Drug dealer.

Armadillo burns out his competition, sends me a message.

Me and my boys'll handle this one.

Hey, I'm just giving you information. This is my case!

You see that little piggy with my card spiked to its head?

This is g*ng land. My domain.

I'm already on it.

MAN: Detective, let me show you something.

Any reason why the two of you shouldn't pair up together?

I just think it would make more sense if I handled this on my own.

You're gonna see some kind of kicking and screaming you didn't know existed, you try pulling me off this.

You both want it. It's big enough for the two of you.

Work it together.

Fine. Great.

♪ Just another day ♪

[ROMERO, ALEJANDRO & BAUTISTA'S "JUST ANOTHER DAY" PLAYING]

♪ Day ♪

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

Oh. Ho!

Maybe the doorbell works.

[DOORBELL BUZZING]

Armadillo.

What's this about?

It's all about love, ése.

[CHATTERING]

SHANE: Come on, boys. Let's go for a walk.

LEM: Yeah, you heard him, let's go.

[CUFFS CLICKING, LOCKING]

[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]

Where were you... I was with some friends... when the fire was set.

I'll give you their names.

You and your brother are into a lot of things: tainting dr*gs, consolidating cholitos.

No, I'm not like my brother.

Navaro enjoys, uh, parties, late nights. Uh...

I'm much more comfortable in bed with a good book to read.

And a little girl to r*pe.

I have no outstanding warrants.

My visas are in perfect order.

There are no dr*gs, g*ns, or money in the house.

If you're such a good boy, then you do as I say.

Pack up your sh*t and get on the next donkey back to home.

No. [LAUGHS]

I just got here.

I'm going to be staying for a while, hm?

[SNIFFLES]

Fine. Ah.

Maybe you can stay at my house for a little while.

Yeah, what's the charge?

I'll think of something on the way.

[SECURES HANDCUFFS]

Any one of you guys not named Martinez?

This guy Perez, his license expired 8 months ago.

I'm calling it in.

What's up with that, Javier?

Lines too long at the DMV?

LEM: All right. Yeah, okay.

This guy Javier, man, has got an outstanding warrant for aggravated as*ault.

Oh. Now we got you for harboring a felon.

For my wall, right next to your brother.

Man, can I get a copy?

This guy's got a notorious reputation, but his rap sheet's squeaky-clean.

Oh, unlike his brother, he's smart.

No mistakes so far.

Good morning.

Oh, morning.

Uh, have you met our civilian auditor?

Claudette Wyms, Lanie Kellis.

Hello. Hi. Another one?

Yeah. The brother of that Mexican national.

If anything, he's worse.

Wow. Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt.

Oh, well, not at all.

I was just saying that unless we get this guy on something else, the harboring charges won't hold him.

I know. And so does he.

We have to find the guy who set the fire, connect him to Armadillo, then get him for the arson.

Oh, I want him for more than that.

Let's start with the shop owner.

You know where I can find him?

No.

Really?

Because it says Theodore Osmond is registered as one of your confidential informants.

Oh. Tio. I haven't seen him in months.

Uh... [CHUCKLES]

Theodore Osmond?

That's his real name?

I'll get the word out.

Meantime, I'll have my guys hunt down the firebug.

Good. I'd like to observe Detective Mackey on this.

Sure. Give us a chance to talk.

Actually, I was just coming to get you.

A city official's just been sh*t.

Who?

I don't have all the details, but I'm sure your people will want you down there.

Dutch, you've met Lanie Kellis.

Of course. Hm.

We've got a city official sh*t at Benton and Hollis.

I need you down there right away.

Lanie's gonna ride along.

Great.

About you, not the city official.

Do we know who the victim is?

Um, not yet.

Okay. You ready?

Um. I... I guess so.

You have a connection with the drug dealer whose place just got burnt down?

Yeah. Jesus Christ.

I asked you if there was any reason not to bring Claudette into this.

Hey, you're the politician.

Learn to read between the g*dd*mn lines.

I told you I wanna handle this thing myself.

What does this mean for us?

[SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY]

Just means I'll have to be careful.

SHANE: Tio's laying low at his kid's mom's place.

He's... He's spooked.

How long you plan on freezing us out?

Until I can trust the three of you again.

Look, I'm really sorry, boss.

Me too.

LEM: We made a mistake.

Yeah, you did.

I need one of you to come with me.

I don't give a damn which one.

[DOOR CLOSES]

[LAUGHS]

TIO: You wanna go higher?

Okay.

All right.

Come on. [GRUNTS]

Go inside with your mom, baby.

VIC: Beautiful kid.

Hi.

You okay?

No.

That Mexican psycho torched my g*dd*mn building.

SHANE: Yeah, we saw.

VIC: What'd you lose?

I got lucky. Most of the product was cut, bagged and out.

I had some cash and my records in the safe.

What safe?

What records?

Accounts ledger. Income, expenses. You know.

No, I don't know.

I'm running a business. I got to know what's coming in and going out.

Going out? What, like payments to me?

My name is in that g*dd*mn ledger?

It's in code, man. I call you Landlord.

You and your boys didn't have a problem with the way I do business when I damn near doubled your cut.

Where's the safe?

Back room of the shop.

One of those corporate espionage deals.

Try to force it open, it destroys the contents.

All right, I'll get the safe.

And I'll get on the deal.

No. Someone in my squad is trying to track you down, connect you to the Mexican.

I want you to stay here and lay low.

This can't go unanswered. It won't.

I need a couple of your guys' names and numbers.

Guys that know how to use a Zippo.

Find out where the Turucos are hanging.

You want us to roust 'em?

No. Give 'em this address, tell 'em to burn it on my signal.

And just the building, no bodies.

I wanna send a message, not start a w*r.

You think you can handle that?

[SCOFFS]

It's locked.

Have Lem pick you up.

Need to use my phone?

[CHUCKLES]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[DOORS CLOSE]

DUTCH: Pretty quiet, for the sh**ting of a city official.

Figured there'd be some news crews.

At least one of the independents.

Ray... what do we know?

Ah, the victim was Helen Zamorski.

sh*t three times in the back.

No witnesses, no w*apon.

Took her to Mission Cross.

Helen Zamorski.

Who is she?

OFFICER: PEO.

PEO?

Parking enforcement officer?

A meter maid? Yeah.

You gotta be sh1tting me.

No. This is her machine right here.

This is our city official?

Will you... get your captain on the phone for me, please?

[LANIE SIGHS]

[PHONE DIALING]

[RINGING] [CLEARS THROAT]

Hey. Got a call from the fire inspector.

The safe was in the back of the shop.

Cocaine residue and scales was found upstairs.

That'll give us probable cause for the search and seizure.

Nice work.

Can't wait to see what's inside.

That makes two of us.

ACEVEDA: What do we have?

Building's owner was definitely peddling.

He's MIA, but we found his safe.

Maybe there's something inside to tie Armadillo to him.

Tio's no saint, but he's the victim here.

We have to go after Armadillo, get whoever set that fire to roll on him.

I know Tio's your Cl, but Armadillo hit him for a reason.

Motive's a pretty good starting point.

I'll get a warrant to open the safe.

I got a guy who can cr*ck that.

Great. Any luck finding Tio?

We got a couple of leads.

MAN: There you go. Got your keys.

What do you got?

An address in Colorado Springs.

Where?

She's staying with a Camille Briskin.

Some chick she went to college with.

My kids with her?

I'm on the next flight.

Uh... [CLEARS THROAT]

I just talked to my guy there.

She's packing up to go someplace.

Packing? Did this guy spook her?

No, uh... I trust him.

Let him stay on her.

Look, you go there now... she's liable to be someplace else by the time you land.

Let's just... see how it plays out.

[SIREN WAILS IN DISTANCE]

All right.

[PATS ON BACK]

My mom's the one that called.

Yeah, is your mom around?

Yeah.

Ma'am, were you the one that called us?

About apartment two.

What's the problem?

There's a t*rror1st in there.

DANNY: t*rror1st?

Tell 'em about the smells.

Chemicals. Like he's making dirty bombs or something.

My babies sleep on the other side of that wall.

Look...

I'm trying to raise two boys by myself.

Now I gotta deal with these people?

Okay, fine, we'll check it out.

[DOG BARKS, SNARLS]

Should come with you.

No, ma'am. You should stay right here.

[INDISTINCT POLICE RADIO CHATTER]

[KNOCKS ON DOOR]

[LOCK UNLOCKING]

Mr. Al-Thant?

Zayed, yes.

Zayed, I'm Officer Sofer.

This is Officer Lowe.

Yes?

We've received a complaint.

Complaint. About me?

It's her.

She told you I was a t*rror1st, didn't she?

Sir, if we could just come in...

I did nothing wrong.

You people pick on me for no reason.

Okay. Just let us come in, take a quick look around.

So...

I am a suspect just because I am Arab.

No, sir. You're a suspect because 19 guys who look like your twin brother k*lled 3,000 Americans.

Look, the easiest way for us to handle this is just let us come in, take a look around.

Or we can file a report with the federal government and let them check you out.

God bless America.

DANNY: After you, sir.

[ARAB POP MUSIC PLAYING ON STEREO]

[SCREEN DOOR CLOSES]

My brother sends it to me from home.

I cannot control what they print.

Where's home?

Damascus.

How long have you been in this country?

Five years.

I... I have a job.

I pay taxes.

[SPEAKING ARABIC]

My wife.

What you making?

ZAYED: Pickled fish.

[SNIFFS]

Mm.

Well, thank you.

We appreciate your cooperation.

So you will tell the black one that I'm no t*rror1st.

We'll tell her.

[INDISTINCT POLICE RADIO CHATTER]

SHANE: Found out where Armadillo's boys are working from.

The old Sugar Cube Lounge on Juniper.

Salsa by night, distribution by day.

VIC: Doubt they have permits.

Go in.

Tell 'em you're with Alcohol Control.

Close it down.

Have Tio's boys light it up once it's all clear.

Hey, Vic.

We got a positive ID on Armadillo's fire starter.

Uh, Ripley Verdugo. He's, uh, flame-Ret*rded.

Bring him in.

[DOOR BUZZES, OPENS]

Hey, Vic...

Shane told me about your family splitting.

I'm really sorry, man.

[MEN CHATTERING]

Are you an idiot?

Smith, you old drunk.

Mackey, you bald bastard.

What're you doing? Same old.

You look good, man.

How's the brood?

They're good.

Uh, so Shane brought you up to speed?

Yeah. You need me to open some safe?

Right. Only I need you to go through the front lock.

Boy said it's a smart safe.

If I go in through the lock, it'll trigger the acid, destroy whatever's inside.

Oh. I get it.

Oh, Smith. This is Detective Wyms.

Smith the locksmith? That's convenient.

Yeah. I get that.

SMITH: Looks like the Omni 600 series.

Actually, it's the 700 series.

Right.

[HAMMERING]

Hold on.

Manufacturer said you got to go through the back to disarm the destruct mechanism.

What the hell's going on, man?

I thought you've worked on these things before.

Yeah.

Sorry.

I'll go through the back.

Good catch. Yeah.

It'll take more than a few b*ll*ts to bring down Officer Zamorski.

Officer Zamorski?

She's a meter maid.

We're all officers here.

Do you know how much revenue we bring in for this city?

If it wasn't for people like Helen Zamorski, risking her life every day, you guys would be making less than schoolteachers.

And we appreciate it.

[SIGHS] This is awful.

Helen writes 30 percent above her quota every month.

Helen's electronic ticket book was smashed to pieces.

Animals.

Restroom?

Yeah, it's in the back.

I'd like to see who she wrote tickets for today.

Specifically, the last ticket she wrote before she was sh*t.

I'd also like the names of people she's written large numbers of tickets to over the last year.

I'll print 'em out.

[DOOR CLOSES]

Hey. Um... who can I talk to about a parking snafu?

I got this, uh...

$63 ticket.

Uh, no parking, Right. Yeah.

Uh, in front of the courthouse.

See, I was on the job.

I was testifying in a... kiddie-p*rn case.

We got the sick bastard, thank God.

But any... Anyway, I got this ticket.

Aren't the police provided parking off of Grand Avenue?

Yeah. But it's... That's, like, six blocks away.

I was running late for this, uh... child-p*rn case.

Well, I guess you're gonna have to challenge it in court.

Come on. A little... Little help, maybe, one officer to another.

[PRINTER CLICKING] [SIGHS]

I don't fix parking tickets, sir.

And being a police officer doesn't place you above the law.

All set?

Mm-hm.

This guy was quite the bookkeeper.

Oh, yeah? What's he got in there?

Eh, nothing about Armadillo... but look at this.

He was making monthly payments to a landlord, when he owns the building.

Well, maybe Armadillo's the landlord.

Tio got tired of shelling out.

Fire was the payback.

Black dealer, Latino boss man?

I doubt it.

Besides... he was making payments weeks before Armadillo crossed the border.

Oh.

Maybe this is the guy Armadillo is trying to squeeze out.

Your boys find Tio?

Yeah. Well, good.

Let's bring him in.

Uh, it's not that easy.

Sure it is. Come on.

I'll bring him out.

I'll come with.

No... He's my Cl.

I... I just bring a stranger in there, it'll blow the trust.

You said you hadn't seen him in months.

You don't know how squirrelly this guy might be.

You're not going in there without backup.

Look. Tio's still valuable to me, all right?

Now, wait here.

I'll handle this.

Something I should know about you and this guy?

No.

I'll be right out.

You come in voluntarily, it'll look like you got nothing to hide.

You're gonna watch my back, right?

Yeah. And you're gonna watch mine.

She wants Armadillo.

Thinks grilling you about the landlord will lead to him.

What do I tell her? [CAR DOOR CLOSES]

VIC: "I'm just another local shop owner forced to pay protection money."

Choose your favorite band of brothers.

Uh, One-Niners, the Monks, Jack-Uzis. Got it?

Yeah, I'm good.

Yeah, so is Wyms.

You be careful.

I'm trying to lead her down a different path.

Here's the guy you're gonna ID.

I'm pretty sure he's the firebug.

Now you tell us that you saw him casing the building last night before you left.

No problem.

What are we doing about hitting Armadillo?

We found out where the Turucos hang.

Your little friends are gonna... rip a three-alarmer through it tonight.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

CLAUDETTE: Vic.

[WHISPERS] You got the plan?

Yeah, I'm good.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR, DOOR OPENS]

Everything okay in here?

Sure.

Everything's fine.

OFFICER: This is a list of your property. I want you to take a look at it.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] [DOOR OPENS]

That the bitch that b*rned my place up?

You're here to tell us what you know.

[DOOR BUZZES]

GORDIE: Hey, Vic.

I'm in the middle of something.

It's important.

Give me a minute?

I'll start without you.

What's up? My guy followed Corinne to the Colorado Springs Airport.

Airport?

Where's she going?

Look. Come on.

Where the hell's she going?

Who does she know in Phoenix?

Phoenix? Mm-hm.

No clue. That's what I'm paying you to find out.

And I'm trying, Vic.

Are the kids with her? Just the baby.

Cassidy and Matthew are still with a friend.

And I got a guy waiting for her on that end.

Phoenix?

Look, I got to go.

Call me as soon as you know something.

All right, I will.

What I miss?

Tio found our guy. [DOOR CLOSES]

This is the dude. Couldn't miss that ink-ball head.

Saw him hanging out in the back lot when I was leaving.

Ripley Verdugo.

Seven priors, three for arson.

Consider him picked up.

You coming with?

No, you go ahead and pick up the suspect.

I'm gonna have a little talk with Tio.

CLAUDETTE [ON TV]:... juice, soda? A new distribution crib?

TIO: I'm here to help, lady.

Good.

Let's talk about your record keeping.

There's some pretty interesting things in this ledger.

LEM: Tell you what, I've never seen Vic this pissed.

He's pissed about his kids.

It's classic displacement, man.

It's classic replacement I'm worried about.

Think he'll boot us?

Oh, give me a break. Where would Vic be without us?

[FIRE ALARM RINGS] Maybe we'll find out.

I'm not going back to Traffic.

Let's just do our jobs and do it well.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

Oh, so now that plan makes sense to you?

Shut up. No, you shut up.

Damn!

[SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY]

Go put on a shirt, bitch.

Damn, boy.

[DOG BARKING]

[MAN SPEAKING SPANISH]

[FIRE ALARM CONTINUES RINGING]

Racked up quite the parking portfolio, Barney.

Thirteen hundred and eighty-six dollars.

Uh... Wow.

Yeah, I... I get a lot on the job.

Lose track.

What is your job?

I'm a messenger.

I got to pay for any tickets I get.

Got another one today.

Oh, yeah. So?

So the woman who wrote that ticket was sh*t three times this morning.

She's gonna live... but not like she used to.

I'm sorry to hear that.

She wrote you 34 tickets in the last seven months.

Maybe you're a little upset about that.

Uh, yeah.

Yeah, I'm... I'm upset.

I...

I don't have 13 hundred bucks, and, um...

I could lose my job.

[SNIFFLES]

But I d... I didn't sh**t her.

Where were you at 9:30?

I was, uh, in traffic on my way to LAX.

You fired a g*n today, Barney?

No, of course not.

You willing to take a GSR?

Well... [CLEARS THROAT]

...what is that?

g*nsh*t residue test.

Standard government test.

Detects whether you fired a g*n recently. [SIGHS]

Oh. Yeah. Yeah, sure, if it'll help.

How does a novice comic-book merchant buy two buildings, cash?

Man, I can barely cover my mortgage.

I'm smart with money.

Well, if you're smart, how come you're making payments to a landlord, when you don't have one?

CLAUDETTE [ON TV]: Being a Cl isn't a "get out of jail free" card.

We found scales and drug residue above your shop.

I know you're dealing.

Reality check.

[OPENS SODA]

My building getting smoked makes me a victim.

I can get that stack of cash in the safe and the dollar amounts in this ledger, and have search warrants for your home and other building.

What we find there gonna make you a victim too?

Can I help you somehow?

CLAUDETTE: Help me get Armadillo... and I ignore this ledger.

That's Tio?

He's the guy Long Beach sheriffs pulled over with your team.

Right.

What else haven't you told me?

Be quiet. I'm trying to listen.

How deep is your relationship with this guy?

Deep enough.

Can he hurt us?

He won't.

He can't or he won't? He won't.

We had a deal.

You said you were gonna clean up your act.

I'm in control.

I've got a watchdog in my house, and now one of my best detectives is grilling the guy who can blow the whistle on you.

Hey.

How's she doing?

Aren't you working a case?

I got half an hour before my next evil parking suspect shows up.

Ha.

CLAUDETTE: What's he look like?

We gotta stop this.

And we gotta be careful the way we play Claudette.

LEM: Come on, greaseball, let's go.

Beauty.

[FENCE RATTLING]

Firebug's here.

Wanted to give you the first cr*ck at him.

Thanks.

Let Tio stew.

I haven't finished with him yet.

Sure.

Look at my prayer mat.

I hang it here to dry, and she has her dog rip it to pieces!

What could've done that?!

If it's so sacred, you shouldn't leave it out!

Somebody needs to put that animal to sleep!

Is that what you're doing in there?

Cooking up gas to put us...

That's enough!

[DOG BARKING]

Look, you had us search his place, and we did.

He's not a t*rror1st.

Go back inside and restrain that dog before I call Animal Control.

And you... stop egging her on, stop threatening her dog and stop acting like such a victim.

Both of you go inside and stay inside your own apartments.

Do not want us coming back here again.

[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]

You're learning.

Good teacher.

Want to tell me where you were last night, Ripley?

I was home... jerking off into a sock.

You want to see the evidence?

Have some manners when you talk to me.

How long since you looked like that?

[SCOFFS]

The shaved-head thing went out, like, six months ago. Why?

Jesus, I can't catch a g*dd*mn break.

What now?

Tio ID'd a bald guy.

Vic! Yeah?!

You care to tell me how our eyewitness, Tio, identified a thug from a year-old police mug sh*t that only you and I had?

No clue. But I'm gonna help you find out.

It's okay. You've done enough.

I'll get to the bottom of this.

You identified the right guy, but the wrong hair.

"Wrong hair"?

That's weird.

Now you're gonna tell me why you lied and who you're protecting.

Right now!

Tio will hold up. He knows the drill.

You want to put both our careers in this guy's hands?

[CLICKS OFF]

Why'd she do that?

Who are you paying protection money to?

I saw who I saw.

What's your connection to Mackey?

I'm just a Cl.

I tie that payoff to a cop, and I'll get you for racketeering.

You hitch that to the intent- to-distribute charge, and you won't see your baby girl until she's 35.

Now talk to me.

Claudette, you got a second?

Now? Yes.

A club on Juniper just went up in flames.

FD says it looks like the same arson m.o. as the comic-book store.

I want you down there.

I'm in the middle of this.

Questioning a witness can wait.

He could be the key to getting Armadillo.

An hour ago, it was your mandate.

Now you got me chasing fire engines?

I have a civilian auditor evaluating my every move.

You're the primary detective on this case.

I need you on scene.

This isn't a discussion!

What is it, exactly?

The cop said this was about that parking lady that was sh*t today?

That's right, Izzy.

And the last ticket she wrote before that happened was to you.

Which means you're either a witness or a suspect.

Take a seat.

Well, I didn't see anything.

I guess that makes you a suspect.

A suspect? Heh.

Look, I take the tickets 'cause it's cheaper than the garage.

Cheaper?

The parking structure is 22 bucks for the day.

I usually get... two, m-maybe three $30 tickets a week.

One-ten versus 90.

I'm saving 20 taking the fines.

So you knew you were gonna get the ticket?

It's part of doing business.

Are you willing to take a g*nsh*t-residue test?

Will it cost me anything?

Only if you're lying.

Burn this. No more bookkeeping.

Understood.

Get out of here. Lay low.

[CELL PHONE RINGS]

Yup.

Corrine caught a connecting flight in Phoenix.

She's due in Burbank in 40 minutes.

She's coming here? I should go...

Let me tail her.

See what she's planning.

Be ready for my call.

Okay.

[DOOR CLOSES]

A high-level city official.

I know. I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to return your call.

Is there some reason you didn't want me following Detective Mackey today?

Of course not.

Excuse me.

[DOOR CLOSES]

It was arson.

But it was Turuco base.

Someone trying to pay back Armadillo.

That was fast.

I'll see if Tio knows anything.

We cut him loose.

What?

Didn't have enough to hold him.

We had to release him and his property.

The ledger?

Yes.

What ledger?

Nothing important.

[DOOR OPENS]

DUTCH: Three sh*ts.

Victim's book was smashed to pieces.

This was a rage crime. Try this.

Nope. [SIGHS]

Mr. Thrifty knew he was getting a ticket.

Mm-hm.

Mm. It's homemade.

Home...? Yeah? Try it.

Barney's just way too passive.

Plus, they both willingly agreed to a GSR.

So what are you gonna do now?

I'll take a look at other crimes in the area this morning.

Make sure somebody wasn't trying to avoid being put at the wrong place at the right time.

GSR results came back on Barney Plotkin.

Positive.

What?

Oh. The "way-too-passive guy"?

Let me see that.

[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]

Look out.

You failed the GSR, Barney.

[DOOR CLOSES]

Oh, really? Um... can I take it again?

No.

In 10 minutes, I'll have a search warrant for your car and home.

I'm gonna find the g*n you used to sh**t Helen Zamorski.

It's...

It's three inches.

Excuse me?!

My tire was in the red three inches, and she gave me a ticket.

She fines me every time.

I asked her nicely. She just laughed.

Barney... if you knew you sh*t her... why'd you agree to the residue test?

Well, uh, if I didn't take it, I'd look guilty, and...

And you said it was a government test.

So I figured... how reliable could it be?

I just got off the phone with the DA.

They cut a deal with Ripley.

He confessed to the arson and turned in two accomplices... with the understanding that the three of them will do time together at Terminal Island.

This guy's taking over the g*dd*mn prisons, consolidating his guys into one place.

The DA never should have signed off.

And we can never charge Armadillo with this crime.

And since we've got nothing on the r*pe, he walks.

I'm afraid so.

You send me on a bogus run... you cut loose the only lead I have, and then you let this guy cut a deal that buries my case.

What the hell is going on?!

Come on, Claudette, we want this bastard.

We got three arsonists off the street.

That's a pretty good day.

Save the statistic crowing for your civilian auditor.

What happened here today was bullshit!

Now I don't know exactly what the puzzle looks like yet... but the pieces I see are pretty g*dd*mn ugly.

I have never interfered with how you run your team.

Or how you run for office.

I get assigned a case...

I'm gonna find the truth.

And if I have to go through both of you...

I'll get it.

Dutch just got the meter-maid sh**t.

Is there a problem?

Just a little misunderstanding.

Uh... difference of opinion.

Keeps us all honest.

Hey. [MEN MURMURING]

[MEN SPEAKING IN SPANISH]

"Harboring a felon?"

Come on, that's a stretch, even for this precinct.

I'll be in touch.

I know.

I'd rather it didn't cover my window.

It wouldn't hurt you to look out and be reminded what country you're living in!

I am reminded every time I look at your ugly... Hey.

Hey! Hey! Hey!

This is my window! My property!

Go back to your cave, Osama.

Why don't you go back to the jungle!

No job. Raising these fat, stupid children!

That's it! JULIEN: Come back here.

DANNY: Sir, get back in the house.

Go back in your house.

Talk about my boys like that?

I'll cut your tongue out!

Drop it! Ow!

Don't you talk about my boys!

You don't protect me?

Allah protects me! Put down the g*n!

Drop the g*n. I do nothing wrong!

Drop the g*n right now!

Drop the g*n now!

...by her, him or you!

[COCKS g*n]

Oh. Zayed!

[GASPS] Zayed!

[SCREAMS]

Oh, Zayed!

No! No.

Where's your Allah now?!

[SIRENS BLARING]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[POLICE CHATTERING, HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING]

Sounds like a clean sh**t.

I didn't have a choice. [CAR DOOR CLOSES]

CIID will be here to do follow-up.

Fatality involved.

Mandatory downtime the next two days.

Just take it easy. Okay?

Call if you need anything.

Okay.

[EXHALES]

Everything seems... exceptionally calm.

No one seems too concerned about a dead Arab, I guess.

How bad would this scene be for you if... the other neighbor were laying there dead?

People are still looking for a reason to riot.

It would be very bad.

[SIRENS APPROACHING]

Is there anyone I can call for you?

No one at all?

[SHIVERS]

What do you mean, disappeared?

I mean, they're bone gone.

Three of my best dealers.

VIC: You called? Called and paged and two-way.

They ain't answering, man. It's Armadillo.

He's probably got tires around their g*dd*mn necks.

All right. Relax.

Round up the rest of your guys. Get 'em to lay low...

He's completely punking us, man.

It's time to send his "cholo-ing" ass south.

Yeah, like 6 feet south.

Hey. You relax too!

Jesus Christ! Am I the only one thinking around here?

[PHONE RINGING]

[WOMAN RETCHING, VOMITING]

How'd the arson go?

All smoke and mirrors.

Why so vague?

You don't want to know.

Sure I do.

You mean you don't want to tell me?

And you think you can't read women.

[DOOR OPENS]

[SPRAYING FRESHENER]

DUTCH: You okay?

Oh. Yeah, fine. Thanks.

Why?

Just, uh, uh, nothing.

Uh, it was great spending time with you.

I hope I didn't make too many mistakes.

[LAUGHS] Not at all. [LAUGHS]

Thank you for all your time.

If you want to talk some more, maybe we could grab a meal sometime.

Dutch.

Hitting on me?

That is a mistake.

N-no. I meant... uh, if you wanted to ask some more questions.

I've got a girlfriend.

Christ.

GORDIE: She made a stop at the county courthouse, made copies of the kids' birth certificates, came here.

What, a Pl?

Yeah. A big one.

He played one season for the Rams, thinks he's d*ck Butkus.

Jesus.

Okay.

[GASPS] Oh, God.

MAN: Liman.

GORDIE: Morgal.

This is a confidential matter.

Yeah. A matter of betrayal.

She took his children away from him.

He's been looking for 'em for over a month.

Where are Cassidy and Matt?

I'm not gonna do this...

You don't have to answer him, Corrine.

Well, who the hell is this ape?

Your children are where you can't hurt them.

Hurt? Wh... What is he talking about? Corrine?

I'm sorry. I don't know what else to do about this.

Let me do the talking, Corrine.

Shut your mouth, you big, fat-necked prick!

One more step, and she signs a restraining order. Stop!

Corrine! I'm scared for our kids.

Because of the thing with Gilroy?

That was a one-time... That's it. Let's go.

Oh, don't do this. Corrine!

CORRINE: Sorry!

Corinne, you're not gonna at least talk to me?

It's not just Gilroy. It's all of it.

Get out of my way.

Exactly the kind of behavior I'm talking about!

That's my daughter! No!

GORDIE: Hey, no! [GRUNTS]

Hey!

That's enough, Morgal!

The IID investigations, the civil suits, the money that mysteriously appears.

You got a lot to answer for.

You're investigating me?!

Corrine!

Corrine.

I don't know what else to do.

Corrine! Don't.

[TIRES SCREECH] We'll get 'em back.

Vic!

We'll get 'em back!

[CELL PHONE RINGING] [PANTING]

What?!

TIO: Mackey. Mackey!

Tio?

[HELICOPTER FLYING OVERHEAD]

Huh!

[PANTING]

[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]

[SIRENS BLARING, HORN HONKS]

[TIRES SCREECHING]

[MEXICAN POP MUSIC PLAYING ON STEREO]

Time for you to leave.

This is my house.

Unless you have a warrant, you're breaking the law.

What, these laws?

[GRUNTING]

[GLASS BREAKS]

I told you to leave!

Vic!

LEM: Vic!

VIC: Get off me.

You ready to go now?! Huh?!

[GRUNTING]

LEM: Vic, Jesus.

[GROANS]

[ARMADILLO GROANS]

[SPITS]

I don't have to leave.

Getting ready to leave?

That which doesn't k*ll me...

No!

[SCREAMS]

Tell me you're leaving. Say it!

[MOANING]

[SCREAMS]

LEM: Hey, Vic, come on.

BOTH: Vic!

I want to hear you say it.

Say it!

Vic! Vic.

[ALL YELLING]

SHANE: Come on! It's over!

[ALL YELLING]

[GRUNTS] Enough!

Enough!

[MEXICAN POP MUSIC CONTINUING]

[LAUGHS]

[GRUNTS]

[PANTING]

[MUSIC ENDS]

♪ Day! ♪

[ROMERO, ALEJANDRO & BAUTISTA'S "JUST ANOTHER DAY" PLAYING]

♪ Day! ♪

♪ Day! ♪

♪ Living the good life ♪

♪ Throw your hands up ♪

♪ Just another day! ♪

♪ Just another day! ♪

♪ Day! ♪

♪ Day! ♪