01x20 - A Humbling Blues

[bunniefuu]

- Previously on East New York...
- What's your favorite cop show?

- I don't have one.
- That's a problem.

You're not gonna get my references.

Yo, Peanut.

When you seeing your parole officer?

Saw him this morning, sir.

Now, you
know I'm-a check on that, right?

SUAREZ: Compel the sale of that
church to go forward,

and you're gonna have detectives
from Brooklyn North to Manhattan

- watching your every move.
- SHARPE: When my boy Lustig

asks me to do something,
I like to try to at least act

as though I'm accommodating.

You suspect I'm less
than genuine when I'm with you?

You've lived a double life
long enough for me to wonder.

You don't ever have to wonder.

♪ Oh ♪

♪ Mercy, mercy me ♪

♪ Why ♪

♪ Mercy, mercy me ♪

♪ Mercy, mercy ♪

♪ Mercy me ♪

♪ Mercy ♪

♪ Mercy ♪
♪ Mercy me. ♪

You know you making a mess.

These waffles require a mess.

- Okay.
- Says it right here

in my grandmother's recipe.

- Oh, does it?
- Mm-hmm.

"Mix in flour.

Make ungodly mess."

As long as it says
"Clean it up afterwards."

- Yeah, it doesn't say that.
- Doesn't say that there?

Oh, okay.

- Oh, look at your shirt.
- Oh.

- Aw.
- Damn.

- Can I get a hug?
- Nah...

You gonna... No, no.

- All right.
- Don't be too long. I'm hungry.

Looks good.

(PHONE VIBRATING)

Sean, your phone.

(DOOR OPENS)

Ta-da.

Magic. Should be a magician.

You call me?

Uh, no.

Yeah...

♪ With you ♪

♪ Yeah, I fell in love, love, love ♪

♪ With you... ♪

I mean, Mexico's cool,
but I'd like to see

more of the South Pacific.

Must be nice being a Bentley.

TYSON: You're tripping
over nothing, boo.

Don't you boo me.

And I'll decide whether
I'm tripping or not.

Hey, Thora.

Hey. Oh.

This is my nephew Tyson.

Tyson, this is Officer Brandy Quinlan

and Officer Andre Bentley.

Tyson's gonna be staying
with me for a while.

Boy, you better not be smashing my eggs.

QUINLAN: Nice to meet you, Tyson.

TYSON: Nice to meet you.

So, where you visiting from?

He's been staying with relatives.

Figured I owed
my favorite aunt here a visit.

Yeah, she's our favorite aunt, too.

Thank you.

Well, you two have a wonderful day.

- QUINLAN: You, too.
- You, too.

Wait, did you say
more of the South Pacific?

Come on.

Want to welcome the newly assigned

probationary police officers
who are gonna be rotating

through police training
for the next week.

For those of you
who have finished training,

you're gonna be trying out new partners.

Your assignments.

Sanders, Smith: Sector Adam.

Stu and Goyer: Sector Frank.

Sandeford, Wade: Sector David.

Corona: hospital post .

Dempsey, Bentley: Sector George.

And that concludes it.

Everybody stay safe, stay vigilant.

Captain. Bentley's still got
a couple more weeks with me

before his probationary time is up.

Well, we're trying something
different this time,

a week-long trial period.

Yeah, but the old way worked just fine.

- Captain.
- Can you believe it?

Time flies, huh?

Yeah, I guess so. Figure you can tie

your shoes on your own by now.

Well, yeah, well, thanks to you,
I'm really good at it.

Officer Sandeford. I'm Miles Wade.

I believe I've been assigned
to you for the day.

And I believe "excuse me,"
is still common parlance

when interrupting a conversation.

Of course. I-I'm sorry.

Sure. Let's go.

♪ One, two, one, two... ♪

Hey, Bentley.

- Yo.
- Olan Dempsey.

Good to meet you.

♪ Heard they won't be this ♪

♪ 'Cause I was always that ♪

♪ Players say they rich... ♪

DISPATCH: Attention all units,

we have a report
of an unresponsive homeless male

requiring a wellness check.

Got your measuring tape, flashlight?

Make sure you're always prepared
with stuff like that.

I am.

- Don't see it.
- Got all that

right on my phone, boss.

Sir. I'm a police officer.

Please raise your arm
if you can hear me.

Can't find a pulse.

- , Sector David.

Unresponsive male on the ground.
Requesting a bus.

What are you doing? Don't touch him.

Checking for an ID.

(GROANS)

Central, I need an ETA on the EMS.

Got a call for a wellness check

about an hour ago,
Officer Wade and I responded.

Wade? Where's Bentley?

Bentley's probation is up soon,

so I got a lot of newbies
on my rotation.

Sent Wade down
to that homeless encampment,

see if he can get some witnesses.

How's that been going?

I'm training, he's learning.

- MORALES: Look who's here.
- Hi.

HAYWOOD: Dr. Corley.

Hey.

- Hey, your pup's getting big.
- My wife insists

on cooking for him.

Next life, I'm coming back as a dog.

Yeah, me, too.

CORLEY: So, uh, we're looking at

a puncture wound to the chest here.

Probably nicked the aorta, based on
the amount of blood.

Rigor sets
the time of the att*ck somewhere

between midnight
and : in the morning.

And based on the lividity,

I'd say he was dead before being
placed in a sitting position.

MORALES: Lean him against
a wall, throw a blanket on him,

figure no one will notice.

Where is he? Can I see him?

You have any relation to the victim?

This is Donna Upton.

Thinks she knows our John Doe.

(DONNA GASPS)

Oh, my God.

It-it is Rusty.

I'm Deputy Inspector Regina
Haywood. How do you know this man?

He slept a-a few tents over from mine.

I...

I can't believe they're at it again.

- Who's at it again?
- A few years ago,

someone was attacking,
uh, homeless people

along Pennsylvania Avenue.

Took the cops forever to respond.

I understand your concern,
Ms. Upton, but that won't happen

- this time.
- (CRYING)

For now, if you're up for it, an officer

can take your statement.

Found out from Central
about the call.

Phoned in by a Percy Floyd.

That's Peanut. I know where he is.

HAYWOOD: All right, well, let's get him

and find out why he called
but didn't wait for the EMTs.

Yeah, I don't think we've had
att*cks like this for months.

That's why I want to stay on this,
keep a lid on whatever fears

Donna and the others might be having

before this thing gets out of hand.

- You got it.
- All right.

Boom! Trumps all day. Pay me.

Hey, yo, let's run it back. Best .

What's up, Peanut? (INDISTINCT CHATTER)

Hey, don't forget to set aside

a portion of that for Uncle Sam, huh?

Hey, man, taxation
without representation

is tyranny in America.

sh**ting dice and breaking
your parole is worse.

That looks like unusual behavior to me.

Come on, turn around.
Come on, turn around.

Hands on the wall.

Yo, Officer Sandeford

- put y'all up to this?
- How else

do you think we found you?
You wouldn't have

anything sharp on you
that would impale me, huh?

- Uh...
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Like this?

Come on.

Hey.

KILLIAN: That's a pretty scary
Kn*fe, Peanut.

You've been on the streets lately?

They're pretty scary, too.

I get that back, right?

Depends.

PEANUT: Look, I already told
you, I ain't do nothing.

What you gonna do, run and tell my P.O.

that I was a Good Samaritan
who dialed for help?

And then didn't wait
for that help to arrive.

Is that a crime? Look, I
saw a man who needed help,

so I called the police.

Would you rather I just let him be?

Nah, man, my mama raised me
better than that.

Did your mama also warn you

to have an alibi
for a situation like this,

specifically between the
hours of midnight and : a.m.?

Hell yeah.

I was kicking it with
my lovelies up in the Bronx.

She hooked me up with some
wings and margaritas.

You know what I'm saying?

You're about to stretch out
your arrest record

if you can't give us
anything better than that.

Dumb and Dumber.

Y... Hey.

Insults are the quickest way
to a cell, pal.

No, the movie Dumb and Dumber.

We ordered it on Amazon
when we came home.

It's under my account.

You can trace it.

You know, I can call her right now.

It's looking shaky on Percy
being a viable suspect.

Girlfriend up on Valentine
Avenue in the Bronx confirms

they were hanging together
and watching movies.

So we're back at square one.

You know the origin of
the phrase "square one"...

Very peculiar.

Some people think that it originated

with the BBC soccer commentaries
from the s,

and yet some think that it's
from a th-century board game

called Snakes and Ladders.

I heard hopscotch.

Some people think it's from hopscotch.
Anyway, anyway.

We need to find out
more about the victim.

Where are we with following up

on Rusty's neighbor Donna Upton?

She was pretty distraught
at the crime scene,

- but she's ready to talk now.
- KILLIAN: That might buy us

a little currency going back there

if we didn't come empty-handed.

You know, maybe have, uh,
sector drop off some blankets,

- socks, fresh underwear.
- HAYWOOD: And the sooner

we can learn this man's
full name, the sooner

we can notify his family.

YENKO: Assuming that there's a family

that wants to be notified.

I like to imagine
that everyone out there

has a person somewhere
who cares about them.

You are indeed an optimist,
Deputy Inspector.

Got to be.

It's come to my attention

that you may have been a bit...
unsavory with a mutual friend.

"Harsh" I've heard before, but unsavory?

- Who is it?
- Adam Lustig.

Mm. And, uh...

why is it he came to you about it?

Something about you threatening him
over your brother's church.

Okay. (CHUCKLES)

Adam Lustig walks a delicate line
between right and wrong.

All I did was give him a
heads-up that we're aware of it.

Adam is a very controversial
figure in this city,

but he's also strong in a lot of areas.

You should be aware of that.

You should also know
that I've asked Adam

to be the finance chairperson
of my campaign.

Uh...

And so, what-what...

what, are you asking
that I should apologize to him?

I didn't say apologize.
Because the moment I bend

to a guy like Lustig,

his foot is on my back
and he keeps it there.

John, this is the way I see it.

You go to him and you tell him
that this whole business

about your brother's church
was very personal,

that it was all tied up
with family stuff.

Maybe you two can be cordial

- sometime in the future.
- No. No, no, no.

This is a dangerous move for you, Ray,

to get in bed with Adam Lustig.

It's only a matter of time

before his stink rubs off
on you, do you get that?

I don't want to debate this again.

He's done a lot of good for this city
and will continue to.

All right, well...

Just don't say that I didn't warn you.

(SIGHS) Okay.

Here's the bottom line.

In two days, I will be
officially presenting

my policing platform

as the benchmark in
the last phase of my campaign.

I will also

be announcing my commitment
to making you

the next police commissioner.

And so, you figure Adam Lustig and I

look good with you in the photo.

John, I win this primary,
it's as good as over.

Please, do this one thing,

and let me worry about Adam Lustig.

DONNA: Several of the residents felt

they needed something
to commemorate him.

Tim, Allison, these people
are investigating Rusty's death.

Thank God.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

What do you got there?

Toothbrush Rusty brought me last year.

TIM: And some tea bags.

Heard I was running out.

Next day, they just showed up.

Some applesauce,

bottle opener, old baseball card.

- Pair of socks.
- DONNA: Yeah, those are from me.

Mine all got soaked in
those storms last month,

and Rusty showed up
the next morning with a couple pairs.

He was a generous soul.

This was Rusty's tent.

- Fletcher Gibson.
- DONNA: Gibson?

Eh, he never told me.
Just went by Rusty.

Was Rusty ever diagnosed

with any kind of psychiatric
condition you knew of?

I don't know.

People are-are generally very
private about medical things.

He could be a little off
sometimes, but who isn't?

KILLIAN: Donna, did anything
happen lately that may have

upset him in particular?

Terrance passed last week.

He was the closest thing Rusty had
to a best friend around here.

What did he die of?

Just didn't wake up one day.

Ambulance grabbed him and
that was the last I saw him.

Happens a lot around here.

It's really scary, you know?

People pass out of this
world without a ripple,

no questions asked.

KILLIAN: That's why we're here.

We ask the questions.

Hopefully you find some answers.

We will.

ORLANDO: Yo, Tyson, you're back.

- It's time to pay up.
- Yo, it ain't even been a day yet.

Why y'all stepping to me like this?

You know why.
I don't even got my paper yet.

Yo, I'm-a get you
your paper, man, all right?

Yeah, I know. You out here playing ball

- and everything. Where my money?
- QUINLAN: Hey.

TYSON: It ain't like that, man.

- How's it going, Orlando?
- All good, Officer.

Just chatting.
Letting my boy Tyson here know,

now that he's out, it's best
to focus on what's important.

Right?

Yo, we got that thing, O. Let's bounce.

Yeah, all right.

What business you got
with Orlando Highgate?

Nothing. Think he got me
confused me with somebody else.

Someone that owes him money?

Maybe. I don't know.

And what did he mean "out"?
Like out of prison?

Why are you asking me
all these questions?

I didn't even do nothing.

Is there an Alex Garcia here?

- That's me.
- Detective Killian,

this is Detective Morales,
with the - squad.

We're here about a man
named Fletcher Gibson.

People knew him as Rusty.

- Yeah.
- Well, he was admitted and treated here

on a number of occasions,

given the many bands
we found in his tent.

MOARALES: What was he being treated for?

Aside from dehydration,
body sores, the usual illness

associated with life in the streets,

Fletcher was schizophrenic.

Was he being medicated?

No, a lot of guys
who live on the streets

struggle keeping up with their meds.

Hmm. Can you tell us what these are?

Can't tell for sure,
but it looks like Lybalvi.

Yeah, pretty common treatment.

He could've got that anywhere.

When Fletcher was off his meds,
did he ever get violent?

Nothing that I ever saw.

I mean, but psychoactive hallucination

- can be very disturbing.
- MORALES: Mm-hmm.

And honestly, there were times
I was a little freaked out.

Well, thanks for your time,

and anything comes
to mind, will you, uh,

give us a call?

Yeah, you got it.

(P.A. CHIMES)

MAN (OVER P.A.): Radiation
tech, dial . (PHONE RINGING)

Radiation tech, .

Yo, Doc.

Detective, I have
some interesting information

about your m*rder w*apon.

It appears our victim
was not stabbed with a Kn*fe.

Yeah? So what was it?

I'd say it was a thick blade
with some kind of serrated edge.

Possibly gardening shears.

Gardening shears?

A pair of bypass pruners, to be exact.

That should narrow down the list
of potential suspects,

- don't you think?
- Yeah, we'll let you know.

Thanks.

Gardening shears?

(DOOR OPENS) SEAN: Uh-huh. Uh-huh.

Right.

Okay. You'll have it first thing.

Okay. Bye.

Hey.

Sorry to carry work into our time.

(SNIFFLES)

Everything cool?

Not really.

You want to tell me who Caroline is?

I'm sorry, I shouldn't have

gone through your phone,
but it was ringing,

it was early...

I was looking for the right time,

um, to talk to you about it.

When is the right time
to tell your girlfriend

about your other girlfriend?

Caroline is my daughter.

Your daughter?

She's... three years old.

So, you have a daughter

who calls you on her own,

and she's three?

She uses her mom's phone.

You need to start at the very beginning.

It was my first time in deep cover.

I was always looking over my shoulder.

I wasn't coping well.

You look for anybody to help process.

So, Caroline's mother,

she was a part
of this undercover operation?

What? Was she...

Cynara worked in a diner
a few towns away.

- Oh.
- When she was pregnant,

I did what I could do to help,

but I had to keep
my distance to keep them safe.

You didn't think it was necessary
to tell me any of this?

It was complicated.

Yeah, I bet it was.

It was all part of my other life.

You have been lying to me for months...

- I know, Regina, and I'm sorry.
- And months.

But you have to listen to me.

But it's not like I was
in a relationship

- with someone else...
- I think you should leave.

- When you and I were...
- Regina...

No, this is a lot for me
to process right now,

- and I just... I really can't.
- You don't understand...

Get out!

Okay.

MORALES: Guess in terms of
motive, money's out, obviously.

Yeah, but you'd be surprised

what becomes valuable in the streets.

Had a case a couple of years back,

two homeless guys cut each other...

Okay, here's something.

We're looking for garden shears, right?

- Yeah.
- Professional gardening supplies,

two blocks from where Rusty was found.

Why not? Let's check it out.

Regina, please, if you
would just talk to me.

HAYWOOD: Get out of my house.

(DOOR SLAMS)

(CRYING)

Ms. Gibson.

I'm Deputy Inspector Haywood.

Thank you for meeting me.

Is he in one of these?

No.

He's over there.

Are you ready?

Okay.

(CRIES)

I...

(EXHALES)

(CLEARS THROAT)

Do you know what happened?

Not yet, but our detectives
are working on it.

I am sorry.

No.

It's a blessing.

You know, the fear

that I would never see him again,
and that would be it.

God.

Now I can bring him home.

BAKER: Sorry to hear
Officer Wade got sick.

SANDEFORD: Yeah. So check this out.

Homicide: Life on the Streets.

That was a real cop show. (CHUCKLES)

sh**ting in the streets of Baltimore.

Had greats in it, greats.

Richard Belzer and Andre Braugher

and Yaphet Kotto. Cops.

Yeah, that-that sounds great,
but I don't have a TV.

I mean, I mean,
technically, yeah, I do have a TV,

it's just, it's not in my room,
it's in my roommate's room.

You know, and she's super
weird about me going in there,

especially 'cause she's,
like, guy obsessed, you know?

- Yeah.
- So...

So you don't have a TV.
So what you watch, then?

TikTok.

TikTok, huh? Let me
guess, uh, on your phone?

Mm-hmm. You can get
cooking tips, makeup tutorials,

relationship advice,

baking recipes, home decor ideas,

puppy videos, cat videos...

It's good that the weather's
finally warming up.

Mm-hmm.

Y-You know, we-we in
this car together, bro.

We might as well get to know
each other a little more.

What you want to talk about, huh?

Honestly, nothing if possible.

And you recognize these?

Yeah, sure, they're bypass pruners.

They're up at the front.
We sell dozens of them.

Is that why you're here?

Not entirely.
We have another picture for you.

You recognize this man?

Yeah, that's Rusty.

- How well do you know him?
- Not well.

Why, did he do something wrong?

(SIGHS) He's dead, actually.

My God, what happened?

He was found m*rder*d,
and anything you can tell us helps.

I don't know, one day he came in,
asking for clay planters

and if we had any pots
that might have cracked.

He said some of the ladies
who were living in his camp

with him were interested in gardening.

We had a few around,
so I helped him out,

and then he started coming in,

and we just...
Yeah, we, we just talked mostly.

Did he ever share anything
personal with you?

Though he did mention...

he had a friend of his who d*ed.

- Would that be a guy named Terrance?
- Yeah, I guess.

Rusty was really shaken up about it.

Said it didn't make any sense.

Do you know what he meant by that?

No, I figured he just missed him.

Well, thank you, uh...

Cell's on there
in case something comes to mind.

Yeah, of course.

- Hey.
- What's up?

- You got a second?
- Yeah.

So, Thora... Her nephew Tyson...

- Mm-hmm.
- I, um...

Hold on one second.

I really don't think
he should be living at Ruskin Gardens.

Okay. What happened?

- Well, nothing yet, but he's an ex-con.
- Then he definitely

can't be living in government housing

- with a felony record.
- Yeah, that's what I mean.

Maybe it's better to
get out in front of it.

Yeah, but if I say something,
Thora could lose her housing.

I think I should just talk to her first.

That's a legit concern,
but you really should report this.

- Got a second?
- Sure.

- Adam Lustig.
- What about him?

Sharpe is making him, uh,

finance chair for his campaign.

How much did he pay for that honor?

I'm sure he's paying him plenty.

No doubt he'll want something in return.

He wouldn't be doing it otherwise.

So he'll have a place
at the table now, right?

He won't have to ask Sharpe,
he'll be able to tell him.

I don't think Raymond has any illusions

about who he's getting into bed with.

Well, it's easy enough
for that to happen, though.

Right, Chief?

You got to make alliances
to win elections.

That's politics.

You're also judged by who
those alliances are with

and what they make you do.

I know you've heard me say this before,

but if Sharpe is elected
and I get in as police commissioner,

we would have more influence
over his administration

than we've ever had before.

He will owe Lustig.

He's not going to owe us.

At present, Adam Lustig
is a law-abiding citizen

whom we both don't happen to like.

In spite of all that,

I expect you to treat him respectfully.

Working hard or hardly working?

I am proficient at both. (CHUCKLES)

- You ready for this?
- Let me guess,

you checked out
Glen Brown's story with Donna,

and it turns out it's true.

They are gardening
in his broken planters.

That part was true, but then
Donna told me something strange.

That, according to Rusty,
he was working at the nursery part-time

as some kind of security guard.

Which Brown failed to mention. Why?

Because, as it turns out,
he has quite a history,

one which includes six arrests

in ten years for illegally growing
and selling marijuana.

He was collared in five states.

Ooh. Well, let's see what else
we can find. (CLEARS THROAT)

How much you want to bet
it's why he hired Rusty

and that's what got him k*lled?

Bet the whole house on it.

Lorenzo, I didn't know that you played.

It's actually my daughter's.

Got it tuned up for her today.

Oh, I used to play the drums,

but I only stuck with it
for, like, a year,

- so good luck to her.
- I appreciate it.

Hey, good morning, gorgeous.

How you doing?

I cannot complain. How are you?

I wanted to talk to you
about your nephew.

Tyson?

You don't have to worry
yourself about him.

Well, since he's a convicted felon,

I think you're the one that
has to worry about him.

Where'd you hear that?

It's not important.
Thora, you know that felons

convicted of violent or drug crimes

are not allowed to live
in public housing.

Which is why
I went to the housing authority already

and I explained my situation.

They said a week was fine
as long as I could guarantee

he'd be out by then.

Okay.

You got to make sure you stick to that.

Of course.

And tell him to stay away
from Orlando Highgate.

My nephew's no dummy, Brandy.

I get that, but tell him
to keep his distance.

Come on, there's nothing,
there's nothing

you want to talk about?

Yeah, there is, actually.

You know that girl that volunteered
to live in the projects?

Uh-huh.

You still hooking up with her?

Nah, we're-we're just friends now.

Never get involved
with anyone who lives in

the same apartment building as you.

Better hope there aren't
other fine honeys in there.

It's a recipe for disaster.

Thanks, Dempsey.

(GRUNTING)

(ENTRY BELL DINGS)

Oh, Detectives.

Did you guys find out
anything about Rusty?

Yeah, we found your
arrest record... that count?

You know, I'd hate to, uh, have to

toss your nursery and find

- the illegal plants you're growing.
- My license is

coming through any day now,
okay? I'm going legit.

We're offering you a chance
to cut a deal right now.

(SIGHS)

We need to hear the truth
about Rusty's death.

I told you the truth.

So here's another version.

You hire Rusty
to watch the place at night,

but he discovers what you're up to,

threatens to call the cops.

You take out bypass pruners,

- end of story.
- That'd sound good to a jury.

Okay, okay.

We had a few break-ins a while back.

I thought if Rusty wanted to make
a little bit of money, he could just

set up at night across the street.

I even gave him a burner cell to call me

if anything looked fishy.

He ever report anything?

No, he'd call once a night
to check in, but nothing ever happened.

You know, he didn't call
me for a couple of days,

and I thought he was just having

one of his episodes, so I didn't worry.

When you guys came in,

that was the first
that I heard about it.

We're gonna need the number

- to Rusty's burner phone.
- Yeah, it's, uh,

...

KILLIAN: Glen's story
checks out. He and Rusty

generally exchanged nightly
calls just after closing.

Each about seconds.

All right, keep scrolling.

You know, best thing
about these burners,

you get no incoming Spam calls.

Stop. See that cluster of calls

to the number at the end?

Yeah. Just a moment.

That number's registered to
Eastern Memorial Hospital.

First call came about a week ago,

when Rusty's friend Terrance d*ed.

KILLIAN: And it looks like Rusty made

half a dozen more calls
to them later that same night.

Final call was at : p.m.,

lasted almost five minutes.

Now, who's he talking to?

Hmm, I bet it wasn't
the billing department.

(INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENTS OVER P.A.)

ALEX: We got too many calls

that night to remember
who called about what.

Yeah, well, here's the thing.
We checked the log,

and Rusty's calls were all
patched through to your station.

You said he always asked
for you when he came in.

A lot of times, someone gets a call,

they pick up, they
leave it on their shoulder,

and five minutes has gone by.

Sorry, but if there's nothing else,

I have admitted patients to attend to.

Hey, you ever treat another homeless man

by the name of Terrance?

Brought in on a stretcher
about a week ago,

passed away in the hospital?

I don't recall the name,
but what you're describing,

sadly enough, it happens a lot.

WOMAN (OVER P.A.): We need
an emergency room nurse to triage.

When you find out
what happened to Rusty,

will you please let me know?

Yeah, you got it, yeah.

We looked into Alex Garcia.

Guy's bounced around from hospital
to hospital in the tristate area

like he's trying to set a record.

MORALES: Also spoke
to a former employer,

said that when Garcia was on duty,

meds had the habit of going missing.

Mainly fentanyl and oxy.

How does a guy like that
keep getting hired?

Pandemic created
a major nursing shortage.

HAYWOOD: Was it possible that he was
selling dr*gs to Rusty?

Oh, no, Rusty's tox report

came back clean except
for what he was prescribed

- to treat his schizophrenia.
- HAYWOOD: Mm-hmm.

But his best friend Terrance
passed away nine days ago,

also a frequent guest
of Eastern Memorial.

Our nurse denied knowing him.

What was the cause of death?

KILLIAN: That's the thing, Inspector.

There was no autopsy.

Listed as natural causes.

Case closed, and I'm pretty sure

that didn't sit too well with Rusty.

And the guy from the nursery told us

that Rusty thought that Terrance's death
didn't make any sense.

How old was he?

He's .

Not that old.

All right, we need
to see how Terrance d*ed.

Let's see if Alex Garcia

left the hospital that night.

Also, get Corley to run toxicology

on Terrance.

'Cause, if we're lucky,
they're still holding his body.

- Okay?
- Yeah.

(DOOR OPENS)

(DOOR CLOSES)

- Hi.
- Hey, can I talk to you?

Sure.

Why did you lie to me?

I don't understand.

I spoke to the housing authority.
They said they never

spoke to you about your nephew.

Well, there must be some mistake.

Stop it.

Okay? I am trying to help you, Thora.

I've always been honest with you,

and I'm asking for the same in return.

MAN: Good day, Thora.

He's my brother's kid, Brandy.

When Theo passed,
I swore I'd look after him.

I understand that,

but you realize you're putting yourself

in a dangerous position
letting him live here.

I did talk to Tyson.

I made him swear on his father's grave

that he would not go back to that life.

He changed in prison.
He's really done with it.

So what's going on with
him and Orlando Highgate?

(ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)

Four years ago, when
the cops picked him up,

Tyson was in possession
of a kilo of Orlando's stuff.

The cops took it, and Orlando
wanted him to answer for that,

but they made a deal.

First job Tyson gets,
he starts paying it back.

And if I ask around,
that's what I'll hear?

Yes.

Just let him stay a week.

Not a week. Three days.

Whether he has a place or not, he's out.

Thank you.

I'll tell him as soon as he gets back.

So, Alex, the way we figured it,

Terrance told his pal
where he was scoring,

so when he overdoses, Rusty knows

who to turn to for an explanation.

(ALEX SCOFFS) Yeah.

So Rusty calls you at the hospital

several times because he's upset,

threatening to expose
your little side hustle.

You're looking at ten to years.

KILLIAN: And a mandatory
minimum of to life

if you tack on distribution of fentanyl

that resulted in death.

All right, this is nonsense.

You said so yourself,
the hospital listed Terrance's

cause of death as natural causes.

And it probably would
have stayed that way

if we hadn't run a postmortem test.

See, with the homeless,

the morgue holds on to the bodies
an extra couple of weeks

waiting for an ID.

Turns out, Terrance
was loaded on fentanyl

and Xylazine. Animal tranquilizer.

Tranq dope. A deadly mixture.

Let's get a search warrant
of his hospital locker and his home.

You really think we're gonna

- find those dr*gs?
- I know we will.

This is crazy. First
that schizophrenic Rusty,

now you're holding my feet to the fire,

insisting that I did this to his friend?

So you admit you spoke
to Rusty that night?

He wouldn't stop calling.
He was harassing me.

I had to stop taking the calls,

but I didn't k*ll him.

I never even left
the hospital that night.

KILLIAN: But the thing is,

you did. The night Rusty d*ed,

we have security camera footage
of you leaving through

the ambulance bay at : p.m.

MORALES: And your plates were pinged

heading down Linden just after midnight.

That's right down the road
from where we found Rusty.

You got an explanation for that, Alex?

Okay.

I went to see Rusty,
just to tell him to leave me alone.

But the minute I got there,
I could tell he was off his meds.

He was acting crazy.

Said he knew that I gave Terrance
the dr*gs that overdosed him,

and that he was going to make me pay.

So you decided to shut him up
using a pair of gardening shears.

No, he att*cked me.

We exchanged a few blows.
I wrestled him down.

And you stabbed him.

I guess. I mean,

what was I supposed to do?

You ever see
a schizophrenic off his meds?

Except we know Rusty wasn't
off his meds the night he d*ed.

From his toxicology.

Everything he said about you was true.

Stand up, Alex. Place your
hands behind your back.

Come on, get up.

You think you're a hero?

He was probably gonna die
out there anyway.

Like they all do.

KILLIAN: Come on.

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

Yeah, come in.

Don't want to take long,
as I see you're headed home and all.

Marvin, what can I do for you?

These new recruits?

I can't take riding along
with them a minute longer.

Marvin, I thought that you enjoyed
being a training officer.

Yeah, I do, when I could
connect with them,

but it's hard to do that
when their preferred form

of entertainment

is thumbing around on their phone.

I'll see what I can do.

- Thank you.
- Captain Yenko?

Yeah.

I don't want to take long,
I see you're headed home,

but I want to talk about
my riding partner situation.

Yeah. You and Dempsey hitting it off?

Uh, no,

I can't say that we are.

Guys, why don't you take a seat?

Okay.

We'll keep this up
for as long as possible.

Donna?

This is Rusty's mother.

So, this is where my son lived.

I didn't know he meant
so much to people.

He touched all of our lives.

I'm sorry for your loss.

You know, I tried to raise him right,

but it was hard.

My husband and I both worked,

and I... didn't have much time

to spend with him when he was young.

And then, when he was diagnosed

with his condition...

in a way I lost him forever.

♪ Spend our whole life ♪

♪ Swimming in the shallow sea ♪

♪ Scared of falling in too deep... ♪

LUSTIG: So, uh, Raymond
assured me that this meeting would

not be as unpleasant as our last one.

Cathedral St. Paul in Bay Ridge.

About an acre of land
near, uh, Fourth and th.

Lush grounds, plenty of parking.

Nice for families.

Hmm, I'm listening.

Priest's , and the congregation

loses about people each year.

Hurricane Sandy did some
major structural damage

to the, uh, church's...

Make 'em an offer.

Huh.

And what about their parishioners?

I mean, aren't they, um,

as attached to their church

as your brother's parishioners
were to his?

I've been told that
the number of parishioners

in my brother's church has stabilized.

- Ah. Amen.
- And the Bay Ridge church

has already entertained an offer

to sell, but you're right.

I'm playing favorites.

Well, to hear you ceding moral authority
is a little shocking, Chief.

Is it possible
we're cut from the same cloth?

It's, uh, possible

- we can work together.
- Mm-hmm.

For right now,

let's just move past that.

And what about
the commandant of the - ?

What about her?

Well, she-she seems to have a vendetta
against me for some reason.

Hmm.

- You breaking any laws?
- Not one.

You got nothing to worry about.

Don't I, now?

♪ Come together now. ♪

May I sit?

They tell you not to allow

things like this to happen
while undercover.

But it did.

And, yeah,

I was scared to tell you.

You and I had a shaky start,
if you remember.

It was because I was worried
about being lied to.

I know.

And I'm sorry.

I've lived with lies in my life

longer than I should have.

After a while, it messes with you.

Then it messes with the people
that you're with.

Regina, I'm trying.

Being with you is
the closest I've come...

to the man I used to be.

Hmm.

Your life is different now,
and it's not because of me.

You have a daughter
who needs you more than anything,

more than us being together.
She's going to grow up

needing her father in her life.

Really needing you.

'Cause, yeah, I know what that's like,

not having that.

And, honestly,

I don't want to see another girl

go through that or feel that ever.

Especially because of anything

that has to do with me.

Sounds like you know what you want.

I do.

I finally do, yeah.

It's okay.

You're breaking my heart, you know.

I know. Mine, too.

(SIGHS, SNIFFLES)

("ARMS" BY SIPHO PLAYING)

(DOOR OPENS)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

BENTLEY: Oh, what's
up with Thora's nephew?

You-you, uh, you get anywhere with that?

Uh, she said that Tyson'll
be gone in three days,

and I'm just going to
take her word for it.

Your call.

Hopefully she doesn't abuse it
and let him stay longer.

Evening, Officers.

- Hey.
- Oh, hey, Lorenzo.

- Is this your daughter?
- Yes,

my little prodigy superstar right here.

- Say hi, Ingrid.
- Hi.

- Hi.
- We got to go,

I got to get her to rehearsal.
Catch you later.

Have a nice night.

Hey, how'd it go today?

- What?
- With Dempsey.

Oh, oh.

I don't think things are gonna fly
between me and Dempsey.

Oh, that's too bad. I'm sorry.

No, could be a good thing.

Captain Yenko says he's gonna try to
work things out with Sandeford.

Oh, permanently?

Could be.

♪ And you might never run to mine ♪

♪ I can't be out here ♪

♪ Holding on to you... ♪

(g*nshots) (SCREAMING)

Off-duty UMOS.

At - precinct at
Ruskin Gardens by Tower C.

Multiple sh*ts fired,
numerous people down.

We need multiple buses and a sergeant
at this location forthwith.

Is she all right?

They sh*t my baby girl in the leg.

- Whoa, whoa, whoa.
- Did you see where the sh**t went?

No. Call an ambulance now.

Bus is on the way, all right?
I'm gonna tie this here.

It's a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.

(INGRID CRYING) I know, I know, I know.

QUINLAN: Ambulance
is on the way, all right?

QUINLAN: Hold this,
okay? Apply the pressure.

- Okay.
- I'll be back.

(SIRENS WAILING IN DISTANCE)

- BENTLEY: Yo, where are you hit?
- MAN: My arm.

QUINLAN: Are they breathing?

BENTLEY: No. All right, all right.

You're good, you're good, you're good.

Paramedics are on the way.
You'll be all right.

Oh, my God. That's Orlando Highgate.

Where's Tyson?

♪ And you might never run to my ♪

Where's Tyson?!

♪ Oh, Na, Na ♪

♪ Show me what I deserve ♪

♪ Oh, Na, Na ♪

♪ Your body said it first ♪

♪ Oh, Na, Na ♪