01x19 - The Professionals

Episode transcript for the TV show "The Prodigal Son". Aired: September 2019 to present.*
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A criminal psychologist whose father is the infamous serial k*ller known as, "The Surgeon", helps the NYPD solve cases.
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01x19 - The Professionals

Post by bunniefuu »

It's why I have to go.

This isn't your search anymore.

Hello? Mom?

Oh.

No sign of her yet.

Guess I'm not as late as I thought.

I'm on my second cup.

Sorry.

Malcolm.

I thought I smelled coffee.

Good morning. And you must be Ainsley.

My pleasure.

I hope you can keep this off the record. I'm Nicholas...

Endicott. I know.

Sorry to be intruding.

It's your mother's fault for making such a damn good martini.

Don't tell her I crashed your party.

I promised I'd be discreet.

Mmm.

Good coffee.

Way to go, Mom?

I don't know. I have done a lot of reading on Endicott Pharmaceuticals, and honestly, they seem kind of shady.

I mean, Dad used to do research for them, and I'm pretty sure he just gave me a once-over.

Ainsley Whitly, ever the romantic.

Speaking of, how's Eve?

She finally reached out a couple weeks ago.

And? Did she apologize?

Actually, she broke up with me.

Via voice mail.

Turns out people can still surprise you.

All right. Let's hear it.

Ains, I'm not gonna play my breakup for you.

Well, you might have misinterpreted.

You know, women are from Venus and all that.

Let-let me hear it.

Come on.

Please?

Hey. I just...

I wanted to say I'm sorry to leave you and end things this way.

But I have to do this on my own.

Please don't come after me, okay?

Take care of yourself, Malcolm.

You deserve to be happy.

Yeah, that was super clear.

I'm sorry.

I know it hurts.

It's okay. It really doesn't.

I'm fine.

Gil.

There's an emergency at the precinct.

Give Mother my love. Nope. Nope, nope.

Malcolm, do not leave me stra... Malcolm!

What's going on?

It's Eve.

Oh. Wow. News travels fast.

Yeah, she broke up with me, but I'm fine.

Eve's dead.

What?

su1c1de.

No.

Unis found her this morning in the Hudson.

Edrisa's examining her now.

Kid, I am so sorry.

Bright? Bright.

Bloat is consistent with prolonged exposure.

Severe maceration of the hand and feet.

Foam at the mouth and nostrils appears antemortem.

Hello, Edrisa.

Bright? I wasn't expecting the...

Did you eat? I have half a slamming breakfast burrito.

No cheese, extra pico.

I couldn't choke the whole thing down.

I don't have much of an appetite.

Right. So, what's up?

I-I don't have anything for you.

I... Ugh, I mean, you know, she's just a floater.

They pulled her from the Hudson last night.

It's pretty gnarly.

Her name's Eve Blanchard.

Oh, y... Oh, you know her.

I'm sorr... Uh, Bright, I'm so sorry. Please.

Tell me what you know.

Right. Um...

Well, I can tell from my initial examination that Eve has been dead for, um, approximately two weeks.

She never even made it out of town.

Eve's death wasn't a su1c1de, it was a m*rder, and I want on the case.

Look, she had a dark past...

I have a dark past. We talked to Homicide.

They're calling it a su1c1de.

Said Eve had a history of depression, that she's medicated... I'm medicated.

Again, irrelevant.

Eve d*ed two weeks ago.

Right after she found out her sister was still alive.

She wasn't depressed, she was motivated.

Driven to find her.

I know what you're gonna say, that I'm too close to this and I can't be objective...

All true. but I'm not gonna let you bench me.

Not this time.

Dig in.

Do what you got to do.

But first... someone's got to tell your mother.

Of course, as parents, our first instinct is to protect our children.

But you're suffering just as much as Malcolm.

You have to remember to make space for your own grief.

Malcolm.

Eve's office just called.

I'm so sorry.

Malcolm, you have my deepest condolences.

Thank you.

Jessica tells me your friend's death was ruled a su1c1de.

The police are still investigating.

I'm sorry. It's a needless tragedy.

But I should be going.

This is a time for family.

Take care of yourself. Mm.

Nicholas was with you when you got the call?

He was.

I just wish that Eve had reached out to one of us... Eve was m*rder*d.

What?

Her office told me... They told you it was a su1c1de because that's what the k*ller wanted us to believe.

Dad warned me.

And I think he knew who it was.

Well, then, we have no choice but to demand the truth.

I'll have Dolpho bring the car around.

He'll never tell us.

Oh, never bet against your mother, darling.

Your father's just a man.

Grab him where it counts and he'll squeal like a pig.

Ainsley? Mom...

Why are you here?

What is this?

Well, isn't that obvious?

It's a family reunion.

Oh, we should celebrate.

You know, the canteen sells a very festive Cajun snack mix.

Eddie, could you grab us a few bags to nosh on?

A-And get something for yourself.

I hope he heard that.

My, uh, new friend has a touch of wrestler's ear.

If he comes back with cheddar or ranch, just be cool about it.

I uncovered some information on the girl in the box.

Sophie Sanders worked for Nicholas Endicott.

What? No.

No, that can't be true.

Nicholas had absolutely nothing to do with this.

He is a good man.

There's only one monster in this story.

You made a deal with Sophie.

She had information, dirt on someone.

That's why you let her live.

That information was on Nicholas Endicott, wasn't it, Dad?

He's the reason Dad got the plea deal of the century.

No, that can't be true.

Mom, this isn't a coincidence.

Wait, why are you two here?

Eve Blanchard was m*rder*d.

My boy.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Oh, she was such a spirited girl.

A real match for your vigor, but...

I did warn her.

Why?

Why did you want to stop Eve from searching for her sister?

I don-I don't think we should discuss this in front of your mother.

She's upset, and understandably so.

Let's leave the past in the past.

Focus on us.

Our family.

We are not your family.

We are just a group of people tragically bound to you by blood.

Your children want answers.

Talk!

Or there will be no more family reunions.

With any of us.

The kids are right about Nicholas.

I will tell you what Sophie told me, for your own good.

To save you from the same fate that befell our poor Eve.

Sophie told me...

You can never say no to him.

"Never tell him no."

That's Nicholas Endicott's one rule.

Oh, he plucked Sophie off the street, gave her a job, turned her life around, and all she had to do was say yes.

Nicholas' empire is built on cruelty.

And he saved his truly despicable requests for Sophie.

I did everything he asked.

I knew if I didn't...

I'd be next.

It takes a special kind of monster to turn someone else into one.

You're lying.

Sorry, Jess.

Another romantic swing and a miss for you.

Please tell me he's lying.

I can't.

The profile makes sense.

Nicholas Endicott is a genetic narcissist.

A born sociopath.

But Eve must have gotten too close.

Please stop.

I don't want to hear any more about this.

A sociopath who no one ever said no to.

And a man we will all stay away from.

I said stop. Fine with me.

Should we play highlights/lowlights?

Oh, you loved that when you were kids.

I'm sorry.

I know this is a shock.

But if Nicholas k*lled Eve...

Uh, one quibble there.

He would never have done that himself.

Remember, m*rder's just another business transaction... a task for a loyal employee.

A contract k*ller.

I'll find him.

Force him to flip on Endicott.

Flip on Endicott?

Did you hear what I said?

He will destroy us all.

Goodbye, Dr. Whitly.

Malcolm...

I forbid you from continuing this investigation.

Malcolm Whitly, I am still your father!

Well...

I'd say that was a lowlight.

You slept with him, didn't you?

Good thing you never say no.

I've completed Eve's autopsy.

Cause of death?

She drowned.

And there are injuries consistent with hitting the water from a significant height.

But it wasn't a su1c1de.

Drowning is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning I've ruled out literally every other possible cause of death.

So most pathologists would have toed the company line and ruled it a su1c1de.

The company line?

I got a call from the commissioner's office.

They were wondering why I haven't made my determination.

That's Endicott at work.

What did you tell them?

Don't worry, I am not like most pathologists.

That's for sure.

When a person inhales water, diatoms... a kind of microalgae... enters into the lungs, then circulates through the organs.

I extracted the diatoms from Eve's bone marrow, examined them, revealing a slightly different level of chlorophyll than in the sample water from the river.

Meaning? Someone drowned her.

And then threw her off that bridge.

Bright...

Our first profile is straightforward.

Nicholas Endicott is the sociopath puppet master.

He's already proven he can pull strings at the NYPD.

We have no way of knowing how far his reach extends.

He's the k*ller who doesn't k*ll.

Eve's m*rder*r is different.

We're looking for an assassin.

They're almost impossible to profile.

So...

I don't have one.

Oh.

Bummer.

If I have a blind spot... this is it.

I might know a guy.

Espresso, please.

How's the family, Ciro?

16 grandchildren now.

Shall I pull out the pictures?

That's what I thought.

I need information.

On a pro?

Why bother? You're never gonna catch him.

Just like you never caught me.

Indulge me.

Gil... the arthritis... makes it so tough to pull a trigger.

The Five Families must have been sad to see you go.

You, uh, bring a friend?

I don't know what you're talking about.

Nice coat.

But it's in the wrong borough.

I can smell a fed a mile away.

Hey, tell the Bureau what I told Arroyo here.

I've closed up shop.

The field office is a busy place.

There's only so many b*mb threats we can comb through in a day.

But I'd be happy to put your name back in the hopper.

Or you could give my colleague here the information he needs.

Who was it?

A woman.

Eve Blanchard.

Nice girl. That's a shame, k*lling a woman.

Special place in hell for that.

Save it, Ciro.

We both know assassins try to avoid overlap.

Too many active hits in the same city at the same time.

What we need to know is who's been working New York.

They call her The Nightingale.

Ciro said she's possibly in her mid-30s.

Any other description? No.

She's famously skilled at concealing her identity.

Oh, cool. Should be easy then.

Yeah, but we're not looking for her.

We're looking for her next target.

The big data whistleblower, Conrad Hulce, has a ticket on the 234 to D.C.

Bar charging station, poppy seed.

Way too much cream cheese.

Okay, let's keep our distance.

The Nightingale's here.

Might not go down today, but she's watching him.

I can feel it.

Bright, there are hundreds of women in this place.

You're right.

I'm working without a profile.

Any one of them could be the assassin.

There's no way to get the drop on her.

We need to draw her out.

When the commotion starts, one woman will remain perfectly calm.

What commotion?

Find her.

I'll take care of the rest.

Bright?

Bright.

What commotion?

What the hell's he doing?

Bright.

Come in, Bright.

Bright, come in, Bright.

Conrad Hulce!

Is that you?

A Kn*fe!

He just-just got stabbed!

Come on, let's go!

Squad Central, this is Tarmel.

We need a bus.

Fall to the ground.

I'm gonna save your life.

It's ketchup. Start screaming.

You definitely know how to cause some commotion.

Just get out of here. Go, go!

One o'clock, shopping bag.

I'm on it.

CIA?

NYPD.

What am I doing?

I should be working this story.

I'm the one who figured out that your boyfriend is super shady.

Again, not my...

Fine, your-your special pal.

I don't care what we call him.

I am not afraid of Nicholas Endicott.

Or any other old man in a $20,000 suit.

I am not afraid of him, Ainsley.

I liked him.

He was the first man in a long time that I could...

He was a widower.

I thought he was broken like me.

I thought he understood.

But I was wrong.

So... until you have endured a lifetime of heartache, maybe you could give the old woman in a $20,000 suit a little credit.

Mom... two things.

First, I am going to take Endicott down.

Second... you're not old.

Oh, no, please, Ainsley.

I'm a reporter.

This is what I do.

Two weeks ago, you took someone from me.

Eve Blanchard clawed her way out from a nightmare childhood.

She built herself a life.

She wasn't like you or me.

She was good.

It's a job.

I know that.

But you k*lled her.

Maybe you know something about nightmare childhoods.

Is that accent Warsaw?

Are you a profiler?

I work with the police.

Don't bother.

You can't shrink me.

I need to understand you.

I need to understand why Eve Blanchard is dead.

My one phone call was to the CIA.

They've offered me a job before.

Today I accepted.

So our time together is limited.

I'm sorry about your girlfriend.

She sounds lovely.

But I didn't k*ll her.

I've been set up on Conrad for the last month.

How did she die?

Drowned.

Apparent su1c1de.

Ooh.

Tough job.

You have to really sell it.

Your lawyer is here.

CIA.

What do you mean, "you need to sell it"?

Staging a su1c1de is complicated.

In success, there is not even a whisper of foul play.

So you have to get close.

You have to get to know them.

Their home, their habits.

It's tedious... but lucrative.

I'm sorry.

We'll keep eyes on her.

What if she's telling the truth?

Whoever it was found their way into Eve's life.

We need to go to her apartment.

Any update on Mr. David's illness?

I'm not sure.

I guess I can ask.

Thank you.

He and I have been together such a long time now, I, uh, I can't help but worry.

Hmm.

And I requested the telephone.

Where is it?

I need to check on my family.

I-I was told, on this unit, prisoners aren't allowed phone access.

I am not like other prisoners.

What do you think? Is this acceptable?

The guards call it "the penthouse."

I guess that's gallows humor, but it's apt, all things considered.

What's the square footage?

I don't know, Martin.

I could put some shelves here.

A desk.

A Persian rug would do wonders.

Don't look so paranoid, Martin.

I'd never poison you.

I just thought you might like one last taste of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

You should have let it breathe first.

This is the last time we will ever see each other again.

I've secured you a very comfortable cage.

I hope that we can walk away two satisfied parties.


As long as...

I get certain assurances.

To détente.

Oh, excuse me?

I-I didn't order this. You should have.

Pinot grigio, as a rule, has no personality.

I think it's time we had a chat.

Earthy, isn't it? A bit gamey, even?

It's delicious. Well, of course it is.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

This is such a treat, the two of us, sharing a drink.

But I have to ask... are you spying on me?

It can be difficult for adult children, when their parent enters into a relationship with someone new.

I'm very protective of my mother.

I think I'm falling for her.

I would do anything to... make her life one she's excited to live again.

My mother doesn't hate her life.

But what Martin did, it-it's... stifled her.

There's so much potential for happiness in Jessica.

And Malcolm. And you.

Tell me why you're here.

I want to profile you.

A prime-time segment on Endicott Pharmaceuticals.

You're ambitious.

That's good.

And what's your endgame?

An anchor seat? Chair on The View?

Or maybe you want more.

How about White House press secretary?

I don't know.

I guess I never really let myself think that big.

Because you never had a man like me in your corner.

Now you do.

Where do you want to start?

Doesn't matter.

I don't need gloves.

Tally has these red shoes.

I don't know who makes them or what you call them, but she wore them on this really good night out.

And now, every time I see them in the closet, it comes back.

That feeling... of us.

Sorry, man.

It's okay.

I'll take the bedroom.

Yo, Bright.

Did you find one, too?

They're all over the apartment. The k*ller was upstairs.

This whole time.

Watching us.

You can tell my overprotective son that I am safe.

Join me?

I can't stay for long. I just came to check on you.

Yeah, okay.

I'm sorry.

I know Eve was your friend.

You should be worried about Malcolm, not me.

I always worry about Malcolm.

As much as he resists it.

A quality he shares with his mother.

All Eve ever knew was pain.

It's such a shame that she'll never see justice brought to the man who took her sister.

Are you talking about Martin? Or Nicholas?

What's the difference?

They are both malicious, deceitful criminals.

And I chose them.

Jess... What is wrong with me?

What is it about me that I attract these... these horrible men?

There is nothing wrong with you.

And there are good men out there, too.

I had a chance with a good man.

I screwed it up.

We both did.

Too bad we missed our window, huh?

Yeah.

Too bad.

The apartment above Eve's wasn't rented.

The k*ller must have broken in, squatted.

Who knows how long they were watching her.

I pulled all the security footage from the past month.

Tech Services is running facial recognition and cross-referencing these images with the list of known tenants. That'll take days.

Stop.

That guy.

Yeah, his face is angled away from the camera.

It's like he's purposely planning his movements to avoid it.

Look, Bright, there he is again.

Hat. Headphones.

Look.

Hoodie.

What does it mean?

And who wears white pants every day?

Hold on.

His ears are always covered.

Why?

Because they'll identify him.

The pants are his uniform.

It's Eddie, the new guard.

He's got perichondral hematoma.

Cauliflower ear.

We have to get to Claremont. Now.

Doctor, you have a visitor.

How wonderful.

Is it my son?

Mm-hmm. Perhaps he's, uh, finally decided to heed my warning.

You were right, you're not like other prisoners.

You shouldn't have told your family about Mr. Endicott.

NYPD! Open the door!

Dr. Whitly!

Hey, we need help!

Dad! No!

Oh!

This is for my son.

No. Stop.

No!

No.

Open this door. Open this door.

NYPD. Let him go! Dr. Whitly, take your hands off him. Let him go!

Call for medical assistance. Go, go, go.

You're under arrest for the m*rder of Eve Blanchard.

JT, you good?

So, this is JT.

I've met the whole team. Hi.

I'm Martin.

Good thing you came in when you did.

I was being brutally att*cked.

Yeah.

Good thing.

And he... he threw his little glove... No.

...right at Luisa, and then he marched back to the car with his little arms pumping dramatically the entire way.

Mm.

Mm.

I should go.

Oh. Yes.

No, of course. It's late.

But thank you.

I needed this.

Gil.

We didn't miss our window.

I slammed it shut.

You were right to.

I met Jackie.

Had a whole life.

We moved on, Jess. No regrets.

I have regrets.

I do. I told you we were from different worlds.

We are. But that's not why I ended things.

I was scared.

You were the one good thing in my son's life.

I let you believe... that you weren't good enough for me... because it was... easier than admitting... that I could never be good enough for you.

You're good enough, Jess.

You have always been good enough.

k*ller's in the hospital.

We got a uni on him. He's not going anywhere till we question him in the morning.

No matter what, it's a good collar.

It doesn't bring her back.

I'm sorry.

You did it. You got the guy that k*lled Eve.

That matters.

He doesn't matter.

There's no profile.

And he k*lled Eve because it was his job.

Endicott hired him to do it.

He'll make a deal.

That's not gonna happen.

You're right.

Where are you going?

Bright.

I'm with Major Crimes.

Lieutenant Arroyo sent me.

Hello, Eddie.

What do you mean by "assurances"?

You're already locked up, and this cell suits you, for now.

But what happens in ten years, when you're a caged animal and when you go stir-crazy and decide to burn it all down?

We have a deal: mutual assurance or... mutual destruction.

I need more.

I take comfort in a certain measure of control, and my business provides it for me.

What do you want?

I broke some laws, just like you... but my business trades in the science of the human body.

It's helped me realize that there's one form of leverage that trumps all the others.

So I use it.

Don't cross me, Martin.

If you tell anyone about Sophie Sanders, I will do more than destroy you, I will destroy your entire family.

Do not thr*aten my...

I will bankrupt your estate, ruin your children, and make love to your beautiful wife.

But it probably won't come to that.

And in the meantime, I'll make sure you get a nice rug.

Deal?

I can't do this anymore.

I need you to go.

I said go!

Whoa.

Whoa. My name's Malcolm Bright. I work with the NYPD.

Gil.

Eddie was k*lled in the hospital.

Edrisa found DNA on the body.

Your DNA.

Well, he was alive when I went to question him.

This was not an accidental transfer.

It was hair... skin cells under the fingernails.

Too much to ignore.

That's impossible.

I'm sorry.

Gil, you... you know I didn't do this.

Malcolm Bright, you're under arrest for m*rder.
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