06x07 - Hard Feelings

[bunniefuu]

So when does Kennedy lower the boom?

We're meeting with Chandler this morning.

She'll be looking to renegotiate.

Won't she be surprised.

This Three Oh Eight video that dropped last night...

Nothing to worry about in my view.

They're still persons of interest in the Craver m*rder.

Got to follow every lead.

Tread lightly with these people.

Yes, sir.

He'll never do it. I know him.

You said he was practical. Pig-headed.

It can't trace back to me.

You can use Stan's.

Chandler will try to get this suppressed.

Her chances?

Slim to none.

It's Honey Chandler. Speak of the devil.

Send her in, please.

We went by the book. The tape will hold up.

"Conspiracy supersedes consent."

Please don't stand on my account.

May I? For the record? Go ahead.

Three days ago, Clifford Maxwell was k*lled by the FBI as they attempted to take him into custody for the m*rder of Stanley Kent.

We won't revisit the plea deal. Not asking you to.

Mrs. Kent is ready to accept the plea and proceed immediately to sentencing.

In fact, we're pulling it.

I'm sorry? The plea agreement.

We're pulling it.

We have new evidence that your client has been less than truthful in her proffer.

We're filing additional charges against her for the m*rder of her husband.

What new evidence?

Come on, don't be coy. I'll get it in discovery.

We have Alicia Kent on tape planning her husband's m*rder with her lover, FBI Agent Clifford Maxwell.

Hey, uh, everybody?

Guys? Ladies? Let's raise our glass.

A toast to Ryan Rodgers.

Ho! Ho! That's right, a Native Son of the Golden West.

As Ryan-o liked to say, you know, besides his drop-dead good looks, he had something else in common with Robert Redford, he was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley.

You know, back when it was still orange groves and lemon trees, and woolly mammoths roamed the Earth... that kind of thing.

As a cop, he bled blue, as his many awards and citations for valor will attest.

As a homicide detective, he distinguished himself with his dogged dedication to the victims and his tenacity in pursuing the perpetrators.

But above all, as a comrade and a friend, Ryan Rodgers always had another tall tale to tell, was always good for another round and always, always... always had your back.

To Ryan Rodgers, big man, big heart.

Ryan-o! Ryan-o!

Thank you. You're welcome.

LAPD's finest.

There's a reason all these old-school guys are here to celebrate your dad.

Besides free drinks?

Yeah.

Ryan Rodgers was a cop's cop.

Everybody mattered. Except us.

That's not true, Melissa.

You and your mother are what mattered most of all.

Your dad just went through a rough patch.

Oldest story in the book.

The family takes the hit, always.

Chief.

Chief.

Melissa.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Thank you for coming. Dad would have been pleased.

He was a real credit to the department.

I considered him a friend. But when the job was getting to be too much for him, you exiled him to Pacific Division.

That's not how it happened.

Final straw, graveyard shift.

Broke up their marriage.

He was more distant, more isolated than ever.

You should know, your father volunteered for the late show.

Why would he do that?

To shield his family from what troubled him.

By cutting himself off from us?

It didn't work.

♪ ♪

Barrel?

Hey. Hi.

Uh, I'm sorry about earlier.

No, you're entitled.

Pitch a fit, you feel like it.

Thanks again, for everything. Ah...

Just happy I could be here, give him the send-off he deserves.

We loved him.

I know you did.

Uh, I found this in Dad's safe deposit box.

"Interview with J.F., 08/18/96."

Who's J.F.?

No idea. No idea why he kept it.

Have you listened to it?

How? Who's got a cassette player?

Uh, I do.

Thought you might.

I'm curious what's on it.

I'll give it a listen. No rush.

Okay.

You need anything, don't you hesitate to holler.

Thank you. All right.

What am I looking for? Johns who answered online ads.

Names, e-mails, photos, videos.

So get the server to run a list of responders.

Backpage.com.

Oh. sh*t. I know.

Founder's in jail, Feds seized the site.

So you also know that records from '09 will be long gone.

All right. Put her over there, pal.

It's a cold case, low priority.

Understood. Whenever.

Yeah, could be months.

Oh. By the way, happy birthday.

It's not my bir...

I'll see what I can do.

My endorsement?

We need to challenge Lopez on the Westside.

Oh, I like Susanna.

But go on.

As the ranking board member of the L.A. Trial Lawyers Association...

Trial lawyers skew left. We're not prosecutors.

But if the woman who's battled his department for years endorses his candidacy...

He must be one hell of a candidate.

Must be.

Is this coming from you or him?

He'd like to, uh, meet to discuss it.

Why not?

GPS location points?

For the burner phone Maxwell sent that photo to.

The one that outed Craver as a snitch.

These are from the past month.

Phone was on and off. And this big cluster?

Charlie Dax's house.

This one's the nursery?

Correct. Where Dax's wife works.

Kids' school, Travis Strout's house, Waylon Strout's shop.

Got to be Dax's burner.

What about the night Craver was m*rder*d?

Nothing on the night, but the phone was in Craver's neighborhood several times the week before.

We need Dax's DNA.

What?

Well, the tape's fake. It has to be.

I never said anything about k*lling Stan.

Did you ever say anything to anyone that could be construed as a death thr*at?

Never.

Cliff and I talked about different scenarios, how things would go.

He could have doctored the tape.

We'll have a forensics expert go over it.

But I thought that in the state of California...

Come in.

Sorry to interrupt. That's okay.

Okay, thanks, Maddie.

-You were saying? -I thought that in the state of California, both parties have to consent to being recorded.

He recorded me in secret without my consent.

We'll make that clear in pretrial.

Don't worry, there are weak links in every prosecution.

Listen, Dax, we've spent way too many resources...

I don't give a f*ck.

I'm staying clear of it.

If you're smart, you will, too.

It's all right.

Pizza police.

I got 'em both, just in case.

Hey.

Do you know where Mank keeps his private stock?

No.

That stuff on the pod rack could drive a man to milk.

Uh, Captain, probably something I should mention.

What's that?

It's probably nothing, but with HR protocol and whatnot...

Sure.

My partner's been talking to me about Lieutenant Billets.

What about Billets?

You know L.T.

She's a warm person, which is fine with me.

But I guess it makes my partner a little uncomfortable.

The handsy stuff.

Right. Boundaries. Personal space.

It's probably nothing, right?

But Vega mentioned it more than once, so I felt I had to say something.

Because if I don't, and it was something, well...

Appropriate you brought it to me, Pierce.

See something, say something.

I didn't really see anything. Of course.

Between us. Not to worry.

Hey.

Brenner gonna bitch about you expediting that through your lab?

He's just praying Craver's k*ller's anybody but Maxwell.

I have Heather Strout's DNA on that waiver she signed with a bloody thumbprint; I'll have it checked, too.

Thanks.

I heard the D.A. pulled Alicia Kent's plea.

Maxwell's tape blew up her story.

You okay?

Looks like a desk is my future.

Nah, you'll be back in action.

Even the Bureau isn't that dumb.

They are, but thanks for keeping the faith.

I appreciate it.

Harry? Yeah?

Never mind.

Detective Ryan Rodgers, LAPD, interviewing... state your name.

Beto Frank.

August 28, 1996.

Mr. Frank, you are a Police Academy cadet.

Is that correct?

Yes, sir.

And you were arrested tonight on Virgil Avenue, 11:30 p.m., passenger in a Pontiac Trans Am.

That's correct, sir.

Gary's m*rder's getting lost. It's all about Marcos and Arias.

This thing with Hovan will pay off.

Just need to give it time.

Yeah, you keep saying that.

You gonna get Avril on some bullshit money laundering charge.

That's what you're worried about?

I'll never get justice for my son.

Eyewitness said Jamaicans sh*t Gary.

You got a Jamaican C.I. Why don't you use him?

That's Hovan's C.I., so Hovan calls the sh*ts.

I call bullshit.

Hovan's frustrated, too.

I'm beyond frustrated.

Done with the waiting game, Jerry.

So you know.

We-we were just riding.

You were just riding with three known gangbangers, Cadet Beto Frank?

Or should I say ex-cadet, as of a few hours ago?

I made a mistake in judgment.

You think? A drive-by sh**ting?

I didn't know that was gonna happen.

You were in the car, son.

Detective Rodgers.

Lieutenant.

Turn off the tape.

Whew, those don't make you cry?

My superpower.

You saw Alex Sands again.

I did.

They were running a scam.

Blackmail.

Johns compromised.

Underage girls, so on.

Jesus.

I didn't know.

You think one of the johns k*lled Daisy?

A place to start.

I swear to God, Harry, I didn't know.

Well, now that you do, I mean, is there anything she said or-or did that makes sense in retrospect?

No.

I don't think so. Not that I remember.

I can't believe that they would...

Stupid f*cking kids, man.

I looked up your record. Oh, yeah?

Solid. A few dings along the way.

You know any cop worth a damn that doesn't?

Congrats, by the way, on that truce in Boyle Heights.

Right place, right time.

Both sides were ready to quit banging.

How'd you get your hands on that interview?

Right place, right time.

That was the worst night of my life.

I thought I was done before I even got started.

That would have k*lled my dad. You know my dad?

Assistant Chief Bill Frank?

No, I never had the pleasure.

Anglo, obviously.

My mom, Dolores Marquez, Chicana.

I came up with a foot in both worlds.

So that night, you left behind the Academy, your mom, your pop.

You went cruising with three gangbangers on a drive-by.

Guys I grew up with. To a party, not a drive-by.

I had no idea it was gonna go down like that.

But you should have.

I should have. I was a knucklehead.

Rodgers was ready to ring me up on the spot.

Yeah. Your career was finished then and there.

But then, Lieutenant Irving comes in, stops the interview, pulls you out...

How'd he know to come get you?

I don't know. That was a long time ago.

I think you do.

I think you know your dad called Irving and told him to shut it down.

Chief Irving made a judgment call.

Saved my life.

And I made very f*cking sure I've never done anything since to make him regret that decision.

How do you spell that?

Okay. Thanks.

Got the b*llet back that k*lled Craver finally.

The chemical residue?

Imidacloprid. It's a neonicotinoid.

You're having way too much fun with this.

Insecticide. Used in nurseries.

We should call Angel City, see if they use it.

Feds already did.

And they do.

One more piece of the puzzle.

Starting to look like something.

Hey there.

Hey. Is that the, uh, notorious knee brace from when he T-boned Crate and Barrel?

f*cking Powers.

Kamikaze behind the wheel.

I'm not saying he milked it, but, uh...

-But? -Well, I mean, he's limping around here for months like he's Walter Brennan, you know?

Wagon Train?

Red River. Wagon Train was Ward Bond.

Oh, right.

Don't blame Powers for pulling the plug.

He got lucky this time. Nearly nicked his femoral artery. Cop life turns on a dime.

Sergeant Edgewood. Hey, Mank, how's it going?

Well, you ever walk barefoot on Bubble Wrap?

Yeah. That kind of crazy fun.

You got a minute?

Yeah.

Operation Safe Sidewalks?

The homeless thing. The chief's homeless thing.

I'm running it here at Division.

Nice. Congrats, L.T.

Yeah. I'm looking for a number two.

Um, somebody with experience on the street, especially narcotics.

Like a sergeant level.

Fluent in Hollywood.

Know anybody like that?

I might.

You think he might be interested?

It's a big change.

Well, make sure he understands it's a chance to build something from the ground up.

I will. Lieutenant.

Hey.

Yeah?

Irving goes into that Beto Frank interview, an L.T. marking time in narcotics.

Six months later, he's in RHD on a fast track to command.

Guess who was Special Operations assistant chief at the time?

I don't need to guess, I remember: Bill Frank.

You think that opportunity jump passes the smell test?

Irving would've got there anyway.

One way or another.

Look, it's not like cronyism isn't baked into the department's DNA.

He made the right call at the time.

Look at Beto Frank's record.

If he'd been nipped in the bud, department would've lost a good cop.

I know.

Still, the optics suck.

The chief can't take a political hit like this, not now. No.

Tell her... your cassette player ate the tape?

I can't do that.

f*ck. Yeah. f*ck.

We looked into the Clayton case 'cause most of the details matched the Backseat Butcher.

How many holdbacks did you have?

Two. One was a splash of pig's blood outside the car... And the other?

Symbol, drawn on a nearby wall.

In the victim's blood. Yours, too?

Like a diamond, with legs. Mm-hmm.

It's a rune... signifies inheritance and heritage.

The Nazis used it.

What'd it mean for the Butcher?

Who knows?

Maybe he just liked signing his kills with it.

Daisy Clayton was working a badger game with her boyfriend.

Could one of her johns have known about the holdbacks?

Not unless he was part of my task force.

You vet your team? Yeah.

All my guys volunteered for a polygraph.

They all passed.

You lifted a print off her skin. A-a partial.

Yeah. Off her cheek.

It was still a new process, experimental.

Wouldn't hold up in court.

Everything indicates he wore gloves, used a condom.

This shrink from behavioral science, her take was he took off a glove, held the vic's mouth when he slashed her throat.

Like he wanted to feel her last breath.

Sick fucks, both of 'em.

However I can help you to catch this copycat, let me know.

So how are things with Avril?

You tell me.

He's a sly one.

So are you.

I'm doing the best I can.

You ain't doing sh*t.

That him talking?

I need the Jakes who k*lled Marcos and Arias.

Man, I been digging! Dig deeper.

And do it quick. Or I pull the plug on you.

You need me.

You got that backwards, bro.

We done here? I got a date.

Winston?

Done.

Clock is ticking.

Yeah, I hear that.

Last year, when I interned at the D.A.'s office, there was a cold case that got reopened.

CIU claimed that my dad had planted evidence.

I don't see your father doing that.

That's a line he wouldn't cross. Ever.

But I did.

You planted evidence?

I crossed a line.

I snooped through a file on somebody's desk.

Saw a letter about my dad. I took a picture of it.

I sent it to his lawyer.

Honey Chandler.

Whoa. That's complicated.

Please don't say karma.

Never crossed my mind.

Crossed mine.

I wouldn't call it karma.

What would you call it?

Just plain old conflict of interest.

Hey.

Look, it's nothing to b*at yourself up about.

This is the latest A*F inventory of Charlie Dax's g*ns.

Done five years ago.

The one in yellow:

Smith & Wesson M&P Shield.

Same caliber as the g*n that k*lled Craver.

This is a recent FBI inventory of his weapons.

Done after the sh**t-out at the Strout house.

So, no Smith & Wesson Shield.

No. Could've sold it in the interim.

No sales receipt?

What about the DNA on Craver's shirt?

Still waiting. Well, lost, stolen or sold, he's required to report it.

I'm sure he has a good explanation.

Let's hear it.

Mrs. Dax? Detective Bosch.

Detective Edgar, LAPD. Is your husband home?

Charlie, cops. What do you want to do?

Tell you what I don't want to do.

Give them any excuses. Let them in.

Thank you.

You gonna show me a warrant, like you did Waylon?

Just want to ask you a few questions about your inventory.

g*ns are in the garage.

Feds did a whole new inventory the other day, after they k*lled my brother-in-law.

They didn't send you a copy?

You ever use a burner phone?

Have I ever purchased a legal, prepaid phone? Yes.

Look familiar?

I got sent that picture out of the blue.

Thought it was a prank.

Had no idea who the guy with Craver was.

Then at the nursery, there he is.

f*cking Fed in my face.

Special Agent Cliff Maxwell.

Craver really his snitch?

He was.

Show this picture to anyone?

No. And when I found out Craver was dead, I deleted it. What'd you want to see?

Smith & Wesson M&P Shield.

You know I don't have it.

Came up missing after the Feds did their "inventory."

What a surprise.

You didn't report it. Didn't see the f*cking point.

The point is, it's the law.

Your law. Not mine.

Maxwell lead the search party? What do you think?

You gonna say that Craver was k*lled with the Smith & f*cking Wesson that you people took from me?

That I did it?

No. We're done.

This... this has been bullshit from start to finish.

None of this has anything to do with me.

Or the Strouts or the Three Oh Eight sovereigns.

You want to know why we're so pissed at the state of the government?

Look in the f*cking mirror.

Maxwell set him up.

Why steal the Smith & Wesson during the search?

Last piece of the puzzle.

Disappear the g*n, puts Dax looking guiltier.

I am somewhat surprised you agreed to meet with me.

How could I pass up the opportunity?

For what?

To find out why you'd trade one of the most powerful jobs in Los Angeles to be mostly miserable in City Hall.

So much of what I do now involves cleaning up the mess politicians create with their policies.

Save me the stump speech.

All right.

But it's the truth.

Chief, I hope you win.

I look forward to your successor taking LAPD back to the old ways, when my business thrived.

I think my reforms will stand.

If you honestly believe you can accomplish more as mayor than you can as chief...

I do. I'll endorse that.

And you.

Hell, I'll even write a check to your campaign.

You will?

Absolutely.

What's the catch?

No catch.

Detective Vega. Come in.

Close the door.

I heard there might be a problem.

Lieutenant Billets?

No, sir. Not with me.

L.T.'s great. Ask anybody.

Asking you. Heard she made you uncomfortable.

That would be an overstatement, sir.

Afraid of blowback, Detective?

Department has your back.

No, sir, really, I...

Will go no further than this room.

Anything you say.

You have my word.

I may have vented, to my partner.

I've been having some personal issues and, uh, I may have overreacted.

Home front. Always a pickle.

Well. Long as you've got a handle on it.

I do, sir. I'm sorry if anyone misunderstood.

Glad we could talk.

Now go solve a case or two.

Or three.

Yeah?

You got a sec? Oh, of course.

Alicia Kent?

Yes.

Look, Maddie, different cases are sequestered in law offices all the time. I know.

But given what I did for you last year while on my dad's case, I think it's gonna be awkward having me around while he's on the other side.

You're sure?

Yeah.

I'm disappointed, but I understand.

Thanks. For everything.

Absolutely.

Hey, you change your mind, you're welcome back any time.

Plans for the night? Or monk-like solitude?

More like Thelonious Monk. You?

Jerry.

DNA from Craver's shirt.

Saliva.

Travis Strout.

Strout k*lled Craver. Then spit on him.

What you do to a snitch.

Dax lied about not showing the other sovereigns the picture that Maxwell sent him.

And Travis Strout took the bait.

I can't decide. Bob Mitchum?

Or Bogart and Bacall?

Mitchum. Excellent choice.

That's a very underrated actor.

You know, Mitchum put the "L" in "laconic."

Hello. Hi, Barrel.

Melissa Rodgers.

How you holding up? Okay. You know.

I do.

I was curious what's on that tape.

It was nothing.

It was in his safe deposit. It must be something.

Well, maybe at the time he put it in there, but trust me, Melissa, now he'd want you to let it go.

Okay, well, should I come pick it up, or can you drop it in the mail?

You know, I checked on your dad's transfer to Pacific.

He did put in for that midnight shift.

Chief had nothing to do with that.

If you say so.

Tape's got my father's voice on it, Barrel.

I'd like it back.

Sure.

Bad news.

How's that?

Felix Mariama?

DEA.

Real name is Charlie Hovan.

And you brought him to us.

I just learned it.

"Just"?

You're walking into a trap.

That you helped devise.

Why I'm telling you now.

f*cking federal bug.

What do you want me to do with it?

Uh, put it on the truck.

So, what are you gonna do?

I'm gonna lay low for a while.

Gonna mourn my man.

And then I'll decide.

You sure I can't help?

I got somebody else.

It was my brother they m*rder*d.

And why they'll look at you first.

E-mails, calendars, text files.

I sent you a packet. Any names?

Screen names, aliases.

You know, e-mail addresses that are probably no good anymore.

Sands said there was photos and videos.

Still working on that.

Roots are all f*cked up. ETA?

Soon as I can.

How long? Weeks, not months.

Just as long as they're not corrupted.

Making my day.

That's me. Mr. Sunshine.

Thanks, amigo.

Hey.

You're gonna be seeing more of me.

I'm not complaining, but why?

I quit today.

Too awkward.

I don't blame you.

She said I'm welcome back any time.

She's a good judge of character.

With everyone she deals with, she has to be.

I was wondering how long you'd be okay with that part.

Which part?

You mean defending people like Dante Crow?

Okay, Mads, look.

Everyone deserves a defense, but she helps guys like Crow game the system.

If the system is rigged, someone has to.

Come on, Mads. You sound so cynical.

You mean like you? Excuse me?

You know what?

I don't want to have this conversation tonight.

Okay.

Night.