January ,
Will he ask me or won't he?
Maddy?
Hey,Michael.
I wanted to ask you something.
Um,about the Valentine's dance?
Yeah?
Do you wanna be like...
- you know,like...
- Your date?
- If someone already asked,just...
- No.
Forget it.
I mean,no,nobody asked.
- You sure you wanna go with me?
- Yeah. Yeah,I'm sure.
Then...yes.
I'm late for first period,but I...
I'll see ya later?
See ya.
"But to whom can I be responsible
when you refuse to see me?"
Help!
Somebody!Help!
You're okay.
You're okay,you're okay.
ADA Thomas stopped by.
Asked about you,Scotty.
Yeah. What about?
Just asked about you.
She's hot.
If you like that type.
And what type is that exactly?
Ballbuster.
Like I said,smokin'.
That ballbusting neighbor still giving you grief
about that basketball?
- Way past grief.
- Oh yeah? Do tell.
Another one bites the dust.
Get out while you still got time.
Thinkin' long term on this one,Nick?
He got tickets to the ballet.
Sensitive guy. You like that?
Yeah. Don't be late. Again.
Toni gets it. Life of a cop.
Where's Miller?
Storage. Been mopin' all morning.
Oh,yeah? What's up?
Probably hormones.
Hormones?
Yeah,you know,that female cycle thing.
Sensitive guy.
What?
What?
Cold job?
Skill Jones.
Knew him,so to speak.
- That right?
- I was working undercover.
Doing drug buys in North Philly.
It was a lifetime ago.
Looks like a nice kid.
Dealer.
Deep in the game.
I was the one who found him.
Help!
Help!
Somebody! Help!
Look at me. Look at me,look at me,
look at me,look at me.
Keep looking at me.Keep looking at me.[/i]
Kid d*ed in my arms.
He was .
Is that why you came down here?
First time since I made m*rder cop.
Always wondered when I would.
So why today?
Fifth-year anniversary of his death.
I found that box next to his.
Madison Reed. Chestnut Hill rich kid.
Both sh*t and k*lled same day.
Exact same time.
: A.M.
Weird.
Jobs could be connected.
White girl from the 'burbs,dealer from the projects?
Seeing someone die...
...kinda changes you forever.
Yeah. It does.
Don't know much about him.
'Cept his name.
You need a reason to open a job.
No one left to speak for Skill.
For Madison.
Except us.
Maybe that's reason enough?
Madison Reed.
sh*t with a . magnum at close range.
That's a rare w*apon.
Any luck tracking it down?
Turned that school inside out.
Got no w*apon,no motive.
Kinda crime doesn't happen in Chestnut Hill.
Chalked it up to random v*olence.
Job went cold after a year.
- What about Skill Jones?
- Small-time punk.
- Theory was a drug deal gone south.
- Gave up on him after a few weeks.
We have a last to see?
Not on Skill.
But another kid,Michael Ellis,
saw Madison at school right before she got sh*t.
Well,Scotty and I'll have a talk.
Madison was a straight "A" student,
track star,student government type.
What's the connect to Skill?
We don't know yet.
You got any informants left from your narc days?
Toomey Nelson.
Crackhead,junk peddler,
North Philly .
Can't say I don't take you anywhere nice.
Least I don't go to the ballet.
Yo,wassup,dawg?
How ya doin'?
Oh,damn!
Five-oh! Five-oh!
Yeah,that's right.
The po-po's rollin',y'all.
Yo,baby girl,where's them stilettos and the tube top?
Yeah,well...
I be respectable now.
Says you.
So,what? You the boyfriend?
Philly Homicide,homeslice.
No doubt.
♪ Toomey got somethin' for ya. ♪
I give you the po-po discount. Two dollar.
Think I'll pass.
How 'bout the bling?
Well that's not for sale,baby girl.
That's my dreamcatcher.
How 'bout some tube socks,instead?
Thinkin' I might need some .
Oww! Bring it!
Remember that dealer got sh*t?
Skill Jones?
Skill was good people.
Gave Toomey respect.
That don't come cheap out here.
- You owe him then?
- No doubt.
I didn't speak my piece back in the day
but now Champ's audi...
- Who's Champ?
- Dealer.
Worked the Wilson projects back in .
Word was he was movin' in on a house run by Skill's posse.
- Turf w*r?
- Well,over new product.
Tried to take Champ oua commission for real.
Yeah?
- Who'd you hear this from?
- Seen it with my own eyes.
- When'd this go down?
- Few weeks before Skill get hisself sh*t.
And of all nights... on the New Year.
Champ,don't never wanna catch you near the house.
Hear? I can't hear you.
I can't hear you!
You dissin' me,homey?
That it?
You a man now,Skill.
It's time you earned them stripes.
- Huh?
- Huh? You a bitch,too?
- Nah,man. Nah.
- Then get to it,homey.
Took half of Champ's ear off with them pliers.
Cold.
- Champ go after Skill?
- Tried to,but Skill went underground.
Where to?
Only fams was his gramps up in the projects.
So what was the turf they were warrin' over?
sh**t' gallery on th and MLK.
Cookhouse for a lil bit o' hell called methamphetamine.
All right,Toomey.
Holla at me if you hear anything else.
I don't touch the crunk myself.
♪ Gotta keep tip-top for the ladies. ♪
You were the last to see Madison alive,Michael.
I asked her to some stupid dance that morning,yeah.
Were you two boyfriend and girlfriend?
No,we kinda grew up together,but,not really,no.
She have a beef with any of your classmates?
No way. Maddy was like totally popular.
Everyone loved her.
Was she dabbling in dr*gs at all,Michael?
Nah. No,no way.
Wanna look at me when you answer that?
Maybe you'll feel more comfortable talking downtown.
- Wait a minute,are you arresting me?
- Not if you stop lying.
It was like a few weeks before she was... you know.
sh*t.
Yeah.
Our moms had this book club.
That day it was Madison's house.
Go on.
Her dad had just took off,
leaving them penniless basically.
It was really awkward
'cause in Chestnut Hill,money's everything.
Hey,Maddy.
Uh,my mom sent this.
She,uh,couldn't make the book club.
She...
Had another engagement?
Funny how busy everyone's mom is since my dad left.
Are yookay?
Got a "D" in Orman's English class.
That wench gives Ds to everyone.
Maybe if I didn't,he would have stayed.
Your dad didn't leave because of your "D," Maddy.
How do you know?
It's,like,gonna burn you if you don't put it down.
Oh.
Please don't tell anybody.
Why,Michael.
I thought I heard you come in.
Is your mom here,too?
She,uh,had something to do.
So good seeing you,Michael.
You grow an inch every time I do.
Madison,how many times do I have to tell you
to clean up your stuff?
Yearbook,Mrs. Reed.
Madison never stops,does she?
Uh,I should go.
See you,Maddy.
See ya.
I didn't tell anyone.
Maybe I should have.
Those vials.
Sounds like cr*ck or meth.
Looks like we got our connect.
You ever seen this guy,Michael?
- No. Who is he?
- A drug dealer from North Philly.
Drug dealer? Whoa,I don't think Madison
went to that part of town,like,ever.
No kidding.
I know I'm late
LikeI said:life of a cop.
Life of a cop,huh?
Cop who's still got those tickets
in case someone's interested.
Think it's too late for that.
It won't happen again,Toni.
You said that the last time.
I was working this job.
Kid wasn't much older than Andre.
Never seen Andre take to someone the way he does to you.
He's a good kid.
He's mine.
Don't want to make promises I can't deliver.
Who's saying I can't deliver?
You can't make it to a date,Nick,come on.
What's this really about,Toni?
I never intended to settle down with a cop.
Wondering every night if he'll walk through that door.
I never intended on being Insta-Dad,
but sometimes life throws you a curve.
- Are you saying my son's a burden?
- No.
I'm saying give me a sh*t.
I can't.
sorry
A super achiever like Madison could have used meth
to pull all-nighters.
Hoit usually starts.
Next thing you know,you're hooked to the grave.
No tox report from her autopsy.
Goody Two-Shoes like her,no need.
Could be Skill was her dealer.
Or someone closer to home.
Gibby Hanes,senior at Madison's high school.
Misdemeanor arrest for slinging meth.
Pleaded out as a minor.
First-time offense.
yep.
Chestnut Hill bling talks.
- North Philly bling don't.
- Let's bring Gibby in.
And Mom.
Any on Skill?
Suspect numero uno: local drug rival named Champ.
Bit the big one a few months back.
Is that right?
Clockers' shelf life being what it is.
Leaving us high and dry.
But Skill's gramps is still around.
Maybe that's where he hid out.
- You'll have a talk?
- Yes,we will.
You think Madison was a drug addict?
- Excuse me,you are...?
- I'm her mother.
And you're wrong,dead wrong.
Maddy was a good girl.
Michael had no right to tell you that.
- Why don't we talk in private?
- It's bad enough that you never found her k*ller.
And now you're blaming her?
I think you've done enough already.
What a parent doesn't know...
Skill lost his daddy to the needle,
his mama to the pipe.
You might say white powder is the family curse.
You were all Skill had left in the world.
Since he was but a baby.
I loved that boy like he was the sun and the moon.
But... you know Skill was in the game.
I tried to stop him,
but then the Word showed him the error of his ways.
You want to elaborate,Mr. Jones?
New Year's Eve,about three weeks
before the Lord took him from me.
Same night they worked over Champ.
What happened on New Year's Eve?
My grandson finally came home.
Six... five... four... three... two...
one!
Skill?
Skill,that you?
Skill.
What's wrong with you,boy?
- You're bleeding,son.
- Don't touch me!
I can't get it off!
Grandpa.
What'd you do,boy?
I... I hurt a kid.
You got to get out the game,Skill.
You hear me?
Who's gonna take care of the bills?
Who's gonna take care of you,Grandpa?
Who?
Ain't the answer.
Never was,it never will be.
All I know is banging,Grandpa.
Then you got to dream bigger dreams.
Like what?
Go back to school.
Make something of yourself.
I... I,I just want...
What,Skill?
To find peace.
Skill got out the streets,
stay here with me
and went back to school,
but then he d*ed.
What kind of g*n did Skill have?
. Glock.Why?
Same type of g*n that k*lled Madison.
You ever see this girl,Mr. Jones?
Maybe with Skill?
White girl?
I don't think so,no.
Who is she?
k*lled the same day your grandson was.
Anything else,
give us a call.
That why y'all care now?
About Skill?
'Cause a white girl d*ed?
I was the one who found him,
Mr. Jones...
...on that playground.
Did he find peace?
I don't know.
Stockbroker?
Pay as well as drug dealing?
- Your partner's funny.
- You remember a kid named Madison Reed?
- sh*t down in the schoolyard.
- And that's relevant to me how?
We know about you slinging,Gibby,
so lose the "aw,shucks" act.
I was small potatoes,okay?
The most I sold was dried out pot from my sock drawer.
- Says here you dealt meth.
- Look,I peddled a few vials at school,okay? So what?
Selling to rich teenyboppers.
- Tough guy.
- At least I got laid.
Wasn't a jock,so I was Chestnut Hill's Tony Montana.
Say hello to my little friend.
Big man on campus,huh?
- So why'd you quit slinging?
- 'Cause I almost blew up my mom's Viking stove.
- She would have freaked.
- So...Madison bought from you?
Like I said,I was done dealing it,
so I brought her to the source.
- Out of the goodness of your heart.
- She was hot.
Freshman. Drool,drool.
Plus she gave me bucks.
Talk about where you took her.
Was a cookhouse on th and MLK in North Philly.
Where the big boys played.
In the same house Skill's boys worked.
- That where she scored?
- Wrong again.
Let's just say that she had a soft spot for the crunkheads.
What a bunch of sad sacks.
I'm audi in,like,two seconds.
You cannot leave me here.
Mom.
Mom!
Mom!
- Maddy.
- Mom?
Is that you,baby?
I've been looking for you everywhere.
For two days!
You're such a good girl,Maddy.
You know that?
You promised you'd quit,you'd stop this time!.
I know .I know,I tried,I did.
But I just want to not feel things anymore,
- so just let me do that,okay?
- I want to go home.
Please,Mom.
But it's just like heaven here,sweetie.
Don't you see how pretty it is?
We're in heaven.
Pathetic,huh?
Some people have no self-control.
Her mom was the meth addict?
- Not Madison?
- Bingo.
I sold to Mrs. Reed once at some PTA meeting.
- Middle-aged loser.
- But then you stopped dealing.
So Shirley had to look for her fix elsewhere.
In Skill's sort of heaven.
Too bad you weren't.
I'm not sure I understand.
The Jenny Crank diet,does that ring any bells?
Coming in here with an attitude
when you were nothing but a tweaker,
a junkie,a crankhead.
You have no right to talk to me like that.
You bought dr*gs from a kid in Madison's school.
And when that well dried up,
you left your daughter for days looking to score.
- You've got no proof of that.
- You want proof?
Your daughter is six feet under because of you.
You've known for five years why she was k*lled,
so enough with the bull.
I was trying to hold it together after my husband left,okay?
The bills and the house,
trying to pretend that we were okay
when we were drowning.
Oh,smoking meth.
That's the answer?
It was a nightmare.
And I couldn't wake up.
I had no one to turn to.
You recognize him?
Someone I'd buy from at the house.
Madison used to give me that look,too.
So... disappointed in me...
again.
Looks like you got clean.
I tried so many times.
But if addiction was a battle,rehab was w*r.
I'll get clean,Maddy.
This time I will.
Okay,Mom.
You don't believe me,baby.
You always say that and it always ends up the same.
Not this time.
I promise.
Do you remember when Dad left?
What?
- You promised we'd be okay.
- I did? I don't remember.
I do.
Then we will.
Excuse me?
Mrs. Reed?
Yeah? That's my mom.
We can't admit you tonight.
What? Why not?
We don't have the room.
The city's been overwhelmed.
All the clinics are filled to capacity.
- If you don't take her,she'll go out again.
- Madison,please.
I sleep in her bed every night so if she leaves I know
and I can stop her,but sometimes I can't stop her.
There's nothing I can do,I'm sorry.
Please,help us.
Please.
There's a number you can call.
I'll get it.
Maddy?
Maddy,what are we gonna do now?
I went out that night and got high.
And the next night.
Until one day my little girl was gone.
Too late for her.
It takes everything I've got,
every single day not to go out and score.
But I made my daughter a promise,
and I intend to keep it.
It's Skill's high school?
Grandpa said that he had came back here before he d*ed
It's none of my business,
so if you don't want to answer,that's fine by me.
Toni dumped me.
For real?
Why?
Cop's hours,the life,who wants it?
Yeah. I hear that.
You okay?
For a second there,I thought she was the one.
Skill Jones.
His grandfather said he was in school
before he was k*lled.
He was in my class for exactly three weeks.
And then he dropped out.
Why?
Because he realized he had no future in academia?
I don't know.
You remember any interactions
Skill might have had with fellow students...
over this?
. Glock.
There was one kid,came looking for Skill,
but I don't think it was a g*n he wanted.
Take your seats,now.
Deshawn,Shanelle,do I look like I'm playing?
Now if you'll open your books,I'd like somebody to read.
Skill?
"I...a-am...
"one... of the... "
"...the most irresponsible beings..."
"that's... e-ever...
lyved."
Lived. The correct pronunciation is lived.
"Ir... irr...
"Irresponsibility is part of my invisibility."
Come on,Skill.
"to...who-m...
"can-can-can...
This is th grade level,for goodness sakes.
Don't you know how to read?
Go on.
No.
- What did you say to me?
- I said no.
If you won't obey the rules of my classroom,you can leave.
Now.
"But to...
"who-who-m...
"can I-I be...
"re-re-spon-sible...
...when you refuse to see me?"
Skill!Skill!
Get in your seats!
Now!
Skill!
Skill!
Skill!
- One of your customers is calling.
- I don't deal no more.
Once a hood,always a hood.
No doubt.
Is this the kid you saw?
Yes.
Now if you don't mind,
the hordes will be storming the fort any minute now.
Looks like our Chestnut Hill prep and our North Philly drug dealer were pretty copasetic.
♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪
****Skill were tight,Michael.
- I didn't know that kid.
- Got an eyewitness who saw you with Skill.
It's time to come clean.
Look,
I knew about Madison's mom,okay?
And the dr*gs.
How?
Because I kept going over to their house.
I saw how she got.
- So why not tell anybody?
- Because stuff like that doesn't happen in Chestnut Hill.
People were already treating them like dirt.
You had to protect Madison.
Then one weekend she just disappeared.
- When was this?
- The weekend before she d*ed.
Did you find her?
I asked Gibby,he knew everything about dr*gs.
He said that she was probably out looking for her mom again.
- Told me about Skill.
- That's why you were at Skill's school?
At first,he wouldn't take me to Maddy.
Wouldn't take my money or anything.
Then I told him,you know...
Told him what?
That I loved her.
I was gonna be the big hero.
But when I found Madison in that house,
she was already gone.
Hey,hey.
That her?
That your girl?
Hey,Yo.
I came for my mom.
To bring her home.
But I-I can't find her.
I got so tired,you know?
I just want to...
not feel things anymore.
Go to her,man.
Hey,hey.
Your boyfriend here,
came to bring you home.
- There's nothing for me there.
- Nothing for you here,either.
Yo,come on. Get on up.
You don't belong here.
You're just a kid.
So are you.
Me and you?
We're worlds apart.
I just wanna...
disappear.
Become invisible.
'Cause no one even sees me.
Hey.
You ain't invisible.
'Cause I can see you.
And you got to,too.
Even if no one else in the whole world does.
Let's go home.
You and me both.
Okay.
Come on.
- Take this.
- Nah.
You ain't gotta pay me.
It's a dreamcatcher.
My mom gave it to me.
It's yours now.
So you can get home,too.
I took her home that night.
And the next day she was dead.
That necklace,she gave it to Skill?
Then how did Toomey end up with it?
Michael,you're sure that Skill had that g*n on him?
He told Madison he was giving up on dealing.
- And that he'd sell it.
- Sell it to who?
- To some white guy.
- What white guy?
Somebody that brought her to the house.
Gibby?
Come on now.
Why you gotta get all po-po on ol' Toomey?
Sit down.
Okay.
Where'd you get that necklace,Toomey?
One on your cart?
Dumpster,I don't know.
- You been lyin' to me from the get-go.
- Come on,baby girl,Toomey don't play like that.
Don't baby girl me,you two-bit junkie liar.
So it's like that now,huh?
Straight up.
Talk about where you got that piece of junk necklace.
It ain't a piece of junk!
It's a dreamcatcher.
Dreamcatcher,huh?
We all got dreams,baby girl.
You think I planned this?
Pushin' that cart,even the cluckheads laughin' at me?
Wasn't supposed to be like this.
Skill gave you respect.
- It's payback time.
- Please.
He like all the rest in the end...
What'd he do to you,Toomey?
He looked at me the way you lookin' at me right now.
Like I wasn't a man.
"But to whom can I be responsible
when you refuse to see me?"
You like my piece,Skill?
Ol' Toomey be packin'.
Where you get that?
Dumpster behind the bodega.
Say we trade it for some vials?
Gave it up for good.
Slingin'.
Dreamcatcher.
Gotta think bigger dreams than that,man.
Look around,boy.
Streets paved with all sorts o' dreams.
- Come on,Toomey hurting here.
- I ain't invisible.
- Ain't gonna end like this for me.
- You think you better than this or somethin'?
I can't end up like you,Toomey.
Like me?
What you talkin' about?
I mean,look at you,man.
Look at you.
Then what happened,Toomey?
- I've been here for hours...
- Like we care.
I'm not some dumb hood from the ghetto.
No,you're some dumb ass
whose daddy can't bail him out for m*rder.
- I want my lawyer.
- Are you sure?
- Take a few hours.
- Maybe we lose your paperwork.
Let you ride it out in lock-up over the weekend.
Oh,guys down there'd love to test drive
that Chestnut Hill smile.
We know about the g*n,Gibby.
- How you bought it off Skill.
- Same g*n that k*lled Madison.
I never bought some stupid Glock off that hood.
Never said it was a Glock.
- I don't have to listen to this crap.
- You're the worst kinda scum.
Selling dr*gs to kids to get laid?
You think it's some sorta video game?
- You can't touch me. That's police brutality.
- On a second thought,get over here.
You wanna get laid?
- Cons will rip a kiddie pusher like you in two.
- Don't put me down there!
Start talkin',maybe we work something out with the DA.
Nah,nah,nah,no deals,no way.
- Justice time for you,Gibby...
- I'll talk,okay,I'll talk!
Look,I didn't mean to hurt anyone.
Why'd you k*ll her,Gibby?
Talk.
I just wanted to be cool.
I mean I was Tony Montana,you know?
She was gonna take that all away.
Take a look at my lil friend.
- Get away from me!
- Keep your voice down,you moron.
You're nothing but a stupid drug dealer!
- At least my mom's not a methhead.
- I'm gonna tell the cops what you did.
Newsflash,girlfriend,rich kids like me don't do jail.
You'll still get kicked outta school.
Lose all your stupid friends.
You know,the only reason people like you is 'cause you deal!
Wanna say that again,bitch?
Look at me,huh?
Look at me?
Look at you,boy.
Toomey,this ain't gonna change who you are,man.
You wanna bet?
Say it again,loser.
- You're the loser not me.
- Shut up.
- You're worse than an addict.
- I told you to shut up!
Everybody laughs behind your back
'cause you're a joke!
Oh!
Help!
Somebody! Help!
Oh,okay,okay.
Look at me,look at me.
Keep looking at me,right here.
Right here,look at me.
Look at me,look at me!
Look at me.